Understanding private mobile networks: How they benefit Australian businesses

This is the second blog in a two-part series introducing private mobile networks and the benefits they can bring to businesses in Australia. Read part one here.

From bustling ports to massive manufacturing plants and entertainment venues, organisations across Australia can benefit from using private mobile networks to power their business-critical applications. A private mobile network provides reliable, high-speed connectivity for staff and interconnected devices no matter where they are on premises, improving both safety and productivity.

In this blog, we’ll look at examples of the benefits organisations across several industries can realize by elevating their connectivity standards with a private mobile network, ultimately modernizing their services.

Keep reading for some of the most compelling use cases in each industry:

• Manufacturers can boost productivity by up to 40% with augmented reality
• Warehousing and logistics operations can double picks per hour and reduce error rates with robots
• Ports and container terminals can eliminate 25% of idle crane operator time with remote operation
• Utilities can reduce disruption with proactive monitoring by connected sensors
• Healthcare facilities can reduce mortality by nearly 20% with virtual ICUs and remote patient monitoring
• Entertainment venues can offer new connected experiences that bring fans back for more
• Broadcasters can deliver more immersive experiences with interactive camera feeds
• Mining operations can reduce load and haul costs by 15% with autonomous vehicles

Manufacturing

Factories around the world are embracing automation and digitalisation to overcome skilled labour shortages, rising operational costs and the need to respond faster to ever-changing consumer preferences. One of the most exciting Industry 4.0 applications enabled by private mobile networks to overcome these challenges is augmented reality (AR).

A common application of AR involves using 3D models of machines and equipment to streamline operations and maintenance. Workers wearing AR headsets or glasses can stream 3D renders and see them superimposed over their real-world counterparts, complete with virtual labels and work instructions. That way, workers know exactly which parts to open and which buttons to press when operating the machine or doing maintenance work, boosting productivity and safety. In the aerospace and aviation sector, early AR adopters Boeing and Lockheed Martin have seen a 25% to 40% boost in productivity on the shop floor using assistive visual information for tasks such as electrical wiring. To speed up issue resolution and reduce downtime, workers can get remote support from the equipment manufacturer, who will be able to view a high-resolution video of what the worker is seeing and guide them through the process. AR can also accelerate training and onboarding by making the process more interactive and immersive, and quickly acquaint teams with new machinery or assembly line configurations. As well, it can improve safety by alerting workers in real time of potential hazards around them or in the materials they’re working with.

Only a private mobile network with high throughput and fast response times can reliably handle the volume of 3D imaging data being transferred to the AR headset throughout the factory floor.

Warehousing and logistics

With fast order fulfillment and same-day delivery becoming the norm in the ecommerce industry, logistics providers are embracing automation to speed up their inbound and outbound processes. That includes the use of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to transport items within facilities. Fixed conveyor systems can move a high volume of goods between predefined points, but staff often need to move items manually due to space or navigational constraints. In large facilities, warehouse staff can be expected to walk up to 15 kilometres a day while pushing and hauling goods. AMRs can spare human workers from the toil and strain of these activities, improving safety as well as overall job satisfaction by giving them time to focus on more fulfilling tasks such as solving problems or building customer relationships.

There are a range of AMRs available that can operate in a more dynamic and non-linear manner to handle manual, monotonous and hazardous tasks, including ones that can prepare orders for fulfillment, lift heavy loads on or off shelves, and haul pallets to where they’re needed. AMRs also help boost productivity, making it easier for businesses to keep up with rising demand while minimising costs. Deployments from AMR developer Locus Robotics have been shown to double the efficiency of picks per hour and reduce order errors by a quarter.

A private mobile network offers the broad coverage, low latency and accurate indoor positioning required to connect a fleet of AMRs and enable them to move effortlessly throughout a large, complex warehouse or distribution centre. Seamless handoffs between 4G/5G access points allow for continuous data transfers, making it possible for AMRs to perform real-time path planning in indoor environments of any size or layout, coordinate with other AMRs and warehouse personnel to avoid collisions, and send information to a warehouse management system that can be used to optimise inventory and operations.

Ports and container terminals
With growing international trade increasing the flow of goods through Australian borders, port owners and terminal operators are looking to new digital applications and automation to help meet rising demand by maximising cargo movement within their facilities. A private mobile network can help by enabling use cases that aren’t possible with public mobile connectivity, such as using remotely operated cranes. 

Yard operations within seaports and intermodal terminals involve significant time spent loading, unloading, moving and stacking containers. This is done using a mix of heavy-duty machines such as gantry cranes, quay cranes and straddle carriers. But whether it’s due to misalignments in scheduling and availability or a bottleneck upstream or downstream, individual cranes often sit idle. According to international crane manufacturer Konecranes, remote operation can eliminate the 25% idling time common with traditional cranes and enable ports to move significantly more containers per day. This technology enhances productivity by minimising downtime: one remote operator can easily switch between different cranes rather than being stuck in the cab of a single machine, or a team-based approach can be used to eliminate downtime completely. It can also improve safety by having employees control cranes and carriers from a typical office environment, which is more comfortable than the inside of a crane cabin and reduces exposure to potential hazards. 

Most crane manufacturers have a defined pathway to remote operations, including options to retrofit existing fleets that require multiple live video feeds per crane as well as the low-latency, low-jitter transmission of control signalling. A private mobile network can deliver this connectivity wirelessly, which is essential for remote operation of roaming equipment such as straddle carriers.

Utilities

Power generation facilities are part of the critical infrastructure that underpins Australia’s economic stability and security, so it’s vitally important to reduce their downtime and improve their production yield through reliable and secure communications networks. A private mobile network can bring connectivity to remote areas where public mobile coverage may be patchy at best or not available at all, which applies to many of the country’s power generation facilities such as wind and solar farms. Operators can then connect instrumentation and control systems wirelessly (either as an alternative to fibre, which is costly to install over a large area, or as failover for added redundancy), and deploy Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and devices throughout their operational area. This opens a large umbrella of applications including remote management and configuration, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, and ongoing performance optimisation.

On wind farms specifically, the robust, widespread coverage of a private mobile network allows for the deployment of IoT sensors that can collect and transmit continuous data about each turbine, including vibrations, shaft alignment and oil leakages within the gearbox. This can be combined with inputs from traditional supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems to develop data models for early detection and prevention of different failure modes. This process of continuous monitoring and predictive maintenance reduces unplanned downtime, helps increase the wind farm’s overall energy output and lowers ongoing maintenance costs.

Healthcare

Better collaboration between nurses, residents, specialists and other medical staff leads to better patient outcomes and faster treatments. With the capacity of Australian hospitals under strain, improving speed to diagnostics and patient flow is more important than ever before. While digital technologies can enhance collaboration, hospitals and other healthcare settings present challenges to achieving the reliable, secure connectivity those technologies demand. For example, the many walls, partitions, metallic surfaces and other obstructions inside a hospital can prevent a Wi-Fi network from operating at the level required by today’s clinical communication and collaboration platforms. This can have life-threatening consequences if, for example, connectivity is lost between the emergency department and operating rooms.

A high-speed private mobile network offers the reliability, coverage and capacity to support the connected medical devices and patient monitoring solutions that underpin digital collaboration. That includes a ‘virtual ICU’ (vICU) that uses high-resolution cameras attached to mobile workstations or patient beds, enabling specialists to remotely support clinical staff during procedures and to conduct remote ward rounds and check-ups. Research indicates that vICUs and remote patient monitoring can  reduce mortality rates by nearly 20% and shorten patient length of stays by allowing intensivists to reach and care for a greater number of patients. Smart glasses equipped with small cameras and earphones can even allow specialists to see and assist with medical procedures from anywhere within the facility. 

All of this contributes to better clinical outcomes through faster diagnostics and higher-quality treatments, and an improved patient experience with lower wait times and more personalised care. In partnership with eHealth NSW, some hospitals in Australia have begun trialling vICUs at fixed-bed locations with positive results. A private mobile network with high-capacity wireless connectivity can support flexible deployment of such solutions at scale.

Venues

Large venues are transitioning from simply being hosts of sporting events into versatile, public spaces that attract visitors throughout the week. A private mobile network provides the flexibility for venue operators to easily connect staff and equipment in and around the venue as necessary to meet the needs of different types of events and crowds. As well, it supports a growing ecosystem of wireless devices to improve day-to-day venue operations, such as AI-powered cameras for crowd management, or sensors used by sports teams to track biometrics and player performance.

The benefits of a private mobile network can be seen all throughout a sports arena or concert hall. Mobile ticket scanning facilitates the smooth flow of fans into the venue. 4G- or 5G-enabled point-of-sale terminals provide fast transactions at concessions and merchandise stands. Immersive AR or virtual reality (VR) experiences add to fans’ enjoyment. All of this encourages fans to return and tell their friends about their experience.

Most of all, fans want to attend an event that is safe and secure. Security personnel equipped with bodycams and video analytics to detect and address early signs of unruly behaviour can help create safer, more welcoming spaces for visitors.

Broadcasters

A private mobile network allows broadcasters to deploy wireless cameras in and around a venue, enabling them to offer a more engaging viewing experience. For example, they can include footage that’s different from the shots fans expect to see: 360-degree video feeds fans can control with their phones, point-of-view shots from helmet cameras attached to players or dashboard cameras in race cars, or overhead footage taken by drones. While these kinds of dynamic shots are used sparingly today, a private mobile network opens the door to scale up their usage dramatically.

A single private mobile network could support end-to-end capabilities for video contribution that currently require multiple separate networks, including video transmission, camera control, and communications for camera operators and production staff — streamlining operations and lowering costs. While public networks are sometimes used as wireless links today, they can deliver mixed results because they’re designed to accommodate a high volume of downlink traffic. Video contribution requires high uplink with no congestion at large events. A private mobile network can be configured to deliver greater uplink throughput, and its use of dedicated spectrum provides uncontended access, with network capacity unaffected by nearby public users.

A private mobile network can even be housed in a small truck as a pop-up base station that a broadcaster can deploy for temporary connectivity to cover a one-off event wherever it’s happening, with production staff able to capture video and control operation of 4G- or 5G-enabled wireless cameras from a centralised location. The Paris 2024 Olympics will showcase the pivotal role of private mobile networks in the future of broadcast contribution, with private 5G deployments expected to support live coverage of events across several venues and stadiums.

Mining

Australia’s mining industry is a vital part of the national economy, contributing significantly to both GDP and employment. With vast reserves of minerals such as iron ore, coal, gold, and lithium, Australia is one of the world’s leading producers and exporters. The remote and often harsh environments where mining operations are located present unique challenges, necessitating innovative solutions to maintain safety, efficiency, and productivity. In fact, most private mobile networks in Australia have been deployed to serve mine sites in regional Western Australia and Queensland.

The industry is increasingly leveraging advanced technologies, integrating new digital and automation processes into their everyday operations. A key innovation enabled by private mobile networks in Australian mining is the deployment of Autonomous Haulage Systems (AHS) in iron ore and coal mines, which rely on seamless and real-time communication between on-board control systems and centralised fleet management platforms for smooth operation.

AHS streamline the transport of materials within a mine site using automated heavy-duty trucks, reducing operator exposure to hazardous environments and providing precise control over mining operations. Rio Tinto, for example, operates the world’s largest fleet of autonomous trucks in the Pilbara region, which has led to a reported 15% reduction in load and haul costs and a 700 hour increase in productivity. Private mobile networks are a critical enabler of such technological innovations, driving down operational costs, and boosting overall efficiency in Australia’s mining sector.

Harness the power of a private mobile network with BAI

No matter which sector you’re in, a private mobile network delivers the reliable, secure, high-performance connectivity needed to deliver a broad range of benefits: from improved worker safety to increased productivity and operational efficiency. At BAI Communications, we work closely with our customers to understand their operational requirements and desired business outcomes, then custom-design a private mobile network to help realise those outcomes.

Contact BAI Communications to learn how our team can help you put in a place a private mobile network tailored to your industry.