Top 5G limitations and challenges for businesses
5G continues to expand to more areas, but reliance on older infrastructure, a new security model and variations in cost and performance mean businesses should choose carefully.
Mobile telecom carriers are far enough along in migrating to 5G that the technology can be considered almost ubiquitous compared with the 4G landscape of just a few years ago. This evolution provides opportunities and benefits to businesses as they plan their future network strategies.
But real-world constraints mean 5G still isn't a slam dunk that always lives up to the hype. In theory, 5G technology should reliably deliver lower latency and higher speed and bandwidth than 4G. 5G proponents frequently tout its support for real-time applications and data-rich mobile apps, but getting those benefits depends on factors like location and local spectrum availability.
Despite 5G being widespread enough to qualify as the mobile data option of choice and a viable option for business use, enterprises should be aware of the caveats. Here are some of the more prevalent 5G limitations enterprise network teams might encounter.
1. Distance from towers generally dictates performance
Cellular carriers are busy reworking the mobile network landscape with upgrades and additional sites to support 5G. As with almost any wireless technology, the closer the client device is to the network node, the better the connection and performance will be, thanks to signal strength and quality -- barring external factors like interference.
5G also has a fundamental, physics-level characteristic to overcome. At its best, 5G uses millimeter wavelengths, which don't travel as far with the same power levels as the longer wavelengths of earlier 3G and 4G technologies.
5G cellular coverage is typically smaller in area, but as a network protocol, 5G can carry more data. To combat the cell footprint limitation, carriers are deploying more and larger antenna arrays where needed to optimize coverage. Signal enhancers, such as beamforming, also help the 5G system overcome obstacles by enabling data packets to traverse multiple paths so they can reach individual client devices as they move around the coverage area.
All this said, users who are close to a major 5G network might still be disappointed with performance if the network uses lower-performing spectrum or legacy hardware upstream from the antennas.
2. Spectrum and bandwidth limitations
5G's spectrum picture can be hard to understand since there's no clear definition of where frequencies start and end. Three bands are in play, each with its own characteristics. At any given time, one or all of the bands could be in use in a cell, and performance can range from impressively fast to as slow as 3G.
Service providers that want to deliver the best 5G experiences share more of their allotted radio frequencies between 4G and 5G and prioritize the latter. And the previously mentioned millimeter wave deployments, while far more range-limited, offer the highest available speeds and lowest latencies for wireless clients that are capable of taking advantage of them.
Spectrum is a key consideration in choosing carriers and client devices when shopping for 5G services. Much 5G deployment is still done on legacy 3G and 4G spectrum, which enables backward compatibility with older devices, but performance might suffer until components in the path get modernized. It can be frustratingly difficult to get a clear read on the spectrum each carrier's version of 5G can deliver in specific locations.
One way 5G overcomes bandwidth limitations is through network slicing, which takes a page from the virtualization trend that has enabled greater density, capacity and capability in data centers by dividing up resources to share more idle resources and increase overall usage. With network slicing, 5G carriers achieve more efficient use of their networks, thereby handling higher user counts and transferring more data simultaneously.
3. Rural and remote locations might lack 5G coverage
There is a simple reason 5G coverage maps look fragmented: Rural areas with low populations aren't as profitable for any technology industry. Rural and remote locations have not been the highest priorities as 5G rollouts have progressed, with carriers primarily focused on revenue-generating urban areas. Thankfully, penetration into rural markets is slowly happening, and 5G has a growing presence on carriers' coverage maps. Nevertheless, for the foreseeable future, 5G distribution will be hit or miss.
While mobile applications abound in rural-centric industries like agriculture and mining, carriers still might not find it cost effective to deploy 5G in some remote locations. Do applications in those areas even need 5G? That depends on the situation. Remote rollouts can happen if large customers are willing to help cover the costs or if cabled backhaul already exists. Private 5G might be an option in some cases.
Another factor in the rural 5G equation is the lifecycle issues of older 3G and 4G systems, which can be hard to support as they age. Economically, the 5G sweet spot for carriers is when they can take 3G and 4G systems offline once 5G is deployed. However, 5G isn't a one-for-one swap with older cell sites because it tends to have a smaller per-site footprint.
4. Security issues
Security is a ubiquitous concern these days, whether you're a network provider or consumer. 5G uses a different security model than 3G and 4G because it has new security capabilities, but it is safe to assume that 5G largely delivers better security than its predecessors. The good news for businesses is that carriers handle most of the work of implementing security.
When it lives up to its promise, 5G can serve as both an access option and a backhaul option. Organizations that build network services on top of 5G networks must understand the 5G security model to ensure the services work as intended, with the right level of security for each level of the 5G architecture.
5. Energy consumption
There is no free lunch when it comes to better cellular technology. Radio components, network equipment and power supplies all need reliable electricity to function. They also need cooling, which also requires energy. Combine these realities with the fact that 5G needs more cells to cover the same area as 3G and 4G, and it becomes obvious that the power requirements of carriers offering 5G increase significantly as new towers and associated facilities are added to the cellular landscape. Network designers aren't just looking for high ground from which to project good cell coverage. They must also factor in how to get power to sites or generate their own.
6. 5G cost and ROI
Whether 5G is part of a lifecycle refresh of client devices or a new network option, it comes with a price tag. In some cases, organizations might just replace phones or cellular routers when older ones reach end of life. In other situations, businesses might consider new subscriptions, and possibly private 5G, if the need is justified. 5G can add line items and subscription-related changes to the budget. If businesses aren't financially prepared, they might have to delay migrating to 5G.
5G ROI varies considerably across different scenarios. For example, if using 5G lets an organization eliminate other network costs, positive ROI comes quicker. As 5G becomes more ubiquitous, it could enable organizations to eliminate everything from VoIP headsets to leased "dark fiber" circuits. In comparison, the ROI picture is uncertain for adding 5G and waiting for some hard-to-define point when it might pay for itself.
How can businesses address 5G challenges?
Marketing departments would have us believe 5G is a must-have for both consumer and business applications. But what 5G is and isn't varies so much right now that it's important to approach the topic with eyes wide open.
When addressing the challenges of 5G, businesses should consider doing the following:
- Define your requirements before spending any money. What can 5G deliver specifically in the places you hope to use it? Are you looking for faster access, a backhaul solution or some 5G-connected IoT application? If you can't quantify why 5G is of interest, the salespeople will run right over you.
- Knowing that 5G hype often outweighs reality, make the provider's account executives prove their performance claims in the scenarios where you intend to use the service before you write the check. If multiple sites are involved, verify the expected 5G coverage and performance at each site. But remember that 5G is an evolving technology and the performance picture could change.
- Clearly understand how 5G might affect your IT spend both upfront and in the future. Look for ways to use 5G to eliminate other costs.
- If you're considering private 5G, do a legitimate proof of concept with clear objectives before committing to it.
As with many wireless technologies, 5G's true performance capabilities vary wildly and can be hard to define beyond that they're better than what came before.
Nevertheless, 5G really will be better than 4G, and the long-term advantages of 5G should begin to outweigh the current disadvantages as the technology matures and becomes commonplace. For users, 5G should enable better client access in a growing number of locations while introducing new opportunities for businesses to become more agile with innovative networking options.
Lee Badman is a network architect specializing in wireless and cloud technologies for a large private university. He's also an author and frequent presenter at industry events.
