In-Building Infrastructure
Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) for enhanced cellular coverage in commercial buildings and large venues.
What is an "In-building System?"
Several years ago, although cellular operators continued to build towers to provide cellular reception, customers within buildings continued to receive poor signal and recurrent dropped calls. In-building cellular enhancement systems were therefore developed to overcome this problem.
Signal Coverage
- 2/2.5G GSM & 3G networks
Large Internal/Covered Areas
- Exhibition centres
- Sports arena
- Tunnels
- Stations
These are addressed with "Distributed Antenna Systems" (DAS).
Why Deploy In-Building Systems?
Improve Mobile Operator's GSM coverage in buildings
Enables or enhances a mobile operator's network
Improves "external"/macro network
Increase revenue
Happier customers
Why is DAS Necessary?
A DAS system is necessary because it overcomes the severe reduction in signal created due to steel and concrete in buildings. From the perspective of the cellular networks, a DAS system ensures that their customers are able to surf the Internet and make voice calls.
From the perspective of Landlords, DAS is essential because, similarly, it ensures that tenants of their building can use their mobile phones. DAS systems are most critically needed for buildings with basements and high rise buildings as these buildings tend to have more people that require bandwidth, and their height means that the strength of signal received from towers tends to be weak.
Alan Dick East Africa DAS Solution
Alan Dick East Africa has deployed over 100 DAS solutions for telecommunication service providers in major cities in Kenya to date. The solutions deployed so far have been a mix of active and passive DAS systems.
Passive DAS
A passive DAS system is a system that can usually only host one mobile network operator, requires extensive cabling and usually the actual antennas tend to be noticeable on a building. The solution usually is more cost effective but tends to affect the aesthetics of a building more than an active solution.
Active DAS
An active DAS system is more advanced than passive systems. The solution usually requires much smaller antennas than a passive system (therefore affecting the aesthetics of building much less). Moreover, this solution requires less cabling, and most importantly, the solution would be able to host multiple operators. Therefore, every time an additional network wants to provide coverage in a building, they can do so without installing an entire new solution. Furthermore, an active system tends to cover a larger area than a passive system.
Our References
International
- Systems installed with 10,000 corporate users UK wide
- 3G network in Australia
- Arkadia Shopping Mall, Cairo, Egypt
- Bahrain Convention Centre
- 20 corporate sites, Singapore
- Clearwater Shopping Mall, South Africa
- 7km "Smart Tunnel" in Malaysia
- Rail Tunnels in South Africa
Local
- CBA Bank
- Landmark Plaza
- Rehema House
- The Hub Karen
- Garden City Mall
- Thika Road Mall
- Safaricom HQs
- Westgate Mall
- Tribe Hotel
- Dusit Hotel
- And many more major buildings in Nairobi