- NTT Data partners with Zebra to offer its device as a service (DaaS) solution with private 5G networks to make IoT deployments easier and lower cost.
- The solution includes a wireless network independent of public cellular systems.
With an eye on private 5G network acceleration, NTT Data and Zebra Technologies are working together to help drive innovation in the IoT device ecosystem.
The goal of the multi-year agreement is to expand networks of 5G-enabled devices for IoT solutions. The two companies enable intelligent asset tracking and real-time monitoring and management of assets within industrial and enterprise environments, supporting the surge of IoT devices.
As part of the partnership, Zebra Technologies brings its IoT technology to NTT Data’s device as a service (DaaS) practice, which provides a turnkey solution for end-to-end device lifecycle management.
NTT Data Background
NTT Data is a $30+ billion, global business and technology services company. It serves 75 percent of the Fortune Global 100 companies, and has a presence in 50 countries. One of the IT company’s growth areas is the IoT market where it serves private 5G based networks, using IoT devices such as sensors and readers that capture data wirelessly and share over a user’s private cellular network. It offers its 5G as a service for healthcare, automotive and manufacturing enterprises.
The company recently released its Edge AI platform to enable real-time and local decision-making based on IoT data. This announcement follows the company’s recent collaboration with Qualcomm, aimed at accelerating the evolution of the 5G device ecosystem, said Parm Sandhu, NTT Data’s Enterprise 5G products and services VP.
According to Sandhu, secure connectivity is essential for many applications as “enterprises rapidly adopting digital transformation, increased connectivity is necessary to support Industry 4.0 applications and the deployment of AI at the Edge.”
Private 5G Networks for Factories and Industrial Sites
Unlike public mobile networks, private 5G networks are wholly owned and operated by a private entity, typically using the system. They can enable connectivity that is independent of existing public cellular network. The benefits can be greater privacy, higher performance and greater control of data. NTT seeks to provide the entire hardware and software stack required to deploy and operate a private 5G network.
Company officials point to smart cities, remote healthcare solutions and connected devices as solutions that can be deployed with a private 5G service from NTT Data, and using Zebra’s devices to facilitate that connectivity.
NTT Data’s private 5G offering includes a per-user, per-month fee model which ensures that enterprises no longer need to make large, capital investments upfront, but rather consume only monthly. That makes it easier for customers to deploy edge devices at scale, said Sandhu.
Zebra’s 5G Devices
Zebra brings its suite of Wi-Fi, private LTE and private 5G compatible devices to the partnership. This includes scanners, handheld mobile computers and tablets.
“Customers across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, critical infrastructure and other industries are making requests for more 5G enabled devices and managed services to support deployments in areas where connectivity is a challenge,” said Sandhu.
He points to locations such as manufacturing plants and factories, logistic warehouses, ports and airports and mines where private 5G networks are supporting secure, low-latency connections.
Hyster-Yale Group Manufacturing Solution
One deployment example is found in materials-handling equipment manufacturer Hyster-Yale Group’s adoption of the private 5G solution. The company employs the NTT Data DaaS package with lifecycle management, using Zebra Technologies’ devices.
To track assets and materials through manufacturing operations, Hyster-Yale has incorporated NTT DATA’s DaaS to manage data from the assembly sites, said Sandhu. The network enables the company’s operators to use Zebra Technologies’ scanners, handheld computers, and tablets to track assets and materials as they leave or enter different manufacturing sites.
“This deployment provides real-time insights into business operations while also connecting engineers, onsite teams, production lines and materials storage locations,” according to Sandhu.
Expected Growth in 5G Adoption
Market analyst company Grandview Research has projected the private 5G market to grow 54 percent by 2030. Along those lines, NTT Data has witnessed that enterprises are accelerating their digital transformation meaning that more connectivity and devices will be required to support Industry 4.0 applications and AI at the edge.
“Partnerships such as NTT Data and Zebra Technologies could not come at a better time,” Sandhu said. He pointed to an internal Lifecycle Management report that found 80 percent of organizations agree that inadequate or outdated technology is holding back innovation.
The partnership-based, private 5G network solution is a global offering with a particular focus on key markets including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, UK, Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, India, Singapore, China and Australia.