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No, a femtocell isn’t a girl robot, a type of cancer or an indy band. It is something that may have a great impact on communications in the near future. In this Cheat Sheet, we review the latest mobile electronics innovation that isn’t an iPhone.
What’s a femtocell?
A femtocell is a small mobile phone base station that connects to a broadband network. They’re designed to improve the indoor use of cell phones and other cellular devices and bring 3G services to the home. The cell phone communicates with the femtocell base station, which then communicates with the owner’s broadband network. A femtocell is the handset equivalent of a Wi-Fi router for computers.
Who would want one?
Femtocells could be extremely useful for people who receive poor cell phone reception indoors by allowing cell communication via the Internet rather than through a standard cell tower. A user could potentially save on his or her plan minutes and also forgo a landline phone. One femtocell station can support several cell phones. They may save on cell phone battery drain since the phones don’t have to search for and lock onto a cell tower signal. A femtocell can also make Web applications run faster on handsets.
What companies will make them?
Several companies, including Samsung, Motorola and Netgear, have shown products at trade shows. Some telecoms, such as Sprint and T-Mobile, have launched the devices in select cities already.
How does a femtocell work?
Femtocells operate in the 2100MHz frequency band, the same as full-sized cell towers. They route near-proximity cell signals through a local broadband connection (cable or DSL modem), rather than the carrier’s cellular network.
How much do/will they cost?
In trial markets femtocells are being offered at a range of prices starting at $50 (Sprint Airave) and up. A price of about $100-$150, plus a monthly service charge seems likely when they reach wider deployment. ABI Research predicts that 100,000 will be shipped in 2008, with mass deployment by 2010.
What may interfere with femtocell adoption?
One thing that may impede femtocell adoption is the proliferation of public Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi-enabled handsets like the iPhone. However, public Wi-Fi hasn’t taken off as rapidly as expected, and some failed attempts (like the Wi-Fi plan in Philadelphia) suggest this will not be a problem. Interference between femtocells and macrocells (cell towers) could be a problem as well as femtocell-to-femtocell interference when they are in close proximity to each other (such as in apartment buildings or offices). Cost of deployment may also be a factor.
Femtocells, like Samsung’s Airave carried by Sprint, could be extremely useful for people who receive poor cell phone reception indoors by allowing cell communication via the Internet rather than through a standard cell tower.
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