The section on 5G private networks focuses on the EU countries that are deploying commercial private 5G networks. Private networks are best defined as those networks that are not typically utilised by consumers (for mobile voice and data services) but use network elements and resources to provide dedicated secure services to private enterprises such as factories, plants, large campuses, ports and airports. The architecture models can vary from completely private networks (all network elements owned and operated by the enterprise), through to a hybrid approach whereby a managed service provider or public operators provide access to their network infrastructure assets and/or spectrum. The diagram below has been extracted from the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) which shows the different private cellular network architecture options that can be implemented in non-public network scenarios (primarily aimed at industrial networks).

The roll out of private 5G networks is still in a relatively early growth phase that will be an important contributor to the continued productivity of Member States and adoption of new technologies for enterprises that will support the ongoing development of the 5G ecosystem.

There is particular interest by the Commission on which spectrum bands are used across different Member States for the deployment of private networks, noting that currently a limited set of frequencies are being used in some Member States. Notably, the decision by the regulator in Germany to allocate a dedicated 100 MHz portion in the 3.7 -3.8 GHz range for use by verticals enabling so-called 5G campus networks.

An update of the status and progress of private 5G network deployments is given for each Member State using the following structure:

• Identifies each private network per country based on published information
• Identifies which companies are deploying private networks including operators andvendors involved
• Identifies the sectors in which private 5G networks are being deployed
• The spectrum band being used where information is available.