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.  

Background: Mobile Telephony Planning: Cell Phone Service Assessment, Development and Delivery

I began my career in 1991 as an analyst and research consultant for a firm that specialized in competitive analysis, intellectual property valuation, economic damages and statistical analysis.  In 1993, I transitioned into the construction industry where I served as a contract, sales, operations and project manager for a small business that specialized in subcontracting and procurement services.

In 1997, I began to focus on independent consulting with an emphasis on real estate and wireless development.  During this period, I worked for major corporate clients such as Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, AT&T Wireless and SpectraSite Communications as well as other smaller real estate developers.  In 2005, I combined my expertise in real estate, wireless development, management and operations to begin providing my clients with real estate, strategic forward planning and cell site planning services.