Omnitracs' Road Ahead blog

5G is Here: What Does That Mean for Your Fleet Management Strategy?

Cyndi
Cyndi Brandt
VP of Product Marketing

The sunset of 3G networks by wireless carriers makes it critical for fleets to upgrade to 4G technology to maintain compliance with FMCSA and keep fleet management operations running. But with more conversations around 5G in the consumer market, what do you need to know about the future of 5G in the trucking industry?

The Status of 5G in Trucking Technology Today

5G network coverage is still in its infancy and doesn't provide the coverage needed for fleet compliance and routing operations. 5G-enabled devices like electronic logging devices (ELDs) or dashcams are not yet available in the market but with every network operator focusing on 5G deployment, 5G supported devices will soon follow. However, wireless carriers have committed to maintaining 4G networks for at least another decade. For now, fleet management teams can rest assured that service as its currently known will not be disrupted and more information to support an efficient migration to 5G will come out as the coverage expands.

The Future of 5G in Fleet Management Solutions

Improved speeds, more bandwidth, and reduced latency mean your fleet can operate more efficiently and give customers real-time visibility into their orders like never before. Omnitracs fleet management solutions that rely on the cloud to process data for connectivity, such as Omnitracs One, dispatch and navigation, will be able to take advantage of the improved efficiency in data transfer 5G will provide to help make better business decisions and improve overall driver and customer experience.

Currently, the area covered by 5G networks is 5G's biggest limitation, and 4G networks cover much more of the country. As the networks expand, we can expect to see more and more products designed to make use of 5G gains in speed and data volume, as well as its enhanced capacity for individual devices. Tools such as route optimization softwares and Electronic Logging Devices will start to see the benefit of expanded network coverage, meaning opportunities for revising routing strategies and overall business and fleet management to keep your operation as efficient as possible.

For more information on the 3G sunset or what 4G and 5G technology will mean for your fleet operation, please contact your sales representative.

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