You’re invited to our complimentary industry lunch & learn. Get expert insights into how to protect your OT network while you network with your peers.
Lunch will be provided & in-person spots are limited.
Discussion topics include:
Location: In-person at The Lab at Castle Rock Microwave, 520 Topeka Way, Unit 2, Castle Rock, Colorado. A virtual meeting link will be provided to those who cannot attend in person.
How is your railroad using the 900 A Block spectrum? Did you know this resource is available to you and if you don’t use it, you lose it?
900 A Block can help enhance your channel coordination, keep your network compliant, and protect against unprotected spectrum.
Schedule a consultation to better understand your options. Reach out to us below to get started.
We're always looking for strategic partnerships to better serve you, our customers, and our partners.
We are proud to announce Steve Bay, owner of Aero Constructors, has joined our team as Head of Operations.
Steve brings unparalleled experience to Castle Rock Microwave, including two decades of tower company ownership and three decades of experience as a microwave technician.
Steve is also a:
Steve's partnership is part of our strategic growth plan as we strive to set the standard for excellence.
We are excited to have him, his experience, and all that Aero Constructors brings as we work together to serve our customers! Say hi to Steve on LinkedIn!
How do you deal with network interference as a public safety official? Lifesaving public safety infrastructure must be reliable – which means you need to protect your radio coverage area and keep it performing.
Did you know the below resources are available to public safety officials?
If you're interested in these resources, a demo, or a trial for your radio network, just let us know!
Whether you're experiencing networking issues, wondering how to maximize your return on technology investments, or have a question about growing leased-line circuit costs, reach out anytime.
Prevent costly downtime, enhance network efficiency, and discover robust connectivity tailored to your specific needs with an expert site audit.
You need a custom plan to reduce interference and provide a reliable connection for non-outdoor wireless solutions - based on your network, building environment, and resources.
Contact us today to schedule your complimentary site/ground audit (grounding, UPS), DAS/BDA, power, and custom-kitted cabinet and enclosure solutions.
This innovative system will play a pivotal role in supporting the county's P25 Public Safety Radio Network and provide robust local coverage of the state's interoperable Digital Trunked Radio System.
Rio Blanco County needed to expand and optimize its broadband network to provide reliable connectivity in rural areas - and we were more than happy to help! To achieve their goal, we installed microwave and fiber equipment to enhance infrastructure and extend service reach to underserved communities.
The project resulted in significant cost savings and was completed ahead of schedule.
It was great to see everyone at the In-Building Public Safety Communications Seminar hosted by the Safer Buildings Coalition!
If you didn’t get a chance to stop by our table - you can grab the resource we were offering here - a complimentary ERCES plan submittal template.
From there, our team headed to the 2024 Radio Summit hosted by the Public Safety Communications Subcommittee, where we presented “Four Insights to Improve Controls for Radio System Stakeholders."
Check out this article from RCR Wireless, covering that the FCC has requested additional funding to support the "rip-and-replace" initiative, which aims to remove certain equipment from U.S. networks due to national security concerns.
Without this funding, many rural telecom providers may face shutdowns, risking the loss of essential communication services in remote areas.
Whether you're experiencing networking issues, wondering how to maximize your return on technology investments, or have a question about growing leased-line circuit costs, reach out anytime.
The Castle Rock Microwave team is proud to support the Safer Buildings Coalition! Join us at their upcoming interactive seminar based on model codes for in-building public safety communications systems.
Stop by our table and say hello to Vince to grab your copy of our complimentary template: Pre-ERCES coverage survey checklist and ERCES plan submittal.
Thursday, May 9, 2024
9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Did you know? Radio equipment is not set-it-and-forget-it. Manufacturers go out of business, and certain radios and equipment become obsolete - meaning your network can have components that aren’t working as they should.
Unfortunately, this can lead to downtime, service disruptions, security issues, and lost revenue.
If you’re wondering about your equipment and the impacts to your network, we’re currently offering complimentary point-to-point link analysis & budgetary pricing for microwave link upgrades.
Reach out below to schedule time with a specialist.
Through discovery, design, deployment, and support, our 3DS™ process sets your network up for today - and tomorrow.
It all starts with discovery, where we execute the following to test your network’s real-world viability.
Discovery is the foundation of our process and sets the stage for your future-proof network.
Spectrum allocation directly impacts your access to wireless connectivity and emerging technologies like 5G. Efficient spectrum usage enhances telecommunications infrastructure and fosters innovation and economic competitiveness.
The National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan outlines essential timelines for spectrum band studies, critical for addressing the rising demand for wireless connectivity and advancing technologies like 5G.
Whether you're experiencing networking issues, wondering how to maximize your return on technology investments, or have a question about growing leased-line circuit costs, reach out anytime.
In the latest 5G Guys podcast episode, hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith interview Jeff Vaughn with Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and our very own Cody Martin on the important topic of public safety communication in schools.
They share common pitfalls as well as unexpected impact, and provide an overview of the work done by Castle Rock Microwave to enhance in-building communication.
From infrastructure to security, get 24/7 monitoring of your systems to ensure that when outages or issues occur, you’ll be able to react quickly with expert support.
Get in touch with a member of our team to learn about Lifecycles Services and how the service can support your organization’s communication network.
With Lifecycle Services, you can:
When you trust us to keep an eye on your systems with Lifecycle Services - we aim to find issues before you do.
Want to learn more? Reach out here.
Whether you're experiencing networking issues, wondering how to maximize your return on technology investments, or have a question about growing leased-line circuit costs, reach out anytime.
The City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, Colorado. Aurora lies immediately east of Denver. It is one of the principal cities of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and a major city of the Front Range Urban Corridor.
The City trusts Castle Rock Microwave to help them overcome their wireless connectivity challenges. As a result, they turned to CRM when they were looking to upgrade connectivity at several community locations in late 2020.
Castle Rock Microwave suggested wireless solutions from Cambium Networks in 60 and 80GHz. These millimeter wave frequencies are ideal for achieving fiber-like speeds at a fraction of the cost of building new fiber infrastructure.
We recommended the PTP850E for 80GHz and cnWave v5000 and v3000 for 60GHz. The PTP850E is an ultrahigh capacity, all-outdoor backhaul that delivers up to 20 Gbps capacity. The cnWave uses Terragraph, Facebook’s new terrestrial connectivity technology.
PTP850E
cnWave v5000
cnWave v3000
Terragraph opens up a new way to use the large amounts of unlicensed spectrum available in the 60 GHz millimeter Wave band, using a mesh architecture that can be used for many FWA, backhaul, smart cities and IoT use cases. With the increase in demand for gigabit connectivity and the availability of commercial equipment, Terragraph has become a hot technology, with the first large commercial deployments expected in 2021.
To find out more about Terragraph and the opportunities it offers to service providers, cities and enterprises, register here to receive the report that will be available soon, or download the interviews that will be part of the report as they become available.
Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com
In 2020, rural telcos that provide wireless internet access have seen many rapidly developing events that have impacted their businesses. Instantaneous increases in demand due to COVID, RDOF applications, CBRS Auction and CARES Act money/grants have been pushing rural telcos to optimize network performance and capacity. In this article, I will address some of the performance issues rural telcos with broadband services are seeing and solutions to optimize wireless networks.
This increased demand has left many providers struggling to keep up to their overtaxed networks. In addition, they are having problems providing reliable service and their customers are starting to look for better alternatives.
In a recent article , Mike Dano states, “As office workers, students and others continue to seek shelter at home from COVID-19, demand for speedy and reliable Internet service appears to be at an all-time high. That demand is beginning to have serious effects on the nation’s telecommunications providers.” “Capgemini recently surveyed 6,300 US consumers and found that almost half (48%) felt their Internet connections didn’t meet their needs. The firm also found that customers are increasingly looking at their connection’s flexibility and network speeds, rather than just the reliability and price.”
With so much expansion occurring within internal networks and competitors’ networks, interference can slowly creep in degrading performance.
New users and greater capacity demands are now exposing issues with bandwidth management. Furthermore, poor bandwidth management from inefficient design practices decreases available bandwidth and decrease capacity in the distribution network.
There are solutions, but there are often tradeoffs as well. The decisions on performance are being driven by market demand and existing capacity. With rapid expansion of user expansion and bandwidth demand, your wireless access points and network can quickly become overburdened. Start with an audit of RF performance by an RF expert to see which problems you are experiencing.
One solution is using more directional antennas at access points. This will help performance by:
Another solution is using smaller cells or micro PoPs. This can increase capacity, improving the user experience. Each access point is limited the least common denominator of capacity its users are receiving. As a result, wide ranges of distances from the access points can play havoc on performance. Therefore, tighter variances and shorter distances will help set customer expectations.
Adding capacity is an obvious solution. 25/3 is no longer the real standard, users are now demanding 100’s of Megs or even Gigabit capacity. There is a new disruptive carrier class PTP option pushing multiple gigabits per second. And it is one of the most cost-effective solutions in terms of cost per megabit per second per mile. This product provides the highest capacity in a single transceiver radio with 2.5Gbps (single radio – 2x112MHz channels) or 1.5Gbps (single radio – 2x80MHx channels) at 4096 QAM. For more information on implementing this system, please visit our Case Study with South Park Telephone Company.
For the distribution network, implementing massive Multi-User MIMO or MU MIMO solutions will provide greater access to users and capacity. Many carriers are using less robust, standard MIMO solutions and are reaching user density thresholds. Accordingly, they need a technology leap to support more users at higher capacity. Cambium’s PMP450m (cnMedusa) is a high-capacity multi-point solution that can provide more than 400 Mbps actual usable throughput per sector, and communicate with up to seven Subscriber Modules simultaneously. With 8×8 MU MIMO it provides 4x more spectrum efficiency than any other vendor. It also impressive Near or Non-LOS capabilities as well for more flexible installations.
Purchasing microwave equipment is a long-term decision with implications on future needs, sustainability, and total cost of ownership. A few years ago, Brett Bonomo wrote an article on this topic that covers key questions to ask including:
For more detail visit the complete article at https://castlerockmicrowave.com/selecting-the-right-radio
Would you feel more comfortable hearing from others when evaluating technology? Great, there is a great Facebook page that hosts over 10,000 members where you will likely find answers to your many questions from companies much like yours.
CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Systems) is now being considered by many telcos for a last mile solution. If you are not familiar with this newly available spectrum (3550-3650MHz), here is a quick article on CBRS
What are some of the key advantages of CBRS?
With fewer issues of interference and more flexible antenna locations this means happier customers and fewer truck rolls to tweak your network.
Companies operating CBRS networks need to employ someone with a CPI, either directly or via consultancy. There are many online training courses to get certified. Make sure the training course registers you in the WinnForum CPI database and send your credentials automatically.
Castle Rock Microwave can assist you with a coverage comparison analysis or try it yourself if you are familiar with LINKPlanner (Cambium Networks) or Pathloss software.
Castle Rock Microwave is a turnkey, regional system integrator for microwave backhaul, fixed wireless broadband and WI-FI solutions for Rural Telcos, Utility Companies and Public Safety agencies. We view your wireless system as an integral part of your operation and create holistic RF designs with your entire systems, sustainability, and future business goals in mind. We are vendor agnostic and work with our clients in choosing the best solution for performance, maintainability, and budget in mind. Call us for:
Current market conditions are creating opportunities for rural telcos to expand their users and networks and in some cases with substantial grants. Wise long-term investments in the correct gear will separate the leaders from the competition. Make sure your designs are considering all the factors when deploying or optimizing your wireless network and contact Castle Rock Microwave for help at sales@castlerockmicrowave.com or call 303-358-7039.
The last several months have had a significant impact on Public Safety agencies. Budgets for the next few years have been cut drastically as sales tax revenues drop and the impact the Gallagher Act reduces incoming revenue. To date, the vote on the Gallagher Act has not been decided. Now, municipalities are becoming more conservative in spending. In some cases, they are asking to extend the lifespan of radio networks. Additionally, they are still expecting the same reliability of critical communications. One way to do that is through microwave radio maintenance contracts and lifecycle planning. Are you concerned about having to do more with less?
Microwave systems are often installed and are out-of-sight, out-of-mind. However, if left alone, your fixed microwave systems will eventually degrade in performance and be susceptible to cyber security breaches.
Exposed to wind, sun, hail, snow and rain over time, antennas, cables, and radios slowly degrade in performance. Furthermore, gradual degradation is difficult to recognize until there is a complete failure. Here are some of the typical problems that occur at microwave sites if not installed properly:
Castle Rock Microwave’s Lifecycle Services are a comprehensive approach which safeguard, improve performance, and extend the lifespan of your mission critical wireless systems. Reliability and total cost of ownership are key factors when operating a mission critical network. And Lifecycle Plans are key to operating a cost-efficient system. Lifecyle Plans normally include:
Here is a Case Study of how Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deployed a Network Management System to monitor their communication network, respond to issues before they became critical and simplify three monitoring systems into one.
Castle Rock Microwave works with public safety agencies in deploying microwave system and extending their lifespan through Lifecycle Services. Please contact Castle Rock Microwave for a free consultation at sales@castlerockmicrowave.com or 303 358-7039 for help in these areas.
Are you a city or town that is considering offering middle and last mile rural municipal broadband connectivity? The need for ubiquitous fiber and wireless infrastructure is at a precipice. Moreover, the pandemic is now driving more people to rural communities and students into remote learning. If we do not act soon, some rural communities will get left behind and decline. While others with broadband will flourish.
Join Rio Blanco County’s Cody Crooks and Castle Rock Microwave’s Brett Bonomo at the Mountain Connect Broadband Development Conference. Hear about their success story on rural municipal broadband on October 26th at 2:30pm.
Brett and Cody reveal a model for rural broadband including:
First, Register here for the Mountain Connect Virtual Conference. And watch Brett and Cody’s presentation virtually. The theme for the conference is “Broadband: The Great Enabler for Disruptive Technologies!”. This year’s conference will explore:
1. The Impact of Emerging Technologies
2. Why Master Planning is Important to Long-term Success
3. Unique Funding Alternatives
4. Policy and Legislative Considerations
5. 5G/Small Cell
7. Economic Development
8. Impacts of RDOF and CARES Act
For more information on how Castle Rock Microwave helps municipalities with broadband solutions, please contact our sales team at 720 798-4520 or sales@castlerockmicrowave.com
If we have learned anything from this pandemic, it is that rural communities’ need better, faster broadband solutions now. Today, grants for broadband are being pumped into network expansion (fiber and fixed wireless) to satisfy the needs of online learning, work from home, and tele-medicine. Companies are switching to long term policies of remote workers. And corporations are shrinking headquarters office size for health safety and cost reductions. The defined broadband standard of 25/3Mbps is no longer adequate. We are already seeing large migrations of professionals from urban areas to rural communities. This trend should strengthen even more next spring. With that migration comes the demand for more electricity and higher broadband speeds.
Grants for broadband expansion are available for REAs to add broadband services to their portfolio. REAs have the infrastructure to do this more cost effectively than anyone else. Additionally, REAs will have a great opportunity to upgrade substations and radio systems with those same dollars for future video security, substation Wi-Fi, and IP migration. Control your own destiny. If you don’t, someone else will steal your virtual cheese.
Combinations of fiber and fixed wireless provide the greatest capabilities of cost effectively reaching customers in some of the most difficult areas. Bridging long expanses using microwave will help reduce CapEx costs.
Providing accurate information is critical for any grant applications and effective use of funds. Castle Rock Microwave can assist you with providing an accurate budget and designing a complete system from fiber to fixed wireless. Please contact Arn Hayden at (303) 358-7039 or sales@castlerockmicrowave.com.
In March of 2020 Colorado school districts were forced to offer alternative learning solutions to their remote students. This led to the prioritization of high-speed Internet access. Fiber isn’t everywhere. As a result, many remote students lack access to suitable Internet speeds. Without it, their distance learning coursework can’t be completed. This leaves many students and schools at a huge disadvantage.
Even though Douglas County School District had already begun distance learning, the reality is, not all students had sufficient Internet access to complete their work. That’s when a ranch owner contacted us. They needed our help. The ranch sits against the mountains near Highway 105. Due to the location, there are no terrestrial services available. In addition, cell coverage is inconsistent, providing only 3G speeds at best. Now more than ever, the workers’ children, students of Castle View and South Ridge Elementary, needed reliable high-speed Internet.
As Colorado’s premier wireless specialists, Castle Rock Microwave has a knack for problem-solving network connectivity challenges. We quickly identified a solution to deliver Internet to the ranch. Since wireless was the only option, we chose our strategic partner, Cambium Networks, as the equipment manufacturer. https://www.cambiumnetworks.com/
First, we transmitted an Internet connection from a tower in Castle Rock to Majestic Mountain using the ePMP Force 300 backhaul product. https://www.cambiumnetworks.com/products/epmp/force-300-25/
After that, we transmitted the signal down to the ranch, and from there and distributed Internet access to each home. To do this, we used the ePMP 3000L access point and Force 300 subscriber units. https://www.cambiumnetworks.com/products/epmp/epmp-3000l-fixed-wireless-access-point/
Then, we installed cnPilot r190 home routers inside the homes, making it easy for the students to connect online from any device. https://www.cambiumnetworks.com/products/wifi/cnpilot-r190-series-home-router/
With Internet speeds over 20Mbps, these remote students now have blazing fast Internet access whenever they need it. Everyone was thrilled with how inexpensive the solution was and how quickly it was installed. The students now have everything they need to complete their coursework, and then some. They can even video chat with their teachers and fellow students.
Because of our strategic alliance, we were confident in the ePMP, cnPilot, and cnMaestro solutions from Cambium Networks. This project was a huge success due to the efforts of Stevan Tewell, Rafael Candil, and Brett Bonomo.
Most companies can’t prevent outages. Castle Rock Microwave keeps your network connected so you stay online and never miss a mission-critical communication. If you have connectivity challenges and would like to schedule a free consultation, email sales@castlerockmicrowave.com or hit the contact button at https://rmmicrowave.wpengine.com/ today. One of our experts will be in touch almost immediately!
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