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Because it delivers high speed and reliability, as well as vastly higher bandwidth, fiber is the technology of choice to support robust connectivity. But sometimes you need to consider other options in places where fiber doesn’t fit, or isn’t practical, such as:
- Rural or remote areas
- Areas lacking existing fiber infrastructure
- Challenging terrain and weather conditions
- Right-of-way concerns or challenges
- Time to market and cost factors
- Urban environments
- Areas requiring converged technology solutions
Although there is no one-size-fits-all connectivity solution, choosing the right technology, or mix of technologies, can significantly affect network performance. Let’s discuss some of the viable technologies that can be used to overcome connectivity challenges.
Fixed wireless access
Fixed wireless technology is playing a growing role in connectivity and is considered as an efficient and scalable alternative to fiber. Fixed wireless access uses high-frequency radio waves and antennas to deliver high-speed connectivity between two fixed locations, without the need for physical cabling infrastructure. It can provide greater flexibility and affordability than fiber. Building a fiber network can be expensive and can sometimes take several years to complete, while fixed wireless technology can be easily and quickly deployed utilizing a network of fixed antennas or small receivers mounted on rooftops or walls.
Because of the short time to market associated with deploying fixed wireless technology, it is becoming an affordable solution to bring connectivity to places where fiber doesn’t always fit. Fixed wireless is also immune to many factors that can cause lengthy disruptions in fiber infrastructure such as fiber cuts, construction accidents, rodents chewing through the cables or malicious vandalism.
One of the disadvantages of FWA is that it can be adversely affected by line-of-sight obstructions including buildings, trees and landscape.
Private LTE wireless
A private LTE (long term evolution or 4G LTE) network is a localized cellular network wholly designed and dedicated to support the connectivity needs of a specific business and allows an organization to customize their business-critical applications. Since the business is the only one using the network, they can prioritize data traffic, design the network to handle their own unique connectivity needs, ensure that critical applications are running smoothly, add additional IoT services tailored to specific applications, and optimize reliability depending on setup.
A private network is basically a scaled-down version of a public cellular network, but it is solely owned and operated by the business. Private networks offer better security over a public network because they have complete control over who can access the network and the devices connected. Any business or organization looking for better control and optimization is a candidate for a private network.
5G Cellular Technology
Many people think that FWA and 5G technology are one in the same, but understanding the differences is essential when you are considering which solution best fits your current and future needs and budget. While FWA relies on dedicated point-to-point or point-to-multipoint wireless radio waves to deliver service, 5G is a wireless protocol utilizing advanced radio technologies to provide both seamless mobile capabilities and fixed wireless broadband services.
To define 5G technology in a nutshell, It runs on the same radio frequencies as the earlier 3G, 4G and 4G LTE generations of mobile technology, but with advances in technology it offers vast improvements in bandwidth capabilities, faster speeds, lower latency, security, mobility and more ways of connecting devices.
Because of the seamless connectivity that 5G offers, it will be a key driver for technological advancements including IoT, smart cities, smart transportation, smart utilities, industrial automation, and it will enable a fully connected world.
Private 5G Cellular Technology
5G private networks provide businesses with dedicated and secure cellular services that provide wireless connectivity using the 5G standard. Much like the private LTE technology, private 5G is a scalable, secure and reliable network technology that supports real-time and efficient operations. 5G delivers lower latency and higher bandwidth and reliability for operations that require enhanced network performance.
When making the choice between the two types of private networks (private LTE or 5G), you need to consider what is best for your ongoing needs. Here are a few questions you should ask:
- Does your network need to manage and support a large number of connected devices?
- Do you need seamless connectivity for mobile operations?
- Does your network need to deliver low latency performance to support rapid data transmission and real-time applications?
- Is your business in a remote or challenging environment or location?
While each option caters to unique network connectivity requirements, 5G can require a greater upfront expenditure. You will need to assess your current and future needs for speed, capacity, latency and density to decide which is the best fit for your overall operational efficiency and budget.
Free space optics
While it might sound futuristic, FSO is a viable alternative to fiber-optic cables in places where fiber can be too expensive or too difficult to install. Free space optics is a wireless line-of-site technology that uses lasers to focus light and transmit data, thus offering optical communications at the speed of light without securing spectrum licenses.
Because this technology can be quickly installed with no digging or right-of-way permits, it eliminates the need for costly physical infrastructure and maintenance fees. For operators who need to fill a gap in fixed line infrastructure, this makes it a cost-effective and reliable solution to rapidly expand last mile connectivity with fiber-like performance.
Although FSO provides high-speed, secure, and reliable data transfer, it does have some drawbacks. This technology must have an unobstructed line of sight, and it can be sensitive to atmospheric conditions.
Satellite Connectivity
Another alternative to using fiber infrastructure to deliver connectivity is satellite technology. This type of connectivity uses satellites orbiting in space to transmit and receive signals between the satellite and an antenna or dish at a home or business. Unlike fiber, it doesn’t rely on wires to transmit data.
For those living or working in rural or remote areas, satellite connectivity can offer access to the critical high-speed connectivity needed in hard-to-reach locations, so that those living there can stay connected and thrive in today’s world.
With advances in technology, satellite connectivity is considered a reliable source to utilize in rural to remote areas where there are few alternatives. On the downside, because it relies on space-orbiting satellites, the latency for satellite connectivity is much higher which can result in lower bandwidth speeds. This service is also susceptible to interruptions, drops or outages during bad weather.
Wesco Can Help You Navigate Connectivity
While there will continue to be a debate over the best connectivity technologies, it is crucial that operators carefully consider which will help them achieve their goals, both for today and for their future needs. From fiber to a variety of alternatives to use in places where fiber doesn’t fit, it’s important to collaborate with a proven connectivity expert who can help you navigate the challenges and ensure you have a successful implementation.
Wesco provides end-to-end expertise for the network connectivity that is essential in the world today. With decades of experience in deploying high speed connectivity networks, Wesco can help you solve the most complex infrastructure project challenges and quickly deploy future-ready communication networks.
Acting as a strategic partner, Wesco delivers innovative solutions for your complete connectivity needs. With a complete suite of products from leading industry suppliers, a broad services portfolio and deep industry expertise, Wesco provides end-to-end support from concept to project management and deployment.
No matter where you are in your network journey, Wesco delivers a total solution approach to meet your connectivity needs of today and for the future.
