Addressing the challenges faced by manufacturers requires a systematic approach to boosting operations and optimizing technological processes. These include reaping the benefits of 5G connectivity which, alone, is predicted to add <a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Impact_of_5G_Report.pdf">$13,2 trillion</a> to the global value produced by industries by 2035. Of this, almost 33% will come from manufacturing.



Across the world, manufacturing companies that have added 5G private networks to their operations are already benefiting from the technology, which is driving automation, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) on the factory floor.



The benefits of moving to 5G private networks include improved quality resulting from the use of predictive analysis to reduce the number of defects and detect damage in real-time. Virtual reality-based training is also ensuring safer work practices.



For manufacturers, the problems posed by the traditional factory challenges &#8211; which range from machine downtime and maintenance to supply chain delays and quality issues, and inefficient material handling &#8211; can be reduced significantly by using 5G private networks to drive the optimization of processes.



Manufacturers acting proactively to address these challenges will benefit through reduced production cycle times, increasing productivity, and overall efficiency on their floor.



The ‘smart factories’ that increasingly rely on automation, augmented reality and IoT will see 5G private networks powering devices and sensors around the factory, integrating AI into operations. Smart innovations could include automated guided vehicles to transport materials or produced goods, remote-controlled operations, digital quality inspection of production to detect defects, rework or enable root-cause analysis of issues.



The introduction of 5G private networks will also see industrial robotics communicating more reliably and with much less delay than was previously possible. Tethered and untethered robots could also be controlled, monitored, and reconfigured remotely over the 5G private network.



Already, some automotive manufacturers are leveraging partnerships with telecom tech companies. Their plant’s 5G private networks are helping to support automotive production on site and being used to track goods in and out of the factories. The networks also support automated guided vehicles in use throughout the plants.



Realizing the benefits, manufacturers are steadily moving to private networks to ensure that they can optimize the benefits of 5G.



Private networks empower users to utilize dedicated equipment and configurations in their networks. And, as they run separately from public networks, they can be deployed within a customer’s premises or in specified geographical areas, offering a dedicated and isolated network environment.



Amongst the other benefits of private networks is exclusive capacity, as there is no competition for space from other network users. High data speeds, up to 10 times faster than previous connectivity, translate into quicker downloads and uploads of large files and data sets, video streaming and large-scale data transfers. Notably, the problems associated with working in industrial areas far from urban centers and having spotty or weak indoor coverage are eliminated.



In a sector where supply chain stock sitting idly on shelves is expensive, 5G private network users are effectively managing supply chains by utilizing ‘just in time’ (JIT) techniques to ensure that materials and equipment are available when needed. The benefits are reduced production delays and improved efficiency. Savings, through reducing the cost of holding excess stock in storage facilities, are also achieved.



MTN believes that 5G private networks will play a pivotal role in transforming manufacturing. Its judicious implementation will be especially beneficial to African-based manufacturers who will be able to use its capabilities to leapfrog competitors who are not as connected, while producing high-quality, desirable products for local and international markets.

GM-for-ICT,-MTN-Business—Sudipto-Moitra-(1)

5G Private Networks Are Set To Transform The Manufacturing Sector

We are now well into 2019. It is scary how time flies, it
only seemed like yesterday many of us were still on holiday, planning our new
year resolutions. Well, hopefully by now, your resolutions have become your
daily habits. But there is a resolution that you may have overlooked.



I am talking about resolving to stay relevant and re-skill yourself for the future of work. The good news is that it is not too late, and there is no time like the present to start. There is no better time to make a ‘fourth industrial resolution’.



We live in a time where disruptive technologies and trends
such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics
and virtual reality (VR) will change the way we work. 



Are you equipped for this change?



Education has always been a powerful tool, but never has
that been truer. I am not talking about the traditional, outdated, boring type
of education. Please don’t rush to get an MBA or a new colleague degree. 



READ MORE |<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/woman/2019/03/11/the-businesses-of-the-future-20-new-wealth-creators-on-the-african-continent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Businesses Of The Future: 20 New Wealth Creators On The African Continent (opens in a new tab)">Businesses Of The Future: 20 New Wealth Creators On The African Continent</a>



Try to pursue relevant and ongoing education aligned to the
times. There are hundreds of free or low-cost resources online that could help
you with this. 



Platforms such aUdemy have some top-quality courses,
Codecademy will help you code (although the benefits thereof are debateable),
and Trend Hunter will help you keep up to date with the latest products and
companies being launched globally.



Some companies have amazing learning and development teams
that push great learning initiatives to their people. If yours does so, embrace
these. If they don’t, push them to support you in your plans to grow your
knowledge, in the right way.



The right type of education



So, what is the right way? 



1. Understand the uses of new technologies. You can win in this era even if you are not a digital guru. It is not necessarily the person who has a doctorate in artificial intelligence that will become the billionaire, but the person who uses some creative or lateral thinking, one who spots a new way to use the technology that no one before had thought of.&nbsp; 



Most people don’t understand the inner workings of their smartphones but know how to use them to improve their lives. 



In the same way, it is more important for most people to
understand what can be done with AI, Blockchain, VR, IoT, etc than to
understand the inner workings of these new technologies. 



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/technology/2019/03/03/banks-are-promoting-female-chatbots-to-help-customers-raising-concerns-of-stereotyping/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Banks Are Promoting ‘Female’ Chatbots To Help Customers, Raising Concerns Of Stereotyping (opens in a new tab)">Banks Are Promoting ‘Female’ Chatbots To Help Customers, Raising Concerns Of Stereotyping</a>



2. Update your toolset of daily digital enablers – I have
helped employees and leaders in top companies throughout South Africa and have
been astounded by the lack of knowledge of new smart digital tools that can be
used to complete tasks faster, cheaper and better than ever before. 



Companies are still overpaying for services, because they
don’t know any better. For example, some are paying large amounts for research
that can be found for free online, for instance, by using sites like Moat or
SimilarWeb. 



3. Learn what is happening globally, in all industries.
Don’t just focus on your industry. You can get amazing ideas by exploring
outside your confines. 



Stop only going to your same-old, staid industry
conferences. Commit to exploring across the board. 



Learn about what is being created in different fields and apply that thinking to create new solutions.



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/technology/2019/02/24/internet-in-our-bodies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Internet In Our Bodies? (opens in a new tab)">Internet In Our Bodies?</a>



Make a real change



Most of those reading this won’t make a real commitment to
get ready for the future. I am not naïve – I know this. In fact, most people
probably quickly scrolled through the article, or just read the headline. 



But this is why it is even more important for you to be the
one who listens to my advice. 4IR will have many victims. Don’t be a victim, be
one of the people who actively takes control of their future. 



It may not be January the 1st but there is no better time to
make a fourth industrial resolution. 



– The writer is the CEO of 1064 Degrees.com. He is also a keynote speaker and author of ‘Exponential Potential’.

Robot working at desk, 3D Rendering

The Robots Are Coming:  How To Stay Relevant And  Re-Skill Yourself

Nigeria desperately needs to move towards becoming a society driven by data and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Obviously piqued by the inefficiencies and historical shenanigans of national data and information governance, President Muhammadu Buhari recently instructed relevant government agencies to fix the nation’s “data scarcity” syndrome.
For Nigerians, data has become like water – naturally abundant, largely unexploited and clearly unavailable in its useful form to large sections of the human race.
Data mining efforts in Nigeria have at best been a debacle. Without a coherent data management strategy, development is jeopardized. For so long, private and state-owned enterprises have collected the same data for a plethora of reasons. Hospital and airline records are mostly paper-based. Banks collect Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and biometric information. Cell phone companies do the same. A few years ago, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) embarked on a nationwide SIM registration exercise.
The Passport Office also collects citizens’ biometric data. The police, and various driver and vehicle licensing authorities, collect a similar set of information from citizens and drivers. Ditto the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which produces national identity cards. Let’s not forget the electoral commission which collects voters’ data. None of these databases connect.
I may be wrong here, but I reckon most African nations never had functional directories – the natural precursor to today’s networks and databases. Today, most of sub-Saharan Africa has leapfrogged this era of data inertia into a new age of mobile economies driven by millennials – with governments, citizens and industries across all economic sectors better able to adopt ‘smart data’ solutions and techniques.
Leading technology firms estimate that 90% of all data generated by devices, such as smartphones, tablets, connected vehicles and appliances, is never analyzed or acted on. As much as 60% of this data loses value within milliseconds of being generated. Humanity presently generates around 2.5 billion gigabytes of data daily, generated by 1 trillion connected objects and devices.
Big data is therefore big business, but the skills needed to manage, analyze, and convert data into meaningful insights are in short supply. Estimates vary, but according to the International Data Corporation, the market for big data-related analytics and services will skyrocket to $125 billion in 2015, and it’s expected to become even larger in years to come.
Technology experts say Africa’s economic and social reforms will be greatly influenced by five disruptive technologies converging at once to create a new continent: social media, mobile, cloud, sensor networks, and big data.
Any one of these technologies alone will be disruptive. Together they have the power to reshape how we think of and build the most basic systems and organizations in our economies and societies: whether it’s how we organize business operations, develop our energy grids, run transportation systems, or structure interactions between citizens and governments.
Few places are better positioned to benefit from this convergence than Africa. The comparative immaturity of the continent’s physical, governmental and economic infrastructures means these technologies could stimulate greater benefits for the continent than anywhere else.
In Nigeria, the need for disruptive technologies is apparent. In the area of tax collection, there is a huge compliance gap. Mobile systems could help tackle the issue of revenue generation, making it easier for individuals and businesses to pay taxes electronically. Hosting city services in the cloud would lead to a more transparent and cost-effective system, while applying big data analytics would make it easier to track fraud and people who aren’t paying taxes.
Africa needs smart energy solutions. Nigeria currently leads the continent in load shedding and blackouts. Power supply for the country has never progressed beyond 5,000 megawatts. Smart meters and smart grids could monitor and manage electricity distribution, while diversifying energy supplies could balance the load. General Electric and a host of other companies have begun to invest in off-grid energy solutions, and telecommunications provider Airtel is piloting the use of wind and solar power across Africa as a backup to grid power for its mobile stations.
African governments will do well to collaborate with the global car industry. Companies in North America, Europe and Japan are developing a wireless technology called V2X. It encapsulates vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications.
This is the sort of disruptive technology Africa’s political and business leaders should be

Tag: Internet of Things

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

5G Private Networks Are Set To Transform The Manufacturing Sector

The Robots Are Coming: How To Stay Relevant And Re-Skill Yourself

Big Data Blues