AccessParks is a major Wi-Fi solution and connectivity provider in national parks, campgrounds, and more such areas across the USA. In a recent development, AccessParks has partnered with FreedomFi to provide 5G connectivity to hundreds of sites across the USA National Park system. According to an RCR Wireless report, the companies will start with targeting 200 California state parks by using an open-source 5G network software and CBRS spectrum. AccessParks will use FreedomFi’s turnkey private LTE/5G solution, which is usually used in enterprise settings for providing day-to-day connectivity to the users who visit the concerned parks. Further, the 5G connectivity will also be used for more critical applications such as security and safety in the park.
No Plans to Go With 3G or 4G, Will Directly Deploy 5G
Boris Renski, CEO of FreedomFi, said that since there is no legacy network present In these parks/areas, deploying 5G straight-away is the best option. He said that going with something such as outdated 3G wouldn’t have made sense since then they would eventually have to upgrade it to 5G. Thus the companies are directly going with 5G networks from day one in these locations. Renski said that the decision for going with AccessParks was made because the latter uses open-source networks heavily at which FreedomFi already specialises in. The open-source software further simplifies the process of deploying 5G. FreedomFi has been developing an open-source software package called Magma for the last two years. It is a software aimed to help enterprise customers build small to medium-sized private 5G networks very easily. Renski said that an operator could very conveniently set up a 5G network with FreedomFi’s Magma software. All that the operator has to do is buy a 5G radio and pair it with the Magma software and switch the radio on. According to Renski, the idea behind this project is to get several mobile network operators and MVNOs to roam in the network area. This aim makes the project unique and different from others. The companies have already delivered 5G connectivity in 9 locations of the USA, including the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
