Private 5G goes underground in Ericsson and Epiroc mining deal
Ericsson and Epiroc are stepping up their joint efforts to push private 5G into the mining world.
Getting a steady stream of data down into these subterranean spaces is tough. The conditions are brutal on both the human crews working there and the tech they use. The partners are targeting that challenge to ensure fast and reliable connectivity for essential machinery.
Rocks and radio waves
Mines are just about the worst place imaginable for wireless signals. Standard radio waves easily get absorbed, blocked, or scrambled by the massive amounts of machinery, metal, and rock compacted into these spaces.
Wi-Fi has had its shot in the mining space. The verdict? It just doesn’t have the muscle to support massive, driverless gear that needs split-second reaction times. Steering a giant, uncrewed haul truck down a cramped tunnel demands a signal that never quits. Older setups stumble badly here, plagued by dead zones,...
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