In this episode of the Futurum Tech Webcast – Interview Series, we address the topic of 5G private networks innovation and why it is vital to advancing enterprise connectivity. By replacing wired connections with wireless and unifying existing wireless connections, 5G private networks are increasingly simplifying and optimizing digital technology deployment at scale throughout industrial sites.

My guests today are Olivier Coutelou, Group Senior Expert, Schneider Electric, Fotis Karonis, Group Leader 5G & Edge Computing, Capgemini, and George Tsirtsis, Senior Director, Technology, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. Olivier, Fotis, and George are new guests to the show, and incisively share their insights and perspectives on how the companies developed an innovative end-to-end 5G Private Network solution that can transform industrial automation systems.

To start our discussion, Olivier described Schneider Electric activities as they relate to the industrial automation of hoisting systems as well as how the current hoisting product runs, how the connectivity is involved and what are the improvement paths. Next George explained how 5G addressed the connectivity challenges in running the Proof of Concept at Schneider Electric premises plus what is Qualcomm’s strategy as it relates to 5G for industries. Thereafter Fotis described the milestones of the project, what 5G is bringing to the industrial market and what Capgemini’s strategy is in this ecosystem.

Our conversation delved further into the following key topics:

• Why collaboration is so important to propelling 5G private network capabilities forward.
• To support innovations in the Hoisting domain, Schneider Electric set up in Grenoble, France a hoisting lab duplicating full hoisting application and helping to validate new solutions.
• How 5G replacement of cable and optical fiber enables differentiated QoS flows, industrial protocols born on 5G, and the advantages of private disaggregated networks.
• The way 5G is a real game change by delivering low latency and reliability in full alignment with gaining more flexibility, lower costs, and shorter lead times for factory to production reconfiguration and layout changes.
• Through highly advanced virtual connectivity, the combined solution can be deployed across diverse industrial and logistic sites.
• The panel’s favorites for key emerging 5G private network use cases including critical communications, augmented operator, remote assistance, and drones.