Cradlepoint,†the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions, announced a new portfolio of Gigabit-Class LTE edge router solutions based on its Elastic Wideband technology—an element of the company’s Elastic Edge vision for connecting people, places and things over LTE and 5G networks. Through its NetCloud service, Cradlepoint is the first to deliver wireless edge routers that let enterprise and public safety organizations take advantage of today’s Gigabit-Class LTE cellular networks while providing them with a ‘Pathway to 5G’. Elastic Wideband technology now also enables support for Private LTE.
Elastic Wideband leverages the foundational 5G technologies of 4×4 multiple-input and multiple outputs (MIMO), 256 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and multi-carrier aggregation (CA) to deliver Gigabit-Class LTE today on cellular networks that support LTE Advanced Pro, and spans to full 5G in the future. Elastic Wideband technologies combine Cradlepoint proprietary software with the industry’s most advanced LTE modem modules and future 5G modems to deliver wireless wide-area network (WAN) connectivity with unrivaled speed, reliability, and flexibility.
“While many industry players are pondering early 5G use cases, and a few even trialing them, carriers are moving forward with their committed 5G rollout plans. These plans include upgrading current LTE networks with 5G-related technology so carriers can start delivering faster speeds and lower latency while gaining improved operating efficiency,” states Mike Sapien, vice president and chief analyst at Ovum. “However, customers will need new edge router solutions to unlock these advanced LTE capabilities and provide a graceful evolution to full-fledged 5G services when and where available. Cradlepoint is the first vendor to deliver Gigabit-Class edge routers that can take advantage of LTE Advanced Pro networks while offering a pathway to 5G. Ovum’s research confirms that businesses are moving towards a wireless WAN future and using more LTE today for primary and failover connections—gigabit LTE and 5G will only hasten this journey.”
Powered by Software, Delivered as a Service
Elastic Wideband, part of Cradlepoint’s Elastic Edge technology, powers the Cradlepoint NetCloud service and turns 4G LTE and 5G cellular services into mission-critical wireless WANs for enterprise and public safety applications. While most of today’s cellular modem modules are designed for consumer products and run standard vendor drivers, Cradlepoint has developed a proprietary Software-Defined Modem (SDM) that transforms consumer-grade modems into business-class LTE and 5G solutions.
Following are a few of the unique software functions that the Elastic Wideband technology includes:
- Software-Defined Modem: Proprietary driver, dynamic configuration of carrier profiles per radio
- Connection Management: Zero-touch installs, controller-less traffic steering between LTE links
- Carrier Selection Management: Automatic detection/selection between multiple carriers per radio
- Modem Health Management: Continuous link “health” testing, signal-to-tower optimization
- Data Plan Management: Data consumption monitoring, usage-based policies to avoid overages
- Virtual Remote Modem: Ethernet-remote LTE and 5G modems function the same as embedded.
“On the heels of SD-WAN, wireless is the next major wave of WAN transformation fueled by advanced LTE and 5G services,” states George Mulhern, chairman and chief executive officer at Cradlepoint. “We are working closely with our carrier partners around the world to help usher in the wireless WAN era with our first-to-market Gigabit-Class wireless edge routers—enabling customers to take advantage of Gigabit-Class networks today while putting them on the Pathway to 5G.”
Ready for the Arrival of Private LTE
Since Cradlepoint’s Elastic Wideband technology within Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers support both licensed and unlicensed spectrums, such as CBRS, they can also be deployed as User Equipment in Private LTE environments.
Solution Availability
Cradlepoint’s new Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers are available today in the following packages.
NetCloud Solution Packages for Branch:
- AER2200-1200M†Series of all-in-one, Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers include a second modem option and SD-WAN, security, Wi-Fi and IoT functionality.
- CBA850-1200M†LTE Adapter is a remotable LTE modem that provides fast and reliable LTE connectivity for primary and failover uses and works with any traditional or SD-WAN routers.
NetCloud Solution Packages for Mobile:
- IBR900-1200M†and†IBR1700-1200M†Series of ruggedized, Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers for in-vehicle and portable deployments with a second modem option and mobile SD-WAN, Wi-Fi, GPS, and engine telemetry relay functionality.
Based on the Cradlepoint NetCloud service, each Gigabit-Class LTE solution includes NetCloud Manager—a cloud-based orchestration and management system that enables zero-touch deployments and simplified management. They also comply with leading public safety broadband networks around the world. AT&T and FirstNet are currently the first supported cellular networks until March 2019, after which customers can simply download and deploy new modem firmware to gain support for other carriers.
