5G frequencies may come into use from 2019

5G frequencies could already be taken into use in Finland from the beginning of 2019, said a government press release.

“The introduction of 5G technology will enable new services and increase business opportunities of enterprises in many industries. I want to initiate a dialogue with the industry to make political decisions we must make to remain a forerunner in 5G development,” said Transport and Communications Minister Anne Berner.

“When distributing the frequencies, in addition to the needs of the traditional mobile communications network operators, we should also pay attention to the needs of the new operators and the new local solutions required by them,” said Berner.

The minister described the plans to introduce 5G in a seminar jointly arranged by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Ficora, the Finnish Communications and Regulatory Authority, on Wednesday.

Berner feels it important that the services required by the information society and future development can be provided by communications networks in an optimal way.

“More important than quick progress is that the communication networks form an appropriate entity. In addition to mobile connections, fixed connections are needed. Even though 5G is a mobile technology, its introduction requires the existence of optical fibre networks. We should focus on the construction of optical fibre networks much more than we do today,” said Berner.

From the perspective of the development and introduction of 5G, the frequency range of 3,400-3,800 megahertz is essential. In Finland, this frequency range could already be taken into use in 2019. The rights of use for those frequencies could be granted during 2018. This frequency range is known as the 5G pioneer band, which could be used to transfer data faster than in the 4G networks currently in use.

5G will call for frequencies that are equipped with different property to guarantee both extremely fast connections and sufficient geographical coverage. An international resolution will be made on the very high frequencies to be assigned for 5G in the World Radio Communications Conference 2019. Thus, standardised 5G networks will be taken into commercial use more extensively from the beginning of the 2020s.

Industry operators broadly represented at 5G seminar, which seemed to be an ideal place to share and update a snapshot of the next-generation mobile technology. The seminar served as a venue to present the latest views on research, development, introduction, and cooperation in Finland and internationally.

The theme of Berner’s speech was ‘Finland as a forerunner of 5G development.’ Ficora Director General Kirsi Karlamaa and representatives of several companies and other operators in the industry also took the floor in the seminar.

5G will speed up digitalisation and serve the future wireless communication needs of various user groups in many industries. 5G will fulfil the stringent requirements of users of wireless communication, for example, in terms of mobility, data speed, reliability, security, and energy efficiency.