Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 38 | Page 75

THE FUTURE OF ENTERPRISE- GRADE 5G HAS OFFICIALLY LANDED , BOTH IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND BEYOND .
INDUSTRY WATCH

THE FUTURE OF ENTERPRISE- GRADE 5G HAS OFFICIALLY LANDED , BOTH IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND BEYOND .

From real-time 3D modelling to GPS tracking equipment and tools , construction sites are often hotbeds of the latest in cutting-edge technology . Getting devices to talk to one another , on the other hand , can be a challenge . After all , plugging a laptop into a wall is tough when the wall hasn ’ t been built yet .

This presents a clear use case for wireless as the primary method of network connectivity in the industry , an area which is proving just as transformational as the physical devices it connects .
From gigabit speeds over LTE to the millisecond latency of 5G , the power of the Wireless WAN ( WWAN ) is allowing sites to achieve an Ethernet-like quality of connection but without the need to lay a single cable .
How 5G is powering the construction site of tomorrow
5G is expected to provide 10 – 100-times faster speeds . It could also unlock 10 – 100-times more capacity than current long-term evolution ( LTE ) networks . This will give those working in construction almost instantaneous access to data-intensive Edge and cloud applications , enabling multiple users to interact with each other in real time , from anywhere in the world . Given that construction sites are complex and constantly evolving environments , this will be a huge step forward .
Cities , where the number of nodes will be considerably higher than on a normal project .
Looking further ahead , 5G will also prove key in accelerating the industry towards autonomous and remote operations – in other words , completing projects solely by machine alone , without the need of having people on site . Even though remote-control technology exists at present , 5G ’ s ultra low latency eliminates any delay in connectivity and ensure work is completed with adequate speed and precision . This could also unlock the capabilities of self-driving machines , which will be able to accurately map areas , recognise signals and communicate with other machines more efficiently .
A real-world example of 5G being put to the test in the construction industry
A demonstration of the power of 5G in the transformation of the construction industry was recently brought to light where one of the first realworld deployments of 5G connectivity was rolled out by visionary company , Taylor Construction .
Driven by a need for more advanced and agile software platforms to power everything from blueprint design to site security , Taylor Construction noted that such applications require real-time data , which is only possible with immense bandwidth , low latency and constant uptime at the edge of the network with 5G .
With a higher data crunching capacity combined with more efficient connectivity channels through network slicing , 5G is also key to unlocking the power of massive machine-type communications in the construction industry . This technology will provide highly scalable and broad geographical coverage to help with complex construction and infrastructural projects such as Smart
Using an enterprise-grade WWAN Edge solution provided by Cradlepoint , the company has successfully deployed a number of new on-site innovations powered by 5G :
• Holographic building visualisation – Comprising mixed-reality smart glasses that Taylor ’ s employees
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