Feature
coverage nsidered utility in buildings
mobile coverage or even considered how they can improve signal within their own building. With the impact to employees and their productivity clear, this has to change.
The blame game
But who (or what) is behind the coverage issues we experience day-to-day, and whose responsibility should it be to fix them? It’s not just a general lack of understanding
about how mobile coverage actually works that is hindering progress towards a solution here, but wide-spread confusion around which parties are both capable of and responsible for resolving the issues. Our research highlighted exactly this,
with consumers pointing the finger at a wide variety of sources – from mobile network operators (MNOs) and IT managers, to building designers and the devices themselves – for the problems they encounter. However, it is not the sole responsibility
of any one party to address indoor network issues; instead, it is a responsibility that must be shared – particularly among facilities managers, building planners and businesses. In order to respond to and ultimately resolve issues, we must first understand the root cause of the
problem.
Bringing the network inside To get technical, the key to effective indoor mobile coverage and capacity is far-travelling and uninterrupted signal
– something that today’s modern building materials, i.e. metallised insulation, steel frames, treated glass etc., do their best to block. It’s a problem that will heighten with the
progression to 5G as, typically speaking, the higher the mobile communications frequency the shorter the range, and the more susceptible the signal will be to interruptions from even the most standard building materials. The fix therefore is to put the network
in their workplace, John Lillistone, bile coverage, discussing where a solution…
colleagues, tasks taking longer that they should, or simply making them uncontactable. Our reliance on mobile coverage to do
our jobs should come as no surprise, but the emotional impact could also be cause for company concern: a quarter (26%) of our respondents admitted that a lack of mobile coverage at work causes them extreme levels of stress and frustration. Up to now, many businesses have neglected to prepare fully for the demands for complete
inside the buildings via an in-building solution. But even here, ownership can look complicated. Most buildings today are multi-use and
multi-occupancy, meaning there isn’t the business case for MNOs to fund separate in-building solutions. Instead, the requirement is for building and facilities managers to implement infrastructure that will support all operators. This can be achieved via distributed
antenna systems (DAS), installed throughout a building to provide mobile coverage for the people inside and nearby. This network of small antennas is linked back to a central control hub, and in turn to MNO
fmuk 37 John Lillistone
base stations – ensuring a strong mobile signal inside the building and reliable service for customers of all networks. A perfect solution – but one that absolutely
requires cross party collaboration! The fifth utility
You could say that mobile coverage has become the fifth utility in a building, as much an expected necessity as gas, water, electricity, and broadband. Mobile coverage can no longer be an
after-thought for business owners and building managers. Sufficient connectivity is not only essential for businesses in gaining and retaining the best employees (our data suggests 1 in 4 Brits would move jobs as a result of office signal ‘black spots’), but for buildings managers in keeping the best clients. It is therefore a collective responsibility
– MNOs working with building managers, building managers working with business – to make sure effective solutions are implemented. For business owners that means making
visits to new locations to check mobile coverage before making an agreement to move in, while business and facilities managers need to start exploring the best in-building solutions for their offices and making the case to the MNOs. Eventually this will trigger a step change
in the industry’s approach to in-building solutions and commercial property professionals will begin considering their implementation as part of new builds, rather than retrofitting, which is a more complex and expensive operation. We know mobile coverage usage is
trending upwards. As network demands continue to increase and higher frequencies emerge as we move closer towards 5G, it is this collective responsibility that will start resolving the issues we feel so pertinently today.
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