Evergy details its private LTE network buildout plans

Evergy, an investor-owned utility covering around 1.6 million customers across Kansas and Missouri, is moving forward with a major private wireless LTE network buildout.

The company did not answer questions from Light Reading about the cost of the project. But Evergy’s Andrew Baker wrote that the network could eventually span just over 100 cell towers covering roughly 49,000 square miles, or 80% of Evergy’s service area.

“Evergy is currently building the network primarily to support the thousands of sensors needed to provide grid modernization,” Baker explained. “By doing so, this will allow us to provide stronger reliability for our customers while controlling costs.”

In a release, Ericsson said it activated 20 of those sites in October, after just two months of work. The vendor will provide the radios for the network. Evergy used utility telecommunications consultant Burns & McDonnell to help design the network.

Evergy’s Baker explained that the company is currently deploying LTE technology. But he said “if bandwidth demands require us to shift to a 5G network we have the capability to make the transition.”

To read the complete article, visit Light Reading.