Since adopting the technology in 2019, the city has been able to get real-time visibility into its fleet using telematics and mobile and workforce automation tools that are able to streamline all the work being done in the field. Managers are able get vehicle location intelligence, fuel management data and engine diagnostics in real time, allowing them to make snap adjustments and track productivity in newly effective ways. The city is also using a live in-cab video application with integrated AI to monitor driver safety and allow for real-time driver feedback.

In addition to enhanced productivity, Phoenix is leveraging technology to help divert 40 percent of its waste stream by this year, with the goal of having zero waste by 2050. This is an incredibly ambitious goal for a city as large and rapidly growing as Phoenix, but with advancing always-on connectivity enabling the city to operate an efficient fleet, it’s using the tools necessary to make progress toward this goal.

Phoenix has proven to be a trailblazer when it comes to adopting always-on connectivity, but in the coming years most major cities will be forced to upgrade their capabilities as they seek to monitor, track and optimize their resources in real time. Environmental goals will play a huge part in pushing governments to invest in always-on connectivity as mandates around sustainability will demand more efficient use of resources.

A new cost and consumption model

Until now, connectivity has always been limited by your network carrier. If you find yourself in an area where your provider has low connectivity, you’re out of luck. Is your mobile network congested and you can’t send that urgent email out? You’re going to have to wait. Always-on connectivity means that you will not have to suffer through network congestion or dead zones. Whether you’re operating a smart vehicle or using a smartphone, no matter where you are in the world your device will automatically find the strongest wireless signal.

The technology that makes this possible lies in a new SIM product that is just being introduced to the market that will allow users to provision traditional mobile services on all major networks. Networks will have to compete on price and connectivity for your business, and it will include a new pricing model that allows businesses to purchase exactly what they need—no more and no less.

This advancement is at the heart of always-on connectivity, and as 5G becomes a viable option for businesses in the coming years, it will be leveraged to provide the type of fast and efficient mobile connectivity once only envisioned in science fiction movies. 

Always on, already here

When can we expect to see always-on connectivity in wide use? The answer depends on how quickly businesses and governments digitally transform and prepare themselves to utilize the technology. Consider the following to evaluate if your network is prepared to handle always-on connectivity:

• Audit your network infrastructure and determine its ability to provide always-on connectivity. Can your local network support data flowing around the clock? If you are implementing IoT projects, will your network support new requirements?
• If your company has broader digital transformation projects, look for opportunities to piggyback on them and leverage upgraded infrastructure.
• Prepare for an increase in the amount of data crossing your network and ensure that internal systems—WAN, for example—can handle the traffic.
  
• Shore up security. Adding devices adds connections to your network, which could open the door to new cyberthreats.

While always-on connectivity is here for some, more organizations need to do groundwork to prepare themselves. In the coming years, however, as we see wide adoption along with 5G connectivity, the technology promises to revolutionize how many businesses operate, while helping us optimize resources to make our cities cleaner, safer and more efficient.

Through the years, the hype around certain emerging technologies has often fallen flat, but the coming renaissance in connectivity is real and imminent, and it will have a transformational impact on how we live and do business.