The use of small cells in telecommunications is becoming such an item of focus that hundreds of industry experts are poised to gather for a summit specifically aimed at small cells. The Small Cell World Summit is scheduled to be held in London in June. The summit will allow the experts a chance to discuss mobile technology convergence and the use of small cells in network deployments.


According to this Quantel report, the small cells event replaces what was once known as Femtocells (News - Alert) World Summit. The event this year is featured in the largest convention facility in the industry. Around 40 exhibitors are expected to be at the event to show off their solutions and products.

So why is all this excitement surrounding small cells? Telecoms are seeing small cells as the opportunity they’ve been looking for to not only increase revenues, but also reduce deployment times and put an end to connectivity problems in areas that weren’t receiving enough bandwidth.

The director of the Small Cells World Summit believes that small cells technology is being driven by higher capacity, open-access settings, and enhanced network planning techniques. The technology surrounding the development of small cells is becoming universally applicable.

Small cells are a benefit for telecoms that are trying to keep up with the needs of their customers, individuals that are demanding more data capabilities in more places. An increasing number of operators are deploying small cells that are able to take on next generation traffic.

Networks need to be brought closer to the everyday user. Outdoor small cells are helping to make this happen by bringing a higher amount of picocells into the network. One research firm has estimated that in a couple of years, small cells will outnumber macro cells. But it’s not only in urban centers that small cells are being deployed; enterprises and rural deployments are also on the rise over the last 12 months. And this is happening throughout the world, from Latin America to the rural areas of Asia.

A small cells forum held stateside in February included the sharing of information regarding the growth of small cells. Informa Telecoms & Media (News - Alert) suggests that femtocells will grow to 59 million by 2016, which happens to be a 2400 percent increase. Higher capacity enterprise and public area picocells are expected to grow from 140,000 in 2012 to nearly 550,000 in four years, a 385 percent increase.

Small cells are projected to see a 2000 percent increase by 2016, according to Informa. Given that level of projected growth, the timing for this summit is definitely optimal.




Edited by Stefanie Mosca