ENHANCED CELL SERVICE
The modern world is more connected and persistently online than ever before. In this environment, dependable service is key. While alternatives to 4G/5G service, such as Wi-Fi calling, provide a low-cost, Internet-based substitute to traditional cell frequencies, they often fail to deliver consistent results, particularly on inbound calls. Despite their sophisticated nature, many smartphones are unable to sustain the required Wi-Fi connection to the carrier over an extended period of time, resulting in incoming calls that go straight to voice mail.
A well-designed cell system can restore service by providing the same frequencies used by the carriers. Small cells, passive distributed antenna systems (DAS), active DAS or even hybrid DAS form a collection of cell technologies that can restore consistent high-quality cell service to any residence.
ENHANCED CELL SYSTEMS
RESTORING CELL SERVICE IN CHALLENGING RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENTS
It's not uncommon for many of the most impressive residences to have some of the least impressive cell service. While inadequate service may be the result of a property being situated too far from the serving cell tower, in the majority of cases the problem originates with the materials used in the construction of the residence itself. Many of the elements involved in Energy Star or LEED construction block RF (radio frequency) signals so successfully that cell phone reception vanishes the moment you walk in the door.
While the use of steel, stone and masonry products attenuate the frequencies used by cell phones, newer green technologies have added to the problem. The extensive use of Low-E glass in residences has become one of the more significant challenges to high-quality cell reception, as tinted and Low-E glass create a barrier against UV, but also subtract as much as 40 dB from your cell phone signal. Fortunately, innovations in cellular technology now enable homeowners to utilize an internal cell system to restore a high quality signal.
ACTIVE DAS SOLUTIONS
A Distributed antenna system (DAS) is a network of antennas or radio units, connected to a common source, distributed throughout a building or an area to improve network performance. An active DAS converts the analog RF signal from the signal source to a digital signal for distribution. A master unit performs this analog-to-digital conversion and transmits the digital signal through Ethernet cables to the radio units, which convert the signal back to analog and transmit it through a local antenna.
An active DAS is often the best approaches to retrofitting a cell system into an existing residence due to its ability to leverage the existing infrastructure of Ethernet cables. These systems are capable of accepting a signal source from a donor antenna located on the roof of the structure or a third-party device that establishes a broadband connection to the carrier.
PASSIVE DAS SOLUTIONS
Passive DAS equipment typically uses passive components like coaxial cable, splitters, and in-wall antennas to distribute a cell signal in the original analog format broadcast by the carrier. Unlike an active DAS, these systems use bi-directional amplifiers to rebroadcast a signal from the macro cellular network using a donor antenna mounted on the roof.
Passive distributed antenna systems are typically less expensive than other types of DAS, partially because they don’t require additional equipment to support multiple carriers. However, these systems do have their limitations, particularly with regard to the size of they structure they can support. Passive systems distribute their signals over coaxial cables, and longer runs of cable suffer greater levels of attenuation, resulting in a potentially weak signal over the longest internal cable runs.
HYBRID DAS SOLUTIONS
As the name implies, a hybrid distributed antenna system leverages the advantages of both an active and passive DAS. The hybrid system uses remote radio units (RRU's) that are typically installed on each floor of a building and connected to the main distribution equipment over fiber optic cable. This approach enables the system to support longer cable runs between the head end equipment and the remote radio units, while relying on traditional coaxial cable and antennas to distribute the signal within a given floor or space.
Hybrid systems are typically more expensive than their passive counterparts, but still less costly than an active DAS due to the fact that they rely on standard coaxial cable and antennas to distribute the signal over the last leg of the system. Although active systems are often installed in large buildings and use fiber optic cable to support longer cable runs, they nevertheless depend on radio units to broadcast the signal, which increases both the cost and complexity of the system.
SMALL CELL SOLUTIONS
While DAS equipment remains the best approach to distributing cell signals in large buildings and multi-structure applications, small cells offer an inexpensive, easy-to-deploy alternative for restoring mobile coverage in smaller and mid-size applications. While a DAS uses a centralized RF signal source that feeds a system of distributed antennas connected by fiber, coax cable, or Cat 5/6 cable, small cells offer a less complex approach.
Small cells are essentially self-contained cellular radio units that produce an RF signal when communicating with their corresponding cell carrier over a broadband connection. These units offer a strong, clean signal that can be used as the primary source of cell reception or as the input to a series of antennas, or even a DAS. While multiple small cells can be installed in a given residence to establish a small network of radio units, coverage is ultimately limited by the number of small cells that can be grouped together to form a managed network.
ENHANCED CELL SERVICE
The modern world is more connected and persistently online than ever before. In this environment, dependable service is key. While alternatives to 4G/5G service, such as Wi-Fi calling, provide a low-cost, Internet-based substitute to traditional cell frequencies, they often fail to deliver consistent results, particularly on inbound calls. Despite their sophisticated nature, many smartphones are unable to sustain the required Wi-Fi connection to the carrier over an extended period of time, resulting in incoming calls that go straight to voice mail.
A well-designed cell system can restore service by providing the same frequencies used by the carriers. Small cells, passive distributed antenna systems (DAS), active DAS or even hybrid DAS form a collection of cell technologies that can restore consistent high-quality cell service to any residence.
PASSIVE DAS SOLUTIONS
Passive DAS equipment typically uses passive components like coaxial cable, splitters, and in-wall antennas to distribute a cell signal in the original analog format broadcast by the carrier. Unlike an active DAS, these systems use bi-directional amplifiers to rebroadcast a signal from the macro cellular network using a donor antenna mounted on the roof.
Passive distributed antenna systems are typically less expensive than other types of DAS, partially because they don’t require additional equipment to support multiple carriers. However, these systems do have their limitations, particularly with regard to the size of they structure they can support. Passive systems distribute their signals over coaxial cables, and longer runs of cable suffer greater levels of attenuation, resulting in a potentially weak signal over the longest internal cable runs.
ACTIVE DAS SOLUTIONS
A Distributed antenna system (DAS) is a network of antennas or radio units, connected to a common source, distributed throughout a building or an area to improve network performance. An active DAS converts the analog RF signal from the signal source to a digital signal for distribution. A master unit performs this analog-to-digital conversion and transmits the digital signal through Ethernet cables to the radio units, which convert the signal back to analog and transmit it through a local antenna.
An active DAS is often the best approaches to retrofitting a cell system into an existing residence due to its ability to leverage the existing infrastructure of Ethernet cables. These systems are capable of accepting a signal source from a donor antenna located on the roof of the structure or a third-party device that establishes a broadband connection to the carrier.
OPTIMIZING WI-FI CALLING
ESTABLISHING A WI-FI NETWORK TO SUPPORT CELLULAR ROAMING
With Wi-Fi Calling, you can connect directly to your carrier in an area with little or no cellular coverage so long as you have a solid Wi-Fi connection. This feature can be used to make and receive voice calls, texts and video calls over a Wi-Fi network rather than a cellular one. While this technology is very convenient in buildings with little or no cell service, it has several limitations. One of the more significant ones, especially in a residence, is the inability to roam freely around the house while on a call. Under most circumstances, the Wi-Fi call will be dropped as the user transitions between access points within the home.
The best way to overcome this limitation is to select a Wi-Fi system that is designed to avoid the interruption caused by transitions between access points. Ruckus Wireless offers a controller-based system that effectively creates a cellular style soft hand-off between AP's. Ruckus provides the cell carrier with the ability to identify a Voice Wi-Fi call through Ruckus QOS and establish a tunneled connection to the local carrier packet data gateway (PDG). These settings allow users to roam from a Wi-Fi initiated call to an LTE connection without drops or interruptions as they move throughout the residence from one access point to another.
HYBRID DAS SOLUTIONS
As the name implies, a hybrid distributed antenna system leverages the advantages of both an active and passive DAS. The hybrid system uses remote radio units (RRU's) that are typically installed on each floor of a building and connected to the main distribution equipment over fiber optic cable. This approach enables the system to support longer cable runs between the head end equipment and the remote radio units, while relying on traditional coaxial cable and antennas to distribute the signal within a given floor or space.
Hybrid systems are typically more expensive than their passive counterparts, but still less costly than an active DAS due to the fact that they rely on standard coaxial cable and antennas to distribute the signal over the last leg of the system. Although active systems are often installed in large buildings and use fiber optic cable to support longer cable runs, they nevertheless depend on radio units to broadcast the signal, which increases both the cost and complexity of the system.
SMALL CELL SOLUTIONS
While DAS equipment remains the best approach to distributing cell signals in large buildings and multi-structure applications, small cells offer an inexpensive, easy-to-deploy alternative for restoring mobile coverage in smaller and mid-size applications. While a DAS uses a centralized RF signal source that feeds a system of distributed antennas connected by fiber, coax cable, or Cat 5/6 cable, small cells offer a less complex approach.
Small cells are essentially self-contained cellular radio units that produce an RF signal when communicating with their corresponding cell carrier over a broadband connection. These units offer a strong, clean signal that can be used as the primary source of cell reception or as the input to a series of antennas, or even a DAS. While multiple small cells can be installed in a given residence to establish a small network of radio units, coverage is ultimately limited by the number of small cells that can be grouped together to form a managed network.