Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners Will Acquire 5G Innovator Dense Air
LONDON, Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Dense Air Networks builds and operates wireless infrastructure as a service, transforming the economics of connectivity and delivering to unserved and underserved communities the same capacity, speed, and service as the best parts of mobile carriers’ 5G networks.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored America’s widening digital divide: the gap between the connectivity available today and what our communities need for equitable access to education, employment, health care, civic life, and so much else. Because it’s so expensive to build out ubiquitous 5G networks, affluent areas have received the highest quality wireless infrastructure, and low-income communities are too often left behind. As we enter the 5G era, secure, shared wireless infrastructure will be key to closing the digital divide and delivering the ubiquitous connectivity demanded by communities and consumers.
That’s why Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), the company pioneering technology-enabled sustainable and inclusive infrastructure, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Dense Air, an innovative RAN-as-a-Service (RaaS) company that uses shared infrastructure to extend and enhance carrier networks. Airspan, a leading RAN equipment manufacturer, will retain a minority stake; as a result of this transaction, SoftBank Group will no longer be part of Dense Air’s capital structure. Dense Air Networks will operate within SIP’s CoFi innovation platform, which aims to make connectivity more open, shared, and inclusive through public-private partnerships (P3s).
“Ubiquitous connectivity is crucial for modern life,” said Jonathan Winer, co-CEO of SIP. “By expanding internet access and opening up previously uncompetitive markets in partnership with new and existing service providers, we can give consumers more seamless and affordable coverage. We look forward to partnering with service providers, local governments, and other stakeholders to understand the unique needs of each community in which we operate. Like every other type of infrastructure, broadband has no one-size-fits-all solution.”
Dense Air builds, owns, and operates secure and shared “small cell” networks that efficiently enhance and extend the traditional “macro” networks built by incumbent mobile network operators. Small cells, deployed discreetly on streetlights or rooftops, provide high-speed, high-performance cellular coverage over hundreds or thousands of feet. A small cell network supports better coverage closer to the user, complementing macro cells by easing network congestion and reaching areas where macro service deteriorates.
The deployment of 5G for mobile and fixed use cases over the next several years is expected to require operators to densify their networks by building hundreds of thousands and potentially millions of small cells in complex urban street systems. Dense Air’s unique technology allows multiple network operators to securely share the same infrastructure, driving down costs for service providers and municipalities alike while delivering high-speed connectivity. Dense Air’s small cell network makes it more efficient for multiple carriers to operate in underserved areas, securely sharing the resources of a single small cell. It’s a solution that improves the economics of deployment and operations for carriers, reduces the total infrastructure needs, and ultimately gives consumers more choices.
“The densification of cellular networks to complete the rollout of gigabit 5G services is an immense global challenge, both technically and commercially,” said Paul Senior, founder and Group CEO of Dense Air. “Our unique shared infrastructure enables communities and carriers to build future-proof radio networks that are economically attractive and help solve digital divide problems that plague today’s 5G network builds. For mobile network operators, Dense Air’s technology enables efficient, economically attractive, and robust network enhancement and extension. When paired with the CoFi P3 model, our technology becomes a powerful tool for closing the digital divide through community-centered, sustainable fixed wireless networks.”
Dense Air’s “neutral host” networks can be leased by any network operator looking to scale its capacity. In markets where Dense Air owns radio frequency spectrum, it can also offer local offload for over-trafficked carrier networks. Dense Air employs an array of network infrastructure across urban, suburban, and rural environments, and the company utilizes data- and AI-driven network planning to deliberately deploy small cells into the areas — both indoors and outdoors — where they are needed most to improve network performance efficiently and cost-effectively. The company seeks to work closely with cities and other community stakeholders to develop networks that prioritize public and municipal uses, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), public safety, first responder networks, and remote learning applications.
Dense Air has built wireless networks across Europe and APAC and is developing additional large-scale commercial projects globally. Dense Air’s market-leading neutral host RaaS technology will accelerate the deployment of shared, high-performance 5G infrastructure and drive more equitable connectivity. The company previously validated the CoFi model during a two-year research project with Dublin, Ireland, leveraging municipal infrastructure to deploy a pilot 5G network.
SIP and Dense Air expect to soon announce an inaugural CoFi project in the US that involves partnering with cities to increase coverage of high-speed wireless connectivity, with a focus on expanding access for typically underserved communities, such as students without connectivity at home.
