ABI Research has calculated that a million femtocells will have been shipped by the end of 2010 – and the forecast for 2015 is for more than 54 million femtocell shipments. Femtocells were initially seen as 'boosters' for mobile consumers with poor home coverage but are now being used in business situations and outdoors as well.
Aditya Kaul, mobile networks practice director at ABI Research, said "The critical factor for femtocell adoption will be the operators in North America and, to an even greater extent, in China. Chinese operators are still trying to form a view about the femtocell value proposition. In North America, the question is which operator will be most aggressive with femtocell rollouts. AT&T is already proactive, but it appears that Sprint and Verizon are gearing up for a second wave of femtocell deployments."