Despite claiming that almost 37% of the customers it tracked were using 5G, the GSA research observed that LTE is still the preferred technology for private mobile network deployments globally.

Additionally, the group has located more than 70 telecom network operators working on Private Mobile Network initiatives.

The new report reveals that many different industry players are actively involved in creating and providing solutions for Private Mobile Networks. The manufacturing sector seems to be the largest adopter among the 794 businesses that are known to be deploying LTE or 5G Private Mobile Networks, with 140 identified enterprises engaging in known pilots or deployments, up from 111 at the end of 2021. With 80 customer installations, the education sector is the second-most frequent group, followed by mining (69) and power utility companies (68).

According to the GSA study, there are 71 discrete manufacturing customer deployments and 42 process manufacturing deployments, with an additional 27 to be confirmed. Of the subcategories, automotive has the most customer deployments, followed by electrical equipment, appliances and components, and then computer, electronic and optical products.

Furthermore, GSA pointed out that global-scale cloud providers are offering private mobile network solutions, sometimes in partnership with mobile operators or network suppliers.

“A large number and a wide range of organizations are heavily engaged in developing and delivering solutions for Private Mobile Networks,” said Joe Barrett, president of the Global mobile Suppliers Association. “Organizations of all types, whether they are in the manufacturing, education or automotive sector are investing and deploying networks that will drive automation and productivity. Through LTE and increasingly 5G, organizations are betting on Private Networks and what they can deliver.”

“The Private Mobile Networks market is a substantial ecosystem where organizations are collaborating with vendors to make Private Networks a reality. Currently we are tracking over 50 equipment vendors that have been involved in the supply of equipment for Private Mobile Networks based on LTE or 5G,” he continued. “With this ecosystem now in place, with so many opportunities, and so many regulators planning initiatives to make spectrum available for LTE and 5G private usage, we expect significant market developments over the next couple of years,” Barrett concluded.

The GSA defines a Private Mobile Network as a 3GPP-based 4G/LT-5G private mobile network that is not made available to the general public and uses 3GPP-defined spectrum for the exclusive use of private entities such as businesses, industries, or governments.