Legal LTE Network at Home for $100
a day ago
- #CBRS
- #Magma
- #DIY-LTE
- Legal LTE network setup in the US using CBRS band for around $100.
- CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) band (3550-3700 MHz) allows unlicensed LTE/5G transmission with SAS (Spectrum Access System) management.
- Three user levels in CBRS: Incumbent Access (highest priority), Priority Access, and General Authorized Access (lowest priority).
- Used Nova Labs' abandoned CBRS base stations (FreedomFi/Sercomm SCE4255W indoor model) available on eBay for ~$60.
- Unlocked base station management interface by hijacking TR-069 server to enable web configuration.
- Built core network using Magma (open-source 4G/5G core by Meta) on Docker/Kubernetes, with separate Orchestrator and Access Gateway components.
- Registered base station with Google SAS ($2.64/month) for frequency authorization after GPS positioning.
- Programmed SIM cards with custom IMSI/KI/OPC values for subscriber authentication.
- Achieved 100 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload speeds on iPhone SE 2022 (band 48 compatible).
- Total cost: ~$102.93 (base station $61.30 + SIM cards $38.99 + 1-month SAS $2.64).