So, how can a private LTE network be realized?

From a technology perspective, part of the solution lies in (M2M) communications. M2M language allows networked devices to communicate with one another, as well as with users (M2U) and from user-to-user (U2U), without having to send data back into the carrier core.

This offers enterprise shops better control over data traffic, gives them more options in wireless and, perhaps most important, allows the business to improve efficiency and justify the ROI of LTE, particularly when it comes to high-performance enterprise applications. Additionally, LTE must enable traffic routing to and from the enterprise's IP network without traversing the mobile operator's core network.

The industry is developing new standards, such as Selected IP Traffic Offload (SIPTO) and Local IP Access (LIPA), to allow Internet traffic to flow from the enterprise's local LTE network directly to the Internet, bypassing the operator's core network. Future releases of LTE will also include various offload mechanisms like those mentioned above, that will enable private networks.

Beyond M2M and offload mechanisms, the final component is carrier buy-in -- the carriers of the world need to see revenue from providing private LTE networks as value-adds. For example, a Charlotte-based Fortune 500 company wants a private LTE network. In an ideal future, the enterprise would negotiate with a single carrier for a certain volume of subscribers over a specific period of time. The carrier would then provide the technology and bandwidth for the private LTE network on an exclusive basis, much like the business-class broadband model.