According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung Electronics and its US operator AT&T’s communications division are testing how to accelerate the connection of fifth-generation wireless networks (5G) at its chip manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas, to test how to use 5G to improve chip manufacturing.

However, some experts said that the changes brought about by the widespread deployment of 5G in the manufacturing, logistics, transportation and energy industries will take about 10 years to see.  To a certain extent, the realization of 5G comprehensive coverage will inevitably take a lot of time to promote the infrastructure.

“We are still in the experimental phase, but we hope it is valuable,” said Alok Shah, vice president of network strategy, business development and marketing at Samsung Electronics’ US division.

Alok Shah said that Samsung Electronics America and AT&T have invested millions of dollars in 5G research and development at the Samsung chip manufacturing facility in Austin. Thousands of employees work here in a factory about the size of ten football fields.

Alok Shah also mentioned that chip manufacturing requires a lot of water and toxic chemicals, and 5G can help chip factories reduce water waste and alert people to safety hazards.

For example, with 5G, more sensors can be installed in the factory to detect air quality. Once a serious air quality hazard is detected, workers can be removed from the harmful environment in time. Currently, sensors in the factory cannot rely on existing wireless networks to deliver alarms to the control center.

Alok Shah explained that the 5G network can support the use of 1 million devices per square kilometer, while 4G LTE can only support 100,000 devices per square kilometer.

In addition, sensors on pumps and valves can also transmit data about water through a 5G network, which increases water efficiency and reduces waste in real time.

In this regard, AndreFuetsch, chief technology officer of AT&T Communications, said the factory will be a big beneficiary of 5G connectivity.