• The business benefits of 5G go beyond the speed of standard smartphones.
• Private 5G networks are particularly advantageous for testing apps or use cases.
• 5G could bring significant business benefits to the transportation and logistics sector.
While some commentators have expressed concerns about whether 5G is living up to expectations, it’s worth considering what the fifth generation of cellular network technology is and isn’t. A good way to get to the heart of its capabilities is to focus on what 5G can do for enterprise customers and business users.
This may have led to confusion, as 5G was labeled as super-fast. For example, a smartphone user may not notice a significant difference in the performance of his device, whether he is connected to 4G or he is connected to 5G.
However, there is still reason to celebrate from an infrastructure perspective.as mentioned above Engineering DivisionUpgrading base stations to the latest 5G technology not only makes equipment smaller and lighter, but also allows for significant energy savings. That’s not the only benefit.
“The integration of AI and 5G in modern switchgear represents a major advance in power infrastructure management,” commented Kiran Raj, GlobalData’s Disruptive Technologies practice lead. “This convergence of technologies not only improves operational efficiency, but also improves safety by predicting and mitigating electrical hazards before they occur.”
A Chinese carrier has demonstrated how a small camera inside a switchboard can be used to detect a fire and activate a fire extinguisher. You can also train predictive analytics using data from power transformers.
Understand 5G business benefits
Given the relationship between 5G and communications, it’s natural to focus on smartphone performance to see if the next generation of cellular network technology lives up to the hype. But the big picture of 5G goes far beyond mobile phones.
In its recent report, Building a digital society with 5GVodafone explains how 5G can improve daily life more broadly and shares examples that business and enterprise users may not have considered.
For example, Vodafone says 5G-enabled sensors on railway networks could improve service by increasing track maintenance efficiency by up to 40% and reducing failure rates by 20%. 5G-enabled trains will also add capacity to the network and help relieve congestion during peak periods.
Using 5G to virtually connect trains, they will be able to share braking and acceleration data. Based on an analysis of the UK’s South West Main Line, a 230km long line linking central London with the coastal town of Weymouth, Thales’ white paper shows how far trains are separated from each other compared to using current railway signaling systems. It is estimated that this can be reduced by 43%. In principle, this would allow more trains to run without having to build additional tracks.
Private, low-latency 5G networks are being used to automate vehicles traveling between parts warehouses and major manufacturing sites.
As 5G networks become more widespread, transportation and logistics could be a big winner. In-vehicle telematics systems have long used cellular communications to connect to the cloud and monitor that everything is OK through remote analysis.
Vendors can deliver software updates over the air without instructing owners to contact their dealers. And 5G telematics will further enhance these capabilities.
Vehicles can connect with each other to see turns and gain more knowledge about the road ahead. Harman, an automotive technology company owned by Samsung, describes 5G as the missing piece of the puzzle for highly automated vehicles.
The low-latency response times (approximately 1 millisecond) possible with 5G are 10x faster compared to 4G, making it possible for humans to drive cars, trucks, and other vehicles with response times similar to those of a seated driver. This means you can control your vehicle remotely. Inside, just behind the wheel.
Industry 4.0 is changing the business environment before our eyes. #5G And the innovation that comes from it🏭💻. Learn how to stay at the forefront of what’s coming. #5GHQ https://t.co/rghLt3TEG2 pic.twitter.com/EIZ8oIq48B
— David Yelvington (@DavidYelvington) December 11, 2023
5G also supports much higher connection densities than 4G, which benefits smart city infrastructure and brings private 5G networks to perhaps one of the most attractive configurations for business and enterprise users.
Private 5G networks provide businesses with data coverage inside and outside their premises while ensuring communications are secure. The aforementioned high connection density and low latency capabilities are well-suited for so-called “intralogistics” such as mobile robots and the movement of goods within warehouses, distribution centers, and production facilities.
Kollmorgen, a specialist in fleet control of automated guided vehicles and mobile robots, has demonstrated (in tests with partner Ericsson) that its platform is just as stable on private 5G networks as it is on Wi-Fi. did.
According to the team, antenna handover is seamless and 5G enables localization in dynamic environments without the use of artificial landmarks.
Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) support allows fixed Ethernet and 5G networks to work in harmony with each other. Additionally, TSN means 5G can support applications that are typically transmitted over wired Ethernet, potentially saving long cabling runs at large sites.
Looking at industrial operating environments for 5G, business cases include airports, manufacturing sites, ports, mining facilities, and offshore locations.
How to build a private 5G network
Business and enterprise users interested in rolling out their own mobile phone services have the option of using the Private 5G Network Starter Kit. This approach is ideal for testing applications and gaining experience on a pilot scale before making large-scale investments in technology.
Private 5G Starter Kit for Business:
While it’s clear that businesses can benefit greatly from this technology, other organizations may also want to consider what 5G equipment can do for their organizations.
Building the UK’s largest 5G mmWave mesh network and the second largest in the world, the Liverpool 5G Testbed has demonstrated how private 5G networks can benefit health and social care services.
The feature includes a 4K video link to help patients check if they are taking their medication correctly, resulting in fewer GP visits and hospital visits.
The study found a 50% reduction in people taking the wrong medication or taking the wrong dose. Medication compliance levels were high at 95% compared to the national average of 55%.
Returning to the topic of energy savings, a test in Oslo of smart street lights equipped with 5G-enabled sensors demonstrated a 45% reduction in electricity consumption. Based on 12,000 lighting installations installed in the City of London, savings can reach 60% in dense urban areas, leading to a thorough review of 30 years of lighting inventory.
Smart city lighting can be controlled down to the level of specific roads or buildings, allowing lights to be dimmed as well as turned on/off.
With timely investment, the benefits of 5G for businesses and society could extend beyond smartphones.
