A premium office, luxury residential complex or modern hotel is of limited use if calls drop in the elevator, internet stutters in the conference room, or signal disappears in a corner of the living room. Kübler-Andrási Judit, CEO of CETIN Hungary Zrt., discussed these issues with Portfolio.
Why indoor coverage matters more than ever
Hungary is seeing more modern, energy-efficient and better-insulated buildings, yet user experience often lags behind technological advances. According to the CETIN CEO, construction materials and structures — such as reinforced concrete, thick walls, multi-layer glass and metallic surfaces — can all impede radio-wave propagation, so even brand-new buildings can suffer coverage gaps.
Kübler-Andrási Judit warns this is not only a rural issue: coverage black spots are common in urban, modern buildings as well, where a few meters can be enough to break a connection.
Function-driven planning: different needs for garages and conference halls
The CEO emphasized that indoor coverage cannot be handled with a one-size-fits-all approach. An estate’s function determines the network solution and capacity required: a deep garage may only need basic voice and stable internet, whereas a conference hall hosting hundreds or thousands of simultaneous users uploading content or video-conferencing demands much greater capacity and careful planning.
Reliable digital infrastructure has become critical in hotels, office buildings, shopping centers, residential parks, industrial estates and sports facilities. Mobile networks today are not just communication channels but a core usability criterion for buildings.
Early planning pays off: lower costs and fewer later disruptions
Kübler-Andrási Judit argues developers have the greatest room to manoeuvre when telecommunications are addressed in the early design phase. Just as water, gas or electrical networks are planned in advance, indoor mobile networks should be included in initial designs.
CETIN’s calculations indicate that implementing appropriate indoor telecommunication infrastructure can be up to 40 percent cheaper if planned together with other building engineering systems. While retrofitting coverage is possible, it tends to be more expensive, more complex, and causes more inconvenience for operators, tenants and residents.
The role of AI in network design and operations
Artificial intelligence is increasingly indispensable in designing and operating telecom networks. CETIN began working with AI-based solutions years ago, and now concrete use cases demonstrate how AI supports network planning and optimization. AI can analyse which configurations perform best in given situations and enable data-driven rather than manual parameter tuning. It also plays a role in operations, for example in checking work orders or optimising energy consumption.
Awards and recognition: Digital Building of the Year at Property Awards 2026
As part of Property Awards 2026, the Digital Building of the Year prize, to be awarded on November 12, aims to showcase developments that integrated digital infrastructure consciously from the early design stages. The award recognises projects that provide durable, value-creating solutions for users rather than technological showpieces.
According to Kübler-Andrási Judit, successful entries share traits such as deliberate planning, innovation, scalability and sustainability, and they demonstrate genuine collaboration between the developer, the infrastructure provider and other project stakeholders.
Applications for the Digital Building of the Year are open until October 16; the call targets developments that implemented thoughtful, sustainable and future-proof digital infrastructure.
What this means for users
In short: users should not have to hunt for signal, calls should not drop, and online presence should be seamless throughout a building. In the future real-estate market, buildings that treat digital infrastructure as a fundamental part of development rather than an afterthought will hold a competitive advantage.
Tags: construction, real estate development, mobile network, telecommunications, signal strength, artificial intelligence, CETIN Hungary Zrt., Property Awards 2026
