14 Jul Understanding three core private LTE architectures that utilities should consider
(July 2022) The utilities infrastructure as a whole is seeing radical changes. Ubiquitous connectivity is quickly becoming one of the principal catalysts of digital transformation in this industry. Not since large-scale deployments of smart meters has there been such interest and motivation to transform communications networks.
Today, LTE and 5G private networks promise to address a wide range of operational initiatives including:
- consolidating disparate communications networks
- increasing security, reliability and resiliency of power transmission/distribution
- providing broadband for drone-based remote asset monitoring
- updating aging push-to-talk solutions with cellular-based mission critical communications
- digitalizing and automating processes with IoT and sensors
However, this shift will pose its own set of challenges for utilities including changes to network architecture, network security and cellular network integration. As utilities explore private networks, they need to decide whether to provide the network functionality themselves or contract out to external vendors that provide cloud/hosting services. In this webinar, utilities experts from Ericsson, Southern Linc and Evergy will explore the major core network architectures for private LTE network deployments: on-premises utility hosted, on-premises vendor hosted and off-premises vendor hosted. They will highlight the critical attributes (scalability, latency, customization, security, risks, etc.) that utilities should consider when make network architecture decisions to best align to their requirements, priorities and environments.
Click image below to watch the recorded webinar:
