A new report produced by Informa Telecoms & Media and published by the Small Cell Forum shows that the number of ‘small cell’ devices worldwide now exceeds the total number of traditional mobile base stations.

Small cells - femtocells, picocells, metrocells and microcells - are low-power wireless access points that are managed by mobile operators. They can offer mobile coverage in situations where conventional base stations aren’t practical.

The Small Cell Forum, the independent association that supports ‘small cell’ deployment to enhance mobile network coverage, has appointed Gordon Mansfield as its new Chairman.

It’s also announced a new Executive Board and has introduced a new role of full-time CEO, appointing Graham Wright to this position.

This week’s podcast from The Fonecast starts with a look at Barclays Pingit, the new UK mobile payment service that’ll let almost anyone send and receive money from a smartphone. We then move on to Ofcom’s plans to cut mobile termination rates before discussing camera technology, new handsets, patents, NFC tickets and plenty of other topics.

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The Femto Forum, a mobile industry body that promoted femtocell adoption, is being renamed the Small Cell Forum.

It’s doing this because its work had begun to involve a variety of small cell sites - including what have been called picocells, microcells and metrocells - alongside femtocells.

Around 2.5 million femtocells were shipped worldwide this year according to ABI Research, substantially less than the three to four million previously expected.

An increase in femtocell commercial operator contracts - a total of 88 in 2011 - had led to expectations of increased shipments.