Frequently asked questionsEverything about indoor
Everything about indoor
coverage solutions.
Answers to the most common questions about GSM boosting, ASTRID indoor coverage and MO-DAS — from technical details to the application process.
ASTRID is the national radio communication network for Belgian emergency and security services, such as police, fire brigade and ambulance services. If emergency services do not have reliable ASTRID communication in your building, coordination comes under pressure at the very moment every second counts.
That depends on the characteristics and use of your building. The Safety Commission of the Federal Public Service Home Affairs assesses this case by case. Buildings with high public occupancy, underground spaces or a large surface area have an increased likelihood that indoor ASTRID coverage will be imposed.
As early as possible. Ideally, indoor ASTRID coverage is already included before or during the planning application. If the obligation only emerges after construction or renovation, the technical interventions are usually more expensive, more complex and more invasive.
The process typically consists of five steps: analysis of the obligation, preparation of the technical file, approval by the competent authorities, installation of the system and finally validation and delivery. Mercuron guides this process from start to finish as a specialised partner.
The building owner remains responsible for the correct functioning of the installation. In practice, this also means a maintenance contract with a recognised partner and periodic reporting in accordance with the applicable obligations. Mercuron can take on that maintenance entirely.
Yes. In many projects, ASTRID and commercial mobile coverage are combined within one integrated infrastructure. That is usually more efficient, more aesthetic and easier to maintain than two completely separate systems.
Every project starts with an analysis of the existing situation and the client's objectives. This is followed by the RF design, technical and administrative coordination, installation, validation and delivery. If required, we also provide maintenance and follow-up afterwards. So you have one partner for the entire process.
Yes. Mercuron operates across the entire Belgian territory — in Flanders as well as in Brussels and Wallonia.
Both. For new builds, it is ideal to plan the cabling and infrastructure early in the process. In existing buildings, we look for tailor-made solutions that are technically feasible and keep disruption for residents, visitors or employees to a minimum.
The cost varies per project and depends on surface area, number of floors, building structure and the desired networks. As a rough guideline:
- Mobile signal amplification (4G/5G) — a professional basic installation with 6 antennas starts from € 9,000. Larger office buildings or industrial sites with 20+ antennas typically range between € 25,000 and € 35,000, depending on the cable routing.
- ASTRID indoor coverage — allow for a minimum cost of € 18,000. The average ASTRID project ranges between € 18,000 and € 30,000; for large hospitals, stations or complex industrial sites this can rise to € 100,000.
Because every building is different, it always starts with a free site visit — so we can immediately assess whether installation is feasible.
Modern buildings are increasingly well insulated — and that is exactly the problem. Insulating glazing, concrete structures, metal facades and multiple floors block radio waves. The more energy-efficient and compact a building is, the harder it becomes for the mobile signal to penetrate.
On the contrary. 5G uses higher frequencies that penetrate walls and glass even less effectively than 4G. At the same time, more than 70% of mobile data traffic originates indoors. Without an active indoor system, reliable coverage remains impossible in many buildings.
Wi-Fi calling can be a temporary solution in smaller or less critical environments, but it is rarely sufficient for larger buildings. As soon as several people call simultaneously or move between access points, reliability drops quickly. Moreover, not all devices and operators support Wi-Fi calling in the same way.
Buildings with a lot of concrete, steel or high-performance glazing suffer most from poor indoor coverage. Think of new office buildings, apartment blocks, hospitals, car parks, basements, shopping centres, logistics halls and industrial sites.
A consumer repeater usually only amplifies a limited zone and often works for just one operator or one part of the building. A professional DAS (Distributed Antenna System) distributes the signal via a network of antennas throughout the entire building. This gives you stable coverage for all operators simultaneously — on all relevant frequencies from 2G to 5G.
A Mercuron installation covers all Belgian operators as standard: Proximus, Orange and BASE/Telenet. Depending on the project, we support all relevant mobile technologies, from 2G and 4G to 5G.
We don't determine that by gut feeling, but based on analysis. We start with a free coverage analysis in which we measure the signal in and around the building and map the weak zones. Based on that, we provide a well-founded recommendation on the right solution.
Yes. A professional multi-operator system covers everyone in the building, regardless of their provider or SIM card. That is precisely one of the great advantages of a well-designed DAS installation.
Yes. A correctly designed system ensures a seamless transition between the outdoor network and the indoor network. In practice, this means users can move around freely during a call without any noticeable interruption.
Yes. A professional DAS system is scalable. Additional antenna points or extra zones can be added later without having to rebuild the entire system.
That depends on the size and complexity of the building. Smaller installations can often be completed within one to two days. Larger projects require more preparation and coordination, but are always planned so that disruption for residents, visitors or employees remains minimal.
Professional DAS installations must comply with the applicable regulations. Mercuron works with compliant systems and manages the file from start to finish, including technical coordination with operators or other parties involved when necessary.
MO-DAS stands for Multi-Operator Distributed Antenna System. It is a shared antenna system that supports multiple networks simultaneously within one building or site. This allows commercial operators and, where necessary, ASTRID to be distributed via one well-designed infrastructure.
Yes. A classic ASTRID installation focuses exclusively on emergency services communication. A MO-DAS is broader in scope and allows multiple commercial operators — and in many cases also ASTRID — to be supported via one shared system.
MO-DAS is particularly relevant for larger or technically more complex environments: hospitals, large office buildings, public sites, campuses, industrial sites, car parks and infrastructure projects where multiple networks must operate reliably at the same time.
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