5G repeater extends coverage by 20% and can stand alone from the power grid, Airgain says
Airgain has just introduced a new, solar powered 5G repeater, which it says can extend 5G signals by 20% and operate “fully detached from the power grid.”
Airgain is positioning the solution as a way to cost-effectively push 5G into rural and hard-to-reach areas, so that 5G can be cost-effectively and quickly extended to rural and hard-to-reach areas.
The company said that a recent field trial of the new Smart Network-Controlled Repeater or NCR, which it calls Lighthouse Solar, have confirmed that the equipment boosts speed as well as coverage. According to Airgain, the 5G repeater enabled connectivity speeds averaging more than 250 Mbps, and achieved peak speeds of 425 Mbps even in areas previously underserved. Comparatively, the company added, the existing 4G speeds in the area were 1 Mbps.
“This breakthrough positions Airgain at the forefront of the 5G infrastructure revolution,” said Dr. Ali Sadri, Airgain’s CTO, in a statement. “By offering a sustainable, grid-independent, and rapidly deployable solution, we are enabling telecom operators to expand their networks at lower costs, increase service reliability, and drive greater monetization opportunities—all while advancing global connectivity.”
In the field trial, Airgain said, the 5G repeater also demonstrated a more than 50% improvement in spectral efficiency and maximization of network utilization, as well as “super link quality … in challenging environments”.
Because the equipment operates self-sufficiently, it was also able to be deployed quickly—in less than a day, according to Airgain, while eliminating the need to obtain costly and time-consuming power grid and backhaul extensions.
Airgain will be showcasing the solar-powered 5G repeater at next week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It is holding an event on Wednesday focused on sustainable and smart 5G infrastructure, with operator partner Omantel, which provides telecommunications service in Oman.
