Release 10 is the latest set of technical and commercial documents published by SCF, which focuses on key enablers for densification. This builds on last autumn’s Release 9, which offered foundations for building a dense HetNet in 4G and 5G. The two releases together form a complete blueprint for planning, deploying, managing and commercializing a dense network of small cells, harnessing many important enabling technologies from virtualization to edge computing to millimeter wave spectrum.

The Release also includes the latest forecasts on small cell adoption trends as well as real world case studies, and a preview of the next round of plugfests, which will start to address issues of interoperability in the 5G era.

Read our overview of the key documents

SCF 014 Edge Computing Made Simple When deployed together, edge computing and small cells improve quality of service and can enable a new breed of services which require a combination of mobile connectivity, low latency and context awareness. These three elements are at the heart of many services envisaged for a 5G network. This paper looks at the evolution of edge computing and its role in the small cell world.

SCF050 Small cells market status report December 2017  A review of progress to date and a look forward, touching on how small cells became a crucial part of the mobile landscape, the present state of the market, approaches to densification and 5G, the role of partnerships and a look at what might develop over the next ten years.

SCF079 Deployment issues for enterprise small cells (updated) Until recently the enterprise deployment of small cell networks – the planning/design, building and running of these networks – would have been undertaken by a mobile network operator. This document explores these processes in more detail and looks at ways in which they can be carried out by people or technology that may not be part of the operator’s own organization, potentially reducing costs.

SCF085 Plugfest Roadmap: its role in the HetNet 2020 work program Since 2010 SCF has been running Plugfests to test interoperability for small cell interfaces including Iuh, S1 and X2, and more recently private EPC and SON. Plugfests help to lower barriers to entry for suppliers, and give operators the confidence to deploy, knowing that they can buy from multiple vendors. Details of the program appear in this paper, updated with a long-term vision for interoperability testing into the 5G Era.

SCF194 Deployment plans and business drivers for a dense HetNet: SCF operator survey SCF commissioned an in-depth survey from Rethink Technology Research, of over 50 tier 1 and 2 mobile and converged operators, to understand more about their deployment plans and business drivers for a dense HetNet, and the barriers they need to overcome. The results of the survey are discussed in this paper.

SCF196 TR-196 Gaps update proposal Many LTE small cell implementations use the FAPservice:2 data model defined in BBF TR196, which is itself based on the 3GPP specification 35.592. However, neither the 3GPP or BBF specification have been kept up to date with the many vendor specific extensions that have had to be added to operate a basic LTE service conforming to 3GPP release 9. The SCF wishes to rationalize these vendor extensions into a common set and propose them as an update to 3GPP 35.592, which in turn will result in an update to TR196. This document contains an initial set of proposals from SCF members.

SCF197 mmw 5G-eMBB use cases and small cell based HyperDense networks Wireless capacity demand is the main driver for the use of millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum. It helps to make the enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) use case achievable. It also implies a strong role for small cells. This paper explores the use of spectrum in the range 6 to 300 GHz (mmWave spectrum) for outdoor and indoor high-density enhanced mobile broadband solutions.

SCF200 Ten trends SCF has driven and vision for 2027 This document highlights ten key trends that SCF has driven in the last decade and documents the changes in the way people think about mobile networks. It also details the SCF ten year vision for the established 5G Era.

SCF201 Network densification in the 5G era: Working for industry alignment at SCF Partners’ Day The task of building the vital ecosystem which 5G densification will require is too large and diverse for any one organization. Collaboration between industry associations is essential. To this end, SCF held its inaugural Partners’ Day in Atlanta, July 2017, bringing together ten of our partners to share their plans and identify common goals and areas for further collaboration. This paper summarizes the talking points and key outcomes of this event.

SCF202 Densification Summit: Asia Market Requirements Post event report: This paper outlines the key outcomes of our Densification Summit in Mumbai India, hosted by Reliance Jio, which shared detailed insights into how they have solved a range of densification issues, as well as presenting their key requirements going forward.

SCF203 Operational aspects of densification into the 5G era As mobile networks become denser and the industry begins to consider the requirements and technical and commercial implications of the 5G era, this document offers a vision for operations required to deliver those networks. This in turn will help inform the work of the SCF Operations Working Group and SCF’s collaborations with relevant industry organizations.

SCF204 5G era business models and stakeholder engagement Deploying small cells in private buildings for the enterprise needs alternative models for ownership and operation. MNOs need to find ways to engage with neutral hosts and other third parties who can help address a rapidly expanding market for cellular connectivity. Currently, enterprise needs for indoor coverage are at odds with operator goals. This document examines how that can be changed with new business models and patterns of partnership.

SCF 205 Connectivity in healthcare: an essential service Healthcare is a sector where the need for reliable mobile connectivity is obvious. But smart healthcare including access to monitoring and diagnostics from patients’ smartphones, or instant access to patient records for surgeons, will require a reliable mobile signal within every healthcare location. This paper looks at how adding small cells to healthcare connectivity planning could help improve efficiency, reduce costs and even save lives.

SCF206 Business case for small cells in healthcare So far, the fragmented nature of the value chain and pressures on budgets have made it hard for the healthcare sector to achieve the end-to-end, unified communications that could optimize efficiency and quality of care. Small cells can meet nearly all those requirements.This document looks at the drivers, requirements and value of small cell deployments in the healthcare sector.

SCF207 Small cells connecting the enterprise (video) For all enterprises, a great mobile signal makes a significant commercial difference. The strength of mobile coverage affects decisions people make on which places to visit, venues they interact with and buildings they use. This video explains how small cells can boost mobile coverage and have a serious positive impact on your business.

SCF 208 Private ePC Plugfest report In June 2017, SCF successfully completed its fifth LTE Plugfest, hosted by ITRI in Taiwan. The Plugfest was one of the first events in the world to test interoperability for private evolved packet cores (ePCs). This document describes the tests carried out at the event.

SCF209 Test cases for the Private ePC Plugfest The private ePC network concept explained and various test cases summarized.

All release documents are available via our release site www.scf.io