The industrial environment is more connected than ever before. While Wi-Fi has traditionally been the primary means of delivering connectivity within an industrial environment, mobile signal boosters are increasingly being considered as a means of delivering enhanced connectivity within industrial environments. But why are some industrial environments considering mobile coverage enhancement in addition to Wi-Fi?
Harsh Environments Make Wi-Fi Less Reliable
Factories have materials and equipment that can interfere with wireless signals. Steel beams, concrete walls, high racking, plant equipment and moving vehicles are some examples of materials and equipment that can interfere with wireless signals. This can cause patchy coverage, especially in large industrial environments where the use of more than one Wi-Fi access point may be necessary.
Mobile signal boosters, such as Cel-Fi signal boosters, are devices that boost the existing mobile signal. They boost the mobile signal so that it can be used inside the building. This can be especially useful in large industrial environments where the mobile signal may not be reliable.
Improved Mobility for Staff and Machines
For instance, many manufacturing environments use devices that can move from one place to another. Such devices include handheld scanners, connected machines and IoT devices. The devices need to maintain connectivity at all times as they move from one place to another in the facility. In some large buildings, Wi-Fi devices sometimes face connectivity issues for a very short period while changing access points. Cellular networks can handle mobility for a larger geographic region. The network can handle devices that can move from one coverage zone to another. Once a cellular mobile signal booster is set up in a building, connectivity can be boosted.
Built-In Security Features of Mobile Networks
The mobile networks have in-built security mechanisms such as SIM-based authentication and encryption. Such mechanisms can offer an additional layer of security for devices that use cellular connectivity for communication.
For factories that process sensitive operational data or use cloud-connected devices, cellular connectivity can offer an alternative layer of network security measures. Another advantage of using cellular connectivity in factories is that using mobile signal boosters can make connectivity easier for some devices. There is less network configuration internally since the devices use an external network.
Supporting Reliable Operations
For manufacturing processes, real-time data is sometimes required for monitoring equipment performance and safety. Any disruptions in connectivity can affect the rate at which processes are carried out. Mobile signal boosters can help improve cellular connectivity indoors for devices that require cellular connectivity. The boosted cellular network is still connected to the carrier network and hence enjoys the advantage of the network infrastructure.
Supporting Mixed Connectivity Environments
In most cases, a contemporary factory will employ a variety of communication technologies. For example, Wi-Fi could be deployed to support laptops and tablets, while the Internet of Things could employ a variety of technologies, such as LoRaWAN. However, many of the devices in the factory could employ mobile networking technologies.
In these environments, mobile signal boosters could help to enhance the mobile layer of the networking stack.
Wi-Fi still plays a significant role in industrial connectivity, although mobile signal boosters could play a part in environments where coverage is difficult. This could potentially aid in supporting strong indoor cellular coverage for mobile devices, industrial equipment and other technologies within a facility.
As factories move further into a more connected world, strong wireless coverage will be a part of keeping operations running efficiently within a facility.
If your facility experiences patchy indoor mobile coverage, exploring mobile signal boosting solutions could help improve connectivity and support more reliable day-to-day operations. Speak to our team today!
