Ruckus CBRS: Wireless Network Solutions

Ruckus is a company that is working to create an environment where CBRS technology solutions are a viable addition to other, existing, networks. Wireless networks are everywhere. As technology advances, many organizations are building networks where their users have connectivity everywhere. Universities, large businesses, and even some cities are laying down the infrastructure to spread a web of connectivity all throughout their area. One of the major problems with using WiFi for something like that is the limited range of WiFi access points. WiFi provides amazing speed and signal strength in a short area, making larger endeavors require loads of access points to cover any significant ground. 

Ruckus CBRS solutions create access points with much wider ranges, allowing enterprises to create and maintain networks without as many units as well as providing another web of strength in high-density areas. This article will cover CBRS as it compares to other forms of networks as well as everything you need to know about Ruckus CBRS! 

What is CBRS?

Before we get into the solutions provided by Ruckus CBRS, we wanted to talk about the Citizens Broadband Radio service. The CBRS spectrum is a frequency band that has recently been opened to new consumers. Opportunities abound with this new frequency spectrum, released in 2016. Across three tiers, users have access to the frequency band at that specific capacity and are able to use that part of the spectrum to transmit data on a private network. That is huge in the United States, and the ability to use CBRS will shape the coming years. The CBRS spectrum is a huge technological innovation that’s allowing for huge strides in the research and development of wireless network solutions as well as the growth of decentralized wireless networks. It allows data to be transferred faster and with high security, and in this day and age, that is a very important ability for any company. 

CBRS has three tiers of access and Ruckus CBRS solutions operate on the lowest tier, the General Authorized Access (GAA) tier. GAA users are often private companies that use a part of the CBRS spectrum to create their network. These licenses often switch hands, and every device at this company has to be checked with the Spectrum Access System (SAS) to avoid interference. 

There are a wide variety of solutions for wireless networks available on the market today. This section will cover some of the alternatives to CBRS, and how they hold up to this service provided by Ruckus CBRS. 

How does the CBRS Spectrum Compare to Other Networks?

There are two major technology solutions that provide coverage similar to Ruckus CBRS. Major wireless mobile broadband networks and WiFi are two ways in which private enterprises can connect their workers and their autonomous processes.

CBRS Spectrum versus Wi-Fi

While there are a number of differences between CBRS and Wi-Fi, if a business already has and uses WiFi, switching over to something like Ruckus CBRS is a much harder sell than if a new business or operation is looking for a network. A lot of commercial operations like healthcare centers and warehouses, for instance, use dedicated networks for their staff to have the fastest and most secure communications they can. 

Wi-Fi offers a lot of standard benefits. It is a very popular service for small to mid-range operations. Businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, and airports have all transitioned to having Wi-Fi available for guests and clients in response to the growth of the internet and of smartphones. Wi-Fi is great for businesses to extend to consumers because those consumers don’t need the fastest internet connection possible. Extending WiFi to consumers is a convenience, but it does not affect how well the business can complete its tasks. For operations happening within the business, however, the speed of the internet connection and the distance it extends from each access point has a big impact on the business as a whole. A lightning-fast, long, and secure connection provided by CBRS can be tremendously advantageous to a business. 

One of the biggest boons of CBRS is the range. WiFi needs a lot of access points if the business is in a large warehouse or at several locations, while something like Ruckus CBRS can provide a much wider area of coverage with many fewer units. 

CBRS is able to enhance the speed that devices can communicate with one another. This technology helps private networks provide coverage that is tailor-made for the business, and that provides the exact coverage that they need. WiFi has, however, been tested and optimized over many years and generations of technology, andusers enjoy a much deeper technological understanding when using WiFi over using the much newer technology of CBRS. It will take a lot more for businesses to decide to switch from one to the other, but for businesses searching for the perfect technology with which to build their business, there are a few big points one way or the other. 

CBRS Spectrum versus Major Networks

Major wireless networks have enjoyed a pretty serious hold on the world of wireless communication, as they were the premier way to transport data across the United States. Their major advantage over WiFi was their reach, but now CBRS has entered the scene, and they bring an interesting new playstyle to the table. Ruckus CBRS is a fair alternative to using a major network for data transfer as it offers much greater security when transferring data. There is, however, the constant idea that if a business already uses mobile broadband through a major wireless company to transfer their data, the hassle of the switch may be enough to no longer make it worthwhile to pursue CBRS. 

Why is the CBRS Spectrum a Big Deal?

The CBRS spectrum is a big deal. It provides fast and cost-effective service for 5G networks and it is powering a large number of companies to develop solutions using it. Products like Ruckus CBRS are using the new CBRS technology to create high-speed networks that are available and convenient to install. The CBRS spectrum opens up the doors for many businesses to start planning how to use those lightning speeds to complete other tasks. 

The CBRS spectrum invites innovation across all kinds of workplaces. There are a lot of possible advances when latency is removed and the amount of data that can be transferred increases. A lot of autonomous processes that exist today were optimized to work with 4G LTE speeds, or WiFi speeds. Solutions made available by Ruckus CBRS give developers and engineers new equations to create new and more efficient ways to solve the problems on their table. CBRS is a very big deal, and it will grow and grow as time goes on. 

Our Ultimate Guide to Ruckus CBRS

Ruckus CBRS is a company that supplies access points, along with other products, to enable deployment of a CBRS network with 5G support. Ruckus is a subset of CommScope, which provides technology solutions along the communications industry. Their products provide support along a wide range that is not well served by the existing alternatives. These access points create a Ruckus CBRS wireless network that can be deployed with a similar amount of effort as a WiFi network. This network can be managed through the cloud, and operates on the CBRS spectrum (3550-3700 MHz).

Ruckus CBRS can be deployed for businesses as well as cellular companies. Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) like Verizon and T-Mobile can and are currently augmenting their networks with CBRS infrastructure as the demand for data transfer grows and grows. For Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) like Mint Mobile and Cricket Wireless, Ruckus CBRS solutions allow these operators to create networks of their own should they so desire without the upfront and maintenance costs of traditional wireless networks. For businesses, Ruckus CBRS solutions are used to create in-building or across-compound networks that allow employees to use the network without having to use a MNO or MVNO. As the amount of CBRS-capable smartphones increases, it is projected that more and more businesses will create and maintain private cellular networks in their buildings. 

Ruckus CBRS solutions also allow the users to access a robust online management portal that allows the managers to monitor the strength and operations of the network. This allows users to contact the Ruckus IT department for any issues that spring up on the network. 

Ruckus CBRS Products

The Ruckus CBRS solutions have a variety of products available for use to cover a wide variety of potential cases, and this subsection will cover each of their CBRS-related products and their functions. 

Ruckus Q410

Specifications

• 3 GPP Release 13 TD-LTE Small Cell
• 2 dBi
• 20 MHz bandwidth
• 32 maximum users
• 12 Vdc In / 1 GB ethernet
• Dual 2x2 MIMO
• WINN Forum TS1.0 SAS Support

This model of indoor CBRS access point, the Ruckus Q410, can be  deployed on its own and allows devices to connect to a CBRS network. It is mounted to the ceiling or the wall, and can be used  by itself or plugged into an existing Ruckus WiFi access point like the R510, R610, and R720. This modification allows for excellent upgrade potential and future-proofing with this model. 

The easy WiFi upgradeability of the Q410 is the simplest way to add a CBRS network to an existing WiFi network. Users can add CBRS channels to their network and add 100s of Mbps to users in high density areas like stadiums or hotels. The ease and speed of CBRS network additions make it a powerful way to upgrade existing networks without having to scrap it and start it anew. This model covers a wide variety of use cases, from augmenting mobile networks to creating and upgrading private CBRS networks in companies across the nation. It specializes in use alongside WiFi-based networks, and has an excellent design that is barely noticeable by passers-by. 

Ruckus Q710

Specifications

• 3GPP Release 13 TD-LTE Small Cell 
• 3 dBi
• 4 antennas
• 40 MHz bandwidth
• 64 maximum users
• 12 Vdc In / 1 GB ethernet
• Dual 2 x 2 MIMO
• WINN Forum TS1.0 SAS Support
• LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation 
• Self-Organizing Networks (SON)
• Self-Organizing Timing
• Zero-Touch Provisioning

The Ruckus Q710 is an indoor mounted LTE AP for CBRS just like the Q410, but following that there are some differences among the models. The Q710 has enterprise-friendly design and has a higher CBRS capacity, offering up over 200 Mbps of combined output to users in high-density areas. This amount of total bandwidth is perfect in areas that see a lot of use, either consistently or infrequently. 

The Ruckus CBRS Q710 offers increased coverage, capacity, and strength to a wide variety of CBRS use cases. The advanced 3GPP and other proprietary technology inside the Q710 make this model both powerful and easy to deploy. Both this model and the Q410 are designed to create a simple alternative or additive to WiFi networks in all enterprise capacities. It has a nice design to stay hidden or appear like any other WiFi access point. 

Ruckus Q910

Specifications

• 3GPP Release 13 TD-LTE Small Cell 
• 3 dBi
• 4 antennas
• 40 MHz bandwidth
• 64 maximum users
• 12 Vdc In / 1 GB ethernet
• Dual 2 x 2 MIMO
• WINN Forum TS1.0 SAS Support
• LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation 
• Self-Organizing Networks (SON)
• Self-Organizing Timing
• Zero-Touch Provisioning

The Ruckus Q910 provides an outdoor option for LTE CBRS access points. This has the power and bandwidth of the Q710 in a sturdier and weatherproofed housing that can increase the output of a network by allowing nodes to be placed in optimal outdoor locations. The Ruckus Q910 offers high-capacity coverage on the CBRS band and aggregates up to four CBRS channels. This is perfect for outdoor locations like resorts, shopping malls, and stadiums. Just like the Q710, this model contains the 3GPP technology, making it the best of the best. 

The ability to place the Ruckus CBRS device outside makes it amazing for campus or neighborhood wireless networks, and the additional coverage provided by CBRS based devices is a huge boon. Outdoor areas connected by WiFi networks require many more access points than ones with CBRS. The sleek model makes it a discreet outdoor addition and can attach to buildings or lamp posts, or anything else! 

Ruckus Technology Solutions

Ruckus CBRS has a lot of potential as a great addition to any private network. Even the major wireless companies are turning to similar solutions to better their own networks. CBRS technology allows networks of any size the option to bolster high-density areas with additional bandwidth, with much fewer and more powerful access points. CBRS has a very long range signal, and that range is perfect for many technology solutions. Ruckus CBRS technology is a part of CommScope, a company that provides many technologies in the communications industry. 

CommScope is a communications company that is creating innovation in their industry with cutting-edge technology designed to create the fastest and strongest networks in the world. They are an international company, but their CBRS technology is limited to the United States. Different regions have different models that are designed to operate on the frequency of that region. CBRS is the big private network frequency in the United States, but the 3550 to 3700 MHz range is not a worldwide band, just a US band. Different countries have this kind of network on different frequency bands, and the technology from Ruckus and Commscope is tweaked just a little to broadcast on that specific frequency band. 

Key Takeaways

Is Ruckus CBRS technology the right addition for your enterprise? There are a lot of ways in which it can be used to better your network if it is struggling in one form or another. Finding out what the best way to create and maintain a network is challenging, but CBRS is absolutely worth the test. Before you go, here are a few key takeaways from this article. 

• CBRS is driving innovation in the communications industry, and it is giving companies a new way to create and maintain their networks.
• CBRS allows for many upgrades in the sphere of networks and will be very useful when 5G networks become more common.
• CBRS is optimized for 5G networks, and will grow in popularity as time goes on. 
• Ruckus CBRS products are excellent products and solutions for a wide variety of use cases.

CommScope is a communications company that is driving innovation and creating powerful networks all over the globe. They are one of many companies that is providing network solutions to its customers.