You are here: silicon.com > Networks > Mobile & Wireless

Mobile & Wireless

T-Mobile cosies up to femtocells…

…tech has "lot of potential"

Tags: 3g, femtocell, t-mobile

By Natasha Lomas

Published: 17 January 2008 14:50 GMT

Mobile operator T-Mobile is to kick off trials of femtocell technology in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK in the second quarter of this year. It may also push out a limited deployment of the tech before the year's out.

The CTO of T-Mobile UK, Emin Gurdenli, told silicon.com the technology has "a lot of potential".

"If it actually does succeed and deliver on the promise then it will be a breakthrough," he said.

Femtocells are small cellular base stations that make us of DSL to boost signal coverage indoors. Analysts have talked up their potential as a way of ramping up 3G network coverage without the crippling costs associated with doubling or tripling network base stations.

A proper food chain has to be established before this thing rolls out in large numbers.

Despite making mention of a possible femtocell deployment this year, Gurdenli warned it is still early days. "We have to have completed the development of the concept - not just the technology - including the business models and so on," he said. "A proper food chain has to be established before this thing rolls out in large numbers. But I'm personally optimistic."

T-Mobile's recent network sharing agreement with 3 is also aimed at improving the quality and coverage of high bandwidth networks - while also reducing costs.

When transition of the two networks is completed in two years' time, Gurdenli said coverage will stand at 97 per cent - "literally like having the 3G network footprint the same as 2G".

When it comes to femtocells, "standardisation and automation" will be key, according to Gurdenli - who said proprietary hardware is just "not viable". The tech must also be "plug and play", he said. "It's got to be safe in the hands of the customers - it's got to be like a handset."

He added: "It's very exciting, it's very interesting but it's a little bit early days. I think there's a lot of promise. We'll see how that develops."

Looking beyond 3G, Gurdenli envisages there will be room for more than one technology - rather than it being a case of LTE (long term evolution)/4G crushing the hopes of WiMax.

He told silicon.com: "I don't believe in monopolistic approaches in life. We have to acknowledge that especially in the future - particularly with the UK's approach to spectrum regulation - we should expect more technologies to emerge delivering similar services."

  1. Zones
  2. Management
  3. Networks
  4. Software
  5. IT Services
  6. Hardware
  1. Verticals
  2. Public Sector
  3. Financial Services
  4. Retail & Leisure

Read and write about internet access at the airports of the world at atlarge.com.


  • Jobs
Hardware Engineer

Hardware Engineer Hardware Test Development Engineer The company designs, develops and builds the most technologically advanced video conferencing ...

RF Engineer - West Midlands

Essential Skills: -Experience of RF engineering and development RF -Knowledge of RF design tools Desirable but non essential skills: -Experience of ...

Principal Engineer (Rail Stations/Depot structural design)

Principal/Associate (Stations/Depots structural design projects - Rail Consultancy) Based in Glasgow or Edinburgh - 42,000 - 52,000 + Excellent ...

Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.





Quick Sitemap Links: