New guides to help property owners achieve better indoor cellular coverage
Engagement with the enterprise has always been a big part of our work, and this year our members have focused […]
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Significant growth in private operators and neutral hosts over next five years, as new small cell use cases provide rich soil for innovative new players
This years’ Market Status Report has thrown up some growing trends in the area of diversification, particular in the number […]
Roll-out of urban small cells is hampered by access to sites and approvals, operator survey shows, but automation could be key in reducing costs
In our latest Market Status Report 2020, it is clear to see that indoor/enterprise small cells will be a far […]
Enterprise small cells: Market Status predicts strong growth, if barriers to deployment can be overcome
The forecast for growth in enterprise small cells is strong and the potential is high, if barriers are removed quickly. […]
FCC wins appeal to cap fees for wireless carriers deploying small cells – in a victory for 5G roll out and densification in the US
It was a win for small cells and mobile coverage this week, as the US Federal Appeals Court on Wednesday […]
Latest small cell forecasts point to an increase in use cases and diversification of deployers
In our Market Status Report 2020, the latest forecasts point to a trend towards increasingly varied use cases supported by […]
5G small cell product definition to combat fragmentation
In the 5G era, small cells will be deployed in a far wider range of scenarios, and the form factors […]
SCF reveals the powerful potential of combining small cells and edge compute
Edge computing is emerging as a significant opportunity for network operators, and one that can enhance the business case for […]
Packed SCF Virtual Plenary brings members together
In these uncertain and disrupted times, it was fantastic to see such a strong turnout for the Forum’s first ever […]
SCF Awards: how past winners have helped to shape today’s industry
Despite the stresses and distractions of Covid-19, entries are still coming in for Small Cell Forum’s annual awards. This is […]
SCF launches blueprint for profitable roll-out of private LTE networks
The defining objective of Small Cell Forum is to accelerate adoption of dense networks, so that cellular technologies can deliver […]
COVID-19 crisis – what can the industry do?
The global health emergency has had a huge impact on all our lives and will continue to do so for […]
SCF to unveil latest Market Status at next plenary
Diversification of deployment will be a significant theme for the 2020 Each year, Small Cell Forum publishes a Market Status […]
SCF’s latest FAPI release; critical for 5G small cells to cross the chasm
In the early days of any new technology, there is a critical period that comes between the first deployments, and […]
SCF extends pioneering work in SON to support 5G era automation
A heavy dose of automation is a key goal for most operators deploying next generation networks. The more they extend […]
SCF’s predictions for the small cell industry in 2020
Now that the holiday lull is over and 2020 is truly underway, it seemed a good time to put SCF’s […]
Why you should enter the SCF Small Cell Awards 2020 by chair of judges, Caroline Gabriel
It’s hard to believe that the judging process for the SCF Small Cell Awards has begun again, but once again […]
Pittsburgh plenary lays foundations for a rich work program in 2020
Small Cell Forum’s last plenary meeting of the year was a very successful event, hosted by SCF Board Member Crown […]
Extending the smart city network beyond MNOs will ease the cost burden
Multiple types of organizations, not just mobile operators, need to deploy and fund urban small cell networks, if the vision […]
Precise planning and ML are critical to the business case for densification
It is a serious over-simplification to say that small cells improve capacity and coverage. They only do this optimally and […]
London plenary round up
Small Cell Forum members gathered in London last week for a highly successful and hard-working plenary meeting. Operators, vendors and […]
SCF Plenary: A turning point for 5G standards, and wider industry cooperation
Small Cell Forum was engaged in driving open interfaces long before the macro network world became interested in multivendor interoperability. […]
Automation, geolocation and ML – three critical issues addressed in SCF papers
New papers from SCF working groups are always a hot topic of conversation at Plenary meetings, and our next Plenary […]
Edge + small cells: a dream team, once SCF addresses some key challenges
At the Small Cells World Summit event in London in May, edge computing, and its relationship with small cells, was […]
SCF gears up for one of its most critical Plenaries to date
We’re gearing up for Small Cell Forum’s next plenary meeting, which will be held in London on September 16 and […]
Neutral host moves to the top of SCF’s agenda as it proves essential to 5G success
In 3G and 4G, building mobile networks was all about scale. A few large companies invested in hundreds of sites […]
Small cell initiatives will help to avert risk of Open RAN fragmentation
One of the hottest topics in mobile networks is currently Open RAN. An access network in which elements from different […]
SCF addresses complexities of deploying small cells for a profitable IoT
Many of the business cases for investment in 5G revolve around the Internet of Things (IoT), both in industrial and […]
SCF’s first open 5G interface will significantly lower barriers to densification
One of the most important parts of Small Cell Forum’s remit is to create the right conditions for an open, […]
Investment in indoor mobility will drive digital transformation economics
Digital transformation is the watchword for many industry sectors as they adapt their businesses to the world of cloud platforms […]
As enterprise mobility challenges rise, a new indoor solution is urgently needed
For most operators, the 5G business case will depend heavily on new revenues, coming from enterprise services. Many industries can […]
A wide variety of deployers will be critical to hit densification goals
One of the biggest themes which emerged from the recent Small Cells World Summit was the need for a far […]
Small Cells World Summit 2019 – neutral hosts take centre stage
It is often said that 5G will enable mobile technology to reach far beyond the current boundaries of connectivity. In […]
MWC 2019: Key themes align well with the Forum’s 2019 work plan
By Caroline Gabriel. Another Mobile World Congress has been and gone, and it was encouraging to see how many of […]
SCF kicks off year of activities to make the case for cellular IoT
By Caroline Gabriel It has become a cliché that the best return on investment in 5G will come from brand […]
SCF open APIs will be significant catalysts for dense 5G deployment
By David Orloff One of the most exciting developments in the industry in the past year has been serious momentum […]
SCF works to drive industry consensus ahead of key EU decisions on site regulation
By Richard Kennedy Mobile World Congress is a global show, but its location in Spain means European issues loom large. […]
SCF Small Cell Awards 2019 open for entries, with three new categories
By Caroline Gabriel, Rethink Technology Research The SCF Small Cell Awards stand out from the crowd of industry prizes. They […]
Small Cells have become critical
Joe Madden, Mobile Experts Who needs small cells? Well, as it turns out, you do. Recently, in major US cities, […]
Could Small Cell Become a Pioneer of Open RAN Initiative?
By Guang Yang Director, Strategy Analytics In October, China Mobile quietly launched a tender for white box indoor small cell […]
Small Cells Have Big Role in Mission-Critical Communications
By Ken Rehbehn Principal Analyst, CritComm Insights, @krehbehn Communications is an integral element of successful public safety operations. Law enforcement, firefighting […]
Industry can take its cue from SCF as it seeks to define the open RAN
Related content: nFAPI specifications, small cell virtualization, functional splits It remains to be seen how far 5G, in reality, will […]
5G and WiFi will come even closer in the dense HetNet of the 2020s
There are different schools of thought about how 5G and WiFi will coexist. At one extreme are those who think […]
Beware the 5G small cells
Peter Jarich, Head of GSMA Intelligence 5G and small cells. It’s hard to disentangle the two. Which makes it all the more […]
The opportunities of Chinese 5G densification must be grasped, despite trade wars
By Caroline Gabriel, Rethink Technology Research Ltd The current wave of 4G densification is being led by major roll-outs in […]
Shared spectrum sweetens the small cell business case, and encourages new entrants
One of the major barriers to at-scale deployment of small cells has been the fact that they were confined to […]
A crucial meeting to define the work agenda for a turning-point year
Anticipation is mounting for SCF’s European plenary meeting, to be held in Amsterdam on Tuesday October 3 and Wednesday October […]
Municipal small cell definition will be powerful tool to spur densification
There are over 39,000 local governments in the United States alone, so it is hardly surprising that it has been […]
Towards the self-driving telco – SCF’s roadmap for SON and orchestration
Densification will mean very large numbers of cells being deployed – 5G is likely to have at least five times […]
Small cells and edge compute make a natural partnership
Edge compute is one of the most important developments for mobile operators (MNOs) to consider in their next generation network […]
Small Cell Networks: Changing the Rural Landscape for the 5G-Era
Small cells must not be considered only as a solution for cities. SCF is holding its first ever Rural and […]
SCF welcomes news that Hawaii has approved legislation to allow small cell deployments
SCF welcomes the news that Hawaii’s governor has approved legislation that will allow the deployment of small cells across the […]
SCF draws up work plan to turn stakeholder requirements into a unified platform
Small Cell Forum is currently finalizing its work program for 2018-19, and is setting some ambitious goals. From spectrum and […]
New study looks at barriers to small cell densification
The anticipated commercial deployments of 5G networks from next year will further enforce the trends towards denser small cell deployments. […]
The Forum’s role in Europe’s spectrum future
As you can imagine, the Small Cell Forum receives many invitations to provide speakers and attendees at numerous telecoms-related events […]
SCF Small Cell Awards reflect a rapidly expanding and diversifying market
In this blog, chair of the Small Cell Awards judging panel, Caroline Gabriel, gives her thoughts on the 2018 award […]
The SCF China Workshop will offer unique insight into deployment plans and business strategies in China and beyond
Since the earliest days of small cells, China and its surrounding region have been essential to the market, providing early […]
MMwave small cells boost capacity tenfold, but where are the use cases?
One of the most discussed aspects of 5G is the New Radio’s ability to work in millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum […]
MWC 2018: Densification gathers pace as MNOs look to 5G and the edge
This year’s Mobile World Congress actually saw less frantic 5G hype than in 2016 and 2017, and more considered discussion […]
Making your building ‘small cell ready’ – the guidelines
How do you make your building (or buildings) small cell ready? That is the question we tackle in a new […]
MWC: a great forum to drive home the need for densification in Europe
Ahead of Mobile World Congress next week, our Chair David Orloff of AT&T reflects on what our latest market status […]
Small cells will be central to many key MWC themes, from 5G to edge computing
This year’s Mobile World Congress will focus on a perfect storm of developments, all taking place imminently, all with small […]
SCF Small Cell Awards in their tenth year: the view from the Chair
Industry Analyst Caroline Gabriel is the Chair of Judges for the SCF Small Cell Awards 2018. The awards are now […]
‘Smart London’ plan aims to pave the way for dense network of small cells across the capital to keep city competitive
The launch of the ‘Smart London Plan’ consultation is a step forward in ensuring the city stays ahead of other […]
Focus on C-Band spectrum means 5G will be dense from day one
As some operators start to put flesh on their plans for early-stage 5G deployments, midband spectrum is emerging as a […]
Release 10: A blueprint for planning, deploying and commercializing a dense network
Release 10 is the latest set of technical and commercial documents published by SCF, which focuses on key enablers for […]
The 2018 Work Program – get involved!
SCF Chief Strategy Officer Julius Robson shares some insights into the 2018 work program for SCF – and details how […]
Achievements in San Jose
Small Cell Forum held the last event of a packed 2017 schedule in December in San Jose, California. Chair David […]
SCWS Americas: small cells expand into new enterprises and cities
The last major event on the small cell industry’s calendar was the SCWS Americas conference, which moved to a new […]
Operator survey finds that denser 5G networks will drive significant growth in the roll out of small cells
One of the few aspects of 5G on which there is broad agreement is that it will be deployed completely […]
Help shape SCF’s 2018 program – join next week’s plenary in San Jose.
Ahead of our North America Plenary next week, CEO Sue Monahan shares insight into the discussions and debates members can […]
Carrier heavyweights, enterprise, disruptors and infrastructure ecosystem gather for SCWS Americas
Ahead of SCWS Americas next month in San Jose, the conference’s Head of Content Georgie Mailer-Howat shares key highlights of […]
Small Cell Forum and The Future Network: a partnership focused on small cell potential
From 12-13 December the Small Cell Forum will be participating in the Tower Xchange/ Future Network Asia Meetup at the […]
SCF & TIA join forces to address smart building requirements
Members from TIA will be joining our North America plenary in San Jose next month for the launch of TIA’s […]
GSMA Mobile 360 Latin America
Latin America’s MNOs call for new partnerships to make densification real Operator CxOs took to the stage at the GSMA’s […]
Indian densification sets a high bar for small cell industry
On October 4-5, Small Cell Forum held its first ever Densification Summit, which was also its first-ever major event in […]
Small cells must be deployable at scale, or the smart city vision will fail
Ahead of CEO Sue Monahan’s keynote address at the DC5G Summit in Washington DC this week, we examine how small […]
SCF’s Partners’ Day report shows how modern networks must be defined
The modern mobile network has become such a complex beast that no single organization can address all its challenges. Operators […]
5G Asia: Small cells will support 4G continuity as well as 5G innovation
Small Cell Forum will be represented at 5G Asia by Aya Mukaikubo of SoftBank. Ahead of the event, CEO Sue Monahan discusses the steps being taken to progress towards 5G.
SCF’s first ever Densification Summit, Mumbai 4 – 5 October
Densification is the most important trend in mobile network deployment, and few markets are densifying with such dramatic impact as […]
SCF Asia Workshop: Partnerships will be vital to India’s mobile future
The timing couldn’t be better for Small Cell Forum to hold its first major event in India. The global spotlight […]
SCF’s next event will put Indian operators firmly center stage
India is now the second largest smartphone market in the world, overtaking the US, and to support that growth, its […]
Fragmentation will only be averted if many alliances find common ground
The success of the mobile industry has been built on global standards, and these will be even more vital to […]
SCF Partners day addresses cross-industry roadmap for densification
Densification may be an unwieldy and overused word, but it lies at the heart of many mobile operators’ plans to […]
A plenary with a difference: Partner Day in Atlanta
Ahead of our summer meeting in Atlanta later this month, Chair David Orloff explains why this is a plenary with […]
US president lends support to address small cell siting challenges
The issues of small cell siting are grabbing attention all the way up to the White House. President Donald Trump […]
Shanghai Day Two: Empowering the next 3 billion
The theme of MWC Shanghai 2017 is the Human Element, recognizing the needs of people and communities alongside the tech […]
Evolution not revolution at MWC Shanghai
MWC Shanghai opened with the usual flares, beats and robotic dancers, but as always with China it’s the eye watering […]
Apply now for Executive Board/ Chair positions 2017 – 18
Applications are now open for Executive Board and Chair positions for October 2017 to September 2018. Details on our leadership […]
SCWS series comes to China
Small Cell Forum works in exclusive partnership with Avren Events to create a series of inspiring, relevant and informative events. […]
Taipei – SCF and ITRI run inspiring events around shared 5G vision
Taiwan was the setting for two exciting events for Small Cell Forum last week. We co-hosted a 5G workshop with […]
Taipei: Double act of Forum events will move 5G debate forward
The eyes of the small cell industry are on Taiwan this week as a double act of major events takes […]
SCWS 2017: Forum celebrates tenth anniversary and annual awards
The Small Cells World Summit is always a highlight of the year, bringing together so many players in the sector […]
Plasma Antennas Joins Small Cell Forum to Make 5G a Commercial Reality
Plasma Antennas, the inventors of plasma silicon technology, today announced that it has joined Small Cell Forum (SCF), the global industry […]
Hope for US city networks as FCC pushes small cell regulatory reform
The relationship between city authorities and wireless operators has often been a sticking point when trying to get good connectivity […]
Busy Q1 achieves real progress towards mass-scale small cell deployment
The first quarter of 2017 has been a momentous one for the small cell industry. Operators’ need to densify their […]
SCF Cannes plenary: a packed agenda as small cell momentum grows apace
Back from Cannes, SCF Chair David Orloff reflects on a busy plenary. Small Cell Forum members gathered in large numbers […]
TIA survey highlights 5G challenges, and why the Forum’s program is crucial
A new survey highlights the gulf between mobile operators’ 5G ambitions and their deployment realities, especially when it comes to […]
Calling hospitality players – a better mobile signal can transform customer satisfaction
Hospitality is one of the industries in which a good mobile signal is most crucial to business success. Being able […]
Don’t miss out on the best chance this year to set the HetNet agenda
A reminder from SCF Chair David Orloff, to register for the Cannes plenary Make sure you have your place secured […]
What we were up to in Barcelona
Following a successful visit to MWC, Chair David Orloff shares an update of conversations with a variety of organizations which […]
If you have to choose just one MWC event, make it SCF’s 5G Panel
If you’re heading to Mobile World Congress this year, you’ll be inundated with talk of 5G. Whether you are eager […]
Density, enterprise wireless and 5G: SCF is solving MNOs’ greatest challenges
SCF Chair David Orloff (AT&T) reflects on the build up to his first Mobile World Congress. I am very excited […]
Small Cell Forum launches 2017 Awards: the view from the chair of judges
In our latest blog SCF Awards Chair of Judges Caroline Gabriel shares her view of the awards process, with useful […]
Launching the Enterprise Advisory Council
Small Cell Forum is creating an Enterprise Advisory Council (EAC) to help deepen industry links with the Enterprise market […]
A landmark year for small cells, and exciting challenges ahead for the Forum
SCF Chair David Orloff rounds up a landmark year for small cells. Looking back on 2016, it’s clear that this […]
UK needn’t wait for 5G to start improving its mobile coverage
The UK’s National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has criticized the level of coverage achieved so far with 4G and urged early […]
Small cells take a central role in Huawei’s Mobile Broadband Forum
Last week, Huawei held its annual Global Mobile Broadband Forum in Tokyo. Small Cell Forum, and many of its members, […]
Small Cell Forum’s Workshop brings 5G a few steps closer to reality
At Small Cell Forum, we have set ourselves an ambitious roadmap to ensure our members have their say throughout the […]
Latest Small Cell Forum Release removes the mystique around virtualization
Download the latest documents from SCF via www.scf.io Network virtualization is one of the hottest topics in telecoms, but particularly […]
Have your say on the Forum’s 5G roadmap – join our Dallas workshop
Many vendors and operators are already starting to prepare for 5G, even if the standards have not yet been agreed. […]
Streamlining small cell approval processes: have your say on a vital initiative
SCF are hosting a call on small cell deployment issues this Wednesday 19 October at 4pm BST. Non members are […]
TeleWorld launches disruptive response to small cell site challenges
One of the major barriers to deployment of outdoor small cells is the lack of a standard, streamlined process for […]
Forum to set critical priorities for 5G at Rome Workshop
New blog from Chair elect David Orloff on our up and coming 5G workshop The Small Cell Forum has a […]
Rome plenary: an unmissable chance to shape the 5G agenda
Small Cell Forum holds its European Plenary in Rome next week (September 13-15), and it will be the most important […]
Small Cell Forum: a refuge from 5G wars and fragmentation
Small Cell Forum CEO, Sue Monahan comments on the latest industry announcements on 5G. Though 5G is moving out of […]
Small Cell Forum: Member only security update from Copper Horse
Small Cell Forum aims to support all members promote the adoption of small cells across the industry. A key part […]
SCF Plenary, Rome: Ancient city, brand new work plan
Ahead of our European plenary, held 13 – 15th September in Rome, CEO Sue Monahan explains why the event is not […]
5G World: Release 7 provides 5G with a route out of the labs
Arun Bansal, head of Ericsson’s Radio business unit, set the tone at London’s 5G World conference today, with a keynote […]
Forecasters confirm small cells will drive MNO spending this year
Operators which were in the forefront of LTE roll-out have largely completed their wide area macrocell deployments and are switching […]
Backhaul challenges are being addressed just in time for large-scale HetNets
From 2016, there will be a sharp uptick in deployments of small cells in enterprise and urban environments, as operators […]
Public safety and ‘extreme users’ are pushing small cells to new limits
In the mobile world, discussion tends to focus on MNOs’ mainstream deployments geared to consumer data and voice. Yet many […]
US operators show it is now critical to address small cell siting issues
It so often happens in the mobile world. The operators of Japan and South Korea pioneer a new network platform, […]
From HetNet to glittering awards: SCWS showcases small cells’ rapid progress
SCF Chair Alan Law reports back from a successful week in London at Small Cells World Summit. Once again, the […]
Strongest ever awards shortlist reflects pace of innovation in small cells
So the shortlists for the Small Cell Forum’s eighth annual awards have been announced and the clock is ticking for […]
Small cells at Big Comms!
Light Reading’s Big Communications Event in Austin in May is the latest in series of events that look to get […]
SCWS Singapore: Asia sets the pace in smart cities and dense HetNets
SCWS Singapore: Asia sets the pace in smart cities and dense HetNets The latest stop on the Small Cell Forum’s […]
Small Cells deployment stories in Singapore
At Small Cells Asia, SCF held another in our series of successful workshops to showcase best practice deployment stories, and […]
Regional projects and HetNet Release – in focus at Forum’s first Virtual Plenary
The Small Cell Forum has held its first ‘virtual plenary’, providing members with an online update on the first quarter […]
SCWS Asia: exciting developments in the engine of the small cell industry
Only weeks after the first Small Cell World Summit in Latin America, the roadshow moves to Asia, with the SCWS […]
Why making awards submissions should be considered a key feature of your marketing strategy.
In our latest blog, Small Cell Forum Member Services Director Lynne Price-Walker looks into how industry awards can be a […]
Make a Social Impact at the Small Cell Forum Awards
SCF Awards Judge and Editor of The Mobile Network magazine Keith Dyer has written a blog for us focussing on the […]
Share your success with SCF Awards 2016
It’s only two months until the Small Cell Forum announces the winners of its eighth annual awards, but there’s still […]
Small cells burst out of the home, ready for the wider world
Mobile World Congress is always awash with the latest market forecasts and statistics, and while some of these owe more […]
Two new studies point to high enterprise appetite for small cells
As mobile links become the primary connections for many businesses, small cells are moving to the heart of the enterprise […]
SCF work resonates at MWC 2016
In our latest blog, SCF Chair Alan Law reflects on the highlight of MWC 2016 for all those involved with […]
MWC 2016: a landmark event for small cells
Over 100,000 people are now taking their sore feet and heads home from Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress for another year […]
‘Release 6: Smart Enterprise’ readies small cells for the challenges of scale
Just over two years ago, Small Cell Forum published its first Enterprise Release, a set of case studies, deployment blueprints, […]
Forum raises its voice on licence exempt spectrum at MWC16
Small Cell Forum Chair, Alan Law, has been invited to take part in a main GSMA conference panel discussion on […]
Small cells at MWC16: What to look out for in Barcelona
The clock is ticking for the mobile industry’s massive jamboree in Barcelona, and for those interested in small cells, there […]
Small cell deployment ramping up in MENA
SCF CEO Sue Monahan reports back from SCWS MENA in Dubai. I’ve just delivered the keynote presentation at Small Cells MENA […]
Small Cell Forum Awards 2016: The view from the chair
As we launch the Small Cell Forum Awards, Caroline Gabriel shares her excitement at being Chair of judges once more. […]
World Radiocommunication Conference 2015: Two important spectrum decisions for small cells
Globally harmonised spectrum is one of the most important factors behind strong mobile network economics, to enabling a huge ecosystem […]
Wanted: Enterprise and multi-operator case studies for Release 6
We are looking for case studies of small cell deployments in enterprise vertical markets, and those supporting multi-operator capabilities. So […]
Your chance to shape vital standards for small cell virtualization
However forward-looking Small Cell Forum’s work may be, it always remains grounded in real world operator requirements. That is why, […]
MWC: time running out to secure space in the Small Cell Zone
Mobile World Congress 2016 is by far the most influential event in the industry’s calendar, and once again, Small Cell […]
Clear signs of progress in Dallas
SCF Chair Alan Law reports back from a busy week in Dallas. It was foggy when I left London to […]
An important week for Small Cell Forum in Dallas
In our latest blog, SCF Chair Alan Law looks forward to an exciting week in Dallas 2 – 5 November […]
As technology lines blur, so industry alliances come closer together
Our latest blog reports back from the WBA Wi-Fi Global Congress in San Jose, October 2015. Heterogeneous networking does not just […]
Small Cell Forum to play key role in Mobile Edge Computing
Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) is an architectural approach which is likely to play a fundamental role in future networks, including […]
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