Japanese operator NTT Docomo will next month launch what it claims is “the world’s first dual-mode small-cell base station, or femtocell, supporting 3G (W-CDMA) and LTE.” The hardware is designed to improve service coverage in indoor locations such as offices, shops and homes. Docomo has been deploying 3G femtocells for improved indoor coverage since 2007. Its 3G service is called FOMA while its more recent LTE service is branded as Xi.