Verizon Business, Zebra Technologies team to accelerate private 5G

Verizon Business and Zebra Technologies have launched mobile device and software packaged services designed to help private 5G customers reap the benefits of their networks even faster.

Zebra rugged enterprise tablets and mobile computers are built to simplify processes for frontline workers in transportation and logistics, retail, and manufacturing, among other industries.

The devices include Zebra Mobility DNA software applications and tools to help customers better track inventory, manage projects and communication on job sites, and keep manufacturing processes and industrial workflows moving smoothly – all certified to work with Verizon’s private wireless networks. Zebra’s devices can also access the capabilities of Zebra Workcloud software offerings.

Verizon believes that with its private 5G, Zebra’s enterprise mobile computers and tablets will have more network capacity to work with, enabling instant and secure voice communication among groups of users in diverse commercial environments, from warehouses to manufacturing sites to industrial work zones and shipyards. This, it said, will be critical for industry organisations that require reliable and fast communication and intricate process management.

Select Zebra devices will have multi-SIM capability for near-seamless transitions between an authenticated private network and Verizon’s public network. Industries, environments and use cases for Zebra rugged enterprise mobile computers, tablets and software with Verizon private wireless networks include retail, warehouse, manufacturing, ports, and transportation and logistics.

In the former, the two companies see their technology as seeing use in price or inventory checks, item location, mobile point of sale, assisted selling, workforce scheduling, workforce timekeeping, task management, front-of-store replenishment, loss prevention, actionable intelligence, price management, inventory visibility or cycle counts, workforce communications, inventory ordering, inventory ordering, and forecasting and analysis.

Manufacturing ports could see order and inventory management, returns processing, item picking and put-away, EDI transactions, warehouse management, asset management, voice communications, forklift operations, assembly line quality control, track and trace, product information management, equipment maintenance, workforce management, and shipping.

Transportation and logistics use cases encompass asset management, parcel dimensioning, invoicing and mobile point of sale, fleet management, and inventory management.

“As a network provider, Verizon wants to make it easier for customers to get the devices and software they’ll need to take full advantage of their private network as soon as possible,” said Verizon Business vice-president of business products Steve Szabo.

“Partnering directly with Zebra Technologies accelerates the timeline from adoption to implementation, giving critical days or weeks back to businesses that can get caught up in protracted cycles of getting operations up and running.”    

Julie Johnson, senior vice-president and general manager of enterprise mobile computing at Zebra Technologies, said: “We are excited about this collaboration with Verizon as private 5G represents a significant inflection point in wireless connectivity – providing a major technology and performance upgrade that will drive enhanced visibility and operational benefits for our enterprise customers.

“Zebra is committed to integrating 5G across the company’s entire portfolio, giving our customers more flexibility for their wireless and mobility needs.”