Cradlepoint releases State of Wireless WAN Report 2020

On Monday, Cradlepoint released the State of Wireless WAN Report 2020. Cradlepoint in partnership with IDG surveyed 499 “IT-decision makers” including directors, vice presidents, and managers across the US, Canada, and the UK. Overall, the report was designed to gain a better understanding of wireless WAN growth and implementation in enterprises as well as how organizations plan to incorporate 5G in the years ahead as these technologies progress.

“Having a secure, flexible, and reliable WAN edge is more critical to business success than ever,” said Donna Johnson, vice president of product and solution marketing at Cradlepoint. “As organizations look to adapt to a new normal and get back to business, wireless WAN solutions uniquely enable network agility while enhancing security and scale.”

State of wireless WAN: Key findings

The proliferation of connected devices and organizational agility required due to the coronavirus pandemic were top reported reasons for business wireless WAN adoption. More than half (57%) of respondents reported bandwidth as the main reason for broadband adoption. Nearly half (49%) said bandwidth was the main reason behind choosing LTE.

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The report also found that organizations see LTE as a solution enabling increased agility. Nearly half (51%) of respondents said that flexibility offered by LTE was the main reason they adopted wireless WAN solutions. About three-quarters (78%) of businesses currently use or are planning to “use LTE to provide WAN or internet connectivity to at least some locations.”

Overall, 53% of respondents reported using LTE to link in-vehicle networks, with 77% using LTE to connect IoT devices. Four-in-ten respondents said they were utilizing LTE to connect IoT, vehicles, and fixed location. The findings also illustrate further LTE use in the years ahead. Overall, 62% of companies said they were planning to increase LTE use within three years.

Enterprises remain optimistic about the “promise of 5G” in the short-term with nearly seven-in-ten (67%) reporting feeling “confident or very confident 5G will deliver business benefits within the next year.” More than eight-in-ten (82%) believe 5G “will deliver increased WAN speeds within the next year.” Additionally, 66% believe 5G will enhance overall reliability.

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“It’s no secret that the ongoing pandemic has forced businesses to be more innovative and creative than ever, and wireless WAN has proven to be a critical enabler,” Johnson said. “With the emergence of 5G bringing faster speeds and smarter cellular networks, the ascension of wireless WAN as critical infrastructure is inevitable.”

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