Types of Cellular Base Stations: Macro, Pico, and Femto

Macro base stations, pico base stations, and femto base stations are all types of cellular network infrastructure. They differ in coverage area, transmit power, and deployment scenarios. Together, they form a heterogeneous network (HetNet) to provide comprehensive wireless coverage and capacity.

Characteristic Macro Pico Femto
Coverage Radius Several km Up to 200 m Up to 10 m
Transmit Power High (10–40W) Low (250 mW–2W) Very low (≤100 mW)
Deployment Location Outdoor towers, rooftops Indoor/outdoor hotspots Indoor homes/offices
Operator Involvement Operator-managed Operator-managed User-installed
Primary Purpose Wide-area coverage Enhance capacity / fill gaps Enhance indoor signal
Macro, Pico, Femto Base Stations Illustration

Figure 1: Illustration showing Macro, Pico, and Femto Base Stations in a heterogeneous networ

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