LIVE FROM MWL UNWRAPPED: NTT Docomo chief standardisation officer Takehiro Nakamura highlighted the operator has deployed private 5G networks across smart factories, spurred by the use of mmWave spectrum.

He stated the low-latency and high data rate of mmWave was ideal for smart factory use cases, which in turn enabled its customers to reduce the cost of their services while improving revenue.

“We are already conducting many POCs [tests] with our partners for smart factories and smart manufacturing,” he said during Mobile World Live’s Unwrapped online event, adding in its home market of Japan it had “many partners” for POCs in the segment with some now extended to formal businesses.

Nakamura noted mmWave has been available in the 28GHz band ever since 5G was launched in Japan.

In addition to smart factories, he stated private 5G networks will also find traction across other verticals such as agriculture, transportation, healthcare and medical industries.

Nakamura added with 3GPP’s Release 15, enhanced mobile broadband can provide 4G-based private network services such as remote surveillance, education and training. But 5G elements such as ultra-reliable low latency communications and time sensitive networking functionalities will upgrade current services while enabling new ones.

“We can extend our services and the business so that our customers will use the new features to upgrade service applications in some kind of collaborative manner,” he said.