Case Study
UST led complex CBRS network deployment for U.S. telco to meet surging user demand
OUR CLIENT
This American telecommunications company was founded several decades ago and is now one of the largest cellular service providers in the U.S. With more than 2,000 retail stores and almost 150 million customers, the company generates nearly $150 billion annually.
THE CHALLENGE
Expanding wireless network capacity with CBRS to meet Covid-related service spikes
As COVID-19 lockdowns forced people, practically overnight, to work from home and attend school online, our client wanted to rapidly expand its cellular network coverage area and data transmission capacity to handle the unprecedented rise in demand for high-speed, seamless internet connectivity. Company leaders decided to add a new network in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum range to its infrastructure footprint. As the company addressed this mission-critical scalability challenge, it also needed to maintain resilience in its existing 4G and 5G network and keep CBRS expansion costs in check.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Executing a seamless CBRS deployment
Working in collaboration with a team of wireless network technology vendors, UST engineers rapidly deployed a CBRS network for the American telecom company by upfitting its existing 4G cellular sites, like broadband base stations mounted on buildings, poles, and cellular towers, with the appropriate certified Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device (CBSD), such as an Evolved NodeB (eNodeB) or a gNodeB. UST also coordinated with a Spectrum Access System (SAS) administrator to request approval for the CBRS access points, provision CBSDs, and manage authorized transmit power levels for access points. Thanks to meticulous planning and a seamless execution effort, the company launched its CBRS network on schedule to keep pace with surging customer demand during the pandemic.
THE IMPACT
Increasing network throughput and reducing congestion during Covid-19 lockdowns
After deploying its new CRBS network during COVID lockdowns, the telecom company seamlessly shifted network traffic from its existing 4G and 5G networks to the CBRS network to reduce congestion and increase throughput and data transmission speeds, significantly improving service quality. The CBRS network also enabled the company to expand its coverage to customers in remote locations and with dense tree coverage.