Private networks: waiting for 5G

While NB-IoT and LTE-M address the need for massive IoT in the 5G era, standards for the critical (low latency, high bandwidth, network slicing) aspect of 5G IoT are yet to be fully defined. Our survey shows that, overall, 24% of enterprises expressed a requirement for a network covering a specific location (e.g. a mine or factory) for their IoT deployments, with the manufacturing sector leading the way (32%). While private networks are not new, the MWC19 and Hannover Messe events saw a flurry of announcements and demos, by both operators and vendors, showcasing the utility of such networks in practice.