Nearly 90% of industrial firms deploying private 4G/5G and edge report ROI within a year, with widespread AI and IoT adoption driving security, safety, and sustainability. Research firm GlobalData has polled 115 industrial enterprises for a Nokia report.
In sum – what to know:
Quick returns – 87% of industrial enterprises using private 5G and edge see returns within 12 months.
Industrial AI – 70% are using the combination of edge-based 5G and compute to run AI-driven applications.
5G S-S-S – enterprises are driving results in terms of security, safety, and sustainability, as well.
Almost nine in 10 industrial enterprises with a private 5G network see a return on investment (ROI) within 12 months. This is the headline conclusion from a new study by market research firm GlobalData, commissioned by Nokia, which also says four in five have found setup costs to be cheaper, and many are expanding to new use cases and most are combining with industrial AI projects.
GlobalData polled 115 industrial enterprises in manufacturing, energy, logistics, mining, and transportation in Australia, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The results are: 87 percent of enterprises adopting private wireless and on-premise edge saw ROI in one year; 81 percent found setup costs lower than other options (60 percent claim to have saved at least 11 percent); and 86 percent reported reduced ongoing costs.
Ninety-four percent have deployed with new edge compute gear. Of these, 70 percent are running “AI-driven applications” on their edge-based network-and-compute infrastructure.
A statement said: “AI’s potential in industrial settings hinges on access to high-quality, real-time data… The combination [of private 5G and edge compute] enables secure, low-latency connectivity in complex environments and pervasive sensor coverage, even in hard-to-reach areas, supporting AI-driven use cases like predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and digital twins in 70 percent of surveyed enterprises.”
The same proportion – “94 percent of industries” – have reduced carbon emissions, the report finds. Of these, 41 percent have reduced their emissions by over 20 percent, apparently. In total, 89 percent have reported energy savings. “These gains are amplified by predictive maintenance, connected devices, and drones that cut fuel-intensive travel and enable more accurate, real-time emissions tracking,” said Nokia.
Forty-one percent of industrial enterprises are using their private 5G networks for additional use cases beyond their original plans. Seventy-one percent of respondents are actively deploying connected worker tools – often the gateway use case for private 5G. These include automated alarms, AI-assisted monitoring, and geofencing solutions to reduce accidents and strengthen worker safety.
Security is a top priority; 57 percent said cybersecurity is a driver to deploy an industrial edge platform with a private wireless network. The results have been published in the 2025 version of the Finnish firm’s annual Industrial Digitalization Report. Nokia said the ROI results have been consistent for three years.
GlobalData forecasts the global private wireless network market will nearly double to$8 billion by 2027.
David de Lancellotti, vice president of enterprise campus edge sales at Nokia, said: “Industries face mounting pressure to modernize in line with global sustainability and efficiency goals. [This] research helps leaders build strong business cases for digitalization by showing how private wireless and on-premise edge not only reduce costs but also accelerate scalable transformation with measurable improvements in worker safety, productivity, security and environmental impact.”
Gary Barton, research director at GlobalData, said: “Industrial enterprises are turning to private wireless and on-premise edge to drive innovation and industrial transformation. These deployments are delivering a clear return on investment and enabling use cases that would not otherwise have been possible. Private wireless and edge have helped enterprises to improve worker safety, support sustainability, and create a delivery platform for AI-powered solutions such as process automation and predictive maintenance.”
Nokia singles-out Germany-based chemical company BASF, a Nokia customer, in its press materials. The firm has deployed private 5G at a six square-kilometre facility in Antwerp, in Belgium, to advance its digitalization strategy and enable reliable, high-performance connectivity. The network supports AI and IoT use cases like real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance to drive automation, efficiency, worker safety, and sustainability.
Steven Werbrouck, expert in network connectivity at BASF, said: “Private 5G has been a game changer for BASF Antwerp. We’re unlocking automation, strengthening occupational safety, accelerating innovation, and meeting ROI targets in just two years. We have become a front-runner for the wider group with learnings that will deliver value at multiple BASF group locations.”
