During a recent meeting at the Connect(X) trade show in Denver, OnGo Alliance President Dave Wright boasted of the market traction that CBRS equipment is enjoying.
“We’re twice the size of 5G,” he said.
Specifically, Wright explained that there are about 250,000 sites around the country that are broadcasting wireless signals in the 3.5GHz CBRS spectrum band. He said those sites include everything from big, macro cell towers to tiny, indoor picocells. In comparison, Wright said the OnGo Alliance estimates that there are just 100,000 sites broadcasting 5G signals.
The figures are certainly noteworthy given all the hoopla around 5G compared with CBRS.
As for CBRS-compatible devices, the OnGo Alliance counts a total of 407 different models that can receive signals in the band. Most of them are smartphones, such as the iPhone 13, but others include hotspots, fixed wireless routers and industrial machines.
The numbers, according to Wright and the OnGo Alliance, indicate that the novel spectrum-management mechanism applied to the CBRS band is working. Indeed, they are particularly impressive considering that commercial operations in the band weren’t authorized until just three years ago.
Interestingly, though, Wright cautioned that most of today’s operations in the CBRS band rely on 4G LTE technology. He said that there are 5G-capable equipment and devices available for the band, but that the 5G CBRS ecosystem “will take some time to develop.”
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