Major Differences Between DAS And Small Cell

Telecom Tech Outlook | Monday, April 11, 2022

Small cells have been around for much longer than DAS, and it is generally referred to be the "original" small cell. Both technologies produce equivalent amounts of power, have similar coverage regions, and are similar in size.

Fremont, CA: In recent years, the signal strength of cell phones has increased considerably. Usually, making calls from your office, home, or school presents minimal problems. However, if you upload a video or stream music while out and about, your mobile experience may be slow and interrupted.

This is due to a number of factors, including modern construction blocks and escalating demand for wireless data bandwidth. Distributed antenna system (DAS) is a technology that was designed more than 20 years ago to extend wireless coverage and capacity.

Small cells have been around for much longer than DAS, and it is generally referred to be the "original" small cell. Both technologies produce equivalent amounts of power, have similar coverage regions, and are similar in size.

However, there are big differences between DAS and small cells:

Cell Organization: A DAS can serve as a single, large cell by using multiple nodes at the same time, whereas a small cell is a network of individual cells.

Frequency Support: Small cells normally support a single, defined frequency; DAS can handle many frequencies (2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, 5G, VHF bands).

Multiple Service Provider Support: Multiple carriers can share a DAS by connecting their base stations to the common RF distribution system. Small cell technology today is mostly single-carrier.

Scalability: By changing the power to the antennas, a single DAS base transceiver station may serve up to 1,800 users and give a coverage radius of several miles. Small cell technology is meant to provide coverage over a smaller area and typically supports a few dozen simultaneous customers (similar to a Wi-Fi access point). Increasing coverage necessitates the addition of more nodes.

Supply: Small cells normally require a dedicated power source for each node, whereas DAS employs a single central power supply for numerous nodes.

Small Cell

Construction

Distributed antenna system