HTNG to Start CBRS for Hospitality Workgroup

HTNG has chartered a new workgroup to help corporate hoteliers adequately advise ownership, management and other stakeholders on the value of the Citizen’s Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) deployments in their hotels.

Hospitality properties require a comprehensive wireless network solution that supports the demands of guests, work flow, applications, the Internet of Things (IoT) as well as the Mobile Network Operators (MNO). To ensure delivery, this network must be under direct control of the hotelier or a third-party. HTNG’s Scalable Cellular Workgroup made significant advances toward defining and providing assistance for this goal, yet great control is still held by the MNO’s and their command of their operating frequency bands. Hospitality companies need flexible and scalable technology solutions that do not depend on a single provider’s approval.

Advances in Wi-Fi networks are an absolute requirement for hospitality properties to deliver wireless access for the internet and work flow, yet have their limitations in supporting secure mobility, interference and the MNOs.

CBRS is a new set of frequency bands which can be shared or lightly licensed for private communications in the process of regulatory approval in the United States. The 150MHz of newly available spectrum represents a potential windfall of capabilities for hospitality companies, but hoteliers do not currently have enough information to evaluate the technology and sufficiently demonstrate value to the enterprise.

The CBRS for Hospitality Workgroup will create a white paper focusing on business models to educate corporate IT personnel on major use cases (including voice, data, low power applications, private vs. shared use, etc.) and business models that support deployment of CBRS in hotels.

The kickoff teleconference for CBRS for Hospitality will be held on February 22, 2018 at 2:00 PM CST. To sign up, HTNG members can visit the CBRS for Hospitality Workgroup page and log-in to join.