5G Industry Insight—Verizon’s Top Strategic Initiatives on the Path to 5G

Fifth-generation (5G) wireless technologies will deliver a potent combination of network capabilities and flexible options for network deployments, service delivery, and network management. 5G deployments are envisioned as a complex amalgamation of various next-generation technological enhancements to the wireless access, transport, cloud, network applications, and management layers. It will incrementally build on various 4G technologies currently deployed, thus enabling mobile operators to preserve existing investments in network infrastructure. A significant share of 5G will be deployed at very high frequencies, which has important ramifications for coverage. In order to overcome the coverage limitations at higher frequencies, 5G networks will be overlaid with “ultra-dense” access networks such as small and metro cells. The core features and functionalities of 5G will eventually make their way into the lower band spectrum, given the need to make them ubiquitous across the United States. Over-investing in 5G building blocks, including wide area and small-cell networks, spectrum, backhaul and front haul, and distributed cloud solutions can restrict the ability of operators to deliver economical 5G services. It is essential for mobile operators to establish the right strategic vendor agreements to ensure that they receive the best return on their investments in 5G infrastructure.

5G innovation depends on creating a full-service horizontal platform that can be customized for different vertical use cases. The various components, including spectrum, network assets, software-defined solutions, and cybersecurity must work together in a seamless manner to power high-value 5G cases. This Frost & Sullivan market insight provides an overview of Verizon’s strategic initiatives on the path to 5G. Specifically, the paper details Verizon’s network, software, spectrum, and business process initiatives to deliver 5G services. Moreover, the insight outlines Verizon’s perspective on 5G as an essential requirement to address real-time enterprise requirements. Finally, Frost & Sullivan provides realistic estimates on the timelines for Verizon’s 5G deployments.

Maintaining continued network leadership, Verizon’s 5G initiatives and Verizon’s Intelligent Edge Network (iEN) are important elements of Verizon’s strategy. In addition to technology-led developments to support 5G migration, Verizon completed a comprehensive organizational realignment on April 1, 2019, and is modifying its internal and external reporting processes, systems, and internal controls to accommodate the new structure. Termed Verizon 2.0, the initiative aims to take advantage of the strength, size, and capabilities of Verizon to address the next-generation communication and collaboration requirements of consumers, enterprises, and the public sector entities in an efficient, more customer centric, and differentiated manner.