b4G International Forum 2013

The first wave of the 4G networks, namely LTE, is being deployed around the world today. In Asia, particularly North Asia, LTE deployments have taken place very rapidly, with Taiwan scheduled to award four new 4G LTE licenses by the end of November 2013.

Seven bidders have already been selected for the final process, amongst whom are three completely new players. The auction will be for spectrum in either the 700-MHz or 2.6-GHz bands, coupled with spectrum in the 900-MHz and 1,800-MHz band re-farmed from 2G operations. Similarly, China is also concurrently, rolling out its 4G LTE licenses bidding exercise.

As the 4G technologies are being tested and deployed in many countries around the world, efforts to define, research and develop Beyond 4G (b4G) are under way.

5G mobile technology will deliver data speeds one hundred times that of the fastest LTE networks, which max out at 100 Mbps when afforded the necessary spectrum. 5G will likely be introduced in 2020. In North Asia, China may work with Taiwanese companies on 5G technology and set up a mutual supply chain.

Taiwan's government expects to begin discussions later this year regarding the development of industries relating to 5G. This entails a clear and detailed plan to promote development of 5G technologies, which will involve issues such as human resources, the assignment of a frequency spectrum and policies in several areas. Moving ahead on the 5G front too are Korea, Japan, USA, Europe, all attempting first-mover advantage. Numerous companies are hopping on the 5G bandwagon, even though standards are only now being debated and are far from being decided. As it is, there are already at least 29 partners spanning telecommunications manufacturers, network operators, the automotive industry and academia currently, actively participating in 5G research. And now, the telecom giants are jumping onboard.