Through the collaboration with Microsoft, HFCL aims to develop solutions that leverage technologies such as AI and analytics, IoT, cloud, and edge computing to modernise industry verticals, including retail and warehouse, manufacturing, mining, defence, railways, education, smart city and others

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HFCL partners with Microsoft to develop converged private 5G solutions. (Credit: Nuttyprofessor2016/Wikipedia.org)

India-based telecommunications equipment and solutions provider HFCL has partnered with Microsoft to develop converged private 5G solutions to help enterprises in India.

Through the collaboration with Microsoft, HFCL aims to develop solutions that leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics, internet of things (IoT), cloud, and edge computing.

The solutions are expected to modernise industry verticals including retail and warehouse, manufacturing, mining, defence, railways, education, smart city and others.

HFCL said that by leveraging Microsoft Azure public MEC and HFCL 5G Indoor Small Cell, the company is installing a private 5G-enabled Industry 4.0 solution as a pilot programme at its optical fibre manufacturing plant in Hyderabad, India.

According to the company, its 5G small cells allow real-time fibre defect detection by utilising video analytics and image processing along its fibre production line.

Azure public MEC, which combines Azure compute and edge-optimised Azure services and the mobile operator’s public 5G network connectivity, will analyse video data in real time to identify any defects and generate insights to improve efficiency.

Microsoft India small business medium corporate executive director Samik Roy said: “Microsoft Azure provides seamless and rapid capabilities to roll out Industry 4.0 solutions at scale while solving critical business problems at the operator edge.

“HFCL can now leverage Azure compute, storage, networking, and AI capabilities for a comprehensive portfolio of private 5G use-cases across industry verticals.”

The new private 5G solution will enhance the operational efficiency and manufacturing agility of the fibre manufacturing plant, stated HFCL.

With the combination of 5G connectivity, AI, analytics, data collectors and sensors, edge and cloud platform, HFCL expects to develop horizontal and vertical solutions to digitally transform industries.

HFCL managing director Mahendra Nahata said: “We are very pleased with our collaboration with Microsoft in implementing Industry 4.0 solution in our own factory as a pilot program, using Microsoft Azure public MEC.

“The best practices and the lessons learnt will act as a playbook to deploy Private 5G solutions for manufacturing and other industry verticals embarking on a similar digital transformation journey.”