Nokia Networks

Small Cells:
Expanding indoor and
outdoor coverage
and capacity

3. Nokia Networks has a full

1. As demand for mobile
broadband grows, the need
portfolio of Small Cells
products and services,
for greater outdoor capacity
designed to support this
and indoor coverage/capacity
becomes more urgent.
evolution from coverage
to capacity.
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.

Nokia Networks 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, Nokia Networks offers an endto-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.
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
Nokia Flexi Lite Base Station delivers the solution.
With the same capacity and running the same software as
Nokia Networks 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.

Figure 1: Nokia Flexi Lite Base Station delivers coverage

and capacity
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.
The range also includes a multi-radio Flexi Zone picocell base
station that integrates LTE and Wi-Fi in one unit. Combined
with Nokia Networks 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.

Nokia Networks Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

To help meet demand in very dense urban areas, the Nokia

Flexi Zone G2 Micro/Pico Base Station platform features a
4-pipes radio that supports up to 4x4 Multiple Input Multiple
Output (MIMO), LTE-A Carrier Aggregation, large bandwidth or
even dual band operation. With twice the processing capability
of the Flexi Zone Micro/Pico Base Station, operators benefit
from multiple variants that support different high capacity
configurations. It integrates LTE and Wi-Fi in a compact 8 liter
volume and light 8 kg unit for easy siting and installation.
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 Nokia
Networks dynamic, load-balancing enhanced Inter Cell
Interference Coordination (eICIC) algorithm for up to 30%
higher capacity.
Flexi Zone: Innovation for capacity & large coverage
Nokia Networks 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

Zone

Wireless
Backhaul

AP

AP
Controller

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 Nokia
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.

Shared
Ethernet

AP

AP

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.

AP
Offload

Transport

Core

Figure 2: Flexi Zones novel architecture allows capacity

upgrades without reconfiguration

Figure 3: Nokia indoor picocell access point for large

indoor environments

Nokia Networks Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

Femtocells: Ultimate flexibility from a 3GPPcompliant solution

The Nokia Femtocell solution comprises a fully 3GPP-compliant
Femtocell gateway, with Nokia 3G and 4G Femtocell Access
Points (FAPs). The most recent addition to the range brings
HSPA+ radio access to residential subscribers.
Operators deploying the Nokia 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, Nokia Networks enterprise femtocells
can extend into public spaces to provide coverage and high
capacity in areas of dense user population and high broadband
use.
The Nokia Networks 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 Nokia 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 Nokia Networks 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.

Nokia Networks 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: Nokia 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. Nokia Networks helps
operators to create a strategy, architect the right product,
and design, plan and dimension an in-building solution. Nokia
Networks 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.
An innovative 3-D geolocation-based HetNet planning service
for in-building solutions pinpoints precise locations in high-rise
buildings that have high demand or are suffering poor service,
helping operators to deliver the best mobile broadband
experience indoors.
Nokia Networks 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. Nokia Networks
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.
Putting it all together
Nokia Networks 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 WiFi, 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.
Nokia Networks also offers a wide portfolio of supporting
products and solutions, such as Small Cell backhaul
products, Self-Optimizing 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.

Nokia Networks Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

Nokia Networks Small Cells: Expanding indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity

Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy

P.O. Box 1
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Finland
Visiting address:
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ESPOO
Finland
Product code C401-01050-B-201408-1-EN
Nokia Solutions and Networks 2014

About Nokia
Nokia invests in technologies important in a world where billions of devices are connected. We are focused on three businesses: network infrastructure software,
hardware and services, which we offer through Nokia Networks; location intelligence, which we provide through HERE; and advanced technology development and
licensing, which we pursue through Nokia Technologies. Each of these businesses is a leader in its respective field.
Nokia Networks is the worlds specialist in mobile broadband. From the first ever call on GSM, to the first call on LTE, we operate at the forefront of each generation of
mobile technology. Our global experts invent the new capabilities our customers need in their networks. We provide the worlds most efficient mobile networks, the
intelligence to maximize the value of those networks, and the services to make it all work seamlessly. www.nsn.com
Nokia is a registered trademark of Nokia Corporation. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks or trade names of their
respective owners.

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