Closing the Private 5G Gap: Barriers to UK Industrial Adoption

Join Digital Catapult for an in-person focus group examining the key challenges and enablers for the widespread adoption of standalone private 5G in the UK. The session will bring together industry leaders, vendors, systems integrators, enterprise buyers and connectivity suppliers to validate current research findings, share practical experience and identify interventions that could accelerate adoption across priority sectors.

Your contribution to this session will help an evidence-based understanding of the barriers affecting private 5G adoption, including total cost of ownership, skills, integration, cybersecurity, spectrum and governance. Insights from the discussion will inform future recommendations, programme design and ecosystem support.

Participants will take part in a facilitated discussion, structured around the adoption journey from feasibility assessment through to operational scaling and ecosystem integration. The session will include barrier mapping, root-cause discussion, intervention design and a closing prioritisation exercise.

Who should attend

This session is intended for organisations with experience evaluating, deploying, supplying or integrating private 5G and related industrial connectivity solutions, particularly across manufacturing, energy, transport and logistics and wider industrial strategy sectors.

Why attend

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Explore common opportunities, barriers and approaches with sector stakeholders.

• Share real-world experiences and lessons learned from private 5G adoption.

• Network with industry peers and exchange perspectives.

• Contribute to shaping future market interventions and support mechanisms.

• Gain insight into the emerging adoption challenges facing standalone private 5G in the UK.