GSA records 6% sequential increase in private mobile networks in Q2

The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) said that the number of organisations deploying at least one private mobile network had risen 6 percent sequentially in the second quarter. An estimated 1,212 organisations had access to private mobile networks in the second quarter, up from 1,148 in January to March and 889 this time last year.

The GSA also revealed that LTE still accounted for a majority of private mobile deployments, with 4G servicing 899 catalogued customers and 5G serving 537 customers. 

The figures were published in the latest filing of GSA’s Private Mobile Networks – Mobile Status Update. GSA’s summary highlights show how LTE and 5G private network usage is diverging across territories and industry verticals, with healthcare said to be a prime destination for 5G private networks, while LTE still dominates mining and oil and gas. 

GSA also reported a “positive correlation” between countries with dedicated spectrum and the prevalence of private mobile networks in its research data. Germany was said to be among the biggest private 5G adopters, while Latin American countries are witnessing buoyant private LTE demand. Telecom regulators increasingly are signalling that they plan to increase allocations of private mobile network spectrum capacity, GSA said, with some regulators also opting to take direct bids from potential private network customers, rather than insisting on wholesale bids from service providers.

Aside from the figures on private network adoption, GSA also announced that it has expanded mobile supplier trade representation to its Private Mobile Networks Special Interest Group. Industrial 5G networking alliance 5G-ACIA and US CBRS consortium OnGo Alliance are among the stakeholders that have joined GSA’s private networks group recently.