Finnish vendor Nokia’s private 4G/5G DAC system has been validated by UK-based IT solutions provider Black Box on a DAS setup from US-based Corning. The project paves the way for dual public and private 4G/5G networks using shared spectrum on traditional indoor radio infrastructure, the trio said. It focuses on the shared CBRS band (3.55-3.7 GHz) in the US. Black Box noted the additional support for Wi-Fi in the Nokia DAC system.
The three companies suggested their work eliminates the need to deploy separate infrastructure for CBRS-based private networks and public cellular services, thereby reducing both the cost and complexity of deploying and maintaining indoor 4G/5G connectivity for twin purposes. They said it is relevant to cellular deployments in various sectors, including the healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and hospitality industries.
Black Box will sell the solution to its own customers; it is unclear if it will be offered via third-party resellers.
Black Box used Nokia’s Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) product and Corning’s Everon distributed antenna system (DAS) product. The DAC solution was integrated as a signal source for the DAS – “effectively uniting private and commercial wireless networks on the same infrastructure”. Nokia offers Wi-Fi support with DAC, also, along with its MX Boost smart switching software to auto-select the best technology for capacity and reliability.
Corning’s Everon 6200 DAS offers “versatility and flexibility for both indoor and outdoor designs”, and multi-band support for public and private access spectrum on an active fiber-to-the-edge system, it added. The three companies collaborated closely to see the work through, it said.
Manu Singh, global practice head of wireless technology solutions at Black Box, said: “We initiated this integration as part of the Black Box wireless technology offering, and we’re proud to have collaborated with Nokia and Corning to successfully test its compatibility. Leveraging our integration expertise and these partners’ advanced technologies, we’re able to offer a solution that brings value to customers across various markets and applications.”
Pri Rawal, head of global partners in Nokia’s enterprise campus edge business, said: “Nokia is supporting Black Box in the next step in its Industry 4.0 journey – and doing so in a more cost- and time-efficient way. By integrating the plug-and-play Nokia DAC, Black Box can seamlessly connect the OT and Wi-Fi infrastructure it already has in place in its facilities, future-proofing it with a high-capacity and low-latency private 5G foundation.”
David Meis, vice president of wireless technology in Corning’s optical communications division, said: “Corning is pleased to work alongside fellow industry innovators and to play a significant role in this telecoms milestone. By reconciling private and commercial wireless networks on shared infrastructure, [we are] not only paving the way for more cost-effective and efficient connectivity but also spearheading a new era of unified wireless technology.”
