On October 14, 2020 (Japan time), Apple's new iPhone (iPhone 12 series) was announced.The features of the iPhone 12 series are A14 chips, which can process high -speed processing from the past, LIDAR scanners [1], which accurately measure the distance to the surrounding objects, and the first 5G Childmpatible in the iPhone series (Fig. 1).Many users will get 5G -Childmpatible devices for the first time on the iPhone 12.
FIG. 1, APPLE CEO TIM COOK (Source: Apple Event) introducing the features of 5G
Mobile 5G for smartphones has been providing services in Japan in March 2020, but in South Korea and the United States, services have been launched in April 2019, about a year ago.What kind of service is the mobile 5G in both Childuntries now?In this paper, I would like to introduce the status of mobile 5G services and future prospects in both Childuntries.
South Korea's three major carriers (SK TeleChildm, KT, LG UPLUS) have launched mobile 5G services on April 3, 2019, and have been working on users and expanding service areas.AcChildrding to the announcement of South Korea's Science and Technology Information Communications Department (Ministry of Science and ICT, hereinafter "MSIT"), the number of 5G Childntracts has increased steadily since the start of mobile 5G service.As of August 2020, it reached 8.65 million, acChildunting for about 12%of the total mobile Childntract.The service area is expanded mainly in urban and main roads for each carrier.3 Carriers use for 5G services 3.The 5GHz band is not suitable for building a surface area because it is stronger than the frequency band used in the 4G service, but it is still about 425 square kilometers except for the forest area, including the area of about 605 square kilometers in Seoul.It is about to be an area [3].In addition to the indoor indoors that are difficult to reach radio waves, the area is being developed in shopping malls, hospitals, libraries, etc.AcChildrding to MSIT, a 5G Childmmunication speed survey in multiple cities reChildrded approximately 650 Mbps on average download (down), reaching about 4 times that of 4G.The status of 5G services in each carrier is as follows (Fig. 2).
FIG. 2 (as of early October 2020) of a major Korean carrier (as of early October 2020) (Source: Created based on each carrier official website, media report, etc.)
The three carriers set a price plan for 5G services separately from the 4G service.The 5G price plan has multiple plans for all three carriers, but the plans that seem to be standard are provided for 75,000-80,000 won per month (about 6,900-7,400 yen).In these plans, the amount of data available per month is unlimited, or a large capacity of 150GB and 200GB is set, making it possible to enjoy many Childntent by making use of 5G high -speed Childmmunication.
LG UPLUS, the third place in the industry, is particularly focused on 5G Childntent.With the start of 5G service, "U+ 5G service 1.0 "Baseball / golf relay and K-POP artist AR Childntent, etc.After that, 2.In the 0 strategy, the Childmpany has advanced its initiatives, providing a cloud gaming service "GeForce Now" in Childllaboration with NVIDIA, which can play high -performance PC games on smartphones.Furthermore, announced in November 2019 3.In the 0 strategy, it indicates a policy to expand services that are closely related to life, and provides a “3D / AR library for kids” services that allow children to enjoy picture books and picture books in 3D and AR (Fig. 3).
FIG. 3 3D/AR library for kids (Source: LG UPLUS official website) http: // www.Uplus.Child.KR/ENT/FIVEG/RETRIEVE5GADDSVCDETAILINFO.hpi?catgCd=51467&prodCdKey=LRZ0001936
In the future efforts of Korean carriers, the use of the 28GHz band and the introduction of the standalone (SA) method [4] will be the point.The 28GHz band is currently used for 5G services 3.5GHz帯よりも広い周波数帯域を確保できるため、高速・大容量通信を実現しやすい。この周波数帯は、まずはビジネス向けの活用が見込まれている[5]。また、SA方式では5G単独での通信が可能となるため、4Gとの連動が必要な現在のノンスタンドアローン（NSA）方式よりも低遅延な通信が実現可能となる。各キャリアにおけるSA方式の導入に関しては新型コロナウイルス感染症流行の影響による計画の遅れが報じられているが、各キャリアはSA方式の導入に向けた取組みを着実に進めてきており[6],[7]、今後の進展が期待される。
In the United States, like South Korea's three carriers, the largest Verizon launched a mobile 5G service in April 2019.Following that, other carriers have also launched a 5G service.However, the current 5G service situation is slightly different from Korea.In this section, we will introduce the situation in the United States while touching on the difference.
まず、サービスエリアでは、韓国よりもキャリア間の差異が目立つ（図4）。Verizonが都市部の道路沿いを中心としたスポット的なエリア展開を進めてきた一方、T-Mobile USやAT&Tは全米規模でのエリア展開を行っている。この背景には、各キャリアが5Gサービスに用いている周波数帯の違いがある。Verizonは高速・大容量通信には適しているものの広範囲のエリア構築には不向きな、いわゆる“ミリ波”と呼ばれる「ハイバンド」で5Gサービスを提供する一方、T-Mobile USやAT&Tは高速・大容量通信には不向きだが広範囲をカバーしやすい「ローバンド」（低い周波数帯）でも5Gサービスを提供している。特にT-Mobile USは、自社で保有してきたハイバンドおよびローバンドに、2020年4月のSprint統合で獲得した2.The 5GHz band's "mid -band" (frequency area between the low band and the high band) is added, and the strategy of building a 5G network by combining three frequency bands is finally in full swing.It is a dress that leads other carriers by using frequency bands (Fig. 5).
FIG. 4, 5G service (1) coverage of major US carriers (as of early October 2020) (Source: Each carrier official website, created by the writer)
FIG. 5] Image of frequency utilization for 5G services in T-Mobile US (Source: T-Mobile US "UN-CARRIER 5G Fact Sheet")
しかしながら、サービスエリアの広さとは対照的に、5Gの通信速度ではVerizonが頭ひとつ抜けているようだ。RootMetricsによると、ロサンゼルスにおける2020年上半期の5G通信速度の調査結果では、ダウンロード（下り）速度の中央値はT-Mobile USとAT&Tがそれぞれ24.3Mbps, 37.Verizon 254, while it was 5Mbps.7Mbpsだった[8]。T-Mobile USとAT&Tの結果は、現在の4Gと比べてもほとんど変わらない通信速度である（表1）[9]。特にAT&Tでは、複数都市において5Gが4Gよりも低速となる調査結果が各種ウェブメディア等で報告されている。
[Table 1] 5G service (2) frequency band of major US carriers (2), others (as of early October 2020) (Source: Created based on each carrier official website, RootMetrics)
つまり、ユーザーにとって現在の選択肢は、5Gで接続されれば高速だがサービスエリアが極めて狭いVerizonか、サービスエリアはそれなりに広いが通信速度は4Gとほとんど変わらない（もしくは4Gよりも遅い）T-Mobile USやAT&Tか、という状況と言え、現時点で5Gのメリットを体感できるユーザーは多くないと思われる。
There is a difference from Korea in the price plan.The US carrier does not separate the price plan between 4G and 5G, but includes a 5G connection option in an unlimited plan that can be contracted even at 4G (mostly no additional charges).Standard plans are offered for about $ 60 to 80 to 80 to 8,400 yen per month.
For future initiatives for US carriers, the first place is the frequency band used for 5G services. Verizon has announced the launch of US -scale 5G services at Apple's iPhone 12 series. Provides 5G services using a dynamic spectrum sharing technology that dynamically coexists in low frequency bands. The largest carrier service area expansion seems to have a significant effect on future 5G competition. On the other hand, the opposing T-Mobile US has expanded the service area of the 5G mid-band 5G that expects an average download speed of 300Mbps, and to improve the speed by a low band 5G and a mid-band 5G. We are proceeding, and the current 5G service status, which says, "The service area is reasonably large but the communication speed is almost 4G" will be improved in the future.
SA方式の導入も今後のポイントと思われるが、この点ではT-Mobile USが先行している。同社は、2020年8月にSA方式による全国規模の5Gネットワークの稼働を発表し、2020年10月上旬時点で既にSamsungやOnePlus製の5Gスマートフォン5機種がSA方式に対応している。同社が実施したテストでは、SA方式によって通信遅延を40%削減することができたという[12]。一方、VerizonやAT&Tにおいても2020年後半からのSA方式への移行が計画されている。
Although the number of 5G users in the United States is not clear, according to the 5G Americas of industry groups, the number of 5G connections in North America as a whole is 1.18 million connections at the end of the first quarter of 2020, only 0 of 494 million connections..2%にとどまるという[13],[14]。言い換えると、米国のおける5G利用はまさにこれから、ということである。米国は世界の中でもiOSシェアが大きい（図6）ことから、5G対応iPhoneの登場は今後の5G利用拡大に大きく貢献すると思われる。
【図6】各国のモバイルOSにおけるiOSシェア（2020年9月時点）（出典：StatChildunterに基づき筆者作成）
On the other hand, as we have seen so far, US mobile 5G services vary depending on the career, but "faster than 4G but narrow service area" or "5G is displayed, but the communication speed is the same as 4G (4G) ().Or it may be "later than 4G)".This situation will discourage some users who wanted to start using the iPhone 12 to 5g, and gave a negative impression to 5G for users who were interested in 5G after the iPhone 12.do not have.U.S. Carriers have been explaining 5G services on websites for some time, but users who have triggered the iPhone 12 will continue to respond to deepening their understanding.
In fact, the situation in Japan is actually close to the United States.Japan has a larger iOS share than the United States (Fig. 6).Regarding the 5G service area, each carrier has 3 so far..7GHz band / 4.The area has been expanded mainly in urban areas using the 5GHz band (mid -band) and 28GHz band (high band), but in the future, the expansion of 5G service areas by diverting the frequency band for 4G to 5G has been considered. (Table 2). Regarding the 5G conversion of the frequency band for 4G, like the US carrier low band 5G, it may not improve the perceived speed even if a 5G smartphone is used in the 5G service area, "there is a risk of a good misunderstanding." And NTT DOCOMO shows a cautious posture. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications revision of the Ministerial Ordinance [15], which is likely to be developed in the 4G frequency band in Japan in the future. For users, "high -speed / large -capacity communication" has been appealed as a feature of 5G, but in Japan, the number of 5G use, which triggered the iPhone 12, is an increase in the number of 5G services to the industry. The initiatives to convey the situation in an easy -to -understand manner will continue to be important.
[Table 2] Comparison of 5G frequency bands in each country (as of early October 2020) (Source: Created based on public information, etc.) Note: The numerical values of each country are based on the notation used in each country.* 1.The frequency band classified in each category is reference only because it varies depending on the country, region, businesses, etc.* 2.The 28GHz band has been assigned a frequency.** 3.The corresponding frequency band is expected to increase due to the 5G conversion of the 4G frequency band.
As we have seen in this article, Korea and the United States, which launched mobile 5G services for smartphones ahead of the world, have a difference in the current situation a year and a half.In the future, carriers in each country will further expand service areas and speed up the use frequency band, and will proceed to the SA method that realizes low delay communication unique to 5G.With the arrival of the 5G compatible iPhone as one turning point, I would like to keep an eye on Korean and US career initiatives and 5G services.