5G promises high bandwidth, low latency, and connectivity for IoT devices at scale. For industry, the ability to better connect machines, objects, and devices is what is driving the excitement about this technology. Patrick Arnold, research analyst at ARC Advisory Group, said industrial solutions suppliers are responding by investing in new product designs and incorporating 5G into their portfolios.
“5G” refers to the fifth generation mobile network. Based on new global wireless standards.
In the industrial sector, solutions drive the adoption of new technologies,” Arnold explained. For example, in smart manufacturing, a key use case is the deployment of numerous sensors and devices for real-time machine monitoring, predictive maintenance, and quality control.
Arnold continued, “In logistics and smart warehouses, tracking and coordinating large numbers of assets, some of which operate autonomously, will benefit from the massive IoT device capacity and low-latency communications that 5G provides. In the realm of mobile assets such as vehicles, robots, and drones, 5G’s reliable uptime and low latency will enable real-time data exchange, which is essential for navigation, coordination, and decision-making.”
A key strength of 5G is its ability to connect non-traditional assets that would be difficult to do with wired infrastructure or other wireless technologies. For remote assets, such as widely distributed assets or difficult industrial environments, 5G facilitates efficient data transmission and control. These capabilities position 5G as a “transformative technology for connecting diverse assets beyond traditional scope” for today’s use cases. This opens up new possibilities for innovation and optimization across a variety of industries,” Arnold explained. As an example, maintenance personnel can quickly and reliably transfer large datasets, including heavy image and video data, so they can perform diagnostics and maintenance remotely.
Challenges and delays in industrial 5G deployment
However, Arnold said, “Enthusiasm surrounding 5G in the industrial sector has to some extent outpaced readiness for widespread adoption of the technology. The hype generated by 5G’s potential benefits has led to increased interest among end users. is growing, and many industries have expressed a desire to take advantage of the technology’s capabilities before it is fully mature for industrial-grade applications. poses particular challenges as they do not necessarily match current practicalities in the field.”
COVID-19 has delayed the maturation of this technology. The pandemic has disrupted cooperation and coordination efforts between standards bodies and industry stakeholders. The pandemic also meant suppliers were hit with parts shortages. These delays have impacted his timeline for widespread deployment of 5G in industrial applications.
Additionally, during the extended trial period, industrial users faced hurdles to 5G adoption due to the associated costs and complexity of this technology. Annold said, “The challenges of adoption, combined with an established presence and familiarity with competing technologies such as Wi-Fi, make it difficult for some industries to consider the near-term feasibility and benefits of moving to 5G.” I started to re-evaluate the situation.”
Reassessing the near-term feasibility and benefits of transitioning to 5G.
Another concern that remains in the industrial environment is the potential impact of continued improvements in 5G. As 5G evolves, Arnold continued, “there are concerns about the compatibility of existing industrial infrastructure with future advances that may require major hardware replacements.”
Additionally, there is a significant knowledge gap between communications professionals and industry stakeholders regarding the unique requirements of mission-critical industrial 5G deployments. Arnold said telecom providers are “often used to consumer-centric applications.” They struggle to meet the demanding demands of industrial environments.
These concerns mean industrial companies need to carefully consider how to integrate this new technology into their long-term strategies. Many large companies at the forefront of technological innovation are taking a wait-and-see approach.
But help is on the horizon
While regular 5G networks are designed to provide high data rates, low latency, and large-scale device connectivity for a wide range of business use cases, the Reduced Capability (RedCap) 5G specification is designed to provide high data rates, low latency, and large-scale device connectivity for a wide range of business use cases. Streamlined to address your specific needs. The RedCap specification serves as an alternative that provides a good level of functionality with better battery life performance. A better balance between cost and energy efficiency.
For use cases such as smart sensing, utility connectivity, wearable devices, and video surveillance systems, 5G’s massive bandwidth and associated high power consumption are “too much.” WiFi often lacks the range and reliability needed to support these applications.
Arnold summarized, “It is important to recognize that the adoption of these capabilities is expected to unfold gradually, rather than as a revolutionary change.”
