MFA said it provides resources and tools through various channels for industry verticals to simplify their path to secure private networks
MFA, formerly the MultiFire Alliance and now a private networking alliance, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) to support adoption of 5G private wireless networks in manufacturing and process industries.
The MoU relationship established a “closer channel for exchanging views and information through the development of joint industry white papers, market research efforts, collaborative event participation and in-person opportunities for ecosystem engagement,” according to a release.
MFA said it provides resources and tools for industry verticals to simplify their path to secure private networks in locally licensed, shared and unlicensed spectrum, including technology blueprints and its MFA Network Identifier Program.
5G-ACIA, meanwhile, focuses on the applicability of 5G for connected industries, particularly the manufacturing and process industries.
“MFA 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,” said MFA president Mazen Chmaytelli.
“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,” said Andreas Mueller, chair of 5G-ACIA.
In September 2022, MFA announced the launch of a new resource center on its website for enterprises to gain access to tools to aid their 3GPP-based private network deployments and to highlight private networks globally.
As part of its private networks resource center, MFA launched a private network tracker in partnership with industry analyst firm Mobile Experts. The tracker provides insight into the state of private networks across various industry verticals and enterprises as well as regions where private networks are gaining ground.
MFA has also made its Uni5G Technology Blueprints publicly available for any enterprise to download. The blueprints leverage 3GPP 5G standards to define profiling and classification requirements for private networks. Enterprises can use the blueprints as a tool with their vendor of choice to let them know which select features their devices need to implement. The initial set of blueprints is based on 3GPP Release 15, and the next set of blueprints based on Release 16 and beyond are under development.
