Tony LeFebvre, director of product management at wireless network specialist TE Connectivity, stated:
“Although businesses are campaigning for a 4G network, one of the main challenges is to avoid the disappointment we saw with the rollout of 3G and actually deliver the performance that is expected. The demand for data is increasing rapidly and will only increase further as businesses rely more and more on data intensive applications and services, such as CRM and the cloud. At the same time, the use of mobile devices is being encouraged within the workplace, which is only set to add even more pressure on the network.
“If operators aren’t able to provide the capacity required, businesses will have to continue putting up with issues such as slow data downloads, interrupted streaming and patchy internet access, which defeats the object of rolling out a new network in the first place. As a result, the UK workforce will not have the resources of their competitors in other countries which already have 4G – a difficult position to be in given the UK is considered one of the top leaders in technology.
“The only way to ensure that 4G is a success is for operators to address the current network infrastructure. A major issue is that users will only feel the benefit of next generation services if they are close to the transmitter, which is extremely impractical and a sure sign that an alternative to traditional macro tower architecture is needed. Although the use of small cells is widely debated, a key small cell architecture solution, Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), is often overlooked. By propagating signals via discreet, remote antennas, DAS increases the precision with which coverage and capacity are delivered, thus improving the ability to download data, access the internet and stream video content whenever and wherever the user is. This will ensure that 4G capacity is distributed to exactly where it is needed, allowing UK businesses to enjoy the full business benefits of 4G and subsequently remain a solid competitor in international markets.”