26 Aug 2020
Cradlepoint - remember the name!
A few weeks back MobileCorp was presenting a wireless solution to the CIO of an Australian enterprise company and the comment was made "I've never heard of Cradlepoint. Who are they?"
So here is a snapshot of the company that is leading the world into a wireless WAN future and has launched the world's first 5G for business solution.
Who is Cradlepoint?
Cradlepoint is a privately held company headquartered in Boise, Idaho USA, with a development center in Silicon Valley, California, and international offices in the UK and Australia.
Cradlepoint is recognised as a global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G routers, and wireless edge network solutions for mobile, branch and IOT networks.
On 18 September 2020, after 14 years' of innovation and global firsts, Ericsson announced its acquisition of Cradlepoint for USD$1.1 billion.
Who is using Cradlepoint solutions?
Cradlepoint has 700 employees and total funding raised of US$168 million. The company has 20,000 customers globally, and more than a million NetCloudTM endpoints under subscription.
Some of its customers include:
Cradlepoint as the creator of a 'whole new industry'
Cradlepoint was founded in 2006 and took it's name from its first product - a 'cradle' that transformed a mobile phone into a WiFi access 'point.' Yep...Cradle...point.
However, this was not the idea which would transform the startup and deliver global success. That inspiration came from a conversation between a Sprint executive and one of the three Cradlepoint co-founders. The carrier representative outlined what he wanted in a router and promised that if the start-up could build it, he would buy thousands of them.
By 2012 the company had realised its defining purpose when it launched the world's first enterprise-class LTE edge router. Along the way, Cradlepoint has created a whole new wireless WAN industry.
Cradlepoint is first with SD-WAN NetCloudTM Management
After launching its first LTE edge router in 2012, Cradlepoint continued to innovate being the first router vendor to move into an SD-WAN cloud management platform with its NetCloudTM platform.
NetCloudTM was the first platform to combine cloud management and software-defined modem technology with software-defined networking, unified edge security and cloud-controlled router endpoints.
Cradlepoint designed six key wireless WAN solutions and began building a partner channel to take the solutions to market:
- Wireless Branch Connectivity - primary link
- Branch Continuity - failover link
- Zero-Trust Networking - store within a store
- IOT with Edge Compute
- Mobile In-Vehicle Networking
- Enterprise Wireless 5G
Cradlepoint introduces revolutionary 'Pathway to 5G' program
By 2017 Cradlepoint was presenting its revolutionary Pathway to 5G program which allows organisations to take advantage of LTE while providing a clear and investment-protected pathway to 5G as it becomes available to them.
For most organisations the first step on the pathway was to utilise a Cradlepoint router for wireless branch failover running on 4G LTE but future proofed for 5G spectrum as it becomes available.
The current coronavirus pandemic has fueled an already growing demand for agile and rapidly deployable Wireless WANs based on LTE for primary connectivity. The new Cradlepoint E3000 Series was launched to directly target this market.
The Cradlepoint E3000 Series, was the industry’s first 5G-optimized, all-in-one wireless edge router for enterprise branch deployment. Launched in May 2020 it enables customers to deploy a wireless WAN using the latest LTE and Wi-Fi technology and to seamlessly upgrade to 5G in the future.
Source: Cradlepoint Download PDF
Cradlepoint and Telstra deliver world-first '5G for Business'
In May 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, Cradlepoint and Australia's leading 5G carrier, Telstra, launched the world's first 5G for Business enterprise wireless solution.
The solution was made up of:
- Gigabit-class LTE and a standalone 5G network from Telstra
- Cradlepoint's market leading routers and cloud-based software management
- An optional Cradlepoint managed service which can be delivered by Cradlepoint partner's like MobileCorp
MobileCorp is a Cradlepoint Elite Partner and 5G for Enterprise Branch specialist, and also a Telstra Platinum Partner for Mobility, so we are in the ideal position to leverage the best of both technology vendors and deliver 5G enterprise wireless to enterprise, government and business organisations.
Australian enterprises are embracing Cradlepoint wireless solutions
Australia has been at the global forefront of wireless-WAN and 5G due to the collaboration between Cradlepoint and Telstra, and also between Ericsson and Telstra says MobileCorp CTO, Phill McSherry.
Australian organisations have been quick to recognise the potential of wireless WAN especially in a nation where fixed infrastructure can be time-consuming and expensive to deploy.
"We always knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time before wireless WAN became a viable option for enterprise business and we are on the cusp of real uptake.
"The use cases are many - from temporary or pop-up connectivity, to scalable branch networks, remote working connectivity, and edge IOT device networks.
"The benefits are also considerable led by the agility of scaling locations and bandwidth. As a bonus, any connectivity solution that utilises Cradlepoint routers will be future-proofed for 5G.
"This is the outcome we want for our customers - a wireless network solution that works brilliantly now and will integrate with 5G as it becomes available."
MobileCorp CTO, Phill McSherry
MobileCorp Customer Use Cases
MobileCorp is working with several enterprise customers who are utilising Cradlepoint solutions for their network and connectivity. A couple of examples include:
- An enterprise event management company upgrading its network with Cradlepoint AER2200s for a multi-path network environment for 70 branch locations with local internet breakout protected by a built-in firewall. In this case Cradlepoint's branch solution fits into a larger solution with additional main sites retaining private network connections, with all sites then connected to an AWS environment.
- Marine Rescue NSW with 45 coastal sites using Cradlepoint as the backbone of its upgraded network. AER2200 will manage traffic links and utilising Telstra LANES for reliable connectivity including the ability to scale bandwidth when crowds enter an area for events like beach carnivals, school holidays and NYE. Telstra's 4GX LTE network will be the primary link in remote locations without physical infrastructure and in other locations it will a fail-over link should physcal links be compromised including during weather events and bushfire season. MobileCorp will supply solution architecture, Cradlepoint hardware supply, configuration and deployment, NetCloud portal set up, and an ongoing monitoring managed service.
Read Case Study
Marine Rescue NSW Command Centre, Cronulla
- A leading elevator company unable to move into a new Adelaide-based branch office due to the combination of a complex build for their MPLS network which required civil works, and Telstra's nationwide bushfire embargo. Looking for a temporary fix, the Cradlepoint AER2200 with Telstra 4G data card provided a branch connectivity solution. MobileCorp has supplied and configured the router and set-up the Cradlepoint NetCloud portal which provides monitoring and OTA management.
- A medical research warehouse building site on the outskirts of Greater Sydney who faced a long wait for fixed infrastructure and required reliable flexible connectivity. A Cradlepoint AER1600 with MIMO directional antenna was supplied, configured and deployed by MobileCorp. Although 4G is a contended service, speeds of up to 65mbps download and 15mbps upload were recorded on installation. The use of the external antenna helped improve signal strength when connecting to Telstra's base station and the modems were pre-configured by MobileCorp to work on connection.
MobileCorp is a Cradlepoint Elite Partner
MobileCorp is Australia's first Cradlepoint Elite Partner and 5G specialist.
"Being an Elite partner means that Cradlepoint has recognised MobileCorp as having superior technical capability and solution architecture expertise. It means we are qualified to lead Australian enterprises to wireless WAN and down the pathway to 5G.
"I am very proud of my team who have exceeded all the training and accreditation benchmarks required by Cradlepoint, and who have also been hands-on busy assisting Australian organisations to understand these leading edge 5G-compatible technologies."
Stephen Aravopoulos, managing director of MobileCorp
MobileCorp is Cradlepoint APAC Managed Service Provider of the Year 2022
MobileCorp is a Cradlepoint house. We offer Cradlepoint network solutions and a managed service which is carrier agnostic and includes:
- network solution architecture
- hardware procurement or leasing
- router configuration and deployment
- NetCloud portal configuration
- 24/7 monitoring of equipment and links
- level 2 service desk including:
- fault diagnosis and resolution
- remote equipment diagnostic and reprogramming
- phone support
- response and restoration targets
- priority replacement program for hardware
- device retrieval/redeployment program for security of hardware
- monthly reporting
- Telstra customers may have hardware and managed service fees charged against the monthly Telstra bill
What are the benefits of a Cradlepoint managed service?
Outsourcing Cradlepoint router configuration, deployment and ongoing management has significant benefits, for enterprises including:
- To align with Cradlepoint subject matter experts
utilise IT professionals who are Cradlepoint accredited experts and can achieve the desired result quickly and accurately, as well as adding value with advice gleaned from experience
- To free up internal resources
remove the burden of managing the equipment lifecycle, third party vendors, suppliers and service arrangements and the expense of hiring, training and updating internal IT skills
- To realign internal resources to higher value tasks
realign IT staff to higher value tasks and focus on strategic activities to meet current and future business needs.
- To reduce network risk
improve reliability and performance with advanced solutions and guaranteed proactive service levels including response and restoration targets
- To maximise network performance
help ensure your network delivers optimum support for your business through proper dimensioning and configuration
- To boost growth and productivity
leverage new technologies including integration with Unified Communications, security and Telstra cloud solutions
About MobileCorp
MobileCorp is an enterprise ICT solutions company with a mission to deliver our customers a communications technology edge. At MobileCorp we believe in being at the forefront of ICT technology shifts so that we can bring trusted insights and innovative solutions to our customers.
We provide Managed Mobility Services, Enterprise Mobility Management, Complex Data and IP Networks, and Unified Communication solutions. We have a proven track record providing managed services for Australian enterprise and business, and are a Telstra Platinum Partner.
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