Telefonica Deutschland and Siemens have teamed up to launch what they describe as the first 5G network slicing solution specifically designed for the water industry’s automation needs. The solution is already undergoing testing with a customer in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and is tailored for use by water and wastewater companies.

Unlike manufacturing facilities that typically operate localised 5G campus networks, water utilities present a different challenge due to their geographically dispersed infrastructure. Telefonica Deutschland highlighted this key difference, noting that “the water industry’s facilities are widely distributed and need to be connected over long distances.”

The new system enables companies to operate over a “virtual 5G network,” using network slicing to support monitoring and control of automation technologies across large areas. This includes critical functions such as pressure control, flow measurement, and automated emergency response, which require reliable connectivity and consistent service levels.

Siemens CEO for process automation, Axel Lorenz, emphasized the value of combining Siemens’ hardware with 5G slicing: “delivers the necessary quality, reliability and security for demanding automation applications.”

Telefonica Deutschland’s chief partner and wholesale officer, Alfons Loesing, described the deployment as a turning point for the technology: “Our jointly developed solution marks the breakthrough for 5G network slicing in critical, distributed industrial applications in Germany.” He added, “driving industrial applications via mobile communications with defined performance parameters.”

The operator sees strong potential for the product, citing thousands of possible customers across Germany who could benefit from enhanced, long-distance 5G connectivity for critical infrastructure automation.