Article by Donna Johnson, CMO of Cradlepoint
To succeed, businesses need fast, secure connectivity. Whether using the Internet of Things (IoT) to monitor complex systems, connect remote workers, or reduce waste and inefficiencies, high-performance networks are critical to business infrastructure. With high-speed, high-performance connectivity, team leaders have access to vital tools and information to make informed decisions, anywhere, anytime.
Reliable connectivity is critical to a business‘s success. Whether it’s the unavailability of high-speed fiber optic services or connectivity issues causing network outages, the consequences can be devastating. From lost sales to lack of access to core infrastructure and slowdowns in sustainability projects, connectivity issues impact businesses broadly and significantly. However, there are new connectivity solutions that can address these challenges and provide a reliable connection that businesses can rely on.
Connectivity problems cost European businesses millions of euros
Based on recent Report on the State of Connectivity in Europe, 74% of business managers experience an average of two hours of network outages each week. According to Gartner, these discontinuities lead to an average loss of over 300,000 euros per hour, a financial impact that many companies cannot afford. Additionally, 46% of companies surveyed reported that connectivity issues caused an increase in operational costs, while a third (33%) of companies said they resulted in lost business opportunities.
Connectivity issues have consequences that go beyond the direct financial cost, as they can negatively impact organizations’ ability to achieve their business objectives. For example, although 78% of respondents want to use IoT devices to improve the efficiency of their offices, 64% have experienced failure to realize sustainability projects due to inadequate connectivity. This represents a real obstacle for companies trying to reduce their environmental impact, considering that buildings contribute to the 40% of global energy use, of which half is wasted. Furthermore, as many as 75% of buildings are characterized by high energy inefficiency, making it essential to address this problem.
Sustainability and employee security with private networks: a cutting-edge option
To face these challenges, more and more companies choose to use private LTE and 5G networks. These networks offer an innovative approach to meeting operational needs without compromising visibility, control or security. They help ensure reliability and bandwidth while simultaneously improving latency to support mission-critical applications such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), the Internet of Things (IoT), and autonomous robots.
Private cellular networks can also offer greater reliability than Wi-Fi. Sometimes, despite appearing available, Wi-Fi networks can present problems such as signal interference, traffic congestion, or limited coverage. While private networks have dedicated frequencies controlled by the organization, which means less external interference and greater security.
Private cellular networks offer significant advantages in large-area connectivity for industries such as manufacturing. Compared to traditional wired interfaces, which would require the individual installation and management of numerous Wi-Fi access points, private cellular networks allow you to quickly provide connectivity across large areas. This ability to deploy network infrastructure quickly via wireless technology allows businesses to keep their employees connected from day one on the job, even in field operating environments. For example, Hitachi used private networks to demonstrate the potential of “smart factories,” supporting real-time transmission of digital video, artificial intelligence and edge-to-cloud technologies. Likewise, Samsung has used this technology to improve workflows at Hoban Construction, enabling high-resolution drone-based monitoring, IoT sensors to measure concrete strength and “smart” vests for safety.
Private networks are playing an important role in helping companies make progress in sustainability and ensuring the safety of their employees in challenging work environments. This represents just one example of how private networks have been successfully used to achieve these goals.
Cradlepoint has taken a hands-off approach to sustainability, recognizing the importance of taking a proactive role as a company. In collaboration with our parent company Ericsson in addressing environmental issues and stimulating socio-economic development, we have set ourselves the ambitious goal of achieving emissions net zero across our value chain by 2040. In this way, we are committed to playing our part in contributing to the broader goal of mitigating environmental impacts and creating a sustainable future.
Our most important contribution to combating climate change consists in developing a highly energy efficient offer, which helps to reduce the consumption curve of mobile networks, reducing the energy used, costs and carbon dioxide emissions by users. our customers. Our new, recently launched W1855-5GC adapter has been designed to have greater sustainability than the previous model, while adhering to the latest 5G standards. It is more compact, 78% smaller in size and 74% lighter. It also requires 30% less energy and its plastic-free packaging uses 84% less material. Additionally, the aluminum housing reflects our commitment to using recycled and sustainably sourced materials.
We have made a commitment to reduce the environmental impact of the hardware components we use and for this reason we created the Cradlepoint Recycling Programme. This program allows the collection, repurposing and recycling of our products throughout the world. Additionally, all Cradlepoint routers and adapters are packaged with plastic-free, easily recyclable shipping material. By doing so, we ensure that we also pay attention to the disposal phase of our products, contributing to a more sustainable management of the life cycle of our devices.
Connected towards a better world
Ericsson 5G, la rete in South Korea
Today, companies that want to succeed must consider not only innovation and growth, but also the achievement of sustainability goals. ESG criteria are increasingly relevant in many areas, come on contracts with public bodies at customer consumption choices. Therefore, having the right technology and network infrastructure to operate efficiently and reduce resource consumption is no longer an optional choice, but a necessity. By adopting private networks and partnering with vendors who share these goals, companies can ensure the reliability, flexibility and visibility needed to achieve these goals. Organizations that do not take advantage of this opportunity risk falling behind the competition in the long term.