Private Networks Expected to See Continuing Growth Using Variety of Bands

Joe Barrett, president of the Global Mobile Suppliers Association, said private 5G is growing. His group is tracking more than 1,800 large networks, he noted, not including those that use 5G slicing. Europe “is the big driver,” followed by North America. About half of the networks are based on 4G technology, half on 5G, he said.

Companies “want to be able to control their networks” and “ensure performance,” Barrett said, also citing security and flexibility as big advantages of private cellular. In addition, the networks allow users to move seamlessly between multiple sites “and maintain the same level of control, performance and security.”

Eric Winterberg, vice president of technology services at Total Terminals International, said his company, which operates shipping ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, examined a Wi-Fi solution for its communications. “We felt it was going to be a detriment to our future needs,” he said. Wi-Fi required many more access points “to get the same kind of coverage” as a private network. There was also a lot of potential interference from other operators and the U.S. military, he said. Having a private network “really gave us the ability to reduce that noise.”

Total Terminals has more than 400 units that transmit instructions to railroads, ships and other traffic coming through the gate of the ports, Winterberg said. Those instructions “tell the operator what container to lift and where to place it.” When you lose connectivity, "it takes additional manpower to figure out where, in fact, that container might be,” he said. “Connectivity is the key.”

Miami International Airport is “definitely seeing” a return on its investment in a private network, said Johnathan Lewis, its director of innovation and customer experience. The airport has found 30 use cases for the network, including “smart” restrooms and customer information kiosks, and identified cost savings for each, he said. Store and restaurant managers and fuel, baggage and ground handlers all have devices that connect to the network, he said, adding that the airport is effectively running its own mobile virtual network.

By using the network, the airport can also deploy new technology more quickly, without having to lay cable, Lewis said. “It’s sort of like a Swiss Army knife. … There are several things that we couldn’t do before that we can do now.”

A private network similarly helps Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas address continuing growth, said Chief IT Officer Rishma Khimji. The hub, which served 58.4 million passengers last year, isn’t “just growing in capacity and passenger count. We are now starting a monetization effort,” she said. It's “looking at our different terminals” and considering “how we can move forward with introducing more retail, more concessions, more gates so that we can take care of the passengers coming into Vegas.”

As an example of how the network is used, Khimji highlighted the need for connections to the trams that move customers around the airport. Wi-Fi isn’t the “most effective tool” for getting a “100% video view of the tram.”

CBRS Is a 'Driving Catalyst'

Numerous bands are being used globally for private networks, experts said.

Many deployments are focused on the C band internationally and CBRS in the U.S., Barrett said, also noting other deployments in the 1.8-2.3, 26 and 28 GHz bands. Some regulators are allowing businesses to “license at a very reasonable cost sections of the spectrum, and that’s encouraged the growth in the market.” Interest is increasing as more countries see the growth in private networks, he added.

In the U.S., CBRS has been “a wild success,” said Stephen Leotis, president of Moso Networks, which offers private and neutral host networks. “There has been a tremendous growth in enterprise networks across the U.S. due to CBRS adoption.” Since FCC approval in 2020, CBRS has been “a driving catalyst” for private networks in the manufacturing, logistics, airport, education and health care sectors, he said. It allows “reliable, interference-free operation” without the “traditional barriers to entry” or the need to work with carriers.

With CBRS, companies can also take advantage of “cellular capabilities” without the cost of traditional licensed spectrum, Leotis said. CBRS has “democratized the access to cellular connectivity.” Moso is seeing indoor and outdoor deployments “that provide better coverage, lower latency, built-in mobility … and SIM-based security,” which is a much more secure way to connect devices to networks.

China Mobile International has launched about 75% of the private networks deployed in China, said Sam Bao, its deputy head and director of technical services. Private 5G requires a “collective effort” from regulators, carriers and companies in the wireless ecosystem, he added.