By Ryan Gerbrandt

Join us—and become part of the universe of companies driving a new digital foundation for the future of the utility sector.

Teamwork is powerful. That power is evident in the expanding 900 MHz private wireless broadband ecosystem. Six utilities that provide service across 15 states; more than 100 leading technology and service providers driving innovative broadband solutions for utilities and their customers; a Utility Strategic Advisory Board comprised of 10 utility executives identifying and prioritizing utility technology needs; strategic reviews and partnerships with EPRI, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Lab; and much, much more. And now, Tom Kuhn, the indomitable utility industry leader, has joined the effort.

This growing partnership of leaders is driving a future for 900 MHz private wireless broadband that is as powerful as America’s utilities themselves.

By its very nature, the utility industry exemplifies partnership. Time and time again, our nation’s utilities have demonstrated their strength and their power as an industry to accomplish incredible things for the customers and communities they serve.

Sometimes it takes being bold and having foresight to drive decisions for progress. Boldness and foresight are exactly what utilities and their C-suite leaders are demonstrating as they build out their powerful vision for America’s energy future, turning to 900 MHz private wireless broadband networks as the platform for transformational capabilities for decades to come.

The energy grid as we know it today could only stem from a powerful combination of utilities and technology innovators. The policy and regulatory framework that ensures safe, reliable, and affordable universal service is a product of collaboration among electric companies and their regulators and policymakers. And, of course, electricity customers and society as a whole benefit immeasurably from the teamwork of the electric power industry’s dedicated, talented men and women who come together every day to solve big challenges and keep their customers connected to the grid.

Leveraging the industry’s deep spirit of connection, interdependency, and collaboration will be essential for utilities and their stakeholders as they work to transform the grid. Utilities are listening to the needs and expectations of their customers, large and small, of communities across the nation, and of policymakers at every level: tomorrow’s grid will have to be cleaner, smarter, more resilient, and more secure, even as it supports broad electrification efforts, economic growth, and social justice… and all while keeping energy affordable.

Fortunately, America’s utilities have a powerful vision, and an entire technology ecosystem to support them in achieving this energy future. This future will be built upon a new digital foundation of broadband connectivity, or the ‘third grid’ as I’ve heard it described, elevating the ‘communications grid’ to the same significant level as the transmission and distribution grids, the clear backbones of our electric system. 

Stronger Already

The utility broadband future is now. 

Six of America’s leading electric companies—Ameren Corporation, Evergy Corporation, Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Tampa Electric (TECO), and Xcel Energy—already have made the decision. Thanks to these pioneering companies, 900 MHz private LTE has been de-risked, and deployment of networks is underway in many of their 15 states.

The team centered on 900 MHz private wireless broadband has the breadth and the depth to go the distance. Ultimately, electricity customers—and society—are depending on us. Every day, we are focused on enabling the resilient clean energy future that electricity customers want and expect—which, we believe, will rely on critical infrastructure connected via fast, secure 900 MHz private wireless broadband. The Anterix Active Ecosystem multiplies our reach, capabilities, strengths, and depth. Through the Active Ecosystem, more than 100 technology companies have joined us to develop powerful 900 MHz private wireless network solutions that are critical to advancing the industry response to challenges like cybersecurity, extreme weather, wildfire prevention, mutual assistance, decarbonization, EV deployment, electrification, automation, efficiency, safety, and more.

Our team also encompasses the leadership exemplified by the Utility Strategic Advisory Board (USAB) industry executives who, collectively, are driving the evolution of utility broadband. This utility-led effort is directed by senior leaders from pioneering utilities spanning diverse geographies, business models, and ownership structures. Together, they demonstrate the depth and momentum behind industry adoption of 900 MHz private wireless networks.

The USAB is engaged in providing insights and coordination that are driving actionable industry-wide knowledge, like those reflected in EPRI’s white paper, “Empowering Tomorrow’s Grid: The Vital Role of Telecommunications in Enabling Decarbonization, Electrification, and Resilience.” This study, released at DISTRIBUTECH 2024 in Orlando on February 28, provides important perspectives and lessons learned to date on advancing resilient clean energy via modern communications technologies.

We are building on a foundation grounded in collaboration. Several years ago, Anterix supported the launch of the Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA). Through this organization—now with more than 100 members, including more than 30 utilities—the industry has come together to advance private broadband wireless connectivity.

With private wireless as the foundation, utilities are securing their IT/OT environment, strengthening business continuity, improving the customer experience, streamlining business operations, and so much more.

When I attended UBBA’s annual Summit late last year, hosted by Xcel Energy in Minneapolis, the call to action for utilities was clear: the industry needs more connectivity in the field and a platform to capture, analyze, and act upon the data that will flow from this new digital grid. As an industry, utilities are sensing and responding to a powerful impetus toward private wireless broadband connectivity.

Here, history is an important guide. Just as applications have grown exponentially—as have demand for data, bandwidth, and electricity— the economy-wide, society-wide benefits of connectivity and data analytics have burgeoned as well. To answer the need posed by utilities’ powerful vision for resilient clean energy, our team is necessary.

One clear takeaway from UBBA’s Summit was that utilities are exploring broadband as a strategic solution to long-term business challenges. Utilities that are part of the 900 MHz private wireless team don’t approach wireless broadband as a technology solution looking for a home; rather, they see 900 MHz private wireless networks as the answer to business problems that demand a solution. With private wireless as the foundation, utilities are securing their IT/OT environment, strengthening business continuity, improving the customer experience, streamlining business operations, and so much more.

Across the industry, there is consensus that the many challenges facing utilities require a united response, as well as unprecedented levels of grid control, interoperability, flexibility, and expandability. Sometimes it takes being bold and having foresight to drive decisions for progress. Boldness and foresight are exactly what utilities and their C-suite leaders are demonstrating as they build out their powerful vision for America’s energy future, turning to 900 MHz private wireless broadband networks as the platform for transformational capabilities for decades to come.

Unlocking Unprecedented Capabilities Today

With the scale, scope, and momentum we have already, now is the time for America’s utilities writ large to commit to 900 MHz private wireless to deliver the connected capabilities their customers want.

Thanks to their far-reaching initiatives—already coming online for millions of utility customers—America’s utilities are seeing an entire ecosystem being futureproofed today, further accelerating positive returns on private LTE investments.

No matter where you look, our movement is traveling full speed ahead. And we are harnessing collaboration at every level, from ideation through design, regulatory review, deployment, and every step in between. Individually, our teams are impressive; together, the capabilities and strengths across the utility-driven 900 MHz private wireless team are astounding.

By themselves, the solutions that Ameren, Evergy, LCRA, SDG&E, TECO, and Xcel Energy are deploying via 900 MHz private wireless networks are critical for delivering the resilient clean energy future for consumers. They also have deep significance for the entire utility sector, showing how to pursue inherently multi-value solutions. Together with our Ecosystem, we are ensuring an evergreen utility private LTE evolution.

We also are leaning forward to enable even greater value at 900 MHz through technological improvements and supportive public policy. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the international body that develops wireless telecommunications protocols, has approved a standard that establishes at 900 MHz an evolution to 5G, the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks. The standards approval means that utilities using Anterix’s 900 MHz spectrum for private wireless networks now have an established upgrade path to 5G, while ensuring that their investments in private networks are protected.

And, as our customers look ahead to the future of utility private broadband, many of them are attracted by having the optionality of more broadband spectrum as they explore and consider future deployment of additional use cases that support a resilient clean energy future. To support this, a group of 10 organizations, including Anterix, several of our current and prospective customers, and trade associations, have petitioned the FCC to modify the 900 MHz rules to provide the flexibility to grow the broadband segment from 3 MHz by 3 MHz to 5 MHz by 5 MHz where our customers desire. This is an option the FCC considered in the original rulemaking when it approved 3/3 MHz but which it considered premature in 2020.

Be Part of the Inflection Point

Our nation’s utilities have a proud history of coming together to solve big challenges. We are seeing that here. The 900 MHz private wireless team is driven to achieve our mission of grid connectivity for stronger, safer infrastructure and a clean energy future—and leadership is a vital dimension of this.

America’s utilities will do even more in the years ahead, the way they always have: by leveraging cooperation, communication, and connectivity. Together.

Just one of the many dynamic individuals who are lending their voice, vision, and energy to advancing mission-critical utility private wireless as a collaborative venture is a renowned energy statesman and consensus-builder among energy industry leaders and on Capitol Hill: Tom Kuhn. Tom’s track record of being an eloquent and persuasive voice for our industry in Washington and beyond has had an enormous impact on our energy future—and, at the start of this year, Anterix was honored to have Tom join the organization as Vice Chairman of Anterix’s Board of Directors.

America’s utilities have proven over many decades that they will come together to overcome every challenge—from electrifying the nation, developing today’s grid, powering every form of technological and economic progress, and demonstrating the potential of clean energy to overcoming breathtaking challenges caused by mankind and Mother Nature.

And they will do even more in the years ahead, the way they always have: by leveraging cooperation, communication, and connectivity. Together. Our team has a single deeply meaningful mission—to give electricity customers a cleaner, safer, affordable, and more secure energy future.

The future of broadband is being determined right now, with profound benefits for the future of the grid. By joining us today, you will help lead the utility private wireless network revolution—and connect the future of resilient clean energy.