The fifth generation of wireless technology (5G) has arrived and is being rolled out globally. 5G is possible because of the contributions of previous generations of wireless communications and a number of disruptive technologies, each of which must be understood at least at a high level to paint a full picture of the industry. The radio access network (RAN) makes up the largest portion of 5G network infrastructure because there are many RANs but relatively few core networks. The edge/core network is becoming more important as the number of 5G Stand-Alone (SA) networks is increasing. Most of the initial 5G networks were Non-Stand-Alone (NSA) and the move to 5G SA networks is happening slower than anticipated. While transport networks are often overlooked, the truth is that they are essential for the success of 5G. The focus of this report is on the growth opportunities to be found with 5G RAN, 5G transport networks, and 5G edge/core networks.

A 5G network, at a very high level, is composed of three cooperating networks: The RAN, the transport network, and the core network, which may include one or more edge networks. The 5G RAN consists of the radio unit (RU), which is primarily hardware, and the distributed unit (DU) and the centralized unit (CU), which are both software. The 5G transport network includes the fronthaul network, the midhaul network, and the backhaul network. A 3GPP-compliant device communicates with the RAN, which in turn connects to the core network through the transport network.

Author: Troy Morley