Cisco P-LTE-US= Private LTE Network Solution: Technical Architecture, Deployment Models, and Regulatory Compliance

Introduction to the P-LTE-US= Solution

The ​​Cisco P-LTE-US=​​ is a ​​FCC-compliant private LTE network package​​ designed for enterprises requiring secure, localized wireless connectivity in industrial, utility, and public safety environments. Operating in the CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) 3.5 GHz band (Band 48), this solution combines Cisco Ultra Packet Core with ruggedized radio units to deliver carrier-grade performance while adhering to U.S. spectrum regulations.

Technical Specifications and Component Architecture

The P-LTE-US= integrates hardware and software components validated for harsh environments:

​​1. Core Network Components​​

• ​​Cisco Ultra Packet Core Virtualized (CUPS)​​: Supports 10,000 simultaneous devices with 50 Gbps throughput.
• ​​Cisco IoT Field Network Director​​: Manages eNodeB configurations and SIM authentication.
• ​​Cisco Catalyst IR1100 Rugged Router​​: Acts as a distributed EPC (Evolved Packet Core) for edge deployments.

​​2. Radio Access Network (RAN)​​

• ​​Frequency range​​: 3550–3700 MHz (CBRS PAL/GAA tiers).
• ​​Output power​​: 20W per channel (max EIRP of 50W with directional antennas).
• ​​Modulation​​: 256-QAM DL / 64-QAM UL, 20 MHz channel bandwidth.

​​Key certifications​​:

• ​​FCC Part 96​​ for CBRS operation.
• ​​IP67​​ rating for outdoor radio units.
• ​​MIL-STD-810G​​ for vibration/shock resistance.

Deployment Models and Use Case Analysis

​​1. Industrial IoT Automation​​

Manufacturing plants deploy P-LTE-US= for:

• ​​AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle)​​ control with <10ms latency.
• ​​Wireless PLCs​​ using IEC 61850-3 protocols.
• ​​Predictive maintenance​​ via vibration sensors streaming 100Hz data.

​​Sample topology​​:

AGV (UE) ↔ IR1100 (Edge EPC) ↔ eNodeB ↔ CUPS (Core)  

​​2. Utility Grid Monitoring​​

Energy providers leverage:

• ​​PMU (Phasor Measurement Units)​​ synced via IEEE C37.118.2.
• ​​SCADA encryption​​ using IPSec over LTE S1-U interfaces.
• ​​Priority QoS​​ for fault current indicators during outages.

​​Configuration snippet for QoS​​:

qos-class-identifier 9  
 arp priority-level 1  
 scheduling-policy guaranteed-bitrate 10Mbps  

Spectrum Management and Regulatory Compliance

​​1. SAS (Spectrum Access System) Integration​​

The solution interfaces with FCC-approved SAS providers (e.g., Federated Wireless):

• ​​SAS API version 1.6.1​​ for grant requests.
• ​​ESC (Environmental Sensing Capability)​​ coordination for radar avoidance.

​​2. Channel Allocation Strategies​​

• ​​PAL (Priority Access License)​​: 10 MHz reserved channels for critical traffic.
• ​​GAA (General Authorized Access)​​: Shared spectrum for best-effort IoT devices.

​​Performance comparison​​:

Addressing Common Deployment Challenges

​​Q: How to mitigate interference from incumbent naval radars?​​

​​A​​: Implement ​​DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection)​​:

1. Configure sas esc-enable on Cisco eNodeBs.
2. Set spectrum-monitor scan-interval 60s.
3. Deploy directional antennas with 30° beamwidth.

​​Q: Can P-LTE-US= support 5G NR migration?​​

​​A​​: Yes, via ​​Cisco Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS)​​ with software upgrade to:

• ​​n48 (CBRS) 5G NR​​: 20 MHz + 10 MHz LTE anchor.
• ​​ENDC (E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity)​​ for non-standalone operation.

Performance Benchmarks and Stress Testing

Cisco’s 2023 field trials demonstrated:

• ​​Mobility performance​​: 0% call drops during handovers at 60 mph.
• ​​Security​​: 256-bit encryption at 3μs latency (vs. 8μs in Wi-Fi 6).
• ​​Energy efficiency​​: 3.8W per connected UE during idle mode.

​​Test parameters​​:

• ​​Traffic mix​​: 70% video analytics (10Mbps/UE) + 30% telemetry (50Kbps/UE).
• ​​Device density​​: 200 UEs per sector.

Procurement and Licensing Framework

The P-LTE-US= requires ​​Cisco ONE Wireless Licensing​​ with:

• ​​Base license​​: Covers 5 eNodeBs and 1,000 UEs.
• ​​Add-ons​​: $15/UE/year for advanced analytics.

For deployment packages, visit the P-LTE-US= solution page at itmall.sale.

Strategic Value in Critical Infrastructure Modernization

While P-LTE-US= dominates in oil/gas and smart grid sectors, its 20W power limitation restricts coverage in mountainous terrain—often necessitating microcells. The solution’s true differentiation emerges in hybrid public/private LTE models, where Cisco’s integration with Azure Private MEC enables AI-driven predictive maintenance. However, enterprises must weigh $250K+ startup costs against LoRaWAN alternatives for non-real-time applications. For U.S. operators, the built-in FCC compliance eliminates 6-8 months of certification delays, justifying premium pricing in regulated verticals.