Author: Elza

Mining operations are often remote, and conditions can be extremely harsh. Unpredictable weather, a constantly shifting configuration, and volatile explosions create an environment where reliable connectivity is essential, but many solutions are difficult to maintain. Mining operations are increasingly transitioning to autonomous haulage systems to increase productivity, efficiency, and safety. Private networks are a key component in this scenario, providing a system backbone for secure and reliable connectivity that is capable of supporting the demanding workloads of autonomous vehicles.

Mining operations are often remote, and conditions can be extremely harsh. Unpredictable weather, a constantly shifting configuration, and volatile explosions create an environment where reliable connectivity is essential, but many solutions are difficult to maintain. Mining operations are increasingly transitioning to autonomous haulage systems to increase productivity, efficiency, and safety. Private networks are a key component in this scenario, providing a system backbone for secure and reliable connectivity that is capable of supporting the demanding workloads of autonomous vehicles.

Enhanced safety and security

Mining operations require strict safety protocols due to the hazardous nature of the work environment. Real-time tracking, geofencing and emergency response capabilities help protect machinery and personnel, minimizing the potential for accidental injuries and ensuring compliance.

Private networks provide enhanced security, ensuring that sensitive operational data stays on premise, isn’t subject to external threats, and allows for reliable, rapid communication between autonomous vehicles, command centers, IoT sensors and other devices. This significantly reduces the risk of system failure, unauthorized network access and operational sabotage.

Improved reliability and cost benefits

Downtime in any manufacturing or automated environment can be costly, but in mining scenarios, those costs grow exponentially. Private networks provide dedicated bandwidth access, meaning the operation benefits from consistent performance, regardless of demand. This level of reliability is critical for autonomous vehicles as they navigate complex terrains, communicate between devices, and transport resources throughout the mining environment.

Since private networks can also be tailored to meet the specific needs of a particular site, from managing the unique topography to ensuring signal coverage between vehicles in underground areas, predictive maintenance systems can be utilized to analyze equipment performance in real time. This level of monitoring can help identify and address potential issues before they lead to mechanical failures or stalls.

Reduced latency and consistent connectivity

Low-latency communication is essential for autonomous operations, particularly when split-second decisions mean avoiding a potentially catastrophic collision by providing real-time rerouting. Private networks drastically reduce latency compared to other options, enabling rapid decision-making and more responsive control systems. In a mining environment where conditions can change rapidly and vehicle coordination demands are near-instantaneous, consistent connectivity and responsiveness are crucial.

Along with low-latency, autonomous vehicle mining operations require exceptional system stability. Communication lapses can lead to operational disruptions, safety incidents, equipment damage, and a variety of other dangerous and costly situations. Deploying a private network establishes a dedicated, stable and mission-critical communication system, allowing for streamlined integration with automation platforms, remote monitoring tools and AI-driven decision-making protocols, resulting in a more efficient operation overall.

Conclusion

As mining companies embrace autonomous haulage systems, private networks are becoming the de facto solution. Enabling the secure, reliable, and high-performance infrastructure necessary to support autonomous fleets, private networks are not only future-proofing mining operations but also unlocking new levels of safety, efficiency and profitability, paving the way for a more sustainable mining industry.

Learn more about the deployment tools and resources the Alliance offers by downloading our latest white paper. Connect with us via LinkedIn and X, and sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter today!

Meet us at Smart Manufacturing Week on June 4-5 in Birmingham, UK.

The Alliance for Private Networks recently participated at the inaugural XPONENTIAL Europe 2025 event, which attracted visitors from over 65 countries interested in the cutting edge innovations taking place in the autonomous tech and robotics industries. Recognizing the need for seamless connectivity and reliability in this unique vertical, we were excited to share the benefits of private networks and our free tools for easing deployment.

Visitors to our kiosk immediately saw the potential for private network deployment for autonomous UAVs (uncrewed aerial vehicles) and were keen to explore how private networks can address the unique challenges they face as their industry rapidly advances.

Thomas Eder, Head of Embedded Wireless Solutions at Nokia, was also on hand representing the Alliance, presenting “How to Deploy a Private Network for Autonomous Technologies & Robotics” in the Innovation Theater. During his presentation, he shared the Alliance’s deployment tools, information about Nokia Drone Networks deployed in Belgium and Switzerland, the demonstrated benefits of 5G connected drones, and explained the many ways drones can support a variety of sectors, including:

• Oil and gas
  • Remote inspections – inspect hard-to-access areas, such as cranes and derricks, after severe weather conditions and provide analysis of offshore platforms.
  • Leakage detection – detect leakage and gas sensing.
  • Surveillance – provide automated security and surveillance at refineries and offshore oil platforms.
• Defense
  • Intelligence gathering – connected drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors allow them to collect data and images from a distance.
  • Search and rescue – drones can be used to locate and rescue personnel in hazardous or inaccessible areas. They can also drop supplies to troops in the field. Surveillance and reconnaissance – track troop movements and assess terrains to develop strategies and tactics.
• Public Sector
  • Emergency response support – drones can be dispatched to the incident scene to gain better situational awareness.
  • Search and rescue – search for missing persons with the help of a thermal camera and create evacuation routes. 
  • Firefighting and emergency support
    • Prevention – find hot spots in forests/dry areas to prevent/mitigate larger fire
    • Incident and monitoring support – video streaming improves the situational awareness and supports resource planning, risk evaluation and decision making. Sensors and analytics can also identify hazardous substances.
    • Inspection – drones can verify that a fire is extinguished through HD or thermal video streaming, detect gas leakage, and damage inspection for insurance claims.
• Mining
  • Security – automated 24/7 area monitoring for safety and security.
  • Environmental surveillance – surveillance and inspection of tailing dams to monitor water and air quality.
  • Volumetric monitoring – drones equipped with a LiDAR scanner can monitor stockpiles. 
• Ports
  • Security – automated 24/7 area monitoring for safety and security.
  • Maritime monitoring – provide support to coastguard and port management by monitoring vessels and traffic.
  • Area and water quality monitoring – detect oil or chemical leakage and monitor water quality.
• Utilities
  • Power line inspections – drones can inspect power lines and transmission from a safe distance providing faster, cheaper and more comprehensive and accurate inspections.
  • Wind turbine inspections – drone inspections can identify blade delamination, core defects, internal component failure, and other key defects.
  • Gas refinery inspections – drones can provide gas sensing and emission monitoring. They can also identify heat and temperature differences with thermal cameras.

Why deploy a cellular-based private network?
Private wireless networks offer efficiency, reliability and security enhancements by delivering smart technology, automation capabilities and essential features that increase protection against cyber security threats and improve worker safety.

To help enterprises define their own profiling and classification requirements, The Alliance provides publicly available Uni5G™ Technology Blueprints that leverage 3GPP 5G standards. This allows for more efficient deployment of their own optimized, reliable, and secure private network in any spectrum. Our unique PLMN-ID also simplifies the path to private network deployment, accelerating the ecosystem.

We look forward to exhibiting at the Hannover Messe 2025, from March 31-April 4, to promote the benefits of private networks for the manufacturing industry. An Alliance representative will also highlight deployment examples of private networks for manufacturing facilities at the 5G & Industrial Wireless theater. We hope to see you there!

Get the latest private network news by subscribing to our quarterly newsletter here. Learn more about the Alliance for Private Networks and access our deployment tools by visiting www.mfa-tech.org.

Questions? Email info@mfa-tech.org.

Each year, Hannover Messe plays host to some incredible examples of technological innovation. Next week, the show’s focus is set on the challenges facing the technology industry amid energy and supply chain issues; and will undoubtedly offer some creative solutions.

The Alliance is committed to addressing these and other industry challenges through the deployment of private networks in any available spectrum, globally. We provides resources that simplify the path to deployment with tools based on 3GPP 5G standards including the Uni5G™ technology blueprints, global PLMN-ID access, and a comprehensive spectrum availability tracker.

Visit our booth in Hall 014, stand H06-15 to explore use cases and learn how the Alliance is enabling industry verticals to efficiently deploy their own optimized, reliable, and secure 5G private network in locally licensed, shared, and unlicensed spectrum.

If you are curious about, or are already planning to implement, a private network for your location, attend our presentation “How to Deploy a 5G Private Network to Accelerate Your Facility’s Digital Transformation” taking place on the Industrial Wireless Arena + 5G Networks & Applications stage in Hall 14. MFA’s private network experts will be presenting on two days for your convenience, so be sure to add one to your calendar now!

• Monday, April 17 from 5:00 – 5:20 pm CEDT
• Wednesday, April 19 from 9:35 – 9:55 am CEDT

For the latest on our Hannover Messe activities, be sure to follow us on Twitter @MFA_Technology. If you would like to meet with our representatives to learn more about potential use case scenarios as well as the benefits of private network deployment from a 3GPP Market Representation Partner, schedule a meeting here.

The Alliance for Private Networks, continues to champion the global industry adoption of private networks in any available spectrum, from developing Uni5G™ technology blueprints for 5G private network devices and making them available to creating the Private Network Identifier Program. Most recently, the Alliance secured its own Public Land Mobile Network ID (PLMN-ID) as another way we can help enterprises successfully plan and deploy their own 5G private network in locally licensed spectrum.

What is a PLMN-ID?

PLMN-IDs are used to identify many wireless networks, and they have been an integral way of managing how mobile devices connect to the correct network. The network broadcasts its PLMN-ID, and devices look for networks broadcasting a known PLMN-ID. In 3GPP networks (LTE and 5G NR) PLMN-IDs are incorporated into the identifiers of many network components to ensure those identifiers are globally unique. Each network carrier is assigned its own globally unique PLMN-ID to identify its network, manage subscribers, and prevent network confusion or “collisions.”.

Assignment of PLMN-IDs is overseen by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). There is a limited number of PLMN-IDs available, so getting one can be difficult. Applicants are typically public network operators who already have their own regional spectrum license —something that is uncommon for the average private network operator. These applicants typically apply for a country-specific PLMN-ID that is assigned by their local governing authority and limits the applicability of the PLMN-ID in the specific country. Globally usable PLMN-IDs, however, are assigned directly by the ITU to global operators and satellite operators. There are even fewer global PLMN-IDs available, and acquiring one is a long, difficult process that can often take multiple years for private industries to acquire.

The MFA PLMN-ID

The Alliance understands that getting a PLMN-ID can be difficult, if not impossible, for private LTE and 5G networks. We have solved that problem for you by working with the ITU to secure our own shared PLMN-ID. To help simplify your network deployment, we are making this PLMN-ID available for public use to any industry vertical deploying its own private network.

Our Certification Authority, Ed Pichon, recently conducted a webinar and shared detailed information about the PLMN-ID and how companies can benefit. Watch the webinar to learn more about why PLMN identifiers are important, how and what identifiers are managed by the Alliance, and how to obtain identifiers from the Alliance.