We’re continuing our series on private mobile networks with returning featured guest Shawn Sweeney, Head of Strategy and Partnerships for ALEF. ALEF is a global edge connectivity platform company that empowers enterprises and developers to launch their private mobile networks.
Let’s talk more about private mobile networks, APIs, and why they matter below.
A Deeper Look into Private Mobile Networks
When ALEF says private, they mean it. In other words, it would be for the benefit of a given enterprise where they wouldn’t share the private mobile network with anyone else. ALEF has specific characteristics they can provide to ensure no other devices are connecting to it.
It works similarly to the carrier network. If devices are not provisioned, they aren’t allowed on it. It applies all the security paradigms that 3GPP does today. In short, ALEF is as secure as the mobile network you may already be using.
ALEF deploys a radio technology that the enterprise owns and operates inside their perimeter, and they provision it into an EPC. This keeps the enterprise from having to make these purchases on its own.
How Do APIs Work on Private Mobile Networks?
ALEF provides a developer-first approach to the market. This means enterprise developers can customize and build the infrastructure inside their perimeter simply by issuing API calls to ALEF’s infrastructure.
Here’s an example: A customer may want to provision device A, but ALEF responds with an acknowledgment that device A is provisioned. In the background, we would ensure the device was, in fact, a device that’s allowed on the network.
There are more complex policies that customers may apply as well. If device A has specific response time requirements or speed, these are essentially customized per device, per application, and per enterprise. All of this ensures the enterprise is getting the proper treatment they require.
What’s the Biggest Challenge ALEF is Facing Today?
ALEF believes they’ve lowered the total cost of ownership, meaning enterprises don’t require much hardware on-site. They do need what may be available through radios embracing cellular technology. For ALEF, it doesn’t matter if it’s 4G, 5G, or CBRS.
That enables the customer to get out of the hardware business. When talking about some of the procurement in the carrier network, a fair amount of hardware goes into supporting these networks. None of that is required with ALEF’s API approach.
This helps lower the deployment and upfront procurement of the equipment. In the long run, ALEF reduces the operational costs because it is a better approach, more controllable by the enterprise, and the enterprise uses servers they’re already familiar with.
ALEF fits into the framework that most enterprises have today – to orchestrate compute resources within their environment.
Private Mobile Networks and IoT
Thank you for tuning in to IoT Nuggets! Stay tuned for our next session about applications with private mobile networks.
To get connected with BH IoT Group’s wide network of IoT solution providers, please contact us.
To reach out to Shawn and his team to see how they can help you, please visit https://www.wearealef.com/.