A private LTE/5G network dedicated to the supply chain is to be implemented by Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA), it has announced.

UIPA’s Intelligent Crossroads Network (ICN) will surface “unique” insights into cargo traffic for supply chain operators, starting from early 2022.

The coverage area will be expanded in time across Utah, including the Greater Salt Lake region, which hosts production bases for advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense.

Utah’s energy and natural resources sector could also benefit. The sector employs almost 15,000 across core clusters in the state, according to figures from its Department of Workforce Services.

Warehouses, ports and logistics centers require connected technology to get cargo to destinations faster and respond to disruptions as they arise.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools – including real-time digital twins, predictive maintenance and demand forecasting – have gained traction in the industry but perform best with minimal latency and require swarms of data to be extracted, stored and queried. That has fueled demand for dedicated portions of the wireless spectrum, as well as high-bandwidth 5G networks.

UIPA’s supply chain infrastructure will be delivered in partnership with QuayChain, a Los Angeles-based provider of logistics optimization and automation technology.

“Creating this new digital public-private partnership with QuayChain is the perfect way to build the digital infrastructure to achieve our goal of sustainable logistics across Utah,” said Jack Edge, executive director of UIPA.