Qualcomm remains confident in the future of millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum for wireless communications despite a relatively slow start globally and a shift in strategy and emphasis among carriers in the United States. 

Philippe Poggianti, VP of business development at Qualcomm, claims the benefits of the high-band spectrum outweigh its challenges and pointed to a significant uptick in spectrum allocation and deployments globally as evidence of its growing presence. 

“At Qualcomm we believe that 5G mmWave is not an either or, it's not really a choice, it’s complementary to midband when you want to offer the best possible quality of experience wherever your subscriber is,” he said. 

Only three countries — the U.S., Japan, and Singapore — had extensive 5G mmWave deployments at the end of 2020, while Italy was in the early stages of adoption and 10 other countries allocated the necessary spectrum.

Extensive commercialization remains largely unchanged on a global basis today, however seven countries or territories are in the early commercialization phase and 23 countries have allocated spectrum for mmWave deployments, Poggianti explained. The five largest Western European countries should have mmWave spectrum allocated by early 2023, he added. 

Meanwhile, Japan and the U.S. still lead the world in mmWave deployments. Japan’s mmWave footprint is especially robust, hovering around 20,000 sites today, which accounts for roughly 35% of all 5G sites deployed in the country, according to Poggianti. 

Qualcomm, of course, has a vested interest in the proliferation of mmWave, but it’s not alone in that regard. More than 150 devices from at least 50 vendors have shipped smartphones, connected PCs, customer-premises equipment for fixed wireless access, and modules, Poggianti said. 

He also highlighted multiple use cases that could benefit from mmWave, including fixed-wireless access, private networks, high density and heavily populated areas, venues, transit hubs, and corporate campuses. While mmWave can theoretically transmit larger amounts of data than mid- or low-band spectrum, Poggianti claims the low-latency characteristics of mmWave will be more important than the amount of data received or sent.

The spectrum also remains inexpensive on a per-hertz basis, homogenized around a few bands globally, and typically provides operators with at least 400 megahertz of continuous spectrum per allotment, Poggianti added. 

“The Qualcomm thesis is that it’s the combination of the low band, the mid band, and the high band that will really unleash the full potential of 5G as a whole,” he said.

However, Verizon’s experience with mmWave spectrum doesn’t bode particularly well for the technology’s future. The carrier’s 5G mmWave network suffers the same limitations today that dogged it when Verizon first deployed the spectrum in 2018. 

EJL Wireless Research founder Earl Lum conducted a detailed study of the carrier’s 5G mmWave network in San Diego at the end of 2021, and returned from that trip largely unimpressed with the coverage and performance of Verizon’s mmWave small cells. Trees remain a major propagation blocker for mmWave spectrum.

As such, Lum concluded that mmWave won’t be abandoned, but rather significantly deemphasized.

Indeed, that’s exactly what Verizon did once it gained access to a large, nationwide swath of mid-band spectrum earlier this year. 

The carrier plans to reach 175 million people with C-band spectrum by the end of this year. It’s also reoriented its fixed-wireless access offering around the mid-band spectrum going forward. 

Poggianti said Verizon’s shift in strategy doesn’t surprise him because the carrier only had access to mmWave spectrum early on in the 5G cycle, and thus had few choices until its C-band licenses became available for use. 

He shared no concerns about Verizon’s issues with mmWave and pointed to many other carriers outside of the U.S. that are pressing ahead as evidence of the technology’s growing momentum.

Progress or the lack thereof during the next few years will be the most important and realistic indication of mmWave’s outlook. Its future will also no doubt play into specifications and standards for 6G as it relates to high-band spectrum.