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"This collaborative alliance is a necessary requirement to educate the market and make IBW a standard part of society in the future,"
Ian Sugarbroad
President and CEO, LGC Wireless
IBWA Vice President

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Bringing Mobility Inside the Office Building

It’s clear–we are all part of the Mobile Age. Cell phones, PDAs, laptops, and any number of other gadgets have reshaped the way we work, the way we communicate, and the way we live.

That is, until we enter the building where we spend the majority of our day and where most of our interactions occur. Despite the ever–growing need for always–on connectivity, many commercial buildings have yet to convert to wireless hook–ups. Without a signal, we’re bound by cables, and rely on wishful thinking to make the magic handset bars appear or keep calls online.

It’s not just individual productivity that takes a hit when buildings are ill–equipped to handle the new–generation requirements. Public safety officials and first responders are also affected by inadequate people–locating services and poor emergency communication coverage, both of which could potentially lead to compromised life–saving planning and rescue operations. Building owners, too, face a double whammy. They risk losing tenants who refuse to sign leases without WiFi capabilities, and they have difficulty tracking and consolidating data about in–building energy consumption, security, or other feeds that require frequent monitoring but reside on different IT platforms.

Isn’t it time to change these scenarios? Doesn’t it make sense to have commercial buildings wired in such a way that all who have access to it can be wireless, safe, and....mobile?

The In–Building Wireless Alliance (IBWA) thinks so.

Founded in 2006, the IBWA, a cross–industry consortium representing commercial real estate firms, public safety organizations, wireless carriers, and infrastructure providers, aims to accelerate the adoption of in–building wireless technology and unlock the value to all communication and information stakeholders within a building.