Fast fact: more than half the world’s population now owns a smartphone. This means that a majority of people in the world now have an easy way to access their preferred content through the Internet. What’s more, with broadband connectivity becoming more and more affordable, many of these “netizens” are now able to access the content they want, when they want it. This “always-on” lifestyle makes the answer to whether or not we need to have free outdoor Wi-Fi a no-brainer.
The rise of the Internet of Things is also a huge influence in this need for connectivity. From our “smart wearables” like fitness watches and virtual reality headsets to the “smart locks” that send an alert to our smartphone when an unauthorized person enters our home while we are away, the Internet has wormed its way into our daily lives, bringing with it a host of benefits that many of us have been enjoying for quite some time now.
To give you an even better idea about the advantages of deploying outdoor Wi-Fi, we provide you with a list of some its enterprise-class applications.
Travel and Tourism
Taking photographs, videos, and other content then immediately sharing them on social media is now a norm for travelers when they visit a new place. This makes business establishments and locations with free public Wi-Fi connection a more attractive destination for tourists, who can then help augment income opportunities for local businesses and the government. Businesses like restaurants and coffee shops that offer a free yet secure Wi-Fi connection also tend to draw in more customers—in fact, Wi-Fi connectivity is almost a required amenity in these kinds of establishments.
City Asset Management
The concept of “smart cities” has also been steadily been gaining ground and is in fact already in action in several key locations around the world. Through enterprise outdoor Wi-Fi systems, it’s easier to handle the massive volumes of data needed to manage traffic, supervise emergency services, prevent crime, oversee power grids and water utility services, and deliver many other primary services to people.
Disaster Relief
As we have seen with the spate of category 5 hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other disasters occurring in recent years, communication and connectivity are important not just in assessing the damage sustained by affected communities but also in coordinating rescue efforts and delivering the necessary aid on time.
Enterprise-level wireless network solutions can easily be deployed in cases when disasters cripple traditional communications and internet services. These would provide the authorities with the means to transfer and receive the necessary data for disaster response, as well as to reconnect affected individuals to the authorities that they need to be in contact with. Moreover, it will also help these people get in touch with their loved ones, with whom they may have lost contact with.
On-the-Go Productivity for Schools and Businesses
Public Wi-Fi also greatly benefits the education sector, as it provides Internet access even to those who cannot afford it. Students who need to do their homework or conduct some research, for example, can simply visit public libraries to access a wealth of online resources.
On the other hand, in-campus Wi-Fi connectivity allows students to work on their projects in any location within the school premises—even in outdoor spaces—which helps foster better collaboration. Connectivity provides students and educators with an easier way of communicating and sharing files, while Internet-based tools can also be used to develop other educational initiatives such as webinars or hackathons with industry experts.
Meanwhile, business people can also use Wi-Fi connectivity to check in with their colleagues and personnel even when they are away on a vacation or a business trip, making public Wi-Fi a valuable amenity in airports and hotels. Places such as hotels and convention centers are also often used as MICE venues, which means that free, fast, and secure Wi-Fi access is a necessity for on-the-go productivity.
Most users of the Internet nowadays don’t remember life without it. Indeed, it is a life-changing technology that has affected lives positively all over the world, even as we continue to tap into its seemingly endless potential and discover new ways to make our lives better.