Smarter Supply Chains

A PRIVATE CELLULAR
BUYERS’ GUIDE:THE ESSENTIALS OF BUILDINGA PRIVATE 5G OR LTE NETWORKHOW PORTS AND TRANSPORTATION HUBS LEVERAGE PRIVATE CELLULAR
NETWORKS FOR IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY, PERFORMANCE, AND SECURITY

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OVERVIEW
Our supply chain is increasingly
adopting modern technologies,
connected devices, and the datarich, highly actionable businessinsights they enable. Even thelargest and most challengingenvironments need the flexibilityof wireless connectivity to connect
those devices and leverage theirdata. But in some cases, existing
network technologies, including
Wi-Fi solutions, aren’t optimised toaddress this challenge because:• T he sheer size and scope of many
deployments demand long-range
coverage, and the number of WiFi access points needed to coverthat range isn’t feasible.
• Business-critical devices andhighly sensitive information callfor layers of security unavailable
within Wi-Fi networks alone.
• Applications such as live
streaming of HD video footage
require dedicated bandwidthand low latency.
• The broad scope of whatorganisations connect puts apremium on the ability to easily
monitor and control network
traffic flow, and Quality ofService (QoS).
When we consider everything
big and small that can now be
Internet-connected, the boundlesspotential of 5G adds expanded
opportunity to the long term visionof ports and shipping businesses.
With a private cellular network,
new efficiencies, operationalmodels, and business cases canbe built upon the underlying
premise that seamless, secure, andwww.porttechnology.org“IN SPRAWLING AREAS WHEREWIRELESS CONNECTIVITY IS CRITICAL,PRIVATE CELLULAR NETWORKS HAVEEMERGED AS AN OPTIMAL OPTION.”
frictionless connectivity can beassumed across all people (dockworkers, seafarers, passengers),
places (ports, warehouses), andthings (vehicles, ships, cranes,devices), at all times.
In sprawling areas where
wireless connectivity is critical,
private cellular networks haveemerged as an optimal option.
Private cellular networks, which
include both private LTE and private
5G deployments, are helping
organisations with locations that
require wireless connectivity but
are not well supported by current
wireless infrastructure.
Private networks play a uniquerole in wireless networking,providing benefits that range fromincreased coverage, capacity,and mobility, as well as enhanced
security and reliability.

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF
SECURE NETWORK COVERAGE IN
LARGE AREAS
Across cities, campuses, and otherfacilities, Wi-Fi is an excellent
tool for connecting a multitude ofdevices. However, for organisations
like ports that oversee operations
across vast, sprawling areas and/or rapidly changing spaces, Wi-Fi
alone can be challenging, if notuntenable. Private cellular networks
can help port operators address
challenges associated with relying
solely on Wi-Fi or public cellular.

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COSTS
Many large logistics hubs andindustrial sites like ports can now
deploy Internet of Things (IoT)
sensors and equipment capableof machine-to-machine (M2M)
communication, all of which requirereliable connectivity. Unfortunately,
laying fibre in the ground andinstalling a huge quantity of Wi-Fi
access points is exceptionallyexpensive. Outfitting just one largesite could cost millions of dollars forthe fibre alone.
The infrastructure needed fora private cellular network can beconsiderably less expensive thana widespread Wi-Fi deployment.
Whereas dozens of Wi-Fi accesspoints with extensive wired line
installation would be required
in a big area, a local area
network (LAN) based on cellularbroadband would call for justa few private cellular network
radios.
Keeping high-bandwidth content
on site with a private cellular
network and local servers canincrease data security and reduce
data plan costs. While public
service providers may charge per
device and per data usage, private
network owners can avoid thoserecurring fees.

PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY IN
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NETWORKS
Private cellular networks have
proven to be excellent wirelessnetworking options in both
backup (failover) and primaryroles, depending on the use case.
However, in certain scenarios,
public cellular doesn’t provide
the cost-efficient, unwaveringhigh performance needed to keepbusiness-critical applications
running smoothly around theclock.
For instance, many enterprises
operate sites that gather and passhuge amounts of data, including a
lot of information that is pushed tothe organisation’s data centre.
This traffic encountersincreased network latency and3 | EDITION 134

drives up data costs when carried
via a public LTE or 5G networkwith pay-per-bit pricing.
Organisations that rely on
Wi-Fi for connectivity may stillencounter performance limitations
when supporting the types ofhigh-bandwidth applications
that are becoming standardisedin most business operationalsituations, especially acrossvast areas. Examples include
automated guided vehicles (AGV)
and real-time video surveillancestreaming.
One significant cause of Wi-Fi
deficiency is when portable user
equipment such as a phone, tablet,
or IoT device clings to a Wi-Fi
connection even when it has no
actual coverage — a phenomenon
known as “sticky Wi-Fi” or “stickyclient.” Through the prioritisationand preemption orchestration
capabilities of a private cellularnetwork, the organisation controls
the connections between accesspoints (APs) and user equipment,
resulting in better coverage
flexibility and overall reliability.

SECURITYIn many cases, Wi-Fi security islimited to a username and password,
which may be acceptable for logging
in at a coffee shop but concerning
within the framework of a largeorganisation’s network. While
Wi-Fi 6 has made improvements,
the presence of sensitive data andcritical IoT devices underscores theneed for additional layers of security.
Altogether, these factors give private
cellular inherent security advantages
over other wireless infrastructuresand help protect an organisation’s
most critical information frommalicious attacks.
Private 5G and LTE deployments
include SIM/eSIM authenticationand edge devices, offering
additional layers of security throughencryption that Wi-Fi cannot provide.
Additionally, the network architectureof private 5G or private LTE usually
includes on-site servers, enablingorganisations to keep traffic between
IoT devices and corporate servers
on their internal network rather thanrouting it through the public network.

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HOW PRIVATE CELLULAR
NETWORKS WORK
Businesses and ports today are
increasingly becoming familiar
with the process of using cellularbased connectivity for wirelesswide area networks (WAN) —whether for primary links, failover,or augmentation. However, turning
LTE or 5G into wireless local area
networks (LAN) is uncharted
territory for many organisations.
Placing cellular access pointson-site allows companies to mimica standard public cellular network
while gaining control and visibilityof the devices and applications
on their network. This creates apurpose-built wireless networkthat provides the reliability, highperformance, security, and costefficiencies required to support
business-critical applications.
Private networks can be installedin various ways: by either a thirdparty network provider, a traditional

cellular operator, or the enterprisecustomer itself. The decision ofwhich operator or infrastructure
provider to use mostly hinges on
the spectrum of choice and thelevel of network management theenterprise is willing to undertake togain cost savings and control overits digital infrastructure.

WHAT DO PORTS NEED TO BUILD A
PRIVATE CELLULAR NETWORK?
For the successful implementationof a high-performance, highcapacity private cellular network
throughout an enterprise, IT
teams must be familiar withthe components that bring thenetwork to life. On top of that, it’s
important to recognise that wheneach component is developed
and deployed by a single vendor,
the resulting unified solution gives
users the ability to orchestrate
their network within a single
management platform.

“PRIVATE CELLULAR NETWORKS HAVE PROVEN
TO BE EXCELLENT WIRELESS NETWORKINGOPTIONS IN BOTH BACKUP (FAILOVER) AND
PRIMARY ROLES, DEPENDING ON THE USE CASE.”

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SPECTRUM USED FOR PRIVATECELLULAR NETWORKS
Licensed: This enables
carriers, such as your mobile
service provider, to operate
private cellular networks forenterprises as a managedservice. Alternatively,enterprises can deploy theirown private cellular network
using spectrum licensed bycarriers. In some countries,
such as Germany, industry
spectrum serves as anotherlicensed spectrum option.
Shared: Enterprises canoperate private cellular
networks in a spectrum
owned by others. Forexample, enterprises inthe US can use Citizens
Broadband Radio Service(CBRS), which leverages up
to 150 MHz of interferencefree spectrum.
Unlicensed: Enterprises or
carriers can operate LTE or
5G networks in unlicensed
spectrum and use carrier
aggregation to augment
capacity for their networks.

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PARTS OF A PRIVATE CELLULAR NETWORK• Cellular core: The cellular core, also known as the evolved
or converged packet core, is the brain of the private cellularnetwork. This is where policies are set to determine which
devices can access the network and how traffic can movethroughout the network.
• Cellular access points: The cellular access point (CAP), also
referred to as part of the radio access network (RAN) or a smallcell, is used to provide access to the network for SIM-enablededge devices such as laptops, IoT sensors, surveillance cameras,
tablets, and more. This is similar to how a Wi-Fi access pointconnects TVs and printers to an in-home Wi-Fi network.
• Endpoints and private SIMs: A SIM card, whether physicalor embedded, is required to gain access to the network and forauthentication to the private 5G or LTE cellular. This step is necessary
before connected devices, including cameras, autonomous vehicles,
or IoT sensors, can become part of the network.
• Network management tools: A single dashboard provides
real-time visibility and control over the private cellular network.
This is crucial for configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting
the network from anywhere, gaining access to key insights, andsimplifying network maintenance.

FIGURE 1
Connecting wirelessdevices with a privatecellular network“PRIVATE 5G PROVIDES A CONNECTIVITY
PLATFORM THAT ENABLES PORTS TO
MANAGE AND SECURE ALL THEIR IOT AND
CONNECTIVITY-DEPENDENT TECHNOLOGIESON A SINGLE WIRELESS NETWORK.”
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WHEN AND HOW ORGANISATIONSUSE PRIVATE CELLULAR
The benefits of private LTE
and private 5G are capturing
the interest of ports and otherorganisations that have large
areas filled with lots of moving
devices and applications thatmust be connected at all times
without exception. Thesesituations often involve thegathering and sharing of sensitive
data between devices andservers. When Wi-Fi or public
cellular are less than ideal oreven possible, a private cellular
network can address needs inseveral key areas:
Vast areas with complex
networking needs
In large spaces with extensive
network requirements andhundreds of users and devices,private cellular networks help
prevent congestion and are muchless expensive to set-up andmaintain compared to Wi-Fi.
High-bandwidth traffic withinbudgetary limitations
Organisations looking to connect
many video surveillance cameras
could use public LTE or 5G, but
associated data usage would likely
be cost-prohibitive. Private cellular
can offer a much more costeffective option.

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Smarter Supply Chains

Remote locations lacking
wireless infrastructure
In places where carriers have yetto establish wireless infrastructure,organisations can easily set up a
private cellular network to use as
their wireless LAN.
Constant connectivity for
applications on the go
Mobile use cases, such as connected
workers, AGV, asset monitoring,and more, require a connectionthat can move with them. Private
cellular networks give users control
over connectivity and Quality ofService (QoS), virtually eliminatingclient stickiness that can causeinterruptions and even downtime.
Critical information
In certain scenarios, thetransmission and storage ofhighly sensitive information
are unavoidable, making themattractive targets for hackers.
Ports can keep business-criticalinformation on-site via a private
cellular network, which enables
additional layers of security beyond
what Wi-Fi alone can provide. With
private 5G, it’s possible to prioritise

network segments dedicated toserving critical or highly sensitive
processes, to avoid interference orvarying network availability evenduring peak network usage.
Given the ubiquity of IoT
and connectivity-dependent
technologies, private LTE andprivate 5G are relevant solutions
in most industries. The ability
to set up a wireless LAN that issignificantly higher performing,
more reliable, flexible, costeffective, and secure than Wi-Fior public cellular alone meets thespecific needs encountered inmany use cases.

COMMON USE CASES FOR PRIVATECELLULAR NETWORKS IN PORT AND
TERMINAL OPERATIONS:• High-definition surveillancecameras• Predictive maintenance• Automated guided vehicles(AGVs)• Automated mobile robots(AMRs)• Asset management• Crime and environmental
monitoring• Video surveillance

REALISING THE VALUE OF PRIVATECELLULAR NETWORKINGInterest in private LTE and 5G isgrowing, as global ports see a rapid
increase in the volume of devices,
technologies, and workers that
require reliable connectivity for
optimal productivity, along with anincreasingly critical need to keep theirdata and digital infrastructure secure.
At Ericsson, we have taken ourextensive portfolio and experience
with cellular service providers andbuilt a compact, easy-to-manage
private network solution for industries
including transportation andmaritime ports. We can connect
the smallest to the most advanced
use case, by bringing niche cases
to our extensive partnership tableand determining how to execute
different collaborations successfully.
Our ecosystem includes a wide range
of industrial partners, enabling us toaddress our customers’ unique issues.
Discover how we are helping ports
overcome connectivity challenges
with private network solutions
using LTE and 5G at
www.ericsson.com/ports.
Explore private cellular network
solutions across industries undergoingdigital transformation at www.ericsson.
com/en/private-networksABOUT ERICSSON:

Ericsson enables communications
service providers and enterprises tocapture the full value of connectivity.
The company’s portfolio spans
Networks, Cloud Software andServices, Enterprise WirelessSolutions, Global Communications
Platform, and Technologies and New
Businesses and is designed to help
our customers go digital, increase
efficiency and find new revenue
streams. Ericsson’s investments
in innovation have delivered thebenefits of telephony and mobile
broadband to billions of people
around the world. Ericsson stock islisted on Nasdaq Stockholm and onNasdaq New York.
www.ericsson.com

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