An Eco-Friendly Solution
The wireless community is consistently improving ways to be socially and environmentally responsible. As the demand for the latest wireless technology continues to soar, new technologies are introduced that meet coverage and capacity demands as well as the social responsibilities of the industry. Small cells deployed as an element within an operator’s wireless network are an eco-friendly solution.
1. Significantly Less Electrical Power Consumption Per User
Small cell and macrocell energy efficiency varies depending upon the population density and the number of subscribers. In most cases, small cells require significantly less power than macro cells on a kwh/ Minute of Use (MOU) comparison.
As a rule of thumb, the smaller the cell the more power efficient it is on a per user basis. The average macrocell will utilize around 1000W of energy to serve a maximum of around 120 simultaneous users and is more power efficient in heavily populated areas compared to sparsely populated rural areas. In comparison, a home femtocell typically and more efficiently requires 20mW of power and accommodates between 4-8 users, and an enterprise femtocell will require 200mW of power for 60 simultaneous users.
2. Improved Device Battery Life
The need for extended mobile battery life is an essential part of an environmentally responsible solution, especially as mobile device usage escalates and batteries are being pushed to their limits. The mobile Wi-Fi option will quickly deplete the battery life on the mobile device, while a 3G or 4G connection will use comparatively less power for uploading and downloading data, resulting in improved mobile battery life. The battery draining Wi-Fi option on mobile handsets is not necessary at all times and can be temporarily disconnected or put in sleep mode unless higher data rates are required for applications such as video streaming.
3. Existing Backhaul is Already in Place
Since small cells are an IP-based technology and operate on existing Ethernet and broadband connections, no additional backhaul fiber or cabling is required to support the device. Urban deployed picocells, often referred to as metrocells, are taking full advantage of this existing backhaul by implementing mobile base stations strategically on cable TV lines or twisted pair phone lines where the IP backhaul is already in place, eliminating the need for laying additional cables. In contrast, when installing macrocell solutions there is a need for additional cabling connecting the radio access network and often the addition of a visually unappealing tower.
4. More Efficient RF Power Requirements
Indoor small cells are able to run on a lower transmit power compared to macrocells because the radio signal originates within a matter of feet from the mobile device. In addition, the user and the device are both indoors, so the RF signal does not need to use excess energy to penetrate through the outer wall and saves additional RF power consumption. Small cells use less RF power per user than macrocells
in an mW of RF power per user comparison.
5. Customers have Capability to Shut Off Coverage when Users are Not Present
Homes, offices, or public venues provide the electricity for the small cells, and this provides the end users incentive to shut down the device during off-peak times, weekends, vacations or whenever the cellular service is not required. A public venue could power down a picocell when events are not taking place and use only a fraction of the power. Similarly, an enterprise could simply shut off enterprise femtocell service in the evenings and weekends and save over half the energy consumption of the device. Over time and with many establishments practicing power-down procedures such as this, the savings to the environment could be significant.
In the future, small cells will incorporate technology advancements such as renewable energy, sleep mode and recycled materials to progress the eco-friendly nature of the product.
