The document discusses 4G/LTE small cell deployment and challenges. It covers increasing data demand driving the need for small cells, an overview of small cell types and use cases, deployment strategies and considerations around site acquisition, powering, backhaul, interoperability, alarm monitoring and maintenance. Successful small cell deployment requires addressing challenges such as managing backhaul, dealing with logistical issues, and obtaining expected radio performance while reducing costs.

1. 4G / LTE Small Cells
Deployment & challenges
Mahendra Lathi
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2. Agenda
 Increasing Data Demand
 What’s in the Toolbox
 Site Acquisition Challenges
 Powering 4G Small Cells
 Backhaul Considerations
 Interoperability
 Why 4G Small cells is critical
 Network elements used for indoor and outdoor small cells
 Small cells Deployment Strategies
 Small cells Deployment Scenario
 Small cells deployment challenges
 Small cells also face challenges, particularly outdoors
 Alarming and Monitoring Small Cells
 Small Cells Maintenance and Repair
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3. Increasing Data Demand
 Mobile data volume growing exponentially
 Smart phone sales outnumber PC sales
 Congested macro networks
 Wireless providers looking for more tools to supplement the macro network
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4. What’s in the Toolbox
Distributed
Antenna Systems
(DAS)
Wi-Fi
Small Cells
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5. Thinking Small?
As technology allows people to get more connected, the world is getting
smaller…and so are cell sites. Giant macro cell towers are no longer the norm as
carriers increasingly turn to small cell options.
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6. Small Cells – More capacity & more coverage
 Moving the base station closer to the user equipment results in highly-
quality air interface , which provides better spatial efficiency
 Spectrum increase: more spectrum is being freed up in an attempt to meet
demand
 Spectrum efficiency: moving to LTE delivers better spectrum efficiency
 Apart from the capacity increase : Better latency, in-building coverage,
better cell-edge coverage
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7. What Are Small Cells?
Small cells are low-power wireless access points that provide improved cellular
coverage and capacity for homes, enterprises, and metropolitan and rural public
spaces. They range from femtocells (the smallest) to microcells (the largest).
Residential
Femtocell
Enterprise
Picocell/
Metrocell
Metropolitan & Rural
Metrocell/
Microcell
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8. When are Small Cells Practical?
Address UMTS (future
LTE/Wi-Fi) coverage issues
reflected in CIQ data or
enterprise customer complaints
Provide coverage to whitespace
buildings or floors
(smaller footprint, tight CapEx)
Small Cells
Relieve capacity demand
building in spectrum
constrained markets
in- Provide easily deployable
temporary capacity or coverage
for specific events
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9. Small Cells Comparison
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Solution Description Technology # Users Cell
Radius
DAS Typically fed by a macro or micro base UMTS Up to 1,800 Up to 3
station. High power, multi-frequency, HSPA+ users per base miles
multi-carrier. LTE station
Wi-Fi A wireless access point connects a group 802.11b Up to 200 users 65 feet
of wireless devices to an adjacent wired 802.11g per a 3-radio
LAN. 802.11n access point
Microcell Short-range base station used for UMTS 32 to 200 users Up to ≈1
enhancing indoor and/or outdoor HSPA+ mile
coverage. LTE
Metrocell High-capacity, low power device that fills UMTS 16 to 32 users 10,000 –
in coverage holes within buildings. HSPA+ 20,000
LTE square feet
Picocell Typically used for indoor applications UMTS 32 users Up to 750
such as office buildings, airports, and LTE feet
malls.
Femtocell A small, low-power cellular base station UMTS 4-6 users 40 feet
typically used for a home or small LTE
business.
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10. Small Cells Growth
Small cell deployments are anticipated to grow to 91 million by end of 2016
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11. High Level Architecture
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12. Small cell antenna options
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13. Why small cell is critical
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14. Network elements used for indoor and
outdoor small cells
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15. Small cells Deployment Strategies
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16. Small cells Deployment Scenario
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17. Determining how best to manage backhaul
delivery to small cells to obtain appropriate
performance, cost, and location
Traditional planning and deployment methods
are not adapted to SC
Dealing with site logistical issues, including
placement locations, aesthetics, power, and
planning issues
Obtaining, in actual practice, the overall radio
performance that small cells theoretically deliver
Small cell (SC) deployment challenges
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18. Delivering the higher data speeds to support
the mobile app explosion
SC require tight interference control between
all layers (HetNet & SON)
New processes and tools are essential to ensure
SC are a success
Reducing cost-per-bit
Creating differentiation and adding value for
the end user
Monetizing over-the-top (OTT) applications
Retaining and upselling value to customers
Small cell (SC)deployment challenges
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19. Macro/ Femto & Femto / Femto Handoff
Issues
Data Security : (never trust the client , denial
of service attacks (deliberate
misconfiguration), malicious sensing and
signalling (disrupt macrocell behavior))
Reliability and Maintenance : distortion from
aging amplifiers, detecting and repairing
Small cell (SC)deployment challenges
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20. Backhaul challenges — how to cost-effectively link
small cells into the core network without
compromising performance
Radio performance — how to ensure traffic is
balanced between small cells and macro-cells in a
way that maximizes small-cell benefits without
creating unacceptable interference
Deployment issues — how to acquire and use
suitable sites at the right cost and in short timescales
Small cells also face challenges,
particularly outdoors
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21. Site Acquisition for Small Cells
Will you need
to use the
customer’s
vendor or IT
resources to
install the
system?
Can you gain
access where
you need to
(IDF closets,
Telco rooms)?
Do you need
to consider
sharing space
with other
operators?
Will you use
the customer’s
existing
backhaul?
What are your
space and
cabling
requirements?
Do you need
to leave room
for expansion
(LTE)?
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22. Powering Small Cells
There are currently three options for powering small cells:
Router or
switch
using PoE
PoE
Injector
AC plug
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23. Power Challenges for Small Cells
Uniformity
 Adopt one power solution for ease of
maintenance
Backup Power
 Establish a method for backup power
Efficiency
 Look at alternative power solutions with
smaller footprints
 Consider highly efficient power supplies with
low thermal impact to the equipment space
Scalability
 Opt for a power product that will support
future expansion
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24. Backhaul for Small Cells
Small Cells Traffic Macro Traffic
 Stationary user
 Data transmitted at one location
 Traffic most likely to be data
(downloading video, web surfing)
 Mobile user
 Data transmitted at multiple
locations
 Traffic most likely to be voice
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25. Backhaul for Small Cells
Three backhaul solutions for connecting
network:
a small cell to the IP
Shared IP Network – Shared IP Backhaul
Small Cell AP
PC
Backhaul
Network
VoIP Phone
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Ethernet
Switch
Router
Internet
Access
Mobile
Operator
Gateway
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26. Backhaul for Small Cells
Three backhaul solutions for connecting
network:
a small cell to the IP
Shared IP Network
Shared IP Network
–
–
Shared IP Backhaul
Dedicated IP Backhaul
Small Cell AP
PC
Backhaul
Network
VoIP Phone
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Ethernet
Switch
Router
Mobile
Operator
Gateway
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27. Backhaul for Small Cells
Three backhaul solutions for connecting
network:
Shared IP Network – Shared IP Backhaul
a small cell to the IP
Shared IP Network – Dedicated IP Backhaul
Dedicated IP
Small Cell AP
Network – Dedicated IP Backhaul
PC
Internet
Access
Backhaul
Network
VoIP Phone
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Router
Ethernet
Switch
Mobile
Operator
Gateway
Ethernet
Switch
Router
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28. Backhaul for Small Cells
Shared IP Network
Pros



Less cost
Simplified site acquisition
Faster deployment
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29. Backhaul for Small Cells
Shared IP Network
Cons
 Quality and performance
of the system dependent on
customer’s infrastructure
 Restricted visibility into the
network
 Routers, switches, and
cables maintained by the
customer
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30. Backhaul for Small Cells
Dedicated IP Network
Pros



More control over the network
Greater network visibility
Ability to maintain the system
end to end
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31. Backhaul for Small Cells
Dedicated IP Network
Cons
 More site acquisition
requirements
 Increased CapEx and OpEx
investments
 Longer deployment time
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32. Small Cells Interoperability
A Heterogeneous Wireless Network
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33. rved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.0
Small Cells Alarming and Maintenance
 Including new small cell deployments in existing alarm methods and
procedures
 Managing maintenance for customer installs
 Developing alarming solutions for customer-provided backhaul
 Training the workforce to support small cells equipment
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34. The Most Important Asset of All…
Your People
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35. Skills Needed to Deploy
• Environmental, Health & Safety
• Wireless Fundamentals
oGSM
oUMTS
oLTE
oWiFi
Wireless Networks
• IP Networking
oIPv6
oEthernet to the Cell Site (ETTCS)
Wireless Equipment
oBase Stations
oRadios
oSmall Cells
oAmps and Antennas
Civil Equipment
oHVAC
oPower plant & Reserve Power
oFire Suppression
Regulatory
•
•
• DAS Product Support & Training Lab
Farmers26
Wireless Education &Training
181 Classroom
Virtual Classroom
262 Web-Based
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36. Do the Hard
1.
2.
Integrity
Customer Service – are you willing to learn to treat your customers the way
you want to be treated? It may not be a natural skill you possess, but you
have to learn and practice.
Do you trust yourself to look at things with a New or Perhaps Different Set
of Eyes? Can you move beyond rule or rote based thinking? Are you
comfortable with “What If” being a major part of your world?
Can you operate in a Diverse World where you’re going to collaborate with
folks you may never meet in-person? Do you follow what is happening
internationally?
3.
4.
5. Do you continually develop and practice your Data and Business Skills?
are going to have to translate vast amounts of abstract and cost data,
understand what the data offers and then Communicate it in easy to
understand visual representations.
You
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37. Do The Hard
6. Do you Trust and Develop your Common Sense? Can you make sense of it
all or at least what is out in-front of you?
Are you Curious and Willing to Become Comfortable in various disciplines.
Networks are complex – you’ll need to develop an intense understanding in
at least one field, but you’ll have to have the capacity to speak in the
language of broader fields.
Do you practice Managing the Noise and developing your mental load
management ability. You’ll have to become great at effectively Filtering and
Focusing on what is important.
7.
8.
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38. Small Cells, Big Picture
Deploying small cells is a viable solution for filling in the coverage and capacity
gaps where a traditional macro cell can not reach.
strategy will consider:
A successful deployment
 Site Acquisition requirements
 Adequate power solutions
 Sufficient backhaul availability
 Interoperability with other wireless
solutions
 Appropriate alarming and
maintenance procedures
 A customer-focused and technically
skilled workforce
First call from outdoor small cell trial site
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39.  Mahendra.lathi@gmail.com
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