Forget WiFi, your own private 5G network could be the solution to your connectivity woes – here’s how to set one up for a lot less than you think

By James On Jul 1, 2024

Private 5G networks, where individuals or companies set up their own mobile connections, could potentially provide a viable alternative to Wi-Fi.

Vodafone, which aims to make 5G-based mobile private networks (MPNs) more accessible to Europe’s 22 million SMEs, was the first to showcase a prototype of a 5G network in a box using Raspberry Pi at MWC 2023, following up with an enhanced version at this year’s event.

The LimeNET Micro 2.0 Developer Edition, a crowdfunded series of private 5G base station kits, has been produced in partnership with Lime Microsystems (with whom Vodafone first collaborated on Open RAN technology in 2017) and is now available for purchase via Public offeringwith prices ranging from $800 to $12,000.

Faster, better connections

The modular radio platform uses the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 and LimeSDR XTRX for compute and RF capabilities respectively, and features a LimePSB RPCM planar system board. There is also a deluxe version that includes an Amarisoft 5G stack and core, two smartphones and ten SIM cards, providing a turnkey private 5G network solution.

Private 5G networks have been shown to deliver connections up to 10 times faster than Wi-Fi in heavily trafficked networks, and offer security and mobility benefits. Santiago Tenorio, Director of Network Architecture at Vodafone, gave an example of IEEE spectrum how it could be used in a bakery. “You don’t need a password. You don’t need a conversation (with a clerk behind a counter) or a QR code. You just walk into the bakery and you’re connected to the bakery’s network,” he said.

Ebrahim Bushehri, CEO and Founder of Lime Networks, said of the challenge of developing a private 5G base station: “The solution needed to be ultra-portable and have an optional battery pack that could be mounted on drones and autonomous robots, for remote and tactical deployments, such as emergency response scenarios and temporary events.”

At the time of writing, there are 22 days left to fund the project, which has a goal of $1. “Crowdfunding,” Bushehri told IEEE spectrum“is one of the most important indicators of community interest and engagement. Hence the reason to launch the campaign on Crowd Supply to get feedback from early adopters.”