Bridging Private and Public 5G Networks: The Quest for Service Continuity and Interworking

The fifth generation (5G) of telecommunications technology has rapidly emerged as a critical enabler due to its wide range of capabilities and immense flexibility. To achieve more reliable, secure, and consistent coverage and capacity, enterprises increasingly deploy private 5G networks instead of relying solely on public 5G networks or mobile network operators (MNOs). However, these deployments face limitations when users or devices transition from private to public 5G coverage, restricting seamless service continuity. In addition, they lack the adaptability needed to effectively support advanced features such as emergency and voice services, which public 5G networks or MNOs can provide both on-and off-premises. This work proposes architectural solutions to enable interworking between public and private 5G networks, thus addressing the shortcomings of existing private 5G networks. The context and rationale behind these integration criteria are first discussed, along with potential use cases. Furthermore, we analyze the benefits and limitations of the proposed architectural designs, associated research challenges, and future directions.