No, millimeter-wave 5G is not ‘dead’

 5G technology has been the topic of much discussion and debate in recent years, with many experts claiming that millimeter-wave frequencies, a region of the spectrum where no wireless carrier has ventured before, will be key to its success. However, recent articles have claimed that millimeter-wave frequencies will not be viable for 5G due to their short range and the immense cost of deploying enough small base stations to provide coverage. But is millimeter-wave 5G truly "dead"? This article aims to answer that question and provide a deeper understanding of the issue at hand.

When the standards for 5G were first released, it was clear that it would rely on millimeter-wave frequencies, which are at least an order of magnitude higher in the electromagnetic spectrum than those currently used for 4G. This would require advanced technologies and a significant investment from wireless carriers, leading to estimates of a potential cost of $65 billion. However, it is important to remember that the millimeter-wave region is the only part of the spectrum with enough available bandwidth to accommodate 5G's massive data needs.

The problem of spectrum availability has been a long-standing issue for the wireless industry. The federal government has allocated frequencies for various services based on the technology available at the time, leading to a densely packed spectrum chart. As cellular technology emerged and data services grew, the lack of available low-frequency spectrum became a major issue for carriers. With the emergence of 5G and its promise of data rates exceeding 1 Gb/s, the use of very high frequencies, such as 24 GHz and 28 GHz, was seen as a solution to the problem.

However, the use of these frequencies also presents significant challenges. Propagation at these wavelengths is limited to several hundred feet and signals can be attenuated by almost anything, making it difficult to provide coverage. This has led some experts to claim that it will be economically disastrous for wireless carriers to deploy enough millimeter-wave infrastructure, and therefore millimeter-wave 5G is not viable.

But is this truly the case? The answer is no. The technologies required for millimeter-wave operation are already being developed and have demonstrated that it is possible to provide coverage, albeit at a cost. What is needed is a new network design that utilizes "smart" repeaters, advanced software and algorithms, digital beamforming, and other techniques to allow millimeter-wave signals to permeate RF-restrictive environments without dramatically increasing the number of small-cell base stations.

This approach, known as a repeater-based approach, uses fewer small cells more effectively, delivering signals even to places where RF energy is restricted. This can potentially reduce capital expenditures and the total cost of ownership by 50%. These repeaters are small enough to be placed almost anywhere, from light poles to ceilings in office buildings and throughout stadiums and other large venues.