Table of Contents
- What Exactly Is Structured Cabling?
- What Types of Cabling?
- Enhancing the Guest Experience
- Supporting Modern Residential Needs
- Future-Proofing with Structured Cabling
- Additional Benefits of Structured Cabling
- What to Look for in a Structured Cabling Vendor
- Our Strategic Investment
Like most modern enterprises, hospitality and residential properties continue to experience an increased need for bandwidth. The rise of streaming video, digital voice systems, videoconferencing, and other data-heavy applications has posed challenges for traditional cabling approaches. Hotels, MDUs, student housing, and senior living properties need fast networks to support Internet use, phone systems, entertainment solutions, and more. These networks must also be highly reliable and adaptable to accommodate growth and new technology solutions. To meet these needs, structured cabling provides an effective way to support a property’s operations. Structured cabling can also improve guest/resident satisfaction and help properties stay competitive in a tech-driven market.
What Exactly Is Structured Cabling?
Early networking relied on point-to-point or patch cabling. Each device needed its own cable for communication, which often led to so-called “spaghetti wiring.” It was difficult to manage, easy to lose track of what wires went to which devices, and inefficient to upgrade. Troubleshooting any network issues could be a nightmare with this kind of setup – the more networked devices, the worse the problem became.
To compound this difficulty, different manufacturers used different cabling and connectors, and there was no guarantee that items would work together. If you changed your equipment vendor, you might have to change your cabling. Due to the difficulty of removing old cabling, installers often simply left it behind to contribute to the growing mess of wiring. Estimates suggest that 70% of network downtime back then was due to non-standardized network cabling systems.
In contrast, structured cabling is a standardized approach to network cabling that supports many different uses. It provides the foundation of a property’s digital infrastructure, enabling consistent performance for Wi-Fi, VoIP, streaming, OTT services, CCTV, IoT-based smart rooms, and other property technologies.
Structured cabling relies on standards developed by industry groups such as ISO/IEC and TIA, which define cable types, connectors, architectures, and installation guidelines to create an organized network. Because of these standards, networks can take advantage of compatibility and performance across vendors, allowing greater flexibility. There is also no longer a need to rip-and-replace cabling systems when equipment is replaced.
What Types of Cabling?
Structured cabling for communications typically incorporates several types of low-voltage cabling in hospitality and residential properties:
- Fiber offers many benefits over other options:
- High bandwidth, fast speeds, low latency, and less “lossy” over distance
- Longer service life (typically 20+ years)
- Easier to scale
- Safer due to its inability to generate sparks
- Less subject to interference from electrical noise in the surrounding environment
- More secure data transmission
- More environmentally friendly
- Copper cabling such as CAT6/6A Ethernet is another option, with pros and cons. It is less expensive than fiber in terms of material costs but needs more frequent replacement. It also has a lower capacity than fiber but is faster than other cabling or wireless options.
- Coaxial cabling has become less common in new construction properties because it wasn’t designed to handle today’s high-speed, high-capacity data transmission needs. However, many properties still use coaxial cabling for specific applications such as CCTV or in-room entertainment. To increase capacity, solutions can use multiplexer technology to deliver gigabit bandwidth over a coaxial cabling infrastructure. The DOCSIS standard is one example of technology that uses this method to increase coaxial capacity for TV signals.
Enhancing the Guest Experience
In the hospitality sector, guests expect high-speed Internet and flawless communication services. Whether they’re streaming videos, attending virtual meetings, or simply browsing, reliable cabling ensures they stay connected. Poor connectivity can lead to negative reviews and a drop in bookings. High-quality structured cabling supports Wi-Fi and wired networks, ensuring guests have a positive experience. This is crucial for a better guest experience and increased loyalty.
Supporting Modern Residential Needs
In residential properties, the need for connectivity has also grown. The popularity and breadth of streaming entertainment options have exploded. Also, with more people working from home at least some of the time, having a fast, reliable Internet connection is critical. Structured cabling solutions support these uses, as well as smart home devices, security systems, and more. This helps to make multi-family dwellings, student housing, and senior residences more efficient and enjoyable. It can also help make properties more competitive by providing a modern technology-connected living experience.
Future-Proofing with Structured Cabling
Structured cabling is also essential for future-proofing properties, as it allows for easy upgrades and expansions without significant overhauls. This means properties can adapt to future technological advancements more easily and without additional expenses for infrastructure. Structured cabling also supports the integration of IoT devices as their usage spreads in hospitality and residential properties, making buildings smarter, more responsive, more sustainable, and less expensive to operate.
When upgrading to the latest technologies, it’s crucial for hospitality and residential properties to upgrade their cabling as well. Older cabling may inhibit the maximum performance of the technology investment, whereas newer solutions can support technology upgrades long into the future. This is especially true for options such as fiber, which is long-lasting and meets the high performance requirements of modern technology.
Additional Benefits of Structured Cabling
In addition to future-proofing properties by simplifying upgrades, structured cabling offers several other benefits:
- Easier network management – Structured cabling makes it easier to spot and remedy wiring issues that cause network problems.
- Increased flexibility – Structured cabling can easily accommodate moves, additions, and other changes to a property’s network.
- Less downtime – Because the cabling infrastructure is well-organized, installers and network managers spend less time identifying and untangling wires.
- Improved efficiency – Structured cabling reduces wiring bulk and congestion.
What to Look for in a Structured Cabling Vendor
When seeking a partner to provide structured cabling solutions, it’s important to choose a vendor that meets or exceeds industry standards. This will ensure your property reaps the full advantages of structured cabling. Your chosen vendor should be able to design and install a custom solution to meet your property’s specific needs, as well as local and national standards. The vendor should also be able to provide nationwide service and support post-installation for the best ongoing performance.
It’s also crucial to choose a vendor familiar with best practices in the hospitality or residential sector, as these types of properties have specific requirements to meet business goals and guest/resident expectations. Structured cabling solutions designed and installed by a knowledgeable vendor will ensure that your property will be prepared to meet the challenges of future technological developments and business needs.
Our Strategic Investment
Investing in high-quality structured cabling solutions minimizes the risk of connectivity issues and supports a wide range of services. From high-speed Internet, telephone systems, and entertainment solutions to security and automation, robust cabling is a foundational element that enhances property value and improves the experience of guests and residents.
Our recent acquisition of Cabling Solutions, LLC underscores our commitment to delivering top-notch connectivity. This aligns with our goal of driving digital transformation in hospitality and residential properties. By leveraging advanced cabling solutions, we can provide the properties we serve with reliable, future-proof infrastructure that will carry them successfully into the future.
In modern property technology, robust connectivity is a must. Structured cabling solutions support seamless communication, enhance the user experience, and ensure properties are ready for future growth and technological advancements.
WorldVue is your trusted provider for helping you meet your property’s growing needs. We aim to deliver a network infrastructure that can easily scale for the higher bandwidth demand of guest WiFi, VoIP, guestroom entertainment, guest streaming devices, and other over-the-top services.
From the initial stages of design and planning to low-voltage cabling installation, our team of experts works with you every step of the way. Whether it’s an existing property or new construction, our team reviews your cabling specifics and electrical blueprints to design a complete custom wiring solution for you.
For more information on how our cabling solutions can benefit your property, contact us today!
