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How 5G Will Revolutionize the Way You Do Business

January 6, 2021 by Aylish DeVore

By now you’ve probably caught the buzz about this thing called 5G that’s coming to change the world… but what is it really? And what will it mean for your business once it’s here? 5G is the 5th generation mobile network and the new global wireless standard. 5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps data speeds, much lower latency, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users across the globe. Simply put, it’ll make your mobile connectivity faster and more reliable. This technology is a huge breakthrough in wireless tech and some industry insiders have gone so far as to say that the 5G network will be as revolutionary as the printing press, the automobile, and electricity. So the question is, have you thought about how your business will change? In this blog, we’re hitting on all the key features of 5G that will revolutionize the way you do business and how to utilize them most effectively.

Ability to Work From Anywhere

With the recent pandemic and the majority of the nation’s workforce working from home, the capability to connect wirelessly, from any location is more necessary than ever. 5G enables just that; making being chained to an Ethernet cable or within range of a Wi-Fi hotspot a thing of the past. With the power of 5G, users will be able to connect to high-speed connections from just about anywhere. Yes, anywhere. A recent study shows 62% of employees work remotely at least part-time and this number only continues to rise as more employers continue to enforce health and safety precautions. With the abilities of 5G, businesses will be able to allow even more flexibility to their employees when it comes to working locations. In turn, this creates a larger candidate pool as geographical location ceases to be a qualifier for employees. This ease of accessibility is sure to increase morale and create a more relaxed workforce.

Seamless Functionality

With 5G, not only will the connection be vastly available but the functionality will be seamless. Through its fluid capabilities, 5G allows not just remote work but virtual work. The difference? Users will be able to access data, communicate with co-workers, collaborate on projects just as seamlessly as if they were physically in the same room. Remote workers will no longer be held back by needing access to large amounts of data, or a brainstorming session interrupted by poor video connection and lag. Further, with the increased capability, running more advanced technology becomes a breeze. Businesses will be able to access and implement virtual reality, augmented reality, and AI technology into their typical work routines creating a more connected and technologically advanced environment.

Increased Productivity

The entire workforce is buzzing in anticipation of the impact 5G will have on the way we function. 91% of US organizations and 88% of small to mid-sized enterprises agree that 5G will increase productivity. As mentioned earlier, lagging connections and download speeds can really disrupt remote and in-office employees’ workflow and attention span. Significantly faster data speeds mean far lower latency while waiting for a file to load, a meeting to start, attachments to download, etc. A big contributor to slow or glitchy connections is an influx of users in a centralized area. 5G allows for up to a million devices per square kilometer, making high-speed connections seamless even in extremely high traffic areas. There is an overwhelming amount of both large and small impacts that will contribute to maximized productivity from every angle. Even something as small as improved energy efficiency will result in prolonged battery life on devices, eliminating time searching for a lost charger or an outlet in a crowded coffee shop.

Improve Company Communication & Culture

Especially in the current state of the world, having a strong company culture is more important than ever to keep employees engaged. Human connection and interaction is key to keeping a positive mindset throughout the office and even more so for employees working at home. Companies are hiring more remote employees, expanding across the country and even the globe. While this leverages several benefits, it also can create some challenges in developing an inclusive company culture and connected dynamic. All of the capabilities 5G will introduce into your business play a role in how you’ll connect and interact internally, no matter your organization’s geographical location. Trust us, boring conference calls will be a thing of the past as the potential of 5G innovations expand to holographic calling, enabling users to view 3D presentations with or without glasses, and interactive meetings utilizing AI technology. Why would you choose to use small chat boxes on computer screens when augmented and virtual reality connectivity will run seamlessly?

It’s clear to see that the power and innovation 5G is bringing will revolutionize the way people do business in a big way. Here at Blue Signal, we plan to utilize many of these advancements in multiple aspects of our business. One area we are excited to embrace is the ability to further empower our remote employees’ flexibility in where and how they work. Blue Signal has a long history of leveraging a geographically diverse team as we’ve had recruiters working from all over the country since our inception. The ability to further advance the way we communicate and engage with each other internally will be a huge initiative in the coming year as we look forward to continuing to nurture our tight-knit company culture. Additionally, the connectivity and seamless functionality of 5G will allow us to better serve our clients and candidates. As the recruiting industry continues to grow, we continue to stay committed to rising above the norm by utilizing the most effective resources, technology, and processes available to us. Reach out to one of our recruiters today to talk about what 5G advancements mean for your workforce and how you can capture these benefits.

Benefits of Cloud Adoption

February 15, 2019 by Lacey Walters

Technology provides an endless opportunity for businesses to optimize, grow, and innovate. In the race to remain competitive, businesses have launched their way into cloud adoption. McAfee calculated that companies using the cloud grow 19.3% faster than their competitors. This IT gold rush is very much reflective of the “First Wave” of cloud adoption – focused on lower costs and failsafe information backup. Now, with this “Second Wave” on the rise, companies are focusing on the revenue growth potential and better business outcomes. In order to be successful, this will require a much more optimized cloud strategy.

The First Wave benefits of cloud adoption were obvious, and with the Second Wave businesses are seeing increased potential. With the proper cloud adoption strategy, companies can expect to see improved mobility and collaboration, better disaster recovery, cost efficiency, increased data security, environmental consciousness, and limitless scalability.

Improved Mobility and Collaboration

Public and shared cloud solutions provide the opportunity for people across any organization to access data from anywhere with an internet connection. Simultaneous collaboration helps the flow of ideas, and saves time by cutting out the limbo period between input. This increased productivity also can aid in improving employee satisfaction. In fact, organizations with employee satisfaction listed as a priority are up to 24% more likely to expand cloud usage according to Dell research. Cloud has made remote work possible – and connects people with ideas across the world with one click.

Cloud infrastructure is more reactive than any predecessor solutions. Businesses looking to optimize processes, pick up on trends internally, or capture errors can react instantaneously with cloud computing built into their cloud servers. Within moments of a change, information can be procured, revised, or compared. This can help avoid disaster or grant a competitive edge to any company possessing a fully utilized cloud portfolio.

Disaster Recovery

No matter how large, successful, private, or prepared an organization is – there is no way to prevent or predict everything that could impact it. One major benefit to cloud application is disaster recovery. In downtime, businesses can lose anything from productivity to revenue to brand reputation. Luckily, cloud backup can recover data quickly and accurately. An article by Salesforce.com has found that 20% of cloud uses can claim disaster recovery in four hours or less, while only 9% of non-cloud users could claim the same.

In a study by Salesforce.com, 94% of businesses who used cloud services claimed they saw an improvement in security after switching to the cloud. 91% said the cloud makes it easier to meet government compliance requirements.

Cost Effective

Using a cloud-based infrastructure is proven to significantly reduce costs across IT, hardware, maintenance, and operations. According to an IDC White Paper for Cisco, companies are realizing $1.6 million in additional revenue and $1.2 million in reduced costs per cloud application. With cloud, businesses are no longer obligated to spend large amounts of money on purchasing and maintaining equipment. In fact, some in-house infrastructure may become obsolete.

Many organizations and businesses rely on IT teams to fix bugs and solve server issues. It can become costly for a team of developers to handle and manage an on-premise system on a daily basis. Not to mention, ensuring internal servers are running properly draws attention and work away from innovation and revenue-focused initiatives. To avoid this internal responsibility, more businesses are beginning to adopt the cloud, resulting in a more optimized workforce, and the lowered cost and liability related to owned hardware and on-site servers.

Environmentally Friendly

Today’s consumers, as well as businesses, are becoming more environmentally conscious. Cloud computing, because of its intangible nature, results in much less of a carbon footprint than traditional record keeping. Salesforce.com stated that cloud infrastructures support environmental proactivity, powering virtual services rather than physical products and hardware. This cuts down on paper waste, improves energy efficiency, and reduces commuter-related emissions. As more businesses utilize a cloud infrastructure, they use fewer physical servers- meaning less tangible resources and a reduced environmental impact.

Scalability

Prior to cloud applications and technology, enterprises ran on custom-built IT infrastructures. This required a large fraction of IT personnel just to maintain the current system. When growth was unforeseen or systems were overloaded, they simply crashed. With cloud, IT can scale up and down as needed – and in some cases organically. This “self-healing” nature has reduced IT incidents by over 70% according to McKinsey insights.

Cloud also offers several options for customers varying in need. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach like some in-house applications can produce, cloud can be optimized to meet varying needs. Private, public, and hybrid cloud can work together to store, protect, and organize data in many ways. It all depends on the needs of the organization, and their vision for a repeatable and expandable future for themselves.

Cloud is the latest innovation in business transformation and is accessible and beneficial to many businesses. This technology allows companies to streamline their daily operations effectively and efficiently, while also providing peace of mind. Because of these factors, it’s no surprise that the cloud industry is booming – and the need for cloud-experts is meeting an unprecedented high. The ultimate challenge lies in finding this talent.

Blue Signal is an expert in the cloud space, and has the necessary connections to ensure a faster, more secure adoption process. If you are a specialist in this space or a business looking to implement cloud offerings into your own company, contact us to connect to your next great investment.

Small Cell Industry Trends & Talent Predictions

March 24, 2017 by Lacey Walters

Trend #1: Outdoor Small Cell Growing 50% Faster than Indoor Solutions

The original purpose of small cells was to efficiently reuse spectrum as a capacity solution – not as a replacement for cell towers. However, outdoor small cell use as a coverage solution has grown significantly, both in rural areas and dense urban areas. While DAS and low-power small cells are well suited for indoor applications like office buildings and open-air venues like stadiums, high-power small cells are gaining ground in outdoor applications. Carriers have found that it is cheaper to densify and reuse spectrum rather than buy new blocks of spectrum for macrocell coverages. The major takeaway is that network providers and customers are taking a more nuanced view of coverage that includes a mix of small cell types and power levels to provide efficient, reliable coverage and a better handling of capacity.

Small cells still cannot beat the distance and power of macrocells (1 macro tower equals 10-30 small cells), but small cells are a cheap and effective way to patch coverage holes (at least for now — the maintenance and backhaul costs are still significant). Verizon is investing heavily in small cell densification in preparation for 5G and to support larger capacity demands. It has announced that it will begin commercial deployments this year.

Chart: Small cells include a mix of indoor/outdoor and high/low power solutions. Small cells improve network coverage and/or capacity. Wi-Fi is included for comparison, but is not considered small cell.

Only two-thirds of new small cells are indoor, and the rest are deployed in outdoor environments. The United States is a hotbed for telecom innovation, but international demand is growing strongly as well. In the next two years, outdoor small cell is projected to jump 600%. By contrast, indoor/in-building solutions are projected to grow only 400%.

One important point to note: this small cell definition includes femtocells, whose cell radius is usually less than 50 feet and can service about 5 users at once. While femtocells do technically qualify as DRAN small cells, their application differs from other members of the small cell family.

Trend #2: Wi-Fi Starts to Slip

It is surprising to think of Wi-Fi as an obsolete technology, but industry trends show that Wi-Fi may be on a downward slope. It used to be that only a lucky few had access to unlimited data plans, usually grandfathered from years past. Today, unlimited data plans have made a comeback. T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T all offer unlimited data plans. Slower speeds have replaced overage charges for heavy data users.

LTE’s biggest advantage over Wi-Fi is that LTE can be taken anywhere (and Wi-Fi, which is an extension of LAN, will never be as mobile as LTE). As data usage climbs, people expect to use all of their devices everywhere, and finding a Wi-Fi hotspot becomes more of a burden. Coffee shops and public areas are less enthusiastic about footing the bill for Wi-Fi when many customers only buy a cup of coffee and use the network for hours. Wi-Fi technology is fussy and less secure than LTE. As security becomes more and more of an issue, customers are likely to demand LTE-based solutions over Wi-Fi. This trend will accelerate as expanding technology offers more options for less money.

Unlicensed and Licensed Spectrum

Overview of key differences in LTE-U, LAA, and MuLTEfire by Qualcomm.

Image: Overview of key differences in LTE-U, LAA, and MuLTEfire. Source: Qualcomm

Unlimited data is not the only competitor to Wi-Fi. Carriers are rushing to densify networks and expand unlicensed spectrum coverage, a family that includes LTE-U, LAA, and MuLTEfire. Wi-Fi is becoming more of a niche technology than the go-to. LTE-U (deployments in the US, Korea, and India) and LAA (deployments in the EU, Japan, and others) use unlicensed spectrum aggregated with licensed spectrum as a Wi-Fi coexistence strategy. They improve the signal without interfering with Wi-Fi. MuLTEfire, by contrast, is LTE realized fully in unlicensed spectrum, and it poses the most serious threat to Wi-Fi. The technology may advance to the point where customers can install a private LTE router in their homes, just like Wi-Fi but with the added benefits of LTE. If the price is comparable to Wi-Fi coverage, this could make home Wi-Fi coverage obsolete.

All the way back to 1993, data usage has never dropped. Growth has accelerated year over year as carriers continue to throw money into network expansion, mostly on outdoor small cell technology to keep costs down and allow for future compatibility with 5G devices.

5G is projected to unseat (or at least compete strongly) with Wi-Fi, especially when it comes to connected devices. Connected devices are compatible with Wi-Fi and LTE, but 5G is specifically designed for compatibility with connected devices. This may prove to be the downfall of Wi-Fi. One opposing viewpoint is Wi-Fi is not going anywhere. As new technology emerges within LTE, Wi-Fi technology is also evolving. New Wi-Fi technologies are closer to carrier-grade — and carriers still rely heavily on their ability to offload on Wi-Fi.

Voice vs. Data Usage since 2011

Mobile voice traffic has been flat since 2011, while data traffic has climbed 1800%

Image: Voice traffic growth has been flat since 2011, while data consumption has jumped over 1300%. Graph: Akamai’s Q2-2016 State of the Internet Report. data from Ericsson’s Mobility Report.

One opposing viewpoint is Wi-Fi is not going anywhere. As new technology emerges within LTE, Wi-Fi technology is also evolving. New Wi-Fi technologies are closer to carrier-grade — and carriers still rely heavily on their ability to offload on Wi-Fi.

Trend #3: Changing Government Regulations

Many regulations are outdated, obsolete, and have no guidelines for the newest technology, including small cells. This hits hardest at the local level, where budgets are tight and laws can be slow to change. Many local municipalities do not have the resources to keep up with telecom technology that is changing at lightning speeds, let alone revamp the regulations.

Carriers are expecting the FCC to streamline municipal telecom regulations this year to ease the administrative and financial burden of installing small cells, towers, and other network infrastructure. Currently, many cities classify small cells the same as macrocell towers, even though the two technologies have totally different footprints, sizes, and expense. A tower can be hundreds of feet tall, while a small cell can be the size of a lunchbox. However, some cities charge the same fees for both. Some companies have attempted to classify their solutions as public utilities to save themselves hefty permit costs and administrative roadblocks.

Despite some difficulties, there are success stories. The city of Orlando, FL recently accepted bids for a large-scale small cell installation to improve coverage in the city. Some municipalities, especially in tech-friendly large urban areas, are moving ahead with ambitious small cell projects. Laws are changing to better accommodate new technologies. The city of Philadelphia worked with AT&T and Verizon to deploy a 37-node small cell network in anticipation of Pope Francis’s visit in September 2015. The project took only 9 months from start to finish. It was able to proceed thanks to huge public demand and pressure for the city and the telecom companies to work together to achieve a mutual goal.

Predictions for Small Cell Talent

Network providers are facing many challenges for their projects, including a severe talent shortage. We predict the following skills will be in highest demand for 2017 and early 2018:

IoT/M2M and 5G

The distance between IoT and small cell is shrinking. As Wi-Fi dependence begins to drop, network providers will need to build more and more IoT/M2M functionality into network designs (especially as 5G comes closer to being a reality). M2M connections are expected to make up almost half of all connected devices by 2020. Specifically, companies will be looking for people with hands-on experience within the IoT value chain. This includes IoT platform design, smart object design, module design, and integration with 3^rd party applications.

Because of spectrum limitations, 5G will deploy on a very high frequency, including mmW. This means that traditional cell towers cannot deploy that spectrum, even with advanced beam-forming techniques. Small cells are the only way to deploy the mmW spectrum. This means carriers will have to deploy small cells—possibly on the order of millions—within the next 10 years. Since small cells have design, maintenance, and repair needs just like macrocells, there will be a huge uptick in field work, engineering, construction, and related job duties.

This is one of the biggest looming talent shortages. The IoT/M2M/5G space will create millions of jobs — some estimate over 4 million IoT developer jobs alone by 2020. However, experts also expect that IoT and connected device technology will severely disrupt the labor market. Millions of people who work low-level jobs in fast food, retail, transportation, and supply chain will be displaced.

Standardization & Infrastructure Sharing

Infrastructure sharing is a growing trend while the telecom landscape continues to shift rapidly. There will be a very high demand for employees who can understand and build strategy around shared infrastructure. This will be especially true in the next five years as networks complete coverage expansion projects.

European markets had another record year in 2016 for colocation data center capacity. Colocation promotes standardization and harmony between carriers’ data/voice technology, which is good for the consumer and the industry. Demand will continue to increase for employees with a sound understanding of existing 3GPP standards, as well as foresight for how standards may evolve to accommodate emerging technology.

Interference Mitigation Skills

In an increasingly crowded network, interference is one of the top challenges for high-traffic networks. Managing interference and higher spectrum utilization techniques will be a key goal for network providers, integrators, colocation facilities, and product developers, with applications at almost every level. Demand for this skill will rise fastest among design engineers and product managers. Expect strong demand for sales engineers who can explain interference mitigation technology to potential customers.

Public Sector Technical Sales Skills

While private sector companies are scrambling to upgrade their networks, the public sector is more uneven in its acceptance of new telecom technology. With the challenge of previously mentioned regulatory hurdles, telecom firms need to arm themselves with persuasive and highly knowledgeable salespeople. A strong salesperson can effectively navigate administrative roadblocks and match municipal requirements with network solutions that work. By contrast, some public sector entities are way ahead, aggressively updating building and fire codes with new wireless standards. Companies who win key installation deals early on are more likely to enjoy repeat business and maintenance contracts from the same customers.

If your company is searching for small cell talent, contact us for a free evaluation of your hiring needs. Reach our telecom specialist directly at mwalsh@bluesignal.com.

Before You Hire an AWS/Cloud Engineer, Read This.

March 10, 2017 by Lacey Walters

Cloud computing is growing faster than ever. The cloud market reached almost $150 billion in 2016, and is growing at 25% annually. Traditionally, companies’ top concern was security. But this year, the #1 challenge reported by cloud adopters is a lack of people with the right skills.

At the forefront is Amazon Web Services (AWS), the public cloud division of Amazon. Their business-friendly cloud options ranked #1 in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant. AWS has been around since 1999, however, with the spike in cloud migrations, demand for qualified people has exploded.

The natural response is to scramble to get approval for a new top AWS/cloud migration expert. But many companies run into trouble by hiring the wrong type of person, hiring without a plan, or hiring before their infrastructure is ready. This leads to poor retention and an expensive cloud-based disaster.

How to lay the groundwork for a new AWS/cloud project:

What is the goal?

AWS has many modules; its tagline is “A platform for virtually every use case.” It is the CTO’s job to set a goal and narrow the focus. Too many companies jump into new technology because everyone seems to be doing it, but the reality is that no project can succeed without a clear, realistic goal.

The worst possible approach is, “We need to invest in cloud. What should we do with it?” The goal should address an existing problem that ties directly to revenue. For instance: streamlining a data center, improving security, speeding up data processing, or meeting compliance standards. AWS and cloud-based technology cannot solve every problem, but it brings many exciting tools to the table.

What are the options?

Cloud technology is not an all-or-nothing investment. After defining the goal, choose the features and modules that make sense. For many companies, a hybrid solution is best for their needs, especially for companies with existing infrastructure and assets. Smaller companies can simply rent or buy into existing cloud platforms and software, especially for data storage and security needs. Enterprises and companies doing large cloud migrations will more likely need to hire an expert.

Who is driving?

Without a clear leader to head up the effort, a cloud project will quickly fall apart and become a chaotic, over-budget mess. A director or department head may seem like the obvious choice, however it may not be the best choice if this person already has a totally full schedule, travels a lot, or does not understand the technology.

The best person to lead is someone who is highly project-oriented and a big-picture strategist who communicates well with many types of people. Someone detail-oriented risks getting lost in the weeds. Ideally, they have technical experience or manage technical people.

Now what?

With the groundwork in place, the hiring need should be clearer.

Before interviewing, know the right questions to ask, and have at least one interviewer who can ask technical questions on the AWS technology. This is for two reasons: it screens out underqualified candidates, and it gives the interviewing company legitimacy. Experts gravitate towards companies who have done their research and ask the right questions. It is an indication that the company will treat them well and respect their expertise.

Beware of hiring a complete team of outside people to manage a brand new big-budget technology project. Even if they are experts in the technology, they are not familiar with the company culture and team. Even the best person can run into problems if current employees perceive that an “outsider” is coming in and trying to change everything overnight. A more neutral strategy is to hire an engineer or architect who reports to a trusted leader within the organization who can act as the liaison.

Train some, hire some. Who can be retrained? Competition is so fierce that some companies will inevitably be stuck with a person who has the technical skills but is not the best cultural fit, or vice versa. Therefore, the lower the budget, the greater the need for flexibility.

Work to change technophobe attitudes before the project starts. Share responsibility and ownership in the project with the whole team, and get as many people as possible on board. Take their ideas and try them out, where possible. New technology can feel like a threat and a burden, so open communication does wonders to make current employees feel more at ease.

Lastly, have a follow-through plan. Once the cloud project is complete, have a plan in place for who will maintain it and run it. Hire or train them with plenty of time. Success in the early stages is critical for employees to get on board.

As with any complex project, it pays to work with a recruiter who knows the space well and can locate the best talent for the company’s budget. If your company is considering a large-scale cloud or AWS project, contact us for a free evaluation of your hiring needs. Reach our cloud specialists directly at info@bluesignal.com or give us a call at (480) 939-3200.