The use of specialised 5G solutions in industry is a key driver for digital innovation, enhancing the competitiveness of Italian firms, transforming business models, and meeting new market challenges. Indeed, 5G opens the way to a new paradigm: high speed and minimal latency, along with cutting-edge technologies like IoT, the Cloud and artificial intelligence, form a foundation that allows for innovative services in manufacturing, connecting industrial machines, robots and sensors.
These were among the conclusions of the “5G Industrial Experience Hub” in Bologna, an event organised by TIM Enterprise with the BI-REX Competence Centre, in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies Inc. The event provided a chance to examine the development scenarios and trends of private 5G networks through practical use cases, underscoring how investing in this technology can boost growth in the manufacturing sector.
An opportunity for Italian competitiveness
According to the data collected by the report “5G for a modern and sustainable industry”, produced by TIM Research Centre in collaboration with NetConsulting cube and BI-REX, investments in private 5G networks can increase the operational efficiency of Italian manufacturing companies by up to 30%, ensuring a return on investment (ROI) of more than 100% in less than five years. The TIM Research Centre’s analysis suggests that, between 2025 and 2030, the adoption of 5G in Italy's manufacturing sector could boost GDP by an estimated 3.7 to 4.3 billion euros annually, amounting to a total of over 24 billion euros across the period.
The potential for 5G to grow is enhanced when it links with other technological advancements like Cloud computing, robotics, Artificial Intelligence and virtual reality, amplifying the advantages of these innovations and providing a boosting effect. Considering the extra indirect contribution, between 2025 and 2030 the benefit of 5G and other digitally enabled technologies may reach up to 16.8 billion euros in 2030 and 61 billion euros cumulatively over the period. The sustainability benefits are also significant. Over the same period, the widespread uptake of 5G in Italian manufacturing could slash waste disposal costs by over 450 million euros and cut manufacturing emissions by more than 33 million tons of CO2 equivalent, yielding an overall economic benefit of 3.7 billion euros.
"5G is a key accelerator for manufacturing innovation. Integrated with technologies such as IoT, AI, cloud, edge computing and cybersecurity, it enables advanced use cases such as real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and collaborative robotics, transforming plants into true smart factories that are more efficient and sustainable" - says Antonio Morabito, Head of Business Development and Marketing at TIM Enterprise -. As TIM Enterprise we provide cutting-edge technologies and strategic assets to accompany the digitization of businesses and PAs, with the utmost attention to data security, thanks also to our network of Data Centers in Italy. Our ICT platform – the most extensive in the country – is also evolving through collaboration with national Competence Centers, accelerating the development of the best solutions to meet the challenges of digital transformation in production processes."
"We are proud to have organized a new opportunity to discuss 5G technology with TIM Enterprise - says Stefano Cattorini, BI-REX General Manager -. Today, we presented the features and benefits of using a private 5G network, a formidable driver for the development of the entire national industrial fabric, showing use cases that our team has developed within the Pilot Line in its various industrial applications. This all goes to show that our Competence Center can offer businesses the technological know-how they need to stimulate innovation and increase competitiveness. The ability to test before investing in our fully digitized manufacturing pilot line is therefore a great opportunity for companies, both SMEs and large companies.”
Real examples of innovation at BI-REX
The initiative also offered a chance to demonstrate the industrial applications in place at BI-REX. Here, TIM Enterprise, working with Qualcomm, has improved the private 5G network, creating a digital network that supports businesses in their tech and digital innovation efforts, since they can benefit from the high-speed, reliable and low-latency data transfer of millimetre waves. This effectively makes the BI-REX Competence Center an example of the digital wireless factory of the future, where businesses can directly observe the advantages of embracing 5G, combined with key technologies like IoT, AI, and Cloud Robotics.
Examples of robot technologies integrated with 5G include the “TIM Multi Robot Orchestrator” software platform. This enables users to control various robots, including ground-based and drones, by integrating Cloud services for video analysis with Artificial Intelligence and real-time data processing, enhancing efficiency and safety in areas like logistics and manufacturing.
In addition, the TIM Enterprise Extended Reality solution helps to optimize business operations by enabling engineers to access XR information directly from their smartphones, giving them interactive and contextualized instructions. This improves repair efficiency and significantly cuts machine downtime. Lastly, Virtual Reality headsets make it possible to simulate operational scenarios in an immersive environment, providing a more engaging, safe and effective learning and training experience, directly optimising these processes.
The partnership between TIM and Ducati has also advanced with the unveiling of the updated NTB-01 robot, created by Ducati Corse and Lenovo for race circuit analysis and mapping. TIM's 5G connectivity now enables real-time data transmission on-board the robot, allowing remote connection to the integrated Lenovo workstation. Another new feature is the introduction of a GPS-RTK system, developed by TIM Enterprise in partnership with WAY, which provides the robot with centimetre-level positioning accuracy.
Bologna, March 25, 2025
