- Globalstar is working with Virewirx on private 5G for the Department of War
- The system is designed to work in challenging RF environments
- SNS Telecom & IT told Fierce that defense and public safety are new target sectors for Globalstar's private network biz
Satellite operator Globalstar is gung-ho on terrestrial private 5G contracts.
It is working with Virewirx – formerly XCOM labs – on a $1.9 million "FutureG" contract for the defense department. Globalstar said in a statement that the aim is to develop an advanced 5G system designed to perform reliably in challenging radio frequency (RF) environments.
"The $1.9 million Phase II SBIR contract awarded by the Naval Air Warfare Center (via OUSD/OUSW R&E) is a continuation of Virewirx's $295,000 Phase I engagement with the Navy, during which the XCOM RAN platform was tested in a warehouse," Asad Khan, 5G research director at SNS Telecom & IT, told Fierce.
"While the award itself is primarily an R&D project running through September this year, it opens the door to broader opportunities for private 5G deployments in DoD/DoW warehouses, ships, aircraft hangars, and tactical locations across military theaters," Khan noted.
Phase 2 of the project is all abut proving the automation credentials, Virewirx's VP of Wireless Tamer Kadous told Fierce. "What happens is, [ro]bots work in some form of three dimensional metal structure." The angled metal structure is part of why the robots need to work in a difficult RF situation.
Virewirx's CEO Jason Fiber told Fierce that phase 2 will wrap in September and then the plan is to move to phase 3. "Phase 3 will be directly selling to partners inside the DoD," noted Kadous.
Mission-critical?
Much like major private network vendor Ericsson, Globalstar doesn't seem to be only chasing big private network – i.e., multi-million dollar – contracts. "Although defense and public safety are new target sectors for Globalstar's XCOM RAN business unit, private 5G deployments for industrial automation in verticals such as manufacturing and warehousing continue to be actively pursued by the company," Khan noted.
SNS said in its private network database that Globalstar's XCOM RAN already has multiple operational networks, including a multi-site deployment with a global retailer to support Micro-Fulfillment Center robotics.
In addition to supporting operation in 5G NR bands n48 (3.5 GHz CBRS), n78 (3.3-3.8 GHz) and n77 (3.3-4.2 GHz) spectrum, the RAN is differentiated by its unique access to Band n53 (2.4 GHz) licensed spectrum held by Globalstar.
Druid Software, Ataya, HPE, Open5GS and Hawk Networks are among XCOM's mobile core partners.