Is it possible for 5G to replace fiber-optic broadband?

Guide: 5G replaces the fiber-optic broadband network, not just a mobile phone problem, which involves all aspects of the next-generation network, from technical standards, transmission modes, down to terminal support, etc., there are too many things to update and iterate!

5G is the fifth-generation mobile communication technology. The 5G network should satisfy at least several characteristics: the peak rate reaches 10Gbps, which is equivalent to 100 times faster than the 4G transmission rate of 100Mbps, and the 5G network delay is shortened from 4ms to 50ms for 1ms, satisfying 100 billion. Level network terminal connection, the unit bit energy consumption of the entire mobile network is 1000 times lower than 4G.

Optical fiber broadband is to convert the data to be transmitted from electrical signals to optical signals for communication. At each end of the fiber, "light cat" is installed for signal conversion. Optical fiber broadband is the most ideal one among multiple transmission media in broadband networks. It is characterized by large transmission capacity, good transmission quality, low loss, and long relay distance. The optical fiber transmission uses wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) , that is, the Internet data of multiple users in the cell is aggregated into a high-speed signal by using PON technology, and then the optical signals modulated to different wavelengths are transmitted in one optical fiber.

It is basically impossible to replace fiber-optic broadband with 4G in the short term.

Understand the concept of 5G and fiber-optic broadband. Let's talk about whether 5G can replace fiber-optic broadband. How to replace it? When can it be replaced?

Before the analysis, briefly explain the principle of mobile communication technology, which is easy to understand.

The most important change in 2G networks compared to 1G is the use of digital signals between mobile phones and base stations to increase system capacity, which is more efficient than analog signal transmission, and digital signal security is better than analog signals.

2G allows analog to digital signals, and multiple users divide orthogonally in frequency or time.

3G is used CDMA technology introduces power control, adaptive modulation coding, and the mentioned multi-user detection, smart antenna, RAKE receiver, diversity technology, and the like.

3G introduces a codeword field, code division multiple access, and the number of users can be overloaded.

and 4G network used to increase the system speed High-rate transmission technologies such as OFDM waveforms, MIMO transmission, carrier aggregation (CA), and high-order modulation techniques (64-QAM, 256-QAM).

4G uses OFDM to divide resources in both time and frequency. MIMO multi-input and multi-output introduce diversity and multiplexing gain.

As the 5G technical standards are still in the research and development stage, major communication operators, equipment manufacturers, and scientific research organizations have only proposed ideas for5G technical standards, which have not yet been formed.

Therefore, 5G is also called the next generation network, which is relative to 4G.

Discuss whether 5G can replace fiber-optic broadband, and use the realistic 4G as the basis for discussion and analysis.

As we all know, China Mobile launched a TD-LTE peak download rate of 100Mbps, while China Telecom and China Unicom's main FDD-LTE peak download rate reached 150Mbps.

When China Mobile just commercialized 4G in 2014, the download rate could reach 50Mbps or more. Some netizens tested the download rate up to 80MBbps, which is very encouraging.

On the other hand, now, four years later, China Mobile's 4G download rate is generally maintained at 10-20Mbps, which is still in the third- and fourth-tier cities and rural areas. Compared with the first and second-tier cities such as Beishang Guangshen, China Mobile's 4G download rate is still not up to standard. In many cases, 4G networks are congested, and the Internet is stuck and occasionally dropped.

It has to be said that the 4G technology adopts high-frequency coverage technology, and the capacity of the base station's main equipment is limited. Once the number of users is too large and the demand for the Internet is bursting out, the utilization of the 4G network exceeds 80% of the warning line, and congestion and stagnation will inevitably occur.

Therefore, the operator often expands the 4G equipment in the existing network. The expansion here is the expansion of the equipment. In theory, the transmission rate of the transmission cable is the speed of light, and the transmission channel capacity is theoretically close to an infinite value.

Fiber-optic broadband is the specific application of wired broadband.

Especially fiber-optic broadband market, China Mobile has invested heavily in PON + FTTx broadband access network, China Telecom, China Unicom copper telephone exchange fiber-optic network renovation project for the representatives of the three major operators in recent years have greatly advanced in this engineering.

Therefore, from the current situation, 4G is basically impossible to replace fiber-optic broadband!

In the long run, 5G can't replace fiber broadband.

So in the near future, 5G network commercial, can replace fiber broadband?

5G technology uses a high-frequency band or even ultra high frequency, 5G technology just uses the high-frequency spectrum resources that have not been used in the previous period. 5G technology utilizes large-scale antennas. In the high-band spectrum resources, the wavelength is very short, and the antenna array forms an antenna matrix, which combines beamforming and beams tracking techniques to compensate for the limitations of high-frequency transmission.

Specifically, for example, the coverage of 5G single station is smaller. Therefore, in order to increase the coverage effect and reduce the construction cost of the base station as much as possible, 5Genhances amplifies and aggregates the signal to improve the signal coverage.

According to the access capability of the 5G network terminal equipment, it can theoretically satisfy the mobile phone access to the 5G network.

Therefore, there is a view that future 5G can replace fiber broadband!

Reason one: As traffic costs continue to decline, it is a matter of time before 5G networks replace fiber-optic broadband.

The 4G unlimited traffic package launched by China Telecom and China Unicom has become a reality.

To be honest, the biggest advantage of 4G over fiber-optic broadband is that the downlink speed is fast and the uplink is good.

Reason 2: Just as the fixed telephone is replaced by fiber-optic broadband, although commercial fixed-line is currently indispensable, the overall situation is thin. Therefore, 5G replaces fiber broadband is the historical choice!

Reason 3: If the splitter at the end of the existing fiber-optic broadband network is replaced with a 5G base station device and accesses the customer's home through the wireless terminal, the existing fiber-optic broadband can be eliminated immediately. This means that the future 5G technology will be miniaturized and applied to the home to realize the Internet access needs of home users. Then 5G can replace the fiber broadband.

Of course, the opposite view insists that the future 5G cannot replace fiber-optic broadband!

Reason one: Many years ago, the three major operators engaged in wireless broadband CPE in order to make up for the shortage of wired broadband line resources, but this thing is true, the general household use problem is not big, but even if the network quality requirements are high, even the packet loss, PING, speed is unstable, wireless anti-interference ability itself is subject to too many factors. By analogy, 5G networks are subject to the weaknesses and natural disadvantages of wireless networks, and it is almost impossible to replace fiber-optic broadband.

Reason 2: After the popularization of 5G commercialization, fiber-optic broadband plus fixed-line telephones will become the exclusive business of enterprises and party and government forces. In the future, fiber-optic broadband and 5G coexist, but fiber-optic broadband is mainly for high-end users ( government, large enterprises, etc.), providing services to users with higher requirements; 5G is for the general public with strong mobility, such as home users and individuals.

Reason 3: If there are more users, the base station will definitely not stand, and the speed will definitely slow down. The tariff, broadband at home is certainly good, now the optical fiber 1000M lot of places are covered, so the home is certainly fiber-optic broadband; the unlimited package can only be used on the go convenient point, and now the mobile phone traffic is limited to 40G.

The speed and stability of fiber-optic broadband far exceed that of 5G networks.

The electromagnetic frequency in the air is fixed, there is a transmission upper limit, and the ultra-high frequency is also the same, and the speed of propagation of the glass filament in the fiber broadband can be regarded as being nearly infinite.

Therefore, it is impossible for 5G to replace fiber broadband.

Both sides of the identity and opposition each insist on their views, and the arguments have some truth. In the current environment, the starting point of both sides is based on reality and gives its own reasons.

So, in the near future, will 5G replace fiber-optic broadband becomes a reality?

According to the research and development progress of the existing technology and the 5G commercial schedule of the world's mainstream telecom operators, 5G will be put into commercial use after 2025. At that time, what was the development of fiber-optic broadband?

In accordance with the three operators currently building speed fiber-optic broadband network, by 2025, more than 90% of the area covered by the fiber-optic broadband!

Regardless of technology, only talk about man-made. 5G replaces fiber-optic broadband, how do the three major operators invest huge amounts of money in broadband construction? How to recover the cost? How does fiber-optic broadband make money?

Why do operators want to change their lives? Continue to take the initiative to reduce their income?

To take a step back, even if operators are willing to bear the cost loss of fiber-optic broadband networks, is it really easy to replace fiber-optic broadband with 5G?

5G coverage is a huge problem, and the capacity bearer is also a real problem. There are currently 1.3 billion mobile phone users in China, all of which are connected to 5G. Assuming that 5G replaces fiber-optic broadband, 1.3 billion mobile phone terminals lose fiber-optic broadband access channels, and will remain connected to the 5G network at all times, and generate Internet traffic at any time. What a huge network traffic?

In the future, the further development of smart cities, smart homes, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality will increase the number of intelligent terminal devices to all 5Gnetworks.

The existing TV sets and desktop computers are all old-fashioned interfaces, and access to the fiber-optic broadband network is no problem. Assuming that all 5G networks need to be connected, it must be wireless access. Interface technology and communication standards are a technical problem to be solved.

Augmented reality, AR equipment, smart home appliances, new cars, smart wearable devices, etc. access 5G networks, how to achieve mutual interference? Frequency usage planning is a problem!

In short, 5G replaces the fiber-optic broadband network, not just a mobile phone problem, which involves all aspects of the next-generation network, from technical standards, transmission modes, down to terminal support, etc., there are too many things to update and iterate!

From another perspective, in the era of Big Brother, how can people imagine what 5G is like? But now, 5G is almost commercially available.

Therefore, we must keep the scientific attitude of exploring and updating iterations to move forward!