Our Process · Step 01

Site Assessment

Understanding the building before anything gets designed.

Every project starts with the building itself. Before any measurement or modeling, we review the construction documents, and establish exactly what the coverage requirements are — and who defines them.

What this step involves

Review of construction documents, floor plans, elevation plans, and building materials
Build an iBwave model to understand layout, riser locations, and equipment spaces
Identification of applicable requirements — carrier specifications for cellular, AHJ and IFC 510 requirements for Public Safety
For Public Safety systems estimate the expected path loss between the jurisdiction's radio towers and the ERCES roof mounted donor antenna and at the perimeter of the building. Public Safety systems may require that an iBwave model be built. Cellular systems may require a site visit for radio frequency data collection.
Definition of coverage objectives: which areas, which systems, to what standard

Engineers reviewing building plans during a site assessment — Site assessment: understanding the building before anything gets designed.

Radio communication tower serving as the donor site for a public safety ERCES system — Path-loss estimates begin at the donor site — the jurisdiction's radio towers that serve the building.

Engineer walking a commercial building interior with a tablet during a site assessment — Walking the building with floor plans in hand: verifying layout, riser locations, and equipment spaces for the iBwave model.

Donor path terrain profile from the building location to the jurisdiction's radio towers — terrain heights, obstructions, and the Fresnel zone that determine the excess path loss used in the calculations.

Floor plan heat map of predicted first-floor signal strength from the donor path — First-floor signal strength prediction using those calculations — completed before construction began. If the prediction holds, an ERCES is required, so conduit or pre-wiring must happen before drywall goes in.

What we deliver

Coverage requirements summary, organized by system and floor.

Where the donor antenna should be placed, based on the iBwave model and the path loss calculations to the selected jurisdiction's radio tower.

Preliminary feasibility assessment and budget-planning input

Why it matters

Every decision downstream — antenna counts, equipment selection, testing plans — traces back to what we learn here. Getting the requirements right at this stage prevents redesigns, change orders, and failed sign-offs later.

Talk through your project

Tell us about your building and coverage requirements — we'll help you determine what's needed and walk you through exactly how we'd approach it.

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