Cradlepoint extends 5G portfolio with latest release

Cradlepoint has announced the re-designed outdoor Cradlepoint W1855-5GC Wideband Adapter.

Adding to Cradlepoint's 5G portfolio, the W1855 is designed to enable enterprises to future-proof connectivity investments as they adopt Standalone (SA) 5G networks and commit to stronger sustainability goals.

Purpose-built to require less design materials and operational energy than its predecessor while adhering to the latest 5G standards, the outdoor Cradlepoint W1855-5GC Wideband Adapter ushers in the latest generation of Wireless WAN networking with a goal of supporting global sustainability objectives.

Cradlepoint demonstrated the brand-new product to exhibition visitors at the Gartner IT Symposium/ Xpo on the Gold Coast, Australia earlier this month.

As the enterprise adopts innovative 5G connectivity solutions to transform business operations and prevent disruption, the increasing volatility stemming from climate change has highlighted the need to implement technology that mitigates further negative environmental and business impact, Cradlepoint states.

According to a Gartner press release, "86% of business leaders see sustainability as an investment that protects their organisation from disruption". 

Designed for distributed sites that require secure cellular connectivity or failover in the event of a primary link disruption, the W1855-5GC Wideband Adapter enables the enterprise to guarantee connectivity while furthering sustainability goals.

According to the company, key benefits include:

• Connectivity offerings for the expansion of 5G: The refreshed modem features the latest 5G standards with 3GPP Release 16 specifications, providing customers with expanded carrier aggregation and band combinations as service providers grow their 5G services.
• More sustainable design: Compared to its predecessor, the W1855-5GC Wideband Adapter is 78% smaller and 74% lighter, requiring 30% less energy when under load. In addition, the device is securely packaged with 84% less packaging, which is 100% plastic free. The aluminum housing reinforces Cradlepoint's commitment to sustainably sourced and recycled materials.
• Centralised device management and visibility: With Cradlepoint NetCloud Manager, lean IT teams can successfully manage the deployment, configuration, and troubleshooting of each device from centralised locations, reducing unnecessary complexity and costly on-site visits.
• Streamlined installation: At half the size and weight of previous outdoor adapters, the stylised W1855-5GC eases installation for field personnel.

Cradlepoint provided preview demonstrations of the W1855 Wideband Adapter at the Cradlepoint booth at the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo in the Gold Coast, Australia last week and believes it had a lot of interest from construction organisations.

Tim Blombery, Senior Sales Engineer Asia Pacific, Cradlepoint, says, "We spoke with several construction firms that develop large, commercial projects, which often take several years to complete."

"These organisations normally install fibre connectivity services for their temporary offices at each location, because they need to ensure that their connectivity is reliable, fast, and secure."

"After seeing the Cradlepoint W1855 Adapter and its capability to enable network slicing and 5G standalone, several of the organisations said they would consider setting up entirely wireless construction sites, with the confidence that they would get the same if not better reliability, speed, and security."

"The IT managers we spoke with also noted that the physical design of the device is much lighter than earlier iterations, making it far easier to mount at temporary sites, adding to the appeal of a simple connectivity solution."

Donna Johnson, CMO of Cradlepoint and Ericsson's Head of Enterprise Wireless Solutions Marketing, says, "In addition to continuing to adhere to the latest 5G technology standards, Cradlepoint is also committed to exploring new avenues to help customers further with their business goals.

"Sustainability is top of mind for enterprises globally, including at Cradlepoint and Ericsson, and we're thrilled to partner with companies to create a more collective effort toward reducing energy consumption and wasteful packaging and design."

The Cradlepoint W1855-5GC Wideband Adapter is available now in Australia and New Zealand and will be available in Q1 2024 in Japan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.