Mark Goldstein of International Research Center presented “Next-Generation Wireless Overview & Outlook” to the IEEE Computer Society Phoenix Chapter (https://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/) on Wednesday, December 14 in a hybrid meeting at Grand Canyon University. In it, he explored the next-generation wireless landscape with its underlying emerging technologies, protocols & standards, market trends & opportunities in a deep dive presentation covering all of today's wireless essentials. New spectrum and technologies driven by a rapidly evolving application landscape will be served up in innovative ways through 5G/6G mobile, Wi-Fi 6E/7, CBRS, White Space, mmWave, GEO/MEO/LEO satellite & varieties of LPWAN connecting billions of new IoT sensors & devices spread around smart spaces & enabling autonomous transportation. Explore emerging wireless advances, roadblocks & operational challenges bringing you the insight and strategies to leverage emerging wireless opportunities going forward.

1. By Mark Goldstein, International Research Center
markg@researchedge.com, http://www.researchedge.com/
Presentation Available at http://www.slideshare.net/markgirc
Phoenix Chapter
http://ewh.ieee.org/r6/phoenix/compsociety/

2. Uses of the Radio Spectrum

3. U.S. Wireless Spectrum Overview
• The FCC regulates the use of radio frequencies within the U.S., assigning usage rights and conditions to
various bands across geographic sub-areas. ITU & WRC regulate internationally. Radio frequency physics
favor lower frequencies for greater signal carrying distance as well as structure & foliage penetration.
• Most non-governmental frequencies are licensed, often via auctions to commercial entities and reserved
exclusively for their use. Cellular (& unlicensed Wi-Fi) dominate mobile connectivity. Microwave &
millimeter wave are commonly used for broadcast, backhaul & PtP. FCC considering additional licensed
bands for commercial/public purposes by reallocating spectrum and at times relocating existing uses.
• A limited amount of unlicensed spectrum is currently available, however more is being considered or
processed for release. 902-928 MHz has been used for consumer and commercial devices since 1993. The
explosion of Wi-Fi is the result of developments in 2.4 & 5 GHz unlicensed bands. Mobile uses and the
emergence of IoT is driving demand for more unlicensed bandwidth & bringing new delivery protocols.
CBRS at 3550-3700 MHz is of special interest as a new shared unlicensed option. The FCC is considering
enabling flexible use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz Band. White spaces wireless will share unlicensed, reallocated
500-700 MHz TV bands reaching to 10 km NLOS now & up to 100 km in the future, outstanding for WRAN.
10 KHz 1 MHz 100 MHz 10 GHz 1THz
DC 100 Hz

4. Cellular 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G Spectrum
United States Carrier Frequency Use
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies_in_the_US
Qualcomm

5. The Road to 5G from 1980s to 2020s and Beyond
Source: Viavi & International Research Center (5G Additions)
5G
2020s
● Up to 2 Gbps, MU-MIMO
● Spectrum & Protocol Agility
● New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U)
● Cloud-Native, Slicing Enabled
& Programmable

6. Source: Nokia-Omdia 2020
Communication Service Provides (CPS)

7. 5G Capabilities and Applications
Source: Huawei Technologies 2019

8. 5G Bandwidth & Latency Drivers by Use Case
Source: Openet
Marketing 2018

10. 5G Impact on Different Employment Workstyles
Source: Omdia 2021

11. 4G vs. 5G Network Features
Source: EXFO 2020

13. FCC licenses 850 & 1900 MHz bands at auctions for specific U.S. geographic subareas,
2G delivers data at up to 1 Mbps & 3G to 15 Mbps, 4G also utilizes 600, 700, 1700,
2100 & 5200 MHz bands for up to 50 Mbps, 5G uses same bands at up to 3 Gbps,
24/28/37/39/47 GHz spectrum auctions under consideration, Cognitive radio capabilities
with agile multiband frequency use increasingly practical & continually advancing
Source: CB Insights
Low-Band, Mid-Band and Hi-Band (mmWave) Uses

15. 5G LTE Advanced
& New Radio (NR)
Low-Band
Mid-Band
High-Band

16. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2019/06/19/gci-to-build-
5g-wireless-network-for-faster-internet-service-in-anchorage/
5G & a multitude of other
transceivers along with their
antennas will be mounted
on a variety of vertical
assets including towers,
monopoles, streetlights,
electric poles & towers,
building sides &rooftops, as
well as on other available
vertical structures

17. Source: Cabling Installation & Maintenance 7/18
Macro and Small Cell Deployment for Cellular Densification

18. ED2 Smart 5G Repeaters & Antenna Systems
http://www.ed2corp.com/making5ghappen/
https://www.freefall5g.com/

19. FreeFall 5G received certification from the Federal Communications Commission in late
November for its FreeStar5G Millimeter Wave Advanced Antenna System.
Mamta Popat Photo from the Arizona Daily Star 1/22
https://tucson.com/business/tucson-startup-wins-fcc-approval-for-new-5g-wireless-antenna/article_1addfe08-73c2-11ec-aeaa-03c56b952e33.html

21. 11/30/22
https://www.rcrwireless.com
/20221130/test-and-
measurement/5g-backhaul-
fronthaul-but-with-lasers

22. Source: EXFO 2020

23. Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN)
Mobile networks have tens of thousands of distributed radio sites for
coverage and capacity demands.
Radio technology is complicated latency, reliability and throughput
Cloud RAN complements traditional networks with solutions that use
state of the art virtualization and cloud technologies enabling:
Architectural Flexibility
Operational Efficiencies
Dynamic Service Delivery
New operational models are needed to capture business opportunities
with technologies like 5G.
Bandwidth and Latency Demands
Create Front Haul Challenges

24. 5G Cloud RAN Key Market Drivers
5G Cloud RAN Key Market Drivers
https://www.o-ran.org/

25. Source: Rural Wireless Association (https://ruralwireless.org/)

26. https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/4g-lte-5g-networks

27. https://www.rootmetrics.com/en-US/content/rootmetrics-may-US-5g-scorecard-1H-2022

30. https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/mobility-report/reports

32. The Economic Drivers of 5G
Source: AFL 2021

33. 5G Releases 16 & 17 Key Themes, New Functionalities & Timeline
Source: Nokia 2020
Source: Ericsson 2020
5G Timeline

37. https://www.spirent.com/assets/the-spirent-2022-5g-report

38. https://www.beechamresearch.com/succeed-with-iot/

45. IEEE 6G Engineering Survey: How Soon
Source: IEEE 2021

46. IEEE 6G Engineering Survey: How Different
Source: IEEE 2021

47. https://cellsitesolutions.com/portfolio-view/cows/

48. FirstNet Flying Cell on Wings (COWs) & Aerostats
https://about.att.com/story/2019/
fn_hits_one_million.html

49. https://www.dezeen.com/2020/07/09/loon-balloon-powered-internet-service-kenya/ https://loon.com/
Google's sister company Loon deployed a
fleet of 35 solar-powered balloons that will
provide 4G & 5G wireless broadband service
service spanning nearly 31,000 square miles
across western and central parts of Kenya,
including its capital, Nairobi and remote areas
by floating on stratospheric winds. This was
Loon's first non-emergency, commercial
Internet service. Previously the company
provided emergency-only Internet access in
response to disasters such as the 2017
Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the 2019
earthquake in Peru but now has closed down.
Google Loon Stratospheric Balloons
Illustration of Alternate Stratospheric Platforms

51. Typical Network Architecture of Fixed-Wireless & Hybrid ISPs
Source: WISPA & The Carmel Group 2021

52. Tarana Wireless Base and Remote Nodes
Tarana’s Base Nodes (BNs) and Remote Nodes (RNs) are purpose-built for
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) with an entirely novel, innovative hardware
and software approach, designed as a platform to expressly meet the
requirements of fixed wireless. https://www.taranawireless.com/

53. https://www.taranawireless.com/

54. https://www.internetforall.gov/program/broadband-equity-
access-and-deployment-bead-program
• The NTIA BEAD NOFO released 5/13/22 sets forth that “Priority Broadband Projects” are
those that use end-to-end fiber-optic architecture deeming such networks as “future
proof” so as to “ensure that the network built by the project can easily scale speeds over
time to meet the evolving connectivity needs.”
• Allows for fixed wireless access (FWA) projects in “high-cost” and “extremely high-cost”
areas where cost per user for fiber deployments would be excessive and State want to
use available funding for maximum impact.
• Allows use of “terrestrial fixed wireless technology utilizing entirely licensed spectrum or
using a hybrid of licensed and unlicensed spectrum” however “services using entirely
unlicensed spectrum do not meet the criteria for Reliable Broadband Service” leading to
market confusion and disarray, as well as unwarranted limitations on the use of all Wi-Fi
allowed frequencies, 5GHz, 6GHz, and other unlicensed spectrum. Will CBRS and CBRS-
like managed spectrum be considered as licensed spectrum?

55. IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi Wireless Overview
HaLow
White-Fi
WiGig
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
IEEE 802.11 Variants,
Frequencies &
Ranges
Current Wi-Fi LAN/WAN Characteristics
https://wireless-home-network-made-
easy.com/how-does-wifi-work.html
≤10km
≤1km
≤250m
≤100m
/ax
6 GHz
6E

56. Source: Qualcomm 2020
Wi-Fi 6E Tri-Band Adds 6 GHz Channels & Capabilities
2.4GHz 6GHz

57. Wi-Fi 6E Distinguishing Characteristics
https://wballiance.com/

59. Wi-Fi 6 Key Enhancements
Source: ABI Research 2020

61. https://www.wi-fi.org/

63. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MJLPZPL/

64. IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi Wireless WAN Example
Ubiquiti Networks airMAX Application
https://airmax.ubnt.com/
Source: Ubiquiti Networks

66. Arizona Free Wi-Fi Map & Tech Hotline in English & Spanish
https://www.connect-arizona.com/

67. https://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/research/project/self-organizing-
wireless-mesh-networks/
https://www.cablelabs.com/community-wi-fi-a-primer
Self-Organizing
Wireless Mesh Networks

68. Wi-Fi Augmented Location Tracking
Wi-Fi Positioning System (WPS, also abbreviated
as WiPS or WFPS) is a geolocation system that
uses the characteristics of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots
and other wireless access points to discover where
a device is located. It is used where satellite
navigation such as GPS is inadequate due to
various causes including multipath and signal
blockage indoors, or where acquiring a satellite fix
would take too long. Such systems include
assisted GPS, urban positioning services through
hotspot databases, and indoor positioning
systems. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_positioning_system
https://www.i-webservices.com/blog/mobility/mobile-apps-
beacons-vs-gps-vs-wifi/
GPS + Cellular + Wi-Fi + Beacons Location Tracking
Indoor Positioning System (IPS)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indoor_
positioning_system
Hybrid Positioning System
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_
positioning_system
Bluetooth Low Energy Beacon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_
low_energy_beacon

69. https://www.lightreading.com/security/atandt-verizon-
t-mobile-tout-z-axis-support-for-911/d/d-id/778494

70. https://www.litepoint.com/

71. Source: EEWorld-Silicon Labs 2022

73. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-388789A1.pdf
https://incompliancemag.com/fcc-approves-changes-to-improve-wi-fi/

75. IEEE 802.11 Wireless Evolution & Outlook
IEEE 802.11 Variant Tech & Spectrum Apps & Notes
IEEE 802.11abg Wi-Fi Legacy protocols on unlicensed 2.4
& 5 GHz bands to 600 Mbps to 100+
m outdoors
Baseline Wi-Fi capabilities for APs & CPE,
Overall Wi-Fi performance may be limited
by legacy devices & interference
IEEE 802.11n Wi-Fi 4 Adds MIMO streams to abg for
focusing transmissions to 250 m
Great advance in Wi-Fi performance for
multi-antenna APs & CPE
IEEE 802.11ac
Wi-Fi 5
Higher performance protocol on
unlicensed 2.4 & 5 GHz + other
bands up to 3.5 Gbps
Downlink MU-MIMO, Mature, widely
available advanced Wi-Fi performance &
capabilities in base stations, APs & CPE
IEEE 802.11ax
Wi-Fi 6/6E
Highest performance protocol on
unlicensed 2.4, 3.5, 5 & 6 GHz bands
+ other bands up to 10.5 Gbps
Wi-Fi 6 spec maturing, commercial
equipment & deployments in progress,
Full MU-MIMO, OFDMA & WPA3 security
IEEE 802.11be
Wi-Fi 7
6 GHZ & higher bands unlicensed &
possible cellular reallocation
IEEE 802.11k/v/r agile multiband pending,
Extreme High-Throughput (EHT) pending
IEEE 802.11p V2X Unlicensed 5.9 GHz ITS for short-to-
medium range, Next gen DSRC
Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) & Vehicle-to-
Everything (V2X) for safety & ops, C-V2X
IEEE 802.11af
White Space
White-Fi
Uses select unlicensed TV bands
from approx. 470-700 MHz to 600
Mbps up to 25 miles (long distance)
NLOS, Nominal cost for use of SAS
geo database per device
White-Fi, White Space Wireless or Super
Wi-Fi, Managed by cognitive radio tech &
SAS geo database dynamically assigning
channels for use, IEEE 802.22 emerging for
WRAN up to 60+ miles
IEEE 802.11ah
HaLow
Uses unlicensed 902-928 MHz UHF
frequencies up to 100 Kbps to 1 km,
up to 8K low power devices per AP
WWAN supporting bulk M2M & IoT/IIoT
communications for long-range, low-data
rate applications
IEEE 802.11ad
WiGig
Uses unlicensed 60 GHz ISM band
for up to 7 Gbps up to 5 m range
(within a room)
Optimized for short-range media & high-
bandwidth apps, IEEE 802.11ay will
eventually extend to 20+ Gbps
Source:
International Research Center

76. Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)
Wireless Spectrum: Frequencies & Tiers
(SAS = Spectrum Allocation Server)
Mobile Experts
https://www.leverege.com/blog
post/what-is-cbrs-lte-3-5-ghz
3.5 GHz Band

77. Source: Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) Alliance
Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)

78. CBRS System Architecture
Source: SNS Telecom & IT 2020

79. https://www.cbrsalliance.org/specifications/
https://www.cbrsalliance.org/
https://www.cbrsalliance.org/why-ongo/
https://www.wirelessinnovation.org/

80. Ruckus Q910 CBRS Outdoor LTE Access Point
https://www.commscope.com/product-type/enterprise-
networking-carrier-wi-fi-cbrs/cbrs-ongo/q910/
9.5” x 12.5” x 4”

81. City of Tucson
Public CBRS
Project

82. White Space Wireless Spectrum & Opportunities
thinkd2c
https://www.carlsonwireless.com/

83. https://www.carlsonwireless.com/
White Space Markets & Verticals
IEEE 802.11af (White-Fi) uses select unlicensed bands from approx. 470-700 MHz to 600 Mbps to 10 km
NLOS for WRAN, up to 100 km in the future with IEEE 802.22. White-Fi uses a TV White Space Database
(geo database) to manage spectrum use by unlicensed white space devices by geographic area with SAS.

84. Base Station
CPE Unit
https://www.carlsonwireless
.com/ruralconnect/

85. Free Space Optics (FSO) Point-to-Point Solutions
A photophone receiver and headset, one half of Bell &
Tainter's optical telecommunication system of 1880
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-space_optical_communication

86. McKinsey Global Institute & International Research Center (2020)
Internet of Things (IoT)/Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
Remote Work/Homework, Telehealth, Public Safety
Smart Homes/Buildings/Spaces/Cities/Regions

87. https://sia.org/news-resources/state-of-the-satellite-industry-report/

88. Commercial Satellite Communications Operating Segments
Source: U.S. NIST 2022

89. Medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites are
located between LEO and GEO satellites
at 6,300 to 12,500 miles. 10-18 are
required for continuous global coverage.
Lower latency (150 ms).
Low earth orbit (LEO) satellites are
closest to users (300-1200 miles) but
require 40-70 satellites for full coverage.
Low latency (10 ms).
Geosynchronous (GSO) satellite orbit (22,236
miles) rotates at the same speed as the
Earth’s rotation. Three satellites can provide
global coverage. 300 ms latency, which can
support most applications.
• Geostationary Equatorial Orbit (GEO) is a
special case of GSO in which satellites circle
the Earth above the Equator and appear to
be stationary over a fixed position.
Types of Communications Satellites and Orbits
ITU Satellites
Spectrum
Allocations
https://sia.org/

90. Satellites Provide a Variety of Mobile & Fixed Communications Services
Source: ESOA/SIA 2018

91. Mark Handley/University College London
SpaceX launched and
deployed their first 60
500 lb. Starlink Internet-
providing small satellites
from the nosecone of a
Falcon 9 rocket in May
2019. There are currently
(11/22) some 3,271 in orbit
heading to 10K+.
https://www.starlink.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Starlink

92. Source: SatMagazine 10/21

93. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Kuiper_Systems
Flat Customer Terminal Antenna

95. https://www.iridium.com/

96. https://www.viasat.com/space-
innovation/satellite-fleet/viasat-3/

97. Cellular Backhaul by Satellite
https://www.hughes.com/solutions/government-
and-defense/cellular-backhaul

98. SpaceLink Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Satellites
SpaceLink's MEO satellites deliver real-time data in record
time using always available relay satellite for fast data
transfer. With Always in Sight, LEO satellites will no longer
have to wait for a once-a-day view of an Earth station to
process data. SpaceLink’s constellation will utilize both RF
and optical inter-satellite links and continuously transmit user
data to several optimally located gateway ground stations for
immediate access via the Internet, private cloud or other
secure delivery with intersatellite links between the relay
satellites sending data directly to wherever the customer
wants it on Earth, without it “landing” elsewhere.
https://www.eosspacelink.com/satellite-data/

99. https://www.laserlightcomms.com/
Laser Light Communications Optical MEO

100. Satellite Optical Connections in the Network
Source: Mynaric 2021

101. Mynaric Condor Mk3 Optical Inter-Satellite Terminal
Mynaric announced the CONDOR Mk3 (right), designed as a mass-manufacturable, smaller,
lighter, and low-power optical communications terminals for inter-satellite operations than
its predecessor, the Mk2 (left). It has an optical head mass and size that is a 30% reduction
from earlier models and offers flexible data rate coverage from 100 Mbps up to 100 Gbps
with link distances beyond 7,500 km. https://mynaric.com/products/space/condor-mk3/

103. Mynaric Condor Mk3 Optical Inter-Satellite Terminal
Mynaric also produces optical communications ground terminals providing unprecedented
high-speed, high-throughput connectivity between satellites and the ground, serving as
access points to terrestrial network infrastructure. See their Ground Communications
Capabilities landing page at https://mynaric.com/products/ground-capabilities/

104. AST SpaceMobile's Blue Walker 3 satellite’s 693 square feet phased array.
https://ast-science.com/spacemobile-network/

105. AST SpaceMobile's
BlueWalker 3 folded
and packaged into a
spaceflight container
(black cylinder) called
the Launch Vehicle
Adapter.
The first BW3 satellite
is slated to launch
from Cape Canaveral
on a SpaceX Falcon 9
vehicle with a
framework established
for future launches.
https://ast-
science.com/spacemo
bile-network/

106. https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-
carrier/t-mobile-takes-coverage-above-
and-beyond-with-spacex

108. Off-Grid Community Wi-Fi Terminal (OGCWFT) Project
http://engineeringclinic.
arizona.edu/design-day-
awards
http://engineeringclinic.arizona.edu/

109. AT&T Satellite Cell on Light Trucks
(SatCOLTs) for Remote FirstNet Access
https://insidetowers.com/cell-tower-news-colts-
trotted-out-to-navajo-nation-during-pandemic/
https://mct.pelsue.com/
https://squiretechsolutions.com/
mobile-satellite-trailer/
Mobile
Connectivity
Trailer
https://www.skycasters.com/

110. https://www.nasa.gov/content/what-
are-smallsats-and-cubesats
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_satellite/

111. Electronic Warfare in Today’s Military Environment
Source: NATO Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC, https://www.japcc.org/)

112. Categories of Environmental and Other Effects of Constellations of Satellites
Source: GAO (2022)

113. Source: Teradata Corporation
Internet of Things Basics

115. Source: Postscapes
http://postscapes.com/

116. IoT Solutions Architecture
Source: TechBeacon (https://techbeacon.com/4-stages-iot-architecture)

117. Source: Wireless Broadband Alliance 2019

118. V2X - IEEE 802.11p
Uses unlicensed 5.9 GHz ITS
frequencies for short-to-medium
range vehicle safety & operations
Next Generation
Dedicated Short
Range
Communications
(DSRC) for
Intelligent
Transportation
Systems (ITS)
vehicle safety &
operations

119. Automotive DSRC Technology over V2X
http://www.newsandpr.com/2018/04/automotive-dsrc-technology-market-professional-survey-report-2018/
Next Generation Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC)
for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Vehicle Safety & Operations

120. https://www.qualcomm.com/products/automotive/car-to-cloud

121. https://cmte.ieee.org/futuredirections/2020/03/20/personali-digital-twins-role-in-epidemics-control-iii/
Smartphones are Brimming with an Ever-Growing Number of Sensors
Anticipate Addition Of:
Accelerometer, Motion
Magnetometer, Gyroscope
Imaging Radar, Gestures
Health & Medical Sensors
Gas/Environmental Sensors
IR, Optical Spectroscopy
AR/VR/Mixed Headsets
Bluetooth Accessories
USB
Headset

122. http://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/

123. http://visioforce.com/smarthome.html
SECURITY

124. Smart Building IIoT & Control Applications
https://modius.com/smartbuildinganalytics/

126. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Potential Applications

128. Source: Wireless Broadband Alliance / LoRa Alliance 2019

129. Source: Center for Digital
Government & Cisco

130. Smart City Data Gathered from Many Source
and Disseminated to Many Users
Source: Autonomous Vehicle Technology Magazine 6/20

131. Source: Topio Networks 2020
https://www.gecurrent.com/

132. https://www.azidp.com/the-smart-region/
Center for Smart
Cities and Regions
(CSCR)
https://ifis.asu.edu/c
ontent/center-smart-
cities-and-regions
Arizona Smart Region Initiatives
Pima Association of
Governments (PAG)
http://www.pagregion.com
/Default.aspx?tabid=1356
Intel Smart City
IoT Solutions
https://www.intel.com/
content/www/us/en/int
ernet-of-things/smart-
cities.html
Internet of Things
(IoT) Committee
https://www.aztechco
uncil.org/get-
involved/committees/
https://smartchallenges
.asu.edu/
http://www.big
datasw.org/
https://www.
azmag.gov/
https://www.azco
mmerce.com/iam/
https://www.azidp.org/
Smart Region
Consortium
https://www.greater
phxconnective.com/

133. Next-Gen Wireless Overview & Outlook
Short-Range & Personal Area Networks (PANs)
RFID, Near Field Communications (NFC), Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiGig, LiFi & More
Low-Power Wide-Area Networks (LPWANs)
Long-range IoT/IIoT data collection will be a high device volume, high-growth
opportunity at low data rates requiring using licensed or unlicensed spectrum. All of
these LPWAN variants support health monitoring, smart homes/buildings/cities &
regions, mobile lifestyle, transportation, energy, etc. A number of LPWAN approaches
will play out with IEEE 802.11ah (HaLow) & LoRaWAN likely to dominate, augmented by
cellular data services & use of other LPWANs for select situations.
IEEE 802.11ah - HaLow uses unlicensed 902-928 MHz frequencies, Supports
bulk M2M & IoT/IIoT communications at 100 Kbps to 1 km for up to 8,192 low-
power devices per AP
LoRaWAN - Uses unlicensed 902-928 MHz in North America at 22 Kbps at very
long range (city wide coverage) with deep indoor coverage for IoT/IIoT
Sigfox - Unlicensed 915 MHz (in NA) to 100 bps up to 40 km for broad, low-
speed reach
NB-IoT (or LTE-M2) - Narrowband (NB) cellular for LPWAN to 250 Kbps, Mobile
operators need new equipment to utilize
LTE Cat M1 - Cellular for LPWAN to 1 Mbps, more easily integrates to existing
cellular deployments

134. https://www.bluetooth.com/specifications/bluetooth-core-specification/bluetooth5

135. Laird Connectivity BL653µ Bluetooth 5.1
Module Series, Providing Long-Range
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Connectivity
https://www.lairdconnect.com/wireless-modules/bluetooth-modules/bluetooth-5-
modules/bl653-micro-series-bluetooth-51-802154-nfc-modules

136. https://www.bluetooth.com/blog/wireless-connectivity-options-for-iot-applications-technology-comparison/
Wireless Connectivity Options for IoT Applications Comparison

137. Wireless IoT Connectivity Highly Fragmented Market
Source: Qorvo 2019

138. IoT Connection Technologies Operating Range
Source: Keysight Technologies with Added Elements by International Research Center
- CBRS
- 802.11ax
Added
- 802.22
(White Spaces)
Added
- V2V & V2X

140. https://www.panduit.com/

141. ● Smart City/Region
● Smart Agriculture
● IoT/IIoT Data
● Adds per International Research Center

142. Source: Topio Research 2020

143. Source: TM Forum 2020

144. This inkjet-printed prototype of a mm-wave energy harvester using a Rotman lens-based
rectenna design allows devices to pull energy out of the air from 5G wireless transmissions
and convert it into electricity making it possible to harvest around 6 microwatts at around
180 meters (590 ft) distant from a 5G transmitter, more than enough to power a range of
small sensors and devices, particularly in the IoT space. Source: Georgia Tech 2021
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79500-x
https://newatlas.com/energy/5g-energy-harvesting-wireless-power/
5G mmWave Energy Harvesting Rectenna

145. https://www.iotm2mcouncil.org/iot-
library/news/iot-newsdesk/everynet-
starts-us-lorawan-rollout-in-six-cities/

146. Educational Broadband Services (EBS) Spectrum
U.S. FCC Broadband Radio Service & Education Broadband Service -
https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/broadband-division/broadband-radio-service-education-broadband-service
2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window (to 8/3/20) - https://www.fcc.gov/25-ghz-rural-tribal-window
FCC Transforming the 2.5 GHz EBS Band Report (7/19) - https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-19-62A1.pdf
National EBS Association - https://nebsa.org/
EBS Spectrum Organization - http://www.ebsspectrum.org/
EBS on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_Broadband_Service
Source: EBS Spectrum Organization

147. https://www.ntia.doc.gov/category/
spectrum-management
https://www.fcc.gov/engineering-
technology/policy-and-rules-
division/general/radio-spectrum-allocation
https://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2021
/second-annual-report-status-
spectrum-repurposing

148. FCC Millimeter Wave 70/80/90 GHz Service - https://www.fcc.gov/millimeter-wave-708090-ghz-service
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-expanding-access-708090-ghz-spectrum-bands

149. Wireless Technology & Spectrum Summary
Wireless Protocol Tech & Spectrum Apps & Notes
Cellular 2G, 3G,
4G, 5G & 6G
FCC licenses 850 & 1900 MHz bands at
auctions for specific geographic
subareas, 2G delivers data at up to 1
Mbps & 3G to 15 Mbps, 4G also utilizes
600, 700, 1700, 2100 & 5200 MHz bands
for up to 50 Mbps, 5G uses same bands
at up to 3 Gbps + 24/28 GHz & mmWave
(30-300 GHz) spectrum, 5G NR » 6G
All U.S. bands are licensed thru FCC
auctions, WW LTE convergence, 5G
standards maturing, Deployment requires
densification in urban areas adding small
cells/DAS for capacity, AT&T FirstNet
national public safety overlay deploying,
5G fixed wireless, frequency agility, lots
of tower builds & new fiber for backhaul
IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi
Variants
Legacy IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n to 600 Mbps
& IEEE 802.11ac/ax to 3.5+ Gbps on
unlicensed 2.4, 3.5, 5 & 6 GHz bands
shared among many users & a variety
of applications, Interference risks
Broad mature deployment for LANs &
WANs, Low-cost hardware, Emerging
IEEE 802.11ax provides up to 10.5 Gbps
with more efficient spectrum utilization &
increased throughput
Microwave Variety of licensed & unlicensed
spectrum bands from 1-90 GHz
Fixed Microwave Services point to point
for backhaul & direct broadband to 50 km
Citizens Broadband
Radio Service
(CBRS)
Recent reallocation of 3550-3700 MHz
for shared lightly licensed & licensed
(with priority) use of up to 7 10 MHz
channels, Shared with higher priority
users (U.S. Military Radar, Fixed
Satellite Systems) thru Spectrum
Allocation Server (SAS) geo database,
Further reach than 5 GHz Wi-Fi
LTE style protocols for voice & data,
Shared spectrum use with situation
awareness & dynamic allocation, CBRS
Alliance’s OnGo & MulteFire Alliance
protocols offer Neutral Host Network
Provider & MVNO models, Specs stable &
equipment reaching the market,
Expansion into 3.7-4.2 GHz possible
White Space
Wireless
IEEE 802.11af (White-Fi) uses select
unlicensed bands from approx. 470-700
MHz to 600 Mbps to 10 km NLOS for
WRAN, up to 100 km in the future with
IEEE 802.22
White-Fi uses a TV White Space Database
(geo database) to manage spectrum use
by unlicensed white space devices by
geographic area with SAS, Microsoft
supporting & doing trials
Source: International
Research Center 2021

150. Wireless Technology & Spectrum Summary (Continued)
Wireless Protocol Tech & Spectrum Apps & Notes
Short Haul Special
Purpose Networks
• Bluetooth - IEEE 802.15.1 at unlicensed 2.4
GHz to 1 Mbps to 30 m, Versions 5.0-5.3
provide 2 Mbps at greater range, Low
Energy (LE), IoT/IIoT & mesh capabilities
• Zigbee - IEEE 802.15.4 at unlicensed 915
MHz (NA) & 2.4 GHz at up to 250 Kbps to
100 m, Low power, Suited for IoT/IIoT
• Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) at unlicensed
5.9 GHz ITS via IEEE 802.11p DSRC/C-V2X
• LiFi short-range data networking with light
• RFID/NFC - PAN for Logistics, POS & IoT
Bluetooth expanding beyond
connecting peripherals to
devices & computers to PAN &
LAN applications, Bluetooth &
Zigbee will both support health
monitoring, smart homes/
buildings/cities, mobile lifestyle,
transportation, energy, etc. with
M2M/IoT/IIoT sensor data
aggregation, V2X integrates
vehicles for safety & ops
Low-Power Wide-
Area Networks
(LPWANs)
• IEEE 802.11ah - HaLow uses unlicensed
902-928 MHz frequencies, Supports bulk
M2M & IoT/IIoT communications at 100
Kbps to 1 km for up to 8,192 low-power
devices per AP
• LoRaWAN - Unlicensed 902-928 MHz in NA
at 22 Kbps at very long range (city wide
coverage) with deep indoor coverage for
IoT/IIoT
• Sigfox - Unlicensed 915 MHz (in NA) to 100
bps up to 40 km for broad, low-speed reach
• NB-IoT (or LTE-M2) - Narrowband (NB)
cellular for LPWAN to 250 Kbps, Mobile
operators need new equipment to utilize
• LTE Cat M1 - Cellular for LPWAN to 1 Mbps,
more easily integrates to existing cellular
deployments
Long-range IoT/IIoT data
collection will be a high device
volume, high-growth
opportunity at low data rates
requiring low-cost
subscriptions, All of these
LPWAN variants support health
monitoring, smart homes/
buildings/cities, mobile lifestyle,
transportation, energy, etc., A
number of LPWAN approaches
will play out with IEEE 802.11ah
(HaLow) & LoRaWAN likely to
dominate augmented by cellular
data services & use of other
LPWANs for select situations,
Weightless specs
Source: International
Research Center 2021

151. Broadband Investor Costs and Benefits Calculations
Source: Blair Levin 2013
https://www.brookings.edu/experts/blair-levin/
How Do You Change the Math and Improve the ROI?

152. Flywheel of Fortune Rapidly Grows an ISP’s Business
Source: Ready.net (https://ready.net/) 2020

153. The Exponential Curve of Technological Innovations
Leading Up to the Singularity
https://www.kurzweilai.net/the-technological-singularity
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Singularity_Is_Near
https://golfcharliepapa.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-three-singularities-in-our-future.html

154. Connectivity Technologies Are Taking Strides Forward
Source: McKinsey Global Institute 2020

155. Vertical Assets: Towers, Monopoles,
Streetlights, Buildings/Structures & Aerial
Next-Gen Wireless Overview & Outlook
Microwave
Point to Point
Wi-Fi 6E
(IEEE 802.11ax)
White Space
(IEEE 802.11af)
LPWAN for
IoT/IIoT Data
Deliver backhaul to remote tower facilities
and broadband directly to end users over
great distances using licensed, lightly
licensed & unlicensed frequencies
Deliver Wi-Fi 6E to nearby CPE and mobile
devices using unlicensed frequencies as well
as meshing with nearby nodes for wider
spread public & private regional coverage
Deliver broadband over long distances (60+
miles) non-line-of-site (NLOS) over lightly
licensed 470-790 MHz former TV spectrum
Collect data with Low-Power Wide-Area
Networks (LPWAN) over V2X, LoRaWAN,
Sigfox, NB-IoT, HaLow &/or LTE Cat M1
Edge & Cloud Services
Source: International Research Center 2022
Cellular
Colocation
Enable expanded 4G/5G/6G cellular coverage
and densification including consumer voice
and data with agile cognitive radio devices,
FirstNet for public safety, C-V2X & IoT/IIoT
CBRS
Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) for
next generation services including LTE-type
mobile over lightly licensed 3.5 GHz spectrum
LEO,
MEO,
& GEO
Satellites
https://www.slideshare.net/markgirc/