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In today’s fast-paced digital era, it is astonishing how difficult it can be to establish a dependable internet connection. While internet access is essential for everyone, businesses rely heavily on it for survival and prosperity, and I often hear the frustrations of CIOs as they grapple with the hurdles of traditional internet.
Wired options, especially in rural areas, tend to be inflexible and regionalized, resulting in limited choice and lengthy installation. Inconsistent service and support further exacerbate the problem, especially for distributed enterprises with multiple locations that may have different ISPs, rates and service levels. These challenges can slow down business operations, impacting real-time data sharing, information security and service delivery … and at the same time, cost more.
Businesses require secure connectivity that is fast enough to meet their business needs, and it must also be reliable and consistent. They expect coverage when and where they need it—for backup, business continuity and everyday operations. Businesses might need to support remote employees, activate pop-up work sites or satellite offices, or simply run their point-of-sale devices. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether their internet service will work properly. When connectivity is a given, business owners can focus on what truly matters, like customer experience, competitiveness, innovation, employee support and company growth.
Simplicity is key.
For some businesses, consolidating network services to a single partner can streamline operations and budgeting, while reliable connectivity will ensure confidence in running key applications. Enterprise use cases can be complex, and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has emerged as a flexible solution that provides a fast, reliable, straight-forward approach for connecting retails stores, remote offices, and remote work. Not only can it be deployed quickly (typically within days), but it can offer a completely diverse path from wireline options.
What is fixed wireless? It’s a reliable and simple-to-set-up internet solution for residential and commercial customers using radio waves, not trenches lined with fiber connections the cable companies have used for decades. T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network can bring internet service to communities across the country without the limitation of the length of the cord buried underground.
Fixed wireless connectivity is becoming more available – Deloitte projects growth of nearly 91% in global fixed wireless access connections, from about 88 million in 2022 to 168 million in 2026. That’s great news for underserved communities with little choice in internet service providers.
The growing adoption of cloud IT and the rise of hybrid work are driving businesses to seek alternative solutions. Analysts predict that by 2024, FWA will capture 80-90% of new subscribers nationwide, disrupting the internet market. While urban and suburban areas lead FWA adoption, there has been a surprising surge in rural areas due to the ease of implementation and significant advancements in 5G network speed, reliability and coverage.
Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S., is deploying T-Mobile Business Internet in more than 2,200 stores in 49 states, many in rural areas with little or no internet coverage. It’s helping them innovate ways to build brand loyalty and deliver legendary customer experiences without the worry of reliable connectivity.
First, 35k employees have their own connected device enabled with “Hey GURA,” which stands for (Greet, Uncover, Recommend, Ask). The device uses generative AI to serve as a virtual product assistant and helps team members collaborate in real time to provide tailored customer recommendations. And “Tractor Vision,” (stacked with AI) can proactively identify customers that may need assistance onsite like propane on the side lot, riding mowers, in-store pickup, or Utility Task Vehicles. It also monitors register wait times and signals team members for backup.
While a great use case, the reality is that many enterprises won’t consolidate and use FWA for their primary connectivity. However, it can also be configured as a secure option for affordable rural coverage, high-quality backup and augmented connectivity for outdoor areas. One example is the United States Postal Service, which enabled T-Mobile’s FWA as a backup solution for their 12,000+ connections alongside their primary wireline connectivity.
While the reliability of FWA may not reach the same level as wireline connections due to the inherent nature of radio frequency communications, it is important to note that wireless devices may not always perform optimally in all environments, like inside basements or metal buildings. But with adequate coverage, careful design, and professional installation, FWA can rival wireline with its flexibility and speed of deployment.
Business network infrastructure is becoming increasingly complex for small to medium businesses. From the business with a single location to a larger business connecting multiple locations, IT teams face the daunting task of putting together all the pieces for a complete connectivity stack that connects everything from point-of-sale systems to video surveillance to IoT applications. They must assemble regional internet service providers, mismatched hardware and management software from various suppliers just to create a functional network infrastructure. And to make things even more complicated, all these moving parts have their own contracts, varied rate plans and support models. This complexity doesn’t just cause headaches, it can limit scalability – and possibly compromise security.
The global average cost of a single data breach reached an estimated $4.45 million in 2023 ― 15% more than in 2020 — and organizations are increasingly turning to software-based solutions like SASE to help protect themselves from attacks. But software-based security solutions can pose some risks and can leave room for improvement compared to hardware-based security solutions. For example, traditional, software-based, SASE only offers protection when client software is downloaded onto devices and configured. This is a heavy administrative lift for IT departments and can potentially leave some devices vulnerable, such as IoT hardware and routers.
T-Mobile created T-SIMsecure — the first SIM-based SASE solution that uses International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) for clientless authentication. This hardware-based component means that devices connected to T-Mobile’s network are automatically authorized through the SIM card, simplifying the work for IT and security teams. It also delivers improved experiences for employees who are on-the-go, like field services and frontline workers. Because the authorization is always on and pervasive, it helps protect devices that are unable to support traditional SASE software, such as IoT and routers. And devices that don’t have a T-Mobile SIM can still download and set up the SASE device client regardless of carrier or Wi-Fi network.
Secure, reliable internet connectivity is the foundation for business growth and customer engagement. From there, a fully connected workplace can streamline configuration and monitor additional devices like access points for enhanced Wi-Fi coverage, switches for expanded device connectivity, and security cameras for onsite surveillance. T-Mobile’s Connected Workplace is a fully managed solution that packages nationwide 5G business internet with Cisco Meraki devices and a cloud-managed networking platform with simple pricing. This kind of automation can alleviate the IT teams’ work related to “keeping the lights on,” with things like installation, software licensing, configuration management, and device upgrades – giving them freedom to innovate.
Learn more about connectivity options through T-Mobile for Business.