In a post published in November of 2023, the Forbes Technology Council called Private 5G networks the “spark 5G needed all along” to do what was always promised of it. The post critiqued 5G for being hyped well before it became useful, and that the time needed to build the actual networks and infrastructure was not taken into enough consideration beforehand. The overall limitations of the networks were too great for 5G to take off when it was supposed to.
The council noted that the promise of 5G was being realized by the rise of private 5G, not public. Public 5G continues to struggle to live up to the speed that it was supposed to, especially when trying to get through thick walls. Calls drop, coverage remains spotty, and things that need to get done don’t get done. It is a hard truth in life, but some things just do not work how they were supposed to originally. Private 5G stepped in at the right time to rescue 5G as a clear upgrade to its predecessors.
Private 5G has many benefits that have been discussed both on this website and in others several times – speed, security, and latency are three often cited. Forbes also noted its quick data transmission and better connectivity to a larger number of devices within its space. It is cost effective and has several ways to be utilized, with smart city capacities to help build out more Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, aiding schools and universities for campus-wide connection, oil and gas refineries that need stable connection in remote locations, and many more. The carrying cost of private 5G is much easier to contain by scaling out the network properly, making it a more affordable option than a public 5G network.
The promise of 5G was always to build networks that were faster than its predecessors. But limitations that became apparent through use of the public networks became clear with time. The introduction of private 5G has upended that calculus, and the notes by Forbes reflect that. While private 5G has not reached the heights public 5G has in terms of scale, the potential is even greater. Future expansion of the networks will show whether it can do better than public 5G and reach that potential. To check out their full statements, click here. To return to locallte.com, click here.
