Cellular Coverage in Healthcare

Connectivity as an essential factor in healthcare

The healthcare sector’s digital transformation—accelerated by the pandemic—has cemented connectivity as indispensable to hospital operations. Where mobile signal and internet access were once differentiators, today they are critical requirements for medical care, patient monitoring, and systems integration. Virtual consultations, telemonitoring, electronic health records (EHRs), and the widespread use of digital equipment are only possible when connectivity infrastructure is reliable, stable, and secure.

With the deployment of 5G, the landscape becomes even more challenging—and more promising. Thanks to low latency, ultra‑high speeds, and the ability to connect thousands of devices simultaneously, 5G enables remote surgeries, AI‑assisted diagnostics, real‑time monitoring, and integration of smart medical equipment. To unlock these advances, however, one invisible and fundamental prerequisite must be in place: indoor connectivity. That is where QMC’s DAS (Distributed Antenna System) becomes essential.

The role of QMC’s DAS

Think of DAS as air conditioning for cellular signal: it “distributes and regulates” connectivity throughout the building, overcoming physical barriers such as walls, doors, and basements. The system captures mobile operators’ signals and redistributes them through small antennas installed at strategic points—ICUs, operating rooms, corridors, and parking areas—so physicians, clinical staff, patients, and families have constant access to mobile service and new technologies, regardless of carrier.

Strategic benefits

Beyond coverage, QMC’s DAS delivers reliability, security, and future‑readiness. It ensures stable connectivity in critical hospital areas—such as surgical suites and intensive care units—supporting vital medical equipment. It also operates under mobile carriers’ protocols, which provide more robust protection layers than typical Wi‑Fi networks, reducing risks of cyberattacks, data leaks, and system interruptions.

Another differentiator is high availability, which prevents drop‑offs or congestion even during peak demand. The system is multi‑operator, meaning any device can connect without passwords or local Wi‑Fi. It is scalable and built to support 4G, 5G, and future evolutions simultaneously, and is monitored 24/7 by QMC’s NOC, which proactively works to prevent failures.

Results in healthcare

DAS deployments in hospitals have already produced concrete outcomes. QMC currently serves 27 hospitals in Brazil, covering more than 5,000 beds and supporting a monthly flow of roughly 1 million people. This infrastructure has helped reduce communication failures by up to 70%, accelerate diagnostics, speed up clinical decision‑making, and significantly improve the experience for patients, families, and healthcare professionals.

Success Stories

Rede D’Or

A standout example is the project at Hospital Vila Nova Star (Rede D’Or), São Paulo, Brazil. Facing connectivity challenges, the hospital engaged QMC and achieved full coverage across its 16 floors, including basements. 265 antennas connected via fiber optics were installed, supporting 4G and 5G from any carrier simultaneously. The result is a more modern, connected clinical environment: faster communications, better support for digital equipment, reduced pressure on Wi‑Fi, higher productivity for medical staff, and greater patient satisfaction.

Private Hospital in Brazil’s Northeast

This large private institution is a regional reference for medium‑ and high‑complexity care. It operates 400+ beds across inpatient and intensive/semi‑intensive units, 12 operating rooms, and spans two 10‑story buildings on the same campus. It serves adult, orthopedic, pediatric, and neurological patients across 40+ specialties, with a medical center housing 88 consulting rooms. The hospital features state‑of‑the‑art diagnostics and sophisticated equipment—CT, MRI, linear accelerator—and was the first in the region to acquire PET/CT for oncology. Areas of excellence include oncology, bone‑marrow transplant, nephrology, neurology, and kidney transplant. From a mobile‑connectivity standpoint, the hospital suffered from both coverage and capacity issues. Even the carrier with the best signal showed nine floors with dead zones or low download speeds (per Ookla’s definition). QMC’s project covered every floor, including high‑density operational areas, basements, and garages, carefully sizing antenna counts to the footfall profile on each level. Results were significant: all floors that previously had coverage gaps now enjoy full connectivity—as demonstrated by pre‑ and post‑implementation heatmaps—with download rates up to 40× higher than before. This performance jump directly improved productivity, ensuring better team communication, greater internal efficiency, and—above all—an enhanced experience for patients and companions.

QMC: the Indispensable Partner

Operating in five countries, QMC is a Latin American leader in indoor‑coverage solutions. The company maintains exclusive agreements with major hospital administrators in the region, most notably Rede D’Or. QMC was the first neutral host to implement an indoor 5G network in Brazil and delivers indoor connectivity projects for the country’s largest shopping malls, hospitals, hotel complexes, airports, and tourist destinations.