Choosing a low-cost GSM base station

The following is a quick guide to some commercially available options for low-cost GSM BTS. We are only considering options which work in conjunction with the Osmocom open-source software stack. There are some other options like VNL and Range Networks that use their own (in some cases) open-source software, but we have not evaluated these options in a long time. We are also looking forward to see how the OpenCellular BTS comes along, but they are not commercially available yet.

This leaves us with three options which are listed below. We are going to evaluate these options based on some different criteria:

• Operating bands: in what GSM frequency bands the equipment can operate. This has to be stipulated when purchasing the unit.
• Power draw: how much energy is required to power the unit.
• Power Output: how much power the equipment emits. This has bearing on coverage distance and signal quality.
• Number of channels: this is about capacity, as in: how many users and how much traffic, and is measured in TRX, equivalent to 8 time slots each.
• Additional equipment needed: this is mainly about whether you can run the full osmo stack on the BTS.
• Cost: you know what that is about.

1. NuRAN Wireless LiteCell 1.5
Operating bands: 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz
Number of channels: 2 TRX
Power draw: 65 Watts
Power output: 10 Watts per channel.
Additional equipment needed: basic osmo stack can be run on the BTS itself, but an external PC running programs like FreeSWITCH is recommended.
Cost: $4500 – $6000 USD
Other notes: This is a heavy unit, but very robust. Also note that Sysmocom offers the same unit under a different name

2. Fairwaves UmSite3
Operating bands: 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz
Number of channels: 2 TRX
Power draw: 45 Watts
Power output: 3 Watts per channel
Additional equipment needed: none.
Cost: $3500 – $4500 USD
Other notes: Fairwaves also produces a 10 Watt output version of the UmSite, but cost is not known

3. Sysmocom SysmoBTS 1020
Operating bands: 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz
Number of channels: 1 TRX
Power draw: 45 Watts
Power output: 2 Watts
Additional equipment needed: basic Osmo stack can be run on the BTS itself, but an external PC running programs like FreeSWITCH is recommended.
Cost: $2500 – $3500 USD
Other notes: This uses the same radio as the original NuRAN LiteCell (version 1.0). Additional benefit is this BTS can use Power over Ethernet (PoE+). This is by far the lightest of the three options.