Customer Spotlight! Meet RAN WIRELESS and Their Amazing 3D Models

Warning: This blog contains 3D models that may cause you to whoop and holler.

There are a few capabilities that iBwave is well known for in the market, but certainly, one of the most stand-out capabilities is the 3D modeling that comes with the iBwave wireless network design software. And while we can all agree that the 3D models are awesome to look at, the real value behind why our customers use this feature for their network designs is because of the level of prediction accuracy it allows them to pass onto their customers and the network end users – and as a result, the time and cost savings that comes along with it. Plus yes, the 3D models certainly are a marketing feature for any of our customers in the bidding process, enabling them with a powerful and visual way display exactly how the network they’ve designed will perform in customer’s venue.

One of these customers is RAN Wireless Pvt – an iBwave customer for many years now, RAN Wireless relies on their 3D modeling expertise and the accurate prediction results it brings to win new customers and build strong relationships with their existing ones.

In the words of RAN Wireless CEO, Faisal Khan, “realistic modeling leads to realistic designs”.

It’s a sentiment we’ve heard many times from our customers, and one of the driving forces behind the implementation of our 3D modeling capabilities many years ago.

Here’s a short demo reel of some impressive models they have done ?

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I sat down and talked with the founder of RAN Wireless, Faisal Khan, a bit ago to learn more about them as a company and to understand more what goes into their modeling, and what the most significant benefits are that they see are as a result of their efforts.

Here’s what he had to say.

What iBwave products do you currently use?

iBwave Design and iBwave Wi-Fi.

What types of projects does RAN Wireless use iBwave for?

We’ve done over 300 designs using iBwave including DAS, Small Cells and Wi-Fi network design projects. We specialize in stadiums, tunnels and metro stations but have done all types of designs including hospitals, hotels, apartments, campuses, convention centers – and many more.

What is your process for modeling? How long does a model typically take you?

We use elevation plans, Sketchup and Google Earth to understand the layers, and visualize the venue, and then proceed with modeling the venue in iBwave itself. We spend the time on this part of the project because an accurate model will lead to accurate results – and for us, the more accurate the prediction results, the less time we spend tweaking or troubleshooting the design post-installation.

How long would one of your stadium designs take to model?

This takes us about two weeks to model – but time spent here saves any time we have to spend post-installation. In fact, it is one of the main reasons our customers choose us – the accuracy with which we can design their networks. If a venue is modelled incorrectly, predictions will be incorrect – we’ve seen it.

Do you model all venues with such detail? Or is it just the larger projects like stadiums?

All of our projects are done to the same level of detail and accuracy.

What is the value of modeling to such detail for you?

As a smaller business, we need to differentiate ourselves and the #1 one we do that is with quality. I always say that for us it is all about quality – it’s something we are never willing to compromise on, and it’s something we are very well known for and the reason our customers stay with us. By modeling the venues we are designing in the most realistic way we can deliver the highest quality of network to our customers. What makes us different to others is iBwave and how we use it.

We often hear that modeling takes so long to do, can you talk about why it’s so important to you and your team to take the time to do it in such a detailed and realistic way?

Every design, in particular for more complex venues like stadiums, tunnels, subways, racetracks, goes through a cycle of approvals and many test walks to check the feasibility of the design. Accurate modeling of the venue and the design itself reduces the time to do these validation walks significantly when it comes to checking the feasibility of component locations.

What about when it comes to prediction accuracy? How much accuracy are you able to achieve with such detailed modeling?

Our prediction accuracy is very high because of the level of effort we put into modeling – this gets reflected in the KPI’s post-installation as we are on average about 95% accurate if we get all the modeling information we need – that 5% margin of error is simply because with 2D drawings it’s very hard to understand some of the more complex structures. For us, this level of prediction accuracy means there is very little troubleshooting to be done once the network is installed, and we don’t have to worry about major issues like moving components, re-routing cables, etc after installation. And in the carrier world, it’s also very difficult to go back to them o get design changes approved once it’s already approved – it can lead to large and costly time delays. So while we do spend more time up front modeling, all in all, it has led to faster overall project cycle timelines.

What is the most valuable thing about iBwave to you?

The whole software is valuable to us, we love the software – and we also love the support that comes with it.

And we appreciate you RAN Wireless! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us!

Wirelessly yours,

Kelly

Interested in being featured in our Customer Spotlight blog series? Send me an email at kelly.burroughs@ibwave.com and let’s chat!

Dense Network Architecture – Why is it Important Now and Why Should You Care?

Dense Network Architecture – Why is it Important Now and Why Should You Care?

For the last 15 years iBwave has supported the majority of the carriers in the world through millions of in-building network deployments as they focused on a smooth and secure transition to the next generation of technology e.g. 3G to 4G. For the next 15 years we plan to accompany our carrier and enterprise customers on the same successful path where DNA (Dense Network Architecture) will play a central role.

DNA is the Path to 5G

With the completion of the first 5G new radio 3GPP standard, the wireless industry is in the final dash towards commercialization of 5G technology potentially by 2019. Major wireless carriers are actively conducting trials to prepare for the fast approaching commercialization phase of 5G. As an integral part of the wireless eco-system, iBwave is working closely with its partners to ensure that they are well-prepared for this final step. We have a clear vision today that networks are becoming denser, this is true from a couple of different perspectives. First, we see the fixed architecture is evolving towards richer fiber-based networks for both backhaul and fronthaul. Second, we see that there is a densification of Radio APS from 3G to 4G and also in Wi-Fi with the number of global Wi-Fi hotspots growing exponentially, and forecasted to grow by 454 million by 2020 (Statista). Also, a total of 2.3 million Small Cells were being shipped last year (Source: RCR).

Don’t Forget the 3 80s

Industry trends and numbers shows that data traffic is increasing at a rate of 80% per year, we also know that 80% data traffic originates in-building and that 80% enterprises are ready to switch providers if they get better indoor coverage in an effort to improve customer experience. We can call this the 3-80’s rule and if you look at it you should start thinking of your Dense Network Architecture (DNA), from an in-building standpoint. It is important to take this approach because this is where most of your traffic is happening and this is where most of the enterprises will focus their energies to improve quality of customer experience. Today however we are not seeing this mindset as a majority of the early 5G trials are happening outdoors.

Ensure Your In-Building Networks Are 5G Ready

To address the above, at iBwave we think that 5G trials need to be conducted indoors alongside the existing outdoor trials, to highlight potential deployment issues for your Dense Network Architecture (DNA). Potential issues such as the current structured cabling and whether it supports DNA, or not? We have to move into a fiber-rich architecture inside the building, we need to figure out whether passive optical LAN is going to replace the typical CAT 5 or CAT 6 structure cabling? The 3 80’s rule should make us focus much more on in-building because that’s where the traffic is. This will help us pin point potential issues which might be very critical, for example whether the current cabling CAT 5 and CAT 6 is able to handle 5G or whether this next gen technology requires fiber rich networks inside the building.

Ask the Insiders

iBwave is happy to help our Carrier and Enterprises customers navigate the world of DNA and 5G networks by helping them prepare in advance and choose the best options. If you are an enterprise and you are curious about hearing what DNA and 5G will mean for you then come talk to us.

Send us your comments below or ask us a question here

Convergence & Evolution in Indoor Wireless Networks

Guest Post by Dean Bubley, Disruptive Analysis

It is not a new assertion that indoor wireless networks are important. The frustrations of poor indoor cellular coverage are universal, while businesses of all types need to provide employees and guests with high-quality Wi-Fi.

Various solutions abound for providing good signal indoors – distributed antenna systems (DAS), small cells, or even just deployment of lower-frequency bands in outdoor networks, with better penetration through walls. Yet costs remain considerable, especially as usage increases near-exponentially. Upgrading or retro-fitting existing installations often requires hard economic decisions, given that most such investments are not directly “monetized”. Suitable expertise, foresight, planning tools and ongoing monitoring/reporting are important.

The future, however, will accelerate the role of in-building/on-site wireless connectivity – in both predictable and unpredictable fashion. If we consider what a building might look like in the year 2030, say – and how it may be used and occupied – we can start to see the challenges and opportunities.

As well as today’s well-known and well-described uses of wireless (smartphones and laptops on Wi-Fi and cellular networks), we can expect to see a huge number of new uses emerge. This means that today’s implementations will require future-proofing, to support the unknowns of tomorrow. For example, consider the implications of:

IoT deployments for smart buildings, such as a proliferation of sensors for heating, security, or the operation of elevators. These may require better coverage in unusual places – in ceiling voids, lift-shafts, basements and so on. Bandwidth and latency requirements will vary hugely, from life-critical but low-data fire/carbon monoxide sensors, to networked video cameras, or once-an-hour reporting from water tanks.
Moving devices such as robots or automated trolleys, delivering products around the building. While some will be fully-autonomous, others will need constant wireless connectivity and control.
5G networks will be deployed from around 2020, with further evolutions in following years. These may be extremely demanding on in-building coverage solutions, especially as some networks are likely to use frequencies above 6GHz – perhaps even as high as 80GHz.
Likely huge growth in narrowband wireless, connecting low-powered (but maybe very dense) networks of sensors or other endpoints. These may use 3GPP technologies such as NB-IoT, or other options such as LoRa and SigFox.

All of these trends imply very different traffic patterns. It is not realistic just to extrapolate from current usage – robots may go places in the buildings where humans do not. Mobility requirements may evolve – and so will regulations.

It is not just new classes of device and application which will need to be supported by well-designed infrastructure, but also new classes of service provider that need to access them.

The advent of new unlicensed or shared-spectrum models of frequency allocation (eg CBRS in the US, or MuLTEfire) may mean the arrival of new operator types – dedicated IoT solutions providers that “bring their own wireless”; enterprises acting as their own local on-site MNOs; various models of “neutral host” and so on.

Private enterprise cellular networks are starting to become more widespread. Some governments are allocating spectrum for industries like utilities or smart-cities, while equipment vendors are offering optimised enterprise-grade cellular infrastructure.

Potential future regulations for emergency-services wireless connections. Police and fire authorities are increasingly using broadband mobile, both for humans and remote-sensing devices.

Distributed-mesh service providers, that operate as decentralised networks with micropayments, or as community initiatives. Some may use blockchain-type arrangements for shared-ownership or membership fees.

One of the unknowns is about the convergence (or divergence) of different network types. On one hand, cellular networks are embracing Wi-Fi for offload, or for multi-network aggregation, especially as they worry that returning flat-rate data plans may stress their networks. On the other, some networks are looking at running 4G/5G in unlicensed spectrum instead of (or in addition to) Wi-Fi. Yet more service providers are adopting a “Wi-Fi first” approach, reverting to MVNO models for cellular where needed. Future permutations will likely be more complex still.

For property developers and owners, the quality of indoor networks is increasingly key in determining valuations and rental occupancy. Already seen in hotels, and office new builds, it will be important for today’s new constructions and refurbishments to support adequate flexibility and headroom for the next decade or more.

This takes on further emphasis if you consider the trend towards “buildings-as-a-service”, exemplified by organisations such as WeWork. These new classes of facility often incorporate wireless connectivity both as a billable service element, but also to enable their owners to manage the properties effectively, in terms of energy-efficiency and security. Other forms of monetisation and data-analytics around wireless location-sensing/tracking are also becoming more important.

Lastly, in-building challenges will be driven by the specific location and industry, which themselves may change in nature over the next decade. New building materials, construction practices and regulations will impact wireless in unpredictable ways – more metallic insulation perhaps, but also perhaps robot or pre-fabricated construction allowing wireless systems to be installed more easily. Individual industry verticals will have their own shifts – what will retail stores look like, and how will customers behave, in the era of home deliveries by drone, but more on-premise “experiences”, perhaps with AR/VR systems? What workplaces of the future look like, in an era of self-driving vehicles? Industrial facilities will become increasingly automated, with the largest uses of wireless connections being machines rather than humans. Hotels and airports will see shifts in data connectivity needs from employees and visitors, as application usage shifts.

There are no easy answers here – even if you construct good scenarios for the future, undoubtedly we will be surprised by events. But some form of upfront discipline in designing and building indoor wireless solutions is ever more critical, given the unknowns. The more future-proofing is possible, the lower the potential risk of being caught out.

Dean Bubley (@disruptivedean ) is Director of Disruptive Analysis. On October 5^th, at 10am EDT, he will be discussing some of these topics in more depth on a webinar with us here at iBwave.