SNS Telecom & IT‘s latest research report indicates that the private 5G and LTE network market – estimated to be worth $7.2 billion by the end of 2028 – continues to shine as 5G deployments overtake LTE across many vertical industries. This steady, strong growth stands in contrast to the tepid pace of infrastructure spending in the much larger but relatively stagnant public mobile network market, where standalone 5G core investments are growing but RAN (Radio Access Network) sales remain flat following a sharp decline last year.
Against this backdrop, the real-world impact of private networks – spanning both facility/campus-based and wide area deployments – is clearly visible across a diverse range of customers, from manufacturers, port operators, and airlines to sports clubs and public sector organisations. Among many other impactful examples, Tesla, LG Electronics and Hyundai have eliminated connection-related AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) stoppages at their production facilities; Peel Ports Group has experienced a tenfold increase in network performance at the Port of Liverpool’s metal-heavy environment, which previously hindered Wi-Fi connectivity; Lufthansa has achieved a 75% improvement in operational process speed at its LAX cargo facility; partially sighted fans are able to experience football matches in exceptional detail using private 5G-connected headsets at Crystal Palace Football Club‘s Selhurst Park stadium; and police forces in Ontario’s Peel-Halton Region have had uninterrupted in-vehicle data access – especially during outages affecting public mobile operator services – since adopting their independent public safety broadband network, which has recently undergone a 5G core upgrade.
While these practical and tangible benefits are already compelling, another sign of the market’s positive momentum is how customers are increasingly incorporating private 5G networks as a key component of their new facilities. A recent case in point is GDC’s (Georgia Department of Corrections) new state prison project, which also involves the implementation of a secure and physically isolated private 5G network using Band n48 (3.5 GHz) CBRS spectrum to provide indoor and outdoor coverage at a greenfield prison campus with 13 buildings covering 800,000 square feet across 200 acres. Examples of other facilities where private 5G networks have been or are being deployed from the outset include Hitachi Rail‘s Hagerstown factory, Hyundai Motor‘s HMGMA electrified vehicle plant, Los Angeles Chargers’ El Segundo training facility, Formula 1‘s Las Vegas complex, Cleveland Clinic’s Mentor Hospital, CHI‘s (Children’s Health Ireland) New Children’s Hospital, Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour, NEC’s Kakegawa plant; Pegatron’s Batam smart factory, PATTA‘s low-carbon Renwu factory and Jacto‘s Paulópolis production facility.
SNS Telecom & IT’s “Private LTE & 5G Network Ecosystem: 2025 – 2030” report projects that global spending on private 5G and LTE network infrastructure for vertical industries will grow at a CAGR of approximately 22% between 2025 and 2028, eventually exceeding $7.2 billion by the end of 2028. More than 70% of these investments – an estimated $5.1 billion – will be directed towards the buildout of standalone private 5G networks, which are well-positioned to become the predominant wireless connectivity medium for Industry 4.0 applications in manufacturing and process industries, as well as critical communications over mission-critical broadband networks for sectors such as public safety, defence, utilities and transportation. This unprecedented level of growth is likely to transform the private RAN, mobile core, and transport network segments into an almost parallel equipment ecosystem to public mobile operator infrastructure in terms of market size by the late 2020s. By 2030, private networks could account for as much as a fourth of all mobile network infrastructure spending. For more information, please visit: https://www.snstelecom.com/private-lte
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