RFCOM's frequency-shifting 5G DAS solution upgrades a suitable passive indoor DAS for 5G MIMO while reusing much of the existing coaxial distribution network. A master or local unit processes the 5G radio branches, DC feeder components carry power through the coaxial network, and active remote antenna units restore and transmit the MIMO signals at selected coverage points. The final design depends on feeder condition, frequency bands, topology, link budget, and operator requirements.
One 5G MIMO branch remains on the direct RF path while the second branch is shifted to an intermediate-frequency range for transport over the same coaxial path. At the remote unit, the shifted branch is converted back to the original 5G band. The direct and restored branches then provide the two RF paths used for 2T2R at that antenna point. Two suitable coaxial paths may be used for a 4T4R design, subject to the selected system version and site design.
A typical upgrade adds a master unit at the 5G RRU, replaces selected couplers with DC feeder couplers, and replaces selected passive antennas with active remote antenna units. Splitters, combiners, connectors, branches, or feeder sections may also need replacement if they do not meet the required frequency range, DC path, power handling, or RF performance. The bill of materials comes from the site survey; it is not a fixed three-item list.
Not necessarily. A project can start with high-traffic floors, weak-coverage zones, or selected antenna points while retaining passive coverage elsewhere, provided the RF design and legacy-service requirements allow it. This can shorten the first deployment stage and reduce initial construction scope, but every retained branch still needs to be checked for frequency compatibility, DC isolation, and its effect on the link budget.
Selected RFCOM system versions use automatic power balancing to monitor the direct and restored 5G paths and adjust the frequency-shifted path. Dynamic output-power compensation may also offset part of the feeder and passive-component loss at different antenna points. The available compensation range and target path difference are model-specific and must be confirmed in the approved datasheet and during commissioning.
For supported models and topologies, the architecture can be configured so that supported legacy services and the direct 5G path remain available if the frequency-shifted path is unavailable. The affected antenna point may fall back from MIMO to a single direct RF path rather than losing every service. Exact bypass behavior, alarm reporting, DC protection, and service continuity must be confirmed for the selected model, topology, and operator design before they are included in an acceptance plan.
Verified functions for the selected system may include device inventory, master and remote unit status, serial-number and antenna-location mapping, output-power and MIMO-balance monitoring, logs, and defined equipment alarms. Remote configuration, software upgrades, energy-saving control, map views, work orders, and northbound integration are optional or project-dependent functions and must be confirmed before quotation.
Yes. The existing 2G, 3G, and 4G services remain unchanged on their original RF paths. The frequency-shifting process is applied only to one of the 5G MIMO branches, allowing the existing coaxial infrastructure to support 5G 2T2R MIMO over one suitable cable path or 4T4R MIMO over two suitable cable paths. The final configuration must match the selected system version and site design.
RFCOM's 5G DAS upgrade solution is designed for upgrading an existing passive DAS. In a compatible retrofit, it can reuse the current coaxial distribution network and deliver DC power to the active remote antenna units through the feeder, avoiding new RF cable routes and separate local power cabling at each selected antenna point. Compared with rebuilding the site as a digital active DAS, this can make deployment faster, reduce disruption, and lower upgrade cost. The site survey and system design determine which existing components can be retained.
Yes, in suitable legacy DAS projects. Reusing serviceable coaxial feeders and selected passive infrastructure can reduce new cable routing, ceiling or shaft work, property coordination, and installation time compared with a complete rebuild. This can shorten deployment time and lower upgrade CAPEX. It can also improve indoor 5G capacity when the design enables the required MIMO paths and radio resources. The amount of saving, schedule improvement, and capacity gain must be calculated for the specific site; there is no universal percentage.
For initial design, provide the current DAS schematic, feeder routes and lengths, cable and passive-component models, antenna layout, building drawings, supported services, target 5G bands and bandwidth, RRU configuration, site photos, RF measurements, coverage objectives, and acceptance criteria. Baseline and post-upgrade tests should use the same locations and methods and normally compare RSRP, SINR, uplink and downlink throughput, MIMO-path balance, alarms, and service continuity.
