Conflicting reports have come my way regarding how private wireless, especially 5G, have penetrated manufacturing sites and how useful they have been coordinating with edge devices. Nokia have release the results of a study completed with GlobalData. The study reveals surge of ROI and AI-enabled use cases with on-premise edge and private wireless.
In brief
- 87% of enterprises adopting private wireless and on-premise edge saw ROI in one year.
- 81% of enterprises found setup costs lower than other options and 86% reported reduced ongoing costs.
- 94% of industrial enterprises deployed edge with private wireless that support AI-driven applications in 70% of the cases.
- 94% of industries reduced carbon emissions—41% by over 20%—and 89% reported energy savings.
The report draws on insights from 115 industrial enterprises across manufacturing, energy, logistics, mining, and transportation in Australia, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom and United States.
David de Lancellotti, Vice President of Enterprise Campus Edge Sales at Nokia, says: “Nokia and Global Data’s latest research helps leaders build strong business cases for digitalization by showing how private wireless and on-premise edge not only reduce costs but also accelerate scalable transformation with measurable improvements in worker safety, productivity, security and environmental impact.”
AI’s potential in industrial settings hinges on access to high-quality, real-time data; 94% of industrial enterprises have deployed on-premise edge technology alongside private wireless. This combination enables secure, low-latency connectivity in complex environments and pervasive sensor coverage, even in hard-to-reach areas, supporting AI-driven use cases like predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and digital twins in 70% of surveyed enterprises.
BASF, a leading chemical company, deployed Nokia private wireless at its Antwerp facility to advance its digitalization strategy and enable reliable, high-performance connectivity across its six-square-kilometer premises. The private network supports AI- and sensor-driven use cases like real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, enhances automation and efficiency, improves worker safety, and reduces environmental impact.
Steven Werbrouck, Expert Network Connectivity at BASF, says: Private 5G has been a game changer for BASF Antwerp. We’re unlocking automation, strengthening occupational safety, accelerating innovation, and meeting ROI targets in just two years. We have become a front-runner for the wider group with learnings that will deliver value at multiple BASF group locations.”
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