Telefonica deploys Alca-Lu femtocells to boost 3G coverage

Alcatel-Lucent has announced that Telefonica Germany, which provides fixed and mobile services under the brand O2, has deployed femtocell technology to help improve 3G mobile broadband access and quality for its business customer base. The vendor’s ‘plug-and-play’ femtocell solution for Telefonica Germany includes femtocell gateways and modems that can be installed in enterprises and – in general – outdoor locations in high density areas. The modems, which are being marketed as ‘Signal Box by O2’, are about the size of a Wi-Fi base station, and can be linked with a cable to any internet connection and a power supply. Commenting on the agreement, Juan Carlos Garcia, vice president of Network Engineering Access and Transport at Telefonica Germany, said: ‘Quality of service is one of Telefonica Germany’s major strategic goals. Using Alcatel-Lucent’s Femto technology, our business customers have the option of enjoying high-quality 3G services for their voice and data communication. Our Signal Box by O2 increases the indoor quality of service and improves the experience of our customers.’