Readers who are headed to CES in January might notice something new in the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) this year: more bars … but the kind that serve data instead of beer.
The LVCC said it has launched one of the nation’s largest Neutral-Host Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) throughout its massive 3.2 million square foot facility to boost cellular performance at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show and subsequent events.
According to a release from the LVCC, the system was built in partnership with Cox Business/Hospitality Network and InSite Wireless Group.
“With the support of our partners at InSite, we’ve constructed a neutral host DAS infrastructure that will provide reliable, high-speed cellular connectivity within the Las Vegas Convention Center,” Derrick R. Hill, VP of Cox Business and Hospitality Network in Las Vegas, said. “As a result, cell providers will be able to give their customers improved coverage and this will enhance the overall convention center experience for attendees and guests.”
The new system will reportedly be able to support service for more than 100,000 people simultaneously, and the LVCC noted visitors can expect faster download speeds on their smartphones. Four unnamed (but probably easy to guess) major U.S. wireless carriers have signed agreements to launch the service, and the LVCC said the system will be able to handle the traffic from all participating carriers at the same time.
Corning provided the core DAS equipment for the system, which includes 38 indoor and 6 outdoor zones. The system also includes 5 indoor, monitored DC power plants and 52 remote locations in existing IDF closets and catwalk locations. Additionally, the system is made up of more than 9 miles of half-inch coaxial cable, nearly four miles of 144 strand single mode fiber optic cable, nearly five miles of 24 strand single mode fiber optic cable, 295 MIMO antenna locations, and 41 equipment racks in the DAS head end. Technologies supported by the system include UMTS, CDMA, LTE, and TD-LTE.
LVCC said the new DAS system includes a “future-proof design” that will allow it to be modified to accommodate upcoming 5G technology once those services are offered to the public and subscriber equipment becomes available.
The project reportedly cost upwards of $18 million and took three years to plan, 10 months to build, and required four separate contractors to do the work. Additionally, various specialized construction trades from HVAC to electrical to fire suppression to custom fabricated steelwork were used to support the massive equipment and antenna infrastructure.
LVCC said the DAS installation followed three years of upgrades throughout the convention center, including a push to increase the number of Wi-Fi access points from 166 to 2,100 and improving capacity to the Internet with redundant 10 gigabit fiber connections.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said it will work with Cox, InSite, and participating carriers to extend the DAS infrastructure into upcoming LVCC facilities currently being developed.
Filed Under: Infrastructure