The Small Cell Forum works with mobile operators and technology providers to accelerate the commercial deployment of small cells. They have developed recommendations to address barriers to widespread adoption, including interface standards for virtualized small cells, multi-operator neutral host architectures, and APIs/services frameworks. For 5G, the Small Cell Forum recommends flexible options for multi-vendor access virtualization over different transport networks, architecting support for multi-operator/neutral host models, and evolving their established API/services framework.

1. Small cells: Delivering densification
for 5G
3GPP RAN 5G Workshop RWS-150071

2. • The small cell forum: Who we are and our contribution to the industry
• Accelerating commercialisation of standards based small cells
• Examples to date
• Current SCF work items based on 4G driving recommendations for 5G
Overview
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015

3. Carrier-led organization: 63 operator members
80 technology providers
Our work plan is crowd sourced from deployment experiences of our
member operators and supported by technology providers

4. What we do: Drive the commercialization of
small cell technologies
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015
Driving standardsDrivers & barriers Promoting solutions
Decomposed UTRAN for
non-ideal backhaul (Iuh
& Plugfest)
Delivered SC Services
API for value creation
Defined multi-vendor
FAPI interface for SC
realization
`Drove TR-069
evolution
Residential
Enterprise
Rural & remote
Urban
• Over 80 docs including
• Enterprise Market Drivers
• Enterprise Business Case
• The Value of Small Cell
Forum Plugfests
• Enterprise Architectures

5. Three aspects must be built into 5G to
accelerate adoption and enable value
creation using Small Cell HetNets
1) Interface for virtualised small cell
2) Multi operator/Neutral Host
3) API/Services Framework
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015

6. • Small cells deployments are already driving decomposition
of classical eNB functionality to enable virtualization of the
access layer over non-ideal backhaul networks
• Industry is currently lacking standard solutions suitable for
virtualized LTE small cells
• Small Cell Forum is executing on the evolution of its
current multi-vendor MAC/PHY FAPI platform interface
used in the majority of small cells to enable small cell
virtualization using its nFAPI interface
• 5G needs flexible options for multi-vendor access
virtualization over medium latency (2-6ms) and high
latency (10-30ms) transport networks
• Overview: www.scf.io/document/106
5G Radio Access Network Virtualization
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015

7. Removing barriers to mass adoption via Multi-
Operator Neutral Host, aka RAN Slicing
• SCF is forging the path towards a deployable
commercially beneficial, regulatory compliant
multi-operator RAN solution
• Demand from vertical markets is huge, and the
economic benefits of spectrum trunking are
easily demonstrable [1]
• By addressing the technical, regulatory and
commercial aspects of the requirements, SCF
works towards a set of recommendations for
architecture and technology to deliver a truly
monetizable solution that benefits operators and
vertical market consumers alike
• The target is also to enable new business
models for 3rd party RAN Service Providers
under emerging spectrum licensing schemes
• Recommend architect multi-operator/
neutral host support in 5G for accelerated
deployment
“Small Cell Neutral Hosts Study for Small Cells Forum Version 1.0, Peter Love, Nokia, Small Cell Forum, 10th September 2015”

8. • We are collaborating with ETSI MEC to ensure there is a common approach to service APIs
• We are creating an API Certification Program to accelerate the commercialisation of enterprise
service enabled by small cells
• 5G needs to evolve this established API/services framework to enable rapid
time to market and commercialisation of services
Common API/Services Framework
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015
[SCF080] "Enterprise Services Leveraging Small Cells", Small Cell Forum, Dec 2013,
http://scf.io/document/080
• Applications and new service revenues are
critical to the success of 5G
• SCF has already developed APIs and tools
for app developers:
• APIs (Zonal Presence, Edge Caching,
Precise Indoor Location, Geo Fencing
& Location Streaming)
• Developer Community Support and
Developer Tools: Small Cell API
Emulator and Small Cell Open Source
for Presence and Location Streaming
APIs

9. Summary
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015
• Small Cell Forum works with member operators and vendors to accelerate
commercial deployments of 3GPP standards based small cells into integrated HetNets.
• Our work included developing technical enhancements to accelerate wide scale adoption
into market segments such as:
• Drove decomposition of UTRAN with definition of Iuh to support non-ideal backhaul.
• Accelerated multi-vendor small cell implementation through FAPI platform MAC/PHY
decomposition.
• Executed API program to support value creation opportunities linked to precise location
and enterprise services
For 5G, we recommend that 3GPP leverage our learnings that are addressing
existing barriers to commercialisation of 4G HetNets:
• 5G needs flexible options for multi-vendor access virtualization over medium latency
(2-6ms) and high latency (10-30ms) transport networks
• Recommend architect multi-operator/neutral host support in 5G for accelerated
deployment
• 5G needs to evolve the established API/services framework to enable rapid time to
market and commercialisation of services

11. Additional Material
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015

12. 22/09/2015 © Small Cell Forum
www.scf.io
SCF
release
publica/ons
downloadable
from
www.scf.io

13. Forum activities to support our mission
22/09/2015
Our
release
programme
reports
progress
on
these
ac5vi5es:
www.scf.io

14. Release Program
© Small Cell Forum Ltd 2015
scf.io