Enhanced MultiTech MultiConnect® eCell Cellular to Ethernet Bridge for Private and Dedicated LTE OnGo CBRS Networks Now Available

Mounds View, MN, USA – October 6, 2020 – Multi-Tech Systems, Inc., a leading global supplier of Industrial IoT communication devices and services, today announced the availability of a new and improved MultiConnect® eCell CBRS Ethernet bridge, providing enterprises, education and service providers the agility to cut the cord while still enjoying secure and resilient broadband wireless data communication in excess of 300 Mbps in the CBRS (3.55-3.7GHz) shared spectrum band the FCC approved for commercial deployment earlier this year. 

The MultiConnect eCell is part of the comprehensive MultiTech portfolio of cellular connectivity products. MultiConnect eCell Ethernet bridge makes adding private LTE connectivity to existing wired assets quick and easy, providing primary or secondary (wireless failover) network access to surveillance cameras, building management systems, Wi-Fi access points, digital signage, autonomous mobile robots and always-on IP connected devices. With LTE Cat 12 OnGo CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) shared wireless spectrum, there is no need to sacrifice bandwidth when switching between cellular and Ethernet. Plus, the easy set-up wizard and bundled antenna, power supply and Ethernet cable make installation a snap. The device is cost-optimized and provides minimal complexity in a rugged aluminum chassis suitable for even extreme environments. DeviceHQ® device management enables remote provisioning, over-the-air network diagnostics and firmware updates for secure deployment and management at scale.

“We have been overwhelmed by unprecedented pre-launch demand for OnGo access devices, providing strong validation of the pent-up market for dedicated cellular networks across industries and enterprises looking to gain control over their networks without relying on best effort public infrastructure,” said Rick Bailey, Senior Product Manager for MultiTech. “We have responded to that demand with important product enhancements and are delighted to be able to offer this product at scale starting in the fourth quarter of this year.”

In addition to the new MultiConnect eCell, the MultiConnect® microCell USB modem launched in April is connecting control systems, worker health and safety and Student Notebook and Chromebook connectivity for remote learning. The MultiConnect® rCell 600 Series CBRS industrial router is available today from select distributors. This new multi-port cellular router offers intelligent software and flexible industrial hardware interfaces to provide highly reliable, redundant and secure connections for high-throughput enterprise assets and SCADA applications. With LTE Cat 12 OnGo CBRS shared wireless spectrum, the MultiConnect rCell 600 is perfect to enable Field Area Networks (FAN) with high speed access to the internet without compromising performance or interfering with existing wireless networks. Dual SIM cards, data storage and seamless power failover capabilities add an extra layer of confidence when maintaining operations that require continuity of service in environments where system disruption is not an option.  DeviceHQ, supporting the MultiConnect rCell 600 Series router, includes remote provisioning, Over-The-Air network diagnostics and firmware updates to enable secure deployment, remote management and speed to scale.

CBRS is 150 MHz of spectrum ranging from 3550 to 3700 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band. Used sparingly by the U.S. government and other entities, this band was identified by the FCC as additional spectrum for shared wireless broadband. OnGo, the name of the wireless services industry consortium, using the CBRS band, enables easy deployment of 4G-LTE and 5G-NR networks for secure broadband connectivity.