Increased pressure on data networks due to wireless broadband services and smartphones could be alleviated by femtocells.

According to the Femto Forum, "mobile data is rocketing on today's 3G networks".

Press and PR Officer Oliver Chapman said that the low-power wireless access points could prove to be very beneficial for network operators.

Mr Chapman noted that if femtocells were incorporated into Wi-Max and LTE (Long Term Evolution) they could provide a cost-effective method for helping providers to deliver their networks "more effectively".

He went on to say that the Femto Forum expects to see deployments of femtocells by operators this year, which will increase noticeably in 2010.

As such, Mr Chapman suggested that femtocells "are a key means of controlling the costs associated with this trend while also improving the experience for the end user".