From Class A commercial buildings and corporate facilities to malls and college campuses, a robust in-building wireless experience is a new utility
From maximizing business uptime to enabling a smart city, in-building wireless connectivity is quickly being regarded as an essential utility just like power or water. But, as wireless carriers and service providers reach the end of capex cycles, the financial burden of connected buildings of all sizes is put on real estate developers, property owners and enterprises.
In an enterprise context, always-on connectivity offers a competitive advantage by making business systems and applications more reliable. In developing an IT strategy that delivers in-building wireless, CIOs must also consider the impact of data breaches, the trend toward BYOD, compliance issues and other factors. But here’s the problem: mobile data usage is approximately doubling every year-and-a-half and 80% of mobile calls come from inside; yet, a mere 2% of the 30-billion-square-meters of commercial real estate worldwide is covered from the inside.
These needs and industry emphasis on bringing LTE inside underscore the importance of connected and efficient buildings, a major strategic and product thrust from CommScope, which Patrick Lau, CommScope director of business development in North America, discussed with RCR Wireless News.
“An integrated infrastructure that supports wired and wireless networks and applications is imperative for modern businesses,” Lau said. “But undertaking in-building wireless projects is a balance between addressing physical and space issues, while still providing the mobility needed to enable productivity. The building needs to keep people happy, safe and comfortable. It must support the workplace of the future.”
To build an attractive business case for enterprises and venue owners, CommScope developed its ION-E solution, which avoids complicated (and costly) RF planning and optimization, along with extensive physical layer builds, with a scalable, flexible system that’s more like a Wi-Fi installation.
In a recent blog post, CommScope’s David Beihoff made the connection between in-building wireless and the internet of things, which encompasses RFID readers, security cameras, access control panels, lighting and other building systems. He also noted how capex can be controlled due to innovations that allow expensive coaxial cable to be replaced with ordinary Category 6A cable.
“It is clear that leveraging a common infrastructure for all building applications brings a variety of benefits, and is a key enabler of connected and efficient buildings,” he wrote. “And by optimizing the infrastructure with Category 6A twisted-pair cabling, you’ll be opening possibilities for current and future applications.”
As enterprises undertake digital transformation, in-building wireless will be a major determinant of success. With so many vital decisions to be made, it’s important to follow proven best practices with a vendor partner experienced in providing collaborative development, a range of cost structures and technical expertise.
To learn more about the important role of in-building wireless to enterprise success, download this detailed CommScope e-book, “Insights Into New Technologies in the Workplace: Best Practices.”
