AT&T Expecting Femtocell Launch Within Weeks

US mobile network, AT&T is expected to launch a femtocell based service within the next few weeks in selected markets, with a national launch planned for the end of this year. An update fro the Apple iPhone earlier this year, which is exclusive to AT&T in the USA hinted at femtocell specific services. AT&T is expected to brand the service as the "3G Microcell".

"Certainly we're looking at integrated femtocells. Some people think that integration is putting a femto into a residential gateway, and that's one aspect. We're looking at other things in the home [and asking]: How can I leverage all the elements in the home? There's a lot of research and investigation in these areas and nothing definitive on what we're going to do," AT&T's executive director for radio access network delivery, Gordon Mansfield told Unstrung.

The hardware is thought to be supplied by Cisco, relying on ip.access hardware, although that is not confirmed at this time. The femtocell boosts indoor coverage while routing voice and date traffic over the users own domestic broadband line.

On the web: Unstrung - Macrumours

Posted to the site on 27th June 2009