This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
July 13, 2020, marked a pivotal moment in the telecommunications industry, as the world focused on the rollout of 5G technology. However, it is 4G technology – LTE – that has been providing critical connectivity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With 52% of the world's mobile devices using LTE, this 4G tech has underpinned innovative digital initiatives supporting communities during the pandemic. The pandemic and lockdown have presented humanity with unprecedented challenges, but people, countries, and organizations have risen to the occasion, leveraging evolving telecommunications capabilities.
Henry Calvert, head of the Network 2020 future network programme at the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA), emphasized the importance of LTE in the short term. 'Until 2025, LTE will continue to do the heavy lifting,' he said. 'Our 4G networks will remain key... They will continue to be important for the next five-to-seven years.'
Speaking at the 2020 GSMA LTE Summit, Calvert highlighted the significant role 4G plays in supporting health services, including telehealth and telemedicine. He also noted that data usage has increased by more than 70% per customer during the pandemic, driven by online services and consumption of on-demand video services like Netflix.
Calvert called on on-demand video providers to reduce video quality to preserve network capacity for online education, health, and businesses. He also emphasized the need for 5G transformation to meet online demands in the future.
4G networks have been instrumental in supporting contact-tracing apps, providing free data to support contact tracking, and underpinning recent shifts in lifestyles, with large proportions of the population working, educating, shopping, and socializing from home using online platforms.
As societies grapple with the pandemic, LTE must remain the priority infrastructure over the short term. Calvert noted that there will be a short-term dip in 5G deployment, but it will quickly recover to normal levels.
