Powerade Centre was one of the first multi-carrier systems hosted by a Wireless Carrier. Linkwave Wireless had the honour to be selected by Freedom Mobile to assist with the design, project management, interface design, testing and integration of DAS into Bell Mobility and Freedom Mobile networks. This was the first system in Canada to deploy SOLiD Technologies platform.
Design
Designing DAS in a sports arena is never a simple thing; designing DAS for two operators with quite different capacity requirements is even more complicated. This project was being designed when Freedom Mobile was still counting their first subscribers in thousands while Bell was accounting roughly for a third of the entire subscriber population in Canada. Different types of signal sources, different number of sectors requirements and lack of agreed upon designs between two carriers’ set of standards made this project more challenging than an average DAS project. Designing interface was particularly not an easy task and it had to be custom designed. Years later, this project is a “living” proof of Linkwave’s ability to design for the future. Despite significant changes in needs of both carriers, this system still services and meets requirements of both operators.
Project Management
Arenas could easily be some of the most challenging environment for the installation. Landlords are very sensitive about existing infrastructure and aesthetically pleasing appearance while the open concept of the arenas does not leave much flexibility for alternative options to install equipment. Careful planning and prioritizing, doing design changes based on feedback from the construction crews and landlord, overseeing overall installation progress and compliance with the design, working with internal Bell and Freedom Mobile teams were some of the tasks Linkwave Wireless was assigned to handle and execute during the construction phase of the project.
Testing, Commissioning and Optimization
Open space morphology of the arenas creates certain challenges for a multi-sector distributed antenna system. Downlink interference between sectors and uplink noise from densely placed service users place additional emphasis on choice of antenna locations, antenna installation, pre-commissioning testing, commissioning and optimization. Linkwave Wireless was proud to work with engineering teams of Bell Mobility and Freedom Mobile to ensure that requirements of both operators were met or exceeded.
