4G Cellular Repeater – Improving reception in an RSL
A local community club reached out to Wireless Coverage Solutions to assist with the design and installation of a 4G Cellular Repeater to improve coverage throughout the premises, which was frustrating for the staff, limited function bookings and provided a poor visitor experience. This club was also uniquely positioned as an emergency services command centre during times of crisis.
Like many clubs, the building had grown and expanded over time and through series of renovations including the construction of additional walls the cellular phone signal indoors had deteriorated. The cellular experience was further exasperated as a result of the migration from 3G to 4G with the 4G signal struggling to penetrate the building. Tons of other buildings also benefit from 4G cellular repeaters , see more detail about boosters here
Clubs are diverse environments, often with function areas, hotels, bistros and gaming areas. cellular signal connectivity plays a role in all these environments based on a multitude of use cases. Adding to this, the club was a critical emergency evacuation zone for the region in the case of natural disasters such as bush fires. It also served as a base of operations for emergency services whom would take over the function rooms during a time of crisis only to struggle with connectivity as they had particularly limited coverage on the Telstra network.
Wireless Coverage Solutions worked with the onsite IT manager to understand their struggles and completed a walk test of the building to validate the known problem areas and ensure no others existed. The priority was to primarily provide call connectivity above all else in which case a 4G cellular repeater presented a viable option, however, given the multi-use space, it was required to provide coverage for Vodafone, Optus and Telstra which required multiple units and added complexity. Does this sound similar to the challenges you face? Contact us to specific advice and solutions.
Following the mobile coverage assessment it was evident that there was generally acceptable coverage throughout the building except for the function rooms visible on the far left of the image with the grey tone indicating it would be unlikely to make or receive phone calls in these areas with the phones often on SOS only.
Installation of a wideband rooftop antenna was required with a bearing optimised towards nearby macro sites and a coaxial cable from the rooftop connected to the 4G Cellular repeater which were located indoors. The antenna fed a group of 4G Cellular repeater for Optus, Telstra and Vodafone and allowed us to boost the 4G signal before distributing coverage into the desired indoor area.
Dedicated coaxial cables and two serving antennas were installed within the function space, which in turn improved the cellular signal for all operators significantly providing 4-5 bars for all users. The difference was night and day and the onsite staff were ecstatic with the improvements, let alone should any emergency services require the space.
In the case of this club, initial technical evaluation, quality RF design and installation and commissioning were all completed in house by the Wireless Coverage Solutions team. The deployment of 4G Cellular repeater significantly improved the indoor mobile signal and was a relatively inexpensive solution that improved staff experience, increased function centre appeal and customer dwell time and supports emergency services if required.
If you have a similar challenge in one of your indoor spaces, contact us now to understand how we can help you improve the connectivity in your building