Designing 5G for Industrial Use

One of the main differences between 5G and previous generations of cellular networks lies in 5G’s strong focus on machine-type communication and the Internet of Things (IoT). The capabilities of 5G thus extend far beyond mobile broadband with ever increasing data rates. In particular, 5G supports communication with unprecedented reliability and very low latencies, as well as massive IoT connectivity. This paves the way for the next era in industrial production, known as “Industry 4.0”, which aims to significantly improve the flexibility, versatility, usability and efficiency of future smart factories and industrial plants. Industry 4.0 integrates the IoT and related services in industrial manufacturing, and delivers seamless vertical and horizontal integration down the entire value chain and across all layers of the automation pyramid. Connectivity is a key component of Industry 4.0 and will support the ongoing developments by providing powerful and pervasive connectivity between machines, people and objects.