ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Federated Wireless announced today that its spectrum controller has been granted conditional certification from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This is a significant step that signals to operators that they can begin trials with the Federated Wireless solution, and a step that leads to full certification expected in the second quarter of this year. The Federated Wireless solution unlocks a spectrum of possibilities by breaking down barriers to wireless spectrum, giving greater access to operators by creating a shared model for what was previously individually licensed. The certification cements Federated Wireless’ first mover status and allows it to provide operators with highly efficient and secure access to spectrum resources, when they need it.
“The FCC’s conditional certification of our spectrum controller demonstrates solid momentum in the shared spectrum market as we transition from defining a concept to developing market-ready solutions that give operators of any size a flexible and cost-effective option for accessing wireless spectrum,” said Iyad Tarazi, CEO of Federated Wireless. “This market is growing at an unprecedented pace. All four major US operators have joined the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) Alliance. The standards are in place, and FCC certification is poised to begin. We are excited to be part of making the FCC’s vision a reality. Our spectrum controller allows a monumental transformation in wireless spectrum to be realized, enabling a new wave of innovation and business models to be created.”
In today’s wireless-reliant world, spectrum is finite and quickly running out. In fact, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) predicts the number of devices connected to mobile networks worldwide will grow tenfold by 2020, from 5 billion to 50 billion, further straining spectrum and presenting greater issues. The economy needs better allocation and a solution that will facilitate multiple operators coexisting and leveraging spectrum.
Federated Wireless’ spectrum controller allows spectrum to be allocated as needed, eliminating the need for operators to purchase entire bands of dormant spectrum, which is a lengthy process with high acquisition costs of up to billions of dollars. By enabling spectrum to be effectively allocated, managed and optimized, the spectrum controller allows a shared model to be created on the 3.5 GHz band, which was recently unlocked by the FCC.
The spectrum controller is a 100 percent cloud-based solution that eliminates the need for specialized hardware. A robust set of APIs and patented machine learning and spectrum management algorithms simplify CBRS deployments, helping businesses to improve both time-to-market and time-to-revenue while decreasing development costs. Federated Wireless offers standardized subscription costs no matter the size of the organization, ensuring operators only pay for the capacity used.
Federated Wireless has been a pioneer in preparing the 3.5 GHz band for commercial use, working closely with the United States Department of Defense and the FCC, and co-founding the CBRS Alliance, an organization focused on developing the 3.5 GHz ecosystem. The conditional certification milestone comes after five years of leading the creation of the shared spectrum market, developing necessary standards and ensuring customer deployments can be successful in all markets.
Federated Wireless has completed trials and demonstrations with a number of companies, including Alphabet, Nokia, Ruckus Wireless, SpiderCloud Wireless, Siemens, Telrad and Airspan, among others. The spectrum controller is currently undergoing trials for a variety of applications with more than two dozen operators and equipment vendors. Federated Wireless is on track to reach full regulatory approval from the FCC in the first half of 2017 and plans to have commercial customers by the end of 2017.
About Federated Wireless
Federated Wireless is unlocking a spectrum of possibilities by breaking down barriers to wireless spectrum, giving greater access to operators by creating a shared model for what was previously individually licensed. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Federated Wireless is an influential first mover in the industry that has spent the last 5 years leading the creation of the shared spectrum market from the ground up, developing and nurturing the necessary standards, and working to ensure that customer deployments can be successful in all network environments. More information can be found at www.federatedwireless.com.