Lessons from deploying private 5G networks in practice

Co-written by:
Jagadeesh Dantuluri, GM, Network Wireless Solutions and Private Networks, Keysight Technologies – Connect with Jagadeesh on LinkedIn
Edouard Karam, Senior Director, Product Strategy, Accedian – Connect with Ed on LinkedIn

Each iteration of wireless connectivity brings new opportunities, and 5G is no exception

One main advantage for the enterprise from 5G technology is the ability to sliver connectivity into a series of private networks.

These are early days in the rollout of enterprise 5G, with private 5G networks mostly used right now by transportation, smart warehouses, utilities, smart grids, port infrastructure, and mining operations. But, roughly 75 percent of manufacturers cite 5G as a part of their digital transformation strategy, according to a study by Capgemini, and manufacturers aren’t alone in this focus. The capability to roll out private 5G networks is part of that promise.

Colt, a UK-headquartered global digital infrastructure business, recently was one of the first to test the promise of end-to-end private 5G networks in real estate using a disaggregated architecture. Accedian and Keysight partnered with Colt, and a number of other vendors, on testing private 5G networking at one of Icade’s co-working office buildings in Paris.

The need for performance assurance and testing in private 5G

As businesses adopt 5G, ultra-reliable low latency and time-sensitive networking requirements for specific applications and IoT devices will increase. In this more demanding environment, it becomes critical to have the right testing and assurance in place to optimize configuration and performance of private 5G networks for timely deployment and reliable quality of service and experience.

Part of this is not only testing 5G private networks during rollout, but also continuously testing these networks once operational. As features like ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) and network slicing become reality in industry 4.0 applications, networks will consist of multiple services, each with unique performance requirements, and active testing will be the only effective way to ensure that a service is working end-to-end across all domains and end users.

The need for testing and quality assurance is why Accedian and Keysight were brought into the trial by Colt.

Key lessons learned from a private 5G network rollout

The experiment with end-to-end private 5G networks at Icade’s co-working office was an overall success, but there were key takeaways and challenges along the way. Specifically, there were five main lessons learned from the real-world experiment with private 5G networks.

1. Device integration and connectivity testing were challenges

The assumption was that all devices and visitors would connect easily to the new 5G network; however, this was not the case. The devices that are supposedly optimized for private 5G networks have connectivity challenges and do not provide a smooth transition between WiFi and 5G. There are also challenges that come because of frequency interference in performance-critical applications, such as smart manufacturing.

With 5G, there was the need to test more protocols and specific end-user quality of experience (QoE) situations such as audio/video quality and social media app protocols.

2. Quality ecosystem and partner relationships mattered significantly

Private 5G networks will frequently involve disaggregated architectures and consist of coordination among several partners – vendors, system integrators, and the like. This trial showed that each partner needs the right skillset, experience in deploying and managing cellular networks, and a strong collaborative mindset to work with other partners on end-to-end interoperability and efficiency.

This collaboration will prove vital for a smooth private 5G network rollout and its ongoing management.

3. Pre-deployment validation and testing were nonnegotiable

Although there was ultimate success in the testing of the co-working space’s private 5G network, the various hiccups during rollout reinforced the need for pre-deployment testing and final validation for devices, network coverage, power optimization, and end user applications.

In addition, active testing and continuous monitoring were important for ensuring that the network and applications worked as intended and that they delivered the expected QoE for end users.

4. Performance visibility was needed end-to-end by segment

The number of sub-components and multi-vendor systems that make up a private 5G solution required the ability to quickly identify and troubleshoot service issues across many sites along the chain.

Traditional domain-specific RAN, core element-centric assurance, and voice-centric monitoring are ineffective and costly. Testing needs to create a baseline for power optimization, IoT and energy consumption, and private network performance at each site. And it needs to include end-to-end application performance and a segment-by-segment view of the transport network and edge platforms.

Device connectivity assurance and end-to-end latency are very critical in private networks. Visibility into the status of the connectivity of every device and the average latency from each device to its application is very critical as well.

5. Remote provisioning capability is required for private 5G

The common shortage of mobile network expertise at a typical enterprise installation site necessitates the need for the capability to remotely monitor and troubleshoot issues around private 5G network deployments.

This remote monitoring and troubleshooting need to take place in real-time so issues with the network can be identified and dealt with before they impact the end-user quality of experience. Automated monitoring with continuous, granular active testing is therefore required to ensure always-on performance of both the private 5G network and the critical business applications that run on top of it.

Read more about the private 5G network deployment trial

Read about the outcomes of Colt’s private 5G network pilot at Icade and the methodologies used for testing and assurance in our white paper here.

You also can watch this on-demand webinar with speakers from Colt, Keysight and Accedian on BrightTalk.

Contributing Author:

Jagadeesh Dantuluri
GM, Network Wireless Solutions and Private Networks, Keysight Technologies

Jagadeesh Dantuluri is the GM for Network Wireless Solutions and Private Networks businesses at Keysight Technologies. 

Jagadeesh is also the Chairman of the WG2 (Ecosystem and Regulatory Framework) of the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA).  In his capacity as Chairman for WG2 at 5G-ACIA, Jagadeesh leads the development of a framework for the Certification, identify Spectrum needs, and nurtures the ecosystem to achieve 5G-ACIA objectives.

Jagadeesh Dantuluri has more than 25 years of experience in the Telecom and Mobile Wireless industry.   Before Keysight, Jagadeesh was Senior Director of Product Management at Spirent Communications leading their Wireless Network Emulation portfolio.

Before Spirent, Jagadeesh had various executive roles at a mobile startup Velocent Systems, Naperville, IL from its inception in 2005 to 2014 when it was acquired by Zettics.  These roles included Engineering, Product Management, and Marketing. Before Velocent, Jagadeesh had various Engineering roles at Tellabs, Naperville, IL.

Jagadeesh has an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, MS in Telecommunications from SMU, Dallas, and B.Tech in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from JNTU College of Engineering, India.