Wireless Internet Connectivity at the Office

This week I was in Las Vegas to meet with a number of vendors who focus on wireless connectivity. We often think about cell phones first and foremost when we think of wireless devices, and rightfully so. They have become an ubiquitous necessity in today's business world, and we are just beginning to tap the potential of wireless connectivity as it relates to business. Cell phones are giving way to smartphones that can not only deliver email but also empower us to work over the Internet while we are away from the office. Eventually they will include additional communication options that we can only dream of today.

But wireless connectivity is already more than just cell phones. Consider the wireless cards that allow us to connect our notebook computers to the Internet at speeds that rival DSL in the office environment. I personally use a Novatel Merlin S720 card on the Sprint network with my notebook when I am in the field. We've come a long way from the days when we had to use a modem at dialup speeds to connect a notebook to the Internet. Now we have the ability to connect wirelessly from anywhere in the service provider's signal range. But in terms of business continuity there is a larger point to be made when discussing such a wireless card.

If your business has but a single pipeline to the Internet and you need connectivity in order to conduct business, what do you do if that connectivity goes down? If you haven't given this subject any thought you really need to do so. I have experienced several outages with my Comcast service at my office that could have been very disruptive. By using my Sprint card I was able to continue working effectively despite the inconvenience of the Comcast outage. Essentially, I have a redundant Internet connection (and I don't consider the ability to use a dial-up connection a redundant solution in a business setting). The really great thing about the Sprint card is that there are now several routers available that accept such cards and which can be brought into service in your network in a few minutes should an outage occur. So if you have a Sprint card or one from another cellular provider, why not invest in a solution that will keep you and your business up and running when you need it the most? You'll be glad you did the very first time you need it.