The Small Cell Forum is an organization that supports the wide scale adoption of small cells. Its mission is to accelerate small cell adoption to change the shape of mobile networks and maximize the potential of the mobile Internet. Chairman of the Small Cell Forum, Gordon Mansfield, said “Carriers are moving beyond trials to deployments with public access use cases.”
It appears that the Forum is living up to their word. There have been several reports over the past year predicting a major growth in small cell deployments. The author of a report from Infonetics last year, Michael Howard, said, “Outdoor small cells or, more accurately, low-power cells, are an exciting new expansion of mobile networking, but they come with challenging backhaul issues. As a result, deployments of outdoor small cells are modest right now, as mobile operators sort things out and test, trial and select technologies, products and vendors. But that’s about to change and fast.”
Last Friday it was announced by InterCloud Systems Inc. that they were awarded two major design contracts for small cell deployments. Both of these contracts are in area where small cell coverage is not only a definite plus, but it is almost a necessity at this point. Combined the contracts are valued at over $600,000.
One of the contracts concerns a major U.S. Theme Park. There is no information that I can find to say which park it is. They seem to be keeping that information quiet. I do know that in February, AT&T announced its deployment of 25 distributed antenna systems (DAS), 350 small cells and 40 repeaters at Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort properties to improve its 3G and LTE services. So, obviously it is a different theme park that InterCloud will be working on, however, it will be deploying DAS and small cells, along with managed services to support their client.
The other contract takes the company underground. Maybe saying it that way is just the New Yorker in me. The contract is with an OEM to provide communications design services for a major northeast metropolitan city's transit system. I just naturally assume that it is a subway; however it doesn’t have to be.
In any event, again, speaking as a New Yorker, there is a great deal of convenience being able to receive text and email messages on my smartphone while I am actually under the city. Of course, the flip side of that is that I sometimes have to listen to someone yelling into their phone because they can also receive phone calls. The only redeeming factor is that not every station on a line has been set up, so some of these calls do drop.
I can see that it would be a very useful thing for all theme parks deploying DAS and small cell units. It is the perfect location for everyone to want to constantly be on a social media site or send pictures to everyone that will look at them. If we continue with Disney as a model, small cell units can also help with the use of wearable technology such as wrist bands that eliminate the need for tickets, cards and keys.
It would appear that all of the reports going back to last June are correct and that with companies like InterCloud we can see more deployments of small cells in strategic locations that will keep everyone connected.
Edited by
Maurice Nagle 
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