Blog post - 24 October 2022 16:48

5G, Control Rooms and IP KVM: The Perfect Partners

What is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of cellular technology designed to increase speed, reduce latency, and improve flexibility of wireless services. The technology has a theoretical peak speed of 20 Gbps, while the peak speed of 4G is only 1 Gbps¹.

While previous generations of mobile communications, such as 3G and 4G, offered luxuries like video calling and faster connectivity, 5G will extend even further allowing almost any mobile application to connect to anything at any time, in a flexible and reliable way. 5G also promises benefits such as increased speed, better signal, improved network connectivity, and lower latency, to name a few.

From media and entertainment services to industrial applications, 5G connectivity is set to dynamically change the characteristics of networks. The technology presents huge opportunities to boost productivity and grow businesses across both private and public sectors.

Adopting 5G in the Control Room

The control room is often viewed as the central nervous system of an organization – with operators continually monitoring and analyzing critical data to make split-second decisions. With the introduction of 5G networks, and the high-speed connectivity with which they bring, delivery of significantly more data to the control room than ever before can be expected.

According to Ofcom’s Communications Market Report, the previous average data use per mobile device over a cellular network was 1.9 GB per month², but research by GiffGaff shows that consumer data usage is likely to exceed to 98.34 GB per month by 2025³.

The wide adoption of 5G networks will allow consumers to record and share high value content, some of which will be invaluable to the tasks being carried out in the control room, as well fundamentally changing some industries forever, for example, in the case of broadcasting and post-production⁴.

However, this influx of big data could stretch control room resources by flooding them with a surge of information from a wide variety of sources. Indeed, this data could be extremely useful, but only if those working within the control room know how to handle it. Operators must be able to view and analyze this data, in real-time, to reap the full rewards.

IP KVM in the 5G Control Room?

The scale and variation of data sources (due to high bandwidth) demands an understanding of how data will be consumed across teams both now and in the future. How many users are likely to need access? And to which systems and sources? How will the data be displayed within the control room, and where must instantaneous decision makers be situated to process the data, and respond accordingly? KVM technology takes these unknowns and the growing quantities of data in its stride. It equips operators with the flexibility to adapt a network depending on the size and needs of the operation. They can easily add and remove end-points when the operation requires it and can offer to change user access rights in a matter of minutes.

Understanding how technology can improve the management of the data, and at what pace, and with what detail, must be the foundation to the design of the control room; the wellbeing of every team member is critical to clear-headed, safe operations. As such, cognitive ergonomics must be considered as critical a function within design as the physical.

To find out more about how KVM can ready your control room to cope with future demands, or how connectivity solutions can get your business ready for the IoT, download Adder’s latest whitepaper today.

Free White Paper - Designing the Control Room of the Future

Discover more blogs in this series:

The Importance of Cognitive Ergonomics and Situational Awareness in the Control Room
Planning for the Future of the Control Room: Airport 4.0
The Rise and Rise of Data in the Control Room
The Evolution of the Industrial Control Room
How is the Rail Control Room Changing?
How Has Technology Revolutionized the Control Room?

Sources:

¹ Cisco - What is 5G
² Ofcom - Communications Market Report
³ GiffGaff - Consumer Data Usage
⁴Frame.io - How 5G Will Transform Video Production and Post-Production

Contacts

PR and Media
Press contact marketing@adder.com

Related content

9 May 2022 09:01
Adder Announces New Desktop Multi-Viewer for Control Room and Mission Critical Environments

The ADDERView CCS-MV 4224 Delivers Ultimate User Control in 4K UHD
Global Debut at ISE
Directly connect a single workstation to four video, audio and USB sources Access any sources on a network when combined with an ADDERLink® INFINITY IP KVM matrix Seamless cursor interaction with sources as if using a single desktop Multiple, color-coded, screen configurations for fast channel identifi
9 March 2020 14:00
Adder Launches New Range of NIAP PP 4.0 Secure KVM Switches and Accessories

Adder Technology, a global leader in high performance IP KVM, has today announced the launch of the new ADDERView™ Secure Range of KVM switches and accessories. The NIAP Protection Profile 4.0 compliant range is designed to minimize hacking and cyber-attack risks without compromising real-time data visualization and optimizing secure collaboration in mission-critical environments.
27 January 2023 12:30
Adder Strengthens IP KVM Matrix with New Dual Head HDMI® Extender

Adder Strengthens IP KVM Matrix with New Dual Head HDMI® Extender. New ADDERLink® INFINITY 2124T delivers additional user flexibility, for ultimate control and connectivity choice.
19 July 2022 09:00
The Importance of Cognitive Ergonomics and Situational Awareness in the Control Room

Well considered ergonomics in control room design enable effective decision making and minimize the risk of human error in the process. There is an increasing degree of awareness as information is processed at a higher level. But in order to achieve situational awareness, system subcategories such as mode awareness, spatial awareness and time awareness must all be considered.
24 June 2022 14:00
Planning for the Future of the Control Room: Airport 4.0

In order for teams to collaborate and make critical decisions, they all need to be looking at the same data, and the same insight coming out of it. Highly detailed visualizations of data allow clarity of thinking, so having a centralized point – such as a KVM switch – at the core, ensures that data is used as intuitively, immediately, and reliably as possible.
7 June 2022 10:00
The Rise and Rise of Data in the Control Room

Blog post: Digitalization has seen an unimaginable influx of data entering the control room. KVM systems put the control room operator at the heart of this information deluge, without compromising the ability to understand and act upon it in the heat of the moment.
3 March 2022 10:57
The Evolution of the Industrial Control Room

The connectivity brought about by the Internet of Things (IoT) is accelerating a revolutionary change to the energy and utility plant sector. Information requires knowledge to be acted upon with immediacy, and the access and collaboration that KVM brings is an unrivalled system for delivering such actionable mission-critical insight in real-time.
21 February 2022 14:15
How is the Rail Control Room Changing?

Data sits at the heart of managing the future development of any rail network, one of the most critical pieces of transport infrastructure across the globe. Game-changing design and infrastructure of both trains and the rail network alike provide whole-system overviews improving rail safety and operations.
14 February 2022 17:15
How Has Technology Revolutionized the Control Room?

Modern technology has carved the way for smart devices – which in turn have impacted the ways in which we live and operate. How have control rooms been able to seamlessly connect all this new technology and manage the influx of data being generated by faster PCs and more accessible technology? All while still delivering critical real-time access to operators.
16 November 2022 16:19
When KVM meets AV Technology in the Control Room

We sat down with newly appointed Head of Product Management, Rafael Serrano, to discuss the latest trends and developments in control rooms and how high performance IP KVM and AV are merging technologies that put the operator in more control than ever before. In this Q&A, Rafael shares his expertise and insights on the industry today and what we can expect in the future.
29 March 2023 13:58
The Importance of User Experience (UX) in the Control Room

The textbook definition of ‘user experience (UX)’ is easily explained, but it is more difficult to define what is meant by the term in practice. The UX of an AV solution is so often defined by the type of user, the application in which the user is operating, and the type of solution being operated. There are few environments where a good UX is more important than in the control room, but why?
13 April 2023 07:00
How Will Artificial Intelligent (AI) Impact the Control Room?

The benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in the control room are evident. But how do you ensure that this new technology, and the data it generates, can still be processed in real-time to ensure it is actioned appropriately by operators and handlers on the ground? Read our latest blog to find out.
23 May 2023 08:00
Is Your Control Room Ready for Disaster Recovery?

The global pandemic of 2020 was an unprecedented event. National lockdowns, international travel bans, and goods shortages all caused significant disruption to those affected. While the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently downgraded COVID-19, people and businesses are still picking up the pieces and recovering from the effects. This process may take many months, and in some cases years, h
1 November 2022 15:15
How is the growth of social media impacting the control room?

Today, social media channels are one of the most popular forms of communication – used by individuals and organizations around the world to share news, updates, and information. But, how is social media being used in the control room? Read our latest blog to find out...