Ten years in the making: Industry 4.0 meets 5G at Hannover Messe 2021

Access this insight with a Premium plan. Contact our sales team to get started.
Report details
Ten years in the making: Industry 4.0 meets 5G at Hannover Messe 2021
The recent (digital) Hannover Messe 2021 showcased the latest trends and innovations under the theme “Industrial Automation” across factories, energy systems and supply chains. The term ‘Industry 4.0’ was coined at Hannover Messe a decade ago, and industry executives were naturally keen to reflect on progress since then and the maturity of various technologies that Industry 4.0 comprises: machine learning, edge computing, digital twins and new network technologies such as 5G and Wi-Fi 6. These reflections are more important now than ever before, since the Covid-19 pandemic has affected every industry over the past year. Against this backdrop, manufacturers have faced numerous challenges, but also plenty of opportunities to innovate and accelerate their digital transformation journeys.
Report details
Ten years in the making: Industry 4.0 meets 5G at Hannover Messe 2021
Related research
Industry Checkpoint: IoT, Q1 2026
This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on IoT, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers four major developments: the ramping up of commercial services based on SGP.32; LoRaWAN IoT integrating with the cellular and satellite ecosystems; momentum building for commercial offerings integrating NTN and cellular IoT; and eRedCap being positioned as a cost-efficient path to 5G for the next generation of IoT devices.
The State of 5G 2026
This report analyses the state of 5G, seven years after its commercial launch, using GSMA Intelligence’s 5G Connectivity Index to benchmark 46 markets across 5G infrastructure and services. It shows broad convergence across the foundation components (coverage, affordability, adoption), but reveals a widening gap on advanced capabilities, including 5G standalone (SA), 5G‑Advanced, uplink performance, fixed wireless access (FWA), IoT and RedCap.
From connectivity provider to growth partner
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are digitising rapidly, but telcos seize only a fraction of the opportunity due to gaps between SME expectations and current offerings. To unlock growth, telcos must simplify integration, make reliability visible, and shift from offering security tools to managed protection, delivering integrated, outcome-oriented solutions.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
Industry Checkpoint: IoT, Q1 2026
This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on IoT, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers four major developments: the ramping up of commercial services based on SGP.32; LoRaWAN IoT integrating with the cellular and satellite ecosystems; momentum building for commercial offerings integrating NTN and cellular IoT; and eRedCap being positioned as a cost-efficient path to 5G for the next generation of IoT devices.
The State of 5G 2026
This report analyses the state of 5G, seven years after its commercial launch, using GSMA Intelligence’s 5G Connectivity Index to benchmark 46 markets across 5G infrastructure and services. It shows broad convergence across the foundation components (coverage, affordability, adoption), but reveals a widening gap on advanced capabilities, including 5G standalone (SA), 5G‑Advanced, uplink performance, fixed wireless access (FWA), IoT and RedCap.
From connectivity provider to growth partner
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are digitising rapidly, but telcos seize only a fraction of the opportunity due to gaps between SME expectations and current offerings. To unlock growth, telcos must simplify integration, make reliability visible, and shift from offering security tools to managed protection, delivering integrated, outcome-oriented solutions.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics
