Analysis Shows North West Is Leading the UK for 5G
According to new analysis by Deloitte, the North West is leading the country for 5G connectivity. The firm has founded that of the 21 live sites in the UK, six are located across the region. This exceeds the four found in the West Midlands and three in London. Vodafone has pioneered much of the North West’s 5G connectivity, supporting services across Birkenhead, Bolton, Liverpool and Lancaster. It also enabled the UK’s first 5G-connected airport in Manchester. Additional support across Greater Manchester is currently provided by EE, with Three and O2 expected to rollout their coverage across parts of the region by 2020. “The impact that 5G connectivity is going to have on the North West region cannot be overstated. With speeds that are expected to be up to 100 times faster than those currently offered by 4G, consumers and businesses alike will be able to benefit from ultra-fast, low-latency connectivity at the touch of a screen,” said Claire Jolly, head of TMT and forensic partner at Deloitte in the North West, the company that conducted the analysis. “5G will be essential in ushering in the next generation of technology, from enabling the deployment of smart cities, to driving forward advances in robotics, AI and machine learning. With all the major network providers committing to the launch of 5G across the region, North West businesses are in a prime position to take early advantage of the data processing power and efficiency gains that this new network will bring about,” Claire added. Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine | The Home of Manufacturing Industry News Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine (MEM), is a the leading UK based monthly print & digital publication focused on promoting innovation in manufacturing and engineering available here in the UK. We cover : SUSTAINABILITY (Waste & Water Management, Recycling, Energy); INMOTION (Rail, Marine, Aerospace, Automotive, Defence); INFRASTRUCTURE (Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Construction); Healthcare (Medical), TECHNOLOGY(Printed, Connected, Software, Composite); MANUFACTURING (Chemical, Metals, Plastics, Electronics, Electrical); CONSUMER GOODS(Furniture, Electrical, Electronics, Food) to name but a few. We have over 50,000 views of each issue of MEM on average in 2022 and go to print monthly and also publish in our newsletter, (each issue is available free for 12 months digitally). Our focus is aligned across the next 12 months with our global media partnerships around Trade Events and also contains original content.
The Benefits of 5G Communications Within the Industrial Sector
We are all aware that digital technology has transformed the ways in which numerous businesses perform their daily tasks. This observation is just as relevant when referring to the industrial sector although it is perhaps slightly less visible. However, the best way to remain prepared for what the future has in store is to know where we stand at the present as well as what we can expect in the coming months. This is particularly important when referring to advancements in communications, as the ability to send and receive information within microseconds will profoundly transform the notion of “business as usual”. Let us take a closer look. Expanding Far Beyond Traditional Boundaries Emails, webinars and VoIP conference calls are undoubtedly here to stay. However, they are now taking on a decidedly mobile edge. The notion of telecommuting has become an increasingly popular trend when compared to traditional in-house communications. Not only does this approach provide a company with a great deal of flexibility, but employees can now travel to specific job sites in order to offer a decidedly hands-on approach to the client relationship. However, we also need to consider how 5G communications will impact lesser-known industrial sectors such as logistics. One of the ways in which this technology should create a lasting impact involves the concept of accountability. For example, a business primarily concerned with shipping bulk products across Europe is now able to track the location of its lorries within a real-time scenario. Dedicated apps can provide additional information such as fuel consumption, average speeds and even how long it has been since the driver has taken a rest. Not only can such metrics enhance productivity and response times, but they will also provide higher levels of safety. Still, this is only the beginning. Sales and Marketing Advantages Attempting to tie a single definition to the idea of the best ecommerce platform moulded around industrial requirements can be a bit tricky. This arises from the simple fact that different organisations will require different utilities and tools in order to address their daily tasks. However, there are nonetheless a handful of features which top-notch providers such as Shopify share in common: Little to no downtime. The ability to work in conjunction with legacy systems. Fully customised templates and digital storefronts. Secure and reliable payment gateways. Superior levels of customer service and support. Whether referring to the accurate control of in-house product production, reliable shipping services or client engagement, the fact of the matter is that the traits mentioned above are absolutely essential for success. This is why it is important to implement such changes at the present as opposed to taking a more conservative approach. The advantages of 5G communications cannot be overstated. While this service is not yet widely available, it is a foregone conclusion that its presence will continue to become more ubiquitous. Industrial organisations which are able to leverage this technology should perform quite well in the coming years.
Most Industrial Companies Planning to Implement 5G
Most Industrial Companies Planning to Implement 5G : Industrial companies are embracing 5G connectivity as a primary enabler of digital transformation, and plan to implement the technology within two years. This is spurring interest in private licenses, which nearly half of large industrial companies (47%) intend to apply for, according to the latest findings from the Capgemini Research Institute. The 5G in Industrial Operations: How Telcos and Industrial companies stand to benefit study found that 5G is regarded as a catalyst of digital transformation, and that manufacturers expect it to deliver more secure and efficient operations. Key findings of the study, which surveyed over 800 industrial companies’ executives and 150 telecoms executives across 12 countries, include: 5G is critical to digital transformation: When industrial companies’ executives were asked which technologies will be the most integral to their digital transformation over the next five years, 75% mentioned 5G as a key enabler, ranking second to cloud computing (84%), and ahead of technology innovations such as advanced automation and AI/machine learning. Industrial companies believe that 5G’s versatility, flexibility and reliability will help address connectivity challenges (a limiting factor to digital transformation for 44% of those polled) and fuel future use cases. Industrial companies want to move quickly to implement 5G: There is widespread confidence in 5G’s potential, with almost two-thirds of industrial companies (65%) planning to implement it within the first two years of availability. In Italy (35%), France (30%) and Canada (27%), over a quarter intend to use 5G within the first year, while 75% of industrial companies in the UK and Italy, 69% in Spain, and 68% in the US and Norway plan to start within the first two years. The largest manufacturers are most likely to implement 5G first compared to the broader industry: 74% with annual revenue above $10bn expect to do so within the first two years, compared to 57% with revenue between $500m and $1bn. One-third (33%) of industrial companies are planning to apply for their own 5G license and large organizations will take the lead with 47% expressing interest. This is fueled by a desire for greater autonomy and security combined with concerns about telecom operators being too slow in rolling-out 5G public networks. However, there will be regulatory barriers which differ across countries. Gunther May, Head of Technology and Innovation, Business Unit Automation and Electrification at Bosch Rexroth AG says, “As a solution provider and a manufacturer, we are monitoring the 5G landscape closely and we believe there are multiple benefits to holding our own license. It would allow us to be in full control of our 5G strategy by giving us the freedom to either deploy the network alone or with a telecom operator.” Security and operational advantages will drive 5G adoption: When asked about the business reason for investing in 5G, more than half cited more secure operations (54%) and efficiency of operations/cost savings (52%), with the expectation that 5G will help in enabling or enhancing use cases such as real-time edge analytics, video surveillance, remote control of distributed production, AI-enabled or remote controlled motions, remote operations through AR/VR, etc. Industrial companies will pay more for premium services: Despite uncertainties around the speed of deployment, manufacturers are already willing to pay a premium charge for enhanced connectivity. 72% of industrial companies will pay more for enhanced mobile broadband speed and increased capacity, yet only 54% of telecom operators think there is appetite for this. This presents an opportunity for telecom operators to consider how they build a highly profitable 5G business model. Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine | The Home of Manufacturing Industry News
telent Takes Over Highways England Telecommunications Network
The UK’s leading mission-critical network solutions provider, telent Technology Services Ltd, will be managing and transforming Highways England’s road telecommunications network. The NRTS contract is worth almost half a billion pounds and it will enable Highways England to transform its network and deliver the next generation of telecommunications services to meet the needs of the business and support development of future technologies such as 5G. So far, telent has stood up a 270-person organisation (with half of this number transferring under TUPE), a 50-company supply chain, a nationwide logistics infrastructure with 240 delivery locations, a 24/7/365 Networks Operations Centre, a new technology development centre, and transferred 39 in-life project schemes, all without any impact on operational service. In addition, the contract includes a new initiative, a technology transformation programme, which was a fundamental requirement in the Highways England contract. Comprising of 11 technology projects, including the introduction of new wireless and IP CCTV services, new management systems and the next-generation upgrade of all technology, the transformation programme will ultimately enable Highways England to prepare for the future and enable safer roads, more efficient delivery and a better road user experience. “The digital transformation of England’s motorways and major A roads is finally a reality. We’re dedicated to introducing the next generation of communications technology for drivers, with associated long-term economic benefits for UK PLC,” said Chris Metcalfe, Managing Director for NRTS at telent. “Our foundations are with our people, without whom we wouldn’t be able to continue driving technology innovation. As InfraTech comes of age, introducing a new era of infrastructure development, we look forward to continuing our work with Highways England. This project fully epitomises the telent ethos of innovation, collaboration and transformation,” added Chris. The seven-year deal has seen telent take over the current National Roads Telecommunications Service (NRTS) which connects over 30,000 roadside devices such as CCTV cameras and roadside phones to Highways England’s seven regional control centres. The move will support the UK government’s Roads Investment Strategy, which will create free-flowing, smart and sustainable roads.