Mobile Experts LLC released new research today, providing a specific forecast for pre-standard 5G deployment. The new forecast will be sent to all of the Mobile Experts 5G subscribers, to highlight the very specific plans of US operators as they ramp up deployment of wireless broadband services.

"The standards won't be finalized until 2020, but a few key operators have very specific plans during the next nine months," explained Joe Madden, Principal Analyst at Mobile Experts LLC. "American operators have spectrum already, and are pushing to move very quickly to use '5G' for fixed broadband services. The size of these early deployments will be much larger than typical trials. We are expecting numbers that are more consistent with a wide commercial deployment."

"When we predicted a 5G focus on fixed broadband services in 2014, many of our customers asked us to forecast shipments. We have been resisting the impulse to release a forecast because most operators won't be ready to go until 2020. However, the near-term opportunity has now solidified, and it's big enough to move the needle."

The Mobile Experts 5G Research Service includes a deep technical view of the challenges to mm-wave radio implementation, as well as analysis of 5G network architecture options. Mobile Experts has estimated the cost of 5G networks and devices, and calculated the ROI for operators considering investments in 5G Broadband and 5G IoT business areas.

Subscribers to Mobile Experts in-building research will receive this report along with forecasts of the small cell market and the popular Mobile Experts Expert INSIGHT articles. The forecast includes a handy "cheat sheet" which lists 5G tests and trials, identifying the mobile operators and OEMs involved with each major test.