At the Netherlands Pavilion during Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2026, a group of Dutch telecom and technology stakeholders outlined progress in developing a mobile private network (MPN) ecosystem aimed at accelerating enterprise adoption of private 5G.
The session, moderated by Jurjen van Veldhuizen, brought together representatives from Eurofiber, NTT Data and the Dutch Digital Infrastructure Authority to discuss spectrum availability, use cases and market readiness.
Spectrum availability enabling private networks
René van Eden, Coordinating Specialist Inspector at the Dutch Digital Infrastructure Authority, Ministry of Economic Affairs, confirmed that since December 2023, organisations in the Netherlands can apply for licences to deploy private mobile networks using spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band.
Currently, 100 MHz of spectrum is available, divided into two 50 MHz blocks, enabling organisations to deploy localised, site-specific networks. These so-called “parcel-bound” networks allow enterprises to design and operate their own connectivity environments, subject to regulatory conditions such as coordination with neighbouring networks and synchronisation requirements.
Looking ahead, additional spectrum is expected to become available. Following a European Commission decision, the 3.8 – 4.2 GHz band is set to be opened for local network use in 2026, although national implementation steps are still required.
Enterprise demand drives ecosystem approach
Eurofiber positioned private 5G as a natural extension of its fibre-based connectivity services. According to Jeroen Thijsen, Business Development Manager Innovation at Eurofiber, demand from enterprise customers is the primary driver behind the company’s move into private wireless networks.
Customers are primarily focused on service availability and reliability, rather than the underlying technology. Eurofiber aims to extend its high-availability fibre services with wireless connectivity, supported by an ecosystem of partners delivering higher-layer services.
The company also highlighted the growing importance of IoT and digitalisation, with private 5G enabling support for connected devices, sensors and industrial applications. Eurofiber plans to introduce 5G RedCap capabilities to support such use cases.
Bridging telecom and IT domains
NTT Data emphasised the convergence of telecom and IT as a key trend in private 5G deployments.
According to Peter Brandenburg, Senior Manager Smart Solutions at NTT Data, private 5G networks enable secure and reliable data exchange within and between organisations, aligning with the company’s broader focus on enterprise networking and digital transformation.
NTT Data has deployed private 5G solutions globally across sectors such as aviation, events and industrial environments. In the Netherlands, the company is focusing on manufacturing, logistics and healthcare, targeting environments with high connectivity requirements and limited reliance on traditional office infrastructure.
The company also stressed the importance of starting with targeted use cases to demonstrate value, rather than focusing solely on technology deployment.
Positioning private 5G as an IT solution
Both Eurofiber and NTT Data highlighted a shift in positioning private 5G not as a traditional telecom offering, but as an IT network solution.
This reflects the way enterprise customers approach connectivity decisions, often through IT departments that compare private 5G with alternatives such as Wi-Fi.
The speakers argued that private 5G should be evaluated based on business outcomes and performance characteristics, rather than as a direct replacement for existing wireless technologies.
Building market maturity through collaboration
Participants agreed that the Dutch private 5G market is still in an early stage, requiring further development in terms of awareness, expertise and proven use cases.
Key success factors include collaboration across the ecosystem, including network providers, system integrators, regulators and technology partners.
René van Eden from the Dutch Digital Infrastructure Authority highlighted the importance of early adopters in demonstrating successful deployments, which can help lower adoption barriers for other organisations.
Peter Brandenburg from NTT Data pointed to initiatives such as test environments where companies can experiment with private 5G applications, while Eurofiber emphasised the need for flexible, scalable solutions supported by partnerships.
Outlook for private 5G in the Netherlands
The session concluded that while private 5G adoption is still emerging, the combination of regulatory support, ecosystem collaboration and enterprise demand is creating a foundation for future growth.
As spectrum availability expands and more use cases are validated, stakeholders expect private networks to play an increasing role in enterprise connectivity strategies, particularly in sectors requiring high reliability, security and scalability.
Partners
