Femtocell : Is It the Future

The femtocell concept aims to combine fixed-line broadband access with cellular telephony using the deployment of ultra-low-cost, low-power third generation (3G) base stations in the subscribers' homes or premises. Femtocells are small cellular base stations that may be deployed in residential, enterprise, or outdoor areas. They utilize the available broadband connections of the users (e.g., cable or DSL) and typically have a coverage radius on the order of ten meters or more.Femtocell networks are considered to be a viable option that can fulfill the demands of high speed voice and data traffic for the indoor users. The cellular network operators need to modify the existing single tier macrocell network in order to provide the services of femtocells to its users. Femtocells are small cellular base stations that may be deployed in residential, enterprise, or outdoor areas. Theyutilize the available broadband connections of the users (e.g., cable or DSL) and typically have a coverage radius on the order of ten meters or more. Due to very short communication distances, femtocell networks offer significantly better signal qualities compared to the current cellular networks. This makes high-quality voice communications and high data rate multimedia type of applications possible in indoor environments.