What Effect Does Broadband Have on Construction Sites and its Industry?

Technology within construction is changing drastically and the last few years has seen the greatest change of them all. New technology is not being utilised across the sector to increase both efficiency and safety, while also creating a greener project to help the planet as much as possible.

However, when implementing new technology on the worksite, the one common thing that almost every new piece requires is a good connection such as UK Connect’s construction site broadband. There are very few new devices that don’t rely on the internet for optimal usage.

How Has Broadband Changed on Construction Sites?

Construction site wifi used to be an incredibly arduous task to organise, so much so that many projects had to ‘make do’ without it and try to rely on construction side 4G.

While 4G certainly had its benefits, download speeds are significantly slower than that of fixed lines and remote projects can often lead to a complete connection outage.

A strong construction site internet service is now crucial to the running of any project, previously it could take weeks or even months to organise installation and have wifi up and running for staff and visitors.

Not only were wait times long, but the costs were extortionate and for a short-term project, the spend was often seen as inefficient.

However, any good construction site wifi provider can now get fixed lines installed and running within 10 days, at a fraction of the cost construction professionals have previously seen.

Construction Technology That Relies on Broadband

For those not familiar with the sector, it may be hard to visualise why such a labour-intensive industry would require broadband in the first place. We discuss the increasingly popular technologies being used within construction and how they are benefitting the sector.

The Internet of Things

The internet of things (IoT) is something most of us will be familiar with in our personal lives. These are devices that are all connected by one central platform but can share information instantly.

Many of us use these in the form of smartwatches, speakers and other household devices.

However, construction IT Services is taking this one step further. Machinery is becoming ‘smart’ and can maintain themselves with the use of sensors. One of the most common examples of this is within the use of cement mixers, sensors can detect when cement is running low and alert staff to top this up.

This removes the monotonous task of manually checking, while also ensuring that this essential element of any worksite never runs low.

IoT can also track footfall on site. This is alleviating projects managers from the long task of recording this manually and removing the risk of human error.

Safety is increasing with the use of geo-location of wearable technology, those on-site are being notified when they have ventured into a danger zone. This is also being utilised during the pandemic, workers are using these devices to be told when they are breaching social distancing guidelines.

Carbon emissions are even being reduced with the IoT, sensors in machinery and vehicles can detect when they are not in use and automatically turn engines off to save energy.

Cloud Technologies

The cloud has shaped the way we communicate with each other and share information. Without a strong internet connection, this wouldn’t be possible.

Large files can be instantly shared between all parties involved in a project, allowing users to update, edit and comment on data in real-time, resulting in more efficient collaboration.

Projects, tools, finances and every other element of the process can be signed off from anywhere in the world, reducing wait times and allowing experts to contribute, no matter where they are located.

Drones

Drones are now being frequently used in construction. While they can operate without a wifi signal, the addition of this means they can be used to their full potential.

Real-time videos can be provided of the worksite, allowing clients to see a full picture of the construction process. Managers can also be given a quick bird’s eye view of the process from any location with live streaming, meaning that they can provide a comprehensive risk assessment and pick up on anything that may not be seen at ground level.

With internet access, materials can be ordered to site via drone, reducing both waiting times with almost instantaneous delivery, while helping to decrease delivery vehicles on the roads and carbon emissions.

An internet connection is imperative for modern living and within construction, this is no exception. As technology began to evolve at such a fast rate, it won’t be long until the majority of the tools and methods required for a project must have broadband connectivity.

Now that internet providers are adapting to the change, the construction industry is finally able to take full advantage of these technologies on offer.