We brought together industry leaders and technology experts for our exclusive panel discussion, “Private 5G Unplugged.” Together, they explored how Private 5G is transforming enterprise connectivity – delivering ultra-reliable, high-performance networks that are reshaping how organisations connect people, places, and assets.

Watch the full session on demand to hear directly from our panellists and discover how Private 5G is already being deployed across industries to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, and enable new digital use cases.

Our audience came prepared with some fantastic questions, sparking engaging conversations around the real-world opportunities and challenges of Private 5G. Below, our experts expand on these discussions and share their insights on the topics that mattered most.

Q: We’ve put effort into selling private 5G… price seems too high to get ROI within 2–3 years. Will there be a more cost-effective Ericsson private 5G/system and services? Any experience with this, esp. for small systems?
A:We’ve lowered the cost of entry and offer lightly-licensed one-year options to help customers get started. Treat this as a business transformation sale – tie value to energy savings, productivity, quality, and asset/people efficiency – not tech-vs-tech. We’ve seen ROI measured in days when driven by energy savings, and we’ll help you build that business case.

– Mike Barlow, Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions

Q: Last time I spoke with Ericsson they didn’t support the full n77 band — is this still the case?
A: That’s a UK-specific topic – Ofcom’s Shared Access spectrum for enterprise 5G use is n77

– Mike Barlow, Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions

Q: What’s the fastest way for us to get moving — and land a first deal?
A: This is an opportunity for partners to do consultative selling, challenge the connectivity status quo, and – with support from Westbase and Ericsson – drive more profit, increase margins, and build services and support.

– William Hamber, Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions

Q: How do I know if a customer is a good fit for private 5G versus something like Wi-Fi 6 — what are the red or green flags?
A1: Government-backed digitalisation and the rise of ML/AI are pushing data-hungry, edge applications that require robust, application-appropriate ‘real-time’ connectivity — that’s where 5G now plays a much bigger role.

– Jan Diekmann, Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions

A2: If you run a pure tech argument with IT, Wi-Fi often ‘wins’; when you frame business outcomes — productivity, quality, and efficient use of assets/people — the 5G business case often stacks up better.

– Mike Barlow, Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions