TOKYO, June 12, 2024 - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that its ME Innovation Fund has invested in Pente Networks Inc., a U.S.-based startup company that provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)^* to promote the introduction of private LTE^**/5G networks for enterprises. This is the seventh investment that the fund has made to date.
While private LTE/5G networks have increasingly been introduced in the U.S. since prices for both 5G devices and 5G base stations have fallen, only a few businesses can offer these networks as IaaS. Therefore, the introduction of these networks has required multiple providers working on network design, creation, operation, and maintenance. This has been a significant problem for companies and local governments that wish to create their own private networks. Moreover, although these entities understand the advantage of a private network, many have postponed its introduction due to the cost-effectiveness of capital investment since device configuration is complicated and devices are expensive.
Pente Networks has been developing products such as Orchestrator, which is a feature that automates network operation and management, and Service Portal, which is a network management screen with excellent operability and visibility. If these products are used, even users without high-level expertise can set up a private network. The company also allows devices and base stations to be interoperable. This increases device options and can reduce implementation costs. By offering a private LTE/5G network as IaaS, the company contributes to the advancement and promotion of communication infrastructure, which supports social infrastructure.
Mitsubishi Electric plans to combine its 5G core network with Pente Networks' Orchestrator and Service Portal to create business opportunities using private networks.