AirHop Communications and Continuous Computing demonstrate world’s first coordinated real-time self organising network solution for small cells on picoChip platform

AirHop Communications and Continuous Computing today announced a small cell reference design, based on picoChip’s fully integrated picoXcell(TM) PC302 High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) platform, which addresses the needs of mobile operators for solutions that can automate deployment and optimise performance in tomorrow’s small-cell networks. This innovative reference design builds on industry-leading Trillium(R) protocol software from Continuous Computing(R), adding the groundbreaking Evolved Self Organized Networking (eSON(TM)) software from AirHop Communications.

With eSON, AirHop is the first to demonstrate the practical use of dynamic self-organising network principles to manage interactions between cells in real time. eSON optimises spectrum usage and significantly improves data rates, simultaneously improving subscriber experience and increasing mobile operators’ ability to retain customers.

The joint demonstration carries live video traffic at HSPA rates via commercially available user-equipment devices and simulates a real-life radio channel via multiple simultaneously operating base stations in close proximity. It also illustrates how operators can simultaneously maximise both the availability and usability of a given slice of spectrum via AirHop’s unique application-level eSON software.

“2010 is the year we believe that small cell networks will deploy in a way that will have some real impact,” said Richard Webb, directing analyst for WiMAX, microwave and mobile devices at Infonetics Research. “To have three innovative and well-respected vendors team up to provide a comprehensive solution could be a game changer in terms of just how fast small cell networks will emerge and how much impact they will have on a customer’s experience. This is especially significant given the well-publicised strain placed on mobile networks by the continued success of the iPhone and other high-bandwidth handsets.”

“The topic of ‘self-organised networking’ or ‘SON’ is now becoming widespread, with many vendors claiming that they have a solution,” said Manish Singh, Vice President of Product Line Management at Continuous Computing. “Small cell networks are being deployed now, and like any advanced, disruptive technology, they require new thinking from the network operators and the equipment vendors who supply them. No-one before has successfully demonstrated a solution with the added sophistication enabled by coordinated, real-time optimisation. Available via a simple application-level software upgrade to standard platforms, AirHop’s eSON helps operators by improving coverage, increasing capacity and hence reducing customer churn.”

Rupert Baines, Vice President of Marketing for picoChip, added, “The integration of Continuous Computing’s field-proven Trillium software and picoChip’s carrier-grade platform is the industry standard for femtocells. However, in a market as dynamic as this, there is a definite need for innovation and alliances to add unique features that build on that standard. Clearly there is immense scope to optimise the efficiency of networks with better real-time SON algorithms or cognitive radio concepts. AirHop’s unique eSON software has the potential to help operators capitalize on the potential of small cell networks, both for HSPA and 4G networks.”

“Operators don’t care about data sheets and white papers, and are rapidly growing tired of hearing ‘SON’ used as a buzzword. They want real solutions that can help them in the field right now,” opined Garrett Choi, Chief Operating Officer for AirHop Communications. “AirHop’s eSON technology is a greenfield approach, and the only one designed specifically for small cell networks. Just trying to automate and shrink macrocells has already proven to be ineffective, especially in the real world where distributed real-time inter-cell coordination is required. This demonstration shows that eSON, pre-integrated with a widely adopted standard platform, significantly improves network efficiencies.”