5G Success in 3 Steps: Explore, Establish, Excel

In our digital age, 5G stands as an example of transformative potential, signaling a new era of unparalleled connectivity and innovation. As it paves the way for more precise, real-time, and expansive connections, 5G is also catalyzing the birth of revolutionary concepts and unlocking hidden opportunities. The increasing need for advanced wireless connectivity like 5G is driven by realities such as the rise of remote work and global collaboration, the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming an integral part of industries such as manufacturing and healthcare, and the evolution of customer expectations where demand for instant and seamless experiences are on the rise. Yet, diving into the 5G world is not about making a hurried leap; it's about taking measured steps.

I’m Ronald van Loon, a T-Mobile for Business partner. I’ve explored how to properly navigate the different opportunities that adopting 5G can bring to businesses by using a phased approach, breaking the process down into 3 stages: Explore, Establish, Excel.

The Explore Phase:

The main objective of this phase is to set the foundations of the 5G adoption journey by familiarizing with the technology, understanding its benefits, and identifying potential challenges. In this phase businesses are encouraged to:

1. Understand the Imperatives: The driving forces for choosing 5G remain consistent across industries. These include the need for greater speed, reduced latency for improved response times, increased bandwidth for mission-critical operations, and heightened reliability for business continuity.

2. Start Small: Begin by testing specific 5G use cases, such as implementing limited 5G-enabled IoT sensors in a factory or testing latency and reliability of 5G in autonomous vehicles in a controlled environment.

3. Plan and Align: A successful 5G implementation plan should balance immediate demands for advanced wireless capabilities with a long-term vision. This involves determining use cases that add immediate business value, creating alignment between business units and IT teams, evaluating deployment options, and establishing clear objectives and milestones.

A great example of how businesses can start taking small steps towards the implementation of 5G is its use in the development of autonomous vehicles. The trucking company Navistar, which is working towards the development of driverless technologies, is implementing the use of 5G in their testing stages as they recognize the benefits of improved connectivity. These include reduced latency, enhanced visibility for remote operators monitoring trucks, and secondary functions, such as providing real-time traffic and weather updates.

The Establish Phase:

The establish phase represents the stage where businesses transition from initial exploration to broader application, as its objective is to extend the benefits of 5G to a larger user base and other sectors of the business.

This phase involves turning the initial exploration with 5G into a sustainable, long-term implementation plan. Key activities during this phase would explore whether certain criteria were met, such as gathering enough data in a retail location to make more informed decisions that lead to a quantifiable increase in revenue. If these criteria are met, then additional 5G tests can be implemented, from using sensors to monitor customer traffic at one store, to fully tracking the supply chain across multiple stores employing the same sensors.

The Excel Phase:

The excel phase in the 5G adoption journey signifies the successful testing of 5G in various scenarios where there is confidence that full-fledged utilization of 5G's capabilities will drive innovation and gain a strategic advantage in ways that mirror the testing phase. In a manufacturing environment, for example, 5G testing may result in an additional 10 minutes of free time per shift employee. Extrapolated across hundreds of employees, a company can commit more time to developing quality control measures resulting in fewer warranty issues and recalls.

In this advanced stage, organizations are not just focused on the rapidity and extent of 5G deployment but are also looking to harness its potential to unleash groundbreaking technological innovations. This includes enhancing the operations of smart buildings and factories, establishing vast sensor networks for real-time monitoring of intricate industrial processes, and integrating virtual reality and other interactive features to elevate entertainment experiences.

Using this phased approach does not mean that the 5G implementation comes without challenges. For instance, as legacy network elements must be replaced with components that support 5G, a significant investment is necessary to fully harness the benefits of 5G. In addition, taking a phased approach may mean 5G implementation requires more time and greater patience in seeing desired outcomes. However, the phased in approach also means companies have the opportunity to be more deliberate in their spending as well as confirming test results. Most organizations would agree that a measure twice, cut once approach ensures good stewardship of their resources while confirming 5G implementation works as planned. In the long- term this investment will make businesses more efficient and provide many benefits in different areas.

To learn more about the phased approach to 5G implementation, check out 5G HQ Crawl, Walk and Run by T-Mobile for Business.