DAS Design Requires Comprehensive Site Surveys and Assessments
When designing Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) for new construction, a comprehensive site survey and assessment is one of the most important phases of the process. Without a full understanding of the building’s layout, use, traffic patterns, and coverage “dead zones,” designing a DAS that will meet the needs of inhabitants becomes a game of luck rather than a strategic mission.
While the traditional aspects of assessing the building’s layout, materials, and potential sources of interference are crucial, another aspect of this phase can significantly impact the DAS’s performance and cost-effectiveness: identifying major network carriers with a strong presence in the intended building location.
Carrier Partnerships Can Yield Significant Benefits
Incorporating carrier partnerships into your DAS design’s comprehensive site survey and assessment phase is a strategic move that can yield significant benefits. It’s not just about optimizing performance – by identifying major carriers in the area and aligning your DAS design with their needs, you set the stage for a successful, cost-effective, and future-proof wireless connectivity solution for your new construction project.
Some ways that working with carriers during your DAS design phase include:
Leveraging Carrier Partnerships
Identifying major carriers that already have a strong network presence in the area can open doors to potential partnerships. If a particular carrier has a vested interest in ensuring optimal coverage within a building (ie: a pre-existing customer base), they may be more willing to collaborate on the DAS deployment. These partnerships can be incredibly beneficial in terms of cost-sharing and infrastructure utilization.
Reducing Costs Through Shared Infrastructure
Carrier partnerships can lead to substantial cost reductions. Instead of each carrier independently deploying its own DAS, which involves duplicating infrastructure and costs, a shared DAS can simultaneously serve multiple carriers’ needs. This collaborative approach saves on upfront installation costs and streamlines ongoing maintenance and upgrades.
Streamlining DAS Design
Collaborating with carriers during the site survey and assessment phase helps to design a DAS that aligns with their specific frequency bands and technologies. This level of alignment ensures that the DAS is optimized for the carriers’ requirements, leading to enhanced performance and reliability.
Regulatory Compliance
In some regions, regulatory bodies may require or encourage collaboration between building owners and carriers to improve wireless connectivity, especially for public safety DAS. Being aware of these regulations and engaging carriers during the planning stage ensures that your DAS design complies with local laws and codes.
Ensuring Future-Proofing
By involving carriers in the site survey, you gain insights into their long-term plans for network expansion and technology upgrades. This information can inform your DAS design to ensure it remains adaptable to future carrier technologies and frequencies. It’s a proactive approach to future-proofing your wireless infrastructure.
Negotiating Agreements
During this phase, discussions about partnership agreements should begin. These agreements can outline each party’s responsibilities, cost-sharing arrangements, access to infrastructure, and maintenance responsibilities. Having these details ironed out in advance can facilitate a smoother implementation process.
Addressing Carrier Needs
Engaging with carriers early allows you to address their specific needs and concerns regarding the DAS. This proactive approach can help build strong working relationships and foster a collaborative atmosphere throughout the project.
Carriers We Have Relationships With
About MCA
MCA is one of the largest and most trusted DAS integrators in the United States, offering world-class voice, data, and security solutions that enhance the quality, safety, and productivity of customers, operations, and lives.
More than 65,000 customers trust MCA to provide carefully researched solutions for a safe, secure, and more efficient workplace. As your trusted advisor, we reduce the time and effort needed to research, install, and maintain the right solutions to make your workplace better.
Our team of certified professionals across the United States delivers a full suite of reliable technologies with a service-first approach. The MCA advantage is our extensive service portfolio to support the solution lifecycle from start to finish.