CELLSMART Launches its “Drive” Initiative to Map Local 5G Performance Globally with a Street-View Testing Car

It is mapping 5G the same way Google mapped local streets across the globe starting in Spain, France, and the US with more destinations over the coming months. 

CELLSMART, the cellular intelligence division of SmartCIC, has launched its global “Drive” initiative to test drive the world’s cellular networks and capture local intelligence about 5G performance. The findings will provide enterprises with insights into the best connectivity options in a given area and support use cases for adopting Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). The CELLSMART car will be kicking off its maiden voyage in Cannes, France then looping through major cities in Spain and France in September 2023.

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CELLSMART has equipped cars with bespoke testing software, SIMs, and routers to test local wireless network performance across Europe, North America, and a growing number of destinations across the globe. Each car will capture 4G and 5G upload and download speeds and latency across key locations with test-by-test granularity. CELLSMART’s bespoke testing software enables each car to run up to one test every 60 seconds and have that data mapped and logged in near real-time in a central database.

“The CELLSMART Drive is bringing speed and agility to how cellular networks are tested at a granular level. Almost anywhere in the world, we can deploy our testing car and capture 5G performance data in the field and across multiple networks. This empowers service providers and enterprises to develop use cases for 5G and ensures they are using the highest performing cellular networks in the areas they operate,” said Toby Forman, CEO at SmartCIC. “We’re investing in the ‘Drive’ because it will benefit the entire industry and grow FWA as a product category.”         

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“We’ve invited our team members and partners to get involved and be part of test driving cellular networks across the globe. It’s an opportunity to see exactly why cellular intelligence is so important for the growth of our industry and show that we’re committed to providing precise insights into 5G performance,” said Forman. “The team that has put this initiative together has been amazing. They have innovated with our bespoke testing software, the development of the equipment, and making ‘Drive’ really come alive. It’s exciting and we’re only at the beginning of our journey.”

The “Drive” initiative was launched after the success of the CELLSMART Global Cellular Performance Survey, which used SmartCIC’s global network of 25,000 engineers in 106 countries to test cellular performance on the ground around the world. The most recent survey revealed that Oslo, Norway led Europe with a maximum 5G download speed of 1.12 Gbps. The data showed that 5G FWA has emerged as a viable alternative to fibre networks and LEO satellite solutions for enterprise access. CELLSMART has been testing, mapping, and capturing local intelligence about wireless network performance across the globe since March 2022.

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