In Building Wireless
Systems
12/2/2014
Josh Gerst, Vice President – Engineering
RF Connect, LLC
• RF Connect is a DAS Integrator
– Engineer and deploy solutions for Commercial,
Wi-Fi, Public Safety, Wireless Backhaul
– Use multiple OEM products for best technical
solution, most efficient installation, best cost
model.
• www.rfconnect.com
Frequency Bands
• Cellular “commercial wireless networks”
– 700, 800, 850, 900, 1900, AWS (1700/2100), 2500 MHz
• Public Safety and 2-way radio wireless networks
– VHF, UHF, 700, 800, 900 MHz
• Wi-Fi networks
– 2.4, 5.0 GHz primarily
The Issues
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Network Capacity
Network Coverage
End User Habits
High Capacity Venues
Public Safety Communications
Wi-Fi Networks
Network Capacity
• iPhone introduced June 29, 2007 with a 5 year
exclusive agreement with AT&T
• During the next 5 years
with the new
smartphone segment
AT&T’s network data
traffic increased
60,000%!
Network Capacity
• Most Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS)
are driven by the capacity needs of the
Commercial Wireless Systems (AT&T,
Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile).
End User Habits
• It is estimated that more than 80% of mobile
phone usage occurs indoors
End User Habits
• Providing these highly
active users dedicated
capacity in their
densely populated nonmobile in-building
usage areas frees up
capacity in the outdoor
macro network for
mobile users.
High Capacity Venues
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Stadiums
Hospitals
Airports
Office Buildings
Subways
Areas of high population and high usage
High Capacity Venues
• Unique issue:
– More demand for UpLink Data usage than
DownLink Data usage
Public Safety
Communications
• NFPA 72 allows for each local AHJ
(Authority Having Jurisdiction) to
adopt all or parts of the fire code,
(including in-building
communications systems and testing
before granting a Certificate Of
Occupancy.
• Demonstrate First Responder 2-way
communications throughout
building.
Public Safety
Communications
• Public Safety DAS are coverage solutions not
capacity related
Wi-Fi
• Wi-Fi APs are usually installed parallel to the
DAS as it has different channel allocation and
reuse in the unlicensed spectrum.
In-Building Solutions
• Distributed Antenna Systems
– Passive distribution systems
• Off air repeater
• Passive 50 Ohm coax distribution network
– Active distribution systems
• Hybrid Fiber/Coax (actives in IDF closets)
• Fiber to the antenna (actives in ceilings)
• Small Cells
– “Mini” base-station feeds a small area
– SON (Self Organizing Networks) will allow Small Cells to overcome
some handoff topology issues and would allow a network of small cells
to be put in a building with minimal network optimization needed
P2P and P2M
• Point to Point
• Point to Multipoint
• Wireless data backhaul solutions
Design Process
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Define Requirements
Model building
Link Budget
Propose Solution
Layout Passive Antenna Network
Propagation
Refine Design
Link Budget
• Gain/Loss for Downlink (Core to User) and
Uplink (User to Core)
• Free Space Path Loss is Inverse Square
• Solution as shown in Link Budget defines
average antenna radius
• Passive, Hybrid Fiber/Coax, and Fiber to the
antenna all have different design issues.
Design Modeling Tool
• iBwave Design
Some OEMs in the DAS
space
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Corning
Commscope
Tyco Electronics
SOLiD
JMA
CSI
ADRF
Zinwave
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Axell
Bird
Wilson Electronics
ALU – Small Cell
Ericsson – Small Cell
And Others!
Corning
• Hybrid Fiber/Coax
– MA2000 TSX
– HX mid power
– GX high power
• Fiber to the antenna
– ONE Solution
Commscope
• Hybrid Fiber/Coax
– ION-B
– ION-U
– ION-M high power
• Structured Cabling to the antenna
– ION-E
TE
• Fiber to the antenna
– Fusion
• Digital hybrid fiber/coax
– Prism
Questions?
• Thank you!