Telefonica unveiled plans to target three specific use cases for business 5G in a push by its enterprise division to sell services ahead of the rollout of its standalone network in Spain in 2022.

The three initial cases developed by Telefonica Tech and to be sold by enterprise division Telefonica Empresas from January are: automated guided robot vehicles for use in places including warehouses; remote maintenance systems using technology including smart glasses; and drones for site surveillance.

Its early business use cases were identified as prime candidates out of around 80 tested by its technology division.

Telefonica added the identified applications would be fully supported by its current non-standalone 5G technology and LTE. All three are being sold either using its public mobile network or alongside a full private deployment.

Use of the company’s public network, it noted, allowed enterprises to “have the advantages of this infrastructure as if it were dedicated but without having to make a large investment in it”.

Telefonica noted initial deployments would have functionalities increased as its rollout of standalone 5G in its home market of Spain commenced later in 2022.

The operator predicts in the five years from 2022, 40 per cent of the industrial sector in Spain will “demand 5G connectivity”.

Earlier this year the company bolstered its enterprise 5G play, striking a deal with Microsoft to expand its private networking offering.