As enterprises explore 5G capabilities and the potential improvement on productivity, Ericsson is now offering 5G standalone (SA) dedicated network trial kits to enable a high-performance path to Industry 4.0.
Independent research has identified significant first-mover advantages for industries that start to deploy 5G technology to optimize manufacturing sites, factories, mines, ports, and warehouses. In smart manufacturing factories alone, ABI Research estimates that more than 4.7 billion wireless modules will be deployed to enable more than USD 1 trillion in production value by 2030. For an automotive factory to reconfigure for a new model year, ABI Research found that it would take one year for a wired factory compared to only two months for a wireless factory.
To enable a smooth transition to 5G for industries, Ericsson will provide dedicated network 5G standalone (SA) trial kits. The kits will be available to enterprises through communications service providers on selected low and mid-band spectrum. The kits include hardware and software to support a network to enable enterprises to test first-hand how 5G can enhance their productivity, efficiency, safety, and security. Enterprises will also have access to business development and technical support to help unlock the full value of 5G dedicated networks
Strategic partners Ericsson and Deutsche Telekom are collaborating to serve industry customers in Germany with the trial kits. Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson recently switched on a 5G SA dedicated network with Ericsson Industry Connect at the Center Connected Industry (CCI) at Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen Campus.
Antje Williams, SVP 5G Campus Networks, Deutsche Telekom, says: “Our industrial customers demand secure, reliable, high-performance network solutions and applications tailored to their specific needs. In partnership with Ericsson, we can bring the benefits of 5G standalone architecture to enterprises to accelerate their production automation journey.”
Ericsson’s portfolio of dedicated networks delivers reliable, secure wireless connectivity. With the evolution to 5G, the networks will support applications that require even more bandwidth and lower latency. The portfolio consists of two offerings; Ericsson Industry Connect, a pre-packaged product, and Ericsson Private Networks, a modular solution.
Industry will benefit from 5G for data-heavy use cases utilizing new augmented reality (AR) and HD video-based applications. Potential benefits include remote inspection, training, monitoring, and surveillance as well as use cases that require low latency (fast reaction time) such as remote control of machinery and collision avoidance.
Thomas Norén, Head of Dedicated Networks at Ericsson, says: “By taking full advantage of the 5G SA dedicated networks trial kits, industrial customers can gain competitive advantage by accelerating their move to 5G. As they develop and test industrial applications, they can build optimized and innovative smart factories, warehouses, mines, ports, and more.”