99% of respondents predict that end users will benefit from 5G within 5 years

Nearly half of operators surveyed predict that 5G will bring value to users within a year

· New revenue streams and business models will emerge as “killer apps” driving 5G adoption

Continuing challenges that come with it include: spectrum resources, cost, optimization and use

Lyle, IL – March 11, 2021 – molex.com/molex/industries/5g?utm_source=thought-leadership&utm_medium=prrelease&utm_campaign=7011I000000fLHnQAM” target=”_blank”> Molex has released the results of a global survey of telecom operator decision makers looking at the current state of 5G and the opportunities for significant change it brings, as well as its impact on 5G deployment progress and current The challenges of delivery, and the impact on emerging business prospects. Overall, operators are optimistic: more than half of respondents expect 5G to provide end-users with a significant competitive advantage within 2 to 5 years, while 47% of respondents said: Users are seeing or will see the value of 5G within 1 year.

“Despite ongoing challenges, operators report steady progress and the 5G market is nearing an inflection point,” said Aldo Lopez, president of Molex’s data communications business unit. “Realizing the full potential of 5G will change Multiple industries and markets. It’s a long game that requires collaboration across the entire ecosystem of software, hardware and connector companies to develop these new mobile network standards, which in turn will accelerate user adoption of 5G networks.

Molex commissioned Dimensional Research to conduct a 5G status survey in February 2021, including more than 200 qualified engineers and product R&D roles in network operators or mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). object. Various 5G questions were raised, with a focus on advancing work and use cases on a timeline. More than half of those surveyed believe that the impact of the new crown epidemic has delayed 5G deployment, while more than one-third of those surveyed believe that the implementation of the future roadmap will be delayed.

Other key findings include:

92% of operators expect to achieve 5G business goals within 5 years: Large operators report focusing on developing new revenue streams while supporting existing businesses to reduce operating costs and meet growing user demand ( 65%)

· 5G-enabled consumer devices will first generate substantial new revenue (43%), followed by industrial and industrial IoT (35%) and fixed-line wireless access (33%)

100% of respondents reported 5G deployment issues. Top 3 challenges are spectrum resource issues (41%), lack of consumer use cases (31%) and regulatory oversight (30%)

When asked what was the most important technology or industry change in enabling network operators to achieve their business goals, respondents cited: 5G infrastructure and network equipment cost reduction (41%); innovation in underlying technology , including semiconductors and sensors (31%); the emergence of new devices requiring 5G connectivity (26%); and the persistence of government regulation (22%).

Different decisions on whether ‘killer apps’ are needed to roll out 5G

Only three-fifths of survey participants report that a “killer app” or transformative use case is needed to drive 5G adoption and generate significant new business revenue. Augmented reality, gaming, and smart home applications top the list of major consumer devices, while robotics, logistics, and factories are the leading 5G use cases in industrial and industrial IoT.

Wireless access to rural homes tops the major fixed-line wireless access applications at 53 percent, followed by urban and suburban home access (45 percent) and remote and infrastructure access (41 percent). Additionally, autonomous driving, in-vehicle wireless communication technology (V2X) and vehicle telematics top the list of key use cases in the automotive industry. Patient monitoring, wearable medical devices, and remote surgery were identified as the “killer apps” for the medical market.

User Benefit Timeline by Region

Only 25% of respondents believe that 5G is bringing huge benefits to consumers, but 99% of respondents expect 5G to bring huge benefits within 5 years. More than half of the respondents said that consumers in Japan and South Korea have recognized the significant benefits of 5G. China also continues to gain traction, with more than half of respondents saying consumers are currently benefiting from it (24%) or expect to benefit within a year (27%). According to the survey, the expectation for the U.S. is that consumers will need to wait 2 to 5 years (75%) to see the full and significant benefits of 5G nationwide.

5G technology and its topology have taken hold

Small cells (48%), mmWave (46%) and private networks (46%) were identified as the top 3 technology/topology resources that will play a key role in realizing the benefits of 5G. While there was no consensus among respondents on which technology would impact users first, mmWave was the long-term top technology with 47% of the vote, followed by sub-6 band (27%) and LPWAN (26%).