5G: Is the Industry ready
Research shows that half the industry professionals are clearly positive about 5G in manufacturing and see it as a way to obtain universal connectivity. HMS Networks, a global solutions firm for industrial communication and IIoT, surveyed 50 international industry professionals in spring 2019 to inquire about the positioning of wireless communication in their companies and to see how they are getting ready for the launch of 5G. The whitepaper titled “5G: Is the Industry ready?” presents the results of this study and provides insights into the current situation in the manufacturing industry in terms of 5G preparedness.
The whitepaper provides an overview of the industry’s opinions towards 5G technology as an emerging trend and future standard in the manufacturing and industrial automation industry. It also touches on the use of wireless technologies in the industry at present and the future directions of this technology.
Key findings include:
- More than half (54%) of the interviewees admitted using wireless communication solutions for remote monitoring and operation of assets. One third of the respondents (34%) stated that their companies were using wireless communication for different kinds of IIoT.
- Half of the interviewees (48%) were positive about 5G in manufacturing – they mostly thought that the technology will replace cables, unreliable Wi-Fi, and various industrial standards in use today.
- For majority (58%) of the respondents, the reliability and robustness of wireless systems play a decisive role in whether to adopt 5G or not, and this was voiced equally by representatives of OT and IT. Low latency was mentioned as important by more than a quarter (26%) of the interviewees.
“The survey clearly showed that the industry is getting increasingly aware of 5G benefits for industrial communication. What the industry really needs is technical information and practical examples,” said Marcela Alzin, Program Manager at HMS Labs at HMS Networks, who conducted the research.
