The Rise of Public Venue Small Cells

Technology Analysis

Today’s modern cellular networks, which in large part were built to provide coverage for a defined subscriber base, are coming under increasing pressure to also provide capacity, particularly in dense urban and suburban areas. The reasons for this can be found in the rapid uptake and popularity of mobile connected smartphones, tablets, and PC’s which are driving the demand for more capacity as ever more data intensive applications are launched.

In addition to consuming (and generating) more data and signaling traffic, the subscriber is more likely to use a mobile for voice calls which were made on a fixed line in the past. Today’s subscriber is more likely to handle email on a smartphone than a desktop or even a laptop.

Mobile operators are finding that this demand for data is localized to indoor venues and they are moving to provide solutions which close the gap between capacity and demand in these areas. These solutions range from the traditional active and passive distributed antenna systems (DAS) to Carrier Wi-Fi and licensed small cells. 

This report examines the benefits and challenges of Public Venue small cell networks and alternative DAS and Wi-Fi systems. The report also provides a 5-year market forecast and profiles four vendors' small cell strategies. These vendors are Alcatel-Lucent, Ubiquisys, SpiderCloud, and DeviceScape.

Table of Contents

  • 1. THE PUBLIC VENUE SMALL CELL MARKET
    • 1.1. What Are Public Venue Small Cells?
    • 1.2. Characteristics of a Public Venue Small Cell Network
    • 1.3. Heterogeneous Network
    • 1.4. Benefits of a Public Venue Small Cell System
    • 1.5. Operators Plans for Public Venue Small Cells
  • 2. COMPETING SOLUTIONS? - DAS AND CARRIER WI-FI
    • 2.1. Benefits of Small Cells vs. DAS vs. Wi-Fi
  • 3. DEPLOYMENT CHALLENGES
    • 3.1. SON
    • 3.2. Controllers
    • 3.3. eICIC
    • 3.4. CoMP
    • 3.5. Handover
    • 3.6. X2
    • 3.7. Multi-operator Operation
    • 3.8. Backhaul
    • 3.9. Network Management
    • 3.10. Core Offload - LIPA, SIPTO & IFOM
    • 3.11. Network/Security
  • 4. MARKET OUTLOOK
    • 4.1. 3GPP Rel12 and Beyond
    • 4.2. Market Forecasts
  • 5. COMPANIES
    • 5.1. Ubiquisys - a "Femto-Up" Approach
    • 5.2. SpiderCloud: A "Purpose Built" Approach
    • 5.3. Alcatel-Lucent: A "Macro-down" Approach
    • 5.4. Devicescape Software, Inc.: An "Alternative" Approach

Tables

  1. Small Cell Classes, Site Characteristics for Indoor and Outdoor Femto-, Pico-, Micro-, and Macrocells
  2. Selected Small Cell Products

Charts

  1. Equipment Revenues - Public Venue Small Cells, Global Forecast, 2012 to 2018
  2. DAS Equipment Revenues, Global Forecast, 2012 to 2018
  3. Carrier Wi-Fi Equipment Revenues, Global Forecast, 2012 to 2018
  4. Public Venue Small Cell, Open Access DAS and Carrier Wi-Fi Equipment Revenues, Global Forecast, 2012 to 2018

Figures

  1. 3GPP UMTS and LTE Rel 10 Small Cell Network Architectures