IPLOOK | Why Do We Need Private Network?

1. What is private network? And what’s its advantages?
Private network, achieving the network signal coverage in designated area, is the professional network provided for a part of subscribers to access telecommunication services. It enables enterprises and vertical industries to connect with an inner network, and meet their needs of required services.
Compared with LAN (Local Area Network) or Wi-Fi and other LAN, private 5G network has the advantages of high mobility, stable connection, ensured quality, high security and wide coveragebecause it is constructed by 5G cellular technology.
In a word, private network is the network worked for specific subscribers providing network services. The distinction between private network and public network is that the former one works for public, while the latter one works for particular subscribers with specific connectivity needs.

2. Why private 5G network is needed?
There are three characteristics of 5G network: high bandwidth, low latency and multi-access. But sometimes, enterprises do not need all of these characteristics. Moreover, some enterprises may have high-level requirements of reliability, security, privacy and control of 5G network , which can not be achieved by only public network.
Having advantages in privacy and security, private 5G network provides the possibility of customized network for enterprises users with specific requirements.

·  High availability: subscribers can access to the network all the time.
·  Reliability: the capability of transporting several services in a period of lasting time, which needs to be supported by enough capacity, network coverage and strong services switching function.
·  Interconnection: the connection with the public network is also a significant function. For example, transforming from a network to another network (such as from private network to public network ) needs the continuity of services, which means that a certain extent of the integration among networks is essential.
·  Services: Working private network on private spectrum can better control QoS (Quality of Services) including throughput, latency, packet loss rate and so on.
Furthermore, it is possible to tailor diversified functions and resources for different services based on specific requirements in private network deployment.
·  Security: Private network is expected to provide overall end-to-end security, protecting crucial information, basic architecture and employees from risky threat.
Private network is able to protect critical information by using network isolation, data protection and equipment/user identification.

3. IPLOOK Private 5G Network Deployment Solution
In some vertical industries such as military, finance, transportation field, high reliability and high securityare required for information security and network management. And that is the reason why they choose to adopt private network isolated with public network. With the coming 5G era, further integration between private network and public network is necessary.
Combined with the advantages of both private network and public network, it is possible to achieve the goal of providing services for subscribers together.
For now, there are three major deployment of private 5G network:
1.Totally construct network by oneself. Completely isolated with the public 5G network of operators, vertical industries construct an end-to-end private 5G network from core net work to access network all by themselves.
2.Construct core network by oneself, while construct and share RAN (Radio Access Network) with operators.
3.Rent the 5G network slices from operators.

Let’s focus on below two major private network solution by IPLOOK:
Solution 1: private network and public network share the same RAN — constructing small-size 5GC for private network of enterprises
The private network and public network share only the gNB (the same RAN), while UPF, control plane in 5GC, UDM and MEC are deployed in the enterprises, which separated from public network physically.
Advantages: Ensure the security of enterprises’ data, low latency, self-control network and subscribers of public network can access the network under the coverage of private network.

Solution 2: private network and public network share the same RAN and the control plane in 5GC, while the base station of enterprises’ private network and the edge UPF will be deployed in the enterprises.
Advantages
: Ensure the enterprise data to be limited in the enterprises, subscribers in public network can access the network under the coverage of private network.
UPF is deployed in internal enterprises, which can still ensure low latency.

The private network solution of IPLOOK can be widely applied in many fields based on specific requirements from enterprises and vertical industries to meet the needs of diversified application scenarios.

4. Opportunities
Although private 5G network is still in a preliminary stage of development, its potential to develop is obvious. With the powerful encouragement of the policy, telecommunication equipment vendors, operators, internet giants are all on the road of developing private 5G network. We should catch the opportunities to develop. It can be seen that private 5G network brings sea changes in telecom industry.
If you are interested about the private 5G network, contact us for more information.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article/press release are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the approved policy or position of the GSMA or its subsidiaries.

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