Private 4G-5G Networks

Until a few years ago, if a company wanted to deploy a private wireless network, adding IoT devices and automation solutions, the existing options were limited to Wi-Fi or proprietary network technologies such as LoRaWAN or Sigfox. These networks were suitable for connecting devices to the Internet and for simple use cases. Limitations in coverage, mobility, and security, their incompatibility with public cellular networks, as well as their high management costs, hindered their comprehensive adoption.

Recently, new types of Private Networks using 4G LTE or 5G NR technologies have begun to be deployed worldwide by thousands of companies. Since these networks use cellular technologies standardized by 3GPP, they offer organizations many of the coverage, mobility, and security features required for more advanced applications. Furthermore, the long-term management costs of these networks are often lower than other wireless technologies.

However, companies face many questions when considering whether to deploy a Private LTE/5G Network, including how these networks work and the specific advantages they offer over other technologies. This article will help answer these and other questions, while providing information on additional technical resources that companies can utilize.

What are Private Networks?

In recent years, companies in Brazil and around the world have been undergoing an unprecedented digital transformation, driven by the adoption of cloud-native applications and services, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, blockchain, among others. Although the degree of implementation of these technologies varies in each segment, one common factor remains true: the need for connectivity and mobility in a fast, secure, and stable network.

A Private Network (LTE or 5G) is a network that provides communication connections for users belonging to an organization, while offering specific services tailored to each business’s needs. For industrial applications, the deployment of private mobile networks — to meet the reliability, latency, and security requirements of critical applications — is fundamental to the new technologies known as Industry 4.0.

Private Networks function in the same way as the public networks of operators:

1. Enabled devices use licensed spectrum from Anatel to receive/transmit data from/to base stations;
2. The access network infrastructure (RAN) can be composed of radios of different capacities, from picocells (for indoor environments, such as shopping centers and manufacturing plants) to macrocells (for coverage on a farm, for example).
3. Fiber optic infrastructure then transports this data from the RAN to the 4G/5G Network Core, whether it is local and independent or shared with the operator;
4. This data can be processed internally at the location or sent over the internet.

The allocation of frequencies to establish Private Networks has been introduced and standardized in several countries in recent years. In Brazil, there has been the allocation of several frequencies, including 100 MHz of bandwidth between 3.7-3.8 GHz. New frequencies for the use of Private Networks are expressed in various terms, such as unlicensed, private, local, or shared frequencies.

Who can implement a Private Network?

Any company can set up and operate its own Private LTE/5G Network. To do this, the company needs:

• Private radio frequency spectrum authorized by Anatel (via request) or provided by an operator;
• LTE/5G Infrastructure: base stations, Core, Edge Computing, and other equipment purchased from network infrastructure equipment vendors;
• Smartphones, IoT modules, routers, gateways, and other edge devices with appropriate SIM cards to connect to the Private LTE/5G Network.

How to implement a Private Network?

Private Networks can be implemented in several modes, classified as:

• Independent: when the entire infrastructure belongs to the contracting company, without any connection to the public mobile network;
• Shared with the public network: when only part of the infrastructure is at the company and there is use of mobile operator services (such as shared RAN, Core, or Edge);
• Shared with an ISP/CSP: same as above, using a remote Core belonging to a company that commercializes private networks.

What are the advantages of Private Networks?

The typical advantages of a Private Network can be summarized as follows:

• Internal data security: a Private Network ensures security and privacy, preventing information leaks. All data generated in the company is handled by dedicated infrastructure, local or remote.
• Ultra-low latency: the addition of an Edge Computing server enables all data processing to be located at the company. In this way, the network delay between devices and the application server is minimal, allowing for ultra-low latency services, such as motion control applications (self-guided vehicles are an example).
• Quality of services: Private Network configurations can be customized to meet corporate application requirements, unlike the standard configuration of the public network. The configuration includes all parameters that can affect data rate performance, reliability, latency, etc.
• Autonomy: the nature of a standalone Private Network ensures its independent operation, even if external failures occur.

Can any smartphone or IoT access Private Networks?

This depends on the network deployment mode. Although Private LTE/5G Networks use the same cellular technology as operators, there is specific programming of parameters in the devices (smartphones, IoT modules, etc.) so that they are capable of operating in the wireless spectrum used by the Private Network (parameters such as MCC, MNC, APN, etc.).

In this way, independent Private Networks (which do not connect to the operator) will need an exclusive SIM card, which is inexpensive and easy to obtain from network equipment vendors. Normally they are included in the overall network project.

If the Private Network is deployed by an operator (in shared mode), devices can use the same operator SIM card to connect to the network. There is also the possibility of simultaneous use of private and commercial SIM cards in dual-sim devices.

What are the radio frequency bands available in Brazil?

Frequencies already available, according to the Anatel handbook:

• 225–270 MHz (45 MHz);
• 703–708 MHz and 758–763 MHz (5+5 MHz) (Infrastructure Segment);
• 1487–1517 MHz (30 MHz);
• 2390–2400 MHz (10 MHz);
• 2485–2495 MHz (10 MHz);
• 3700–3800 MHz (100 MHz);
• 27.5–27.9 GHz (400 MHz).

Bands in the final phase for availability:

• 410–415 MHz and 420–425 MHz (5+5 MHz).

What makes private LTE and 5G networks better than Wi-Fi networks?

Private LTE and 5G networks offer many advantages over Wi-Fi networks:

• Better coverage in large geographical areas, underground, and inside buildings or other facilities.
• Full device mobility, with seamless indoor/outdoor transition.
• Greater security, with advanced authentication methods and native encryption.
• Greater availability of devices for Industry 4.0.
• Ultra-high availability (99.999%).
• Use of radio frequency licenses without interference.

Furthermore, as private LTE and 5G devices use the same technology as public cellular networks, they can integrate with these networks if they leave the Private Network coverage area.

Use Case Examples

Manufacturing: Factories can connect IT systems to manufacturing equipment, enabling AGVs, remote robotic control, real-time monitoring, and predictive maintenance.

Warehouses / Logistics: Online retailers and operators can deploy robotic product picking, material tracking, inventory control, and integrated security.

Agribusiness: Private Networks allow for crop analysis drones; automation of implements, tractors, and trucks; IoT solutions for pest control; and AR/VR for training.

Airports, train stations, stadiums, and public spaces: These large venues can deliver security, mobility, and total control for employees and thousands of visitors.

Utilities and Energy: Safe and flexible connectivity for smart meters, transformer control, remote substation management, and drone maintenance.

Mining, Oil & Gas: Reliable connectivity for drilling and extraction machines and portable equipment, even underground or in remote locations.

Campus: Universities, hospitals, hotels, and shopping malls can benefit from fast, reliable, and secure connectivity for large numbers of users and IoT devices.

Conclusion

The new generations of Private Networks, whether in 4G or 5G, provide all the connectivity necessary for the immediate deployment of Industry 4.0 technologies. Maximum security, broad coverage, and a large number of terminals for multiple use cases.

Edge UOL and its partners can help your company deploy Private Networks with agility, speed, and the certainty of counting on specialized professionals and the best technological solutions available in the global market. Contact us with your needs.