Flying Small Cells for Rural Coverage using Drones and Balloons

Flying Small Cells for Rural Coverage using Drones and Balloons

Image: Google Loon Balloon

"We will begin exploring 'Air Masts'," EE CEO Olaf Swantee wrote. These are "essentially aerial small cells positioned in the sky above a hard-to-reach area, using either tethered balloons or unmanned craft, bridging the UK's transmission gap.

While this would be interesting and challenging, it wouldn't be the first time. Google has been trying something similar with its 'Loon' project. In fact its partnered with the Australian operator Telstra to bring connectivity in hard to reach places.



Another possible approach is to have small cells via drones. A prototype can be seen above in the embedded tweet. In fact one of the articles have been nicely worded "EE Plots Drones to Blanket UK for 4G"

Daily mail has a picture of the drone as well.

Back in 2012, Daily Wireless ran an article on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to be used as 'Flying Cell Towers'.

The main challenge for these deployments is the backhaul. One approach is to have satellite backhaul which may be possible for balloons but may not be easy. For the drones, they would have to create a mesh network among themselves with at least one of them receiving signal from the ground.

This nice conceptual diagram from Inmarsat shows how backhaul is provided to the planes. Using a combination of satellite and complemented by a fully integrated air-to-ground network. I am assuming a similar approach for the balloons/drones.

Anyway, we will hopefully learn a lot more in the coming months and years.

Instant Mobile Communication Network for Rapid Deployment Scenarios

Disaster Management | Paramilitary & Homeland Security

Government and ‘movable agencies’ such as aid organisations have very specific communications requirements, which include the vital ability to deploy secure communications systems fast, in difficult environments.

Omoco has addressed these needs with a range of small footprint, robust and highly portable GSM infrastructure products designed to support the use of secure encryption GSM handsets and PDA terminals, as well as standard commercial GSM terminals.

Omoco can become a quick phone booth in case of disaster relief camps for the people to make or receive call from their friends and relatives.

Functionality :

Each field-deployable NIB Unit can function independently, or in conjunction with Omoco Central Controller unit over any IP network to create a global, private and highly secure GSM network. The Central Controller (CC) allows aggregated access to fixed-line, Mobile & IP networks and fulfills the vital need to deploy instant communication quickly in difficult environments like disaster relief situation etc

It can also be quickly connected to the mainland over an IP-backhaul or can be integrated seamlessly with IP-PBX to allow calls from outside world. This makes a quick phone booth in case of disaster relief camps for the people to make or receive call from their friends and relatives.

Applications :

• Camp communication
• Emergency reporting and public address
• Disaster relief

Key Features :

• Local switching reduces satellite usage and allows local PSTN connectivity ‘in-the-field’
• Seamless ‘roaming’ between field units, and optionally to public GSM network
• Private and secure communication system
• All-IP wireless platform, easy integration in the existing network infrastructure
• Range: 1000+ meters
• Extended geographical coverage(more than 2 kms. with 15 mtrs. mast)
• Integrates seamlessly with PABX, satellites and IP radios
• Plug-and-play wireless voice and data
• Very low power consumption
• Robust and modular system
• Cost-effective high quality secure voice communication
• All weather reliability
• Built-in GSM elements, MSC/VLR, HLR, SMSC, AuC, SGSN/GGSN and IWF
• Satellite backhaul, compression techniques reduce IP satellite bandwidth usage

Airports, Railway Stations & Sea Ports Coverage

Why Omoco as an Enterprise GSM and In-Building Telecom Solution?

Transportation hubs like airports, sea ports, and railway stations face unique challenges today. For instance, airports depict some of the most complex environments in the world, with a large number of service types and a heavy demand on spectrum. Radio communications are critical to airport operations, helping to ensure the safety and security of all airport users. Airport expansion and the provision of new wireless-based services has also lead to increasing demands on the perfect wireless coverage in the airport.

The Need of Private Mobile Network at Airports:

The lack of private mobile service and the lack of flexibility in managing it, especially at airports, are significant constraints in airport operations and the provision of services.

Airport owners believe it must ensure that the radio environment is managed for the benefit of all airport users and that “airport owner” is ideally placed to manage the radio spectrum due to its detailed specific knowledge of the built environments. Airport owners already manage spectrum usage across all bands, including license-exempt bands, to minimise the risk of interference.

Airport owners strongly desire “Autonomous Mobile Network” and see many potential benefits including:

• New passenger services
• New services to airport staff and others working at airports
• Increased operational efficiency by improved communications and/or reduced costs
• Increased spectrum efficiency (using GSM instead of PMR where appropriate)

How Can Omoco Help?

Omoco system with 33dbm RF power output results in significant savings in infrastructure costs at airports without affecting systems outside the airports. Also as the airport area is exclusive property of airport owner, there is no impact on other operators. Sea ports and congested railway stations can also benefit from Omoco empowered solution similarly.

Instant Mobile Communication Network for Rapid Deployment Scenarios

Disaster Management | Paramilitary & Homeland Security

Government and ‘movable agencies’ such as aid organisations have very specific communications requirements, which include the vital ability to deploy secure communications systems fast, in difficult environments.

Omoco has addressed these needs with a range of small footprint, robust and highly portable GSM infrastructure products designed to support the use of secure encryption GSM handsets and PDA terminals, as well as standard commercial GSM terminals.

Omoco can become a quick phone booth in case of disaster relief camps for the people to make or receive call from their friends and relatives.

Functionality :

Each field-deployable NIB Unit can function independently, or in conjunction with Omoco Central Controller unit over any IP network to create a global, private and highly secure GSM network. The Central Controller (CC) allows aggregated access to fixed-line, Mobile & IP networks and fulfills the vital need to deploy instant communication quickly in difficult environments like disaster relief situation etc

It can also be quickly connected to the mainland over an IP-backhaul or can be integrated seamlessly with IP-PBX to allow calls from outside world. This makes a quick phone booth in case of disaster relief camps for the people to make or receive call from their friends and relatives.

Applications :

• Camp communication
• Emergency reporting and public address
• Disaster relief

Key Features :

• Local switching reduces satellite usage and allows local PSTN connectivity ‘in-the-field’
• Seamless ‘roaming’ between field units, and optionally to public GSM network
• Private and secure communication system
• All-IP wireless platform, easy integration in the existing network infrastructure
• Range: 1000+ meters
• Extended geographical coverage(more than 2 kms. with 15 mtrs. mast)
• Integrates seamlessly with PABX, satellites and IP radios
• Plug-and-play wireless voice and data
• Very low power consumption
• Robust and modular system
• Cost-effective high quality secure voice communication
• All weather reliability
• Built-in GSM elements, MSC/VLR, HLR, SMSC, AuC, SGSN/GGSN and IWF
• Satellite backhaul, compression techniques reduce IP satellite bandwidth usage

Rural & Remote Communities

Potential Market for Telecom Services in Rural/Remote Areas

Growth of mobile telephony and broadband is largely concentrated in the dense urban or semi-urban area. There is almost half the world living in rural and remote areas with minimum or no communication options, leaving billions unconnected. Most of these areas require basic communication facilities like voice telephony and messaging.

The existing solutions of the large network operators are capital intensive and have high power requirements. In addition to that traditional equipment is built for high-capacity, while these location are majorly scattered with population ranging from 200-2000 people.

How Can Omoco Help?

Omoco has mobile communication platform to connect such areas and create community or village level communication networks. Omoco as a platform is capable of running as standalone BTS, integrated BTS and BSC or complete GSM Network in Box in a fully autonomous mode. It’s a low cost, ideal for low density village communities, easily integrable with VoIP operator or Mobile Network, makes the service delivery in low-income rural and remote areas highly affordable.

Omoco (with GSM NIB software) as Extension to Mobile Operator in Remote Area

Omoco(with GSM NIB software) as extension to VoIP WLL Operator in Remote Area