Nearly half of Americans say they couldn’t get through the day without Wi-Fi, according to a recent OnePoll survey. We suspect the other half just don’t fully comprehend how much they depend on the technology.

Pandemic lockdowns that forced most of us to work remotely led to remarkable changes in network traffic patterns.

A fast, reliable and secure Wi-Fi network is a business imperative, providing the connectivity necessary to support mobility, collaboration, IoT, edge computing and other important IT initiatives. It is such an entrenched technology that analysts say it now generates an annual global economic value approaching $5 trillion.

During a year of extreme uncertainty for most businesses, one thing became exceptionally certain — advanced wireless technology will be critical to operational agility, resilience and innovation for the foreseeable future.

When the pandemic forced much of the global workforce to become isolated, wireless communications enabled vital connectivity.

A fast, reliable and scalable Wi-Fi network is no longer merely a convenience — it is an operational imperative. It underpins some of today’s most important technology initiatives, ranging from remote work and the Internet of Things to edge computing and customer journey analytics.

When millions of Americans were forced to work from home this year, it created an enormous strain on home Wi-Fi networks. According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, Wi-Fi activity increased by 82 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels with record numbers of devices connecting and moving an unprecedented amount of data.

As we noted in our last post, the work-from-home transition has dramatically increased wireless network workloads. As more people with more devices consume more bandwidth, Wi-Fi networks based on outdated equipment and legacy standards are experiencing more connectivity, performance and management issues.

Worldwide Wi-Fi traffic has surged to record levels as business, governments, schools and hundreds of millions of people have become reliant on their wireless networks. The increased traffic volume has also brought performance challenges, with increased reports of dropped connections, slow downloads, increased interference and broadband restrictions.

With a 1,500-horsepower engine featuring four turbochargers, the Bugatti Chiron has a top speed of nearly 305 mph, making it the fastest production sports car in history. Put it on a two-lane road with bumper-to-bumper traffic and intermittent speed bumps, however, and all that speed becomes pointless.

Wi-Fi has become an essential business tool, capable of enabling greater flexibility, operational efficiency and customer service. But because Wi-Fi transports data over radio frequencies, it is vulnerable to six threats that don’t impact the wired network.

Relocation could very well be an essential step in the growth of your business. If you’ve gone as far as you can go in your current market, you’re struggling to find talent that can take you to the next level, or you’ve simply outgrown your space, the answers to these problems probably can’t be found in your current location.