"After having fibered our country with fibre optics over the last few years, we now have 5G coverage that allows us to be seen by the market and by our customers as the best technological partner in Portugal and in innovation" Nuno Nunes Chief Sales Officer B2B at MEO
5G: a world of opportunities
5G private mobile networks are at the center of the telecommunications debate. According to David Oliveira, Head of Transaction Strategy Execution at EY-Parthenon & EY, these networks offer multiple benefits: "It's a perimeter that is protected, that has a set of devices and users acting on top of that network."
The advantages include guaranteed perimeter coverage, low latency, high availability, customization, scalability, mobility and security. A practical example is its use in drones, given its ability to adapt to different operating environments.
An investment backed by efficiency
When we look at 5G private mobile networks, we look at it as a cost, but we should also look at it as an investment. If we take into account the investment we are making and the return it will give us, we can have significant cost efficiencies in optimisation our operations and in our response time to the market," explains David Oliveira.
However, the implementation of 5G private mobile networks faces challenges, such as regulations, costs and investment priorities. But the main obstacle, according to David Oliveira, lies in companies understanding their needs and exploring how to take advantage of this technology.
"Technological complexity is something we have to demystify together. It's something that partners, telecommunications companies and hardware suppliers have to start demystifying, because, in fact, this technological complexity is holding us back in terms of responding to the market", he argues.
"There is already a market perception that the use of these [5G mobile] networks is imperative for the success and response of organizations" David Oliveira, Head of Transaction Strategy Execution at EY-Parthenon & EY.
The Portuguese scene
In Portugal, the telecommunications network is of high quality, but its potential is often undervalued. "Portugal has a fantastic telecommunications network, but maybe we look at 5G to watch videos," says David Oliveira. The expert believes that the Portuguese business community needs to be closer to technology and telecommunications companies, which can demonstrate the benefits of 5G for organizations.
An example of success is MEO's project in the Port of Leixões. This project used a high-capacity radar on a pilot boat, allowing it to be located in emergency situations. Filipe Martins, Program Manager Data Center at Administração dos Portos do Douro, Leixões e Viana do Castelo, points out that the low latency of 5G was crucial: "The fundamental aspect for us to move forward with 5G was, in fact, latency. Latency was the most decisive aspect that we needed to address and, in my opinion, it's still the most interesting aspect of 5G." According to the expert, three years ago it would have been impossible to carry out this project "with the precision that exists now".
José Palma, from the Network Engineering and Operation Department at MEO Empresas, explains that a virtual private mobile network was used in a pre-slicing configuration. " customer will have a portal to manage its functionalities in real time, to have access to alarming and monitoring, and to be able to make the necessary customizations," he says. This solution, according to José Palma, makes it possible to "democratize companies' access to private mobile networks".
Filipe Martins also reveals that the future will see new developments: "We are investing in a new project that consists of transferring the images of the dozens of ships that operate in the Douro permanently and that have radars on board to the control centers," he says.
Four hands working for technology accessible to all
José Palma also points out that a dedicated solution requires detailed planning and specific technical skills for its installation, activation and supervision. However, he recognizes that this complexity can be challenging for companies: "Either the company develops these skills, which is complicated due to the complexity of the technology, or it delegates the implementation of a virtual solution to a partner."
José Palma says that MEO Empresas has synergies with other services that not only facilitate the implementation of this solution, but also make it much more economically accessible than an infrastructure installed directly in the company.
This collaborative model, built "with four hands", not only facilitates the adoption of 5G private mobile networks by SMEs, but also helps to democratize access to this technology, increasing its impact on the Portuguese business community.
"With Private Custom Network, we are democratizing companies' access to private mobile networks", José Palma, Network Engineering and Operation Manager MEO Empresas.
ECO