But what exactly is a private network? Why are they getting so much attention now? And where do things really stand today in terms of deployments, sentiment and adoption?
What is a private network?
STL Partners defines a private network as:
“a logically discrete cellular network, with dedicated network elements which can include operating functions, infrastructure and/or spectrum, that is customised to meet a customer’s specific needs or user groups.”
Unlike public mobile networks operated by telecom providers, these networks are built and managed for the exclusive use of a business, campus, industrial site or government entity.
They often use 4G LTE or 5G technology but operate on separate, private spectrum, giving enterprises full control over how the network is designed, secured and scaled. In some cases, solutions like network slicing or shared spectrum (such as CBRS in the US) are also used.
Private networks are particularly valuable for mission-critical industries such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and public safety, where reliable, low‑latency connectivity is essential for operations that can’t tolerate downtime.
What’s the current situation?
After years of promise and speculation, private networks are quickly gaining momentum, with deployments moving from proof-of-concept to operational reality. And interestingly, it’s not just telecom companies leading the charge.
In fact, leading analyst firms including Forrester, IDC, and Gartner have created dedicated private network categories, positioning them as enterprise infrastructure rather than a telecom niche. This is a clear sign of the growing market maturity, even as deployment rates still differ by region and section.
China is widely considered to be a global leader in the adoption of private networks, and continental Europe is also making strong progress. For example, Germany alone had around 49 active private 5G networks as of March 2025. In contrast, the UK and US remain more cautious, with fewer active networks.
This lag is partly down to regulatory and market structure challenges, including less enterprise-friendly spectrum access models — particularly in the UK, where licensing options are limited compared to Germany’s dedicated industrial spectrum bands. A more fragmented vendor and integrator ecosystem further complicates matters, making it harder for enterprises to navigate private network deployments at scale.
Additionally, many businesses in these markets have historically relied on Wi-Fi and public cellular solutions, with private 5G still perceived by some as complex, expensive, or over-specified for current operational needs. While momentum is building as operational use cases become more established and private network propositions mature, structural and organisational hurdles remain.
Decision-making is increasingly being led by operational technology (OT) in asset-heavy sectors such as mining, where large CAPEX budgets are involved. In other industries, buying responsibility is gradually shifting toward enterprise IT and infrastructure teams as private network solutions become more integrated with broader IT ecosystems.
The media narrative around private 5G may have cooled from its initial hype cycle, but momentum is clear with operational deployments and new use cases appearing at pace. A few standout examples from the past year include:
- Boldyn Networks and Oulu University Hospital — deploying a private 5G network to enable real-time patient data sharing and support connected medical devices across the hospital campus.
- Nokia and Lufthansa Technik — partnering on a private wireless network at Hamburg Airport to connect maintenance operations, improving aircraft turnaround times and enabling predictive maintenance.
- Samsung and Hyundai Motor Company — completed the industry’s first end-to-end Reduced Capability (RedCap) trial over a private 5G network at Hyundai’s Ulsan Plant, the world’s largest automobile manufacturing facility.
What is the media saying about private networks?
Media sentiment around private networks strikes a balance between cautious optimism and pragmatic realism.
James Blackman, RCR Wireless, consistently emphasises where private 5G truly matters most:
“In the end, private 5G is an OT exercise, first and foremost; yes, IT should be engaged and invested, but its functionality – where 5G works like nothing else – is mostly for mission-critical applications. Even when private 5G goes outside of hard-nosed Industry 4.0, into hospitals and stadiums and universities, it is for doctors and coaches and professors, and the like.”
Mike Dano, Light Reading, is optimistic about private networks:
“Private wireless networking is one of the few bright spots in an industry struggling through a slowdown in operator spending and a wave of AI-driven job cuts.”
Overall, media coverage reflects a consensus that while challenges around scale, spectrum access and complexity persist, early adopters are already unlocking tangible, operational gains, with industrial, healthcare and remote-site applications leading the charge.
What are analysts saying about private networks?
In contrast, analyst firms are overwhelmingly bullish on the long-term prospects of private networks.
Gartner positions private networks as a critical pillar for Industry 4.0:
“Private Mobile Networks (PMN) serve as catalysts for Industry 4.0… empowering companies across business sectors to leverage next-generation technologies, optimizing their processes, reducing costs, and maintaining competitiveness.”
Omdia makes a practical observation about ecosystem dynamics:
“Vendors now recognize that private networks are highly specialized and require a few focused partners — not a wide distribution channel.”
Analysts seem to have a shared sentiment: private networks will play a foundational role in enterprise digital transformation strategies, provided ecosystems mature, management tools improve and spectrum access expands.
An inflection point
Private networks are gaining serious momentum, driven by enterprise needs that public networks struggle to meet. Media coverage is enthusiastic but measured, while analysts see mature, infrastructure-level promise.
Fundamentally, we are at a significant inflection point. With Europe leading the charge, the UK and US are poised for rapid acceleration in private network rollouts, the momentum is supported by real-world use cases, a maturing specialist ecosystem, and regulatory enablers like CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) in the US, which is lowering barriers to entry for private network deployments and fuelling enterprise innovation and deployments.
The bottom line is that private networks are far from just hype. They’re becoming essential infrastructure for enterprises that require secure, high-performance connectivity tailored to their unique operational needs.
