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“ The next phase of digital transformation will converge operations onto an intelligent communications fabric supporting a wide array of applications, places, people, and things. Building on its track record of delivering trusted solutions in Wi-Fi, industrial Ethernet, IoT, SD-WAN, routing, mobile networking, cloud-based operations, and subscription-based offerings, Cisco is well positioned for delivering this fabric. Its private 5G and IoT offerings delivered as a service are poised to blend in gracefully with the other elements it is already supplying to power the next phase of digital transformation effectively. ” Ray Mota and Paul Parker-Johnson, ACG Research

Private 5G use cases

Manufacturing

• Quickly rearrange factory floors
• Improve worker safety and product quality metrics
• Collaborate reliably and in real time across factory floors

Warehouse Logistics

• Improve supply chain efficacy with real-time asset and inventory tracking
• Drive higher margins with better loss prevention

Hospitality & Venues

• Better security via wireless cameras and sensors
• Enhance Wi-Fi services using 5G for wireless backhaul
• Provide extraordinary customer experience on premises

Energy & Utilities

• Enable end-to-end smart grid infrastructure management
• Fully automate smart meter reading
• Provide secure and reliable field worker communications

Mining, Oil, & Gas

• Reliable vehicle control over large areas
• Enhance worker safety
• Improve profitability with automated asset tracking and management

• Increase on-campus safety for students and faculty
• Create an academic environment where research and innovation thrive
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Solution Overview

• Cisco and Intel Private 5G Innovation Center Solution Overview
• Cisco Mobility Services Platform Solution Overview
• Cisco Private 5G Solution Overview

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• Digital Transformation Starts with Cisco Private 5G

White Papers

• The Power Pair: How Private 5G and Wi-Fi Conquer Connectivity White Paper
• 5G Americas White Paper: Enterprise Evolution with 5G Adoption
• Analysys Mason White Paper: Unlock the Power of Private 5G: Top Applications and Key Business Outcomes
• GDIT White Paper: How Private 5G Enhances the DoD and Other Federal Agencies
• Cisco Private 5G Solution Security Overview
• IDC White Paper: Evaluating Private 5G as an Enterprise-Grade Solution
• Cisco and Intel Collaborate to Drive Private 5G Innovation and Global IoT Adoption
• P5G Evolution in the Enterprise Going Forward
• Part I: Robots and AGV" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Industrial Processes & Wireless Communications Part I: Robots and AGV
• Part II: Manufacturing Logistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Industrial Processes & Wireless Communications Part II: Manufacturing Logistics
• Part III: Process Automation Monitoring" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Industrial Processes & Wireless Communications Part III: Process Automation Monitoring
• Scaling the Adoption of Private Cellular Networks
• 5G Private Networks and 5G Use Cases Networks of the Future
• Private 5G Delivered on Your Terms

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Press Releases

• Wipro and Cisco Launch Managed Private 5G-as-a-Service Solution to Accelerate Enterprise Digital Transformation
• NTT Enables Research, Innovation and Education with New, Private 5G Network
• Logicalis US Launches Private Network Services Powered by Cisco to Enable Secure Wireless Connectivity
• Cisco @ Mobile World Congress: Showcasing Simple and Secure Wireless Experiences to Help Businesses Connect More People and Things
• Cisco and NTT Collaborate to Bring Private 5G to Enterprise Customers to Accelerate Industry Transformation
• Cisco and NEC to Bring 5G Connectivity and Automation to Networks Across the Globe
• Cisco Joins Forces with GDIT to Deliver Private 5G to Government Agencies
• Cisco Brings the Promise of Private 5G to Enterprises, Together with Global Partners
• Five cool things about private 5G: Cisco is positioning organizations for the wireless revolution

On-Demand Webinars

• Unlock the Power of Private 5G - Top Use Cases and Key Business Outcomes
• Driving 5G Innovation with Open RAN
• Evolving Enterprise Networks with Private 5G
• Private 5G in "Mission-Critical" Logistics and Warehousing
• Connecting IoT on Public and Private Networks
• Cisco Private 5G: Removing the Complexity Out of Private 5G and IoT
• Why Cisco Private 5G (1:59)
• Digitalizing Enterprise and Industry with 5G - Beyond Connectivity (59:43)

Cisco Champions Radio - Managing Infinity: The Rise of 5G with IoT SoundCloud > | Apple Podcast > | Google Podcast > | Spotify >

Cisco Champions Radio - Private 5G, Simply Intuitive SoundCloud > | Apple Podcast > | Google Podcast > | Spotify >

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Practical steps to implementing private 5G: Case study on manufacturing

Private 5G is one of the critical enablers of industry 4.0 use cases. Despite the significant buzz it has created, understanding of private 5G is still lacking and enterprises are oftentimes unclear on whether it’s the right connectivity solution for them. This article aims at providing more clarity on this issue by presenting practical steps for manufacturers to follow when considering private 5G.

Why private 5G in manufacturing?

We define private 5G as a dedicated, on-premise 5G cellular network that uses dedicated spectrum (owned or leased) and operating functions. Having this dedicated for a customer/site means that the network can be customised to meet the customers’ and various use case-specific needs, e.g. mission critical reliability, uplink downlink, ultra-low-latency, security etc.

While private 5G may not necessarily be the best choice for all applications in comparison to other technologies, it’s highly suitable in combinations of the following scenarios:

• To enable multiple data rich or high bandwidth use cases : Private 5G networks become more cost and performance efficient when addressing sets of use cases together rather than tactically covering individual use cases. This unlocks potential benefits from consolidation of fragmented siloes and number of interfaces that the customer has to manage
• When private 5G drives significantly better performance : use cases that require high security, reliability, flexibility and ultra-low latency are especially well-suited for private networks
• For mission critical applications : a dedicated private cellular network is most suitable for mission critical applications that require the reliability and resilience that Wi-Fi may not be able to provide.
• To enable use cases that require mobility : this is especially
• For high security environments : Private 5G networks are highly secure, meaning manufacturers can control the flow of data to the outside world and protect their data, devices and users from attack
• For locations where Wi-Fi signals do not perform as well
• For tactical/point-based deployments to address short-term & time-critical issues
• For hybrid use cases that require both edge computing and private 5G

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These scenarios span a variety of industries, however; manufacturing can be singled out as one of the top verticals that will benefit from private 5G. Manufacturing has been a leading industry driving digital transformation (known as Industry 4.0) within production. Innovative leaders, within the automotive manufacturing sector for example, are exploring new innovative use cases that enable them to address key production outcomes and KPIs such as quality (defect and rework rate), productivity (yield, planned and unplanned downtime) and flexibility. The next section lays out a practical framework for manufacturers to evaluate their connectivity and application needs, decide whether private 5G is right for them, and if it is, learn how to go about implementing it.

Note, that the focus of this article is the evaluation phase of the process (see Figure 1 below) as that’s where most uncertainty lies. The assumption is that each enterprise will have its own established way of selecting vendors and piloting solutions.

6 practical steps for implementing private 5G

Figure 1: manufacturers should adopt a multi-stage process to evaluate connectivity needs and relevant solutions.

1. Gather strategic requirements

First, the manufacturer must undergo a strategic evaluation of its desired business outcomes and goals. This includes decisions around use cases that must be implemented, operational KPIs that must be met, and technical KPIs that need to be achieved. It’s important to have a strong representation from all key internal stakeholders (e.g. IT, Network, Strategy etc.) to ensure a wholistic picture is obtained.

2. Understand application performance targets

Once key requirements and use cases are identified, it’s time to understand the associated applications and their feature sets/connectivity needs. For existing applications, the manufacturer can measure current performance against a target benchmark. For new use cases, the manufacturer must identify key performance targets and KPIs and investigate whether current connectivity solutions are enough to enable them.

3. Evaluate connectivity options

The next step is to evaluate connectivity solutions available to the enterprise. The main three options are Wi-Fi, private 5G/LTE, and wired connectivity. Each technology has its advantages and disadvantages and must be used in the most appropriate way.

4. Identify spectrum options

If the manufacturer decides to go with private 5G, it must decide on how it will secure the 5G spectrum. It is possible to choose either licensed or unlicensed spectrum. There are four routes to access spectrum that can be categorised into the following types: managed (from local service provider or aggregators) and DIY (spectrum application or unlicensed spectrum).

5. Assess ecosystem and 5G enabled endpoint availability

As the 5G market evolves, so does the ecosystem enabling it. Today, not all devices are 5G-ready which is something that manufacturers must be mindful of when procuring solutions to successfully future-proof their investments and implement private 5G use cases.

6. Evaluate vendors and deployment models

The final step in this process is to evaluate vendors and deployment models. Manufacturers can either go with a single or multi-vendor approach depending on their partnership preferences. Additionally, they can choose to either own and operate the network (i.e. buy, install and manage the equipment), go for a managed service (where a 3rd party takes care of full service delivery), or adopt a hybrid strategy that combines the previous two. This decision must be made taking into account the enterprise’s budget, in-house resource capabilities, and technology estate.

Ani Keshishyan

Senior Consultant

Ani is a senior consultant at STL Partners and has been working on a diverse range of projects, mainly in the areas of 5G, automation, and edge computing. She has worked on consulting engagements aimed at helping clients define strategic opportunities, carry out competitor evaluations, develop go-to-market strategies and more.

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5G Use Cases

With nearly 87 percent of the world connected to 4G LTE or better mobile technologies, 5G is emerging as a source of commercial solutions for smart connectivity. This paper outlines a framework for evaluating 5G use cases, such as Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) or private 5G networks (P5G) based on industry and consumer supply and demand.

The paper’s 2×2 matrix framework categorizes 5G applications into four quadrants. Each quadrant represents a unique combination of market readiness and technological development, offering valuable insights into the current and future landscape of 5G. The quadrants clarify successful case studies, unmet pain points, uncertain future considerations, and latent potential of any 5G use case.  

Additionally, key topics covered include:

• a consumer perspective on historical telecommunications use cases
• a new lens for evaluating 5G use cases
• the role of network architecture and technology
• 5G Fixed Wireless Access
• private 5G Networks
• recommendations for assessing 5G use cases

According to Paul Bongaarts, Senior Member of Technical Staff, T-Mobile US and working group co-leader of the briefing paper stated, “The 5G ecosystem is maturing and new, groundbreaking use cases are beginning to emerge. With standalone networks growing, 5G continues to be at the forefront of innovation and bringing new applications and solutions to life.”

"With the increasing adoption of Standalone (SA) 5G networks, we are witnessing a shift in the industry that is leading the way to a significant transformation. SA deployments can simplify networks by eliminating 4G dependency and accelerating 5G expansion in industrial applications, FWA, and private networks. As a result, we expect to experience the full potential of 5G in these domains.” Prashanth Devaraj, Director of Technology, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics America

Executive Summary

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Private 5G networks: a survey on enabling technologies, deployment models, use cases and research directions

• Published: 20 November 2022
• Volume 82 , pages 3–26, ( 2023 )

Cite this article

• Sivaraman Eswaran   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0858-148X 1 , 2 &
• Prasad Honnavalli 2  

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Today’s modern enterprises are adjusting to new realities of connectivity. As companies become more distributed and autonomous, emerging applications demand more bandwidth, low latency, more spectrum, and higher reliability. 5G technology can aid many industries or enterprises to make quicker and better business decisions. Private 5G networks, also called 5G Non-Public Networks (5G-NPN), is a 3GPP-based standalone 5G network positioned for a particular enterprise or use case that delivers dedicated network access. It sets to transform industry landscapes with networks capable of rapidly deploying modern use cases and the scalability to meet constantly increasing demands of data capacity and speed. They help generate more revenue for operators who can partner with enterprises to build and manage networks on-premise or in the cloud. The objective of this work is to offer a thorough summary of private 5G networks to assist academicians, researchers, and network developers to quickly grasp their functionalities without needing to go through the standards, specifications, or documentation. This paper discusses various key private 5G network design goals and requirements, examines its deployment scenarios, and explores spectrum considerations and security aspects. The paper presents several enterprise use cases to illuminate how the networks can deliver the demands and services expected by the industries. It also provides an overview of some of the open-source projects considered by various organizations for private network deployment. Finally, several research directions are introduced, emphasizing enterprise challenges to deploying 5G networks.

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1 Introduction

Globally, the mobile data traffic approximately doubling up every year, the average smartphone usage exceeds 10 GB [ 1 ], the demand for high-speed internet connectivity increases every second and that’s where 5G comes in. 5G technology provides the capability for high-speed connections, massive data growth, streaming, fast and uninterrupted sharing, and browsing for everyone. In 2019, the cellular phone carriers introduced the 5th generation wireless infrastructure standard for broadband wireless networks. It is future replacement to the 4G mobile networks that link most existing cell phones. 5G applications signify incredible opportunities for businesses, homes, consumers, and communities by delivering key functional drivers including Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communication (URLLC), enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), and Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC) [ 2 ]. 5G networks are driving the next generation of applications such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), autonomous vehicles, Augmented Reality (AR) gaming, etc [ 3 ]. It supports use cases across a wide range of entities like manufacturing, utilities, agriculture, and municipalities helping organizations reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and improve customer experience.

The first 5G network design goal by ITU-R is the increased bandwidth with support for 20 and 10 Gb/s for download and upload speed respectively. The latency in the Radio Access Network (RAN) has been reduced to under 1ms to support very latency sensitive applications. [ 4 , 5 ] The network coverage has been improved in a cell to 10 Mb/s/m \(^2\) with minimum date rate of 100 and 50 Mb/s for download and upload speed respectively [ 5 ]. The device density has been improved to a 1,000,000 devices per km2. The mobility has been improved and hence the coverage is reliable at speeds of up to 120 km/h and possible at up to 500 km/h [ 4 , 5 ]. All these enhancements in 5G allow for the creation of three new major service types, eMBB, URLLC and mMTC.

Components of a Private 5G Network

A private 5G network [ 6 ] is a standalone dedicated network for private use by an organization with different components as shown in Fig.  1 . As a critical component of digital transformation, private 5G delivers the same technology benefits as public 5G but gives you more control over your network including the policies, security, services, and data. It also offers more flexibility than traditional 5G networks such as better coverage options for remote applications, fewer technical challenges for large indoor spaces, and access to more shared spectrum. As demand from mission-critical businesses drives initial investment, International Data Corporation (IDC) forecasts that the worldwide private 5G network infrastructure market to achieve $5.7 billion in 2024 [ 7 ]. According to a survey, the private 5G network market size is projected to attain $14.28 billion by 2028, reaching a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 39.7% between 2021 and 2028 [ 8 ].

This survey paper on private 5G networks is structured as follows: Sect.  2 presents an introduction to private 5G networks. Section  3 discusses the requirements and key enablers for private 5G networks with respect to enterprises to realize the best of benefits of 5G. Sections 4 and 5 discusses the deployment and enabling technologies for the private networks and different spectrum considerations available currently. A comparison overview of 5G vs Wi-Fi 6 wireless technologies and network slicing vs private 5G networks are discussed in Sects. 6 and 7 respectively. Next two sections present the private 5G networks related use cases for industrial transformation. Section 11 explores the security aspects of enterprise concerns that address a reliable and secure private network. The last section provides a research recommendation for private networks followed by conclusion.

2 Private 5G networks

Digital transformation is accelerating the need for advanced network technology that enterprises want to take benefit of the high performance and low latency of 5G networks [ 9 ]. Business critical data and network access must be secured and not impacted by outages in public networks. This need is driving the rise of private networks. A private network gives a means to share data securely and autonomously and it never touches the public internet [ 6 ]. The companies connect to this, members only network more access points are available for a company to share information easily and securely. As a result, private network deployments are growing exponentially, and they unleash the power of the network to deliver secure, reliable, and scalable solutions [ 10 ]. Enterprises also have added control over private than public networks including service levels, data access, residency, and security. Technologies like ethernet, Wi-Fi and more recently LTE are widely deployed as private network technology solutions and now 5G has been added to that mix now with respect to a private 5G network in the terminology of the 3GPP which is called a Non-Public Network (NPN) [ 11 ]. So, the public network would be the network that typical subscribers would be using, and they would have a subscription to a Mobile Service Provider (MSP).

Private 5G Network Architecture

Private 5G networks (also called NPNs), represent a virtual or physical cellular systems installed for private use by governments, enterprises, and other institutions. They comprise coverage areas of any size, from indoor or outdoor, small to wide, by mixing and matching different types of radios. It suits all enterprise or business site types and traffic circumstances, even as their networks grow in complexity and scale. Private 5G networks or NPNs can be deployed both in entirely private mode (i.e., on-premises) and in hybrid mode (i.e., integrated with MSP network) to permit MSPs to control their current network and spectrum assets [ 12 ]. It controls localized small cells, micro towers, and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) to deliver 5G network coverage and connectivity, like a scaled-down version of a public cellular network. This is illustrated in the Fig.  2 . It delivers critical voice, data, and video communication in the form of Push to Talk (PTT) and Voice over LTE (VoLTE). The private 5G network solution employ 5G cellular technology and 4G LTE and lets the MSP to deploy an exclusive private network subscription for their marketplaces based on their network features and enterprise strategy. The key enabling specifications of 5G networks, such as high network availability, ultra-low latency, large volume data aggregation and high device density capabilities, merge seamlessly with the growing requirements of Industry 4.0 [ 13 ].

3 Potential requirements and enablers of private 5G networks

3.1 requirements of private 5g networks.

Networking and telecommunications giant Ericsson define 5 key requirements for private 5G networks. Industries are digitalizing their processes and modernizing their private networks. The networks need to be resilient, secure, high performing and future proof for enabling business-critical and mission critical operations [ 14 ]. A private 5G network should have full control of coverage, users, devices, Quality of Service (QoS), improved security, flexible deployments for all situations [ 10 ]. The main business and mission critical capability requirements are illustrated in the Table 1 .

3.2 Key enablers of private 5G networks

5G technology as a private 5G network is an exciting suggestion with benefits of 5G such as latency of sub 1ms, reliability exceeding 99.999% and high data transmission rates in the range of Gbps [ 15 ]. The latest 3GPP’s 5G global standard outperforms Wi-Fi and 4G LTE but also offers advantages beyond [ 2 ]. For example, the connection density of devices has enhanced tenfold over 4G LTE, making 5G attractive and potential for Massive IoT deployments. Therefore, 5G is ideal for private network deployments with high numbers of end devices for industry, healthcare, and other enterprises. Besides, 5G can support for network slicing to make network operation and control easier for the private network operator. Private 5G networks have novel features (as listed in Table  2 ) that condense into direct profits for the digital enterprises [ 16 ].

4 Deployment and enabling technologies

Private 5G mobile networks is a 5G system personalized for specific enterprise or industrial use cases like Healthcare, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), where definite requirements like latency, security, QoS, etc. play an important role. With the use of current mobile radio systems like 5G or LTE, private networks are built for dedicated resident applications such as a factory, hospital, airport, or agriculture field. The implementations of private networks based on the LTE system [ 17 ] and initial deployments of 5G technology [ 18 ] are already existing. Private 5G networks are intended for business markets and will deliver a transformation in the method of providing mobile services. The customers and recipients are an industry or enterprise which are associated with a specific applications, requirements, and location. Privacy is an important feature of these networks where communication ends within the institution or enterprise and do not depend on the involvement of operator’s public mobile network. For example, the enterprise implements the infrastructure and a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) with a spectrum license leases the band to the enterprise. The enterprise uses the resulting private network to provide service.

Private 5G networks deployment options

4.1 Deployment models

The implementation of a dedicated private 5G network for an enterprise can be done using several options. It can be owned by an enterprise itself or managed by an MNO, and can utilize licensed, unlicensed with schemes like New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U), Licensed-Assisted Access (LAA), or License-shared using schemes like Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, and Licensed Shared Access (LSA) [ 19 ]. The various high-level private 5G network deployment choices are illustrated in the upcoming section. As demonstrated in Fig.  3 , they can range from entirely standalone, combined with the public network of an MNO, network slicing specific to 5G up to Radio Access Network (RAN) sharing [ 10 ]. In the later section of the paper, the importance of network slicing [ 20 ] is discussed. The deployment choice with respect to an enterprise is decided based on the following characteristics:

Spectrum owner and management (Transport/radio/core network)-MNO/enterprise/third party/venue owner.

Licensed or unlicensed or shared spectrum.

Capability/QoS requirements or any other dedicated resources.

Single premise or Multiple premises.

3GPP characteristics for private 5G networks

4.2 3GPP characteristics for private 5G

The features defined by 3GPP [ 19 ] to enable the private 5G networks is illustrated in the Fig.  4 . These features consent the private 5G to be considered as a good substitute to Wi-Fi 6 or wired solutions in the private/vertical sector. 5G technology being 3GPP defined, scalable, flexible, and future-proof, with high-performing radio, augmented for local services. The following aspects are suitable of private 5G networks.

Security features and well-defined mobility which suit specific requirements for a given application (e.g., industry automation).

Features such as the software-based core, centralized management, Control Plane (CP) - User Plane (UP) split, virtualization, Self-Organizing Networks (SON) allows it to stand out.

Flexibility by spectrum access methods, high performance characteristics defined for URLLC class. For IIoT requirements, private 5G will offer high precision positioning [ 21 ].

Integrated vs Independent Private 5G Networks

4.3 5G Non-public network (NPN)

5G technology provides another feature called a Non-Public Network (NPN), i.e., the 3GPP defined name for a private 5G network. It allows deployment of dedicated 5G network for private use. From 3GPP’s perspective, there are two deployment versions of NPN exists, namely, Standalone NPN (SNPN) and Public Network Integrated NPN (PNI-NPN) [ 22 ] as illustrated in Fig.  5 . The difference between them is discussed in Table 3 .

4.4 Private 5G deployment options

The architectural aspects of private 5G networks are introduced by 3GPP. As discussed in previous section, Private 5G networks can be deployed in two ways, viz., an independent private network (SNPN) and integrated private network (PNI-NPN). In the first option, a physically isolated 5G island (private 5G network) is deployed without the involvement of network operator. This 5G island can be constructed by enterprise themselves or by an operator. The latter is deployed by sharing the MNO’s public network supplies across enterprises using approaches such as RAN sharing, RAN and Control Plane sharing, RAN and core sharing, network slicing etc. In this option, the MNOs will construct the private 5G networks for enterprises. The different types of extended deployment options are listed below and illustrated in the Fig.  6 .

Independent private 5G LAN by enterprise (full private, local 5G frequency, no sharing).

Independent private 5G LAN by MNO (full private, licensed Frequency, no sharing).

RAN and signalling shared.

Network slicing (RAN and core sharing).

RAN and control plane sharing.

Extended deployment choices for private 5G networks

Independent private 5G LAN by enterprise Private network deployed by enterprise (includes UDM, 5G Core CP, UPF, gNB) within its premises (building) and entirely isolated from the MNO’s public network [ 19 ]. The frequency employed is local 5G frequency and not MNO’s licensed frequency. The subscription and user information will be stored locally by the enterprises. The enterprise also handles the control of the network and data services, and hence the network functions on a dedicated spectrum.

Independent private 5G LAN by MNO This network architecture is like that of previous model. The only difference is the 5G LAN in the enterprise is built and operated by an MNO with their individual licensed 5G frequency spectrum.

RAN and signaling shared Here, UDM, 5G Core CP and UPF are installed within the enterprise and hence the network services are handled locally [ 22 ]. 5G Next generation Base stations (gNB) and the spectrum are shared between the public and private network (called RAN sharing). MNO will handle the network and user control. Private network (private slice) and public network traffic are distributed to private UPF in the enterprise and UPF in the MNO’s edge cloud respectively.

Network slicing (RAN and core sharing) In this option [ 23 ], UDM, CP and UPF are deployed in the MNO’s edge cloud and only gNB is implemented inside the enterprise. Private and public network share “logically detached 5G Core and RAN” (UDM, UPF, 5G Core CP and gNB). This concept is used to understand a virtual network for a definite application is logically disconnected from other virtual networks called End-to-End (E2E) Network Slicing.

RAN and control plane sharing Inside the enterprise, there are dedicated UPF and gNBs built in. UDM and 5G Core CP maintained at MNO’s edge cloud are shared between public and private networks [ 22 ]. The UDM, 5G Core CP and gNB are logically divided and the UPF is physically separated. Private network (private slice) and public network traffic are delivered to private UPF in the enterprise and UPF in the MNO’s edge cloud respectively. The investigation of pros and cons of the most important deployment options are illustrated in the Table 4 .

4.5 Private 5G deployment challenges

The demand for network bandwidth is increasing rapidly. According to Cisco’s report [ 24 ], mobile data traffic is anticipated to reach a rate of 930 exabytes per year by 2022. In 2017, the average traffic per mobile user per month was about 2.3 GB, and it’s estimated to be around 13.3 GB per month by 2022. To solve this problem, a new era of 5G has commenced and MNOs are accelerating 5G network deployment. Globally, private 5G networks are a relatively new technology and real-life deployments are out there. However, the challenges related to spectrum usage, cost, lack of knowledge are potentially going to be limiting factors. In this section, the key limitations or challenges associated with the private 5G deployment are discussed.

Regulatory challenges More RF spectrum is essential for 5G networks, and it is not an easily accessible resource. Most of it depends on ‘licensed spectrum’. The complete range of effective spectrum usage need to be addressed [ 25 ]. With invent of 5G NR-U, unlicensed spectrum, the deployment of private 5G networks will become easy for enterprises to manage.

Technical challenges The higher frequency range (5 GHz and higher) adoption leads to higher data transmission rates. This higher data rates could bring overall network latency to 1 millisecond (theoretical) for 5G networks. The coverage range of these higher frequencies are much smaller which is another major challenge. Increase in cell tower count will solve the challenge.

Integration challenges The integration between spectrum assets, technological components, requirements, use case, applications, and nomenclature is one other major challenge. Private 5G mobile network integrators are required to build a case-specific network.

Lack of skilled network professionals MNOs have planned to rollout 5G as fast as possible and hence this would require skilled network engineers to implement this new age technology. Most enterprises don’t have skilled professionals in their current workforce and search for talented personnel or train the current workforce.

Government regulatory standards and policies Due to government regulations and policies, 5G deployment will happen at a varied pace with certain mixed and common features across different countries. This signifies that every country and/or continent have their own set of regulatory standards and norms, even though the technical parameters are quite common. This incremental nature of 5G deployment poses another significant deployment challenge. MNOs need to comply with the government regulatory standards established for delivering 5G mobile network services to the customers.

5 Spectrum considerations

Most wireless network systems depend on radio waves that can transmit signals back and forth between customer’s devices and a mobile network service provider. To run these systems, firms like Sprint or Vodafone must buy space in the radio frequency spectrum. Frequency (number of cycles per second) for 5G is measured in hertz (Hz) and stated in kilohertz (kHz, which is 1000 Hz), megahertz (MHz, 1 million Hz), or gigahertz (GHz, 1 billion Hz). Radio Frequency varies from 3 kHz to a maximum of 3000 GHz. The radio frequency spectrum is normally divided into three groupings: high-band (between 24 and 100 GHz), low-band (below 1 GHz) and mid-band (between 1 and 7 GHz). Most countries consider spectrum as a natural resource and their usage is measured by respective national authorities which distribute resources according to the country’s requirements. Traditionally, the wireless industry focused on licensed spectrum but there are three categories of spectrum (as shown in the Fig.  7 , licensed spectrum, shared spectrum, and unlicensed spectrum in 5G [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. Unlicensed spectrum is an important one and it can be used by anyone, anytime. This section of the paper outlines the key private 5G spectrum positions, which focus on the areas where regulators, governments, and the mobile industry must cooperate to realize high-performance private 5G networks.

5G Spectrum types

5.1 Shared spectrum for 5G networks

The worldwide allocation of 5G spectrum covers a wide range from 410 to 52,600 MHz [ 26 ]. The spectrum’s high-end falls in the millimeter range, which is unique to 5G technology. It typically enables ultra-low-latency and high-throughput for applications based on its high bandwidth. Private 5G networks need and utilize spectrum across a range of frequencies, subject to different license terms. Enterprises manages their network in licensed spectrum and requires a license from a license holder, usually an MNO) or from the national regulator. This model based on licensed spectrum will persist in private 5G networks. However, a scale of new spectrum choices is budding that will facilitate the private network implementation level rapidly. The global snapshot of allocated 5G spectrum [ 27 ] which includes the different spectrum, spectrum range for private 5G networks and their status as of December 2020 is illustrated in the Table 5 .

5.2 5G NR-unlicensed spectrum

5G New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) is a new standard and major milestone to realize its foresight for high-performance 5G mobile networking in unlicensed spectrum [ 28 ] and eliminates the dependency on licensed MNOs. It can deliver higher data speeds, more reliability, ultra-low latency, increased availability, and massive network capacity. NR-U can help develop private networks with the power of 5G and lighten the spectrum constraints to deliver high-performance 5G experiences. In 5G NR Release 16 specifications [ 29 ], 5G NR-U is defined as the primary global cellular standard with both standalone and anchored use of unlicensed spectrum. This specification allows mobile devices to access up to 400 MHz (as shown in the Fig. 8 ) of unlicensed bandwidth in the downlink and 100 MHz of unlicensed spectrum bandwidth in the upload link. 3GPP Release 16 [ 30 ] starts with 5G NR-U in the 5 GHz unlicensed band. The 5G NR-U standard is pitching up to support the new unlicensed 6 GHz greenfield spectrum, tailed by the 60 GHz millimeter wave spectrum band which is developed as part of Release 17. 6 GHz unlicensed spectrum band brings new bandwidth for 5G and Wi-Fi and flexible ways to be used in outdoor and indoor environments. The chart of prospective 6 GHz unlicensed spectrum for 3GPP release is represented in Figure. With standalone NR-U, the private 5G networks can be deployed easily. This standalone NR-U has been designed and intended to collaborate with other unlicensed technologies such as Wi-Fi and extend simple installation procedures that Wi-Fi is valued [ 30 ]. It empowers support of mobility offload and neutral host networks use cases. With these benefits, the standalone NR-U incorporates the ability of high-performance 5G to private networks for enterprises without demanding any licensed spectrum.

5G NR-unlicensed spectrum consideration

6 Private 5G networks vs Wi-Fi 6

In this section, we explore the technical and implementation aspects of different technologies such as Wi-Fi 6, public and private 5G networks. Wi-Fi 6 and 5G are the next generation major stacks available to us for access into the internet network [ 31 , 32 ]. These technologies are very complementary and decide the amount of bandwidth you receive, the consistency of the bandwidth and how reliable the connection is. Wi-Fi 6 (also called IEEE 802.11ax) is the next generation enhanced Wi-Fi standard [ 31 ] which is one of the most advanced technologies that meets today’s demands for digital transformation. Compared with private cellular networks, Wi-Fi deployment is faster, easier, and cheaper [ 32 ]. Wi-Fi 6 can deliver all the promises that 5G makes including ultra-low latency, multi gigabit connectivity and high connection density. 5G is largely for outdoors and pervasive as a cellular today [ 34 ]. For indoors or inside a building, Wi-Fi will have great coverage and Wi-Fi 6 will dominate. It’s more seamless since the work on the handoffs between these two is a significant characteristic. With more cell towers beaming out 5G and Wi-Fi 6 enabled routers getting added, the internet speed at home and on the go will become much faster with lower latency. Table 6 provides the comparison of various features of wireless access technologies such as 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and private 5G networks which includes frequency coverage, speed, latency and much more [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ].

7 Network slicing and private 5G

MNOs are driven to start deploying network slicing solutions now to tap into the business-to-business opportunities created by 5G [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ]. A key success factor is the ability to quickly answer customer needs in an economical way. However, the complexity of managing many slices and customers threatens the whole 5G business model. Automating the entire lifecycle management of a core network slice enables you to overcome that challenge. Network slicing considers taking one physical network end-to-end and dicing it up into virtual network slices with each slice being able to be controlled independently [ 37 ]. Each slice may have dedicated resources (core, access, and transport) that are not used in other slices and therefore they can be optimized to meet diverse performance requirements that are part of 5G ecosystem [ 38 ]. These network slices are an end-to-end concept required by customers for their multiple end-to-end individuals, independent, logical networks [ 39 , 40 , 41 ]. Each of these networks are called network slices and an operator can create several numbers of slices such as RAN, core and transport slices. Each individual domain has a controller, RAN controller, core controller, transport controller, and an end-to-end orchestrator.

5G Wireless network slicing for eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC

There are three usage scenarios developed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and have subsequently been adopted by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as three standardized network slices [ 37 ]. Private 5G networks will produce set of network slices for each of these usage scenarios as exhibited in the Fig.  9 . The first one called enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) is intended to provide the types of services that would typically use 4G for web browsing, video streaming, the type of traffic for email applications and the applications that often requires very high peak data rates [ 37 , 38 ]. Maybe is not too sensitive to latency, but very bursty in nature. The second category of different slicing is called Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) which includes a class of applications such as self-driving car, virtual reality or augmented reality which have very stringent round-trip delay times (RTT) for them to operate efficiently. Some of those applications are mission-critical and need a high degree of reliability. The next slice is called massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) which includes a category of services like Internet of Things (IoT) where we need to connect an enormous number of devices [ 38 ]. These devices may not essentially require extremely high data rates or low latency. They may be short bursty low bandwidth type devices that can do not have specific characteristics of a lot of them, but not necessarily high data rates smart cities smart home wearables are all example of those now.

The logical flow of an end-to-end network slice for infotainment part of a customer (say Honda) is illustrated in the Fig.  10 . The budget for the network slice Service Level Agreement (SLA) is 10 Mb/s. The customer portal sends a request to the operator. And the operator uses its network slice blueprints, or templates, to generate a network slice profile. And after that it goes through various decompositions, triggering various actions in the network. The first thing it does is, it sends a request to network function virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO), which is creating the virtual RAN, virtual core, or both, if it is needed. The second portion is, it send out a request to the RAN controller to create the RAN slice and give the personality to the RAN equipment. By the same token, it sends a request to the 5G core controller to create the core slice which is a personality in the core. Lastly, it directs a request to the transport slice controller to create the connectivity between this, RAN and core. At this point, it’s stitching all these slices, creating a single end-to-end network slice for a specific customer which is from the service type that is explained before.

Logical flow of an end-to-end network slice

Network slicing can be utilized by business customers for their specific requirements by having access to highly customized networks. SLAs can be used for governance of the services in an efficient, timely and cost effective and timely manner [ 38 ]. The industry sectors such as automotive, logistic, health and wellness, financial, smart cities, industry 5.0 etc., will have high potential for the application of network slicing [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ]. However, enterprises prefer private 5G networks over network slicing because of potential security risks involved when slices are procured from a MNO’s public 5G networks. Also, private 5G networks can be built and controlled by enterprises using their own spectrum [ 43 ]. The enterprise decision on whether to opt network slicing or private 5G will largely depend on the technology’s cost, maturity, and trust.

8 Private 5G network-as-a-service

Developing and deploying network services the traditional way using dedicated infrastructure is slow and costly and it is increasingly out of sync with a business world that wants agility and flexibility. High connectivity cost and its’s complex maintenance due to proprietary solution are the key challenges faced by industry in their digital transformation. The enterprises can manage its end-to-end connectivity with a dedicated infrastructure by deploying a 5G private network [ 6 ].

Private 5G network as a service (5G-NaaS)

Private 5G network-as-a-service (5G-NaaS) is an Application Programming Interface (API) on top of the network orchestrator which lets third party clients with appropriate IT skills to demand definite network services tuned to their business needs. It develops customized templates accessible for the business clients to specify various requirements in terms of location, duration, QoS, supplementary services, etc. 5G-NaaS model by a provider could be a “Zero Capex”, its subscription can be a key enabler for customers in their digital transformation with constrained budget. It is a complete managed solution that empowers MNOs and MSPs to deliver private 5G network services quickly and securely to the enterprise as shown in Fig.  11 . It can free up the customers from any type of vendor lock-in, provide more flexibility, competitive pricing, cost-effective scaling, and faster innovation which could significantly lower cost. 5G-NaaS providers can help enterprises experience a carrier-grade private 5G network to operate their mission-critical applications with low latency, high bandwidth, end-to-end security, and enhanced coverage. They can also deliver secure and fast mobility across several enterprise sites. The benefits of 5G-NaaS to the MNO includes [ 14 ]:

Simplified operation and management.

Flexible deployment models.

MNO integrated mobility.

Deep business insights.

Lowest cost of entry.

Powerful, scalable, and flexible.

Data privacy.

NTT, an international business solutions and technology provider have unveiled private 5G network-as-a-service (5G-NaaS) platform, named NTT P5G in August 2021 [ 44 ]. It will deliver private network delivering performance, security, control, and complete coverage.

9 MNO’s roles in private 5G networks

As discussed in previous section, a private 5G network deployment can generally fit into one of the two categories, an independent physically isolated or integrating the MNO’s public 5G network resources. In both instances, a complete private 5G network can be deployed by an enterprise with gNB, 5GC CP, UDM, MEC and UPF within its premises. MNOs offer the network resources (and licensed spectrum) necessary for these private 5G projects with other services such as network management, hardware assistance and planning. However, MNOs play slight or no role in the deployment of private 5G networks for enterprises, which are instead guided by proven 5G vendors such as Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei, Qualcomm etc. [ 45 ]. In this section, the different services and capabilities provided by MNOs are discussed.

Network slicing This can be utilized to create partitions or slices of MNO networks for different use cases or applications, enterprises, or customer profiles [ 39 ]. For a local break-out, countrywide slices can be considered and the next-generation MVNOs have potential for geographic slicing, with various network configurations and external control given to third parties.

Spectrum leasing Few MNOs have domestic spectrum licenses can be used to deploy private 5G networks in particular remote areas such as ports, pipelines, agriculture fields, mines, etc. [ 27 ]. Spectrum can be assigned to a business or enterprise through a lease or local resale.

Campus networks A dedicated onsite network infrastructure can be provided for major enterprises such as airports, hospitals, and manufacturers. Both outdoor and indoor areas can be covered, a dedicated additional radio equipment can be added for ubiquitous coverage. An independent on-premises core network or a distinct virtual cloud instance can be offered to enterprise for better administrative control and rights. If an MNO is involved, it will be simpler to interoperate the onsite 5G connectivity with WAN.

Shared in-building systems MNOs will collaborate to create, fund, and share indoor wireless solutions for the benefit of the customers. In the UK, Joint Operator Technical Specification (JOTS) Forum facilitate MNOs and their partners to implement high-quality shared wireless private 5G networks [ 46 ].

Deployment and operational services MNOs provide a set of network service components to deploy private 5G. They can design and deploy the network systems, but let their technical staff own, manage, and operate them. Various other managed services such as subscriber management, security, RF planning can be provided by MNOs [ 47 ].

Cloud-based functions A private 5G network can be built using numerous operational systems, software components, 5G core, radio infrastructure, interconnection with other networks, regulatory compliance and so on. Several vendors are trying to offer cloud-native components directly to the enterprises. MNOs deal with their own multi-tenant cloud resources, possibly hosted in their own EC infrastructure [ 48 ].

10 Transforming industry with private 5G networks: use cases

5G has the potential to be a game changer for business enabling innovation efficiency and transformation across industries. 5G private networks are built to help you grab the possibilities in different sectors [ 53 ] such as manufacturing [ 6 ], logistics and supply chain [ 49 ], retail [ 10 ], healthcare [ 50 ], transportation [ 18 ] and much more. Driving innovations such as improved automation, better visibility into supply chain management and new ways to deliver enhanced customer experiences, private 5G networks could make all the difference to a large business. Private 5G can be thought of as a next-gen network service for business driving operational and cost, efficiencies, and elevating business functions from mobile workforces to remote operations and supply chains for manufacturing. This section will give a quick overview of major private 5G use cases in 5 different industries.

10.1 Healthcare innovation

Healthcare is one of the largest addressable markets among the 10 industrial sectors that were analyzed [ 51 ]. A critical feature of healthcare IT infrastructure is network connectivity. 5G helps to deliver safe, reliable, efficient, and high-quality healthcare services to all. Transformation of hospital networks through private 5G is essential to improve reliability, maximize coverage and preserve robust security. Private 5G networks offer a self-contained, connected campus of secure, ultra-reliable wireless environment that enables sensors and IoT devices to communicate with each other. For example, a hospital in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the Covid-19 global outbreak, deployed a fleet of robots to assist healthcare workers and patients by leveraging the features of 5G technology such as reliability, speed, and quality [ 53 ]. Malaysian police involved 5G-assisted drones with heat-sensing technology over large crowds for contactless body temperature screening. The world’s first medical private 5G network was launched by the China Telecom and West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan Province in 2019 [ 52 ]. It would enable high speed and low latency transmission of massive amounts of data and doctors can consult with their colleagues in 27 other locations. With the gamut of 5G-enabled possibilities, private 5G networks would target several distinct use cases such as remote consultation, mobile ward rounds, remote surgery, emergency response, wireless specialist diagnosis, intra-hospital monitoring, etc. in the healthcare space [ 52 ]. It will play a critical part in revealing new solutions in diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic care.

10.2 Public transportation-airports

Industrial-grade private wireless solutions are driving industry 4.0 today and the 5G digital revolution tomorrow. The competition of deploying private 5G in airports have begun [ 54 , 55 ]. Today’s digital airport demands to maintain things moving and secure for all kinds of passengers, airlines, customers, retail tenants, ground and baggage handling system companies, and guests. Private 5G wireless networks provides ultra-reliable, secure connectivity that ensures Airport Operations Centre (APOC) operational and situational awareness to enhance efficiency, automation, and responses [ 54 ]. Ericsson will deploy a private 5G mobile network at Paris airport for Air France, Hub One and Groupe ADP which covers Paris-Orly, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and Paris-Le Bourget airports [ 55 ]. Nokia partnered with Swedish telecommunications company Telia will bring up the world’s first private network at Finland’s Helsinki airport to improve airport operations as well as passenger experience [ 54 ]. A 5G ready network will be launched at Brussels airport teamed up with Nokia and operator Citymesh. Private 5G networks helps airports minimize the dependency on third-party MSPs and the opportunity to design a reliable and secure infrastructure to achieve digital transformation [ 55 ].

10.3 Industry 4.0

5G is the critical catalyst for Industry 4.0. According to GSMA research [ 10 ], 5G network technology combined with IoT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big data and Edge computing is expected to be a key enabler of Industry 4.0. 5G networks will empower businesses beyond the factory floor, including distribution, supply chain, warehousing, and customer service. An integrated 5G solution can provide reliable and secure end-to-end connectivity to enhance the productivities across the enterprise. Enterprises started opting for private domestic 5G wireless networks over MNOs. The private model offers numerous substantial benefits such as controlling and securing the information, the capacity to optimize networks for their exclusive requirements, the flexibility to upgrade/reconfigure together with growing business objectives. Ericsson, the Swedish manufacturer launched private 5G to target industry 4.0 agreements [ 56 ]. It has teamed up with Russia’s Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) to deploy its first 5G-ready private network [ 57 ] to be used by the world’s largest gold producer, Polymetal. A private 5G is deployed for BMW plant at China’s Liaoning province by Nokia and China Unicom for smart manufacturing services [ 58 ]. This will enable low latency communications for video surveillance, multi-access edge computing to process and analyze data closer to the place where it is used.

10.4 Precision agriculture

Farming is going digital, and the future of the farm will employ more data and less chemicals. New technologies such as 5G and the IoT are allowing practical applications to achieve greater efficiency, environmental protection, and sustainability [ 59 , 60 , 61 ]. The possibilities of 5G and real-time data processing will lead to a revolution in the agriculture sector. Sensor data from fields can help farmers identify the need for water in specific areas, have a disease, or require pest management [ 59 ]. 5G technology makes it easier to scale networks containing large numbers of IoT devices, autonomous robots, drones, and hence can change agriculture and farming forever [ 60 ]. Private 5G networks will bring various benefit such as data management in farming, quality control of crops, cost management, business efficiency and so on [ 61 ].

10.5 Dedicated private 5G network deployments

The business enterprises must decide the ways of provisioning different private 5G use cases that deliver real-world Return on Investment (ROI). Several enterprises have already started exploring and, in some cases, deployed them. This benefits each industry with 5G’s improved coverage, speed, and capacity. While not every business enterprise requires 5G, almost all large business environments that demand reliable and consistence performance, high availability will benefit from private 5G. The Table  7 summarizes the details of dedicated private network solutions and deployments relating industrial end users.

11 Security aspects of private 5G networks

Many enterprises assume that having a private 5G network keeps them safe. However, the attack surface can be exaggerated by going wireless due to various reasons such as physical movement of devices on the network, enlarged IIoT exposure, IoT manufacturers, MNOs/MSPs, suppliers, vendors and so on [ 72 , 74 ]. 5G private networks become a significant part of an enterprise’s mission-critical infrastructure and its daily operations, hence making security aspects much more important. A robust layer of security is crucial. Security of 5G private networks can be handled in a two-part approach, (1) public network integrity and availability must be preserved [ 73 ], (2) value-added security services are desirable to guard 5G capabilities-based ecosystems.

Security application is also based on the underlying network architecture [ 78 ]. The principal components of a private 5G network includes the 5G core’s Control and User Planes (CP and UP), Radio Access Network (RAN), and Multi-access Edge Compute (MEC). As discussed in deployment scenarios section, deploying an MNO-independent network is one of the best architectural choices for a private 5G network. It has all four components (RAN, 5G Core, MEC) physically isolated from an MNO’s public 5G network. The other option includes deployment of a logically isolated MNO-dependent network where some or all the components may be on the public 5G network. The former option is more secure, but the latter is more cost-effective. Each deployment choice can be viewed from an enterprise vs MNO perspective since profiles such as control, customization, complexity, and agility will differ for each type. The key zones of cybersecurity to address in 5G networks are described in the Table 8 .

When compared with enterprise Wi-Fi applications, private 5G networks offer more advantages. It is easy to deploy, less vulnerable to interference, harder to eavesdrop and more reliable. 5G industry experts predict that Wi-Fi and private 5G could provide benefits altogether. The telcos have an opportunity to offer Security-as-a-Service (SecaaS) as a companion to the private 5G network [ 81 ].

12 Open-source projects for private 5G networks

Today 5G is rolling out around the world with wide adoption much faster than previous generations. A lot of new capabilities and enablers for fundamentally new use cases that were never possible before in previous generations. Hundreds of millions of devices already shipped and billions coming in the next few years and hence this is a significant progress at a rate that exceeds any other previous generation that we have seen. At the same time, the RAN architecture and deployment models are evolving equally and rapidly. Today most of the world is based on traditional RAN architectures where there are basically closed systems that include a core network that may have a somewhat open interface via the backhaul to the RAN, but the entire RAN is implemented by typically a single vendor or a small number of vendors working closely with many proprietary interfaces. As the sprint towards 5G have begun, there is advent of open-source projects such as Magma core [ 82 ], srsRAN [ 86 ], Aether [ 84 ], particularly in telecommunication world. In this section, various open-source projects that are offered for building open-source RAN targeting the user equipment (UE) are discussed.

12.1 Magma core

Magma is an open-source packet core project supported by leading open-source foundations. The magma project is the open infrastructure foundation collaborating with the Open Core Network (OCN) project group and the OpenAirInterface software alliance to bring magma to an independent open-source project and foster its development as the leading open-source wireless data core. The internet has become a crucial tool for improving livelihoods and magma strives to facilitate bringing connectivity to places where it has not generally been available in the form of private 5G networks. Magma’s mission is to bring more people online by facilitating MNOs/MSPs with open flexible and extensible carrier-grade networks. It is a distributed and scalable wireless data core, and it delivers converged core supporting the major components of a 4G Evolved Packet Core (EPC) and managed Wi-Fi service support for 5G with using the services-based architecture. The software is free for anyone to download, and it will run on most generic computer hardware or on the Cloud. It can also connect to any 3GPP compliant equipment so that any end user can mix and match equipment from different vendors and use different technologies from Wi-Fi to 4G LTE, 5G and beyond.

Magma also has rich APIs to easily connect to end user’s existing infrastructures and they can manage them all from a single pane of glass. The enterprises needn’t invest in expensive hard to use packet cores and avoid vendor lock-in forever since Magma is supported by a rich open-source community [ 89 ]. It is easy to add new features and capabilities. The developer community is organized by leading open-source foundations and is adding new features to Magma every day. An enterprise or end user can request for help from community if they have an idea for a new feature or new requirements. Finally, the enterprise has the technology to extend their network with any equipment vendor they want, at a super low cost and without disrupting their current operations. Enterprises can join the community of service providers around the world that are bringing a faster internet to people everywhere.

12.2 5G OpenRAN

Open radio access networks (OpenRAN), also called Open disaggregated RAN uses open, interoperable interfaces and protocols to deploy private 5G mobile networks [ 83 ]. It provides improved flexibility over traditional RAN and an alternative way of deploying networks that guarantees vendor competition, multi-vendor interoperability, reduced operating costs, security across RAN. OpenRAN emphases mainly on vendor-neutral software and hardware using community-developed standards and open interfaces, providing MSPs the capability to use radios of one provider with another provider’s RAN applications. With 5G mobile network deployment happens in full-swing, MSPs around the world are utilizing the opportunity to transform their private mobile networks. The deployment of private 5G networks have unique requirements with respect to available spectrum, processing hardware, space, environment, etc. OpenRAN solution offers flexibility, multi-vendor hardware and software choices as per the enterprise use cases and deployment circumstances. It includes three primary elements, namely, the Radio Unit (RU) integrated into active antenna, the Distributed Unit (DU) centralized or at cell site and the Centralized Unit (CU) where packet processing takes place. The interfaces among these elements are the main emphasis of OpenRAN.

The increase in demand for private 5G network provides new business openings for MNOs to monetize their investment in network infrastructure and spectrum allocation. Open RAN can enable different services and enterprise use cases with energy-efficient installation and minimum equipment. Especially in fifth generation, it can act as a future-proof, cost-efficient solution for MNOs to maximize the annual Return on Investment (ROI). The 5G industry’s first 3GPP Release 16 5G Open RAN platform was announced by Qualcomm which is its second-generation 5G RAN Platform for Small Cells [ 90 ]. It supports a lot of features such as URLLC to provide link reliability (up to 99.9999%) and low latency desirable for industrial automation and mission critical infrastructure, the demands of private 5G networks, sub-6 GHz deployments.

12.3 ONF’s Aether platform

Open networking foundation (ONF) unveiled “Aether”, the first open-source platform for enterprise 5G connected Edge-Cloud-as-a-Service, optimized for unlicensed, lightly licensed (CBRS) and licensed spectrum [ 84 ]. It provides three fundamental services, namely, the private 5G connectivity service with an on-premises local breakout and enables low-latency mission-critical applications, keep the backhaul requirements at bay and enables programmatic traffic localization and privacy building. On this service is the connected edge cloud service, a service that natively allows 5G connectivity to edge cloud applications. The next is network end-to-end slicing, the capability for the enterprise to easily assemble and execute policies for different flows, flow types and subscribers. Aether is cloud managed and easy to deploy operationalize configure observe and controlled by the enterprise. All aether services are programmable by the enterprise with easy-to-use interfaces. The private 5G connectivity service enables QoS differentiation which ranges from low latency mission critical services to best effort services. Programmatic network slicing brings another dimension for such differentiation coupled with programmatic access control. The connectivity service also brings cellular network-grade sim-based encryption to the enterprise network as a connected edge cloud platform. Aether is uniquely built on a Software Defined Networking (SDN) infrastructure that enables programmable forwarding and it supports Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML) driven IoT and Operational Technology (OT) driven applications.

12.4 ETSI OSM

Open-source MANO (OSM) is an European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) held project to build an Open-source Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Management and Orchestration (MANO) software stack affiliated with ETSI NFV [ 85 ]. NFV suggests an architecture that lets MNOs to virtualize network functions in an automated, high-performing, and elastic manner. The use cases are associated with 5G private mobile networks and OpenStack acts as a Virtualization Infrastructure Manager (VIM) for most of the implementations. Open-source projects such as Open-Source MANO (OSM) and Open Networking Automation Platform (ONAP) assists the private network service across the various sites connected through high bandwidth, high capacity and ultra-low latency delivered over 5G networks. 5G-Transformer is an open-source project based on OSM which brings network slicing into transport networks by providing orchestration and slicing for business verticals such as healthcare, automotive, media, etc. [ 88 ]. These projects based on OSM demonstrates the real-life business use cases of 5G technology over NFV and indicates effective 5G implementations by industry verticals.

12.5 srsRAN

srsRAN developed by Software Radio Systems (SRS) is an open source 4G/5G software radio suite [ 86 ]. It can be employed with third-party core network solutions to develop entire end-to-end LTE wireless networks. It includes a full stack 5G-Non-standalone (NSA) software radio UE (User Equipment) application for deploying private 5G networks. It runs as an application on a Linux-based operating system and offers a standard LTE network interface with high-speed performance and mobile connectivity. The basic architecture of srsUE includes layer 1, 2 and 3, where physical layer is at the bottom and Media Access Control (MAC) and Radio Link Control (RLC) exists on the layer 2. At layer 3, we have Radio Resource Control, Non-Access Stratum (NAS) and Gateway (GW). srsRAN helps to attain high performance in 5G without the help of dedicated hardware accelerators. srsUE works fine with network equipment from Nokia, Huawei, Amarisoft, etc.

12.6 OpenAirInterface UE

OpenAirInterface’s (OAI) role in establishing a 5G reference architecture for the emerging 5G industry is very crucial [ 87 ]. It is an open-source implementation of User Equipment (UE) that operates on platforms such as ARM/Intel targeting towards the forthcoming 3GPP Releases. It serves as a standard for 3GPP Release13/14 development towards 5G. Some of the important proposals include massive MIMO, LTE-LAA, NarrowBand-IoT, etc. OAI 5G stack is divided into three use cases, namely, OAI-CN (OAI Core Network), OAI-RAN (OAI Radio Access Network), MOSAIC5G and these are distributed under independent licenses. It supports NSA gNB software stack which is essential for private 5G networks.

13 Research directions in private 5G networks

5G rollout is ongoing and experts predict that 5G network deployments will gain momentum from 2020 and beyond. The public across the world are waiting for 5G compatible devices and this new technology is continuing to mature. Organizations are discovering research areas and challenges in 5G technology, serving to produce breakthroughs in this technology, its applications, and consequences. 5G technology delivers a transformative experience with its benefits including faster connectivity, higher data rates, possibly lower power consumption, potential to benefit enterprises, end users and consumers, and everybody in between. This section emphasizes on the major research challenges and directions surrounding the deployment of private 5G technology.

13.1 Spectrum harmonization and massive MIMO

Wave spectrum challenges are generated due to 5G global advancements and changes. The prospective goal for 5G technology is to deliver the necessary bandwidth to every user with a compatible device. Private 5G networks can offer this bandwidth by means of a frequency spectrum above 6 GHz. Researchers are discovering the new opportunities of spectrum and high frequency channels for private 5G communications. The 5G NR-U unlicensed spectrum range between 5GHz and 6 GHz which is very short range. Signal obstruction can be caused by objects such as building, trees which necessitates several cell towers to evade signal path loss. Researchers are entering into multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) technology which proves to be an effective and simple solution for 5G connectivity expansion and signal path issues [ 91 ]. An immense MIMO network is more resistant to jamming and signal interference.

13.2 Network optimization using machine learning

The private 5G systems can use novel and existing Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to optimize its operations. Artificial Intelligence (AI) or ML techniques are applied in 5G automation, network slicing, network planning, reduce operating costs, etc. [ 92 , 93 ]. It can also be used across all layers such as 5G Core, RAN and more. There are three key research directions with respect to this. (1) Enhancing 5G system usage by the end devices: As demanded by the end users and the markets, the end devices in a 5G network will not be equally treated. ML can be used to control and optimize the user mobility patterns, network congestion prediction at definite locations. This will result in an improved scheduling of the CP procedures, allocation of the resources, eventually, a better network service is provided. (2) Optimizing the network management [ 94 ]: ML can also provide insights about the functioning of the private network which leads to effective performance, fault, and security management. Many parameters can be monitored for an extended duration of time which could help in optimization of anomaly detection, performance degradation, fault discovery, security, scaling, network elasticity and mitigation solutions in 5G private network systems. (3) Slighter human interaction: Network operations can be executed without vastly educated experts with lesser human interaction required to look the network and to set the governance policies.

13.3 Enterprise use case customization

Customized 5G private deployments for different use cases ought to be enabled by considering the probable sizes and communication environment. The following operations have to be accomplished for each use case customization including (1) integration with 5G RAN equipment from many radio providers. (2) End-user equipment-based integration by retrofitting the use case devices to the 5G modems. (3) Use case specific applications integration which covers the expected communication data paths for the use cases.

13.4 Security and robustness

Security is rapidly becoming a key area of research focus during global 5G network rollout [ 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 ]. Private 5G networks can be trusted if it can be protected from failures, attacks, defects, or misconfigurations. Scaling and flexibility bring a new set of challenges in terms of robustness of the overall private networks. The research challenges include:

Automation of fault management for dynamic 5G environment can be achieved by monitoring components.

High availability and load balancing of CP and data path.

Mission-critical infrastructure robustness of private 5G environments.

Sharing state information between components of private network for high availability.

13.5 Battery and storage technologies for 5G equipment

Longer battery life and improved energy storage technologies are essential for end users to relish the full potential of 5G technology. Research on lithium-ion battery technology is carried out to enhance the battery life and 5G equipment optimization for user prospects [ 94 ]. A 5G network with local gNB will intensely increase computation speeds and empower the transfer of data from smartphone to the cloud. Present 5G based smartphones want to preserve a connection to multiple networks such as 5G, Wi-Fi which contributes to mobile battery drain. The existing limited infrastructure of 5G worsens this problem. As 5G technology remains to increase worldwide, enhancing the battery life and energy density will be vital.

13.6 5G NR small cell research

5G NR small cells are low-powered radio access points that supports ultra-low latency, massive 5G network speed, coverage and capacity which are essential features of a 5G network [ 95 ]. The telecom industry is anticipated to rely on small cells as building blocks to efficiently scale 5G NR networks. These small cells can deliver uniform 5G experiences, particularly indoor environment where most data are consumed. As MNOs look to provide better 5G experience to the users, small cell research is gaining momentum [ 96 ]. The faster small cell research progress, the consumers will have 5G devices sooner connected to 5G-only internet.

13.7 Network slicing for private 5G

Network slicing makes things simpler, and it is still challenging to share resources to different slices [ 23 ]. This is because the private 5G networks will be complex, and it’ll be changing constantly. The usual method of sharing out resources can’t easily adapt to a constantly changing network it’s time-consuming and not very effective. As an evolving technology with several advantages for private network deployment, network slicing has increased many research challenges for the networking industry and the enterprises [ 97 , 98 , 99 ].

14 Conclusion

3GPP-based private 5G networks are dedicated networks which offers irresistible benefits to the enterprises. It is gaining momentum as regulators allocate additional spectrum including NR-U to help enterprises build and maintain their own private 5G networks. It is a game-changer for critical enterprise applications such as industry 4.0, healthcare, smart cities, etc. which expects digital transformation. The current deployment scenarios indicate that most of the dedicated private 5G network deployments will involve the presence of MNOs in some way. This survey paper presents an overview of the private 5G networks, its enabling technologies, spectrum allotment, use cases, and the latest research issues addressing different facets of the private 5G deployment. This, in turn, should deliver a great foundation for 5G network practitioners, academicians, and researchers who are interested to receive an insight into the private 5G technologies and to understand the complete architecture. Moreover, the interplay between the different wireless technologies such as 5G, private 5G, and Wi-Fi 6, has been discussed. Through critical 5G wireless private networks, enterprises can more rapidly realize and realize digital transformation.

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Eswaran, S., Honnavalli, P. Private 5G networks: a survey on enabling technologies, deployment models, use cases and research directions. Telecommun Syst 82 , 3–26 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11235-022-00978-z

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Private 5G serves as the network base for Fraport AG’s future development

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As owner and operator of Germany’s largest airport, Fraport AG wanted a secure, reliable network that would cover all 2,500 hectares of Frankfurt Airport. NTT was chosen as their partner to design and build a private 5G network that would serve as the network base for connecting the technology needed to optimize airport operations. Being able to transmit large volumes of data allows Fraport to speed up work processes.

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One of the leading players in the global airport business, Fraport AG offers a wide range of operational and management solutions. Fraport’s portfolio of companies spans four continents with activities at 28 airports worldwide. Fraport puts the customer in focus with their promise of providing all travelers a good trip.

At their Frankfurt Airport (FRA) home base, Fraport welcomed more than 70.5 million passengers and handled 2.1 million metric tons of cargo (airfreight and airmail) in 2019. During peak times, like summer holidays, 220,000 passengers a day travel via Frankfurt Airport.

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Frankfurt Airport is home to airlines, air traffic control, police authorities, airport fire department and many more. And all these interconnected elements have to communicate to keep operations running smoothly and ensure safety.

The aviation industry depends greatly on communication and exchanging accurate, up-to-data information. “As an operator of a critical infrastructure, it’s really important for us to keep data safe and secure. And the best way of doing that is staying in control of the complete data flow in our network,” explains Fritz Oswald, Senior Vice President IT Infrastructure, Fraport AG.

While the airport buildings have secure networks, a network for digitization and optimization would have to cover the entire airport, including the apron, the runway and the perimeter. The planes’ wings block Wi-Fi signals, so technicians working underneath the plane can experience connectivity problems. In addition, large volumes of data from IoT devices have to be transmitted in real time, which traditionally requires a wired network. But laying cables would be expensive and impractical.

“The biggest challenge was to create a base on which we could implement upcoming technologies for the future. We’re already testing different new technologies for activities on the airfield,” says Anke Giesen, Member of the Executive Board and Executive Director Retail and Real Estate at Fraport. “The implementation of the private 5G network is the most important step for that future.”

“When we were looking for a partner, we wanted someone who understood our business and was able to overcome challenges associated with new technology.”

Partnering to explore the potential of real-time data exchange.

Fraport partnered with NTT to implement private 5G as part of their overall strategy to optimize operations. We supported them throughout the project, from surveying the site and buildings to designing the architecture and implementing the necessary software and hardware infrastructure.

Fraport had already implemented AI to enhance airport operations at Frankfurt Airport. Adding a secure, low-latency, high-bandwidth network that can transmit data in real time is key to enabling optimization and automation.

“We’ve already put many pieces of the puzzle together – we’re dealing with artificial intelligence, we’re dealing with private 5G and we’re dealing with IoT,” says Dr. Wolfgang Standhaft, CIO, Fraport AG. “And we’ve already experimented with the new ideas that come from putting all these things together.”

The airport is planning various use cases, such as using drones to monitor the fence surrounding the airport and transmitting information from drone cameras to the command center. Another idea is to use sensors, cameras and AI to detect foreign objects on the apron; these are dangerous and can cause serious accidents.

“We did intensive market research upfront, and NTT was one of only a few partners who had already implemented private 5G for a smaller airport in Germany. We decided to go with them because we knew  that partnering with them would make new, innovative  things happen.”

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The growing case for private 5g networks.

The concept of a private mobile network is not particularly new, as such networks first started using 4G LTE technology in some countries in industries such as mining, emergency services and defense. But hand-in-hand with the increasing deployment of 5G networks, the concept of a private 5G network is gaining traction in many parts of the world as regulators are increasingly offering enterprises the opportunity to purchase their own 5G spectrum and deploy their own mobile networks, and this is becoming particularly popular in places such as Japan and Germany. In Germany alone the government has already granted 88 private 5G licenses in the 3.7 GHz-3.8 GHz band including many of the country’s premier manufacturers. (1) But why would an enterprise want to go through the trouble of licensing, procurement, operation, and maintenance for its own 5G network when it could just purchase connectivity from a telco as it has always done? This is not an easy question to answer and indeed for many companies the traditional B2B model will continue. But for some companies there is a growing business to deploy private networks due to the unique features that such networks offer. For example, private 5G networks offer considerably more robust security offerings as they need not be connected to the larger telecom network, and hence are attractive to companies which very high security requirements such as power plants. Private 5G networks are also highly customizable and hence can be built to exact company specifications as opposed to having to select from telco offerings, and data can be managed and analyzed internally. Given that overall 5G rollouts will take time to offer truly nationwide service, especially indoors, private networks can also deliver robust connectivity now meaning customers will no longer have to wait. (2) For these reasons there has been increasing momentum in the private 5G network sector in a variety of industries. Some of the most notable examples include:

Private 5G Networks in Manufacturing – Mercedes-Benz (3)

Manufacturing is one of the key sectors where private 5G networks are gaining traction as many companies are looking to construct their own networks in order to take the concept of Industry 4.0 to the next level. Mercedes-Benz is one of the large automotive manufacturers looking to do this and has in fact been working with German telco Telefonica/O2 in order to realize its private 5G network ambitions as part of a greater mission to continue to promote Digital Transformation within its operations. The company has already started installing private 5G networks in its manufacturing facilities in Germany and claimed that its network in "Factory 56" in Sindelfingen was the world’s first private 5G network specifically designed to aid automotive manufacturing and covers over 20,000 square meters. Mercedes-Benz will operate this network themselves and will help optimize data linkage across various connected machines and track assembly line products in real time. The company has cited several reasons which led to its decision to deploy a private network, including the need for increased agility and shorter response times in the manufacturing process, and because data is stored internally there is no longer a need to share sensitive data with third parties.

Private 5G Networks in Healthcare – Rush Medical Center (4)

One of the fastest growing areas for private networks in the healthcare space, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic has recently put incredible strain on the medical infrastructure of many countries. The rapid onset of COVID-19 suddenly caused demand of intensive care unit beds skyrocket and many countries are still struggling to modernize their facilities and build new infrastructure. This sudden increase in demand has also generated a demand for connectivity which has played a crucial role in both the construction of new healthcare facilities and the ongoing maintenance of existing ones and has led to some hospitals to elect to deploy private networks. One such example of a private network being used by a hospital even before the COVID-19 pandemic can be found at the Rush Medical Center in Chicago in the United States. Back in 2019 the facility started to deploy a private wireless network which has gradually incorporated 5G technology. The initial rationale for incorporating 5G was based on their desire to remove the need for physical cables in its buildings which are very expensive to replace. The Rush Medical Center’s 5G network is also notable as it incorporates aspects of both a public and a private 5G network. One portion of traffic is allocated for the general public but there is also a dedicated allotment for first responders, and hence the quality of their mobile connections can be guaranteed.

Private 5G Networks in Smart Facilities – Groupe ADP (5)

Private 5G networks can help facilities become smarter by delivering significantly better mobile connectivity which can serve as an engine to drive Digital Transformation, and hence there is significant interest in deploying these networks in venues such as airports, stadiums, and office buildings. By doing so, these venues can quickly upgrade connectivity, especially indoors where it is much harder to achieve high quality mobile signals, and then a new suite of advanced IT solutions can be deployed in a much faster and secure fashion. Upgrading from 4G to 5G also allows these smart facilities to transition to more bandwidth intensive and low latency services such as high-definition video feeds and real time analytics monitoring. Airports are one such sector, and recently Groupe ADP and their subsidiary Hub One announced that it will build a private 5G network which will cover the three airports in the greater Paris area - Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Paris-Le Bourget airports in cooperation with Air France. This network will provide high-quality connectivity to the more than 120,000 employees who work in these facilities on a daily basis and will be used for voice, data and video communications, emergency services and more advanced services such as luggage tracking and will aid in Air France’s long term DX goal of having all of its communication devices connected to this network.

Private 5G Networks in Logistics – Port of Antwerp (6)

The logistics sector is another segment which holds great potential for private 5G networks, as locales such as warehouses, distribution centers and ports have a constant inflow and outflow of goods which must be tracked and have a very diverse range of connected devices ranging from packages, shipping containers, connected cameras and heavy machinery, among others. Growth in e-commerce has led to increasing efforts to automate many logistical functions with robots which also have high connectivity requirements. Hence private 5G networks can offer significant benefits to logistical facilities which are looking to accelerate their Digital Transformation plans. Ports are therefore one of the first movers in the private 5G network space, and for example the port of Antwerp, Belgium has started to create its own private 5G network. The company is deploying a 5G network which will cover the entire area of the port and will be used for applications in areas such as automation, logistics, safety, and security. Interestingly the port is partnering with other government bodies such as the local police and firefighting authorities who are using the same network to develop public safety solutions such as drone and high-definition security camera monitoring.

Private 5G Networks in Transportation – NEC Mobility Test Center (7)

The global transportation industry is another area where private 5G networks will play a large role, particularly when it comes to autonomous vehicles. In order for a truly driverless world to come to fruition, technologies such as edge computing, AI and “Vehicle to X” (V2X) communications will have little to no room for error. As a result, it may take many years for 5G networks to be robust enough to handle self-driving vehicles alone, and private 5G networks can step in and fill this gap. And indeed, there are already private 5G networks which are managing self-driving vehicles at the local level in places such as factories and port facilities. In November 2020 NEC unveiled its new Mobility Test Center in Gotemba City, Japan which is using a private 5G network in order to help demonstrate the potential that 5G has in the transportation industry. The site has many 5G connected devices including 5G-connected traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, 5G-connected edge terminals and C-V2X roadside units, and edge-based IoT cameras and AI processing devices. By using a private 5G network, NEC is able to operate all of these connected devices with high levels of precision in a controlled environment and will be able to continue its R&D efforts as it works to bring these solutions to the market.

What Does the Future Hold for Private 5G Networks?

It has become clear in recent months that there is significant demand for private 5G networks from a variety of industries, and momentum continues to mount. And while several different rationales have emerged for building a private 5G network, the underlying theme seems to be that private networks can serve as a catalyst for Digital Transformation by offering robust, customizable, and secure next-generation connectivity. Going forward, as more regulators offer spectrum for private networks and the 5G ecosystem matures a whole, deployment costs will fall and private 5G networks will be an increasingly attractive option for smaller organizations.

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1. Data collection with private 5G, which supports digital transformation of customer business

As a DX Enabler TM , NTT Communications (NTT Com) aims to join with customers in implementing digital transformation (DX), which will enable customers to create new businesses and strengthen their competitiveness. Data utilization is the key to implementing DX, and in 2019, NTT Com announced the Smart Data Platform for supporting it.

The Smart Data Platform has all the functions needed to collect, store, manage, and analyze data. Private fifth-generation mobile communication system (5G)—a wireless communication technology to build private networks using 5G enabling advanced data collection—is also included on the Smart Data Platform as an essential technology for implementing DX. By using technologies, such as private 5G, to create an environment for secure data collection and storage and provide a one-stop solution for data integration, analytics, and utilization, NTT Com is aiming to help its customers create business value.

2. Achieve communication with mobile devices and flexible production systems in a secure and high-quality wireless environment

Some of the features of private 5G are high-speed/high-capacity, low-latency communication, and simultaneous connection with many terminals. In particular, the ability to communicate at high speeds with moving objects is eagerly awaited by customers. Collecting large amounts of data from moving objects, such as trains, cars, drones, and robots, in a stable and real-time manner has been difficult with conventional wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi. Private 5G will make it possible to quickly collect large amounts of data, such as video, thus expand the scope of data utilization.

Security is another area in which private 5G is generating expectations. Similar to public 5G provided by mobile carriers, private 5G will use subscriber identity module (SIM)-based authentication and encryption to create a secure wireless communication environment.

For example, the input and output data of various types of manufacturing equipment are highly confidential, and security must be ensured. By using SIM-based authentication and encryption in a private 5G environment, risks such as spoofing and eavesdropping can be significantly reduced, and data that are difficult to exchange using conventional wireless communication technology can be sent and received safely.

The use of private 5G in situations in which robots work in collaboration with people is being considered. Applications of private 5G include collecting operational data of a robot in real time or assisting robot control from a remote location. NTT Com is conducting a demonstration experiment with DMG MORI CO., LTD. involving connection with robots via private 5G.

Private 5G also has the potential to expand its applications to fields other than manufacturing industries. For example, it is expected to be applied to facility security using robots or to equipment inspection using drones. NTT Com formed a consortium with SOHGO SECURITY SERVICES CO., LTD. (ALSOK) and Keikyu Corporation to conduct a field demonstration under Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ FY2020 project “Development Demonstrations for Implementing Private 5G to Solve Local Issues” [1].

2.1 Case study: Joint experiment with DMG MORI

In a joint experiment with DMG MORI, NTT Com is verifying the feasibility of using private 5G to remotely control an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) fitted with a collaborative robot. For example, by comparing the speed of collecting data about the state of the surrounding environment from the sensors installed on the AGV when using Wi-Fi or private 5G, we confirmed that private 5G can collect data faster and more stably than Wi-Fi ( Fig. 1 ). By repeating such verifications, we are accumulating knowledge and expertise regarding the application of private 5G to machine tools.

Through these demonstration experiments, we expect to further improve the performance of AGVs such as improving the accuracy and safety of transport and reducing the weight of AGVs by using edge computing.

3. Provide total coordination not only with private 5G but also with network-construction technology cultivated over many years

NTT Com’s strength lies in its ability to not only build a private 5G environment but also provide optimal communication quality and solutions through total coordination of the entire system, consisting of from networks connecting to the edge and cloud to applications. NTT Com’s Smart Data Platform provides all the necessary functions for data utilization. Customers can collect and use data via private 5G by selecting and combining required functions such as network services (e.g., communication line, edge computing, and cloud computing) and various applications linked with private 5G.

Another strength of NTT Com is that it can flexibly propose solutions. Regarding wireless communications, NTT Com is not only focused on private 5G; it may also recommend private LTE (Long Term Evolution), Wi-Fi, or LPWA (low power wide area) networks depending on the customer’s situation. NTT Com selects the most suitable equipment, services, and technologies for addressing customers’ issues and proposes them flexibly in a well-coordinated manner.

4. Demonstration experiment of private 5G at Arcs Urayasu Park

NTT Com’s efforts to develop private 5G technology is explained below. NTT Com obtained a license for private 5G experimental test using not only the 28-GHz band but also the 4.7-GHz band (which was institutionalized at the end of 2020) in June 2020 and started verifying radio wave-propagation characteristics at Arcs Urayasu Park, which is the training ground of NTT Com’s rugby team ( Figs. 2 and 3 ). The radio-wave characteristics in the 4.7- and 28-GHz bands differ significantly, although both bands are used for private 5G. The 28-GHz band can be fit when communication speed is crucial; however, transmission or diffraction in relation to obstacles cannot be expected, and its reach is short. It will thus be more advantageous in situations in which 5G communications are used within the line of sight, which is close to the ideal wireless environment (namely, no obstructions exist between the base-station antenna and receiving terminal).

The 4.7-GHz band, however, can send radio waves farther than possible with the 28-GHz band and allows radio waves to be transmitted and diffracted (to some extent) even if obstacles are present. It is therefore possible to cover a larger area than that with the 28-GHz band, such as a factory site, with as few base stations as possible. In consideration of the characteristics of these two frequency bands, it is important to select the appropriate frequency band in accordance with the customer’s usage and communication needs.

NTT Com is also investigating various aspects of the linkage between private 5G and other network services. In particular, it is focusing on a technology called multi-access edge computing (MEC), which processes data collected by private 5G communication on a network closer to the user side instead of on the cloud. For customers who require low latency, MEC can be deployed on-premises (i.e., for in-house information systems) to enable real-time data collection and utilization. Moreover, when NTT Com’s network services are used, it is possible to configure MEC at the network edge and use multiple levels of MEC depending on the application ( Fig. 4 ). Furthermore, using NTT Com’s next-generation interconnect service Flexible InterConnect makes it possible to securely connect not only to the edge but also to various cloud services.

By using MEC in this manner, it is possible to (i) reduce the amount of data sent to the cloud while achieving low latency and (ii) increase the possibility of continuing processing even if there is a problem with the cloud or Internet due to a disaster or other event. This type of support is one of the strengths of NTT Com, enabling it to offer a wide range of services.

5. Verification of end-to-end network slicing with a stand-alone design method

A feature of 5G is network slicing, which is used to build a virtual network using software. The 5G specifications developed by 3GPP (the Third Generation Partnership Project) specify three types of slices: high-speed, high-capacity communication, low latency, and simultaneous connection of multiple terminals. Regarding private 5G, slices can be created in accordance with the requirements of each application or terminal ( Fig. 5 ).

NTT Com aims to create a variety of detailed network slices—not only for private 5G communication but also for the networks behind it—and control these slices end-to-end. This makes it possible to configure networks that are tailored to each customer’s needs. For example, in highly confidential cases such as factory-operation data, the data can be placed on a slice on a closed network or on an on-premises network separated from slices connecting to information networks such as the Internet. In such a case, using Ericsson’s private 5G solution Edge Gateway * and each vendor’s products and technologies, NTT Com is conducting verification of sub-6 GHz bands and stand-alone design methods, end-to-end latency measurement and verification of slicing functions by connecting to backyard networks, and is expanding technological development and verification so that networks can be constructed flexibly. NTT Com will expand demonstrations by deploying private 5G in the actual field, such as installing various edge computing functions and linking with Smart Data Platform.

NTT Com successively demonstrated real-time video analysis with private 5G in a verification environment set up at Arcs Urayasu Park. As shown in the photo in Fig. 6 , a video of a player kicking a rugby ball is transmitted via a low-latency slice, and the angle and initial velocity of the ball are immediately calculated by an application on the MEC server. From the calculation results, artificial intelligence (AI) predicts the highest point and distance of the ball, then the trajectory of the ball is plotted on the original video and output.

Therefore, NTT Com will propose how to use private 5G as a total network solution in consideration of the envisioned use cases.

6. Concluding remarks

Although private 5G is a new wireless communication technology, its foundation is none other than the network technologies that NTT Com have cultivated over the years. While using such technologies as well as the Smart City Lab (a co-creation environment) and considering services that can use private 5G at reasonable costs, it will accelerate co-creation with customers by creating private 5G services and solutions that promote DX for customers to create businesses and strengthen their competitiveness.

Trademark notes

All brand, product, and company names that appear in this article are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

5G use cases: 31 examples that showcase what 5G is capable of

5G use cases are increasing in number, and in this post we take a look at the most innovative projects around the world today.

5G use cases tend to rely on the increased speed and consistency of 5G, as well as the latency reductions it offers, and they promise to disrupt both traditional and digital sectors. And there are a plethora of opportunities for 5G technology over the coming months, years and decades.  

5G use cases will pave the way for automated vehicles, smart cities, automated factories, and a new wave of business communications. According to the results of a study by Accenture, 79% of businesses worldwide believe that 5G will have a significant impact on their organisation. And 57% of those believe that it will be revolutionary.

 5G use cases across sectors 

According to small business portal Bytestart , 5G will allow communication between a million devices per square kilometre (compared with 100,000 for 4G). The enabling of these IoT sensors, combined with speed and low latency, will lead to many benefits across a range of business and prosumer activities. 

IoT connectivity will lead to fully integrated smart cities, which will be essential as urban populations grow. The United Nations (UN) predicts that 68 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas by 2050, which will place increasing  pressure on our cities, such as pollution, crime, overcrowding, congestion, and social disorder.

There are already some amazing 5G use cases out there. That's what this feature is all about - the ways in which 5G is already being used across the globe. Because 5G networks are still being rolled out, many of these use cases are actually in the test or proof-of-concept phase, using prototype networks, devices or other technology. But the idea of gathering them here is to show the huge future potential of 5G technology .

1. Smart cities

Network operators are already looking to showcase what can be achieved with 5G technology , and one such 5G use case is the Alba Iulia Smart City , which has been developed in conjunction with Orange, and has seen congestion monitoring, parking sensors, and smart waste management introduced in the Romanian city. 

Smart factories will also be enabled by 5G, including more robots in production lines, and drones in last mile delivery. It will also enable car to car communication around hazards and incidents, as well as fully automated cars. 

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2. Autonomous vehicles

The CTO of Waymo , which started life as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, believes that 5G is a crucial “enabler”, when it comes to developing the company’s autonomous car fleets.

“I think it’ll help in terms of communication [and with] latency and bandwidth,” explains Dmitri Dolgov, Waymo’s CTO. “Our cars still have to rely on onboard computation for anything that is safety-critical, but 5G will be an accelerator.”

O2 has also now announced a project to trial driverless cars in London using its 5G network. The UK's second-biggest phone network has partnered with the Smart Mobility Living Lab - a research organisation comprised of experts from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), DG Cities, Cisco, and Loughborough University - to develop what it claims to be the ‘most advanced driverless testbed in the world’. 

The organisation is based in Greenwich as well as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The aim is to develop a road management system with the focus on a 10 percent reduction in the time that motorists spend in traffic. Other figures include a positive benefit to the economy of £880m a year from improved productivity as well as the reduction of CO2 emissions by 370,000 metric tonnes a year.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2020, Samsung and BMW showcased the companies' efforts in connected cars, revealing the 5G TCU (Telematics Control Unit). The TCU will be included in the BMW iNext, coming in 2021. The iNext will include technology from Samsung subsidiary Harman. The companies are talking up the benefits of the technology as not only enabling greater levels of autonomy but also detailed and specific information such as whether there's something in your blind spot.

Elsewhere, Huawei, in partnership with Thailand National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Communication (NBTC) and Siriraj Hospital, has launched a new project to use 5G-powered self-driving vehicles to deliver medical supplies.

According to data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, jobs such as bus drivers and hospital porters are particularly at risk from catching Covid-19 whilst at work, with both jobs in the top 20% when it comes to exposure. And this scheme enables the transportation of goods around the Siriraj Hospital campus in Thailand, where workers face a similar risk to those in the UK. In the initial stage of the project, driverless vehicles will be used to transport and distribute medicines, which will be delivered via a contactless system, which will help reduce workload and infection risk among frontline workers. 

3. Improved viewing experience at sporting events

Connectivity is increasingly important at sporting events with, as an example, the average Bundesliga match attracting 43,000 spectators, who consume an average of 500GB – a figure which has risen by 50 percent over the past 12 months,.

Because of this, some sporting organisations fear that spectators will stay at home if they can't stay connected. However, existing mobile and Wi-Fi networks lack the capacity for such densely-populated environments, which is why venues and operators are so excited about 5G. Research from Amdocs and Ovum suggests 91 percent of the world’s leading mobile operators plan to hold trials of 5G sporting experiences at stadiums, with the likes of Verizon announcing the 5G availability at selected NFL stadiums.

This will not only increase fan satisfaction, but also enable new experiences. The German FA plans to let fans view data insights in real time – such as how fast a player is sprinting – using Augmented Reality. 

4. Better crowd management at sporting venues

Verizon and Cisco are partnering to deliver a number of new capabilities to stadiums, such as the ability to use analytics to estimate waiting times at gates, restrooms and concession stands. Supporters will also have the ability to access digital signage, and via a mobile app they will also get tailored updates, information on crowd density, and tips on the best ways to avoid crowds and maintain social distancing.

To deliver these new 5G capabilities, venues in Cisco’s Sports and Entertainment portfolio will be able to access Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband with mobile edge computing (MEC) capabilities. Cisco innovations, which will be able to tap into Verizon’s MEC include Cisco DNA Spaces for secure location analytics; Cisco switching and data center technology; connected venue analytics; and more.

5. Sports broadcasting

Sports broadcasting is arguably the most developed use case for 5G to date, with ready-made innovations driving efficiencies and unlocking a raft of creativity options. 5G-enabled cameras eliminate the need to use cables, making it easier to cover sports that take place over a wide area. Fox Sports has trialled 5G at golf’s US Open (with Intel, AT&T, and Ericsson) allowing its team to cover more of the course, while 5G was used to capture some events at the 2018 Winter Olympics. In the UK, BT Sport is able to join football fans in the pub before the game, travel on the team bus, capture the game, and do post-match interviews using the same camera.

Meanwhile, 5G-enabled remote production enables video feeds to be sent back to a central hub, rather than an outside broadcast truck. This massively reduces costs and allows production teams to work across multiple events in a single day. Already, the likes of Verizon and Sony have joined forces to demonstrate how 5G can enhance live sports broadcasts.

6. 5G drones

Verizon wants to be the first telco to use 5G to enable a million connected flights of 5G drones to take place. That's some ambition, but the idea has some backing since Verizon bought Skyward in 2016 - an organisation specializing in drone operations for businesses and enterprises. 

Skyward provides drone operators with detailed mapping while operating industrial drones plus there are also tools for overseeing multiple drones in action and, basically, work out what needs to go where. 

Verizon's plan is to enable as many drones as possible to be connected and to transmit video footage in real-time but also to relay back other intelligence such as levels of stock in a warehouse situation

“We've already started testing connected drones on 5G on the Verizon Network,” said Mariah Scott, president of  Skyward . “We knew early on that connectivity would be critical for drones. And now 5G Ultra Wideband will usher in a new era in aviation, where we connect and integrate drones into the national airspace.” 

Elsewhere, Irish startup  Manna has partnered with Cubic Telecom to fly delivery 5G-connected delivery drones in Ireland and England by the end of 2020. It is currently testing the tech at a base in Pontypool, Wales. 

The intention is for the drones to charge $1 per delivery. Each drone will have three batteries on board, meaning that they can make five deliveries per hour. Even so, that doesn't seem that profitable to us, but Manna believes that by keeping the drones flying as much as possible it can make it work. 

7. Immersive entertainment 

Verizon showcased its 5G tech in real-time rendering of effects from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The network partnered with Walt Disney Studios’ StudioLAB for a demo at the premiere afterparty in in Hollywood where guests were able to interact with Sith troopers in real-time.

Two actors played the troopers working in a remote location 15 miles away. Those who took part in the demo could approach a screen and interact with the two Sith troopers. The troopers were able to react in real-time. 

“Both the StudioLAB and Verizon believe 5G will fundamentally change everything about how entertainment media is created, distributed and consumed,” said Nicki Palmer, chief product development officer at Verizon. 

“The speed and low latency of 5G can unlock incredible creative capabilities,” added Ben Havey at Disney Studios StudioLAB. “We want to give storytellers early access to this new technology so they can continue to bring unparalleled experiences to audiences around the world.”

In November EE streamed a 360-degree augmented reality (AR) Bastille concert from Birmingham New Street station to Edinburgh and Liverpool. 

As well as being covered by various media outlets, the stunt wasn't just for fun - the event will be featured in a new EE brand campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi 

Members of the public in Edinburgh and Liverpool could watch the gig on devices provided by EE reps including the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G and some AR glasses. Of course, AR visuals surrounded the band which could be seen on the glasses.

EE has used other music stars to promote 5G - it held a gig with Stormzy on the River Thames to promote the launch of its 5G network. The network also sponsors the Glastonbury Festival each year. 

8. Overground trains

Virgin Trains has been testing out 5G-powered Wi-Fi on its trains. The company believes it is the first railway company to trial the new tech. The trial happened on services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street, and between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly. 

However, Virgin Trains hasn't yet said if and when it plans to offer 5G-powered Wi-Fi on board its trains. 

The  Vodafone 5G  network was used to provide the 5G service - the red network has installed 5G in key transport locations including Birmingham New Street station. 

Virgin says the speeds seen were up to ten times faster than current on-board Wi-Fi. 

9. Going underground

Whilst companies such as Virgin Trains are looking to get 5G into the UK's biggest stations, a private and public sector consortium, led by Cisco, has gone underground to test 5G use cases on the Glasgow Subway.

5G RailNext  has announced a pioneering new project to explore new 5G use cases for underground commuters, by setting up a unique private 5G network to connect passengers travelling by train on Scotland’s historic Glasgow Subway.

5G RailNext is a private and public sector consortium led by Cisco, and it includes companies and organisations across the technology, marketing and transport sectors, including the University of Strathclyde, Ampletime, Sublime, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, and Glasgow City Council. And as part of the UK Government's £200 million 5G Testbeds & Trials Programme, it aims to maximise the opportunities around 5G applications and services.

10. Manufacturing 

With 5G networks using URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications) latency can theoretically reduce that to a single millisecond, essentially rendering the issue of latency meaningless. The advantages to manufacturers are many; think high-precision assembly lines where all machines and robots are perfectly in sync in real-time, the mass-adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), and even humans controlling machines via touch. However, the first generation of 5G networks tend to offer around 10ms latency, so, for now, latency is still an issue. Expect second-gen 5G networks to be mostly about reducing latency.

5G in a manufacturing context is not about making use of publicly available 5G connections as used by consumers. No, 5G for industry is about constructing custom-made, private 5G networks that essentially bring alive the idea of an Intelligent or ‘smart’ factory. Also known as Industry 4.0, this is about abandoning the old ways to embrace connected systems to encourage more streamlined automation in a closed environment. With the Internet of Things (IoT) in full deployment and connected sensors on every machine, the aim is to predict problems, see problems emerge in real-time, and reduce production downtime. The secret sauce will be AI-capable analytics software to crunch real-time data on every machine and piece of equipment.

11. Smart factories

In the US, mobile network Verizon has partnered with specialist glass maker Corning to investigate how 5G can improve the factory environment. 

The maker of Corning Gorilla Glass (used on vast numbers of smartphones) are looking at how 5G can improve control across a factory environment on a large scale by tracking supplies across the whole complex, autonomous vehicles - so they can be called in from other parts of the facility - as well as moving product around. 

"As artificial intelligence starts using this data and improving our process, making our processes more efficient, that's when we're going to start seeing the value,"  says Claudio Mazzalli, Corning's vice president of technology. 

Could it actually save Corning money? "We are not speculating right now, but I can tell you that this question is a very important question for us. We don't want to start just adding devices everywhere if we don't see the value."

12. Connected cows and calving

Traditional industries such as agriculture will use 5G sensors to collate real-time information about fertilisation, livestock, and moisture needs, helping to conserve energy. And we are already seeing the emergence of smart farms, with services such as the MooCall calving sensor and app now being powered by 5G. MooCall is a sensor that attaches to the tail of cows, and then alerts farmers when a cow is about to give birth (cows move their tails more just before and during labour).  

“With the growing prevalence of IoT and 5G, we expect to see increasing innovation in the agricultural sector,” says Anne Sheehan, Director, Vodafone Business. “By using digital tools, farmers can gain better control over processes such as raising livestock and growing crops, improving overall productivity, efficiency and financial performance … technologies such as IoT and 5G must be viewed as a priority for the farming sector.”

13. Healthcare

The health industry will offer remote diagnosis and operations, as well as e-health and responsive wearables, and AI assistants might help people with disabilities. Companies such as the interactive physiotherapy specialist Immersive Rehab are already looking at how 5G can improve their offering, and 5G is being used in various trials such as the Liverpool 5G Testbed .

5G has even made its way into the operating theatre, when Telefónica, with the help of a hospital in Malaga, already presented the first assistance system for surgery that runs entirely on  5G technology . The howcase took place at the IV Advanced Digestive Endoscopy Conference, where Telefónica broadcast medical training sessions live, and in 4K quality. It achieved this with “almost no latency,” according to Telefónica .

Elsewhere, O2 has developed a deal with Samsung and the NHS to test out “smart ambulances” equipped with  5G technology .  O2 will test the technology on six ambulances  which will allow for new services such as real-time video technology and high-quality scanners (read the full story here ).

14. Construction

The construction industry has always looked at new technologies as a way to improve safety and working practices, and 5G is no different. 

KT and Hyundai Engineering & Construction have announced that they will work together to build  5G networks  at construction sites, with a aim to develop construction and automation technology.Using 5G infrastructure, we could see autonomous construction robots, and  5G  will also be used to improve other technologies with better productivity and monitoring at construction sites.

KT will help Hyundai to build these 5G networks at its construction sites. The trials of the 5G solutions will commence later this year. If the trial all goes to plan, then the two companies aim to apply their technologies to many more construction sites next year. 

KT has said that its 5G technologies will provide "ultra-fast data transmission speeds and ultra-low latency with top notch security". And the companies have both said that the development of autonomous robots will give Hyundai the opportunity to carry out work on sites with limited to no human access (read the full story here ).

15. Energy preservation

There are many interesting user case studies, but the increased use of 5G connected drones or autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for service or production delivery is one with some very interesting permutations. One of these might help with disaster relief situations via the sharing of real time data. They could help with search and rescue missions and deliver medical help, according to OnQ a blog from US telecom operator Qualcomm. And 5G drones can also be used as small cells to prevent gaps in 5G coverage.  

Another interesting end result of 5G is the huge potential for energy savings. Including all the currently unconnected, energy consuming devices via 5G IoT connections into the grid will allow for better management of energy. 

Where there are outages, 5G and smart grid technology can help with early diagnosis, speeding up repairs and reducing down time. Smart lighting will see street lights dimmed when no one is present, again saving power. 

In fact, a recent McKinsey report, Future proofing infrastructure in a fast changing world, argued that cities deploying a range of smart solutions could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10–15 percent.   

16. IP broadcasting

The broadcasting industry is currently looking at whether 5G technology can deliver both linear, and nonlinear broadcasts, whilst supporting them with enhanced media services (EMS), which are a combination of both. (‘Linear media’ refers to conventional TV or radio channels where programmes such as news, sport, entertainment and documentaries are scheduled by a service provider to be viewed at the time of transmission; whereas ‘nonlinear media’ is a type of media content that is offered on-demand at the request of the user.)

In 2019, a consortium of European broadcasting companies – led by virtualized media production company, Nevion – received a grant of €2 million from the European Union to create a remote production studio, powered by 5G technology. The project, known as VIRTUOSA , was selected from a list of 225 applications, and it has announced that it has taken its first technical step, opening an IP-based production studio, at Nevion’s Service Operations Center (SOC) in Gdansk, Poland. 

This initial phase involves setting up an IP-based studio, built on industry standards (SMPTE ST 2110 and NMOS) and integrating equipment from multiple vendors, including: video cameras, a vision mixer, and a server from Sony; a multiviewer from TAG Video Systems; an audio mixer from Stagetec; a media analyzer from Telestream; IP switches from Mellanox; a PTP-compliant time and frequency synchronization from Meinberg; software-defined media nodes from Nevion; and all of it managed by an orchestration and SDN control system from Nevion.

17. 5G-powered studio lighting

Telia, together with the government-owned subscription station TV2 Denmark, and leading lighting company BB&S, has developed a partnership to showcase 5G-connected lamps, which can be used in TV and film production, and could one day transform the broadcasting industry.

Telia is a Swedish multinational telecommunications company, and mobile network provider, which operates in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. And as a ‘Tier 1 network’ operator, it is particularly focussed on 5G, and its ability to deliver new services.

And Telia has worked closely with TV2 and BB&S to test how 5G networking could be employed to improve lightning set-up and cost efficiency in broadcasting.

Since it was founded in 1999, BB&S Lighting has worked with numerous broadcasting clients around the world, and on movie projects such as Star Wars - The last Jedi, Interstellar, Alien: Covenant, Pirates of Caribbean, and Independence Day 2. 

These set-ups can consist of 100s of lamps, every one of which needs to be connected with a power and a control cable. But using 5G, lights can be managed remotely, in real-time, providing huge efficiency and cost benefits.

18. Oil and gas

Centrica Storage and Vodafone have entered a partnership that will build the “gas plant of the future” at their Easington site, providing a 5G-ready mobile private network (MPN) for the facility, which will be the first of its kind in the UK’s oil and gas sector.

The new 5G infrastructure will enable Centrica Storage to automate, monitor, and centralize much of its critical maintenance and engineering operations. Real-time data will enable Centrica Storage to monitor its facility, streamline operational resources, and reduce costs. And the 5G network will even improve safety, enabling engineers to use virtual reality headsets to undertake training and critical maintenance tasks.

The 5G mobile private network will be built by Vodafone using Ericsson equipment, and will enable a number of industrial 5G use cases, such as connecting workers to digital data and applications across the entire site, increasing productivity whilst reducing cost, and all in a much safer environment.

19. Communication

Although the first wave of video calls over 5G will be on phones (which is why most 5G phones have better front cameras), in the long term expect full HD, 4K and even 8K video streams to be exchanged between 5G-enabled augmented reality (AR) devices and virtual reality (VR) headsets. With 5G’s ability to stream high capacity data packets in real-time, video-calling applications are about to get super-charged and go 360°.

And once video calling over 5G has improved, expect another giant leap to be made with the advent of live 3D holographic phone calls. Last year UK network operator Vodafone conducted the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G technology, with England and Manchester City Women’s footballer Steph Houghton using 5G tech to make a holographic call from Manchester. She appeared as a live 3D hologram on stage in front of an audience at Vodafone’s UK HQ in Newbury. European network operator Cosmote in Greece has also used the same tech to ‘holoport’ musicians in different physical locations on to a virtual stage where they played a piece of music together. 3D holographic calls require about four times as much data as a streamed 4K video – itself pretty data-intensive – though 5G’s low latency is just as important. In the long term the tech has potential applications for medical imaging, video conferencing and gaming.

20. Quality control

Logistics company Ice Mobility is testing on Verizon’s on-site 5G Edge platform, integrated with Microsoft Azure.

“When I heard that [Verizon] were partnering with Microsoft, it kind of sealed the deal for me,” said Mike Mohr, CEO of Ice Mobility.  “We have always been a Microsoft house for everything we do in our business, and so it became a natural selection at that point.

Ice Mobility is using 5G and MEC to help with computer vision assisted product packing. By gathering data on product packing errors, in what is essentially real-time, the company has the potential to improve on-site quality assurance and save 15% to 30% in processing time.

“The goal is to make sure that the customers have the right product on their shelves when they need to sell it, and one of the ways we've always achieved this by making sure we double check every single shipment so that it has the right product in the box,” said Mohr. 

“We're improving our quality control process through computer vision. We were able to do this by installing a high definition camera above every one of our pick lines. These cameras are powered by the 5G network, matching the data for a particular order to what the high definition camera is looking at inside the box. This validates that it's the right materials, and flags it up if it's not. The mech is that it literally knows the entire journey of the box.”

21. Empowering the high street

Verizon has partnered with TechUnited:NJ – an organization set up to help empower entrepreneurs and innovators in the New Jersey area – to create the “5G Impact Challenge”, which aims to provide a number of small businesses with new ways to use 5G technology, from solving operational pain points to improving the shopping experience for customers.

"In times like these, the world leans on technology to help us stay connected,” said TJ Fox, president of business markets at Verizon. “This is especially true for our local communities and retail shops, which is why Verizon has joined in this effort to show small businesses how 5G connectivity can open the door to new and immersive solutions as a way to interact with customers."

TechUnited worked with Verizon to select five small businesses within Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband mobility service footprint.

“Without the help of technology, we wouldn’t still be in business today,” said Dominic Yun, owner of SOHO Flower & Garden. “Prior to COVID, we had a website but didn’t do online sales. Thankfully, we were able to quickly shift to online orders which helped us stay afloat."

The companies selected for the “5G Impact Challenge” received Inseego MiFi M2100 5G hotspots and Samsung Galaxy S10 5G phones , as well as access to Verizon’s suite of small business services.

One of the most innovative 5G use cases in the scheme involved giving visitors to SOHO Flower & Garden the opportunity to view flowers in an augmented reality environment, so they could see how they were going to look before deciding to purchase them.

22. 5G use cases in port authorities

In 2020, Zeebrugge, one of the world’s busiest ports, with 45.8 million tons of goods annually transshipped through its docks, announced the completion of the first phase of a 5G-ready, industrial-grade private wireless network for the port.

By implementing the  Nokia Digital Automation Cloud  platform Zeebrugge hopes to streamline the logistical challenge of moving and tracking almost one million tons of goods each week. And the new platform will provide private wireless connectivity to more than 100 endpoints across the entire port operations. 

The network is now being used for connectivity with tugboats, air pollution detectors, security cameras and quay sensors. And this partnership will enable Zeebrugge to deliver a range of new and enhanced 5G use cases to improve the port’s operational performance, and also showcase Zeebrugge as a leader in port transformation and digitalization.

And in January 2021, Terminal 5 of the Port of Seattle joined Zeebrugge in utilizing Nokia's DAC platform, working with Tideworks Technology, a provider of terminal operating technology for maritime facilities, to deploy Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) at Terminal 5, which is part of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, one of the largest container gateways in North America. 

The LTE/5G private wireless network will be used to augment Wi-Fi, for enhanced redundancy and availability, and will support cable-free port and terminal operations using overlapping LTE Bands (B53 and B48). And it will be a valuable addition to Nokia’s growing list of industrial 5G use cases.

The introduction of an industrial-grade LTE/5G private wireless network will, the companies say, deliver major increases in efficiency, worker safety and terminal handling performance by “reducing the complexity of port flow”.

“These use cases illustrate the benefits of private wireless in a port or intermodal terminal operation,” said Matt Young, vice president of US Enterprise Sales, Nokia Cloud and Networking Services.

The new network will deliver connectivity indoors, and out across Terminal 5 operations, cranes, trucks and lifts, with Nokia DAC also being incorporated into ruggedized tablets and smartphones for comms and inventory applications.

23. Improving education facilities with 5G

Nova Southeastern University is a private Hispanic-serving multi-campus research university, with around 20,000 students, and its main campus in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida, which has partnered with  Mobilitie  to deliver 5G to its students. 

“We’re thrilled to provide our students, faculty and staff with an ultra-fast, state-of-the-art wireless network across our Davie campus,” said Tom West, Chief Information Officer of NSU.

This partnership with Mobilitie, the largest privately-held wireless infrastructure firm in the US, will enable the deployment of a cutting-edge 5G network across the Davie, Florida campus of Nova Southeastern University.

The 5G network will cover the 314-acre campus, including offices, classrooms, the library, residence halls, computer labs and athletic facilities, providing 5G access to students and faculty.

24. Transforming tourist attractions

Azoomee/Da Vinci , a media company focussing on children’s entertainment, has released a new Augmented Reality (AR) experience, which enables young visitors to Vienna’s Rathaus building to experience digitally enhanced environments as they move through the building.

"Azoomee’s work in this space has been especially noted for the way it combines new technology with the city’s heritage." City of Vienna spokesperson.

“We’ve been very impressed with the quality of contributions to Vienna’s challenge to find new 5G use cases, but Azoomee’s work in this space has been especially noted for the way it combines new technology with the city’s heritage,” said Dipl.-Vw. Klemens Himpele, chief information officer (CIO) der Stadt Wien. “The way its AR app transforms the Rathaus into a digital environment that combines both fun and learning for children is the perfect example of what we hope to achieve with 5G. We are excited by the possibilities that this AR experience could be adapted to other locations both in Vienna and beyond.”

The Azoomee/Da Vinci  AR app enables kids to see historical figures jumping on trampolines, playing football, and performing skateboard tricks, whilst also transforming the landscape, even placing some rooms underwater, with sub-aquatic creatures swimming around features and furniture.

25. 5G-powered service bots

 At the 2021t Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai, OrionStar, a company specialising in robotics tech, launched three service robots that include Qualcomm technology, enabling 5G connectivity and enhanced AI processing capabilities.

Powered by AI tech, OrionStar’s 5G Robotic Coffee Master served up beverages to attendees visiting Qualcomm Technologies’ booth at MWC Shanghai 2021. And based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System, this 5G bot can make 1,000 cups of coffee every day.

Elsewhere, the OrionStar Restaurant Service Robot roamed the convention floor, delivering beverages to guests. Whilst the 5G HomeBot was on display at the ‘5G mmWave’ booth, where it used Qualcomm’s Robotics Platform to answer questions from guests, conduct live Q&As, and provide personalized tours.

26. 5G IoT via nanosatellite 

Open Cosmos , a UK company that specializes in satellite-based technology, has launched two commercial nanosatellites, one of which is a 5G IoT satellite for telecom operator Sateliot – the first of its kind to provide continuous IoT connectivity, merging satellite and terrestrial networks under the 5G protocol.

Both nanosatellites were created entirely at the Open Cosmos HQ in Harwell, known as the heart of the UK’s space industry, with the company having dedicated £4 million in R&D to the project, courtesy of funding from the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency.

“These launches mark a major milestone for Open Cosmos, demonstrating the capacity of low-cost satellites to provide IoT connectivity to remote parts of the world and collect data,” said Rafel Jordá, founder and CEO of Open Cosmos. “With £300bn of wider UK GDP supported by satellite services, Open Cosmos is key to unlocking these services and making them more accessible for businesses and governments across the world."

27. 5G-in-a-box

5G isn't merely an iterative change in existing network technology; it's a step change of an update, which enables a plethora of new opportunities, especially for the industrial sector. 

One challenge, though, is how you test whether 5G is the right technology for you, without a massive commercial investment?

Thankfully, Singte is one company addressing this problem, with the launch of GENIE, the world’s first portable 5G platform. This new 5G technology will allow enterprises to experience 5G’s capabilities and trial use cases at their own premises.

GENIE creates an independent 5G network at any location where it is deployed, without the need for prior installation of equipment or infrastructure. And it has been designed to be compact and transportable, coming in a suitcase-sized container, which consists of a 5G network control kit and a standing mount with 5G radio antenna. 

28. 5G 'digital twin' technology

Digital twin technology, as it sounds, enables you to create a digital version of a physical object or environment, which can then be interacted with remotely. This could entail the virtual recreation of a work space, where people could train safely using VR equipment, or, as is the case at Hyperbat, one of the UK’s largest independent vehicle battery manufacturers, it can be used to create ‘digital twins’ of products, which can be manipulated and viewed using VR headsets.

The Coventry-based company has partnered with BT, Ericsson and NVIDIA, to enable remote teams to connect, collaborate, and interact using a virtual 3D engineering model. And this digital twin project will be a world-first, which will allow design and engineering teams to walk around, and interact with, a 3D life-size model in real time. 

Hyperbat colleagues in different locations will be able to work with a 1:1 product scale hologram of the design in-situ on the factory floor, review designs in real time, and manage workflows much more effectively.

29. 5G in airports

China is currently pushing ahead of western countries with its 5G roll-out, and it has now announced the world's first wall-to-wall gigabit 5G available in an airport.

China Mobile Chengdu used Huawei's 5G distributed Massive MIMO solution to deliver 5G in the new Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. Huawei's field tests showed that the user-perceived rate across the check-in areas exceeded 1Gbps, with the single-user rate increasing by 26% on average over common 5G networks, up to a peak of 1.25Gbps.

With major airlines like Chengdu Tianfu International Airport launching 5G-based smart travel services, such as VIP recognition, luggage tracking, and AR map navigation, to improve travel experience, high 5G speed is essential. In using Huawei's digital indoor small cells combined with 5G distributed Massive MIMO software functions, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport certainly achieves this.

30. World’s first 5G substation

Constellation, a smart substation trial from  UK Power Networks , will utilize  Vodafone 5G  connectivity to help make them more efficient, and enable the freeing up of capacity for clean energy, in a bid to help reach the UK’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

UK Power Networks is the UK’s biggest electricity distributor, delivering power to more than eight million homes and businesses across London, the South East, and the East of England. (Electricity network operators, unlike energy suppliers, who focus on selling electricity, take care of the maintenance and operation of power lines and substations.)

The Constellation project is a world-first in 5G use cases, and will connect parts of the UK’s electricity network with high-speed 5G connectivity, with computers being installed in electricity substations so they can communicate with each other in real-time to improve efficiency.

Initially the Constellation project team will select multiple testing locations across UK Power Networks areas in the south-east of England, and at the University of Strathclyde’s Power Networks Demonstration Centre. And the companies say that it could save 63,702 tonnes of CO2 by 2050, which is the equivalent of 38,607 return flights from London to New York. 

31. Indoor farm monitoring

AeroFarms and Nokia Bell Labs have announced that they have formed a multi-year partnership to combine their expertise and expand their joint capabilities in cutting-edge networking, autonomous systems, and integrated machine vision and machine learning technologies to identify and track plant interactions at the most advanced levels.

Nokia Bell Labs, the industrial research arm of Nokia, will contribute its ground-breaking autonomous drone control and orchestration systems, private wireless 5G networks, robust image and sensor data pipelines, and innovative artificial intelligence (AI) enabled mobile sensor technologies. Meanwhile, AeroFarms, a Certified B Corporation and global leader in indoor vertical farming, will contribute its commercial growing expertise, comprehensive environmental controls, an agriculture-focused data platform, and machine vision core foundation. This combination of innovative technologies allows AeroFarms to reach the next level of imaging insights that further enhance its capabilities as an industry-leading operator of world-class, fully connected smart vertical farms that grow the highest quality plants all year round. 

How should you get 5G ready? 

Prosumers and business owners will need to swap their old phones for a 5G ready version. There are already several 5G smartphones on the market, and EE markets five of them (the Oppo Reno 5G, Samsung Galaxy S10 5G , LG V50 ThinQ  5G, the OnePlus 7 Pro  5G and  Huawei Mate 20 X 5G ). You can also pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus. Similarly, you will also need a 5G plan, either from one of the big telecoms operators, or an MVNO. We are likely to see more offerings from mobile operators as 5G develops.  

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Nicola Brittain is a freelance journalist with expertise in technology, telecoms, media and finance. She worked as news and analysis editor at Computing Magazine, and more recently has freelanced for Diginomica, Investment Week and Portfolio Adviser. She is currently writing a novel. 

• 2 Apple’s iPhone SE 3 5G phone tipped to convert a billion Android phone users
• 3 Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners to acquire 5G innovator Dense Air
• 4 2G and 3G to be phased out by 2033 increasing the capacity of the UK’s 5G coverage
• 5 Ericsson and Vodafone to launch new 5G lab in Spain

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The role of TPA I/D and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms in multiple sclerosis

Affiliations.

• 1 Laboratory for Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
• 2 Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
• 3 Clinical Institute of Medical Genetics, University Medical Centre, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• 4 Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Mostar, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• 5 Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
• 6 Neurology Clinic, Military Medical Academy, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
• 7 Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• 8 Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Tuzla, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• 9 Postgraduate Studies, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
• 10 Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia ; Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
• PMID: 24825926
• PMCID: PMC4009184
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/362708

Background: Previous studies have shown impaired fibrinolysis in multiple sclerosis (MS) and implicated extracellular proteolytic enzymes as important factors in demyelinating neuroinflammatory disorders. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and its inhibitor (PAI-1) are key molecules in both fibrinolysis and extracellular proteolysis. In the present study, an association of the TPA Alu I/D and PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphisms with MS was analyzed within the Genomic Network for Multiple Sclerosis (GENoMS).

Methods: The GENoMS includes four populations (Croatian, Slovenian, Serbian, and Bosnian and Herzegovinian) sharing the same geographic location and a similar ethnic background. A total of 885 patients and 656 ethnically matched healthy blood donors with no history of MS in their families were genotyped using PCR-RFLP.

Results: TPA DD homozygosity was protective (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.63-0.99, P = 0.037) and PAI 5G5G was a risk factor for MS (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.01-1.66, P = 0.038). A significant effect of the genotype/carrier combination was detected in 5G5G/I carriers (OR = 1.39 95% CI 1.06-1.82, P = 0.017).

Conclusions: We found a significantly harmful effect of the combination of the PAI-1 5G/5G genotype and TPA I allele on MS susceptibility, which indicates the importance of gene-gene interactions in complex diseases such as MS.

Publication types

• Meta-Analysis
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Case-Control Studies
• Gene Frequency
• Genetic Association Studies
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease
• INDEL Mutation
• Multiple Sclerosis / genetics*
• Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / genetics*
• Polymorphism, Genetic
• Risk Factors
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator / genetics*
• Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1
• SERPINE1 protein, human
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator

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Each NFRA order a case study for audit committees: Ajay Bhushan Pandey

Nfra has issued orders against several audit firms in india in the past, including the "big four", around the auditors' independence and their non-audit work.

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Auditors must do basic groundwork, not rely too much on ai: nfra chairman, nfra finds deficiencies in audit quality inspection of big four firms, nfra to set up sandbox for supporting innovation in auditing techniques, nfra to engage with companies for better insights: ajay bhushan pandey, at the big five, auditors want pay parity with their western counterparts, 5g subscriber up 20-25%, yet tariff upside may be minimal: report, delhi's airport among top 10 busiest airports in the world: full list here, india's goal is to have $44 bn space economy by 2033: in-space chief, reforms, initiatives helping transform an industry plagued by problems, india to be a top global commercial realty market: anshuman magazine.

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First Published: May 31 2024 | 6:28 PM IST

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