TAKING THE PULSE OF ICT IN HEALTHCARE

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1 ICT TODAY THE OFFICIAL TRADE JOURNAL OF BICSI Janary/Febrary 2016 Volme 37, Nmber 1 TAKING THE PULSE OF ICT IN HEALTHCARE + PLUS + High-Power PoE + Using HDBaseT in AV Design for Schools + Focs on Wireless

2 FOCUS ON WIRELESS NETWORKS AVOID THESE COMMON ERRORS When Deploying an In-Bilding Wireless System By Lance Craft Implementing new technology sch as an in-bilding wireless system can be overwhelming. This is especially tre when the soltion has to spport mltiple operators, mltiple technologies (2G, 3G, 4G and even 5G) and mlti-freqency bands. In today s telecommnications landscape, planning is a critical phase. This article discsses the five most common errors that mst be avoided when deploying an in-bilding wireless system. ERROR # 1: Only Thinking abot the Needs of Today In the fast-changing telecommnications market, newly installed wireless networks can qickly become obsolete if ftre reqirements are not considered. Thinking abot present AND ftre needs helps avoid the npleasant sitation where decision-makers have to inform their management that their sizable investment no longer satisfies the company s needs and reqirements. Some qestions to ask dring the planning phase: Can the system spport all technologies? Can the system be pgraded throgh software to 4G and even 5G in the ftre? Can the system spport mltiple mobile operators?

3 Local governments arond the United States are passing ordinances reqiring enterprises to install in-bilding pblic safety coverage for first responders. With the growing adoption of Bring Yor Own Device (BYOD), can the system add mobile operators in the ftre? Can the system migrate easily from coverage to capacity with increases in data consmption de to video streaming and website browsing? Can the system spport wireless devices, sch as Wi-Fi access points and secrity cameras, over the same network? A ftre-proof soltion shold allow pgrades on a modlar basis withot ripping ot and replacing the system with a completely new one. In addition, the soltion shold be digital and software-configrable so that the network can be easily configred or reconfigred based on ftre reqirements. With sch architectre, mobile operators can be added withot changes to the original distribtion network. Another important aspect to consider in a mltipleoperator scenario is power allocation. Power shold be monitored and reglated among different mobile operators based on vendor standards to ensre optimal ser experience. With an all-digital and softwareconfigrable platform, settings are made at the network level with a graphical ser interface. This makes monitoring mch easier. In addition, with a software-configrable digital soltion, enterprises can easily pgrade to 4G and even 5G with jst a click of a btton. This is possible becase the digital signal processing is condcted sing field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices that enable signal processing changes or pgrades by simply ploading a new image into the FGPA. Therefore, with an all-digital and software configrable soltion, enterprises only need to make an initial hardware investment and simply expand and pgrade their network withot a major overhal. Lastly, a software-configrable digital soltion enables a common infrastrctre with wireless LAN. This means that licensed spectrm (2G, 3G, 4G and 5G) can coexist with nlicensed spectrm (Wi-Fi). This enables the integration of Internet protocol (IP)-based fnctions inclding Wi-Fi access points and secrity cameras, and other ftre applications sch as indoor navigation and location-based mobile advertising. This can reslt in rapid wireless coverage and capacity deployment and Wi-Fi offload while allowing seamless interoperability between voice over IP (VoIP) and voice over LTE (VoLTE) to spport Wi-Fi calling. ERROR # 2: Assming Mobile Operators Will Pay for the System Mobile operators may choose to deploy and pay for inbilding wireless systems for a nmber of reasons, sch as capacity offload from the macro network or to acqire more sbscribers and retain their crrent ser base. The motivation for operator-deployed distribted antenna systems (DAS) is based on the retrn on investment of their infrastrctre expenses. However, mobile operators are most likely going to provide only the radio freqency sorce (e.g., base stations, small cells), and not the distribtion system to the enterprises. The exception wold be a major vene sch as a stadim, where mobile operators can jstify the capital expenditre (CAPEX) based on the generated revene. In today s economy, it is no longer safe to assme that mobile operators will pay for the system. Enterprises mst be ready to make an investment that can benefit their bsiness, whether it is increasing employee prodctivity in an office or increasing gest satisfaction in a hotel. On the bright side, mltiple financing options are

4 available. The enterprise can own the in-bilding technology and may need some otside financing, or the enterprise can lease the eqipment. In the leasing model, a third-party financial company owns and finances the technology and enterprise in a pay-as-yo-go arrangement. In this approach, in-bilding wireless systems will shift from being considered as CAPEX to an annal operational expenditre (OPEX). From an acconting standpoint, CAPEX shows p on the balance sheet and is depreciated over the life of the asset, whereas OPEX shows p on the profit and loss accont and relates to expenses incrred on an ongoing basis. Freqently, lease payments are flly tax dedctible, as well. In addition, with smaller reglar payments replacing sbstantial pfront payments, the cash-flow benefits are enormos. CAPEX is sally bdgeted once per year and enterprises might have to wait for the next cycle to implement a system. By comparison, OPEX is a monthly expense and is more controllable. This is important, as any initiatives that promise not to tie p precios capital wold sally be attractive to the exective team. In addition, when in-bilding wireless is considered an annal OPEX, it becomes financially positioned alongside the other core cost of sales and profit. This alignment makes sense, as having in-bilding coverage and capacity is directly tied to the increase in tenancy rate or cstomers satisfaction; therefore, in-bilding wireless/das is viewed as an essential cost of doing bsiness. With that said, no two bsinesses are alike. It is recommended that each organization consider their financial constraints and determine a payment method that best aligns with their capital tilization model and bsiness reqirements. ERROR # 3: Not Acconting for OPEX Regardless of the payment strctre, there is an nderlying cost consideration that all parties shold consider: total cost of ownership. Often, enterprises place too mch emphasis on the pfront CAPEX and forget abot the OPEX of the system, which incldes proper testing, maintenance, spport, ventilation and air conditioning reqirements. In addition, enterprises shold consider other OPEX costs sch as the cost of scaling the system if the nmber of employees increases, or as average data per ser grows. Enterprises shold also take into accont the costs associated with modifying or pgrading their system as reqirements and needs change. ERROR # 4: Not Planning for Pblic Safety Coverage On top of improving in-bilding coverage and capacity for mobile sers, it is very important to ensre that first responders like firefighters, police and other emergency personnel have the ability to commnicate clearly to each other within the bilding or facility. Local governments arond the United States are passing ordinances reqiring enterprises to install in-bilding pblic safety coverage for first responders. In some cases, this is no longer considered nice-to-have; it is mandatory. Depending on the goals of the enterprise, pblic safety and commercial wireless networks can either be integrated or kept separate. This presents another consideration: Shold bildings combine pblic safety and commercial celllar networks, or shold they be on separate systems? Pblic safety and commercial wireless networks have different goals. With more than 85 percent of mobile traffic occrring indoors, and mobile data traffic contining to grow, enterprises are looking beyond coverage for their crrent capacity to accommodate the increase in indoor data consmption sch as video streaming and internet srfing on mobile devices. With pblic safety, however, emergency personnel have a vital need for accessibility to commnicate at all times, even in thick-walled stairwells or in ndergrond parking. Keeping the pblic safe is their responsibility; therefore, reliable coverage and access at all times is an absolte necessity.

5 In today s economy, it is no longer safe to assme that mobile operators will pay for the system. Enterprises mst be ready to make an investment that can benefit their bsiness, whether it is increasing emplo ee prodctivity in an office or increasing gest satisfaction in a hotel. With these different goals and reqirements, design reqirements are also very different. For example, antenna placement might vary de to the freqencies tilized in pblic safety and commercial wireless environments. What s more, wireless systems need to be planned for capacity; often, resectorization is reqired to accommodate the increase in traffic in a particlar area. For a pblic safety system, on the other hand, reliable coverage and access at all times is very important. Even with varying goals, reqirements and design, both pblic safety and commercial can be on the same system sing the same optical fiber or coaxial cabling and antenna infrastrctre. Integrating both the pblic safety and the commercial freqency bands in a single infrastrctre is possible with an all-digital DAS. In instances where secrity and redndancy are of concern, the commercial and pblic safety systems can be installed separately. However, it is recommended that the systems be installed in parallel if feasible. This wold provide significant cost savings, since laying both cable systems at the same time will redce ceiling and riser work. ERROR # 5: Not Engaging Mobile Operators Early Enogh in the Process recommended that enterprises involve mobile operators in the planning process, to ensre that the in-bilding wireless system does not conflict with the standards and processes of the overall network. Conclsion In their recent in-bilding wireless report, ABI Research forecast that the market for in-bilding wireless eqipment and deployments will more than doble by 2020, approaching $9 billion. This is an indication that enterprises and service providers alike are ptting in-bilding wireless deployments at the forefront of their strategic agendas to improve sers wireless experience. Deploying an in-bilding wireless system is a mltifaceted process that mst be tackled in phases, from the initial site srvey and project design all the way to implementation and post-deployment maintenance. Planning is critical. Being aware of potential deployment errors will ensre that the in-bilding wireless deployment will be sccessfl. t AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Lance Craft is the Vice President of Sales, Americas, for Dali Wireless, Inc. He has more than 22 years of professional experience in the telecommnications indstry. He has held varios exective management leadership roles in sales, sales management, bsiness development, project management and prodct development for Verizon Wireless/ALLTEL, American Tower Corporation, ADC Corporation (now TE Connectivity) and Powerwave Technologies. Lance earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Bsiness Administration from Ereka College. He can be reached at lcraft@daliwireless.com. Mobile operators have invested billions of dollars to bild ot their networks to give sers the best mobile experience possible. If the in-bilding wireless system is aimed at improving sers wireless experience, licensed freqencies from the mobile operators are sed. It is