Drivers and operational barriers for 5G - Suppliers Survey

Survey for Telecoms Suppliers

5G is not just another generation of radio access network. It has the potential to add a level of flexibility in defining services that has not previously been possible for mobile operators. This opens up the opportunity for new business models and most importantly new revenue streams. However, there are a lot of unknowns and many dependencies on operational transformation.

TM Forum is surveying communications service providers and their suppliers about their plans for 5G, particularly the importance of service differentiation capabilities. What are the new operations requirements that come with 5G? Where do they come from and why they are new? When are these capabilities needed? Which ones first? How reliant on operational transformation are the major 5G use cases?

Don’t wait! Take our survey now to make your voice heard. All individual responses will be kept strictly confidential.

Question Title

* 1. What is your organization’s primary region of operation? (choose one)

a. North America

b. Latin America/Caribbean

c. Europe

d. Russia

e. Middle East and/or Africa

f. Asia/Pacific

g. Global

Question Title

* 2. What is your organization’s primary line of business? (choose one)

a. Hardware supplier

b. Network function software supplier

c. OSS/BSS supplier

d. Systems integrator

e. Consultant

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. Where are you with your 5G strategy? (choose one)

a. We are monitoring developments

b. We are delivering 5G products today (please explain in the comment box for Question 5)

c. We are participating in 5G trials/proofs of concepts (please explain in the comment box for Question 5)

d. We will wait until all standards are finalized to deliver 5G technology

e. We are a mobile operator but have no plans to deploy 5G

f. Not applicable

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* 4. If you are delivering 5G technology today or are participating in trials, please provide details. For example with trials, are they access, enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine, or critical communications type trials?

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* 5. Which of the following 5G services are your customers showing greatest interesting in deploying first? Please rank in order of importance where 1 is most important.

a. Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR)

b. Connected vehicles

c. Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation)

d. Factory automation through sensor connectivity

e. Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc)

f. Smart grid

g. Smart city

h. Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination)

i. Immersive augmented reality, gaming tactile internet etc

j. Fixed wireless access

Question Title

* 6. Which channel to market do you expect your Service Provider customers to use as the primary channel for the following services?

	Direct to customer	Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Joint venture	Partnership	Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Don't know	N/A
Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR)	Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR) Direct to customer	Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR) Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR) Joint venture	Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR) Partnership	Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR) Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR) Don't know	Ultra-high definition video (4K, 8K, HDR, HFR) N/A
Connected vehicles	Connected vehicles Direct to customer	Connected vehicles Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Connected vehicles Joint venture	Connected vehicles Partnership	Connected vehicles Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Connected vehicles Don't know	Connected vehicles N/A
Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation)	Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation) Direct to customer	Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation) Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation) Joint venture	Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation) Partnership	Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation) Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation) Don't know	Improved mobile broadband coverage (for example, for events, buildings, transportation) N/A
Factory automation through sensor connectivity	Factory automation through sensor connectivity Direct to customer	Factory automation through sensor connectivity Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Factory automation through sensor connectivity Joint venture	Factory automation through sensor connectivity Partnership	Factory automation through sensor connectivity Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Factory automation through sensor connectivity Don't know	Factory automation through sensor connectivity N/A
Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.)	Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.) Direct to customer	Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.) Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.) Joint venture	Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.) Partnership	Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.) Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.) Don't know	Remote control of devices (machinery, drones, etc.) N/A
Smart grid	Smart grid Direct to customer	Smart grid Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Smart grid Joint venture	Smart grid Partnership	Smart grid Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Smart grid Don't know	Smart grid N/A
Smart city	Smart city Direct to customer	Smart city Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Smart city Joint venture	Smart city Partnership	Smart city Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Smart city Don't know	Smart city N/A
Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination)	Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination) Direct to customer	Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination) Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination) Joint venture	Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination) Partnership	Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination) Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination) Don't know	Digital health (for example, remote surgery and examination) N/A
Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc.	Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc. Direct to customer	Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc. Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc. Joint venture	Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc. Partnership	Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc. Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc. Don't know	Immersive augmented reality, gaming, tactile internet, etc. N/A
Fixed wireless access	Fixed wireless access Direct to customer	Fixed wireless access Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Fixed wireless access Joint venture	Fixed wireless access Partnership	Fixed wireless access Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Fixed wireless access Don't know	Fixed wireless access N/A
Enhanced mobile broadband	Enhanced mobile broadband Direct to customer	Enhanced mobile broadband Through traditional wholesale/resellers	Enhanced mobile broadband Joint venture	Enhanced mobile broadband Partnership	Enhanced mobile broadband Through multi-service and multi-channel platform	Enhanced mobile broadband Don't know	Enhanced mobile broadband N/A

Question Title

* 7. What are the biggest challenges in deploying 5G? Please rate each challenge as not important at all, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important.

	Not important at all	Not very important	Somewhat important	Moderately important	Very important
a. 5G is not yet an agreed standard/too soon to deploy	a. 5G is not yet an agreed standard/too soon to deploy Not important at all	a. 5G is not yet an agreed standard/too soon to deploy Not very important	a. 5G is not yet an agreed standard/too soon to deploy Somewhat important	a. 5G is not yet an agreed standard/too soon to deploy Moderately important	a. 5G is not yet an agreed standard/too soon to deploy Very important
b. Lack of use cases/hard to justify a business case for deployment	b. Lack of use cases/hard to justify a business case for deployment Not important at all	b. Lack of use cases/hard to justify a business case for deployment Not very important	b. Lack of use cases/hard to justify a business case for deployment Somewhat important	b. Lack of use cases/hard to justify a business case for deployment Moderately important	b. Lack of use cases/hard to justify a business case for deployment Very important
c. Insufficient investment funds (i.e. there is no money available rather than an unwillingness to spend it on 5G)	c. Insufficient investment funds (i.e. there is no money available rather than an unwillingness to spend it on 5G) Not important at all	c. Insufficient investment funds (i.e. there is no money available rather than an unwillingness to spend it on 5G) Not very important	c. Insufficient investment funds (i.e. there is no money available rather than an unwillingness to spend it on 5G) Somewhat important	c. Insufficient investment funds (i.e. there is no money available rather than an unwillingness to spend it on 5G) Moderately important	c. Insufficient investment funds (i.e. there is no money available rather than an unwillingness to spend it on 5G) Very important
d. Garnering support from top management (e.g. inadequate financial commitment/aversion to risk)	d. Garnering support from top management (e.g. inadequate financial commitment/aversion to risk) Not important at all	d. Garnering support from top management (e.g. inadequate financial commitment/aversion to risk) Not very important	d. Garnering support from top management (e.g. inadequate financial commitment/aversion to risk) Somewhat important	d. Garnering support from top management (e.g. inadequate financial commitment/aversion to risk) Moderately important	d. Garnering support from top management (e.g. inadequate financial commitment/aversion to risk) Very important
e. Lack of necessary IT infrastructure	e. Lack of necessary IT infrastructure Not important at all	e. Lack of necessary IT infrastructure Not very important	e. Lack of necessary IT infrastructure Somewhat important	e. Lack of necessary IT infrastructure Moderately important	e. Lack of necessary IT infrastructure Very important
f. Concerns about security and/or privacy	f. Concerns about security and/or privacy Not important at all	f. Concerns about security and/or privacy Not very important	f. Concerns about security and/or privacy Somewhat important	f. Concerns about security and/or privacy Moderately important	f. Concerns about security and/or privacy Very important
g. Concerns about how to handle management and operations	g. Concerns about how to handle management and operations Not important at all	g. Concerns about how to handle management and operations Not very important	g. Concerns about how to handle management and operations Somewhat important	g. Concerns about how to handle management and operations Moderately important	g. Concerns about how to handle management and operations Very important
h. Lack of a mature ecosystem of products and services	h. Lack of a mature ecosystem of products and services Not important at all	h. Lack of a mature ecosystem of products and services Not very important	h. Lack of a mature ecosystem of products and services Somewhat important	h. Lack of a mature ecosystem of products and services Moderately important	h. Lack of a mature ecosystem of products and services Very important
i. Spectrum licensing issues	i. Spectrum licensing issues Not important at all	i. Spectrum licensing issues Not very important	i. Spectrum licensing issues Somewhat important	i. Spectrum licensing issues Moderately important	i. Spectrum licensing issues Very important

Are there other challenges we didn't identify?

Question Title

* 8. When do you intend to launch commercial 5G equipment?

a. Already launched

b. In the next 6 months

c. In 1-2 years

d. In 2-3 years

e. In 3-5 years

f. Our plans aren’t set/Don’t know

g. We don’t intend to launch 5G

Question Title

* 9. How important are NFV and SDN to your customers’ 5G strategies?

a. Very important

b. Moderately important

c. Somewhat important

d. Not very important

e. Not important at all

Question Title

* 10. Do your customers plan to use 4G and 5G network slicing?

a. They will use 4G and 5G slicing

b. They will use 5G slicing

c. They do not intend to use 4G or 5G slicing

Question Title

* 11. When do you intend to support 5G network slicing?

a. Immediately from first commercial 5G launch

b. Within 1 months of 5G commercial launch

c. Within 2 years of 5G commercial launch

d. Within 3 years of 5G commercial launch

e. More than 3 years after 5G commercial launch

Question Title

* 12. How many network slices do you anticipate your customers will run once their 5G networks are fully rolled out?

a. 1-10

b. 11-30

c. 31-50

d. 51-100

e. 101-1000

f. 1000+

g. Don’t know

Question Title

* 13. Which services or customer sectors do you expect to require dedicated network slices? (select as many as are relevant)

a. Fixed wireless access

b. Emergency services/blue light

c. Government (including smart city)

d. Healthcare

e. Education

f. Energy and Utilities (including smart grid)

g. Manufacturing

h. Mining

i. Transportation

j. Connected car

k. Entertainment (including high definition video)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 14. Which of the following do you anticipate needing to change for 5G slices?

a. Throughput speed

b. Latency

c. Other QoS elements – jitter, delay, etc.

d. Security levels

e. Privacy levels

f. Coverage

g. Included network-based services (e.g voice, messaging, data only)

Other (please specify)

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* 15. What percentage of service differentiation intelligence do you expect to sit where in the network?

Core

Edge

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

Question Title

* 16. What do you expect to be the biggest barriers to offering effective differentiated service performance on a 5G network? Please rate the following as not important at all, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important or very important

	Not important at all	Not very important	Somewhat important	Moderately important	Very important
a. Lack of standards	a. Lack of standards Not important at all	a. Lack of standards Not very important	a. Lack of standards Somewhat important	a. Lack of standards Moderately important	a. Lack of standards Very important
b. Lack of management solutions	b. Lack of management solutions Not important at all	b. Lack of management solutions Not very important	b. Lack of management solutions Somewhat important	b. Lack of management solutions Moderately important	b. Lack of management solutions Very important
c. Virtualization limitations	c. Virtualization limitations Not important at all	c. Virtualization limitations Not very important	c. Virtualization limitations Somewhat important	c. Virtualization limitations Moderately important	c. Virtualization limitations Very important
d. Orchestration limitations	d. Orchestration limitations Not important at all	d. Orchestration limitations Not very important	d. Orchestration limitations Somewhat important	d. Orchestration limitations Moderately important	d. Orchestration limitations Very important
e. Lack of AI/ML solutions	e. Lack of AI/ML solutions Not important at all	e. Lack of AI/ML solutions Not very important	e. Lack of AI/ML solutions Somewhat important	e. Lack of AI/ML solutions Moderately important	e. Lack of AI/ML solutions Very important
f. Network management and OSS integration issues	f. Network management and OSS integration issues Not important at all	f. Network management and OSS integration issues Not very important	f. Network management and OSS integration issues Somewhat important	f. Network management and OSS integration issues Moderately important	f. Network management and OSS integration issues Very important
g. Integration with BSS (e.g. billing)	g. Integration with BSS (e.g. billing) Not important at all	g. Integration with BSS (e.g. billing) Not very important	g. Integration with BSS (e.g. billing) Somewhat important	g. Integration with BSS (e.g. billing) Moderately important	g. Integration with BSS (e.g. billing) Very important
h. Inability to implement DevOps	h. Inability to implement DevOps Not important at all	h. Inability to implement DevOps Not very important	h. Inability to implement DevOps Somewhat important	h. Inability to implement DevOps Moderately important	h. Inability to implement DevOps Very important
i. Lack of sales training/understanding	i. Lack of sales training/understanding Not important at all	i. Lack of sales training/understanding Not very important	i. Lack of sales training/understanding Somewhat important	i. Lack of sales training/understanding Moderately important	i. Lack of sales training/understanding Very important

Other (please specify)

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* 17. Please provide your contact details (for verification purposes only - results will only be presented in aggregate and individual responses will be kept anonymous.

Name

Company

Job Title

Country

Email Address

Phone Number

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* 18. Would you be willing to discuss your responses further with the analyst/author of this report?

Yes

Question Title

* 1. What is your organization’s primary region of operation? (choose one)

Question Title

* 2. What is your organization’s primary line of business? (choose one)

Question Title

* 3. Where are you with your 5G strategy? (choose one)

Question Title

* 4. If you are delivering 5G technology today or are participating in trials, please provide details. For example with trials, are they access, enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine, or critical communications type trials?

Question Title

* 5. Which of the following 5G services are your customers showing greatest interesting in deploying first? Please rank in order of importance where 1 is most important.

Question Title

* 6. Which channel to market do you expect your Service Provider customers to use as the primary channel for the following services?

Question Title

* 7. What are the biggest challenges in deploying 5G? Please rate each challenge as not important at all, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important.

Question Title

* 8. When do you intend to launch commercial 5G equipment?

Question Title

* 9. How important are NFV and SDN to your customers’ 5G strategies?

Question Title

* 10. Do your customers plan to use 4G and 5G network slicing?

Question Title

* 11. When do you intend to support 5G network slicing?

Question Title

* 12. How many network slices do you anticipate your customers will run once their 5G networks are fully rolled out?

Question Title

* 13. Which services or customer sectors do you expect to require dedicated network slices? (select as many as are relevant)

Question Title

* 14. Which of the following do you anticipate needing to change for 5G slices?

Question Title

* 15. What percentage of service differentiation intelligence do you expect to sit where in the network?

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* 16. What do you expect to be the biggest barriers to offering effective differentiated service performance on a 5G network? Please rate the following as not important at all, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important or very important

Question Title

* 17. Please provide your contact details (for verification purposes only - results will only be presented in aggregate and individual responses will be kept anonymous.

Question Title

* 18. Would you be willing to discuss your responses further with the analyst/author of this report?

Question Title

* 19. NA/Internal Reference Only