PLANNING GUIDE
Picocell Application Guide
A Proven Way to Maximize
Return-on-Spectrum
When IP-enabled picocells first came onto the scene, they appeared to
offer a new alternative to operators facing difficult coverage (and capacity)
challenges. But they also made operators feel a bit uncomfortable. Using
IP for backhaul made a lot of sense… but it was unfamiliar for network
planners used to their trusted tools.
Today, picocells have come a long, long way. They’re deployed by mobile
operators all over the world as a fast, cost-effective solution to a wide range
of coverage and capacity problems. As you’ll see, these applications start
with in-building coverage, but extend far beyond as well.
The ADC FlexWave
™
BSS solution is built around the world’s most deployed
picocell. Since the product was launched, operators have taken it into all
sorts of different places – some of which were never envisioned before.
In every case, picocells were chosen for very simple, hard-nosed reasons:
because they offer fast, cost-effective capacity and coverage in places your
macro network finds hard to reach. The effect, in every case, is to maximize
what we call Return-on-Spectrum.
This guide is a brief summary of these application areas. It’s designed to help
network planners think about coverage and capacity problems in different
ways and to recognize ‘picocell-shaped’ problems in your own networks.
It also will help staff from the commercial side of your business – such as
enterprise customer account teams – who wish to provide alternatives to
their customers and talk with authority about them.
We hope you find the guide useful and that you’ll give us a call to discuss
ADC’s complete solutions for your network challenges.
Operators have been struggling with coverage and

Business Week, June 27, 2007
Picocells: A Primer
Picocells are a simple, time-tested solution for
a range of coverage and capacity challenges.
ADC’s FlexWave
™
BSS, the world’s most
deployed picocell technology, is a robust,
flexible system that includes the picocell, the
controller and the manager. ADC has even
added an outdoor hardened microcell to let
you extend the benefits of this technology into
the most challenging environments.
The Picocell
The nanoBTS picocell is a complete GSM base
station that uses the standard Um interface to
the handset and an Abis interface carried over
IP for the backhaul.
The nanoBTS offers:
Support for EDGE and half rate AMR•
Indoor coverage up to 125,000m•
2
Low-cost IP backhaul•
Simple deployment – using a single •
Ethernet connection for power, traffic
and signaling
Network Listen™ – supplements RF •
planning, allowing the planners to see into
the difficult indoor environment to optimize
coverage and avoid interference

The FlexWave OMC-R (Operations and
Maintenance Center – Radio) provides all
the facilities needed for the operation and
maintenance of the nanoBTS picocells and
controller including configuration, performance
and alarm management.
The Microcell
The FlexWave microBTS is a ”deploy
anywhere” microcell that allows an operator to
extend the benefits of the FlexWave solution
beyond pure in-building applications.
The microBTS offers:
Same low-cost IP backhaul•
Higher output power (microcell class)•
IP 67-rated, compact enclosure•
Extended temperature range•
Maintenance-free passive cooling•
Multiple transceivers options•
MicroBTS Applications
Business campus, hospitals and universities•
Public hot spots, retail and sports venues•
Convention centers and hotels•
Transportation corridors, bridges •
and tunnels
Airports, trains and subway stations•
Rural communities and other remote areas•
For further information on ADC’s microcell
solution, visit www.adc.com/wireless.
Picocell Planning Guide
Page 5

They’re easy to take with you, if your 10.
customer moves.
They’re easy to manage using our 11.
management software or feeding alarm
and performance data into yours.
They earn dramatically more minutes and 12.
megabytes and significantly reduce the
likelihood of churn.
They’re proven. nanoBTS picocells are 13.
already carrying billions of minutes each
year for operators all over the world.
Cons:
Picocells are a new element to introduce 1.
into your network. You may prefer not to
have a new technology in there.
Using Picocells requires learning about 2.
IP. But not a great deal. It’s just a cheap,
available source of backhaul.
In some places, there may be no IP 3.
available for backhaul. But you tend
to find IP in places you don’t find base
stations. And you can use satellite
backhaul, too.
Your network equipment vendor may 4.
claim they won’t integrate easily. But
they do. We’ll show you.
Some people will think you’re spending 5.
too much on 2G when 3G is the future.
In reality, picocells cut your 2G
infrastructure costs.

capacity in the network.
Outside – ADC’s FlexWave
™
microBTS is
an IP-based solution designed to increase
RF coverage and capacity while reducing
up front deployment costs and on-going
operating expense. The microBTS is part of
ADC‘s complete FlexWave Base Station System
(BSS), supporting EDGE and AMR, with up to
four GSM transceivers in one unit. Designed
to stand up to the harshest environmental
conditions and backed by ADC‘s high quality
and support standards, the microBTS allows
an operator to rapidly deploy in the most
challenging areas of the network.
For more information on the microBTS, visit
www.adc.com/wireless.
Considerations
Is it possible to use the customer’s 1.
broadband for backhaul or do we
have to make other arrangements?
Picocells need broadband (unless satellite
is an option).
Is the enterprise customer a prime 2.
target? Enterprises love the benefits of
their ‘own private base station’.
Does the area have branch offices of 3.
larger enterprise customers? Solving
coverage for branches can secure the

operators provide to premium customers, like
BlackBerry
®
and other PDA users, who expect
to be able to access services whenever they
want. Providing the right level of capacity
is tough in densely populated areas and
it’s limited by the spectrum available to
an operator.
Simply adding new macro cells is expensive
and time consuming. And public opposition to
the introduction of more and more radio masts
is increasing around the world as well, even if
good sites can be found.
An operator’s lack of capacity is not only
a churn driver but a brake on new
service uptake.
The solution
Picocells help maximize spectrum re-use:
Unlike repeaters, picocells add capacity •
to the network indoors and out. Using
picocells to solve in-building coverage
problems increases the capacity in the
outdoor macro network.
They remove the problems of cell distortion, •
interference, handover and management
in city center locations where macro BTS
spacing can be as low as 200 meters.
They provide sufficient extra capacity to •
ensure that subscribers of premium rate