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Indoor Small Cell

Indoor CBRS Small Cell plug-and-play compatible with the original FreedomFi Gateways or any third party, “powered by FreedomFi” gateway appliance (e.g. Bobber 500). It provides up to 15K SQFT of reliable indoor wireless coverage using 3.5Ghz CBRS shared spectrum band and is ideal for placement in indoor shopping malls, hotels, convention centers, stadiums etc. FreedomFi One can be powered over AC Power with the included adapter or via Power over Ethernet (802.3at PoE) and can be mounted on a wall or ceiling.

Please review FAQ and Helium 5G deployment timeline carefully before placing the order to make sure you understand what you are getting.

$1,499.00

Buy from CalChip Connect

Purchase directly from CalChip Connect website.

Indoor Small Cell

Indoor CBRS Small Cell plug-and-play compatible with the original FreedomFi Gateways or any third party, “powered by FreedomFi” gateway appliance (e.g. Bobber 500). It provides up to 15K SQFT of reliable indoor wireless coverage using 3.5Ghz CBRS shared spectrum band and is ideal for placement in indoor shopping malls, hotels, convention centers, stadiums etc. FreedomFi One can be powered over AC Power with the included adapter or via Power over Ethernet (802.3at PoE) and can be mounted on a wall or ceiling.

Please review FAQ and Helium 5G deployment timeline carefully before placing the order to make sure you understand what you are getting.

$1,499.00

Buy from CalChip Connect

Purchase directly  from  CalChip Connect  website.

Indoor Small Cell

Indoor CBRS Small Cell plug-and-play compatible with the original FreedomFi Gateways or any third party, “powered by FreedomFi” gateway appliance (e.g. Bobber 500). It provides up to 15K SQFT of reliable indoor wireless coverage using 3.5Ghz CBRS shared spectrum band and is ideal for placement in indoor shopping malls, hotels, convention centers, stadiums etc. FreedomFi One can be powered over AC Power with the included adapter or via Power over Ethernet (802.3at PoE) and can be mounted on a wall or ceiling.

Please review FAQ and Helium 5G deployment timeline carefully before placing the order to make sure you understand what you are getting.

$1,499.00

Buy from CalChip Connect

Purchase directly  from  CalChip Connect  website.

Frequently Asked Questions

All sales are final and not returnable. We don’t want to discourage you, but be warned that cellular deployments are complicated and not for everybody. Make sure to read the FAQ below thoroughly and understand all the things you can’t do prior to purchasing and installing a small cell.

No. Only cellular devices that use data plans from the Helium 5G roaming partners, such as FreedomFi, GigSky and Dish Wireless will have the ability to connect to and benefit from the small cell you deploy. Just like the Helium LoRa network that has been growing the number of its LoRa users over time, Helium 5G network will grow the number of Helium 5G roaming partners over time.

The Helium team is still developing the proof-of-coverage rewards system for the Helium 5G network. During the initial Mobile Genesis period (until POC rolls out), MOBILE token earnings are based on the heartbeat and connection tests of CBRS small cells registered to the network. Stay tuned for more POC details.

Unfortunately we cannot give you an exact number. Variables such as number of roaming partners onboarded, location of your cellular antenna and community approval (or otherwise) of HIP 37, 51 & 53 all influence the answer.

Since we are still in the early stages of onboarding cellular roaming partners and have not yet approved or implemented 5G PoC related HIPs, you won’t earn a lot more than a regular Helium hotspot on day one. However, if all goes well, we expect that over the next 24 months the earning potential of Helium 5G node operators will far exceed those of LoRa-only hotspot operators.

At the present, to use the cellular coverage provided by your Powered by FreedomFi CBRS small cell, you can purchase FreedomFi beta SIM cards. These SIM cards provide unlimited data on the Helium 5G network during the beta period as the network is built out. FreedomFi SIM card bundles are available for purchase here.

This is not a black or white answer. 5G is an architecture standard for cellular wireless networks that covers:
  • Architecture of the software (aka the network core);
  • Architecture of the radio hardware and interfaces
Contrary to the common belief, 5G is not specific to a frequency band and is not the same as high frequency mmWave. 5G uses much of the same frequencies as LTE.

With the Helium 5G rollout, we use CBRS spectrum (aka mid-band 5G spectrum) and provide a 5G-compliant architecture for the network core that runs on a FreedomFi Gateway. However, the first set of small cells we certified are LTE.

Why? Because LTE small cells are cheaper and more phones can connect to them. With pure 5G small cells today you gain nothing except higher equipment cost and a shorter phone compatibility list. As "high-band" 5G small cells operating in the mmWave frequencies become more common-place and cheaper, we will certify those radios and FreedomFi gateway owners will be able plug them into the gateway without needing to buy a different FreedomFi Gateway.

Yes. FreedomFi gateway can support up to 7 simultaneously connected small cells. You will need to install a switch between the gateway and a small cells, since the gateway only has 3 ethernet ports dedicated to small cells on the gateway box itself.

No. FreedomFi Gateway will only work with certified CBRS radios. Cellular radios come in many flavors and have a million knobs and settings. The only way for us to ensure consistent operation and security across all deployments is to only allow pre-certified radios with verified firmware presets.

The best locations are indoor public venues such as shopping malls, hotels, stadiums, hospitals, airports, university campuses or convention centers.

Unlike LoRa hotspots, indoor cellular antennas will cover roughly 3x the area of Wi-Fi vs. going for miles. If you put an indoor cellular antenna inside of your own house, not too many people will be able to connect to it (unless you point it out the window overlooking a park or something).

We expect to certify outdoor antennas by November 2021 and make them available to FreedomFi Gateway owners.

No. Indoor cellular antenna provided in this bundle is considered a Category A CBRS device, which does not require CPI certification, provided it can get a GPS lock. Your cellular antenna will have a built-in GPS receiver and will also come with the additional, external GPS antenna and an extension cord. If you are installing at an indoor location with no GPS reception, use the external GPS extender. Review installation instructions for more details.

Yes. For the cellular antenna to start radiating signal it will need to get a GPS lock. There are several free phone apps you can download to check GPS reception at a particular location, which we recommend you do ahead of time. Your cellular antenna will have a built-in GPS receiver and will also come with the additional, external GPS extension cord ~6ft long which you can stretch towards the window or mount outdoors.

If you plan to install at a location with no GPS signal, activating your antenna will require remote CPI certification. You will need to contact support and pay an additional fee of $100 for remote CPI certification of the indoor small cell.

12 months following the activation of your indoor cellular antenna you will have to pay a recurring fee of $5/month for as long as you keep your cellular antenna active. Per mandate from the FCC, operators of CBRS cellular devices are required to pay a recurring fee to spectrum access server operators. Cost of the first year is on us.

Yes. HIP 17 rules apply to FreedomFi Gateways the same way they do to any other Helium Hotspot. If you place multiple hotspots within 300 feets of each other, it will negatively affect your mining rewards.

No. Indoor cellular antenna is designed exclusively to be installed indoors and, unlike the FreedomFi gateway itself, cannot be installed outdoors inside an IP rated enclosure.

2-3x the range of your typical 5Ghz Wi-Fi Access Point.

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