Licensed/Unlicensed Convergence Called Key to Success of IoT, 5G

The IoT, network densification and 5G “will not be economic or practical without the convergence and coexistence of licensed and unlicensed technologies,” the London-based Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) said in a Friday report. “Ultimately, success will depend on unlicensed technologies working in conjunction with licensed networks, enabling new performance levels and flexibility for service providers of all kinds.” A survey the group conducted found nearly 80 percent of respondents believe they will deploy next-generation Wi-Fi by 2020, “driven by the need to improve quality of experience (QoE), reduce churn, and provide seamless access between Wi-Fi networks, and between Wi-Fi and licensed networks,” WBA said.