Small cells are being hailed as the next generation technology innovation, mostly because they can be deployed just about everywhere with little planning. At the same time, they can utilize IP connections for valuable backhaul solutions.


Part of what’s pushing the move to small cells to solve bandwidth issues, according to this Ubiquisys (News - Alert) report, is the mass adoption of smartphones and tablets computers, mobile devices that are constantly streaming video and other data.

The rate of use is almost as rapid as television was in the late 1940s. Just fewer than 60 percent of Americans were using mobile devices that relied on an Internet connection in 2010. Just a few years prior, less than 10 percent were wired in through mobile devices.

Telecommunications companies are seeing the majority of growth in Internet usage in indoor public spaces, such as public buildings, various retail outlets, and shopping malls. The intense use of Internet connections in these confined spaces by a multitude of mobile devices has necessitated the need for the deployment of small cells that can boost the service in these areas.

Most telecoms are planning on increasing their macro layer capacity. Macros are generally suited for the outdoor environment and placement of these cells is extremely important. Newer technologies are making better use of the spectrum. Technologies like 4G and 3GPP LTE (News - Alert) are helpful but the capacity gain is not going to keep up with the rate of usage.

Companies are also looking to repurpose existing infrastructure to milk all they can out of the spectrum, but this technique is limited by the finite number of existing infrastructures. These new methods and technologies can increase the capacity of a network by around 500 percent, but the problem lies in the projected rate of data consumption, which is expected to jump by 16 times the current rate in the next five years.

Given the rate of use, small cells are likely the only solutions that can address the consumption issues. A look at the characteristics of small cells reveals why they are being targeted: small cells are tied to software that can adapt to the environment as it changes and work with neighboring small cells and macros.

Small cells work extremely well with Wi-Fi hotspots. Most hotspots are located in areas of dense usage, which is an excellent matchup for small cells and their ability to provide backhaul using Wi-Fi. This ability to adapt helps reduce the management costs associated with small cells. 




Edited by Stefanie Mosca