5 October 2026  · 5G Private Networks

Private 5G is becoming mainstream, on land and at sea

Private mobile networks are now mainstream. GSA counts 2,031 organisations in 88 countries with private LTE or 5G networks, with 37% growth per year since 2019. More than half of the new deployments are 5G, seaports are the fastest-growing sector, and access to spectrum is the main driver. Telecom26 deploys fully managed private 5G networks on land and at sea.

Recently we attended the GSA and Global Certification Forum (GCF) webinar on 5G private networks. The numbers presented by the GSA research team confirm what we see every day: private mobile networks are not a niche anymore.

According to the GSA Private Mobile Networks report of September 2026, at the end of 2Q26 there were 2,031 organisations in 88 countries deploying private LTE or 5G networks with a contract value above €100,000. Since 2019, the number of customer references has grown by 37% per year.

In this post we share the main points from the report and the webinar, and what they mean for companies that are thinking about a private network, on land or at sea.

What the data shows

5G is now the main technology. More than half of the deployments announced since 2022 use 5G. Many companies now go directly to 5G for lower latency and more capacity for the future.

Industry leads the demand. Manufacturing is still the first sector by number of deployments, followed by education and academic research, and mining. In these sectors, automation, testing and critical operations need connectivity that is always available.

Seaports are growing fastest. In 2Q26, seaports added eight new references, more than any other sector (manufacturing added six). Ports, vessels and offshore sites have the same problem: public networks often do not reach them, or not with the performance they need.

A big part of the market is not visible. About 77% of the references in the GSA database are not public; they come directly from the vendors. In maritime, power plants and defence it is more than 80%. So the market is bigger and more mature than what we read in press releases.

The last quarter looks smaller than it is. GSA counted 28 new references in the quarter, but one vendor did not send data and another sent only part of it. GSA estimates that 20% to 30% of the expected references are missing; they will be added in the next edition.

Spectrum makes the difference

For us, this is the most important finding. There is a strong link between the adoption of private networks and the availability of dedicated or shared spectrum. The countries that lead the market, such as the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, are the ones where regulators have made spectrum available to companies.

This means that regulation shapes the market as much as technology. For a company, getting spectrum is often the first real obstacle: there is an application to prepare, technical input to provide and a dialogue with the regulator, and most organisations have never done this before.

In Switzerland, private spectrum can be obtained from the regulator. So it is possible to deploy today, with a partner like Telecom26 who knows the process.

Not only the network: devices and services

One point from the webinar is often forgotten. A private network operator has much more control than a public operator, but still needs to be sure that every device on the network conforms to the 3GPP standards. This is what guarantees interoperability, safety and reliable performance. GCF explains this in more detail in its article on certification for non-public networks and utility operators.

So a private network is not only radios and a core. It is a whole ecosystem of devices, applications and people. Many organisations also need standard voice and messaging, not only IoT and data. It is better to plan all of this from the start, to avoid costly surprises later.

How Telecom26 turns this trend into a live network

Looking at the GSA data, companies need three things: a clear way to get spectrum, a network for people and for machines, and the possibility to deploy where their operations are, also offshore. This is how we built the Telecom26 5G private network solution.

It fits well with the GSA findings. We build private networks for manufacturing, smart cities, sports and entertainment venues, and offshore and maritime users: the same sectors where the data shows the strongest growth.

•      Spectrum assistance. We can obtain private spectrum from the Swiss regulator for you, and we take care of the application and the technical input.

•      Full-service mobile. Voice, messaging and data on one private network, for people, systems, devices and processes.

•      On land and at sea. Indoor or outdoor coverage with radio optimised for the site, and complete networks onboard vessels and ships or on offshore infrastructure such as wind farms.

•      Full lifecycle support. Our experts take your requirements and turn them into a live network, and then we manage it for you.

•      Predictable pricing. A standard pricing model, so costs stay efficient and easy to plan.

How it works:

1.   Scope. Together we define your requirements, and, in Switzerland, we secure the spectrum rights.

2.   Plan. Radio planning defines the coverage that your site needs.

3.   Build. We install our base stations for the local environment and connect them to a dedicated private mobile network core.

4.   Connect. You bring your devices and connect, and we give you ongoing support.

A private network gives coverage and performance that a public mobile operator often cannot give, because of network gaps or because of strict latency and security requirements. With seaports now the fastest-growing sector in the GSA data, being able to deploy the same secure, fully managed network onshore and offshore is a real advantage.

Let’s talk

The question is no longer if private 5G works, but how fast you can use it for your operations. We can help you design and deploy a private 5G network that fits your environment: fully managed, secure and scalable.

You can see our live 5G private network in Zug, or read our white paper on enterprise data security challenges of roaming on private networks. And if you want to discuss your project, book a consultation with our team.

Read more

•      Private networks for offshore infrastructure. Seaports lead the latest GSA growth figures. This briefing paper looks at the applications that drive private networks offshore and nearshore, and how Telecom26 SIMs, eSIMs and our globally distributed mobile core keep remote assets connected and secure.

•      When should enterprises choose a 5G private network over Wi-Fi? A practical guide to the five cases where Wi-Fi is not enough: mission-critical operations, large industrial or outdoor sites, high mobility, security and compliance, and scalability for the future.

Frequently asked questions

What is a 5G private network?

A 5G private network is a dedicated mobile network for one organisation and one location. It gives secure, low-latency coverage and performance that public mobile networks often cannot offer, for people, machines and IoT devices.

How many organisations use private mobile networks?

According to GSA, at the end of 2Q26 there were 2,031 organisations in 88 countries deploying private LTE or 5G networks worth more than €100,000. Since 2019, the number has grown by 37% per year.

Which industries use private 5G networks the most?

Manufacturing is first by number of deployments, followed by education and academic research, and mining. In 2Q26, seaports added the most new references of all sectors.

Why is spectrum important for private networks?

GSA sees a strong link between the adoption of private networks and access to dedicated or shared spectrum. The leading countries, such as the US, Germany and the UK, are the ones where regulators make spectrum available to companies.

Can a private 5G network be deployed at sea?

Yes. Telecom26 deploys complete private networks onboard vessels and ships and on offshore infrastructure such as wind farms, as well as indoor and outdoor sites on land.

Can Telecom26 help to obtain private spectrum in Switzerland?

Yes. Telecom26 can obtain private spectrum from the Swiss regulator for its customers and takes care of the application and the technical input.

When is private 5G a better choice than Wi-Fi?

Private 5G is the better choice for mission-critical operations, large industrial or outdoor sites, assets that move, strict security and compliance requirements, ultra-low latency communications and networks that need to scale over time.

Market figures: GSA, Private Mobile Networks, September 2026 (data to the end of 2Q26).