U.S.-based Connectivity Wireless says it has deployed OnGo LTE connectivity based on the newly available 3.5 GHz Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum in New York City’s Times Square.
This trial is one of the first publicly-announced deployments of CBRS services since the FCC announced the greenlight for CBRS initial commercial deployments (ICD) on September 16.
Connectivity Wireless partnered with Athonet, Federated Wireless, CommScope, and Sky Connect Networks for the deployment of the new network.
“This trial underscores our mission to promote economic development in Times Square by leveraging cutting-edge technology,” said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance. “We believe CBRS holds the potential to help deliver greater levels of security and improve the experience of visitors and businesses through digital innovation.”
“We are excited to pioneer OnGo services on the CBRS spectrum deployment in Times Square,” said Nader Famili, SVP of technology planning and development at Connectivity Wireless. “This trial will demonstrate Connectivity Wireless’ ability and commitment to deploy private LTE and IoT networks on the 3.5 GHz band using multiple uses cases.”
Times Square is one of the most heavily visited locations in the world, with visitors placing intense demands on carrier LTE networks and available Wi-Fi spectrum. These demands have made it challenging for carriers, retailers and hospitality providers to provide reliable connectivity for digital technologies.
The trial started on September 30 and will last until October 15, 2019. It is particularly focused on enabling public safety applications. Connectivity Wireless said that key applications shown on the Times Square network will comprise:
-Video Cameras: Mobile and static video capture with AI-driven insights and machine learning for security, operations and enhanced visitor experience
-Public Safety: Push-to-talk applications for security and operational management
-Voice: Secure voice and video calls on standard off-the-shelf smart phones such as the iPhone11
-Digital Signage: Digital signage that can be flexibly deployed without cabling to support real-time video and public advisory messages
-Wi-Fi: Provide backhaul for Wi-Fi access to allow densification of local Wi-Fi networks and improved visitor experience
“Times Square is an ideal showcase for our new CBRS LTE solutions,” said Joel Lindholm, VP of CBRS for CommScope. “Ruckus Networks’ CBRS LTE delivers business-critical wireless connections in a solution that is easy for operators, enterprises or government entities to deploy and manage. CBRS is ideal for use cases that require the highest QoS and reliability, as well as for locations where macro-LTE networks are not available or face density challenges. Connectivity Wireless’ Times Square deployment validates CBRS can support diverse use cases in even the most challenging environments.”
In a public notice posted on September 16, the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology confirmed that the SAS operated by Amdocs, CommScope, Federated Wireless, Google, and Sony have satisfied the lab testing requirements and are approved to support initial commercial deployments (ICDs). Those systems have also received final approval for ICD from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Department of Defense.
ICD is a formal 30-day period in which the new systems will receive extra scrutiny that they are living up to the operational results they produced in the lab, and the SAS administrators must provide a report on ICD operations at the end of the period. ICDs “must involve a variety of testing scenarios featuring multiple Citizen Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSDs) that result in the generation of data upon which the Commission can reasonably predict that the SAS can reliably operate in compliance with the … rules,” the FCC noted.