A private network can better accommodate the growing use of automation and edge computing while ensuring security. But implementation is not a turnkey process.
By: Dave Dimlich
President of SD3IT
Private 5G networks are the next hot ticket in wireless networking. As organizations connect more sensors, autonomous systems, vehicles, robots and edge-computing platforms, wireless connectivity is becoming part of the operational infrastructure itself. In a factory, an airport, a military installation or a large industrial site, the network is no longer simply carrying data. It is helping determine how quickly systems can see, analyze and respond to what is happening around them.
Industry projections are calling for exponential growth of private 5G networks, with the market roughly tripling or quadrupling between now and 2030, even if exact numbers seem hard to agree upon. One estimate is that the market, valued at about $1.1 billion in 2025, will grow to just over $4 billion. Another puts the 2025 value at $3.86 billion and projects it will grow to $17.55 billion, and yet other projections present different numbers. No matter. The point is that private 5G networks are growing by leaps and bounds, with as many as 40,000 of them projected to be in operation by 2030.
So, why are organizations being drawn to in-house, on-premises 5G? A key reason is that private networks hold some distinct advantages over commercial 5G, particularly in terms of security and performance. But there are also potential drawbacks, among them the up-front costs of owning the network and the fact that security is only enhanced if it’s properly implemented.
To judge by the projected growth of private 5G networks over the next four years, the pros are outweighing the cons for plenty of government, military and commercial organizations. But implementing private 5G requires more than setting up some new wireless hardware. It presents an integration challenge involving spectrum management, edge computing, identity monitoring, cybersecurity, device management and an upgrading of operational systems. Organizations looking to make the switch need to be aware of those challenges.
Private 5G Can Come in Several Formats
Private 5G leverages the same spectrum (licensed, unlicensed, or shared) and standards as public networks. Implementations commonly involve manufacturing facilities, government and military installations, logistics and warehousing centers, industrial plants, universities and retail operations.
Adopting private 5G isn’t necessarily an all-or-nothing commitment for enterprises. In addition to wholly owned private networks, organizations can operate hybrid public-private networks, combining private on-premises infrastructure for certain uses with public networks for others. You can also acquire private network services through network slicing, which may include an on-site Radio Access Network (RAN), along with other equipment.
The Department of Defense, for example, has opted largely for a hybrid approach, in accordance with the department’s 5G strategy announced in November 2024. DOD primarily uses commercial 5G for routine mission needs and quality-of-life services, while allowing the option for private 5G when it’s the best—or only—option to meet specific mission, security or performance demands. Private 5G is then tailored to an installation’s specific mission.
In one example, the Marine Corps earlier this year launched a 5G Private Infrastructure Network, known as 5G PIN, at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., marking DOD’s first fully on-prem 5G deployment. The network will enable real-time asset tracking, predictive maintenance and real-time decision-making, while streamlining the base’s supply chains. The Marine Corps said the network, which will securely interoperate with the Corps’ enterprise environment while remaining government-controlled and locally hosted, was approved after it met strict requirements for performance, reliability and cybersecurity.
Private 5G vs. Commercial 5G
The advantages of private 5G networking include:
Performance. A private network can deliver very low latency and faster speeds, enhancing real-time automation, robotics and mission-critical operations.
Coverage. With a private cellular network integrated with existing Wi-Fi, organizations can add coverage over a larger area, fill gaps left over from the public network, and get a reliable signal into difficult environments, such as those involving heavy metal or concrete structures.
Capacity. A private network can enable the connection of more devices than a public network without degrading performance.
Security. Having tight control over data traffic, organizations can more effectively keep sensitive data, intellectual property and personal information isolated and encrypted, improving both security and privacy.
The cons include the initial costs of implementation, which can range from about $50,000 for small deployments to over $1 million for a large campus or installation. An organization will start with a 5G mobile core to function as the authentication, data routing and enforcement hub for their network policies. It can be deployed locally, in a private or public cloud or through a managed service, depending on the organization’s requirements. A RAN, which provides targeted coverage via dedicated indoor or outdoor small cell radios and antennas, is also essential.
Spectrum, of course, is another critical consideration. In the United States, private 5G can operate using licensed, unlicensed or shared spectrum, including the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS).
Where Private 5G Becomes Operational Infrastructure
When an organization is operating a sensor-rich environment, connectivity becomes part of the system itself. Data generated at the edge needs to move quickly enough to be analyzed and acted on. That turns factors like latency, reliability and coverage into operational requirements rather than simply IT considerations.
This is also where the relationship between private 5G and edge computing becomes important. AI and other advanced applications are generating more data, and that data increasingly must be processed in multiple locations rather than sent back to one centralized system. Private 5G can provide the connectivity needed to move that information between sensors, edge systems and applications while keeping latency low.
There may be a tendency to think about private 5G as a wireless deployment, but in reality, it’s an integration project. Building the network is the easy part.
You need to start by defining your coverage areas and requirements, identifying use cases, mapping buildings and outdoor areas, understanding physical obstructions and determining how many devices the network will have to support. Spectrum and regulatory requirements must also be addressed.
Then comes the architecture, depending on whether you choose a fully on-premises deployment, a hybrid model or a managed service. The mobile core and other network functions can run on dedicated edge infrastructure or virtualized platforms. Devices must be provisioned and authenticated, while the cellular environment needs to connect to existing LANs, firewalls, cloud platforms and operational technology.
None of those pieces can be designed in isolation. A private 5G network supporting an industrial operation, for example, has to coexist with the organization’s existing OT environment. A government deployment may have to integrate sensors, edge computing, enterprise applications and security controls. And, of course, security must be addressed up front. A network that lacks properly implemented controls, including zero trust principles, can be vulnerable even if it’s private.
The Key is in How All the Pieces Work Together
At SD3IT, we focus on aggregating technologies and integrating them into a coherent whole. A private 5G deployment can involve networking, edge computing, sensors, OT systems, cybersecurity, identity, zero trust and supply chain considerations all at once. And those all have to fit together.
For example, network segmentation and slicing can help isolate different classes of traffic over shared infrastructure. That can support zero trust objectives while limiting the potential impact of a compromised device or application. Private 5G can also provide the high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity ruggedized edge systems need and sensors operating in environments where connectivity cannot be taken for granted.
Our partners, such as Cisco, HPE, and others, have different pieces of the private 5G and enterprise infrastructure landscape. HPE, for example, contributed to building the Marine Corps’ private network.
Private 5G won’t replace every existing wireless technology. Wi-Fi, public cellular networks and other options will continue to have important roles. Now, however, organizations have another tool for environments where coverage, reliability, mobility, latency and control matter.
As more operations become autonomous and more intelligence moves to the edge, that distinction becomes increasingly important. For organizations considering private 5G, that means starting with the operational requirement, understanding the mission, and identifying the data and devices involved, along with building security into the architecture and selecting the technologies that can bring it all together.
That is where private 5G moves from being just another networking option to becoming mission infrastructure.
About SD3IT
At SD3IT, we help federal agencies, defense organizations and commercial enterprises build secure, resilient technology environments that accelerate mission success. From AI-ready infrastructure and zero trust architectures to edge computing, data center modernization and systems integration, we design, drive and deliver solutions that help customers operate with confidence across today’s increasingly complex mission environments.