Citizen Band Radio: an Irresistible Short Cut to faster IoT Expansion

Companies like Amazon and Google are extremely interested in Citizen Band Radio, which is the CBRS band of the EMF Spectrum (known also as CB Radio) because it can enable them to build out an IoT platform that would work with their cloud platforms, creating a turnkey IoT solution that completely circumvents the reigning titleholder wireless carriers.

Innovating new wireless technology to operate on the CBRS band is a big change for two reasons, the first is because 5G is the first generational wireless technology being built to use the cloud and this is irresistible to the expanding interests of Internet Behemoths like Google and Amazon, and because the CBRS band has been comprised of unlicensed frequencies of the EMF Spectrum, that offers them quicker deployment because of less governmental red tape.

Although unlicensed does not mean that the use of that area the Spectrum is totally unregulated, it means that it can be used without requiring a license authorizing its use so anybody can use it.

Think of the frequencies of the CBRS band as being like our public roads, anyone can use them for any purpose they like as long as they obey the rules of the road. We can only drive where roads are, only at certain speeds, and only with certain kinds of vehicles that are approved for use on public roads.

What Does This Increased use of CBRS Mean for an EMF Meter User?

For an EMF meter user, these frequencies are the same ones that we have been able to detect in the wireless environment all along (although with typical RF consumer grade EMF meters, like the TF2, Acoustimeter, Cornet, the CBRS frequencies are simply part of the meter’s frequency range), however as they are used more (i.e. more antennas and more devices using CBRS), the average field intensity (the average level of EMF exposure) will increase. And wherever an EMF meter is measuring in areas where there not just more antennas but more antennas more closely located together, the peak readings at any particular location will go up. We will be measuring the RF fields generated by street lights talking to traffic lights, and traffic lights talking to fire hydrants, etc. with innumerable devices all communicating with each other in the Internet of Things.

What Frequencies does Citizen Band Radio Use?

Citizen Band Radio frequencies are located in little pockets of bandwidth in many places on the EMF Spectrum, primarily in, and in between, the AM, FM and cellphone ranges. Why so dispersed? That is just the way the Spectrum originally got allocated.

Citizen Band is not to be confused with Short Wave Band, which is also, like Citizen Band, unlicensed in many parts. Citizens Band Radio is better suited to data transmission, but it is not as powerful as Short Wave Radio, which can broadcast worldwide. Short wave radio though is too low to be used for efficient data transmission. And keep in mind that the term “short wave” is a relative term, since now 5G technology is being innovated for millimeter waves that are even shorter.

The CBRS band in the U.S. involves a spectrum sharing system where the General Authorized Access (GAA) portion of the band is unlicensed and getting used first. However due to the interest in innovating technology in this area of the Spectrum FCC (Federal Communication Commission) auctions of the Priority Access Licenses (PALs) part of the band have not surprisingly begun licensing usage.

Although wireless operators seem like the likeliest buyers in these FCC Spectrum PAL frequency auctions, they generally view the 3.5 GHz band in the U.S., while it’s mid-band spectrum, as more limited than some other mid-band spectrum, such as C-band. The 3.5 GHz band in the U.S. historically was used by the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense in coastal areas, and the federal government agreed that when not in use, the spectrum could be shared.

As for the FCC, during this time of rapid innovation and potentially lucrative Spectrum auction revenue, in the interests of freeing up more Spectrum for use (and for sale) it is still determining how to relocate current satellite users in the C-band to open up 280 MHz for terrestrial 5G.

How will CBRS Frequencies be Used?

Here are some of the CBRS applications that they’re talking about offering, which were showcased in New York Times Square late 2019:

• Video cameras: Mobile and static video capture with AI-driven insights and machine learning for security, operations and enhanced visitor experience
• Public safety: Push-to-talk applications for security and operational management
• Voice and video calls on standard off-the-shelf smartphones such as the iPhone 11
• Digital signage that can be deployed without cabling to support real-time video and public advisory messages 
• Wi-Fi: Backhaul for Wi-Fi access to allow densification of local Wi-Fi networks and improved visitor experience

Investors in these types of Citizen’s Band Radio based wireless technologies are being told that there’s a lot of pent-up demand for CBRS services and a long list of players who stand to gain by its very existence.

Photo Credit: https://blog.freefreightsearch.com