Attention enterprise network buyers, especially those in manufacturing and industrial operations: a crucial movement is underway, and it deserves your attention.
Earlier this week, I attended the inaugural 5G-OT Alliance Connect conference, and the event stood out as a genuine exercise in transparency and collaboration. It was a refreshing break from the typical industry hype and marketing gloss you find at most industry conferences.
The Alliance was founded as a grassroots, network-owner-led initiative with a dual mission: to accelerate adoption of private cellular (LTE, 5G, and beyond) in the OT space, and to ensure that critical wireless spectrum remains available for industrial use well into the future.
The Powerhouse Behind the Promise
The conference drew an impressive roster of participants, underscoring the serious commitment across both technology and industry.
- Vendor Leaders: Innovators like Celona, Druid Software, OneLayer, Honeywell, and Future Technologies led technical discussions, sharing real progress and proven solutions for industrial applications.
- Practitioner Voices: The highlight came from practitioners themselves, with global players such as Cargill, John Deere, Miami International Airport, BP, BASF, and Georgia-Pacific presenting real-world private network deployments. These companies aren’t just experimenting with Industry 4.0, they’re actively laying its foundation, driven by collective progress.
Honest Conversations That Matter
What truly set this event apart was the candor.
Unlike the polished narratives often seen at trade shows, the 5G-OT Alliance Connect offered a clear-eyed look at the private cellular journey. Both vendors and practitioners openly discussed the challenges they face:
- Deploying in harsh, complex industrial environments
- Navigating regulatory uncertainty around spectrum allocation
- Addressing device compatibility and availability for Private 5G
- Working with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on complex solutions like MOCN (Multi-Operator Core Network)
This kind of unfiltered, collaborative dialogue is exactly what the industry needs to move Private 5G from niche deployments into mainstream adoption.
Why Spectrum Advocacy Matters
Equally important is the Alliance’s work to protect the CBRS spectrum in the United States.
The group successfully pushed back against efforts by major MNOs (T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T) to reclaim portions of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum. That’s no small achievement. Taking on industry giants in Washington with limited resources rarely succeeds. Yet the Alliance prevailed, keeping this essential spectrum open for enterprise use.
Every CBRS user (present and future) benefits from this advocacy. The takeaway is clear: advances in wireless standards and spectrum availability are never guaranteed. Practitioner voices carry real weight in these policy battles, and the Alliance has proven that collective action can make a difference.
Final Word
For anyone invested in industrial digital transformation, the 5G-OT Alliance represents more than just another industry group, it’s a proactive safeguard for the future of wireless connectivity. Joining the movement is not only a vote of confidence in Private 5G, but also a commitment to ensuring the spectrum and standards needed to unlock the full promise of Industry 4.0.
