At the MBBF 2024 event in Istanbul, Huawei’s Cullen Xu, Vice President, 5G & LTE TDD Product Line, shared insights with Fierce Network’s Stephen Saunders, MBE, into how 5.5G technology is driving the next generation of mobile AI applications.
As AI becomes essential across various sectors—from autonomous vehicles to telemedicine—5.5G networks offer enhanced capabilities like higher bandwidth, low latency, and intelligent, self-optimizing networks that are primed for industrial use.
Xu highlighted Huawei’s technological breakthroughs, including the Extremely Large Antenna Array (ELAA) and MetaAAU, which boost network quality and expand coverage. The talk also touched on 5.5G's potential for operators to create new revenue streams by supporting private networks, advanced applications, and customized industry solutions. Xu concluded with a forward-looking discussion on 6G, suggesting that 5.5G lays the groundwork for this future network era.
Watch now to explore how 5.5G technology is poised to transform mobile communications and industry innovation.
Steve Saunders (00:14):
Mr. Xu, Huawei has been talking about how 5.5G leads the mobile AI era, but what is that, and what role does mobile communications technology play in it?
Cullen Xu (00:26):
As we know, the AI, they're very hot with coming two years. As past this year, the AI applications have accounted about three million and have already exceeded the traditional apps. And also for the mainstream for the device operation system like the Huawei HarmonyOS and the Apple iOS have already released the system level AI capabilities. So a lot of the apps can be developed on this iOS.
(01:06):
And the second part for the device part for the mainstream chipset like Qualcomm have already released the AI capability for the chipset. So it means for AI phone is coming. This year is AI era for 5.5G. And for the latest world, for the AI is coming have give us the higher requirement for the network, the capabilities. First is for the large bandwidth and the high speeds like the High definition videos needs the high speeds and the second for the AI application like automating driving and health medicines and to business the manufacturer. This mean for the network needs the low latency the capabilities and third，for our 5.5G network also uses the AI inside. We said we use intelligent RAN Level 4 in the 5.5G network. It means we use AI to self-learning and self-optimization to improve the network performance and reduce the maintenance. It's making maintenance more easier and the more efficiency.
Steve Saunders (02:30):
What are the breakthroughs that Huawei's achieved in order to maintain the quality of the network connection?
Cullen Xu (02:36):
For the 5.5G, the network for AI, it means the quality for the connections and also for the numbers massive connections. And for the low latency and the large bandwidth with the high speed experience. First is for the spectrum. Spectrum is very important and allow for all the network from the 5G to 5.5G. Most of operators choose the TDD middle bands. It means we can get at least 100Mhz. And for the mobile world, the U6G and the millimeter wave also use the TDD frequency. Second is the massive MIMO. Massive MIMO is the basic technology in the 5G to 5.5G. Around the world now, 90% of the network to choose the Massive MIMO to build the 5G to 5.5G.
(03:38):
And then the ELAA, we Huawei is say is extremely large antenna array is important technologies. And Huawei have innovation, the world's first, ELAA. So from the AI is coming for the network, we need three capabilities. First, the capability is for the wide coverage. Wide coverage means uses the C-band or use 6G for one by one to deploy the site. No need to add all new site. with Huawei's MetaAAU, we can get 3 dB for uplink and downlink the coverage. So it can brings for the operator to save the new site. In Latin America, the operators Argentina TA, they use the whole network deploy MetaAAU. It can save 30% for the new sites but still can achieve No.1 for Ookla tests in Latin America for the 5G network.
(04:47):
Second is for the deep coverage. So Huawei innovates the industry, the number one. The lightest AAU, we call it EasyAAU, introduced for the facility for the pole. About the weight, it reduced 75% and also the power consumption about more than 20%. So it's convenient for the operators to large scale to deploy the EasyAAU. And third for this MBB Forum, we have a new AAU we called the PanoAAU like the camera 360 degrees. So it's suitable for the vertical beam for coverage. We use the first industry, the wide angles. This can Cover the high buildings more than 10 floors.
Steve Saunders (05:42):
What is your perspective on the development of 5G and 5.5G for industrial applications, and what do operators need to do to monetize those uses?
Cullen Xu (05:54):
Yes. Good questions. And now for the traditional, the network, all the operators to get the rapid development traffic. But when the traffic is increased and the income revenue is not increased, so it's a big challenge for the operators. But for the 5.5G coming, 5G network can have more capabilities. So it can have the multi-dimensional for tariff. First is for compare traditional network focus on the ToC users. For 5.5G can focus on more for the vertical industry. So it can have the new wireless of the income like 5.5G for the private networks that have the new income source. Second is for 5.5G will have the capability for the low latency, the higher guaranteed experience. So for some automatic drivings, for manufacturers, they need a high quality networks, so the customers can customize for the service. They can charge more in the price. Third is for the 5.5G can have new content, the new applications to the customers like AR, VR, for the new contents and for HD videos. So for these new applications and the guarantee experience, they can upgrade for the tariff package.
Steve Saunders (07:34):
So it's about monetization from new users. Does that create the need for new best practice amongst operators?
Cullen Xu (07:43):
Yeah. They can define the multi-dimension for the models.
Steve Saunders (07:47):
Yeah.
Cullen Xu (07:47):
The new models, they can have the upgrade for the app and have income more.
Steve Saunders (07:54):
It's going to be a while before we have 6G networks but when they do get here, will they need a 6G core or they can run over 5G core?
Cullen Xu (08:03):
6G, the standard is not defined. And now for the 3GPP, this capability for 6G is capability for the 5.5G have already have, like the low latency and the massive, the connections have already have. So in Huawei's opinion, our Huawei Doctor Tongawen have a content, says it's 6G must be have the more valuable for the capabilities or for customers. So in this content he thinks the 6G need totally different like the core and to RAN site have a new design. To have a big, How to say, bigger Cross generations the technology can support the 6G.
Steve Saunders (08:53):
Mr. Xu, thanks for speaking to us today.