The fifth generation of mobile network will bring many advantages to companies in different sectors, especially for logistics, improving communication with the supplier ecosystem and making processes more agile
*By Waldir Bertolino
The year 2022 marked the debut of 5G in Brazil, where the main capitals now have the new technology. It was natural to imagine that 2023 would start with great expectations about the expansion of the signal to more locations and the forecast is that 420 Brazilian municipalities should be able to receive the fifth generation of mobile internet.
Expectations are growing on the part of users, but also of companies. This is because the new technology promises to increase connection speed by more than 10 times compared to the previous generation, allowing high data transmission and improved information management, which in many cases is still done manually.
This is the reality of many companies in the logistics sector. According to a survey commissioned by the company Ericsson, one-third of decision makers working in this segment state that easily exchanging information with customers and suppliers is an obstacle to improving their companies' logistics operations. With 5G, data analysis gains momentum and this scenario tends to reduce dramatically. In addition, managers now have a great tool to improve strategic decision-making.
Check out four ways 5G can help logistics below:
More speed: As mentioned earlier, 5G offers much faster connection speeds than 4G. In this way, logistics leaders now have a real-time update of vehicles and deliveries, making it possible to change routes due to variables such as accidents and traffic jams.
Greater infrastructure capacity: in addition to speed, 5G also offers greater processing power, which means that the network infrastructure will be able to accommodate a greater number of connected devices. In a warehouse, for example, several devices can maintain a fast and stable connection within the same network without experiencing interference.
Cloud adoption and increased supply chain visibility: the low latency offered by 5G is essential for cloud solutions to deliver the benefits they are intended to deliver. The reduced latency time ensures that companies do not have to wait long to access data stored in the cloud, enabling an almost instantaneous exchange of information between systems. This is a key factor in increasing visibility over all supply chain processes.
New delivery standards: as already happens in other countries, the logistics sector is increasingly developing remote delivery solutions, mainly by drone. However, these tools require a high-performance communication network. This is where 5G comes in, significantly improving the performance of product deliveries through drones or autonomous cars, making the service more efficient and agile.
It will take some time for 5G in logistics to become commonplace, but it is perfectly possible to imagine that its potential will revolutionize the sector, making logistics processes more efficient, agile and competitive. It is already possible to see some tests of the new technology in several sectors, rewriting current business models. Logistics cannot be left out of this new era.
*Waldir Bertolino is Country Manager at Infor in Brazil
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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