| The biggest change in the past decade in the telecommunications sector has been the mobile networks. Not only has this sector seen continuous technological advancements but also phenomenal growth – which is also the case in our markets. As telecom networks constantly add more subscriber numbers they realize that a large
chunk of voice and data traffic and hence revenue originates in subscriber homes. Unfortunately wireless propagations especially in-buildings are inherently weak leading to bad or no coverage in many indoor locations – including subscriber homes. This is more so for the newer generation 3G networks where cells share available power and network quality and coverage depreciate significantly even with limited high bandwidth users. By enhancing in-house coverage Operators can not only recover these lost revenues but also stop a lot of subscriber churn that is directly related to coverage at homes.
Operators have always looked at different methods at enhancing indoor coverage through the redesign of their macro network – an in-efficient option, to deploying micro base stations or repeaters. A new and innovative method that is increasingly catching the interest and approval of operators globally is the FEMTOCELL – also known as HOME NODE B | HNB.
Femtocells are low-power wireless access points that operate in licensed spectrum to connect standard mobile devices to a mobile operator’s network using residential DSL or cable broadband connections. Femtocells promise to improve indoor cellular coverage, increase network capacity, and integrate mobile handsets into home networking environments, all of which will save costs, reduce churn, and increase service revenues from new mobile data services.
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Using femtocells solves network coverage and capacity problems simply with a device that employs power and backhaul via the user’s existing resources. It also enables capacity equivalent to a full 3G network sector at very low transmit powers, dramatically increasing battery life of existing phones, without needing to introduce WiFi enabled handsets. Femtocells not only improve mobile service indoors but also change the economics of the industry - bringing down costs for consumers and operators alike. A recent study from ABI Research forecasts that by 2011 there will be 102 million users of femtocell products on 32 million access points worldwide.
VALUETECH alongwith its partner WORKSYSTEMS Inc USA, bring operators a consortium offering a end-end managed FEMTOCELL solution that is aligned also to the expected evolution of the FEMTOCELL solution supporting it now in its nascent stage as also supporting and managing the services offered on it as it evolves in the future.
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