Ubiik slashes cost to deploy pLTE networks in NZ with new products

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ubiik, a leading provider of private LTE networks announced today the release of a new base station and LTE router operating in New Zealand's sub-GHz ISM band (915-928MHz) to support the growing needs of utilities, mining companies and IoT end users.

Having already launched the freeRAN™ base station in the United States, Canada and Australia, this latest release removes a key barrier to entry for pLTE in New Zealand – cost.  Offering the ability to deploy a private 5G LPWA network in the unlicensed 915MHz band without having to purchase spectrum opens up connectivity opportunities across a range of industries such as Utilities, Mining, Oil & Gas, Transport and Construction.

The New Zealand release of Ubiik's flagship edge router, Pyxis 5G LPWA, also allows end users to connect their field devices to their private network. Offering long range, low power and Power-Over-Ethernet, this router is tailored for IoT deployments and is the ideal solution for stranded utility meters, EV chargers, sensors and security cameras.

Lightweight & low cost pLTE base station solution

Weighing less than 7kg, freeRAN™ is IP67 rated for outdoor mounting, supports PoE and has built-in cellular backhaul along with Ethernet, reducing the equipment footprint and allowing the device to be mounted on existing infrastructure.  The embedded EPC (core network) further lowers the cost of deployment compared with a high-end, macro-LTE solution where the centralised core can dramatically impact the total deployment cost.

Boost to throughput and security

Several technologies have traditionally been used in the unlicensed ISM band in New Zealand (e.g. LoRaWAN®, Wi-SUN®, Wi-Fi HaLow ™ ). However, deploying a private network with freeRAN™ and Pyxis 5GLPWA booststhroughput (>300kbps with Cat-M1) and security (with SIM authentication and encryption).  Furthermore, being fully 3GPP standards-compliant (Release 14 TDD LTE-M), freeRAN™ is compatible with communication modules supporting TDD LTE-M, while Pyxis 5G LPWA provides the ability to roam to public networks for resiliency, an option not available with these other technologies.

"This latest offer for the New Zealand market has been particularly appealing to utilities and industrial users who wish to combine a primary application such as metering or sensors with additional use cases such as security cameras or smart city applications," says Clément Dieudonné, VP of Global Product Marketing at Ubiik. "The fact that a Ubiik network has been designed to be as quick to deploy as WiFi routers is also very attractive to customers who are keen to trial how a pLTE network could transform their business."

The team from Ubiik Mimomax will have both the freeRAN™ base station and Pyxis 5GLPWA router on display at their booth #11 at Comms Connect NZ, June 4-6 in Christchurch. Detailed product information can also be found here.