As employees return to the office, business leaders are preparing their facilities to meet a greater demand on their in-building wireless networks. Forward-looking leaders are preparing for the 5G shift and investigating new ways to incorporate technologies like Radio DOT (RDOT) and CBRS systems.
Similarly, wireless service providers are designing new ways to serve their customers using these same tools. Improved RDOT systems provide a reduced total cost of ownership compared to traditional distributed antenna systems (DAS), while CBRS has been hailed as a potential replacement for Wi-Fi.
CEC’s Telecom Network Design & Services (TNDS) group has teamed with Ericsson to provide market-leading solutions. CEC is an approved Ericsson partner, certified to construct, install, and integrate all its equipment. A Texas-based team with a national reach, CEC’s in-building wireless solutions (IWS) experts have completed more than 100 venues, up to 3 million square feet.
“We always work with our customers to find the best solution regardless of brand, but Ericsson’s RDOT and CBRS indoor and outdoor products provide immense value for our customers,” CEC Account Executive Rodney Wright said. “Companies who choose these technologies will not only be prepared for the future, but they will have a strong team of industry leaders on their side from preplanning through construction and even maintenance.”
Here’s an overview of these two in-building wireless network solutions:
Radio DOT system
Ericsson’s RDOT system is redefining indoor small cells, especially for 50,000-SF facilities and larger. Its cost-effective and modular, high-performance radio system addresses a wide range of indoor environments, and provides benefits for operators, IT managers, CIOs and building owners. In addition, the system can fully integrate with outdoor networks, which makes it a seamless solution for large-scale businesses.
As 5G networks grow in popularity, these new systems allow communications service providers to optimize existing assets with increased flexibility, including backhaul options and radio-spectrum holdings. These include:
- Dot 4475, a tri-band Dot (8T8R) system, supports multiband, multi-operator deployments
- Dot 4442 3.5 GHz CBRS work off the 3.5 GHz micro radios 2208
- New fiber solutions for increased backhaul flexibility: A hybrid-fiber IRU 1649, RFX 1110 (remote RFX module), and IRU 8848, which can support combined 4G and 5G deployments
The new multiband dot and IRU systems combine carriers to offer improved network speeds, including support for 4G and 5G on a single cable. Service providers can leverage pre-existing fiber to make stable networks.
More than 120 operators in more than 70 countries have deployed the RDOT system in airports, hotels, hospitals, shopping malls, offices, stadiums, and residences.
Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)
In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission authorized the 3.5 GHz band for public use. It was previously restricted to the military. This new mid-band 5G spectrum allows for new business and in-building opportunities. For many companies, the first advantage comes with CBRS-based LTE technology. Run by the CBRS Alliance and branded as “OnGo,” the network is a cost-effective, always-on solution.
The CBRS Alliance represents “the diversity of OnGo solutions, including mobile, cable, rural, enterprise, and industrial uses,” said Dave Wright, president of the CBRS Alliance when the FCC announced its decision. “OnGo is ready for full-scale deployments – enabling 4G LTE systems and 5G NR (new radio) solutions.”
LTE’s range is 150 MHz within the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum, and is designed to balance the needs of existing applications and new services. It can help improve and expedite connectivity, and open new markets:
- Faster GBPS-plus (Gigabytes per second) performance for mobile network operators
- Private LTE networks for industrial, commercial networks
- Internet of Things (IoT) applications and sensor networks
- Alternative operators/start-up LTE service providers
CEC is actively involved with a proof-of-concept trial at Ericsson’s Plano headquarters. Once complete, it will open thousands of venue opportunities in the United States.
Interested in learning more about in-building wireless networks? Contact Rodney Wright below.
Read more: 5G, 4 Wheels: Why CEC is Expanding its Telecom Fleet
Rodney Wright
rwright@cecfg.com
(469) 980-1195