Roadmap to 5G success: Influencing factors and an innovative business model

5G promises improved performance such as high data rate, low latency and increased reliability mainly through virtualization and edge computing. It is also anticipated that 5G systems will accommodate the increasing traffic and demand stemming from machine-to-machine communications and Internet of Things. Moreover, 5G will bring significant socio-economic benefits. In the new era of 5G systems, new players will enter the market while traditional players will be urged to transform their business models to survive. Industry players are competing for the first commercial deployment of 5G, which is expected in 2019. Despite the apparent benefits it will bring, investing in 5G networks is not risk free. In fact, 5G's uncertainty lies in the fact that it incorporates a high number of interdependent factors and unknowns. In this paper, we determine and prioritise the factors that will affect 5G systems deployment and adoption. We also provide a reference model describing the relationships between the involved players, revenue streams and cost drivers as well as several guidelines towards making 5G a commercial success.