5G and Private Wireless Technologies
Published on : Wednesday 09-12-2020
Chantal Polsonetti elaborates on how 5G, private wireless, and realities of the ‘new normal’ boost industrial cellular prospects.
Industrial customers are increasingly evaluating the current and potential role of industrial cellular technologies in response to the new operational realities posed by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the escalating connectivity requirements inherent in digital transformation strategies, and the potential business value propositions of emerging 5G and private wireless technologies. Operational changes necessitated in response to the global pandemic, along with increasing centralisation of operations supported by regional technical centres, has elevated the need for remote access capabilities as well as integration of locations that lack conventional network infrastructure.
These business realities, along with the constant pursuit of reducing or eliminating wiring, are leading an increasing number of industrial customers to assess the potential for 4G LTE, 5G, and private wireless, escalating the technology’s disruptive effect relative to WiFi and wireline alternatives. Ongoing improvements in cellular technology, including adoption of 4G LTE, the promise of 5G, and escalating interest in private wireless networks, are driving increased consideration as a primary communication medium. This contrasts to the technology’s historical use for network backup and failover and offline remote access and monitoring.
5G and private wireless both promise significant incremental connectivity performance improvements that meet the needs of digitally transformed Industrial IoT, Industry 4.0, and edge computing strategies, as well as the shift toward increasingly automated and autonomous operations. Cellular technology, in general, is well-suited for use in a growing number of mobile, remote, and outdoor applications, both in industry as well as transportation, smart cities, and public safety. Cellular is also the technology of choice for enabling increasingly important applications in personnel tracking and safety, empowering the remote expert and connected worker, and reducing the need for field service personnel.
Implications for supplier selection
Industrial network infrastructure suppliers are increasing investment in their cellular product lines in recognition of its rising potential in their served and target applications. It is important to understand the current and forecast role of cellular technology in the network infrastructure portfolio of your chosen automation providers, many of whom also offer Ethernet wireline, WiFi, LPWAN, and other connectivity solutions. Pay attention to operational expertise within your target application, an area where telecom operators’ network management expertise may require partnerships with industry or automation solution providers that possess the necessary detailed application expertise.
Keep in mind the anticipated availability timeline for your target use case, particularly given the forecast that widespread and cost-effective 5G solutions could be several years out. This is especially true for applications requiring the incremental performance capabilities of 5G Release 16 and beyond that address low latency and strict scheduling requirements.
Supplier ecosystem capabilities must also be considered in context of your chosen connectivity strategy. Software and service capabilities, and especially cloud-based management environments, are important means of achieving competitive differentiation and customer stickiness in the industrial cellular realm.
It’s also important to recognise the broadening spectrum of available connectivity solutions and their applicability to your use cases. Alternatives, such as CBRS for private wireless, WiFi 6 for indoor, mobile, and retrofit installations, and LPWANs for cost-effective endpoint integration, are all possibilities.
Material for this blog was taken from ARC’s recently released Industrial Cellular Router Global Market Research Study. Further information on ARC’s coverage of the industrial IoT edge is available here.
Chantal Polsonetti is Vice President, Advisory Services, ARC Advisory Group, Boston. Chantal's focus areas include the IIoT, industrial Ethernet switches and devices, wireless networks, device networks, and intelligent train control and rail signalling. She also administers the ARC IIoT group on LinkedIn. Chantal has been with ARC since 1990 and has conducted numerous industry-leading research activities.
