The first femtocell products to market were standalone. These smaller devices connect using ethernet to a broadband internet connection, whether for residential, enterprise or outdoor/public use.

As femtocell technology developed, these devices could be quickly re-engineered and designed with smaller form factor or a selection of different capacities, sizes and range. The rapid advancement was helped by their standalone design.

The next step was to design standalone femtocell modules, often as small as a matchbox, which could be incorporated into other electronic devices. Popular options were domestic DSL modem/routers and IPTV set top boxes. In addition to the hardware integration, these combined devices often share the same remote operations and diagnostic systems. Set top boxes can interwork through the TV, displaying Called ID for incoming calls as one example.

The existing large installed base of these consumer equipment types is likely to make it easier for network operators to deploy/upgrade large numbers to incorporate femtocells should they choose to do so as part of their standard offering.

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