Partner content: A closer look at five ways cutting-edge MPN connectivity is triggering innovation and generating significant new value for organisations
The fourth industrial revolution has led to an increasingly close working relationship between humans, robots and smart machines, with analysts such as McKinsey suggesting it will add up to $3.7 trillion to the global economy annually by 2025.
While transformative technology such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and smart automation have been at the forefront of this value creation, Industry 4.0 simply couldn’t have been possible without a paradigm shift in connectivity.
Mobile private networks (MPN) are fast emerging as the connective tissue holding the fourth industrial revolution together. Organisations are now increasingly leveraging 5G cellular technology to create their own tailor-made MPNs which are delivering swift, secure and reliable data flows across specific locations such as factories, ports and other physical real estate.
MPNs are not a new concept, but they have grown in maturity and adoption levels with the advent of 5G. Here we take a closer look at five of the key benefits of mobile private networks.
1. Delivering a step-change in network connectivity
One of the biggest benefits of MPNs is that they provide enhanced connectivity for devices, machines, and users within a specific area or location. Mobile private networks can leverage dedicated spectrum bands that are reserved for their exclusive use, avoiding interference and congestion from other users or operators. This ensures high-quality and consistent bandwidth that can reliably support high data flows.
By processing data locally, MPNs also significantly reduce latency as well as its associated costs, cutting the round-trip time to cloud servers and improving the responsiveness of time-critical applications. Cutting-edge 5G MPNs can deliver latencies as low as 1 millisecond, which is much lower than 4G or Wi-Fi networks. This can enable new applications and use cases that require ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC), such as extended reality AR/ VR), autonomous vehicles and even remote surgery.
Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, recently installed Europe’s biggest 5G MPN at the transport hub, creating what it describes as a new central nervous system of connectivity. Fraport will use its new network to accelerate innovative projects such as autonomous support vehicles and video-based monitoring of airport facilities using drones – robust real-time connectivity is absolutely mission critical for such use cases.
Global shipping giant Maersk is also investing heavily in MPNs to boost connectivity at its sites. The company’s terminals business, which manages 67 ports (handling roughly 15 million shipping containers annually), is creating what it calls the next generation of smartports, featuring cranes and other 5G/6G MPN-powered vehicles, which automatically move and manage freight. This enhanced connectivity is being used to enable new processes that rely heavily on real-time IoT and RFID sensors, AI and robots.
5G-powered mobile private networks can enable massive device density, meaning that they can connect thousands or even millions of devices per square kilometre. This means MPNs are a perfect fit for use cases that involve large numbers of sensors, cameras, or other IoT devices that need to connect with each other or central servers. Mobile private networks can also support seamless mobility and handover between different cells or access points, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for moving devices or vehicles.
2. Enhanced network security tailored to the end-user’s needs
The owners/operators of mobile private networks can implement their own security policies and protocols to satisfy their specific requirements. In an industrial setting this can include protecting commercially sensitive data related to IP and production processes, while in the financial services and healthcare sectors this may involve protecting private customer/patient data. For example, MPNs enable organisations to:
- Enhance access authentication: Remotely managed SIM cards, programmed with a cryptographic key, security certificates, credentials and profiles, can be used to limit network access and exclude intruders.
- Increase data protection measures: Encryption and other integrity protection measures can be used to protect data in transit. Varying levels of encryption can also be assigned to different types of data. MPNs store data locally, often using multi-access edge computing (MEC). This means data is not exposed to potentially vulnerable third-party infrastructure, such as public cloud.
- Isolate their network: Unlike public networks, MPNs can be isolated from cyber risks and other threats such as power outages and congestion, creating a closed and secure environment. For example, MPNs use dedicated, licensed and regulated spectrum bands which are not used by anyone else.
- Fortify endpoint security: MPNs enable network owners/operators to significantly improve the security of vulnerable endpoints such as devices, sensors and applications. This can be achieved through enhanced device management, authentication and encryption.
3. Increased efficiency
A third benefit of MPNs is that they increase process efficiency within an organisation or location. MPNs enable faster data transmission and processing, reducing delays and improving productivity. They also enable real-time communication and collaboration between devices, machines, and users, enhancing coordination and cooperation. Various tasks and functions can also be automated, such real-time inventory management, quality control, and predictive maintenance.
A leading plastic bottle manufacturer is using this approach to monitor the temperature, pressure and speed of its machines in real-time. It’s use of MPNs and associated technology has enabled the company to optimise its energy consumption, save budget and reduce CO2 emissions by 15%.
Meanwhile, an international auto manufacturer has also deployed MPNs at its UK plant to boost efficiency. The networks enable autonomously guided vehicles (AGVs) to transport parts and materials around its premises. MPNs connect the AGVs to a central control system that coordinates their movements. This technology has enabled the plant to increase efficiency by 50% and reduce costs by 40%. The automaker’s MPNs also support VR headsets, which enable engineers to inspect and troubleshoot machines remotely, significantly reducing downtime by 30%.
MPNs can also reduce the cost and complexity of network deployment and maintenance. They can use existing infrastructure or equipment, such as Wi-Fi routers or Ethernet cables, to extend their coverage or capacity. They can also use cloud-based or edge-based solutions to manage their network functions and services, reducing the need for expensive hardware or software. Additionally, they can leverage software-defined networking (SDN) or network slicing techniques to dynamically allocate network resources according to demand or priority, improving network performance and efficiency.
4. Enabling flexible network customisation
An organisation can tailor a private mobile network to meet its specific needs and requirements. This can include coverage area, data rate, latency, reliability, device density, mobility and security level.
For example, a private 5G network can use different numerologies (subcarrier spacing and symbol duration) to adjust transmission time interval (TTI) and achieve lower latency for different use cases.
Mobile private networks are easily integrated with other technologies or systems (such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID and GPS) and they can interoperate with public mobile networks or other MPNs when needed, enabling seamless connectivity across different domains and regions.
5. Future-proofing innovation
Organisations looking to future-proof their networks, processes and systems are also adopting MPN technology. MPNs can leverage 5G technology to support emerging applications and use cases that require high-performance and mission-critical connectivity, such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and blockchain. These applications can generate new revenue streams for an organisation through the creation of innovative products, services, processes, and experiences.
Mobile private networks can also evolve with 5G technology as it develops and matures over time. They can adopt new features or standards that are introduced by 5G, such as network slicing, edge computing, ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). They can also upgrade or expand their network infrastructure or equipment to support new spectrum bands or frequencies that are allocated for 5G, such as millimetre wave (mmWave) or sub-6 GHz.
MPNs can also be used to create a sandbox environment for testing and experimenting with new ideas, products and solutions. This can enable companies to innovate faster and more effectively, as well as gain valuable feedback from users.
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The author, Anthony Palmer, is Global Business Development Manager at nVent Schroff