05-09-2014, 09:52 AM
Femtocell
[attachment=67646]
Abstract
Mobile cellular and 3G networks normally often suffer from poor penetration and reception in certain areas, like indoors. This decreases the quality of voice and video communication and slows down high-speed services. A femtocell is a small device that is used to improve wireless coverage over a small area, mostly indoor. It is a small cellular base station, also called a wireless access point that connects to a broadband Internet connection and broadcasts it into radio waves in its area of coverage. As a result, mobile handsets can handle phone calls through the femtocell, via the broadband Internet connection. The name femtocell has the prefix 'femto', meaning a very small cell (area of network coverage). Small is rather a big word here, because femto denotes a division that is mathematically represented by 10 raised to the power of -15, or a quadrillionth. In plain English, it is one divided by a figure with fifteen zeros. Well, close to infinitely small. The first interest in femto cells started around 2002 when a group of engineers at Motorola were investigating possible new applications and methodologies that could be used with mobile communications. Further after 2yrs. In 2004 more attention was given to this technology and it was enhanced further. A femtocell is a small device that is used to improve wireless coverage over a small area, mostly indoor.
Third-generation cellular technology suffers from inadequate indoor-signal penetration, leading to poor coverage in the environment where consumers spend two-thirds of their time. Poor coverage diminishes the quality of voice and video applications, and slows down high-speed data services To keep customers satisfied, 3G carriers have increased capacity by building additional microcell sites. This strategy is becoming much less attractive. Site acquisition costs are exorbitant and continue to mount as space on viable towers and buildings fills up, landlords exact high rents and regulators impose onerous permit requirements. Public opposition to the building of large-scale base stations is increasingly common.
Working of Femtocell
Femtocells from part of the mobile operation’s network, although they are located at home or in the business. Most of the functionality of a completer 3G cell site has been miniaturized onto a chip, which look and operates like a WiFi access point, and is connected via broadband DSL back to the mobile operator’s network. A femtocell is installed at home and connected to mains power and a standard broadband IP connection (typically DSL) through to the mobile operator’s core network. Voice calls, text massages and data services are provided by the same systems. Femtocells operate at very low radiation power levels (50 milliwatts peak output during a call, much lower when idle), and typically have a range of 200 meters
Advantages
• A Femtocell is used for compensating poor cellular coverage inside the homes – in some places.
• A Femtocell can also give lower call charges while the caller calling from home, using the Femtocell as it directly connects to the core network through the internet.
• Some vendors are also planning to incorporate all the three features – Wi-Fi, cellular and DSL into the same box to achieve maximum functionality.
• The voice calls/data calls through the Femtocells are encrypted and the cell phones automatically switches over to the Femtocells when they come in their range – eg. in homes, where they are installed.
• Femtocell units can handle up to three or four simultaneous calls, from the same operator, depending on the model. They can operate with normal cellphones, without any enhancements.
• Femtocell units can help related cellular services like 3G by offering a better speed and data rate when inside buildings, where the coverage and data rate is generally lesser than outside.
• Generally, the cell towers are back-hauled by using lines with bandwidth of around 2 Mbps (in some places) and hence when newer services like 3G are introduced, these lines may not be sufficient and hence may require a upgrade. But with Femtocells, since the subscribers internet connection is used, there may not be an issue with existing infrastructure if Femtocells are adopted in a large scale.
• Femtocells can not only extend the cellular macro network but can also become the primary network if enough Femtocells are adopted in an area. So, all future upgrades etc. can be done by the Femtocells itself, reducing the number of macro base stations required to cover an area – but this is a long shot, based on the current situation and the problems described below.
[attachment=67646]
Abstract
Mobile cellular and 3G networks normally often suffer from poor penetration and reception in certain areas, like indoors. This decreases the quality of voice and video communication and slows down high-speed services. A femtocell is a small device that is used to improve wireless coverage over a small area, mostly indoor. It is a small cellular base station, also called a wireless access point that connects to a broadband Internet connection and broadcasts it into radio waves in its area of coverage. As a result, mobile handsets can handle phone calls through the femtocell, via the broadband Internet connection. The name femtocell has the prefix 'femto', meaning a very small cell (area of network coverage). Small is rather a big word here, because femto denotes a division that is mathematically represented by 10 raised to the power of -15, or a quadrillionth. In plain English, it is one divided by a figure with fifteen zeros. Well, close to infinitely small. The first interest in femto cells started around 2002 when a group of engineers at Motorola were investigating possible new applications and methodologies that could be used with mobile communications. Further after 2yrs. In 2004 more attention was given to this technology and it was enhanced further. A femtocell is a small device that is used to improve wireless coverage over a small area, mostly indoor.
Third-generation cellular technology suffers from inadequate indoor-signal penetration, leading to poor coverage in the environment where consumers spend two-thirds of their time. Poor coverage diminishes the quality of voice and video applications, and slows down high-speed data services To keep customers satisfied, 3G carriers have increased capacity by building additional microcell sites. This strategy is becoming much less attractive. Site acquisition costs are exorbitant and continue to mount as space on viable towers and buildings fills up, landlords exact high rents and regulators impose onerous permit requirements. Public opposition to the building of large-scale base stations is increasingly common.
Working of Femtocell
Femtocells from part of the mobile operation’s network, although they are located at home or in the business. Most of the functionality of a completer 3G cell site has been miniaturized onto a chip, which look and operates like a WiFi access point, and is connected via broadband DSL back to the mobile operator’s network. A femtocell is installed at home and connected to mains power and a standard broadband IP connection (typically DSL) through to the mobile operator’s core network. Voice calls, text massages and data services are provided by the same systems. Femtocells operate at very low radiation power levels (50 milliwatts peak output during a call, much lower when idle), and typically have a range of 200 meters
Advantages
• A Femtocell is used for compensating poor cellular coverage inside the homes – in some places.
• A Femtocell can also give lower call charges while the caller calling from home, using the Femtocell as it directly connects to the core network through the internet.
• Some vendors are also planning to incorporate all the three features – Wi-Fi, cellular and DSL into the same box to achieve maximum functionality.
• The voice calls/data calls through the Femtocells are encrypted and the cell phones automatically switches over to the Femtocells when they come in their range – eg. in homes, where they are installed.
• Femtocell units can handle up to three or four simultaneous calls, from the same operator, depending on the model. They can operate with normal cellphones, without any enhancements.
• Femtocell units can help related cellular services like 3G by offering a better speed and data rate when inside buildings, where the coverage and data rate is generally lesser than outside.
• Generally, the cell towers are back-hauled by using lines with bandwidth of around 2 Mbps (in some places) and hence when newer services like 3G are introduced, these lines may not be sufficient and hence may require a upgrade. But with Femtocells, since the subscribers internet connection is used, there may not be an issue with existing infrastructure if Femtocells are adopted in a large scale.
• Femtocells can not only extend the cellular macro network but can also become the primary network if enough Femtocells are adopted in an area. So, all future upgrades etc. can be done by the Femtocells itself, reducing the number of macro base stations required to cover an area – but this is a long shot, based on the current situation and the problems described below.