4G Network Planning.Complete Guide/Tutorial

4G NETWORK PLANNING:-

Things to remember for 4G NETWORK PLANNING

• What is 4g Network and evolution of 4g

If you are a greenfield or emerging operator aiming at building a competitive Broadband Wireless Access Network (such as, for example, WiMAX and LTE), you should not make the mistake of underestimating the effort you need to put in place. This is and will remain a complex undertaking, especially if your network has to stand out as a true carrier-class infrastructure delivering superior services while achieving business efficiencies.

In particular, the initial phases up to the definitive project are very critical to set a solid foundation for the success of the initiative. Misjudgments and mistakes made here will influence heavily the subsequent phases. Unfortunately, in these uncertain economic times, there is no room for risky and poorly analyzed business decisions that will be made even worst when entering into the network building phase after some approximate and unprofessional Radio and Microwave Network Planning. This requires the adoption of a robust and structured approach capable of taking into account all relevant aspects and ensure the best possible alignment among business objectives, technical constraints and operational efficiency.

• What is 3G Network and Techniques used in it
• 3G Channels

Your first objective should thus be the consolidation of a robust business case, to allocate the budget more reliably and, in turn, to enter into the network planning and design phase with more confidence and provided with the right input as far as market and technical requirements. The support of an appropriate business case analysis tool, such as TEA|WiMAX and TEA|LTE from WiTech (see www.4gbusinesscase.com), can improve considerably the quality and speed of this preliminary planning activity.

An accurate and professional planning of the access and backhaul network in the definitive project phase is the next critical step you should perform to achieve and maintain a high quality of services and, at the same time, to minimize investments and operational costs. This requires the adoption of a robust and structured approach capable of taking into account all relevant aspects and ensure the best possible alignment among business objectives, technical constraints and operational efficiency.

Radio network planning (RNP)

Radio network planning (RNP) is the set of engineering activities, based on proven methodologies, sophisticated algorithms and specialized software tools, aiming at designing the access part of a wireless network with the objective of satisfying coverage and capacity requirements as derived from the preliminary analysis of the potential market to be addressed and the definition of the service bundles to be offered.

4G Radio Network Planning Flow Chart

A methodical radio network planning will allows you to further consolidate the budget allocation before starting with the real network deployment, and will better ensure the profitability of the network since the initial commercial launch.

RNP activities can be classified into:
·       Preliminary Planning
·       Propagation Model Tuning
·       Site Location and Positioning
·       Site Survey
·       Nominal Radio Network Planning
·       Detailed Radio Network Planning.

• 3G Radio Network Planning
• 3G Rf-optimization & Log File Analysis

4G Preliminary Planning

This activity focuses on analyzing customers requirements and fixing all technological assumptions in order to set the most effective network configuration. This is achieved through:
• Definition of KPI’s and target levels of performance
• Estimation of service and traffic mix
• Definition of a strategy for frequency planning
• Analysis of link budget
• Analysis of coverage and capacity requirements
• Antenna configuration selection.

Propagation Model Tuning

This activity allows calibrating the propagation model based upon the data set collected during field measurements and drive test activities. It is needed in order to perform the detailed RNP, since a well-tuned propagation model ensures the optimal network resources allocation (in terms of base stations, radio transceivers and antennas) and guarantees the target quality of services.

4G Propagation model tuning

Site Location & Positioning

This activity assesses the list of candidate site locations. In particular, it locates the target areas, on the basis of a geo-marketing analysis; it also identifies the ring search areas and, finally, selects one or more candidate site locations taking into account the requirements defined in the Preliminary Planning, whilst performing a joint pre-analysis of the access and backhaul network.

Site Survey

The Nominal Site Survey aims to characterize the RF environment using a terrain based planning tool (Google Earth Pro, Virtual Earth, GIS, etc.) in order to nominally validate the candidate site loca-tions.
The Technical Site Survey allows collecting on-site information about the RF environment, identi-fying potential obstructions in the surrounding area and individuating physical requirements for the installation. Rural Scenario Sub-Urban Scenario Urban Scenario Dense Urban Scenario
This activity aims to estimate the expected network performance, by means of sophisticated radio planning tools, in order to validate the business model and technological assumptions through:
• Coverage prediction analysis (Coverage, Signal strength, Received Modulation, Best Server, Data Rate)
• Advanced techniques modeling (MIMO, FFR, Beam-forming)
• Preamble and frequency planning
• Estimation of coverage and traffic KPI
• Roll-out planning.

4G Site Survey

Nominal Radio Network Planning

This activity aims to estimate the expected network performance, by means of sophisticated radio planning tools, in order to validate the business model and technological assumptions through:
• Coverage prediction analysis (Coverage, Signal strength, Received Modulation, Best Server, Data Rate)
• Advanced techniques modeling (MIMO, FFR, Beam-forming)
• Preamble and frequency planning
• Estimation of coverage and traffic KPI
• Roll-out planning.

Detailed 4G Radio Network Planning

This activity performs a complete and detailed cluster-based simulative analysis by means of sophisticated radio planning tools to evaluate coverage, QoS and traffic performance and to validate the candidate site location once and for all, taking into consideration all technological parameters, such as output power, channel bandwidth, permutation and sub-channelization model, antenna height and related azimuth and elevation, etc.
The following activities are carried out:
• Coverage predictions analysis (outdoor/indoor, multi-floor)
• Neighbor and interference planning
• Frequency planning
• Customer estimation
• Capacity / load analysis
• Handover planning.

Deliverables

ü  Prediction Maps
(supported by appropriate platforms such as WiTech’s TelcoGIS or Ar-cReader Project)
ü  Technical data
• Interactive Database on a Web-based Op-erator Platform
• Customized outputs
ü  Detailed Reports
ü  Site Summary Card
• Technical & RF Parameters
• Traffic & Coverage KPI
• Antenna System Design
ü  3D View
• Plots
• Google Earth

• 3G Drive Test & Optimization CASE STUDY

Microwave Network Planning

Microwave Network Planning (MNP) aims to design the microwave backhaul network according to technology features and environment constraints, evaluating different network alternatives and individuating the best topology.
MNP activities can be classified into:
ü  Preliminary Planning
ü  Backhaul Network Design
ü  Microwave Link Validation
ü  Detailed Microwave Network Planning.

Microwave network planning

Preliminary Planning

This activity fixes microwave backhaul design guidelines and goals, based on customer requirements such as the required capacity, QoS, access network type and connection to the wireline backhaul, through:
• Definition of KPIs and target levels of performance
• Equipment and technology selection
• Definition of a strategy for frequency planning
• Analysis of link budget
• Antenna configuration selection.

4G Network Backhaul Network Design

This activity, critical above all when the access and backhaul network have to be designed from scratch, focuses on outlining the best network topology after having evaluated in detail all possible alternatives through:
• Access sites location analysis
• Microwave link LOS verification
• Network design and topology definition
• Fixed network and POP interconnection design
• Network roll-out planning.

4G Network backhaul network design

Microwave Link Validation

This activity evaluates the point-to-point visibility for each radio link, checking the Fresnel Zone by means of radio planning tools that take into account all morphological information, such as Digital Terrain Model (DTM), vegetation clutter and building model. The following activities are performed:
• Microwave LOS and clearance analysis
• Minimum antenna height requirement estimation
• RF link analysis.

microwave link validation

Site Survey

The field site survey verifies the physical feasibility of the radio link, checking the line of sight conditions by means of optical instruments, identifying potential obstructions and collecting all information needed for the installation, such as mechanical and electrical requirements, antenna height, interference conditions, etc.
Detailed Microwave Network Planning
Once the network layout and topology are consolidated, this activity aims to define for each radio link the final configuration, in order to finalize the Bill of Materials and to start the implementation and commissioning phase. The main activities performed here are :
• Link capacity dimensioning
• Link budget calculation
• Frequency planning
• Network design
• Radio and antenna equipment selection and configuration
• KPIs & reliability calculation.

Detailed Microwave Network Planning

Once the network layout and topology are consolidated, this activity aims to define for each radio link the final configuration, in order to finalize the Bill of Materials and to start the implementation and commissioning phase. The main activities performed here are :
• Link capacity dimensioning
• Link budget calculation
• Frequency planning
• Network design
• Radio and antenna equipment selection and configuration
• KPIs & reliability calculation.

Detailed microwave network planning

Deliverables

ü  Radio Link Summary Card
• RF Parameters
• KPIs and link reliability
• Link performance
ü  Detailed Reports

Technical data

• Interactive Database on a Web-based Operator Platform
• Customized outputs
ü  3D View
Plots
Google Earth

Data and tools

To perform an accurate and reliable Radio and Microwave Network Planning, data of different nature have to be managed:
• DTM / DEM / DSM
• Land clutter
• 3D Building Model (vectorial and raster format)
• Geo-Marketing and statistics database
• Thematic maps
• Ortho-photo
In addition, sophisticated software tools have to be used in order to carry out all aforementioned analyses, from the link budget analysis to the calibration of the propagation model, from the coverage prediction analysis to the link validation.

Focus on TelcoGIS

TelcoGIS is WiTech’s GIS-based integrated platform tailored to support Service Providers addressing key operational needs. In particular, it provides a foundation to implement applications and services in the areas of:
• Network Optimization & Maintenance
• Customer Provisioning & Assurance
• Geomarketing Analysis & Commercial Planning.
ü  Functionalities

• RNP Prediction Maps View

• Spatial Information Queries
• Check Coverage
• Network Layout & Inventory
• Drive Test data collection support
ü  Usage
Web-based interface
• Standalone & SaaS License
ü  Portlet-based Implementation
• Import of Geographic data
• Spatial Data Visualization
• Network Monitoring Support
• User Maps
• Capacity Planning Support
• Direct integration with
leading CRM systems/services
• Customizable GUI
Conclusions
For a greenfield or emerging operator building a competitive Broadband Wireless Access network is a complex undertaking. This commands the adoption of a robust and structured approach, especially in the initial phases of the initiative life-cycle up to the definitive project and, particularly, while planning the access and backhaul network. Only with a robust business case followed by an accurate radio and microwave network planning you can achieve and maintain high quality of services and, at the same time, minimize investments and operational costs, being sure of the best possible alignment among business objectives, technical constraints and operational efficiency

KEY POINTS