The Nokia 2024 Industrial Digitalization Report highlights that all 100 interviewed early adopters are using private wireless networks in additional locations or have expanded their use by launching more use cases in existing locations.
Conducted by GlobalData, the Nokia-commissioned report revealed that the top benefits for enterprises deploying private wireless networks include:
Increase in private wireless uses and locations: In 2022, many enterprises that had deployed private wireless technology were still at the proof of concept (PoC) or pilot stage, usually in a single location or single use case.
In 2024, 45% are already taking advantage of private wireless networks with plans to do more than initially expected. 100% of the 100 enterprises interviewed have started to roll out private wireless networks to more locations or expanded their use at the original locations to drive wider industrial transformation.
Quickly achieving ROI: 93% of the respondents achieved ROI within 12 months. 78% reported that they achieved a positive outcome within six months, and 23% hit their ROI target in just one month. Private wireless solutions have helped businesses achieve such returns by fixing broken processes and reducing the overall cost of doing business.
Improved worker safety and sustainability: The research found that worker safety is a common challenge private wireless technology is helping to overcome, with 65% stating they realized more than 10% improvement in top use cases to improve worker safety, such as implementing geofencing technology, connected worker and robotics to carry out dangerous work.
Furthermore, 79% of organisations experienced a significant improvement in their sustainability efforts reporting a 10%, or more, reduction in their emissions after deploying private wireless networks.
The enhanced connectivity increased the ability of those surveyed to connect industrial IoT devices and sensors to better track and monitor their carbon emissions. The use of drone technology reduced the number of truck rolls.
This shows how private wireless technology is leading organisational transformation, not simply digital transformation, enabling tracking and analytics to meet global sustainability objectives.
Edge technology underpinning advanced use cases: Edge technology is playing a foundational role in enabling new and more advanced low latency use cases that stretch beyond connectivity. 39% of the enterprises that deployed private wireless have since implemented an on-premise edge technology or a new selection of industrial devices to power digitalization and support complementary technologies such as AI and analytics, with a further 52% planning to do so.
For instance, the introduction of video analytics to a private wireless network alongside edge-compute resources enabled 75% of businesses to improve efficiency by 10%.
Gary Barton, research director for enterprise technology and services at GlobalData, says private wireless technology has clear benefits for connectivity and a great return on investment.
“But more is to come with the deployment of AI, new analytics tools, and edge platforms. These technologies will help enterprises prepare for future challenges, as they keep driving industrial transformation,” he clarifies.
“The ROI of private wireless and industrial edge is proven,” claimed David de Lancellotti, vice president of enterprise campus edge business at Nokia. “This will certainly drive the fast deployment of more use cases and lower the total cost of ownership.”
