Solutions Magazine - Itw M. Pallage - 17 April 2023
"Private 5G makes it possible for companies to accelerate their critical communications. As a system developer, NSI works on this alongside its sister company CityMesh."
Manuel Pallage, CEO at NSI.
NSI is an IT system builder in the broadest sense of the term. Why are we interested in private 5G right now?
"Private 5G is the machine era! This technology makes it possible to exchange an enormous amount of data with very low latency. This opens up the field of possibilities to companies in terms of applications.
For example, it can be used in industry to automate to a higher level: use of autonomous mobile robots; smart video surveillance systems intended for product quality control or real-time, automated verification that teams are wearing personal protective equipment."
As a system builder, how would you define private 5G and what are its advantages?
“This is a ultra-fast network dedicated to a company which controls it completely. It manages all network access points, providing greater security. It can calculate the right size and configure networks according to specific needs, also depending on its priorities and the technology that it wishes to implement (automation, robots, etc.). The company benefits from complete personalisation of its network with the chance to make changes over time. Being able to fully control their network and its performance is a major issue for many organisations. Think about airports, ports, factories, campuses or any area that might work autonomously, while also requiring hyper-connectivity.”
GET PRIVATE 5G AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
From now on, should we consider private 5G as a major part of the necessary digital transformation?
"Absolutely. The matter does not lie so much in the technology as in the business itself. Before wondering about which resources to implement, the company should define its needs and its strategy. This explains why we always sit down with our customers and think about how they want to use it, the roadmap to follow and the targeted return on investment. We might go ahead with a PoC before validating the technology solution. However, one thing is clear: companies should be enquiring about 5Q right now, finding out about its specific applications to get hold of them as quickly as possible, before their competitors do.
Furthermore, this is a fundamental tool to transform our economy. After the pandemic, our current geo-political crisis, and the skills shortage, it is imperative to rethink our production methods and how we work. Companies have many goals, targeting more local manufacturing, becoming more competitive, improving the supply chain, saving resources...”
AUBANGE, GAND, EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW…
Last October, Aubange won the Giga Region Award 2022 during the Smart Cities Wallonia trade fair, thanks to the 5G network by Citymesh and NSI. What do you make of this recognition?
"This project can truly transform an entire region! It supports the industry, the town’s economy and public services: schools, police stations, public buildings, etc. The port of Athus will be included in the network in a later phase.
Due to its location in the far south of the country, Aubange is a complex region. This is a border town, made up of several small villages with dead zones (no operators) and grey zones (just one operator). In addition, high speed connections and experimenting with new technology are now fundamental watchwords."
CITYMESH, THE PIONEER
You often mention working with Citymesh. Why?
"By working together, NSI is not only strengthening its position as a major player in IT services on the B2B market, but, with Citymesh, it can lead the panorama of services tied to ‘large scale’ high quality private mobile networks.
Also a member of the Cegeka group, we consider Citymesh to be our sister company. Considering its level of expertise, our positioning is therefore unique. Citymesh is a pioneer in innovative connectivity. This company has been constantly pushing the boundaries for the last fifteen years. For our customers, this partnership allows NSI to offer a private network in Security-as-a-Service mode in an ultra-stable environment provided by the Citymesh 5G network."
"On 20 and 21 April, Citymesh and NSI will be at Municipalia, on NSI’s stand, 2BC9. We will be presenting the Safety Drone project developed for the town of Gand. Our visitors will also be able to see how 5G technology can be used to provide support for the town’s emergency services in real time; saving time and becoming more effective; ensuring optimal communication with the drone, whose images are sent at high speed with no latency, optimising the use of data collected using specific applications.”
