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 March 15, 2018  By: Peter McNeil
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Are They Used For?
Small Cells are Certainly Making a
Large Impact
The 5th Generation of Mobile
Wireless (Not to be confused with
$5,000 Large)
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Small Cells are essentially a mobile wireless
installation that is smaller in scope and size
than a traditional macro base station. So, why
are Small Cells, which provide less coverage
and necessarily are composed of equipment
that may not have the full capability of macro-
cells, on the rise? An important note is that the
term Small Cells isn’t standardized, and at
times may mean anything from slightly smaller
non-traditional base stations, to distributed
antenna systems (DAS), to new technology
systems, like a prototype 5G base station
deployment. Though there has been
skepticism around Small Cells, they may be
part of a solution to better provide wireless
services to our world’s increasingly urbanizing
population and an enabling factor in the latest
evolution of mobile wireless.

2.4mm Adapters Small Cells are a diverse set of technologies by

nature. Typically, Small Cells are composed of
2.4mm Coaxial to Waveguide
the same types of equipment that supports a
Adapters
traditional base station, but Small Cell versions
2.92mm Adapters are often more integrated, lighter, smaller,
lower power, and have less substantial, or
2.92mm Coaxial to Waveguide
more integrated, ltering to further reduce size
Adapters
and weight. The downscaling is necessary to t
3.5mm Adapters Small Cells on the limited structures available
in dense areas, such as street furniture, corner
50 GHz
rooftops, and concealed mini-towers. The next
5G generation of Small Cells, which will support
advanced 5G technologies, will also leverage
60 GHz
new multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna
60 GHz Dev Kit and beam steering technologies, as well as the
non-standalone 5G new radio (NSA 5G NR)
60 GHz Developers Kit
sub-6 GHz frequencies. The Small Cells used
60 GHz Development Kit for millimeter-wave (mmWave) 5G trials and
early 5G deployments coming in 2019, will also
60GHz
feature mmWave frequency operation, though the exact frequencies are yet to be determined by the 3GPP and
65 GHz Components spectrum regulation authorities.

67 GHz
Though often confused, DAS and Small Cells are di erent approaches to providing coverage in dense, indoor, or
Active Components areas otherwise su ering from adequate coverage. Where Small Cells are fully contained and miniaturized base
stations requiring their own backhaul and providing services, DAS are  composed of remote antenna systems that
Antennas
extend the coverage of a macro-cell using transmission lines or ber optic systems. DAS and Small Cells also di er
Attenuators in how they are installed and regulated. Small Cells may be a popular alternative over DAS, as Small Cells are often
cheaper, and don’t require coordination with other service providers, so they can be deployed on the time frame
Bias Tee
and cost structure of a single service provider.
Broadband Limiters

Cable Assembly Creator In a recent FCC ling, Verizon wrote, “In 2017, approximately 62% of Verizon’s wireless deployments were small
cells, a gure that will only grow larger as we deploy 5G in 2018 and beyond.” With many shedding doubt on the
Coaxial Cable viability of Small Cells and their adoption, it seems an interesting contrast that large wireless service providers, such
Coaxial Connectors as Verizon and AT&T, would herald Small Cell technologies as the current, and next, generation of their wireless

Coaxial to Waveguide Adapters

Continuously Variable Waveguide deployments. The ling further stated, “Small cells are needed to meet exploding consumer demand for data, drive
Attenuators innovation, create new jobs, and fuel new services and capabilities such as smart communities, connected cars,
smart farming, and the Internet of Things.”
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Though attractive for wireless service providers who intend to reach more customers and capture/maintain their
market share, Small Cells aren’t without complications. As Small Cells are new technologies, the deployments are
non-traditional, and Small Cells must be set up near the tra cked areas where wireless customers like to be, the
deployment characteristics for Small Cells involve many layers of regulation, zoning, siting. Many municipalities in
the US don’t even have standardized processing for handling Small Cell installations, and legislation on Small Cells
may currently be underdeveloped. There may also be a lack of information on the extent of this problem, as the
major wireless service providers have largely been tight lipped about their Small Cell deployments. This will likely be
addressed as future legislation and regulation moderates the industry in preparation of massive 5G rollouts, which
will necessarily require Small Cells.

Electromechanical Relay
Electromechanical RF Relay Switch
Fixed Attenuators
Flexible Waveguide
Formable Semi-Rigid Cable
Frequency Divider/ Multiplier
Currently, there may be some growing pains with Small Cells, as a system for deploying Small Cells isn’t yet
standardized. This may slow, but will likely not prevent Small Cells being deployed, as upcoming 5G services will
necessarily be deployed in Small Cells. This brings up other substantial challenges, such as installing, verifying, and
maintaining the abundance of Small Cells through dense urban areas. Such an e ort will require substantial
amounts of portable RF test equipment, the necessary interconnect, and operators available to rapidly respond to
service interruptions or regulatory issues. Moreover, the pace of Small Cell deployments will also require RF
equipment providers with readily stocked components, devices, and interconnect, that are able to ful ll orders
same-day and without delay.

GaAs Semiconductor

GaN Ampli er

GaN Power Ampli er

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 March 22, 2018  March 8, 2018  February 8, 2018
 By: Peter McNeil  By: Peter McNeil  By: Peter McNeil
« The 5th Generation of Mobile Wireless (Not to be confused with $5,000 Large)
What are the ISM Bands, and What Are They Used For? »

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