Wade4Wireless

Private Wireless Building Blocks


Something people don’t often talk about is the way private wireless networks (PWN) should be built. Most people (including me at times) talk about private 5G or PLTE or Wi-Fi or LoRa instead of addressing the real issue. Suppliers say use this or use that without even considering what the end user (customer) really wants. 

I am a solutions guy and most suppliers push their solution down the customer’s throat. I am guilty of that because I like my job. 

However, as I work for others, I try to let them know that when building a private network, it should never be a “one size fits all” model. Don’t get me wrong, much of it is repeatable which saves us time and money as we gain experience. However, don’t limit yourself to one technology. 

What am I trying to say? I am asking you to look at what the end user wants and work backwards. We have to make sure the end-to-end (E2E) solution is available. If it’s not, we may have to build something. 

Most PWNs will consist of multiple technologies and solutions to achieve the final result. The final result should solve the customer’s problem and save them money. The idea is to match the solution to the use case. This may require you to think beyond one technology. While you think one can solve all the problems, you may be right if you pick the correct solution. In many cases LoRa or Wi-Fi or Sigfox or BLE may be all that you need. Maybe you have your backhaul figured out and that is a non-issue. 

Devices matter. I say this over and over again but so many of us come up with solutions without looking at E2E. We have to see if the devices are available or develop them ourselves. It has to be thought through and carefully analyzed for what is available today and what is on the roadmap for the near future. We also have to look at the end of life of technologies and devices. So many suppliers push a solution that they know will 

Here is my quick overview on YouTube.

What to plan for:

  • Indoors or outdoors. The solution depends on the coverage area and building penetration. Remember that these are different solutions to be looked at differently. Decide which problems to solve and treat each one independently of the other. 
  • Look at the requirements that the customer needs. Most private networks are for IOT like lighting, thermostat control, reading meters, and other specialty items that probably use BLE, LoRa, or Wi-Fi. LTE and 5G are overkill. Even the backhaul in a building can be Wi-Fi, you don’t need more. 
  • The interface device has to be available. If you’re controlling lights or thermostats, then there has to be something readily available. If you need cameras then it probably has built in Wi-Fi. Is the device available today? What is the lifespan and roadmap? If you’re going to make an investment in lighting control systems that are proprietary then make sure it will be supported for years to come. The last thing you want to happen is to install it and 2 years later be told you have to replace it.
  • If looking at a carrier grade solution, PLTE or P5G, then what services is the customer looking for? Roaming from carrier to private networks? VoLTE? VoNR? Broadband? Specific devices? Make sure the service is in the solution, don’t assume the vendor you have will work without a thorough verification. Then, the devices need to work on the network. Not all smartphones work on private networks. If you think an iPhone or Galaxy will work, verify and ask others who are doing it. You will be surprised how few devices work on private networks.
  • Look at the back-end solution as well. Do you need a core? What security is the customer expecting? What monitoring and alarming is expected?
  • What about the backhaul? I am not talking about the internet access, but the backhaul of each gateway or radio. This can be a bottleneck that could cause you grief going forward. If one device has limited backhaul, you may have problems and spend a lot of time troubleshooting the wrong issue. 
  • Testing the system and each device will be key to making sure the customer is satisfied going forward. Remember that you will have problems you didn’t think of, so why not eliminate the issues you can think of. Test each device if possible. Test each gateway, router, switch, radio and so on. You will be glad you did. 

More:

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Small business owners: Looking to sell or merge? I have partners looking to partner with small tech & IT businesses. Details:

  • Looking for companies in IT, Fiber (indoor or outdoor), wireless, Wi-Fi, FWA, Venue or DAS.
  • Looking for owners ready to sell or retire.
  • Smaller companies, maybe 4 to 15 employees.
  • Concentrating on the East coast, but open to US based businesses,
  • Email me at wade@techfecta.com.

Looking for financing to grow, expand, or purchase a business? I have a partner who can help:

  • Who they can help:
    • US based,
    • Someone looking for $10M and up,
    • Needing to grow, consolidate, or merge,
    • Email me at wade@techfecta.com.
  • About the Investor;
    •  Made 155+ completed transactions,
    • $2.4B+ deployed,
    • $1.4B of assets,
    • Focused on Technology, IT, and Wireless,
    • Been around over 15 years.

Update on next book! I am putting together a new book on Private Wireless Networks. Hopefully by the end of the month.

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