‘5G will be truly transformative,’ Cradlepoint SVP says
As 5G networks pop up around the globe, the early focus is on delivering an enhanced mobile broadband experience to consumers. But, as coverage scales and the technology matures, 5G is widely viewed as a key enabler of digital transformation in enterprise verticals. And, as the telecom industry works to address the needs of manufacturing, automotive, public safety and other enterprise users, it’s imperative that use cases are developed collaboratively with the end-users.
To give a clear idea of what types of applications are not currently feasible within the constraints of LTE but will be enabled by 5G, Lindsey Notwell, Cradlepoint’s senior vice president of 5G strategy and global carrier operations, discussed the importance of a partner-driven approach to developing enterprise use cases and then pairing those needs with the appropriate technology.
He said Cradlepoint brings a horizontal solution to service a variety of vertical market segments and has approximately 1,000 partners that address particular vertical niches. “They’ve needed the horizontal solution–that’s what we’ve provided–but then they integrate it to solve a particular customer’s needs. Then they look for similar customers…within that particular vertical niche. It’s having a portfolio of partners that deliver specific value-add that has really made this successful.”
Notwell was speaking during the recent 5G World event in London. Other panelists included JMA Wireless Corporate VP of Product and Market Strategy Todd Landry, Telit Vice President of Technologies Marco Contento and Dense Air’s Paul Coffey, head of strategy.
Although 5G deployments are currently somewhat limited, millimeter wave-based spectrum has supported field speeds of more than 2 Gbps downlink throughput. But, perhaps more important than the sheer speed boost, 5G also comes with significant improvements to latency. And this, Notwell said, is key to emerging use cases.
He gave the example of firefighters responding to a structure blaze. “If you see a firefighter show…they bust down the door and you watch the camera go in and what do we see? You see flames and you see the ceiling falling and that sort of thing. In reality that’s just not true. What you see when you walk into a burning building is nothing.”
To harness 5G to change this paradigm, Cradlepoint has partnered with Qwake, a startup that has developed a connected visor that uses computer vision, augmented reality, thermal imaging and cellular technology to essentially allow a firefighter to see through the smoke.
“This is one of those great applications that I get really excited about because that’s truly transformative,” Notwell said. Latency, in terms of single-digit milliseconds, in that kind of a use case can mean the difference between life and death. 5G will be truly transformative.”
For more information on Cradlepoint, click here. And for a discussion on enterprise private network opportunities featuring Cradlepoint’s Ken Hosac, vice president of IoT strategy and business development, click here.
