Ericsson Private 5G powers critical command-and-control traffic connectivity
Discover how Newmont, the world’s leading gold company, deployed Ericsson Private 5G to support remote controlled bulldozers at its Cadia operation in New South Wales, Australia. Remote-control dozing helps the company meet stringent worker safety standards by keeping machine operators out of a high-risk dam tailings wall construction area.
Highlights
“The Ericsson solution is incredibly easy to deploy and manage. We’re a mining company, not a network operator, so we need to keep things as simple as possible. A single installer was able to install and configure the Ericsson system and have 5G-connected equipment in a couple of hours. And if we move the remote operation center our mining team can easily relocate and redeploy the system without bringing in networking specialists.”
— Chris Twaddle, Director of Process Control Networks and Operational Cellular, Newmont Corporation
The challenge
The solution
Ericsson’s Private 5G network eliminates the capacity and performance constraints of the incumbent Wi-Fi network, providing dependable connectivity and predictable service quality across the entire construction zone.
The solution includes
- Dual mode 4G/5G core and radios
- Ericsson advanced antenna system
- Cloud-based management and troubleshooting
Solution advantages
- Expanded capacity to support more semi-autonomous machines
- Continuous coverage throughout the construction area for minimal downtime
- Elimination of inefficient and impractical Wi-Fi trailers for time and labor savings
- Extensible hardware supports 4G and 5G for seamless and cost-effective upgrades
- Easy and fast set-up for rapid deployment
“The 5G network exceeded even our highest expectations. When we tested it in the field, we saw uplink speeds of over 370 Mbps at distances of over 500 meters. In contrast, the range of the Wi-Fi network was about 100 or 200 meters. The dozer operators were amazed at the reliability of the network and the quality of the video."
— Chris Twaddle, Director of Process Control Networks and Operational Cellular, Newmont Corporation
The result
Ericsson Private 5G enables Newmont to expand its dozer fleet, avoid service disruptions, and accelerate dozing operations. The solution helps Newmont improve productivity and speed up construction by increasing dozing capacity and enabling continuous operation of the dozer fleet. With the 5G network, Newmont pushes up to 25% more material per shift.
Assured safety
Dozer operators and network technicians stay outside high-risk area
Greater productivity
Immediate 50% boost in dozing capacity
Superior network performance
370 Mbps uplink speeds at 500+ meters
Improved coverage
Increased from 100m to 3,000m while preserving 100+ Mbps uplink speeds
Ubiquitous connectivity
Nonstop operation throughout work area
“It’s all about improving worker health and safety. With 5G, we can support more unmanned machines across larger areas to keep our people out of harm’s way”
— Chris Twaddle, Director of Process Control Networks and Operational Cellular, Newmont Corporation
