case study on 5g technology

5G use cases: 31 examples that showcase what 5G is capable of

5G use cases are increasing in number, and in this post we take a look at the most innovative projects around the world today.

5G use cases tend to rely on the increased speed and consistency of 5G, as well as the latency reductions it offers, and they promise to disrupt both traditional and digital sectors. And there are a plethora of opportunities for 5G technology over the coming months, years and decades.  

5G use cases will pave the way for automated vehicles, smart cities, automated factories, and a new wave of business communications. According to the results of a study by Accenture, 79% of businesses worldwide believe that 5G will have a significant impact on their organisation. And 57% of those believe that it will be revolutionary.

 5G use cases across sectors 

According to small business portal Bytestart , 5G will allow communication between a million devices per square kilometre (compared with 100,000 for 4G). The enabling of these IoT sensors, combined with speed and low latency, will lead to many benefits across a range of business and prosumer activities. 

IoT connectivity will lead to fully integrated smart cities, which will be essential as urban populations grow. The United Nations (UN) predicts that 68 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas by 2050, which will place increasing  pressure on our cities, such as pollution, crime, overcrowding, congestion, and social disorder.

There are already some amazing 5G use cases out there. That's what this feature is all about - the ways in which 5G is already being used across the globe. Because 5G networks are still being rolled out, many of these use cases are actually in the test or proof-of-concept phase, using prototype networks, devices or other technology. But the idea of gathering them here is to show the huge future potential of 5G technology .

1. Smart cities

Network operators are already looking to showcase what can be achieved with 5G technology , and one such 5G use case is the Alba Iulia Smart City , which has been developed in conjunction with Orange, and has seen congestion monitoring, parking sensors, and smart waste management introduced in the Romanian city. 

Smart factories will also be enabled by 5G, including more robots in production lines, and drones in last mile delivery. It will also enable car to car communication around hazards and incidents, as well as fully automated cars. 

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2. Autonomous vehicles

The CTO of Waymo , which started life as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, believes that 5G is a crucial “enabler”, when it comes to developing the company’s autonomous car fleets.

“I think it’ll help in terms of communication [and with] latency and bandwidth,” explains Dmitri Dolgov, Waymo’s CTO. “Our cars still have to rely on onboard computation for anything that is safety-critical, but 5G will be an accelerator.”

O2 has also now announced a project to trial driverless cars in London using its 5G network. The UK's second-biggest phone network has partnered with the Smart Mobility Living Lab - a research organisation comprised of experts from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), DG Cities, Cisco, and Loughborough University - to develop what it claims to be the ‘most advanced driverless testbed in the world’. 

The organisation is based in Greenwich as well as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The aim is to develop a road management system with the focus on a 10 percent reduction in the time that motorists spend in traffic. Other figures include a positive benefit to the economy of £880m a year from improved productivity as well as the reduction of CO2 emissions by 370,000 metric tonnes a year.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2020, Samsung and BMW showcased the companies' efforts in connected cars, revealing the 5G TCU (Telematics Control Unit). The TCU will be included in the BMW iNext, coming in 2021. The iNext will include technology from Samsung subsidiary Harman. The companies are talking up the benefits of the technology as not only enabling greater levels of autonomy but also detailed and specific information such as whether there's something in your blind spot.

Elsewhere, Huawei, in partnership with Thailand National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Communication (NBTC) and Siriraj Hospital, has launched a new project to use 5G-powered self-driving vehicles to deliver medical supplies.

According to data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, jobs such as bus drivers and hospital porters are particularly at risk from catching Covid-19 whilst at work, with both jobs in the top 20% when it comes to exposure. And this scheme enables the transportation of goods around the Siriraj Hospital campus in Thailand, where workers face a similar risk to those in the UK. In the initial stage of the project, driverless vehicles will be used to transport and distribute medicines, which will be delivered via a contactless system, which will help reduce workload and infection risk among frontline workers. 

3. Improved viewing experience at sporting events

Connectivity is increasingly important at sporting events with, as an example, the average Bundesliga match attracting 43,000 spectators, who consume an average of 500GB – a figure which has risen by 50 percent over the past 12 months,.

Because of this, some sporting organisations fear that spectators will stay at home if they can't stay connected. However, existing mobile and Wi-Fi networks lack the capacity for such densely-populated environments, which is why venues and operators are so excited about 5G. Research from Amdocs and Ovum suggests 91 percent of the world’s leading mobile operators plan to hold trials of 5G sporting experiences at stadiums, with the likes of Verizon announcing the 5G availability at selected NFL stadiums.

This will not only increase fan satisfaction, but also enable new experiences. The German FA plans to let fans view data insights in real time – such as how fast a player is sprinting – using Augmented Reality. 

4. Better crowd management at sporting venues

Verizon and Cisco are partnering to deliver a number of new capabilities to stadiums, such as the ability to use analytics to estimate waiting times at gates, restrooms and concession stands. Supporters will also have the ability to access digital signage, and via a mobile app they will also get tailored updates, information on crowd density, and tips on the best ways to avoid crowds and maintain social distancing.

To deliver these new 5G capabilities, venues in Cisco’s Sports and Entertainment portfolio will be able to access Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband with mobile edge computing (MEC) capabilities. Cisco innovations, which will be able to tap into Verizon’s MEC include Cisco DNA Spaces for secure location analytics; Cisco switching and data center technology; connected venue analytics; and more.

5. Sports broadcasting

Sports broadcasting is arguably the most developed use case for 5G to date, with ready-made innovations driving efficiencies and unlocking a raft of creativity options. 5G-enabled cameras eliminate the need to use cables, making it easier to cover sports that take place over a wide area. Fox Sports has trialled 5G at golf’s US Open (with Intel, AT&T, and Ericsson) allowing its team to cover more of the course, while 5G was used to capture some events at the 2018 Winter Olympics. In the UK, BT Sport is able to join football fans in the pub before the game, travel on the team bus, capture the game, and do post-match interviews using the same camera.

Meanwhile, 5G-enabled remote production enables video feeds to be sent back to a central hub, rather than an outside broadcast truck. This massively reduces costs and allows production teams to work across multiple events in a single day. Already, the likes of Verizon and Sony have joined forces to demonstrate how 5G can enhance live sports broadcasts.

6. 5G drones

Verizon wants to be the first telco to use 5G to enable a million connected flights of 5G drones to take place. That's some ambition, but the idea has some backing since Verizon bought Skyward in 2016 - an organisation specializing in drone operations for businesses and enterprises. 

Skyward provides drone operators with detailed mapping while operating industrial drones plus there are also tools for overseeing multiple drones in action and, basically, work out what needs to go where. 

Verizon's plan is to enable as many drones as possible to be connected and to transmit video footage in real-time but also to relay back other intelligence such as levels of stock in a warehouse situation

“We've already started testing connected drones on 5G on the Verizon Network,” said Mariah Scott, president of  Skyward . “We knew early on that connectivity would be critical for drones. And now 5G Ultra Wideband will usher in a new era in aviation, where we connect and integrate drones into the national airspace.” 

Elsewhere, Irish startup  Manna has partnered with Cubic Telecom to fly delivery 5G-connected delivery drones in Ireland and England by the end of 2020. It is currently testing the tech at a base in Pontypool, Wales. 

The intention is for the drones to charge $1 per delivery. Each drone will have three batteries on board, meaning that they can make five deliveries per hour. Even so, that doesn't seem that profitable to us, but Manna believes that by keeping the drones flying as much as possible it can make it work. 

7. Immersive entertainment 

Verizon showcased its 5G tech in real-time rendering of effects from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The network partnered with Walt Disney Studios’ StudioLAB for a demo at the premiere afterparty in in Hollywood where guests were able to interact with Sith troopers in real-time.

Two actors played the troopers working in a remote location 15 miles away. Those who took part in the demo could approach a screen and interact with the two Sith troopers. The troopers were able to react in real-time. 

“Both the StudioLAB and Verizon believe 5G will fundamentally change everything about how entertainment media is created, distributed and consumed,” said Nicki Palmer, chief product development officer at Verizon. 

“The speed and low latency of 5G can unlock incredible creative capabilities,” added Ben Havey at Disney Studios StudioLAB. “We want to give storytellers early access to this new technology so they can continue to bring unparalleled experiences to audiences around the world.”

In November EE streamed a 360-degree augmented reality (AR) Bastille concert from Birmingham New Street station to Edinburgh and Liverpool. 

As well as being covered by various media outlets, the stunt wasn't just for fun - the event will be featured in a new EE brand campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi 

Members of the public in Edinburgh and Liverpool could watch the gig on devices provided by EE reps including the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G and some AR glasses. Of course, AR visuals surrounded the band which could be seen on the glasses.

EE has used other music stars to promote 5G - it held a gig with Stormzy on the River Thames to promote the launch of its 5G network. The network also sponsors the Glastonbury Festival each year. 

8. Overground trains

Virgin Trains has been testing out 5G-powered Wi-Fi on its trains. The company believes it is the first railway company to trial the new tech. The trial happened on services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street, and between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly. 

However, Virgin Trains hasn't yet said if and when it plans to offer 5G-powered Wi-Fi on board its trains. 

The  Vodafone 5G  network was used to provide the 5G service - the red network has installed 5G in key transport locations including Birmingham New Street station. 

Virgin says the speeds seen were up to ten times faster than current on-board Wi-Fi. 

9. Going underground

Whilst companies such as Virgin Trains are looking to get 5G into the UK's biggest stations, a private and public sector consortium, led by Cisco, has gone underground to test 5G use cases on the Glasgow Subway.

5G RailNext  has announced a pioneering new project to explore new 5G use cases for underground commuters, by setting up a unique private 5G network to connect passengers travelling by train on Scotland’s historic Glasgow Subway.

5G RailNext is a private and public sector consortium led by Cisco, and it includes companies and organisations across the technology, marketing and transport sectors, including the University of Strathclyde, Ampletime, Sublime, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, and Glasgow City Council. And as part of the UK Government's £200 million 5G Testbeds & Trials Programme, it aims to maximise the opportunities around 5G applications and services.

10. Manufacturing 

With 5G networks using URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications) latency can theoretically reduce that to a single millisecond, essentially rendering the issue of latency meaningless. The advantages to manufacturers are many; think high-precision assembly lines where all machines and robots are perfectly in sync in real-time, the mass-adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), and even humans controlling machines via touch. However, the first generation of 5G networks tend to offer around 10ms latency, so, for now, latency is still an issue. Expect second-gen 5G networks to be mostly about reducing latency.

5G in a manufacturing context is not about making use of publicly available 5G connections as used by consumers. No, 5G for industry is about constructing custom-made, private 5G networks that essentially bring alive the idea of an Intelligent or ‘smart’ factory. Also known as Industry 4.0, this is about abandoning the old ways to embrace connected systems to encourage more streamlined automation in a closed environment. With the Internet of Things (IoT) in full deployment and connected sensors on every machine, the aim is to predict problems, see problems emerge in real-time, and reduce production downtime. The secret sauce will be AI-capable analytics software to crunch real-time data on every machine and piece of equipment.

11. Smart factories

In the US, mobile network Verizon has partnered with specialist glass maker Corning to investigate how 5G can improve the factory environment. 

The maker of Corning Gorilla Glass (used on vast numbers of smartphones) are looking at how 5G can improve control across a factory environment on a large scale by tracking supplies across the whole complex, autonomous vehicles - so they can be called in from other parts of the facility - as well as moving product around. 

"As artificial intelligence starts using this data and improving our process, making our processes more efficient, that's when we're going to start seeing the value,"  says Claudio Mazzalli, Corning's vice president of technology. 

Could it actually save Corning money? "We are not speculating right now, but I can tell you that this question is a very important question for us. We don't want to start just adding devices everywhere if we don't see the value."

12. Connected cows and calving

Traditional industries such as agriculture will use 5G sensors to collate real-time information about fertilisation, livestock, and moisture needs, helping to conserve energy. And we are already seeing the emergence of smart farms, with services such as the MooCall calving sensor and app now being powered by 5G. MooCall is a sensor that attaches to the tail of cows, and then alerts farmers when a cow is about to give birth (cows move their tails more just before and during labour).  

“With the growing prevalence of IoT and 5G, we expect to see increasing innovation in the agricultural sector,” says Anne Sheehan, Director, Vodafone Business. “By using digital tools, farmers can gain better control over processes such as raising livestock and growing crops, improving overall productivity, efficiency and financial performance … technologies such as IoT and 5G must be viewed as a priority for the farming sector.”

13. Healthcare

The health industry will offer remote diagnosis and operations, as well as e-health and responsive wearables, and AI assistants might help people with disabilities. Companies such as the interactive physiotherapy specialist Immersive Rehab are already looking at how 5G can improve their offering, and 5G is being used in various trials such as the Liverpool 5G Testbed .

5G has even made its way into the operating theatre, when Telefónica, with the help of a hospital in Malaga, already presented the first assistance system for surgery that runs entirely on  5G technology . The howcase took place at the IV Advanced Digestive Endoscopy Conference, where Telefónica broadcast medical training sessions live, and in 4K quality. It achieved this with “almost no latency,” according to Telefónica .

Elsewhere, O2 has developed a deal with Samsung and the NHS to test out “smart ambulances” equipped with  5G technology .  O2 will test the technology on six ambulances  which will allow for new services such as real-time video technology and high-quality scanners (read the full story here ).

14. Construction

The construction industry has always looked at new technologies as a way to improve safety and working practices, and 5G is no different. 

KT and Hyundai Engineering & Construction have announced that they will work together to build  5G networks  at construction sites, with a aim to develop construction and automation technology.Using 5G infrastructure, we could see autonomous construction robots, and  5G  will also be used to improve other technologies with better productivity and monitoring at construction sites.

KT will help Hyundai to build these 5G networks at its construction sites. The trials of the 5G solutions will commence later this year. If the trial all goes to plan, then the two companies aim to apply their technologies to many more construction sites next year. 

KT has said that its 5G technologies will provide "ultra-fast data transmission speeds and ultra-low latency with top notch security". And the companies have both said that the development of autonomous robots will give Hyundai the opportunity to carry out work on sites with limited to no human access (read the full story here ).

15. Energy preservation

There are many interesting user case studies, but the increased use of 5G connected drones or autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for service or production delivery is one with some very interesting permutations. One of these might help with disaster relief situations via the sharing of real time data. They could help with search and rescue missions and deliver medical help, according to OnQ a blog from US telecom operator Qualcomm. And 5G drones can also be used as small cells to prevent gaps in 5G coverage.  

Another interesting end result of 5G is the huge potential for energy savings. Including all the currently unconnected, energy consuming devices via 5G IoT connections into the grid will allow for better management of energy. 

Where there are outages, 5G and smart grid technology can help with early diagnosis, speeding up repairs and reducing down time. Smart lighting will see street lights dimmed when no one is present, again saving power. 

In fact, a recent McKinsey report, Future proofing infrastructure in a fast changing world, argued that cities deploying a range of smart solutions could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10–15 percent.   

16. IP broadcasting

The broadcasting industry is currently looking at whether 5G technology can deliver both linear, and nonlinear broadcasts, whilst supporting them with enhanced media services (EMS), which are a combination of both. (‘Linear media’ refers to conventional TV or radio channels where programmes such as news, sport, entertainment and documentaries are scheduled by a service provider to be viewed at the time of transmission; whereas ‘nonlinear media’ is a type of media content that is offered on-demand at the request of the user.)

In 2019, a consortium of European broadcasting companies – led by virtualized media production company, Nevion – received a grant of €2 million from the European Union to create a remote production studio, powered by 5G technology. The project, known as VIRTUOSA , was selected from a list of 225 applications, and it has announced that it has taken its first technical step, opening an IP-based production studio, at Nevion’s Service Operations Center (SOC) in Gdansk, Poland. 

This initial phase involves setting up an IP-based studio, built on industry standards (SMPTE ST 2110 and NMOS) and integrating equipment from multiple vendors, including: video cameras, a vision mixer, and a server from Sony; a multiviewer from TAG Video Systems; an audio mixer from Stagetec; a media analyzer from Telestream; IP switches from Mellanox; a PTP-compliant time and frequency synchronization from Meinberg; software-defined media nodes from Nevion; and all of it managed by an orchestration and SDN control system from Nevion.

17. 5G-powered studio lighting

Telia, together with the government-owned subscription station TV2 Denmark, and leading lighting company BB&S, has developed a partnership to showcase 5G-connected lamps, which can be used in TV and film production, and could one day transform the broadcasting industry.

Telia is a Swedish multinational telecommunications company, and mobile network provider, which operates in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. And as a ‘Tier 1 network’ operator, it is particularly focussed on 5G, and its ability to deliver new services.

And Telia has worked closely with TV2 and BB&S to test how 5G networking could be employed to improve lightning set-up and cost efficiency in broadcasting.

Since it was founded in 1999, BB&S Lighting has worked with numerous broadcasting clients around the world, and on movie projects such as Star Wars - The last Jedi, Interstellar, Alien: Covenant, Pirates of Caribbean, and Independence Day 2. 

These set-ups can consist of 100s of lamps, every one of which needs to be connected with a power and a control cable. But using 5G, lights can be managed remotely, in real-time, providing huge efficiency and cost benefits.

18. Oil and gas

Centrica Storage and Vodafone have entered a partnership that will build the “gas plant of the future” at their Easington site, providing a 5G-ready mobile private network (MPN) for the facility, which will be the first of its kind in the UK’s oil and gas sector.

The new 5G infrastructure will enable Centrica Storage to automate, monitor, and centralize much of its critical maintenance and engineering operations. Real-time data will enable Centrica Storage to monitor its facility, streamline operational resources, and reduce costs. And the 5G network will even improve safety, enabling engineers to use virtual reality headsets to undertake training and critical maintenance tasks.

The 5G mobile private network will be built by Vodafone using Ericsson equipment, and will enable a number of industrial 5G use cases, such as connecting workers to digital data and applications across the entire site, increasing productivity whilst reducing cost, and all in a much safer environment.

19. Communication

Although the first wave of video calls over 5G will be on phones (which is why most 5G phones have better front cameras), in the long term expect full HD, 4K and even 8K video streams to be exchanged between 5G-enabled augmented reality (AR) devices and virtual reality (VR) headsets. With 5G’s ability to stream high capacity data packets in real-time, video-calling applications are about to get super-charged and go 360°.

And once video calling over 5G has improved, expect another giant leap to be made with the advent of live 3D holographic phone calls. Last year UK network operator Vodafone conducted the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G technology, with England and Manchester City Women’s footballer Steph Houghton using 5G tech to make a holographic call from Manchester. She appeared as a live 3D hologram on stage in front of an audience at Vodafone’s UK HQ in Newbury. European network operator Cosmote in Greece has also used the same tech to ‘holoport’ musicians in different physical locations on to a virtual stage where they played a piece of music together. 3D holographic calls require about four times as much data as a streamed 4K video – itself pretty data-intensive – though 5G’s low latency is just as important. In the long term the tech has potential applications for medical imaging, video conferencing and gaming.

20. Quality control

Logistics company Ice Mobility is testing on Verizon’s on-site 5G Edge platform, integrated with Microsoft Azure.

“When I heard that [Verizon] were partnering with Microsoft, it kind of sealed the deal for me,” said Mike Mohr, CEO of Ice Mobility.  “We have always been a Microsoft house for everything we do in our business, and so it became a natural selection at that point.

Ice Mobility is using 5G and MEC to help with computer vision assisted product packing. By gathering data on product packing errors, in what is essentially real-time, the company has the potential to improve on-site quality assurance and save 15% to 30% in processing time.

“The goal is to make sure that the customers have the right product on their shelves when they need to sell it, and one of the ways we've always achieved this by making sure we double check every single shipment so that it has the right product in the box,” said Mohr. 

“We're improving our quality control process through computer vision. We were able to do this by installing a high definition camera above every one of our pick lines. These cameras are powered by the 5G network, matching the data for a particular order to what the high definition camera is looking at inside the box. This validates that it's the right materials, and flags it up if it's not. The mech is that it literally knows the entire journey of the box.”

21. Empowering the high street

Verizon has partnered with TechUnited:NJ – an organization set up to help empower entrepreneurs and innovators in the New Jersey area – to create the “5G Impact Challenge”, which aims to provide a number of small businesses with new ways to use 5G technology, from solving operational pain points to improving the shopping experience for customers.

"In times like these, the world leans on technology to help us stay connected,” said TJ Fox, president of business markets at Verizon. “This is especially true for our local communities and retail shops, which is why Verizon has joined in this effort to show small businesses how 5G connectivity can open the door to new and immersive solutions as a way to interact with customers."

TechUnited worked with Verizon to select five small businesses within Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband mobility service footprint.

“Without the help of technology, we wouldn’t still be in business today,” said Dominic Yun, owner of SOHO Flower & Garden. “Prior to COVID, we had a website but didn’t do online sales. Thankfully, we were able to quickly shift to online orders which helped us stay afloat."

The companies selected for the “5G Impact Challenge” received Inseego MiFi M2100 5G hotspots and Samsung Galaxy S10 5G phones , as well as access to Verizon’s suite of small business services.

One of the most innovative 5G use cases in the scheme involved giving visitors to SOHO Flower & Garden the opportunity to view flowers in an augmented reality environment, so they could see how they were going to look before deciding to purchase them.

22. 5G use cases in port authorities

In 2020, Zeebrugge, one of the world’s busiest ports, with 45.8 million tons of goods annually transshipped through its docks, announced the completion of the first phase of a 5G-ready, industrial-grade private wireless network for the port.

By implementing the  Nokia Digital Automation Cloud  platform Zeebrugge hopes to streamline the logistical challenge of moving and tracking almost one million tons of goods each week. And the new platform will provide private wireless connectivity to more than 100 endpoints across the entire port operations. 

The network is now being used for connectivity with tugboats, air pollution detectors, security cameras and quay sensors. And this partnership will enable Zeebrugge to deliver a range of new and enhanced 5G use cases to improve the port’s operational performance, and also showcase Zeebrugge as a leader in port transformation and digitalization.

And in January 2021, Terminal 5 of the Port of Seattle joined Zeebrugge in utilizing Nokia's DAC platform, working with Tideworks Technology, a provider of terminal operating technology for maritime facilities, to deploy Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) at Terminal 5, which is part of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, one of the largest container gateways in North America. 

The LTE/5G private wireless network will be used to augment Wi-Fi, for enhanced redundancy and availability, and will support cable-free port and terminal operations using overlapping LTE Bands (B53 and B48). And it will be a valuable addition to Nokia’s growing list of industrial 5G use cases.

The introduction of an industrial-grade LTE/5G private wireless network will, the companies say, deliver major increases in efficiency, worker safety and terminal handling performance by “reducing the complexity of port flow”.

“These use cases illustrate the benefits of private wireless in a port or intermodal terminal operation,” said Matt Young, vice president of US Enterprise Sales, Nokia Cloud and Networking Services.

The new network will deliver connectivity indoors, and out across Terminal 5 operations, cranes, trucks and lifts, with Nokia DAC also being incorporated into ruggedized tablets and smartphones for comms and inventory applications.

23. Improving education facilities with 5G

Nova Southeastern University is a private Hispanic-serving multi-campus research university, with around 20,000 students, and its main campus in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida, which has partnered with  Mobilitie  to deliver 5G to its students. 

“We’re thrilled to provide our students, faculty and staff with an ultra-fast, state-of-the-art wireless network across our Davie campus,” said Tom West, Chief Information Officer of NSU.

This partnership with Mobilitie, the largest privately-held wireless infrastructure firm in the US, will enable the deployment of a cutting-edge 5G network across the Davie, Florida campus of Nova Southeastern University.

The 5G network will cover the 314-acre campus, including offices, classrooms, the library, residence halls, computer labs and athletic facilities, providing 5G access to students and faculty.

24. Transforming tourist attractions

Azoomee/Da Vinci , a media company focussing on children’s entertainment, has released a new Augmented Reality (AR) experience, which enables young visitors to Vienna’s Rathaus building to experience digitally enhanced environments as they move through the building.

"Azoomee’s work in this space has been especially noted for the way it combines new technology with the city’s heritage." City of Vienna spokesperson.

“We’ve been very impressed with the quality of contributions to Vienna’s challenge to find new 5G use cases, but Azoomee’s work in this space has been especially noted for the way it combines new technology with the city’s heritage,” said Dipl.-Vw. Klemens Himpele, chief information officer (CIO) der Stadt Wien. “The way its AR app transforms the Rathaus into a digital environment that combines both fun and learning for children is the perfect example of what we hope to achieve with 5G. We are excited by the possibilities that this AR experience could be adapted to other locations both in Vienna and beyond.”

The Azoomee/Da Vinci  AR app enables kids to see historical figures jumping on trampolines, playing football, and performing skateboard tricks, whilst also transforming the landscape, even placing some rooms underwater, with sub-aquatic creatures swimming around features and furniture.

25. 5G-powered service bots

 At the 2021t Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai, OrionStar, a company specialising in robotics tech, launched three service robots that include Qualcomm technology, enabling 5G connectivity and enhanced AI processing capabilities.

Powered by AI tech, OrionStar’s 5G Robotic Coffee Master served up beverages to attendees visiting Qualcomm Technologies’ booth at MWC Shanghai 2021. And based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System, this 5G bot can make 1,000 cups of coffee every day.

Elsewhere, the OrionStar Restaurant Service Robot roamed the convention floor, delivering beverages to guests. Whilst the 5G HomeBot was on display at the ‘5G mmWave’ booth, where it used Qualcomm’s Robotics Platform to answer questions from guests, conduct live Q&As, and provide personalized tours.

26. 5G IoT via nanosatellite 

Open Cosmos , a UK company that specializes in satellite-based technology, has launched two commercial nanosatellites, one of which is a 5G IoT satellite for telecom operator Sateliot – the first of its kind to provide continuous IoT connectivity, merging satellite and terrestrial networks under the 5G protocol.

Both nanosatellites were created entirely at the Open Cosmos HQ in Harwell, known as the heart of the UK’s space industry, with the company having dedicated £4 million in R&D to the project, courtesy of funding from the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency.

“These launches mark a major milestone for Open Cosmos, demonstrating the capacity of low-cost satellites to provide IoT connectivity to remote parts of the world and collect data,” said Rafel Jordá, founder and CEO of Open Cosmos. “With £300bn of wider UK GDP supported by satellite services, Open Cosmos is key to unlocking these services and making them more accessible for businesses and governments across the world."

27. 5G-in-a-box

5G isn't merely an iterative change in existing network technology; it's a step change of an update, which enables a plethora of new opportunities, especially for the industrial sector. 

One challenge, though, is how you test whether 5G is the right technology for you, without a massive commercial investment?

Thankfully, Singte is one company addressing this problem, with the launch of GENIE, the world’s first portable 5G platform. This new 5G technology will allow enterprises to experience 5G’s capabilities and trial use cases at their own premises.

GENIE creates an independent 5G network at any location where it is deployed, without the need for prior installation of equipment or infrastructure. And it has been designed to be compact and transportable, coming in a suitcase-sized container, which consists of a 5G network control kit and a standing mount with 5G radio antenna. 

28. 5G 'digital twin' technology

Digital twin technology, as it sounds, enables you to create a digital version of a physical object or environment, which can then be interacted with remotely. This could entail the virtual recreation of a work space, where people could train safely using VR equipment, or, as is the case at Hyperbat, one of the UK’s largest independent vehicle battery manufacturers, it can be used to create ‘digital twins’ of products, which can be manipulated and viewed using VR headsets.

The Coventry-based company has partnered with BT, Ericsson and NVIDIA, to enable remote teams to connect, collaborate, and interact using a virtual 3D engineering model. And this digital twin project will be a world-first, which will allow design and engineering teams to walk around, and interact with, a 3D life-size model in real time. 

Hyperbat colleagues in different locations will be able to work with a 1:1 product scale hologram of the design in-situ on the factory floor, review designs in real time, and manage workflows much more effectively.

29. 5G in airports

China is currently pushing ahead of western countries with its 5G roll-out, and it has now announced the world's first wall-to-wall gigabit 5G available in an airport.

China Mobile Chengdu used Huawei's 5G distributed Massive MIMO solution to deliver 5G in the new Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. Huawei's field tests showed that the user-perceived rate across the check-in areas exceeded 1Gbps, with the single-user rate increasing by 26% on average over common 5G networks, up to a peak of 1.25Gbps.

With major airlines like Chengdu Tianfu International Airport launching 5G-based smart travel services, such as VIP recognition, luggage tracking, and AR map navigation, to improve travel experience, high 5G speed is essential. In using Huawei's digital indoor small cells combined with 5G distributed Massive MIMO software functions, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport certainly achieves this.

30. World’s first 5G substation

Constellation, a smart substation trial from  UK Power Networks , will utilize  Vodafone 5G  connectivity to help make them more efficient, and enable the freeing up of capacity for clean energy, in a bid to help reach the UK’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

UK Power Networks is the UK’s biggest electricity distributor, delivering power to more than eight million homes and businesses across London, the South East, and the East of England. (Electricity network operators, unlike energy suppliers, who focus on selling electricity, take care of the maintenance and operation of power lines and substations.)

The Constellation project is a world-first in 5G use cases, and will connect parts of the UK’s electricity network with high-speed 5G connectivity, with computers being installed in electricity substations so they can communicate with each other in real-time to improve efficiency.

Initially the Constellation project team will select multiple testing locations across UK Power Networks areas in the south-east of England, and at the University of Strathclyde’s Power Networks Demonstration Centre. And the companies say that it could save 63,702 tonnes of CO2 by 2050, which is the equivalent of 38,607 return flights from London to New York. 

31. Indoor farm monitoring

AeroFarms and Nokia Bell Labs have announced that they have formed a multi-year partnership to combine their expertise and expand their joint capabilities in cutting-edge networking, autonomous systems, and integrated machine vision and machine learning technologies to identify and track plant interactions at the most advanced levels.

Nokia Bell Labs, the industrial research arm of Nokia, will contribute its ground-breaking autonomous drone control and orchestration systems, private wireless 5G networks, robust image and sensor data pipelines, and innovative artificial intelligence (AI) enabled mobile sensor technologies. Meanwhile, AeroFarms, a Certified B Corporation and global leader in indoor vertical farming, will contribute its commercial growing expertise, comprehensive environmental controls, an agriculture-focused data platform, and machine vision core foundation. This combination of innovative technologies allows AeroFarms to reach the next level of imaging insights that further enhance its capabilities as an industry-leading operator of world-class, fully connected smart vertical farms that grow the highest quality plants all year round. 

How should you get 5G ready? 

Prosumers and business owners will need to swap their old phones for a 5G ready version. There are already several 5G smartphones on the market, and EE markets five of them (the Oppo Reno 5G, Samsung Galaxy S10 5G , LG V50 ThinQ  5G, the OnePlus 7 Pro  5G and  Huawei Mate 20 X 5G ). You can also pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus. Similarly, you will also need a 5G plan, either from one of the big telecoms operators, or an MVNO. We are likely to see more offerings from mobile operators as 5G develops.  

• Discover the best 5G networks in the UK and US
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• 5G towers : everything you need to know

Nicola Brittain is a freelance journalist with expertise in technology, telecoms, media and finance. She worked as news and analysis editor at Computing Magazine, and more recently has freelanced for Diginomica, Investment Week and Portfolio Adviser. She is currently writing a novel. 

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5g use cases: the impact of 5g on the iot, thales is creating 5g solutions for tomorrow’s iot.

5G Technology and the IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) began with simple remote monitoring of things like vending machines and first-generation smart refrigerators.

Today it has moved on to fully connected cars, smart grids that span entire cities and countries, and telehealth for a new age of healthcare and wellness. By 2025, forecasts suggest as many as 75 billion IoT connected devices , nearly 3x the number in 2019. 

And new 5G networks are giving way to transformative IoT applications for many industries with plenty of innovative IoT use cases .

• Low latency and expanded networks mean 5G can reach 10 times more devices per square kilometre than 4G.
• Improved speeds are ten times faster than 4G.

The result?

It’s not just a better network; it’s an entirely  NEW “cloud-native” network  built from the ground up.

And while the IoT stands to benefit massively from this erupting technology, there is no denying that 5G capabilities demand solid groundwork and preparation for device makers.

5G Applications and use cases for the IoT 

Developers have imagined a new digital world :

• Where doctors can treat patients in rural areas remotely , even performing remote surgery,
• Where workers present media-rich presentations from home without interruption,
• Where autonomous driving has the potential to reduce accidents and traffic jams,
• Where smart grids eliminate brown and blackouts worldwide, 
• Where ubiquitous connected sensors assist vehicle parking and avoid collisions, monitor electrical systems, alert for conditions that could lead to fires , and monitor patient health from afar.

These innovations could help prevent devastating fires, improve health outcomes for patients lacking access to traditional healthcare and change auto travel.

Enterprises will be able to manage their data with network slicing for private networks , opening up new secure ways of data management, integrity and access. 

The power of the new 5G networks being rolled out today will enable these innovations and more, giving so many industries a leap forward in productivity and efficiency.

The challenge?

However, tens of billions of connected devices can expose an overwhelming number of vulnerabilities .

Connecting cars, water meters, appliances, and critical infrastructure like the electricity grid is different from connecting today’s smartphones.

The staggering amount of data requires worldwide regulations and secure data protection to ensure these future solutions do not present new threats. Some applications require low bandwidth and coverage in challenging installation situations, others ultra-high bandwidth.

Many solutions are designed to be in the field for decades and battery-powered, often required to withstand harsh environments. The right technology partners will be critical to leveraging 5G. 

Thales Will Help You Harness 5G’s Power and the IoT Promise

5G Solutions by Thales: Connect, Protect, Predict

• CONNECT and manage devices on the 5G network with resilient solutions and certified, reliable services.
• PROTECT devices, identity and data. Building a secure 5G network that guarantees privacy.
• PREDICT industry needs to build a resilient 5G network. Future-proof solutions to leverage today and prepare for tomorrow.

Thales has the right products to secure and optimise your next 5G solution:

MV31 Modem Card – Designed to optimise 5G enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Thales's award-winning Cinterion® MV31-W IoT modem card is ideal for industrial IoT applications. 

Hardware Security Modules ( HSM ) – Thales offers a dedicated crypto processor specifically designed to protect the crypto key lifecycle. Hardware security modules act as trust anchors to protect the crypto infrastructure, which is used in some of the world’s most security-conscious organisations, in a hardened, tamper-resistant device.   

High-Speed Encryption ( HSE ) solutions – As data is always in motion, securing it requires proven network encryption solutions. Thales provides a single platform to secure data in motion – from network traffic between data centres and headquarters to backup and recovery sites, on the physical premises or in the cloud. 

5G SIM products – The only solution to secure 5G networks, the Thales 5G SIM is tamper-proof, secure, and explicitly designed to enhance mobile broadband, massive IoT applications and critical communications.

SIM Over-The-Air (OTA) platform – Thales Cloud OTA enables remote and secure management of SIMs and eSIMs for seamless connectivity and services. Designed for optimum efficiency and the best MNO experience across all networks and channels (SMS, HTTP, NAS), the platform is built on open standards and is fully interoperable.

CipherTrust Manager key management – an industry-leading enterprise key management solution, Thales enables organisations to centrally manage encryption keys, provide granular access control and configure security policies.

Thales Alenia Space (non-terrestrial network services via 5G satellites ) – With the help of 3GPP standards, an effort led by Thales Alenia Space with support from the European Space Agency and the European Commission, 5G can support satellite communications. These global standards and specifications make it possible to integrate communications satellites in 5G networks seamlessly. 

5G IoT modules, 5G modem cards and support: Thales supports creators at the forefront of technology

5G will be the engine of the digital economy and demands trusted partners to implement. The expanded network will offer more bandwidth for digital transactions and cover more people not able to rely on Internet access today. By 2025, there will be 50 times more digital interactions by consumers vs 2010.

Securing digital transactions and adhering to regulations worldwide will be crucial for all stakeholders. 

Digital security is in Thales’ DNA. 

Thales is leading the way in 5G solutions.

Thales's Cinterion® MV31-W IoT modem card delivers incredible high-performance 5G enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) for IoT applications such as industrial routers and gateways, digital signage, industrial computers, and tablets.

Award-winning 5G IoT Leadership : The best-in-class solution has been recognised with the 2020 IoT 5G Leadership Award and supports FR1 sub-6GHz and FR2 mmWave bands enabling groundbreaking data speeds plus fall-back to LTE Cat.20/Cat.13 and 3G networks. It provides excellent global coverage in urban areas and regions where 5G is still emerging.

What do these numbers mean?

5G networks can enable data transmission speeds to be reduced  to a single millisecond.

Thales customer Peplink on 5G & the MV32

Thales is a world leader in data encryption . We work with 450 mobile network operators, and the top 5 cloud service providers trust Thales for cybersecurity solutions. 

Thales Secures the 5G Devices and the 5G Network.

5G is the first cellular generation to launch in the era of global cybercrime perpetrated by organised syndicates and even nation-states.

The virtual nature of the 5G network core increases the attack surface. Virtualisation also means that some data is no longer stored centrally but at the ‘edge.’ 5G also exponentially increases the number of connected devices needing protection.

Building protection against these threats from the very beginning is crucial. 

First : the Device. Thales was the first company to offer the 5G SIM , allowing MNOs to anonymise subscriber identities and securely swap the authentication algorithm in the SIM, thanks to key rotation management. It’s available in all form factors (removable SIM, M2M SIM, eSIM).

Second : the network itself. When a network resides in software, as is the case with virtualisation, there is a greater danger of cross-contamination and data leakage. Automation can propagate poor decisions, malware, leaked data, and increase vulnerabilities. A lot of 5G traffic will be at the network edge rather than the core. To mitigate these risks, Thales offers a range of products – from 5G-optimised modems and SIMs to key management and 5G satellites.

Thales protects both devices and networks.

Create your 5G IoT application now! 

The time is right to explore a switch to 5G connectivity, and Thales is here to help.

Thales has worked with 450 mobile network operators worldwide, protecting IoT applications from 2G and 3G to 4G LTE, LTE-M, NB-IoT and now, 5G. Thales has the products, services and expertise to help you leverage the power of 5G today and in the future. 

How 5G is driving the healthcare transformation

Why 5g is creating the perfect conditions for the industrial iot, the 5g industrial iot – how it will change different verticals, get in touch with us.

For more information regarding our services and solutions contact one of our sales representatives. We have agents worldwide that are available to help with your digital security needs. Fill out our contact form and one of our representatives will be in touch to discuss how we can assist you.

Please note we do not sell any products nor offer support directly to end users. If you have questions regarding one of our products provided by e.g. your bank or government, then please contact them for advice first.

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Home > Blog > Use Cases of 5G Technology in Smart Farming and Agriculture

Use Cases of 5G Technology in Smart Farming and Agriculture

By Jeff Clemow

August 4, 2021

Smart farming and precision agriculture incorporate technology to make farm to market more efficient and productive. Smart agriculture — known as ag-tech — uses IoT sensors to connect everything from irrigation systems to soil and animal production. As 5G rolls out worldwide, this high-bandwidth cellular technology is poised to make an impact on ag-tech.

Ag-tech seeks to maximize food production by empowering farmers with the data they need for good business decisions. Connected ag-tech solutions help farms:

• Reduce resource consumption (e.g., water, grain, fertilizer, pesticides)
• Minimize runoff and soil erosion
• Add efficiency into overall operations and product distribution

One example is Clover , a hydroponic farm based in Bangalore, India. Clover uses wireless sensors to monitor plant growth in its greenhouses. Aggregating data from many locations allows them to improve growth protocols, yielding healthier plants and a plentiful harvest.

From orchards to cattle ranching, farms are utilizing IoT solutions to monitor multiple drivers affecting their bottom line, including:

• Temperature
• Soil conditions
• Contaminants
• Water quality

Fixed and mobile applications may require cellular IoT connectivity to enable remote data collection and equipment management. These capabilities are similar to a manufacturing setting in which the entire process can be monitored.

Today, some smart farming endpoints depend on short-range wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth . Others use cellular due to distances and RF coverage needs.

5G will enable new applications and augment or replace short-range ones. An example is the use of video-equipped drones to monitor crop conditions and livestock health .

The Future of 5G and Smart Farming: The Next 10 Years

The early stages of 5G have focused on enabling high-bandwidth connectivity. Before 5G infrastructure becomes more ubiquitous, centralized farms will be the most practical use cases. A large corporate farming operation might build a private 5G network to enable high-bandwidth use cases (e.g., crop monitoring using drones) and aggregation of data from thousands of transactional or triggered IoT sensors.

For now, 5G will be most leveraged when a farming operation utilizes large amounts of data from disparate sources. On an industrial chicken farm, data from thermostats and feeding machines come to a central connection point. Each of these thousands of sensors generates small data amounts for too little cost or complexity for a broadband-grade 5G data pipe. When aggregated in properly dimensioned clusters, the resulting bandwidth can align with 5G mobile broadband bandwidth. 5G is an excellent solution to aggregate and backhaul this information.

We can expect 5G 3GPP Release (Rel) 17 to empower massive IoT in three to five years. Rel 17 will enable developers to leverage the standard for low-power devices operating on the 5G New Radio (NR) radio access network (RAN). When this happens, data aggregation over short-range radio technologies can be mitigated since low-cost, low-power sensors can operate on low-power 5G NR modems.

Over the next five to 10 years, lower LTE categories (i.e., NB-IoT and LTE-M ) will play a leading role in connectivity options for remote agricultural sensors. As the technology evolves, power needs and costs will drop, enabling new designs and concepts for remote agricultural sensors. As 5G standards develop, the end-to-end ability to bridge technologies will become more seamless.

Use Cases of 5G for Farming and Agriculture

Here are some potential present and future 5G use cases in smart farming technology:

Data Aggregation

5G technology holds great promise for centralized data aggregation in large farming operations. A sizable corporate farm could build a private 5G network to aggregate data from micro-monitored crop management systems. These systems include soil moisture sensor density, possibly hundreds of times denser than what available technologies support. This network can enable a more efficient real-time monitoring system with triggers for throttling irrigation and other crop support systems.

Predictive Analytics

As 5G technology enables data aggregation, large industrial farms can better incorporate predictive analytics. Considering past and present data on conditions (e.g., soil moisture and pesticide use), analytics software creates models and predictions to help farmers make decisions. As 5G enables denser real-time data, analytics will become more precise, maximizing farm production and efficiency.

Discover how Clover leverages Telit’s solutions for data aggregation and predictive analytics

Drone Operations

More farmers are using drones to monitor their crops. Drones are less costly than driving tractors through fields and provide more targeted information about crop damage and other variables. As a high-bandwidth technology, 5G will enable drones to collect higher-quality video data and convey it faster. This high-speed data transmission capability will enable AI drone technology development and real-time reports.

Animal Tracking and Monitoring

Until Rel 17 increases feasibility for 5G low-power and denser sensor networks,  animal monitoring  sensors will likely stay connected via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or LTE LPWAN. One exception is in large centralized farms where 5G infrastructure can be built over a small area (e.g., a chicken farm) and track individual animals. Ag-tech developers have created herd management sensors, including smart collars and ear tags, to track an animal’s location and health.

Autonomous Agricultural Vehicles

Developing autonomous vehicle technology in other sectors will translate to farm implements. Already, tractors with onboard computers allow operators to control minute farming task details (e.g., the distance between seed rows and pressure exerted on them as they’re planted in the ground). Driverless farm equipment will improve to provide more flexibility and efficiency for farmers and save on labor costs.

Trucks for crop transportation can reap IoT sensor benefits as well. These sensors can track cargo temperature and send alerts if it becomes too warm or cold (i.e., cold chain). Small mobile sensors such as asset trackers will likely continue to use high-latency technologies like LPWAN. 5G will enable autonomous vehicles with more powerful onboard computers to send and receive larger, ultralow-latency data streams, including video.

Weather Stations

Farming operations are at the weather’s mercy. Farmers can lose large crop portions to preventable diseases and damage. Connected weather stations in the field can solve this dilemma, providing farmers with field condition data.

One example is the InField monitoring system, developed by AMA Instruments . InField measures soil humidity and texture, air temperature, wind speed, and sun exposure. Deployed in remote fields, weather stations will likely continue to utilize LPWAN connectivity for the immediate future. They will benefit from 5G, as it will create more data-dense observation and edge computing.

Learn how AMA Instruments leverages cellular connectivity to maximize farming yields

As the cellular-connected world transitions to 5G, smart farming will continue to expand. Data and predictive analytics will enable farmers to make choices yielding more productivity and efficiency. The global results will be sustainable farming practices equipped to feed growing populations.

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A case study on automation in mining

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Key insights

The Boliden Aitik mine use case reduces costs by 1 percentage point through the application of automation, with communications being the key enabler. Carrying out drilling and blasting using automation shows an annual EUR 2.5 million net saving for the Aitik mine alone.

Although not the only option available, mobile communications fit the bill perfectly as a solution for mining and offer a major business opportunity.

As the telecommunications industry adapts its offering to specific industry needs and develops engagement models for the delivery of mission-critical infrastructure, the opportunity to add more value arises. 5G technology will deliver a significant improvement in functionality.

For telecom service providers, the next steps are to package an easy-to-buy, off the-shelf commercial solution; build a delivery organization that responds to very strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs); and gain market awareness of customers' deployment challenges and ecosystem properties.

The next generation of mining

Image source: Boliden

The mining industry is a hotbed of global economic activity, with revenues in excess of USD 500 billion.[1] To move millions of metric tons of rocks on giant machines requires minute precision, and any disturbance in the finely tuned flow of materials can have major consequences for the mine's operations.

Improving profitability in the mining industry requires working relentlessly on efficiency, transport and metal extraction to optimize the flow of ore. However, incremental improvements are facing diminishing returns, and the industry is gradually turning its attention toward automation as the next area of opportunity. 

One prerequisite for automation is the introduction of better connectivity in general, including mobile connectivity, in the mines. In recent years mobile connectivity has been proven robust enough to deploy in the harsh mining environment without causing disturbances in ore production. Boliden is one of the most successful mining companies in the world, with strong productivity and stock market performance. It has eight mines, and one of them, Aitik, located in the north of Sweden, is the largest open pit in Europe. With a number of partners, including Ericsson, Boliden has taken part in a research project to co-create the mine of the future. 

In this case study, we explore the role of automation in the mining industry and uncover the business value of using 4G and 5G technology in the mine, in terms of both economics and sustainability. 

[1] Combined revenue from the 40 largest companies

Putting 5G to the test

Boliden has achieved major productivity improvements by implementing automation. this use case demonstrates the significant growth opportunity for both the mining industry and mobile telecom service providers..

The opportunity

Key features and benefits of mobile communications in the mine are coverage, reliability, low latency, better accuracy in positioning, high bandwidth, and the ability to run many devices, sensors or remotely controlled machines. When mobile communication coverage is offered, the mining industry will be one of the areas ripe for innovation through the development of mobile network-dependent applications. 

The challenge

Aitik is an expanding mine. To get to the copper ore, lots of rock must be removed, and every year an increasing amount of rock is moved around in the system. Depending on where the ore is, the ratio of rock to ore varies; on average there is about 1 metric ton of rock removed for every 1 metric ton of ore.

Aitik's current annual production of 36 million metric tons of ore is to be increased to 45 million metric tons, and the rock removed will increase by just as much, if not more. However, given that a mine is a busy place, it is not a straightforward task to increase the number of huge machines required for rock removal, and maintaining the same equipment utilization only adds to the challenge. In addition, every blast creates toxic gases that need to dissipate before humans can enter the area and begin excavation. 

The solution 

Automated and remotely controlled machines provide a solution. Automated drill rigs (known as "Pit Vipers") can movefrom one drill hole to the next along a predefined path and perform repetitive tasks autonomously, in contrast to having a drill rig operator on site carrying them out manually.[2] If the task or movement is not predefined, the drill rig is equipped with cameras that enable an operator to control it remotely. Much of the time autonomy is sufficient; however, sometimes only humans can make a proper assessment (for example, during evaluation of rock conditions), and remote or even local assessment is then required. 

Five drill rigs at Aitik have been retrofitted with autonomous operation and remote-control features. As the current connection bandwidth only allows for medium-quality video streaming, which limits the remote-control capability, this retrofit is limited. A couple of cameras, a control system upgrade for the older rigs and a communication module have been added. 

Automating a drill rig could increase operating hours from 5,000 to 7,000 hours per year, in effect enabling Boliden to perform the same amount of blast operations with these 5 modified rigs as they could with 7 or more traditional rigs. This automation also eliminates the need for additional staff, service stations, parking areas, transport on busy access roads and dangerous staff transportation within the mine. As well as solving these logistical challenges, automation carries significant efficiency benefits, as Boliden can handle an increased number of blasts with similar equipment and staffing levels.

7,000 hours per year

7,000 hours per year of drill rig operation could be achieved through automation, an increase of 2,000 hours or 40 percent.

[2] 30m-high machines that drill 17m-deep holes in the rock, 50cm in diameter, which are filled with explosives. A hole blows 8x10x17 cubic meters of rock to pieces for subsequent transportation for further processing. Every blast is guarded with the highest amount of safety, and after the blast, dangerous fumes need to evaporate, and the site needs to be secured before any staff can start excavation work

Enabled by communications

For fully autonomous, remotely controlled equipment, high-performance communications are needed. 

The communication system used in mining today can handle simple, repetitive tasks in automation, such as drilling holes to certain specifications. The current technology being used for this in the mining industry is Wi-Fi, which is providing acceptable coverage and performance through careful rearrangement, pointing and dedication of Wi-Fi access points. 

Boliden has installed such a Wi-Fi communication system to enable the use of drill rigs in Aitik. Although it has delivered a new level of productivity, the experience has not been flawless. Wi-Fi is not designed for the wide area outdoor coverage required by an open-pit mine like Aitik, and this solution also severely limits the addition of other automated machines.

It has been possible for drill rig connectivity to work as planned with Wi-Fi – bandwidth performance and latency have been manageable. Concerns around stability and the use of unlicensed/ unprotected radio spectrum, including a recurring drop in Wi-Fi performance due to external spectrum conflicts, have been addressed through modification of the machine control system in a patchwork solution. By modifying the logic of the control circuit, automated emergency stops could be avoided. At the time of writing, the drill rigs are being commissioned for autonomous operations. A 4G mobile communication system would offer a secure, flexible and future-proof solution for Boliden. = However, while 4G can support the current identified use case, only 5G can comfortably handle the most demanding requirements – bandwidth, quality of service, latency and positioning. 

With high-performance communications, a whole range of safety and efficiency measures become available to the mine. While some applications only need to send minor amounts of data, others (such as fully remote-controlled machines) need the capabilities and capacity offered through mobile communications such as 4G and especially 5G. However, the mining industry in general and Boliden in particular do not want to stop their automation activities here. There are many more planned steps, such as complex drilling, automated trucks and automated planning and dispatch, where high-performance communications (for example, 4G and 5G) will be required to handle several 3D video streams and manage highly complex tasks remotely. 

Mobile communications provide the edge

For autonomous operations, Boliden's communication system needs the ability to: 

• Enable fully remote monitoring, involving very high bandwidth and low latency requirements
• Potentially carry many other autonomous and remotely controlled machines, of different brands and with different control systems
• Handle an ever-changing production environment and geography
• Maintain broad coverage for all corners of the mine where machinery or staff could potentially be located
• Track and coordinate mobile equipment fleets and many sensors and other devices within one communications network

A 4G mobile communication system would offer a secure, flexible and future proof solution for Boliden. However, while 4G can support the current identified use case, only 5G can comfortably handle the most demanding requirements – bandwidth, quality of service, latency and positioning. 

With high-performance communications, a whole range of safety and efficiency measures become available to the mine. While some applications only need to send minor amounts of data, others (such as fully remote controlled machines) need the capabilities and capacity offered through mobile communications such as 4G and especially 5G.

Unveiling the value

By enabling automation, mobile communications present economic and sustainability value. the boliden drill rig case is merely a taste of what is to come; the fully automated mine would multiply these benefits, as utilization levels of machinery like drill rigs and dump haulers break through previously unimaginable limits..

The economic value

Automation has meant significantly lower costs for Boliden, saving approximately 1 percent of Aitik's total annual costs. Carrying out drilling and blasting using automation enabled by mobile connectivity, rather than buying 2 more drill rigs, shows an annual EUR 2.5 million net saving for the Aitik mine alone. 

Boliden believes that significant gains in productivity, quality and safety are attainable through the automation of more machinery, primarily trucks and excavators (see Figure 1). 

The sustainability value  

The next step in the rollout of automation is automated trucks, which account for approximately 95 percent of Aitik's fuel consumption. By increasing efficiency in this area, huge benefits can be reaped. Fully automated/remotely controlled trucks drive more efficiently, eliminating unnecessary breaks. 

Smoother transport flow, steadier speed and less movement mean lower fuel consumption, and we estimate this saving potential to be in the range of 10 percent. Such an efficiency improvement would reduce Aitik's annual emissions by approximately 9,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide.3 Another advantage from a sustainability perspective comes from the reduced number of rigs and machinery, as impacts related to the production of these are lessened.

9,400 metric tons

An estimated 10 percent saving in fuel consumption corresponds to a reduction of 9,400 metric tons of CO2 emissions at Aitik.

[3] Calculations and assumptions are described in more detail in Ericsson's sustainability appendix (document number 1/GFTB-18:001328 Uen)

A mobile telecom service provider opportunity there for the taking

In addition to the current subscription market, the opportunity in industrial applications such as mining could generate up to 36 percent of additional telecom service provider revenues by 2026.[4] For that potential to materialize, several challenges need to be overcome:

• The market is developing fast: Many communications technologies are vying to cater to industrial needs. Wi-Fi is already available and, in several mines, in service for certain types of less demanding use cases; the industry has decades of experience engaging with enterprise customers and acting on market changes. Although Wi-Fi cannot currently deliver everything 5G promises, that does not mean it will stay this way forever
• Engagement with customers is required: Understanding how to engage with industrial customers in their core operations might be the greatest challenge. Critical operations have traditionally been controlled in house, to avoid relying on suppliers to fix serious faults that halt production, so telecom service providers need to create trust and deliver certainty to customers
• Delivery models are changing from collective network performance to specific device performance: Telecom service providers need to deal with zero-fault tolerance for each individual customer and sometimes each device. The implications for a telecom service provider's current way of working will be significant, if not transformative. Though today's mobile communications solutions can already serve the majority of current use cases, 5G will enable the most demanding remotely controlled applications.  For telecom service providers, gaining a foothold in the industry segment will mean adapting to customers who are new to mobile communications and have specific demands. Customers will seek local solutions to data integrity, reliability of independent mobile coverage, security and superior performance (for example, in latency). Telecom service providers will need to meet strict and demanding SLAs, sometimes on a per-device basis.   There are many potential business models, but a connectivity-as-a service model would be a logical choice, given the high reliability, large-scale paradigm and relative complexity of mobile communications. There is likely to be demand for other models, not least because Wi-Fi has educated customers in the ability to buy a system and operate it themselves. Licensed spectrum is a competitive advantage and one that should not be underestimated.   For telecom service providers, the tangible benefits of bringing 5G to mining are attainable today.

In order to address the large business opportunity telecom service providers need to:

• Package an easy-to-buy, off-the-shelf commercial solution
• Build a delivery organization that responds to very strict SLAs
• Gain market awareness of the deployment challenges and ecosystem properties affecting customers

 [4] Ericsson, The 5G business potential – Industry digitalization and the untapped opportunity for operators, 2017

Methodology and assumptions

This case study is part of an Ericsson 5G for Industries series, in which we look more closely at the actual business values associated with introducing mobile connectivity.

Information, if not otherwise stated, is based on discussions and interviews with Boliden carried out as part of a study conducted in January March 2018. Generally, the assumptions in this report are based on estimated typical values emerging from these discussions. For the business value calculations, these assumptions are likely to be on the conservative side.

Ericsson's industry collaborations  

Ericsson is proud to work with multiple industries on 5G use cases to ensure we develop the right technology for real-world applications, and to help industries understand how 5G can accelerate innovation. Today we are collaborating with 22 industry partners to define the use cases for 5G technology. 

In March 2015 we launched 5G for Sweden, a research and development program with industry and academic partners including Volvo, Boliden, SICS, Scania, Saab and SKF. The program applies telecoms technology in industrial processes, products and services. One pilot project has used 5G technology for communication and remote-control operations to find productivity and safety solutions in the Swedish mining industry, an industry traditionally considered to have a hazardous operational environment. The program has also established strategic partnerships with the main technical universities in Sweden, as well as a close cooperation with Swedish government and Vinnova, the Swedish innovation agency. 

In September 2015 we announced 5G for Europe, a program to deliver research, innovation and industrial pilots enabled by 5G. Industries forming part of this project include transport and automotive, manufacturing, and energy and utilities. The 5G for Europe program spans 7 countries and 10 institutions. 

In February 2017 Ericsson and Intel launched the 5G Innovators Initiative (5GI2) in the US. 5GI2 will connect equipment manufacturers, technology companies, industry leaders and universities to test 5G network and distributed edge technologies, with the aim to accelerate the adoption of 5G wireless and infrastructure innovation. Honeywell, General Electric and the University of California, Berkeley are the first participants to join the initiative.

About Consumer & IndustryLab

Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab delivers world-class research, strategic design concepts and insights for innovation and sustainable business development. We explore the future of consumers, industries and a sustainable society in regards to connectivity by using scientific methods to provide unique insights on markets, industries and consumer trends. Our knowledge is gained in global consumer and industry research programs, including collaborations with renowned industry organizations and world-leading universities. Our research programs cover interviews with over 100,000 individuals each year, in more than 40 countries – statistically representing the views of 1.1 billion people.

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The population health effects from 5G: Controlling the narrative

Introduction.

The development and implementation of the fifth-generation wireless technology (5G) are currently ongoing and have largely been met with enthusiasm from the telecommunication industry, applications industries, national governments, and the public. However, 5G has also been met with resistance from anti-5G campaigning organizations supported by pockets of the general public. Concerns relate to the perception that 5G might increase total exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation, with further concerns around the fact that in addition to the frequency bands used in 3G and 4G, 5G will (and in some places already does) also use frequencies of >6 GHz including a new ~ 30–300 GHz “high band” with wavelengths from 10 to 1 mm [millimeter waves (MMWs)] ( 1 ). Further concerns relate to the use of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technologies and beamforming, and to the implications on infrastructure as 5G requires many additional new small cells. A cursory read of popular and social media provides interesting reading and illustrates how different interpretations of the same information can result in widely varying interpretations, not least compounded by 5G-related conspiracy theories ( 2 ). Competing narratives around 5G are also described around geopolitical debates ( 3 ). Ideally, the peer-reviewed evidence synthesis literature should be free of these and other non-scientific influences, but in practice, this is rarely, if ever, the case. To explore the narrative that formed the basis for the evaluation of health risks in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, the publications on the topic published during the first critical period of discussion are briefly reviewed and discussed.

PubMed, Ovid Medline, and Web of Science databases of peer-reviewed literature were searched for reviews, commentaries, and opinion articles related to 5G and health. Inclusion was limited to these publications as these provide overviews of the evidence and/or initiate, drive, or direct the scientific debate, and primary research studies were excluded. Only publications in English language were included, and an a priori cutoff of the first 3 years from the first publication was assumed to describe the initiation and direction of the debate. Included articles were ranked based on the month and year of online publication (often “ahead of print”) to provide a chronological timeline of when information would have become available. Articles were assigned as “industry” or “activism” depending on whether the articles report links between the authors and either industry or campaigning organizations related to 5G in particular or mobile phones more broadly, or as “independent” otherwise. In case no such links were reported, a basic internet search was performed to identify unreported links.

An overview of the 15 articles included in this review is provided in Table 1 . The set of articles covered the period of 2018–2021, thus providing an overview of the first 3 years of publications on 5G and health.

Overview of included publications.

The first review was published in February 2018 by Di Ciaula ( 4 ) and was based on a systematic search of epidemiological, in vivo , and in vitro studies identified in the PubMed database. Di Ciaula reported no funding or conflict of interest (CoI), but an internet search identified membership of the International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE), which published a 5G appeal for a moratorium on the development of 5G ( https://www.isde.org/5G_appeal.pdf ). Di Ciaula discussed the evidence for cancer, reproductive effects, neurologic effects, and microbiological effects and specifically addressed evidence in relation to MMWs. No formal assessment of the quality of the studies was included, and the author concluded that “[the evidence] clearly point to the existence of multi-level interactions between high-frequency EMF and biological systems, and to the possibility of oncologic and non-oncologic (mainly reproductive, metabolic, neurologic, microbiologic) effects” and further raises concerns regarding the increased susceptibility of children. The main aim of the review was to provide the rationale to invoke the precautionary principle, which is mentioned both in the Conclusion section and Abstract.

Russell published a similar review in April 2018 ( 5 ). Despite being the Executive Director of Physicians for Safe Technology, the author reported no affiliation, funding, or CoI. Russell does acknowledge support from Smernoff and Moskowitz; an internet search identifies the latter as being on the Advisory Board of Physicians for Safe Technology as well as being an advisor to the International EMF Scientist Appeal (and its spokesperson for the United States). The review reported effects on cancer, dermal effects, ocular effects, effects on reproduction and neurology, microbiological effects, and effects on the immune system. It further reports specific effects from MMWs, electrohypersensitivity [or, more accurately, idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF)], and effects on children, and discusses how industry bias has obscured these facts. Scientific uncertainty is only mentioned in passing and is largely attributed to industry distortion. Russell concludes that “current radiofrequency radiation wavelengths we are exposed to appear to act as a toxin to biological systems” and “although 5G technology may have many unimagined uses and benefits, it is also increasingly clear that significant negative consequences to human health and ecosystems could occur if it is widely adopted.” It further makes specific policy recommendations that “public health regulations need to be updated to match appropriate independent science with the adoption of biologically based exposure standards prior to further deployment of 4G or 5G technology” and that “a moratorium on the deployment of 5G is warranted, along with the development of independent health and environmental advisory boards that include independent scientists who research biological effects and exposure levels of radiofrequency radiation.”

McClelland and Jaboin, who do not seem to have published on the topic of mobile phones and health before, published a commentary in August 2018 ( 6 ). They reported no CoIs, the commentary was supported by a few references to in vivo studies, and the sole aim of the commentary was to bring a 5G moratorium to the attention of the journal's readership.

Miller et al. published their review on August 2019 ( 7 ). The manuscript was initially developed as a Position Statement of the International Network for Epidemiology in Policy (INEP), but after its board voted to abandon its involvement, the authors decided to publish it regardless. They reported affiliations to universities as well as the campaigning organizations the Environmental Health Trust and the Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, but did not, for example, report their involvement in the Physician's Health Initiative for Radiation and Environment (PHIRE) (Miller, Hardell, Davis) and Oceania Radiofrequency Scientific Advisory Association (ORSAA) (Hardell, Morgan, Davis). No information is provided on the methodology of this narrative review, and no quality assessment of included references is conducted, but scientific uncertainty is discussed. Carcinogenic and reproductive effects are reported as a specific susceptibility of children to RF. Particularly in relation to 5G, skin effects, oxidative stress, altered gene expression, immune function, and other biological endpoints are mentioned. The authors make several policy recommendations, but not specifically in relation to 5G.

In September 2019, Simkó and Mattsson published a pragmatic review of in vivo and in vitro evidence for health and biological effects in relation to 6 to 100 GHz frequency range ( 8 ). Both authors were from SciProof International and reported that their review was funded by Deutsche Telekom Technik GmbH. Although described in opaque language, the review seems to be based on a systematic approach to evidence synthesis and includes an assessment of study quality. Scientific uncertainty is discussed in detail, and the authors conclude that “regarding the health effects of 6–100 GHz at power densities not exceeding the exposure guidelines, the studies provide no clear evidence due to contradictory information from the in vivo and in vitro investigations.” They further highlight that “regarding the quality of the presented studies, a few studies fulfill the minimal quality criteria to allow any further conclusions.”

Hardell and Nyberg published a commentary in January 2020 ( 9 ). Both reported university affiliations and reported that neither funding was received for the work nor do they report any CoIs. However, in addition to unreported associations already mentioned above, it has also been documented that Hardell has previously received direct industry funding as well as funding from pressure groups, while he has also acted as an expert witness for the plaintiff in hearings around brain tumors and mobile phones ( 10 ). He is the spokesperson for the International EMF Scientist Appeal for Sweden and also runs a charity, the Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, which accepts direct donations and is heavily involved in appeals. The commentary includes several strong claims, including that “RF radiation may now be classified as a human carcinogen, Group 1” and that “experience with the EU, and the governments of the Nordic countries suggest that the majority of decision-makers are scientifically uninformed on health risks from RF radiation”, and interestingly and without basis that “they [the EU and governments of Nordic countries] seem to be uninterested to being informed by scientists representing the majority of the scientific community.”

In January 2020, there was also the publication of a review of health effects of 5G under real-life conditions by Kostoff et al. ( 11 ). They reported university affiliations and declared that neither external funding was received for the work nor any CoIs. However, an internet search identified that Héroux is the spokesperson for the International EMF Scientists Appeal for Canada. There is no assessment of study quality or scientific uncertainty. They mentioned that industry influence is the cause of the lack of consensus on health effects of mobile phones. The authors claimed that “there is a large body of data from laboratory and epidemiological studies showing that previous and present generations of wireless networking technology have significant adverse health impacts”, and that, with respect to 5G specifically, “superimposing 5G radiation on an already imbedded toxic wireless radiation environment will exacerbate the adverse health effects shown to exist.”

An information statement from the IEEE Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR) was published in relation to health and safety issues concerning the exposure of the general public to electromagnetic energy from 5G wireless communication networks in June 2020 ( 1 ). All authors report industry CoIs. The main focus of the review relates to RF exposures from 5G, but some discussion specifically on potential biological and health effects of MMWs is included. Study quality is discussed in detail, including the varying quality of narrative reviews [including ( 4 )], and research gaps regarding the bioeffects of MMWs are highlighted. The authors refer back to ( 8 ) for a discussion on bioeffects and conclude that “… while we acknowledge gaps in the scientific literature, particularly for exposures at MMW frequencies, the likelihood of yet unknown health hazards at exposure levels within current exposure limits is considered to be very low, if they exist at all.”

Hardell contributed a second commentary in this period, with Carlberg as co-author ( 12 ). In this commentary, they reported the Environmental and Cancer Research Foundation as their affiliation, but declared neither CoI nor any external funding for the work. Also, the authors discussed the involvement of certain experts in various committees related to RF health and safety in the EU and internationally and the influence of industry. In addition, they mentioned effects of RF exposure, including 5G, on cancer, reproduction, and neurology; effects on the immune system; and microbiological effects, and also mentioned the susceptibility of children to RF. The claim that “the IARC Category should be upgraded from Group 2B to Group 1, a human carcinogen” is re-iterated, referencing Hardell's earlier contribution as the basis for this claim ( 9 ). Hardell and Carlberg highlighted the appeal for a 5G moratorium sent to the EU in 2017.

Leszczynski published a review on the physiological effects of MMWs on the skin and skin cells in August 2020 ( 13 ). He reports a university affiliation, neither external funding for the work nor CoI. Leszczynski conducted a systematic review of several databases for studies of >6 GHz. The quality and uncertainty of the available evidence are specifically discussed, and he concludes that “this evidence is currently insufficient to claim that any effects have been proven or disproven”. Leszczynski addresses policy and argues that “deployment for industrial use should be the first, but the further broader deployment for the non-industrial use should preferably await for the results of the biomedical research”.

Frank published an essay on 5G and the precautionary principle in January 2021 ( 14 ). He declares neither external funding nor CoI. He is, however, a member of the PHIRE team. Frank has no previous track record in radiation epidemiology, but he has reviewed the evidence and provided support for the work by Miller et al. ( 7 ). He concluded that the precautionary principle should be applied and recommended a moratorium on 5G development.

A team from the Swinburne University of Technology and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) published two studies in March 2021: a comprehensive review of the literature for experimental studies of bioeffects of RF fields between 6 and 300 GHz and a complementary meta-analysis ( 15 , 16 ). The authors reported Australian government and National Health and Medical Research Council funding, but no CoIs. Of relevance is that Karipidis is a member of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICRNIRP). The included studies in these publications were identified in a systematic literature search, and the authors have explicitly discussed study quality. They concluded that many studies have low-quality methods and that experimental data do not provide evidence that low-level MMWs are associated with biological effects relevant to human health.

Jargin published a letter to the editor in March 2021 ( 17 ) in which he has argued that various publications claiming there are health harms related to 5G published by interest groups overestimate any health risks from RF-EMF to hamper the technological advancement of developed nations. He further argued that excessive restrictions would only be unfavorable for the economy and add difficulties to daily life. As such, it advocates a policy recommendation of no action. He has reported neither external funding for the work nor any CoI.

Hardell also contributed a third publication ( 18 ). In this opinion piece/review, Hardell argued that evaluations by the Health Council of the Netherlands, the WHO, ICNIRP, and the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority are not impartial and that a moratorium on the implementation of 5G is urgently required. He has reported both university and foundation affiliations, but has reported neither external funding nor any of the above identified CoI.

This chronological overview of the publications published during the initial critical phase of discussions around 5G and health leads to the interesting observation that publications by authors with links to anti-5G campaigning organizations dominated the early phase in which adverse effects related to 5G were discussed. Over half of the 15 publications had links to such organizations in the initial 3-year period covered here. Such patterns of efforts to control the narrative during critical periods have been studied elsewhere, for example, in the sugar-sweetened beverage research ( 19 ); although in this example, the opposite pattern was observed in which the contribution of industry-related studies was high at the start and decreased significantly with time.

With the increasing contribution from independent and industry-linked authors over the covered time period, the narrative shifts from the exclusive reporting of increased risks of all biological or health effects covered to predominantly descriptions of mixed results and conclusions not supporting increased risks. This difference in the interpretation of the same evidence depending on the affiliation in RF research has been mentioned previously, specifically in relation to the funding source of primary studies ( 20 , 21 ), but the current overview is indicative of a similar pattern in other types of peer-reviewed publications. Reviews from independent and industry-linked authors were systematic-style reviews, rather than narrative reviews, and were of higher methodological quality because they based their inferences on a more systematic approach to the identification of relevant literature and also explicitly included some forms of assessment of the quality of these studies. They also had a narrower aim in terms of exposures or health outcomes, which will have facilitated a more systematic approach. There is evidence from various industries, including the telecommunications industry ( 20 , 21 ), of a correlation between industry funding of research and null findings. However, there is much less discussion of its mirror image: the phenomenon that independently funded studies may be biased if the authors have strong a priori beliefs about the question under study. This “white hat bias” is observable in the literature as selective referencing and the acceptance of a lower standard of scientific evidence for studies supporting the authors' beliefs ( 22 ), and was first explored in obesity research ( 23 , 24 ). The non-systematic inclusion of references (or “cherry picking”) and lack of explicit assessment of study quality observed in the publications in the current work were most prominent in the narrative reviews by authors with links to campaigning organizations and likely will have resulted in biased inferences. Importantly, since these publications made up most of the earliest publications during the critical window, these inferences will have disproportionally influenced the narrative. Given that all of these articles had the specific aim to influence policy and, in most cases, advocated for a moratorium on 5G, this provides further support for the presence of “white hat bias” influencing the initial peer-reviewed and, through that, lay literature.

Given the observed differences between publications by authors with links to campaigning organizations and those with industry-linked or independent authors, the reporting of CoI becomes more important. Direct industry funding and other financial CoIs are generally considered the main sources of potential bias, and these were reported by the publications with links to industry (either as a CoI or as a funding source) and by one of the papers with links to activism. However, no other financial CoIs were reported; for example, it is recorded that Hardell, who has contributed three publications in this critical time period, has previously received direct industry funding as well as funding from pressure groups, while he has also acted as an expert witness for the plaintiff in hearings around brain tumors and mobile phones ( 10 ). Importantly, industry and other financial CoIs are not the only potential source of CoI bias ( 25 ), and a variety of non-financial CoIs have been described, for instance, originating from particular concerns, ideals, and predilections ( 26 ). Membership of campaigning organizations or their advisory or expert boards would, presumably, constitute such non-financial CoIs and, therefore, should have been reported. Despite internet searches by the authors identifying quite a number of such CoIs, only a few of these were reported by the authors (or could be inferred from affiliations). Likewise, the membership of national or international expert organizations constitutes non-financial CoIs that ideally should have been reported, and Karipidis' membership of ICNIRP is relevant in the context of these publications.

Although the discussed timeline of publications highlights some interesting trends and areas of concern, this work has a number of limitations. Although the selected manuscripts were identified through a systematic search, it was not a systematic review of the literature, and publications that did not specifically mention 5G in the title, abstract, or keywords might have been missed. Furthermore, the search was also limited to publications in English language. Although the wider debate about health effects of 5G is much larger and also includes gray literature, popular, and social media, these were not included in this overview. It would be an interesting future exercise to evaluate similar trends in these media. Although several non-reported CoIs were identified, these were identified following cursory internet searches only and do not constitute an exhaustive list. It is likely that a more thorough systematic search would reveal additional links not reported here. It is also possible that some such CoIs did not exist yet at the time of publication.

In conclusion, the discussion around 5G as a significant human health risk in the peer-reviewed literature was initially largely driven by authors from, or with links to, various campaigning organizations and linked publications directly to appeals for a moratorium on 5G. Commentaries and letters are personal opinions and are rarely based upon a methodological appraisal of the evidence, but the narrative of the initial period covered in the current review, relied mostly on reviews of lower methodological quality compared, with the subsequently published reviews by independent researchers and researchers with links to industry. It is likely that articles in the popular media, therefore, were influenced more heavily by the initial advocacy publications than by the later higher quality contributions. Importantly, there is no clear answer (yet) whether the resulting narrative from the peer-reviewed literature describes an overestimation of risks as a result of articles with links to campaigning organizations, or whether later contributions from authors with links to industry, and possibly most independent authors, at the latter stages of the critical window describe an underestimation of true causal associations, or whether their combined evaluation will inform future evidence synthesis closer to “the truth”. It is, however, well established that not including explicit evaluation of the quality of studies included in evidence synthesis, and which was most evident in publications classified as “activism”, makes such reviews more susceptible to biased inferences. In addition to issues related to controlling the narrative and the impact of “white hat bias”, the current work further describes undisclosed non-financial CoIs that are likely to have influenced the interpretation of evidence. This was also observed particularly for those publications associated with campaigning organizations. The narrative around 5G and potential human health effects should be interpreted through this lens, in particular because many of the authors with links to various campaigning organizations in this article (Hardell, Héroux, Miller, and Moskowitz) as well as others who published works after the covered period have recently joined up formally in a new advocacy group ICBE-EMF ( 27 ).

Author contributions

FdV conceived of the study and wrote the first version of the manuscript. FdV and PA conducted the analyses. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Tabitha Pring, whose MSc dissertation partly informed the current work.

Conflict of interest

FdV is a member of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment COMARE, IRPA NIR Task Group, SRP EMFOR, and EMF Group of the Health Council of the Netherlands. FdV consulted for EPRI not directly related to this work. The remaining author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Press release

Ey study: companies are increasingly investing in 5g technology. europe leads the way.

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• 85% of survey respondents say the global health crisis is driving 5G interest
• 56% to invest in 5G within three years, but confidence on implementation stalls
• Pressure on traditional models: 77% drawn to private networks to support 5G implementation

The third edition of the EY Reimagining Industry Futures Study reveals that enterprises are looking to 5G to help alleviate immediate business pressures brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and related global events. Forty-nine percent of respondents are prioritizing process optimization as a key application, compared with 28% who favor advanced 5G use cases featuring virtual or augmented reality. The findings indicate enterprises are now focused on bolstering business resilience, meeting corporate priorities and responding to stakeholder demands.

A range of external factors underpin this trend. Eighty-five percent of respondents say the impact of the global health crisis is driving their interest in 5G, up from 52% in last year’s study. Eighty percent say supply chain disruption has galvanized their 5G pursuit, while 71% cite the focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. However, there is some way to go in realizing these ambitions: 37% are concerned that 5G and internet of things (IoT) vendors’ current use cases do not meet their business resilience and continuity needs, and 47% do not think their sustainability goals are met by today’s use cases.

It is fundamental to the wider acceptance of 5G investments to clarify the converge between technology, ecosystem of players, devices and services that could be offered. Technology maturity, financial viability of planned investments, technology and business skills to design and operate, manufacturing capacity and supply chain availability are all aspects to consider in the near future.

Europe leads 5G investment, but global confidence stalls

5G leads all other emerging technologies tracked in the study in terms of future spending intentions, with 56% of enterprise respondents planning to invest within three years. Current and future spending intentions for 5G over this period are highest in Europe (up 5% to 76%), in contrast to last year when Europe lagged other regions. However, the findings caution that investment should not be taken for granted, with intentions falling by 8% year-on-year to 70% in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

This caution is indicative not only of a more defensive approach toward 5G, but of stalling confidence generally, with only 24% of enterprise respondents stating that they are very confident they can successfully implement 5G (down by 1% year-on-year). This is compounded by enterprises’ poor understanding of 5G’s relationship to other emerging technologies, now cited as the biggest internal challenge to 5G perception – up from fifth position in last year’s ranking.

There are still fundamental anxieties around how 5G works alongside other emerging technologies. 5G providers should take this on board and adapt their customer discussions accordingly. By educating enterprises on how 5G can be harnessed by other emerging technologies, service providers can boost enterprise confidence in their 5G deployments.

Growing appeal of private networks as telcos battle credibility gap

The study further finds that enterprises are becoming increasingly receptive to 5G solutions delivered through disruptive business models. Seventy-seven percent of enterprise respondents are interested in using private networks to support the implementation of 5G and IoT use cases, and 71% are interested in buying 5G through an intermediary rather than directly from a telco.

Meanwhile telcos face a significant credibility gap with regards their perception as digital transformation experts, with only 19% of enterprises considering them as such (unchanged from last year’s study findings). Conversely, 30% trust network equipment vendors as favored digital transformation experts – up from 19% last year.

Disruptive customer signals suggest that telcos’ traditional relationships with enterprise customers are under pressure and more agile go-to-market strategies are essential in a 5G-IoT world. Telcos should take steps now to help ensure that they can meet enterprise demand for private network deployments.

Ecosystem collaboration continues to be central to the enterprise growth agenda

Sixty-nine percent of respondents state that they already collaborate with other organizations as part of a business ecosystem – unchanged from last year’s study. However, the findings indicate that businesses are being bolder in their approach to partnerships, with 36% seeking vertical partnerships with companies in other sectors (up from 24% last year), and 73% are prioritizing suppliers that can offer ecosystem relationships as part of their 5G capabilities.

At MWC Barcelona 2022, the EY organization will be exploring how connecting industry ecosystems can help support technology-based transformation, build resilience and create long-term value. Find out more at ey.com/en_gl/mwc .

About EY Romania

EY is one of the world's leading professional services firms with 312,250 employees in more than 700 offices across 150 countries, and revenues of approx. $40 billion in the financial year that ended on 30 June 2021. Our network is the most integrated worldwide, and its resources help us provide our clients with services allowing them to take advantage of opportunities anywhere in the world. With a presence in Romania ever since 1992, EY is the leading company on the market of professional services. Our more than 800 employees in Romania and Moldova provide integrated services in assurance, tax, strategy and transactions, and consulting to clients ranging from multinationals to local companies.

Our offices are based in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Iasi and Chisinau. In 2014, EY Romania joined the only global competition dedicated to entrepreneurship, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. The winner of the national award represents Romania at the world final taking place every year in June, at Monte Carlo. The title of World Entrepreneur Of The Year is awarded in the world final. For more information, please visit: www.ey.com

About the survey

The third EY Reimagining Industry Futures Study is based on an online survey of 5G and internet of things (IoT) perceptions among 1,018 enterprises worldwide conducted between November and December 2021. Respondents were drawn from multiple industry verticals and geographies, with only the responses from those who self-selected as “moderately knowledgeable” or above about IoT or 5G initiatives within their organizations included in the results.

The survey explored executives’ attitudes and intentions toward emerging technologies, with a specific focus on IoT and 5G-based IoT. Themes examined include emerging technology spending intentions and Industry 4.0 use cases delivered by 5G, as well as business’ attitudes to suppliers and collaborative ecosystems. Building on the survey results, this report provides additional insights and recommendations based on enterprises’ usage of 5G-IoT and their evolving relationships with 5G-IoT providers.

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Study: Global 5G Connections Reach Nearly Two Billion

With 185M new 5G connections in Q1 2024, they are projected to hit 7.7B in 2028

BELLEVUE, Wash. —The 5G industry continues to see strong growth according to new data from 5G Americas and Omdia that shows 185 million 5G connections were added in Q1 2024, pushing the global total to nearly two billion. 

5G Americas and Omdia project that 5G connections will hit 7.7 billion by 2028.

“5G keeps accelerating as the increasing number of operators offering the technology continue to expand the population coverage of their networks in urban and suburban areas. While 4G continue its expanding presence in rural and remote areas helping governments fulfill their national connectivity goals,” said Jose Otero, vice president of Latin America and the Caribbean for 5G Americas, an industry trade group.

“The wireless technology sector continues to demonstrate its strength and significance through rapid adoption and sustained robust growth globally,” added Chris Pearson, president of 5G Americas. “North America remains at the forefront of 5G implementation.”

The new data shows that North America leads the charge in 5G adoption, with 5G connections in the region comprising 32% of all wireless cellular connections. Notably, the region experienced healthy growth in the first quarter, adding 22 million new connections to operator networks. In the first quarter of 2024, North American 5G connections totaled 220 million.

Last quarter, Latin America also witnessed solid growth in 4G LTE and 5G connections, adding eight million new LTE connections for a total of 591 million across the region, the researchers said. Additionally, the region continues to embrace the 5G revolution with nine million new 5G connections added to reach a total of 48 million 5G connections. 4G LTE subscriptions continue to remain strong throughout the region, even as the availability of 5G handsets and spectrum continue to grow. 

Looking ahead, Omdia forecasts paint a picture of the telecommunications landscape we can expect to see throughout this decade. Global 5G connections are projected to reach 7.7 billion by 2028, with North America forecast to boast an impressive 700 million 5G connections by the same year.

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“North America is swiftly moving to a region of essentially only LTE and 5G, with most operators having closed their legacy networks already,” explained Omdia principal analyst Kristin Paulin. “On top of that, vast 5G coverage and devices at a range of price points helps drive 5G adoption. IoT is also expected to have more of a role in driving 5G adoption later in the forecast.”

The researchers added that the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem will continue to remain a fundamental component of the digital revolution. Currently, global IoT subscriptions stand at 3.3 billion, complemented by 6.7 billion smartphone subscriptions. Forecasts suggest that IoT subscriptions will reach 5 billion, while smartphone subscriptions will surge to 8 billion by 2028, highlighting the evolving nature of connectivity and the interconnectedness of our digital world.

Globally, the number of deployed 5G networks have exceeded the pace of 4G LTE network deployments at the equivalent time in the technology cycle, the study also found. There are nearly as many 5G North American deployments as 4G LTE networks. Currently, there are 316 commercial 5G networks worldwide, a number that is expected to grow alongside continued significant investments in 5G infrastructure worldwide. Visit www.5GAmericas.org for more information, statistical charts, and a list of LTE and 5G deployments by operator and region. 

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech . He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable , Multichannel News and TV Tech . Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen , and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.

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Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions

Affiliations.

• 1 Research Affiliate, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia, United States. Electronic address: [email protected].
• 2 Toxicology and Health Effects of Electromagnetism, McGill University, Canada.
• 3 Molecular Pharmacology, Einstein Center of Toxicology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, United States.
• 4 Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Department of Analytical, Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Sechenov University, 119991 Moscow, Russia. Electronic address: [email protected].
• PMID: 31991167
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.01.020

This article identifies adverse effects of non-ionizing non-visible radiation (hereafter called wireless radiation) reported in the premier biomedical literature. It emphasizes that most of the laboratory experiments conducted to date are not designed to identify the more severe adverse effects reflective of the real-life operating environment in which wireless radiation systems operate. Many experiments do not include pulsing and modulation of the carrier signal. The vast majority do not account for synergistic adverse effects of other toxic stimuli (such as chemical and biological) acting in concert with the wireless radiation. This article also presents evidence that the nascent 5G mobile networking technology will affect not only the skin and eyes, as commonly believed, but will have adverse systemic effects as well.

Keywords: 5G; Adverse health effects; Combined effects; Electromagnetic fields; Mobile networking technology; Non-ionizing radiation; Real-life simulation; Synergistic effects; Systemic effects; Toxic stimuli combinations; Toxicology; Wireless radiation.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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T-Mobile Celebrates 5G Trailblazers

June 25, 2024    

T-Mobile for Business recognized groundbreaking 5G technology applications with the Unconventional Awards, highlighting industry disruptors and innovative uses across various sectors.

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Machine Learning for 5G Technology, a Case Study

Identifying signal modulation types using deep convolutional neural networks.

Encora Technology Practices

A Quick Intro to 5G

As we all expected, the 5th generation of the mobile network standard (5G, defined by the 3GPP ) provides much faster data rates than previous generations. However, 5G brings much more than that. Developed as an SBA (Service-Based-Architecture) and defining an NG-RAN (Next Generation — Radio Access Network), the new 5G standard is indeed faster (100x compared to 4G), addresses extremely low-latency scenarios (few milliseconds), and supports thousands of user connections in the same cell range.

But how is it possible? With lots of research, effort, smart people, and investment from great minds and companies.

Technologies have been created or enhanced to make the three primary use cases possible — eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband), mMTC (massive machine type of communications), and URLLC (Ultra-reliable and low latency communications). Moreover, recent advances on CUPS (Control and User Plane Separation), Edge Computing, and use of millimeter waves (which seemed unfeasible a few years ago), associated with massiveMIMO (Spatial diversity, spatial multiplexing, and beamforming) and Network Slicing were fundamental to achieve the results we can already witness in live scenarios today.

Another important aspect of 5G systems is the possibility to have AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) at pre-defined points on the network. Considering that UE (User Equipment, or Smartphones if you prefer) and 5G core network functions (especially the NWDAF — Network Data Analytics Function) within the SBA already provides computational resources to run ML algorithms, the big news is that, within 5G standardization, it intelligently leverages the usage of MEC (Multi-access Edge Computing) to push Machine Learning to the edge of the Telecom network (O-RAN specified RIC — RAN Intelligent Controller for Non-real-time and Near-real-time ), creating a multitude of possibilities.

In this article, we will look at how the NG-RAN can use an end-to-end deep learning system to recognize and classify modulated RF signals and adjust channel parameters appropriately, so both ends of the communication achieve optimal, effective resource usage.

Modulation Recognition

In telecommunications systems, a common approach to transmitting information is to vary some properties of a periodic waveform (the carrier signal ) with a separate signal called the modulation signal . The modulation signal is what matters here — it contains information to be transmitted. In this context, the modulation process can be thought of as embedding the signal we care about (the modulation signal) onto a higher frequency waveform (the carrier signal) that will carry the information to a desired destination. For example, the modulation signal might be sounds from a microphone, a video signal representing moving images from a camera, or a digital signal representing a sequence of binary digits.

In non-cooperative communication systems, when sending signals, a transmitter may choose any modulation type for a particular signal. The modulation classification is an intermediate process that occurs between signal detection and demodulation at the receiver. To demodulate the received signal, intelligent radio receivers need knowledge of the modulation type to ensure a successful transmission. The problem is that, with no knowledge of the transmitted data, such as the amplitude of the signal, the phase offsets, or the carrier frequency, recognizing the modulation becomes much more challenging. In this context, automatic modulation classification (AMC) is an approach to solve this problem. The idea is to make intelligent receivers able to figure out the signal’s modulation by only observing it, without additional information about the modulation. This “blind” approach to modulation recognition is very efficient because it reduces information overload and increases transmission performance.

With the advances in 5G technology, signal modulation recognition/classification has become a key topic.

In fact, the ability to automatically identify a modulation type of a received signal has many civil and military applications, such as cognitive radio and adaptive communication.

Many algorithms for solving the automatic modulation classification (AMC) task have been proposed in the last two decades. There has been a substantial effort in developing feature-based (FB) methods for modulation classification among such solutions. Feature-based solutions for AMC have two steps: (1) feature extraction and (2) classifier training. The process of extracting features from the signals is fundamental. For instance, previous work has proposed to mine features from the signal’s frequency and phase in the time domain.

After devising some features, we need to train a classifier to perform the task of modulation classification. Here, any classifier can be used, from a simple linear model to non-linear methods such as decision trees and support vector machines. Nevertheless, for FB methods, the performance of the modulation classifier is limited to how good these features can be.

However, with the recent developments of deep neural networks, current approaches employ deep learning models to create modulation classifiers that improve classification performance over classic solutions.

In addition, one of the benefits of training deep learning models for AMC is that we can deploy models that can classify the received signal from the raw data — without a feature extraction module. In other words, deep learning models can learn the most relevant features for the task by themselves, which has been shown to produce much better classifiers. Moreover, operating in the raw signal (instead of using manually crafted features) means that the performance of deep learning models is limited by how much these models can learn patterns from the raw signal.

How to Approach Building a Modulation Classifier

Here, we present our findings from creating a modulation classifier using PyTorch Lightning to build an end-to-end deep learning system capable of recognizing modulation signals. For this task, we used the GNU radio ML RML2016.10a dataset . This synthetic data contains 220000 input examples from a total of 11 (8 digital and 3 analog) modulation schemes at varying signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios. The digital modulations are BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, BFSK, CPFSK, and PAM4, and the analog modulations consist of WB-FM, AM-SSB, and AM-DSB. These 11 modulations are widely used in wireless communications systems.

Since we are most interested in 5G use cases, we are going to discard the 3 analog modulations and work with the 8 following digital modulations: BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, BFSK, CPFSK, and PAM4. Thus, our task is posed as an 8-way classification problem where we need to learn the probability distribution over the 8 modulations (classes) from a complex time-series representation of the received signal. To have an idea, according to the recommendations in the 3GPP R15 protocol , five commonly used 5G modulated signal models are: π/2-BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, and 256QAM.

Model Architecture

Our ConvNet model follows the following architecture. The input signal has a shape of (Batch Size, 1, 2, 128) and is processed by a sequence of convolutions and dense layers. The model has 3 convolutional blocks and one dense block. Each convolutional block contains a 2D convolutional layer followed by ReLU non-linearity, batch normalization, and Dropout. The three convolutional blocks transform the input data into respective feature volumes with channels 64, 128, and 256. We then flatten the output representation, resulting in a feature vector of shape (Batch Size, 10240, 256), and pass it to a dense block containing 256 neurons with ReLU, batch normalization, and Dropout regularization. Finally, a linear layer maps the output representation to a probability distribution over the 8 modulation classes. The deep modulation classifier is trained with Stochastic Gradient Descent optimization. For more details, you can check out our Jupyter notebook.

Since the data is well-balanced across signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and throughout the classes, the classification accuracy score is an acceptable metric to assess our classifier’s performance. To train our deep modulation classifier, we created:

• A training dataset containing nearly 129200 observations.
• A validation set size of 6800.
• A test set with 24000 records.

Each record in the datasets has 128 samples in length. The datasets were stratified so that each subset contains an equal number of observations across different signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) from -10dB to +20dB. Note that the validation dataset is only used for tuning the model hyperparameters (learning rate and dropout probabilities). After finding suitable values for these hyperparameters, we incorporate the validation set into the training data, which gives a training data size of 136000.

After training a relatively light model, we achieved a test accuracy of approximately 62.8% for the 8 modulations. We can see accuracy scores for different modulations in the confusion matrix below. It is clear that, even with a relatively small convolutional neural network (approximately 8.9 Million training parameters), the ConvNet could learn useful features to discriminate between the 8 types of modulations. To have an idea, a classic ConvNet architecture, like the AlexNet, used by previous work for modulation classification, contains 62.3 million training parameters.

If we break down the evaluation protocol across different SNR values, we can see that for low-SNR, the performance of our classifier is significantly low. And in fact, it follows the same finding from research publications such as “Convolutional Radio Modulation Recognition Networks” [1].

You can see a more detailed assessment of our classifier over different SNR values below. Note how the confusion tables for low-SNRs are messy while the confusion matrices for SNR>=-4.0dB are much cleaner indicating higher performance.

Deep learning-based models have a strong case for 5G applications. As discussed in this article, we can build machine learning models using an established architecture such as convolutional neural networks to implement a modulation classifier that can identify many types of modulation schemes at varying signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios by only looking at the raw signal. In this use case, we tackled the problem of classifying 8 different modulations commonly used in 5G technology. We showed that we could learn representations that can tell the modulations apart with reasonable accuracy, even with a relatively light model. In cases of high SNR, our classifier achieves very high accuracy scores.

Acknowledgment

This piece was written by Thalles Silva with the Innovation Team at Daitan. Thanks to João Caleffi, Mario Zimmer and Kathleen McCabe for reviews and insights.

[1] O’Shea, Timothy J., Johnathan Corgan, and T. Charles Clancy. “Convolutional radio modulation recognition networks.” International conference on engineering applications of neural networks . Springer, Cham, 2016.

[2] O’Shea, Timothy J., and Nathan West. “Radio machine learning dataset generation with gnu radio.” Proceedings of the GNU Radio Conference . Vol. 1. №1. 2016.

[3] Zhang, Qing, et al. “Modulation recognition of 5G signals based on AlexNet convolutional neural network.” Journal of Physics: Conference Series . Vol. 1453. №1. IOP Publishing, 2020.

[4] Zhou, Siyang, et al. “A robust modulation classification method using convolutional neural networks.” EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing 2019.1 (2019): 1–15.

[5] Flowers, Bryse, R. Michael Buehrer, and William C. Headley. “Evaluating adversarial evasion attacks in the context of wireless communications.” IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security 15 (2019): 1102–1113.

[6] Usama, Muhammad, et al. “Examining machine learning for 5g and beyond through an adversarial lens.” IEEE Internet Computing 25.2 (2021): 26–34.

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Path to 6G: Envisioning next-gen use cases for 2030 and beyond

A summary of the recent 3gpp sa1 imt-2030 use cases workshop.

Last month, 3GPP held a Stage 1 workshop on IMT-2030 use cases in Rotterdam, Netherlands. A diverse group of vertical organizations and regional research alliances tasked to drive the technology advancement towards 6G were invited to present their views on system design priorities, enabling technologies and target use cases.

We had the honor and opportunity to attend the workshop in person, and for this blog post, let us provide a high-level summary of the 3-day workshop, aligning these fruitful discussions  with our vision of the 6G technology platform . 6G is the next cellular generation building on 5G learning and technology foundation. It will fuel innovations that can enable new and enhanced use cases in the decade to come.

“At Qualcomm, we are building the future, focusing on foundational research that is required to bring 6G to life, and working closely with stakeholders in the entire ecosystem toward a global technology platform.”

Full house at the 3GPP SA1 workshop.

Workshop details

Each day, various vertical and regional organizations presented their views on 6G, focusing on different goals, drivers, capabilities and use cases. Here is an overview of the three-day workshop and key presentations:

• Day 1 (May 8, 2024) : The first day was dedicated to operators and verticals, with an operator panel discussion and presentations from  GSMA  and  NGMN  representing views from global carriers and service providers. The subsequent set of presentations came from different vertical organizations that explore 6G’s potential for their specific industries, including  5GAA  (automotive),  5G-ACIA  (industrial),  5G-MAG  (multimedia),  GSOA  (satellite),  TCCA  (public safety) and  WBA  (WLAN).
• Day 2 (May 9, 2024) :  The second day welcomed presentations from six regional research organizations/alliances, which include  B5GPC  (Japan),  6G Forum  (South Korea),  IMT-2030 Promotion Group  (China),  Bharat 6G Alliance  (India),  6G-SNS  (Europe) and  ATIS Next G Alliance  (North America). These presentations focused on regional priorities, innovations and technology wish lists for 6G.
• Day 3 (May 10, 2024) : The third and last day comprised of presentations from  ITU-R  and  3GPP , on the respective standards development organizations (SDO) plans toward IMT-2030, as well as a final discussion to wrap up the workshop.

Wanshi Chen, 3GPP RAN Chair, on the “ITU & 3GPP synergies for 6G” panel.

6G goals and drivers

The presentations from regional research alliances, vertical organizations and mobile operators highlighted the most exciting opportunities 6G can bring from their perspectives. They focus on how 6G, as a single global standard, can build upon the 5G wireless system foundation to enable societal transformations. At a high-level, here are the key goals and drivers for the 6G innovation platform to achieve in the next decade and beyond:

• Economics growth : 6G is poised to unlock novel revenue streams, and enable a plethora of new devices, services and deployments. Although it may be premature — or even naïve — to quantify its impact at this point of time, 6G is anticipated to be a significant driver of sustained global economic growth, fostering industry innovations and transformations.
• Technology advancement : While innovation is a continuous process, commercializing major breakthroughs in core technologies efficiently must wait for a generational transition, when a blank-slate design can be introduced. 6G can align ecosystem investments to bring the next big leap in wireless technology, enabling the convergence of advanced communication, precise sensing and localization, artificial intelligence (AI) and computing technologies.
• Cost efficiency : One early learning from deploying 5G networks is that many new technologies can be expensive to roll out broadly. Today, mobile operators are looking for ways to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of their networks. Reducing network energy consumption can optimize operational cost, but to save on capital expenditure, a software-centric system with network APIs can allow mobile operators to leverage their 5G investment.
• Societal equity : 6G will continue to foster digital inclusion, enabling cost-effective technologies that can broadly deliver 6G access to bridge the digital divide. New 6G technologies can promote quality of life improvements, with democratized access to public services such as healthcare, education and public safety.
• Environmental sustainability : A common theme across the different global 6G visions is for it to promote a greener future. This anchors both in efficient 6G network operations (i.e., energy savings, eco-friendly deployment footprint) as well as more sustainable vertical industries (e.g., smart transportation, precision agriculture and more).
• Trust and reliability : The cellular evolution has consistently emphasized the importance of security and privacy, with each generation aiming to enhance trustworthiness. As we look towards 6G, it’s anticipated to uphold this legacy by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as quantum-safe communications and AI-driven security.

6G vision from ITU-R — capabilities and usage scenarios of IMT-2030.

6G use cases and capabilities

The 6G technology platform is expected to take a significant leap forward, supporting enhanced system capabilities that go beyond communication. The  IMT-2030 framework  defined by ITU-R sets the initial vision for this advancement, outlining key usage scenarios and performance metrics that should shape the target for future wireless technologies.

As these technologies develop, 6G is anticipated to integrate AI, advanced computing, and system resilience features, alongside innovative green technologies and integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), marking a new converging era of the physical-digital-virtual worlds.

While different contributing presentations highlighted different sets of use cases targeting 6G, we observed some clear trends of what key 6G use cases are being envisioned. The following is an illustrative (i.e., non-exhaustive) list highlighting the main use cases discussed in the workshop:

• Immersive experiences : 6G will take extended reality (XR) to brand new levels, enabling lightweight devices that can be deployed at the same scale of today’s smartphones. New capabilities like digitization of multisensory aspects (e.g., such as human senses of touch, smell, sight, taste), enhanced sensor fusion and brain-computer interface can deliver hyper-realistic experiences (e.g., holographic teleportation). Another focus is to also enable live and interactive immersive content creation and delivery.
• Digital twins : the modeling of a physical system in the digital domain can be used to enable new efficiencies and use cases, including the communications network and more. Along with rapid advancements of AI, 6G digital twins is poised to bring enhanced security and privacy, predictive and prescriptive insights, as well as many others.
• Smart industry and robotics : 5G established the technical foundation for high-performance industrial IoT (e.g., URLLC, TSN), and 6G targets to unleash the full potential of next-generation robotics, including delivery robots, service robots, as well as autonomous and collaborative robots that can work in tandem with humans in this highly integrated and automated environment.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) : 6G brings an opportunity to revolutionize broadband services. With the allocation of new wide-area spectrum (e.g., upper mid-band), 6G can enable high network capacity and improved cost-efficiency, extending coverage across urban, suburban and rural regions alike, fostering greater inclusivity and connectivity.
• Next-generation internet of things (IoT) : It’s important that 6G can efficiently support lower-complexity devices from the very start. From low-power, wide-area (LPWA) to ambient IoT devices (i.e., powered by energy harvesting with/without storage), 6G is envisioned for diverse vertical services in healthcare, automotive, agriculture and more.
• Connected transportation : 6G brings the opportunity of next-level transportation safety and experiences. Through new 6G capabilities like ISAC, the 5GAA consortium envisioned the next-generation network to enable real-time environmental modeling, intelligent automated driving systems and enhanced in-vehicle experiences.
• Critical communications : 6G is tasked to deliver the next level of trust, reliability and security in mobile communications. This is especially important for those use cases that are mission-critical, such as public safety communications. 6G needs to leverage the learning and deployment from 5G to enable ubiquitous coverage and more.
• Other emerging deployments and use cases : It’s expected that many of these 6G use cases would leverage seamless multi-connectivity solutions spanning terrestrial and/or non-terrestrial communications to deliver services. And of course, we are only in the very early chapter of the 6G technology cycle. As we stand on the brink of these advancements, it’s clear that the future holds use cases that will surpass our current imagination.

Path to 6G includes the continued 5G Advanced technology evolution.

What’s next?

In 3GPP, the next steps will happen in SA WG1, preparing for the service requirements study. This will be followed by the work in RAN and SA, which will include technology workshop and studies starting in 2025.

Qualcomm Technologies’ vision for the future of wireless technology is continuous and expansive. With the evolution of 5G Advanced, the foundation for 6G is being laid, promising to bring a new era of technological advancements. The focus is not only on enhancing wireless designs but also on integrating a broader range of technologies to enable intelligent computing everywhere. The anticipation of 6G includes the potential for groundbreaking developments in wireless communication, AI, computing, RF sensing and network resiliency, setting the stage for a smarter, more sustainable wireless platform of our future.

• Learn more about our 6G vision
• Discover what we are researching for 6G
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