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Friday, February 05, 2021

New Report & Recommendations on Telecoms Supplier Diversification

Copied from my LinkedIn. Please click here for the download page & comments

I'm publishing my full report & recommendations on telecoms supplier diversification, especially for 5G, but more broadly for "advanced connectivity" overall. This follows my "10 Principles" article from 2 months ago.

It covers both near-term RAN diversification and a long-term roadmap for a better telecoms/networking landscape towards 2030, with 6G and other connectivity enabling "biodiversity" rather than monoculture.

Although it has been triggered by UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) work via its Diversification Task Force - and will be submitted directly to it - it is applicable more broadly to global policymakers considering 5G, private networks, Open RAN, Wi-Fi, spectrum and vendor policy issues.

My view is that Open RAN is important, but overhyped (like 5G itself). Much of the value from 5G is in settings where there is already good vendor choice (eg indoors, or for private cellular).

Governments should focus more on context for deployment, ownership models and substitutive options like WiFi6. All bring extra supply options.

In short - *Demand* diversification catalyses *Supply* diversification.

(To download from LinkedIn, display in full screen & select download PDF)