NTT DATA, a global leader in IT infrastructure and services, today announced a strategic partnership with Zebra Technologies, a leader in digital solutions, to accelerate innovation in the 5G device ecosystem, laying the foundation for widespread adoption across industries.

Under this multi-year agreement, NTT DATA and Zebra Technologies will co-innovate to drive the adoption of 5G devices, which is essential for Private 5G adoption. Together, the two companies will enable intelligent asset tracking that allows for real-time monitoring and management of assets in industrial and enterprise deployments, ensuring enhanced visibility, efficiencies, and security capabilities critical to Industry 4.0 supply chain management.

One critical barrier to Private 5G adoption has been the availability of 5G devices for enterprises. This partnership will bridge this gap for connected devices in the enterprise Private 5G market, which Omdia estimates will grow 35% globally over the next four years, reaching nearly $10 billion by 2028.

Empowering the Private 5G Device Landscape

The agreement establishes Zebra Technologies as a strategic partner within NTT DATA’s Device as a Service practice, making it easier for customers to access, upgrade, and simplify 5G device lifecycle management and support.

Available globally, customers will benefit from continual modernization of device deployments and the ability to harness new connectivity solutions with a leading suite of Wi-Fi, Private LTE, and Private 5G compatible devices.

This news follows NTT DATA’s recent collaboration with Qualcomm, aimed to accelerate the evolution of the 5G device ecosystem. With enterprises accelerating digital transformation, more connectivity is needed to support Industry 4.0 applications and the adoption of AI at the edge.

By leveraging NTT DATA’s Private 5G leadership and Zebra Technologies' expertise in intelligent data integration, asset management, and frontline coordination, the two companies aim to make the low latency and high-security features of Private 5G enabled devices easily accessible to frontline workers in the automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics industries.

“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,” said Shahid Ahmed, Group Executive Vice President, Edge Services at NTT DATA. “This alliance underscores our dedication to empowering enterprises with transformative capabilities that propel edge and Private 5G use cases and data-driven experiences.”

“Our partnership with NTT DATA underscores our commitment to bring customers the latest innovations powered by Wi-Fi, Private LTE, and Private 5G networks,” said Julie Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Mobile Computing at Zebra Technologies. “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, ensuring businesses can thrive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.”

Elevating Network Deployment

NTT DATA is deploying a Private 5G network throughout Hyster-Yale Group’s manufacturing operations. Hyster- Yale Group is also leveraging NTT DATA’s Device as a Service to gain visibility into assets and materials and improve communications within its facilities. This network will work with Zebra Technologies’, handheld mobile computers and tablets to track assets and materials as they enter and exit manufacturing sites, providing critical business intelligence, while also seamlessly connecting engineers, onsite teams, production lines, and materials storage locations. All of this comes together through a cost-effective deployment at scale efficiently managed through NTT DATA’s Device as a Service practice.

“Adding Zebra devices to our Store Front has allowed us to procure units through our Device as a Service program with NTT DATA, offering much more SKU customization within a standard device set,” said Pierluigi Mastroddi, Director of IT Infrastructure Services at Hyster-Yale Group.

Benefits of Device as a Services Model

NTT DATA’s Device as a Service offers customers a comprehensive turnkey solution for managing the entire device lifecycle. It provides expert planning, procurement, configuration, deployment, ongoing support, analytics, repair management, and device retirement, all under the stewardship of a trusted partner. This allows customers to use a cost-effective per-user, per-month program model to consume technology products on a pay-per-user subscription basis instead of purchasing/owning the equipment.