SmallNets 2013 - 2nd International Workshop on Small Cell Wireless Networks (SmallNets)

The ever-increasing need for higher data rates and multimedia services leads to stringent requirements on the bit rate/km2 that next-generation cellular wireless networks are expected to deliver. This increasing trend has urged mobile operators to examine new ways for improving their coverage, boosting their network's capacity, and lowering their capital and operating expenditures (CAPEX and OPEX). A promising approach to solving this problem is through the deployment of Small Cell Networks (SCNs), which represent a novel networking paradigm based on the idea of deploying short-range, low-power, and low-cost base stations operating in conjunction with the main macro-cellular network infrastructure. The use of SCNs is envisioned to enable next-generation networks to provide high data rates, allow offloading traffic from the macro cell and provide dedicated capacity to homes, enterprises, or urban hotspots. SCNs are also envisioned to pave the way for a plethora of new wireless services. SCNs encompass a broad variety of cell types, such as micro, pico, femto cells, as well as advanced wireless relays, and distributed antennas.
This workshop is expected bring together academic and industrial researchers in an effort to identify and discuss the major technical challenges and recent results related to small cell networks. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
Interference analysis, avoidance, and mitigation.
Power control and power saving mechanisms.
Synchronization issues for small cell networks.
Cognitive radio techniques for small cell networks.
Game theoretical techniques for small cell deployment.
Co-existence between femtocells and macro-cells.
Flexible relaying in interference-limited SCNs.
Mobility management and handoffs.
Backhaul and networking issues.
Open and closed access operation modes
Self-configuration, -optimization, and ?healing mechanisms for SCNs.
Multi-RAT coexistence.
Caching and video-aware small cells.
This workshop follows on the success of the 1st International Workshop on Small Cell Wireless Networks (SmallNets) held at ICC 2012.