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Use cases of private wireless in distribution centers

A  distribution center typically includes an indoor warehouse – ranging in size from 100K square feet to over 500K square feet, a large outdoor yard with parking for trucks and trailers, and temporary storage for goods that can tolerate being stored outdoors.

With increasing labor shortages and volume of shipments, distribution centers are turning to technology solutions and automations to address these shortages and further scale their operations. These solutions require highly reliable wireless connectivity offered by Celona private wireless.

Connected worker
  • Connected Handhelds and Tablets
  • Bar code scanners
  • Voice Communications
  • Worker Safety
Forklift Material Movement
  • On board computers
  • Work flow management
  • Material handling
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV)
  • Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR)
  • Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV)
  • Fulfillment picking
  • Inventory tracking
  • Cleaning robots
Surveillance
  • Security monitoring
  • Video analytics
  • PPE Compliance

Why private wireless solves connectivity challenges

Spotty coverage

Why

Spotty wireless overage indoor and especially outdoor causes delays in gathering and transmitting data, often resulting in loss of productivity.

Wi-Fi

Poor Network Coverage especially outdoor. - Lower transmit power - Susceptibility to spectrum noise- co-channel interference.

Public Cellular

Cellular coverage at a distribution center dependent on location of macro towers, construction material, landscape.

5G LAN Private Wireless

More Pervasive wireless due to higher transmit power, lower noise floor and low wireless interference.

Unreliable QoS

Why

Mission critical applications require definitive latency and throughput

Wi-Fi

No guarantee on throughput and latency, since Wi-Fi does not support deterministic QoS with strict priority. - contention-based (CSMA-CA)requiring devices to “fight” for access, making prioritizing challenging.

Public Cellular

Public Cellular is best effort and cannot guarantee QoS without expensive on-site installations

5G LAN Private Wireless

Guaranteed SLA for critical applications. 5G LAN features MicroslicingTM technology that enables deterministic QoS with strict priority on a per device, per application basis. Guaranteed bit rate and guaranteed latency values can be configured for each device and application.

Mobility issues

Why

Autonomous vehicles, robotics traverse large areas at speed > 25 mph

Wi-Fi

Not designed for seamless mobility.

Public Cellular

Mobility outdoors is ok. But indoors is a challenge

5G LAN Private Wireless

Cellular networks are designed natively for seamless mobility. The network infrastructure controls handover decisions that are precisely timed.

Inadequate security/control

Why

Enterprise IT team need control of QoS and security policies

Wi-Fi

Many Wi-Fi networks utilize pre-shared keys and open SSIDs to allow for IoT and/or guest device connectivity – opening doors to additional risk factors for critical enterprise infrastructure.  

Public Cellular

Carriers set the routing, security and QoS policies. Enterprises have very little control

5G LAN Private Wireless

Complete control of routing, security and QoS policies. End-End security for data in-flight and at rest secured using SIM/eSIM technology

Constantly increasing costs

Why

Total cost of providing wireless networks over a large area is cost prohibitive

Wi-Fi

More APs are required due to lower coverage range of Wi-Fi. Outdoor install require expensive installation, trenching and cabling.

Public Cellular

Public cellular charge based on consumption and subject to overages and complex contracts

5G LAN Private Wireless

Fewer APs due to higher coverage range of Private Wireless. Outdoor APs can be roof mounted to provide very large outdoor coverage, avoiding cost of trenching, cabling etc.

Why

Poor coverage resulting in loss of productivity, inaccurate data

Wi-Fi

Poor Network Coverage  especially outdoor. - Lower transmit power - Susceptibility to spectrum noise- co-channel interference.

Public Cellular

Cellular coverage at a Distri center depenent on location of macro towers, construction material, landscape

5G LAN Private Wireless

More Pervasive wireless due to higher transmit power, lower noise floor and low wireless interference

Why

Mission critical applications require definitive latency and throughput

Wi-Fi

No guarantee on throughput and latency, since Wi-Fi does not support deterministic QoS with strict priority. - contention-based (CSMA-CA)requiring devices to “fight” for access, making prioritizing challenging.

Public Cellular

Public Cellular is best effort and cannot guarantee QoS without expensive on-site installations

5G LAN Private Wireless

Guaranteed SLA for critical applications. 5G LAN features MicroslicingTM technology that enables deterministic QoS with strict priority on a per device, per application basis. Guaranteed bit rate and guaranteed latency values can be configured for each device and application.

Why

Autonomous vehicles, robotics traverse large areas at speed > 25 mph

Wi-Fi

Not designed for seamless mobility.

Public Cellular

Mobility outdoors is ok. But indoors is a challenge

5G LAN Private Wireless

Cellular networks are designed natively for seamless mobility. The network infrastructure controls handover decisions that are precisely timed.

Why

Enterprise IT team need control of QoS and security policies

Wi-Fi

Many Wi-Fi networks utilize pre-shared keys and open SSIDs to allow for IoT and/or guest device connectivity – opening doors to additional risk factors for critical enterprise infrastructure.  

Public Cellular

Carriers set the routing, security and QoS policies. Enterprises have very little control

5G LAN Private Wireless

Complete control of routing, security and QoS policies. End-End security for data in-flight and at rest secured using SIM/eSIM technology

Why

Total cost of providing wireless networks over a large area is cost prohibitive

Wi-Fi

More APs are required due to lower coverage range of Wi-Fi. Outdoor install require expensive installation, trenching and cabling.

Public Cellular

Public cellular charge based on consumption and subject to overages and complex contracts

5G LAN Private Wireless

Fewer APs due to higher coverage range of Private Wireless. Outdoor APs can be roof mounted to provide very large outdoor coverage, avoiding cost of trenching, cabling etc.

Celona private wireless certified devices used in distribution centers

Zebra Technologies CBRS + 5G Touch Computer

Handheld-Rugged

Zebra Technologies Enterprise Tablets

Tablet-Rugged

Zebra Technologies Versatile Tablet

Tablet-Rugged

Honeywell Mobile Computer

Handheld-Rugged

Getac Android Tablet

Tablet-Rugged

Digi 5G Cellular Router

Router

Sierra Wireless LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity for vehicles and remote fixed assets

Router

Why choose Celona 

The industry’s only turnkey private wireless expressly engineered for the enterprise   

Industrial strength private wireless designed for the most critical business apps

Tight integrations to secure all wireless communications

Enterprise friendly management and operations 

Global spectrum model support 

Device certification program eliminates guess work on compatibility 

Celona TCO and ROI analysis

Quickly evaluate the TCO for Celona’s 5G LAN solution compared to Wi-Fi and other private cellular alternatives.