In many countries mobile networks that were once predominantly about voice are today primarily about data. Consumer demand for data services is growing unabated, with penetration of smartphones exceeding 40% in many countries and over 300 million being shipped annually. Commentators predict the volume of wireless data will exceed that of wired data by 2015. The question is how this enormous data capacity will be realized, while meeting customer quality of service expectations and operators’ requirements for cost-effectiveness.The answer is a significant ramping up of small cell deployment.

1. Prof Simon Saunders,
Small Cell Forum Chairman,
discusses the Forum’s
expanded scope.
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Why small cells make
a big difference
In many countries mobile networks that were once Commentators predict the volume of wireless data
predominantly about voice are today primarily will exceed that of wired data by 2015.
about data.
The question is how this enormous data capacity
Consumer demand for data services is growing will be realized, while meeting customer quality of
unabated, with penetration of smartphones service expectations and operators’ requirements
exceeding 40% in many countries and over for cost-effectiveness. The answer is a significant
300 million being shipped annually. ramping up of small cell deployment.
What is a small cell?
Types of small cells include femtocells,
HOME ENTERPRISE URBAN RURAL picocells, metrocells and microcells –
broadly increasing in size from femtocells
Femtocells (the smallest) to microcells (the largest).
Any or all of these small cells can be
Picocells based on ‘femtocell technology’, i.e. the
Metrocells & Microcells collection of standards, software, open
interfaces, chips and know-how that have
powered the growth of femtocells.
What are
they for?
Applications include coverage, Metrocell / Macrocell
capacity and service delivery in Microcell
a wide range of environments
including residential, enterprise,
urban and rural applications.
And in principle you could Enterprise
deploy any type of small cell for Femtocell / Office internet
any application – for example, Picocell connection
while femtocells are usually
thought of in a residential
Mobile
context, femtocells or picocells Internet operator
can also be deployed as network
alternatives for enterprise,
while both metrocells and
microcells can be deployed
in urban areas.
Broadband
Public telephone
Residential network
Femtocell
The future is small cells
There’s widespread consensus that heterogeneous
networks (HetNets) – comprising a mix of small and large
cells – are essential if operators are to satisfy the capacity,
speed and performance requirements of the future.
Scalability, automated configuration, self-optimization
and rapid deployment have been taken to new limits
by the millions of femtocells in commercial use today.
These are precisely the qualities defining the diversity
of small cell solutions delivering the high quality services
and performance required of networks today and into
the future.
Get involved. Join today
Our members are driving solutions to some of the key challenges faced by our industry – including business case, technical, deployment,
backhaul and management issues. 2012 promises to be another year of significant progress for the Forum. Make the most of your membership
by attending plenaries, contributing to working group sessions, proposing new work areas, and introducing relevant members of your team.
For more information visit our website: www.smallcellforum.org, email lynne@smallcellforum.org or call +44 (0)1453 861393.
The Small Cell Forum (www.smallcellforum.org), formerly known as the Femto Forum, supports the wide-scale adoption of small cells. Small cells are low-power wireless access
points that operate in licensed spectrum, are operator-managed and feature edge-based intelligence. They provide improved cellular coverage, capacity and applications for homes and
enterprises as well as metropolitan and rural public spaces. They include technologies variously described as femtocells, picocells, microcells and metrocells. Small Cell Forum operator
members represent over 1.71 billion mobile subscribers - 33% of the global total. We also represent all major technology groups – world-leading telecoms hardware and software
vendors, content providers and innovative start-ups.
www.smallcellforum.org