Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) are an option to cell phone towers. These lower-powered towers, grouped together, can replace a single cell phone tower.
There have been many DAS systems getting installed in the United States. In fact, the outlook for them is bright.
Mobile Experts predicts they will see “rapid growth.” The number of deployed DAS nodes will double between 2013 and 2016. Also, the research firm predicts that more than half of DAS networks will feature Wi-Fi and small cells by 2018.
"Multiple operators in North America are doubling or tripling their DAS spending plans,” Joe Madden, an analyst at Mobile Experts, said in a statement. "In China, DAS spending is down 20 percent, but in the USA it's up 30 percent. There are radical changes going on, which in the end will be incredibly lucrative for DAS neutral hosts, installers, and system integrators."
One example of DAS expansion is found in Albany, N.Y. Earlier this month, Verizon Wireless activated DAS in the Empire State Plaza. It will provide better wireless coverage in the Plaza concourse and expand coverage in the parking garage. Later, coverage will be expanded into health labs, the Capitol building, the Plaza catacombs, and other plaza buildings.
DAS provides improved voice service, and expanded 4G LTE service. Because much of the plaza is underground, it has been hard to offer adequate wireless coverage in the Empire State Plaza. DAS uses smaller antennas found throughout the Empire State Plaza.
"The DAS market will more than double in size over the next five years, with a dramatic increase in the combination of DAS with Wi-Fi, public safety radio, and LTE networks,” Mobile Experts added in the statement. “People wonder how small cells will find access to backhaul. In fact, the clear answer is to use a fiber-based DAS system in many public buildings."
Edited by
Alisen Downey 
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