When HANNOVER MESSE 2017 opens its doors, the spotlight will once more be almost exclusively on digitalization. Why exhibitors are once again right to focus on this area can be seen in the presentation by Deutsche Telekom, for example, which this year is covering virtually every key aspect of implementing Industry 4.0. Whether it’s the networked factory, predictive maintenance, intelligent supply chains, the cloud, connectivity or security, the Bonn-based company is offering a full program in Hannover and turning its attention to practical implementation instead of dry theory. For visitors, this means hands-on digitalization in the form of drones, maintenance cases, welding robots and a 5G robot demo.

The 5G robot demo in particular promises illuminating insights and plenty of new information. After all, without appropriate networks there can be no machine-to-machine communication, no Internet of Things and no Industry 4.0. So it’s hardly surprising that Deutsche Telekom is focusing even more closely on connectivity than other highlights. 5G, the next generation in mobile telephony, is essential for future real-time communication as it delivers the short response times that industry so urgently needs. Guaranteed latency is one of the new 5G standard's outstanding features, along with precise positioning, the moving of computing power to the net, a wide bandwidth and combining landline and mobile telephony using an integrated 5G network.