The Future Enterprise Networks event in London focused on the emerging private networks market and the challenges it faces in achieving widespread adoption. Pablo Tomasi, an analyst at Omdia, highlighted the need for the industry to address the “wifi question” concerning 5G private networks (5GPN). In essence, why should companies invest in 5GPN when wifi can already meet local connectivity needs? This question set the stage for examining a market that remains in the early stages of development.
Christoph Bejina of Alcatel Submarine Networks, the world’s largest submarine cable company, shared his company’s experience with a major 5GPN implementation at its Calais campus. One significant advantage of 5GPN over wifi is the superior security it offers. However, Bejina also noted the market’s relative infancy in terms of the available IoT device ecosystem.
Elizabeth Rumsey, who leads private networks for Vodafone Business, discussed how to expand the adoption of 5GPN to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Price is a critical factor, and the mini 5G network showcased by Vodafone earlier this year could be the way forward. A panel discussion at the event highlighted education as a major obstacle to adoption, along with the need to build a broader ecosystem.
Henning Huuse from Telia shared his company’s work with the Norwegian military in providing “tactical 5G,” which includes secure connectivity for military personnel in the field. Utilizing commercial technology rather than proprietary solutions offers benefits in terms of availability and interoperability. Meanwhile, David Happy from Telint discussed the “agritech revolution” enabled by functional rural edge networks, such as the 5G RuralDorset project in the UK.
In conclusion, the industry is eager to discover new use cases for private networks, as they were frequently mentioned at MWC as one of the primary monetisation opportunities for 5G. However, as the presentations and discussions at the Future Enterprise Networks event demonstrated, there is still a long way to go for the private networks market. Achieving market success will require a patient and nurturing approach to foster growth in the industry.
