Introduction

In modern urban development, energy efficiency, sustainability, and high-quality building operations are now basic expectations. However, the user experience does not end with advanced thermal insulation, as reliable indoor mobile connectivity has become just as essential infrastructural element as electricity or plumbing systems. Smart solutions can only create real value when they are built on such stable connection.

The goal of CETIN Hungary Ltd. is to ensure that no residential building, hotel, or office building is delivered in Hungary without adequate quality mobile communication within its interior spaces. The H2O office development project by Skanska provides a strong example of how a project can evolve - from a solution sought late in the construction phase to a consciously planned indoor mobile telecommunications infrastructure.
 

 
 

Business Problem

Modern, energy-efficient buildings are constructed with advanced thermal insulation and metal-coated glazing. These solutions effectively retain heat - but at the same time, they are equally effective at blocking radio waves. The result is weak or unstable indoor mobile coverage, which negatively affects building usability, tenant satisfaction, and business value.

A key takeaway is that the lack of indoor mobile coverage is not a technological deficiency but a design issue. If passive indoor telecommunications infrastructure is not included in the design documentation from the beginning, its subsequent implementation becomes significantly more expensive, involves technical compromises, or may ultimately not be realized at all.

Solution

CETIN’s objective is clear: the best way to serve the interests of its real estate developer clients is to integrate passive indoor mobile telecommunications infrastructure into buildings already in the design phase, as a baseline utility requirement, rather than treating it as a follow-up development.

The experiences of the H2O project reinforce this approach:

• H2O Building B
  During the construction phase, CETIN supported the planning, deployment, and operation of a multi-operator indoor telecommunications infrastructure. The three public mobile service providers (Telekom, One, Yettel) successfully connected to the building’s internal network. This was an important first milestone; however, it also highlighted that integration during the construction phase requires additional coordination, greater resource demand, and more complex solutions.
   
• H2O Building A
  CETIN became involved in the design phase of the project. Here, the passive indoor infrastructure of four providers - one critical and three public operators - was designed as an integral part of the building. A further significant achievement was that, based on CETIN’s proposal, the three H2O buildings (B–A–C) were subsequently connected at the substructure level, creating an optimal and future-proof solution for service providers.
   
• H2O Building C
  The development of the multi-operator passive indoor infrastructure was built entirely on a BIM-based (Building Information Modeling) design and model coordination approach, ensuring optimal future implementation and efficient operation. The system, covering all four service providers, was incorporated into the digital model with the same level of detail and status as the electrical or water utility networks.

The lesson of the H2O project is clear: beyond energy-efficient and green buildings, proper indoor mobile networks are becoming the next fundamental expectation. The decision ultimately lies with developers and designers - the essential digital infrastructure can be implemented with the lowest cost and highest efficiency when the building exists only at the design stage.

CETIN Hungary Ltd. is prepared to act as a partner even at this early stage, representing our client as a single point of contact for all mobile service providers.