Millimeter wave (mmWave) 5G wireless module maker Siklu has entered into an initiative with Schréder, a maker of outdoor lighting systems, to create what it claims is the first wireless smart pole designed for use in smart cities.
Siklu’s 5G mmWave MultiHaul line of radios will be integrated into Schréder’s Shuffle smart pole to expand the range of coverage of 5G in cities. The Shuffle smart pole allows for rotatable and interchangeable modules integrated with various light emitting diode (LED) lighting options, security cameras, Wi-Fi access points, electric vehicle (EV) charging sockets, audio speakers and small cells for 4G/5G mobile networks.
The smart pole is designed to not intrude with its surroundings while providing Gigabit speed mmWave connectivity for smart cities. The units, which measure from 3 m to 7 m high, will provide just under 2 Gbps of capacity, operating in the license-free 60 GHz band. The smart poles can connect to each other in a daisy chain or in a point-to-multipoint topology.
Additionally, cities or university campuses that seek to expand coverage of 5G mmWave will not have to replace every streetlight pole currently installed as the Shuffle smart pole’s Wi-Fi and camera capabilities allow them to be installed periodically into an existing streetlight. Also, the smart pole helps cities with overall power consumption and helps the environment as LEDs last far longer than traditional streetlight bulbs. The smart poles also eliminate the need for trenching and other street work to connect a smart pole to a fiber internet connection.
Schréder said that existing and new city infrastructure is a well-suited way to offer Wi-Fi hotspots and built-in cameras for security overlay. The wireless smart pole brings gigabit wireless connectivity to more spots in smart cities while simultaneously lowering the civil works budgets needed to otherwise install such a product.
