Now that LTE has pretty much hit mainstream in the U.S., mobile operators are putting their efforts into finding ways to meet the inevitable growth in demand for mobile bandwidth to support video apps. According to this press release from market research company iGR, over the next five years, mobile operators will be upgrading and densifying their LTE networks with small cells and DAS (distributed antenna systems) to the tune of $212 billion. All findings are published in the U.S. LTE Network Infrastructure Spending Forecast, 2014-2019, which is available for purchase from iGR.
In other words: in addition to more macro cell sites, operators will be deploying other technologies on rooftops, street poles, and other non-tower locations.
Don’t forget the indoor coverage part of this picture and the fact that at the end of 2013 the Small Cell Forum issued Release 2: Enterprise guidelines that outlined the synergies between smart signal boosters and small cell networks. As a result, Cel-Fi works seamlessly within a heterogeneous network (HetNet) and is set to play a key part in getting LTE network coverage to the levels needed (for both businesses and at home). There have already been a good number of successful installations where Cel-Fi has been integrated with DAS/small cell infrastructures.
And when all coverage work is done, 5G will be the next frontier.
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By Werner Sievers, CEO