Why Wireless? Why Now?

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As 4G LTE wireless connectivity – and now 5G – continues to get faster and more reliable, wireless services have evolved from trusty sidekick to full-on superhero status. CradlePoint’s 2019 State of WAN Study hits this point home: 52% of respondents report using LTE for primary connectivity and 48% use LTE for backup solutions. (Source: CradlePoint). Part of the reason for the greater adoption of wireless comes from the fact that employees are now more mobile than ever. Not only that, cloud-based apps and Internet of Things (IoT) devices are proliferating to the point where enterprises require constant connectivity. There’s increased pressure to deliver reliable 24/7 connections on more flexible and adaptable networks. Regardless of the industry they’re in, organizations need the ability to easily connect people, places, and things in a way that’s cost-effective and flexible, even in challenging environments – and 4G LTE wireless is delivering in a big way.

4G LTE in action

Today, 4G LTE is seamlessly providing connectivity for the branch, mobile, and IoT deployments. Wireless LTE is fast becoming a trusted WAN source, providing high-performing and reliable connections that are also scalable. Let’s look at innovative ways businesses are leveraging wireless services and how partners can help their clients succeed.

  • Backup connections – It used to be that companies relied on DSL or ISDN connections for failover protection at primary and branch offices. Now for MPLS failover, wireless WAN backup is outperforming old analog copper lines as a trusted backup network solution. As a backup solution, a wireless WAN generally includes a second network interface for remote routers to access if the primary link is down or unavailable. Branch offices are turning to 4G LTE as a backup solution to run critical Point of Sale (POS) applications, ATMs, digital signage, security cameras, laptops, and more. And, wireless as backup continues to grow in popularity. In fact, the CradlePoint WAN study tells us that 62% of survey respondents plan to increase their LTE usage in the deployment of WAN solutions in the next three years. Most predict this trend to accelerate as Gigabit LTE and 5G and mobile services expand as well.

  • Primary connections –  In addition to serving as a rock-solid backup solution, 4G networks are also gaining traction as a primary connectivity source. For mobile deployments such as emergency vehicles, police cruisers, fire trucks, buses, and service trucks, 4G wireless is an ideal choice for highly-reliable and cost-effective internet access. The cellular-based services are providing constant connectivity needed for GPS, sensors, telematics, surveillance cameras, WiFi, and other mission-critical applications. Always-on 4G powered WAN links are also running large-scale IoT deployments, giving organizations the ability to collect critical sensor data from remote sites and streamlining operations to reduce costs across.

For companies that require internet at remote locations, or temporary sites, 4G is an attractive option as well because businesses don’t have to run cable or other wiring. Unlike conventional primary WAN links from service providers that can take months to provision and deploy at times, 4G LTE can be ‘switched on’ almost immediately. It’s also a much cleaner and simpler solution when dealing with multi-tenant spaces, where it’s challenging to gain permission from landlords or others to install conventional T1 lines, for example.

Hold tight! It’s going to be a wild ride

The accelerated pace of wireless adoption shows no signs of slowing down. As business agility becomes a must-have for enterprises, businesses need smarter ways to keep people, places, and things connected at all times. Unfortunately, MPLS and legacy wired networks just can’t keep pace. Wireless WANs and enterprise-grade LTE solutions, on the other hand, are an obvious choice for companies that want to meet their ‘always connected’ goals while keeping cost and complexity down.

Want to learn more about managed wireless services? Or learn how you can help your customers get the optimal wireless solutions for their business? Talk to Broad Sky Networks! We’re ready to help you sell premium wireless LTE solutions and prepare for the rapid growth in the LTE market: Gigabit LTE – 5G. Let’s do this!