Report: How the self-storage industry is leveraging IoT to drive revenue growth

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October 10, 2023

Market research and consulting firm Parks Associates recently released, in partnership with Vantiva, its latest white paper, “Next-Generation Self-Storage: Leveraging Technology to Grow Revenue,” which examined the changing self-storage landscape and technology’s role in driving revenue growth.

The research looked at where self-storage property owners were leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) to bring new services to their customers, drive operational changes such as remote site management, and automate processes to save on costs and increase convenience.

Demand for self-storage solutions grew amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report. Households around the world needed to adjust to their living spaces to accommodate their new remote work environment and home renovations. Since that time however, the industry has seen a gradual decrease in demand, which has forced companies to reassess their strategies.

“Self-storage providers have turned to technology as a cornerstone of their growth strategy,” said Parks Associates Research Director Kristen Hanich. “The integration of Internet of Things technologies and digital platforms is becoming pivotal. Companies are investing in upgrading their facilities and adopting IoT solutions to streamline operations, enhance security, and provide convenient, automated experiences for their customers.”

The white paper, based on in-depth interviews with self-storage owners and operators, uncovered the key trends shaping the market and highlights areas where technology is driving positive change. The report examined the many roles tech plays in facilities, the key benefits, and the challenges and best practices that industry leaders recommend.

For example, as the self-storage industry shifts, operators are turning to more digital services and solutions such as digital rentals, as well as self-service and extended operating hours. New security options are another amenity self-storage operators are exploring.

Additionally, when self-storage customer demand boomed during the pandemic, so did interest in adopting digital rentals and app-based experiences. Today, tenants expect these options and facilities that don’t offer them are at a disadvantage, the report said. Facilities must do what they can to stay competitive; 2023 occupancy rates have returned to 90 percent, a drop from the pandemic high 97 percent.

Technology will likely play a key role in helping self-storage facilities boost their occupancy numbers. Traditionally, the market has relied on manual processes and on-site staff to handle most of its operations. This trend is starting to change as operators embrace the digital platforms that are available to them. Integrated platforms allow operators to launch self-service and longer hours by combining web and app-based rentals with remote storage locker provisioning. Customers can view facilities, pick their contract terms and sign contracts electronically.

The white paper noted that some of the industry’s innovative companies also remotely provide their customers with access codes or authentication credentials to enter their facilities and access their rental unit. This access addresses a major frustration customers who rent a locker remotely deal with — having to go to the brick-and-mortar site to get a key or gate code.

“Companies that have switched to remote site management in particular report savings through being able to reduce on-site staffing,” the report said. “Some have been able to expand their footprints while maintaining existing staffing levels. Of course, not all tenants will be interested in using purely digital approaches, and some may prefer self-serve kiosks or to speak in-person with staff.”

“As the self-storage industry navigates these transformative times, technology remains a driving force in ensuring and maximizing its growth and competitiveness,” Reza Raji, Senior VP of Smart Spaces IoT at Vantiva, said.

Click here to access the full white paper.

Report: Investor, founder confidence in proptech grows — slightly

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Joe Dyton

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October 10, 2023

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Property technology investors and founders may have shied away from the sector as lending decreased in recent years, but confidence in the industry has slowly started to rebound, according to a recent MetaProp report.

The MetaProp Mid-Year 2023 Global PropTech Confidence Index revealed that investor confidence increased to 6.1 (out of 10) from 5.4 at the end of 2022. Meanwhile, proptech founder startup sentiment also went up slightly, 4.8 in mid-year 2023 vs. 4.4 at the end of last year.

“As the market advances into the next phase of correction, investor sentiment is marked by a nuanced shift in disposition, now echoing cautious optimism and departing from the prevailing apprehension that defined investor outlook since the broad market reset began in 4Q21,” the report said. “Although the enduring backdrop of market constraints persists, investors are exhibiting a prudent eagerness to reassert themselves into what appears to be an increasingly stabilizing environment for new capital deployment.”

The survey, which comprised proptech investors and startup entrepreneurs, also found that 43 percent of investors expect to put more capital into the sector — a big jump from the 26 percent who said the same at year-end 2022. Meanwhile, almost 40 percent of investors are confident in an uptick in proptech deal flow, which was close to the mark from the end of 2022, but a significant increase from mid-year 2022 (19 percent).

Other key takeaways included 34 percent of investors said they are more interested in AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) solutions than any other category — an index record.

“This interest tracks the growing maturity of the sector’s technology paired with an increased willingness from stakeholders to adopt technology to help address rising challenges in controlling project costs and securing skilled labor,” the report said.

Another all-time high — 77 percent of proptech investors stated they anticipate more merger and acquisition activity during the next 12 months. In line with proptech startups lagging behind investors in confidence, 60 percent of startups expressed an increased likelihood of experiencing a liquidity event during the next three years — up from 54 percent just six months ago.

Proptech startup founders also had a more nuanced outlook when it came to fundraising. Forty-five percent of founders said they think it will be more difficult to raise capital in the coming year — a drop off from 57 percent six months ago.

“Cash runway is the driving force narrowing bid-ask spreads in favor of investors,” the report said. “A multitude of startups who deferred capital raises amidst the market correction are poised to re-approach the venture market before their financial resources edge too thin, fueling a continued elevation in deal flow activity that has persisted throughout the year.”

While the increase in proptech confidence was modest, it’s still encouraging, given where the overall economy is MetaProp co-founder and managing partner told Commercial Observer.

“The jury was really out after the disastrous level of confidence (in the Year-End 2022 Confidence Index),” Block said “The jury was out on whether the malaise would get worse, continue, or get better. I think there’s a lot of uncertainty. I think the biggest surprise I’m seeing right now is that there’s light at the end of the tunnel in the confidence index. I can tell you that even subsequent to the survey results coming in, it really feels like we can see the future and we’re past at least this portion of the bottom of the market.”

Click here to review the entire MetaProp Mid-Year 2023 Global PropTech Confidence Index.

Analysis: Proptech firms show how they can enhance CRE

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Joe Dyton

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October 10, 2023

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When real estate professionals are busy trying to attract new tenants or retain current ones, critical tasks like property valuations and building maintenance and operations can get lost in the shuffle. Fortunately, property technology (proptech) has emerged to help pick up some of the slack, Jeffrey Steele recently wrote for Forbes.

“The advances in applying data science and machine learning to real estate in the past few years have been significant, and the benefits they offer the industry are amplified in an uncertain economy,” Christopher Yip, partner in real estate venture capital firm RET Ventures told Forbes. “As interest rates climb and the consumer economy weakens, the ability for acquisitions and development teams to evaluate potential investments carefully is critical.

“Today’s real estate tech stack enables them to get income, migration and other demographic information in nearly real time. In addition, leveraging data and automation to more efficiently manage and operate existing assets is increasingly critical. Firms looking to maintain their competitive advantage will utilize the most compelling technologies to do so. And the providers of these technologies are poised to thrive in the near future.”

Markerr provides insights about supply and demand catalysts in specific areas. People looking to acquire property can use this this solution to find current information regarding rents, residents’ salaries, population figures, crime and more to help them make a more informed decision.

Meanwhile, Engrain, an asset intelligence software solution, offers CRE professionals a critical view of their property on top of a map of the area, Forbes reports. The solution allows interested parties to better understand vacancy and rental rates, as well as other key information within a building’s physical layout. Having this information on hand allows CRE professionals to note any patterns that can help them adjust their pricing and leasing strategies.

“For asset management teams, the ability to analyze key property metrics in the context of a property floorplan or stacking plan has proven extremely valuable, and a growing number of our clients have been utilizing that functionality,” Engrain CEO Brent Steiner told Forbes. “Data is important for the successful operations of any business, but when the economy turns, maximizing the insight gleaned from the data you already have becomes a true imperative.”

PassiveLogic meanwhile offers a product that pulls all of a physical building’s sensors and equipment into a physics-based digital twin. The solution then shows simulations that lay out how a property’s various parts would interact with one another to help save energy.

“Buildings are the largest driver of climate change and represent roughly a quarter of global GDP activity,” PassiveLogic CEO Troy Harvey told Forbes. “PassiveLogic’s developments in generative AI and autonomous buildings technology are at the center point of how we address adaptive buildings, declining availability of trained labor, operational efficiency and growing climate requirements.”

KKR closes $560M in industrial CRE sales

By

Joe Dyton

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October 10, 2023

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KKR closes $560M industrial CRE sale

Global investment firm KKR recently announced that it sold more than 5 million square-feet of industrial warehouse and distribution properties for a total aggregate value of more than $560 million. The sale confirms commercial real estate analysts’ belief that industrial is currently the safest asset class among industry sectors, GlobeSt.com reports.

The dispositions were completed through five discrete transactions with five separate buyers. The fifth and final sale closed on September 29.

The sales, primarily comprising assets in KKR’s Real Estate Partners Americas II fund, included more than 50 industrial buildings located in high-growth, infill markets across Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, the Lehigh Valley and Central Pennsylvania.

Since 2018, across its investment strategies in the U.S., KKR has acquired more than 60 million square feet of logistics assets totaling approximately $8 billion of aggregate value. Including these five sales, KKR has sold approximately 21 million square feet since 2021 and currently owns more than 40 million square feet of industrial CRE in major metropolitan areas.

“Our strong focus on asset quality and market selection gives us flexibility to deliver results for our investors in different market conditions, whether through the sales of large portfolios or individual dispositions of well-bought properties,” Ben Brudney, a director at KKR overseeing U.S. industrial real estate investments, said in a statement. “We continue to selectively acquire logistics properties in growth markets and our existing portfolio continues to benefit from high occupancy and embedded rent growth potential.”

“Industrial real estate is the largest exposure across our U.S. opportunistic and core plus real estate strategies, and we have built a dedicated investment and operating platform focused on this sector that enables us to own great properties at scale,” said Roger Morales, partner and head of real estate acquisitions in the Americas at KKR. “These sales demonstrate the attractive bid that exists for a quality asset in supply-constrained locations.”

While KKR’s more than half a billion-dollar deal shows belief in the industrial sector, a potential new supply slowdown looms in 2024 and 2025, Commercial Edge Manager, Business Intelligence Doug Ressler told GlobeSt.com. Only 204.3 million square feet of industrial space has broken ground in 2023 — a significant drop from the 614.1 million in 2022 and 586 million in 2021.

“A convergence of factors is leading to the slowdown: Demand for industrial space has normalized from the significant levels seen in previous years, and interest rate hikes and stricter lending standards have made construction financing more expensive and harder to come by,” Ressler told GlobeSt.com. “Spec development has become a riskier proposition due to inflation hitting material and labor costs as well as general economic uncertainty.”

Despite the concerns, Ressler noted that the long-term industrial property outlook for development remains positive and demand drivers should keep the sector going for years to come. To be safe, many companies have moved from “just-in-time” inventory management to “just-in-case.” The strategy decreases exposure to supplier delays but demands additional warehouse space.

Meanwhile, Eric Enloe, senior managing director at Partner Valuation Advisors, applauded KKR’s ability to create a strong industrial footprint across the U.S., as well as closing the transaction despite the capital markets’ current condition.

“That is a real number in this capital markets climate,” Enloe told GlobeSt.com. “Industrial asset values remain strong and are not at levels where they were a year ago, however, this type of transaction shows the strength in the market and clearly a buyer taking a positive long-term view of the logistics market.”

SOLiD, ASOCS team up to release joint O-RAN solution for private 5G networks

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Joe Dyton

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October 3, 2023

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SOLiD, a cellular in-building mobile coverage provider, and ASOCS, which provides private 5G network software, recently announced a partnership to offer a complete O-RAN-compliant solution for private 5G and Industrial IoT (IIoT) networks.

The joint solution allows rapid deployment of scalable private 5G campus networks with intelligent real-time positioning using the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum.

The new private 5G network solution comprises the SOLiD CBRS O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU), the ASOCS CYRUS virtual O-RAN Distributed Unit (O-DU) and Centralized Unit (O-CU), as well as ASOCS Hermes NGP real-time positioning software.

“With the power of AI, the ASOCS software-as-a-service solution enables a cloud-based private 5G network with real-time indoor/outdoor positioning intelligence to connect data-driven Industry 4.0 edge applications with high accuracy and low latency,” said Niv Zimmerman, vice president of solutions, ASOCS. “Together with SOLiD, we offer a unique, comprehensive solution for deploying private 5G and IIoT networks in a scalable model.”

The CBRS-compliant solution, certified by the OnGo Alliance, empowers a range of mission-critical Industry 4.0 use cases, including manufacturing automation, predictive maintenance, real-time asset tracking, and occupational health and safety.

The SOLiD CBRS O-RU complies with O-RAN ALLIANCE fronthaul specifications. It also supports 4G LTE and 5G New Radio (NR) in standalone (SA) or non-standalone (NSA) architecture. The solution is compatible with various virtual or physical baseband products through an eCPRI interface.

Meanwhile, the SOLiD Fronthaul Multiplexer (MUX) technology eliminates the need for dedicated bandwidth for each RU. This enables more economical use of the CBRS spectrum, while also improving private 5G network service agility, scalability and efficiency,

“SOLiD is at the forefront of innovating connectivity with Open RAN architecture, changing how mobile network operators, system integrators, and manufacturers build tomorrow’s networks,” said Yong Hoon Kang, Ph.D., chief technology officer, SOLiD Americas. “The powerful combination of the SOLiD CBRS O-RAN Radio Unit and ASOCS software unleashes 5G to enable fast, turnkey deployment of robust and secure private in-building networks that transform the business environment.”

ASOCS and SOLiD have completed multiple interoperability tests of their Open RAN technologies’ performance, the companies said.

Enlighted unveils new AI capabilities for building IoT

By

Joe Dyton

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October 3, 2023

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Property technology (proptech) Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider Enlighted recently announced that artificial intelligence (AI) use in its Location Intelligence solution has been expanded, as well as new additions to the Enlighted partner ecosystem.

Introducing AI models to Enlighted’s Real Time Location Services (RTLS) system improved the accuracy of finding assets and personnel more than 98 percent, an improvement over prior triangulation methods that offered 80 percent accuracy, according to the company. These AI capabilities build on Enlighted’s Temperature Control solution, a mobile app that allows tenants to control workplace comfort.

The company’s AI solutions are part of the Siemens Xcelerator Marketplace, an open digital business platform to accelerate digital transformation.

Enlighted has expanded its partner ecosystem with participants who offer AI applications, machine-learning (ML) tools and platforms that extend the value from by using Enlighted time-series IoT building data. The company’s new partners — including Tagnos, a healthcare solution provider, and Zan Compute, a smart building systems provider — fuel their applications from Enlighted’s data.

“Sensors in smart buildings collect an enormous amount of data. AI-based applications are a transformative way for commercial buildings to maximize and use this data, optimizing efficiency while improving the occupant experience,” said Stefan Schwab, CEO of Enlighted. “The capabilities and partnerships we unveiled today demonstrate that Enlighted is continuously innovating and expanding its offerings with the most advanced technology.”

AI boosts Enlighted’s RTLS accuracy

Enlighted’s Location Intelligence tool is a machine-learning solution that tracks asset and badge location and movements with existing smart lighting infrastructures. The solution empowers business throughout various industries, including healthcare, manufacturing and industrial, to optimize their operations, improve inventory control and enhance occupant safety.

“IoT based asset tracking and process flow improvements will make our headquarters truly a smart building,” said Rajan Mehta, chief technology officer, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). “The Enlighted RTLS solution is an important aspect for WWE. One of the key things for production and content creation is our memorabilia. We have a significant amount of inventory, and having this inventory management system is key for us.”

AI, tenant input help Enlighted make buildings more eco-friendly

Meanwhile, the Enlighted Environmental Control solution allows users to increase heat or air conditioning in their zoned area with a mobile app. Having that control helps reduce facilities calls and energy costs while contributing to sustainability objectives.

When an employee makes a request, it acts as a “vote” and machine learning identifies preference patterns. The solution can then adjust the building’s temperature setpoints and “teach” the HVAC system to automatically adjust temperatures. The Environmental Control solution comes at an ideal time, as a 2021 Memoori report noted that approximately 50 percent of employees want to be able to set the temperature in their workspace. This is the type of privilege that could entice current remote workers to come back to the office, which a number of employers are encouraging them to do.

Companies Tagnos and Zan Compute have both put Enlighted’s AI and machine-learning solutions to work. Tagnos leveraged the RTLS location data as part of its Healthcare Orchestration Platform to drive patient care and asset-tracking workflows in hospitals. Meanwhile, Zan Compute has used Enlighted occupancy data to guide necessary cleaning activity, reducing building cleaning costs, and improving occupant experience. The solution also uses AI analytics to predict and optimize cleaning workloads and resource requirements.

“Enlighted and Zan Compute’s partnership is transforming the cleaning industry to be data driven, ushering in a new era of AI driven custodial process,” said Junaith Ahemed Shahabdeen, CEO of Zan Compute.

“Tagnos and Enlighted have formed an exciting new partnership to improve healthcare operational workflows and to empower staff to focus their time on delivering high-quality patient care,” said Sheila Minton, CEO of Tagnos. “Enlighted’s AI solutions, location data, and tags provide critical enabling data to the Tagnos software suite of dynamic solutions for asset management, patient throughput optimization, and operational situational awareness.”

Verizon’s 5G network part of first live, transatlantic holographic meeting

By

Joe Dyton

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October 3, 2023

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Wireless carrier Verizon recently took part in the first-ever real-time transatlantic holographic collaborative meeting at Mobile World Congress Las Vegas. The 5G Future Forum (5GFF) and MATSUKO, which created the world’s first real-time software-only solution for holographic presence, led the meeting, which connected multiple people as holograms.

The holograms were connected from New York using Verizon’s 5G network, from Toronto using Bell Canada’s 5G network and from London using Vodafone’s 5G network.

The demonstration was viewed at GSMA’s Open Gateway Zone. The GSMA Open Gateway initiative, launched at MWC Barcelona currently has more than 30 signatories from leading mobile network operators (MNOs), representing more than 60 percent of mobile connections worldwide.

“This demonstration shows how Verizon via the 5GFF continues to drive Open API industry momentum with real-life use cases while also accelerating ease of use for developers,” said John Nitti, SVP, Strategy, New Business and Partner Development for Verizon.

“Edge Discovery Service APIs provide us a simple way to find the optimal Edge servers for our application,” said Michael Szakala, DevOps Leader from MATSUKO. “We’ve seamlessly connected visionary operators like Bell, Verizon, Vodafone, pioneering a monumental leap in communication through the holographic call. By incorporating the API into the deployment process, it is very simple to ensure interoperability and a steady connection among the operators.”

Szakala also noted the impact of elevated network capabilities. “It amplifies product performance, such as reduced latency, expanded bandwidth, which provides enhanced holographic experiences for our customers,” he said.

The benefit of communicating with real human holograms, versus avatars, is they can convey the individual’s full range of emotions, and people can feel the real presence of their colleagues. Advances in connectivity, thanks to 5G and edge computing technology offered by telecom operators, make it possible to achieve smooth and natural movement of holograms, allowing for a range of possible use cases.

MATSUKO’s solution uses a single camera to stream holograms in spatial computing (VR/AR). Its technology to stream holograms in real-time creates the feeling that people are together and brings physical presence to remote communication.

“Multi-party holographic calling can make people feel more connected and productive, whether collaborating across classrooms, offices, hospitals or at home,” said Giorgio Migliarina, Vodafone Group Director of Business Products and Services. “The smooth and natural movement of these holograms will become more prevalent with the growing availability of 5G and edge computing technology.”

“Through its active participation in the 5GFF, Bell continues to support the developer community to access 5G MEC technologies and to ensure their solutions take full advantage of Bell’s 5G network in Canada, and to globally interoperate,” said Costa Pantazopoulos, Bell’s VP of Product. “This holographic video call demo illustrates how Bell – with partners Vodafone and Verizon – is innovating to make it easier for developers to leverage 5G capabilities to achieve their application goals.”

Report: CBRS infrastructure investments could reach $1.5B by 2026

By

Joe Dyton

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October 3, 2023

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The Citizens Broadband Radio Service’s (CBRS) 2020 emergence in the U.S. helped enhance the private 5G market throughout a number of industries as private networks became more affordable. Today, CBRS – a three-tiered framework that helps coordinate 150 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz CBRS band — continues to be a success, and it looks like that trend will continue in the coming years, according to a recent SNS Telecom & IT report.

SNS Telecom & IT estimated that annual investments in LTE and 5G NR-based CBRS RAN (Radio Access Network), mobile core and transport network infrastructure will account for approximately $900 million by the end of 2023. Additionally, with a growing selection of 3GPP band 48/n48-compatible end user devices, the market is expected to increase even more at an estimated CAGR of 20 percent between 2023 and 2026 to surpass $1.5 billion in annual spending by 2026, according to the report.

Private cellular, neutral host and fixed wireless broadband network deployments are expected to drive a majority of this growth, along with 5G buildouts designed to improve cable operators’ MVNO services’ economics.

“LTE-based CBRS network deployments have gained considerable momentum in recent years and encompass hundreds of thousands of cell sites,” the report said. “Operating in both General Authorized Access and Priority Access License spectrum tiers – to support use cases as diverse as mobile network densification, Fixed Wireless Access in rural communities, Mobile Virtual Network Operators offload, neutral host small cells for in-building coverage enhancement, and private cellular networks in support of Industrial IoT, enterprise connectivity, distance learning and smart city initiatives.”

Meanwhile, commercial rollouts of 5G NR network equipment operating in the CBRS band have also started. These deployments are laying the foundation for advanced application scenarios that face higher demand requirements regarding throughput, latency, reliability, availability and connection density, according to SNS Telecom & IT.

Some apps that require this higher performance include Industry 4.0 applications such as connected production machinery, augmented reality (AR)-assisted troubleshooting and automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

Luxury automaker BMW Group has deployed an industrial-grade 5G network for autonomous logistics at its Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, according to the report. Meanwhile, wireless carrier Verizon plans to activate 5G NR-equipped CBRS small cells to supplement its current 5G service deployment over C-band and mmWave (Millimeter Wave) spectrum.

Irby Utilities partners with co-ops to bridge divide

By

Martha DeGrasse

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September 26, 2023

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Irby Utilities got its start in the 1920s, distributing supplies to some of the nation’s first electric utilities. Later Irby supported rural cooperatives after FDR’s Rural Electrification Act set in motion the investments that would close the power gap between U.S. cities and farms. Today, Irby is part of the world’s largest privately held electric distributor, Sonepar Group, and is working hard to close a different gap.

“The digital divide is both wide and deep,” said Patrick Reams, vice president of technology and communications at Irby Utilities. “In rural America, the digital divide is wide. How do you get the service there? In more urban centers, the divide is deep in that it’s very narrow pockets which lack access, and both challenges have to be addressed.”

Reams was part of a panel titled, “The Role of Utilities in Bridging the Digital Divide” at The Wireless Infrastructure Association’s Connect (X) show in New Orleans. He said locally accountable organizations are one of the keys to bridging the digital divide, and explained how Irby is helping regional co-ops connect their communities to fiber broadband.

“We’re covering about 360,000 locations and 40,000 miles of fiber that’s either constructed or currently under construction,” he said. “All told, that’s about $600 million of investment in the local economies going on through these utilities who have found a need in their areas and are responding to that.”

One such utility is Craighead Electric, a co-op that serves about 21,000 square miles of rural Arkansas with 5,000 miles of power lines, and more recently with 3,500 route miles of fiber. Craighead initially explored fiber as a way to communicate with critical electrical devices on its grid and realized during its due diligence process that almost half its members lacked reliable broadband. The utility’s management team recognized that its 35,000-meter count could easily start to shrink if members move to urban areas in search of better connectivity. As such, it decided that it needed to offer broadband to fulfill its mission of serving the community.

Craighead partnered with Irby after a series of feasibility studies and started stringing fiber in early 2018. By 2021, the backbone of the fiber network was complete, $14 million under budget and 18 months ahead of schedule.

Now Craighead’s fiber subsidiary serves 14,000 subscribers with broadband internet and VoIP. Customers are getting at least a 200 megabits per second (symmetrical) internet, usually faster.

Like many of the utilities that Irby partners with, Craighead Electric formed a broadband subsidiary to operate its fiber network. Craighead leverages existing assets, including poles, trucks and labor, but it has to carefully account for all of that.

“In most states, even though they have those trucks, if the utility uses its truck for the broadband subsidiary it has to bill the broadband subsidiary,” explained Reams.

“You can’t cross-subsidize ratepayer money with the build of the fiber projects.”

Reams said fiber construction costs were averaging about $33,000 a mile above ground and about $60,000 to $70,000 a mile underground during the spring of 2023. Keeping those costs in line with projections is key to the long-term viability of utility-owned fiber networks, he said.

“It’s easier to maintain that affordable component when you haven’t gone over budget,” Reams explained. “It’s really hard to stay affordable if you’re trying to deal with being in arrears. And that’s what I think is the single key advantage that we bring: Proper planning leads to proper execution and deployment. And Irby has been able to do that by delivering all of these projects at or under budget.”

Craighead’s internet service, called Empower, has replaced DSL and satellite with fiber for thousands of Arkansas residents. It’s also replaced big corporations with a local provider, which seems to make a big difference to customers. Almost every testimonial on Empower’s website calls out the company’s personalized customer service.

This is not a surprise to the team at Irby, which has made working with local providers a part of its mission. “Electric cooperatives and municipalities are best equipped to provide local support and internet services to their communities,” said Reams. “You’ve got to make a business model that works so that you can deploy it effectively. And I think that’s what Empower was able to do.”

Betacom, UScellular deploy first private/public hybrid 5G networks

By

Joe Dyton

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September 26, 2023

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Private wireless network provider Betacom announced a partnership with wireless carrier UScellular to deliver the industry’s first private/public hybrid 5G networks. The companies believe the partnership will advance Industry 4.0 initiatives across the U.S. The service provides security and control over business data, both on-premises and while roaming among company facilities.

The private/public hybrid 5G network service allows organizations with multiple sites across numerous locations to maintain connectivity between locations. Businesses looking to modernize their operations across various locations now have a cohesive mobility strategy with trusted partners for Industry 4.0. Uptime and performance are assured for improved operational efficiency and productivity with Betacom-backed Service Level Agreements (SLAs), the companies said.

“This relationship with Betacom helps to establish a new bar for how the entire wireless industry thinks about, builds, delivers and utilizes wireless networks,” said Kim Kerr, senior vice president, enterprise sales and operations for UScellular. “These new capabilities significantly accelerate the return on investment for digital transformation and modernization initiatives for organizations of all types, from enterprise to retail to government, and move the industry as a whole forward, faster.”

Meanwhile, UScellular’s wireless network and access agreements provide customers with connectivity across the U.S. The carrier also provides data backhaul between sites. Permitting devices to use one SIM with profiles for both Betacom private CBRS networks and the UScellular network ensures mobility, while integrated communication and coordination between the two companies’ 5G network cores enable seamless roaming across the country.

“Betacom and UScellular are breaking new ground for their customers and setting new precedents for the industry,” said Joe Madden, founder and president, Mobile Experts Inc. “Enabling device mobility from facility to facility with a transition from CBRS to cellular in both directions has never been solved. This makes private/public hybrid 5G networks extremely valuable for a wide range of industries.”

Private/public hybrid 5G network offers enhanced security

The Betacom-UScellular solution establishes and maintains end-to-end security. It uses virtual private networks (VPNs) to ensure that all data effectively remains on the customer premises while devices and sensors are in transit between locations. Additionally, it provides resiliency by using the cellular network for failover in cases where the CBRS network or local internet service providers (ISPs) suffer an outage. The new network architecture used for this service facilitates mission-critical Command, Control, Communication, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) services and solutions which require the highest degrees of data and device security.

Creating a private network through the carrier network decreases dependency on public clouds and minimizes vulnerabilities and attacks, the companies said.

“The service we are announcing today recognizes that the wireless world is changing, and that connectivity, in all of its forms, must change with it,” said Betacom CEO Johan Bjorklund. “Organizations today need seamless mobility with incredibly high densities of sensors and devices to accelerate their Industry 4.0 initiatives. This new service acknowledges and uniquely meets that need.”

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