5G network

5G network

5G network uses categorizes into three connected services. One is enhanced mobile broadband whereby the system will not only make smartphone use better, but it also adds immersive experiences such as VR and AR, which are faster with lower latency and cost per bit. Secondly is the mission-critical communications whereby new services that can transform industries with lower latency links, for instance, medical procedures, will be enabled. Thirdly, massive Internet of Things (IoT) whereby the network will smoothly connect embedded sensors in everything by scaling it down to data rates or power and mobility in a bid to provide low-cost solutions. Similarly, the 5G network is innovative in a manner that it can comfortably support services that are unknown today, but can take place in the future, unlike the previous wireless communications.

Findings

Unlike 4G, the 5G network is an exceedingly capable groundbreaking technology; however it is not only multifaceted but also extremely complicated. Owing to the new challenges in managing the long term total cost of ownership and Return on Investment (RoI), it will bring forth; a holistic and strategic plan is required when sourcing for the 5G network service provider for the organization.

First, a cross-functional team consisting of members from the departments of IT, finance, and procurement will be formed, who will strategically decide whether the organization will be a first-mover or a rapid follower. The team will develop the roadmap to sourcing for the 5G network provider based on factors which include; 3GPP standardization process, vendor’s roadmap, technology evolution risks, availability of spectrum, market demand, and time it will take to earn a return on prerequisite investment. The above factors will shape the outsourcing strategy by determining the number of commercial, technological, financial considerations, and constraints. A swift approach will be made, and the identification of trade-offs will be made while also setting priorities that will ensure there is maximum return on investment for the organization throughout the 5G era.

Secondly, the strategy will identify and map the increasing dependency between the network equipment categories and network and IT categories during the procurement of 5G equipment. The organization will apply a mega-vendor approach whereby both the scope of IT and network categories are classified into one all-encompassing negotiation process. The importance of the mega-vendor approach is two-fold such that it diminishes any unintentional vendor lock-in effects that may take place when awarding categories in sequence. Similarly, it will increase the organization’s buying power due to the combined value of IT and network categories, which are being negotiated. The combined value is essential for the organization because, as the vendor market consolidates, supply power increases. During the awarding scenarios for the groupings being negotiated, the organization will consider cross-vendor interoperability while also leveraging on the strategic priorities of the vendors to unlock the values in other categories where the organization has a lower purchasing power.

Thirdly, the organization will plan interactions with 5G network providers, with the stretch of negotiations extending to the C-level, whereby the long-term strategic value of the negotiations will be emphasized. To handle the issue of achieving long-term cost of ownership, the organization will assess the importance of pursuing a long-term commitment with the vendor early on, such as exchange for lucrative discounts and the costs (upfront) of maintaining competition down the road. However, striking a balance between the two options can be a viable solution, whereby the 5G network providers are awarded scope in such a manner that they will have to maintain competitive dynamics over the 5G era. Also, they will incorporate methods of mitigating unexpected cost increase, which can be caused by factors such as upgrades or feature licenses, among others.

There are several risks associated with global sourcing, especially in today’s world, whereby the sourcing culture is moving into mainstream industries. They include time, financial, supply, demand risk, and regulatory risk, amongst others. Some specific risks are experienced during the supply chain process. One is faults in the 5G equipment and dependency on only one supplier. 5G network has a higher degree of complexity in comparison with other networks, with a higher reliance on software and services provided by the vendors who is a third party. This scenario poses a risk for the increased existence of substantial defects in the equipment. With such kind of unidentified vulnerabilities, it can result in long-lasting intrusions into the organization network, endangering its confidentiality and integrity. Secondly, the supply chain process faces a cybersecurity risk, which is mostly brought forth by the dependency on single suppliers. The 5G network has unique characteristics such as new architectural designs and functionalities to specific pieces of its equipment such as base stations, which can create loopholes for malicious suppliers to insert backdoors into the network, posing a security risk. To mitigate these risks, the organization will pursue a targeted diversification strategy while outsourcing its 5G network provider. Through a set security framework, it will provide security requirements that the vendors should observe to be considered as viable candidates for providing the 5G network to the organization, hence avoiding a mortally-vulnerable system. Once implemented, random privacy and security checks will be conducted to ensure that the highest possible security standards are maintained; as a result, minimizing occurrences of data theft from the organization’s network.

With the widespread integration of the 5G network in our societies, there are specific ethical issues that the system poses. There are some possible hazards that the network could be posing on human health, for instance, the 5G network radiation. For several decades, health concerns have been raised concerning radiation from telephone towers and telephone devices, whereby cases of headaches and fatigue are associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields caused by the two. Similarly, there are concerns over the health impacts of the 5G network, which carries the same magnetic fields with possibilities that the radiation caused by this technology could cause conditions such as infertility, autism, and cancer. According to research conducted by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program (NTP), it confirmed that prolonged exposure of the network radiation to rats resulted in a significant increase in cancer formation. More scientific research is required to ascertain the actual impacts of the 5G network on human health before it is rolled out.

Similarly, concerns have been raised on the visual and environmental impacts of the 5G network and its transmitters. The network is associated with a large number of manufactured equipment, and the accelerated need for dependent devices for new 5G consumers will result in adverse environmental consequences. Consequently, there will be increased use of energy with the widespread 5G network among people, a factor that is an actual cause of climate change in the world today. Waste produced during the manufacturing of the network’s equipment will not only have detrimental effects on the environment but will also affect the entire ecosystem. With the environment situation being at its most delicate state in the world today, it is precarious to overlook the environmental impacts of the 5G network. Developers should find new ways of creating and rolling out this network in a manner that has negligible effects on the environment.

Cybersecurity of the 5G network is essential in a bid to protect our societies, which are globally interconnected. However, with the new technological infrastructure, a threat is posed, particularly to an individual’s personal information. Similarly, technological advancements leave loopholes where malicious individuals can access organizations’ networks, particularly in this age of online hacking and cyberbullying. There is a need for the implementation of holistic approaches to digital security to ensure that peoples’ personal information is well protected. Furthermore, the government should have security debates focusing on 5G network privacy and should be conducted from a human rights perspective.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 5G is a wireless technology that aims at more excellent connectivity of devices and industries at the same time. With today’s increased digitized and data-driven economies, the 5G network presents as a backbone for our societies. With an increased demand for goods and services, global outsourcing has become a common trend in the global market today. To ensure smooth outsourcing of the network, an organization should assemble a cross-functional team to assess a roadmap for the 5G network, identify interdependencies among categories of the 5G equipment, and to incorporate mechanisms that maintain vendor competition in the future.

Nevertheless, outsourcing the network faces potential risks such as faulty equipment and mortally-vulnerable system caused by dependency on one supplier, which may result in cybersecurity attacks. Mitigation measures have to be put in place to ensure there is the protection of customer data and the organizations’ network, including installing security frameworks that 5G network providers must follow. The 5G network poses several negative environmental and health impacts, including a cause of certain diseases such as cancer, a direct negative impact on climate change from the high energy levels transmitted, and interference of the ecosystem, which is an integral part of our society. Necessary precautions should be put in place to ensure that the effects resulting from the 5G network are negligible to both humans and the environment. The wireless communication will connect critical sectors within the society, including health, energy, banking, and transport, amongst others. It is, therefore necessary, to ensure that the 5G network security is resilient as it will be carrying sensitive information, including implementing a holistic approach to digital security.