Telecom operators are expected to double the percentage
of base transceiver station units that are small cells from 6 percent this year
to 12 percent in 2012, signaling a substantial increase in small cell
deployments.
Small cells are shifting from indoor voice coverage
improvement to data optimization and are poised to play a major role in 3G and
4G network expansion.
Operators we interviewed in November 2011 expect to
double the percentage of base transceiver station units that are small cells
from 6 percent this year to 12 percent in 2012, suggesting a significant ramp
up in small cell deployments across the board,” said Stephane Teral, Infonetics Research‘s principal analyst for
mobile and FMC infrastructure.
This is despite the fact that the majority of operators
still see interference management and support for heterogeneous networks as a
challenge to deploying small cells. The small cell market will take off one way
or the other.
According to Infonetics Research, while widespread, the
small cell installed base is tiny compared to that of macrocells, and although
it is growing at a fast pace, it will take some time to reach meaningful
penetration.
72 percent of the respondent operators participating in
Infonetics’ survey have already deployed small cells.
Of those deploying small cells, microcells are deployed
by the most so far but picocells will take the lead next year.
The top 3 drivers for deploying small cells are
optimizing in-building coverage, optimizing high data usage areas, and
non-expandability of the macro network.
More operators plan to employ distributed antenna systems
(DAS) and public space femtocells next year compared to this year.
Small cells are mainly used in metro areas and large
enterprises now, but reflecting the fact that service providers are facing
increased pressure to keep users happy, next year respondent operators plan to
deploy significantly more small cells in many more locations, including public
venues, airports and stations, retail malls, hotels, highways, rural areas,
etc.
Like last year, interference management and support for
heterogeneous networks are operators’ top-rated technical challenges to
deploying small cells.
But operators will need to spend some time testing to
figure it all out. Small cells won’t come to the rescue for every situation,
but they are a critical tool that operators are turning to and will continue to
in increasing numbers in the future,” Teral added.
By Telecomlead.com Team
editor@telecomlead.com
