- According to the report by Analysys Mason, 75% of U.S. private 5G networks use CBRS
- More than 2,500 U.S. manufacturing private 5G networks are expected to launch by 2032, with 85% relying on CBRS
- The report warns that relocating CBRS or raising power levels could disrupt factory networks and weaken the existing ecosystem
A study by Analysys Mason underscores the importance of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band, estimating that 75% of private 5G networks in the U.S. use CBRS.
The report was commissioned by American-Made 5G, a coalition that advocates for spectrum policies that support private 5G leadership in the U.S. manufacturing sector. As the name infers, it feeds heavily on the Trump Administration's America First vision for restoring U.S. leadership in telecom infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.
The analysis firm’s research says the U.S. has deployed more dedicated private 5G networks than any other country worldwide. John Deere, Dow and Tesla are some of the companies that use the 3.55-3.7 GHz CBRS band for smart manufacturing and automation.
In fact, hundreds of private 5G networks already have been deployed in the U.S. manufacturing sector and Analysys Mason estimates that this will rise to more than 2,500 by 2032.
CBRS is key to this growth. More than 85% of private 5G networks deployed in U.S. factories by 2032 will rely on CBRS, almost all of which will use the unlicensed General Authorized Access (GAA) tier, according to the study.
CBRS powers 5G automation
John Puskar, CEO of American-Made 5G, said the study helps quantify what he and his colleagues have been saying from Day One: CBRS is America’s 5G manufacturing band and it’s helping rebuild the nation’s industrial base, strengthen supply chains and support reshoring.
The study is important for several reasons – and not just because the world needs another study to say what its backers already believe. Proposals to relocate the CBRS band from the 3.55-3.7 GHz band are still alive, as are attempts to boost power levels. CBRS evangelists say both pose serious problems for the health of the ecosystem.
However, “what’s been encouraging is the growing recognition that not all spectrum serves the same purpose, and that’s where CBRS stands out,” Puskar told Fierce. “CBRS has become the third leg of the stool alongside licensed spectrum and Wi-Fi, purpose-built for enterprise and industrial use. It’s enabling manufacturers, ports, campuses and energy operators to deploy their own secure, high-performance networks.”
The authors of this latest white paper said they didn’t seek to argue for or against proposals to relocate some or all of the CBRS band or to increase CBRS power levels, but they discussed how these proposals would affect CBRS users with the 15 manufacturers they interviewed for their research.
According to Puskar, the coalition, which launched in November, has dozens of members, some of which are listed on the coalition’s website: Abside Networks, Cambium Networks, Federated Wireless, JMA, Keysight Technologies, Nextlink, Skylark Wireless, Tarana, WISPA and 5G-OT Alliance.
These companies need the coalition in part because back in 2024, AT&T proposed relocating current CBRS users from the 3.55-3.7 GHz band to the 3.1-3.3 GHz band. Such a move would then open up the 3.55-3.7 GHz band to be used for full-power, licensed use – something the licensed wireless community would like to see given the importance of mid-band spectrum for 5G. Some people in Washington, D.C., are still talking about that or similar proposals, leading to uncertainty over CBRS.
Study: High costs of relocation
But with no other comparable band available, it’s unclear what devices could replace CBRS equipment if the CBRS band were moved. “Moreover, any such replacement – even if feasible – would take several years. The CBRS sharing framework (including the corresponding software layers) would need to be redeveloped to work with the new band and the hardware ecosystem of chipsets, radios and other end user devices would need to be rebuilt from scratch,” the study said.
The study also found that increased power levels could degrade network performance for factory operators, particularly those on the GAA tier that most manufacturers use. One retail goods manufacturer raised concerns about a potential “tragedy of commons” where users raise their own transmission power to compensate, making interference worse for everyone.
“The value of private 5G will only increase over time as manufacturers continue to automate their operations and deploy complex applications at scale. CBRS has been central to this progress … CBRS will therefore continue to hold a central place in the broader connectivity ecosystem that supports manufacturers’ productivity, automation and reshoring ambitions,” the study concluded.