Editor’s Note: Welcome to our weekly Reality Check column where C-level executives and advisory firms from across the mobile industry share unique insights and experiences.
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday right around the corner, people are about to get more mobile. From new wearables and gadgets like the Wi-Fi coffee maker to Apple’s double-whammy iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus combination, there seems to be no limit to the wireless products you can buy your loved ones for the holidays this year. The key is to make sure our buildings are outfitted with enough wireless connectivity to handle this looming surge in data transmissions.
Consider this: Apple’s new iPhones just broke records when more than 10 million devices were sold in the opening weekend. In the month after both models went on sale, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners found that 91% of iPhone buyers chose one of the new models. This is significantly more than the 84% of people who chose the new models when the iPhone 5C and 5S came out last year. Additionally, the average storage capacity is 48 gigabytes, which is about double the average capacity from last year’s new device sales. The maximum storage capacity is now at an impressive 128 GB.
This is an unprecedented amount of data that people are carrying around in their pockets, and much of it is being downloaded, streamed or shared through indoor distributed antenna system and small cell networks. In other words, the traditional telecom networks are about to be flooded.
If there is any question about the level of demand, Apple CEO Tim Cook put that to rest on a recent earnings call when he said that “we’re not even on the same planet” when it comes to supply and demand for the new phones. There are reports that Apple has even delayed production of a larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro to divert more resources to meeting demand for the new iPhones. Increasing demand is becoming a global issue as well. For the first time ever, Cook notes that demand for Apple devices has increased in every country. Needless to say, demand on wireless networks is increasing faster than ever before, and it’s happening on a global scale.
IPhones are historically one of the most popular gifts of the holiday season, and this year will undoubtedly be no exception. But these devices don’t only make popular gifts. They’re used as shopping tools as customers look up reviews and compare pricing, making seamless connectivity a critical factor for consumers and retailers alike.
For a wide variety of structures – whether it be a shopping mall, sports stadium or a college campus – older wireless networks won’t stand much of a chance against the coming deluge of data, and those venue operators will be in need of a quick upgrade to their DAS or small cell networks as soon as January arrives and everyone is communicating on their new devices.
Critical communications
Being able to easily text pictures to friends and stream videos in an indoor stadium is important, but having the ability to call 911 in the case of an emergency when many others may be using their devices at the same time is an absolute necessity. More than 70% of emergency calls are made from mobile phones, making it critical that calls to police, fire departments and emergency medical services connect on the first try and do not drop while vital information is being relayed.
Whether it is a natural or man-made catastrophe, medical crisis or any other type of emergency, any delay in reaching emergency personnel or issue understanding the person on the other side of a 911 call can be life-threatening. Maintaining open radio frequency between first responders is critical, and can be facilitated through small cell and DAS as well.
Kunal Hinduja is the founder and CEO of ARQ. For more information, visit http://www.arqwireless.com.
