LTE-X: Harnessing LTE Technology to Invigorate Security

Since the dawn of the digital era, network security and cyber protection are consistently ranked as the most concerning business issues worldwide. It is easy to see why too, with a report by Cybersecurity Ventures that estimates the global cost of cybercrime to rise to $6 trillion a year by the end of 2021.

And this was before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, disrupting business and leaving enterprises' networks exposed to hackers and other cyber malefactors. Since the global lockdown began, companies have suffered data breaches, ransomware attacks, and fraud at a scale that was not only exceedingly detrimental to their revenue but also caused irrevocable damage to their brand reputations.

However, the Japanese market lags significantly compared with other countries when it comes to correctly assessing cyber-threats at any given moment. The island nation is now pushing vigorously to revolutionize network security across the board digitally. With its expertise in bolstering cyber defenses and developing secure IoT technology, LTE-X has taken charge to lead these efforts. The organization has engineered solutions that enterprises can use to build their LTE networks without using license bands, thereby opening avenues for safe and swift communication.

LTE over IP—an Efficient Alternative

LTE-X is a provider of industrial IoT network platforms designed to offer high-speed communication and network security services. Utilizing LTE tunneling technology, the company's platform handles large bandwidths of data that require networks that are both protected and allow for seamless communication at low costs. "LTE-X has invented 'LTE over IP' technologies which can adopt LTE protocols over any IP network and thus provide opportunities to solve many network security issues," says Takehiro Ikeda, CEO of LTE-X.

By using the LTE over IP solutions, clients can create customized security levels over any IP network (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and so on) throughout multiple devices. It is a technology that also enables Carrier LTE communication protocols based on SIM authentication to be used on these networks.

The conventional Carrier LTE offers a high level of security for the end-user and ease-of-use for the operator. But the LTE protocols in Carrier LTE can only be used by devices that can transmit licensed band signals. This is because LTE protocols operate within transmission layer technologies such as OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) in 4G and OFDMA/NOMA (Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access) in 5G.

Technologies that do not support this capability, such as PCs, IoT devices, and sensors, are outside the scope of operation for Carrier LTE systems. Additionally, these systems require substantial investments to develop dedicated licensed band networks, although enterprises have existing LAN and Wi-Fi facilities.

However, LTE-X's LTE over IP solution separates LTE protocols from transmission layer technologies. As a result, clients can build their LTE network as long as they have a device and an IP network. "Moreover, LTE-X's solution is cost effective because organizations do not need to invest additional capital for specialized devices and network facilities, since it can be adopted to any digital architecture," says Ikeda. LTE over IP can provide the same services, and the same advantages, as mobile carriers. Teams can build closed networks (meant for only individual companies or municipalities) and also use it to create mechanisms that allow access to only specifically curated content. Using a technique known as Evolved Packet Core, the solution helps organizations take control of both ends of the communication line and create sequestered networks that prevent users from accessing dangerous websites.

Reinforcing IoT Security Using Mobile Technology

LTE-X's leaders play a crucial role in directing the company while developing such cutting-edge cellphone network technology. The CEO and CTO have extensive experience working in telecommunication enterprises and have a deep understanding of the innovation that turns the industry's cogs. Having initially founded WirelessGate, a company that provides network aggregation services, Takehiro Ikeda used his know-how in cellphone networking to build LTE-X, and its slew of solutions revamp security and smoothen communications in all IoT devices.

Current cellphone network systems are quite robust and fend off digital attacks well due to globally standardized LTE protocols," adds Ikeda. LTE-X's solutions can adopt these LTE protocols to apply over any network and any device, allowing companies to maximize their investments into IoT network security. While the current end-point security solutions such as virus filtering are the trend that most enterprises follow, this approach requires high-end CPU and memory specifications. LTE-X's tech stack, on the other hand, does not require sophisticated technology to run on because the software only serves as a secure pathway for data transfer from devices to their networks. This makes the solution ideal for adoption in various devices, including sensors and other IoT products that do not have high-powered CPUs.

"The IoT market was about 6.2 trillion yen in 2015 and has crossed 13.8 trillion yen in 2020. It is a promising market that is expected to double in the next five years," says Ikeda. Additionally, with capabilities that can improve factory productivity and streamline management, IoT devices are bound to see much broader use in various industries. Since advancements in IoT will include innovation in collecting, accumulating, and analyzing large quantities of information, it also necessitates a renovated security infrastructure such as the solution provided by LTE-X.

"I envisage LTE over IP as the de facto standard of cybersecurity solutions in the near future," he adds.

A Boon for Remote Workers and Educators

The popularity of the work-from-home culture has drastically increased the need for solutions that provide best-in-class security and are flexible enough to be adopted into a wide array of devices. LTE-X delivers solutions that can quickly and safely connect to networks and public cloud services within the company and at home or in a remote work environment. The company's patented LTE over IP technology finds most use in local governments and educational institutions.

”Our solutions for remote work or online education have helped over 20,000 employees and students”

For example, in the field of education, multiple networks with different requirements for students and teachers need to coexist. Using LTE over IP, organizations can overcome the problem of ensuring each network's security and independence.

An operational scenario for this technology is observed when distributing devices such as tablets to access educational content. Traditionally, these information terminals had restricted access only when connected to the school network. But with remote learning, students could face data breaches when connected to different, unmonitored home networks. However, LTE over IP allows teams to easily create solutions that permit users to access only specific content, whether at school, home, or any other location. "Our solutions for remote work or online education have helped over 20,000 employees and students," says Ikeda.

Clients in any industry, working with any device connected to the Internet, can utilize LTE-X's highly cost-effective and malleable network security solutions. "We are also on the lookout for financial and strategic partners such that we can expand our business to reach and help clients in the global market," states Ikeda. In the future, LTE-X will build alliances with various companies across the world, utilize each company's strengths, and promote efforts to maximize the network/system integration value provided to its clients.