CommScope CBRS Spectrum Access Supports Cambium Equipment

CommScope and Cambium Networks announced that CommScope’s Spectrum Access System (SAS) now supports fixed wireless broadband Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) equipment from Cambium.  

Cambium Networks’ end-to-end outdoor fixed wireless broadband solution is centered on the PMP 450m platform incorporating cnMedusa massive multiuser MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology, providing high levels of subscriber density and spectral efficiency. Access to the CBRS SAS service is provided by Cambium Networks’ cnMaestro cloud-based management system. Cambium Networks’ solution provides network operators a complete end-to-end CBRS solution from a single interface.

CommScope SAS is a dynamic spectrum management engine that manages CBRS spectrum sharing on an as-needed basis across three tiers of access. CBRS spectrum can be accessed by all authorized commercial users via CommScope’s SAS—securely and without harmful interference to incumbent users.

CommScope SAS is served by an Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC) network with radar sensors deployed all along the US coastlines. A SAS must have access to an ESC network to utilize the entire CBRS band nationwide.

"Business and residential customers are demanding higher throughput speeds," said John Silva, operations manager at SpeedyQuick Networks. "5 GHz spectrum was not available, so I added the Cambium Networks PMP 450 platform to my network using the CBRS bands with SAS services from CommScope. Right away I was able to add 42 new customers on service plans up to 20 Mbps, with room to grow. The system just works and customers are amazed at the service."

With the full integration of CommScope SAS and Cambium software, fixed wireless network operators using Cambium Networks equipment can now select CommScope as their SAS provider in the cnMaestro network management system.

For more than 40 years, CommScope has been a leading provider of spectrum sharing products and services with a record of designing and supporting mission-critical solutions such as E911. CommScope’s SAS system and ESC network, designed and built on decades of spectrum management expertise, enable wireless networks to tap into valuable capacity of 3.5 GHz band.

“Wireless network operators including service providers, industrial operators and government agencies are solving the digital divide and supplementing their broadband networks using CBRS frequencies on their Cambium Networks equipment,” said Scott Imhoff, senior vice president of Product Management at Cambium Networks. “The integration between our cnMaestro network management system and CommScope’s SAS enables our customers to choose CommScope’s SAS service to reliably manage their CBRS networks.”

“We are very pleased to have successfully completed the integration between Cambium Networks’ cnMaestro network management tool and CommScope SAS,” said Christopher Hardy, vice president for the CommScope Comsearch business. “This is an important milestone and a win-win for everyone involved. It will allow all operators using Cambium Networks radios to select CommScope’s SAS/ESC service for their CBRS networks. We look forward to working with Cambium Networks in delivering world-class SAS service to customers across the United States using Cambium Networks radio equipment.”

CBRS is the Citizens Broadband Radio Service that opens up 150 MHz of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band for commercial use in the United States. This spectrum has been traditionally used by the military, commercial satellite operators and wireless internet service providers (WISP). To utilize CBRS, networks must employ a SAS to dynamically manage the spectrum use.