Small Cells

ICs

Designing Small Cells

Small cells are, by definition, small in size and have low power requirements, making them ideal for use in congested areas where better coverage and more bandwidth are in high demand. At Microsemi, we understand the unique challenges small cell network equipment designers face and have tailored our portfolio to your needs with industry-leading technologies including:

• Timing Expertise: Well-established SyncE and IEEE 1588 timing solutions and software with +5M devices shipped;
• MEF-Readiness: Industry’s only Ethernet switches with built-in MEF/Carrier Ethernet features;
• Secure 1588 Capability: Industry’s only Ethernet PHYs with simultaneous support of IEEE 1588 time stamping and 128-bit MACsec (IEEE 802.1AE-2006) and 256-bit MACsec (IEEE 802.1AEbn-2011) with no loss of 1588 accuracy;
• Tamper & Clone Resistance: Most secure FPGAs for tamper resistant and clone resistant design;
• High Integration: Highly integrated, high power WiFi RF solutions;
• Power Efficiency: Power savings up to 2W with Power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions; power savings of 2W - 4W with Microsemi's lowest power, highly secure FPGAs

Explore Microsemi’s portfolio for small cell network equipment designs:

• Ethernet PHYs
• Ethernet Switches
• FPGA & SoC
  
  • Low-range density FPGAs & SoCs
  • Mid-range density FPGAs
• GPS Timing
• IEEE 1588 PLLs & Software
• OCXOs
• Power over Ethernet (PoE) PD Front End
• PoE PSE Manager
• Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) ICs
• Precision Crystal & SAW Oscillators, including OCXOs, TCXOs, and VCXOs

Microsemi is a long-time supplier to the aerospace, communications, defense/security and industrial industries and well-known for its high-reliability, high-performance solutions. Leveraging our technology and expertise, we can help drive innovation in your next-generation small cell equipment designs that address your carrier customers’ needs.

Contact your local Microsemi sales office today to find the right technologies and products to solve your next-gen small cell design and deployment challenges.

Systems

Deploying Small Cells in Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets)

When it comes to deploying public access small cells, network planning is a clear challenge that operators face. Small cells are typically deployed to increase capacity and coverage in densely populated, high-traffic areas. Network planning for small cells is fundamentally different than for a traditional macro cell network, with issues such as site selection, site acquisition, efficiently powering the site and small cell security adding complexities to an operator’s planning process.

Microsemi offers unique and innovative solutions to address some of the key challenges faced by carriers deploying small cells, especially in heterogeneous networks (HetNets). Our industry-leading technologies include:

• Synchronization: Microsemi’s portfolio of network synchronization products includes industry-leading, field-proven Grandmaster and Edge Master systems that are already deployed in multiple carrier networks globally;
• Power over Ethernet (PoE): Microsemi offers the largest portfolio of standard compliant PoE midspans that can power small cells and small cell backhaul equipment in variety of deployment scenarios – for indoor as well as outdoor applications;
• Security: Microsemi’s security solutions are ideally suited to secure your network edge small cell deployments on multiple levels;

• Embedded Timing Solution for High Accuracy GPS Holdover
• Carrier Grade NTP and PTP Solutions
• Integrated GNSS Grandmaster (IGM) for low cost indoor GNSS Antenna and PTP Master
• PoE Midspans/Injectors

A long-time supplier to the aerospace, communications, defense/security and industrial markets, Microsemi is known for its high-reliability, high-performance solutions. Leveraging our technology and expertise, we can help drive innovation in your next-generation small cell equipment designs.

Contact your local Microsemi sales office today to find the right technologies and products to solve your next-gen small cell design and deployment challenges.

Ecosystem

Ecosystem Solutions

Microsemi works with its Accelerate network of ecosystem partners to integrate, test and deliver pre-validated board or system solutions in our core vertical markets, such as communications infrastructure, to expedite our customers' time to market.

See our available reference design platforms for communications applications, such as service provider gateways, enterprise WLAN access points, 802.11ac Wave-2 Wi-Fi aggregation, SMB/SME access/distribution switching, Ethernet aggregation and more.

Resources

Resources

White Papers

•  Capitalizing on Synchronization: Reducing the Effects of Churn in Wireless Networks
  
•  What Time is It? - The Importance of Time in the Network
  
•  Options for Mitigating Potential GPS Vulnerabilities
• PoE and PoH for Carrier Applications
• Timing over MACsec

Application Notes

•  Timing and Synchronization in WiMAX Networks
•  Five Essential Elements of Carrier Class NTP
•  Timing and Synchronization in Next-Generation Wireless Networks
•  IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol – Frequency Synchronization Over Packet Networks