Tag Archives: Private LTE

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What spectrum would you use for Private LTE?

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This is a question I recently saw on a friend’s post. He gave a talk about private LTE. His point was that you have more options than the CBRS.

If you are planning to deploy private LTE then you have several options. The thing is you could use the ISM band, where you have Wi-Fi. The problem is it’s full of Wi-Fi. There could be issues with that pesky Wi-Fi that is everywhere and on almost every device. That is good and bad. Good if you need instant free broadband connections. Bad if you want dedicated spectrum. So, it may not be the best choice if you’re worried about interference.

If you want a lightly licensed solution, with limited bandwidth but low latency, you can use the CBRS. This is going to be your best choice. You can use it.

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I like SpiderCloud and Ruckus as a CBRS OEM. They make good products, and they connect to Federated Wireless for SAS, Spectrum Access System. They all work together to make sure that the private LTE system will work perfectly for your network. I know, this sounds like a sales pitch, but the tools are out there, and these OEMs will help you get around the learning curve. Why not take advantage of their knowledge?

The idea here is that you can figure everything else out. The network is already your strong suit, routers and networking are something you’ve done and will continue to do. So why make the spectrum choice hard? If you use ISM, then you may have to compete with all the Wi-Fi in your building. If you go with CBRS, you have dedicated spectrum in your building.Small Cell Cover 4

I was hoping that there would be some mmwave that we could all dip into, I mean something that could be used that is lightly licensed with a ton of spectrum. That may not happen. The FCC does plan to release more spectrum in the ISM band. Sure, you can use 70GHz, 80GHz, and 90GHz, but I was hoping something for the small business in the 24 to 28GHz range. Probably not going to happen since the carriers are willing to pay for that spectrum.

What would you choose?

  • ISM band for LTE-U? Cost effective but limited indoor-outdoor coverage areas. Chances are it’s all you need, I mean look at Wi-Fi, it’s good enough for most people.
  • The CBRS band? Another cost-effective and somewhat protected indoor and outdoor solution. You have more options here, but maybe not the throughput you need. official logo
  • The 70GHz, 80GHz, and 90GHz bands? Cost effective with limitations, outdoor solutions. Weather can be an issue.

You could use any of them, all of them, or none of them. It’s all up to you and the business model you’re building around private LTE.

If you are interested in commenting on the commission’s planning for spectrum above 24GHz, then  go to https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/07/20/2018-14806/use-of-spectrum-bands-above-24-ghz-for-mobile-radio-services and read it.’

Comments are welcome, email me at wade4wireless@gmail.com if you want to share some thoughts.

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Thank you for your support and your time. And good job on learning all you can in the wireless industry, you are amazing! Now, go out and impress people!

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Building your own Private LTE Network

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The great thing about 5G is that we will soon see private LTE networks. How is this possible? Because we finally have spectrum open to businesses everywhere.  We already have license-free spectrum in 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz that we currently use for Wi-Fi. The FCC is going to allow users to use LTE in that spectrum. The issue is sharing the spectrum. It’s not efficient in public places. Where you will see it make a real difference is in your home. Suddenly when the devices have LTE, you can install a private LTE license free network in your home. That is cool.

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Now, imagine that you can build a licensed LTE network for your small business or to serve your IOT needs to for very high security on your device? You could have your device registered with an SAS company to coordinate your CBRS spectrum so that it’s your spectrum in that building, office park, or wherever. You could even use it on your smartphones when they add that spectrum to their RF boards. This is expected to happen in 2018.

Why Private LTE?

If you want a fast and reliable network, then a private LTE network is the way to go. You could improve security by going with a licensed carrier. That is why the CBRS spectrum will be a good fit. You can easily grab a lightly licensed spectrum for your personal use, and it will make your network very secure. If you need the speed and reliability that Wi-Fi may not provide, then this is a good alternative.

Why would I want a private LTE system?

The big thing now is the industrial IOT functions. This is where you may have a manufacturing plant or a warehouse where the latency and reliability are critical. This is an IOT function where IOT would make a difference, and it could change the way your machines communicate. It would be dedicated to your specific purpose.

I would like to say that your devices would have it but that is about a year away. The latest iPhone did not have this spectrum in it nor did it have the 600MHz spectrum that T-Mobile is building out now. iPhone appears behind the latest technology spectrum.

However, someday all devices will have the CBRS spectrum in them, and your device can hand off to your secure internal network and then back to the carrier’s network, in theory anyway. The idea is that we can do so much more with our devices that could be dedicated to our specific business. That is the dream that we can run our specific applications that matter to our business. Let’s say on our tablets. If you want a model, look at any scanner system for inventory, they use this now to scan everything. Imagine when we can put applications that require more bandwidth on smaller devices and take them anywhere. Our smartphone is like that now but on the carrier’s network and Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi serves a great purpose, but security has been the issue. If we can dedicate a specific channel in the CBRS to a specific function on your smartphone, it will be very secure. It all depends on what your priority will be to achieve your networking goal. Is it easy access, security, functionality, or all 3?

What is the CBRS?

The citizens broadband Radio spectrum. This is currently specific to the United States, but it is going to open everywhere if it’s successful. US CBRS is the 3.5GHz band, which runs from 3550 to 3700 MHz band. CBRS stands for Citizens Broadband Radio Service (in remembrance of the CB, Citizens Band). It is a licensed spectrum. There is Military radar, and Earth stations that use this spectrum that is grandfathered in and have priority access. That will not change. There will be a Spectrum Allocation System (SAS). Currently in the US only, but Europe is looking to follow suit with Licensed Shared Access, (LSA).

The spectrum is 3.65GHz to 3.7GHz which was used for WiMAX. Now the FCC is opening that spectrum and an addition 150MHz spectrum for 3 types of users.

What the SAS will manage:

  • incumbent access including the federal government and satellite providers.
  • priority access licenses (PAL) which are 7 10MHz licenses to be awarded to the highest bidders. PALs will be protected from the GAA users. PAL will include commercial users like carriers, rural operators, are a 3-year license with only 1 renewal term allowed now, and will be in the 3500 to 3650 portion of the spectrum. One licensee can hold only 4 PAL licenses.5g-deployment-plan-front-cover-3k-pixels
  • general access user, (GAA) which is “Licensed by rule” which requires the rules to be followed. This will be dedicated in the 3650 to 3750 MHz portion of the band.
  • A PAL may gain additional GAA spectrum.
  • Companies that currently have this spectrum licenses will be able to keep their This was used for WiMAX in the past. Now it will be LTE focused.
  • Licensing will be done by the Spectrum Allocation System, (SAS), which is a group that can charge for these services, currently being led by Google and Federated Wireless.
  • Hardware vendors include SpiderCloud, Ruckus, Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, ip.access, and Acceleron.

The 3 tiers are:

  • Incumbent access – this is for users that are already using this spectrum for the military, ground stations, government, and so on. They will be protected.
  • Priority Access Licenses (PAL) – this is for anyone who is willing to pay a premium to own 10 MHz of spectrum. The current model is for 3 years with one renewal, that could change.
  • General Authorized Access (GAA) – this is for anyone who wants to use it if they have an authorized device that will connect to the SAS, Spectrum Allocation Service, and accept the assigned frequencies. You must complete a questionnaire and pay a small subscription fee, but it’s going to very reasonable.

The key here is that the SAS will coordinate all users, protect the PAL users and the incumbents.

No PAL users will be on the lower spectrum, and no GAA will be in the upper spectrum.

PAL users will most likely be the carriers or anyone who is willing to pay for dedicated spectrum for data applications, like broadband, IOT, VOIP, or anything that could be a wide area densification Get the Wireless Deployment Handbook today!project.

GAA users could be for anyone in a building doing any type of LTE network. This could be private and secure coverage in a building or IOT applications or manufacturing applications that require very low latency. A private LTE network on a lightly licensed network.

A PAL can grab GAA spectrum but a GAA can’t grab PAL spectrum.

While the GAA users should not interfere with each other, it could happen, not much you can do.

All users need to comply with the FCC rules.

Your Private LTE Network

You can use the licensed or unlicensed spectrum to build your own private LTE network. This will be part of the 5G ecosystem. It could be a separate network slice, from my perspective.

You will need:

  • A mini-core to control your systems and to be the interface to the internet.
  • Radios that are on the band and spread throughout your little area.
  • What will they control? Devices, smartphones, laptops? What will they connect?
  • User Equipment which is the end user’s device. It could be a card to interface with your device if doing IOT. It could be your smartphone, which should have this spectrum in it starting in 2018. Maybe your laptop will be able to connect or have a USB interface that could connect.

Now you see that there is a way to get that private LTE network, but where do you get the parts for a CBRS network? Look at the list below:

  • Ruckus makes radios and a small core.
  • SpiderCloud also makes radios and a small core.
  • Look to Federated Wireless to see that already have run trials, http://www.federatedwireless.com/tag/3-5-ghz/
  • Any major OEM has the equipment, like Nokia, Ericsson, or Samsung, but they generally have little interest in helping a smaller business with something like that. That’s been my experience.
  • As for end-user devices, I am still trying to figure that one out.

There you go, figure it out. It’s so easy a wireless guy can do it. Maybe an IT guy can do it, but who knows.

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

CBRS Deep Dive with Steve Martin

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I am so into CBRS, so when I had an opportunity to interview the CTO of Ruckus, Steve Martin, I jumped at it. I was lucky enough to learn even more about CBRS with this deep dive of knowledge from someone who has been working on it. Ruckus has developed devices that perform in the CBRS bands. I am a fan of Ruckus who is a provider of carrier class Wi-Fi systems, an OEM. When I heard they were planning to get into the CBRS game, I got excited and knew that I had to talk to them. Steve was nice enough to accept and go over how amazing the CBRS is. He is going give an overview of the CBRS part of the wireless eco system.

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Steve answers so many questions about CBRS. Ruckus has been actively pushing for CBRS to become the next wave of wireless deployments for the carriers, enterprise, and private LTE solutions. So much so they helped form the CBRS Alliance.

Tower Safety and Instruction has online training and eBooksTower Safety for all your safety training! at http://teltech-college.com/ where you can get drone, tower, safety, 5G, and deployment material on your laptop! TSI, making the best better.

Ruckus has done an amazing job deploying carrier grade Wi-Fi, outside and inside. They have complete systems to manage and provide Wi-Fi solutions such as controllers, switches, indoor radios, and outdoor radios. They have been suppliers for enterprise, carrier, and WISP customers. They are a high performance yet easy to deploy wireless OEM. They are cost-cost effective but innovative. They realized that Wi-Fi could not provide all the solutions, so they entered the realm of LTE in the CBRS band, getting me excited about Ruckus Wireless. They are providing new solutions, very innovative.

As everyone knows, I am excited about the CBRS spectrum opening because it’s available to more than just the carriers. It allows small and midsize businesses to build private LTE networks. Something that has been near impossible to do before. So now the carriers can handoff to an independent small cell. An independent small cell can host any carrier. It can be carrier neutral and host multiple carriers. How cool is that? We finally have a solution for the places where carriers won’t invest.

What about other use cases for factories and enterprise customers that want broadband and IOT applications on a dedicated LTE system? Problem solved!

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Ruckus was one of the founding members of the CBRS Alliance. The CBRS Alliance has grown from the original 6 to over 60 members.

Here are some questions I wanted to be answered.

  • How will the CBRS spectrum assignment work? (Licensing and spectrum assignment)
    • Spectrum assignment will be like how a DHCP server grants and assigns an IP address. In this case, the radio will boot up and send a request to a server which assigns spectrum. Then the Spectrum Allocation Server, (SAS), allocates the bandwidth and spectrum for that specific location and radio. Steve explains more in the interview.
    • You talk to an SAS vendor, like Federated Wireless or maybe Google, and they will set you up with a subscription. You would pay a monthly subscription to the SAS to make sure that the spectrum is assigned to you, so you’re
  • What are the spectrum usage tiers of the CBRS?
    • The incumbents have been using for fixed satellite services and military radar.
    • Now it’s going to be used for LTE coverage.
      • GAA – Generally Authorized Access – lightly licensed and open to all.
      • PAL – Priority Access License which is exclusive usage for that section of It’s the licensed part of the band with a guarantee of that spectrum.
    • Can CBRS be used outdoors?
      • Yes, it can be utilized Just make sure that you have approval from SAS for the power level and the channel, which will most likely be the carriers.
      • You can build a 50W base station if needed. Not everywhere, but in designated areas. That is a macro site in my eyes.
    • Can CBRS provide coverage for companies outside of the carrier space?
      • Yes, anyone can apply for spectrum and deploy.
    • How will it help the enterprise user?
      • Now the enterprise can go beyond Wi-Fi and have a clean LTE system to work with that is dedicated spectrum for their service.
    • Private LTE systems?
      • Industrial IOT systems for IOT.
      • Fixed wireless applications.
      • Enterprise solutions for a dedicated wireless system that can handoff.
      • Rural broadband solutions. (A different use case altogether.)
      • Private broadband LTE solutions for anything you can imagine.5g-deployment-plan-front-cover-3k-pixels
      • Anything that you thought of now can be done for more than just the carriers. Get creative here! If you have a problem that needs a wireless and secure solution, here it is.
    • Will the cable companies use this spectrum?
      • Yes, it will make it easier for them to use what they have and build out their mobile systems using a combination of licensed, Wi-Fi, and CBRS.
    • What are the roadblocks keeping carriers from providing better indoor coverage?
      • DAS systems are a fine solution for larger venues where the carriers see a business case to invest, like NFL and MLB stadiums. What about the smaller to mid-size buildings? How can they be served when the carriers don’t see a cost-effective way to deploy? They don’t want to pay for it, or at least not a DAS system for a few customers. Now they have the CBRS small cells which can fill that gap.
    • Will CBRS be cost-effective to deploy?
      • Yes!
    • Will CBRS spectrum help the smart city?
      • Of course! It will bring new solutions to the IOT applications in smart It will increase the smart building availability, and allow small systems to be built for specific purposes in any city. It will eventually allow new and dedicated smart city functions to deploy everywhere cost effectively.
      • Ruckus has supported the LinkNYC
    • Will smartphones have this spectrum in them?
      • Expect to see it in 2018.
    • Who will use this spectrum moving forward?
      • Carriers, cable companies, enterprise users, industrial IOT, smart cities, utilities, and more.
    • Can the CBRS small cells solve carrier’s coverage solutions?
      • Yes, indoors and out. It’s a great solution for fill and capacity.
    • Is it possible to have multiple carriers on one small cell?
      • YES! Multiple LTE carriers on one Small Cell!
      • This will be a more economical way to deploy small cells to fill holes.

Steve is a wealth of knowledge and someone who is so easy to talk to. Just a great conversation and I strongly recommend that you listen to learn more. I enjoyed talking to him, and I love the way they (Ruckus) envision CBRS LTE systems. It made me want to jump on the Ruckus bandwagon. What a thrill to be part of this time in history. The FCC did something here that will be groundbreaking for the world if it’s successful. They opened new spectrum for use beyond the carriers and into the hands of all American businesses.

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This goes beyond the spectrum repack where they migrated the spectrum from broadcast to the carriers, which was great for the carriers. Now they opened spectrum for the rest of the industry allowing innovation to happen outside of the carriers. I can’t wait to see how people solve their problems using private LTE systems. They could connect to a dedicated device or roam onto a smartphone for all to use. We live in exciting times once again, innovation still live! Thank you, FCC, for doing this!

Steve Martin is the Chief Technology Officer of Ruckus. He holds many positions in industry groups. He is on the CBRS Alliance Board of Directors and the Wireless Broadband Alliance Board of Directors. Just a great guy all around. He has been with Ruckus since 2006 but became the CTO in 2017, congratulations, Steve!

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Ruckus Wireless is a carrier class Wi-Fi company that offers best in class Wi-Fi systems. Based in beautiful Sunnyvale, Ca, the high-tech company has provided outdoor and indoor wireless solutions for over a decade. Brocade recently acquired Ruckus, and then Brocade 5g-deployment-plan-front-cover-3k-pixelsgot bought by Broadcom, and then Ruckus was being spun out and then bought by Arris International, the story found here, where Ruckus will be a division of Arris. Arris is an amazing company that provides equipment to many of the cable companies worldwide. Cable companies deploy wireless everywhere, so the acquisition makes perfect sense to me. FYI, it’s cool that Arris has a racing club, learn more at http://www.arris.com/ARRISRacing/ if interested. I am quickly becoming a fan of Arris.

Learn more at https://www.ruckuswireless.com/company/overview and contact them at https://www.ruckuswireless.com/contact or email them at info@ruckuc.com to get more information and learn all you can about becoming a big dog!

 

How do you plan goals? Now you can plan 5 Weeks at a time! The 5-week Planning Journal, (click here), available now in paperback from Amazon!

 

 

 

 

Be smart, be safe, and pay attention!

See Ya!

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Do you know what to put in your SOW, the details needed to get paid for milestones or job completion? 

 

 

 

 

The foundations below do beautiful work, helping families in their time of need. Climbers often get seriously injured or die on the job. The foundations below support those families in their time of greatest need! 

official logo

Hubble Foundation helps the families of climbers in a time of need and beyond with financial support and counseling!

tower-family-foundation-e1447069656192

Tower Family Foundation supports the families of tower climbers at the time of crisis when a climber falls with financial assistance and more.

Putting together your smart city tech solutions, planning, development, and more….TechFecta! Guiding you to a better plan through consulting!