Private Long-Term Evolution (LTE) Networks
The Pathway to Future-Ready Organizations
The Private LTE Network
Mobile communications technology is rapidly transforming the way companies, enterprises and cities are run. Software-driven operating models using analytics, automation and machine communications are being pursued by virtually all industrial sectors to improve productivity. Progressive enterprises are implementing the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless networking solutions that offer scalability and extreme reliability to control real-time process automation and improve enterprise profitability.
Harbour Research defines a private LTE network as a “local LTE network that is utilizing dedicated radio equipment to service a premise with specific IoT applications and services. The use of dedicated equipment allows it to be independent of traffic fluctuation in the wide-area macro network. By focusing on specific IoT applications and services, the private LTE network can be tailored to more optimized performance such as low latency.” It can be based on licensed, unlicensed or shared spectrum.
Pervasive connectivity across devices has led to the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT), where big data generated by connected devices enhances manufacturing and industrial processes, bringing machines, computers and people together to improve business efficiencies. A Private LTE Network provides devices, and local traffic, priority, allowing organizations to operate efficiently without risk of disruption, outside network security breaches, or cost-prohibitive per-bit pricing.
Virtually any device can harness the power of internet connectivity and the data processing capability of the network. This latest approach to networking technology, the Private LTE network, allows organizations to have full control and security over the network as they move towards optimized internet of things systems.
How Private LTE Works
Private LTE is the broad umbrella under which licensed, shared and unlicensed spectrum falls.
Leveraging micro towers and small cells on-site, carriers are able to replicate a network similar to the larger public network, based on the spectrum used.
Benefits of a Private LTE Network
Where WiFi and public LTE do not meet all the business requirements, private LTE has emerged as an alternative, providing dedicated, fixed-cost networks for businesses and IoT devices. Benefits can range from data usage savings and enhanced traffic flow, to better information security.
Private LTE provides a dedicated broadband network with flat-rate pricing to organizations where WiFi and public LTE don’t provide the performance, security or cost-effectiveness required for a particular end-user. Providers engineer on-site micro towers and small cells to mimic a standard public cellular network, but with less traffic and congestion, and enhanced security.
Private LTE Networks allow industrial, government and enterprise markets to operate independently and separately from public commercial wireless networks limiting concerns of network security and allowing control over operations without RF interference from nearby radios or prioritization if traffic is carried over to a commercial cellular network. Common use cases tend to be large areas such as airports, healthcare, manufacturing factories and warehouses, mines, remote oil and gas locations, power plants, ships and stadiums.
Per-bit pricing on a public LTE network, if available, can be cost-prohibitive. With a private LTE network, you are able to operate and own a secure, reliable fixed and mobile wireless private network, across your own facilities and designated operating region. Private LTE networks allow your organization, with significant amounts of data traffic, including big data being sent to a corporate data center, to benefit from flat-rate pricing and prevent performance fluctuations that can result from bandwidth competition on a public LTE network.
Security and performance are enhanced utilizing edge networking devices that help to protect critical data from malicious attacks. Outside traffic is blocked from the Private LTE network, providing priority to the most important devices and improving overall performance across the network.
Use Cases:
As mentioned, very specific benefits range from lower data costs to improved network performance and tighter security, making private LTE the best available local area network (LAN) option for a variety of enterprises and locations, where WiFi and public LTE don’t meet all of the business requirements.
With the advancement and implementation of the internet of things, public networks and fluctuating data use of a surrounding area, can hinder strong information security needs and exceptionally high levels of bandwidth and network performance for industries such as oil and gas and manufacturing. The ability for these industries to use a different frequency ensures their sensors and devices don’t compete for coverage during mission-critical tasks.
Video monitoring is crucial for worker safety, asset monitoring, and deterring criminal activity. Where WiFi can lack stability and performance for numerous cameras across an asset, private LTE provides a cost effective and secure way to make large facilities wireless.
Cost effective with unlimited capacity and throughput – scalability
With reliable and cost-effective supplemental networks, you can avoid high monthly service costs associated with satellite or cellular service providers while extending your primary network, even in remote areas not currently covered by the major Telcos.
Utilizing our distributed architecture, we provide unlimited capacity and throughput at a network level, with scalability as needed. Simple to deploy and cost effective, wide-area coverage is larger and less expensive than a traditional macro cell and can be deployed in virtually any location or environment with absolute reliability.
Rigstar will engineer, deploy, and operate, private LTE networks or an unlicensed PMP system in new fields and remote locations, allowing you to operate your own secure and reliable wireless network that connects to, and seamlessly extends, your primary network. Having your own private LTE network allows you to control field operations without the risk of RF interference from nearby radios or prioritization when carried over a commercial network.
Pervasive Connectivity increases business profitability
Business leaders have an opportunity to position themselves with opportunities that are imminent in making their organization more profitable, and those leaders that understand the effects of pervasive connectivity on their business will prove the most successful amongst their competitors.
What scalable, private LTE solution does your organization need to take advantage of the opportunities pervasive connectivity can create for your business?
