In classrooms, laboratories, incubators and everyday university buildings, innovation is constantly happening across campuses at Arizona State University (ASU). One necessity to ensure that this transformation continues to take place is making sure that learners, faculty and staff are digitally connected, and signals are strong.
ASU is eager to discover forward-thinking technology and concepts to be certain that Sun Devils and visitors have access to high-quality networks. But what happens in buildings where cellular networks can experience a lag due to low signals from physical infrastructure, like the walls? The Cox Connected Environments Collaboratory is working with ASU Enterprise Technology to explore how the use of a neutral host network could improve public cellular connectivity, capacity and user experience on campus.
What is a neutral host network?
A neutral host is a company that invests in telecommunications infrastructure and rents out the infrastructure to multiple service providers. Examples of this shared infrastructure include cell phone towers, real estate and fiber-optic networks.
Instead of a traditional model in which companies/institutions/organizations own and manage their network services, neutral host models are managed by a third party that allows multiple organizations to share network access from a private provider.
This model makes it ideal for organizations to maximize existing networking infrastructure to receive service, oftentimes resulting in benefits like:
- Cost efficiency
- Less time intensive
- Reduced management
- Improved cellular signal strength and coverage
- More flexibility not being tied to a specific cellular operator
Organizations can completely “rent” out their network access from a neutral host provider, or they can use neutral hosts within their current environment to segment their network connections and availability.
About the Cox Collaboratory-ASU neutral host project
In the case of the Cox Collaboratory and ASU partnership, ASU is looking to enhance its public cellular connectivity with Cox serving as a neutral host. Even though the wired and wireless internet that ASU manages on campus is fully functioning, cellular connectivity issues can still exist due to the building infrastructure.
This 12-month project will utilize Cox’s Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum to provide service in ASU’s University Services Building (USB), where there are areas of the building where service is less accessible. “This is a proof-of-concept project,” explained Curtis Buschor, Program Manager at the Cox Collaboratory. “USB is ideal for testing neutral hosting capabilities: It’s greater than 100,000 square feet, there is poor cellular propagation throughout the building and ASU leadership approved it as the best building to test.”
While Cox and ASU are collaborating on the project guidelines, the Cox team will design, source, install and operate the complete solution for the duration of the year-long project. The plan is to have an antenna mounted on the top of the building, and then signal is networked throughout the building. From there, Cox will add access point devices around the first and second floors of USB to utilize the network.
“We are grateful to work with the team at ASU to test this technology solution that is newer to the market,” said Buschor. “It’s exciting for us to continue to partner with ASU on projects like this that push the boundaries of delivering smart technologies in order to improve quality of life and allow the ASU community to thrive.”
Read more about the installation of the neutral host network.