Industry Leaders Collaborate to Expand Cellular Coverage and Capacity for Buildings and High-Density Areas

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Six wireless industry leaders today announced their shared commitment to develop, market and promote solutions utilizing the U.S. 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). The six companies—Federated Wireless, Google, Intel, Nokia, Qualcomm Incorporated and Ruckus Wireless—believe that CBRS will be critical to drive innovation, support new business models and spur economic growth.

Last April, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules for CBRS, which opens 150 MHz of spectrum (3550-3700 MHz) for commercial use. Because spectrum access is actively coordinated based on priority and granular location, it becomes possible for regulators to make previously allocated spectrum available to new entrants and services—while providing necessary protections for incumbent users of the band.

The six companies aim to build a robust ecosystem of industry participants and make CBRS solutions as widely available as possible. For example, private enterprises, venues and fixed operators could autonomously deploy high-quality in-building LTE networks into which all mobile network subscribers can roam. Operators could benefit from a significantly expanded footprint and capacity on new spectrum, while subscribers could enjoy a consistent wireless broadband experience—particularly in challenging places such as indoor locations, venues and corporate campuses.

The companies will continue to work with the industry to develop CBRS solutions and further build out the 3.5 GHz ecosystem. For instance, the companies are participating in the Wireless Innovation Forum's efforts to develop and drive the adoption of standards around the unique aspects of operation in the CBRS band, which include providing an interface to the central spectrum coordination systems, actively protecting Federal operations, and managing the coexistence among those sharing the band. The companies are working towards LTE-based field trials in the second half of this year, and several will showcase CBRS-ready technologies at Mobile World Congress.

Company Support

"We are honored to partner with other wireless networking stalwarts in enabling carriers and enterprises to seamlessly and cost effectively alleviate spectrum management challenges and substantially improve the performance and capacity of wireless networks," said Sarosh Vesuna, senior vice president, corporate development and strategic alliances for Federated Wireless.

"Google is very pleased to be one of the companies driving this technology," said Milo Medin, vice president, access, Google. "CBRS will benefit all participants in the wireless ecosystem, but most particularly, the users of mobile devices."

"In-building cellular coverage and capacity is an increasingly important component of both enterprise and residential consumers. Intel is committed to work with wireless networking organizations to address spectrum management challenges, come up with solutions which cater to commercially viable coverage and capacity requirements for both carriers and consumers, and ultimately service the data demands that will be critical for 5G and beyond," said Asha Keddy, vice president, next generation and standards group, Intel Corporation.

"Over 75 percent of today's global mobile data traffic is generated indoors, and the majority of customer complaints come from those indoor users," said Chris Stark, head of North America business development for Nokia. "Our industry needs to address this by expanding the capacity of new coverage technologies so that we eliminate potential indoor bottlenecks as the capacity of macro networks continues to grow. Nokia is proud to join other industry leaders in bringing the next generation of coverage and capacity technology to the world."

"Accelerating the development and deployment of LTE-based solutions in 3.5 GHz bands is critical to meet the ever-growing demand for mobile data," said Ed Tiedemann, senior vice president, engineering, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and head of standards and industry organizations. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with this group of technology leaders and all other stakeholders to expand the 3.5 GHz ecosystem."

"We're thrilled to collaborate with other industry leaders to drive CBRS adoption. Working together, we will ensure CBRS dramatically expands the wireless footprint, especially within buildings where cellular and Wi-Fi technologies intersect," said Steve Martin, senior vice president and general manager of emerging technologies for Ruckus Wireless. "LTE CBRS services represent a cost-effective way for mobile operators to expand their footprint in-building, and this ultimately translates to better service for subscribers."

About Federated Wireless
Formed in 2012, Federated Wireless, Inc. is developing scalable wireless infrastructure solutions to extend the access of carrier networks. The company's dynamic Spectrum Access Service (SAS) platform focuses on the distribution of licensed shared spectrum. Its approach incorporates a neural network of radio sensors that allow for interference-free access to low-cost, high-quality licensed spectrum, and breaks down traditional barriers of high-cost, exclusive spectrum. The company's differentiated business model creates opportunities for more efficient approaches to spectrum. Federated Wireless is headquartered in Arlington, VA, and has offices in Boston, MA and Sunnyvale, CA. More information can be found at www.federatedwireless.com.

About Google
Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people connect with information. Google's innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top Internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world.

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) expands the boundaries of technology to make the most amazing experiences possible. Information about Intel and the work of its more than 100,000 employees can be found at newsroom.intel.com and intel.com.

Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in the technologies that connect people and things. Powered by the innovation of Bell Labs and Nokia Technologies, the company is at the forefront of creating and licensing the technologies that are increasingly at the heart of our connected lives. 

With state-of-the-art software, hardware and services for any type of network, Nokia is uniquely positioned to help communication service providers, governments, and large enterprises deliver on the promise of 5G, the Cloud and the Internet of Things. http://nokia.com

About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

About Ruckus Wireless
Ruckus Wireless delivers simply better wireless for more than 65,300 enterprise, service provider, government and small business customers worldwide. The company is focused on technology innovation, partner ecosystems and customer service — yielding the best possible wireless experience for the most challenging indoor and outdoor environments. Its Smart Wi-Fi platform delivers scalable, high-performance Wi-Fi with simplified control and management for on-premise and cloud-based Wi-Fi deployments, along with new services for secure on-boarding, policy management, location services and analytics that enable new business opportunities.

Media Contacts
Laurie Falconer, Ruckus Wireless
[email protected]
408-636-1223

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SOURCE Ruckus Wireless, Inc.

Related Links

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