5G in Bangladesh: with hopes, with challenges

- July 26, 2021

5G in Bangladesh: with hopes, with challenges

Director (Admin & Finance), NAPD

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has lately announced that it will give licenses to mobile operators to roll out 5G services in the band spectrum of 2.6-3.5 GHz by the first quarter of 2020 after the guidelines have been drafted.

The stark difference is that 5G brings the speed of the network (up to 10Gbps) compared to 4G (up to 100Mbps) which implies it is almost 100 times faster than 4G.

5G is indeed not an evolutionary upgrade but a revolutionary upgrade to the existing wireless technologies. It can usher a lot of benefits in our country.

The health sector of our country can leverage a lot from the ultra-high-speed of the 5G network. For instance, it can be used to transmit large volumes of medical files like a report of an MRI scan (up to 1GB) or an emergency diagnosis to a skilled specialist from a very remote place within a matter of a few seconds. According to a Market Research Future study, 5G will also boost telemedicine with a compound annual growth of 16.5% from 2017 to 2023

Agricultural processes can be automated and monitored efficiently by using 5G services due to their high speed. Furthermore, farming can be enhanced by the usage of 5G collars, drones and sensors. A UK initiative called 5G RuralFirst has already successfully accomplished such tasks.

We are currently going through the 4^th industrial revolution (IR 4.0). Integrating the likes of machine learning automation by IoT is the key to progress further. Here in Bangladesh, the industrial sector is booming, especially the assembling industries. With a combination of 5G and AI, this progress can be accelerated to a great extent.

5G can also contribute greatly to saving our environment. According to Huawei 5G consumes 90% less energy to transfer data (per bit) than 4G. Furthermore, 5G base stations consume 20% less electricity than the ones of 4G. In addition to this 5G base stations have sleeping modes which allow the base stations to operate at lower power when the demand is low. Of late a Canadian study shows that the current carbon emission due to ICT is 3.5% of the total emissions which is expected to rise to 14% by 2040. Therefore 5G is kind of like a must to thwart such increment.

Challenges:

However, some challenges do remain to deploy this technology. Its cost is approximately 4-5 times higher (according to a UK study) than 4G and a very skilled workforce is needed to operate it. We hope that such hurdles will be overcome and we will soon join the likes of the US, UK and China to become a 5G enabled nation.

1. Infrastructure and Spectrum Allocation

A significant hurdle is the existing telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, which is inadequate to support 5G technology. Additionally, delays in spectrum allocation and the absence of clear regulatory guidelines have impeded the timely deployment of 5G services.

2. Market Readiness and Consumer Adoption

The market's readiness for 5G is another concern. Currently, only a small percentage of the population owns 5G-compatible devices, and there is limited awareness about the advantages of 5G. This lack of demand makes it challenging for telecom operators to justify the substantial investment required for 5G rollout.

3. Security and Cyber Threats

The introduction of 5G networks increases the complexity of cybersecurity challenges. The distributed nature of 5G networks and their reliance on software make them more susceptible to cyber-attacks. Strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure is imperative to protect national security and economic stability .

4. Lack of Localized Use Cases

There is a scarcity of localized applications that can leverage 5G technology effectively. Without compelling use cases, businesses and consumers may not see the immediate benefits of 5G, hindering its adoption .

Path Forward:

Policy and Regulatory Support: The government should expedite spectrum allocation and establish clear regulatory frameworks to facilitate 5G deployment.
Infrastructure Development: Investing in robust telecommunications infrastructure, especially in underserved rural areas, is crucial for widespread 5G adoption.
Public Awareness and Education: Initiatives to educate the public about the benefits of 5G and promote digital literacy can drive consumer demand.
Private Sector Collaboration: Encouraging partnerships between telecom operators, technology providers, and other stakeholders can foster innovation and the development of localized 5G applications.