Celona AP 20 Demo One Access Point for Private LTE and Private 5G Networks

Why It Matters

Concurrent LTE/5G on a single AP accelerates private network adoption, cutting costs and enabling mission‑critical applications across industries.

Key Takeaways

• AP20 supports simultaneous LTE and 5G operation for enterprises.
• Software‑upgrade path eliminates need for costly hardware replacement.
• Enables separate guest LTE and mission‑critical 5G networks.
• Plug‑and‑play design reduces deployment time from months to weeks.
• Integrated orchestration tool automates multi‑site neutral‑host rollouts across deployments.

Summary

The video showcases Celona’s AP20, a flagship access point that combines LTE and 5G radios in a single, software‑upgradable unit. Designed three years ago, the AP20 now offers true concurrent operation, allowing enterprises to run private LTE and private 5G side‑by‑side without replacing hardware.

Key insights include a seamless upgrade path from LTE to 5G, enabling customers to treat LTE as a guest or BYOD network while reserving 5G for mission‑critical applications such as healthcare communications. The platform’s modular design—featuring separate 4G, 5G, NPU, and common cards—supports diverse use cases, from carrier‑boosted signal coverage to isolated clinical‑grade communications.

During the demo, a 4G Pixel phone and a 5G Samsung S22 connected simultaneously to the same AP20 using CBRS spectrum, each identified by distinct PCI IDs. Celona also highlighted an orchestration tool that automates neutral‑host site provisioning, compressing multi‑store rollouts from months to under an hour.

The implications are significant: enterprises can rapidly deploy future‑proof private networks, reduce capex, and maintain operational continuity. Healthcare providers gain reliable, low‑latency 5G links for emergency alerts, while retailers benefit from plug‑and‑play scalability across hundreds of locations.

Original Description

Vanlin Sathya and Puneet Shetty introduce the latest capabilities of the Celona AP20, a flagship access point that features a unique hardware design with dedicated 4G and 5G radios. Previously, the AP20 operated in either 4G or 5G mode, providing a software-defined upgrade path; however, Celona has now enabled concurrent 4G and 5G operation. This advancement allows enterprises to maintain support for legacy LTE devices while simultaneously deploying a future-proof 5G network on the same infrastructure. By utilizing a Self-Organizing Network (SON) algorithm to manage the 150 MHz of shared CBRS spectrum, the AP20 eliminates the need for a rip and replace strategy and enables innovative use cases, such as isolating guest BYOD traffic on 4G while reserving 5G for mission-critical industrial applications.

The presentation emphasizes the multi-mode utility of this technology in high-stakes environments like healthcare. Sathya highlights a deployment at Stanford Healthcare where the AP20 concurrently supports neutral host services to boost public carrier signals and private 5G for critical clinical communications, such as VoLTE and SMS for nursing staff. The platform offers a seamless onboarding experience using both physical SIMs and QR-code-based eSIMs, with integrated security features like IMEI-based SIM locking. By integrating these disparate cellular generations into a single enterprise-grade device that plugs directly into existing LAN switches, Celona simplifies the traditionally complex architecture of cellular infrastructure, making it as manageable as a Wi-Fi deployment.

Finally, Celona addresses the challenge of scaling these deployments through a new automated provisioning tool designed to replace the months-long timelines typical of traditional Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS). This tool ingests configuration data from mobile network operators (MNOs) and regulatory bodies like SaaS to commission new sites in less than an hour. By automating the technical heavy lifting--including radio parameter adjustments and E911 validation--Celona can bring hundreds of retail or healthcare locations online within a four-week window. This combination of multi-generation hardware and rapid, automated software provisioning allows Celona to meet the high-volume, high-speed demands of large-scale enterprise customers effectively.

Presented by Vanlin Sathya, Director, Research and Innovation, and Puneet Shetty, SVP, Product and Field Engineering. Recorded live at Mobility Field Day 14 in San Jose, CA on May 6, 2026. Watch the entire presentation at https://techfieldday.com/appearance/celona-presents-at-mobility-field-day-14/ or visit https://TechFieldDay.com/event/mfd14 or https://Celona.com/ for more information.