5G-Ready DAS in Healthtech Company's New HQ

23andMe, a personal genomics and biotech company, had just begun building out a 3-story Class A structure with a gym and other amenities in Sunnyvale, CA. They immediately noticed a weak signal throughout the facility, as they had trouble making calls at all on AT&T or Verizon.

The issue ultimately came down to the building and the glass that was used:

• The building was constructed with dense materials like concrete, steel, and metal. All of this can interfere with cellular signal.
• The new building was also constructed with metal-doped Low-E glass. Low-E glass is extremely popular in LEED-certified buildings because it lowers heat and glare inside the space itself. However, the metal added to Low-E glass to improve its thermal performance blocks cell signal and acts as a wall for radio frequencies.

RSRF began by consulting with the client, explaining the ways that we could solve their coverage issue, getting a set of floor plans, and discussing their priorities, budget, and goals. From there, we were able to schedule an initial site survey and provide a preliminary pricing estimate for their approval.

The client was looking specifically for improved service with AT&T and Verizon. They needed a solution that was robust enough to provide 5-bar service throughout the large facility. Based on this information and additional findings gathered from preliminary discussions and our assessment of the space, Waveform/RSRF determined that the best solution would be to deploy an ADRF active DAS headend unit powered by AT&T and Verizon small cells.

This kind of active DAS is a unique solution that provides key benefits to the building and the company. RSRF procured the small cell devices that powered the ADRF unit directly from AT&T and Verizon. These small cells provide robust wireless performance in the building by removing any reliance on macro coverage, while guaranteeing a swift rollout that avoids installation of a full BTS.