Ericsson and Mobily recently announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand 5G use across a range of industries in Saudi Arabia.
Ericsson Private 5G is designed to meet IT and operation technology (OT) users’ self-management needs while maintaining the security of on-site data. The company’s service will offer secure and simple 4G LTE and 5G standalone (SA) connectivity that optimizes and simplifies business operations, coupled with a cloud-based network management portal and a troubleshooting application.
High performance
Ericsson claims that its private network will allow for zero-downtime upgrades and keep sensitive data on-premise. The company will also provide high-performance through service-level agreements (SLAs). According to the company, as the infrastructure is easy to install and flexible, the private network will support use cases across a range of industrial sectors, including manufacturing, mining, ports, and airports, as well as oil and gas and power utilities.
Alaa Malki, chief technology officer at Mobily, said, “By exploring innovative use cases across several industries in Saudi Arabia, we will not only help unlock growth opportunities for public and private sector enterprises in the kingdom but will also propel the nation towards achieving its digital transformation ambitions in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”
A range of options
Ericsson’s Private 5G system builds upon the company’s 4G/5G radio and dual-mode core technology and aims to accelerate the digitalization process across a range of industries. Use cases range from tracking assets real-time automation to enhanced productivity, optimizing business operations through digital twins and data-driven insights, performing better site inspections or remote-controlled robotics to increase worker safety, and leveraging the capabilities of digital technologies such as augmented reality to enhance worker capabilities.
Ekow Nelson, vice president at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, added, “Ericsson Private 5G will allow Mobily to better support their enterprise customers more effectively. High throughput and low latency mean enterprises will be able to run multiple use cases on a single network while ensuring critical data remains on-site via best-in-class security. Reliable 5G connectivity will accelerate digital transformation in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.”
Ericsson has been working to accelerate 5G adoption in Saudi Arabia through a series of initiatives aimed to speed the development of services and platforms built around the standard.
Hence, Mobily and Ericsson will highlight how private 5G networks can provide value across a range of industries.