Co-creation
A6K and Proximus co-create the first private mobile 5G network
Do you have plans for a 5G project and need a test environment?
5G is not just a technological evolution. The companies that have come together in A6K in Charleroi know this and are eager to benefit from it. 5G will allow them to gain in responsiveness and connectivity in order to remain competitive.
It's now or never
A6K is a network of technology companies active in communication systems. In the eyes of these actors in the operational transformation towards Industry 4.0, making 5G available is crucial. "Companies and SMEs that do not take an interest now run a real risk of obsolescence and loss of competitiveness," says Marc Bekemans, Head of Research and Innovation for Thales Alenia Space, a stakeholder in A6K.
Not just 5G antennas
When A6K and Proximus partner up to create the first private 5G mobile network, that equals an ambitious deployment. "We just finished installing the private 5G network next to the Charleroi train station. Deployed on its own site for A6K, it is dedicated to the hub where companies can discover this new technology. Proximus will also make its technical knowledge (in the field of 5G sensors, cloud, cybersecurity, IT architecture, etc.) available, as well as its business skills, by by offering support to certain projects with a typical development methodology,” Alex Lorette, Director of Enterprise Solutions and Platforms at Proximus, emphasizes.
Marc Bekemans
Head of Research and Innovation for Thales Alenia Space, a stakeholder in A6K.
Marc Bekemans, Head of Research and Innovation for Thales Alenia Space, a stakeholder in A6K
“Companies and SMEs that do not embrace this technology today risk obsolescence.”
Mobility and IoT
A6K believes that 5G will act as a unifier for its hub. This technological revolution is relevant to all the applications that can be identified and for the technologies that they will require. "Interest is centered around autonomous vehicles and communication systems with river barges, trains, and cars. As well as on the capacity to absorb simultaneous connections by 5G beams which multiplies the number of connected objects," said Bekemans.
The challenge: global competitiveness
The need to transition to 5G is urgent for the A6K companies. “We see an urgent need to co-create new competitive services in every sector we represent. Implementing 5G applications will take time. So we have to be the first to use it, because there are many things happening outside Wallonia and Belgium. The competition is going to be global," Bekemans explained. He reiterates: "5G is a global revolution like GPS data before it became standard."
“Our desire to partner with industry players to co-create is not new.”
Alex Lorette
Director Enterprise Solutions and Platforms at Proximus.
A6K is a network of technology companies that brings together relevant players from Wallonia, Belgium and elsewhere in the fields of energy, communications or the operational transformation to Industry 4.0 to encourage the emergence of innovative projects.
Discover the backstage of this event
event
Inauguration of the first private 5G network at the A6K hub
The A6K hub (Atelier 6000) is a multidisciplinary center that brings together industrial companies, start-ups, universities, research and training centres to stimulate innovation and value creation in the field of engineering. "A6K is the place of reference for innovation in Wallonia, with nearly 40 different organizations", Abd-Samad Habbachi, the Director of the premises, underlined.
By co-creating the first private 5G network in Charleroi, the aim is to bring the technology to an industrial location to create new applications, but above all to set up a platform to test these innovations. That is also what the companies present, their partners as well as smaller companies, experienced when they were invited for a few days.
The inauguration of the first private 5G network at A6K is a real springboard for innovation. Drones and connected objects are making their presence felt under the spectrum of the fifth generation mobile network.
Inauguration of the first private 5G network at the A6K hub
Innovate and move forward
The contract signed with A6K is a first for 5G. Proximus' approach to working in an ecosystem is not. “Our desire to partner with industry players to co-create is not new.” Like them, we want to innovate and to move forward. Our ambition is to be a trusted partner in their digital transformation. With fiber, but also with 5G, which is more relevant to B2B,” Lorette enthused.
Delivering blood bags by drone
What other applications are likely to see the light of day thanks to the 5G revolution? "We will be able to operate flights without visual contact between a pilot and a drone, over much longer distances. The very low latency of 5G will make it possible to carry out building inspections in complete safety. But it will also become possible to transport medicines or blood bags by drone between hospitals, which has already been tested in collaboration with Proximus. It allows you to stay out of traffic and optimize your mobility..." said Lorette, who had no shortage of examples.
CASE pom east-flanders
Fabriek Logistiek shows what 5G can do
The development agency POM East-Flanders is a pioneer for a sustainable, innovative, future-oriented and climate-healthy East-Flanders. In Fabriek Logistiek, the provincial development company combines two main fields of action. Firstly, East-Flanders as a knowledge region, thanks to Ghent University, the various technical colleges of applied sciences, and the associated spin-offs. Secondly, as a logistics hotspot, partly due to the E17, E40, the Scheldt, the Leie and the seaports of Ghent and Antwerp. “A large part of the activities in the port of Antwerp take place on the territory of East-Flanders,” says Danny Vanrijkel, Business Development Manager at POM East-Flanders.
Fabriek Logistiek is housed in two brand-new logistics halls, on a new business park in Zwijnaarde. “Companies are given the opportunity to review their logistics processes and to test them in practice on site,” said Vanrijkel. Fabriek Logistiek offers an impressive arsenal of possibilities for this purpose. Companies can experiment with various types of warehouse equipment, new systems for picking, applications with smartglasses, scanners, drones, packaging lines, automated guided vehicles, and so on. “We also offer our infrastructure for training courses or to consultants who want to perform tests.”
The POM East-Flanders develops sustainable economic projects. As a proactive partner, they stand for cooperation, identify economic needs and opportunities, take up challenges and bring them to groundbreaking realisations. In this way, they create qualitative space for companies and strengthen the economic sectors of the province.
Discover the building blocks
Industry 4.0 demands an overall strategy for digital transformation
Very often companies are convinced of the opportunities of Industry 4.0, but they hesitate to take the first concrete steps. A roadmap offers the necessary guidance. That way they get an overview of a first case that they can initiate, or an IT partner who can provide the appropriate support.
Discover the whole story
Logiville is the largest European innovation centre for logistics. Companies share their knowledge and discover new and future technologies.
A6K and Proximus co-create the first private mobile 5G network
Co-creation
Do you have plans for a 5G project and need a test environment?
Discover the backstage of this event
event
Inauguration of the first private 5G network at the A6K hub
The A6K hub (Atelier 6000) is a multidisciplinary center that brings together industrial companies, start-ups, universities, research and training centres to stimulate innovation and value creation in the field of engineering. "A6K is the place of reference for innovation in Wallonia, with nearly 40 different organizations", Abd-Samad Habbachi, the Director of the premises, underlined.
By co-creating the first private 5G network in Charleroi, the aim is to bring the technology to an industrial location to create new applications, but above all to set up a platform to test these innovations. That is also what the companies present, their partners as well as smaller companies, experienced when they were invited for a few days.
The inauguration of the first private 5G network at A6K is a real springboard for innovation. Drones and connected objects are making their presence felt under the spectrum of the fifth generation mobile network.
5G is not just a technological evolution. The companies that have come together in A6K in Charleroi know this and are eager to benefit from it. 5G will allow them to gain in responsiveness and connectivity in order to remain competitive.
It's now or never
A6K is a network of technology companies active in communication systems. In the eyes of these actors in the operational transformation towards Industry 4.0, making 5G available is crucial. "Companies and SMEs that do not take an interest now run a real risk of obsolescence and loss of competitiveness," says Marc Bekemans, Head of Research and Innovation for Thales Alenia Space, a stakeholder in A6K.
Not just 5G antennas
When A6K and Proximus partner up to create the first private 5G mobile network, that equals an ambitious deployment. "We just finished installing the private 5G network next to the Charleroi train station. Deployed on its own site for A6K, it is dedicated to the hub where companies can discover this new technology. Proximus will also make its technical knowledge (in the field of 5G sensors, cloud, cybersecurity, IT architecture, etc.) available, as well as its business skills, by by offering support to certain projects with a typical development methodology,” Alex Lorette, Director of Enterprise Solutions and Platforms at Proximus, emphasizes.
Marc Bekemans
Head of Research and Innovation for Thales Alenia Space, a stakeholder in A6K.
Marc Bekemans, Head of Research and Innovation for Thales Alenia Space, a stakeholder in A6K
“Companies and SMEs that do not embrace this technology today risk obsolescence.”
Mobility and IoT
A6K believes that 5G will act as a unifier for its hub. This technological revolution is relevant to all the applications that can be identified and for the technologies that they will require. "Interest is centered around autonomous vehicles and communication systems with river barges, trains, and cars. As well as on the capacity to absorb simultaneous connections by 5G beams which multiplies the number of connected objects," said Bekemans.
The challenge: global competitiveness
The need to transition to 5G is urgent for the A6K companies. “We see an urgent need to co-create new competitive services in every sector we represent. Implementing 5G applications will take time. So we have to be the first to use it, because there are many things happening outside Wallonia and Belgium. The competition is going to be global," Bekemans explained. He reiterates: "5G is a global revolution like GPS data before it became standard."
The POM East-Flanders develops sustainable economic projects. As a proactive partner, they stand for cooperation, identify economic needs and opportunities, take up challenges and bring them to groundbreaking realisations. In this way, they create qualitative space for companies and strengthen the economic sectors of the province.
“Our desire to partner with industry players to co-create is not new.”
Alex Lorette
Director Enterprise Solutions and Platforms at Proximus.
A6K is a network of technology companies that brings together relevant players from Wallonia, Belgium and elsewhere in the fields of energy, communications or the operational transformation to Industry 4.0 to encourage the emergence of innovative projects.
CASE pom east-flanders
Fabriek Logistiek shows what 5G can do
The development agency POM East-Flanders is a pioneer for a sustainable, innovative, future-oriented and climate-healthy East-Flanders. In Fabriek Logistiek, the provincial development company combines two main fields of action. Firstly, East-Flanders as a knowledge region, thanks to Ghent University, the various technical colleges of applied sciences, and the associated spin-offs. Secondly, as a logistics hotspot, partly due to the E17, E40, the Scheldt, the Leie and the seaports of Ghent and Antwerp. “A large part of the activities in the port of Antwerp take place on the territory of East-Flanders,” says Danny Vanrijkel, Business Development Manager at POM East-Flanders.
Fabriek Logistiek is housed in two brand-new logistics halls, on a new business park in Zwijnaarde. “Companies are given the opportunity to review their logistics processes and to test them in practice on site,” said Vanrijkel. Fabriek Logistiek offers an impressive arsenal of possibilities for this purpose. Companies can experiment with various types of warehouse equipment, new systems for picking, applications with smartglasses, scanners, drones, packaging lines, automated guided vehicles, and so on. “We also offer our infrastructure for training courses or to consultants who want to perform tests.”
Innovate and move forward
The contract signed with A6K is a first for 5G. Proximus' approach to working in an ecosystem is not. “Our desire to partner with industry players to co-create is not new.” Like them, we want to innovate and to move forward. Our ambition is to be a trusted partner in their digital transformation. With fiber, but also with 5G, which is more relevant to B2B,” Lorette enthused.
Delivering blood bags by drone
What other applications are likely to see the light of day thanks to the 5G revolution? "We will be able to operate flights without visual contact between a pilot and a drone, over much longer distances. The very low latency of 5G will make it possible to carry out building inspections in complete safety. But it will also become possible to transport medicines or blood bags by drone between hospitals, which has already been tested in collaboration with Proximus. It allows you to stay out of traffic and optimize your mobility..." said Lorette, who had no shortage of examples.
Inauguration of the first private 5G network at the A6K hub
Discover the building blocks
Industry 4.0 demands an overall strategy for digital transformation
Very often companies are convinced of the opportunities of Industry 4.0, but they hesitate to take the first concrete steps. A roadmap offers the necessary guidance. That way they get an overview of a first case that they can initiate, or an IT partner who can provide the appropriate support.
Discover the whole story
Logiville is the largest European innovation centre for logistics. Companies share their knowledge and discover new and future technologies.