When the network goes down, so does your business.
In today’s cashless, cloud-connected retail environment, a single network outage can halt store operations. Point-of-sale (POS) systems freeze, digital payments fail and customers abandon transactions. The financial impact is staggering: according to Gartner, IT downtime costs businesses an average of $5,600 per minute, while research from Accelerated Concepts shows that 81% of retailers experience POS downtime at least once a year. The Ponemon Institute says nearly 60% of businesses report losing customers due to system outages.
Retailers managing multiple locations must ensure each store is prepared with connectivity resilient enough to keep business running when primary networks fail.
The Wired Connectivity Challenge
Traditional wired broadband installations often take weeks or months to complete, depending on location, permitting requirements and infrastructure readiness. For retailers launching pop-up locations or operating in older buildings or hard-to-reach areas, this timeline can significantly delay opening.
Backup wired connections frequently share the same physical infrastructure as primary ones, such that a single construction mishap or local outage can take both offline at once.
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Running on separate infrastructure from wired networks, cellular broadband can be activated in minutes rather than weeks, providing true redundancy as a failover solution or acting as a temporary primary connection while wired services are pending.
For retailers relying on managed connectivity providers, deployment timelines can be reduced further, with VDC Research reporting installations completed up to 25% faster — minimizing disruption during time-sensitive deployments.
Multi-Carrier Complexity—and the MVNO Solution
No single cellular carrier covers everywhere, with each having gaps referred to as coverage “white zones.” To ensure stores across multiple states or regions stay connected, IT teams frequently end up working with two, or even all three, carriers.
That approach introduces significant operational complexity:
- Multiple contracts and billing cycles;
- Separate activation and management portals;
- Different support teams and escalation paths; and
- Manual reconciliation of usage, costs and performance.
This fragmentation increases administrative overhead and slows response when issues arise.
How MVNOs Simplify Connectivity
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) offer a streamlined alternative. While many MVNOs simply resell carrier data plans, full MVNOs operate their own core networks, subscriber management systems and connectivity platforms — eliminating the need for retailers to juggle multiple carrier relationships.
To illustrate what this looks like in practice, consider Semtech (formerly Sierra Wireless), a market-leading full MVNO which offers a great example of how MVNOs enable retailers to:
- Access top 3 U.S. carrier networks (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) through a single contract.
- Predict costs using flexible pricing models such as pooled or fixed-fee data plans.
- Monitor and manage all SIMs across carriers from one unified platform.
- Work with a single support team, regardless of which underlying carrier provides connectivity.
Full MVNOs can also deliver turnkey managed solutions — combining network access, hardware provisioning, installation, monitoring and ongoing support under one vendor relationship.
According to VDC Research, companies using managed connectivity providers can reduce time spent resolving connectivity issues by up to 70%, freeing internal teams to focus on higher-value initiatives.
Case Study: Ocean State Job Lot – Always-on from day one
The challenge: Ocean State Job Lot, a growing New England retailer, needed reliable connectivity to support POS systems and critical store applications. Traditional wired broadband installations often caused delays — particularly during winter store openings, when running new cabling wasn’t feasible. Managing multiple carrier contracts across locations added further operational complexity.
The solution: Semtech’s AirVantage® Broadband Access — a fully managed, turnkey connectivity solution that includes pre-configured hardware, professional installation, proactive monitoring and multi-network access through a single provider.
The results:
- Stores operational from day one, regardless of weather or wiring delays;
- Automatic cellular failover to keep transactions running during outages;
- Simplified IT operations with single-vendor support; and
- Compact, portable equipment enabling flexible deployment across locations.
“Semtech’s Broadband Access solution has been a game-changer for Ocean State Job Lot, ensuring smooth internet connectivity for our payment systems and key applications. The compact, reliable equipment, combined with outstanding service and proactive monitoring, simplifies installation and minimizes IT resource strain — especially during new store openings.”
— Hugo Otero, Network Manager, Ocean State Job Lot
Read the full case study on Ocean State Job Lot for more details.
Connectivity that Keeps Pace with Your Business
In today’s always-on retail environment, connectivity resilience is mission-critical. Cellular IoT provides true network diversity — delivering fast, flexible primary connectivity when wired service is unavailable, and reliable failover protection when it is.
Working with a full-service MVNO strengthens that resilience. By consolidating direct carrier access, management and support under a single platform, retailers can eliminate operational complexity while gaining predictable performance and scalability. Turnkey connectivity solutions further reduce IT burden by handling deployment, monitoring and ongoing optimization end to end. As retailers adopt mobile POS, real-time inventory systems and data-driven operations across more locations, resilient connectivity becomes a competitive differentiator. Those that simplify how connectivity is delivered and managed today will be best positioned to grow tomorrow.
