5G future: 80 per cent of senior leaders plan to deploy private 5G networks within two years
New research shows that just over half of companies (51 per cent) are planning to deploy a private 5G network will do so within the next six to 24 months to improve security, reliability, and speed, according to NTT, a global technology and business solutions provider.
In its report, ‘Private 5G here and now’, NTT surveyed 216 CIOs and senior decision-makers from the UK, US, Japan, and Germany, examining the industry challenges around the implementation and adoption of private 5G.
The report, developed by Economist Impact, shows a significant interest in private 5G networks, with 90 per cent of executives expecting that private 5G will become the standard network choice.
It found 30 per cent were deploying or being in the process of deploying a private 5G network. The most significant interest is from German organisations, with 40 per cent of German businesses deploying private 5G networks. This is followed by 28 per cent of UK firms, 26 per cent of Japanese firms and 24 per cent of American firms.
The majority (80 per cent) of executives agree that Covid-19 has made it easier to secure the budget needed for 5G deployment.
However, with ransomware on the rise, the CIO and CISO are looking for ways to shore up their defences against increasingly sophisticated attacks. The report finds that 69 per cent of executives agree that the security of their current infrastructure is not strong enough.
83 per cent of executives rate improved data privacy and security as a very important outcome they expect to achieve with the implementation of private 5G networks. It is clear that CIOs want security and control while also enabling digitalization – and believe a local private 5G network will enable these critical business requirements. This is encouraging enterprises to build and run their own private 5G networks.
Shahid Ahmed, Group EVP, New Ventures and Innovation at NTT, commented on the findings: “The research highlights that the adoption of private 5G is happening now. The companies leveraging private 5G will have an unprecedented competitive advantage. Whether a company owns a factory floor, distribution centers, storefront or office space, private 5G can dramatically help digitize their businesses securely.”