ip.access upgrades VIVACOM small cell network to 3G

UK: Leading small cell systems vendor and manufacturer ip.access has signed another small cell network supply contract – with VIVACOM, Bulgaria’s leading converged communications service provider.

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, ip.access announced it had signed 40 small cell customer contracts in the previous 12 months. The new contract with VIVACOM is evidence of that market success continuing, according to the company’s CEO Simon Brown.

“Our end-to-end approach to the small cell layer – comprising access points, gateways and network management systems is resonating with network operators and capturing market share.

“We are the only significant independent small cells vendor,” he added, “with live deployments across more than 100 networks with an approach that has been proven to help operators to integrate and manage the small cell solution regardless of their macro network equipment vendor.”

For VIVACOM, ip.access will be providing an indoor public access 3G small cell solution for SoHo, Enterprise, and also some rural applications requiring satellite backhaul. The ability to deploy the 3G solutions using ip.access nanoConverge gateways which reduces infrastructure costs, and extend the life of existing 2G network equipment was a significant factor in the award of the contract according to VIVACOM’s Technical Director Emil Georgakiev.

“By enabling our existing 2G Gateway to be upgraded to support the new 3G small cell layer, ip.access offered us a greater return and a faster time to market than other providers. We are also able to install new 3G Gateways in the busiest areas that will be LTE-ready, further saving on network infrastructure investment.

“These represent significant benefits in terms of network deployment,” he added.

Brown added: “The nanoConverge gateway solution enables our existing mobile operator customers to expand their investment in existing and planned network infrastructure without a forklift upgrade and is a key part of our portfolio. By looking at the small cell layer, both as an end-to-end service and as a key part of the network, we are able to help operators deliver an enhanced integrated mobile network with significantly improved levels of coverage and capacity.”