According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, there were a total of 2,900 private LTE/5G networks deployed across the world at the end of 2023, including trial and pilot deployments.

Private 5G network deployments are moving from trials to commercial operations and amounted to an estimated 700 networks whereof trials accounted for close to half. Until 2028, the number of private LTE/5G network deployments are forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33 percent to reach 11,900 networks at the end of the period. Increasingly, the networks will be deployed into commercial operations faster as there is less need for use case testing. A meaningful number of private LTE network deployments will also be upgraded to 5G, starting in the next 2–3 years.

Berg Insight defines a private cellular network as a 3GPP-based private LTE/5G network built for the sole use of a private entity such as an enterprise or government organisation. Referred to as non-public networks by the 3GPP, private LTE/5G networks use spectrum defined by the 3GPP and LTE or 5G NR base stations, small cells and other radio access network (RAN) infrastructure to transmit voice and data to edge devices.

“The major RAN vendors (Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei) all play significant roles as integrated solution providers and are challenged by a number smaller RAN equipment providers”, said Fredrik Stalbrand, Principal Analyst, Berg Insight.

Nokia counts the largest number of private network deployments with more than 635 private cellular network customers at the end of Q2-2023.

Mr. Stalbrand continued:

“The vendors increasingly pursue channel-led sales strategies, and have developed ecosystems of mobile operators, system integrators, VARs and consulting partners to bring solutions to market.”

A number of small cell and other RAN equipment providers including Airspan Networks, Baicells, CommScope, JMA Wireless, Mavenir, Samsung Networks, Sercomm and ZTE provide competitive LTE/5G radio products and in some cases complete private network offerings.

Important specialised core network software vendors include Druid Software, Athonet (acquired by HPE in June 2023), as well as Affirmed Networks and Metaswitch (both part of Microsoft since mid-2020). In total, EPC/5GC offerings are available from close to 30 vendors. A third category is IT-centric players like Cisco and HPE. These companies focus on delivering fully integrated Wi-Fi and private LTE/5G solutions, enabling network managers to administer Wi-Fi and private LTE/5G networks through a single pane of glass. Celona is a new entrant in the space, backed by NTT Data and Qualcomm, offering its integrated private cellular solution in a single SaaS subscription.

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4RF, GE, and RAD Collaborate with Sequans and Anterix.

Sequans Communications S.A., a leading provider of cellular IoT chips and modules, and Anterix Inc., the largest holder of licensed spectrum in the 900 MHz band (896-901/935-940) throughout the contiguous United States, plus Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, are bringing to market an LTE Cat-4 multi-band communications module, Cassiopeia CA410.

The module combines 900 MHz and CBRS spectrum with public mobile network operator bands into a single, integrated solution. The multi-band module solution will support and accelerate the growth of the ecosystem of new OEM equipment for utilities who want the flexibility to operate a private LTE network supporting 900 MHz and CBRS with the option to connect to commercial networks. Sequans and Anterix are joined by 4RF, GE, and RAD who are collaborating with the Anterix’s Active Ecosystem to speed delivery of the integrated communications module to market.

“Our partnership with Sequans demonstrates the power of the Anterix Active Ecosystem to advance connectivity solutions and services for utilities that enhance the value of their private LTE network investments,” said Carlos L’Abbate, CTO, Anterix. “We’re excited to see the new solutions that our collaborators will enable as a result.”

“Anterix is bringing tremendous value to the utility industry by offering transformative solutions to leverage the capabilities of private LTE networks and their many benefits including reliability, security, and scalability,” said Bertrand Debray, EVP and GM, Broadband IoT, Sequans.

“Anterix is building a vibrant ecosystem and modern architecture for energy distribution, and we are proud that our connectivity technology will play a key part.”

The new Sequans Cassiopeia CA410 module, supporting Anterix’s 900 MHz, CBRS, and major mobile network operator bands, will be available in two form factors, CA410L for LCC and CA410M for M.2, and will be sampling in H2 2023.

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Fibocom FM160-PN is a high-performance 5G Sub-6GHz module with multi-MIMO technology, and dedicated band support for Private 5G deployments. The FM160-PN provides a reliable and cost-effective 5G experience for IoT devices being deployed on private networks.

Fibocom Wireless Inc.¹, to launch the private 5G Sub-6GHz module FM160-PN, compliant with 3GPP Release 16 and support NR CA as well as CBRS band, the FM160-PN is tailor-made for private network applications such as manufacturing, logistics, 5G mining, utilities, etc.

The adoption of private networks is increasing as more businesses recognize the benefits of this technology. A private 5G network is a dedicated network that is used exclusively by a single organization, it can be designed and customized to meet the specific needs of the organization, providing a high level of security, reliability, and performance. Legacy networks were challenged with the complexity of multiple industrial protocols and connected points， however by deploying a single 5G private network, organizations can truly ensure extreme low latency between different IoT assets as well as improve the management and security of sensitive data. As a key enabler in the private network 5G applications, the launch of Fibocom FM160-PN module helps enterprises to reduce the time to upgrade the end devices and support fast deployments.

Powered by Snapdragon X62, FM160-PN adopts a 4nm process which makes it optimized power performance. Packed in a standard M.2 form factor, the module also supports PCIe 4.0 and USB 3.1 high-speed interfaces. Compliant with 3GPP R16, the Fibocom FM160-PN delivers maximum 2.5Gbps (DL) and 0.9Gbps (UL) speed under 5G SA.

Alan Ewing, Executive Director of the OnGo Alliance, said:

“Device readiness and availability are critical to driving adoption of private 5G across industry sectors. Fibocom’s launch of the Private 5G-Ready module is an important step towards helping enterprises connect their devices directly to the private 5G network and expand its benefits for indoor and outdoor connectivity.”

“We are pleased to see the adoption of CBRS shared spectrum by the industry ecosystem of device manufacturers.”

“Private 5G networks are currently being used in a range of industries, including manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and logistics, among others. These networks are expected to become more popular in the coming years as more businesses look to take advantage of the benefits that private 5G networks can offer”, said Jim Engleson, Director Sales and Strategic Partnership at Fibocom.

“I’m glad to say that we have launched the 5G private module tailor-made for the scenarios, we believed that with FM160-PN, the ability to provide faster, more reliable and secure connectivity, it will help more and more customers to manage and operate these networks effectively.”

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The Internet of Things (IoT) plays an important role in the connected present — and future — of business. With many important applications, spanning from collecting performance data for optimising manufacturing to improving infrastructure and facilitating connected vehicles, IoT is gaining momentum across industries and organisations. In fact, a recent report by analyst group IDC predicted that IoT investment will see a compound annual growth rate of 11.3% from 2020 to 2024.

But behind the excitement of the potential applications of IoT, an important question remains about how best to connect the IoT so that businesses stand to gain the most from the technology without compromising upload/download speeds, security, and multi-user capacity. The answer lies in ensuring a future-proof deployment that takes advantage of the benefits that LTE can offer today whilst paving the way for the 5G connectivity of the future.

The 5G network

The 5G network has been ushered in with much fanfare around the world. It provides higher speeds, lower latency, and increased capacity than its 4G predecessor. The consumer reception of 5G, with its faster speeds, has been lauded. However, despite its benefits, 5G isn’t completely without pitfalls when it comes to business applications. The enterprise capabilities of this network haven’t proven themselves to be completely fool proof. For example, full global coverage isn’t yet a guarantee.

In other words, 5G is on its way to becoming reliable for the enterprise, but it’s not quite there yet. In order for IoT applications to function properly, reliable connectivity is a must. This means that it causes enterprise players to search for more optimal solutions that can be a ‘stepping stone’ to 5G. That’s where LTE networks come in.

pLTE networks

One of the key developments for enterprise IoT in recent years is the availability of spectrum for the deployment of private networks. This offers many benefits for enterprises since it allows them to create completely secure networks behind the enterprise firewall. Another advantage is that bandwidth is not shared with other applications using the public network, making it possible to deploy applications that require high speed or high bandwidth connectivity.

Both public and Private LTE (pLTE) provide superfast connectivity — albeit not as fast as 5G. Yet crucially, they offer widespread coverage on a global scale. Public LTE differs from pLTE in that the network is owned by the mobile network operator (MNO). In contrast, pLTE is a private solution because the organisation owns the network, meaning it has complete control.

In that sense, pLTE is similar to a public 4G network, offering fast, reliable, and secure connectivity. Furthermore, it provides long-term network continuity, following the sunsetting of 2G and 3G networks in some parts of the world. Additionally, organisations using LTE networks benefit from a seamless upgrade path to 5G once they are ready to transition. The benefits of LTE are immense, though the speeds of public LTE and pLTE don’t match 5G. Therefore, the solution for organisations seeking to run IoT applications in as smooth and seamless a fashion as possible is to use private LTE as a stepping stone to private 5G. This is a logical approach because it means that enterprises can fulfil the unique needs of IoT-connected applications today, whilst future proofing them to ensure speed as well as security in the long term.

The unique needs of IoT-connected applications

By nature, IoT applications are very diverse. Some are static; others are mobile. Some require sizable data packages and upload speeds; others send minimal data infrequently. For example, compare the modern connected car, which must upload location information, video, audio, and a plethora of other data points, with a monitoring device in an agricultural environment, which sends a regular ping to update soil moisture data. One is a moving vehicle, requiring connectivity across networks and geographical borders, the other is a static application sending very small amounts of data. More broadly, a critical aspect of IoT devices is their ability to send — rather than receive — data. Examples include wind turbines reporting on energy output, beehives reporting on the activity of the hive, and lorries reporting on their location and delivery status. These are all upload functions that require seamless integration, easy synchronisation, and constant connectivity in order to function efficiently.

5G is a useful tool for supporting all of these data upload functions, yet as it has some way to go in terms of for example availability, it’s not quite ready for enterprise-grade reliability — particularly in more rural areas. When IoT connectivity is required for offshore wind farms, or across entire logistics networks, intermittent connectivity won’t cut it.

LTE, on the other hand, offers much more widespread coverage in both rural and urban areas. An organisation can review its regional connectivity requirements and choose to opt for pLTE to ensure even greater control and security over its IoT network, removing it from the whim of the MNO. Public LTE can be used as a fallback in areas of less stringent control requirements, and the upgrade path to private 5G is there when the organisation requires it.

When it comes to security, pLTE provides additional fortification to an organisation’s IoT network. Because it is a privately controlled network, security fortifications can be managed stringently, reducing data breach risk to the absolute minimum.

Final thoughts: the need for an agnostic connectivity solution to resolve the challenges of IoT applications

Bringing the benefits of IoT can be one of the most revolutionary and important decisions a company can make. Paying attention to the issues outlined above — speed, functionality, security — are all important considerations when deciding how to run IoT applications.

By working with a connectivity provider that can support multiple connectivity technologies, an organisation can future-proof its IoT applications, avoiding costly device or SIM swaps once devices have been deployed in the field. This ensures that IoT applications are always running optimally, with minimal frustrating down times. Taking advantage of the benefits offered by public and private LTE today, organisations can benefit from great speed, high security, flexible performance, and widespread coverage, at a reasonable cost. Ultimately, 5G networks will provide even greater advantages in terms of speed and low latency, but until they are fully accessible to the enterprise, LTE and especially Private LTE networks allow them to control their connectivity without compromise.

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In the 1850’s sending high tech messages meant taking your horse and buggy to the nearest Western Union Telegraph station and laying out one dollar for their operator to transmit your five-word message across their telegraph lines. Fast forward to the present day and that pay-per-use, leased infrastructure model has extended through the cellular age of telecommunication carriers.

When wireless technology enabled us to network people via smartphones, and then to network things via IoT, it’s no surprise that the public network carriers were eager to expand their subscription models. They expanded their networks from wired to wireless, paying for bands of licensed RF spectrum instead of miles of cabling, and expanded their subscription models to include data.

Public carriers, however, didn’t win every connection. Wi-Fi emerged as the ubiquitous wireless network for IT connectivity in the home and office. The license-free wireless bands and an enormous ecosystem of standards-based equipment makers have enabled the deployment of private networks, across homes, offices and campuses, allowing users to utilize their own network infrastructure equipment with no monthly subscription fees.

As the Internet of Things, and its enabling wireless technologies, have matured, there is a similar macro-trend developing towards a mix between public and private wireless networking. Private networking, as its name implies, allows for the enterprise to own their network, allowing for a higher degree of control, security and cost containment.

In both cellular and LPWAN technologies, the private networking model is rapidly gaining momentum, while the public carrier model falters. The recent receivership of Sigfox, and the exit from LPWAN by a public LoRaWAN® network carrier in France further reinforce the predicament of these traditional wireless carriers who aspire to own the wireless networks of all IoT traffic, including sensor traffic that generates miniscule levels of data and revenue per connection. That’s a big leap from the traditional smartphone market and raises questions about the downward scalability of the leased network business model to include sensor level traffic.

Why then do private networks have such a high appeal in the IoT?

The economics of “massive IoT” create an ROI problem

It’s challenging for companies to incur additional operational expense every time they add another class or group of assets to their connected portfolio. The return on investment to connect every vehicle in a commercial fleet may be very high, but to extend that connectivity down to every pallet requires a different cost model.

When traditional cellular carriers lacked interest in extending their business model coverage to devices with a budget of a dollar a month, or even a dollar a year, the door opened for new LPWAN technologies to enter the market. Sigfox and LoRaWAN emerged as viable contenders to address the market for low bandwidth, long range wireless sensing networks, but ultimately utilized differing business models.

Sigfox took the public carrier, closed system approach, with pricing that could extend below $1 per month to connect sensors to their network.

Alternatively, LoRaWAN opted for an open, standards-based and adaptable business model. This line of attack supports both private and public network architectures providing the option to choose between a Wi-Fi-like model, where the user buys and maintain their own network, or a public carrier model in which usage or a subscription fee is paid. With Sigfox in receivership and LoRaWAN experiencing rapid growth, it is evident that the market has voted on its preferred model.

Security, Stability and Control

Today’s wireless networks are highly secure but there is a sense of comfort when data never leaves the network. Public networks can suffer from a lack of control, specifically the user’s control. Outside of negotiating and paying for service level contracts with the public network provider, users have no idea if they are sharing leased infrastructure with 2, 20 or 20,000 other devices or how much demand those other devices are putting on the infrastructure. With a well-designed private wireless network infrastructure, users have control over the number, type and behavior of the devices attached.

Private network architectures also offer the ability to leverage different architectures, such as edge-intelligence capabilities where decision making is done at the edge of the network, without requiring that all data be transmitted through the network.

Lifecycle management

“Things” in the IoT can have very long lifecycles compared to IT equipment and smart phones which rarely see anywhere near a decade of service. The Things connected to the IoT can be deployed for a decade or much longer. The idea of leveraging a public network that may “sunset” during that product lifecycle is a showstopper for many classes of assets and use cases. By choosing a private network architecture, companies take control of their own destiny by owning their own infrastructure instead of leasing an infrastructure where a changing technology or failed business model could leave them stranded.

Choice and flexibility driving success

The flexibility to choose between public, private and hybrid networks appears to be the winning formula for IoT applications. Not every entity can install, manage, and maintain their own infrastructure and will lean towards the leased, OpEx model. Others have the capability to “own” their networks and can take advantage of a more CapEx based model, as well as leveraging the benefits of edge intelligence and a fully controlled network. Some projects that are stuck in the pilot phase have found success by shifting to private network models and a growing number of projects are utilizing a hybrid approach of both public and private network infrastructures. Ultimately, having the option to select an architecture and financial model that most closely fits your business requirements will drive the success and scale of the IoT.

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