Guideline Development Delays in ISAC Could Signal a Lost Opportunity for the Private Cellular Industry

Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is among the innovative technologies in telecommunications, which promises to act as a driving force for enterprises to deploy private cellular networks. The technology will bring about added utility to existing networking infrastructure, with more potency for large-scale outdoor use cases. According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, the private cellular market, which is forecast to reach US$75.9 billion by 2030, will stand to benefit from ISAC as companies are able to retrofit sensing capabilities onto their existing networks infrastructure. 

“Currently, primary viable use cases revolve around outdoor applications such as airspace, water, and site security, given the line-of-sight within indoor sites, and the costliness of the proposed solution – other offerings based on LiDAR, radar, and cameras already exist to better effect for smaller-scale deployments. Use case rollouts will be gradual: simpler, outdoor applications on private networks will be prioritized, and more complex scenarios will be deployed following extensive standardization,” explains Shadine Taufik, Research Analyst for Private Networks & Hybrid Cloud at ABI Research.

As such, ABI Research expects that industries such as logistics, defense, energy generation, and the public sector will be among the first to adopt the solution – which also happens to be among the verticals experiencing the most growth in the private cellular space.

Incumbent telecommunications infrastructure vendor ZTE has already begun to offer ISAC technology to support the low altitude economy, enabling the detection of airspace objects such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles via public 5G networks. On the other hand, fledgling startup Tiami Networks’ version of ISAC utilizes software atop an off-the-shelf hardware solution that can run on LTE/5G/Wi-Fi and has engaged in proof-of-concept trials with clients. In general, most firms are either not familiar with the technology, or like SEW-EURODRIVE, are taking a more cautious approach, engaging in the early, exploratory stages of research for applications in their industrial operations.

However, the lack of harmonization between players in the field and standards bodies has become a significant challenge. Although enterprises are already engaging in ISAC solutions, standards bodies, such as ETSI and 3GPP have been slow to react. In 2023, the bodies announced the creation of working groups to aid in formulating technical specifications, commercial cases, and security issues, among others for the technology. Taufik states, “Not much has emerged from these efforts, as the institutions have deemed ISAC to be a 6G-centric innovation, thus slowing down the standardization process, and therefore interoperability and market reach for ISAC.” One of the few pieces of documentation released was the 3GPP Use Case report, which outlines potential applications for ISAC. However, many of those details may not be commercially feasible in the short term.

“Standards bodies are slow to release guidelines, delaying an ISAC release to 6G. This creates a chasm between these bodies and enterprises eager to innovate. It remains increasingly unclear how the field will progress as pre-standards solutions come to the fore,” Taufik points out.

Overall, the trajectory of ISAC development may signal a growing trend of telecommunications players outpacing standards bodies and forging the way with their own innovations in a bid for competitive advantage. Standardization and guidelines groups must be quick to release their reports and forge synergies with these innovative players before they are made irrelevant. By overseeing their projects and facilitating dialogue with these industry pioneers, standards bodies can use the solutions in practice as a starting point for expediting guidelines while remaining involved as an authoritative force at the forefront of innovation.

These findings are from ABI Research’s ISAC Use Cases for Private Cellular Networks report. This report is part of the company’s Hybrid Networks & 5G Markets research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights