Private LTE and CBRS Bridge the Digital Divide for Schools, Cities, Tribal Communities

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Private LTE and CBRS Bridge the Digital Divide for Schools, Cities, and Tribal Communities

November 23, 2021

When Covid-19 swept through the United States in 2020, it brought inadequacies across the nation to light. As schools moved toward a remote learning model, communities without a reliable internet connection were at a disadvantage.

The solution? Improve access to permanent at-home connectivity by providing private LTE and Citizens Broadband Radio Service (or CBRS) for these underserved communities. This technology allows you to:

Serve the underserved
Enable smart city applications
Reduce infrastructure costs

As a voice, video, and data integrator and Motorola’s largest distributor in North America, BearCom is at the forefront of bringing reliable internet access to underserved populations in rural, urban, and tribal communities.

Listen to BearCom VP of Network Solutions Gary Ash discuss how LTE and CBRS technology works, what it will look like for students and schools, and how it can save on infrastructure costs!

Permanent At-Home Connectivity with Private LTE and CBRS

In 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic in full swing, Congress passed legislation asking cities and states to find immediate and permanent solutions for this crisis in connectivity in order to support distance learners and workers. This is where private LTE and CBRS come in.

What Are Private LTE and CBRS?

Private LTE is a cellular-based technology that allows a school, city, or tribe to have a private network that extends network internet access to the community’s members.

CBRS is a high-speed broadband spectrum that was once exclusive to United States Military and fixed satellite stations. However, FCC regulations have made it available for commercial use. Now, your school, community, or business can get a private LTE network with carrier-class speed, security, range, and capacity.

Because of its coverage capabilities, CBRS can deliver secure internet connections to students at a lower cost with speeds that rival Wi-Fi, while also extending Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) compliance through controls and firewall policies.

BearCom’s expert team can configure this network for you. We work with many vendors to bring your network to life, including:

Motorola Nitro
Airspan Networks
Cradlepoint
BEC Technologies
Nokia
Samsung
JMA Wireless
MultiTech
Athonet

Here’s How it Works

So, what would this technology look like in action? It’s simple: In addition to a computer, a student would bring home a device that’s essentially a router, plug it into any available outlet, and connect to the school’s network as if they were on campus.

This SIM-based router, configured by the folks at BearCom, broadcasts Wi-Fi to easily connect consumer devices. With CBRS, you’ll have:

A pathway to 5G capability
Protection for sensitive data
Customizability to meet any school’s needs

BearCom has already partnered with Dallas and Fort Worth ISD in Texas and Patterson USD in California, as well as other cities across the country that have experienced similar issues, to bring private LTE and CBRS solutions to life.

While most students have returned to the classroom and aren’t remote schooling anymore, many are still assigned online homework that requires a strong internet connection to access.

This technology isn’t limited to distance learning, either. It’s gone mainstream as household names like Apple, Samsung, and Dell have embedded CBRS technology in their consumer devices. This is a solution that works for distance work and schooling across the board.

Private LTE and CBRS for Colleges and Universities

It’s important to note that college campuses can use this technology to expand Wi-Fi to students and faculty and leverage private LTE to expand video surveillance and network access in areas where trenching cable is cost prohibitive.

The result? Expanded network access throughout the campus that closes the digital divide and benefits all students and faculty members.

We Have Private LTE and CBRS Solutions for You

It’s clear that administrators, teachers, and businesses have wanted a network like this for decades. Now the funding, federal backing, and technology have all come together to help you reach underserved students and populations and streamline smart city applications—all for a lower cost than traditional Wi-Fi.

When you partner with BearCom, you’ll never have to go it alone. We’ve been solving problems for customers for more than 40 years, and we’re dedicated to driving development and adoption of private LTE and CBRS solutions.