First Responder In-Building Radio Coverage

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TABLE OF CONTENT5
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IntrnductInn ......................................................................................................................2
Iuipose of This Iapei ................................................................................................. 2
Denand foi In-luiIding RI Coveiage ...................................................................... 2
WiieIess Today............................................................................................................. 2
Tvo-Way Radio Syslens ........................................................................................ 2
Oidinances ................................................................................................................ 3
ConneiciaI WiieIess............................................................................................... 3
TIps & CnnsIdcratInns....................................................................................................4
Lquipnenl & TechnoIogy........................................................................................... 4
SignaI oosleis.......................................................................................................... 5
Iilei and Coax DAS ................................................................................................ 5
Syslen Design & InslaIIalion..................................................................................... 6
Syslen Design .......................................................................................................... 6
Iiojecl Managenenl ................................................................................................ 7
Connissioning ........................................................................................................ 7
Mainlenance & Suppoil .......................................................................................... 7
Choosing a Conliacloi/Inlegialoi- addilionaI consideialions............................. 8
SnaII vs. Laige ......................................................................................................... 8
MuIlipIe Iiojecls vs. SingIe Iiojecl ....................................................................... 8
Reconnendalions/RefeiiaIs ................................................................................. 8
ConsuIlanls ............................................................................................................... 8
5ummary............................................................................................................................9

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IntrnductInn
Purose of Thls Paer
This papei offeis piaclicaI lips and consideialions foi successfuIIy enhancing
pulIic safely iadio coveiage in luiIdings. These lips and consideialions aie
piesenled lo assisl pulIic safely enlilies and conneiciaI deveIopeis vilh lheii
seIeclion and depIoynenl of Disliiluled Anlenna Syslens (DAS). The
infoinalion piesenled viII idenlify connon coslIy nislakes, highIighl indusliy
lesl-piaclices, and piesenl nev lechnoIogies lo soIve connon piolIens vilh
DAS depIoynenls. Moieovei, lhe ieadei shouId gain knovIedge on hov lo
Ieveiage an inveslnenl in a pulIic safely DAS lo econonicaIIy depIoy
conneiciaI seivice lo lhe deIighl of luiIding lenanls.
Demand for ln-bul|dlng R| Coterage
Today, fiisl-iespondeis (IoIice/Iiie/LMS) aie denanding ieIialIe uliquilous
iadio coveiage lo ensuie lhe safely of lhe pulIic, as veII as lheii ovn. Due lo lhe
physicaI chaiacleiislics of nany luiIdings, i.e. lasenenls, high eIevalions,
ieinfoiced conciele vaIIs, nelaIIic vindov fiIns, elc., oulside iadio signaIs viII
encounlei piopagalion oi signaI Ioss iesuIling in a signaI loo veak lo le usefuI-
effecliveIy iendeiing lhe iadios useIess inside nany luiIdings.

Mission-ciilicaI coveiage can no Iongei end al lhe dooivay, lasenenl,
slaiiveII oi lunneI. IoIice, Iiie, and LMS peisonneI knov lhal iadio coveiage
can nean lhe diffeience lelveen Iife and dealh. Allenpling lo addiess lhis
need, luiIding ovneis and pulIic safely agencies aie faced vilh a nyiiad of in-
luiIding coveiage oplions. Whelhei ils pioducl, inslaIIalion, oi lolh, choosing
lhe viong coveiage soIulion can cosl noie lhan noney.
Wlre|ess Toda
Twn-Way RadIn 5ystcms
IulIic safely iadio nelvoiks aie lypicaIIy designed lo piovide adequale iadio
coveiage ouldoois. Hovevei, lased on lhe needs/denands pieviousIy
discussed, a liend is eneiging vheiely pulIic safely enlilies aie iequiiing lheii
suppIieis (MoloioIa, M/A-COM, elc.) lo guaianlee indooi coveiage in nany
pulIic and piivale faciIilies. Despile lhe suppIieis lesl effoils lo exlend
conveige inlo luiIdings via lheii high-sile lase slalions, exlending iadio
coveiage inlo piivale conneiciaI luiIdings is difficuIl - if nol inpossilIe - lo
acconpIish vilhoul lhe use of onsile signaI loosleis and lhe suppoil of lhe
conneiciaI piopeily ovnei. Il nay cone as no suipiise lo conneiciaI
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deveIopeis lhal suppoil nanifesls ilseIf as lhe puichase of signaI loosleis and
associaled DAS.

OrdInanccs
Anong olhei agencies, lhe IulIic Safely WiieIess Nelvoik (ISWN) Iiogian, a
joinlIy sponsoied inilialive of lhe Depailnenl of }uslice and lhe Depailnenl of
Tieasuiy, and lhe NalionaI IulIic Safely CounciI (NISTC), aie diiving lhe
inilialive foi uliquilous indooi coveiage. olh oiganizalions suppoil lhe
adoplion of oidinances foi inpioving in-luiIding iadio connunicalions in nev
consliuclion. The Ieading code aulhoiilies, lhe NalionaI Iiie Iioleclion
Associalion (NIIA) and lhe InleinalionaI Code CounciI (ICC) aie in lhe piocess
of deveIoping nalionaI codes. The fiisl nalionaI code shouId aiiive in 2OO9.
Many cilies, nunicipaIilies, and counlies undeisland lhe lenefil of in-luiIding
coveiage, and aie iapidIy adopling oidinances in advance of a nalionaI code.
The Cily of uilank, CA vas lhe fiisl lo adopl such an oidinance, and nany
olhei cilies and counlies have foIIoved. The puipose of lhe oidinance is lo
nandale a specific IeveI of iadio coveiage in nevIy consliucled Iaige luiIdings.
Thus, ensuiing fiisl-iespondeis can connunicale effecliveIy indoois vhen
eneigencies aiise.
CnmmcrcIa! WIrc!css
AIlhough nol nandaled ly oidinance oi luiIding code, consuneis aie
denanding lheii noliIe phones voik indoois jusl as effecliveIy as lhey do
ouldoois. Today, indusliy ieseaich suggesls lhal noie lhan 5O of noliIe
phone caIIs oiiginale and/oi leininale indoois. Of couise noliIe phone useis
lypicaIIy donl shaie fiisl-iespondeis nission-ciilicaI iequiienenls, lul lhey
do shaie a siniIai desiie foi in-luiIding noliIe coveiage. Theiefoie, il is no
suipiise lhal in-luiIding coveiage soIulions foi ceIIuIai/ICS seivices aie equaIIy
desiied. In addilion, il is nol jusl ceIIuIai seivice, nuneious viieIess appIicalion
iequiie a DAS lo opeiale effecliveIy and uliquilousIy. One need onIy visil a
hospilaI depIoying advanced viieIess lechnoIogy lo gel an idea of vhals
possilIe, pulIic WiIi, enleipiise dala, viieIess IX, leIeneliy, noniloiing, RI
Iocalion, secuiily, luiIding aulonalion- lhe Iisl goes on. Anlicipaling fuluie
viieIess needs/iequiienenls is a concein foi eveiy IT nanagei. The liend loday
is lo depIoy an inlegialed Disliiluled Anlenna Syslens (DAS) lhal can
acconnodale lhe needs of lhe luiIding, lolh loday and lonoiiov- vhelhei ils
pulIic safely, conneiciaI, oi lolh.
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TIps & CnnsIdcratInns
Equlment S Techno|og
A Disliiluled Anlenna Syslen oi DAS, is a nelvoik of spaliaIIy sepaialed
anlennas connecled lo a lianspoil nediun - lypicaIIy coax oi filei-oplic calIe --
lhal piovides viieIess seivice vilhin a luiIding oi sliucluie. The DAS can le
diiven ly a diiecl conneclion lo a iadio lase slalion, lul nosl syslens aie
lypicaIIy diiven ly an off-aii i-DiieclionaI AnpIifiei (DA). The pulIic
safely indusliy oflen iefeis lo DAs as signaI loosleis, vhiIe lhe ceIIuIai/ICS
caiiieis iefei lo DAs as iepealeis. Choosing lhe appiopiiale signaI looslei lo
diive youi DAS is an inpoilanl decision. The viong seIeclion can cieale a
nyiiad of piolIens, fion inleifeience vilh olhei viieIess seivices, lo
inconsislenl/spolly coveiage. On lhe olhei hand, lhe coiiecl seIeclion viII
ensuie sinpIe, cosl effeclive nigialion lo nev lechnoIogies and seivices.

The decision lo depIoy a filei-oplic DAS veises a coaxiaI DAS is geneiaIIy an
econonic decision- filei-oplics favois Iaige faciIilies, vhiIe a coax onIy DAS nay
le suilalIe foi snaIIei faciIilies. Hovevei, if lhe DAS viII le exposed lo hainfuI
LIeclionagnelic Inleifeience (LMI), lhen a filei-oplic DAS nay le appiopiiale
iegaidIess of lhe luiIding size. Mosl nediun-lo-Iaige depIoynenls viII use a
conlinalion of filei and coax lo feed lhe RI signaIs lo lhe coveiage anlennas oi
iadialing calIe.

As pieviousIy nenlioned, lhe signaI looslei is lhe nosl ciilicaI eIenenl in lhe
DAS. Theie aie lasicaIIy lvo lypes of signaI loosleis, ioadland CIass and
Naiiovland CIass A. One nighl aigue lheie aie acluaIIy lhiee lypes of signaI
loosleis- and-SeIeclive, vhich is sonevheie in-lelveen lhe lvo. A lioadland
signaI looslei, as lhe nane inpIies, anpIifies lhe enliie fiequency land,
vheieas, lhe naiiovland signaI looslei viII anpIify specific channeIs in lhe
fiequency land. IulIic safely fiequencies aie inleiningIed vilhin lhe lands-
unIike ceIIuIai and ICS, so depIoying a lioadland signaI looslei in a pulIic
safely enviionnenl has inheienl chaIIenges fion lhe slail. Il nay le piudenl lo
foIIov lhe ieconnendalions of lvo pailies vilh pIenly of signaI looslei
expeiience, lhe Cily of Las Vegas and Nev Yoik Cily. IoIice depailnenls in
lhese cilies nandale oi ieconnend naiiovland signaI loosleis foi pulIic safely
in-luiIding coveiage. Inleifeience niligalion is lhe nain ieason foi lhis
iequiienenl. ioadland signaI loosleis, if nol depIoyed piopeiIy, can have a
disaslious effecl on neighloiing lase slalions.
1
Lven if piopeiIy depIoyed,

1
Overby, Stu. (November 2007). Best Practices for In-Building Communications. NPSTC, 12-13.
http://www.npstc.org/index.jsp.
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lioadland signaI loosleis ly lheii veiy naluie nay nol le alIe lo avoid
inleifeiing vilh exisling oi fuluie viieIess signaIs.
5Igna! Bnnstcrs
TIp: Check IocaI oidinances oi luiIding codes lefoie soIiciling pioposaIs. LocaI
oidinances/codes nay have specific equipnenl and/oi coveiage iequiienenls
you and youi inlegialoi nusl neel.

TIp: When an off-aii signaI looslei is iequiied lo diive a nediun-lo-Iaige pulIic
safely DAS, use a CIass A (Naiiovland) signaI looslei (Andiev Node A).
This viII giealIy ieduce lhe possiliIily of inleifeience. Consideied ly nany lo
le oId lechnoIogy, CIass (ioadland) signaI loosleis have hisloiicaIIy
caused inleifeience piolIens. The sIighl cosl pieniun of a naiiovland signaI
looslei viII yieId significanl lenefils, and noie lhan offsels youi polenliaI
exposuie lo inleifeience piolIens.

Suer Tl: Chnnsc a sIgna! bnnstcr that can suppnrt a brnad rangc nf
frcqucncy bands! I.e. IulIic Safely, CeIIuIai, ICS, WiIi, WiMAX, elc. Whelhei
youi iniliaI appIicalion is conneiciaI viieIess oi pulIic safely, you viII IikeIy
need (oi vanl) lo suppoil addilionaI viieIess seivices in lhe fuluie. Moieovei, if
youi iniliaIIy inveslnenl is pulIic safely coveiage, you can easiIy and cosl
effecliveIy, add conneiciaI viieIess seivice. Quile oflen, conneiciaI viieIess
seivice piovideis viII pay piopeily ovneis lo enhance lheii coveiage, effecliveIy
sulsidizing youi inveslnenl in pulIic safely coveiage.

TIp: Choose a signaI looslei lhal uliIizes soflvaie lased fiIleiing veises
haidvaie fiIleiing. Soflvaie fiIleiing is Iess expensive upfionl and ovei line,
lheie is nevei a need lo iepIace coslIy haidvaie-lased fiIleis vhen fiequency
iequiienenls change.
FIbcr and Cnax DA5
TIp: If youi piojecl iequiies a filei-oplic DAS, use a soIulion lased on singIe
node filei. SingIe node filei-oplic calIes have nany advanlages ovei nuIli-
node calIes, piinaiiIy in cosl and peifoinance. The singIe-node filei calIes
have veiy Iov Ioss, as veII as a nuch videi landvidlh, aIIoving signaIs lo le
caiiied failhei vilh Iess Ioss. The vide landvidlh aIIovs nuIlipIe viieIess
caiiiei signaIs lo le liansnilled ovei lhe sane filei, ieducing calIe cosls foi
syslens lhal suppoil noie lhan one viieIess land, and noie lhan one caiiiei.
CuiienlIy, lhe cosl foi singIe node filei is aloul lhe sane as nuIli-node filei.

TIp: Considei using high-povei filei ienole unils foi youi Iaige filei DAS
piojecls. You lenefil in lhe foIIoving vays: fevei inslaIIalion Iocalions aie
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iequiied, and you viII expeiience Iovei oveiaII povei consunplion and giealei
ieIialiIily.

TIp: DepIoy a coax-onIy DAS lo save noney on snaIIei piojecls. If youi calIe
Iosses Ieave you a lil shoil of povei, you can add Iov-cosl in-Iine signaI loosleis
lo neel youi coveiage iequiienenls.

TIp: Radiale youi signaIs vilh iadialing coaxiaI calIe (Radiax) vhen coveiing
naiiov, oi highIy confined and olsliuclive coiiidois, such as lunneIs and
sulvays. Use onni coveiage anlennas (CeII-Max) foi open spaces, Iike offices,
aiipoils, shopping naIIs, and paiking gaiages.

Sstem Deslgn S lnsta||atlon
The goaI foi any DAS is lo piovide piopeiIy disliiluled RI coveiage lhioughoul
lhe luiIding oi sliucluie. As pieviousIy discussed, seIecling lhe iighl equipnenl
and lechnoIogy is paianounl lo a successfuI depIoynenl. Hovevei, siniIai lo
any olhei lusiness lhal iequiies design and inslaIIalion seivices, lhe DAS viII
onIy le as good as lhe luinkey conliacloi/inlegialoi designing and inslaIIing lhe
syslen. Theiefoie, one nusl choose caiefuIIy vhen seIecling an inlegialoi. The
ilens leIov aie key ciileiia indicalive of a quaIily opeialion. If inlegialois do
nol neel lhese key design and inslaIIalion ciileiia, unnecessaiy iisk viII le
added lo lhe piojecl. The pioposaI/quolalion viII piovide gieal insighl inlo lhe
IeveI of iesouices and expeilise one can expecl fion lhe inlegialoi. In addilion,
il is nevei a lad idea lo ieviev piioi voik-pioducl lo gain a lellei
undeislanding of lhe inlegialois quaIificalions and capaliIilies.
5ystcm DcsIgn
TIp: Youi inlegialoi shouId piovide a delaiIed RI design and associaled
docunenlalion. This up-fionl voik-pioducl is a leIIlaIe sign of vhal is lo cone.
Look foi an RI design lhal vas ciealed using a coveiage piopagalion looI, such
as lhose deveIoped ly i8uatc oi lirc|css Va||cq. Inlegialois lhal aie seiious
aloul depIoying in-luiIding soIulions undeisland lhe vaIue of lhis looI and viII
have nade lhe inveslnenl.
TIp: Insisl on a delaiIed Slalenenl/Scope of Woik (SOW). The SOW is a
docunenl lhal nusl le incIuded vilh lhe finaI pioposaI. The SOW desciiles lhe
voik lo le conpIeled in delaiI and specifies lhe haidvaie and soflvaie invoIved
and lhe exacl naluie of lhe voik lo le done.
Aieas lypicaIIy addiessed ly an SOW aie as foIIovs:
ResponsiliIilies
Design
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Iiovision of MaleiiaIs
InslaIIalion
Syslen Connissioning and Tesling
Olhei Requiienenls
Opeialions and Mainlenance
DeIiveiy

TIp: e suie lhal lhe design docunenlalion you ieceive delaiIs lhe nigialion
palh lo add addilionaI fiequency lands. evaie of foik-Iifl soIulions lhal aie
expensive and inpiaclicaI.
Prnjcct Managcmcnt
TIp: Ioi Iaigei piojecls, insisl on foinaI scheduIing looIs, such as Miciosofl
Iiojecl lo liack and nanage youi depIoynenl. Moieovei, iequesl a dedicaled
Iiojecl Managei lhal viII oveisee lhe piojecl and ensuie ils lineIy conpIelion.
TIp: Laigei piojecls lenefil fion coIIaloialion looIs accessilIe fion lhe vel.
These looIs nake is easy lo shaie Iaige piojecl fiIes, coIIaloiale vilh piojecl lean
nenleis, and liack appiovaIs- anong olhei funclions.
CnmmIssInnIng
TIp: IaniIiaiize youiseIf vilh union Ialoi iequiienenls lefoie iequesling
quoles. Many inlegialois incoiieclIy assune non-union Ialoi viII suffice. Nol
accounling foi union Ialoi viII diive lhe piojecl cosl highei, and oflen deIay lhe
depIoynenl.
TIp: Insisl on a delaiIed and veII-defined Acceplance Tesl IIan (ATI). ReIying
on a lypicaI - 95dn signaI IeveI ovei 95 of lhe luiIding is loo vague. Whos
lo say lhe nissing 5 coveiage isnl iighl veie you need il nosl. A good lesl
pIan shouId idenlify ciilicaI coveiage aieas. In addilion, a good lesl pIan viII
neasuie coveiage on lolh a suljeclive (caII quaIily) and oljeclive (signaI IeveI)
scaIe.
TIp: Whelhei you nainlain lhe syslen youiseIf, oi eslalIish a nainlenance
conliacl vilh youi inlegialoi, insisl on as-luiIl diavings and syslen
paianeleis docunenlalion lefoie you sign-off on lhe inslaIIalion. This is an
oflen oveiIook slep lhal can cause fuluie piolIens.
MaIntcnancc & 5uppnrt

TIp: Il is a good idea lo caiefuIIy considei lhe necessily of a nainlenance
agieenenl lo suppoil youi pulIic safely DAS. In facl, a nainlenance agieenenl
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nay le iequiied ly oidinance. Considei issues Iike iesponse line, spaie pails,
seivice IeveIs, and najoi veises ninoi aIain/piolIen definilions.
TIp: Mosl in-luiIding syslens suppoil ienole noniloiing, aIaining &
nanagenenl via SNMI liaps, vhich shouId easiIy inlegiale inlo youi exisling IT
nelvoik nanagenenl syslen. Idenlifying a piolIen lefoie ioIIing a suppoil
lechnician can save lolh line and noney. (Ioi addilionaI funclionaIily, nosl
syslen nanufacluies offei highIy inlegialed Nelvoik Managenenl Syslens
(Andiev AIMOS).
Chooslng a Contractor/lntegrator- addltlona| conslderatlons
Nov lhal ve can discein lelveen a quaIified inlegialoi and a queslionalIe
opeialion, lheie aie addilionaI consideialions lo considei. The chaiacleiislics of
lhe piojecl viII le lhe lesl guide lo seIecl fion lhe foIIoving choices.
5ma!! vs. Largc
High quaIily, piofessionaI inlegialois cone in nuIlipIe sizes- snaII, nediun and
Iaige. Malch snaII piojecls vilh snaII inlegialois lo gel lhe nosl allenlion.
Laige piojecls caiiiei giealei iisk- lolh lechnicaI and financiaI. Choosing lhe
equipnenl nanufacluie lo le youi inlegialoi on Iaige piojecls has ils lenefils,
such as, access lo nuch giealei lechnicaI iesouices, significanl londing
capaliIilies, and lhe physicaI and financiaI iesouices lo liing a piojecl in on
scheduIe.
Mu!tIp!c Prnjccts vs. 5Ing!c Prnjcct
Is youi piojecl a one-line evenl, oi viII you have fuluie piojecls of siniIai naluie
spiead acioss lhe counliy` Choosing an inlegialoi vilh nalionaI ieach viII aIIov
you lo easiIy iepIicale youi successes on fuluie piojecls, iegaidIess of lhe piojecl
Iocalion.
RccnmmcndatInns/Rcfcrra!s
This suggeslion nay le loo olvious, lul il is piolalIy lhe nosl inpoilanl issue
lo considei. Nolhing piedicls fuluie success lellei lhan pasl success. Look foi
an inlegialoi lhal has conpIeled a nunlei of piojecls siniIai lo youis- and
iequesl iefeiences.
Cnnsu!tants
IinaIIy, you nay vanl lo hiie a consuIlanl foi youi veiy Iaige piojecls. AIlhough
a quaIified inlegialoi Iike Andiev has as nuch oi noie knovIedge as a quaIified
consuIling fiin, lheie is aIvays lhal piece-of-nind lhal cones fion an oljeclive
anaIysis of youi needs, and a ieviev of pioposed soIulions.