CONCLUSION The demand for mobile connectivity inside venues has shifted from an amenity to a feature that consumers expect. As such, building for robust connectivity is now a given for building owners and managers. Thoughtful design projects and enhancements will include mobile broadband connectivity plans in projects at an early stage when deployments can be done more cost-effectively. When retrofitting a building for mobile connectivity, future connectivity requirements should be given thought, as mobile data consumption shows no sign of tapering off. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Tracy Ford is Vice President of Member Services at the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA). WIA represents the businesses that build, develop, own, and operate the nation’s wireless infrastructure. WIA advocates for the widespread, responsible deployment of wireless infrastructure to enable connectivity everywhere. Ford guides membership initiatives for the association, including the In-Building Forum, the Infrastructure Developers Forum, the Professional Services Forum and more. A former journalist, she has spent more than two decades covering the rapidly changing wireless industry, tracking its changes as it grew from a voice- centric marketplace to the dynamic data-intensive industry it is today.
Once a design is completed, the construction activities and sequence should be reviewed with the building owner, system designer, architect, building engineer, and systems installer. Work hours, restricted access points, tenant space restrictions, union requirements, preferred specialty vendors, etc., are all important points for discussion. Coring and fire stopping of vertical and horizontal pathways for RF cabling and power are critical. Scanning of floor and wall penetrations often will be required and review of pathways is key to identifying areas that require cutting and patching because they do not always have accessible ceilings. Working in an unoccupied space can eliminate many of these issues, but often installations must be done in occupied tenant spaces. Antenna locations and aesthetics should be reviewed and approved by both the building owner and tenants. Providing a mock-up and standard mounting details can reduce antenna/cabling relocation after construction begins. Detailed color-coded floor plans with equipment locations including vertical and horizontal risers and antennas can be a useful tool to display the entire system design and can significantly reduce time and costs associated with change orders from installers that can stem from undefined system requirements or unclear scopes of work.
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ICT TODAY
April/May/June 2025
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