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So, have you ever mounted to a building or on a building? Small cells and the densifications are going to really rely on buildings. There are several ways to mount to them. Mounting to a building can be done several ways, find out more below.
Do you expect to mount the small cell to a building? Well, make sure you understand where it needs to be mounted. Is it the rooftop or the side of the building or in an office somewhere pointing out the window? Did you ask? Did you read the SOW? Let’s look at all the options.
Mounting options may include on the side of the building, on the roof, or in a window or office and facing outside to cover the street.
On the rooftop is going to be an efficient way to go. You will need to make sure you have all of the hardware like a roof top mount or if you are mounting to the elevator penthouse then you need to have your wall mounts. Also, the lease will need to be in place prior to the mounting. You may even need to look at zoning and permitting. Especially if you are attaching to the building! It used to be better to put a non penetrating rooftop mount up because you could bypass zoning in many ordinances because you were not attaching to the building. However, I think that loophole might be closed!
The non-penetrating rooftop mount is pretty straight forward but you will need to make sure you have a way to weigh it down, like blocks, and mats to put under it to protect the roof, especially if it’s a rubber roof. Also, you will need power, where is it coming from? So you have to run data cables or fiber inside the building? Where exactly? Do you need to core drill once inside? Do you have a way to get inside? Will you have to seal the hole to make sure it is whether proof? Think about what you’re going to do. Read the SOW, write your own!
On the side of the building you will need to make sure the permitting process is complete along with the landlord’s lease. They need to know exactly where you intend to mount. You probably need a bucket truck to attach the unit but maybe a ladder will work. I have seen some guys descend off the side and mount but that takes a long time and is not efficient, but sometimes the only way. Just get a bucket truck and install. Make sure your drill is a hammer drill and that you know what the wall is made of. Chances are it will be block, but know that ahead of time. Read the site survey document to know what you are going to be working on.
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Finally, inside an office or stairway pointing out the window. This is more common than you may believe. It’s easy and the backhaul is easy to access, unless you need to core drill. You can probably mount it to the ceiling or if you’re in an office then use a non-pen mount near the window. Straight forward for mounting and power should be nearby if it’s not PoE. Make sure you know where power and data are going, so you know how to finish the job properly. Inside you should not have to worry about weather proofing, one less thing to worry about. However, if it is an office then you will need to be sure everything is clean and tidy. Don’t mess up the carpet!
If you want to know more or get more detail, let me know, maybe I can help.
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Be smart, be safe, and pay attention!
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