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Small Cells to boost mobile data [CommsMEA (United Arab Emirates)](CommsMEA (United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The growing demand for mobile data is setting new challenges for operators, as they need to guarantee the best performance for their clients. According to Cisco, the mobile data traffic increased by 74%in the Middle East from 2010 to 2013 and in Africa, by 79%. Globally, smart cells have played a significant role in allowing operators to increase their capacity while avoiding unnecessary infrastructure deployments. Operators must follow a conscious planning when developing small cells if they want to build a strong and cost-effective small cell network. "Telcos have to consider cells' site location to minimise interference (small cell to macrocell, macrocell to small cell, and small cell to small cell); site accessibility, a hard-to-reach site is likely to be more expensive to install a small cell; and cell planning, to ensure that small cells co-exist with macrocells providing additional coverage and do not compete with them", as Chris Nicoll, head of Networks at Analysys Mason said. Challenges faced by operators when deploying indoor or outdoor small cells in the region will vary depending on the country where they deploy them. In our small cells feature, we review the common scenarios that telcos are facing and what the trends are in the Middle East and Africa region. In Europe, the Commission requests operational improvements such as the common use of active and passive infrastructures, spectrum sharing and spectrum trading to make easier and cheaper to deploy or renovate wireless networks with new technologies. These recommendations made by Brussels should be considered by some countries in the MEA region. By appliyng these operational improvements, countries and companies will make a long term investment. Companies commit to invest in some countries to develop their infrastructure, but several companies are extending their commitment and developing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs in the countries where they are operating. In our feature, we review what operators are doing to promote technology in the region, with a special focus on women roles. During October, GITEX Technology Week will take place in Dubai were companies will present their last innovations. We have worked on a short review of the businesses that will be gathered in this event that plans to gather more than 142,000 ICT professionals, 25,000 C-level executives and over 3,700 exhibitors from 61 countries. Etisalat will be one of the companies that will showcase its services during this event. This month, we had the chance to talk with Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Etisalat group's chief executive officer, about the company's focuses, its latest acquisition of Maroc Telecom and trends in the telecoms market. CommsMEA also asked Google how the company is working with operators in the MEA region and what services it is providing to them. HE Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, director general, UAE mGovernment and deputy director general, Information and eGovernment Sector, UAE TRA, shared his insights with CommsMEA about this initiative and talked on the work that operators are developing on mGov. STC stressed in the interview that we published this month, the importance of developing infrastructure in different countries. I would also like to mention that the nominations are now open for the 9th edition of the annual CommsMEA awards. As you know, the awards will acknowledge operators and individuals who have taken a leadership role in the region's telecoms sector. Our deadline to submit the candidacies online is Wednesday 8th October. Please, check our website for further details. The judging panel for the awards will be announced in our next edition. (c) 2014 ITP Business Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |