Solving Indoor Cellular Coverage for a Medical Device Manufacturer

The Background

A leading medical device manufacturing operation in the Mid-Atlantic recognized that poor indoor cellular coverage was impacting workforce communication and operational efficiency. They turned to trusted DAS experts Atlantic Technology Group (ATG) seeking a solution.

The Coverage-Gap Problem

For any facility, in-building coverage challenges always start from outside. This manufacturing building is located in a semi-rural area, approximately 1.5 to 3.5 miles from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile cell towers. Even though the cell towers are close, surrounding trees, hills, and a nearby river interfere with incoming cellular signal, reducing cellular signal strength.

Outside the building, cell reception is usable but below average. The building’s concrete blocks, metal panels, and low-e glass significantly attenuated the signal trying to reach inside. With a footprint of nearly 120,000 sq ft, employees experience widespread dead zones.

The Solution

The objective was to enhance cellular reliability for all carriers throughout the office and manufacturing areas. After evaluating the facility size, coverage needs, and cost, the team recommended the SOLiD BARS Distributed Antenna System (DAS). The client reviewed various DAS solution proposals and selected the SOLiD BARS system because of its performance expectations and cost.

We see SOLiD as a great fit for larger spaces. The SOLiD BARS solution was ideal for improving cellular coverage for the client’s employees both in the office and manufacturing spaces.

Anna Ferrens

Sales Associate at ATG

This was ATG’s first deployment of the SOLiD BARS system. ATG handled the project with dedicated precision from design to delivery, working closely with SOLiD’s Enterprise Solutions team to keep the project moving. There was a small hurdle during deployment: the facility’s clean room protocols allowed ceiling access for less than 15 minutes at a time without triggering a reseal and recertification. Even with this constraint, the field team completed the installation smoothly and without delay.

Products Used

SOLiD BARS DAS

Robust multi-carrier coverage for AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile
Boosts three bands per carrier for optimal coverage and signal quality
Scalable up to 500,000 sq ft to meet the needs of any enterprise facility
Features up to 100 dB of gain, maximizing performance in weak signal areas
Rapid deployment without requiring rebroadcasting agreements

Learn About DAS for Your Facility

The Results

After installation, ATG’s field team validated performance using the SOLiD BARS EMS Portal, confirming strong signal readings.

The client reported the same results, with employees experiencing reliable coverage across both the office and manufacturing areas for day-to-day operations. Based on this outcome and ATG’s service quality, the client approved a second SOLiD BARS deployment at another facility in the South Central U.S.

AT&T

-67 dBm

Verizon

-66 dBm

T-Mobile

-72 dBm

-50 to -80 dBm

Perfect signal

-80 to -100 dBm

Good signal

-100 to -110 dBm

Fair signal

-110 to -120 dBm

Poor signal

-120 dBm+

Connection Unlikely

Cellular signal strength is measured in dBm. The closer to 0 dBm, the stronger the signal. The scale above reflects dBm range meanings based on ATG’s real-world observations.

Case Study