Nokia study reveals surge of ROI and AI-enabled use cases with on-premise edge and private wireless
Nokia study reveals surge of ROI and AI-enabled use cases with on-premise edge and private wireless
- 87% of enterprises adopting private wireless and on-premise edge saw ROI in one year.
- 81% of enterprises found setup costs lower than other options and 86% reported reduced ongoing costs.
- 94% of industrial enterprises deployed edge with private wireless that support AI-driven applications in 70% of the cases.
- 94% of industries reduced carbon emissions—41% by over 20%—and 89% reported energy savings.
03 September 2025
Espoo, Finland — Nokia today released the 2025 Industrial Digitalization Report developed with GlobalData, which highlights that 87% of on-premise edge and private network adopters are seeing a return on investment in just one year while enabling AI-driven use cases. Additionally, 81% of industrial enterprises found setup costs lower, with over half saving at least 11%. Ongoing costs also dropped for 86% of companies, with 60% reporting savings of at least 11%. For access to the report, click .
The report draws on insights from 115 industrial enterprises in manufacturing, energy, logistics, mining, and transportation in Australia, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
On-premise edge and private wireless unlock AI’s potential in complex industrial environments
AI’s potential in industrial settings hinges on access to high-quality, real-time data; 94% of industrial enterprises have deployed on-premise edge technology alongside private wireless. This combination enables secure, low-latency connectivity in complex environments and pervasive sensor coverage, even in hard-to-reach areas, supporting AI-driven use cases like predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and digital twins in 70% of surveyed enterprises.
BASF, a leading chemical company, deployed Nokia private wireless at its Antwerp facility to advance its digitalization strategy and enable reliable, high-performance connectivity across its six-square-kilometer premises. The private network supports AI- and sensor-driven use cases like real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, enhances automation and efficiency, improves worker safety, and reduces environmental impact.
Private Wireless Drives Sustainability Gains
The study also highlights how operational performance improvements driven by private wireless networks are supporting sustainability goals. 94% of the surveyed industrial enterprises reported a reduction in carbon emissions, with 41% achieving decreases of more than 20%, and 89% seeing energy savings. These gains are amplified by predictive maintenance, connected devices, and drones that cut fuel-intensive travel and enable more accurate, real-time emissions tracking.
Safety, efficiency, and automation with connected worker technologies
Beyond environmental impact, 71% of surveyed companies are actively deploying connected worker tools such as automated alarms, AI-assisted monitoring, and geofencing solutions to reduce accidents and strengthen worker safety. Connected devices streamline tasks by reducing the need to move for signal and simplifying access to information. They also cut paperwork and minimize human error, boosting efficiency on-site, and automation.
Cybersecurity drives on-premise edge and private wireless adoption
Security remained a top priority, with 57% of respondents identifying cybersecurity as a driver to deploy an Industrial Edge platform powered by a Private Wireless network. Private wireless solutions offer built-in encryption, physical network separation, and compatibility with zero-trust frameworks, making them ideal for mission-critical infrastructure while maintaining business continuity and compliance.
“GlobalData forecasts the global private wireless network market will nearly double to US$8 billion by 2027. This reflects the growing demand as industries face mounting pressure to modernize in line with global sustainability and efficiency goals. Nokia and GlobalData's latest research helps leaders build strong business cases for digitalization by showing how private wireless and on-premise edge not only reduce costs but also accelerate scalable transformation with measurable improvements in worker safety, productivity, security and environmental impact,” said David de Lancellotti, Vice President of Enterprise Campus Edge Sales at Nokia.
“Private 5G has been a game changer for BASF Antwerp. We’re unlocking automation, strengthening occupational safety, accelerating innovation, and meeting ROI targets in just two years. We have become a front-runner for the wider group with learnings that will deliver value at multiple BASF group locations,” said, Steven Werbrouck, Expert Network Connectivity at BASF.
“Industrial enterprises are turning to private wireless and on-premise edge to drive innovation and industrial transformation. These deployments are delivering a clear return on investment and enabling use cases that would not otherwise have been possible. Private wireless and edge have helped enterprises to improve worker safety, support sustainability, and create a delivery platform for AI-powered solutions such as process automation and predictive maintenance,” said, Gary Barton, Research Director, GlobalData.
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