Femto Forum has published a set of APIs to enable LTE femtocell semiconductors and protocol software stacks from different vendors to interoperate. 

Compatible interfaces of this type will help create a more competitive marketplace by ensuring that femtocell device manufacturers can cost-effectively source these critical components from multiple suppliers while also maximising the market for semiconductor manufacturers.

Together with the LTE femtocell specification encapsulated in 3GPP’s release 8 and 9, these APIs will help enable devices from different vendors to interoperate.

The APIs address three fundamental LTE femtocell functions, RF modulation (to generate LTE radio signals), scheduling (to accurately assign packets to frequency and time slots) and network monitoring (to minimise interference with the macro network and optimise femtocell coverage). 

“Femtocells could have a crucial role to play within LTE by providing users with the best possible user experience whether this is in the home, office or even outdoors in cities and rural areas,” said Alan Law, Chairman of the Femto Forum’s LTE Special Interest Group (SIG).