Ericsson, Nokia offer contrasting timelines for 5G network upgrades
- 8 years ago
Ericsson, the world's top supplier of wireless equipment, said on Monday it expects 150 million users to be on next-generation 5G networks five years from now, steering clear of an industry debate over whether network upgrades could start far earlier.
By contrast, rival mobile equipment maker Nokia said on Sunday the shift to "5G-ready" wireless networks could begin to ramp up as early as 2017, well ahead of any final agreement on formal 5G standards.
"5G will happen faster than expected.
This may surprise some of you," Nokia Chief Executive Rajeev Suri told an audience ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The differing timeframes seen by Ericsson and Nokia in part reflect a semantic debate over what exactly 5G means and whether a lot of equipment necessary to operate new networks will be needed well ahead of standards being formalized.
By contrast, rival mobile equipment maker Nokia said on Sunday the shift to "5G-ready" wireless networks could begin to ramp up as early as 2017, well ahead of any final agreement on formal 5G standards.
"5G will happen faster than expected.
This may surprise some of you," Nokia Chief Executive Rajeev Suri told an audience ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The differing timeframes seen by Ericsson and Nokia in part reflect a semantic debate over what exactly 5G means and whether a lot of equipment necessary to operate new networks will be needed well ahead of standards being formalized.