Alcatel-Lucent and Sagem to Co-develop 3G Femto Cell Base Stations

Alcatel-Lucent and Sagem Communications announced a collaboration on the development of a femto cell base station that will allow mobile operators to provide their users with 3G UMTS/HSPA network coverage in indoor locations. The Base Station Router (BSR) Femto can help mobile operators improve indoor coverage, while reducing expenditures by simplifying network architectures and the installation process.

Under the collaboration agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide its flat IP and UMTS/HSPA expertise, networking equipment and software and support for the development of the BSR Femto. Sagem Communications will contribute with its enhanced home networking capabilities and expertise in developing IP, VoIP and DSL solutions for the mass market.

Based on Alcatel-Lucent's flat IP architecture, the BSR Femto integrates the UMTS/HSPA radio access network elements, including the base station and radio network controller, into a single unit about the size of a TV set-top box. This approach enables operators to deploy and optimize smaller form-factor base stations, simplifying network management and preventing the overtaxing of existing radio network controllers.

The BSR Femto uses a DSL connection in a home or office building to backhaul voice and data traffic onto an operator's existing UMTS/HSPA network, enabling operators to offload traffic from the macro-network. It supports circuit-switched voice and data applications, packet-switched data applications, HSPA and IP-Multimedia Subsystem-based networks. It also works with all 3GPP-compliant UMTS/HSPA handsets.

Two versions of the BSR Femto are planned for UMTS/HSPA networks: a standalone 3G unit with Ethernet connectivity to a DSL modem and an integrated unit that supports UMTS/HSPA, DSL and W-iFi. Alcatel-Lucent is also developing a CDMA/EV-DO based BSR Femto.

Alcatel-Lucent and Sagem Communications have already successfully completed some steps needed for the development of the BSR Femto, including the completion of voice and data calls and lab demonstrations. The first field trials will be conducted in the fourth quarter of 2007.