Telstra is the only one of Australia’s mobile operators to use Ericsson network infrastructure and, were it to deploy the technology, it could give the telco an advantage over the others as user demand for bandwidth intensive video content increases.
Ericsson is forecasting rapid growth in mobile data traffic, and particularly video. Nick Bromhead, general manager wireless solutions, Ericsson Australia, told ComputerWorld Australia: “We are looking at an annual growth rate of 45 per cent for mobile traffic and mobile video traffic growing at 55 per cent so that by 2021, 70 per cent of mobile traffic will be video.
“The big benefit [of 5G] for Australians is that they will be able to indulge their love of sport and at a price point that makes it possible for them to afford and for operators to be profitable.”
He suggested that interest in the upcoming Olympics could put strains on Australian networks as early as next month. “I think it was Channel Seven said they would put out an app so you can stream the Olympic content they have, but do the mobile networks today have the bandwidth to support that everywhere? We will soon find out.”
Bromhead said the first mobile operator to be able to meet surging demand for video at an affordable price would likely have a first mover advantage.
“You can see form things like Netflix that if people are given the chance to watch what they want when they want, wherever they want, they will take it,” Bromhead said.
“We as an industry have to work out how to deliver that and I think the company that works out how to do that and gets there first will be the beneficiary.”
He said Ericsson aimed to help its operator customers gain this advantage.
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