Manufacturing companies increasingly recognize that dedicated wireless connectivity can dramatically improve flexibility, versatility and operational efficiency on the factory floor. Deutsche Telekom now offers campus network solutions for industrial customers that use a dual-slice approach, combining and integrating public and private LTE connectivity. These deployments are frequently enhanced with a local edge cloud to host applications and process data closer to production systems, reducing latency and improving responsiveness.
A concrete example of this approach is the collaboration between OSRAM and Deutsche Telekom, which is testing mobile robotics and other automated solutions at OSRAM’s factory in Schwabmünchen. Those trials aim to validate how a purpose-built campus network can support advanced industrial use cases such as autonomous guided vehicles, real-time machine coordination and remote monitoring, all of which demand predictable performance and secure local connectivity.
Ericsson will supply the technical backbone for the Schwabmünchen campus network. In this dual-slice configuration, Ericsson provides the indoor radio systems optimized for factory coverage, the local core network functions required to isolate and manage private traffic, and it acts as the radio partner for the surrounding public LTE coverage. By delivering both the local and public elements, Ericsson helps ensure seamless handover and consistent service levels between private and public domains.
Campus network solutions are tailored connectivity packages designed for a defined geographic area and the specific operational needs of that site. They focus on guaranteeing service characteristics that are critical to industrial environments: low and predictable latency, high reliability, strong security, and scalable Internet of Things device management. These quality-of-service parameters are enforced through service-level agreements (SLAs) so that manufacturers can rely on the network for production-critical applications.
Beyond single-site implementations, Ericsson has also signed a significant agreement with Telenor Group to modernize the operator’s core network across Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Under this network function virtualization (NFV) contract, Ericsson will deploy its full portfolio of virtualized network functions and services, leveraging the Ericsson Cloud Core to enable 5G capabilities across multiple data centers. This cloud-native architecture allows Telenor to scale network resources dynamically while supporting advanced services.
The core transformation will make Telenor more agile as it prepares for commercial 5G launches using both fixed and mobile access technologies. Virtualized core functions and a distributed cloud footprint not only improve operational efficiency, but also make it easier to expose network capabilities to developers and enterprises. That exposure opens new opportunities for IoT solutions, edge computing services and other innovative offerings that depend on low latency, network slicing and dynamic service provisioning.
Taken together, these collaborations illustrate how telecommunications vendors and operators are working with industrial players to build tailored connectivity platforms. By combining private and public radio resources, local edge compute and cloud-native core networks, the industry is creating flexible, secure and performant environments that support automation, robotics and the next generation of industrial applications.
Manufacturers deploying campus networks can expect clearer operational benefits: improved production throughput, more agile process changes, and enhanced ability to roll out connected devices at scale. At the same time, operators and vendors are advancing their product offerings—integrating radio, core and cloud technologies—to deliver SLAs that meet the stringent requirements of modern industrial use cases. These developments underscore a broader shift toward distributed, software-driven network architectures that enable both immediate operational gains and long-term innovation.