Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12652-020-02521-x

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation

and industry digitization
Mohsen Attaran1 

Received: 13 May 2020 / Accepted: 4 September 2020

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021

Abstract
The mobile industry is developing and preparing to deploy the fifth-generation (5G) networks. The evolving 5G networks
are becoming more readily available as a significant driver of the growth of IoT and other intelligent automation applica-
tions. 5G’s lightning-fast connection and low-latency are needed for advances in intelligent automation—the Internet of
Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), driverless cars, digital reality, blockchain, and future breakthroughs we haven’t
even thought of yet. The advent of 5G is more than just a generational step; it opens a new world of possibilities for every
tech industry. The purpose of this paper is to do a literature review and explore how 5G can enable or streamline intelligent
automation in different industries. This paper reviews the evolution and development of various generations of mobile wire-
less technology underscores the importance of 5G revolutionary networks, reviews its key enabling technologies, examines
its trends and challenges, explores its applications in different manufacturing industries, and highlights its role in shaping
the age of unlimited connectivity, intelligent automation, and industry digitization.

Keywords  5G · 5G networks · Cellular wireless networks · Mobile communications · Internet of Things (IoT) · Internet of
medical things (IoMT) · Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) · Wi-Fi 6 · Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)

Purpose Claims about a supposed link between 5G and the auto industry and smart cars, manufacturing and smart
COVID-19 have been circulating the Internet, arguing that factories, smart grids, and smart cities, and healthcare. It
global elites were using 5G to spread the virus. It is need- discusses how 5G will be critical for growing industry digi-
less to say that there’s no evidence to support the theory that tization and for addressing the numerous challenges different
5G networks cause COVID-19 or contribute to its spread. manufacturing industries will face in this rapidly changing
The purpose of this research is to do a literature review landscape. Finally, this paper presents the crucial role that
and explore the practical implications of 5G revolutionary 5G will play in providing a competent platform to support
networks technology for growing industry digitization and the widespread adoption of critical communications services
intelligent automation. and driving the digitization and automation of industrial
Practical Implications 5G networks are at the very early practices and processes of Industry 4.0.
stages of adoption. Based on the business applications pre- Research Limitations Although the journey towards
sented in this paper, practitioners will learn 5G business 5G networks has already begun, there have been very few
potentials, challenges addressed by 5G, drivers for change, reported examples of the business benefits realized by lead-
barriers to entry, and critical areas of concern regarding the ing-edge manufacturing companies resulting from this new
adaptation of 5G technologies into their organizations.  technology. This shortage of reporting has led to incomplete
Originality/Value This paper examines the essential roles data with effects that are often anecdotal and notably, not
5G plays in the success of different industries, including IoT, thoroughly tested. There are only a few papers published
in peer-reviewed academic journals or written as academic
working papers exploring the advantages and limitations of
* Mohsen Attaran
[email protected] firms implementing 5G technologies. This paper is a criti-
cal early academic contribution to a field dominated by the
1
School of Business and Public Administration, California narratives and promises of consultants.
State University, Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway,
Bakersfield, CA 93311‑1099, USA

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 M. Attaran

1 The evolution of cellular wireless handoff, and weak voice links. The first phones, which
networks were based on analog technology, were very large. Voice
calls were played back in radio towers, making these calls
Cellular wireless networks have come a long way since susceptible to unwanted eavesdropping by third parties
the first 1G system was introduced in 1981, with a new (Bhalla and Bhalla 2010; Mishra 2018).
mobile generation appearing approximately every 10 2G-Digital Networks The second-generation (2G) wire-
years (Pathak 2013; Mishra 2018). In the past 30 years, less networks were launched in the early 1990 s and were
the mobile industry has transformed society through based on digital standards instead of analog. 2G digital
4 or 5 generations of technology revolution and evolu- networks enabled rapid phone-to-network signaling and
tion, namely 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networking technolo- helped the advent of prepaid mobile phones. Additionally,
gies (Fig. 1). 1G gave us a mass-market mobile telephony. 2G made SMS text messaging possible initially on GSM
2G brought global interoperability and reliable mobile networks and eventually on all digital networks. Other
telephony and made SMS text messaging possible. 3G advantages of 2G digital networks include reduced battery
gave us high-speed data transfer capability for download- power consumption, voice clarity, and reduced noise in
ing information from the Internet. 4G provided a signifi- the line. Digital encryption provided secrecy and safety to
cant improvement in data capability and speed and made the data and voice calls. Finally, digital signals are consid-
online platforms and high-speed mobile internet services ered environment friendly (Bhalla and Bhalla 2010; Mishra
available for the masses. 5G technology will be the most 2018).
powerful cellular wireless networks with extraordinary 3G-High-Speed Data Networks The third-generation
data capabilities, unrestricted call volumes, and infinite (3G) wireless networks were introduced in 1998 to pro-
data broadcast (Pathak 2013; GSMA 2017; Mishra 2018). vide high-speed data transfer capability for downloading
The following section describes each cellular network information from the Internet and for sending videos with
generation in more detail. the speed of 2 Mbps (1Mbit = 1000 kbit). 3G technology
1G-Analog Cellular Networks The first commercially uses a network of phone towers to pass signals, ensur-
automated 1G cellular network was launched in Japan by ing a stable connection over long distances. 3G systems
NTT in 1979 and in the US by Bell Labs in 1984. 1G net- provided a significant improvement in capability over the
works were based on analog protocols with the speed of 2G networks by using packet switching rather than circuit
only 2.4 Kbps (1 kilobit = 1000 bits) and were designed for switching for data transmission. The high connection speeds
voice only. 1G enabled the use of multiple cell sites, and of 3G technology-enabled media streaming of radio and
the ability to transfer calls from one site to the next as the even television content to 3G handsets. The technology also
user traveled between cells during a conversation. 1G has provided Video-conferencing support and Web browsing
several disadvantages, including low capacity, unreliable at higher speeds (Pathak 2013; Bhalla and Bhalla 2010;
Mishra 2018). According to some estimates, 3G offers a

Fig. 1  The evolution of mobile

communications

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The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation and industry digitization

real-world maximum speed of 7.2 Mbps for downloads and also provide hundreds of billions of connections, massive
2 Mbps for uploads. In the mid-2000s, an enhanced 3G machine communication, and extreme mobile broadband.
mobile telephony communications protocol in the High- Additionally, 5G offers ultra-low latency of 1 ms, 90%
Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family, also coined 3.5G, more energy efficiency, 99.9% ultra-reliability, 10 Gbps
3G + or turbo 3G was implemented. 3G + allows networks peak data rate transmission speeds, and mobile data vol-
based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System ume of 10 Tb (Barreto et al. 2016; Hu 2016; Saha et al.
(UMTS) to have higher data transfer speeds and capacity 2016; Cero et al. 2017).
(Mishra 2018). Following sections highlight key features of 5G networks
4G—Growth of Mobile Broadband The fourth-generation in detail.
(4G) wireless networks were commercially deployed in the
United States by Verizon in 2011, with the promise of speed A. 5G networking standards
improvements up to 10-fold over existing 3G technologies.
Standard 4G has download speeds of around 14 Mbps and The 5G networking technology standard is divided into
can reach speeds as high as 150 Mbps. 4G networks are two key parts:
IP-based (Internet protocol). It uses IP even for voice data.
It uses a standard communications protocol to send and 1. Non-Standalone (NSA) The first 5G networks are based
receive data in packets. Using these standardized packets, on NSA, which is the basis of commercial launches
4G enables data to traverse all sorts of networks without expected by the end of 2019. The NSA standard uses
being scrambled or corrupted. 4G networking technology existing 4G LTE infrastructure to handle the Control
is an extension of 3G technology with more bandwidth and Plane and the signal traffic. It can be thought of as just
services and with high-quality audio/video streaming capa- having an extra fast data pipe attached to existing 4G
bilities. 4G provides a significant improvement in data capa- LTE infrastructure. NSA acts as an initial step that will
bility and speed over the 3G systems with the data transfer allow carriers to offer commercial service throughout
speed of 100 Mbps. 4G systems eliminated circuit switching, 2019 until the adoption of a 5G Standalone standard.
and instead employed an all-IP network designed primarily 2. Standalone (SA) The 5G Standalone (SA) comes with
for data. 4G enabled users to browse the web and stream HD entirely new core architecture. It moved the control
videos on mobile devices. The 4G network allows users to plane transition over to the 5G Core and made signifi-
download gigabytes of data in minutes or even seconds. The cant changes for the way that networks operate. SA will
technology turned smartphones into the computers of the be released in 2020—it will support more flexible net-
modern age (Pathak 2013; Bhalla and Bhalla 2010; Mishra work slicing and subcarrier encoding. It is designed to
2018). be more efficient than 4GLTE and NSA and will lead to
5G—Design Innovation Across Diverse Services The lower costs for the carriers and improved performance
fifth-generation (5G) network, with the speed of 1–10 Gbps for users (Cero et al. 2017; Saha et al. 2016).
(1Gbit = 1000 Mbit), denotes the next major phase of mobile
telecommunications standards beyond the current 4G Long
Term Evolution (LTE). 5G systems are promised to be in the B. Expanding the networking spectrum
market by the end of 2019. 5G technology offers extraordi-
nary data capabilities and unlimited data broadcast within According to a 2017 Cisco study, by 2021, wireless networks
the latest mobile operating systems. Other features of 5G will increase in usage by a compounded annual growth rate
networks are enhanced mobile broadband, dynamic low of 47%. Speeds will reach peaks of 10 Gbps and deliver 1
latency, wider bandwidths, device-centric mobility, simulta- Gbps at 500 km/h (Cisco 2019). 4G wireless networks lack
neous redundant, and reliable-device-to-device links (Bhalla enough spectrum bandwidth and network capacity to meet
and Bhalla 2010; Mishra 2018). growing market demands. 5G is an evolving standard com-
bining more spectrums and allowing for more bandwidth
and much faster speeds for consumers. Consumers can con-
2 Key features of 5G networks nect to the 5G network and leverage the benefits of a wide
range of spectrums.
5G networks provide lower prices, lower battery consump- The most used 5G technology is mmWave. Carriers
tion, and lower latency than 4G wireless networks. It is will also be using a new spectrum in the sub-6 GHz WiFi
because 5G uses Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) networks with region, low bands below 1  GHz, and existing 4G LTE
higher band breadth at low energy levels. Band breadth bands, as shown in Fig. 2. At present, there is a significant
is 4000 Mbps, which is four hundred times faster than amount of unused high-frequency spectrum, and the higher
4G wireless networks. 5G communication networks can the frequency, the more bandwidth is available (Mathias

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 M. Attaran

Fig. 2  Networking spectrum bands. Source: Robert Triggs, Online https​://www.andro​idaut​horit​y.com/what-is-5g-expla​ined-94486​8

2019; Kamel et al. 2016). 5G networking technology also C. New technological innovations
relies on different wave spectrums. Wireless networks are
composed of cell sites divided into sectors that send data 5G is using some key new technological innovations to
through radio waves. Fourth-generation (4G) Long-Term greatly increase the amount of spectrum used to send and
Evolution (LTE) wireless technology requires high-power, receive data compared to today’s 4G LTE networks. These
large cell towers to radiate signals over long distances. 5G technologies allow for more bandwidth and much faster
wireless signals, on the other hand, will be transmitted speeds for consumers. They are shown in Fig. 3 and are
via large numbers of multiple small cell stations located explained below (Bogale and Le 2015; Cero et al. 2017; Hu
in places like light poles or building roofs. The use of a 2016; 5G Forum 2016; Niu et al. 2016; Larsson et al. 2014):
large number of small cells is necessary since 5G relies
on millimeter wave spectrum between 30 and 300 GHz A. mmWave It offers a very high frequency between 17 and
which can only travel over short distances and is subject to 110 GHz and high bandwidth for fast data transfer. It is
interference from weather and physical obstacles (Liu and a short-range technology that will be used in densely
Jiang 2016; De Matos and Gondim 2016; Hossain 2013). populated areas. It is also the most referenced 5G tech-
nology.

Fig. 3  5G networks capabilities.

Sources: Barreto et al. (2016),
Hu (2016), Saha et al. (2016),
Cero et al. (2017)

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The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation and industry digitization

B. Sub-6 GHz Most of the future 5G networks will likely YouTube), and online radio (Ken’s Tech Tips 2018). When
operate in WiFi-like mid-band frequencies between 3 the content is not downloaded at a sufficient speed, we will
and 6 GHz. It will cover the medium range spectrum, experience pauses during playback (also known as “buffer-
and it will be useful for small cell hubs for indoor use or ing”). The actual download speeds will depend on several
more powerful outdoor base stations. factors, including location (whether you are indoors or out-
C. Low-band Operates at a very low frequency below doors), the distance to nearby masts, and the amount of con-
800 MHz and covers very long distances. It also pro- gestion on the network. The download times for 5G networks
vides blanket backbone coverage. for a webpage, an e-mail, a photograph, and a music track
D. Beamforming This key technology allows the beam- are near-instantaneous (Ken’s Tech Tips 2018).
former (Router) to transmit signals in the direction of Another great advantage of 5G networks is its reduced
the consumer devices, thus creating stronger, faster, and latency. Latency, also known as the “lag” or “ping,” is an
more reliable wireless communications. Beamforming initial delay before the server on the other end starts to
is a key technology in overcoming the range and direc- respond. The download will progress only once the server
tion limitations of the spectrum of high-frequency wave- has responded. It is a critical concept that affects the experi-
forms. ence of end-users on smartphones. High latency connections
E. Massive MIMO Data is sent and received using multiple cause web pages to load slowly. It affects the experience
antennas on base stations to serve multiple end-users. in applications that require real-time connectivity such as
The technology makes high-frequency networks much voice calling, video calling, and gaming applications). The
more efficient. It can also be combined with beamform- major benefits of 5G are reduced latency, increased capac-
ing. ity, and faster download speeds. Human reaction time is
200–300 ms. 5G will reduce that to 1 ms or less. That is
almost real-time. It means that we can use 5G to replace
D. Unique features of 5G networks real-time interactions. The reduction in latency from 5G
technology will help overall response for some of the newer
5G networks provide improved support of machine to embedded applications of mobile technology such as auton-
machine communication, aiming at lower prices, reduced omous cars (Ken’s Tech Tips 2018).
battery consumption, and lower latency than 4G instrumen-
tation. 5G uses Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) networks with F. Wi-Fi 6 vs. 5G networks
higher band breadth at low energy levels. Band breadth is
of 4000 Mbps, which is four hundred times quicker than Wi-Fi 6 is the latest wireless LAN technology and has been
today’s 4G wireless networks (Fig. 3). 5G communication developed parallel with 5G and is expected to hit the market
networks can also provide hundreds of billions of connec- around the same time as 5G. Both technologies are designed
tions, massive machine communication, and extreme mobile to deliver similar services and have a core mission to bring
broadband. Additionally, 5G offers ultra-low latency of gigabit-plus throughput to end-users.
1 ms, 90% more energy efficiency, 99.9% ultra-reliability, Wi-Fi 6, like all other Wi-Fi technologies, operates in
10 Gbps peak data rate transmission speeds, and a mobile unlicensed bands where permission is not required (Mathias
data volume of 10 Tb (Barreto et al. 2016; Hu 2016; Saha 2019). In the case of licensed bands, individual companies
et al. 2016; Cero et al. 2017). pay a licensing fee for the right to transmit on assigned chan-
nels within that band in each geographic area. Licensing
E. Impact on download times & streaming ensures that wireless operators do not interfere with each
other’s transmissions. Unlicensed wireless technologies are
The download speed measured by the rate at which data vulnerable to interference. When using an unlicensed tech-
(e.g., web page, photo, application, or video) can be trans- nology like Wi-Fi, the end-users will have to adjust to avoid
ferred from the internet to a computer or a smartphone. They interference. Additionally, the radio environment is likely to
are measured in “bits per second” (bps) where a “bit” is a continue to change over time (Phifer 2017).
one or zero in binary. More commonly, however, we measure 5G, on the other hand, is a cellular, carrier-based
download speeds in “megabits per second” (Mbps), where technology. 5G carriers obtain an exclusive license to
1 Megabit is equal to one million bits. A faster download specific blocks of spectrum across specific geographies
speed supports higher-quality streaming and makes content via an auction process. They can configure their spe-
from the internet load faster and with less of a wait. (Ken’s cific network to meet their particular coverage, capac-
Tech Tips 2018).Today, more and more applications make ity, and business objectives. Therefore, interference
use of streaming, including voice over IP (e.g., calling via shouldn’t be an issue. There are numerous ways that 5G
Skype or WhatsApp), online video apps (e.g., Netflix and and cellular are superior to Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi6, such as

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 M. Attaran

authentication—intercarrier roaming is transparent. Addi- 4 5G for the Internet of Things (IoT)

tionally, connecting to cellular is easy; simply turn on the
mobile device, whereas Wi-Fi usually requires selecting A. Internet of Things Defined
an available service set identifier and providing a security
key. The “Internet of things” (IoT) is an extension of the Inter-
There is a hope that in the future, both technologies net and other network connections to different sensors and
will be used by final consumers and move these custom- devices—or “things”. The concept is based on a general
ers closer to a superior mobile network. Business-class rule that ‘Anything that can be connected will be connected
cell phones, for example, will likely support both tech- (Attaran 2017b). This includes everything from industrial
nologies starting in 2020 (Mathias 2019). equipment such as car engines, jet engines, the drill of an oil
rig, washing machines, coffee makers, cellphones, wearable
devices, and much more. IoT provides a higher degree of
computing and analytical capabilities to even single objects.
3 Intelligent automation and economic IoT is a rapidly evolving technology that more and more
contributions of 5G networks industries are willing to adapt to improve their efficiency.
Smart terminals, mobile broadband, and cloud computing
Manufacturing industries are moving towards digitaliza- enable widespread connectivity, transforming the way we
tion for several reasons, including increasing revenue by perceive the world around us people (Attaran 2017b)
better serving their customers, increasing demand, beating
the competition, decreasing costs by increasing productiv- B. IOT architecture and working principle
ity and efficiency, and decreasing risk by increasing safety
and security. A recent study identified the key challenges Figure 4 shows major architectural layers of IoT architec-
and requirements in digitization industries digitization ture. Features of each of these layers are discussed below
(Ericsson 2017). These requirements range from: (Opentechdiary 2015):

• Ultra-reliable, resilient, instantaneous connectivity for 1. Wireless sensors actuators, and network layer—this layer
millions of devices. has sensors, RFID tags, and connectivity network. They
• Low-cost devices with extended battery life. form the essential “things” of IoT system and collects
• Asset tracking throughout the ever-changing supply real-time information. Sensors convert the data obtained
chains. in the outer world into data for analysis. Actuators
• Performing remote medical procedures. intervene in the physical reality—they can switch off
• Using AR/VR to enhance the shopping experiences. the light and adjust the temperature in a room. Sensors
• Using AI to enhance operations in multiple areas or and actuators cover and adjust everything needed in the
enterprise-wide. physical world to gain the necessary insights for further
analysis.
5G delivers a high-speed, reliable, and secure broad- 2. Internet Getaways and Data Acquisition Systems This
band experience, and will be a major technology for stage makes data both digitalized and aggregated.
growing industry digitization. It will provide the networks Internet getaways work through Wi-Fi, embedded OS,
and platforms to drive the digitization and automation of Signal Processors, Micro-Controllers, and the Gateway
Industry 4.0. It will support the massive rollout of intel- Networks including LAN (Local Area Network), WAN
ligent IoT and the widespread adoption of critical com- (Wide Area Network), etc. The responsibility of Gate-
munications services (GSMA 2017). ways is routing the data coming from the sensor, con-
In summary, 5G networks enable service providers to nectivity, and network layer and pass it to the next layer.
build virtual networks tailored to applications require- Data acquisition systems (DAS) connect to the sensor
ments such as: network and aggregate output. This stage processes the
enormous amount of information collected on the previ-
• Mobile broadband communication, media and enter- ous stage and squeeze it to the optimal size for further
tainment, and the Internet analysis.
• Machine-to-Machine (Massive IoT) Retail, shopping,
manufacturing
• Reliable low latency Automobile, medical, smart cities 3. Edge IT-Management Services This layer is responsible
• Critical communications for data mining, text mining, analysis of IoT devices,
• Others Industry-specific services, energy, etc. analysis of information (stream analytics, data analytics)

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The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation and industry digitization

Fig. 4  IoT architecture layers.

Source: Opentechdiary (2015)

and device management. This stage provides analytics 2019. By 2030, the global adoption of consumer IoT tech-
and pre-processing and prepares data before it is trans- nology will reach 100% (DBS Asian Insights 2018).
ferred to the data center or cloud for further analysis.
Edge IT systems are located close to the sensors and D. Next stage in IoT development
actuators, creating a wiring closet.
4. Datacenter and cloud The main processes of analysis, In the past few years, technologies like Augmented Reality
management, and storage of data happen in the data (AR), Industrial IoT (IIoT), edge computing, and Low Power
center or cloud. This stage enables in-depth processing, Wide-Area (LPWA) were introduced that shape the next
along with a follow-up revision for feedback stages in IoT development. Over the next few years, more
and more devices will become connected, increasing the
The following sections review how the 5G network can application of IoT exponentially (Attaran 2017b). Addition-
improve processes in different layers of IoT architecture. ally, IoT technology is the driving force in our Industry 4.0
revolution. In Industry 4.0, industrial processes and the asso-
C. Mainstream adoptability ciated machines are becoming smarter and more modular.
They could monitor, collect, exchange, analyze, and instantly
The IoT is a relatively new developing technology. Over the act on information to intelligently change their behavior or
past few years, IoT-enabled devices have become broader, their environment. Additionally, as the total cost of owner-
deeper, and more affordable. Sensors and tags are rapidly ship of IoT devices and solutions decrease, the technology
becoming cheaper. Readers and sensors are using less power, will be affordable for markets of asset tracking, agriculture,
growing more intelligent, operating faster and at longer dis- and environmental monitoring (ABI Research 2016).
tances, and able to handle interference. This means better
systems performance, greater capability to use sensors and E. The impact of 5G on IoT
tags with more data, and easier integration into existing sys-
tems without reprogramming. According to several recent A 2017 CEO survey of 5G potential applications revealed
research, IoT adoption over the next 10 years is on the rise. five different services that could be supported and would
According to a Cisco estimate, devices connected to the come to maturity when commercial 5G networks are widely
Internet were 11 billion in 2013, 15 billion in 2014, 25 bil- deployed. They are highlighted in Fig. 5 (Obiodu and Giles
lion in 2016, and will be over 50 billion by 2020—that is 2017). IoT ranked second on the list, with 77% of the
seven Internet-connected “things” for every person on the respondent of respondents believing that 5G provides broad
planet (Evans 2011). enablement of IoT use cases. Gartner conducted another sur-
DBS Group Research has identified IoT technologies to vey in 2018 to understand the growing demand and adoption
reach the mass adoption stage in Asia over the next 5–10 plans for 5G. The results revealed that 65% of organizations
years (DBS Asian Insights Insights 2018). According to had plans to deploy 5G networks to be mainly used for IoT
this study, the IoT achieved a mainstream global consumer and video communications by 2020. They identified opera-
adoption rate of 14% in 2017. With growing uptake, the IoT tional efficiency as the key driver for their decision (Omale
is likely to reach an adoption rate of 18–20% by the end of 2018).

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 M. Attaran

Fig. 5  A CEO survey of pos-

sible 5G applications

Leveraging cyber-physical systems and striving towards for future IoT applications. To meet the differing prerequi-
ever more automation and autonomous decisions in envi- sites of the IoT, 5G mobile networks must guarantee that
ronments such as the smart factories, autonomous vehicles, massive devices and new services such as enhanced Mobile
smart buildings, smart cities and connected industrial appli- Broadband (eMBB), massive Machine Type Communica-
cations, requires substantial resources to deal with the result- tions, Critical Communications, and Network Operations
ing amount of data that needs to be gathered, analyzed, and are effectively upheld. 5G provides essential prerequisites
transferred. Today’s network technologies are not sufficient and ubiquitous connectivity for end-clients, including high
for the ultra-connectivity needed for the future. We often throughput, low latency, fast information conveyance, high
need to use a mix of fixed and wireless network technologies versatility to empower a huge number of gadgets, productive
to realize massive IoT projects. 5G has the potential to bring energy utilization systems, etc. The fifth-generation (5G)
the reliability, latency, scalability, mobility, and security that mobile network will improve the range of IoT applications
is required for mission-critical services in the IoT ecosystem such as smart TVs, smart security cameras, smart dishwash-
(i-SCOOP 2018). ers, smart thermostats, smart kitchen appliances, and so on.
The existing IoT technology solutions are facing chal- The existing networks of 4G and 4G LTE cannot support
lenges such as a large number of connections of nodes and the mobile telecommunications needs of IoT. 5G can also
security issues. In order to meet widespread applications provide a solution to the issue and can provide the fastest
and different industry demands, IoT will require improved network data rate with relatively low expectancy and better
performance criteria in areas such as security, trustworthi- communication coverage when compared to present 4G LTE
ness, wireless coverage, ultra-low latency, and mass con- networking technologies. The fast speeds provided by 5G
nectivity. 5G can improve processes in different stages of IoT will bring new technological advancements. The next gen-
architecture (Fig. 2). 5G can contribute to the future of IoT eration of 5G will handle hundreds of billions of connections
through the connection of billions of smart devices to inter- and will provide transmission speeds of 10 Gbps and ultra-
act and share data independently. 5G is considered as a key low latency of 1 ms. It also provides more reliable service in
enabling technology that will play an important role in the rural areas reducing the differences in service between rural
continued success and widespread applications of IoT. 5G and urban areas (Li et al. 2018). Although 5G is an extension
will introduce new Radio Access technologies (RAT), smart of the 4G and 4G LTE networks, yet it comes with entirely
antennas, and make use of higher frequencies while altering new network architecture and functions such as virtualiza-
or re-architecting networks. The 5G enabled IoT will help tion, which offers more than just the impressive fast data
the connection of an enormous number of these IoT devices rates. Network function virtualization offers the ability to
and will also help to meet market demands for wireless ser- split physical networks into multiple virtual networks where
vices. The fifth- generation (5G) mobile network will meet the devices can be reconfigured to create multiple networks.
the differing prerequisites of the IoT. To meet the growing This feature will provide the 5G enabled IoT applications
requirements of IoT, the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and with an immediate processing ability that will allow for
5G technologies must provide new connectivity interfaces improved speed and coverage, and also provide the capacity

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The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation and industry digitization

to meet the demands of applications. Virtualization will also comprehensive understanding of the performance require-
enhance the feasibility of radio access network (RAN) for ments of each activity based IoT application could facilitate
next-generation voice, video, and data services. the selection of 5G technologies needed to meet the growing
5G networks will integrate mobile tech, big data, IoT, demands of these applications.
and cloud computing, and will generate a variety of new Following is a more detailed description of these perfor-
applications as the technology is rolled out. 5G will sup- mance requirements:
port smart devices, including self-driving cars, wearable,
telemedicine, and Internet of Things (IoT). Autonomous cars 1. Data Rate Data rate is an important evaluation factor
and IoT devices are expected to be major revenue drivers for for generations of wireless communication networks
5G networks (i-SCOOP 2018). (Saha et al. 2016). 5G core network will support both
peak data rate—the maximum achievable data rate by
F. Big data, IoT, and 5G networks the user, and minimum guaranteed user data rate—the
minimum experience data rate by the user (Oughton
Another area where 5G networking can be very help- and Frias 2017). The high data rate is important in most
ful is “Big Data.” Data is flooding in at a rate never seen activity-based classes of IoT applications. 5G networks
before—–doubling every 18  months (Rossi and Hirama support 10 Gbps for minimum peak data rate and 100
2015). The International Data Corporation report predicted Mbps as the minimum guaranteed user data rate (5G
that there could be an increase in digital data by 40X from Forum 2016).
2012 to 2020 (Gantz and Reinsel 2012). Public customer 2. Mobility IoT applications have very diverse requirements
data and new data gathered from IoT enabled devices are for mobility (relative velocity between the receiver and
generating what is broadly known as “Big Data.” The the transmitter) in 5G networks (Oughton and Frias
amount of data that IoT devices might report back to a cloud 2017). Many IoT use cases require ultra-high mobility,
server could easily overwhelm a relational database. Com- ultrahigh traffic volume density, and ultra-high connec-
panies offering IoT enabled devices need to be prepared for tion density. These needs may be quite challenging for
storing, tracking, and analyzing the vast amounts of data that 5G networks to provide on- demand mobility for all
will be generated. The real value that IoT creates is at the devices and services (Le et al. 2015).
intersection of gathering data and leveraging it. Additionally, 3. Latency latency is perceived by the end-user and is usu-
the privacy and security of enormous data produced by mil- ally expressed in terms of end-to-end (E2E) latency. 5G
lions of interconnected devices going to be challenged and networks, through significant enhancements and new
private information may leak at any time (Zheng et al. 2019). technology in architecture aspects, enable “zero latency”
Zheng et al. (2019). It is anticipated that IoT’s billions of expressed by the millisecond level of E2E latency (Saha
connected objects will generate data volume far in excess of et al. 2016; Hu 2016; Ford et al. 2017). IoT application
what can easily be processed and analyzed in the cloud, due determines required latency levels. For example, the
to issues like limited bandwidth, network latency, etc. 5G acceptable delay for use case mobile health and remote
has the potential to keep up with consumer and enterprise surgery application is in order of sub-milliseconds (Le
data demand while lowering carriers’ operating expenses. et al. 2015; Blanco et al. 2017).
4. Connection Density Connection density is the number of
G. IoT performance requirements for 5G networks connected and/or accessible devices per unit area, e.g.,
1 million connections per square meter (Le et al. 2015;
An important challenge for 5G networks is to support a NGMN Alliance 2017). Connectivity in 5G networks is
variety of performance requirements for IoT applications not limited to mobile devices. 5G networks can satisfy
in a reliable, flexible, and cost-effective way (Zhang and connection density and traffic density of various identi-
Fitzek 2015). Activity-based IoT applications pose many fied activity-based classes of IoT applications (Amaral
performance requirements, as described in several stud- et al. 2016; NGMN Alliance 2017).
ies. Energy optimization of streaming applications in IoT 5. Reliability is measured by the maximum tolerable packet
has been analyzed, and energy-efficient task mapping and loss rate at the application layer. For certain IoT uses
scheduling have been proposed (Ali et al. 2018a, b, 2019; cases such as driverless cars, 5G must bring the reli-
Tariq et al. 2019). A recent study identified eight key perfor- ability of 99,999% or higher (Ford et al. 2017; Rappa-
mance indicators and requirements of activity-based IoT (5G port et al. 2014; Ge et al. 2016; Elayoubi et al. 2016).
Forum 2016). These performance requirements range from Similarly, reliability is the main characteristic of moni-
data rate, mobility, latency, connection density, reliability, toring, managing, and controlling activities. Reliability
positioning accuracy, coverage, and energy efficiency and will present many challenges in the future. High-speed
are usually well described for specific IoT applications. A trains are just one example of this challenge because of

13
 M. Attaran

speed, load, and cell distance (Oughton and Frias 2017; efficiency of the 5G network may need to be improved
Erman and Yiu 2016), by a factor of 1000 (Kaur and Singh 2016; Akyildiz
6. Position Accuracy Position accuracy is defined as the et al. 2014; Kamel et al. 2016; Bogale and Le 2015).
maximum positioning error tolerated by the IoT appli- Energy efficiency is a significant factor for the reduction
cation. Accuracy positioning is very important in moni- of operating costs of telecom operators, as well as for
toring-based activities such as monitoring remote cam- minimizing the environmental impact of wireless tech-
eras and in controlling-based activities such as driving nology (Bogale and Le 2015).
(Blanco et al. 2017). 5G networking technology should
ensure accurate positioning of the outdoors device with
accuracy from 10 m to less than 1 m on 80% of occa- H. End-user willingness to Pay for 5G enabled IoT
sions and better than 1 m in indoor deployment (Elay-
oubi et al. 2016). In the summer of 2017, Gartner conducted a survey to gauge
7. Coverage 5G core network shall be able to build the the willingness among end-user organizations to pay more
network based on the user’s need. It should provide con- for 5G networking technology (Gartner 2017). A vast major-
nectivity anytime and anywhere with a minimum user ity of correspondents (57%) believed that 5G-capable net-
experience data rate of 1 Gbps (Hossain 2013). Almost works would play an important role in IoT in their organi-
every activity based IoT application requires very high zations and that their intention is to use 5G to drive IoT
levels of coverage—99,999% availability (NGMN Alli- communication. The video was the next most popular use
ance 2017). case, which was chosen by 53% of the respondents. The
8. Spectrum Efficiency Spectrum efficiency is defined as study also identified the willingness to pay for the 5G net-
the aggregate data throughput of all users per unit of works of surveyed organizations. 57% of surveyed organiza-
spectrum resource per cell or per unit area. The mini- tions were willing to pay the same cost as 4G and up to 10%
mum peak spectrum efficiency is 30 bps/Hz for down- higher (Fig. 6).
link and 15 bps/Hz for uplink (Liu and Jiang 2016). IoT
enabled 5G networks to require 3–5 times improvement
in spectrum efficiency to achieve network sustainability
5 5G for automotive industry and smart cars
(Liu and Jiang 2016; De Matos and Gondim 2016; Hos-
sain 2013). A. Rethinking transportation
9. Energy Efficiency Energy efficiency is the number of
bits that can be transmitted per joule of energy, and it is Henry Ford introduced his first Model T car using inter-
measured in b/J (Liu and Jiang 2016). 5G wireless tech- changeable parts on an assembly line in 1908. This led
nology should aim for higher energy efficiency against to a more efficient manufacturing process—the price of
increased device/network energy consumption required cars dropped, and sales picked up. Nearly 7% of American
on wireless communications. That means the energy families owned a car in 1918. The number of cars nearly

Fig. 6  Willingness of Organi-
zations to pay for 5G. Source:
Gartner (2017)

13
The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation and industry digitization

tripled from 8 million to 23 million in the 1920s. By 1929, Autonomous cars disrupt the transportation industry
80% of American families owned a car. At this time, the in several ways. Driven by the exponential rise in electric
auto manufacturing industry was also growing quickly— vehicles, improved connectivity services provided by faster
by 1925, 10% of the U.S. workforce was employed by the networking solutions, and technological breakthrough,
auto industry. Cars were the most significant innovation consumer mobility behavior is changing. It is predicted
of the twentieth century that shaped our modern lifestyle. that one out of ten cars sold in 2030 will potentially be a
The rise of the automobile industry disrupted almost every shared vehicle. Once regulatory issues have been resolved,
industry and every aspect of the economy. Affordable cars up to 15% of new cars sold in 2030 could be fully autono-
enabled people to move from cities to the suburbs, which mous (McKinsey & Company 2016). Auto production will
led to economic growth in the construction industry. This suffer because autonomous fleets will need far fewer cars
new era of transportation remained in place for 100 years than are currently consumed. According to an estimate by
(Sears 1977). However, a revolution is arriving by way of RethinkX Sector Disruption Report, the number of U.S.
self-driving vehicles. These autonomous cars are antici- vehicles will drop 82% from 247 to 44 million in the new
pated to disrupt critical areas of the economy and have an age of autonomous vehicles. That will lead to a 70% reduc-
even bigger impact than the automobile did in the 1920s. tion in automotive manufacturing. Moreover, nearly 100
More specifically, self-driving cars are labeled as the fast- million existing vehicles will be abandoned as they become
est, deepest, most consequential disruptions of transporta- economically unviable (Arbib and Seba 2017). This could
tion in history (Arbib and Seba 2017). result in total disruption and almost complete destruction
Consumer mobility behavior is one of the areas that of the auto industry—specifically car dealers, maintenance,
is changing. Individuals are increasingly using multiple and insurance companies. Automakers’ business models
modes of transportation to complete their journey(s). The will shift from producing cars for public consumption to
“state of delivery” is another area of customer concern. producing cars to deploy in their self-driving fleets. Traffic
Consumers are showing an obvious preference for deliv- becomes a thing of the past, commute times will decline
ered goods and services. The clear result in this practice significantly, and workers can move even further from their
is a decline in individual shopping trips. In dense big cit- place of employment. As a result, real estate will become
ies like New York City or Los Angeles, car ownership is more accessible, increasing urban sprawl (Arbib and Seba
increasingly becoming more of a burden for many, and the 2017). The primary challenges impeding faster market pen-
prospect of shared mobility now presents a competitive etration for fully autonomous vehicles are pricing, consumer
value proposition (McKinsey & Company 2016). Accord- understanding, and safety/security issues. Fully self-driving
ing to a 2017 study by RethinkX, an independent think vehicles are unlikely to be commercially available before
tank and research company, within 10 years of govern- 2020 (McKinsey & Company 2016). However, these driver-
ment approval of autonomous vehicles, 95% of the U.S. less cars are already here to stay. Tesla recently announced
passenger miles will be covered by fleets of autonomous the company’s aspiration to release a fully autonomous Robo
electric vehicles (Arbib and Seba 2017). This will cre- taxi fleet next year. Lyft announced that self-driving cars are
ate a new business model called “Transport as-a-Service” a central part of its vision for reducing individual car own-
(TaaS) and will have enormous implications across the ership, creating safer streets, and alleviating congestion. In
transportation and oil industries, causing oil demand and 2018, Lyft partnered with vehicle technology firm Aptiv to
prices to plummet, and creating trillions of dollars in new begin its driverless car program in Las Vegas. Lyft’s fleet of
business opportunities and GDP growth (Arbib and Seba 30 driverless cars has completed 50,000 rides in Las Vegas,
2017). It is predicted that TaaS will reduce energy demand up from 30,000 in January 2019. Passengers rated their trips
by 80% and tailpipe emissions by over 90%, thus bring- an impressive average of 4.97 out of 5. Moreover, 92% of
ing dramatic reductions or perhaps even the elimination riders felt very safe or extremely safe during the ride. 95%
of air pollution and greenhouse gases from the transport of riders indicated it was their first time inside a self-driving
sector and improved public health. TaaS will not only dra- vehicle (Lyft Blog 2019). Lyft is looking for partnerships
matically lower transportation costs but increase mobility to further its self-driving ambitions. It recently announced
and access to jobs, education, and health care. It has the a deal with self-driving technology firm Waymo for a ride-
potential to create trillions of dollars in consumer surplus sharing service in Phoenix, Arizona (Mogg 2019).
and contribute to a cleaner, safer, and more walkable com-
munities (Arbib and Seba 2017). According to this study, B. The impact of 5G on automotive industry
by 2030, by using the TaaS model, the average American
family could save nearly $5600 per year in transportation According to a 2017 study by Qualcomm, by 2035, 5G net-
costs, and the United States will save an additional $1 tril- works will enable more than $2.4 trillion in total economic
lion per year (Arbib and Seba 2017). output in the automotive sector, including its supply chain

13
 M. Attaran

and its customers. 5G economic impacts in this sector will their lives, to predict when equipment is wearing down
represent about 20% of the total global 5G economic impact or in need of repair, and to learn how machines can be
by 2035 (Condon 2017). According to the World Economic redesigned to be more efficient. This could reduce main-
Forum, the digital transformation of the automotive industry tenance costs by 40% and cut unplanned downtime by 50%
will generate $67 billion in value for that sector over the (Hale 2019). Furthermore, an increasing amount of data
2015–2025 periods. Additionally, this transformation will being created by Industry 4.0 provides the opportunity for
generate $3.1 trillion in the societal benefit that includes the manufacturer to significantly enhance the customer
autonomous vehicles improvement and the transportation experience.
enterprise ecosystem over the same period (World Economic Additionally, during the past years, the use of additive
Forum 2015). manufacturing (AM) technologies in different industries
Automakers are racing to improve the technology that have increased substantially. AM is used to produce prod-
will power self-driving cars. 5G networks enable the digi- ucts that can be customized individually. The technology
tal transformation of the automotive industry. Smart cars offers several benefits to the manufacturing industry, includ-
consume a lot of bandwidth, require quicker responses from ing shorter production lead times, reduced time to market
the network, and demand continuous connectivity to the for new product designs, and faster response to customer
network. 5G supports higher bandwidth and lower laten- demand (Attaran 2017a).
cies, which enables Smart Cars to function efficiently. 5G Finally, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is another technology
technology improves mobile wireless networks’ capacity that is set to have a profound impact on the manufacturing
and data speeds. It allows network providers to offer much industry in several diverse ways. For example, AI can be
more robust internet connections to devices. As such, 5G used to make more sense of the mountains of data manufac-
will play an important role in the proliferation of self- turers are now collecting and storing. It can also be used to
driving cars, which will produce enormous amounts of improve customer service and support.
data. This technology makes intelligent driving safer and
more efficient. As such, 5G networks will help enable the B. 5G and manufacturing industry
autonomous urban ride services and most self-driving car
players. Additionally, 5G networks can offer many services Manufacturing companies around the world are under
to automakers, including navigation information, traffic extreme competitive pressure due to shorter business and
information, e-tolling, hazard warning, collision warning, product lifecycles. Margins are being squeezed more than
weather updates, and cybersecurity services to monitor ever, and workforces are aging and becoming costlier to
vehicles for intrusions. maintain. To compete globally, manufacturing companies
have to improve efficiency and reduce costs through new
process innovations—technologies like robotics, ware-
house automation, smart factories, and flexible manufac-
6 5G for manufacturing sector and smart turing help. 5G networks and IoT will play crucial roles
factory in enhancing and enabling these manufacturing advances.
A. The constantly changing manufacturing industry 5G networking technologies provide the network charac-
teristics essential for manufacturing. 5G will give manu-
The manufacturing industry is going through a significant facturing companies a chance to build smart factories and
period of change driven by rapid technological advance- truly take advantage of technologies such as automation,
ments that have enabled manufacturers to meet con- artificial intelligence, and augmented reality for trou-
sumer demands better. Technology will play a key role in bleshooting. 5G is a significant technology for industry
empowering manufacturers to innovate and embrace the digitalization that directly enhances connectivity, quality,
opportunities that will present themselves. Manufactur- speed, latency, and bandwidth. 5G could help overcome
ers must keep up with the technological evolution of the manufacturing problems and pain points, including con-
products and processes, as they are continually improved. nectivity issues such as insufficient bandwidth, speed,
As more and more ‘smart’ devices are integrated into and latency issues. 5G will also improve connectivity for
manufacturing, industry 4.0 will continue to dominate a large network of sensors for predictive maintenance of
the manufacturing process. Industry 4.0 combines artifi- factory floor machines and robots. 5G networks will allow
cial intelligence and data science to realize the potential for higher flexibility, lower cost, and shorter lead times for
of the Internet of Things (IoT) (Attaran 2017b). Sensors factory floor layout changes and alterations. 5G networks,
and tags are attached to parts to track them throughout services, and connectivity capabilities have the potential to
the manufacturing and assembly process. Sensors are also transform production, business models, and sales in ways
used to improve the performance of machines, to extend that will benefit manufacturing. Advanced 5G networks

13
The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation and industry digitization

and information processing technology can streamline connectivity so doctors and nurses can achieve patient
smart factories, improve internal and external communi- monitoring anywhere, anytime. 5G technology enables
cations, and unify full product life cycle management on patients to use wearable devices to transmit their health
a single network. Other important pain points and crucial symptoms and status. 5G enhanced mobile broadband with
manufacturing use cases 5G can overcome are summarized faster speed and more bandwidth can help doctors have
in Table 1 (Ericsson 2019). access to patient’s information for remote monitoring and
diagnosis.
5G networks enable factory robots to communicate their
task and position, allowing them to do more tasks efficiently
7 5G for the healthcare industry and wirelessly. Drones could fly over a field of crops, using
sensors on the ground, to sort, pick, feed, and water indi-
A. The ever-changing healthcare industry
vidual plants. In April 2019, a Chinese neurosurgeon suc-
cessfully operated on a patient suffering from Parkinson’s
Allied Market Research estimates that there are 3.7 million
disease. The doctor used a pacemaker-like implant on a
connected medical devices in use to enable healthcare deci-
patient that was about 1864 miles away during the surgery.
sions. According to its prediction, the worldwide IoT health-
This surgery was only possible because of the lightning-fast
care market will reach $136.8 billion by 2021 (Market Watch
connection of 5G networks that allows surgeons such as the
2016). The applications of IoT in the healthcare industry
one in China to control an off-site surgical robot and operate
are limitless. The concept is referred to as the Internet of
in real-time (China Daily 2019).
Medical Things or “IoMT.” It is the collection of medical
A recent study by Ericsson identified different ways
devices equipped with Wi-Fi and applications connected to
the healthcare industry can derive value out of 5G net-
healthcare IT systems through online computer networks.
working technology (Ericsson 2018). They are summa-
As hospitals struggle to lower operating costs and remain
rized below:
competitive, IoMT has the potential to reduce costs and
improve a patient’s journey through a medical facility. The
• Effective capture of the vast amount of patient data.
idea of telemedicine or the ability of a doctor with a webcam
• Real-time mobile delivery of rich medical data.
to diagnose a patient’s problems without an office visit is
• Improved availability of suitable infrastructure.
becoming popular. This is very useful when patients live
• Improved security of patient data and superior data stor-
in remote areas or when they need specialized care. Mobile
age.
health can help the healthcare industry improve efficiency
• Ability to accurately control remote medical equipment
and reduce costs in the areas of disease prevention, coun-
without delay.
seling, treatment, and rehabilitation (Marr 2018).
• Ability to incorporate augmented and virtual reality for
enhanced training of interns.
B 5G advantages for healthcare
• Facilitate the connectivity and operations of smart medi-
cal objects and instruments such as syringes, beds, and
5G networks and services provide mobile health platform
cabinets.
advantages such as integrated mobility and advanced

Table 1  Important manufacturing use case for 5G. Source: Ericsson (2019)

Manufacturing categories Manufacturing use case

Industrial control and automation Industrial automation and control of robots and smart factories
Tracking of goods in the end-to-end value chain
Fully automated robotics
Immersive remote operations
Planning and design Factory floor production reconfiguration, layout changes, and alterations
Simulation of the factory process
Long term sustainability
Monitoring and tracking Applications to gather and monitor data
Hazard and Monitoring sensing
Real-time communication between machines
Tracking of goods in the end-to-end value chain
Real-time data collection, analysis, and monitoring
Augmented reality for troubleshooting

13
 M. Attaran

8 5G for smart grids and smart cities B. 5G for smart cities

A. 5G for smart grids In addition, 5G is a critical element in providing better net-

working in our technological world. For example, a smart
The smart grid is one example of the application of IoT city integrates information and communication technology
where components of the electric grid from transformers and 5G networking solutions in a secure fashion to man-
to power lines to home electric meters have sensors and age a city’s different functions. Those functions include, but
are capable of two-way communication. The electric com- are not limited to, schools, libraries, transportation systems,
pany can use the smart grid to manage distribution more hospitals, power plants, water supply networks, waste man-
efficiently, be proactive about maintenance, and respond agement, law enforcement, and other community services.
to outages faster. Smart grids integrate traditional power There is a need for finding a way of aggregating multiple
systems with information, communication, and control layers of data, spanning traffic flows, individual transactions,
technology to improve the power grid’s stability, security, human movement, shifts in energy usage, security activity,
and operating efficiency. Power generation facilities are and almost any major component of contemporary econo-
digitizing form, scale, power management, and control to mies. 5G technology can facilitate this aggregation. 5G tech-
increase systems and operating efficiency. The communica- nology can facilitate this aggregation. The savings gained
tions systems for smart grids cover all nodes on the power from Smart Cities is incredible. For example, smart water
system, including power generation, transformation, trans- technology can save $12 billion annually. Sensors installed
mission, distribution, and usage. The new digitized power in individual vehicles can be linked to broader systems that
generation facility attempts to improve the efficiency of help to manage traffic congestion across the city.
power systems by building a high capacity, high-speed,
real-time, secure, and stable communications networks.
5G greatly enhances the amount of spectrum used to send
and receive data. It can act as an integrator and support 9 Obstacles to rapid adoption
the diverse requirements of smart grids. 5G is more effi-
cient and faster than fiber optic and short-range wireless There are numerous challenges in applying 5G networking
communications technology, supports over-the-air wireless technology in a way that would allow for its significant and
connectivity, and has excellent disaster recovery capabili- rapid growth. Security and privacy is the primary concern
ties. Other advantages like ultra-high bandwidth, wide-area among consumers and businesses as devices become more
seamless coverage, and roaming make 5G an ideal technol- connected. The major challenges include technological
ogy for smart and digital grids. maturity, global standardization, government regulations,
A recent study by Ericsson identified different ways the and cost. A recent study conducted by Ericsson revealed
Energy and Utilities industry can derive value out of 5G that companies are still hobbled when it comes to overcom-
networking technology (Ericsson 2018). They are summa- ing barriers to actually using the 5G technology. The sig-
rized below: nificant barriers were identified as data security and privacy,
lack of standards, and challenges of end-to-end implemen-
• Improves the integration of new technologies within the tation (Ericsson 2018). 5G’s speed will expedite incidents
existing infrastructure. of a breach, and as we add more small cells, there will also
• Improves capturing and handling of the large volume of be more vulnerable hardware. 5G technology also brings
data. an increase in open-source designs and technologies. Open
• Facilitates automation across distribution, operations, source brings the speed of innovation and collaboration, but
and energy efficiencies. it can also bring security vulnerabilities.
• Facilitates connecting and monitoring of remote sites Technology standard is non-consistent and remains frag-
such as wind farms. mented in most areas. Technical and boundary limitations
• Improves industrial control and automation systems. still exist in some areas of technology. Capturing the full
• Improves applications to gather and monitor data. potential of 5G networking potentials will require innova-
• Improves management of distributed energy resources. tion in technologies and business models, as well as invest-
• Improves integration of sensors in microgrid and distrib- ment in new capabilities and talent. Most businesses have
uted generation. not equipped their teams with 5G capable smartphones,
scanners, laptops, nor, in the case of manufacturing facili-
ties, smart machines on the factory floor. These devices will

13
The impact of 5G on the evolution of intelligent automation and industry digitization

need to be upgraded or replaced, which means added train- reality. 5G will enable networks of self-driving cars with the
ing and cost for businesses. Business infrastructures will ability to send data between each other, communicate with
require updating to reap the full interconnected benefits of traffic lights, road sensors, aerial drones, and so on within
5G. Existing devices will need to be upgraded or replaced a millisecond. Additionally, autonomous trains, delivery
with new devices that are enabled for 5G technology. trucks, even airplanes could be on the horizon soon.
5G Wireless will also play a crucial role in a growing
number of consumer electronics technologies and companies
10 Summary and Conclusions and will transform the fundamental ways industries conduct
business. 5G wireless will enable companies to be on the
A. Summary growing side of the growth wave keeping their investors,
customers, and workers happy. So, the very near future will
5G networks and services will be deployed in stages over be one of the most exciting times for business in our life-
the next few years to provide a platform on which new digi- times, full of challenges, opportunities, and risks.
tal services and business models can thrive. 5G will mark
a turning point in the future of communications bringing
high-powered connectivity to billions of devices. It will
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