NTT DATA and Zebra Technologies forge strategic partnership to boost private 5G adoption

NTT DATA, a leading global IT infrastructure and services company, together with Zebra Technologies, a key player in digital solutions, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership aimed at enhancing innovation in the 5G device ecosystem. This collaboration is set to lay the groundwork for widespread adoption of 5G technologies across various industries.

The partnership between NTT DATA and Zebra Technologies focuses on accelerating the adoption of 5G devices, crucial for the proliferation of Private 5G networks. Together, they will facilitate intelligent asset tracking that enables real-time monitoring and management of assets within industrial and enterprise settings. This initiative promises to bolster visibility, efficiency, and security—key aspects vital to Industry 4.0 and advanced supply chain management.

A significant challenge to the adoption of Private 5G has been the limited availability of suitable 5G devices for enterprise use. This partnership aims to address this gap in the enterprise Private 5G market, which, according to Omdia, is expected to see a 35% global growth over the next four years, potentially reaching a market size of nearly $10 billion by 2028.

Under the agreement, Zebra Technologies becomes a strategic partner within NTT DATA’s Device as a Service (DaaS) practice, simplifying access to and management of 5G devices for customers. This global initiative will allow continual modernization of device deployments and enable businesses to leverage cutting-edge connectivity solutions, including a suite of Wi-Fi, Private LTE, and Private 5G compatible devices.

This announcement follows NTT DATA’s recent collaboration with Qualcomm, aimed at speeding up the evolution of the 5G device ecosystem. With digital transformation accelerating, there is a growing need for more connectivity to support Industry 4.0 applications and AI at the edge.

By combining NTT DATA’s expertise in Private 5G networks with Zebra Technologies’ capabilities in intelligent data integration and asset management, the partnership is set to enhance the accessibility of low-latency and high-security Private 5G enabled devices for frontline workers in sectors such as automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics.

Shahid Ahmed, Group Executive Vice President, Edge Services at NTT DATA, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration: “In our relentless pursuit to drive Private 5G and Edge AI adoption within the enterprises, we’re thrilled to join forces with Zebra Technologies globally,” he stated. Julie Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Mobile Computing at Zebra Technologies, also commented on the partnership’s potential to innovate, stating, “We’re excited to leverage the global scale of NTT DATA’s capabilities to benefit our customers and be a vital part of a growing 5G device ecosystem.”

A practical example of this partnership in action is NTT DATA’s deployment of a Private 5G network across Hyster-Yale Group’s manufacturing operations. This deployment leverages Zebra Technologies’ handheld mobile computers and tablets to enhance asset tracking and material management, demonstrating the partnership’s capacity to transform business operations through technology.