Mentum Ellipse: Proven

enterprise-grade wireless

backhaul planning and

optimization software solution


Mentum Ellipse At A Glance
• Mentum Ellipse is used by a network
operator’s transmission engineers,
including design engineers and
microwave planners
• Typical customers include network
operators and the system integrators
and consultants they employ
• Mentum Ellipse is trusted by more
than 90 customers around the world
Mentum Ellipse Supported
Technologies And Frequencies
• Microwave point-to-point or point-
to-multipoint technology operating
from 1.8 GHz to 60 GHz
• LMDS (up to 31.7 GHz)
• MMDS (2.1 GHz to 2.7 GHz)
Transmission Technologies
Considered
• SDH
• PDH
• SONET
• WiMAX (802.16d)
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As mobile network operators evolve
their radio access networks to expand
their data service offerings and increase
average revenue per unit (ARPU), the
cost of backhaul as an operational
expense must be considered. Backhaul
— transmitting voice and data
traffic from a cell site to the network
backbone — is a sizeable component of
a carrier’s operating budget and with
the proliferation of data services and
bundled data service plans, it needs to be
optimized for overall network profitability.
As operators look to add new coverage
and capacity, or upgrade their
transmission networks in support of
a larger network upgrade, they need
accurate planning and optimization
software. Mentum Ellipse® is a
simulation-based software application for
dimensioning and planning microwave
links and transmission networks.
Relying on trusted engineering methods,
it incorporates all the latest ITU
specifications required for the accurate
design of point-to-point and point-to-
multipoint microwave transmission links.
More than just an engineering tool,
Mentum Ellipse also supports planning,
operation and optimization of wireless
backhaul networks, and can be utilized
as the reference transmission database
management system for wireless
operators.
Superior Microwave
Link Planning
The value of any engineering simulation
tool is its ability to replicate the real-world
environment. Mentum Ellipse features
a full path-profile analysis that includes
Fresnel zones clearance, multiple
k-factors, terrain/clutter/building
visualization, reflection analysis and
antenna height optimization. It takes into
account several resolutions for terrain
altitude as well as obstacle heights
associated with clutter type, buildings
and digital elevation model layer.
Mentum Ellipse comes with
comprehensive databases which
allow stations, antennas and other
equipment to be accurately configured
for consideration in the link analysis.
Templates chosen in configuration
wizards help the user achieve a quick and
robust link design by filtering according
to distance range, antenna diameters and
availability objectives. Additionally, using
the Line-of-sight (LOS) engine, Mentum
Ellipse will automatically detect all
possible candidates from a particular site
and find LOS path solutions between two
sites with no direct visibility. The result:
transmission engineers can plan short,
medium and long-haul microwave links
confidently knowing their designs will
deliver in the real network.
The Mentum Ellipse Microwave (Core)
Package also includes a variety of
propagation models including Free
Space, Ellipse (Free Space and triple
knife-edged diffraction), two-ray optics
and a comprehensive ITU-R P.452.
Flexible rain and multi-path fading
modeling is supported through inclusion
of ITU, Crane, Vigants-Barnett and KQ
factor methods.
 ( Mentum Ellipse Point-to-multipoint Module helps determine
the best position for repeaters or hubs based on all available candidates
for LMDS, MMDS and fixed WiMAX networks )
Mentum Ellipse embeds a powerful LOS
analysis engine that identifies all possible
connections with candidate sites.
To support the creation of accurate
link budgets, atmospheric attenuation,
selective frequency fading, repeaters,
frequency and/or space diversity
Mentum Ellipse Product Structure
Mentum Ellipse
Microwave (Core)
Automatic Channel
Allocation
Point to
Multipoint
Cost Module
Transport Module
improvements are all generated
automatically. Space diversity can also be
tuned using the reflection plane method.
Mentum Ellipse also simulates advanced
technology considerations like ATPC
(Automatic Transmit Power Controller)
and XPIC (Cross Polarization Interference
Correlation) devices that support complex
microwave network designs like SDH
NxSTM-1 on cross-polarized antennas.
Mentum Ellipse now supports adaptive
modulation used in modern radio
equipment for point-to-point and point-
to-multipoint applications. In point-to-
point deployments, the application uses
thresholds defined between modulation
schemes to compute the exact availability
per modulation and the duration of
availability between two points. This
concept in a microwave radio is usually
tied to a static threshold and adaptive
Microwave planning and bulk reporting
Network interference and frequency planning module
Planning/optimization of point-to-multipoint networks
(LMDS, MMDS and Fixed WiMAX)
Cost analysis of different transmission options
Capacity flow and circuit inventory
threshold — the latter being used when
changing between two modulation
schemes. The end result, with accurate
simulations of adaptive modulation is
that the transmission engineer can use
smaller and less costly antennas for the
same link capacity.
Point-to-multipoint Planning
Point-to-multipoint networks extend and
complete point-to-point networks where
antenna installation restrictions and
flexible bandwidth demand exist, but they
can also add another level of complexity
to point-to-point link design, especially
in terms of interference considerations.
The optional Mentum Ellipse Point-to-
multipoint Module helps determine the
best position for repeaters or hubs based
on all available candidates for LMDS,
MMDS and fixed WiMAX networks.
3

The optional Cost Module allows users
to define multiple expense models (for
CAPEX and OPEX) on the same link for
comparison and to determine the ROI
point between models (i.e., leased line
(red) and microwave (green)).
This module incorporates tunable
propagation models and displays
coverage for up to three of the best
servers relative to field strength, best
serving station, downlink frequency
and — when adaptive modulation
is used — modulation footprint and
rooftop coverage. It provides statistical
information according to field intervals
and clutter types.
Optimized Workflows
Designed specifically with the
transmission engineer in mind, Mentum
Ellipse’s user interface provides them
with all the information they need, when
and where they need it. This enables
clearer, more efficient and faster
workflows.
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To facilitate a quick transfer of data
into the tool, Mentum has developed
translators for common equipment
formats from other planning tools.
Information on existing sites can be
imported in CSV format and data from
most reports as well as screens can
be exported to Excel® — facilitating
reporting requirements between regional
and corporate offices.
Transmission Cost Analysis
The financial analysis function within the
optional Cost Module provides powerful
support for network analysis from a
resource perspective. “What if” scenarios
for capacity, capital and operating
expenditure models for single links or the
whole network are possible.
The Cost Module also facilitates the
comparison of several network topologies
— from CAPEX, OPEX and capacity flow/
growth points of view — and provides an
automatic feasibility and cost analysis for
transmission media/technology changes
for all links per topology. This provides
valuable assistance for business case
preparation and with the embedded ROI
analysis tool, assists in decision-making
and efficient link deployment. During build
Mentum Ellipse Deployment Scenarios
Mentum Citrix Server
Ellipse • Geodata Database (Optional)
Standalone • Sentinel License Server (Optional)
• Mentum Ellipse Software (Mandatory)
(Not connected to Database)
Workgroup With Centralized Data
Desktop Clients: Mentum
Ellipse Connected via Citrix
up, Mentum Ellipse can even help monitor
costs and anticipated delays based on
actual implementation dates as inputs.
Carrier-grade Data Management
Mentum Ellipse is built around an
Oracle® database management system
— a common repository in which all
link information is stored — that allows
secure multi-user capabilities on a
proven and scalable architecture. Unlike
simple link planning tools, the Mentum
Ellipse database ensures consistent
end-to-end engineering studies when
multiple users access the same data,
while giving each individual user access
to a workspace (i.e., working database)
and a coherent reference database.
Variable Deployment Options
Mentum Ellipse offers various
deployment options that support
standalone or enterprise client/server
installations. Standalone workstations
can operate with or without an Oracle
database. Network administrators
can opt for a standalone workstation
deployment tied to a single Oracle
database, or they can employ a
centralized model supported through
Citrix® or Windows® Terminal Services.
Oracle Database Server
• Geodata Database (Optional)
• Sentinel License Server (Optional)
• Mentum Ellipse Software (Optional)
Printer/Plotter
Mentum Ellipse Desktop Mentum Ellipse Laptop
Clients Connected to Database Clients Connected to Database
 ( The unique Transport Module for circuits and capacity
management lets users centralize their microwave links, transmission links
and circuit management in a common repository )
Operator transmission groups can better
plan and optimize their workflows within
their enterprise IT environments using
a client-server or thin-client model.
Maintaining applications and data on
central servers also makes upgrades,
redundancy and workflows easier to
manage.
Mentum Ellipse also offers a flexible
licensing system, allowing software
licenses to be acquired on a named
end-user basis or more cost-effectively
as a shared pool for multiple users.
The licensing system also supports a
disconnected mode for laptop users
which permits engineers to use the
software while out in the field and
synchronize their changes with the
database when they return to the office.
Integration of Project
Management Processes,
Requests and Workflows
Collaborative work can be efficiently
organized around Mentum Ellipse.
Through the use of fully customizable
flags and fields, tasks can be assigned to
specific users who — once their tasks are
complete — can pass them along to the
next person involved in the process. The
information used to organize workflows in
Mentum Ellipse can easily be imported via
batch mode from another tool and then
exported in the same fashion to another
part of the global information system.
This powerful feature allows a single,
enterprise-grade reference database to
be linked into other systems such as the
Mentum Planet® RF database.
Transport Module - Viewing A Complete Circuit
NODE_B_1 NODE_B_2 NODE_B_3
With the Mentum Ellipse Transport Module users can view a logical representation of
a physical circuit between two points in the network.
Unique Transport Module
The unique Transport Module for
circuits and capacity management
lets users centralize their microwave
links, transmission links and circuit
management in a common repository
— the Mentum Ellipse database. Having
one single reference database, with
redundant backups, helps avoid mistakes
and the need for manual post-processing
while performing capacity management
and circuit inventory.
The optional Transport Module permits
operators to:
• define all existing circuits in
their network
• plan new circuits taking into
consideration capacity bottlenecks
• model protected rings
• plan the shortest available routes
through the use of advanced wizards
ADM
Gateway
to core
Fiber
NODE_B_4 RNC
What Sets Mentum Apart?
FOCUS
• Mentum is dedicated specifically to
wireless planning and optimization
solutions. It does not use these
products to sell network equipment
or consulting services. We work
directly for the customer
DEPENDABILITY
• Mentum is committed to the
long-term success of Mentum
Ellipse through best-of-class
services and development efforts
LEADERSHIP
• Mentum anticipates and participates
in the evolution of wireless and
software technologies to offer the
most benefit to our customers
— both today and tomorrow
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 It also blends PDH and SDH/SONET
traffic seamlessly, models and manages
any equipment in the real network (such
as DACS, Multiplexors, BTS, etc.) and
models the actual ports used by each
defined circuit. Capacity can now be
entered as Ethernet/IP traffic and IP
addresses can also be assigned to each
port in the network.
Interference Calculation and
Automatic Channel Allocation
The optional Automatic Channel
Allocation Module allows automatic
selection of channels for minimal
interference, vastly reducing the
transmission engineer’s planning time,
and improving overall Quality of Service
(QoS). The Automatic Channel Allocation
Module also enables quality assessments
of “What if” scenarios in minimal time.
This advanced module is used by
operators to plan clean frequencies in one
bulk operation on newly added links or on
new greenfield-type microwave networks.
Since it reduces the number of channels
used in the network while maintaining
the targeted level of interference on
the microwave network, the Automatic
Channel Allocation Module is also being
used as a cornerstone for microwave
optimization activities and services.

Comprehensive Reporting
Tools for Workflow Optimization
The ability to generate automatic reports
Mentum Software Portfolio from tools, such as Mentum Ellipse Link
Analysis, combined with the ability to
configure formatting allows engineers
to produce professional reports for
other departments or for management.
This helps reduce the need for time-
Automatic
Channel
consuming import/export operations and
Assignment
reformatting in other tools.
Transport Interference
Data
Management
Analysis In fact, Mentum Ellipse is flexible enough
to support all internal and regulatory
(e.g., frequency coordination, link
acceptance) reporting requirements.
4G The resulting standardization of reports
LTE
WiMAX allows the engineer to focus on planning
tasks instead of report generation.

Multiple Geodata Options

Mentum now includes a geodata
converter within Mentum Ellipse that will
convert public data such as GTOPO30
900m, SRTM3 90m, SRTM 30m or NED 1
30m data from the USGS into a MapInfo®
format that can be used within the
ACP
Renaissance application. When data is unavailable or
AFP
Network-based of poor quality, terrain, clutter (land use)
Frequency
Optimizer and building polygon data can also be
acquired through the Mentum Geodata
Department.

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 ( It is a product uniquely positioned to support enterprise environments
in which customers require reliable solutions, flexible deployment options
and workflows that support operational efficiency )
As the single point of contact for the
customer, Mentum can minimize
customer costs while offering an
extremely wide variety of services. The
standard Mentum geodata for Mentum
Ellipse is offered at 30m and 100m, but
higher resolution data sets, including
building heights and polygons, are
also offered to meet specific customer
requirements.
Specialized Services
and Customer Care
Mentum services are focused
exclusively around Mentum products,
so our in-depth knowledge provides
a unique and distinct advantage. Our
highly-trained professionals have years
of experience delivering specialized
solutions to the wireless industry.
Services offered include:
• Training: Tool or technology-based
courses delivered on customer
premises, at Mentum training
centers or online
• Implementation services: Project
planning, system integration and
data migration delivered by on-site
consultants or remotely with
customer access provided to
internal IT systems
• Technology or Mentum Ellipse
mentoring: Mentum engineers stay
on site with an operator’s engineers
to improve operational efficiency
through applied microwave/
transmission and tool knowledge
transfer
• Custom integration: Integration of
Mentum Ellipse within operator
systems, or development of specific
features to tackle key workflows
Mentum delivers support to its global
customer base through regional support
centers. Support staff blend a myriad
Mentum Capabilities Include:
• Worldwide sales, support and
of skill sets including IT, transmission
customer care
and software programming to help
• Offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris,
ensure customer productivity on Mentum
Ottawa and Dallas
products. Mentum prides itself on
• Specialized products/services
after-sales support, and uses leading
around Mentum Ellipse and
technologies to provide the best support
Mentum Planet
in the backhaul planning and optimization
• Implementation services
software industry.
• Training and mentoring
A Unique Offering That • Mentum Geodata
Keeps Winning Customers • A corporate commitment to deliver
Mentum Ellipse is a proven leader in well beyond software — Mentum
microwave design and optimization, delivers results
providing a solution that supports
planning, operation and optimization
of wireless backhaul networks. It is a
product uniquely positioned to support
enterprise environments in which
customers require reliable solutions,
flexible deployment options and
workflows that support operational
efficiency. Ongoing development efforts
continue to make Mentum Ellipse
the category leader in enterprise-
grade wireless backhaul design and
optimization software.
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Rev. 2/09