In today’s always-on world, we tend to assume that our cell phones and other mobile devices will always keep us connected to our network of colleagues, family, and even social media updates. So of course, it’s always a bit of a shock when we don’t have enough signal to send an email or make a phone call.
Our insatiable need to be constantly connected makes for more and more capacity demands on the cellular carriers. The carriers’ coverage and capacity problems are exacerbated by the UV-resistant glass cloaking our shiny new green-certified commercial buildings. The glass blocks out UV rays, but it also does an excellent job of blocking cell signals!
The Growing Need for Coverage… Everywhere
Ever-expanding mobile data consumption, voice users moving from landlines to mobiles, and building materials antagonistic to cellular signals present a major challenge to building operators and IT support organizations across Canada’s urban areas.
Because we’ve all become accustomed to having ubiquitous high-speed cell coverage, IT departments and commercial landlords are under pressure to ensure that the coverage really is ubiquitous – even though it’s the cellular carriers who own the airwaves and derive revenue from selling the service.
Adding to that pressure, it’s even becoming common for new leases to have a clause specifying a service level for cell signals, requiring a new level of interaction between commercial landlords or building operators and the cellular carriers.
A Solution for Better Cell Service Indoors
The solution to in-building limitations on both coverage and capacity for cellular users often lies in Distributed Antenna technology.
The concept is very simple: place a cellular repeater or a base station in the telecom room in the basement and then deliver the signal throughout the building with a network of cables, signal splitters and antennas. This network distributes the cellular signal to mobile devices, even deep in a basement or a parking garage. It can be an important part of corporate wireless solutions.
Easier Said Than Done
Of course, the reality is NOT simple. Because the carriers own the airwaves, third party integrators cannot simply install a repeater and turn it on. Without proper planning and integration, serious negative effects can occur to the carriers’ networks and can affect service to their customers over a wide area. And the systems have a cost associated with them, distribution of which is rarely simple.
For those installations requiring a base station on-site to provide enough capacity it can take a year or more to install, commission and connect a new site into the very complex networks employed by service providers. It is very important to involve the service providers’ engineering, planning and sales teams early in the process to ensure a timely and trouble-free implementation. That’s why property managers should be engaging with an expert such as FCi to navigate the complexities of implementing a distributed antenna system.
Distributed Antenna Solutions in Ottawa
FCi is a local leader in providing Distributed Antenna Systems in Ottawa. Contact the commercial wireless experts for a free, no obligation appointment, or to get more information on how distributed antenna technology can provide your building, office or commercial space with better cell signal and improved in-building mobility.
