5G Non-Public Networks: Standardization, Architectures and Challenges

Fifth Generation (5G) is here to accelerate the digitization of economies and society, and open up innovation opportunities for verticals. A myriad of 5G-enabled use cases has been identified across disparate sectors like tourism, retail industry, and manufacturing. Many of the networks of these use cases are expected to be private networks, that is, networks intended for the exclusive use of an enterprise customer. This article provides an overview of the technical aspects in private 5G networks. We first identify the key requirements and enabling solutions for private 5G networks. Then, we review the latest 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 16 capabilities to support private 5G networks. Next, we provide architecture proposals for single site private networks, including the scenario in which the radio access network (RAN) is shared. Afterwards, we address mobility and multi-site private 5G network scenarios. Finally, we identify key challenges for private 5G networks.