Federated Wireless Unlocks Indoor 5G with CBRS Active DAS Support

ARLINGTON, Va. – January 15, 2026 – Federated Wireless, a leader in shared spectrum technology, has launched commercial support for Active Distributed Antenna Systems (Active DAS) operating in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band. The move provides a novel and cost-effective pathway for mobile network operators (MNOs) to significantly expand indoor 5G capacity in large venues without depleting their valuable licensed spectrum.

The announcement follows a pivotal formal approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which established the necessary certification framework for these advanced systems. This regulatory green light clears the way for carrier-grade indoor 5G deployments in high-traffic locations such as stadiums, airports, hospitals, and large corporate campuses, addressing a long-standing gap in wireless infrastructure.

“This is a pivotal moment for indoor wireless,” said Becky Bobzien-Simms, Chief Revenue Officer at Federated Wireless. “CBRS for Active DAS allows MNOs to add indoor capacity using shared spectrum – preserving licensed spectrum for the macro network while maintaining carrier-grade performance.”

A New Era Forged by Regulation and Collaboration

The commercial rollout is not the result of a single new rule but rather the culmination of a concerted effort to navigate and build upon the FCC's existing regulatory landscape. The framework for CBRS, detailed in Part 96 of the FCC's rules, requires all CBRS devices to communicate with a Spectrum Access System (SAS) for coordination. Federated Wireless worked to develop methods for modeling and managing Active DAS components within its SAS, a process that required formal FCC approval, which was secured in late 2025.

This regulatory milestone is bolstered by strong industry collaboration. To accelerate standardization, the OnGo Alliance, a trade association dedicated to promoting CBRS technology, has formed a new Active DAS Working Group. This group will define technical guidelines and ensure ecosystem-wide alignment for deploying CBRS over DAS infrastructure.

“This new working group signals broad industry momentum behind CBRS as a flexible, scalable spectrum solution for both private and operator networks,” said Alan Ewing, Executive Director of the OnGo Alliance. “Shared spectrum has clearly matured into a critical pillar of the 5G ecosystem.”

Federated Wireless, a founding member of the alliance, is providing support for commercial deployments through its industry-leading SAS and a comprehensive Certified Professional Installer (CPI) training program. This ensures that installers are equipped to deploy complex Active DAS systems in the CBRS band, streamlining design, onboarding, and management.

Solving the Indoor Connectivity Puzzle

While outdoor 5G networks have become increasingly robust, indoor coverage remains a significant challenge. An estimated 80% of all mobile data traffic originates indoors, yet modern building materials like steel, concrete, and low-emissivity glass can severely degrade or block high-frequency 5G signals. This creates a frustrating disconnect between the promise of 5G and the user's actual experience inside large venues.

Active DAS technology addresses this by distributing cellular signals throughout a building via a network of antennas connected by fiber optic cables. By enabling these systems to operate on the 3.5 GHz CBRS band, Federated Wireless allows operators to offload indoor traffic to a pool of shared spectrum. This preserves their licensed spectrum—a finite and expensive resource—for the broader macro network, optimizing network resources and improving overall performance.

The market is primed for this evolution, with over 375 million CBRS-capable devices, including smartphones and tablets, already in the hands of consumers and enterprise users. This existing device ecosystem ensures that new CBRS-enabled indoor networks can be utilized immediately, providing a ready-made audience for enhanced connectivity.

The Business Case for Shared Infrastructure

The move is poised to reshape the economics of indoor wireless. The global private 5G network market, which heavily utilizes CBRS, was valued at over $3 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate exceeding 40% through 2030. This explosive growth underscores the demand from enterprises for secure, low-latency, and high-speed wireless communication.

However, the cost of deploying dedicated network infrastructure has been a significant barrier. Active DAS systems, while highly effective, can cost millions of dollars for a large venue. By enabling CBRS to run over a shared DAS, the financial burden is dramatically reduced.

“Many organizations see the benefits of CBRS but struggle with the cost of building dedicated networks,” noted Isaac Nissan, Director-Product Management at Airspan. “Extending CBRS over shared Active DAS infrastructure dramatically reduces that barrier—allowing operators and venues to introduce CBRS without duplicating infrastructure.”

This creates a compelling value proposition for neutral-host deployments, where a single infrastructure can serve multiple mobile operators. Venue owners can invest in one system and offer enhanced service to customers of various carriers, while operators gain access to high-quality indoor coverage without the capital expenditure of building their own system. This model is gaining traction in multi-tenant buildings, hotels, and large public venues.

For enterprises, the benefits extend to mission-critical private networks. “Leveraging the active or passive DAS infrastructure to support CBRS provides Enterprises with a lower cost and potentially faster time line to deploying a private wireless network,” explained Norman Fekrat, CEO and Founder of Imagine Wireless. This is particularly relevant for use cases in security, safety, and industrial automation where public and private network integration is desired.

Federated Wireless, which already manages over 340,000 access points, is extending its market leadership with continued investments in AI-driven SAS automation and dynamic spectrum optimization. These advancements are designed to support the coordination of increasingly dense indoor and outdoor deployments, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of the shared spectrum revolution.