By Tobie van Schalkwyk, Business Unit Manager at Duxbury Networking

At the end of last year, the South African telecommunications services market was worth more than $9.4 billion and on track to continue its 2% compound annual growth rate through 2028. With expectations that people will increasingly rely on mobile data for business and personal use, ensuring reliable and always available connectivity has become a priority. This is even more so the case on the enterprise side with hybrid work normalised across most industries.

Certainly, hybrid work has contributed to the growth of a geographically dispersed workforce. Businesses are under pressure to deliver fast, high-quality, and reliable connectivity across their organisational footprint. This is easier said than done given the complexities of delivering fixed-line access to remote and rural communities. Mobile operators are continuously investing in upgrading their networks to provide affordable access to those users and businesses who cannot get fibre. However, at a time when the growing adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and data analysis at the edge of computing are becoming the norm, more robust connectivity solutions are required.

Boosting signal

This is where signal boosting solutions, such as the Nextivity IntelliBoost technology, become a critical building block toward a more robust connectivity environment for enterprises. As the name suggests, signal boosters enhance connectivity to ensure reliable communication and data transmissions even in remote locations or buildings that have difficulties in getting good cellular signals.

Putting in place signal boosting technology can empower companies to extend their services to the edge, perform powerful data analysis from remote branch offices, and get access to real-time insights closer to the source to improve operational efficiencies.

For example, the smart, real-time processing built into the proprietary chips used in Nextivity CEL-FI cellular coverage solutions enables these solutions to bring strong, reliable cellular signals indoors with performance comparable to that of a costly legacy distributed antenna system (DAS). This means that signal boosting technologies provide organisations in sectors like utilities, retail, and logistics that require real-time data analytics to make faster decisions, with the peace of mind of knowing they have the reliable access required to do so.

Real-time knowledge

The insights that enterprises can derive from their remote branches bring about more than just a competitive advantage for solution development. It significantly improves the employee experience, especially for those information workers who require high-speed access to cloud-based systems. Furthermore, it reinvigorates the customer experience as end users can get tailored solutions and services based on their requirements. These are provided by the analysis of data using a combination of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.

Remote employees can work more effectively given the connectivity advances that signal boosters provide. They can focus more on fulfilling their strategic functions and less on whether they will be able to dial into a video call or engage effectively with a customer in another part of the country.

Signal boosters, therefore, facilitate more proactive management of the remote workforce, deliver more effective IoT device management, and offer the pathway to analyse data at the edge at the scale necessary to bring a business advantage.

Evolving market needs

As the connectivity needs of South African businesses continue to evolve, Nextivity remains committed to developing the solutions essential to boost signals wherever they are needed. Advancements in signal boosting technology will further enable companies to embrace IoT, edge computing, and emerging technologies to access a connected ecosystem that drives growth and unlocks new business opportunities.

Nextivity's enterprise-class technology is reshaping the landscape of connectivity in the country. By providing organisations with a platform to ensure their remote locations remain connected, they can optimise operations and build a path for sustainable growth.