Grid modernization is a hot topic among electric utilities. The Department of Energy administers billions of dollars through their Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program to enhance electric grid flexibility and improve the power grid's resilience against extreme weather and climate change. But what facilitates grid resilience and flexibility? Private wireless broadband networks are increasingly important components of these initiatives.
Private wireless broadband networks assist utilities in improving resilience after emergency events, as well as in managing increasing customer and environmental demands on the electric system. These networks also help move new technologies forward as utilities look at the future requirements to serve ever-growing energy needs.
Large utilities can develop private wireless broadband networks for these initiatives, but small- and medium-sized utilities can find the cost and expertise needed to construct such networks out of their reach. So how can a small- or medium-sized electric, gas, or water utility meet growing network needs? They can deploy a private, core-hosted LTE service.
A private, hosted LTE core service is a scalable, cost-effective, and efficient model that can meet a utility’s private broadband network needs. This model enables customers to construct, own, and physically maintain LTE/5 G-ready cell sites to provide wireless coverage and capacity for grid modernization objectives, including grid resiliency and security. The actual call management is facilitated by the hosting the partner’s LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC)—arguably a private LTE network's costly and complex components.
The hosting partner in a private, hosted LTE core service model provides access to their LTE EPC and other supporting network elements. Generally, a local Packet Gateway is installed in the utility network to allow data from a utility’s cell towers to remain on-premises. A typical configuration provides redundancy, resiliency, and meets the strict cybersecurity requirements of a modern utility.
A private, hosted LTE core service is a scalable, cost-effective and efficient model that can meet a utility’s private broadband network needs.
One significant benefit of a private, hosted LTE core service is that the LTE hosting partner provides ongoing core optimization, LTE site software update management, round-the-clock network monitoring and provisioning, and SIM card management for devices accessing the utility’s LTE network. The hosting partner’s LTE engineers and network experts manage the complexities of the wireless network, so a utility does not have to add the required LTE network expertise to their team.
In this private, hosted LTE core service model, the LTE hosting partner can remotely make parameter changes, software updates, and security patches to a utility’s LTE sites, ensuring the LTE sites are always aligned with the hosting partner’s EPC and further removing the need for a utility to carry employees with specific LTE skillsets.
In this private, hosted LTE core service model (which is piloted by several small- and medium-sized utilities and evaluated by several more), each utility must gain access to their own wireless LTE frequencies called spectrum. Typically, the spectrum is categorized as low-band, mid-band, or high-band. Each category has tradeoffs concerning cost, coverage, speed, and availability. A utility’s specific use case ultimately drives the decision on which spectrum band is best for the deployment of a private, LTE network. An LTE hosting partner can be a resource for education and help in this area.
The LTE core hosting service model is scalable, cost-effective, and efficient, reducing the complexity and timeframe for deployment and meeting the broadband network needs of a small to medium-sized electric utility. This wireless solution provides utilities coverage and capacity for grid modernization, grid resiliency, and security efforts.
(Southern Linc partners with Ericsson to develop private LTE networks using the LTE core hosting service model.)
About Southern Linc
Southern Linc is a wireless communications company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southern Company. Southern Linc delivers reliable, highly secure wireless voice and data services via the CriticalLinc™ 4G LTE Advanced network to Southern Company electric utilities and multiple businesses and public sector agencies across Alabama, Georgia, and southeastern Mississippi. The CriticalLinc network provides over-the-air encryption from devices to towers and supports encryption from towers to the network’s core data centers. This mission-critical network design conveys a suite of LTE services supporting the most critical business processes.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million residential and commercial customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Our mission is to provide clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy with excellent service. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy infrastructure company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network, and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience, and sustainability, we are taking action to meet our customers' and communities' needs while advancing our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental, and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have earned the company national awards and recognition from numerous organizations, including Forbes, Military Times, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, and Human Rights Campaign.
