The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has approved the allocation of frequency bands for fifth-generation (5G) telecommunication services to four mobile network operators, a major step toward the spring 2020 launch of full-scale services that can send huge amounts of data 100 times faster than the current 4G technology.
“The 5G network will be an integral piece of infrastructure for the 21st century, on a par with Shinkansen high-speed trains and expressways,” Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Masatoshi Ishida said Wednesday at a ceremony at which written approval of the allocation was presented to the network operators. “A region’s rate of development will hinge on whether it has access to the 5G network.”
Ishida also instructed the four operators — NTT Docomo Inc., KDDI Corp., SoftBank Corp. and Rakuten Mobile Inc. — to begin 5G services in every prefecture within two years.
The 5G wireless telecommunication network is a technology whose signature features include very few delays in data transmission and enabling the simultaneous connection of many devices. The 5G network is expected to bring major advantages to users, such as allowing a smartphone to download a two-hour movie in about three seconds.
A glimpse of the future
Visitors to the Tokyo Solamachi commercial complex in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, can experience the 5G-powered future at a facility set up by NTT Docomo. This facility’s exhibits include the remote operation of humanoid robots and games that make excellent use of virtual reality. About 500 visitors, including families and tourists visiting Japan, come to the 5G facility on weekends.
A 27-year-old company employee from Tokyo who tried the remote operation exhibit and other attractions said, “I had the impression 5G was only for new mobile phone reception, but it would be cool if these services become reality.”
If 5G technology becomes commonplace, it is possible the use of high-definition video streaming and other services could grow tremendously. During the Rugby World Cup being hosted in Japan from September, NTT Docomo plans 5G transmissions of data and high-definition images that can be viewed on dedicated terminals at game venues and elsewhere.
The full-scale rollout of services for individual customers looks likely to begin in spring of 2020 or later. However, existing smartphone models cannot handle 5G services, so users will need to purchase new devices equipped for the next-generation technology. Each of the network operators aims to keep 5G usage charges at around the same level as those for 4G, but communication fees could increase because a greater volume of data will be used.
Self-driving and telemedicine
Expectations for the benefits 5G could bring are massive in various industries.
If 5G could be used for self-driving and remote-control technologies in automobiles and construction machinery, the steering wheel and brakes could be operated almost in real time, which would increase the safety of these machines. Other practical applications under consideration include harnessing 5G’s ability to swiftly transmit huge amounts of data to send and receive high-definition images for telemedicine, in which doctors treat patients through high-resolution live broadcasts.
The huge investment required for 5G-related equipment remains a pressing issue.
The government has divided Japan into 4,500 blocks, each 10 kilometers square. NTT Docomo and KDDI aim to set up base stations in more than 90 percent of these blocks by fiscal 2024, while SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile have set targets of about 60 percent.
The four operators combined will pour more than ¥1.6 trillion into this equipment by fiscal 2024, with NTT Docomo investing about ¥795 billion and KDDI about ¥466.7 billion.
Each mobile carrier has come under government pressure to lower mobile phone charges, which could have an impact on their earnings. “This investment phase will continue for a while,” an industry insider said. However, it remains to be seen whether the huge investment in equipment can proceed smoothly.