Over the past few years, private wireless networks have rapidly transformed from an "own" to a "must have" for many businesses. New advanced technology solutions offer businesses the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage, and private wireless networks play a key role in achieving this. While a private wireless network can be beneficial for some businesses, it may not be a must for every business.

How Private Wireless Networks Work

Before a business can determine whether a private network is beneficial, it's best to know if it works. First, there are many similarities between public and private networks. In a public wireless network, mobile operators own the spectrum and build wireless infrastructure across the country to transmit radio frequencies. At the same time, mobile network operators control and allocate bandwidth to users and have access to all transmitted data.

The mobile user accesses the operator's network through the SIM card of the mobile phone. In-building wireless infrastructure, such as distributed antenna systems and small cell networks, enables indoor cellular coverage.

Much of the same infrastructure applies to private wireless networks. The difference is that the enterprise owns and operates the network. Businesses still need all the same parts to make their networks effective, such as shared and unlicensed spectrum and core, SIM authentication for mobile device users to access the network, and more. Citizens Broadband Radio Service is the most popular frequency band available for today's private wireless networks.

Additionally, businesses need equipment that provides built-in wireless coverage, such as antennas. DAS solutions can help them support 5G and LTE dedicated network bands in case they need to expand their network. "

Which businesses need a private wireless network

The ability to keep data in control is probably the biggest benefit of having a dedicated network. Data traffic doesn't have to go through the mobile operator as it does through the public network. Keeping data in-house allows for better coverage, faster speeds, lower latency, and greater security and data privacy.

Any industry that needs to deal with heavy data transfers or cannot afford unreliable or slow coverage can benefit from having its own wireless network. These industries include healthcare, manufacturing, transportation and utilities.

Another benefit of a private wireless network is that businesses can decide how bandwidth is used across the enterprise. Manufacturers may want to dedicate more connections to their production lines, which require lower latency and invest less in their back-office systems. It is this type of control that has led to 76% of manufacturers planning to deploy private 5G by 2024.

The healthcare industry also benefits from private networks because their life-saving wireless devices can use most of a medical facility's bandwidth.

At the end of the day, private networks are ideal for businesses that want reliability and granular control over their wireless networks, making it easier to manage everything from performance and security to controlling user access and visibility. As businesses continue on the path to smart everything, private networks will become a necessity to manage all connections without disruption, which might otherwise risk intermittent performance degradation.