Operator Iliad Group, Nokia, and its subsidiary Alcatel Submarine Networks combined to create what they described as the largest industrial 5G network in Europe. It is covering a 50,000 sq/m site in France.

The network is installed in Alcatel Submarine Networks’ systems production and assembly facility in Calais and had been more than two years in the making. In a statement on the inauguration of the network, Alcatel Submarine Networks noted it would eventually cover 11 buildings and loading docks and would use 59 5G small cell antennas. The deployment is part of attempts to up use of digital technology in its business.

It hopes the network will enable greater management of resources, better working conditions for employees, boost the implementation of an energy consumption monitoring system, and honed maintenance processes. Current and future uses of industrial IoT systems are targeted at ultimately improving the performance of the facility. The deployment is the latest use of 5G for private industrial networks, a frequently-cited business case for the technology deemed by several industry players as a major opportunity for operators.