Big news for Neutral Host networking
In a neutral host wireless network, a common physical infrastructure is used by multiple service providers to offer their services to end users.
Neutral Host functionality is seen by many as the key to unlocking significant growth in the adoption of Private Cellular Networks in the enterprise market. These 'keys' are wholly controlled by the large Mobile Network Operators, and they have shown a minimal appetite for enabling this integration at scale for private cellular network owners. This is even though close to 80% of wireless traffic originates indoors.
What's the reason for their recalcitrance? The major issues raised by MNOs are technical and relate to integrating neutral host networks (primarily indoor) into their existing networks (primarily outdoor).
Where does the network coverage overlap? Under what conditions should the user's device choose the neutral host network as they move in and out of coverage? How can the MNO be sure the private cellular network will provide their customer with an acceptable level of service?
Answering these questions typically requires extensive analysis of each network's coverage and performance by experienced engineers with specialist tools. Delivering the surveys and required analysis at the scale required for broad neutral host availability will require new tools and methodologies. AI and machine learning will be fundamental to achieving this.
In addition to the technical issues, we're talking about MNOs here, whose entire business model is predicated on charging users for access to their infrastructure. It's a mental model that's resistant to sharing and, as an industry, has always been slow to adopt new systems for fear of destroying existing revenue.
However, everyone in the industry agrees; it's just a matter of time. In the future, neutral host functionality will be unlocked for any PCN owner who wants to enable it. But, right now, we're waiting for the MNO's larger customers to force the MNO's hand, so the rest of us can take advantage of this exciting functionality.
There is good news, though, just last week, we saw two signs that this is finally starting to happen!
The first piece of news came from Meta. According to Mike Dano's article in LightReading, they have successfully tested a PCN in their offices that supports Neutral Host roaming on all three major US networks. That means when their employees and visitors enter the building. Whether they use T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T, their phone will transparently connect to Meta's private cellular network infrastructure, giving them reliable indoor cellular connectivity.
The second piece of big news came during a presentation at last week's Aruba Atmosphere event by Stuart Strickland, Wireless CTO at HPE/Aruba.
Aruba released the AirPass platform in 2020, enabling customers to offer cellular to Wi-Fi roaming via centralized agreements with MNOs.
During the presentation, Stuart shared the news that HPE/Aruba intends to extend centralized Airpass agreements with MNOs for use by their customers deploying a private cellular network. While there is no firm date in their roadmap as yet, HPE's recent acquisition of Athonet will surely push this forward.
Yes, the ubiquitous availability of neutral host functionality is still some years away, but we are finally seeing positive, tangible developments at the MNO, vendor, and customer levels.