Open Access

Murtaza Abbas, Max-Ferdinand Stroh, Wolfgang Boos

• 5G continues to develop as a key technology for digital transformation in production. This wireless, fast and secure transmission technology with long range, low latency and the ability to connect a large number of devices will enable companies to gradually overcome the hurdles of the fully connected enterprise of the future. At the same time, as a new and innovative technology, 5G still presents companies with a number of challenges. In particular, the issue of non-transparent cost calculation is still causing uncertainty for companies, especially in the decision-making process. The uncertainty of companies regarding the cost factors of private 5G-campus networks results from limited experience. The lack of knowledge about aspects such as license fees, hardware costs and maintenance expenses make budgeting difficult. A systematic analysis is necessary to make informed decisions and maximize the benefits of 5G technologies. This article presents an overview of the cost factors of private 5G campus networks, including the implementation phases and the stakeholders involved, through case study research. Furthermore, in addition to identifying the specific characteristics of the 5G-cost factors and implementation phases and stakeholders, the dependencies between these are also evaluated. The aim is to verify the identified 5G-cost factors so that a precise and transparent calculation is possible and well-founded decisions can be made regarding the implementation and use of 5G-technologies.