Nokia warns of industrial 5G ecosystem challenges

INTERVIEW: Nokia described the 5G ecosystem as not yet mature enough to support industrial applications, predicting widespread implementation of the technology in manufacturing processes would take a few years to achieve.

Speaking to Mobile World Live as part of our latest Themed Week, Nokia Enterprise marketing strategist for manufacturing and logistics David Nowoswiat (pictured) argued creation of the ecosystem will require chipmakers to implement the latest 5G specifications, which he predicted will take approximately a year.

Despite highlighting a lack of readiness of the ecosystem, Nowoswiat noted the Covid-19 (coronavirus) crisis had resulted in manufacturers realising the need to be more flexible in their approach to embracing new technologies and quickly adjusting their supply chains.

“Digitalisation is not going to be delayed because of this pandemic. I think it’s really going to be more accelerated because manufacturers need to protect their employees”, he stated.

Apart from social distancing measures for production floor protection, Nowoswiat highlighted the importance of data analysis for preventative and predictive maintenance for manufacturers.