Let's hope mobile network operators embrace new indoor coverage options
Amid all the industry talk of next-generation wireless WANs and new devices, I had an enlightening conversation recently with three network guys seeking new and improved methods of getting in-building cellular coverage.
They said something surprising: that the distributed antenna systems (DAS) they have used to spread cellular signals throughout their companies still leave some dead spots and that the equipment isn’t very flexible or easily upgraded.
Related: What in-building approach do you prefer?
This was a bit of a revelation for me. I’ve always considered DASs an “old reliable,” at least for big enterprises.
DASs use an internal signal source procured from your mobile operator(s) in the form of a base station and then distribute the signal to many antennas throughout the building via specialized cabling. Usually, DASs are a good fit for very large companies that want folks to be able to use their cellular connections indoors and a) can afford them or b) are so big the carrier will foot the bill to gain more cellular business.
It’s true that DASs only repeat or amplify the signal from an on-site base station. They don’t reuse spectrum in smaller cells to add more capacity in the building. Having additional signal sources and creating smaller cells with them is the way the macro cellular network generally adds capacity outside. It’s also the primary way Wi-Fi networks add capacity.
I was surprised to discover that one of the gentlemen said he’d been waiting for about 18 months for an upgrade to his DAS. His employer won’t let me name his company, but it’s a well-known U.S.-based global consumer products maker. It’s a big enough company where you might ask: “If you don’t have the clout to get good service from the carrier, who does?”
And if such a large company is having carrier troubles, what chance do smaller companies stand in getting attention for a DAS or DAS upgrade?
The other gentlemen were from a well-known university and a wholesale produce distributor. They said they are encouraging the carriers to “share the risk”and explore new ways of getting in-building coverage with them, such as testing out newer equipment that does reuse spectrum indoors.
Because the carriers license cellular spectrum, the equipment used to provide network services in that spectrum must be OK’d by those carriers. So for new ways of distributing signals throughout the enterprise, the carriers need to be involved.
Getting their attention has never been swift or easy. Let’s hope that the mobile operators can take enterprise requirements more seriously in 2011, at least for in-building coverage.
