Major Texas Power Supplier Widens Wireless Communications Capabilities with Additional Spectrum Licenses from Anteri

Anterix (NASDAQ: ATEX) and the Lower Colorado River Authority announced today that LCRA has contracted with Anterix to purchase additional 900 MHz wireless broadband licenses from Anterix that will extend LCRA’s ability to support future growth in Texas. This agreement builds upon LCRA’s initial purchase of 900 MHz licenses from Anterix announced in April 2023.

Created by the Texas legislature in 1934, LCRA manages the lower 600 miles of the Texas Colorado River, which provides water to more than 1.4 million people, and is one of the largest public power providers in Texas, supplying power to more than 30 retail electric cooperatives and municipalities. It also owns and operates more than 5,000 circuit miles of transmission lines and owns or operates more than 40 parks.

LCRA’s new 900 MHz broadband licenses will expand LCRA’s LTE coverage to 34 additional Texas counties, building upon the 68 counties covered by the earlier agreement. This agreement will work toward expanding the reach of LCRA’s private LTE network to provide long-term grid awareness, communications, and operational intelligence that will further advance grid resilience and support innovation within LCRA’s service territory. It also will enhance LCRA’s ability to serve external users of its network, including electric cooperatives, schools, and transit authorities. 

“Today’s follow-on agreement between Anterix and LCRA testifies to the power of the partnerships that the 900 MHz private network revolution has built across the utility sector,” said Anterix President & CEO Scott Lang. “As the first critical infrastructure operator to expand its 900 MHz wireless broadband network, LCRA welcomes the power of private LTE connectivity to transform its operations and help ensure a resilient energy future for its customers and communities. This transaction also highlights the growing scale and impact of 900 MHz private wireless networks for supporting the utility sector’s journey toward a more reliable and secure energy future.”

Lang added, “The progress of this journey is particularly apparent in Texas, as LCRA’s second spectrum transaction with Anterix means that, together with our other Texas utility partners, 93% of Texas counties will be served by 900 MHz private wireless broadband networks. Thanks to its growing potential to harness cross-sector utility use cases like mutual assistance and storm response, we believe that Texas may become a model for other regions of the country to see more capabilities of 900 MHz utility private LTE in action.”

LCRA Executive Vice President, Enterprise Resources Stephen Kellicker said, “The 900 MHz private LTE solution plays an important role in supporting LCRA’s mission. Since LCRA’s relationship with Anterix began, we have continued to identify additional ways to serve Texans using LTE. LCRA’s private broadband network deployment is a significant element to help address our industry’s challenges and help support the people and organizations in our service territory.”