According to a report by Mobile Experts, by 2019, 45% of outdoor small base stations will be backhauled wirelessly, and a billion-dollar market will emerge for wireless connectivity in centralized RAN and HetNets. Mobile Experts via its Backhaul and Fronthaul for the HetNet report analyzed the various methods to connect small cells and Remote Radio Heads (RRH), with special attention on the economics of wireless vs. fiber backhaul and fronthaul.
Dr. Jonathan Wells, Principal Analyst for Backhaul at Mobile Experts, said that the small cell market has been slow to emerge, leaving many start-up companies with innovative wireless technology and a very small market size. He added that RAN architectures with centralized baseband processing are becoming commonplace, and effective fronthaul to the RRH is a larger market pool. He pointed out that there is a significant market for HetNet wireless solutions in the practical aspects of real-world deployment - busy streets, historic buildings, and other obstructions.