Page 12 - RC19 RealcommEDGE 2019 Fall Issue

The need for quality cellular coverage throughout
corporate facilities will only increase as cellular devices

replace desktop phones and as IoT installations
become more prevalent for operations, security, building
maintenance and connections to outside vendors.

carrier, does not cause interference or add noise, and pick equipment that will withstand a transition from 4G
provides up to 1,000 times the gain of analog repeaters, LTE to 5G.
which means it will provide a better-quality signal over a
larger footprint. Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) – CBRS
is a trending topic. CBRS is the name for the cellular
A Smart Signal Booster can be installed in minutes by frequency made available for public use in the 3.5 GHz
anyone and costs a fraction of the investment required spectrum. There are two implementations of CBRS that
for an active DAS or small cell solutions. are meaningful. The first is Private LTE. A CBRS-based
Private LTE network could be installed to improve
Active DAS Hybrid – There is a newer product category communications in a large enterprise space. Private LTE
offering the quality of service of an active DAS with the also offers IT administrators greater control over access
ease of use and fast installation of the Smart Signal and security.
Booster. Active DAS hybrid solutions can support single
or multiple carriers, and can be used on 3G / 4G / LTE The second use for CBRS is neutral host network, or NHN.
networks. Unlike fiber-based DAS solutions, a hybrid There is a substantial amount of misleading information
can be installed in a few days or weeks by a system from a variety of equipment vendors about this. The
integrator, and is scalable up to 500,000 square feet for NHN will be advertised to offer ‘Wi-Fi-like’ cellular service
one or multiple carriers. in-building. The challenge here is that the carriers have
no incentives to support these initiatives, so it’s extremely
This system can be configured to amplify the signal unlikely it will see broad adoption in the market.
from the carrier cell towers. If the outside signal
source is insufficient, or if there are construction or The need for quality cellular coverage throughout
environmental obstacles preventing the signal from corporate facilities will only increase as cellular devices
penetrating into the building (such as mountains, replace desktop phones and as IoT installations
surrounding high rises or LEED building construction), become more prevalent for operations, security, building
a small cell can be installed as the signal source. It is maintenance and connections to outside vendors. To
priced to fit the middleprise budget. choose the best technology, it is essential to first have a
good understanding of the level of cellular connection the
5G – There is a lot of buzz about 5G. If massive corporation needs now and in the future.
machine-type or ultra-reliable low-latency communi-
cations won’t be important applications in your Joe Schmelzer is Senior Director of Products at
facility—such as enabling smart cities, remote surgical Nextivity. He has 20 years of experience driving the
equipment, driverless vehicle infrastructure, robotics, or creation of products and solutions for chipset
geofencing—you probably won’t need 5G connectivity vendors, device OEMs, and service providers
including Sony, Qualcomm, Google, Verizon Wireless,
for many years to come. Expect 4G LTE to remain the AT&T, Dell, and HP. He has previously held positions with Wavecom,
dominant coverage technology for voice and data for Sierra Wireless, and Inseego (formerly NovAtel Wireless). He was
the foreseeable future. The most sensible strategy for also a founding member of CTIA’s Wireless Internet Caucus. For
a middleprise building owner for preparing for 5G is to more information, contact hello@cel-fi.com or visit www.cel-fi-com.

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