List of Femtocell Manufacturers

The combined list of femtocell manufactures have raised approximately $270M from various VCs and strategic investors over the last 2 years.  This list was compiled using Crunch Base numbers as well as news articles.  My biggest concern for these companies is the lack of consumer awareness that the companies and their products have in the marketplace.  How many consumers have heard of any of these companies below discussed in the media or know what a femtocell is?  The answer is virtually zero.

• Airvana: $83 million (AIRV) IPO and now going private for $530M purchased by 72 Mobile Holdings, S.A.C. Capital and Blackstone Group
• Vanu: $32 million Norwest, Charles River, Tata
• PicoChip: $31 million AT&T, Intel, Highland, Atlas, Samsung
• RadioFrame: $28 million Eastven, Vantage Point, Ignition, Samsung 
• Tatara: $26 million Highland, North Bridge
• Ubiquisys: $25 million from Accel, Atlas and Google & T-Ventures 
• Kineto: $15.5 million round from Venrock, SutterHill, Oak, Motorola & NEC
• Percello: $12 million Granite, T-Venture, Vertex
• AirWalk: $10 million TL Ventures, Seven Rosen, Nedelco
• ip.access: $10 million Scottish Equity, ADC, Cisco, Qualcomm

For the last two years I have noticed a pattern of frustration from executives at these companies who vent their frustration having to sell their femtocells through the carrier channels.  It troubles me that all of these companies continue rely on incompetent marketers (the carriers) to sell their products and educate consumers that they exist.  Cannibalization of your customers marketing just might be the only way to get ahead in business.   I strongly suggesting that each of these companies will need to "steal a page from the Google Nexus One Phone" and start doing some demand side research of who needs the product and where.  Its obvious that the carriers have very little financial incentive to push femtocells to their customers for fear of cannibalizing their existing businesses.  Yes I am suggesting that femtocell marketing executives start thinking like Cannibal Lecter in order to make their companies successful. Sometimes cannibalization of your own customers is the only way to succeed and rise about the crowd.

Femtocell Companies Funded In 2008

The femtocell market has seen a few large investments in recent months, showing that the industry has strong market potential and there are lots of home and commercial dead zones to fix. Prominent players (e.g. Airvana, Ticker: AIRV IPO in July of 2007 for $60M, picoChip $27M, Ubiquisys ($25M) were funded in 2007, the emerging industry appears to be reasonably well capitalized for the turbulent times ahead and growth. Investors are hoping for more commercial deployments of femtocells during the next 12 months, setting the stage for mass market deployments during 2010. Here are a few companies that were successful at raising money in 2008.

October 2008 - Kineto Wireless $15.5M, which includes substantial amounts from NEC and Motorola.

September 2008 - Percello raised $12M to fund development of their femtocell chipset, bringing to $18M the total investment raised.

August 2008 - RadioFrame raised $26M to expand their picocell and femtocell range, bringing investment up to $100M since 2001.

May 2008 - Qualcomm and other venture capitalists invested an undisclosed amount in ip.access

January 2008 - Airwalk received $10M

Updated list from 3G in Home Blog

• Airvana: IPO
• AirWalk: $10 m
• ip.access: strategic investment from ADC, Cisco, Qualcomm
• Kineto: $15.5 million round including Motorola & strategic investment from NEC
• Percello: $12 million
• picoChip: strategic investment from Samsung
• RadioFrame: $28 million
• Tatara: $6.5 million
• Vanu: $32 million
• Ubiquisys: $25 million round including VC money and Google as a strategic investor; further strategic investment from T-Ventures.

DeadCellZones.com sits in a unique position based on our brand recognition and utility to educate the market about femtocell technology as control of in-building-coverage is suddenly in the hands of consumers and not carriers any longer. The masses are still not very familiar with the technology but its starting to trickle down to early adopters and we hope to provide a source of information for these companies where the coverage pain exists.

Best Cell Phone Service In Your Area

Best Cell Service Phone Service In Your Area

The single most common question we get asked on a regular basis is "Which carrier has the best cell phone service"?  My answer is always, "it depends where you live and work."  Cell phone coverage is a very personal issue due to the number of variables that can create coverage like terrain, the distance of the tower handsets, building material, weather and heavy users competing for the network near you.  The US carriers have been pulling the wool over our eyes for the last two decades and have conditioned consumers to look at their coverage maps from a 20,000-foot level and assume all customers are equal.  We all know that their coverage maps are useless especially if you are indoors, on the fringe of their network or roaming on another carrier's network.

So we have developed a methodology of benchmarking cell phone service to determine who has the best cell phone coverage based on who has the worst coverage.  The proper questions should be stated as who has "less bad coverage" or who has the most pins on your "inverse coverage map".   The only challenge with this methodology is it assumes that you are reaching equal amounts of customers for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.  For better or worse AT&T and Verizon have two-thirds of the entire US mobile phone consumer market so our data is a bit skewed to them right now.
Choosing a cell phone carrier can be a little overwhelming especially if you are moving to a new area or traveling.  Understand equally your wireless needs, coverage in your neighborhood and what features each carrier offers is important before selecting coverage.  Once you find the best cell phone coverage or learn how to fix your in-building coverage using femtocell, microcell, UMA phone, VoIP, or repeater it is easy to pick the plan that fits you best.  The top four carrier service plans and coverage are compared below.

• AT&T Wireless Service Plans and Coverage Review
• T-Mobile Service Plans and Coverage Review
• Verizon Wireless Service Plans and Coverage Review
• Sprint Wireless Service Plans and Coverage Review

What Are Femtocells?

Femtocells are small, low-power cellular base stations designed to provide enhanced indoor cellular coverage in areas with weak or limited network signals. They are typically used in residential or small office settings and connect to the existing broadband internet connection to transmit cellular signals.

Here's how femtocells work:

Installation: A femtocell is connected to the user's broadband internet router or modem via an Ethernet cable. The femtocell unit is usually compact and can be plugged directly into a power outlet.

Cellular Signal Transmission: Once connected, the femtocell acts as a miniature cellular tower. It receives the user's cellular signals, converts them into IP (Internet Protocol) packets, and transmits them over the internet connection to the wireless carrier's network.

Enhanced Indoor Coverage: The transmitted signals from the femtocell provide improved cellular coverage within a limited range, typically covering an area of a few hundred to a few thousand square feet. Users within this coverage area can connect to the femtocell and make calls, send messages, and access data services using their cellular devices.

Network Integration: The femtocell is integrated with the wireless carrier's network infrastructure, allowing seamless handover of calls and data sessions between the femtocell and the macro cellular network when users move in or out of the coverage area.

Femtocells offer several benefits:

Enhanced Indoor Coverage: Femtocells address the issue of weak or limited cellular signals indoors, where the signals from macro cellular towers may struggle to penetrate buildings. They provide reliable coverage and better call quality for users within the femtocell's range.

Offloading Network Traffic: By utilizing the internet connection for transmitting cellular signals, femtocells help offload network traffic from macro cellular towers. This can help improve overall network capacity and performance.

Cost Savings: Users can potentially save on cellular call charges by making calls through the femtocell, as it uses the internet connection rather than consuming cellular network resources.

Improved Battery Life: Since femtocells operate at lower power levels compared to macro cellular towers, the reduced distance between the device and the femtocell can lead to improved battery life for cellular devices.

It's important to note that femtocells are specific to a particular wireless carrier and require authorization and activation from the carrier. They are typically provided by the carrier as a solution for customers experiencing poor indoor coverage.

Signal Boost For In-Building Coverage

Wilson Electronics launches SignalBoost DB Pro to improve in-building cell signal strength. It's easy to install kit that delivers the strongest cellular connection possible for mobile phones and data cards in any building experiencing weak cell signals.

ST. GEORGE, Utah – April 20, 2009 – Wilson Electronics, the leading provider of quality amplifiers and antennas for cellular phones and data cards, today announced the launch of the Wilson Electronics’ SignalBoost DB Pro™, the in-building wireless cellular amplifier kit that significantly improves voice and data performance of any cellular device, on any network, inside buildings or homes experiencing weak signals. Unique to the industry, the SignalBoost DB Pro is designed for simple installation without sacrificing the high-quality performance Wilson Electronics is known for.

“Dependency on cellular signals is on the rise as more and more people choose to drop their landlines in favor of their cell phones, making the need for strong cellular signal connection in the home, office, or any other building more important than ever before,“ said Joe Banos, COO of Wilson Electronics. “While most solutions on the market require complex installation or do not deliver the quality cellular signal enhancement promised, the SignalBoost DB Pro offers consumers, and professional installers, an easy to install, dependable solution, giving cellular users the confidence that their signal connections will be there when they need it most.”

At the center of the DB Pro kit is the dual-band amplifier with a new high gain design. An external omnidirectional high gain antenna with multiple mounting options eliminates researching cell site locations and antenna pointing. The inside panel antenna which rebroadcasts the amplified signal inside the home is designed for easy installation. All components are interconnected using provided standard TV cable which is also easily available and often found pre-installed, simplifying cable runs.

The SignalBoost DB Pro has been tested in real world, weak signal environments ensuring that consumers receive cell signals that could go undetected by most cell phones and data cards. Wilson Electronics’ patent-pending techniques monitor and prevent harmful interference to cell sites, allowing the amplifier to perform at the highest specifications for maximum performance. The kit increases power to the cell site up to 20 times over a typical cell phone and provides the bulk of the power needed for signal reception and transmission, allowing users also benefit from longer cell phone battery life. With minimal outside signal the DB Pro can typically provide coverage for an average 2,000 square foot home. If there is a stronger exterior signal, for example if the exterior antenna can be placed on the roof or above the tree line, the coverage could be up to 25,000 square feet.

The Wilson Electronics’ SignalBoost DB Pro kit includes:

* Dual Band bi-directional amplifier (62dB 75 Ohm)
* Power supply (110/220 V AC)
* Omni-directional exterior antenna with multiple mounting options (75 Ohm)
* Panel antenna (75 Ohm)
* 3 sets of standard TV Cable (RG-6 Cable in 50, 30 and 20 ft lengths)
* 30-day customer satisfaction money back guarantee
* One year warranty on all components

The SignalBoost DB Pro is now available through authorized Wilson Electronics’ dealers with an average selling price around $600. Visit the dealer locator page at www.wilsonelectronics.com to search for dealers by ZIP code, or to buy the product immediately from an online retail partner. For more information on how to become a Wilson Electronics’ dealer, visit www.wilsonelectronics.com/becomeadealer.php

About Wilson Electronics

Wilson Electronics, Inc., a leader in the wireless communications industry for over 40 years, pioneered the design and manufacture of a variety of cellular amplifiers, antennas and related components that significantly improve cellular communications in mobile or in-building installations. Wilson Electronics has consistently led the industry in performance standards and holds a number of patents including the industry’s fastest and most reliable method of oscillation prevention and carrier cell site protection. Wilson Electronics’ designs consistently outperform the competition in real world performance. All Wilson Electronics products are engineered, assembled and tested in the company’s headquarters in St. George, Utah. Wilson Electronics amplifiers fully comply with FCC regulations for cellular devices and are FCC and Industry Canada type accepted. For more information, visit www.wilsonelectronics.com.

*The SignalBoost DB Pro works with all carriers except those on the iDEN frequency. Contact Wilson Electronics for specific iDEN/Nextel Solutions

How To Select A Cellular Amplifier

With an estimated four billion cell phones in use worldwide, and the reliance on mobile voice and data on the rise, a strong cell signal is more important than ever. Cellular amplifiers have emerged as a viable tool to address cellular connectivity. Wilson Electronics outlines criteria for selecting the right cellular amplifier to protect consumers and ensure cellular signals stay within reach. The leading provider of quality amplifiers and antennas for cellular phones and data cards, released the six criteria to select a quality cellular amplifier to address the issue of dropped calls, slow data and bad cellular signal strength.

Due to a lack of industry standards in the cellular amplifier market, consumers are at risk of purchasing an inferior product that will not help them stay connected. “The lack of appropriate industry standards for cellular amplifiers allows for numerous products on the market that, while holding FCC approval, do not have the technical specification to deliver on their claims to improve cell signal quality to any significance,” said Joe Banos, COO at Wilson Electronics. “If a product does not meet six core elements, the user is at risk of purchasing a technology that cannot deliver on its promises.”

To protect buyers from purchasing a low-quality product, a cellular amplifier must have bi-directional amplification, high downlink receiver sensitivity, high uplink output power, oscillation detection and shut down cell site overload protection and a 100 percent unconditional customer satisfaction guarantee. With these elements, cellular phone and data card users can be confident that the amplifier they are selecting will virtually eliminate dropped calls, increase data rates and provide a quality cell signal.

6 Tips How To Select A Quality Cell Phone Amplifier

1) Bi-directional amplification: Select an amplifier that is bi-directional, meaning an amplifier that boosts both the cell site’s incoming downlink signal and outgoing uplink signal. Some amplifiers on the market only boost the downlink signal to the phone, with no amplification of the uplink signal. In this scenario, users will show an increase in bars and might be able to receive calls, but will not have the power to reach back to the cell site for a reliable call. High power uplink amplification yields two benefits - better call reliability and longer battery life.

2) High downlink receiver sensitivity: Receiver sensitivity is an amplifier’s ability to pick up weak signals that a typical cell phone may not hear. The higher the receiver sensitivity an amplifier can provide the better. Buyer beware, some amplifier manufacturers claiming to have high receiver sensitivity are touting numbers collected in perfect cellular signal scenarios. Quality amplifiers should be tested in real-world, weak signal, environments to ensure unsurpassed receiver sensitivity.

3) High uplink output power: The lack of output power from the phone to the cell site is the reason most dropped calls occur. Lowering output power is the easy and low-quality method to prevent oscillation and to keep costs down through less expensive components and simpler designs. By cutting these corners, many amplifiers on the market today deliver less output power than a typical cell phone or data card. Higher output power, with no corners cut, ensures the strongest possible cellular connection.

4) Oscillation detection and shutdown: Similar to a microphone being too close to a speaker, oscillation, also known as feedback, can be attributed to improper installation. However, improper design of a wireless amplifier can also be the cause. This oscillation can make cell sites shut down, violating FCC regulations. A violation could lead to fines imposed by the FCC and confiscation of a user’s amplifier. An amplifier that has a reliable and proven method of quickly and automatically detecting oscillation and shutting down when needed will protect both the cell site and the user.

5) Cell site overload protection: A quality amplifier is capable of monitoring proximity to a cell tower and automatically adjusts its output power to accommodate this change in distance. An amplifier operating at full power when too close to a cell tower will overload the site and impair service to a large number of users. Like oscillation, cell site overload can lead to intervention by the cellular operator and the FCC, as well as put the user at risk to costly fines and amplifier confiscation.

6) 100 percent customer satisfaction guaranteed: Identify a company that stands behind its products and be skeptical of sellers and manufacturers that do not offer an unconditional money-back guarantee. Also, read the fine print to make sure the guarantee you are getting is legitimate. A company that stands behind its products and offers extended customer services to the end-user, such as a U.S.-based tech support helpline, is a good indicator that the product is of high quality.

Wilson Electronics delivers proven, tested cellular amplifiers for in-building and mobile applications with industry-leading performance and quality. For more information about Wilson Electronics’ products and services visit. WilsonElectronics.com

UMA Phone + Wi-Fi = Home Cell Coverage

Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) provides access to cellular mobile voice and data services over unlicensed spectrum technologies, such Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (802.11). A UMA phone will use a cellular networks (GSM, CDMA, etc.) when out and about, and automatically switch to a UMA-enabled Bluetooth or Wi-Fi local network when in range, such as at home or in the office. UMA technology is the 3GPP global standard for fixed-mobile convergence. UMA enables secure, scalable access to mobile voice, data and IMS services over broadband IP access networks. By deploying UMA technology, mobile operators can deliver a number of compelling fixed-mobile convergence services. The most well-known applications of UMA include dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi handsets and 3G femtocells access points.

Leading operators around the world have embraced UMA technology as the foundation for their fixed-mobile convergence strategy, including Orange/France Telecom, British Telecom, T-Mobile US, TeliaSonera, Netcom, Saunalahti and Cincinnati Bell. UMA enables secure, scalable access to mobile voice, data and IMS services over broadband IP access networks. By deploying UMA technology, mobile operators can deliver a number of compelling fixed-mobile convergence services. The most well-known applications of UMA include dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi handsets and 3G femtocells access points. Leading operators around the world have embraced UMA technology as the foundation for their fixed-mobile convergence strategy, including Orange/France Telecom, British Telecom, T-Mobile US, TeliaSonera, Netcom, Saunalahti and Cincinnati Bell.

Improving coverage in areas where cellular signals are weak is an important issue for many organizations. UMA extends coverage to the workplace without forcing employees to change the way they use their cell phones. The only difference is that the phone will switch to Wi-Fi when it loses cellular coverage. To improve coverage with UMA, an organization sets up Wi-Fi access points in areas with poor cellular coverage to overcome coverage gaps and call dead zones. Companies with state-of-the-art, centrally managed wireless LANs (WLAN) can make a global configuration change to enable Wi-Fi UMA access from any location.

UMA-enabled Dual-Mode Wi-Fi Handsets: By far the most well-known UMA service is dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi handsets (DMH), which enables operators to provide high-performance, low-cost mobile services to subscribers when in range of a home, office or public Wi-Fi network. With a UMA-enabled dual-mode Wi-Fi handset, subscribers can automatically roam and handover between cellular and Wi-Fi access, receiving a consistent set of services as they transition between networks.

UMA-enabled Femtocells: UMA-enabled femtocells represent a growing UMA service opportunity. The wireless industry has been searching for low-cost licensed indoor coverage solutions since the beginning of mobile networks. Unfortunately, the bulk of this opportunity (i.e. residential environments) has been beyond the addressable market for cost and operational reasons. To be successful, a residential licensed access point (i.e. femtocell) deployment must include low-cost femtocells (under €150), a reasonable approach for managing RF interference, and a standard, scalable, IP-based approach for core network integration.
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