A Measurement Campaign of Commercial Private Network Deployment in Indoor and Outdoor Environments

Wi-Fi has been widely used in commercial facilities for wireless connectivity. However, the evolving network traffic and performance requirements, especially for mission-critical applications demanding millisecond-level latency, have highlighted limitations in Wi-Fi’s traditional channel access protocol, Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA), and the challenges of unlicensed spectrum. These issues result in decreased reliability and connectivity disruptions for critical applications. Moreover, seamless roaming and mobility are typically challenging in Wi-Fi networks. The introduction of private networks using Fourth Generation Long-Term Evolution (4G LTE) and Fifth Generation New Radio (5G NR) protocols has enhanced application reliability through scheduled access and interference-free spectrum usage. These deployments can be tailored for both outdoor and indoor environments. This study examines actual field deployments and their test results in environments like oil refineries, warehouses, outdoor parking areas, and distribution centers. We compare actual measurements with a theoretical model to validate the performance enhancements and understand the practical implications for real-world applications. We analyzed performance factors such as signal strength (Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) heat maps), coverage, packet latency, and mobility. This research provides insights into the practical performance of private networks and their suitability for supporting mission-critical applications in diverse settings.