Small Cell Technology: An Answer to Overloaded Networks

In a recent article "Itsy-bitsy teeny cell towers are coming" on CNNMoney, writer David Goldman voices a well known problem-- cell phone connectivity. For the most part accessing our mobile networks to make calls, upload photos to facebook or tweet about the coolest thing we've done/heard/seen all day is not a problem.

What about when we're at a sports game? Concert? Or worse if there is a natural disaster and no one can reach anyone, because EVERYONE is trying to reach someone at the same time. The cell phone towers that line our streets and dot the highway were not built to handle the massive amounts of data that are being shared today.

According to Cisco's Mobile Visual Networking Index in four years "more than half of the Internet's traffic will come from mobile devices, and 71% of that will be big video files." Looking at our industry, specifically Digital Asset Management, MyMediabox cannot disagree with the numbers. Our clients utilize our services on a daily basis to store and share large digital assets. Those in the entertainment industry use Mediabox-DAM to deliver full screeners and, by the end of this year, will be doing so via mobile apps.

To keep up with the exponential growth of mobile data sharing, cell phone companies are looking into small cell technology. Putting up more of the same cell towers is out the question- the time and money- not too mention the unappealing aesthetics of the structures quickly ruled out that option. Small cell technology on the other hand offers greater flexibility.

Small cells can be explained as tiny antennas that fit in the palm of your hand. They operate on low-powered radio access nodes, with a range of 10-200 meters. While this is much less than traditional towers (that offer a range of a few kilometers), they can be placed almost anywhere (the sides of buildings, benches, etc.) due to their size, creating a more reliable and uninterrupted connection.

If you work for a large corporation, facility or venue that tends to attract mass amounts of people you might want to consider looking into small cells to support your network. Alcatel-Lucent and Powerwave currently have their own versions on the market.

MyMediabox will as always continue to provide software-as-a-service... we just want to make sure you stay connected. 

Interested in using MyMediabox to store and share your digital assets? Click here to schedule a demo.

Tips for Securing Free Wifi

While reading technology articles on Digg this week, I came across an article posted on LifeHacker.com that I thought MyMediabox clients and readers would find helpful. The title? "Top 10 Ways to Get Free Wi-Fi Anywhere You Go."

Aside from the obvious benefits of free WiFi- checking your Facebook or watching that funny new video on YouTube- you could login to your Mediabox site (remote access!) check the status of projects, submit comments, etc. Read below for some of the tips LifeHacker.com gives for gleaning free wifi:

• Borrow from a Business (ie. Hotels, Starbucks, McDonalds)
• Use a Hotspot Database (Download the "WeFi" application to find the hotspot closest to you)
• Search for Hidden Networks (ie. electronic stores, buses, laundromats usually have wifi)
• Loyalty Programs (Sign up, but remember to turn your spam filter on!)
• Coupon Codes (Offered through RetailMeNot, Gadling, etc.)
• Mac Spoofing (Spoof a new MAC address when you only have free wifi for a limited amount of time)
• The Cable Company (Most cable companies provide customers access to their Wi-fi Hotspots)
• Tether (Tether your smartphone to your computer to share wifi access. Best app for tethering iphones and androids? PDANet.)

Secured free WiFi and ready for your Mediabox demo? Click here.