Vocus
is
to
acquire
private
LTE
and
5G
network
specialist
Challenge
Networks.
In
a
statement,
Vocus
said
the
acquisition
will
let
it
build
LTE
and
5G
networks
for
customers,
and
offer
billed
services
so
customers
don’t
have
to
fund
the
infrastructure
themselves.
Challenge
Networks
has
a
large
customer
base
in
the
resources
sector,
which
is
an
enthusiastic
adoptor
of
private
mobile
connectivity
for
its
operational
technology.
In
2016,
the
company
acquired
the
rights
to
1800MHz
spectrum
in
remote
Australia,
covering
the
resource-rich
regions
of
Western
Australia,
Queensland,
South
Australia,
and
the
Northern
Territory.
As
well
as
mines,
Challenge
Networks
targets
hospitals,
university,
ocean
vessels,
ports,
manufacturing
and
logistics
sites.
“Through
this
acquisition,
Vocus
will
be
able
to
provide
fibre
or
LEO
satellite
connectivity
to
the
perimeter
of
a
site,
and
then
through
a
private
LTE
network
provide
campus-wide
wireless
connectivity
for
applications
such
as
autonomous
vehicles,
IoT
sensors,
building
management
systems,
voice
calls,
push-to-talk
devices,
smartphones,
tablets,
and
computers
anywhere
on
the
site,” Vocus
chief
executive
for
enterprise
&
government
Andrew
Wildblood
said.
Vocus
will
now
offer
full
turnkey
private
mobile
network
capabilities
including
site
survey,
spectrum
planning,
network
design,
RF
engineering,
vendor
selection,
procurement,
delivery,
acceptance
testing
and
ongoing
service
operation
and
network
assurance.
Challenge
Networks
co-founder
Simon
Lardner
will
join
the
Vocus
business,
along
with
Challenge
Networks
staff,
while
the
other co-founder,
wireless
industry
veteran
Jack
Smyth,
will
retire
from
the
business.
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