Femto Cell uses 2G or 3G radio technologies.
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Press Release Summary:
Addressing needs of fixed mobile convergence market, UMTS Home Base Station enables mobile operators to provide coverage in customer's homes and offer mobile voice, video, and data services. It connects to end user's DSL or cable modem and securely routes voice and data traffic to and from mobile operator's network via existing broadband link. It allows operators to offer converged services that work with any existing and future 3G handset.
Original Press Release:
World's First Commercially Available 3G Femto Cell Launched at 3GSM, Barcelona 12- 15 Feb
Boost to Fixed Mobile Convergence with Home Base Station from 3Way Networks
Cambridge, UK 6 February 2007 3Way Networks 3waynetworks.com, the 3G niche infrastructure developer has launched the 3Way HBS, the World's first commercially available 3G Femto cell. The UMTS HBS (Home Base Station) is designed to enable mobile operators to provide a bubble of coverage and capacity in customer's homes and offer low cost mobile voice, video and data services.
The fixed mobile convergence market (FMC) is starting to gain significant momentum with BT launching its BT Fusion service in the UK and a number of manufacturers recently launching dual mode wireless LAN handsets. But unlike Fusion-type technologies which use Bluetooth or Wifi to create the home network, the femto-cells will use standard 2G or 3G radio technologies.
The HBS connects to the end user's DSL or cable modem and securely routes voice and data traffic to and from the mobile operator's network via the existing broadband link. When users of the HBS arrive home their handset automatically camps on the HBS giving them the advantages of better coverage, higher data rates and lower call costs while they are at home.
Simon Albury, managing director 3Way Networks said:
"Our offering is targeted at the mobile operator, it allows them to offer converged services that work with any existing and future 3G handset rather than just dual-mode GSM/Wifi handsets, which are likely to be limited in type and number for some time to come. So it is expected that Femto cell services will prove more popular than BT Fusion-type services as this eliminates the need to deploy expensive dual mode technologies."
ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) predicts that Femto cell deployments will reach 19 million per annum by 2011.
3Way's main route to market is via existing system integrators and the company is currently in negotiations with a number of parties. Simon Albury added:
"We have a very integrator friendly business model ranging from OEM options up to full reference designs. This gives operators the comfort of being able to buy equipment from vendors with whom they already have strong commercial relationships."
3Way was founded in 2004 and has been shipping UMTS picocell and Femto cell products since 2005. Last year the company shipped over $2m worth of equipment and is expecting a four fold increase in sales this year.
About 3Way Networks
3Way networks was founded in 2004 to develop a range of 3G wireless infrastructure solutions for the Military, Aviation, Maritime and Mobile operator markets. The company has now developed an integrated UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) home base station solution.
3Way Networks, a privately owned company based in Cambridge, UK, is focused on delivering a range of 3G solutions using its integrated network on a card - IN-cTM technology. For more information visit 3waynetworks.com or call +44 1223 815 540.
