5G Services Can Transform Freight Communication

Original Article: September 25, 2017. Journal of Commerce (online). “5G Services Can Transform Freight Communication,” bylined article by Simon Bunegar.

The Android and iPhone revolution has proved to be a game-changer for the transportation industry, helping lay the groundwork for collaborative logistics networks. Indeed, innovative freight exchange platforms, which harmonize global navigation satellite systems and 3G, 4G and future 5G networks, have unshackled owners/operators from fixed office locations and enabled them to post and accept loads on the move. As a result, they are reaping the benefits of efficiency and consolidation and experiencing increased profit margins.

However, the ability of the infrastructure that supports North American cell service coverage is now in question with the concomitant growth in the use of e-commerce platforms. One prediction estimates that 17 percent of all US retail sales will be made online in five years’ time. So, does the infrastructure possess the level of elasticity, dynamism, and resilience needed to sustain future surges in freight logistics activity?

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