Category: Blog

Hannover Messe is one of the largest industrial-focused trade shows in the world. Each year companies come from all over to see the latest trends in industrial manufacturing and learn more about state-of-the-art developments to help increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. One of this year’s major themes centered around solutions for connectivity and helping enterprises, regardless of their vertical segment, find the most efficient ways to achieve their digital transformation strategies and connect everything to their networks, from mission-critical machinery on the manufacturing floor to autonomous guided vehicles (AVGs) of all sizes operating across a facility.  

The Alliance had the opportunity this year to participate in the “Industrial Wireless and 5G Arena,” an area dedicated to the discussion of wireless solutions for industrial use cases. Our booth welcomed visitors – conference attendees and exhibitors – interested in discussing their 5G private network needs. The Uni5G technology blueprints were hailed as a significant benefit for the industry, and we are excited to continue to share this resource.

Presentations on the Industrial Wireless & 5G Conference Stage shed light on the incredible number of organizations and enterprises working to address the wide range of use cases and meet the unique industrial communication needs through the deployment of 5G private networks. We were excited to present on two separate occasions – click the link below to watch each presentation.  

Click the Above Images to View the Presentations

Overall, Hannover Messe was a success, allowing the Alliance the chance to meet with decision makers seeking solutions to their digital transformation and private network needs. It was wonderful to see the interest in the tools we offer – from the Uni5G technology blueprints or MulteFire specification, to the interactive regional spectrum map to help enterprises understand what is available in their area.

Whether online, or in person at events like Hannover Messe, the Alliance continues to work with our member companies to help you to implement your 5G private network device. Learn more about the Uni5G technology blueprints and discover how they can help with your deployment.

We enjoyed a successful return to Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona earlier this year, a show that attracts more than 88,500 attendees from 202 countries and territories. The event theme for 2023 – “Velocity” – highlighted the roll of 5G in enterprises, AI advancements and benefits, the ever expanding digital divide, and the explosion in network traffic driving the need for increased capacity at the edge of the network.

Enterprises are turning more and more to private LTE and 5G networks to meet the connectivity requirements of mission-critical devices and applications. During our time there, we met with interested attendees, potential new members, and press and analysts seeking to better understanding the benefits of private wireless networks for enterprises and industrial environments. The meetings resulted in some compelling conversations where we uncovered new challenges to tackle and identified new potential partnership opportunities with like-minded organizations.

The Alliance for private networks President Mazen Chmaytelli and Board Chair Stephan Litjens also met with RCR Wireless to discuss how enterprises can simplify their own 3GPP-based private network deployments using Uni5G™ technology blueprints and learn how we are tracking and sharing available spectrum options. You can view the full interviews below.

Are you interested to learn more about our resources and tools? Review our private network resources below.

• Uni5G technology blueprints outline essential features allowing enterprises to rapidly and seamlessly deploy their own 5G private network – ensuring that coverage, reliability, density, and latency requirements are being met.
• PLMN-ID provides uniquely identified private network access – guaranteeing secure systems for enterprises.
• A publicly available private network tracker and interactive spectrum map to monitor the rapid deployment of networks and identify available spectrum opportunities by country and/or region.

Each year, Hannover Messe plays host to some incredible examples of technological innovation. Next week, the show’s focus is set on the challenges facing the technology industry amid energy and supply chain issues; and will undoubtedly offer some creative solutions.

The Alliance is committed to addressing these and other industry challenges through the deployment of private networks in any available spectrum, globally. We provides resources that simplify the path to deployment with tools based on 3GPP 5G standards including the Uni5G™ technology blueprints, global PLMN-ID access, and a comprehensive spectrum availability tracker.

Visit our booth in Hall 014, stand H06-15 to explore use cases and learn how the Alliance is enabling industry verticals to efficiently deploy their own optimized, reliable, and secure 5G private network in locally licensed, shared, and unlicensed spectrum.

If you are curious about, or are already planning to implement, a private network for your location, attend our presentation “How to Deploy a 5G Private Network to Accelerate Your Facility’s Digital Transformation” taking place on the Industrial Wireless Arena + 5G Networks & Applications stage in Hall 14. MFA’s private network experts will be presenting on two days for your convenience, so be sure to add one to your calendar now!

• Monday, April 17 from 5:00 – 5:20 pm CEDT
• Wednesday, April 19 from 9:35 – 9:55 am CEDT

For the latest on our Hannover Messe activities, be sure to follow us on Twitter @MFA_Technology. If you would like to meet with our representatives to learn more about potential use case scenarios as well as the benefits of private network deployment from a 3GPP Market Representation Partner, schedule a meeting here.

The Alliance for Private Networks, continues to champion the global industry adoption of private networks in any available spectrum, from developing Uni5G™ technology blueprints for 5G private network devices and making them available to creating the Private Network Identifier Program. Most recently, the Alliance secured its own Public Land Mobile Network ID (PLMN-ID) as another way we can help enterprises successfully plan and deploy their own 5G private network in locally licensed spectrum.

What is a PLMN-ID?

PLMN-IDs are used to identify many wireless networks, and they have been an integral way of managing how mobile devices connect to the correct network. The network broadcasts its PLMN-ID, and devices look for networks broadcasting a known PLMN-ID. In 3GPP networks (LTE and 5G NR) PLMN-IDs are incorporated into the identifiers of many network components to ensure those identifiers are globally unique. Each network carrier is assigned its own globally unique PLMN-ID to identify its network, manage subscribers, and prevent network confusion or “collisions.”.

Assignment of PLMN-IDs is overseen by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). There is a limited number of PLMN-IDs available, so getting one can be difficult. Applicants are typically public network operators who already have their own regional spectrum license —something that is uncommon for the average private network operator. These applicants typically apply for a country-specific PLMN-ID that is assigned by their local governing authority and limits the applicability of the PLMN-ID in the specific country. Globally usable PLMN-IDs, however, are assigned directly by the ITU to global operators and satellite operators. There are even fewer global PLMN-IDs available, and acquiring one is a long, difficult process that can often take multiple years for private industries to acquire.

The MFA PLMN-ID

The Alliance understands that getting a PLMN-ID can be difficult, if not impossible, for private LTE and 5G networks. We have solved that problem for you by working with the ITU to secure our own shared PLMN-ID. To help simplify your network deployment, we are making this PLMN-ID available for public use to any industry vertical deploying its own private network.

Our Certification Authority, Ed Pichon, recently conducted a webinar and shared detailed information about the PLMN-ID and how companies can benefit. Watch the webinar to learn more about why PLMN identifiers are important, how and what identifiers are managed by the Alliance, and how to obtain identifiers from the Alliance.

Industry 4.0 is best served by private 5G networks – particularly for demanding applications within the manufacturing and process industries. Plug-and-play 5G connectivity makes it possible to efficiently support the wide range of wireless communication applications needed in smart manufacturing including real-time applications, preventive maintenance and remote operations. With private 5G networks, enterprises can enjoy optimized, reliable, and secure wireless connectivity with on-premises data management for increased flexibility and efficiency.

With this in mind, the Alliance is excited to share that we have established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 5G-ACIA, the global leading organization for driving and shaping Industrial 5G. Our joint efforts will help advance the adoption of 5G private networks in manufacturing and process industries, encouraging more companies to take advantage of the spectrum options available around the world.

Officially, the MoU establishes an open communication channel for exchanging information between the two organizations for the development of joint industry white papers, market research efforts, and collective event participation. More importantly, we are confident that this MoU will amplify the efforts of both organizations, our members, and the global ecosystem as well, to facilitate 5G private network deployments so that enterprises experience the benefits of a dedicated, optimized and secure network now.

The leadership of both organizations shared their thoughts regarding the impact of this MoU:

Mazen Chmaytelli, President

“The Alliance for Private Networks welcomes the opportunity to partner with 5G-ACIA to jointly advance the global 5G private network adoption in manufacturing and process industries. With this partnership we can combine resources in targeted efforts to accelerate 5G private network adoption for industrial applications.”

Dr. Andreas Mueller, 5G-ACIA Chair

“Private networks play a crucial role for the adoption of 5G in the industrial domain due to special performance, security and business requirements. Therefore, 5G-ACIA has played a pivotal role in the development of private mobile networks ever since. We are very excited to join forces with MFA in order to lay the foundation for a more widespread adoption of private networks in the manufacturing and process industries in future.”

Read the full press release and look for updates on joint activities of both organizations in the days ahead. In the meantime, be sure to follow MFA on Twitter and LinkedIn and 5G-ACIA on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The Alliance for private networks is providing a new resource center for enterprises seeking information on how to simplify deployment of their own private network that meets 3GPP standards. These free tools include technology blueprints for 5G private network deployment, an interactive map displaying available spectrum options, state of private network tracker to give a pulse on industry adoption, our monthly newsletter, and the network identifier program. Continue reading for a closer look!

Uni5G – The Uni5G technology blueprints leverage 3GPP 5G standards to define profiling and classification requirements, enabling enterprises to deploy their own optimized, reliable, and secure 5G private network. The blueprints provide recommended key functionalities for coverage, reliability, connection density, and latency. Enterprises can then share the blueprints with equipment manufacturers to facilitate their automation goals in locally licensed, shared, and unlicensed spectrum. Download the blueprints here.

Interactive spectrum map – We developed an interactive spectrum map that allows enterprises to identify the available spectrum for their individual country and/or region. The map will be regularly updated and is hosted on the website for easy reference. Be sure to bookmark the page for the latest availability in your area.

State of private network tracker – In partnership with industry analyst firm Mobile Experts, our state of private network tracker sheds light on the number of deployments and the state of private networks across a variety of industry verticals and regions where they are gaining ground. The Alliance is committed to monitoring this information and sharing it with anyone interested in learning more about the private network opportunity. For more, download the Private Network Market Update report.

Insights – Private Networks Report newsletter – Our recently launched newsletter provides enterprises with regular updates on advancements in private network deployment, industrial use cases, and information to help you connect with the resources and tools – including white papers, case studies, and specification updates – the Alliance provides. Subscribe today at www.mfa-tech.org/newsletter.

Network Identifier Program – This program enables enterprises who deploy private networks anywhere in the world to get their own unique network identifier (PLMN-ID). The unique network identifier is critical to authenticate devices connected to a private cellular network, ensuring increased reliability and security.

Look for more from the Alliance in future blogs.

As you may have noticed from our refreshed website, The Alliance for Private Networks has had a pivotal year. The Alliance was excited to participate in industry events and share updates that are already having an impact on enterprises around the globe.

To promote the launch of our new resource center for enterprises seeking to deploy their own 5G private networks, The Alliance for Private NEtworks President Mazen Chmaytelli was invited to present at the September 5G-ACIA (5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation) plenary meeting. During his presentation, Mazen introduced the Uni5G™ technology blueprints and our other recently-launched private network resources to attending 5G-ACIA members. We were also pleased to sponsor the 5G-ACIA Industry Day and are identifying further opportunities for collaboration.

The following week, the Alliance was proud to sponsor and exhibit at Hannover Messe USA – one of the largest gatherings of industrial manufacturing in North America, attracting visitors looking to discover technologies and services for Industry 4.0. Starting the show off, we sponsored the Solutions Theater on Monday, sharing the exciting developments in private networks for Industry 4.0, manufacturing solutions, and trends. The Alliance for Private Networks President Mazen Chmaytelli and Technical Specification Group Chair Asimakis Kokkos both provided presentations to the gathering and shared the benefits of private networks for manufacturing facilities. They also discussed the ways enterprises can leverage our tools to ensure that their private network is able to meet their unique requirements for coverage, reliability, connection density, security, and latency.

Earlier this month, we also had the unique opportunity to exhibit at GITEX Global in the Dubai World Trade Centre. Our representatives were on-site to share the benefits of private networks and promote how the Uni5G technology blueprints, Network Identifier Program, and MulteFire technology can simplify private network deployments for enterprises across industry verticals in the Middle East region.

Interested in meeting our representatives? We will be attending the following upcoming event:

5G Manufacturing Forum – November 1, Virtual Event
The Alliance for Private Networks is a proud sponsor of the upcoming “5G Manufacturing Forum” Digital Forum. Registration for the free event provides attendees an opportunity to learn how they can leverage 5G connectivity for smart manufacturing. Technical Specification Group Chair Asimakis Kokkos will present in the “Designing a future-proofed industrial 5G network” panel session. Stay tuned for time and registration specifics!

By Asimakis Kokkos, Technical Specification Group Chair

The Alliance is proud to announce the completion of our first set of Uni5G™ technology blueprints based on 3GPP Release 15. These blueprints were developed to help industry verticals deploy their own 5G private networks that are designed specifically to meet their requirements for coverage, reliability, connection density, and latency.

We started this project over a year ago when we partnered with Beecham Research to interview industries operating around the world in a variety of sectors to assess their connectivity requirements. Based on their responses, we were able to identify four attributes that were required beyond baseline enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB).

Identify 3GPP Features
The second step was to identify the exact 3GPP features in Release 15 that industry verticals should implement to achieve coverage, reliability, connection density and low latency for their deployment scenario. 3GPP Release 15 has hundreds of features to choose from so this can be an overwhelming task for industry verticals that are not telecom experts. After extensive review, we narrowed down the options to 10 feature categories – with each category including between one and nine features with a total of 35 features.

Mapping Feature Categories to 3GPP Features
The next step was the mapping. We looked at each feature category and mapped the 3GPP features required to support each industry attribute.

What we found in our mapping is that the features that support coverage also improve reliability. And the features that support connection density also reduce latency. So, if an industry vertical wants to ensure that their network deployment will support their connection density requirements, they will also gain the advantage of lower latency.

The mapping resulted in three Uni5G blueprint families.

• Uni5G technology blueprint 15.1 which supports reliability and coverage requirements.
• Uni5G technology blueprint 15.2 which supports latency and density requirements.
• Uni5G technology blueprint 15.3 which supports all requirements.

Within each blueprint family, we also identified a “basic” version and an “extended” version. Each extended version implements a few additional features. This provides industry verticals with the option to purchase and deploy either a basic or high-end device that will work best for them. For example, a port operator can take the Uni5G technology blueprint to their vendor of choice and let them know which features their devices need to implement.

By combing through the hundreds of 3GPP features and identifying just the features needed for private network deployments by industry verticals, MFA is taking the guess work out of the process. With Uni5G technology blueprints, the Alliance is realizing its mission to provide a simplified path to 5G private networks.

Download the Uni5G technology blueprints here.