The Race To 5G

Smart machines are everywhere -- in our homes, our driveways, even our power grids and assembly lines. Over the last three years, the number of connected devices has almost doubled, from 15 billion in 2015 to more than 25 billion today. By 2025, that number is expected to eclipse 75 billion.

At the same time, wireless data traffic has seen explosive growth. In the United States, mobile data usage increased 54% over the last decade (Mobility Report. Ericsson, 2018).

The rise of IoT-connected devices and increasing customer expectations around mobile broadband performance is putting tremendous pressure on existing infrastructure. In response, telecom companies are making massive capex investments in small cell networks.

For field service leaders, this represents a tremendous opportunity. 5G networks are made up of many small antennas, or nodes. Installing these nodes and dismantling existing networks is a major logistical challenge. Companies that are able to drive operational efficiency through the use of intelligent automation will enjoy a competitive edge.