NOVEMBER - JANUARYTELECOM BUSINESS REVIEW8IN MY OPINIONGrid 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. 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 A PRIVATE, HOSTED LTE CORE SERVICE CAN MAKE A PRIVATE WIRELESS BROADBAND NETWORK A REALITY FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED UTILITIESDavid Woodham, Network Engineering Manager, Southern LincBy
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