Cox deploys managed network for Las Vegas

  • October 12, 2021
  • Steve Rogerson

Las Vegas has started a pilot programme to deploy one of the first managed private networks (MPNs) launched by a US city to facilitate smart city use cases.

Working with Cox Communications, the city will leverage Citizens’ Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) to power smart city applications that deliver insights into visitor attendance and after-hours activities at Baker Park on East St Louis Avenue through parking lot management, safety detection and trend analytics. The learnings from this pilot could empower Cox and Las Vegas to push the boundaries of how networks of the future can be used to scale and support services.

Leveraging a CBRS private network will allow the city to ramp up testing and support of smart services, beginning with the 12-month pilot programme in Baker Park. Cox will activate a CBRS network centrally within the park. The network will deliver the private wireless connectivity needed to deploy smart city and IoT services.

The combination of Cox’s existing fibre network with the city’s infrastructure should accelerate the ability to deploy services and provide a path to long-term sustainability should the pilot prove successful. The CBRS network will initially support video cameras and associated sensors fixed to existing light poles throughout the park. A combination of cameras and radar sensors will be connected to CBRS-enabled wireless bridges that are fed from a central three-sector radio site.

Using Cox’s Smart Communities platform, the city will have access to all data generated in the pilot. These include historical data on parking lot usage, occupancy and turnover, and include real-time event notifications from safety cameras, driving enhanced visibility and public safety. By leveraging these data, the city can send patrols to the park only when needed, improving operations and enabling officers to focus their time elsewhere. These data insights are delivered with privacy in mind; by using a private network, the security and reliability of the data transmission is enhanced. Additionally, all confidential, personal and sensitive data will be encrypted to protect the privacy of park visitors.

“Public safety is the top priority for our residents and the city, and thanks to Cox we are leveraging the technological assets in the community to pilot a new programme that can improve the experience at our parks,” said Ward 3 council woman Olivia Diaz. “Data from this system may help us to identify dangerous traffic patterns or other safety issues in and around the park that our team can address.”

This installation is said to demonstrate the commitment of Cox to be a long-term collaborator to communities of all sizes. Continued investment and collaboration with cities such as Las Vegas could help create safer, more liveable and exciting communities.

“Managed private network architecture along with CBRS spectrum provide a huge opportunity for both the public and private sectors to gain access to wide ranging connectivity and to drive smart technology innovation,” said Stephen Rusche, senior director at Cox. “This pilot programme with Baker Park is another step towards our mission of providing a new level of smart city visibility in Las Vegas and added security for residents to feel safer in their communities.”

Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by James Cox.