IHS Brazil, a subsidiary of the IHS Towers group, has announced the expansion of its distributed antenna systems (DAS) project at Afonso Pena Airport in São José dos Pinhais, part of the Curitiba metropolitan area, through a partnership with Motiva Airports.
The upgraded DAS solution employs fibre-to-the-antenna (FTTA) technology, a system it previously deployed on Line 5-Lilac of the São Paulo subway, marking a significant enhancement in airport connectivity.
Alexandre Katz, Operations Director of IHS Brazil, highlighted that this project is the largest among the 16 airports included in the collaboration with Motiva Airports, formerly CCR Aeroportos. The airport’s internal DAS network now features 45 irradiation points supporting both 4G and 5G across three indoor zones, covering all internal areas of the terminal. The system is capable of supporting multiple frequency bands — 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2600 MHz in 2×2 MIMO for 4G, as well as the 3500 MHz band for 5G — ensuring high-capacity connectivity.
Outside, three sections of the airport, including runways, parking lots, and terminal entrances, will benefit from the DAS coverage, overcoming physical obstacles such as concrete walls and metal structures that often disrupt signals. Afonso Pena Airport, one of southern Brazil’s key transportation hubs, handles around 500,000 passengers and 800,000 tons of cargo each month, with over 140 daily flights. Katz stated that the expanded DAS network will enable Brazil’s major mobile network operators (MNOs) to deliver faster, more reliable connections to both airport staff and travellers.
He emphasised that the integration of 4G and 5G technologies will support improved data services and operational efficiency at the airport, meeting the increasing demand for high-quality connectivity. IHS Brazil noted that this project is part of a broader initiative aimed at enhancing indoor connectivity in various environments such as airports, shopping malls, hospitals, and factories across Brazil. The company has previously installed DAS systems at airports in Navegantes, Palmas, São Luís, Foz do Iguaçu, and Goiânia, with plans to roll out additional systems at other airports within Motiva Airports’ portfolio in 2026.
