Data itself has moved from on premise servers to cloud infrastructure, challenging conventional security protocols. We have also seen huge regulatory changes in the form of GDPR.  How that data should be dealt with, given the potential outcomes for a breach of GDPR, are key issues for businesses throughout Europe. All this has occurred at the same time the work force has become more mobile, with employees wanting to work from anywhere and to use their own devices for work purposes. The majority of this change has taken place in the last five years. An incredibly compressed timescale, which is still accelerating!

The role of business digital connectivity

One of the key answers to these issues is connectivity. Businesses are currently having to refocus IT spend and expertise away from servers and workstations and into networks, connectivity and the cloud. In basic terms it is imperative to have access to superfast and reliable networks and WiFi in offices, a superfast and reliable internet connection out of the office and superfast and reliable cloud services to connect to. You also need great business digital connectivity everywhere so the workforce can securely access those cloud services from wherever they happen to be. In essence, connectivity is an issue that affects a business ability to run itself at all times.

This change has largely been driven by highly connected cities and campuses where innovation is not being held back by slow internet connections. This is a world where specialist teams can collaborate seamlessly across continents. Working live on huge data sets and pushing forward our knowledge and understanding at the precipice of technology in fields such as AI, IoT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, climate and everything in between.

A time for investment

But what about everyone and everywhere else? What happens in the smaller cities, towns and villages that are still waiting for proper digital connectivity to arrive?

How do we improve their connectivity experience? How do we stimulate the innovation and productivity gains our businesses are capable of?

How do we offer the high speeds at super low prices that start-ups and micro businesses require? How do we support the fibre connectivity that large businesses (and increasingly smaller ones) require to link sites?

Investment in the networks is the natural conclusion to these questions. It is undoubtedly the answer to creating access for smaller businesses or businesses outside the major cities.

The public and private sectors should work together to deliver an investment strategy that creates an equality of opportunity for businesses to access the burgeoning opportunities superfast networks can provide.

The post A business perspective on digital connectivity appeared first on Curve IT.

Here at Curve IT, much of our recent work has been focused on the provision of full fibre infrastructure and the development of converged networks and wireless connectivity at individual sites.

With buildings – and construction projects themselves – likely to get even smarter in 2020, let’s look at these areas in turn.

Wireless connectivity

The next-generation standard in WiFi technology is WiFi 6. Previously known as 802.11ax, until the WiFi Alliance wisely gave it a somewhat catchier name, the standard supersedes WiFi 5, on which most current devices and routers run. As the Alliance explains, WiFi 6 offers higher data rates, increased capacity, greater performance in environments with many connected devices, and improved power efficiency.

It’s that third point that we’re particularly interested in. Whilst WiFi 6 has a much higher theoretical speed limit than its predecessor – 9.6Gbps as opposed to 3.5Gbps – those top speeds are unlikely to ever be encountered by most consumers. Indeed, most consumers won’t need those top speeds, at least with current devices and demands. However, performance improvements when multiple connected devices are running on the same WiFi network will be noticed – because in an era of smart buildings and Internet of Things (IoT) technology – the number of connected devices in the average home or office environment is going through the roof. Thanks to WiFi 6, the possibilities for genuinely smart buildings will expand dramatically in 2020.

WiFi 6 was introduced by the Alliance in September and will be rolled out in earnest in 2020. A number of WiFi 6 routers and access points, including those from Ruckus, are already available, for businesses who wish to dip their toes in these high-performance waters.

Full fibre rollouts

Despite the recent election and the continued spotlight on Brexit, full fibre broadband roll-out will have its fair share of attention over the coming twelve months. The Conservative manifesto reiterated its pledge to bring ‘gigabit-capable’ broadband to the entire UK by 2025, with £5 billion allocated to the final 20% of hard-to-reach areas.

It is clear that full fibre broadband has transitioned from being a niche concern and has become a genuinely public one. And rightly so. In today’s interconnected world, high-performance broadband is no longer a nice-to-have – it is part of critical national infrastructure.

Nevertheless, its presence in the recent UK election underlined the cost and complexity involved in rolling out full fibre broadband across the entire country. This is why Curve IT is so passionate about innovation when it comes to superfast broadband delivery. From working with local authorities to implement a ‘dig once’ philosophy – whereby new full fibre roll outs are combined with other construction and infrastructure projects, such as utilities installations and new road layouts to reduce expenditure – to encouraging broadband projects driven by regional public and private sector co-ops, we believe that a creative and flexible approach is needed to advance the connectivity cause in 2020.

Smart buildings

Smart buildings gained much greater traction throughout 2019, as the public became increasingly familiar with devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, and homes across the country were encouraged to install smart meters. This journey will pick up speed in 2020, thanks in part to WiFi 6, as outlined above.

But it is on the commercial side of buildings that connected technology is likely to have a truly dramatic impact in the next twelve months. Consider major office buildings which can deploy smart lighting and heating systems in order to save energy. Or build-to-rent projects which can deliver truly integrated, seamless connectivity for their residents, from the lobby to the top floor and even into other buildings managed by the same company. We expect to see possibilities like this considered much earlier on in the construction process in 2020, as property developers and construction managers realise the benefits that can be wrought by having a ‘smart buildings’ approach that utilises a converged network approach from day one.

A technology first approach

How to summarise all of these predictions? Thanks to enhancements to wireless technology, we expect approaches to building connectivity to become increasingly embedded in project planning in 2020. Superfast broadband and smart building systems will move away from being considered ‘add-ons’ at the end of the construction or upgrade project, and increasingly be ‘baked in’ from the start. Smart technology infrastructure for the built environment in 2020 will no longer be an optional extra – it will be integral.

The post 2020 Built Environment Technology trends appeared first on Curve IT.

Ruckus recently made history by announcing the development of Ruckus Networks R750, the world’s first WiFi 6-certified access point, making this a hugely exciting time for Curve IT to be partnering with the firm. In other words, WiFi 6 is finally becoming a reality.

Let’s take a closer look at what this means.

What is WiFi 6?

WiFi 6 is the latest evolution in WiFi standards – the last, WiFi 5, was released over five years ago. WiFi 6 uses OFDMA – Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access – which breaks down the signal into sub-carriers and scheduling. In practice, this means that low-data-rate transmission can take place from several users at the same time – and so many devices can be connected simultaneously without a drop in WiFi speed and performance.

As such, whilst WiFi 6 can technically increase client device speeds by nearly four times compared with WiFi 5, its really transformative impact is in relation to efficiency. It optimises network capacity and improves performance in busy environments. It can also extend battery life of individual devices.

Ultimately, even the most ultra-dense indoor environments will enjoy high-speed connectivity across all devices, making WiFi 6 a powerful innovation for business across a range of sectors. Whether you’re running a growing business with employees using multiple devices simultaneously, developing a complex IoT ecosystem, or running an environment with large numbers of visitors frequently arriving and leaving, like an events space, WIFi 6 should have a hugely positive impact. 

The importance of access points

However, to harness all these benefits, organisations need to install access point such as routers which are able to connect a diverse set of client devices – from simple IoT sensors which require low power and low latency, through to devices running high-performance applications like 4K video streaming or artificial intelligence solutions. This is where Ruckus’s new access point comes in.

Crucially, WiFi 6 is backwards-compatible, so by installing WiFi 6 access points organisations will not be rendering their WiFi 5 devices obsolete. Rather, they will be putting the foundations in place for a next-generation approach to wireless networking.

High-speed, high-bandwidth internet connectivity is going to be a critical element in business operations over the coming years. From simply keeping employees, partners, visitors and customers connected, to gathering IoT data from across the organisation, to running high-performance, next-generation applications, all will be powered by effective WiFi infrastructures. WiGi 6 will be genuinely transformative, and we are excited to be working alongside one of the giants in the industry.

To learn more about how you could harness WiFi 6 in your organisation, get in touch with us today.

The post WiFi 6: a tangible reality appeared first on Curve IT.

Wagner’s relaunch follows the appointment of a new not-for-profit management company K P Spaces who aim to position the building as a key focal point for Brighton’s business and creative sectors. The venue was first built in the 1970s and is owned by the adjacent St Paul’s church on West Street.

Curve IT’s network now mean that superfast connectivity is implemented across the venue. This will benefit businesses using the space as well as visitors and the general public, with the connection now being more than suitable to support mobile and WiFi card payments, streaming and hotspot needs.

For Wagner’s new management team, the need for seamless connectivity was of the utmost importance. Penny Parker, Venue Manager at KPS Spaces said: “We knew that in order to make Wagner Hall an attractive and integral venue for Brighton, a strong venue wifi and internet connection was needed. We looked at regular commercial broadband offerings, but were troubled at the thought of us having connectivity issues, and it taking several days to fix, as that could affect business massively.”

“For us, Curve IT was the natural choice, they’re a locally based business, and we know that if we have any issues they’ll be sorted on the same day! We’re really looking forward to growing Wagner Hall into a core event space for Brighton, and Curve IT are just the right networking partners to help with that!”

Curve IT have connected Wagner Hall by establishing a converged network from a wireless link on the roof of Brighton Centre (another Curve IT network). This method means that Curve IT own the network and are not reliant on third parties for support and fixes. Curve IT have provided networking and connectivity solutions for a wide variety of structures in Brighton, London and across the UK. Including the British Airways i360 Observation Tower and a series of Essential Living’s new build apartment buildings across Greater London.

Simon O’Hare, Managing Director of Curve IT added: “It’s great to see somewhere like Wagner Hall be given a new lease of life as a multi-purpose venue for Brighton. We are pleased that the team there acknowledge the importance of strong connectivity, and we look forward to working with them closely in the future, which I’m sure will be bright for Wagner.”

The post Wagner Hall revolutionised with a venue wifi networking upgrade from Curve IT appeared first on Curve IT.

Whether it’s overloaded by the crowds, unable to reach into every area of the premises, or simply doesn’t offer high enough bandwidth to cope with the data-rich applications which are critical to business today, it’s simply not good enough.

Which is why we welcome the news that the UK government has pledged £250k to tackle the problem. Somewhat unusually, it has been offered in the form of a competition. Conference centres and other venues with the facilities to host conferences will compete to apply for funding to improve their connectivity infrastructures, with the overall aim to encourage more international business events to take place in the UK.

WiFi: a winning difference

Top-quality WiFi can make or break the experience of a business event. Increasingly powerful smartphones, tablets and laptops mean that mobile working is no longer just about being able to access one’s emails and write up the odd report. Professionals across every sector expect to be able to access core business data and specialist applications wherever they are. And at conferences, whether attending a round table, participating in a workshop or simply networking, there are myriad contexts where attendees want to be able to browse websites, update social media, register for further events and activities, and participate in polls, surveys and even games. Most conferences now have custom apps, and these run and depend on WiFi, especially for those travelling internationally. WiFi is the foundation upon which all of these activities sit, and its absence or unreliability quickly becomes an enormous nuisance.

Furthermore, because WiFi is so integral to the experience of conference attendees, it is also integral to attracting investment for those conferences. Major organisations are far more likely to spend on sponsorship and agree to high-profile speaking opportunities when they know the infrastructure is in place for a truly engaging and innovative attendee experience. In many sectors, powerful WiFi is vital to enable presenters to share their findings or predictions in an interactive or creative way. A WiFi gateway, where all attendees have to log in through, is also an incredibly valuable sponsorship tool in its own right and can offer very lucrative results for sponsors.

The challenges of scale

The core challenges of delivering high-quality WiFi at conferences are the physical premises – which may be particularly sprawling and complex, and therefore difficult to ensure consistent coverage throughout – and the sheer dynamism of the user base. With thousands or tens of thousands of attendees moving through the space every day, and masses of different users attempting to join and leave the WiFi at every event, WiFi for conference venues needs to be superbly elastic and scalable.

This challenge is one with which Curve IT is extremely familiar. We ensure every job we do has in-depth ‘WiFi Assurance’, which means we can accurately confirm how good WiFi is in a venue through scans and reporting, as well as the design of the network overall. Delivering robust, reliable and high-bandwidth WiFi in premises which have to deal with thousands of visitors every day is something we achieve for numerous different clients – including, recently, the refurbished Wagner Hall in Brighton. We have ensured that super-fast connectivity is available throughout the venue – benefiting staff, visitors, and businesses using the space also.

As the importance of conference WiFi becomes better-recognised by venues up and down the country, we look forward to seeing more innovative approaches to delivering high-speed, high-bandwidth and highly resilient connectivity – and being part of more projects ourselves.

The post An end to dodgy conference WiFi? appeared first on Curve IT.

Yet the landscape is not all doom and gloom. The latest statistics from the Retail Sales Index suggest in the three months to June of this year, the quantity bought increased by 0.7%, with a year-on-year growth rate of 3.8%in June. Theoretically, the country could enter calmer political waters this autumn.

The only certainty, then, seems to be uncertainty. Retailers must compete in a hostile and fast-moving environment, amidst changing consumer habits and a broader sense of political and financial upheaval. One key factor in delivering this competitiveness is digital innovation in retail environments.

What does in-store digital innovation look like?

What do we mean by this? As retail customers become increasingly likely to carry highly powerful mobile devices running on high-speed and high-capacity 5G cellular networks, and as the expanding IoT continues to drive innovations both in the home and in public spaces, so customers in retail stores will see intelligent, connected experiences as the norm, not a luxury extra.

At the most basic level, then, offering high-quality in-store WiFi means that retailers are responding to customer expectations and ensuring that the shopping experience doesn’t impede or frustrate shoppers who want to be able to browse the internet or access social media.

On a more sophisticated level, however, in-store WiFi can form the foundation for an array of more innovative and creative experiences. Bespoke applications, potentially integrated with IoT sensors placed throughout the store, can do everything from offer cross-selling and up-selling ideas, to allowing browsers to digitally try on an effort, or place an item of furniture in a representation of their home. The gamification possibilities are broad too, with savvy retailers looking for new opportunities to both build loyalty and extend the leisure possibilities of their stores.

Then there’s the back-office side of things to consider. High-speed wireless connectivity can power intelligent approaches to inventory management and checking on-shelf availability, automating manual processes and consolidating different sources of information to enable stores to run more efficiently. This improves working conditions for retail staff, and allows them to be more customer-focused and more informative and responsive.

What are the foundations for digital innovation?

Getting this right, however, requires a considered and careful approach to in-store infrastructure. Get that wrong and the whole endeavour can be prohibitively expensive or complex.

But where to begin? Enterprise-grade WiFi solutions can be hugely effective – but very expensive, particularly for any organisation smaller than the biggest department stores and multinational retailers. But clearly technology aimed primarily at domestic deployments is not going to be powerful enough.

Cloud-based WiFi can offer a compromised route forward, whereby individual stores run on virtual private networks (VPNs) from a single centralised database. And, as with all cloud computing deployments, the benefits in terms of elastic scalability, flexibility and agility are substantial.

Above all, however, retailers need to take a strategic and highly tailored approach to rolling out network infrastructure. This means developing a network strategy for all stores, individually and as a cohesive whole. It means undertaking bandwidth modelling, to establish those stores’ requirements today but also in the future, should new innovations be made in customer-facing applications.

Robust and reliable digital innovation and connectivity has become as important as part of retail infrastructure as their utilities and energy services. Smart networking means smarter retailers.

The post Intelligent infrastructure: Why being connected is essential in retail environments appeared first on Curve IT.

Wireless connectivity and beyond

And internet connectivity is just one of the overall networking requirements for a typical modular building. Systems such as CCTV, building alarms and other security systems, as well as door entry systems and building management systems (BMSs) like fire safety solutions all require networks of some shape or form. All this means that modular construction projects need to pay serious attention to wireless network planning which determines when and how the network infrastructure is built in. Wait until all of the individual pods or components have been installed onsite, and add wireless connectivity at the very end? You get the advantage of clarity and a holistic approach – but are also adding a potentially complex build and installation task at the end of what was meant to be a clean, logical and accelerated construction project, piece by piece.

A converged approach from Curve IT

Instead, wireless connectivity should be approached in a modular way too. One approach is to install a single, strong converged network throughout the entire building, and then use software to split it up into individual virtual LANs, or VLANs. Each individual VLAN can then be used to support a different networked function,  from security and management systems to whole-building WiFi.

Turning specifically to WiFi, an approach which is particularly useful for build to rent and student accommodation is to generate Personal Area Networks, which allow residents to access their home WiFi from anywhere in the building – even if they are in the lobby and their flat is on the top floor. These networks can also travel with tenants between individual buildings in an operator’s estate.

Ultimately, modular constructors should look to involve IT networking specialists as early as possible in their projects, working with both the operations and the brand or marketing team to develop a wireless connectivity strategy which is as efficient and logical as the building itself.

The post Wireless network planning in modular buildings appeared first on Curve IT.

The shared network, which was developed by Brighton based connectivity specialist Curve IT, has been deployed across four new developments in Islington, Bethnal Green, Greenwich and Maidenhead and is set to include a fifth Essential Living site in Swiss Cottage, which is currently under construction.

The project will enable Essential Living to deliver multiple services to both tenants renting its properties and to back-office staff managing those properties, via a single network installation.

The converged network solution will be used to provide reliable, superfast broadband access to residents while also supporting operational requirements including CCTV, door entry, access and alarm systems, and a shared building management system.

Work is also already underway to deliver electricity, water and heating metering across the network.

Curve IT delivered the network via a point-to-point connection, installing antennas and receivers on the buildings to achieve robust and reliable line of sight connections from property to property. By working with Essential Living early in the build-to-rent project stage, Curve IT was also able to save the firm from going out to separate mechanical and electrical (M&E) and cabling contractors for each of the properties.

From high-performance WiFi into individual flats, to alarm and CCTV systems, all are run from a single fibre and copper network, divided up into virtual subnetworks, or VLANs. This eliminates unnecessary duplication within and between the properties, and provides an efficient foundation for an array of smart building systems.

Essential Living focuses on delivering premium apartments in sought-after locations, with 24-hour on-site teams and exercise rooms. Delivering high-quality connectivity to residents, and ensuring seamless and effective back-office systems is essential to maintain this premium brand. Additionally, deploying a converged solution across all five sites can enable the seamless development of further services, such as Personal Area Networks which travel with tenants throughout buildings, as well as building-specific apps, in the future.

Ian Merrick at Essential Living said: “We pride ourselves on offering an excellent standard of living to our tenants, and really understanding their desire to be connected, both in terms of location and technology.

“Curve IT understood that from the outset, and proposed a cost-effective and highly scalable solution. It makes absolute sense for us to run all our connected functions, for tenants and staff alike, off the same converged network, and Curve IT has made that happen.”

Simon O’Hare at Curve IT added: “Build-to-rent firms have so much to gain from converged networks. They save a huge amount of money and complexity right from the beginning, by avoiding the need to deal with multiple contractors or unnecessary duplication. Then, they provide an outstanding platform for deplopying a wide array of smart building functions and  innovative tenant experiences – at precisely the rate that suits the operator.”

The post Essential Living launches converged network solution across London build to rent sites appeared first on Curve IT.

Yet despite this, a large number of UK businesses and organisations are still lagging behind when it comes to developing robust infrastructure and a reliable, secure, Wi-Fi service.

Many small businesses in particular still take the approach of contracting with wireless broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs) whose packages are intended to be used by individual consumers.

There’s a number of issues with this approach. For starters, the internet speeds provided might not be up to the job. However, following investment in full fibre to the premise infrastructure across much of the UK, this is becoming less of an issue.

Difficulties are more likely to be encountered when it comes to the reliability of coverage within the business environment itself and challenges associated with achieving the tailored network configuration typically required by companies.

WiFi networks intended for the consumer usually focus on simple set-ups and the delivery of broadband to the door only, with little support for configuration.

In this blog, we look at some of the specific considerations needed when creating ‘business class’ networks.

The changing workspace and network requirements

The workplace was once much simpler. You had your desktop machine connected to the server, corporate network and the internet via an ethernet cable. People had laptops and they too had to be wired into the office cabling if you had any serious work to do. Then came Wi-Fi and broadband and you could use your laptop on a wireless network so long as you didn’t stray too far from the one wireless router. Now many offices have moved across to an all wireless set up. People must be able to take their connected device into a meeting room or another office without losing their session.

It’s not just the main office either. While the Wi-Fi there might be OK it’s often not where all the work goes on in modern organisations. People have informal meetings throughout a building, from the reception area to the dining room. With the trend to build open spaces into many new office developments people might also have meetings outside. An incomplete office Wi-Fi network will mean that people are restricted to formal meeting areas and this, in turn, can impact on productivity. For organisations with multiple branch offices, it is also important to keep Wi-Fi connectivity consistent across locations. All these elements should be considered when selecting WiFi services and contemplating set-up.

Network security is also another major area for consideration. Businesses are responsible for the network they provide and it’s important to prevent both staff and visitors from putting themselves at unnecessary risk by building a secure Wi-Fi network within your building or campus environment. Again, this requires specific considerations and configurations not typically provided as default by ISP packages intended for the consumer. It is also important when considering Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) users, whose devices may pose a greater security risk. Implementing an Identity and Access Management (IAM) policy for example, which limits the access certain users have, will help further boost security.

A ‘business class’ approach

The set-up of a WiFi network in a business environment requires significantly more thought than a home network. From considering reliability and coverage levels across a wider area to determining how the network itself is set-up requires careful management.

If you’re looking for support in developing a tailored WiFi network for your business contact the team here at Curve IT.

The post Why it’s time to embrace ‘business class’ WiFi networks appeared first on Curve IT.

The Spiegeltent, which will be located on the Old Steine for the duration of the Brighton Fringe Festival this May, will be hosting a variety of live shows and experiences from cabaret to live comedy.

Curve’s appointment will ensure that all connectivity needs at the event are met, including requirements for card and mobile payments, Wi-Fi access for customers and Wi-Fi marketing.

The implementation of Wi-Fi marketing means promotions for upcoming events at the tent will be boosted, as Curve’s network enables ads to be ‘pushed’ directly to user’s devices when they join.

Food vendors will also able to link their direct menus to the portal, meaning visitors can browse menus at their leisure before making a decision.

Adrian Bristow of Brighton Spiegeltent said: “Reliable connectivity plays a crucial role in delivering entertainment at the Speigeltent.

“From ticket sales to mobile payments for food and drink, it’s important that we have WiFi we can rely on.

“It’s also equally important that our customers have internet access during shows so they can engage on social media for example.”

Curve IT has vast amounts of experience in dealing with temporary and semi-permanent networks for festivals and other pop-up events, including Brighton Pride.

Simon O’Hare, Managing Director of Curve IT, said: “It’s great to be working with the Brighton Spiegeltent organisers again. Customers expect reliable WiFi connectivity at major events but delivering this requires a specific approach that ensures enough capacity to support large crowds and multiple devices all accessing the network at the same time.

“Our solution will ensure both organisers and those attending the event can enjoy a first rate WiFi experience.”

The post Curve IT to keep Brighton Spiegeltent connected with renewed contract for Brighton Fringe appeared first on Curve IT.

However, such events also introduce significant organisational and logistic challenges – not least in terms of delivering reliable WiFi connectivity for staff and visitors alike.

The backbone of event organisation

WiFi connectivity is crucial for the smooth running of any major event. It keeps mobile staff connected with each other and their managers, enabling the smooth sharing of information, dynamic reallocation of resource and rapid incident response should an incident occur. It also powers mobile payments, an increasingly important part of the revenue flow at outdoor events in particular.

For example, the Brighton Spiegeltent, part of Brighton Fringe, needs WiFi for both mobile ticket sales and a range of different food vendors; a reliable service is crucial for customer satisfaction, smooth operation, and to attract the best vendors. At Curve IT, we were delighted to recently be reappointed to handle the event’s WiFi and network requirements.

Event marketing also requires fast and reliable WiFi. At multifaceted events such as festivals, it is increasingly common for mobile apps to be used to keep attendees up-to-date on evolving events, and to suggest places for them to go or tickets for them to purchase. Alternatively, promotions and ads for upcoming events can be directly ‘pushed’ to users’ mobile devices.  These techniques only work if the WiFi is reliable and can support reasonable volumes of data.

Indeed, for attendees at major events, reliable WiFi is increasingly seen as a must-have, not a luxury extra. Attendees want to be able to post to social media, access up-to-the-minute event information including menus of food options and even find lost friends, all using freely available WiFi.

The challenges of crowds

However, the obvious challenge of delivering fast and reliable WiFi at major events is the crowds that said events hope to attract. Tens or even hundreds of thousands of users, all attempting to use data-rich applications on their mobile devices? It is a recipe for draining the cellular network capacity.

Additionally, many major events take place in environments which introduce practical and physical challenges in terms of setting up a WiFi network. They may be in rural locations and spread over wide geographical areas. Alternatively, as with events like Brighton Fringe or Brighton Pride, they may be dispersed within an urban area, in which case choosing where to place cellular equipment, and ensuring quality coverage between different building materials and in awkward spaces may be difficult.

All this means that delivering fast and reliable connectivity – for staff, third-party vendors and attendees alike – at major events is a specialist pursuit. Curve IT is proud to have built an expert practice in this area, supporting events as diverse as Brighton Fringe and Brighton Pride with bespoke connectivity solutions which can handle both their unusual environments and their huge crowds. Furthermore, we can build and dissemble such solutions quickly and efficiently, ensuring that WiFi connectivity isn’t another headache for major event organisation – it’s a simple add-on.

If you are looking for a connectivity solution for your own event – no matter how major or boutique – get in touch with us today.

The post The importance of providing reliable WiFi at major events appeared first on Curve IT.

It’s no surprise that tenants expect high-speed, robust and reliable internet access and phone lines. But a long list of behind-the-scenes services also depend on communications networks, from door entry systems to security alarms, fire safety systems to building management systems (BMSs).

And this introduces a severe risk for Build to Rent (BTR) operators tasked with providing broadband services to shared buildings – that, during the build stage, they waste unnecessary time and money on duplicating the networks underpinning these services.

Broadband services to shared buildings – the importance of pre-planning

It is not untypical for the main build contractor to wait until much of the foundational work has been done before going out to a mechanical and electrical (M&E) contractor, who then subcontracts again to a cabling specialist for installation of the infrastructure required by, say, the CCTV system. Even if the networking process is introduced earlier in the build, an M&E contractor will still need to employ different specialists for each of the network-reliant systems outlined above. And each of those specialists will, quite rightly, design and pitch a system which involves a full network with their own specialist function running off it.

The upshot? A whole lot of unnecessary and costly duplication.

This is why forward-thinking BTR operators should look to work with IT networking specialists from the outset when providing broadband services to shared buildings, in order to develop a converged network for the entire building or even estate. A converged network is a single physical (usually fibre and copper) network which is divided up into virtual sub-networks, or VLANs. Each VLAN is used to underpin a different core service, from back office functions to resident-facing WiFi.

The benefits of well planned converged services for build to rent are enormous. Aside from the substantial resource savings from avoiding duplication, a converged network is also far more future-proofed than multiple discrete networks. It provides a foundation for smart building tools and technologies, and enables the creation of genuinely seamless and innovative resident experiences, whereby Personal Area Networks travel with tenants throughout buildings and even across the entire estate.

However, all these benefits depend on choosing the right converged services provider. How do you do that?

Begin with your brand

The best converged services providers will want to start early in BTR project – right back at the conception stage. They will want to work with your brand time as well as your operational team, to really understand what kind of experience you are hoping to present to your tenants. Network-dependent technology such as superfast internet, building-specific apps and the Personal Area Networks outlined above can have a massive impact on resident experience and the overall impression of your organisation.

Smart building specialism

Smart buildings, which use IoT technology to proactive manage everything from energy efficiency measures to predictive maintenance of assets, are key to helping BTR operators run as efficiently as possible. They can also play a crucial role in building an environmentally-friendly and forward-thinking brand. As such, your converged services provider should have experience in supporting and developing smart buildings, and able to advise you on possible future developments.

Long-term partnerships

The life of a BTR property should be long-term, and so the partnership with your converged services provider should be too. Innovations in networking technology are happening at lightning pace and while the possibilities for smart buildings and innovative tenant experiences are only going to become more diverse, this will also have an impact of the provision of broadband services to shared buildings. A truly long-term and forward-thinking converged services partnership will enable you to capitalise on these developments as they emerge, and truly by a BTR operator for the future.

The post Broadband services to shared buildings: why a converged network approach makes sense appeared first on Curve IT.