“Smart cities”, the new favorite buzzword in the media, is usually accompanied by terms like IoT and 5G. We are told they will all work together to create a promised brave new world. Every mention of a 5G future makes it sound as if Emerald City is just around the corner waiting to burst onto the scene once this new tech is rolled out.
That’s only a half truth.
5G is a big piece of the puzzle but so is artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, intelligent infrastructure, and, of course, lots of money. And there is one mostly unnoticed component that helps clear the last hurdle in making your home part of a smart city.
Imagine fleets of autonomous vehicles delivering people, packages, and more on demand. Traffic accidents and violations become a thing of the past because that autonomous fleet communicates with traffic systems around the city. AI molding traffic into a tide that ebbs and flows as users migrate throughout a sea of asphalt. Perhaps you imagine an intelligent electrical grid that can anticipate the needs of citizens, react instantly, and save money in the process. Whatever your vision of a smart city is, you probably spend a lot of time thinking how great it will be for you. And one of the biggest attractions of 5G smart cities for end mobile users will be the ability to work from home.
The number of telecommuters in the work force is already surging as technology advances and more companies adopt a BYOD policy. Combine that with the wide availability of fast internet across urban landscapes and you’ve got yourself a pretty spiffy home office. Freelancers, telecommuters, and entrepreneurs are drooling over adding 5G to their arsenal of home office amenities.
This all sounds awesome but let’s be honest, dropped calls and unreliable signal inside buildings is more common than not and 5G is not going to help, in fact it’s going to make it worse. So, what is this mythical technology that will seamlessly marry your home with the smart city around it? It’s called a DAS and it could not only help improve your connection today but also ensure that you are ready for 5G tomorrow.
DAS stands for Distributed Antenna System. Put simply, a DAS works like a system of cell towers scaled down to fit inside a building. A network of antennas is designed and installed to send and receive communications with end users. This smaller network brings the outside connection inside, allowing the signal to negotiate around any obstacles. Without a comprehensive in-building wireless solution, access to cellular connection will disappear, crippling business functionality.
I know what you may be thinking, and the answer is no, you cannot rely on Wi-Fi calling. So, what can you do if your building doesn’t have a DAS? Demand one. Tenants are the sole source of revenue for any building so ultimately their demands will be accommodated. Connectivity is a necessity for every individual and business, so before signing that fresh lease ask, “How great is the connectivity in this building?” If the answer is anything less than great follow up with, “How are you going to fix it?”
Let Intenna Systems be your answer to that final question. We bring over 20 years of industry knowledge and cutting-edge technology to every DAS solution we install. We offer free budgetary designs and estimates for verticals including office buildings, healthcare campuses, universities, and more. Users have the right to demand uncompromising connection in the digital world. Make sure you get what you deserve.
