TOKYO-NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced the development of micro base stations for its third-generation FOMA network that are up to 1/30th the size of conventional base stations. The operator said the new base stations will allow it to expand FOMA service more economically and with greater flexibility than conventional equipment.
The new base stations have both outdoor and indoor applications. In outdoor areas with low population densities, the base stations’ low cost enables DoCoMo to install units to economically increase coverage. For indoor applications in buildings and under group locations, an external antenna allows the stations to be placed discreetly without affecting signal strength.
The operator plans to have 1,600 conventional and micro base stations in operation nationwide for indoor applications by the end of March 2004, with plans to increase this number to 3,000 by March 2005.
