Small cell wireless communication devices having enhanced beamsteering capability and methods of operating same

A small cell wireless communication device, comprising:

• an antenna having an array of radiating elements therein;
• a control circuit;
• and
• a transceiver electrically coupled to said antenna by an array of phase shifters, which are responsive to control signals that encode phase weight information and enable the array of phase shifters and the array of radiating elements to collectively perform elevation beamsteering of wireless signals generated by said transceiver, in response to signals generated by said control circuit in response to movement of said antenna.

A wireless communication device, comprising:

• an antenna having a two-dimensional array of radiating elements therein;
• a multi-channel transceiver electrically coupled to said antenna by an array of phase shifters, which are responsive to control signals comprising a plurality of electrical phase weights;
• and
• a phase weight generator configured to support azimuth and elevation beamsteering by generating the plurality of electrical phase weights in response to an azimuth beam index and an elevation beam index.