News

11 November 2021: Potentials of the 5G network are being unlocked to provide a range of new capabilities for the industrial sector. This includes manufacturing, industrial machinery, solutions or even processes. Historically, AIS has had a key role in building digital infrastructure and connecting it to the industrial sector to further national resilience. The company has been working with a variety of partners, both at the policy level with the public sector, and by developing solutions for the private sector. Amidst the current challenges, AIS is empowering the Thai industrial sector with the competitive edge of AIS 5G smart tech in both platforms and solutions.

Tanapong Ittisakulchai, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, AIS Business said, “At AIS, our mission is to unlock the potential of 5G for the country’s benefit. We have been continued to invest in maximizing potential of network and its technology, with the result that today's fully-fledged digital infrastructure is ready to serve all industrial sectors. We are committed to collaborate with a range of partners to build a robust digital ecosystem. We have strong believe that our partners’ capabilities can strengthen and accelerate Thai industry.

“Starting at the policy level, we have been collaborating with the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) to develop the 5G Innovation Center which is part of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). In this area has been set up the Thailand Digital Valley in Si Racha district, Chon Buri province, a new economic zone intended to be a hub of trade, industrial investment and digital innovation for the region. We have offered full potential of 5G, with its 100% coverage of the EEC area, to digital tech companies to innovate, develop and launch their digital services on AIS 5G. This will generate investment in digital businesses while creating commercial digital innovations to launch in 2022.”

Tanapong explained further, “AIS is also driving strong collaboration with government entities such as the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), supporting 5G infrastructure for 5G testbeds in the Sustainable Manufacturing Center (SMC) at Wang Chan district, Rayong province as a new center for innovation in the industrial sector and Smart Manufacturing in EEC. AIS has also been working with industrial estates and associations such as the Thai Automation and Robotics Association (TARA) and Thai IoT Association (TIoT) with the purpose of jointly developing the country’s digital businesses. All of this is to stimulate awareness among business and industry of tech investment to create digital business in Thailand.”

Besides implementing national plans, AIS is also collaborating and leveraging strengths of world-class leader partners to provide strong in platforms and solutions. There is also collaboration at the regional level, such as with GSMA to establish the APAC 5G Industry Community, and cooperation with organizations such 5G Enterprise solution Consortium (5GEC) to truly enable services which can deliver a competitive edge to industry, with viable solutions already announced including the following:

• Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) is a service exploiting the potential of data processing and management close to the users or devices. It unleashes the potential of digital technology by eliminating volumes of data traffic and latency between devices and the Cloud. By partnering with global partners included Huawei, HPE, Microsoft and ZTE, we offered two types of services, (1) Shared MEC and (2) Dedicated MEC (with enhancing data privacy and speed).
• 5G Private Network is a private 5G service for business to enable privacy and secured communications over current wireless technology. With the unique value of Network Slicing of 5G, it can serve multiple types of use cases at the same location. AIS now offered three types of 5G Private Network Service as follows:
  1. Virtual Private Network, using shared equipment to provide service, available in AIS 5G coverage.
  2. Zoning Virtual Private Network provides service in a specific zone, such as the EEC, enabling flexibility of data transmission and low latency due to proximity in space.
  3. Dedicated Private Network is a service of installing specific network for each business, giving exceptionally high privacy and flexible management, while giving users rapid access to data.
• Smart Manufacturing Solutions are ready to deliver the most diverse services in Thailand to enhance productivity and flexibility and remote working through partnerships with Mitsubishi, Omron, TKK and most recently Schneider, leaders in smart manufacturing solutions. Solutions are enhanced under EcoStruxure platforms comprising three applications: Machine Advisor, which monitors the working of various equipment, Augmented Operator Advisor, using AR tech to access information, and Secure Connect Advisor, which advises operators on correct and safe procedures.
• 5G IoT solutions with TCS: AIS provides IoT Solutions to improve manufacturing productivity, enhance audits of workplace and employee safety, as well as energy and environmental management. This enables efficient cost control of every parameter.
• 5G Security with Palo Alto Network and Cisco: AIS provides the services of AIS Managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), AIS SD-WAN and other cyber-security services. These include AIS CSOC with a centralized control system on the Cloud to detect and prevent cyber threats, which is completely compatible with security solutions from these leading partners.

5G can also combine with current tech such as AR, VR and AI for real-world business use cases. For instance, 5G has been applied to enhance the security and sustainability of SCG’s Smart Green Mining. Use cases have also been made in the educational sector, through the Thailand A.I. University Consortium intelligent connectivity network.

“Technological advancement has become the backbone driving business growth, we are ready to provide its full support to the industrial sector in particular. We would like to be a vital mechanism of national recovery and growth. Our smart AIS 5G programs have the best capability to power business growth amid global competition at the present time,” concluded Tanapong.

AIS5G Business innovations for industrial recovery can be found at https://business.ais.co.th/5g/