ALE International, trading as Alcatel-Lucent, has unveiled the general release of its enhanced ALE Private 5G solution, designed for greater ease and accessibility in multi-site and industrial settings.
The offering introduces innovative access points (APs), a new AP-only deployment setup called AerFlex, an updated edge platform, and an expanded range of professional services to streamline the implementation of Private 5G networks. These enhancements cater to the specific needs of industries such as manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and energy, where reliable, low-latency connectivity is crucial for robotics, IoT sensors, and connected workers.
Innovative deployment architecture
The core of the update lies in AerFlex, a revolutionary AP-only deployment architecture that simplifies Private 5G implementation for enterprises.
Unlike traditional Private 5G setups that require extensive infrastructure like baseband units and custom cabling, AerFlex allows APs to link directly to existing local area network (LAN) setups using standard Power over Ethernet (PoE). This configuration enables zero-touch cloud provisioning, facilitating multi-site deployments without the need for on-site specialists at each location.
Seamless integration with existing infrastructure
Alcatel-Lucent provides unified management of LAN, WLAN, and Private 5G networks
The enhanced Private 5G solution also strengthens integration with the Alcatel-Lucent OmniVista® Network Management Platform.
Through this platform, Alcatel-Lucent provides unified management of LAN, WLAN, and Private 5G networks, simplifying inventory and alarm monitoring. The solution automatically segments devices into appropriate VLANs and applies specific Quality of Service (QoS) policies for each application, ensuring robust security and seamless connectivity. The flexibility to connect existing devices through IoT gateways without needing replacements adds significant value to enterprises.
Dedicated connectivity for industry applications
Private 5G networks offer dedicated cellular connectivity tailored exclusively for individual enterprises on their premises.
Unlike public networks, these dedicated systems use privately licensed spectrum, keeping data on-site with performance guaranteed through contractual agreements rather than on a best-effort basis. This technology mitigates the physical limitations of Wi-Fi, making it ideal for environments with large outdoor areas, metal-dense production floors, and settings with high electromagnetic interference where uninterrupted connectivity is essential.
Targeted industry benefits
Private 5G networks are well-suited for several industries:
- Manufacturing & Industry 4.0: Suitable for applications such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), robotics, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and digital twins, which need reliable low-latency connections on complex production floors.
- Logistics & Warehousing: Supports extensive indoor and outdoor operations with high-speed vehicles and perimeter tasks where Wi-Fi signals may falter.
- Transportation: Facilitates wide-area outdoor coverage necessary for autonomous vehicle operations, asset tracking, and critical communications in airports, ports, and rail facilities.
- Energy & Utilities: Provides dependable connectivity for safety-critical operations in substations, refineries, and remote field sites.
“ALE Private 5G is designed to remove much of the traditional complexity associated with private cellular deployments, making it significantly easier for enterprises to deploy and scale, especially for multi-site and industrial environments — with more flexibility in how the network is designed and operated,” stated Christopher Maldonado, Product Line Manager Private 5G at Alcatel-Lucent.
ALE International, operating under the trade name Alcatel-Lucent, announces the general availability of its updated ALE Private 5G offer. With new access points (APs), a new AP-only deployment architecture (AerFlex), an updated edge platform, and an extended professional services portfolio, Private 5G is now simpler and more accessible for multi-site and industrial environments.
Industrial worker wearing a white safety helmet, protective eyewear, and a high-visibility orange jacket uses a tablet device at an illuminated industrial processing facility during evening hours, with refinery structures and equipment visible in the background.
Existing LAN infrastructure
The updated offer responds directly to growing demand from industrial customers, in manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and energy where robotics, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), IoT sensors, and connected workers require deterministic, low-latency connectivity that Wi-Fi alone cannot guarantee. With this release, ALE delivers three core commitments:
- Simpler to deploy: AerFlex eliminates on-site servers, racks, and custom cabling. APs connect over standard PoE to existing LAN infrastructure
- Easier to scale: New indoor and outdoor AP options extend coverage to larger, more demanding environments and multi-site deployments.
- More value beyond connectivity: A complete services portfolio (site surveys, validation, on-site expertise, and managed services) backs every deployment.
Dedicated packet cores
One of the most significant updates in this release is AerFlex, a new AP-only deployment architecture that fundamentally simplifies how Private 5G is deployed on enterprise sites. Traditional Private 5G deployments require baseband units, dedicated packet cores, custom cabling, and specialist installation, often weeks or months before a single device connects.
Authentication, NAC, DHCP, firewall, and Edge AI processing are embedded directly in the AP. APs connect to existing LAN switches via standard Power over Ethernet. Zero-touch cloud provisioning scales multi-site deployments without a specialist engineer on-site at each location.
Automatically segmenting devices
The updated offer deepens the native integration with the Alcatel-Lucent OmniVista® Network Management Platform. Alcatel-Lucent remains the only vendor delivering LAN, WLAN, and Private 5G management from a single platform. Private 5G access points appear in OmniVista alongside OmniSwitch® and OmniAccess® Stellar assets: one inventory, one alarm console, one topology view.
Security is enforced end-to-end, automatically segmenting devices into the correct VLAN and applies the appropriate QoS policy per application. The solution supports an open enterprise device ecosystem, with IoT gateways enabling existing devices to connect to the Private 5G network without replacement.
Dedicated cellular network
Private 5G is a dedicated cellular network deployed exclusively for a single organization within its own facilities, sites, and operational environment. Unlike public carrier networks, spectrum is licensed privately, data stays on-premises, and performance is a contractual commitment rather than a best-effort promise.
Technology addresses the physical limitations of Wi-Fi: large outdoor yards, metal-dense production floors, high electromagnetic interference environments, and mobile assets that must maintain uninterrupted connectivity while in motion.
Metal-dense production floors
Private 5G is especially adapted to the following industries:
- Manufacturing & Industry 4.0: AGVs, robotics, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), real-time quality control, and digital twins requiring deterministic, low-latency connectivity across metal-dense production floors.
- Logistics & warehousing: Large indoor and outdoor facilities, high-speed forklift fleets, automated dispatch, and perimeter operations beyond the reach of indoor Wi-Fi.
- Transportation: Airports, seaports, and rail facilities requiring wide-area outdoor coverage for autonomous vehicle operations, asset tracking, and safety-critical communications.
- Energy & utilities: Substations, refineries, and remote field operations where reliable connectivity is a safety requirement, not only an operational convenience.
“ALE Private 5G is designed to remove much of the traditional complexity associated with private cellular deployments, making it significantly easier for enterprises to deploy and scale, especially for multi-site and industrial environments — with more flexibility in how the network is designed and operated,” said Christopher Maldonado, Product Line Manager Private 5G, Alcatel-Lucent.
