If you are installing a DAS and have opted to forgo the Neutral Host in order to save on costs, the next step is to hire a System Integrator. Hiring a DAS System Integrator is like hiring a General Contractor to oversee a construction project. A building owner can opt to act as their own integrator, but will need to be well-educated to hire the needed sub-contractors.
The DAS marketplace has grown rapidly in the past few years, so there are many new entrants to the game. While there can be significant savings in working with one of these hungry newcomers, no one wants their building to be an experiment or part of a learning process. If you are considering working with a new system integrator, you will want to ensure that the employees working on your project have sufficient experience to make up for the non-existent “corporate resume.”
The best way to avoid hiring an inferior DAS System Integrator is to become an informed customer. An informed customer knows how to write an RFP that will ensure that the responses are equivalent solutions, how to evaluate the responses and when best value doesn’t mean lowest cost. If you don’t have time to research and understand the DAS marketplace, your best bet is to contact an expert.
