Technology
Reliable indoor mobile coverage during lockdown Colin Abrey explains why uninterrupted 4G coverage in public sector buildings and other pop up facilities cannot wait As Covid-19 lingers on relentlessly mobile telecoms and home broadband services are providing society with some semblance of normality. Everyday life involves homeworking on a level the world has never seen, socialising virtually via House Party, Zoom or similar is the new normal, videos are being streamed like they’re going out of fashion and phone conversations are, on average, 35 per cent longer than they were before lockdown. As such, never has there been a greater need for reliable mobile coverage in any commercial, residential, or mixed-use building. This holds particularly true for the Nightingale hospitals, and other pop-up facilities being constructed to aid national efforts to flatten the curve the pandemic. Telecommunications declared a critical sector Telecommunications has already been identified as a critical sector and there is an urgent requirement for uninterrupted voice and data coverage inside hospitals and care homes. It’s one of the core technologies underpinning safetycritical communications; it’s essential to first responder communications, to the quick mobilization of in the field teams and it’s continuously used by paramedics and other blue light services. 4G is also poised to replace the
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legacy safety critical communications network, Airwaves, as part a crossparty reform to update our emergency services network (ESN). Uninterrupted mobile coverage will therefore become fundamental to every aspect of safety critical communications inside buildings. Smartphones and tablets are also playing an important role on the wards right now by enabling patient to keep in contact with their families and loved ones now that visiting has all but stopped.
Ubiquitous mobile coverage is central to the smooth running of both; in large field hospitals voice and data services facilitate swift admissions and a positive patient experience. Video calls are replacing real-world visitors and are helping patents overcome feelings of isolation. Even more importantly, a good communications network enables effective internal communications, thus permitting hospital doctors, nurses and clinicians to make sure that vital supplies and equipment are where they need to be.
Pop up facilities to support frontline staff In pop-up supermarkets and pharmacies, reliable mobile coverage allows instore The role of mobile in staff to liaise with stockroom and Nightingale hospitals distribution centre teams so that More than ten temporary shelves can be replenished. hospitals have been built A strong 4G signal also across the UK in just supports automated A good ns io a few weeks thanks vending machine t a ic n u to the efforts of replenishments comm les effective ab n construction and cashier-less e , s k r n o io t ica netw n u workers, the army, payments, thus m m co electricians, minimising staff internal mitting hospital s r n e ia plumbers and levels. Most p ic s n u li th and c s e telecoms engineers. importantly s r u n l , a In parallel, a number ubiquitous mobile doctors ke sure that vit t of supermarkets coverage is a to ma nd equipmen a s are setting up pop basic health and e li d supp ey nee h t up stores in their safety requirement e r e h are w immediate vicinity in the warehouses to be to serve NHS staff and and distribution centres other front-line workers. serving these temporary
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