Broadband  |  2024-02-29

Intel Forms Partnerships to Facilitate and Expand the End-to-End Private Networks Industry

Curated by: Gert Jan Wolf - Editor-in Chief for The Critical Communications Review

In 2024, enterprises seeking scalable compute solutions to power the next wave of artificial intelligence (AI) applications operating at the edge and to propel their digital transformation initiatives will have a strong demand for private 5G networks. "By 2025, more than fifty percent of enterprise-managed data will be created and processed outside the data center or cloud," according to Gartner®.1 Intel has partnered with a number of scale companies to provide customers with access to private 5G solutions and vertical market deployments across the globe in order to satisfy this extraordinary demand.

Years of investment, development, collaboration, and laboratory trials have culminated in these deployments, which are now entering the mainstream and serving as a model for industry excellence.

Through industry collaborations and an end-to-end portfolio of hardware and software products (processors, Ethernet, FlexRAN, OpenVINO, and 5G core software offerings), Intel is facilitating the rapid design and deployment of intelligent private networks across industry verticals, including manufacturing, transportation hubs, mining, utilities, healthcare, education, and others. This enables operators to monetize their networks.

In recent years, 5G has demonstrated its capacity to facilitate significant industry revolutions. Businesses are attempting to leverage the intersection of 5G, AI, and edge computing in private networks to improve connectivity, data security, and efficiencies in accordance with their particular industry objectives and initiatives, as generative AI has introduced new possibilities for enterprise workloads. Customers can quickly and easily deliver high-bandwidth, low-latency compute in secure environments, which are required for the most demanding periphery workloads, via private 5G networks.

The utilization of Intel technology will empower edge AI to generate intelligence in both developing and mature sectors, thereby contributing to the enhancement of business operations worldwide.

AWS's ongoing partnership with Intel, which commenced with the establishment of joint experience centers in Europe and the Americas, is facilitating the expeditious deployment of private networks by clients in a variety of vertical markets. The most recent instance pertains to the incorporation of Amdocs into the Integrated Private Wireless (IPW) on AWS program as a system integrator. Customers of AWS have the ability to utilize Amdocs Mobile Private Network (MPN) services in their entirety via the program. The supporting infrastructure is constructed using AWS Outposts servers and is operated on Intel® Xeon® processors. This solution ensures comprehensive accountability for every component of a mobile private network, encompassing the RAN, core, security and applications, deployment and operations services, and security and applications. When combined, these components enable clients to accelerate the process of digital transformation by utilizing mission-critical data and business insights. AWS will maintain its strong performance at MWC by presenting an expanded range of solutions that cater to diverse private wireless use cases.

Aramco Digital: Intel and Aramco Digital recently announced their intention to establish the inaugural Open RAN (radio access network) Development Center in Saudi Arabia. Aramco Digital, a subsidiary of Aramco, the largest energy corporation globally, is collaborating with Intel to develop private 5G networks for the industrial sector. These networks will utilize open RAN technology based on Intel products. This establishment is positioned to facilitate technological progress, stimulate innovation, and make a substantial contribution to the digital transformation domain in Saudi Arabia.

A collaborative effort between Cisco and NTT DATA resulted in the conversion of RAI Amsterdam into the inaugural smart venue in Europe. Cisco furnishes the private 5G core and network hardware utilizing Intel technology, whereas NTT DATA operates the venue's private network as a service. For processing vast quantities of data in order to generate real-time insights and to ensure high-speed, low-latency connectivity for a multitude of smartphones and IoT devices, the solution built upon Intel architecture is optimized.

The Ericsson team, in conjunction with Expeto, Intel, and other participants of the 5G Open Innovation Lab, established a novel private 5G network at the Tacoma Tideflats, which encompass the Port of Tacoma on Puget Sound in the state of Washington. The meticulously orchestrated partnership initially aids five regional enterprises and concentrates on updating their activities, encompassing support for port infrastructure, freight transportation, supply chains, and manufacturing processes. This enables every enterprise to capitalize on the advantages of 5G technology and contribute to improved business results for its clientele.

Future Technologies: Future Technologies announced a number of multimillion-dollar private 4G/5G cellular contracts for a variety of Fortune 100, Fortune 500, and Fortune 1000 manufacturer clients by embracing the ecosystem and utilizing Intel and Nokia private 5G solutions. The contracts provide support to various industries, such as asset management, industrial automation, connected/remote worker, and autonomous robotics, through the implementation of AI and Intel edge solutions.

Nokia: Based on Intel technologies, the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) private wireless utilizes Mission Critical Industrial Edge (MXIE) to enable private 4.9G/LTE and 5G networks for OT real-time data processing across multiple industrial sites and connectivity of industrial systems and workers. There are numerous hundreds of deployments of this solution worldwide. A recent instance can be observed at Stromsfs AG, a prominent steel and metal service center in Switzerland. This implementation is carried out in collaboration with system integrator Datwyler IT Infra and is supported by the Swiss federal Industry Fusion Foundation (IFF). It makes use of software and Intel components that have been ruggedized to withstand the harsh conditions of the manufacturing floor.

In Vietnam, Pegatron 5G showcased the capabilities of its proprietary 5G solution through an implementation at one of its intelligent manufacturing facilities. In collaboration with Viettel, the largest telecommunications company in Vietnam, Pegatron 5G established its inaugural all-5G smart factory outside of Vietnam in Hai Phong. The factory's network offered versatility and portability, as well as high throughput and low latency, by leveraging Intel's extensive private 5G product portfolio. It facilitates connectivity for an extensive array of devices and employs zero-trust security measures.

Red Hat, Intel, and Minsait, an Indra company, have partnered to integrate and validate a comprehensive private 5G solution that is native to the cloud, containerized, and containerized. This solution is built upon Red Hat OpenShift and Intel FlexRAN software. This solution will provide a performance-guaranteed private 5G foundation that is extensible and modifiable through the use of third-party innovations.

WWT/Federated Wireless: A Neutral Host Network laboratory is nearing completion at the World Wide Technology ATC (Advanced Technology Center) in St. Louis, Missouri. Operating on top of private cellular networks, the Neutral Host networks (which Intel, WWT, and Federated Wireless are deploying) enable multiple participating service providers to share their services with those private cellular networks. The network facilitates uninterrupted connectivity between public and private service providers. By virtue of the involvement of two prominent North American operators, Neutral Host Networks have the potential to be implemented across numerous vertical sectors, including but not limited to higher education, healthcare, and manufacturing, with additional vertical use cases currently being considered.