Active DAS Built on the ADRF Platform in a Landmark Midtown Manhattan Building

Joining the ranks of New York City’s most iconic office buildings, 40 Tenth Avenue is the boutique building of today, and next big thing for the world’s most prominent companies. Overlooking the High Line and close to the West Village, Chelsea, and Tribeca, this is the only address for those who want a Class A experience in the heart of the city’s most dynamic location. With a design by award-winning architecture firm Studio Gang, unprecedented light and air, and incredible views in every direction, 40 Tenth establishes a new benchmark for today’s businesses.

During the sound system install, sound engineers discovered significant signal issues. The issue ultimately came down to several factors including:

• The building's location on the Hudson in busy Midtown Manhattan.
• The use of Low-E glass externally and throughout the building, which significantly degraded signal penetration, acting as a wall for radio signals.
• Various building materials that were used in construction including concrete, metal, and steel; all of which attenuated carrier signals.

40 Tenth is a high end mixed office space located in Midtown Manhattan along the Hudson. With different tenants occupying the various floors, the owners weren't initially aware of the coverage issues. When contractors working on the various floors raised the same signal issues, RSRF was contacted.

The initial consultation and site review revealed that Low-E glass was a big culprit in the signal degradation. In addition, the floors of the building had more offices than originally projected and the materials used throughout, including concrete, steel, and various metals, all contributed to the problem. The location also contributed to the signal problems with traffic from the streets and the Hudson causing network congestion at certain points in the day.

The client was looking specifically for improved service with all carriers and needed a solution that was robust enough to provide consistent full-bar service throughout the multi-story, multi-tenant facility.

RSRF determined that the best solution would be to deploy an ADRF active DAS head-end unit powered by small cells. This kind of active DAS is especially useful in cases like this.

Powering an active DAS with small cell equipment is a unique solution that dramatically improves performance while minimizing costs. Small cells are easily upgradable to accommodate more users should the need ever arise, and the modular nature of the ADRF DAS allows the addition of 5G frequencies and technologies when the need arises.

The solution was designed with Active DAS because the donor signals were not that strong. The ADRF unit needed enough power to cover the square footage and any existing or future walls. The basement and 1st floor had dedicated units because of the demand for signal in these high square footage areas.

Placing an amplifier unit on every other floor was a cost-effective way to extend signal range while ensuring optimal transmission of carrier voice and data signals.

The result is that this iconic multi-tenant office building overlooking the High Line and close to the West Village, Chelsea, and Tribeca maintained the integrity of its design while upgrading cellular coverage to a new benchmark for today’s businesses.