Despite being an emerging technology, 5G was designed to work perfectly in conjunction with digital technologies like IoT, Cloud and AI. It is intended to meet the need for app services and to boost the capabilities of businesses in many other ways, including the expanded use of more advanced tech in industry. But did you know that the installation of 5G as a new digital infrastructure for corporations and industries still faces many challenges? One of the challenges everyone has to pay attention to is cybersecurity concerns. How can 5G be integrated with existing LAN, WLAN and WAN networks? How can 5G be developed to fully realize its potential and completely fulfill the needs of business enterprises? At the AIS 5G Business is Now seminar, experts from many fields were invited to speak about their ideas and some of the challenges posed by 5G. In this article, the TechTalkThai team will summarize some of the main points discussed at the seminar.

Mr. Phuchong Charoensuk, Enterprise Product Marketing Specialist – AIS

Everyone is probably becoming aware that 5G is a networking technology making data transmission more efficient. 5G has three capabilities:

• Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) – unlock data transmission speed that is up to 20 times faster than 4G. For this reason, applications that generate massive amounts of data, like video streaming and advanced data analysis, will be better able to demonstrate their true potential.
• Ultra-reliable & Low Latency Communication (uRLLC) – significantly lower latency means it’s possible to use 5G for mission-critical applications that require very high precision and reliability, like self-driving cars, remote surgery and work systems that require immediate responsiveness.
• Massive Machine-type Communication (mMTC) – the ability to handle traffic from huge numbers of devices makes IoT possible for wide-reaching intelligent systems such as Smart Cities and logistics operations.

AIS x Thailand A.I. University Consortium

Because 5G is new technology, there is a need for more research and development. Use cases need to be implemented to prove that 5G applications work well in real life and can really meet the needs of businesses in Thailand. For this reason, AIS realized the importance of joining forces with researchers at universities to build up innovations based on the AIS 5G infrastructure. Assistant Professor Dr. Wanida Kanarkard of Khon Kaen University talked about research innovations achieved by the Thailand AI University Consortium, which consists of Khon Kaen University, Prince of Songkhla University, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Carnegie Mellon University Thailand, Mahidol University, and Chulalongkorn University.

Asst.Prof.Dr.Wanida Kanarkard – Khon Kaen University

One example of a project that is up and running is Prince of Songkhla University’s collaboration with AIS to use 5G to control forklifts in factories. This will give forklift operators much greater work flexibility. Another example is a project in which researchers at KMITL are applying Machine Learning, which requires a massive amount of data to build up accuracy, to study the behavior of pigs on swine farms and to predict how environmental factors can affect them. Meanwhile, at Mahidol University, researchers are using 5G to test out AI applications for use in medicine.

In a project inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, Khon Kaen University researchers invented a robot that can safely deliver medicine and supplies within sterile zones. Also, 5G can be used with an application to analyze video feeds from closed-circuit cameras to check on the status of people in quarantine. Another interesting research project is about student life. Because during the pandemic students were not able to engage in activities on campus, and may have felt lonely and isolated, a virtual model of university life was created so students and staff don’t have to entirely miss out on the atmosphere of university life. All of these research projects utilize 5G as the important infrastructure that can make possible new uses and innovations within universities so that young minds can get used to the new world of 5G applications.

AIS x TATA Consultancy Services (TCS)

 Mehal Shah, Global Business Head for Clever Energy – TATA Consultancy Services

5G is crucial infrastructure that makes other technological advances possible and paves the way towards beneficial corporate transformations. TATA Consultancy Services is assisting companies in accomplishing their digital transformation. Of course, 5G is one of the keys to driving corporate technology forward with quality. Mehal Shah, Global Business Head for Clever Energy at TATA Consultancy Services, spoke about this topic at the seminar.

IoT and 5G can help solve challenging problems like how best to reduce carbon emissions, which is quickly becoming a critical issue due to new governmental policies and trade regulations in some parts of the world. In the EU, they have put restrictions on the import of products that are manufactured without the most stringent energy use and emissions standards. Manufacturers are now seeking technology that can help them monitor their production processes. TCS is a specialist in this area, and they believe IoT can help enterprises monitor their production process efficiently, and it will also create added value for their business in other ways.

TCS has presented the TCP IP2 solution and SaaS service that can create Digital Twins that are made even more powerful with AI that analyzes a factory’s work. Also, there is the DigiFleet solution for in-depth data analysis about work processes, work status and work management. The TCS team is always ready to provide consultation as well. All this will help organizations meet their Green Energy goals. It’s easy to see how IoT working on the 5G network can help the corporate sector pioneer new opportunities and reach new frontiers.

AIS x Cisco Systems

There are now more examples of Private 5G, or 5G networks designed specifically for certain businesses. One problem that is hidden in this prospect is the challenge of integrating 5G with an organization’s existing systems, be it LAN, WAN or WLAN. The question is how 5G can be combined with older technologies and how the management policies and security systems can be merged in a more complex new system. Taveewat Chantaraseno, Managing Director of Cisco Systems, gave explanations at the seminar to ease some of these concerns.

 Taveewat Chantaraseno, Managing Director – Cisco Systems

Security systems tend to begin with the authentication step, which requires authorization to control who has the rights to access and use the system. No matter what part of a network a user or a device comes in from to request access, the organization that owns the network must have the ability to manage that access. The Cisco ISE solution addresses this issue by insuring that every transaction on an enterprise’s LAN, WAN or WLAN is regulated by the same policy.

Another question is roaming. To make all 5G use, whether on a Private 5G or on the AIS 5G, happen as though it were in the same space, Cisco’s openRoaming solution helps the Access Provider, such as the business owner or building owner, work cooperatively with the Identity Provider, or the SIM owner, meaning AIS or the mobile phone manufacturer, so that network usage is seamlessly merged. The openRoaming solution also uses insight data to let the enterprise know the roaming behavior of network users.

AIS x Palo Alto Networks

Dr. Tachapol Bosayanont, Thailand and Indochina Director of Palo Alto Networks

Concerning cyber security issues for industry, Dr. Tachapol Bosayanont, Thailand and Indochina Director of Palo Alto Networks, said that in terms of cyber threats, the arrival of 5G technology means that the path to inter-connectedness between IT and OT can be fully accomplished. In Thailand, however, Industry 4.0 is happening, and that will mean the exposure of a significantly larger surface area for potential attacks. For this reason, to protect against possible problems in the future, enterprises need to think about Cybersecurity right now, before it’s too late.

The NIST protection model, which is the internationally accepted model, points out that an organization must have 5 abilities for cyber security, consisting of:

• Identify the ability to perceive suspicious activity or dangerous traffic on the network
• Protect the ability to recognize threats and launch a timely response
• Detect the ability to analyze any new and previously unknown threat and have baseline knowledge to be able to know when something is irregular or amiss, so the weak point can be shored up in time. AI can be taught to handle the detection function.
• Respond when a threat occurs, the system must be able to reduce the impact, minimize damage and take appropriate action
• Recover after a breach of security, the area must be closed off and data must be recovered

For these reasons, in practice, the important function an organization cannot do without is visibility, so that threats or attacks can be visualized by the security system, deeply analyzed, and considered comprehensively with data from every source. Then protective mechanisms can be triggered automatically. This is especially essential for the OT system, which impacts an organization’s ability to carry out business operations. Everything should be managed together as a single space. That’s why Palo Alto Networks and AIS Business joined forces to coordinate the SoC centered service with the Cortex XDR solution and Firewall as a Service, which is delivered by the capable and experienced AIS team. In the future, when OT and IT work together inseparably, enterprise customers will feel confident that all the assets in their digital system will be extremely well protected.

AIS x NTT Docomo

 Atsushi Yamada,  Senior Manager, Global Business Division – NTT Docomo

Putting 5G to use for modern businesses depends on the expertise of a variety of partners. NTT Docomo is a world-class network solution developer and service provider from Japan that can provide end-to-end Private 5G network services for corporations. Atsushi Yamada, Senior Manager of the Global Business Division of NTT Docomo, spoke about his company’s capabilities at the seminar.

The main point of the presentation was an announcement of the cooperation between leading 5G network service providers in the X-Border PF project, which is like building a pipeline to connect NTT Docomo’s network to that of AIS. It is like 5G service between Thailand and Japan can be seamlessly connected. If you can imagine it, applications that can work on the 5G bandwidth of both networks will have enormous benefits for enterprises that want to expand to provide international services. In the future, you may be able to be remotely served by an automotive expert in Japan, for instance. At the seminar there was a demonstration of the 5G cooperative network where a Thai supervisor received live consultation from a technical adviser in Japan.

In conclusion, AIS 5G is ready to deliver new experiences and new opportunities to corporate customers. Some business people may already see opportunities for how they can access and start to use 5G. However, if you are still uncertain about how AIS 5G can help improve the work at your organization, or you are not sure if 5G is the answer to the problems you face, AIS Business is very happy to be your business partner and to offer advice or jointly test out systems with you. Feel free to discuss 5G possibilities with us. AIS Business would like to build on the case studies that have already been tested and find new approaches to solving all kinds of issues that affect businesses in every sector in Thailand.

If you are interested in AIS 5G solutions that are offered together with strategic allies, of if you would like to try to apply some of the latest research in your line of business, you may contact AIS Business at the website Business.ais.co.th, the AIS Business Facebook page or LINE: AIS Business.

Published 10 january 2022