In today’s digital world, a reliable and powerful network is required due to the increasing number of smartphones and other mobile devices. However, smartphones offer a seamless way to connect with everyone. But it requires cellular connectivity. So, distributed antenna system serves the right purpose.
The distributed antenna system (DAS) plays a crucial role to provide uninterrupted cellular connections. The consumer base of data and voice services is rapidly grown in recent years, which highly demands extended network coverage solutions.
What is Distributed Antenna System?
The distributed antenna system is referred to a technology that uses several small antennas as opposed to a single antenna to provide network connectivity throughout the building. It is designed for indoor venues to give coverage of wireless networks in the LTE, cellular, or at 698-2700Hz frequency ranges.
The DAS is a signal distribution system of a low-power antenna placed inside the building or premises. These antennas are used to provide wireless connectivity to limited areas such as luxury hotels, subways, tunnels, airports, corporate headquarters, stadiums, and others. A distribution antenna is installed indoors (iDAS) or outdoors (oDAS) for better coverage for users within the establishment.
This system is an easy way to deal with isolated areas which often have poor coverage of cellular connectivity. The DAS pulls the cellular signals from a rooftop signal source antenna and then channels them through a coax cable to an amplifier unit. This unit boosts the signal to run through splitters and antennas throughout the space.
Types of Distributed Antenna Systems
- Passive Distribution Antenna System: A passive DAS distributes a passive radio frequency through components such as coaxial cables, splitters, taps, and couplers. This system does not require any electricity to distribute the radio frequency (RF) throughout the building. This system is affordable compared to other types of DAS, as it requires less equipment to support multiple carriers, which makes this system simple to maintain while working and requires zero ongoing maintenance.
- Active Distribution Antenna System: The active DAS receives radio frequency from single or multiple sources and then converts analog signals to digital signals using a master unit. This digital signal is then transmitted using fibre optics or ethernet to remote radio units (RRUs). The active DAS minimizes the use of a coaxial cable to distribute signals, which makes them expandable for larger buildings or structures.
- Hybrid Distributed Antenna System: The hybrid DAS is a combination of passive DAS and active DAS. This DAS has a remote radio unit that converts digital signals to analog radio frequencies. Then this analog RF is further connected to antennas via cables. In this system, the remote radio units (RRUs) are separated from antennas, which makes them compatible with fibre optic and coaxial cables to distribute the signals.
Advantages of the DAS System:
Some of the major advantages of the DAS system include;
- Increases the capacity of the culture tower
- Minimum power consumption
- Good indoor or outdoor telecommunication coverage
- Handel heavy data traffic
- Improves the speed of culmination using MIMO/Beamforming
- Less network access failures
Global Market Size and Valuation:
With the trend, the global distributed antenna system (DAS) market was evaluated at USD 9.483 Bn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 15.633 Bn by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period, 2023-2031.
Corning Incorporated; SOLiD.; Dali Wireless; Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Ltd.; Boingo Wireless, Inc.; Advanced RF Technologies, Inc.; Axell Wireless; ATC IP LLC.; Wesco International.; AT&T Intellectual Property.; BAE Systems.; and Betacom Inc. are some of the major players competing in the global market.
Conclusion:
The distributed antenna system is important to enhance network range at a minimal cost and reduce connectivity problems. It provides the seamless experience of cellular signals in massive indoor premises. It is beneficial for handling heavy data traffic, as it offers better signal coverage.
