Nokia Networks unveiled a new Flexi Zone outdoor modular base station that becomes the world’s first small cell to achieve over 1 Gbps peak data rate.
The new Flexi Zone G2 Multi-Band Carrier Aggregation Outdoor Micro/Pico Base Station (BTS) offers three RF module slots, enabling operators to deploy and aggregate between various radio access technologies and spectrum combinations including up to three LTE licensed carrier bands or configurations offering a combination of LTE licensed carrier bands, unlicensed LTE bands (LTE-U or LAA) and Wi-Fi.
Nokia also announced a number of innovations to simplify small cell deployment and help operators to evolve to Ultra-Dense Networks. These include the optimal selection of viable sites, more efficient backhaul, improved plug and play technology, new energy-saving features and simplified synchronization between base stations. The company said its HetNet Engine Room allows operators to deploy small cells 30% faster, with 20% lower costs and serve 10% more subscribers. Using detailed 3-D street level maps, the service calculates a ‘Site Value Index’ that quantifies the likely return on investment (ROI) for operators from different locations.
Several other Nokia Networks innovations also focus on overcoming the technical and cost barriers of deploying small cells:
- A point-to-multipoint non-line-of-sight (NLoS) wireless backhaul option from Nokia Networks partner Tarana Wireless. Fast high-performance fiber-like backhaul can now be deployed to sites that are difficult to reach cost-effectively with fiber or line-of-sight technologies.
- New Intelligent Self Organizing Networks (iSON) capabilities enable rapid small cell deployments with backhaul over public networks* and for operator networks that do not use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). In these two more complex environments, small cells can now be operational in under 20 minutes after being powered up.
- An integrated Grand Master Clock function added to the Flexi Zone Controller that distributes a high accuracy clock to all Flexi Zone AP** within the cluster. This functionality offers significant CapEx and OpEx savings by eliminating the need for an external timing solution or GPS antenna for each small cell.
“Deploying a small cell on one side of a road can cost ten times more than at a location just a few meters away on the other side of the road. We are bringing a new approach that enables operators to pick the best sites and then deploy small cells and their backhaul quickly and at a much lower cost. Now operators can justify the business case for small cells and improve the return on their network investments,” stated Randy Cox, head of Small Cell Product Management at Nokia Networks.
