Integrating 5G/Private Cellular into Enterprise Networks: Use Cases and Challenges

Digitalisation is taking place at a fast pace in all sectors—more connected devices will be deployed, important processes will be automated, and operations will predominantly be data-driven. Wired and traditional Wi-Fi networks have often been reliable in some situations but still oftentimes are not able to meet the performance, coverage, and security standards that modern industrial and academic environments require.

Major and continuous expansion of enterprise connectivity are looking for very strong systems that would be able to deliver performance, extensive device support, and security altogether. At this point, 5G and Private Cellular Networks (PCN) come into being as the main facilitators. These radical inventions not only provide businesses with a dedicated, high-performance, and secure communication fabric customised for the most demanding usage where outages, interferences, or latency are just intolerable but also set them free from the burden of investing quality time and resources in their areas of weakness, i.e., communications.

Transformative Use Cases for Enterprise Integration

Enabling Industry 4.0 and Mission-Critical Operations

Industry 4.0 indicates a fusion of digital automation, IoT, and advanced analytics. It becomes the pillar of the manufacturing, utility, and logistics industries, providing efficiency, safety, and innovation. Nevertheless, these environments are not only operating with modern facilities but also their network performance is one of many factors that would determine the extent of their potential realization.

Private 5G networks come with the not-on-time latency, exceptional reliability, extensive coverage, and the possibility to connect a huge number of devices altogether. These capabilities are quintessential for numerous Industry 4.0 applications, such as:

• Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs): In factories or storage areas, AGVs use constant communication to go from one place to another in a safe and efficient way. Private 5G provides seamless transitions and predictable performance, thus allowing the machines involved to move without a disruption caused by loss of connectivity.
• Real-Time Control Loops: Automatic factory systems are artificial hands and conveyor belts that need to be synchronized, and the response time must be in milliseconds. 5G's dedicated low latency allows for machine-perfect synchronization and continuous operation, which conventional Wi-Fi cannot provide because it is usually inconsistent and long.
• Remote Machinery Operation: The application of this technology is now common in mining, oil & gas, and power industries where the engineers in control are the ones who are located in the monitoring room. Private 5G gives a secure, solid, and low-latency connection that contributes to allowing operations that are either hazardous or remote areas to be safe and efficient.
• Pervasive Sensor Networks: With the support of 5G, an area of one square kilometer can have a million devices connected, hence, density of device deployments is possible for predictive maintenance, quality control, environmental monitoring, and energy optimization.

The deployment of these apps does not only lead to the production and operational efficiency being increased but they also work towards the accomplishment of the opposite effect, i.e., improved safety, decreased downtimes, etc.

Enhancing Coverage and Mobility for Large Campuses

The complex physical environments of enterprises, for example, ports, airports, hospitals, universities, and mining sites, are still having a problem where the main issue is how to get high-quality and consistent connection across the vast interior and outdoor spaces.

In most cases, the traditional Wi-Fi systems cannot be relied on to maintain a connection over long distances or in areas where there is a lot of movement. Private 5G and Private Cellular Networks (PCN) offer a solution to these limitations by offering uninterrupted coverage, greater mobility, and continuous performance. They also provide very fast handovers, which means that movable assets, like vehicles, equipment, or people, can stay connected while moving around the facility.

Key examples include:

• Ports and Airports: Private 5G delivers uninterrupted connectivity for trucks, drones, and logistical systems operating in vast, dynamic areas, thereby enhancing coordination, safety, and throughput.
• Hospitals and Campuses: 5G/PCN can merge indoor and outdoor connectivity to support secure telemedicine, real-time asset tracking, and high-definition video streaming for diagnosis, training, and collaboration.
• Mining Sites and Energy Fields: 5G technology guarantees that mobile devices and sensors function well even in inaccessible or extreme environments lacking a public network.

Keeping the uniformity of the coverage and the fast, smooth handoffs is of great importance for mobile assets and employees who need to be continuously connected for their job to be done in a safe and efficient way. This combined network fabric increases the efficiency of the operation, safety, and the overall user experience in large, mission-critical environments.

Technical and Operational Integration Challenges

Convergence with Existing Enterprise Network Infrastructure

The incorporation of a private cellular network into an enterprise IT infrastructure is quite a tough task. In contrast to Wi-Fi that simply connects to an organisation’s IP-based network, thus forming a direct connection, 5G networks come with their own cellular core, which is a very intricate system for handling authentication, routing, and mobility.

This results in multiple hurdles that are difficult to overcome in the integration process.

• Network Convergence: The incorporation of a 5G core will be mandatory for the companies; thus, the installation of some specific gateways to interconnect the different IP addressing schemes and routing regulations is often required.
• Policy Integration: For uniform control and visibility, mobile traffic has to be incorporated into the security and network policy frameworks of the company which are present.
• Operational Complexity: Due to the fact that the IT and OT (Operational Technology) sectors have usually functioned separately, interdepartmental cooperation is at times necessary for the management.

To be successful, businesses need to put money into planning and the development of multifunctional skills. Some companies rely on managed service providers or system integrators to ensure a seamless integration and centralised control of the two types of networks.

Spectrum Management and Regulatory Hurdles

Private networks that utilise the 5G technology mostly depend on the exclusive frequency bands to get the top-notch performance. Yet, the process of getting and even regulating the spectrum licences is terribly complicated because it is very different in every place. Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) licences in the US or the local ones in other places require great engagement between the parties to prevent interference and make sure that the rules are being followed. Businesses have to invest money and people for activities like monitoring the use of the spectrum, renewing the licences, and changing the settings according to the current regulatory policies. All these tasks related to the spectrum raise the operational costs, but they are very important to the performance of the private network being consistent.

Security, Skills, and Management Overheads

Unifying Cellular Security with IT Security Policy

One of the major challenges of applying 5G to commercial situations is the need to align the security model with the IT infrastructure that is already in place. Cellular networks have always gone for SIM-based authentication, while companies have settled for Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions.

Organisations are required to have a unified approach to security.

• SIM-based credentials could be the reference point for your existing Zero Trust and microsegmentation architectures.
• You should extend your current identity governance and monitoring tools to include mobile endpoints.
• Develop uniform rules for traffic monitoring, encryption, and incident response that would cover both the cellular and IP domains.

Such integration makes it possible for all devices, including industrial sensors and autonomous vehicles, to comply with the company's security policies and to be monitored as part of the industry's general threat landscape.

The New Skills Gap and Management Complexity

Businesses' regular IT departments typically lack the specialised skills needed for rolling out and managing a private cellular network. To achieve this, one needs the knowledge of radio frequency (RF) engineering, cellular core operation, and network slicing.

In the absence of these skills, companies have several alternatives to choose from:

• Invest in training: The internal staff should be upskilled in cellular technology, which will be a long and costly process.
• It is necessary to hire specialised personnel: Try and bring in people who are experts in telecommunications to take care of the technology-related issues.
• Consider the option of managed services: select telecom carriers or system integrators whose offerings include integrated private 5G solutions that cover everything from installation to lifecycle management.

Managed service providers, although they can troubleshoot operation loads, at the same time, can create problems in terms of being dependent and incurring large costs. The companies need to consider control, flexibility and competency factors in their decision-making regarding operational models.

In the future, 5G/private cellular networks will be integrated into the present networks, which will lead to the dramatic enhancement of performance, security, and mobility for complex enterprise systems. Nowadays, with the help of private cellular technology, from the Industry 4.0 plants to large universities, a range of applications can be introduced which the conventional networks would not support. As a matter of fact, to experience the full power of these networks, substantial integration hurdles that include the need for network integration, spectrum management, and security alignment must be addressed, along with the development of the required skills for the specialists.

The Anticlockwise team delivers tailored consulting and support to the organisations that are facing the challenge of expert guidance for managing these difficulties and reaping the benefits of 5G/private cellular networks to the utmost.