Legacy tactical communication systems have predominantly been based on UHF/VHF waveforms that only support voice and/or very low data rates.

Tactical communications is a classic case for private networks. For a wide variety of reasons — security, resilience, performance, mobility — various commands and military intelligence across the modern battlefield cannot be met with with large-scale commercial networks alone.

Octasic provides mission-ready LTE-based solutions that address the current demand for high data rates and more flexibility for military deployments. These solutions may include network modifications, Self-Organizing Networks (SON), stronger ciphers like AES-256, among others, and additional features not found in commercial deployments, such as mesh networking and very large coverage range.

Octasic is also collaborating with military equipment partners on 5G solutions, leveraging the standard’s lower latency and higher throughput. Interoperability is one challenge, as equipment built in different eras often have their unique communications systems, even within the armed forces of the same country.

Rapid and automatic reconfiguration of networks via software-defined networking (SDN) is another emerging requirement.

The 5G waveform itself is yet another challenge: Created for easy discovery, the waveform is inappropriate in its natural state for military operations and requires modifications for secure use.



In work with leading defense contractors, our teams have addressed these and other challenges. Some of our efforts, including a demonstration with the U.S. Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center, have been publicly discussed.

The Octasic compact base stations already support all cellular standards and come in configurations that cover up to 21 3GPP bands around the world. Our Opus Studio Integrated Development Environment (IDE) extends this agility, enabling developers to customize our chips and change any waveform, including 5G.

To win on the digital battlefield of tomorrow, where milliseconds of delay can spell defeat, tactical communications systems will need to blend the best of commercial and military-specific infrastructure.

Octasic's solutions can deliver these combined features and more on the way, including initial support for artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) and satellite networks. The Octasic base stations and other components are available in ruggedized, turn-key, and field-proven systems that can be adapted to address any tactical use case.

Embracing 5G - from the tactical edge to central command.

An Octasic Approach

Tactical Communications

OCT3032 Programmable SoC

OctNode2 Dual-Channel SDR Platform

Use Cases

5G NTN Resources

5G NTN requires specific processors to enable the technology to work. This page discusses the DSP and Octasic platforms that can be used in conjunction to support NTN. 

5G NTN SoC

Cellular technologies have long been intrinsic to the success of security and investigative missions. As service providers race to rollout 5G networks along with new 5G mobile devices, the need for law enforcement to keep pace with 5G standalone (SA) standards has never been more important.

5G SA is one of the leading technical challenges for every level of law enforcement and national security agency.  

Easy to use. Fast to deploy. Clients experience consistently mind-blowing, rapid operational success whether from the air or on the ground.

Octasic leads the market in advanced 5G SA detection, identification, and localization solutions.

Why clients truly enjoy working with Octasic

Public and national security solutions for law enforcement, federal and national agencies, and defense organizations.

Public and National Security 

Legacy wireless solutions fall short in terms of the reliability and performance required for mission-critical automated tasks, especially those involving autonomous mobile robotics (AMRs).

In today’s emerging and technology-rich Industry 4.0 world, the range of IIoT use cases is expanding further, as are networking requirements. But there’s no point investing in advanced automation solutions if the wireless network in the warehouse can’t support the applications.

Investing in custom private wireless networks

Network connectivity in industrial settings was once confined to basic machine-to-machine (M2M) communication used in process automation and control systems. But the arrival of machine-readable device identifiers and cloud computing led to a broader category – the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Labor scarcities and supply chain challenges are driving many companies to make more efficient use of their warehouses. New systems can bring items to workers, who perform the intricate tasks that machines cannot do as reliably or affordably. Other automated systems can boost accuracy, speed, and consistency in the areas of data scanning, box erecting and sealing, pallet stretch-wrapping, and printing and barcode labeling.

Legacy wireless solutions fall short in terms of the reliability and performance required for mission-critical automated tasks, especially those involving autonomous mobile robotics (AMRs).

These vehicles move products around facilities in a flexible, scalable fashion, reducing labor demand. They automatically pick items up at docks, taking them to put-away stations, providing replenishment moves, and moving items to shipping docks. They’re tireless, focused and rules-abiding. Along with robots, these systems include interconnected machines, actuators, and control systems. Unlike a typical, ad-hoc IoT deployment, an IIoT system like this uses a data analytics-enabled, cloud-based structured network that supports M2M wireless connectivity with stringent latency and reliability requirements within a dynamic, industrial environment. Only private cellular networks can meet these Industry 4.0 demands.

Octasic supplies programmable silicon for IIoT cellular communications that can be used to design access points (APs) and data terminals. Based on a state-of-the-art implementation of the LTE standard, it leverages the performance, capacity, and security of the LTE waveform. The APs create standalone LTE cells that communicate with terminals. They also can create a mesh network for robustness and backhaul uses. The hardware platform for the AP and terminal is frequency-agile: iIt can support any frequency between 400 MHz and 6 GHz, enabling IIoT deployments that need to work in special, legacy, or unlicensed frequency bands.

In one example of the kind of IIoT that Octasic powers, a leading-edge fulfillment center built a fleet of custom terminals and 4G wireless base stations that communicate in the unlicensed spectrum 10 times per second. The solution is based on a versatile, high-density, low-power Octasic system on chip (SoC) with up to 24 digital signal processing (DSP) cores, C-programmable DSP, and a host of peripheral interfaces. This innovator is migrating to a new Octasic SoC with even greater capabilities.

End users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can leverage Octasic SoCs and platforms to deliver high-performance 5G/LTE base stations, offering their own differentiating features, while reducing development time, cost, and risk. They also have the option to integrate their own Layer 2/3 stack, or to implement fully custom waveforms using Octasic’s Opus Studio development environment.

One of the most urgent IIoT applications involves logistics.

Industrial IoT

These sectors look to private networks, whether based on 4G or 5G, to provide higher availability of mission-critical applications and dramatically increase operational efficiencies.

Who needs private wireless networks? There’s a standard list: industries that use machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, the military, police and public safety, and remotely sited industries such as oil and gas, mining, and agriculture.

Even as a nascent market opportunity, the expectation moving forward is there is to be more video, a proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) endpoints, and an overall need for higher levels of performance and other requirements.


Likewise, the number of markets has also expanded. It now includes airports, seaports, hospitals, hotels, college campuses, stadiums, retail outlets, warehouses, (smart) cities and more.


Across this widening range of scenarios, network and IT leaders are looking

for connectivity solutions that go beyond what legacy telcos, with centralized operations and standardized templates, have traditionally been able to offer.


Stepping in their place are new or alternative telcos. These players may already serve as tower companies, internet exchanges, regional operators, or play another role in existing network infrastructure. Yet they also exhibit agility, an ability to broker new combinations and become expert in the demands of niche markets. In some cases, they are the end users themselves, who have taken the initiative to build their own networks.

Where are Private Networks heading?

With experience serving clients building private networks, we at Octasic have answers to these and related questions. Our programmable Systems on Chip (SoC) silicon, which incorporate DSP cores and ARM co-processors, have been deployed using existing technologies, and they are evolving along with the market to leverage emerging wireless standards.
 
 
Our Integrated Development Environment (IDE) provides a powerful framework for customizing the use of our chips,

including the ability to change the waveform of any spectrum, on licensed and unlicensed bands. In short, we are as agile as any of the new telcos.
 
 
Going forward, we will see these markets mature. Not only in terms of technology, but also regulation and industry representation. But those who can’t afford to wait can still move forward, with proven and flexible technologies capable of meeting the unique demands and complex ecosystems that today’s private markets represent.

Whether new telco or vertical-specific player, they face challenges. Solving for the connectivity use cases in these markets requires thinking through a range of technical issues.

Private Networks

Traditional 5G cellular chips are not designed with the current NTN standards in mind. Dedicated chips with NTN enabled are required. 

Driven by 3GPP standards, 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) has arrived, not just as a technology, but as its own emerging market. Chip-level requirements are the key to successful growth. 

With programmable software you can make these kinds of adjustments and test them on both the base station and UE. Doing so when the software implementation and architecture are optimized for DSP devices is even better. 

Programmable Silicon for Enhanced 5G-NTN   

Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) need programmable silicon to simplify deployment and interoperability. Satellite connectivity supports IoT proliferation. This white paper covers 3GPP standards, 5G NTN, programmable silicon for 5G NTN, use cases, obstacles, and more. 

Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)

Octasic's solutions include DSPs designed for tactical communications, industrial IoT, and private networks that are compatible with 4G / 5G / LTE and wireless. 