Before ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) was the de facto standard for business communication, mobile carriers used to fund the installation of in-building wireless connectivity to help secure a business's phone line and wireless service. While it may seem like ancient history at this point, the transition to full BYOD isn’t even a decade old yet. According to a 2015 RingCentral survey, 83% of U.S.-based knowledge workers were issued a desk phone with their own personal phone number. Those who didn’t use landlines were typically provided single-carrier hardware devices to conduct business.
Now, BYOD has essentially become a death knell for the carrier-funded model of wireless - right at the time when 5G is hitting its stride. Wireless is more complex and inaccessible than ever for many companies because carriers seldom pay the upfront cost for connectivity unless it is a major event or venue like the Super Bowl or the Olympic Games. This leaves mid-sized enterprises and commercial venues in a bind where they often can't afford adequate cellular connectivity to enable digital transformation projects that rely on capacity and coverage at a scale that WiFi cannot deliver. Fortunately, there are some newer options to help these businesses receive the connectivity they require.
Converged wireless systems save costs and space
While providing indoor cellular connectivity to workers and guests is an optional investment, deploying an emergency responder communication enhancement system (ERCES) is mandatory for building owners to receive a certificate of occupancy. An ERCES is typically a distributed antenna system (DAS) that supports public safety radio frequencies (RF) such as PS 700/800, UHF, and VHF, depending on what signal the land mobile radios (LMRs) operate on in a given jurisdiction. ERCES is exclusively to provide connectivity for EMTs, firefighters, police officers, and any other first responders during emergencies.
On the other hand, a commercial DAS system is a near-identical wireless architecture that supports 4G/5G service used by general citizens with their smartphones. Some of these bands include 600MHz, 2.5GHz, mmWave, and C-band. The primary difference is a commercial DAS doesn’t require the same fire rating according to the NFPA and IFC fire codes or provide coverage to elevator shafts, stairwells, basements, and other areas.
Given the identical architecture, if building owners decide to offer commercial support in the same system as the ERCES, they will save significant costs on fiber, coaxial and power cables, space, cooling, and labor and installation. For a long time, converging these systems was not permitted by authority having jurisdictions (AHJs), who enforce the NFPA and IFC fire codes, due to concerns of interference with the public safety systems. Since 2021, DAS implementation has picked up steam once language was included in the latest NFPA 1225 code confirming it was fine to unite the systems as long as the commercial system is certified to the same standards as the ERCES.
Neutral host operators to the rescue
When people can’t afford to buy a home, they rent. That is functionally similar to the role of the neutral host operator (NHO) for small and mid-sized businesses that want the latest 5G connectivity and can’t afford the upfront cost. NHOs purchase the equipment themselves and lease it out to businesses on a monthly to yearly basis depending on the contract. The price of the installation is usually factored into the cost and so is maintenance and upkeep of the system should a problem occur. This is the ideal solution for companies that either don’t have the funding or simply don’t want to deal with the logistics and maintenance of owning one.
Modularity is essential for wireless connectivity systems
If a mid-sized business does elect to purchase a DAS themselves, it is important they make sure the system is modular and can be incrementally upgraded based on the needs of an organization. Given that the primary US mobile carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, all have different RF bands to power their nationwide 4G and 5G networks, the number of bands a system must support continues to grow.
The emergence of private wireless networks adds another wrinkle to this network complexity, where a DAS must support 900MHz and CBRS for private wireless networks to power mission-critical or sensitive administrative functions. Business owners must choose a DAS with the ability to start small, with just a few bands, and add others as their company expands or needs change without a costly rip and replace.
As digital transformation continues to be at the forefront of business, wireless is quickly becoming the fourth utility alongside gas, electric, and water. At the same time, BYOD has all but signaled the death of the carrier-funded wireless model. Fortunately, other wireless stakeholders like NHOs and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are providing opportunities for mid-sized enterprises to still obtain proper 5G connectivity at a reasonable cost.
