Private 5G: The Future of Industrial Wireless

High-performance wireless communication is crucial to the digital transformation of industrial systems, which is driven by Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet initiatives. Among the candidate industrial wireless technologies, 5G (cellular/mobile) holds significant potential. The operation of private (nonpublic) 5G networks in industrial environments is promising to fully unleash this potential. This article provides a technical overview of private 5G networks. It introduces the concept and functional architecture of private 5G while highlighting key benefits and industrial use cases. It explores spectrum opportunities for private 5G networks and discusses design aspects of private 5G along with key challenges. Finally, it examines the emerging standardization and open innovation ecosystem for private 5G.