Nokia Siemens Networks today announces a novel approach to home access by launching its 3G Femto Home Access solution with open interfaces and a new network element, Femto Gateway. The solution allows the operators to reinforce their relationship with their customers because it enables attractive services and tariffs to subscribers at home and encourages the use of WCDMA 3G services.

The Nokia Siemens Networks 3G Femto Home Access solution introduces a new network element, Femto Gateway. Femto Gateway does not require changes in the operators’ existing core network, as it connects to the core network over a standard interface. Furthermore, by extending this standards-based approach towards the Femto Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) at homes, the Femto Gateway will allow customer equipment from multiple vendors to be connected to it. The Femto Gateway will support any Femto CPE certified by Nokia Siemens Networks to conform with the interface.

Femto CPE’s use IP broadband backhaul and are easy to install at home in the same way as xDSL/WiFi modems. The Femto cell functionality can be packaged to the operator-specific home gateway devices together with other functionalities, like WiFi, Ethernet routing or storage.

Trials of the 3G Femto Home Access solution will start at the beginning of 2008, and commercial deployments are planned for the third quarter of 2008.