How critical communication fuels industry 4.0

Critical communication is often associated with transportation, which is one of the largest sectors for such communication due to its large workforce. This includes airports, railways and public transportation, where many divisions rely on dependable communication tools.

However, another major sector is industry, which covers a wide range of fields. These include oil refineries, food production, beverage manufacturing, and facilities producing everything from dairy to candy bars. Many of these sites employ hundreds to thousands of workers who depend on reliable communication, whether it’s for improving daily operations, responding to production alarms, or handling emergencies. All these environments require large teams to work together in time-critical situations, especially since industrial production often runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In this article, we discuss how industries are undergoing digitalisation through the integration of intelligent digital technologies and critical communication systems into their manufacturing and industrial processes.

The role of communication in industrial plants – Traditional systems can’t keep up!

Communication plays a vital role in industrial environments, starting with the need for reliable critical communication. While some plants have automated systems, larger facilities, especially those with both indoor and outdoor operations, require dedicated emergency response teams and security departments that depend on instant, secure communication. In high-risk environments like refineries, a communication failure or network outage can trigger immediate production shutdowns, resulting in substantial financial losses.

The second major area is daily operations and particularly everything related to what’s happening in production. When issues such as machine failures or system errors arise, alarms are triggered. These alarms alert workers to intervene quickly, fix the issue, and resume production. Every minute lost due to a delay in response costs the company money because the machines are not running. To manage this, teams need real-time alarm notifications and the ability to respond instantly. Workers must be able to alert nearby personnel to act as quickly as possible to minimise downtime.

To ensure industrial processes are efficient, smooth and reliable, many companies are now replacing traditional fixed communication systems. Mobile phones have become essential, not just for voice calls, but for using applications that support task management, incident reporting, and information sharing. However, industries need more than just a standard smartphone. They need devices that combine modern application functionality with critical communication capabilities. The goal is to enable digital workflows that can be completed immediately in the field, without costly delays.

The deployment of private 5G networks

This trend is a part of a broader shift toward industrial digitalisation. Companies are looking for systems that support both operational applications and mission-critical communication in a single platform. To enable this, a wide range of industrial sectors are now exploring the deployment of private 5G networks.

Private 5G networks are being built within industrial plants that demand high-performance, highly reliable communication solutions. With a private network, companies can take full control of their communication infrastructure, ensuring tailored performance, enhanced security, and seamless coverage.

Unlike public cellular networks, private 5G gives industrial plants full control over their infrastructure, enabling them to customise performance, security, and coverage to meet their specific operational requirements. This also enables the deployment of next-generation communication solutions such as Agnet within the facility. 

Transitioning to next-generation communication systems

Traditionally, industrial plants have relied on trunked radio systems such as TETRA for critical communication and basic data transmission. While these systems are robust and reliable for safety-critical voice communication, they lack the bandwidth and flexibility required to support modern industrial demands, such as multimedia and video capabilities. As a result, many organisations now use two separate systems: mobile phones for task management and applications, and radios for mission-critical voice communication. However, this double network and device setup presents challenges. Without a reliable network, mobile phones often suffer from connectivity issues, and carrying multiple devices creates inefficiencies for workers both in the field and in control rooms.

Across industries, the push toward Industry 4.0 is well underway, with critical communication being an essential part of this transformation. The digitalisation continues to accelerate with the increasing demand for real-time data, automation, and seamless connectivity across complex manufacturing and processing environments. As fast mobile coverage both outdoor and indoor becomes more widespread, it makes sense to move beyond traditional radio technologies and adopt a future-proof single, unified communication platform. 

Interested in how our Agnet collaboration solution ensures secure, seamless communication for industrial professionals—even in the most demanding environments?

Discover more by downloading our Agnet for Business-Critical Industries brochure:

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