Nokia, ZTE, and Ericsson Lead in Private 5G

Omdia’s competitive assessment of nine end-to-end private 5G network infrastructure vendors has identified Nokia, ZTE, and Ericsson as the top three leaders in this evolving market. The evaluation reflects the vendors’ maturity, market commitment, and ability to deliver full-stack solutions tailored to enterprise needs across vertical sectors.

Private 5G networks are evolving from pure connectivity offerings into integrated solutions that address complex vertical markets. While early commitment to the market has often translated into a clear market advantage and product maturity, the ground under private networks is shifting as enterprise needs evolve and new opportunities emerge.

Choosing the right bets and strategic directions - whether creating a private 5G plus Wi-Fi offering, tailoring products to mission-critical networks or specific sub-verticals, or building an edge-plus AI story - is paramount for continuous success. The private 5G market has presented significant challenges for vendors and service providers. Attempts to create tier 2 and 3 distributor models failed.

Vendors now recognize that private networks are highly specialized and require a few focused partners, not a wide distribution channel, to drive market growth. Those who did not bridge the gap between information technology and operational technology also struggled to achieve results. Success in this space requires the alignment of both IT and OT from the outset.

“While everyone is talking about enterprises as the big opportunity for 5G, those active in private networks are making the hard yards to turn a marketing message into actual revenues,” said Pablo Tomasi, Principal Analyst for Private Networks and Enterprise 5G at Omdia. “Private networks provide an opportunity for vendors and partners to pursue rational adjacencies beyond the traditional connectivity play. Nokia and ZTE, for example, offer industrial applications and integration capabilities to deliver Industry 4.0. Ericsson and Celona are addressing indoor coverage challenges through neutral host networks. Huawei Enterprise Wireless is evolving railway operations through wide-area critical network deployments. These findings reflect how the private 5G market is maturing into a solution-driven, vertical-focused space.”