The global pandemic that started in 2020 brought the world to a standstill. Only critical workers were able to work safely on site in many locations, since access to local facilities was limited.

During this time, access to remote locations was critical. People were told to work from home, but local utilities were under stress due to the change in demand. Power and water companies had regular daily and weekly demand patterns before the pandemic. In the workweek, most people were in the cities, and in the weekend, they were at home. In contrast, when the pandemic occurred, most of the population stayed home, requiring resources to be diverted to infrastructure that was typically used only on weekends.

Many customers were unaware of the disruption due to the preparation and hard work of these suppliers. In part, this was due to disaster planning within the organizations but also to the ability to make changes quickly using remote devices.  

Diagnostics and support are still necessary in times like these. Systems regularly require maintenance, even whilst in regular operation. Remote access via cellular or fixed lined connectivity ensured access to the site 24/7. Additionally, only the necessary engineers would attend the site, reducing the likelihood of disease transmission and keeping workers safe.

Another benefit of remote access is that it reduces the carbon footprint associated with diagnostics and support. Previously manned sites are now unmanned and self-managing. 

Oversight of a network for diagnostic and support allows decisions to be made from the comfort of a home or the central office. As a result of the pandemic, remote working became more common, and sites became more flexible as fewer employees needed to be on site constantly.