Course Outline

EEF522
Radio Network Planning and Optimization
Second Semester 2018/2019
By
Nkemeni Valery

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The goal of the course is to familiarize the students to the cellular radio network planning process
using existing mobile radio technologies as an example. The planning concepts learned during the
course are coverage planning, capacity planning, and optimization. The mobile communication
systems under inspection are GSM, UMTS and LTE. At the end of the course, the students should
understand the basic operation of the three systems and know the tools and methods for planning
a cellular radio network and configuring it to match given capacity requirements. The learnings of
radio propagation and RF equipment will be rehearsed, and students know how to apply the
learnings of previous courses on radio network planning.

COURSE OUTCOMES

At the end of this course the student should be able to:

− The process of radio network planning

− Coverage planning in GSM, UMTS, and LTE
− Capacity planning in GSM, UMTS, and LTE
− Optimization of a deployed mobile network
− Know the functionality and key radio resource management resources of a mobile
network
− Plan, design, and deploy a mobile network from scratch

− Evaluation
− Project = 15
− Participation = 5
− Attendance = 10
− Exam = 70
− Total = 100

CHAPTER 1: Radio System Planning Process week 1

▪ Radio system planning phases

▪ Dimensioning
▪ Detailed radio planning
• Configuration planning
 • Coverage planning
• Capacity and frequency planning
• Parameter planning
▪ Optimization and monitoring
▪ Radio system planning process documentation

CHAPTER 2: Coverage Planning week 2 - 4

▪ Radio Propagation Theory and Propagation Models

• Radio Propagation Theory
• Radio Propagation Environment
• Propagation Models Introduction
▪ Coverage Planning Procedure
▪ Coverage planning parameter
▪ Link Budget
▪ Link Balance
▪ Coverage control
▪ Coverage planning in 2G GSM
▪ Coverage planning in 4G LTE

CHAPTER 3: Capacity Planning week 5 -7

▪ Key definitions of trunked radio systems

▪ Erlang - The unit of traffic
▪ Traffic concepts
▪ Trunking and Grade of Service
▪ Block calls cleared systems (Erlang B)
▪ Blocked calls delayed systems (Erlang C)
▪ Trunking efficiency
▪ Capacity planning over a certain area.
▪ Frequency reuse factor for the macro base Stations
▪ Frequency planning
▪ Capacity planning procedure and dimensionning tools
▪ Capacity dimensionning for the radio subsystem
▪ Capacity Planning in 2G GSM
▪ Capacity Planning in 4G LTE

CHAPTER 4: Transmission Network Planning week 7 - 8

▪ Access Transmission Network Planning Process

▪ Digital Hierarchies – PDH and SDH
▪ Optical Link Planning
▪ Microwave Link Planning
▪ Interface Planning
▪ Topology Planning
▪ Equipment Planning

CHAPTER 5: Radio Network Optimization week 9 - 10

▪ Basics of the Optimization process

▪ Key Performance Indicators
 ▪ Network Performance Monitoring
▪ Data Collection and Analysis
▪ Drive Testing
▪ Network Performance Assessment
CHAPTER 6: Roll-Out Network Project Management week 11 - 13

▪ Project Execution
▪ Network Implementation
• Site Selection and Acquisition
• Provision of Site Support Elements
• Site Planning and Equipment Installation
• Legal Formalities and Permissions
• Statutory and Safety Requirements
▪ Network Commissioning and Integration
• Confirming the Checklist
• Powering-Up and System Precheck
• Commissioning
• Inspection and Alarm Testing
• Parameter Finalisation
• Tools and Macros
• Integration of Elements
• System Verification and Feature Testing
• System Acceptance

Group Work

Students will be organized in groups of 2 to conduct findings, write a report and finally do a presentation
of their findings in the following areas:

▪ Core network planning.

▪ Coverage and Capacity planning in 3G UMTS
▪ Coverage planning of an LTE network in Buea using Atoll
▪ Design and implementation of a radio network planning tool using any programming
language of your choice that does the following
• Perform Link budget calculation in 4G LTE
• Displays the coverage plan of the selected sites on Google Earth.
Portfolio (Report)
The student is required to document all the skill he/she has gather outside what is taught in class,
but in the context of this course.

Textbooks:
- Fundamentals of Cellular Network Planning and Optimization by Ajay R. Mishra
- WCDMA (UMTS) deployment Handbook: Planning and Optimization Aspects
- Indoor Radio Planning: A Practical guide for 2G, 3G and 4G by Morten Tolstrup, third
edition
- Wireless communications by Andreas F. Molisch, Second Edition.
- Systems engineering in wireless communications by Heikki Koivo and Mohammed
Elmusrati
- Communication Systems for the Mobile Information Society by Martin Sauter
- Mobile Communication Systems by Krzysztof Wesolowski