Picocells The Applications HandbookA proven way to maximize Return-on-Spectrum

Introduction

Coverage, Capacity and Returnon-Spectrum. Operators have been struggling with coverage and capacity problems since mobile communications were invented.

Repeaters, Distributed Antenna Systems and micro base stations all play a role. But they also force the operator to pay a high price, in terms of capital expense, operating expense, delay, hassle or access. When IP-enabled picocells first came onto the scene, they appeared to offer a new alternative to operators facing difficult coverage (and capacity) challenges. But they also made a lot of operators feel a bit uncomfortable. Using IP for backhaul made a lot of sense but it was just a bit unfamiliar for network planners used to their trusted tools. Today, picocells have come a long, long way. Theyre deployed by mobile operators, all over the world as a fast, cost-effective solution to a wide range of coverage and capacity problems. As youll see, these applications start with in-building coverage, but extend far beyond as well. The ip.access nanoGSM solution is the worlds most deployed picocell, by far. Since launching the product, weve helped operators take it into all sorts of different places some of which we never envisaged ourselves.

In every case, picocells were chosen for very simple, hard-nosed reasons: because they offer fast, cost-effective capacity and coverage in places your macro network finds hard to reach (and conventional solutions fall short). The effect, in every case, is to maximize what we call Return-on-Spectrum. This Handbook is a brief summary of these application areas. Its designed to help network planners think about your coverage and capacity problems in new ways and to recognise picocell-shaped problems in your own networks. It will also help staff from the commercial side of your business such as enterprise customer account teams for example who wish to provide alternatives to their customers and talk with authority about them. We hope you find the Handbook useful and that youll give us a call to discuss your own network challenges.

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Contents03. Picocells: a primer 05. Pros and cons 07. Picocells and the alternatives 09. 10. 11. 13. 15. 16. 17. 19. 20. 22. 23. 25. 27. The Applications: Filling macro network holes Offloading the macro network Business parks High rise offices Operator retail stores Difficult buildings Multi-tenanted buildings Underground facilities Satellite-based applications Case studies: The evolution of picocells Cincinnati Bell, US T-Mobile, UK Spring Mobile,Sweden

The Coverage Challenge Enterprises expect in-building service quality coverage in the workplace is a major driver of dissatisfaction with operators a consistent finding in all global regions. Where coverage is an issue, its the dominant issue a key reason for churn along with price and handset choice. Coverage is often the primary differentiator between operators and the decisive factor in awarding contracts.Source: ip access survey October 2005

The Capacity Challenge More people using more bandwidth-hungry applications its a recipe for capacity problems, especially in city centres. Adding new macro cells is expensive and increasingly unpopular in many communities. Premium rate data services demand ample capacity, or quality of service suffers.

Business case: 28. Improving in-building coverage 29. Cutting deployment costs 30. Summary 31. FAQs 34. Conclusion About ip.access

T-Mobile says it has found that poor in-building cellular coverage was the No. 1 reason its customers switched to rivals.Business Week, 27 June 2007

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Introduction

Picocells: a primerPicocells are a simple, time-tested solution to a range of coverage and capacity challenges. nanoGSM, the worlds most deployed picocell, is a robust, flexible system based on three components: the picocell, the controller and the manager.

The picocellsThe nanoBTS picocells are complete GSM base stations that use the standard Um interface to the handset and an Abis interface carried over IP for the backhaul. nanoBTS A compact picocell, for GSM/GPRS/EDGE the nanoBTS is available in four variants covering the 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz bands. The nanoBTS offers high-speed data rates with full support for EDGE and a significant increase in voice capacity with half-rate AMR. nanoBTS offers: Indoor range up to 200m. Low-cost IP backhaul. Simple deployment using a single Ethernet connection for power, traffic and signaling. Network Listen supplements RF planning, allowing the planners to see into the difficult indoor environment to optimize coverage and avoid interference issues.

Why network planners use picocells Fast coverage and capacity Lower capex than distributed antenna systems Lower opex, with IP backhaul Easy, flexible deployment No cell distortion, interference or handover problems Easy to integrate and manage3

The controllerThe nanoGSM Base Station Controller (BSC) handles and routes all the IP traffic between the picocells and your existing MSC and SGSN over the standard A and Gb interfaces. There is also an option to connect into architectures with softswitch MSCs. The BSC provides channel allocation and controls the power level algorithms and handover procedures for the picocells. The unit is engineered for high availability by combining selective redundancy with fast restart capabilities. The BSC combines a processor module, signalling gateway, media gateway and frame relay gateway. It is housed in a 4U high compact PCI chassis for easy installation in a low-cost package. The nanoBTS BSC is also provided in a software variant called the softBSC, an application supported on a standard Linux OS. The softBSC supports all the same features as the hardware BSC.

The managerThe OMC-R (Operations and Maintenance Centre Radio) provides all the facilities needed for the operation and maintenance of the nanoGSM picocells and controller including configuration, performance and alarm management.

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Introduction

Picocells: pros and consPros:1. Picocells give you fast, low-cost coverage where its hard to get your signal. Like in buildings. 2. Theyre a great way to offer enterprise customers guaranteed capacity and service quality in their offices. 3. They win the ROI analysis against repeaters and DAS systems in most deployments for 10-1000 people (and beyond). 4. They actually add capacity to your network instead of draining it away. Think of a base station the size of a book. 5. They cut your operating costs by using existing IP for backhaul. 6. They support fast data rates (nanoGSM supports GPRS and EDGE) and high voice capacity with half-rate AMR. 7. Theyre easy to integrate. For example, nanoGSM has been integrated into just about every kind of GSM network. Our Base Station Controller simply plugs into your MSC and SGSN. 8. Theyre quick and easy to install. A picocell goes on a wall with four screws. Then an Ethernet cable is plugged in and its ready to roll. 9. Theyre easy to take with you, if your customer moves. 10. Theyre easy to manage using our management software or feeding alarm and performance data into yours. 11. They earn dramatically more minutes and megabytes and significantly reduce the likelihood of churn. 12. Theyre proven. nanoGSM picocells are already carrying billions of minutes each year for operators all over the world. The cons would have to be very, very bad to out-weigh all of this.

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Cons:1. Picocells are a new thing to introduce into your network. You may prefer not to have a new technology in there. 2. They mean you have to learn a bit about IP But not much, really. Its just a . cheap, available source of backhaul. 3. In some places, there may be no IP available for backhaul. But you tend to find IP in places you dont find base stations. And you can use satellite backhaul, too. 4. Your network equipment vendor may not like the idea. But theyll get used to it (and whose network is it anyway?) 5. Your network equipment vendor may claim they wont integrate easily. But they do. Well show you. 6. Some people will think youre spending too much on 2G when 3G is the future. In reality, picocells cut your 2G infrastructure costs. But youll have to explain that (we can help make the case). 7. Theyre not as simple as repeaters. No, theyre not. But they dont distort cells, drain capacity, fumble handovers, create interference and cause management headaches either.

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Introduction

Picocells and the alternativesRepeatersRepeaters are to network planning what the rock was to the caveman. Simple and ubiquitous, but not the most sophisticated solution around. Network planners have always understood the limitations and sideeffects of repeaters, but the alternatives always looked more expensive and difficult to deploy. Today, planners arent so quick to turn to repeaters to fill black spots or penetrate buildings. Picocells are increasingly their preferred alternative.

Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS)DAS solves a lot of problems and many applications justify the high start-up and capex costs. A DAS with a micro base station in a basement is a high-quality, proven way of getting spectrum into buildings. We believe there will always be a role for DAS and our picocells are sometimes used to feed them. But for many applications, its hard to justify the deployment costs, detailed site planning, permissions from building owners, T1/E1 costs and the expense and hassle of laying coaxial cable. For many of these applications, network planners can justify picocells when the business case for DAS just doesnt add up. And for others, picocells complement active DAS in cost-effective hybrid solutions that enjoy the best of both worlds.

TweakingNetwork planners are ingenious problem solvers. Sometimes tweaking the macro network, intelligent traffic shaping or reaiming an antenna can solve coverage problems. Its hard to get more costeffective than that. Ultimately, tricks and tweaks may not be scalable enough for the coverage and capacity issues many operators are facing. But its always worth looking at.

Doing nothingNetwork planning is a game of tradeoffs. You cant do everything everyone asks for and all the things you simply must do. Doing nothing always has a cost. It may mean losing a customer or foregoing an opportunity that could generate significant revenue. For many network planners, picocells offer a low-cost alternative to tap dancing. Because theyre cost-effective, the business case threshold is low. And because they deploy so quickly, they let you seize opportunities intelligently.

Repeaters

nanoGSM

Only extends coverage, no additional capacity (feeds off macro network) Complex and time-consuming to install Distorts macro cell, causing interference and handover issues, and creating radio planning problems Difficult to manage, with no automated fault reporting Does not provide knowledge of the end users location, so additional services are not possible Cheap repeaters amplify competitors signals7

Adds both coverage and capacity, with ability to improve data rates Extremely quick and easy to install Seamless integration into the macro network Network Listen feature simplifies radio planning on site Fault and performance monitoring and full O&M support Location awareness creates the possibility to offer in-building bespoke tariffs and other location based services Generates operator-specific signal

The Applications:09. 10. 11. 13. 15. 16. 17. 19. 20.

Filling macro network holes Offloading the macro network Business parks High rise offices Operator retail stores Difficult buildings Multi-tenanted buildings Underground facilities Satellite-based applications

apps

1Application 19

The problemEvery network has black spots where coverage is marginal or non-existent. Even urban areas that enjoy excellent coverage overall usually have a few coverage holes due to geography, building layout or coverage strategy. And rural areas are notoriously difficult and expensive to reach with a conventional macro network. In areas with marginal coverage, service quality inside buildings can drop off sharply, resulting in dropped calls, network busy signals, slow data rates and poor voice quality. And where coverage doesnt exist at all, of course, there can be no revenues.

The solutionPicocells offer a fast, cost-effective solution to coverage problems. Inside buildings picocells add pinpoint coverage and capacity exactly where your high-value enterprise customers work. And by offloading the macro network, they improve service for the entire cell while delivering the best possible quality indoors. Additionally, where RF spectrum is limited, picocells offer better interference control and add more capacity in the network. Outside picocells can be deployed as low-cost but full-function base stations. ADCs new FlexWave Base Station System integrates the ip.access nanoGSM technology into a selfcontained, outdoor hardened, micro GSM base station solution using IP for backhaul.

Filling macro network holes

ConsiderationsIs it possible to use the customers broadband for backhaul or do we have to make other arrangements? Picocells need broadband (unless satellite is an option). Is the enterprise customer a prime target? Enterprises love the benefits of their own private base station. Does the area have branch offices of larger Enterprise customers? Solving coverage for branches can secure the whole contract. Does the customers decision-maker live out of range of the network? Many VIPs live in areas of poor coverage a picocell in their homes may be the answer.

Urban network map with coverage holes

2Application 2

The problemProviding good service means always having sufficient capacity available. But avoiding network busy errors in commercial centres and large cities is becoming more difficult as usage levels increase, driven by competitive voice tariffs and attractive new data services. Subscribers are spending more time on the network doing new, more bandwidthintensive things. That may affect the quality of service operators provide to premium customers, like BlackBerry and other PDA users, who expect to be able to access services whenever they want. Providing the right level of capacity is tough in densely populated areas and its limited by the spectrum available to an operator. Simply adding new macro cells even if theyre micro base stations is expensive and time consuming. And public opposition to the introduction of more and more radio masts is increasing around the world as well, even if good sites can be found. An operators lack of capacity is not only a churn driver but a break on the uptake of new services.

The solutionPicocells help maximise spectrum re-use: Unlike repeaters, picocells add capacity to the network indoors and out. Using picocells to solve in-building coverage problems increases the capacity in the out-door macro network. They remove the problems of cell distortion, interference, handover and management in city centre locations where macro BTS spacing can be as low as 200m metres. They provide sufficient extra capacity to ensure that subscribers of premium rate data services get the better radio quality they need.

Offloading the macro network

ConsiderationsIntelligent radio planning is the key to getting more from your spectrum. ip.access can help you solve planning problems so you get the best possible Return-on-Spectrum. Its critical to manage the effects of any in-building solution on the surrounding macro network. Properly deployed picocells do not interfere with the macro network and actually improve its performance by offloading capacity.

In-building picocells10

3Application 311

The problemRecent years have seen an explosion in office developments at new business parks around the world. These modern sites frequently house some of the most dynamic, expanding businesses and nearly all of them have demanding communications requirements. They represent lucrative opportunities for mobile operators that can get their services right. Many business parks are found on the edge of towns and cities where network coverage is poor or even non-existent, because the location is far from the nearest macro BTS. Customers will simply not subscribe to a service if their phones do not work where they do. Frequently in the more distant locations, new macro deployment is uneconomic there may not be enough traffic to warrant building new cells. And even if there is a case for building out the macro network, it will generally not be possible to do this quickly.

The solutionPicocells are a simple way to fill coverage holes and signal strength challenges: Deployment of picocells is fast and unobtrusive. Provides high quality in-building coverage that meets any customer requirements. Customers feel the operator has responded directly to their needs, building confidence and long-term loyalty. Unlike DAS systems, the capital cost of picocells is not lost if the customer moves or changes suppliers. All new sites will have modern fixed line infrastructure offering accessible broadband for backhaul.

Business parks

Typical business park in a rural area

ConsiderationsAre there enough subscribers, and is there enough traffic, to warrant investment by the operator? Picocells can often be deployed costeffectively even for a small office environment. Can the operator develop a strategy to win business from all the companies at the park? By deploying picocells strategically across the business park, an operator can gain a reputation for providing the best coverage on site. Is the customer willing to underwrite the cost of the picocell deployment? Picocells provide dedicated mobile coverage for the office, bringing significant benefits to a business customer. These benefits may be sufficient for the customer to fund the IP backhaul, or even subsidise the picocell deployment.

The improvement to in-building coverage that nanoGSM delivers will make a major difference to our customers, particularly our corporate subscribers, who rely on their mobile phones as a vital business tool. ip.access technology gives us a cost-effective way to extend our outdoor coverage levels indoors, mainly in new buildings whose construction materials obstruct signal penetration from outside. Pavel Kolar , CTO, Telefonica O2 Czech Republic

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4Application 413

The problemHigh rise office buildings proliferate in every crowded city. Signal strength tends to get weaker the higher you go, demonstrated by the fact that many operators refuse to guarantee their service above the 12th floor. Ironically, the problem stems from the large number of BTS normally found in crowded cities, as operators strive to guarantee outdoor service in places where most of their subscribers demand it. Increased BTS density forces the need for antenna tilts, which significantly reduce signal strength on the highest floors. In addition, as power is cranked up, interference from many BTS leads to poor signal quality. Unfortunately for operators, many companies locate their senior executives on the top floors of high rise buildings, precisely the people who are most sensitive to signal strength and quality. And, critically, these are the people who make the decisions about corporate mobile contracts.

The solutionPicocells can be used to target specific floors quickly and easily: They can be deployed in a few hours, offering a quicker, more flexible alternative to traditional DAS and repeater solutions The small size of picocells and their ease of installation means more flexible, cost-effective deployments Picocell radio output quality provides superior coverage over several thousand square metres in a building Lower picocell power output poses minimal interference challenges The most senior decision makers at a customer site have their needs much better met, increasing loyalty and lowering the propensity to churn.

High rise offices

ConsiderationsWould it be better to deploy a system for the whole building? Picocells provide a quick, cost-effective and highly targeted solution if the problems are limited to the upper floors. (They might even be the best way to cover the whole building, if necessary.) How easy is it to get access to the executive offices? Picocells can be installed very quickly, without the need to lay cables, thereby minimising disruption. What are the radio planning implications of introducing picocells? Interference, handover, security, neighbour issues and management are all built into the nanoGSM system to simplify network planning. Power levels can be tuned to provide highly targeted coverage and minimise interference with the macro network.

High rise offices

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5Application 515

The problemBranded retail outlets have become the main way mobile operators promote and sell new services and devices to their customers. They spend a fortune to build an environment that sets them apart from the competition and they require an excellent signal for demonstrations, particularly for data services. The problem is that a stores location inside a shopping mall may result in a poor signal, and even if location is not an issue, demonstration areas tend to be at the rear of the shop where coverage is invariably worse. Some shopping centre owners also charge fees for mobile coverage rights, pushing up the cost of customer acquisition in what is likely to be an already expensive location.

The solutionPicocells offer a flexible and fast route to excellent coverage and signal quality in retail stores: Makes use of existing IP connection used for point of sale terminals. Small footprint and easy installation means that there will be no need to involve the shopping mall owners. Gives great coverage even in the most difficult in-building environments. Capacity can be reserved for data channels with high throughput, enabling more effective demos of new services.

Operator retail stores

ConsiderationsDo you have broadband connections in all stores? Broadband is needed for picocell backhaul. Are data services demonstrated in-tore? Increasingly, new data services must be demonstrated to encourage uptake. How many stores are in hard-to-reach locations? You might only need picocells in a few stores where location makes coverage and capacity an issue. Is there a demand for picocells now? Talk to your store staff about coverage and quality issues in-store.

Typical operator retail outlet

6Application 6

The problemModern construction methods involve a bewildering use of materials and a range of innovative construction techniques. While these may pass an occupiers aesthetic, status or environmental tests, they often block RF signals, making coverage within patchy or of poor quality. The main problems stem from the special materials architects choose such as copper cladding or metal for roof and wall construction. Thick concrete and the increasing use of special glass windows for thermal efficiency can also cause problems. Unusual public buildings, such as museums, visitor centres, airports and stations are often susceptible to coverage problems.

The solutionAll of this adds up to the requirement for a cost-effective in-building solution to overcome these challenges to coverage. Picocells work well in these environments: Allows the operator to provide excellent service in a challenging environment, improving customer perception of service quality. Puts coverage directly inside the building, rather than straining the macro network to serve in-building users from outside. Much cheaper and quicker than adding a dedicated macro cell or DAS solution.

Difficult buildings

ConsiderationsWill there be enough traffic to warrant picocell deployment? Start with the buildings that get the most use. Think about the usage of the building in question. Consider user demographics, length of stay, etc. Evaluate competitive performance. Do competing networks out-perform yours in the buildings in question? Can you afford poor coverage or is it a potential cause of churn?

Difficult buildings

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7Application 717

The problemMost large office buildings contain more sometimes substantially more than a single tenant. These companies will normally be serviced by a variety of competing operators. And unless the office is newly built, it is unlikely that it contains a full DAS wireless building system. Most buildings because of the materials used in construction or the structure of the building itself have dead coverage spots indoors. But its simply uneconomic for operators to install DAS systems to cover a few floors and address their specific customer requirements especially if those customers may move to new premises in the future, wiping out the operators capital investment in the equipment.

The solutionPicocells furnish operators with the tools to provide targeted coverage for customers working in multi-tenanted buildings: A single picocell will usually cover a whole floor. They can be located in the heart of the building to provide coverage in difficult to reach areas. Picocells can provide targeted RF coverage to allow closer frequency reuse. Multiple picocells can operate on the same frequencies if separated by a few floors, making radio planning easier. They can use different frequencies to handle several customers located in close proximity.

Multi-tenanted buildings

Indoor usage

ConsiderationsAre there penalties associated with having to separate in-building and macro network frequency bands? Frequency re-use is easily managed with nanoGSM. Building owners may offer access to their installed DAS. Installing picocells can often be more cost-effective than paying for access to an installed DAS. Are the tenants likely to move? Picocells can be removed and redeployed quickly and easily when a tenant moves.

For 99 per cent of in-building coverage applications a picocell-only approach is our preference. We prefer picocells because of the RF control that they provide, which allows much closer frequency reuse. They also create minimal interferenceNick Stevens, Senior Radio Frequency Engineer, Cincinnati Bell, US

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8Application 819

The problemGSM signals do not penetrate underground. In densely populated urban areas, a high quality signal may be required for safety or network quality reasons. But because underground facilities (car parks, subway stations) are likely to be low-traffic areas, the requirement is for an easily deployable, cost-effective solution. This is not least because access for donor antennas may be limited, and its likely that routing thick coaxial cables for passive antenna systems will be difficult.

The SolutionPicocells provide a very cost-effective solution in this situation: Easy to deploy while providing thousands of square metres of coverage. Require only Ethernet cabling for connectivity. No requirement for dedicated equipment room or intensive maintenance.

Underground facilities

ConsiderationsIs there IP available for backhaul? Or can broadband be easily installed? When and how is the underground facility used? Consider how usage maps to your network demand profile.

Underground carpark below high rise offices

9Application 9

The problemMany mobile applications are required in areas where there is no broadband connectivity available for backhaul. In these circumstances, operators are exploring the viability of satellite communications. The key application areas are: Rural areas where the aim is to provide coverage to remote locations like villages, rural commercial settlements (such as rubber plantations, mining camps, refugee camps and the like). The requirement here is for an outdoor picocell with large coverage. Oil and gas where onshore and offshore exploration and production rigs (the former are mobile) require connectivity to support the private communications needs of workers as well as for safety reasons. Marine where cruise ships, ferries, private yachts and commercial shipping requires connectivity.

Satellite-based applications

Aircraft where the commercial aviation sector want to provide phones for passengers. This service is currently provided by two companies AeroMobile and OnAir. There is also a requirement for connectivity on executive jets to allow VIPs to keep in touch, invariably using normal mobile devices.

The solutionPicocells provide a very flexible solution to connectivity challenges in these areas. The solution involves connecting a picocell BTS into an existing remote hub and then routing signals over a satellite connection into a ground station. From there the traffic is moved into the core of a mobile operators network. The architecture uses the IP link on the satellite which is cheaper than a circuit switched connection. The consumer benefits because invariably all calls are made and received on their personal cell phone number and call charges appear on their monthly bill. Whether on sea or in the air, business people can continue to use premium services, like BlackBerry or other PDA services with the full range of features they use normally in their offices.

ConsiderationsHow do I avoid interference from other RF services? Interference can be easily managed with frequency re-use and other techniques. Talk to ip.access. Is satellite connectivity already available? If so, adding picocells can be extremely cost-effective. How easy is it to route traffic into the mobile network? Integration with the core network is similar to systems that use DSL for backhaul.

Satellite based applications20

Picocells evolution story

Using picocells to provide enhanced services Three case studies; two business cases

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cases

The evolution of picocells

Enterprise market capture (differentiation)

Macro offload (capacity)

In-building (coverage)

Operators originally deployed picocells to deal with coverage black spots. As the technology has matured, however, operators are also beginning to use picocells: To improve macro network capacity and performance To attack the lucrative business customer segment through the promise great service quality. These case studies illustrate how the three-phase picocell evolution has occurred, and explain the benefits of picocells at each stage of the journey.

Solving in-building challengesThe first problem picocells solve is improving coverage inside buildings. Operators use picocells in this application because they offer fast, costeffective coverage in places the macro network finds hard to reach, and where conventional solutions fall short. Cincinnati Bell has been installing nanoGSM picocells since 2004, and now uses them for nearly all of its indoor coverage requirements, removing all active and passive repeaters from the network.

Macro network offloadAvoiding network busy signals in densely populated inner cities is becoming difficult as voice and text usage spirals and people spend more time doing more bandwidth-intensive things. Picocells add capacity to the network instead of simply moving it around (like repeaters). And they are easy to install (unlike DAS and micro base stations) and integrate into the macro network. T-Mobile in the United States has pioneered macro offload using nanoGSM picocells to increase cell capacity.

Enterprise market captureAs picocells become more and more ubiquitous as the solution to difficult coverage and capacity challenges, more far-sighted operators are beginning to see how to use the technology to attract and retain lucrative business customers. In Sweden, for example Spring Mobil aims to replace fixed telephony in the office using nanoGSM and has recruited over 500 enterprise customers replacing fixed lines.

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Case study 1

Rapid response to Laura Bush arrivalCincinnati Bell attacks in-building coverage with nanoGSM

Nick Stevens Senior Radio Frequency Engineer, Cincinnati Bell We provisioned and configured six picocells and a BSC in less than 24 hours from a standing start.

Nick Stevens, top network planner at Cincinnati Bell, knew that the companys decision to use picocells from ip.access was going to work after one of the companys senior executives called him about an emergency that was just about to hit his department. Stevens received the call one Friday evening in August 2004. A high profile cultural institution, the Freedom Center, was opening that weekend in downtown Cincinnati and a whole range of political leaders and celebrities including Laura Bush, Colin Powell and Oprah Winfrey were to descend on the Ohio city for the event.

evaluated the product, but wed never actually installed it for a customer, Stevens says. We were able to provision and configure six picocells and a base station controller in less than 24 hours from a standing start. We met an impossible deadline and everyone had perfect coverage quality.

Cincinnati BellCincinnati Bell is one of Americas most successful local exchange and wireless carriers, offering a mixture of wire line, DSL and wireless services to customers in Cincinnati and Dayton, as well as in northern Kentucky and Indiana. The company serves more than half a million wireless customers in its key markets. The business market is critical for Cincinnati Bell. Stevens was finding that they were missing opportunities with enterprises that were saying they loved the Cincinnati Bell macro service, but wouldnt take it because they couldnt get coverage in the building. Stevens points out that every mobile network has black spots where coverage is marginal or non-existent.In those areas, particularly if theres a high density of people, service quality inside buildings often drops off sharply, resulting in dropped calls,network busy signals, slow data rates and poor voice quality, he says. And, critically, in our experience, poor coverage in the workplace is the key source of enterprise dissatisfaction. Its often the primary differentiator between operators and the decisive factor in awarding contracts.

nanoGSM to the rescuePoor coverage in the workplace is the key source of dissatisfaction. Its the primary differentiator between operators. The Marketing Director told me he needed cell phone coverage for 3000 people at a news event that was being covered by the national media and it needed to be ready for Sunday afternoon, just 48 hours away, says Stevens. He suggested we used a repeater, our standard solution at the time. Once Id picked myself up from the floor, I told him that we had only one repeater in stock and, even if we used it, it would take several weeks to get up and running. It was also unlikely that the Freedom Center Museum would be open to draping ugly lengths of coax cable around their high open-ceiling design and pristine building. Fortunately Stevens and his team had just made the decision to use ip.access nanoGSM picocells to solve tricky inbuilding coverage challenges.Wed

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For 99 per cent of inbuilding coverage applications a picocell only approach is our preference.

Repeaters causing interferenceCincinnati Bell explored the picocell option because they were experiencing severe problems with repeaters, mainly interference and cell distortion. Radio planning also became problematic. Additionally, the company had limited RF spectrum availability and while the repeaters extended coverage, they also drained capacity from the cell in which they operated. Our Freedom Center experience showed us conclusively that the nanoGSM base stations integrated quickly and seamlessly into our macro network, adds Stevens. We found that more often than not, repeaters were difficult and time consuming to install and problematic to manage (repeaters generate noise on the network and take their capacity from the Macro network). The ip.access picocells install in a few hours and offer integrated fault and performance monitoring.

around their cell phone voice and data usage. The finance department then reviews this business case. Once the business case makes sense if the customer has enough traffic to warrant more Cincinnati Bell hardware investment Stevens team is given the go-ahead and a budget. He then dives into radio planning and designing and installing the solution. In the normal scheme of things when there are no Freedom Center launches to handle it takes just 30 days to procure, commission and install a new picocell. Well over half of that time is taken up with meeting regulatory requirements, principally setting up 911 connectivity.

We prefer picocells because of the RF control that they provide, which allows much closer frequency reuse. They also create minimal interference. Picocells allow Cincinnati Bell to deliver strategic coverage benefits to their most important enterprise customers. The nanoGSM picocells can be speedily installed, offer low cost deployment (in both Capex and Opex) and make radio planning a simple task. Theyre so simple to manage, concludes Stevens.

Committed to nanoGSMStevens and the rest of the radio planning team now use picocells for nearly all of Cincinnati Bells indoor coverage requirements; and they are removing all active and passive repeaters from the network. They have also reassessed their use of micro-BTS. Adding capacity and power to the macro network via micro base stations is simply too expensive and time-consuming compared to nanoGSM, Stevens says. While Stevens and his team continue to use Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), they do so in a limited fashion. We still sometimes install DAS in complex new buildings, he adds, but for 99 per cent of in-building coverage applications a picocell-only approach is our preference.24

Large and growing nanoGSM networkCincinnati Bell now runs a network of hundreds of nanoGSM base stations controlled by multiple base station controllers (BSCs), making it one of the largest picocell networks in the world. Stevens expects that number to grow significantly in future. The process for introducing new picocells is now really honed: it starts with the sales team submitting a business case for a customer based

Case study 2

Macro offload Big Apple styleT-Mobile addresses coverage and capacity with ip.access

Yvonne Manns Senior Regional RF Engineering Manager, Northeast Markets, T-Mobile Resolving our in-building coverage problems will have a significant impact to not only improving our customers experience on our network but it will also improve the macro sectors call performance by offloading the traffic capacity and improving overall call quality.

Like many operators around the world, T-Mobile in the US has a history of using picocells to solve its in-building coverage challenges. But unlike its rivals, the company also believes that picocells are a highly cost effective way to take the pressure off the macro network. Yvonne Manns, T-Mobiles Senior Regional Radio Frequency Engineering Manager for In-building Solutions for the Northeast Region (which includes areas north of Boston, New York, New Jersey, DC, Philadelphia, and south to Virginia) has pioneered macro offload using picocells to increase cell capacity. In dense urban areas you can attribute a high proportion of macro cell capacity and performance challenges to inbuilding usage, she says. Since 2005, Manns team has deployed 20 base station controllers (BSCs) and over 2000 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) from ip.access in the nine major markets for which she is responsible. While the bulk of these have been aimed at solving in-building coverage challenges for major corporate accounts, Manns believes that macro offload will be the key picocell deployment driver in future.

In-building challengesAccording to Manns, every operator faces in-building coverage and macro cell capacity problems in densely populated areas. She manages a large Engineering Region in T-Mobiles $17 billion US business that serves over 27 million customers in all. Her territory covers New York, one of the most competitive and capacity challenged markets in the world. In the Big Apple (and elsewhere), shes deployed nanoGSM picocells from ip.access in an array of buildings like shopping malls, university campuses and airports. When we started working with nanoGSM our major goal was providing improved in-building coverage for our corporate accounts, she states. The nanoGSM BTS were usually deployed in tandem with either an active or passive Distributed Antenna System (DAS), or as a standalone solution which aided in developing a streamlined, efficient and cost effective process for responding to customers coverage and voice/date capacity needs.

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But in areas like New York City, even though RF macro coverage is very good, our large corporate clients at times still experienced poor performance inside their offices. It became apparent that resolving our in-building coverage problems will have a significant impact to not only improving our customers experience on our network but it will also improve the macro sectors call performance by offloading the traffic capacity and improving overall call quality. Manns points out the need for in-building coverage solutions as voice and especially the data traffic usage increases. The good news is that our subscribers are spending more time on our network utilizing our data services, she notes. Therefore to ensure that our PDA customers experience excellent quality of service, we have to ensure that we provide coverage outdoors and indoors. The indoor coverage helps to offload the macro networks traffic load especially in our dense urban areas. Providing the right level of capacity is limited by the spectrum available to an operator. And T-Mobile for historical reasons probably has the tightest capacity restrictions of any mobile carrier in the US. However, they are increasing their spectrum capacity with the purchase of the AWS licenses and with the acquisition of Suncom.

Introducing nanoGSMT-Mobile began using nanoGSM picocells from ip.access due to their ease of installation, cost and the use of IP connections for backhaul. Manns notes,When a customer needs additional in-building coverage, we can deliver it really quickly since the IP unit is small, inexpensive and utilizes a cheaper backhaul solution which helps to reduce OPEX costs. The ip.access nanoGSM BTS removes the problems of cell distortion, interference, handover and management in city centre locations where macro BTS spacing can be as low as 200 metres. They provide extra capacity indoors to ensure that our subscribers receive the radio quality they need to access our network and to maintain their call,adds Manns. Manns concludes,Picocells can be deployed very cost effectively and efficiently, which helps to retain our Enterprise customers in need of additional coverage. They also help to improve our macro networks spectral efficiency and enhance the macro sectors call quality. Thats why we use them.

Picocells can be deployed very cost effectively and efficiently. They also help to improve our macro networks spectral efficiency and enhance the macro sectors call quality.

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Case study 3

A case study from Sweden

Spring Mobil is the newest of four GSM mobile operators in Sweden. It started operations in 2003 and is using picocells from ip.access and others to launch a GSM offering to the enterprise market, replacing fixed services in office buildings around the country.Spring provides every one of its customers with a single phone number (and voicemail box) combined with centralised PBX functionality regardless of whether they are in the office or on the road. When customers use the phone in the office, the tariffs are the same as normal fixed line prices. When outside, the users roam on the Tele2 network (Tele2 bought 49 per cent of Spring in October 2006). Spring has successfully targeted the Swedish SME market and to date over 500 businesses have signed up for the service.

How it worksnanoBTS base stations from ip.access are installed in smaller enterprises and SMEs using duplexers and external antennas. Many hundreds have been deployed in many locations to overcome the difficult RF environments found in older offices in Sweden due to the building materials used. IP backhaul is handled via a range of agreements with local ISPs. Under the brand name OnePhone, Spring has ambitions outside of Sweden too: in 2006 it won a license in the UK guard band low power spectrum allocations and the company is looking to repeat its success in Sweden by launching similar offerings in the UK and elsewhere across Europe.

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Business case 1

Business case 1 Improving enterprise in-building coverage: turning happy customers into profitsAssumptions1. An enterprise with 200 employees operating in a 15,000 square feet facility is suffering coverage problems and is likely to churn. 2. The enterprise has 50 business mobile users, and an additional 27 consumer users on the same network (based on a 90% mobile penetration and a 20% operator market share). Average mobile phone usage amongst this group is 500 minutes per month (both incoming and outgoing calls). Total customer revenue over a 3-year contract period is $166,000, assuming $60 ARPU. 3. 60% of usage occurs within the building and 20% of usage occurs during the peak hour. 4. The number of nanoGSM picocells required to achieve full coverage of the premises is based on a rectangular floor layout and an operational range of a nanoGSM cell of 30 meters.

Picocell deploymentTwo nanoGSM picocells are required to achieve full coverage of the premises. Based on the usage assumptions, two picocells are also sufficient to meet the in-building capacity requirement. By depreciating the hardware and installation costs over the 3 year contract period and including annual operating expenses (dominated by DSL line rental for backhaul), the cost for an enterprise nanoGSM deployment equates to around $7 per user per month. This could be underwritten by either a 12% pro rata increase in voice and data usage, or by the addition of a further 10 business mobile users with a monthly ARPU of $60. The business case can be further improved if the customer funds the DSL line rental. Furthermore, because picocells can be readily redeployed to other locations, the hardware cost could be depreciated over its working lifetime rather than the contract duration. For example, by depreciating the hardware cost over a period of 7 years rather than 3 years, the cost per user is reduced to around $6 per month.

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Business case 2

Business case 2 Macro offload: cutting the cost of deploying network capacity via picocellsAssumptions1. An operator providing mobile services in a densely populated urban area covering five square kilometres suffers capacity challenges, and wishes to offload the indoor mobile phone usage of 7,000 business users from its macro network to: Improve quality of service for the business customers, and prevent churn to other operators. Improve the performance and throughput of the macro network for other users. 2. These 7,000 business users on average each consume 800 voice minutes and 5MB of data per month. 60% of this usage occurs inside buildings, and one fifth of this usage occurs during peak hour each day. 3. The operator evaluates two solutions to this problem: extension of the macro network versus deployment of nanoGSM picocells from ip.access. 4. In the picocell proposal, the goal is to offload from the macro network all the indoor voice and data usage of the 7,000 business users.

Cost comparisonIt turns out that coverage is the primary determinant of the number of macro cell sites required: although the capacity requirement could be met with only 10 macrocells, this would lead to overcapacity in some areas and insufficient capacity in others. Therefore 18 macro cell sites are required to make sure that the extra capacity is available where it is needed. We assume that 9 existing cell sites can be upgraded, and 9 new sites must be deployed. To achieve the same goal, the required capacity could be delivered by deploying 226 nanoGSM picocells. Because the picocells can be deployed exactly where the highest usage occurs, this is a much more targeted (and therefore more cost-effective) way to solve the capacity problem. The annual cost for the nanoGSM deployment, including both capex costs (depreciated appropriately over periods ranging from 7 to 10 years) and opex costs) is more than 50% less expensive than the equivalent macrocell deployment. Note: These results are based on the assumption that customers are dispersed equally throughout the target area.

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Summary

Summary Picocells benefits for operators and customersPoor coverage and quality are major causes of business customer churn. The nanoGSM picocell from ip.access helps operators win and keep business customers by giving them their own private cells. Picocells help operators: Differentiate from commodity networks. Increase revenues from voice and data. Offer competitive in-office tariffs. Decrease churn. nanoGSM provides fast, low-cost coverage and capacity where operators need it most. It helps operators sell more minutes while supporting their best customers with the most up-to-date services. It reduces churn and increases usage of mobile services. With our picocells, operators can help sell new services while improving macro cell performance. Picocells prevent operators over-spending on infrastructure because they enable Pinpoint Provisioning, adding coverage exactly where its needed. Picocells provide a flexible, low impact and high-performance solution that integrates easily with all core networks. All this explains why nanoGSM is a proven, end-to-end solution carrying billions of minutes of traffic every year, in dozens of networks around the world. All of our customers know that nanoGSM reduces capex with low-cost base stations and reduces opex with simple, straightforward IP backhaul.

Key picocell benefits Generate more voice and data usage while supporting an operators most important customers with the best quality of service. Reduce churn and drive traffic from fixed lines to mobile networks. Sell new services while improving macro cell performance. Prevent over-spending on infrastructure through Pinpoint Provisioning, adding coverage and capacity exactly where its needed. Provide a flexible, low impact and high-performance solution that integrates easily with all core networks.

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FAQs

FAQsUnderstandably, mobile network planners are wary about adding anything new to their networks. Three key issues are how to integrate picocells with the macro network, how to deploy them and how to handle backhaul. This set of Frequently Asked Questions captures some of our integration experience gained with nanoGSM the worlds most deployed picocell. If it leaves any questions , unanswered, do give us a call:

A. Macro network integrationAn FAQ for network planners How do you keep the picocells from interfering with the macro network as it hops frequencies? The good thing is that the picocell tends to be isolated by the buildings walls (which is why the macro has a hard time penetrating), so interference issues are easily managed. Still, you do need to prevent the macro and picocell bumping into each other. To do this, many operators allocate one or two carriers just for in-building use so that the macro network will never hop in. Some operators use the guard channel between the signalling and traffic channels. Others put the picocells on the guard channel between their spectrum and a competitors. What happens when youre inside the building but near a window, where the macro signal may penetrate? When the phone could receive either the macro or pico signal (especially

important on higher floors where macro signals often penetrate), the idea is to set the parameters of the picocell to prevent ping-ponging. Similar parameters are available to the pico network as are available to any other TRX on the macro network (handover bias, power levels, etc.). You can also set the neighbour lists so the phone stays on the picocell instead of handing over to the macro basestation. How do you handle handover between picocells? In a multi-floor building, the picocells are configured so that the macro network hands over to the ground floor picocells (when the user enters the building), then the ground floor picocells hand over to the higher floors. As the user descends floors and exits, the picocells handover back down and then handout from the ground floor to the macro. On any given floor, picocell coverage areas can overlap so they can share capacity. Directed Retry balances the load.

How will I know if theres anything wrong with the picocell layer? You need to know about anything thats preventing the network from carrying minutes. nanoGSM has a comprehensive set of alarms to keep you alerted. Alarms are communicated using SNMP v1 and v2 to easily integrate with your alarm and ticketing systems. How can I monitor the performance of the picocell network? Unlike most repeaters, picocells are very easy to monitor and manage. Key performance metrics (dropped calls, handover failures, network outages, etc.) are all available from within the nanoGSM management platform and are easily imported to your own management system. What happens when I re-plan my mobile network? Picocells can be easily re-configured centrally using the management interface or the API for your own management tools. Re-configuration can also be automated using scripts if you prefer.

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FAQs continued

B. Picocell DeploymentHow tricky is network planning with picocells? Its much more straightforward than you might expect. A lot of the work happens before you go on site essentially doing your business planning and determining which base station controller you have the most capacity on. Once thats sorted, site survey and deployment couldnt be easier.

Do you need any special RF equipment to survey and deploy? Nope. You just plug in the picocell, put it on beacon mode and walk the premises with a test handset. Very quickly, youll see how many picocells youll need and where you want to put them. Whats a typical provisioning process? Most operators do a single site visit for a quick survey, then provision the BSC and its one more visit to plug in the picocells and walk the building to verify handover and make sure 911 is working.

Where are the best places to install picocells? We usually suggest putting them on a wall (two screws) but weve seen them in the closet with the DSL modem, on a filing cabinet or on top of a drop ceiling panel. A nanoGSM picocell is the size of a schoolbook. It can go just about anywhere.

C. Backhaul requirementsHow much bandwidth does a typical picocell require for backhaul? Like so many issues in network planning, the answer is it depends. In this case, it depends on the combination of voice and data channels you want to provision and the number of simultaneous users you want to support. But that doesnt mean its tricky to get the right answer for any given deployment. In fact, its quite simple. See the table below right: How many simultaneous voice calls can I expect to support with a 1TRX picocell? Theoretically, a 1TRX nanoGSM can support 7 simultaneous calls or 14 simultaneous calls using half-rate AMR but we rarely see it pushed to this limit. In the real world, weve often found that a single picocell can support 10 simultaneous calls using AMR with no problem. Can we use the customers existing network for backhaul? Course you can. Many operators do just that. It just requires a bit of firewall configuration.

If we use the customers DSL line, how do we handle firewalls? In a corporate environment, when the picocell is sharing the enterprise network, you deploy the picocell inside the firewall. If the IT department is nervous about that, weve produced a one-page sheet showing how we just need a pinhole in the firewall for certain IP addresses over certain ports in certain directions. In fact, we dont know of a single case where security was compromised by allowing a picocell inside a firewall. How do you get bandwidth requirements so low? nanoGSM uses sophisticated multiplexing to put all the calls together, saving unnecessary header traffic. In practice, this allows us to support the traffic of two picocells on a single dedicated DSL line.

What happens when the network is congested? On busy networks, its easy to simply turn off voice time slots. This reduces capacity but minimizes backhaul demands to maintain network performance. How do you determine the actual backhaul bandwidth each picocell is getting? Our management console enables you to review your actual achieved bandwidth and adjust the air interface capacity on the picocell to match it, avoiding the problems of overload.

Voice Channels Bandwidth (kbits/sec) Packet rate (pkt/sec)

1 32.8 50.5

2 49.4 50.8

3 66.0 51.0

4 82.7 51.3

5 99.3 51.5

6 115.9 51.8

7 132.5 52.0

8 149.1 52.3

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FAQs continued

D. Typical picocell coverage areasWhats the coverage area of a single picocell? In the open air, a picocell easily achieves coverage of 100-200 metres. In the real world, buildings vary widely in their construction and attenuation. Even in a cluttered environment, operators typically achieve a coverage radius of 60m. Why are nanoGSM coverage areas so much greater than DAS and repeaters? A nanoGSM picocell is a complete base station not just an antenna. So theres nothing between the receiver and the detector to create noise. As anyone named Boltzman will tell you, every connection point and every foot of cable causes noise which degrades the quality of a radio signal. With a nanoGSM picocell, the antenna is connected straight into the receiver. Dont get us wrong: theres a place for DAS in the network planners kit bag. But for raw coverage, you cant beat a nanoGSM. What are your receiver sensitivity levels? Network planners tend to design for 85dB. Our picocells comfortably go to 95dB or even 100dB and still work just fine. That gives a tremendous amount of added usable coverage. When we demonstrate nanoGSM, we give people a phone and say keep walking Theyre . amazed how far they get before the signal degrades. Remember a nanoBTS is a not a repeater. Its a full-fledged base station. So we get dramatically more coverage from the same power levels. What kind of factors reduce the coverage of a picocell? The usual things: weird building construction, metal, elevator shafts, metalized windows, steel reinforced concrete, electromagnetic interference they can all be reflective to radio and affect the coverage area. But weve never found a building that picocells couldnt cover cost-effectively.

Whats the lowest coverage performance youve ever encountered? Funny you should ask. We once worked with an operator to provide coverage for an underground silicon wafer fabrication plant that was also used as an earthquake shelter. The bunker had 18-inch reinforced concrete walls even the divider walls and there was a lot of radio noise from the plant. There was a macro cell less than two city blocks away and full bars outside the front door. Inside: zero coverage. We expected we might need a single picocell for each room eighteen in all. In the end, we easily achieved a coverage radius of 25m and only needed six picocells for the whole deployment. Can you control the power level to manage capacity? No problem. If youve got 100 people in that 60m radius, youll want to dial down the power and use a few more picocells so theres plenty of capacity for everyone.

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Conclusion

As this Handbook demonstrates, picocells are making a major impact on network planning in a wide range of applications. They may not solve every planning challenge what technology does? but for getting fast, low-cost coverage and capacity to hard-to-reach places, picocells are increasingly the first choice in the network planner's bag of tricks. At ip.access, were passionate about the potential of combining IP and mobile networks. Weve deployed more picocells than anyone in the market and understand the unique challenges presented by in-building and remote coverage. All of this experience is reflected in nanoGSM, an end-to-end solution that solves the interference, security, handover and management issues raised by other technologies. Wherever you are in the picocell adoption curve, wed like to help. Let us know about the problems youre facing and the opportunities youd like to seize. If picocells are the answer, well show you how. If theyre not, well tell you why and suggest alternatives.

About ip.accessip.access is the world leader in harnessing the power of IP to drive down costs and improve coverage and capacity for mobile operators. Our whole-systems expertise combines world-class skills in radio, IP integration , and management especially for difficult in-building challenges. Our nanoGSM picocell solution is the worlds most deployed and our Oyster 3G femtocell solution is the winner of the 2007 GSM Association Award for Best Radio Access Product. ip.access solutions are used by more than 25 of the worlds most successful mobile operators.

Thanks for your time.

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ip.access ltd Building 2020 Cambourne Business Park Cambourne Cambridge CB23 6DW UK T +44(0)1954 713700 F +44(0)1954 713799 info@ipaccess.com www.ipaccess.com

Copyright ip.access 2008. ip.access, nanoGSM and nanoBTS are trademarks of ip.access ltd. All other trademarks are acknowledged.This document contains advance information, subject to change without notice. No responsibility is assumed by ip.access for the use of this information, nor for infringements of patents or other rights of third parties. This document is the property of ip.access and implies no license under patents, copyrights or trade secrets. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form of any means, electronic, photographic, or otherwise, or used as the basis for manufacture or sale of any items without the prior written consent of ip.access. 1st Sept 08