Over the past decade, private 5G networks have been promoted as a key enabler of industrial automation, connected vehicles, IoT deployments, and mission-critical communications. In demanding Operational Technology (OT), i.e. production networks, and IoT environments, the technology provides better coverage, mobility, and control than traditional WiFi solutions. Despite this, many organizations still perceive private 5G networks as difficult to understand, use, and further develop.
Most private 5G solutions available are either delivered by large telecom operators, manufacturers of telecom equipment/network equipment, or as managed solutions from specialist companies. For many customers, these models work well, but for a growing number of organizations, a third option is becoming increasingly interesting: owning and developing their own 5G platform. This article is about “Do-It-Yourself-5G” (“DIY-5G”).
Two established models for private 5G
When an organization is implementing a private 5G network in its production environment, the market is today dominated by two main approaches.
The first is to purchase an end-to-end private 5G solution from an operator or a major telecom vendor. These solutions are often robust, well-tested, and based on the same technology used in public mobile networks. The downside is that the customer, to varying degrees, becomes dependent on the provider’s architecture, roadmap, and support organization, which may not have experience working closely with customers’ operations and IT organizations (key to succeed with private 5G installations).
The second option is to go for managed or productized solutions from smaller players. These are often easier to get started with and better adapted to traditional IT environments. At the same time, new dependencies arise on specific products, vendors, or specialist expertise.
For organizations with high demands for control, integration, and long-term autonomy, both options can feel limiting.
What does ‘Do-It-Yourself 5G’ mean?
The central part of a private mobile network is the so-called core network. This is where authentication, mobility, segmentation, integrations, routing, and many of the network’s security functions are handled. The organization that controls the core network also controls the network’s functionality, integrations, security and development cycle.
DIY-5G is about the organization itself owning and operating this central platform, often based on open-source software. Projects such as Magma and free5GC have in recent years significantly lowered the barrier to building private mobile networks without being dependent on proprietary platforms.
The goal is not to build a mobile network from scratch. The goal is to take control and gain capabilities by creating your own 5G platform that can be integrated with the organization’s identity solutions, security tools, monitoring systems, and business processes, similar to how many large organizations already build their own cloud and platform services.
Why is this becoming possible right now?
The possibility of independently building and owning your own 5G platform is enabled by a number of different developments that are converging.
Available spectrum
Regulators in many countries have begun releasing industrial spectrum that can be accessed through application processes that are free or nearly free. This involves between 80–400 MHz of available spectrum, primarily in Europe, the USA, and certain countries in Asia. This allows a factory, port, mine, or production facility to gain access to spectrum to build their own 5G networks.
More mature open source
Ten years ago, building a private mobile network required significant investment. Today, there are several mature open source projects that handle core parts of 5G functionality. This means organizations can focus on integration, operations, and adapting the system to their business needs rather than developing core telecom functions themselves.
AI-assisted development
The development of surrounding tools for things such as administration, monitoring, integrations, and automation can increasingly be accelerated with the help of AI assistants. This reduces the need for large development teams and makes it easier to adapt the platform to the needs of the organization.
Increased demands for security and autonomy
For the defense sector, critical infrastructure, healthcare, and certain industrial companies, issues of control, transparency, and supplier dependencies are becoming increasingly important. The ability to independently review code, control development, own the roadmap, and maintain control over integrations often outweighs the convenience of a ready-made solution.
Which organizations is the DIY-5G model suitable for?
DIY-5G is not a solution for everyone. Smaller companies often lack both the need and the resources to operate their own private mobile network platform. For them, ready-made or managed solutions are usually more cost-effective. Organizations that want to include traditional telephony services with macro network roaming in their private network and be able to move their mobile devices or vehicles between operator networks and private networks are probably better off exploring the operator-based approach.
The DIY-5G model is better suited for organizations that already have strong internal IT or platform expertise and that see network infrastructure as a strategic asset. Examples include large industrial groups, the armed forces, or operations with special requirements for security, integration, and local control.
Specialist knowledge in mobile networks is still required, but the need is significantly lower than many people assume. A small number of people with deep 5G expertise can often be complemented by existing platform and development teams and quickly build their own 5G platform track.
Do-It-Yourself 5G: A new market segment
Private 5G networks will continue to be largely delivered by operators and established vendors in the future. For many organizations, this is still the most rational choice.
At the same time, a new segment is emerging between the traditional options. This includes organizations that want to treat the mobile network like any other strategic platform: something they understand, integrate, develop, and manage themselves.
Perhaps the most interesting question is not how many organizations will adopt DIY-5G in the coming years, but how many will discover that they have already built and become their own telecom operator before anyone had the chance to stop them.