The promise of Private 5G (P5G) – with its ultra-low latency, high bandwidth, and robust security – is rapidly transitioning from concept to reality for enterprises. Mobile carriers, armed with spectrum and network expertise, are at the forefront of selling these bespoke cellular networks. However, delivering on this promise, particularly in complex industrial environments, often requires capabilities beyond traditional telecom services.
This is where system integrators (SIs) are emerging as the crucial, yet often unseen, architects, managing the intricate support and integration that ensures P5G’s success. This trend marks a significant evolution in how private networks are brought to market and sustained.
For mobile carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, the P5G opportunity is immense, offering new revenue streams beyond consumer services. They possess invaluable assets: licensed spectrum, core network infrastructure, and a foundational understanding of cellular technology. These carriers are actively expanding their P5G portfolios, offering a range of solutions from fully managed services to spectrum leasing, as seen in Verizon’s comprehensive “Private 5G Network” offerings.
However, deploying a P5G network within a manufacturing plant, a logistics hub, or a mining operation is vastly different from building a public cellular tower. It requires deep vertical-specific knowledge, integration with existing operational technology (OT) systems, and tailored ongoing support – areas where traditional carriers, historically accustomed to “painting with a broader brush” across mass markets, face a significant challenge.
This is precisely where system integrators become indispensable partners. The P5G ecosystem, as highlighted by GSA Research, is rich with over 66 telecom network operators and a multitude of system integrators, including global players like NTT DATA. These SIs bring specialized expertise in areas such as industrial automation, IT-OT convergence, and vertical-specific applications that carriers may not possess in-house.
Companies like Cradlepoint (an Ericsson company) explicitly detail how their 5G services delivered by their partners include wireless integrators that provide field installation services and lifecycle support, often partnering directly with major carriers. This collaborative model allows carriers to focus on their core strength – connectivity provision – while SI’s handle the intricate layers of deployment, customization, and continuous operational support unique to each enterprise.
The partnership models manifest in various forms. Some carriers leverage SI’s for “white-glove” managed services, where the SI acts as the primary point of contact for the enterprise, overseeing everything from initial site surveys and design to ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Others involve co-selling arrangements, where carriers provide the foundational network, and the SI’s integrate it with a client’s existing IT/OT infrastructure, implement specific applications (e.g., IoT, AR/VR, robotics control), and offer customized support.
The Telecom Infra Project (TIP) emphasizes the “importance of the System Integrator” in simplifying the complex deployment processes of private networks through automation, showcasing the critical role SI’s play in making P5G consumable for a broader enterprise market.
Hyperscalers like Microsoft Azure further solidify this multi-party approach, enabling operators and SI’s to collaboratively deliver cloud-native private 5G solutions at the enterprise edge.
Ultimately, the trend of mobile carriers leveraging system integrators for P5G support is a pragmatic and powerful evolution in the industry. It addresses the inherent complexities of enterprise digital transformation, allowing carriers to scale their P5G offerings while ensuring that enterprises receive the specialized, vertically-aligned integration and ongoing managed services they require.
This collaborative approach is not just a trend; it’s a fundamental shift enabling the widespread adoption and successful operation of private 5G networks across diverse industrial landscapes.
