Federated Wireless, a US-based provider of phone spectrum-sharing technology based on Virginia Tech research, secured $51m yesterday in a series C round that included telecommunications mast operators SBA Communications and American Tower.
Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC also took part in the round, together with commercialisation firm Allied Minds and an entity called Pennant Investors.
Founded in 2012 by Allied Minds to exploit Virginia Tech research, Federated Wireless markets shared-spectrum technology that allows mobile network operators, governments and private enterprises to harness its telecoms band without impairing service quality.
Federated manages the process by leveraging its cloud-based software platform to dynamically allocate a 150 MHz strand of the Citizens Broadband Radio System frequency, which was introduced by US regulators to improve wireless connectivity and reduce costs.
The approach is intended to help new phone carriers and private communications networks operate without owning spectrum directly. It could also be used to make existing 4G networks more stable and facilitate new services from established carriers.
The series C capital will help Federated increase its coverage in a bid to boost customer adoption. In addition to mobile carriers, the company plans to target enterprises, cable networks and utilities hoping to tap improved 5G and private LTE transmissions capacity.
American Tower, GIC telecoms firm Charter Communications and telecoms equipment maker Arris International co-led a $42m series B round for Federated that included Allied Minds and which closed in mid-2017.
Allied Minds invested $5m in the company in 2014, and also backed a $22m series A round led by Woodford Investment Management two years later.
– This original version of this article appeared here on our sister site Global Corporate Venturing.

US-based phone spectrum-sharing technology producer Federated Wireless secured $51m yesterday in a series C round that included telecommunications mast operators SBA Communications and American Tower.

Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC also took part in the round, together with commercialisation firm Allied Minds and an entity called Pennant Investors.

Founded in 2012 by Allied Minds to exploit Virginia Tech research, Federated Wireless markets shared-spectrum technology that allows mobile network operators, governments and private enterprises to harness its telecoms band without impairing service quality.

Federated manages the process by leveraging its cloud-based software platform to dynamically allocate a 150 MHz strand of the Citizens Broadband Radio System frequency, which was introduced by US regulators to improve wireless connectivity and reduce costs.

The approach is intended to help new phone carriers and private communications networks operate without owning spectrum directly. It could also be used to make existing 4G networks more stable and facilitate new services from established carriers.

The series C capital will help Federated increase its coverage in a bid to boost customer adoption. In addition to mobile carriers, the company plans to target enterprises, cable networks and utilities hoping to tap improved 5G and private LTE transmissions capacity.

American Tower, GIC telecoms firm Charter Communications and telecoms equipment maker Arris International co-led a $42m series B round for Federated that included Allied Minds and which closed in mid-2017.

Allied Minds invested $5m in the company in 2014, and also backed a $22m series A round led by Woodford Investment Management two years later.