A Collaborative Business Model for 5G/IoT Enabled Solutions in Forestry use Cases

The next generation network technology 5G introduces new business opportunities for telecom operators that can help them mitigate their declining revenues. 5G reduce the network latency and enables a massive number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices to be connected to its network. This paper proposes a co-creative approach for telecom operators when they exploit 5G/IoT technologies in industry use cases in rural communities and builds upon the concept of collaborative business modelling. Partnering with providers of digital niche services and in-depth understanding of users’ pains and challenges is key when establishing “beyond connectivity” solutions. Moreover, the collaborative model secure long-term survivability in which all ecosystem stakeholders benefit through participation, hence moving away from individual profit maximization. The initial design of the collaborative business model occurs as a part of an agile development process, in which stakeholder needs, and requirement are uncovered together with technical trials and commercial validation of suggested solutions (MVP's/protocepts). Our findings provide novel insights towards the understanding of how collaborative business models support the deployment of enhanced connectivity enabled solutions (remote operation support and fire situation awareness service) in the forestry industry in rural areas of Norway, as well as the role of the telecom operator in orchestrating the ecosystem. Updated business models based on forthcoming development and trials of these two solutions will be presented in later publications.