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Radio planning tools are used throughout the wireless industry to determine the
most effective location, configuration and parameters for base stations. But networks are becoming more
complex and users are demanding better performance in the buildings where they work, live and visit. This
means that the planning tools also need to become more sophisticated and work alongside automated SON
(Self Organising Networks) technology built into the small cells and supporting servers.
As the number of indoor small cell installations increase, operators will want to evaluate the impact between
indoor and outdoor networks and optimise them together, maximising the potential network performance
from both.
There are few RF planning tools that address and co-ordinate between both indoor and outdoor environments,
allowing these to be more closely aligned. One such product is RANPLAN's iBuildNet tool which primarily
focuses on in-building network design and optimisation, but also covers some high capacity indoor-outdoor
scenarios such as campuses and CBDs (Central Business Districts) that comprise dozens of buildings, stadiums,
airports and stations with high resolution - typically 20cm x 20cm x 20cm; fast and accurate coverage
prediction; interference analysis and control; user throughput and network capacity analysis; and optimisation
for 2G, 3G and LTE.
Indoor Planning
RF planning for an indoor installation looks at the signal distribution throughout the building on each floor. This
is especially important for the high floors where there is often more interference from outdoor macrocells. The
design of signal strength near the windows in particular reduces the chance of ping-pong handover to
macrocells where the handset toggles repeatedly between indoor and outdoor cellsites.
Lower floors in buildings have to control the signal leakage from the building to outdoors, otherwise there is a
higher chance of outages and handover failures can arise. A useful target distance would be that at 10 metres
from the building, 95% of the area would have a signal level of -95dBm.
Another factor to recognise is that 2G/3G/LTE and Wi-Fi, at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, often co-exist within the
same building and sometimes even at the same antenna. It's therefore important to be able to balance the
uplink and downlink levels for all of these signals. Further complexity arises where MIMO and polarised
antennas are used to enhance network capacity.
An operator might use an in-building RF planning tool primarily to evaluate the design from third parties and
analyse feedback received about the quality of the network; from end user complaints, for example. The
planning tool can be used to assess how and where problems arise, such as handover failures due to signal
leakage outside from in-building systems. Where antennas are hidden inside ceilings or other less accessible
places, it allows the design to be validated before installation and avoid costly modifications afterwards. An
operator can also use an in-building RF planning tool to manage their indoor networks electronically in a central
repository.
Those system integrators and equipment vendors that deliver the best quality designs will win more repeat
business. Proper planning tools then make the system design and trunking/installation easier, and reduce the
chance of remedial corrections later. The ability to co-ordinate between indoor and outdoor environments is
key.
limiting both coverage and capacity. We also need to assess how much capacity can be delivered using an
outside approach. Then we need to compare the performance with a dedicated in-building solution using
several different scenarios.
The RF power level used by metrocells could be anything up to 5W higher than that would be self-defeating,
because it would reduce the overall network capacity. Metrocells larger than 1W are often much bulkier and
unsuitable for lamppost mounting due to their size and environmental impact. This compares to indoor small
cells that are often 250mW, with 1 Watt as a typical maximum.
Summary
The greater use of in-building small cells will create a need for better RF planning tools to ensure these
are installed in the best locations.
This needs a co-ordinated view across both indoor and outdoor environments, so that rather than
using separate tools, a single combined RF planning tool will be needed.
The adoption of SON (Self-Organising Networks) will help optimise the systems after installation, with
RF planning tools used to help identify specific problem areas between indoor/outdoor co-ordination.
The highest efficiency radio capacity solutions from LTE-Advanced will require specially designed and
expensive HetNet systems. These may be appropriate for specific venues, but in most cases it will be
cheaper and more viable to install a large numbers of small cells.