ArcelorMittal’s 5G Steel Mobile Network Launched in North France
Strategic Research Institute
Published on :
3 Feb, 2023, 5:42 am
France’s leading telecom services provider Orange has announced that 5G Steel launched by ArcelorMittal in November 2021 with Orange Business Services and Ericsson, the largest 4G/5G network in an industrial environment, is now operational. The initiative, supported by the French government as part of the France Relance economy revival plan, is now enabling the first industrial use cases to be implemented at the ArcelorMittal site in Dunkerque. It is the first industrial use cases requiring enhanced mobile broadband eMBB are being launched, from steel recycling management to connected operator functionalities
The mobile network covers all ArcelorMittal's complex industrial sites, outdoors and indoors, including underneath high-rise metal structures. This coverage provides greater freedom of movement for operators and connectivity anywhere in the company. High speed in response to the high throughput needs of modeled processes, connected objects, production data etc. Reduced latency supports the deployment of autonomous vehicles and remote control cockpits as well as security in high-risk areas. Network slicing to offer a level of service adapted to each of the needs of the operational processes. The private mobile network protects sensitive industrial data.
ArcelorMittal's recycled steel yard management is facilitated by the extensive coverage and high throughput. Steel arriving at the site for recycling is weighed and scanned to assess its density and composition. This data is then automatically transmitted by the operators in charge of quality control from the field via 5G Steel. Machinery operators (crane and stackers) receive the information directly from the production program and can inform about the actions taken through 5G Steel.
Future industrial use cases to be developed on ArcelorMittal's sites include other initiatives in terms of mobility of people in work situations, autonomous rail vehicles in Dunkerque and Florange, autonomous road vehicles, the generalization of mobile maintenance with field information feedback, virtual or augmented reality and safety devices.
5G Steel
9 radio sites with 4X4 MiMo antennas to cover the Dunkerque and Mardyck sites
1 core with dynamic geographic redundancy to manage up to 50,000 users
1 monitoring tool to manage and operate the 5G Steel network
19 Cradlepoint routers, a subsidiary of Ericsson
80% of the area is above speed targets
Network construction
Nov 23, 2021: Project launch
Dec 8, 2021: Defining the positioning of the antennas
Apr 22, 2022: Installation of the core and the 1st antenna
Aug 5, 2022: Installation complete
Sep 1, 2022: Authorization to use frequencies
Currently deployed on the ArcelorMittal sites in Dunkerque and Mardyck in North of France, 5G Steel will be extended to other sites, in particular Florange in East of France in 2023. The objective of deploying 5G Steel is also to enable the development of the French ecosystem around the value chain of these industrial use cases. 5G Steel will cover the main seaport of Dunkerque and ArcelorMittal's Digital Labs in Dunkerque and Florange, and tests are being carried out to extend the network to the Hauts-de-France and Grand Est regions.
5G Steel is built with the expertise of Orange Business Services, an operator integrator, and the technologies of Ericsson, a private network partner.