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Reported deployment

Reported John Deere Davenport Works factory private 5G network in Davenport, Iowa

Reported by Light Reading from the deploying organization's own account; results are not independent measurements.

Reviewed Sep 30, 20266 sourced facts
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Details

Organization
John Deere
Industry
construction and forestry equipment manufacturing
Region
Davenport Works, Davenport, Iowa
Current operating status
Operating for about 18 months as of April 1, 2025
Not stated by sources
Project date

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Overview

John Deere operates its own private 5G network at Davenport Works, its construction and forestry equipment factory in Davenport, Iowa; Light Reading reported on April 1, 2025 that the network had been running for the past 18 months and includes radios from Nokia.[1] Deere bought five CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in 2020 in counties where it does most of its U.S. manufacturing, around the Quad Cities in Iowa and Illinois.[1][2] The company told Light Reading it chose private cellular because each radio can connect far more devices than a Wi-Fi access point, and it plans to connect about 80% of the factory over cellular.[1]

At a glance

Organization
John Deere (Deere & Co.).[1][3]
Location
Davenport Works, Davenport, Iowa, a factory of 2.2 million square feet on 50 acres.[1]
Date reported
April 1, 2025, when Light Reading reported the network had operated for the past 18 months.[1] Deere's PAL purchase was reported on March 3, 2021.[2]
Spectrum
CBRS. Deere spent $546,000 in the 2020 auction on five PALs, each a 10 MHz channel, in Iowa and Illinois counties primarily around the Quad Cities, which include Davenport.[2] Whether the Davenport Works network runs on PAL or GAA channels is not stated.
Technology
Private 5G.[1] Core vendor and standalone or non-standalone mode are not publicly stated.
Scale as reported
Factory-wide; Deere plans to connect 80% of the factory over cellular, 10% over Wi-Fi, and 10% wired.[1] ASSEMBLY Magazine reported the network can support up to 800 devices per radio, compared with 50 on a typical Wi-Fi access point.[3] Radio counts are not publicly stated.
Vendors and roles
Nokia: radios.[1] Other suppliers are not publicly stated.
Integrator
Not publicly stated; Light Reading describes the network as Deere's own.[1]
Status
Operating as of April 1, 2025, for the previous 18 months, per Light Reading;[1] ASSEMBLY Magazine described 5G in use at the plant on October 1, 2025.[3]

How the network is used

  • Data and analytics, automation and industrial controls, industrial robotics, and mechatronics engineering (manufacturing and industrial IoT).[1]
  • Two digital twins: an operational twin that maps the plant and a production twin that tracks products as they move through it.[1]
  • Connected fastening tools and torque sensors on the assembly lines, which Deere says 5G lets it add in larger numbers than Wi-Fi or Ethernet allowed.[3]

Reported results

As reported by the sources below; not independently verified.

  • Deere's principal architect told ASSEMBLY Magazine that new 5G connections can be enabled in minutes rather than the days or weeks wired connections took, and that 5G reduces the utilities that must be moved when the layout changes.[3]
  • No independent measurements were published; the figures above are Deere's own statements.[1][3]

Timeline

  1. ASSEMBLY Magazine names Davenport Works its 2025 Assembly Plant of the Year and describes its use of 5G on the plant floor.[3]

  2. Light Reading reports the Davenport Works network has operated for the past 18 months, with Nokia radios.[1]

  3. Network World reports the $546,000 PAL purchase and Deere's plans for private 5G in its plants.[2]

  4. Deere acquires five CBRS PALs in counties where it does most of its U.S. manufacturing.[1][2]

How to interpret this record

This record keeps the source's anonymous customer label and reported status. A case study does not establish current operation, reproducible performance, or independent verification.

Sources

Researched Oct 1, 2026. Manufacturer and vendor statements are their claims, not independent tests.

  1. John Deere's private 5G network is 'Never Idle' — Light Reading, Apr 1, 2025. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  2. John Deere invests $500k in private 5G licenses to support flexible factory networks — Network World, Mar 3, 2021. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  3. 2025 Assembly Plant of the Year: Deere Leaps Ahead With 5G Connectivity — ASSEMBLY Magazine, Oct 1, 2025. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.

Every detail in the table at the top comes from these sources. Open the source details for each fact’s publisher, evidence type, date, and where it appears.

Source details (6)
SOURCEOrganization

John Deere

Light Reading ↗Customer reportLocation in source: First paragraphChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEIndustry

construction and forestry equipment manufacturing

Light Reading ↗Customer reportLocation in source: Fourth paragraphChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCERegion

Davenport Works, Davenport, Iowa

Light Reading ↗Customer reportLocation in source: First paragraphChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEOperating status

operating for about 18 months as of April 1, 2025

Light Reading ↗Customer reportLocation in source: First paragraphChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEReported use case

data and analytics, automation and industrial controls, industrial robotics, mechatronics engineering; operational and production digital twins

Light Reading ↗Customer reportLocation in source: Fifth paragraphChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated

SOURCEVendors Named

Nokia (radios)

Light Reading ↗Customer reportLocation in source: Fifth paragraphChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated