Evidence, or indication at least, that the burgeoning market for private networks in Industry 4.0 is as much about local knowhow and boots-on-the-ground as it is about global corporate reach; busy US-based system integrator Future Technologies has just stuck out a press note about taking $14 million of orders from the national energy sector in 2023; and there is more to come about its big-ticket wins in the next weeks, it says.
The firm, founded in Atlanta, Georgia, as a satellite integrator in 1999, and focused on private cellular for 15 years, appeared on a recent RCR Wireless webinar about the state of private networks in 2024 – and is to appear again in a companion report at the end of the month. Its contracted 2023 revenues in the broad US energy market are from a combination of private 4G/5G sales, plus fixed broadband, and cellular-based wide-area network (WAN) solutions.
The fixed broadband sales cover microwave and point-to-multipoint technologies; the WAN business is for cellular IoT sensor solutions, crossing into non-cellular LoRaWAN, as well. Most of the category-wins have been in the chemical, oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors, it said. Future Technologies, a close ally of Nokia in the private 4G/5G market, cited Cambium Networks, Semtech / Sierra Wireless, plus Intel and Microsoft, as key suppliers.
A statement said: “Upstream and midstream energy operators face inherent challenges when it comes to operating in harsh, remote geographical environments. These often pose challenges including limited connectivity, extreme weather conditions, and vast distances. Private cellular, fixed broadband, and public/private cellular WAN solutions can address these issues by providing reliable and secure infrastructure tailored to specific [industry] needs.”
It explained its proposition in each sub-sector of the energy market (in ‘digital oil field’, ‘chemical facilities’, and ‘renewables’), without actually naming any of its clients. In the case of private 4G/5G, as the key driver for the company’s sales growth in 2023, it explained how edge-based cellular “augments” and “complements” public 4G/5G and enterprise Wi-Fi in each case, to establish a hybrid enterprise infrastructure to spring operational efficiencies.
In the oil-field explainer, it said it is using Nokia’s DAC and MPW private network systems (in 3.55-3.7 GHz) to supplement fixed-wireless broadband from Cambium Networks ( 3 GHz to 60 GHz) to extend fibre transport networks to vertical assets, such as towers and buildings; cellular WAN gear from Sierra Wireless is being deployed to connect to both public and private networks – to provide “protected data network connections to these critical assets”, it said.
In chemical plants, it is using the same systems from Nokia to “typically cover 100 percent” of outdoor production environments – often, to start, for connected worker cashes for enhanced safety and efficiency. In the renewables sector, it said it is solving “carbon capture initiatives” with private 4G/5G (“for coverage”) and fixed broadband (“for transport and fixed wireless”) use cases. It suggested computer vision was mainly a fixed-wireless use case.
It stated: “These hybrid network solutions provide the best comprehensive solution for clients by… ensuring they have the appropriate network layer for each use case and, in some cases, network resiliency by means of having both a primary and back-up network approach per use case. This approach allows for solving each problem with the correct technology, versus employing a single technology approach that forces an outcome.”
Future Technologies has landed private 5G solutions, in good volume, in the US defense sector in 2023, as well. The firm said in January it had secured “several multi-million dollar” private 5G wins among Fortune 100 and 500 industrial firms, many in the manufacturing space, and a $150 million pipeline of new private 5G sales. Future Technologies also works with AWS, Ciena, Cisco, Dell, Ericsson, HPE, and Juniper (HPE; pending), according to its website.
Peter Cappiello, chief executive at Future Technologies, said: “Future Technologies has experienced significant growth in the energy space… We accepted large awards in 2023 and are charging into 2024 with an even more substantial pipeline. Our team has years of domain expertise in these markets – essential when solving for requirements such as connected worker, digital workflow, industrial automation, and digital twin.”
He added: “Our focus in this market is being driven by our team of industry leaders, in partnership with best-in-class technology solutions providers, including Intel, Nokia, Cambium Networks, Semtech and Microsoft. Through this hybrid network transformation approach, we are able to help clients extend the functionality of their existing network assets, while also overlaying new networks to provide coverage and connectivity for advanced use cases.”
