The DRIVE Wireless Network was featured in a case study conducted by CBRS radio manufacturer BLINQ Networks. During the height of the pandemic, DRIVE rapidly deployed a new layer of technology in northern Montour County to expand coverage in underserved areas. BLINQ Networks is a manufacturer of Citizen’s Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) microwave radios, which provide non line of site connectivity. By adding a CBRS layer on to a portion of our network, residents and businesses that previously couldn’t be served using traditional line of sight technology now have access to broadband. The CBRS technology allows the network to propagate signal through obstacles like trees that previously limited the ability for ISPs on the network to serve some locations.

Funding for the pilot CBRS installation in Montour County was provided through a loan from Geisinger.