Sky-High Connectivity: Elevating Airport Communication for a Smooth Holiday Season

As airports prepare for the busiest traveling season of the year, ensuring staff and citizens have excellent connectivity becomes more important and more challenging to accomplish. In today’s digital age, travelers rely on mobile apps for ticketing, real-time updates, airport wayfinding, and essential information more than ever before. A lack of reliable wireless service can lead to customer frustration, disappointment, and gate delays. 

It isn’t just people’s travel experience at stake, it is also the carrier’s brand and reputation. Passengers who experience dropped calls or slow data speeds are likely to associate these connectivity issues with their mobile service provider. Ensuring reliable and robust wireless solutions in airports is pivotal for both airports and mobile service providers to maintain customer satisfaction and preserve credibility.

The Challenges of Airport Connectivity

Airports present a unique set of challenges when it comes to providing the wireless connectivity people have grown to expect, beginning with structure. These facilities are often constructed with materials that negatively impact wireless signal propagation, making it near-impossible for RF to penetrate from the macro network. Thick walls, LEED-certified glass, and steel structures are some of the greatest obstacles and are used in the majority of airports.

Another issue is passenger density. Millions of people frequent airports during similar windows of time during peak seasons like summer and Holidays, and the high concentration of passengers can overload cellular networks and disrupt wireless service. This challenge is exacerbated by the sheer size of airports, which require a comprehensive and scalable in-building wireless network to ensure coverage throughout terminals, concourses, and even remote areas such as runways and hangars.

Lastly, there are a lot of other communications happening over the air besides wireless signals for passengers. Air traffic control and airport operations need to coexist without interference, usually requiring a more complex wireless deployment.

The Key to Connectivity

ADRF has been a reliable partner for many of the nation’s biggest airports to help resolve these connectivity issues, including Indianapolis International Airport – named Best Airport for 11 years in a row. Our ADXV DAS was deployed to improve the public safety coverage throughout the entire 1.2 million square feet facility with expansive terminals, high ceilings, and other wide-open areas. The system was installed quickly, thanks to the modular architecture of the ADXV DAS, minimizing the disturbance to travelers. 

With modularity and support for all commercial and public safety frequencies, our DAS is committed to keeping passengers and airport operations connected, no matter the challenges airports may present. So, whether you’re a traveler navigating a digital airport experience or an airport operator striving to provide optimal service, we are here to keep you connected every step of the way.