Initially, US Cellular and Ericsson will focus on Industry 4.0 manufacturing, logistics, distribution and warehouse use cases
US Cellular and Ericsson are now jointly providing private wireless network solutions across several industries, with an initial focus on Industry 4.0 manufacturing, logistics, distribution and warehouse use cases. Eventually, the pair will expand the private network solutions into hospitals, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), ports, utilities and airports.
The joint solution combines US Cellular’s connectivity services with Ericsson’s Private 5G network portfolio, a series of products built on the company’s 4G and 5G radio and dual-mode core technology and designed specifically for business operations. According to the companies, the new private network solution will provide one point of contact for all system installations and life cycle management.
“Together with UScellular, we are focused on providing commercially ready solutions designed for today’s dynamic enterprise environments and engineered for the demands of complex and industrial operating environments,” said David Green, VP and key account manager for the US Cellular account for Ericsson North America. “We are seeing strong momentum for private networks driven by use cases that greatly benefit from 5G connectivity. Partnering UScellular’s strong coverage in markets with Ericson’s turn-key solutions will unlock new opportunities for customers across industries who recognize the value of private networks.”
Kim Kerr, senior vice president, enterprise sales and operations for US Cellular, said the partnership “offer[s] a great combination and value proposition” for those in the manufacturing, distribution centers and warehousing markets.
Earlier this year, US Cellular and Ericsson installed a private 5G network at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s (UWM) Connected Systems Institute (CSI) manufacturing research facility to bolster security, deliver seamless mobility between indoor and outdoor, while enabling the integration of business operations, devices and applications. The network is supporting students, faculty and industry partners as they develop and test new solutions for Industry 4.0 manufacturing facilities and will also facilitate the upskilling of the Wisconsin workforce.
