UPDATE Facebook officials threw down the gauntlet at this year’s Mobile World Congress when it promised to upset the traditional network infrastructure supply chain, and emerging details regarding the company’s Telecom Infra Project (TIP) and associated hardware shed light on how it will follow through on its claims. Recently, Inside Towers detailed Facebook’s OpenCellular access platform antennas. Now, new elements are being introduced, and Facebook plans to release even more open source details including: software management system, hardware design, baseband, amplifier, filter, and mounting devices.
While major U.S. carriers have yet to join TIP, Facebook boasts nearly 300 operators and infrastructure providers. Bell Canada, Telefonica and Vodafone are among the members. According to analysts at The Register, Facebook’s ultimate goal is providing internet access to expand its reach, and using network hardware to expand the range of the internet.
Since OpenCellular has now been open sourced, NuRAN Wireless of Canada plans to distribute the products as they become available. NuRAN, which specializes in providing wireless coverage in remote areas, will be a key tester as Facebook announces more network hardware. For other companies, the low cost of OpenCellular hardware could make it easier to expand in regions that were previously not cost effective.
November 21, 2016
Reader Interactions