This report is to help you understand more about small cell and CRAN deployments and all associated options. When you work in the wireless industry it’s hard to tell them apart. For instance, centralized RAN and Cloud RAN often looked at as small cells because a radio head is being deployed on a pole or building all by itself. It may look like a small cell, but it isn’t.
Learn about deploying CRAN, Mini Macro, and DAS along with small cells.
Another thing is the mini macro; it’s just a big and power small cell. It has the form factor of a small cell but can do more. Not quite as much as a macro site, but more than your typical 1-watt small cell.
Then there is DAS. DAS incorporates small cells, Wi-Fi, radio heads all into its system for the carriers. It could be one of these or all of these. DAS systems for 4G and 5G are going to be all digital.
It’s going to help you look at small cell deployment holistically. There are deployment notes, history, and an outline of what works and doesn’t work. This report covers more than small cells to give you a big picture of the future of wireless outside of the macro site.
The foundations below do beautiful work, helping families in their time of need. Climbers often get seriously injured or die on the job. The foundations below support those families in their time of greatest need!
Drone update! Put Drones to Work! The eye in the sky (in the USA) is the FAA and they have laid out some drone pilot rules and. Your eye in the sky is your drone. As we move into an era of IOT, drones will play a larger part in businesses. In fact, there will come a day when drones will be traveling the skies much like the airlines do now. But first, let’s talk about some recent news before we get into what is to come.
First, let me thank the FAA for doing something about the tedious process we had for flying commercial drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, (UAS), finally. It was funny that for fun I could do almost anything with a drone but for business purposed I could only hover over my head after I took the full pilots course.
Now, you just need to follow these guidelines. Link to FAA fact sheet, https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=20516. The FAA was kind enough to put this list together, well, to be honest, it’s their job. They need to define the rules so that businesses can move forward. They were holding back a business that was ready to burst at the seams.
What is on the sheet? Here is a quick overview is taken right from the FAA document.
Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (25 kg).
Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) only; the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS. Alternatively, the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the visual observer.
At all times the small unmanned aircraft must remain close enough to the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS for those people to can see the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses.
Small unmanned aircraft may not operate over any persons not directly participating in the operation, not under a covered structure, and not inside a covered stationary vehicle.
Daylight-only operations, or civil twilight (30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset, local time) with appropriate anti-collision lighting.
Must yield right of way to other aircraft.
May use visual observer (VO) but not required.
First-person view camera cannot satisfy “see-and-avoid” requirement but can be used if the requirement is satisfied in other ways.
Maximum ground speed of 100 mph (87 knots).
Maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level (AGL) or, if higher than 400 feet AGL, remain within 400 feet of a structure.
Minimum weather visibility of 3 miles from control station.
There is so much more, download the PDF to get it all!
A person operating a small UAS must either hold a remote pilot airman certificate with a small UAS rating or be under the direct supervision of a person who does hold a remote pilot certificate (remote pilot in command).
To qualify for a remote pilot certificate, a person must:
Demonstrate aeronautical knowledge by either:
Passing an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center; or
Hold a part 61 pilot certificate other than student pilot, complete a flight review within the previous 24 months, and complete a small UAS online training course provided by the FAA.
Be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration.
Be at least 16 years old.
Part 61 pilot certificate holders may obtain a temporary remote pilot certificate immediately upon submission of their application for a permanent certificate. Other applicants will obtain a temporary remote pilot certificate upon successful completion of TSA security vetting. The FAA anticipates that it will be able to issue a temporary remote pilot certificate within ten business days after receiving a completed remote pilot certificate application.
Until international standards are developed, foreign certificated UAS pilots will be required to obtain an FAA-issued remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.
A remote pilot in command must:
Make available to the FAA, upon request, the small UAS for inspection or testing, and any associated documents/records required to be kept under the rule.
Report to the FAA within ten days of any operation that results in at least serious injury, loss of consciousness, or property damage of at least $500.
Conduct a preflight inspection, to include specific aircraft and control station systems checks, to ensure the small UAS is in a condition for safe operation.
Ensure that the small unmanned aircraft complies with the existing registration requirements specified in § 91.203(a)(2).
A remote pilot in command may deviate from the requirements of this rule in response to an in-flight emergency.
So here we are building a business case to do drone work at towers. I am all for it. It won’t replace the climber but it will make inspections so much easier. The video they can use today is just awesome; it can catch almost any flaw that can be seen. It can do measurements either with extreme HD video or Lidar. How cool is that? To be able to do these inspections at the site in so much less time. WOW!
To be able to do coverage testing, optimization, and assist in the close out of a site. WOW!
John Paul Jones (Tower & Turbine Technologies LLC)
Robert McCoy (Crown Castle)
Jimmy Miller (MillerCo, Inc.)
Chris Moccia (Measure)
Art Pregler (AT&T)
Todd Schlekeway (NATE)
Jim Tracy (Legacy Telecommunications, Inc.)
Nate’s UAS Committee has pledged to be a source of information by providing timely updates to NATE members and industry stakeholders. (They have more in the bulletin, so go ahead and download it!)
Look how far we have come in a short time! Everyone was so scared to share the videos they took, but now they can show them and share them and make money with them. This opens new businesses in more than just the wireless industry.
I see a future of drone air traffic controllers. Human and machine monitoring the drone traffic, creating and verifying flight paths, weather stations, and more. All of this is moving into reality as drones are being used to deliver stuff. Can you imagine? Drones will be a useful part of society that will alleviate the traffic off the road. You know, the roads where we will have self-driving cars. Less oil and gas being used because the batteries of the drone are getting better and better every year. Remote work and safety can be monitored real-time remotely or locally as drones will take over the skies for a small economical job.
Can you imagine when we can fly them using 4G and 5G systems to monitor and control them? We will have the flight path and mission already programmed in them, but the possibilities will be endless for what they can do I the air and where they can go. They could be used for microwave path inspection, aerial population inspections, emergency surveillance, and so much more. Someone will need to monitor them and keep tabs on them, like air traffic controllers. Someone will need to collect the video. Not only that but they will be equipped with radar and be able to talk to each other to verify flight patterns. It will be a cool future.
Drones have already made an impact with the wow factor. We all loved the videos early on. Now we are trying to put that video to work. I don’t think just anyone will jump in when they see the price tag for the equipment needed. It’s not cheap, sometimes up to $100K per drone and camera. Then you need to get in a network of pilots to get referrals in your area. Then you need engineers that know the industry, in our case the tower and wireless industry. Don’t forget; you still need the training and certification! You need to be certified.
It’s not all good; they will be spying on all of us. It’s bound to happen. The police will start using drones more and more in rescue and criminal investigations. It’s only a matter of time until they start flying up to windows and looking in. Draw your blinds! I have some links below about some spy issues, good and bad.
So, there you have it. I have resources below if you’re interested in becoming drone certified or want to learn more.
The foundations below do beautiful work, helping families in their time of need. Climbers often get seriously injured or die on the job. The foundations below support those families in their time of greatest need!
Hubble Foundation helps the families of climbers in a time of need!
Tower Family Foundation supports the families r tower climbers at the time of crisis when a climber falls.
You bombarded me with questions about 5G, like what is it, what’s special about it, and how will it be deployed. You also said you didn’t care about the technical details, just how to implement it and how to build the business plans. You kept asking, so I worked on this for over a year. Many of you want to learn about what’s possible with 5G in the real world.
Since you asked for it I put together a book that covers the 5G deployment of macro sites, small cells, LTE-U and even CRAN and c-RAN. It’s more than deployment but the business case because 5G will enable more people to deploy in the US than just the carriers! Spectrum availability in the USA will go far beyond the carriers. How? Find out! Learn more about 5G in the book, and it’s there waiting for you to learn more about it.
Introducing “The 5G Deployment Plan” to cover the 5G deployments from business case to execution.
Many books talk about 5G in a very technical manner or talk about what the carriers will do. You are probably wondering what you can do! Learn more in this book which is written for the business owners and deployment teams so that 5G can become a reality. I am sure many of you have read that 5G is the wave of the near future. It’s a new type of network. That’s right, instead of having the typical format associated with wireless systems, like LTE was with 4G, 5G encompasses so much more.
We need some guidance on the 5G wireless rollout plans. Business plans in this book may help you get started or give you ideas of how to move forward. The ideal situation is that we can use the existing systems, which we can.
There are so many questions around 5G technology, but you all are in deployment and want to know what systems to build. This book will help you align the deployment model with a great business case.
Questions like, “Can I build a private 5G system?” “What would it take to deploy 5G systems?” “What would the business case look like for a 5G system?” “How does 5G tie into IOT?” “Will LTE be part of 5G?”
The beauty of 5G is that it included so many networks. When LTE came out, we associated that with 4G Even though 4G included HetNets to make up one bigger network. HetNets include Wi-Fi and other formats that can work with LTE. One issue has been that LTE never could create a clean handoff to Wi-Fi.
Voice over Wi-Fi was starting to take off, and it worked great on a dedicated Wi-Fi system, but it still would not hand off to the carrier’s LTE system so well. It goes both ways, VoLTE would not hand off to Wi-Fi as clean as they had hoped.
Here is a document that will help you deploy 5G and understand what is involved as well. Giving a technical explanation and touching on the business needs to ensure you get the big picture.
It has not been easy. I have been studying 5G for the past year and a half. I thought it would make sense to put it all in a book for you to use a reference. I recorded what I could and captured it all on paper to make a reference for your teams to have all in one place covering the deployment from business case creation to delivery. You will have a text that will serve to help you design and build your 5G system.
You will become part of the 5G ecosystem by building your portion of the 5G HetNet. How cool is that?
Here is the table of contents to give you an idea of what’s included.
Contents
Who is this book for?
How to use this Book
Introduction
Why 5G?
What is 4G?
A quick history lesson.
The 4G network.
What is 5G?
Quick history recap
Will 5G replace LTE?
What Applications will 5G have?
What will the 5G be used for?
Why the Need for Speed?
Why the need for 5G Low Latency?
Why Narrow Bandwidth systems in 5G?
5G Network Slicing
4G and 5G Spectrum and Technologies
4G soon to be part of 5G Spectrum
TDD and FDD Formats
The Wireless Network outline.
The Evolved Core.
The RAN
Wireless Deployment Planning Overview
Pre-deployment Planning Overview
Planning and budgeting for deployment.
Start with the end in mind.
Put some thought into whom you are going to serve.
What is the service?
Break it down even more.
Inter-Network Connectivity
RAN Backhaul and Fronthaul Overview
Fiber connections:
When is fiber used/not used?
Microwave Connections:
When is Microwave used/not used?
What is LTE UE backhaul?
Resources:
RAN Site Components
BBU.
Radio.
Antennas and Jumpers.
The Mounting Structure and Hardware.
Battery backup.
Testing at the site for more than the equipment!
The 4G deployment plan
Types of Cell Sites
The BTS Installation.
The Radio Head Installation
Antenna Notes
LTE MIMO Deployment Notes
From 4G to 5G.
The 4G and 5G HetNet
What will 5G networks look like?
System Outline
What is the 5G System Plan?
What is the overall 5G plan?
The 5G System
Standard System
Base Station
Antennas and Radio Heads
How does MIMO work?
Deploying 5G Small Cells
Will 5G be a Success?
The 5G HetNet
The Cloud RAN
What is Edge and FOG Computing?
What is SDN and NFV?
What about Wi-Fi?
Cheap and Dirty
Carrier Grade
Who will win in 5G?
The Real 5G Winners Will have VISION!
Resources:
The 5G Business Case Foundation
What is your Business Case for Wireless Coverage?
Medical and Health Care
Utilities
Transportation
Rail or Bus
Highway
County and City Transportation
Air Travel
Unmanned Vehicles
Drones/plane
Automobiles
Boats
Emergency Responders
WISP
Small Carrier
IOT Systems
Enterprise
Business or Building Owner
Building Maintenance
Entertainment, Stadium, Large Venue
Smart City
Construction vehicles and sites
Renewable Energy
Gaming
Other – what will your business plan look like?
IOT
What is NB IOT and how will we use it?
What is NB-IOT?
Resources:
Glossary – Naming Overview (Abbreviations and Acronyms)
A Note from Wade
Other Books by Wade
Extras
More business plan sheets:
Other – Write your business plan.
Scope of Work Outlines Cover Sheet
Scope of Work Details
The end to end deployment will be more efficient as you learn more and do more deployments. You can learn more about LTE, Wi-Fi, and more. Think about the spectrum issues that are coming up, like mmwave, CBRS, and LTE-U. Think about what systems will be out there, indoor and outdoor, macro and small cell, broadband and narrowband. What about the end user’s equipment? It’s not just for smartphones anymore.
Now we have IOT coming out getting ready to connect millions of devices to the system. There isn’t just one system, as the network slicing chapter explains, it’s a collection of networks. What about the dedicated networks? You know, like the virtual reality networks for entertainment venues. You learn what is possible and what you can do. Just like your Wi-Fi system, the new 5G network will allow you to build smaller and affordable 5G wireless system that you control and manage. It’s not always easy, but you have the control, and the spectrum is becoming available to more than just the carriers. It’s a new age of communications.
As 5G progresses, we can open new wireless venues that we can control. The new devices will be adding more and more receivers for new spectrum. It’s all very exciting! You are one of the lucky ones to be involved in the future of communications which wireless frees all of us and opens new possibilities across all industries. Awesome!
Hell yeah! Don’t get me wrong, you could use CAT 5 to connect most of this stuff, but the idea is to have the equipment everywhere and talking all the time, or at least when we need to. They need to be wireless controlled for it to work properly and to be autonomous. What fun would a drone be if you needed to have a copper line connected to it. The FCC laid out their plan to sunset copper lines. I did a lot of work on them but I won’t miss them because wireless is so cool! If you like copper so much, then put that smartphone down and use a landline, if you can find one.
So, back to IOT, (Internet of Things), they rely on wireless connections for more than convenience. This is how the machine to machine, M2M, really take off. Whether it’s to control valves for a water company or to read your electric meter or to control natural gas flow, you need to have connectivity everywhere. We just need to define what that connectivity will be. It could be the standard carrier networks, LTE really. That is going to be key for so much of this. But most of these systems will need much less bandwidth.
Small data networks, that sounds crazy, right? NOT! You see the new networks are built for larger packets, so they are so inefficient, and too expensive, for a simple command to open or close a valve. LTE and Wi-Fi seem like overkill for these applications, although they are everywhere and the most convenient to work with, especially Wi-Fi, it’s in your house and would be a great way for your smart home full of IOT devices to talk to your smartphone and the real world.
That is why the LTE format may not be the best for IOT, although it would be everywhere so by default it may be the technology of choice.
So how will wireless IOT work?
They need something for outdoor communication like LoRa, the low-bandwidth system. There is a LoRa alliance, https://www.lora-alliance.org/ if you want to read more about what they are up to. Another good article on LoRa is at http://postscapes.com/long-range-wireless-iot-protocol-lora/ where they go into detail about how it works. What they explain is that they are planning to use the spectrum that is left behind, with smaller bandwidth. They way the Semtech chip works is that they utilize spectrum that is sub giga-hertz, like 109MHz, 433MHz, 866MHz, and 915MHz where they have smaller amounts of spectrum. They need to stay away from the license free spectrum because it might interfere.
There is another format called SigFox for outdoor communication. Again, made for very small packets of data. I found information at http://www.link-labs.com/what-is-sigfox/if you want more information but here is what I got out of it. They are using the 915MHz spectrum (ISM band license free), using 2 types of Phase Shift Keying, PSK. This supposedly will help get the data through the noise. I am not sure what the coverage would be for something like this but I would bet its very limited. This is a low power, wide area, (LPWA) network. A good article on SigFox is here, http://www.networkworld.com/article/3029253/internet-of-things/how-sigfox-plans-to-spread-its-low-power-iot-network-across-the-u-s.html if you want to learn how they plan to deploy. I am told that they already have several deployments in the USA, although I don’t know of any personally.
Now, for the smart home, inside a building, or the smart office, you could use Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, or something proprietary. We all know Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, right? It’s on your smartphones and in your homes. What we don’t know if ZigBee and Z-Wave.
What is ZigBee for IOT? Well, according to the ZigBee alliance at http://www.zigbee.org/what-is-zigbee/ it is a wireless language that is used to connect devices, which is such a generic explanation that I could use for any wireless protocol. Come on!
So I went into Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZigBeewhere they give a much better explanation. It is line of site, LOS, and very short-range. It works in the ISM band, just like Wi-Fi, (2.4GHz in most countries but also in 915MHz in USA and Australia, 784MHz in China, 868MHz in Europe). The data rate is very small, remember I said smaller packets are all you need? This is made for very small and efficient bursts of data. They also support mesh networking. Mesh means that the devices not only connect to the hub but they can repeat the signal to each other forming a mesh. This is a great way to extend coverage if you don’t need massive bandwidth.
What is Z-Wave for IOT? Z-Wave takes ZigBee and makes some enhancements. It specifically works in the 908.42GHz range in the USA and 868.42MHz band in Europe. For a great explanation go to http://www.smarthome.com/sc-what-is-zwave-home-automationbut its made for very small networks in the home. Find more at http://www.z-wave.com/ but I haven’t heard much more on this except that they have a version that will work with the Apple iWatch.
As you can see there are many technologies to roll out the IOT format. I don’t really know if there is a clear winner but I think it depends on the need. The wireless backhaul will come down to a chip they add to the device based on need, coverage, and cost. I could see someone using all of the technologies in a device to get the coverage they need, like maybe utility meters. That would make sense because it would be a one-time up front cost. However, for the in home stuff, cheap is what they need. I seriously don’t see people putting in a new network in their homes if they don’t have to but many companies will say you need a “hub” which will be the special format switch that their devices will, in theory, talk to the Wi-Fi in their homes. I already see it but it looks like they want to sell more devices in the home. So maybe high-end stuff will need the hub. I could see the hub as another line of defense in security, where if someone hacks your Wi-Fi and/or cable router then they would need to get by another device to get to your thermostat or light switches.
However, for an outdoor network I could see a dedicated network taking off for several reasons, cost reliability, and security. It costs money to pay the carrier a fee every month when you have a small low data device on it when you could put one of the cheaper hotspots in a space to connect your devices. Again, it really comes down to cost and reliability. Many will say they want security, but how secure can they really be?
I don’t know how many of you are 1099 workers or W2 employees or hire them, but I want you to be aware of a few things. This is to help you out whether you run a business or if you are the worker. I would like to thank Lisa Hudspeth, Human Resource Specialist, contact info is hudspethld@gmail.com, for helping me put this together because I am no legal or Human Resources expert. I just thought this is something you should know and I put it together the best way I could to help the worker and the employer. I tried to remain unbiased.
A quick note, this is a very long post, so if you prefer to have a PDF of this post email me at wade4wireless@gmail.com and I will send it out to you.
The wireless industry has had problems identifying 1099 and W2 work. Most companies want to hire 1099 workers because they feel they can get out of taxes and workman’s comp. It has been an issue in the courts or at least in arbitration. I hope this shed some light on the subject.
Many workers look for work and the 1099 offers them a quick way to get paid. They need to understand the implications of this work as does the people hiring them. Without being properly educated then you quickly wind up in court if someone gets hurt or feels they got screwed. Remember that it’s all fun and games until someone gets injured on the job. Prepare yourself for the consequences of making the wrong choice.
First off, let me explain the difference. A full-time W2 employee will have completed a W4 upon getting hired. This needs be done immediately, for both the company and the worker to get the taxes aligned. You may have an option for insurance and you should be covered by workman’s compensation.
If you are a 1099 contractor, then you are an independent contractor. Being an independent contractor the company you contract with only owes you pay for the either the hours you work or the task you complete according to your contract. You are considered a contractor. This means no benefits, and no workman’s compensation provided by the company that you’re contracting with. So if someone offers to make you a 1099 employee, you are not an employee but a contractor, again not an employee. Understand, you are a contractor, not an employee, get that into your head! You do NOT get the benefits that an employee would, no insurance or workman’s comp unless you pay for it. Are you familiar with FICA, FUTA and SUTA? Better get on top of this if you are a 1099.
As a 1099 worker, what are My Self-Employed Tax Obligations?
As a self-employed individual, generally you are required to file an annual return and pay estimated taxes quarterly.
Self-employed individuals generally must pay self-employment tax (SE tax) as well as income tax. SE tax is a Social Security and Medicare tax primarily for individuals who work for themselves. It is similar to the Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from the pay of most wage earners. In general, anytime the wording “self-employment tax” is used; it only refers to Social Security and Medicare taxes and not any other tax (like income tax).
Before you can determine if you are subject to self-employment tax and income tax, you must figure your net profit or net loss from your business. You do this by subtracting your business expenses from your business income. If your expenses are less than your income, the difference is net profit and becomes part of your income on page 1 of Form 1040. If your expenses are more than your income, the difference is a net loss. You usually can deduct your loss from gross income on page 1 of Form 1040. But in some situations your loss is limited. See Pub. 334, Tax Guide for Small Business (For Individuals Who Use Schedule C or C-EZ) for more information.
You have to file an income tax return if your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. If your net earnings from self-employment were less than $400, you still have to file an income tax return if you meet any other filing requirement listed in the Form 1040 instructions (PDF).
Learn the Rules!
If you own a business, you need to be aware of the laws that surround 1099. When you hire these people they are not on the payroll and you have no income tax withholding, no employment taxes, no liability for acts of employees, no federal state discrimination laws that cover only employees, and no obligation to pay any benefits.
While this sounds good to the employer, there are disadvantages to hiring 1099 workers. For example, there is a basic understanding that independent contractors can choose whether or not they want to come to work without the fear of losing employment. They have the ability to control their own hours, and can typically get things done on their own terms without having to adhere to strict company policies – as long as the work performed has been completed and lives up to the standards that the employer has set out. It is not necessarily an “hours for wage” but it could be a “completed task for wage”.
Wireless Deployment Handbook, Small Cells, CRAN, and DAS editions.
If you think it doesn’t matter, then guess again. There have been sizable awards for high-profile companies such as Microsoft and Time-Warner/AOL due to misclassification of employees as contractors. So, you may want to consider that the potential pitfalls of how retaining independent contractors can outweigh the short-term savings in benefits and reduced paperwork for some firms. On the other hand, if the people you are engaging do meet the criteria of the IRS regarding independent contractors and you have well-crafted professional service agreements in place with each one and you are careful in administering their contributions and status, you will be fine.
One thing that really pushes the 1099 movement in tower work is workman’s comp costs. You see it all depends on the comp rate. Businesses gets better with age and the comp rate should drop. What is the comp rate, it’s calculated like this. A climber’s workman’s comp rate could be $28 per $1,000 of wages, (assuming $1,000/month wage). Let’s assume that for 10 climbers the payroll is $40,000 a month so the comp part would be $1,120 per month. Get it, $28×40=$1,120. I don’t know the exact wage so you will need to know it for your business.
Why does getting out of paying workman’s comp insurance sound to appealing? In the tower industry the workman’s comp insurance is really high, almost as high as scaffolding workers. I believe they may be the highest, but I couldn’t find proof to back that up.
Why go one way or the other?
Why would an employee want to be a 1099 worker? Freedom to work with many customers and set their own schedules. Maybe it could be the only option they have to get work. It may be something where the worker wants to come and go as they please, and set their own schedule, and maybe they have a bunch of customers. They also have the right to walk away when they feel they have to.
Why would an employee want to be a W2 employee? Benefits and stable work, in theory anyway. Layoffs are very common in North America and the companies can do it with little or no notice.
Why would you want a W2 employee over 1099? You want a valuable part of the team that can be an asset. This is someone you don’t want to share with the competition. You see, under IRS rules they are an employee if you direct their entire day, tasks, and training. Do you direct their daily tasks? If so then you need to consider making them an employee or risking a lawsuit.
Why would an employer want a 1099 worker? Maybe to complete a temporary task or to help in a work crunch or to complete a project. It would be a temporary need or it may be to call in an expert for a project. This way they don’t need to pay all the taxes and insurance required for a W2 when they only need temporary help for a project or task.
What you need to know.
If you are a W2 employee, you should have agreements between you and the company you are working for. Make sure to review the employee handbook with the company policies. You may have a contract that includes scope of work, a non-compete/compete clause in your favor, and compensation. You should fill out a W-4 IRS form, an I-9 immigration form (if needed), and an application.
If you are an independent company, then you should carry a plethora of insurance, if you have more than yourself working then you should hire an HR professional to complete your own handbooks, applications, I-9’s, job descriptions, business license, contracts, employee files, background checks, drug screens. It is important to everything you hold dear about your income to do due diligence in providing the proper insurance and documentation.
If you are a 1099 then what you should have a contract between you and your employer, (using the word employer or 1099 makes my life easy!) The peril of using the word and accepting the word employer or employee ~we have entered a verbal employment agreement that I can make supersede the original agreement and collect on any benefits due, payments for WC, Fines for the Company if you cause me grief in the form of SSI- FICA, FUTA, SUTA. I would chew them up spew them out! ) should be a contract. This will protect the company and the worker, but most people on both sides don’t bother or they are afraid to fill one out. Why? You may think it’s so that you have work, but in the end you may look really stupid when you don’t get paid or the business gets ripped off. It is a 2 way street that hurts both parties both ways.
I talked to so many people that say there is a real problem here in the US and it’s in the Southeast but I have nothing to back that up other than people telling me how bad things are. I think it’s important that both workers and businesses need to know the rules around this.
When does the worker become an employee even though he is a 1099? Will the worker get any benefits then?
If the contract is ignored and you are told to do something that is out of the scope according to the paperwork (SOW). (Remember my Scope of Work training and all the talk about it being part of the contract?) You are given additional assignments. You are asked to stay or show up, do a company chore, train employees that are not yours. A good attorney can bring a co-employment issue in, meaning while you had good faith that you were your own boss…you were not. Is any of this sinking in?
What if the company won’t pay the 1099 worker, what can the worker do?
Take his contract to an arbitration hearing. If a check is missing from the payment schedule then the contractor should stop all work and collect all employees as to cease and desist until his contract is resigned or continued. So this means you will miss work if you are the worker and that the company must go to hear your side of the story! It’s not a win for anyone but it proves a point if you are the worker that you won’t be pushed around.
What if a 1099 worker gets hurt on the job?
Then surely he has his own insurance…. Right?
Why they put “Contract” in Contract Work.
Safety, drone, and crane training for your teams!
What do you need to know about contract work? Well, let me explain, straight from Lisa Hudspeth, (Human Resource Specialist, contact info ishudspethld@gmail.com), first off make sure you have a contract. What is a contract? It is an offer of work and compensation based on the needs of 1) the company and 2) the contractor. The contract can be handwritten. It should be signed by both parties. This contract is the “be all” of deals. It’s could keep you from being “let go” or be good tender for exchange of goods helping insure you are paid at the appointed contract times.This could be a scope of work, and I have a tutorial here on how to write and read one. Make sure that if you use the SOW, it is signed by both parties!
The contract could allow you to stop working if you’re told your check is lost or “messed up”. Be sure if you call yourself a contract worker, you have a contract. Business owners should beware if you call yourself a contract employee or employer then the word “employee” holds strong issues with the courts. Reminder to the business owners and the contractors out there, don’t be afraid to dot your I’s and cross your T’s. Prevention is the best cure, and in this case the contract may prevent a lawsuit going forward.
Classifying a Contract Worker.
QuickBooks has a good round of questions that ask businesses if they are workers or 1099, let’s look it over. It can be found here. I will sum it up:
How regularly does someone work for you? In other words, are they working for you daily? Are they working for you part-time, occasionally, or just for specific projects? See the difference? Full time, W2 is likely, even if it’s full time for a month. Part time could go either way. Part time or every Friday is very different from daily, get it?
Do you as the boss set the persons schedule? Do you, seriously, do you tell the person when and where to be on a daily or weekly basis? If the worker sets his own schedule, then things lean towards a contractor. If you set the schedule, then leaning towards W2.
Do you, as a business owner, instruct or supervise the worker? If yes, then you are training and providing direct supervision, W2. If the worker is doing all of that on their own then it would lean towards 1099.
If additional workers are hired, who does it? The business or the worker? Business leans towards W2, worker leans towards 1099.
Who provides the tools? I believe this is obvious.
How is the worker paid? Hourly or weekly or monthly or a fixed schedule, leaning towards W2. On a project basis or commission, then it would lean towards 1099.
Is your worker economically dependent on your business? Yes leans towards W2, No leans towards 1099.
Does the worker make decisions that impact personal profits, or losses? Yes leans towards W2. No leads towards 1099.
Is the worker working for you indefinitely or for a specific period? Indefinitely leans towards W2. Specific time leans towards 1099.
Are the workers a core part of your business? Do you need this person to increase profits and is he critical? Yes leans to W2 and no leans to 1099.
Be aware of the SS-8 IRS form!
By the way, if you are a 1099 worker or have them work for you then you need to be aware of the SS-8 form, found here. Why? This form keeps both parties honest. You heard me, education is the key. Many workers can make the transition either way, from W2 to 1099 or 1099 to W2. Just look at the form for more information,
So what can you do business owner or worker? Did you ever hear the term “prevention is the best cure”? The plan ahead! Make a contract prior if the partnership is a 1099. Why, to protect both parties so that when something bad happens the court or the arbitration goes well. If you think it won’t happen to you, then you are rolling the dice. In Vegas they didn’t build the casinos because they lose a lot, they got the money because rolling the dice and losing. Are you willing to take that chance? If you’re a business owner you have a lot to lose and if you’re a worker you could lose everything with no chance for help. Write a handwritten contract if you have to, just get something in writing. Many of you know I have SOW tutorial found here. Did you know that the SOW can be a legal contract? Find a way to protect yourself.
A quick note, this is a very long post, so if you prefer to have a PDF of this post email me at wade4wireless@gmail.com and I will send it out to you.
Give to the Hubble Foundation because if you don’t help these families, who will? Who supports Hubble? The wireless workers and the tower climbers, that’s who! With no support from the carriers or NATE, so it’s up to you!What if it were you? Would you want help? Who would help you if you were hurt? Who would help your family, your spouse, your children if something happened to you? Do you see the people who are hurt?
Happy Thanksgiving USA! I am thankful that I get 2 days off for this, how great is that? I worked through enough holidays to thank GOD that I have 2 days off. Yes, as I get older I really appreciate my time off so that I can create this content for you.
Most asked questions to me? “Are you hiring?” and “Who is hiring?” I have told many of you people where to find a job. So I thought it would be a good idea to lay out some sites that most of you could find work. I get people reaching out to me all the time for work. By the way, the best thing you can do is look for work and reach out to your contacts to see who is hiring. As much as I hear people ask me “Dude, can you hire me today?” it really is not the best way to get a job. Especially when I give so many of these people websites and advice and they say they don’t’ have time to do any of it. Clicking on a website and completing the forms takes time, but it helps you prepare for the job search and get clarity on what you need to do.
Build a resume. Name, contact information like email and phone numbers and address. The put on a list of certifications along with previous jobs. RCR did a good story on this http://www.rcrwireless.com/20141007/workforce/how-to-become-a-tower-climber-resume-building-job-search-tag8that may help you. Remember, be honest. If you lie and get caught it will come back to burn you. I know many people keep some things quiet but this industry is pretty small and tight. However, if you tell someone the last guy is a jerk, they may agree with you. They may hire you anyway.
The best thing you can do is build a good network. Many good people out there, who are easy to get along with, can get a job by word of mouth. I hear about this on Facebook all the time. Remember that I may be looking soon, so for all of you reading this, think of me! One more thing, the more bridges you burn the fewer options that you have. Friends are great and the more you help the better off you are. Let’s look at the formula for getting recommended: Good worker + friendly + quality work + honesty = good recommendations.
I recommend building a profile on LinkedIn so that companies can easily see your profile. This way they know that you are a real person, not some guy screwing people out of hours and equipment. By the way, a key part to fitting the profile is not to steal equipment. I see on forums about people that screw companies all the time. Most of you will react to this by saying, “well look at what they did to me!” I am not here to argue, but respect is a 2 way street. So if they screw you, quit. If you are good and you have a good network, you should be able to find something. There are always exceptions, depending on where you live and what you want paid.
Another thing you can do it track your credentials, your certificates, everything you have been trained for on this job. Keep the certificates. If they are PDF forms or emails, keep them on a personal email account or personal computer and on a thumb drive. You can also use a service like QRedentials which has free registration right now. http://app.qredentials.com/Organizations/Details/19
Also, it pays to learn. Reading books, blogs, and listening to podcast are for people that are interested in becoming better. That’s why I put together the Wireless Deployment Handbook for LTE Small Cells, CRAN, and DAS, so that you have an edge on others that do deployments.I also put out a newsletter which has learning linksin it so that the people that read it really gain expertise in what part of the deployment they may be interested in. Unfortunately, to be honest, some people I talk to really don’t’ care, they just want a job, not a career. Do you know the difference?
So where do you look? Let’s look at this list here.
Finally, don’t forget to look on Craig’s list. That is very local, but I see jobs posted all the time, for instance I listed some below. I don’t know why they list on Craig’s list, it doesn’t seem professional to me, but it may be very effective.
By the way, so you know about being a 1099 employee or have you been one? Tell me about it and sign up for my newsletter below. I want to do a story on the 1099 employee and I need input on the good and bad.
Be smart, be safe, and pay attention.
Sign up for my newsletter and tell me what you think!
Be smart, be safe, and pay attention!
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Give to the Hubble Foundation because if you don’t help these families, who will? Who supports Hubble? The wireless workers and the tower climbers, that’s who! With no support from the carriers or NATE, so it’s up to you!What if it were you? Would you want help? Who would help you if you were hurt? Who would help your family, your spouse, your children if something happened to you? Do you see the people who are hurt?
I get asked questions about small cell deployments all the time. The first question is “how can I do the deployments?” and the second question is, “how can we deploy small cells and DAS systems efficiently for less money?” Most people don’t know the end to end process of what it takes to deploy. Once you learn the process you can start to dissect it to build a better process.
All the questions add up. What are the differences between indoors and outdoors? What are all the steps? Why is it so expensive? Do you still need to optimize? Do you need to do e911 with LTE small cells? What can be done to make it more efficient?
Introducing the “Wireless Deployment Handbook for LTE Small Cells and DAS”. Written for the deployment teams.
A document to help the deployment teams understand the end to end process. The handoffs are very important. Covering deployments to make them easy to understand. This will be a living document to be updated as the industry changes, (the great thing about eBooks is that you can update it and send the updates out to the people who bought it). See all the steps that cover end to end deployment. Look at the planning and how it is laid out. This will help the teams that are planning to go from macro deployments to small cells. Look at this as a tool for learning all the steps and how to plan for your part. Why not learn from my mistakes?
For me, this has been a learning process over the past 3 years. The original thought is that it would be a “cell site” but smaller, which it is, but I learned quickly that the model is cost prohibitive. The backhaul is still an issue The process has evolved and I realize now that the models have to be cost-effective to sell. So I thought I would record what I have learned by putting together a book that would outline the end to end deployment process.
A partial table of contents so you can see what’s covered!
Naming Overview (Abbreviations and Acronyms)
A Quick Note on Deployments
What is a Heterogeneous Network?
What is a Small Cell?
Why Install Small Cells?
What is CRAN?
Why Install CRAN?
CRAN Deployment Notes
What is DAS?
Why Install DAS?
iDAS
oDAS
DAS or Small Cells?
Will DAS and Small Cells Work Together?
What is a Mini Macro?
Why Install Mini Macro Cells?
Unlicensed Bands
How Does Wi-Fi Fit In?
What is LTE-U?
Carrier Aggregation
Carrier Aggregation with Wi-Fi, LTE-U, and LTE
Voice
Connections – Backhaul and Fronthaul
Backhaul and Fronthaul Options
Backhaul Planning
CRAN and Fronthaul and oDAS
What is involved in deployment?
Project Management
RF Design
Site Acquisition
Site Survey
Site Design
Network design
Installation
Commissioning
Integration
Optimization
Inspections
Value in Partnerships
Deployment Evolution
Installation Skills for Small Cell, DAS, and CRAN
Fiber Connections
Copper Connections
RF Connections
Mounting the Small Cell or CRAN RRH
Pole Mounting
Strand Mounting Notes
Stealth Mounting Notes
Grounding
Overcoming Challenges: Problems and Planning
RF Coverage versus Offloading
Permitting and Zoning Challenges
Backhaul and Fronthaul Challenges
Power
Mounting Assets
PIM Testing
Tiger Teams
Installation
Planning Overview
Don’t you think it’s about time that the end to end deployment is laid out so that field workers get a good understanding of wireless deployment of small cells and DAS for the carriers? I do, so I took a few months to put together this deployment handbook to give a view of the end to end deployment steps for LTE small cells, DAS and CRAN. Why? Because this will help you make your part of the process easier. Helping you plan and build a price model. You may not be the lowest bidder, but you will be the smartest bidder. Plan ahead for not only the pricing but also the work flow. Handoffs were a problem in the past since the teams didn’t know what was next. When the teams are all on the same page then the process becomes more efficient. Most people think it’s just the installation, but there’s so much more when you look at it end to end
“Plan ahead” is more than a saying, its good business. LTE small cell and DAS can be confusing. This book will help you understand, in layman terms, what is happening out there. The learning process can be costly, so why not get an edge? Knowledge is power and having a reference really helps.
Be Smart, be safe, and pay attention!
Sign up for my newsletter and tell me what you think!
Give to the Hubble Foundation because if you don’t help these families, who will? Who supports Hubble? The wireless workers and the tower climbers, that’s who! With no support from the carriers or NATE, so it’s up to you!What if it were you? Would you want help? Who would help you if you were hurt? Who would help your family, your spouse, your children if something happened to you? Do you see the people who are hurt?
What is LTE UE backhaul? It is backhaul that uses the carrier’s spectrum, just like the UE, User Equipment, you smartphone. If you have ever used a carrier’s Wi-Fi hotspot then chances are you have used a device similar to this. One that will use the carrier’s spectrum, like LTE, for backhaul. This is something that is commonly used for internet access when there is no Wi-Fi available. The carriers all sell these units and many of today’s smartphones do something similar. However, they just use the standard signal. Using it for a tiny hotspot and for an eNodeB are 2 different things.
Let’s talk hotspot. Many vendors provide equipment that a user can add coverage quickly and easily. A quick Wi-Fi connection to the internet using the carrier’s LTE. Everyone has Wi-Fi and there are devices that create an instant hotspot. Verizon has the Mi-Fi or you can use your smart phone as a hotspot. Every carrier has a wireless modem that you will provide a Wi-Fi hotspot. I think anyone reading this probably knows about the hotspots. I thought it would be a good example to get started.
I am bringing this up because now there is talk about using the UE backhaul for small cells making it a more powerful cell extender. It sounds like a great idea on the surface. This is a cheap, quick and easy backhaul. However, what are the drawbacks?
What is a cell extender? There is a practice where many carriers will use a cell extender that will have a UE relay backhaul to extend the signal. This is also like a smartphone hotspot or a Mi-Fi unit because it was just to help a few customers but extends the carriers signal instead of Wi-Fi. This is a type of repeater to extend the macro’s signal, a cell extender. This is a way for the carrier to extend the coverage just a little bit farther. It’s a way to provide coverage someplace quickly and easily. These were common in 2G, 3G, and now LTE. It is a simple and quick way to install a repeater to extend carrier coverage down an ally. In the old days of DAS, this is really what they did. They would take the signal where it was strong or use an antenna and amplifier to increase the strength to get it into a dead spot. People paid a lot of money for these systems.
What about using UE backhaul for an eNodeB? You know, like a small cell or a mini macro? I am bringing this up because now there is talk about using the UE backhaul for small cells making it a more powerful cell extender. It sounds like a great idea on the surface. This is a cheap, quick and easy backhaul. However, what are the drawbacks?
It’s not a simple cell extender, and let me tell you why. Now you are talking about putting the small cell in an area where there is a loading issue. This goes beyond coverage. The data and spectrum usage could go through the roof! So if you set it up like a cell extender with backhaul to the macro site, then guess what! You will see an overloaded macro sector! The macro not only has to deal with all of its users but all the small cell or Mini macro users too. This sucks up all the spectrum and bandwidth for that sector. What can be done? Read on!
To break the bottleneck you need to dedicate spectrum in the macro eNodeB that will be feeding the UE backhaul. This will alleviate the spectrum usage for the regular users on the macro sector. We don’t want them to get knocked off if the small cell US backhaul overloads the macro. This will make it so that the users on the macro don’t get shut knocked off if the small cell pulls the entire spectrum for its users. This will allow the small cell UE backhaul to have a dedicated pipe. It needs to have dedicated spectrum for this purpose. Then the small cell will know how much backhaul spectrum it has to available. By the way, not an easy change, changes in the eNodeB and possibly the core need to be considered as well as neighboring sites. This “dedicated backhaul spectrum” needs to be set aside in this sector and others too. It takes some planning and changes.
You could still have the data bottleneck at the macro’s backhaul. That’s another issue that needs planning.
So now you dedicated part of the band to the UE backhaul, which seems OK. Remember that the carrier paid a lot of money for that spectrum and now they are choosing to use it for backhaul. So the pipe is limited based on coverage and availability. It is a quick and easy to add UE backhaul, but is this the best use of the spectrum? Will you lose something in this backhaul? Yes, you have delay issues, timing issues, and neighbor issues. All of this is a problem when building a site for any type of real loading. Go to the links below to learn more.
However, what’s the real issue? Is it all the problems I mentioned above? They are all technical issues that good engineers will resolve. This appears to be a cheap and quick solution. But that’s not the real issue, is it? The carriers paid a crap ton of money for spectrum. Is backhaul a smart way to use this resource? Is that billion dollar investment there to save some CapEx for the company? I thought it was for the customers! Backhaul could have been something in the unlicensed band for a lot less money. It could be a fiber link for more money. Is this an easy out or will it cause problems down the road because the spectrum is only going to get more and more valuable? Do investors want to see that spectrum used this way? I don’t see the auctions being a cheap alternative to providing backhaul.
So just because it looks cheap and easy doesn’t mean it’s a good move strategically. Don’t get me wrong, the UE relays, the repeaters serve an important purpose for coverage and filling holes, I am just saying be strategic and think it through. For more information hit the links below to learn about these solutions.
I am asking you to help the Hubble Foundation because if you don’t help these families, who will? The carriers do not support Hubble and neither does NATE, so it’s up to you!What if it were you? Would you want help? Who would help you if you were hurt? Who would help your family, your spouse, your children if something happened to you? Do you see the people who are hurt?
So what is a mini macro? Well, let’s look at it as a single sector cell site that you would mount on a pole or up on a rooftop. It would be a standalone site. Softbank is tossing around the idea, which they have done in Japan, to have Sprint do it here in the USA. Why? Because it’s cheaper than a full-blown cell site and it helps you concentrate your signal in a specific area.
So in this mini macro you would have everything you would at a cell site or a small cell site. You would have backhaul, a router, BBU, RRH, antenna, hybriflex and RF cables. The difference would be that you would just have one BBU and RRH and the backhaul could be anything to tie the eNodeB into a core. It would look like a single sector cell site. with an OMNI on top.
So let me break it down, on a small pole, monopole, utility pole, or on a rooftop you would have a very small BTS with the router and battery all-inclusive. The backhaul could be anything, copper, fiber, or wireless. All in a small form factor. Well, that sounds like a small cell, doesn’t it? Well, it is but the power will be well above 5 watts, probably around 20 watts. It would be just one sector, possibly one antenna. In the case of TDD it would just be one antenna whereas with FDD you would need to have 2 antennas or maybe a combiner and filter.
So imagine if you will, it will be a small cabinet, with or without batteries. It will cover more than a small cell. So you will want to have a little more height to get the biggest bang for your buck. The key is to maximize signal for the least amount of money possible. So think back to the days of paging when you put the site in where you needed it the most, this is very similar. You want to cover an area. I would say that a Macro site would cover about 35 Kilometers, (about 21.5 miles), and an outdoor small cell would cover about 2 kilometers, (about 1.25 miles). I would think that a mini macro would cover somewhere in between, about 12 kilometer, (about 7.5 miles).
If the deployment is managed right, I would think the mini macro would be put together as a unit and then deployed as a kit so it should be very close to plug and play. The power would need to be connected, the antenna would need to be connected, then all you need is backhaul, let’s say wireless so it has to be connected and aligned.
In my world the station would power up, the backhaul would be connected, and then the station would come up and be integrated. The commissioning should be just like a small cell so it should be ready for plug and play, again, in my eyes. Integration would be done remotely while the installers are still on site. Then the installers could test the commissioning and verify the unit is working by testing it with a Smartphone device, just like they do for small cells now.
OK, I know this was a high level explanation but I think you get the picture, right? What I didn’t tell you is that this is the Sprint plan for densification, just like what Softbank did over in Japan. They had great success over there in getting these deployed and covering a densely populated region. This is probably the plan over here now that Softbank is taking over Sprint. I just hope they remember KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid! I think that looking at the Network Vision deployment you realize how complicated it became. If the mini-macro can be simple to install and simple to turn up and simple to test, you have a winning combination. Network Vision was anything but simple for most of the deployment teams that I talked too. It was a huge learning curve for many of them. When going to the lowest bidder it’s hard to get experienced crews repeatedly that can handle something like that.
So there you have it, some way to explain something new in the USA. I hope it helps. What do you think?
I am putting a small cell wireless deployment handbook together, it should be out soon. It will be geared towards deployment but a good reference overall. It will have most of what I post but also some extra notes is it. If your interested, feel free to sign up for my newsletter below.
So today let’s talk drones for wireless work. I see many possibilities for drones to really play a big part in the deployments. So, I have a few scenarios that I would like to play out.
Optimization!
Optimization drones, a thing of the future? No, here today and being used now! I thought I heard everything but now Nokia, (whom is taking over Alcatel-Lucent) is working on using drones for LTE optimization. How cool is that? Boy, Rajeev Suri must be a cool guy to authorize the use of drones! Nokia has been using them for tower inspections in the Middle East and now there is talk of using them for optimization. While they are not doing it here in the USA it is being done. It is only a matter of time before we see it here. Can you imagine how efficient testing will be when the drone can do all the tests? Don’t believe me that it’s being done? Go to this link!You will see that they are doing it in Dubai! If interested in looking it up the web lookhereandhereandhere.
Optimizing drones would have GPS tracking and RF devices, probably smart phones on it to track coverage and performance. Basically a Smartphone that would transfer data and track the upload and download speeds automatically. Then it would send the information up to the cloud so some server could work with it to make adjustments as needed, or the adjustments would be made manually, most likely version at this time. Knocking down the coverage teams to one guy and a drone and automating the process. Now these files are huge, so make sure the data plan can handle it or make sure you have Wi-Fi access. They may just relay it back down to the engineer’s laptop so that person can put it all together.
How great would this be to not have to deal with traffic? This could really be more efficient with the addition of small cells, oDAS, iDAS, and mini-macro sites being deployed because you could concentrate the optimization with the hassle of walking, driving, and trying to hit all of the areas. I know most of the carriers are trying to automate this as much as possible by using PCMD data so who knows how much this will be needed beyond deployment in the future.
Inspections!
So for the inspecting towers it was obvious that they would put cameras on the drones and document what they find. Of course it would take a drone with a camera and a good pilot to make sure that they get the proper pictures. This would entail getting the right pictures and following the close out or site survey plan. You save the time of having a climber go up in the air. You get the documentation in one quick shot with one person on site. You get all of this in a timely and safe manner. Even the FAA is getting on board with it. Can anyone do it, maybe? I am actually a fan of making sure they are certified so that you don’t have some clown out there buzzing the college girls. If they have their certification to lose then maybe they will be careful and professional. Remember, I worked in the field, I know all the complaints I had to deal with when my crews said or did something stupid.The FAA article is here.This is where some GoPro cameras would really come in handy to monitor and record all that is being done. You could grab a snapshot from the video and then you’re done.
Now, on any of this you need to take video and record your results. I would like to think thatField Dailieswill come out with a package to help us out. They already have close out packages. I am an affiliate ofField Dailiesbut I think they are great regardless. So if you go tohttp://www.fielddailies.com/field-solutions/you will see that you can go right from your smart phone to the cloud to complete the closeout package. All in one shot while in the field it will be ready for you. I am a fan of efficiency and they made it really efficient. So go in and request a demo and let them know that Wade sent you. What do you have to lose? Just think if you have a drone to go out, survey the tower, then from your laptop or Smartphone you get the pictures and upload them from your truck, then you are almost finished! Imagine how much time you would save and how efficient you would be? Wouldn’t that be great?
I also like using the drones for safety inspections out at sites while work is being performed at the site. However, it seems that no one in the industry shares that excitement. I would say that less than .001% of anyone out there has any interest in doing safety inspections. Teaching safety is something that everyone is on board with, but no one wants to measure the results. The only measurement we have is when someone dies. Why would anyone care when it cost money and then reality would set in that not everyone is trained properly or responsible, but that is another story.
Future Ideas!
I also think that we could use drones to test microwave paths. This has not been cleared but it seems like the best use of drones. Again, you would need clearance and you would need to get FAA approval. So far we don’t have it because, as I understand it, you can only fly over people that know what is going on for business. Now it seems that for fun you can fly anywhere any time, but there will be a crackdown on some of this. It also seems that public safety can fly them anywhere they wish and take pictures. But for tower work, we will wait for the FAA to approve it. Once they do how cool would it be to fly a 2 mile link to make sure there is nothing in the path? I think that would be the greatest to verify a path. If a building goes up then you know right then! Trust me, I used to do path calculations all the time and I used to drive paths to be sure they were clear. I also did some spotting to verify LOS but it gets harder on long paths and many times the tower owner doesn’t want anyone on their tower unless they are inspecting or installing. So then you drive the path. If only I had a drone to fly the path.
What about small cell and DAS inspections? I think that you could knock out streets at a time by flying the drone about 30 to 50 feet AGL and then going around the streets. You could also verify the paths from the pole to a building, so you could plan out your build in an urban area, if the FAA would allow you to do it. These are populated streets. If you were disciplined then you would not interfere with any air space but you need to let the local authorities know what is going on because they would see it as a threat. That is until Amazon gets the approvals to make deliveries using drones. Then we can need traffic control.
As far as the drone pilots go, I really think you need to be certified. I just think that the pilots should take the flying seriously. Like I implied above I don’t think we should have some prankster who looks at it as a fun time and not a serious job to be out there acting stupid, that’s all. If you ever worked in the field then you know what I am talking about. I think that this will create new business out there and make all of the above services more efficient and cost-effective.
I am putting a small cell wireless deployment handbook together, it should be out soon. It will be geared towards deployment but a good reference overall. It will have most of what I post but also some extra notes is it. If your interested, feel free to sign up for my newsletter below.
that Softbank is taking over Sprint. I just hope they remember KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid! I think that looking at the Network Vision deployment you realize how complicated it became. If the mini-macro can be simple to install and simple to turn up and simple to test, you have a winning combination. Network Vision was anything but simple for most of the deployment teams that I talked too. It was a huge learning curve for many of them. When going to the lowest bidder it’s hard to get experienced crews repeatedly that can handle something like that.