Private Networks in the First Half of 2022

1. Private Networks in the First Half of 2022

2. The first half of 2022 has seen a lot happen in the LTE and 5G private network space. We’ve seen large and small companies enter the field as vendors and system integrators, collaborations between many types of vendors, and regulatory changes while seeing the number of enterprises using a private wireless network jump from 656 in February to 794 in June, a climb of 21% in four months. Here is a recap of some of the top issues in private networks in 2022.

4. New Players Spice Up the Field Beginning in February and MWC22, we saw some major companies enter the private wireless market. • The Cisco Private 5G will be a network-as-a-service (NaaS), reducing CapEx and operational challenges for enterprises. It is intended to integrate easily with Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Cisco’s IoT Control Center. • ZTE is offering an all-in-one private 5G network-as-a-service. • Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) announced they were diving into the private wireless market with a private 5G and Wi-Fi offering on a pay-as-you-go basis. • HTC is providing the software and Supermicro the hardware for private networks, expected to focus on gaming and remote training. Recently, Google announced its entry into the private network space, providing vendors a distributed edge cloud infrastructure to host their private 5G solutions. On the US CBRS side, Google is one of the few companies to offer both the ESC (Environmental Sensing Capability) and SAS (Spectrum Access System) necessary to access the shared network.

5. Collaborations Make Sense for Vendors As the number of private networks rises, we see that most deployments are done using multiple vendors. No one supplier has the core, RAN, access points, spectrum access, and user devices necessary for an end-to-end solution, so suppliers are partnering with other companies, sometimes on a long-term basis, often on a specific deployment, and occasionally focusing on specific verticals. Some of the more prominent equipment vendors are collaborating with multiple partners. Nokia has teamed up with Cellnex, Kyndryl, and Comcast. Ericsson works with Ambra Solutions on mining opportunities and BT in the UK. Samsung has joined forces with Amdocs and NTT East.

6. Other collaborations include: • Verizon Business will offer a turn-key private wireless solution with Celona products under the Verizon brand. Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business, said, “We believe that private networks, public edge compute, and business application/solutions will be a huge revenue generator for Verizon.” • AT&T plans to offer private LTE and 5G wireless networks as an integrated platform. In collaboration with Microsoft, they are developing AT&T Private 5G Edge, allowing subscribers to roam from a private network to AT&Ts public network. • Qualcomm is joining forces with Microsoft and their Azure offering on a new private 5G solution for enterprises, using the new Qualcomm Private Networks RAN Automation Platform. Qualcomm also introduced its 5G Private Network Partner Ecosystem Program. • Kajeet is working with the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) to bring private wireless and edge cloud as a cloud-managed Network-as-a-Service.

7. Regulatory Changes Could Open New Markets India, the second-largest wireless market in the world and a potential major private wireless market, has recently decided to reserve bandwidth for private networks (referred to as ‘captive networks’ in India) and that non-telcos can bid on the spectrum in an auction being held later this year. India’s Cellular Operators Association of India, representing the three largest mobile carriers, has long been resistant to enterprises getting access without them – citing a threat to their future revenues. The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in Qatar is asking the public to chime in on the possibility of implementing private 5G networks and, if so, what types. Options include allowing existing operators to offer them, making the spectrum available directly to enterprises, or creating a new public entity whose sole purpose is to grant private wireless networks to enterprises.

8. Deployments Run the Gamut Private wireless networks have expanded beyond the school and factory. They have grown past being used only in mines and on farms. We are now seeing private LTE and 5G networks used by utility companies, seaports, smart cities, and warehouses, with applications including high-speed, low-latency, and massive machine-to-machine communications. One use case, long-discussed but still met with heavy skepticism, is remote surgery, which will need not only high speed and low latency but incredible reliability, is finally on track. A recent surgical simulation was held in France and Greece using a private 5G network operating at 26 GHz. The hospital used ultrasound images and x-rays in an augmented reality application. The trial successfully demonstrated the advantages of a lack of cables in the operating room and highlighted the benefits of using multiple imaging devices.

10. Conclusion The first half of 2022 has seen many partnerships and collaborations, and the number of known private networks has increased significantly. With the “as-you-go” model having time to take off, small and mid-size companies gathering attention from various vendors, and India possibly opening its doors to private networks, we expect to see the second half of the year show an even higher rate of increase than 1H22.Source: https://www.privatelteand5g.com/private-networks-in-the-first-half-of-2022/