Femtocells to boost rural 3G

Even if you are familiar with the technology that is made use in 3G, you may not know what a ‘femtocell’ means. Femtocells are nothing but small cellular stations that are used in small businesses and homes where the there is limited or no coverage. Femtocell functions by connecting to the provider’s network through Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or cable. Apart from coverage, it can make perfection to capacity.

Femtocells have been in the market but not quite popular. In 2009 a manufacturer in the UK made an announcement that it would make direct sales of the product to the public. In order to compel the operators to work together and to incorporate their systems, Hay Systems Ltd started selling the units directly.

One operator has been vigorously using Femtocell in Vodafone and this led the firm to announce that it is going to use femtocell technology to develop 3G mobile reception especially in the rural areas in the UK. Firm is ready to start trials and is looking for more towns where the trials could be conducted.

A spokesman of Vodafone stated that in keeping the community together and in touch, mobile connectivity plays a major role. Not only that, it also played a pivotal role in supporting the businesses in the rural areas which is the backbone of the rural economies.

In the growing smartphone revolution some areas get less chance than others in spite of the Government’s commitment with regard to connectivity.

Early next year, trials will be started in twelve selected communities. Vodafone is planning to make use of BT’s Openreach’s telephone poles. Since 2009, to improve home reception Vodafone has been offering Sure Signal femtocell units. Any way the new technology will be using “open” femtocells which are basically low-power 3G mobile phone base stations. This does not need any pre-registrations on the phone numbers that will utilize it. The spokesman added that the firm will experiment with other technologies like microwave. It has plans to get in touch with Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) and seek the possibility of getting help of other networks, which are being helped by BDUK, to cover those areas where there is no broadband service.