Some 87% of enterprises see private wireless, edge ROI in a year | Computer Weekly

"Artificial intelligence (AI) and private networks have helped elevate industrial networking, yet research from Nokia has found that AI's potential in industrial settings hinges on access to high-quality, real-time data, while on-premise edge and private wireless are key to unlocking AI's potential in complex industrial environments. Nokia's 2025 Industrial digitalisation report drew on insights from 115 industrial enterprises in manufacturing, energy, logistics, mining and transportation in Australia, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US."

"Among the key findings of the study was that as many as 87% of on-premise edge and private network adopters are seeing a return on investment in just one year while enabling AI-driven use cases. In addition, 81% of industrial enterprises found setup costs lower, with over half saving at least 11%. Ongoing costs also dropped for 86% of companies, with 60% reporting savings of at least 11%."

"Virtually all industrial enterprises were found to have deployed on-premise edge technology alongside private wireless. This combination said Nokia was enabling secure, low-latency connectivity in complex environments and pervasive sensor coverage, even in hard-to-reach areas, supporting AI-driven use cases such as predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring and digital twins in 70% of surveyed enterprises."

115 industrial enterprises across manufacturing, energy, logistics, mining and transportation in Australia, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US reported on deployments of on-premise edge and private wireless. 87% of on-premise edge and private network adopters saw return on investment within one year while enabling AI-driven use cases. 81% found lower setup costs, with over half saving at least 11%, and 86% experienced reduced ongoing costs with 60% saving at least 11%. On-premise edge combined with private wireless provided secure, low-latency connectivity and pervasive sensor coverage, enabling predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring and digital twins in 70% of enterprises. Private wireless also supported emissions and energy reductions, with 94% reporting lower carbon emissions and 89% noting energy savings. 71% deployed connected worker tools such as automated alarms and AI-assisted monitoring.

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