Accomplished field trial using DECT in the local loop

In May 1994 a field trial using Digital European Cordless Telecommunications, DECT, provide customers with confined mobility, was launched in the PSTN in Sweden. Instead of using ordinary wired telephones the participating customers in a suburban residential area were offered either two handsets or one handset and one fixed access unit. The fixed access unit was used to connect e.g. modems and facsimile machines to the DECT network. The customers were offered mobility indoors and outdoors within an area of one square kilometre covered by 15 DECT base stations. In addition a couple of more remotely situated customers were connected to the DECT network using directional antennas connected to the fixed access unit. The purpose was to test the possibility of replacing the copper-based access network with a DECT system. We describe the network structure used in the trial. Network planning considerations related to the field trial is presented. Antenna configurations is discussed and some antenna arrangements are proposed. The system performance concerning speech quality and the ability to transfer facsimile and data is discussed. The results from the evaluation of customer behaviour and customer reactions during the trial is presented. The experience from operation and maintenance is analysed. Finally a network structure is proposed and a scenario on how to use the DECT in the public network is presented.