Mobile phone networks extend network reach

 

In a move that could help those living in rural areas and national parks, where mobile phone coverage is often patchy because of issues over planning consent for masts, Vodafone and other mobile phone companies could soon be able to extend coverage of their networks to consumers offices and homes by using their broadband line and a box called a FemtoCell.

 

The box, similar in size to a Wi-Fi router, connects to a consumers broadband line and routes all calls to and from the mobile phone over the internet.  The user registers their phone number (up to 4 per box) with the mobile phone company and incoming calls are automatically routed over the internet to the box in the house.

 

The mobile phone continues to work in the normal way, the end user won’t notice any change in services at all as the phone automatically switches between using the cellular network and the box in their house or office as appropriate.  The service offers additional benefits too, as the phone is connected via broadband web surfing and data applications from the handset will be faster, making the mobile phone even more useful for everyday use.

 

Glenn Peacey of eHampshire commented that such services offer a significant boost to rural Hampshire.  "Many people use a mobile phone as their primary point of contact and not being able to get a reliable signal can be a significant disadvantage. To be able to get a mobile phone service via their broadband line is a significant boost to ensuring rural communities continue to take part in Digital Britain and adds weight to the demand that rural locations are served by the latest broadband infrastructure with speeds in excess of 2Mb/s.

 

This is also a significant tool for the business community, many office locations suffer from poor mobile phone service within buildings because of the steel lattice work used in the construction process, Femtocells will overcome this problem by providing a signal from inside the building.

 

Another side benefit is increased battery life of the phone as less power is required to transmit the signal over smaller distances."

 

Vodafone are launching a UK Femtocell service in July 2009 and O2 are currently testing Femtocell services in the UK and the Czech Republic.

 

 

How Femtocells work: