News and Events

April 26, 2019 - This week, Midco® and Telrad Networks successfully completed initial Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) testing on a market trial license with the Federated Wireless Spectrum Controller, a spectrum access system (SAS). The testing proves that Midco’s next-generation LTE network can communicate with the SAS for the purpose of dynamic spectrum sharing, allowing Midco to continue closing the digital divide in rural America.   

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires SAS systems to manage and assign spectrum on a dynamic, as-needed basis across three tiers of users. This helps to increase spectrum efficiency within the CBRS 3.5 GHz spectrum band. Midco tested with the Federated Wireless Spectrum Controller at three sites in rural Minnesota and North Dakota, covering approximately 1,348 rural residents and businesses. The test ensured that the Telrad equipment – both base stations and customer premises equipment (CPE) – could successfully communicate with the Spectrum Controller to request spectrum and that the SAS could successfully assign that spectrum.

The final FCC SAS testing and verifications are wrapping up, making way for initial commercial deployments. Midco will be ready to immediately deploy high-speed fixed LTE wireless broadband throughout its rural footprint, providing rural customers with speeds of up to 100 Mbps downloads and 20 Mbps uploads without any data caps. 

Midco is a leading provider of reliable, high-speed internet via wired and fixed wireless technology. In 2018, Midco began offering fixed wireless services and was provisionally awarded by the FCC approximately $38.9 million in the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II Auction. This funding will enable Midco to serve approximately 9,300 unserved residents and businesses and pass more than 100,000 homes with high-speed, fixed wireless broadband. Midco’s CAF commitment is only one phase of its Midco Edge Out^SM strategy in which it “edges out” high-speed internet from its fiber backbone in urban areas. Midco Edge Out will help close the digital divide in rural areas using fixed wireless technology. 

Midco partnered with Telrad Networks to provide its next generation fixed wireless LTE network. Telrad is a global provider of innovative, feature-rich TD-LTE solutions in the sub-6 GHz market. Their wireless solutions meet the connectivity needs of millions of end users through operators, ISPs and enterprises around the world.

For purposes of the market trial testing, Midco and Telrad worked with Federated Wireless. The Federated Wireless Spectrum Controller delivers software-defined spectrum through a cloud-based SAS, protects federal incumbents with a redundant network of Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC) sensors, and provides a robust set of lifecycle management tools with real-time visibility for optimizing and monetizing CBRS services.

"Midco provides an ideal example of how shared spectrum can cost-effectively deliver secure high-speed mobile services in rural areas that have been hard to reach in the past," said Iyad Tarazi, President and CEO, Federated Wireless. "We are proud to partner with Telrad to support Midco with an end-to-end CBRS solution for delivering the latest wireless technology to their customers."

About Telrad Networks

Telrad Networks is a global provider of innovative LTE telecom solutions, boasting over 300 4G deployments in 100 countries. Telrad stands at the forefront of the technology evolution with TD-LTE solutions and a path to 5G in the sub-6 GHz market. Since 1951, the company has been a recognized pioneer in the telecom industry, facilitating the connectivity needs of millions of end-users through operators, ISPs and enterprises around the world. (www.telrad.com)

About Federated Wireless

Federated Wireless is leading the wireless industry through the shared spectrum revolution, eliminating the decades-old problem of spectrum scarcity. The company offers the industry’s only end-to-end Spectrum Controller, enabling government and commercial users to securely share the same spectrum band. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and with offices in Boston and Silicon Valley, Federated Wireless is removing the multi-billion-dollar price tag associated with spectrum access, allowing for the creation of new wireless carriers and business models. For more information, visit: www.federatedwireless.com.