Boingo Wireless to Help Bring Private 5G to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

Boingo Among World-Class Partners Selected for $18 Million Department of Defense 5G Contract

Boingo Wireless is supporting ongoing DoD 5G experimentation led by the Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Committed to building next generation wireless networks for the U.S. military, Boingo is assisting with the site survey and installation of a state-of-the-art private 5G network at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington state.

This secure 5G network will support advanced operations, maintenance and operational management with rapid access to data and analytics. This includes connectivity for smart aviation hangars, warehouses, flight line operations, AR/VR operations and training, asset tracking and advanced supply chain management.

“As the world digitizes in the 5G era, the need for secure communication networks across our military has never been greater. Boingo fulfills this need, simplifying complex wireless challenges to improve communications and set the stage for future innovation,” said Rebecca Gray, senior vice president and general manager, military at Boingo. “We are proud to join the team bringing private 5G connectivity to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and to work alongside world-class partners to launch next generation wireless services.”

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) serves as the prime contractor connecting Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Hughes engaged industry partners, including Boingo, to support its private 5G deployment.

“When assembling the world-class team for this project, Boingo Wireless was the natural choice for the site survey and installation,” said Rajeev Gopal, vice president, Hughes Defense. “Boingo’s 5G engineering and military expertise will help us deploy a fast, secure and reliable network for the DoD at Whidbey Island.”

Boingo private 5G networks are designed with dedicated wireless bandwidth to provide enhanced security, coverage, capacity and speed—key elements for securely connecting next generation military communications and base operations. Private networks operate independently of public cellular networks to connect more devices and run data-heavy applications.

A leading provider of wireless solutions for the U.S. military, Boingo’s offerings include: Wi-Fi and fiber network services for troops living in the barracks and on-base family housing; commercial internet solutions for on-base recreational centers, classrooms, dining facilities and more; macro towers and small cells for seamless cellular service; and private cellular solutions for connected operations and secure 5G and IoT deployments on base.