Something in the air

The ‘always connected’ generation that has grown out of the WiFi revolution is providing new opportunities for site owners

We’ve all experienced it – a dropped mobile signal just as your partner is telling you what they want from the shops or no WiFi access when you need to send that all-important work e-mail from your PDA before boarding a plane. Because of such issues, the ability to communicate at all times is so sought-after that landlords and estate owners are providing their centres, their tenants and visitors with seamless coverage and realising the benefits of running traditional fixed applications over a wireless network.

The difficulty for land owners is that many sites are either too large to enjoy consistent coverage from external cellular cells or feature structural elements which external signals cannot penetrate. With the advent of 3G services which take up more bandwidth, data speed and capacity have become issues, making it a lot more difficult to deliver sufficient capacity via weakened external signals. Additionally, in terms of WiFi, centres need a dedicated and secure network, providing a reliable service. Site owners should not fear these changes in technology. In fact, the ‘always connected’ generation can provide new cost saving and revenue generating opportunities.

The best solution for landlords is one which is built-in and will allow them to provide high quality cellular and WiFi coverage on one network. A good solution will also allow them to offer new and more flexible communications facilities to tenants and visitors, ensuring everyone receives a better overall communications experience in public spaces, and will also open up new revenue streams.

An example of an effective way to resolve this problem is Arqiva’s funded, managed and marketed InBuilding solution, which offers a ‘neutral host’ network for the tailored deployment of multiple wireless applications. The solution can be adjusted according to the centre’s commercial requirements and physical environment.

InBuilding, which is funded and managed by Arqiva, is based upon proven technology that has been used extensively to provide excellent coverage in even the most challenging of structures. The antennas are designed to be unobtrusive to the eye and can be mounted discreetly on walls or ceilings. Additionally, the system can be shared by all of the cellular and IP wireless network operators, as tenants, so there is only one set of antennas and one installation process. Whilst this generates additional revenue for site owners, it is also beneficial to operators as the costs are shared and the installation process handled for them.

However, the most significant aspect of the solution is its abililty to carry multiple applications which allows a lot more than just 2G, 3G and wireless broadband coverage. Public facilities such as shopping centres can use the wireless connectivity to enhance communications between centre managers, retailers and even the police, helping to raise awareness of safety issues and manage security incidents in the area. Building owners can also start to implement value-adding services such as touchscreen information portals, child tracking and automatic number plate recognition systems which can run off a WiFi network. Simply put, any device with an IP address can run off a WiFi network.
In addition, traditionally separate and fixed services such as CCTV can be migrated onto Arqiva’s wireless infrastructure, introducing economies of scale whilst boosting the breadth and efficiency of internal services. Putting these types of services over wireless will considerably reduce ongoing operational costs.

One further benefit is the greater convenience it brings. Once the solution is deployed then Arqiva will act as the interface between the building owner and the operators, leaving one single point of contact. The day-to-day operator requirements are also handled by Arqiva so the landlord does not have to deal with them.

On the whole, demand for wireless services is increasing and landlords need to respond to this in a manner which is efficient and cost-effective to them. Deploying an InBuilding system is an ideal solution as it allows both excellent cellular reception in all locations and sophisticated IP wireless services, whilst opening up opportunities to generate multiple revenue streams.

For further information, contact Arqiva on 0800 052 6246, email wireless.solutions@arqiva.com, or visit their website at www.arqiva.com