Some of the world’s fastest-moving companies are sick of waiting for 5G networks to go live — so they’re building their own, according to the MIT Technology Review.
Anxious automakers, energy companies, and freight companies are investing in private networks at their production sites to capitalize on the higher speeds of the newest network.
The future isn’t getting here fast enough
It may seem like these network nerds are jumping the gun, but 5G could provide a competitive advantage to businesses in crowded industries.
5G is expected to reduce data transmission delays from 30 milliseconds to less than 1 millisecond, enabling comprehensive wireless connectivity that will help producers create smarter, more flexible factories.
The German automaker Audi switched its assembly robots from Wi-Fi to private 5G to make them faster and more agile, and so far it is pleased with the robo-results.
So when can the rest of us expect 5G?
To create its private 5G network, Audi bought 5G gear from Ericsson and struck a deal with a German telecom giant for access — paying a premium of around $100k for the privilege of early adoption.
For now, only companies that can shell out the Gs for private 5G will have access to the super signal. The rest of us will have to wait for wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon to roll out 5G, which won’t be widely available until 2020.
