Knowledge Base

Should I use passive DAS or fiber DAS?

Building size and cost are the two main considerations in choosing between a fiber DAS 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 DAS solution. Once you cross the million-square foot mark in a single building, fiber 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, active DAS and fiber DAS for a “middleprise” implementation or passive DAS solutions are going to be quicker, easier, and more cost effective to implement.

Cost: Passive DAS and “middleprise” active and fiber DAS are much less expensive than larger DAS solutions—typically only 10% to 25% of the cost per square foot of covered area. In all but the largest, highest-traffic buildings, passive DAS and “middleprise” offerings make more sense from cost, time-to-implement, and equipment perspectives.