Small Cells: Expanding

indoor and outdoor

coverage and capacity

1. As demand for mobile broadband grows, the

need for greater outdoor capacity and indoor
coverage/capacity becomes more urgent.
Complementing macro capacity, small cells offer
a cost-effective way to meet this demand for
large and complex indoor areas.
2. As the macro network becomes full, Small Cells
will need to be implemented as a capacity
underlay using a pico cluster solution such as
Flexi Zone.
3. Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) has a full
portfolio of Small Cells products and services,
designed to support this evolution from
coverage to capacity.

Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

Liquid Radio:
Active, Adaptive and Aware

As mobile broadband demand continues to grow dramatically,

operators will need to increase capacity significantly by
adding small cells to complement their macro networks,
forming heterogeneous networks, or HetNets. To support the
rapid evolution of these HetNets, NSN offers an end-to-end
portfolio of products and services across both macro and small
cells that deliver the best mix of capabilities for the highest
return on investment for operators.

Flexi Lite Base Station can be deployed as a complete, one-box

base station site for WCDMA/HSPA. Integration with backhaul
products minimizes installation costs and lowers the sites
visual impact.

With constantly rising demand for mobile data, it is essential

that networks are modernized with all the capacity features
available, such as 6-sector, active antennas and LTE roll-out.
This will satisfy demand for the short-term, but in the longterm an underlay topology using small cells will deliver the
necessary increases in outdoor capacity for busy urban areas
and extend coverage indoors, even within very large buildings
and at very dense traffic locations.
Why Small Cells?
Small Cells are the ideal complement to a macro network. As
a specific, targeted investment, they can deliver immediate
benefits cost efficiently. With the cell site so much closer to
the user, system efficiency is much higher: a better, faster user
experience is delivered from a lower power, lower cost site.
Advanced HetNet features will leverage small cells to support
data demand realizing the potential of a liquid network.

Figure 1: NSN Flexi Lite Base Station delivers coverage

and capacity

Flexi Lite Base Station: Full-capacity micro / pico product in

a compact package
Whether filling holes in rural coverage or providing hotspot
capacity in densely crowded areas of an urban network, the
NSN Flexi Lite Base Station delivers the solution.

Flexi Zone LTE micro/pico base stations: Industry-smallest

with macro capability
Supporting both FDD-LTE and TD-LTE in a variety of bands,
outdoor/rugged base stations deliver up to 5W output in an
install-anywhere 5 kg/5 liter box and offer the same features
and capacity as macro base stations.

With the same capacity and running the same software as

NSNs macro base stations, the Flexi Lite Base Station can
be more easily integrated into a HetNet. With high power
transmitter output (up to 10+10W), high receiver sensitivity
(-121dBm single branch) and MIMO support, the Flexi Lite Base
Station outperforms conventional microcellular base stations.

The range also includes a multi-radio Flexi Zone picocell base

station that integrates LTE and Wi-Fi in one unit. Combined
with NSN Smart Wi-Fi real-time traffic steering, operators can
now take advantage of unlicensed spectrum to double site
capacity and improve the customer experience at
busy locations.
Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

An indoor Flexi Zone LTE picocell base station with optional

Wi-Fi support is also available for use in small and mediumsized indoor deployments.
With Flexi Zone controller, the micro/picocell becomes a Flexi
Zone access point for almost unlimited capacity or to serve
large, very large and dense indoor locations. The base station
can use a buildings existing Ethernet cabling (even that
carrying LAN data) to interconnect all Flexi Zone elements,
eliminating the cost of new wiring for Distributed Antenna
Systems (DAS) and Hybrid DAS systems.
All Flexi Zone base stations can incorporate HetNet
interference management and load balancing using NSNs
dynamic, load-balancing enhanced Inter Cell Interference
Coordination (eICIC) algorithm for up to 30% higher capacity.
Flexi Zone: Innovation for capacity & large coverage
NSN has brought innovation to the Small Cells market with
Flexi Zone: a Small Cell cluster solution for indoor and outdoor
hot zones. The Flexi Zone access point combines low power
LTE and Wi-Fi into a self-configuring unit for indoor and
outdoor capacity underlay networks. These access points
can operate as standalone micro/pico base stations for hot
spots and then be evolved with the addition of the Flexi
Zone Controller, enabling hotspots to grow into hot zones,
expanding limited coverage deployments to meet growing
demand. The individual units can be coordinated by a localized
controller to form a novel zone architecture that enables
capacity upgrades to an existing network without costly
reconfiguration.

Figure 2: Flexi Zones novel architecture allows capacity

upgrades without reconfiguration

Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

The solution allows an operator to build almost unlimited

capacity and coverage for up to very large indoor locations
by deploying clusters of access points across a hot zone and
enterprise/public indoor space. Flexi Zone uses LTE and Wi-Fi
access points to complement the macro-cellular network,
offering operators up to 50% lower overall costs than
conventional small cell deployments.
Flexi Zone controller can run a mix of indoor and outdoor cells
within one cluster, making it the first small cell solution capable
of addressing large and very large indoor environments like
airports, university campuses and shopping malls.
Flexi Zone controller software can even be deployed on Flexi
Multiradio 10 Base Stations. This provides a cost-effective way
to implement clusters of small cells for fill-in coverage near
existing macro sites, for example in streets flanked by high-rise
buildings. It also enables early deployment of hot zones by
re-using macro site infrastructure.
Flexi Zone controller also supports the integration of NSN
Radio Application Cloud Server (RACS) to power Liquid
Applications on a cluster of small cells. RACS is an IT server
inside the base station which deploys the latest cloud
technology running on standard IT middleware. Liquid
Applications is a technological breakthrough that turns a
base station into a powerful and distributed network edge
computing facility. Completely new services can be built
around the operators base station network, using its proximity
and direct connections to consumers and private networks.

Figure 3: NSN indoor picocell access point for large indoor

environments

Femtocells: Ultimate flexibility from a 3GPP-compliant

solution
The NSN Femtocell solution comprises a fully 3GPP-compliant
Femtocell gateway, with NSN 3G and 4G Femtocell Access
Points (FAPs). The most recent addition to the range brings
HSPA+ radio access to residential subscribers.
Operators deploying the NSN Femtocell solution have seen
immediate benefits with increased customer loyalty and lower
costs. The business case for Enterprise Femtocell deployments
is even stronger, with the opportunity to create new business
models through innovative architectures and locationawareness. In addition, NSN enterprise femtocells can extend
into public spaces to provide coverage and high capacity in
areas of dense user population and high broadband use.
The NSN femtocell solution is flexible, proven and mature,
giving operators the tools to differentiate their networks to
residential and enterprise customers.
Smart Wi-Fi combines the best of cellular and Wi-Fi
With NSN Smart Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi becomes just another radio
access technology for mobile operators, who can integrate
and control Wi-Fi networks to deliver a cellular-like experience
over Wi-Fi as part of a larger HetNet. Smart Wi-Fi provides
the visibility and tools to exploit operator-controlled Wi-Fi as
a seamless extension to a cellular network and ensure best
network selection according to the operator business strategy
and network loading.

The solution comprises four modules, each of which tackles

one aspect of introducing Wi-Fi as a seamless extension to the
cellular network.
Smart Wi-Fi Connect provides integrated multiradio Wi-Fi/
LTE pico cells, Wi-Fi access points and analysis, forecast and
capacity expansion planning services for urban congestion.
Smart Wi-Fi Converge helps integrate Wi-Fi with 3GPP network
and provision terminals for controlled, automated Wi-Fi access.
Smart Wi-Fi Optimize provides dynamic traffic steering of radio
traffic between 3GPP and Wi-Fi. Access Network Discovery and
Selection Function (ANDSF) implements rules-based steering,
with NSNs automated creation of traffic steering rules saving
operators substantial manual work and achieving the highest
network utilization. ANDSF capabilities are further enhanced to
enable real-time traffic steering based on network loading. Smart
Wi-Fi also supports HS2.0 ANQP for best Wi-Fi AP selection once a
HS2.0 capable device has been steered to Wi-Fi.
Smart Wi-Fi Personalize allows an operator to target selected
users for Wi-Fi access.
In-building solutions: Large building coverage
Most mobile broadband traffic originates indoors, in corporate
offices, airports, railway stations, malls, hospitals, stadiums
and resorts. But heavy traffic in crowded locations, poor
coverage and interference are barriers to good service.

Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

Wi-Fi radio access network

Analysis, planning and deployment

3GPP core integration

Device provisioning

Connect

Converge

Subscriber level
Insight & management

Traffic steering
Operation & management

Personalize

Optimize

Figure 4: NSN Smart Wi-Fi turns Wi-Fi into a fourth HetNet radio access technology

Furthermore, the challenging architecture of older buildings

and the difficulty in penetrating modern, energy-efficient
buildings are a significant issue. NSN helps operators to create
a strategy, architect the right product, and design, plan and
dimension an in-building solution. NSNs comprehensive
services include site acquisition, supply, project management
and full turnkey implementation of a DAS system and Small
Cells along with testing and optimization of the network.
NSN has a large installed in-building coverage base and more
than 15 years experience of mobile broadband integrated and
optimized in-building solutions.
Services for HetNets match traffic with user experience
Services for HetNets helps operators to analyze, plan, deploy,
and optimize heterogeneous networks. NSN provides the
best and deepest analysis of hotspots, enabling operators to
understand the impact of traffic density as well as devices,
applications, and end-user behaviour in congested urban
areas. Services for HetNets integrates small cell radio and
backhaul design, and includes macro, in-building, and Wi-Fi
solutions to ensure a holistic approach. With analysis based
on demand, 20% cost savings can be achieved compared to
blanketing the area with small cells. With this approach, 21%
more subscribers can access the highest data speeds and no
longer need suffer accessibility, retainability and throughput
issues as congestion in urban areas is solved.

Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

Putting it all together

NSNs end-to-end portfolio of products and services help
operators to gain the most benefit by combining macro
networks with small cells, including ever-present Wi-Fi,
for indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity. Whether
subscribers are on Wi-Fi or 3GPP access technologies, they
can now be guaranteed a superior experience.
The portfolio includes the award-winning Flexi Zone, which
enables almost unlimited capacity by deploying clusters of
access points in hot spots and hot zones. Also included are
3G and LTE Femtocell access points, micro and picocell base
stations that integrate LTE and Wi-Fi, a carrier-grade Smart
Wi-Fi solution for building, optimizing and controlling Wi-Fi
that integrates seamlessly with cellular networks, and Flexi Lite
Base Station for 3G coverage in-fill and hot spots.
NSN also offers a wide portfolio of supporting products
and solutions, such as Small Cell backhaul products, SelfOptimizing Networks solutions and network management
tools.
These products are supported by Services for HetNets to help
operators make a success of small cells through the analysis,
optimization, deployment and management of macro and
small cell networks.

Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

Nokia Solutions and Networks

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Finland
Visiting address:
Karaportti 3, ESPOO, Finland
Switchboard +358 71 400 4000
Product code C401-00963-B-201402-1-EN
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