ENOs and Private LTE: Intelligent Connectivity for Smart Factories

Manufacturing processes and operations are undergoing digital transformation, and the next generation of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications are being deployed on factory floors, including but not limited to predictive maintenance programs, digital twins, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). However, the connectivity technologies used in most factories cannot provide the high bandwidth, low latency, reliability, and security required for Industry 4.0 deployments. WiFi, which may be the most commonly used, has security, reliability, and interference issues, while cabling cannot provide the flexibility required for dynamic factories. On the other hand, LPWAN technologies, such as Sigfox and Lora, have lower throughput. What else makes high-performance IoT networks that can support a large number of remote and mission-critical applications a reality? Let's take a look at the role of 5G, private LTE, and ENOs for Industry 4.0.

Benefits of 5G

The following 5G specifications make this new wireless technology standard ideal for Industry 4.0:

• Ultra-high bandwidth capacity, allowing for faster throughput
• High data speeds (up to 10 Gigabits per second)
• Low latency communication (1-10 ms)
• Five nines availability (99.999% uptime)
• Low power consumption (battery life of low-power IoT devices can be up to 10 years)

5G is enabling faster, more stable connections and low-latency communications, making real-time data transmission possible

5G networks can be sliced, providing flexible performance and enabling enterprises to protect their IoT networks. The network can be divided at any point, assigning applications to different packet gateways at different frequencies. This ensures interference-free connectivity throughout the factory, while devices affected by malware can also be isolated into separate slices, limiting security threats and preventing other devices on the network from being affected. However, it will take some time before 5G cellular networks are fully rolled out and enable the manufacturing industry to take advantage of these benefits.

Private LTE: A stepping stone to 5G

Until that day arrives, private LTE already offers many of the above benefits while also providing an easy transition path to 5G. Private cellular networks (PCNs) owned and operated by enterprises are quickly becoming a mission-critical resource. PCNs provide the additional resiliency and security required for IIoT applications and offer manufacturing companies a way to customize connectivity to meet specific application requirements and optimize the demand on network resources.

Thanks to the innovation of pLTE, the MnO no longer has sole control over the network. This instead gives the enterprise ownership of network connectivity. Until 5G is widely available, enterprise-owned PCNs are the answer to accommodate today’s mission-critical, data-centric IoT applications. However, a lack of in-house telecom experience may result in manufacturing companies being unaware or unable to deploy their own private LTE networks, which is where the new player in the connectivity space comes in: the Enterprise Network Operator (ENO).

Deployment of pLTE Network

Working in a network-as-a-service model, ENOs provide managed connectivity services to help enterprises control their IoT networks. With ENOs employing unique connectivity solutions, individual business needs can be met, such as supplementing existing networks with a private LTE core, or providing a complete private cellular network on unlicensed spectrum. As a supporter of enterprises owning and controlling the infrastructure and related services required for their IoT networks, ENOs provide managed connectivity services over private LTE networks, enabling manufacturing companies to focus on their core business and maximize their deployment potential.

ENO for IIoT

With a private cellular network solution, control is in the hands of the enterprise, as it can "segment" the network and dynamically deploy additional packet gateways based on different bandwidth, QoS requirements and security policies to optimize the network for specific IIoT applications. The result is a future-proof solution that connects mission-critical assets securely, reliably and cost-effectively in industrial environments, while paving the way for 5G in the future.

In addition, eSIM and eUICC technologies provide additional ownership to enterprises by controlling devices through SIM cards, without having to move IIoT devices out of the field. Over-the-air (OTA) provisioning eliminates dependence on any one operator by allowing remote switching of network service providers, giving manufacturers the flexibility to respond instantly to changes in network coverage and prices. Access to an agnostic platform as a service (PaaS) also provides manufacturers with granular control and real-time visibility into their IoT connections, and the modular design of this centralized management platform enables companies to easily integrate new services such as analytics, billing, and security solutions as they scale their operations.

Paving the way

By using private LTE, ENOs can adapt to today's data-centric, mission-critical IoT applications, paving the way for Industry 4.0. Manufacturing processes are undergoing digital transformation, and WiFi is no longer the best choice for industrial connectivity. An Enterprise Network Operator (ENO) provides secure and reliable connectivity as a service, allowing industrial companies to digitize their business and making 5G deployment possible.