In November, President-elect Donald Trump announced he would appoint Brendan Carr as the new chairman of the FCC. A Republican currently serving on the Commission, Carr will aim to redirect the FCC’s focus toward broadband expansion — especially in rural areas, streamlined infrastructure development and improved public safety communications. Should Carr’s plans come to fruition, they could pave the way for more widespread adoption of advanced cellular connectivity solutions, which are becoming increasingly vital in today’s always-online, data-driven world.
A modern wireless strategy is integral to doing business in America – from big-box retailers offering reliable cellular signal throughout their stores, to warehouses using smart devices to keep supply chains rolling, to schools and other institutions providing unwavering FirstNet connectivity for emergency responders. The promise of expanding these capabilities should instill a sense of optimism in leaders. However, businesses will still face challenges in navigating new compliance strictures and determining the best connectivity solutions to adopt.
Here are three things leaders can anticipate during this transition of the FCC’s leadership:
#1 – New regulations could accelerate advanced cellular adoption
Looser regulations on wireless technology will reduce barriers to deployment, encouraging businesses to upgrade their cellular connectivity infrastructure and deliver reliable coverage throughout the site. At the same time, a surge in deployment could help to invigorate the $133 billion U.S. telecommunications industry and hasten its growth. During this period of regulatory shifting, companies should invest in reliable, flexible, in-building wireless to keep up with connectivity demands.
The good news is that we’re ready. Many modern systems — such as cellular signal boosters or intelligent active DAS — are fairly easy to install, allowing businesses to upgrade indoor coverage quickly and start leveraging better cellular connectivity right away. With companies becoming more tech-reliant, they’ll be running more devices in their stores, office buildings and warehouses, and those devices will need stable connections to remain operational. Advanced cellular DAS delivers superior coverage throughout the premises, keeping critical systems, supporting operations and transactions, online – in addition to our cell phones, laptops, tablets and other personal connected devices.
Fewer regulations also mean that companies can pursue more technologically advanced solutions without much hindrance. For example, they might opt for an AI-equipped DAS applications that process data at the network edge, leading to greater data security and privacy. The new administration’s overall stance on AI is still nebulous, and many new regulations and policies could emerge at both the federal and local levels, but AI’s impact on connectivity needs is undeniable.
It’s not just scaled-back regulations that could accelerate advanced cellular adoption, though. The new FCC Chairman believes that large tech companies should invest more deeply in the country’s overall connectivity infrastructure – which would expand the implementation of cellular DAS systems and make services like private LTE more accessible.
#2 – Compliance will likely get complicated
Under the new administration, the FCC plans to “increase accountability” for tech companies, reducing their influence on public communications. While Carr was referencing social media companies that provide a “digital town square,” new accountability measures could also apply to telecoms and other communications technology companies. Ideally, greater accountability will lead to more trustworthy and reliable solutions – and more freedom for the businesses that rely on them. But this also creates potential compliance challenges, especially where data privacy and security are concerned.
Deregulation shifts some of the burden to businesses to ensure their wireless systems are secure and not damaging the macro network. Businesses may have to consider account not only changing federal regulations, but also the impact of changes on industry and organizational standards. With this burden comes though, comes more autonomy over the solutions they employ to ensure connectivity is stable and secure.
One area where we may see increased adoption rates is private cellular networks. Some intelligent DAS solutions can now support both public signal boosting and private networking. Private cellular networks are organization-specific, requiring a SIM card or other identifier to register a device on the network . This increases the level of data security for IoT devices, mission-critical sensors, and productivity applications. Low-cost private networks, built on a reliable cellular infrastructure offer enterprises and easy on-ramp for adding advanced capabilities.
With the combination of greater accountability and autonomy, it should become easier for businesses to better meet their need to maintain security while improving operational efficiencies. However, businesses must be able to manage some uncertainty as changes take effect and ripple through the industry.
#3 – Reduced barriers will catalyze innovation
In addition to increasing the rate of advanced cellular adoption, reduced regulatory barriers could inspire new technologies that drive operational improvements. Times of change always present opportunities for innovation: between the lines drawn by evolving rules and regulations, businesses find room for new, creative solutions to their everyday challenges.
Over the next four years, we might expect companies to:
- Uncover new business use cases for their connected devices — When they don’t have to worry about connectivity issues, they’re free to experiment.
- Quickly improve connectivity across multiple business locations — New stores, offices, warehouses and datacenters are able to quickly and easily implement a robust wireless infrastructure ready to support the latest IoT and sensor applications.
- Access emerging technologies more quickly — If they’re able to tap into the growth of 5G+ and reliable, lower-cost private LTE, companies can offer stronger connectivity at a broader scale.
Greater access to seamless cellular connectivity will ultimately make American businesses more competitive. However, less government interference means that companies themselves will need to take the lead in upgrading their systems, rather than relying on forced compliance.
