High-Density and De-Densified Smart Campus Communications

1Background and Functional Requirements for High‐Density Communications

This introductory chapter covers two topics: (i) a basic introduction to the underlying technologies and principles that apply to High‐Density Communications (HDC), but not high‐density specifics, which are covered in the chapters that follow, and (ii) a discussion of the main requirements for HDC in the context of key use cases. Use cases include airports, stadiums, convention centers, classrooms, amusement parks, train and subway stations, large multiple dwelling units, open air special events, and other venues.¹

As the second decade of the twenty‐first century rolled along, however, a new requirement presented itself due to the worldwide pandemic: physical/desk distancing in support of Office Social² Distancing (OSD) and Office Dynamic Cluster Monitoring and Analysis (ODCMA). A “de‐densification” effort was established at the time. The de‐densification effort in the workplace impacts a large number of factors, including network connectivity services and architectures. Propitiously, wireless technologies have been harvested to address and manage these pressing distancing issues. Even if effective vaccines are found and distributed globally, many agree that some of the societal and workplace changes driven by the pandemic may become permanent. One change likely to remain is the increased reliance on Work From Home (WFH) and along with it, are the implications of greater utilization of a global workforce ...