Gyroscopic Mapping Technology: How to Improve 5G Network Architecture

The race for 5g network architecture is now at full speed. Governments and companies alike are scaling 5G operations and infrastructure as a faster connection is now in more demand than ever. According to a study by WinterGreen Research, the industry is set for rapid growth. It is expected that the 5G market is expected to grow from $31 billion in 2020 to $11 trillion in 2026. To put that into perspective, that is a growth of over 35,000% in the next six years, which presents a massive opportunity for anyone in the telecommunications industry. 

However, this growth comes with a caveat. Such growth requires an eye-popping price tag for establishing infrastructure that can accommodate this expansion of 5G service. The projected cost of upgrading from 4G fiber optic cables to 5G for the United States alone is between $130 and $150 billion. This is a potentially big problem because failure to cost-effectively meet the growing demand of 5G could have negative effects on its adoption. 

This is why the use of existing utility infrastructure is necessary in order to meet the challenge of 5G expansion. Hence, we have to consider how to make the existing duct infrastructure work for 5G. 

Underground Utility Infrastructure Problems

The first problem is that the industry as a whole did not foresee the potential shortcomings of these pre-installed ducts. They were never installed with the intention of being used for new generations of technology to come. Particularly, who could have predicted that the increase in fiber count for 5G would double, or triple, resulting in an 80% fill ratio? 

Plus, there are elements in many of these ‘dark ducts’ that are problematic for 5G cable installation, such as unknown undulations and curves.

All of this combined, there is an increased risk of potential damage during installation due to limited space in the duct and other unseen issues. Even a series of small undulations in the XY axis as well as in the depth (Z) can cause a sharp increase in drag factor. 

Not to mention the numerous other issues. Underground utilities are now far too congested, leading to possible incidents such as cross-boring. 

All of this amounts to additional costs from workarounds and damages. 

Gyroscopic Underground Mapping is the Precise Solution

The key to solving this challenge is having access to accurate mapping data regarding underground assets. If you know how the ducts are laid out precisely from the get-go, you do not have to find solutions as the work progresses. Problems can be foreseen and addressed beforehand, making the installation far more efficient. 

However, even with investments into geographic information systems, it can be difficult to have access to complete three-dimensional data. 

This situation is why it is recommended that gyroscopic technology is used for mapping. These tools will accurately locate irregularities in the duct, and provide data on the bend radius and other deviations that can be missed by other mapping tools. They don’t suffer electromagnetic interference, have no limitations to depth, and are autonomous during operation, which ensures that accurate data will be saved for analysis from end to end. 

If you want to learn more about gyroscopic mapping technology, make sure to attend our live online demo.