Winegard Co. said it plans to release what it calls the first 5G hotspot connectivity solution for RVs coming as soon as the fourth quarter of 2021.The Winegard Air 360+ will debut with 5G network and smart antenna beamforming technology, the company said. The Air 360+ 5G antenna array release is slated for release in late 2021/ early 2022.
The Air 360+ 5G antenna array is “primed for the future of smart technology,” the company announced.
“We are covering the 5G networks of today and tomorrow,” Winegard President Grant Whipple said. “Our beamforming antenna array will also be able to capture new frequencies that will open up down the road for a future proof investment.”
Introducing 5G connectivity to the RV industry unlocks technical capacity and hosting abilities, the company said. The Air 360+ 5G antenna array is housed and assembled with the same dimensions as the current Winegard Air 360+ antenna units.
“All the magic is happening underneath the dome with the 5G smart antennas,” Winegard VP of Engineering Todd Wibben said. “The assembly is practically unchanged.”
The installation process does not differ from previous models. Winegard said the Air 360+ 5G antenna array will feature full-fledged backward compatibility with Winegard’s existing line of 4G products including gateways, repeaters, and extenders.
Certified network partners include AT&T, T Mobile, Verizon and Winegard FreedomGo.
“With nearly three years of research and development in the works, The Winegard Co. has achieved a major technological breakthrough in harnessing the power of 5G and implementing it into their best-in-class line of smart antenna arrays,” the company stated.
Among the key performance metrics Winegard said will improve are:
- Speed: 5G networks consistently deliver download speeds that vastly outperform 4G.
- Low latency: Greatly reduced communication lag between endpoints results in a more stable, responsive connection crucial for streaming intensive services such as video conferences and online gaming.
- Greater network capacity: A 5G network can support more users and more devices thanks to a more robust protocol.
- Expands signal range: Not only is data transferred faster and more efficiently on a 5G network but also reaches farther compared with a 4G network thanks to the enhanced protocol and new 5G spectrum.
Supported features include:
- Autonomous technologies: 5G connectivity enables essential communication between different complex systems such as sensors, antennas and data connectivity systems needed for full-scale implementation of Automated Driving Systems (ADS).
- Enhanced IoT application: 5G spectrum enables greater communication capabilities between smart devices such as sensors, actuators, gateways, and platform hubs which can pioneer the development of groundbreaking new technologies.
- Remote software updates: Upgrading to the 5G spectrum will enable vehicles to stay up-to-date with the latest software version available with no extra legwork on the part of RV owners. Keeping up with the latest updates ensures optimal performance and security.
- Cloud connectivity: Next-gen connectivity allows for seamless communication from the vehicle to the cloud for remote vehicle diagnosis, interconnectedness among smart devices, access to digital assistants, and over-the-air vehicle software updates.
“We are enabling the RV industry to be ahead of auto,” Whipple said.
