What size room is needed?

The MCF2018 specification document states the minimum size room requirements is 32m². The specification in the MCF is a guideline, therefore, size requirements can be evaluated during the design of the project. It is important to keep in mind the size of the racks required when evaluating the size requirements, including the height, for your DAS room.

How much rack space is needed?

Each carrier requires a minimum of 4 rack spaces. Racks spaces are 600mmW x 600mmD. It is important to account for an additional 600mm for the actual rack door to swing open, which means a total depth of at least 1200mm is needed. Australia has 3 operators, therefore the DAS room should provide at least 12 racks,  however, it is recommended to provide 5 racks for each operator. Generally, the DAS room should at least cater for 4 to 5 rack spaces per carrier.

How much power is needed?

Generally, DAS rooms need approximately at a minimum 4KW per operator or per carrier. Peak power is used to calculate the power requirements. There are a lot of variables when it comes to working out how much power is needed. It depends on the size of the system, as a larger DAS system will increase the power requirements, whereas a smaller room will require less. Each carrier tends to use different base station units from different vendors, which all have different power requirements and it depends on how the base stations are configured. How many technologies are put in and how many carriers run within each frequency. Air conditioning power requirements also need to be considered. It is best to seek advice from the DAS integrator.

How much air conditioning is needed?

The MCF2018 states that a minimum 12kW split system is required. Depending on the size of the project, this may or may not be enough air conditioning for the DAS room and is dependent on how many operators will be installed, and how the base units are configured. For example, a typical configuration with 4kW of total power output, requires a 12000 btu/hour capacity air-conditioning unit. It is best to seek advice from the DAS design team. They can work with the carriers to work out the exact heat load and the air conditioning requirements for each project.

Who pays for this room?

Generally, the building developer or building owner pays for the room itself, although it does not have to be a specifically built room, as an existing room can be easily converted. The room does not need to be a room dedicated to the DAS equipment, however rooms that are specifically dedicated to a DAS system, generally have the best outcomes, however the space still needs to meet minimum space requirements to run 3 operators with at least 4-5 racks each.

The air conditioning and electrical set up costs, including the DAS equipment, are also paid for by the building developer or owner and should be considered when putting together a budget for the DAS project.