There’s a romance brewing between telecoms and hyperscalers.
At the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC), some of the world’s leading telecom providers launched a series of hybrid, cloud-based services to accelerate 5G, Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing.
With it, comes the promise of optimised workflows, improved reliability, and novel innovation across industries.
And with plans to ensure the successful rollout of 5G and Wi-Fi 6e, Telecoms are set to make a significant difference in the manufacturing space.
The Barriers of Legacy Systems
A recent survey from The Manufacturing Institute reveals that factors such as legacy systems, access to technology and skills gaps are barriers to 5G adoption and implementation in manufacturing.
One of the primary challenges that businesses face when looking to adopt 5G and Wi-Fi 6e is the lack of compatible infrastructure. Especially with legacy systems dominating most enterprises.
Now, many of these providers are hoping to address this challenge by offering private 5G and Wi-Fi 6e services. It will ultimately allow businesses to deploy these technologies without having to wait for the necessary infrastructure to become available.
How 5G Will Transform It All
5G is looking to revolutionise how we use the internet and connect to the world around us. It offers much faster download and upload speeds, as well as low latency, which is perfect for industrial applications and real-time communication.
It will also be especially beneficial for data capture, processing and analysis. Which will provide organisations with improvements in their overall decision-making and brand value.
Even more importantly, 5G will play a massive role in the development of Industry 4.0.
Industry 4.0, also known as the fourth industrial revolution, is a term that describes the current state of digital transformation that is underway across industries.
It involves the introduction of advanced technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the internet of things (IoT). Which are changing the way we produce, interact with and consume goods and services.
This shift is so big, in fact, that according to GlobeNewsWire:
- The value of the Industry 4.0 market in 2020 was roughly GBP 64,31 Billion and will be worth approximately GBP 254,05 Billion by 2028.
- The Industry 4.0 market is set to increase at a CAGR of about 19.4% annually.
5G will ultimately act as a catalyst for innovation. Not only does this new network promise greater reliability, extended battery life and support of massive device connectivity; it also heralds faster speeds.
This technology isn’t just an upgrade. Rather, it’s a revolutionary change from where we are today. Just as GPRS, 3G and 4G came by to transform the way that we live, so will 5G.
Driving 5G Adoption With IoT, Edge and Big Data
The data generated by the typical manufacturing operation is immense. This makes getting access to edge, IoT and sensor information a key priority.
Why?
Edge, IoT and sensor technologies can monitor production in real time. This is achieved with an edge monitoring system that provides data analysis across the plant or on a global scale, while also providing insights for connected workers.
A successful strategy focuses on implementing these new devices efficiently throughout your organisation. As well as ensuring there are rules regarding how they can interact with other systems if necessary.
5G promises to improve quality control and better capturing of cleaner real-time data. More efficient production. And lower costs for materials with things like defects being identified before they happen.
The Affairs of Telecoms & Cloud
Telecom companies like Telefónica, Vodafone and Qualcomm are working with the likes of Amazon, Microsoft and other tech giants.
According to VentureBeat:
“Telefónica Tech announced a series of new initiatives offering edge computing and cloud-native private 5G networks that run on AWS Outpost… Microsoft announced new additions to Azure for Operators and updated their many telecom partners globally, including AT&T, Nokia, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Etisalat, BT, Amdocs, Lumen, Telstra, NTT and Singtel… And Qualcomm announced it is combining its 5G technology and hardware ecosystem with Microsoft Azure’s private Multi-Access Edge Compute (MEC) and core solutions for pre-integrated, turnkey private enterprise 5G networks.”
The telecom industry is ripe for disruption. The next few years will see major changes as leading providers court and compete with hyperscalers.
A significant portion, if not all, of Industry 4.0’s future growth will be due to these powerful players that are changing how we work today through cloud services, AI and software engineering tools.
How You Can Prepare Yourself for Industry 4.0
Telecoms are in the process of embracing and enforcing IR 4.0. By evolving with 5G as its newest standard, they seek to inevitably reshape the world that we live in.
Industry players need to be aware of the monumental changes on the horizon. This means taking the necessary steps to ensure that they’re Industry 4.0-ready.
To help position yourself for success in the future, you need to give careful consideration to your existing infrastructures, processes and the technology that your organisation uses.
That’s where we come in.
As digital transformation specialists, we not only give you a roadmap to success, but you’re given access to all of the expertise and talent necessary to give your enterprise a complete digital makeover.
Whether you need data engineers, cloud specialists, machine learning experts, or UX masterminds – we have it all in one place.
