Wireless communication is a problem that cities are now facing across the country. This is not what will happen in ten years, but rather a revolution that is happening right now. No one could have predicted that a wireless device should explode as it was.
Are you thinking about wireless coverage within your city’s infrastructure?
We need to start thinking about wireless as an infrastructure - just as we think about water and sewage systems. Four out of five Americans say that mobile communication is a necessary part of their daily lives. Let's be clear - mobile Internet access is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Again and again, research after studying on this topic, several sources all say the same thing: Internet connection NOW is an important element of modern life. Connectivity is an important part of private enterprise, home life and effective management. We must do our best in our cities to facilitate the deployment of wireless infrastructure.
The urgent need for a reliable wireless infrastructure will only increase. It’s hard to keep up with the demand for additional wireless infrastructure to serve businesses and residents in our communities, but demand will increase further. When you think of wireless, do you just think of mobile phones? It really is a lot more. It includes water meters, gas meters, each electric meter. Almost every new car delivered today has a cellular modem on board. Traffic lights, street lights, iPhones, even iWatches.
In less than 12 months, major carriers will begin deploying 5G in selected US cities, including California. Most of us have heard of 5G. Although exact specifications have not yet been released, the basic idea is to provide mobile data at the same speed as modern broadband connections in residential areas. This means that the wireless Internet on our mobile devices has about the same speed as in our home. This will change EVERYTHING. This is the most important trend in modern infrastructure after the massive deployment of broadband Internet. Imagine a world where a fast fast Internet connection no longer requires a hard connection. The enterprise and services supported by this infrastructure are revolutionizing the way data is collected, running a business and everyday life.
Many of us here remember the introduction of the Internet to people's homes. Initially, the Internet was considered as a novelty. Most businesses did not take this very seriously. Even when we got to the point that most companies had a web page, they were pretty static, and there was still a lot of controversy about how useful the Internet was for the average person. Today, I think there is no doubt that this is an important component of modern life. Currently, the vast majority of companies have not only a website, but also mobile versions of their sites with built-in e-commerce. Billions are sold over the Internet. Applications are optimized to work on mobile devices right out of the gate. In January 2018, an incredible 95 percent of active Facebook users accessed their account through their mobile devices at least once. Mobile data accounts for dozens of similar workloads, necessitating the expansion of wireless infrastructure.
Mobile video is a huge component of this demand. Video streaming already accounts for more than 75% of the total data. People who are near or below the poverty line, much more often than middle-income and high-income Americans, have only one source of access to the Internet.
This source is almost always a mobile phone. For them, the lack of quality data coverage is not just inconvenient, it can be a barrier between them and critical health, banking services, job search and public services. We really need more time to think about how wireless infrastructure plays a key role in serving low-income residents who live in our cities.
80% of calls 9-1-1 made from mobile phones. Can you imagine whether it was so difficult to make this emergency call, how to send a photo from a crowded stadium? Investing in a wireless infrastructure is more than just an income opportunity. Cities should encourage its spread. Reliable wireless infrastructure supports public safety and can save lives.
Cities can take advantage of the private sector to create a better wireless infrastructure for free for taxpayers. It is here that he takes the lead. Cities need to adapt to the world of connectivity to meet the needs of the community.
After nearly a decade of work in this arena, we still cannot tell you that all the right and wrong answers are because each city has a unique profile and needs. However, I can tell you that cities should explore every opportunity to provide their participants with the infrastructure necessary to improve the economy, public safety and quality of life.
