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case study

BMO Centre DAS Expansion

location
Calgary, AB
carrier
Major Canadian Carrier
completed
November 2024
About the Carrier

Our client is one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies, with connections spanning wireless, internet, and landline networks serving millions of residential and business customers across the country. Consistently recognized as one of Canada’s fastest and most reliable mobile networks, the carrier operates a national 5G network. The carrier has deep roots in Western Canada and leads complex enterprise and venue connectivity projects including Distributed Antenna System deployments across major facilities in Canada’s largest markets.

Goal

  • Deliver carrier-grade in-building wireless coverage across the full BMO Centre footprint

  • Support the venue’s $500M expansion with a dense, reliable active DAS network

  • Meet the carrier’s strict commissioning and acceptance standards on schedule

Solution

  • Full turnkey active DAS deployment across 1,000,000+ sq ft spanning three levels

  • 70 N2/N3 remote units precisely positioned, supported by structured fibre, Cat 6A, and RF cabling

  • Head-end equipment installation, remote rack build-out, AC/DC power systems, and full commissioning

Outcome

  • Fully commissioned, carrier-grade DAS system delivered on schedule and on budget

  • Zero safety incidents across the full installation

  • Seamless wireless coverage for tens of thousands of concurrent users at one of Calgary’s premier event venues

Challenge

The BMO Centre at Stampede Park is one of Canada’s largest and most complex convention venues. With the completion of its $500 million expansion in June 2024, the facility now spans over one million square feet across three levels — encompassing expansive exhibition halls, multi-level ballrooms, meeting rooms, and pre-function spaces. Recognizing that a venue of this scale demanded purpose-built, carrier-grade wireless infrastructure, the carrier engaged Pillar Telecom to deliver an active DAS solution with the density and precision to serve tens of thousands of concurrent users.

The scale of the installation presented significant logistical complexity. Cable routes, equipment placement, and crew scheduling had to be tightly coordinated across all three levels of a fully finished, high-quality interior environment — with zero tolerance for damage to completed finishes and strict access controls in place throughout the venue.

The BMO Centre had only recently completed its expansion phase when the carrier engaged Pillar to begin the DAS installation, meaning the work was carried out within a multi-contractor environment with active handover processes underway. All work had to meet the carrier’s stringent commissioning and acceptance standards — with no margin for error on a project of this profile.

Project Solution

Engaged to deliver a complete end-to-end turnkey scope across the full BMO Centre footprint, Pillar Telecom executed every phase of the installation. The scope of work included:

  • Antenna Mount Supply and Installation — Supply and installation of all antenna mounts throughout the building, positioned to achieve the required coverage density across all zones. For maximum aesthetics, mounts were colour matched and painted before installation.

  • Cabling Infrastructure — Supply and installation of hybrid cabling throughout the building, forming the structured backbone of the active DAS network.

  • Remote Unit Deployment — Precise placement and connection of 70 N2/N3 remote units distributed throughout the venue across all three levels.

  • Commissioning and Handover — Complete system commissioning and handover to the carrier, with all 70 remote units live and the full DAS network meeting carrier acceptance standards upon completion.

Pillar self-performed all phases of the installation, managing the full project lifecycle — from initial planning through to final commissioning — coordinating crew scheduling and equipment logistics across one million square feet of finished interior space.

KEY OUTCOMES

70

Remote units installed

1M+

Square feet of coverage delivered

0

Safety incidents
client
Major Canadian Carrier
delivered by
Pillar Telecom
project type
Active DAS Installation
venue
BMO Centre at Stampede Park, Calgary, AB
completed
November 2024
system type
Active Distributed Antenna System
remote units installed
70 N2/N3 Remote Units
head-end configuration
6 radios, 12 antenna units
remote rack locations
2 locations, 14 expansion units
coverage area
1,000,000+ sq ft across 3 levels
scope
Cabling, head-end & remote rack install, power systems, commissioning

The carrier’s confidence in Pillar Telecom proved well-placed. The BMO Centre DAS project was delivered on time, on budget, and with zero safety incidents — a significant achievement given the scale and complexity of the installation. Pillar’s ability to coordinate equipment and crew scheduling across over one million square feet of finished, occupied interior space, while meeting the stringent access, aesthetics, and quality standards of a world-class convention facility, reflects the depth of experience that makes Pillar a trusted partner for complex in-building wireless deployments.

The completed system delivers seamless carrier-grade wireless coverage throughout the entire BMO Centre footprint, equipping Western Canada’s largest convention centre with the connectivity infrastructure needed to support major international events, high-density crowds, and the growing wireless demands of modern conferences and trade shows. With 70 remote units distributed across three levels and a fully commissioned active DAS backbone, the facility is now positioned to reliably serve tens of thousands of concurrent users.

For customers who need complex in-building wireless infrastructure delivered to spec — without surprises — Pillar Telecom is the partner that gets it done.