Two-way partnerships to address 5G projects have been piling up. Every major vendor wants to gain the kudos which comes from providing the equipment for an MNO’s lab and field trials, whatever the upfront cost. Most large operators now have some form of public R&D program, often working with one or two others. Now some big players, such as AT&T and Deutsche Telekom, are forming far broader alliances. These may accelerate results and reduce costs, but they also threaten to keep 5G’s priorities firmly focused on the telco vertical, while sidelining those industries which could benefit the most. As standards start to be discussed and use cases defined, these collaborations are moving beyond PR and starting to deliver useful results.…