DISH Wireless and Cisco Team Up for Trial CBRS Neutral Host Network
DISH Wireless and Cisco Team Up for Trial CBRS Neutral Host Network
April 29, 2022
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On April 21, DISH Wireless and Cisco announced it is entering into a partnership with Internet2 and Duke University to pilot a neutral host network (NHN) for high education institutions using Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) shared spectrum.
Launching this summer, the goal of this pilot is to improve the mobile coverage of Duke’s network while verifying the viability of low-cost, shared wireless spectrum using CBRS to let enterprises own and operate private LTE and 5G networks. The NHN will integrate Duke University’s private network, which is supported by Cisco’s Private 5G as a service platform and Internet2’s upgraded fifth-generation national research and education network, with DISH Wireless’ 5G network.
Potential applications for higher education institutions using private, CBRS-connected mobile networks include smart campuses, IoT sensor networks, extended coverage for campus Wi-Fi, and more.
“Every college and university have experienced dramatic increases in wireless needs from our mobile-first communities. Rather than providing two separate infrastructures throughout our campuses — cellular and Wi-Fi — the holy grail has always been for a single, common network delivering both cellular and high-speed private Wi-Fi,” said Tracy Futhey, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Duke University.
This partnership came from a new Future Wireless Working Group (FWWG) established by Internet2 in March 2020, which brought together multiple university chief information officers and technology leaders to consider the impact, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration to evaluate and implement emerging wireless technologies in higher education.