Femtocells, small cells becoming an integral part of telecom operators’ networks

Sept. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Femtocells, small cells becoming an integral part of telecom operators’ networks, creating VAS for the customer

Heterogeneous networks will create new revenue streams for operators through applications and services for the end-user and could even play a vital role in disaster relief

Traditionally, mobile network infrastructure relied on strategically placed macro base stations scattered in order to ensure appropriate coverage for customers. However, with the onset of new mobile technologies such as LTE, and given the growth in the number of smart phones, network planners the need to think outside the box, and rethink the traditional network topography.

Small cell deployments, whether pico- or femto-, and their role in a multilayered network is one of the themes of Avren Event’s 8th Annual Base Station Conference, and of much of the event portfolio for Avren Events. With over 22 international operators from all continents, and 40+ expert speakers from throughout the ecosystem sharing their views on heterogeneous networks, RAN planning, spectrum usage and acquisition as well as effective CAPEX and OPEX reduction strategies, the Base Station Conference will provide a unique networking and information-sharing opportunity for delegates.


SHAPING HETEROGENEOUS NETWORKS

Building a heterogeneous network is a focus for many operators looking to ensure wider coverage area without increasing CAPEX and OPEX. Ensuring seamless handover between cells, site design strategy and maintaining QoS for the end-user are the main priorities for operators around the world, and as a consequence, of the entire vendor ecosystem.

In densely populated urban areas, operators face the challenge of meeting the constant demand for data and voice services in congested areas such as stadia, malls or busy shopping malls. New developments in SONs, as well as DAS and “intelligent” small cells and macro base stations will change the way networks function, and greatly reduce maintenance and operational costs by distributing and directing calls and traffic through less congested areas of the network.

With the onset of LTE, and looking ahead to LTE Plus, operators and vendors alike must now think of how they are to equip their base stations to handle these new technologies without having to rebuild their entire infrastructure, and give an effective answer to the massive traffic that they will incur, while still maintaining service to 2G and 3G customers.

With live LTE deployments in Germany, Scandinavia, America and Asia, and further trials taking place in all continents, operators and vendors must work together to create efficient networks, however the challenge remains in working with multivendor sites and building antenna sites capable of handling all technologies.

Operators have also started to look at other alternatives to further their networks’ reach while maintaining their costs at a minimum, and joint ventures in network sharing have become a popular trend in the market. Companies such as Everything Everywhere in the United Kingdom serve as prime examples of the possible benefits of a network sharing agreement.


IMPORTANCE OF QUICKLY REESTABLISHING NETWORKS

However, multilayered networks don’t only play a vital role in network planning in established networks, but have been used in extreme cases such as disaster relief. In recent natural disasters such as the Christchurch earthquake, the Japanese Tsunami and the floods in HatYai in Thailand, operators have deployed femtocells on pick-up trucks to instantly reactivate the cellular network.

“We had great success in using femtocells as an alternative to reestablishing telecom services through a GSM femtocell,” explains Jesada Sivaraks, network engineer of TOT Thailand. “Given that most macrocells were offline due to power cuts, sometimes for several days, people found great relief and comfort when they were able to communicate with their friends and family instantly.”

Similar scenarios were deployed in Japan and New Zealand, adding to the thought that small cells with satellite backhaul can open doors in remote, untapped markets that still are unable to offer an established mobile network to their residents.


POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS

Small cells can also play a key role in monetizing networks and opening new revenue streams for operators. As Camillo Carlini of Telecom Italia told Avren at their recent Femtocells World Summit 2011, held in London, “With applications, small cells’ value proposition goes well beyond providing coverage.  Your mobile phone can notify you remotely who is inside your home, or if you are in a mall, send a message directly to your handheld device informing you of special offers and discounts in your vicinity”.

Taking static networks and allowing them to communicate directly with the customer through their mobile phone is the next step forward for multilayered networks.

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The Base Station Conference will showcase international case studies of heterogeneous network deployments and innovative network planning ideas from leading industry experts including:

Harpal Mann – Founder & CEO – Clear Mobitel
David Haszeldine – Network Economics – T-Mobile UK
Andy Sutton – Principal Network Architect – Everything Everywhere
Zhongrong Liu – Head of Radio Networks Strategy – Deutsche Telekom
Giovanni Romano – Radio Standards Coordinator – Telecom Italia
Andy Dunkin – New Technologies & Innovation Manager – Vodafone Group
Bjorn Amundsen – VP Head of Mobile Network Coverage – Telenor
Mohammed Adamu – Regional Power Expert – Millicom Africa
Tony Conlan - Vendor Management - Telefonica Corporate GCTO – New Access Networks
Anders Dahlen - Radio Expert - TeliaSonera
Yoshihito Shimazaki - Deputy Division Head of Mobile Solutions - SoftBank
Siva Balendra - CTO - Loop Mobile India
Adrian Pike - Senior Specialist, Radio Architecture and Tools - Orange Group
Simon Saunders - Chairman - Femto Forum
Dr Mustafa Karakoc - Radio Network Planning Engineer - Turkcell
Larry Taylor - IEEE

Event dates and location:    
Conference:  September 27th – 29th
Location:  Bath Spa Hotel, Sydney Road, Bath BA2 6JF, UK

Event website:  www.avrenevents.com/basestationsp1

For more information, interviews and media accreditation:

Marketing Manager: Anita Agyeman   
Email: anita@avrenevents.com   
Tel: +44 (0) 207 370 8614
Fax: +44 (0) 207 370 8288

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Avren Events is part of Clarion Events, a global business-to-business event organiser with over 350 staff in offices in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, United States, South Africa, Brazil, UAE and Singapore, Avren Events has over 80 years of in-house expertise at a high level in the wireless business and is able to construct unrivalled programmes of speakers and topics that get to the very heart of the issues facing operators, manufacturers, regulators and consumers. All Avren Events' speakers are by "invitation only". Avren Events forms part of Clarion’s Telecoms, Media & Technology portfolio which develops and delivers 35 events in US, European, Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia markets and is committed to providing actionable intelligence which enables clients to solve their most pressing challenges.