In Spain, MasOrange has committed to a five-year investment plan for its 5G SA network covering the Port of Barcelona. Key benefits include ensuring that critical functions are maintained in the event of network outages.
 
5G SA networks offer the promise of the latest 5G functions (notably, ultra-low latency) and are a key asset for operators selling into vertical industries to grow revenues. In this example of a port, there is a diverse range of connected assets (ships, drones, security cameras) over an expanded area, and a need to maintain service at all times. 5G deployments in other ports (e.g. Los Angeles and Zeebrugge in Belgium) also are testament to the value.
 
There is, though, a point on urgency. Five years on from initial 5G launches in 2019, 52 operators have deployed 5G SA and a further 87 plan to. However, there is intense competition from cloud and other enterprise IT companies in this space, underlining the need for operators to have live products with clear returns on investment for customers.

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