Most Important Trends in Industrial Connectivity

[Erkan Teskancan]

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## Key Trends in Industrial Connectivity

Industrial networks form the backbone of control systems, enabling communication between controllers, sensors, actuators, and operating systems. With the acceleration of digital transformation in industry, the need for robust and scalable connectivity solutions is greater than ever.

According to the 2025 report, Ethernet-based industrial networks account for 76% of new node installations, an increase of 5% compared to 2024. Older generation fieldbus technologies have dropped to 17%, while wireless systems remain at 7%. These figures indicate that the industry is moving towards flexible and scalable Ethernet solutions, preferring deterministic communication protocols that support real-time control and data exchange.

### Prominent Trends in Industrial Connectivity

-Wireless technologies play an important role in mobility, flexibility, and connectivity needs in hard-to-reach areas (e.g., automated guided vehicles and wireless sensors).

-Although 5G technology offers advantages in latency and bandwidth issues, it has not yet become fully widespread due to infrastructure complexity and industrial environment problems. Currently, 4G is dominant for mass production and automation, while 5G is a strategic technology for the future.

### The Rise of Hyperconnectivity

The convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) has become more pronounced in 2025. Industrial networks now support hyperconnectivity by connecting devices and subsystems within multi-layered automation.

- The demand for real-time event-driven data is increasing in mass production facilities.

- ISA-95 and ISA-88 standards play an important role in contextualizing this event-driven data in a hierarchical structure (Enterprise → Site → Area → Process Cell).

Thanks to hyperconnectivity, manufacturers can continuously monitor production processes, enable instant data transmission between systems, and integrate different devices and protocols in a scalable manner. Ethernet-APL, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), and edge platforms facilitate this integration.

### The Impact of Open Protocols and Data Fabrics

Open protocols such as OPC UA and MQTT are becoming widespread in industrial networks for interoperability and standardization. These protocols enable seamless integration of devices and systems from different vendors, increase flexibility, reduce costs, and foster innovation.

Companies engaged in mass production collect data via OPC UA and MQTT and transfer it to higher-level systems while using various control systems. The high volume of data generated from production can be collected in a single location in the cloud via an industrial data fabric and used for advanced analytical applications.

### Challenges and Opportunities in Industrial Connectivity

With increasing connectivity, cybersecurity risks have also grown. OT cybersecurity has become a fundamental requirement for industrial networks. Strategies such as network segmentation, zero-trust architecture, and compliance with ISA/IEC 62443 standards are critically important.

Main challenges:

• Integrating legacy systems is challenging; not all support OPC UA and MQTT protocols.
• High implementation costs of advanced technologies like TSN and 5G.
• Difficulty in ensuring reliable sources and redundancy for continuous data analysis.

Opportunities include:

• Modular and scalable system designs facilitate integration.
• Ensuring robust data sources and continuous data flow is critically important.

### Looking Ahead

Industrial control systems will:

• Increase IT and OT integration.
• Develop edge-cloud architectures for real-time analytics.
• Adopt industrial data fabric applications.
• Establish strong OT cybersecurity strategies.

These developments will play a critical role in Industry 4.0 and the digital transformation journey.