No network? No problem.
The Network on Wheels brings connectivity wherever it’s needed.
Ericsson and Verizon have been partners in bringing 5G to businesses and communities across the U.S. We’re used to being asked to think outside the box to deliver high speed broadband in demanding circumstances. This case study, however, is about the time we were asked to think inside the box. Together with Verizon, we developed the Network on Wheels, a portable 5G network.
The Network on Wheels (NOW) fits all the technology of a 5G network into a compact package that can, literally, be built in the lab, put on a van or an airplane and wheeled to nearly anywhere a network is needed. NOW was first developed to demonstrate the power of 5G in a remote event venue in Hawaii. Today, it’s bringing fast connectivity, with low latency, to major convention halls, racetracks, sports arenas, universities, industrial facilities, autonomous vehicle test centers and more.
With 38 NOWs already deployed worldwide and more in development, this Ericsson-Verizon collaboration has moved from proof-of-concept to commercial application. Battle-tested in the real world, Ericsson’s NOW is finding a multitude of new use cases in manufacturing, IoT, healthcare, retail, entertainment and news media. NOW is ready to deliver networks nearly anywhere, any time.
A network that goes anywhere. Watch to video (2:52) to discover the Network on Wheels.
The challenge
It all began when Verizon came to Ericsson with an opportunity—and a challenge. A client holding an exhibition in Hawaii wanted a 5G network in their venue for live demonstrations. A common enough request. Except in this paradisaic spot, there was no network and little technology at all that the team could utilize. The space they offered for the equipment was literally a closet. And the network had to be up and running in just a few weeks.
The solution
Ericsson and Verizon drew on their long history of partnership to assemble a crack joint team to design this new mobile innovation. Using the latest technology and expertise honed in building 5G networks—plus a little ingenuity—the Ericsson-Verizon team put all the functionality of a 4G and 5G network into a kit that fit into that utility closet while providing all the requirements of the event.
The event organizer was so impressed with the performance, they immediately asked to book the NOW for their next event in Las Vegas, which happened to be one of the most significant consumer electronic shows in the world.
Use cases
5G turbocharges the Penske Indianapolis 500 racing team
In a competition where milliseconds count, Team Penske enlisted the Network on Wheels 5G network to help reclaim their spot in the winner's circle of the Indy 500. Gaining the edge at the Indy 500 depends on a team’s ability to track data and act on it rapidly. Previously, Team Penske had to spend a few days running cables to different locations around the track where they could place the cameras. This was expensive and time consuming. Worse, the number of places they could place the cameras was limited.
This time, Verizon's 5G network powered by Ericsson's NOW was deployed at the racetrack. Team Penske was able to place cameras wherever they wanted. They could add a greater number of cameras and take more angles of shots. A NOW connected the cameras from the track site back into the production center. The cameras wirelessly streamed high-definition videos to the production center so the engineers could analyze them in real time and give instructions to the drivers while they were still on the track. This was a tremendous improvement in communication between the drivers and the track side team.
Connecting the red carpet
NOW earned the spotlight at another event, this one a red-carpet event where viewers were more likely to recognize Prada than Penske. With fierce competition for scoops, a major newspaper needed a better way to handle the thousands of pictures their photographers would be sending over the network to their cloud. NOW provided the innovative solution, enabling them to dramatically increase the number of images going over the network, into the cloud and ultimately to their readers.
Making the streets safer
On the racetrack, 5G can make the difference between gold or silver. On a real street, when the car is autonomous, connectivity could mean the difference between life and death. The University of Michigan's Mcity is a groundbreaking test center for cutting-edge smart vehicle technology. It's a mock town, complete with streets, intersections, stop signs and lights. Verizon and Ericsson are working with UMich and automotive industry researchers to provide the extremely low-latency, high-performance NOW for their connected and autonomous vehicle testing.
Putting the “smart” in a smart factory
One of the most interesting deployments for the joint Ericsson-Verizon team is Ericsson's recently opened USA 5G Smart Factory in Lewisville, Texas, where 5G radios are manufactured. This LEED Gold and Zero Carbon certified sustainable factory runs on a 5G private network solution based on a Network on Wheels. Thanks to the fast, low-latency network, the autonomous guided vehicles that deliver parts to the various assembly locations no longer have to follow a painted line on the floor. They can now talk to each other. In addition, a technician can look at any aspect of the production with augmented reality glasses, untethered, and make adjustments as needed.
The Network on Wheels in action
