Is It a Picocell? Is It a Femtocell? No, It’s a Super Femto!

Author: Aditya Kaul, Practice Director, Mobile Networks

Published: 13 Nov 2008

There is an ongoing terminology debate about the difference between femtocells and picocells. At the most basic level, femtocells have the same functionality as picocells, but the term picocell refers to a compact standalone base station that can be fixed onto walls, and that provides coverage and capacity in a small, given area. However, with both picocells and femtocells targeted at providing coverage and capacity in a small given area, it is not surprising that there is confusion in the market as to what constitutes the difference between the two solutions. As a result, we are seeing some vendors take advantage of the confusion and introduce solutions that can fall into both categories. Femtocell vendors have been quick to jump onto this bandwagon and are developing a hybrid: the Super Femto.

The full text of this Insight is available to subscribers of the Mobile Networks Research Service and the Femtocell and Small Cell Research Service.

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