SMALL CELLS
What is small cell Technology?
Small cell is a low powered radio access point. It improves coverage, will support new services and user experiences .This can be implemented indoors or outdoors, licensed or shared spectrum .It consists of small radio equipment and antennas that can be placed on structures such as streetlights, the sides of buildings, or poles. They are about the size of a pizza box or backpack, and are essential for transmitting data to and from a wireless device.
Types of small cells :
Based on its coverage capacity and number of individual users it can support, We have three types of cell small cells in industry. They are,
- Femtocells
- Picocells
- Microcells
Working of small cells :
We find that the small cells are wireless transmitters and receivers that provide network coverage to smaller areas. These cells work in similar to the Conventional cell concept that has advanced techniques like MIMO , beamforming and millimeter waves for transmission etc…
Why does 5G needs small cells?
Deployment of low power transmitting stations can be easily done using small cells concept. Small cell hardware units are designed to reduce complexity, and thus, implementation is faster and easier .We can see that these small cells are cost efficient for their capacity and performance .It also offers more bandwidth without the use of costly macro sites. I found a report which stated that more than 10 million small cells are implemented throughout the globe .The top 5G small cell manufacturers are Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE, Cisco, Nokia etc…
Advantages of Small cells :
• I found it benefit because they are connected with fibre and so they are able to handle large amount of data at faster speeds.
• It provides flexibility and increased QoS capabilities at an attractive cost.
• It also play an important role in expanding the capacity of wireless networks.
• It is reliable ,effective coverage and capacity.
• It requires very small footprint.
• Internet of Things is future communication and small cell can connect to number of different devices.
• It reduces number of mobile tower within circle.
Disadvantages of Small cells :
• At the same time we should also consider that small cells require complex infrastructure for connecting all the base stations which seems to be a drawback.
• Power is required that is often not accessible at the point of installation.
• Frequency planning is required.
• Handover is needed because mobile station has to perform a handover when changing from one cell to another very frequently.
• Infrastructure is needed for a complex infrastructure to connect all base stations.
Conclusion :
Small cell technology is not just emerging. It is here and delivering better digital experiences today. Cars that communicate with road infrastructure and real-time workplace collaboration that happens with nobody in the same room and this is the future that 5G promises, and that small cells will make possible.
