MABC is your source for the latest in communications technology, in-building cellular service, and cabling infrastructure. 

Serving businesses for 30+ years, MABC is your certified communications specialist. We're ready to design, deploy, and support the solutions that can help you move ahead.

Contact us in Virginia (804) 273-6500, DC/MD/NOVA (240) 658-8889, North Carolina (910) 550-1001 or info@mabc.com.

MABC Success Story: Virginia Public School District Solves Cellular Coverage Challenges

Colonial Heights Public Schools District had a problem. CelI signals weren't able to reach every corner inside their sturdy brick and concrete school buildings.

Administrators missed urgent calls. Maintenance teams couldn’t coordinate efficiently. When teachers reached for their mobile phones, calls dropped. And in moments when seconds mattered, spotty coverage turned into a real safety risk. 

Taking Decisive Action

For a district dedicated to student safety and operational excellence, this was unacceptable, so Colonial Heights turned to MABC for a solution. From the earliest conversations, MABC treated the district’s challenge not as a technical problem but as a mission to restore confidence, safety, and control.

Every hallway, classroom, and office needed reliable communication, no matter the mobile carrier or time of day. MABC’s team of certified engineers developed a custom solution centered on Nextivity’s CEL-FI QUATRA 4000, a digital active DAS hybrid system built to deliver carrier-grade coverage indoors.

Designed for tough structural environments like schools, hospitals, and government buildings, this technology captures outdoor signals, amplifies them with Nextivity’s IntelliBoost processing, and redistributes strong, stable mobile coverage throughout the building.

Smart Design, Swift Execution

The project began at Tussing Elementary and Colonial Heights High School – the two campuses where communication gaps were most severe. Using advanced RF surveying tools, MABC mapped every corner of the buildings to understand how cellular signals behaved in real-world conditions.

With precision planning and collaboration led by the district’s Director of IT, Mike Zaweski, installation wrapped up in just two weeks. MABC engineers worked around the school schedule, avoiding class disruptions and ensuring that the transformation happened behind the scenes.

The Moment Everything Changed

When the system went live, the difference was immediate. Teachers could reach one another with ease. Security staff could coordinate without delay. Front office calls came through clearly and consistently.

“I just couldn’t believe it. Everyone’s phones started going off and beeping. We immediately noticed the difference.” 

Why Reliable Cellular Connections Matter 

The Colonial Heights’ story reflects the growing reliance on mobile communications shared by schools, hospitals, and municipalities. MABC helps public and private organizations overcome their communication barriers with solutions that strengthen both safety and efficiency.

For decision-makers, the value is more than providing strong signal bars. Enhanced in-building cellular systems create:

• Reliable communication for first responders and staff during any emergency.

• More efficient operations and faster coordination across departments.

• Better visitor and community experiences built on dependable connectivity.

• Scalable infrastructure ready for future technologies and security integrations.

Colonial Heights’ upgrade didn’t just solve its connectivity issues – the district now has confidence its communication infrastructure can safeguard its schools when seconds count.

Connecting Communities

The Colonial Heights Public Schools in-building cellular project stands as a model for districts and agencies across the region navigating similar gaps between legacy buildings and modern communication needs.

"MABC was able to provide reliable cellular service for students, staff, visitors, and emergency services. They delivered exactly what they promised and communicated excellently throughout the process.”

MABC delivers performance-driven communication solutions across Virginia, Maryland, DC, and the Carolinas – empowering organizations to stay connected when it matters most.

To learn how MABC can strengthen safety and operational communication in your facilities, reach out today: (804) 273-6500, DC/MD/NOVA (240) 658-8889, North Carolina (910) 550-1001, or info@mabc.com.

Cellular Networks Are Outside, but Most Calls and Access to Smartphone Apps Happen Inside

80% of business users complain about dropped calls and poor in-building coverage.

Building owners who need high-quality, in-building cellular coverage for their critical communications now have an affordable, quickly deployable solution. Cover your people in:

• Factory and Warehouse Spaces
• Education
• Healthcare
• Hospitality
• Office and Property Management
• Parking and Walkways
• Retail and Grocery

MABC partners with the industry leader, Nextivity.

Our certified team can get your people connected – adding coverage in an office to several buildings across your campus. Nextivity’s roof antenna collects a signal from nearby cell towers and sends it to multiple antennas inside your building. The Cel-Fi solution’s proprietary IntelliBoost technology delivers strong, reliable cellular signals everywhere you need them.

How the Nextivity Cel-Fi System Works

Nextivity Cel-Fi supports Reliable Cell Service

• Performance Leader: Up to 100 dB Active DAS Hybrid
• Single or Multi-Carrier Solution
• 3G / 4G / 5G for Voice and Data
• Carrier-Approved and Unconditionally Network Safe
• Scalable PoE Category Cable Solution with Fiber Expansion
• Remote Monitoring and Management via WAVE Platform
• Up to 100 DB of system gain in each band simultaneously
• Coexistence with Wi-Fi, femtocells, and cellular devices
• Advanced digital echo cancellation
• Channel select filtering
• Automatic gain control based on fast real-time echo cancellation

Nextivity Cel-Fi WAVE Portal

• Anytime, Anywhere Access
• System Management
• Remote Monitoring
• Notifications and Policies
• Ease of Use
• Secure

Nextivity Cel-Fi Advantages

• Nextivity’s industry-leading Cel-Fi systems boost all cellular providers’ signals to maximum power. This proven performance is exclusive to Nextivity.

• Nextivity Cel-Fi, unlike legacy DAS, does not require a huge capital investment, an operator agreement, or 12-18 months to install. These systems are faster to deploy, less expensive, and less hassle than legacy DAS – every time.

• Cel-FI supports all your mobile devices – smartphones, laptops, tablets, wearables, air cards, ATMs, and IoT vending machines.

From initial site survey to expert design and installation, MABC’s certified Nextivity integrators have you covered.

Contact MABC today at (804) 273-6500, DC/MD/NOVA (240) 658-8889, North Carolina (910) 550-1001, or info@mabc.com.