Small Cell Architectures

As the demands of the end users have increased, with more bandwidth needed in specific locations, mobile networks are developing around small cell technologies and offload solutions – DAS, femtocells, pico cells, WiFi – for both indoor and outdoor environments. This evolution presents new challenges to network architects and vendors alike, from placing antennas and cells in suitable locations, minimizing network interference issues, providing sufficient backhaul to multiple layers of a network and more.

iGR’s SMALL CELL ARCHITECTURES advisory service researches the overall development of the small cell market, including the demand for solutions among business, consumers and mobile operators as well as the evolution of small cell architectures, self-optimizing network management solutions, scalable deployment paths and, ultimately, intelligent mobile networks.

The following market research reports are available to all SMALL CELL ARCHITECTURES subscription holders and are also available for individual purchase.

Localized U.S. Bandwidth Usage Forecast, 2011 - 2016

• PUBLISHED: 1Q 2012

  Exceeding bandwidth demand is a multi-­‐dimensional problem that can be evaluated by both time and geography. How much bandwidth – over and above what is already planned – might an operator have to deliver per kilometer squared (KM²) per hour to meet the bandwidth demand that the macro network cannot deliver?

Impact of Self-Optimizing Networks on U.S. LTE Infrastructure, 2011 – 2016

• PUBLISHED: 1Q 2012

  SONs greatly simplify legacy standard operational tasks via automated triggers for self-configuration, self-optimization, and self-management functions, ultimately reducing OPEX (both during deployment as well as ongoing operations), improving network QoS and preparing for more complex, heterogeneous network architectures. The market research report provides a fundamental understanding of Self Organizing Networks, as there is much confusion relative to exactly what SONs are.

Femtocells: The U.S. Consumer Perspective

• PUBLISHED: 1Q 2012

  In an effort to bolster voice (and sometimes data) coverage in some residential markets, some U.S. carriers have been deploying a particular type of small cell called a residential femtocell. Mostly marketed towards improving wireless voice services in the home, this marketing strategy assumes that the end-user rates their cellular service experience based on voice, and is aware of what femtocells can provide.

U.S. Home Broadband and WiFi Usage Forecast, 2011 – 2016

• PUBLISHED: 4Q 2011 | CONTACT iGR

  WiFi devices have proliferated in the U.S. household, with 80 percent of homes using WiFi to provide data connections to smartphone, tablets, laptops, televisions and gaming consoles. iGR forecasts that WiFi will increase from 55 percent of the total bandwidth used in 2011 to more than 75 percent in 2015. This high level of data consumption is driven principally by demand for video, both streamed and downloaded.

The following themes will be addressed in upcoming Small Cell Architectures research:

Worldwide Small Cell Demand Forecast, 2011 – 2016

Worldwide DAS Demand Forecast, 2011 – 2016

Worldwide Femtocell Demand Forecast, 2011 – 2016

Small Cell Backhaul Issues

Major Infrastructure Vendor Small Cell Architecture solutions

The Role of Power Utilities in Small Cell Architectures

Small Cell Opportunities for Tower Vendors

Frequency Management Challenges with Small Cell Architectures

To learn more about the Small Cell Architectures Market Research and Advisory Service, please contact iGR directly.