How to Connect the Small Cell / Picocell to the Main Cell
5G networks will need extra support to offer extended coverage around various countries. The radio waves from 5G cannot travel long distances because of 5G’s higher frequencies, so they need small cells to extend from the main cell. Small cells have a 10-meter range, up to a few kilometers. Small cells are a cost-effective solution to provide fast data transfers from tower to tower. The Picocell is a small base station that can extend coverage or add capacity in densely populated areas. This article will cover how to connect the picocell to the main cell or core network.
What are Small Cells?
Small cells are basically miniature base stations that can cover small geographical areas with short-range wireless transmission. They take low power and can be deployed indoors and outdoors. They are similar to the classic base stations that have been used in previous networks, but they can handle more data for more bandwidth and higher densities of devices. This makes them ideal for highly populated areas like public places.
Benefits of Small Cells for 5G
Small cells will enable telecommunications’ transition to 5G because they can provide increased data capacity, improve performance of mobile devices by bringing a small base station physically closer to the device, and all at low cost. Thus, small cells are just what is needed to extend the reach of 5G and maintain high speeds, low latency, and a large number of devices.
Small cells will also make rural coverage more attainable as they can be more easily installed in remote areas that currently only have 2G coverage or even no coverage. Since small cells are cost-effective, they can economically be installed in these rural communities much easier than base stations. Many mobile operators plan to use small cells in rural communities and some, like SoftBank Mobile in Japan, have already begun installing them in remote areas.
Additionally, 5G waves will not be able to penetrate through walls or buildings because of their higher frequency bandwidths. So small cells will help extend the coverage of 5G by creating a system that overlays 5G networks down the line.
Types of Small Cell Towers
The main types of small cells are femtocell, Picocell , and metro cell. Each has various advantages and thus will be used in a variety of different use cases.
Femtocells. For instance, femtocells must be deployed indoors and only cover a range of 30 to 165 ft (10 to 50 m), which means they will need to be used for small buildings like homes and offices. Femtocells are one of the most common types of small cells.
Quick stats:
- 30-65 ft (10-50 m) radius
- Indoor
- Supports 8-16 users
- Wired and fiber backhaul
- Low cost
- Low-power
- Typically used in homes and offices
Micro Cells. On the other hand, micro cells can fill large outdoor areas and can be up to hundreds of meters from a base station. This will make them ideal for urban areas. However, because micro cells are installed outdoors, they must be weather resistant and designed to last.
Quick stats:
- 1600 – 8000 ft (500 – 2500 m) radius
- Outdoor
- Supports 200 users
- Wired, microwave and fiber backhaul
- Medium cost
- Ideal for areas like malls, hotels or transportation hubs
Picocell s. Picocell s, however, can be used both indoors and outdoors and can still cover hundreds of meters so they can be used in larger spaces.
Quick stats:
- 330 – 820 ft (100 – 250 m) radius
- Outdoor or indoor
- Supports 32-64 users
- Wired and fiber backhaul
- Low cost
- Ideal for airports, malls, schools, train stations
Where Picocell s Will be Used
Picocell s will be used in environments like shopping malls, airports, hospitals, schools, train stations and other public areas and can accommodate up to 128 users each. They have even been deployed on airplanes for use in-flight. However, they must be within tens of meters from the base station to maintain a strong signal.
Because of their versatility, low cost, and coverage radius, Picocell s will be one of the most used small cell towers to extend 5G networks. Picocell s can connect to almost all modern cellular technologies including the following:
- LTE
- GSM
- CDMA
- UMTS
How Picocell s connect to the Main Cell
Like all small cells, Picocell s will need backhaul to connect to the core network and main cell. Picocell s can connect to the main cell either through built-in wiring, wireless, or satellite. The main use case for satellite links is in aircraft. In many cases, in-building wiring is used to connect the Picocell to a base station and some recent systems use ethernet cabling.
There are plenty of wireless and wired solutions proposed to connect Picocell s to the core network, and in some cases, mobile network operators will need to deploy a variety of backhaul methods. We offer a guide on 5G backhaul and go into the full debate on wired vs wireless in another post, so be sure to check that out for more information.
Note that a Picocell can also be set up to contain some functions of the base station controller so that it can contain all the capability to connect to the internet without the need to connect back to the base station. This may be less expensive to build.
However, when it comes to wireless Picocell backhaul, ACiiST provides one of the easiest solutions on the market.
ACiiST’s Solution
Unlike our competition, ACIiiST solves the problem of building a 5G backhaul system with small devices that can be installed in existing light posts. That way, you can quickly and easily set up a smart city network without installing additional infrastructure that is costly and time-extensive to produce. ACiiST’s solution is 90 percent cheaper and 70 percent easier to maintain because it utilizes existing infrastructure.
Easy Install
Our solution is wireless and easy to install. We eliminate the need for underground cables or wires for quicker installation and less cost. Since our solution integrates with existing infrastructure, there is no disruption to current city traffic or noisy digging that will bother consumers. Plus, since the infrastructure already exists, there is no need to worry about usage rights or permits and the site will already have plenty of electricity.
Easy Maintenance
Additionally, since it is easy to access on light posts, our solution is also easy to maintain. This is a critical consideration for your backhaul solution because as technology continues to rapidly evolve, who knows how soon you will again need to update the agility of your network. You can simply and quickly maintain your infrastructure.
Cost-effective and Secure
Finally, using ACiiST’s solution you get the most cost-effective and secure backhaul. Our install requires minimal cables which means lower fees to install. Plus, we offer security at the location, which makes it the most secure city Internet of Things (IoT) solution.
Contact Us for More Information
Small cells are critical to expand network coverage and increase capacity, both of which are important goals of 5G networks. To connect Picocell s to the main network, backhaul methods will be needed. If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-deploy backhaul for Picocell s then look no further than ACiiST. Contact us to learn more about how our solution and to see if it is right for your Picocell backhaul infrastructure.
