Japan will deploy flying 5G base stations in 2025 seeking to stamp a major modern-day milestone in tech and innovation in telecommunication. This technology called HAPS (Called high altitude platform stations) will provide wider signal coverage with unmanned flying vehicles over the Earth’s surface.
The move may emanate from the country’s desire to give a challenge to competing states for the next-generation cellular technology. To begin with, 5G expansion is currently growing with the US and China making incremental growth. Many states have planned different road maps to deliver the fastest network ever with many states forming their partnership. Japan itself has struck up a partnership with the US for 5G as well as 6G. But China has taken notable strides in the technology with its largest 5G base stations, over 3 million currently far outpacing the US.
Statista estimates that there are 5 billion internet users in the world but there remains a huge disparity in its distribution. Particularly, African states still continue to rely on legacy networks and just 24% of the population has internet access.
The difficult terrain also contributes to the lack of infrastructure required to expand telecom services. HAPS in theory will expectedly
The difficulty in setting up base stations in remote places is one of the reasons for low coverage, which HAPS aims to overcome with overhead towers.
Check out: Russia and China Explore Hack-Proof Network With Quantum Communication
Ground vs. flying base stations
Normally, a ground-based station covers up to 10 kilometers. Telcos use a huge number of base stations to ensure consistent coverage to thousands of subscribers. The roadblock is the cost of infrastructure and expenses required for their regular maintenance. Catching up with China is almost elusive for many states.
Japan’s NTT is promoting the idea of HAPS as a solution that will not only fill up the coverage in the previously unconnected areas but also help to bridge the digital divide.
HAPS will provide mobile network coverage at altitudes of up to 25 kilometers whereas one module can cover 200 kilometers.
Japanese service providers plan to offer this service in packages that will consist of aerial vehicles, telco gear, and management. This will require policies, work plans, and regulatory bodies’ coordination for deployment.
Read next: Nokia to start 4G LTE on Moon with NASA to Help for Sustainable Human Presence in Space
HAPS Frequencies
The World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC)- 2023 conference adopted Japan’s proposal to use four frequency bands for airborne flying base stations. As it stands, the frequency bands of 1.7 gigahertz, 2 GHz, and 2.6 GHz will be exploited for global use. Similarly, the 700 to 900 megahertz (MHz) band was approved at the conference for flying base stations.
SoftBank Corp and NTT are making significant advances in the aerial 5G base stations. The plan if substantiated will prop up Japan’s stand in the world in telecommunication in the current tines of 5G and 6G.