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They’re deployed by mobile operators all over the world as a fast, cost-effective solution to a wide range of coverage and capacity problems.. In every case, picocells were chosen for ve

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Picocell Application Guide

A Proven Way to Maximize

Return-on-Spectrum

When IP-enabled picocells first came onto the scene, they appeared to offer a new alternative to operators facing difficult coverage (and capacity) challenges But they also made operators feel a bit uncomfortable Using

IP for backhaul made a lot of sense… but it was unfamiliar for network planners used to their trusted tools

Today, picocells have come a long, long way They’re deployed by mobile operators all over the world as a fast, cost-effective solution to a wide range

of coverage and capacity problems As you’ll see, these applications start with in-building coverage, but extend far beyond as well

picocell Since the product was launched, operators have taken it into all sorts of different places – some of which were never envisioned before

In every case, picocells were chosen for very simple, hard-nosed reasons: because they offer fast, cost-effective capacity and coverage in places your macro network finds hard to reach The effect, in every case, is to maximize what we call Return-on-Spectrum

This guide is a brief summary of these application areas It’s designed to help network planners think about coverage and capacity problems in different ways and to recognize ‘picocell-shaped’ problems in your own networks

It also will help staff from the commercial side of your business – such as enterprise customer account teams – who wish to provide alternatives to their customers and talk with authority about them

We hope you find the guide useful and that you’ll give us a call to discuss ADC’s complete solutions for your network challenges

Operators have been struggling with coverage and capacity problems since mobile communications were invented.

Return-on-Spectrum

Coverage, Capacity and

The Coverage Challenge

Enterprises expect in-building service quality

•

Coverage in the workplace is a major

driver of dissatisfaction with operators –

a consistent finding in all global regions

Where coverage is an issue, it’s

•

the dominant issue – a key reason

for churn along with price and

handset choice

Coverage is often the primary differentiator

•

between operators – and the decisive factor

in awarding contracts

Source: Customer Survey, October 2005

The Capacity Challenge

More people using more bandwidth-hungry

•

applications – it’s a recipe for capacity

problems, especially in city centers

Adding new macro cells is expensive and

•

increasingly unpopular in many communities

Premium-rate data services demand ample

•

capacity, or quality of service suffers

“T-Mobile says it has found that poor

in-building cellular coverage was the No 1

reason its customers switched to rivals.”

Business Week, June 27, 2007

Picocells: A Primer

Picocells are a simple, time-tested solution for

a range of coverage and capacity challenges

deployed picocell technology, is a robust,

flexible system that includes the picocell, the

controller and the manager ADC has even

added an outdoor hardened microcell to let

you extend the benefits of this technology into

the most challenging environments

The Picocell The nanoBTS picocell is a complete GSM base station that uses the standard Um interface to the handset and an Abis interface carried over

IP for the backhaul

The nanoBTS offers:

Support for EDGE and half rate AMR

• Indoor coverage up to 125,000m

Low-cost IP backhaul

• Simple deployment – using a single

• Ethernet connection for power, traffic and signaling

Network Listen™ – supplements RF

• planning, allowing the planners to see into the difficult indoor environment to optimize coverage and avoid interference

Why Network Planners Use Picocells

Fast coverage and capacity

• Lower OPEX, with IP backhaul

• Easy, flexible deployment

•

No cell distortion, interference

•

or handover problems Easy to integrate and manage

• Easy to combine with DAS

•

Picocell Planning Guide

The Controller

The FlexWave Base Station Controller (BSC)

handles and routes all traffic between the

picocells and your existing Mobile Switching

Center (MSC) and Serving GPRS Support Node

(SGSN) The high-availability BSC provides

channel allocation and controls power-level

algorithms and handover procedures

It’s a modular unit that uses IP connectivity

between the picocells and the BSC, and a

standard circuit-based A-interface to the MSC

and SGSN There also is an option to connect

into architectures with softswitch MSCs

The BSC combines a processor module,

signaling gateway, media gateway and frame

relay gateway It’s housed in an 8-slot compact

PCI chassis for easy installation and expansion

in a low-cost package

The Manager

The FlexWave OMC-R (Operations and

Maintenance Center – Radio) provides all

the facilities needed for the operation and

maintenance of the nanoBTS picocells and

controller including configuration, performance

and alarm management

The Microcell The FlexWave microBTS is a ”deploy anywhere” microcell that allows an operator to extend the benefits of the FlexWave solution beyond pure in-building applications

The microBTS offers:

Same low-cost IP backhaul

• Higher output power (microcell class)

•

IP 67-rated, compact enclosure

• Extended temperature range

• Maintenance-free passive cooling

• Multiple transceivers options

•

MicroBTS Applications

Business campus, hospitals and universities

• Public hot spots, retail and sports venues

• Convention centers and hotels

• Transportation corridors, bridges

• and tunnels Airports, trains and subway stations

• Rural communities and other remote areas

•

For further information on ADC’s microcell solution, visit www.adc.com/wireless

Picocells: Pros and Cons

Pros:

Picocells give you fast, low-cost coverage

1

where it’s hard to get your signal Such as

in buildings

They’re a great way to offer enterprise

2

customers guaranteed capacity and service

quality in their offices

They provide cost-effective coverage

3

solutions for deployments ranging from

10–1000 people and beyond

They actually add capacity to your

4

network instead of draining it away

Think of a base station the size of a book

They cut your operating costs by using

5

existing IP for backhaul

They support fast data rates and high

6

voice capacity with half-rate AMR

They’re easy to integrate into any GSM

7

network The Base Station Controller

simply plugs into your MSC and SGSN

They’re easy to integrate into

8

DAS systems As a world leader

in DAS solutions, ADC can show

you how to combine the benefits

of both technologies

They’re quick and easy to install A picocell

9

goes on a wall with four screws Then an

Ethernet cable is plugged in and it’s ready

to use

They’re easy to take with you, if your

10

customer moves

They’re easy to manage using our

11

management software or feeding alarm

and performance data into yours

They earn dramatically more minutes and

12

megabytes and significantly reduce the

likelihood of churn

They’re proven nanoBTS picocells are

13

already carrying billions of minutes each

year for operators all over the world

Cons:

Picocells are a new element to introduce

1

into your network You may prefer not to have a new technology in there

Using Picocells requires learning about

2

IP But not a great deal It’s just a cheap, available source of backhaul

In some places, there may be no IP

3

available for backhaul But you tend

to find IP in places you don’t find base stations And you can use satellite backhaul, too

Your network equipment vendor may

4

claim they won’t integrate easily But they do We’ll show you

Some people will think you’re spending

5

too much on 2G when 3G is the future

In reality, picocells cut your 2G infrastructure costs

Picocell Planning Guide

Application 1: Filling

Macro Network Holes

The problem

Every network has black spots where coverage

is marginal or non-existent Even urban areas

that enjoy excellent coverage overall usually

have a few coverage holes due to geography,

building layout or coverage strategy

And rural areas are notoriously difficult and

expensive to reach with a conventional

macro network

In areas with marginal coverage, service quality

inside buildings can drop off sharply, resulting

in dropped calls, ‘network busy’ signals, slow

data rates and poor voice quality And where

coverage doesn’t exist at all, of course, there

can be no revenues

The solution

Picocells offer a fast, cost-effective solution

for coverage problems

Inside buildings – Picocells add pinpoint

coverage and capacity exactly where your

high-value enterprise customers work And by

offloading the macro network, they improve

service for the entire cell while delivering the

best possible quality indoors Additionally,

where RF spectrum is limited, picocells offer

better interference control and add more

capacity in the network

an IP-based solution designed to increase

RF coverage and capacity while reducing

up front deployment costs and on-going operating expense The microBTS is part of ADC‘s complete FlexWave Base Station System (BSS), supporting EDGE and AMR, with up to four GSM transceivers in one unit Designed

to stand up to the harshest environmental conditions and backed by ADC‘s high quality and support standards, the microBTS allows

an operator to rapidly deploy in the most challenging areas of the network

For more information on the microBTS, visit www.adc.com/wireless

Considerations

Is it possible to use the customer’s

1

broadband for backhaul or do we have to make other arrangements? Picocells need broadband (unless satellite

is an option)

Is the enterprise customer a prime

2

target? Enterprises love the benefits of their ‘own private base station’

Does the area have branch offices of

3

larger enterprise customers? Solving coverage for branches can secure the whole contract

Does the customer’s decision-maker

4

live out of range of the network? Many executives live in areas of poor coverage – a picocell in their homes may

be the answer

City center 3G coverage

Urban network map with coverage holes

Network holes 2G coverage 3G coverage

Suburban area 2G coverage

Application 2: Offloading

the Macro Network

The problem

Providing good service means always having

sufficient capacity available But avoiding

‘network busy’ errors in commercial centers

and large cities is becoming more difficult as

usage levels increase, driven by competitive

voice tariffs and attractive new data services

Subscribers are spending more time on the

network doing new, more bandwidth-intensive

activities That may affect the quality of service

operators provide to premium customers, like

to be able to access services whenever they

want Providing the right level of capacity

is tough in densely populated areas and

it’s limited by the spectrum available to

an operator

Simply adding new macro cells is expensive

and time consuming And public opposition to

the introduction of more and more radio masts

is increasing around the world as well, even if

good sites can be found

An operator’s lack of capacity is not only

a churn driver but a brake on new

service uptake

The solution

Picocells help maximize spectrum re-use: Unlike repeaters, picocells add capacity

•

to the network indoors and out Using picocells to solve in-building coverage problems increases the capacity in the outdoor macro network

They remove the problems of cell distortion,

• interference, handover and management

in city center locations where macro BTS spacing can be as low as 200 meters They provide sufficient extra capacity to

• ensure that subscribers of premium rate data services get the better radio quality they need

Considerations

Intelligent radio planning is the key

1

to getting more from your spectrum ADC can help you solve planning problems so you get the best possible return on spectrum

It’s critical to manage the effects

2

of any in-building solution on the surrounding macro network Properly deployed, picocells do not interfere with the macro network and actually improve its performance by offloading capacity

In-building picocells

Abis-over-IP IP Network

Existing core network MSC

BSC

OMC-R (clients)

A

Gb

SGSN The Controller

The Manager

Picocell Planning Guide

Application 3: Business Parks

The problem

Recent years have seen an explosion in office

developments at new business parks around

the world These modern sites frequently

house some of the most dynamic, expanding

businesses – and nearly all of them have

demanding communications requirements

They represent lucrative opportunities for

mobile operators that can get their services

right

Many business parks are found on the edge

of towns and cities where network coverage is

poor or even non-existent because the location

is far from the nearest macro BTS Customers

will simply not subscribe to a service if their

phone does not work where they do

Frequently in the more distant locations, new

macro deployment is uneconomic – there may

not be enough traffic to warrant building new

cells And even if there is a case for building

out the macro network, it will generally not be

possible to do this quickly

The solution

Picocells are a simple way to fill coverage holes

and signal strength challenges:

Deployment of ADC picocells is fast and

•

unobtrusive

Provide high quality in-building coverage

•

that meets any customer requirement

Customers feel the operator has responded

•

directly to their needs, building confidence

and long-term loyalty

The capital cost of picocells is not lost if the

•

customer moves or changes suppliers

All new sites will have modern fixed line

•

infrastructure offering accessible broadband

for backhaul

Considerations

Are there enough subscribers or

1

traffic to warrant investment by the operator? Picocells can often be deployed cost effectively even for a small office environment

Can the operator develop a strategy

2

to win business from all the companies

at the park? By deploying picocells strategically across the business park,

an operator can gain a reputation for providing the best coverage on site

Is the customer willing to underwrite

3

the cost of the picocell deployment? Picocells provide dedicated mobile coverage for the office, bringing significant benefits to a business customer These benefits may be sufficient for the customer to fund the IP backhaul, or even subsidize the picocell deployment

Application 4: High-rise Offices

The problem

High-rise office buildings proliferate in every

crowded city Signal strength tends to get

weaker the higher you go, demonstrated

by the fact that many operators refuse to

guarantee their service above the 12th floor

Ironically, the problem stems from the large

number of BTS normally found in crowded

cities, as operators strive to guarantee

outdoor service in places where most of their

subscribers demand it

Increased BTS density forces the need for

antenna tilts, which significantly reduce signal

strength on the highest floors In addition, as

power is increased, interference from many

BTS leads to poor signal quality

Unfortunately for operators, many companies

locate their senior executives on the top floors

of high rise buildings, precisely the people

who are most sensitive to signal strength and

quality And, critically, these are the people

who make the decisions about corporate

mobile contracts

The solution

Picocells can be used to target specific floors

quickly and easily:

They can be deployed in a few hours,

•

offering a quick, flexible solution to

resolving coverage problems

The small size of picocells and their ease

•

of installation means more flexible,

cost-effective deployments

Picocell radio output quality provides

•

superior coverage over several thousand

square meters in a building

Lower picocell power output poses minimal

•

interference challenges

The most senior decision-makers at a

•

customer have their needs much better

met, increasing loyalty and lowering the

propensity to churn

Considerations

Would it be better to deploy a system

1

for the whole building? Picocells provide a quick, cost-effective and highly targeted solution if the problems are limited to the upper floors

How easy is it to get access to the

2

executive offices? Picocells can be installed very quickly, without the need to lay cables, thereby minimizing disruption What are the radio planning

3

implications of introducing picocells? Interference, handover, security, neighbor issues and management are all built into the FlexWave BSS system to simplify network planning Power levels can

be tuned to provide highly targeted coverage and minimize interference with the macro network

Picocell Planning Guide

Application 5: Operator

Retail Stores

The problem

Branded retail outlets have become the main

way mobile operators promote and sell new

services and devices to their customers They

spend a fortune to build an environment that

sets them apart from the competition and they

require an excellent signal for demonstrations,

particularly for data services

The problem is that a store’s position inside a

shopping mall may result in a poor signal, and

even if position is not an issue, demonstration

areas tend to be at the rear of the shop

where coverage is invariably worse Some

shopping center owners also charge fees for

mobile coverage rights, pushing up the cost of

customer acquisition in what is likely to be an

already expensive location

The solution

Picocells offer a flexible, fast route to excellent coverage and signal quality in retail stores: Make use of existing IP connections used

• for point-of-sale terminals Small footprint easy installation means

• there is no need to involve the shopping mall owners

Gives great coverage even in the most

• difficult in-building environments Capacity can be reserved for data channels

• with high throughput, enabling more effective demos of new services

Considerations

Do you have broadband connections

1

in all stores? Broadband is needed for picocell backhaul

Are data services demonstrated

2

in-store? Increasingly, new data services must be demonstrated to encourage uptake

How many stores are in hard-to-reach

3

locations? You might only need picocells

in a few stores where location makes coverage and capacity an issue

Is there a demand for picocells now?

4

Talk to your store staff about coverage and quality issues in-store