Analysis: Which businesses need a dedicated wireless network?

Over the past few years, private wireless networks have quickly moved from a "nice to have" 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 goal. Although private wireless networks can be beneficial for some businesses, it may not be a must-have for every business.

How Private Wireless Networks Work

To determine if a private network is beneficial, it is best to first know if it works. First, there are many similarities between public and private networks. In public wireless networks, 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.

Mobile users access the operator's network through their mobile phone SIM cards. Wireless infrastructure within buildings, such as distributed antenna systems and small cell networks, makes indoor mobile phone coverage possible.

Much of the same infrastructure applies to private wireless networks. The difference is that the enterprise owns and operates the network. Enterprises still need all the same parts to make their network work, 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 that can be used for private wireless networks today.

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 situations where they need to expand their networks.”

Which businesses need a dedicated wireless network?

The ability to maintain control of your data is probably the biggest benefit of having a private network. Data traffic does not have to go through mobile carriers like it does over public networks. Keeping data in-house allows for better coverage, faster speeds, lower latency, and greater security and data privacy.

Any industry that needs to handle large amounts of data transfer 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. A manufacturer might want more connectivity dedicated to its production lines, which require lower latency, and invest less in its back-office systems. It’s this type of control that has led 76% of manufacturers to plan to deploy private 5G by 2024.

The healthcare industry also benefits from dedicated networks because their life-saving wireless devices can use a large portion of the medical facility’s bandwidth.

Ultimately, private networks are a great fit 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 down the path of smart everything, private networks will become a necessity to manage all connections without interruption or the risk of intermittent performance degradation.