Dev Pro Journal
How do the advantages of 5G compare to Wi-Fi 6?
In the fast-paced world of warehouse operations, staying connected is not just a convenience – it’s a necessity. As 5G technology gains momentum, the wireless market is undergoing a seismic shift. After all, 5G adoption promises unparalleled speed, reliability, and efficiency. This is an attractive carrot for warehouse operators, particularly since innovation has been slowed by the inability to transmit data in mobile/wireless applications. With lightning-fast data transfer and enhanced IoT capabilities, the allure of 5G is undeniable. However, it begs the question: is the future of wireless connectivity for warehouses exclusively 5G-driven?
The Advantages of 5G
5G adoption propels a new era of efficiency and productivity within warehouse operations, including:
- Faster Speeds: With speeds reaching up to 10 Gbps (100 times that of 4G), 5G networks are positioned at a minimum to match Wi-Fi and fibre networks.
- Lower Latency: 5G networks have significantly lower latency, ensuring critical data can travel between two points in record time. Since data transmission can take less than 5 milliseconds round-trip, 5G adoption allows for near-real-time control and responsiveness -- invaluable capabilities, especially for IoT applications.
- More Capacity: 5G networks can handle more devices (up to 1,000 times 4G) connected from a certain area without sacrificing performance. Instead of hindering innovation, 5G adoption fuels it, enabling seamless communication between supply chain management equipment, devices and applications.
- More Bandwidth: Vast amounts of data can be transmitted seamlessly with 5G, facilitating rapid inventory tracking, autonomous vehicle navigation, and enhanced IoT integration, truly revolutionizing warehouse logistics on an unprecedented scale.
Why 5G Adoption Is Growing for Warehouse Applications
Beyond the promise of faster speeds, lower latency, increased capacity and expanded bandwidth, 5G technology brings revolutionary capabilities to warehouse operations, including:
- Inventory control: Track each item in real time as it moves throughout the warehouse and supply chain. Additionally, partners can share data so all stakeholders can see shipments, avoiding delays and minimizing disruptions.
- Eliminate phantom inventory: 5G adoption eliminates inaccuracies between digital records and physical inventory counts, as updates are made instantaneously.
- Predictive analytics: 5G helps predict product or material shortages with enough lead time to find and recommend alternatives.
- Storage condition monitoring: 5G enables data sharing on warehouse or container conditions, including temperature and humidity, which is essential for products needing specific controls throughout storage and transit.
- Energy savings: 5G adoption brings with it energy savings. 5G networks and devices consume 10 percent less energy than their 4G counterparts. Less energy consumed by devices equals longer-lasting charge, aiding in uninterrupted workflows.
- Enhanced decision-making: The data collected and accessed through 5G networks can reveal opportunities to make better decisions across the supply chain, including inventory management, maintenance, transportation, and delivery.
Enabling the Smart Warehouse with 5G
Future-minded warehouse operators are exploring how 5G adoption can meet the mission-critical needs of their operations. A 2021 global Deloitte study identified that 76 percent of executives believe 5G will become the most critical network technology by the end of 2024.
The implementation of a private 5G network can bring operational improvements. Fast speeds, low latency, and ample bandwidth can enhance forklift operations, allowing their safe and autonomous operation, even during high network demands. Employee resources could then be allocated to other more time-intensive areas like picking and packing. 5G adoption also offers support here, providing the capacity and bandwidth to optimize AR/VR applications, as tablets and smart glasses could reliably direct pickers to precise product locations.
Additionally, increased capacity enables computer vision and environmental sensors to perform optimally across an entire IoT system. This is game-changing for asset tracking and real-time locationing, as warehouse workers now have quick, seamless access to data that provides invaluable time-savings as they pick across thousands of SKUs, with increased accuracy and reduced cycle times.
But is 5G the Only Wireless Technology Warehouses Need?
Wi-Fi 6 is the latest standard, barely eclipsing 5G in faster connections, lower latency and improved battery life for some devices. However, 5G stands out for speed and performance. When digging into a micro comparison between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G, there are nuances for when and why to choose one over the other as it relates to:
- Performance
- Speed and Data Rates
- Latency
- Capacity and Device Support
- Licensing
- Authentication
- Cost and Security
The bottom line is that rather than choosing one technology over the other, 5G and Wi-Fi can work together. Interoperability, seamless connections, and the ability to use 5G to backhaul Wi-Fi access points enable unmatched efficiencies for warehouse operations.
Use All the Tools in Your Toolchest
With its advanced capabilities, 5G empowers technology solutions providers (TSPs) to design systems that operate reliably and safely and open new frontiers for innovation. 5G adoption, in conjunction with Wi-Fi 6, allows TSPs to create a robust ecosystem that leverages the strengths of both systems for optimal performance.
Help warehouse operators evaluate all available connectivity options to implement solutions that will meet the specific needs of their warehouse environment. By helping them embrace a comprehensive and blended approach to connectivity, TSPs can unlock the full potential for warehouse operations, driving efficiency to new heights.