Key points

  • Start with your devices. Each device must support your network's technology and band: Band 48 for LTE or n48 for 5G. Many recent phones support both[4].
  • LTE is the most common choice today. Of the private network customers GSA tracked in August 2025, 51.1% used LTE only, 28.5% used 5G only and 19.0% used both[1].
  • On paper, 5G carries more data and responds faster. A 5G channel in CBRS can be up to 100 MHz wide, against 20 MHz for LTE[5][6]. Your real results depend on the spectrum free at your site and on your devices.
  • For all of 5G's features you need standalone 5G, which uses a 5G core (the software that runs the network)[7].
  • If you start with LTE, ask each vendor in writing what you would replace to move to 5G: radios, core software, SIM cards or devices.

What is the difference, in plain terms?

Private LTE and private 5G do the same job. Each gives your site its own cellular network: your own radios, your own control software (the core) and SIM cards that only your devices hold. The difference is the generation of the technology. LTE is the 4G standard, first completed in 2008[8]. 5G is newer; its first version was completed in 2018[7].

In the U.S., both usually run on CBRS, a shared radio band from 3550 to 3700 MHz. The FCC rules for CBRS are the same for LTE and 5G[3]. So the choice comes down to four questions. Which devices must you connect? How much data do they send? How fast do they need a response? What do you want to spend? Our guides to private LTE and private 5G explain each one in more depth.

Private LTE vs private 5G: the practical differences
ItemPrivate LTEPrivate 5G
How common it isThe most common choice: 51.1% of private network customers GSA tracked used LTE only (August 2025)[1]28.5% used 5G only, and another 19.0% used both[1]
Industrial devices you can buyMore choice than 5G, though still limited, according to GSA[1]Industrial-grade 5G devices are still limited[1]
Equipment costCelona, which sells both, says private 4G devices and access points are widely available in the U.S. at lower cost[2]Get quotes for both; our cost guide explains what drives the price
Data capacity per channelChannels up to 20 MHz wide[5]Channels up to 100 MHz wide, if that much spectrum is free at your site[6][3]
Response-time target in the standardUnder 10 ms[9]4 ms, or 1 ms for its ultra-reliable mode[10]
Core softwareA 4G core[7]A 5G core for full 5G; non-standalone 5G uses a 4G core[7]
Name of the CBRS bandBand 48[5]n48[6]
Response-time figures are the minimum targets that new radio technologies are tested against, not what a real site measures.

Start with your devices

This step decides most projects. A device works on your network only if it supports the same technology and band as your radios. An LTE device must list Band 48 to use LTE radios. A 5G device must list n48 to use 5G radios.

Phones are rarely the problem. Many recent phones support both bands; Apple lists Band 48 and n48 for iPhone 17, for example[4]. Each device also needs a SIM card or eSIM from your network, not just the right band.

Industrial equipment is where LTE and 5G differ most. GSA counts more than 31,000 standard LTE and 5G devices, but says most are made for consumers. It also says the choice of industrial-grade devices is still limited, especially for 5G[1].

  1. List every kind of device

    Include the handhelds, scanners, cameras, vehicle routers and sensors you must connect in the next few years.

  2. Check the exact model

    Look up the spec sheet for the exact model or module. It must list Band 48 for LTE or n48 for 5G. Our CBRS device guide shows how to check.

  3. Ask about the next model

    Ask the maker whether a 5G version is coming, and note when you would replace the device anyway.

Is 5G faster, and will you notice?

On paper, yes. One 5G channel in CBRS can be up to five times as wide as an LTE channel: 100 MHz against 20 MHz[5][6]. A wider channel carries more data. The standard's response-time target for 5G is also less than half the 4G target[9][10]. In practice, three things decide whether you notice:

LTE and 5G carrier widths in the CBRS band. Band 48 and n48 cover the same 3550–3700 MHz. An LTE carrier is 5, 10, 15 or 20 MHz wide, while n48 allows device channel bandwidths up to 100 MHz, with device uplink support for 50 MHz and wider optional[5][6]. The SAS decides how much of the band each radio actually gets[3].
  • How much spectrum you get. A wide channel helps only if your site gets that much spectrum. A service called the SAS (Spectrum Access System) assigns each radio its frequencies, and users of the free tier share whatever is available[3].
  • Real conditions. The targets assume a quiet network and small amounts of data[10]. Real response times depend on how busy the network is, where the core runs and how the radios are set up. Celona reported 10–20 ms for truck control at one automaker's yard[2].
  • Your devices. The device can be the bottleneck. Low-cost 5G devices (called RedCap) use at most 20 MHz[1]. A basic LTE device (Category 1) tops out around 10 Mbit/s download[11].

The difference matters most for heavy uploads, such as many video cameras, and for moving machines that need quick responses. In Celona's case study, an automaker chose 5G for self-driving yard trucks because LTE would not meet its upload and response-time needs[2]. Our deployment record summarizes the project.

Which should you choose?

Choose private LTE if:

  • the devices you must connect now support Band 48 but not n48;
  • your applications already work well on 4G in tests at your site;
  • you need low-cost sensors or trackers, and their modules list Band 48[11][12];
  • equipment cost matters most. Celona, which sells both, says private 4G equipment is widely available in the U.S. at lower cost[2];
  • you want the technology most private networks use today[1].

Choose private 5G if:

  • you need to move a lot of data, especially uploads such as many video streams, and wide channels are available at your site[6][3];
  • vehicles, robots or machine controls need faster responses than your LTE tests show;
  • you need features that only the 5G system defines, such as links to factory timing networks (time-sensitive networking)[13];
  • the devices you plan to buy next only come in 5G versions[1];
  • you want one design for sites in several countries. Celona's automaker chose 5G partly so it could repeat the same design at plants in Europe and Asia[2].
You can run both

Many sites do: 19.0% of the private network customers GSA tracked run LTE and 5G together[1]. Both share CBRS under the same rules[3]. The project planner helps you record which devices need which.

Can you start with LTE and move to 5G later?

Yes, and some projects plan for it from the start. Kyndryl describes Chevron Phillips' eight-plant CBRS network as running 4G LTE today and able to support 5G in the future[14]. See our deployment record.

Your spectrum carries over unchanged. The CBRS rules don't depend on the technology, and LTE and 5G radios follow the same power limits and SAS instructions[3]. The equipment may not carry over. Before you buy, ask each vendor these questions in writing:

  1. Radios: Can the radios switch to 5G with a software update, or will you need new radios? Do they support n48 as well as Band 48?
  2. Core software: Does it support LTE and both kinds of 5G? Is the move to full 5G a license change or a new product? Druid, for one, says its core offers a path from LTE to full 5G[15].
  3. SIM cards: Will your SIM cards, eSIM profiles and subscriber numbers (your IMSI block) still work?
  4. Devices: Which of your devices have 5G versions, and when would you replace them anyway?

Our cost guide covers what each path costs, and the CBRS guide explains the spectrum rules.

For engineers: standalone 5G, the core and the standards

3GPP defines two ways to run 5G. Non-standalone (NSA) 5G uses 5G radios together with LTE radios and the 4G Evolved Packet Core (EPC). Standalone (SA) 5G connects 5G radios to a 5G core. Only SA supports the full set of 5G Phase 1 services, and 3GPP describes NSA as a temporary step toward full 5G[7].

5G non-standalone vs standalone. Only standalone 5G, with a 5G core, supports the full set of 5G Phase 1 services, and 3GPP describes non-standalone as a temporary step toward full 5G[7]. Release 16 added non-public networks, time-sensitive networking and 5G LAN-type service to the 5G system[16][13].

Several private-network features are defined for the 5G system, which means a 5G core. Release 16 formalized non-public networks, including a network identifier used to identify, discover, select and control access to standalone private networks[16]. The same release added support for integrating with time-sensitive networking and for 5G LAN-type service[13].

Core software increasingly handles both generations. Druid Software says its Raemis core works with 4G and 5G radios from any vendor[15]. It also says the core offers a path from LTE to 5G NSA and then to 5G SA[15]. That is the vendor's claim, so confirm it with the radios you plan to use.

LTE and 5G NR in CBRS: standards details
ItemLTE5G NR
First standard releaseRelease 8, finalized December 2008[8]Release 15, functionally frozen June 2018[7]
CBRS bandBand 48, 3550–3700 MHz, TDD[5]n48, 3550–3700 MHz, TDD[6]
Channel bandwidth in CBRS5, 10, 15 or 20 MHz per carrier; carrier aggregation combines carriers[5]Up to 100 MHz; device uplink support for 50 MHz and wider is optional[6]
ITU user-plane latency requirementUnder 10 ms (IMT-Advanced)[9][17]4 ms broadband, 1 ms ultra-reliable low-latency (IMT-2020)[10]
ITU control-plane latency, idle to activeUnder 100 ms[9]20 ms, with 10 ms encouraged[10]
Industrial featuresLTE-M and NB-IoT, Release 13[12]Non-public networks, time-sensitive networking and 5G LAN-type service, Release 16[16][13]
Lower-cost device classesCategory 1, about 10 Mbit/s down and 5 Mbit/s up[11]; LTE-M; NB-IoT[12]RedCap, Release 17: up to 20 MHz, single-antenna designs, peaks up to 226 Mbit/s down and 120 Mbit/s up[1]
ITU figures are minimum requirements for evaluating radio technologies under defined test conditions, not field measurements. Ask vendors which 3GPP release and features their products support.

Common questions

Is private 5G faster than private LTE?

It can be. A 5G channel in CBRS can be up to 100 MHz wide, against 20 MHz for LTE[5][6], and the 5G response-time targets are lower[9][10]. Your real speed depends on how much spectrum is free at your site, your devices and how busy the network is.

Can LTE and 5G share the same CBRS spectrum?

Yes. Both use 3550–3700 MHz under the same FCC rules, and the SAS gives each radio its own frequencies and power limit[3]. Plan the LTE and 5G radios together so they don't interfere with each other.

Do I need a 5G core for private 5G?

For full 5G, yes. Non-standalone 5G runs 5G radios alongside LTE radios on a 4G core. Only standalone 5G, with a 5G core, supports the full set of 5G Phase 1 services[7].

Will LTE-only devices work on a private 5G network?

Only if the network also has LTE radios. A device that supports only Band 48 can't use n48 5G radios, so a mixed set of devices needs both. 19.0% of the private network customers GSA tracked run LTE and 5G together[1].

Which is cheaper, private LTE or private 5G?

LTE equipment tends to cost less. Celona, which sells both, says private 4G devices and access points are widely available in the U.S. at lower cost[2]. Your total cost also depends on the area you cover, the number of devices and the setup work; see our cost guide.

Next in the reading path

Guide 3 of 7

CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) explained: who can use the 3.5 GHz band, and how

What is CBRS, and what rules come with it?

18 min read

Sources

  1. GSA: Private Mobile Networks Continue to Scale — 3GPP (article by the Global mobile Suppliers Association), Mar 24, 2026. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  2. Celona 5G LAN helps global auto maker radically transform manufacturing operations — Celona. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  3. 47 CFR Part 96: Citizens Broadband Radio Service — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Sep 29, 2026. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  4. iPhone 17: Technical Specifications — Apple. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  5. 3GPP TS 36.101 version 19.6.0 (ETSI TS 136 101 V19.6.0, 2026-08): E-UTRA user equipment radio transmission and reception — ETSI / 3GPP. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  6. 3GPP TS 38.101-1 version 19.6.0 (ETSI TS 138 101-1 V19.6.0, 2026-08): NR user equipment radio transmission and reception, Part 1 — ETSI / 3GPP. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  7. 5G System Overview — 3GPP, Jan 10, 2023. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  8. 3GPP system standards heading into the 5G era — 3GPP, Jul 16, 2014. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  9. Report ITU-R M.2134 (2008): Requirements related to technical performance for IMT-Advanced radio interface(s) — International Telecommunication Union. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  10. Report ITU-R M.2410-0 (11/2017): Minimum requirements related to technical performance for IMT-2020 radio interface(s) — International Telecommunication Union. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  11. 3GPP TS 36.306 version 19.3.0 (ETSI TS 136 306 V19.3.0, 2026-08): E-UTRA user equipment radio access capabilities — ETSI / 3GPP. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  12. Standardization of NB-IOT completed — 3GPP, Jun 21, 2016. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  13. 5G for Industry 4.0 — 3GPP, May 13, 2020. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  14. Chevron Phillips, Kyndryl and Nokia design and implement private wireless networks across eight plants enabling mission-critical applications across 3,000 mobile devices — Nokia. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  15. Raemis Cellular Technology Platform — Druid Software. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  16. Non-Public Networks (NPN) — 3GPP, Jul 24, 2026. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
  17. ITU-R Confers IMT-Advanced (4G) Status to 3GPP LTE — 3GPP, Oct 20, 2010. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.