5G: the next step of Industry 4.0?

Expected to be available in all Brazilian capitals by July 2022, 5G technology is a subject that has been making a fuzz throughout the world since the beginning of 2021. With the promise of much faster internet services and greater connectivity, billions had been invested for the upgrade and installation of infrastructure to deploy the technology.?

But not everything is perfect.?

In the US (United States), there are voiced concerns that 5G connections could interfere with the airplane navigation systems. In fact, many flights are being temporarily delayed for the upgrade of towers and other infrastructures to deploy the 5G technology, and regulators are working together with telecom operators, airlines, and airports on a solution. According to an article published on? BBC:

“The 5G frequencies are close to the ones used by radio altimeters on aeroplanes, which measure the height of the aircraft above the ground, and also provide data for safety and navigation systems.”

Therefore, the aircraft companies are apprehensive that the 5G could stop transmissions from working properly, and perhaps cause safety problems.?

Other countries deploying the technology, such as France and the EU (European Union), will have their 5G networks to operate at lower frequencies, or even use zones-free of 5G around airports.?

Aside from the concern with building buffer zones, or aligning a frequency that doesn’t affect navigation systems, the investment in infrastructure to comply with the technology is in billions of dollars. But the ROI (Return on Investment) promises to be high. Among the benefits listed about the 5G networks, it is expected: there are:?

1. Speed increase: the 5G technology is 100 times faster than its predecessor, 4G.?
2. Real-time: with the time spent to send information from one place to another being reduced (around 1-5 milliseconds!) information will be shared in real-time.?

What can Brazilian industries expect from 5G??

Brazil has been falling in the world ranking position of the top 10 largest industrial producers since 2014, reaching 16th place this year. The arrival of 5G networks could mean a technological turning point for industries deploying smart tools, equipment interconnection, and the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in industrial processes. In that way, the promise is that the Brazilian industrial market will be way more competitive.

The president of Anatel, the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency is hopeful with the technology:?

“5G technology is a catalyst for new forms of technology, like Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality. It’s an umbrella term optimizing and encompassing several other forms of technology”.?

And 5G is not only a turning point for industries, as the Brazilian government is even discussing the construction of a private network just for the federal administration, for safe traffic of information. This private network would be used for activities in public security, defense, emergency, and disaster response.?

The industries who already adopted some technologies from the Industry 4.0 movement, like IoT, AI, or Digital Twins, can expect an optimized operational efficiency, as will certainly benefit from the 5G arrival.?

It’s expected that in 2025 there will be at least 1.5 billion 5G subscribers globally, with almost half of 5G and IoT sales linked to Industry 4.0 applications, as in sensor, computed vision, and other autonomous systems in factories.?

For now, the 5G devices will cost up to three times more than 4G, but prices tend to decline, and in the future, 5G will be the industry’s standard. This network combined with IoT devices, sensors, and other software powered with cutting-edge technologies, will be the key to achieving an efficient and reliable industrial operation.?