Requirements for connectivity, heralded as the fourth utility, will continue to rise as demand for ubiquitous in-building cellular connectivity reaches unprecedented levels 2019.
The massive consumption of data by smartphone users
Global mobile data traffic is expected to nearly triple to 77.49 from 28.56 exabytes each month in the next four years, according to data collected by Statista. Increased data consumption primarily driven by a workforce of millennial consumers who require connectivity at all times will require building owners to ensure that their properties offer robust seamless connectivity throughout their properties.
“There is widespread recognition now that mobile connectivity is the building’s fourth utility. Building owners realize that reliable coverage is essential to prospective tenants, and they’re seeing better tenants in buildings with advanced connectivity,” said Tormod Larsen, chief technology officer of ExteNet Systems.
“Our 4G LTE enabled buildings have a leg-up as these are already future-proofed for easier and cost-effective migration to 5G. Managed fiber is integral to our value proposition to building owners and their tenants.”
Requirements from an increasingly mobile workforce
A second major factor driving the requirement for robust connectivity is from an increasingly mobile workforce as more companies rely on cloud-based systems and applications such a video conferencing to connect remote employees.
According to a report by Harvard Business Review, remote workers are often more engaged with colleagues and supervisors than in-office workers, 87% of remote workers feel more connected through the use of video conferencing.
The tremendous success of co-working which has directly resulted from the location shift of major companies to urban areas with 21st-century workspace requirements more building owners will need to provide ubiquitous connectivity to attract premium tenants.
The emergence of private cellular LTE, CBRS
With LTE spectrum now being made available to non-traditional network operators, more businesses and entrepreneurs will be able to pursue network applications across multiple industries, including manufacturing, shipping, health care, and transportation.
Existing manufacturing and shipping operations require thousands of automated systems working harmoniously together to either produce a product or move product from one location to another.
Many warehouses and manufacturing plants utilize automated systems and robotics which currently rely on hard-wired connections, Wi-Fi, or GPS to perform their respective functions will soon migrate to 5G cellular. While Wi-Fi and GPS work relatively well, they are less reliable than cellular connectivity. Wireless industrial networks based on LTE will enable businesses to create an advanced “digital nervous system” for all IoT devices to operate bringing unparalleled connectivity, reliability, speed, and safety.
Similarly, private LTE networks will also improve healthcare facilities where the number of internet-ready devices being deployed is growing dramatically.
Combining IoT medical devices with more reliable private LTE network, medical professionals are now able to receive up-to-date, real-time analysis of their patient’s well being without delay from anywhere within the facility. Everything from digital thermometers to ventilation machines can now be networked to provide aggregate data, which should help improve the quality of healthcare received by patients.
Owners of both commercial office healthcare and industrial properties can now leverage the mobile broadband network to control their building management services and effectively improve tenant experience and the inherent value of their building.