One of the earliest and most persistent use cases for SD-WAN has been the ability to utilize alternative connectivity options like the internet and fixed wireless. Our WAN Manager Survey data shows that, since 2018, MPLS has been losing ground to other wireline alternatives like DIA and broadband.
Over that same period, wireless grew as a percentage of sites in our study, but it still represents fewer than one in ten sites, on average. That said, we might expect to see that increase significantly over the next few years, particularly as fixed wireless 5G plans emerge.
Founder and CEO of Blue Wireless, Ivan Landen, joins Greg to discuss how that transition might look.
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Historically, enterprises viewed wireless connectivity as a secondary or tertiary option, often reserved as a connectivity option of last resort or a backup when wireline alternatives were too expensive or difficult.
However, with advancements in technology, particularly from 3G/4G to 5G, and the widespread adoption of SD-WAN, wireless is increasingly being utilized as a primary connection for businesses. This marks a significant shift in how enterprises position wireless in their WAN strategies.
Fixed wireless access offers significant advantages for various enterprise scenarios. It provides flexibility for businesses with dynamic needs, such as retail stores with pop-ups or ever-changing requirements. It's also a crucial lifeline for operations in difficult or remote locations like mining sites, energy facilities (wind/solar farms), fish farms, and maritime vessels close to shore, where traditional fixed lines are costly or impractical.
Fixed wireless can offer better speed and cost efficiency compared to older satellite options in such locations. Further, LTE and 5G networks inherently provide resilience, and providers like Blue Wireless enhance this with dual SIM deployments for built-in redundancy, making them a reliable alternative or supplement to wired connections.
Delivering enterprise-grade fixed wireless access globally requires more than just providing a SIM card; it's a managed service that standardizes deployment and ensures reliability across diverse locations and local mobile operator networks.
Companies are navigating the complexities of using local mobile operator networks in many countries, optimizing the deployment process through site surveys, speed expectations, and guaranteed performance. They provide hands-on support with field engineers for proper installation and tuning, offering a "worry-free connectivity" model with monitoring and remote troubleshooting.
This approach addresses the challenges of managing connectivity in multiple countries and moving beyond the consumer/IOT mindset of simple SIM cards to provide a consistent, reliable service suitable for running a business.