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OpenCellular access platform designed to lower the cost of network deployment.
Facebook has unveiled an open-source mobile access platform designed to improve connectivity in unserved areas.
Called OpenCellular, it can support a wide variety of air interfaces, from 2G to LTE and WiFi. It incorporates computing and storage, allowing the operator to configure it as a network-in-a-box or a cellular access point depending on its requirements. It can be deployed by a single person and at a range of heights.
"Traditional cellular infrastructure can be very expensive, making it difficult for operators to deploy it everywhere and for smaller organisations or individuals to solve hyperlocal connectivity challenges," said Facebook, in a statement last week. "With OpenCellular, we want to develop affordable new technology that can expand capacity and make it more cost-effective for operators to deploy networks in places where coverage is scarce."
Facebook is currently lab-testing OpenCellular at its headquarters, using it to send and receive text messages and conduct phone calls, and carry out 2G data sessions.
The world’s largest social network said it will make the design of OpenCellular available on an open-source basis.
"By open-sourcing the hardware and software designs for this technology, we expect costs to decrease for operators and to make it accessible to new participants," Facebook said.
