As more organizations harness the power of technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and augmented reality, private 5G could offer the next-gen network they need to deliver outstanding customer and employee experiences. Forbes predicts that as more devices are connected to a maturing 5G ecosystem, private 5G networks will become increasingly desirable for businesses of all sizes. They note that a number of industry leaders, like Bosch and Ford, are including private 5G in their future plans, ensuring they don't miss out on its potential for improved security and flexibility.
What businesses are turning to 5G private networks?
According to J.P. Morgan research, enterprise adoption represents the biggest opportunity to make use of 5G technology. The report suggested private networks will soon be set up in many industries. Energy firms could harness 5G as they deploy connectivity applications for solar energy and wind farms, for instance, while shipping ports are looking to use the technology to provide reliable indoor and outdoor connectivity in sometimes challenging environments.
5G private networks are already being deployed in a variety of vertical industries. This includes manufacturing, where companies are trying to introduce greater productivity, efficiency and safety by deploying robotics and automatic guided vehicles. Private 5G offers manufacturers a way to establish their own wireless local area network (LAN) that brings them speed and reliability. In other sectors, such as transportation and construction, 5G private networks can be used to empower employees with lower latency communications that let them coordinate their activities from wherever they are or power remote monitoring using video surveillance equipment.
Retailers might look at 5G as a way to provide the seamless, uninterrupted mobile connection that frees associates to serve customers with tablets, smartphones or wearable devices, while private 5G and mobile edge computing (MEC) could help retailers manage inventory stocking and provide cashierless checkout.
How to successfully set up private 5G networks
Forbes also finds three key concerns about successful implementation of private 5G networks, including its immense complexity, integrating it with legacy networks, and uncertainty surrounding cost.
Businesses ready to make the move to 5G can work with companies such as mobile operators who already own spectrum or investigate lightly licensed spectrum options like CBRS. The next step involves choosing the most appropriate deployment model based on your business needs. This could mean taking a dedicated on-premises approach, for example, deploying a radio access network (RAN) and core, and connecting to smartphones, routers and other edge computing devices.
Organizations could choose to build out 5G private networks on their own, but they could also benefit from the expertise of trusted partners. These partners can help them understand the operational requirements and provide security as well as high-performance wireless business internet connectivity.
Organizations should look for partners who understand how to ensure controlled authorized user access and full data ownership, whether your team is working in industrial settings like a factory or a more geographically distributed campus environment. Third parties that help with rolling out 5G services for businesses should also have a proven track record in helping to connect their enterprise applications, software-defined wide-area network (SD WAN) and LAN.
Regardless of the option you choose, private 5G could be key to overcoming Wi-Fi limitations, boosting data privacy, replacing legacy networks and accelerating the convergence of operational technology and IT.
Learn more about what Private 5G could do for your business today.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.