| Neutral Host In-Building DAS |
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| The cure for the wirelessly stranded enterprise | |||
Page 5 of 5 The building blocks Let’s elaborate on technology and choices for the in-building system, starting with a look at the components and the dynamics of cost distribution thereof. RF front end  This is
the portion of the system that is common to almost all types of system
options and consists of the external/outdoor antenna and other passive
and active radio electronics that capture the radio signals and prepare
them for the next portion and stage of the network, the DAS. This
represents a cost component that only changes a little in response to
the size of the DAS portion. A large portion of the RF front end cost
is for the installation and labour services (Figure 2).DAS   This
segment is the DAS proper, and is where the cost has a more direct
relationship with the size of the coverage problem in terms of area and
signal strength. This is the portion of the system that needs to be
carefully chosen for performance, initial equipment cost and cost of
installation, maintenance and future expansion (Figures 3/4).Choices The RF front end is more or less standard radio gear that is pretty much falls in the commodity bucket and there is very little to gain by choosing one brand name over the other. The DAS itself is the real heart and soul of the system and determines the quality of the match between what is needed and what is delivered. The older generation passive systems based on rigid 1/2-in. coax are still around but out of touch with the needs of today. These systems are from the era of voice-only networks and simpler limited spectrum allocations. The performance varies from band to band; they don’t scale well and are very unfriendly when you’re looking for ease and low cost of installation. In most of the G8 nations, these passive technologies are being replaced by active DAS. The rate of growth of active DAS systems in the U.S. from 2006-2010 is estimated at 300% that of passive DAS systems. In Canada, many enterprises have relied on their wireline contractors or even electrical contractors, who are not in touch with the changing times. This has contributed to deployments that are not doing the job and are costly to replace. The problem is even prevalent among the providers who invest their main effort into building capacity and coverage in the macro network rather than focus on limitations of individual IB customers. Depending on the area to be covered, a simple multi-band BDA (bi-directional) design may be sufficient but for most enterprise spaces in the size exceeding 75,000 sf, though a well-engineered active DAS is ideal. The ability to switch and add providers to your system is the essence of a long-term and sound in-building strategy, and is achieved by investing in a neutral host IB system. That system will help solve wireless coverage problem, and empowers you to make changes in your choice of provider. It’s easy to relocate and upgrade , and doesn’t require a training budget. Conclusion The time is ripe for today’s enterprise to take charge of its own internal wireless destiny and reap the rewards of increased competition and choices in the wireless services arena. Many enterprises have already found that, far from simply being another ‘must-do’ and/or ‘no-choice’ task, the in-building neutral host DAS actually works out to be a great advantage in the long term. For more information, or to get specific recommendations for your in-building coverage issues, contact ADC CANADA directly at or one of its Canadian partners: CROSSOVER DISTRIBUTION, GAP WIRELESS or DYNAMIC WIRELESS. |
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