Introduction to UMTS Radio Network

Planning , Design and Optimization

Last Updated: 13/01/2008
UMTS radio network planning and optimization is altogether a vast and interesting field. It
involves the simple work of deploying the Node-B's and RNC's but, hold on...!! Complex
estimations of various radio network parameters, Dimensioning, Detailed Planning and
Optimization of radio network, Network simulation softwares and Field measurements are
involved in enforcing the simplicity mentioned earlier!! The goal is to get sufficient coverage
and capacity by maintaining the lowest possible deployment costs.

Dimensioning:

In this phase the basic general properties of the "would-be" network is investigated. This
initial phase of Network Planning includes calculating the approximate number of Node-B's
required, deciding the antenna heights and the network configuration parameters keeping in
mind the kind of mobile services the service provider advertised to offer their customers!

Detailed Planning:

Usually a site-survey is done at first to get to know about the geographical locations, traffic
volume in different areas.Topology planning and configuration planning is done in this
stage.Power budget calculation, also called as link budget is done by taking all the available
radio parameters that include information of different gains and losses in the communication
path of the radio link.

Cell breathing should be taken into account while calculating cell range in UMTS
network.When the traffic in the cell increases, the sensitivity of the Node-B decreases because
of the increased interference and so the UE will require more power to remain connected to
the cell.And when there is not much load in the cell, the interference would be low and the UE
can use the same power to connect to that particular cell even from a longer distance.This
variation in cell ranges is called as cell breathing. Simply put, cell capacity influences cell
coverage area.So one of the parameter in link budget is Interference margin.

MInterference, dB = 1...3 dB (20...50% Load).

Usually in RF Network planning, they start with uplink because the downlink is normally
adjusted to balance the uplink by selecting the appropriate power amplifier at the base station.
Near cell edges, the users transmit with full power to reach the Node-B and the inner loop
power control mechanism in uplink causes a problem, because the UE cannot respond to
power control commands due to limitations in transmission power capacity. This should be
taken into account while calculating link budget, and it is done by introducing a Power control
headroom margin also called as Fast fading margin, which guarantees continuous service for
users in cell edges.

The Fast fading margin or Power control headroom is given by

MFastFade, dB = 2...5 dB.

In UMTS, coverage and capacity planning are interrelated and cannot be done separately
because of cell breathing phenomenon and they are done in planning phase called topology
planning. In coverage planning accurate cell ranges are calculated from power budget
calculations provided in configuration planning phase. Normally, cell coverage's are made to
overlap excessively to give high service probability to users in cell edges, thus providing soft
handover resulting in macro-diversity gains.But more number of soft handovers implies
significant cost in the capacity. After measuring the pilot strength in the area, the size of
handover zones within the cell footprint should be decreased. Handover zones should be
shifted from high-traffic areas to low-traffic areas but at the same time should be strategically
placed to get the advantage of macro-diversity gains for UEs in cell edges.

The detailed planning phase includes usage of Network simulation soft wares for coverage
and capacity estimations. The inputs include user traffic distributions and other network
specific parameters. Simulations are mainly done to know the optimal number of Node-B's
required,UE transmit powers etc.Simulation results are used for optimizing the network.
However simulations are also done in parallel to actual planning before the network is
actually launched. Base station locations should be selected so that they are always placed on
the traffic hot spots, since this offers the best link budget for the mobile users served by those
base stations.

Field measurements are performed to study soft handover areas, network interference, and call
drops that happen in the real network.Field measurements are mostly performed when planned
coverage and propagatiion channel characteristics are examined in an already operational
network.

Before the network is launched code and parameter planning are needed. Certain amount of
Channelisation codes(OVSF codes or walsh codes) are allocated for each cell to separate users
in downlink direction.

Optimization:

The actual parameters being used in the real network are fine tuned for better performance.
The power control parameters, number of channelisation codes being used in a particular cell
and other critical parameters that have a great impact on the performance are optimized from
the network simulation software and field measurements.Use of WCDMA repeaters is one
way to increase coverage and capacity in an easy and affordable way.The article discussed
only about Interference margin, Power control headroom margin and soft handover macro
diversity gains.

The following link budget, lists the other parameters.

Speech Data Units

Parameter DL UL DL UL
Bit rate 12.2 12.2 384 64 Kbps
Load 50 50 75 30 %
           
Thermal noise density -173.93 -173.93 -173.93 -173.93 dBm
 Receiver noise figure 8 4 8 4 dB
Noise power at receiver -100.13 -104.13 -100.13 -104.13 dBm
Interference margin 3.01 3.01 6.02 1.55 dB
Total noise power at receiver -97.12 -101.12 -94.11 -102.58 dBm
Processing gain 24.98 24.98 10 17.78 dB
Required Eb/No 7 5 1.5 2.5 dB
Receiver sensitivity -115.10 -121.10 -102.61 -117.86 dBm
RX antenna gain 0 18 0 18 dBi
Cable loss/body loss 2 5 2 5 dB
Soft handover diversity gain 3 2 3 2 dB
Power control headroom 0 3 0 3 dB
Required signal level -116.10 -133.10 -103.61 -129.86 dBm
TX power per connection 33 21 37 21 dBm
Cable loss/body loss 5 2 5 2 dB
TX antenna gain 18 0 18 0 dBi
Peak EIRP 46 19 50 19 dBm
Maximum allowed path loss 162.10 152.10 153.61 148.86 dBm
References :
1.3GPP TS 25.401, UTRAN Overall Description (Release 6),v6.6.0
2.3GPP TR 25.956, UTRA repeater : Planning Guidelines and System analysis(Release
6),v6.0.0

Different from the position from vendors, we are firmly convinced that we can find out the network’s present situation
and its problems objectively, and that we also have ability to provide the justified proposals to solve the problems, try
our best to think over everything for the communication operators and help them increase economic efficiency and
reduce investment outlay. While, compared with telecom operators, we can engage more employees, more time and
more instruments in the networks. We have rich synthetic experience of multi-zones, multi-equipments and multi-
networks, so we can guarantee the quality and effect of mobile network optimization. On the promise of undertaking
both the network design and optimization at the same time, our service has laid a good foundation of the
improvement of local communication networks’ quality.

Network optimization service includes radio network planning, radio network performance evaluation, radio network
optimization, network infrastructure optimization and bidding consulting. Now the services cover the GSM, GPRS,
CDMA(IS95, 1X, EVDO) and WCDMA.

Radio network Planning

Based on the abundant experience in radio network planning and rollout, with the help of advanced planning tools,
radio network planning for several vendors can be carried out effectively. In the radio network planning procedure,
after tuning the propagation model of each terrain and cluster, the structure of the network, the amount of BTS and
BSC, the location and configuration of each site, the engineering and cell parameters of each site, the coverage and
quality KPI can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. Through radio network planning, the investment is minimized,
the performance is maximized.

Radio network evaluation

Through the deeply communication with operator, the detailed radio network evaluation standard including more than
10 KPIs is established at first. Radio network evaluation service evaluates the subscriber perceived network quality
and the whole network performance such as rationality of resource allocation. The measures include drive test, CQT,
customer complaint analysis, traffic statistics data analysis. By the radio network performance evaluation, the whole
network situation can be made clearly, the problems existing can be pointed out, the ranking of different local
network can be made, the initial adjustment suggestion can be made for network optimization.

Radio network optimization

Radio network optimization makes all-round network optimization plan to do full optimization to the network. It also
adjusts the configuration and parameter of the network according to practical situation of the network; resolves
problems of network warning, emergency network problems and all kinds of hidden network problems. It improves
and stabilizes service quality and performance of the network, enhances the utilization of network resource, and
finally improves key performance indicators and average service level of the network.

Network infrastructure optimization

Network infrastructure ptimization is the process to optimally place the network and ensure that the network is
realistic and viable. Huaxin consulting mainly address four key issues, namely the demographic and socio-economic
issues, geographical estimation, optimization of the network placement and financial optimization. A digital
representation of the map of the region where the network has to be placed is used. A continuous optimization
algorithm is applied to optimally place the backbone rings, and a combinatorial optimization algorithm is applied to
obtain the optimal rollout order for the network. Mathematical formulations for both the optimization problems are
presented. Optimal financial indicators are obtained.

Bidding consulting
Based on the intensive understanding of the whole procedure from network design, rollout, construction, to planning
and optimization, the bidding consulting can be provided with the focus on the balance of performance and
expenditure. In bidding consulting, the technical specifications are established, then the technical proposal from
vendors will be evaluated.

All these services can be combined as a total solution.

Tools provided in radio network planning and optimization

Category Equipment Remark

SAGEM Test Phone GSM/GPRS Test Phone by SAGEM
TEMS T618 Test
GSM/GPRS Test Phone by Ericsson
Phone
Premier GSM/GPRS Drive Test and Postprocessing Platform by DINGLI
GSM Optimization
E7474 GSM/GPRS Drive Test Platform by Agilent
TEMS Investigation
TEMS GSM/GPRS Drive Test and Postprocessing Platform by Ericsson
6
ACTIX GPRS SVS GSM/GPRS Postprocessing Platform by ACTIX
CDMA Optimization QCP2235 Test
CDMA1X Test Phone by Qualcomm
Phone
E6474 CDMA Drive Test Platform by Agilent
Paranoma CDMA Drive Test and Postprocessing Platform by DINGLI
ACTIX CDMA1X CDMA Postprocessing Platform by ACTIX
 SVS
Opas CDMA Postprocessing Platform by Agilent
TEMS Investigation
TEMS WCDMA Drive Test and Postprocessing Platform by Ericsson
6
WCDMA
SeeGull UMTS
DTI Spectrum Analysis, PN scanner by PCTEL
Scanner
YBT 250 Spectrum analyzer by Tektronix
Radio Interference
E7495B Spectrum analyzer by Agilent
Test
Agilent Receiver Receiver with 800MHz、900MHz、1800MHz Band by Agilent
TS9953 Signal Generator (100kHz～3GHz) and Power Amplifier by R&S
ESPI Receiver (100kHz～3GHz) by R&S
TSMU Portable Receiver(100kHz～3GHz) by R&S