2022 AF Roundtables

5G AMERICAS PRESENTS

ANALYST FORUM 2022

OCTOBER 19 – 20, 2022 | Irving, TX

Roundtable Topics

For our 2022 event, 5G Americas is returning to our standard in-person format of dozens of small face-to-face roundtables providing unparalleled access to our member companies' best and brightest subject matter experts.

The following list of roundtables and topics may be subject to change. All subject matter experts will be listed closer to the date of the event.

Latin America & the Caribbean​

Overview of CALA markets, spectrum, infrastructure needs & deployment. New tech.​

This roundtable is designed to provide a general overview of Latin American & Caribbean telecom markets.

Speakers: 

  • TBD

This roundtable will tackle key spectrum management issues in Latin America.

Speakers: 

  • TBD

This roundtable will provide an overview of the various Latin American regulatory frameworks for next-generation wireless cellular technologies.

Speakers: 

  • TBD

This roundtable will identify the infrastructure needs and wireless network deployment obstacles in Latin America.

Speakers: 

  • TBD

Spectrum

Spectrum pipeline. Emerging regulatory requirements. Models shared spectrum. Lessons from CBRS and more.

Recent challenges with the aviation industry in the United States have highlighted the need for better coordination when it comes to spectrum use. Traditionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has typically focused its rules on the transmitter side of radio systems, however that has changed as the Commission has launched a proceeding promoting receiver performance.

Receiver standards represents a shift in focus to the role that receivers can play in managing unwanted interference—and the issues that can sometimes be created by legacy receivers when reassigning spectrum.

This roundtable will focus on current and emerging issues when it comes to aligning industries, as they transition from legacy receivers to those fitting modern cellular wireless requirements.

Topics:

  • What emerging regulatory considerations are being envisioned by FCC and other agencies for receiver standards?
  • What potential impacts will there be from different industries that currently use legacy receivers?
  • How will the wireless cellular industry engage with incumbents using underperforming legacy receivers?
  • What opportunities and challenges will there be in creating ecosystems and partnerships to improve receiver standards?

 
Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Ali Khayrallah, Sr. Scientist Radio Networks, U.S. ATG, Ericsson

As the fifth generation of cellular wireless (“5G”) continues to expand around the world, there is a growing need to support its additional demands by expanding the commercial availability of low, mid, and high band radio spectrum. As North America looks ahead towards its spectrum pipeline, ensuring a healthy amount of available spectrum will require both regulatory and technological efforts.

This roundtable will address the current status and emerging trends when it comes to commercial spectrum availability in North America.

Topics:

  • Will there be enough available low, mid, and high band spectrum in the pipeline to keep up with demand?
  • What are the current and future considerations when it comes to spectrum availability?
  • What lessons have been learned from the release of CBRS (3.55 GHz to 3.7 GHz) in the US?
  • What is the status of Incumbent Informing Capability (IIC)?
  • What are the roles, opportunities, and impact for shared spectrum?
  • What new models for spectrum are there for unlicensed, shared, and licensed spectrum solutions?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers:

  • Mark Racek, Sr. Director Spectrum Policy, Ericsson
  • John Kuzin, VP Spectrum Policy and Regulatory Counsel, Qualcomm
  • Rob Kubik, Sr. Director Public Policy, Samsung
  • Karri Kuoppamaki, SVP Network Technology Development and Strategy, T-Mobile

Radio Access Networks

Opportunities, benefits, and challenges of different RAN architectures, including Open RAN.

Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) is a concept that involves the interoperability of open hardware, software, and interfaces for cellular wireless networks. Open RAN architecture combines a modular base station software stack with off-the-shelf hardware, which allocates baseband and radio unit components from isolated suppliers to operate seamlessly together, whether or not elements of the RAN are virtualized or disaggregated.

Open RAN is gaining market momentum, yet it is at an early phase of mass commercial adoption by the global wireless community. As progress is being made there are many aspects to address  such as software/hardware disaggregation, open interfaces, multi-vendor interoperability, the Open RAN ecosystem, and the role of AI and machine learning in network management and automation.

This roundtable focuses on the current and future status of Open RAN implementation in wireless cellular networks.

Topics:

  • What are the opportunities and challenges when it comes to network operators implementing Open RAN?
  • How do supply chain and ecosystem issues factor into Open RAN considerations?
  • What learnings are available when it comes to existing Open RAN deployments?
  • What sorts of progress have been made when it comes to Open RAN standards and technical specifications?

 
Recommended Reading:

SESSION 1

Speakers: 

  • Bob Everson, Sr. Director, 5G Architecture, Cisco
  • Murat Erkam, Director of Technology Strategy, Crown Castle
  • Bejoy Pankajakshan, EVP, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Mavenir
  • Dhruv Khanna, Head of Network Performance and Optimization, Nokia

SESSION 2

Speakers: 

  • Paul Challoner, VP Network Product Solutions, Ericsson
  • Sanjay Kodali, Head of Networks Technology, Networks Business, Samsung

A radio access network (RAN) is a major component of a wireless telecommunications system that connects individual devices to other parts of a network through a radio link. The RAN links user equipment, such as a cellphone, computer or any remotely controlled machine, over a fiber or wireless backhaul connection. That link goes to the core network, which manages subscriber information, location and more.

This roundtable focuses on more technical elements of radio access network architecture and deployment in 5G networks.

Topics:

  • How do different RAN architectures provide new opportunities and challenges for network operators?
  • What is the impact of cloud hyperscalers and virtualized network functions on RAN operations?
  • How will transport networks provide support for Cloud RAN architectures?
  • What are some considerations for RAN sharing and neutral host architectures?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers:

  • Kyle Allen, Sr. Director PLM, Airspan
  • Rafael Francis, Sr. Director, Product Line Management, Ciena
  • Bob Everson, Sr. Director, 5G Architecture, Cisco
  • Murat Erkam, Director of Technology Strategy, Crown Castle
  • Paul Challoner, VP Network Product Solutions, Ericsson
  • Cristina Rodriguez, VP Network and Edge, General Manager Wireless Access Network, Intel
  • Rick Mostaert, VP of Product Management, RAN, Mavenir
  • Dhruv Khanna, Head of Network Performance and Optimization, Nokia
  • Nivi Thadasina, VP Engineering, Networks Business, Samsung

Fixed Wireless Access

Closing the digital divide. Architecture and applications. Consumer and business impacts.

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has the potential to be an effective and scalable cellular wireless option for broadband connectivity to stationary equipment that provides Internet access. 5G Americas recently published white paper entitled Fixed Wireless Access with 5G Networks details how FWA might impact the broadband market with attractive opportunities for 5G based residential service in both urban and rural geographies.

5G FWA could eliminate the need for costly deployment of fixed access infrastructure while also offering significant peak download and upload rates. As 5G networks evolve, FWA solutions are expected to achieve significant scale, with 10 to 100 times more capacity than 4G networks.

This roundtable takes a look at how fixed wireless access is impacting cellular wireless network architecture, as well as the new applications that may be unlocked.

Topics:

  • What role does fixed wireless access have to play when it comes to closing the digital divide?
  • What are the practical performance characteristics of 5G FWA and possible limitations?
  • What benefits or challenges does fixed wireless access offer for consumers?
  • How might businesses – small, medium, large (or even enterprise) use fixed wireless access to augment their capabilities or change business models?
  • What challenges might fixed wireless access encounter when it comes to network architecture and resource provisioning?


Recommended Reading:


Host 

  • Carol DeMatteo, Nokia


Speakers 

  • Darin Kauffman, Director, Software Engineering, Cisco
  • Peter Linder, Head of Thought Leadership Marketing and Communications, Ericsson
  • Benedetto Fallica, Business Development Manager, Nokia
  • Vinay Mahendra, Director of Engineering, Samsung
enterprise

Enterprise & Private Networks​

Use cases. Carrier grade solutions. Network slicing. Ecosystems and partnerships. Legacy and technology integration.

5G offers numerous innovations, which make it very different from 4G LTE. These innovations include higher speed and enhanced connectivity through new spectrum, dedicated resource management with network slicing, highly reliable communication for latencies less than 10 milliseconds, improved security, a distributed packet core that spreads core network functions to the network edge, and flexible service creation and deployment with Service-Based Architecture (SBA).

This roundtable examines how enterprises might engage with 5G networks – how might companies use 5G and how will they leverage its capabilities to deliver for their own customers?

Topics:

  • Which industry verticals are seeing early adoptions of 5G wireless networks?
  • What innovative use cases using 5G are currently being pursued by enterprises?
  • How do network slicing and 5G standalone networks play into the development of new use cases?
  • Which industries may be ready for future 5G applications?
  • What challenges are companies facing when applying 5G capabilities towards new uses?


Recommended Reading:


Host:

  • Karen Buitrago, Nokia
     

Speakers:

  • Kyle Allen, Sr. Director, PLM, Airspan
  • Ravi Guntupalli, Director, Software Engineering, Cisco
  • Mark Reudink, Head of Technology Strategy, Crown Castle
  • Dr. Brenda Connor, Chief Engineer, Mission Critical Solutions, Ericsson
  • Christopher Pickard, North American Digital Industries Leader, Nokia
  • Manish Tripathi, VP Engineering, Qualcomm
  • David Kim, Director, Enterprise Sales, Samsung
  • Mark McDiarmid, SVP, Radio Network Engineering and Development, T-Mobile

Enterprises are eyeing the development of a new version of 5G, dubbed standalone 5G, or SA 5G, which promises to reduce latency even further than 5G networks that rely on a 4G core. SA 5G networks rely on both a 5G radio and a 5G core at its foundation, thus offering enterprises an additional high-speed, low-latency option.

This roundtable is focused on how 5G networks are changing to meet enterprise demands for new use cases and applications.

Topics

  • What carrier solutions are already in the marketplace for enterprise adoption?
  • How will 5G networks impact enterprise IT considerations and operations?
  • What is the role of 5G alongside other wireless connectivity technologies like Wi-Fi when it comes to the enterprise?
  • What new applications are being developed for enterprises, specifically with 5G in mind?
  • How will network slicing impact enterprise business models and operations?


Recommended Reading


Host

  • Karen Buitrago, Nokia


Speakers: 

  • Ravi Guntupalli, Director, Software Engineering, Cisco
  • Bob Gessel, Head Strategy and Market Development, Ericsson
  • Caroline Chan, VP Network and Edge Group, General Manager, Network Business Incubator, Intel
  • Richard Whelband, Small Cell Technical Sales, Mavenir
  • Christopher Pickard, North America Digital Industries Leaser, Nokia
  • Manish Tripathi, VP Engineering, Qualcomm

5G technologies are increasingly delivering enhanced networking speed, latency, bandwidth, privacy, and other benefits supporting emerging applications that are built on the proven technology of private LTE networks today. As 5G private networks proliferate, enterprises may find they are suitable for different groups of applications and architectures for various types of private networks. In addition, different types of spectrum (licensed, unlicensed, and shared) can be utilized in building private networks.

This roundtable is focused on how different parts of the enterprise ecosystem are being engaged to bring 5G into enterprises.

Topics:

  • What is the role of communications service providers when it comes to the enterprise digital transformation journey?
  • How will network operators work with partners and vendors to drive enterprise success?
  • How will partners like system integrators, integrated software vendors, value-added resellers, and software developers work with CSPs to drive new opportunities in the enterprise market?
  • What role does vertical industry expertise have to play when it comes to 5G success?
  • What role will CSPs have when it comes to managing roaming and identity architecture for enterprises?


Recommended Reading:


Host: 

  • Henry Chalian, T-Mobile


Speakers: 

  • Kyle Allen, Sr. Director, PLM, Airspan
  • Marc-Antoine Boutin, VP, Product Line Management, Ciena
  • Bob Everson, Sr. Director, 5G Architecture, Cisco
  • Mark Reudink, Head of  Technology Strategy, Crown Castle
  • Sandeep Chandel, Customer Solutions Sales Director, Network Products, Ericsson
  • Caroline Chan, VP Network and Edge Group, General Manager, Network Business Incubator, Intel
  • Richard Whelband, Head of Small Cell Technical Pre-Sales, Mavenir
  • Vikas Trehan, VP North America Partner Sales, Nokia
  • Mark McDiarmid, SVP, Radio Network Engineering and Development, T-Mobile

Private 5G wireless networks are a hot area of interest for enterprises. With the global private 5G network market size valued at USD 1.38 billion in 2021 and expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 49.0% from 2022 to 2030, companies are looking at 5G wireless as an area of potential growth and innovation for their emerging business models. However, challenges to 5G private network implementation await.

This roundtable is focused on integration opportunities, issues, challenges, and learnings when it comes to legacy enterprise deployments.

Topics:

  • What challenges are enterprises having when it comes to integrating 5G networks into their business operations?
  • What barriers are companies facing when it comes to managing legacy network deployments and introducing new 5G capabilities?
  • How are 5G and Wi-Fi co-evolving to support ongoing business needs?
  • What are some of the issues when it comes to hybrid deployments (hybrid cloud)?
  • What issues are there for ongoing support of legacy wireless devices and processes?


Recommended Reading:


Host: 

  • Rebekay Riley, T-Mobile


Speakers: 

  • Kyle Allen, Sr. Director, PLM, Airspan
  • Ravi Guntupalli, Director Software Engineering, Cisco
  • Dr. Brenda Connor, Chief Engineer, Mission Critical Solutions, Ericsson
  • Claudio Saes, Senior Partner Bell Labs Consulting, Nokia
  • Manish Tripathi, VP Engineering, Qualcomm
  • Ramkumar Veneketaramani, Sr. Director, Edge Solutions, VMware

Security

Security opportunities and challenges. Zero trust. Secure supply chain. Trusted Entity security.

5G networks based on standard technical specifications from the Third Generation Partnership Project (“3GPP”) continue to be the most widely adopted and secure wireless cellular technology in existence. As increased bandwidth, higher data rates, and a surge of new devices and connections have made managing network security more complex, 5G Americas has provided nearly annual updates around the topic of security in wireless cellular networks.

This roundtable addresses overall security benefits and challenges for 5G networks in a 3GPP framework.

Topics:

  • What new security challenges must 5G network operators contend with?
  • How will 5G networks get to Zero Trust architecture?
  • What is needed to ensure network supply chains are secure?
  • What is the role of the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) in helping to secure supply chains?
  • What standards organizations are leading on wireless cellular security issues?
  • How have network operators addressed previous wireless security challenges?
  • What is the role of Trusted Entity security?
  • What 3GPP specifications will have the biggest impact for 5G security?
  • What changes have been made in inter-public land mobile network (PLMN) security?
  • How does open-source impact 5G security?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Rita Marty, VP of Network Security, AT&T
  • Sam Samuel, Director, Emerging Technologies and Incubation, Cisco
  • Mohammad Khaled, Sr. Solutions Director, Ericsson
  • Ahmad Muhanna, Director, PLM and 5G Security Architecture Packet Compute BU, Mavenir

The cloud holds great promise for new 5G use cases when software has security built in upfront and deployments are securely configured to establish a safe foundation for 5G. A secure 5G cloud deployment must be built upon a secure 5G supply chain that includes software vendors and cloud service providers. As connectivity is critical for globally connected societies, interconnectivity among Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) naturally exposes the mobile network to additional risk and attack vectors.

This roundtable will look at how cloud computing is offering both challenges and opportunities when it comes to changing 5G networks – and vice versa.

Topics:

  • How is cloud computing impacting security for 5G networks?
  • What 3GPP enhancements are specifically tailored towards cloud-based security?
  • How are different cloud deployment models (private, public, hybrid) impacting wireless network security?
  • How are roles and responsibilities of CSPs and cloud providers divided or shared?
  • How are virtualized network functions addressed when it comes to 5G security?
  • How are network operators addressing security for containers and microservices?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Shahzada Bashrat Rasool, Director, Software Technology Strategy, Ericsson
  • Brandon Larson, SVP, GM, Multimedia, Mavenir

V2X

MEC apps for connected vehicles. Autonomous driving. Smart city and transportation infrastructure. Fleet management.​

There is growing global momentum in C-V2X based trials with early deployments from several automotive OEMs and strong progress in the US, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. While the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has identified 30 MHz of spectrum in the 5.9 GHz ‘ITS band,’ more advanced connected vehicle services will need at least 40 MHz, as specified by the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA).

At the same time, C-V2X practitioners will need to be aware of additional deployment considerations, such as the need for more Over-the-Air (OTA) software updates and ‘car-to-cloud’ ecosystem features, a greater need for security and privacy protections, as well as backward compatibility and support for new features.

This roundtable will look at the status of C-V2X and emerging possibilities when it comes to 5G networks that use the 5.9 GHz spectrum for automotive use.

Topics:

  • What MEC applications are currently being addressed for connected vehicles?
  • What does the future roadmap look like for C-V2X development?
  • What is the role of 5G networks in getting to autonomous vehicles?
  • What sorts of infrastructure will be required for smart city and transportation applications?
  • What is the future of 5G networks for fleet management?
  • How will potential satellite-based connectivity impact 5G in the automotive space?


Recommended Reading:


Host: 

  • Louis Scialabba, Mavenir


Speakers: 

  • Dr. Brenda Connor, Chief Engineer, Mission Critical Solutions, Ericsson
  • Mark McDiarmid, SVP, Radio Network Engineering and Development, T-Mobile

5G & the Metaverse/XR​

Standards and applications for 5G in the metaverse. Technologies. Optimization. Use cases in verticals.​

5G can enable exciting uses like Metaverse VR, Metaverse XR, and help make Web 3.0 a reality. It is accelerated through novel technologies, like Web 3.0, blockchains, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), 5G, digital twins, artificial intelligence, and XR devices

With VR, new immersive visuals need to be projected within 20ms (ideally below 10ms) to avoid motion sickness. In AR, less than 30ms is required to ensure that virtual objects appear spatially anchored in the environment for a single-user experience, and significantly less than that for a multi-user AR experience.

This roundtable tackles a hot area of inquiry – the Metaverse – and how wireless communications providers are working to create standards that will enable these technologies to take off.

Topics:

  • How are 5G networks enabling extended reality (XR) applications and the Metaverse?
  • What applications requirements will there be for XR and Metaverse use cases?
  • What progress is being made in terms of 3GPP specifications to enable XR and Metaverse applications?
  • What are network operators and vendors doing to establish Metaverse standards?
  • How will 5G impact Web 3.0 and blockchain-based architectures?
  • What system optimizations will be required to progress XR and Metaverse in 5G networks?


Recommended Reading:


Host: 

  • Rebekah Riley, T-Mobile

 
Speakers: 

  • Noman Alam, Director 5G Solutions, Ericsson
  • Devaki Chandramouli, Bell Labs Fellow, Head of NA Standards, Nokia

The 5G metaverse relationship will be key to unlocking the full capabilities of both technologies. 5G wireless connectivity offers a potentially dizzying array of exciting new use cases when it comes to metaverse VR, metaverse XR, and Web 3.0 applications.

This roundtable explores some of the innovative use cases that may be unlocked by the Metaverse and other Web 3.0 technologies.

Topics:

  • What industry verticals will likely see early adoptions when it comes to 5G and Metaverse applications?
  • What are some potential consumer use cases for the wireless cellular-enabled Metaverse?
  • What does the roadmap look like when it comes to developing apps for 5G or 6G Metaverse use cases?
  • What challenges are being faced by network operators and developers when it comes to Metaverse applications?


Recommended Reading:


Host: 

  • Colleen Rosander, Ericsson


Speakers: 

  • Sam Samuel, Director, Emerging Technologies and Incubation, Cisco
  • Mike Murphy, CTO, Ericsson
  • Claudio Saes, Senior Partner, Bell Labs Consulting, Nokia

Intelligent Networks​

Distributed intelligence. AI in the RAN. Automation. Security and fraud detection. Spectrum management.

5G and AI are inherently synergistic technologies that are becoming increasingly intertwined. AI advancements are helping improve 5G system performance and efficiency, while 5G connected devices drive distributed intelligence for AI learning and inference.

Numerous potential use cases exist for 5G and AI/ML enabled systems in autonomous industrial solutions, smart transport, and energy, connected health, and digital twins – and more. As on-device intelligence becomes more important, the transformation of the connected intelligent edge has begun.

This roundtable is an examination of how AI and machine learning are impacting all facets of 5G wireless cellular networks.

Topics:

  • What are some of the benefits of using intelligence in the network? What are some of the drawbacks?
  • How are edge and cloud computing interacting with AI and analytics in the telecom stack?
  • How might intelligence be used for more efficient cell siting?
  • What is the role of AI in upcoming 3GPP Release 18 “5G-Advanced” standards?
  • Which components in the RAN or core do AI functions play a role?
  • What are the challenges that network operators face and technologies used to address them in implementing analytics or AI in the stack?
  • When might we start to see large scale deployments of intelligence in telecom networks?
  • From a standardization standpoint, what kind of additional work should be done by 3GPP or others to accelerate intelligent deployments?
  • What other efforts can be made individually or through ecosystems and partnerships to accelerate AI/ML operations in the network?

 
Recommended Reading:

 
Speakers: 

  • Bill Kaufmann, Director Product Management, Ciena
  • Ayodele Damola MSc., Director of AI/ML Strategy, Ericsson
  • Brandon Larson, SVP, GM, Multimedia Business Unit, Mavenir

Edge computing is a fundamental part of the 5G ecosystem that provides network data processing and storage close to the end users, typically within or at the boundary of operator enabled networks. The convergence of 5G, edge computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) are allowing 5G networks to deliver new services and capabilities more efficiently.

This roundtable is a deeper dive into how AI/ML are being used to automate and optimize functions and operations in wireless cellular networks.

Topics:

  •  What are some use cases for AIOps, or intelligence and analytics in a network?
  • How can performance baselining, anomaly detection, automated root cause analysis, noise reduction, or predictive insights help a network operator?
  • How might AIOps impact a network operators’ customer experience? Can it help them with customer segmentation?
  • Which network management roles will be most impacted by actionable intelligence?
  • Within a NetOps organization, who will need to address business or ops process changes due to actionable intelligence? Will this lead to eliminations or streamlining of these roles – or will they simply change?
  • What sorts of safeguards should be undertaken when it comes to management orchestration and automation (MANO)?
  • How will AI and analytics evolve to support the next level of actionable intelligence?
  • How does the RIC play into management of actionable intelligence?
  • Aside from operations, how might intelligence be used in the RAN or air interface, regarding spectrum management or beamforming?

 
Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Bill Kaufmann, Director Product Management, Ciena
  • Erin Liao, VP and Head of E2E 5G Systems, Ericsson
  • Christina Rodriguez, VP Network and Edge Group, General Manager, Wireless Access Network, Intel
  • Brandon Larson, SVP, GM, Multimedia, Mavenir

IoT

RedCap evolution. NR-IoT. Precision timing, sensing. Wearables. Positioning. Impact of URLLC.​

The global Internet of things (IoT) market is projected to grow from $478.36 billion in 2022 to $2,465.26 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 26.4% in forecast period, according to a recent estimate. With potential applications across a wide variety of different industry verticals, 5G will play an important role in unleashing IoT’s capabilities.

This roundtable is focused on emerging evolution of IoT technologies, spectrum, networks, and devices – and how 5G will play a role.

Topics:

  • What are some of the trends in 5G evolution that support growth of the IoT ecosystem?
  • What will be the impact of reduced capability 5G (RedCap) on IoT capabilities and deployment?
  • What changes to spectrum use are being envisioned by the IoT marketplace?
  • How does 5G potentially complement other wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi in IoT deployments?
  • Which market verticals for IoT are seeing an impact from 5G networks?
  • How is the availability of 5G-capable IoT devices impacting the marketplace?
  • What does the evolution for 5G in the IoT landscape look like?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Darin Kauffman, Director, Software Engineering, Cisco
  • Sandeep Chandel, Customer Solutions Sales, Director, Network Products, Ericsson
  • Caroline Chan, VP Network and Edge Group, General Manager, Network Business Incubator, Intel 

Modern 5G networks have introduced technologies such as Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) and Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) support to address a host of time critical networking needs. Time-critical services require that services’ clients and servers across the network be strictly synchronized, and the underlying communication network be ultra-reliable and strictly latency-bounded. URLLC and TSN features in 5G will help support an array of use cases spanning across automotive, transportation, healthcare, education, media production, forestry, public safety, banking, utilities and much more.

This roundtable will focus on specific uses for 5G positioning and timing when it comes to the Internet of Things. Mission-critical services and applications, as well as Time-Sensitive Networking will be discussed in detail.

Topics:

  • What are precision timing services for wireless cellular networks?
  • How are improvements in URLLC creating new opportunities for business and network processes that require improved positioning and timing?
  • Which industries will see the most impact on URLLC and TSN offerings?
  • What challenges and opportunities await network operators when it comes to implementing network architectures to support URLLC enhancements?
  • How do network operators intend to address the rigorous requirements for URLLC and time-sensitive networking?
  • What standards are in place at 3GPP and elsewhere to support industry vertical-specific requirements for timing?


Recommended Reading:

 
Speakers: 

  • Erin Liao, VP & Head of E2E 5G Systems, Ericsson
  • Xiaoxia Zhang, Senior Director, Technology, Qualcomm

Fast growing IoT application and service areas may include smart homes & city, autonomous transportation, retail, agriculture, smart grids, consumer wearables, and Industry 4.0 manufacturing uses – among many other potential areas.

This roundtable is focused on the emerging use cases and applications for 5G connectivity in the world of the Internet of Things.

Topics:

  • What new potential applications are there for IoT devices when it comes to wearables that will be improved by 5G connectivity?
  • What’s the 5G impact on automotive and transportation IoT devices?
  • Which new use cases are emerging in manufacturing, healthcare, utilities, natural resources, and other industries?
  • How will 5G RedCap play a role in new IoT uses?
  • How will 5G non-terrestrial network connectivity open the door to coverage for IoT devices?
  • What is the role that licensed and unlicensed spectrum in 5G networks will play in opening new doors for IoT devices?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Bob Everson, Sr. Director, 5G Architecture, Cisco
  • Bob Gessel, Head Strategy and Market Development, Ericsson

NTN/Satellite​

3GPP Rel-17 and beyond. Non-terrestrial architecture. Integration and interop. Apps and use cases. Satellite elements.​

New advances in 5G standards are creating opportunities to potentially integrate non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into an interoperable, standardized wireless experience across the entire globe. 

5G use cases for non-terrestrial networks can include but are not limited to connectivity options for enhanced mobile broadband that includes fixed and mobile cell, as well as multi-connectivity and wide and local area IoT and public safety applications. Additional uses include improved network resilience, edge network, and mobile cell hybrid connectivity for enhanced mobile broadband – as well as “Direct to Node” broadcast.

This roundtable will address the non-terrestrial and terrestrial 5G network integration, development, and use cases.

Topics:

  • How will satellite connectivity impact coverage for 5G networks?
  • What support are satellites and other non-terrestrial components of wireless networks receiving in 3GPP Release 17 and beyond?
  • How will 5G network architecture change to accommodate satellite and other aerospace components?
  • What are some use cases and applications for non-terrestrial wireless networks?
  • What are the elements of satellite characteristics that will come into play for 5G over the next few years.


Recommended Reading:

 

Speakers: 

  • Sam Samuel, Director, Emerging Technologies and Incubation, Cisco
  • Hendry Tong, Head of Network Evolution, Ericsson
  • Juan Montojo, VP Technical Solutions, Qualcomm
  • Mark McDiarmid, SVP, Radio Network Engineering and Development, T-Mobile

Use Cases

Consumer use cases. Social media. Video gaming. Wearables. Opportunities for 5G Standalone.

5G offers numerous innovations, which make it very different from 4G LTE. These innovations include higher speed and enhanced connectivity through new spectrum, dedicated resource management with network slicing, highly reliable communication for latencies less than 10 milliseconds, improved security, a distributed packet core that spreads core network functions to the network edge, and flexible service creation and deployment with Service-Based Architecture (SBA).

Consumers will see these innovations translated into better customer experiences, improved ease of use of wireless connectivity, and more dynamic and engaging wireless use.

This roundtable focuses specifically on how 5G is doing in the consumer marketplace, as opposed to commercial or industrial uses. More emphasis is made on 5G at the home or where consumers may typically use 5G wireless connectivity.

Topics:

  • What are some 5G innovations and enhancements that will have broad impact on consumers?
  • What have been some of the challenges and opportunities with the 5G consumer market?
  • How will 5G impact consumers when it comes to gaming, wearables, personal use, education, and other potential uses?
  • How will 5G impact home and automobile environments?
  • What changes will 5G offer consumers when it comes to access in public spaces, such as at large events, retail spaces, parks, or schools?
  • How are consumers viewing 5G wireless networks? Do these perceptions mesh with reality?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Darin Kauffman, Director, Software Engineering, Cisco
  • Dhruv Khanna, Head of Network Performance and Optimization, Nokia
  • Hemanth Sampath, Senior Director, Engineering, Qualcomm

Edge/Cloud

MEC enhancements. Secure edge. Hyperscaler opportunities and partnerships. Apps and use cases. Cloud native

Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) is taking an increasingly visible role in the evolution of 5G architecture, as distributed compute and intelligence move processing and storage closer to the edge, where data is managed by terminal devices. Edge Computing helps unleash 5G’s ultra-reliable low latency connectivity (URLLC) and plays a central role in future networks and IoT management.

This round table will cover detailed emerging use cases and stringent requirements needed to facilitate advanced mobility, compute, and storage capabilities for 5G wireless networks.

Topics:

  • What enhancements to Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) are envisioned in the latest 3GPP specifications?
  • What is the role of distributed compute and intelligence on wireless cellular networks?
  • Which industries and use cases are seeing early applications for mobile edge compute?
  • What does the future evolution and timeline for MEC look like?
  • How are 5G network operators addressing Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)?
  • What technical requirements need to be met for different MEC scenarios?
  • What does the MEC device ecosystem look like and where is it headed?
  • How is MEC being addressed in private wireless networks?
  • How is MEC handled from siting and co-location standpoints?
  • What local regulatory concerns are there for MEC deployments in smart city or other public spaces?


Recommended Reading:

SESSION 1

Speakers: 

  • Feza Buyukdura, LMTS, AT&T
  • Jitin Bhandari, CTO & VP, Cloud and Network Services, Nokia

SESSION 2

Speakers: 

  • Murat Ekam, Director of Technology Strategy, Crown Castle
  • Mike Murphy, CTO, Ericsson
  • Richard Whelband, Small Cell Techincal Sales, Mavenir

The cloud holds great promise for new 5G use cases, as wireless cellular networks move towards cloud-native architectures and processes. Cloud-Native concepts offer several key advantages that can accelerate the development and enhancement of wireless network features and capabilities. These include many modern techniques used by Cloud Computing, including Containerization, Micro–Services, Control-User Plane Separation, Service Mesh, Continuous Integration and Delivery, and DevOps or application development-operations.

This roundtable will focus on the cloud computing technologies and network function virtualization, as wireless cellular networks increasingly adopt cloud-native processes.

Topics:

  • How are cloud architectures impacting 5G networks?
  • What are the impacts of private, public and hybrid cloud deployments on 5G networks?
  • How do network function virtualization, containerization, microservices work in modern 5G networks?
  • What are the opportunities and challenges towards becoming cloud native for MNOs?
  • What are some of the applications that cloud computing and 5G can unleash?
  • What are the opportunities and partnerships with hyperscalers?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Gordon Mansfield, VP, GlobalTech Planning, Network Planning and Engineering, AT&T
  • Sam Samuel, Director, Emerging Technologies and Incubation, Cisco
  • Mike Murphy, CTO, Ericsson
  • Bejoy Pankajakshan, EVP, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Mavenir
  • Jitin Bhandari, CTO and VP, Cloud and Network Services, Nokia

5G, Advanced 5G & Beyond​ 5G/6G

Commercial tech roadmap. Standards timeline. Feature priorities. Standards leadership. New use cases.​

While 5G is still early in its lifecycle, it continues to be enhanced through continuous updates via Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) releases. These enhancements to networks, architecture, technologies, and standards will continue through 3GPP Release 17 and beyond. Release 18 is expected in 2024, forming the first set of specifications for 5G-Advanced.

This roundtable is intended to look at near to mid-term implications of 5G and 5G-Advanced wireless specifications and enhancements.

Topics:

  • What is the commercial roadmap of 5G and 5G-Advanced technologies?
  • What enhancements and new capabilities will be introduced in 3GPP Release 18 and beyond?
  • What are some near-to-mid-term implications for the continued deployment and evolution of 5G through 2025?
  • What industry verticals are likely to see impacts from 5G-Advanced improvements?
  • How are mmWave spectrum, standalone 5G deployments, and network slicing coming along?
  • How will changing leadership in global standards organizations impact development of emerging wireless technologies?


Recommended Reading:

SESSION 1

Speakers: 

  • Feza Buyukdura, LMTS, AT&T
  • Darin Kauffman, Director, Software Engineering, Cisco
  • Peter Linder, Head of Thought Leadership Marketing and Communications, Ericsson

SESSION 2

Speakers: 

  • Bejoy Pankajakshan, EVP, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Mavenir
  • Dhruv Khanna, Head of Network Performance and Optimization, Nokia
  • Karri Kuoppamaki, SVP, Network Technology Development and Strategy, T-Mobile

Emerging next generation wireless communications use cases are still several years away from being formulated but include some thrilling opportunities. Early use cases may include multi-sensory telepresence and immersion via extended reality (XR), as well as use of digital twins in Industry 4.0’s cyber-physical systems. Additional use cases may include holographic teleportation, tactile and haptic communications, and many more.

Wireless impacts on vertical industries may include opportunities in precision crops and livestock, biosensor monitoring in health care, advanced driver assist and autonomous driving for transportation systems, first responder systems that allow rapid data collection from sensors and real-time situational awareness, and government and defense systems utilizing ubiquitous connectivity.

This roundtable focuses on the next generation of wireless cellular networks beyond 5G. It is intended to look ahead beyond the 2025 timeframe and 5G-Advanced towards 6G (or other naming convention).

Topics:

  • What is the industry timeline for the evolution of 5G towards 6G (or generations beyond 5G)?
  • What are some of the future use cases we might see in the 2030 time frame?
  • What spectrum availability challenges await in the next decade for wireless cellular use?
  • What are some of the challenges and opportunities for wireless networks as we get towards the next generation?
  • What emerging technologies are likely to play a role in 6G networks?
  • What industries are likely to be impacted by next generation wireless networks?


Recommended Reading:

SESSION 1

Speakers: 

  • Brian Daly, AVP, Standards and Industry Alliances, AT&T
  • Gary Xu, VP Research, Samsung
  • Mariam Sorond, CTO Service Provider and Edge Business Unit, VMware

SESSION 2

Speakers: 

  • Ali Khayrallah, Senior Scientist Radio Networks US ATG, Ericsson
  • Bejoy Pankajakshan, EVP, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Mavenir
  • Amitava Ghosh, Nokia Standards and Strategy and Bell Labs Fellow, Nokia

Radio Technologies

MIMO enhancements. Beamforming. Miniaturization. Spectral and energy efficiency. Optimization. Different form factors.

Improvements to wireless cellular radios through sophisticated technologies allow 5G to be significantly faster than 4G, delivering up to 20 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) peak data rates and 100+ Megabits-per-second (Mbps) average data rates. It can support a 100x increase in traffic capacity and network efficiency, as well as deliver more instantaneous access with a 10x decrease in network latency over 4G.

This roundtable examines the technologies behind 5G NR and how new radio enhancements are being developed and implemented.

Topics:

  • What new enhancements to radio technologies are envisioned in 3GPP Rel 17 and 18?
  • What innovations are network operators and vendors undertaking to improve 5G network energy efficiency?
  • What improvements are expected in radios to allow for shared spectrum use? 5G NR-U (new radio unlicensed)?
  • What kinds of new form factors or miniaturization might be expected for small cells?
  • What types of additional technologies are expected to enhance MIMO, beamforming, etc.?
  • What role might AI/ML play in improving future wireless cellular radios?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Paul Challoner, VP Network Product Solutions, Ericsson
  • Job Benson, VP and Head of Radio Product Management, Mavenir
  • Amitava Ghosh, Nokia Standards and Strategy and Bell Labs Fellow, Nokia
  • Nivi Thadasina, VP Engineering, Samsung
  • Karri Kuoppamaki, SVP, Network Technology Development and Strategy, T-Mobile
gavel-line

Regulatory

North American regulatory initiatives. Rural coverage. Broadband funding. 5G leadership. Secure supply chain. Trusted entities.

5G Americas monitors and contributes to several policy considerations for mobile broadband services from government agencies in countries throughout the Americas region. Often times, 5G Americas contributes white papers, filings, or position documents to provide technical and marketplace information to these regulatory bodies and agencies.

This roundtable will focus on key issues involving US regulatory telecom policy, with notable emphasis on emerging challenges along with ongoing issues.

Topics:

  • How are NTIA and FCC coordinating efforts for spectrum planning?
  • What is the status of NTIA’s effort on the BEAD program and in closing the digital divide?
  • What are some US government efforts regarding US wireless leadership?
  • What impacts will efforts on semiconductor onshoring have on the 5G industry?
  • What do we understand about the effect on the wireless industry from the 2022 Chips and Science Act legislation in the US?
  • What can we expect from the government in terms of regulatory on secure supply chain and trusted entities?
  • What changes are happening regarding the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program?


Recommended Reading:


Speakers: 

  • Barbara Baffer, VP, Government and Industry Relations, Ericsson
  • Rick Mostaert, Development, Mavenir
  • John Kuzin, VP Spectrum Policy and Regulatory Counsel, Qualcomm
  • John Godfrey, Senior VP, Public Policy, Samsung