Pivotal Commware Selected by Fierce Wireless as Telecom Innovation Award Winner
Posted on December 11, 2020 by Pivotal Commware
WHY IT’S A WINNER
The Pivot 5G changes the economics of 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) deployments. Carriers can deploy fewer expensive base stations by extending their range with the Pivot 5G smart network repeater.
5G base stations, or gNodeBs, cannot transmit more than about 500 meters, and that distance falls sharply when signals face interference or obstructions. The Pivot 5G network repeater extends, redirects and shapes mmWave signals around obstacles such as buildings.
“At higher frequencies, when you use precision beam forming you can take advantage of the directivity, and narrow down the beam and carry the repeating function on a narrow spatial corridor,” explained Kent Lundgren, VP Marketing & Sales at Pivotal Commware. “Repeaters really thrive in that environment because they can take energy and focus it and direct it, without interfering with other elements in the network.”
Pivotal’s secret sauce is a patented Holographic Beam Forming® technology that enables it to extend 5G signals using small, inexpensive, 8-pound devices that use less than 30 watts of power. Pivot repeaters do not require fiber connections or power meters. The Pivot 5G extends service more than 1000 feet from the gNodeB and another 500+ feet to the device or to the next hop Pivot 5G.
The devices can be managed from the cloud via a desktop interface that enables technicians to control the hardware remotely. “It allows you to send a command all the way down to the antenna level and change the direction or shape of the beam,” said Lundgren.
Lundgren said carriers can best leverage the Pivot repeater’s capabilities when they combine it with Pivotal’s Echo 5G™ subscriber repeaters for in-building penetration, and its WaveScape™ radio planning software, which is optimized for precise mmWave and line of sight deployments. He said carriers can use the software to optimize both their gNodeB and repeater positions.
WHY IT’S SIGNIFICANT
According to Nokia, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is the top-ranked 5G use case among consumers. It will bring broadband Internet to many people for the first time. By making this use case more affordable, the Pivot 5G can accelerate and increase 5G fixed wireless deployments.
In addition, Pivot’s precise beam forming capabilities give operators a new way to position energy on subscribers, not just geographies. Subscriber-driven networks will help operators achieve greater differentiation and higher ROI.
Read about the awards and download the full report here.