6 Ways Mobile Connectivity Can Increase Workplace Productivity
Seamless communication, streamlined processes and the adoption of new technologies are just some of the characteristics of a productive, modern workplace. Enhanced mobile connectivity can be a powerful tool to increase productivity and help organisations thrive in an increasingly digitised landscape. So, how can mobile connectivity increase workplace productivity?
At its core, enhanced mobile connectivity means seamless communication across your workplace. However, cellular connections can also act as a backup to existing WiFi networks, allowing vital operations to continue if your broadband goes down, increasing security. Mobile connectivity means your business can offer an improved customer experience and allows you to access the many benefits of 5G and IoT devices.
Keep reading to learn more about how mobile connectivity can increase productivity across a wide range of sectors and allow your company to get ahead of your competitors.
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What Is Mobile Connectivity and Why Is It Important in the Modern Workplace?
Mobile or cellular connectivity refers to the ability to access the internet through a cellular signal, typically through a smartphone or mobile device. Enhanced mobile connectivity has clear benefits for modern workplaces in terms of improved communication and collaboration. However, many businesses fail to understand the wider applications of cellular connectivity. From Internet of Things devices to improved cellular security systems, enhanced mobile connectivity can be used by modern businesses in a wide range of ways.
“Mobile connectivity doesn’t just foster better collaboration and teamwork, it also facilitates real-time applications, enables faster decision making and improves productivity and profitability over the long-term.”
Ben Poskaitis, founder of NetCov
Below, we explore 6 key ways businesses can use mobile connectivity to improve their business offering, streamline operations and stay competitive.
6 Ways Businesses Can Increase Productivity With Enhanced Mobile Connectivity
Today, robust mobile connectivity is more crucial than ever. The world is becoming increasingly more digitally oriented, and failing to realise the many benefits of enhanced mobile connectivity can quickly lead to organisations falling behind. New technologies and continuous advancements mean businesses must update their network infrastructures to remain relevant or risk being left behind. Enhanced mobile connectivity is a clear opportunity for businesses to get ahead of their competitors.
“With more and more businesses committing to becoming ‘digital-first’ organisations to stay competitive, enhanced mobile connectivity is no longer just ‘nice-to-have’, it’s essential to increase productivity, drive profitability, improve organisational efficiency and meet long-term business goals.”
Ben Poskaitis, founder of NetCov
1. Seamless Communication and Collaboration
A strong mobile connection ensures employees can communicate efficiently across the workplace. From reception areas to underground parking, enhanced mobile connectivity allows seamless communication without switching WiFi networks. Enhanced cellular connectivity also reduces your need to use WiFi calling, which can be unreliable, especially as employees move through the building.
Clear voice calls require a signal strength between -50 dBm and -70 dBm. However, many office buildings and workplaces don’t receive sufficient cellular signal inside due to dense building materials which block and reflect radio waves. Increased cellular coverage means your employees can communicate clearly with customers or clients with minimal dropped or missed calls, offering a higher standard of service and improving satisfaction rates. Having a sales team that is easily accessible on their mobiles can help you convert more leads and boost sales figures.
2. Support Existing WiFi Connectivity and Act as a Back-Up
An internet outage can have a huge financial impact on your business. In March 2019, a 14-hour outage cost Facebook an estimated $90 million. Mobile connectivity can act as a backup to WiFi, ensuring seamless business operations, reduced downtime and continuity for your staff and customers.
Cloud Usage
Cloud adoption has become more mainstream in recent years, with 71% of companies surveyed in 2024 reporting ‘heavy’ cloud usage, up from 65% the previous year (2024 State of the Cloud Report). This means more and more businesses require a strong internet connection to operate and that an alternative means of connectivity is no longer ‘nice to have’ but essential for the majority of digital businesses.
Digital Landlines
Some businesses still rely on landlines, which are operated by the public switched telephone network (PSTN). However, this is due to be switched off by January 2027. All businesses will need to switch to digital landlines, which use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and require an internet connection to make and receive calls. This means that a secondary internet connection, which acts as a backup in case there’s a technical issue with your broadband, will be vital to ensure your business can continue to receive landline calls.
3. Offer an Enhanced Customer Experience
A strong mobile connection is something that customers have come to expect wherever they are. If your business has poor cellular connectivity, this can quickly lead to frustration as people have become accustomed to staying connected. Although your business might offer Customer WiFI, this is not the most effective solution as customers will need to log in and many people have security concerns about public WiFi.
Here are some scenarios where offering customers a reliable cellular signal can be hugely beneficial, helping to reduce customer frustration and increase business profitability:
- Customers in a supermarket can access loyalty cards or reward programmes to track their points or use discounts when purchasing. According to GOV.UK data, 97% of shoppers are a member of at least one supermarket loyalty scheme, showing the importance of providing access to these schemes.
- Hotel guests can stay in contact with friends or family, and business travellers can take work calls from their rooms. This increases the likelihood of positive reviews and makes it more likely that guests will return for a second visit.
- Retail customers can use mobile data to check their bank accounts or move money to complete their purchases. Many in-store shoppers also use their smartphones to research products online so that they can make a more informed decision. According to the 2023 1WorldSync Product Content Benchmark, 87% of shoppers use their smartphone to research a product while in-store at least some of the time, with price comparisons (72%), customer reviews (69%) and detailed product descriptions (52%) the most common reasons for their research.
4. Security, Safety and Compliance
Generally speaking, mobile networks are considered to be more secure than WiFi. Cellular data has built-in encryption, making it challenging for cyber criminals to intercept and read the data.
Here are three ways that mobile connectivity can help make your workplace secure, keep your employees safe and ensure your compliance with regulations.
1. Two-factor authentication
Over 98% of worldwide organisations support multiple forms of authentication. SMS Time-based One-time Passwords (TOTPs) were supported by around 56% of surveyed organisations, making it the most common form of two-factor authentication. Having 2FA in place can help your organisation stay compliant with industry regulations and standards, such as Cyber Essentials. However, poor cellular connectivity can act as a barrier, preventing organisations from using SMS TOTPs, the most widely used form of two-factor authentication, and putting them more at risk of cyber attacks.
2. Emergency Services
With signal dead zones a common occurrence in many commercial buildings and workplaces, there can be significant delays in contacting emergency services if there’s an incident. Enhancing your workplace’s mobile phone signal ensures emergency services can be contacted promptly and from any location within your building, increasing the safety of your employees, customers and visitors.
Text messages can also be sent out to alert customers, attendees or employees that there has been an incident. This mechanism can be particularly useful for large events or workplaces.
3. Cellular Security Systems
Cellular security systems are more reliable than systems that rely solely on WiFi. They can still send alerts if your WiFi is down, ensuring the safety of your premises and staff. Cellular systems are also much harder to hack or disable than WiFi security systems, helping to keep your building secure.
5. Internet of Things (IoT) Expansion
More and more organisations and businesses are choosing to implement IoT devices to help streamline their operations and retain a competitive edge over their competitors. According to IoT Analytics’ State of IoT Summer 2024 report, there were 16.6 billion connected IoT devices by the end of 2023, a growth of 15% from 2022.
Cellular IoT now makes up nearly 21% of global IoT connections and was the fastest-growing segment in 2023. According to Ofcom data, the number of active IoT connections on MNO networks in the UK increased by 6.5% in 2024, reaching just above 26.5 million. It’s clear that cellular IoT is growing rapidly, and more businesses are relying on cellular networks to implement IoT devices and systems, rather than WiFi, due to its broader coverage, signal penetration and enhanced security.
Cellular IoT in Manufacturing
According to a 2023 Ubisense survey, more than three in five manufacturers (62%) have embraced IoT technologies. This adoption is primarily driven by cellular IoT’s ability to significantly improve operational efficiency and streamline production processes. Some of the most common implementations of cellular IoT in the manufacturing and production industries include:
- Predictive Maintenance Systems. IoT sensors can be embedded in machines to collect data to better predict failures, optimise maintenance schedules and reduce downtime and repair costs.
- Automated Production Lines and Industrial Robots. Cellular offers continuous connectivity, even if your broadband goes down, ensuring maximum productivity.
- Inventory Tracking and Monitoring. In the Ubisense survey, 36% of respondents struggled with the issue of misplaced tools, equipment, parts, and materials. IoT-powered tracking and monitoring systems can significantly reduce delays.
Cellular IoT in Retail
IoT in retail has grown massively in recent years and is expected to continue to grow rapidly in the coming years. Cellular IoT applications can enhance the customer experience, improve operational efficiency and reduce waste. Some of the most common applications of cellular IoT in retail include:
- Smart Shelves. Shelves equipped with IoT sensors can track inventory in real-time, allowing retailers to maintain optimal stock levels, reducing overstocking or stockouts, preventing theft and ensuring that products are always available to customers.
- Electronic Shelf Labeling (ESL). This is an electronic price tag which uses IoT technology to connect to a central database and automatically update prices to reflect changes, discounts or promotions. This allows retailers to offer more tailored and targeted pricing across multiple stores.
- Customer Foot Traffic Analysis. IoT-enabled cameras and sensors can analyse customer foot traffic patterns, providing better insights into how to organise the store and strategically place popular or promotional products in the zones with the highest traffic.
Cellular IoT in Healthcare
In 2022, the hospital segment accounted for around 35% of the global IoT market share, showing how important IoT technology has become to the healthcare industry. This increase is largely due to the increasingly widespread use of IoT-enabled medical wearables and the ability to collect real-time patient data through connected devices and sensors. Some of the most common applications of cellular IoT in healthcare include:
- Connected Wearables. A range of medical wearables can monitor patient vitals (e.g., heart rate and blood pressure) and send real-time data to healthcare providers. This enables better patient monitoring and allows healthcare staff to make better and more informed clinical decisions, improving patient outcomes
- Asset Tracking for Medical Equipment. Cellular IoT trackers allow healthcare facilities to track medical equipment to reduce loss and ensure equipment is always available for patients.
- Remote Patient Monitoring. A range of IoT devices, such as blood glucose monitors, can send patient health data directly to healthcare providers, helping them offer high-quality, continuous, remote care.
Cellular IoT in Hospitality
Gartner predicts that by the end of 2025, 70% of all customer interactions in the hospitality sector will involve IoT-enabled devices. Cellular IoT implementation in the hospitality sector can have a hugely positive impact on the guest experience through smart systems, which also streamline operations and reduce costs. Some of the most common IoT devices and systems which are transforming the hospitality sector include:
- Smart Door Locks. IoT-enabled door locks that are compatible with smartphones allow guests to check in and access their rooms straight away and help improve convenience by eliminating traditional plastic keycards.
- Smart Lighting Systems. IoT-connected lighting systems make it possible for guests to fully customise their lighting, creating a more personalised experience.
- Smart Hotel Rooms. IoT sensors in hotel rooms can detect when the room is unoccupied and automatically adjust lighting, HVAC settings and appliances, helping to reduce operational costs, save energy and be more eco-friendly.
Cellular IoT in Offices
According to a global study, ‘The Internet of Things: Today and Tomorrow’, 46% of businesses that integrated IoT reported significant productivity gains. It’s clear that IoT devices are rapidly becoming necessary to create functional workspaces that are fully optimised for employee health, motivation and productivity. Some of the most common applications of cellular IoT in offices include:
- Smart Building Automation. IoT systems can manage lighting and HVAC systems and automatically adjust lighting levels, heating, cooling and ventilation based on office occupancy, time of day and natural light levels to create a more comfortable work environment.
- Smart Asset Tracking Systems. IoT tags can be attached to vital office assets, such as laptops, to allow for real-time tracking, helping to reduce loss or theft and ensure more effective equipment allocation.
- Environmental Quality Monitoring. IoT sensors can track office air quality, humidity, temperature and lighting to ensure employees are comfortable and identify any issues that might be affecting productivity levels.
6. Benefit from 5G Technology
5G is around 10 times faster than 4G and has the potential for download speeds between 10 and 20 Gbps. This new generation of network technology can be used to support a wide range of IoT applications, “including asset tracking, utility metering, travel and transport, environmental monitoring, energy management solutions for smart buildings, car telemetry, and video surveillance” (according to the Connected Nations UK Report 2024). Better mobile connectivity allows your business to access the many benefits of 5G connectivity, such as low latency and real-time applications, which allows you to operate more efficiently by making use of cutting-edge technologies (such as IoT, AR and VR).
5G Standalone (5G SA)
There is a new generation of 5G called 5G Standalone (5G SA), which offers improved speeds, lower latency and improved support for Internet of Things (IoT) devices and automation. 5G Standalone also allows for ‘network slicing’, which refers to the ability to create different virtual ‘slices’ of a physical mobile network tailored to different applications and use cases. For example, different ‘slices’ could be used for industrial automation, self-driving cars, critical communication and video streaming. This ensures that different slices can be tailored to their uses, such as low-latency connectivity for self-driving cars, and that critical applications are not disrupted by non-critical ones.
Although 5G Standalone is currently only delivered by Vodafone, EE and O2 in select UK locations, network slicing technology offers an exciting opportunity for many businesses who want to be at the forefront of connectivity innovation and IoT systems.
Barriers to Mobile Connectivity
Although mobile connectivity can have a profound impact on workplace productivity, operational efficiency and business profitability, many businesses are unable to access these benefits due to insufficient network coverage and poor indoor signal strength. Currently, there is only sufficient 5G coverage for between 61% and 79% of outside premises (according to Ofcom data), and this percentage will likely be significantly lower for sufficient indoor coverage, which is where businesses really need improved connectivity.
Fortunately, there is a solution. If your business wants to access the many benefits of mobile connectivity but you’re struggling with poor indoor signal strength, you can install a fully compliant, Ofcom-approved signal booster to improve your mobile connectivity.
High-Performance Mobile Phone Signal-Boosting Solutions by NetCov
At NetCov, we specialise in designing and installing high-quality signal-boosting systems so businesses can access the many benefits of cellular connectivity. We have worked with a wide range of industries to help them enhance their mobile connectivity and boost productivity, profitability and efficiency, including:
We offer high-performance signal boosters that boost the signal of all UK networks, including Three, Vodafone, EE and O2. All our boosters are Ofcom-approved, so you can be sure your business is fully compliant with all UK legislation.
Contact our team today to find out more about how we can help your business make the most of mobile connectivity, or book your free consultation to get started.