New research by Ericsson on 5G impact in eight key industries shows a majority of decision-makers expect 5G to be a game changer. The most advanced use cases may have to wait though.
5G might yet have to be fully specified and standardized, communications vendors and operators alike already seem to have a pretty clear view on 5G impact on various industries. Ericsson has identified eight industries that are most likely to feel 5G impact; these are automotive, utilities, public safety, high-tech manufacturing, Internet/digital natives, healthcare, financial Services and media/gaming. The Swedish vendor has conducted a global survey among 650 decision-makers in these eight industries to better understand how they expect to use 5G. “Emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, are becoming integral parts of our economy and lifestyle, and this is driving major change across industries. 5G will accelerate this transformation and create new uses, new revenue streams, and new business models for industries and consumers alike. With 5G, industries will have connectivity that is customized for their requirements and the agility to move quickly to meet customer needs and be innovative,” said Rima Qureshi, head of Region North America and chief strategy officer.
Enhanced GPS more important than self-driving systems
The survey results show that an overwhelming majority of decision-makers, 94 percent, view next generation mobile networks as a strategic priority.
Agreement with that statement is highest in the public safety industry and, surprisingly, lowest in automotive, a sector which transformation towards autonomous driving is set to greatly benefit from 5G. In fact, self-driving systems were given a much lower importance than enhanced GPS with instant traffic and map updates, a 5G use case favored by 67 percent of respondents in the automotive sector.
Having said that, automotive showed the highest percentage of respondents stating they were planning to use 5G in order to innovate. In terms of real business value expected from 5G, increased performance came in first (81 percent), followed by increased security (75%) and device-to-device communications (72%).
Likely 5G impact
Across all industries, 87 percent of respondents said 5G would be a game changer. The survey findings show however that 5G impact will have more to do with further improving existing processes or Internet of Things (IoT) technologies than with deploying the most advanced IoT technologies and tools – at least for starters.
For instance, respondents within the utilities sector said the most important 5G use case will be remote monitoring, as opposed to the use of robotics in remote or dangerous places, which was seen as the least important use case in comparison. Within public security, border and area security ranked highest and hazard sensors lowest.
IIoT News Recap: New LoRa network to compete with Sigfox in Finland; T-Mobile to trial Samsung pre-commercial 28 GHz system in 2017; Telit’s IoT cloud platform to power Jooycar’s telematics platform; Tough road ahead for the AppleWatch as consumers favor basic wearables
LPWAN: New LoRa network to compete with Sigfox in Finland
French IoT operator Sigfox, which is in the process of deploying a national IoT network in Finland is about to get a competitor. Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) specialist Actility has indeed teamed up with Finnish broadcast network operator Digita to roll out a LoRa-based network in Finland, following the completion of a successful trial period of several months. The commercial deployment will start in Finland’s major cities. By using Digita’s broadcast masts, the network can be deployed at very high points and exploited to its full range. ”Finland is an innovative country, with a real hunger for new technologies. The IoT provides fantastic new opportunities to create compelling services for citizens and government. The increased area that can be reached quickly by implementing LoRa technology on broadcast masts, ensures even better coverage and reduces the required number of gateways. With our partners at Digita, we expect to be able to beat the current LoRa range record of 15km”, said Olivier Hersent, CTO of Actility.
5G: T-Mobile to trial Samsung pre-commercial 28 GHz system in 2017
Samsung Electronics America and T-Mobile US have teamed up to trial 5G technology, starting with 5G mobility in an outdoor environment using T-Mobile’s 28 GHz (mmWave) spectrum and Samsung’s 5G proof of concept system. The collaboration will then continue with in-depth trials in early 2017 using a Samsung pre-commercial 28 GHz system. “We are excited to work with Samsung to see how we can bring to life key attributes of emerging 5G technology, including extreme speed, low latency and massive connectivity,” said Neville Ray, chief technology officer, at T-Mobile. “Our collaboration with Samsung’s networks technology will enable us to enhance 5G development and availability.”
Connected car: Telit’s IoT cloud platform to power Jooycar’s telematics platform
Jooycar has selected Telit’s IoT cloud platform to power the company’s connected car telematics platform. Jooycar’s scoring algorithm enables precise risk calculation for Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) applications. “We are pleased to enter into this relationship with Telit,” said Maria Paz Gillet, Jooycar CEO. “For UBI to be successful, insurance companies require the collection of a broad data set as well as software that creates greater meaning from the driving metrics. Our algorithm, paired with the Telit IoT Portal has made it possible for actuaries to make decisions that are more informed, ultimately reducing their risk.”
Today’s forecast: Tough road ahead for the AppleWatch as consumers favor basic wearables
Apple presented on Wednesday the new AppleWatch, AppleWatch Series 2, a faster, waterproof version of its popular smartwatch. Ranked number three globally among smartwatch makers, after Fitbit and Xiaomi, Apple’s advanced watch might nevertheless not be what consumers are looking for. According to IDC, basic wearables, as opposed to smart wearables, are indeed the fastest-growing category of wearables. During the second quarter of 2016, global shipments of wearables grew 26.1 percent to 22.5 million units. Basic wearables, that is devices that do not support third party applications, grew 48.8 percent compared to the same quarter last year, while smart wearables declined 27.2 percent year over year. “Fitness is the low-hanging fruit for wearables,” said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers. “However, the market is evolving and we’re starting to see consumers adopt new functionality, such as communication and mobile payments, while enterprises warm to wearables’ productivity potential.”
