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Cradlepoint5G & LTE Routers

Cradlepoint R980 Ruggedized 5G Router with Wi-Fi 6 and 1-Year NetCloud Mobile Essentials + Advanced

5GMPN MBA1-R980-5GD-A
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • Dual SIM
  • eSIM
  • 2–4 × 1 Gb Ethernet
  • GPS/GNSS
  • Rugged
$1,089.84$1,191.00Save $101.16

In stockShips from the US

Included subscription · 1 year
1 year3 years+$192.165 years+$384.326 years+$866.15
Compliance · Standard
StandardTAA compliant
Region · Global
Global
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Datasheets & documents

Overview

The Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 is a ruggedized 5G router for vehicles, public safety fleets and harsh or hazardous sites. It pairs a 3GPP Release 16 5G NR modem (SA and NSA, Cat 19 LTE fallback, up to 3.4 Gbps downlink) with dual-band Wi-Fi 6, two 4FF SIM slots plus embedded eSIM, and an IP64 metal enclosure rated for -30 °C to 70 °C. This SKU, MBA1-R980-5GD-A, bundles the router with a 1-year NetCloud Mobile Essentials + Advanced plan. It ships without an AC power supply or antennas.

  • Embedded 5G NR FR1 modem (3GPP Release 16) supporting SA and NSA networks, with LTE Advanced Pro Cat 19 fallback and up to 3.4 Gbps peak downlink
  • Two 4FF SIM slots plus embedded MFF2 eSIM hardware with up to eight carrier profiles, and 5G network slicing with up to four DNN/PDN instances
  • Dual-band, dual-concurrent 2x2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 with two Gigabit Ethernet ports (LAN/WAN switchable) and one USB 2.0 port
  • IP64 ruggedized metal enclosure rated -30 °C to 70 °C, with Class I Div 2, NFPA 130, E-Mark, SAE J1455 and MIL-STD-810H shock/vibration certifications
  • 9–36 VDC input with ISO 7637-2 transient and reverse-polarity protection and ignition sensing
  • Concurrent GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou GNSS with 1-meter autonomous accuracy
  • Includes a 1-year NetCloud Mobile Essentials + Advanced plan with NetCloud Manager, 24x7 support and Docker container edge computing
  • Keep vehicles and field teams connected on 5G standalone or non-standalone networks, with automatic LTE Cat 19 fallback where 5G is not available

The Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 is a ruggedized 5G networking platform built for in-vehicle, mobile and IoT deployments where temperature extremes, vibration and hazardous locations are part of the job. Its embedded 5G NR FR1 modem supports standalone and non-standalone networks from 600 MHz to 6 GHz, with peak downlink of up to 3.4 Gbps (NSA) and LTE Advanced Pro Category 19 fallback. Two 4FF SIM slots and MFF2 eSIM hardware with up to eight carrier profiles give fleets room to run multiple carriers, and 5G network slicing supports up to four DNN/PDN instances for separating critical traffic.

The R980 is built for public safety and transit work. It carries FirstNet Trusted, Verizon Frontline Verified, T-Mobile T-Priority and ESN (4G) certifications, and it meets Class I Div 2, NFPA 130, E-Mark, SAE J1455 and MIL-STD-810H shock and vibration standards. The 9–36 VDC input includes ISO 7637-2 transient and reverse-polarity protection plus ignition sensing. Concurrent multi-constellation GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou) provides location tracking with 1-meter autonomous accuracy.

On the LAN side, 2x2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 runs concurrently on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, with two switchable Gigabit Ethernet ports and a screw-lock USB 2.0 port. The dual-core ARMv8 platform runs Docker containers for edge applications. Stateful firewall throughput is rated at 940 Mbps, with up to 20 concurrent IPsec VPN tunnels.

This part number includes a 1-year NetCloud Mobile Essentials + Advanced plan. It covers NetCloud Manager cloud management and software updates, 24x7 support, and the limited lifetime hardware warranty that applies while an active NetCloud subscription is in place. The router ships without an AC power supply or antennas. It is specified for the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Ideal for

  • Public safety and first-responder vehicles that need priority access on FirstNet, Verizon Frontline or T-Mobile T-Priority
  • Transit buses and light rail requiring NFPA 130, E-Mark and 24 VDC nominal operation
  • Utility, oil and gas field trucks and Class I Div 2 hazardous-location installs
  • Mobile command posts and field offices needing Wi-Fi 6 and GNSS location tracking
  • Ruggedized IoT gateways running containerized edge applications

Specifications

Power

Fuse
3 A fuse for 9–24 VDC; 2 A fuse above 24 VDC
Connector
4-pin 2x2 Molex Micro-Fit
Light Rail
24 VDC nominal for light rail applications
Protection
ISO 7637-2 reverse polarity and transient voltage protection
Consumption
Sleep 15 mW, idle 8 W, typical 11 W, heavy 13 W
Input Voltage
9–36 VDC steady state (in-line fuse required for vehicle installations)
AC Power Supply
No AC power supply included
Ignition Sensing
Ignition sensing (automatic on, time-delay off)

General

MPN
MBA1-R980-5GD-A
Brand
Ericsson Cradlepoint
Model
Cradlepoint R980
Region
U.S., Australia, Canada, EU, New Zealand, United Kingdom
Package Plan
1-Year NetCloud Mobile Essentials + Advanced Plans
Product Status
Active
Subscription Term
1 year
Hardware Configuration
R980 router with Wi-Fi, 5G modem, 4FF SIM slots and embedded eSIM; no AC power supply or antennas

Cellular

3g
WCDMA/UMTS/HSPA+
SMS
Yes
eSIM
Up to 8 carrier profiles
MIMO
4x4 MIMO
3g Bands
1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 19
Antennas
SMA female connectors; external 600 MHz–6 GHz paddle antennas (not included)
GNSS GPS
Active GNSS: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou
Modulation
5G FR1: up to 256 QAM downlink and uplink
Regulatory
FCC, IC, CE, RCM, UKCA
Technology
5G NR low/mid-band and 4G LTE, 600 MHz–6 GHz, 5G NSA and SA, LTE Cat 19 fallback, dual 4FF SIM, MFF2 eSIM, network slicing, 3GPP Release 16
5G NR Bands
NSA and SA: n1 (2100), n2 (1900), n3 (1800), n5 (850), n7 (2600), n8 (900), n12 (700), n13 (746-756), n14 (758-768), n18 (860-875), n20 (800), n25 (1900), n26 (850), n28 (700), n29 (717-728), n30 (2300), n38 (2600), n40 (2300), n41 (2500), n48 (3500), n66 (1700/2100), n71 (600), n75 (1500), n76 (1427-1432), n77 (3700), n78 (3500), n79 (4900)
Peak Rate SA
up to 2.4 Gbps down / 450 Mbps up
LTE Fdd Bands
B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B3 (1800), B4 (1700), B5 (850), B7 (2600), B8 (900), B12 (700), B13 (700), B14 (700), B17 (700), B18 (850), B19 (850), B20 (800), B25 (1900), B26 (850), B28 (700), B29 (700), B30 (2300), B32 (1500), B66 (1700), B71 (600)
LTE Tdd Bands
B34 (2000), B38 (2600), B39 (1900), B40 (2300), B41 (2500), B42 (3500), B43 (3700), B46 (5200), B48 (3500)
Peak Rate LTE
up to 1.6 Gbps down / 200 Mbps up
Peak Rate Nsa
up to 3.4 Gbps down / 550 Mbps up
5G Network Slicing
Up to 4 DNN/PDN instances
Transmit Power LTE
PC3 23 dBm ± 2; PC2 26 dBm ± 2 (typical conducted)
Gcf Global Operators
GCF member operators list
Transmit Power 5G NR
PC3 23 dBm ± 2; PC1.5 29 dBm ± 2 (typical conducted)
Carrier Aggregation Endc
LTE + 5G NR EN-DC: DL up to 4 CA LTE + 1 CA NR; UL up to 2 CA LTE + 2 CA NR
Private Cellular Network
Yes, including FCC Part 96 (CBRS Band 48)
Network Operator Standards
PTCRB (U.S., Canada); GCF (worldwide)
Carrier Aggregation LTE Only
DL up to 5 CA, UL up to 2 CA
Ptcrb North America Operators
PTCRB operators list
Carrier Aggregation 5G NR Only
DL up to 2 CA, UL 1 CA
Network Operator Certifications
AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon
Public Safety Network Certifications
ESN (4G), FirstNet Trusted, T-Mobile Connecting Heroes, T-Mobile T-Priority, Verizon Frontline Verified, Verizon Frontline Network Slice

GNSS GPS

Accuracy
Autonomous 1 meter
Protocols
NMEA 0183, TAIP
Frequencies
L1
Sensitivity
Acquisition -148 dBm, tracking -161 dBm, cold start -146 dBm
Update Rate
1 Hz (once per second)
Antenna Power
2.9–3.15 VDC, 100 mA max
Constellations
GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou (concurrent)
Time TO First Fix
30 seconds (cold start)

Physical

Weight
601 g (1 lb 5.2 oz)
Dimensions
133.6 x 121.5 x 41 mm (5.26 x 4.78 x 1.61 in)

Interfaces

Modem
Embedded 5G NR FR1/4G LTE modem; 4 x SMA cellular connectors; 2 x 4FF SIM; 1 x MFF2 eSIM
Ethernet
2 x GbE RJ45 (LAN/WAN switchable)
Expansion
1 x USB 2.0 Type A (5 V, 500 mA, 2.5 W) with screw lock
Wi-Fi Modes
AP, Wireless Client, Wi-Fi as WAN
Wi-Fi Radio
Dual-radio, dual-band concurrent 2x2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 with DFS
Wi-Fi Speed
574 Mbps (2.4 GHz), 1.2 Gbps (5 GHz)
Wi-Fi Roaming
802.11k, 802.11v
Wi-Fi Security
WPA/WPA2/WPA3 Personal, WPA2/WPA3 Enterprise, Open
GNSS Connector
1 x SMA GNSS antenna connector
Wi-Fi Regulatory
Global Optimized Wi-Fi and International SDR
Wi-Fi Certification
Wi-Fi Alliance Certified
Wi-Fi Antenna Connectors
2 x RP-SMA Wi-Fi antenna connectors

Wi-Fi Power

IC
2.4 GHz 26.42 dBm; 5 GHz 16.48–23.14 dBm conducted
Fcc
2.4 GHz 26.42 dBm; 5 GHz 21.20–23.14 dBm conducted
Rcm
2.4 GHz 13.91 dBm; 5 GHz 17.92–23.14 dBm conducted
CE Ukca
2.4 GHz 13.91 dBm; 5 GHz 17.92–21.48 dBm conducted

Performance

Vlans
Up to 64 Layer 2/Layer 3 VLANs
Ipsec VPN
200 Mbps point-to-point IPsec VPN
Sase SD WAN
85 Mbps SASE/Secure Connect/SD-WAN
Stateful Firewall
940 Mbps
Typical Client Count
50
Ips Application Aware
940 Mbps
Concurrent VPN Tunnels
20
Concurrent Tcp Sessions
32,000
Client Traffic Analytics
100 Mbps

Reliability

Calculated MTBF
1,407,191 hours (Telcordia SR332 at 25 °C)

Environmental

Storage Humidity
5% to 95%
Ingress Protection
IP64 (dust tight and splashing water)
Operating Humidity
10% to 95%
Storage Temperature
-40 °C to 85 °C (-40 °F to 185 °F)
Operating Temperature
-30 °C to 70 °C (-22 °F to 158 °F)

Certifications

Safety
UL/cUL, CB Scheme, EN 62368-1
Vehicle
E-Mark, SAE J1455
Security
FIPS 140-3 Level 1 in process (R980 FIPS models only)
Shock Vibration
MIL-STD-810H 514.8 Annex C-1 Cat 4 (vibration); 516.8 Proc I and Proc V (shock)
Hazardous Locations
Class I Div 2
Flame Smoke Toxicity
BSS 7239
Substance Compliance
WEEE, RoHS, REACH, California Prop 65
North American Fire Safety
NFPA 130

Cloud Services

Support
Support for the full subscription term (24x7 with Essentials)
Warranty
Limited lifetime warranty with active NetCloud subscription
Service Plans
NetCloud Service for Mobile or Ruggedized IoT
Service Add Ons
NetCloud Exchange, NetCloud Advanced
Software Updates
Via NetCloud Manager for the full term
Device Management
NetCloud Manager for the full term

Edge Computing

CPU
Dual-core ARMv8 64-bit
Memory
Up to 921 MB
Applications
Docker containerized applications
Flash Storage
Up to 8 GB

Product Summary

PoE
No
Wi-Fi
Dual-band, dual-concurrent 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
Category
Mobile, IoT
GPS GNSS
Active
5G Status
5G embedded
Bluetooth
No
USB Ports
1
Throughput
940 Mbps (firewall)
Form Factor
Ruggedized metal
VPN Tunnels
20
Serial Ports
Yes, with adapter
Ethernet Ports
2 x GbE (LAN/WAN switchable)
Cloud Management
Yes
Special Features
Container, SDK, serial port with accessory cable
Dual Modem Support
Yes, with captive modem
Operating Temperature
-30 °C to 70 °C (-22 °F to 158 °F)
Wireless Connectivity
5G and Cat 19 LTE
Private Cellular Network
Yes: CBRS, 4G LTE, 5G
Network Operator Standards
PTCRB (U.S.), GCF (global)
Subscription Terms Available
1, 3 & 5 years

Questions buyers ask

What is included with part number MBA1-R980-5GD-A?

The R980 router with Wi-Fi, a 5G modem, two 4FF SIM slots and embedded eSIM, plus a 1-year NetCloud Mobile Essentials + Advanced plan. An AC power supply and antennas are not included.

Does the R980 support 5G standalone networks?

Yes. The embedded 5G NR FR1 modem supports both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) networks, with peak downlink of up to 2.4 Gbps on SA and 3.4 Gbps on NSA, and it falls back to LTE Advanced Pro Cat 19.

What does the NetCloud Essentials + Advanced plan provide?

It includes NetCloud Manager cloud management and software updates for the full term, plus 24x7 support (phone 24 hours on weekdays with emergency weekend response, web 24x7, chat 24x5). The Advanced plan adds extra NetCloud capabilities. Cradlepoint hardware is covered by a limited lifetime warranty while an active NetCloud subscription is in place.

How is the R980 powered in a vehicle?

It accepts 9–36 VDC through a 4-pin Molex Micro-Fit connector and requires an in-line fuse: 3 A for 9–24 VDC installs, 2 A above 24 VDC. It includes ISO 7637-2 transient and reverse-polarity protection, and ignition sensing turns it on automatically and powers it off after a delay.

Which regions is this SKU designed for?

Cradlepoint lists this part number for the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union and the United Kingdom. It carries FCC, IC, CE, RCM and UKCA regulatory approvals.

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