Abstract

5G networks are capable of providing high speed internet to developing countries. It is the next level of mobile
generation technology. Innovative methods for deploying these networks in developing countries should take
into consideration the policy changes in these developing countries. Also, challenges involving workforce and
spectrum choices should be handled. It is important to make accurate strategic choices. Before 5G technology
can be deployed successfully across various developing countries, it is important that the government provide
favourable conditions and set up proper infrastructures that will help ease infrastructure cost
Introduction provision of upgraded mobile broadband services.
5G technologies offer a narrower Internet of things.
The world as we know it today is being controlled This is one other distinct feature this technology
by the internet. Social media, online messaging, offers when compared with 4G technologies. The
electronic banking, gaming online now form part of key problem with understanding 5G deployment is
the day-to-day activities of individuals. It was determining the future market demand in
revealed that there currently exist about 4.4 billion developing countries and if it will yield reliable
active users on the internet and about 3.5 billion of returns. A key problem faced in developing
them are social media [1]. In Developing countries is the absence of pragmatic methods
Countries, 35% of the internet users are young when understanding deployment of these
people aged between 15-24 when compared to 13% technologies. This paper hopes to address the
in developed countries and about 23% globally [2]. problem created by the absence of innovative
Mobile internet service providers are trying to methods for the deployment of 5G technologies in
ensure their systems are scalable while providing a developing countries. It is important to also note
network with low latency and easily available to that the private sector has a huge role to play in the
customers. A key component in helping to achieve deployment of these technologies.
this goal is the deployment of 5G, the 5 th generation
mobile network. Some striking qualities of this 5G The 5G Architecture
network include their high capacity to support
numerous users, a quicker response time and speed How we got here
that reaches 10Gbps [3]. These incredible features Mobile communications have continuously
do always come at a cost. Deploying the 5G changed over time since their initial incorporation
technology to developing countries is a difficult in the 1970s. Five generations after we have
task. Innovative methods must be employed if experienced tremendous growth which is
success is to be expected with the deployment of summarized in the table below
the 5G technologies to developing countries.
Gener Anal GS UM LTE 5G
The community of mobile users have experienced a ation ogue M TS (4G)
new and revamped technology every decade. The (1G) (2G) (3G)
legacy first generation deployed in the 1980’s to
Year Aro Aro Aro Aroun 2019/2
the Second generation (2G) deployed in the 1990’s
of und und und d 020
to the third and fourth generation (3G) and (4G)
Introd 1980 1990 200 2010s
deployed during the 2000s and 2010s. The
uction s s 0s
deployment of the fifth generation (5G)
Major Anal Digi Inter Impro eMBB
technologies. The deployment of 5G technologies
qualiti og tal net ved
to mobile phones began in 2019 in developed
es voic voic enab interne
countries and are expected to be deployed in a mass
e e led t
scale. The deployment of 4G technologies in
and conne
developed countries began as early as 2010. In
mess ctivity
developing countries, it began much more later. In
age
Senegal, 4G services did not began until 2018 and
Down 2Kbi 9.6 – 384 5 2 – 20
this was first deployed by Orange [3]. going by the
load t/S 384 Kbit Mbps Gbit/s
path taken by the 4G technologies, deployment of
speed Kbit /s – –
the 5G services is expected to take the same path.
on /s 56 1Gbit/
This paper is about innovative investment methods paper Mbi s
for rolling out 5G in developing countries. 5G t/s
technologies require technologies different from Theor - 629 212 60-98 Less
that being used by 4G technologies. More funds etical than 1
will be required if 5G technologies are rolled out Laten
successfully in developing countries. The major cy
application area of 5G technologies will be Period
in ms
 Major Prov Impr Prov Qualit Adequ applications although they are not capable of
Contri ided oved ided y ate providing sufficient link capacity over long
bution mob mob inter impro impro distances as they cannot support compound traffic.
ile ile net vemen vemen For successful deployment of 5G technologies, two
telep phon acce t in t in potential solutions are suggested in this work: the
hone e ss broadb broadb first involves using an optimal functional split that
acce acce on and and ensures the total cost of ownership is reduced. (ii)
ss to ss to mob interne perfor new technologies should be embraced which allows
som mem ile t mance for integrated optical chipsets for fibre dispersion
e bers pho access . compensation and advanced modulation. It was
citiz of nes ; rapid Devel also stated that cost minimization strategies alone
ens the develo opmen will not be sufficient for ensuring an economically
publ pment t of successful 5G network. It is important that the
ic of wirele parties involve go into resources sharing across
busine ss multiple stakeholders.
ss service
model s for While government and individuals are advised to
s busine be patient for innovation, adequate infrastructure
ss should be put in place before innovation can
clients succeed [7]. It is important that a policy
Source: [4]. environment that supports 5G infrastructure
deployment is set up. 5G offers more complicated
Deployment options available for 5G Network issues than previous wireless technologies due to
the scope of operation and the variants in which the
At the genesis, 5G network is to operate with the 5G architecture exists. 4G network had similarities
existing 4G technology but as time progresses, it between groups while 5G varies based on the
will become a stand-alone network on its own. The deployment location and population density.
5G technology is made up of two parts: the new Deploying ultra-reliable low latency (uRLLC)
radio access interface and the 5G core. The first requires advanced computing capability and
deployment option sees the existing 4G network enhanced fibre infrastructure when compared to 5G
core called the evolved packet core (EPC) staying enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) being used by
connected to the Long Term Evaluation (LTE) base consumers. Businesswise, deploying eMBB will
stations which will be supplemented later by the 5G require a different policy to deploying uRLLC.
new radio technology called gNodeB base stations. eMBB may be hinged on consumer traffic growth
The major components of the 5G architecture and lower cost per bit. There is a case for low
include the Radio Access Network and the core latency and device density which relies fully on
network. The Radio Access Network consist of devices that constitute the internet of things. It has
cells in building and street-side hotspots. A new also been discovered that global geographic
concept of small cells was introduced in 5G differences may complicate the policy making
technologies to ensure uninterrupted connectivity. process. In summary, for adequate deployment of
The core network consists of a mobile exchange 5G infrastructure, one must first increase the
managing mobile voices. The 5G core contains data capacity and efficiency of the new wireless
network managing mobile data and internet generation network before identifying and
connections [5 and 6]. deploying new enabling infrastructure.
Related Works It is said that the 2020s will spark a significant
change that will see 5G deployed in developing
A cost-effective deployment technique must be
countries in Africa. It is said that 5G related
employed if 5G networks will be deployed
activities will be spread across developing
successfully [22]. It is advised that 5G base stations
countries. It is said that intelligent connectivity will
should be located close to 4G base stations in urban
form the heart of the new ecosystem. 5G is
scenarios and the newly available spectrum should
programmed to be a key enabler which will be the
be used. The small cells used should be added to
backbone for new and existing technologies such as
frequency bands below 6GHz so as to provide an
Artificial Intelligence and Internet of things. A
enhanced capacity. A key area where cost must be
major key to this innovation is government policies
optimized is the design of the front haul and
that will provide an enabling environment for
functional split as they have a high impact on the
investment and innovation of the 5G mobile
network cost. Present 100 GBits/S interfaces do not
ecosystem. Policy makers responsible for making
come in cheap for the fronthaul section. A cost
these policies should create pro-investment and
effective 100 Gbit/s optical interface will be
pro-innovation environment so as to foster growth.
capable of direct detection transceivers for datacom
It was said that regulators should focus on these
key areas: network flexibility, spectrum access and
regulatory costs if 5G deployment in developing
countries would ever be a reality [8].
Theoretical Framework
When adopting a new technology, there are many
theories that could be applied to 5G. There are
existing theoretical models on technology adoption
that can provide some information on the
possibility of 5G networks penetrating developing
countries. These theoretical models are given
below.
Technology Acceptance Model
When studying the adoption of a new technology,
the technology acceptance model is one of the
models mostly used. It was proposed by Davis in
1989 and Venkatesh and Davis in 1996 [9]. It is
likened to the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA)
which was developed by Fishbein and Ajzen in
1975 [10]. By eliminating the subjective norms in
the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Theory of
Technology Acceptance Model infers that the
perceived usefulness (PU) and the perceived ease
of use (PEoU) are ordinary opinions with respect to
how a person’s behaviour is affected by the
acceptance of a new technology [11]. Perceived
Ease of Use (PEoU) and Perceived Usefulness
(PU) are viewed as the most impactful variable that
decides the adoption rate of a new technology.
They also help with determining the usefulness of
new technologies.
Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Theory
The diffusion of Innovation theory was introduced
by rogers in 1996 [12]. The theory attempts to
explain the process involved in the diffusion of
innovation. The theory of diffusion of innovation
attempts to answer the why, when, how and rate of
innovation spread. This technology was generally
accepted by researchers across various fields. The
diffusion of innovation theory provided the key
factors for driving innovation as the ability to adopt
a new technology that drives attitude towards
change, relative advantage, compatibility,
complexity and observability.
Technology, Organization and Environment (TOE)
model
This model was developed by Tornatzky and
Fleischer in 1990. It is used to describe how
different components of an organization interact
and affect technological innovations. These
components of an organization include technology,
the organization and the environment. The TOE
technology applies to all technologies that are
applicable to that enterprise including the
technologies that are being used by the enterprise.
It also includes the technologies that are applicable
to the enterprise but are not being used by the
enterprise and technologies that may enable toe
enterprise to innovate and adopt [13 and 14]. The
organizational aspect of the TOE describes all the
descriptive measures and resources of the
enterprise which may affect the decisions made by
management with respect to the adoption and
deployment of the technology.
Methodology
This research employs a qualitative data analysis
method.
5G deployment strategies of early investors from
developed countries.
A study will be carried out on five major developed
countries to discover how they plan to deploy 5G
technology and inferences will be drawn. Nations
such as the Republic of Korea, Germany,
Switzerland and Singapore would be studied and
their 5G deployment strategy. A major reason for
selecting these 5 countries include: they were
among the earliest nations to embrace 5G, the
experiences by these countries are applicable to
developing economies. A key factor is also based
on the fact that the information provided by these
countries are current. When a nation decides to
employ 5G, four key elements are to be studied: the
choices the nation makes, the key economic targets,
the coordination measures and the major policy
challenges it plans to roll out. From the five
countries studied, the republic of Korea is the most
daring followed closely by Germany. Korea is
moving towards becoming a global 5G
mitochondria as seen in her desire to embrace a 5G
export economy. Korea has set targets to have
completed 5% of its 5G deployment by 2020 and
about 90% by 2026. Korea also plans to have a
global market share of 15% in 2026. Korea is
following an industry approach, similar to what
was adopted when she implemented LTE in 2007
by acquiring semiconductor components and
smartphone handsets.
Republic of Korea
The republic of Korea ensured that they tried to
assist the 5G enabled industries in the deployment
of their key services. Policy wise, they ensured
their chaebols aligned with the industrial policy on
products involved in the 5G deployment in the
global supply chains.
Germany
The German government has anticipated the 5G
network will cover about 98% of German
households by 2022. There have been attempts to
coordinate the deployment measures by attempting
to provide an advanced collaboration attempt
between operators and users in the industries.
Germany has also tried to fund basic research for
projects by evaluating the impact of 5G and
encouraging its adoption. A key area where
Germany faulters is the absence of collaboration
with operators.
Finland
Finland aims to promote cost-effective and reliable
5G services by supporting market functionality
while also encouraging testing and innovation
projects. The policy employed involves the
monitoring of the network usage in the various
industries using 5G services currently.
Switzerland
Switzerland plans to use 5G technologies to
improve the wellbeing of its citizens by developing
an innovative and cosmopolitan economy. Key to
achieving this is strengthening the fundamentals
underlying the digital transformation while adding
education and research. A key policy Switzerland is
employing is monitoring of the potential health
risks 5G frequency emissions can cause.
Singapore
Singapore has been a main implementer of the 5G
developments. 5G coverage in Singapore is
expected to cover more than 50% of the population
once spectrum rights are acquired. Singapore is
embracing the whole of government approach to
ensure proper deployment of the 5G technology. It
is also ensuring efficient allocation of the 3.5GHz
spectrum bands.
5G deployment in Developing countries
The 5G technology differs entirely from the 4G
technology which was barely an evolution form
3G. with 5G, there has to be fundamental changes
in both investment strategy and deployment. 5G is
more expensive, requires more capital expenditure
and has a higher uncertainty in commercialization.
For developing countries to be better prepared, the
government responsible for coming up with these
policies will have to consider some essential factors
in rolling out strategies that will encourage the
private sector to invest their money.
For developing countries, the private sector is
looking like it wants to reduce its presence. When
compared to the previous mobile generations, the
willingness by private investors to roll out funds
have dropped as the business case for 5G has not
yet been proven. The risk assessment for 5G is still
pretty vague. Recent survey carried out in
developing countries revealed that there is a little
hesitancy by the private sector to venture into 5G
technology.
For 5G deployment, a major parameter is the level
of a country’s infrastructure. The infrastructure
development also covers the extent of the
development of its tertiary education and
vocational training. If this is in place, an ecosystem
for upskilling, imports, installation and
maintenance support that ensures the system is
adequately set up. While the focus is on developing
countries, it is important we develop some
industrial base and not just a rollout. With this, the
developing countries can come not just as a
consumer but also with the plan of entering the
global supply chain which the country may also
stand to benefit.
Five key techniques are considered on how to
deploy 5G to developing countries:
i. There should be long-term objectives
in place
ii. Sound strategic choices should be put
in place
iii. The rollout challenges such as basic
factors and skilled workforce
iv. Effective coordination between the
government and the private sector
should be put in place for spectrum
allocation.
v. The operation principles
Discussion
Long-term objectives
For developing countries to effectively deploy 5G
technology, there must be a long-term objective to
be developed. These objectives must stem above
operational issues such as penetration rates, speed
of network and focus on the proper outcomes in
terms of productivity, the quality of human life,
security of individuals, adaptability to a rapidly
changing environment. With these objectives, the
policy makers in government should work in
tandem with industry operatives to develop rules
that are favourable. Unfavourable conditions such
as setting a target coverage rate for 5G network
providers may be a bad idea for three main reasons
which include: firstly, 5G is still awaiting a proven
economic case. Secondly, setting a I0T industrial
type application to measure progress stands to
provide meaningful indicators. Finally, 4G still
serves as a better investment choice in terms of cost
benefits for the next decade.
Sound Strategic choices
Making strategic choices will help determine how
much a country stands to gain from potential 5G
returns. There are three critical areas to be studied
for developing economies:
 i. Terms for embracing the 5G
technology.
ii. Regulations involved in the
telecommunication industry.
iii. Focusing more on the traditional
indicators of a country’s economic
growth.
Core deployment challenges
A major challenge is the economic viability of the
5G business and its ecosystem. The use cases of 5G
beyond consumer entertainment do involve
extreme levels of reliability, resilience and security.
The design and implementation of 5G systems are
bigger than what is obtainable from 3G and LTE
and the engineering design must be sure to cope
with the challenge stemming from its rollout to
prevent the awaiting failure [15].
The novel nature of 5G makes the initial
deployment and implementation difficult. The users
of this system will have to be trained on the
engineering and operations of the system. A major
problem faced by China is the 5G installer training
programme which relies on excellent training
manuals. In urban environments of developing
countries, it is important that we find outdoor sites
capable of having an Information Storage Device
(ISD) with a propagation distance of about 50 to
250m. these sites must be properly earthed and
have sufficient connection to their core networks to
enable optimal functionality [16]. Base Transceiver
Stations for 5G networks can be mounted on walls
or roof tops. There is also the issue of physical
protection of these servers. It is also important we
manage the visual appearance of these servers to
the outside public. Cybersecurity is also an issue
that should be discussed. 5G network would be
able to handle higher volumes of data at a much
more efficient transfer rate. This makes it a prime
target for DOI attacks and malware infestation. The
5G architecture should have security as a core
problem to be handled. The process of handling
secure deployments is still open to deliberation
[17].
Spectrum allocation
Spectrum allocation and competition are key
policies to determine the players in the 5G market.
The 5G network operates on three key frequency
bands. The low band spectrum, the mid-band and
the high-frequency band. The low frequency band
applies for frequencies below 1 GHz; the mid
frequency band applies for frequencies in the range
of 1 to 6 GHz while the high frequency band
spectrum works in the rage of 6GHz to 1000GHz.
The lower frequency spectrum may have slower
speeds but possess the most desirable propagation
rates [18]. The mid and high frequency band
spectrum possess superior speed and latency but
they have poor propagation properties.
Governing Principles of operation
Core principles of operation involve effective
competition, security by design and neutral
technology. It is important that the government
fosters effective competition among the players in
the industry so as to encourage innovation.
Developing a 5G network may require special
conditions due to the huge cost involved and the
uncertainty involved. It may be pertinent that
infrastructure is shared so as to reduce the cost of
deployment and curb delays [19]. To promote
competition, a more creative regulatory approach
should be adopted when regulators approach
Mobile network Operators (MNOs) and non-
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (non-MVNOs).
To meet the security requirements of the industry,
International standard security architecture should
be deployed.
If the 5G network is to work efficiently, it must be
neutral technologically. Multiple technologies such
as WIFI and LANs should be able to work
simultaneously. Adopting this principle will enable
most MNOs to effectively utilize the available
resources for the deployment of 5G services and
also assist to facilitate structural change and
innovations. A key part of the technology neutrality
is giving MNOs the freedom to decide the 5G
version they decide to adopt – Stand alone (SA)
architecture or the LTE-A core network. Various
MNOs have varying opinions on the strategy being
adopted. Singapore’s IMDA suggested that MNOs
operating in Singapore adopt the stand alone
standard as a means of overtaking others to be at
the forefront of 5G infrastructure. Ericsson
disagreed with the approach by promoting the non-
Stand-alone approach as a means of allowing
MNOs to achieve the optimum time for a market
solution. It is also important to note that all 5G
commercial deployments till date have all
employed the non-standalone architecture in
deploying 5G networks.
The Agent Based Modelling
This is a system that employs multiple agents
adequately spread out and capable of evolving over
time. Agent Based Modelling has proved to be
effective in showing how complex patterns are
developed from small models over a while. ABMs
are used to demonstrate how a large number of
domains by ensuring cooperation in project teams
[20]. The ABM consists of three main building
blocks: i) Agents, ii) Environment and iii)
Interactions [21]. Agents form the basic building
block of the ABM. They agent’s features are
internal or external and can be altered by its
behaviours. The environment is used to describe all
conditions the agents experience as they interact
within the model. The environment is used to
describe the artificial environment where the model
unfolds (54).
Conclusion
The process involved in the deployment of 5G
networks for developing countries will adopt a
different approach from developed countries. In
considering these countries, one must consider the
lack of Foreign Direct Investment and disposable
income when compared to developed countries. It
is important that we employ distinct 5G models.
The result is distinct when compared to High-Net-
Worth countries. When coming up with innovative
investment methods, it is important we consider the
fact that the increasing demand for 5G present in
developed countries will be absent or non-existent
here. Potential investors are still deliberating
whether venturing into the 5G technology would
result in a loss or profit for them. For developing
countries, it is important that the country is viewed
as a digital economy via 5G to attract FDI as this is
key to motivating investments.
Practically, a more detailed planning level is
needed if the 5G infrastructure can roll out
effectively. Some of the regulatory prospects that
should be involved include:
i. The economics of the 5G networks
will be determined by the frequency
used. This frequency is used for
determining the range and Quality of
Service. This further sets the
ii. The 5G density has a short range and
it must match the population density
of the major cities in these developing
countries. The rural and suburban
cities would be better served with
LTE mobile infrastructure which is
still in the process of being rolled out
successfully.
iii. Sharing a single 5G network may
provide a faster and more efficient
rollout with a higher quality service.
iv. The use of a vertical sector private
business network for most isolated
factory buildings, campus or
businesses can serve as a potential
business model.
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