TDMA-FDMA User Guide

>> TDMA-FDMA
User Guide
version 5.2.1
Copyright © 2010
Mentum S.A. All rights reserved.
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Last updated October 18, 2010

Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction I
Features of Mentum Planet ii
Project Explorer ii
Site Editor ii
Traffic Map Generator ii
Interference Matrix Generator iii
Neighbor List Generator iii
Network Data Import Wizard iii
Survey Data tool iii
Subscriber Settings iii
Data Manager iv
MapInfo Professional iv
Microwave Links iv
Using this documentation v
User documentation updates v
Online Help v
Resource Roadmap vi
Knowledge Base vi
Printing vi
Library Search vi
Frequently Asked Questions vii
“What’s This?” Help vii
User Guides vii
Documentation library vii

Notational conventions vii
TDMA-FDMA User Guide i

Textual conventions viii
Organization of this user guide ix
Contacting Mentum x
Getting technical support x
North America x
Europe, Middle East, and Africa x
Asia Pacific x
Send us your comments xi
Chapter 2 Overview Of Mentum Planet Planning 13

Overview of supported technologies 14
Optional tools 14
Network planning modeling best practices 15
Forecasting network traffic 16
Predicting the traffic of a target market 17
Traffic model outputs 17
Transforming census information into a traffic map 18
Geodata requirements 18
Workflow for WiMAXTDMA-FDMA network design using Mentum
Planet 19
Chapter 3 Understanding The Fundamentals Of

Mentum Planet 23
Understanding projects 25
Understanding project data types 26
Understanding MapInfo tables 26
Understanding grids 26
What is a grid? 27
Understanding grid types 27
ii TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Numeric grids 28
Classified grids 29
Understanding project geodata 30
Heights folder 31
Clutter folder 31
Clutter Heights folder 32
Polygons folder 32
Custom folder 34
Understanding project files 35
Site files 35
Workspaces 36
Understanding the Project Explorer 37
Understanding the Project Explorer data window 39
Using multiple data windows 40
Access to commands 40
Defining user preferences 42
To define user preferences 42
User Preferences 44
Project Explorer 45
Performance 46
Zoom Automatically 47
User Preferences 49
Project Wizard Defaults 50
Geodata 51
Understanding the project folder structure 52
Creating and using workspaces 55
To create a workspace 55
To open a workspace 55
To associate a workspace with a project 56
Attaching files to a Mentum Planet project 57
TDMA-FDMA User Guide iii

To attach a file to a project 57
To open an attached file 57
To remove an attached file from a project 58
Working with site sets 59
Master site set 59
Site subsets 60
Active site set 60
Site table 61
To switch the active site set 61
To change the active site set 62
To merge a subset into the active site set 63
To create a shared site set 63
To update a shared site set 63
To remove a site set 64
To rename a site set 64
To view the site set description 64
To edit the site set description 64
Working with map layers 66
To manipulate map layers with the Project Explorer 67
To manipulate map layers with the Layer Control 68
Working with geodata folders 70
To manage geodata files 70
To group geodata files 71
Defining the coordinate systems to use in a project 72
To define the coordinate system for sites 72
Defining color profiles 74
To choose color profiles 74
To create a color profile 75
Color Profiles 77
Color 78
iv TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Chapter 4 Creating A Project 79
Creating projects 81
To create a project 82
To view or edit project settings 83
Migrating projects 85
Improved data validation 85
Upgrade paths 85
Workflow for migrating Mentum Planet projects 87
To migrate projects from Mentum Planet 4.x or 5.x 88
Creating a network overlay 90
To create a network overlay 90
Opening and closing projects 92
To open a project 92
Restoring projects 94
To restore a project 94
Saving projects 95
To save a project 95
To back up a project 95
Chapter 5 Working With Propagation Models 97

Workflow for propagation modeling 99
Workflow for model tuning 100
Understanding the role of propagation models 102
Understanding propagation model types 104
Planet General Model 104
PGM-A model 106
CRC-Predict model 107
Universal model 109
TDMA-FDMA User Guide v

Q9 model 109
Longley-Rice model 111
References 112
Understanding model tuning 113
Understanding clutter classes and clutter properties 114
Tuning the Planet General Model using AMT 115
To tune the Planet General Model using AMT 115
Planet Automatic Model Tuner 118
Toolbar 119
Tuner Type 120
Model Parameters 121
Correlation/Cross-Correlation Threshold Values 122
Tuning models using the Clutter Absorption Loss tuner 123
To tune a model using the Clutter Absorption Loss tuner 124
Clutter Absorption Loss Properties 126
Survey Distance 127
Number of Radials 128
Tuning a propagation model 129
Guidelines for model tuning 130
Creating and editing propagation models 131
To define a new propagation model 131
To edit propagation model settings 132
To view or hide unassigned propagation models 134
Chapter 6 Defining Network Settings 135

Workflow for defining network settings 137
Understanding network settings 138
Technology types 138
Spectrum allocation 138
General TDMA-FDMA and GSM settings 139
vi TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Noise settings 140
HCL settings 140
Illegal color codes 141
Carriers 141
Carrier groups 141
Carrier types 141
Defining network settings 142
To define network settings 142
To define frame configurations 143
Network Settings 144
General 145
Carrier Configuration 146
Interference 147
Noise 149
Downlink 150
Uplink 151
Network Setting 152
HCL 153
Default Settings 154
If No Server Exists from HCL Rules 156
Illegal Color Codes 158
Carrier 160
Transceiver Configuration 162
Signaling Time Slots Requirements 163
Chapter 7 Configuring And Placing Sites 165
TDMA-FDMA User Guide vii

Workflow for configuring and placing sites 167
Using site templates 168
To create a site template 168
To rename a site template 169
To set the site template as active 169
To view a site template 169
To delete a site template 169
Understanding sites and sectors 170
General site parameters 171
General sector parameters 172
Link parameters 172
Sector user data 172
Implementation parameters 172
Configuration parameters 173
Frequency planning parameters 174
Power parameters 174
Antenna Systems 174
Placing sites automatically 175
Determining site placement in the Basic mode 175
Determining site placement in the Advanced mode 176
To place sites in Basic mode 178
To place sites in Advanced mode 180
Automatic Site Placement Tool 182
Site Templates 183
Traffic 184
Propagation Model 186
Frequency Band 187
Defining link configurations 188
Losses and gains 188
viii TDMA-FDMA User Guide

To define link configurations 191
To view or hide unassigned link configurations 191
Link Configuration Editor 193
Uplink/Reverse 194
Downlink/Forward 196
Creating and editing sites 198
To create a new site 198
To edit site parameters 199
To create a new site based on an existing site 200
Site Editor 201
Link 202
Antennas 203
Predictions 204
Mode 205
Information 206
Site Editor 207
Sector - Implementation 208
Hierachical Cell Layers 209
Settings 210
Voice Traffic 212
Site Editor 213
Sector - Configuration 214
Non-Hopping Transceivers 215
Site Editor 216
Sector - Frequency Planning 217
Required Transceivers 218
Site Editor 219
Exceptions 221
TDMA-FDMA User Guide ix

Illegal Carriers 222
Minimum Carrier Separation 223
Site Editor 224
CC 227
Site Editor 228
Sector - Powers 229
Chapter 8 Adding Repeaters 231

Understanding repeaters 232
Types of repeater implementations 233
Using split sectors 233
Using distributed antenna systems 234
Repeaters and predictions 234
Workflow for adding repeaters to sectors 235
Adding repeaters to sectors 236
To add repeaters to sectors 236
Site Editor 238
Donor 239
Type 239
Site Editor 240
Link 241
Service 241
Predictions 242
Isolation 242
Site Editor 242
Configuration 243
Equipment 243
Locating repeaters in a Map window 244
x TDMA-FDMA User Guide

To locate repeaters in a Map window 244
Chapter 9 Defining Environment Settings 245

Understanding environment settings 246
Defining environment settings 249
To define environment settings 249
Environment Editor 250
Environment Editor Table 251
Chapter 10 Generating Network Analyses 253

Understanding TDMA-FDMA analysis layers 254
Best server analysis 254
Best Server analysis layers for TDMA/FDMA 255
Interference analysis 256
Interference analysis layers for TDMA/FDMA 256
Workflow for generating an analysis 260
Defining default analysis settings 261
To define default analysis settings 261
Defining default analysis layers 262
To define default analysis layers 262
Common TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Layers 263
Creating and generating a network analysis 265
To create and generate a network analysis 265
Network Analysis Wizard 267
Best Server Selection 268
Best Server Grids To Be Calculated 269
Best Server Limits 270
Interference Selection 272
Victim Carriers 273
TDMA-FDMA User Guide xi

TDMA-FDMA User-Defined BER/FER Settings/TDMA-FDMA
GSM BER/FER Settings 275
FER vs C/I Curve 276
Traffic Selection 279
Traffic Options 280
Convert Captured/Offered to Carried Erlangs 282
Traffic Maps 284
Creating and generating a network analysis 285
To create and generate a simulcast analysis 285
TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Settings 288
System 289
Subscriber 290
TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Settings 291
Analysis 292
Signal Strength Threshold 293
Simulcast Interference 294
Generating an existing analysis 295
To generate an existing analysis 295
Viewing analysis layers 296
To view analysis layers 296
Generating multiple analyses 297
To generate multiple analyses 297
Deleting analyses 298
To delete analyses 298
Recoloring best serving sector layers 299
To recolor best serving sector layers 299
Examining layer statistics 300
xii TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Chapter 11 Generating Frequency And Preamble Plans
Automatically 301
Understanding automatic frequency planning 302
Automatic frequency planning and color code planning 302
Inputs for automatic frequency planning 302
Constraints for automatic frequency planning 302
Costs for automatic frequency planning 303
Optimization methods for automatic frequency planning 304
Planet Optimizer 304
Planet Fast 305
Workflow for automatic frequency planning 306
Creating a frequency plan 307
To create a frequency plan 307
Frequency Planning 309
General 310
Plan 311
Minimize Cost 312
AFP 314
Optimization 315
Carrier Usage 317
HSN/MAIO 319
HSN 320
MAIO 322
Generating a frequency plan 323
To generate a frequency plan 323
Applying a frequency plan to TDMA/FDMA sectors 325
To apply a frequency plan 325
TDMA-FDMA User Guide xiii

Chapter 12 Working With Frequency And Color Code
Plans 327
Understanding frequency and color code planning 328
Constraints for color code planning 328
Costs for color code planning 329
Workflow for frequency and color code planning 330
Generating and viewing color codes 331
To generate color codes 331
To view color codes for TDMA-FDMA sectors in the Map window 332
To view color code properties 332
Color Code Planning 333
General Settings 334
Constraints 337
Enable 338
Constraints 339
Constraint Type 341
Using basic frequency and color code planning functions 342
To open a frequency and color code plan 342
To save frequency and color code assignments 342
To view a frequency and color code plan report 343
To apply a frequency and color code plan 344
To export a frequency and color code plan 345
To open a frequency and color code plan 346
To save frequency and color code assignments 346
To view a frequency and color code plan report 347
To apply a frequency and color code plan 348
To export a frequency and color code plan 349
xiv TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Viewing sector-to-sector interference based on a frequency
plan 350
To view interferers for a TDMA/FDMA sector based on a frequency plan

350
Chapter 13 Generating Frequency And Preamble Plans

Interactively 351
Understanding interactive frequency planning 352
Workflow for interactive frequency and preamble planning 353
Creating a frequency and preamble plan 354
To create a frequency or preamble plan 354
Editing the IFPP settings 358
To edit IFPP settings 358
IFPP Settings 359
Frequency 360
Interference Threshold 361
Channel Allocation Cost 362
IFPP Settings 363
Preamble 364
Editing the cost color assignments 366
To edit the cost color assignment 366
Applying a saved frequency and preamble plan 367
To apply a saved frequency and preamble plan 367
Viewing a saved frequency and preamble plan 368
To view a saved frequency and preamble plan 368
Chapter 14 Working With The Tabular Editor 369

Working with the Tabular Editor 370
To edit sites, flags, or link configurations 370
Chapter 15 Importing And Exporting Data 373
TDMA-FDMA User Guide xv

Importing, replacing, and exporting project data 374
Importing data 375
Replacing data 375
Exporting data 376
To export project data 376
To import project data 377
Importing network data into Mentum Planet projects 381
Binding network data 381
Viewing the results of data binding 381
To import network data 381
Appendix A Mentum Planet File Types 385

Understanding project folders and files 386
Project files 386
Output files 387
MapInfo files 388
xvi TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Introduction
Chapter 1 Introduction
This User Guide provides an overview of the full life cycle of a wireless
network, and includes information on the tools and procedures that are
common to all network technologies. Many procedures, for example network
analyses, are dependent on the technology being used, and are not included
in this User Guide. For more information on technology-specific procedures,
see the appropriate User Guide.
This chapter covers the following topics:
Features of Mentum Planet ii
Using this documentation v
Contacting Mentum x
TDMA-FDMA User Guide i

Chapter 1
Features of Mentum Planet

Mentum Planet provides you with all the tools you need to accurately design,
analyze, and optimize wireless networks. You can add extensions and enable
additional technologies to support the planning functions that you require.
Below is a list of some of the main features of Mentum Planet. This list is not
comprehensive. For a detailed feature list, go to the Mentum web site at
http://www.mentum.com.
Project Explorer
The Project Explorer organizes all components of a project into a hierarchical
structure, enabling you to easily manage all project-related data including
sites, project information, network analyses, network data, and surveys. You
can sort components such as sites and antenna patterns by their
characteristics and manage support documents such as census tract data,
capacity planning information, or RF design review documents. Shortcut
menus give you quick access to a wide variety of commands.
Site Editor
The Site Editor brings together all the parameters you need to specify when
defining base station technologies, sites, and sectors. This includes the link
configuration, the implementation settings as well as general site and sector
settings.
Traffic Map Generator

Using the Traffic Map Generator, you can create traffic maps based on various
sources of data, including market information, demographics, vehicular
traffic, and switch statistics. You can combine this information with clutter
information for your coverage area for an even more accurate assessment of
traffic loading for your wireless network. You can also scale traffic maps to
better meet your requirements.
ii TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Introduction
Interference Matrix Generator

The Interference Matrix Generator analyzes the potential for co-channel and
adjacent-channel interference in your wireless network. If required, you can
include traffic map information in the interference matrix calculations.
Interference matrices are required input for the Neighbor List Generator and
the Automatic Frequency Preamble and Perm Base Planning tool.
Neighbor List Generator

You can use the Neighbor List Generator to create, view, edit, and compare
neighbor lists for single-technology networks and for multi-technology
networks. Neighbor lists can be based on cell adjacency or interference.
Multiple user-defined criteria determine neighbor selection. You can also
import and export neighbor lists.
Network Data Import Wizard

You can import switch statistics for use in traffic maps, interference matrices,
neighbor lists, and other Mentum Planet analysis tools. Performance-related
data you can import includes dropped call rates, blocked call rates, and traffic
levels. The Network Data tool can also produce a thematically mapped display
of the imported data by sector.
Survey Data tool

Using the Survey Data node in the Project Explorer, you can import, manage,
and visualize survey data.
Subscriber Settings
The Subscriber Settings dialog box contains all the parameters you need to
define the characteristics of your network subscribers including the mobile
equipment and services they use as well as the Quality of Service thresholds.
TDMA-FDMA User Guide iii

Chapter 1
Data Manager
The Data Manager enables you to store data centrally and manage projects
more efficiently, thus facilitating project collaboration and data sharing.
MapInfo Professional
Mentum Planet includes a full version of MapInfo Professional, an industry
standard mapping tool that gives you access to a full suite of raster and vector
analysis tools, cartographic-quality tools, and advanced thematic mapping
capabilities. For a list of new features in MapInfo 10.5, see the MapInfo
Professional User Guide.
Microwave Links
You can visualize microwave transmission links within the context of your
Mentum Planet projects and perform basic microwave planning tasks when
designing your wireless network.
A new Microwave category in the Project Explorer provides access to Mentum

Ellipse Quick Link features through various shortcut commands. In addition,
you can create a microwave link between two sites by selecting the sites in the
Project Explorer Sites category and using the shortcut commands. You can
also view links in the Map window.
For more information, see the Microwave Link Planning User Guide.
iv TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Introduction
Using this documentation

Before using this documentation, you should be familiar with the Windows
environment. It is assumed that you are using the standard Windows XP
desktop, and that you know how to access ToolTips and shortcut menus,
move and copy objects, select multiple objects using the Shift or Ctrl key,
resize dialog boxes, expand and collapse folder trees. It is also assumed that
you are familiar with the basic functions of MapInfo ProfessionalÒ. MapInfo
Professional functions are not documented in this User Guide. For information
about MapInfo Professional, see the MapInfo online Help and MapInfo
Professional User Guide. You can access additional MapInfo user
documentation from the Pitney Bowes Business Insight website at
http://www.pbinsight.com/support/product-documentation.
All product information is available through the online Help. You access online
Help using the Help menu or context-sensitive Help from within a dialog box
by pressing the F1 key. If you want to view the online Help for a specific panel
or tab, click in a field or list box to activate the panel or tab before you press
the F1 key. The following sections describe the structure of the online Help.
User documentation updates

User documentation is continually evolving to address feedback or introduce
improvements. You can download the latest user documentation from the
Customer Care Product Downloads page where it is available as a separate
download from the software.
Online Help
From the Help menu, you can access online Help for Mentum Planet software
and for MapInfo Professional. This section describes the structure of the
Mentum Planet online Help.
The online Help provides extensive help on all aspects of software use. It
provides
TDMA-FDMA User Guide v

Chapter 1
n help on all dialog boxes

n procedures for using the software
n an extensive Mentum Planet documentation library in PDF
format
The following sections provide details about the resources available through
the online Help.
Resource Roadmap
When you first use the online Help, start with the Resource Roadmap. It
describes the types of resources available in the online Help and explains how
best to use them. It includes a step-by-step guide that walks you through the
available resources.
Knowledge Base
You can access the Knowledge Base maintained by the Customer Care group
by clicking the Knowledge Base button on the online Help toolbar. The
Knowledge Base contains current information on Mentum products such as
Frequently Asked Questions, How To procedures as well as solutions to issues.
Printing
You have two basic options for printing documents:
n If you want a good quality print of a single procedure or

section, you can print from the Help window. Click Print in the
Help window.
n If you want a higher quality print of a complete User Guide, use
Adobe Reader to print the supplied print-ready PDF file
contained in the Mentum Planet documentation library. Open
the PDF file and choose File Print.
Library Search
You can perform a full-text search on all PDF files contained in the Mentum
Planet documentation library if you are using a version of Adobe Reader that
vi TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Introduction
supports full-text searches. The PDF files are located in the

Mentum\Planet\Help\User Guides folder.
You can also perform a search on all online Help topics by clicking the Search
tab in the Help window. Type a keyword, and click List Topics to display all Help
topics that contain the keyword. The online Help duplicates the information
found in the User Guide PDF files in order to provide more complete results. It
does not duplicate the information in the Release Notes, or Glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Frequently Asked Questions section provides answers to common

questions about Mentum Planet. For easy navigation, the section is divided
into categories related to product functionality.
“What’s This?” Help
“What’s This?” Help provides detailed explanations of all dialog boxes.
User Guides
All User Guides for Mentum Planet software is easily accessible as part of the
online Help.
Documentation library
Mentum Planet comes with an extensive library of User Guides in PDF format.
You can access PDF versions of the user guides by navigating to the Help/User
Guides folder within the Mentum Planet installation folder or by choosing the
Guides command from the Mentum Planet Help menu.
Additional documents, including Application Notes and Technical Notes, are

available at http://www.mentum.com.
Notational conventions
This section describes the textual conventions and icons used throughout this
documentation.
TDMA-FDMA User Guide vii

Chapter 1
Textual conventions
Special text formats are used to highlight different types of information. The
following table describes the special text conventions used in this document.
Bold text is used in procedure steps to

identify a user interface element such as a
dialog box, menu item, or button.
bold text For example:
In the Select Interpolation Method

dialog box, choose the Inverse Distance
Weighting Option, and click Next.
Courier text is used in procedures to
identify text that you must type.
Courier text is used in procedures to

courier identify text that a user must type.
text
For example:
In the File Name box, type

Elevation.grd.
Bright blue text is used to identify a link to

bright blue another section of the document. Click the
text link to view the section.
Menu arrows are used in procedures to

identify a sequence of menu items that you
must follow.
For example, if a step reads “Choose File

Open,” you would click File and then
click Open.
viii TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Introduction
Angle brackets are used to identify

variables.
For example, if a menu item changes

<> depending on the chosen unit of
measurement, the menu structure would
appear as Display <unit Of
Measurement>.
Organization of this user guide

This user guide is organized according to the workflow that you would typically
follow to model and analyze a network and contains detailed information
related to all of the main steps in the workflow. Secondary or optional steps in
the workflow include references to manuals contained in the Mentum Planet
documentation library.
Each chapter in this guide provides details about how to perform a step in the
planning process and explains how it relates to the other steps. Before you
begin, you should read the “Understanding...” sections in each chapter for an
overview of the planning process.
TDMA-FDMA User Guide ix

Chapter 1
Contacting Mentum
Mentum is committed to providing fast, responsive technical support. This
section provides an extensive list of contacts to help you through any issues
you may have.
We also welcome any comments about our documentation. Customer

feedback is an essential element of product development and supports our
efforts to provide the best products, services, and support we can.
Getting technical support

You can get technical support by phone or email, or by visiting the Self-Service
Portal on the Mentum website at
http://www.mentum.com/index.php?page=customer-care&hl=en_US.
North America
Phone: +1 866 921-9219 (toll free), +1 819 483-7094

Fax: +1 819 483-7050
Email: support.americas@mentum.com
Hours: 9am – 7pm EST/EDT (Monday-Friday, excluding local holidays)
Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Phone: +33 1 39264642

Fax: +33 1 39264601
Email: support.emea@mentum.com
Hours: 9am – 6pm CET/CEST (Monday-Friday, excluding local holidays)
Asia Pacific
Phone: +852 2593 1287

Fax: +852 2593 1234
Email: support.apac@mentum.com
Hours: 9am – 6pm HKT (Monday-Friday, excluding local holidays)
x TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Introduction
When you call for technical support, ensure that you have your product ID
number and know which version of the software you are running. You can
obtain this information using the About command from the Help menu.
When you request technical support outside of regular business hours, a

Product Support Specialist will respond the next working day by telephone or
email, depending upon the nature of the request.
Send us your comments

Feedback is important to us. Please take the time to send comments and
suggestions on the product you received and on the user documentation
shipped with it. Send your comments to:
techpubs@mentum.com
TDMA-FDMA User Guide xi

Overview Of Mentum Planet Planning
Chapter 2 Overview Of Mentum Planet Planning
Using Mentum Planet, you can model networks designed for WiMAXTDMA-
FDMA communication. This chapter describes key planning processes and the
workflow you should adopt.
Overview of supported technologies 14
Network planning modeling best practices 15
Forecasting network traffic 16
Workflow for WiMAXTDMA-FDMA network design using Mentum Planet 19
TDMA-FDMA User Guide 13

Chapter 2
Overview of supported technologies

Mentum Planet supports networks containing any combination of the following
TDMA/FDMA technologies:
n GSM—Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), an

open, non-proprietary TDMA system that is constantly
evolving. One of its great strengths is international roaming
capability, which provides seamless and standardized same
number contact ability in more than 170 countries. GSM
support includes GPRS and EGPRS.
n iDEN—a Motorola proprietary TDMA technology.
n user-defined—almost any TDMA or FDMA technology that is not
explicitly supported by TDMA-FDMA.
Optional tools
You can purchase the following optional tools for Mentum Planet :
n Automatic Frequency Planning tool—enables you to

perform automatic frequency planning.
n Interactive Frequency Planning tool—enables you to
optimize your frequency plans by managing interference costs
and violations at the transceiver level.
This user guide includes information for these optional tools.
14 TDMA-FDMA User Guide

Network planning modeling best practices

As with any communication network, the cornerstones of the network
planning process are:
n balancing coverage, quality, and capacity

n minimizing costs and complexity
To design a network that successfully addresses these basic tenets of network

planning, you need to create an accurate model of the radio propagation and
of the subscriber traffic. The accuracy of the network model is highly
dependent on the accuracy of the data you use as the foundation of the
project.
When you create a Mentum Planet project, you must have:
n up-to-date geodata
n accurate and up-to-date survey data
n tuned propagation models that are appropriate for the
environment and data
n accurate and up-to-date site configuration information

Chapter 2
Forecasting network traffic

When analyzing a fixed WiMAX network, the traffic loading at each sector is
calculated based on the location of subscribers across the network, their
utilization of network resources, and the modulation assigned to them. Higher
modulation formats means that a subscriber can support more traffic. For
example, if a subscriber is assigned a modulation of 16QAM, they will support
more traffic than a subscriber with a modulation of QPSK.
Knowing the location of users within a WiMAX network is an important network

design element. A network is designed to support the expected traffic and the
quality of the design depends on how well the demand (i.e., the traffic model)
and the capacity match. This is particularly true for WiMAX, which uses
adaptive modulation. For this reason, it is very important that high-traffic
areas are served with high signal quality in order to improve the overall
system capacity.
When designing a new network, the traffic forecast typically comes from
marketing assessments while traffic models can be created from the network
traffic reports. There are various methods in Mentum Planet to generate
traffic so that all stages of network design are covered (i.e., from the early
stages of a new greenfield network to the later stages of a live network).
When analyzing a network, the traffic loading at each sector is calculated

based on the location of subscribers across the network, their utilization of
network resources, and the modulation assigned to them. Higher modulation
formats means that a subscriber can support more traffic. For example, if a
subscriber is assigned a modulation of 16QAM, they will support more traffic
than a subscriber with a modulation of QPSK.
Knowing the location of users within a network is an important network design

element. A network is designed to support the expected traffic and the quality
of the design depends on how well the demand (i.e., the traffic model) and the
capacity match. For this reason, it is very important that high-traffic areas are
served with high signal quality in order to improve the overall system capacity.

Predicting the traffic of a target market

The first stage of designing a network is to determine where the demand will
be (i.e., where potential subscribers are located). Using the GIS features of
MapInfo and Mentum Planet, you can identify regions where demand for
services exist.
There are various types of data upon which you can base your market
prediction:
n Census information: this data provides information such as

population, income, and age. This data is generally vector
based.
n Clutter data: this data provides land use information. This data
is generally raster based.
n Telecom related data: this data provides information such as
mobile phone subscriber density, Internet connection density,
and other related parameters that can be useful in identifying
the location of potential subscribers. The processing of this
data is very much dependent on the format (vector or raster)
and units.
Processing the data can take many forms and requires that you understand
some of the Mentum Planet GIS features. The proposed sequence of data
processing described here should be seen as an example and might not be
applicable to your situation.
Traffic model outputs

When modeling the traffic of a market, the objective is to spatially represent
the density of potential subscribers. Such values are continuous in nature and
will therefore be best represented by a numeric grid (.grd file). You can
generate a grid of the market demand using the GIS and traffic modeling
features of Mentum Planet.

Chapter 2
Transforming census information into a traffic map

Because census information is generally provided in a vector format where
attributes (such as the population) are attached to a region, you will need to
transform this information into a traffic map. For information on generating
traffic maps, see Chapter 9, “Working with Traffic Maps”, in the Mentum Planet
User Guide.
Geodata requirements
Predicting network propagation accurately is highly dependent on the quality
and type of geographical data (i.e., geodata) you use. Table 1.1 indicates the
suitability of common data types for the different technologies.
Table 1.1 Data requirements for various data types
Frequency Range (GHz)

Greater
2.5-3.6 GHz 2.5-3.6 GHz
Data Type (Meters) Than 3.6
Nomadic/Mobile Fixed
GHz Fixed
20-30 meter resolution Acceptable Acceptable Not
height and clutter (land sufficient
use) data for LOS
estimation
5-meter resolution Difficult to use Difficult to Ideal for
Digital Terrain Model with standard use with LOS
(DTM) models standard analysis at
models low cost
High-resolution 3D Ideal for urban Ideal for Ideal for

model (i.e., vector areas urban areas urban areas
building models and
high-resolution clutter
data)

Workflow for WiMAXTDMA-FDMA network design

using Mentum Planet
The workflow outlined in this section shows the typical order of steps only.
Depending on your work practices, you may not complete the steps in the
same order.
Step 1 Gather information about potential site locations, collect electronic

antenna patterns, and obtain required geodata.
Step 2 If required, prepare your data.
n Verify that your data is in a format that Mentum Planet 5 can use.
See the Grid Analysis User Guide for information on importing
grids.
n If you want to perform propagation model tuning or generate
merged predictions, you need to import survey data. See the
Mentum Planet User Guide for information on importing and
filtering surveys.
Step 3 Customize your Mentum Planet environment by specifying default

settings and actions for projects.
Step 4 Create a new project or open an existing project. A Mentum Planet

project stores all the information required to simulate the network.
In other words, it contains the network and all details related to it.
You can create a project with as little as a DTM and later add a
clutter grid, propagation models, and so on. The Project Wizard
makes project creation simple.
Step 5 Define network settings.
Step 6 Configure and place sites.
At this stage of the workflow, you place sites using the default
propagation models. You can later create and fine tune propagation
models to suit your requirements.

Chapter 2
Step 7 Optionally, create the groups and flags you need to organize and
manage sites. See “Chapter 2: Working with Sites and Sectors” in
the Mentum Planet User Guide.
Step 8 Define propagation models. Propagation models are the basis of

predictions.
Step 9 Optionally, compare and analyze survey data. See “Chapter 5:

Managing Survey Data” in the Mentum Planet User Guide.
Step 10 Optionally, if you have purchased Capesso, optimize your sites using
the workflow described in the Capesso online Help.
Step 11 Optionally, generate predictions. You can generate predictions

independent of network analyses or as part of the network analysis
process. See “Chapter 8: Generating Predictions” in the Mentum
Planet User Guide.
Step 12 Optionally, generate traffic maps for the services and area that you
plan to analyze. See “Chapter 10: Working with Traffic Maps” in the
Mentum Planet User Guide.
Step 13 Define subscriber attributes including equipment and services.
Step 14 Define environment settings for each clutter class.
Step 15 Generate a nominal analysis or a Monte Carlo simulation and view

results.
Step 16 Generate and review layer statistics.
Step 17 Optionally, generate interference matrices in order to determine

whether there is potential interference between sectors. See
“Chapter 11: Working with Interference Matrices” in the Mentum
Planet User Guide.
Step 18 Optionally, generate neighbor lists in order to examine the effect

neighboring sites have on network coverage and capacity. See
“Chapter 12: Working with Neighbor Lists” in the Mentum Planet
User Guide.

Step 19 Optionally, create a frequency plan and color

codepreamblephysical cell ID plan.
Step 20 Optionally, create coverage map reports and FCC Service Area
Boundary reports. See “Chapter 15: Generating Reports” in the

Understanding The Fundamentals Of Mentum Planet
Chapter 3 Understanding The Fundamentals Of

Mentum Planet
In order to work effectively with Mentum Planet, it is important that you have
an understanding of basic Mentum Planet concepts.
Understanding project data types 26
Understanding project geodata 30
Understanding project files 35
Understanding the Project Explorer 37
Defining user preferences 42
User Preferences 44
Project Explorer 45
Performance 46
Zoom Automatically 47
User Preferences 49
Project Wizard Defaults 50
Geodata 51
Understanding the project folder structure 52
Creating and using workspaces 55
Attaching files to a Mentum Planet project 57
Working with site sets 59
Working with map layers 66
Working with geodata folders 70
Defining the coordinate systems to use in a project 72

Chapter 3
Defining color profiles 74
Color Profiles 77
Color 78

Understanding projects
A project contains and organizes all of the information pertaining to a
particular wireless network. This includes
n digital terrain models

n clutter information
n propagation models
n site locations
n sector equipment, including antennas
n sector groups
n link configurations
n flags
n traffic maps
n survey data
n network data
n any documents you want to attach to the project
A project also contains the results of predictions and network analyses made
on the basis of this information.

Chapter 3
Understanding project data types

For GIS data, Mentum Planet uses MapInfo tables and grids. An understanding
of these types of data will help you to use Mentum Planet effectively.
Understanding MapInfo tables

Tables are like spreadsheets. Each row in a table contains one record, and
each column in the record contains information about a particular field.
In Mentum Planet , MapInfo tables store
n site data, such as site name, sector name, and various site and
sector labels
n points, such as tower locations or survey result
n lines and polylines, such as roads
n polygons, such as bodies of water or county boundaries
Once you have opened a table, you can view the contents of each record by
choosing Window New Browser Window.
Understanding grids
Grid data is the best way to represent phenomena that vary continuously
through space. Elevation, signal strength, path loss, and signal interference
are excellent examples of properties that are distributed in constantly varying
degrees through space and are best represented in grid format. Grids are part
of the raster data format. Regions, points, and lines are part of the vector data
format.
A grid can be used to effectively visualize the trends of geographic information

across an area. Grids enable you to quickly compare and query layers of
information, create new derived grids, or analyze grid layers for such unique
properties as visual exposure, proximity, density, or slope. There are two
types of Mentum Planet grids: numeric grids and classified grids. For more
information, see “Numeric grids” and ““Classified grids”.

What is a grid?
A grid is made up of regularly spaced square cells, called bins, where each bin
has a value and a color representing the value. If there are several bins
between two known locations, the change in color between these bins
indicates how the values change. All data that varies through space is
captured at discrete sample locations where the value is known. For example,
an RF engineer performs a survey to record the signal strength from a sector.
Readings are collected every second. In a vector-based GIS system, there are
limited ways to portray this kind of data. Some of the more traditional ways
are to label each individual sample location with the known value, to create
graduated symbols at each sample site where the symbol size reflects the
sample’s value, or to generate contour lines or contour regions depicting
locations of equal value (see Figure 3.1). Another common method of
displaying survey data in a vector-based GIS system is to thematically shade
points based on signal strength.
Figure 3.1: Three examples of how a traditional vector-based GIS system

displays data that varies continuously.
The problem with these methods is that it is difficult to portray how the data
changes between known locations. Grids, on the other hand, easily display
how the data changes between locations.
Understanding grid types

Mentum Planet supports two types of grids:

Chapter 3
n numeric grids—use numeric attribute information

n classified grids—use character attribute information
Numeric grids
One example of a numeric grid is a DEM, where each bin is referenced to a
value measured in units of height above sea level (see Figure 3.2). Numeric
grids are best used to define continuously varying surfaces of information,
such as elevation, in which bin values are either mathematically estimated
from a table of point observations or assigned real numeric values. For
example, in Figure 3.2 each bin was calculated (interpolated) from a table of
recorded elevation points. In Mentum Planet , numeric grid files are given the
extension .grd. Numeric grids have a corresponding .tab file containing
important metadata that describes the grid file.
Figure 3.2: Numeric grid showing the continuous variation of elevation across
an area

Classified grids
Classified grids are best used to represent information that is more commonly
restricted to a defined boundary. They are used in the same way that a region
is used to describe a boundary area, such as a land classification unit or a
census district. In this case, the grid file does not represent information that
varies continuously over space. In Figure 3.3 a land classification grid displays
each bin with a character attribute attached to it that describes the land type
underlying it. A common type of classified grid is a Best Serving Sector
analysis layer. In Mentum Planet , classified grid files use a .grc file extension.
Classified grids have a corresponding .tab file containing important metadata
that describes the grid file.
Figure 3.3: Classified grid representing land use (called a clutter file) where
each bin is referenced to a descriptive attribute
TIP: Grids can easily be converted to vector format by contouring and

vector-based data can be converted to grids. For more information, see
“Creating Grids Using Other Methods”, in the Grid Analysis User Guide.

Chapter 3
Understanding project geodata

Project geodata includes digital terrain models, clutter files, building outlines,
region files along with other data required to accurately model a network. All
geodata files must be saved in a geodata folder (using the naming convention
of your choice) but the folder itself can be saved locally or remotely depending
on your work requirements. The geodata folder must, however, contain a
folder called “Heights” where the elevation file is saved and a folder called
“Clutter”. The Clutter folder can be empty if you are not using clutter.
In Mentum Planet , geodata is organized into categories that are reflected in

the following folder structure:
n Heights—a mandatory folder that contains DEM files used to

define the height of the terrain above sea level.
n Clutter—a mandatory folder that contains files used to
describe land classification or land use. While it’s mandatory to
have this folder within the Geodata folder, you do not have to
associate a clutter file with the project.
n Clutter Heights—an optional folder that contains files used to
define the height of clutter Above Ground Level (AGL).
n Polygons—an optional folder that contains files used to define
3D regions building models.
n Custom—an optional folder that contains geographic files that
do not fit into the other geodata folders. This folder is typically
used to store 2D vector data such as streets and demographic
data.
Each folder can contain multiple files, each of a different resolution and/or
coverage.
TIP: Specialized geodata is available from Mentum. See the Mentum

Geodata web page at
http://www.mentum.com/index.php?page=geodata&hl=en_US.

CAUTION: Files in the Heights, Clutter, Clutter Heights, and Polygons folder
should use the same map projection. Files in the Custom folder do not have to
use the same map projection as other geodata files.
Heights folder
The Heights folder contains one or more Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Each
grid (.grd) file contains, for each bin, the height in meters or feet of the
terrain above sea level. Using Mentum Planet , you can build height files from
point data or use many industry standard data formats. Each height file has a
corresponding .tab file that contains important metadata about the grid file.
When the Heights folder contains multiple grid files, each grid file must use
the same coordinate system, but may have a different resolution. The
primary height file, defined on the Geodata tab in the Project Settings dialog
box, should geographically contain all of the other grid files in the Heights
folder.
Clutter folder
The Clutter folder contains one or more clutter files in classified grid (.grc)
format. Each classified grid file contains, for each bin, the clutter class that
covers the majority of the bin. Clutter files are derived from aerial/satellite
imagery or generated from digitized maps. Each clutter file has a
corresponding .tab file that contains important metadata about the classified
grid file.
You are not required to choose a clutter file when you create a project.
However, using clutter files is fundamental to increasing the accuracy of
predictions when using propagation models that support clutter attenuation
parameters (e.g., CRC-Predict and the Planet General Model). Without land-
use information, predictions cannot model the effects of man-made
structures or trees.
When the Clutter folder contains multiple classified grid files, each classified
grid file must use the same coordinate system, but may have a different
resolution. The primary clutter file, defined on the Geodata tab in the Project

Chapter 3
Settings dialog box, should geographically contain all of the other classified
grid files in the Clutter folder.
Clutter Heights folder

The Clutter Heights folder is an optional folder that contains one or more
clutter height files in numeric grid format. Each grid (.grd) file specifies, for
each bin, the mean height above ground level of the clutter specified in the
clutter file over the bin. Height values must always be greater than or equal to
-400 m.
Clutter height files are particularly useful in urban environments, for high
resolution clutter files, to describe the height of buildings at the bin level. It is
also useful for lower resolution clutter files to describe clutter heights with
more granularity wherever the height of a clutter is not uniform over the
covered area. In this case, you would use a lower resolution grid file to specify
average clutter height, and a higher resolution grid file to provide more
precise clutter height information.
When the Clutter Heights folder contains multiple grid files, each grid file must
use the same coordinate system.
NOTE: You must add files to the Clutter Heights folder manually. See “To
manage geodata files”.
NOTE: Not all propagation models use clutter height information. If the
model you are using does not support clutter height data, you can create a
classified grid from the clutter height data and merge it with the clutter file.
Polygons folder
The Polygons folder is an optional folder that contains one or more polygon
files in MapInfo table (.tab) format. Each row in a table file specifies a polygon
or region object. Typically, individual polygon files are used to define polygons

of different types (e.g., one polygon table defines building contours, and
another defines vegetation contours).
Polygon table files must contain at least the columns specified in Table 2.1,
while 3D polygon tables files must also contain either of the columns specified
in Table 2.2. Tables may contain other columns such as street address,
building population, attenuation factor, or other user-defined or model-
specific columns.
Table 2.1 Required polygon table columns
Field
Type Comment
name
Polygon_ Character Unique ID to represent each polygon
ID (64) object
Polygon_ Character Descriptive information about a polygon;
Type (256) such as, “Building”, “Vegetation”, or
“Water”.
Height values for 3D polygons are specified in either this AMSL or AGL column.
Polygons are considered 2D when a polygon table file does not contain either
the AMSL or AGL columns.
Table 1 Table 2.2 Required 3D polygon table columns
Field
Type Comment
Name
AMSL Float A floating point number representing the
height above average mean sea level.
AGL Float A floating point number representing the

height above ground level.
NOTE: The measurement unit used by values in the AMSL and AGL columns
are specified in the metadata associated with the .tab file. Use the following
integer values to specify measurement units:
n 2—Inches
n 3—Feet

Chapter 3
n 5—Millimeters
n 6—Centimeters
n 7—Meters
When the Polygons folder contains multiple table files, each table file must use
the same coordinate system as the primary heights file.
NOTE: You must add files to the Polygons folder manually. See “To manage
geodata files”.
Custom folder
The Custom folder is an optional folder that contains one or more geographic
files that do not fit in the other geodata folders. The following are some
examples of geographic files that you would add to the Custom folder:
n boundaries
n road networks
n railway networks
n water ways
n aerial or satellite photos
Mentum Planet can display custom data if it is a MapInfo grid or table file. For
other types of custom data, Mentum Planet will use an appropriate application
with which to display the chosen custom data.
NOTE: You must add files to the Custom folder manually. See “To manage
geodata files”.

Understanding project files

When you create a project in Mentum Planet , you are prompted to select a
project folder, specify the project heights grid file and, optionally, a project
clutter file. You must also define the project technologies, the default settings
files, and the coordinate system. The site set is automatically created.
Site files
When you create a project, a default site set is added to the Project Data
category of the Project Explorer as shown in Figure 3.1. A site set defines a
collection of sites and contains the site data. You can create multiple site sets
within a Mentum Planet project but only one site set is active at any one time.
It is the active site set that you modify when you change site parameters.
Using multiple site sets enables you to have several versions of the same
network available and offers more flexibility to create and analyze “What-If”
scenarios. See “Working with site sets”.
The site information required to display sites in the Map window is duplicated
in the site table (i.e., in the .tab file) as shown in “Appendix A: Site Table
Format”. Additional site table columns are also available if you want to query
the site data using MapBasic functionality; however, you cannot update site
data by modifying the .tab file as this data is always updated from the internal
Mentum Planet project,which is held in-memory and stored in the project file.
You can update site sets using the Tabular Editor or Import/Export Wizard.
CAUTION: To update the site table (.tab) file, right-click the Sites node and
choose Update Site File. Site updates are not automatically added to the site
table.
CAUTION: Do not update the site table manually using MapBasic or MapInfo
functionality.

Chapter 3
Workspaces
A workspace (.wor) file records which MapInfo files are open, the position of
each Map window and the properties of each layer it contains. You can save
your working configuration to a workspace file whenever you want. This
feature is particularly useful for features such as print layouts. If you associate
a workspace with a project, that workspace is opened whenever you open the
project.
Use of a workspace is optional. If you do not use a workspace, Mentum Planet

will automatically save the initial workspace configuration when you close your
project. The initial workspace configuration will be restored when you reopen
the project unless you choose to use a workspace and have enabled the
Workspace Autosave feature.
For more information on workspaces, see “Creating and using workspaces”.

Understanding the Project Explorer

The Project Explorer simplifies viewing and manipulation of Mentum Planet
project data. It provides
n tree representation of hierarchical relationships such as

groups and sites, sites and sectors, analyses and analysis
layers
n an indicator showing the number of sites and sectors contained
in the Sites node and individual Group nodes; for example, if a
group name is followed by [10/25/76/5] (see Figure 3.1), then
there are 10 sites, 25 base stations, 76 sectors, and 5
repeaters contained in the group.
n Data Manager status bar, indicating the project status in Data
Manager (if applicable)
n easy access to all information about a site, sector, or group
n right-click access to relevant commands
n mouse operations (e.g., drag and drop) for tasks such as
adding a site to a group
n copy and paste operations
n easy access to Restore functionality where minimized dialog
boxes (e.g., the Prediction Generator dialog box and the Point-
to-Point dialog box) can be maximized again.
The Project Explorer is present whenever a project is open, and is initially

docked at the left side of the application window. You can also dock the
Project Explorer on the right side of the application window by dragging it to
the right side of the screen. Drag the Project Explorer to the left side of the
screen to once again dock it on the left side of the application window. When
docked, only the width of the Project Explorer is resizable.
You can also undock the Project Explorer by dragging it to any location on the
screen. When undocked, both the height and width of the Project Explorer are
resizable. Drag the Project Explorer to the left or right side of the screen to
once again dock it with the application window.

Chapter 3
TIP: If you want to hide the Project Explorer from view, choose View Hide
Project Explorer. Choose View Show Project Explorer to once again view
the Project Explorer.
Figure 3.1: Project Explorer

The Project Explorer can contain one, two, or three data windows. The Data
Window control buttons, located just below the title bar, control how many
data windows the Project Explorer displays.
Button Function
Adds another data window at the bottom of the
Project Explorer. The button is unavailable when there
are three data windows.
Removes the bottom data window in the Project
Explorer. The button is unavailable when there is only
one data window.
Updates the content of the Project Explorer. To
reorder items in the Sites category, right-click the
Groups, Repeaters, or Sites node and choose Refresh.
Understanding the Project Explorer data window

Project information is divided into several broad categories:
n Network Analyses
n Operational Data
n Project Data
n RF Tools
n Sites
n Microwave
n Windows
A data window displays a single category of information as a tree view. You

select the category from the Category list.
The items in the tree view are generically called nodes. Specific nodes are
always referred to by name. A node can be

Chapter 3
n a collection of nodes of one type, such as the Groups node,

which is a collection of Group nodes
n an item that contains subordinate items, such as a site that
contains sectors
The tree view represents hierarchical relationships graphically. You can

expand or collapse nodes to reveal or hide subordinate nodes as needed.
You can define some relationships by dragging nodes. For example:
n To add a site to a group, drag the site into the group from the
Sites node.
n To change the order of layers in a Map window, drag the layer
to where you want it in the list of map layers.
Using multiple data windows

If you configure the Project Explorer with multiple data windows, you can
n view multiple categories of information at once

n view different parts of a lengthy tree view so that you can easily
perform mouse drag operations between them
By default, a category can only be viewed in one data window at a time. For
information on how to view the same category in more than one data window,
see “Defining user preferences”.
Access to commands
When you right-click on any node, you access a shortcut menu of commands
that apply to that type of node. For example, the following menu appears
when you right-click on a site node.

Figure 3.2: Right-click commands
Each shortcut menu has a default command that appears in bold. For
example, the default command for a site node is Edit. You can access these
default commands quickly by double-clicking a node.
You can make multiple selections by holding the Shift or Ctrl key while clicking
nodes, and then right-click to perform a command on all of them. In this case,
the shortcut menu contains only commands that are valid for multiple nodes.
For example, if you right-click on multiple sites, the New Sector command is
not available. You can add a sector to only one site at a time.

Chapter 3
Defining user preferences

In the User Preferences dialog box, you can specify default settings and
actions for Mentum Planet . These defaults are maintained between Mentum
Planet sessions and upgrades and preserved across all projects. Preferences
are user-specific so in a centralized work environment (such as when using
Citrix or Windows Terminal Server), user preferences are unique to the
individual who defines them.
User preferences are divided into the following categories:
n General—Mentum Planet startup actions and project data

validation settings
n Units—units to be used across the project as well as the
project coordinate system.
n Project Explorer—performance, site selection, and layer
display settings
n Data Manager—logon settings and profile management
n Project Wizard Defaults—default folder settings and
geodata settings
n Miscellaneous—prediction view, import/export, and Monte
Carlo simulation settings
NOTE: Descriptions of relevant parameters are listed after the procedure or,
if you are using the software, press F1 for the online Help.
To define user preferences
CAUTION: The Transmitted Power, Height, Distance, and Coordinates

settings are global parameters that affect the interpretation of all the values
stored for sites. Use the same units of measure consistently throughout your
project to avoid inadvertently changing global parameters.
1 Choose Edit Preferences.

The User Preferences dialog box opens.
2 Define your user preferences as required.
User preferences are maintained between Mentum Planet sessions.
CAUTION: You must restart Mentum Planet to apply value changes for any
user preference marked by an asterisk (*).

Chapter 3
User Preferences
Use the User Preferences dialog box to specify default settings and actions for
Mentum Planet. These settings are maintained between Mentum Planet
sessions and upgrades.
NOTE: This section details key parameters. For descriptions of all available
parameters, see the online Help.

Project Explorer
Use this panel to define Project Explorer performance and selection settings.
For more information about the Project Explorer, see Understanding the
Project Explorer in the User Guide for the technology you are using.

Chapter 3
Performance
CAUTION: Enabling any of the options in this section will impact the
performance of the Project Explorer.
Enable Duplicate Categories—enable this check box to display the same

category in two Project Explorer data windows. When this check box is cleared,
categories are restricted to a single data window. Using duplicate categories
increases the time it takes to open a project and unless you are working with
projects that have less than 5 000 sectors, it is not recommended.
Show Horizontal Scrollbar in Sites Category—enable this check box to

add a horizontal scrollbar to the data window displaying the Sites category
when the window content surpasses the window width.
Sort Project Explorer Nodes Automatically—enable this check box to sort

the nodes in the Project Explorer when you add new items to the Project
Explorer or rename existing items. When this check box is cleared, new items
are added to the bottom of nodes, and you must right-click the Groups,
Repeaters, or Sites node and choose Refresh to sort the chosen node.

Zoom Automatically
On Located Site—enable this check box to set the zoom distance when using
the Locate command from the shortcut menu. To set the zoom distance,
move the slider until the desired zoom distance is displayed next to the slider.
On Viewed Site Selection—enable this check box to set the zoom distance
when using the View command from the shortcut menu. To set the zoom
distance, move the slider until the desired zoom distance is displayed next to
the slider.
Apply Translucency To Raster Layers—enable this check box to apply

translucency to raster layers. Enable the check box next to each layer for
which you want translucency applied. Specify the degree of transparency by
dragging the slider until the desired percentage is displayed. When you set a
translucency level of 0 percent, the layer is completely opaque (i.e., you
cannot see through it). When you specify 100% translucency, the layer is
completely transparent.
NOTE: Translucency is applied when you view a layer from the Project
Explorer or from a menu. When you change a translucency setting, you must
remove the layer and re-display it in order to see the effect of your changes.
TIP: Using a translucency value of 50% on network analysis layers will

enable you to see the geodata information or the aerial or satellite images
through the network layers.
Analysis Layer (Numeric)—enable this check box to apply translucency to

numeric analysis layers and move the slider until the degree of translucency is
displayed.
Analysis Layer (Classified)—enable this check box to apply translucency to

classified analysis layers and move the slider until the degree of translucency
is displayed.
Clutter—enable this check box to apply translucency to clutter layers and

move the slider until the degree of translucency is displayed.

Chapter 3
Heights—enable this check box to apply translucency to the elevation layer

and move the slider until the degree of translucency is displayed.
Prediction—enable this check box to apply translucency to predictions and

Traffic Map—enable this check box to apply translucency to traffic maps and

User Preferences
Use the User Preferences dialog box to specify default settings and actions for
Mentum Planet. These settings are maintained between Mentum Planet
sessions and upgrades.

Chapter 3
Project Wizard Defaults

Project Folder—this field displays the name of the default project folder for
new projects. You can change this folder while using the Project Wizard to
create a new project.
Browse—click this button to locate the a folder to use as the default project
folder for new projects.
Global Folder—this field displays the name of the folder where default
project files such as antenna files or curve files are saved. If you do not specify
a global folder, the Global folder within the Mentum Planet installation folder is
used.
Browse—click this button to navigate to where the folder you want to specify
is located.

Geodata
Use Default Geodata—enable this check box to define a default location for
geodata. When you create a new project, these defaults will be used.
Geodata Location—this field displays the name of the folder where geodata
is saved. Geodata can be saved locally or remotely and the folder name can
be whatever best suits your needs; however, the geodata folder must contain
a Heights folder with the elevation grid and a Clutter folder, which can be
empty of you are not using clutter.
Primary Heights File—choose from this list the elevation file you want to
associate with the project. All files contained in the Heights folder will be
listed.
Primary Clutter File—choose from this list the clutter file you want to
associate with the project or choose None if you do not want to define a
default clutter file. All files contained in the Clutter folder will be listed. You can
have more than one clutter file in the folder.

Chapter 3
Understanding the project folder structure

Each project folder contains many sub-folders. These are described in Table
2.3.
Table 2.3 Project folders
Folder Contents
Antenna Algorithm Files that are used to describe the algorithms
used in various configurations of multiple
antenna systems
Antenna Queries Antenna query files
Antennas Files for antennas used in the project
Areas Area classified grid files
Attachments Files you want to associate with a project. Only
shared files are saved in the Attachments folder.
These files will automatically be put into Data
Manager when you submit the project.
Backup project data backup
Bin Path loss files
CDMA2000_Analyses cdma2000 analysis files
CDMA2000MC_ cdma2000 Monte Carlo simulation parameters

Simulations and results
Curves Curve files, which are used by the application to
configure relationships between performance
indicators
Environment
FCC Contours FCC region and point files
Field Strength Combined signal strength files, which are created
dynamically when viewing overall site field
strength
Filters Filter loss (.flt) files
FixedWiMAXFDD_ Fixed WiMAX FDD network analysis files
Analyses
FixedWiMAXTDD_ Fixed WiMAX TDD network analysis files
Analysis

Folder Contents
FrequencyPlan WiMAX frequency plans

General Settings files (e.g., contour.set)
Geodata Mapping data including elevation, clutter, clutter
height, 2D/3D polygon, and other types of
mapping data files such as streets and
photographic imagery. The geodata folder must
contain a Heights folder and a Clutter folder. The
Heights folder must contain the mandatory
primary DTM. The Clutter folder can be empty.
InterferenceMatrix Interference matrix files
LTE_Analyses LTE analysis files
LTEMC_Simulations LTE Monte Carlo simulation parameters and
results
Model Propagation model and clutter property
assignment files
NeighborList Neighbor list files
Network_Data Imported network data files
PNOffsetPlanning PN offset plans
PredictionView Optimized pathloss storage used for network

analyses and Monte Carlo simulations
PreQualAnalyses Nth best server layers
Profiles Grid color profile files, point-to-point profile
settings files, and contour color profile files
Propagation_Model_ Propagation model analysis files
Analyses
Reports Report files
Scanner Data Scanner data files and templates
Scanner Survey Data Scanner survey data files and templates
ScramblingCodePlanning Scrambling code plans
Sector Display Scheme Sector display schemes
Settings Files created by the Traffic Map Generator
SignalStrength Prediction files for individual sectors

Chapter 3
Folder Contents
Site Sets Local and shared site sets
Site Templates Local and shared site templates
SPT Files related to the process of merging surveys
and predictions.
Subscriber Data Fixed broadband wireless access database
Surveys Survey files
TDMA_FDMA_Analyses TDMA/FDMA network analysis files
Test Mobile Data Test mobile data files and templates
TrafficMaps Numeric grid and clutter relative weighting files
for traffic maps
WCDMA_Analyses WCDMA network analysis files
WCDMAMC_Simulations WCDMA Monte Carlo simulation parameters and
results
WiMAX_Analyses WiMAX network analysis files
WiMAXMC_Analyses WiMAX Monte Carlo simulation parameters and
results
WiMAXMC_Simulations WiMAX Monte Carlo simulation parameters and
results
Workspaces MapInfo workspace files including the default
ProjectOpening.wor file.

Creating and using workspaces

A workspace (.wor) file saves the current settings for each Map window and its
layers. At any time, you can save the current settings to a workspace file.
When you open a workspace, the Map windows and layers specified in the
workspace are re-created, opening any files that are required.
For more information about workspaces, see “Using Workspaces” in Chapter

4 of the MapInfo Professional User Guide.
You can define a workspace in your project settings that Mentum Planet will
open when you open the project. By default, Mentum Planet does not
associate a workspace with your project; it stores the working configuration in
a default workspace. To automatically update a workspace file when you
make changes, you must use a defined workspace (.wor) file and enable the
Workspace Autosave check box on the General tab in the Project Settings
dialog box.
To create a workspace
1 Choose GIS Save Workspace.
2 In the Save Workspace dialog box, navigate to your project

folder.
3 Ensure that Workspace (*.wor) is selected in the Save As Type

list.
4 In the File Name box, type a workspace name or accept the

default, and click Save.
To open a workspace
1 Choose GIS Open Workspace.
2 In the Open Workspace dialog box, navigate to your workspace

file, and click Open.
3 Ensure that Workspace (*.wor) is selected in the Files of Type list.

Chapter 3
TIP: You can also view the contents of a workspace file using a text editor
such as Notepad.
To associate a workspace with a project

You can specify a previously-saved workspace that Mentum Planet opens each
time you open this project. By doing this, you can have the project open with
the same configuration of windows and map layers every time.
1 With a project open, choose Edit Project Settings.
The Project Settings dialog box opens.
2 Click the General tab.
3 In the Workspace section, click Browse beside the Workspace

box, navigate to the workspace you want to use, and then click
Open.
4 To automatically save the workspace each time you close the

project, enable the Workspace Autosave check box.

Attaching files to a Mentum Planet project

You can attach files of any type to a Mentum Planet project and organize them
into folders for easy access. This is useful when you want to include support
documents in a Mentum Planet project such as census tract data, capacity
planning information, or RF design review documents. And, you can update
attached information that is saved as a .xls or .csv file using the Import
command.
NOTE: Files can be saved locally on your workstation or shared with other
users using the Data Manager.
To attach a file to a project

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, expand
the Attachments node and do any of the following:
n To attach a file that you want stored locally, right-click Local

and choose Add.
n To attach a file that you want stored in Data Manager, right-
click Shared and choose Add.
2 In the Open dialog box, locate the file you want to add, and click
Open.
The attached file is added to the Local or Shared attachments node in

the Project Explorer. Shared files are saved in the Attachments folder
within the project folder.
TIP: You can also double-click the Local or Shared node to attach a file.
To open an attached file

n In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-
click the attached file and choose Open.

Chapter 3
To remove an attached file from a project

click the attached file and choose Remove.
The file is deleted from the Attachments folder.

Working with site sets

A site set is a collection of sites. Every project has a Master site set, which
contains all the sites in a project. When you create a project, a Master site set
is created by default. Site sets can, for example, help you work more
efficiently on the region for which you are responsible by allowing you to
create a copy of the Master site set which contains only those sites you are
working on. When you make changes to sites in the subset, these changes are
only reflected in the project once you merge the subset into the Master site
set.
In contrast, when you work with groups, changes you make to sites in the
group are reflected in the project as soon as you apply them. For more
information, see “Grouping sites” in the Mentum Planet User Guide.
When you are satisfied with the results and the changes you have made to a
site subset, you can merge it back into the Master site set. And, if you are
working with the Data Manager, you can then submit the Master site set to the
server project so that others can access your changes. Site subsets are not
stored in Data Manager.
NOTE: To help you identify a site set, you can add a detailed description by
right-clicking on the site set and choosing Edit Description.
TIP: You can update site sets using the Tabular Editor or Import/Export
Wizard.
Master site set

When you create a project, a Master site set is automatically created. The
master site set contains all sites in the project and is identified with a green
plus sign. It is from the Master site set that you create site subsets in order to
perform specific planning and optimization tasks outside the production
environment (i.e., in a virtual sandbox). In other words, you can, for
example, generate and examine predictions or network analyses and then

Chapter 3
make modifications to site or network parameters without changing the

Master site set.
You can create a copy of the entire Master site set (i.e., all the sites in the
project) if you want to backup all site data. In the Project Explorer, right-click
the Master site set and choose Copy.
Site subsets
A site subset is a copy of specific sites contained in the Master site set. In the
Project Explorer, a site subset is identified with a green minus sign as shown in
Figure 2.6. Using site subsets, you can test various site configurations before
applying these changes to the project.
Active site set

The sites in the Active site set are those you change when you make site and
sector modifications. The Active site set is identified with a green arrow as
shown in Figure 2.6.
Figure 2.6 Icons identifies the active site set

Site table
The site table (or site file) is used mainly for display purposes. It contains the
information required to display sites in the Map window as well as additional
site table columns that can be used if you want to query site data using
MapInfo functionality.
You cannot permanently update site data by modifying the site (.tab) file as
this data is always updated from the internal Mentum Planet project, which is
held in-memory and stored in the project file. Site data saved in the site table
is not updated automatically when you make changes to site or sector
parameters. You can, however, refresh the site data stored in the site table
using the Update Site File command from the Sites node in the Project
Explorer but these updates are not saved. The site table is re-written each
time you open a project.
To switch the active site set

Site Sets, and then expand either the Local or Shared node.
2 Right-click the active site set and do one of the following:
n To copy the entire site set, choose Copy.

n To copy a subset of the site set, choose Copy Subset.
3 If you are copying a subset, in the Select Sites dialog box,

specify the sites that you want to be part of the subset by
choosing one of the following options in the Sector Selection
section:
n All Sites to include all sites in the subset.

n Current Selection if you have selected specific sectors in the
Map window.

Chapter 3
n Flag Filtering if you have defined and assigned flags to

sectors. Enable the Invert Conditions check box to select those
sectors for which the applied conditions do not apply.
n Group Selection if you have defined and created groups.
n Query Selection if you have defined and created sector
queries.
4 In the Band Filtering section, enable the bands you want to

include in your sector selection.
The sites that will be included in the subset are displayed in the Selected
Sites list.
5 Click OK.
The new site set is added to the Site Sets list.
NOTE: If the number of sites in a site set is high (i.e., greater than 5_000
sectors), the action of switching between site sets can take some time to
complete.
To change the active site set

2 Right-click the site set that you want to set as the active site set
and choose Active.
The active site set changes, and the new site set is displayed in the Map
window.
NOTE: When you change site sets, only the sites change. Defined flags,
groups, and link configurations are preserved. For example, flags you have
defined for the active site set will also be available for use with a subset of the
site set.

To merge a subset into the active site set
CAUTION: It is recommended that you backup the site set before doing a
merge. Changes made to the original site set cannot be undone.

2 Right-click the subset site set and choose Merge To Active.
Site data in the original site set is overwritten with the data from the
subset.
To create a shared site set

Site Sets, and then expand the Local node.
2 Right-click the site set you want to share and choose Create
Shared.
A copy of the selected site set is added to the Shared node.
To update a shared site set

You can only update a shared site set when the original site set is not the
active site set.

Site Sets, and then expand the Local node.
2 Right-click the original site set used to create the shared copy and
choose Update Shared.
The shared copy of the selected site set is updated to match the original
site set.

Chapter 3
To remove a site set

2 Right-click the site set and choose Remove.
The site set is removed from the list, but the site set files are not deleted
from the project folder.
CAUTION: If you right-click a site set and choose Delete, the site set files are
deleted from the project folder.
To rename a site set

2 Right-click the site set, choose Rename, type a new name, and
press Enter.
To view the site set description

2 Right-click the site set for which you want to view site set details,
choose About.
3 Once you have read the description, click OK.
To edit the site set description


2 Right-click the site set you want to edit and choose Edit
Description.
3 In the Edit Description dialog box, type the details you want to
associate with the site set and click OK.

Chapter 3
Working with map layers

You should be familiar with the concept of map layers when you work with
Mentum Planet . Each unique layer of information exists as a separate file that
can be added as a layer in a Map window.
Just as each layer can be visualized above or below another layer, layers can
be compared using spatial analysis functions.
When you open a grid, the Map window consists of a cosmetic layer and
individual map layers. You can manipulate these layers using the Project
Explorer or using the Layer Control.
Figure 2.7 Various map layers covering the same geographic area can hold
different types of information.
In the Windows category of the Project Explorer, you can
n view the names of the individual layers

n add or remove layers
n change the position of individual map layers
n make layers visible or invisible, editable or not editable
n open the layer in a new Map window

n make layers selectable and/or editable

n enable automatic labeling of objects, such as sites
You can also manipulate map layers with the Layer Control. Right-click on the
Map window and choose Layer Control. For more information about the Layer
Control, click the Help button in the Layer Control dialog box.
NOTE: For information on visualizing map layers as Microsoft Bing Aerial or

Microsoft Bing Hybrid layers, see the MapInfo Professional User Guide,
located by default in the \Program Files\Mentum\Planet
5\mapinfo\Documentation folder.
NOTE: When you close a Map window by choosing File Close Table, the grid
is not deleted or removed from the project, it is simply no longer visible.
To manipulate map layers with the Project Explorer

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, expand the
Map Windows node to see the individual map layers.
2 Do any of the following:
n To add new map layers, right-click the Map window name,

choose Add Layer, then choose the layers you want to add,
and click OK.
n To remove a map layer, right-click the map layer and choose
Remove.
n To remove a map layer and close the associated file, right-click
the map layer and choose Close.
n To move a map layer, drag it to the where you want it to
appear in the list of layers.
n To hide a layer, right-click the layer and choose Visible if the
check box is not already cleared.

Chapter 3
n To make a layer visible, right-click the layer and choose Visible

if the check box is not already enabled.
n To make a layer editable, right-click the layer and choose
Editable if the check box is not already enabled. The Editable
command is available only for layers that can be made
editable, such as vector and point layers.
n To make a layer non-editable, right-click the layer and choose
Editable if the check box is not already cleared. The Editable
command is available only for layers that can be made
editable, such as vector and point layers.
n To make a layer selectable, right-click the layer and choose
Selectable if the check box is not already enabled. The
Selectable command is available only for layers that can be
made selectable, such as vector and point layers.
n To make a layer non-selectable, right-click the layer and
choose Selectable if the check box is not already cleared. The
Selectable command is available only for layers that can be
made selectable, such as vector and point layers.
n To automatically label objects on a layer, right-click the layer
and choose Auto Label if the check box is not already enabled.
The availability of automatic labeling depends on the layer.
Usually you use it on the site table.
n To view a layer in a Browser window, right-click the layer and
choose Browse.
n To scale the Map window to show the full extent of a layer,
right-click the layer and choose View Entire Layer.
n To open a layer in a new Map window, right-click the layer and
choose New Map Window.
To manipulate map layers with the Layer Control

1 Do one of the following:
n In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, right-click

a Map window node and choose Layer Control.

n In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, right-click

a Map window node and choose Layer Control.
n Right-click in the Map window and choose Layer Control.
2 In the Layer Control dialog box, do any of the following:
n To add a new map layer, click the Add Layers button, choose
a layer, and then click OK.
n To remove a map layer, choose a map layer and click the
Remove Layers button.
n To move a layer up, choose a map layer and click the Move
Layers Up button.
n To move a layer down, choose a map layer and click the Move
Layers Down button.
n To make a layer visible, enable the Visible check box next to
the map layer.
n To make a layer editable, enable the Editable icon next to the
map layer. Some layers cannot be made editable.
n To make a layer selectable, enable the Selectable icon next to
the map layer.
n To add labels to the layer, enable the Automatic Labels icon
next to the map layer.
For more information about the functionality available in the Layer

Control dialog box, click the Help button.
3 Click OK to close the Layer Control dialog box.
NOTE: Move the cursor over the symbols above each column in the Layer list
to display the check box labels.

Chapter 3
Working with geodata folders

The Geodata node in the Project Data category of the Project Explorer brings
together all of the geographic data contained in a project to enable you to
manage different types of data in a consistent manner. From the Geodata
node, you can
n view geodata files by type or resolution

n add or remove files from geodata folders
n view or hide geodata layers
The folder you define for geodata can be located within the project folder
although it doesn’t have to be. In order to save disk space, the geodata folder
can be located on a server or in a common location where multiple users can
access it. At a minimum, it must, however, contain a Heights folder and a
Clutter folder. The Heights folder must contain the primary DTM file but the
Clutter folder can be empty.
CAUTION: You must add the files you want in the Clutter Heights, Polygons,
and Custom folders manually.
To manage geodata files

the Geodata node to see the geodata folders.
n To add a file to a geodata folder, right-click the geodata folder

name, choose Add, choose the file you want to add, click
Open, then click OK. If the chosen file was not in the
appropriate Geodata folder, it will be copied to this folder.
n To remove a file from a geodata folder, expand the geodata
folder, right-click the file and choose Remove. The chosen file

is only removed the geodata folder, it is not deleted from your

computer.
n To hide a geodata file, expand the geodata folder, right-click

the file and choose View if the check box is not already
cleared.
n To make a geodata file visible, expand the geodata folder,
right-click the file and choose View if the check box is not
already enabled.
n To view a geodata file in a Browser window, expand the
geodata folder, right-click the file and choose Browse. You
can only browse MapInfo tables, not grids or other custom
data files.
n To open the Grid Info tool, expand the geodata folder, right-
click the file and choose Grid Info.
n To create a legend for the geodata layer, expand the geodata
folder, right-click the file and choose Grid Legend.
n To view the colors associated with the layer, expand the
geodata folder, right-click the file and choose Grid Color.
To group geodata files

click Geodata, choose Group By, and then choose the type of
grouping that you want.
The geodata files are listed based on the type of grouping you chose.

Chapter 3
Defining the coordinate systems to use in a project

You choose which coordinate system you want to use in a Mentum Planet
project when you create a project using the Project Wizard. You can change
the coordinate system on the Coordinate System tab in the Project Settings
dialog box as shown in Figure 2.8.
Figure 2.8 Coordinate System tab
To define the coordinate system for sites

1 Choose Edit Project Settings.
2 In the Project Settings dialog box, click the Coordinate System

tab.
The coordinate system of the project height file is displayed in the

Terrain Coordinate System field and cannot be changed because it is the
coordinate system of the geodata itself. The geodata coordinate system
is used for display purposes.
3 To change the coordinate system used for sites, click the Select
button next to the Network Coordinate System field.

In order to create the highest quality network model, you should ideally
use the same coordinate system for the site database as is used for the
geodata. Using a different coordinate system for sites could introduce
inaccuracies in predictions.
For information on specific unit settings, press the F1 key.
n Click Apply to save the project settings without closing the

dialog box.
n Click OK to save project settings and close the dialog box.

Chapter 3
Defining color profiles

In order to improve the appearance and readability of map layers, you can
modify the default color schemes that Mentum Planet uses for numeric grids.
Changing the color profiles, affects the grids currently open in Mentum Planet
and the new profiles will be used when creating a new project. Existing
network analysis layers are not updated.
You can specify common color profiles that will be applied globally across all
project data, or you can choose a color scheme (a .vcp file) for specific
numeric grids. Color profiles are text files saved with a .vcp extension. These
files should be saved in the <Mentum Planet installation
folder>\Global\Profiles folder.
To choose color profiles

1 Choose Edit Color Profiles.
The Color Profiles dialog box opens.
2 In the Color Profiles dialog box, from the Analysis Type list,
choose the type of analysis for which you want to create color
profiles.
The values and colors defined in the profile are shown in the Colors
table.

To create a color profile

1 If the Grid Manager is not visible, choose View ► Grid
Manager.
2 In the Grid Manager, choose a numeric grid (.grd).
3 Click the Color button.
n To add a color inflection point, click Add, define a value for the
inflection point, and click OK.
n To define a new color for the inflection point, double-click on a
color inflection point, choose a new color in the Color dialog
box and click OK.
n To move an inflection point, click a color inflection point and
drag it to the new location. This will update the value for this
inflection point in the Color Scheme list. The calculated values
in the Color Scheme List are automatically updated.

Chapter 3
n To change color values and percentiles, click an entry in the

Color Scheme List to make the value editable and type a new
value. This will move the inflection point to the appropriate
location on the color ramp.
5 In the Color Profile section, do any of the following:
n Enable the Solid Band check box if you want hard breaks
between colors instead of interpolated fading.
n Click Flip if you want the colors associated with inflection points
in reverse order.
n Click Revert if you want to return to the color pattern that was
in place before you clicked Flip.
6 If you want to redefine the grid colors based on how they would be
illuminated by a single light source, in the Relief Shading section,
enable the Enabled check box, and click Properties.
If you want this profile to be available for use with all Mentum Planet
projects, save the .vcp file in the <Mentum Planet installation
folder>\Global\Profiles folder. Otherwise, the default location is the
Profiles folder within the project folder.
NOTE: In deciding whether to save color inflection points by value or by

percentile, use the following guidelines:
n If it is more important to assign specific colors to specific values in a series
of related grid files, then save by value.

n If it is more important to assign a particular color range to a series of
related grid files where the value range may vary considerably, then save
by percentile.
TIP: You can add a color inflection point in the Grid Color Tool by double-
clicking on the color slider bar. Conversely, you can delete an inflection point
by clicking on an inflection point to highlight it and pressing Delete.

Color Profiles
Use this dialog box to assign color profiles to numeric grids. By default, color
profiles are saved in the Global\Profiles folder within the Mentum Planet
installation folder.
Analysis Type—choose from this list the type of analysis for which you want
to define color profiles. The Common Analysis Type applies the color profiles
to analysis layers common to all technologies (i.e., path loss and signal
strength).

Chapter 3
Color
Profiles—this table displays the color profiles (.vcp file) used by numeric
grids. Click a color profile file name in the Color Profile Name column to view
the profile colors in the Profile list table.
Colors—this table displays the color scheme of a chosen .vcp file.
Select Color Profile—click this button to choose a .vcp file from the Select
Color Profile dialog box to associate with the chosen layer type.

Creating A Project
Chapter 4 Creating A Project
A project can include any of the technologies supported by Mentum Planet.
Creating projects 81
Migrating projects 85
Workflow for migrating Mentum Planet projects 87
Creating a network overlay 90
Opening and closing projects 92
Restoring projects 94
Saving projects 95

Chapter 4
Understanding projects
A Mentum Planet project contains and organizes all of the information
pertaining to a particular wireless network. At a minimum, a project is created
from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) although you can also include clutter
information (i.e., land use) in a project.
A project contains:
n digital terrain models (i.e., digital elevation models)

n project clutter information
n clutter information for specific environments
n propagation models
n site locations
n sector equipment, including antennas
n groups
n flags
n traffic maps
n operation data (e.g., surveys, network measurement data,
neighbor lists, interference matrices, frequency plans, etc.)
n any documents you want to attach to the project
A project also contains the results of predictions and network analyses made
on the basis of this information.

Creating A Project
Creating projects
The Project Wizard leads you through the process of creating a project. In
order to streamline design work, you can specify that the Wizard
automatically displays when you start Mentum Planet. If you want Mentum
Planet to automatically open the last project, instead of the Project Wizard, in
the Startup Options section of the User Preferences dialog box, choose the
Open Most Recent Project option.
You can use remote project folders to store and access Mentum Planet project
data. For example, you can use shared project folders for the following types
of project files to conserve disk space on your workstation:
n bin files
n signal (field) strength files
n prediction view files
By default, these files are saved in the local project folder. If you use shared
project folders, the project files are stored in the shared folders, instead of
the local project folder. The shared folders must have read/write access
permissions for all Mentum Planet users accessing the shared folders.
CAUTION: If you are using shared folders and do not enable the
corresponding check box in the Sharing section of the Advanced Options tab in
the Project Settings dialog box, the shared path is not stored in Data Manager
when you check in the project. For any Data Manager users who perform a
Get on the project, all data will be stored within their local project folder.
When you create a project, you can choose to use a workspace to save your
map window settings, although this is not required. You can also choose the
coordinate system. For additional information about projections, see
“Appendix B, “Elements of a Coordinate System” in the MapInfo Professional
User Guide.

Chapter 4
CAUTION: Never save projects in the Mentum Planet installation folder.
To create a project
1 Start Mentum Planet.
By default, the Project Wizard opens when you start Mentum Planet. To
use the wizard at any other time, choose File New Project.
2 On each page of the Wizard, provide the required information and

click Next.
3 On the Choose Default Settings For Each Enabled

Technology page, specify those technologies you want to include
in the project and click Next.
Default settings are saved in the <Mentum Planet installation

folder>\Global\Technologies folder. If you want to customize the default

Creating A Project
settings to use each time a new project is created, you can modify the
Excel file.
4 On the Choose Geodata That Covers All Of Your Site

Locations page, click the Browse button and navigate to where
the project geodata is saved and then click Next.
The folder you define for geodata can be located within the project
folder although it doesn’t have to be. In order to save disk space, the
geodata folder can be located on a server or in a common location
where multiple users can access it. At a minimum, it must, however,
contain a Heights folder and a Clutter folder. The Heights folder must
contain the primary elevation file but the Clutter folder can be empty.
5 Click Finish.
The project opens in a Map window.
NOTE: When you create a project, default propagation model (.pmf) files
are copied to the Model folder located within the project folder.
To view or edit project settings

1 Choose Edit Project Settings.
The Project Settings dialog box opens.

Chapter 4
2 Modify project settings as required.
NOTE: To open the Project Settings dialog box once a project is open, choose
Edit Project Settings, or click the Project Settings button on the Network
toolbar.
TIP: To make a copy of an existing project, close the existing project and
copy the contents of its project folder to a new project folder. It is not
recommended that you create the new project folder as subfolder of the
existing project folder.
TIP: In the new project folder, you can delete large folders (e.g., Bin,
SignalStrength, PredictionView, and <technology>_Analyses) or you can elect
not to copy them because Mentum Planet automatically recreates these
folders.

Creating A Project
Migrating projects
Before installing Mentum Planet 5.2.1, it is important that you migrate
existing projects in order to take advantage of the new features in the latest
release of Mentum Planet. Changes to the data storage and management
architecture in Mentum Planet 5.2.1 require that projects created in previous
versions of the software be migrated in order to make it consistent with the
new data schema.
The migration of Mentum Planet projects from previous releases is an

automated process achieved using the Mentum Project Migrator utility that is
available in Mentum Planet .
CAUTION: After a legacy project has been migrated to Mentum Planet

5.2.1, it can no longer be opened in previous versions of Mentum Planet . It is
recommended that you create a complete project backup prior to opening
your project in Mentum Planet 5.2.1.
CAUTION: When migrating from Mentum Planet 5.x to Mentum Planet

5.2.1, ensure that the Master site set in your Mentum Planet 5.x project is
active.
Improved data validation

Mentum Planet includes stringent data validation controls aimed at preserving
data integrity and reducing the chance of error or data corruption. As a
consequence, project data must be free of inconsistencies to ensure
successful migration to Mentum Planet 5.2.1.
Upgrade paths
The Mentum Project Migrator supports the following upgrade paths:
n Mentum Planet 5.0 , 5.1, or 5.2 to Mentum Planet 5.2.1

Chapter 4
NOTE: If you are using versions prior to Mentum Planet 4.5, contact
Customer Care for assistance with project migration. If you are using Data
Manager and working in a multi-user environment, the software upgrade must
be coordinated such that Mentum Planet and Data Manager Server are both
the same version. In this deployment model, it is also critical to coordinate
data migration from previous releases.

Creating A Project
Workflow for migrating Mentum Planet projects
CAUTION: It is recommended that you create a complete project backup

prior to opening your project in Mentum Planet 5.2. After a legacy project has
been migrated to Mentum Planet 5.2, it can no longer be opened in previous
versions of Mentum Planet.
Step 1 Run Data Inspector on the project you want to migrate to identify
any issues prior to migrating the project to Mentum Planet 5.2. If
errors appear in the Project Status message window, contact
Customer Care for assistance. See ”Getting technical support”.
To run Data Inspector, choose Start Run. Type “<Mentum Planet

5 Installation folder>\DataInspector.exe /expert” and click Open.
For example, “C:\Program Files\Mentum\Planet
5\DataInspector.exe /expert”
Step 2 Back up all local project data.
Step 3 Open the Mentum Planet Migrator, migrate the project, and then
save it. See ”To migrate projects from Mentum Planet 4.x or 5.x”
Step 4 Open your project in Mentum Planet 5.2.
Step 5 If issues arise, run Data Inspector on your local project to identify
any known issues. The Data Inspector shipped with Mentum Planet
may identify issues that are not detectable in previous versions of
the tool. If errors appear in the Project Status message window,
contact Customer Care for assistance.
NOTE: When migrating a Mentum Planet project that contains network

analyses, the analysis files are copied to the Obsolete folder within the
Mentum Planet project folder. You can open these files and view the
associated analysis layers in Mentum Planet 5.2. See “Viewing analysis layers
created in Mentum Planet 4.5”.

Chapter 4
NOTE: If you have any questions or concerns about the migration process,
contact Customer Care.
To migrate projects from Mentum Planet 4.x or 5.x

1 Click Start All Programs Mentum Planet 5.2 Mentum
Planet Migrator.
The Mentum Planet Migrator opens.
2 Choose File Migrate.
3 In the Open Project dialog box, navigate to the folder where the
project is saved and click Open.
4 Choose File Validate Project.
5 If validation is fine, choose File Save Project.
The project is saved with a .planet extension.
6 Choose File Exit.
New project files are created including the Mentum Planet project
(.planet) file and the associated .dat and .xml files.
7 Open the newly migrated project in Mentum Planet 5.2.
8 Choose Edit Network Settings.
9 In the tree view, choose the technology you are working with.
10 Verify all network settings values and click OK on you are satisfied
with the settings.
In particular, ensure that you define appropriate values for the Useful
Bits Per Symbols column as well as Amplifier Backoff (dB) columns.
NOTE: The Migrate Files To command is used strictly when you want to
convert antenna files and propagation models contained in an existing project

Creating A Project
for use with the Network Overlay tool. Only site and sector information is
migrated. If you do not migrate the project first, the Network Overlay tool
uses a default antenna file and propagation file.

Chapter 4
Creating a network overlay

Using the Network Overlay tool, you can add sites and sectors to a Mentum
Planet 5.2.1 project using the project data you exported from Mentum Planet
4.x or 5.0, 5.1, or 5.2. You can also create a network overlay within a Mentum
Planet 5.2.1 project. The Network Overlay tool supports all technologies
including CDMA/EV-DO, GSM, and W-CDMA/HSPA.
CAUTION: If the exported worksheets or .csv files do not contain summary

information, data should use the same units and same coordinate system as
those defined in the User Preferences dialog box.
To create a network overlay

You can create a network overlay from comma-separated values (.csv) files or
from Excel (.xls) files. This procedure uses Excel files.
1 To export the data to an Excel file, do one of the following:
n In Mentum Planet 4.x, choose Data Export Project

Data.
You must export the following worksheets: Sites and Sectors
(with all fields selected).
n In Mentum Planet 5.x, choose Data Export Project
Data.
You must export the following worksheets: Sites and Sectors
(with all fields selected) as well as the Antennas worksheet.
2 Once the export is complete, in Mentum Planet, choose Tools

Network Overlay .
The Network Overlay Wizard opens.
3 On the first page of the Wizard, specify the following:

Creating A Project
n the version of Mentum Planet used to created the data files.

n the format of the data files.
n the location of the data files.
4 Click Next and follow the prompts to complete the network

overlay.
5 When you have specified all required information, click Finish.
The network overlay file contains three worksheets: Sites, Sectors, and
Antennas.

Chapter 4
Opening and closing projects

You must close an open project before opening a new one.
TIP: If you want Mentum Planet to automatically open the last project,
choose the Open Most Recent Project option on the General panel in the User
Preferences dialog box. If you do not want the last project to open, choose the
None option.
CAUTION: When you open a project, existing 4.x predictions are

automatically migrated. After predictions have been converted for use in the
latest version of Mentum Planet, you cannot use them or view them in
previous versions of Mentum Planet. You should create a backup copy of
legacy predictions before opening the project.
To open a project
n Double-click the Mentum Planet (.planet) project file to start

Mentum Planet and open the project.
n Double-click the Mentum Planet (.planet) project file to start
Mentum Planet and open the project.
n In Mentum Planet, choose File Open Project and go to
Step 2.
n In Mentum Planet, choose File Recent Projects
<Project Name>.
The path to the project is displayed in the Mentum Planet
taskbar at the bottom of the application window.
2 In the Open dialog box, locate the project you want to open, and
click Open.
The project opens in a Map window.

Creating A Project
TIP: To view two projects side-by-side, you can open multiple instances of
Mentum Planet on your workstation.
TIP: Create a shortcut to your Mentum Planet project (.planet) file to quickly
open projects that you use often.

Chapter 4
Restoring projects
Each time you save a project, a copy is stored in the Backup folder within the
project folder. When a project has been terminated abnormally, you can
choose to restore the last saved version of the project or the last opened
version of the project.
CAUTION: Do not open a .planet file saved in the Backup folder. Backup
.planet files should only be opened from the Restore Project Files dialog box.
To restore a project
1 Start Mentum Planet .
2 Choose File Restore.
The Restore Project Files dialog box opens.
3 Click the Browse button next to the Restore Project Files From
box and navigate to the .planet file saved in the Backup folder
within the project folder, and then click OK.
4 Click the Browse button next to the Restore Project Files To

box and navigate to the original folder where project files were
saved, and then click OK.

Creating A Project
Saving projects
You can save project data at any time without closing a project. It is
recommended that you save your project periodically in order to avoid the
loss of data in the event of a network or system failure. You can also save a
named backup of your project. This can be useful if you want to save the
project at various stages in the network development.
To save a project
n Choose File Save Project.
The project is saved in the project folder.
To back up a project
1 Choose File Back Up Project.
2 In the Backup Project dialog box, in the Name box, type a

name for the folder where the data will be saved and click OK.
Project data is saved in the named folder within the Backup folder.

Working With Propagation Models
Chapter 5 Working With Propagation Models
Using the Propagation Model Editor, you can adjust the parameters of
propagation models to account for the characteristics of the environment.
A set of propagation models is installed with Mentum Planet and is copied to

the project folder when you create a new project. This chapter describes how
to choose and edit a number of propagation models.
It also describes how to use the Model Tuning tool to automatically adjust the
parameters of a propagation model based on measurement data in order to
produce signal strength predictions that are as accurate and realistic as
possible.
Workflow for propagation modeling 99
Workflow for model tuning 100
Understanding the role of propagation models 102
Understanding propagation model types 104
Understanding model tuning 113
Understanding clutter classes and clutter properties 114
Tuning the Planet General Model using AMT 115
Planet Automatic Model Tuner 118
Toolbar 119
Tuner Type 120
Model Parameters 121
Correlation/Cross-Correlation Threshold Values 122
Tuning models using the Clutter Absorption Loss tuner 123
Clutter Absorption Loss Properties 126
Survey Distance 127

Chapter 5
Number of Radials 128
Tuning a propagation model 129
Guidelines for model tuning 130
Creating and editing propagation models 131

Workflow for propagation modeling
Step 1 Create and edit propagation model.
Step 2 Tune the propagation model.

Chapter 5
Workflow for model tuning
Step 1 Collect survey data and modify as required. See “Workflow for
surveys”.
Step 2 Configure the model (e.g., matching the frequency used when
collecting the survey data with the frequency in the tuned
propagation model). See “Workflow for editing propagation
models”.
Step 3 Tune the propagation model. See:
n If you are tuning the Planet General Model, see “Tuning the Planet
General Model using AMT”.
n If you are tuning any other propagation model, see “Tuning
models using the Clutter Absorption Loss tuner”.
Step 4 Validate the model.
n Generate predictions for the survey sites using the tuned model.
See “Generating predictions”.
n View a thematic map of survey points and compare them to the
prediction layer. See “Displaying survey data”.
Step 5 Investigate discrepancies between the survey data and the

prediction layer by comparing the survey data to the prediction
output and reviewing survey reports. Once you have examined the
differences, you may decide to remove additional points, modify the
clutter properties, or change the propagation model settings. See
“Viewing survey statistics”, “Creating survey reports”, and
“Combining and comparing surveys”.
The data in the model tuning report does not provide a comparison
between the survey data and the final prediction. In most cases, the
differences will be negligible; however, if required, you can
generate an additional prediction and use the Compare to Grid

feature to view final comparison statistics. See “Combining and

comparing surveys” in the Mentum Planet User Guide.

Chapter 5
Understanding the role of propagation models

Propagation models simulate how radio waves travel through the environment
from one point to another. Because of the complex nature of propagation
modeling and the great amount of information needed to perform an accurate
estimation of path loss, there will always be differences between the path loss
estimation of a model and real-world measurements. Nevertheless, some
models are inherently more accurate than others in specific situations, and it is
always possible to refine a model (or its understanding of the environment) so
that it better matches the real world. There are several things you can do in
order to minimize discrepancies between the propagation model and the real
world, including choosing an appropriate model and calibrating it effectively.
To model the real-world behavior of a network and account for how radio
waves react to elevation changes and clutter (e.g., reflection, diffraction, and
scattering), you must account for features in the environment such as the
surface of the terrain (e.g., hilly or flat) and the presence of lakes. Ground
cover such as buildings and trees must also be taken into consideration
because of the influence they have on radio propagation, particularly at the
frequencies used by mobile networks.
Although it is possible to create predictions without a clutter file, using one will
produce much more accurate predictions. The clutter file (in the form of a
classified grid) details surface features that are classified into meaningful
categories (or classes). It is important to be flexible in defining the physical
properties associated with each clutter type. For example, land on the west
coast of North America categorized as forest may have physical properties
significantly different from similarly categorized land on the east coast.
Because of the vast differences possible between clutter classes, it is
important to create and tune a propagation model for each clutter class. For
example, for a large urban city center, you might create a dense urban model,
an urban model, and a suburban model each tuned to reflect a specific area of
the region. In order to improve the accuracy of predictions, it is common to
use three or four propagation models for a specific market. This is because
some models are inherently more capable of adjusting to changes in the
environment. Also, the more deterministic a model is, the more adaptable it is
as well.

Propagation models are organized in the Project Data category of the Project
Explorer. The icons of propagation models that have been assigned to a
sector are displayed in color. The icons of propagation models that have not
been assigned to a sector, but are located in the Model folder of the project,
appear dimmed.
You can find more information in the following documents:
n Federal Communications Commission. “Methods for Predicting

Interference from Response Station Transmitters and to
Response Station Hubs and for Supplying Data on Response
Station Systems.” MM DOCKET 97-217
n J. Epstein and D.W. Peterson. “An experimental study of wave
propagation at 850 Mc.,” Proc. IRE, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 595-
611, May, 1953
You can find detailed information about propagation models in the following
documents available in the <Mentum Planet installation folder>\Help folder:
n CRC-Predict Technical Note

n An Investigation Into CRC-Predict 4 Emulation of CRC-Predict 2
n Planet General Model Technical Note
n Mentum Planet User Guide
n Universal Model User Guide

Chapter 5
Understanding propagation model types

This section describes the propagation model types that Mentum Planet
supports. Slope-based models, such as the Okumura-Hata model, take clutter
into account automatically when generating predictions. Deterministic
models, such as the CRC-Predict model, depend on the model of the
environment and the specification of clutter property assignments. Table 4.1
rates how each of the three main propagation models perform when used
under certain conditions.
Table 4.1 Ratings for popular propagation models
Planet General Universal

Used... CRC-Predict
Model Model
For macro-cell Good Good Excellent
planning
For mini-cell planning Poor Fair Excellent
For micro-cell Very poor Fair Excellent
planning
Over large Excellent Fair Good
propagation distances
With no model tuning Fair Poor Good
With cluster tuning Fair Poor Good
On a per-sector basis Fair Fair Excellent
With merged Good Fair Good
predictions
Planet General Model

The Planet General Model is a flexible hybrid model that can be used to model
many different kinds of propagation environments. This model has been
available for more than 10 years and enables you to migrate data from
versions as far back as Planet 2.8 to Mentum Planet and obtain the same
coverage results. The Planet General Model has become an industry standard
and can be used when migrating projects from other wireless planning
products.

You can use the Planet General Model to model many different kinds of
propagation environments. The path loss equation incorporates losses due to
a number of models (such as Okumura-Hata), contributors, and coefficients
that can be pieced together to create a user-defined propagation model.
Some of these are defined by algorithms derived from statistical data. These
algorithms are quite accurate under specific conditions, but become less
appropriate as the terrain and clutter varies from these conditions. Various
correction factors exist to compensate for these varying conditions, and it is
very important for these values to be assigned accurately in order to make
models simulate the real situation.
The Planet General Model predicts the path loss for each element within the
prediction area. This is achieved by constructing a terrain and clutter profile
from the base station (transmitter) to each element and then computing the
path loss for that profile. In order to ensure that path loss at each element
within the prediction region is computed, a profile can be constructed to each
element on the perimeter of the prediction region. Thus the number of
radials, , is given by
However, for most practical applications, a fraction of the above number of

radials is sufficient. A corresponding signal strength at each element is also
computed using the antenna pattern.
One of the most visible differences between the Planet General Model used
with Planet 2.8/Planet DMS and the one used with Mentum Planet is the shape
of the prediction area; Planet 2.8/Planet DMS uses a square prediction area,
whereas Mentum Planet defines a circular prediction area. Although the shape
and the total area of the prediction areas are markedly different, this has no
effect on the computed path loss or signal strength values. Using simple
geometry, you can convert Planet 2.8 Prediction Size to Mentum Planet
Propagation Distance using

Chapter 5
The above equation overlaps the Mentum Planet circular prediction area with
Planet 2.8 square prediction region, thus assuring total coverage of the
prediction zone.
For more information on the Planet General Model, see the Planet General
Model Technical Note.
You can use 3D building data with the Planet General Model. To do this, you
must first convert the 3D data into new clutter classes, which represent the
height of the buildings. Then, you need to define clutter properties such that
each class is assigned a height equal to the height of the building. Using the
model in this way can increase the accuracy substantially in urban areas. The
best resolution for this type of model is 5-10 meters.
PGM-A model
PGM-A is a variation on the Planet General Model and is useful when migrating
projects from other wireless planning products. Contact Customer Care for
support in determining when to use PGM-A.
Some of the characteristics that differentiate PGM-A from the Planet General
Model include the following:
n It may be unnecessary to retune models that you migrate from

another wireless planning product to PGM-A.
n There is some variation in the method for computing received
signal strength and diffraction loss.
n The Planet General Model allows you to specify how the radio
wave is modeled over the horizon as a result of the earth’s
atmosphere.
n The Planet General Model allows you to apply Okumura
correction factors.

CRC-Predict model
CRC-Predict is a general-purpose model intended for macrocell planning. It is
not a ray-tracing model and, as such, should not be used with high-resolution
data. Instead, it is best used with geodata with a resolution between 20 to 30
meters. You can use it in most circumstances, regardless of the kind of
terrain, if detailed terrain or clutter information or both are available. The
following cases are exceptions:
n for very short paths, for example micro-cellular paths, in which

the locations of individual buildings are important
n for very short paths, for example micro-cellular paths, in which
the locations of individual buildings are important
n when a very rapid calculation is wanted, because the CRC-
Predict model is more computationally intensive than most
models
The path loss calculation in the CRC-Predict model is designed for the VHF to
UHF (30 MHz to 3 GHz) frequency range. The physical principles used by the
CRC-Predict model are also applicable up to 30 GHz. However, accurate
predictions for that range depend on very detailed and accurate terrain data,
and currently there are no supporting test measurements. Also, above 10
GHz, rain attenuation becomes significant. The principal algorithm is a
diffraction calculation, based on the Fresnel-Kirchoff theory that takes terrain
into account in a detailed way. An estimate of the additional loss for
obstructions such as trees, buildings, or other objects is included when data
on clutter classes are available. Tropospheric scatter is included for long
paths. Estimates of time and location variability can be made.
The diffraction algorithm samples the propagation path from the transmitter
to the receiver and determines the signal strength at many points in space.
First, the wave field is determined as a function of height (a vertical column of
many values) above a terrain point close to the transmitter by an elementary
calculation. Then, using the Huygens principle of physical optics, each of these
field points is regarded as a source of radiation, and from them, the signal
strength is calculated a little farther away. In this way, a marching algorithm

Chapter 5
simulates the progress of the radio wave from the transmitter to the end of
the path. Even though the signal strength is calculated at many points, an
efficient integration algorithm and a choice of only the most important signal
strength points permit the integration calculation to be fast enough for
practical use.
The CRC-Predict model also uses surface-type or clutter data in its

calculations. Because CRC-Predict is a deterministic model, the more precise
and physically realistic terrain and clutter information you use, the more
accurate the output tuned model will be.
Clutter interacts with the algorithm in two ways:
n As the wave propagates over the ground toward a distant

receiver, the effective height of the ground is assumed to be
the real height of the ground plus the assumed clutter height.
n As the wave propagates over the ground toward a distant
receiver, the effective height of the ground is assumed to be
the real height of the ground plus the assumed clutter height.
n Clutter close to the receiver is assumed to terminate close to
the receiver, e.g., 50 meters. That is, the receiving antenna is
not assumed to be on the doorstep of a building, or in the
middle of a forest, but rather on a street or in a road allowance
in the forest. Part of the calculation is an estimate of the
attenuation from the clutter down to street level.
In addition to the height and distance of solid (opaque) clutter, there is an

additional attenuation, entirely empirical, which takes into account trees and
other absorbing material adjacent to the receiving antenna. This attenuation
factor (expressed in decibels) is the parameter most easily used to make
median predictions agree with measurements in a particular area (model
tuning).
NOTE: For more information on the CRC-Predict model, see the CRC-Predict
Technical Note.

Universal model
The Universal model is only available if you have purchased a license. You can
obtain detailed information about the Universal model by pressing the F1 key
from the Universal Model Parameters dialog box. The online Help contains
context-sensitive help and provides access to the Universal Model User Guide.
The Universal model is a high-performance deterministic propagation model

that has been integrated into Mentum Planet . Unlike other propagation
models, the Universal model automatically adapts to all engineering
technologies (i.e., micro, mini, small, and macro cells), to all environments
(i.e., dense urban, urban, suburban, mountainous, maritime, and open), and
to all systems (i.e., GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WIFI, WIMAX, LTE) in a
frequency range that spans from 400MHz to 5GHz.
In addition, the Universal Model:
n uses a new AGL layer and a new polygon layer where

modifications to the layers can be done directly in the Map
window.
n uses a new AGL layer and a new polygon layer where
modifications to the layers can be done directly in the Map
window.
n outperforms other models in terms of the speed and accuracy
of predictions.
Q9 model
The Q9 propagation model is based on the Okumura-Hata model. Using the
variables shown in Figure 1, it calculates the expected pathloss between the
transmitter and the receiver using the terrain profile. In other words, it
considers a cross-section of the earth along a straight line between the
transmitter and the receiver. This propagation model is most useful for
frequency bands in the 150-2000 MHz range and works best within a radius of
0.2-100 km. The Q9 model is intended for use with high-resolution elevation
and clutter data.

Chapter 5
Pathloss depends on frequency as well as the antenna heights of the

transmitter and the receiver. The Q9 model allows for both uptilt and downtilt
of antennas and takes into account the vertical antenna pattern.
There are three input values that the Q9 model considers:
n Okumura-Hata’s wave propagation equations with modifying

parameters A0 to A3. See Equation 1. For more information,
press the F1 key in the Q9 Parameters dialog box for online
Help.
n Extra losses that occur when wave propagation is disturbed by
obstacles such as mountain peaks. When the distance between
the transmitter and receiver becomes sufficiently large, a
correction due to earth’s curvature is necessary.
n Land use code loss.
Figure 5.1 illustrates the variables that are taken into account to calculate
pathloss.
Figure 5.1: The process of calculating pathloss
The equation below details the formula used to calculate pathloss.

Where:
L is the pathloss
b
HOA (Hata Open Area) is a variant of Okumura-Hata’s equation in dB as
shown in equation Equation 2
mk[mobile] is the land use code at the mobile in dB
is a parameter related to the knife-edge diffraction
KDFR is the contribution from knife-edge diffraction in dB
JDFR is the diffraction loss due to the spherical earth in dB
Longley-Rice model
You can use the Longley-Rice area calculation for rural (non-urban) areas if
little is known about the terrain and clutter.
The Longley-Rice model is applicable to point-to-point communication

systems in the 20 MHz to 10 GHz range over different types of terrain
(Rappaport, 1996). The Longley-Rice model operates in two modes. The
point-to-point mode uses terrain information if it is available, while the point-
to-area mode uses techniques that estimate the path-specific parameters
when little terrain information is available.

Chapter 5
In point-to-point mode, median path loss is predicted by using tropospheric

refractivity and terrain geometry. However, only some features of the terrain
are used. The terrain profile is used to find effective antenna heights, horizon
distances and elevation angles as seen from the antennas, the angular
distance for a trans-horizon path, and the terrain irregularity of the path. The
prediction is performed in terms of these parameters. A ray optic technique
using primarily a two-ray ground reflection model is used within the radio
horizon. The two or three isolated obstacles causing the greatest obstruction
are modeled as knife edges using the Fresnel Kirchoff theory. Forward scatter
theory is used to make troposcatter predictions for long paths and far field
diffraction losses are predicted using a modified Van der Pol-Bremmer
method (Rappaport, 1996). The Longley-Rice point-to-point model is also
referred to as the Irregular Terrain Model (ITM) (Hufford, et al. 1982).
Although the point-to-area mode is an old method, it is still perhaps the best
method of estimating path loss in open country if the only parameters known
about the ground are its irregularity and (less importantly at UHF) its electrical
constants.
The Longley-Rice model is best suited to the following parameters:
n Frequency: 20 MHz to 10 GHz

n Distance: 1 km to 2000 km
n Antenna Heights: 0.5 m to 3000 m
n Polarization: Vertical or Horizontal
References
For more information about the Longley-Rice model, see the following
references:
Rappaport, T.S. Wireless Communications: Principles and Practice. Prentice

Hall, 1996.
Hufford, Longley, and Kissick. “A Guide to the Use of the ITS Irregular Terrain
Model in the Area Prediction Mode”, U.S. Department of Commerce. April
1982.

Understanding model tuning

The term model tuning applies generally to the process of adjusting the
parameters of a propagation model in order to generate predictions that are
as accurate and realistic as possible.
Model tuning is usually performed using measured signal strength data

collected during surveying. This survey data is used to change clutter
absorption loss values and other parameters in the propagation model. For
more information on collecting and working with survey data, see “Chapter 5:
Managing Survey Data”.
To tune a model in Mentum Planet , you can use:
n the Clutter Absorption Loss tuner which enables you to tune all
propagation model types
n the Planet Automatic Model Tuner (AMT) which enables you to
tune the Planet General Model

Chapter 5
Understanding clutter classes and clutter

properties
Propagation models perform path loss calculations based on the types of
clutter through which the signal passes. The terrain is classified into clutter
classes based on land use or ground cover, e.g., Industrial, Residential,
Forest. For each clutter class, a set of clutter properties is specified, depending
on the propagation model. All models (with the exception of the Universal
Model)specify clutter absorption loss. Some models specify additional
properties, such as average obstacle height.
For your project, the clutter file specifies the clutter class for each bin of the
coverage area. Before you can generate signal strength predictions or do
model tuning, you must define the values of the clutter properties for each
clutter class. These values are saved in the Propagation Model File (.pmf).
Your choice of ground type for each clutter class sets default values for
numeric properties, such as Clutter Absorption Loss. You can edit these
values. Usually this is done as part of model tuning.

Tuning the Planet General Model using AMT

You can use the Planet Automatic Model Tuner (AMT) to automatically
optimize components of the Planet General Model using survey data from
single or multiple sites. You can tune the Planet General Model using one of
the following methods:
n Smart—simplifies the tuning process and is recommended if

you have little or no knowledge of model tuning
n Standard—enables you to manually tune the model using a
complex, multi-step procedure. For detailed information on
using the Standard option, see “Tuning the Planet General
Model using AMT” in the Planet General Model Technical Note.
When you use the Smart option, all of the model parameters are set to
Optimize. When set to Optimize, the Planet AMT runs various correlation and
cross-correlation tests to determine which model parameters can be
optimized. If any parameters cannot be optimized, default values are used.
To tune the Planet General Model using AMT

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category,
right-click a survey and choose Model Tuning.
The Model Tuning dialog box opens.
2 Provide the information for which you are prompted and, from
the Model To Tune list, choose a Planet General Model template.
3 From the Model Tuner list, choose Planet AMT Version 1.5.
4 To edit the AMT, click Edit Tuner.

Chapter 5
5 In the Tuner Type section, choose the Smart option.
For information on using the Standard AMT option, see “Tuning the
Planet General Model using AMT” in the Planet General Model Technical
Note.
Custom model parameter values will not be optimized. If a factor cannot
be optimized, a suitable default value is used.
6 To define custom correlation or cross-correlation values, in the

Correlation/Cross-Correlation Threshold Values section,
type values in any of the following boxes:
n Correlation P3T
n Correlation P4T
n Cross-Correlation P35T
n Cross-Correlation P45T
Defining a custom correlation or cross-correlation value is useful if you

want to optimize a particular factor that does not meet the threshold

requirements. For example, if p4T = 0.4, and p4 = 0.15, K4 cannot be

optimized. You can enable K4 to be optimized by setting p4T to 0.1.
If you chose to define custom thresholds, the resulting factors might
produce an invalid model. Before applying the model, you must ensure
that the ranges you have specified are valid. For more information, see
the Planet General Model Technical Note.
7 Save the settings in a Planet AMT settings (.set) file if required

and click OK.
8 In the Model Tuning dialog box, click OK to begin the model

tuning process.
When the model tuning process is complete, the tuned model is added
to the Propagation Models node in the Project Data category of the
Project Explorer.
NOTE: You can edit the properties of the tuned model using the Propagation
Model Editor. To access the Propagation Model Editor, expand Propagation
Models in the Project Data category of the Project Explorer, right-click the
tuned model and choose Edit.

Chapter 5
Planet Automatic Model Tuner

Use the Planet Automatic Model Tuner Properties dialog box to define model
tuning parameters for the Automatic Model Tuner version 1.0.

Toolbar
Click this button to create a new template. New templates are added the
Templates list.
Click this button to open a Planet AMT Parameter file. The opened file is
added the Templates list.
Click this button to save the current parameters in a new Planet AMT
Parameter file.
Click this button to save the current parameters.
Templates—choose from this list a template to load parameters from into

the Planet Automatic Model Tuner dialog box.

Chapter 5
Tuner Type
Smart—choose this option to use the Smart AMT method of setting K-factor
values. When you use the Smart option, all of the model parameters are set to
Optimize. When set to Optimize, the Planet AMT runs various correlation and
cross-correlation tests to determine which model parameters can be
optimized. If any parameters cannot be optimized, default values are used.
Standard—choose this option to use the Standard AMT method of setting K-

factor values.

Model Parameters
K1—choose from this list an option to set the value of the K1 factor. The box
to the left of the list displays the value of the chosen option. Choose Optimize
to have the Planet Automatic Model Tuner optimize the K1 factor. Choose
User defined to type a value for the K1 factor in the box to the left of the list.
The valid range is from -100 to 100.
The valid range is from 0 to 1.
The valid range is from 0 to 100.
Clutter Offset—choose from this list an option to define how clutter is

optimized. The box to the left of the list displays the value of the chosen
option. Choose Optimize to have the Planet Automatic Model Tuner optimize
clutter. Choose User defined to type a value for Clutter Offset in the box to the
left of the list. The valid range is from -20 to 40.

Chapter 5
Correlation/Cross-Correlation Threshold Values

Use this section to set correlation and cross-correlation thresholds.
Correlation P3T—type in this box a value for the Correlation P3T threshold.
The valid range is from 0.01 to 0.99.
Correlation P4T—type in this box a value for the Correlation P4T threshold.
The valid range is from 0.01 to 0.99.
Cross-Correlation P24T—type in this box a value for the Cross-Correlation

P24T threshold. The valid range is from 0.01 to 0.99.
Cross-Correlation P35T—type in this box a value for the Cross-Correlation

P35T threshold. The valid range is from 0.01 to 0.99.

Tuning models using the Clutter Absorption Loss

tuner
Using the Clutter Absorption Loss (CAL) tuner, you can determine the
appropriate clutter property assignment values for clutter absorption loss for
a single site. The CAL tuner can be used to optimize all propagation model
types, except for third-party models.
The Clutter Absorption Loss tuner enables you to calculate the mean error
between the predicted signal strength and the survey data for each clutter
class. The mean error is then used as the value for the clutter absorption loss
of each clutter class in the clutter property assignment file.
Tuning is different for slope-based models and deterministic models such as

CRC-Predict. Slope-based models take clutter into account automatically
when generating predictions. For example, when using the Okumura-Hata
model, you can choose from four clutter classes: Urban, Suburban, Quasi-
Open, and Open. Each clutter class implies a generalized clutter environment
that affects the slope of the model’s algorithm. When using the Planet General
Model, you can set many parameters.
The CRC-Predict model, however, depends on the model of the environment

and the specification of clutter property assignments. The CRC-Predict
algorithm interacts with a model of the clutter environment in a deterministic
fashion to predict path loss. Path loss is calculated by simulating the
propagation of a radio wave as it passes over various terrain features.
Model tuning with survey data for all models involves updating the clutter
absorption loss values. Model tuning for the CRC-Predict model involves the
additional step of adjusting the clutter property assignments for average
obstacle height and ground type.

Chapter 5
To tune a model using the Clutter Absorption Loss tuner

right-click a survey and choose Model Tuning.
The Model Tuning dialog box opens.
2 Provide the information for which you are prompted and, from the
Model Tuner list, choose the Clutter Absorption Loss Tuner.
3 To edit the CAL Tuner, choose Edit Tuner.
4 Modify Tuner settings as required and click OK.
5 In the Model Tuning dialog box, click OK to begin the tuning

process.
The Model Tuning dialog box opens and displays the progress of the
model tuning process.
6 When the process is complete, click Close in the Model Tuning

dialog box.
7 To view a model tuning report in text format, click Yes in the

Mentum Planet dialog box.

When the model tuning process is complete, the tuned model is added
to the Propagation Models node in the Project Data category of the
Project Explorer.
NOTE: If the calculated Clutter Absorption Loss (CAL) values are

overwhelmingly negative, lower the clutter heights and retune the model. CAL
values should normally fall between -3 dB and +12 dB.
TIP: You can edit the properties of the tuned model using the Propagation
Model Editor. To access the Propagation Model Editor, expand Propagation
Models in the Project Data category of the Project Explorer, right-click the
tuned model and choose Edit.

Chapter 5
Clutter Absorption Loss Properties

Use the Clutter Absorption Loss Properties dialog box to define model tuning
parameters for the Clutter Absorption Loss model tuner.
Number Of Iterations—choose from this list the number of iterations to

perform on clutter absorption loss values. Usually, performing two iterations
will give acceptable values. An iteration is the process of updating the clutter
absorption loss values with the survey analysis prediction values for each
clutter class. For each iteration, a survey analysis prediction is created. If more
than one iteration is applied, the updated values are applied to the .pmf file
cumulatively.

Survey Distance
Use this section to define the distance from the survey antenna that survey
points must fall within to be used by the Clutter Absorption Loss model tuner
to tune the model.
Computed Propagation Distance—this field displays the distance in meters

from the survey antenna location to the furthest survey point in the heights
file.
NOTE: If you choose more than one survey in the Project Explorer, only the
survey containing the survey point that is farthest from the survey antenna
will be used to tune the model.
Enable Survey Filtering By Distance—enable this check box to define the

distance from the survey antenna that survey points used to tune the model
must fall within.
Distance—type in this box or choose the distance from the survey antenna
that survey points used to tune a model must fall within. The Clutter
Absorption Loss model tuner will ignore any survey points further than this
distance from the survey antenna.

Chapter 5
Number of Radials
Use this section to define the number of radials originating from a site along
which to calculate predictions. More radials produce a more accurate but
slower calculation.
Computed Number Of Radials—choose this option to use the computed

number of radials to calculate predictions. Planet divides the propagation
distance by the bin distance to compute the number of radials to use, which is
displayed in the box to the right. For example,
Propagation distance: 15km (15000m)

Bin distance: 30m
Calculation: 15000m / 30m
Result: 500 radials
User Defined Number Of Radials—choose this option to define the number

of radials to use to calculate predictions. In the box to the right, type or choose
the number of radials to use.

Tuning a propagation model

In order to model a network that is as close to the real-world network as
possible, you should calibrate the propagation model using survey
measurements. Once you have calibrated the model, you can apply the
model to other sites that share the same general type of environment,
provided that the model is not overly dependent on calibrations (empirical
models generally rely heavily on calibrations).
For detailed information about:
n using survey data with Mentum Planet, see “Managing Survey

Data” in the Mentum Planet User Guide. In particular, see the
“Workflow for surveys”.
n model tuning, see “Working with Propagation Models” in the
Mentum Planet User Guide .
NOTE: If you are using the Universal Model, you can tune it using the
Universal Model Tuning algorithm.

Chapter 5
Guidelines for model tuning

n Follow the recommended guidelines for collecting survey data.
See “Collecting survey data” in the Mentum Planet User Guide.
n Aggregate survey data in order to account for Rayleigh fading.
See “Modifying survey data” in the Mentum Planet User Guide.
n Ensure that the frequency of the input model used in model
tuning is accurate and the receiver height corresponds to
measured data.
n Ensure that the clutter maps you use are accurate and up-to-
date.
n Verify that the model uses clutter heights that are
recommended or appropriate for the model.
n Ensure that ground types, if used, are appropriate. For
example, moist ground should be assigned to farmland.
n Create one model to cover all surveys with similar
characteristics. For example, for a given metropolitan area,
start with one input propagation model. Tune one model for
the sub-urban area. Using the same input model, tune a
second model for very dense urban and downtown area. The
tuned models will provide reasonably accurate predictions for
topologies of similar clutter characteristics (such as neighboring
regions). This approach can be fine tuned by subdividing the
metropolitan area to more than two areas and generating
corresponding models for each area.

Creating and editing propagation models

Propagation models are organized in the Project Data category of the Project
Explorer. The icons of propagation models that have been assigned to a
sector are displayed in color. The icons of propagation models that have not
been assigned to a sector, but are located in the Model folder of the project,
appear dimmed.
You can refine how a propagation model behaves by modifying the

propagation model settings using the Propagation Model Editor. Once you
have refined the model, you can apply the propagation model to an individual
site or sector. Propagation models saved in the <Mentum Planet installation
folder>/Global/Model folder will be available each time you create a project.
Models saved in the project folder are project specific.
To define a new propagation model

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-
click Propagation Models and choose New.
The Create New Propagation Model dialog box opens.
2 From the Propagation Model Type list, choose the model on

which you want to base your new model, and then click OK.
3 In the Propagation Model Editor, on the Settings tab, click in

the Name field and define a name for the new model.
4 Modify the parameters of the propagation model to correspond to

your network design.
For detailed information on the settings available on these tabs, press

F1 for online Help.
5 Click OK.

Chapter 5
To edit propagation model settings

Propagation Models, right-click a propagation model and
choose Edit.
The Propagation Model Editor opens.
The tabs that are displayed in the Editor depend on the model you have
chosen.
2 In the Propagation Model Editor, modify the settings on any of

the following tabs:
n Settings—allows you to set frequency, receiver height, and

earth curvature. Enables you to use a different resolution
heights file or clutter file with the propagation model than that
which is specified in the project settings. This is useful if you
want to generate a prediction where you are using a high-
resolution grid in urban areas and a lower-resolution grid in the
rest of the project area.
n Clutter Properties—allows you to specify whether or not the
model uses a clutter grid and allows you to define the physical

properties of the environment that affect predictions. The

values assigned to the electrical and physical properties for
each clutter class are determined from observations of the
physical area and from data gathered during surveys.
n General—allows you to define model-specific parameters.
The parameters displayed on the general tab depend on the
model you chose.
n Path Clutter—allows you to adjust the effect of clutter based
on four weighting functions. This tab is specific to the Planet
General Model.
n Troposcatter Effect—allows you to specify how the radio
wave is modeled over the horizon as a result of the earth’s
atmosphere. This tab is specific to the Planet General Model.
n Okumura—allows you to apply Okumura correction factors.
This tab is specific to the Planet General Model.
n Effective Antenna Height—allows you to define the effective
antenna height using one of seven algorithms: base height,
spot height, average height, slope, profile, absolute spot
height, or ground reflection slope. This tab is specific to the
Planet General Model.
n Rain Attenuation—determines whether or not rain
attenuation is calculated. If you choose to include rain
attenuation, you can define an attenuation rate or a rate of
rainfall. This tab is specific to the Planet General Model.
3 Click OK to save propagation model settings.
When you choose the ground type for the CRC-Predict model, the
Clutter Absorption Loss is set to 0. When you optimize survey results
using the Model Tuning tool, the tool calculates the Clutter Absorption
Loss.
TIP: You can also access the Propagation Model Editor in the Site Editor. To
edit the model for a sector, in the Site Editor, click the Link tab and click Edit
next to the Model list.

Chapter 5
To view or hide unassigned propagation models

click Propagation Models and do one of the following:
n To display in the Project Explorer those propagation mod-
els that have not been assigned to a sector, choose
Show Unassigned Propagation Models.
n To hide in the Project Explorer those propagation models
that have not been assigned to a sector, choose Hide
Unassigned Propagation Models.

Defining Network Settings
Chapter 6 Defining Network Settings
After you create a project, you must define the network settings. Network
settings include the technology type, supported modulations, frame
configuration, and the spectrum allotment. This chapter describes how to
define network settings.
Workflow for defining network settings 137
Understanding network settings 138
Defining network settings 142
General 145
Carrier Configuration 146
Interference 147
Noise 149
Downlink 150
Uplink 151
Network Setting 152
HCL 153
Default Settings 154
If No Server Exists from HCL Rules 156
Carrier 160

Chapter 6
Transceiver Configuration 162
Signaling Time Slots Requirements 163

Workflow for defining network settings

Step 1 Specify the technologies supported by the network.
Step 2 Define the spectrum allocation.
Step 3 Define TDMA-FDMA related network settings as required.

Chapter 6
Understanding network settings

Network settings define the technology type, supported modulations and the
frame configuration settings that apply to your network as well as the
spectrum definition. All network settings are grouped in the Network Settings
dialog box.
Technology types
Mentum Planet supports WiMAX TDD, Fixed WiMAX TDD, Fixed WiMAX FDD,
LTE FDD, LTE TDD, cdma2000, and WCDMA technologies as well as a generic
technology. You define which technologies are available on the Spectrum
Allocation tab. It is important to configure bands correctly in order to avoid
cases where a single real physical band is defined to several sub-bands;
therefore, making it difficult to manage the channels correctly at the sector
level.
Spectrum allocation
pectrum allocation involves assigning bands to technologies and network
operators, and defining the spectrum range and carriers for each band.
If the band is assigned to the Home operator (which represents the wireless
operator for which you work), you must define
n the technology
n the start and end downlink center frequencies, which must be
within the ranges allowed for the technology in your area
n the starting carrier number, which will correspond to the first
carrier at the start of the allocated band
If the band is assigned to another network operator (one of your competitors),

you can only define the start and end downlink center frequencies, not the
technology or the carriers.

For bands assigned to the Home operator, carriers are created based on the
carrier spacing for the technology and the frequency that you allocated.
A technology can occupy more than one band. This type of configuration is
necessary when the technology occupies spectrum in separate bands or
blocks of spectrum within one band, but not contiguous carrier numbers.
General TDMA-FDMA and GSM settings

General settings consist of
n carrier configuration, which includes

n carrier spacing
n time slots per transceiver
n carrier separation between adjacent channels
n interference
Carrier spacing and time slots per transceiver are fixed for GSM. For a user-
defined TDMA-FDMA technology, you must specify the time slots per
transceiver. The carrier spacing, which is the carrier bandwidth in kHz, is used
when you create carriers.
Carrier separation between adjacent channels enables you to create adjacent

carriers with carrier numbers that differ by more than one. For example, a
carrier separation of 1 will generate carrier numbers such as 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. A
carrier separation of 2 will generate carrier numbers such as 1, 3, 5, etc. In
this case, carriers 1 and 3 will be adjacent. This value is only used to support
the carrier numbering scheme of a user-defined technology.
The interference settings enable you to specify the minimum interference

ratios required for service. You can specify the minimum C/I (co-channel
carrier-to-interference ratio) and the minimum C/A (adjacent channel
carrier-to-interference) required for acceptable service. These values are
used to calculate the adjacent channel interference rejection factor (IRF),
which is the amount of isolation the technology filter provides to adjacent
channel interference. It is given by C/I - C/A .
min min

Chapter 6
Noise settings
Noise settings enable you to specify the effect of noise in your environment.
Values calculated for Rx sensitivity can be used when you create analysis
layers.
HCL settings
HCLs enable you to use information in addition to the strongest received signal
strength to determine which server is the best server for a cell. You can use
HCLs for all technologies.
By enabling HCLs, you can define a priority for a sector that causes it to be
considered before or after other sectors without considering whether it has a
stronger signal. This enables you, for example, to balance traffic by increasing
the coverage area for a sector with a weaker signal and less traffic and
decreasing the coverage area for a sector with a stronger signal but with more
traffic.
HCLs also enable you to manage and prioritize coverage for microcells and
macrocells in your network. For example, a microcell covering a portion of the
macrocell area may provide a weaker signal but still be the preferred sector.
Therefore, the best server can be determined using criteria other than only
signal strength. For example, a microcell can have a priority=1, the macrocell
a priority=2 as long as the signal strength is > -75 dBm. Therefore, if the
signal strength > -75 dBm, the microcell is the best server regardless of the
macrocell’s signal.
You enable and define HCL settings at the network level for each technology.
However, you can override network HCL settings at the sector level.
If you enable HCL, all best server analysis layers are created based on HCL
rules.
When you enable HCLs, you must define a default priority for all sectors and a
minimum signal level that a sector must achieve to be a candidate for best
server. If a sector does not meet the minimum signal level, then it is not

identified as a best server regardless of its priority, unless it is the only server
for the area.
Illegal color codes

You can define illegal color codes for each technology at the network level.
Illegal color codes are color codes that cannot be allocated for the technology
in the network. You can override these settings on a per-sector basis.
Carriers
Carriers define the frequencies available in your network and the bandwidth
of each. Once you define the start and end downlink center frequencies for a
band and technology type and identify the starting carrier, the carriers are
generated automatically based on the carrier spacing for the technology.
The carriers that you define will be used when you define sites and sectors for
your project.
Carrier groups
Carrier groups are an option that you can use in frequency planning. Carrier
groups enable to you to use specific groups of frequencies in a reuse pattern.
When you assign carriers to transceivers in a sector, you can specify which
group to choose the carriers from.
Carriers can be assigned to no groups, one group, or multiple groups.
Carrier types
Carrier types are used by the Automatic Frequency Planning tool to limit the
carriers considered in a frequency plan.

Chapter 6
Defining network settings

When you define network settings, you specify the technology types for the
project. You also define the channels supported, the available downlink and
uplink modulations, as well as the frame configuration.
To define network settings

1 Choose Edit Network Settings.
2 On the Network Technologies panel, enable the technologies

supported by the network.
3 In the tree view, choose Spectrum Allocation.
4 Click the WiMAX tab and modify WiMAX parameters as required.
5 In the tree view, choose WiMAX TDD.
6 Define channel and modulation parameters as required.
7 Click the Frame Setup tab, define OFDM settings.

8 In the Frame Configuration table and click any of the following

buttons:
n Edit—to open the Frame Editor and modify frame

parameters for the selected frame configuration.
n Edit—to open the Frame Editor and modify frame
parameters for the selected frame configuration.
n Add—to add a new frame configuration.
n Remove—to delete a frame configuration.
To define frame configurations

1 In the WiMAX Frame Editor, define frame parameters as
required.
2 Click OK.

Chapter 6
Network Settings
Use the Network Settings dialog box to indicate which technologies you have in
your network and to define settings and allocate spectrum for each
technology. It provides
n tree representation of technologies and spectrum

n easy access to network settings
For more information about working with network settings, see the User Guide
for the technology you are using.

General

Chapter 6
Carrier Configuration
Carrier Spacing—displays the carrier spacing assigned to the technology.
Time Slots Per Transceiver—choose from this list a value between 0 and 16
to indicate the total number of signaling time slots required for the
transceivers in a sector.
Carrier Separation Between Adjacent Channels—type in this box the

carrier separation between adjacent carriers. For example, a carrier
separation of 1 will generate carrier numbers such as 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. A
carrier separation of 2 will generate carrier numbers such as 1, 3, 5, and so
on. (Carriers 1 and 3 will be adjacent.)
This option enables you to support the carrier number scheme used by iDEN
networks, which uses only odd numbered carriers. You can also use this option
to define a custom numbering scheme for user-defined networks.

Interference
Min C/I—type in this box a value that you want to use for the minimum C/I
required for service.
Min C/A—type in this box a value that you want to use for the minimum C/A
required for service.
Adjacent Channel Interference Rejection Factor—this field displays the

adjacent channel interference rejection factor (C/I —C/A ) value.
min min

Chapter 6
Network Settings


Noise
Thermal Noise Density—this fielddisplays the thermal noise density, which
is a constant value equal to –144 dBm/kHz. This is referred to as the kT factor,
where k is Boltzmann’s constant (k=1.38*10-23 J/K), and T is the ambient
temperature in Kelvin, which is assumed to be 290 K.
(10log10(kT)=10log10(1.38*10-23 J/K *290 0K) = 10log10(4*10-21 J)=

10log10(4*10-21 W*sec)= 10log10(4*10-21 W/Hz)= -204 dBW/Hz = -174
dBm/Hz = -144 dBm/kHz)
Noise Equivalent Bandwidth—type in this box a value for the noise

equivalent bandwidth. For digital technologies this value is equal to the
technology’s channel symbol rate. This value is used to calculate the thermal
noise density for both the downlink and uplink.
Required C/N—type in this box the value for the required carrier-to-
interference ratio (C/N). The C/N is used with the uplink and downlink thermal
noise to calculate the uplink and downlink Rx sensitivity, respectively.

Chapter 6
Downlink
Mobile Noise Figure—type in this box the value for the noise figure of the
mobile device.
Thermal Noise Floor—this field displays the value of the downlink thermal
noise floor. The Thermal Noise Floor is the amount of noise power generated
by the mobile device. The temperature of each device causes random motion
of electrons in the device that produces this noise power. It is typically referred
to as the kTBF factor.
The following calculation is used to determine the downlink thermal noise

floor:
Thermal Noise Density + 10 log × (B) + Mobile Noise Figure,

10
where B is the noise equivalent bandwidth in kHz
Rx Sensitivity—this field displays the downlink Rx sensitivity value. The Rx

sensitivity represents the minimum signal level that the mobile requires to
receive to provide acceptable quality. It is calculated using the receiver’s
thermal noise floor and carrier-to-noise ratio C/N.
The following calculation is used to determine the downlink Rx sensitivity:
Downlink Thermal Noise Floor + Required C/N

Uplink
BTS Noise Figure—type in this field the value for the thermal noise
generated by the base station transceiver (BTS).
Thermal Noise Floor—this field displays the value of the uplink thermal
noise floor. The Thermal Noise Floor is the amount of noise power generated
by the mobile device. The temperature of each device causes random motion
of electrons in the device that produce this noise power. It is typically referred
to as the kTBF factor.
The following calculation is used to determine the uplink thermal noise floor:
Thermal Noise Density + 10log × (B) + BTS Noise Figure,

10
where B is the noise equivalent bandwidth in kHz
Rx Sensitivity—this field displays the uplink Rx sensitivity value. The Rx

sensitivity represents the minimum signal level that the receiver requires to
receive in order to provide acceptable voice quality. It is calculated using the
receiver’s thermal noise floor and carrier-to-noise ratio C/N.
The following calculation is used to determine the uplink Rx sensitivity:
Uplink Thermal Noise Floor + Required C/N

Chapter 6
Network Setting


HCL
Use the HCL tab to enable hierarchical cell layers (HCL) at the network level.
HCLs enable you to determine the best servers for a cell using factors in
addition to strongest signal strength. For example, a microcell covering a
portion of the macrocell area may provide a weaker signal but still be the
preferred server. Therefore, the best server can be determined using criteria
other than only signal strength. For example, a microcell can have a
priority=1, the macrocell a priority=2 as long as the signal strength is > -75
dBm. Therefore, if the signal strength > -75 dBm the microcell is the best
server regardless of the macrocell’s signal.
Finally, HCLs can be used to improve the frequency planning reuse and
provide a tighter, more efficient frequency plan.
Although the HCL settings are defined globally, you can also override the
global HCL settings on a per-sector basis in the Site Editor.
Use HCL (Hierarchical Cell Layers)—enable this check box to use

hierarchical cell layers in your network. If this option is enabled, all the best
server analysis layers are created based on the HCL rules.

Chapter 6
Default Settings
Priority—type in this box a value between 0 (highest priority) and 10 (lowest
priority) to set a default priority level for servers.
Signal Offset—type in this box a value for the signal offset. The signal offset
is used to calculate a best server when priorities are equal. In this situation,
the offset is added to the true signal strength, and the server with the highest
total signal strength, including the offset, is used as the best server. Some
manufacturer’s equipment uses the signal offset as the sole method of setting
priority (i.e., no priority values are assigned).
Max Range—type in this box a value to set the maximum distance a server's
sector may extend. A sector that exceeds the maximum range distance cannot
be designated as a best server regardless of priority.
NOTE: Setting the maximum range is equivalent to setting a timing advance

threshold. Timing advance is the amount of time required to travel the
distance between the base station and the mobile, rather than the physical
distance itself. A timing advance-based handover is used in underlay/overlay
systems. For these networks, the granularity of the range is smaller (typically
less than 10 km), and servers that exceed the maximum range are not chosen
as best servers.
Minimum Signal Level—type in this box a value to set the minimum signal
level required for a server to be designated as the best server. If a server does
not meet the minimum signal level, it cannot be designated as a best server,
regardless of its priority, unless it is the only server for the area.
Examples
Example A
If you have a macrocell and microcell at the same location, the microcell is
probably at a lower height to cover a hot traffic spot close to the site. Now if
the handover criteria are such that the macrocell requires 4 dB of a better
RSSI to be able to handover from the microcell, then the HCL parameters for
the 2 cells can be set as follows:
Microcell HCL Settings

Priority = 0
Signal Offset = 4
Max Range = 35 (assuming GSM)
Min Signal Level = -104 dBm (using default GSM Access level signal. This value
can be lower if you want to obtain a server below –104 dBm levels)
Macrocell HCL Parameters

Priority = 0
Signal Offset = 0
If the Microcell has an RSSI = -70 dBm then the Macrocell must have an RSSI
> -66 dBm to become the server.
Example B
Same as above but a handover criterion is based strictly on RSSI. For
example, it is recommended that the calls be on the microcell as long as the
microcell has an RSSI > -70 dBm. If that is the case then the HCL parameters
can be set as follows:

Priority = 0
Signal Offset = 0
Min Signal Level = -70 dBm

Priority = 1
Signal Offset = 0
can be lower if you want to obtain a server below –104 dBm levels, i.e.,
default –200 dBm)

Chapter 6
If No Server Exists from HCL Rules

Assume No Server—choose this option to show no server in the best server
analysis if no best server is identified using HCL rules.
Use Strongest Server—choose this option to show the strongest available

server in the best server analysis if no best server is identified using HCL rules.

Network Settings
Use the Network Settings dialog box to indicate which technologies you have
in your network and to define settings and allocate spectrum for each

For more information about working with network settings, see the User
Guide for the technology you are using

Chapter 6
Illegal Color Codes

Use the Illegal Color Codes tab to identify any color codes that you do not want
to be assigned within the network. Those color codes that you define as illegal
cannot be assigned to any sector that uses the chosen technology when you
plan color codes with the Color Code Planning tool.
Color Code Tables—enable the check box beside any color code that you do
not want to be assigned to the sector.
The color code types and ranges displayed depends on the chosen technology.
For example, GSM technology uses the BSIC color code type, whereas NAMPS
technology uses both DSAT and DCC color code types.

Network Settings

Guide for the technology you are using.

Chapter 6
Carrier
Carrier Name—type in this field an alphanumeric string to identify the
carrier.
Band Name—displays the band name. Band names are defined on the
Spectrum Allocation tab.
Center Frequency a value in MHz, at the mid-point of the bandwidth, to

define the downlink center frequency of the carrier.
Number Of Carriers—displays the total number of carriers assigned to the

technology.

Network Settings

Guide for the technology you are using.

Chapter 6
Transceiver Configuration
Use the Transceiver Configuration panel to define the number of signaling
time slots for the number of transceivers in a sector. Transceiver configuration
information is used as input for traffic simulations, performance analyses, and
analysis layers (for example, interference, service quality, and service
coverage analysis layers).
Signaling time slots are used for signaling information such as handover
commands, location updates, and paging, whereas traffic time slots are used
for voice traffic (TCH for GSM) or packet traffic (PDTCH in GPRS).
The number of traffic time slots = the number of transceivers X the number of
time slots per transceiver — the number of signaling time slots.
The number of traffic time slots is used to calculate the C/I when there is
frequency hopping. When there are more signaling time slots, there are fewer
time slots for traffic; hence, the loads will be higher resulting in higher
interference.

Signaling Time Slots Requirements

Number Of Transceivers In Sector—this column displays the number of
transceivers per sector. This information is not editable.
Total Number Of Signaling Time Slots Required—type in this column a

value between 0 and 8 to indicate the total number of signaling time slots
required for the transceivers in a sector.
Add—click this button to add a new row to the table, incrementing the number
of transceivers per sector by one. The default value for the number of
signaling time slots required will be equal to the previous row; however, you
can increase the value (as long as the value is equal to or greater than the
previous row).
Remove Last Row—click this button to remove the last row from the table.

Configuring And Placing Sites
Chapter 7 Configuring And Placing Sites
Once you have created a project and defined network settings you can
configure and place the sites in your network. This chapter describes how to
configure and place sites.
Workflow for configuring and placing sites 167
Using site templates 168
Understanding sites and sectors 170
Placing sites automatically 175
Site Templates 183
Traffic 184
Propagation Model 186
Frequency Band 187
Defining link configurations 188
Uplink/Reverse 194
Downlink/Forward 196
Creating and editing sites 198
Site Editor 201
Link 202
Antennas 203
Predictions 204

Chapter 7
Mode 205
Information 206
Site Editor 207
Sector - Implementation 208
Hierachical Cell Layers 209
Settings 210
Voice Traffic 212
Site Editor 213
Sector - Configuration 214
Non-Hopping Transceivers 215
Site Editor 216
Required Transceivers 218
Site Editor 219
Exceptions 221
Illegal Carriers 222
Minimum Carrier Separation 223
Site Editor 224
CC 227
Site Editor 228
Sector - Powers 229

Workflow for configuring and placing sites
Step 1 Create a new site using one of the following methods:
n by defining a new site

n based on the settings of an existing site
n based on a site template
Step 2 Define the supported antenna system.
Step 3 Define sector parameters.
Step 4 Define traffic settings.
Step 5 If required, edit placed sites and sectors.
Step 6 If required, save a site template.

Chapter 7
Using site templates

Site templates store the settings defined in the Site Editor and make it easy to
add sites with the same configuration at a later time. You can create a site
template from either a site or a repeater. You can create as many site
templates as required for your project. By default, the active site template is
used in site creation. When you export a site template, you can view all the site
and sector parameters in Excel.
CAUTION: When the active site template is for a repeater, the donor sector
value in the template is not copied over to the new site. You need to manually
set the donor sector for the new site using the Site Editor.
To create a site template

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the Sites
node, right-click the site upon which you want to base the
template and do one of the following:
n Choose Create Site Template Local if you want to save

the site template on your workstation
n Choose Create Site Template Local if you want to save
the site template on your workstation
n Choose CreateSiteTemplate Shared if you want to share
the site template with other users using the Data Manager
2 Type a name for the site template.
3 Enable the Set as Active Template check box to set this site
template as active.
The active site template is used when creating new sites. If there is no
active site template, default values are used.
4 Click OK.
The site template is added to the Project Explorer.

To rename a site template

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the Site
Templates node, right-click the site template you want to
rename, and choose Rename.
2 Modify the name as required.
To set the site template as active

n In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the
Site Templates node, right-click the site template you want
to be active and choose Active.
The active site template is used when creating new sites. If there is no
active site template, default values are used.
To view a site template

to view, and choose View.
The site template opens in Excel.
To delete a site template

to delete, and choose Delete.

Chapter 7
Understanding sites and sectors

A site is a fixed geographical location. At the site, there are technology-specific
base stations, each with associated sectors as illustrated in Figure 6.1. Hence,
antenna systems can be shared between sectors that support different
technologies.
Figure 6.1 Example of how a site, base stations, and sectors relate.
In the Site Editor, you can access all pertinent information about a site,
associated base stations and the sectors they support. This includes link
information, quality and performance criteria, as well as details about the
supported antenna systems as shown in Figure 6.2.

Figure 6.2 Site Editor
A unique name identifies each site. You can add additional identification
information about a site such as a detailed site name, descriptive site details,
and a Universal ID.
You can view and update site and sector parameters using the Tabular Editor.
General site parameters

On the General tab at the base station level, you define the area codes and
network elements used at the site.
On the General tab at the base station level, you select the modulations that
you want the site to support and define the maximum pooled throughput
allowed.

Chapter 7
General sector parameters

On the General tab at the sector level, you define the flags and groups that are
applicable to the sector and you specify the frequency band supported.
Link parameters
The parameters on the Link tab focus on the settings required to model a
communication link between the user and the sector. This includes antenna
parameters, prediction parameters, and the link configuration (as defined in
the link configuration).
Sector user data

If you have an identification string that describes the sector more fully than
simply the sector name, you can define an additional universal ID on the
Sector User Data tab. Custom user data fields added by the Data Manager
Administrator also appear on this tab.
Implementation parameters
The parameters on the Implementation tab center around performance and
quality thresholds.
The parameters on the Implementation tab center around the performance

and quality of the signal provided by the sector. This includes filter loss
parameters and quality parameters (such as the best server coverage
threshold) as well as the phase jitter effect.
You can use filters to suppress unwanted interference from adjacent channels.
Filter characteristics are saved as filter (.flt) files. You can specify filters for the
downlink (i.e., the transmit mask) and you can also specify filters for the uplink
(i.e., the receive filter).
The filter loss table allows you to specify the frequency offset and the
associated filter loss parameter. The frequency is the difference between the

first and second channel away from the center frequency. Filter loss values
depend on the filter chosen by the equipment manufacturer. These values will
be used to determine the nature of the adjacent-channel interference.
You can save the values in the Filter Loss table as a .flt file using the options
from the File menu.
Figure 6.3 illustrates a filter that models a channel with a 10 MHz bandwidth.
With a 5.45 MHz frequency separation, the excessive energy transmitted
outside the channel bandwidth is attenuated by 25 dB while at 9.75 MHz, it is
attenuated by 32 dB.
If your filter files are not configured correctly, this could result in an excess or
shortage of adjacent channel interference. The latter is a less desirable
situation because it could lead to overestimated coverage.
Figure 7.1: This figure illustrates a sample filter loss graph for the transmit
signal. In this example, the filter loss is specified as 32 dB for 9.75 MHz
frequency separation. You can also define a separate filter loss graph for the
receive signal.
Configuration parameters
Configuration parameters include the channel and frame configuration for the
sector. You define the frame configuration in the Frame Editor.
Configuration parameters include the transceiver and frequency settings.

Chapter 7
Frequency planning parameters

Frequency planning parameters enable you to specify how to handle
frequency planning on each sector. You can define the number of transceivers
required for specific carrier types as well as illegal carrier settings and
minimum carrier separation settings.
Power parameters
Power parameters define the power requirements for the sector. You can view
the power distribution.
Antenna Systems
In the Site Editor, the antenna pattern, associated antenna parameters, and
location are grouped on the General tab making it easy to set up a non co-
located sector. You can also access the Antenna Editor where you can define
more detailed elements of the antenna system including the settings related
to the use of multiple antennas, the master antenna, or the antenna element.

Placing sites automatically

Using the Automatic Site Placement Tool (ASPT), you can place sites in a
defined area quickly and easily. There are two modes that you can use with
the ASPT:
n Basic—the tool generates hexagons based on the criteria you

define and places a site at the center of each hexagon using
either the default site configuration or the site template you
specify. If you are using a clutter file, you can exclude clutter
classes such that no sites will be placed within them.
n Advanced —the tool generates complex shapes based on the
planning strategy you choose and the criteria you define
(including clutter-specific criteria) and places a site at the
center of the shape using the site template you specify. Each
site is given a level of priority that determines whether it
becomes a possible site candidate. In Advanced mode, you
can use a traffic map in order to generate more accurate
shapes. In addition, you can use existing and candidate sites in
the site placement process.
Determining site placement in the Basic mode

Step 1 The ASPT divides the selected polygon into a series of hexagons
based on the hexagon radius or the number of hexagons you define
in the generation options.
Step 2 A proposed site is placed at the center of each hexagon using the
site template that you specify.

Chapter 7
Step 3 When you create sites, sites are added to the Sites node in the
Project Explorer and placed on the map.
Determining site placement in the Advanced mode

Step 1 The ASPT divides the selected polygon into a series of shapes based
on the planning strategy you define. There are two types of planning
strategies:
n Greenfield, where there are no existing sites in the network

n Expansion, where there are existing sites
Step 2 Depending on the settings you define, the ASPT displays possible
site locations on the map. In Advanced mode, there are three types
of sites identified during the automatic site placement process:
n Existing Sites—sites you have placed in the network at existing

locations.
n Candidate Sites—sites you have placed in the network at
possible site locations.
n New Sites—sites that will be placed by the ASPT automatically
based on the defined criteria to fill in any gaps.

You can specify when to place a site in individual clutter classes and
which site template you use. You can also define propagation model
parameters including the site radius, the minimum and maximum
site radius, the Okumura class as well as the frequency band
(whether network-defined or user-defined).
Step 3 A possible site is placed at the center of each shape using the site
template that you specify. If the planning strategy you choose is
"Expansion" with existing sites, then existing sites are considered
first in the planning process, candidate sites are considered next,
and new sites are placed to fill in any gaps. In the illustration that
follows, the blue sites are existing sites, the green sites are
candidate sites, and the purple sites are new sites. Candidate sites
are considered in order of priority (defined in the Site Editor).
Step 4 When you create sites, candidate sites become permenant sites
and are added to the Sites node in the Project Explorer. New sites
are placed in gap areas, added to the Project Explorer and placed
on the map. A new local group is also created that contains the
newly created sites.

Chapter 7
To place sites in Basic mode

1 To specify the boundaries of the area within which you want to
place sites, do one of the following:
n Make the cosmetic layer editable, draw a polygon using the

tools on the Drawing toolbar, and then select it.
n Create an area grid.
2 Choose Tools Automatic Site Placement.
The Automatic Site Placement dialog box opens.

3 In the Mode section, choose the Basic option.
4 In the Region section, choose one of the following options:
n Polygon—to identify the region within which you want to place

sites using a polygon. When you use this option, you must
create a polygon on the cosmetic layer using the tools on the
Drawing toolbar.
n Area—to identify the region within which you want to place
sites using an area grid. When you use this option, you must
first have created an area grid.
5 Click the Settings tab and define how to place sites.
6 Click Generate.

Chapter 7
To place sites in Advanced mode

1 To specify the boundaries of the area within which you want to
place sites, do one of the following:
n Make the cosmetic layer editable, draw a polygon using the

tools on the Drawing toolbar, and then select it
n Create an area grid.
2 Choose Tools Automatic Site Placement.
The Automatic Site Placement dialog box opens.
3 In the Mode section, choose the Advanced option.
4 Define the required parameters on each of the following tabs:

n General—includes network planning strategy (i.e., greenfield

or expansion), existing and candidate site selection, and
region definition.
n Site Templates—includes site template for each class, ability
to adjust antenna heights, minimum and maximum antenna
heights as well as minimum and maximum traffic loads.
n Propagation Model—includes Okumura class, site radius as
well as minimum and maximum site radius.
5 Click Generate.
Cells are placed across the region.

Chapter 7
Automatic Site Placement Tool

In order to facilitate the placement of sites, you can use the Automatic Site
Placement Tool to automatically place sites within a defined area. In the Basic
mode, sites are placed at the center of each hexagon and saved to the site
table. In Advanced mode, sites are placed based on the criteria you define
(although still placed at the center of the shape).
NOTE: If you are using a polygon to delineate the area where sites will be
placed, you must ensure that the cosmetic layer is editable and that you have
created an area object using the Drawing tools that identifies where you want
to place sites.

Site Templates
Index—displays the index number for the clutter class.
Class Name—displays the clutter class name as defined in the clutter grid.
Place Site—choose from this list if you want sites placed in the associated
clutter class.
Site Template—choose from this list the site template you want to use to
place site within the associated clutter class. You define site templates in the
Sites category of the Project Explorer.
Adjust Antenna Height—choose from this list whether the antenna height
can vary. This parameter is visible only when you are using a traffic map.
Minimum Antenna Height—type in this box the minimum required antenna

height if you are allowing antenna heights to be adjusted. This parameter is
visible only when you are using a traffic map.
Maximum Antenna Height—type in this box the maximum antenna height if

you are allowing antenna heights to be adjusted. This parameter is visible
only when you are using a traffic map.
Minimum Site Traffic Load—type in this box the minimum site traffic load.
This parameter is visible only when you are using a traffic map.
Maximum Site Traffic Load—type in this box the maximum allowable site
traffic load. This parameter is visible only when you are using a traffic map.

Chapter 7
Traffic
Use Traffic Map—enable this check box if you want site placement to be
influenced by the distribution of traffic. Using a traffic map will reduce site
coverage. Choose the traffic map you want to use from the associated list.

Automatic Site Placement Tool

In order to facilitate the placement of sites, you can use the Automatic Site
Placement Tool to automatically place sites within a defined area. Sites are
placed at the center of each hexagon and saved to the site table.
NOTE: If you are using a polygon to delineate the area where sites will be
placed, you must ensure that the cosmetic layer is editable and that you have
created an area object using the Drawing tools that identifies where you want
to place sites.

Chapter 7
Propagation Model
Index—displays the index number for the clutter class.
Class Name—displays the clutter class name as defined in the clutter grid.
Class Weight—type in this box the weighting you want to assign to the class.
The class weight affects the calculated average radial distance used to
determine site placement. A low class weight will give less significance to the
clutter class while a higher class weight increases the significance of the clutter
class. This can be useful, for example, when a clutter grid includes roads and
buildings. If you assign a clutter weight of 0 to roads and a clutter weight of 50
to buildings, site placement will focus on placing sites on the buildings.
Okumura Class—choose from this list the Okumura class for which you want
to define site placement parameters.
Default Antenna Height—type in this box the default antenna height to use
when placing sites. If you are using a traffic map, the default antenna height
must be between the Minimum Antenna Height and the Maximum Antenna
Height defined on the Site Templates tab.
Maximum Allowable Pathloss—type in this box the maximum allowable

pathloss for the clutter class.
Site Radius—type in this box the radius of the placed site.
Minimum Site Radius—type in this box the minimum allowable site radius for
site placement.
Maximum Site Radius—type in this box the maximum allowable site radius
for site placement.

Frequency Band
Network-Defined—choose this option to select one of the frequency bands
defined in the Network Settings dialog box. Sites will use the specified band.
User-Defined—choose this option to define the frequency band in the

associated box. Sites will use the specified frequency band value.

Chapter 7
Defining link configurations

Link configurations track the gains and losses that occur as a signal travels. In
other words, a link configuration calculates the radiated power for a sector
based on the power output of the sector’s power amplifier (PA) plus or minus
system gains and losses. In Mentum Planet , you define link configurations in
the Link Configuration Editor. You can define several link configurations for a
project. When link configurations are assigned to sectors, the link
configuration icon is blue as shown in Figure 6.3.
Figure 6.3 Assigned link configuration identified with a blue icon.
Losses and gains

For both the downlink and uplink, a default antenna gain value is added based
on the antenna type assigned to the sector. You cannot modify this value.
Initially, the value is 0 but will be updated once the link configuration is
assigned to a sector. A default Feeder value on both the downlink and the
uplink is added to account for cable and connector losses and a main feeder
loss is calculated by multiplying the cable length defined on the Link tab and
the main feeder loss per meter defined in the associated link configuration.
The main feeder value is always included in the link configuration calculations.
A default BTS Noise Figure is assigned to the uplink to account for base station
receiver noise gain. You should modify the BTS Noise Figure according to the
manufacturer's hardware specifications.

You can add additional losses and gains as required. Because the Friis noise
formula (see Equation 6.1) is used to calculate the Uplink Noise Figure, the
order of the items in the Link Configuration Editor must match the hierarchy of
the sector hardware (see Figure 6.4 ). By default, the BTS Noise Figure is
always the last item in the list.
Figure 6.4 Example sector hardware configuration
The Reverse Composite Noise Figure (Composite System Noise Figure (NFs))
is calculated as follows, using the Friis noise formula:
Equation 6.1 Friis noise formula

Chapter 7
When you assign a link configuration to a sector, you can view the impact it has
in the Information section of the Link tab.
Figure 6.5 Information section on the Link tab in the Site Editor.
If you are using an Excel spreadsheet to import link configuration settings, you
must use the Index column to specify the order of the items in the Losses and
Gains list. For more information, see “Importing and exporting project data” in
Chapter 13, “Working With Network and Project Data”, in the Mentum Planet
User Guide.

To define link configurations

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-
click Link Configurations and choose New.
The Link Configuration Editor opens.
2 In the Name box, type a name to identify the link configuration.
3 Click the Uplink/Reverse tab and define link configuration

parameters.
To view or hide unassigned link configurations

click Link Configurations and choose one of the following
commands:
n Show Unassigned Link Configurations—displays in

the Project Explorer those link configurations that have
not been assigned to a sector.

Chapter 7
n Hide Unassigned Link Configurations—hides in the

Project Explorer those link configurations that have not
been assigned to a sector.

Link Configuration Editor

Use the Link Configuration Editor to define a common set of link settings that
you can apply to specific sites, sector groups, or flags. When a link
configuration has been assigned, the link icon is blue while unassigned link
configurations are gray.
For example, you could use the Link Configuration Editor with a newly created
project to define a common set of losses and gains according to the hardware
used most often in your network. Using these common settings as a base, you
could then define individual or unique sector power settings as required.

Chapter 7
Uplink/Reverse
Use the Uplink/Reverse tab to define specific uplink/reverse link losses and
gains for the sectors that belong to sites, site groups, or flags. Losses and
gains defined for the uplink affect the total power for the sectors. The main
feeder loss is calculated based on the cable length you define on the Link tab
and is always displayed in the link configuration. You can add additional losses
and gains as required.
The Uplink/Reverse power settings initially display the power settings for the
first sector in the group, the first sector with the specified flag condition, or the
first sector chosen in the Project Explorer.
For both the downlink and uplink, the initial value is an antenna gain. This
value is determined by the antenna type assigned to each sector. You cannot
modify this value.
Name—type in this box a name for the link configuration. This box is only
available in the Link Configuration Editor.
Type—choose from this list whether the change to the sector's power is a loss
or a gain.
Name—type in this box a name for the loss or gain.
Value (dB)—type in this box a constant value for the loss or gain.
Value (dB/m)—type in this box a value per meter for the loss or gain, to be
multiplied by the cable length of the antenna.
Move Up—click this button to move a chosen power loss or gain up one
position in the list.
Move Down—click this button to move a chosen power loss or gain down one
Add—click this button to add a power loss or a gain to the list.
Remove—click this button to delete a power loss or gain from the list.

Link Configuration Editor

Use the Link Configuration Editor to define a common set of link settings that
you can apply to specific sites, sector groups, or flags. When a link
configuration has been assigned, the link icon is blue while unassigned link
configurations are gray.
For example, you could use the Link Configuration Editor with a newly created
project to define a common set of losses and gains according to the hardware
used most often in your network. Using these common settings as a base, you
could then define individual or unique sector power settings as required.

Chapter 7
Downlink/Forward
Use the Downlink/Forward tab to define specific downlink/forward link losses
and gains for the sectors that belong to sites, site groups, or flags. Losses and
gains defined for the downlink affect the total power for the sectors. The main
feeder loss is calculated using the cable length you define on the Link tab in the
Site Editor and the MainFeeder loss (dB/m) you define in the link configuration.
This loss is always displayed in the link configuration. You can add additional
losses and gains as required.
The Downlink/Forward power settings initially display the power settings for
the first sector in the group, the first sector with the specified flag condition, or
the first sector chosen in the Project Explorer.
For both the downlink and uplink, the initial value is an antenna gain. This
value is determined by the antenna type assigned to each sector. You cannot
modify this value.
Name—type in this box a name for the link configuration.
Type—choose from this list whether the change to the sector's power is a loss
or a gain.
Name—type in this box a name for the loss or gain.
Value (dB)—type in this box a constant value for the loss or gain.
Value (dB/m)—type in this box a value per meter for the loss or gain, to be
multiplied by the cable length of the antenna.
Move Up—click this button to move a chosen power loss or gain up one
Move Down—click this button to move a chosen power loss or gain down one
Add—click this button to add a power loss or a gain to the list.
Remove—click this button to delete a power loss or gain from the list.


Chapter 7
Creating and editing sites

Once you have defined site and sector parameters, you can create a site
template based on these settings and use this template to add similar sites to
the network. See “Using site templates”.
Once a site has been placed, you can change any of the settings that have
been defined. If you have acquired GPS readings for all your sites and you
want to update the position of a sector, you can edit the site location manually.
For more information on general site, base station, and sector properties, see
“Working with Sites and Sectors”, in the Mentum Planet User Guide.
CAUTION: By default, site updates are saved in the site set. To update the
site table (.tab) file, you must right-click the Sites node and choose Update
Site File. Site updates are not automatically added to the site table.
To create a new site

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, do one of the
following:
n To use a specific site template, expand the Site Templates

node, expand the Local or Shared node, and right-click the
template upon which you want to base the site, then choose
New Site.
n To use the active site template, right-click the Sites node and
choose New Site.
The active site template is identified with a green arrow.
2 Click in the Map window at the location where you want to place
the site.

To edit site parameters

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the Sites
node, right-click the site you want to edit, and choose Edit.
2 Modify site parameters as required.
3 To change the antenna systems available for this site, do one of

the following:
n In the tree view, right-click the Antennas node, and choose

Add.
n Click the Add Antenna System button at the top of the dialog
box.
A default antenna system is added.
4 Choose the newly-added antenna system and modify antenna

parameters as required.

Chapter 7
TIP: To define parameters for all sectors at the site, click the Tabular Edit
button.
TIP: You can also edit sites by clicking the Edit Site button on the Site toolbar,
and then clicking in the Map window to select the sector.
To create a new site based on an existing site

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click the site
that you want to copy and choose Place Copy.
2 In the Map window, click once on a location to place the site.
The created site is displayed in the Map window and a site having the
name Copy of <site name> is added to the Sites category in the Project
Explorer.
3 In the Project Explorer, right-click the newly copied site and

choose Edit.
4 In the Site Editor, adjust site parameters as required.

Site Editor
A site is the location where a sector is placed. Sites and sectors have common
attributes such as a geographic location and elevation. There can be more
than one sector at a particular site, each pointing in a different direction. The
Site Editor is a key editor where you can view and modify site, sector,
repeater, and antenna data.
Use the Site Editor to view and manipulate site, sector, and antenna
information. It provides
n tree representation of hierarchical relationships such as sites,

sectors, and repeaters as well as displaying the list of project
antennas
n easy access to all information about a site, sector, repeater, or
antenna
NOTE: When you select an antenna beneath the Antennas node, sectors
using that antenna are highlighted in blue.

Chapter 7
Link

Antennas
Antenna—choose from this list the antenna system for the selected sector.
The antenna systems listed are those displayed in the Site Editor tree view.
Power Split—type in this box how the sector transmit power is to be divided
between multiple antennas. This field is only available if there is more than
one antenna.
Link Configuration—choose from this list the link configuration you want to
associate with the sector. Click the View button to view the details of the link
configuration.
Cable Length—Type In This Box The Length Of The Feeder Cable. This Value
Is Used To Calculate The Main Feeder Loss In The Associated Link
Configuration.
Add—click this button to add secondary antenna systems to the sector if you
are using split sectors. Split sectors use several directional antennas to
transmit the same signal.
Antenna Algorithm—choose from this list the antenna algorithm to use with
the selected smart or MIMO antenna. Antenna algorithms are defined in the
Antenna Algorithm Editor. Only antenna algorithms that are compatible with
the selected antenna system (smart antenna and MIMO capabilities) are
available. Antenna algorithms are not available for cdma2000 sectors.

Chapter 7
Predictions
Use this section to define the propagation model, the number of radials, the
prediction distance as well as the prediction mode.
Model—choose from this list the propagation model for the selected site.
Edit—click this button to modify the current propagation model.
Distance—type in this box the maximum distance from the sector to calculate
signal strength.
Number of Radials—type in this box the number of radials originating from a

site along which to calculate predictions. More radials produce a more accurate
but slower calculation.
NOTE: If you are using the Planet General Model, the number of radials you
define is rounded up to the closest number divisible by four. For example, if
you set the number of radials to 357 then when generating predictions
Mentum Planet uses 360 radials.

Mode
Use this section to specify the type of prediction to associate with the sector.
Propagation models cannot always account for the complexities of signal
propagation in urban environments. Hence, to predict more accurately how a
signal will behave, you can merge survey and prediction data. This is valuable
because survey data represents the actual coverage provided by the network,
improving the accuracy of your predictions.
Merged—enable this check box to merge model predictions with survey data.
Clear the check box to generate predictions using only the assigned
propagation model.
Interpolation Distance—type in this box the distance used to set the survey
weighting value used to calculate merged prediction values. The survey
weighting value is a value between 0 and 1 determined using linear
interpolation and the distance between a prediction point and the nearest
survey point. The weight of the prediction is 1 minus the survey weighting
value.

Chapter 7
Information
The Information section displays the power settings for the sector.

Site Editor

antennas
antenna

Chapter 7
Sector - Implementation

Hierachical Cell Layers

Override Default Settings—enable this check box to define Hierarchical Cell
Layer settings.

Chapter 7
Settings
Priority—type in this box a value between 0 (highest priority) and 10 (lowest
priority) to set a default priority level for the sector.
Signal Offset—type in this box a value between 0 and 100 dB for the signal
offset. The signal offset is used to calculate a best server when priorities are
equal. In this situation, the offset is added to the true signal strength, and the
server with the highest total signal strength, including the offset, is used as the
best server. Some manufacturer’s equipment uses the signal offset as the sole
method of setting priority (i.e., no priority values are assigned).
Max Range—type in this box a value between 0 and 150 km to set the
maximum distance a server's signal may extend. A sector with that signal that
exceeds the maximum range distance cannot be designated as a best server,
regardless of priority.
NOTE: Setting the maximum range is equivalent to setting a timing advance

threshold. Timing advance is the amount of time required to travel the
distance between the base station and the mobile, rather than the physical
distance itself. A timing advance-based handover is used in underlay/overlay
systems. For these networks, the granularity of the range is smaller (typically
less than 10 km), and servers that exceed the maximum range are not chosen
as best servers.
Minimum Signal Level—type in this box a value between -200 and 0 dBm to
set the minimum signal level required for a server to be designated as the best
server. If a server does not meet the minimum signal level, it cannot be
designated as a best server, regardless of its priority, unless it is the only
server for the area.
Example A
If you have a macrocell and microcell at the same location, the microcell is
probably at a lower height to cover a hot traffic spot close to the site. If the
handover criteria are such that the macrocell requires 4 dB or better RSSI to
be able to handover from the microcell, then the HCL parameters for the 2
sectors can be set as follows:


Priority = 0
Signal Offset = 4
Macrocell HCL Settings

Priority = 0
Signal Offset = 0
If the Microcell has an RSSI = -70 dBm the Macrocell must have an RSSI > -66
dBm to become the server.
Example B
Same as above but a handover criterion is based strictly on RSSI. For

example, it is recommended that the sectors be on the microcell as long as
the microcell has an RSSI > -70 dBm. If that is the case, then the HCL
parameters can be set as follows:
Microcell HCL Parameters

Priority = 0
Signal Offset = 0
Min Signal Level = -70 dBm

Priority = 1
Signal Offset = 0
can be lower if you want to obtain a server below –104 dBm levels, i.e.,
default –200 dBm.)

Chapter 7
Voice Traffic
Carried Traffic—type in this box a value between 0 and 100 Erlangs for the
carried traffic. Carried traffic is the actual traffic carried by a sector. If the Use
Per-sector Carried Erlangs option is chosen in the analysis settings, the
specified carried traffic value is used for the frequency hopping analysis used
when calculating C/I layers.
Offered Traffic—type in this box a value between 0 and 100 Erlangs for the
offered traffic. Offered traffic is the carried traffic plus any blocked traffic. To
use this value when calculating interference layers, you must choose the Use
Per-Sector Offered Erlangs option in the Traffic panel of the Analysis Settings
dialog box.

Site Editor

antennas
antenna

Chapter 7
Sector - Configuration

Non-Hopping Transceivers
Carrier Type—choose from this list the type of carrier you want to assign to
the sector.
Carrier Group—choose from this list the type of carrier group you want to
associate with the sector.
Carrier—choose from this list the carrier you want to assign to the sector.

Chapter 7
Site Editor

antennas
antenna

Sector - Frequency Planning

Chapter 7
Required Transceivers
Carrier Type—displays the type of carrier.
Non-Hopping—type in this box the number of non-hopping transceivers to

allocate for the carrier type.

Site Editor

antennas
antenna

Chapter 7

Exceptions
Cost Factor (Optimizer Algorithm Only)—type in this box a cost factor for
the sector. This value scales the cost based on whether the carrier is an
interferer or a victim of interference. The cost factor is used by the Planet
Optimizer planning method.

Chapter 7
Illegal Carriers
Carrier Number—enable the check box next to those carriers that you do not
want to be used for the sector in the frequency plan.
Center Frequency (MHz)—displays the center frequency for each carrier.

Minimum Carrier Separation

Site—choose from this list the site ID that the carriers you want to define the
spacing values for belong to.
Sector—choose from this list the sector ID that the carriers you want to
define the spacing values for belong to.
Spacing—type in this field the minimum separation, in carriers, that you want
to have between the carriers assigned to this sector and other carriers.
Override—enable this check box to override the network-level minimum

carrier separation settings. Network-level minimum carrier separation
settings are defined for each carrier type on the General tab on the Carrier
Types panel of the Frequency Planning dialog box.
Add—click this button to add a sector to the Minimum Carrier Separation

table.
Remove—click this button to remove a chosen sector from the Minimum

Carrier Separation table.

Chapter 7
Site Editor

antennas
antenna


Chapter 7
Illegal Color Codes

CC
Enable the check box beside any color code that you do not want to be
assigned to the sector.

Chapter 7
Site Editor

antennas
antenna

Sector - Powers
PA Power—type in this box the PA power, in dBm.
Target Receive Level—type in this box the minimum receive level for the
mobile. This value is taken into consideration when generating the Required
Mobile Power analysis layer.

Adding Repeaters
Chapter 8 Adding Repeaters
In order to increase network coverage, you can add repeaters to your

network. Repeaters are electronic devices that receive a signal, amplify it,
and then retransmit it at a higher power. This chapter describes how to add
repeaters to your project.
Understanding repeaters 232
Workflow for adding repeaters to sectors 235
Adding repeaters to sectors 236
Locating repeaters in a Map window 244

Chapter 8
Understanding repeaters
Repeaters are used to retransmit signals received from donor sectors to
locations that have insufficient coverage. For example, repeaters can be used
to extend coverage or fill in shadow areas caused by hills, large buildings, and
other structures that obstruct signals.
A repeater receives a signal from the donor antenna of a donor sector, and
then amplifies and retransmits the signal through its service antenna.
Repeaters are primarily used to reduce path loss without providing an increase
in network capacity. Generally, repeaters add noise and amplify noise in the
uplink, which can limit their effectiveness; however, a well placed repeater can
reduce noise levels within a network and enhance the overall capacity.
Implementing repeaters can be an efficient and cost-effective method of

increasing the received signal strength for mobiles in an area without having to
place additional sites.
A repeater’s power is defined by its Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP).

EIRP measures the maximum radiated power in the direction of the maximum
gain relative to an isotropic antenna (typically in the direction the antenna is
pointing).
The EIRP of repeaters is based on the power of the first active carrier, and is
calculated as shown in Equation 7.1.
Equation 7.1 Repeater EIRP

Adding Repeaters
Types of repeater implementations

There are several different ways to implement repeaters in a network. For
example, in areas where
n there are a lot of buildings, you could implement split sectors

where several directional antennas are used to transmit the
same signal. See “Using split sectors”.
n you want to extend indoor coverage, you could implement a
Distributed Antenna System (DAS). See “Using distributed
antenna systems”.
Using split sectors

When split sectors are used in the network, sectors use several directional
antennas to transmit the same signal. In Mentum Planet , you define split

Chapter 8
sectors in the Site Editor by adding additional antennas on the Link tab for the
sector you want to use.
Using distributed antenna systems

When distributed antenna systems are used in the network, the transmitted
power is divided between several elements in the network and consists of split
sectors and repeaters depending on the maximum distance between
antennas.
Repeaters and predictions

When you generate predictions for a sector that has one or more repeaters
assigned to it, signal strength grid (.grd) files are generated for the sector and
for each repeater. The analyses use the separate predictions for the donor
sectors and repeaters.
A combined signal strength file is also generated, which merges the separate
sector and repeater signal strength files. Combined signal strength predictions
are used when the full coverage area of a sector is required, such as when you
generate a traffic map or interference matrix, or analyze the interference
between two sectors.
After you have generated predictions for a sector, you can choose to view a
prediction for the donor sector or individual repeaters. You can also view a
combined prediction that displays the combined signal strengths of the donor
sector and all of its repeaters. For information on generating and viewing
predictions, see “Chapter 8: Generating Predictions” in the Mentum Planet
User Guide.

Adding Repeaters
Workflow for adding repeaters to sectors
Step 1 Configure and place sites.
Step 2 Add repeaters to sectors with insufficient coverage.

Chapter 8
Adding repeaters to sectors

When you add a repeater to a sector, you define general settings, such as the
donor sector for which the repeater will retransmit a signal, and the location of
the repeater. You must also define settings for service and donor antennas,
predictions, repeater links, implementation criteria (such as filters and quality
limits), as well as configuration settings.
The gain of a repeater in Mentum Planet is maintained at a constant level. Any

changes to the donor sector and repeater system that affect the power
received by the repeater will result in a similar change in the EIRP of the
repeater. For example, a change in the masked pathloss between the donor
sector and the repeater, the donor sector’s pilot power, or the antenna system
at the donor sector which results in a change to the EIRP of the sector, will
result in a similar change in the EIRP of the repeater. The EIRP value at the
repeater will also change in line with a change in either of the repeater’s
antenna systems. As such, it is important to review repeater settings following
any changes of this nature.
To add repeaters to sectors

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click the
sector to which you want to add a repeater, and choose Add
Repeater.
2 Click in the Map window in the location where you want to add the
repeater.
A repeater is added to the Map window and, in the Project Explorer, a

repeater node is added beneath the associated sector. In addition, a
new site is added to the Sites node. This new site contains only the
repeater location and repeater parameters. For example, if you add a
repeater to Site 2, sector 2, an additional site is added.

Adding Repeaters
3 To view the repeater settings, in the Project Explorer, double-

click the repeater node.
4 Define repeater parameters as required.

Chapter 8
TIP: You can change the status of a repeater by right-clicking a repeater

node in the Project Explorer and choosing Active. A check mark indicates that
the repeater is online.
TIP: For maximum accuracy, enter a measured value of pathloss in the

Masked Path Loss From Donor box. The measured pathloss can be determined
by measuring the signal strength with a known EIRP from the donor sector. If
you choose to calculate the masked path loss, ensure you specify an
appropriate model. The most appropriate propagation model will depend on
the specifics of the environment between donor sector and the repeater donor
antenna. If you suspect obstruction at the repeater location, choose a
deterministic model with the correct receiver height. You may need to create a
model specifically for repeater installations.
Mentum Planet will not update the stored masked pathloss automatically, even
if the current value is generated using the Calculate Masked Pathloss dialog
box. If there are changes to the network that would impact the pathloss
between the donor sector and the repeater, you must apply a new value to the
repeater, either by manually entering a new value in the Repeater Settings
dialog box or re-calculating the value using the Calculate Masked Pathloss
dialog box.
Site Editor

antennas

Adding Repeaters

antenna
Donor
Use the Donor tab to define the parameters of the relationship between the
repeater and its donor sector, including the donor antenna (i.e., the repeater
antenna that receives the signal from the donor sector on the downlink and
transmits the amplified signal to the donor sector on the uplink) for RF
repeaters.
Type
RF—enable this option to indicate that the donor antenna receives the signal
from a conventional RF signal.
Fiber—enable this option to indicate that the donor antenna receives the
signal from a fiber-optic cable. When the Fiber option is enabled, the Donor
Antenna parameters are not available.
Donor Antenna—displays the name of the donor antenna.
Edit—click this button to change the antenna parameters and location.
Link Configuration—choose from this list the link budget you want to
associate with the repeater.
View —click this button to open the link configuration dialog box. Values are
read-only.

Chapter 8
Cable Length—type in this box the length of the feeder cable. This value is
included in the main feeder loss calculated in the associated link budget.
Model—choose from this list the propagation model with which to calculate
the masked path loss.
Edit—click this button to open the Propagation Model Editor where you can
change the settings defined for the model.
Masked Pathloss—click in the box to define a masked pathloss value for the
donor.
Calculate—click this button to automatically calculate the masked pathloss for

the donor using the selected propagation model.
NOTE: For maximum accuracy, enter a measured value of pathloss in the

Masked Pathloss box. The measured pathloss can be determined by
measuring the signal strength with a known EIRP from the donor sector. To
calculate the masked pathloss, ensure you specify an appropriate model. The
most appropriate propagation model will depend on the specifics of the
environment between the donor sector and the repeater donor antenna. If
you suspect obstruction at the repeater location, choose a deterministic model
with the correct receiver height. You may need to create a model specifically
for repeater installations.
Site Editor

Adding Repeaters

antennas
antenna
Link
Service
Antenna—choose from this list the antenna pattern that the service antenna
will use to retransmit the signal received from the donor sector.
Power Split—type in this box how the power is to be divided between the
service antennas. This field is only available if there is more than one service
antenna.
Edit—click this button to open the Antenna - General tab where you can
change the antenna parameters.
Remove—click this button to remove the antenna.
Link Configuration—choose from this list the link budget you want to
associate with the service antenna.
Cable Length—type in this box the length of the feeder cable. This value is
included in the main feeder loss calculated in the associated link configuration.
View—click this button to open the link configuration dialog box. Values are
read-only.

Chapter 8
Add—click this button to add additional service antennas to the link. When you
click add, a new Antenna section is added on the tab.
Predictions
Model—choose from this list the prediction model for the repeater.
Edit—click this button to open the Propagation Model Editor where you
can modify propagation model settings.
Distance—type in this field the maximum distance from the repeater to

calculate signal strength.
Number of Radials—type in this field the number of radials originating from

a site along which to calculate predictions. More radials produce a more
accurate but slower calculation.
Isolation
Additional Isolation—type in this box a value in dB that will be added to the
total isolation calculated.
Isolation—displays the calculated isolation based on the masked pathloss

(including antenna gains) between the donor and service antenna as well as
the additional isolation value you define. The Isolation box is not available if
there is no defined donor sector (i.e., this is an orphaned repeater) or if the
donor type is fiber. If you are using split sectors, the isolation calculation is
based on the first service antenna.
Site Editor

Adding Repeaters

antennas
antenna
Configuration
Equipment
Power EIRP—displays the total EIRP.
Repeater Gain—type in this box the system gain experienced by the

repeater. The value in the Power EIRP box is updated based on the value you
enter.
System Losses—type in this box the system losses experienced by the

repeater. The value in the Power EIRP box is updated based on the value you
enter.

Chapter 8
Locating repeaters in a Map window

You can use the Project Explorer to locate repeaters in a Map window.
To locate repeaters in a Map window

n In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click the
repeater and choose Locate.
The repeater is selected in the Map window.

Defining Environment Settings
Chapter 9 Defining Environment Settings
Environment settings are used in network analyses to determine the impact of

the environment on the signal and the service.
Understanding environment settings 246
Defining environment settings 249
Environment Editor 250
Environment Editor Table 251

Chapter 9
Understanding environment settings

During a network analysis, Mentum Planet determines in which clutter class a
subscriber is located and assesses the impact of environmental traits on the
signal and service using the environment settings you define. For all of the
environments, you can define the penetration loss and the required fast fading
margin.
For each clutter type, you can define the characteristics of the environments
within that clutter type. The available environments are:
n Outdoor—open air environments

n Vehicular—moving vehicles
n Indoor—buildings or structures (normally representing areas
where single wall penetration is required)
n Deep Indoor—in-building areas where two-wall penetration is
required, or dense buildings where higher than normal
penetration losses are experienced
You can enable one or more of the environments for a clutter type. For each
clutter class, you indicate which environments you want to account for and
then specify the following parameters:
n Downlink Orthogonality—this value represents the signal’s

orthogonality factor in the environment of the clutter.
n Slow Fading Standard Deviation—this value is used to model
the shadowing from obstacles that cannot be handled by a
propagation model. Slightly higher values (approximately 8
dB) may be appropriate for high density urban areas, lower
values (approximately 6.5 dB) for open areas.
n Outdoor Fast Fading Margin—this value represents the extra
margin required for fast power control to overcome Rayleigh
(fast) fading in the Outdoor environment of this clutter type.
Rayleigh fading is a variation of spatial path loss that occurs on
the scale of a few wavelengths; the wavelength of a 2 000 MHz
carrier is about 15 cm (6 inches).

n Outdoor Penetration Loss—this value represents the

penetration loss to apply on received and transmitted signals
in the Outdoor environment for a specific clutter type.
n Vehicular Fast Fading Margin—this value represents the
transmit power headroom required for fast power control to
occur and overcome Rayleigh (fast) fading in the Vehicular
environment of this clutter type. Rayleigh fading is a variation
of spatial path loss that occurs on the scale of a few
wavelengths; the wavelength of a 2 000 MHz carrier is about
15 cm (6 inches).
n Vehicular Penetration Loss—this value represents the
in the Vehicular environment for a specific clutter type.
n Vehicular Speed—this value represents the typical moving
speed of a mobile subscriber in a vehicular environment for a
specific clutter type.
n Indoor Fast Fading Margin—this value represents the extra
margin required for fast power control to occur and overcome
Rayleigh (fast) fading in the Indoor environment of this clutter
type. Rayleigh fading is a variation of spatial path loss that
occurs on the scale of a few wavelengths; the wavelength of a
2 000 MHz carrier is about 15 cm (6 inches).
n Indoor Penetration Loss—this value represents the
in the Indoor environment for a specific clutter type
n Deep Indoor Fast Fading Margin—this value represents the
extra margin required for fast power control to take place and
overcome Rayleigh (fast) fading in the Deep Indoor
environment of this clutter type. Rayleigh fading is a variation
of spatial path loss that occurs on the scale of a few
wavelengths; the wavelength of a 2 000 MHz carrier is about
15 cm (6 inches).
n Deep Indoor Penetration Loss—this value represents the
in the Deep Indoor environment for a specific clutter type

Chapter 9
When you generate the analysis, you specify the subscriber environment you
want to model (i.e., Outdoor, Indoor, Deep Indoor, Vehicular).

Defining environment settings

Use the Environment Editor to define how the signal behaves in specific
environments.
To define environment settings

1 Choose Edit Environments.
The Environment Editor opens.
2 For each clutter class, define environment settings as required

and click OK.

Chapter 9
Environment Editor
Use the Environment Editor to define how the signal behaves in specific
environments within each clutter class. Environment settings are used in
Monte Carlo simulations to determine the impact of the environment on the
signal and the service.

Environment Editor Table

Use this table to edit environment settings. To modify data:
n Double-click in a table cell and type a new value.

n Click the down arrow in a table cell and choose a new value.
n Enable or clear the check box for the chosen setting.
n Click the down arrow next to a table heading to display all the
data or a particular subset.
n Right-click in a table cell to copy and paste data.
When you type an invalid value in a table cell, the cell is highlight in red and a
message is displayed.
To change the Environment Editor display:
n Place the pointer between column headings to increase or

decrease the size of the column.
n Enable the Freeze Panes check box to lock rows and columns in
one area so that they remain visible when you scroll. This is
useful, for example, if you want to freeze a particular column
and then scroll through subsequent columns comparing the
values.
Freeze Panes—enable this check box to lock rows or columns so that they
are always visible as you scroll through the worksheet.

Generating Network Analyses
Chapter 10 Generating Network Analyses
WiMAXTDMA-FDMA analyses contain the information you require to

determine the coverage of your network. This chapter describes how to
generate WiMAXTDMA-FDMA analyses and view results. It also explains how
to create statistics that you can use to validate your network design.
For information on how to generate detailed subscriber information or cell

loads, see “Generating Monte Carlo Simulations”.
Understanding TDMA-FDMA analysis layers 254
Workflow for generating an analysis 260
Defining default analysis settings 261
Defining default analysis layers 262
Common TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Layers 263

Chapter 10
Understanding TDMA-FDMA analysis layers

The following types of analysis layers are available for TDMA/FDMA and GSM
technologies to enable you to visualize and plan your network:
n Best server analysis

n Interference analysis
n Service quality metrics
n Service coverage analysis
n Required mobile power analysis
Analysis layers are stored in the TDMA_FDMA_Analyses folder within the

project folder.
Best server analysis

If the Hierarchical Cell Layers (HCL) setting is not enabled in a network, the
best server analysis enables you to view the sector that provides the strongest
signal to a particular location and to determine how strong the coverage is.
The strongest server is the sector that provides the greatest signal strength at
a location. If two servers have identical signal strength, the first server that is
found in the analysis is considered the best server.
If HCL is enabled in a network, the choice of the best server is based on both
the relative signal strengths of the received signals and the HCL properties of
the serving sectors.
The choice of best server can be limited by two distance factors:
n If you have enabled HCL, you can define the maximum range
for a sector, beyond which it will not be considered as a best
server.
n You can also define the timing advance limit for a sector,
beyond which it will not be considered as a best server, and
then choose to use this value for a best server analysis.

In a network where HCL is not enabled, the distance is limited only by the
timing advance limit if you choose to enable the option when defining best
server analysis settings.
In a network where HCL is enabled, the distance is limited by the more

restrictive of maximum range or timing advance limit. For example, if the
maximum range defined for the sector is 20 km, but the timing advance limit
for the sector is 35 km, then 20 km is the maximum distance that a sector can
be from the bin in question to be considered as the best server for that bin.
Best Server analysis layers for TDMA/FDMA

The table below describes the analysis layers available for the Best Server
analysis.
Table 1 Best server analysis layers
Analysis Layer Description

Best Serving Sector Stores the identification of the best server in a classified grid. The ID
is composed of the site ID and the sector ID.
Best Server Signal Stores the received signal strength from the best server in a
Strength numeric grid (.grd).
Best Server Classes Stores the received signal strength from the best server in a
classified grid (.grc) using class profiles with a user-defined set of
signal strength ranges.
Best Server Traffic Stores a text file summary of the offered and carried Erlangs served
by each sector in the network based on a traffic map. If you do not
choose a traffic map for your technology when you are defining
traffic settings, this file is not generated.
Coverage probability Stores the probability of a mobile user being served at any location.
The coverage probability uses the best server signal strength as the
mean value and calculates the probability that the signal strength is
better than the RSSI threshold. The coverage probability is also
referred to as coverage reliability.
The following equations are used to calculate coverage probability:

Chapter 10
Number of servers
Stores the number of servers available in a classified grid (.grc).
Valid values are null (0 servers), 1-99 and >99.
Interference analysis
Interference analysis enables you to determine the interference at every
location in the network. Interference analysis is dependent on best server
analysis and is computed based on a frequency plan, which enables the
calculation of co-channel and adjacent channel interference. A frequency plan
assigns carriers to sectors.
If any sectors in the network do not have carriers assigned, warning messages
identify these sectors. These sectors are ignored in the analysis.
Interference analysis layers for TDMA/FDMA

The table below describes the analysis layers available for interference
analysis.

Table 2 Interference analysis layers

Total C/I Stores the carrier-to-interference ratio
where the interference, I, is the total of all
co-channel interferers. For sectors with
more than one carrier assigned, this result
is for the worst carrier or the hopping
transceiver group in the sector. This result
is also dependent on the Victim Carriers
option in the Analysis Settings dialog box.
Total C/A Stores the carrier-to-interference ratio
where the interference, A, is the total of all
adjacent channel interferers. For sectors
with more than one carrier assigned, this
result is for the worst carrier in the sector.
Total C/(I+A) Stores the total carrier-to-interference
ratio including all co-adjacent channel
interferers. For sectors with more than one
carrier assigned, this result is for the worst
carrier in the sector.
Total C/(I+A+N) Adds the impact of the thermal noise (N) to
the C/I calculation. This value is computed
as C/(I + A + N), where I and A are equal to
the same value as in the Total C/(I + A)
layer.
Carrier Averaged Stores the carrier-to-interference ratio
C/I where the interference, I, is the average
interference of all co-channel interferers.
For non-hopping transceivers, the average
interference is not weighted by traffic. For
hopping transceivers, the average
interference is weighted by traffic.
C/A where the interference, A, is the average
interference of all adjacent channel
interferers. For non-hopping transceivers,
the average interference is not weighted by
traffic. For hopping transceivers, the
average interference is weighted by traffic.

Chapter 10

C/(I+A) where the interference, I+A, is the average
interference of all co and adjacent channel
interferers. For non-hopping transceivers,
the average interference is not weighted by
traffic. For hopping transceivers, the
average interference is weighted by traffic.
Carrier Averaged Adds the impact of thermal noise (N). This
C/(I+A+N) value is computed as C/(I + A + N), where I
and A are equal to the same value as in the
Carrier Averaged C/(I + A) layer. For non-
interference is not weighted by traffic. For
interference is weighted by traffic.
Number of Stores the number of co-channel interferers
co-channel affecting the sector. For sectors with more
interferers than one carrier assigned, this result
corresponds to the number of co-channel
interferers affecting the carrier
experiencing the worst total interference.
Number of
adjacent channel Stores the number of adjacent channel
interferers interferers affecting the sector. For sectors
with more than one carrier assigned, this
result corresponds to the number of
adjacent channel interferers affecting the
carrier experiencing the worst total
interference.
Worst carrier Stores the worst carrier in the sector used
to calculate the Total C/(I + A) and the
Total C/(I + A + N) layers.
Best carrier Stores the carrier that provides the best C/I
ratio (only meaningful if all carriers on a
sector are being considered for the
interference calculation).
Worst offending Stores the co-channel sector that
co-channel sector contributes the most interference to the
best server.
Worst offending Stores the adjacent channel sector that
adjacent channel interferes the most with the best server
sector signal.


Worst offender Stores the carrier-to-interference ratio
C/I where the interference, I, is from the worst
offending co-channel sector only.
Worst offender Stores the carrier-to-interference ratio
C/A where the interference, A, is from the worst
offending adjacent channel sector only.

Chapter 10
Workflow for generating an analysis
Step 1 If you want to use the same settings for a number of analyses,
define default analysis settings.
Step 2 If you want to generate the same layers for a number of analyses,
define default layers settings.
Step 3 Create and generate a new analysis.
Step 4 View analysis layers.
Step 5 Generate layer statistics for analysis layers.

Defining default analysis settings

If you want to use the same settings for a number of analyses, you can define
default settings. When you create a new analysis, these defaults are
automatically used.
To define default analysis settings

1 In the Project Explorer, in the Network Analyses category,
right-click WiMAXLTETDMA-FDMA Analyses and choose
Default Analyses Settings.
The WiMAXTDMA-FDMA Analysis Settings dialog box opens.
2 Define the default settings that you want to use, and click OK.

Chapter 10
Defining default analysis layers

By default, all of the available analysis layers are generated. To avoid lengthy
generation times when working with a large project, you can exclude layers
from the analysis generation that you do not need. The analysis layer filter
enables you to define a default list of analysis layers that is available for all of
the WiMAXTDMA-FDMA analyses that you create for the current project.
To define default analysis layers

right-click WiMAXTDMA-FDMA Analyses and choose Default
Layers.
2 In the WiMAXTDMA-FDMA Analysis Layers dialog box, enable

the check box next to those layers you want to generate by
default, and click OK.

Common TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Layers

TDMA-FDMA Simulcast analysis layers are grouped into common layers, which
represent the performance of sectors on the best carrier or the composite
plots of multiple carriers (e.g., downlink best carrier layer). Table 1 details the
common layers.
Table 1 Table 19.2 Common TDMA-FDMA Simulcast analysis layers
Layer Description
Best Server This layer displays the name of the sector that has
the strongest signal strength. Time arrival from the
various sectors is not considered in this layer.
Composite Best Server This layer is the same as the best server layer,
except that for sectors with repeaters, the repeater
and its donor are treated as one combined sector.
Best Server Signal Strength This layer displays the signal strength for the best
server. The penetration loss associated with the
selected environment (e.g., indoor) and the clutter
class of the bin for which the value is calculated is
considered in this layer.
Best Server Time Arrival This layer displays the time arrival of the best server.
<Nth> Strongest Server This layer displays the name of the server with the
<Nth> strongest signal strength.
<Nth> Strongest Sector This layer displays the name of the sector with the
Signal Strength <Nth> strongest signal strength.
<Nth> Strongest Server Time This layer displays the difference between the time
Differential arrival of the Nth strongest sector and the time
arrival of the best server.
Total Simulcast C/(N+I) This layer displays the sum of the useful signals,
interfering signals, and the thermal noise.
Total Simulcast C Signal This layer displays the sum of all useful signals.
Strength
Useful signals are determined using the time arrival
of the signal, the time arrive of the best server, and
the capture window.
The penetration loss associated with the selected

environment (e.g. Indoor) and the clutter class of the
bin for which the value is calculated are considered in
this layer.

Chapter 10
Layer Description
Total Simulcast I Signal This layer displays the sum of the intra-cell
Strength interfering signals, the sum of the inter-cell
interfering signals, or the sum of the intra-cell and
inter-cell interfering signals depending on the option
you chose in the analysis settings. The total
simulcast I signal strength is calculated for each
carrier assigned to the best server.
Simulcast Coverage This layer displays the coverage probability for
Probability simulcast signals.
Worst Interferer This layer displays the name of the sector with the
strongest signal strength that is considered an
interferer.
Worst Interferer Signal This layer displays the signal strength of the worst
Strength interferer.
Worst Interferer C/I This layer displays the C/I of the worst interferer.
Worst Interferer Time This layer displays the difference between the time
Differential arrival of the worst interferer and the time arrival of
the best server.
Multipath Delay Spread Time This layer displays the difference between the time of
arrival of the first signal component and the time of
arrival of the last signal component.
BER This layer displays the Bit Error Rate that
corresponds to the calculated multipath delay
spread.

Creating A WiMAX Analysis
Creating and generating a network analysis

When you create a new analysis, it is displayed in the Project Explorer in the
Network Analyses category under the WiMAXTDMA-FDMA Analyses node. You
can create any number of analyses for a project.
When you finish creating a network analysis, you can generate it immediately
or save the analysis settings without generating it.
To create and generate a network analysis

right-click WiMAXTDMA-FDMA Analyses and choose New.
The Network Analysis Wizard opens.
2 On each page of the Wizard, provide the required information

and click Next.
3 On the System page, provide the required information and click

Next.

Chapter 11
4 On the Analysis page, provide the required information, and click

Next.
5 On the last page of the Wizard, complete the final step and click
Finish.

Network Analysis Wizard TDMA Best Server Selection
Network Analysis Wizard

The Network Analysis Wizard steps you through the process of generating a
network analysis (i.e., a nominal analysis).
Using a network analysis, you can perform a preliminary analysis of your

network based on the sector downlink and uplink traffic loads (as defined on
the Configuration tab in the sector settings). You define load values for
sectors based on:
n the traffic load projections of your network,

n the sector loads from a Monte Carlo simulation, or
n traffic statistics collected from the real network data.
A network analysis allows you to generate analysis layers that represent

coverage and capacity performance, as well as interference environment of
your network.

Chapter 12
Best Server Selection

Network Analysis Wizard TDMA Best Server Selection
Best Server Grids To Be Calculated

Calculate Additional Nth Best Server Layers—enable this check box to
generate an analysis layer that displays specific best servers. In the Nth Best
box, type a number to indicate the best servers that you want to display in the
analysis layer..
Nth Best—choose from this list the Nth best server. If you choose, for
example, the number 2, you will create an analysis layer for the best server
and the second best server; if you choose 3, you will create an analysis layer
for the first, second, and third best server.

Chapter 12
Best Server Limits

Rx Threshold—enable this check box to limit the best server area according
to an automatically calculated Rx sensitivity or a user-defined Rx threshold.
Use Rx Sensitivity—choose this option to ensure that a best server is only

selected for a bin where the signal strength exceeds the downlink Rx sensitivity
value. If the received signal strength at a bin is below the Downlink Rx
Sensitivity, no best server is selected for that area, and a null value is placed in
the grid or grids.
Use Rx Threshold—choose this option to ensure that a best server is only

selected for a bin where the signal strength exceeds the downlink Rx threshold
value. In the Rx Threshold box below, type an Rx Threshold value in dBm. If
the received signal strength at a bin is below the downlink Rx threshold, no
best server is selected for that location and a null value is placed in the grid or
grids.
Rx Threshold—type in this box a value for the Rx threshold you want to use
for best server selection.
Use Timing Advance Limit—enable this check box to limit the best server
within the distance specified by the timing advance limit. The timing advance
limit constrains the size of the sector coverage to a maximum distance
measured in kilometers. For example, if the timing advance limit of a sector is
set to 10 km, then the sector will extend beyond 10 km regardless of its RSSI.
You define the timing advance limit in the Site Editor.
When both a timing advance limit and an HCL are applied to a server, the
lower value of the timing advance or maximum range will be used. For
example, if the timing advance limit is set to 10 km and the sector is enabled to
use HCL with a maximum range of 5 km, then the sector coverage will be
limited to 5 km and not 10 km. HCLs can be set for the entire network or on a
per-sector basis.

Network Analysis Wizard TDMA Interference Selection


the Configuration tab in the sector settings). You define load values for
sectors based on:


your network.

Chapter 13
Interference Selection
The contents of this page change depending on whether you chose GSM or
TDMA-FDMA on the first page of the wizard.
GSM Interference Selection
Ignore Interferers—enable this check box if you want to limit the number of
interferers considered in the analysis.
Below Noise Floor—choose this option to exclude any interferers that are
below the noise floor from the interference analysis.
Below Rx Sensitivity—choose this option to exclude any interferers that are

below the Rx sensitivity of the interference analysis
Ignore Interference From Sectors on the Same Site—enable this check

box if you do not want to display interference between sectors on the same
site.
TDMA-FDMA Interference Selection
Ignore Interferers—enable this check box if you want to limit the number of
interferers considered in the analysis.
Below Noise Floor—choose this option to exclude any interferers that are
below the noise floor from the interference analysis.
Below Rx Sensitivity—choose this option to exclude any interferers that are

below the Rx sensitivity of the interference analysis
Ignore Interference From Sectors on the Same Site—enable this check

box if you do not want to display interference between sectors on the same
site.

Victim Carriers
All Hopping And Non-Hopping Carriers—choose this option to perform an
analysis for all hopping and non-hopping carriers as the victim carriers in your
interference analysis. If the victim sector has hopping and non-hopping
carriers, the C/I layer will report the worst C/I between hopping and non-
hopping. For example, if the C/I of the hopping carriers is 20 dB and the C/I of
the non-hopping carrier is 18 dB, the layer will report that C/I = 18 dB.
All Non-Hopping Carriers—choose this option to perform an analysis for

only non-hopping carriers as the victim carriers in your interference analysis.
BCCH (Non-Hopping) Carriers—choose this option to perform an analysis

for only BCCH (non-hopping) carriers as the victim carriers in your
interference analysis.
Hopping Carriers—choose this option to perform an analysis for only

hopping carriers as the victim carriers in your interference analysis.
Specific Carrier—choose this option to perform an analysis for a specific

carrier as the victim carrier in your interference analysis. From the Specific
Carrier list below, choose an available carrier.
Specific Carrier Type—choose this option to perform an analysis for a

specific carrier type as the victim carrier in your interference analysis. From
the adjacent list, choose an available carrier type.
Use Optimized Frequency Hopping Algorithm—enable this check box to

optimize the algorithm used to calculate interference for the group of sectors
to be analyzed. To use an optimized frequency hopping algorithm for the
group of sectors, the same mobile allocation list (MAL) must be assigned to all
transceivers in the group of sectors.
Enabling this check box simplifies the algorithm used to calculate interference
because it need to take fewer variables into account, which speeds up the
analysis.

Chapter 13


the Configuration tab in the sector settings). You define load values for sectors
based on:


your network.

TDMA-FDMA User-Defined BER/FER

Settings/TDMA-FDMA GSM BER/FER Settings
Use this page to define how the Bit Error Rate (BER) or Frame Erasure Rate
(FER) will be determined. The contents of this page change depending on
whether you chose TDMA-FDMA or GSM on the first page of the wizard.
TDMA-FDMA User-Defined BER/FER Settings
BER vs C/I Curve

Relationship Curve—choose from this list a BER vs. C/I curve file to
represent the relationship between the BER and the C/I.
Edit—click this button to edit a chosen curve in the Curve Editor dialog box.
New—click this button to create a new BER vs. C/I curve file in the Curve
Editor dialog box.
C/I Layer—choose from this list a C/I layer to use for the BER calculation.

Chapter 13
FER vs C/I Curve

Relationship Curve—choose from this list a FER vs. C/I curve file that
represents the relationship between the FER and the C/I.
Edit—click this button to edit the chosen curve in the Curve Editor dialog box.
New—click this button to create a new curve in the Curve Editor dialog box.
C/I Layer—choose from this list the C/I layer that will be used to calculate the
FER.
TDMA-FDMA GSM BER/FER Settings
BER vs C/I Curve

Relationship Curve—choose from this list a BER vs. C/I curve file to
represent the relationship between the BER and the C/I.
Edit—click this button to edit a chosen curve in the Curve Editor dialog box.
New—click this button to create a new BER vs. C/I curve file in the Curve
Editor dialog box.
C/I Layer—choose from this list a C/I layer to use for the BER calculation.
Cost-231 Link Level Simulation Curves—choose this option to use a link

level simulation curve to determine the FER. From the associated list, choose a
COST-231 link level simulation curve. The COST-231 model provides a
mapping between the mean C/I to an FER for the 13 kbps full rate GSM
vocoder. This model has been derived from link level simulation curves
published by the COST-231 project. The model accounts for frequency
diversity gain and it supports the TU3 and TU50 channel models.
View Curves—click this button to view the COST-231 link level simulation
curve file in the Curve Editor dialog box.
FER Vs C/I Curve—choose this option to select from a list the FER vs. C/I
curve file that represents the relationship between the FER and the C/I.

Edit—click this button to edit the chosen curve in the Curve Editor dialog box.
New—click this button to create a new curve in the Curve Editor dialog box.
C/I Layer—choose from this list the C/I layer that will be used to calculate
the FER.

Chapter 13


the Configuration tab in the sector settings). You define load values for sectors
based on:


your network.

Traffic Selection

Chapter 13
Traffic Options
Use Per-Sector Carried Erlangs—choose this option to use the carried
Erlangs as the type of traffic loading for each sector. Carried traffic is the
actual traffic carried by a sector. This information is used for frequency
hopping calculations when interference layers are generated. The Carried
Traffic Loading value is defined for each sector on the Traffic panel of the
Sector Settings dialog box.
Use Per-Sector Offered Erlangs—choose this option to use the offered

Erlangs as the type of traffic loading for each sector. Offered traffic is the
carried traffic plus any blocked traffic. This information is used for frequency
hopping calculations when interference analysis layers are generated. The
defined value is converted to carried Erlangs using the selected traffic model
(for example, Erlang B) and is then used for the interference analysis. The
Offered Traffic Loading value is defined for each sector on the Traffic panel of
the Sector Settings dialog box.
Use Per-Sector % of Hopping TS in Use—choose this option to use the %

of hopping time slots (TS) in use as the type of traffic loading for each sector.
This information is used for frequency hopping calculations when interference
analysis layers are generated. The % of Time Slots In Use value is defined for
each sector in the Traffic panel of the Sector Settings dialog box. More Info1
Use Captured Erlangs from Traffic Map—choose this option to use

captured Erlangs from a traffic map as the type of traffic loading for each
sector. This information is used for frequency hopping calculations when
interference layers are generated. In the calculation, the best server layer and
1The percentage of hopping time slots in use represents the percentage of

time slots on the hopping layer (i.e., on the transceivers that are hopping) that
are busy. For example, if a sector has 4 transceivers (one for BCCH and three
for hopping) and the hopping time slots utilization is 50%, out of the total 24
hopping time slots, 12 are busy or in use. The hopping layer utilization can be
interpreted as follows: % of hopping time slots in use or hopping layer util-
ization = EFL/Lfrac where EFL is the Effective Frequency Load

the traffic map are used to determine the captured Erlangs within the best
serving area. The captured Erlangs is equal to the offered Erlangs. When you
choose this option, you must choose a traffic map from the Traffic Maps
section below.

Chapter 13
Convert Captured/Offered to Carried Erlangs

If you chose the Use Per-sector Offered Erlangs or Use Captured Erlangs From
Traffic Map traffic options, you must choose one of the following options to
convert the offered Erlangs to carried Erlangs. Offered Erlangs can come from
the sector settings or from the captured Erlangs from the traffic map.
n No Conversion—choose this option to use the existing offered

traffic values; if you are using carried Erlangs from a traffic
map, carried Erlangs will equal the offered Erlangs. This option
is useful if your traffic map actually represents the carried
Erlangs.
n Erlang B—choose this option to convert offered traffic (in
Erlangs) using the Erlang B model, in which Carried Erlangs =
Offered Erlangs*(1-blocking probability1).
n Erlang C—choose this option to convert offered traffic (in
Erlangs) using the Erlang C model, in which Carried Erlangs =
Offered Erlangs*(1-queueing probability2).
n Poisson—choose this option to convert offered traffic (in

Erlangs)
1The blocking using the
probability Poisson model,
is calculated usingin which
the Carried
offered Erlangs
Erlangs and =
the
number of traffic channels for each sector where number of traffic channels =
(number of time slots per transceiver)*(total number of transceivers) –
(number of signaling time slots). The calculation for the blocking probability
differs for Erlang B and Poisson conversion methods because these methods
handle blocked calls differently.
2The queuing probability is calculated using the offered Erlangs and the
(number of signaling time slots).
3The blocking probability is calculated using the offered Erlangs and the

).
3The blocking probability is calculated using the offered Erlangs and the

Chapter 13
Traffic Maps
This table is only available if the captured Erlangs from Traffic Map option is
chosen from the Traffic options section.
Technology—this column displays the available network technology types.
Traffic Map—choose from a list in this column the traffic map from which the
captured Erlangs will be used for traffic loading of the related network
technology type.
Update Carried Erlangs In Site Table—enable this check box to save the
carried Erlangs for those sectors chosen in the analysis to the site table. (The
Carried Traffic value on the Traffic panel of the Sector Settings dialog box will
also be updated accordingly.) The carried Erlangs for sectors that are not part
of the analysis will remain unchanged. When you update the site table, you do
not need to re-calculate the captured Erlangs for later analyses, unless your
coverage area changes. This check box is only available when the Use
Captured Erlangs from Traffic Map option is chosen.
Update Offered Erlangs In Site Table—enable this check box to save the
offered Erlangs for those sectors chosen in the analysis to the site table. (The
Offered Traffic value on the Traffic panel of the Sector Settings dialog box will
also be updated accordingly.) The offered Erlangs for sectors that are not part
of the analysis will remain unchanged. This check box is only available when
the Use Captured Erlangs from Traffic Map option is chosen.

Creating and generating a network analysis

You can generate simulcast analyses for TDMA-based sectors. Each sector can
belong to a simulcast macrocell, which defines the signal that is transmitted.
Sectors that belong to the same simulcast macrocell send the same message.
If the message arrives within the time span defined as the capture window, it
can be combined with the best server’s signal in order to achieve better
quality, as it is defined by the Total Simulcast C/(N+1). Signals that arrive
outside of the capture window contribute to overall interference and degrade
the signal quality.
To create and generate a simulcast analysis

right-click TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analyses and choose New.
The Network Analysis Wizard opens.
2 On each page of the Wizard, provide the required information

and click Next.
3 On the System page, provide the required information and click

Next.

Chapter 13
4 On the Analysis page, provide the required information, and click

Next.
5 On the last page of the Wizard, complete the final step and click
Finish.


Chapter 13
TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Settings

Use the TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Settings dialog box to define the
parameters to be used in analysis layer generation.

System
Frequency Band—choose from this list the frequency band of the network
you want to analyze. You define frequency bands in the Network Settings.

Chapter 13
Subscriber
Environment—choose from this list the environment for which you want to
generate an analysis. You define environment settings (e.g., slow fading
standard deviation, penetration loss, fast fading margin, etc.) in the
Environment Editor.

TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Settings

Use the TDMA-FDMA Simulcast Analysis Settings dialog box to define the
parameters to be used in analysis layer generation.

Chapter 13
Analysis

Signal Strength Threshold

Use Rx Sensitivity—choose this option to use the Rx sensitivity value defined
in the network settings. The Rx sensitivity represents the minimum signal level
that the receiver requires to receive in order to provide acceptable voice
quality.
User-Defined Threshold—choose this option to define the signal strength

threshold in the associated box.
Nth Strongest Sector—choose from this list the Nth strongest sector.
Simulcast C/(N+I) Threshold—type in this box the C/N+I) threshold.
Equivalent Noise Bandwidth—type in this box a value for the noise

equivalent bandwidth. For digital technologies this value is equal to the
technology’s channel symbol rate. This value is used to calculate the thermal
noise density for both the downlink and uplink.
Capture Window—type in this box the span of time to consider in the time of
arrival of a signal.

Chapter 13
Simulcast Interference
Intra-Cell—choose this option to calculate simulcast interference between
sectors of the same site.
Inter-Cell—choose this option to calculate simulcast interference between

sites.
Intra-Cell+Inter-Cell—choose this option to calculate both intra-cell and

inter-cell interference.
Multipath Delay Spread to BER Curve—displays the name of the curve file
depicting the multipath spread to BER values.
Browse—click this button to navigate to a pre-defined MDS to BER

Curve (.mbc) file.
Edit— click this button to open the Curve Editor where you can modify
MDS to BER Curve values.

Generating an existing analysis

You can generate an analysis after it has been created in the wizard. You can
generate an existing analysis as many times as required. If you edit a sector
in the Site Editor, your sector updates are used in subsequent analysis runs.
To generate an existing analysis

n In the Project Explorer, in the Network Analyses category,
right-click the analysis node for which you want to generate
analysis layers and choose Generate.

Chapter 13
Viewing analysis layers

Once you have generated your analysis, you can view the analysis layers that
it contains.
To view analysis layers

1 In the Project Explorer, choose the Network Analyses
category.
2 Right-click an analysis layer under the WiMAXTDMA-FDMA

Analysis node and choose View.
The analysis layer is displayed in the Map window.
TIP: To remove an analysis layer from the Map window, in the Project
Explorer, in the Network Analyses category, under the WiMAXTDMA-FDMA
Analysis node, right-click an analysis layer, and choose Remove.

Generating multiple analyses

You can use the Analysis Generator to select multiple analyses to generate
sequentially. Using this method you can, for example, select a series of
analyses to generate overnight.
You can update sector information that impacts a selected analysis, however
the analysis only uses the updated information if it has not yet started to
generate.
To generate multiple analyses

1 Choose Tools Analysis Generator.
2 In the Analysis Generator, specify which analyses you want to

generate and click Start.
Analyses are generated in the order displayed in the Analysis

Generator. Sector information for each analysis listed is collected when
the analysis starts. If you change sector parameters and the analysis
has not yet started, changes will be included in the results.
TIP: To reorder entries in the Analysis Generator, click the column title.

Chapter 13
Deleting analyses
Files generated from a network analysis can take up a lot of hard disk space.
You can delete analyses that are no longer required.
To delete analyses
1 In the Project Explorer, in the Network Analyses category, do
any of the following:
n Choose one or more analyses, right-click and choose Delete.

n Expand an analysis node, choose one or more analysis layers,
right-click and choose Delete.
2 In the Mentum Planet dialog box, click Yes.
The analyses or analysis layers you chose are removed from the Project
Explorer and the files are deleted from the project folder.

Recoloring best serving sector layers

The Best Serving Sector Recolor tool enables you to change the color scheme
used to display best serving sector analysis layers (classified grid files).
You can use the colors defined in a sector display scheme or choose from the
default color schemes used to display best serving sector analysis layers.
Sector display schemes enable you to display analysis layers based on sector
properties, such as the downlink load. When you use a sector display scheme
with the Best Serving Sector Recolor tool, only the colors that have been
defined for the scheme are used; other sector display scheme settings, such
as symbol and size, are ignored.
For information about defining sector display schemes, see “Customizing

sector symbols for multiple sites” in “Working With Sites and Sectors”, in the
To recolor best serving sector layers

1 Choose Tools Best Serving Sector Recolor.
The Best Serving Sector Recolor dialog box opens.
2 Click Browse, navigate to the <technology>_Analyses folder

with the project folder, choose the best serving sector layer (.grc)
file that you want to recolor, and click Open.
3 In the Apply Scheme section, choose a color scheme and click

Apply.
The best serving sector layers are displayed in the Map window using
the new color scheme.
NOTE: You can modify an existing sector display scheme from within in the
Best Serving Sector Recolor dialog box by right-clicking a scheme and
choosing Edit.

Chapter 13
Examining layer statistics

You can calculate statistics on the individual analysis layers that you have
generated, including preamble plan analysis layers. You can calculate statistics
based on the entire numeric grid (.grd) file, an area grid, or a selection in the
Map window. You can further customize the statistics based on a clutter grid
file, traffic map, or a user-defined filter.
After you calculate statistics, you can export statistics to Excel or to .csv files.
In Excel, you can display statistics in a myriad of different ways as shown in
Figure 8.1.
Figure 8.1 Example of layer statistics displayed in Excel.
For information on how to generate layer statistics, see “To calculate layer
statistics”.

Generating Frequency And Preamble Plans Automatically
Chapter 11 Generating Frequency And Preamble

Plans Automatically
This chapter explains how to create a frequency plan using the Interactive
Frequency and Preamble Planning tool.
This chapter explains how to create a frequency plan using the Automatic
Frequency Planning tool.
Understanding automatic frequency planning 302
Workflow for automatic frequency planning 306
Creating a frequency plan 307
General 310
Plan 311
Minimize Cost 312
AFP 314
Optimization 315
Carrier Usage 317
HSN/MAIO 319
HSN 320
MAIO 322
Generating a frequency plan 323
Applying a frequency plan to TDMA/FDMA sectors 325

Chapter 11
Understanding automatic frequency planning

The Automatic Frequency Planning tool enables you to generate a frequency
plan automatically instead of manually, which can be time-consuming and
error-prone. Using the Automatic Frequency Planning tool, you can define
settings that are used to minimize the total interference experienced over an
area or by traffic in the network.
To create a frequency plan, the Automatic Frequency Planning tool uses the
settings that are described in this chapter and the settings that are configured
for individual sectors, including frequency planning requirements and
exceptions and HSN exceptions.
Automatic frequency planning and color code planning

When you create a frequency plan using the Automatic Frequency Planning
tool, a column is included for each color code that applies to the technology
(for example, a GSM frequency plan will have a BSIC column), but color codes
are not automatically planned.
Inputs for automatic frequency planning

Creating a frequency plan requires that you define an interference matrix as
an input. You also have the option of defining a neighbor list as an input.
You create a frequency plan using a group of sites. To create a group of sites,
you can either select individual sites or you can create and use a site group.
Because frequency planning is a complex process and requires input from
several other Mentum Planet tools, it is recommended that you create a group
of sites to be used across all tools. This will ensure that your output is
consistent and valid.
Constraints for automatic frequency planning

Constraints are used by the Automatic Frequency Planning tool to assign
carriers, HSNs, and MAIOs to sectors. Constraints are defined on a per carrier

type basis, and include information such as required carrier separations, and
whether interference is considered in terms of affected area or traffic.
Costs for automatic frequency planning

The Automatic Frequency Planning tool also uses costs when creating a
frequency plan. The allocation process must respect a number of specified
constraints while attempting to minimize the costs. For each incidence of
frequency reuse (for example, for each carrier type that is assigned to the
same or adjacent frequency as another carrier type), there are two types of
costs:
n interference cost—the amount of the coverage area or the

traffic that is subject to interference. The interference cost
increases or decreases depending on the factors given in
Equation 8.1, for example, interference from a neighboring
sector. Interference cost differs from violation cost in that
violation cost is calculated using fixed values defined by the
user that are imposed if a specific violation occurs.
n violation cost—the sum of the cost factors incurred for
breaking specified constraints. Violation costs are used only
with the Planet Optimizer method; with the Planet Fast
method, if a constraint is broken, an assignment cannot be
made.
The following equation illustrates how the interference cost is determined

between two carrier types on neighboring sectors. In this example, the cost
(C) is for carrier type 1 on sector A, which is being interfered with by carrier
type 2 on sector B.
Equation 8.1 Interference example in which carrier type1 is a victim of carrier

type 2

Chapter 11
Where:
W is the victim cost factor for carrier type 1.

1
W is the interference cost factor for carrier type 2.
2
I (s) is the interference on sector A from sector B, dependent on the carrier
AB
separation (s).
When a frequency plan is generated, the Automatic Frequency Planning tool

attempts to minimize the costs while respecting the specified constraints. The
ideal frequency plan is the one with the least interference costs; however, the
frequency planning process requires trade-offs. For example, to attain a
frequency plan with low interference costs may require that you define lenient
constraints or permit violations.
Optimization methods for automatic frequency planning

The optimization method (algorithm) that you choose for your frequency plan
determines how the Automatic Frequency Planning tool allocates frequencies.
Two methods are available:
n Planet Optimizer
n Planet Fast
Planet Optimizer
Planet Optimizer allocates carriers even if some of the specified constraints
are broken. You can remove the allocated carriers that break certain
constraints.
Planet Optimizer attempts to find the plan with the smallest amount of
network interference from a choice of several feasible plans. Although the
method takes longer than Planet Fast, it makes the best use of interference
information and increases the likelihood of obtaining a quality plan.

Using Planet Optimizer, the frequency plan starts from an initial configuration,
possibly with many violations and a very large cost, and progresses to
solutions with lower costs.
Planet Fast
Planet Fast does not make any assignment that breaks the specified
constraints. This method achieves the fastest solution when few thresholds
are defined, and the thresholds that are defined are not very stringent.
The underlying assumption of the Planet Fast algorithm is that no assignment

can be made if it violates any hard constraints. Control over the accepted level
of interference in the network is given to the planner. You define the
thresholds for the amount of interference experienced by carriers. Anything
above the specified thresholds is not considered feasible.
When using this method, you should define increasingly smaller values for the
thresholds while maintaining acceptable levels of interference across the
network.

Chapter 11
Workflow for automatic frequency planning
Step 1 Create a group of sites that you will use for your interference matrix,
neighbor list, and frequency planning. See Chapter 2, “Working with
Sites and Sectors”, in the Mentum Planet User Guide .
Step 2 Create an interference matrix and, if required, a neighbor list using

the group of sites. See Chapter 11, “Working with Interference
Matrices”, and Chapter 12, “Working with Neighbor Lists”, in the
Mentum Planet User Guide .
Step 3 Create a frequency plan and define settings.
Step 4 Run the Automatic Frequency Planning tool, and save the plan.
Step 5 Apply the frequency plan to the sectors in your network.

Creating a frequency plan

To create a frequency plan with the Automatic Frequency Planning tool, you
must first choose a group of sites, the technology to be planned for, a
modeled interference matrix, and a neighbor list.
For more information on how to create a group of sites, see Chapter 2,

“Working with Sites and Sectors”, in the Mentum Planet User Guide. For more
information on interference matrices, see Chapter 11, “Working with
Interference Matrices”, in the Mentum Planet User Guide. For more
information on neighbor lists, see Chapter 12, “Working with Neighbor Lists”,
in the Mentum Planet User Guide.
NOTE: The frequency planning procedures in this chapter apply to the Planet
Automatic Frequency Planning tool. For information on using optional third-
party frequency planning tools, see the documentation provided with those
tools.
To create a frequency plan

n Choose Tools Automatic Frequency Planning GSM-

TDMA-FDMA .
n In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, right-click
TDMA-FDMA Frequency And Color Code Plans and choose
Automatic Frequency Planning.
2 In the Sector Selection dialog box, specify which sectors to

include in the plan.

Chapter 11
3 In the AFP Selection dialog box, from the Algorithm list, choose

Planet AFP.
4 From the Technology list, choose the technology for which you
want to generate a frequency plan.
You can only generate a frequency plan for one technology at a time.
5 From the Interference Matrix list, choose the interference

matrix that you want to use for your frequency plan.
An Interference Matrix is a required input. Ensure that you choose an

interference matrix that was created using the same group of sites for
which you are planning frequencies. The interference matrix must also
be a Modeled or Merged interference matrix. If you want to use a
Network Data or Local Knowledge interference matrix, see the
“Converting interference matrices,” section in Chapter 11, “Working with
Interference Matrices”, in the Mentum Planet User Guide.
6 From the Neighbor List list, choose the neighbor list that you
want to use for your frequency plan, and click OK.
Ensure that you choose a neighbor list that was created using the same
group of sites that you currently planning.
The Frequency Planning dialog box opens.
7 Define the following settings as required:
n General
n AFP
n HSN /MAIO

Frequency Planning
Use the Frequency Planning dialog box to create a frequency plan that
effectively assigns available frequencies (carriers) to a network of
transmitters. An optimal frequency plan efficiently reuses frequencies while
minimizing the total interference experienced in a network, either by area or
by traffic.

Chapter 11
General
Technology—this field displays the technology for which the frequency plan
will be generated.
Interference Matrix—this field displays the interference matrix chosen for

the frequency plan.
Neighbor List—this field displays the neighbor list chosen for the frequency
plan.

Plan
AFP—enable this check box to create a frequency plan that assigns available
carriers to sectors while attempting to minimize the total interference
experienced in the network.
HSN—enable this check box to plan the Hopping Sequence Numbers (HSN)
for the sectors. HSNs are used to inform a mobile which of the 64 possible
hopping sequences are used by a transceiver. HSN planning is only available
for GSM technology.
MAIO—enable this check box to plan Mobile Allocation Index Offsets (MAIOs)
for the transceivers. MAIOs are used to inform a mobile of the offset of the
carrier that it is to be used. MAIO planning is only available for GSM
technology.

Chapter 11
Minimize Cost
Use this section to define the method that you want to use to minimize
incurred interference costs. Choose one of the following methods of
minimizing cost:
n Affected Area—defines the amount of coverage area for each

sector that you consider acceptable to be affected by
interference.
n Affected Traffic—defines the amount of traffic handled by
any sector that you consider acceptable to be affected by
interference. You can define this as a percentage of the total
traffic carried by the cell or as an absolute traffic value in
MilliErlangs (mE).
n Km2—choose this option to use the portion (defined as an
absolute value in km2) of any sector’s coverage area that you
consider acceptable to be affected by interference.
n %—choose this option to use the percentage of any sector’s
coverage area that you consider acceptable to be affected by
interference.
n ME—choose this option to use the amount of traffic in a sector
(defined as an absolute traffic value in mE) that you consider
acceptable to be affected by interference.
n %—choose this option to use the percentage of the total traffic
carried by a sector that you consider acceptable to be affected
by interference.
Ignore Interference Less Than—type in this box a percentage value below

which interference will be ignored by the frequency plan. Use this option to
filter out very low interference values (i.e., interference values that are not
significant and would slow down the planning process).
Run—click this button to generate a frequency plan for the chosen technology.
Once the frequency plan is created, the Reports panel is displayed.

Frequency Planning
by traffic.

Chapter 11
AFP
Use the AFP panel to define the optimization method to be used by the
Automatic Frequency Planning tool, its quality/speed setting, and whether an
existing frequency plan is to serve as the starting point for the optimization
process. You can also indicate whether you want to conserve spectrum and
increase frequency reuse or to use the full range of spectrum and reduce
frequency reuse.

Optimization
Optimization Method—choose from this list one of the following frequency
planning optimization methods:
n Planet Fast—this faster optimization method will not assign

carriers if the specified constraints will be violated. Control
over the accepted level of interference in the network is given
to the planner. You define the thresholds for the amount of
interference experienced by carriers. Anything above the
specified thresholds is considered not feasible. Ideally, you
should plan increasingly smaller values for the thresholds while
maintaining acceptable levels of interference across the
network. To obtain a good quality frequency plan, it is
recommended that you define at least one threshold.
n Planet Optimizer—this optimization method attempts to find

the frequency plan with the smallest measure of network
interference from a choice of several feasible plans; it will
assign carriers even if some of the specified constraints are
broken. For example, with this method, the frequency plan
starts from an initial configuration, possibly with many
violations and a very large cost, and progresses to solutions
with lower costs. Although the Planet Optimizer method takes
longer than Planet Fast, it makes better use of the interference
information and increases the likelihood of obtaining a quality
frequency plan.
Quality/Speed—choose from this list a value to define the quality and speed
of the frequency planning process or type a value in the box. This option is
available for both the Planet Optimizer and Planet Fast optimization methods.
A value of 0 means that the frequency plan will be completed with the
minimum number of iterations. This is useful if you want to fine tune the
planning process (for example, to check the effects of changing a threshold

Chapter 11
value). A value of 10 uses the maximum number of iterations, which takes

more time but produces a higher quality plan.
TIP: You can also set the quality and speed ratio for the planning process
using the adjacent slider.
Random Seed—type in this box a number from which to start the frequency
planning algorithm. The random seed number enables you to start the
algorithm from different points, which can produce slightly different results
when you run the frequency plan. For example, you can run the same plan
multiple times using different random seed numbers and then choose the
version that gives you the best result.

Carrier Usage
Minimize—choose this option to use a cost function to minimize the spectrum
span used while keeping the network interference to a minimum.
Use All—choose this option to use the full available bandwidth with a cost
function to minimize frequency reuse.
Use The Current Frequency Plan As The Starting Point—enable this

check box to use an existing frequency plan as the starting point for the
optimization process. Using an existing plan is useful if the plan is of high
quality and you only intend to make minor changes.
Run—click this button to generate a frequency plan for the chosen

technology. Once the frequency plan is created, the Reports panel is
displayed.

Chapter 11
Frequency Planning
by traffic.

HSN/MAIO
Use the HSN/MAIO panel to define Hopping Sequence Number (HSN) and
Mobile Allocation Index Offset (MAIO) planning parameters.
n HSN informs the mobile which of 64 possible hopping sequences is used by the
site or sector.
n MAIO informs the mobile of the offset of the starting point in the HSN
sequence.

Chapter 11
HSN
The HSN section is only available if you enabled the HSN check box on the
General panel.
Keep—enable this check box to keep existing HSN assignments. If this check
box is enabled, HSNs are only planned for transceivers or sectors with no
assignments. If this check box is cleared, HSNs are planned for all transceivers
or sectors, overwriting any existing assignments.
Plan—enable this check box to plan HSN assignments for transceivers,

sectors, or sites. If both the Keep and Plan check boxes are enabled, HSNs are
planned for any transceivers that do not already have HSNs assigned. For
transceivers that have HSNs assigned, the existing assignments will not be
reduced, but will be increased if the plan shows that more HSNs are required.
Planning Mode—choose from this list one of the following types of planning
modes:
n Cyclic—uses cyclic hopping, which assigns an HSN of 0 to all

transceivers. With this method, the hopping sequence starts
from the lowest carrier frequency assigned to the transceivers
in the assigned mobile allocation list (MAL) and hops
progressively through higher frequencies.
n Random—uses random hopping, which randomly assigns
HSNs while minimizing the amount of co-channel/HSN reuse
between sectors.
HSN Assignment—choose from this list the level at which you want to assign
HSNs:
l Transceiver—assigns an HSN code to each synthesized hopping transceiver,

and any baseband hopping sectors within the chosen group of sites will be
assigned HSN codes on a per-sector basis.
l Sector—assigns a single HSN code to all hopping transceivers on a sector.
l Site—assigns a single HSN code to all hopping transceivers on a site.

Optimization Method—choose from this list one of the following methods

for HSN reuse:
l Distance-based—places HSN values as far apart as physically possible.
l Interference-based—uses interference and handover information to

determine the most suitable sectors for reuse of the same HSN values. If no
interference information exists between a pair of sectors, the distance
method is used.

Chapter 11
MAIO
The MAIO section is only available if you enabled the MAIO check box on the
General panel.
Keep—enable this check box to keep MAIO assignments made for

transceivers. If this check box is enabled, the Automatic Frequency Planning
tool can only plan for the transceivers with no MAIO assignments. If this check
box is cleared, the Automatic Frequency Planning tool can plan for all
transceivers in the sector, overwriting any existing MAIO assignments.
Plan—enable this check box to plan MAIOs for transceivers.
Run—click this button to generate a frequency plan for the chosen technology.
Once the frequency plan is created, the Reports panel is displayed.

Generating a frequency plan

Once you have defined all of the required settings for your frequency plan,
you can generate the frequency plan. You can generate a frequency plan
from any panel of the Frequency Planning dialog box.
Once you have generated a frequency plan, you can define display options,
choose which reports to view, save a report, and apply the frequency plan to a
project.
To generate a frequency plan

1 In the Frequency Planning dialog box, click Run.
2 When the frequency plan is complete, in the AFP dialog box, click
Close.
The Reports panel opens.
3 On the Reports panel, in the Violations To Remove From

Presentation section, enable the check boxes for the violations
that you want to remove from the plan.
You can include a violation by clearing its check box.

This is a post-processing option that works dynamically until you save
the plan. For example, you can produce a frequency plan, view the
reports, and then choose one or more violations to be excluded from
the frequency plan. You can experiment with removing and including
violations until you determine which combination creates the best plan.
When you save and apply the plan, if you removed a violation, any
assignments with that violation will be excluded from the plan. If you do
not remove a violation, any assignments with that violation will be
included, which means that the plan can include assignments that
violate constraints that you have defined.
4 To view reports, from the Report Type list, choose the type of
report that you want to view and click View.
The AFP Report dialog box opens.

Chapter 11
5 If you want to save the report as a comma-separated value (.csv)

file, click Export, navigate to the folder where you want to save the
file, type a name for the file, and click Save.
6 In the AFP Report dialog box, click Close.
7 In the Frequency Planning dialog box, click OK.
8 In the Save Frequency Plan As dialog box, type a name for the

plan and click Save.

Applying a frequency plan to TDMA/FDMA sectors

After you save a frequency plan, you can apply it to the sectors in the group
that you used to create the frequency plan. You can also remove any existing
carrier assignments from the sectors in the group.
To apply a frequency plan

When you apply a frequency plan, the carriers for the group of sectors used to
create the plan are updated with the information in the plan. You have the
option of overwriting any sector-specific carrier settings for the project with
the settings contained in the frequency plan.
1 In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, right-click a

frequency and color code plan under the Frequency and Color
Code Plans node and choose Apply.
The Apply Frequency Plan dialog box opens.
2 For each carrier type in the Carrier Type table, do the following:
n In the Apply Plan column, enable the check box to apply the
carrier type to the sectors in the group. These check boxes are
only available for carrier types allocated as part of the
frequency plan.
n In the Remove Existing column, enable the check box to
remove transceivers with the associated carrier type from the
sectors in the group. These check boxes are only available for
carrier types that existed when the frequency plan was
created.
3 For each color code in the Color Code table, do the following:
color code to the sectors in the group.

Chapter 11

remove transceivers with the associated color code from the
sectors in the group.
4 In the Remove Existing column, enable the check boxes for any
transceivers with the associated carrier type that you want to
remove from the sectors in the network.
These check boxes are only available for carrier types that existed when
the frequency plan was imported.
5 In the Sectors Not In Frequency Plan section, choose an option

for the sectors that are not included in the plan:
n Clear Carriers And Color Codes—removes existing carrier

and color code assignments
n Preserve Carriers And Color Codes—keeps existing carrier
6 Click OK.
7 In the Frequency Planning dialog box, click Yes to apply the

frequency plan and override the carrier settings for the sectors in
the plan.
8 Generate any analyses for the project again to update the results
using the new frequency values.

Working With Frequency And Color Code Plans
Chapter 12 Working With Frequency And Color

Code Plans
Basic frequency planning functionality enables you to import and work with
existing frequency plans, but not automatically create frequency plans. To
create frequency plans automatically, you need to use the Automatic
Frequency Planning tool.
Understanding frequency and color code planning 328
Workflow for frequency and color code planning 330
Generating and viewing color codes 331
General Settings 334
Constraints 337
Enable 338
Constraints 339
Constraint Type 341
Viewing sector-to-sector interference based on a frequency plan 350

Chapter 12
Understanding frequency and color code planning

Frequency and color code planning is the process of assigning carriers, mobile
allocation lists (MALs), color codes, and other parameters to sectors to
minimize the total interference experienced in the network.
To create a frequency and color code plan, you can do any of the following:
n Save the current frequency and color code assignments in the

sector settings.
n Create a new plan using the Import/Export Wizard.
n Use the Automatic Frequency Planning tool.
Constraints for color code planning

To generate color codes for sectors, you must define constraints to guide the
assignment process. The constraints that you define can be soft (i.e., the
constraint should be respected, but can be broken if necessary to assign a
color code) or hard (i.e., the constraint cannot be broken to assign a color
code). Any color codes that you have defined as illegal at the sector level are
considered hard constraints.
By default, color codes are assigned so that reused color codes are placed as
physically far apart as possible. However, you can also use an interference
matrix to guide the assignment process. An interference matrix compares
signal strengths throughout the network and identifies the sectors that
potentially interfere with each other. By using an interference matrix, you can
minimize the total interference experienced by the chosen group of sectors
when assigning color codes according to the values in the interference matrix.
In addition, to help prevent the assignment of the same carrier/color code

combination for neighboring sectors, you can use a neighbor list as input for
color code planning.

Costs for color code planning

For each incidence of color code reuse (i.e., for each sector that is assigned to
the same color code as another sector), there are two types of costs:
n Interference cost—a measure of the interference generated

by a color code assignment. The amount of interference
potentially generated by an assignment can be determined by
how close reused color codes are placed to one another. It can
also be determined from information provided by an
interference matrix.
n Violation cost—the sum of the cost factors incurred for
breaching specified constraints when color codes are assigned.
Soft constraints can be broken, but hard constraints cannot.
The color code planning process attempts to create color codes with the
lowest costs. As a result, a balance between low interference costs and low
violation costs is reached.

Chapter 12
Workflow for frequency and color code planning

Step 1 Create a frequency and color plan by doing one of the following:
n Save the current frequency and color code assignments.

n Generate a frequency and color code plan using the Automatic
Frequency Planning (AFP) tool. You can optionally use the
Interactive Frequency Planning (IFP) tool to tune the plan.
Step 2 If you want to generate color codes, do the following:
n Optionally, create an interference matrix using the group of

sectors to which the frequency plan applies. This step is not
necessary if you created a plan using the Automatic Frequency
Tool or if you do not want to set color code planning constraints
based on interference.
n Optionally, create a neighbor list using the group of sectors to
which the frequency plan applies. This step is not necessary if you
created a plan using the Automatic Frequency Tool or if you do not
want to set color code planning constraints based on a neighbor
list.
n Generate color codes.
Step 3 Apply the frequency and color code plan to the group of sectors.

Generating and viewing color codes

If you saved the current frequency and color code assignments, you can view
any current color code assignments in two ways:
n in tabular format
n in a Map window
If you created the frequency and color code plan using the Automatic
Frequency Planning tool, you need to generate the color codes before you can
view them.
To generate color codes

1 In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, right-click
Frequency And Color Code Plans and choose Color Code
Planning.
2 Define color code settings and constraints as required and click

Generate.

Chapter 12
To view color codes for TDMA-FDMA sectors in the Map

window
n In the Project Explorer, right-click the frequency and color
code plan, and choose View Color Code In Map Window.
TIP: If the plan contains only one color code type (for example, for GSM
technology, only BSIC is available), the color codes are displayed in the Map
window
To view color code properties

Properties include both the settings that were used to generate the color codes
and a list of the codes that were generated. After you generate color codes,
you can view the color code properties.

frequency and color code plan and choose Color Code
Properties.
The Color Code Planning dialog box opens.
2 To view the list of color codes that were generated, choose View
in the tree view.

Color Code Planning

Use the Color Code Planning dialog box to plan the assignment of color codes
with the best possible reuse. Color codes can be planned for sectors that use
GSM, NAMPS, IS-136, and user-defined technologies. You can only generate
a color code plan for one network technology at a time.

Chapter 12
General Settings
Use the General Settings panel to choose the technology for which you want to
plan color codes. You can also chose the color code type you want to plan; for
example, for NAMPS, you can plan the Digital Color Code (DCC), used by the
control channel, or the Supervisory Audio Tone (SAT), used by the traffic
channels.
Technology—displays the technology for which the color code plan will be
generated.
Color Code Type—choose from this list the color code type for which you
want to plan. The available color code types depend on the chosen technology.
The following table lists the color code types for each technology and valid
ranges for color codes.
Technology Color Code Type Range

GSM BSIC, which is a concatenation NCC—0-7
of:
BCC—0-7
l National Color Code (NCC)
l Base station Color Code (BCC)

NAMPS l Digital Color Code (DCC), which DCC—0-3
is transmitted on the analog
control channel DSAT—0-6
l Digital Supervisory Audio Tone

(DSAT) for each voice channel
IS-136 l DCC, which is transmitted on the DCC—0-3
analog control channel
DVCC—1-
l Digital Verification Color Code 255
(DVCC), which is transmitted on
digital voice channels SAT—0-2
l Supervisory Audio Tone (SAT)

for each voice channel
iDEN Color Code (CC) CC—0-15
User CC, by default CC—0-255

Technology Color Code Type Range

Defined
Frequency Plan—displays the frequency plan that the color code is

associated with.
Technology Band—choose from this list the technology band for which you
want to plan color codes.

Chapter 12
Color Code Planning

Use the Color Code Planning dialog box to plan the assignment of color codes
with the best possible reuse. Color codes can be planned for sectors that use
GSM, NAMPS, IS-136, and user-defined technologies. You can only generate a
color code plan for one network technology at a time.

Constraints
Use the Constraints panel to define the constraints that you want to use to
guide the color code assignment process. The constraints that you define can
be soft (i.e., the constraint should be respected, but can be broken if
necessary to make an assignment) or hard (i.e., the constraint cannot be
broken to make an assignment). Any color codes that you have defined as
illegal at the sector level are considered hard constraints.

Chapter 12
Enable
In this column, enable the check box beside each of the constraints that you
want to use for your color code plan.

Constraints
This column lists the various constraints that can be enabled for your color
code plan. The available constraints include:
Maximize Distance—choose this option to use an optimization method that

plans color code assignments so that the maximum distance between each
assignment of the same carrier/color code combination is achieved. This
method is used by default (even if the Minimize Interference method is
enabled, this method will take effect for any sector for which there is no
interference information). This method is faster than the Minimize Distance
method, but it does not consider physical terrain when making assignments.
Minimize Interference—choose this option to choose an optimization

method that plans color code assignments so that the minimum amount of
interference is incurred. To use this option, you must choose an interference
matrix from the Interference Matrix list. This method relies on the information
contained in an interference matrix to obtain optimal color code assignments.
However, it does take more time to generate than the Maximize Distance
method and overlapping prediction information for the planned sector must
be provided in the interference matrix.
For the Minimize Interference constraint, choose one of the following

constraints from the adjacent list:
n Affected Area—choose this option to minimize costs by the

portion of any sector’s coverage area that you consider
acceptable to be affected by interference.
n Affected Traffic—choose this option to minimize costs by the
amount of traffic in a sector that you consider acceptable to be
affected by interference.
Different Codes For Neighbors—choose this option to use different color

codes for neighboring sectors. If this option is enabled, you must choose a
neighbor list for the sectors you are planning from the adjacent list.
Same Codes Per Site—choose this option to use the same color code for
each carrier in a site.

Chapter 12
Avoid Code Reuse Within MSC—choose this option to use different color
codes within a mobile switching center (MSC). By default, this constraint uses a
soft constraint type. This constraint is only valid if you have defined MSCs for
the sectors in your project. For information on defining MSCs, see “To define
technology sector settings”.
Avoid Code Reuse Within BSC—choose this option to use different color
codes within a base station controller (BSC). This constraint is only valid if you
have defined BSCs for the sectors in your project. For information on defining
BSCs, see “To define technology sector settings”.
Fixed NCC—choose this option to use a fixed Nation Color Code (NCC). If this
option is enabled, you must choose a value to be used from the far list. An NCC
is only used for GSM technology.

Constraint Type
Choose from this list a constraint type for each constraint that you have
enabled. With the exception of the Minimize Interference constraints, the
available constraint types are:
n Soft—choose this option to make the enabled constraint soft. A soft constraint
can be broken in order to make an assignment.
n Hard—choose this option to make the enabled constraint hard. A hard

constraint cannot be broken in order to make an assignment.

Chapter 12
Using basic frequency and color code planning

functions
This section explains the options that are available for existing frequency and
color code plans.
To open a frequency and color code plan

Frequency and Color Code Plans, and choose Open.
2 In the Open dialog box, navigate to the plan that you want to
open, and click Open.
The plan is added to the list under the Frequency and Color Code Plans
node.
To save frequency and color code assignments

You can save the current frequency and color code assignments for your
sectors as a plan, and make the plan available under the Frequency and Color
Code Plans node in the Project Explorer.

Frequency and Color Code Plans and choose Save Current.
The Sector Selection dialog box opens.
2 In the Sector Selection dialog box, specify the sectors whose

frequency and color code assignment you want to save by
section:
n All TDMA Sectors to generate analyses for all TDMA/FDMA

and GSM sectors in the project.
Map window.


queries.
3 In the Band Filtering section, enable the band you want to

If you enable more than one band, an error message displays stating
that selected sectors must be from the same band.
The sectors that will be included in the frequency plan are displayed in
the Selected Sectors list.
4 Click OK.
5 In the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder where you want
to save the plan, type a name for the plan, and click Save.
node.
To view a frequency and color code plan report

The Frequency Plan Report provides a quick way of viewing site, sector,
carrier number, carrier type, and color code information.
1 In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, expand

Frequency And Color Code Plans.
2 Right-click the name of the plan you want to view and choose
View.
The Frequency Plan Report dialog box opens.

Chapter 12
To apply a frequency and color code plan

When you apply a frequency and color code plan, the carriers and color codes
for the group of sectors used to create the plan are updated with the
information in the plan. You have the option of overwriting any sector-specific
carrier and color code settings for the project with the settings contained in the
frequency and color code plan.

frequency plan.
created.

5 In the Sectors Not In Frequency Plan section, choose an

option for the sectors that are not included in the plan:

6 Click OK.

the plan.
To export a frequency and color code plan

Exporting a frequency and color code plan means saving frequency and color
code planning information, such as site ID, sector ID, and carrier and hopping
information (MAL, MAIO, and HSN) to a text file.

2 Right-click the name of the plan that you want to export to a text
file and choose Export.
to store the plan, type a name for the plan in the File Name box,
and click Save.

Chapter 12
Using basic frequency and color code planning

functions
This section explains the options that are available for existing frequency and
color code plans.
To open a frequency and color code plan

Frequency And Color Code Plans, and choose Open.
2 In the Open dialog box, navigate to the plan that you want to
open, and click Open.
node.
To save frequency and color code assignments

You can save the current frequency and color code assignments for your
sectors as a plan, and make the plan available under the Frequency and Color
Code Plans node in the Project Explorer.

Frequency And Color Code Plans and choose Save Current.
The Sector Selection dialog box opens.
2 In the Sector Selection dialog box, specify the sectors whose

frequency and color code assignment you want to save by
section:
n All TDMA Sectors to generate analyses for all TDMA/FDMA

and GSM sectors in the project.
Map window.


queries.
3 In the Band Filtering section, enable the band you want to

If you enable more than one band, an error message displays stating
that selected sectors must be from the same band.
The sectors that will be included in the frequency plan are displayed in
the Selected Sectors list.
4 Click OK.
to save the plan, type a name for the plan, and click Save.
node.
To view a frequency and color code plan report

The Frequency Plan Report provides a quick way of viewing site, sector,
carrier number, carrier type, and color code information.

2 Right-click the name of the plan you want to view and choose
View.
The Frequency Plan Report dialog box opens.

Chapter 12
To apply a frequency and color code plan

When you apply a frequency and color code plan, the carriers and color codes
for the group of sectors used to create the plan are updated with the
information in the plan. You have the option of overwriting any sector-specific
carrier and color code settings for the project with the settings contained in the
frequency and color code plan.

frequency plan.
created.

5 In the Sectors Not In Frequency Plan section, choose an

option for the sectors that are not included in the plan:

6 Click OK.

the plan.
To export a frequency and color code plan

Exporting a frequency and color code plan means saving frequency and color
code planning information, such as site ID, sector ID, and carrier and hopping
information (MAL, MAIO, and HSN) to a text file.

2 Right-click the name of the plan that you want to export to a text
file and choose Export.
to store the plan, type a name for the plan in the File Name box,
and click Save.

Chapter 12
Viewing sector-to-sector interference based on a

frequency plan
You can view a visual representation of the sources of interferers for a sector
and their intensity in a Map window.
To view interferers for a TDMA/FDMA sector based on a

frequency plan
1 In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click the
sector you want to view and choose Display Interference.
2 In the Display Interference dialog box, from the Number Of

Interferers To Display list, choose the maximum number of
interferers to display for the chosen sector.
3 In the Interference Metric section, choose the type of

interference matrix you want to display.
4 Click OK.
The sector-to-sector interference is shown using red lines in the active

Map window.

Generating Frequency And Preamble Plans Interactively
Chapter 13 Generating Frequency And Preamble

Plans Interactively
Interactive frequency planning differs from automatic frequency planning in

that automatic frequency planning uses the settings that you define to create
a plan automatically with the lowest cost that violates the fewest constraints.
You cannot modify individual carrier assignments. Interactive frequency
planning enables you to evaluate the interference costs and violations
associated with carrier assignments and modify individual assignments as
required before applying the plan.
And, while interactive frequency planning can be used on its own, it can also
be used as a supplement to automatic frequency planning (AFP), by creating a
plan using AFP and then fine-tuning it using interactive frequency planning.
Interactive frequency planning provides detailed information on interference
costs and violations for all sites, sectors, and carriers.
Understanding interactive frequency planning 352
Workflow for interactive frequency and preamble planning 353
Creating a frequency and preamble plan 354
Editing the IFPP settings 358
IFPP Settings 359
Frequency 360
Interference Threshold 361
Channel Allocation Cost 362
IFPP Settings 363
Preamble 364
Editing the cost color assignments 366
Applying a saved frequency and preamble plan 367
Viewing a saved frequency and preamble plan 368

Chapter 13
Understanding interactive frequency planning

The Interactive Frequency and Preamble Planning (IFPP) tool enables you to
view the created, received, and total (created and received) interference for
each sector. You are then able to identify the sectors that are the most
interfered with and the sectors that are the most interfering.
The IFPP tool gives you the further ability to examine interference information
at the channel level. For the channel(s) that are assigned to a sector, you can
see which channels create most of the interference and the associated
violations and violation costs.
Additional functionality in the IFPP tool includes the ability to do the following:
n manually modify channel assignments

n manually modify preamble assignments
n view the impact of the new channel and preamble assignments
as they relate to interference and the constraints you define
n add and remove channels
The IFPP tool is especially useful when planning a new site since it enables you
to quickly asses which channel(s) and which preamble should be assigned to
the new site.
For more general information on frequency and preamble plans, sTable

Chapter 11.

Workflow for interactive frequency and preamble

planning
Step 1 Create a group of sites that you will use for your interference
matrix, neighbor list, and frequency and preamble planning. See
“Working with Sites and Sectors” in the Mentum Planet User Guide .
Step 2 Create an interference matrix and a neighbor list using the same
group of sites. See “Working with Interference Matrices” and
“Working with Neighbor Lists” in the Mentum Planet User Guide .
Step 3 Define settings, create a frequency and preamble plan, and either
save it or apply it to the sectors in your network.
Step 4 If required, apply the saved frequency and preamble plan to the
sectors in your network.

Chapter 13
Creating a frequency and preamble plan

To create a frequency and preamble plan with the Interactive Frequency and
Preamble Planning (IFPP) tool, you must first choose a group of sites, a
frequency band, an interference matrix, and, optionally, a neighbor list. The
IFPP tool enables you to view the frequency and preamble assignments for a
chosen group of sectors (e.g., a defined group, all sectors, or a group of
individual sectors that you select), evaluate the interference costs and
violations associated with each assignment, and modify the assignments to
achieve the optimal plan.
You can then save the plan for future use or apply it to the sectors in your
network.
To create a frequency or preamble plan

1 Choose Tools Interactive Frequency Planning►WiMAX
TDD.
2 In the Configuration section, do the following:
n From the Group to Plan list, choose the sector group for which
you want to plan frequencies and preamble indices.
n From the Frequency Band list, choose the frequency band for
which you want to plan frequencies and preamble indices.
Sectors that belong to the group to plan but are not part of the
selected frequency band are not displayed in the IFPP tool.
n From the Frame Configuration list, choose the frame
configuration for which you want to plan frequencies and
preamble indices. Sectors that belong to the group to plan but
do not use the selected frame configuration are not displayed
in the IFPP tool.
n From the Interference Matrix list, choose the interference
matrix to use in the calculation of interference costs. An
interference matrix is required for frequency and preamble
planning. Sectors that are included in the interference matrix

but are not part of the selected sector group are displayed in
the Cost Breakdown section of the IFPP tool.
n From the Neighbor List list, choose the neighbor list to use in
the calculation of violation costs. A neighbor list is an optional
input to frequency and preamble planning.
3 Click OK.
The IFPP dialog box opens.
4 In the Cost section, in the Show Cost For category, choose one
of the following options:
n Victim—to show victim costs in the frequency and preamble

plan (i.e., costs incurred as the result of interference caused
by other sectors).
n Offender—to show offender costs in the frequency and
preamble plan.
n Victim + Offender—to show costs for both the victim and the
offender in the frequency and preamble plan.
5 In the Value category, choose one of the following options:
n Absolute—to show absolute interference. Selecting this

option means that the values in the interference matrix are
normalized using the maximum served traffic.
n Relative—to show relative interference.
6 Enable the Show Considered Sectors check box to display in

the frequency and preamble plans those sectors that are included
in the interference matrix but are not part of the selected sector
group. Although not part of the sector selection, sectors that are
part of the interference matrix are considered when calculating
the costs.
7 If required, edit the frequency and preamble settings. See

“Editing the IFPP settings”.

Chapter 13
8 If required, edit the cost color assignments. See “Editing the cost
color assignments”.
9 On the Frequency Planning tab of the IFPP dialog, click any row
in the Frequency Plan section.
A Channel Information table displays within the IFPP dialog showing a

breakdown of the costs associated with each channel assigned to the
chosen sector. In addition, the Cost Breakdown and Channel
Assignment sections show detailed costs for the channels assigned to
the chosen sector.
10 In the Channel Information section, do any of the following:
n Click Add to add a new channel entry.

n Click Remove to delete the selected channel entry.
11 Click the Preamble Planning tab of the IFPP dialog.
12 Click any row in the Preamble Plan section.
A Channel Information table displays within the IFPP dialog showing a

breakdown of the costs associated with each channel assigned to the

chosen sector. In addition, the Cost Breakdown and Channel

Assignment sections show detailed costs for the channels assigned to
the chosen sector.
13 When you have completed the frequency and preamble plan,

from the File menu, choose to apply or save the plan.
TIP: You can copy a saved plan by right-clicking it in the Project Explorer and
choosing the Save Copy As command. This can be useful if you want to
experiment with different scenarios.

Chapter 13
Editing the IFPP settings

Use the IFPP Settings dialog box to define interference thresholds and
violation costs.
To edit IFPP settings

1 In the IFPP dialog box, choose File ►Settings.
The IFPP Settings dialog box opens.
2 Click the Frequency tab and modify interference thresholds and

channel allocation costs as required.
3 Click the Preamble tab and modify preamble IFPP conditions as

required.
4 Click OK.
When you re-open the IFPP dialog box, the current settings are applied.

IFPP Settings
Use the Interactive Frequency and Preamble Planning (IFPP) Settings dialog
box to define interference thresholds and channel allocations costs.

Chapter 13
Frequency

Interference Threshold
Use this section to define interference thresholds and associated violation
costs. The co-channel and adjacent-channel interference thresholds
determine which interferers are displayed in the Cost Breakdown section.
Sectors that have less interference than the defined thresholds are not
displayed, and therefore, not accounted for, in cost calculations.
Threshold (%)—click in this field to define interference thresholds (as

percentages) for co-channel or adjacent-channel interference. These
thresholds determine how interferers are filtered and displayed in the Cost
Breakdown section.
Violation Cost—click in this field to define the cost incurred when the
threshold is surpassed.

Chapter 13
Channel Allocation Cost

Same Sector—type in this box the violation cost incurred when the associated
channel separation is violated on the same sector. This setting represents the
minimum separation between channels that are assigned to the same sector.
The separation unit is a channel bandwidth (i.e., a separation of 2 equals two
channel bandwidths). The minimum same sector channel separation is 1. If a
sector needs more than one channel, the minimum separation between
channels is 1 x channel bandwidth. The same channel will not be used twice by
the same sector.
Same Site—type in this box the violation cost incurred when the associated
channel separation is violated on the same site. This setting represents the
minimum separation between channels that are assigned to the same site.
The separation unit is a channel bandwidth (i.e., a separation of 2 equals two
channel bandwidths). The minimum same site channel separation is 0.
Neighbor—type in this box the violation cost incurred when the associated
channel separation is violated between neighbors. This setting represents the
minimum separation between channels that are assigned to neighbor. The
separation unit is a channel bandwidth (i.e., a separation of 2 equals two
channel bandwidths). The minimum neighbor channel separation is 0.
Add—click this button to add a row to the Channel Allocation Cost table.
Remove—click this button to remove a row from the Channel Allocation Cost
table.

IFPP Settings
Use the Interactive Frequency and Preamble Planning (IFPP) Settings dialog
box to define interference thresholds and channel allocations costs.

Chapter 13
Preamble
Condition—click in the associated Cost field to define the cost of breaking the
constraint. The conditions displayed depend on the site and sector
configuration.
l Neighbors, Same Preamble—ensures that identical preamble indexes are

not assigned to neighbor sectors.
l 2nd-Tier Neighbors, Same ID Cells—ensures that co-channel indirect

neighbors are not assigned the same uplink ID cells.
l Co-Site, Different ID Cells—ensures that co-site co-channel sectors have

the same subchannel construction in order to avoid overlap between
subchannels.
l Same Segment ID—ensures that different segment IDs are assigned to co-
channel sectors that have high co-channel interference. Co-channel sectors
with the same segment ID use the same preamble carrier-set for preamble
transmission; hence, co-channel sectors located close to each other (whether
neighbor sectors or not) will have a high preamble interference if they use the
same Segment ID
l Non Co-Site, ID Cell Separations of 0, 12, 24—ensures that preambles

with ID cells separations of 0, 12 or 24 are assigned to non co-site sectors with
low co-channel interference. ID Cell values separated by 0, 12 or 24 result in
subchannels with a very high level of correlation.
l Non Co-Site, ID Cell Separations of 6, 18, 30—ensures that preambles

with ID cells separations of 6, 18, 30 are assigned to non co-site sectors with
low co-channel interference. ID Cell separated by 6, 18, 30 result in
subchannels with a high level of correlation.
l Non Co-Site, ID Cell Separations of 4, 8, 16, 20, 28—ensures that

preambles with ID cells separations of 4, 8, 16, 20, 28 are assigned to non co-
site sectors with low co-channel interference. ID Cell separated by 4, 8, 16, 20,
28 results in subchannels with a medium level of correlation.

Same Preamble to Non Co-Channel Co-Site Sectors—enable this check

box to assign the same preamble to co-site sectors that are not using the
same channel. When two or more sectors at the same site have a channel in
common, this constraint is not applied to the site.
Reserve Preamble Index—enable this check box to enter the range of the
preamble index in the associated box. You can type reserved preamble
indices separated by a comma (e.g., 5,6,7) or you can enter a range (e.g., 5-
7). By default, the preamble indices ranging from 96 to 113 are reserved.

Chapter 13
Editing the cost color assignments

Use the Cost Color Assignment dialog box to define the cost threshold for IFPP
calculations. Using color to display IFPP results makes it easier to identify
potential issues.
To edit the cost color assignment

1 In the IFPP dialog box, choose File Color Assignments.
The Cost Color Assignment dialog box opens.
2 In the Maximum Cost box, define the maximum violation cost.
3 In the Minimum Cost box, define the minimum violation cost.
4 Enable the Show Cost Colors check box to display IFPP results
using the color range.
Results where the maximum cost is met or surpassed are displayed in

red in the IFPP dialog box.
Results where the cost is equal to the minimum cost are displayed in
green.
Violation costs that fall between the maximum and minimum values are
displayed according to the color range.

Applying a saved frequency and preamble plan

After you save a frequency and preamble plan, you can apply it to the sectors
in the group that you used to create the plan.
To apply a saved frequency and preamble plan

1 In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, expand the
Frequency and Preamble Plans node.
2 Expand the WiMAX TDDTDMA-FDMA node, right-click the plan

you want to apply, and choose Apply.
3 In the Network Update dialog box, click Yes.

Chapter 13
Viewing a saved frequency and preamble plan

Once you have saved a frequency and preamble plan, you can view details in
the Map window or in a report.
To view a saved frequency and preamble plan

1 In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, expand the
Frequency and Preamble Plans node.
2 Expand the WiMAX TDDTDMA-FDMA node, right-click the plan

you want to view, and choose one of the following commands:
n View In Map Window—to select and view plan parameters

associated with each sector in the Map window.
n Display Report—to view the report in the Report Preview
dialog box.
TIP: To view the settings used to generate the plan, right-click it and choose
Properties.

Working With The Tabular Editor
Chapter 14 Working With The Tabular Editor
A key stage of network planning revolves around the analysis of network data
and the subsequent updates to network and site parameters that eventually
produce a network model with which you are satisfied. The Tabular Editor is a
powerful tool that you can use to globally edit project parameters.
Working with the Tabular Editor 370

Chapter 14
Working with the Tabular Editor

Using the Tabular Editor, you can quickly and easily modify project data. By
freezing panes, you can compare values and analyze results. Information is
organized on separate worksheets (see Figure 14.1). The worksheets and
columns that the Tabular Editor displays depends on how you open the dialog
box. For example, you can open the Tabular Editor from the Sites node in the
Project Data category and view all site, sector, and antenna information. Or,
you can open it from the Link Configuration node to view only the link
configurations contained in your project.
If custom data columns have been created by the Data Manager

Administrator, these columns will be available on the Sites and/or Sectors
worksheets in the Tabular Editor after you have connected to Data Manager
Server. You can add values or edit existing custom column data using the
Tabular Editor.
Figure 14.1: Tabular Editor displaying project worksheets
NOTE: If you want to globally edit network settings, you must use the
Import/Export Wizard. Network settings are not visible in the Tabular Editor.
To edit sites, flags, or link configurations

1 In the Project Explorer, do any of the following:

Working With The Tabular Editor
n To edit site parameters, in the Sites category, right-click the

Sites node and choose Tabular Edit.
n To edit Flags, in the Sites category, right-click the Sites node
and choose Tabular Edit.
n To edit link configurations, in the Project Data category,
right-click Link Configurations and choose Tabular Edit.
2 To modify data, in the Tabular Editor, do any of the following:
n Double-click in a table cell and type a new value.

n Click the down arrow in a table cell and choose a new value.
n Enable or clear the check box for the chosen setting.
n Right-click in a table cell to copy and paste data.
n Click the down arrow next to a table heading to display all the
data or a particular subset. When a filter has been applied, the
down arrow changes to the filter icon.
3 To change the Tabular Editor display, do any of the following:
n Click the Change Options button to specify which worksheets

and columns to display in the Tabular Editor.
n Click the Sort Ascending button to reorder the rows based on
the data in the selected column.
n Click the Sort Descending button to reorder the rows based
on the data in the selected column.
n Place the pointer between column headings to increase or
decrease the size of the column.
n Enable the Freeze Panes check box to lock rows and columns
in one area so that they remain visible when you scroll. This is
useful, for example, if you want to freeze a particular column
and then scroll through subsequent columns comparing the
values.

Chapter 14
4 To copy data to the clipboard, click the Copy To Clipboard

button.
5 To paste from the clipboard, click the Paste From Clipboard

button.
6 To view statistics on column data, choose one or more data

columns and click the Generate Statistics button.
The Generated Statistics dialog box opens where you can view statistical
information for each column you chose.
7 To display labels in the Map window based on column data, click a

tab in the Tabular Editor that contains site or sector columns,
choose a data column, and click the Generate Labels button.
Labels are displayed in the Map window at each site.
8 When you have finished modifying or examining the data, click

Close.
NOTE: There are some columns that you cannot edit in the Tabular Editor.
These columns are grayed out.
TIP: To quickly copy a value across all rows in a column in the Tabular Editor,
type the new value in the first cell of the column, click the column header to
select the column, and press CTRL+D. Then, click outside the column to make
the updates. Click Apply to save your changes.
TIP: To update displayed information with current data, click the Refresh
button. This update may be longer than when you click Apply because all data
is recomputed.

Importing And Exporting Data
Chapter 15 Importing And Exporting Data
You can import and export project data using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
(.xls or .xlsx) or comma separated value (.csv) files. This is useful when you
want to analyze data and, based on your analysis, edit site, sector, and
network parameters.
Importing, replacing, and exporting project data 374
Importing network data into Mentum Planet projects 381

Chapter 15
Importing, replacing, and exporting project data

Using the Import/Export Wizard, you can view project data in Microsoft Excel
spreadsheets (.xls or .xlsx) or comma separated value (.csv) files. When you
export data from your project to a spreadsheet, individual worksheets are
created in the .xls file or .xlsx for each category of project data. When you
export project data to .csv files, a folder is created containing individual .csv
files for each project data category. You can choose the types of project data
that you want to import or export. For example, you could import or export
only site and sector location data, but not the detailed sector settings. You can
also import or export project data only for specific sectors.
You can use the Import/Export command-line utility (iecon.exe) to export

Mentum Planet data to an .xls file, .xlsx, .csv file, or database. You can then
make changes to the data and use iecon.exe again to import the data back
into Mentum Planet or Data Manager. The iecon.exe utility is useful if you want
to automate the import and export of data using scripts (e.g., if you want to
make Mentum Planet data accessible to other systems via a database or
import updates to projects from another source). See “Appendix A:
Import/Export Command-Line Utility” in the Data Manager Server
Administrator Guide. When you use the iecon utility to import sites and
sectors, you must always include the Summary.csv file in the data import.
TIP: To specify the Import/Export Excel file format, choose Edit

Preferences. In the User Preferences dialog box, in the tree view, choose
Miscellaneous. In the Import Export Settings section, choose the default Excel
file extension (i.e., the Excel 2007-2003 format (.xls) or the new Excel
Workbook format (.xlsx)).
CAUTION: If your project is stored in Data Manager, and you export it and
re-import it using the Import/Export tool, Data Manager will treat it as a new
project if you use the Replace All Data option. In this case, if you want to
continue using the existing project, you must merge the new project into the
existing project. See Chapter 2, “Using Data Manager” in the Data Manager
User Guide.

Importing data
You can use .xls, .xlsx or .cvs files to add or remove sites, edit project
settings, and then import the new or updated data. Each worksheet in an .xls
file, .xlsx or each .csv file you use to import project data must contain the
required and mandatory columns, and must be formatted correctly for the
type of data in a column (i.e., text or numeric). Unless you specifically request
that data be replaced on import, data is never removed from a project when
you use the Import Wizard. For example, if the worksheet or .csv file from
which you are importing does not contain all of the sectors currently in your
project, only the sectors listed in the worksheet or .csv file are updated in the
project. The other sectors in your project are not affected by the Import
Wizard. If you are working with a large project and only want to update
specific project data, you can import individual worksheets or .csv files, and
include only the sites or sectors that require updating or are being added.
For descriptions of worksheets or .csv files and the columns they contain, valid
values and ranges, and an indication of required and mandatory columns, see
the Import Export Table Parameters folder in the Mentum Planet Help folder.
TIP: To ensure the proper worksheet or .csv file format when importing, use
previously exported .xls, .xlsx or .csv files to edit or update project data.
Replacing data
When you import data, you can choose to replace specific data. This can be
useful, for example, if:
n you want to delete sites from your project. When you delete a
site, however, you must delete the site from all dependent
worksheets.
n you want to change the prefix used in the site IDs (e.g., from
“Site” to “Ott”). When you change site IDs, however, you must
change the site ID on all dependent worksheets.
n you want to share and merge project data.

Chapter 15
Exporting data
When you export data to a spread sheet, individual worksheets are created in
the .xls or .xlsx file for each category of project data. When you export data to
a .csv file, a folder is created containing individual .csv files for each category
of project data. In addition, a Summary worksheet or .csv file is also created
for the exported project. For descriptions of the data types that can be
exported, and the corresponding location (dialog box) of the field in the
Mentum Planet graphical user interface, see the Import Export Table
Parameters folder in the Mentum Planet Help folder.
By default, when you export data, the site coordinates are saved in the
Longitude/Latitude (WGS 84) projection and the sector coordinates are saved
in the projection specified when you originally created the project. If you
import an exported .xls file, .xlsx or .csv files, only the site and sector
coordinate systems are imported from the Summary worksheet or .csv file.
To export project data

n If you want to export project data for all sites and sectors,
choose Data Export.
n If you want to export project data for individual sites, sectors,
or groups, in the Project Explorer, in the Sites category,
choose one or more groups, sites, or sectors, right-click and
choose Export.
n If you want to export repeater data, in the Project Explorer,
in the Sites category, right-click the Repeaters node, and
choose Export.
n If you want to export project data based on enabled flag
conditions, in the Project Explorer, in the Sites category,
right-click the Flags node, and choose Export.
The Export Wizard opens.

2 On the Data Selection page, in the Tables list, enable the check
boxes for each of the tables that you want to export.
Each selected table is exported to an individual worksheet in an Excel

file or a single comma separated value file. For example, if you enable
only Sites and Sectors, then only the basic site and sector information
will be exported. When you enable the Sectors check box in the Tables
box, by default, the Bin File Name, the Bin Hash Code, the Signal
Strength File Name, and the Signal Strength Hash Code columns are
not enabled (i.e., they are cleared).
3 In the Columns list, for each of the tables that you chose in Step
2, enable the check boxes for each of the columns that you want
to export.
4 Click Next.
5 On each page of the Wizard define the required parameters.
6 On the last page of the Wizard, click Finish.
To import project data

When you import data, the coordinate systems (along with the distance and
height units) are imported from the Summary worksheet or .csv file and, if

Chapter 15
required, sites and sectors are reprojected automatically. A list of supported

projections is contained in the mapinfo.prj file located in the <Mentum Planet
installation folder>\mapinfo folder. Additional information about projections
can be found in Appendix B, “Elements of a Coordinate System” in the MapInfo
Professional User Guide.
CAUTION: All values in the Excel file from which you are importing must use
the default units indicated in the worksheet column names, and the file must
contain required and mandatory columns.
1 If you want to import general site, sector and project data, choose
Data Import Project Data.
The Import Wizard opens.
2 On the File Location page, do one of the following:
n If you want to import project data from an .xls or .xlsx file,

choose the Microsoft Excel option.
n If you want to import project data from a folder of .csv files,
choose the Comma Separated Values Text Files option.
3 Click Browse, and do one of the following:

n If you chose the Microsoft Excel option in Step 2, navigate to

the .xls or .xlsx file containing the data you want to import, and
click Open.
n If you chose the Comma Separated Values Text Files
option in Step 2, navigate to the folder containing the .csv files
you want to import, and click OK.
4 Click Next.
The Data Selection page lists the tables available to import and options
for replacing project data on import.
5 On the Data Selection page, enable the check boxes for each of
the tables that you want to import.
You can click Select All or Clear All to speed up the selection process.
6 If you want to overwrite existing data or remove data from a

project, enable any of the following check boxes.
n All Data—replaces data in all categories listed in the Replace

section.
n Groups—replaces data listed in the Groups category.
n Flags—replaces data listed in the Flags category.
n Site Data—replaces site data including data in the following
categories: Sites, Sectors, Antennas, etc. Frequency plans,
Configuration Links, and Neighbor Lists are also overwritten.
n Link Configurations—replaces data listed on the link budget
worksheet.
n Neighbor Lists—replaces neighbor lists.
n Network Settings—replaces network setting parameters.
When you replace data, the selected data is first deleted from the
project and the new data is then imported into the project. Once data
has been replaced, the original data cannot be recovered.
7 Click Finish.

Chapter 15
The project data you chose will be updated or added to your project.
The Log dialog box displays the status of the import operation.
NOTE: Status messages are displayed cumulatively in the Log dialog box.
Click the Export button to save the log messages to a text file. Click the Clear
button to remove all messages from the Log dialog box.

Importing network data into Mentum Planet

projects
Network data is data collected from wireless network switching equipment. It
contains information about network configuration and performance. You use
the Network Data Import Wizard to bind network data to Mentum Planet data.
The bound network data can then be used in Mentum Planet in traffic maps,
interference matrices, neighbor lists, technology-specific features such as
Automatic Frequency Preamble and Perm Base Planning tool, and for display
purposes.
Your network data must be in an Excel spreadsheet or tab-delimited text file.
Binding network data

Binding network data means mapping columns in the network data to Mentum
Planet data columns. In the Network Data Import Wizard, you only need to
specify whether you want to bind data based both the site ID and the sector ID
or only on a sector property that contains unique values for each sector.
Viewing the results of data binding

Once you have mapped the network data to the Mentum Planet data, you can
review it in the Report Preview dialog box. You can then create a sector
display scheme for statistical data in order to view network data graphically on
a map of your network’s coverage area. Any numeric metric, for example,
dropped calls or carried Erlangs, can be displayed.
To import network data

right-click Network Data and choose New.

Chapter 15
2 Read the introduction and click Next.
3 On the Choose How You Want The Data Bound page, choose
one of the following options:
n Bind To Site ID/Sector ID—binds the Site ID and the Sector

ID to columns in the network data file.
n Bind To Unique Sector Property—binds a sector property
when it contain unique values for each sector
4 Click in the header row and, from the list, choose the Mentum
Planet data to which to bind the network data.
A valid selection displays a green indicator.

5 Once the data has been successfuly bound, click Finish.
The Report Preview dialog box opens. The Mapping Status column
indicates whether the data is mapped or not in the project.
6 In the Report Preview dialog box, modify the report display as

required using the available toolbar buttons.

Chapter 15
7 If you mapped network data to a sector property, you can create

a sector display scheme to apply to network data by doing the
following:
n Choose the sector property for which you want to create a

sector display scheme.
n Click the Generate Sector Display Scheme button.
8 Define a name for the sector display scheme and, in the Sector
Display Scheme dialog box, define the parameters upon which
you want the scheme to be based.
9 To view the network data upon which the scheme is based, click
the Data button.
Network data is added to the Operational Data category in the Project

Explorer.

Mentum Planet File Types
Appendix A Mentum Planet File Types
When you design a wireless network using Mentum Planet, you will
encounter the file types described in this appendix.
This appendix covers the following topics:
Understanding project folders and files 386

Appendix A
Understanding project folders and files

When you design a wireless network using Mentum Planet, you will
encounter the file types described in the tables below.
Project files
File Description
.algr An antenna algorithm file saved, by default, in the Antenna
Algorithm folder with the project folder.
.curve A file created in the Curve Editor and stored in the Curves folder
.flt A binary file containing the filter loss and frequency offset for
each sector and each equipment type as defined in the Filter
Loss dialog box.
.fpp A frequency plan file.
.paf A Planet Antenna Format file saved in the Antennas folder
.pex A compressed file that contains at a minimum an .xml file with
the necessary instructions and structure.
.flt A binary file containing the filter loss and frequency offset for
each sector and each equipment type as defined in the Filter
Loss dialog box.

Mentum Planet File Types
Output files
File Description
.grd /.tab A numeric grid file that is always accompanied by an
associated .tab file. The .grd file contains the raw grid and
color information. The .tab file is required by MapInfo
Professional to open and register the grid image. The .tab file
also contains metadata of the grid data.
.grc /.tab A grid file that contains integer (not numeric) data. It is also
referred to as a classified grid. The .tab file is required by
MapInfo to open and register the grid image. The .tab file also
contains metadata on the settings of the grid data.
.imx An interference matrix file.
.nl A neighbor list file.
.pfc A contour color profile with specific break points (ranges) that
are applied when you convert a grid to a vector contour map.
.pfr A text file containing point-to-point profile settings (including
data files), antenna pattern and azimuth, sector, and receiver
values.

Appendix A
MapInfo files
File Description
.map Map file for objects associated with .tab files (see “Output
files”).
.id ID of objects associated with .tab file.
.dat Data file associated with .tab or .xml file.
.tda Intermediate file generated by MapInfo when edits have not
been saved. Serves as an intermediate save. Handled only by
MapInfo.
.tin Intermediate file generated by MapInfo when edits have not
MapInfo.
.tma Intermediate file generated by MapInfo when edits have not
MapInfo.

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Frequently Asked Questions vii

“What’s This?” Help vii

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Documentation library vii

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Europe, Middle East, and Africa x

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Chapter 2 Overview Of Mentum Planet Planning 13

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Chapter 5 Working With Propagation Models 97

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Chapter 6 Defining Network Settings 135

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Chapter 7 Configuring And Placing Sites 165

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Chapter 8 Adding Repeaters 231

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Chapter 9 Defining Environment Settings 245

Chapter 10 Generating Network Analyses 253

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To view interferers for a TDMA/FDMA sector based on a frequency plan

Chapter 13 Generating Frequency And Preamble Plans

Chapter 14 Working With The Tabular Editor 369

Chapter 15 Importing And Exporting Data 373

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Appendix A Mentum Planet File Types 385

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Features of Mentum Planet ii

Using this documentation v

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Traffic Map Generator

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Interference Matrix Generator

Neighbor List Generator

Network Data Import Wizard

Survey Data tool

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A new Microwave category in the Project Explorer provides access to Mentum

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Using this documentation

User documentation updates

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