Private 5G networks, where individuals or businesses set up their own cellular connections, could potentially offer a viable alternative to Wi-Fi.
Vodafone, which wants to make 5G-based mobile private networks (MPNs) more accessible to Europe’s 22 million SMEs, first unveiled a Raspberry Pi-powered 5G network-in-a-box prototype at MWC 2023, and followed it up with an improved version at this year’s event.
Produced in collaboration with Lime Microsystems (with whom Vodafone first partnered on Open RAN technology in 2017), LimeNET Micro 2.0 Developer Edition, a series of crowdfunded private 5G base station kits, is now available for purchase via Crowd Supply, with prices ranging from $800 to $12,000.
Faster and better connections
The modular radio platform uses the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 and LimeSDR XTRX for compute and RF capabilities respectively, and features a LimePSB RPCM planar system board. There is also a deluxe version that includes an Amarisoft 5G stack and core, two smartphones, and ten SIM cards, offering a ready-to-use private 5G network solution.
Private 5G networks have been shown to offer connections up to ten times faster than Wi-Fi in high-load networks and offer security and mobility benefits. Santiago Tenorio, director of network architecture at Vodafone, gave an example to IEEE Spectrum of how it could be used in a bakery. “You don't need a password. You don't need a conversation.” [with a clerk behind a counter] “Or a QR code. You just walk into the bakery and you're connected to the bakery's network,” he said.
Speaking about the challenge of developing a private 5G base station, Ebrahim Bushehri, CEO and Founder of Lime Networks, said: “The solution needed to be ultra-portable and with an optional battery pack that could be mounted on drones and autonomous robots, for remote and tactical deployments such as emergency response scenarios and temporary events.”
At the time of writing, there are still 22 days left to fund the project, which aims to raise $1. “Crowdfunding,” Bushehri said. IEEE Spectrum“It is one of the key indicators of community interest and engagement. Hence the reason for launching the campaign on Crowd Supply to get feedback from early users.”
