SINGAPORE, 9 DECEMBER 2008 - Singapore telco StarHub, has chosen Chinese telecommunications network solutions provider Huawei Technologies to deploy the world’s first commercial 3G femtocell network, said Huawei.
A 3G femtocell is a portable wireless access device that connects 3G mobile handsets directly to a standard broadband DSL or cable service to provide mobile voice and data coverage in the home and office environment. Femtocells are particularly useful for areas where broadband access would otherwise be limited or unavailable.
Huawei’s femtocell solution enables end-users to enjoy high-speed wireless data services indoors such as streaming video, IPTV, video conferencing and mobile broadband.
Femtocells are also important for operators to implement a full-service operation strategy in this new era of network convergence, said Huawei.
Significant milestone
“StarHub’s launch of ‘Home Zone’, the world ’s first commercially-available 3G femtocell service, is a significant milestone for the commercial development of the femtocell industry,” said Wan Biao, executive deputy president of Huawei wireless product line. “As the earliest member of Femto Forum, Huawei has been committed to femtocell research and development since 2005 and our focus now is to play an active role in the commercial deployment of this important technology worldwide in partnership with the industry."
With the flourishing development of 3G services, femtocells are gaining momentum driven by top-tier telecom operators including Vodafone, Telefónica, TI, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon.
Huawei has deployed 21 pre-commercial and trial femtocell networks across the world, the company said.
