Advanced connectivity – and 5G in particular – is about to transform industries and companies . A panel from Deloitte explains why .

5G represents a turning point for enterprise technology and digital transformation . A panel of communications and technology experts from Deloitte has come together to explain why advanced connectivity is a game changer .

Rob Kasegrande is a managing director in Deloitte ’ s Technology , Media and Telecommunications ( TMT ) practice and leads Deloitte ’ s 5G and Edge Computing practice . “ Our clients are looking at advanced connectivity solutions as a way to gain advantage , whether it ’ s by creating new revenue models or creating innovative efficiencies in their operations , or just operating with a more agile and digital infrastructure .”

Jack Fritz is a principal in Deloitte ’ s TMT practice and also leads the 5G and Edge Computing practice . He adds , “ We work with clients to help them understand the opportunities and potential risks associated with 5G and edge computing . And then we help them design , build and operate their solutions , including the underlying infrastructure with our ecosystem partners , and ultimately realize value for their business .”

Deloitte is working with SAP to bring frictionless ecosystems to businesses . Jerry Hoberman , Principal and Americas SAP practice leader at Deloitte , says , “ We ’ re spending a lot of time with SAP to both architect and engineer industry cloud solutions . The success of those solutions is really dependent on having a clean ERP and , more importantly , being able to unlock industry-specific edge solutions and microservices to where the value is .”

“ It ’ s a tectonic shift ,” says Kasegrande . “ 5G is going to connect billions of devices using an advanced network and be able to consume massive amounts of data at higher speeds with higher reliability . With edge , processing the data will be real-time , which will lead to real-time operations and decisioning across industries . For example , in manufacturing you can automate quality sensing and preventative maintenance . In retail , you can have realtime personalization and pricing while your customer is standing in an aisle .”

For Fritz , it ’ s this use case diversity that presents opportunities . “ The way that 5G is architected is far more modular than in the past . Some organizations will need massive device density , some will need low latency , and the way in which you architect , design and deploy the network to meet these needs may vary . ”

Frictionless , is Hoberman ’ s keyword for the 5G revolution . “ Frictionless commerce results in faster results and greater value through speed , reliability , edge , modularity , and security .”