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Utility company Southern Water, which supplies drinking water to millions of customers across the South of England, has announced that they’ve deployed Lightsonic’s technology that works by harnessing Openreach’s (BT) existing fibre optic broadband network to help detect underground water leaks in pipes. (more…)
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On September 9th, at Connected Britain 2026 in London, I moderated a panel discussion that highlighted a clear evolution in the industrial 5G market, with enterprise interest moving beyond validation toward a more disciplined assessment of where 5G drives meaningful operational performance.
As panelists discussed deployment economics, and what’s needed to achieve scalability beyond individual use cases, three key themes emerged:
Industrial environments have a growing range of connectivity options; therefore, the appropriate model depends on the operational characteristics of the use case.
During the panel, mobility, predictable performance, security, resilience, coverage, and low latency emerged as important factors strengthening the case for private 5G. Mike Lewis, Market Advisor at Enterprise Ireland, emphasized the importance of starting with the business context and identifying where these characteristics address a specific operational requirement. Manufacturing, transport, and logistics, where mobility and automation are premiums, can provide a stronger rationale where network performance directly affects operational processes.
At the same time, the market is moving beyond a binary distinction between public and private networks. Alessandro Bovone, Chief Information & Technology Officer at JT Global linked this evolution to the broader issue of enterprise sovereignty. In this context, sovereignty extends beyond ownership of dedicated infrastructure to encompass control over connectivity, security, resilience, data flows, and the delivery of network capabilities across enterprise operating environments.
The strategic implication is that enterprises should define the operational outcome, sovereignty requirements, and required service characteristics first, and subsequently determine whether private, public, hybrid, or multi-technology connectivity provides the appropriate architecture.
Damian Cross, Head of Technology Automation at Peel Ports Group provided a strong example of how private 5G can translate network performance into measurable operational value. Under its previous Wi-Fi architecture, connectivity interruptions as equipment moved between access points could affect up to 15% of operations. The organization therefore established a private 5G proof of concept covering approximately 80 acres and initially connected four types of operational equipment with different throughput and latency requirements.
The trial separated technical validation from business-value assessment. Within two weeks, network and equipment KPIs showed that the required connectivity performance had been achieved. Over the subsequent three-month analysis period, Peel Ports identified that, under its previous Wi-Fi environment, approximately 49% of equipment movements were unproductive. Improved connectivity then supported its “global pooling” operating model, enabling container movements to be assigned dynamically to reduce unnecessary travel and improve equipment productivity.
The infrastructure economics were also significant. Peel Ports reported that nearly 80 Wi-Fi access points could be replaced by four 5G radios across the operational environment, with a payback period of less than eight months. Once the network was established, it also supported additional applications including body-worn cameras, mobile CCTV, IoT devices, AI-enabled video analytics, and safety-related alerts.
For IDC, the Peel Ports example reinforces an important principle. The return on private 5G should not be assessed primarily through network metrics. It should be evaluated through the operational KPIs that the network enables. These can include equipment productivity, unproductive movement, process availability, downtime, safety, asset utilization, automation efficiency, and ultimately financial return.
For technology suppliers and service providers, this raises the commercial expectation. Connectivity capability needs to be translated into demonstrable operational and financial outcomes.
The discussion also highlighted why successful pilots do not automatically translate into large-scale deployments.
The industrial 5G market is entering a more mature phase in which technical capability alone will not determine adoption.
The panel discussion pointed to several requirements for broader scale including clearly defined business intent, measurable operational outcomes, technical assurance, suitable spectrum, integration with the existing operational environment, sovereignty requirements, and commercial models capable of supporting expansion.
The closing perspectives from the panel captured many of these priorities through a concise set of themes: outcomes, scalability, spectrum, transformation, intent, and assurance.
I see the next stage of industrial 5G will therefore be determined by the industry’s ability to translate successful implementations into repeatable, scalable, and commercially sustainable operating models.
For enterprises: Industrial 5G’s next phase is about measurable outcomes, not connectivity specs. If you’re planning a scaled deployment, whether you’re still building the business case, tackling legacy OT integration, or expanding beyond initial pilots, the operational context matters as much as the technology. We can help you define what success looks like and chart a path that’s right for your organisation.
For service providers and technology suppliers: This market shift toward outcomes-driven procurement is reshaping commercial expectations. Positioning your solution through operational KPIs rather than network performance alone is becoming the competitive imperative. Understanding how enterprises evaluate business value, structure commercial flexibility, and manage technical assurance can help you build stronger customer relationships and win larger deployments.
Want to discuss how this applies to your business? Contact our experts or get in touch directly.
Masarra Mohamed is an expert in digital infrastructure, cloud, AI, and communications platform-as-a-service (CPaaS). She leads IDC’s global CPaaS research and advisory practice, shaping the firm’s perspective on API-driven communications, customer engagement platforms, and their convergence with contact centre and UC&C ecosystems.
Her research focuses on key industry trends, including network APIs, conversational messaging, developer requirements, and the role of GenAI and agentic AI in transforming enterprise communications. She advises telecom operators, CPaaS providers, and technology vendors on growth strategy, market positioning, and ecosystem development.
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Network operator and UK ISP CommunityFibre, which has built a full fibre broadband (FTTP) network to cover 1.4 million homes (across London and the South East) and aims to reach 2m by 2028-2029 (here), has launched a new promotion that doubles their package speeds for new customers “at no extra cost“. (more…)
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A new study has been published that attempts to benchmark the effectiveness of several popular and free third-party Domain Name Service (DNS) providers to see how effective they are at blocking 100 malware and phishing websites (whittled down from an original list of 41,000 to reduce the risk from false positives). The results make for an interesting read. (more…)
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Alternative network builder and UK ISP Pine Media, which has been steadily deploying their own gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband infrastructure across parts of Sheffield and South Yorkshire (England) for quite a few years now, has just revealed that they’ve now covered 40,000 premises. (more…)
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Vodafone Group and Ericsson have successfully trialed two pioneering, network-native AI-powered voice services that will transform the experience of a standard mobile phone call. The trial demonstrated real-time noise cancellation for crystal-clear audio, and in-call language translation to break down communication barriers, all without requiring specialized apps or new phone hardware.
The achievement is a key milestone from the companies’ joint “Core Network of the Future” program, an initiative designed to explore how advanced AI capabilities can be embedded directly into a communications service provider’s network, turning it into an intelligent platform for innovation. Delivering these services from within the network, rather than through individual apps or devices, means they can reach any customer on any handset by default, giving Vodafone a scalable route to introduce new capabilities to consumer and enterprise customers over time.
The technical breakthrough was made possible by integrating Vodafone-developed application server and AI engines with Ericsson’s IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), using APIs to seamlessly bridge telecom and AI domains. This architecture allows the network to apply AI-driven intelligence to voice calls as they are processed. The two use cases demonstrated were:
Marco Zangani, Director of Network Strategy and Architecture, Vodafone, said: “AI is giving the mobile network back its voice. More than 50 years after the first mobile call, innovation is accelerating and shifting back into the network. Over the past few years, we have built the infrastructure, data capabilities and safeguards needed to unlock AI for our customers to converse more clearly.”
Nadine Allen, Head of UK and responsible for Vodafone Group at Ericsson, said: “This successful trial with Vodafone is a critical demonstration of how network-native AI can redefine the mobile experience. By integrating Vodafone’s powerful AI capabilities with Ericsson’s core network and media processing technologies, we are proving that sophisticated services like real-time translation and noise cancellation can be delivered seamlessly. This is a crucial step toward creating more intelligent, programmable networks that unlock new value for customers.”
This successful trial reflects a wider industry shift already underway, as operators increasingly explore how to deliver AI-powered services natively through their networks. By moving intelligence from the device to the network, operators can accelerate innovation, ensure quality of service, and deliver new value to both consumers and enterprises.
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Virgin Media O2 cuts 5,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions
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Sky has announced that customers of their broadband-based Sky Glass and Sky Stream pay TV streaming devices and service, as well as those on their older satellite-base Sky Q platform, can how also access JioHotstar, which is often described as being India’s largest premium streaming platform. (more…)
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The government MP for Lancaster and Wyre, Cat Smith, has today confirmed that mobile operator Vodafone has finally erected a new but temporary mobile mast in central Lancaster, which became necessary after the old site was taken offline in April 2026 following repeated attacks of vandalism by gangs of youths. (more…)
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Thirteen institutional investors have expressed their intent to invest in large EU-based funds focussed on tech start-ups and scale-ups, following the introduction of the European Institutional Investors Pact (EIIP).
The EIIP is a voluntary framework led by the European Commission and the EIB Group aiming to reduce barriers to investment in the bloc’s innovation ecosystem.
This will include the Commission leading a Policy Dialogue Forum to discuss regulatory and investment policies with institutional investors, with the EIB Group launching an investment platform to help investors access relevant investment opportunities.
“Our goal is clear: to provide Europe’s institutional investors with a single, credible entry point into innovation financing. In today’s world, this partnership between EU institutions and the private sector sends a powerful message of European unity, ambition and determination,” said Nadia Calviño, President of the EIB Group.
The initiative is part of the EU’s Startup and Scaleup Strategy, a programme designed to eliminate barriers to innovation and align incentives for tech start-ups.
The Strategy is centred around 26 strategic actions focussing on simplifying regulations, improving access to funding, accelerating market uptake, attracting talent, and access to supporting infrastructure. To date, 10 actions have been fully delivered, with ‘most’ expected to be delivered by the end of this year.
“Talent, ideas and ambition – Europe has all of these. Now we are making sure our innovative companies can grow, scale and lead on the global stage – from Europe,” said President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “By bringing together public and private partners, the goal is to unlock long-term capital for our technology. This is about turning European innovation into European industrial and economic strength.”
The 13 institutional investors ready to join the EIIP will invest via existing EU-based funds, including the European Tech Champions Initiative 2.0, the Scaleup Europe Fund, and others supported under InvestEU.
The formation of the EIIP comes at a time when Europe is struggling to develop a technological foundation from which to compete with China and the USA. While the EU is widely recognised as a hotbed for tech talent, access to funding and inability to scale across the continent means promising businesses often relocate abroad.
Europe will be hoping that deeper institutional investment can turn its local talent into globally competitive companies that not only scale and stay in the bloc but also reduce reliance on tech giants abroad.
Also in the news
Shared Rural Network rollout extends to UK national parks with over 150 4G masts live
Vodafone touts latest attempt to bridge the UK’s digital divide
Virgin Media O2 cuts 5,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions
The post European Institutional Investors Pact aims to boost bloc’s tech startups appeared first on Total Telecom.
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Shropshire-based independent UK ISP Aquiss has today called on Ofcom and the The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo) to fix the One Touch Switch (OTS) process, which was designed to make it easier and quicker to change internet provider, but sadly still suffers from a problem with “unsolicited transfers” due to some ISPs trying to game the system. (more…)