So how do we actually stay connected?

It’s pretty obvious that technology has become a crucial component of our connected lives. I don’t need to convince you of the value in browsing your latest Facebook notifications while impatiently waiting to be called back at your doctors office; or how about checking that urgent “all caps” email from your boss while you’re walking into a meeting, or perhaps the convenience of calling your mother a day late to apologize for forgetting her birthday. We’re on our devices all day-everyday and we NEED them to work. We generally take for granted our ability to connect with anyone and anything from anywhere anytime. But when our service is disrupted, WE NOTICE. Its’ the end of the world when our YouTube video takes more than 10 seconds to load. In a culture that has grown accustomed to immediate access to the internet and a direct line for assistance in unforeseen circumstances — it’s not melodramatic to suggest that constant connection is an essential aspect of modern society. Whether it’s a crippling barrier to your immediate entertainment, screwing up your business, or legitimately a danger to your safety — a failure in our connections has real consequences.

We tend to take advantage of the convenience our telecommunications technology offers without even being conscious of its existence. I mean, sure, we know that Verizon & AT&T have huge towers scattered every few miles that send out waves across the landscape that our phones then receive and transmit back to, right? Sort of. It’s a bit more complicated than that. Well, a lot more complicated actually. Let’s just say for simplicities sake that is the gist of it and it operates on that simple framework. Well, if it’s so simple, then why is it that I can’t ever get service in my basement? Why does my data get so unbearably slow while I’m in the office? What’s up with the static in the background of those phone calls that don’t drop from the lake house? We don’t particularly care about the technical stuff behind it all — we just want it to work and work well. ALWAYS.

Carriers like Verizon and AT&T are well aware of customers demands for reliable and consistent high-quality service. They put a pretty big effort into maintaining the standard that we have become accustomed to. They know we expect fast download and upload speeds all the time and anywhere we go. And we definitely expect to be able to make and receive phone calls with equal reliability. With the costly service plans most customers pay — we have plenty justification for demanding such impeccable service. These expectations evolve every single day with newer smartphones capable of faster computing speed and more processing power allowing us to require more data speed and bandwidth to keep up with the increasing number of tasks we demand out of our devices.

How do smartphone manufacturers know that their new device will be capable of operating at the latest and greatest standard? Well, they actually employ a team to Drive-Test their unreleased tech to collect data on how it performs in the field with real variables simulating the environment it will be expected to operate within upon its official release. The data is analyzed for weak points and unsatisfactory device functions. Adjustments are made to hardware and software accordingly in preparation for the official device launch. This ensures a reliable device in typical operating settings and results in a satisfactory user experience.

In addition to pinpointing problem areas, carriers often employ Drive Testing to collect visual data that can then be used for promotional purposes to market to new customers. Think back to the last cellphone service commercial you saw — probably had a visual map somewhere in there proudly bragging of their extensive coverage area. Thought they just made those up, didn’t you? Well, they probably do get a bit generous with their interpretation of the data, but for the most part, they’ve got stats to show the performance of most of their network at one point or another.

Anything from football arenas and Nascar SpeedWays to concert halls and university campus’; they’ve all got em. Nearly every newly constructed architecture intended to house massive numbers of people will commission their own cellular system onsite to supply guests with uninterrupted service. In the case of a sporting arena installing their own DAS system, it wouldn’t be the carriers that request testing of the arena’s DAS performance, it would be the owners of the arena that would have an interest in performing “Walk-Testing,” the obvious variation of Drive-Testing. If their system causes interference with nearby towers, it’s their responsibility to adjust and address the issue. It is not nearby cell operators responsibility to prevent the new DAS system from interfering with their operations. They simply need to complain to the FCC of the disruption and due recourse will be applied. Often the consequences of a significant violation are severe, so the necessary effort is placed into adjusting the new DAS operation to sufficient performance without negatively impacting neighbors. Over the years, large venues have experienced the absolute necessity of their facilities to offer adequate cellular connections and data speeds. Aside from simple, emergency needs, the marketing and advertisement that guests can do for them today are unequivocal.

Seems like a pretty dramatic commodity for anyone to invest in simply to give their customers the ability to check their email during the game, right? Not anymore. Not now that your customers are responsible for the bulk of your new business. Now that guests can snapchat the event to all 150 people on their friends list. Or when they can tag your arena in their new picture, which is being posted to the feeds of many of their 850-something friends on Instagram.

Even hospitals are beginning to employ these systems and their accompanying necessary testing to ensure their staff has sufficient and immediate access to a communication channel that might save lives. Consider: A Doctor that can’t be reached because his phone has no signal on the 1st floor — it’s bad for business. Dramatic instances involving life or death are not exclusive to the halls of hospitals; truly, in a culture as connected as ours where our one and only lifeline is often our phones, being disconnected in the wrong moment can have dire consequences. Imagine you're at dinner with the family when your mother begins clutching her chest and falls to the floor. You whip out your phone and dial 911 only to hear a robotic voice on the other end apologizing for being unable to receive service necessary to dial out. It’s no good being cut off from your friends or family when you’re in a pinch and it’s definitely not okay for your phone not to work during an emergency. Having a constant connection doesn’t seem like such a ridiculous 1st world problem now, does it? If your service sucks at work, maybe you ought to complain to the property manager or your service provider and let them know which areas their network is lacking and even suggest that they get their junk together and get on some Drive-Testing in the area so your phone will perform on the level that you’re actually paying for. Or the next time you notice your signal drop as soon as you walk inside a facility, give them a good finger wagging and share your new knowledge of some simple techniques they can use to remedy their issue before it turns into a real serious problem.

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