Knowledge Base

Should I use passive DAS, hybrid DAS, or active DAS?

Building size and cost are the two main considerations in choosing between an active DAS or a hybrid or passive DAS system.

Building size: If you have a multimillion-square foot facility occupied by thousands of cell phone users and need to blanket the entire building with cellular signal, then you are probably going to want a large fiber-based active DAS solution. Once you cross the million-square foot mark in a single building, active DAS starts to become the better option for coverage and user load.

If you have a single building of less than one million square feet, or a business or educational campus of individual buildings that are each less than one million square feet, hybrid DAS for a “middleprise” implementation or passive DAS for a smaller building are going to be quicker, easier, and more cost effective to implement.

Cost: Passive DAS and “middleprise” hybrid DAS are much less expensive than larger active DAS solutions—typically less than half the cost per square foot of covered area. In all but the largest, highest-traffic buildings, passive DAS and “middleprise” hybrid DAS offerings make more sense from cost, time-to-implement, and equipment perspectives.