Nothing beats bringing together the brightest minds in cloud networking and observability for a conversation about the future of private wireless.
At Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2023, our Chief Technology Officer, Kurt Schaubach, and our Chief Development Officer, Sepehr Mehrabanzad, joined AWS executives Nandini Ramani, who leads Monitoring and Observability, and Chris McKenna, head of business development for private networks, for a conversation focused on how private wireless is shaping the future of connectivity.
From discussion of the benefits of using a shared spectrum-based solution to the new Integrated Private Wireless on AWS program to how observability enhances private wireless, the business value made possible through private wireless was front and center.
We compiled the top takeaways, here.
Shared spectrum benefits 4G/LTE and 5G private wireless networks
Private networks put the power of connectivity into the hands of the enterprise. Shared spectrum underpins that capability by creating a very open ecosystem model that makes it easy to deploy a private 5G network to meet enterprise needs. As an AWS Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate Partner, Federated Wireless helps customers with the design, deployment, and operation of those networks.
Federated Wireless runs all its capabilities on AWS infrastructure. This unique networking option for enterprises improves the quality of connectivity and moves the cost of the network into the full control of the enterprise. Shared spectrum is the key enabler for that.
It’s getting easier to procure and implement a private wireless solution
As the recent announcement of the Integrated Private Wireless on AWS program indicates, the market’s appetite for a hosted marketplace that simplifies the process of procuring a private wireless solution is strong and growing stronger.
The Integrated Private Wireless on AWS program is specifically designed to help partners build, operate, and scale private wireless by bringing the AWS Edge ecosystem into play.
AWS achieves this by pre-integrating ISVs, like Federated Wireless, for connectivity solutions that are then connected to AWS’s plethora of cloud services, which number over 200 today. Last, AWS brings in its over-the-top application ISVs to complete the picture for a full, end-to-end private wireless solution.
AWS then works with partners like Federated Wireless to deliver the end-to-end solution to the enterprise as a managed service offering, which means that enterprises will soon be able to easily purchase Federated Wireless solutions through the AWS Integrated Private Wireless portal.
Observability and control enhance private wireless operation
The challenges to full observability and control for complex network providers are three-fold.
- High-cardinality data: Observability metrics from an increasing number of different devices and end-users.
- Multi-vendor ecosystems: Complex private 5G networks are typically multi-vendor. Vendors often come with their own monitoring solutions, making observability more challenging, and not via a single pane of glass.
- Disparate tools for metrics: Operational metrics, like IT data, and network data have their own tools for observability, so there’s no single view or correlation.
Integrating a high-powered observability tool like Amazon CloudWatch when building a private wireless network from the ground up enables enterprises to do observability at scale. In fact, Amazon CloudWatch emits nine quadrillion metrics events every month.
Private wireless solves for common business problems and industry-specific use cases
Enterprises that have implemented or are exploring implementing a private wireless solution are looking to solve specific business problems. The use cases they are seeking to enable through private wireless tend to be focused on specific industries, resulting in a very verticalized approach to private networks.
Across virtually all industry verticals, consistent themes have arisen around private wireless that are driving the release of marketplaces like Integrated Private Wireless on AWS.
Private Wireless as a Service (PWaaS) from Federated Wireless enables:
- Avoidance of high CapEx costs: Enterprises are no longer used to high upfront costs for IT. AWS and Federated Wireless partner to build large ecosystem deployments that scale for reduced costs through the PWaaS solution. We’re translating traditional CapEx investments to OpEx ones with our turnkey joint networks.
- Reduction of complexity: Enterprises do not like high complexity. They do not want to pre-integrate core and radio solutions, and OTT applications. Federated Wireless works with customers to understand their use case and remove complexity by developing templated solutions that include the packet core, RAN, and other necessary components.
- Time to delivery: Enterprises do not want to wait a year or more to deploy their networks. Federated Wireless is driving velocity in deployment models, made possible through AWS capabilities.
What is the future of private wireless?
It’s fair to say that, through the partnership between Federated Wireless and AWS, that the “easy button” for private wireless, including simplified procurement, deployment, and observability, are all now within reach. The Federated Wireless PWaaS solution is available today, and our listing on AWS’s Integrated Private Wireless is on its way.
Hungry for more predictions? Check out our CEO Iyad Tarazi’s recent MWC ’23 recap.
