As with any problem in industry, the end user and OT must identify the wireless solution that best fits their specific requirements. Although 5G is one such solution, it may not be the most suitable option for every situation the end user may encounter. Below are several different scenarios where wireless technology provides clear benefits, along with a possible communication solution for each.
For greenfield scenarios, four common situations where the end user benefits from wireless technology are shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Four common situations for end users of wireless technology.
| Situation | Requirement | Possible solution |
| 1 | · Coverage of a larger production or industrial area, including longer distances, with full area coverage.
· Various use cases involving high data throughput, many connected devices, low latency with high reliability, and/or deterministic communication. · Mobility of assets requiring communication (such as AGV, AMR). |
5G network solution (including both non-public and public networks) |
| 2 | · Coverage of a smaller production or industrial area, with medium distances and full area coverage.
· Various use cases involving high data throughput, many connected devices, and low latency, but without the need for deterministic communication. |
Wi-Fi solution |
| 3 | · Coverage limited to short range with a restricted number of devices.
· Use cases where only the final few meters of communication need to be wireless. |
Short-range wireless solutions, such as Bluetooth, IO-Link Wireless, Zigbee, or proprietary solutions, among others. |
| 4 | · Coverage of a large area and long distances at low cost.
· Use cases requiring low data throughput and low energy consumption. |
Low-power wide area network (LPWAN) solutions, such as NB-IoT, LoRaWAN, and other proprietary solutions, among others. |
Situation 1
For situation 1, a possible solution is a non-public (private) 5G network (NPN), which includes both standalone NPN (SNPN) and public network integrated NPN (PNI-NPN). These provide the flexibility to use one communication network on-premise and another off-premise. It is even possible to use NPN as a service without investing in private infrastructure, for example, by leveraging existing infrastructure provided by a network operator or service provider. This makes 5G unique compared to other technologies, where such flexibility is not as common.
5G can cover larger areas with fewer assets than other technologies. Additionally, 5G features like URLLC, mMTC, and eMBB enable it to support multiple use cases with a single communication system, making it ideal for heterogenous environments with a wide range of applications. Mobility of UEs such as AGVs and AMRs is also an inherent strength of cellular technologies.
However, implementing 5G can be complex. Challenges may include difficulty integrating 5G into existing systems or the inability to start small, testing and evaluating, and then scaling gradually across a site.
Situation 2
For situation 2, a possible solution is a Wi-Fi solution. It can cover local areas and medium distances using a reasonable number of radio heads (access points). It also supports multiple, highly varied use cases simultaneously.
Wi-Fi networks are typically easier to install incrementally compared to cellular networks, allowing for organic growth over time. Integration into existing communication systems is generally simpler as well , and managing and maintaining the network is easier (e.g., no SIM card management is needed).
However, using Wi-Fi for large-scale networks would require a high number of access points. Since Wi-Fi operates in shared spectrum and requires “Listen Before Talk” to access the channel, regular Wi-Fi does not offer deterministic communication. There is also a risk of interference from other devices operating in the same frequency band. Note that these drawbacks can be mitigated by using Wi-Fi solutions dedicated to IIoT and applying careful frequency planning, which can lead to significant performance improvements.
Situation 3
For situation 3, a possible solution is short-range wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, IO-Link Wireless, Zigbee, or various proprietary solutions. These are effective for covering short distances with a limited number of devices and moderate data throughput.
These technologies are typically cost efficient and often integrated directly into the relevant sensors and actuators. They are particularly useful for wireless communication over the final few meters of a connection.
Situation 4
For situation 4, possible solutions include low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technologies, such as NB-IoT or LTE-M (optional features of 4G/5G), LoRaWAN, or proprietary solutions. These allow data transmission over long distances with lower cost and reduced energy consumption. However, they offer limited data throughput.
NB-IoT and LTE-M require support from public cellular networks, whereas a LoRaWAN network can be built and managed independently by the end user.
These are only four general scenarios that end users might encounter. In many real-world situations, the actual requirements will be a combination of those described above. In such cases, the end user should look for the simplest solution that adequately meets their needs.
In the case of a brownfield scenario, where communication infrastructure is already in place, introducing new wireless technology is less straightforward and must be tailored to the specific site. However, the effort to integrate new wireless solutions can yield substantial long-term benefits. The greater the potential of the wireless technology, the more likely it is to become a sustainable investment.
Determining the best solution depends on the return on investment (ROI) for each option. To support end users in calculating the ROI of implementing and integrating 5G solutions, 5G-ACIA has released the white paper “Business Value and Return-on-Invest Calculation for Industrial 5G Use Cases.”