Reported Evergy utility private LTE network in Kansas and Missouri

Overview

Evergy, an investor-owned electric utility headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and Topeka, Kansas, launched a private LTE network with an Ericsson core and radio access network to support grid modernization; Ericsson announced the launch on October 25, 2022.^[1] Evergy awarded the project in March 2022, planned 20 sites for the initial 2022 deployment, and brought the first site live in May 2022, with engineering firm Burns & McDonnell helping design the network and manage the build-out.^[1] Light Reading reported that the network starts in 900 MHz spectrum leased from Anterix, with 2.5 GHz to be added, and could grow to just over 100 towers covering about 80% of Evergy's service area.^[2]

At a glance

Organization

Evergy, a U.S. investor-owned electric utility.^[1]

Location

Evergy's service territory in Kansas and Missouri; the company is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and Topeka, Kansas.^[1][3]

Date announced

October 25, 2022.^[1]

Spectrum

900 MHz broadband spectrum leased from Anterix under a 20-year deal, with 2.5 GHz spectrum to be added from mid-2023, according to Light Reading.^[2] Ericsson's release does not name the spectrum.^[3]

Technology

Private LTE using Ericsson's cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core and private RAN, which support both LTE and 5G.^[1]

Scale as reported

20 sites planned in the initial 2022 deployment.^[1] Light Reading reported Evergy's plan for just over 100 towers covering roughly 49,000 square miles, about 80% of its service area.^[2]

Vendors and roles

Ericsson: core, RAN, and operational, business-support, and managed services.^[1] Anterix: 900 MHz spectrum lease.^[2]

Integrator

Burns & McDonnell, a utility telecommunications consultant, helped design the network and manage the build-out.^[1]

Status

Launched as of October 25, 2022, with the first site live in May 2022.^[1] In October 2022 Evergy expected the 900 MHz phase to finish by mid-2024 and the 2.5 GHz phase by the end of 2025;^[2] we found no later public update on the buildout.

How the network is used

• Grid modernization use cases named by Ericsson: decarbonization of the grid, engineering access, fault circuit indicators, line regulators, and advanced metering infrastructure (remote and utility sites).^[1]
• Moving grid data from field sensors into Evergy's back-office systems; Evergy told Light Reading the network is being built mainly for the thousands of sensors needed for grid modernization.^[1][2]

Reported results

As reported by the sources below; not independently verified.

• Ericsson says Evergy brought the first site live in May 2022, less than two months after the March 2022 award and ahead of an original October 2022 target.^[1]
• No measured network performance results were published.^[1][2]

Timeline

1. Oct 31, 2022

   Light Reading reports Evergy's plan for about 100 sites in 900 MHz and 2.5 GHz spectrum.^[2]

2. Oct 25, 2022

   Ericsson, Evergy, and Burns & McDonnell announce the launch; RCR Wireless reports the rollout covering 20 cell sites the next day.^[1][3]

3. May 2022

   The first site goes live.^[1]

4. Mar 2022

   Evergy awards the private LTE project to Ericsson.^[1]

5. Sep 2021

   Evergy signs a 20-year agreement with Anterix to license 900 MHz spectrum across its Kansas and Missouri territory, according to RCR Wireless.^[3]