New mobile network ‘cubes’ promise to replace cell towers

Mobile network equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent unveiled a new development in mobile network technology, showing off a pint-sized ‘cube’ which promises to replace large cell tower base stations.

The new "LightRadio" cube has the potential to simplify mobile networks as the device is small enough to mount on ordinary light poles while providing a better service than tradition cell towers and at a much lower price, they said.

Inside the cube is a wideband active array antenna which is able to deliver current 2G, 3G and next-gen LTE mobile services via a cloud like infrastructure. The devices are the result of a partnership with HP and embedded specialist Freescale.

Alcatel-Lucent siad that it hoped to be able to launch the new technology in 2013.