Carrier Grade Wi-Fi, Small Cells, and DAS

It is the goal of most manufacturers to work very closely with the major service providers on emerging technologies.  The service provider needs to control the quality of service, monetization and implementation of this type of paradigm shift.  To be successful, equipment suppliers will have to align their product offerings with the broader service provider objectives.

According to a recent Light Reading article, the service providers will not be ready to start certifying products with WiFi technology as carrier-grade until 2015 or 2016, which probably means official deployments are even further out.  According to iGR, a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry, the number of in-building LTE small cells is expected to grow at a rate of almost 200 percent over the next five years.  iGR concludes that in-building small cells will be an important part of the heterogeneous network (HetNet) concept that many mobile operators are moving toward.  HetNet will consist of macro network upgrades, new outdoor sites, small cells of various types, WiFi and distributed antenna systems (DAS).

Previously, the primary infrastructure was large outdoor sites; however, due to the intense need for data, especially in-building, the industry equipment manufacturers are in the process of realigning their product offerings to meet this need.  Understanding relationship of the parties, the strategic synergies, available offerings, and their viability will be important in aligning client projects with the proper carrier-grade best in class technologies.  The service providers, like all other businesses, have limited time and resources.  Therefore, having a team member with the proper service provider connections will be crucial to the success of your cell phone service acquisition efforts.

Small Cells, WiFi and More!!!

I recently attended a webinar that discussed issues related to in-building cell phone service.  The presenter projected that the growth of cellular based broadband data usage will be tremendous over the next four to five years.  Most of this usage will occur in the indoor environment.  He went to discuss the tools that the service providers have to support and manage this growth. These included outdoor macrocells, femtocells, picocells, metrocells, microcells, WiFi and DAS.  

With respect to the outdoor macrocell sites, there was mention of how expensive and timing consuming they were to deploy.  Moreover, in dense urban areas, outdoor sites were not likely to have enough capacity to meet all the customer’s needs.

A major weakness with femtocell and WiFi, is that neither support LTE nor do they hand off to the outdoor network.  Moreover, with respect to WiFi, there are concerns about Quality of Service as well as the service providers' ability to manage them properly.  Regarding Small Cells, some of the issues that will need to be resolved are who will pay for the CapEx to install them, how backhaul will be provided, and how can they can be managed in connection with the broader network.

There were a lot interesting concepts discussed.  As with all other things cellular, it all about understanding your situation, being connected with the service providers as well as the ability to execute your plans in a timely manner.    

Sprint's next steps

Written by Iain Gillott, August 8, 2014 

Posted with permission from iGR 

By now, you will all have read umpteen different stories about how Sprint has decided to drop its (likely doomed) attempt to acquire T-Mobile US and replace CEO Dan Hesse with Marcelo Claure, founder and CEO of Brightstar.  Rather than rehash what you already know, we are going to discuss what Sprint could and should do next.  While Claure has some big challenges ahead, his task is far less daunting than that faced by Hesse back in 2007; Sprint today is in relatively good shape (one network, lower costs, lots of spectrum, outsourced network operations, full line of smart devices, etc.) and is not facing the need for a complete and massive overhaul. More on Dan Hesse in a later column.

So for now, here are my thoughts on what Sprint needs to do to get on an even footing with T-Mobile (never mind AT&T and VZW) and compete.

It's the network, stupid

Sprint has always loved big, expansive network projects - they like to slap a name on a project (Network Vision, Spark, Ion, etc.) in the hopes consumers will all be shocked and awed by the company's vision and flock to the stores in droves. Sprint's tendency to try this tactic is not new; Ion predated the Nextel merger, LTE and Hesse.  But contrast this approach with that of Verizon, who quietly builds its network and then relentlessly tells everyone how good it is and implies you are an idiot for not using the VZW network.  That approach worked, big time.

So, Sprint, enough with the big plans.  Just finish Network Vision, get LTE out there and launch more Spark markets.  Fast.  Just do it and then tell everyone how great the network is.  Do not worry about branding it with some fancy name (just call it 'The Sprint Network’).  Users will find out soon enough about the improvements and they will tell others;  word of mouth recommendations are still one of the main reasons people switch carriers.

Don't brag about planning to improve the network, get it done.  Consumers do not care about 2.5 GHz, PCS, AWS, 700 MHz, TD-LTE, etc. They just want a fast, reliable network that works where they are.  So finish the current plans and then tell anyone who will listen.

Sell what you have, now

That said, Sprint's network is not bad today (certainly compared to a few years ago).  After all, they offer LTE and have the same CDMA technology for 3G that VZW uses.  So start selling now, aggressively.  The network needs more subscribers, so get some on there fast.  T-Mobile has demonstrated in the last year or so that you can change the marketplace and have positive net adds when competing with AT&T and VZW.

One idea: dump unlimited.  While it sounds good in principle and people may say they want unlimited, the reality is that few people actually do.  Look at the number of people switching to tiered plans in exchange for a lower price and it is clear that unlimited is not the carrot it once was.  Yes, there are some people who will swear they need it; let them stay.  But offer some lower priced plans with 2GB, 4GB, 6GB of data.  And do not be afraid to start a price war; you need more customers and Claure says Sprint is going to be the most cost-efficient operator, so hold him to it. 

  

AT&T and VZW have deep pockets and can lower prices further, if needed.  But it will hurt them.  So put more pressure on them with pricing and effectively double the efforts of T-Mobile.  Then it will get interesting.

Find the Pin Drop

Everyone remembers Sprint's long distance ads with Candice Bergen and the Pin Drop.  Heck, I remember them and I was fresh off the boat from Blighty at that time! Sprint needs to find a new Pin Drop, and 'Framily' plans are not it.  Find something that catches and people notice.  VZW has the network test guy, T-Mobile had The T-Mobile Girl (Carly Foulkes) and now AT&T has network engineers up in the roof putting in small cells.  Sprint needs to trump them all and come up with something new and unique, like the Pin Drop was.

Give ME a reason to switch to Sprint

So with a better LTE network, lower priced plans with good amounts of data, and some new ad slogans, is that still enough for me to switch?  While it looks good on paper, probably not.  We have a family plan with lots of data on a network that works well for us, at a reasonable price.  And my operator has dropped my price plans as well as giving me a better bundle with other telecom services.  So what is going to make me switch, or even consider it?

To be honest, I am not sure. I have not really considered it.  So first of all, Sprint needs to make me sit up and think about it.  

Our cable operator just averted a probable switch to U-Verse by increasing our cable modem speeds from 15 Mbps to 100 Mbps for free.  Now, U-verse's 45 Mbps top speed looks inadequate.  Sprint's faster Spark network may be enough to make me think about switching and then with some compelling pricing, it may be too compelling to avoid.  Data speed matters and people understand faster. Going back to T-Mobile, remember when they had HSPA+ running fast and The T-Mobile Girl was zipping around on a motorbike in the ads?  Speed sells.

The reality is that Sprint does not need too many people to switch to be successful; just taking two percent of AT&T's and VZW's subscriber base would create a massive upset in the industry. Sprint does not need 10 percent of their base...just two percent. Find those people and give them a reason to switch. Network....Price....Pin Drop....Speed...

Don't forget the next area of growth

Finally, Sprint also needs to be pushing the next area of growth for the industry. While connected tablets are enjoying some success, the Internet of Things (a fantastically nebulous term!) is going to massively increase the number of devices on the networks.  Homes, cars, watches, alarm systems, thermostats, washing machines, stuff - all will be connected.  AT&T has jumped into this fray in a big way (more so than VZW and Sprint, although I am sure they would argue this). Sprint needs to push IoT forward as fast as they can and show the wide range of vendors that there is a viable alternative to AT&T.  While there has been some movement on IoT, it is not enough - push harder.

The Latest

Here is a quick update.

I have been very busy of late with completing assessments as well as beginning new follow up coordination work for clients. 

I was on the road approximately 75% of the time between mid-March and late May. 

During that time, I evaluated 10 new projects (4x Florida, 2x New Jersey, 2x Houston, 1x Austin, and 1x DC area). 

I am currently working on some Distributed Antenna System projects (4x) as well as Outdoor Macro site (3x) installation deals.

I am looking forward to getting out in the field again soon to help clients with projects in Florida, DC area and possibly California.

Cell phone service is not the reason for them to pick your property, but it is a reason for them to leave if it is poor

I have been in the cell phone service development industry since 1997.  Since 2005, I have been a subject matter expert with respect to real estate industry and service provider interface.  I am connecting with more and more clients who are experiencing less than ideal cell phone service.  Concrete and steel construction are obvious causes; however, it is starting to happen in wood frame structures as well.  Green material and technologies such as low-e glass as well as dense building configurations are having a significant impact on service quality.

Real estate owners and developers are starting to realize that poor cell phone service can truly impact the value of their investment by making their project undesirable to prospective residents who are heavily reliant on their smartphones, most of whom no longer consider or want land lines.  For many years, I have suggested to service providers and developer clients that providing service to residential areas is crucial.  The carriers as well as real estate owner developers who can do it successfully will have a significant competitive advantage.  Those who don't will wonder why their bottom lines are suffering.

While DAS is the most comprehensive solution, the service provider and vendor coordination details can be tricky, challenging and time consuming.  There has been a lot of buzz about small cells; however, they have their own challenges such as being usually being single service provider solutions.  In my experience assessing large multifamily sites, without augmentation, typically at least one-third to two-thirds of the residents will likely experience weak or spotty service.

In talking with the service providers, with mature networks like AT&T and Verizon Wireless, they can no longer improve service by adding new outdoor cell sites.  They are now looking to off load their network through the use of small cell and/or DAS.  Recently, a major service provider in a dense high, profile market has approached me about installing Distributed Antenna Systems at client projects to help with this offload process.  This is interesting, because historically, they focused on larger venues such as stadium, airports, campus and other high profile large end user locations.  I am hopeful that this will represent a change in the opportunity set that I will be able to provide to clients.

Is there a simple answer to in-building cell service issues…

I attended another multi-family technology conference last week.  As always, cell phone service was a hot topic.  Everyone hopes as time passes and technology improves, there will be new solutions to make things easier and better.  While technology is improving every year, the consumption of service and end user demand increases even faster.  Bandwidth and spectrum are the constraints and since that is the case, solution development, deployment platforms and execution are ever changing.  Having worked in conjunction with the cell phone service development industry since 1997, the one constant is continual change.  While most attendees were hoping for a simple solution, deep down, at some level, they all knew that there wasn't one.

Here are the questions and concerns that were raised with respect to planning for in-building cell phone service. 

 

• Is the service provider upgrading service or adding new cell sites near your project?  If so, when?  How will they impact my project?
• Will a consumer based solutions scale properly or will they make things worse?
• Will a booster based technology work properly?  How far will it scale?  Is it legal for you to use?  What are the risks?  
• Is a single provider enterprise solution right for you?  How do you get one?
• How can you get service provider design approval and/or consent for your proposed solution?
• Are the service providers are willing to work with you?  How much will it cost?  How long with it take?
• What kinds of performance standards and contractual safeguards need to be in place?
• What manufacturers/vendors do the service providers use?  Who should you use?  Why?
• What kind of pathway, equipment space, power and cabling is required?

At the end of the day, the only way to get these questions answered is to methodically go through a detailed assessment, planning and execution process.  The overall real estate development process works this way; cell phone service is no different.

Is there a simple answer to in-building cell service issues?  Yes!  Get good professional help from someone who knows what they are doing and let them help you through the process.

Considering boosters?

Service providers are very protective of their licensed spectrum, which represents a multi-billion dollar investment, and is the life blood of their networks.  As part of their ongoing performance maximization process, they are continually monitoring, testing and optimizing them.  Anything that alters their networks in an unexpected way such as boosters is of great concern to the service providers.

Verizon Wireless position is that “signal boosters are devices that amplify wireless signals to extend coverage. When properly installed, signal boosters can help consumers, wireless service providers, and public safety first responders by extending cell phone coverage to areas that would otherwise have weak signals such as tunnels, subways, inside buildings, and in rural areas. Although signal boosters can improve cell phone coverage, malfunctioning, poorly designed, or improperly installed signal boosters can interfere with wireless networks and cause interference to a range of calls, including emergency and 911 calls…The new FCC requirements for customers that own and operate a consumer signal booster include:  (1) Obtain carrier approval prior to operating a signal booster and (2) Register the booster with their service provider.  Verizon previously gave approval for its customers to operate any consumer signal booster that met the new network protection standards. Customers can identify these boosters by viewing the label on the device and on the device packaging as a "consumer device". The package will also contain notification to purchasers of the registration and other requirements (boosters that do not meet the new network protection standards will not have this labeling). Verizon also tentatively approves the use of consumer signal boosters that do not meet the new network protection standards. This approval is provided only for the boosters not causing interference and may be revoked if the particular booster or booster model is found to cause interference issues. To help avoid possible interference issues, however, Verizon recommends that customers who need signal boosters replace existing boosters as soon as possible with consumer signal boosters that meet the new network protection standards.”

Other boosters labeled for “Industrial Use” require special installation expertise.  Industrial boosters may only be used by FCC licenses or those given special permission.

Here are some excerpts from the FCC Report and Order from 2013.

Page 3:  Consumer Signal Boosters as devices that are marketed to and sold for personal use by individuals.  These devices allow an individual within a limited area such as a home, car, boat or RV, to improve wireless coverage. Consumer Signal Boosters are designed to be used “out-of- the-box” and do not need fine tuning or other technical adjustments.  Individuals should be able to install Consumer Signal Boosters without third party, professional assistance. 

Page 3:  Industrial Signal Boosters are all signal boosters other than Consumer Signal Boosters.  The classification of Industrial Signal Boosters thus covers a wide variety of devices that are designed for installation by licensees or qualified installers.  Because these devices may be installed only with explicit licensee consent and close licensee coordination, they are not and will not be required to incorporate particular interference protection features. In addition, these devices must be appropriately labeled. 

Page 32:  Under the Network Protection Standard, Consumer Signal Boosters must power down or turn off when near a cell site, both near the cell sites of the signal booster operator’s provider as well as the sites of other wireless providers.  As a result, signal boosters will not operate in densely populated urban areas that are well covered by multiple providers and their networks.  Instead, signal boosters will operate only in areas where wireless coverage is weak or non-existent (i.e., rural areas and indoors). 

Page 36:  Registration Procedure.  Based on the record in this proceeding, we find it is in the public interest to require Consumer Signal Booster operators to register directly with their serving provider prior to operating their devices.  In addition, if a consumer purchases a Consumer Signal Booster for use in a location where subscribers of multiple serving providers will access the device regularly, each such subscriber must register the device with their provider.  Further, consumers who purchase wireless service from resellers must also register their boosters.  Wireless providers must therefore establish a process for these consumers to register either directly with the serving provider (i.e., the underlying facilities-based provider) or with the applicable reseller.

Page 46:  Based on our review of the record and for the reasons stated below, we will permit consumers to operate existing (nonconforming) signal boosters provided they (1) have the consent of their serving provider, and (2) register their booster with that provider.

Page 46:  If a consumer does not have the consent of its service provider to use an existing booster, he or she must immediately cease operation until consent is obtained. While we agree that market forces may eventually curtail the use of existing signal boosters, because existing devices do not contain the full complement of interference safeguards we adopt today, consumers and others may operate such devices only with the consent of their wireless providers. And we emphasize that our Enforcement Bureau stands ready to rigorously investigate any complaint of harmful interference associated with unauthorized signal booster use.

Page 46:  Wireless providers who choose to consent to Consumer Signal Booster use have until March 1, 2014 (now April 30 2014), to establish a free registration mechanism for their subscribers.  And after establishing a registration mechanism, providers will need to advise subscribers of their registration process.   Accordingly, we require consumers to register their existing boosters within 90 days of being notified by their service provider of the registration process.  Registration of existing boosters will ensure that service providers and the Commission can efficiently identify, investigate, and resolve interference complaints should they arise.

Page 47:  Further, we confirm that wireless providers are not required to consent to the use of any existing signal booster.  Because existing boosters do not incorporate the interference-mitigating safeguards we adopt today, wireless providers may determine whether the continued use of such devices is warranted. In addition, wireless providers retain the right to shut down any signal booster causing harmful interference to their operations or network performance.

For real estate developers and property owners who have large-scale projects, especially multifamily developments, this means there is no still no easy or one size fits all solution.

The key is understanding your situation, looking at your alternatives, putting a solid plan in place, and executing it, as early as possible in the project development cycle.

Distributed Antenna System Planning Considerations

I recently attended an informative webinar on that focused on Distributed Antenna System planning considerations.  The major take away was that it is important to have a firm understanding of your situation.  While it is not meant to be a comprehensive complete list, here are some of the things that were discussed.  

Internal factors

Pathway and transport planning

Plenum, fire and moisture requirements

Head end placement and expansion

Climate controls

Types of end users

Percentage disposition by service provider

Peak usage vs. Non-Peak end user needs

External things to consider

Antenna location and aesthetics

Donor site location and line of sight

Potential future obstructions such as buildings and foliage

Surrounding traffic generators

Peak usage vs. Non-Peak usage

Especially, if time has passed since the initial design, it is extremely important to reconfirm the design.  Also of importance is working closely with the service providers to confirm and clarify your design and other aspects of your plans well in advance of desired install is crucial.

Not just more data...more devices using more data

Written by Iain Gillott, February 20, 2014 

Posted with permission from iGR 

iGR just completed work on its latest global mobile bandwidth forecast - the study was published earlier this week.  As expected, the worldwide mobile data traffic increased again in 2013 and is forecast to keep growing through 2018.  In fact, by 2018, we expect the world's mobile subscribers to consume 13.5 million terabytes of data per month.  For those who are counting, that is about 13,500 billion MB a month.

What is interesting in this year's study is that iGR also looked at the amount of mobile data consumed per connection, as well as per subscriber.  In order to determine the amount of mobile data being used, iGR’s mobile data traffic model first estimates the amount of bandwidth consumed by a given activity, such as checking email, streaming music or video, or checking social sites, on a per application or per use basis. 

iGR has created subscriber usage profiles based on its primary and secondary research and has divided subscribers into four different usage categories: light, medium, heavy and extreme. In the mobile data traffic model, these subscriber categories are defined by the activities and applications that tend to be used by that type of subscriber, as well as by the duration of the activity, transmission time, and frequency of use, such as number of times per day, week or month. The mobile data forecast determines the amount of mobile data traffic in megabytes per month for each type of subscriber.

And since we know how many devices each subscriber has, we can then forecast the mobile data bandwidth used per connection assuming that each device is a single connection on the network. This is a valuable metric since it not only shows the bandwidth per subscriber but also the signaling load on the networks - more devices connected to the network result in more signaling traffic.

Of course, as more mobile computing devices launch – tablets being one top-of-mind example – the expectation is that each individual (or household, at least) will have multiple mobile devices. An iPhone user would also become an iPad user; a Samsung Galaxy 5 user would become a Samsung tablet user; either smartphone user might also have a laptop computer (and possibly desktop computer, game console and/or Internet-enabled TV or Roku / Apple TV / etc.).   In addition, more and more consumers will also start to drive vehicles with connected car applications.

From a bandwidth demand perspective, it is important to note that iGR does not believe that a smartphone plus tablet user who also drives a connected car will suddenly begin consuming two or three times as much data as they had been on their smartphone. It is likely that they will consume more mobile data, but it is equally likely that such a user will offload usage and content consumption to the device(s) they feel are most appropriate to the task and/or their circumstance. So, iGR expects a net 30 to 40 percent increase in mobile data consumption (on average) as devices are added – but not a doubling or tripling of consumption.

Another way to consider this is through an analogy: just because someone buys a third pair of shoes does not mean that they walk three times as far. Similarly, when iPod owners were buying the first iPhones, they did not suddenly begin buying/listening to twice the amount of music. They simply offloaded a percentage of their consumption from the iPod to the iPhone – and that percentage varied per person. Of course, there might have been an uptick in listening/buying since their phone might be with them more often than the iPod.

So on a per-connection or device basis, the amount of bandwidth increases in each region of the world.  The trends are different in each region of course, and the rate of growth varies.  There are also differences in the bandwidth growth per subscriber and per connection in the same region - this is a complex model.  iGR's model shows therefore that as each subscriber uses more bandwidth, they are doing so on more devices and more varied types of devices. Thus the signaling load on the networks will also increase.

iGR is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded in 2000 by Iain Gillott, one of the industry's leading analysts, iGR researches and analyzes the impact new wireless and mobile technologies will have on industries, the competitive landscape and on a company's strategic business plan.

Are these your customers?

According to the Pew Research Center’s, Internet & American Life Project survey, taken in mid-2013, cell phone ownership among adults has exceeded 90%.  They found this number being driven by the increased usage of smartphones.

The following group has ownership rate above 95%.

1. People aged 18 to 44
2. Those with a college degree
3. Income levels over $50,000

Proactively planning for cell phone service needs...

Most people want good cell phone service at their projects; however, many don’t understand that discovering what service providers are impacted and to what extent is an important first step.  By the time project is completed it is often too late.  Not because fixes are not available, but because they can be costly, especially if done on a retrofit basis and without proper planning and budgeting. 

If there is a problem, deciding what to do requires good information, expertise as well as a solid plan to navigate your way through what is often a multi-tiered coordination and execution process.  Getting a plan in place as soon as possible and having a single point of contact, who not only understands your project, but also cell phone service development and delivery are important to help simplify the process for you. 

Regarding the assessment, beyond securing readings and providing a summary of data, it is important to understand the likely actual end user experience.  Often overlooked is data performance, which supports many prominent phone features, but in the future will likely a transport method for voice calls.  You need user friendly, findings as well as a broad array of segmented remedies designed to address each service provider’s situation at your project. 

Post assessment, to be effective you need to be able have a resource that can work with the service providers, manufacturers, vendors, attorneys, engineers and others to consider, ask, answer and understand the following kind of issues:

• Where are the nearest service provider sites near your project? 
• Is the service provider upgrading service or adding new cell sites near your project? 
• Will a consumer based solutions scale properly or will they make things worse? 
• Will a booster based technology work properly and if not, why? 
• Is a single provider enterprise solution right for you and how do you get one?
• How can you get service provider design approval and/or consent for the proposed solution?
• If service providers are willing to work with you, how much will it cost and how long with it take?
• What kinds of performance standards and contractual safeguards need to be in place?
• What manufacturer/vendors do the service providers use and should you use the same ones? 
• What kind of equipment space and pathways will be needed?

The importance of mobile devices...

"Of the 65 percent of email that gets opened on mobile gadgets, smartphones" 

http://venturebeat.com/2014/01/22/65-of-all-email-gets-opened-first-on-a-mobile-device-and-thats-great-news-for-marketers/

People use their cell phones as their primary means of communication.  This includes future resident, your development team, and operations personnel.  Cell phone service is an important factor that directly influences where people choose to live and how effectively they work.

Don't be left behind...

“One thing students aren’t leaving behind, regardless of whether they live on or off campus, is their phones, and cell reception was thus (not surprisingly) critical to student housing residents, 49 percent of whom ranked reception with a 10 on a scale from one to 10 when asked how critical cellular reception was in their selection of an apartment community for college”...http://bit.ly/1cdpC5c. 

That statement applies to almost everyone on these days, but especially those in the multifamily space.  Every year clients seem to be more focused on the level of cell phone service at their new projects.  Prudent developers simply have too much on the line to overlook cell phone service, because it definitely impacts where people ultimately choose to live.

In 2013, I worked on approximately 15+ new projects as well as several projects that carried over from 2012.  Proactive assessment done during ground breaking in 2012 that projected problems turned out to be very accurate.  I was pleased to be able to help clients requesting additional guidance with their needs.

In one case, I worked with the key impacted service provider with marginal indoor service and determined network improvements were in process very near their project.  As a result of these efforts, I saved my client hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary equipment costs.

In another case, I helped a client that had extremely limited funds for in-building upgrades.  I found a low-cost short-term solution, while also learning the service provider could help improve things in the intermediate term, at no cost to my client.    

In another instance, I helped a client manage the positioning of their property to generate significant ancillary revenue from service provider leases by providing some key situation analysis and then managing the service provider interface.

As we move into 2014, clients are asking for wider variety assessments.  Proactive assessments done at ground breaking to determine likely issues.  Initial site assessments with follow up assessments to track service levels.  Confirming assessments to understanding pre-move in/early move in conditions.  Use of existing assets combined with new baseline data to reduce costs.

Three important trends to watch in 2014.  

1. Small cells:  Can they progress from primarily Cusumer based to Enterprise scale?
2. Boosters:  What impact will the new FCC regulation have on available solutions as well as how they are implemented?
3.  Public Safety Radio:  How can it be tied into a broader in-building wireless approach?

Are you meeting your resident’s cell phone service needs?

People assume that in "Class A" markets they won’t have an issue with cell phone service at their projects; however, that simply isn't the case.  Each project is different and there is no "one size fits all" way to protect yourself.  Discovering what service providers are impacted and to what extent is an important first step in understanding your situation. 

Cell phone service can be influenced by many factors such as building materials and distance away from the servicing cell sites.  Each service provider has it owns sites, capacity plan, and coverage capabilities.  It is important to consider carefully, your situation, especially the baseline level of service, which is often hard to discern without a more detailed assessment. 

For example, according to the developer, at a project I recently visited, they had good outdoor service pre-construction.  They built a four-story wood frame structure with a brick façade and low e glass to find out during the early leasing phases that significant parts of their project did not have adequate cell phone service coverage.  What they did not consider was their baseline level of service, the impact of building materials, site topography and the changes that their project would have on the existing cell service provider network resources.

While there are no easy or perfect solutions, new innovations and advances are coming out all the time.  It is an evolving space that used to emphasize outdoor voice-based services and is now transitioning to higher bandwidth indoor-focused system.  If there is a problem, deciding what to do requires good information, expertise as well as a solid plan to navigate your way through what is often a multi-tiered coordination and execution process.