But 5G is not economical for this type of service, Sparks explained. Sparks added that C Spire can also deploy the service in ring designs, thus improving reliability.Ĭ Spire owns the kind of millimeter wave spectrum and has vendor relationships that would presumably position the carrier to join Verizon and AT&T on the forefront of FAKE 5G deployments. “And then they go out and they are evangelistic” about the service. “It actually increases a sense of ownership in the neighborhood,” Sparks said of those hub homes. Again, each hub home running Siklu’s equipment gets free internet service from C Spire. So, after connecting the first hub location via fiber, Sparks said C Spire can wirelessly “chain” additional hub homes to the network via Siklu’s backhaul equipment. Sparks said that C Spire can expand throughout a neighborhood via wireless backhaul connections using Siklu’s equipment running in the unlicensed 60 GHz band. For nearby homes that sign up for its service, C Spire installs a dinner plate-sized antenna receiver on their roof. Mimosa’s transmission technology uses a proprietary iteration of the 802.11 standard that powers standard Wi-Fi connections. He said the company enters each new neighborhood by deploying fiber to a “hub home.” That home gets free internet service from the company, but also broadcasts a wireless signal via Mimosa equipment operating in unlicensed 5.8 GHz spectrum to nearby homes. We then use 5G tech to connect a series of base stations that in turn provide you with high speed internet through the air.”Īccording to Mike Dano of Fierce Wireless:Ĭraig Sparks, C Spire’s VP of technology, said that the carrier is using equipment and technology from upstart fixed wireless vendors Mimosa and Siklu to deploy its new service. “C Spire runs Fiber up to the edge of your neighborhood or business district. “Our service runs on amazing 5G fixed wireless technology that is capable of delivering blazing fast speeds without the arbitrary data caps usually associated with LTE or satellite services.” C Spire is selling its service such that customers can sign up at $50-per-month service at any time, without any startup or equipment fees, and can suspend or cancel their service at any time for any reason.Ĭ Spire is branding its service as “5G” as per these quotes from its website:

The company announced it is using Wi-Fi technology and unlicensed spectrum to deploy 120 Mbps downstream / 50 Mbps upstream fixed wireless internet services to consumers and businesses in locations across Mississippi. It owns spectrum licenses ranging from 700 MHz to 28 GHz.

It has been providing wireless services in Mississippi and elsewhere for decades, and currently operates an extensive LTE network. C Spire is one of the nation’s largest regional wireless network operators.

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