5G’s bigger opportunity lies in industrial automation, telecom executives say
Telecom executives in India argue that the true value of 5G technology lies in industrial automation and machine-to-machine connectivity rather than consumer smartphone use. Experts suggest that private 5G networks can revolutionize factory operations through robotics and IoT.
Why it matters
This shift in focus highlights the industrial potential of 5G to drive efficiency and safety in manufacturing sectors.
India’s rapid rollout of 5G has brought the technology to millions of smartphone users, but its larger potential may lie in connecting machines, robots and industrial systems, telecom executives said.
Prathitha Muthurangam, Enterprise Business Head – Tamil Nadu & Kerala at Bharti Airtel, said 4G was adequate for many smartphone applications, while 5G could enable a broader range of industrial and machine-to-machine use cases.
“We don’t need 5G. Even 4G is enough for our phones to work,” she said, noting that smartphones do not utilise all the capabilities that 5G offers.
“But 5G as a data use case is for industries because it is a heavy duty,” she added, referring to industrial applications that require high-speed connectivity and low latency.
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