Smart cities, better living: The private 5G revolution is here

For years, “smart city” has been a buzzword you’d hear at technology conferences or in science-fiction films. But the vision is finally becoming real, and at the heart of this transformation lies a powerful enabler: private 5G networks.

Imagine standing at a crosswalk in a bustling downtown area. As you press the button to cross, the traffic lights, nearby sensors and even public transport schedules instantly adjust to optimize flow. Meanwhile, an AI system spots a stalled car a block away and reroutes vehicles in seconds to prevent gridlock. A police drone takes off, sending real-time video to officers who are responding nearby.

None of this is possible without seamless, ultrafast and secure connectivity — and that’s where private 5G comes in.

The challenges cities face

Cities are living, breathing organisms, and managing them is no easy feat. From clogged roads and stretched public services to safety concerns and the digital divide, urban areas are always trying to keep up with rapid growth.

Take Brownsville, Texas, for example. In 2017, it appeared on a list of US cities lagging behind in connectivity. With two-thirds of the city’s households having no broadband access, it was far from being considered a smart city.

Today, it’s setting a new standard for connected and sustainable cities.

The nearby SpaceX Starbase complex, as well as an export facility, port and international airport have driven considerable growth in the area. The city is investing in advanced digital capabilities and secure wireless connectivity to support digital solutions that improve citizen services and quality of life. Brownsville is transforming from “worst-connected city” to a leading technology hub — and private 5G is an essential component of this transformation.

While not every city has an aerospace complex on its doorstep, most face similar issues in keeping citizens safe, connected and mobile while also supporting the businesses and industries that drive economic growth.

Many cities still run on fragmented systems with diverse data formats: traffic sensors don’t “talk” to public-works data, for example, and Wi-Fi networks struggle to support critical safety systems. Add the rising threat of cyberattacks, and the cracks in legacy infrastructures become glaringly apparent.

Cities want to keep their residents safe, manage traffic and public safety more intelligently, keep critical facilities secure, improve facilities and city operations, and bridge the digital divide by giving everyone equal access to fast, reliable connectivity.

But traditional Wi-Fi and public cellular networks weren’t designed for the scale, speed and security these goals demand.

Why private 5G is a game changer

Private 5G networks give cities a dedicated and ultrareliable cellular system. Think of it as a private highway for data, free from the congestion of public networks. With private 5G, your city grid can collect data and act on it in an instant.

Unlike Wi-Fi, which can falter in crowded spaces, private 5G delivers:

• Ultralow latency: Responses in milliseconds
• High bandwidth: Supporting thousands of devices at once
• Strong security: Critical for law enforcement, utilities and emergency services
• Flexibility and control: Cities decide how and where it’s used

Private 5G also pairs well with technologies like IoT and AI. Cities can use IoT sensors in traffic lights, parks and water systems to gather data in real time and feed it into AI and machine-learning systems that detect patterns and predict problems.

In traffic management, for example, cameras and sensors powered by private 5G can instantly detect a driver going the wrong way. In Las Vegas, Nevada, this setup has already led to a 90% drop in wrong-way-driving incidents, turning a traffic-management initiative into a life-saver.

Play the video: The City of Las Vegas and NTT DATA shape the future of urban living

Other use cases include public safety, where AI-powered cameras can monitor crowds in real time. If a fight breaks out or another emergency arises, instant alerts can be sent to city staff.

And when city authorities can process hundreds of gigabytes of data per hour, they can predict where new schools, bus routes or public facilities will be needed, all before a community starts feeling the strain.

The human side: Bridging the digital divide

High-speed networks, high-tech sensors and data-driven dashboards can deliver intelligence, but information alone does not make a city “smart.” Smart cities use technology to the benefit of residents and, taking this a step further, smart inclusive cities distribute those benefits fairly, closing the digital divide and creating more equitable access to social and economic opportunities.

For example, in areas where a lack of broadband access prevents children from attending online classes, the deployment of private 5G would give these students and their families reliable internet access — allowing them not only to get their homework done on time but also to stay connected to the world.

This is what makes private 5G so powerful: it can close the digital divide while also powering advanced applications.

Adaptable and affordable: A shift in the model

One of the biggest misconceptions about private 5G is that it’s too expensive for cities. Traditionally, rolling out new infrastructure required massive up-front investment — with the prospect of ripping it all out and replacing it in the not-too-distant future to support the demands of new technology. But now, models like network as a service are flipping the script.

Instead of buying all the equipment outright, cities can subscribe to private 5G and pay a managed service provider (MSP) a predictable fee for everything from network design and deployment to maintenance. And, as technology evolves, cities don’t need to rip out old systems. They can build on what’s already there and evolve by testing, learning and scaling new ideas.

In the US, the democratization of spectrum such as Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) already lets cities set up their own private cellular networks instead of relying only on large phone companies. This makes it cheaper and easier for them to roll out private 5G.

Partnerships with MSPs, device manufacturers and application developers pay off in other ways, too. An expert MSP can advise city authorities on balancing edge computing and cloud computing in a way that limits storage and transmission costs while supporting fast, accurate decision-making.

• ALSO READ → How IoT and private 5G support edge-computing success

It’s already happening

NTT DATA was named a Visionary in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for 4G and 5G Private Mobile Network Services.*

In Las Vegas, we’re building the largest municipal private 5G network in the US, connecting parks, schools and traffic systems. Beyond reducing wrong-way accidents, it’s saving the city more than $1 million per year through optimized patrols and fewer collisions.

And in Brownsville, our private 5G rollout is linking public spaces, the airport and city services, giving residents and businesses access to modern infrastructure as part of the city’s transformation from “worst connected” to a model of digital inclusion.

How we do it:

• Private 5G platform: A comprehensive, fully managed and turnkey solution that covers everything from network equipment and design to deployment and managed services. This platform was built with security, control and privacy in mind.
• Smart Solutions: We use new and existing data-collection devices to establish citywide IoT networks, integrating AI and machine-learning analytics to provide real-time and predictive insights. For scalability, this managed service can be hosted on platforms like Microsoft Azure.
• Edge AI platform: We integrate data from diverse sensors and devices into a single data plane, enabling real-time insights and efficient decision-making right at the network edge.
• Network as a Service: We offer private networks as a flexible, subscription-based service, streamlining procurement and ensuring compatibility with digital transformation initiatives.

A new way to think about cities

Private 5G is the foundation of a new way to think about cities. It’s the invisible infrastructure that keeps traffic flowing, families connected and communities safe.

Smart cities powered by private 5G networks won’t just be “smarter” in a technological sense. They’ll also be more human, designed around the needs of people. From keeping kids connected to preventing accidents before they happen, this technology is quietly rewriting what it means to live in a city.

• ALSO READ → From docks to runways, private 5G is revolutionizing seaport and airport operations

* Gartner, Magic Quadrant for 4G and 5G Private Mobile Network Services, Sylvain Fabre, Peter Liu, et al., 6 January 2025 GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

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