BEFEMTO - Broadband Evolved FEMTO Networks

BeFEMTO is a timely proposal to address broadband communications, an important
stimulus to the European economy. It aims to research and develop evolved femtocell technologies that accelerate cost-effective provision of ubiquitous broadband services by smoother convergence between fixed and wireless broadband. The approach adopted is pragmatic in two ways: near-term solutions as enabler for earlydeployment that impact on LTE-A standardisation, as well as longer-term solutions for enhanced efficiency in terms of power, capacity and OPEX. Near-term solutions focus on novel techniques for standalone femtocells. The long-term solutions focus upon novel concepts of networked femtocells, femtocell as fixed relays in macrocells for enhancing cell edge capacity and mobile femtocells in public transports, all with self-organising techniquesfor high capacity and optimum use of transmit power whilst minimising OPEX and simplifyingcomplexity for remote network management of expected multiple million femtocells.Furthermore, BeFEMTO has set itself challenging targets of maximum mean transmit power of 10mW and a minimum cell capacity of 8bits/sec/Hz. The scope and tangible results of BeFEMTO are: 1) Optimisation of radio access, 2) new generation of BB and RF techniques, 3) self-optimization techniques, 4) new indoor positioning techniques, network synchronization and intelligent interference management, 5) cooperative networked femtocells enabling highly flexible and resource efficient coverageextension, 6) mobile femtocells, and 7) validation of developed technologies using testbeds and simulation tools.BeFEMTO is a strong consortium of key industrial and leading-edge academics, supportedby an Advisory Board for regulatory issues and standardisation. BeFEMTO will develop technologies that will have a major impact on LTE-A, ease potential EMC problems, andopen up new services at home and in public places, thus achieving a ubiquitous broadbandNetwork of the Future.