Vocus buying Challenge Networks

Vocus is to acquire private LTE and 5G network specialist Challenge Networks.

In a statement, Vocus said the acquisition will let it build LTE and 5G networks for customers, and offer billed services so customers don’t have to fund the infrastructure themselves.

Challenge Networks has a large customer base in the resources sector, which is an enthusiastic adoptor of private mobile connectivity for its operational technology. 

In 2016, the company acquired the rights to 1800MHz spectrum in remote Australia, covering the resource-rich regions of Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.

As well as mines, Challenge Networks targets hospitals, university, ocean vessels, ports, manufacturing and logistics sites.

“Through this acquisition, Vocus will be able to provide fibre or LEO satellite connectivity to the perimeter of a site, and then through a private LTE network provide campus-wide wireless connectivity for applications such as autonomous vehicles, IoT sensors, building management systems, voice calls, push-to-talk devices, smartphones, tablets, and computers anywhere on the site," Vocus chief executive for enterprise & government Andrew Wildblood said.

Vocus will now offer full turnkey private mobile network capabilities including site survey, spectrum planning, network design, RF engineering, vendor selection, procurement, delivery, acceptance testing and ongoing service operation and network assurance.

Challenge Networks co-founder Simon Lardner will join the Vocus business, along with Challenge Networks staff, while the other co-founder, wireless industry veteran Jack Smyth, will retire from the business.