Manufacturing and industrial facilities to have over 49 million 5G connections in 2030: ABI

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The need to automate processes, deploy autonomous robots and upskill staff with augmented reality will push manufacturing and industrial firms to set up more than 49 million 5G connections by 2030, according ABI Research.

The research firm said on August 18 that 5G’s lower latency will be key to uses cases such as wireless process automation for robotics. Plus, it would increase the bandwidth for data-heavy applications like video analytics.

Already, early adopters like BMW, for example, have begun testing and using 5G in their factories.

The trend is similar to what’s happening in Singapore, where 5G offers clear benefits for businesses but has yet to convince most consumers to switch over.

Last month, Singtel said its 5G “standalone” network had covered 95 per cent of Singapore, ahead of a deadline of 2025.

It also has a suite of 5G offerings that aim to make it easy for businesses from different sectors to quickly connect to the fast lane without starting from scratch.

For suppliers of such 5G devices, connections and services, the market is worth US$2.4 billion in revenue, according to ABI Research.

More than just 5G alone, manufacturing and industrial firms need to invest in ancillary technologies, such as edge networking, data management, and data analytics, said Michael Larner, ABI Research’s industrial and manufacturing research director.

Just as important, according to the research firm, are ready-made 5G industrial devices, which will ease the way for manufacturing and industrial firms to get 5G set up quickly at a facility.

Suppliers, IT providers, operational technology and system integrators should be working with prospective customers to educate them about 5G’s potential, said Larner.