Far beyond infrastructure, the consumer journey expands and changes with technology.
In a world where 5G becomes a reality after years of speculation and debate, how will this technology revolutionize existing business models?
About to be deployed in Brazil, 5G comes with the goal of offering faster speeds, more connected devices, robotic advancements and automation possibilities that will have a great impact on the way companies deal with customers and society.
The high transfer speeds, coupled with a better stability, will allow devices to share data with each other in real time, using low power and with excellent performance. The improvement in connectivity will boost the availability of data, improving the possibilities of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and further accelerating the use of the Internet of Things (IoT). The potential benefits are countless and will certainly change the way we interact with devices.
This technology will also impact the way companies are managed: from the structure of databases and the (human and machine) ability to process them, to new service offerings and a much greater speed to rethink organizational strategies.
Challenges that turn into breakthroughs
One of the impacts that can already be seen is in the electricity sector, with promising novelties to leverage what we call Smart Grids, a much faster energy management and distribution chain, which allows the identification faults in real time and that optimizes planning. of the energy structure.
Smart grids not only provide greater security and efficiency to the energy supply of power companies, but also bring advantages to the consumer experience, who can closely monitor their consumption in real time and even become a small producer, if they have solar panels at their residence. In addition, they have a strong environmental impact: the reduction of CO2 emission rates with the displacement of teams, and the use of the bidirectional meters (smart meter) are some examples.
Finally, the use of the 5G network in the electricity sector is not limited to improving processes and services. It will also be critical to network and workforce security. Through augmented reality, for example, managers can assist their teams in the field, making maintenance routines safer and more efficient.
In the telecommunication segment – the main industry responsible for the transformation –, 5G brings the challenge of migrating legacy infrastructure, such as the old copper structures that represent onerous costs for companies. The search for efficiency generates the need for rapid change and a complex scenario for migration: new structures of networks and antennas, in a territory of continental dimensions.
The new journeys and realities in the face of consumption
In addition to the challenges of implementation that are linked to infrastructure, 5G will bring intrinsic changes to services, the consumer journey, and the way we manage data.
Some of these challenges are linked to the promotion of genuinely “phygital” experiences (a hybrid experience that brings together a digital journey and actual – physical – devices), and also represent the transformation of urban mobility and pose the challenge of a greater need for data protection, supported by Cybersecurity actions.
Brazilian companies must prepare to embrace the technology and the changes that come with it. Changes which have already had an impact on the world stage. Today, China leads the race, with 380 connected cities. However, some smaller countries are already standing out, like the Philippines, in third place, with more than 90 connected cities.
What business leaders need to do in regards to this new connectivity
The first step is to understand the benefits for their businesses and how this affects the company’s strategy, and prospect opportunities and new technologies that can be applied as a result of 5G.
It also is necessary for companies to prepare for data governance in the face of the regulatory guidelines of the LGPD (the Brazilian General Personal Data Protection Law). 5G promises to exponentially increase the volume of data traffic and the opportunities to map customer journeys in great detail. The challenges and management of data lakes carried out by companies, will be equally complex.
Therefore, in addition to reviewing and implementing new systems, and adapting to new product and service offerings that will emerge to go along with consumers’ journeys, it will be necessary to analyze the structure of the company and invest in the training of teams so they are able to use technology. in its totality. Finally, processes and routines in major industries will need to be rethought.
The landscape for the introduction of the 5G network in Brazil is challenging and revolutionary, but it is also a promising necessity. Other nations have already embraced the technology and its potential benefits to society. Are your company and your team ready for this?
Frederico Gondim
Partner and Head of Falconi’s Services and Technology Unit
