Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched a commercial version of its Private 5G platform that could be an important catalyst for the market but also highlights the growing pains and hurdles the market continues to face.

AWS unveiled the platform late last year during the cloud giant’s annual re:Invent conference. It integrates small cell radio units, Outposts servers, a 5G core, and radio access network (RAN) software running on AWS-managed hardware.

“It is self-service and API-driven, and can scale with respect to geographic coverage, device count, and overall throughput,” AWS’ Jeff Burr noted in a blog post tied to the commercial launch. “It also works nicely with other parts of AWS, and lets you use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) to control access to both devices and applications.”

The blog post notes that each network can support one radio unit that can transmit data at up to 150 Mb/s across up to 100 SIM cards – or individual devices – per network. There are plans to expand support to multiple radios per deployment and to a larger number of devices. Each radio unit is billed at $10 per hour, with a 60-day minimum.

The blog post also walks through provisioning steps for a cloud-based version focused on testing and evaluation purposes. Burr notes that this version is not designed for latency-sensitive services and runs the 5G mobile core in a “specific AWS Region.” The initial launch is tied to three domestic regions – US East (Ohio), US East (N. Virginia), and US West (Oregon) – with international expansion planned.

A bigger hurdle is that the initial AWS Private 5G platform does not actually support 5G technology. Instead, Barr explained that the platform “supports 4G LTE today, and will support 5G in the future.”

That could limit the platform’s initially capabilities as the 5G technology standard includes broader support for private network hallmarks like network slicing and the ability to manage thousands of edge/autonomous devices.

The system is also initially limited to using the quasi-licensed Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum. AWS explains that it’s using the Generally Authorized Access (GAA) spectrum tier of that spectrum, which is the lowest of three tiers of access and has the least amount of protection from interference. However, it’s the free tier, which could be appealing.

AWS does manage access to that spectrum, working with registered Spectrum Access System (SAS) provider to gain access to the licenses. And it also said it will troubleshoot “spectrum access or interference issues.”

An outdoor radio deployment also requires the customer to install the radio according to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements.

Wireless operators, who are viewed as most vulnerable to AWS entering the space, have questioned the feasibility of using CBRS spectrum to support private networks.

Gordon Mansfield, VP of mobility and access architecture at AT&T, explained during an interview earlier this year that enterprises are asking for help in deploying private wireless networks. He said some of those requests are for using CBRS spectrum, however, for AT&T that path is really just an opening to a more robust private 5G network offering.

“We’ll certainly build a CBRS network, but we’re making sure that when we build that CBRS network we’ve got a path, a relatively simple path to add licensed spectrum should they hit what’s needed at a future date,” Mansfield said. “There’s a lot of value in private networks, but I think people are much better off having some level of relationship with a carrier that has licensed spectrum.”

Verizon is more open to CBRS, having recently conducted a 5G data session trial with Ericsson that showed it was able to use both the shared and licensed versions of the CBRS spectrum to boost network capacity. Verizon said it plans to use that spectrum to supplement the current use of its licensed C-Band and millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum for its 5G network.

One solution for AWS could be to tap into an established operator's 5G and spectrum assets. AWS, for instance, is a significant part of Dish Network’s nascent 5G network, which runs on a SA core and has access to Dish Network’s copious licensed spectrum assets.

Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen specifically mentioned Amazon when recently explaining that the carrier was open to working with established enterprise hardware, software, and cloud vendors to package together a cellular component into their respective services.

“The three largest players in the enterprise business today are people like Cisco and Amazon and Dell,” Ergen said, according to transcripts. “We have an opportunity to partner with them as a – what I would call subcontractor – where they already have sales forces and relationships. There’s a way for us to get into businesses as they get into business. And those companies want to move beyond WiFi into more licensed spectrum and more secure spectrum and more control over their spectrum. So the sales cycles are longer than we like, but the deals are big and we continue to have – continue increased interest in what we’re doing there.”

Analysts remain mixed on the AWS Private 5G launch.

“It looks to be more of a beta launch than a full commercial launch,” Daryl Schoolar, program VP for worldwide telecommunications at IDC, said in an interview with SDxCentral on the launch. He added that AWS was maybe seeing some pressure to provide more details on the platform as it has been nine months since it was first announced.

Sid Nag, VP analyst at Gartner, said the use of CBRS does allow AWS to target the offering toward a more international market, something that Schoolar also noted.

“This seems to be for multinational corporations with operations in multiple countries, but don’t want to deal with a telecom operator in each market,” Nag said. “I just go and sign up with the service through Amazon and they do all the heavy lifts for me.”

Nag said the move also makes sense for AWS as it looks to expand beyond its public cloud core offerings.

“I look at this as another augmented revenue strategy by Amazon Web Services,” Nag said. “The cloud business is eventually flattening so they need to find new paths to revenue that are outside of the standardized compute, storage, and networking vectors.”