Airspan Networks said that it will play lead role in AutoAir consortium, a neutral host based small cell solution for transportation networks in the UK.
AutoAir is an ambitious project that will accelerate the development and deployment of two key technologies in the UK, namely 5G and Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs).
The AutoAir project brings together a large number of industry’s leading 5G players and the pioneering research at Surrey University’s 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC).
The project consortium includes; 5GIC at Surrey University, Dense Air Limited, McLaren Applied Technologies, Blu Wireless Technology Limited, Quortus Limited, Millbrook, Real Wireless, ARM, Cobham Wireless, and Celestia Technologies.
Airspan Networks chief sales and marketing officer Henrik Smith-Petersen said: “We are delighted to have been selected by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to deliver a 5G Testbed for the UK. Winning this competition is validates the long-term commitment Airspan has to innovative research and development in the UK.”
The initial application will focus on delivering pervasive 5G connectivity at the Millbrook Proving Ground that will enable CAV developers and research companies to accelerate their testing. The network will operate at Millbrook and allow access to existing Mobile Operators on a shared / neutral host basis.
The importance of Neutral Host architectures was recently underscored in a report on Connected Trains & Customer Communications from the Rail Safety and Standards Board in January 2018 where they said: “Sharing infrastructure is seen as an obvious way that operators can reduce costs while differentiating based on service. Independent providers of infrastructure have a key role to play in making this possible. Network Rail’s existing mast infrastructure could be added to the pool of available sites, with tenants generating (shared) revenues in exchange for investment in more sites.”
Airspan chief strategy officer and Dense Air CEO Paul Senior said: “The economics of 5G can be dramatically improved when deployed using small cells operating on a neutral host solution, i.e. when a single physical network of small cells can host multiple operators.
"Our mission is to help MNOs, MVNOs and Private network operators improve their networks by densification and targeted deployment while simultaneously minimised CAPEX and OPEX spend."
AutoAir will reduce the time to market for Airspan’s next generation of 5G products and services and builds on the award-winning 4G small cells with integrated access and backhaul in sub 6GHz and mmWave frequency bands that Airspan sells today.