For modern industrial enterprises, wireless communication is becoming a key technology. Especially in flexible or mobile production and process environments, where wired networks reach their limits and standard Wi-Fi lacks the required reliability, more and more companies are turning to private 5G networks. These dedicated campus networks provide the bandwidth, reliability, determinism, and security needed to flexibly connect machines, systems, and mobile devices, even under challenging conditions.
Siemens Digital Industries offers a comprehensive 5G solution tailored to industrial requirements. As a leader in automation and digitalization, the company supports industrial customers throughout their digital transformation and delivers end-to-end solutions based on future-oriented technologies.
The challenge: Existing wireless networks have technical limitations
Connecting machines and systems in industrial environments is complex. Large plants in the process and heavy industries in particular are often spread across extensive sites with numerous buildings. Standard IT wireless networks such as Wi-Fi can only be used to a limited extent, as they fail to meet essential industrial requirements.
In industrial applications, reliable and deterministic communication is crucial. To meet typical industrial demands, such as the prevention of cycle losses, connections must remain consistently stable.
Technical profiles for different application scenarios
5G technology offers three technical profiles that address various industrial requirements.
- Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) provides high data rates and primarily enhances the user experience for applications such as video streaming and virtual reality.
- Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC) can connect a very large number of IoT devices (such as sensors) to the network with minimal power consumption—up to one million devices per square kilometer.
- Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) ensures highly reliable data transmission with latencies below one millisecond. The connection reliability exceeds 99.999 percent, equivalent to that of a wired connection.
Together, these three profiles cover the typical requirements of manufacturing, process, and infrastructure industries and form the foundation for reliable communication in industrial environments.
However, a solution suitable for industry is not a conventional public mobile network. While public 5G networks are powerful, they operate under the conditions set by the respective network providers. Unplanned software updates or network congestion cannot be ruled out and may severely disrupt production processes. In addition, public networks do not meet the deterministic requirements of industrial applications. Companies therefore need a dedicated wireless communication solution designed specifically for industrial use.
Private 5G networks as a response to industrial needs
Private 5G networks (also known as 5G campus networks) address these challenges. Companies operate their own network on their premises using a dedicated frequency. The German government has allocated a 100 MHz spectrum band for private 5G networks, which can be licensed at a reasonable cost from the Federal Network Agency. Such a private 5G network offers several advantages over other connectivity solutions:
- Enhanced security and data protection: Since the network is installed on-premises, data remains within the facility and is not shared with external systems such as cloud services. This increases data security and prevents third parties from accessing sensitive information.
- Full control and customization: Companies retain complete control over their network resources and can configure the network to optimally support their industrial applications.
- High reliability and availability: Private 5G provides exceptional reliability. Because it operates on licensed spectrum, there are no interferences or disruptions affecting mission-critical applications.
- Scalability and flexibility: Private 5G networks are highly scalable and can be easily expanded as needs grow.
- Digital transformation: Private 5G serves as the foundation for numerous digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, and artificial intelligence. It also enables straightforward communication upgrades for existing systems.
These benefits of campus networks over other connectivity forms have led to a growing range of solutions on the market. For industrial enterprises, a turnkey private 5G solution from a provider such as Siemens is recommended, as it offers expertise in industrial applications with their specific requirements.
Challenges at a Glance
- Conventional wireless networks often fail to meet industrial demands.
- Lack of determinism threatens the stable operation of connected machinery.
- Native transmission of PROFINET protocols over 5G is currently not possible.
The solution: Industrial-grade private 5G networks from Siemens
Siemens’ private 5G solutions build on many years of expertise in automation technology and in the wireless networking of operational technology (OT) systems. They enable reliable data exchange between machines, systems, and autonomous transport units, ensuring high availability and deterministic behavior with predictable and reproducible response times.
Building company-owned 5G infrastructures
A private 5G network consists of a 5G Core as the central management element and a Radio Access Network (RAN). 5G routers connect machines and systems to the network.
- The 5G Core is the central control and switching system of a 5G network. It performs essential network functions such as managing user connections, authenticating devices, routing data traffic, and allocating network resources.
- The Radio Access Network (RAN) distributes the 5G radio signal. This includes the radio access points, or radio units, that broadcast the 5G signal across the site.
- Industrial 5G routers connect stationary machines and mobile participants such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) or robots to the 5G network. They enable continuous, real-time communication between machines, systems, and vehicles.
Integration with industrial components
In Siemens’ private 5G solution, the Core and parts of the RAN run on industrial PCs located in a server room. A high-performance fiber-optic connection links these to distributed radio units across the site, which transmit the 5G signal to ensure full coverage. By optimally positioning the radio units, a uniform network coverage can be achieved. The SCALANCE M industrial routers serve as the end devices.
Industrial applications typically use industrial communication protocols such as PROFINET. 5G networks, however, natively transmit only Layer 3 traffic, while PROFINET operates on Layer 2. This means PROFINET cannot be transmitted natively over 5G. Since PROFINET is a widely used industrial standard, Siemens has adapted its 5G solution to enable PROFINET IO transmission over 5G infrastructure.
This transmission takes place through a VXLAN tunnel between the router and the firewall. This architecture makes it possible to eliminate the need for local controllers in decentralized participants such as AGVs and instead control multiple devices through a single centralized controller. As a result, engineering and maintenance efforts are reduced, and the space requirements on mobile units are minimized.
The result: Proven performance in real industrial environments
Siemens has tested the practicality of its private 5G solution at its own plant in Karlsruhe. There, autonomous mobile robots support material logistics and communicate via a private 5G network based on Siemens infrastructure.
Beyond the manufacturing sector, the process industry also benefits from private 5G networks. Especially in cases where cabling is technically unfeasible or too costly, a private 5G network opens new possibilities for integrating sensors, actuators, mobile devices, or AR glasses—even in remote areas or explosion-hazard zones. Applications with high upstream data demands are also possible, such as live video transmission from cameras mounted on mobile platforms.
Moreover, private 5G networks allow multiple applications to operate simultaneously on the same network without interference—an advantage over Wi-Fi, which often suffers from disruptions due to its unlicensed frequency spectrum.
The introduction of private 5G networks marks a milestone on the path toward flexible, future-ready factories. The combination of local control, robust design, and industrial specialization makes this solution a key building block for next-generation production systems. At a time when efficiency, agility, and data sovereignty are decisive competitive factors, private 5G networks make a vital contribution to the digital advancement of industrial value chains.
Summary of results
Private 5G enables reliable, deterministic communication.
Multiple applications can run in parallel on the same network without interference.
Industrial requirements are met with high reliability.
Complex or hard-to-reach facilities can be connected, including through retrofitting.
