Examining the benefits and applications of private cellular networks for enterprise businesses
Enterprises that have experienced coverage obstacles, capacity limitations, or security vulnerabilities when trying to use Wi-Fi as LAN in large spaces understand how debilitating each of those issues can be to the success of their business. Unreliable and insufficient networks pose threats to supply chain, workforce safety, resource access, and more.
Distribution centers, transportation hubs, manufacturing facilities, smart cities, and school districts can address these inefficiencies through private cellular networks, or private networks, fore Wireless LAN (WLAN) through the deployment of localized radio access networking (RAN) equipment like base stations and small cells, or access points. It’s a scalable dedicated network that provides control, security, coverage, and a fixed cost to the end user.
Continue exploring the benefits of private 5G and LTE use cases on our private network solutions webpage or by downloading our private cellular buyers' guide.
Private 5G and LTE vs. Wi-Fi: How private cellular addresses WLAN limitations
Enterprise businesses predominantly use private 5G and LTE to address one or more of four common network challenges: coverage, capacity, mobility, and control. As additional 5G access points and spectrum are made available, private 5G will be particularly equipped to take on these challenges thanks to its improved performance and reduced latency.
Now let's take a closer look at private 5G and LTE vs. Wi-Fi, within the context of network coverage, capacity, mobility, and control.
Private 5G and LTE vs. Wi-Fi — Coverage
When organizations need to run critical applications over a large coverage area, they often struggle to do so via Wi-Fi. By installing private network solutions, organizations can control coverage across those locations and facilities that may otherwise be restricted due to limited wireless infrastructure.
In January 2021, the Murray School District launched a private cellular network to address coverage issues as students were restricted to their homes without adequate broadband access during COVID-19. The private network was made up of more than 40 access points and 425 CBRS-compatible wireless edge routers capable of providing broadband coverage to the apartments and houses of 6,000 students throughout the district.
Private 5G and LTE vs. Wi-Fi — Capacity
Most wireless users have experienced the limitations of Wi-Fi and public cellular capacities firsthand. Whether in a busy coffee shop as patrons stream music and attend Zoom meetings on their laptops, or at a packed sporting event with every fan attempting to upload a video of the winning goal, public networks are known for their congestion during critical times.
Enabling a private 5G network resolves those capacity issues. Without contention with other network users, enterprises can make full and exclusive use of available private network capacity. They can also configure uplink and downlink and set usage policies.
The ability to engineer capacity demands through a private network solution provides reliable, high-performance connections across a wide-area LAN.
Private 5G and LTE vs. Wi-Fi — Control
Because Wi-Fi is an open spectrum, it can be susceptible to eavesdroppers looking for vulnerabilities. Through a private cellular network, operators can determine which users connect, how resources are utilized, and how traffic is prioritized. Additionally, companies that enable private 5G or LTE can optimize reliability and latency in challenging physical environments. Most importantly, since only authorized users have access to the network, these companies can control their own security, ensuring sensitive information stays isolated.
Additional Private 5G use cases
Private 5G is run specifically for the benefit of an organization to solve the problems posed by Wi-Fi and, to a lesser extent, public cellular. Especially in the case of high-band 5G (mmWave), Private 5G is an optimal solution for high density environments that require very low latency. Additional examples include:
- Stadiums for business-critical applications such as ticket/access systems, retail tracking, high-definition security cameras, Point-of-Sale systems, digital displays, and secure internal communications
- Manufacturing environments requiring surveillance, entry gate control, equipment tracking, office connectivity, inventory automation, temperature monitoring, and vehicle automation
- Mining or oil and gas facilities in remote or rugged locations requiring access control and security, equipment monitoring, safety scanning, and sensor monitoring
- Transportation facilities such as ports, warehouses, and rail yards with large area obstructions requiring loading dock monitoring, supplier kiosks, real-time workload tracking, telemetry of cranes, video surveillance, and remotely controlled devices
- Smart cities utilizing technologies that improve public safety, waste management, parking, traffic, air quality, lighting, and energy efficiency
- Campuses and large public venues including sports arenas, or meeting places requiring classroom connectivity, internet for student housing, video surveillance, digital signage, and event streaming