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?