VITAL-5G: Innovative Network Applications (NetApps) Support over 5G Connectivity for the Transport & Logistics Vertical

Abstract

As 5G networks are being deployed across the world, more and more vertical industries are discovering the benefits of 5G connectivity and the novel business and innovation models that it has to offer. The Transport & Logistics (T&L) industry is expected to be one of the key adopters of 5G technology, where the 5G enterprise market for T&L is estimated to reach $2.9 trillion ((sic)2.7 trillion) by 2026 and grow at a CAGR of 47.5% [1]. However, the adoption and penetration of 5G-based solutions in T&L may be hindered by the knowledge/expertise gap between the vertical industry, the telecommunication experts and the application developers. 5G based Network Applications (NetApps) represent a key enabler for the adoption of 5G solutions, as they can abstract the complexity of the underlying 5G infrastructure for T&L application developers, and significantly reduce the service creation and deployment times, as well as optimize the utilization of 5G resources. The European Innovation Action project VITAL-5G has the vision to advance the offered T&L services by showcasing the benefits of 5G-based NetApps via real-life trials over state of the art vertical (T&L) facilities (warehouse, hubs, ports) and advanced European 5G-testbeds. To support both internal and 3rd-party experimentation, VITAL-5G will create an elaborate experimentation service portal and online repository which will facilitate the creation, deployment, monitoring and (re)configuration of NetApps in the vertical environment.