Heterogeneous Network (Hetnet)

Servicing data hungry smartphones

Watching streaming videos, uploading pictures and using cloud-based services
will make high demands on mobile networks. At the same time more devices
will be connected. Heterogeneous Networks will play an important role to
create an optimal customer experience, especially in crowded areas.

Monthly PetaBytes (1015 bytes)

4,000

Heterogeneous Network involves a mix of radio technologies

and cell types working together seamlessly.
2015

Macro base station

Powerful base stations, often
installed on rooftops, cover
large areas and many users.
This is the backbone in the
Heterogeneous Network
solution.
2014

Wireless transmission

3,000
DATA:
MOBILE PCs/
TABLETS
2,000

Small, powerful transmission

link between base stations
and the rest of the network.

Indoor Pico base station

2013

Takes over the connection

when moving indoor. 70% of
traffic is generated indoors.

2012
2011

DATA:
MOBILE
HANDHELD

2010
2008

1,000

2009
VOICE

Wi-Fi
Used as a complement
in small indoor/outdoor
hotspots.

Micro base station

A small base station with full features
that can be used to cover indoors
and outdoor crowded areas.

2016

2020

In 2016 there will be more

than 8 billion mobile subscriptions in the world.

Mobile Broadband subscriptions expected to reach close

to 5 billion by end of 2016.

3 steps
TO A HIGH-QUALITY
MOBILE USER EXPERIENCE

Ericsson envisions that there

will be 50 billion connected
devices by 2020.

Overall mobile data traffic is

expected to grow 10-fold by
end of 2016.

A Heterogeneous Network (Hetnet) based on a single

vendor 3GPP-standardized and coordinated radio network
with integrated Wi-Fi, advanced traffic management and
high-performance backhaul, will help to deliver a consistent,
high-quality and seamless mobile broadband experience.

Improve existing macro cells by enhancing macro cells with more spectrum,

advanced antennae, increased order of diversity on the receiver and/or the transmitter, and baseband processing capacity within and between nodes. Continued
evolution of HSPA and LTE technology will drive macro network efficiency through
specialized features, such as higher-order modulation, higher sectorization, and
multi-carrier and multi-antenna solutions, as well as spectrum refarming, using
hybrid radio solutions. Increasing capacity and data rates in this way does not
require new sites.

Densify the macro network the capacity and data rates achieved by

enhancing the macro network alone, will eventually be insufficient to meet

demand. The targeted addition of cells strategically located can improve
capacity. This approach keeps the total number of sites relatively low, while
network performance becomes less sensitive to traffic location. A simple
way to densify a network could be a cell-split, which enables a site from
transitioning to a six-sector site from a three,sector site. These strategic
cells could use macro equipment, or even micro equipment.

Add small cells by complementing macro cells with small cells and dedicated
indoor solutions, based on the 3GPP standard. This approach can include the use
of micro cells, pico cells or low-power remote radio units (RRUs), as well as
Wi-Fi. It delivers high per-user capacity and rate coverage in areas covered by the
small cells, with the potential to improve performance in the macro network by
offloading traffic generated in hotspots. The degree of integration that can be
achieved throughout the Heterogeneous Network will determine the overall
network performance.

Cell coordination
TO A HIGH-QUALITY MOBILE
USER EXPERIENCE

In a Heterogeneous Network (Hetnet), the coordination

between macro cells and small cells has a positive impact
on the performance of the radio network, and
consequently on the overall user experience.

Macro base station

Macro for downlink, micro for uplink

In the imbalance area, the downlink signal from the macro is the strongest,
because it transmits at a much higher power, whereas the uplink signal from
the pico node is much stronger, because it is closer. This provides the user
with significantly higher uplink speeds than would be possible with macro
coverage alone.

Small cell base station

Coordination between the macro and small cells

enables close cooperation on cell selection in
areas of signal-strength imbalance.