Wireless infrastructure in cities
Wireless connectivity is an issue facing cities across the country today. This is not something that is going to happen in ten years, but a revolution that is happening right now. No one could have predicted that wireless technology would explode the way it has.
Do you think of wireless coverage as part of the infrastructure of your city?
We need to start thinking of wireless as infrastructure, the same way we think of water and sewer systems. Four out of five Americans say mobile connectivity is a necessary part of their daily lives. Let’s be clear: mobile Internet access is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Time after time, study after study on this topic, multiple sources say the same thing: Internet connectivity is NOW an essential element of modern life. Connectivity is a fundamental part of private enterprise, home life, and effective governance. We should do everything possible in our cities to encourage the deployment of wireless infrastructure.
The pressing need for a robust wireless infrastructure is only going to increase. It’s hard to keep up with the demand for additional wireless infrastructure to serve the businesses and residents of our communities, but the demand will continue to grow. When you think of wireless technology, do you only think of mobile phones? It really is much more than that. Includes water meters, gas meters, all electricity meters. Almost every new car delivered today has a cellular-enabled modem on board. Traffic lights, streetlights, iPhones, even iWatches.
In less than 12 months, major carriers will begin rolling out 5G in select US cities, including California. Most of us have heard of 5G. While exact specifications have yet to be released, the general idea is to provide mobile data at the same speed as current residential broadband connections. This means wireless Internet on our mobile devices at almost the same speed as we have at home. This will change EVERYTHING. This is the most important trend in modern infrastructure since the massive deployment of broadband Internet. Imagine a world where having a blazing-fast Internet connection no longer requires a wired connection. The enterprise and services that this infrastructure will support will revolutionize the way we collect data, conduct business, and go about our daily lives.
Many of us here remember the introduction of the Internet into people’s homes. Initially, the Internet was seen as a novelty. Most companies didn’t take it very seriously. Even when we got to the point where most companies had a website, they were pretty static and there was still a lot of debate about how useful the internet was to the average person. Today, I think there is no question that it is a critical component of modern life. Now, the vast majority of businesses don’t just have a website, they have mobile versions of their websites with eCommerce integrated. Billions are sold through the Internet. Apps are optimized to work on mobile devices right out of the box. In January 2018, an incredible 95 percent of active Facebook users accessed their account through mobile devices at least once. There are dozens of similar pressures on mobile data driving the need for expanded wireless infrastructure.
Mobile video is a big component of this demand. Video streaming already accounts for more than 75% of total data consumption. People near or below the poverty line are much more likely than middle- and upper-income Americans to have only one source of Internet access.
That source is almost always a mobile phone. For them, the lack of quality data coverage is not only an inconvenience, it can be the barrier between them and critical health, banking, job search and government services. We really need to spend more time thinking about how wireless infrastructure plays a key role in serving the low-income residents who live in our cities.
80% of 9-1-1 calls are made from mobile phones. Can you imagine if making that emergency call was as difficult as sending a photo from a crowded stadium? Investing in wireless infrastructure is more than just an income opportunity. Cities should encourage their proliferation. A robust wireless infrastructure supports public safety and can save lives.
Cities can leverage private sector investment to build the best wireless infrastructure at no cost to taxpayers. This is where leadership is needed. Cities need to adapt to the world of connectivity to meet the needs of the community.
After nearly a decade of working in this field, we still can’t tell you what the right and wrong answers are because every city has a unique profile and needs. What I can tell you, though, is that cities should explore every opportunity to provide their constituents with the infrastructure they need to improve the economy, public safety, and our quality of life.