Backhaul link for distributed antenna system

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by an antenna system of a first network element of a distributed antenna system, a first wireless signal including a modulated signal in a first spectral segment, the first wireless signal generated by a mobile communication device, and the modulated signal conforming to a signaling protocol;
• converting, by the first network element, the first wireless signal to an electronic signal including the modulated signal in the first spectral segment;
• frequency shifting, by the first network element, the electronic signal to generate an updated electronic signal, the updated electronic signal comprising the modulated signal frequency-shifted from the first spectral segment to a carrier frequency without modulating or demodulating the modulated signal, the carrier frequency not overlapping in frequency with the first spectral segment;
• and
• converting, by the antenna system of the first network element, the updated electronic signal into a second wireless signal that includes a reference signal and the modulated signal at the carrier frequency, the second wireless signal being received by a second network element of the distributed antenna system, the reference signal enabling the second network element to reduce signal distortion when converting the modulated signal at the carrier frequency to the modulated signal in a second spectral segment.

A first network element of a distributed antenna system, comprising:

• an antenna system;
• communication circuitry that facilitates operations, comprising:
• receiving, by the antenna system, a first wireless signal in a carrier frequency from a second network element of the distributed antenna system, the first wireless signal including a reference signal and a modulated signal at the carrier frequency;
• and
• transmitting, by the antenna system, a second wireless signal in the carrier frequency, the second wireless signal being received by a third network element of the distributed antenna system, the second wireless signal including the reference signal and the modulated signal in the carrier frequency, the second wireless signal corresponding to a retransmission of the reference signal and the modulated signal at the carrier frequency, the reference signal enabling the third network element to reduce signal distortion when frequency shifting the modulated signal at the carrier frequency to the modulated signal in a spectral segment without modulating or demodulating the modulated signal, the carrier frequency not overlapping in frequency with the spectral segment.