For decades building owners and tenants have faced challenges improving in-building cellular coverage. The options they had to choose from were limited, and none were very appealing. One option was to partner with a Wireless Operator and have them foot the bill, but it often left building owners and tenants with only a single mobile provider. Another way was to sign up with one of the large neutral host providers who would agree to build out the cellular system for free as Wireless Operators agreed to join. This approach saw building owners stuck in multi-year contracts with no solution in sight and no recourse. Finally, building owners
and tenants could install a solution on their own. This option stuck owners and tenants with a high-cost, highly-complex solution that was hard to operate and upgrade.

The new age of in-building connectivity aims to solve the need for quality coverage without traditional solutions’ high cost, high complexity, and long wait times.

In-Building Solutions

The Traditional Solutions

Traditionally cellular coverage in-building has been achieved using a DAS (Distributed Antenna System). DAS relies on a passive network of antennas and cabling with a few active components which distribute the coverage. While this network design works well for large venues and very dense areas, it lacks the flexibility needed to meet the demands of the enterprise.

The NPN Approach

While there is still a place for DAS in large venues and projects requiring a lot of bandwidth, we focus on bringing a simple and scalable infrastructure to the enterprise. Our networks rely on a combination of fiber and CAT6e, which delivers LTE and 5G speeds while being capable of meeting the connectivity needs of the building for decades to come.

Coverage Where you Need it

The Traditional Solution

One significant drawback to the traditional DAS is that only covering a single tenant or a small portion of a building results in a significantly higher per square foot cost when compared to installing DAS across an entire building. This cost disparity means the most practical way of installing DAS is to cover the entire property even if it’s not needed.

The NPN Approach

NPN aims to drive the cost of cellular coverage down by focusing on only the areas where coverage is needed. Whether that’s amenities areas, parking garages, or individual tenants, NPN’s approach allows for a lower cost to the overall solution. It will enable the building and tenants to select only areas that matter.

The Problem with Renovations

The Traditional Solution

Most buildings don’t remain in the same configuration for long. Between tenants moving in and out and building initiatives, floor layouts and areas where coverage is critical can change frequently. Those familiar with DAS in their property know the cost of damaging a traditional DAS can range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. And once the system is damaged, coverage can be affected across many floors.

The NPN Approach

The flexibility of NPN’s network has the added benefit of being extremely easy to move, extend, and reconfigure. This flexibility allows new tenants to customize service in their space quickly and easily. It enables building owners to scale coverage anywhere in their property at a moment’s notice. And last of all, no more worrying about the high cost of potential damage during renovations.

The Upgrade Path

Traditional Solutions

Traditional DAS solutions do a great job of providing a high-performance “carrier” neutral platform. This performance, however, comes with a tradeoff. The passive cabling and antenna infrastructure that makes up the DAS is not very upgradable. Meaning, adding new frequencies or technologies to the DAS often requires a rip and replace or the installation of parallel infrastructure.

The NPN Approach

NPN focuses on creating solutions that are ready for 5G and beyond. By using fiber end to end, our networks allow the easy expansion of coverage and upgrades to technology; whether that is 5G, 6G, or something yet to be invented.

What it Costs

Traditional Solutions

Because DAS is an all-or-nothing solution, the current financial models reflect this. The typical CapEx and OpEx models for DAS are structured to provide the best value when the entire DAS is installed on Day 1. Additionally, these models get considerably more expensive as time passes since the maintenance costs grow exponentially as the system ages.

The NPN Approach

NPN’s coverage solutions have a lower total cost to own, a longer lifespan, and a significantly smaller initial investment, opening the door for several new funding models. These models can range from; shared cost models, to opt-in models, to partnership models with wireless service providers and ISPs.