From Frustration to Full Bars: How DAS Transforms Indoor Connectivity

Did you know that 80% of mobile calls happen indoors? Yet, most buildings still struggle with poor signal reception. As we enter the 5G era, this gap between outdoor coverage and indoor performance becomes even more critical. Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) address this issue by amplifying and distributing mobile signals throughout complex indoor spaces, ensuring seamless connectivity, supporting smart building technologies, and meeting public safety compliance requirements.

Building materials create two main obstacles. They reduce signal penetration a lot. The new 5G frequency bands, especially millimetre wave (mmWave) at 24 GHz, 28 GHz, and 39 GHz, deliver amazing speed but can’t easily pass through walls. Buildings need distributed antenna systems to spread signals throughout their complex indoor spaces. 5G networks can deliver speeds up to 2 Gbps and handle up to 1 million connected devices per square kilometre. However, these benefits remain out of reach without proper indoor infrastructure.

Why Indoor Mobile Coverage Fails in Modern Buildings

Modern buildings present a frustrating paradox: they’re smarter, stronger, and more sustainable than ever; yet mobile signals struggle to get inside. You might have full bars outdoors, but step into a high-rise or hospital, and your signal drops. Here’s why.

Building Materials Block Mobile Signals

The very materials that make buildings safe and energy-efficient also act as signal barriers:

• Concrete with steel rebar can reduce signal strength by 10–20 dB.
• Structural steel and metal façades can block signals by up to 50 dB, creating a “Faraday cage” effect.
• Low-E glass, designed to reflect heat, also reflects mobile signals, causing losses of 30–34 dB.
• Foil-backed insulation and fibreglass add another 2–4 dB of attenuation.

Even common materials like brick, plaster, and solid wood contribute to signal degradation. In large buildings, these losses compound, creating dead zones in stairwells, basements, and interior rooms.

5G Frequencies Struggle Indoors

5G promises blazing speeds and massive device capacity, but only if the signal can reach you. Unfortunately:

• High-frequency 5G bands (24–39 GHz) offer speed but poor penetration.
• Signal loss at 35 GHz is roughly 25 dB worse than at 2.6 GHz.
• Indoor coverage is up to 100x weaker than 4G in some environments.

This means that without dedicated infrastructure like DAS or small cells, 5G performance indoors is unreliable, especially in dense urban or commercial settings.

User Expectations Have Changed

Today’s users expect seamless mobile access everywhere, from underground car parks to rooftop lounges. Dead zones aren’t just inconvenient; they’re risky:

• Emergency response delays of just one minute can increase cardiac arrest mortality by 1–2%.
• Hybrid work models demand reliable coverage in every corner of a building.
• Smart building systems, access control, energy management, and IoT sensors all rely on uninterrupted mobile connectivity.

In short, mobile coverage is no longer a luxury. It’s a baseline expectation for safety, productivity, and tenant satisfaction.

How Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) Work

Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) solve the problem of poor indoor mobile coverage by capturing, amplifying, and redistributing cellular signals throughout a building. They act as a bridge between outdoor mobile networks and the complex indoor environments where signals often fail.

Signal Distribution: Passive vs Active DAS

Every DAS has two core components:

Signal Source: Captures cellular signals from mobile network operators. This can be:

• An off-air antenna (donor antenna) that receives signals from nearby towers
• An on-site base transceiver station (BTS) or small cell
• A remote radio unit (RRU) in larger deployments

Distribution System: Spreads the signal through the building using antennas connected via:

• Coaxial cables in passive DAS
• Fibre optic or Ethernet cables in active DAS

At the heart of the system is the head-end unit, which processes incoming signals and manages distribution. Passive systems use splitters and couplers, while active systems convert signals to digital format for long-distance transmission with minimal loss.

Integration with Mobile Network Operator RAN

Modern Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) need to integrate seamlessly with mobile operators’ Radio Access Networks (RAN). At Fixtel, we work with leading DAS platforms, including solutions from global providers such as CommScope’s ERA (now part of Amphenol) and SOLiD’s O-RAN-ready DAS — to deliver reliable, future-proof connectivity for Australian businesses.

These platforms allow us to design and install systems that offer:

• Open RAN interfaces for flexible, multi-operator connectivity — essential in Australia, where multiple carriers often share infrastructure.
  
• Advanced digital signal processing that boosts performance while reducing energy use.
  
• Smarter, low-impact deployments, with zero-touch configuration and smaller equipment footprints that cut environmental impact by up to 90%.
  

By partnering with Fixtel, organisations can access the best DAS technology on the market, backed by our local expertise in planning, installation, and long-term support. This ensures your system is not only carrier-grade but also scalable to support both public 5G services and private enterprise networks into the future.

Passive DAS vs Active DAS: What’s the Difference?

Passive DAS is cost-effective and simpler to deploy, but less scalable. Active DAS offers superior performance for large venues and supports more users and higher data throughput.

Key Benefits of In-Building Distributed Antenna Systems

Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) do far more than eliminate dropped calls. They transform how people interact with buildings, improving safety, productivity, and digital infrastructure.

Reliable Mobile Access for Tenants and Employees

Dead zones frustrate users and disrupt business operations. DAS ensures consistent mobile coverage across every part of a building, from underground car parks to top-floor boardrooms.

• Improves productivity by enabling uninterrupted access to cloud apps, email, and mobile workflows
• Boosts tenant satisfaction and retention with seamless connectivity
• Enhances retail experiences, allowing mobile payments, product lookups, and loyalty apps to function smoothly
• Supports mobile access control systems, enabling secure, touch-free entry via smartphones

Foundation for IoT and Smart Building Technologies

DAS provides the wireless backbone for smart building ecosystems, powering sensors, automation, and real-time data exchange.

• Supports thousands of IoT devices for energy management, occupancy tracking, and environmental monitoring
• Eliminates wireless blind spots, allowing smart systems to operate reliably across all zones
• Enables real-time analytics, helping facilities teams optimise space usage and respond to changing conditions
• Future-proof buildings for hybrid work models and evolving tenant expectations

Public Safety Communication Compliance

In Australia, Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) are a key part of ensuring buildings comply with public safety and emergency communication requirements. This is especially important in high-occupancy, multi-level, or mission-critical facilities such as commercial towers, shopping centres, hospitals, and government buildings.

With Fixtel’s DAS solutions, organisations can:

• Meet local fire and safety authority standards for in-building radio coverage, ensuring first responders can maintain clear communication at all times.
  
• Achieve 95–99% coverage in critical areas such as stairwells, basements, car parks, and plant rooms, where radio signals are often weakest.
  
• Improve coordination between fire, police, ambulance, and other emergency services during an emergency.
  
• Avoid costly delays in occupancy certification or compliance fines by ensuring your building passes mandated coverage testing from day one.
  

Fixtel also ensures DAS deployments align with relevant Australian Standards (AS/NZS), including:

• AS/NZS 3015 – communications cabling in buildings
  
• AS/NZS 2293 – emergency evacuation and safety lighting systems (related to overall building compliance)
  
• Building Code of Australia (BCA) requirements for essential services and fire safety systems
  

By partnering with Fixtel, building owners and facility managers can be confident that their DAS not only provides carrier-grade connectivity but also fully complies with Australian regulations and safety benchmarks.

Scalability for Future Network Demands

As mobile networks evolve, DAS systems can scale to meet growing bandwidth and device density.

• Supports 5G and future technologies without disrupting existing infrastructure
• Handles high user density, ideal for stadiums, hospitals, and transport hubs
• Modular architecture allows easy upgrades and multi-carrier support
• Prepares buildings for the expected surge in connected devices and data traffic

Industry Use Cases for DAS Deployment

Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) are no longer niche infrastructure; they’re essential across industries where connectivity drives safety, efficiency, and customer experience. Here’s how DAS transforms operations in key sectors:

Healthcare: Real-Time Communication & Remote Monitoring

Hospitals and aged care facilities rely on uninterrupted mobile connectivity for critical care delivery:

• Supports mobile access to patient records, telemedicine platforms, and real-time clinical collaboration
• Enables remote patient monitoring, allowing clinicians to track vitals and intervene early
• Improves emergency response by eliminating dead zones in basements, stairwells, and operating theatres
• Facilitates IoT integration, powering asset tracking, staff coordination, and environmental sensors

DAS ensures that every corner of a healthcare facility, from the ICU to the underground car parks, remains connected.

Retail: Mobile Payments & Immersive AR Experiences

Modern retail depends on seamless mobile access to power both transactions and engagement:

• Enables mobile payments, loyalty apps, and digital receipts, even in complex store layouts
• Supports AR experiences, letting customers visualise products in 3D or virtually try items at home
• Boosts conversion rates, with AR users 65% more likely to make a purchase
• Improves operational efficiency, supporting inventory apps, staff comms, and smart shelving systems

DAS turns retail spaces into interactive hubs that blend physical and digital shopping.

Airports & Stadiums: High-Density Connectivity

Large venues face extreme mobile traffic during peak hours ; DAS keeps everyone connected:

• Supports thousands of concurrent users, enabling live streaming, mobile ticketing, and in-seat ordering
• Improves passenger experience, with reliable coverage across terminals, gates, and underground areas
• Enhances operations, powering baggage tracking, security systems, and staff coordination
• Reduces network congestion, using sectorization and interference mitigation to maintain performance

In 2025, DAS is no longer optional for stadiums and airports ; it’s mission-critical infrastructure.

Commercial Offices: Productivity & Tenant Retention

In premium office spaces, DAS supports hybrid work, smart building systems, and tenant satisfaction:

• Eliminates dead zones, enabling seamless access to cloud apps, video calls, and mobile workflows
• Supports smart building features, from energy management to mobile access control
• Boosts property value, with strong mobile coverage linked to higher rents and longer leases
• Aligns with ESG goals, supporting WELL Building Standards and digital infrastructure upgrades

DAS Is No Longer Optional; It’s Foundational

Wireless connectivity is no longer a convenience; it’s infrastructure. With 80% of mobile calls happening indoors, buildings must evolve to meet the demands of our hyper-connected society. Even the most advanced 5G networks can’t deliver their full potential without robust indoor systems to carry the signal where it’s needed most.

Modern construction materials like metal-reinforced concrete and Low-E glass block wireless signals. And while 5G offers unmatched speed and capacity, its high-frequency bands struggle to penetrate these barriers, up to 100x worse than 4G. That’s where Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) come in.

DAS bridges the gap between outdoor networks and indoor environments through smart signal distribution. Passive DAS suits smaller buildings, while active DAS, powered by fibre optics, supports large venues like stadiums, hospitals, and airports. These systems eliminate dead zones, ensure consistent coverage, and enable seamless mobile access across every square metre.

But DAS does more than fix connectivity:

• It supports public safety compliance, ensuring emergency responders stay connected in critical zones
• It powers smart building functions, enabling IoT sensors, automation, and real-time data exchange
• It boosts tenant satisfaction, productivity, and property value in commercial spaces
• It enables life-saving communications in healthcare and supports telemedicine and remote monitoring
• It enhances retail experiences, from mobile payments to immersive AR shopping
• It handles high-density traffic in airports and stadiums, supporting thousands of simultaneous users

As data demands surge and 5G expands, DAS will become as essential as electricity or plumbing. It’s not just a technical upgrade; it’s a strategic investment in future-ready infrastructure. The buildings of tomorrow will be judged not just by their design, but by their ability to connect people, devices, and data; reliably and securely.