The 3GPP Home Node-B (HNB) Standard FOR FEMTOCELLS

Understanding that a standard femtocell-to-core network interface is required to enable mass market femtocell deployment, a number of companies initiated a standardization initiative in March 2007 under the auspices of 3GPP.  In May 2008, that initiative achieved a significant milestone, with Kineto Wireless playing key role in forging industry consensus on a femtocell architecture, also referred to as the Home Node B (HNB) architecture. Similar to the current 3GPP UMA/GAN standard, the agreed 3GPP HNB standard will follow an access network-based approach, leveraging the existing Iu-cs and Iu-ps interfaces into the core service network. The architecture defines two new network elements - the HNB (a.k.a. Femtocell) and the HNB Gateway (a.k.a. Femto Gateway). Between these elements is the new Iu-h interface.

Home NodeB (HNB) – Connected to an existing residential broadband service, an HNB provides radio coverage for standard 3G handsets within a home. HNBs incorporate the capabilities of a standard NodeB, as well as the radio resource management functions of a standard Radio Network Controller (RNC).

HNB Gateway (HNB-GW) - Installed within an operator’s network, the HNB Gateway aggregates traffic from a large number of HNBs back into an existing core service network through the standard Iu-cs and Iu-ps interfaces.

Iu-h Interface - Residing between an HNB and HNB-GW, the Iu-h interface includes a new HNB application protocol (HNBAP) for enabling highly scalable, ad-hoc HNB deployments. The interface also introduces an efficient, scalable method for transporting Iu control signaling over the Internet.