Since it began in the 1970s, wireless has historically been an ever-growing, always-changing and important sector of the telecommunications industry. In recent years, we have seen it expand to new sectors like FWA with wireless broadband and to Private Wireless. Now the Private Shared Wireless Network is upon us. Let us explore this sector and see how it will impact every one of us, every business and every government.
Private Wireless is when companies install their own private wireless network rather than using public wireless. This is becoming an attractive idea and seems to be catching on in the marketplace with enterprise customers, governments and more.
This next version is called the Private Shared Wireless Network. The key word is “shared”.
AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular, C-Spire and others can offer private wireless
While industry insiders know more, many times, upper management of enterprise customers do not yet understand this potential asset. They don’t know the segment they prefer.
Many ask me for a crash course in private wireless, private shared wireless and the different aspects of it all.
Public wireless from national carriers like AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, US Cellular, C-Spire and others, have various strengths and weaknesses. These services are used by individuals and the enterprise.
Public wireless has several drawbacks for corporate use
Some weaknesses of public wireless can include reach, speed, signal strength, capacity, privacy, security and more.
These weak areas are the fuel which is igniting interest in the growth of private wireless networks. In a sense, private wireless can be thought of the same way companies install and use private data networks.
I think the idea of private wireless is sound. I also think we are just in the early stages of developing this new sector.
Private shared wireless for enterprise, government and public use
There are many different versions of this technology. Let’s take a closer look.
On one end of the spectrum are public wireless networks like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon who are starting to offer private wireless services to business customers.
They use their public network, but they use parts of it to give business customers more control and security.
Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Celona, NTT, Qualcomm, Cradlepoint and more
On the other end of the spectrum, wireless and telecom network builders can build out a separate and private wireless network for the enterprise.
There are a growing number of companies of different sizes in this space. A few of them include Ericsson, Nokia, Qualcomm, Huawei, Celona, HPE, Juniper Networks, Samsung, Kyndryl, NTT, Microsoft, Airspan, Cisco, Metaswitch, Federated Wireless, Kajeet, Cradlepoint and a growing number of new competitors.
Today, small companies often have the breakthrough ideas with new technology, but not the brand name or cash reserves. On the other hand, larger companies have the brand name and the cash but need breakthrough ideas in this new sector.
That’s why I believe we are starting to see the next chapter in this story. M&A is beginning like the recent HPE acquiring Juniper Networks. HPE needs Juniper Networks, and Juniper Networks needs HPE.
Shared Private Wireless Network services have begun
Now, a new sector in this story of something called Shared Private Wireless Network and services. Sometimes different enterprise customers get together and build a shared network. This helps them spread the cost among multiple companies. Sometimes, a shared network can be built by a number of vendors in the space. Sometimes, it’s sold to companies the same way public wireless networks or data networks are.
As you can see, private wireless is a solid idea from which other new ideas can sprout. There are many different versions of this technology.
Just like we have seen private shared wireless network pop up, moving forward I expect to see other versions of this new technology to emerge as well.
Is private wireless long-run or will it be replaced?
An interesting question I see being debated is this. Is private-wireless a real, long-term sector or will it go away when the next wireless growth sector is started?
We saw AT&T and Verizon take a wrong turn by acquiring WarnerMedia, CNN, Warner Brothers Studio, AOL and Yahoo. Now they are back to focusing on wireless, broadband, data networks and telecom services.
Perhaps the answer is as simple as profitability. If it is profitable, it will continue.
There is a lesson here for expansion every CEO needs to be aware of.
Which private wireless will be long-term winner?
Personally, I believe private wireless, in all its forms is a real, long-term play. Even if the next growth wave is begun in another area of wireless like FWA and wireless broadband for example, I do see private wireless continuing.
Which version of private wireless is the question: Will it be buying private wireless services from public networks, or will it be building your own private wireless network, or will it be a shared private wireless network?
At this point it is too early to tell. That being said, I see private wireless having long legs in the always changing wireless industry. This is a real, potential growth sector in its early days today.
But the marketplace will make up its own mind.