The Future of 5G: Huawei's Role in the Evolution of Mobile Communication

As we step into an era dominated by the rapidly evolving mobile technologies, questions about the future of 5G, and the key players like Huawei, are on the lips of many. Will Huawei win the 6G war?

The truth is that, while the promise of 6G tantalizes us with its potential, the future of 5G remains crucial. At present, 5G is only at the beginning stages of its deployment. In many parts of the world, 5G networks are limited to a few urban areas where they are being tested and rolled out. This leaves us with more time to discuss the future possibilities and the players involved.

As we look ahead, the ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union - Radiocommunication Sector) plays a pivotal role in driving the evolution of mobile and radio communication technologies. The ITU-R is dedicated to monitoring the advancements in technology and societal and industrial needs, and they translate these advancements into new standard requests.

Focus on the Current 5G Race

Given the current state of 5G, it is more pertinent to focus on the ongoing 5G race before even contemplating the future 6G 'war'. The 5G experience, as seen with the 3GPP R8 release in 2009, indicates that it will take multiple releases and over a decade of evolution before we can truly consider 5G a complete solution. At the moment, 5G is primarily in the marketing stage and not yet fully realized in practice.

The Role of Huawei in 5G

With regards to Huawei's role in the 5G race, it has been actively cooperating with other major suppliers, such as Nokia and Ericsson, in the development of 5G standards. While Huawei is certainly a key player, it is not an inch more advanced than its competitors in terms of actual market deployments. The current hype around 5G sometimes leads to premature releases of standards, which necessitate later upgrades or replacements.

The Legacy of 5G the Outlook for 6G

According to the 4G experience, we will need between 7 to 10 more releases of 5G technology before we can confidently consider it a complete solution. This timeframe is expected to span 10 to 15 years from now. 5G standards like R16 and R17 are already on the horizon, with tentative timelines and content allocation. However, study items such as NOMA (Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access) remain under investigation and may be dropped before final release. These complexities highlight the continuous and ongoing nature of research in mobile communication.

Marketing Spectacle vs. Expert Insights

A significant portion of public discourse around 6G seems to revolve around a marketing label or a propaganda campaign. While experts and industry professionals acknowledge the potential of future technologies, they often view such marketing claims with a sense of amusement. The quest for 6G is more about continuous advancements and less about a definitive 'win'.

At the end of the day, the future of mobile communication lies in the ongoing research and development by organizations like Huawei, alongside industry leaders, the ITU-R, and other key stakeholders. Whether this journey culminates in a 5G evolution or a fully-realized 6G future remains to be seen, but the process will undoubtedly continue to drive innovation and technological progress.

By focusing on the present and acknowledging the complexities of future technologies, we can better prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the world of mobile communication.