5G System from Hughes to Utilize Versatile
Spectrum from DISH, Serve as Testbed for Advanced Network
Infrastructure and Edge Cloud
GERMANTOWN, Md., March 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network
Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite and
multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, today
announced the award of an $18 million
contract from the Department of Defense (DoD) to deploy a
standalone 5G network at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in
Washington state. The Other
Transaction Agreement (OTA) was issued through the Information
Warfare Research Project (IWRP) consortium, a collaboration to
engage industry and academia to develop and mature technologies in
the field of information warfare that enhance Navy and Marine Corps
mission effectiveness. Hughes will serve as the prime contractor
connecting the base with a secure 5G network to support operations,
maintenance and flight traffic management. The Hughes 5G network
will utilize spectrum from DISH Wireless, the only carrier capable
of providing the right combination of low band, mid band, and high
band (mmWave) spectrum. This work is part of on-going DoD 5G
experimentation led by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research
and Engineering at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Demonstrating to DoD how advanced 5G
infrastructure from Hughes––including Edge Cloud––can transform
base operations.
"Over the course of this three-year project, we will demonstrate
for the U.S. Department of Defense how 5G infrastructure from
Hughes – including a packet processing core, radio access, edge
cloud, security and network management – can power the resilient
networking necessary to transform base operations," said Dr.
Rajeev Gopal, vice president,
Advanced Programs, Hughes. "Today's walkie-talkies, paper-trails
and telephone conversations will be replaced with a private, secure
5G network over which air station processes and systems will be
automated and continuously optimized. What's more, the standalone,
standards-based configuration – including O-RAN standards for
flexibility – will connect seamlessly anywhere on the planet using
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite
connectivity."
"DISH is delivering the connectivity for this private 5G
network, providing engineering services, support and access to our
spectrum portfolio," said Stephen
Bye, chief commercial officer, DISH. "As we build our own
network, we're proud to team with Hughes in this
important project to deliver a fast, secure, reliable network
to serve the U.S. Department of Defense and support
mission-critical functions."
"This award is a testament to Hughes leadership in engineering
and managing smart networks that enable the military to exchange
information with the right people at the right time with an
any-network approach that's hardware agnostic and transport
independent," said Rick Lober, vice
president and general manager, Hughes Defense. "We look forward to
showcasing our capabilities in secure management of a 5G
stand-alone deployment with advanced artificial intelligence and
machine learning for ongoing enhancement and increasing
efficiencies."
The deployment, which began in September
2021, leverages Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) and meets
National Security Administration (NSA) Commercial Solution for
Classified (CSFC) requirements. Working together on the project,
with Hughes as the integrator, are: Boingo Wireless, Cisco, Dell,
DISH, JMA Wireless and Intel.
For more information about how Hughes delivers secure
communications, anytime, anywhere, visit the Hughes website.
About DISH Wireless
DISH Network Corporation is a connectivity company. Since 1980,
it has served as a disruptive force, driving innovation and value
on behalf of consumers. Through its subsidiaries, the company
provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to
millions of customers with its satellite DISH TV and streaming
SLING TV services. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S.
wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. DISH
continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation's first
virtualized, O-RAN 5G broadband network. DISH Network Corporation
(NASDAQ: DISH) is a Fortune 200 company.
About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite
and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years,
provides broadband equipment and services; managed services
featuring smart, software-defined networking; and end-to-end
network operation for millions of consumers, businesses,
governments and communities worldwide. The Hughes flagship Internet
service, HughesNet®, connects more than 1.5 million subscribers
across the Americas, and the Hughes JUPITER™ System powers Internet
access for tens of millions more worldwide. Hughes supplies more
than half the global satellite terminal market to leading satellite
operators, in-flight service providers, mobile network operators
and military customers. A managed network services provider, Hughes
supports nearly 500,000 enterprise sites with its HughesON™
portfolio of wired and wireless solutions. Headquartered in
Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes
is owned by EchoStar. To learn more, visit www.hughes.com or follow
@HughesConnects on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider
of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business
around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in secure communications
technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar
Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit
www.echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.
©2022 Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar company. Hughes
and HughesNet are registered trademarks and JUPITER is a trademark
of Hughes Network Systems, LLC.
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SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC