Albemarle Corporation, a specialty chemicals company with leading positions in lithium, bromine, and refining catalysts, has selected NTT Ltd. to deploy a pilot private LTE/5G and Wi-Fi network at Albemarle’s lithium mine in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The network will enable engineers to connect with technicians for remote site surveys and assists. Previously, it was difficult for global engineers to visit Albemarle’s site due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, which significantly impacted the process of decision making and timing. The use of private LTE/5G will enable Albemarle to enhance its hybrid working process and reduce the amount of global travel needed to operate.
“To enable collaboration and digital applications at our mining and processing sites, we require widespread, high-speed connectivity,” said Chuck Holley, Global Manager of IT Network Infrastructure, Albemarle. “A private LTE/5G network is a great way we can do this cost-effectively, and NTT was our first choice to pilot a design, prove the technology and show the value. With a private LTE/5G network, we’re able to continue to seek out innovative solutions to some of our most pressing challenges.”
“We’re incredibly proud to be partnering and consulting with Albemarle on this innovative pilot,” said Parm Sandhu, Vice President, Enterprise 5G Products and Services, NTT. “A private LTE/5G network will continue to transform business outcomes in mission-critical environments for Albemarle, and this is just the start of their journey. We look forward to working closely with the manufacturer as it continues to digitally transform its business for the future.”
In addition, Transatel – subsidiary of NTT since 2019 – announces the worldwide deployment of a new 5G IoT solution for the industrial, IT and automotive sectors. After France, Belgium and Japan, Transatel’s global 5G IoT services is now available in the USA and will be extended to the rest of the world in the coming months. The announcement follows the recent launch of NTT’s breakthrough Private 5G Network as-a-service platform.
Starting May 12, NTT will be offering both private and public 5G connectivity in the USA. This mobile broadband continuity of service will prove to be critical for many industries, as IIoT applications process an ever-growing volume of data. Public 5G service will be available through Transatel’s global cellular IoT connectivity platform.
“The Transatel SIM is already an integral part of the NTT Ltd enterprise focused Private 5G solution, giving NTT P5G customers the benefit of having a single SIM serving both their private network needs while also enabling global roaming for enterprises requiring this feature beyond factories and campuses.” said Shahid Ahmed, NTT Ltd. EVP New Ventures and Innovation. The announcement of Transatel’s 5G offer further enhances the NTT P5G offering by allowing continuous 5G coverage between private and public networks. In the past only 4G public coverage was available, thereby limiting the potential business benefit and use case development. “We are excited to launch 5G IoT in the USA and abroad. NTT’s cellular networks hybridation capabilities demonstrates the strong synergies within the group.” added Jacques Bonifay, CEO of Transatel, NTT’s global MVNO.
NTT’s global MVNO offers 3G, 4G, LTE-M and now 5G networks agreements with hundreds of mobile carriers around the world.
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