Summary

Challenge

• Complete lack of cellular coverage both inside and outside the facility
• Coverage required in all areas of the building, including patient rooms
• Multi-carrier solution

Products Used

• 8 x Cel-Fi GO Stationary repeater units supporting Vodafone, Optus and Telstra
• 9 x Blacking dome internal antennas
• 2 x Blackhawk LPDA external antennas

Business needs

Glenbrook Aged Care has suffered from a complete lack of mobile cellular coverage since its construction nine years ago. Despite the nearest tower being only 2km away, cellular signal has failed to reach this aged care facility, both inside and outside the building.

Previously, staff and patients made do with the landline connections, but now mobile technology has become essential for communication. The decision to gain coverage was mainly for the elderly residents’ benefit, so they can call friends and family. It was also identified that access to cellular coverage would dramatically improve workplace health and safety, as well as act as a backup in case of an emergency or landline failure.

The Solution

After an initial site visit, the project team designed a proposed schematic. A single hub, containing 8 Cel-Fi GO stationary repeaters would be required. The Cel-Fi GO product was selected for its capability to legally distribute 3G/4G LTE/4GX mobile signal within a building. Once installed a single unit can provide up to 900m2 of coverage.

In order to capture sufficient signal from the local tower, two Blackhawk LPDA antennas would also need to be mounted onto a 5- metre climbable mast at the peak of the roof, positioned nine metres above ground level. Multiple splitters and horizontal feeders would then be used to feed the boosted signal to 9 internal dome antennas. This proposed design would successfully boost signal to all rooms within the building.

Business Benefits

The facility staff are thrilled that they can now access cellular signal within the building. The enhancement has resulted in several advantages including improved workplace health and safety and patient and staff social communications.

Where there was previously only an SOS signal, the expert Cel-Fi GO design has boosted 3G/4G signal in all areas of the building, up to 4 bars in most areas. Despite being a complex plan by Powertec, estimated to take five days to complete, Powertec’s expert installer completed the tailored solution within three days.

Multiple Cel-Fi GO mobile repeaters were utilised to both improve 3G and 4G simultaneously as well as provide coverage for Optus, Vodafone and Telstra networks.