Nokia launched a new base station and deployment tool, SCORE to support its small cells deployments as part of its series of launches in the run up to the Mobile World Congress 2016 (MWC),
The Nokia Flexi Zone Mini-Macro Base Station is as compact and easy to deploy as a small cell, yet delivers 2 x 20W power to enable operators to quickly and cost effectively fill coverage holes.
Nokia SCORE (Site Certified for Overall Relative Efficiency) is designed to provide a straightforward rating of qualified sites based on the cost of base station deployment and network performance. Operators can compare and select sites that best suit their needs, benefitting from up to 30% faster deployment and up to 20% lower total cost of ownership (TCO) thanks to the shorter deployment cycle, claims Nokia.
Other innovations launched for MWC include support for LTE-Advanced Pro LWA capabilities integrated into small cells to enable unlicensed spectrum to deliver very high data rates to subscribers, and new synchronization options delivering significant reductions in small cell deployment costs.
Stéphane Téral, Sr. Research Director & Advisor, Mobile Infrastructure and Carrier Economics, IHS
Up to 90% of small cells' total cost of ownership may be attributed to deployment costs. Key challenges that operators face include site acquisition, network planning, HetNet co-existence and delivering exceptional service quality in increasingly dense deployments.
Randy Cox, head of Small Cells Product Management at Nokia
This new SC product category will open up new ways for operators to use small cell technology to meet the growing coverage and capacity needs of their customers in urban, residential and rural areas.
