Projects / The Bunker

The Bunker

Deep underground mobile coverage upgrade at The Bunker, Milsons Point, multi-carrier repeater design delivering reliable Telstra, Optus and Vodafone signal.

  • Indoor 5G
  • Madison Commander
  • Repeater

Deep underground, multi-carrier mobile coverage delivered via a carrier-approved repeater + indoor antenna solution

The Bunker is a unique, deep underground tenancy in Milsons Point where macro mobile signals cannot penetrate. With no service across Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, reliable mobile connectivity was critical for day-to-day operations, safety, and dependable voice/data performance.

Madison Connectivity performed RF assessment and designed a multi-operator repeater solution to bring usable donor signal into the facility and distribute coverage evenly throughout the occupied areas.

Project Type Deep underground commercial tenancy
Location Milsons Point, NSW
Client The Bunker (Milsons Point)
Carriers Telstra, Optus, TPG/Vodafone
Solution Multi-operator repeater system + indoor antenna distribution
Hardware Madison Commander
Status Connected

The challenge

Deep underground environments behave like RF “black holes”. In this case, the target area sits ~10 levels below ground, meaning outdoor signals simply don’t make it inside.

A previous single-operator repeater system (Telstra-only) had also become non-functional, leaving the tenancy without dependable coverage. Before designing a new system, we needed to confirm whether there were viable donor signals available at street/entry level that could be repeated underground, while meeting both strength and quality requirements (not just “bars on a phone”).

The solution

Madison Connectivity completed an RF scan at the entrance to identify viable donor carriers and bands, then designed a solution to bring those signals underground and distribute them throughout the tenancy.

Solution highlights

  • Multi-operator approach: separate repeater paths to support Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone with donor candidates identified via RF scanning.

  • Donor antenna strategy: assessed donor antenna mounting options near the car park entrance / lobby entry to balance performance and visual impact (panel or concealed yagi-style approach, subject to approvals).

  • Indoor distribution: approximately five indoor omni antennas were planned to provide even coverage across the floorplan and minimise dead zones.

  • Build-ready design: documentation prepared so installation could be delivered efficiently once building/body corporate approvals were in place.

When a full DAS isn’t required (or isn’t practical), a properly engineered repeater system can be the most cost-effective way to restore multi-carrier coverage: particularly when there are usable donor signals nearby.

The results

  • Multi-carrier coverage restored in a location where macro coverage could not penetrate.

  • Improved usability for staff and visitors, enabling consistent calling, messaging, and data use where it previously wasn’t possible.

  • A scalable design approach that can be replicated for other deep-basement and below-grade tenancies with similar constraints.

Why this matters for similar sites

If your building has any of the following, you’re a strong candidate for a repeater or DAS solution:

  • Multiple basement levels / below-grade tenancy

  • Underground car parks, tunnels, loading docks, plant rooms

  • Dense urban environments where donor selection must be engineered (not guessed)

  • Safety, operations, payments, or customer experience impacted by mobile black spots

For related environments, see how we approach basement-heavy sites in Parking & Transport Hubs

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