Matt Addicks, Product Marketing Lead, Private 5G and Neutra Host, Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions
With the explosion of devices and technology on campuses, students add one more worry when it comes to school — having reliable cellular connectivity. Social media, digital learning tools, productivity apps, and emergency communications are vital to both the learning and social experiences for students. As connected technologies impact every aspect of the college experience, it has become imperative for universities to offer reliable and resilient 5G technology to their students.
A key part of maintaining this resilient technology is improving indoor cellular coverage so students can always access a reliable network from their mobile devices. A student’s university experience or safety shouldn’t suffer simply because a building has poor coverage. Through a neutral host network, campuses can extend cellular coverage and capacity to ensure students remain connected regardless of their location.
Defining the neutral host network
For years, organizations have extended coverage through legacy DAS — Distributed Antenna System — deployments. DAS deployments are often complex due to the amount of hardware and infrastructure required to support the system, which requires digital to analog conversion. In addition, the nature of legacy DAS hardware makes integrating into buildings time consuming, making implementations cost-prohibitive.
Unlike traditional DAS, more modern digital neutral host solutions that utilize small cells allow enterprises to support multiple carriers and improve coverage with a lot less hardware and cabling. The right 5G neutral host network shares radio infrastructure among carriers, reducing complexity and cost for the enterprise. Additionally, there is more flexibility to expand network coverage without having to re-architect headend equipment like with DAS deployments.
Based on Ericsson data, the smaller composition of these small cell neutral host deployments allows enterprises to deploy carrier-grade infrastructure with a physical footprint up to 80% less than traditional DAS architecture while consuming up to 70% less energy. The lesser footprint can allow enterprises to deploy neutral host solutions twice as fast as DAS.
How Indoor 5G Coverage Supports the College Experience
There are multiple ways a small cell neutral host network solution can support the college experience.
Classroom Experience
In many lecture halls, labs, classrooms, and even dorm rooms, the college learning experience is now one that exists almost entirely on the foundation of connected devices and apps. Therefore, the learning environment requires an always-on connection where professors can access their lesson plans while students need a network to complete assignments. The risks of latent or interrupted connectivity could range from a disorganized lecture to a late assignment or even a disrupted exam. When Wi-Fi is unavailable or unreliable, 5G can ensure students receive the same connectivity from one lecture hall to the next.
These frustrations can have impacts that cascade from the student to the university’s bottom line. It can cause students and/or parents to feel as if the learning experience is hampered, therefore creating notions that neither party is getting their money’s worth. This could lead students to move off campus or leave the university altogether. Extending strong indoor 5G coverage reduces interruptions in the learning experience, helps set students up for success, and encourages them to continue learning at their current institution
Campus Safety
Campus safety has unfortunately become more important than ever in recent years, prompting schools to invest in technology to keep students safe regardless of the circumstances. For example, universities may use mass notification systems, which commonly leverage delivery on mobile devices, as an important part of campus safety. These life-saving notifications must be delivered and received in real time. If a student is in a part of a building with unreliable connectivity, they may miss this information. Moreover, in a campus-wide emergency, students may need to contact their parents or other loved ones to give them updates. When the university is able to provide reliable coverage in an emergency situation, it may protect students, maintain a positive reputation, and mitigate potential legal repercussions.
On-Campus Hospitals
For campuses with medical schools, students are usually brought to the on-campus hospital during medical emergencies. Like other buildings with coverage issues, certain areas within a hospital can experience coverage outages. As a result, these facilities can benefit from a coverage extension solution. With the right neutral host network, campuses can mitigate these coverage issues and ensure that hospitalized students can connect with loved ones and keep them apprised of their health status.
Research
Research has also become an area in which universities leverage connected tools, thus necessitating resilient and constant coverage. The low latency, high bandwidth capabilities of 5G power enable researchers to capture and share real-time data points, while supporting the applications that drive each study. Further, it accelerates the deployment of successful solutions, leading to faster real-world impact. Interruptions due to connectivity issues can cause delays in testing, and data sharing, which can cut into funding and other resources.
Investing in the Future with Neutral Host
As the college experience becomes even more digitally dependent, universities will have to continue investing in cellular connectivity solutions that are always on and able to transmit large amounts of data. Consequently, universities may look to newer cellular technology as it becomes available (like 5G advanced). The small cell nature of a comprehensive neutral host solution allows universities to take a measured and cost-effective approach to how they upgrade their connectivity infrastructure. This translates to a solution that is future-proof, contributes positive ROI, and supports a positive college experience for generations to come.