Mobile transactions
Complete the task beside the customer
Private networks connect compatible handhelds, kiosks and ordering devices, helping staff serve customers across the trading floor.
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Private networks / Retail
Private 5G for retail.
Keep the store team connected to the job.
Connect stock tasks, service teams and mobile equipment across large stores and retail estates. Private 5G carries operational updates from the loading bay to the sales floor.
A robot can gather a shelf observation, edge AI can identify a gap for review and the store team can turn it into a replenishment task.
Private 5G in practice
Connect the work. Improve the operation.
Video links
Bring shop-floor activity into view
Dedicated camera connections carry video to local applications, supporting site monitoring without relying on customer connectivity.
Building systems
Connect the systems behind the store
Operational sensors and building automation share data over a managed network, bringing everyday estate information into the systems teams use.
The operational connection
Keep the store team connected to the job.
Large stores combine customer areas, back-of-house stock rooms, loading routes and shared estate services. An observation made in one area needs to reach the team responsible for the next step without becoming another separate list.
A private network connects selected store devices and applications. Local edge AI can analyse shelf or equipment images close to where they are captured, sending a useful exception to the team rather than requiring staff to watch continuous feeds.
Practical retail use cases
Connect the task to the people who act on it.
01
Turn a shelf-scanning robot’s finding into a stock task
A shelf-scanning robot follows an approved route through the store and captures product-facing images. A local edge AI application identifies a possible empty facing or misplaced label and links it to the aisle and shelf position. Private 5G carries the observation into the store’s task application for a colleague to review.
The colleague checks the shelf and stock system, replenishes or corrects the issue and closes the task. The record shows which observations were useful and which need model or layout adjustment. The robot gathers the view consistently while staff retain ownership of the action on the sales floor.
The opportunity: more focused shelf checks and clearer replenishment follow-through.
02
Keep a stock movement visible from delivery to shelf
A colleague scans a delivery at the loading bay and records its destination in the stock application. Private 5G carries updates as the team moves through back-of-house areas and onto the floor. A supervisor can see which tasks have been completed and which are still waiting for attention.
When priorities change, the task list is updated on the handheld rather than passed through a chain of messages. The receiving and replenishment records stay connected, giving the next team a reliable starting point. Suitable existing devices can be retained through the agreed connectivity and application design.
The opportunity: fewer repeated stock updates and a clearer view of unfinished work.
03
Spot a service-area issue before the next walkthrough
A camera covering an agreed service area sends images to a local edge AI application configured to flag an obstruction or visible spill. The system sends a short event clip and location to the duty team over the private network. A colleague reviews it and assigns the appropriate response.
The task record captures the action and completion check, helping the next shift see what has been resolved. Analysis can focus on the condition of the area rather than identifying shoppers. Repeated events give the estate team useful evidence when reviewing layouts and cleaning schedules.
The opportunity: earlier awareness of service issues and better coordination of floor teams.
Robotics and edge AI
From an observation to a useful decision.
Turn a shelf-scanning robot’s finding into a stock task. The robot gathers observations or completes its assigned movement; the private network carries the agreed data. Edge AI means processing selected images or sensor readings on local computing infrastructure.
Choose what the application should identify and who receives the result. A reviewed finding can become a work order, a confirmed handover or a record for the next shift, with the supporting evidence kept alongside it.
Explore private AI → Private compute → Managed open-source applications →
Built around the operation
Plan the complete connection.
- 01 / DevicesRobots, cameras, gateways and staff handsets
- 02 / Working areasAgreed routes, buildings and operational zones
- 03 / Private networkRadio coverage, device access and traffic priorities
- 04 / ApplicationsLocal edge AI and the systems used by your team
Design for the site
Map loading areas, stock rooms and sales-floor routes, including how displays change through the trading year. Account for shared buildings and operational devices belonging to different tenants.
Connect to the existing workflow
Define application access separately from customer connectivity. For edge AI, choose the scene, event type and image-retention arrangements around the operational task.
Planning & costs
We help turn the opportunity into a working solution.
We assess your estate, devices and applications, then design connectivity around the work you want to improve. We help build a business case around the opportunity, deployment costs and ongoing support.
We handle the technical assessment and help connect the investment to useful results. The first conversation starts with what you want to achieve.
One area or the whole estate.
Start with a focused deployment and expand, or move ahead with a full programme. We shape delivery around your priorities and readiness, and coordinate installation with your operation.
Talk to our teamPlanning questions
Private 5G for retail: your questions.
Will customer phones connect to this network?
The operational private network connects provisioned devices. Customer Wi-Fi or improved public mobile coverage is a separate service design.
Can existing devices and applications connect?
Compatible cellular devices connect directly; suitable gateways can link other equipment. We check the exact device models, interfaces and application requirements before choosing the design.
Where does edge AI run?
Selected analytics can run on local servers, with access and storage designed around the workflow. The application identifies agreed events; staff review the result and retain responsibility for the operational response.
What is needed to scope the project?
A site plan, the chosen task, device details and the applications involved provide a useful start. We then assess coverage, integration, installation and ongoing support for a defined proposal.
Read the private 5G cost guide →Your operation, connected
Which task should work better?
Show us the working area, the equipment and the point where information stops flowing. We’ll help turn it into a practical first project.
Website information and service conditions
Coverage and performance are designed around your site, devices and applications. We set out the agreed service and delivery scope in your proposal.
Use cases illustrate how the service can support an operation. Project specifications and commercial terms are confirmed in the agreed proposal and contract.