You can do magic
Zyxel’s Magic Office solution provides good, consistent connections in places where it would otherwise be a real problem to use a smartphone or pick up a good cellular signal – and it’s affordable even for smaller businesses, as Patrick Hirscher, EMEA Wireless Market Development Manager at Zyxel, explains.
The science fiction writer, Arthur C Clarke (author of 2001: A Space Odyssey) is famous for having said that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. It is really easy to understand this observation when you think about the wireless technology that is such a familiar part of our everyday working and personal lives now.
Another truism that applies to the most useful technologies is that we soon get used to having them around. We almost take it for granted now that, wherever we go, we will be able to pick up WiFi and get a good cellular network signal for our smartphones. During normal times, when we can move about with total freedom (and those times we will undoubtedly return soon), it is quite common to see several people in a café using their laptops while talking on their phones.
Strong signals
As far as WiFi is concerned, most of you will know Zyxel for its range of access points. And one of the outstanding characteristics of our wireless products is the excellent signal strength and range that they provide.
Not as many of our partners and customers will be aware that we offer a range of ZoneDAS solutions that provide good strong cellular signals in areas in which it is otherwise difficult to provide a reliable cellular signal for voice and data communications. These solutions make use of active distributed antenna system (DAS) technology to extend coverage. They are ideal for use in older buildings, warehouses, shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals, and other places where it’s difficult – for whatever reason – to get a good cellular signal everywhere.
They work by using a single external antenna to establish one really good radio connection into the building. This is then ‘repeated’ or distributed (over a basic wired network) to other receivers located across the building, circumventing whatever physical barriers might exist and extending cellular coverage across the whole area.
Small scale solution
Most ZoneDAS solutions are designed for quite large buildings or campuses, as that is usually where there is the most pressing need for extended coverage. But there are plenty of smaller businesses, such as a small shop or café, for example, that could also make use a DAS solution – but do not need the extensive scalability that these bigger systems offer.
To address this market opportunity, Zyxel has come up with the Magic Office – a small-scale DAS solution designed to cover areas of up to 900 square meters. Magic Office costs less than €1000 and is easy for Zyxel partners to install and manage. It supports all cellular standards up to 4G, and simple 5G connections too.
We know from the feedback we’ve been taking from our customers that there is a ready market for Magic Office – and it’s one that Zyxel partners can now address very easily and effectively. Everyone wants to take their office with them and expects to be able to communicate easily wherever they go these days.
Rather than being seen as remarkable and futuristic, being able to provide that simple, seamless connectivity is now seen as an essential part of the service. Shops, cafés, bars, and other businesses that can’t provide this easy access, will soon lose out on custom. For any that have issues with cellular signals, Magic Office is the perfect solution – and for that reason, it’s a very clear opportunity for Zyxel partners.
