It is probably fair to note that not every mobile operator today sees a clear 5G business model. Probably just as certain: even firms who do see a business model do not have a fully-understood strategy already in place for various models that might exist. Even its biggest supporters might [...]

Spectrum policy is not the only major shaper of access provider business models, but it is, among key influences, arguably the single-greatest determinant of mobile and wireless provider business models, simply because, without spectrum access, no business is possible. That has been the rule in [...]

For decades, observers have wondered and speculated about whether Wi-Fi could be a substitute for mobile data access. Now we might have to ask the reverse question: under what conditions is mobile access a functional substitute for Wi-Fi? The new question comes as all four leading U.S. mobile [...]

The old distinctions between “my network” and “other networks,” plus the reliance on “my spectrum” versus “any available spectrum” now will change with 5G, even more than has been the case with 4G, A new TIA survey of industry executives suggests. That significant virtualization of spectrum [...]

To the extent some have concerns about the 5G business model, there are reasons for that concern. Only 56 percent of respondents to a survey commissioned by TIA believe 5G will significantly transform mobile broadband. The rest of the survey respondents obviously do not believe 5G will [...]

Though 5G often is considered the next mobile air interface, it also is enabled by core network virtualization and even could play a part in boosting edge computing, as mobile networks are used to support many new internet of things applications. For example, today’s service providers have [...]

A research paper produced by four professors suggests that, in the Philippines, it will be hard to create more competition beyond the two providers (Globe and PLDT) that now divide the market, unless a government-funded wholesale network is created. But they suggest competition is needed. The [...]

Mobile data services clearly have been a product that compensates for lost voice and messaging revenues. But there are issues. It remains unclear whether mobile data can be monetized on a sustainable basis, as average revenue per account continues to fall. Granted, there is some increase in [...]

To a greater degree than has been the case in the past, 5G success will be uneven: offering bigger potential financial rewards to the bigger service providers and possibly even some financial distress for smaller operators. The reason is that smaller operators will be able to monetize access [...]

There is a good reason at least some observers are concerned about the on-rushing 5G era: uncertain but potentially-big new revenue streams will first require a big level of investment. “Despite the potential for substantial returns, the business case for the investment required for the [...]

The 5G network should be different than prior mobile generations for many reasons. It should become the first generation of mobile networks to enable use by machines, sensors and servers, rather than humans. Faster and lower-latency mobile broadband will be a feature humans will notice, to be [...]

Though 5G often is considered the next mobile air interface, it also is enabled by core network virtualization and even could play a part in boosting edge computing, as mobile networks are used to support many new internet of things applications. For example, today’s service providers have [...]