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- Coverage: The amount of reference cell’s coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in
square kilometres or miles.
8. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atoll’s table
shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 50.
9. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neigh-
bours are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cell’s Properties dialogue.

Notes:
• A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour relation already
exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when you start the new allo-
cation. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event Viewer indicating that the constraint
on the forbidden neighbour will be ignored because the neighbour already exists.
• When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll con-
siders the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to respect sym-
metry. On the other hand, if the neighbour relation is forced in one direction and forbidden in
the other one, symmetry cannot be respected. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the
Event Viewer.
• You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration. For informa-
tion on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration, see
"Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.

Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station

When you create a new base station, you can let Atoll allocate neighbours to it automatically. Atoll considers the cells of
the new base station and other cells whose coverage area intersects the coverage area of the cells of the new base station.
To allocate neighbours to a new base station:
1. On the Data tab of the Explorer window, group the transmitters by site, as explained in "Grouping Data Objects"
on page 65.
2. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the new base station. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Neighbours > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neigh-
bour Allocation dialogue appears.
4. Define the automatic neighbour allocation parameters as described in "Allocating Frequencies Automatically" on
page 795.

Allocating Neighbours to a New Transmitter

When you add a new transmitter, you can let Atoll allocate neighbours to it automatically. Atoll considers the cells of the
new transmitters and other cells whose coverage area intersects the coverage area of the cells of the new transmitter.
To allocate neighbours to a new transmitter:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the new transmitter. The context menu appears.
3. Select Allocate Neighbours from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour Allocation dialogue appears.
4. Define the automatic neighbour allocation parameters as described in "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on
page 798.

12.2.12.3 Checking Automatic Allocation Results

You can verify the results of automatic neighbour allocation in the following ways:
• "Displaying Frequency Allocation on the Map" on page 796.
• "Displaying the Coverage of the Master Carrier" on page 796.

12.2.12.3.1 Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map

You can view neighbour relations directly on the map. Atoll can display them and indicate the direction of the neighbour
relation (in other words, Atoll indicates which is the reference cell and which is the neighbour) and whether the neighbour
relation is symmetric.
To display the neighbour relations of a cell on the map:

1. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
2. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Visual Management dialogue appears.
3. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.

4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Links check box.
5. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
6. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:

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Atoll User Manual

- Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell with a
unique colour.
- Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the cell’s neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours
table, or according to the neighbour carrier. In this case, you can view on the map intra-carrier and inter-carrier
neighbour relations.
- Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the cell’s neighbour links according the value interval of the
value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cell’s neighbours according to
their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the weighting
factors.

Tip: You can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair first creating
a new field of Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for the number of
handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the new column, you
can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as the Display Type.
For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an Object Type’s
Data Table" on page 51.

Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you
can display or hide neighbour link display types individually.

For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

7. Select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.

8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
9. Click OK to save your settings.
10. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
- Outwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Outwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is the reference cell and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
- Inwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Inwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
- Symmetric: Select the Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric between the
selected cell and the neighbour.
11. Click OK to save your settings.

12. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
13. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.

14. Click the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

15. Click a transmitter on the map to display the neighbour relations. When there is more than one cell on the trans-
mitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).
Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 12.57) for the selected cell:

- The symmetric neighbour relations of the selected (reference) cell are indicated by a line.
- The outward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the neighbour (e.g. see
Site1_2(0)) in Figure 12.57.).
- The inward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the selected cell (e.g. see
Site9_3(0)) in Figure 12.57.).
In Figure 12.57, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetric and outward
neighbour links are coloured as the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link is
coloured as the reference transmitter as it is neighbour of Site9_3(0) here.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

Figure 12.57: Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to the Neighbour

In Figure 12.58, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour carrier. You can view intra-carrier and
inter-carrier neighbour links. Here, all neighbour relations are symmetric.

Figure 12.58: ntra-carrier and Inter-Carrier Neighbours of Site 14_3(0)

Note: You can display either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the menu
button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar and selecting
either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.

12.2.12.3.2 Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Cell

By combining the display characteristics of a coverage prediction with neighbour display options, Atoll can display the
coverage area of a cell’s neighbours and colour them according to any neighbour characteristic in the Neighbours table.
To display the coverage of each neighbour of a cell:
1. Create, calculate, and display a coverage by P-CCPCH best server, with the Display Type set to "Discrete
Values" and the Field set to Transmitter. For information on creating a coverage by transmitter prediction, see
"Making a Coverage Prediction by P-CCPCH Best Server" on page 761.

2. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
4. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Coverage Areas check box.

5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Coverage Areas check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
7. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:

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Atoll User Manual

- Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neigh-
bours with a unique colour.
- Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology
Neighbours table.
- Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neighbours according the
value interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cell’s neigh-
bours according to their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined
by the weighting factors.

8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each coverage area.

9. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
10. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.

11. Click the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

12. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one cell on the
transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you
want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).

Note: Only intra-carrier neighbour coverage areas are displayed.

13. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Visual Management button ( ) in the
Radio toolbar.

12.2.12.4 Importing Neighbours

You can import neighbour data in the form of ASCII text files (in TXT and CSV formats) into the current Atoll document
using the Neighbours table.
To import neighbours using the Neighbours table:
1. Open the Neighbours table:
a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select Cells > Global > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neigh-
bours table appears.
2. Import the ASCII text file as explained in "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

12.2.12.5 Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell

Although you can let Atoll allocate neighbours automatically, you can adjust the overall allocation of neighbours by allo-
cating or deleting neighbours per cell. You can allocate or delete neighbours directly on the map or using the Cells tab of
the Transmitter Properties dialogue.
This section explains the following:
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue" on page 804.
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table" on page 805.
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map" on page 806.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue

To allocate or delete TD-SCDMA neighbours using the Cells tab of the transmitter’s Properties dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell.

4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which you want to allocate or delete neighbours.
The cell’s Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the maximum number of neighbours in the following boxes:
- Max Number Inter-Carrier
- Max Number Intra-Carrier

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

7. To allocate a new neighbour:

a. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon
( ).
b. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new exceptional pair.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."

8. To create a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
9. To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation be-
tween the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
10. To delete a neighbour:
a. Click the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
11. Click OK.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table

To allocate or delete TD-SCDMA neighbours using the Cells tab of the Transmitter Properties dialogue:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appear.
3. Select Cells > Global > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neighbours
table appears.

Note: For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

4. To allocate a neighbour:

a. In the row marked with the new row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
c. Click another cell of the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."

5. To create a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
6. To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select
contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contig-
uous rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
7. To take into consideration all exceptionnal pairs:
a. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.

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Atoll User Manual

Note: You can add or delete either some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using
the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table,
select the exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force
Exceptional Pairs in the context menu.

8. To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation be-
tween the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
9. To delete several symmetric neighbour relations:
a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select
contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contig-
uous rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu.
10. To delete a neighbour:
a. Click the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map

You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse.
To add or remove intra-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neigh-
bours on the map as explained in "Displaying Frequency Allocation on the Map" on page 796.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitters
to the intra-technology neighbours list.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both trans-
mitters from the intra-technology neighbours.
To add an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference
transmitter to the intra-technology neighbour list of the reference transmitter.
To remove an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.
To add an inward neighbour relation:
• Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
- If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other trans-
mitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inward non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
- If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour rela-
tion by pressing SHIFT and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then
press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric
inter-technology neighbour relation.
To remove an inwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the trans-
mitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.

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Notes:
• When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window
opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several
Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).
• You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the menu
button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar and selecting either
Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.

12.2.12.6 Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Allocation Plan

You can perform an audit of the current neighbour allocation plan. When you perform an audit of the current neighbour
allocation plan, Atoll lists the results in a text file. You can define what information Atoll provides in the audit.
To perform an audit of the neighbour allocation plan:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appear.
3. Select Cells > Global > Neighbours > Audit from the context menu. The Neighbour Audit dialogue appears.
4. Define the parameters of the audit:
- Neighbourhood Type: Select whether you want to perform an audit on Intra-Carrier or Inter-Carrier neigh-
bour relations.
- Average No. of Neighbours: Select the Average No. of Neighbours check box if you want to verify the
average number of neighbours per cell.
- Empty Lists: Select the Empty Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have no neighbours (in other
words, which cells have an empty neighbour list).
- Full Lists: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have the maximum number of
neighbours allowed (in other words, which cells have a full neighbour list) and set the value in the Default Max
Number text box.
- Lists > Max Number: Select the Lists > Max Number check box if you want to verify which cells have more
than the maximum number of neighbours allowed and set the value in the Default Max Number text box.
- Missing Co-sites: Select the Missing Co-sites check box if you want to verify which cells have no co-site
neighbours.
- Missing Symmetrics: Select the Missing Symmetrics check box if you want to verify which cells have non-
symmetric neighbour relations.
- Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to verify which cells have forced
neighbours or forbidden neighbours.
5. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a new text file:
- Average number of neighbours: X; where, X is the average number of neighbours (integer) per cell for the plan
audited.
- Empty Lists: x⁄X; x number of cells out of a total of X have no neighbours (or empty neighbours list).
Syntax: |CELL|

- Full Lists (default max number = Y): x⁄X; x number of cells out of a total of X have Y number of neighbours
listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|

- Lists > max number (default max number = Y): x⁄X; x number of cells out of a total of X have more than Y
number of neighbours listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|

Note: If the field Maximum number of neighbours in the Cells table is empty, the above two
checks take into account the Default Max Number value defined in the audit dialogue.

- Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
- Non symmetric links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|

- Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
- Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|

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12.2.12.7 Exporting Neighbours

The neighbour data for an Atoll document is stored in a series of tables. You can export the neighbours data to use it in
another application or in another Atoll document.
To export neighbour data:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Neighbours and then select the neighbour table containing the data you want to export
from the context menu:
- Neighbours: This table contains the data for the intra-technology (intra-carrier and inter-carrier) neighbours
in the current Atoll document.
- Exceptional Pairs of Intra-technology Neighbours: This table contains the data for the intra-technology
exceptional pairs (forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
4. When the selected neighbours table opens, you can export the content as described in "Exporting Tables to Text
Files" on page 58.

12.2.13 Planning Scrambling Codes

In TD-SCDMA, 128 scrambling codes (or P-CCPCH midamble codes) of 16-bit lengths are available, numbered from 0 to
127. Although TD-SCDMA scrambling codes are displayed in decimal format by default, they can also be displayed and
calculated in hexadecimal format, in other words using the numbers 0 to 9 and the letters A to F.
Atoll facilitates the management of scrambling codes by letting you create groups of scrambling codes and domains,
where each domain is a defined set of groups.
You can also assign scrambling codes manually or automatically to any cell in the network. Once allocation is complete,
you can audit the scrambling codes, view scrambling code reuse on the map, and analyse the distribution of scrambling
codes.
Downlink synchronisation, SYNC_DL, codes are assigned to cells in order to distinguish nearby cells, and for synchroni-
zation purposes. There are 32 different SYNC_DL codes of 64 bit lengths defined for the whole system in downlink.
According to 3GPP specifications, the 127 possible scrambling codes can be broken down into 32 groups, each containing
4 codes. Because the term "group" in Atoll refers to user-defined sets of scrambling codes, these groups of 4 codes each
are referred to as "clusters" in Atoll. Each cluster of scrambling codes is related to a SYNC_DL code used by a base
station.
For N-frequency mode compatible transmitters, scrambling codes are only allocated and stored for master carriers. The
slave carriers have the same scrambling codes as their master carrier.
The procedure of planning scrambling codes for a TD-SCDMA project is:
• Preparing for scrambling code allocation
- "Defining the Scrambling Code Format" on page 808.
- "Creating Scrambling Code Domains and Groups" on page 809.
- "Defining Exceptional Pairs for Scrambling Code Allocation" on page 809.
• Allocating scrambling codes
- "Automatically Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells" on page 810.
- "Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells Manually" on page 812.
• "Checking the Consistency of the Scrambling Code Plan" on page 812.
• Displaying the allocation of scrambling codes
- "Using the Search Tool to Display Scrambling Code Allocation" on page 813.
- "Displaying Scrambling Code Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 813.
- "Grouping Transmitters by Scrambling Code" on page 813.
- "Displaying the Scrambling Code Allocation Histogram" on page 814.
- "Studying Scrambling Code Interference" on page 814.

Note: Within the context of scrambling code allocation, "neighbours" refer to intra-carrier
neighbours.

12.2.13.1 Defining the Scrambling Code Format

Scrambling codes may be displayed in decimal or hexadecimal format. The selected format is used to display scrambling
codes in dialogues and tables such as in the Domains and Groups tables, the Cells table, and the Scrambling Code
Allocation dialogue.
The decimal format is the default format in Atoll. The accepted decimal values are from 0 to 127. The decimal format is
also used, even if you have chosen the hexadecimal format, to store scrambling codes in the database and to display
scrambling code distribution or the results of a scrambling code audit.
The hexadecimal format uses the numbers 0 to 9 and the letters A to F for its base characters. In Atoll, hexadecimal values
are indicated by a lower-case "h" following the value. For example, the hexadecimal value "3Fh" is "63" as a decimal value.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

You can convert a hexadecimal value to a decimal value with the following equation, where X, Y, and Z are decimal values
within the hexadecimal index ranges:
2
X × 16 + Y × 16 + Z

For example, the hexadecimal value "3Fh" would be calculated as shown below:
2
0 × 16 + 3 × 16 + 15 = 63

To define the scrambling code format for an Atoll document:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Format from the context menu and select either Decimal or Hex-
adecimal.

12.2.13.2 Creating Scrambling Code Domains and Groups

Atoll facilitates the management of scrambling codes by letting you create domains, each containing groups of scrambling
codes.
The procedure for managing scrambling codes in a TD-SCDMA document consists of the following steps:
1. Creating a scrambling code domain, as explained in this section.
2. Creating groups, each containing a range of scrambling codes, and assigning them to a domain, as explained in
this section.
3. Assigning a scrambling code domain to a cell or cells. If there is no scrambling code domain, Atoll will consider
all 128 possible scrambling codes when assigning codes.
To create a scrambling code domain:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Domains. The Domains table appears.

4. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), enter a Name for the new domain.
5. Click another cell of the table to create the new domain and add a new blank row to the table.
6. Double-click the domain to which you want to add a group. The domain’s Properties dialogue appears.
7. Under Groups, enter the following information for each group you want to create.
- Name: Enter a name for the new scrambling code group.
- Min.: Enter the lowest available scrambling code in this group’s range. The minimum and maximum scram-
bling codes must be entered in the format, decimal or hexadecimal, set for the Atoll document. For information
on setting the scrambling code format, see "Defining the Scrambling Code Format" on page 808.
- Max: Enter the highest available scrambling code in this group’s range.
- Step: Enter the separation interval between each scrambling code.
- Excluded: Enter the scrambling codes within the range defined by the Min. and Max fields that you do not
want to use.
- Extra: Enter any additional scrambling codes (i.e., outside the range defined by the Min. and Max fields) you
want to add to this group. You can enter a list of codes separated by either a comma, semi-colon, or a space.
You can also enter a range of scrambling codes separated by a hyphen. For example, entering, "1, 2, 3–6"
means that the extra scrambling codes are "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6".
8. Click another cell of the table to create the new group and add a new blank row to the table.

12.2.13.3 Defining Exceptional Pairs for Scrambling Code Allocation

You can also define pairs of cells which cannot have the same scrambling code. These pairs are referred to as exceptional
pairs. Exceptional pairs are used along with other constraints, such as neighbours, reuse distance, and domains, in allo-
cating scrambling codes.
To create a pair of cells that cannot have the same scrambling code:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Exceptional Pairs. The Exceptional Separation Constraints
table appears. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

4. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select one cell of the new exceptional pair in the Cell column
and the second cell of the new exceptional pair from the Cell_2 column.
5. Click another cell of the table to create the new exceptional pair and add a new blank row to the table.

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12.2.13.4 Allocating Scrambling Codes

In an Atoll TD-SCDMA document, you allocate scrambling codes to cells by creating domains, with each domain contain-
ing one or more groups of scrambling codes. This combination of groups and domains defines which scrambling codes
can be used by the cell. For information on scrambling code domains and groups, see "Creating Scrambling Code
Domains and Groups" on page 809.
You can also define pairs of cells which cannot have the same scrambling code. These pairs are referred to as exceptional
pairs. For information on exceptional pairs, see "Defining Exceptional Pairs for Scrambling Code Allocation" on page 809.
Atoll can automatically assign scrambling codes to the cells of a TD-SCDMA network according to set parameters. For
example, it takes into account the definition of groups and domains of scrambling codes, the selected scrambling code
allocation strategy (clustered, distributed per cell, distributed per site, and one SYNC_DL per site), minimum code reuse
distance, and any constraints imposed by neighbours.
In this section, the following methods of allocating scrambling codes are described:
• "Defining Automatic Allocation Constraint Costs" on page 810
• "Automatically Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells" on page 810.
• "Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells Manually" on page 812.

Defining Automatic Allocation Constraint Costs

You can define the costs of the different types of constraints used in the automatic scrambling code allocation algorithm.
To define the different constraint costs:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Constraint Costs. The Allocation Constraint Costs dialogue
appears. In this dialogue you can define the following costs of constraint violations for the automatic allocation
process (the cost is a value from 0 and 1):
- Max 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Order Neighbours: Enter the maximum costs for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd order neighbour
constraint violations.
- Max Cluster Share: Enter the maximum cost for the case where 1st or 2nd order neighbours have the same
cluster assigned when the Distributed per Site strategy is used.
- Co-planning Share: Enter the cost for inter-technology neighbour constraint violations.
- Max Reuse Distance: Enter the maximum cost for reuse distance constraint violations.
- Exceptional Pair: Enter the cost for exceptional pair constraint violations.
4. Click OK. The allocation constraint costs are stored and will be used in the automatic allocation.

Automatically Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells

The allocation algorithm enables you to automatically allocate scrambling code to cells in the current network. You can
choose among several automatic allocation strategies (for more information, see the Technical Reference Guide):
• Clustered: The purpose of this strategy is to choose for a group of mutually constrained cells, scrambling codes
among a minimum number of clusters. In this case, Atoll will preferentially allocate all the codes from same
cluster.
• Distributed per Cell: This strategy consists in using as many clusters as possible. Atoll will preferentially allocate
codes from different clusters.
• One SYNC_DL Code per Site: This strategy allocates one SYNC_DL code to each base station, then, one code
of the cluster associated with the SYNC_DL code to each cell of each base station. When all the SYNC_DL codes
have been allocated and there are still base stations remaining to be allocated, Atoll reuses the SYNC_DL codes
at another base station. Select this strategy if you want to allocate the same scrambling code to the master and
the slave carriers. For more information on master and slave carriers, see "Planning Frequencies" on page 795.
• Distributed per Site: This strategy allocates a group of adjacent clusters to each base station in the network, then,
one cluster to each transmitter of the base station, according to its azimuth, and finally one code of the cluster to
each cell of each transmitter. The number of adjacent clusters per group depends on the number of transmitters
per base station you have in your network; this information is required to start allocation based on this strategy.
When all the groups of adjacent clusters have been allocated and there are still base stations remaining to be allo-
cated, Atoll reuses the groups of adjacent clusters at another base station.
To automatically allocate scrambling codes:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Automatic Allocation. The Scrambling Codes and SYNC_DL
Codes dialogue appears.
4. Set the following parameters in the Scrambling Codes and SYNC_DL Codes dialogue:
- Under Constraints, you can set the constraints on automatic scrambling code allocation.
- Existing Neighbours: Select the Existing Neighbours check box if you want to consider neighbour re-
lations and then choose the neighbourhood level to take into account:
Neighbours of a cell are referred to as first order neighbours, neighbours’ neighbours are referred to as
second order neighbours and neighbours’ neighbours’ neighbours as third order neighbours.

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First Order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours.

Second Order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours or its second order
neighbours.

Third Order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours or its second order
neighbours or its third order neighbours.

Atoll can only consider neighbour relations if neighbours have already been allocated. For information on
allocating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 797.

Note: Atoll can take into account inter-technology neighbour relations as constraints to allocate
different scrambling codes to the TD-SCDMA neighbours of a GSM transmitter. In order
to consider inter-technology neighbour relations in scrambling code allocation, you must
make the Transmitters folder of the GSM Atoll document accessible in the TD-SCDMA
Atoll document. For information on making links between GSM and TD-SCDMA Atoll
documents, see "Creating a UMTS Sector From a GSM Sector" on page 226.

- Reuse Distance: Select the Reuse Distance check box, if you want to the automatic allocation process
to consider the reuse distance constraint. Enter the Default reuse distance within which two cells on the
same carrier cannot have the same scrambling code.

Note: A reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue or in the
Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of the value
entered here.

- Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to the automatic allocation proc-
ess to consider the exceptional pair constraints.
- Under Strategy, you can select an automatic allocation strategy:
- Clustered
- Distributed per Cell
- One SYNC_DL Code per Site
- Distributed per Site
- Carrier: Select the carrier on which you want to run the allocation. You may choose one carrier (Atoll will
assign scrambling codes to transmitters using the selected carrier) or all of them.
- No. of Codes per SYNC_DL: According to 3GPP specifications, the number of scrambling codes per
SYNC_DL is 4. If you want, you can change the number of codes per SYNC_DL.
- Use a Max of Codes: Select the Use a Max of Codes check box to make Atoll use the maximum number of
codes. For example, if there are two cells using the same domain with two scrambling codes, Atoll will assign
the remaining code to the second cell even if there are no constraints between these two cells (for example,
neighbour relations, reuse distance, etc.). If you do not select this option, Atoll only checks the constraints,
and allocates the first ranked code in the list.
- Delete Existing Codes: Select the Delete Existing Codes check box if you want Atoll to delete currently
allocated scrambling codes and recalculate all scrambling codes. If you do not select this option, Atoll keeps
the currently allocated scrambling codes and only allocates scrambling codes to cells that do not yet have
codes allocated.
5. Click Run. Atoll begins the process of allocating scrambling codes.
If you have selected the Distributed per Site allocation strategy, a Distributed per Site Allocation Parameters
dialogue appears.

a. In the Distributed per Site Allocation Parameters dialogue, enter the Max Number of Transmitters per
Site.
b. Select the Neighbours in Other SYNC_DL or Secondary Neighbours in Other SYNC_DL check boxes in
the Additional Constraints section, if you want the automatic allocation to consider constraints related to first
order and second order neighbours.
c. Click OK.
Once Atoll has finished allocating scrambling codes, the codes are visible under Results. Atoll only displays
newly allocated scrambling codes.

The Results table contains the following information.

- Site: The name of the base station.

- Cell: The name of the cell.
- Code: The scrambling code allocated to the cell.
- SYNC_DL: The SYNC_DL code allocated to the cell.

Note: Atoll allocates the same scrambling code to each carrier of a transmitter.

6. Click Commit. The scrambling codes are stored in the cell properties.

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Note: You can save automatic scrambling code allocation parameters in a user configuration.
For information on saving automatic scrambling code allocation parameters in a user
configuration, see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.

Tips:
• If you need to allocate scrambling codes to the cells on a single transmitter, you can allocate
them automatically by selecting Allocate Scrambling Codes from the transmitter’s context
menu.
• If you need to allocate scrambling codes to all the cells in a group of transmitters, you can allo-
cate them automatically by selecting Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Automatic Allo-
cation from the transmitter group’s context menu.

Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells Manually

When you allocate scrambling codes to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate scrambling codes auto-
matically, as described in "Automatically Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells" on page 810. However, if you
want to add a scrambling code to one cell or to modify the scrambling code of a cell, you can do it by accessing the prop-
erties of the cell.
After allocation, you can use the audit tool to check the reuse scrambling code distances between cells and the compati-
bility of the domains of the cells for each base station.
To allocate a scrambling code to a TD-SCDMA cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate a scrambling code. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Enter a Scrambling Code in the cell’s column.
5. Click OK.

12.2.13.5 Checking the Consistency of the Scrambling Code Plan

Once you have completed allocating scrambling codes, you can verify whether the allocated scrambling codes respect the
specified constraints by performing an audit of the plan. The scrambling code audit also enables you to check for incon-
sistencies if you have made some manual changes to the allocation plan.
To perform an audit of the allocation plan:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Audit. The Code and SYNC_DL Audit dialogue appears.
4. In the Code and SYNC_DL Audit dialogue, select the allocation criteria that you want to check:
- No. of Codes per SYNC_DL: Enter the number of scrambling codes per SYNC_DL. This number is set to 4
by default, which is the number of scrambling codes attached to each SYNC_DL.
- Neighbours: If you select the Neighbours check box, Atoll will check that no cell has the same scrambling
code as any of its neighbours. The report will list any cell that has the same scrambling code as one of its
neighbours.
- Second Order Neighbours: If you select the Second Order Neighbours check box, Atoll will check that no
cell has the same scrambling code as any of the neighbours and its neighbours’ neighbours. The report will
list any cell that has the same scrambling code as one of the neighbours or its neighbours’ neighbours.
- Neighbours in different SYNC_DLs: If you select the Neighbours in different SYNC_DLs check box, Atoll
will check that neighbour cells have scrambling codes from different SYNC_DLs. The report will list any neigh-
bour cells that has scrambling codes from the same SYNC_DL.
- Domain Compliance: If you select the Domain Compliance check box, Atoll will check if allocated scram-
bling codes belong to domains assigned to cells. The report will list any cells with scrambling codes that do
not belong to domains assigned to the cell.
- Site Domains Not Empty: If you select the Site Domains Not Empty check box, Atoll will check for and list
base stations for which the allocation domain (i.e., the list of possible scrambling codes, with respect to the
configured allocation constraints) is empty.
- One SYNC_DL per Site: If you select the One SYNC_DL per Site check box, Atoll will check for and list base
stations whose cells have scrambling codes coming from more than one SYNC_DL.
- Distance: If you select the Distance check box and set a reuse distance, Atoll will check for and list cells that
do not respect the code reuse distance.
- Exceptional Pairs: If you select the Exceptional Pairs check box, Atoll will check for and display pairs of
cells that are listed as exceptional pairs but have the same scrambling code allocated.
5. Click OK. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a text file called CodeCheck.txt. For each selected criterion,
Atoll gives the number of detected inconsistencies and the details of each.

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12.2.13.6 Displaying the Allocation of Scrambling Codes

Once you have completed allocating scrambling codes, you can verify several aspects of scrambling code allocation. You
have several options for displaying scrambling codes:
• "Using the Search Tool to Display Scrambling Code Allocation" on page 813.
• "Displaying Scrambling Code Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 813.
• "Grouping Transmitters by Scrambling Code" on page 813.
• "Displaying the Scrambling Code Allocation Histogram" on page 814.
• "Studying Scrambling Code Interference" on page 814.

Using the Search Tool to Display Scrambling Code Allocation

In Atoll, you can search for scrambling codes and scrambling code groups using the Search Tool. Results are displayed
in the map window in red.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server P-CCPCH,
with the results displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Scrambling codes
and scrambling code groups and any potential problems will then be clearly visible.
To find scrambling codes or scrambling code groups using the Search Tool:
1. Create, calculate, and display a coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server. For information, see "Making a
Coverage Prediction by P-CCPCH Best Server" on page 761.
2. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
3. You can search either for a specific scrambling code or for a scrambling code group:
To search for a scrambling code:

a. Select Scrambling Code.

b. Enter a scrambling code in the text box.
To search for a scrambling code group:
a. Select SC Group.
b. Select a scrambling code group from the list.
4. Select the carrier you want to search on from the For the Carrier list, or select "(All)" to search for the scrambling
code or scrambling code group in all carriers.
5. Click Search. Transmitters with cells matching the search criteria are displayed in red. Transmitters that do not
match the search criteria are displayed in grey.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Restore Colours button in the Search Tool window.

Displaying Scrambling Code Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings

You can use the display characteristics of transmitters to display scrambling code-related information.
To display scrambling code-related information on the map:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Display tab.
You can display the following information per transmitter:

- Scrambling code: Select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Scrambling Code" as the Field.
- Ranges of scrambling codes: Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "Cells: Scrambling Code"
as the Field.
- Scrambling code domain: Select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Scrambling Code
Domain" as the Field.
You can display the following information in the transmitter label or tooltip:
- Scrambling code: Select "Cells: Scrambling Code" from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
- Scrambling code domain: Select "Cells: Scrambling Code Domain" from the Label or Tip Text Field Defi-
nition dialogue.
5. Click OK.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

Grouping Transmitters by Scrambling Code

You can group transmitters on the Data tab of the Explorer window by their scrambling code or scrambling code domain.
To group transmitters by scrambling code:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.

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3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
- Scrambling Code Domain
- Scrambling Code

7. Click to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to
the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select it in the Group these fields in this

order list and click . The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which the transmitters
will be grouped.
9. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters
to be grouped:

a. Select a parameter and click to move it up to the desired position.

b. Select a parameter and click to move it down to the desired position.

10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.

Note: If a transmitter has more than one cell, Atoll cannot arrange the transmitter by cell.
Transmitters that cannot be grouped by cell are arranged in a separate folder under the
Transmitters folder.

Displaying the Scrambling Code Allocation Histogram

You can use a histogram to analyse the use of allocated scrambling codes in a network. The histogram represents the
scrambling codes or SYNC_DLs as a function of the frequency of their use.
To display the scrambling code histogram:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Global > Scrambling Codes > Code Distribution. The Distribution Histograms dialogue
appears.
Each bar represents a scrambling code or a SYNC_DL code, its height depending on the frequency of its use.

4. Select Scrambling Codes to display scrambling code use and Clusters to display SYNC_DL code use.
5. Move the pointer over the histogram to display the frequency of use of each scrambling code or SYNC_DL. The
results are highlighted simultaneously in the Detailed Results list.

Studying Scrambling Code Interference

You can make a scrambling code interference zones coverage prediction to view areas covered by cells using the same
scrambling code. The coverage prediction displays areas where transmitters other than the best server, whose received
signal level is within the Pollution Margin set in the coverage prediction properties, interfere the best server signal. The
interfered pixels are coloured according to the interfered scrambling code.
To make a scrambling code interference zone coverage prediction:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Scrambling Code Interference Zones and click OK. The prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.
6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 12.59). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you
to define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
- Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the ter-
minal properties are used.
- Service: The R99 or HSDPA service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in
the service properties is used.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

- Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The P-CCPCH RSCP threshold
defined in the mobility properties is used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction.
- Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "All" to have all carriers taken into account.
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with
the highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Afterwards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist
in a transmitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "All," Atoll will display the
coverage prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the
service properties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power,
or the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
- Timeslot: The scrambling code interference coverage prediction is performed for TS0.
- If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Prob-
ability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.
- Pollution Margin: The margin for determining which signals to consider. Atoll considers signal levels which
are within the defined margin of the best signal level.

Figure 12.59: Condition settings for a scrambling code interference zones coverage prediction

7. Click the Display tab.

For a coverage prediction on overlapping zones, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Interfered
Scrambling Code" is available. Each interference zone will then be displayed in a colour corresponding to the inter-
fered scrambling code per pixel. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects"
on page 33.
8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the scrambling code interference zone coverage
prediction. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 12.60).

Figure 12.60: Condition settings for a scrambling code interference zones coverage prediction

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Atoll User Manual

A specific colour is assigned to areas where more than one scrambling code has interference. You can analyse these
areas in more detail using the Search Tool. For more information on using the Search Tool for scrambling code interfer-
ence analysis, see "Using the Search Tool to Display Scrambling Code Allocation" on page 813.

12.3 Studying Network Capacity

A TD-SCDMA network automatically regulates power on both uplink and downlink with the objective of minimising inter-
ference and maximising network capacity. In the case of HSDPA, fast link adaptation (in other words, the selection of an
HSDPA bearer) is performed in the downlink. Atoll can simulate these network regulation mechanisms, thereby enabling
you to study the capacity of the TD-SCDMA network.
In Atoll, a simulation is based on a realistic distribution of R99 users at a given point in time. The distribution of users at
a given moment is referred to as a snapshot. Based on this snapshot, Atoll calculates various network parameters such
as the required power of the mobile, the total DL power and the UL load per timeslot. Simulations are calculated in an
iterative fashion.
When several simulations are performed at a time using the same traffic information, the distribution of users will be differ-
ent, according to a Poisson distribution. Consequently you can have variations in user distribution from one snapshot to
another.
To create snapshots, services and users must be modelled. As well, certain traffic information in the form of traffic maps
must be provided. Once services and users have been modelled and traffic maps have been created, you can make simu-
lations of the network traffic.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "TD-SCDMA Network Capacity" on page 816.
• "Defining Multi-service Traffic Data" on page 820.
• "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 821.
• "Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations" on page 829.
• "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 843.

12.3.1 TD-SCDMA Network Capacity

The capacity of a TD-SCDMA cell can be defined as the number of resource units available on the uplink and downlink.
There can be a maximum of 16 users (16 OVSF codes) per timeslot. This means that each timeslot counts for 16 resource
units.
There are 6 timeslots in a TD-SCDMA subframe, which can be used in uplink or downlink. There are different combinations
of uplink and downlink timeslots possible, which are referred to as timeslot configurations. Each cell can have a different
timeslot configuration assigned to it, which gives the number of uplink and downlink timeslots.
The following table lists the capacity of a cell for different possible timeslot configurations:

Timeslot Configuration Resource Units in Uplink Resource Units in Downlink

UDDDDD 16 80

UUDDDD 32 64

UUUDDD 48 48

UUUUDD 64 32

UUUUUD 80 16

UpUDDDD 16 64

UpUUDDD 32 48

Assuming ideal dynamic channel allocation (DCA), all the resource units within a subframe, i.e., 6 x 16 = 96, can be allo-
cated and used. TS0 is not used for traffic. TS1 is not used for traffic either in case of UpPCH shifting. The total resource
units in a network, i.e., the network capacity, is given by:

Network Capacity = Number of Timeslots per Subframe × Number of Codes per Timeslot × Number of Carriers
Resource units from different carriers can be shared and allocated to the same mobile connected to an N-frequency mode
compatible transmitter.
This section explains the network capacity and network dimensioning analysis tools:
• "Calculating Available Network Capacity" on page 816.
• "Calculating Required Network Capacity" on page 818.

12.3.1.1 Calculating Available Network Capacity

You can calculate the available capacity of your TD-SCDMA network in Atoll using the Network Capacity Estimation
dialogue.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

To calculate the available network capacity:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Calculations > Network Capacity from the context menu. The Network Capacity Estimation dialogue
appears.
The dialogue the numbers of uplink and downlink resource units in for each cell. The last row in this dialogue
displays the total uplink and downlink resource units.

The uplink and downlink Resource Units Overhead defined for each timeslot per cell is considered when calculat-
ing the number of available resource units.

4. Click Close to close the dialogue.

Displaying the Available Network Capacity on the Map

You can create a coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server in order to display the available network capacity, i.e., the
number of available resource units in uplink or downlink.
To display the available cell and network capacity on the map:
1. Create a coverage by P-CCPCH best server, as explained in "Making a Coverage Prediction by P-CCPCH Best
Server" on page 761, with the following display parameters:
- In step 7., set the Display Type "Value intervals" based on the Field "Available DL Resource Units" or "Avail-
able DL Resource Units" according to what you would like to display. Each coverage zone will then be dis-
played according to the number of available resource units for the carrier used for the coverage prediction.

Figure 12.61: Available network capacity coverage prediction (Display tab)

Once Atoll has finished calculating the prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 12.62).

Figure 12.62: Available network capacity coverage prediction

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12.3.1.2 Calculating Required Network Capacity

You can calculate the number of required resource units according to a given traffic demand, compare it with the network
capacity (see "Calculating Available Network Capacity" on page 816), and analyse how many resource units each cell
requires using the Dimensioning dialogue.
The dimensioning tool takes traffic data from the selected traffic maps as input before calculating the number of required
resources.
To calculate the required network capacity:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Calculations > Network Dimensioning from the context menu. The Dimensioning dialogue appears.
On the Source Traffic tab, select:

- Global Scaling Factor: If desired, enter a scaling factor to increase user density.
The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic
maps. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of users
(for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates per users (for live traffic maps per sector).

- Select Traffic Maps to be Used: Select the traffic maps you want to use for dimensioning.
- Under Coverage, select the P-CCPCH best server Coverage to be used to distribute the traffic among
the cells of the network.
4. Click Calculate. Atoll distributes the traffic among cells using the information from traffic maps and the coverage
prediction, calculates the capacity of each cell, and displays the results in the Results per Cell tab.
The Results per Cell tab has five columns which list the names of the cells in the network, and the numbers of
uplink and downlink resource units available and required per cell. The last row in this dialogue displays the total
uplink and downlink resource units, required and available. Cells for which the required resource units exceed the
available units are displayed in red.
The uplink and downlink resource units overhead defined for each timeslot per cell is considered when calculating
the number of available resource units.

5. Click Commit to store the number of required resource units per cell in the Cells table.
6. Click Close to close the dialogue.
Changing transmitter parameters does not affect the dimensioning results if you have not updated the coverage by
P-CCPCH best server used for the dimensioning calculations. If you want to compare dimensioning results after modifying
some transmitter parameters, you will have to (re)calculate a coverage by P-CCPCH best server, and run the dimensioning
calculations based on the new coverage prediction.

Displaying the Required Network Capacity on the Map

You can create a coverage by P-CCPCH best server in order to display the required network capacity, i.e., the number of
required resource units in uplink or downlink, of your TD-SCDMA network on the map. The number of required resource
units is an output of network dimensioning stored in the Cells table. For more information, see "Calculating Required
Network Capacity" on page 818.
To display the required cell and network capacity on the map:
1. Create a coverage by P-CCPCH best server, as explained in "Making a Coverage Prediction by P-CCPCH Best
Server" on page 761, with the following display parameters:
- In step 7., set the Display Type "Value intervals" based on the Field "Cells: Required DL Resource Units" or
"Cells: Required UL Resource Units" according to what you would like to display. Each coverage zone will then
be displayed according to the number of required resource units for the cell (carrier used for the coverage pre-
diction).

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

Figure 12.63: Required network capacity coverage prediction (Display tab)

Once Atoll has finished calculating the prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 12.64).

Figure 12.64: Required network capacity coverage prediction

Displaying Usage of Resource Units on the Map

You can create a coverage by P-CCPCH best server in order to display the usage of resource units, i.e., the percentage
of available resource units which are effectively used by the traffic in uplink or downlink, of your TD-SCDMA network on
the map.
To display the usage of resource units on the map:
1. Create a coverage by P-CCPCH best server, as explained in "Making a Coverage Prediction by P-CCPCH Best
Server" on page 761, with the following display parameters:
- In step 7., set the Display Type "Value intervals" based on the Field "Required DL Resource Units (%)" or
"Required UL Resource Units (%)" according to what you would like to display. Each coverage zone will then
be displayed according to the percentage of available resource units that are used in each cell (carrier used
for the coverage prediction).

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 12.65: Resource unit usage coverage prediction (Display tab)

Once Atoll has finished calculating the prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 12.66).

Figure 12.66: Resource unit usage coverage prediction

A high percentage of cell usage can indicates dimensioning problems.

12.3.2 Defining Multi-service Traffic Data

The first step in making a simulation is defining how the network is used. In Atoll, this is accomplished by creating all of
the parameters of network use, in terms of services, users, and equipment.
The following services and users are modelled in Atoll in order to create simulations:
• R99 radio bearers: Bearer services are used by the network to carry information. The R99 Radio Bearer table
lists all the available radio bearers. You can create new R99 radio bearers and modify existing ones using the R99
Radio Bearer table. For information on defining R99 radio bearers, see "Defining R99 Radio Bearers" on
page 859.
• Services: Services are the various services, such as voice, mobile internet access, etc., available to subscribers.
These services can be either circuit-switched or packet-switched services. For information on modelling end-user
services, see "Modelling Services" on page 775.
• Mobility types: In TD-SCDMA, information about receiver mobility is important to accurately model the channel
characteristics: a mobile used by a speed driver or a pedestrian will not necessarily undergo the same radio wave
behaviour. Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I targets for uplink and downlink are largely dependent on mobile speed. For information on
creating a mobility type, see "Creating a Mobility Types" on page 776.
• Terminals: In TD-SCDMA, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile
phone, a PDA, or a car’s on-board navigation device. For information on creating a terminal, see "Modelling Ter-
minals" on page 777.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

12.3.3 Creating a Traffic Map

The following sections describe the different types of traffic maps available in Atoll and how to create, import, and use
them. Atollprovides three types of traffic maps for UMTS projects.
• Traffic map per sector
• Traffic map per user profile
• Traffic map per density (number of users per km2)
These maps can be used for different types of traffic data sources as follows:
• Traffic maps per sector can be used if you have live traffic data from the OMC (Operation and Maintenance
Centre).
The OMC (Operations and Maintenance Centre) collects data from all cells in a network. This includes, for exam-
ple, the number of users or the throughput in each cell and the traffic characteristics related to different services.
Traffic is spread over the best server coverage area of each transmitter and each coverage area is assigned either
the throughputs in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status . For more information,
see "Creating a Traffic Map per Sector" on page 821.

• Traffic map per user profile can be used if you have marketing-based traffic data.
Traffic maps per density of user profiles, where each vector (polygon, line or point) describes subscriber densities
(or numbers of subscribers for points) with user profiles and mobility types, and traffic maps per environment of
user profiles, where each pixel has an assigned environment class. For more information, see "Importing a Traffic
Map Based on Densities of User Profiles" on page 824, "Importing a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User
Profiles" on page 825 and "Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles" on page 825.

• Traffic maps per density (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data,
or 2G network statistics.
Each pixel has an actual user density assigned. For more information, see "Importing a Traffic Map per User
Density" on page 826, "Creating a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 827, see "Converting 2G Network Traf-
fic" on page 828 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 828.

12.3.3.1 Creating a Traffic Map per Sector

The section explains how to create a traffic map per sector in Atoll to model traffic.
You can input either the throughput demands in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status .
A coverage prediction by transmitter is required to create this traffic map. If you do not already have a coverage prediction
by transmitter in your document, you must create and calculate it. For more information, see "Making a Coverage Predic-
tion by P-CCPCH Best Server" on page 761.
To create a traffic map per sector:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per Sector.
5. Select the type of traffic information you want to input. You can choose between Throughputs in Uplink and
Downlink or Number of Users per Activity Status.
6. Click the Create button. The Map per Sector dialogue appears.

Note: You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from another Atoll
document.

7. Select a coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server from the list of available coverage predictions.
8. Enter the data required in the Map per Sector dialogue:
- If you have selected Throughputs in Uplink and Downlink, enter the throughput demands in the uplink and
downlink for each sector and for each listed service.
- If you have selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of inactive users, the number
of users active in the uplink, in the downlink and in the uplink and downlink, for each sector and for each
service.

Note: You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and
selecting Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

9. Click OK. The Sector Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.

10. Select the Traffic tab. Enter the following:

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11. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
12. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
13. Under Clutter Distribution, for each clutter class, enter:
- A weight to spread the traffic over the vector.
- The percentage of indoor users. An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during Monte Carlo simu-
lations.
14. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
You can update the information, throughput demands, and the number of users, on the map afterwards. You can update
Live traffic per sector maps if you add or remove a base station. You must first recalculate the coverage prediction by P-
CCPCH best server. For more information, see "Making a Coverage Prediction by P-CCPCH Best Server" on page 761.
Once you have recalculated the coverage prediction, you can update the traffic map.
To update the traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map that you want to update. The context menu appears.
4. Select Update from the context menu. The Map per Sector dialogue appears.
Select the updated coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server and define traffic values for the new transmit-
ter(s) listed at the bottom of the table. Deleted or deactivated transmitters are automatically removed from the
table.

5. Click OK. The Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.

6. Click OK. The traffic map is updated on the basis of the selected coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server.

12.3.3.2 Creating a Traffic Map per User Profile

The marketing department can provide information which can be used to create traffic maps. This information describes
the behaviour of different types of users. In other words, it describes which type of user accesses which services and for
how long. There can also be information about the type of terminal devices they use to access different services.
In Atoll, this type of data can be used to create traffic maps based on user profiles and environments.
A user profile models the behaviour of different subscriber categories. Each user profile is defined by a list of services
which are in turn defined by the terminal used, the calls per hour, and duration (for circuit-switched calls) or uplink and
downlink volume (for packet-switched calls).
Environment classes are used to describe the distribution of subscribers on a map. An environment class describes its
environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given density (i.e., the number of
subscribers with the same profile per km²).
The sections "Importing a Traffic Map Based on Densities of User Profiles" on page 824, "Importing a Traffic Map Based
on Environments of User Profiles" on page 825 and "Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles" on
page 825 describe how to use traffic data from the marketing department in Atoll to model traffic.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Modelling User Profiles" on page 822.
• "Modelling Environments" on page 823.

Modelling User Profiles

You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user may be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but
no web browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and
web browsing.
To create or modify a user profile:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile in
the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can modify the following parameters:

- Service: Select a service from the list. For information on services, see "Modelling Services" on page 775.
- Terminal: Select a terminal from the list. For information on terminals, see "Modelling Terminals" on page 777.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

- Calls⁄Hour: For circuit-switched services, enter the average number of calls per hour for the service. The calls
per hour is used to calculate the activity probability. For circuit-switched services, one call lasting 1000 sec-
onds presents the same activity probability as two calls lasting 500 seconds each.
For packet-switched services, the Calls⁄Hour value is defined as the number of sessions per hour. A session
is like a call in that it is defined as the period of time between when a user starts using a service and when he
stops using a service. In packet-switched services, however, he may not use the service continually. For ex-
ample, with a web-browsing service, a session starts when the user opens his browsing application and ends
when he quits the browsing application. Between these two events, the user may be downloading web pages
and other times he may not be using the application or he may be browsing local files, but the session is still
considered as open. A session, therefore, is defined by the volume transferred in the uplink and downlink and
not by the time.

Note: In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.

- Duration: For circuit-switched services, enter the average duration of a call in seconds. For packet-switched
services, this field is left blank.
- UL Volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average uplink volume per session in kilobytes.
- DL Volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average downlink volume per session in kilobytes.

Modelling Environments

An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a
given density (i.e., the number of subscribers with the same profile per km²). To get an appropriate user distribution, you
can assign a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor
subscribers for each clutter class. In a Monte Carlo simulation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties)
will be added to the indoor users path loss.
To create or modify a TD-SCDMA environment:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the
environment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context
menu.

5. Click the General tab.

6. Enter a Name for the new TD-SCDMA environment.

7. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), set the following parameters for each user profile⁄mobility com-
bination that this TD-SCDMA environment will describe:
- User: Select a user profile.
- Mobility: Select a mobility type.
- Density (Subscribers⁄km2): Enter a density in terms of subscribers per square kilometre for the combination
of user profile and mobility type.
8. Click the Clutter Weighting tab.
9. For each clutter class, enter a weight that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:

Wk × Sk
N k = N Area × --------------------------
∑
Wi × Si
i
where:

Nk = Number of users in the clutter k

N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)

For example: An area of 10 km² with a subscriber density of 100⁄km². Therefore, in this area, there are 1000
subscribers. The area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1"
and for Building is "4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter
class and 800 in the Building clutter class.

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10. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simu-
lation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be added to the indoor users path loss.

12.3.3.2.1 Importing a Traffic Map Based on Densities of User Profiles

Traffic maps based on densities of user profiles are composed of vectors (either points with a number of subscribers, lines
with a number of subscribers⁄km, or polygons with a number of subscribers⁄km²) with a user profile, mobility type, and traffic
density assigned to each vector.
To create a traffic map based on densities of user profiles:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
5. Select Based on Densities of User Profiles from the scrolling list.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 825.

7. Select the file to import.

8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab (see Figure 12.67). Under Traffic Fields, you can specify the user profiles to be considered,
their mobility type (km⁄h), and their density. If the file you are importing has this data, you can define the traffic
characteristics by identifying the corresponding fields in the file. If the file you are importing does not have data
describing the user profile, mobility, or density, you can assign values. When you assign values, they apply to the
entire map.

Figure 12.67: Traffic map properties dialogue – Traffic tab

Define each of the following:

- User Profile: If you want to import user profile information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and
select the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a user profile from the TD-SCDMA
Parameters folder of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the user profile in the Choice
column.
- Mobility: If you want to import mobility information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select
the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a mobility type from the TD-SCDMA Parame-
ters folder of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the mobility type in the Choice column.
- Density: If you want to import density information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select the
source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a density, under Defined, select "By value" and
enter a density in the Choice column for the combination of user profile and mobility type. In this context, the
term "density" depends on the type of vector traffic map. It refers to the number of subscribers per square kil-
ometre for polygons, the number of subscribers per kilometre in case of lines and the number of subscribers
when the map consists of points.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

Important: The name of the imported user profile or mobility type must match the corresponding
name in the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder of the Data tab. If the names do not match,
Atoll will display a warning and will not import the file.

12. Under Clutter Distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:

Wk × Sk
N k = N Area × --------------------------
∑
Wi × Si
i
where:

Nk = Number of users in the clutter k

N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)

13. If you want, you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo sim-
ulation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be added to the indoor users path loss.
14. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.

12.3.3.2.2 Importing a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

Atollenables you to create a traffic map based on environments of user profiles by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
5. Select Based on Environments of User Profiles from the scrolling list.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 825.

7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, BIL, IST,
BMP, PlaNET©, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the
Code column.

12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under TD-SCDMA Parameters on
the Data tab of the Explorer window. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 823.

13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects"
on page 33.

12.3.3.2.3 Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

Atollenables you to create an environment class based traffic map by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map:
Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
1. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
2. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
3. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
4. Select Based on Environments of User Profiles from the scrolling list.
5. Click Create. The Environment Map Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 12.68).

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Atoll User Manual

Draw Polygon Delete Polygon

Figure 12.68: Environment Map Editor toolbar

6. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.

7. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.

8. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
9. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.

12.3.3.2.4 Displaying Statistics on a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

You can display the statistics of a traffic map based on environments of user profiles. Atoll provides absolute (surface)
and relative (percentage of the surface) statistics on the focus zone for each environment class. If you do not have a focus
zone defined, statistics are determined for the computation zone.
To display traffic statistics of an environment class based traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the traffic map based on environments of user profiles whose statistics you want to display. The context
menu appears.
4. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears.
The Statistics window lists the surface (Si in km²) and the percentage of surface (% of i) for each environment
Si
class "i" within the focus zone. The percentage of surface is given by: % of i = -------------- × 100
∑ Sk
k
You can print the statistics by clicking the Print button.
5. Click Close.
If a clutter classes map is available in the document, traffic statistics provided for each environment class are listed per
clutter class.

12.3.3.3 Creating Traffic Maps per User Density (No. Users/km2)

Traffic maps per user density can be based on population statistics (user densities can be calculated from the density of
inhabitants) or on 2G traffic statistics. Traffic maps per user density provides the number of connected users per unit
surface, i.e., the density of users, as input.

12.3.3.3.1 Importing a Traffic Map per User Density

The traffic map per user density defines the density of users per pixel. For a traffic density of X users per km², Atoll will
distribute x users per pixel during the simulations, where x depends on the size of the pixels. These x users will have a
terminal, a mobility type, a service, and percentage of indoor users as defined in the Traffic tab of the traffic map’s prop-
erties dialogue.
You can create a number of traffic maps per user density for different combinations of terminals, mobility types, and serv-
ices. You can add vector layers to the map and draw regions with different traffic densities.
To create a traffic map per user density:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.

4. Select Traffic Map per User Density (No. Users/km2).

5. Select the type of traffic information you input. You can choose between:
- Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
- Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
- Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
- Inactive: Select Inactive if the map you are importing provides a density of inactive users.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 825.

7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET©, TIF, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab.
12. Select whether the users are active in the Uplink⁄Downlink, only in the Downlink, or only in the Uplink.
13. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
14. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
15. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
16. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.

17. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.

12.3.3.3.2 Creating a Traffic Map per User Density

Atollenables you to create a traffic map per user density by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map per user density:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.

4. Select Traffic Map per Density (Number of users per km2).

5. Select the type of traffic information you input. You can choose between:
- Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
- Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
- Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
- Inactive: Select Inactive if the map you are importing provides a density of inactive users.
6. Click the Create button. The traffic map’s property dialogue appears.
7. Select the Traffic tab.
8. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
9. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
10. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
11. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
12. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
13. Right-click the traffic map. The context menu appears.
14. Select Edit from the context menu.
15. Use the tools available in the Vector Edition toolbar in order to draw contours. For more information on how to edit
contours, see "Editing Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 131. Atoll creates an item called Density values in
the User Density Map folder.
16. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
17. Select Open Table from the context menu.

18. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e. the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.

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19. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.

20. Select Edit from the context menu to end editing.

12.3.3.4 Converting 2G Network Traffic

Atollcan cumulate the traffic of the traffic maps that you select and export it to a file. The information exported is the
number of users per km² for a particular service of a particular type, i.e., data or voice. This allows you to export your 2G
network packet and circuit service traffic, and then import these maps as traffic maps per user density into your
TD-SCDMA document. These maps can then be used in traffic simulations like any other type of map.
For more information on how to export cumulated traffic, see "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 828, and for informa-
tion on importing traffic maps per user density, see "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 826.
To import a 2G traffic map into a TD-SCDMA document:
1. Create a live data traffic map in your 2G document for each type of service, i.e., one map for packet-switched and
one for circuit-switched services. For more information on creating traffic maps per sector, see "Creating a Traffic
Map per Sector" on page 306.
2. Export the cumulated traffic of the maps created in step 1. For information on exporting cumulated traffic, see
"Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 312.
3. Import the traffic exported in step 2 to your TD-SCDMA document as a traffic map per user density. For more infor-
mation on importing traffic maps per user density, see "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 826.

12.3.3.5 Exporting Cumulated Traffic

Atoll allows you to export the cumulated traffic of selected traffic maps in the form of traffic maps per user density. During
export, Atoll converts any traffic map to user density. The cumulated traffic is exported in 32-bit BIL, ArcView© Grid, or
Vertical Mapper format. When exporting in BIL format, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 GB. The exported traffic
map can then be imported as a traffic map per user density.
To export the cumulated traffic:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Export Cumulated Traffic from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. Enter a file name and select the file format.
5. Click Save. The Export dialogue appears.
6. Under Region, select the area to export:
- The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic of the entire project.
- The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic contained by a rectangle
encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1.

Important: You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.

8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
- Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
- Service: Select the service that will be exported, or select "Circuit services" to export traffic using any circuit
service, or select "Packet services" to export traffic using any packet service.
- Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
- Activity: Select one of the following:
- All Activity Statuses: Select All Activity Statuses to export all users without any filter by activity status.
- Uplink: Select Uplink to export mobiles active in the uplink only.
- Downlink: Select Downlink to export mobiles active in the downlink only.
- Uplink/Downlink: Select Uplink/Downlink to export only mobiles with both uplink and downlink activity.
- Inactive: Select Inactive to export only inactive mobiles.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the
cumulated traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.

12.3.4 Exporting a Traffic Map

To export a traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the traffic map you want to export. The context menu appears.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

4. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
5. Enter a file name and select a file format for the traffic map.
6. Click Save.
If you are exporting a raster traffic map, you have to define:

- The Export Region:

- Entire Project Area: Saves the entire traffic map.
- Only Pending Changes: Saves only the modifications made to the map.
- Computation Zone: Saves only the part of the traffic map inside the computation zone.
- An export Resolution.

12.3.5 Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations

Once you have modelled the network services and users and have created traffic maps, you can create simulations. The
simulation process consists of two steps:
1. Obtaining a realistic user distribution: Atoll generates a user distribution using a Monte Carlo algorithm; this
user distribution is based on the traffic database and traffic maps and is weighted by a Poisson distribution
between simulations of a same group.
Each user is assigned a service, a mobility type, and an activity status by random trial, according to a probability
law that uses the traffic database.

The user activity status is an important output of the random trial and has direct consequences on the next step
of the simulation and on the network interferences. A user may be either active or inactive. Both active and inactive
users consume radio resources and create interference.

Then, Atoll randomly assigns a shadowing error to each user using the probability distribution that describes the
shadowing effect.

Finally, another random trial determines user positions in their respective traffic zone (according to the clutter
weighting and the indoor ratio per clutter class).
2. Modelling dynamic channel allocation and power control: Atoll performs dynamic channel allocation and
power control for mobiles generated in the previous step. The power control simulation algorithm is described in
"The Monte Carlo Simulation Algorithm" on page 829.

12.3.5.1 The Monte Carlo Simulation Algorithm

The dynamic channel allocation (DCA) simulates the way a TD-SCDMA network allocates resource units to users access-
ing different services. The power control algorithm (see Figure 12.69) simulates the way a TD-SCDMA network regulates
itself by using uplink and downlink power controls in order to minimize interference and maximize capacity. HSDPA users
are linked to the A-DPCH radio bearer (an R99 radio bearer). Therefore, the network uses uplink and downlink power
control on A-DPCH, and then performs fast link adaptation on downlink in order to select an HSDPA radio bearer. Atoll
simulates the network regulation mechanisms for each user distribution. During each iteration of the algorithm, all the
mobiles (R99 and HSDPA) selected during the user distribution generation attempt to connect one by one to the network’s
transmitters. The process is repeated until the network is balanced, i.e., until the convergence criteria (on UL and DL) are
satisfied.

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Figure 12.69: Schematic view of simulation algorithm

As shown in Figure 12.69, the simulation algorithm is divided in two parts. All users are evaluated by the R99 part of the
algorithm. HSDPA users, unless they have been rejected during the R99 part of the algorithm, are then evaluated by the
HSDPA part of the algorithm.

Description of the R99 Part of the Simulation

The R99 part of the algorithm simulates power control, congestion and radio resource control performed for R99 bearers
for both R99 and HSDPA users. Atoll considers each user in the order in which the users are generated, and determines
his best server. Atoll then selects the cell and the timeslot to be allocated to each user as follows:
• Atoll selects the preferred carrier defined in the properties of the service being used by the user if the preferred
carrier is available on the best server and if there are enough resources available on it to accommodate the user.
Otherwise, Atoll selects the carrier according to the selected DCA strategy.
• Load: The least loaded cell or timeslot is selected.
- Cell: Atoll calculates the ISCP (Interference Signal Code Power) for all the timeslots of all the cells of the
user’s best server considering the effect of smart antenna equipment, if any. Next, Atoll selects the carrier
with the lowest ISCP and the lowest load that has enough free timeslots to support the user’s service.
- Timeslot: Atoll selects the least loaded timeslots that have enough free OVSF codes for the user’s service.
• Available RUs: The cell or timeslot with the most available resource units is selected.
- Cell: Atoll calculates the number of available resource units for all the timeslots of all the cells of the user’s
best server. Next, Atoll selects the carrier with most number of available resource units.
- Timeslot: Atoll selects the timeslots with the most available resource units.
• Direction of Arrival: The cell or timeslot selected is the one which does not have an interfering mobile located
nearby at the same angle as the direction of arrival of the targeted mobile.
- Cell: Atoll calculates the number of interfering mobiles which are located in the same direction as the targeted
user for all the timeslots of all the cells of the user’s best server. Next, Atoll selects the carrier with the lowest
number of interfering mobiles in the direction of the targeted user.
- Timeslot: Atoll selects the timeslots with the lowest number of interfering mobiles in the direction of the tar-
geted user.
• Sequential: Cells and timeslots are selected in a sequential order.
- Cell: Atoll allocates the carriers to users one by one. For example, if there are 3 carriers, Atoll allocates car-
rier 0 to user 0, carrier 1 to user 1, carrier 2 to user 2, carrier 0 to user 3, and so on.
- Timeslot: Atoll allocates timeslots to users one by one.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

DCA reduces interference and maximises the usage of resource units. Resource units from different carriers can be
shared and allocated to the same mobile connected to an N-frequency mode compatible transmitter.
In TD-SCDMA networks, interference for a given timeslot can be of the following four types:
• DL – DL: Cell A and cell B both transmitting in downlink.
• UL – UL: Cell A and cell B both receiving in uplink.
• DL – UL: Cell A receiving in uplink and cell B transmitting in downlink.
• UL – DL: Cell A transmitting in downlink and cell B receiving in uplink.
Next, Atoll performs uplink and downlink power control considering the effect of smart antenna equipment, if any. Atoll
first calculates the required terminal power in order to reach the Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I threshold required by the service in the uplink,
followed by the required traffic channel power in order to reach the Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I threshold required by the service in the
downlink. Atoll updates the downlink and uplink ISCP for all the users.
After carrying out power control, Atoll updates the cell load parameters. For each cell whose transmitter has smart
antenna equipment assigned, Atoll updates the geometrical distribution of power transmitted using the smart antenna in
the downlink for each timeslot, which has to be updated for each user. Atoll also saves the geometrical distribution of
uplink loads calculated using the smart antenna in the uplink.
Atoll then carries out congestion and radio resource control, verifying the UL load, the total transmitted power, the number
of resource units, and OVSF codes consumed considering the services which require several timeslots.
At this point, the users can be either connected or rejected. They are rejected if:
• The signal quality is not sufficient:
- On the downlink, the P-CCPCH RSCP is not high enough: status is " P-CCPCH RSCP < Min. P-CCPCH
RSCP"
- On the downlink, the power required to reach the user is greater than the maximum allowed: the status is
"Ptch > Max Ptch"
- On the uplink, there is not enough power to transmit: the status is "Pmob > Max Pmob"
• Even if constraints above are respected, the network (cell and timeslot) may be saturated:
- The maximum uplink load factor is exceeded (at admission or congestion): the status is either "Admission
Rejection" or "UL Load Saturation"
- There are not enough resource units in the cell: the status is "RU Saturation"
- There is not enough power for cells: the status is "DL Load Saturation"

Description of the HSDPA Part of the Simulation

In the HSDPA part, Atoll processes all HSDPA bearer users. The HSDPA part of the algorithm simulates fast link adap-
tation, the scheduling of HSDPA users, and radio resource control on downlink. Two fast link adaptations are done, one
before mobile scheduling and one after.
HSDPA bearer selection is based on look-up tables available in the HSDPA Bearer Selection tab of the reception equip-
ment properties. The HSDPA and HS-SCCH powers of a cell are evaluated before calculating HS-PDSCH Ec⁄Nt. The
HSDPA power (the power dedicated to HS-SCCH and HS-PDSCH of HSDPA bearer users) of a cell can be either fixed
(statically allocated) or dynamically allocated. If it is dynamically allocated, the power allocated to HSDPA depends on how
much power is required to serve R99 traffic. In other words, the power available after all common channels and all R99
traffic have been served is allocated to HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH of HSDPA bearer users. Similarly, the power per
HS-SCCH can be either fixed or dynamically allocated in order to attain the HS-SCCH Ec⁄Nt threshold. Using the
HS-SCCH and HSDPA powers, Atoll evaluates the HS-PDSCH power (the difference between the HSDPA power and the
HS-SCCH power), calculates the HS-PDSCH Ec⁄Nt and, from that, the HSDPA bearer defined for the terminal reception
equipment and the user mobility).
Similarly, the terminal power per HS-SICH in the uplink can be either fixed or dynamically allocated in order to attain the
HS-SICH Ec⁄Nt threshold. Before mobile scheduling, each user is processed as if he is the only user in the cell. This means
that Atoll determines the HSDPA bearer for each HSDPA user by considering the entire HSDPA power available of the
cell.
During scheduling, cell radio resources are shared between HSDPA users by the scheduler. The scheduler simultaneously
manages the maximum number of users within each cell and ranks them according to the selected scheduling technique:
• Max C/I: "n" HSDPA users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined) are sched-
uled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descending order by
the HS-PDSCH Ec⁄Nt.
• Round Robin: HSDPA users are scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order).
• Proportional Fair: "n" HSDPA users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined)
are scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descending
order according to a random parameter which corresponds to a combination of the user rank in the simulation and
the HS-PDSCH Ec⁄Nt.
After mobile scheduling, Atoll carries out a second fast link adaptation. HSDPA users are processed in the order defined
by the scheduler and the cell’s HSDPA power is shared among them.

12.3.5.2 Creating Simulations

In Atoll, simulations enable you to model TD-SCDMA network regulation mechanisms in order to minimise interference
and maximise capacity.
You can create one simulation or a group of simulations that will be performed in sequence.

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Atoll User Manual

To create a simulation or a group of simulations:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The properties dialogue for a new simulation or group of simulations appears.
4. On the General tab of the dialogue, enter a Name and Comments for this simulation or group of simulations.
5. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Number of Simulations: Enter the number of simulations to be carried out. All simulations created at the
same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
- Execute Later: If you select the Execute Later check box, the simulation will not be carried out until you click
the Calculate button ( ). If the Execute Later check box is not selected, the simulation will be carried out
as soon as you click OK and close the dialogue.

Note: Execute Later enables you to automatically calculate TD-SCDMA coverage predictions
after simulations with no intermediary step by creating your simulations, creating your
predictions, and then clicking the Calculate button ( ).

- Information to retain: You can select the level of detail that will be available in the output:
- Only the Average Simulation and Statistics: None of the individual simulations are displayed or avail-
able in the group. Only an average of all simulations and statistics is available.

Note: Some calculation and display options available for coverage predictions are not available
when the option "Only the average simulation and statistics" is selected.

- No Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. For each of them, a
properties window containing simulation output, divided among four tabs – Statistics, Sites, Cells, and
Initial Conditions – is available.
- Standard Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window of each simulation contains an additional tab with output related to mobiles.
- Detailed Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window for each simulation contains additional mobile-related output on the Mobiles and Mobiles (Shad-
owing values) tabs.

Tip: When you are working on very large radio-planning projects, you can reduce memory
consumption by selecting Only the Average Simulation and Statistics under
Information to retain.

6. Under Cell Load Constraints on the General tab, you can set the constraints that Atoll must respect during the
simulation:
- UL Load Factor: If you want the UL load factor to be considered in the simulation, select the UL Load Factor
check box.
- Max UL Load Factor: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum uplink load factor, click the button
( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum uplink load factor. If you want to
use the maximum uplink load factor defined for each timeslot in a cell, click the button ( ) beside the box
and select Defined per Cell.
- DL Load (% Pmax): If you want the DL load to be considered in the simulation, select the DL Load (% Pmax)
check box and enter a maximum downlink load in the Max DL Load box.
- Max DL Load (% Pmax): If you want to enter a global value for the maximum downlink load as a percentage
of the maximum power, click the button ( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a max-
imum downlink load as a percentage of the maximum power. If you want to use the maximum downlink load
defined for each timeslot in a cell, click the button ( ) beside the box and select Defined per Cell.
7. On the TD-SCDMA tab of the dialogue, under Settings, enter an Angular Step in degrees which is used to build
the geometrical distributions of uplink and downlink loads. Angular step in used with grid of beams, statistical, and
adaptive beam modelling. For more information on the different smart antenna models, see "Types of Smart
Antenna Modelling" on page 854.
8. Under DCA Strategies, select the strategy to be used for selecting carriers and timeslots during the simulations.
There are four different strategies available:
- Load: The least loaded cell or timeslot is selected.
- Available RUs: The cell or timeslot with the most available resource units is selected.
- Direction of Arrival: The cell or timeslot selected is the one which does not have an interfering mobile located
nearby at the same angle as the direction of arrival of the targeted mobile.
- Sequential: Cells and timeslots are selected in a sequential order.
For more information about the DCA strategies, see "The Monte Carlo Simulation Algorithm" on page 829.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

9. Select the Calculate Interference Between Mobiles check box and enter a maximum distance to consider
between interfering mobiles in the Max Distance field.
10. On the Source Traffic tab, enter the following:
- Global Scaling Factor: If desired, enter a scaling factor to increase user density.
The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic
maps. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of subscrib-
ers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates or users (for live traffic maps per sector).

- Select Traffic Maps to Be Used: Select the traffic maps you want to use for the simulation.
You can select traffic maps of any type. However, if you have several different types of traffic maps and want
to make a simulation based on a specific type of traffic map, you must ensure that you select only traffic maps
of the same type. For information on the types of traffic maps, see "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 821.

11. Click the Advanced tab.

12. Under Generator Initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. If you enter "0", the default,
the user and shadowing error distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same user and shad-
owing error distribution will be used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.

Tip: Using the same generated user and shadowing error distribution for several simulations
can be useful when you want to compare the results of several simulations where only one
parameter changes.

13. Under Convergence, enter the following parameters:

- Max No. of Iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make convergence.
- UL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on
the uplink that must be reached between two iterations.
- DL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on
the downlink that must be reached between two iterations.
14. Under Quality Threshold Type, select whether the simulations will be carried out using the Eb/Nt or C/I. For more
information on the quality threshold type selection, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 852.
15. Click OK. Atoll immediately begins the simulation unless you selected the Execute Later check box on the Gen-
eral tab.
All simulations created at the same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window. You can
now use the completed simulations for specific TD-SCDMA and HSDPA coverage predictions (see "Making Coverage
Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 843).

12.3.5.3 Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map

Atoll enables you to display on the map the distribution of the traffic generated by all simulations according to different
parameters. You can, for example, display the traffic according to service, activity status, or pilot signal strength.
You can set the display of the traffic distribution according to discrete values and the select the value to be displayed. Or,
you can select the display of the traffic distribution according to value intervals, and then select the parameter and the
value intervals that are to be displayed. You can also define the colours of the icon and the icon itself.
For information on changing display characteristics, see "Defining the Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
In this section are the following examples of traffic distribution:
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status" on page 833.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status" on page 834.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service" on page 834.

Tip: You can make the traffic distribution easier to see by hiding geo data and predictions. For
information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on
page 28.

12.3.5.3.1 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the activity status.
To display the traffic distribution by the activity status:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The TD-SCDMA Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "DL Activity" or "UL Activity"
as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by downlink or uplink activity status (see Figure 12.70).

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 12.70: Displaying the traffic distribution by downlink activity status

12.3.5.3.2 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the connection status.
To display the traffic distribution by the connection status:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The TD-SCDMA Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Connection Status" as the
Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by connection status (see Figure 12.71).

Figure 12.71: Displaying the traffic distribution by connection status

12.3.5.3.3 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by service.
To display the traffic distribution by service:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The TD-SCDMA Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Service" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by service (see Figure 12.72).

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

Figure 12.72: Displaying the traffic distribution by service

12.3.5.4 Displaying the User Best Server on the Map

Atoll enables you to display on the map the best serving transmitter for each user generated by a simulation.
To display the best server for a user:
• On the map, click and hold the icon of the user whose best server you want to display.
The user’s best server is connected to the user with a line of the same colour as the serving transmitter. The best
server is indicated with the number "1". Figure 12.73 shows a user with its best server.

Figure 12.73: The best server of a user

12.3.5.5 Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation

After you have created a simulation, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 831, you can display the results.
To access the results of a single simulation:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose results
you want to access.
4. Right-click the simulation. The context menu appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. A simulation properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the results of the simulation. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain
simulation results as identified by the tab title. A final tab lists the initial conditions of the simulation.

The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following two sections:

- Request: Under Request, you will find data on the connection requests:
- Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; power control has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic input.
- During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL rates that all users could theoretically generate are provided.
- The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
rates) is given.
- Results: Under Results, you will find data on the connection results:
- The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.

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- The number and the percentage of non-connected users is given along with the reason for rejection.
These figures include rejected and delayed users. These figures are determined at the end of the simula-
tion and depend on the network design.
- The number and percentage of R99 bearer users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity
status, and the UL and DL total rates they generate. These figures include R99 users as well as HSDPA
users (since all of them request an R99 bearer); they are determined in the R99 part of the algorithm.
These data are also given per service.
- The total number and the percentage of connected users with an HSDPA bearer, the number of users per
activity status, and the DL total rate that they generate.
The Sites tab: The Sites tab contains the following information per site:
- JD Factor: The joint detection factor, defined in the site equipment, is used to decrease intra-cellular interfer-
ence in uplink.
- MCJD Factor: The multi-cell joint detection factor, defined in the site equipment, is used to decrease uplink
interference from mobiles in other cells.
- Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The instantaneous HSDPA rate in kbps.
- DL Throughput (kbps): For each service, the aggregate downlink throughput of all the transmitters at each
site.
- UL Throughput (kbps): For each service, the aggregate uplink throughput of all the transmitters at each site.
The Cells tab: Cell level results are determined from the results calculated per timeslot. The Cells tab contains
the following information, per site, transmitter, carrier:

- Max Power [Traffic TS] (dBm): The maximum power per traffic timeslot as defined in the cell properties.
- P-CCPCH Power [TS0] (dBm): The P-CCPCH power as defined in the cell properties.
- DwPCH Power [DwPTS] (dBm): The DwPCH power as defined in the cell properties.
- Other CCH power [DL Traffic TS] (dBm): The power of other common channels per timeslot.
- Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
- Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
- Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
- Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties.
- DL Traffic Power (dBm): The DL traffic power is the power transmitted by the cell on a downlink traffic
timeslot.
- DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of the maximum power used is determined by the ratio of the total trans-
mitted power and the maximum power (powers stated in W). When the constraint "DL Load" is set, the DL

∑ PTimeslot
Used Used
Load cannot exceed the user-defined Max DL Load. P Cell =
i
i ∈ DL
- UL Load Factor (%): The uplink load factor for uplink timeslots. This factor corresponds to the ratio between
UL – Load UL – Load
the uplink total interference and the uplink total noise. F Cell = Avg ( F Timeslot )
i
i ∈ UL
- UL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink noise rise is calculated from the uplink load factor. It indicates the signal deg-
radation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
- DL Load Factor (%): The downlink load factor for downlink timeslots. This factor corresponds to the ratio
DL – Load DL – Load
between the downlink total interference and the downlink total noise. F Cell = Avg ( F Timeslot )
i
i ∈ DL
- DL Noise Rise (dB): The downlink noise rise is calculated from the downlink load factor. It indicates the signal
degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
- Number of DL Radio Links: The number of downlink radio links corresponds to the number of user-trans-
mitter links on the same carrier (i.e., the sum of the number of connected mobiles and the number of inactive
mobiles). This data indicates the number of users connected to the cell on the downlink.
- Number of UL Radio Links: The number of uplink radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter
links on the same carrier (i.e., the sum of the number of connected mobiles and the number of inactive
mobiles). This data indicates the number of users connected to the cell on the uplink.
- Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users able to connect to the cell with respect to the total
number of users attempting to connect. It is the ratio between the number of connected mobiles and the
number of connected and rejected mobiles.
- UL Total Requested Rate (kbps): The sum of all the uplink throughputs requested by the mobiles attempting
to connect to a carrier.
- DL Total Requested Rate (kbps): The sum of all the downlink throughputs requested by mobiles attempting
to connect to a carrier.
- UL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): The traffic carried by the cell in terms of throughput in the uplink.
- DL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): The traffic carried by the cell in terms of throughput in the downlink.
- Required UL Resource Units: The number of resource units required to carry the traffic demand in the uplink.
- UL Resource Units: The number of resource units used in the cell in the uplink.
- Required DL Resource Units: The number of resource units required to carry the traffic demand in the down-
link.
- DL Resource Units: The number of resource units used in the cell in the downlink.
The Timeslots tab: The Timeslots tab contains the following information, per site, transmitter, carrier, and time-
slot:

- Max Power [Traffic TS] (dBm): The maximum power per traffic timeslot as defined in the cell properties.
- P-CCPCH Power [TS0] (dBm): The P-CCPCH power as defined in the cell properties.
- Other CCH power (dBm): The power of other common channels per timeslot.
- Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
- Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

- Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
- Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties.
- DL Traffic Power (dBm): The DL traffic power is the power transmitted by the cell on a downlink traffic
timeslot.
- Angular Distribution of UL and DL Loads: The angular distribution of downlink transmitted power and uplink
loads computed for cells whose transmitters have smart antenna equipment. This field contains binary data if
you are using a third-party smart antenna model.
- Max DL Load (% Pmax): The maximum percentage of downlink power that a cell can use. It is defined either
in the cell properties or in the simulation creation dialogue.
- DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of the maximum power used is determined by the ratio of the total trans-
mitted power and the maximum power (powers stated in W). When the constraint "DL Load" is set, the DL
Load cannot exceed the user-defined Max DL Load.
- Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor not to be exceeded. This limit is taken into account
during the simulation if the option UL Load is selected. If the UL load option is not selected during a simula-
tion, this value is not taken into consideration.
- UL Load Factor (%): The uplink load factor for uplink timeslots. This factor corresponds to the ratio between
the uplink total interference and the uplink total noise.
- UL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink noise rise is calculated from the uplink load factor. It indicates the signal deg-
radation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
- DL Load Factor (%): The downlink load factor for downlink timeslots. This factor corresponds to the ratio
between the downlink total interference and the downlink total noise.
- DL Noise Rise (dB): The downlink noise rise is calculated from the downlink load factor. It indicates the signal
degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
- Resource Units: The number of resource units on a timeslot for carrying traffic. Each timeslot can have a
maximum of 16 resource units.
- Available HS-PDSCH Power (dBm): The available HS-PDSCH power as defined in the timeslot properties.
This is the power available for the HS-PDSCH of HSDPA users. The value is either defined when the HS-
PDSCH power is allocated statically, or determined by a simulation when the option HS-PDSCH Dynamic
Power Allocation is selected.
- Transmitted HSDPA Power (dBm): The power transmitted by the cell to serve users connected to HSDPA
radio bearers. If HSDPA power is allocated statically, the transmitted HSDPA power is equal to the available
HSDPA power. If HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the transmitted HSDPA power is the remaining
power after allocation of power to the users connected to R99 radio bearers, and the power headroom.
The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:

- Name: The name of the mobile as assigned during the random user generation.
- X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the
second random trial).
- Service: The service assigned during the first random trial, during the generation of the user distribution.
- Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal
and the user profile.
- User: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal
and the user profile.
- Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
- DL Activity: The activity status on the downlink assigned during the first random trial, during the generation
of the user distribution.
- UL Activity: The activity status on the uplink assigned during the first random trial, during the generation of
the user distribution.
- Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
- Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of
the simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection
cause is given.
- HSDPA Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected to an HSDPA
radio bearer, delayed, or rejected at the end of the simulation.
- Best Server: The user’s best server.
- P-CCPCH RSCP: The received signal code power on the P-CCPCH pilot channel.
- UL Total Requested Rate (kbps): For an R99 user, the uplink total requested rate corresponds to the uplink
nominal rate of the R99 bearer associated to the service. For an HSDPA user, the uplink total requested rate
corresponds to the nominal rate of ADPCH-UL64 R99 bearer.
- DL Total Requested Rate (kbps): For an R99 user, the downlink total requested rate corresponds to the
downlink nominal rate of the R99 bearer associated to the service. For an HSDPA user, the downlink total
requested rate is the sum of the ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate that the
selected HSDPA radio bearer can provide.
- UL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): For an R99 user, the total obtained rate is the same as the total requested
rate if he is connected. If the user was rejected, the total obtained rate is zero.
For an HSDPA user connected to an HSDPA bearer, the uplink total obtained rate equals the total requested
rate. If the HSDPA user is delayed (he is only connected to an R99 radio bearer), the uplink total obtained rate
corresponds to the uplink nominal rate of ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer. Finally, if the HSDPA user is rejected
either in the R99 part or in the HSDPA part (because the HSDPA scheduler is saturated), the uplink total ob-
tained rate is zero.

- DL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): For an R99 user, the total obtained rate is the same as the total requested
rate if he is connected. If the user was rejected, the total obtained rate is zero.

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Atoll User Manual

For an HSDPA user connected to an HSDPA bearer, the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the in-
stantaneous rate; this is the sum of the ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate pro-
vided by the selected HSDPA radio bearer after scheduling and radio resource control. If the HSDPA user is
delayed (he is only connected to an R99 radio bearer), the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the
downlink nominal rate of ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer. Finally, if the HSDPA user is rejected either in the R99
part or in the HSDPA part (because the HSDPA scheduler is saturated), the downlink total obtained rate is
zero.

- 1st, 2nd, 3rd DL TS Rank (Carrier): A mobile can have at most three timeslots allocated for traffic. These
timeslots can be located on different carriers (cells) of the same transmitter. These columns list the numbers
of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd timeslot assigned to a user, and the carrier number on which the timeslots are located.
For example, if a user is assigned two downlink timeslots, 4 and 6, on the carriers 0 and 2, the 1st DL TS Rank
(Carrier) will be "4 (0)" and 2nd DL TS Rank (Carrier) will be "6 (2)".
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd UL TS Rank (Carrier): A mobile can have at most three timeslots allocated for traffic. These
timeslots can be located on different carriers (cells) of the same transmitter. These columns list the numbers
of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd timeslot assigned to a user, and the carrier number on which the timeslots are located.
For example, if a user is assigned two uplink timeslots, 2 and 3, on the carriers 0 and 2, the 1st UL TS Rank
(Carrier) will be "2 (0)" and 2nd UL TS Rank (Carrier) will be "3 (2)".
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd TS Mobile Total Power (UL) (dBm): The total mobile power corresponds to the total power
transmitted by the terminal on the uplink and on the timeslots assigned to the mobile.
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd TS Cell Total Power (DL) (dBm): The cell traffic power corresponds to the power transmitted
by the cell on the downlink for a mobile on the timeslots assigned to the mobile.
The following columns only appear if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating Simulations" on
page 831, you select "Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain:

- 1st, 2nd, 3rd TS Extra Interference of UL Mobiles (DL) (dBm): The interference received on downlink
timeslots from mobiles transmitting in the uplink. This interference is calculated if you select the Calculate
Interference Between Mobiles option when creating the simulation.
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd TS Required HSDPA Power (dBm): This is the HSDPA power required to provide the HSDPA
bearer user with the downlink requested rate.
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd TS Obtained HSDPA Power (dBm): This is the HSDPA power required to provide the HSDPA
bearer user with the downlink obtained rate.
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd HSDPA TS Rank (Carrier): These columns list the numbers of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd timeslot
assigned to an HSDPA user, and the carrier number on which the timeslots are located.
- Requested HSDPA Bearer Index: The HSDPA bearer requested by an HSDPA user.
- Obtained HSDPA Bearer Index: The HSDPA bearer assigned to an HSDPA user by the DCA and resource
allocation algorithm.
- Clutter: The clutter class on which the mobile is located.
- DL and UL Orthogonality Factor: The orthogonality factor used in the simulation. The orthogonality factor is
the remaining orthogonality of the OVSF codes at reception. The value used is the orthogonality factor set in
the clutter classes.
- Spreading Angle (°): The spreading angle used in the simulation. The value used is the spreading angle set
in the clutter classes.
The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab: The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab contains information on the shad-
owing margin for each link between the receiver and up to ten closest potential transmitters:

Note: The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as
explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 831, you select "Detailed information about
mobiles" under Information to Retain.

- Name: The name assigned to the mobile.

- Value at Receiver (dB): The value of the shadowing margin at the receiver.
- Clutter: The clutter class on which the mobile is located.
- Path To: The name of the potential transmitter.
- Value (dB): The shadowing value for the potential link in the corresponding Path To column. These values
depend on the model standard deviation per clutter type on which the receiver is located and are randomly
distributed on a gaussian curve.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:

- The global transmitter parameters:

- The spreading width
- The quality threshold type
- The method used to calculate Nt
- The method used to calculate Nt for HSDPA.
- The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:
- The maximum number of iterations
- The global scaling factor
- The generator initialisation value
- The uplink and downlink convergence thresholds
- The simulation constraints such as maximum DL load and the maximum UL load factor
- The name of the traffic maps used

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

- The parameters defined per clutter class, such as the uplink and downlink orthogonality factors, indoor
loss, spreading angle, and the various standard deviations (Model, P-CCPCH Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I, DL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I,
and UL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I).
- The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.

12.3.5.6 Displaying the Average Results of a Group of Simulations

After you have created a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 831, you can display the
average results of the group. If you want to display the results of a single simulation of a group, see "Displaying the Results
of a Single Simulation" on page 835.
To access the averaged results of a group of simulations:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to access.
4. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the results of the group of simulations. Other tabs in the properties dialogue contain
simulation results for all simulations, both averaged and as a standard deviation.

The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following two sections:

- Request: Under Request, you will find data on the connection requests:
- Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; power control has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic input.
- During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL rates that all users could theoretically generate are provided.
- The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
rates) is given.
- Results: Under Results, you will find data on the connection results:
- The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.
- The number and the percentage of non-connected users is given along with the reason for rejection.
These figures include rejected and delayed users. These figures are determined at the end of the simula-
tion and depend on the network design.
- The number and percentage of R99 bearer users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity
status, and the UL and DL total rates they generate. These figures include R99 users as well as HSDPA
users (since all of them request an R99 bearer); they are determined in the R99 part of the algorithm.
These data are also given per service.
- The total number and the percentage of connected users with an HSDPA bearer, the number of users per
activity status, and the DL total rate that they generate.
The Sites (Average) and Sites (Standard Deviation) tabs: The Sites (Average) and Sites (Standard Deviation)
tabs contain the following average and standard deviation information, respectively, per site:

- JD Factor: The joint detection factor, defined in the site equipment, is used to decrease intra-cellular interfer-
ence in uplink.
- MCJD Factor: The multi-cell joint detection factor, defined in the site equipment, is used to decrease uplink
interference from mobiles in other cells.
- Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The instantaneous HSDPA rate in kbps.
- DL Throughput (kbps): For each service, the aggregate downlink throughput of all the transmitters at each
site.
- UL Throughput (kbps): For each service, the aggregate uplink throughput of all the transmitters at each site.
The Cells (Average) and Cells (Standard Deviation) tabs: The Cells (Average) and Cells (Standard Deviation)
tabs contain the following average and standard deviation information, respectively, per site, transmitter, and
carrier:

- Max Power [Traffic TS] (dBm): The maximum power per traffic timeslot as defined in the cell properties.
- P-CCPCH Power [TS0] (dBm): The P-CCPCH power as defined in the cell properties.
- DwPCH Power [DwPTS] (dBm): The DwPCH power as defined in the cell properties.
- Other CCH power [DL Traffic TS] (dBm): The power of other common channels per timeslot.
- Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
- Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
- Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
- Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties.
- DL Traffic Power (dBm): The DL traffic power is the power transmitted by the cell on a downlink traffic
timeslot.
- DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of the maximum power used is determined by the ratio of the total trans-
mitted power and the maximum power (powers stated in W). When the constraint "DL Load" is set, the DL
Load cannot exceed the user-defined Max DL Load.
- UL Load Factor (%): The uplink load factor for uplink timeslots. This factor corresponds to the ratio between
the uplink total interference and the uplink total noise.
- Number of DL Radio Links: The number of downlink radio links corresponds to the number of user-trans-
mitter links on the same carrier. This data indicates the number of users connected to the cell on the downlink.

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Atoll User Manual

- Number of UL Radio Links: The number of uplink radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter
links on the same carrier. This data indicates the number of users connected to the cell on the uplink.
- Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users able to connect to the cell with respect to the total
number of users attempting to connect.
- UL Requested Rate (kbps): The traffic demand in terms of throughput in the uplink.
- UL Obtained Rate (kbps): The traffic carried by the cell in terms of throughput in the uplink.
- DL Requested Rate (kbps): The traffic demand in terms of throughput in the downlink.
- DL Obtained Rate (kbps): The traffic carried by the cell in terms of throughput in the downlink.
- Required UL Resource Units: The number of resource units required to carry the traffic demand in the uplink.
- UL Resource Units: The number of resource units available in the cell in the uplink.
- Required DL Resource Units: The number of resource units required to carry the traffic demand in the down-
link.
- DL Resource Units: The number of resource units available in the cell in the downlink.
The Timeslots (Average) and Timeslots (Standard Deviation) tabs: The Timeslots (Average) and Timeslots
(Standard Deviation) tabs contain the following average and standard deviation information, respectively, per site,
transmitter, carrier, and timeslot:

- Max Power [Traffic TS] (dBm): The maximum power per traffic timeslot as defined in the cell properties.
- P-CCPCH Power [TS0] (dBm): The P-CCPCH power as defined in the cell properties.
- Other CCH power (dBm): The power of other common channels per timeslot.
- Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
- Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
- Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
- Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties.
- DL Traffic Power (dBm): The DL traffic power is the power transmitted by the cell on a downlink traffic
timeslot.
- Angular Distribution of UL and DL Loads: The angular distribution of downlink transmitted power and uplink
loads calculated for cells whose transmitters have smart antenna equipment. This field contains binary data if
you are using a third-party smart antenna model.
- Max DL Load (% Pmax): The maximum percentage of downlink power that a cell can use. It is defined either
in the cell properties or in the simulation creation dialogue.
- DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of the maximum power used is determined by the ratio of the total trans-
mitted power and the maximum power (powers stated in W). When the constraint "DL Load" is set, the DL
Load cannot exceed the user-defined Max DL Load.
- Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor not to be exceeded. This limit is taken into account
during the simulation if the option UL Load is selected. If the UL load option is not selected when the simula-
tion is defined, this value is not taken into consideration.
- UL Load Factor (%): The uplink load factor for uplink timeslots. This factor corresponds to the ratio between
the uplink total interference and the uplink total noise.
- UL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink noise rise is calculated from the uplink load factor. It indicates the signal deg-
radation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
- DL Load Factor (%): The downlink load factor for downlink timeslots. This factor corresponds to the ratio
between the downlink total interference and the downlink total noise.
- DL Noise Rise (dB): The downlink noise rise is calculated from the downlink load factor. It indicates the signal
degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
- Resource Units: The number of resource units on a timeslot for carrying traffic. Each timeslot can have a
maximum of 16 resource units.
- Available HS-PDSCH Power (dBm): The available HS-PDSCH power as defined in the timeslot properties.
This is the power available for the HS-PDSCH of HSDPA users. The value is either fixed by the user when the
HS-PDSCH power is allocated statically, or by a simulation when the option HS-PDSCH Dynamic Power
Allocation is selected.
- Transmitted HSDPA Power (dBm): The power transmitted by the cell to serve users connected to HSDPA
radio bearers. If HSDPA power is allocated statically, the transmitted HSDPA power is equal to the available
HSDPA power. If HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the transmitted HSDPA power is the remaining
power after allocation of power to the users connected to R99 radio bearers, and the power headroom.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:

- The global transmitter parameters:

- The spreading width
- The quality threshold type
- The method used to calculate Nt
- The method used to calculate Nt for HSDPA.
- The input parameters specified when creating the group of simulations:
- The maximum number of iterations
- The global scaling factor
- The generator initialisation value
- The uplink and downlink convergence thresholds
- The simulation constraints such as maximum DL load and the maximum UL load factor
- The name of the traffic maps used
- The parameters defined per clutter class, such as the uplink and downlink orthogonality factors, indoor
loss, spreading angle, and the various standard deviations (Model, P-CCPCH Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I, DL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I,
and UL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I).
- The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

12.3.5.7 Updating Cell and Timeslot Values With Simulation Results

After you have created a simulation or a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 831, you
can update values for each cell with the results calculated during the simulation. The following values are updated:
• Cell:
- Required resource units in uplink and downlink
- Number of HSDPA users.
• Timeslot:
- DL traffic power
- UL load factor
- Available HSDPA power
- Angular distribution of UL and DL loads
To update cell and timeslot values with simulation results:
1. Display the simulation results:
To display the results for a group of simulations:

a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.

b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
c. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to access.
d. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the results of the group of simulations. Other tabs in the properties dialogue contain
simulation results for all simulations, both averaged and as a standard deviation.

To display the results for a single simulation:

a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.

b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
c. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose re-
sults you want to access.
d. Select Properties from the context menu. A simulation properties dialogue appears.
2. Click the Cells tab.
3. On the Cells tab, click the Commit Results button. The cell and timeslot values will be updated with the simulation
or the average simulation results.

12.3.5.8 Adding New Simulations to an Atoll Document

When you have created a simulation or group of simulations, you can re-examine the same conditions by adding new
simulations to the Atoll document. In Atoll, you can add new simulations in the following ways:
• Adding to a group: When you add one or more simulations to an existing group of simulations, Atoll reuses the
input (radio, traffic, and simulation parameters) used to generate the group of simulations. It then generates a new
user distribution and performs the power control simulation.
To add a simulation to a group of simulations, see "Adding a Simulation to a Group of Simulations" on page 842.

• Replaying a group: When you replay an existing group of simulations, Atoll reuses the same user distribution
(users with a service, a mobility and an activity status) as the one used to calculate the initial simulation. The shad-
owing error distribution between simulations is different. Traffic parameter changes (such as, maximum and min-
imum traffic channel powers allowed, Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I thresholds, etc.) may be taken into account or not. Finally, radio
data modifications (new transmitters, changes to the antenna azimuth, etc.) are always taken into account during
the power control (or rate/power control) simulation.
To replay a group of simulations, see "Replaying a Simulation or Group of Simulations" on page 842.

• Using the Generator Initialisation Number: When you create groups of simulations using the same generator
initialisation number (which must be an integer other than 0), Atoll generates the same user and shadowing error
distributions (user with a service, a mobility, an activity status, and a shadowing error) in all groups using the same
number. However, any modifications to traffic parameters (such as, maximum and minimum traffic channel powers
allowed, Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I thresholds, etc.) and radio data (new transmitter, azimuth, etc.) are taken into account during
the power control simulation.
By creating and calculating one group of simulations, making a change to the network and then creating and calcu-
lating a new group of simulations using the same generator initialisation number, you can see the difference your
parameter changes make.

To create a new simulation to a group of simulations using the generator initialisation number, see "Adding a Simu-
lation to a Group of Simulations" on page 842.

• Duplicating a Group: When you duplicate a group, Atoll creates a group of simulations with the same simulation
parameters as those used to generate the group of simulations. You can then modify the simulation parameters
before calculating the group.
To duplicate a group of simulations, see "Duplicating a Group of Simulations" on page 843.

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Atoll User Manual

Adding a Simulation to a Group of Simulations

To add a simulation to an existing group of simulations:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder.
3. Right-click the group of simulations to which you want to add a simulation. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The properties dialogue of the group of simulations appears.

Note: When adding a simulation to an existing group of simulations, the parameters originally
used to calculate the group of simulations are used for the new simulations.
Consequently, few parameters can be changed for the added simulation.

5. On the General tab of the dialogue, if desired, change the Name and Comments for this group of simulations.
6. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Number of Simulations: Enter the number of simulations to added to this group of simulations.
- Execute Later: If you select the Execute Later check box, the simulation will not be carried out until you click
the Calculate button ( ). If the Execute Later check box is not selected, the simulation will be carried out
as soon as you click OK and close the dialogue.
7. Click OK. Atoll immediately begins the simulation unless you selected the Execute Later check box on the Gen-
eral tab.

Replaying a Simulation or Group of Simulations

To replay an existing simulation or group of simulations:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder.
3. Right-click the group of simulations you want to replay. The context menu appears.
4. Select Replay from the context menu. The properties dialogue of the group of simulations appears.

Note: When replaying an existing group of simulations, some parameters originally used to
calculate the group of simulations are reused for the replayed group. Consequently, few
parameters can be changed for the replayed group.

5. In the General tab of the dialogue, you can set the following parameters:
- Select the level of detail as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 831 that will be available in the output
from the Information to retain list.
- Under Cell Load Constraints, you can set the constraints as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 831
that Atoll must respect during the simulation.
6. In the Source Traffic tab of the dialogue, check the Refresh Traffic Parameters check box if you want to take into
account traffic parameter changes (such as, maximum and minimum traffic channel powers allowed, Eb/Nt thresh-
olds, etc.) in the replayed simulation.
7. In the Advanced tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Max Number of Iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make conver-
gence.
- UL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on
the uplink that must be reached between two iterations.
- DL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on
the downlink that must be reached between two iterations.
- Under Quality Threshold Type, select whether the simulations will be carried out using the Eb/Nt or C/I. For
more information on the quality threshold type selection, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on
page 852.
8. In the TD-SCDMA tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Angular Step: The angle in degrees used to build the geometrical distributions of uplink and downlink loads.
The angular step in used with grid of beams, statistical, and adaptive beam modelling. For more information
on the different smart antenna models, see "Types of Smart Antenna Modelling" on page 854.
- Carrier Selection and Timeslot Selection: The DCA strategies to be used for selecting carriers and timeslots
during the simulations. For more information about the DCA strategies, see "The Monte Carlo Simulation Algo-
rithm" on page 829.
- Calculate Interference Between Mobiles: Select the check box and enter a maximum distance to be con-
sidered between interfering mobiles in the Max Distance field.
9. Click OK. Atoll immediately begins the simulation unless you selected the Execute Later check box on the Gen-
eral tab.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

Creating a New Simulation or Group of Simulations Using the Generator Initialisation Number

To create a new simulation or group of simulations using the generator initialisation number:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The properties dialogue for a new simulation or group of simulations appears.
4. Click the Advanced tab.
5. Under Generator Initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. The integer must be the
same generator initialisation number as used in the group of simulations with the user and shadowing error distri-
butions you want to use in this simulation or group of simulations. If you enter "0", the default, the user and shad-
owing error distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same user and shadowing error
distribution will be used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.
6. For information on setting other parameters, see "Creating Simulations" on page 831.

Tip: You can create a new group of simulations with the same parameters as the original group
of simulations by duplicating an existing one as explained in "Duplicating a Group of
Simulations" on page 843.

Duplicating a Group of Simulations

To duplicate an existing group of simulations:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Simulations folder.
3. Right-click the group of simulations you want to duplicate. The context menu appears.
4. Select Duplicate from the context menu. The properties dialogue for the duplicated group of simulations appears.
You can change the parameters for the duplicated group of simulations as explained in "Creating Simulations" on
page 831.

12.3.5.9 Estimating a Traffic Increase

When you create a simulation or a group of simulations, you are basing it on a set of traffic conditions that represent the
situation you are creating the network for. However, traffic can, and in fact most likely will, increase. You can test the
performance of the network against a higher traffic load without changing traffic parameters or maps by using the global
scaling factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of subscribers
(for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates or users (for live traffic maps per sector).
To change the global scaling factor:
1. Create a simulation or group of simulations by:
- Creating a new simulation or group of simulations as described in "Creating Simulations" on page 831.
- Duplicating an existing simulation or group of simulations as described in "Adding New Simulations to an Atoll
Document" on page 841.
2. Click the Source Traffic tab of the properties dialogue.
3. Enter a Global Scaling Factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the
initial number of subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates⁄users (for live traffic maps
per sector).

12.3.6 Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results

When no simulations are available, Atoll uses the UL load factor, the DL traffic power, and the available HSDPA power
defined per timeslot, and the number of HSDPA users defined per cell to make coverage predictions. For information on
cell properties, see "Cell Description" on page 732; for information on modifying cell properties, see "Creating or Modifying
a Cell" on page 736.
Once you have made simulations, Atoll can use this information instead of the user-defined parameters in the cell prop-
erties to make coverage predictions where each pixel is considered as a probe user with a terminal, mobility, user profile,
and service. To base a coverage prediction on a simulation or group of simulations, store the results of a simulation or the
average results of a group of simulations in the Cells and Cell Parameters per Timeslot tables as explained in:
• "Updating Cell and Timeslot Values With Simulation Results" on page 841.
To be able to base a coverage prediction on a simulation or group of simulations, the simulation must have converged.
The coverage predictions that can use simulation results are:
• Coverage predictions on P-CCPCH Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I, or on a service Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I:
- P-CCPCH Reception Analysis (Eb⁄Nt) or P-CCPCH Reception Analysis (C⁄I): For information on making
a P-CCPCH reception analysis, see "Making a Pilot Signal Quality Prediction" on page 779.

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Atoll User Manual

- DwPCH Reception Analysis (C⁄I): For information on making a DwPCH reception analysis, see "Making a
DwPCH Signal Quality Prediction" on page 780.
- Service Area (Eb⁄Nt) Downlink or Service Area (C⁄I) Downlink: For information on making a coverage pre-
diction the downlink service area, see "Studying Downlink and Uplink Service Areas" on page 783.
- Service Area (C⁄I) Uplink: For information on making a coverage prediction the uplink service area, see
"Studying Downlink and Uplink Service Areas" on page 783.
- Effective Service Area (Eb⁄Nt) or Effective Service Area (C⁄I): For information on making a coverage anal-
ysis for the effective service area, see "Studying Effective Service Area" on page 785.
• Coverage predictions on noise and interference:
- Downlink Total Noise: For information on making a downlink total noise coverage prediction, see "Studying
Downlink Total Noise" on page 787.
- Cell to Cell Interference Zones: For information on making a coverage analysis for cell-to-cell interference,
see "Studying Cell to Cell Interference" on page 789.
- UpPCH Interference Zones: For information on making a coverage analysis for UpPCH interference in case
of UpPCH shifting, see "Studying UpPCH Interference" on page 790.
• A coverage prediction for baton handover analysis:
- Baton Handover: For information on making a baton handover coverage prediction, see "Making a Baton
Handover Coverage Prediction" on page 792.
• An HSDPA coverage prediction to analyse HS-PDSCH quality and HSDPA data rate:
- HSDPA Coverage Prediction: For information on making an HSDPA coverage prediction, see "HSDPA Cov-
erage Prediction" on page 793.

12.4 Optimising and Verifying Network Capacity

An important step in the process of creating a TD-SCDMA network is verifying the capacity of the network. This is done
using measurements of the P-CCPCH RSCP in different locations within the area covered by the network. This collection
of measurements is called a test mobile data path.
The data contained in a test mobile data path is used to verify the accuracy of current network parameters and to optimise
the network.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Importing a Test Mobile Data Path" on page 844.
• "Network Verification" on page 847.
• "Printing and Exporting the Test Mobile Data Window" on page 851.

12.4.1 Importing a Test Mobile Data Path

In Atoll, you can analyse drive tests by importing test mobile data in the form of ASCII text files (with tabs, semi-colons,
or spaces as separator), TEMS FICS-Planet export files (with the extension PLN), or TEMS text export files (with the exten-
sion FMT).
For Atoll to be able to use the data in imported files, the imported files must contain the following information:
• The position of test mobile data points: When you import the data, you must indicate which columns give the
abscissa and ordinate (XY coordinates) of each point.
• Information identifying scanned cells (for example, serving cells, neighbour cells, or any other cells): In
TD-SCDMA networks, a cell is identified by its scrambling code. Therefore, you must indicate during the import
process which columns contain the cells’ scrambling code and the scrambling code format (decimal or hexadec-
imal) used in the file. Because a scrambling code can belong to several groups, you can also indicate the group
from which the scrambling code has been selected.
You can import a single test mobile data file or several test mobile data files at the same time. If you regularly import test
mobile data files of the same format, you can create an import configuration. The import configuration contains information
that defines the structure of the data in the test mobile data file. By using the import configuration, you will not need to
define the data structure each time you import a new test mobile data file.
To import one or several test mobile data files:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Test Mobile Data folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Import from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
4. You can import one or several files. Select the file or files you want to open.
5. Click Open. The Import of Measurement Files dialogue appears.

Note: Files with the extension PLN, as well as some FMT files (created with previous versions of
TEMS) are imported directly into Atoll; you will not be asked to define the data structure
using the Import of Measurement Files dialogue.

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6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file or files, you can select
it from the Configuration list on the Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue. If you do not have
an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Configuration, select an import configuration from the Configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.

Notes:
• When importing a test mobile data path file, existing configurations are available in the Files
of type list of the Open dialogue, sorted according to their date of creation. After you have
selected a file and clicked Open, Atoll automatically proposes a configuration, if it recognises
the extension. In case several configurations are associated with an extension, Atoll chooses
the first configuration in the list.
• The defined configurations are stored, by default, in the file "NumMeasINIFile.ini", located in
the directory where Atoll is installed. For more information on the NumMeasINIFile.ini file, see
the Administrator Manual.

7. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Name: By default, Atoll names the new test mobile data path after the imported file. You can change this
name if desired.
- Under Receiver, set the Height of the receiver antenna and the Gain and Losses.
- Under Measurement Conditions,
- Units: Select the measurement units used.
- Coordinates: By default, Atoll imports the coordinates using the display system of the Atoll document.
If the coordinates used in the file you are importing are different than the coordinates used in the Atoll

document, you must click the Browse button ( ) and select the coordinate system used in the test
mobile data file. Atoll will then convert the data imported to the coordinate system used in the Atoll docu-
ment.
8. Click the Setup tab (see Figure 12.74).

Figure 12.74: The Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue

a. Under File, enter the number of the 1st Measurement Row, select the data Separator, and select the Dec-
imal Symbol used in the file.
b. Click Setup to link file columns and internal Atoll fields. The Test Mobile Data Configuration dialogue ap-
pears.
c. Select the columns in the imported file that give the X-Coordinates and the Y-Coordinates of each point in
the test mobile data file.

Note: You can also identify the columns containing the XY coordinates of each point in the test
mobile data file by selecting them from the Field row of the table on the Setup tab.

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d. In the SC Group Identifier box, enter a string that must be found in the column names identifying the scram-
bling code group of scanned cells. For example, if the string "SC_Group" is found in the column names iden-
tifying the scrambling code group of scanned cells, enter it here. Atoll will then search for columns with this
string in the column name.
If there is no scrambling code group information contained in the test mobile data file, leave the SC Group
Identifier box empty.

e. In the SC Identifier box, enter a string that must be found in the column names identifying the scrambling code
of scanned cells. For example, if the string "SC" is found in the column names identifying the scrambling code
of scanned cells, enter it here. Atoll will then search for columns with this string in the column name.
f. From the Scramb. Code Format list, select the scrambling code format, either "Decimal" or "Hexadecimal."
g. Click OK to close the Test Mobile Data Configuration dialogue.

Important:
• If you have correctly entered the information under File on the Setup tab, and the necessary
values in the Test Mobile Data Configuration dialogue, Atoll should recognize all columns in
the imported file. If not, you can click the name of the column in the table in the Field row and
select the column name. For each field, you must ensure that each column has the correct data
type in order for the data to be correctly interpreted. The default value under Type is "<Ignore>".
If a column is marked with "<Ignore>", it will not be imported.
• The data in the file must be structured so that the columns identifying the scrambling code group
and the scrambling code are placed before the data columns for each cell. Otherwise Atoll will
not be able to properly import the file.

9. If you want to save the definition of the data structure so that you can use it again, you can save it as an import
configuration:
a. On the Setup tab, under Configuration, click Save. The Configuration dialogue appears.
b. By default, Atoll saves the configuration in a special file called "NumMeasINIfile.ini" found in Atoll’s installa-
tion folder. In case you cannot write into that folder, you can click Browse to choose a different location.
c. Enter a Configuration Name and an Extension of the files that this import configuration will describe (for ex-
ample, "*.csv").
d. Click OK.
Atoll will now select this import configuration automatically every time you import a test mobile data path file
with the selected extension. If you import a file with the same structure but a different extension, you will be
able to select this import configuration from the Configuration list.

Notes:
• You do not have to complete the import procedure to save the import configuration and have
it available for future use.
• When importing a CW measurement file, you can expand the NumMeasINIfile.ini file by clicking
the button ( ) in front of the file in the Setup part to display all the available import configura-
tions. When selecting the appropriate configuration, the associations are automatically made
in the table at the bottom of the dialogue.
• You can delete an existing import configuration by selecting the import configuration under
Setup and clicking the Delete button.

10. Click Import, if you are only importing a single file, or Import All, if you are importing more than one file. The
mobile data are imported into the current Atoll document.

12.4.2 Displaying Test Mobile Data

When you have imported the test mobile data into the current Atoll document, you can display it in the map window. Then,
you can select individual test mobile data points to see information about the active set at that location.
To display information about a single test mobile data point:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Select the display check box beside the test mobile data you want to display in the map window. The test mobile
data is displayed.
4. Click and hold the test mobile data point on which you want active set information. Atoll displays an arrow pointing
towards the serving cells (see Figure 12.76 on page 850), with a number identifying the server as numbered in the
test mobile data. If the transmitter display type is "Automatic," both the number and the arrow are displayed in the
same colour as the transmitter. For information on changing the display type to "Automatic," see "Defining the Dis-
play Type" on page 34.

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12.4.3 Defining the Display of a Test Mobile Data Path

You can manage the display of test mobile data paths using the Display dialogue. The points on a test mobile data path
can be displayed according to any available attribute. You can also use the Display dialogue to manage permanent labels
on the map, tooltips and the legend. In other words, the display of measurement path are managed in the same way as
sites, transmitters, etc.
To display the Display tab of a test mobile data path’s Properties dialogue:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data path whose display you want to manage. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu,
5. Click the Display tab.
Each point can be displayed by a unique attribute or according to:
• a text or integer attribute (discrete value)
• a numerical value (value interval).
In addition, you can display points by more than one criterion at a time using the Multiple Shadings option in the Display
Type list. When you select Multiple Shadings from the Display Type list, a dialogue opens in which you can define the
following display for each single point of the measurement path:
• a symbol according to any attribute
• a symbol colour according to any attribute
• a symbol size according to any attribute
You can, for example, display a signal level in a certain colour, choose a symbol type for Transmitter 1 (a circle, triangle,
cross, etc.) and a symbol size according to the altitude.

Notes:
• Fast Display forces Atoll to use the lightest symbol to display the points. This is useful when
you have a very large number of points.
• You can not use Multiple Shadings if the Fast Display check box has been selected.
• You can sort test mobile data paths in alphabetical order on the Data tab of the Explorer window
by right-clicking the Test Mobile Data Path folder and selecting Sort Alphabetically from the
context menu.
• You can export the display settings of a test mobile data path in a configuration file to make them
available for future use. You can export the display settings or import display settings by clicking
the Actions button on the Display tab of the test mobile data path’s Properties dialogue and
selecting Export or Import from the menu.

12.4.4 Network Verification

The imported test mobile data is used to verify the TD-SCDMA network. To improve the relevance of the data, Atoll allows
you to filter out incompatible or inaccurate measurement points. You can then use the data for coverage predictions, either
by comparing the imported measurements with previously calculated coverage predictions, or by creating new coverage
predictions using the imported test mobile data.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Filtering Incompatible Points Along Test Mobile Data Paths" on page 847
• "Extracting a Field From a Test Mobile Path for a Transmitter" on page 849
• "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 849.

12.4.4.1 Filtering Incompatible Points Along Test Mobile Data Paths

When using a test mobile data path, some measured points may present values that are too far outside of the median
values to be useful. As well, test mobile data paths may include test points in areas that are not representative of the test
mobile data path as a whole. For example, a test path that includes two heavily populated areas might also include test
points from the more lightly populated region between the two.
In Atoll, you can filter out points that are incompatible with the points you are studying, either by filtering out the clutter
classes where the incompatible points are located, or by filtering out points according to their properties.
To filter out incompatible points by clutter class:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to filter incompatible points. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab.

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6. By default, the data in all clutter classes is displayed. Clear the check box of each clutter class whose points you
do not want to use.

Note: You can permanently delete the points located in the clutter classes whose check boxes
you clear by selecting the Delete points outside the filter check box.

7. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.

To filter out incompatible points using a filter:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to filter incompatible points. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab.
6. Click More. The Filter dialogue appears.
7. Click the Filter tab:
a. Select a Field from the list.
b. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes
next to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
8. Click the Advanced tab:
a. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as
you want (see Figure 12.75).

Figure 12.75: The Filter dialogue - Advanced tab

b. Underneath each column name, enter the criterion on which the column will be filtered as explained in the fol-
lowing table:

Formula Data are kept in the table only if

=X value equal to X (X may be a number or characters)

<> X value not equal to X (X may be a number or characters)

<X numerical value is less than X

>X numerical value is greater than X

<=X numerical value is less than or equal to X

>=X numerical value is greater than or equal to X

*X* text objects which contain X

*X text objects which end with X

X* text objects which start with X

9. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically. For more information on filters, see "Advanced Data Filtering"
on page 71.

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10. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.

Note: The Refresh Geo Data option available in the context menu of Test Mobile Data paths
enables you to update heights (DTM, clutter heights, DTM + clutter) and the clutter class
of test mobile data points after adding new geographic maps or modifying existing ones.

12.4.4.2 Extracting a Field From a Test Mobile Path for a Transmitter

You can extract a specific field for a specific transmitter on each point of an existing test mobile data path. The extracted
information will be added to a new column in the table for the test mobile data.
To extract a field from a test mobile path:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to extract a field. The context menu appears.
4. Select Focus on a Transmitter from the context menu. The Field Selection for a Given Transmitter dialogue
appears.
5. Select a transmitter from the On the Transmitter list.
6. Click the For the Fields list. The list opens.
7. Select the check box beside the field you want to extract for the selected transmitter.

Note: Atoll can display the best server. If you want to display, for example, the point signal
level, remember to select the check box for the point signal level for all servers in the For
the Fields list. The new column will then display the point signal level for the selected
transmitter for all servers if a value exists.

8. Click OK. Atoll creates a new column in the test mobile path data table for the selected transmitters and with the
selected values.

12.4.4.3 Analysing Data Variations Along the Path

In Atoll, you can analyse variations in data along any test mobile data path using the Test Mobile Data window. You can
also use the Test Mobile Data window to see which cell is the serving cell for a given test point.
To analyse data variations using the Test Mobile Data window.
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data you want to analyse. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window appears (see
Figure 12.76).

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Figure 12.76: The Test Mobile Data window

5. Click Display at the top of the Test Mobile Data window. The Display Parameters dialogue appears (see
Figure 12.77).

Figure 12.77: Test mobile data display parameters

6. In the Display Parameters dialogue:

- Select the check box next to any field you want to display in the Test Mobile Data window.
- If you want, you can change the display colour by clicking the colour in the Colour column and selecting a new
colour from the palette that appears.
- Click OK to close the Display Parameters dialogue.

Note: You can change the display status or the colour of more than one field at a time. You can
select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field
you want to import. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking
each field. You can then change the display status or the colour by right-clicking on the
selected fields and selecting the choice from the context menu.

The selected fields are displayed in the Test Mobile Data window.

7. You can display the data in the test mobile path in two ways:
- Click the values in the Test Mobile Data window.
- Click the points on the test mobile path in the map window.
The test mobile data path appears in the map window as an arrow pointing towards the serving cell, with a number
identifying the best server (see Figure 12.76 on page 850). If the transmitter display type is "Automatic," both the
number and the arrow are displayed in the same colour as the transmitter. For information on changing the display
type to "Automatic," see "Defining the Display Type" on page 34.

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8. You can display a second Y-axis on the right side of the window in order to display the values of a variable with
different orders of magnitude than the ones selected in the Display Parameters dialogue. You can select the sec-
ondary Y-axis from the right-hand list on the top of the Test Mobile Data window. The selected values are dis-
played in the colours defined for this variable in the Display Parameters dialogue.
9. You can change the zoom level of the Test Mobile Data window display in the following ways:
- Zoom in or out:
i. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window.
ii. Select Zoom In or Zoom Out from the context menu.
- Select the data to zoom in on:
i. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window on one end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
ii. Select First Zoom Point from the context menu.
iii. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window on the other end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
iv. Select Last Zoom Point from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window zooms in on the data be-
tween the first zoom point and the last zoom point.
10. Click the data in the Test Mobile Data window to display the selected point in the map window. Atoll will recentre
the map window on the selected point if it is not presently visible.

Tip: If you open the table for the test mobile data you are displaying in the Test Mobile Data
window, Atoll will automatically display in the table the data for the point that is displayed
in the map and in the Test Mobile Data window (see Figure 12.76 on page 850).

12.4.5 Printing and Exporting the Test Mobile Data Window

You can print or export the contents of the Test Mobile Data window, using the context menu in the Test Mobile Data
window.
To print or export the contents of the Test Mobile Data window:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data you want to analyse. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window appears (see Figure 12.76
on page 850).
5. Define the display parameters and zoom level as explained in "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on
page 849.
6. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window. The context menu appears.
To export the Test Mobile Data window:

a. Select Copy from the context menu.

b. Open the document into which you want to paste the contents of the Test Mobile Data window.
c. Paste the contents of the Test Mobile Data window into the new document.
To print the Test Mobile Data window:

a. Select Print from the context menu. The Print dialogue appears.
b. Click OK to print the contents of the Test Mobile Data window.

12.5 Advanced Configuration

In this section, the following advanced configuration options are explained:
• "Defining Inter-Carrier Interference" on page 852
• "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 852
• "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 852
• "Smart Antenna Modelling" on page 854
• "Defining HSDPA Radio Bearers" on page 860
• "Creating Site Equipment" on page 860
• "Receiver Equipment" on page 861
• "Modelling Shadowing" on page 862
• "Maximum System Range" on page 863.

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12.5.1 Defining Inter-Carrier Interference

If you want Atoll to take into account the interference between two carriers, you must create a carrier pair with an interfer-
ence reduction factor. Atoll takes the interference reduction factor into account on both the uplink and the downlink.
To define the interference reduction factor between a pair of carriers:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Frequency Bands > Interference Reduction Factors from the context menu. The Inter-Carrier Interfer-
ence Reduction Factor table appears.
4. For each carrier pair for which you want define inter-carrier interference:
a. Enter the first carrier of the pair in the 1st Carrier column.
b. Enter the second carrier of the pair in the 2nd Carrier column.
c. Enter an interference reduction factor in the Reduction Factor (dB) column. When Atoll calculates interfer-
ence, it subtracts the interference reduction factor from the calculated interference. An interference reduction
factor of 0 dB means that the interference between the pair of carriers is the same as between cells using the
same carrier
For every pair of carriers that is not defined, Atoll assumes that there is no inter-carrier interference.

d. Press ENTER to create the carrier pair and to create a new row.

12.5.2 Defining Frequency Bands

To define frequency bands:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Frequency Bands > Open Table from the context menu.
4. In the table, enter one frequency band per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with
Data Tables" on page 50. For each frequency band, enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the frequency, for example, "Band 2010." This name will appear in other dialogues
when you select a frequency band.
- Average Frequency (MHz): Enter the average frequency.
- First Carrier: Enter the number of the first carrier in this frequency band.
- Last Carrier: Enter the number of the last carrier in this frequency band. If this frequency band has only one
carrier, enter the same number as entered in the First Carrier field.

Important: When you have more than one frequency band, the carriers must be numbered
sequentially, contiguously (i.e., you cannot skip numbers in a range of carriers, and the
range of carriers in one band cannot overlap the range of carriers in another), and
uniquely (i.e., you can only use each number once).
For example:
Band 2010: First carrier: 0; Last carrier 1 and Band 900: First carrier: 2; Last carrier: 2

- Bandwidth (MHz): Enter the bandwidth of the frequency band, in MHz.

5. When you have finished adding frequency bands, click Close.

12.5.3 The Global Transmitter Parameters

On the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue, you can define network parameters that are used
in TD-SCDMA power control simulations. Many parameters are used as default values for all transmitters.
This section explains the options available on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue, and
explains how to access the tab:
• "The Options on the Global Parameters Tab" on page 852.
• "Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 854.

12.5.3.1 The Options on the Global Parameters Tab

The Global Parameters tab lists a number of parameters that are fixed for the TD-SCDMA technology and cannot be modi-
fied. Other parameters on this tab can be modified. The parameters that are fixed include:
• Frame: Under Frame, you have all the frame and subframe parameters:
- Number of Timeslots per Subframe: There are 7 timeslots in a TD-SCDMA subframe. These timeslots can
be used for uplink or downlink according to the timeslot configuration selected for each cell.
- Duration: Under Duration, you have the frame and subframe duration:
- Subframe: The duration of a TD-SCDMA subframe (5 ms).

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- Frame: The duration of a TD-SCDMA frame (10 ms). A frame includes two subframes of equal duration.
- Number of Chips per Timeslot: Under Number of Chips per Timeslot, you have the number of chips cor-
responding to the data, midamble, and the guard periods.
- Guard Period: The number of chips in the guard period of each timeslot (16).
- Data: The number of data chips in each timeslot (704).
- Midamble: The number of midamble chips in each timeslot (144).
The subframe duration, the number of timeslots per subframe, and the numbers of chips per timeslot are used
to calculate the processing gain for each service (see example below).

- Number of Pilot Chips: Under Number of Pilot Chips, you have the description of the pilot timeslot:
- Guard Period: The number of chips in the guard period between DwPTS and UpPTS (96).
- DwPTS: The Total number of chips used in the DwPTS timeslot (96), which are divided into a Guard
Period (32) and a Synch period (64).
- UpPTS: The Total number of chips used in the UpPTS timeslot (160), which are divided into a Guard
Period (32) and a Synch period (128).
The parameters that can be modified include:
• DL Powers: Under DL Powers, you can define whether the power values on the downlink are Absolute or Relative
to Pilot. The power values affected are the DwPCH powers and other common channel powers defined in the cell
properties for TS0 and for each timeslot, as well as the minimum and maximum traffic channel powers defined for
services. Atollautomatically converts the power values defined in the cell properties (i.e. DwPCH and other
common channel powers) when changing the option. On the other hand, the values for the minimum and max-
imum traffic channel powers have to be modified manually.
• Quality Threshold Type: Under Quality Threshold Type, you can select whether the signal quality thresholds
entered in the mobility types and radio bearers are Eb⁄Nt or C⁄(I+N).

Note: Atoll ensures consistency between the quality threshold parameter and the parameter
which is calculated during coverage predictions and Monte Carlo simulations. For
example, if you set the Quality Threshold Type to Eb⁄Nt in the Global Parameters tab, all
the signal quality thresholds are considered to be defined in terms of Eb⁄Nt. If you
calculate a C⁄I-based coverage prediction or simulation, Atoll converts the thresholds
from Eb⁄Nt to C⁄I, by removing the processing gain from the Eb⁄Nt values, in order to
calculate and compare C⁄I. Similarly, if the Quality Threshold Type is set to C⁄I, and the
calculations are performed for Eb/Nt, Atoll converts all C⁄I thresholds to Eb⁄Nt for the
calculations.

• Spreading Rate: The chip rate used in TD-SCDMA for spreading the user signals (1.28 Mcps by default).
• P-CCPCH Processing Gain: The processing gain is the ratio of the spread bandwidth to the unspread bandwidth.
It is set to 13.8 dB (= 24 times) by default.
• Spreading Factor: Under Spreading Factor, you have the minimum and maximum spreading factors allowed in
TD-SCDMA:
- Min.: The lowest spreading factor that can be used (1).
- Max: The highest spreading factor that can be used (16).
• Interferences: Under Interferences, you can define the parameter used to calculate interference on the downlink.
- Nt: You can select "Total noise" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the noise generated by all transmitters plus
thermal noise, or you can select "Without useful signal" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the total noise less the
signal of the studied cell.
• HSDPA: Under HSDPA, you can define how total noise is calculated for HSDPA.
- Nt: You can select "Total noise" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the noise generated by all transmitters plus
thermal noise or you can select "Without useful signal" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the total noise less the
signal of the studied cell.

Example: Processing Gain Calculation

The processing gain is the ratio between the chip rate transmitted on the air interface and the data rate of a service. The
processing gains on the uplink and downlink are calculated from the uplink and downlink data rates defined in the proper-
ties of the service that you have set. The following example shows how the processing gains are calculated for different
services.

W
G P = Processing Gain = -----
R
Where W is the chip rate for TD-SCDMA, and R is the data rate per timeslot of the service.
The chip rate is calculated from the number of data chips per timeslot and the subframe duration:
TS
N Data Chips 704
W = -------------------------- = --------------- = 140800 bps
D Subframe 0.005

TS
Where N Data Chips is the number of data chips per timeslot (704), and D Subframe is the subframe duration (5 ms).

Taking the service "Mobile Internet Access" for example, the service data rates per timeslot in uplink and downlink are
calculated to be:

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DL 384000 UL 64000
R = -------------------- = 128000 bps and R = ---------------- = 64000 bps
3 1
Where 3 and 1 are the number of downlink and uplink timeslots, respectively.
The uplink and downlink processing gains are then calculated:

DL 140800 UL 140800
GP = -------------------- = 1.1 = 0.414 dB and G P = -------------------- = 2.2 = 3.4242 dB
128000 64000

12.5.3.2 Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters

You can change global transmitter parameters on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
To change global transmitter parameters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Global Parameters tab.
5. Modify the parameters described in "The Options on the Global Parameters Tab" on page 852.
6. Click OK.

12.5.4 Smart Antenna Modelling

A smart antenna refers to a system of antenna arrays with smart signal processing algorithms that are used to identify the
direction of arrival (DOA) of the signal, and use it to calculate beam-forming vectors, to track and locate the antenna beam
on the mobile.
There are two main types of smart antennas, switched beam smart antennas and adaptive array smart antennas. Switched
beam systems have several available fixed beam patterns. A decision is made as to which beam to access, at any given
point in time, based upon the requirements of the system. Adaptive arrays allow the antenna to form a beam in any direc-
tion of interest while simultaneously nulling interfering signals from other directions. Adaptive beamforming smart antennas
create a different antenna beam in the direction of each served mobile in real-time.
Atoll TD-SCDMA includes various smart antenna modelling types:
• "Grid of Beams (GOB) Modelling" on page 854.
• "Optimum Beamformer Modelling" on page 856.
• "Optimum Beamformer Modelling" on page 856.
• "Statistical Modelling" on page 856.
• "Adaptive Beam Modelling" on page 857.
• "Third-Party Smart Antenna Modelling" on page 857.
The following section explains how to work with smart antenna equipment in Atoll:
• "Smart Antenna Equipment" on page 857.
How smart antennas are used in dynamic channel allocation (DCA) during the Monte Carlo simulations is described in
"The Monte Carlo Simulation Algorithm" on page 829.

12.5.4.1 Types of Smart Antenna Modelling

The smart antenna modelling methods available in Atoll can be divided into two categories. The first category of models,
which includes grid of beams (GOB), optimum beamformer, conventional beamformer, adaptive beam, and third-party
modelling, requires Monte Carlo simulations to simulate the effect of the dynamic channel allocation (DCA) and power
control. The results generated by the Monte Carlo simulations using the smart antenna equipment based on any of these
methods are stored in the TD-SCDMA document, and can be reused for coverage prediction studies.
The second category, which includes the statistical modelling, does not require Monte Carlo simulations. Statistical model-
ling is based on simulation results in terms of probabilities of C⁄I gains, and can be used directly in coverage predictions.
The smart antenna equipment that uses statistical modelling contains a list of C⁄I gain graphs that depend on the spreading
angle.

12.5.4.1.1 Grid of Beams (GOB) Modelling

In Atoll TD-SCDMA, a list of beams (antenna patterns) can be used to create grid of beams smart antenna equipment. A
GOB in Atoll comprises a list of antenna patterns. Each antenna pattern usually has a different azimuth. All the antenna
patterns are stored in the Antennas table, and can be accessed individually from the Antennas folder. The lists of anten-
nas forming the GOBs are accessible in the Antenna Lists dialogue from the Antennas folder’s context menu.
During Monte Carlo simulations, Atoll selects the best suited beam from the GOB for each mobile generated. The best
suited beam is the one which provides the highest gain in the direction of the mobile.
In downlink, all the interfering signals received at each mobile are attenuated according to the antenna pattern of the
selected beam. If the targeted and interfered users are in the same direction with respect to the beam selected for the
targeted user, the interference will be high. Otherwise, the interfering signals will be attenuated. In uplink, the interfering
signals received at the cell are attenuated according to the antenna pattern of the selected beam.

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Important: Although the number of beams in a GOB is not limited, calculation times with a large
number of beams will be longer.

The Atoll TD-SCDMA project template contains sample smart antenna equipment. You should create smart antenna
equipment according to the specifications of your equipment supplier, or import them in Atoll, in order to use real data in
calculations.
The following sections explain how to create and import grids of beams:
• "Creating a Grid of Beams (GOB)" on page 855.
• "Adding Antennas to a Grid of Beams (GOB)" on page 855.
• "Importing a Grid of Beams (GOB)" on page 855.
• "The Grid of Beams (GOB) Import Format" on page 855.

Creating a Grid of Beams (GOB)

In Atoll, a grid of beams is a list of antennas. A list of antennas can include any number of antennas listed in the Antennas
folder.
To create an antenna list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Antennas folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Antenna List > Open Table from the context menu. The Antenna Lists table appears.
4. Create a new antenna list in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ).
5. Click the Properties button. The New Antenna List Properties dialogue appears.
6. Select the antennas from the Antennas column to add to the antenna list in each new row.
7. Click OK to close the dialogue.
8. Click Close to close the Antenna Lists table.
You can also export an antenna list to an external file by clicking the Export button, or import an existing antenna list by
clicking the Import button in the New Antenna List Properties dialogue.

Adding Antennas to a Grid of Beams (GOB)

You can add antennas, or beams, from the antennas folder to an existing grid of beams or antenna list.
To add antennas to an antenna list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Antennas folder.
3. Right-click the antenna that you want to add to an antenna list. The context menu appears.
4. Select Add the Antenna to a List from the context menu. The Antenna Addition in a List dialogue appears.
5. Select the antenna list to which you want to add the antenna from the Antenna List.
6. Click OK to add the antenna to the list.
You can also add all the antennas in the Antennas folder or a subfolder to an antenna list by selecting Antenna List >
Add Antennas to a List from the folder’s context menu.

Importing a Grid of Beams (GOB)

You can import existing antenna lists to be used as grids of beams in Atoll.
To import an antenna list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Antennas folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Antenna List > Import Antennas from a List from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
4. Select an Index file to import.
5. Click Open to import the antenna list to Atoll. The Import of antennas from a list dialogue appears.
6. Enter a name for the new antenna list.
7. Click OK to import the antenna list.
Atoll adds the antennas referred to in the index file to the Antennas folder, and adds the new antenna list to the
Antenna Lists table.

The Grid of Beams (GOB) Import Format

Atoll supports standard, Planet-like antenna list format for export and import. An index file contains the list of files contain-
ing the horizontal antenna patterns and a file containing the vertical antenna pattern.
The horizontal antenna pattern files have the following format:

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NAME Name of the antenna

MAKE Name of manufacturer

FREQUENCY Operating frequency (in MHz)

H_WIDTH Horizontal beamwidth (in degrees)

FRONT_TO_BACK Front to back gain ratio (in dB)

GAIN Antenna gain (in dBi)

HORIZONTAL Horizontal pattern range (in degrees)

DEGREEa Attenuation

a.The last row is repeated for every degree value.

The vertical antenna pattern file has the following format:

Name of the antenna. "<ALL>" can be used to indicate that the vertical pattern is the
NAME
same for all the files containing the horizontal antenna patterns.

V_WIDTH Vertical beamwidth (in degrees)

VERTICAL Vertical pattern range (in degrees)

DEGREEa Attenuation

a.The last row is repeated for every degree value.

The fields in bold are obligatory.

12.5.4.1.2 Optimum Beamformer Modelling

The optimum beamformer model works by forming beams in the downlink in the direction of the served mobiles, and
cancelling uplink interference from mobiles by using the Minimum Mean Square Error adaptive algorithm. You can create
smart antenna equipment by defining how many antenna elements the equipment has and assigning it a single element
pattern from the antennas available in the Antennas folder.
During Monte Carlo simulations, smart antenna equipment using this model form a beam towards each served mobile in
the downlink by calculating the complex weights of the steering vector. In the uplink, apart from forming a beam in the
direction of each served mobile, the smart antenna equipment is also capable of cancelling interference by steering nulls
(high attenuation points formed by the smart antenna) towards the interferers.

12.5.4.1.3 Conventional Beamformer Modelling

The conventional beamformer model works by forming beams in the direction of the served mobiles. You can create smart
antenna equipment by defining how many antenna elements the equipment has and assigning it a single element pattern
from the antennas available in the Antennas folder.
During Monte Carlo simulations, smart antenna equipment using this model form beams towards each served mobile by
calculating the complex weights of the steering vector.

12.5.4.1.4 Statistical Modelling

The statistical modelling approach is designed to provide a fast and reliable coverage and capacity analysis without the
need of accurate traffic inputs or Monte Carlo simulations.
Statistical modelling is based on the cumulative distribution functions of C⁄I gains for spreading angles. Spreading angles
can be defined for each clutter class.
For transmitters that have statistical smart antenna equipment assigned, all coverage predictions, including those carried
out for traffic timeslots, are calculated using the main antenna. During the calculation of coverage predictions, Atoll reads
the spreading angle for each pixel from the corresponding clutter class. Then, for each pixel and spreading angle, Atoll
reads the C⁄I gain to take into account in the prediction.
The C⁄I gain considered in the coverage prediction is determined using the probability threshold set. The C⁄I gain used
corresponds to the cumulative probability, i.e., 100% less the probability threshold entered. For example, for a probability
threshold of 80%, the cumulative probability is 20%. If an exact value of C⁄I gain is not available for the calculated cumu-
lative probability, Atoll performs linear interpolation between the two available values on either side.
If no C⁄I gain graph is available, the main antenna is used Monte Carlo simulations and coverage predictions.
Two types of default smart antenna equipment using statistical modelling are available in Atoll, ULA4 and ULA8 for 4 and
8 antenna elements, respectively. In the sample equipment, antenna elements have been considered to be half a wave-
length apart. The cumulative distribution functions (CDF) of the C⁄I gains are the results of a number of simulations
performed for two values of spreading angles (0° and 10°) using the Optimum Combining algorithm which maximises the
signal to noise and interference ratio (SNIR).

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12.5.4.1.5 Adaptive Beam Modelling

The ideal adaptive beam model available in Atoll TD-SCDMA makes use of a selected beam (antenna) pattern. You can
create adaptive beam smart antenna equipment and assign it an antenna pattern from the antennas available in the
Antennas folder.
During Monte Carlo simulations, Atoll orients the selected antenna pattern horizontally towards each mobile generated in
order to maximise the received signal.
In downlink, all the interfering signals received at each mobile are attenuated according to the antenna pattern of the adap-
tive beam. If the targeted and interfered users are in the same direction with respect to the beam directed towards the
targeted user, the interference will be high. Otherwise, the interfering signals will be attenuated. In uplink, the interfering
signals received at the cell are attenuated according to the antenna pattern of the adaptive beam.
The results given by adaptive beam modelling correspond to those that would be obtained under ideal conditions. The
targeted user will have maximum gain and all the interference will be successfully cancelled.

12.5.4.1.6 Third-Party Smart Antenna Modelling

If you have a third-party smart antenna model available, you can use it in Atoll TD-SCDMA using Atoll’s smart antenna
API. Atoll’s smart antenna enables you to interface with any external smart antenna module with Atoll.
Any external smart antenna models available are listed in the Smart Antenna Models folder of the Modules tab of the
Explorer window. Atoll is fully capable of using the features of any external smart antenna model, MMSE-based (Mini-
mum Mean Square Error), EBB-based (Eigen-Beam Beamforming), etc.

12.5.4.2 Smart Antenna Equipment

You can use several types of smart antenna equipment in your TD-SCDMA document based on different smart antenna
modelling methods.
To create new smart antenna equipment:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Equipment > Smart Antenna Equipment from the context menu. The Smart Antenna Equipment table
appears.
4. In the table, create one piece of smart antenna equipment per row. For information on using data tables, see
"Working with Data Tables" on page 50. For each piece of smart antenna equipment, enter a Name and some
Comments, if you want, and select an Smart Antenna Model. The available smart antenna models are Grid of
Beams (GOB), Adaptive Beam, Optimum Beamformer, Conventional Beamformer, Statistical, and any 3rd
party models that you might have installed.
If you selected Grid of Beams (GOB), Adaptive Beam, Optimum Beamformer, Conventional Beamformer, or
Statistical as the Smart Antenna Model, continue with step 5. If you selected any 3rd party model as the Smart
Antenna Model, continue with step 9.

5. Click the Properties button. The smart antenna properties dialogue appears.
6. On the General tab of this dialogue, you can modify the Name, Smart Antenna Model, and Comments.
7. Under Smart Antenna Model, click the Parameters button. A dialogue opens with the parameters specific to the
selected smart antenna model.
If you selected Grid of Beams (GOB) as Smart Antenna Model, the Grid of Beams (GOB) Modelling dialogue
appears.

a. Select a DL grid of beams, the grid of beams to be used in downlink from the list of grid of beams listed in the
Antennas Lists table. For more information on creating grids of beams, see "Grid of Beams (GOB) Modelling"
on page 854.
b. Select a UL grid of beams, the grid of beams to be used in uplink. If you do not select a UL grid of beams,
Atoll uses the main antenna for uplink calculations.
c. Under Patterns, you can view the grid of beams separately or combined in the Grid of Beams Properties
dialogue.
i. Click the Separate button to display the antenna patterns of all the beams separately in the Grid of
Beams Properties dialogue.
ii. Click the Combined button to display the combined patterns of all the beams in the Grid of Beams Prop-
erties dialogue.
iii. Click OK to close the Grid of Beams Properties dialogue.

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Notes:

• If you opened the smart antenna properties dialogue by clicking the Browse ( ) button on
the Transmitter tab of a transmitter’s properties dialogue, these patterns will also include the
main antenna pattern, if any.
• You can use the combined antenna pattern display to understand any inconsistencies in smart
antenna results. If the gird of beams and the main antenna do not have the same gains, the
smart antenna could provide worse results than the main antenna for traffic timeslots.

d. Click OK to close the Grid of Beams (GOB) Modelling dialogue.

If you selected Statistic as Smart Antenna Model, the Statistic Modelling dialogue appears:

a. Select a Probability Threshold (%) used to read the C⁄I gain graphs. For more information on the probability
threshold and C⁄I gains, see "Statistical Modelling" on page 856.
b. Define a Spreading Angle (°) per column.

c. Click the Browse ( ) button corresponding to the C⁄I Gain Graph for each column. The C⁄I Gain Graph
dialogue appears. The C⁄I Gain Graph provides the cumulative probability of each C⁄I value.
d. Click OK to close the C⁄I Gain Graph dialogue.
e. Click OK to close the Statistical Modelling dialogue.
If you selected Adaptive Beam as Smart Antenna Model, the Adaptive Beam Modelling dialogue appears:

a. Select a DL adaptive beam, the adaptive beam to be used in downlink from the list of adaptive beams listed
in the Antennas Lists table.
b. Select a UL adaptive beam, the adaptive beam to be used in uplink. If you do not select a UL adaptive beam,
Atoll uses the main antenna for uplink calculations.
c. Under Patterns, you can view the adaptive beam pattern separately or combined in the Adaptive Beam
Properties dialogue.
i. Click the Separate button to display the antenna patterns of all the beams separately in the Adaptive
Beam Properties dialogue.
ii. Click the Combined button to display the combined patterns of all the beams in the Adaptive Beam Prop-
erties dialogue.
iii. Click OK to close the Adaptive Beam Properties dialogue.

Notes:

• If you opened the smart antenna properties dialogue by clicking the Browse ( ) button on
the Transmitter tab of a transmitter’s properties dialogue, these patterns will also include the
main antenna pattern, if any.
• You can use the combined antenna pattern display to understand any inconsistencies in smart
antenna results. If the gird of beams and the main antenna do not have the same gains, the
smart antenna could provide worse results than the main antenna for traffic timeslots.

d. Click OK to close the Adaptive Beam Modelling dialogue.

If you selected Optimum Beamformer as the Smart Antenna Model, the Optimum Beamformer Properties
dialogue appears:

a. On the General tab, you can modify the name of the smart antenna model.
b. On the Properties tab, enter the Number of Elements in the smart antenna array and select a Single Element
Pattern to be used in downlink as well as uplink.
c. Click OK to close the Optimum Beamformer Properties dialogue.
If you selected Conventional Beamformer as the Smart Antenna Model, the Conventional Beamformer Prop-
erties dialogue appears:
a. On the General tab, you can modify the name of the smart antenna model.
b. On the Properties tab, enter the Number of Elements in the smart antenna array and select a Single Element
Pattern to be used in downlink as well as uplink.
c. Click OK to close the Conventional Beamformer Properties dialogue.
8. Click OK to close the smart antenna properties dialogue.
9. Click Close to close the Smart Antenna Equipment table.

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Note: Properties of external third-party smart antenna models may vary. You can access their
properties from the Smart Antenna Models folder on the Modules tab of the Explorer
window.

12.5.5 Radio Bearers

Bearer services are used by the network for carrying information. In this section, the following are explained:
• "Defining R99 Radio Bearers" on page 859
• "Defining HSDPA Radio Bearers" on page 860

12.5.5.1 Defining R99 Radio Bearers

Bearer services are used by the network for carrying information. The R99 Radio Bearer table lists all the available radio
bearers. You can create new R99 radio bearers and modify existing ones by using the R99 Radio Bearer table.
Only the following R99 radio bearer parameters are used in predictions:
• Max TCH power
• Uplink and downlink TCH RSCP thresholds per mobility
• Uplink and downlink TCH Eb/Nt thresholds or uplink and downlink TCH C/I thresholds per mobility
• The type of bearer.

Note: You can select whether the TCH thresholds you define are Eb/Nt or C/I thresholds by
selecting the corresponding option in the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters
folder’s properties dialogue. For more information, see "The Global Transmitter
Parameters" on page 852.

To create or modify an R99 radio bearer:

1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select R99 Radio Bearer from the context menu. The R99 Radio Bearer table appears.
5. In the R99 Radio Bearer table, you can enter or modify the following fields:
- Name: You can modify the name of the bearer. If you are creating a new R99 radio bearer, enter a name in
the row marked with the New Row icon ( ).
- Nominal Uplink Rate (Kbps): Enter or modify the nominal uplink rate in kilobytes per second.
- Nominal Downlink Rate (Kbps): Enter or modify the nominal downlink rate in kilobytes per second.
- Type: Select or modify the service type. There are four classes: Conversational, Streaming, Interactive, and
Background. This field corresponds to the QoS (quality of service) class or traffic class that the bearer will
belong to.
- Min. TCH Power (dBm): Enter the minimum downlink traffic channel power. The minimum and maximum
traffic channel power make up the dynamic range for downlink power control.
- Max TCH Power (dBm): Enter the maximum downlink traffic channel power.

Note: The maximum and minimum traffic channel powers can be either absolute values or
values relative to the pilot power; this depends on the option defined on the Global
Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue. These values have to be
manually modified when the option is changed.

- UL Processing Gain: Enter or modify the uplink processing gain.

- DL Processing Gain: Enter or modify the downlink processing gain.
- Number of Downlink TS: Enter the downlink resource unit consumption in terms of downlink times-
lots.
- Number of Uplink TS: Enter the uplink resource unit consumption in terms of uplink timeslots.
6. When you have finished entering or modifying the R99 radio bearer parameters, double-click the row of the R99
radio bearer to open the bearer’s Properties dialogue. The Properties dialogue appears.
7. Click the General tab. The options on the General tab are the same as those already described in step 5. The
uplink and downlink Spreading Factor is calculated automatically by Atoll according to 3GPP specifications. The
coding factor is only used to evaluate the spreading factor, i.e. the number of OVSF codes required by the service.

8. Under Resource Units, click the Browse button ( ) to the right of the timeslot field to access the Resource
Unit Consumption dialogue. In the Resource Unit Consumption dialogue, you can enter how many OVSF
codes of each length can be used for each timeslot. This information is used to carry out network dimensioning
and to simulate the Dynamic Channel Allocation (DCA) algorithm. For information on calculating network capacity,
see "TD-SCDMA Network Capacity" on page 816. For information on the dynamic channel allocation, see "The
Monte Carlo Simulation Algorithm" on page 829.

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- DL: Enter or modify the number of downlink traffic timeslots for the service.
- UL: Enter or modify the number of uplink traffic timeslots for the service.
9. Click the Required Thresholds tab. On the Required Thresholds tab, you can define downlink and uplink Eb⁄Nt or
C⁄I requirements (in dB) and the TCH thresholds (in dBm). The Eb⁄Nt, or C⁄I, quality targets are used to determine
the coverage area for the service, and the TCH thresholds must be reached to provide users with the service.
These parameters depend on the mobility type and reception equipment; these parameters must be defined for
each possible combination of mobility type and reception equipment.
Using Transmission and Reception diversity results in a quality gain on received downlink and uplink Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I.
In Atoll, this is modelled by reducing the downlink and uplink Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I requirements. Therefore, in addition to
downlink and uplink Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I requirements, you can specify gains on received downlink and uplink Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I
for each possible diversity configuration. Atoll considers them when transmission and reception diversity config-
urations are assigned to transmitters.

- Mobility: Select a mobility type from the list.

- Reception Equipment: Select a type of reception equipment from the list. You can create a new type of
reception equipment by opening the Reception Equipment table. To open the Reception Equipment table,
right-click the Terminals folder in the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder on the Data tab and select Reception
Equipment from the context menu.
- Uplink TCH Eb/Nt Threshold (dB) or Uplink TCH C/I Threshold (dB): Enter or modify the uplink Eb⁄Nt or
C/I threshold.
- Uplink TCH RSCP Threshold (dBm): Enter or modify the uplink RSCP threshold for the traffic channel.
- Uplink 2RX Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the two-receiver uplink diversity gain in dB.
- Uplink 4RX Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the four-receiver uplink diversity gain in dB.
- Downlink TCH Eb/Nt Threshold (dB) or Downlink TCH C/I Threshold (dB): Enter or modify the downlink
Eb⁄Nt or C/I threshold.
- Downlink TCH RSCP Threshold (dBm): Enter or modify the downlink RSCP threshold for the traffic channel.
- Downlink Open Loop Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the downlink open loop diversity gain in dB.
- Downlink Closed Loop Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the downlink closed loop diversity gain in dB.
10. Click OK to save your changes and close the dialogue.

12.5.5.2 Defining HSDPA Radio Bearers

In each cell, the scheduler selects the HSDPA resource per UE and per TTI (Transmission Time Interval). This HSDPA
resource is called a TFRC (Transport Format Resource Combination) and is the set of parameters such as the transport
format, the modulation scheme, and the number of used HS-PDSCH channels. In Atoll, the TFRC are referred to as
HSDPA radio bearers.
During a simulation, and for the HSDPA coverage prediction, Atoll selects a suitable HSDPA radio bearer and uses its
RLC peak rate. The HSDPA radio bearer selection is based on UE capabilities (maximum number of HS-PDSCH chan-
nels, transport block size, and whether the bearer uses 16 QAM modulation), cell capabilities (maximum number of HS-
PDSCH channels), and reported CQI.
The HSDPA Radio Bearer table lists the available HSDPA radio bearers. You can create new HSDPA radio bearers and
modify existing ones by using the HSDPA Radio Bearer table.
To open the HSDPA Radio Bearer table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select HSDPA Radio Bearers from the context menu. The HSDPA Radio Bearer table appears with the following
information:
- Radio Bearer Index: The bearer index number.
- Transport Block Size (Bits): The transport block size in bits.
- Number of HS-PDSCH Channels Used per TS: The number of HS-PDSCH channels used per used timeslot.
- 16QAM Modulation Used: The check box is selected if the HSDPA radio bearer uses 16QAM modulation. If
this option is not selected, Atoll assumes that QPSK modulation is used.
- RLC Peak Rate (bps): The RLC peak rate represents the peak rate without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.).
- Number of Timeslots Used: The number of timeslots used by the HSDPA radio bearer.
- HSDPA UE Category: The HSDPA user equipment category that supports the HSDPA radio bearer. For more
information on HSDPA UE categories, see "Creating or Modifying HSDPA User Equipment Categories" on
page 862.

12.5.6 Creating Site Equipment

To create a new piece of TD-SCDMA site equipment:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Equipment > Open Table from the context menu. The Site Equipment table appears.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

4. In the Equipment table, each row describes a piece of equipment. For information on working with data tables,
see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50. For the new piece of TD-SCDMA equipment you are creating, enter
the following:
- Name: The name you enter will be the one used to identify this piece of equipment.
- Manufacturer: The name of the manufacturer of this piece of equipment.
- JD factor: Joint Detection (JD) is a technology used to decrease intra-cellular interference in the uplink. JD is
modelled by a coefficient from 0 to 1; this factor is considered in the UL interference calculation. In case JD is
not supported by equipment, enter 0 as value.
- MCJD factor: Multi-Cell Joint Detection (MCJD) is used to decrease uplink interference from mobiles in other
cells. MCJD is modelled by a coefficient from 0 to 1; this factor is considered in the UL interference calculation.
In case MCJD is not supported by equipment, enter 0 as value.
5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the table.

12.5.7 Receiver Equipment

Mobile terminals have different categories, reception characteristics, and behaviour under different speeds. In Atoll these
characteristics are modelled by reception equipment and HSDPA UE categories. In this section the following are
explained:
• "Setting Receiver Height" on page 861.
• "Creating or Modifying Reception Equipment" on page 861.
• "Creating or Modifying HSDPA User Equipment Categories" on page 862.

12.5.7.1 Setting Receiver Height

When you make TD-SCDMA coverage predictions, you can define the height of the receiver.
To define the height of the receiver:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Predictions Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Receiver tab.
5. Enter a receiver Height. This value will be used when calculating TD-SCDMA coverage predictions and point
analyses.
6. Click OK.

12.5.7.2 Creating or Modifying Reception Equipment

In Atoll, reception equipment is used when you create a terminal. The graphs defined for each reception equipment entry
are used for selecting R99 and HSDPA radio bearers.
To create or modify reception equipment:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Terminals folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Reception Equipment from the context menu. The Reception Equipment table appears.
5. Double-click the reception equipment type you want to modify. The reception equipment type’s Properties dia-
logue appears.

Note: You can create a new reception equipment type by entering a name in the row marked
with the New Row icon ( ) and pressing ENTER.

6. Click the HSDPA Bearer Selection tab.

7. You can enter the values of the Required HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt for the Radio Bearer Index of each HSDPA radio
bearer for different Mobility types. If you leave the Mobility column empty, the same value will be considered valid
for all mobility types.
The HSDPA bearer selection thresholds are used in simulations and in the HSDPA coverage prediction to model
fast link adaptation (i.e., selection of the HSDPA bearer).
The supplier RRM (radio resource management) strategy can be taken into account using the HSDPA bearer
selection thresholds, for example:

- You can define several pieces of reception equipment with separate thresholds for each. You can reserve low
bearer indexes for poor-performance reception equipment and higher bearer indexes for high-performance
equipment.
- You can specify bearer selection thresholds for each mobility. You can reserve low bearer indexes for high
speeds and higher bearer indexes for low speeds.

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- You can also give priority to either one user by assigning him a high bearer index or to all users by assigning
them low bearer indexes.
8. Click OK to close the reception equipment type’s Properties dialogue.

12.5.7.3 Creating or Modifying HSDPA User Equipment Categories

HSDPA user equipment capabilities are standardised into 12 different categories according to 3GPP specifications.
To edit an HSDPA user equipment category:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the TD-SCDMA Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Terminals folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select HSDPA User Equipment Categories from the context menu. The HSDPA User Equipment Categories
table appears.
5. The HSDPA User Equipment Categories table has the following columns:
- Category: The number identifying the HSDPA UE category.
- Max Number of HS-PDSCH Channels Used by HSDPA TS: The maximum number of HS-PDSCH channels
allowed to be used by HSDPA timeslots for the category.
- Max Transport Block Size (bits): The maximum transport block size allowed for the category.
- 16QAM Modulation Used: Select the check box if the category supports 16QAM modulation. If 16QAM mod-
ulation is not selected, QPSK is used.
- Max Number of HS-PDSCH TS per TTI: The maximum number of HS-PDSCH timeslots allowed within a TTI
(transmission time interval).

12.5.8 Modelling Shadowing

Shadowing, or slow fading, is signal loss along a path that is caused by obstructions not taken into consideration by the
propagation model. Even when a receiver remains in the same location or in the same clutter class, there are variations
in reception due to the surrounding environment.
Normally, the signal received at any given point is spread on a gaussian curve around an average value with a specific
standard deviation. If the propagation model is correctly calibrated, the average of the results it gives should be correct.
In other words, in 50% of the measured cases, the result will be better and in 50% of the measured cases, the result will
be worse.
Atoll uses a model standard deviation with the defined cell edge coverage probability to model the effect of shadowing
and thereby create coverage predictions that are reliable more than fifty percent of the time. The additional losses or gains
caused by shadowing are known as the shadowing margin. The shadowing margin is added to the path losses calculated
by the propagation model.
For example, a properly calibrated propagation model calculates a loss leading to a signal level of -70 dBm. You have set
a cell edge coverage probability of 85%. If the calculated shadowing margin is 7 dB for a specific point, the target signal
will be equal to or greater than -77 dBm 85% of the time.
In TD-SCDMA projects, the model standard deviation is used to calculate shadowing margins on signal levels. You can
also calculate shadowing margins on Eb⁄Nt values. For information on setting the model standard deviation and the Eb⁄Nt
standard deviations for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 115.
Shadowing can be taken into consideration when Atoll calculates the signal level and Eb⁄Nt for:
• A point analysis (see "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 750).
• A coverage prediction (see "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 751).
Atoll always takes shadowing into consideration when calculating a Monte Carlo-based TD-SCDMA simulation.
You can display the shadowing margins per clutter class. For information, see "Displaying the Shadowing Margins" on
page 862.

12.5.8.1 Displaying the Shadowing Margins

To display the shadowing margins and macro-diversity gain per clutter class:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Shadowing Margins from the context menu. The Shadowing Margins and Gains dialogue appears (see
Figure 12.78).
4. You can set the following parameters:
- Cell Edge Coverage Probability: Enter the probability of coverage at the edge of the cell. The value you enter
in this dialogue is for information only.
- Standard Deviation: Select the type of standard deviation to be used to calculate the shadowing margin or
macro-diversity gains:
- From Model: The model standard deviation. Atoll will display the shadowing margin of the signal level.
- P-CCPCH Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I: The P-CCPCH Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I standard deviation. Atoll will display the P-CCPCH
Eb⁄Nt or C/I shadowing margin.

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 Chapter 12: TD-SCDMA Networks

- DL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I: The DL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I standard deviation. Atoll will display the DL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I shadowing
margin.
- UL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I: The UL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I standard deviation. Atoll will display the UL Eb⁄Nt or C⁄I shadowing
margin
5. Click Calculate. The calculated shadowing margin is displayed.
6. Click Close to close the dialogue.

Figure 12.78: The Shadowing Margins dialogue

12.5.9 Maximum System Range

Each transmitter in a TDD network has a maximum coverage range. This maximum system range is defined by the
distance after which the uplink and downlink signals can interfere with each other. You can set the maximum range of your
TD-SCDMA system through the Properties dialogue of the Predictions folder.
To set the maximum range of the system:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Predictions Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the System tab. On the System tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Max Range: Select the Max Range check box if you want to apply a maximum system range limit, and enter
the maximum system range in the text box to the right.
5. Click OK.
The default value for the maximum system range is 11250 m, which is the distance corresponding to the duration of the
guard period in the pilot timeslot. The maximum system range is the distance after which the uplink and downlink pilot
timeslots could be unsynchronised. The maximum system range is calculated as follows:
Each subframe of 5 ms duration contains 1 pilot timeslot and 7 downlink or uplink timeslots. The pilot timeslot is divided
into a downlink pilot timeslot (DwPTS), a guard period (GP), and uplink pilot timeslot (UpPTS). The lengths of DwPTS, GP,
and UpPTS are 96, 96, and 160 chips, respectively. Each of the other 7 timeslots contains 704 data chips, 144 midamble
chips, and 16 guard period chips. All in all, a 5 ms subframe contains 6400 chips. The duration of the guard period of the
pilot can be calculated as:
0.005
D GP = --------------- × 96 = 75 μs
6400

The maximum system range is half the distance that the RF signal can travel in DGP:

8
R System = 75 μs × 3 × 10 m/s- = 11250 m
----------------------------------------------------
2

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Chapter 13
WiMAX BWA Networks

Atoll
RF Planning and Optimisation Software
 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

13 WiMAX BWA Networks

WiMAX (Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access) refers to a group of broadband wireless access (BWA) standards
which use OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) and SOFDMA (Scalable Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiple Access) technologies. The WiMAX air interface is described in the IEEE 802.16d and the IEEE 802.16e standards.
The 802.16d standard is the complete specification for fixed broadband wireless access networks using OFDM and the
802.16e specifications describe mobile broadband wireless access networks which use SOFDMA and support handovers
and user terminal speeds of up to 100 km/hr.
Atoll enables you to design IEEE 802.16d and IEEE 802.16e broadband wireless access networks. Two separate docu-
ment templates, named WiMAX 802.16d and WiMAX 802.16e, are available for designing and planning these networks.
Atoll can predict radio coverage, manage mobile and fixed subscriber data, and evaluate network capacity. Atoll WiMAX
also supports smart antennas.
Atoll enables you to model fixed and mobile users in WiMAX environments. The data input corresponding to fixed
subscribers, which is an important requirement of fixed wireless access networks, is modelled using a subscriber database
integrated into the module. You can carry out calculations on fixed subscriber locations as well as base your calculations
on mobile user scenarios during Monte Carlo simulations. You can also perform interference predictions, resource alloca-
tion, and other calculations on mobile users.
Atoll uses Monte Carlo simulations to generate realistic network scenarios (snapshots) using a Monte Carlo statistical
engine for scheduling and resource allocation. Realistic user distributions can be generated using different types of traffic
maps or subscriber data. Atoll uses these realistic user distributions as input for the simulations.
Coverage predictions can be created to study the following parameters:
• The signal level received from cells
• The effective preamble signal level
• The effective downlink and uplink traffic signal levels
• The preamble and traffic carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio
• The radio bearer coverage
• The channel throughput and cell capacity per pixel, and the aggregate throughput per cell
Coverage predictions that depend on the network’s traffic loads can be created from either Monte Carlo simulation results
or from a user-defined network load configuration (uplink and downlink traffic loads, and uplink noise rise). GSM GPRS
EGPRS, CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO, UMTS HSPA, and LTE networks can be planned in the same Atoll session.

Tip: Before working with the Atoll WiMAX module for the first time, it is highly recommended
to go through the "Glossary of WiMAX Terms" on page 995. This will help you get
accustomed to the terminology used in Atoll.

13.1 Designing a WiMAX Network

Figure 13.1 depicts the process of creating and planning a WiMAX BWA network. The steps involved in planning a WiMAX
network are described below. The numbers refer to Figure 13.1.

1. Open an existing radio-planning document or create a new one ( 1 ).

- You can open an existing Atoll document by selecting File > Open.
- Creating a new Atoll document is explained in Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project.

2. Configure the network by adding network elements and changing parameters ( 2 ).

You can add and modify the following elements of base stations:

- "Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 875.

- "Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 875.
- "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 875.
You can also add base stations using a base station template (see "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 876).

3. Carry out basic coverage predictions ( 3 ).

- "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 883.
- "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 884 and "Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 892.

4. Allocate neighbours ( 4 ).
- "Planning Neighbours" on page 920.

5. Allocate frequencies ( 5 ).
- "Planning Frequencies" on page 929.

6. Allocate preamble indexes ( 6 ).

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Atoll User Manual

- "Planning Preamble Indexes" on page 933.

7. Before making more advanced coverage predictions, you need to define cell load conditions ( 7 ).
You can define cell load conditions in the following ways:

- You can generate realistic cell load conditions by creating a simulation based on traffic maps and subscriber
lists ( 7a , 7b , and 7c ) (see "Studying Network Capacity" on page 937).
- You can define cell load conditions manually either on the Cells tab of each transmitter’s Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table (see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 875) ( 7d ).

8. Make WiMAX-specific signal quality coverage predictions using the defined cell load conditions ( 8 ).
- "WiMAX Coverage Predictions" on page 904.

9. If necessary, modify network parameters to study the network with a different frequency plan ( 10 ). After modifying
the network’s frequency plan, you must perform steps 7 and 8 again.

6
7a

7c 7d

7b
7

9 10

Figure 13.1: Planning a WiMAX BWA network - workflow

13.2 Planning and Optimising WiMAX Base Stations

As described in Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project, you can start an Atoll document from a template, with no base
stations, or from a database with a set of base stations. As you work on your Atoll document, you will still need to create
base stations and modify existing ones.
In Atoll, a site is defined as a geographical point where one or more transmitters are located. Once you have created a
site, you can add transmitters. In Atoll, a transmitter is defined as the antenna and any other additional equipment, such
as the TMA, feeder cables, etc. In a WiMAX project, you must also add cells to each transmitter. A cell refers to the char-
acteristics of an RF channel on a transmitter.
Atoll lets you create one site, transmitter, or cell at a time, or create several at once using station templates. In Atoll, a
base station refers to a site and a transmitter with its antennas, equipment, and cells.
In Atoll, you can study a single base station or a group of base stations using coverage predictions. Atoll allows you to
make a variety of coverage predictions, such as signal level or signal quality coverage predictions. The results of calcu-
lated coverage predictions can be displayed on the map, compared, and studied.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

Atoll enables you to model network traffic by allowing you to create services, users, user profiles, environments, and termi-
nals. This data can be then used to make studies that depend on network load, such as C/(I+N), WiMAX radio bearer, and
throughput coverage predictions.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Creating a WiMAX Base Station" on page 869.
• "Creating a Group of Base Stations" on page 881.
• "Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map" on page 882.
• "Display Tips for Base Stations" on page 882.
• "Creating a Multi-Band WiMAX Network" on page 882.
• "Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document" on page 882.
• "Studying a Single Base Station" on page 883.
• "Studying Base Stations" on page 886.
• "Planning Neighbours" on page 920.
• "Planning Frequencies" on page 929.
• "Planning Preamble Indexes" on page 933.

13.2.1 Creating a WiMAX Base Station

When you create a WiMAX site, you create only the geographical point; you must add the transmitters and cells afterwards.
The site with a transmitter and its antennas, equipment, and cells is called a base station.
In this section, each element of a base station is described. If you want to add a new base station, see "Placing a New
Base Station Using a Station Template" on page 876. If you want to create or modify one of the elements of a base station,
see "Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 875. If you need to create a large number of base stations,
Atoll allows you to import them from another Atoll document or from an external source. For information, see "Creating
a Group of Base Stations" on page 881.
This section explains the various parts of the base station creation process:
• "Definition of a Base Station" on page 869.
• "Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 875.
• "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station Template" on page 876.
• "Managing Station Templates" on page 877.
• "Duplicates of an Existing Base Station" on page 880.

13.2.1.1 Definition of a Base Station

A base station consists of the site, one or more transmitters, various pieces of equipment, and radio settings such as, for
example, cells. You will usually create a new base station using a station template, as described in "Placing a New Base
Station Using a Station Template" on page 876. This section describes the following elements of a base station and their
parameters:
• "Site Description" on page 869
• "Transmitter Description" on page 870
• "Cell Description" on page 872.

13.2.1.1.1 Site Description

The parameters of a site can be found in the site’s Properties dialogue. The Properties dialogue has two tabs:
• The General tab (see Figure 13.2):
- Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name here. If
you want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
- Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location
of the site here.

Tip: While this method allows you to place a site with precision, you can also place sites using
the mouse and then position them precisely with this dialogue afterwards. For information
on placing sites using the mouse, see "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 31.

- Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can
specify the actual altitude under Real, if you wish. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for
calculations.
- Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you wish.

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 13.2: New Site dialogue

13.2.1.1.2 Transmitter Description

The parameters of a transmitter can be found in the transmitter’s Properties dialogue. When you create a transmitter, the
Properties dialogue has two tabs: the General tab and the Transmitter tab. Once you have created a transmitter, its Prop-
erties dialogue has three additional tabs: the Cells tab (see "Cell Description" on page 872), the Propagation tab (see
Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll), and the Display tab (see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33).
• The General tab:
- Name: By default, Atoll names the transmitter after the site it is on, adding an underscore and a number. You
can enter a name for the transmitter, but for the sake of consistency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If
you want to change the way Atoll names transmitters, see the Administrator Manual.
- Site: You can select the Site on which the transmitter will be located. Once you have selected the site, you
can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the site on which the transmitter will be located.
For information on the site Properties dialogue, see "Site Description" on page 869. You can click the New
button to create a new site on which the transmitter will be located.
- Position relative to the site: You can modify the Position relative to the site, if you wish.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

• The Transmitter tab (see Figure 13.3):

Figure 13.3: Transmitter dialogue - Transmitter tab

- Active: If this transmitter is to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active transmitters are dis-
played in red in the Transmitters folder of the Data tab.

Note: Only active transmitters are taken into consideration during calculations.

- Transmitter Type: If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter as a potential server as well as an interferer,
set the transmitter type to Intra-Network (Server and Interferer). If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter
only as an interferer, set the type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only). No coverage for an Interferer Only
transmitter will be calculated for coverage predictions and it will not serve any mobile in Monte Carlo simula-
tions.
This feature enables you to model the co-existence of different networks in the same geographic area. For
more information on how to study interference between co-existing networks, see "Modelling the Co-existence
of Networks" on page 995.

- Transmission/Reception: Under Transmission/Reception, you can see the total losses and the noise
figure of the transmitter. Atoll calculates losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equipment
assigned to the transmitter. Equipment can be assigned using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which
appears when you click the Equipment button.
- On the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 13.4), the equipment you select and the gains and
losses you define are used to initialise total transmitter losses in the uplink and downlink:
- TMA: You can select a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) from the list. You can click the Browse button
( ) to access the properties of the TMA. For information on creating a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equip-
ment" on page 147.
- Feeder: You can select a feeder cable from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the
properties of the feeder. For information on creating a feeder cable, see "Defining Feeder Cables" on
page 147.
- BTS: You can select a base transceiver station (BTS) equipment from the BTS list. You can click the
Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the BTS. For information on creating a BTS, see "Defin-
ing BTS Equipment" on page 148.
- Feeder Length: You can enter the feeder length at transmission and reception.
- Miscellaneous Losses: You can enter miscellaneous losses at transmission and reception. The value
you enter must be positive.

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- Receiver Antenna Diversity Gain: You can enter a receiver antenna diversity gain. The value you enter
must be positive.

Figure 13.4: The Equipment Specifications dialogue

Atoll always considers the values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the
values in the Computed boxes. The information in the real Total Noise Figure reception box is calculated
from the information you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real Total
Losses at transmission and reception and the real Total Noise Figure at reception if you wish. Any value you
enter must be positive.

- Antennas:
- Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added
to the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered
must include the height of building.
- Power Combining Gain: The Power Combining Gain is calculated automatically depending on the
number of antenna elements of the smart antenna equipment, if any, assigned to the transmitter. This gain
is applied to the downlink transmission power for preamble and other signals transmitted using the main
antenna.
- Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the
Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. The other fields, Azimuth, Mechanical
Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt, display additional antenna parameters. The mechanical
and additional electrical downtilts defined for the main antenna are also used for the calculations using the
smart antenna equipment.
- Smart Antenna: Under Smart Antenna, the available smart antenna equipment is available in the Equip-
ment list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the smart antenna equip-
ment. When you select a smart antenna equipment, you can choose whether to keep the current main
antenna model or to replace it with the main antenna model defined for the selected smart antenna equip-
ment, if any. For more information on smart antenna equipment, see "Defining Smart Antenna Equipment"
on page 983.
- Number of MIMO Antennas: Enter the number of antennas used for MIMO in the Transmission and
Reception fields. For more information on how the number of MIMO antennas are used, see "Multiple
Input Multiple Output Systems" on page 984.
- Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column
and enter their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power, which is
the percentage of power reserved for this particular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one
secondary antenna, if you reserve 40 % of the total power for the secondary antenna, 60 % is available
for the main antenna.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

The main antenna is used to transmit the preamble. Coverage predictions based on the preamble signal are
performed using the main antenna. The main antenna is also used for traffic signals if there is no smart antenna
equipment selected for the transmitter, or if the cell (or permutation zones in WiMAX 802.16e) does not support
AAS.

If there is smart antenna equipment assigned to the transmitter and the cell (or permutation zones in WiMAX
802.16e) supports AAS, traffic data is transmitted and received using the smart antenna, whereas the preamble
is transmitted using the main antenna.

13.2.1.1.3 Cell Description

In Atoll, a cell is defined as an RF channel, with all its characteristics, on a transmitter; the cell is the mechanism by which
you can configure a multi-carrier WiMAX network.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

When you create a transmitter, Atoll reminds you to create a cell for the transmitter. The following explains the parameters
of a WiMAX cell. As you create a cell, Atoll calculates appropriate values for some fields based on the information you
have entered. You can, if you wish, modify these values.
The properties of a WiMAX cell are found on Cells tab of the Properties dialogue of the transmitter to which it is assigned.
The Cells tab has the following options:
• Name: By default, Atoll names the cell after its transmitter, adding a suffix in parentheses. If you change trans-
mitter name, Atoll does not update the cell name. You can enter a name for the cell, but for the sake of consist-
ency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If you want to change the way Atoll names cells, see The Administrator
Manual.
• BSID: The Base Station ID.
• Active: If this cell is to be active, you must select the Active check box.
• Order: The order of the cell among all the cells of the transmitter. It must be a positive integer value. This value is
automatically assigned when you create a new cell, but it is possible to modify it afterwards. The order is used
during calculations for selecting the service cell. For more information on the different cell selection options, see
"The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 972.
• Frequency Band: The cell’s frequency band from the Frequency Band list.
• Channel Number: The number of the channel from the list of available channels.
• Channel Allocation Status: The status of the current channel allocated to the cell:
- Not Allocated: The current channel has neither been allocated automatically nor manually. The AFP con-
siders that a Not Allocated channel is modifiable.
- Allocated: The current channel has been allocated automatically or manually. The AFP considers that an
Allocated preamble index is modifiable but it is not modified unless absolutely necessary.
- Locked: The current channel has been allocated automatically or manually. The AFP considers that a Locked
channel is not modifiable.
• Min Reuse Distance: The minimum reuse distance after which the channel assigned to this cell can be assigned
to another cell by the AFP. The reuse distance is also used by the automatic preamble index allocation in 802.16e.
The cell’s preamble index can be allocated to another cell outside this reuse distance without any cost.
• Preamble Power (dBm): The cell’s transmission power over the preamble of the frame.
• Traffic Power Reduction (dB): The power reduction to be subtracted from the power defined in the Preamble
Power (dBm) field to determine the transmission power of the traffic subcarriers during the loaded part of the
frame. Traffic subcarriers are off during the empty part of the frame.
• Pilot Power Reduction (dB): The power reduction to be subtracted from the power defined in the Preamble
Power (dBm) field to determine the transmission power of the pilot subcarriers during the loaded part of the frame.
• Idle Pilot Power Reduction (dB): The power reduction to be subtracted from the power defined in the Preamble
Power (dBm) field to determine the transmission power of the pilot subcarriers during the empty part of the frame.
If the cell’s transmitter has a smart antenna equipment assigned, the transmission power of cell increases by
10 × Log ( n ) (in dB), where n is the number of antenna elements of the smart antenna. This gain in the transmis-
sion power is referred to as the power combination gain.

• WiMAX Equipment: You can select the cell’s WiMAX equipment from the WiMAX Equipment list. For more infor-
mation, see "Defining WiMAX Equipment" on page 978. The cell’s WiMAX equipment parameters are used in the
uplink calculations.
• Scheduler: The scheduler used by the cell for resource allocation during Monte Carlo simulations. You can select
the scheduler from the list of schedulers available in the Schedulers table. For more information see "Defining
WiMAX Schedulers" on page 980.
• Max Number of Users: The maximum number of simultaneous users supported by the cell.
• Preamble C/N Threshold (dB): The minimum preamble C/N required for a user to be connected to the cell. The
preamble C/N is compared with this threshold to determine whether or not a user can be connected to a cell.
• AMS/MU-MIMO Threshold (dB): For AMS, it is the preamble C/N threshold for switching from SU-MIMO to STTD/
MRC as the preamble signal conditions get worse than the given value. For MU-MIMO, it is the minimum required
preamble CNR for using MU-MIMO. For more information on Adaptive MIMO switching, see "Multiple Input Mul-
tiple Output Systems" on page 984.
• Max Traffic Load (UL) (%): The uplink traffic load not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account during
Monte Carlo simulations. If the cell traffic load is limited by this value, the cell will not be allowed to have an uplink
traffic load greater than this maximum.
• Traffic Load (UL) (%): The uplink traffic load percentage. By default, the uplink traffic load is set to 100%.
• Max Traffic Load (DL) (%): The downlink traffic load not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account
during Monte Carlo simulations. If the cell traffic load is limited by this value, the cell will not be allowed to have a
downlink traffic load greater than this maximum.
• Traffic Load (DL) (%): The downlink traffic load percentage. By default, the downlink traffic load is set to 100%.
• UL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink noise rise in dB. By default, the uplink noise rise is set to 0.

Note: You can set the values for uplink and downlink traffic loads, and the uplink noise rise
manually to actual network values, or use the values computed during Monte Carlo
simulations. Monte Carlo simulation results can be stored in the cells by clicking the
Commit Results button in the simulation results dialogue.

• AAS Usage (DL) (%): This is the percentage of the total downlink traffic load that corresponds to the traffic loads
of the users supported by the smart antenna equipment. For example, if the downlink traffic load is 80%, and you
set the AAS usage to 50%, it means that 40% downlink traffic load is supported by the smart antenna equipment
while the other 40% is supported by the main antenna. AAS usage is calculated during Monte Carlo simulations,

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and cannot be modified manually because the AAS usage values correspond to the AAS simulation results dia-
grams.
• AAS Simulation Results: This field stores the simulation results generated for transmitters using a smart
antenna. During the Monte Carlo simulations, both smart antenna models available in Atoll, conventional beam-
former and optimum beamformer, perform beamforming in downlink. In uplink, the conventional beamformer per-
forms beamforming only whereas the optimum beamformer uses the MMSE (Minimum Mean Square Error)
algorithm for cancelling interference. After the simulations, the smart antenna results can be stored in the cell prop-
erties. The results stored in this field are the angular distributions of the downlink traffic power spectral density and
the uplink noise rise. You can view these patterns in the Cells table. You can make the display of the downlink
results diagram take into account the effect of the antenna pattern of the single element. For more information,
see the Administrator Manual.
• MU-MIMO Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO. This can be user-defined
or an output of Monte Carlo simulations. In uplink throughput coverage predictions, the cell capacity will be multi-
plied by this gain at pixels where MU-MIMO is used.
The following parameters are only available in WiMAX 802.16d documents.
• Diversity Support (DL): The type of antenna diversity technique (AAS, STTD/MRC, SU-MIMO, and AMS) sup-
ported by the cell in downlink. You cannot select more than one type of MIMO technique (STTD/MRC, SU-MIMO,
and AMS) at a time.
• Diversity Support (UL): The type of antenna diversity technique (AAS, STTD/MRC, SU-MIMO, AMS, MU-MIMO)
supported by the cell in uplink. You cannot select more than one type of MIMO technique (STTD/MRC, SU-MIMO,
MU-MIMO, and AMS) at a time.
Specific calculations will be performed (gains will be applied) for terminals supporting AAS and MIMO. A cell that
only supports None does not have any antenna diversity mechanism, and all the terminal types can connect to
this cell. A cell that supports None and one or more antenna diversity techniques can also support terminals capa-
ble of those diversity techniques. For example, None+AAS can support simple as well as AAS-capable terminals,
and None+AMS can support simple and MIMO-capable terminals. Simple terminals cannot connect to a cell that
does not support None.

The following parameters are only available in WiMAX 802.16e documents:

• DL:UL Ratio: The number of symbol durations available in the downlink and uplink subframes for the cell. This
field is not stored in the Cells table. It is automatically calculated and its value depends on the cell’s channel band-
width and sampling factor, and the DL:UL ratio, frame duration, and cyclic prefix defined in the global transmitter
parameters. For more information on the global parameters, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on
page 972.
• Preamble Index: A preamble index for the cell. It is an integer value from 0 to 113. The preamble indices are
defined in the IEEE 802.16 specifications. They provide the segment number and IDCell (DL_PermBase for the
first permutation zone of the frame) which is referred to as Cell PermBase in Atoll to avoid ambiguity with cell ID
which is the name of a cell in Atoll.
• Preamble Index Status: The status of the preamble index currently assigned to the cell:
- Not Allocated: The current preamble index has neither been allocated automatically nor manually. The auto-
matic preamble index allocation algorithm considers that a Not Allocated preamble index is modifiable.
- Allocated: The current preamble index has been allocated automatically or manually. The automatic pre-
amble index allocation algorithm considers that an Allocated preamble index is modifiable but it is not modi-
fied by the algorithm unless absolutely necessary.
- Locked: The current preamble index has been allocated automatically or manually. The automatic preamble
index allocation algorithm considers that a Locked preamble index is not modifiable.
• Frame Configuration: The cell’s frame configuration selected from the list. For more information on frame con-
figurations, see "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975.
• Segmentation Usage (DL) (%): You can set the percentage of the total downlink traffic load that corresponds to
the segmented part of the frame. For example, if the downlink traffic load is 80%, and you set the segmentation
usage to 50%, it means that 40% downlink traffic load is on the segmented part of the frame while the other 40%
is on the non-segmented part. You can set the value of segmentation usage manually or store a calculated value
from simulation results.
To see examples of how to setup cells with and without segmentation, and how to setup cells with PUSC, FUSC,
and permutation zones of other subchannel allocation modes, see "Tips and Tricks" on page 987.

• Max Number of Intra-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of neighbours from within the same Atoll
document that the cell can have.
• Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of neighbours from other technology doc-
uments that the cell can have.
• Neighbours: You can access a dialogue in which you can set both intra-technology and inter-technology neigh-
bours by clicking the Browse button ( ). For information on defining neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours"
on page 920.

Tip: The Browse button ( ) might not be visible in the Neighbours box if this is a new cell.
You can make the Browse button appear by clicking Apply.

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13.2.1.2 Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element

A base station consists of the site, one or more transmitters, various pieces of equipment, and radio settings such as, for
example, cells. This section describes how to create or modify the following elements of a base station:
• "Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 875
• "Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 875
• "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 875

13.2.1.2.1 Creating or Modifying a Site

You can modify an existing site or you can create a new site. You can access the properties of a site, described in "Site
Description" on page 869, through the site’s Properties dialogue. How you access the Properties dialogue depends on
whether you are creating a new site or modifying an existing site.
To create or modify a site:
1. If you are creating a new site:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select New from the context menu. The Sites New Element Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 13.2
on page 870).
2. If you are modifying the properties of an existing site:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Sites folder.
c. Right-click the site you want to modify. The context menu appears.
d. Select Properties from the context menu. The site’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Modify the parameters described in "Site Description" on page 869.
4. Click OK.

13.2.1.2.2 Creating or Modifying a Transmitter

You can modify an existing transmitter or you can create a new transmitter. You can access the properties of a transmitter,
described in "Transmitter Description" on page 870, through the transmitter’s Properties dialogue. How you access the
Properties dialogue depends on whether you are creating a new transmitter or modifying an existing transmitter.
To create or modify a transmitter:
1. If you are creating a new transmitter:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select New from the context menu. The Transmitters New Element Properties dialogue appears (see
Figure 13.3).
2. If you are modifying the properties of an existing transmitter:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
c. Right-click the transmitter you want to modify. The context menu appears.
d. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Modify the parameters described in "Transmitter Description" on page 870.
4. Click OK. If you are creating a new transmitter, Atoll reminds you to create a cell. For information on creating a
cell, see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 875.

Tips:
• If you are creating several transmitters at the same time, or modifying several existing trans-
mitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Transmitters
table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder on the
Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting Open Table from the context menu. For infor-
mation on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 56.
• If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the transmitter by
right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the context menu.

13.2.1.2.3 Creating or Modifying a Cell

You can modify an existing cell or you can create a new cell. You can access the properties of a cell, described in "Cell
Description" on page 872, through the Properties dialogue of the transmitter where the cell is located. How you access
the Properties dialogue depends on whether you are creating a new cell or modifying an existing cell.

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To create or modify a cell:

1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter on which you want to create a cell or whose cell you want to modify. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Cells tab.
6. Modify the parameters described in "Cell Description" on page 872.
7. Click OK.

Tips:
• If you are creating or modifying several cells at the same time, you can do it more quickly by
editing the data directly in the Cells table. You can open the Cells table by right-clicking the
Transmitters folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting Cells > Open
Table from the context menu. You can either edit the data in the table, paste data into the table
(see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 56), or import data into the table (see "Importing
Tables from Text Files" on page 59).
• If you want to add a cell to an existing transmitter on the map, you can add the cell by right-
clicking the transmitter and selecting New Cell from the context menu.

13.2.1.3 Placing a New Base Station Using a Station Template

In Atoll, a base station is defined as a site with one or more transmitters sharing the same properties. With Atoll, you can
create a network by placing base stations based on station templates. This allows you to build your network quickly with
consistent parameters, instead of building the network by first creating the site, then the transmitters, and finally by adding
the cells.
To place a new station using a station template:

1. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.

2. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

3. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to
place the new station. The exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location
are visible in the Status bar.

4. Click to place the station.

Tips:
• To place the base station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click the
New Station button. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map
Scale" on page 38.
• If you let the pointer rest over the base station you have placed, Atoll displays its tip text with
its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.

You can also place a series of base stations using a station template. You do this by defining an area on the map where
you want to place the base stations. Atoll calculates the placement of each base station according to the defined hexag-
onal cell radius in the station template. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating or Modifying a Station
Template" on page 877.

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To place a series of base stations within a defined area:

1. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.

2. Click the Hexagonal Design button ( ), to the left of the template list. A hexagonal design is a group of base
stations created from the same station template.

Note: If the Hexagonal Design button is not available ( ), the hexagonal cell radius for this
template is not defined. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating or
Modifying a Station Template" on page 877.

3. Draw a zone delimiting the area where you want to place the series of base stations:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Atoll fills the delimited zone with new base stations and their hexagonal shapes. Base station objects such as
sites and transmitters are also created and placed into their respective folders.

You can work with the sites and transmitters in these base stations as you work with any base station object, adding, for
example, another antenna to a transmitter.

Placing a Station on an Existing Site

When you place a new station using a station template as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 876, the site is created at the same time as the station. However, you can also place a new station on
an existing site.
To place a base station on an existing site:
1. On the Data tab, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
2. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.

3. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

4. Move the pointer to the site on the map. When the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected, click to
place the station.

13.2.1.4 Managing Station Templates

Atoll comes with WiMAX station templates, but you can also create and modify station templates. The tools for working
with station templates can be found on the Radio toolbar (see Figure 13.5).

Figure 13.5: The Radio toolbar

13.2.1.4.1 Creating or Modifying a Station Template

When you create a station template, Atoll bases it on the station template selected in the Station Template Properties
dialogue. The new station template has the same parameters as the one it is based on. Therefore, by selecting the existing
station template that most closely resembles the station template you want to create, you can create a new template by
only modifying the parameters that differ.
As well, you can modify the properties of any station template.
To create or modify a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Station Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. You can now create a new station template or modify an existing one:
- To create a new station template: Under Station Templates, select the station template that most closely
resembles the station template you want to create and click Add. The Properties dialogue appears.
- To modify an existing station template: Under Station Templates, select the station template whose prop-
erties you want to modify and click Properties. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the General tab of the Properties dialogue. In this tab (see Figure 13.6), you can modify the following: the
Name of the station template, the number of Sectors, each with a transmitter, the Hexagon Radius, i.e., the the-
oretical radius of the hexagonal area covered by each sector, and the Transmitter Type, i.e., whether the trans-
mitter belongs to your network or to another network.
- Under Antennas, you can modify the following: the Height/Ground of the antennas from the ground (i.e., the
height over the DTM; if the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include the height of
building), the main antenna Model, 1st Sector Azimuth, from which the azimuth of the other sectors are offset

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to offer complete coverage of the area, the Mechanical Downtilt, and the Additional Electrical Downtilt for
the antennas.
Under Smart Antenna, you can select the smart antenna Equipment used by the transmitter, and under
Number of MIMO Antennas, you can enter the number of antennas used for Transmission and for Recep-
tion for MIMO.

- Under Propagation, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both
the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing
Calculations in Atoll.

Figure 13.6: Station Template Properties dialogue – General tab

5. Click the Transmitter tab. In this tab (see Figure 13.7), if the Active check box is selected, you can modify the
following:
- Under Transmission/Reception, you can click the Equipment button to open the Equipment Specifica-
tions dialogue and modify the tower-mounted amplifier (TMA), feeder cables, or base transceiver station
(BTS). For information on the Equipment Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on
page 870.
The information in the computed Total Losses in transmission and reception boxes is calculated from the in-
formation you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 13.4 on page 872). Atoll al-
ways considers the values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the values
in the Computed boxes. You can modify the real Total Losses at transmission and reception if you wish. Any
value you enter must be positive.

The information in the computed BTS Noise Figure reception box is calculated from the information you en-
tered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real BTS Noise Figure at reception if
you wish. Any value you enter must be positive.

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Figure 13.7: Station Template Properties dialogue – Transmitter tab

6. Click the WiMAX tab. In this tab (see Figure 13.8), you can modify the following:
- Under Powers, you can modify the Preamble Power, and the power reductions for the data and pilot subcar-
riers in Traffic Power Reduction, Pilot Power Reduction, and Idle Pilot Power Reduction.
- Frequency Band, Channel Number, Channel Allocation Status, Preamble Index (WiMAX 802.16e), Pre-
amble Index Status (WiMAX 802.16e), Min Reuse Distance, WiMAX Equipment, Scheduler, Max Number
of Users, Frame Configuration (WiMAX 802.16e), Preamble C/N Threshold, AMS/MU-MIMO Threshold
(WiMAX 802.16e), and the default MU-MIMO Gain (WiMAX 802.16e).
- Under Antenna Diversity in WiMAX 802.16d documents, you can select the Diversity Support in downlink
and in uplink. You cannot select more than one type of MIMO technique (STTD/MRC, SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO,
and AMS) at a time. You can also enter the AMS/MU-MIMO Threshold and the default MU-MIMO Gain.
- Under Default Loads, you can enter the default values for DL Traffic Load, UL Traffic Load, UL Noise Rise,
and the Max DL Traffic Load and Max UL Traffic Load. You can also enter the DL Segmentation Usage in
WiMAX 802.16e.
- Under Inter-technology Interference, you can set the DL Noise Rise and the UL Noise Rise. For more infor-
mation on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling Inter-Network Interferences" on page 236.
- Under Max Number of Neighbours in WiMAX 802.16e documents, you can set the maximum numbers of
Intra-technology and Inter-technology neighbours.

Figure 13.8: Station Template Properties dialogue – WiMAX tab (WiMAX 802.16e)

7. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Sites table, or if you have defined an additional field in the Station Template Properties dialogue.

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8. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save
your changes.

13.2.1.4.2 Modifying a Field in a Station Template

To modify a field in a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Station Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the template in the Available Templates list.
4. Click the Fields button.
5. In the dialogue that appears, you have the following options:
- Add: If you want to add a user-defined field to the station templates, you must have already added it to the
Sites table (for information on adding a user-defined field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an Object Type’s
Data Table" on page 51) for it to appear as an option in the station template properties. To add a new field:
i. Click the Add button. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
ii. Enter a Name for the new field.
iii. For Type, you can select from Text, Short integer, Long integer, Single, Double, True/False, Date/
Time, and Currency. If you choose text, you can also set the field Size (in characters), and create a
Choice list, by entering the possible selections directly in the Choice list window and pressing ENTER
after each one.
iv. Enter, if desired, a Default value for the new field.
v. Click OK to close the Field Definition dialogue and save your changes.
- Delete: To delete a user-defined field:
i. Select the user-defined field you want to delete.
ii. Click the Delete button. The user-defined field appears in strikeout. It will be definitively deleted when you
close the dialogue.
- Properties: To modify the properties of a user-defined field:
i. Select the user-defined field you want to modify.
ii. Click the Properties button. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
iii. Modify any of the properties as desired.
iv. Click OK to close the Field Definition dialogue and save your changes.
6. Click OK.

13.2.1.4.3 Deleting a Station Template

To delete a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Station Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. Under Station Templates, select the station template you want to delete and click Delete. The template is
deleted.
4. Click OK.

13.2.1.5 Duplicates of an Existing Base Station

You can create new base stations by duplicating an existing base station. When you duplicate an existing base station,
the base station you create will have the same site, transmitter, and cell parameter values as the original one. Duplicating
a base station allows you to:
• Quickly create a new base station with the same settings as an original one in order to study the effect of a new
station on the coverage and capacity of the network, and
• Quickly create a new homogeneous network with base stations that have the same characteristics.
To duplicate an existing base station:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Sites folder.
3. Right-click the site you want to duplicate. The context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select one of the following:
- Select Duplicate > With Neighbours from the context menu, if you want to duplicate the base station along
with the lists of intra- and inter-technology neighbours of its transmitters.
- Select Duplicate > Without Neighbours from the context menu, if you want to duplicate the base station
without the intra- and inter-technology neighbours of its transmitters.
You can now place the new base station on the map using the mouse.

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5. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to place the new base station. The
exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location are visible in the Status bar.

Figure 13.9: Placing a new base station

Tips:
• To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you select Duplicate
from the context menu. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map
Scale" on page 38.
• If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays tip text with its exact
coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.

6. Click to place the duplicate base station.

A new base station is placed on the map. The site, transmitters, and cells of the new base station have the same
names as the site, transmitters, and cells of the original base station, preceded by "Copy of." The site, transmitters,
and cells of the duplicate base station have the same settings as those of the original base station.

You can also place a series of duplicate base stations by pressing and holding CTRL in step 6. and clicking to
place each duplicate station.

For more information on the site, transmitter, and cell properties, see "Definition of a Base Station" on page 869.

13.2.2 Creating a Group of Base Stations

You can create base stations individually as explained in "Creating a WiMAX Base Station" on page 869, or you can create
one or several base stations by using station templates as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 876. However, if you have a large project and you already have existing data, you can import this data
into your current Atoll document and create a group of base stations.

Note: When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data.
For information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System"
on page 92.

You can import base station data in the following ways:

• Copying and pasting data: If you have data in table form, either in another Atoll document or in a spreadsheet,
you can copy this data and paste it into the tables in your current Atoll document. When you create a group of
base stations by copying and pasting data, you must copy and paste site data in the Sites table, transmitter data
in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.

Important: The table you copy from must have the same column layout as the table you are pasting
data into.

For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 56.

• Importing data: If you have base station data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it
into the tables in the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or
CSV format and then import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows
you to select what values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, trans-
mitter data in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.

For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 58. For information on
importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

Note: You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool on the Radio toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New Base Station
Using a Station Template" on page 876.

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13.2.3 Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map

In Atoll, you can access the Properties dialogue of a site or transmitter using the context menu on the Data tab of the
Explorer window. However, in a complex radio-planning project, it can be difficult to find the data object in the Data tab,
although it might be visible in the map window. Atoll lets you access the Properties dialogue of sites and transmitters
directly from the map. If there is more than one transmitter with the same azimuth, clicking the transmitters in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the transmitter. You can also change the position of the station by
dragging it, or by letting Atoll find a higher location for it.
Modifying sites and transmitters directly on the map is explained in detail in Chapter 1: The Working Environment:
• "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30
• "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 31
• "Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 31
• "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse" on page 32
• "Changing the Position of the Transmitter Relative to the Site" on page 32.

13.2.4 Display Tips for Base Stations

Atoll allows to you to display information about base stations in a number of ways. This enables you not only to display
selected information, but also to distinguish base stations at a glance.
The following tools can be used to display information about base stations:
• Label: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a label that
is displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object type’s data table, including
from fields that you add. The label is always displayed, so you should choose information that you would want to
always be visible; too much information in the label will make it harder to distinguish the information you are looking
for. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the Object Type Label" on page 35.
• Tooltips: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a tooltip
that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can choose to display more information than
in the label, because the information is only displayed when you move the pointer over the object. You can display
information from every field in that object type’s data table, including from fields that you add. For information on
defining the tool tips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 36.
• Transmitter colour: You can set the transmitter colour to display information about the transmitter. For example,
you can select "Discrete Values" to distinguish transmitters by antenna type, or to distinguish inactive from active
transmitters. You can also define the display type for transmitters as "Automatic." Atoll then automatically assigns
a colour to each transmitter, ensuring that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding
it. For information on defining the transmitter colour, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 34.
• Transmitter symbol: You can select one of several symbols to represent transmitters. For example, you can
select a symbol that graphically represents the antenna half-power beamwidth ( ). If you have two transmit-
ters on the same site with the same azimuth, you can differentiate them by selecting different symbols for each

( and ). For information on defining the transmitter symbol, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 34.

13.2.5 Creating a Multi-Band WiMAX Network

In Atoll, you can model a multi-band WiMAX network, for example, a network consisting of 3.3 GHz, 5.8 GHz, and 2.5 GHz
cells, in one document. Creating a multi-band WiMAX network consists of the following steps:
1. Defining the frequency bands in the document (see "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 971).
2. Selecting and calibrating a propagation model for each frequency band (see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in
Atoll).
3. Assigning a frequency band to each cell and a relevant propagation model to each transmitter (see "Creating or
Modifying a Cell" on page 875 and "Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 875).

13.2.6 Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document

When you load project data from a database, you will probably only modify the data in the region for which you are respon-
sible. For example, a complex radio-planning project may cover an entire region or even an entire country. You, however,
might be responsible for the radio planning for only one city. In such a situation, doing a coverage prediction that calculates
the entire network would not only take a lot of time, it is not necessary. Consequently, you can restrict a coverage prediction
to the base stations that you are interested in and generate only the results you need.
In Atoll, there are two ways of restricting the number of base stations covered by a coverage prediction, each with its own
advantages:
• Filtering the desired base stations
You can simplify the selection of base stations to be studied by using a filter. You can filter base stations according
to one or more fields, or you can create an advanced filter by combining several criteria in several fields. You can
create a graphic filter by either using an existing vector polygon or creating a new vector polygon. For information
on graphic filters, see "Filtering Data Using a Filtering Zone" on page 80. This enables you to keep only the base
stations with the characteristics you want for your calculations. The filtering zone is taken into account whether or
not it is visible.

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For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

• Setting a computation zone

Drawing a computation zone to encompass the base stations to be studied limits the number of base stations to
be calculated, which in turn reduces the time necessary for calculations. In a smaller project, the time savings may
not be significant. In a larger project, especially when you are making repeated calculations in order to see the
effects of small changes in the base station configuration, the savings in time may be considerable. Limiting the
number of base stations by drawing a computation zone also limits the resulting calculated coverage. The compu-
tation zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible.

It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus zone or hot spot zones. The computation zone
defines the area where Atoll computes path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo simulations, etc.,
while the focus zone or hot spot zones are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results.

For information on the computation zone, see "Creating a Computation Zone" on page 891.

You can combine a computation zone and a filter, in order to create a very precise selection of the base stations to be
studied.

13.2.7 Studying a Single Base Station

As you create a base station, you can study it to test the effectiveness of the set parameters. Coverage predictions on
groups of base stations can take a large amount of time and consume a lot of computer resources. Restricting your cover-
age prediction to the base station you are currently working on allows you get the results quickly. You can expand your
coverage prediction to a number of base stations once you have optimised the settings for each individual base station.
Before studying a base station, you must assign a propagation model. The propagation model takes the radio and
geographic data into account and computes propagation losses along the transmitter-receiver path. This allows you to
predict the received signal level at any given point. Any coverage prediction you make on a base station uses the propa-
gation model to calculate its results.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 883.
• "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 884.

13.2.7.1 Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile

In Atoll, you can make a point analysis to study reception along a profile between a reference transmitter and a user.
Before studying a site, you must assign a propagation model. The propagation model takes the radio and geographic data
into account and calculates losses along the transmitter-receiver path. The profile is calculated in real time, using the prop-
agation model, allowing you to study the profile and get a prediction on each selected point.
For information on assigning a propagation model, see "Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 889.
You can make a point analysis to:
• study the reception in real time along a profile between a reference transmitter and a WiMAX user, and
• evaluate the signal levels coming from the surrounding transmitters at a given point (using existing path loss
matrices).
To make a point analysis:
1. In the map window, select the transmitter from which you want to make a point analysis.

2. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
3. A line appears on the map connecting the selected transmitter and the current position. You can now do the fol-
lowing:
- Move the receiver to change the current position.
- Click to place the receiver at the current position. You can move the receiver again by clicking it a second time.
- Right-click the receiver to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
- Coordinates: Select Coordinates to change the receiver position by entering new XY coordinates.
- Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Click the Profile tab.
The profile analysis appears in the Profile tab of the Point Analysis Tool window. The altitude is reported on the
vertical axis and the receiver-transmitter distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone
between the transmitter and the receiver, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the
angle of the LOS read from the vertical antenna pattern. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this
causes attenuation with diffraction displayed by a red vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction
mechanisms into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the most with the Fresnel ellipsoid. With some
propagation models using a 3 knife-edge Deygout diffraction method, the results may display two additional atten-
uations peaks. The total attenuation is displayed above the main peak.

The results of the analysis are displayed at the top of the Profile tab:

- The received signal strength from the selected transmitter for the cell with the highest preamble power

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- The propagation model used

- The shadowing margin and the cell edge coverage probability used for calculating it
- The distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
You can change the following options at the top of the Profile tab:

- Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list.

- Display Geo Data Only: Select the Display Geo Data Only check box if you want to view the geographic
profile between the transmitter and the receiver. Atoll displays the profile between the transmitter and the
receiver with clutter heights. An ellipsoid indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed. Atoll does not calculate
nor display signal levels and losses.
5. Right-click the Profile tab to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
- Properties: Select Properties to display the Analysis Properties dialogue. This dialogue is available from
the context menu on all tabs of the Point Analysis Tool window. You can:
- Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
- Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability, and,
select "From Model" from the Shadowing Margin list.
- Select Signal Level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result Type list.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.
- Link Budget: Select Link Budget to display a dialogue with the link budget.
- Model Details: Select Model Details to display a text document with details on the displayed profile analysis.
Model details are only available for the Standard Propagation Model.

Displays data, including received signal, shadowing margin,

You can select a different transmitter. cell edge coverage probability, propagation model used, and
transmitter-receiver distance.

Fresnel ellipsoid Line of sight Attenuation with diffraction

Figure 13.10: Point Analysis Tool - Profile tab

6. To end the point analysis, click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar again.

13.2.7.2 Studying Signal Level Coverage

As you are building your radio-planning project, you may want to check the coverage of a new base station without having
to calculate the entire project. You can do this by selecting the site with its transmitters and then creating a new coverage
prediction.
This section explains how to calculate the signal level coverage of a single base station. A signal level coverage prediction
displays the signal of the best server for each pixel of the area studied. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the signal
level is calculated for the cell with the highest preamble power.

Note: You can use the same procedure to study the signal level coverage of several base
stations by grouping the transmitters. For information on grouping transmitters, see
"Grouping Data Objects by a Selected Property" on page 65.

To study the signal level coverage of a single base station:

1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder and select Group by > Sites from the context menu. The transmitters are now
displayed in the Transmitters folder by the site on which they are situated.

Tip: If you wish to study only sites by their status, at this step you could group them by status.

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3. Select the propagation parameters to be used in the coverage prediction:

a. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
b. Right-click the group of transmitters you want to study. The context menu appears.
c. Select Open Table from the context menu. A table appears with the properties of the selected group of trans-
mitters.
d. In the table, you can configure two propagation models: one for the main matrix, with a shorter radius and a
higher resolution, and another for the extended matrix, with a longer radius and a lower resolution. By calcu-
lating two matrices you can reduce the time of calculation by using a lower resolution for the extended matrix
and you can obtain more accurate results by using propagation models best suited for the main and extended
matrices.
e. In the Main Matrix column:
- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
f. If desired, in the Extended Matrix column:
- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
g. Close the table.
4. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the group of transmitters you want to study and select Calculations >
Create a New Study from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
The Study Types dialogue lists the coverage prediction types available. They are divided into Standard Studies,
supplied with Atoll, and Customized Studies. Unless you have already created some customized studies, the
Customized Studies list will be empty.

5. Select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK. A study properties dialogue appears.
6. You can configure the following parameters in the Properties dialogue:
- General tab: You can change the assigned Name of the coverage prediction, the Resolution, and the storage
Folder for the coverage prediction, and add some Comments. The resolution you set is the display resolution,
not the calculation resolution.
To improve memory consumption and optimise the calculation times, you should set the display resolutions of
coverage predictions according to the precision required. The following table lists the levels of precision that
are usually sufficient:

Size of the Coverage

Display Resolution
Prediction

City Centre 5m

City 20 m

County 50 m

State 100 m

Country According to the size of the country

Note: If you create a new coverage prediction from the context menu of either the Transmitters
or Predictions folder, you can select the sites using the Group By, Sort, and Filter
buttons under Configuration. Because you already selected the target sites, however,
only the Filter button is available.

- Condition tab: The coverage prediction parameters on the Condition tab allow you to define the signals that
will be considered for each pixel (see Figure 13.11).
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the signal level range to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the
same results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal
Level" necessitates, however, a longer time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that
Atoll will take into consideration.

- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage
Probability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

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Figure 13.11: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by signal level

- Display tab: You can modify how the results of the coverage prediction will be displayed.
- Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals."
- Under Field, select "Best signal level."
- You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display prop-
erties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
- You can create a tooltip with information about the coverage prediction by clicking the Browse button

( ) beside the Tip Text box and selecting the fields you want to display in the tooltip.
- You can select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed value intervals to the legend.

Note: If you change the display properties of a coverage prediction after you have calculated it,
you may make the coverage prediction invalid. You will then have to recalculate the
coverage prediction to obtain valid results.

7. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the signal level coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The signal level
coverage prediction can be found in the Predictions folder on the Data tab. Atoll automatically locks the results of a cover-
age prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction in the Predictions
folder. When you click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll only calculates unlocked coverage predictions ( ).

13.2.8 Studying Base Stations

When you make a coverage prediction, Atoll calculates all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by
the current filter parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects the rectangle containing the computation zone.
Figure 13.12 gives an example of a computation zone. In Figure 13.12, the computation zone is displayed in red, as it is
in the Atoll map window. The propagation zone of each active site is indicated by a blue square. Each propagation zone
that intersects the rectangle (indicated by the green dashed line) containing the computation zone will be taken into consid-
eration when Atoll calculates the coverage prediction. Sites 78 and 95, for example, are not in the computation zone.
However, their propagation zones intersect the rectangle containing the computation zone and, therefore, they will be
taken into consideration in the coverage prediction. On the other hand, the coverage zones of three other sites do not inter-
sect the green rectangle. Therefore, they will not be taken into account in the coverage prediction. Site 130 is within the
coverage zone but has no active transmitters. Therefore, it will not be taken into consideration either.

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Figure 13.12: An example of a computation zone

Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices
using the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main prop-
agation model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 13.12) and a higher resolution and an extended
propagation model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate
higher resolution path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower reso-
lution path loss matrices outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Path Loss Matrices" on page 887.
• "Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 889.
• "The Calculation Process" on page 891.
• "Creating a Computation Zone" on page 891.
• "Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active" on page 891.
• "Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 892.
• "Analysing a Coverage Prediction" on page 896.
• "WiMAX Coverage Predictions" on page 904.
• "Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 920.

13.2.8.1 Path Loss Matrices

In addition to the distance between the transmitter and the received, path loss is caused by objects in the transmitter-
receiver path. In Atoll, the path loss matrices must be calculated before predictions and simulations can be made.

Storing Path Loss Matrices

Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matri-
ces in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. In the case of large radio-planning
projects, embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case
of large radio-planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use
of computer resources.
The path loss matrices are also stored externally in a multi-user environment, when several users are working on the same
radio-planning project. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database and the path loss matrices are read-only and are
stored in a location accessible to all users. When the user changes his radio data and recalculates the path loss matrices,
the calculated changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matrices are not modified. These
will be recalculated by the administrator taking into consideration the changes to radio data made by all users. For more
information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
• One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix.

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• A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
• A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Predictions tab, under Path Loss Matrix Storage, you can set the location for your private path loss
matrices and the location for the shared path loss matrices:
- Private Directory: The Private Directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are
loading path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.

Click the button beside the Private Directory ( ) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in
the Atoll document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.

Note: Path loss matrices you calculate locally are not stored in the same directory as shared
path loss matrices. Shared path loss matrices are stored in a read-only directory. In other
words, you can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes
you make will be stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or in a private external
folder, depending on what you have selected in Private Directory.

Caution: When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed. In order to keep consistency between the Atoll document and
the stored calculations, you should save the Atoll document before closing it if you have
updated the path loss matrices.

- Shared Directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a
database and the path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you
make will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private Directory. The
path loss matrices in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based on the updated
information in the database. For more information on shared directories, see the Administrator Manual.
5. Click OK.

Checking the Validity of Path Loss Matrices

Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices before calculating any coverage prediction. If you want,
you can check whether the path loss matrices are valid without creating a coverage prediction.
To check whether the path loss matrices are valid:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table. You have the
following display options:
- Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
- Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:

- Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.

- Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices
are recalculated.
- Valid: This is a Boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
- Origin of Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
- Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
- File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
5. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 13.13) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as
well as a summary of the reasons for invalidity.

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Figure 13.13: Path loss matrices statistics

13.2.8.2 Assigning a Propagation Model

In Atoll, you can assign a propagation model globally to all transmitters, to a defined group of transmitters, or a single
transmitter. As well, you can assign a default propagation model for coverage predictions. This propagation model is used
as for all transmitters where the main propagation model selected is "(Default model)."
Because you can assign a propagation model in several different ways, it is important to understand which propagation
model Atoll will use:
1. If you have assigned a propagation model to a single transmitter, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation Model
to One Transmitter" on page 890, or to a group of transmitters, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation Model to
a Group of Transmitters" on page 890, this is the propagation model that will be used.
The propagation model assigned to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters will always have prece-
dence over any other assigned propagation model.

2. If you have assigned a propagation model globally to all transmitters, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation
Model to All Transmitters" on page 889, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters, except
for those to which you have assigned a propagation model either individually or as part of a group.

Important: When you assign a propagation model globally, you override any selection you might
have made to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters.

3. If you have assigned a default propagation model for coverage predictions, as described in "Defining a Default
Propagation Model" on page 187, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters whose main
propagation model is "(Default model)." If a transmitter has any other propagation model chosen as the main prop-
agation model, that is the propagation model that will be used.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters" on page 889.
• "Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters" on page 890.
• "Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 890.
For more information about the available propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.

Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters

In Atoll, you can choose a propagation model per transmitter or globally.

To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab.
5. Under Main Matrix:
- Select a Propagation Model
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
6. If desired, under Extended Matrix:
- Select a Propagation Model
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for all transmitters.

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Note: Setting a different main or extended matrix on an individual transmitter as explained in

"Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 890 will override this entry.

Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters

Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings.
In Atoll, you can assign the same propagation model to several transmitters by first grouping them by their common
parameters and then assigning the propagation model.
To define a main and extended propagation model for a defined group of transmitters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select from the Group by submenu of the context menu the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.

Note: You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 66.

4. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.

5. Right-click the group of transmitters to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The
context menu appears.
6. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Transmitters table appears with the transmitters from the
selected group.
For each transmitter, you can set the propagation model parameters in the following columns:

- Main Propagation Model

- Main Calculation Radius
- Main Resolution
- Extended Propagation Model
- Extended Calculation Radius
- Extended Resolution
7. To enter the same values in one column for all transmitters in the table:
a. Enter the value in the first row in the column.
b. Select the entire column.
c. Select Edit > Fill > Down to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.

Note: If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
select Edit > Fill > Up. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see "Working
with Data Tables" on page 50.

Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter

If you have added a single transmitter, you can assign it a propagation model. You can also assign a propagation model
to a single transmitter after you have assigned a main and extended propagation model globally or to a group of transmit-
ters.
When you assign a main and extended propagation model to a single transmitter, it overrides any changes you have previ-
ously made globally.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Propagation tab.
6. Under Main Matrix:
- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. If desired, under Extended Matrix:
- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
8. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for the selected transmitter.

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Note: You can also define the propagation models for a transmitter by right-clicking it in the map
window and selecting Properties from the context menu.

13.2.8.3 The Calculation Process

When you create a coverage prediction and click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll follows the following process:
1. Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss matrices exist and, if so, whether they are valid. There must be valid
path loss matrices for each active and filtered transmitter whose propagation radius intersects the rectangle
containing the computation zone.
2. If the path loss matrices do not exist or are not valid, Atoll calculates them. There has to be at least one unlocked
coverage prediction in the Predictions folder. If not Atoll will not calculate the path loss matrices when you click
the Calculate button ( ).
3. Atoll calculates all unlocked coverage predictions in the Predictions folder. Atoll automatically locks the results
of a coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction
in the Predictions folder.

Notes:

• You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button ( ) in
the toolbar.
• When you click the Force Calculation button ( ) instead of the Calculate button, Atoll cal-
culates all path loss matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations.

13.2.8.4 Creating a Computation Zone

To create a computation zone:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Computation Zone folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Draw from the context menu.
5. Draw the computation zone:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
The computation zone is delimited by a red line. If you clear the computation zone’s visibility check box in the
Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into
account.

You can also create a computation zone with one of the following methods:
• Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and
selecting Use as Computation Zone from the context menu.
• Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an adminis-
trative area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computa-
tion Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu.
• Fit to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by right-clicking the Com-
putation Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Fit to Map Window from the context menu.

Note: You can save the computation zone in the user configuration. For information on
exporting the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User
Configuration" on page 75.

13.2.8.5 Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active

When you make a coverage prediction, Atoll considers all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by
the current filter parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing the computation zone. There-
fore, before you define a coverage prediction, you must ensure that all the transmitters on the base stations you wish to
study have been activated. In the Explorer window, active transmitters are indicated with a red icon ( ) in the Transmit-
ters folder and inactive transmitters are indicated with a white icon ( ).
In Atoll, you can also set the cell on a transmitter as active or inactive.

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You can set an individual transmitter as active from its context menu or you can set more than one transmitter as active
by activating them from the Transmitters context menu, by activating the transmitters’ cells from the Cells table, or by
selecting the transmitters with a zone and activating them from the zone’s context menu.
To set an individual transmitter as active:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter you want to activate. The context menu appears.
4. Select Active Transmitter from the context menu. The transmitter is now active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters context menu:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Select the transmitters you want to set as active:
- To set all transmitters as active, right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
- To set a group of transmitters as active, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder and
right-click the group of transmitters you want to set as active. The context menu appears.
3. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Open Table. The Transmitters table appears with each transmitter’s parameters in a row.
4. For each transmitter that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set more than one cell as active using the Cells table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table. The Cells table appears with each cell’s parameters in a row.
4. For each cell that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set transmitters as active using a zone:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of Zones folder to expand the folder.
3. Right-click the folder of the zone you will use to select the transmitters. The context menu appears.

Note: If you do not yet have a zone containing the transmitters you want to set as active, you
can draw a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 41.

4. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
Once you have ensured that all transmitters are active, you can set the propagation model parameters. For information on
choosing and configuring a propagation model, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.
Calculating path loss matrices can be time and resource intensive when you are working on larger projects. Consequently,
Atoll offers you the possibility of distributing path loss calculations on several computers. You can install the distributed
calculation server application on other workstations or on servers. Once the distributed calculation server application is
installed on a workstation or server, the computer is available for distributed path loss calculation to other computers on
the network. For information on setting up the distributed calculation server application, see the Administrator Manual.

13.2.8.6 Signal Level Coverage Predictions

Atoll offers a series of standard coverage predictions based on the measured signal level at each pixel; other factors, such
as interference, are not taken into consideration. Coverage predictions specific to WiMAX are covered in "WiMAX Cover-
age Predictions" on page 904.
Once you have created and calculated a coverage prediction, you can use the coverage prediction’s context menu to make
the coverage prediction into a template (which will appear under the heading Customized Studies in the Study Types
dialogue). You can also select Duplicate from the coverage prediction’s context menu to create a copy. By duplicating an
existing prediction that has the parameters you wish to study, you can create a new coverage prediction more quickly. If
you clone a coverage prediction, by selecting Clone from the context menu, you can create a copy of the prediction with
the calculated coverage. You can then change the display, providing that the selected parameter does not invalidate the
calculated coverage prediction.
You can also save the list of all defined coverage predictions in a user configuration, allowing you or other users to import
it into a new Atoll document. When you save the list in a user configuration, the parameters of all existing coverage predic-
tions are saved; not just the parameters of calculated or displayed ones. For information on exporting user configurations,
see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.

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The following standard coverage predictions are explained in this section:

• "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal Level" on page 893
• "Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 894
• "Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones" on page 895.

13.2.8.6.1 Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal Level

A coverage prediction by signal level allows you to predict coverage zones by the transmitter signal strength at each pixel.
You can base the coverage on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a defined range. For a transmitter with more
than one cell, the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest preamble power.
To make a coverage prediction by signal level:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.14). On the Condition tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the same
results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal Level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that Atoll
will take into consideration.

- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Prob-
ability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

Figure 13.14: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by signal level

7. Click the Display tab.

If you choose to display the results by best signal level, the coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresh-
olds. If you choose to display the results by signal level, the coverage prediction results will be arranged according
to transmitter. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the signal level coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 13.15).

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Figure 13.15: Coverage prediction by signal level

13.2.8.6.2 Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter

A coverage prediction by transmitter allows the user to predict coverage zones by transmitter at each pixel. You can base
the coverage on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a defined range. For a transmitter with more than one cell,
the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest preamble power.
To make a coverage prediction by transmitter:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Transmitter and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.16). On the Condition tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the same
results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal Level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that Atoll
will take into consideration.

- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Prob-
ability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

Figure 13.16: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by transmitter

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

7. Click the Display tab.

For a coverage prediction by transmitter, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. Each coverage zone will then be displayed with the same colour as that defined for each trans-
mitter. For information on defining transmitter colours, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the transmitter coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 13.17).

Figure 13.17: Coverage prediction by transmitter

13.2.8.6.3 Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones

Overlapping zones are composed of pixels that are, for a defined condition, covered by the signal of at least two transmit-
ters. You can base a coverage prediction on overlapping zones on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a
defined range. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest preamble
power.
To make a coverage prediction on overlapping zones:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Overlapping Zones and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.18). On the Condition tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the same
results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal Level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that Atoll
will take into consideration.
- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Prob-
ability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

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Figure 13.18: Condition settings for a coverage prediction on overlapping zones

7. Click the Display tab.

For a coverage prediction on overlapping zones, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Number
of Servers" is selected by default. Each overlapping zone will then be displayed in a colour corresponding to the
number of servers received per pixel. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of
Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 13.19).

Figure 13.19: Coverage prediction on overlapping zones

13.2.8.7 Analysing a Coverage Prediction

Once you have performed a coverage prediction study, you can analyse the results with the tools that Atoll provides.
The results are displayed graphically in the map window according to the settings you made on the Display tab when you
created the coverage prediction (step 5. of "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 884). If several coverage predic-
tions are visible on the map, it may be difficult to clearly see the results of the coverage prediction you wish to analyse.
You can select which coverage predictions to display or to hide by selecting or clearing the display check box. For infor-
mation on managing the display, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 28.
In this section, the following tools are explained:
• "Displaying the Legend Window" on page 897.
• "Displaying Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips" on page 897.
• "Using the Point Analysis Reception Tab" on page 897.
• "Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 898.
• "Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 898.
• "Viewing Coverage Prediction Statistics" on page 900.
• "Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 900.

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13.2.8.7.1 Displaying the Legend Window

When you create a coverage prediction, you can add the displayed values of the coverage prediction to a legend by select-
ing the Add to Legend check box on the Display tab.
To display the Legend window:
• Select View > Legend Window. The Legend window is displayed, with the values for each displayed coverage
prediction identified by the name of the coverage prediction.

13.2.8.7.2 Displaying Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips

You can get information by placing the pointer over an area of the coverage prediction to read the information displayed
in the tool tips. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab when you created the
coverage prediction (step 5. of "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 884).
To get coverage prediction results in the form of tool tips:
• In the map window, place the pointer over the area of the coverage prediction that you want more information on.
After a brief pause, the tooltip appears with the information defined in the Display tab of the coverage prediction
properties (see Figure 13.20).

Figure 13.20: Displaying coverage prediction results using tool tips

13.2.8.7.3 Using the Point Analysis Reception Tab

Once you have calculated the coverage prediction, you can use the Point Analysis tool.

1. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
2. At the bottom of the Point Analysis Tool window, click the Reception tab (see Figure 13.21).
The predicted signal level from different transmitters is reported in the Reception tab in the form of a bar chart,
from the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom. Each bar is displayed in the
colour of the transmitter it represents. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the signal level is calculated for
the cell with the highest preamble power.
In the Map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. A thick black line from the pointer to its best server is also displayed in the map window. The best server
of the pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level. If you let the pointer rest,
the signal level received from the corresponding transmitter at the pointer location is displayed in the tool-tip.

Figure 13.21: Point Analysis Window - Reception tab

3. Right-click the Reception tab and select Properties from the context menu. The Analysis Properties dialogue
appears.
- Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
- Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability, and
select "From Model" from the Shadowing Margin list.
- Select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter class.

4. To end the point analysis, click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar again.

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13.2.8.7.4 Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report
The focus and hot spot zones define the area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. While you
can only have one focus zone, you can define several hot spot zones in addition to the focus zone.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus and hot spot zones. The computation zone defines the
area where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo simulations, etc., while the focus and
hot spot zones are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results. When you create a coverage
prediction report, it gives the results for the focus zone and for each of the defined hot spot zones.
To define a focus zone or hot spot zone:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder, depending on whether you want to create a focus zone or
a hot spot. The context menu appears.
4. Select Draw from the context menu.
5. Draw the focus or hot spot zone:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot zone is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zone’s
visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but
will still be taken into account.
You can also create a focus or hot spot zone as follows:
• Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus zone by right-clicking it and selecting
Use as Focus Zone from the context menu.

Note: You can only create a focus zone, and not a hot spot zone, from an existing polygon.

• Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an adminis-
trative area, you can import it and use it as a focus or hot spot zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus
Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot
spot zones, you can import the name given to each zone as well.
• Fit to Map Window: You can create a focus or hot spot zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map
Window from the context menu.

Notes: You can save the focus or hot spot zones so that you can use them in a different Atoll
document:
- You can save the focus zone in the user configuration. For information on exporting the
focus zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.
- You can right-click the Focus Zone folder or the Hot Spot Zones folder on the Data
tab of the Explorer window and select Export from the context menu.
You can include population statistics in the focus or hot spot zone by importing a
population map. For information on importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo
Data File" on page 107.

13.2.8.7.5 Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report

Atoll can generate a report for any coverage prediction whose display check box is selected ( ). The report displays the
covered surface and percentage for each threshold value defined in the Display tab of the coverage prediction’s Proper-
ties dialogue.
The coverage prediction report is displayed in a table. By default, the report table only displays the name and coverage
area columns. You can edit the table to select which columns to display or to hide. For information on displaying and hiding
columns, see "Displaying or Hiding a Column" on page 55.
Atoll bases the report on the area covered by the focus zone and hot spot zones; if no focus zone is defined, Atoll will
use the computation zone. Using a focus zone enables you to create a report without the border effect. In other words, the
results of a coverage prediction are delimited by the computation zone; results close to the border are influenced by fact
that no calculations have been made outside the computation zone. Basing a report on a focus zone that is smaller than
the computation zone eliminates the border effect. By using a focus zone for the report, you can create a report for a
specific number of base stations, instead of creating a report for every site that has been calculated.
The focus zone or hot spot zone must be defined before you display a report; it is not necessary to define it before comput-
ing coverage. The focus or hot spot zone does not, however, need to be visible; even if it is not displayed, Atoll will take
it into account when generating the report. For information on defining a focus zone or hot spot zone, see "Creating a
Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 898.
Atoll can generate a report for a single prediction, or for all displayed predictions.

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To display a report on a single coverage prediction:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions folder.
3. Right-click the coverage prediction for which you want to generate a report. The context menu appears.
4. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
5. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:

a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.

b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or

to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:

a. Under Configuration, click the Export button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can apply a configuration that you have saved previously:

a. Under Configuration, click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to import and click Open. The imported report configuration is applied
6. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed
dialogue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report is based on the hot spot zones and on the
focus zone if available or on the hot spot zones and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
To display a report on all coverage predictions:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:

a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.

b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or

to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:

a. Under Configuration, click the Export button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can apply a configuration that you have saved previously:

a. Under Configuration, click the Import button. a appears.

b. Select the configuration you want to import and click Open. The imported report configuration is applied
5. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed
dialogue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report shows all displayed coverage predictions in
the same order as in the Predictions folder. The report is based on the focus zone if available or on the calculation
zone if there is no focus zone.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot zone by importing a population map. For information on
importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 107. Normally, Atoll takes all geo data into
consideration, whether it is displayed or not. However, for the population statistics to be used in a report, the population
map has to be displayed.
To include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot zone:
1. Ensure that the population geo data is visible. For information on displaying geo data, see "Displaying or Hiding
Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 28.
2. Display the report as explained above.
3. Select Format > Display Columns. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Select the following columns, where "Population" is the name of the folder on the Geo tab containing the popula-
tion map:
- "Population" (Population): The number of inhabitants covered.
- "Population" (% Population): The percentage of inhabitants covered.
- "Population" (Population [total]): The total number of inhabitants inside the zone.

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Atoll saves the names of the columns you select and will automatically select them the next time you create a
coverage prediction report.

5. Click OK.
If you have created a custom data map with integrable data, the data can be used in prediction reports. The data will be
summed over the coverage area for each item in the report (for example, by transmitter or threshold). The data can be
value data (revenue, number of customers, etc.) or density data (revenue/km², number of customers/km², etc.). Data is
considered as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example,
socio-demographic classes, rain zones, etc. For information on integrable data in custom data maps, see "Integrable
Versus Non Integrable Data" on page 124.

13.2.8.7.6 Viewing Coverage Prediction Statistics

Atoll can display statistics for any coverage prediction whose display check box is selected ( ). By default, Atoll displays
a histogram using the coverage study colours, interval steps, and shading as defined in the Display tab of the coverage
prediction’s Properties dialogue. You can also display a cumulative distribution function (CDF) or an inverse CDF (1 –
CDF). For a CDF or an inverse CDF, the resulting values are combined and shown along a curve. You can also display
the histogram or the CDFs as percentages of the covered area.
Atoll bases the statistics on the area covered by the focus zone; if no focus zone is defined, Atoll will use the computation
zone. However, by using a focus zone, you can display the statistics for a specific number of base stations, instead of
displaying statistics for every base station that has been calculated. Hot spot zones are not taken into consideration when
displaying statistics.
The focus zone must be defined before you display statistics; it is not necessary to define it before computing coverage.
For information on defining a focus zone, see "Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on
page 898.
To display the statistics on a coverage prediction:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions folder.
3. Right-click the coverage prediction whose statistics you want to display. The context menu appears.
4. Select Histogram from the context menu. The Statistics dialogue appears with a histogram of the area defined
by the focus zone (see Figure 13.22).
- Under Histogram Based on Covered Areas, you can select to view a histogram, CDF, or inverse CDF based
on area or percentage.
- The Detailed Results section displays the covered area values, or the percentage of the covered area, along
the y-axis against the coverage criterion along the x-axis.
- You can copy the graph by clicking the Copy button.
- You can print the graph by clicking the Print button.
- Under Statistics Based on Study Conditions, you can view the mean and standard deviation of the cov-
erage criterion calculated during the coverage calculations, if available.

Figure 13.22: Histogram of a coverage prediction by signal level

13.2.8.7.7 Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples

Atoll allows you to compare two similar predictions to see the differences between them. This enables you to quickly see
how changes you make affect the network.

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In this section, there are two examples to explain how you can compare two similar predictions. You can display the results
of the comparison study coverage in one of the following ways:
• Intersection: This display shows the area where both coverage predictions overlap (for example, pixels covered
by both coverage predictions are displayed in red).
• Union: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour and pixels covered by
only one coverage prediction in a different colour (for example, pixels covered by both predictions are red and
pixels covered by only one prediction are blue).
• Difference: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour, pixels covered by
only the first prediction with another colour and pixels covered only by the second prediction with a third colour (for
example, pixels covered by both predictions are red, pixels covered only by the first prediction only are green, and
pixels covered only by the second prediction are blue).
To compare two similar coverage predictions:
1. Create and calculate a coverage prediction of the existing network.
2. Examine the coverage prediction to see where coverage can be improved.
3. Make the changes to the network to improve coverage.
4. Duplicate the original coverage prediction (in order to leave the first coverage prediction unchanged).
5. Calculate the duplicate coverage prediction.
6. Compare the original coverage prediction with the new coverage prediction. Atoll displays differences in coverage
between them.
In this section, the following examples are explained:
• "Example 1: Studying the Effect of a New Base Station" on page 901
• "Example 2: Studying the Effect of a Change in Transmitter Tilt" on page 903.

Example 1: Studying the Effect of a New Base Station

If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing
coverage. In this example, we will look at how you can verify if a newly added base station improves coverage.
A signal level coverage prediction of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal
Level" on page 893. The results are displayed in Figure 13.23. An area with poor coverage is visible on the right side of
the figure.

Figure 13.23: Signal level coverage prediction of existing network

A new base station is added, either by creating the base station and adding the transmitters, as explained in "Creating a
WiMAX Base Station" on page 869, or by placing a station template, as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using
a Station Template" on page 876. Once the new site has been added, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated,
but then it would be impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original signal level coverage prediction can be copied
by selecting Duplicate from its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show the effect of the new base station (see
Figure 13.24).

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Figure 13.24: Signal level coverage prediction of network with new base station

Now you can compare the two predictions.

To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the prediction you want to
compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their names and
resolutions.

4. Click the Display tab. On the display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be dis-
played. You can choose among:
- Intersection
- Union
- Difference
In order to see what changes adding a new base station made, you should choose Difference.

5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 13.25, shows clearly the area covered only by the
new base station.

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Figure 13.25: Comparison of both signal level coverage predictions

Example 2: Studying the Effect of a Change in Transmitter Tilt

If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing
coverage. In this example, we will look at how modifying transmitter tilt can improve coverage.
A coverage prediction by transmitter of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by
Transmitter" on page 894. The results are displayed in Figure 13.26. The coverage prediction shows that one transmitter
is covering its area poorly. The area is indicated with a red oval in the figure.

Figure 13.26: Coverage prediction by transmitter of existing network

You can try modifying the tilt on the transmitter to improve the coverage. The properties of the transmitter can be accessed
by right-clicking the transmitter in the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu. The mechanical and
electrical tilt of the antenna are defined on the Transmitter tab of the Properties dialogue.
Once the tilt of the antenna has been modified, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would be
impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original coverage prediction can be copied by selecting Duplicate from its
context menu. The copy is then calculated, to show how modifying the antenna tilt has affected coverage (see
Figure 13.27).

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Figure 13.27: Coverage prediction by transmitter of network after modifications

As you can see, modifying the antenna tilt increased the coverage of the transmitter. However, to see exactly the change
in coverage, you can compare the two predictions.
To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the prediction you want to
compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their names and
resolutions.
4. Click the Display tab. On the display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be dis-
played. You can choose among:
- Intersection
- Union
- Difference
In order to see what changes modifying the antenna tilt made, you can choose Union. This will display all pixels
covered by both predictions in one colour and all pixels covered by only one prediction in another colour. The
increase in coverage, seen in only the second coverage prediction, will be immediately clear.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 13.28, shows clearly the increase in coverage due
at the change in antenna tilt.

Figure 13.28: Comparison of both transmitter coverage predictions

13.2.8.8 WiMAX Coverage Predictions

Two types of WiMAX coverage predictions are available in Atoll: coverage predictions used to analyse the effective signal
levels, and coverage predictions used to analyse the signal quality.
Effective signal analysis coverage predictions can be used to analyse different signals (preamble, traffic, etc.) in the down-
link as well as in the uplink once the user-end gains and losses have been considered. These coverage predictions do not
depend on the network load conditions.

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Using signal quality coverage predictions you can study the effective service coverage area and capacity of each cell in
the network. These coverage predictions depend on the interference in the network and the cell load conditions. For this
reason, the network load must be defined in order to calculate these coverage predictions.
For the purposes of these coverage predictions, each pixel is considered a non-interfering user with a defined service,
mobility type, and terminal. The following are explained in the following sections:
• "Service and User Modelling" on page 905.
This section explains the coverage predictions available for analysing the effective signal level and signal quality. The
following are explained:
• "Analysing the Effective Signal Levels" on page 907.
• "Analysing the Signal Quality" on page 909.
You can also make a point analysis using the Point Analysis window to study the effective signal level at a point. Load
conditions can be selected for the analysis as well as the characteristics of the user-definable probe receiver, i.e., a termi-
nal, a mobility, and a service:
• "Making an Effective Signal Analysis" on page 918.
Interferences coming from an external project can also be modelled and is explained in "Modelling Inter-Network Interfer-
ences" on page 236.

13.2.8.8.1 Service and User Modelling

Atoll can base its signal quality studies on the DL traffic load and the UL noise rise entered in the Cells table (for more
information, see "Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise" on page 909). Before you can model services, you must
define WiMAX radio bearers. For more information on WiMAX radio bearers, see "Defining WiMAX Radio Bearers" on
page 977.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Modelling Services" on page 905.
• "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906.
• "Modelling Terminals" on page 906.

Modelling Services

Services are the various services available to users. These services can be either voice or data type services. This section
explains how to create a service. The following parameters are used in predictions:
• Throughput scaling factor
• Throughput offset
• Body loss
To create or modify a service:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Services New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the
Services folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can edit the fields on the General tab to define the new service. Some fields depend on the type of service
you choose. You can change the following parameters.
- Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can set a more descriptive name.
- Type: You can select either Voice or Data as the service type.
- Priority: Enter a priority for this service. "0" is the lowest priority.
- QoS Class: Select a QoS class for the service. You have the option to choose from UGS (Unsolicited Grant
Service), ErtPS (Extended Real-Time Polling Service), rtPS (Real-Time Polling Service), nrtPS (Non-Real-
Time Polling Service), and BE (Best Effort). The information about the QoS class used by any service is used
by the schedulers for resource allocation. For more information about how schedulers work in Atoll, see
"Defining WiMAX Schedulers" on page 980.
- Activity Factor: The uplink and downlink activity factors are used to determine the probability of activity for
users accessing a voice type service during Monte Carlo simulations.
- Highest Bearer: Select the highest bearer that the service can use in the uplink and downlink. This is consid-
ered as an upper limit during bearer determination.
- Max Throughput Demand: Enter the highest throughput that the service can demand in the uplink and down-
link. This value is not considered for services UGS as the quality of service.
- Min. Throughput Demand: Enter the minimum required throughput that the service should have in order to
be available in the uplink and downlink. This value is not considered for BE services.
- Average Requested Throughput: Enter the average requested throughput for uplink and downlink. The
average requested throughput is used in a simulation during user distribution generation in order to calculate
the number of users attempting a connection.

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- Application Throughput: Under Application Throughput, you can set a Scaling Factor between the appli-
cation throughput and the MAC (Medium Access Control) throughput and a throughput Offset. These param-
eters model the header information and other supplementary data that does not appear at the application level.
The application throughput parameters are used in throughput coverage predictions and for application
throughput calculation.

- Body Loss: Enter a body loss for the service. The body loss is the loss due to the body of the user. For
example, in a voice connection the body loss, due to the proximity of the user’s head, is estimated to be 3 dB.
6. Click OK.

Modelling Mobility Types

In WiMAX, information about the receiver mobility is required for determining which bearer selection threshold and quality
graph to use from the WiMAX equipment referred to in the terminal or cell. Mobiles used at high speeds and at walking
speeds do not have the same quality characteristics. C/(I+N) requirements for different radio bearers are largely depend-
ent on mobile speed.
To create or modify a mobility type:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Mobility Types folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue:
- Name: Enter a descriptive name for the mobility type.
- Average Speed: Enter an average speed for the mobility type. This field is for information only; the average
speed is not used by any calculation.
6. Click OK.

Note: Subscriber lists use the mobility type "Fixed", i.e., 0 km/hr, in calculations. Do not delete
this mobility type from the document if you are working with subscriber lists.

Modelling Terminals

In WiMAX, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a PDA, or a car’s
on-board navigation device.
The following parameters are used in predictions:
• Antenna
• WiMAX equipment
• Maximum and minimum terminal power
• Gain and losses
• Noise figure
• Supported antenna diversity technique
• Number of transmission and reception antennas for MIMO
To create or modify a terminal:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Terminals folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Terminals New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminals folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Terminals New Element Properties dialogue:
- Name: Enter a descriptive name for the terminal.
- Under Transmission/Reception,
- Min Power: Enter the minimum transmission power of the terminal.
- Max Power: Enter the maximum transmission power of the terminal.
- Noise Figure: Enter the noise figure of the terminal (used to calculate the downlink total noise).
- Losses: Enter the losses of the terminal.

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- WiMAX Equipment: Select a WiMAX equipment from the list of available equipment. For more informa-
tion on WiMAX equipment, see "Defining WiMAX Equipment" on page 978. The terminal’s WiMAX equip-
ment parameters are used in the downlink calculations.
- Under Antenna,
- Model: Select an antenna model from the list of available antennas. If you do not select an antenna for
the terminal, Atoll uses an isotropic antenna in calculations.

Note: Keep in mind that in case you do not select an antenna, Atoll uses an isotropic antenna,
not an omni-directional antenna, in calculations. An isotropic antenna has spherical
radiation patterns in the horizontal as well as vertical planes.

- Gain: Enter the terminal antenna gain if you have not selected an antenna model in the Model field. If you
have selected an antenna, the Gain field is disabled and shows the gain of the selected antenna.
- Antenna Diversity Support: Select the type of antenna diversity techniques supported by the terminal.
Antenna diversity gains will be applied to the users using any terminal type depending on the supported
antenna diversity techniques, i.e., AAS, MIMO, or AAS+MIMO. If a terminal that supports AAS+MIMO is
connected to a cell (permutation zone in WiMAX 802.16e) that supports both antenna diversity tech-
niques, both AAS and MIMO gains will be applied.
- Number of Transmission Antennas: Under MIMO, enter the number of antennas used by the terminal
in transmission.
- Number of Reception Antennas: Under MIMO, enter the number of antennas used by the terminal in
reception.
6. Click OK.

13.2.8.8.2 Analysing the Effective Signal Levels

Atoll offers a couple of WiMAX coverage predictions which can be based on the predicted signal level from the best server
and the thermal background noise at each pixel, i.e., received carrier power (C) and the carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N). This
section explains the coverage predictions available for analysing the effective signal levels.
Downlink and uplink effective signal analysis coverage predictions predict the effective signal levels of different types of
WiMAX signals, such as preamble, traffic, etc., in the part of the network being studied.
Atoll calculates the serving transmitter for each pixel depending on the downlink preamble signal level. The serving trans-
mitter is determined according to the received preamble signal level from the cell with the highest preamble power. If more
than one cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving (reference) cell. Then, depending on
the prediction definition, it calculates the effetive signal (C or C/N for preamble, traffic, etc.). Pixels are coloured if the
display threshold condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the C or C/N is higher than the C or C/N threshold).
To make an effective signal analysis coverage prediction:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Effective Signal Analysis (DL) or Effective Signal Analysis (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.29).

On the Condition tab, you can select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The effective signal analysis
coverage prediction is always a best server coverage prediction. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s
properties dialogue is used in the coverage prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise
Figure of the transmitter is used to determine the total noise in the uplink.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and WiMAX equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 905, "Modelling Terminals" on page 906, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906, and "Defining WiMAX
Equipment" on page 978, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
the effective signal analysis calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

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Figure 13.29: Condition settings for an effective signal analysis coverage prediction

7. Click the Display tab.

8. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
- Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and Permutation Zone (DL) for Effective
Signal Analysis (DL) or Permutation Zone (UL) for Effective Signal Analysis (UL) from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the pixels in a cell’s coverage according to the downlink or uplink permutation zones
assigned to them.
- Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type to colour the pixels in the cell’s coverage area
according the value interval of the value selected from the Field list. You can choose between displaying
results by Best Preamble Signal Level, Best Pilot Signal Level, Best Traffic Signal Level, Preamble C/N
Level, Pilot C/N Level, or Traffic C/N Level for Effective Signal Analysis (DL), and between displaying
results by Signal Level or C/N Level for Effective Signal Analysis (UL).
For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

9. Click OK to save your settings.

10. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 13.30
and Figure 13.31).

Figure 13.30: Downlink traffic C/N coverage prediction

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Figure 13.31: Uplink C/N coverage prediction

13.2.8.8.3 Analysing the Signal Quality

In WiMAX, the capacity and the effective service coverage areas of cells are influenced by network loads. As the network
load increases, the area where a cell provides service decreases. For this reason, network loads must be defined in order
to calculate these coverage predictions.
Atoll offers a series of coverage predictions which are based on the predicted signal level from the best server and the
predicted signal levels from other cells (interference) at each pixel, i.e., carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio, or C/(I+N).
The downlink interference received from different cells of the network is weighted by their respective downlink traffic loads.
The measure of uplink interference for each cell is provided by the uplink noise rise.
If you have traffic maps, you can do a Monte Carlo simulation to determine the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise
rise values for a generated user distribution. If you do not have traffic maps, Atoll can calculate these coverage predictions
using the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise values defined for each cell.
In this section, these coverage predictions will be calculated using downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise values
defined at the cell level. Before making a prediction, you will have to set the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise,
and the parameters that define the services and users. These are explained in the following sections:
• "Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise" on page 909.
Several signal quality coverage predictions are explained in this section. The following studies are explained:
• "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 910.
• "Making a Coverage by Best Bearer" on page 912.
• "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on page 914.
• "Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simulation Results" on page 916.
• "Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator" on page 917.
• "Making an Effective Signal Analysis" on page 918.

Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise

If you are setting the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise for a single transmitter, you can set these parameters on the
Cells tab of the transmitter’s Properties dialogue. However, you can set the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise for all
the cells using the Cells table.
To set the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise using the Cells table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
4. Enter a value in the following columns:
- Traffic Load (DL) (%)
- UL Noise Rise (dB)
- Segmentation Usage (DL) (%) (WiMAX 802.16e)
Although, you can also set a value for the Traffic Load (UL) (%) column as an indication of cells’ uplink loads,
this parameter is not used in the coverage prediction calculations. The measure of interference in the uplink
is given by the UL Noise Rise (dB). For a definition of the values, see "Cell Description" on page 872.

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5. To enter the same values in one column for all cells in the table:
a. Enter the value in the first row in the column.
b. Select the entire column.
c. Select Edit > Fill > Down to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.

Note: If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
select Edit > Fill > Up. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see "Working
with Data Tables" on page 50.

Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level

Downlink and uplink coverage predictions by C/(I+N) level predict the interference levels and signal-to-interference levels
in the part of the network being studied.
Atoll calculates the best server for each pixel depending on the downlink preamble signal level. The serving transmitter
is determined according to the received preamble signal level from the cell with the highest preamble power. If more than
one cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving (reference) cell. Then, depending on the
prediction definition, it calculates the interference from other cells, and finally calculates the C/(I+N). The pixel is coloured
if the display threshold condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the C/(I+N) is higher than C/(I+N) threshold).
Coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level calculates the co-channel interference as well as the adjacent channel interference,
which is reduced by the adjacent channel suppression factor defined in the Frequency Bands table. For more information
on frequency bands, see "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 971.
The preamble C/(I+N) is calculated using the preamble power and the main antenna. Interference on the preamble does
not depend on the cell load conditions. It depends only on the probabilities of collision between the subcarriers used to
transmit the preamble. The downlink traffic C/(I+N) is calculated using the traffic power, the main antenna or the smart
antenna equipment, downlink traffic load, the segmentation usage ratio, and any AAS simulation results stored either in
the cell properties or in the selected simulation results. The downlink traffic C/(I+N) also takes into account the probabilities
of collision between subcarriers when segmentation is used. The uplink C/(I+N) is calculated using the terminal power
calculated after power control, the main antenna or the smart antenna equipment, uplink noise rise, and any AAS simula-
tion results stored either in the cell properties or in the selected simulation results.
To make a coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (DL) or Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.32).

Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the cell loads stored in
the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The C/(I+N) coverage prediction is a best server
coverage prediction. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s properties dialogue is used in the coverage
prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine
the total noise in the uplink.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and WiMAX equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 905, "Modelling Terminals" on page 906, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906, and "Defining WiMAX
Equipment" on page 978, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

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Figure 13.32: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level

7. Click the Display tab.

You can choose between displaying results by Traffic C/(I+N) Level (DL), Traffic Total Noise (I+N) (DL), Pream-
ble C⁄(I+N) Level (DL), or Preamble Total Noise (I+N) (DL) for the Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (DL) and by C/
(I+N) Level (UL), Total Noise (I+N) (UL), Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Subchannels), or C/(I+N) Level
for 1 Subchannel (UL) for the Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (UL). The coverage prediction results will be in the
form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 13.33
and Figure 13.34).

Figure 13.33: Coverage prediction by downlink traffic C/(I+N)

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 13.34: Coverage prediction by uplink C/(I+N)

Making a Coverage by Best Bearer

Downlink and uplink best radio bearer coverage predictions calculate and display the best WiMAX radio bearers based on
C⁄(I+N) for each pixel.
To make a coverage prediction by best bearer:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Best Bearer (DL) or Coverage by Best Bearer (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.35).

Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the downlink traffic load,
uplink noise rise, and any AAS simulation results stored in the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The best bearer coverage prediction is always based
on the best server. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s properties dialogue is used in the coverage
prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine
the total noise in the uplink. As well, the bearer selection for each pixel according to the traffic C⁄(I+N) level is
performed using the bearer selection thresholds defined in the WiMAX equipment. This WiMAX equipment is the
one defined in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and the one defined in the cell proper-
ties of the serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions. Mobility is used to index the bearer selection
threshold graph to use.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and WiMAX equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 905, "Modelling Terminals" on page 906, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906, and "Defining WiMAX
Equipment" on page 978, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.
You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

Figure 13.35: Condition settings for a coverage prediction on WiMAX bearers

7. Click the Display tab.

You can display results by Best Bearer or Modulation. The coverage prediction results will be in the form of
thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the WiMAX bearer coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 13.36
and Figure 13.37).

Figure 13.36: Coverage prediction by downlink best bearer

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 13.37: Coverage prediction by uplink best bearer

Making a Coverage by Throughput

Downlink and uplink throughput coverage predictions calculate and display the channel throughputs and cell capacities
based on C⁄(I+N) and bearer calculations for each pixel. These coverage predictions can also display aggregate cell
throughputs if Monte Carlo simulation results are available. For more information on making aggregate cell throughput
coverage predictions using simulation results, see "Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simula-
tion Results" on page 916.
To make a coverage prediction by throughput:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Throughput (DL) or Coverage by Throughput (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.38).

Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the downlink traffic load,
uplink noise rise, and any AAS simulation results stored in the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The throughput coverage prediction is always based
on the best server. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s Properties dialogue is used in the coverage
prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine
the total noise in the uplink. As well, the bearer selection for each pixel according to the C⁄(I+N) level is performed
using the bearer selection thresholds defined in the WiMAX equipment. This WiMAX equipment is the one defined
in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and the one defined in the cell properties of the
serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions. The mobility is used to indicate the bearer selection thresh-
old graph to use. The service is used for the application throughput parameters defined in the service Properties
dialogue.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and WiMAX equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 905, "Modelling Terminals" on page 906, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906, and "Defining WiMAX
Equipment" on page 978, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

Figure 13.38: Condition settings for a throughput coverage prediction

7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage pre-
diction will display. You can set parameters to display the following results:
- Channel throughputs: Select Peak MAC Channel Throughput, Effective MAC Channel Throughput, or
Application Channel Throughput.
- Cell capacities: Select Peak MAC Cell Capacity, Effective MAC Cell Capacity, or Application Cell
Capacity.
- Allocated bandwidth throughputs in uplink: Select Peak MAC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput, Effective
MAC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput, or Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughput.
The coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see
"Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Atoll calculates the peak MAC channel throughputs from the information provided in the Global Parameters and in the
terminal and mobility properties for the terminal and mobility selected in the coverage prediction. Atoll determines the total
number of symbols in the downlink and the uplink subframes from the information in the Global Parameters. Then, Atoll
determines the bearer at each pixel and multiplies the bearer efficiency by the number of symbols in the frame to determine
the peak MAC channel throughputs.
The effective MAC throughputs are the peak MAC throughputs reduced by retransmission due to errors, or the Block Error
Rate (BLER). Atoll uses the block error rate graphs of the WiMAX equipment defined in the selected terminal or the
WiMAX equipment of the cell of the serving transmitter.
The application throughput is the effective MAC throughput reduced by the overheads of the different layers between the
MAC and the Application layers.
The cell capacity display types let you calculate and display the throughputs available at each pixel of the coverage area
taking into account the maximum traffic load limits set for each cell. In other words, the cell capacity is equal to channel
throughput when the maximum traffic load is set to 100%, and is equal to a throughput limited by the maximum allowed
traffic loads otherwise. Cell capacities are, therefore, channel throughputs scaled down to respect the maximum traffic load
limits.
The allocated bandwidth throughputs are the throughputs corresponding to the number of subchannels allocated to the
terminal at different locations. Subchannelisation in uplink allows mobiles to use different numbers of subchannels
depending on the radio conditions. For example, users located far from the base stations use less subchannels than users
located near so that they can concentrate their transmission power over a bandwidth narrower than the channel bandwidth
in order to maintain the connection in uplink.
For more information on throughput calculation, see the Technical Reference Guide. For more information on the Global
Parameters, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 972.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.

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Figure 13.39: Coverage prediction by downlink channel throughput

Figure 13.40: Coverage prediction by uplink channel throughput

Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simulation Results

Atoll calculates the aggregate peak MAC, effective MAC, and application cell throughputs during Monte Carlo simulations.
The aggregate cell throughputs are the sums of the cell’s user throughputs. You can create a coverage prediction that
calculates and displays the surface area covered by each cell, and colours the coverage area of each cell according to its
aggregate throughput.
To create an aggregate throughput coverage prediction:
1. Create and run a Monte Carlo simulation. For more information on creating Monte Carlo simulations, see "Calcu-
lating and Displaying Traffic Simulations" on page 949.
2. Create a coverage prediction by throughput as explained in "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on page 914,
with the following exceptions:
a. On the Condition tab, select a simulation or group of simulations from the Load Conditions list. The coverage
prediction will display the results based on the selected simulation or on the average results of the selected
group of simulations.
b. On the Display tab, you can display results by Peak MAC User Throughput, Effective MAC User Through-
put, or Application User Throughput. The coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For
information on defining the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

This coverage prediction displays the surface area covered by each cell and colours it according to its aggregate through-
put. For more information on using simulation results in coverage predictions, see "Making Coverage Predictions Using
Simulation Results" on page 963.

Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator

Downlink and uplink quality indicator coverage predictions calculate and display the values of different quality indicators
(BLER, BER, etc.) based on the best WiMAX radio bearers and on C⁄(I+N) for each pixel.
To make a coverage prediction by quality indicator:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Quality Indicator (DL) or Coverage by Quality Indicator (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 13.35).

Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the downlink traffic load,
uplink noise rise, and any AAS simulation results stored in the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The quality indicator coverage prediction is always
based on the best server. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s properties dialogue is used in the cover-
age prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to deter-
mine the total noise in the uplink. As well, the bearer selection for each pixel according to the traffic C⁄(I+N) level
is performed using the bearer selection thresholds defined in the WiMAX equipment, and the quality indicator
graphs from the WiMAX equipment are used to determine the values of the selected quality indicator on each pixel.
This WiMAX equipment is the one defined in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and the
one defined in the cell properties of the serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions. Mobility is used to
index the bearer selection threshold graph to use.
This WiMAX equipment is the one defined in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and the
one defined in the cell properties of the serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and WiMAX equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 905, "Modelling Terminals" on page 906, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906, and "Defining WiMAX
Equipment" on page 978, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

Figure 13.41: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by quality indicators

7. Click the Display tab.

You can choose between displaying results by BER, BLER, FER, or any other quality indicator that you might have
added to the document. For more information, see "Defining WiMAX Quality Indicators" on page 977. The cover-

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Atoll User Manual

age prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Prop-
erties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the quality indicator coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 13.42
and Figure 13.43).

Figure 13.42: Coverage prediction by downlink BLER

Figure 13.43: Coverage prediction by uplink BLER

13.2.8.8.4 Making an Effective Signal Analysis

The Point Analysis window gives you information on reception for any point on the map. The Signal Analysis tab gives
you information on the preamble, downlink traffic, and uplink signal levels, C/(I+N), bearers, and throughputs, etc. The
analysis is provided for a user-definable probe receiver which has a terminal, a mobility and a service.
The analysis is based on:
• The preamble signal levels, used to determine the best server for the pixel. The best serving transmitter is deter-
mined according to the received preamble signal level from the cell with the highest preamble power. If more than
one cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving (reference) cell.
• The preamble C/N, used to determine the permutation zone assigned to pixel (WiMAX 802.16e), to determine
whether SU-MIMO or STTD/MRC is used in case of AMS, and whether MU-MIMO can be used in uplink or not.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

• The downlink traffic signal levels, downlink traffic loads, segmentation usage (WiMAX 802.16e), AAS simulation
results, and AAS usage, for determining the downlink traffic C/(I+N), bearer, and throughputs.
• The uplink signal levels, uplink noise rise, and AAS simulation results, for determining the uplink C/(I+N), bearer,
and throughputs.
The downlink and uplink load conditions can be taken from the Cells table or from Monte Carlo simulations.
You can make an effective signal analysis to verify a coverage prediction. In this case, before you make the point analysis,
ensure the coverage prediction you want to verify is displayed on the map.
To make an effective signal analysis:

1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears (see
Figure 13.45).
2. Click the Signal Analysis tab.
3. At the top of the Signal Analysis tab, select "Cells Table" from Load Conditions.
4. If you are making a signal analysis to verify a coverage prediction, you can recreate the conditions of the coverage
prediction:
a. Select the same Terminal, Service, and Mobility studied in the coverage prediction.
b. Right-click the Point Analysis window and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dia-
logue appears.
- Edit the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
- Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability, and,
select "From Model" from the Shadowing Margin list.
c. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
5. Move the pointer over the map to make a signal analysis for the current location of the pointer.
As you move the pointer, Atoll indicates on the map which is the best server for the current position (see
Figure 13.44).

Information on the current position is given on the Signal Analysis tab of the Point Analysis window. See
Figure 13.45 for an explanation of the displayed information.

Figure 13.44: Point analysis on the map

6. Click the map to leave the point analysis pointer at its current position.
To move the pointer again, click the point analysis pointer on the map and drag it to a new position.

7. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.

Select the load conditions to use Select the parameters of the

in this analysis from simulations probe user to be studied.
or from the Cells table.

The preamble reception from the best The connection status (preamble, downlink
server (top-most bar) and all interfering and uplink) for the current point.
cells. Solid bars indicate the signal levels
above the preamble C/N thresholds. : Service available

: Service unavailable

Figure 13.45: Point Analysis Tool: Signal Analysis tab

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Atoll User Manual

The bar graph displays the following information:

• The preamble signal level reception from the best server as well as all interfering cells (the colour of the bar cor-
responds to the colour of the transmitter on the map).
• The preamble C/N thresholds. The portion of the bar which is not filled indicates signal levels below the preamble
C/N thresholds.
• The availability of preamble coverage, and service in downlink and uplink.
If there is at least one successful connection (for preamble, downlink, or uplink), double-clicking the icons in the right-hand
frame opens a dialogue with additional information with respect to the best server:
• Preamble: Total losses, received preamble power, preamble total noise (I+N), preamble C/(I+N), azimuth and tilt
of the receiver.
• Downlink: Permutation zone, diversity mode, pilot and traffic received powers, traffic total noise (I+N), pilot and
traffic C/(I+N), bearer, channel throughputs, and cell capacities.
• Uplink: Permutation zone, diversity mode, received power, total noise (I+N), C/(I+N), bearer, channel through-
puts, cell capacities, and allocated bandwidth throughputs.

13.2.8.9 Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results

Once you have made a coverage prediction, you can print the results displayed on the map or save them in an external
format. You can also export a selected area of the coverage as a bitmap.
• Printing coverage prediction results: Atoll offers several options allowing you to customise and optimise the
printed coverage prediction results. Atoll supports printing to a variety of paper sizes, including A4 and A0. For
more information on printing coverage prediction results, see "Printing a Map" on page 61.
• Defining a coverage export zone: If you want to export part of the coverage prediction as a bitmap, you can
define a coverage export zone. After you have defined a coverage export zone, when you export a coverage pre-
diction as a raster image, Atoll offers you the option of exporting only the area covered by the zone. For more
information on defining a coverage export zone, see "Using a Coverage Export Zone" on page 46.
• Exporting coverage prediction results: In Atoll, you can export the coverage areas of a coverage prediction in
raster or vector formats. In raster formats, you can export in BMP, TIF, ArcView© grid, or Vertical Mapper (GRD
and GRC) formats. When exporting in GRD or GRC formats, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 GB. In
vector formats, you can export in ArcView©, MapInfo©, or AGD formats. For more information on exporting cov-
erage prediction results, see "Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 46.

13.2.9 Planning Neighbours

You can set neighbours for each cell manually, or you can let Atoll automatically allocate neighbours, based on the param-
eters that you set. When allocating neighbours, the cell to which you are allocating neighbours is referred to as the refer-
ence cell. The cells that fulfil the requirements to be neighbours are referred to as possible neighbours. When allocating
neighbours to all active and filtered transmitters, Atoll allocates neighbours only to the cells within the focus zone and
considers as possible neighbours all the active and filtered cells whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing
the computation zone. If there is no focus zone, Atoll allocates neighbours only to the cells within the computation zone.
The focus and computation zones are taken into account whether or not they are visible. In other words, the focus and
computation zones will be taken into account whether or not their visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in
the Explorer window is selected.
Usually, you will allocate neighbours globally during the beginning of a radio planning project. Afterwards, you will allocate
neighbours to base stations or transmitters as you add them. You can use automatic allocation on all cells in the document,
or you can define a group of cells either by using a focus zone or by grouping transmitters in the Explorer window. For
information on creating a focus zone, see "Using a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones" on page 43. For information on group-
ing transmitters in the Explorer window, see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 65.
Atoll supports the following neighbour types in a WiMAX 802.16e network:
• Intra-technology neighbours: Intra-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that also use WiMAX
802.16e.
• Inter-technology neighbours: Inter-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that use a technology
other than WiMAX 802.16e.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Importing Neighbours" on page 920.
• "Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 921.
• "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 921.
• "Checking Automatic Allocation Results" on page 923.
• "Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell" on page 926.
• "Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Allocation Plan" on page 928.
• "Exporting Neighbours" on page 929.

13.2.9.1 Importing Neighbours

You can import neighbour data in the form of ASCII text files (in TXT and CSV formats) into the current Atoll document
using the Neighbours table.

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To import neighbours using the Neighbours table:

1. Open the Neighbours table:
a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select Cells > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neighbours table
appears.
2. Import the ASCII text file as explained in "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

13.2.9.2 Defining Exceptional Pairs

In Atoll, you can define neighbour constraints that will be taken into consideration during the automatic allocation of neigh-
bours. Exceptional pairs may be taken into consideration when you manually allocate neighbours.
To define exceptional pairs of neighbours:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
4. Right-click the cell for which you want to define neighbour constraints. The context menu appears.
5. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The cell’s Properties dialogue appears.
6. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.

7. Under Exceptional Pairs, create a new exceptional pair in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ):
a. Select the cell from the list in the Neighbours column.
b. In the Status column, select one of the following:
- Forced: The selected cell will always be a neighbour of the reference cell.
- Forbidden: The selected cell will never be a neighbour of the reference cell.
8. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new exceptional pair.
9. Click OK.

Notes: You can also create exceptional pairs using the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology
Neighbours table. You can open this table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and
selecting Cells > Neighbours > Intra-Technology Exceptional Pairs.

13.2.9.3 Allocating Neighbours Automatically

Atoll can automatically allocate neighbours in a WiMAX 802.16e network. Atoll allocates neighbours based on the param-
eters you set in the Automatic Neighbour Allocation dialogue.
To allocate WiMAX 802.16e neighbours automatically:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour Alloca-
tion dialogue appears.
4. Click the Automatic Neighbour Allocation tab.
5. You can set the following parameters:
- Max. Inter-site Distance: Set the maximum distance between the reference cell and a possible neighbour.
- Max. No. of Neighbours: Set the maximum number of neighbours that can be allocated to a cell. This value
can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
- Coverage Conditions: The coverage conditions must be respected for a cell to be considered as a neighbour.
Click Define to change the coverage conditions. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the
following parameters:
- Handover Start: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell
(cell A), from which the handover process starts (see Figure 13.46).
- Handover End: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell
(cell A), at which the handover process ends (see Figure 13.46). The value entered for the Handover End
must be greater than the value for the Handover Start. The higher the value entered for the Handover
End, the longer the list of candidate neighbours. The area between the Handover Start and the Hando-
ver End constitutes the area within which Atoll will search for neighbours.
The preamble signal level threshold (in dBm) is calculated for each cell from its preamble C/N threshold
(in dB) considering the channel bandwidth of the cell and using the terminal that has the highest difference
between its gain and losses so that the most number of possible neighbours can be processed.

- Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and
enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.

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Atoll User Manual

- Indoor Coverage: Select the Indoor Coverage check box if you want to use indoor losses defined per
clutter class in the calculations.
- Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic
neighbour allocation.
- % Min. Covered Area: Enter the minimum surface area, in percentage, that a possible neighbour cell’s cov-
erage area must overlap the reference cell’s coverage area.
6. Select the desired calculation parameters:
- Force co-site cells as neighbours: Select the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box if you want
cells located on the same site as the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours.
- Force adjacent cells as neighbours: Select the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box if you want
cells that are adjacent to the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours. A cell is considered
adjacent if there is at least one pixel in the reference cell’s coverage area where the possible neighbour cell
is the best server, or where the possible neighbour cell is the second best server (respecting the handover
margin).
- Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relations to be reciprocal. In
other words, a reference cell will be a possible neighbour to all of the cells that are its neighbours. If the neigh-
bour list of any cell is full, the reference cell will not be added as a neighbour and that cell will be removed from
the list of neighbours of the reference cell.
- Force exceptional pairs: Select the Force exceptional pairs check box if you want to be able to force or
forbid neighbour relations defined in the Exceptional Pairs table. For information on exceptional pairs, see
"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 921.
- Delete existing neighbours: Select the Delete existing neighbours check box if you want Atoll to delete
all current neighbours when allocating neighbours. If you do not select the Delete existing neighbours check
box, Atoll will not delete any existing neighbours when automatically allocating neighbours; it will only add new
neighbours to the list.

Figure 13.46: The handover area between the reference cell and the possible neighbour

7. Click the Importance Weighting button to set the relative importance of possible neighbours:
- Coverage Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a neighbour being admitted for coverage
reasons.
- Adjacency Factor: If you have selected the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box in step 6., set
the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour cell being adjacent to the reference cell.
- Co-site Factor: If you have selected the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box in step 6., set the
minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour cell being located on the same site as reference
cell.
8. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss
matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays
new neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Deleting existing neighbours check box is
cleared, the Results table will be empty.

The Results table contains the following information.

- Cell: The name of the reference cell.

- Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell.
- Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell can have.
- Neighbour: The cell that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell.
- Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 7.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

- Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell, as identified in the Neighbour column, to
the reference cell, as identified in the Cell column. The possible reasons are:
- Co-site
- Adjacency
- Symmetry
- Coverage
- Existing
- Coverage: The amount of reference cell’s coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in
square kilometres.
- Adjacency: The area of the reference cell, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour cell
is best server or second best server.
9. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atoll’s table
shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 50.
10. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neigh-
bours are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cell’s Properties dialogue.

Notes:
• A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour relation already
exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when you start the new allo-
cation. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event Viewer indicating that the constraint
on the forbidden neighbour will be ignored by the algorithm because the neighbour already
exists.
• When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll con-
siders the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to respect sym-
metry. On the other hand, if the neighbour relation is forced in one direction and forbidden in
the other one, symmetry cannot be respected. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the
Event Viewer.
• You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration. For informa-
tion on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration, see
"Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.

13.2.9.3.1 Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station

When you create a new base station, you can let Atoll allocate neighbours to it automatically. Atoll considers the cells of
the new base station and other cells whose coverage area intersects the coverage area of the cells of the new base station.
To allocate neighbours to a new base station:
1. On the Data tab of the Explorer window, group the transmitters by site, as explained in "Grouping Data Objects"
on page 65.
2. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the new base station. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour Alloca-
tion dialogue appears.
4. Define the automatic neighbour allocation parameters as described in "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on
page 921.

13.2.9.4 Checking Automatic Allocation Results

You can verify the results of automatic neighbour allocation in the following ways:
• "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 923.
• "Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Cell" on page 925.

13.2.9.4.1 Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map

You can view neighbour relations directly on the map. Atoll can display them and indicate the direction of the neighbour
relation (in other words, Atoll indicates which is the reference cell and which is the neighbour) and whether the neighbour
relation is symmetric.
To display the neighbour relations of a cell on the map:

1. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
2. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Visual Management dialogue appears.
3. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.

4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Links check box.
5. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
6. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
- Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell with a
unique colour.

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Atoll User Manual

- Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the cell’s neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours
table, or according to the neighbour frequency band.
- Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the cell’s neighbour links according the value interval of the
value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cell’s neighbours according to the
importance, as determined by the weighting factors.

Tip: You can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair by first
creating a new field of Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for the
number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the new
column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as the
Display Type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an
Object Type’s Data Table" on page 51.

Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you
can display or hide neighbour link display types individually.

For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

7. Select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.

8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
9. Click OK to save your settings.
10. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
- Outwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Outwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is the reference cell and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
- Inwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Inwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
- Symmetric: Select the Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric between the
selected cell and the neighbour.
11. Click OK to save your settings.

12. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
13. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.

14. Click the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

15. Click a transmitter on the map to display the neighbour relations. When there is more than one cell on the trans-
mitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).
Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 13.47) for the selected cell:

- The symmetric neighbour relations of the selected (reference) cell are indicated by a line.
- The outward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the neighbour (e.g. see
Site1_2(0)) in Figure 13.47.).
- The inward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the selected cell (e.g. see
Site9_3(0)) in Figure 13.47.).
In Figure 13.47, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetric and outward
neighbour links are coloured as the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link is
coloured as the reference transmitter as it is neighbour of Site9_3(0) here.

Figure 13.47: Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to the Neighbour

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

In Figure 13.48, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour frequency. Here, all neighbour relations
are symmetric.

Figure 13.48: Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to The Neighbour Frequency

Note: You can display either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the menu
button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar and selecting
either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.

13.2.9.4.2 Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Cell

By combining the display characteristics of a coverage prediction with neighbour display options, Atoll can display the
coverage area of a cell’s neighbours and colour them according to any neighbour characteristic in the Neighbours table.
To display the coverage of each neighbour of a cell:
1. Create, calculate, and display a "Coverage by Transmitter" prediction, with the Display Type set to "Discrete
Values" and the Field set to "Transmitter" (for information on creating a coverage by transmitter prediction, see
"Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 894).

2. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Neighbourhood Display dialogue appears.
4. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Coverage Areas check box.

5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Coverage Areas check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
7. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
- Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neigh-
bours with a unique colour.
- Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology
Neighbours table.
- Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neighbours according the
value interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cell’s neigh-
bours according to the importance, as determined by the weighting factors.

8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each coverage area.

9. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
10. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.

11. Click the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

12. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one cell on the
transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you
want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).

13. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Visual Management button ( ) in the
Radio toolbar.

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Atoll User Manual

13.2.9.5 Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell

Although you can let Atoll allocate neighbours automatically, you can adjust the overall allocation of neighbours by allo-
cating or deleting neighbours per cell. You can allocate or delete neighbours directly on the map or using the Cells tab of
a transmitter’s Properties dialogue.
This section explains the following:
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue" on page 926.
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table" on page 926.
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map" on page 927.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue

To allocate or delete WiMAX 802.16e neighbours using the Cells tab of the transmitter’s Properties dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.

4. On the Cells tab, click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours. The cell’s Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the maximum number of neighbours.
7. Allocate or delete a neighbour.
To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon
( ).
b. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new neighbour.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."

To create a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation be-
tween the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
8. Click OK.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table

To allocate or delete WiMAX 802.16e neighbours using the Neighbours table:

1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appear.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neighbours table
appears.

Note: For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

4. Allocate or delete a neighbour.

To allocate a new neighbour:

a. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
c. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."

To create a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:

a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select
contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contig-
uous rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
To take into consideration all exceptionnal pairs:

a. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.

b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.

Note: You can add or delete either some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using
the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table,
select the exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force
Exceptional Pairs in the context menu.

To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation be-
tween the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete several symmetric neighbour relations:

a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select
contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contig-
uous rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu.
To delete a neighbour:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map

You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse.
To add or remove intra-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neigh-
bours on the map as explained in "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 923.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitters
to the intra-technology neighbours list.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both trans-
mitters from the intra-technology neighbours.
To add an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference
transmitter to the intra-technology neighbour list of the transmitter.

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Atoll User Manual

To remove an outward neighbour relation:

1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the transmitter.
To add an inward neighbour relation:
• Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
- If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other trans-
mitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inward non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
- If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour rela-
tion by pressing SHIFT and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then
press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric
inter-technology neighbour relation.
To remove an inwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the trans-
mitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.

Notes:
• When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window
opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several
Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).
• You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the menu
button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar and selecting either
Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.

13.2.9.6 Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Allocation Plan

You can perform an audit of the current neighbour allocation plan. When you perform an audit of the current neighbour
allocation plan, Atoll lists the results in a text file. You can define what information Atoll provides in the audit.
To perform an audit of the neighbour allocation plan:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appear.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Audit from the context menu. The Neighbour Audit dialogue appears.
4. Define the parameters of the audit:
- Average No. of Neighbours: Select the Average No. of Neighbours check box if you want to verify the
average number of neighbours per cell.
- Empty Lists: Select the Empty Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have no neighbours (in other
words, which cells have an empty neighbour list).
- Full Lists: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have the maximum number of
neighbours allowed (in other words, which cells have a full neighbour list). The maximum number of neigh-
bours can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
- Lists > Max Number: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have more than the
maximum number of neighbours allowed. The maximum number of neighbours can be either set here for all
the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
- Missing Co-sites: Select the Missing Co-sites check box if you want to verify which cells have no co-site
neighbours.
- Missing Symmetrics: Select the Missing Symmetrics check box if you want to verify which cells have non-
symmetric neighbour relations.
- Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to verify which cells have forced
neighbours or forbidden neighbours.
5. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a new text file:
- Average Number of Neighbours: X; where, X is the average number of neighbours (integer) per cell for the
plan audited.
- Empty Lists: x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having no neighbours (or empty neighbours list)
Syntax: |CELL|
- Full Lists (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having Y number of neighbours
listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|
- Lists > Max Number (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having more than
Y number of neighbours listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|

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Note: If the field Max number of intra-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty, the
Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.

- Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
- Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
- Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
- Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|

13.2.9.7 Exporting Neighbours

The neighbour data of an Atoll document is stored in a series of tables. You can export the neighbour data to use it in
another application or in another Atoll document.
To export neighbour data:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours and then select the neighbour table containing the data you want to export from the
context menu:
- Intra-Technology Neighbours: This table contains the data for the intra-technology neighbours in the current
Atoll document.
- Inter-Technology Neighbours: This table contains the data for the inter-technology neighbours in the current
Atoll document.
- Intra-technology Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the intra-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
- Inter-technology Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the inter-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
4. When the selected neighbours table opens, you can export the content as described in "Exporting Tables to Text
Files" on page 58.

13.2.10 Planning Frequencies

You can assign frequencies, i.e., frequency bands and channel numbers, manually to cells or use the Automatic
Frequency Planning (AFP) tool to automatically allocate channels to cells. The AFP allocates channels to cells automati-
cally such that the overall interference in the network is minimised. Once allocation is completed, you can analyse the
frequency plan by creating and comparing preamble C/(I+N) coverage predictions, and view the frequency allocation on
the map.
The procedure for planning frequencies is:
• Allocating frequencies
- "Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 930.
- "Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually" on page 931.
• Displaying and analysing the frequency allocation
- "Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation" on page 931.
- "Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 932.
- "Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies" on page 932.
- "Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions" on page 933.

13.2.10.1 Allocating Frequencies

Atoll can automatically assign frequencies to cells according to set parameters. For example, the AFP takes into account
the interference matrices, minimum reuse distance, and any constraints imposed by neighbours. The AFP can also be
used to allocate preamble indexes automatically to the cells of an 802.16e network. The AFP can base the automatic
frequency and preamble index allocation on interference matrices, whereas the automatic preamble index allocation
feature available by default in the WiMAX module does not use interference matrices. Apart from this difference, the two
automatic preamble index allocation features are alike. For further information on preamble indexes, see "Planning Pream-
ble Indexes" on page 933. You can also allocate frequencies and preamble indexes manually to cells.
In this section, the following methods of allocating preamble indexes are described:
• "Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 930.
• "Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually" on page 931.

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Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells

The AFP enables you to automatically allocate frequencies to cells in the current network.
To automatically allocate frequencies:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Frequency Plan > Automatic Allocation. The Frequency Allocation dialogue appears.
4. You can set the following parameters:
- In WiMAX 802.16e documents, under Allocate, you can select Frequencies to perform automatic frequency
planning or Preamble Indexes to allocate preamble indexes to cells automatically.
- In WiMAX 802.16e documents, if you have selected Preamble Indexes under Allocate,
- Select the Preamble Index Allocation Range. You can choose to allocate preamble indexes from the
Entire (0-113) range or a Reduced (0-95) range.
- Under Cell PermBase Allocation Strategy, you can either select Free or Same per Site as the allocation
strategy.
For more information on the strategies, see "Automatically Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e
Cells" on page 934.

- Under Relations, you can set the relations to take into account in automatic allocation.
- Under Interference Matrices, you can calculate and take interference matrices into account for the fre-
quency allocation. When the Frequency Allocation dialogue opens, the Take into account check box is
disabled because interference matrices are not yet calculated nor available.
To calculate interference matrices:
i. Enter a value for the Quality Margin.
ii. Click the Calculate button. Atoll calculates the interference matrices. The calculation progress is dis-
played in the Event Viewer window. To stop the interference matrices calculation at any moment, click
the Stop button. Interference matrices are calculated using the default calculation resolution set in the
Properties dialogue of the Predictions folder.
iii. Click the Close button once the interference matrices have been calculated. The Event Viewer window
closes.
To display details of the calculated interference matrices:

i. Click the Details button. The Interference Matrices Display dialogue appears. This dialogue lists all the
interfered and interfering cell pairs and their respective interference probabilities in co- and adjacent chan-
nel cases.
ii. Click the Close button. The Interference Matrices Display dialogue closes.
To delete the calculated interference matrices:

i. Click the Delete button.

To take the calculated interference matrices into account:
i. Select the Take into account check box.
Interference Matrices Calculation and Quality Margin:

Interference matrices calculated by the AFP are the co- and adjacent channel interference probabilities
for each interfered and interfering cell pair. The probability of interference of a cell is defined as the ratio
of the interfered surface area within the best server coverage area of any studied cell to the total best serv-
er coverage area of the cell:

S Int
P Int = --------------
-
S Total

In words, S Total is the best server coverage area of the studied cell, and S Int is the surface area within
the best server area of the studied cell where the interference from another cell is higher than the preamble
C/N threshold of the studied cell plus the quality margin.

The quality margin is defined with respect to the preamble C/N thresholds of cells. By default the preamble
C/N threshold outlines the area of service of a cell. This means that where the preamble signal quality of
a cell is less than the preamble C/N threshold, there is no service. The AFP uses the quality margin to
calculate interference within the service areas of cells. It is possible to set a value of quality margin which
reflects the coverage area of a bearer.

- Take min reuse distance into account: Select this check box if you want the AFP to take relations based
on distance into account for the allocation. You can enter the Default radius within which two cells whose
channels have a co-channel overlap cannot have the same frequency or preamble index.

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Note: A minimum reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of
default the value entered here.

- Take neighbours into account: In WiMAX 802.16e documents, select this check box if you want the AFP
to take neighbour relations into account for the allocation. The AFP will try to avoid allocating the same
frequency or preamble index to neighbours of each cell being allocated.
Atoll can only take neighbour relations into account if neighbours have already been allocated. For infor-
mation on allocating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 920.

5. Under Results, Atoll displays the Total Cost of the current frequency or preamble index allocation taking into
account the parameters set in step 4. You can modify the parameters and click Recalculate Cost to see the
change in the total cost.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating frequencies or preamble indexes.
Once Atoll has finished allocating frequencies or preamble indexes, the proposed allocation is visible under
Results.

The Results table contains the following information.

- Site: The name of the base station.
- Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
- Name: The name of the cell.
- Initial Channel Number: The channel number of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Channel Number: The channel number of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Channel Allocation Status: The value of the Channel Allocation Status of the cell
- Initial Preamble Index: The preamble index of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Preamble Index: The preamble index of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial Segment: The segment of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Segment: The segment of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial Cell PermBase: The permbase of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Cell PermBase: The permbase of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Cost: The cost of the new frequency or preamble index allocation of the cell.
- Preamble Index Status: The value of the Preamble Index Status of the cell.
7. Click Commit. The channel numbers and preamble indexes are committed to the cells.

Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually

When you allocate frequencies to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate them automatically, as described
in "Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 930. However, if you want to assign a frequency or a preamble
index to one cell or to modify it, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
To allocate the frequency or preamble index to a cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate the frequency or preamble index. The
context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Select a Frequency Band and Channel Number for the cell or enter a Preamble Index.
5. You can set the Channel Allocation Status or Preamble Index Status to Fixed if you want to lock the frequency
or preamble index that you assigned.
6. Click OK.

13.2.10.2 Displaying the Frequency Allocation

Once you have allocated frequencies, you can verify several aspects of the allocation. You can display frequencies in
several ways:
• "Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation" on page 931.
• "Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 932.
• "Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies" on page 932.
• "Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions" on page 933.

Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation

In Atoll, you can search for frequency bands and channel numbers using the Search Tool.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Frequencies and any potential prob-
lems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see "Making a Coverage Prediction
by Transmitter" on page 894.

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To find a frequency band using the Search Tool:

1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Channel tab.
3. Select a Frequency Band from the list of available frequency bands.
4. Set Channel Number to All.
5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the selected frequency band are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells using other
frequency bands are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

To find a channel number using the Search Tool:

1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Channel tab.
3. Select a Frequency Band from the list of available frequency bands.
4. Select the Channel Number from the list of available channel numbers.
5. If you want only want the channel entered in the Channel Number box to be displayed, select the Co-channel
Only check box.
6. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the selected frequency band and channel number are displayed in red. Transmitters
with cells using two adjacent channel numbers in the same frequency band (i.e., a channel higher and a channel
lower) are displayed in yellow. Transmitters with cells using a lower adjacent channel number in the same
frequency band are displayed in green. Transmitters with cells using a higher adjacent channel number in the
same frequency band are displayed in blue. All other transmitters are displayed in grey.

If you selected the Co-channel Only check box, transmitters with cells using the same channel number are
displayed in red, and all others, including transmitters with adjacent channels, are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

Note: By including the frequency band and channel number of each cell in the transmitter label,
the search results will be easier to understand. For information on defining the label, see
"Defining the Object Type Label" on page 35.

Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings

You can display the frequency allocation on transmitters by using the transmitters’ display characteristics.
To display the frequency allocation on the map:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Display tab.
5. Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Channel Number" as the Field.
6. Click OK. Transmitters will be displayed by channel number.
You can also display the frequency band and channel number in the transmitter label or tooltip by selecting "Cells:
Frequency Band" and "Cells: Channel Number" from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies

You can group transmitters on the Data tab of the Explorer window by their frequency bands or channel numbers.
To group transmitters by frequency bands or channel numbers:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
- Frequency Band
- Channel Number
- Min Reuse Distance

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

- Channel Allocation Status

7. Click to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to
the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select the parameter in the Group these

fields in this order list and click . The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which
the transmitters will be grouped.
9. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters
to be grouped:

a. Select a parameter and click to move it up to the desired position.

b. Select a parameter and click to move it down to the desired position.

10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.

Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions

You can create and compare preamble C/(I+N) coverage predictions before and after the automatic frequency allocation
in order to analyse and compare the improvements brought about by the AFP. For more information on creating preamble
C/(I+N) coverage predictions, see "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 910. For more information on comparing
two coverage predictions, see "Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 900.

13.2.11 Planning Preamble Indexes

In WiMAX 802.16e, 114 preamble indexes are available, numbered from 0 to 113. There are as many pseudo-noise
sequences defined in the IEEE specifications. A PN sequence is transmitted on the preamble subcarriers corresponding
to each preamble index using BPSK1/2. Mobiles recognize their serving cells by comparing the received PN sequences
with the 114 sequences stored in their memory. The preamble index of the serving cell is simply the number of the PN
sequence received with the highest power. The preamble index provides the segment number (0, 1, or 2) and the cell
permbase (DL_PermBase of the first downlink PUSC zone, also called ID_Cell, which is a value from 0 to 31.) Therefore,
the mobile knows which subcarriers to listen to for the FCH, DCD, UCD, DL-MAP, and UL-MAP. Because the cell search
and selection depend on the preamble index of the cells, preamble indexes must be intelligently allocated to cells in order
to avoid unnecessary interference on the preamble.
The subcarriers used for preamble transmission are divided into 3 carrier sets. Preamble carrier sets are defined by the
equation:

Preamble Carrier Set n = n + 3 × k

Where n is the segment number (0, 1, or 2), and k is a running index from 0 to 567, 283, 142, and 35 for FFT sizes 2048,
1024, 512, and 128, respectively. Therefore, each preamble carrier set uses every third subcarrier.
You can assign preamble indexes manually or automatically to any cell in the network. Once allocation is completed, you
can audit the preamble indexes, view preamble index reuse on the map, and make an analysis of preamble index distri-
bution.
The procedure for planning preamble indexes for a WiMAX 802.16e project is:
• Allocating preamble indexes
- "Automatically Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e Cells" on page 934.
- "Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e Cells Manually" on page 934.
• "Checking the Consistency of the Preamble Index Plan" on page 935.
• Displaying the allocation of preamble indexes
- "Using the Search Tool to Display Preamble Index Allocation" on page 935.
- "Displaying Preamble Index Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 936.
- "Grouping Transmitters by Preamble Index" on page 936.
- "Displaying the Preamble Index Allocation Histogram" on page 936.

13.2.11.1 Allocating Preamble Indexes

Atoll can automatically assign preamble indexes to the cells of a WiMAX 802.16e network according to set parameters.
For example, it takes into account the selected cell permbase allocation strategy (free or same cell permbase per site),
minimum reuse distance, and any constraints imposed by neighbours.
You can also allocate preamble indexes manually to the cells of a WiMAX 802.16e network.
In this section, the following methods of allocating preamble indexes are described:
• "Automatically Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e Cells" on page 934.
• "Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e Cells Manually" on page 934.

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Atoll User Manual

Automatically Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e Cells

The allocation algorithm enables you to automatically allocate preamble indexes to cells in the current network. You can
choose from two allocation strategies for the cell permbase (for more information, see the Technical Reference Guide):
• Free: The preamble index allocation will only be restricted by the segment number allocated to nearby cells. Cell
permbases will not necessarily be the same for all the cells of a site.
• Same per Site: This strategy allocates preamble indexes to cells such that the same cell permbase is assigned
to all the cells of a site.
To automatically allocate preamble indexes:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Preamble Indexes > Automatic Allocation. The Preamble Index Allocation dialogue appears.
4. You can set the following parameters:
- Under Relations, you can set the relationships to take into account in automatic preamble index allocation.
- Neighbours: Select the Neighbours check box if you want to consider neighbour relations. The automat-
ic allocation algorithm will try to avoid allocating the same preamble index to neighbours of each cell being
allocated.
Atoll can only consider neighbour relations if neighbours have already been allocated. For information on
allocating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 920.

- Min Reuse Distance: Select the Min Reuse Distance check box if you want to consider relations based
on distance. You can enter the Default radius within which two cells whose channels have a co-channel
overlap cannot have the same preamble index.

Note: A minimum reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of
default the value entered here.

- Select the Preamble Index Allocation Range. You can choose to allocate preamble indexes from the Entire
(0-113) range or a Reduced (0-95) range.
- Under Cell PermBase Allocation Strategy, you can select one of the following automatic allocation strate-
gies:
- Free
- Same per Site
5. Under Results, Atoll displays the Total Cost of the current preamble index allocation taking into account the
parameters set in step 4. You can modify the parameters and click Recalculate Cost to see the change in the
total cost.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating preamble indexes.
Once Atoll has finished allocating preamble indexes, the indexes are visible under Results.

The Results table contains the following information.

- Site: The name of the base station.

- Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
- Name: The name of the cell.
- Initial Preamble Index: The preamble index of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Preamble Index: The preamble index of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial Segment: The segment of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Segment: The segment of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial Cell PermBase: The permbase of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Cell PermBase: The permbase of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Cost: The cost of the new preamble index allocation of the cell.
- Preamble Index Status: The value of the Preamble Index Status of the cell.
7. Click Commit. The preamble indexes are committed to the cells.

Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e Cells Manually

When you allocate preamble indexes to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate preamble indexes auto-
matically, as described in "Automatically Allocating Preamble Indexes to WiMAX 802.16e Cells" on page 934. However, if
you want to assign a preamble index to one cell or to modify it, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
To allocate a preamble index to a WiMAX 802.16e cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate a preamble index. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Enter a Preamble Index in the cell’s column.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

5. You can set the Preamble Index Status to Fixed if you want to lock the preamble index that you assigned.
6. Click OK.

13.2.11.2 Checking the Consistency of the Preamble Index Plan

Once you have completed allocating preamble indexes, you can verify whether the allocated preamble indexes respect
the specified constraints and relations by performing an audit of the plan. The preamble index audit also enables you to
check for inconsistencies if you have made some manual changes to the allocation plan.
To perform an audit of the allocation plan:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Preamble Indexes > Audit. The Preamble Index Audit dialogue appears.
4. In the Preamble Index Audit dialogue, select the allocation criteria that you want to verify:
- Distance: If you select the Distance check box and set a reuse distance, Atoll will check for and list cells that
do not respect this reuse distance.
- Neighbours: If you select the Neighbours check box, Atoll will check that no cell has the same preamble
index as any of its neighbours. The report will list any cell that does have the same preamble index as one of
its neighbours.
- Different Cell PermBase at a Site: If you select the Different Cell PermBase at a Site check box, Atoll will
check for and list base stations whose cells have preamble indexes that correspond to different cell perm-
bases.
5. Click OK. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a text file called IndexCheck.txt, which it opens at the end of the
audit. For each selected criterion, Atoll gives the number of detected inconsistencies and details for each incon-
sistency.

13.2.11.3 Displaying the Allocation of Preamble Indexes

Once you have completed allocating preamble indexes, you can verify several aspects of preamble index allocation. You
can display preamble indexes in several ways:
• "Using the Search Tool to Display Preamble Index Allocation" on page 935.
• "Displaying Preamble Index Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 936.
• "Grouping Transmitters by Preamble Index" on page 936.
• "Displaying the Preamble Index Allocation Histogram" on page 936.

Using the Search Tool to Display Preamble Index Allocation

In Atoll, you can search for preamble indexes, segment numbers, and cell permbases using the Search Tool.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Preamble indexes and any potential
problems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see "Making a Coverage
Prediction by Transmitter" on page 894.
To find a preamble index using the Search Tool:
1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Segment tab.
3. Select Preamble Index.
4. Enter a Preamble Index.
5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the entered preamble index are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells use other
preamble indexes are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

Note: By including the preamble index of each cell in the transmitter label, the search results will
be easier to understand. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the Object
Type Label" on page 35.

To find a segment using the Search Tool:

1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Segment tab.
3. Select Segment.
4. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use segment 0 are displayed in red. Transmitters whose cells use segment 1 are
displayed in yellow. Transmitters whose cells use segment 2 are displayed in green.

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To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

To find a cell permbase using the Search Tool:

1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Segment tab.
3. Select Cell PermBase.
4. Enter a Cell PermBase.
5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the entered cell permbase are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells use other cell
permbases are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

Displaying Preamble Index Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings

You can display preamble index allocation on transmitters by using the transmitters’ display characteristics.
To display preamble index allocation on the map:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Display tab.
5. Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Preamble Index" as the Field.
6. Click OK. Transmitters will be displayed by preamble index.
You can also display the preamble index in the transmitter label or tooltip by selecting "Cells: Preamble Index" from the
Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

Grouping Transmitters by Preamble Index

You can group transmitters on the Data tab of the Explorer window by their preamble index or their reuse distance.
To group transmitters by preamble index:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
- Preamble Index
- Min Reuse Distance
- Preamble Index Status

7. Click to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to
the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select the parameter in the Group these

fields in this order list and click . The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which
the transmitters will be grouped.
9. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters
to be grouped:

a. Select a parameter and click to move it up to the desired position.

b. Select a parameter and click to move it down to the desired position.

10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.

Displaying the Preamble Index Allocation Histogram

You can use a histogram to analyse the use of allocated preamble indexes in a network. The histogram represents the
preamble indexes as a function of the frequency of their use.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

To display the preamble index histogram:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Preamble Indexes > Index Distribution. The Distribution Histograms dialogue appears.
Each bar represents a preamble index, its height depending on the frequency of its use.
4. Move the pointer over the histogram to display the frequency of use of each preamble index. The results are high-
lighted simultaneously in the Detailed Results list.

13.3 Studying Network Capacity

Interference is the major limiting factor in the performance of WiMAX networks. It has been recognized as the major bottle-
neck in network capacity and is often responsible for poor performance. Frequency reuse means that in a given coverage
area there are several cells that use a given set of frequencies. The cells that use the same frequency are called co-chan-
nel cells, and the interference from users with the same channel in the other co-channel cells is called co-channel inter-
ference. Unlike thermal noise which can be overcome by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), co-channel
interference cannot be countered by simply increasing the carrier power of a transmitter. This is because an increase in
carrier transmission power will increase the interference to neighbouring co-channel cells. To reduce co-channel interfer-
ence, co-channel cells must be physically separated sufficiently by a distance, called the reuse distance. For a network
with a limited number of frequency channels, a large reuse distance can guarantee a high QoS for the system, but the
capacity will be decreased.
Another type of interference in WiMAX networks is adjacent channel interference. Adjacent channel interference results
from imperfect receiver filters which allow nearby frequencies to interfere with the used frequency channel. Adjacent chan-
nel interference can be minimized through careful filtering and channel assignment.
In Atoll, a simulation is based on a realistic distribution of users at a given point in time. The distribution of users at a given
moment is referred to as a snapshot. Based on this snapshot, Atoll calculates various network parameters such as the
downlink and uplink traffic loads, the uplink noise rise, the user throughputs, etc. Simulations are calculated in an iterative
fashion.
When several simulations are performed at the same time using the same traffic information, the distribution of users will
be different, according to a Poisson distribution. Consequently you can have variations in user distribution from one snap-
shot to another.
To create snapshots, services and users must be modelled. As well, certain traffic information in the form of traffic maps
or subscriber lists must be provided. Once services and users have been modelled and traffic maps and subscriber lists
have been created, you can make simulations of the network traffic.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Defining Multi-service Traffic Data" on page 937.
• "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 937.
• "Exporting a Traffic Map" on page 945.
• "Working with a Subscriber Database" on page 946.
• "Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations" on page 949.
• "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 963.

13.3.1 Defining Multi-service Traffic Data

The first step in making a simulation is defining how the network is used. In Atoll, this is accomplished by creating all of
the parameters of network use, in terms of services, users, and equipment used.
The following services and users are modelled in Atoll in order to create simulations:
• WiMAX radio bearers: Radio bearers are used by the network for carrying information. The WiMAX Radio
Bearer table lists all the available radio bearers. You can create new radio bearers and modify existing ones by
using the WiMAX Radio Bearer table. For information on defining radio bearers, see "Defining WiMAX Radio
Bearers" on page 977.
• Services: Services are the various services, such as VoIP, FTP download, etc., available to users. These services
can be either of the type "voice" or "data". For information on modelling end-user services, see "Modelling Serv-
ices" on page 905.
• Mobility type: In WiMAX, information about receiver mobility is important to determine the user’s radio conditions
and throughputs. For information on modelling mobility types, see "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906.
• Terminals: In WiMAX, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone,
a PDA, or a car’s on-board navigation device. For information on modelling terminals, see "Modelling Terminals"
on page 906.

13.3.2 Creating a Traffic Map

The following sections describe the different types of traffic maps available in Atoll and how to create, import, and use
them. Atollprovides three types of traffic maps for UMTS projects.
• Traffic map per sector
• Traffic map per user profile

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• Traffic map per density (number of users per km2)

These maps can be used for different types of traffic data sources as follows:
• Traffic maps per sector can be used if you have live traffic data from the OMC (Operation and Maintenance
Centre).
The OMC (Operations and Maintenance Centre) collects data from all cells in a network. This includes, for exam-
ple, the number of users or the throughput in each cell and the traffic characteristics related to different services.
Traffic is spread over the best server coverage area of each transmitter and each coverage area is assigned either
the throughputs in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status . For more information,
see "Creating a Traffic Map per Sector" on page 938.

• Traffic map per user profile can be used if you have marketing-based traffic data.
Traffic maps per density of user profiles, where each vector (polygon, line or point) describes subscriber densities
(or numbers of subscribers for points) with user profiles and mobility types, and traffic maps per environment of
user profiles, where each pixel has an assigned environment class. For more information, see "Importing a Traffic
Map Based on Densities of User Profiles" on page 941, "Importing a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User
Profiles" on page 942 and "Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles" on page 942.

• Traffic maps per density (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data,
or 2G network statistics.
Each pixel has an actual user density assigned. For more information, see "Creating Traffic Maps per User
Density (No. Users/km2)" on page 943, "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 943, "Converting 2G
Network Traffic" on page 945 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 945

13.3.2.1 Creating a Traffic Map per Sector

The section explains how to create a traffic map per sector in Atoll to model traffic.
You can input either the throughput demands in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status .
A coverage prediction by transmitter is required to create this traffic map. If you do not already have a coverage prediction
by transmitter in your document, you must create and calculate it. For more information, see "Making a Coverage Predic-
tion by Transmitter" on page 894.
To create a traffic map per sector:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per Sector.
5. Select the type of traffic information you want to input. You can choose between Throughputs in Uplink and
Downlink or Number of Users per Activity Status.
6. Click the Create button. The Map per Sector dialogue appears.

Note: You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from another Atoll
document.

7. Select a coverage prediction by transmitter from the list of available coverage predictions by transmitter.
8. Enter the data required in the Map per Sector dialogue:
- If you have selected Throughputs in Uplink and Downlink, enter the throughput demands in the uplink and
downlink for each sector and for each listed service.
- If you have selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of users active in the uplink, in
the downlink and in the uplink and downlink, for each sector and for each service.

Note: You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and
selecting Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

9. Click OK. The Sector Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.

10. Select the Traffic tab. Enter the following:
a. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage
must equal 100.
b. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
c. Under Clutter Distribution, for each clutter class, enter:
- A weight to spread the traffic over the vector.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

- The percentage of indoor users. An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during Monte-Carlo
simulations.
11. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
You can update the information, throughput demands and the number of users, on the map afterwards. You can update
Sector traffic maps. You must first recalculate the coverage prediction by transmitter. For more information, see "Making
a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 894. Once you have recalculated the coverage prediction, you can update
the traffic map.
To update the traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map that you want to update. The context menu appears.
4. Select Update from the context menu. The Map per Sector dialogue appears.
Select the updated coverage prediction by transmitter and define traffic values for the new transmitter(s) listed at
the bottom of the table. Deleted or deactivated transmitters are automatically removed from the table.

5. Click OK. The Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.

6. Click OK. The traffic map is updated on the basis of the selected coverage prediction by transmitter.

13.3.2.2 Creating a Traffic Map per User Profile

The marketing department can provide information which can be used to create traffic maps. This information describes
the behaviour of different types of users. In other words, it describes which type of user accesses which services and for
how long. There may also be information about the type of terminal devices they use to access different services.
In Atoll, this type of data can be used to create traffic maps based on user profiles and environments.
A user profile models the behaviour of different user categories. Each user profile is defined by a list of services which are
in turn defined by the terminal used, the calls per hour, and duration (for calls of the type "voice") or uplink and downlink
volume (for calls of the type "data").
Environment classes are used to describe the distribution of users on a map. An environment class describes its environ-
ment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given density (i.e., the number of users with
the same profile per km²).
The sections "Importing a Traffic Map Based on Densities of User Profiles" on page 941, "Importing a Traffic Map Based
on Environments of User Profiles" on page 942 and "Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles" on
page 942 describe how to use traffic data from the marketing department in Atoll to model traffic.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Modelling User Profiles" on page 939.
• "Modelling Environments" on page 940.

Modelling User Profiles

You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user may be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but
no web browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and
web browsing.
To create or modify a user profile:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile in
the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can modify the following parameters:

- Name: Enter a descriptive name for the user profile.
- Service: Select a service from the list. For information on services, see "Modelling Services" on page 905.
- Terminal: Select a terminal from the list. For information on terminals, see "Modelling Terminals" on page 906.
- Calls/Hour: For services of the type "voice," enter the average number of calls per hour for the service. The
calls per hour is used to calculate the activity probability. For services of the type "voice," one call lasting 1000
seconds presents the same activity probability as two calls lasting 500 seconds each.
For services of the type "data," the Calls/Hour value is defined as the number of sessions per hour. A session
is like a call in that it is defined as the period of time between when a user starts using a service and when he
stops using a service. In services of the type "data," however, he may not use the service continually. For ex-
ample, with a web-browsing service, a session starts when the user opens his browsing application and ends

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Atoll User Manual

when he quits the browsing application. Between these two events, the user may be downloading web pages
and other times he may not be using the application, or he may be browsing local files, but the session is still
considered as open. A session, therefore, is defined by the volume transferred in the uplink and downlink and
not by the time.

Note: In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.

- Duration (sec.): For services of the type "voice," enter the average duration of a call in seconds. For services
of the type "data," this field is left blank.
- UL Volume (KBytes): For services of the type "data," enter the average uplink volume per session in kilo-
bytes.
- DL Volume (KBytes): For services of the type "data," enter the average downlink volume per session in kil-
obytes.
6. Click OK.

Modelling Environments

An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a
given density (i.e., the number of users with the same profile per km²). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can
assign a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor subscribers
for each clutter class. In a Monte Carlo simulation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be
added to the indoor users’ path loss.
To create or modify a WiMAX environment:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the
environment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context
menu.

5. Click the General tab.

6. Enter a Name for the new WiMAX environment.

7. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), set the following parameters for each user profile/mobility com-
bination that this WiMAX environment will describe:
- User: Select a user profile.
- Mobility: Select a mobility type.
- Density (Subscribers/km2): Enter a density in terms of subscribers per square kilometre for the combination
of user profile and mobility type.
8. Click the Clutter Weighting tab.
9. For each clutter class, enter a weight that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:

Wk × Sk
N k = N Area × --------------------------
∑
Wi × Si
i

where:

Nk = Number of users in the clutter k

N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)

For example: An area of 10 km² with a user density of 100/km². Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 users. The
area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Building is
"4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.
10. If you wish you can specify a percentage of indoor users for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simulation,
an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be added to the indoor users path loss.
11. Click OK.

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13.3.2.2.1 Importing a Traffic Map Based on Densities of User Profiles

Traffic maps based on densities of user profiles are composed of vectors (either points with a number of subscribers, lines
with a number of subscribers⁄km, or polygons with a number of subscribers⁄km²) with a user profile, mobility type, and traffic
density assigned to each vector.
To create a traffic map based on densities of user profiles:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
5. Select Based on Densities of User Profiles from the scrolling list.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 942.

7. Select the file to import.

8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab (see Figure 13.49).
12. Under Traffic Fields, you can specify the user profiles to be considered, their mobility type (km⁄h), and their den-
sity. If the file you are importing has this data, you can define the traffic characteristics by identifying the corre-
sponding fields in the file. If the file you are importing does not have data describing the user profile, mobility, or
density, you can assign values. When you assign values, they apply to the entire map.

Figure 13.49: Traffic map properties dialogue - Traffic tab

Define each of the following:

- User Profile: If you want to import user profile information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and
select the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a user profile from the WiMAX Param-
eters folder of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the user profile in the Choice column.
- Mobility: If you want to import mobility information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select
the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a mobility type from the WiMAX Parameters
folder of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the mobility type in the Choice column.
- Density: If you want to import density information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select the
source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a density, under Defined, select "By value" and
enter a density in the Choice column for the combination of user profile and mobility type. In this context, the
term "density" depends on the type of vector traffic map. It refers to the number of subscribers per square kil-
ometre for polygons, the number of subscribers per kilometre in case of lines and the number of subscribers
when the map consists of points.

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Atoll User Manual

Important: When you import user profile or mobility information from the file, the values in the file
must be exactly the same as the corresponding names in the WiMAX Parameters folder
of the Data tab. If the imported user profile or mobility does not match, Atoll will display a
warning.

13. Under Clutter Distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:

Wk × Sk
N k = N Area × --------------------------
∑
Wi × Si
i
where:

Nk = Number of users in the clutter k

N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)

14. If you wish you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simu-
lation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be added to the indoor users path loss.
15. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.

13.3.2.2.2 Importing a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

Environment classes describe the distribution of user profiles.
To create a traffic map based on environments of user profiles:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
5. Select Based on Environments of User Profiles from the scrolling list.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 942.

7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, BIL, IST,
BMP, PlaNET©, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the
Code column.

12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under WiMAX Parameters on the
Data tab of the Explorer window. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 940.

13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects"
on page 33.
14. Click OK.

13.3.2.2.3 Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

Atollenables you to create a traffic map based on environments of user profiles by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

5. Select Based on Environments of User Profiles from the scrolling list.

6. Click Create. The Environment Map Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 13.50).

Draw Map Delete Map

Figure 13.50: Environment Map Editor toolbar

7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.

8. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.

9. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.

13.3.2.2.4 Displaying Statistics on a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

You can display the statistics of a traffic map based on environments of user profiles. Atoll provides absolute (surface)
and relative (percentage of the surface) statistics on the focus zone for each environment class. If you do not have a focus
zone defined, statistics are determined for the computation zone.
To display traffic statistics of an environment class based traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the traffic map based on environments of user profiles whose statistics you want to display. The context
menu appears.
4. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears.
The Statistics window lists the surface (Si in km²) and the percentage of surface (% of i) for each environment
Si
class "i" within the focus zone. The percentage of surface is given by: % of i = -------------- × 100
∑Sk
k
You can print the statistics by clicking the Print button.

5. Click Close.
If a clutter classes map is available in the document, traffic statistics provided for each environment class are listed per
clutter class.

13.3.2.3 Creating Traffic Maps per User Density (No. Users/km2)

Traffic maps per user density can be based on population statistics (user densities can be calculated from the density of
inhabitants) or on 2G traffic statistics. Traffic maps per user density provides the number of connected users per unit
surface, i.e., the density of users, as input.

13.3.2.3.1 Importing a Traffic Map per User Density

The traffic map per user density defines the density of users per pixel. For a traffic density of X users per km², Atoll will
distribute x users per pixel during the simulations, where x depends on the size of the pixels. These x users will have a
terminal, a mobility type, a service, and percentage of indoor users as defined in the Traffic tab of the traffic map’s prop-
erties dialogue.
You can create a number of traffic maps per user density for different combinations of terminals, mobility types, and serv-
ices. You can add vector layers to the map and draw regions with different traffic densities.
To create a traffic map per user density:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.

4. Select Traffic Map per User Density (No. Users/km2).

5. Select the type of traffic information you input. You can choose between:
- Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
- Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
- Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.

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6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 942.

7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET©, TIF, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab.
12. Select whether the users are active in the Uplink/Downlink, only in the Downlink, or only in the Uplink.
13. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
14. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
15. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
16. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.

17. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.

13.3.2.3.2 Creating a Traffic Map per User Density

Atollenables you to create a traffic map per user density by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map per user density:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.

4. Select Traffic Map per Density (Number of users per km2).

5. Select the type of traffic information you input. You can choose between:
- Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
- Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
- Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
6. Click the Create button. The traffic map’s property dialogue appears.
7. Select the Traffic tab.
8. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
9. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
10. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
11. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.

12. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
13. Right-click the traffic map. The context menu appears.
14. Select Edit from the context menu.
15. Use the tools available in the Vector Edition toolbar in order to draw contours. For more information on how to edit
contours, see "Editing Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 131. Atoll creates an item called Density values in
the User Density Map folder.
16. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
17. Select Open Table from the context menu.

18. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e. the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.

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19. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.

20. Select Edit from the context menu to end editing.

13.3.2.4 Converting 2G Network Traffic

Atollcan cumulate the traffic of the traffic maps that you select and export it to a file. The information exported is the
number of users per km² for a particular service of a particular type, i.e., data or voice. This allows you to export your 2G
network packet and circuit service traffic, and then import these maps as traffic maps per user density into your WiMAX
document. These maps can then be used in traffic simulations like any other type of map.
For more information on how to export cumulated traffic, see "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 945, and for informa-
tion on importing traffic maps per user density, see "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 943.
To import a 2G traffic map into a WiMAX document:
1. Create a live data traffic map in your 2G document for each type of service, i.e., one map for packet-switched and
one for circuit-switched services. For more information on creating traffic maps per sector, see "Creating a Traffic
Map per Sector" on page 306.
2. Export the cumulated traffic of the maps created in step 1. For information on exporting cumulated traffic, see
"Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 312.
3. Import the traffic exported in step 2 to your WiMAX document as a traffic map per user density. For more informa-
tion on importing traffic maps per user density, see "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 943.

13.3.2.5 Exporting Cumulated Traffic

Atoll allows you to export the cumulated traffic of selected traffic maps in the form of traffic maps per user density. During
export, Atoll converts any traffic map to user density. The cumulated traffic is exported in 32-bit BIL, ArcView© Grid, or
Vertical Mapper format. When exporting in BIL format, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 GB. The exported traffic
map can then be imported as a traffic map per user density.
To export the cumulated traffic:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Export Cumulated Traffic from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. Enter a file name and select the file format.
5. Click Save. The Export dialogue appears.
6. Under Region, select the area to export:
- The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic over the entire project.
- The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic contained by a rectangle
encompassing the computation zone.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1.

Important: You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.

8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
- Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
- Service: Select the service that will be exported, or select "Circuit services" to export voice traffic, or select
"Packet services" to export data traffic.
- Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
- Activity: Select one of the following:
- All Activity Statuses: Select All Activity Statuses to export all users without any filter by activity status.
- Uplink: Select Uplink to export mobiles active in the uplink only.
- Downlink: Select Downlink to export mobiles active in the downlink only.
- Uplink/Downlink: Select Uplink/Downlink to export only mobiles with both uplink and downlink activity.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the
cumulated traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.

13.3.3 Exporting a Traffic Map

To export a traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the traffic map you want to export. The context menu appears.

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Atoll User Manual

4. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
5. Enter a file name and select a file format for the traffic map.
6. Click Save.
If you are exporting a raster traffic map, you have to define:

- The Export Region:

- Entire Project Area: Saves the entire traffic map.
- Only Pending Changes: Saves only the modifications made to the map.
- Computation Zone: Saves only the part of the traffic map inside the computation zone.
- An export Resolution.

13.3.4 Working with a Subscriber Database

The WiMAX BWA module includes a subscriber database for modelling fixed user distributions in a network. A subscriber
database can be used for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) networks, like the IEEE 802.16d. The subscriber database
consists of subscriber lists. You can create subscriber lists in Atoll by adding subscribers to the list using the mouse, or
by copying data from any other source such as a spreadsheet. You can also directly import subscriber lists in Atoll from
text (TXT) and comma separated value (CSV) files.
Atoll can allocate reference or serving base stations (cells) to subscribers. You can also have the subscriber antenna
oriented towards its serving cell to decrease interference. The automatic server allocation performs a number of calcula-
tions on the subscriber locations.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 946.
• "Performing Calculations on Subscriber lists" on page 949.

13.3.4.1 Creating a Subscriber List

You create subscribers in Atoll in two steps. First, you create a subscriber list, and then you add subscribers to the list.
You can add subscribers to the list directly on the map using the mouse. For more information, see "Adding Subscribers
to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse" on page 949.
If you need to create a large number of subscribers, Atoll allows you to import them from another Atoll document or from
an external source. For more information, see "Importing a Subscriber List" on page 949.
To create a subscriber list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Subscribers folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New List from the context menu. The Subscriber List N Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 13.51),
where N is an incremental digit.

Figure 13.51: New subscriber list dialogue - General tab

4. Select the General tab. The following options are available:

- Name: The name of the subscriber list. You can change the name of the list if desired.
- Coordinate System: The current coordinate system used by the subscriber list. You can change the coordi-
nate system of the list by clicking the Change button.
- Sort: Click the Sort button to sort the data in the subscriber list. For information on sorting, see "Sorting Data"
on page 68.
- Filter: Click the Filter button to filter the data in the subscriber list. For information on filtering, see "Filtering
Data" on page 70.

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5. Click the Table tab. On the Table tab you can modify the various fields in the subscriber list, add user-defined fields
to the table, or, most importantly, change the default parameters for the fields in the table. These default param-
eters will be assigned to all the subscribers in this list created by using the mouse on the map (see Figure 13.52).
To modify the default values for these fields:
a. Select the field whose default value you want to modify.
b. Click Properties. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
c. Enter the new default value.
d. Click OK.

Figure 13.52: New subscriber list dialogue - Table tab

The following parameters are available by default in a new subscriber list:

- ID: The subscriber ID in the subscriber list. It is an automatically created identification number.
- X and Y coordinates: The geographical coordinates of the subscriber. A subscriber’s location is always fixed.
- Height: The altitude of the subscriber antenna with respect to the ground (DTM).
- Clutter: The name of the clutter class where the subscriber is located. This is a non-editable field whose con-
tents are automatically updated.
- Name: You can assign a descriptive name to each subscriber.
- User Profile: A user profile defines the traffic demand characteristics of subscribers. Atoll determines the ter-
minal used, the service accessed, and the activity status of subscribers during Monte Carlo simulations
according to the information in the user profiles. For more information, see "Modelling User Profiles" on
page 939.
- Terminal: The default terminal (CPE) is the user equipment with an antenna, WiMAX equipment, and noise
characteristics. The properties of this terminal are taken into consideration when performing calculations on
the subscriber list.
- Service: The service that the subscriber accesses by default. The properties of this service are taken into con-
sideration when performing calculations on the subscriber list.

Note: Subscriber lists use the mobility type "Fixed", i.e., 0 km/hr, in calculations. Make sure that
you have bearer selection thresholds defined for this mobility type in the WiMAX
equipment properties. For information on defining bearer selection thresholds, see
"Defining WiMAX Equipment" on page 978.

- Azimuth: The orientation of the subscriber antenna in the horizontal plane. Azimuth is always considered with
respect to the north. You can either define this value manually or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. Atoll
points the subscriber antenna towards its serving base station.
- Mechanical Downtilt: The orientation of the subscriber antenna in the vertical plane. Mechanical downtilt is
positive when it is downwards and negative when upwards. You can either define this value manually or let
Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. Atoll points the subscriber antenna towards its serving base station.
- Lock Status: You can choose to lock the subscriber antenna orientation and serving transmitter. Use this
option if you do not want Atoll to change the assigned server or the antenna orientation.
- Serving Base Station: The serving transmitter of the subscriber. You can either define this value manually
or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. The serving base station is determined according to the received
preamble signal level from the cell with the highest preamble power.
- Reference Cell: The reference cell of the serving transmitter of the subscriber. You can either define this value
manually or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. If more than one cell of the serving base station cover the
subscriber, the one with the lowest order is selected as the reference cell.
- Distance: The distance of the subscriber from its serving base station. This is a non-editable field whose con-
tents are automatically updated.
- Received Preamble Power (DL) (dBm): The preamble signal level received at the subscriber location in the
downlink. This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.

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- Received Traffic Power (DL) (dBm): The traffic signal level received at the subscriber location in the down-
link. This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
- Received Pilot Power (DL) (dBm): The pilot signal level received at the subscriber location in the downlink.
This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
- Preamble Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the preamble interference and noise experienced at the
subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Traffic Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the traffic interference and noise experienced at the sub-
scriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Preamble C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The preamble C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is
generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Traffic C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The traffic C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated
by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Pilot C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The pilot C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated
by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Bearer (DL): The highest WiMAX bearer available for the traffic C/(I+N) level at the subscriber location in the
downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Permutation Zone (DL) (WiMAX 802.16e): The downlink permutation zone allocated to the subscriber.
- BLER (DL): The Block Error Rate read from the subscriber’s terminal type’s WiMAX equipment for the traffic
C⁄(I+N) level at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations
on subscriber lists.
- Diversity Mode (DL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in downlink.
- Peak MAC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum MAC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.
- Effective MAC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective MAC channel throughput attainable using
the highest bearer available at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during
the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Received Power (UL) (dBm): The signal level received at the serving transmitter from the subscriber terminal
in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Total Noise (I+N) (UL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the serving transmitter
of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- C/(I+N) (UL) (dB): The C/(I+N) at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is gener-
ated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Bearer (UL): The highest WiMAX bearer available for the C/(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the sub-
scriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Permutation Zone (UL) (WiMAX 802.16e): The uplink permutation zone allocated to the subscriber.
- BLER (UL): The Block Error Rate read from the reference cell’s WiMAX equipment for the C/(I+N) level at the
serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on
subscriber lists.
- Diversity Mode (UL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in uplink.
- Transmission Power (UL) (dBm): The transmission power of the subscriber’s terminal after power control in
the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Subchannels): The bandwidth allocated to the subscriber in terms of the
number of subchannels allocated in the uplink after subchannelisation. This value is generated by Atoll during
the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Peak MAC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum MAC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by
Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Effective MAC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective MAC channel throughput available using the
highest bearer available at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by
Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
For more information on the calculations that you can carry out on subscriber lists, see "Performing Calculations
on Subscriber lists" on page 949.

6. Click the Display tab. You can modify how subscribers added to the list are displayed. For information on defining
the display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
7. Click OK. Atoll creates a new subscriber list.
You can now move the pointer over the map and click once to place a new subscriber at the location of the pointer. Press
ESC or click the normal pointer button ( ), to finish adding subscribers on the map. For information on adding subscribers
to a list, see "Adding Subscribers to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse" on page 949.
You can open the subscriber list table containing all the subscribers and their parameters.
To open the subscriber list table:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Subscribers folder.
3. Right-click the subscriber list you want to open. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open Table from the context menu.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

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13.3.4.1.1 Adding Subscribers to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse

You can use the mouse to add subscribers to an existing subscriber list. Atoll applies the default parameters defined in
the Table tab of the subscriber list Properties dialogue to all the subscribers you add to the list. For more information on
the Table tab, see "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 946.
To add subscribers to a subscriber list using the mouse:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Subscribers folder.
3. Right-click the subscriber list to which you want to add subscribers. The context menu appears.

4. Select Add Subscribers from the context menu. The pointer changes to subscriber addition mode ( ).

5. Move the mouse over the Map window, and click once to add each subscriber.

6. Press ESC or click the normal pointer button ( ) to finish adding subscribers.

Tip: To place subscribers more accurately, before clicking the map, you can zoom in on the
map. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map Scale" on
page 38.

13.3.4.1.2 Importing a Subscriber List

You can also import subscriber lists from text files (TXT) or comma separated value files (CSV), including Microsoft Excel
files exported in CSV format.
To import a subscriber list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Subscribers folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Import from the context menu.
For more information on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

Note: You can also export subscriber lists. For information on exporting table data, see
"Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 58.

13.3.4.2 Performing Calculations on Subscriber lists

You can perform calculations on subscriber lists without having to carry out simulations first. Atoll does not base calcula-
tions performed on subscriber lists on the path loss matrices calculated for transmitters. This is because the path loss
matrices are calculated for a given receiver height (1.5 m by default) defined in the Properties dialogue of the Predictions
folder, but each subscriber in a subscriber list can have a different height. Therefore, Atoll recalculates the path loss,
received power, and other output for each subscriber when you perform calculations based on subscribers.
Atoll includes an Automatic Server Allocation feature which performs the following for all the subscribers in a list.
To perform calculations on a subscriber list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Subscribers folder.
3. Right-click the subscriber list on which you want to perform calculations. The context menu appears.
4. Select Calculations > Automatic Server Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Server Allocation
dialogue appears.
If you want the calculations to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check box
and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for signal level
calculations is based on the model standard deviation, and the shadowing margin for C/(I+N) calculations is based
on the C/I standard deviation.

5. Click Calculate. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
6. Once the calculations are finished, click Close to close the Event Viewer.
7. Click Commit to store the results in the subscriber list. For the list of results that are available after the calculations,
see "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 946.

13.3.5 Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations

To plan and optimise WiMAX networks, you will need to study the network capacity and to study the network coverage
taking into account realistic user distribution and traffic demand scenarios.

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Atoll User Manual

In Atoll, a simulation corresponds to a given distribution of WiMAX users. It is a snapshot of a WiMAX network. The prin-
cipal outputs of a simulation are a geographic user distribution with a certain traffic demand, resources allocated to each
user of this distribution, and cell loads.
You can create groups for one or more simulations and carry out as many simulations as required. A new simulation for
each different traffic scenario can help visualise the network’s response to different traffic demands. Each user distribution
(each simulation generates a new user distribution) is a Poisson distribution of the number of active users. Therefore, each
simulation may have a varying number of users accessing the network.
WiMAX simulation results can be displayed on the map as well as listed in tabular form for analysis. Simulation outputs
include results related to sites, cells, and mobiles.
WiMAX simulation results can be stored in the cells table and used in C/(I+N) based coverage predictions.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "WiMAX Traffic Simulation Algorithm" on page 950.
• "Creating Simulations" on page 952.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map" on page 953.
• "Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation" on page 957.
• "Updating Cell Load Values With Simulation Results" on page 962.
• "Estimating a Traffic Increase" on page 962.

13.3.5.1 WiMAX Traffic Simulation Algorithm

Figure 13.53 shows the WiMAX simulation algorithm. The simulation process in WiMAX consists of the following steps:
1. Mobile Generation and Distribution
Simulations require traffic data, such as traffic maps (raster, vector, or live traffic data) or subscriber lists. Atoll
generates a user distribution for each simulation using a Monte Carlo algorithm. This user distribution is based on
the traffic data input and is weighted by a Poisson distribution.

Each mobile generated during the simulations is assigned a service, a mobility type, and a terminal according to
the user profile assigned to it. A transmission status is determined according to the activity probabilities. The trans-
mission status is an important output of the simulation as it has a direct impact on the next step of the simulation
process, i.e., the radio resource management (RRM), and has an impact on the interference level in the network.

The geographical location of each mobile is determined randomly for the mobiles generated based on the traffic
data from traffic maps. The mobiles generated based on the traffic data from subscriber lists are located on the
subscriber locations.

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Figure 13.53: WiMAX simulation algorithm

2. Best Server Determination

Atoll determines the best server for each mobile based on the preamble signal level in the downlink. The best
serving transmitter is determined according to the received preamble signal level from the cell with the highest
preamble power. If more than one cell cover the mobile, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving
(reference) cell.

3. Downlink Calculations
The downlink calculations include the calculation of downlink preamble and traffic C/(I+N), determination of the
best available bearer for the traffic C/(I+N), allocation of resources (RRM), and calculation of user throughputs.

Segmentation is performed if the frame configuration, selected for a cell, supports segmentation. Interference
calculation is based on the probabilities of collision between segments. The effect of power concentration is not
considered.

4. Uplink Calculations
The uplink calculations include the calculation of uplink C/(I+N), determination of the best available bearer for the
C/(I+N), uplink power control and subchannelisation depending on the bearer, allocation of resources (RRM),
update of uplink noise rise values for cells, and calculation of user throughputs.

5. Radio Resource Management and Cell Load Calculation

Atoll uses an intelligent scheduling algorithm to perform radio resource management. The scheduling algorithm
is explained in detail in the Technical Reference Guide. The scheduler:

a. Determines the total amount of resources in each cell

b. Selects the first N users from the users generated in the first step, where N is the Max Number of Users de-
fined in the cell properties.
c. Sorts the users in decreasing order by service priority
d. Allocates the resources required to satisfy the minimum throughput demands of the users starting from the
first user (with the highest priority service) to the last user.
e. If resources still remain in the resource pool after this allocation, allocates resources to the users with maxi-
mum throughput demands according to the used scheduling algorithm.

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Note: The service priority is determined by the pair QoS Class-Priority. A UGS-Priority 1 service
will have higher service priority than a UGS-Priority 0 service. The QoS classes are UGS,
ErtPS, rtPS, nrtPS, and Best Effort, in order of decreasing priority.

At the end of the simulations, an active user can be connected in the direction corresponding to his activity status if:
• he has a best server assigned (step 2.),
• he has a bearer in the direction corresponding to his activity status (step 3. and step 4.),
• he is among the users selected by the scheduler for resource allocation (step 5.), and
• he is not rejected due to resource saturation (step 5.).

If a user is rejected during step 2., step 3., or step 4., the cause of rejection is "No Service". If a user is rejected during
step 5., the cause of rejection can either be "Scheduler Saturation," i.e., the user is not among the users selected for
resource allocation, or he can be rejected due to "Resource Saturation," i.e., all of the cell’s resources were used up by
other users.

13.3.5.2 Creating Simulations

In Atoll, simulations enable you to study the capacity of your WiMAX network and model the different network regulation
mechanisms, such as power control, subchannelisation, and scheduling, in order to optimise network performance and
maximise capacity.
You can create one simulation or a group of simulations that will be performed in sequence. You must have at least one
traffic map or subscriber list in your document to be able to perform simulations.
To create a simulation or a group of simulations:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the WiMAX Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The properties dialogue for a new simulation or group of simulations appears.
4. On the General tab of the dialogue, enter a Name for this simulation or group of simulations.
5. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Number of Simulations: Enter the number of simulations to be carried out. All simulations created at the
same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
6. Under Load Constraints on the General tab, you can set the constraints that Atoll must respect during the sim-
ulation:
- Max DL Traffic Load: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum downlink traffic load, click the button
( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum downlink traffic load. If you want
to use the maximum downlink traffic load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside
the box and select Defined per Cell.
- Max UL Traffic Load: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum uplink traffic load, click the button
( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum uplink traffic load. If you want to
use the maximum uplink traffic load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside the
box and select Defined per Cell.
7. You can enter some Comments if you wish.
8. On the Source Traffic tab, enter the following:
- Global Scaling Factor: If desired, enter a scaling factor to increase user density.
The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic
maps. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of subscrib-
ers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for live traffic maps per sector).

- Select Traffic Maps to be Used: Select the traffic maps you want to use for the simulation.
- Select Subscriber Lists to be Used: Select the subscriber lists you want to use for the simulation.
You can select traffic maps of any type. However, if you have several different types of traffic maps and want
to make a simulation on a specific type of traffic map, you must ensure that you select only traffic maps of the
same type. For information on the types of traffic maps, see "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 937.

Note: When you perform simulations for subscriber lists, Atoll does not base the calculations on
subscriber lists on the path loss matrices calculated for transmitters. This is because the
path loss matrices are calculated for a given receiver height (1.5 m by default), but each
subscriber in a subscriber list can have a different height. Therefore, Atoll recalculates
the path loss, received power, and other output, for each subscriber when you perform
simulations on subscribers.

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9. On the Advanced tab, enter the following:

10. Under Generator Initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. If you enter "0," the default,
the user and shadowing error distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same user and shad-
owing error distribution will be used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.

Tip: Using the same generated user and shadowing error distribution for several simulations
can be useful when you want to compare the results of several simulations where only one
parameter changes.

11. Under Convergence, enter the following parameters:

- Max Number of Iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make conver-
gence.
- DL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of downlink traffic load that
must be reached between two iterations.
- UL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink traffic load that
must be reached between two iterations.
- UL Noise Rise Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink noise rise that must
be reached between two iterations.
12. Click OK. Atoll immediately begins the simulation.
All simulations created at the same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window. You can
now use the results from completed simulations for WiMAX coverage predictions. For more information on using simula-
tion results in coverage predictions, see "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 963.

13.3.5.3 Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map

Atoll enables you to display on the map the distribution of the traffic generated by all simulations according to different
parameters. You can, for example, display the traffic according to activity status, service, reference cell, or throughputs.
You can set the display of the traffic distribution according to discrete values and the select the value to be displayed. Or,
you can select the display of the traffic distribution according to value intervals, and then select the parameter and the
value intervals that are to be displayed. You can also define the colours of the icon and the icon itself. For information on
changing display characteristics, see "Defining the Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
In this section are the following examples of traffic distribution:
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status" on page 953.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status" on page 954.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service" on page 954.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Throughput" on page 955.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Uplink Transmission Power" on page 955.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by the Uplink Allocated Bandwidth" on page 956.

Tip: You can make the traffic distribution easier to see by hiding geographic data and
coverage predictions. For information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map
Using the Explorer" on page 28.

13.3.5.3.1 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the activity status.
To display the traffic distribution by the activity status:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the WiMAX Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The WiMAX Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Activity Status" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by activity status (see Figure 13.54).

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Figure 13.54: Displaying the traffic distribution by activity status

13.3.5.3.2 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the connection status.
To display the traffic distribution by the connection status:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the WiMAX Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The WiMAX Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Connection Status" as the
Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by activity status (see Figure 13.55).

Figure 13.55: Displaying the traffic distribution by connection status

13.3.5.3.3 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by service.
To display the traffic distribution by service:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the WiMAX Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The WiMAX Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Service" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by service (see Figure 13.56).

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Figure 13.56: Displaying the traffic distribution by service

13.3.5.3.4 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Throughput

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by throughput.
To display the traffic distribution by throughput:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the WiMAX Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The WiMAX Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and one of the following
throughput types as the Field:
- In the downlink:
- Peak MAC, effective MAC, or application channel throughput
- Peak MAC, effective MAC, or application cell capacity
- Peak MAC, effective MAC, or application user throughput
- In the uplink:
- Peak MAC, effective MAC, or application channel throughput
- Peak MAC, effective MAC, or application cell capacity
- Peak MAC, effective MAC, or application allocated bandwidth throughput
- Peak MAC, effective MAC, or application user throughput
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by throughput (see Figure 13.57).

Figure 13.57: Displaying the traffic distribution by throughput

13.3.5.3.5 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Uplink Transmission Power

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the uplink transmission power of the mobiles. You can analyse the
effect of the uplink power control.

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To display the traffic distribution by uplink transmission power:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the WiMAX Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The WiMAX Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "Transmission Power (UL)
(dBm)" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by uplink transmission power (see Figure 13.58).

Figure 13.58: Displaying the traffic distribution by uplink transmission power

13.3.5.3.6 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by the Uplink Allocated Bandwidth

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the uplink allocated bandwidth, i.e., the number of subchannels. You
can analyse the effect of the uplink subchannelisation.
To display the traffic distribution by the uplink allocated bandwidth:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the WiMAX Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The WiMAX Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "Allocated Bandwidth (UL)
(No. of Subchannels)" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by the number of uplink subchannels (see Figure 13.59).

Figure 13.59: Displaying the traffic distribution by the uplink allocated bandwidth

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13.3.5.3.7 Displaying Traffic Simulation Results Using Tooltips

You can display information by placing the pointer over a mobile generated during a simulation to read the information
displayed in the tool tips. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab. For information
on defining the tool tips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 36.
To display simulation results in the form of tool tips:
• In the map window, place the pointer over the user that you want more information on. After a brief pause, the
tooltip appears with the information defined in the Display tab of the WiMAX Simulations folder properties (see
Figure 13.60).

Figure 13.60: Displaying the traffic simulation results using tool tips

13.3.5.4 Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation

After you have created a simulation, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 952, you can display the results.
To access the results of a single simulation:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Simulations folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose results
you want to access.
4. Right-click the simulation. The context menu appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. The simulation properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the simulation results. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain simula-
tion results as identified by the tab title.

The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following sections:
- Request: Under Request, is data on the connection requests:
- Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; radio resource allocation has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic
input.
- During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL throughput demands that all users could theoretically generate are
provided.
- The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
throughput demands) is given.
- Results: Under Results, is data on the connection results:
- The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.
- The total number and percentage of users unable to connect: rejected users, and the number of rejected
users per rejection cause.
- The number and percentage of users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity status, and the
total UL and DL throughputs they generate. These data are also given per service.
The Sites tab: The Sites tab contains the following information per site:

- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.

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- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was
"No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
The Cells tab: The Cells tab contains the following information, per site and transmitter:

- Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
- Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- Segmentation Usage (DL) (%): (WiMAX 802.16e) The percentage of the downlink traffic load that corre-
sponds to the first downlink PUSC zone, if it is segmented.
- AAS Usage (DL) (%): The percentage of downlink traffic load that corresponds to the traffic carried by the
smart antennas.
- AAS Usage (UL) (%): The percentage of uplink traffic load that corresponds to the traffic carried by the smart
antennas.
- AAS Simulation Results: The simulation results generated for transmitters using a smart antenna. The
results stored in this field are the angular distributions of the downlink traffic power spectral density and the
uplink noise rise. You can make the display of the downlink results diagram take into account the effect of the
antenna pattern of the single element. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
- MU-MIMO Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:

- X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the
second random trial).
- Height: The height of the user terminal (antenna).
- User Profile: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the
terminal and the user profile.
- Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
- Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal
and the user profile.
- Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
- Activity Status: The assigned activity status. It can be DL, UL, or DL+UL.

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- Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of
the simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection
cause is given.
- Clutter Class: The code of the clutter class where the user is located.
- Subscriber ID: The ID of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a traffic map.
- Subscriber List: The subscriber list of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a
traffic map.
- Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
- Serving Base Station: The serving transmitter of the subscriber.
- Reference Cell: The reference cell of the serving transmitter of the subscriber.
- Total Path Loss (dB): The path loss calculated for the user.
- Received Preamble Power (DL) (dBm): The preamble signal level received at the user location in the down-
link.
- Received Traffic Power (DL) (dBm): The traffic signal level received at the user location in the downlink.
- Received Pilot Power (DL) (dBm): The pilot signal level received at the user location in the downlink.
- Azimuth: The orientation of the user’s terminal antenna in the horizontal plane. Azimuth is always considered
with respect to the North. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base station.
- Downtilt: The orientation of the user’s terminal antenna in the vertical plane. Mechanical downtilt is positive
when it is downwards and negative when upwards. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base sta-
tion.
- Preamble Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the preamble interference and noise experienced at the
user location in the downlink.
- Preamble C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The preamble C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
- Traffic Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the traffic interference and noise experienced at the user
location in the downlink.
- Traffic C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The traffic C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
- Pilot C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The pilot C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
- Bearer (DL): The highest WiMAX bearer available for the traffic C/(I+N) level at the user location in the down-
link.
- Permutation Zone (DL) (WiMAX 802.16e): The downlink permutation zone allocated to the user.
- BLER (DL): The Block Error Rate read from the user terminal’s WiMAX equipment for the traffic C/(I+N) level
at the user location in the downlink.
- Diversity Mode (DL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in downlink.
- Peak MAC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum MAC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the downlink.
- Effective MAC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective MAC channel throughput attainable using
the highest bearer available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak MAC throughput
and the BLER.
- Application Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective MAC throughput, the
throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum MAC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the downlink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective MAC user throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak MAC throughput
and the BLER.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective MAC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Received Power (UL) (dBm): The signal level received at the serving transmitter from the user terminal in
the uplink.
- Total Noise (I+N) (UL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the serving transmitter
of the user in the uplink.
- C/(I+N) (UL) (dB): The C/(I+N) at the serving transmitter of the user in the uplink.
- Bearer (UL): The highest WiMAX bearer available for the C/(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the user
in the uplink.
- Permutation Zone (UL) (WiMAX 802.16e): The uplink permutation zone allocated to the user.
- BLER (UL): The Block Error Rate read from the reference cell’s WiMAX equipment for the C/(I+N) level at the
serving transmitter of the user in the uplink.
- Diversity Mode (UL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in uplink.
- Transmission Power (UL) (dBm): The transmission power of the user terminal after power control in the
uplink.
- Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Subchannels): The bandwidth allocated to the user in terms of the
number of subchannels allocated in the uplink after subchannelisation.
- Peak MAC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum MAC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at user location in the uplink.
- Effective MAC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective MAC channel throughput attainable using
the highest bearer available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak MAC throughput
and the BLER.
- Application Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective MAC throughput, the
throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Peak MAC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum MAC throughput attainable for
the number of subchannels allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in the
uplink.

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Atoll User Manual

- Effective MAC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective MAC throughput attainable for
the number of subchannels allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in the
uplink. It is calculated from the peak MAC throughput and the BLER.
- Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net
throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective MAC
throughput, the throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum MAC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the uplink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective MAC user throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak MAC throughput and
the BLER.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective MAC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.

Notes:
• In Atoll, channel throughputs are peak MAC, effective MAC, or application throughputs
achieved at a given location using the highest WiMAX bearer with the entire channel resources.
• If a user is rejected, his user throughput is zero.

The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:

- The global transmitter parameters:

- The frame duration
- The cyclic prefix ratio
- The UL and DL fixed overheads
- The UL and DL variable overheads
- The TDD-specific parameters: DL:UL ratio, TTG, and RTG
- The UL power control margin
- For WiMAX 802.16d documents: the number of subchannels per channel, and the numbers of total, used,
and data subcarriers.
- The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:
- The maximum number of iterations
- The global scaling factor
- The generator initialisation value
- The uplink and downlink traffic load convergence thresholds
- The uplink noise rise convergence threshold
- The names of the traffic maps and subscriber lists used.
- The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.

13.3.5.5 Displaying the Average Results of a Group of Simulations

After you have created a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 952, you can display the
average results of the group. If you wish to display the results of a single simulation in a group, see "Displaying the Results
of a Single Simulation" on page 957.
To display the averaged results of a group of simulations:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to display.
4. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the simulation results. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain the aver-
aged results for all simulations of the group.

The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following sections:

- Request: Under Request is data on the connection requests:

- Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; radio resource allocation has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic
input.
- During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL throughput demands that all users could theoretically generate are
provided.
- The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
throughput demands) is given.
- Results: Under Results is data on the connection results:
- The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.
- The total number and percentage of users unable to connect: rejected users, and the number of rejected
users per rejection cause.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

- The number and percentage of users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity status, and the
total UL and DL throughputs they generate. These data are also given per service.
The Sites (Average) tab: The Sites (Average) tab contains the following information per site:

- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was
"No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
The Cells (Average) tab: The Cells (Average) tab contains the following average information, per site and trans-
mitter:

- Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
- Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- Segmentation Usage (DL) (%): (WiMAX 802.16e) The percentage of the downlink traffic load that corre-
sponds to the first downlink PUSC zone, if it is segmented.
- AAS Usage (DL) (%): The percentage of downlink traffic load that corresponds to the traffic carried by the
smart antennas.
- AAS Usage (UL) (%): The percentage of uplink traffic load that corresponds to the traffic carried by the smart
antennas.
- AAS Simulation Results: The simulation results generated for transmitters using a smart antenna. The
results stored in this field are the angular distributions of the downlink traffic power spectral density and the
uplink noise rise. You can make the display of the downlink results diagram take into account the effect of the
antenna pattern of the single element. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
- MU-MIMO Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak MAC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective MAC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Peak MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak MAC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Effective MAC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective MAC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.

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- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:

- The global transmitter parameters:

- The frame duration
- The cyclic prefix ratio
- The UL and DL fixed overheads
- The UL and DL variable overheads
- The TDD-specific parameters: DL:UL ratio, TTG, and RTG
- The UL power control margin
- For WiMAX 802.16d documents: the number of subchannels per channel and the number of total, used,
and data subcarriers.
- The input parameters specified when creating the group of simulations:
- The maximum number of iterations
- The global scaling factor
- The generator initialisation value
- The uplink and downlink traffic load convergence thresholds
- The uplink noise rise convergence threshold
- The names of the traffic maps and subscriber lists used.
- The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.

13.3.5.6 Updating Cell Load Values With Simulation Results

After you have created a simulation or a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 952, you
can update cell load values for each cell with the results calculated during the simulation.
To update cell values with simulation results:
1. Display the simulation results:
To display the results for a group of simulations:

a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.

b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Simulations folder.
c. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to access.
d. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the results of the group of simulations. Other tabs in the properties dialogue contain
average simulation results for all simulations.

To display the results for a single simulation:

a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.

b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the WiMAX Simulations folder.
c. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose re-
sults you want to access.
d. Right-click the simulation whose results you want to access.
e. Select Properties from the context menu. The simulation properties dialogue appears.
2. Click the Cells tab.
3. On the Cells tab, click Commit Results. The following values are updated for each cell:
- Traffic Load (DL)
- Traffic Load (UL)
- UL Noise Rise
- Segmentation Usage (DL) (WiMAX 802.16e)
- AAS Simulation Results
- AAS Usage (DL)
- MU-MIMO Gain (UL)

13.3.5.7 Estimating a Traffic Increase

When you create simulation or a group of simulations, you are basing it on a set of traffic conditions that represent the
situation you are creating the network for. However, traffic can, and in fact most likely will, increase. You can test the
performance of the network against an increase of traffic load without changing traffic parameters or maps by using the
global scaling factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of
subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for live traffic maps per sector).

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To change the global scaling factor:

1. Create a simulation or group of simulations as described in "Creating Simulations" on page 952.
2. Click the Source Traffic tab of the properties dialogue.
3. Enter a Global Scaling Factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the
initial number of subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for live traffic maps
per sector).

13.3.6 Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results

In Atoll, you can can analyse simulation results by making coverage predictions using simulation results. In a coverage
prediction each pixel is considered as a non-interfering probe user with a defined terminal, mobility, and service. The anal-
yses can be based on a single simulation or on an averaged group of simulations.
When no simulations are available, Atoll uses the downlink traffic load, uplink noise rise, and any AAS simulation results
stored for each cell to make coverage predictions. For information on cell properties, see "Cell Description" on page 872;
for information on modifying cell properties, see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 875.
Once you have made simulations, Atoll can use the information from the simulations instead of the defined parameters in
the cell properties to make coverage predictions. For each coverage prediction based on simulation results, you can base
the coverage prediction on a selected simulation or on a group of simulations, which uses the average of all simulations
in the group.
The coverage predictions that can use simulation results are:
• Coverage by C/(I+N) Level: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by C/(I+N) level, see
"Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 910.
• Coverage by Best Bearer: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by best bearer, see "Making
a Coverage by Best Bearer" on page 912.
• Coverage by Throughput: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by throughput, see "Making
a Coverage by Throughput" on page 914.
• Coverage by Quality Indicator: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by quality indicator, see
"Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator" on page 917.
When no simulations are available, you select "(Cells Table)" from the Load Conditions list, on the Condition tab.
However, when simulations are available you can base the coverage prediction on one simulation or a group of simula-
tions.
To base a coverage prediction on a simulation or group of simulations, when setting the parameters:
1. Click the Condition tab.
2. From the Load Conditions list, select the simulation or group of simulations on which you want to base the cov-
erage prediction.

13.4 Optimising and Verifying Network Capacity

An important step in the process of creating a WiMAX network is verifying the capacity of the network. This is done using
measurements of the strength of the preamble and traffic signals and C/(I+N) in different locations within the area covered
by the network. This collection of measurements is called a test mobile data path.
The data contained in a test mobile data path is used to verify the accuracy of current network parameters and to optimise
the network.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Importing a Test Mobile Data Path" on page 963.
• "Network Verification" on page 967.
• "Printing and Exporting the Test Mobile Data Window" on page 971.

13.4.1 Importing a Test Mobile Data Path

In Atoll, you can analyse drive tests by importing test mobile data in the form of ASCII text files (with tabs, semi-colons,
or spaces as separator), TEMS FICS-Planet export files (with the extension PLN), or TEMS text export files (with the exten-
sion FMT).
For Atoll to be able to use the data in imported files, the imported files must contain the following information:
• The position of test mobile data points. When you import the data, you must indicate which columns give the
abscissa and ordinate (XY coordinates) of each point.
• Information identifying scanned cells (for example, serving cells, neighbour cells, or any other cells). In WiMAX
networks, a cell can be identified by its BSID (6-byte MAC address) or its preamble index. Therefore, you must
indicate during the import process which column contains the BSID or the preamble indexes of cells.
You can import a single test mobile data file or several test mobile data files at the same time. If you regularly import test
mobile data files with the same format, you can create an import configuration. The import configuration contains informa-
tion that defines the structure of the data in the test mobile data file. By using the import configuration, you will not need
to define the data structure each time you import a new test mobile data file.

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To import one or several test mobile data files:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Test Mobile Data folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Import from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
4. Select the file or files you want to open. You can import one or several files.

Note: If you are importing more than one file, you can select contiguous files by clicking the first
file you want to import, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to import. You
can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file you want to
import.

5. Click Open. The Import of Measurement Files dialogue appears.

Note: Files with the extension PLN, as well as some FMT files (created with previous versions of
TEMS) are imported directly into Atoll; you will not be asked to define the data structure
using the Import of Measurement Files dialogue.

6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file or files, you can select
it from the Configuration list on the Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue. If you do not have
an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Configuration, select an import configuration from the Configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.

Notes:
• When importing a test mobile data path file, existing configurations are available in the Files
of type list of the Open dialogue, sorted according to their date of creation. After you have
selected a file and clicked Open, Atoll automatically proposes a configuration, if it recognises
the extension. In case several configurations are associated with an extension, Atoll chooses
the first configuration in the list.
• The defined configurations are stored, by default, in the file "NumMeasINIFile.ini", located in
the directory where Atoll is installed. For more information on the NumMeasINIFile.ini file, see
the Administrator Manual.

7. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Name: By default, Atoll names the new test mobile data path after the imported file. You can change this
name if desired.
- Under Receiver, set the Height of the receiver antenna and the Gain and Losses.
- Under Measurement Conditions,
- Units: Select the measurement units used.
- Coordinates: By default, Atoll imports the coordinates using the display system of the Atoll document.
If the coordinates used in the file you are importing are different than the coordinates used in the Atoll

document, you must click the Browse button ( ) and select the coordinate system used in the test
mobile data file. Atoll will then convert the data imported to the coordinate system used in the Atoll docu-
ment.
8. Click the Setup tab (see Figure 13.61).

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

Figure 13.61: The Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue

a. Under File, enter the number of the 1st Measurement Row, select the data Separator, and select the Dec-
imal Symbol used in the file.
b. Click Setup to link file columns and internal Atoll fields. The Test Mobile Data Configuration dialogue ap-
pears.
c. Select the columns in the imported file that give the X-Coordinates and the Y-Coordinates of each point in
the test mobile data file.

Note: You can also identify the columns containing the XY coordinates of each point in the test
mobile data file by selecting them from the Field row of the table on the Setup tab.

d. If you are importing WiMAX 802.16d test mobile data:

i. In the BSID Identifier box, enter a string that must be found in the column name identifying the BSID of
scanned cells. For example, if the string "BSID" is found in the column names identifying the BSID of
scanned cells, enter it here. Atoll will then search for the column with this string in the column name.
e. If you are importing WiMAX 802.16e test mobile data:
i. Select Preamble Index Identifier, if you are importing the data using preamble indexes as cell identifiers.
ii. In the Preamble Index Identifier box, enter a string that must be found in the column name identifying
the preamble indexes of scanned cells. For example, if the string "Preamble" is found in the column names
identifying the preamble indexes of scanned cells, enter it here. Atoll will then search for the column with
this string in the column name.
iii. Select BSID Identifier, if you are importing the data using BSID as cell identifiers.
iv. In the BSID Identifier box, enter a string that must be found in the column name identifying the BSID of
scanned cells. For example, if the string "BSID" is found in the column names identifying the BSID of
scanned cells, enter it here. Atoll will then search for the column with this string in the column name.
f. Click OK.

Important: If you have correctly entered the information under File on the Setup tab, and the
necessary values in the Test Mobile Data Configuration dialogue, Atoll should
recognize all columns in the imported file. If not, you can click the name of the column in
the table in the Field row and select the column name. For each field, you must ensure
that each column has the correct data type in order for the data to be correctly interpreted.
The default value under Type is "<Ignore>". Columns marked with "<Ignore>" will not be
imported.

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9. If you wish to save the definition of the data structure so that you can use it again, you can save it as an import
configuration:
a. On the Setup tab, under Configuration, click Save. The Configuration dialogue appears.
b. By default, Atoll saves the configuration in a file called "NumMeasINIfile.ini" found in Atoll’s installation folder.
In case you cannot write into that folder, you can click Browse to choose a different location.
c. Enter a Configuration Name and an Extension of the files that this import configuration will describe (for ex-
ample, "*.txt").
d. Click OK.
Atoll will now select this import configuration automatically every time you import a test mobile data path file
with the selected extension. If you import a file with the same structure but a different extension, you can select
this import configuration from the Configuration list.

Notes:
• You do not have to complete the import procedure to save the import configuration and have
it available for future use.
• When importing a CW measurement file, you can expand the NumMeasINIfile.ini file by clicking
the button ( ) in front of the file in the Setup part to display all the available import configura-
tions. When selecting the appropriate configuration, the associations are automatically made
in the table at the bottom of the dialogue.
• You can delete an existing import configuration by selecting the import configuration under
Setup and clicking the Delete button.

10. Click Import, if you are only importing a single file, or Import All, if you are importing more than one file. The test
mobile data are imported into the current Atoll document.

13.4.2 Displaying Test Mobile Data

When you have imported the test mobile data into the current Atoll document, you can display it in the map window. Then,
you can select individual test mobile data points to see the information at that location.
To display information about a single test mobile data point:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Select the display check box of the test mobile data you want to display in the map window. The test mobile data
is displayed.
4. Click and hold the test mobile data point on which you want more information. Atoll displays an arrow pointing
towards the serving cell (see Figure 13.63 on page 969) in the same colour as the transmitter.

13.4.3 Defining the Display of a Test Mobile Data Path

You can manage the display of test mobile data paths using the Display dialogue. The points on a test mobile data path
can be displayed according to any available attribute. You can also use the Display dialogue to define labels, tool tips and
the legend.
To display the Display tab of a test mobile data path’s Properties dialogue:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data path whose display you want to manage. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The test mobile data path’s properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Display tab.
Each point can be displayed by a unique attribute or according to:

- a text or integer attribute (discrete value)

- a numerical value (value interval).
In addition, you can display points by more than one criterion at a time using the Multiple Shadings option in the
Display Type list. When you select Multiple Shadings from the Display Type list, the Shadings dialogue opens
in which you can define the following display for each single point of the measurement path:

- a symbol according to any attribute

- a symbol colour according to any attribute
- a symbol size according to any attribute
You can, for example, display a signal level in a certain colour, choose a symbol type for Transmitter 1 (a circle,
triangle, cross, etc.) and a symbol size according to the altitude.

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Notes:
• Fast Display forces Atoll to use the lightest symbol to display the points. This is useful when
you have a very large number of points.
• You can not use Multiple Shadings if the Fast Display check box has been selected.
• You can sort test mobile data paths in alphabetical order on the Data tab of the Explorer window
by right-clicking the Test Mobile Data Path folder and selecting Sort Alphabetically from the
context menu.
• You can export the display settings of a test mobile data path in a configuration file to make them
available for future use. You can export the display settings or import display settings by clicking
the Actions button on the Display tab of the test mobile data path’s Properties dialogue and
selecting Export or Import from the menu.

13.4.4 Network Verification

The imported test mobile data is used to verify the WiMAX network. To improve the relevance of the data, Atoll allows you
to filter out incompatible or inaccurate points. You can then compare the test mobile measurements with coverage predic-
tions.
To compare test mobile data with coverage predictions, you overlay coverage predictions calculated by Atoll with the test
mobile data path displayed using the same parameter as that used to calculate the coverage prediction.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Filtering Incompatible Points Along Test Mobile Data Paths" on page 967.
• "Creating Coverage Predictions from Test Mobile Data Paths" on page 968.
• "Extracting a Field From a Test Mobile Path for a Transmitter" on page 969.
• "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 969.

13.4.4.1 Filtering Incompatible Points Along Test Mobile Data Paths

When using a test mobile data path, some measured points may present values that are too far outside the median values
to be useful. As well, test paths may include test points in areas that are not representative of the test mobile data path as
a whole. For example, a test path that includes two heavily populated areas might also include test points from a more
lightly populated region between the two.
In Atoll, you can filter out points that are incompatible with the points you are studying, either by filtering out the clutter
classes where the incompatible points are located, or by filtering out points according to their properties.
To filter out incompatible points by clutter class:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to filter incompatible points. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab.
6. By default, the data in all clutter classes is displayed. Clear the check box of the clutter class whose points you do
not want to use.

Note: You can permanently delete the points located in the clutter classes whose check boxes
you clear by selecting the Delete points outside the filter check box.

7. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.

To filter out incompatible points using a filter:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to filter incompatible points. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab.
6. Click More. The Filter dialogue appears.
7. Click the Filter tab:
a. Select a Field from the list.
b. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes
next to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
8. Click the Advanced tab:
a. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as
you want (see Figure 13.62).

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Figure 13.62: The Filter dialogue - Advanced tab

b. Underneath the name of each column, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in
the following table:

Formula Data are kept in the table only if

=X value equal to X (X may be a number or characters)

<> X value not equal to X (X may be a number or characters)

<X numerical value is less than X

>X numerical value is greater than X

<= X numerical value is less than or equal to X

>= X numerical value is greater than or equal to X

*X* text objects which contain X

*X text objects which end with X

X* text objects which start with X

9. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically. For more information on filters, see "Advanced Data Filtering"
on page 71.

10. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.

Note: The Refresh Geo Data option available in the context menu of test mobile data paths
enables you to update heights (Alt DTM, Clutter height, DTM+Clutter) and the clutter class
of test mobile data points after adding new geographic maps or modifying existing ones.

13.4.4.2 Creating Coverage Predictions from Test Mobile Data Paths

You can create the following coverage predictions for all transmitters on each point of a test mobile data path:
• Point Signal Level
• Coverage by Signal Level
To create a coverage prediction along a test mobile data path:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data to which you want to add a coverage prediction. The context menu appears.
4. Select Calculations > Create a New Study from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
5. Under Standard Studies, select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK. The Coverage by Signal Level prop-
erties dialogue appears.
6. Click the Condition tab. At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be calculated. Under
Server, you can select whether to calculate the signal level from all transmitters, or only the best or second-best
signal. If you choose to calculate the best or second-best signal, you can enter a Margin. If you select the Shad-
owing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability. You can select the
Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter class.

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7. When you have finished setting the parameters for the coverage prediction, click OK.
You can create a new coverage prediction by repeating the procedure from step 1. to step 7. for each new cover-
age prediction.

8. When you have finished creating new coverage predictions for these test mobile data, right-click the test mobile
data. The context menu appears.
9. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Studies from the context menu.
A new column for each coverage prediction is added in the table for the test mobile data. The column contains the
predicted values of the selected parameters for the transmitter. The propagation model used is the one assigned
to the transmitter for the main matrix (for information on the propagation model, see Chapter 5: Managing Calcu-
lations in Atoll).

You can display the information in these new columns in the Test Mobile Data window. For more information on
the Test Mobile Data window, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 969.

13.4.4.3 Extracting a Field From a Test Mobile Path for a Transmitter

You can extract the information from a specific field for a given transmitter on each point of an existing test mobile data
path. The extracted information will be added to a new column in the test mobile data table.
To extract a field from a test mobile path:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to extract a field. The context menu appears.
4. Select Focus on a Transmitter from the context menu. The Field Selection for a Given Transmitter dialogue
appears.
5. Select a transmitter from the On the Transmitter list.
6. Click the For the Fields list. The list opens.
7. Select the check box beside the field you want extract for the selected transmitter.
8. Click OK. Atoll creates a new column in the test mobile path data table for the selected transmitters and with the
selected values.

13.4.4.4 Analysing Data Variations Along the Path

In Atoll, you can analyse variations in data along any test mobile data path using the Test Mobile Data window. You can
also use the Test Mobile Data window to see which cell is the serving cell for a given test point.
To analyse data variations using the Test Mobile Data window.
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data you want to analyse. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window appears (see
Figure 13.63).

Figure 13.63: The Test Mobile Data window

5. Click the Display button at the top of the Test Mobile Data window. The Display Parameters dialogue appears
(see Figure 13.64).

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Figure 13.64: The Test Mobile Data window

6. In the Display Parameters dialogue:

- Select the check box next to each field you want to display in the Test Mobile Data window.
- If you want, you can change the display colour by clicking the colour in the Colour column and selecting a new
colour from the palette that appears.
- Click OK to close the Display Parameters dialogue.

Note: You can change the display status or the colour of more than one field at the same time
by selecting several fields. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field,
pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by
pressing CTRL and clicking each field. You can then change the display status or the
colour by right-clicking on the selected fields and selecting the choice from the context
menu.

The selected fields are displayed in the Test Mobile Data window.
7. You can display the data in the test mobile path in the following ways:
- Click the values in the Test Mobile Data window.
- Click the points on the test mobile path in the map window.
The test mobile data path appears in the map window as an arrow pointing towards the best server (see
Figure 13.63 on page 969) in the same colour as the transmitter.
8. You can display a secondary Y-axis on the right side of the window in order to display the values of a variable with
different orders of magnitude than the ones selected in the Display Parameters dialogue. You select the value to
be displayed from the right-hand list at the top of the Test Mobile Data window. The values are displayed in the
colour defined in the Display Parameters dialogue.
9. You can change the zoom level of the Test Mobile Data window display in the Test Mobile Data window in the
following ways:
- Zoom in or out:
i. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window.
ii. Select Zoom In or Zoom Out from the context menu.
- Select the data to zoom in on:
i. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window on one end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
ii. Select First Zoom Point from the context menu.
iii. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window on the other end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
iv. Select Last Zoom Point from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window zooms in on the data be-
tween the first zoom point and the last zoom point.
10. Click the data in the Test Mobile Data window to display the selected point in the map window. Atoll will recentre
the map window on the selected point if it is not presently visible.

Tip: If you open the table for the test mobile data you are displaying in the Test Mobile Data
window, Atoll will automatically display in the table the data for the point that is displayed
in the map and in the Test Mobile Data window (see Figure 13.63 on page 969).

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13.4.5 Printing and Exporting the Test Mobile Data Window

You can print or export the contents of the Test Mobile Data window using the context menu in the Test Mobile Data
window.
To print or export the contents of the Test Mobile Data window:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data path you want to print or export. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window appears (see Figure 13.63
on page 969).
5. Define the display parameters and zoom level as explained in "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on
page 969.
6. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window. The context menu appears.
To export the Test Mobile Data window:

a. Select Copy from the context menu.

b. Open the document into which you want to paste the contents of the Test Mobile Data window.
c. Paste the contents of the Test Mobile Data window into the new document.
To print the Test Mobile Data window:

a. Select Print from the context menu. The Print dialogue appears.
b. Click OK to print the contents of the Test Mobile Data window.

13.5 Advanced Configuration

The following sections describe different advanced parameters and options available in the WiMAX module that are used
in coverage predictions as well as Monte Carlo simulations.
In this section, the following advanced configuration options are explained:
• "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 971.
• "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 972.
• "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975.
• "Defining WiMAX Radio Bearers" on page 977.
• "Defining WiMAX Quality Indicators" on page 977.
• "Defining WiMAX Equipment" on page 978.
• "Defining Smart Antenna Equipment" on page 983.
• "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on page 984.
• "Modelling Shadowing" on page 986.

13.5.1 Defining Frequency Bands

To define frequency bands:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > Frequencies > Bands from the context menu.
4. In the table, enter one frequency band per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with
Data Tables" on page 50. For each frequency band, enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the frequency band, for example, "3.3 GHz - 1.5 MHz." Each WiMAX frequency band
has a specific channel bandwidth. Mentioning the channel bandwidth in the frequency band name is a good
approach. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a frequency band.
- Channel Width (MHz): Enter the channel bandwidth for each channel in the frequency band.
- First Channel: Enter the number of the first channel in this frequency band.
- Last Channel: Enter the number of the last channel in this frequency band. If this frequency band has only
one carrier, enter the same number as entered in the First Channel field.

Note: The relationship between the frequency band (spectrum), the channel width, and the
channel numbers can be defined as:
Frequency Band Width = Channel Bandwidth x (Last Channel + 1 - First Channel)
So, if you have a frequency band of 15 MHz, and you are deploying your network with
1.5 MHz allocated to each cell, you can find the First and Last Channel numbers by:
Last Channel - First Channel = (Frequency Band Width / Channel Bandwidth) - 1
If you plan to keep the First Channel number = 0, for our example:
Last Channel = (15 MHz / 1.5 MHz) - 1 = 9

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- Excluded Channels: Enter the channel numbers which do not belong to the frequency band.
- Start Frequencies (MHz): Enter the start frequency for TDD frequency bands, and the downlink and the
uplink start frequencies for FDD frequency bands.
- Adjacent Channel Suppression Factor (dB): Enter the adjacent channel interference suppression factor in
dB. Interference received from adjacent channels is reduced by this factor during the calculations.
- Sampling Factor: Enter the sampling factor for converting the channel bandwidth into the sampling fre-
quency.
- Duplexing Method: Select the duplexing method used in the frequency band from the list.
5. When you have finished adding frequency bands, click Close.

You can also access the properties dialogue of each individual frequency band by clicking the Properties button.

13.5.2 The Global Transmitter Parameters

Atoll allows you to set network level parameters which are common to all the transmitters and cells in the network. These
parameters are used in coverage predictions as well as during Monte Carlo simulations by the radio resource management
and scheduling algorithms.
This section explains the options available on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue, and
explains how to access the tab:
• "The Options on the Global Parameters Tab" on page 972.
• "Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 974.

13.5.2.1 The Options on the Global Parameters Tab

The global WiMAX parameters include:
• Frame duration: The frame length in milliseconds. You can choose from a list of frame durations defined in the
IEEE 802.16 specifications.
• Cyclic prefix ratio: The total symbol duration in WiMAX comprises the useful part of the symbol, carrying the data
bits, and a CRC part, which is a portion of the useful data part repeated at the beginning of each symbol. The cyclic
prefix is the method used by WiMAX to counter inter-symbol interference (ISI). The cyclic prefix and the orthogo-
nality of subcarriers ensure that there is negligible intra-cell interference in WiMAX.
• Fixed and variable overheads: The fixed and variable overheads in the uplink and downlink subframes are used
to model the preamble and other time-domain overheads such as broadcast messages including DL-MAP, UL-
MAP, UCD, and DCD, and the FCH, in downlink, and Ranging and Bandwidth Request messages in the uplink.
The preamble is always one symbol duration long and can be modelled using the fixed overhead, while other mes-
sages whose lengths vary according to either the frame duration or the channel bandwidth can be modelled using
the variable overheads. This is the reason why the fixed overheads are available in terms of symbol duration (SD)
and the variable overheads in terms of percentages of the uplink and downlink subframes. Variable overheads are
percentages of the downlink and the uplink subframe sizes, after the fixed overheads have been removed from
the subframe size.
• DL:UL ratio (TDD only): This ratio represents the fractions of the frame duration which correspond to downlink
and uplink subframes. In FDD networks, the downlink and uplink subframes cover the entire frame duration but in
different frequency bands. In TDD however, the downlink and uplink subframes share the same frequency channel
and use parts of the same frame duplexed in time.
You can define the DL:UL ratio in percentage, where you enter the percentage of the DL subframe with respect
to the total frame duration and the percentage corresponding to the uplink subframe is automatically considered
to be equal to the remaining part of the frame. In WiMAX 802.16e documents, you can choose to define the DL:UL
ratio in terms of fractions of the total number of symbol durations available in one frame. For example, if the WiMAX
frame contains 47 symbol durations, you can set the downlink fraction to 32 and uplink to 15 (instead of a percent-
age of 66.667 %) so that Atoll uses the exact numbers of downlink and uplink symbol durations in calculations as
you entered.

Note: The exact number of symbol durations in one frame depends on various parameters
(channel bandwidth, frame duration, cyclic prefix lengths, sampling factor, etc.). Some of
these parameters can be different per cell. Therefore, the exact numbers of symbol
durations in downlink and uplink subframes can be different per cell as well. The exact
numbers of symbol durations in the downlink and uplink subframes are calculated by
Atoll for each cell according to the DL:UL ratio that you set in the Global Parameters. For
example, a DL:UL ratio of 36:12 would actually give 36:12 for a 5 MHz channel (sampling
factor = 1.12 and FFT size = 512) but would give 26:8 for a 7 MHz channel (sampling
factor = 1.14286 and FFT size = 1024) with the following configuration:
Frame Duration = 5 ms
Cyclic Prefix = 1/8
DL Fixed Overhead = UL Fixed Overhead = 0
TTG = RTG = 0 ms
DL:UL Ratio = 36:12

For more information on this calculation, see the Technical Reference Guide.

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• Transmission and reception time guards (TDD only): Transmission and reception time guards are also time
domain overheads, i.e., these are portions of the frame which cannot be used for data transfer. You can enter TTG
and RTG times in milliseconds.
• Uplink power control margin: The margin (in dB) that will be added to the bearer selection threshold, for safety
against fast fading, when performing power control in uplink.
• Serving (reference) cell selection method: The reference cell selection method is used for determining the ref-
erence cell in case of transmitters supporting more than one cell. The best serving transmitter for a pixel, sub-
scriber, or mobile is determined according to the received preamble signal level from the cell with the highest
preamble power. If more than one cell of the same transmitter cover the pixel, subscriber, or mobile, the reference
cell is determined according to the selected method:
- Random: In coverage prediction calculations and in calculations on subsriber lists, the cell with the lowest
order is selected as the serving (reference) cell. In Monte Carlo simulations, a random cell is selected as the
serving (reference) cell.
- Sequential: In coverage prediction calculations and in calculations on subsriber lists, the cell with the lowest
order is selected as the serving (reference) cell. In Monte Carlo simulations, cells are selected as serving (ref-
erence) cells for mobiles sequentially (one by one).
- Min DL Traffic Load: (Not implemented yet) The cell with the lowest downlink traffic load is selected as the
serving (reference) cell. If more than one cell has the same lowest downlink traffic load, the first cell among all
such cells is selected. During Monte Carlo simulations, as the cell traffic loads may vary, the serving cell for
mobiles may also change.
- Min UL Traffic Load: (Not implemented yet) The cell with the lowest uplink traffic load is selected as the
serving (reference) cell. If more than one cell has the same lowest uplink traffic load, the first cell among all
such cells is selected. During Monte Carlo simulations, as the cell traffic loads may vary, the serving cell for
mobiles may also change.
The Min DL Traffic Load and Min UL Traffic Load options model load balancing between cells. In coverage
predictions as the probe mobile selects the least loaded cell, i.e., tries to keep the traffic load balanced between
cells of the transmitter. Instead of loading already loaded cells even more, the base station chooses to load the
least loaded among them.

When using either the Random or the Sequential cell selection method, the reference cell once assigned to a
mobile does not change during Monte Carlo simulations.

The following parameters are only available in WiMAX 802.16d documents (based on the WiMAX 802.16d project
template).
• Number of subchannels per channel: A channel can be divided into a number of subchannels. You can set the
number of these subchannels at the network level in Atoll.
• Number of subcarriers per channel: The entire channel contains a number of subcarriers which compose the
upper and lower guard bands, the pilot subcarriers, and the data subcarriers. The guards, pilots, and the DC sub-
carrier can not be used for data transfer. The total thermal noise over the entire channel bandwidth is computed
according to the number of used subcarriers out of the total number of subcarriers. The used subcarriers are the
data and the pilot subcarriers. The data transfer capacity of a channel is calculated by considering the data sub-
carriers only.

Note: The term subcarrier is synonymous with tone.

Figure 13.65 depicts a WiMAX frame with the described parameters marked.

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Figure 13.65: WiMAX Frame

13.5.2.2 Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters

You can change global transmitter parameters on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
To set the network level parameters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Select the Global Parameters tab.
The Global Parameters tab has three sections.

- Frame Structure: In this section (see Figure 13.66), you can modify the following: the Frame Duration of
WiMAX frame, the Cyclic Prefix Ratio, the fixed and variable overheads for the uplink and the downlink sub-
frames, and, for TDD networks, the downlink-to-uplink subframe ratio (DL:UL Ratio) either in percentage or
(WiMAX 802.16e only) in fractions of the number of available symbol durations in one frame, and the trans-
mission and reception time guards (TTG and RTG).
The DL:UL ratio entered in fractions must include the symbol duration(s) used by the preamble or any other
fixed-duration overheads. During calculations, Atoll first determines the total amount of resources available
in one frame and then the resources effectively available for user data by removing any fixed and variable
overheads that you have defined.

- Uplink Power Control: In this section, you can enter the uplink power control Margin.
- Serving Cell Selection: In this section, you can choose the serving cell selection Method.

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Figure 13.66: Common Global Parameters

The following section is only available in WiMAX 802.16d documents (based on the WiMAX 802.16d project
template).

- Channel Configuration: In this section, you can enter the following: the number of subchannels per
channel, the total number of subcarriers per channel, the number of used subcarriers per channel and
the number of data subcarriers per channel.

Figure 13.67: WiMAX 802.16d-specific Global Parameters

5. Click OK. The global parameters are used during coverage predictions and simulations for the entire network.

13.5.3 Defining Frame Configurations

Frame configurations and permutation zones are only available in WiMAX 802.16e documents (based on the WiMAX
802.16e project template). The SOFDMA frame configuration model uses different numbers of subcarriers for different
channel bandwidths. As well, there can be up to 8 different permutation zones in the downlink subframe and 3 in the uplink
subframe. Each permutation zone can use a different subchannel allocation mode, and may have different numbers of
used and data subcarriers. The Frame Configurations table in Atoll models the channel and frame configuration of a cell.
To create a new frame configuration:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > Frame Configurations from the context menu. The Frame Configurations table
appears.
4. In the Frame Configurations table, each row describes a frame configuration. For the new frame configuration,
enter:
- Name: The name of the frame configuration.
- Total Number of Subcarriers: The total number of subcarriers per channel.
- Segmentation Support: Select the Segmentation Support check box if the first PUSC permutation zone in
the downlink is segmented.
- Number of Preamble Subcarriers: The number of subcarriers used for the transmitting the preamble. This
is the number of subcarriers used when the preamble is not segmented. For a segmented frame configuration,
the number of subcarriers used by the segmented preamble are determined automatically from this value
during calculations.
5. Double-click the frame configuration row in the table once the new frame configuration has been added to the
table. The frame configuration’s Properties dialogue opens (see Figure 13.68).
6. Under the General tab, you can modify the parameters that you set previously.
7. Under the Permutation Zones tab, you have the following parameters:

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Atoll User Manual

- Zone Number: The permutation zone number.

- Active: Whether the permutation zone is active or not. Only active permutation zones are considered in cal-
culations.
- Subchannel Allocation Mode: The subchannel allocation mode used by the permutation zone. You can
select from PUSC DL, PUSC, FUSC, OFUSC, AMC, TUSC1, and TUSC2 for the downlink subframe, and from
PUSC UL, OPUSC, and AMC for the uplink subframe.
- Number of Used Subcarriers: The number of subcarriers used for transmission. This number includes the
pilot and data subcarriers.
- Number of Data Subcarriers: The number of subcarriers used for data transfer.
- Number of Subchannels per Channel: The number of subchannels in the channel.
- Subframe: Whether the permutation zone belongs to the downlink or the uplink subframe.
- Quality Threshold: The minimum preamble C/N required for a user to be allocated the permutation zone.

Note: Make sure that the permutation zone quality threshold values respect the traffic power
reduction defined for the cell, and whether the frame configuration supports segmentation
or not.
The quality threshold for a permutation zone is calculated in one of two ways:
- For any permutation zone of a frame configuration that does not support segmentation,
or for the segmented permutation zone in a frame configuration that supports segmen-
tation, the quality threshold is calculated as follows:
Quality Threshold (Preamble C/N) = Required Traffic C/N + Traffic Power Reduction

- For a non-segmented permutation zone in a frame configuration that supports seg-

mentation, the quality threshold is calculated as follows:
Quality Threshold (Preamble C/N) = Required Traffic C/N + Traffic Power Reduction +
Power Concentration Gain

Where the power concentration gain is equal to

⎛ 1 ⎞
-⎟ = 10 × Log ( 3 ) = 4.77 dB , with f Preamble
10 × Log ⎜ ---------------------- Segment being the preamble
Preamble
⎝ f Segment ⎠
segmenting factor signifying that a segmented preamble uses 1/3rd of the used sub-
carriers in the channel.

For example, if the required traffic C/N is 15 dB and the traffic power reduction is 3 dB, the
quality threshold for the segmented permutation zone in this case would be 18 dB, and for
a non-segmented permutation zone would be 22.77 dB.

- Max Speed: The maximum vehicular speed supported by the permutation zone.
- Priority: The priority of the permutation zone in terms of its allocation to a user.
- Diversity Support: The type of antenna diversity technique (AAS, STTD/MRC, SU-MIMO, AMS, and MU-
MIMO) supported by the permutation zone. You cannot select more than one type of MIMO technique (STTD/
MRC, SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO, and AMS) at a time.
Specific calculations will be performed (gains will be applied) for terminals supporting AAS and MIMO. A per-
mutation zone that only supports None does not have any antenna diversity mechanism, and all the terminal
types can connect to this zone. A permutation zone that supports None and one or more antenna diversity
techniques can also support terminals capable of those diversity techniques. For example, None+AAS can
support simple as well as AAS-capable terminals, and None+AMS can support simple and MIMO-capable ter-
minals. Simple terminals cannot connect to a permutation zone that does not support None.

- Max Distance: The maximum distance from the base station covered by the permutation zone.
- Subchannel Groups (Segment 0): The primary (0, 2, 4) and secondary (1, 3, 5) subchannel groups assigned
to the segments 0.
- Subchannel Groups (Segment 1): The primary (0, 2, 4) and secondary (1, 3, 5) subchannel groups assigned
to the segments 1.
- Subchannel Groups (Segment 2): The primary (0, 2, 4) and secondary (1, 3, 5) subchannel groups assigned
to the segments 2.
The primary subchannel groups (0, 2, 4) are determined directly from the preamble index and the segment
number. For a list of correspondence between preamble indexes and subchannel groups, and a list of corre-
spondence between subchannels and subchannel groups, see "Glossary of WiMAX Terms" on page 995.

Permutation zones are allocated to users based on the Quality Threshold (dB), Max Speed (km/h), Max Distance, and
Priority parameters. The quality threshold, maximum speed, and maximum distance criteria are used to determine the
possible permutation zones for each user. Then, the highest priority permutation zone among the possible permutation
zones is allocated to the user.
To see examples of how to setup cells with and without segmentation, and how to setup cells with PUSC, FUSC, and
permutation zones of other subchannel allocation modes, see "Tips and Tricks" on page 987.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

Figure 13.68: Permutation Zones

13.5.4 Defining WiMAX Radio Bearers

WiMAX radio bearers carry the data in the uplink as well as in the downlink.

Note: In the Atoll WiMAX module, a "bearer" refers to a combination of MCS, i.e., modulation,
and coding schemes.

The WiMAX Bearers table lists the radio bearers available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove, and modify bearer
properties, if you wish.
To define WiMAX bearers:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > WiMAX Bearers from the context menu. The WiMAX Bearers table appears.
4. In the table, enter one bearer per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables"
on page 50. For each WiMAX bearer, enter:
- Radio Bearer Index: Enter a bearer index. This bearer index is used to identify the bearer in other tables,
such as the bearer selection thresholds and the quality graphs in WiMAX equipment.
- Name: Enter a name for the bearer, for example, "16QAM3/4." This name will appear in other dialogues and
results.
- Modulation: Select a modulation from the list of available modulation types. This column is for information
and display purposes only.
- Coding Rate: Enter the coding rate used by the bearer. This column is for information and display purposes
only.
- Bearer Efficiency (bits/symbol): Enter the number of useful bits that the bearer can carry in a symbol. This
information is used in throughput calculations.
For information on the relation between bearer efficiency and spectral efficiency, see "Relation Between Bear-
er Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency" on page 990.

5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the WiMAX Bearers table.

13.5.5 Defining WiMAX Quality Indicators

Quality indicators depict the coverage quality at different locations. The Quality Indicators table lists the quality indicators
available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove and modify quality indicators, if you wish.
To define quality indicators:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > Quality Indicators from the context menu. The Quality Indicators table appears.
4. In the table, enter one quality indicator per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with
Data Tables" on page 50. For each quality indicator, enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the quality indicator, for example, "BLER" for Block Error Rate. This name will appear
in other dialogues and results.
- Used for Data Services: Select this check box to indicate that this quality indicator can be used for data serv-
ices.
- Used for Voice Services: Select this check box to indicate that this quality indicator can be used for voice
services.
5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Quality Indicators table.

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Atoll User Manual

13.5.6 Defining WiMAX Equipment

WiMAX equipment model the reception characteristics of cells and user terminals. Bearer selection thresholds and chan-
nel quality indicator graphs are defined in WiMAX equipment.
To create a new piece of WiMAX equipment:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Equipment > WiMAX Equipment from the context menu. The WiMAX Equipment table appears.
4. In the WiMAX Equipment table, each row describes a piece of equipment. For the new piece of equipment you
are creating, enter its name.
5. Double-click the equipment entry in the WiMAX Equipment table once your new equipment has been added to
the table. The equipment’s Properties dialogue opens.
The Properties dialogue has the following tabs:

- Bearer Selection Thresholds: In this tab (see Figure 13.69), you can modify the Bearer Selection Thresh-
olds for different mobility types. A bearer is selected for data transfer at a given pixel if the received carrier-
to-interference-and-noise ratio is higher than its selection threshold. For more information on bearers and
mobility types, see "Defining WiMAX Radio Bearers" on page 977 and "Modelling Mobility Types" on
page 906, respectively.

Figure 13.69: WiMAX Equipment - Bearer Selection Thresholds

i. Click the Best Bearer Thresholds button to open the C/(I+N) Thresholds (dB) dialogue (see
Figure 13.70).
ii. Enter the graph values.
iii. Click OK.

Figure 13.70: C/(I+N) Thresholds (dB) dialogue

For more information on the default values of the bearer selection thresholds, see "Bearer Selection Thresh-
olds" on page 988. For converting receiver equipment sensitivity values (dBm) into bearer selection thresh-
olds, see "Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values" on page 989.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

Note: Subscriber lists use the mobility type "Fixed", i.e., 0 km/hr, in calculations. Make sure that
you have bearer selection thresholds defined for this mobility type in the WiMAX
equipment properties if you are working with subscriber lists.

- Quality Graphs: On this tab (see Figure 13.71), you can modify the Quality Indicator Graphs for different
bearers for different mobility types. These graphs depict the behaviour of various quality indicators under dif-
ferent radio conditions. For more information on bearers, quality indicators, and mobility types, see "Defining
WiMAX Radio Bearers" on page 977, "Defining WiMAX Quality Indicators" on page 977, and "Modelling
Mobility Types" on page 906, respectively.

Figure 13.71: WiMAX Equipment - Quality Indicator Graphs

i. Click the Quality Graph button to open the Quality Graph dialogue (see Figure 13.72).
ii. Enter the graph values.
iii. Click OK.

Figure 13.72: Quality Indicator Graph dialogue

- MIMO: On this tab (see Figure 13.73), you can modify the SU-MIMO and STTD/MRC gains for different
bearers, mobility types, subchannel allocation modes (WiMAX 802.16e), BLER values, and numbers of trans-
mission and reception antennas. The capacity gain due to spatial multiplexing is the increase in channel
capacity compared to a SISO system. For more information on bearers and mobility types, see "Defining
WiMAX Radio Bearers" on page 977 and "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 906, respectively.
For more information on the different MIMO systems, see "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on
page 984.

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Atoll User Manual

TX RX
Note: No MIMO gain (STTD/MRC, SU-MIMO, and MU-MIMO) is applied if N Ant = N Ant = 1 .

Figure 13.73: WiMAX Equipment - MIMO gains

i. Enter the STTD/MRC Gain for a combination of Subchannel Allocation Mode (WiMAX 802.16e), Mo-
bility, Radio Bearer Index, Max BLER, Number of Transmission Antennas, and Number of Recep-
tion Antennas.
ii. Click the Max SU-MIMO Gain Graphs button to open the Max SU-MIMO Gain dialogue for a combination
of Subchannel Allocation Mode (WiMAX 802.16e), Mobility, Radio Bearer Index, Max BLER, Number
of Transmission Antennas, and Number of Reception Antennas (see Figure 13.74).
iii. Enter the graph values.
iv. Click OK.
You can define the STTD/MRC and SU-MIMO gains for a specific combination of subchannel allocation mode,
mobility type, bearer, and BLER, as well as the default gains for "All" subchannel allocation modes, "All" mobility
types, "All" bearers, and a Max BLER of 1. During calculations, Atoll uses the gains defined for a specific combi-
nation if available, otherwise it uses the default gains.

Figure 13.74: Max SU-MIMO Gain dialogue

6. Click OK. The Properties dialogue closes. The settings are stored.
7. Click the Close button ( ) to close the WiMAX Equipment table.

13.5.7 Defining WiMAX Schedulers

In Atoll, schedulers perform the selection of users for resource allocation, the radio resource allocation and management
according to the QoS classes of the services being accessed by the selected users.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

WiMAX has the following QoS classes:

QoS Class Priority Throughput Demands

UGS Highest • Min Throughput Demand = Max Throughput Demand

• Min Throughput Demand

ErtPS :
• Max Throughput Demand
• Min Throughput Demand
rtPS :
• Max Throughput Demand
• Min Throughput Demand
nrtPS :
• Max Throughput Demand
• Min Throughput Demand = 0
Best Effort Lowest
• Max Throughput Demand

The scheduling process is composed of the following three steps:

1. Selection of users for resource allocation: The Max Number of Users defined for each cell is the maximum
number of users that the cell’s scheduler can work with simultaneously. At the start of the scheduling process, the
scheduler keeps only as many users as the maximum number defined for resource allocation. If no limit has been
set, all the users generated during the Monte Carlo simulations for this cell are considered, and the scheduler
continues to allocate resources until there are no more resources to allocate.
2. Resource allocation for supporting the Min Throughput Demands: The first four QoS classes have a min-
imum throughput demand requirement. This is the minimum data rate that a service of one of these QoS classes
must get in order to work properly. The scheduler is either able to allocate the exact amount of resources required
to fully support the minimum throughput demands, or the service does not get any resources at all.
The scheduler allocates resources, for supporting the minimum throughput demands, to users of these QoS
classes in the order of priority. The final service priority is determined based on the QoS class as well as the Prior-
ity parameter defined for the service. For example, if there are two services of each QoS class with different prior-
ities, the order of resource allocation will be as follows:

i. Users of a service with QoS class = UGS, Service priority = 1

ii. Users of a service with QoS class = UGS, Service priority = 0
iii. Users of a service with QoS class = ErtPS, Service priority = 1
iv. Users of a service with QoS class = ErtPS, Service priority = 0
v. Users of a service with QoS class = rtPS, Service priority = 1
vi. Users of a service with QoS class = rtPS, Service priority = 0
vii. Users of a service with QoS class = nrtPS, Service priority = 1
viii. Users of a service with QoS class = nrtPS, Service priority = 0
In order to be connected, users who are active in downlink and uplink must be able to get their minimum through-
put in both directions. If a user who is active in downlink and uplink gets his minimum throughput in only one direc-
tion, he will be rejected.

3. Resource allocation for supporting the Max Throughput Demands: Once the resources have been allocated
for supporting the minimum throughput demands in the previous step, the remaining resources can be allocated
in different ways to support the maximum throughput demands of the users. The last four QoS classes can have
maximum throughput demand requirements.
For allocating resources to support the maximum throughput demands, the following types of scheduling methods
are available:

- Proportional Fair: The proportional fair scheduling method allocates the same amount of resources to all the
users with a maximum throughput demand. Therefore, the resources allocated to each user are either the
resources it requires to achieve its maximum throughput demand or the total amount of resources divided by
the total number of users in the cell, which ever is smaller.
- Proportional Demand: The proportional demand scheduling method allocates resources proportional to the
demands of users who have a maximum throughput demand. Therefore, users with higher maximum
throughput demands will have higher resulting throughputs than the users with lower maximum throughput
demands.
- Biased (QoS Class): The biased scheduling method first determines the amount of resources available for
the users of each QoS class, and then allocates these resources among the users of each QoS class like a
proportional fair scheduler. The percentage of the remaining resources that are available for any QoS class is
determined based on the QoS Class Bias Factor and the priorities of the QoS classes:

1 i
N i × ⎛ ---⎞
⎝ β⎠
% of resources available for QoS Class i = ----------------------------------- × 100
i
⎛N × ⎛ 1 ---⎞ ⎞
⎝ ∑
i ⎝ β⎠ ⎠
i

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Atoll User Manual

Where i represents the QoS classes that have a maximum throughput demand, i.e., ErtPS (i = 1), rtPS (i = 2),
nrtPS (i = 3), and Best Effort (i = 4). N i is the number users of QoS class i, and β is the QoS class bias de-
QoS
QoS f Bias
termined from the QoS Class Bias Factor f Bias as follows: β = 1 + ----------
-.
100

Note: The QoS Class Bias Factor should be set so as to achieve a valid value of β . For
example, for equal numbers of users in each QoS class,
QoS
- f Bias = – 90 gives β = 0.1 which allocates (approximately):

0.1 % resources to ErtPS; 0.9 % resources to rtPS; 9 % resources to nrtPS; 90 % re-

sources to Best Effort.

QoS
- f Bias = 9900 gives β = 100 which allocates (approximately):

90 % resources to ErtPS; 9 % resources to rtPS; 0.9 % resources to nrtPS; 0.1 % re-

sources to Best Effort.

- Max Aggregate Throughput: This scheduling method allocates the resources required by the users to
achieve their maximum throughput demands in the order of their traffic C/(I+N). This means that users who
are under good radio conditions, high traffic C/(I+N), will get all the resources they require. The end result of
this scheduling method is that the aggregate cell throughputs are maximised.
For all the scheduling methods, resources are allocated to support the maximum throughput demand until either
the maximum throughput demands of all the users are satisfied or the scheduler runs out of resources.

The Schedulers table lists the schedulers available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove, and modify scheduler prop-
erties, if you wish.
To define WiMAX schedulers:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > Schedulers from the context menu. The Schedulers table appears.
4. In the table, enter one scheduler per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 50. For each scheduler, enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the scheduler. This name will appear in the cell properties.
- Scheduling Method: Select the scheduling method used by the scheduler for allocating resources to support
the maximum throughput demands.
- QoS Class Bias Factor: For the schedulers using Biased (QoS Class) scheduling method, enter the bias
factor to be used for distributing resources between different QoS classes. QoS Class Bias Factor = 0 means
no bias.
- Target Throughput for Voice Services: Select the throughput that the scheduler will target to satisfy for all
voice-type services.
- Target Throughput for Data Services: Select the throughput that the scheduler will target to satisfy for all
data-type services.
5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Schedulers table.

13.5.8 Smart Antenna Systems

Smart antenna systems use digital signal processing with more than one antenna element in order to locate and track vari-
ous types of signals to dynamically minimize interference and maximize the useful signal reception. Different types of
smart antenna techniques exist, including beam-switching, beam-steering, beam-forming, etc. Adaptive antenna systems
are capable of using adaptive algorithms to cancel out interfering signals.
Atoll includes two smart antenna models. The conventional beamformer performs beamforming in downlink and uplink.
The optimum beamformer performs beamforming in downlink, and beamforming and interference cancellation in the uplink
using an MMSE (Minimum Mean Square Error) algorithm. Smart antennas dynamically calculate and apply the smart
antenna weights on each antenna element in order to create beams in the directions of served users. In uplink, the Mini-
mum Mean Square Error algorithm models the effect of null steering towards interfering mobiles.
The antenna patterns created for downlink transmission have a main beam pointed in the direction of the useful signal.
For the optimum beamformer, in the uplink, in addition to the main beam pointed in the direction of the useful signal, there
can also be one or more nulls in the directions of the interfering signals. If the optimum beamformer uses L antenna
elements, it is possible to create L–1 nulls and, thereby, cancel L–1 interfering signals.
In a mobile environment where the interference is not stationary but moving, the antenna patterns are adjusted so that the
nulls remain in the direction of the moving interference. A system using adaptive antennas adjusts the weighting on each
antenna element so as to achieve such a pattern. Atoll’s smart antenna models support linear adaptive array systems.
TDD WiMAX networks are more suitable for smart antennas than FDD because the uplink and downlink channel charac-
teristics are similar, and information gathered from a mobile in the uplink can be directly used for downlink estimations by
the base station.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

Atoll’s WiMAX BWA module includes the following smart antenna modelling types:
• "Optimum Beamformer" on page 983.
• "Conventional Beamformer" on page 983.
The following section explains how to work with smart antenna equipment in Atoll:
• "Defining Smart Antenna Equipment" on page 983.

13.5.8.1 Optimum Beamformer

The optimum beamformer works by forming beams in the downlink in the direction of the served mobiles, and cancelling
uplink interference from mobiles by using the Minimum Mean Square Error adaptive algorithm. The following paragraphs
explain how the model is used in Monte Carlo simulations and in coverage prediction calculations.
• Modelling in Monte Carlo Simulations:
In the downlink, the power transmitted towards the served mobile from a cell is calculated by forming a beam in
that direction. For cells using smart antennas, the smart antenna weights are dynamically calculated for each
mobile being served. Beamforming is performed in interfered as well as interfering cells and the downlink CINR
calculated by taking into account the effects of beamforming.

In the uplink, the powers received from served mobiles include the beamforming gains in their directions. For
taking into account the interfering mobiles, an inverse noise correlation matrix is calculated for each cell. Interfer-
ence cancellation is modelled using the MMSE adaptive algorithm. For each pair of interfered and interfering
users, the received interference and its direction are memorised. At the end of a simulation, this results in an angu-
lar distribution of the uplink noise rise calculated from the inverse noise correlation matrix.

The smart antenna simulation results include the angular distribution of the transmitted power spectral density
(downlink) and the angular distribution of the noise rise (uplink) for each cell. These results are then used to carry
out CINR-based coverage predictions for base stations using smart antennas.

• Modelling in Coverage Predictions:

The smart antenna results from Monte Carlo simulations are used in coverage predictions. In downlink, beamform-
ing is performed to calculate the smart antenna gain towards each pixel of the studied cell dynamically in order to
determine the received power. To calculate the interference, the simulation results for the angular distributions of
downlink transmitted power spectral density are used in order to determine the power transmitted by an interfering
cell in the direction of each served pixel of the studied cell.

In uplink, beamforming is performed to calculate the smart antenna gain towards each pixel of the studied cell
dynamically in order to determine the received power. The interference is read from the angular distribution of the
uplink noise rise (simulation result) calculated for the studied cell.

13.5.8.2 Conventional Beamformer

The conventional beamformer works by forming beams in the downlink and uplink in the direction of the served mobiles.
The following paragraphs explain how the model is used in Monte Carlo simulations and in coverage prediction calcula-
tions.
• Modelling in Monte Carlo Simulations:
In the downlink, the power transmitted towards the served mobile from a cell is calculated by forming a beam in
that direction. For cells using smart antennas, the smart antenna weights are dynamically calculated for each
mobile being served. Beamforming is performed in interfered as well as interfering cells and the downlink CINR
calculated by taking into account the effects of beamforming.

In the uplink, the powers received from served mobiles include the beamforming gains in their directions. For
taking into account the interfering mobiles, an inverse noise correlation matrix is calculated for each cell. For each
pair of interfered and interfering users, the received interference and its direction are memorised. At the end of a
simulation, this results in an angular distribution of the uplink noise rise calculated from the inverse noise correla-
tion matrix.

The smart antenna simulation results include the angular distribution of the transmitted power spectral density
(downlink) and the angular distribution of the noise rise (uplink) for each cell. These results are then used to carry
out CINR-based coverage predictions for base stations using smart antennas.

• Modelling in Coverage Predictions:

The smart antenna results from Monte Carlo simulations are used in coverage predictions. In downlink, beamform-
ing is performed to calculate the smart antenna gain towards each pixel of the studied cell dynamically in order to
determine the received power. To calculate the interference, the simulation results for the angular distributions of
downlink transmitted power spectral density are used in order to determine the power transmitted by an interfering
cell in the direction of each served pixel of the studied cell.

In uplink, beamforming is performed to calculate the smart antenna gain towards each pixel of the studied cell
dynamically in order to determine the received power. The interference is read from the angular distribution of the
uplink noise rise (simulation result) calculated for the studied cell.

13.5.8.3 Defining Smart Antenna Equipment

Smart antenna equipment model adaptive antenna systems with more than one antenna element. Atoll WiMAX BWA
module includes two smart antenna models, a conventional beamformer and an MMSE-based (Minimum Mean Square

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Error) optimum beamformer. For more information on these smart antenna models in Atoll, see the Technical Reference
Guide
To create a smart antenna equipment:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Equipment > Smart Antenna Equipment from the context menu. The Smart Antenna Equipment table
appears.
4. In the Smart Antenna Equipment table, each row describes a piece of smart antenna equipment. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50. For the new smart antenna equipment,
enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the smart antenna equipment.
- Antenna Model: Select Optimum Beamformer or Conventional Beamformer from the list.
- Main Antenna Model: Select the main antenna model to be used with the smart antenna equipment. The list
contains the antennas available in the Antennas folder. When you assign the smart antenna equipment to a
transmitter, you can choose to replace the current main antenna model with this model.
5. Click the Properties button. The smart antenna properties dialogue appears.
In the smart antenna properties dialogue you can modify the smart antenna equipment properties. You can also
modify the properties of the model.

To modify the properties:

a. Click the Parameters button. The smart antenna model’s properties dialogue appears.
b. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can change the default Name of the smart antenna model.
c. Click the Properties tab (see Figure 13.75). On the Properties tab, you can define:
- Number of Elements: The number of antenna elements in the smart antenna system.
- Single Element Pattern: The antenna model to be used for each antenna element. You can select an
antenna model from the list. The list contains the antennas available in the Antennas folder.

Figure 13.75: Smart antenna model properties

d. Click OK. The smart antenna model properties are saved.

6. Click OK. The smart antenna equipment properties are saved.
7. When you have finished adding smart antenna equipment, click Close.

13.5.9 Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems use different transmission and reception diversity techniques. MIMO diver-
sity systems can roughly be divided into the following types, all of which are modelled in Atoll:

Space-Time Transmit Diversity and Maximum Ratio Combining

STTD uses more than one transmission antenna to send more than one copy of the same signal. The signals are construc-
tively combined (using optimum selection or maximum ratio combining, MRC) at the receiver to extract the useful signal.
As the receiver gets more than one copy of the useful signal, the signal level at the receiver after combination of all the
copies is more resistant to interference than a single signal would be. Therefore, STTD improves the C/(I+N) at the
receiver. It is often used for the regions of a cell that have bad C/(I+N) conditions. STTD is also known as STC (Space
Time Coding) and STBC (Space-Time Block Codes).
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell (WiMAX 802.16d) or a permutation zone (WiMAX 802.16e) supports STTD/MRC by
selecting the corresponding diversity support mode in cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 872) or frame config-
uration properties (see "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975), respectively. STTD/MRC gains on downlink and
uplink can be defined in the WiMAX equipment for different numbers of transmission and reception antennas, mobility
types, bearers, subchannel allocation modes (WiMAX 802.16e), and maximum BLER. For more information on uplink and
downlink STTD/MRC gains, see "Defining WiMAX Equipment" on page 978. Additional gain values can be defined per
clutter class. For information on setting the additional STTD/MRC uplink and downlink gains for each clutter class or for
all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 115.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (pixel, mobile, or subscriber) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
(uplink or downlink permutation zone in WiMAX 802.16e) that supports STTD/MRC, will benefit from the downlink and
uplink STTD/MRC C/(I+N) gains.

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Single-User MIMO or Spatial Multiplexing

SU-MIMO uses more than one transmission antenna to send different signals (data streams) on each antenna. The
receiver can also have more than one antenna for receiving different signals. Using spatial multiplexing with M transmis-
sion and N reception antennas, the throughput over the transmitter-receiver link can be theoretically increased M or N
times, depending on which is smaller, M or N. SU-MIMO improves the throughput (channel capacity) for a given C/(I+N),
and is used for the regions of a cell that have sufficient C/(I+N) conditions. SU-MIMO (single-user MIMO) is also referred
to as SM (spatial multiplxing) or simply MIMO.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell (WiMAX 802.16d) or a permutation zone (WiMAX 802.16e) supports SU-MIMO by
selecting the corresponding diversity support mode in cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 872) or frame config-
uration properties (see "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975), respectively. SU-MIMO capacity gains can be
defined in the WiMAX equipment for different numbers of transmission and reception antennas, mobility types, bearers,
subchannel allocation modes (WiMAX 802.16e), and maximum BLER. For more information on SU-MIMO gains, see
"Defining WiMAX Equipment" on page 978.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (pixel, mobile, or subscriber) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
(uplink and downlink permutation zones in WiMAX 802.16e) that supports SU-MIMO, will benefit from the SU-MIMO gain
in its throughput depending on its traffic C/(I+N).
As SU-MIMO improves the channel capacity or throughputs, the traffic C/(I+N) of a user is first determined. Once the traffic
C/(I+N) is known, Atoll calculates the user throughput based on the bearer available at the user location. The obtained
user throughput is then increased according to the SU-MIMO capacity gain and the SU-MIMO Gain Factor of the user’s
clutter class. The capacity gains defined in Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs are the maximum theoretical capacity gains using
SU-MIMO. SU-MIMO requires rich multipath environment, without which the gain is reduced. In the worst case, there is
no gain. Therefore, it is possible to define an SU-MIMO Gain Factor per clutter class whose value can vary from 0 to 1 (0
= no gain, 1 = 100 % gain). For information on setting the SU-MIMO Gain Factor for each clutter class or for all clutter
classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 115.
The SU-MIMO capacity gain vs. C/(I+N) graphs available in Atoll by default have been generated based on the maximum
theoretical SU-MIMO capacity gains obtained using the following equations:

CC MIMO
G MIMO = ---------------------
-
CC SISO

TX RX ⎛ C ⁄ (I + N) ⎞
Where CC MIMO = Min ( N Ant, N Ant ) × Log 2 ⎜ 1 + ------------------------------------------⎟ is the channel capacity at a given C/(I+N) for a MIMO
TX RX
⎝ Min ( N Ant, N Ant )⎠
TX RX
system using N Ant transmission and N Ant reception antenna ports. CC SISO = Log 2 ( 1 + C ⁄ ( I + N ) ) is the channel
capacity for a single antenna system at a given C/(I+N). C/(I+N) is used as a ratio (not dB) in these formulas. You can
replace the default SU-MIMO capacity gain graphs with graphs extracted from simulated or measured values.

Adaptive MIMO Switch

This is a technique for switching from SU-MIMO to STTD/MRC as the preamble signal conditions get worse than a given
threshold. AMS can be used in cells to provide SU-MIMO gains to users that have better preamble C/N conditions than a
given AMS threshold, and STTD/MRC gains to users that have worse preamble C/N conditions than the threshold. AMS
provides the optimum solution using STTD/MRC and SU-MIMO features to their best.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (pixel, mobile, or subscriber) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
(uplink and downlink permutation zones in WiMAX 802.16e) that supports AMS, will benefit from the gain to be applied,
STTD/MRC or SU-MIMO, depending on the user’s preamble C/N and the AMS threshold defined in the cell properties.
STTD/MRC gain is applied to the user’s traffic C/(I+N) if the user’s preamble C/N is less than the AMS threshold, and SU-
MIMO is used if the preamble C/N is higher than the AMS threshold.

Multi-User MIMO or Collaborative MIMO

MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO) or Collaborative MIMO is a technique for spatially multiplexing more than one user who have
good enough radio conditions at their locations. This technique is used in uplink so that a cell with more than one reception
antenna can receive uplink transmissions from two different users over the same frequency-time allocation. This technique
provides considerable capacity gains in uplink, and can be used with single-antenna user equipment, i.e., it does not
require more than one antenna at the user equipment as opposed to SU-MIMO, which only provides considerable gains
with more than one antenna at the user equipment.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell (WiMAX 802.16d) or an uplink permutation zone (WiMAX 802.16e) supports MU-MIMO
in uplink by selecting the corresponding diversity support mode in cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 872) or
frame configuration properties (see "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975), respectively. MU-MIMO capacity gains
result from the scheduling and RRM process. Using MU-MIMO, schedulers are able to allocate resources over two
spatially multiplexed parallel frames in the same frequency-time resource allocation plane. MU-MIMO can only work under
good radio conditions and if the cell has more than one reception antenna. Therefore, the preamble C/N must be higher
than the MU-MIMO threshold defined by cell in order for the scheduler to be able to multiplex users in uplink.
During the calculations of Monte Carlo simulations in Atoll, each new user connected to the first antenna creates virtual
resources available on the second antenna. These virtual resources can then be allocated to a second user connected to
the second antenna without increasing the overall load of the cell. In this way, each new mobile consumes the virtual
resources made available be the previous mobile, and may create new virtual resources available on the other antenna.
The MU-MIMO gain resulting from this uplink collaborative multiplexing is simply the ratio of the traffic loads of all the
mobiles connected to both parallel frames in uplink to the uplink traffic load of the cell. MU-MIMO is only possible for

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mobiles that support MIMO and at which the preamble C/N is greater than the MU-MIMO threshold defined for their serving
cell. The MU-MIMO gain can be defined per cell by the user or it can be an output of the Monte Carlo simulations. This
gain is used during the calculation of uplink throughput coverage predictions. The channel throughput is multiplied by this
gain for pixels where MU-MIMO is used as the diversity mode.

13.5.10 Modelling Shadowing

Shadowing, or slow fading, is signal loss along a path that is caused by obstructions not taken into consideration by the
propagation model. Even when a receiver remains in the same location or in the same clutter class, there are variations
in reception due to the surrounding environment.
Normally, the signal received at any given point is spread on a gaussian curve around an average value and a specific
standard deviation. If the propagation model is correctly calibrated, the average of the results it gives should be correct.
In other words, in 50% of the measured cases, the result will be better and in 50% of the measured cases, the result will
be worse.
Atoll uses a model standard deviation for the clutter class with the defined cell edge coverage probability to model the
effect of shadowing and thereby create coverage predictions that are reliable more than fifty percent of the time. The addi-
tional losses or gains caused by shadowing are known as the shadowing margin. The shadowing margin is added to the
path losses calculated by the propagation model.
For example, a properly calibrated propagation model calculates a loss leading to a signal level of -70 dBm. You have set
a cell edge coverage probability of 85%. If the calculated shadowing margin is 7 dB for a specific point, the target signal
will be equal to or greater than -77 dBm 85% of the time.
In WiMAX projects, the model standard deviation is used to calculate shadowing margins on signal levels. You can also
calculate shadowing margins on C/I values. For information on setting the model standard deviation and the C/I standard
deviations for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 115.
Shadowing can be taken into consideration when Atoll calculates the signal level and C/(I+N) for:
• A point analysis (see "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 883)
• A coverage prediction (see "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 884).
Atoll always takes shadowing into consideration when calculating a Monte Carlo-based WiMAX simulation. Atoll uses the
values defined for the Model Standard Deviations per clutter class when calculating the signal level coverage predictions.
Atoll uses the values defined for the C/I Standard Deviations per clutter class when calculating the WiMAX coverage
predictions.
You can display the shadowing margins per clutter class. For information, see "Displaying the Shadowing Margins per
Clutter Class" on page 986.

13.5.10.1 Displaying the Shadowing Margins per Clutter Class

To display the shadowing margins per clutter class:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Shadowing Margins from the context menu. The Shadowing Margins dialogue appears (see
Figure 13.76).
4. You can set the following parameters:
- Cell Edge Coverage Probability: Enter the probability of coverage at the edge of the cell. The value you enter
in this dialogue is for information only.
- Standard Deviation: Select the type of standard deviation to be used to calculate the shadowing margin:
- From Model: The model standard deviation. Atoll will display the shadowing margin of the signal level.
- C/I: The C/I standard deviation. Atoll will display the C/I shadowing margin.
5. Click Calculate. The calculated shadowing margin is displayed.
6. Click Close to close the dialogue.

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Figure 13.76: The Shadowing Margins dialogue

13.6 Tips and Tricks

The following tips and tricks are described below:
• "Obtaining User Throughputs for All the Subscribers of a Subscriber List" on page 987.
• "Working With User Densities Instead of User Profiles" on page 988.
• "Restricting Coverage Predictions to LOS Areas Only" on page 988.
• "Limiting the Coverage Range of Transmitters in Order to Avoid Uplink-to-Downlink Interference in TDD Networks"
on page 988.
• "Bearer Selection Thresholds" on page 988.
• "Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values" on page 989.
• "Relation Between Bearer Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency" on page 990.
• "Determining Approximate Required DL:UL Ratio for a TDD Network" on page 990.
• "Working With Frame Configurations, Permutation Zones, and Segmentation: Examples" on page 990.
• "Modelling VoIP Codecs" on page 994.
• "Modelling Different Types of AMC Subchannels" on page 995.
• "Modelling the Co-existence of Networks" on page 995.

Obtaining User Throughputs for All the Subscribers of a Subscriber List

Important: This procedure is only recommended if you have a correct subscriber list and have
complete knowledge of the services they use.

Atoll generates a realistic user distribution containing active users only during Monte Carlo simulations. The status of
these users is determined through the user’s service usage parameters defined in the user profile. In Atoll, all the subscrib-
ers have a user profile assigned to them. During Monte Carlo simulations based on subscriber lists, Atoll determines
active users from all the users in the subscriber list. If you perform calculations on subscriber lists, Atoll calculates the
channel throughputs and not the user throughputs as resource allocation is not performed in these calculations. However
in the simulations, RRM and resource allocation is carried out user throughputs can be determined.
If you want to determine user level throughputs for all the subscribers in a subscriber list, you can run a simulation on this
subscriber list after modifying the user profiles assigned to all the subscribers such that all the subscribers have an activity
probability of 100 %.
1. Create a subscriber list with subscribers having an activity probability of 100 %:
a. Create as many user profiles as there are services used by the subscribers in the list.
b. Assign only one service to each user profile.
c. Assign the following service usage parameters to the user profiles that you create:
i. For Voice services, set:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- Duration (sec.) = 3600.
ii. For Data services:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- UL Volume (KBytes) = UL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
- DL Volume (KBytes) = DL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
Where the UL Average Throughput and the DL Average Throughput are the uplink and downlink average
requested throughputs, respectively, of the service mentioned in the user profile.

d. Assign these user profiles to subscribers in the subscriber list.

2. Create a simulation based on this subscriber list only.

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The simulation results will contain all the subscribers in the subscriber list with their respective user throughputs
determined by Atoll after the scheduling process.

Working With User Densities Instead of User Profiles

If you do not currently have reliable LTE multi-service traffic, you can provide Atoll with user density information per serv-
ice, for example, traffic data from adapted GSM Erlang maps. In this case, you do not have to create user profiles. As well,
Atoll does not have to determine the user activity probabilities to create traffic scenarios during simulations. The distribu-
tion of traffic during simulations will only depend on the user densities per service.
If you know the user densities for each service, you can set user activity probabilities to 100 % in your LTE document, as
shown below:
1. For Voice services, set:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- Duration (sec.) = 3600.
2. For Data services:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- UL Volume (KBytes) = UL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
- DL Volume (KBytes) = DL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
Where the UL Average Throughput and the DL Average Throughput are the uplink and downlink average re-
quested throughputs, respectively, of the service defined in the user profile.
The above settings will set the user activity probabilities to 100 %. If you create a traffic map based on environment
classes, the user density values that you define in your environment classes will be the actual user densities. This means
that, for X users/km² defined in the environment class for a given user profile, the Monte Carlo simulator will generate
exactly X users/km² for each service of the user profile.
In this way, you can know the exact number of active users and their services generated during the simulations before-
hand.
This procedure should only be used when appropriate traffic data is not available.

Restricting Coverage Predictions to LOS Areas Only

In WiMAX, and especially in IEEE 802.16d networks, it might be interesting to study the areas with LOS coverage only
and other areas separately. You can restrict the coverage to LOS areas only if you are using the Standard Propagation
Model. To restrict coverage to LOS areas, you have to enter a very high value for the parameter K4 in the properties of the
Standard Propagation Model.

Limiting the Coverage Range of Transmitters in Order to Avoid Uplink-to-Downlink Interference in

TDD Networks

You can define a maximum coverage range for all the transmitters in your network by entering a valid range as the Max
Range parameter.
To define the Max Range parameter:
1. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Predictions folder’s properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the System tab.
4. Select the Max Range check box. The Max Range field in enabled.
5. Enter the Max Range of the network.
6. Click OK.
In TDD networks, the TTG and RTG parameters, available in the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters folder’s prop-
erties dialogue, define the time delays required by the cell and mobile equipment to switch from transmission to reception
modes and vice versa. You can determine the maximum coverage range that the sectors of your WiMAX network should
have from the values of TTG and RTG and use this range as the Max Range parameter. You can calculate the maximum
system range from TTG and RTG values as follows:
Max Range (m) = Min(TTG, RTG) x 300000/2
Where TTG and RTG are values in milliseconds, Max Range is in meters, and the Min() function returns the lower of the
two values given to it in the parentheses. So, the maximum system range for TTG = 0.105 ms and RTG = 0.06 ms will be
9 km.

Bearer Selection Thresholds

The default values of the bearer selection thresholds, the BLER quality graphs, and the bearer efficiency values in Atoll
have been extracted and estimated from the NS2 simulator results available with the WiMAX Forum (see Figure 13.77 and
Figure 13.78). These values correspond to to an ideal (AWGN) radio channel, and are too optimistic compared to real radio
channels. It is recommended to use more realistic values when available.

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Figure 13.77: Link Adaptation in WiMAX 802.16d

Figure 13.78: Link Adaptation in WiMAX 802.16e

The spectral efficiency is the number of useful data bits that can be transmitted using any modulation and coding scheme
per Hz, the transition points between any two modulation and coding schemes give the default bearer selection thresholds
in Atoll, and the normalised values from the slopes of the graphs, that represent the reduction in the spectral efficiency,
give the block error rate.

Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values

You can convert the receiver sensitivity values, that are listed in the specifications of your equipment, into bearer selection
thresholds using the following conversion method:

n × BW × N Used
CNR = RS + 114 – NF – 10 × Log ⎛ ------------------------------------------⎞ + 10 × Log ( R ) – L Imp
⎝ N Total ⎠

Where RS is the receiver sensitivity in dBm, NF is the noise figure of the receiver in dB, n is the sampling factor, BW is the
channel bandwidth in MHz, N Used is the number of used subcarriers, N Total is the total number of subcarriers, R is the
number of retransmissions, and L Imp is the implementation loss in dB.

If you do not know the values for R and L Imp , you can ignore the corresponding terms and simplify the equation.

In the above explanation, the term receiver refers to the base station in uplink and to the mobile/user equipment in the
downlink.

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Relation Between Bearer Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency

Spectral efficiency of a modulation and coding scheme is defined as the number of useful bits that can be transmitted each
second over a channel of 1 Hz bandwidth. Spectral efficiency is hence given in terms of bps/Hz.
In Atoll, the efficiency of bearers (modulation and coding schemes) are defined in the Bearers table. The bearer efficiency
is given in terms of bits/symbol. Remember that in Atoll a symbol refers to the data transmission unit which is 1 symbol
duration long and 1 subcarrier width wide, as shown in Figure 13.79.

Figure 13.79: Symbol

The concept of bearer efficiency is similar to spectral efficiency. The only difference is in the units used to define the two
entities. Here is a simple example that compares spectral efficiency and bearer efficiency, and shows that the two are the
same.
Spectral efficiency is given by:

SE = ( 1 – BLER ) × r × Log 2 ( M ) bps ⁄ Hz

Where BLER is the Block Error Rate, r is the coding rate for the bearer, and M is the number of modulation states. For
simplification, we set BLER = 0, and use QPSK1/2, i.e., four modulation states and r = 0.5. With these values, we get a
spectral efficiency of 1 bps/Hz for QPSK1/2. In other words, a communication channel using QPSK1/2 modulation and
coding scheme can send 1 bps of useful data per unit bandwidth.
In order to compare the bearer efficiency and spectral efficiency of QPSK1/2, let’s say that QPSK1/2 has a bearer effi-
ciency of 1 bits/symbol. Here as well, the number of bits refers to useful data bits. The width of a subcarrier in WiMAX
1
802.16e is ΔF = 10.94 kHz , from which we can calculate the useful symbol duration as well: T U = ------- = 91.4 μ sec .
ΔF
In one second, there can be 1 sec ⁄ 91.4 μ sec = 10940 symbol durations. If 10940 symbols are transmitted using
QPSK1/2, this gives us a data rate of 10940 Symbols/sec × 1 bits/Symbol = 10940 bps , which is the data rate achieva-
ble using one subcarrier of 10.94 kHz. We can find the spectral efficiency by normalizing the data rate to unit bandwidth.
This gives: 10940 bps/subcarrier ⁄ 10.94 kHz/subcarrier = 1 bps/Hz
In order to compare equivalent quantities, we have ignored the system parameters such as the cyclic prefix, TTG, RTG,
and have considered that the entire frame is transmitted in one direction, uplink or downlink.

Determining Approximate Required DL:UL Ratio for a TDD Network

In TDD networks, the durations of the downlink and uplink subframes have to be properly set in order to optimally satisfy
the traffic demands in both downlink and uplink. You can use the simulation results to calculate the approximate value of
the DL:UL Ratio required for your network under the given traffic scenario of the simulation. The DL:UL Ratio can be
calculated by taking the ratio of the sum of the downlink traffic loads of all the cells and the sums of all the downlink and
uplink traffic loads of all the cells. The downlink and uplink traffic loads of all the cells are listed in the Cells tab of the simu-
lations results dialogue.

∑
DL
TL
All Cells
DL:UL Ratio = ------------------------------------------------------------------
-
∑ ∑
DL UL
TL + TL
All Cells All Cells

You can then set this value of DL:UL Ratio in the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters folder’s properties dialogue,
for optimising your network’s resource usage.

Working With Frame Configurations, Permutation Zones, and Segmentation: Examples

In the following examples, we assume that:

• You are working on a document with existing base stations.
• One 5 MHz channel, with channel number 0, defined in the frequency band, that can be allocated to sectors.
• The frame configuration that can be used is FFT Size 512 with 512 total subcarriers.
There can be different scenarios for this implementation:
1. Without segmentation, i.e., a frequency reuse plan of N=1.
a. Set up the frame configuration:
i. Open the Frame Configurations table as explained in "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975.
ii. Verify that the Segmentation Support check box is not selected for FFT Size 512.

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iii. Double-click the frame configuration FFT Size 512. The Permutation Zones table appears.
iv. Activate the permutation zones 0 (PUSC DL) and 8 (PUSC UL).
v. Click OK.
vi. Close the Frame Configurations tables.
b. Set up the cells:
i. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
ii. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
iii. In the Cells table, enter:
- Channel Number: 0
- Frame Configuration: FFT Size 512
iv. Close the Cells table.
c. Create a coverage by downlink traffic C/(I+N) level and a coverage by downlink channel throughput as ex-
plained in "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 910 and "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on
page 914, respectively.
In this case, the same 5 MHz channel is allocated to the three sectors of each 3-sector site. The sectors receive
co-channel interference according to the downlink traffic loads of the interferers. The traffic C/(I+N) and throughput
coverage predictions would be as shown in Figure 13.80 and Figure 13.81.

Figure 13.80: Downlink Traffic C/(I+N) Coverage Prediction - PUSC Without Segmentation

Figure 13.81: Downlink Channel Throughput Coverage Prediction - PUSC Without Segmentation

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2. With a segmented PUSC permutation zone, i.e., a frequency reuse plan of N=3.
a. Set up the frame configuration:
i. Open the Frame Configurations table as explained in "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975.
ii. Select the Segmentation Support check box for FFT Size 512.
iii. Double-click the frame configuration FFT Size 512. The Permutation Zones table appears.
iv. Activate the permutation zones 0 (PUSC DL) and 8 (PUSC UL).
v. Click OK.
vi. Close the Frame Configurations tables.
b. Set up the cells:
i. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
ii. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
iii. In the Cells table, enter:
- Channel Number: 0
- Frame Configuration: FFT Size 512
- Preamble Index: 0 for the 1st sector, 32 for the 2nd sector, and 64 for the 3rd sector of each 3-sector site.
- Segmentation Usage (DL) (%): 100%
iv. Close the Cells table.
c. Create a coverage by downlink traffic C/(I+N) level and a coverage by downlink channel throughput as ex-
plained in "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 910 and "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on
page 914, respectively.
In this case, the 5 MHz channel is divided into 3 segments. Each segment is allocated to one of the three sectors
of each 3-sector site. There is no interference between segments because the Preamble Indexes give a different
segment and same Cell PermBase (IDCell in IEEE specifications). Each segment uses 1/3rd of the total number
of used subcarriers, i.e., 140. The traffic C/(I+N) and throughput coverage predictions would be as shown in
Figure 13.82 and Figure 13.83.

Figure 13.82: Downlink Traffic C/(I+N) Coverage Prediction - PUSC With Segmentation

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Figure 13.83: Downlink Channel Throughput Coverage Prediction - PUSC With Segmentation

3. With a segmented PUSC permutation zone and one or more non-segmented zones, i.e., a frequency reuse plan
of pseudo-N=3.
a. Set up the frame configuration:
i. Open the Frame Configurations table as explained in "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975.
ii. Select the Segmentation Support check box for FFT Size 512.
iii. Double-click the frame configuration FFT Size 512. The Permutation Zones table appears.
iv. Activate the permutation zones 0 (PUSC DL), 2 (FUSC) and 8 (PUSC UL).
v. Click OK.
vi. Close the Frame Configurations tables.
b. Set up the cells:
i. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
ii. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
iii. In the Cells table, enter:
- Channel Number: 0
- Frame Configuration: FFT Size 512
- Preamble Index: 0 for the 1st sector, 32 for the 2nd sector, and 64 for the 3rd sector of each 3-sector site.
iv. Close the Cells table.
c. Allocate different segmentation usage ratios to the cells:
- Enter different segmentation usage ratios manually in the Cells table, or calculate the segmentation usage
ratios for all the cells using a Monte Carlo simulation as follows:
Create or import a traffic map, as explained in "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 937, to be used as input
to the Monte Carlo simulator.

Create a new Monte Carlo simulation as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 952.

Open the simulation results, and commit the results to the Cells table as explained in "Updating Cell Load
Values With Simulation Results" on page 962.

d. Create a coverage by downlink traffic C/(I+N) level and a coverage by downlink channel throughput as ex-
plained in "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 910 and "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on
page 914, respectively.
In this case, the 5 MHz channel is divided into 3 segments. Each segment is allocated to one of the three sectors
of each 3-sector site. There is no interference between segments because the Preamble Indexes give a different
segment and same Cell PermBase (IDCell in IEEE specifications). Each segment uses 1/3rd of the total number
of used subcarriers, i.e., 140. However, there is also a non-segmented FUSC permutation zone, which uses the
entire channel width of 5 MHz. The sectors receive co-channel interference during the FUSC part of the frame but
not during the segmented PUSC part of the frame. The traffic C/(I+N) and throughput coverage predictions would
be as shown in Figure 13.84 and Figure 13.85.

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Figure 13.84: Downlink Traffic C/(I+N) Coverage Prediction - Segmented PUSC + FUSC

Figure 13.85: Downlink Channel Throughput Coverage Prediction - Segmented PUSC + FUSC

If you compare the traffic C/(I+N) and throughput coverage predictions in the above cases, you will observe that the traffic
C/(I+N) improves with segmentation, but the throughput is reduced.

Modelling VoIP Codecs

VoIP codecs are application-layer elements in the OSI system model. Atoll models application throughputs using a
throughput offset and a scaling factor with respect to the MAC layer throughputs. You can model different VoIP codecs by
creating a new service for each VoIP codec, and setting the target throughput to the Application Throughput for the
scheduler used. Here are two examples of the most common VoIP codecs, and how they can be modelled in Atoll:
• G.711 VoIP Codec
The actual voice data rate needed by the G.711 codec is 64 kbps, but with the lower layer headers and other
added bits, the needed MAC data rate could be between 66.4 and 107.2 kbps. In this example, we show how to
model the codec with header bits that lead to 85.6 kbps MAC data rate.

a. Create a new service with the following parameters:

- Name: VoIP (G.711)
- Type: Voice
- QoS Class: UGS
- Min Throughput Demand (DL) and Min Throughput Demand (UL): 64 kbps
- Average Requested Throughput (DL) and Average Requested Throughput (UL): 64 kbps
- Scaling Factor: 74.77 %
- Offset: 0 kbps

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b. Set the Target Throughput for Voice Services to "2 - Application Throughput" for the scheduler being used.
In this way, Atoll will allocate resources to the users of this service such that they get 64 kbps application through-
put, and around 85.6 kbps of effective MAC throughput.

• G.729 VoIP Codec

The actual voice data rate needed by the G.729 codec is 8 kbps, but with the lower layer headers and other added
bits, the needed MAC data rate could be between 9.6 and 29.6 kbps. In this example, we show how to model the
codec with header bits that lead to 29.6 kbps required data rate.

a. Create a new service with the following parameters:

- Name: VoIP (G.729)
- Type: Voice
- QoS Class: UGS
- Min Throughput Demand (DL) and Min Throughput Demand (UL): 8 kbps
- Average Requested Throughput (DL) and Average Requested Throughput (UL): 8 kbps
- Scaling Factor: 27.03 %
- Offset: 0 kbps
b. Set the Target Throughput for Voice Services to "2 - Application Throughput" for the scheduler being used.
In this way, Atoll will allocate resources to the users of this service such that they get 8 kbps application through-
put, and around 29.6 kbps of effective MAC throughput.

Modelling Different Types of AMC Subchannels

There are four types of AMC subchannels. The four types of AMC subchannels have different collections of bins in a band.
In the first type (6 x 1; default type), a subchannel consists of six consecutive bins in the same symbol. A subchannel is
two bins by three symbols in the second type (2 x 3), three bins by two symbols in the third type (3 x 2), and one bin by six
symbols in the fourth type (1 x 6). The default values of the numbers of subchannels per channel represent the first
(default) type of subchannels. The number of subchannels per channel is calculated by dividing the total number of subcar-
riers by the number of subcarriers in a subchannel. The number of subcarriers per subchannel is 54, 27, 18, and 9 in the
first (default), second, third, and fourth types, respectively. Therefore, for modelling a type of subchannels other than the
default (6 x 1), you will have to increase the number of subchannels per channel accordingly, i.e., multiply the current value
by 2, 3, and 6, for modelling the second, third, and fourth types, respectively.

Modelling the Co-existence of Networks

In Atoll, you can study the effect of interference received by your network from other WiMAX networks. The interfering
WiMAX network can be a different part of your own network, or a network belonging to another operator.
To study interference from co-existing networks:
1. Import the interfering network data (sites, transmitters, and cells) in to your document as explained in "Creating a
Group of Base Stations" on page 881.
2. For the interfering network’s transmitters, set the Transmitter Type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only) as
explained in "Transmitter Description" on page 870.
During calculations, Atoll will consider the transmitters of type Extra-Network (Interferer Only) when calculating
interference. These transmitters will not serve any pixel, subscriber, or mobile, and will only contribute to interfer-
ence.

Modelling the interference from co-existing networks will be as accurate as the data you have for the interfering network.
If the interfering network is a part of your own network, this information would be readily available. However, if the inter-
fering network belongs to another operator, the information available might not be accurate.
Moreover, for other operators’ networks, and if the interfering networks use OFDM but are not WiMAX networks,, you will
have to create specific frame configurations to assign to the cells of the interfering network. The number of subcarriers
used in these frame configurations would depend on the channel bandwidth on which transmitter is interfering. For more
information on frame configuration parameters, see "Defining Frame Configurations" on page 975.

13.7 Glossary of WiMAX Terms

Understanding the following terms and there use in Atoll is very helpful in understanding the WiMAX module:
• User: A general term that can also designate a subscriber, mobile, and receiver.
• Subscriber: Users with fixed geographical coordinates.
• Mobile: Users generated and distributed during simulations. These users have, among other parameters, defined
services, terminal types, and mobility types assigned for the duration of the simulations.
• Receiver: A probe mobile, with the minimum required parameters needed for the calculation of path loss, used
for propagation loss and raster coverage predictions.
• Bearer: A Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) used to carry data over the channel.
• Peak MAC Throughput: The maximum MAC layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given
location using the highest WiMAX bearer available. This throughput is the raw data rate without considering the
effects of retransmission due to errors and higher layer coding and encryption.

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Atoll User Manual

• Effective MAC Throughput: The net MAC layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given
location using the highest WiMAX bearer available computed taking into account the reduction of throughput due
to retransmission due to errors.
• Application Throughput: The application layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given loca-
tion using the highest WiMAX bearer available computed taking into account the reduction of throughput due to
PDU/SDU header information, padding, encryption, coding, and other types of overhead.
• Channel Throughputs: Peak MAC, effective MAC or application throughputs achieved at a given location using
the highest WiMAX bearer available with the entire cell resources (uplink or downlink).
• User Throughputs: Peak MAC, effective MAC or application throughputs achieved at a given location using the
highest WiMAX bearer available with the amount of resources allocated to a user by the scheduler.
• Traffic Loads: The uplink and downlink traffic loads are the percentages of the uplink and the downlink subframes
in use (allocated) to the traffic (mobiles) in the uplink and in the downlink, respectively.
• Uplink Noise Rise: Uplink noise rise is a measure of uplink interference with respect to the uplink noise.
I UL + N UL
NR UL = ------------------------
-
N UL

• Frame Configuration: A frame configuration is the description of a frame in the frequency as well as in the time
dimension. In the frequency domain, it defines how many subcarriers exist in the channel width used, and how
many of these subcarriers are used and for which purpose, i.e., pilot, data, DC, guard. In the time domain, it
defines how long the frame is, and its composition. The time-domain composition of the frame is simpler in WiMAX
802.16d than in 802.16e.
In WiMAX 802.16d networks, the frame configuration does not depend on the channel width and can be defined
in the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters folder’s properties dialogue as explained in "The Options on the
Global Parameters Tab" on page 972.

In WiMAX 802.16e, the frame configuration depends on the channel width because the system uses Scalable
OFDMA. The IEEE specifications define different frame configurations for different channel widths. For example,
a cell using a 10 MHz channel width will have 1024 subcarriers, but one using a 5 MHz channel will have 512. As
well, in the time domain, the number of active permutation zones in the frame and the subchannel allocation
modes of these zones depend on the operator and the equipment used. You can create or modify frame configu-
rations and their corresponding permutation zones in Atoll as explained in "Defining Frame Configurations" on
page 975.

• Permutation Zone: A permutation zone is a subdivision of a WiMAX frame in the time domain. According to the
IEEE specifications, there can be as many as 8 permutation zones in the downlink and 3 in the uplink. Each per-
mutation zone can use a different subchannel allocation mode (or a permutation scheme), and can have different
numbers of used, pilot, and data subcarriers. The different subchannel allocation modes are: PUSC, FUSC,
OFUSC, AMC, TUSC1, and TUSC2 in downlink, and PUSC, OPUSC, and AMC in uplink.
• Segmentation: The PUSC subchannel allocation mode in downlink allows the allocation of groups of subchannels
to cells. According to the IEEE specifications, there are 6 subchannel groups in the downlink PUSC subchannel
allocation mode. You can, for example, use 2 subchannel groups at each sector of a 3-sector site, and completely
eliminate interference between these sectors by setting the preamble index parameter correctly. On one hand,
segmentation improves the CINR by allowing you to different segments of the same channel at different sectors.
But on the other hand, it reduces the available cell capacity (throughput) because the channel width used at each
sector is reduced. For examples on how to use segmentation in Atoll, see "Tips and Tricks" on page 987.
• Primary and Secondary Subchannel Groups: For frame configurations with 1024 and 2048 total subcarriers,
you can choose which secondary subchannel groups are used at cells along with the one primary subchannel
group, which is given by the preamble index of the cell. Frame configurations with 128 and 512 total subcarriers
only have primary subchannel groups and no secondary subchannel groups. Therefore, the knowledge of only the
preamble index is sufficient in these cases (each segment uses 1/3rd of the channel bandwidth.)
The preamble index set in the cell gives the segment number as well as the primary subchannel group number in
the case of segmentation:

Primary
Preamble Index Segment Subchannel
Group
0-31, 96, 99, 102, 105, 108, 111 0 0

32-63, 97, 100, 103, 106, 109, 112 1 2

64-95, 98, 101, 104, 107, 110, 113 2 4

The secondary subchannel groups (1, 3, and 5) can be allocated to any cell as required.

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 Chapter 13: WiMAX BWA Networks

Total Number Subchannel Subchannel Total Number Subchannel Subchannel

of Subcarriers Group Range of Subcarriers Group Range
0 0 0 0-5

1 N/A 1 6-9

2 1 2 10-15
128 1024
3 N/A 3 16-19

4 2 4 20-25

5 N/A 5 26-29

0 0-4 0 0-11

1 N/A 1 12-19

2 5-9 2 20-31
512 2048
3 N/A 3 32-39

4 10-14 4 40-51

5 N/A 5 52-59

• Resources: In Atoll, the term "resource" is used to refer to the average number of slots, expressed in % (as traffic
loads, when the average is performed over a considerably long duration) of the total number of slots in a super-
frame of 1 sec.

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Chapter 14
LTE Networks

Atoll
RF Planning and Optimisation Software
 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

14 LTE Networks
LTE (Long Term Evolution) refers to the set of 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) Release 8 and Release 9 spec-
ifications which describe the next steps, or evolution, of the existing GERAN (GSM EDGE Radio Acces Networks) and
UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Networks) specifications. The 3GPP LTE specifications describe the building
blocks of the eUTRA (evolved UTRA) networks. LTE uses SOFDMA (Scalable Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple
Access) and SC-FDMA (Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access) technologies in the downlink and the uplink,
respectively. The aim of LTE is to provide mobile broadband wireless access that supports handovers between LTE cells
as well as between LTE and UMTS/GSM cells at high user speeds.
Atoll enables you to design LTE broadband wireless access networks. Atoll can predict radio coverage, manage mobile
and fixed subscriber data, and evaluate network capacity. Atoll LTE also supports MIMO.
Atoll enables you to model fixed and mobile users in LTE environments. The data input corresponding to mobile users
and fixed subscribers is modelled through comprehensive support of mobile user traffic maps and subscriber databases,
respectively. You can carry out calculations on fixed subscriber locations as well as base your calculations on mobile user
scenarios during Monte Carlo simulations. You can also perform interference predictions, resource allocation, and other
calculations on mobile users.
Atoll uses Monte Carlo simulations to generate realistic network scenarios (snapshots) using a Monte Carlo statistical
engine for scheduling and resource allocation. Realistic user distributions can be generated using different types of traffic
maps or subscriber data. Atoll uses these realistic user distributions as input for the simulations.
Coverage predictions can be created to study the following parameters:
• The reference signal level received from cells
• The effective reference signal level
• The effective SCH/PBCH, PDSCH/PDCCH, and PUSCH/PUCCHsignal levels
• The carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio for the reference signals, SCH/PBCH, PDSCH/PDCCH, and PUSCH
• The radio bearer coverage
• The channel throughput and cell capacity per pixel, and the aggregate throughput per cell
Coverage predictions that depend on the network’s traffic loads can be created from either Monte Carlo simulation results
or from a user-defined network load configuration (uplink and downlink traffic loads, and uplink noise rise). GSM GPRS
EGPRS, CDMA2000 1xRTT, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, UMTS HSPA, and LTE: networks can be planned in the same Atoll
session.

Tip: Before working with the Atoll LTE module for the first time, it is highly recommended to
go through the "Glossary of LTE Terms" on page 1114. This will help you get accustomed
to the terminology used by the 3GPP and in Atoll.

14.1 Designing an LTE Network

Figure 14.1 depicts the process of creating and planning an LTE network. The steps involved in planning an LTE network
are described below. The numbers refer to Figure 14.1.

1. Open an existing radio-planning document or create a new one ( 1 ).

- You can open an existing Atoll document by selecting File > Open.
- Creating a new Atoll document is explained in Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project.

2. Configure the network by adding network elements and changing parameters ( 2 ).

You can add and modify the following elements of base stations:

- "Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 1007.

- "Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 1008.
- "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 1008.
You can also add base stations using a base station template (see "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 1009).

3. Carry out basic coverage predictions ( 3 ).

- "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 1016.
- "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 1017 and "Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 1024.

4. Allocate neighbours ( 4 ).
- "Planning Neighbours" on page 1052.

5. Allocate frequencies ( 5 ).
- "Planning Frequencies" on page 1061.

6. Allocate physical cell IDs ( 6 ).

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Atoll User Manual

- "Planning Physical Cell IDs" on page 1065.

7. Before making more advanced coverage predictions, you need to define cell load conditions ( 7 ).
You can define cell load conditions in the following ways:

- You can generate realistic cell load conditions by creating a simulation based on traffic maps and subscriber
lists ( 7a , 7b , and 7c ) (see "Studying Network Capacity" on page 1069).
- You can define cell load conditions manually either on the Cells tab of each transmitter’s Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table (see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 1008) ( 7d ).

8. Make LTE-specific signal quality coverage predictions using the defined cell load conditions ( 8 ).
- "LTE Coverage Predictions" on page 1036.

9. If necessary, modify network parameters to study the network with a different frequency plan ( 10 ). After modifying
the network’s frequency plan, you must perform steps 7 and 8 again.

6
7a

7c 7d

7b
7

9 10

Figure 14.1: Planning an LTE network - workflow

14.2 Planning and Optimising LTE Base Stations

As described in Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project, you can start an Atoll document from a template, with no base
stations, or from a database with a set of base stations. As you work on your Atoll document, you will still need to create
base stations and modify existing ones.
In Atoll, a site is defined as a geographical point where one or more transmitters are located. Once you have created a
site, you can add transmitters. In Atoll, a transmitter is defined as the antenna and any other additional equipment, such
as the TMA, feeder cables, etc. In an LTE project, you must also add cells to each transmitter. A cell refers to the charac-
teristics of an RF channel on a transmitter.
Atoll lets you create one site, transmitter, or cell at a time, or create several at once using station templates. In Atoll, a
base station refers to a site and a transmitter with its antennas, equipment, and cells.
In Atoll, you can study a single base station or a group of base stations using coverage predictions. Atoll allows you to
make a variety of coverage predictions, such as signal level or signal quality coverage predictions. The results of calcu-
lated coverage predictions can be displayed on the map, compared, and studied.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Atoll enables you to model network traffic by allowing you to create services, users, user profiles, environments, and termi-
nals. This data can be then used to make studies that depend on network load, such as C/(I+N), LTE radio bearer, and
throughput coverage predictions.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Creating an LTE Base Station" on page 1003.
• "Creating a Group of Base Stations" on page 1014.
• "Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map" on page 1014.
• "Display Tips for Base Stations" on page 1014.
• "Creating a Multi-Band LTE Network" on page 1015.
• "Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document" on page 1015.
• "Studying a Single Base Station" on page 1015.
• "Studying Base Stations" on page 1019.
• "Planning Neighbours" on page 1052.
• "Planning Frequencies" on page 1061.
• "Planning Physical Cell IDs" on page 1065.

14.2.1 Creating an LTE Base Station

When you create an LTE site, you create only the geographical point; you must add the transmitters and cells afterwards.
The site with a transmitter and its antennas, equipment, and cells is called a base station.
In this section, each element of a base station is described. If you want to add a new base station, see "Placing a New
Base Station Using a Station Template" on page 1009. If you want to create or modify one of the elements of a base
station, see "Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 1007. If you need to create a large number of base
stations, Atoll allows you to import them from another Atoll document or from an external source. For information, see
"Creating a Group of Base Stations" on page 1014.
This section explains the various parts of the base station creation process:
• "Definition of a Base Station" on page 1003.
• "Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 1007.
• "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station Template" on page 1009.
• "Managing Station Templates" on page 1010.
• "Duplicates of an Existing Base Station" on page 1013.

14.2.1.1 Definition of a Base Station

A base station consists of the site, one or more transmitters, various pieces of equipment, and radio settings such as, for
example, cells. You will usually create a new base station using a station template, as described in "Placing a New Base
Station Using a Station Template" on page 1009. This section describes the following elements of a base station and their
parameters:
• "Site Description" on page 1003
• "Transmitter Description" on page 1004
• "Cell Description" on page 1006.

14.2.1.1.1 Site Description

The parameters of a site can be found in the site’s Properties dialogue. The Properties dialogue has two tabs:
• The General tab (see Figure 14.2):
- Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name here. If
you want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
- Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location
of the site here.

Tip: While this method allows you to place a site with precision, you can also place sites using
the mouse and then position them precisely with this dialogue afterwards. For information
on placing sites using the mouse, see "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 31.

- Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can
specify the actual altitude under Real, if you wish. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for
calculations.
- Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you wish.

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 14.2: New Site dialogue

14.2.1.1.2 Transmitter Description

The parameters of a transmitter can be found in the transmitter’s Properties dialogue. When you create a transmitter, the
Properties dialogue has two tabs: the General tab and the Transmitter tab. Once you have created a transmitter, its Prop-
erties dialogue has three additional tabs: the Cells tab (see "Cell Description" on page 1006), the Propagation tab (see
Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll), and the Display tab (see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33).
• The General tab:
- Name: By default, Atoll names the transmitter after the site it is on, adding an underscore and a number. You
can enter a name for the transmitter, but for the sake of consistency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If
you want to change the way Atoll names transmitters, see the Administrator Manual.
- Site: You can select the Site on which the transmitter will be located. Once you have selected the site, you
can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the site on which the transmitter will be located.
For information on the site Properties dialogue, see "Site Description" on page 1003. You can click the New
button to create a new site on which the transmitter will be located.
- Position relative to the site: You can modify the Position relative to the site, if you wish.
• The Transmitter tab (see Figure 14.3):

Figure 14.3: Transmitter dialogue - Transmitter tab

- Active: If this transmitter is to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active transmitters are dis-
played in red in the Transmitters folder of the Data tab.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Note: Only active transmitters are taken into consideration during calculations.

- Transmitter Type: If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter as a potential server as well as an interferer,
set the transmitter type to Intra-Network (Server and Interferer). If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter
only as an interferer, set the type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only). No coverage for an Interferer Only
transmitter will be calculated for coverage predictions and it will not serve any mobile in Monte Carlo simula-
tions.
This feature enables you to model the co-existence of different networks in the same geographic area. For
more information on how to study interference between co-existing networks, see "Modelling the Co-existence
of Networks" on page 1114.

- Transmission/Reception: Under Transmission/Reception, you can see the total losses and the noise
figure of the transmitter. Atoll calculates losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equipment
assigned to the transmitter. Equipment can be assigned using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which
appears when you click the Equipment button.
- On the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 14.4), the equipment you select and the gains and
losses you define are used to initialise total transmitter losses in the uplink and downlink:
- TMA: You can select a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) from the list. You can click the Browse button
( ) to access the properties of the TMA. For information on creating a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equip-
ment" on page 147.
- Feeder: You can select a feeder cable from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the
properties of the feeder. For information on creating a feeder cable, see "Defining Feeder Cables" on
page 147.
- BTS: You can select a base transceiver station (BTS) equipment from the BTS list. You can click the
Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the BTS. For information on creating a BTS, see "Defin-
ing BTS Equipment" on page 148.
- Feeder Length: You can enter the feeder length at transmission and reception.
- Miscellaneous Losses: You can enter miscellaneous losses at transmission and reception. The value
you enter must be positive.
- Receiver Antenna Diversity Gain: You can enter a receiver antenna diversity gain. The value you enter
must be positive.

Figure 14.4: The Equipment Specifications dialogue

Atoll always considers the values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the
values in the Computed boxes. The information in the real BTS Noise Figure reception box is calculated from
the information you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real Total Loss-
es at transmission and reception and the real BTS Noise Figure at reception if you wish. Any value you enter
must be positive.

- Antennas:
- Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added
to the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered
must include the height of building.
- Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the
Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. The other fields, Azimuth, Mechanical
Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt, display additional antenna parameters.
- Number of Antenna Ports: Select the number of antenna ports used for MIMO in the Transmission and
Reception fields. For more information on how the number of antenna ports are used, see "Multiple Input
Multiple Output Systems" on page 1108.

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Atoll User Manual

- Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column
and enter their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power, which is
the percentage of power reserved for this particular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one
secondary antenna, if you reserve 40 % of the total power for the secondary antenna, 60 % is available
for the main antenna.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

14.2.1.1.3 Cell Description

In Atoll, a cell is defined as an RF channel, with all its characteristics, on a transmitter; the cell is the mechanism by which
you can configure a multi-carrier LTE network.
When you create a transmitter, Atoll reminds you to create a cell for the transmitter. The following explains the parameters
of an LTE cell. As you create a cell, Atoll calculates appropriate values for some fields based on the information you have
entered. You can, if you wish, modify these values.
The properties of an LTE cell are found on Cells tab of the Properties dialogue of the transmitter to which it is assigned.
The Cells tab has the following options:
• Name: By default, Atoll names the cell after its transmitter, adding a suffix in parentheses. If you change trans-
mitter name, Atoll does not update the cell name. You can enter a name for the cell, but for the sake of consist-
ency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If you want to change the way Atoll names cells, see The Administrator
Manual.
• Active: If this cell is to be active, you must select the Active check box.
• Order: The order of the cell among all the cells of the transmitter. It must be a positive integer value. This value is
automatically assigned when you create a new cell, but it is possible to modify it afterwards. The order is used
during calculations for selecting the service cell. For more information on the different cell selection options, see
"The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 1102.
• Frequency Band: The cell’s frequency band from the Frequency Band list.
• Channel Number: The number of the channel from the list of available channels.
• Channel Allocation Status: The status of the current channel allocated to the cell:
- Not Allocated: The current channel has neither been allocated automatically nor manually. The AFP con-
siders that a Not Allocated channel is modifiable.
- Allocated: The current channel has been allocated automatically or manually. The AFP considers that an
Allocated physical cell ID is modifiable but it is not modified unless absolutely necessary.
- Locked: The current channel has been allocated automatically or manually. The AFP considers that a Locked
channel is not modifiable.
• Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell. It is an integer value from 0 to 503. The physical cell IDs are
defined in the 3GPP specifications. There are 504 unique physical-layer cell identities. The physical cell IDs are
grouped into 168 unique cell ID groups (called S-SCH IDs in Atoll), with each group containing 3 unique identities
(called P-SCH IDs in Atoll). An S-SCH ID is thus uniquely defined by a number in the range of 0 to 167, and a P-
SCH ID is defined by a number in the range of 0 to 2. Each cell’s reference signals transmit a pseudo-random
sequence corresponding to the physical cell ID of the cell.
• Physical Cell ID Status: The status of the physical cell ID currently assigned to the cell:
- Not Allocated: The current physical cell ID has neither been allocated automatically nor manually. The auto-
matic physical cell ID allocation algorithm considers that a Not Allocated physical cell ID is modifiable.
- Allocated: The current physical cell ID has been allocated automatically or manually. The automatic physical
cell ID allocation algorithm considers that an Allocated physical cell ID is modifiable but it is not modified by
the algorithm unless absolutely necessary.
- Locked: The current physical cell ID has been allocated automatically or manually. The automatic physical
cell ID allocation algorithm considers that a Locked physical cell ID is not modifiable.
• Min Reuse Distance: The minimum reuse distance after which the channel assigned to this cell can be assigned
to another cell by the AFP. The reuse distance is also used by the automatic physical cell ID allocation. The cell’s
physical cell ID can be allocated to another cell outside this reuse distance without any cost.
• Max Power (dBm): The cell’s maximum transmission power. Transmission powers corresponding to different
channels are calculated using this value, the energy per resource element offsets defined for the SCH, PBCH,
PDSCH, and PDCCH, and the number of resource elements corresponding to each channel, also calculated by
Atoll.
• SCH/PBCH EPRE Offset Relative to RS (dB): The difference in the energy of a resource element belonging to
the SCH or the PBCH with respect to the energy of a reference signal resource element. This value is used to
calculate the transmission power corresponding to the primary and secondary synchronisation channels and the
physical broadcast channel.
• PDSCH/PDCCH EPRE Offset Relative to RS (dB): The difference in the energy of a resource element belonging
to the PDSCH or the PDCCH with respect to the energy of a reference signal resource element. This value is used
to calculate the transmission power corresponding to the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and the
physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
Atoll first calculates the energies per resource element corresponding to the reference signal resource elements,
the SCH and PBCH, and the PDSCH and PDCCH. Once the energies available for each of these resource
element types are known, they are converted into transmission powers for further calculations. In the offset fields
above, you have to enter the offsets, i.e., the difference in the energy levels, for one resource element of each
type. For example, if a resource element belonging to the SCH has 3 dB less energy than a resource element of
the downlink reference signals, you should enter -3 dB in the SCH/PBCH EPRE Offset. Atoll will then calculate
the actual transmission power of the SCH and PBCH, i.e., all the resource elements of the SCH and PBCH, from
this offset and the number of SCH and PBCH resource elements per frame.

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• Reference Signal C/N Threshold (dB): The minimum reference signal C/N required for a user to be connected
to the cell. The reference signal C/N is compared with this threshold to determine whether or not a user is within
the cell’s coverage or not.
• LTE Equipment: You can select the cell’s LTE equipment from the LTE Equipment list. For more information, see
"Defining LTE Equipment" on page 1104. The cell’s LTE equipment parameters are used in the uplink calcula-
tions.
• Scheduler: The scheduler used by the cell for resource allocation during Monte Carlo simulations. You can select
the scheduler from the list of schedulers available in the Schedulers table. For more information see "Defining
LTE Schedulers" on page 1107.
• Max Number of Users: The maximum number of simultaneous connected users supported by the cell.
• Frame Configuration: The frame configuration used by the cell when the cell’s frequency band is TDD. If the net-
work’s switching point periodicity is set to "Half Frame", you can select a frame configuration of type D-UUU D-
UUU, D-UUD D-UUD, or D-UDD D-UDD. If the network’s switching point periodicity is set to "Frame", you can
select a frame configuration of type D-UUU DDDDD, D-UUD DDDDD, or D-UDD DDDDD. For more information
on TDD switching point periodicity, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 1102.
• Diversity Support (DL): The type of antenna diversity technique (None, Transmit Diversity, SU-MIMO, or AMS)
supported by the cell in downlink.
• Diversity Support (UL): The type of antenna diversity technique (None, Receive Diversity, SU-MIMO, AMS, or
MU-MIMO) supported by the cell in uplink.
Specific calculations will be performed (gains will be applied) for terminals supporting MIMO.

• AMS/MU-MIMO Threshold (dB): For AMS, it is the reference signal C/N threshold for switching from SU-MIMO
to Transmit Diversity as the reference signal C/N gets worse than the given value. For MU-MIMO, it is the minimum
required reference signal CNR for using MU-MIMO. For more information on Adaptive MIMO switching, see "Mul-
tiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on page 1108.
• MU-MIMO Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO. This can be user-defined
or an output of Monte Carlo simulations. In uplink throughput coverage predictions, the cell capacity will be multi-
plied by this gain at pixels where MU-MIMO is used.
• Max Traffic Load (UL) (%): The uplink traffic load not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account during
Monte Carlo simulations. If the cell traffic load is limited by this value, the cell will not be allowed to have an uplink
traffic load greater than this maximum.
• Traffic Load (UL) (%): The uplink traffic load percentage. By default, the uplink traffic load is set to 100 %.
• Max Traffic Load (DL) (%): The downlink traffic load not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account
during Monte Carlo simulations. If the cell traffic load is limited by this value, the cell will not be allowed to have a
downlink traffic load greater than this maximum.
• Traffic Load (DL) (%): The downlink traffic load percentage. By default, the downlink traffic load is set to 100 %.
• UL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink noise rise in dB. By default, the uplink noise rise is set to 0 dB.

Note: You can set the values for uplink and downlink traffic loads, and the uplink noise rise
manually to actual network values, or use the values computed during Monte Carlo
simulations. Monte Carlo simulation results can be stored in the cells by clicking the
Commit Results button in the simulation results dialogue.

• Max Number of Intra-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of neighbours from within the same Atoll
document that the cell can have.
• Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of neighbours from other technology doc-
uments that the cell can have.
• Neighbours: You can access a dialogue in which you can set both intra-technology and inter-technology neigh-
bours by clicking the Browse button ( ). For information on defining neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours"
on page 1052.

Tip: The Browse button ( ) might not be visible in the Neighbours box if this is a new cell.
You can make the Browse button appear by clicking Apply.

14.2.1.2 Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element

A base station consists of the site, one or more transmitters, various pieces of equipment, and radio settings such as, for
example, cells. This section describes how to create or modify the following elements of a base station:
• "Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 1007
• "Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 1008
• "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 1008

14.2.1.2.1 Creating or Modifying a Site

You can modify an existing site or you can create a new site. You can access the properties of a site, described in "Site
Description" on page 1003, through the site’s Properties dialogue. How you access the Properties dialogue depends on
whether you are creating a new site or modifying an existing site.

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To create or modify a site:

1. If you are creating a new site:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select New from the context menu. The Sites New Element Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 14.2
on page 1004).
2. If you are modifying the properties of an existing site:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Sites folder.
c. Right-click the site you want to modify. The context menu appears.
d. Select Properties from the context menu. The site’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Modify the parameters described in "Site Description" on page 1003.
4. Click OK.

14.2.1.2.2 Creating or Modifying a Transmitter

You can modify an existing transmitter or you can create a new transmitter. You can access the properties of a transmitter,
described in "Transmitter Description" on page 1004, through the transmitter’s Properties dialogue. How you access the
Properties dialogue depends on whether you are creating a new transmitter or modifying an existing transmitter.
To create or modify a transmitter:
1. If you are creating a new transmitter:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select New from the context menu. The Transmitters New Element Properties dialogue appears (see
Figure 14.3).
2. If you are modifying the properties of an existing transmitter:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
c. Right-click the transmitter you want to modify. The context menu appears.
d. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Modify the parameters described in "Transmitter Description" on page 1004.
4. Click OK. If you are creating a new transmitter, Atoll reminds you to create a cell. For information on creating a
cell, see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 1008.

Tips:
• If you are creating several transmitters at the same time, or modifying several existing trans-
mitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Transmitters
table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder on the
Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting Open Table from the context menu. For infor-
mation on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 56.
• If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the transmitter by
right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the context menu.

14.2.1.2.3 Creating or Modifying a Cell

You can modify an existing cell or you can create a new cell. You can access the properties of a cell, described in "Cell
Description" on page 1006, through the Properties dialogue of the transmitter where the cell is located. How you access
the Properties dialogue depends on whether you are creating a new cell or modifying an existing cell.
To create or modify a cell:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter on which you want to create a cell or whose cell you want to modify. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Cells tab.
6. Modify the parameters described in "Cell Description" on page 1006.
7. Click OK.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Tips:
• If you are creating or modifying several cells at the same time, you can do it more quickly by
editing the data directly in the Cells table. You can open the Cells table by right-clicking the
Transmitters folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting Cells > Open
Table from the context menu. You can either edit the data in the table, paste data into the table
(see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 56), or import data into the table (see "Importing
Tables from Text Files" on page 59).
• If you want to add a cell to an existing transmitter on the map, you can add the cell by right-
clicking the transmitter and selecting New Cell from the context menu.

14.2.1.3 Placing a New Base Station Using a Station Template

In Atoll, a base station is defined as a site with one or more transmitters sharing the same properties. With Atoll, you can
create a network by placing base stations based on station templates. This allows you to build your network quickly with
consistent parameters, instead of building the network by first creating the site, then the transmitters, and finally by adding
the cells.
To place a new station using a station template:

1. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.

2. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

3. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to
place the new station. The exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location
are visible in the Status bar.

4. Click to place the station.

Tips:
• To place the base station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click the
New Transmitter or Station button. For information on using the zooming tools, see
"Changing the Map Scale" on page 38.
• If you let the pointer rest over the base station you have placed, Atoll displays its tip text with
its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.

You can also place a series of base stations using a station template. You do this by defining an area on the map where
you want to place the base stations. Atoll calculates the placement of each base station according to the defined hexag-
onal cell radius in the station template. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating or Modifying a Station
Template" on page 1010.
To place a series of base stations within a defined area:
1. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.

2. Click the Hexagonal Design button ( ), to the left of the template list. A hexagonal design is a group of base
stations created from the same station template.

Note: If the Hexagonal Design button is not available ( ), the hexagonal cell radius for this
template is not defined. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating or
Modifying a Station Template" on page 1010.

3. Draw a zone delimiting the area where you want to place the series of base stations:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.

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c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.

Atoll fills the delimited zone with new base stations and their hexagonal shapes. Base station objects such as
sites and transmitters are also created and placed into their respective folders.

You can work with the sites and transmitters in these base stations as you work with any base station object, adding, for
example, another antenna to a transmitter.

Placing a Station on an Existing Site

When you place a new station using a station template as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 1009, the site is created at the same time as the station. However, you can also place a new station
on an existing site.
To place a base station on an existing site:
1. On the Data tab, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
2. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.

3. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

4. Move the pointer to the site on the map. When the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected, click to
place the station.

14.2.1.4 Managing Station Templates

Atoll comes with LTE station templates, but you can also create and modify station templates. The tools for working with
station templates can be found on the Radio toolbar (see Figure 14.5).

Figure 14.5: The Radio toolbar

14.2.1.4.1 Creating or Modifying a Station Template

When you create a station template, Atoll bases it on the station template selected in the Station Template Properties
dialogue. The new station template has the same parameters as the one it is based on. Therefore, by selecting the existing
station template that most closely resembles the station template you want to create, you can create a new template by
only modifying the parameters that differ.
As well, you can modify the properties of any station template.
To create or modify a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Station Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. You can now create a new station template or modify an existing one:
- To create a new station template: Under Station Templates, select the station template that most closely
resembles the station template you want to create and click Add. The Properties dialogue appears.
- To modify an existing station template: Under Station Templates, select the station template whose prop-
erties you want to modify and click Properties. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the General tab of the Properties dialogue. In this tab (see Figure 14.6), you can modify the following: the
Name of the station template, the number of Sectors, each with a transmitter, the Hexagon Radius, i.e., the the-
oretical radius of the hexagonal area covered by each sector, and the Transmitter Type, i.e., whether the trans-
mitter belongs to your network or to an external network.
- Under Antennas, you can modify the following: the Height/Ground of the antennas from the ground (i.e., the
height over the DTM; if the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include the height of
building), the main antenna Model, 1st Sector Azimuth, from which the azimuth of the other sectors are offset
to offer complete coverage of the area, the Mechanical Downtilt, and the Additional Electrical Downtilt for
the antennas.
Under Number of Antenna Ports, you can enter the number of antennas used for Transmission and for Re-
ception for MIMO.

- Under Propagation, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both
the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing
Calculations in Atoll.

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Figure 14.6: Station Template Properties dialogue – General tab

5. Click the Transmitter tab. In this tab (see Figure 14.7), if the Active check box is selected, you can modify the
following:
- Under Transmission/Reception, you can click the Equipment button to open the Equipment Specifica-
tions dialogue and modify the tower-mounted amplifier (TMA), feeder cables, or base transceiver station
(BTS). For information on the Equipment Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on
page 1004.
The information in the computed Total Losses in transmission and reception boxes is calculated from the in-
formation you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 14.4 on page 1005). Atoll al-
ways considers the values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the values
in the Computed boxes. You can modify the real Total Losses at transmission and reception if you wish. Any
value you enter must be positive.

The information in the computed BTS Noise Figure reception box is calculated from the information you en-
tered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real BTS Noise Figure at reception if
you wish. Any value you enter must be positive.

Figure 14.7: Station Template Properties dialogue – Transmitter tab

6. Click the LTE tab. In this tab (see Figure 14.8), you can modify the following:
- Under Power and EPRE Offsets Relative to the Reference Signals, you can modify the Max Power, and
the EPRE offsets for the SCH and PBCH, and the PDSCH and PDCCH in SCH/PBCH Offset, and PDSCH/
PDCCH Offset.
- Frequency Band, Channel Number, Channel Allocation Status, Physical Cell ID, Physical Cell ID
Status, Min Reuse Distance, LTE Equipment, Scheduler, Max Number of Users, Frame Configuration,
and Reference Signal C/N Threshold.

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- Under Antenna Diversity, you can select the Diversity Support in downlink and in uplink, enter the AMS/
MU-MIMO Threshold, and define the default MU-MIMO Gain.
- Under Default Loads, you can enter the default values for DL Traffic Load, UL Traffic Load, UL Noise Rise,
and the Max DL Traffic Load and Max UL Traffic Load.
- Under Inter-technology Interference, you can set the DL Noise Rise and the UL Noise Rise. For more infor-
mation on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling Inter-Network Interferences" on page 236.
- Under Max Number of Neighbours, you can set the maximum numbers of Intra-technology and Inter-tech-
nology neighbours.

Figure 14.8: Station Template Properties dialogue – LTE tab

7. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Sites table, or if you have defined an additional field in the Station Template Properties dialogue.
8. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save
your changes.

14.2.1.4.2 Modifying a Field in a Station Template

To modify a field in a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Station Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the template in the Available Templates list.
4. Click the Fields button.
5. In the dialogue that appears, you have the following options:
- Add: If you want to add a user-defined field to the station templates, you must have already added it to the
Sites table (for information on adding a user-defined field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an Object Type’s
Data Table" on page 51) for it to appear as an option in the station template properties. To add a new field:
i. Click the Add button. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
ii. Enter a Name for the new field.
iii. For Type, you can select from Text, Short integer, Long integer, Single, Double, True/False, Date/
Time, and Currency. If you choose text, you can also set the field Size (in characters), and create a
Choice list, by entering the possible selections directly in the Choice list window and pressing ENTER
after each one.

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iv. Enter, if desired, a Default value for the new field.

v. Click OK to close the Field Definition dialogue and save your changes.
- Delete: To delete a user-defined field:
i. Select the user-defined field you want to delete.
ii. Click the Delete button. The user-defined field appears in strikeout. It will be definitively deleted when you
close the dialogue.
- Properties: To modify the properties of a user-defined field:
i. Select the user-defined field you want to modify.
ii. Click the Properties button. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
iii. Modify any of the properties as desired.
iv. Click OK to close the Field Definition dialogue and save your changes.
6. Click OK.

14.2.1.4.3 Deleting a Station Template

To delete a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Station Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. Under Station Templates, select the station template you want to delete and click Delete. The template is
deleted.
4. Click OK.

14.2.1.5 Duplicates of an Existing Base Station

You can create new base stations by duplicating an existing base station. When you duplicate an existing base station,
the base station you create will have the same site, transmitter, and cell parameter values as the original one. Duplicating
a base station allows you to:
• Quickly create a new base station with the same settings as an original one in order to study the effect of a new
station on the coverage and capacity of the network, and
• Quickly create a new homogeneous network with base stations that have the same characteristics.
To duplicate an existing base station:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Sites folder.
3. Right-click the site you want to duplicate. The context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select one of the following:
- Select Duplicate > With Neighbours from the context menu, if you want to duplicate the base station along
with the lists of intra- and inter-technology neighbours of its transmitters.
- Select Duplicate > Without Neighbours from the context menu, if you want to duplicate the base station
without the intra- and inter-technology neighbours of its transmitters.
You can now place the new base station on the map using the mouse.

5. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to place the new base station. The
exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location are visible in the Status bar.

Figure 14.9: Placing a new base station

Tips:
• To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you select Duplicate
from the context menu. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map
Scale" on page 38.
• If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays tip text with its exact
coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.

6. Click to place the duplicate base station.

A new base station is placed on the map. The site, transmitters, and cells of the new base station have the same
names as the site, transmitters, and cells of the original base station, preceded by "Copy of." The site, transmitters,
and cells of the duplicate base station have the same settings as those of the original base station.

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You can also place a series of duplicate base stations by pressing and holding CTRL in step 6. and clicking to
place each duplicate station.

For more information on the site, transmitter, and cell properties, see "Definition of a Base Station" on page 1003.

14.2.2 Creating a Group of Base Stations

You can create base stations individually as explained in "Creating an LTE Base Station" on page 1003, or you can create
one or several base stations by using station templates as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 1009. However, if you have a large project and you already have existing data, you can import this
data into your current Atoll document and create a group of base stations.

Note: When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data.
For information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System"
on page 92.

You can import base station data in the following ways:

• Copying and pasting data: If you have data in table form, either in another Atoll document or in a spreadsheet,
you can copy this data and paste it into the tables in your current Atoll document. When you create a group of
base stations by copying and pasting data, you must copy and paste site data in the Sites table, transmitter data
in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.

Important: The table you copy from must have the same column layout as the table you are pasting
data into.

For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 56.

• Importing data: If you have base station data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it
into the tables in the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or
CSV format and then import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows
you to select what values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, trans-
mitter data in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.
For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 58. For information on
importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

Note: You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool on the Radio toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New Base Station
Using a Station Template" on page 1009.

14.2.3 Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map

In Atoll, you can access the Properties dialogue of a site or transmitter using the context menu on the Data tab of the
Explorer window. However, in a complex radio-planning project, it can be difficult to find the data object in the Data tab,
although it might be visible in the map window. Atoll lets you access the Properties dialogue of sites and transmitters
directly from the map. If there is more than one transmitter with the same azimuth, clicking the transmitters in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the transmitter. You can also change the position of the station by
dragging it, or by letting Atoll find a higher location for it.
Modifying sites and transmitters directly on the map is explained in detail in Chapter 1: The Working Environment:
• "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30.
• "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 31.
• "Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 31.
• "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse" on page 32.
• "Changing the Position of the Transmitter Relative to the Site" on page 32.

14.2.4 Display Tips for Base Stations

Atoll allows to you to display information about base stations in a number of ways. This enables you not only to display
selected information, but also to distinguish base stations at a glance.
The following tools can be used to display information about base stations:
• Label: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a label that
is displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object type’s data table, including

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from fields that you add. The label is always displayed, so you should choose information that you would want to
always be visible; too much information in the label will make it harder to distinguish the information you are looking
for. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the Object Type Label" on page 35.
• Tooltips: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a tooltip
that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can choose to display more information than
in the label, because the information is only displayed when you move the pointer over the object. You can display
information from every field in that object type’s data table, including from fields that you add. For information on
defining the tool tips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 36.
• Transmitter colour: You can set the transmitter colour to display information about the transmitter. For example,
you can select "Discrete Values" to distinguish transmitters by antenna type, or to distinguish inactive from active
transmitters. You can also define the display type for transmitters as "Automatic." Atoll then automatically assigns
a colour to each transmitter, ensuring that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding
it. For information on defining the transmitter colour, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 34.
• Transmitter symbol: You can select one of several symbols to represent transmitters. For example, you can
select a symbol that graphically represents the antenna half-power beamwidth ( ). If you have two transmit-
ters on the same site with the same azimuth, you can differentiate them by selecting different symbols for each

( and ). For information on defining the transmitter symbol, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 34.

14.2.5 Creating a Multi-Band LTE Network

In Atoll, you can model a multi-band LTE network, for example, a network consisting of 900 MHz and 2.1 GHz, in one
document. Creating a multi-band LTE network consists of the following steps:
1. Defining the frequency bands in the document (see "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 1101).
2. Selecting and calibrating a propagation model for each frequency band (see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in
Atoll).
3. Assigning a frequency band to each cell and a relevant propagation model to each transmitter (see "Creating or
Modifying a Cell" on page 1008 and "Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 1008).

14.2.6 Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document

When you load project data from a database, you will probably only modify the data in the region for which you are respon-
sible. For example, a complex radio-planning project may cover an entire region or even an entire country. You, however,
might be responsible for the radio planning for only one city. In such a situation, doing a coverage prediction that calculates
the entire network would not only take a lot of time, it is not necessary. Consequently, you can restrict a coverage prediction
to the base stations that you are interested in and generate only the results you need.
In Atoll, there are two ways of restricting the number of base stations covered by a coverage prediction, each with its own
advantages:
• Filtering the desired base stations
You can simplify the selection of base stations to be studied by using a filter. You can filter base stations according
to one or more fields, or you can create an advanced filter by combining several criteria in several fields. You can
create a graphic filter by either using an existing vector polygon or creating a new vector polygon. For information
on graphic filters, see "Filtering Data Using a Filtering Zone" on page 80. This enables you to keep only the base
stations with the characteristics you want for your calculations. The filtering zone is taken into account whether or
not it is visible.

For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

• Setting a computation zone
Drawing a computation zone to encompass the base stations to be studied limits the number of base stations to
be calculated, which in turn reduces the time necessary for calculations. In a smaller project, the time savings may
not be significant. In a larger project, especially when you are making repeated calculations in order to see the
effects of small changes in the base station configuration, the savings in time may be considerable. Limiting the
number of base stations by drawing a computation zone also limits the resulting calculated coverage. The compu-
tation zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible.

It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus zone or hot spot zones. The computation zone
defines the area where Atoll computes path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo simulations, etc.,
while the focus zone or hot spot zones are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results.

For information on the computation zone, see "Creating a Computation Zone" on page 1023.

You can combine a computation zone and a filter, in order to create a very precise selection of the base stations to be
studied.

14.2.7 Studying a Single Base Station

As you create a base station, you can study it to test the effectiveness of the set parameters. Coverage predictions on
groups of base stations can take a large amount of time and consume a lot of computer resources. Restricting your cover-
age prediction to the base station you are currently working on allows you get the results quickly. You can expand your
coverage prediction to a number of base stations once you have optimised the settings for each individual base station.

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Before studying a base station, you must assign a propagation model. The propagation model takes the radio and
geographic data into account and computes propagation losses along the transmitter-receiver path. This allows you to
predict the received signal level at any given point. Any coverage prediction you make on a base station uses the propa-
gation model to calculate its results.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 1016.
• "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 1017.

14.2.7.1 Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile

In Atoll, you can make a point analysis to study reception along a profile between a reference transmitter and a user.
Before studying a site, you must assign a propagation model. The propagation model takes the radio and geographic data
into account and calculates losses along the transmitter-receiver path. The profile is calculated in real time, using the prop-
agation model, allowing you to study the profile and get a prediction on each selected point.
For information on assigning a propagation model, see "Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 1021.
You can make a point analysis to:
• study the reception in real time along a profile between a reference transmitter and a user, and
• evaluate the signal levels coming from the surrounding transmitters at a given point (using existing path loss
matrices).
To make a point analysis:
1. In the map window, select the transmitter from which you want to make a point analysis.

2. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
3. A line appears on the map connecting the selected transmitter and the current position. You can now do the fol-
lowing:
- Move the receiver to change the current position.
- Click to place the receiver at the current position. You can move the receiver again by clicking it a second time.
- Right-click the receiver to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
- Coordinates: Select Coordinates to change the receiver position by entering new XY coordinates.
- Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Click the Profile tab.
The profile analysis appears in the Profile tab of the Point Analysis Tool window. The altitude is reported on the
vertical axis and the receiver-transmitter distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone
between the transmitter and the receiver, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the
angle of the LOS read from the vertical antenna pattern. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this
causes attenuation with diffraction displayed by a red vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction
mechanisms into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the most with the Fresnel ellipsoid. With some
propagation models using a 3 knife-edge Deygout diffraction method, the results may display two additional atten-
uations peaks. The total attenuation is displayed above the main peak.

The results of the analysis are displayed at the top of the Profile tab:

- The received signal strength from the selected transmitter for the cell with the highest power
- The propagation model used
- The shadowing margin and the cell edge coverage probability used for calculating it
- The distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
You can change the following options at the top of the Profile tab:
- Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list.
- Display Geo Data Only: Select the Display Geo Data Only check box if you want to view the geographic
profile between the transmitter and the receiver. Atoll displays the profile between the transmitter and the
receiver with clutter heights. An ellipsoid indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed. Atoll does not calculate
nor display signal levels and losses.
5. Right-click the Profile tab to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
- Properties: Select Properties to display the Analysis Properties dialogue. This dialogue is available from
the context menu on all tabs of the Point Analysis Tool window. You can:
- Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
- Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability, and,
select "From Model" from the Shadowing Margin list.
- Select Signal Level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result Type list.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.
- Link Budget: Select Link Budget to display a dialogue with the link budget.
- Model Details: Select Model Details to display a text document with details on the displayed profile analysis.
Model details are only available for the Standard Propagation Model.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Displays data, including received signal, shadowing margin,

You can select a different transmitter. cell edge coverage probability, propagation model used, and
transmitter-receiver distance.

Fresnel ellipsoid Line of sight Attenuation with diffraction

Figure 14.10: Point Analysis Tool - Profile tab

6. To end the point analysis, click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar again.

14.2.7.2 Studying Signal Level Coverage

As you are building your radio-planning project, you may want to check the coverage of a new base station without having
to calculate the entire project. You can do this by selecting the site with its transmitters and then creating a new coverage
prediction.
This section explains how to calculate the signal level coverage of a single base station. A signal level coverage prediction
displays the signal of the best server for each pixel of the area studied. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the signal
level is calculated for the cell with the highest power.

Note: You can use the same procedure to study the signal level coverage of several base
stations by grouping the transmitters. For information on grouping transmitters, see
"Grouping Data Objects by a Selected Property" on page 65.

To study the signal level coverage of a single base station:

1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder and select Group by > Sites from the context menu. The transmitters are now
displayed in the Transmitters folder by the site on which they are situated.

Tip: If you wish to study only sites by their status, at this step you could group them by status.

3. Select the propagation parameters to be used in the coverage prediction:

a. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
b. Right-click the group of transmitters you want to study. The context menu appears.
c. Select Open Table from the context menu. A table appears with the properties of the selected group of trans-
mitters.
d. In the table, you can configure two propagation models: one for the main matrix, with a shorter radius and a
higher resolution, and another for the extended matrix, with a longer radius and a lower resolution. By calcu-
lating two matrices you can reduce the time of calculation by using a lower resolution for the extended matrix
and you can obtain more accurate results by using propagation models best suited for the main and extended
matrices.
e. In the Main Matrix column:
- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
f. If desired, in the Extended Matrix column:
- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
g. Close the table.
4. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the group of transmitters you want to study and select Calculations >
Create a New Study from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
The Study Types dialogue lists the coverage prediction types available. They are divided into Standard Studies,
supplied with Atoll, and Customized Studies. Unless you have already created some customized studies, the
Customized Studies list will be empty.

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5. Select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK. A study properties dialogue appears.
6. You can configure the following parameters in the Properties dialogue:
- General tab: You can change the assigned Name of the coverage prediction, the Resolution, and the storage
Folder for the coverage prediction, and add some Comments. The resolution you set is the display resolution,
not the calculation resolution.
To improve memory consumption and optimise the calculation times, you should set the display resolutions of
coverage predictions according to the precision required. The following table lists the levels of precision that
are usually sufficient:

Size of the Coverage

Display Resolution
Prediction

City Centre 5m

City 20 m

County 50 m

State 100 m

Country According to the size of the country

Note: If you create a new coverage prediction from the context menu of either the Transmitters
or Predictions folder, you can select the sites using the Group By, Sort, and Filter
buttons under Configuration. Because you already selected the target sites, however,
only the Filter button is available.

- Condition tab: The coverage prediction parameters on the Condition tab allow you to define the signals that
will be considered for each pixel (see Figure 14.11).
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the signal level range to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the
same results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal
Level" necessitates, however, a longer time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that
Atoll will take into consideration.

- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage
Probability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

Figure 14.11: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by signal level

- Display tab: You can modify how the results of the coverage prediction will be displayed.
- Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals."
- Under Field, select "Best Signal Level."
- You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display prop-
erties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
- You can create a tooltip with information about the coverage prediction by clicking the Browse button

( ) beside the Tip Text box and selecting the fields you want to display in the tooltip.
- You can select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed value intervals to the legend.

Note: If you change the display properties of a coverage prediction after you have calculated it,
you may make the coverage prediction invalid. You will then have to recalculate the
coverage prediction to obtain valid results.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

7. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the signal level coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The signal level
coverage prediction can be found in the Predictions folder on the Data tab. Atoll automatically locks the results of a cover-
age prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction in the Predictions
folder. When you click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll only calculates unlocked coverage predictions ( ).

14.2.8 Studying Base Stations

When you make a coverage prediction, Atoll calculates all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by
the current filter parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects the rectangle containing the computation zone.
Figure 14.12 gives an example of a computation zone. In Figure 14.12, the computation zone is displayed in red, as it is
in the Atoll map window. The propagation zone of each active site is indicated by a blue square. Each propagation zone
that intersects the rectangle (indicated by the green dashed line) containing the computation zone will be taken into consid-
eration when Atoll calculates the coverage prediction. Sites 78 and 95, for example, are not in the computation zone.
However, their propagation zones intersect the rectangle containing the computation zone and, therefore, they will be
taken into consideration in the coverage prediction. On the other hand, the coverage zones of three other sites do not inter-
sect the green rectangle. Therefore, they will not be taken into account in the coverage prediction. Site 130 is within the
coverage zone but has no active transmitters. Therefore, it will not be taken into consideration either.

Figure 14.12: An example of a computation zone

Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices
using the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main prop-
agation model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 14.12) and a higher resolution and an extended
propagation model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate
higher resolution path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower reso-
lution path loss matrices outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Path Loss Matrices" on page 1020.
• "Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 1021.
• "The Calculation Process" on page 1023.
• "Creating a Computation Zone" on page 1023.
• "Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active" on page 1024.
• "Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 1024.
• "Analysing a Coverage Prediction" on page 1028.
• "LTE Coverage Predictions" on page 1036.
• "Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 1051.

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14.2.8.1 Path Loss Matrices

In addition to the distance between the transmitter and the receiver, path loss is caused by objects in the transmitter-
receiver path. In Atoll, the path loss matrices must be calculated before predictions and simulations can be made.

Storing Path Loss Matrices

Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matri-
ces in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. In the case of large radio-planning
projects, embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case
of large radio-planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use
of computer resources.
The path loss matrices are also stored externally in a multi-user environment, when several users are working on the same
radio-planning project. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database and the path loss matrices are read-only and are
stored in a location accessible to all users. When the user changes his radio data and recalculates the path loss matrices,
the calculated changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matrices are not modified. These
will be recalculated by the administrator taking into consideration the changes to radio data made by all users. For more
information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
• One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix.
• A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
• A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Predictions tab, under Path Loss Matrix Storage, you can set the location for your private path loss
matrices and the location for the shared path loss matrices:
- Private Directory: The Private Directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are
loading path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.

Click the button beside the Private Directory ( ) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in
the Atoll document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.

Note: Path loss matrices you calculate locally are not stored in the same directory as shared
path loss matrices. Shared path loss matrices are stored in a read-only directory. In other
words, you can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes
you make will be stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or in a private external
folder, depending on what you have selected in Private Directory.

Caution: When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed. In order to keep consistency between the Atoll document and
the stored calculations, you should save the Atoll document before closing it if you have
updated the path loss matrices.

- Shared Directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a
database and the path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you
make will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private Directory. The
path loss matrices in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based on the updated
information in the database. For more information on shared directories, see the Administrator Manual.
5. Click OK.

Checking the Validity of Path Loss Matrices

Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices before calculating any coverage prediction. If you want,
you can check whether the path loss matrices are valid without creating a coverage prediction.
To check whether the path loss matrices are valid:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table. You have the
following display options:
- Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
- Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

- Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.

- Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices
are recalculated.
- Valid: This is a Boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
- Origin of Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
- Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
- File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
5. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 14.13) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as
well as a summary of the reasons for invalidity.

Figure 14.13: Path loss matrices statistics

14.2.8.2 Assigning a Propagation Model

In Atoll, you can assign a propagation model globally to all transmitters, to a defined group of transmitters, or a single
transmitter. As well, you can assign a default propagation model for coverage predictions. This propagation model is used
as for all transmitters where the main propagation model selected is "(Default model)."
Because you can assign a propagation model in several different ways, it is important to understand which propagation
model Atoll will use:
1. If you have assigned a propagation model to a single transmitter, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation Model
to One Transmitter" on page 1022, or to a group of transmitters, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation Model
to a Group of Transmitters" on page 1022, this is the propagation model that will be used.
The propagation model assigned to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters will always have prece-
dence over any other assigned propagation model.
2. If you have assigned a propagation model globally to all transmitters, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation
Model to All Transmitters" on page 1021, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters, except
for those to which you have assigned a propagation model either individually or as part of a group.

Important: When you assign a propagation model globally, you override any selection you might
have made to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters.

3. If you have assigned a default propagation model for coverage predictions, as described in "Defining a Default
Propagation Model" on page 187, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters whose main
propagation model is "(Default model)." If a transmitter has any other propagation model chosen as the main prop-
agation model, that is the propagation model that will be used.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters" on page 1021.
• "Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters" on page 1022.
• "Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 1022.
For more information about the available propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.

Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters

In Atoll, you can choose a propagation model per transmitter or globally.

To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab.
5. Under Main Matrix:

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- Select a Propagation Model

- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
6. If desired, under Extended Matrix:
- Select a Propagation Model
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for all transmitters.

Note: Setting a different main or extended matrix on an individual transmitter as explained in

"Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 1022 will override this entry.

Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters

Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings.
In Atoll, you can assign the same propagation model to several transmitters by first grouping them by their common
parameters and then assigning the propagation model.
To define a main and extended propagation model for a defined group of transmitters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select from the Group by submenu of the context menu the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.

Note: You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 66.

4. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.

5. Right-click the group of transmitters to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The
context menu appears.
6. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Transmitters table appears with the transmitters from the
selected group.
For each transmitter, you can set the propagation model parameters in the following columns:

- Main Propagation Model

- Main Calculation Radius
- Main Resolution
- Extended Propagation Model
- Extended Calculation Radius
- Extended Resolution
7. To enter the same values in one column for all transmitters in the table:
a. Enter the value in the first row in the column.
b. Select the entire column.
c. Select Edit > Fill > Down to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.

Note: If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
select Edit > Fill > Up. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see "Working
with Data Tables" on page 50.

Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter

If you have added a single transmitter, you can assign it a propagation model. You can also assign a propagation model
to a single transmitter after you have assigned a main and extended propagation model globally or to a group of transmit-
ters.
When you assign a main and extended propagation model to a single transmitter, it overrides any changes you have previ-
ously made globally.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Propagation tab.

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6. Under Main Matrix:

- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. If desired, under Extended Matrix:
- Select a Propagation Model.
- Enter a Radius and Resolution.
8. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for the selected transmitter.

Note: You can also define the propagation models for a transmitter by right-clicking it in the map
window and selecting Properties from the context menu.

14.2.8.3 The Calculation Process

When you create a coverage prediction and click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll follows the following process:
1. Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss matrices exist and, if so, whether they are valid. There must be valid
path loss matrices for each active and filtered transmitter whose propagation radius intersects the rectangle
containing the computation zone.
2. If the path loss matrices do not exist or are not valid, Atoll calculates them. There has to be at least one unlocked
coverage prediction in the Predictions folder. If not Atoll will not calculate the path loss matrices when you click
the Calculate button ( ).
3. Atoll calculates all unlocked coverage predictions in the Predictions folder. Atoll automatically locks the results
of a coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction
in the Predictions folder.

Notes:

• You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button ( ) in
the toolbar.
• When you click the Force Calculation button ( ) instead of the Calculate button, Atoll cal-
culates all path loss matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations.

14.2.8.4 Creating a Computation Zone

To create a computation zone:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Computation Zone folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Draw from the context menu.
5. Draw the computation zone:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
The computation zone is delimited by a red line. If you clear the computation zone’s visibility check box in the
Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into
account.

You can also create a computation zone with one of the following methods:
• Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and
selecting Use as Computation Zone from the context menu.
• Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an adminis-
trative area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computa-
tion Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu.
• Fit to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by right-clicking the Com-
putation Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Fit to Map Window from the context menu.

Note: You can save the computation zone in the user configuration. For information on
exporting the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User
Configuration" on page 75.

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14.2.8.5 Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active

When you make a coverage prediction, Atoll considers all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by
the current filter parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing the computation zone. There-
fore, before you define a coverage prediction, you must ensure that all the transmitters on the base stations you wish to
study have been activated. In the Explorer window, active transmitters are indicated with a red icon ( ) in the Transmit-
ters folder and inactive transmitters are indicated with a white icon ( ).
In Atoll, you can also set the cell on a transmitter as active or inactive.
You can set an individual transmitter as active from its context menu or you can set more than one transmitter as active
by activating them from the Transmitters context menu, by activating the transmitters’ cells from the Cells table, or by
selecting the transmitters with a zone and activating them from the zone’s context menu.
To set an individual transmitter as active:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter you want to activate. The context menu appears.
4. Select Active Transmitter from the context menu. The transmitter is now active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters context menu:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Select the transmitters you want to set as active:
- To set all transmitters as active, right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
- To set a group of transmitters as active, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder and
right-click the group of transmitters you want to set as active. The context menu appears.
3. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Open Table. The Transmitters table appears with each transmitter’s parameters in a row.
4. For each transmitter that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set more than one cell as active using the Cells table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table. The Cells table appears with each cell’s parameters in a row.
4. For each cell that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set transmitters as active using a zone:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of Zones folder to expand the folder.
3. Right-click the folder of the zone you will use to select the transmitters. The context menu appears.

Note: If you do not yet have a zone containing the transmitters you want to set as active, you
can draw a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 41.

4. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
Once you have ensured that all transmitters are active, you can set the propagation model parameters. For information on
choosing and configuring a propagation model, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.
Calculating path loss matrices can be time and resource intensive when you are working on larger projects. Consequently,
Atoll offers you the possibility of distributing path loss calculations on several computers. You can install the distributed
calculation server application on other workstations or on servers. Once the distributed calculation server application is
installed on a workstation or server, the computer is available for distributed path loss calculation to other computers on
the network. For information on setting up the distributed calculation server application, see The Administrator Manual.

14.2.8.6 Signal Level Coverage Predictions

Atoll offers a series of standard coverage predictions based on the measured signal level at each pixel; other factors, such
as interference, are not taken into consideration. Coverage predictions specific to LTE are covered in "LTE Coverage
Predictions" on page 1036.
Once you have created and calculated a coverage prediction, you can use the coverage prediction’s context menu to make
the coverage prediction into a template (which will appear under the heading Customized Studies in the Study Types
dialogue). You can also select Duplicate from the coverage prediction’s context menu to create a copy. By duplicating an
existing prediction that has the parameters you wish to study, you can create a new coverage prediction more quickly. If

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you clone a coverage prediction, by selecting Clone from the context menu, you can create a copy of the prediction with
the calculated coverage. You can then change the display, providing that the selected parameter does not invalidate the
calculated coverage prediction.
You can also save the list of all defined coverage predictions in a user configuration, allowing you or other users to import
it into a new Atoll document. When you save the list in a user configuration, the parameters of all existing coverage predic-
tions are saved; not just the parameters of calculated or displayed ones. For information on exporting user configurations,
see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.
The following standard coverage predictions are explained in this section:
• "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal Level" on page 1025
• "Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 1026
• "Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones" on page 1027.

14.2.8.6.1 Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal Level

A coverage prediction by signal level allows you to predict coverage zones by the transmitter signal strength at each pixel.
You can base the coverage on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a defined range. For a transmitter with more
than one cell, the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest power.
To make a coverage prediction by signal level:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.14). On the Condition tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the same
results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal Level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that Atoll
will take into consideration.
- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Prob-
ability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

Figure 14.14: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by signal level

7. Click the Display tab.

If you choose to display the results by best signal level, the coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresh-
olds. If you choose to display the results by signal level, the coverage prediction results will be arranged according
to transmitter. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the signal level coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 14.15).

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Figure 14.15: Coverage prediction by signal level

14.2.8.6.2 Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter

A coverage prediction by transmitter allows the user to predict coverage zones by transmitter at each pixel. You can base
the coverage on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a defined range. For a transmitter with more than one cell,
the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest power.
To make a coverage prediction by transmitter:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Transmitter and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.16). On the Condition tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the same
results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal Level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that Atoll
will take into consideration.

- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Prob-
ability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

Figure 14.16: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by transmitter

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7. Click the Display tab.

For a coverage prediction by transmitter, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. Each coverage zone will then be displayed with the same colour as that defined for each trans-
mitter. For information on defining transmitter colours, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the transmitter coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 14.17).

Figure 14.17: Coverage prediction by transmitter

14.2.8.6.3 Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones

Overlapping zones are composed of pixels that are, for a defined condition, covered by the signal of at least two transmit-
ters. You can base a coverage prediction on overlapping zones on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a
defined range. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest power.
To make a coverage prediction on overlapping zones:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Overlapping Zones and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.18). On the Condition tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
- At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered.
- Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the same
results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal Level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that Atoll
will take into consideration.

- If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Prob-
ability.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.

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Figure 14.18: Condition settings for a coverage prediction on overlapping zones

7. Click the Display tab.

For a coverage prediction on overlapping zones, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Number
of Servers" is selected by default. Each overlapping zone will then be displayed in a colour corresponding to the
number of servers received per pixel. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of
Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 14.19).

Figure 14.19: Coverage prediction on overlapping zones

14.2.8.7 Analysing a Coverage Prediction

Once you have performed a coverage prediction study, you can analyse the results with the tools that Atoll provides.
The results are displayed graphically in the map window according to the settings you made on the Display tab when you
created the coverage prediction (step 5. of "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 1017). If several coverage predic-
tions are visible on the map, it may be difficult to clearly see the results of the coverage prediction you wish to analyse.
You can select which coverage predictions to display or to hide by selecting or clearing the display check box. For infor-
mation on managing the display, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 28.
In this section, the following tools are explained:
• "Displaying the Legend Window" on page 1029.
• "Displaying Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips" on page 1029.
• "Using the Point Analysis Reception Tab" on page 1029.
• "Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 1030.
• "Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 1030.
• "Viewing Coverage Prediction Statistics" on page 1032.
• "Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 1032.

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14.2.8.7.1 Displaying the Legend Window

When you create a coverage prediction, you can add the displayed values of the coverage prediction to a legend by select-
ing the Add to Legend check box on the Display tab.
To display the Legend window:
• Select View > Legend Window. The Legend window is displayed, with the values for each displayed coverage
prediction identified by the name of the coverage prediction.

14.2.8.7.2 Displaying Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips

You can get information by placing the pointer over an area of the coverage prediction to read the information displayed
in the tool tips. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab when you created the
coverage prediction (step 5. of "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 1017).
To get coverage prediction results in the form of tool tips:
• In the map window, place the pointer over the area of the coverage prediction that you want more information on.
After a brief pause, the tooltip appears with the information defined in the Display tab of the coverage prediction
properties (see Figure 14.20).

Figure 14.20: Displaying coverage prediction results using tool tips

14.2.8.7.3 Using the Point Analysis Reception Tab

Once you have calculated the coverage prediction, you can use the Point Analysis tool.

1. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
2. At the bottom of the Point Analysis Tool window, click the Reception tab (see Figure 14.21).
The predicted signal level from different transmitters is reported in the Reception tab in the form of a bar chart,
from the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom. Each bar is displayed in the
colour of the transmitter it represents. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the signal level is calculated for
the cell with the highest power.
In the Map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. A thick black line from the pointer to its best server is also displayed in the map window. The best server
of the pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level. If you let the pointer rest,
the signal level received from the corresponding transmitter at the pointer location is displayed in the tool-tip.

Figure 14.21: Point Analysis Window - Reception tab

3. Right-click the Reception tab and select Properties from the context menu. The Analysis Properties dialogue
appears.
- Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
- Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability, and
select "From Model" from the Shadowing Margin list.
- Select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter class.

4. To end the point analysis, click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio toolbar again.

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14.2.8.7.4 Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report
The focus and hot spot zones define the area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. While you
can only have one focus zone, you can define several hot spot zones in addition to the focus zone.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus and hot spot zones. The computation zone defines the
area where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo simulations, etc., while the focus and
hot spot zones are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results. When you create a coverage
prediction report, it gives the results for the focus zone and for each of the defined hot spot zones.
To define a focus zone or hot spot zone:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder, depending on whether you want to create a focus zone or
a hot spot. The context menu appears.
4. Select Draw from the context menu.
5. Draw the focus or hot spot zone:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot zone is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zone’s
visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but
will still be taken into account.
You can also create a focus or hot spot zone as follows:
• Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus zone by right-clicking it and selecting
Use as Focus Zone from the context menu.

Note: You can only create a focus zone, and not a hot spot zone, from an existing polygon.

• Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an adminis-
trative area, you can import it and use it as a focus or hot spot zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus
Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot
spot zones, you can import the name given to each zone as well.
• Fit to Map Window: You can create a focus or hot spot zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map
Window from the context menu.

Notes: You can save the focus or hot spot zones so that you can use them in a different Atoll
document:
- You can save the focus zone in the user configuration. For information on exporting the
focus zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.
- You can right-click the Focus Zone folder or the Hot Spot Zones folder on the Data
tab of the Explorer window and select Export from the context menu.
You can include population statistics in the focus or hot spot zone by importing a population
map. For information on importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on
page 107.

14.2.8.7.5 Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report

Atoll can generate a report for any coverage prediction whose display check box is selected ( ). The report displays the
covered surface and percentage for each threshold value defined in the Display tab of the coverage prediction’s Proper-
ties dialogue.
The coverage prediction report is displayed in a table. By default, the report table only displays the name and coverage
area columns. You can edit the table to select which columns to display or to hide. For information on displaying and hiding
columns, see "Displaying or Hiding a Column" on page 55.
Atoll bases the report on the area covered by the focus zone and hot spot zones; if no focus zone is defined, Atoll will
use the computation zone. Using a focus zone enables you to create a report without the border effect. In other words, the
results of a coverage prediction are delimited by the computation zone; results close to the border are influenced by fact
that no calculations have been made outside the computation zone. Basing a report on a focus zone that is smaller than
the computation zone eliminates the border effect. By using a focus zone for the report, you can create a report for a
specific number of base stations, instead of creating a report for every site that has been calculated.
The focus zone or hot spot zone must be defined before you display a report; it is not necessary to define it before comput-
ing coverage. The focus or hot spot zone does not, however, need to be visible; even if it is not displayed, Atoll will take
it into account when generating the report. For information on defining a focus zone or hot spot zone, see "Creating a
Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 1030.
Atoll can generate a report for a single prediction, or for all displayed predictions.

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To display a report on a single coverage prediction:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions folder.
3. Right-click the coverage prediction for which you want to generate a report. The context menu appears.
4. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
5. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:

a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.

b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or

to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:

a. Under Configuration, click the Export button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can apply a configuration that you have saved previously:

a. Under Configuration, click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to import and click Open. The imported report configuration is applied.
6. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed
dialogue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report is based on the hot spot zones and on the
focus zone if available or on the hot spot zones and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
To display a report on all coverage predictions:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:

a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.

b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or

to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:

a. Under Configuration, click the Export button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can apply a configuration that you have saved previously:

a. Under Configuration, click the Import button. a appears.

b. Select the configuration you want to import and click Open. The imported report configuration is applied
5. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed
dialogue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report shows all displayed coverage predictions in
the same order as in the Predictions folder. The report is based on the focus zone if available or on the calculation
zone if there is no focus zone.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot zone by importing a population map. For information on
importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 107. Normally, Atoll takes all geo data into
consideration, whether it is displayed or not. However, for the population statistics to be used in a report, the population
map has to be displayed.
To include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot zone:
1. Ensure that the population geo data is visible. For information on displaying geo data, see "Displaying or Hiding
Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 28.
2. Display the report as explained above.
3. Select Format > Display Columns. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Select the following columns, where "Population" is the name of the folder on the Geo tab containing the popula-
tion map:
- "Population" (Population): The number of inhabitants covered.
- "Population" (% Population): The percentage of inhabitants covered.
- "Population" (Population [total]): The total number of inhabitants inside the zone.

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Atoll saves the names of the columns you select and will automatically select them the next time you create a
coverage prediction report.

5. Click OK.
If you have created a custom data map with integrable data, the data can be used in prediction reports. The data will be
summed over the coverage area for each item in the report (for example, by transmitter or threshold). The data can be
value data (revenue, number of customers, etc.) or density data (revenue/km², number of customers/km², etc.). Data is
considered as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example,
socio-demographic classes, rain zones, etc. For information on integrable data in custom data maps, see "Integrable
Versus Non Integrable Data" on page 124.

14.2.8.7.6 Viewing Coverage Prediction Statistics

Atoll can display statistics for any coverage prediction whose display check box is selected ( ). By default, Atoll displays
a histogram using the coverage study colours, interval steps, and shading as defined in the Display tab of the coverage
prediction’s Properties dialogue. You can also display a cumulative distribution function (CDF) or an inverse CDF (1 –
CDF). For a CDF or an inverse CDF, the resulting values are combined and shown along a curve. You can also display
the histogram or the CDFs as percentages of the covered area.
Atoll bases the statistics on the area covered by the focus zone; if no focus zone is defined, Atoll will use the computation
zone. However, by using a focus zone, you can display the statistics for a specific number of base stations, instead of
displaying statistics for every base station that has been calculated. Hot spot zones are not taken into consideration when
displaying statistics.
The focus zone must be defined before you display statistics; it is not necessary to define it before computing coverage.
For information on defining a focus zone, see "Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on
page 1030.
To display the statistics on a coverage prediction:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions folder.
3. Right-click the coverage prediction whose statistics you want to display. The context menu appears.
4. Select Histogram from the context menu. The Statistics dialogue appears with a histogram of the area defined
by the focus zone (see Figure 14.22).
- Under Histogram Based on Covered Areas, you can select to view a histogram, CDF, or inverse CDF based
on area or percentage.
- The Detailed Results section displays the covered area values, or the percentage of the covered area, along
the y-axis against the coverage criterion along the x-axis.
- You can copy the graph by clicking the Copy button.
- You can print the graph by clicking the Print button.
- Under Statistics Based on Study Conditions, you can view the mean and standard deviation of the cov-
erage criterion calculated during the coverage calculations, if available.

Figure 14.22: Histogram of a coverage prediction by signal level

14.2.8.7.7 Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples

Atoll allows you to compare two similar predictions to see the differences between them. This enables you to quickly see
how changes you make affect the network.

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In this section, there are two examples to explain how you can compare two similar predictions. You can display the results
of the comparison study coverage in one of the following ways:
• Intersection: This display shows the area where both coverage predictions overlap (for example, pixels covered
by both coverage predictions are displayed in red).
• Union: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour and pixels covered by
only one coverage prediction in a different colour (for example, pixels covered by both predictions are red and
pixels covered by only one prediction are blue).
• Difference: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour, pixels covered by
only the first prediction with another colour and pixels covered only by the second prediction with a third colour (for
example, pixels covered by both predictions are red, pixels covered only by the first prediction only are green, and
pixels covered only by the second prediction are blue).
To compare two similar coverage predictions:
1. Create and calculate a coverage prediction of the existing network.
2. Examine the coverage prediction to see where coverage can be improved.
3. Make the changes to the network to improve coverage.
4. Duplicate the original coverage prediction (in order to leave the first coverage prediction unchanged).
5. Calculate the duplicate coverage prediction.
6. Compare the original coverage prediction with the new coverage prediction. Atoll displays differences in coverage
between them.
In this section, the following examples are explained:
• "Example 1: Studying the Effect of a New Base Station" on page 1033
• "Example 2: Studying the Effect of a Change in Transmitter Tilt" on page 1035.

Example 1: Studying the Effect of a New Base Station

If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing
coverage. In this example, we will look at how you can verify if a newly added base station improves coverage.
A signal level coverage prediction of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal
Level" on page 1025. The results are displayed in Figure 14.23. An area with poor coverage is visible on the right side of
the figure.

Figure 14.23: Signal level coverage prediction of existing network

A new base station is added, either by creating the base station and adding the transmitters, as explained in "Creating an
LTE Base Station" on page 1003, or by placing a station template, as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a
Station Template" on page 1009. Once the new site has been added, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated,
but then it would be impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original signal level coverage prediction can be copied
by selecting Duplicate from its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show the effect of the new base station (see
Figure 14.24).

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Figure 14.24: Signal level coverage prediction of network with new base station

Now you can compare the two predictions.

To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the prediction you want to
compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their names and
resolutions.

4. Click the Display tab. On the display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be dis-
played. You can choose among:
- Intersection
- Union
- Difference
In order to see what changes adding a new base station made, you should choose Difference.

5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 14.25, shows clearly the area covered only by the
new base station.

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Figure 14.25: Comparison of both signal level coverage predictions

Example 2: Studying the Effect of a Change in Transmitter Tilt

If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing
coverage. In this example, we will look at how modifying transmitter tilt can improve coverage.
A coverage prediction by transmitter of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by
Transmitter" on page 1026. The results are displayed in Figure 14.26. The coverage prediction shows that one transmitter
is covering its area poorly. The area is indicated with a red oval in the figure.

Figure 14.26: Coverage prediction by transmitter of existing network

You can try modifying the tilt on the transmitter to improve the coverage. The properties of the transmitter can be accessed
by right-clicking the transmitter in the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu. The mechanical and
electrical tilt of the antenna are defined on the Transmitter tab of the Properties dialogue.
Once the tilt of the antenna has been modified, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would be
impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original coverage prediction can be copied by selecting Duplicate from its
context menu. The copy is then calculated, to show how modifying the antenna tilt has affected coverage (see
Figure 14.27).

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Figure 14.27: Coverage prediction by transmitter of network after modifications

As you can see, modifying the antenna tilt increased the coverage of the transmitter. However, to see exactly the change
in coverage, you can compare the two predictions.
To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the prediction you want to
compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their names and
resolutions.
4. Click the Display tab. On the display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be dis-
played. You can choose among:
- Intersection
- Union
- Difference
In order to see what changes modifying the antenna tilt made, you can choose Union. This will display all pixels
covered by both predictions in one colour and all pixels covered by only one prediction in another colour. The
increase in coverage, seen in only the second coverage prediction, will be immediately clear.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 14.28, shows clearly the increase in coverage due
at the change in antenna tilt.

Figure 14.28: Comparison of both transmitter coverage predictions

14.2.8.8 LTE Coverage Predictions

Two types of LTE coverage predictions are available in Atoll: coverage predictions used to analyse the effective signal
levels, and coverage predictions used to analyse the signal quality.
Effective signal analysis coverage predictions can be used to analyse different signals (reference signals, SCH/PBCH,
PDSCH/PDCCH) in the downlink as well as in the uplink once the user-end gains and losses have been considered. These
coverage predictions do not depend on the network load conditions.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Using signal quality coverage predictions you can study the effective service coverage area and capacity of each cell in
the network. These coverage predictions depend on the interference in the network and the cell load conditions. For this
reason, the network load must be defined in order to calculate these coverage predictions.
For the purposes of these coverage predictions, each pixel is considered a non-interfering user with a defined service,
mobility type, and terminal. The following are explained in the following sections:
• "Service and User Modelling" on page 1037.
This section explains the coverage predictions available for analysing the effective signal level and signal quality. The
following are explained:
• "Analysing the Effective Signal Levels" on page 1039.
• "Analysing the Signal Quality" on page 1041.
You can also make a point analysis using the Point Analysis window to study the effective signal level at a point. Load
conditions can be selected for the analysis as well as the characteristics of the user-definable probe receiver, i.e., a termi-
nal, a mobility, and a service:
• "Making an Effective Signal Analysis" on page 1050.
Interferences coming from an external project can also be modelled and is explained in "Modelling Inter-Network Interfer-
ences" on page 236.

14.2.8.8.1 Service and User Modelling

Atoll can base its signal quality studies on the DL traffic load and the UL noise rise entered in the Cells table (for more
information, see "Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise" on page 1041). Before you can model services, you
must define LTE radio bearers. For more information on LTE radio bearers, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on
page 1103.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Modelling Services" on page 1037.
• "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038.
• "Modelling Terminals" on page 1038.

Modelling Services

Services are the various services available to users. These services can be either voice or data type services. This section
explains how to create a service. The following parameters are used in predictions:
• Throughput scaling factor
• Throughput offset
• Body loss
To create or modify a service:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Services New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the
Services folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can edit the fields on the General tab to define the new service. Some fields depend on the type of service
you choose. You can change the following parameters.
- Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can set a more descriptive name.
- Type: You can select either Voice or Data as the service type.
- Priority: Enter a priority for this service. "0" is the lowest priority.
- Activity Factor: The uplink and downlink activity factors are used to determine the probability of activity for
users accessing a voice type service during Monte Carlo simulations.
- Highest Bearer: Select the highest bearer that the service can use in the uplink and downlink. This is consid-
ered as an upper limit during bearer determination.
- Max Throughput Demand: Enter the highest throughput that the service can demand in the uplink and down-
link.
- Min. Throughput Demand: Enter the minimum required throughput that the service should have in order to
be available in the uplink and downlink.
- Average Requested Throughput: Enter the average requested throughput for uplink and downlink. The
average requested throughput is used in a simulation during user distribution generation in order to calculate
the number of users attempting a connection.
- Application Throughput: Under Application Throughput, you can set a Scaling Factor between the appli-
cation throughput and the RLC (Radio Link Control) throughput and a throughput Offset. These parameters
model the header information and other supplementary data that does not appear at the application level.
The application throughput parameters are used in throughput coverage predictions and for application
throughput calculation.

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- Body Loss: Enter a body loss for the service. The body loss is the loss due to the body of the user. For
example, in a voice connection the body loss, due to the proximity of the user’s head, is estimated to be 3 dB.
6. Click OK.

Modelling Mobility Types

In LTE, information about the receiver mobility is required for determining which bearer selection threshold and quality
graph to use from the LTE equipment referred to in the terminal or cell. Mobiles used at high speeds and at walking speeds
do not have the same quality characteristics. C/(I+N) requirements for different radio bearers are largely dependent on
mobile speed.
To create or modify a mobility type:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Mobility Types folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue:
- Name: Enter a descriptive name for the mobility type.
- Average Speed: Enter an average speed for the mobility type. This field is for information only; the average
speed is not used by any calculation.
6. Click OK.

Note: Subscriber lists use the mobility type "Fixed", i.e., 0 km/hr, in calculations. Do not delete
this mobility type from the document if you are working with subscriber lists.

Modelling Terminals

In LTE, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a PDA, or a car’s on-
board navigation device.
The following parameters are used in predictions:
• Antenna
• LTE equipment
• Maximum and minimum terminal power
• Gain and losses
• Noise figure
• Supported antenna diversity technique
• Number of transmission and reception antenna ports for MIMO
To create or modify a terminal:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Terminals folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Terminals New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminals folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Terminals New Element Properties dialogue:
- Name: Enter a descriptive name for the terminal.
- Under Transmission/Reception,
- Min Power: Enter the minimum transmission power of the terminal.
- Max Power: Enter the maximum transmission power of the terminal.
- Noise Figure: Enter the noise figure of the terminal (used to calculate the downlink total noise).
- Losses: Enter the losses of the terminal.
- LTE Equipment: Select an LTE equipment from the list of available equipment. For more information on
LTE equipment, see "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 1104. The terminal’s LTE equipment parameters
are used in the downlink calculations.
- Under Antenna,
- Model: Select an antenna model from the list of available antennas. If you do not select an antenna for
the terminal, Atoll uses an isotropic antenna in calculations.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Note: In case you do not select an antenna, Atoll uses an isotropic antenna, not an omni-
directional antenna, in calculations. An isotropic antenna has spherical radiation patterns
in the horizontal as well as vertical planes.

- Gain: Enter the terminal antenna gain if you have not selected an antenna model in the Model field. If you
have selected an antenna, the Gain field is disabled and shows the gain of the selected antenna.
- Diversity Support: Select whether the terminal type supports MIMO or not. Antenna diversity gains will
be applied to MIMO users.
- Under Number of Antenna Ports, enter the number of antenna ports available in the terminal for Trans-
mission and Reception.
6. Click OK.

14.2.8.8.2 Analysing the Effective Signal Levels

Atoll offers a couple of LTE coverage predictions which can be based on the predicted signal level from the best server
and the thermal background noise at each pixel, i.e., received carrier power (C) and the carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N). This
section explains the coverage predictions available for analysing the effective signal levels.
Downlink and uplink effective signal analysis coverage predictions predict the effective signal levels of different types of
LTE signals, such as reference signals, SCH, PBCH, PDSCH including the PDCCH and the downlink traffic channel, and
PUSCH, in the part of the network being studied.
Atoll calculates the serving transmitter for each pixel depending on the downlink reference signal level. The serving trans-
mitter is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest power. If more than one
cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving (reference) cell. Then, depending on the predic-
tion definition, it calculates the effective signal (C or C/N for reference signals, SCH, etc.). Pixels are coloured if the display
threshold condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the C or C/N is higher than the C or C/N threshold).
To make an effective signal analysis coverage prediction:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Effective Signal Analysis (DL) or Effective Signal Analysis (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.29).

On the Condition tab, you can select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The effective signal analysis
coverage prediction is always a best server coverage prediction. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s
properties dialogue is used in the coverage prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise
Figure of the transmitter is used to determine the total noise in the uplink.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and LTE equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 1037, "Modelling Terminals" on page 1038, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038, and "Defining LTE
Equipment" on page 1104, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
the effective signal analysis calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

Figure 14.29: Condition settings for an effective signal analysis coverage prediction

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7. Click the Display tab.

8. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
You can choose between displaying results by Best Reference Signal Level (DL), Best SCH/PBCH Signal
Level (DL), Best PDSCH/PDCCH Signal Level (DL), Reference Signal C/N Level (DL), SCH/PBCH C/N Level
(DL), or PDSCH/PDCCH C/N Level (DL) for the Effective Signal Analysis (DL), and by PUSCH/PUCCH Signal
Level (UL) or PUSCH/PUCCH C/N Level (UL) for the Effective Signal Analysis (UL).

The coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see
"Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

9. Click OK to save your settings.

10. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 14.30
and Figure 14.31).

Figure 14.30: PDSCH/PDCCH C/N coverage prediction

Figure 14.31: PUSCH/PUCCH C/N coverage prediction

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14.2.8.8.3 Analysing the Signal Quality

In LTE, the capacity and the effective service coverage areas of cells are influenced by network loads. As the network load
increases, the area where a cell provides service decreases. For this reason, network loads must be defined in order to
calculate these coverage predictions.
Atoll offers a series of coverage predictions which are based on the predicted signal level from the best server and the
predicted signal levels from other cells (interference) at each pixel, i.e., carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio, or C/(I+N).
The downlink interference received from different cells of the network is weighted by their respective downlink traffic loads.
The measure of uplink interference for each cell is provided by the uplink noise rise.
If you have traffic maps, you can do a Monte Carlo simulation to determine the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise
rise values for a generated user distribution. If you do not have traffic maps, Atoll can calculate these coverage predictions
using the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise values defined for each cell.
In this section, these coverage predictions will be calculated using downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise values
defined at the cell level. Before making a prediction, you will have to set the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise,
and the parameters that define the services and users. These are explained in the following sections:
• "Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise" on page 1041.
Several signal quality coverage predictions are explained in this section. The following studies are explained:
• "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 1041.
• "Making a Coverage by Best Bearer" on page 1043.
• "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on page 1045.
• "Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simulation Results" on page 1047.
• "Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator" on page 1048.
• "Making an Effective Signal Analysis" on page 1050.

Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise

If you are setting the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise for a single transmitter, you can set these parameters on the
Cells tab of the transmitter’s Properties dialogue. However, you can set the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise for all
the cells using the Cells table.
To set the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise using the Cells table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
4. Enter a value in the following columns:
- Traffic Load (DL) (%)
- UL Noise Rise (dB)
Although, you can also set a value for the Traffic Load (UL) (%) column as an indication of cells’ uplink loads,
this parameter is not used in the coverage prediction calculations. The measure of interference in the uplink
is given by the UL Noise Rise (dB). For a definition of the values, see "Cell Description" on page 1006.

5. To enter the same values in one column for all cells in the table:
a. Enter the value in the first row in the column.
b. Select the entire column.
c. Select Edit > Fill > Down to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.

Note: If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
select Edit > Fill > Up. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see "Working
with Data Tables" on page 50.

Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level

Downlink and uplink coverage predictions by C/(I+N) level predict the interference levels and signal-to-interference levels
in the part of the network being studied.
Atoll calculates the serving transmitter for each pixel depending on the downlink reference signal level. The serving trans-
mitter is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest power. If more than one
cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving (reference) cell. Then, depending on the predic-
tion definition, it calculates the interference from other cells, and finally calculates the C/(I+N). The pixel is coloured if the
display threshold condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the C/(I+N) is higher than C/(I+N) threshold).
Coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level calculates the co-channel interference as well as the adjacent channel interference,
which is reduced by the adjacent channel suppression factor defined in the Frequency Bands table. For more information
on frequency bands, see "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 1101.
The reference signal C/(I+N) is calculated using the reference signal power. Interference on the reference signals is in part
caused by the reference signals from interfering cells and in part by the PDSCH/PDCCH transmission. The SCH/PBCH
C/(I+N) is calculated using the SCH/PBCH power. Interference on the SCH and PBCH is caused by the SCH and PBCH
transmission from interferering cells, respectively. The PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) is calculated using the PDSCH/PDCCH

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power. Interference on the PDSCH/PDCCH is caused by PDSCH/PDCCH transmission from interfereing cells. PDSCH/
PDCCH interference depends on the downlink traffic loads of interfering cells. The PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) is calculated
using the terminal power calculated after power control and the uplink noise rise stored either in the cell properties or in
the selected simulation results.
To make a coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (DL) or Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.
6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.32).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the cell loads stored in
the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The C/(I+N) coverage prediction is a best server
coverage prediction. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s properties dialogue is used in the coverage
prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine
the total noise in the uplink.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and LTE equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 1037, "Modelling Terminals" on page 1038, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038, and "Defining LTE
Equipment" on page 1104, respectively.
If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

Figure 14.32: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level

7. Click the Display tab.

You can choose between displaying results by Reference Signal C/(I+N) Level (DL), SCH/PBCH C/(I+N) Level
(DL), SCH/PBCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL), PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) (DL), or PDSCH/PDCCH Total Noise (I+N)
(DL) for the Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (DL) and by PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) Level (UL), PUSCH/PUCCH Total
Noise (I+N) (UL), Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Frequency Blocks), or PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) Level for
1 Frequency Block (UL) for the Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (UL).

The coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see
"Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.

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Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 14.33
and Figure 14.34).

Figure 14.33: Coverage prediction by PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N)

Figure 14.34: Coverage prediction by PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N)

Making a Coverage by Best Bearer

Downlink and uplink best radio bearer coverage predictions calculate and display the best LTE radio bearers based on
C⁄(I+N) for each pixel.
To make a coverage prediction by best bearer:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Best Bearer (DL) or Coverage by Best Bearer (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

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6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.35).

Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the cell loads stored in
the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The best bearer coverage prediction is always based
on the best server. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s properties dialogue is used in the coverage
prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine
the total noise in the uplink. As well, the bearer selection for each pixel according to the PDSCH/PDCCH C⁄(I+N)
level is performed using the bearer selection thresholds defined in the LTE equipment. This LTE equipment is the
one defined in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and the one defined in the cell proper-
ties of the serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions. Mobility is used to index the bearer selection
threshold graph to use.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and LTE equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 1037, "Modelling Terminals" on page 1038, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038, and "Defining LTE
Equipment" on page 1104, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

Figure 14.35: Condition settings for a coverage prediction on LTE bearers

7. Click the Display tab.

You can display results by Best Bearer or Modulation. The coverage prediction results will be in the form of
thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the LTE bearer coverage prediction. The
progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 14.36
and Figure 14.37).

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Figure 14.36: Coverage prediction by downlink best bearer

Figure 14.37: Coverage prediction by uplink best bearer

Making a Coverage by Throughput

Downlink and uplink throughput coverage predictions calculate and display the channel throughputs and cell capacities
based on C⁄(I+N) and bearer calculations for each pixel. These coverage predictions can also display aggregate cell
throughputs if Monte Carlo simulation results are available. For more information on making aggregate cell throughput
coverage predictions using simulation results, see "Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simula-
tion Results" on page 1047.
To make a coverage prediction by throughput:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Throughput (DL) or Coverage by Throughput (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

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6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.38).

Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the cell loads stored in
the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The throughput coverage prediction is always based
on the best server. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s Properties dialogue is used in the coverage
prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine
the total noise in the uplink. As well, the bearer selection for each pixel according to the PDSCH/PDCCH C⁄(I+N)
level is performed using the bearer selection thresholds defined in the LTE equipment. This LTE equipment is the
one defined in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and the one defined in the cell proper-
ties of the serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions. The mobility is used to indicate the bearer selec-
tion threshold graph to use. The service is used for the application throughput parameters defined in the service
Properties dialogue.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and LTE equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 1037, "Modelling Terminals" on page 1038, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038, and "Defining LTE
Equipment" on page 1104, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

Figure 14.38: Condition settings for a throughput coverage prediction

7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage pre-
diction will display. You can set parameters to display the following results:
- Channel throughputs: Select Peak RLC Channel Throughput, Effective RLC Channel Throughput, or
Application Channel Throughput.
- Cell capacities: Select Peak RLC Cell Capacity, Effective RLC Cell Capacity, or Application Cell
Capacity.
- Allocated Bandwidth throughputs in uplink: Select Peak RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput, Effective
RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput, or Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughput.
The coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see
"Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the coverage prediction. The progress of the
calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Atoll determines the total number of symbols in the downlink and the uplink frames from the information in the global trans-
mitter parameters and the frequency bands assigned to cells. Then, Atoll determines the bearer at each pixel and multi-
plies the bearer efficiency by the number of symbols in the frame to determine the peak RLC channel throughputs.
The effective RLC throughputs are the peak RLC throughputs reduced by retransmission due to errors, or the Block Error
Rate (BLER). Atoll uses the block error rate graphs of the LTE equipment defined in the selected terminal or the LTE
equipment of the cell of the serving transmitter.
The application throughput is the effective RLC throughput reduced by the overheads of the different layers between the
RLC and the Application layers.
The cell capacity display types let you calculate and display the throughputs available at each pixel of the coverage area
taking into account the maximum traffic load limits set for each cell. In other words, the cell capacity is equal to channel
throughput when the maximum traffic load is set to 100 %, and is equal to a throughput limited by the maximum allowed

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traffic loads otherwise. Cell capacities are, therefore, channel throughputs scaled down to respect the maximum traffic load
limits.
The allocated bandwidth throughputs are the throughputs corresponding to the number of frequency blocks allocated to
the terminal at different locations. Users located far from the base stations use less numbers of frequency blocks than
users located near so that they can concentrate their transmission power over a bandwidth narrower than the channel
bandwidth in order to maintain the connection in uplink.
For more information on throughput calculation, see the Technical Reference Guide. For more information on the Global
Parameters, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 1102.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.

Figure 14.39: Coverage prediction by downlink channel throughput

Figure 14.40: Coverage prediction by uplink channel throughput

Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simulation Results

Atoll calculates the aggregate peak RLC, effective RLC, and application cell throughputs during Monte Carlo simulations.
The aggregate cell throughputs are the sums of the cell’s user throughputs. You can create a coverage prediction that
calculates and displays the surface area covered by each cell, and colours the coverage area of each cell according to its
aggregate throughput.

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Atoll User Manual

To create an aggregate throughput coverage prediction:

1. Create and run a Monte Carlo simulation. For more information on creating Monte Carlo simulations, see "Calcu-
lating and Displaying Traffic Simulations" on page 1081.
2. Create a coverage prediction by throughput as explained in "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on page 1045,
with the following exceptions:
a. On the Condition tab, select a simulation or group of simulations from the Load Conditions list. The coverage
prediction will display the results based on the selected simulation or on the average results of the selected
group of simulations.
b. On the Display tab, you can display results by Peak RLC User Throughput, Effective RLC User Through-
put, or Application User Throughput. The coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For
information on defining the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
This coverage prediction displays the surface area covered by each cell and colours it according to its aggregate through-
put. For more information on using simulation results in coverage predictions, see "Making Coverage Predictions Using
Simulation Results" on page 1093.

Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator

Downlink and uplink quality indicator coverage predictions calculate and display the values of different quality indicators
(BLER, BER, etc.) based on the best LTE radio bearers and on C⁄(I+N) for each pixel.
To make a coverage prediction by quality indicator:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Quality Indicator (DL) or Coverage by Quality Indicator (UL) and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 200. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 14.35).

Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the cell loads stored in
the cell properties.

Note: When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.

You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. The quality indicator coverage prediction is always
based on the best server. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal type’s properties dialogue is used in the cover-
age prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to deter-
mine the total noise in the uplink. As well, the bearer selection for each pixel according to the PDSCH/PDCCH
C⁄(I+N) level is performed using the bearer selection thresholds defined in the LTE equipment, and the quality indi-
cator graphs from the LTE equipment are used to determine the values of the selected quality indicator on each
pixel. This LTE equipment is the one defined in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and
the one defined in the cell properties of the serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions. Mobility is used
to index the bearer selection threshold graph to use.

For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and LTE equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 1037, "Modelling Terminals" on page 1038, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038, and "Defining LTE
Equipment" on page 1104, respectively.

If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
C⁄(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.

You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Figure 14.41: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by quality indicators

7. Click the Display tab.

You can choose between displaying results by BER, BLER, FER, or any other quality indicator that you might have
added to the document. For more information, see "Defining LTE Quality Indicators" on page 1104. The coverage
prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties
of Objects" on page 33.

8. Click OK to save your settings.

9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio toolbar to calculate the quality indicator coverage prediction.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 14.42
and Figure 14.43).

Figure 14.42: Coverage prediction by downlink BLER

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 14.43: Coverage prediction by uplink BLER

14.2.8.8.4 Making an Effective Signal Analysis

The Point Analysis window gives you information on reception for any point on the map. The Signal Analysis tab gives
you information on the reference signal, SCH and PBCH, PDSCH and PDCCH, and PUSCH and PUCCH signal levels,
C/(I+N), bearers, and throughputs, etc. The analysis is provided for a user-definable probe receiver which has a terminal,
a mobility and a service.
The analysis is based on:
• The reference signal levels, used to determine the best server for the pixel. The best serving transmitter is deter-
mined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest power. If more than one cell
cover the pixel, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving (reference) cell.
• The reference signal C/N, used to determine whether SU-MIMO or transmit or receive diversity is used in case of
AMS, and whether MU-MIMO can be used in uplink or not.
• The PDSCH/PDCCH signal levels and downlink traffic loads for determining the PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N), bearer,
and throughputs.
• The PUSCH/PUCCH signal levels and uplink noise rise for determining the PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N), bearer, and
throughputs.
The downlink and uplink load conditions can be taken from the Cells table or from Monte Carlo simulations.
You can make an effective signal analysis to verify a coverage prediction. In this case, before you make the point analysis,
ensure the coverage prediction you want to verify is displayed on the map.
To make an effective signal analysis:

1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears (see
Figure 14.45).
2. Click the Signal Analysis tab.
3. At the top of the Signal Analysis tab, select "Cells Table" from Load Conditions.
4. If you are making a signal analysis to verify a coverage prediction, you can recreate the conditions of the coverage
prediction:
a. Select the same Terminal, Service, and Mobility studied in the coverage prediction.
b. Right-click the Point Analysis window and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dia-
logue appears.
- Edit the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
- Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability, and,
select "From Model" from the Shadowing Margin list.
c. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
5. Move the pointer over the map to make a signal analysis for the current location of the pointer.
As you move the pointer, Atoll indicates on the map which is the best server for the current position (see
Figure 14.44).

Information on the current position is given on the Signal Analysis tab of the Point Analysis window. See
Figure 14.45 for an explanation of the displayed information.

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Figure 14.44: Point analysis on the map

6. Click the map to leave the point analysis pointer at its current position.
To move the pointer again, click the point analysis pointer on the map and drag it to a new position.

7. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.

Select the load conditions to use Select the parameters of the

in this analysis from simulations probe user to be studied.
or from the Cells table.

The reference signal reception from the The connection status (SCH/PBCH,
best server (top-most bar) and all downlink and uplink) for the current point.
interfering cells. Solid bars indicate the
signal levels above the reference signal C/ : Service available
N thresholds.
: Service unavailable

Figure 14.45: Point Analysis Tool: Signal Analysis tab

The bar graph displays the following information:

• The reference signal level reception from the best server as well as all interfering cells (the colour of the bar cor-
responds to the colour of the transmitter on the map).
• The reference signal C/N thresholds. The portion of the bar which is not filled indicates signal levels below the
reference signal C/N thresholds.
• The availability of SCH/PBCH coverage, and service in downlink and uplink.
If there is at least one successful connection (for SCH/PBCH, downlink, or uplink), double-clicking the icons in the right-
hand frame opens a dialogue with additional information with respect to the best server:
• SCH/PBCH: Total losses, received SCH/PBCH power, SCH/PBCH total noise (I+N), SCH/PBCH C/(I+N), azimuth
and tilt of the receiver.
• Downlink: Diversity mode, reference signal and PDSCH/PDCCH received powers, PDSCH/PDCCH total noise
(I+N), reference signal and PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N), bearer, channel throughputs, and cell capacities.
• Uplink: Diversity mode, received PUSCH/PUCCH power, PUSCH/PUCCH total noise (I+N), PUSCH/PUCCH C/
(I+N), bearer, channel throughputs, cell capacities, and allocated bandwidth throughputs.

14.2.8.9 Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results

Once you have made a coverage prediction, you can print the results displayed on the map or save them in an external
format. You can also export a selected area of the coverage as a bitmap.
• Printing coverage prediction results: Atoll offers several options allowing you to customise and optimise the
printed coverage prediction results. Atoll supports printing to a variety of paper sizes, including A4 and A0. For
more information on printing coverage prediction results, see "Printing a Map" on page 61.
• Defining a coverage export zone: If you want to export part of the coverage prediction as a bitmap, you can
define a coverage export zone. After you have defined a coverage export zone, when you export a coverage pre-
diction as a raster image, Atoll offers you the option of exporting only the area covered by the zone. For more
information on defining a coverage export zone, see "Using a Coverage Export Zone" on page 46.
• Exporting coverage prediction results: In Atoll, you can export the coverage areas of a coverage prediction in
raster or vector formats. In raster formats, you can export in BMP, TIF, ArcView© grid, or Vertical Mapper (GRD
and GRC) formats. When exporting in GRD or GRC formats, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 GB. In
vector formats, you can export in ArcView©, MapInfo©, or AGD formats. For more information on exporting cov-
erage prediction results, see "Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 46.

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Atoll User Manual

14.2.9 Planning Neighbours

You can set neighbours for each cell manually, or you can let Atoll automatically allocate neighbours, based on the param-
eters that you set. When allocating neighbours, the cell to which you are allocating neighbours is referred to as the refer-
ence cell. The cells that fulfil the requirements to be neighbours are referred to as possible neighbours. When allocating
neighbours to all active and filtered transmitters, Atoll allocates neighbours only to the cells within the focus zone and
considers as possible neighbours all the active and filtered cells whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing
the computation zone. If there is no focus zone, Atoll allocates neighbours only to the cells within the computation zone.
The focus and computation zones are taken into account whether or not they are visible. In other words, the focus and
computation zones will be taken into account whether or not their visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in
the Explorer window is selected.
Usually, you will allocate neighbours globally during the beginning of a radio planning project. Afterwards, you will allocate
neighbours to base stations or transmitters as you add them. You can use automatic allocation on all cells in the document,
or you can define a group of cells either by using a focus zone or by grouping transmitters in the Explorer window. For
information on creating a focus zone, see "Using a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones" on page 43. For information on group-
ing transmitters in the Explorer window, see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 65.
Atoll supports the following neighbour types in an LTE network:
• Intra-technology neighbours: Intra-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that also use LTE.
• Inter-technology neighbours: Inter-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that use a technology
other than LTE.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Importing Neighbours" on page 1052.
• "Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 1052.
• "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 1053.
• "Checking Automatic Allocation Results" on page 1055.
• "Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell" on page 1058.
• "Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Allocation Plan" on page 1060.
• "Exporting Neighbours" on page 1061.

14.2.9.1 Importing Neighbours

You can import neighbour data in the form of ASCII text files (in TXT and CSV formats) into the current Atoll document
using the Neighbours table.
To import neighbours using the Neighbours table:
1. Open the Neighbours table:
a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select Cells > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neighbours table
appears.
2. Import the ASCII text file as explained in "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

14.2.9.2 Defining Exceptional Pairs

In Atoll, you can define neighbour constraints that will be taken into consideration during the automatic allocation of neigh-
bours. Exceptional pairs may be taken into consideration when you manually allocate neighbours.
To define exceptional pairs of neighbours:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
4. Right-click the cell for which you want to define neighbour constraints. The context menu appears.
5. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The cell’s Properties dialogue appears.
6. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.

7. Under Exceptional Pairs, create a new exceptional pair in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ):
a. Select the cell from the list in the Neighbours column.
b. In the Status column, select one of the following:
- Forced: The selected cell will always be a neighbour of the reference cell.
- Forbidden: The selected cell will never be a neighbour of the reference cell.
8. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new exceptional pair.
9. Click OK.

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Notes: You can also create exceptional pairs using the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology
Neighbours table. You can open this table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and
selecting Cells > Neighbours > Intra-Technology Exceptional Pairs.

14.2.9.3 Allocating Neighbours Automatically

Atoll can automatically allocate neighbours in an LTE network. Atoll allocates neighbours based on the parameters you
set in the Automatic Neighbour Allocation dialogue.
To allocate LTE neighbours automatically:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour Alloca-
tion dialogue appears.
4. Click the Automatic Neighbour Allocation tab.
5. You can set the following parameters:
- Max. Inter-site Distance: Set the maximum distance between the reference cell and a possible neighbour.
- Max. No. of Neighbours: Set the maximum number of neighbours that can be allocated to a cell. This value
can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
- Coverage Conditions: The coverage conditions must be respected for a cell to be considered as a neighbour.
Click Define to change the coverage conditions. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the
following parameters:
- Handover Start: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell
(cell A), from which the handover process starts (see Figure 14.46).
- Handover End: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell
(cell A), at which the handover process ends (see Figure 14.46). The value entered for the Handover End
must be greater than the value for the Handover Start. The higher the value entered for the Handover
End, the longer the list of candidate neighbours. The area between the Handover Start and the Hando-
ver End constitutes the area within which Atoll will search for neighbours.
The reference signal level threshold (in dBm) is calculated for each cell from its reference signal C/N
threshold (in dB) considering the channel bandwidth of the cell and using the terminal that has the highest
difference between its gain and losses so that the most number of possible neighbours can be processed.

- Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and
enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
- Indoor Coverage: Select the Indoor Coverage check box if you want to use indoor losses defined per
clutter class in the calculations.
- Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic
neighbour allocation.
- % Min. Covered Area: Enter the minimum surface area, in percentage, that a possible neighbour cell’s cov-
erage area must overlap the reference cell’s coverage area.
6. Select the desired calculation parameters:
- Force co-site cells as neighbours: Select the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box if you want
cells located on the same site as the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours.
- Force adjacent cells as neighbours: Select the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box if you want
cells that are adjacent to the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours. A cell is considered
adjacent if there is at least one pixel in the reference cell’s coverage area where the possible neighbour cell
is the best server, or where the possible neighbour cell is the second best server (respecting the handover
margin).
- Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relations to be reciprocal. In
other words, a reference cell will be a possible neighbour to all of the cells that are its neighbours. If the neigh-
bour list of any cell is full, the reference cell will not be added as a neighbour and that cell will be removed from
the list of neighbours of the reference cell.
- Force exceptional pairs: Select the Force exceptional pairs check box if you want to be able to force or
forbid neighbour relations defined in the Exceptional Pairs table. For information on exceptional pairs, see
"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 1052.
- Delete existing neighbours: Select the Delete existing neighbours check box if you want Atoll to delete
all current neighbours when allocating neighbours. If you do not select the Delete existing neighbours check
box, Atoll will not delete any existing neighbours when automatically allocating neighbours; it will only add new
neighbours to the list.

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Figure 14.46: The handover area between the reference cell and the possible neighbour

7. Click the Importance Weighting button to set the relative importance of possible neighbours:
- Coverage Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a neighbour being admitted for coverage
reasons.
- Adjacency Factor: If you have selected the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box in step 6., set
the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour cell being adjacent to the reference cell.
- Co-site Factor: If you have selected the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box in step 6., set the
minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour cell being located on the same site as reference
cell.
8. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss
matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays
new neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Deleting existing neighbours check box is
cleared, the Results table will be empty.

The Results table contains the following information.

- Cell: The name of the reference cell.

- Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell.
- Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell can have.
- Neighbour: The cell that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell.
- Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 7.
- Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell, as identified in the Neighbour column, to
the reference cell, as identified in the Cell column. The possible reasons are:
- Co-site
- Adjacency
- Symmetry
- Coverage
- Existing
- Coverage: The amount of reference cell’s coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in
square kilometres.
- Adjacency: The area of the reference cell, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour cell
is best server or second best server.
9. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atoll’s table
shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 50.
10. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neigh-
bours are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cell’s Properties dialogue.

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Notes:
• A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour relation already
exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when you start the new allo-
cation. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event Viewer indicating that the constraint
on the forbidden neighbour will be ignored by the algorithm because the neighbour already
exists.
• When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll con-
siders the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to respect sym-
metry. On the other hand, if the neighbour relation is forced in one direction and forbidden in
the other one, symmetry cannot be respected. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the
Event Viewer.
• You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration. For informa-
tion on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration, see
"Exporting a User Configuration" on page 75.

14.2.9.3.1 Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station

When you create a new base station, you can let Atoll allocate neighbours to it automatically. Atoll considers the cells of
the new base station and other cells whose coverage area intersects the coverage area of the cells of the new base station.
To allocate neighbours to a new base station:
1. On the Data tab of the Explorer window, group the transmitters by site, as explained in "Grouping Data Objects"
on page 65.
2. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the new base station. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour Alloca-
tion dialogue appears.
4. Define the automatic neighbour allocation parameters as described in "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on
page 1053.

14.2.9.4 Checking Automatic Allocation Results

You can verify the results of automatic neighbour allocation in the following ways:
• "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 1055.
• "Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Cell" on page 1057.

14.2.9.4.1 Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map

You can view neighbour relations directly on the map. Atoll can display them and indicate the direction of the neighbour
relation (in other words, Atoll indicates which is the reference cell and which is the neighbour) and whether the neighbour
relation is symmetric.
To display the neighbour relations of a cell on the map:

1. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
2. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Visual Management dialogue appears.
3. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.

4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Links check box.
5. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
6. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
- Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell with a
unique colour.
- Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the cell’s neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours
table, or according to the neighbour frequency band.
- Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the cell’s neighbour links according the value interval of the
value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cell’s neighbours according to the
importance, as determined by the weighting factors.

Tip: You can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair by first
creating a new field of Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for the
number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the new
column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as the
Display Type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an
Object Type’s Data Table" on page 51.

Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you
can display or hide neighbour link display types individually.

For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

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Atoll User Manual

7. Select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.

8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
9. Click OK to save your settings.
10. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
- Outwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Outwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is the reference cell and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
- Inwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Inwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
- Symmetric: Select the Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric between the
selected cell and the neighbour.
11. Click OK to save your settings.

12. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
13. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.

14. Click the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

15. Click a transmitter on the map to display the neighbour relations. When there is more than one cell on the trans-
mitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).
Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 14.47) for the selected cell:

- The symmetric neighbour relations of the selected (reference) cell are indicated by a line.
- The outward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the neighbour (e.g. see
Site1_2(0)) in Figure 14.47.).
- The inward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the selected cell (e.g. see
Site9_3(0)) in Figure 14.47.).
In Figure 14.47, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetric and outward
neighbour links are coloured as the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link is
coloured as the reference transmitter as it is neighbour of Site9_3(0) here.

Figure 14.47: Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to the Neighbour

In Figure 14.48, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour frequency. Here, all neighbour relations
are symmetric.

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Figure 14.48: Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to The Neighbour Frequency

Note: You can display either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the menu
button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar and selecting
either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.

14.2.9.4.2 Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Cell

By combining the display characteristics of a coverage prediction with neighbour display options, Atoll can display the
coverage area of a cell’s neighbours and colour them according to any neighbour characteristic in the Neighbours table.
To display the coverage of each neighbour of a cell:
1. Create, calculate, and display a "Coverage by Transmitter" prediction, with the Display Type set to "Discrete
Values" and the Field set to "Transmitter" (for information on creating a coverage by transmitter prediction, see
"Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 1026).

2. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Neighbourhood Display dialogue appears.
4. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Coverage Areas check box.

5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Coverage Areas check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
7. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
- Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neigh-
bours with a unique colour.
- Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology
Neighbours table.
- Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the coverage area of a cell’s neighbours according the
value interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cell’s neigh-
bours according to the importance, as determined by the weighting factors.

8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each coverage area.

9. Click the menu button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
10. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.

11. Click the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar.

12. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one cell on the
transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you
want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).

13. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Visual Management button ( ) in the
Radio toolbar.

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14.2.9.5 Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell

Although you can let Atoll allocate neighbours automatically, you can adjust the overall allocation of neighbours by allo-
cating or deleting neighbours per cell. You can allocate or delete neighbours directly on the map or using the Cells tab of
a transmitter’s Properties dialogue.
This section explains the following:
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue" on page 1058.
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table" on page 1058.
• "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map" on page 1059.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue

To allocate or delete LTE neighbours using the Cells tab of the transmitter’s Properties dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.

4. On the Cells tab, click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours. The cell’s Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the maximum number of neighbours.
7. Allocate or delete a neighbour.
To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon
( ).
b. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new neighbour.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."

To create a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation be-
tween the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
8. Click OK.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table

To allocate or delete LTE neighbours using the Neighbours table:

1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appear.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neighbours table
appears.

Note: For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

4. Allocate or delete a neighbour.

To allocate a new neighbour:

a. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
c. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.

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When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."

To create a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:

a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select
contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contig-
uous rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
To take into consideration all exceptionnal pairs:

a. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.

b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.

Note: You can add or delete either some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using
the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table,
select the exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force
Exceptional Pairs in the context menu.

To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation be-
tween the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete several symmetric neighbour relations:

a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select
contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contig-
uous rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu.
To delete a neighbour:

a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.

Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map

You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse.
To add or remove intra-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neigh-
bours on the map as explained in "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 1055.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitters
to the intra-technology neighbours list.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both trans-
mitters from the intra-technology neighbours.
To add an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference
transmitter to the intra-technology neighbour list of the transmitter.

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To remove an outward neighbour relation:

1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the transmitter.
To add an inward neighbour relation:
• Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
- If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other trans-
mitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inward non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
- If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour rela-
tion by pressing SHIFT and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then
press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric
inter-technology neighbour relation.
To remove an inwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the trans-
mitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.

Notes:
• When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window
opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several
Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30).
• You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the menu
button ( ) of the Visual Management button ( ) in the Radio toolbar and selecting either
Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.

14.2.9.6 Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Allocation Plan

You can perform an audit of the current neighbour allocation plan. When you perform an audit of the current neighbour
allocation plan, Atoll lists the results in a text file. You can define what information Atoll provides in the audit.
To perform an audit of the neighbour allocation plan:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appear.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Audit from the context menu. The Neighbour Audit dialogue appears.
4. Define the parameters of the audit:
- Average No. of Neighbours: Select the Average No. of Neighbours check box if you want to verify the
average number of neighbours per cell.
- Empty Lists: Select the Empty Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have no neighbours (in other
words, which cells have an empty neighbour list).
- Full Lists: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have the maximum number of
neighbours allowed (in other words, which cells have a full neighbour list). The maximum number of neigh-
bours can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
- Lists > Max Number: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have more than the
maximum number of neighbours allowed. The maximum number of neighbours can be either set here for all
the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
- Missing Co-sites: Select the Missing Co-sites check box if you want to verify which cells have no co-site
neighbours.
- Missing Symmetrics: Select the Missing Symmetrics check box if you want to verify which cells have non-
symmetric neighbour relations.
- Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to verify which cells have forced
neighbours or forbidden neighbours.
5. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a new text file:
- Average Number of Neighbours: X; where, X is the average number of neighbours (integer) per cell for the
plan audited.
- Empty Lists: x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having no neighbours (or empty neighbours list)
Syntax: |CELL|
- Full Lists (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having Y number of neighbours
listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|
- Lists > Max Number (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having more than
Y number of neighbours listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|

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Note: If the field Max number of intra-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty, the
Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.

- Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
- Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
- Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
- Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|

14.2.9.7 Exporting Neighbours

The neighbour data of an Atoll document is stored in a series of tables. You can export the neighbour data to use it in
another application or in another Atoll document.
To export neighbour data:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours and then select the neighbour table containing the data you want to export from the
context menu:
- Intra-Technology Neighbours: This table contains the data for the intra-technology neighbours in the current
Atoll document.
- Inter-Technology Neighbours: This table contains the data for the inter-technology neighbours in the current
Atoll document.
- Intra-technology Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the intra-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
- Inter-technology Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the inter-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
4. When the selected neighbours table opens, you can export the content as described in "Exporting Tables to Text
Files" on page 58.

14.2.10 Planning Frequencies

You can assign frequencies, i.e., frequency bands and channel numbers, manually to cells or use the Automatic
Frequency Planning (AFP) tool to automatically allocate channels to cells. The AFP allocates channels to cells automati-
cally such that the overall interference in the network is minimised. Once allocation is completed, you can analyse the
frequency plan by creating and comparing C/(I+N) coverage predictions, and view the frequency allocation on the map.
The procedure for planning frequencies is:
• Allocating frequencies
- "Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 1062.
- "Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually" on page 1063.
• Displaying and analysing the frequency allocation
- "Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation" on page 1063.
- "Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 1064.
- "Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies" on page 1064.
- "Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions" on page 1065.

14.2.10.1 Allocating Frequencies

Atoll can automatically assign frequencies to cells according to set parameters. For example, the AFP takes into account
the interference matrices, minimum reuse distance, and any constraints imposed by neighbours. The AFP can also be
used to allocate physical cell IDs automatically to the cells of an network. The AFP can base the automatic frequency and
physical cell ID allocation on interference matrices, whereas the automatic physical cell ID allocation feature available by
default in the LTE module does not use interference matrices. Apart from this difference, the two physical cell ID allocation
features are alike. For further information on physical cell IDs, see "Planning Physical Cell IDs" on page 1065. You can
also allocate frequencies and physical cell IDs manually to cells.
In this section, the following methods of allocating physical cell IDs are described:
• "Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 1062.
• "Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually" on page 1063.

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Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells

The AFP enables you to automatically allocate frequencies to cells in the current network.
To automatically allocate frequencies:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Frequency Plan > Automatic Allocation. The Frequency Allocation dialogue appears.
4. You can set the following parameters:
- Under Allocate, you can select Frequencies to perform automatic frequency planning or Physical Cell IDs
to allocate physical cell IDs to cells automatically.
- If you have selected Physical Cell IDs under Allocate, under S-SCH ID Allocation Strategy, you can select
one of the following automatic allocation strategies:
- Free
- Same per Site
For more information on the strategies, see "Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells" on
page 1065.

- Under Relations, you can set the relations to take into account in automatic allocation.
- Under Interference Matrices, you can calculate and take interference matrices into account for the fre-
quency allocation. When the Frequency Allocation dialogue opens, the Take into account check box is
disabled because interference matrices are not yet calculated nor available.
To calculate interference matrices:

i. Enter a value for the Quality Margin.

ii. Click the Calculate button. Atoll calculates the interference matrices. The calculation progress is dis-
played in the Event Viewer window. To stop the interference matrices calculation at any moment, click
the Stop button. Interference matrices are calculated using the default calculation resolution set in the
Properties dialogue of the Predictions folder.
iii. Click the Close button once the interference matrices have been calculated. The Event Viewer window
closes.
To display details of the calculated interference matrices:

i. Click the Details button. The Interference Matrices Display dialogue appears. This dialogue lists all the
interfered and interfering cell pairs and their respective interference probabilities in co- and adjacent chan-
nel cases.
ii. Click the Close button. The Interference Matrices Display dialogue closes.
To delete the calculated interference matrices:
- Click the Delete button.
To take the calculated interference matrices into account:
- Select the Take into account check box.
Interference Matrices Calculation and Quality Margin:
Interference matrices calculated by the AFP are the co- and adjacent channel interference probabilities
for each interfered and interfering cell pair. The probability of interference of a cell is defined as the ratio
of the interfered surface area within the best server coverage area of any studied cell to the total best serv-
er coverage area of the cell:

S Int
P Int = --------------
-
S Total

In words, S Total is the best server coverage area of the studied cell, and S Int is the surface area within
the best server area of the studied cell where the interference from another cell is higher than the refer-
ence signal C/N threshold of the studied cell plus the quality margin.

The quality margin is defined with respect to the reference signal C/N thresholds of cells. By default the
reference signal C/N threshold outlines the area of service of a cell. This means that where the reference
signal C/N of a cell is less than the reference signal C/N threshold, there is no service. The AFP uses the
quality margin to calculate interference within the service areas of cells.

- Take min reuse distance into account: Select this check box if you want the AFP to take relations based
on distance into account for the allocation. You can enter the Default radius within which two cells whose
channels have a co-channel overlap cannot have the same frequency or physical cell ID.

Note: A minimum reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of
default the value entered here.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

- Take neighbours into account: Select this check box if you want the AFP to take neighbour relations
into account for the allocation. The AFP will try to avoid allocating the same frequency or physical cell ID
to neighbours of each cell being allocated.
Atoll can only take neighbour relations into account if neighbours have already been allocated. For infor-
mation on allocating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 1052.

5. Under Results, Atoll displays the Total Cost of the current frequency or physical cell ID allocation taking into
account the parameters set in step 4. You can modify the parameters and click Recalculate Cost to see the
change in the total cost.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating frequencies or physical cell IDs.
Once Atoll has finished allocating frequencies or physical cell IDs, the proposed allocation is visible under
Results.

The Results table contains the following information.

- Site: The name of the base station.

- Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
- Name: The name of the cell.
- Initial Channel Number: The channel number of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Channel Number: The channel number of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Channel Allocation Status: The value of the Channel Allocation Status of the cell
- Initial Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial P-SCH ID: The P-SCH ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
- P-SCH ID: The P-SCH ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial S-SCH ID: The S-SCH ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
- S-SCH ID: The S-SCH ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Cost: The cost of the new frequency or physical cell ID allocation of the cell.
- Physical Cell ID Status: The value of the Physical Cell ID Status of the cell.
7. Click Commit. The channel numbers and physical cell IDs are committed to the cells.

Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually

When you allocate frequencies to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate them automatically, as described
in "Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 1062. However, if you want to assign a frequency or a physical
cell ID to one cell or to modify it, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
To allocate the frequency or physical cell ID to a cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate the frequency or physical cell ID. The
context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Select a Frequency Band and Channel Number for the cell or enter a Physical Cell ID.
5. You can set the Channel Allocation Status or Physical Cell ID Status to Fixed if you want to lock the frequency
or physical cell ID that you assigned.
6. Click OK.

14.2.10.2 Displaying the Frequency Allocation

Once you have allocated frequencies, you can verify several aspects of the allocation. You can display frequencies in
several ways:
• "Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation" on page 1063.
• "Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 1064.
• "Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies" on page 1064.
• "Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions" on page 1065.

Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation

In Atoll, you can search for frequency bands and channel numbers using the Search Tool.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Frequencies and any potential prob-
lems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see "Making a Coverage Prediction
by Transmitter" on page 1026.
To find a frequency band using the Search Tool:
1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Channel tab.
3. Select a Frequency Band from the list of available frequency bands.
4. Set Channel Number to All.

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5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the selected frequency band are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells using other
frequency bands are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

To find a channel number using the Search Tool:

1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Channel tab.
3. Select a Frequency Band from the list of available frequency bands.
4. Select the Channel Number from the list of available channel numbers.
5. If you want only want the channel entered in the Channel Number box to be displayed, select the Co-channel
Only check box.
6. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the selected frequency band and channel number are displayed in red. Transmitters
with cells using two adjacent channel numbers in the same frequency band (i.e., a channel higher and a channel
lower) are displayed in yellow. Transmitters with cells using a lower adjacent channel number in the same
frequency band are displayed in green. Transmitters with cells using a higher adjacent channel number in the
same frequency band are displayed in blue. All other transmitters are displayed in grey.

If you selected the Co-channel Only check box, transmitters with cells using the same channel number are
displayed in red, and all others, including transmitters with adjacent channels, are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

Note: By including the frequency band and channel number of each cell in the transmitter label,
the search results will be easier to understand. For information on defining the label, see
"Defining the Object Type Label" on page 35.

Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings

You can display the frequency allocation on transmitters by using the transmitters’ display characteristics.
To display the frequency allocation on the map:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Display tab.
5. Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Channel Number" as the Field.
6. Click OK. Transmitters will be displayed by channel number.
You can also display the frequency band and channel number in the transmitter label or tooltip by selecting "Cells:
Frequency Band" and "Cells: Channel Number" from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies

You can group transmitters on the Data tab of the Explorer window by their frequency bands or channel numbers.
To group transmitters by frequency bands or channel numbers:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
- Frequency Band
- Channel Number
- Min Reuse Distance
- Channel Allocation Status

7. Click to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to
the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.

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8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select the parameter in the Group these

fields in this order list and click . The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which
the transmitters will be grouped.
9. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters
to be grouped:

a. Select a parameter and click to move it up to the desired position.

b. Select a parameter and click to move it down to the desired position.

10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.

Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions

You can create and compare reference signal C/(I+N) coverage predictions before and after the automatic frequency allo-
cation in order to analyse and compare the improvements brought about by the AFP. For more information on creating
reference signal C/(I+N) coverage predictions, see "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 1041. For more infor-
mation on comparing two coverage predictions, see "Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 1032.

14.2.11 Planning Physical Cell IDs

In LTE, 504 physical cell IDs are available, numbered from 0 to 503. There are as many pseudo-random sequences
defined in the 3GPP specifications. Physical cell IDs are grouped into 168 unique cell ID groups (called S-SCH IDs in
Atoll), with each group containing 3 unique identities (called P-SCH IDs in Atoll). An S-SCH ID is thus uniquely defined
by a number in the range of 0 to 167, and a P-SCH ID is defined by a number in the range of 0 to 2. Each cell’s reference
signals transmit a pseudo-random sequence corresponding to the physical cell ID of the cell. The S-SCH and P-SCH are
transmitted over the center six frequency blocks independent of the channel bandwidths used by cells. Mobiles synchro-
nise there transmission and reception frequency and time by listening first to the P-SCH. Once they know the P-SCH ID
of the cell, they listen to the S-SCH of the cell in order to know the S-SCH ID. The combination of these two IDs gives the
physical cell ID and the associated pseudo-random sequence that is transmitted over the downlink reference signals.
Once the physical cell ID and the associated pseudo-random sequence is known to the mobile, the cell is recognized by
the mobile based on the received reference signals. Channel quality measurements are also made on the reference
signals.
Because the cell search and selection depend on the physical cell IDs of the cells, these must be intelligently allocated to
cells in order to avoid unnecessary problems in cell recognition and selection.
You can assign physical cell IDs manually or automatically to any cell in the network. Once allocation is completed, you
can audit the physical cell IDs, view physical cell ID reuse on the map, and make an analysis of physical cell ID distribution.
The procedure for planning physical cell IDs for an LTE project is:
• Allocating physical cell IDs
- "Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells" on page 1065.
- "Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells Manually" on page 1066.
• "Checking the Consistency of the Physical Cell ID Plan" on page 1066.
• Displaying the allocation of physical cell IDs
- "Using the Search Tool to Display Physical Cell ID Allocation" on page 1067.
- "Displaying Physical Cell ID Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 1068.
- "Grouping Transmitters by Physical Cell ID" on page 1068.
- "Displaying the Physical Cell ID Allocation Histogram" on page 1068.

14.2.11.1 Allocating Physical Cell IDs

Atoll can automatically assign physical cell IDs to the cells of an LTE network according to set parameters. For example,
it takes into account the selected S-SCH allocation strategy (free or same per site), minimum reuse distance, and any
constraints imposed by neighbours.
You can also allocate physical cell IDs manually to the cells of an LTE network.
In this section, the following methods of allocating physical cell IDs are described:
• "Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells" on page 1065.
• "Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells Manually" on page 1066.

Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells

The allocation algorithm enables you to automatically allocate physical cell IDs to cells in the current network. You can
choose from two allocation strategies for the S-SCH ID (for more information, see the Technical Reference Guide):
• Free: The physical cell ID allocation will only be restricted by the P-SCH ID allocated to nearby cells. S-SCH IDs
will not necessarily be the same for all the cells of a site.
• Same per Site: This strategy allocates physical cell IDs to cells such that the same S-SCH ID is assigned to all
the cells of a site.

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To automatically allocate physical cell IDs:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Physical Cell IDs > Automatic Allocation. The Physical Cell ID Allocation dialogue appears.
4. You can set the following parameters:
- Under Relations, you can set the relationships to take into account in automatic physical cell ID allocation.
- Neighbours: Select the Neighbours check box if you want to consider neighbour relations. The automat-
ic allocation algorithm will try to avoid allocating the same physical cell ID to neighbours of each cell being
allocated.
Atoll can only consider neighbour relations if neighbours have already been allocated. For information on
allocating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 1052.

- Min Reuse Distance: Select the Min Reuse Distance check box if you want to consider relations based
on distance. You can enter the Default radius within which two cells whose channels have a co-channel
overlap cannot have the same physical cell ID.

Note: A minimum reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of
default the value entered here.

- Under S-SCH ID Allocation Strategy, you can select one of the following automatic allocation strategies:
- Free
- Same per Site
5. Under Results, Atoll displays the Total Cost of the current physical cell ID allocation taking into account the
parameters set in step 4. You can modify the parameters and click Recalculate Cost to see the change in the
total cost.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating physical cell IDs.
Once Atoll has finished allocating physical cell IDs, the IDs are visible under Results.

The Results table contains the following information.

- Site: The name of the base station.
- Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
- Name: The name of the cell.
- Initial Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
- Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial P-SCH ID: The P-SCH ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
- P-SCH ID: The P-SCH ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Initial S-SCH ID: The S-SCH ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
- S-SCH ID: The S-SCH ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
- Cost: The cost of the new physicel cell ID allocation of the cell.
- Physical Cell ID Status: The value of the Physical Cell ID Status of the cell.
7. Click Commit. The physical cell IDs are committed to the cells.

Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells Manually

When you allocate physical cell IDs to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate physical cell IDs automati-
cally, as described in "Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells" on page 1065. However, if you want to
assign a physical cell ID to one cell or to modify it, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
To allocate a physical cell ID to an LTE cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate a physical cell ID. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitter’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Enter a Physical Cell ID in the cell’s column.
5. You can set the Physical Cell ID Status to Fixed if you want to lock the physical cell ID that you assigned.
6. Click OK.

14.2.11.2 Checking the Consistency of the Physical Cell ID Plan

Once you have completed allocating physical cell IDs, you can verify whether the allocated physical cell IDs respect the
specified constraints and relations by performing an audit of the plan. The physical cell ID audit also enables you to check
for inconsistencies if you have made some manual changes to the allocation plan.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

To perform an audit of the allocation plan:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Physical Cell IDs > Audit. The Physical Cell ID Audit dialogue appears.
4. In the Physical Cell ID Audit dialogue, select the allocation criteria that you want to verify:
- Distance: If you select the Distance check box and set a reuse distance, Atoll will check for and list cells that
do not respect this reuse distance.
- Neighbours: If you select the Neighbours check box, Atoll will check that no cell has the same physical cell
ID as any of its neighbours. The report will list any cell that does have the same physical cell ID as one of its
neighbours.
- Different S-SCH ID at a Site: If you select the Different S-SCH ID at a Site check box, Atoll will check for
and list base stations whose cells have physical cell IDs that correspond to different S-SCH IDs.
5. Click OK. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a text file called IndexCheck.txt, which it opens at the end of the
audit. For each selected criterion, Atoll gives the number of detected inconsistencies and details for each incon-
sistency.

14.2.11.3 Displaying the Allocation of Physical Cell IDs

Once you have completed allocating physical cell IDs, you can verify several aspects of physical cell ID allocation. You
can display physical cell IDs in several ways:
• "Using the Search Tool to Display Physical Cell ID Allocation" on page 1067.
• "Displaying Physical Cell ID Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 1068.
• "Grouping Transmitters by Physical Cell ID" on page 1068.
• "Displaying the Physical Cell ID Allocation Histogram" on page 1068.

Using the Search Tool to Display Physical Cell ID Allocation

In Atoll, you can search for physical cell IDs, P-SCH IDs, and S-SCH IDs using the Search Tool.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Physical cell IDs and any potential
problems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see "Making a Coverage
Prediction by Transmitter" on page 1026.
To find a physical cell ID using the Search Tool:
1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Physical Cell ID tab.
3. Select Physical Cell ID.
4. Enter a Physical Cell ID.
5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the entered physical cell ID are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells use other
physical cell IDs are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

Note: By including the physical cell ID of each cell in the transmitter label, the search results will
be easier to understand. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the Object
Type Label" on page 35.

To find a P-SCH ID using the Search Tool:

1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Physical Cell ID tab.
3. Select P-SCH ID.
4. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use P-SCH ID 0 are displayed in red. Transmitters whose cells use P-SCH ID 1 are
displayed in yellow. Transmitters whose cells use P-SCH ID 2 are displayed in green.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

To find an S-SCH ID using the Search Tool:

1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Physical Cell ID tab.
3. Select S-SCH ID.
4. Enter an S-SCH ID.
5. Click Search.

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Atoll User Manual

Transmitters whose cells use the entered S-SCH ID are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells use other S-SCH
IDs are displayed in grey.

To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.

Displaying Physical Cell ID Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings

You can display physical cell ID allocation on transmitters by using the transmitters’ display characteristics.
To display physical cell ID allocation on the map:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Display tab.
5. Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Physical Cell ID" as the Field.
6. Click OK. Transmitters will be displayed by physical cell ID.
You can also display the physical cell ID in the transmitter label or tooltip by selecting "Cells: Physical Cell ID" from the
Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.

Grouping Transmitters by Physical Cell ID

You can group transmitters on the Data tab of the Explorer window by their physical cell ID or their reuse distance.
To group transmitters by physical cell ID:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
- Physical Cell ID
- Min Reuse Distance
- Physical Cell ID Status

7. Click to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to
the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select the parameter in the Group these

fields in this order list and click . The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which
the transmitters will be grouped.
9. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters
to be grouped:

a. Select a parameter and click to move it up to the desired position.

b. Select a parameter and click to move it down to the desired position.

10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.

Displaying the Physical Cell ID Allocation Histogram

You can use a histogram to analyse the use of allocated physical cell IDs in a network. The histogram represents the phys-
ical cell IDs as a function of the frequency of their use.
To display the physical cell ID histogram:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Physical Cell IDs > ID Distribution. The Distribution Histograms dialogue appears.
Each bar represents a physical cell ID, its height depending on the frequency of its use.

4. Move the pointer over the histogram to display the frequency of use of each physical cell ID. The results are high-
lighted simultaneously in the Detailed Results list.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

14.3 Studying Network Capacity

Interference is the major limiting factor in the performance of LTE networks. It has been recognized as the major bottleneck
in network capacity and is often responsible for poor performance. Frequency reuse means that in a given coverage area
there are several cells that use a given set of frequencies. The cells that use the same frequency are called co-channel
cells, and the interference from users with the same channel in the other co-channel cells is called co-channel interference.
Unlike thermal noise which can be overcome by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), co-channel interference cannot
be countered by simply increasing the carrier power of a transmitter. This is because an increase in carrier transmission
power will increase the interference to neighbouring co-channel cells. To reduce co-channel interference, co-channel cells
must be physically separated sufficiently by a distance, called the reuse distance. For a network with a limited number of
frequency channels, a large reuse distance can guarantee a high QoS for the system, but the capacity will be decreased.
Another type of interference in LTE networks is adjacent channel interference. Adjacent channel interference results from
imperfect receiver filters which allow nearby frequencies to interfere with the used frequency channel. Adjacent channel
interference can be minimized through careful filtering and channel assignment.
In Atoll, a simulation is based on a realistic distribution of users at a given point in time. The distribution of users at a given
moment is referred to as a snapshot. Based on this snapshot, Atoll calculates various network parameters such as the
downlink and uplink traffic loads, the uplink noise rise, the user throughputs, etc. Simulations are calculated in an iterative
fashion.
When several simulations are performed at the same time using the same traffic information, the distribution of users will
be different, according to a Poisson distribution. Consequently you can have variations in user distribution from one snap-
shot to another.
To create snapshots, services and users must be modelled. As well, certain traffic information in the form of traffic maps
or subscriber lists must be provided. Once services and users have been modelled and traffic maps and subscriber lists
have been created, you can make simulations of the network traffic.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Defining Multi-service Traffic Data" on page 1069.
• "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 1069.
• "Exporting a Traffic Map" on page 1077.
• "Working with a Subscriber Database" on page 1078.
• "Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations" on page 1081.
• "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 1093.

14.3.1 Defining Multi-service Traffic Data

The first step in making a simulation is defining how the network is used. In Atoll, this is accomplished by creating all of
the parameters of network use, in terms of services, users, and equipment used.
The following services and users are modelled in Atoll in order to create simulations:
• LTE radio bearers: Radio bearers are used by the network for carrying information. The LTE Radio Bearer table
lists all the available radio bearers. You can create new radio bearers and modify existing ones by using the LTE
Radio Bearer table. For information on defining radio bearers, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 1103.
• Services: Services are the various services, such as VoIP, FTP download, etc., available to users. These services
can be either of the type "voice" or "data". For information on modelling end-user services, see "Modelling Serv-
ices" on page 1037.
• Mobility type: In LTE, information about receiver mobility is important to determine the user’s radio conditions and
throughputs. For information on modelling mobility types, see "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038.
• Terminals: In LTE, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a
PDA, or a car’s on-board navigation device. For information on modelling terminals, see "Modelling Terminals" on
page 1038.

14.3.2 Creating a Traffic Map

The following sections describe the different types of traffic maps available in Atoll and how to create, import, and use
them. Atollprovides three types of traffic maps for UMTS projects.
• Traffic map per sector
• Traffic map per user profile
• Traffic map per density (number of users per km2)
These maps can be used for different types of traffic data sources as follows:
• Traffic maps per sector can be used if you have live traffic data from the OMC (Operation and Maintenance
Centre).
The OMC (Operations and Maintenance Centre) collects data from all cells in a network. This includes, for exam-
ple, the number of users or the throughput in each cell and the traffic characteristics related to different services.
Traffic is spread over the best server coverage area of each transmitter and each coverage area is assigned either
the throughputs in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status . For more information,
see "Creating a Traffic Map per Sector" on page 1070.

• Traffic map per user profile can be used if you have marketing-based traffic data.

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Atoll User Manual

Traffic maps per density of user profiles, where each vector (polygon, line or point) describes subscriber densities
(or numbers of subscribers for points) with user profiles and mobility types, and traffic maps per environment of
user profiles, where each pixel has an assigned environment class. For more information, see "Importing a Traffic
Map Based on Densities of User Profiles" on page 1072, "Importing a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User
Profiles" on page 1074 and "Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles" on page 1074.

• Traffic maps per density (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data,
or 2G network statistics.
Each pixel has an actual user density assigned. For more information, see "Creating Traffic Maps per User
Density (No. Users/km2)" on page 1075, "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 1075, "Converting
2G Network Traffic" on page 1076 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 1077

14.3.2.1 Creating a Traffic Map per Sector

The section explains how to create a traffic map per sector in Atoll to model traffic.
You can input either the throughput demands in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status .
A coverage prediction by transmitter is required to create this traffic map. If you do not already have a coverage prediction
by transmitter in your document, you must create and calculate it. For more information, see "Making a Coverage Predic-
tion by Transmitter" on page 1026.
To create a traffic map per sector:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per Sector.
5. Select the type of traffic information you want to input. You can choose between Throughputs in Uplink and
Downlink or Number of Users per Activity Status.
6. Click the Create button. The Map per Sector dialogue appears.

Note: You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from another Atoll
document.

7. Select a coverage prediction by transmitter from the list of available coverage predictions by transmitter.
8. Enter the data required in the Map per Sector dialogue:
- If you have selected Throughputs in Uplink and Downlink, enter the throughput demands in the uplink and
downlink for each sector and for each listed service.
- If you have selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of users active in the uplink, in
the downlink and in the uplink and downlink, for each sector and for each service.

Note: You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and
selecting Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

9. Click OK. The Sector Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.

10. Select the Traffic tab. Enter the following:
a. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage
must equal 100.
b. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
c. Under Clutter Distribution, for each clutter class, enter:
- A weight to spread the traffic over the vector.
- The percentage of indoor users. An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during Monte-Carlo
simulations.
11. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
You can update the information, throughput demands and the number of users, on the map afterwards. You can update
Sector traffic maps. You must first recalculate the coverage prediction by transmitter. For more information, see "Making
a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 1026. Once you have recalculated the coverage prediction, you can
update the traffic map.
To update the traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map that you want to update. The context menu appears.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

4. Select Update from the context menu. The Map per Sector dialogue appears.
Select the updated coverage prediction by transmitter and define traffic values for the new transmitter(s) listed at
the bottom of the table. Deleted or deactivated transmitters are automatically removed from the table.

5. Click OK. The Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.

6. Click OK. The traffic map is updated on the basis of the selected coverage prediction by transmitter.

14.3.2.2 Creating a Traffic Map per User Profile

The marketing department can provide information which can be used to create traffic maps. This information describes
the behaviour of different types of users. In other words, it describes which type of user accesses which services and for
how long. There may also be information about the type of terminal devices they use to access different services.
In Atoll, this type of data can be used to create traffic maps based on user profiles and environments.
A user profile models the behaviour of different user categories. Each user profile is defined by a list of services which are
in turn defined by the terminal used, the calls per hour, and duration (for calls of the type "voice") or uplink and downlink
volume (for calls of the type "data").
Environment classes are used to describe the distribution of users on a map. An environment class describes its environ-
ment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given density (i.e., the number of users with
the same profile per km²).
The sections "Importing a Traffic Map Based on Densities of User Profiles" on page 1072, "Importing a Traffic Map Based
on Environments of User Profiles" on page 1074 and "Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles" on
page 1074 describe how to use traffic data from the marketing department in Atoll to model traffic.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Modelling User Profiles" on page 1071.
• "Modelling Environments" on page 1072.

Modelling User Profiles

You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user may be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but
no web browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and
web browsing.
To create or modify a user profile:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile in
the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. You can modify the following parameters:

- Name: Enter a descriptive name for the user profile.
- Service: Select a service from the list. For information on services, see "Modelling Services" on page 1037.
- Terminal: Select a terminal from the list. For information on terminals, see "Modelling Terminals" on
page 1038.
- Calls/Hour: For services of the type "voice," enter the average number of calls per hour for the service. The
calls per hour is used to calculate the activity probability. For services of the type "voice," one call lasting 1000
seconds presents the same activity probability as two calls lasting 500 seconds each.
For services of the type "data," the Calls/Hour value is defined as the number of sessions per hour. A session
is like a call in that it is defined as the period of time between when a user starts using a service and when he
stops using a service. In services of the type "data," however, he may not use the service continually. For ex-
ample, with a web-browsing service, a session starts when the user opens his browsing application and ends
when he quits the browsing application. Between these two events, the user may be downloading web pages
and other times he may not be using the application, or he may be browsing local files, but the session is still
considered as open. A session, therefore, is defined by the volume transferred in the uplink and downlink and
not by the time.

Note: In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.

- Duration (sec.): For services of the type "voice," enter the average duration of a call in seconds. For services
of the type "data," this field is left blank.
- UL Volume (KBytes): For services of the type "data," enter the average uplink volume per session in kilo-
bytes.

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Atoll User Manual

- DL Volume (KBytes): For services of the type "data," enter the average downlink volume per session in kil-
obytes.
6. Click OK.

Modelling Environments

An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a
given density (i.e., the number of users with the same profile per km²). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can
assign a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor subscribers
for each clutter class. In a Monte Carlo simulation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be
added to the indoor users’ path loss.
To create or modify an LTE environment:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.

Note: You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the
environment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context
menu.

5. Click the General tab.

6. Enter a Name for the new LTE environment.

7. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), set the following parameters for each user profile/mobility com-
bination that this LTE environment will describe:
- User: Select a user profile.
- Mobility: Select a mobility type.
- Density (Subscribers/km2): Enter a density in terms of subscribers per square kilometre for the combination
of user profile and mobility type.
8. Click the Clutter Weighting tab.
9. For each clutter class, enter a weight that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:

Wk × Sk
N k = N Area × --------------------------
∑
Wi × Si
i

where:

Nk = Number of users in the clutter k

N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)

For example: An area of 10 km² with a user density of 100/km². Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 users. The
area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Building is
"4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.

10. If you wish you can specify a percentage of indoor users for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simulation,
an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be added to the indoor users path loss.
11. Click OK.

14.3.2.2.1 Importing a Traffic Map Based on Densities of User Profiles

Traffic maps based on densities of user profiles are composed of vectors (either points with a number of subscribers, lines
with a number of subscribers⁄km, or polygons with a number of subscribers⁄km²) with a user profile, mobility type, and traffic
density assigned to each vector.
To create a traffic map based on densities of user profiles:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
5. Select Based on Densities of User Profiles from the scrolling list.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 1074.

7. Select the file to import.

8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab (see Figure 14.49).
12. Under Traffic Fields, you can specify the user profiles to be considered, their mobility type (km⁄h), and their den-
sity. If the file you are importing has this data, you can define the traffic characteristics by identifying the corre-
sponding fields in the file. If the file you are importing does not have data describing the user profile, mobility, or
density, you can assign values. When you assign values, they apply to the entire map.

Figure 14.49: Traffic map properties dialogue - Traffic tab

Define each of the following:

- User Profile: If you want to import user profile information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and
select the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a user profile from the LTE Parameters
folder of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the user profile in the Choice column.
- Mobility: If you want to import mobility information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select
the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a mobility type from the LTE Parameters folder
of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the mobility type in the Choice column.
- Density: If you want to import density information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select the
source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a density, under Defined, select "By value" and
enter a density in the Choice column for the combination of user profile and mobility type. In this context, the
term "density" depends on the type of vector traffic map. It refers to the number of subscribers per square kil-
ometre for polygons, the number of subscribers per kilometre in case of lines, and the number of subscribers
when the map consists of points.

Important: When you import user profile or mobility information from the file, the values in the file
must be exactly the same as the corresponding names in the LTE Parameters folder of
the Data tab. If the imported user profile or mobility does not match, Atoll will display a
warning.

13. Under Clutter Distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:

Wk × Sk
N k = N Area × --------------------------
∑
Wi × Si
i

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Atoll User Manual

where:

Nk = Number of users in the clutter k

N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)

14. If you wish you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simu-
lation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be added to the indoor users path loss.
15. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.

14.3.2.2.2 Importing a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

Atollenables you to create a traffic map based on environments of user profiles by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
5. Select Based on Environments of User Profiles from the scrolling list.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 1074.

7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, BIL, IST,
BMP, PlaNET©, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the
Code column.

12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under LTE Parameters on the Data
tab of the Explorer window. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 1072.

13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects"
on page 33.
14. Click OK.

14.3.2.2.3 Creating a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

Atollenables you to create an environment class based traffic map by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Traffic Map per User Profile.
5. Select Based on Environments of User Profiles from the scrolling list.
6. Click Create. The Environment Map Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 14.50).

Draw Map Delete Map

Figure 14.50: Environment Map Editor toolbar

7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

8. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.

9. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.

10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.

14.3.2.2.4 Displaying Statistics on a Traffic Map Based on Environments of User Profiles

You can display the statistics of a traffic map based on environments of user profiles. Atoll provides absolute (surface)
and relative (percentage of the surface) statistics on the focus zone for each environment class. If you do not have a focus
zone defined, statistics are determined for the computation zone.
To display traffic statistics of an environment class based traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the traffic map based on environments of user profiles whose statistics you want to display. The context
menu appears.
4. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears.
The Statistics window lists the surface (Si in km²) and the percentage of surface (% of i) for each environment
Si
class "i" within the focus zone. The percentage of surface is given by: % of i = -------------- × 100
∑
Sk
k
You can print the statistics by clicking the Print button.

5. Click Close.
If a clutter classes map is available in the document, traffic statistics provided for each environment class are listed per
clutter class.

14.3.2.3 Creating Traffic Maps per User Density (No. Users/km2)

Traffic maps per user density can be based on population statistics (user densities can be calculated from the density of
inhabitants) or on 2G traffic statistics. Traffic maps per user density provides the number of connected users per unit
surface, i.e., the density of users, as input.

14.3.2.3.1 Importing a Traffic Map per User Density

The traffic map per user density defines the density of users per pixel. For a traffic density of X users per km², Atoll will
distribute x users per pixel during the simulations, where x depends on the size of the pixels. These x users will have a
terminal, a mobility type, a service, and percentage of indoor users as defined in the Traffic tab of the traffic map’s prop-
erties dialogue.
You can create a number of traffic maps per user density for different combinations of terminals, mobility types, and serv-
ices. You can add vector layers to the map and draw regions with different traffic densities.
To create a traffic map per user density:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.

4. Select Traffic Map per User Density (No. Users/km2).

5. Select the type of traffic information you input. You can choose between:
- Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
- Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
- Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.

Note: You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a Traffic Map Based on
Environments of User Profiles" on page 1074.

7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET©, TIF, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic map’s properties dialogue appears.

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11. Select the Traffic tab.

12. Select whether the users are active in the Uplink/Downlink, only in the Downlink, or only in the Uplink.
13. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
14. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
15. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
16. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.

17. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.

14.3.2.3.2 Creating a Traffic Map per per User Density

Atollenables you to create a traffic map per user density by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map per user density:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.

4. Select Traffic Map per Density (Number of users per km2).

5. Select the type of traffic information you input. You can choose between:
- Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
- Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
- Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
6. Click the Create button. The traffic map’s property dialogue appears.
7. Select the Traffic tab.
8. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
9. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
10. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
11. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.

12. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
13. Right-click the traffic map. The context menu appears.
14. Select Edit from the context menu.
15. Use the tools available in the Vector Edition toolbar in order to draw contours. For more information on how to edit
contours, see "Editing Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 131. Atoll creates an item called Density values in
the User Density Map folder.
16. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
17. Select Open Table from the context menu.

18. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e. the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.
19. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
20. Select Edit from the context menu to end editing.

14.3.2.4 Converting 2G Network Traffic

Atollcan cumulate the traffic of the traffic maps that you select and export it to a file. The information exported is the
number of users per km² for a particular service of a particular type, i.e., data or voice. This allows you to export your 2G
network packet and circuit service traffic, and then import these maps as traffic maps per user density into your LTE docu-
ment. These maps can then be used in traffic simulations like any other type of map.
For more information on how to export cumulated traffic, see "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 1077, and for infor-
mation on importing traffic maps per user density, see "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 1075.

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To import a 2G traffic map into an LTE document:

1. Create a live data traffic map in your 2G document for each type of service, i.e., one map for packet-switched and
one for circuit-switched services. For more information on creating traffic maps per sector, see "Creating a Traffic
Map per Sector" on page 306.
2. Export the cumulated traffic of the maps created in step 1. For information on exporting cumulated traffic, see
"Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 312.
3. Import the traffic exported in step 2 to your LTE document as a traffic map per user density. For more information
on importing traffic maps per user density, see "Importing a Traffic Map per User Density" on page 1075.

14.3.2.5 Exporting Cumulated Traffic

Atoll allows you to export the cumulated traffic of selected traffic maps in the form of traffic maps per user density. During
export, Atoll converts any traffic map to user density. The cumulated traffic is exported in 32-bit BIL, ArcView© Grid, or
Vertical Mapper format. When exporting in BIL format, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 GB. The exported traffic
map can then be imported as a traffic map per user density.
To export the cumulated traffic:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Export Cumulated Traffic from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. Enter a file name and select the file format.
5. Click Save. The Export dialogue appears.
6. Under Region, select the area to export:
- The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic over the entire project.
- The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic contained by a rectangle
encompassing the computation zone.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1.

Important: You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.

8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
- Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
- Service: Select the service that will be exported, or select "Circuit services" to export voice traffic, or select
"Packet services" to export data traffic.
- Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
- Activity: Select one of the following:
- All Activity Statuses: Select All Activity Statuses to export all users without any filter by activity status.
- Uplink: Select Uplink to export mobiles active in the uplink only.
- Downlink: Select Downlink to export mobiles active in the downlink only.
- Uplink/Downlink: Select Uplink/Downlink to export only mobiles with both uplink and downlink activity.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the
cumulated traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.

14.3.3 Exporting a Traffic Map

To export a traffic map:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the traffic map you want to export. The context menu appears.
4. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
5. Enter a file name and select a file format for the traffic map.
6. Click Save.
If you are exporting a raster traffic map, you have to define:

- The Export Region:

- Entire Project Area: Saves the entire traffic map.
- Only Pending Changes: Saves only the modifications made to the map.
- Computation Zone: Saves only the part of the traffic map inside the computation zone.
- An export Resolution.

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14.3.4 Working with a Subscriber Database

The LTE module includes a subscriber database for modelling fixed user distributions in a network. The subscriber data-
base consists of subscriber lists. You can create subscriber lists in Atoll by adding subscribers to the list using the mouse,
or by copying data from any other source such as a spreadsheet. You can also directly import subscriber lists in Atoll from
text (TXT) and comma separated value (CSV) files.
Atoll can allocate reference or serving base stations (cells) to subscribers. You can also have the subscriber antenna
oriented towards its serving cell to decrease interference. The automatic server allocation performs a number of calcula-
tions on the subscriber locations.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 1078.
• "Performing Calculations on Subscriber lists" on page 1081.

14.3.4.1 Creating a Subscriber List

You create subscribers in Atoll in two steps. First, you create a subscriber list, and then you add subscribers to the list.
You can add subscribers to the list directly on the map using the mouse. For more information, see "Adding Subscribers
to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse" on page 1080.
If you need to create a large number of subscribers, Atoll allows you to import them from another Atoll document or from
an external source. For more information, see "Importing a Subscriber List" on page 1081.
To create a subscriber list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Subscribers folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New List from the context menu. The Subscriber List N Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 14.51),
where N is an incremental digit.

Figure 14.51: New subscriber list dialogue - General tab

4. Select the General tab. The following options are available:

- Name: The name of the subscriber list. You can change the name of the list if desired.
- Coordinate System: The current coordinate system used by the subscriber list. You can change the coordi-
nate system of the list by clicking the Change button.
- Sort: Click the Sort button to sort the data in the subscriber list. For information on sorting, see "Sorting Data"
on page 68.
- Filter: Click the Filter button to filter the data in the subscriber list. For information on filtering, see "Filtering
Data" on page 70.
5. Click the Table tab. On the Table tab you can modify the various fields in the subscriber list, add user-defined fields
to the table, or, most importantly, change the default parameters for the fields in the table. These default param-
eters will be assigned to all the subscribers in this list created by using the mouse on the map (see Figure 14.52).
To modify the default values for these fields:
a. Select the field whose default value you want to modify.
b. Click Properties. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
c. Enter the new default value.
d. Click OK.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Figure 14.52: New subscriber list dialogue - Table tab

The following parameters are available by default in a new subscriber list:

- ID: The subscriber ID in the subscriber list. It is an automatically created identification number.
- X and Y coordinates: The geographical coordinates of the subscriber. A subscriber’s location is always fixed.
- Height: The altitude of the subscriber antenna with respect to the ground (DTM).
- Clutter: The name of the clutter class where the subscriber is located. This is a non-editable field whose con-
tents are automatically updated.
- Name: You can assign a descriptive name to each subscriber.
- User Profile: A user profile defines the traffic demand characteristics of subscribers. Atoll determines the ter-
minal used, the service accessed, and the activity status of subscribers during Monte Carlo simulations
according to the information in the user profiles. For more information, see "Modelling User Profiles" on
page 1071.
- Terminal: The default terminal is the user equipment with an antenna, LTE equipment, and noise character-
istics. The properties of this terminal are taken into consideration when performing calculations on the sub-
scriber list.
- Service: The service that the subscriber accesses by default. The properties of this service are taken into con-
sideration when performing calculations on the subscriber list.

Note: Subscriber lists use the mobility type "Fixed", i.e., 0 km/hr, in calculations. Make sure that
you have bearer selection thresholds defined for this mobility type in the LTE equipment
properties. For information on defining bearer selection thresholds, see "Defining LTE
Equipment" on page 1104.

- Azimuth: The orientation of the subscriber antenna in the horizontal plane. Azimuth is always considered with
respect to the north. You can either define this value manually or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. Atoll
points the subscriber antenna towards its serving base station.
- Mechanical Downtilt: The orientation of the subscriber antenna in the vertical plane. Mechanical downtilt is
positive when it is downwards and negative when upwards. You can either define this value manually or let
Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. Atoll points the subscriber antenna towards its serving base station.
- Lock Status: You can choose to lock the subscriber antenna orientation and serving transmitter. Use this
option if you do not want Atoll to change the assigned server or the antenna orientation.
- Serving Base Station: The serving transmitter of the subscriber. You can either define this value manually
or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. The serving base station is determined according to the received
reference signal level from the cell with the highest power.
- Reference Cell: The reference cell of the serving transmitter of the subscriber. You can either define this value
manually or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. If more than one cell of the serving base station cover the
subscriber, the one with the lowest order is selected as the reference cell.
- Distance: The distance of the subscriber from its serving base station. This is a non-editable field whose con-
tents are automatically updated.
- Received Reference Signal Power (DL) (dBm): The reference signal level received at the subscriber loca-
tion in the downlink. This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
- Received SCH/PBCH Power (DL) (dBm): The SCH/PBCH signal level received at the subscriber location in
the downlink. This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
- Received PDSCH/PDCCH Power (DL) (dBm): The PDSCH/PDCCH signal level received at the subscriber
location in the downlink. This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
- SCH/PBCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the sub-
scriber location in the downlink on the SCH and PBCH. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations
on subscriber lists.
- PDSCH/PDCCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
subscriber location in the downlink on the PDSCH and PDCCH. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.

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Atoll User Manual

- Reference Signal C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The reference signal C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink.
This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- SCH/PBCH C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The SCH/PBCH C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value
is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink.
This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Bearer (DL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) level at the subscriber location
in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- BLER (DL): The Block Error Rate read from the subscriber’s terminal type’s LTE equipment for the PDSCH/
PDCCH C⁄(I+N) level at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.
- Diversity Mode (DL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in downlink.
- Peak RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.
- Effective RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.
- Received PUSCH/PUCCH Power (UL) (dBm): The PUSCH/PUCCH signal level received at the serving
transmitter from the subscriber terminal in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations
on subscriber lists.
- PUSCH/PUCCH Total Noise (I+N) (UL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink on the PUSCH. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.
- PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) (UL) (dB): The PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) at the serving transmitter of the subscriber
in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Bearer (UL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) level at the serving transmitter
of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- BLER (UL): The Block Error Rate read from the reference cell’s LTE equipment for the PUSCH/PUCCH C/
(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.
- Diversity Mode (UL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in uplink.
- Transmission Power (UL) (dBm): The transmission power of the subscriber’s terminal after power control in
the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Frequency Blocks): The number of frequency blocks allocated to the
subscriber in the uplink by the eNode-B. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber
lists.
- Peak RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by
Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
- Effective RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput available using the
highest bearer available at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by
Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
For more information on the calculations that you can carry out on subscriber lists, see "Performing Calculations
on Subscriber lists" on page 1081.

6. Click the Display tab. You can modify how subscribers added to the list are displayed. For information on defining
the display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
7. Click OK. Atoll creates a new subscriber list.
You can now move the pointer over the map and click once to place a new subscriber at the location of the pointer. Press
ESC or click the normal pointer button ( ), to finish adding subscribers on the map. For information on adding subscribers
to a list, see "Adding Subscribers to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse" on page 1080.
You can open the subscriber list table containing all the subscribers and their parameters.
To open the subscriber list table:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Subscribers folder.
3. Right-click the subscriber list you want to open. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open Table from the context menu.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 50.

14.3.4.1.1 Adding Subscribers to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse

You can use the mouse to add subscribers to an existing subscriber list. Atoll applies the default parameters defined in
the Table tab of the subscriber list Properties dialogue to all the subscribers you add to the list. For more information on
the Table tab, see "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 1078.
To add subscribers to a subscriber list using the mouse:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Subscribers folder.
3. Right-click the subscriber list to which you want to add subscribers. The context menu appears.

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4. Select Add Subscribers from the context menu. The pointer changes to subscriber addition mode ( ).

5. Move the mouse over the Map window, and click once to add each subscriber.

6. Press ESC or click the normal pointer button ( ) to finish adding subscribers.

Tip: To place subscribers more accurately, before clicking the map, you can zoom in on the
map. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map Scale" on
page 38.

14.3.4.1.2 Importing a Subscriber List

You can also import subscriber lists from text files (TXT) or comma separated value files (CSV), including Microsoft Excel
files exported in CSV format.
To import a subscriber list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Subscribers folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Import from the context menu.
For more information on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 59.

Note: You can also export subscriber lists. For information on exporting table data, see
"Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 58.

14.3.4.2 Performing Calculations on Subscriber lists

You can perform calculations on subscriber lists without having to carry out simulations first. Atoll does not base calcula-
tions performed on subscriber lists on the path loss matrices calculated for transmitters. This is because the path loss
matrices are calculated for a given receiver height (1.5 m by default) defined in the Properties dialogue of the Predictions
folder, but each subscriber in a subscriber list can have a different height. Therefore, Atoll recalculates the path loss,
received power, and other output for each subscriber when you perform calculations based on subscribers.
Atoll includes an Automatic Server Allocation feature which performs the following for all the subscribers in a list.
To perform calculations on a subscriber list:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Subscribers folder.
3. Right-click the subscriber list on which you want to perform calculations. The context menu appears.
4. Select Calculations > Automatic Server Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Server Allocation
dialogue appears.
If you want the calculations to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check box
and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for signal level
calculations is based on the model standard deviation, and the shadowing margin for C/(I+N) calculations is based
on the C/I standard deviation.

5. Click Calculate. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
6. Once the calculations are finished, click Close to close the Event Viewer.
7. Click Commit to store the results in the subscriber list. For the list of results that are available after the calculations,
see "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 1078.

14.3.5 Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations

To plan and optimise LTE networks, you will need to study the network capacity and to study the network coverage taking
into account realistic user distribution and traffic demand scenarios.
In Atoll, a simulation corresponds to a given distribution of LTE users. It is a snapshot of an LTE network. The principal
outputs of a simulation are a geographic user distribution with a certain traffic demand, resources allocated to each user
of this distribution, and cell loads.
You can create groups for one or more simulations and carry out as many simulations as required. A new simulation for
each different traffic scenario can help visualise the network’s response to different traffic demands. Each user distribution
(each simulation generates a new user distribution) is a Poisson distribution of the number of active users. Therefore, each
simulation may have a varying number of users accessing the network.
LTE simulation results can be displayed on the map as well as listed in tabular form for analysis. Simulation outputs include
results related to sites, cells, and mobiles.
LTE simulation results can be stored in the cells table and used in C/(I+N) based coverage predictions.

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Atoll User Manual

In this section, the following are explained:

• "LTE Traffic Simulation Algorithm" on page 1082.
• "Creating Simulations" on page 1083.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map" on page 1084.
• "Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation" on page 1087.
• "Updating Cell Load Values With Simulation Results" on page 1092.
• "Estimating a Traffic Increase" on page 1092.

14.3.5.1 LTE Traffic Simulation Algorithm

Figure 14.53 shows the LTE simulation algorithm. The simulation process in LTE consists of the following steps:
1. Mobile Generation and Distribution
Simulations require traffic data, such as traffic maps (raster, vector, or live traffic data) or subscriber lists. Atoll
generates a user distribution for each simulation using a Monte Carlo algorithm. This user distribution is based on
the traffic data input and is weighted by a Poisson distribution.

Each mobile generated during the simulations is assigned a service, a mobility type, and a terminal according to
the user profile assigned to it. A transmission status is determined according to the activity probabilities. The trans-
mission status is an important output of the simulation as it has a direct impact on the next step of the simulation
process, i.e., the radio resource management (RRM), and has an impact on the interference level in the network.

The geographical location of each mobile is determined randomly for the mobiles generated based on the traffic
data from traffic maps. The mobiles generated based on the traffic data from subscriber lists are located on the
subscriber locations.

Figure 14.53: LTE simulation algorithm

2. Best Server Determination

Atoll determines the best server for each mobile based on the reference signal level in the downlink. The best
serving transmitter is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest
power. If more than one cell cover the mobile, the one with the lowest order is selected as the serving (reference)
cell.

3. Downlink Calculations
The downlink calculations include the calculation of downlink reference signal, SCH/PBCH, and PDSCH/PDCCH
C/(I+N), determination of the best available bearer for the PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N), allocation of resources (RRM),
and calculation of user throughputs.

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4. Uplink Calculations
The uplink calculations include the calculation of PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N), determination of the best available
bearer for the PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N), uplink power control and calculation of the number of allocated frequency
blocks depending on the bearer, allocation of resources (RRM), update of uplink noise rise values for cells, and
calculation of user throughputs.

5. Radio Resource Management and Cell Load Calculation

Atoll uses an intelligent scheduling algorithm to perform radio resource management. The scheduling algorithm
is explained in detail in the Technical Reference Guide. The scheduler:

a. Determines the total amount of resources in each cell

b. Selects the first N users from the users generated in the first step, where N is the Max Number of Users de-
fined in the cell properties.
c. Sorts the users in decreasing order by service priority
d. Allocates the resources required to satisfy the minimum throughput demands of the users starting from the
first user (with the highest priority service) to the last user.
e. If resources still remain in the resource pool after this allocation, allocates resources to the users with maxi-
mum throughput demands according to the used scheduling algorithm.

At the end of the simulations, an active user can be connected in the direction corresponding to his activity status if:
• he has a best server assigned (step 2.),
• he has a bearer in the direction corresponding to his activity status (step 3. and step 4.),
• he is among the users selected by the scheduler for resource allocation (step 5.), and
• he is not rejected due to resource saturation (step 5.).

If a user is rejected during step 2., step 3., or step 4., the cause of rejection is "No Service". If a user is rejected during
step 5., the cause of rejection can either be "Scheduler Saturation," i.e., the user is not among the users selected for
resource allocation, or he can be rejected due to "Resource Saturation," i.e., all of the cell’s resources were used up by
other users.

14.3.5.2 Creating Simulations

In Atoll, simulations enable you to study the capacity of your LTE network and model the different network regulation
mechanisms, such as power control and scheduling, in order to optimise network performance and maximise capacity.
You can create one simulation or a group of simulations that will be performed in sequence. You must have at least one
traffic map or subscriber list in your document to be able to perform simulations.
To create a simulation or a group of simulations:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the LTE Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The properties dialogue for a new simulation or group of simulations appears.
4. On the General tab of the dialogue, enter a Name for this simulation or group of simulations.
5. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the Number of Simulations to be carried out. All simulations
created at the same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
6. Under Load Constraints on the General tab, you can set the constraints that Atoll must respect during the sim-
ulation:
- Max DL Traffic Load: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum downlink traffic load, click the button
( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum downlink traffic load. If you want
to use the maximum downlink traffic load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside
the box and select Defined per Cell.
- Max UL Traffic Load: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum uplink traffic load, click the button
( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum uplink traffic load. If you want to
use the maximum uplink traffic load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside the
box and select Defined per Cell.
7. You can enter some Comments if you wish.
8. On the Source Traffic tab, enter the following:
- Global Scaling Factor: If desired, enter a scaling factor to increase user density.
The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic
maps. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of subscrib-
ers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for live traffic maps per sector).
- Select Traffic Maps to be Used: Select the traffic maps you want to use for the simulation.
- Select Subscriber Lists to be Used: Select the subscriber lists you want to use for the simulation.
You can select traffic maps of any type. However, if you have several different types of traffic maps and want
to make a simulation on a specific type of traffic map, you must ensure that you select only traffic maps of the
same type. For information on the types of traffic maps, see "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 1069.

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Note: When you perform simulations for subscriber lists, Atoll does not base the calculations on
subscriber lists on the path loss matrices calculated for transmitters. This is because the
path loss matrices are calculated for a given receiver height (1.5 m by default), but each
subscriber in a subscriber list can have a different height. Therefore, Atoll recalculates
the path loss, received power, and other output, for each subscriber when you perform
simulations on subscribers.

9. On the Advanced tab, enter the following:

10. Under Generator Initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. If you enter "0," the default,
the user and shadowing error distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same user and shad-
owing error distribution will be used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.

Tip: Using the same generated user and shadowing error distribution for several simulations
can be useful when you want to compare the results of several simulations where only one
parameter changes.

11. Under Convergence, enter the following parameters:

- Max Number of Iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make conver-
gence.
- DL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of downlink traffic load that
must be reached between two iterations.
- UL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink traffic load that
must be reached between two iterations.
- UL Noise Rise Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink noise rise that must
be reached between two iterations.
12. Click OK. Atoll immediately begins the simulation.
All simulations created at the same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window. You can
now use the results from completed simulations for LTE coverage predictions. For more information on using simulation
results in coverage predictions, see "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 1093.

14.3.5.3 Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map

Atoll enables you to display on the map the distribution of the traffic generated by all simulations according to different
parameters. You can, for example, display the traffic according to activity status, service, reference cell, or throughputs.
You can set the display of the traffic distribution according to discrete values and the select the value to be displayed. Or,
you can select the display of the traffic distribution according to value intervals, and then select the parameter and the
value intervals that are to be displayed. You can also define the colours of the icon and the icon itself. For information on
changing display characteristics, see "Defining the Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
In this section are the following examples of traffic distribution:
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status" on page 1084.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status" on page 1085.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service" on page 1085.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Throughput" on page 1086.
• "Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Uplink Transmission Power" on page 1086.

Tip: You can make the traffic distribution easier to see by hiding geographic data and
coverage predictions. For information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map
Using the Explorer" on page 28.

14.3.5.3.1 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the activity status.
To display the traffic distribution by the activity status:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the LTE Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The LTE Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Activity Status" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by activity status (see Figure 14.54).

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Figure 14.54: Displaying the traffic distribution by activity status

14.3.5.3.2 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the connection status.
To display the traffic distribution by the connection status:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the LTE Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The LTE Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Connection Status" as the
Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by activity status (see Figure 14.55).

Figure 14.55: Displaying the traffic distribution by connection status

14.3.5.3.3 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by service.
To display the traffic distribution by service:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the LTE Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The LTE Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Service" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by service (see Figure 14.56).

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Figure 14.56: Displaying the traffic distribution by service

14.3.5.3.4 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Throughput

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by throughput.
To display the traffic distribution by throughput:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the LTE Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The LTE Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and one of the following
throughput types as the Field:
- In the downlink:
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application channel throughput
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application cell capacity
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application user throughput
- In the uplink:
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application channel throughput
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application cell capacity
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application allocated bandwidth throughput
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application user throughput
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by throughput (see Figure 14.57).

Figure 14.57: Displaying the traffic distribution by throughput

14.3.5.3.5 Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Uplink Transmission Power

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the uplink transmission power of the mobiles. You can analyse the
effect of the uplink power control.

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To display the traffic distribution by uplink transmission power:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the LTE Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The LTE Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Transmission Power (UL)
(dBm)" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by uplink transmission power (see Figure 14.58).

Figure 14.58: Displaying the traffic distribution by uplink transmission power

14.3.5.3.6 Displaying Traffic Simulation Results Using Tooltips

You can display information by placing the pointer over a mobile generated during a simulation to read the information
displayed in the tool tips. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab. For information
on defining the tool tips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 36.
To display simulation results in the form of tool tips:
• In the map window, place the pointer over the user that you want more information on. After a brief pause, the
tooltip appears with the information defined in the Display tab of the LTE Simulations folder properties (see
Figure 14.59).

Figure 14.59: Displaying the traffic simulation results using tool tips

14.3.5.4 Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation

After you have created a simulation, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 1083, you can display the results.
To access the results of a single simulation:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Simulations folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose results
you want to access.
4. Right-click the simulation. The context menu appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. The simulation properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the simulation results. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain simula-
tion results as identified by the tab title.

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The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following sections:

- Request: Under Request, is data on the connection requests:

- Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; radio resource allocation has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic
input.
- During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL throughput demands that all users could theoretically generate are
provided.
- The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
throughput demands) is given.
- Results: Under Results, is data on the connection results:
- The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.
- The total number and percentage of users unable to connect: rejected users, and the number of rejected
users per rejection cause.
- The number and percentage of users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity status, and the
total UL and DL throughputs they generate. These data are also given per service.
The Sites tab: The Sites tab contains the following information per site:

- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was
"No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
The Cells tab: The Cells tab contains the following information, per site and transmitter:

- Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
- Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- MU-MIMO Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:

- X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the
second random trial).
- Height: The height of the user terminal (antenna).
- User Profile: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the
terminal and the user profile.
- Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
- Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal
and the user profile.
- Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
- Activity Status: The assigned activity status. It can be DL, UL, or DL+UL.
- Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of
the simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection
cause is given.
- Clutter Class: The code of the clutter class where the user is located.
- Subscriber ID: The ID of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a traffic map.
- Subscriber List: The subscriber list of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a
traffic map.
- Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
- Serving Base Station: The serving transmitter of the subscriber.
- Reference Cell: The reference cell of the serving transmitter of the subscriber.
- Azimuth: The orientation of the user’s terminal antenna in the horizontal plane. Azimuth is always considered
with respect to the North. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base station.
- Downtilt: The orientation of the user’s terminal antenna in the vertical plane. Mechanical downtilt is positive
when it is downwards and negative when upwards. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base sta-
tion.
- Total Path Loss (dB): The path loss calculated for the user.
- Received Reference Signal Power (DL) (dBm): The reference signal level received at the user location in
the downlink.
- Received SCH/PBCH Power (DL) (dBm): The SCH/PBCH signal level received at the user location in the
downlink.
- Received PDSCH/PDCCH Power (DL) (dBm): The PDSCH/PDCCH signal level received at the user location
in the downlink.
- SCH/PBCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the user
location in the downlink on the SCH and PBCH.
- PDSCH/PDCCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
user location in the downlink on the PDSCH and PDCCH.
- Reference Signal C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The reference signal C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
- SCH/PBCH C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The SCH/PBCH C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
- PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
- Bearer (DL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) level at the user location in
the downlink.
- BLER (DL): The Block Error Rate read from the user terminal’s LTE equipment for the PDSCH/PDCCH C/
(I+N) level at the user location in the downlink.
- Diversity Mode (DL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in downlink.
- Peak RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the downlink.
- Effective RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and
the BLER.
- Application Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the
throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the downlink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the
BLER.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Received PUSCH/PUCCH Power (UL) (dBm): The PUSCH/PUCCH signal level received at the serving
transmitter from the user terminal in the uplink.

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- PUSCH/PUCCH Total Noise (I+N) (UL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
serving transmitter of the user in the uplink on the PUSCH.
- PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) (UL) (dB): The PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) at the serving transmitter of the user in the
uplink.
- Bearer (UL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PUSCH/PUCCH C/(I+N) level at the serving transmitter
of the user in the uplink.
- BLER (UL): The Block Error Rate read from the reference cell’s LTE equipment for the PUSCH/PUCCH C/
(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the user in the uplink.
- Diversity Mode (UL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in uplink.
- Transmission Power (UL) (dBm): The transmission power of the user terminal after power control in the
uplink.
- Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Frequency Blocks): The number of frequency blocks allocated to the
user in the uplink by the eNode-B.
- Peak RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the uplink.
- Effective RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and
the BLER.
- Application Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the
throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Peak RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC throughput attainable for the
number of frequency blocks allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in the
uplink.
- Effective RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC throughput attainable for
the number of frequency blocks allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in
the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
- Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net
throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC
throughput, the throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the uplink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.

Notes:
• In Atoll, channel throughputs are peak RLC, effective RLC, or application throughputs
achieved at a given location using the highest LTE bearer with the entire channel resources.
• If a user is rejected, his user throughput is zero.

The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:

- The global transmitter parameters:

- The PDCCH overhead (number of symbol durations per subframe)
- The PUCCH overhead (average number of frequency blocks)
- The switching point periodicity
- The default cyclic prefix ratio
- The UL power control margin
- The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:
- The maximum number of iterations
- The global scaling factor
- The generator initialisation value
- The uplink and downlink traffic load convergence thresholds
- The uplink noise rise convergence threshold
- The names of the traffic maps and subscriber lists used.
- The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.

14.3.5.5 Displaying the Average Results of a Group of Simulations

After you have created a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 1083, you can display the
average results of the group. If you wish to display the results of a single simulation in a group, see "Displaying the Results
of a Single Simulation" on page 1087.
To display the averaged results of a group of simulations:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to display.

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4. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the simulation results. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain the aver-
aged results for all simulations of the group.

The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following sections:

- Request: Under Request, is data on the connection requests:

- Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; radio resource allocation has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic
input.
- During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL throughput demands that all users could theoretically generate are
provided.
- The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
throughput demands) is given.
- Results: Under Results, is data on the connection results:
- The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.
- The total number and percentage of users unable to connect: rejected users, and the number of rejected
users per rejection cause.
- The number and percentage of users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity status, and the
total UL and DL throughputs they generate. These data are also given per service.
The Sites (Average) tab: The Sites (Average) tab contains the following information per site:

- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was
"No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
The Cells (Average) tab: The Cells (Average) tab contains the following average information, per site and trans-
mitter:

- Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
- Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
- MU-MIMO Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the downlink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected
in the uplink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users
connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.

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- Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
- Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
- No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
- Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
- Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:

- The global transmitter parameters:

- The PDCCH overhead (number of symbol durations per subframe)
- The PUCCH overhead (average number of frequency blocks)
- The switching point periodicity
- The default cyclic prefix ratio
- The UL power control margin
- The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:
- The maximum number of iterations
- The global scaling factor
- The generator initialisation value
- The uplink and downlink traffic load convergence thresholds
- The uplink noise rise convergence threshold
- The names of the traffic maps and subscriber lists used.
- The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.

14.3.5.6 Updating Cell Load Values With Simulation Results

After you have created a simulation or a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 1083, you
can update cell load values for each cell with the results calculated during the simulation.
To update cell values with simulation results:
1. Display the simulation results:
To display the results for a group of simulations:

a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.

b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Simulations folder.
c. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to access.
d. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
To display the results for a single simulation:

a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.

b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the LTE Simulations folder.
c. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose re-
sults you want to access.
d. Right-click the simulation whose results you want to access.
e. Select Properties from the context menu. The simulation properties dialogue appears.
2. Click the Cells tab.
3. On the Cells tab, click Commit Results. The following values are updated for each cell:
- Traffic Load (DL)
- Traffic Load (UL)
- UL Noise Rise
- MU-MIMO Gain (UL)

14.3.5.7 Estimating a Traffic Increase

When you create simulation or a group of simulations, you are basing it on a set of traffic conditions that represent the
situation you are creating the network for. However, traffic can, and in fact most likely will, increase. You can test the
performance of the network against an increase of traffic load without changing traffic parameters or maps by using the
global scaling factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of
subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for live traffic maps per sector).

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To change the global scaling factor:

1. Create a simulation or group of simulations as described in "Creating Simulations" on page 1083.
2. Click the Source Traffic tab of the properties dialogue.
3. Enter a Global Scaling Factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the
initial number of subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for live traffic maps
per sector).

14.3.6 Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results

In Atoll, you can can analyse simulation results by making coverage predictions using simulation results. In a coverage
prediction each pixel is considered as a non-interfering probe user with a defined terminal, mobility, and service. The anal-
yses can be based on a single simulation or on an averaged group of simulations.
When no simulations are available, Atoll uses the downlink traffic loads and uplink noise rise values stored for each cell
to make coverage predictions. For information on cell properties, see "Cell Description" on page 1006; for information on
modifying cell properties, see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 1008.
Once you have made simulations, Atoll can use the information from the simulations instead of the defined parameters in
the cell properties to make coverage predictions. For each coverage prediction based on simulation results, you can base
the coverage prediction on a selected simulation or on a group of simulations, which uses the average of all simulations
in the group.
The coverage predictions that can use simulation results are:
• Coverage by C/(I+N) Level: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by C/(I+N) level, see
"Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 1041.
• Coverage by Best Bearer: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by best bearer, see "Making
a Coverage by Best Bearer" on page 1043.
• Coverage by Throughput: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by throughput, see "Making
a Coverage by Throughput" on page 1045.
• Coverage by Quality Indicator: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by quality indicator, see
"Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator" on page 1048.
When no simulations are available, you select "(Cells Table)" from the Load Conditions list, on the Condition tab.
However, when simulations are available you can base the coverage prediction on one simulation or a group of simula-
tions.
To base a coverage prediction on a simulation or group of simulations, when setting the parameters:
1. Click the Condition tab.
2. From the Load Conditions list, select the simulation or group of simulations on which you want to base the cov-
erage prediction.

14.4 Optimising and Verifying Network Capacity

An important step in the process of creating an LTE network is verifying the capacity of the network. This is done using
measurements of the strength of the reference signal levels, SCH/PBCH signal levels, PDSCH/PDCCH signal levels, and
various C/(I+N) at different locations within the area covered by the network. This collection of measurements is called a
test mobile data path.
The data contained in a test mobile data path is used to verify the accuracy of current network parameters and to optimise
the network.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Importing a Test Mobile Data Path" on page 1093.
• "Network Verification" on page 1097.
• "Printing and Exporting the Test Mobile Data Window" on page 1101.

14.4.1 Importing a Test Mobile Data Path

In Atoll, you can analyse drive tests by importing test mobile data in the form of ASCII text files (with tabs, semi-colons,
or spaces as separator), TEMS FICS-Planet export files (with the extension PLN), or TEMS text export files (with the exten-
sion FMT).
For Atoll to be able to use the data in imported files, the imported files must contain the following information:
• The position of test mobile data points. When you import the data, you must indicate which columns give the
abscissa and ordinate (XY coordinates) of each point.
• Information identifying scanned cells (for example, serving cells, neighbour cells, or any other cells). In LTE net-
works, a cell can be identified by its physical cell ID. Therefore, you must indicate during the import process which
column contains the physical cell IDs of cells.
You can import a single test mobile data file or several test mobile data files at the same time. If you regularly import test
mobile data files with the same format, you can create an import configuration. The import configuration contains informa-
tion that defines the structure of the data in the test mobile data file. By using the import configuration, you will not need
to define the data structure each time you import a new test mobile data file.

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To import one or several test mobile data files:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Test Mobile Data folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Import from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
4. Select the file or files you want to open. You can import one or several files.

Note: If you are importing more than one file, you can select contiguous files by clicking the first
file you want to import, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to import. You
can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file you want to
import.

5. Click Open. The Import of Measurement Files dialogue appears.

Note: Files with the extension PLN, as well as some FMT files (created with previous versions of
TEMS) are imported directly into Atoll; you will not be asked to define the data structure
using the Import of Measurement Files dialogue.

6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file or files, you can select
it from the Configuration list on the Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue. If you do not have
an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Configuration, select an import configuration from the Configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.

Notes:
• When importing a test mobile data path file, existing configurations are available in the Files
of type list of the Open dialogue, sorted according to their date of creation. After you have
selected a file and clicked Open, Atoll automatically proposes a configuration, if it recognises
the extension. In case several configurations are associated with an extension, Atoll chooses
the first configuration in the list.
• The defined configurations are stored, by default, in the file "NumMeasINIFile.ini", located in
the directory where Atoll is installed. For more information on the NumMeasINIFile.ini file, see
the Administrator Manual.

7. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
- Name: By default, Atoll names the new test mobile data path after the imported file. You can change this
name if desired.
- Under Receiver, set the Height of the receiver antenna and the Gain and Losses.
- Under Measurement Conditions,
- Units: Select the measurement units used.
- Coordinates: By default, Atoll imports the coordinates using the display system of the Atoll document.
If the coordinates used in the file you are importing are different than the coordinates used in the Atoll

document, you must click the Browse button ( ) and select the coordinate system used in the test
mobile data file. Atoll will then convert the data imported to the coordinate system used in the Atoll docu-
ment.
8. Click the Setup tab (see Figure 14.60).

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Figure 14.60: The Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue

a. Under File, enter the number of the 1st Measurement Row, select the data Separator, and select the Dec-
imal Symbol used in the file.
b. Click Setup to link file columns and internal Atoll fields. The Test Mobile Data Configuration dialogue ap-
pears.
c. Select the columns in the imported file that give the X-Coordinates and the Y-Coordinates of each point in
the test mobile data file.

Note: You can also identify the columns containing the XY coordinates of each point in the test
mobile data file by selecting them from the Field row of the table on the Setup tab.

d. In the Physical Cell ID Identifier box, enter a string that must be found in the column name identifying the
physical cell IDs of scanned cells. For example, if the string "ID" is found in the column names identifying the
physical cell IDs of scanned cells, enter it here. Atoll will then search for the column with this string in the col-
umn name.
e. Click OK.

Important: If you have correctly entered the information under File on the Setup tab, and the
necessary values in the Test Mobile Data Configuration dialogue, Atoll should
recognize all columns in the imported file. If not, you can click the name of the column in
the table in the Field row and select the column name. For each field, you must ensure
that each column has the correct data type in order for the data to be correctly interpreted.
The default value under Type is "<Ignore>". Columns marked with "<Ignore>" will not be
imported.

9. If you wish to save the definition of the data structure so that you can use it again, you can save it as an import
configuration:
a. On the Setup tab, under Configuration, click Save. The Configuration dialogue appears.
b. By default, Atoll saves the configuration in a file called "NumMeasINIfile.ini" found in Atoll’s installation folder.
In case you cannot write into that folder, you can click Browse to choose a different location.
c. Enter a Configuration Name and an Extension of the files that this import configuration will describe (for ex-
ample, "*.txt").
d. Click OK.
Atoll will now select this import configuration automatically every time you import a test mobile data path file
with the selected extension. If you import a file with the same structure but a different extension, you can select
this import configuration from the Configuration list.

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Notes:
• You do not have to complete the import procedure to save the import configuration and have
it available for future use.
• When importing a CW measurement file, you can expand the NumMeasINIfile.ini file by clicking
the button ( ) in front of the file in the Setup part to display all the available import configura-
tions. When selecting the appropriate configuration, the associations are automatically made
in the table at the bottom of the dialogue.
• You can delete an existing import configuration by selecting the import configuration under
Setup and clicking the Delete button.

10. Click Import, if you are only importing a single file, or Import All, if you are importing more than one file. The test
mobile data are imported into the current Atoll document.

14.4.2 Displaying Test Mobile Data

When you have imported the test mobile data into the current Atoll document, you can display it in the map window. Then,
you can select individual test mobile data points to see the information at that location.
To display information about a single test mobile data point:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Select the display check box of the test mobile data you want to display in the map window. The test mobile data
is displayed.
4. Click and hold the test mobile data point on which you want more information. Atoll displays an arrow pointing
towards the serving cell (see Figure 14.62 on page 1099) in the same colour as the transmitter.

14.4.3 Defining the Display of a Test Mobile Data Path

You can manage the display of test mobile data paths using the Display dialogue. The points on a test mobile data path
can be displayed according to any available attribute. You can also use the Display dialogue to define labels, tool tips and
the legend.
To display the Display tab of a test mobile data path’s Properties dialogue:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data path whose display you want to manage. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The test mobile data path’s properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Display tab.
Each point can be displayed by a unique attribute or according to:

- a text or integer attribute (discrete value)

- a numerical value (value interval).
In addition, you can display points by more than one criterion at a time using the Multiple Shadings option in the
Display Type list. When you select Multiple Shadings from the Display Type list, the Shadings dialogue opens
in which you can define the following display for each single point of the measurement path:

- a symbol according to any attribute

- a symbol colour according to any attribute
- a symbol size according to any attribute
You can, for example, display a signal level in a certain colour, choose a symbol type for Transmitter 1 (a circle,
triangle, cross, etc.) and a symbol size according to the altitude.

Notes:
• Fast Display forces Atoll to use the lightest symbol to display the points. This is useful when
you have a very large number of points.
• You can not use Multiple Shadings if the Fast Display check box has been selected.
• You can sort test mobile data paths in alphabetical order on the Data tab of the Explorer window
by right-clicking the Test Mobile Data Path folder and selecting Sort Alphabetically from the
context menu.
• You can export the display settings of a test mobile data path in a configuration file to make them
available for future use. You can export the display settings or import display settings by clicking
the Actions button on the Display tab of the test mobile data path’s Properties dialogue and
selecting Export or Import from the menu.

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14.4.4 Network Verification

The imported test mobile data is used to verify the LTE network. To improve the relevance of the data, Atoll allows you to
filter out incompatible or inaccurate points. You can then compare the test mobile measurements with coverage predic-
tions.
To compare test mobile data with coverage predictions, you overlay coverage predictions calculated by Atoll with the test
mobile data path displayed using the same parameter as that used to calculate the coverage prediction.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Filtering Incompatible Points Along Test Mobile Data Paths" on page 1097.
• "Creating Coverage Predictions from Test Mobile Data Paths" on page 1098.
• "Extracting a Field From a Test Mobile Path for a Transmitter" on page 1099.
• "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 1099.

14.4.4.1 Filtering Incompatible Points Along Test Mobile Data Paths

When using a test mobile data path, some measured points may present values that are too far outside the median values
to be useful. As well, test paths may include test points in areas that are not representative of the test mobile data path as
a whole. For example, a test path that includes two heavily populated areas might also include test points from a more
lightly populated region between the two.
In Atoll, you can filter out points that are incompatible with the points you are studying, either by filtering out the clutter
classes where the incompatible points are located, or by filtering out points according to their properties.
To filter out incompatible points by clutter class:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to filter incompatible points. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab.
6. By default, the data in all clutter classes is displayed. Clear the check box of the clutter class whose points you do
not want to use.

Note: You can permanently delete the points located in the clutter classes whose check boxes
you clear by selecting the Delete points outside the filter check box.

7. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.

To filter out incompatible points using a filter:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to filter incompatible points. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab.
6. Click More. The Filter dialogue appears.
7. Click the Filter tab:
a. Select a Field from the list.
b. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes
next to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
8. Click the Advanced tab:
a. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as
you want (see Figure 14.61).

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Figure 14.61: The Filter dialogue - Advanced tab

b. Underneath the name of each column, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in
the following table:

Formula Data are kept in the table only if

=X value equal to X (X may be a number or characters)

<> X value not equal to X (X may be a number or characters)

<X numerical value is less than X

>X numerical value is greater than X

<= X numerical value is less than or equal to X

>= X numerical value is greater than or equal to X

*X* text objects which contain X

*X text objects which end with X

X* text objects which start with X

9. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically. For more information on filters, see "Advanced Data Filtering"
on page 71.

10. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.

Note: The Refresh Geo Data option available in the context menu of test mobile data paths
enables you to update heights (Alt DTM, Clutter height, DTM+Clutter) and the clutter class
of test mobile data points after adding new geographic maps or modifying existing ones.

14.4.4.2 Creating Coverage Predictions from Test Mobile Data Paths

You can create the following coverage predictions for all transmitters on each point of a test mobile data path:
• Point Signal Level
• Coverage by Signal Level
To create a coverage prediction along a test mobile data path:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data to which you want to add a coverage prediction. The context menu appears.
4. Select Calculations > Create a New Study from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
5. Under Standard Studies, select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK. The Coverage by Signal Level prop-
erties dialogue appears.
6. Click the Condition tab. At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be calculated. Under
Server, you can select whether to calculate the signal level from all transmitters, or only the best or second-best
signal. If you choose to calculate the best or second-best signal, you can enter a Margin. If you select the Shad-
owing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability. You can select the
Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter class.

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7. When you have finished setting the parameters for the coverage prediction, click OK.
You can create a new coverage prediction by repeating the procedure from step 1. to step 7. for each new cover-
age prediction.

8. When you have finished creating new coverage predictions for these test mobile data, right-click the test mobile
data. The context menu appears.
9. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Studies from the context menu.
A new column for each coverage prediction is added in the table for the test mobile data. The column contains the
predicted values of the selected parameters for the transmitter. The propagation model used is the one assigned
to the transmitter for the main matrix (for information on the propagation model, see Chapter 5: Managing Calcu-
lations in Atoll).

You can display the information in these new columns in the Test Mobile Data window. For more information on
the Test Mobile Data window, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 1099.

14.4.4.3 Extracting a Field From a Test Mobile Path for a Transmitter

You can extract the information from a specific field for a given transmitter on each point of an existing test mobile data
path. The extracted information will be added to a new column in the test mobile data table.
To extract a field from a test mobile path:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data from which you want to extract a field. The context menu appears.
4. Select Focus on a Transmitter from the context menu. The Field Selection for a Given Transmitter dialogue
appears.
5. Select a transmitter from the On the Transmitter list.
6. Click the For the Fields list. The list opens.
7. Select the check box beside the field you want extract for the selected transmitter.
8. Click OK. Atoll creates a new column in the test mobile path data table for the selected transmitters and with the
selected values.

14.4.4.4 Analysing Data Variations Along the Path

In Atoll, you can analyse variations in data along any test mobile data path using the Test Mobile Data window. You can
also use the Test Mobile Data window to see which cell is the serving cell for a given test point.
To analyse data variations using the Test Mobile Data window.
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data you want to analyse. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window appears (see
Figure 14.62).

Figure 14.62: The Test Mobile Data window

5. Click the Display button at the top of the Test Mobile Data window. The Display Parameters dialogue appears
(see Figure 14.63).

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Figure 14.63: The Test Mobile Data window

6. In the Display Parameters dialogue:

- Select the check box next to each field you want to display in the Test Mobile Data window.
- If you want, you can change the display colour by clicking the colour in the Colour column and selecting a new
colour from the palette that appears.
- Click OK to close the Display Parameters dialogue.

Note: You can change the display status or the colour of more than one field at the same time
by selecting several fields. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field,
pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by
pressing CTRL and clicking each field. You can then change the display status or the
colour by right-clicking on the selected fields and selecting the choice from the context
menu.

The selected fields are displayed in the Test Mobile Data window.
7. You can display the data in the test mobile path in the following ways:
- Click the values in the Test Mobile Data window.
- Click the points on the test mobile path in the map window.
The test mobile data path appears in the map window as an arrow pointing towards the best server (see
Figure 14.62 on page 1099) in the same colour as the transmitter.

8. You can display a secondary Y-axis on the right side of the window in order to display the values of a variable with
different orders of magnitude than the ones selected in the Display Parameters dialogue. You select the value to
be displayed from the right-hand list at the top of the Test Mobile Data window. The values are displayed in the
colour defined in the Display Parameters dialogue.
9. You can change the zoom level of the Test Mobile Data window display in the Test Mobile Data window in the
following ways:
- Zoom in or out:
i. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window.
ii. Select Zoom In or Zoom Out from the context menu.
- Select the data to zoom in on:
i. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window on one end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
ii. Select First Zoom Point from the context menu.
iii. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window on the other end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
iv. Select Last Zoom Point from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window zooms in on the data be-
tween the first zoom point and the last zoom point.
10. Click the data in the Test Mobile Data window to display the selected point in the map window. Atoll will recentre
the map window on the selected point if it is not presently visible.

Tip: If you open the table for the test mobile data you are displaying in the Test Mobile Data
window, Atoll will automatically display in the table the data for the point that is displayed
in the map and in the Test Mobile Data window (see Figure 14.62 on page 1099).

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14.4.5 Printing and Exporting the Test Mobile Data Window

You can print or export the contents of the Test Mobile Data window using the context menu in the Test Mobile Data
window.
To print or export the contents of the Test Mobile Data window:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Test Mobile Data folder.
3. Right-click the test mobile data path you want to print or export. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Test Mobile Data window appears (see Figure 14.62
on page 1099).
5. Define the display parameters and zoom level as explained in "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on
page 1099.
6. Right-click the Test Mobile Data window. The context menu appears.
To export the Test Mobile Data window:

a. Select Copy from the context menu.

b. Open the document into which you want to paste the contents of the Test Mobile Data window.
c. Paste the contents of the Test Mobile Data window into the new document.
To print the Test Mobile Data window:

a. Select Print from the context menu. The Print dialogue appears.
b. Click OK to print the contents of the Test Mobile Data window.

14.5 Advanced Configuration

The following sections describe different advanced parameters and options available in the LTE module that are used in
coverage predictions as well as Monte Carlo simulations.
In this section, the following advanced configuration options are explained:
• "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 1101.
• "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 1102.
• "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 1103.
• "Defining LTE Quality Indicators" on page 1104.
• "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 1104.
• "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on page 1108.
• "Modelling Shadowing" on page 1109.

14.5.1 Defining Frequency Bands

To define frequency bands:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > Frequencies > Bands from the context menu.
4. In the table, enter one frequency band per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with
Data Tables" on page 50. For each frequency band, enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the frequency band, for example, "1.9 GHz - 5 MHz." Each LTE frequency band has
a specific channel bandwidth. Mentioning the channel bandwidth in the frequency band name is a good
approach. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a frequency band.
- Channel Width (MHz): Enter the channel bandwidth for each channel in the frequency band.
- First Channel: Enter the number of the first channel in this frequency band.
- Last Channel: Enter the number of the last channel in this frequency band. If this frequency band has only
one carrier, enter the same number as entered in the First Channel field.

Note: The relationship between the frequency band (spectrum), the channel width, and the
channel numbers can be defined as:
Frequency Band Width = Channel Bandwidth x (Last Channel + 1 - First Channel)
So, if you have a frequency band of 15 MHz, and you are deploying your network with
3 MHz allocated to each cell, you can find the First and Last Channel numbers by:
Last Channel - First Channel = (Frequency Band Width / Channel Bandwidth) - 1
If you plan to keep the First Channel number = 0, for our example:
Last Channel = (15 MHz / 3 MHz) - 1 = 4

- Excluded Channels: Enter the channel numbers which do not constitute the frequency band.

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Atoll User Manual

- Start Frequencies (MHz): Enter the start frequency for TDD frequency bands, and the downlink and the
uplink start frequencies for FDD frequency bands.
- Adjacent Channel Suppression Factor (dB): Enter the adjacent channel interference suppression factor in
dB. Interference received from adjacent channels is reduced by this factor during the calculations.
- Sampling Frequency (MHz): Enter the sampling frequency used for the channel bandwidth.
- Duplexing Method: Select the duplexing method used in the frequency band from the list.
- Number of Frequency Blocks (RB): Enter the number of frequency blocks (i.e., the number of resource block
widths in the frequency domain) used for the channel bandwidth.
5. When you have finished adding frequency bands, click Close.

You can also access the properties dialogue of each individual frequency band by clicking the Properties button.

14.5.2 The Global Transmitter Parameters

Atoll allows you to set network level parameters which are common to all the transmitters and cells in the network. These
parameters are used in coverage predictions as well as during Monte Carlo simulations by the radio resource management
and scheduling algorithms.
This section explains the options available on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue, and
explains how to access the tab:
• "The Options on the Global Parameters Tab" on page 1102.
• "Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 1103.

14.5.2.1 The Options on the Global Parameters Tab

The global LTE parameters include:
• Default Cyclic Prefix: The total symbol duration in LTE comprises the useful part of the symbol, carrying the data
bits, and a cyclic prefix part, which is a portion of the useful data part repeated at the beginning of each symbol.
The cyclic prefix is the method used by LTE to counter inter-symbol interference (ISI). The cyclic prefix and the
orthogonality of subcarriers ensure that there is negligible intra-cell interference in LTE. LTE supports two cyclix
prefix types: normal and extended.
• PDCCH Overhead: The Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) can take up to 3 symbol durations in each
subframe in the downlink. In Atoll, the PDCCH is considered to include the PCFICH, PHICH, and PCH as well.
The PBCH, P-SCH, S-SCH, and the downlink reference signals consume a fixed amount of resources in the down-
link. Their corresponding overheads are hard-coded in Atoll in accordance with the 3GPP specifications.
• PUCCH Overhead: The Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) can consume a number of frequency blocks
in the uplink.
The uplink demodulation and sounding reference signals consume a fixed amount of resources in the uplink. Their
corresponding overheads are hard-coded in Atoll in accordance with the 3GPP specifications.

• Switching Point Periodicity (TDD only): For the TDD LTE frame, the switching point can either be after each
half-frame or each frame. You can select the frame configuration, i.e., the configuration of uplink and downlink
subframes in a frame, for each cell according to the selected switching point periodicity.
• Uplink power control margin: The margin (in dB) that will be added to the bearer selection threshold, for safety
against fast fading, when performing power control in uplink.
Figure 14.64 and Figure 14.65 give examples of downlink and uplink FDD resource blocks for the single antenna case
using the normal cyclic prefix.

Figure 14.64: LTE downlink resource blocks

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Figure 14.65: LTE uplink resource blocks

14.5.2.2 Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters

You can change global transmitter parameters on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
To set the network level parameters:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Select the Global Parameters tab.
The Global Parameters tab has two sections.

- Frame Structure: In this section (see Figure 14.66), you can modify the Default Cyclic Prefix, the PDCCH
Overhead, the PUCCH Overhead, and, for TDD networks, the Switching Point Periodicity.
- Uplink Power Control: In this section, you can enter the uplink power control Margin.

Figure 14.66: LTE Global Parameters

5. Click OK. The global parameters are used during coverage predictions and simulations for the entire network.

14.5.3 Defining LTE Radio Bearers

LTE radio bearers carry the data in the uplink as well as in the downlink.

Note: In the Atoll LTE module, a "bearer" refers to a combination of MCS, i.e., modulation and
coding schemes.

The LTE Bearers table lists the radio bearers available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove, and modify bearer prop-
erties, if you wish.
To define LTE bearers:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > LTE Bearers from the context menu. The LTE Bearers table appears.
4. In the table, enter one bearer per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables"
on page 50. For each LTE bearer, enter:
- Radio Bearer Index: Enter a bearer index. This bearer index is used to identify the bearer in other tables,
such as the bearer selection thresholds and the quality graphs in LTE equipment.

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- Name: Enter a name for the bearer, for example, "16QAM 3/4." This name will appear in other dialogues and
results.
- Modulation: Select a modulation from the list of available modulation types. This column is for information
and display purposes only.
- Coding Rate: Enter the coding rate used by the bearer. This column is for information and display purposes
only.
- Bearer Efficiency (bits/symbol): Enter the number of useful bits that the bearer can carry in a symbol. This
information is used in throughput calculations.
For information on the relation between bearer efficiency and spectral efficiency, see "Relation Between Bear-
er Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency" on page 1112.

5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the LTE Bearers table.

14.5.4 Defining LTE Quality Indicators

Quality indicators depict the coverage quality at different locations. The quality indicators table lists the quality indicators
available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove and modify quality indicators, if you wish.
To define quality indicators:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Network Settings > Quality Indicators from the context menu. The Quality Indicators table appears.
4. In the table, enter one quality indicator per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with
Data Tables" on page 50. For each quality indicator, enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the quality indicator, for example, "BLER" for Block Error Rate. This name will appear
in other dialogues and results.
- Used for Data Services: Select this check box to indicate that this quality indicator can be used for data serv-
ices.
- Used for Voice Services: Select this check box to indicate that this quality indicator can be used for voice
services.
5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Quality Indicators table.

14.5.5 Defining LTE Equipment

LTE equipment model the reception characteristics of cells and user terminals. Bearer selection thresholds and channel
quality indicator graphs are defined in LTE equipment.
To create a new piece of LTE equipment:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Equipment > LTE Equipment from the context menu. The LTE Equipment table appears.
4. In the LTE Equipment table, each row describes a piece of equipment. For the new piece of equipment you are
creating, enter its name.
5. Double-click the equipment entry in the LTE Equipment table once your new equipment has been added to the
table. The equipment’s Properties dialogue opens.
The Properties dialogue has the following tabs:

- Bearer Selection Thresholds: In this tab (see Figure 14.67), you can modify the Bearer Selection Thresh-
olds for different mobility types. A bearer is selected for data transfer at a given pixel if the received carrier-
to-interference-and-noise ratio is higher than its selection threshold. For more information on bearers and
mobility types, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 1103 and "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 1038,
respectively.

Figure 14.67: LTE Equipment - Bearer Selection Thresholds

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

i. Click the Best Bearer Thresholds button. The C/(I+N) Thresholds (dB) dialogue appears (see
Figure 14.68).
ii. Enter the graph values.
iii. Click OK.

Figure 14.68: C/(I+N) Thresholds (dB) dialogue

For more information on the default values of the bearer selection thresholds, see "Bearer Selection Thresh-
olds" on page 1112. For converting receiver equipment sensitivity values (dBm) into bearer selection thresh-
olds, see "Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values" on page 1112.

Note: Subscriber lists use the mobility type "Fixed", i.e., 0 km/hr, in calculations. Make sure that
you have bearer selection thresholds defined for this mobility type in the LTE equipment
properties if you are working with subscriber lists.

- Quality Graphs: On this tab (see Figure 14.69), you can modify the Quality Indicator Graphs for different
bearers for different mobility types. These graphs depict the behaviour of various quality indicators under dif-
ferent radio conditions. For more information on bearers, quality indicators, and mobility types, see "Defining
LTE Radio Bearers" on page 1103, "Defining LTE Quality Indicators" on page 1104, and "Modelling Mobility
Types" on page 1038, respectively.

Figure 14.69: LTE Equipment - Quality Indicator Graphs

i. Click the Quality Graph button. The Quality Graph dialogue appears (see Figure 14.70).
ii. Enter the graph values.
iii. Click OK.

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Atoll User Manual

Figure 14.70: Quality Indicator Graph dialogue

- MIMO: On this tab (see Figure 14.71), you can modify the SU-MIMO and diversity gains for different bearers,
mobility types, BLER values, and numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports. The capacity gain
due to spatial multiplexing is the increase in channel capacity compared to a SISO system. For more informa-
tion on bearers and mobility types, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 1103 and "Modelling Mobility
Types" on page 1038, respectively.
For more information on the different MIMO systems, see "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on
page 1108.

TX RX
Note: No MIMO gain (diversity, SU-MIMO, and MU-MIMO) is applied if N Ant = N Ant = 1 .

Figure 14.71: LTE Equipment - MIMO gains

i. Enter the Diversity Gain for a combination of Mobility, Radio Bearer Index, Max BLER, Number of
Transmission Antenna Ports, and Number of Reception Antenna Ports.
ii. Click the Max MIMO Gain Graphs button to open the Max MIMO Gain dialogue for a combination of Mo-
bility, Radio Bearer Index, Max BLER, Number of Transmission Antenna Ports, and Number of Re-
ception Antenna Ports (see Figure 14.72).
iii. Enter the graph values.
iv. Click OK.
You can define the diversity and SU-MIMO gains for a specific combination of mobility type, bearer, and BLER, as
well as the default gains for "All" mobility types, "All" bearers, and a Max BLER of 1. During calculations, Atoll uses
the gains defined for a specific combination if available, otherwise it uses the default gains.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Figure 14.72: Max MIMO Gain dialogue

6. Click OK. The Properties dialogue closes. The settings are stored.
7. Click the Close button ( ) to close the LTE Equipment table.

14.5.6 Defining LTE Schedulers

In Atoll, schedulers perform the selection of users for resource allocation, the radio resource allocation and management
according to the QoS classes of the services being accessed by the selected users.
The scheduling process is composed of the following three steps:
1. Selection of users for resource allocation: The Max Number of Users defined for each cell is the maximum
number of users that the cell’s scheduler can work with simultaneously. At the start of the scheduling process, the
scheduler keeps only as many users as the maximum number defined for resource allocation. If no limit has been
set, all the users generated during the Monte Carlo simulations for this cell are considered, and the scheduler
continues to allocate resources until there are no more resources to allocate.
2. Resource allocation for supporting the Min Throughput Demands: The minimum throughput demand is the
guaranteed bit rate of a service. If there are enough resources available, the scheduler may be able to allocate
the exact amount of resources required to fully support the minimum throughput demands, otherwise the service
does not get any resources at all.
The scheduler allocates resources, for supporting the minimum throughput demands, in the order of service prior-
ity. In order to be connected, users who are active in downlink and uplink must be able to get their minimum
throughput in both directions. If a user who is active in downlink and uplink gets his minimum throughput in only
one direction, he will be rejected.

3. Resource allocation for supporting the Max Throughput Demands: Once the resources have been allocated
for supporting the minimum throughput demands in the previous step, the remaining resources can be allocated
in different ways to support the maximum throughput demands of the users.
For allocating resources to support the maximum throughput demands, the following types of scheduling methods
are available:

- Proportional Fair: The proportional fair scheduling method allocates the same amount of resources to all the
users with a maximum throughput demand. Therefore, the resources allocated to each user are either the
resources it requires to achieve its maximum throughput demand or the total amount of resources divided by
the total number of users in the cell, which ever is smaller.
- Proportional Demand: The proportional demand scheduling method allocates resources proportional to the
demands of users who have a maximum throughput demand. Therefore, users with higher maximum
throughput demands will have higher resulting throughputs than the users with lower maximum throughput
demands.
- Max Aggregate Throughput: This scheduling method allocates the resources required by the users to
achieve their maximum throughput demands in the order of their PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N). This means that
users who are under good radio conditions, high PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N), will get all the resources they
require. The end result of this scheduling method is that the aggregate cell throughputs are maximised.
For all the scheduling methods, resources are allocated to support the maximum throughput demand until either
the maximum throughput demands of all the users are satisfied or the scheduler runs out of resources.

The Schedulers table lists the schedulers available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove, and modify scheduler prop-
erties, if you wish.
To define LTE schedulers:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.

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3. Select Network Settings > Schedulers from the context menu. The Schedulers table appears.
4. In the table, enter one scheduler per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 50. For each scheduler, enter:
- Name: Enter a name for the scheduler. This name will appear in the cell properties.
- Scheduling Method: Select the scheduling method used by the scheduler for allocating resources to support
the maximum throughput demands.
- Target Throughput for Voice Services: Select the throughput that the scheduler will target to satisfy for all
voice-type services.
- Target Throughput for Data Services: Select the throughput that the scheduler will target to satisfy for all
data-type services.
5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Schedulers table.

14.5.7 Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems use different transmission and reception diversity techniques. MIMO diver-
sity systems can roughly be divided into the following types, all of which are modelled in Atoll:

Transmit and Receive Diversity

Transmit or receive diversity uses more than one transmission or reception antenna to send or receive more than one copy
of the same signal. The signals are constructively combined (using optimum selection or maximum ratio combining) at the
receiver to extract the useful signal. As the receiver gets more than one copy of the useful signal, the signal level at the
receiver after combination of all the copies is more resistant to interference than a single signal would be. Therefore, diver-
sity improves the C/(I+N) at the receiver. It is often used for the regions of a cell that have bad C/(I+N) conditions.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell supports transmit or receive diversity by selecting the corresponding diversity support
modes in cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 1006). Diversity gains on downlink and uplink can be defined in
the LTE equipment for different numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports, mobility types, bearers, and maxi-
mum BLER. For more information on uplink and downlink diversity gains, see "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 1104.
Additional gain values can be defined per clutter class. For information on setting the additional uplink and downlink diver-
sity gain for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 115.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (pixel, mobile, or subscriber) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
that supports transmit or receive diversity, will benefit from the downlink or uplink diversity C/(I+N) gains.

Single-User MIMO or Spatial Multiplexing

SU-MIMO uses more than one transmission antenna to send different signals (data streams) on each antenna. The
receiver can also have more than one antenna for receiving different signals. Using spatial multiplexing with M transmis-
sion and N reception antenna ports, the throughput over the transmitter-receiver link can be theoretically increased M or
N times, depending on which is smaller, M or N. SU-MIMO improves the throughput (channel capacity) for a given C/(I+N),
and is used for the regions of a cell that have sufficient C/(I+N) conditions. SU-MIMO (single-user MIMO) is also referred
to as SM (spatial multiplxing) or simply MIMO.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell supports SU-MIMO by selecting the corresponding diversity support mode in cell prop-
erties (see "Cell Description" on page 1006). SU-MIMO capacity gains can be defined in the LTE equipment for different
numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports, mobility types, bearers, and maximum BLER. For more information
on SU-MIMO gains, see "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 1104.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (pixel, mobile, or subscriber) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
that supports SU-MIMO, will benefit from the SU-MIMO gain in its throughput depending on its PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N).
As SU-MIMO improves the channel capacity or throughputs, the PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) of a user is first determined.
Once the PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N) is known, Atoll calculates the user throughput based on the bearer available at the user
location. The obtained user throughput is then increased according to the SU-MIMO capacity gain and the SU-MIMO Gain
Factor of the user’s clutter class. The capacity gains defined in Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs are the maximum theoretical
capacity gains using SU-MIMO. SU-MIMO requires rich multipath environment, without which the gain is reduced. In the
worst case, there is no gain. Therefore, it is possible to define an SU-MIMO Gain Factor per clutter class whose value
can vary from 0 to 1 (0 = no gain, 1 = 100 % gain). For information on setting the SU-MIMO Gain Factor for each clutter
class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 115.
The SU-MIMO capacity gain vs. C/(I+N) graphs available in Atoll by default have been generated based on the maximum
theoretical SU-MIMO capacity gains obtained using the following equations:

CC MIMO
G MIMO = ---------------------
-
CC SISO

TX RX ⎛ C ⁄ (I + N) ⎞
Where CC MIMO = Min ( N Ant, N Ant ) × Log 2 ⎜ 1 + ------------------------------------------⎟ is the channel capacity at a given C/(I+N) for a MIMO
TX RX
⎝ Min ( N Ant, N Ant )⎠
TX RX
system using N Ant transmission and N Ant reception antenna ports. CC SISO = Log 2 ( 1 + C ⁄ ( I + N ) ) is the channel
capacity for a single antenna system at a given C/(I+N). C/(I+N) is used as a ratio (not dB) in these formulas. You can
replace the default SU-MIMO capacity gain graphs with graphs extracted from simulated or measured values.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

Adaptive MIMO Switch

This is a technique for switching from SU-MIMO to transmit or receive diversity as the reference signal conditions get
worse than a given threshold. AMS can be used in cells to provide SU-MIMO gains to users that have better reference
signal C/N conditions than a given AMS threshold, and diversity gains to users that have worse reference signal C/N condi-
tions than the threshold. AMS provides the optimum solution using transmit and receive diversity and SU-MIMO features
to their best.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (pixel, mobile, or subscriber) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
that supports AMS, will benefit from the gain to be applied, diversity or SU-MIMO, depending on the user’s reference signal
C/N and the AMS threshold defined in the cell properties. Diversity gain is applied to the user’s PDSCH/PDCCH C/(I+N)
if the user’s reference signal C/N is less than the AMS threshold, and SU-MIMO is used if the reference signal C/N is higher
than the AMS threshold.

Multi-User MIMO or Collaborative MIMO

MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO) or Collaborative MIMO is a technique for spatially multiplexing more than one user who have
good enough radio conditions at their locations. This technique is used in uplink so that a cell with more than one reception
antenna port can receive uplink transmissions from two different users over the same frequency-time allocation. This tech-
nique provides considerable capacity gains in uplink, and can be used with single-antenna user equipment, i.e., it does
not require more than one antenna port at the user equipment as opposed to SU-MIMO, which only provides considerable
gains with more than one antenna at the user equipment.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell supports MU-MIMO in uplink by selecting the corresponding diversity support mode in
cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 1006). MU-MIMO capacity gains result from the scheduling and RRM proc-
ess. Using MU-MIMO, schedulers are able to allocate resources over two spatially multiplexed parallel frames in the same
frequency-time resource allocation plane. MU-MIMO can only work under good radio conditions and if the cell has more
than one reception antenna port. Therefore, the reference signal C/N must be higher than the MU-MIMO threshold defined
by cell in order for the scheduler to be able to multiplex users in uplink.
During the calculations of Monte Carlo simulations in Atoll, each new user connected to the first antenna port creates
virtual resources available on the second antenna port. These virtual resources can then be allocated to a second user
connected to the second antenna port without increasing the overall load of the cell. In this way, each new mobile
consumes the virtual resources made available be the previous mobile, and may make new virtual resources available on
the other antenna port. The MU-MIMO gain resulting from this uplink collaborative multiplexing is simply the ratio of the
traffic loads of all the mobiles connected to both parallel frames in uplink to the uplink traffic load of the cell. MU-MIMO is
only possible for mobiles that support MIMO and at which the reference signal C/N is greater than the MU-MIMO threshold
defined for their serving cell. The MU-MIMO gain can be defined per cell by the user or it can be an output of the Monte
Carlo simulations. This gain is used during the calculation of uplink throughput coverage predictions. The channel through-
put is multiplied by this gain for pixels where MU-MIMO is used as the diversity mode.

14.5.8 Modelling Shadowing

Shadowing, or slow fading, is signal loss along a path that is caused by obstructions not taken into consideration by the
propagation model. Even when a receiver remains in the same location or in the same clutter class, there are variations
in reception due to the surrounding environment.
Normally, the signal received at any given point is spread on a gaussian curve around an average value and a specific
standard deviation. If the propagation model is correctly calibrated, the average of the results it gives should be correct.
In other words, in 50% of the measured cases, the result will be better and in 50% of the measured cases, the result will
be worse.
Atoll uses a model standard deviation for the clutter class with the defined cell edge coverage probability to model the
effect of shadowing and thereby create coverage predictions that are reliable more than fifty percent of the time. The addi-
tional losses or gains caused by shadowing are known as the shadowing margin. The shadowing margin is added to the
path losses calculated by the propagation model.
For example, a properly calibrated propagation model calculates a loss leading to a signal level of -70 dBm. You have set
a cell edge coverage probability of 85 %. If the calculated shadowing margin is 7 dB for a specific point, the target signal
will be equal to or greater than -77 dBm 85 % of the time.
In LTE projects, the model standard deviation is used to calculate shadowing margins on signal levels. You can also calcu-
late shadowing margins on C/I values. For information on setting the model standard deviation and the C/I standard devi-
ations for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 115.
Shadowing can be taken into consideration when Atoll calculates the signal level and C/(I+N) for:
• A point analysis (see "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 1016)
• A coverage prediction (see "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 1017).
Atoll always takes shadowing into consideration when calculating a Monte Carlo-based LTE simulation. Atoll uses the
values defined for the Model Standard Deviations per clutter class when calculating the signal level coverage predictions.
Atoll uses the values defined for the C/I Standard Deviations per clutter class when calculating the C/(I+N) based cover-
age predictions.
You can display the shadowing margins per clutter class. For information, see "Displaying the Shadowing Margins per
Clutter Class" on page 1110.

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14.5.8.1 Displaying the Shadowing Margins per Clutter Class

To display the shadowing margins per clutter class:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Shadowing Margins from the context menu. The Shadowing Margins dialogue appears (see
Figure 14.73).
4. You can set the following parameters:
- Cell Edge Coverage Probability: Enter the probability of coverage at the edge of the cell. The value you enter
in this dialogue is for information only.
- Standard Deviation: Select the type of standard deviation to be used to calculate the shadowing margin:
- From Model: The model standard deviation. Atoll will display the shadowing margin of the signal level.
- C/I: The C/I standard deviation. Atoll will display the C/I shadowing margin.
5. Click Calculate. The calculated shadowing margin is displayed.
6. Click Close to close the dialogue.

Figure 14.73: The Shadowing Margins dialogue

14.6 Tips and Tricks

The following tips and tricks are described below:
• "Obtaining User Throughputs for All the Subscribers of a Subscriber List" on page 1110.
• "Working With User Densities Instead of User Profiles" on page 1111.
• "Limiting the Coverage Range of Transmitters in Order to Avoid Uplink-to-Downlink Interference in TDD Networks"
on page 1111.
• "Bearer Selection Thresholds" on page 1112.
• "Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values" on page 1112.
• "Relation Between Bearer Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency" on page 1112.
• "Modelling VoIP Codecs" on page 1113.
• "Working with EARFCNs instead of Channel Numbers" on page 1113.
• "Modelling the Co-existence of Networks" on page 1114.

Obtaining User Throughputs for All the Subscribers of a Subscriber List

Important: This procedure is only recommended if you have a correct subscriber list and have
complete knowledge of the services they use.

Atoll generates a realistic user distribution containing active users only during Monte Carlo simulations. The status of
these users is determined through the user’s service usage parameters defined in the user profile. In Atoll, all the subscrib-
ers have a user profile assigned to them. During Monte Carlo simulations based on subscriber lists, Atoll determines
active users from all the users in the subscriber list. If you perform calculations on subscriber lists, Atoll calculates the
channel throughputs and not the user throughputs as resource allocation is not performed in these calculations. However
in the simulations, RRM and resource allocation is carried out user throughputs can be determined.

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

If you want to determine user level throughputs for all the subscribers in a subscriber list, you can run a simulation on this
subscriber list after modifying the user profiles assigned to all the subscribers such that all the subscribers have an activity
probability of 100 %.
1. Create a subscriber list with subscribers having an activity probability of 100 %:
a. Create as many user profiles as there are services used by the subscribers in the list.
b. Assign only one service to each user profile.
c. Assign the following service usage parameters to the user profiles that you create:
i. For Voice services, set:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- Duration (sec.) = 3600.
ii. For Data services:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- UL Volume (KBytes) = UL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
- DL Volume (KBytes) = DL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
Where the UL Average Throughput and the DL Average Throughput are the uplink and downlink average
requested throughputs, respectively, of the service mentioned in the user profile.

d. Assign these user profiles to subscribers in the subscriber list.

2. Create a simulation based on this subscriber list only.
The simulation results will contain all the subscribers in the subscriber list with their respective user throughputs
determined by Atoll after the scheduling process.

Working With User Densities Instead of User Profiles

If you do not currently have reliable LTE multi-service traffic, you can provide Atoll with user density information per serv-
ice, for example, traffic data from adapted GSM Erlang maps. In this case, you do not have to create user profiles. As well,
Atoll does not have to determine the user activity probabilities to create traffic scenarios during simulations. The distribu-
tion of traffic during simulations will only depend on the user densities per service.
If you know the user densities for each service, you can set user activity probabilities to 100 % in your LTE document, as
shown below:
1. For Voice services, set:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- Duration (sec.) = 3600.
2. For Data services:
- Calls/Hour = 1.
- UL Volume (KBytes) = UL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
- DL Volume (KBytes) = DL Average Throughput x 3600 / 8.
Where the UL Average Throughput and the DL Average Throughput are the uplink and downlink average re-
quested throughputs, respectively, of the service defined in the user profile.

The above settings will set the user activity probabilities to 100 %. If you create a traffic map based on environment
classes, the user density values that you define in your environment classes will be the actual user densities. This means
that, for X users/km² defined in the environment class for a given user profile, the Monte Carlo simulator will generate
exactly X users/km² for each service of the user profile.
In this way, you can know the exact number of active users and their services generated during the simulations before-
hand.
This procedure should only be used when appropriate traffic data is not available.

Limiting the Coverage Range of Transmitters in Order to Avoid Uplink-to-Downlink Interference in

TDD Networks

You can define a maximum coverage range for all the transmitters in your network by entering a valid range as the Max
Range parameter.
To define the Max Range parameter:
1. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Predictions folder’s properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the System tab.
4. Select the Max Range check box. The Max Range field in enabled.
5. Enter the Max Range of the network.
6. Click OK.
For TDD networks, you can determine the maximum coverage range that the sectors of your LTE network should have
from the cyclic prefix duration and use this range as the Max Range parameter. You can calculate the maximum system
range from the cyclic prefix as follows:

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Atoll User Manual

Max Range (m) = Cyclic Prefix (in ms) x 300000/2

Bearer Selection Thresholds

The default values of the bearer selection thresholds, the BLER quality graphs, and the bearer efficiency values in Atoll
have been extracted from the 3GPP TS 36.942 V8.0.0 (see Figure 14.74). These values correspond to to an ideal (AWGN)
radio channel, and are too optimistic compared to real radio channels. It is recommended to use more realistic values when
available.

Figure 14.74: Link Adaptation in LTE

The spectral efficiency is the number of useful data bits that can be transmitted using any modulation and coding scheme
per Hz, the transition points between any two modulation and coding schemes give the default bearer selection thresholds
in Atoll, and the normalised values from the slopes of the graphs, that represent the reduction in the spectral efficiency,
give the block error rate.
You can replace the bearer selection threshold values provided by default with other values, such as selection thresholds
for 10 % BLER:

Bearer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Selection
-6.8 -4.4 -4 -2 0 1.6 5.6 8 10.4 11 11.4 12 13.2 15.6 16.2
Threshold

Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values

You can convert the receiver sensitivity values, that are listed in the specifications of your equipment, into bearer selection
thresholds using the following conversion method:
SF × NUsed
CNR = RS + 114 – NF – 10 × Log ⎛ ------------------------------⎞
⎝ N Total ⎠

Where RS is the receiver sensitivity in dBm, NF is the noise figure of the receiver in dB, SF is the sampling frequency in
MHz, N Used is the number of subcarriers corresponding to the number of frequency blocks, N Total is the total number of
subcarriers, i.e., the FFT size.
In the above explanation, the term receiver refers to the base station in uplink and to the mobile/user equipment in the
downlink.

Relation Between Bearer Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency

Spectral efficiency of a modulation and coding scheme is defined as the number of useful bits that can be transmitted each
second over a channel of 1 Hz bandwidth. Spectral efficiency is hence given in terms of bps/Hz.
In Atoll, the efficiency of bearers (modulation and coding schemes) are defined in the Bearers table. The bearer efficiency
is given in terms of bits/symbol. Remember that in Atoll a symbol refers to one resource element, which is 1 symbol dura-
tion long and 1 subcarrier width wide, as shown in Figure 14.75.

Figure 14.75: Symbol

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

The concept of bearer efficiency is similar to spectral efficiency. The only difference is in the units used to define the two
entities. Here is a simple example that compares spectral efficiency and bearer efficiency, and shows that the two are the
same.
Spectral efficiency is given by:

SE = ( 1 – BLER ) × r × Log 2 ( M ) bps ⁄ Hz

Where BLER is the Block Error Rate, r is the coding rate for the bearer, and M is the number of modulation states. For
simplification, we set BLER = 0, and use QPSK1/2, i.e., four modulation states and r = 0.5. With these values, we get a
spectral efficiency of 1 bps/Hz for QPSK1/2. In other words, a communication channel using QPSK1/2 modulation and
coding scheme can send 1 bps of useful data per unit bandwidth.
In order to compare the bearer efficiency and spectral efficiency of QPSK1/2, let’s say that QPSK1/2 has a bearer effi-
ciency of 1 bits/symbol. Here as well, the number of bits refers to useful data bits. The width of a subcarrier in LTE is
1
ΔF = 15 kHz , from which we can calculate the useful symbol duration as well: T U = ------- = 66.67 μ sec . In one second,
ΔF
there can be 1 sec ⁄ 66.67 μ sec = 15000 symbol durations. If 15000 symbols are transmitted using QPSK1/2, this gives
us a data rate of 15000 Symbols/sec × 1 bits/Symbol = 15000 bps , which is the data rate achievable using one subcar-
rier of 15 kHz. We can find the spectral efficiency by normalizing the data rate to unit bandwidth. This gives:
15000 bps/subcarrier ⁄ 15 kHz/subcarrier = 1 bps/Hz .
In order to compare equivalent quantities, we have ignored some system parameters, such as the cyclic prefix, and have
considered that the entire frame is transmitted in one direction, uplink or downlink.

Modelling VoIP Codecs

VoIP codecs are application-layer elements in the OSI system model. Atoll models application throughputs using a
throughput offset and a scaling factor with respect to the RLC layer throughputs. You can model different VoIP codecs by
creating a new service for each VoIP codec, and setting the target throughput to the Application Throughput for the
scheduler used. Here are two examples of the most common VoIP codecs, and how they can be modelled in Atoll:
• G.711 VoIP Codec
The actual voice data rate needed by the G.711 codec is 64 kbps, but with the lower layer headers and other
added bits, the needed RLC data rate could be between 66.4 and 107.2 kbps. In this example, we show how to
model the codec with header bits that lead to 85.6 kbps RLC data rate.
a. Create a new service with the following parameters:
- Name: VoIP (G.711)
- Type: Voice
- Min Throughput Demand (DL) and Min Throughput Demand (UL): 64 kbps
- Max Throughput Demand (DL) and Max Throughput Demand (UL): 64 kbps
- Average Requested Throughput (DL) and Average Requested Throughput (UL): 64 kbps
- Scaling Factor: 74.77 %
- Offset: 0 kbps
b. Set the Target Throughput for Voice Services to "2 - Application Throughput" for the scheduler being used.
In this way, Atoll will allocate resources to the users of this service such that they get 64 kbps application through-
put, and around 85.6 kbps of effective RLC throughput.

• G.729 VoIP Codec

The actual voice data rate needed by the G.729 codec is 8 kbps, but with the lower layer headers and other added
bits, the needed RLC data rate could be between 9.6 and 29.6 kbps. In this example, we show how to model the
codec with header bits that lead to 29.6 kbps required data rate.

a. Create a new service with the following parameters:

- Name: VoIP (G.729)
- Type: Voice
- Min Throughput Demand (DL) and Min Throughput Demand (UL): 8 kbps
- Max Throughput Demand (DL) and Max Throughput Demand (UL): 8 kbps
- Average Requested Throughput (DL) and Average Requested Throughput (UL): 8 kbps
- Scaling Factor: 27.03 %
- Offset: 0 kbps
b. Set the Target Throughput for Voice Services to "2 - Application Throughput" for the scheduler being used.
In this way, Atoll will allocate resources to the users of this service such that they get 8 kbps application through-
put, and around 29.6 kbps of effective RLC throughput.

Working with EARFCNs instead of Channel Numbers

In Atoll, carriers are assigned channel numbers in the frequency bands table. These channel numbers do not necessarily
have to be unique, i.e., a channel number can be reused in different bands. The 3GPP defines unique EARFCNs (Evolved
Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Numbers) for all the frequency bands. Each EARFCN has a fixed width of 100 kHz,
whereas channels (or carriers) in Atoll can have different widths.
If you want to work with EARFCNs instead of channel numbers, you can set EARFCNs as channel numbers in the
frequency bands table similar to as shown in the example below:

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Atoll User Manual

• Frequency Band: 2110 FDD - 5 MHz (E-UTRA Band 1)

• Downlink EARFCN Range: 0 - 599
• Uplink EARFCN Range: 18000 - 18599
• First Channel (EARFCN): 0
• Last Channel (EARFCN): 550
• Excluded Channels (EARFCNs): 1-49, 51-99, 101-149, 151-199, 201-249, 251-299, 301-349,351-399,401-449,
451-499, 501-549, 551-599
For FDD frequency bands, the downlink and uplink EARFCNs are always offset by 18000, so you can use either the down-
link or the uplink EARFCNs as channel numbers in Atoll.

Modelling the Co-existence of Networks

In Atoll, you can study the effect of interference received by your network from other LTE networks. The interfering LTE
network can be a different part of your own network, or a network belonging to another operator.
To study interference from co-existing networks:
1. Import the interfering network data (sites, transmitters, and cells) in to your document as explained in "Creating a
Group of Base Stations" on page 1014.
2. For the interfering network’s transmitters, set the Transmitter Type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only) as
explained in "Transmitter Description" on page 1004.
During calculations, Atoll will consider the transmitters of type Extra-Network (Interferer Only) when calculating
interference. These transmitters will not serve any pixel, subscriber, or mobile, and will only contribute to interfer-
ence.

Modelling the interference from co-existing networks will be as accurate as the data you have for the interfering network.
If the interfering network is a part of your own network, this information would be readily available. However, if the inter-
fering network belongs to another operator, the information available might not be accurate.
Moreover, for other operators’ networks, and if the interfering networks use OFDM but are not LTE networks, their model-
ling will not be accurate using LTE transmitters and cells. The number of subcarriers used in the interfering networks might
be very different.

14.7 Glossary of LTE Terms

Understanding the following terms and there use in Atoll is very helpful in understanding the LTE module:
• User: A general term that can also designate a subscriber, mobile, and receiver.
• Subscriber: Users with fixed geographical coordinates.
• Mobile: Users generated and distributed during simulations. These users have, among other parameters, defined
services, terminal types, and mobility types assigned for the duration of the simulations.
• Receiver: A probe mobile, with the minimum required parameters needed for the calculation of path loss, used
for propagation loss and raster coverage predictions.
• Bearer: A Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) used to carry data over the channel.
• Peak RLC Throughput: The maximum RLC layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given
location using the highest LTE bearer available. This throughput is the raw data rate without considering the effects
of retransmission due to errors and higher layer coding and encryption.
• Effective RLC Throughput: The net RLC layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given loca-
tion using the highest LTE bearer available computed taking into account the reduction of throughput due to
retransmission due to errors.
• Application Throughput: The application layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given loca-
tion using the highest LTE bearer available computed taking into account the reduction of throughput due to PDU/
SDU header information, padding, encryption, coding, and other types of overhead.
• Channel Throughputs: Peak RLC, effective RLC or application throughputs achieved at a given location using
the highest LTE bearer available with the entire cell resources (downlink or uplink).
• User Throughputs: Peak RLC, effective RLC or application throughputs achieved at a given location using the
highest LTE bearer available with the amount of resources allocated to a user by the scheduler.
• Traffic Loads: The uplink and downlink traffic loads are the percentages of the uplink and the downlink frames in
use (allocated) to the traffic (mobiles) in the uplink and in the downlink, respectively.
• Uplink Noise Rise: Uplink noise rise is ameasure of uplink interference with respect to the uplink noise.
I UL + N UL
NR UL = ------------------------
-
N UL

• Resources: In Atoll, the term "resource" is used to refer to the average number of resource units, expressed in
% (as traffic loads, when the average is performed over a considerably long duration) of the total number of
resource units in a superframe of 1 sec.
• Frame: An LTE frame is 10 ms long. The duration of a frame is a system-level constant. Each frame comprises
10 1 ms-long subframes, with each subframe containing 2 0.5 ms-long slots. Each slot can have 7 or 6 symbol
durations for normal or extended cyclic prefix, respectively, and for a 15 kHz subcarrier width. A slot can have 3
symbol durations for extended cyclic prefix used with a 7.5 kHz subcarrier width. LTE includes specific frame struc-

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 Chapter 14: LTE Networks

tures for FDD and TDD systems as shown in Figure 14.76. For TDD systems, two switching point periodicities can
be used; half-frame or full frame. Half-frame periodicity provides the same half-frame structure as a TD-SCDMA
subframe. The PBCH and the two SCH are carried by subframes 0 and 5, which means that these 2 subframes
are always used in downlink. A subframe is synonymous with TTI (transmission time interval), i.e., the minimum
unit of resource allocation in the time domain.

Figure 14.76: LTE frame structures (DL: blue, UL: orange, DL or UL: green)

• Resource Element, Symbol, or Modulation Symbol: In Atoll a symbol refers to one resource element or one
modulation symbol, which is 1 symbol duration long and 1 subcarrier width wide, as shown in Figure 14.75.
• Symbol Duration: In Atoll a symbol duration refers to one OFDM symbol, which is the duration of one modulation
symbol over all the subcarriers/frequency blocks being used.
• Subcarrier: An OFDM channel comprises many narrowband carriers called subcarriers. OFDM subcarriers are
orthogonal frequency-domain waveforms generated using fast fourier transforms (see Figure 14.77).
• Frequency Block: It is the minimum unit of resource allocation in the frequency domain, i.e., the width of a
resource block, 180 kHz. It is a system-level constant. A frequency block can either contain 12 subcarriers of
15 kHz each (see Figure 14.77) or 24 subcarriers of 7.5 kHz each.
• Resource Block: It is the minimum unit of resource allocation, i.e., 1 frequency block by 1 slot (see Figure 14.77).
Schedulers are able perform resource allocation every subframe (TTI, transmission time interval), however, the
granularity of resource allocation 1 slot in time, i.e., the duration of a resource block, and 1 frequency block in fre-
quency.

Figure 14.77: LTE resource blocks

• LTE Logical Channels: LTE logical channels include (see Figure 14.78):
- Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) (DL): Carries broadcast control information.
- Paging Contol Channel (PCCH) (DL): Carries paging control information.
- Common Control Channel (CCCH) (DL and UL): Carries common control information.
- Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) (DL and UL): Carries control information dedicated to users.
- Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) (DL and UL): Carries user traffic data.
- Multicast Control Channel (MCCH) (DL): Carries multicast control information.
- Multicast Traffic Channel (MTCH) (DL): Carries multicast traffic data.
• LTE Transport Channels: LTE transport channels include (see Figure 14.78):
- Broadcast Channel (BCH) (DL): Carries broadcast information.
- Paging Channel (PCH) (DL): Carries paging information.
- Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) (DL): Carries common and dedicated control information and user
traffic data. It can also be used to carry broadcast and multicast control information and traffic in addition to
the BCH and MCH.

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Atoll User Manual

- Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH) (UL): Carries common and dedicated control information and user traffic
data.
- Multicast Channel (MCH) (DL): Carries multicast information.
- Random Access Channel (RACH) (UL): Carries random access requests from users.
• LTE Physical Layer Channels: LTE physical layer channels include (see Figure 14.78):
- Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) (DL): Carries broadcast information.
- Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (DL): Carries paging information, common and dedicated
control information, and user traffic data. It can also be used to carry broadcast and multicast control informa-
tion and traffic in addition to the PBCH and PMCH. Parts of this channel carry the primary and secondary syn-
chronisation channels (P-SCH and S-SCH), the downlink reference signals, the physical downlink control
channel (PDCCH), the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH), and the physical control format indicator
channel (PCFICH).
- Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) (UL): Carries common and dedicated control information and
user traffic data.
- Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) (UL): Carries control information.
- Physical Multicast Channel (PMCH) (DL): Carries multicast information.
- Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) (UL): Carries random access requests from users.

Figure 14.78: LTE logical, transport, and physical layer channels (DL: blue, UL: orange, DL or UL: green)

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Chapter 15
Microwave Link Project Management

Atoll
RF Planning and Optimisation Software
 Chapter 15: Microwave Link Project Management

15 Microwave Link Project Management

The microwave links module enables you to plan, design, and analyse microwave links networks. Using Atoll's microwave
links module, microwave links networks can be designed and analysed in separate Atoll projects as well as within 2G
(GMS/GPRS/EGPRS) and 3G (CDMA2000/UMTS/WCDMA) mobile network projects.
Using Atoll's microwave links module, you can define and model frequency bands and sub-bands, antennas, radio equip-
ment, feeder equipment, passive repeaters, simple, multi-hop, and point-to-multipoint links. You can define and set target
performance objectives in terms of link classes and performance objectives, describing the quality and availability targets.
You can determine link budgets over a single link, over multiple connected links (multi-hop links), or over a hub with several
links (point-to-multipoint links). You can also carry out end-to-end reliability analyses, interference analyses, and frequency
planning. Atoll also enables you to design your microwave link networks taking into consideration future growth and
enhancements.
Comprehensive analysis features in the Atoll microwave link module enable the study of simple, multi-hop, and point-to-
multipoint microwave links in any network. Any microwave link is considered operational when it globally satisfies the
required quality and availability criteria set by the operator. Any microwave link is assessed generally in terms of the link's
robustness, i.e., the data transmission should undergo the least possible errors, the link should suffer the least number of
failures (usually measured per year) and the duration of these failures should also be as short as possible. All these criteria
are described in detail in the ITU standards and recommendations. Atoll follows these standards and enables the user to
set in-depth quality and availability targets for the network being designed.
Furthermore, it is fundamental to the correct performance of a microwave radio link that line-of-sight be available, i.e., that
there be a clear transmission path between the two nodes of the link. The electromagnetic signal disperses as it moves
away from source, and therefore the line-of-sight clearance must take this dispersion into account and attention should be
paid to objects near the direct signal path to ensure the required signal levels reach the receiving antenna. This is referred
to as "Fresnel Zone" clearance. Atoll's profile analysis feature permits visualising line of sight, Fresnel zone clearance,
and reflective surfaces along the link's profile.
Real-life microwave links do not operate in ideal environments. As it is not always possible to have a direct line-of-sight
connection between two extremities, repeaters are employed as a workaround in order to create a pseudo-direct link. Atoll
fully models the design and use of microwave repeaters, and allows two repeaters to be inserted within a microwave link.
Performance improvement techniques such as frequency and space diversity at reception are also modelled.
Since several links can share their extremities (start or end), the description of a microwave links network in Atoll is divided
into two folders on the Data tab of the Explorer window:
• A Sites folder, which contains the set of points that can be used as extremities for links. This folder can also con-
tain sites for 2G and 3G mobile network projects in the case of incorporated mobile/microwave projects.
• A Microwave Radio Links folder, which contains the descriptions of links, multi-hop links, point-to-multipoint links,
the quality targets and performance objectives, etc. A link always refers to two items in the Sites folder.

15.1 Microwave Links Projects Protocol

A normal microwave links project protocol using Atoll is described below:
• Starting a project
- Selecting a project template
- Defining the projection and display coordinate systems
- Defining the length, reception, and transmission units

Note: You must define the coordinate systems for the microwave project before starting the
design and analysis processes.

• Defining geographic data by importing or creating maps

- Clutter classes
- Clutter heights
- DTM
- Rain and climate data
- Vector data
- Population data
- Generic data
- etc.
• Defining radio data
- Frequency bands and sub-bands
- Antennas (operating frequency band, gain, diameter, horizontal and vertical diagrams, etc.)
- Equipment and trunk types (operating frequency band, power, losses, BER graphs, MTBF, etc.)
- Waveguides and cables (operating frequency, losses, type, etc.)
- IRFs
• Defining performance objectives for the network
- Link classes
- Quality objectives (relevant performance parameter, link class, minimum and maximum data rates, etc.)

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Atoll User Manual

- Availability objectives (relevant performance parameter, link class, minimum and maximum data rates, etc.)
• Designing network
- Creating microwave links (with assigned antennas, equipment, link class, waveguides and cables, IRF, etc.)
- Creating repeaters
- Creating multi-hop microwave links (groups of microwave links considered as one in terms of engineering)
• Analysing
- Determing the probability of interruption
- Determing the line of sight
- Link budgets
- Interference studies
- Analysing the profile
- Studying reflection
- Meeting performance objectives (quality and availability)
- Diversity
- Parities
Optimisation and analysis are iterative steps. In some cases, the last four steps can be repeated in order to achieve the
optimum solution for the network.

15.2 Managing Microwave Links

In this section, the following are described:
• "Microwave Links" on page 1120
• "Creating a Microwave Passive Repeater" on page 1132
• "Multi-hop Links" on page 1134
• "Point-to-Multipoint Links" on page 1137.

15.2.1 Microwave Links

A microwave radio link, in Atoll, is a point-to-point fixed radio frequency link operating in either simplex or in duplex mode.
Duplex operation means that each radio frequency channel consists of a pair of frequencies, one for transmission and one
for reception. The baseband signal, containing the user data, occupies a limited bandwidth depending on the modulation
scheme used. This baseband signal is modulated onto a radio frequency carrier at the transmission end, and is transmitted
over the air as an electromagnetic wavefront. Microwave radio links are designed to operate between 300 MHz and
60 GHz.
A microwave link comprises two transmission/reception ends with antennas, transceiver equipment, etc., installed at both.
Atoll enables you to manage the microwave link parameters and their activity status globally or individually. A site can
support one or more microwave links or passive repeaters. With Atoll, you can work on several types, from simple to multi-
hop to point-to-multipoint links. Atoll enables you to create new microwave links by basing them on templates or by setting
all the parameters for each new link.
Multi-hop microwave links, or multi-hops, are sets of two or more microwave links that are interconnected to get to a desti-
nation. A multi-hop link can be modelled in Atoll as explained in "Multi-hop Links" on page 1134. Point-to-multipoint links
are sets of microwave links connected to a hub. A point-to-multipoint link can be modelled in Atoll as explained in "Point-
to-Multipoint Links" on page 1137.
This section explains how to managed simple microwave links, multi-hop links, and microwave links templates. In the
following sections, creating, candidate microwave sites, analysing, deleting, and moving sites are explained. As well,
setting the global properties of the microwave links, multi-hop links, point-to-multipoint links, and microwave links
templates is also explained.

15.2.1.1 Creating Microwave Sites

To create or modify a site:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The Sites New Element Properties dialogue appears.
The Properties dialogue has two tabs:
- The General tab:
- Name: Atoll enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name. If you want to
change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
- Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the loca-
tion of the site.
- Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You
can specify the actual altitude under Real, if you want. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this
value for calculations.
- Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you want.
- The Pylon tab:

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 Chapter 15: Microwave Link Project Management

- Pylon Height: You can define the height of the structure on which you can install antennas. Atoll can use
this height in several analyses (site analysis, antenna height optimisation, etc.).
- Support Type: You can describe the nature of site. This field is for information only.
4. Click OK.

15.2.1.2 Analysing Microwave Sites

Atoll provides different tools to analyse candidate microwave sites. In this section, the following are explained.
• "Studying LOS Between Microwave Sites" on page 1121
• "Displaying the LOS Around One Site on the Map" on page 1123
• "Displaying the Intersection of Line of Sight Areas" on page 1123
• "Displaying the Terrain Profile Between Microwave Sites" on page 1124
• "Performing a 360° View on Microwave Sites" on page 1125

15.2.1.2.1 Studying LOS Between Microwave Sites

In Atoll you can determine the line of sight (LOS) from one microwave site or between all microwave sites.
To perform a LOS study from one site:
1. Right-click the site either on the map, or in the Sites folder of the Explorer window’s Data tab. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Line of Sight Report from the context menu. The Line of Sight Parameters dialogue appears (see
Figure 15.1).

Figure 15.1: Setting the calculation parameters for a line of sight report

3. Click the Calculation Parameters tab.

4. Under Height - Transmitter Side and Height - Receiver Side you can select how pylon height will be defined on
the transmitter and receiver side of the microwave link, respectively. Select one of the following to define the pylon
height for the transmitter and the receiver:
- Use the pylon height defined by site: If you select Use the pylon height defined by site, Atoll will use the
pylon height defined by site for each line of sight.
- Use the default height: If you select Use the default height, Atoll will use the pylon height you define in the
Default Height box.
5. Define the Maximum Distance around the selected site to be considered in the line of sight analysis and the value
of the Earth Curvature Factor k.
6. Under Penetration Condition, define the following parameters:
- Take clutter into account in diffraction: Select the Take clutter into account in diffraction check box if
you want to use clutter information when calculating diffraction in the line of sight.
- Frequency Band: Select the frequency band to be used when calculating the line of sight from the list. The
average frequency of the selected frequency band is displayed in the Frequency box.
7. Click the Clutter tab. On the Clutter tab you can set clutter-related parameters that will be used to calculate the
line of sight. The settings on the Clutter tab are independent from any clutter parameters you might have set for
the propagation model. For each clutter class, you can set the following:
- Receiver Height: You can define a receiver height for each clutter class. It is not used when calculating the
line of sight between sites.
- Clearance: If you want, you can define a clearance around each site for each clutter class. The clearance is
used when calculating diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole pro-

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Atoll User Manual

file except over a specific distance around the sites (clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the
DTM.
8. Click OK. Atoll displays the results in the Line of Sight Report table for each site in the focus zone if available
and computation zone if there is no focus zone (for information on the focus zone, "Setting a Focus Zone" on
page 1142 and for information on the computation zone, see "Setting a Computation Zone" on page 1141). As
well, Atoll displays a terrain section on the map between each pair of sites (see "Displaying the Terrain Profile
Between Microwave Sites" on page 1124).
The Line of Sight Report table contains the following information for each pair of sites. Site1 is the studied site and Site2
a candidate site within the focus zone if available and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
- Site1: Site1 is the transmitting site of the pair of sites.
- Site2: Site2 is the receiving site of the pair of sites.
- Distance (m): The distance between the sites.
- Line of Sight (%): The percentage of clearance or penetration of the Fresnel ellipsoid. The value can be
between -100 and 100%. A value from -100 to 0% corresponds to the percentage of penetration of the upper
half of the Fresnel ellipsoid. A value from 0 to 100% corresponds to the percentage of clearance of the lower
half of the Fresnel ellipsoid.
- Antenna 1 Height (m): The height of the transmitting antenna.
- Antenna 2 Height (m):The height of the receiving antenna.
- Frequency (MHz): The mean frequency used to calculate the line of sight between the transmitting site and
the receiving site.
- Direction (°): The angle from Site1 to Site2 in the horizontal plane.
You can remove the line of sight lines by selecting Delete Line of Sight Lines from the site’s context menu.
To perform a LOS study for all sites:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Line of Sight Report from the context menu. The Line of Sight Parameters dialogue appears.
4. Click the Calculation Parameters tab.
5. Under Height - Transmitter Side and Height - Receiver Side you can select how pylon height will be defined on
the transmitter and receiver side of the microwave link, respectively. Select one of the following to define the pylon
height for the transmitter and the receiver:
- Use the pylon height defined by site: If you select Use the pylon height defined by site, Atoll will use the
pylon height defined by site for each line of sight.
- Use the default height: If you select Use the default height, Atoll will use the pylon height you define in the
Default Height box.
6. Define the Maximum Distance around the selected site to be considered in the line of sight and the value of the
Earth Curvature Factor k.
7. Under Penetration Condition, define the following parameters:
- Take clutter into account in diffraction: Select the Take clutter into account in diffraction check box if
you want to use clutter information when calculating diffraction in the line of sight.
- Frequency Band: Select the frequency band to be used when calculating the line of sight from the list. The
average frequency of the selected frequency band is displayed in the Frequency box.
8. Click the Clutter tab. On the Clutter tab you can set clutter-related parameters that will be used to calculate the
line of sight. The settings on the Clutter tab are independent from any clutter parameters you might have set for
the propagation model. For each clutter class, you can set the following:
- Receiver Height: You can define a receiver height for each clutter class. It is not used when calculating the
line of sight between sites.
- Clearance: If you want, you can define a clearance around each site for each clutter class. The clearance is
used when calculating diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole pro-
file except over a specific distance around the sites (clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the
DTM.
9. Click OK. Atoll displays the results in the Line of Sight Report table for each site in the focus zone if available
and computation zone if there is no focus zone (for information on the focus zone, "Setting a Focus Zone" on
page 1142 and for information on the computation zone, see "Setting a Computation Zone" on page 1141). As
well, Atoll displays a terrain section on the map between each pair of sites (see "Displaying the Terrain Profile
Between Microwave Sites" on page 1124).
The Line of Sight Report table contains the following information for each pair of sites. Site1 is the studied site and Site2
a candidate site within the focus zone if available and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
- Site1: Site1 is the transmitting site of the pair of sites.
- Site2: Site2 is the receiving site of the pair of sites.
- Distance: The distance between the sites.
- Line of Sight: The percentage of clearance or penetration of the Fresnel ellipsoid. The value can be between
-100 and 100%. A value from -100 to 0% corresponds to the percentage of penetration of the upper half of the
Fresnel ellipsoid. A value from 0 to 100% corresponds to the percentage of clearance of the lower half of the
Fresnel ellipsoid.
- Antenna 1 Height: The height of the transmitting antenna.
- Antenna 2 Height: The height of the receiving antenna.

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 Chapter 15: Microwave Link Project Management

- Frequency: The mean frequency used to calculate the line of sight between the transmitting site and the
receiving site.
You can remove the line of sight lines by selecting Delete Line of Sight Lines from the context menu of the Sites folder
of the Explorer window’s Data tab.

15.2.1.2.2 Displaying the LOS Around One Site on the Map

Atoll allows you to calculate the line-of-sight area around a site.
To display the line-of-sight area around a site:
1. Right-click the site either on the map, or in the Sites folder of the Explorer window’s Data tab. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Line of Sight Area from the context menu. The Line of Sight Area dialogue appears.
3. Under Calculation Parameters, define the following parameters:
- Max Distance: Enter the maximum distance around the selected site that should be taken into consideration.
- Site Height: Enter the transmitter site height, taking into consideration, for example, building height.
- Receiver Height: Enter the receiver site height, taking into consideration, for example, building height.
- Factor k: Enter a value for the earth curvature factor.
4. Select one of the following:
- Line of Sight Clearance: Select Line of Sight Clearance if you want to study the line of sight between the
transmitter and receiver sites.
- Ellipsoid Clearance: Select Ellipsoid Clearance if you want to study the percentage of clearance of the
Fresnel ellipsoid and define the following:
- Frequency: Enter the operating frequency you want to study.
- Clearance: Enter the percentage of clearance of the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid.
5. Under View, define the display parameters of the line-of-sight area:
- To set the transparency of the displayed line-of-sight area, move the slider.
- To define a colour for the displayed line-of-sight area, click the Colour button and select a colour from the
palette that appears.
6. Click OK. Atoll calculates and displays the line-of-sight area around the selected site.
To delete the line of sight area around a site:
1. Right-click the site either on the map, or in the Sites folder of the Explorer window’s Data tab. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Delete Line of Sight Area from the context menu.

15.2.1.2.3 Displaying the Intersection of Line of Sight Areas

Atoll allows you to calculate the line-of-sight areas for several sites and display their intersection. The intersection of line-
of-sight areas will be calculated for sites in the computation zone (for information on the computation zone, see "Setting a
Computation Zone" on page 1141).
To display the line-of-sight areas of several sites and display their intersection:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Line of Sight Report from the context menu. The Line of Sight Parameters dialogue appears.
4. Click the Calculation Parameters tab.
5. Under Height - Transmitter Side, you can select how pylon height will be defined on the transmitter side of each
microwave link:
- Use the pylon height defined by site: If you select Use the pylon height defined by site, Atoll will use the
pylon height defined by site.
- Use the default height: If you select Use the default height, Atoll will use the pylon height you define in the
Default Height box.
6. Under Height - Receiver Side, you can select how receiver height will be defined at the far edge of the LOS area:
- Use heights defined per clutter class: If you select Use heights defined per clutter class, Atoll will use
the receiver height defined per clutter class on the Clutter tab of the Line of Sight Parameters dialogue.
- Use the default height: If you select Use the default height, Atoll will use the receiver height you define in
the Default Height box.
7. Define the Maximum Distance around the selected site to be considered in the line of sight and the value of the
Earth Curvature Factor k.
8. Under Penetration Condition, define the following parameters:
a. Take clutter into account in diffraction: Select the Take clutter into account in diffraction check box if
you want to use clutter information when calculating diffraction in the line of sight.
b. Define the type of clearance that will be calculated by selecting one of the following:
- Line of Sight Clearance: Select Line of Sight Clearance if you want to study the line of sight between
the transmitter and receiver sites.

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- Ellipsoid Clearance: Select Ellipsoid Clearance if you want to study the percentage of clearance of the
Fresnel ellipsoid and enter the percentage of clearance of the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid.
c. Frequency Band: Select the frequency band to be used when calculating the line of sight from the list. The
average frequency of the selected frequency band is displayed in the Frequency box.
9. Click the Clutter tab. On the Clutter tab you can set clutter-related parameters that will be used to calculate the
line-of-sight area. The settings on the Clutter tab are independent from any clutter parameters you might have set
for the propagation model. For each clutter class, you can set the following:
- Receiver Height: If you want, you can define a receiver height for each clutter class. This is the value that will
be taken into consideration if you selected Use heights defined per clutter class under Height - Receiver
Side on the Calculation Parameters tab.
- Clearance: If you want, you can define a clearance around each site for each clutter class. The clearance is
used when calculating diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole pro-
file except over a specific distance around the sites (clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the
DTM.
10. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can define how the line-of-sight areas will be displayed on the map.
You can select one of the following display options:
- One Area per Site: Select One Area per Site to display a line-of-sight area for each site and then define the
colour the line-of-sight areas will be displayed in:
- Automatic Colour: If you select Automatic Colour, Atoll will automatically assign a different colour to
each line-of-sight area, and you will be able to distinguish the line-of-sight areas for each site.
- Unique Colour: If you select Unique Colour, selecting a colour from the palette, Atoll with display all
line-of-sight areas in the same colour, and the resulting display will show the cumulative line-of-sight
areas.
Set the transparency of the displayed line-of-sight area, by moving the slider.

- Overlapping: Select Overlapping to display the line-of-sight areas with coverage from the defined number
of sites:
- Areas covered by at least 2 sites: Check the Areas covered by at least 2 sites check box if you want
Atoll to display all areas covered by at least 2 sites in the colour selected from the palette.
- Areas covered by at least 3 sites: Check the Areas covered by at least 3 sites check box if you want
Atoll to display all areas covered by at least 3 sites in the colour selected from the palette.
- Areas covered by all sites: Check the Areas covered by all sites check box if you want Atoll to display
all areas covered by all sites in the colour selected from the palette.
11. Select the Add to Legend check box to add the options defined on the Display tab to the Legend. For information
on the Legend window, see "Displaying the Map Legend" on page 41.
12. Click OK. Atoll displays results on the map.
To delete the line of sight areas:
1. Right-click the Sites folder of the Explorer window’s Data tab. The context menu appears.
2. Select Delete Line of Sight Areas from the context menu.

15.2.1.2.4 Displaying the Terrain Profile Between Microwave Sites

In Atoll, you can study the terrain profile between two microwave sites.
To study the terrain profile between two microwave sites:
1. Select how pylon height will be defined on both sites of the microwave link by clicking the arrow next to the Height
Profile button ( ) on the toolbar and selecting one of the following:
- Antenna Height Defined by Site: If you select Antenna Height Defined by Site, Atoll will use the pylon
height defined on each site.
- Antenna Height Defined per Clutter Class: If you select Antenna Height Defined per Clutter Class, Atoll
will use the receiver height defined per clutter class on the Clutter tab of the Line of Sight Parameters dia-
logue.
- Default Antenna Height: If you select Default Antenna Height, Atoll will use the pylon height you define in
the Default Height box of the Line of Sight Parameters dialogue.

Note: You can set further options using the Line of Sight Parameters dialogue. You can open
the Line of Sight Parameters dialogue by clicking the arrow next to the Height Profile
button ( ) on the toolbar and selecting Properties. For a description of the options
available in the Line of Sight Parameters dialogue, see "Studying LOS Between
Microwave Sites" on page 1121.

2. Click the Height Profile button ( ) on the toolbar.

3. Move the pointer to the site on the map. When the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected, click to
create the first analysis point.

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4. Move the pointer to another site on the map. When the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected,
click to create the second analysis point.
5. The profile between both sites appears on the Terrain Section tab of the Profile Analysis window. Atoll displays
the terrain height along the profile as well as clutter classes and clutter heights when the visibility box of the Clutter
Classes folder on the Geo tab is selected. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone between both sites. By
default, Atoll considers the pylon heights defined for the selected sites to determine the profile. You can modify
them as well as the studied frequency in the Terrain Section Properties dialogue. If you do not want to display
the clutter along the profile, you can clear the visibility check box of the Clutter Classes folder on the Geo tab.
6. Right-click the terrain section on the map. The context menu appears.
7. Select Properties. The Terrain Section Properties dialogue appears.
8. In the Terrain Section Properties dialogue, you have the following parameters:
- Id: The terrain section reference number.
- Line of Sight (%): The percentage of clearance/penetration of the Fresnel zone. The value can vary between
-100 and 100%. A value from -100 to 0% corresponds to the percentage of penetration of the upper half of the
Fresnel ellipsoid. A value from 0 to 100% corresponds to the percentage of clearance of the lower half of the
Fresnel ellipsoid.
- Site1: The Site1 name.
- Site2: The Site2 name.
- Distance (m): The distance between Site1 and Site2.
- Pylon 1 Height (m): The pylon height on Site1 to be considered.
- Pylon 2 Height (m): The pylon height on Site2 to be considered.
- Frequency (MHz): The frequency to be considered.
9. Click OK to close the dialogue and apply the parameters.
If you have previously calculated a LOS report on a site or a group of sites (see "Studying LOS Between Microwave Sites"
on page 1121), proceed as follows:
1. On the map, click the terrain section you want to analyse.

2. Click the Height Profile button ( ) on the toolbar.

3. Atoll opens the Terrain Section tab of the Profile analysis window. It displays a Fresnel ellipsoid between both
sites, and terrain height and clutter along the profile. In order to calculate the Fresnel ellipsoid, Atoll uses the site
heights, the k factor value and the frequency used for the LOS report calculation.
Then, you can use any terrain section to create a microwave link.
1. On the map, right-click the terrain section you want to use for the microwave link design.
2. Choose the Create Link command in the context menu. Atoll adds the new microwave link in the Links folder;
its properties are based on the selected link template.
If you have several terrain sections displayed on the map, you can colour them according to the percentage of clearance/
penetration of the Fresnel zone.
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Terrain Sections folder and select Properties from the context menu. The Terrain Section Prop-
erties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Display tab and define the following parameters:
- Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals."
- Under Field, select "Visibility".
- You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display properties,
see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 33.
4. Click OK.

15.2.1.2.5 Performing a 360° View on Microwave Sites

Atoll enables you to view the line of sight from the location of any site. To perform a 360° view at any site:
1. Right-click the site either directly on the map, or in the Sites folder of the Explorer window’s Data tab. The context
menu appears.
2. Select 360° View from the context menu. The Calculation Parameters dialogue appears.
3. On the Parameters tab, set the following parameters:
- Propagation Model
- Azimuth
- Aperture (view between -45° and 45°)
- Calculation Step
- Frequency
- Max Distance
- Transmitter Site Height
- Receiver Site Height
4. On the Display tab, you can select the following options:

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- Altitudes Without Curvature: Atoll displays the horizon profile calculated without considering the curvature
of the earth.
- Height of the Selected Site: The height of the selected site is marked by a horizontal line (a blue dotted line
by default).
- Position of the Other Sites: The position of other sites within the view is marked by a red line (by default). If
the site is located in front of the first obstacle, the line is solid; otherwise this is a dotted line.

Note: You can also change these display options by right-clicking the 360° View tab of the
Microwave Link Analysis window and selecting Properties from the context menu.

5. Click OK. The 360° View tab of the Microwave Link Analysis window opens.
6. Atoll displays the horizon profile for the selected site. The terrain height along the horizon profile, as well as clutter
classes and cluter heights are displayed when the visibility check box of the Clutter Classes folder on the Geo
tab is selected. Every x° around the site (value user-defined in the Calculation Parameters dialogue), it considers
a fictitious link and determines the first diffraction obstacle along this link. Note that the curvature of the Earth is
considered in order to find the first diffracting obstacle and its height. Each obstacle is marked by a point. If you
click the point, you can view its position in the map window. Finally, if you place the mouse cursor on the point,
Atoll displays a popup with the following information: the diffraction obstacle coordinates, its distance from the
site, its angle with the site azimuth and its altitude.
7. Click OK.
Analysis and display parameters defined for each site are saved during the Atoll session by clicking OK. You can also
save a set of parameters as default configuration by clicking the Save Configuration button. Therefore, if a site has never
been calculated, the 360° view calculation will be initialized with the default configuration settings. Finally, even if you have
modified some parameters, it is still possible to apply the default configuration again by clicking Load Configuration. The
default configuration is memorized for the current Atoll session only.
You can modify some analysis parameters, such as the aperture, or the site azimuth, directly on the map.
To modify analysis parameters on the map:
1. Right-click the 360° View tab. The context menu appears.
2. Select Modify Sector from the context menu.
3. In the map window, click one extremity of the analysis area and change the the angle. The modifications (the dis-
tance, aperture, and new site azimuth) are displayed on the left side of the status bar.
4. After releasing the mouse, press any key to finalise your change.
5. Press F5 to refresh the displayed horizon profile.

15.2.1.3 Creating a Microwave Link

In this section, the following are explained:
• "Definition of a Microwave Link" on page 1126
• "Creating or Modifying a Microwave Link" on page 1129
• "Creating a New Microwave Link Using a Link Template" on page 1129
• "Managing Microwave Link Templates" on page 1130
• "Defining Port Parameters" on page 1131.

15.2.1.3.1 Definition of a Microwave Link

The parameters of a microwave link can be found in the microwave link’s Properties dialogue. The Properties dialogue
has seven tabs:
• The General tab:
- Name: The name of the microwave link.
- Under Site A: you can set the name of the site defining one extremity of the link. If the extremity of the link is
not located directly on the site, you can define the position related to the site by entering Dx and Dy values.
In Atoll, "A" is the site of departure and "B" is the site of arrival.
- Under Site B: you can set the name of the site defining the other extremity of the link. If the extremity of the
link is not located directly on the site, you can define the position related to the site by entering Dx and Dy
values. In Atoll, "A" is the site of departure and "B" is the site of arrival.
- Frequency band: The working frequency band of the microwave link.
- Length: The calculated length.
- Repeater P: The name of a passive repeater on the link.
- Repeater Q: The name of a second passive repeater on the link.
- Activity: The microwave link activity status. Only active microwave links are considered in reliability and inter-
ference analysis.
- Comments: Any comment about the microwave link.
• The Radio tab:
- A>>B and B>>A: The direction of the microwave link (A>>B: transmission from Site A to Site B, B>>A: trans-
mission from Site B to Site A). Select both options to make the microwave link bidirectional (i.e., to allow com-
munication in both ways).
- Under Antennas, you can define antennas and characteristics for the both sites of the link

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- Model: The antenna model. By default, Atoll lists antennas that operate in the frequency band defined for

the microwave link. If you want, you can apply an additional filter by clicking the button ( ) beside the

antenna model field. When the filter is active, the appearance of the button changes ( ). In this case,
Atoll proposes in the list antennas compatible with the selected equipment as defined in the Antenna/
Equipment Compatibility table.
- Height/Ground: The antenna height with respect to the ground (in metres).
- Polarisation: The polarisation of the antenna to be used. This parameter helps Atoll determine which
antenna pattern diagrams to use for calculations.
- Az./Direct Ray: The azimuth with respect to the direct ray between the both extremities.
- Tilt./Direct Ray: The tilt with respect to the direct ray between the both extremities.
- Diversity Ant: You can define if a diversity antenna is used at either site to improve reception.
- Separation: The distance between the main and the diversity antennas when space diversity is used on
the site.
- Under Equipment, you can define equipment related parameters for the both sites of the link:
- Model: You can select a piece of equipment. By default, Atoll lists equipment that operates in the frequen-
cy band defined for the microwave link. If you want, you can apply an additional filter by clicking the button

( ) beside the antenna model field. When the filter is active, the appearance of the button changes

( ). In this case, Atoll proposes in the list equipment compatible with the selected antenna as defined
in the Antenna/Equipment Compatibility table.
- Maximum Power: The maximum power that the equipment can transmit. This parameter is taken from
the equipment properties.
- Tuning: Define a value different from 0 dB if you do not want to transmit at maximum power.
- Nominal power: The output power after tuning.
- ATPC: The power reserve used to increase the transmitted signal when it rains. This parameter can be
defined for biderectional links only. The value cannot exceed the Max ATPC value defined for the equip-
ment. ATPC value is considered in reliability and interference analysis only if power control is on. For infor-
mation on taking power control into consideration, see "Global Parameters" on page 209.
- Coordinated Power: The output power taken into account in calculations when power control is on.
- XPIC System: Select this option if the microwave link uses XPIC (Cross Polarisation Interference Cancel-
ler).
- Under Frequencies, you can define the following parameters:
- Sub-Band: The frequency sub-band.
- Frequency: The frequency on which the signal is transmitted. This value is used when no sub-band is
defined. By default, it equals the central frequency of the frequency band.
- Half-band: Define which half-band (either the upper or the lower half-band) is assigned to the site.
- Channels: tHe channel(s) allocated to the site. The corresponding frequency is indicated in brackets.
Channel(s) can be selected only after choosing a frequency sub-band.
- Port Settings: Click the Port Settings button to configure channel(s) in detail. The Ports Definition
dialogue appears. You can configure the channels, transmission and reception port numbers, values for
transmission and reception attenuation, the polarisation and the channel port status. The number of ports
you can define depends on the system configuration of the selected equipment and cannot exceed n+m
(where "n" is the number of channels in normal use and "m" is the number of channels available as
standby channels).
For further information on port settings, see "Defining Port Parameters" on page 1131.

• The Connections tab:

- Under Waveguides and Cables, you can select up to two waveguides. For each of them, you can define if it
is used either for transmission or reception only, or for both transmission and reception directions and select
the waveguide model. By default, Atoll lists waveguides that operate in the frequency band defined for the

microwave link. If you want, you can apply an additional filter by clicking the button ( ) beside the antenna

model field. When the filter is active, the appearance of the button changes ( ). In this case, Atoll proposes
in the list, waveguides compatible with the selected antenna and equipment as defined in the Antenna/
Waveguide Compatibility and Antenna/Equipment Compatibility tables. You can also enter the length of
each waveguide. Atoll displays the attenuation.
- Under Connection Losses, you can define additional losses to be taken into account on transmission, recep-
tion, or on both transmission and reception. You can also add a Shielding Factor.
• The Geoclimatic tab:
- Current Methods: Under Current Methods, you can see the calculation methods used to analyse the micro-
wave link quality and availability. The methods displayed are those set on the Models tab of the Microwave
Radio Links Properties dialogue.
- Atmospheric and Climatic Conditions: Under Atmospheric and Climatic Conditions, you can define the
conditions under which the microwave operates:
- Climatic Zone: Select the climatic zone that best describes the climate in which the microwave link oper-
ates. For dry areas, you can select from Polar (Dry), Polar (Moderate), Cold (Dry), Temperate Continental
(Dry), and Subtropical Arid (Dry). For continental areas, you can select from Cold (Moderate), Temperate
Continental (Moderate). For humid areas, you can select from Temperate Continental (Wet) correspond
to continental areas and Temperate Maritime, Subtropical Wet, Tropical Moderate, and Tropical.

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The climate zone is taken into consideration by all calculation methods.

- Temperature: Set the average temperature of the zone in which the microwave link operates. Clicking the

button ( ) beside the Temperature text box opens a dialogue where you can select the temperature
based on Rec. ITU-R P.1510-0, ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the temperature set in the geocli-
matic file.
- Rec. ITU-R P.530: The parameters found under Rec. ITU-R P.530 are those recommended by ITU-R
P.530 to calculate the availability of the microwave link:

Water Vapour Density: Set the water vapour density in grams per cubic metre. Clicking the button ( )
beside the Water Vapour Density text box opens a dialogue where you can select the water vapour den-
sity based on Rec. ITU-R P.836-3 (and select the percentage of the average year where the defined water
vapour density is exceeded), or based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the water vapour
density set in the geoclimatic file. The dialogue also displays the water vapour pressure in hectopascals
(hPa) calculated using your data and based on Rec. ITU-R P.836-3.

Rainfall exceeded 0.01% of the average year: Set the rainfall exceeded 0.01% of the average year (or,

in other words, the rainfall observed 99.99% of the average year). Clicking the button ( ) beside the
Rainfall exceeded 0.01% of the average year text box opens a dialogue where you can select the rainfall
exceeded 0.01% of the average year based on Rec. ITU-R P.837-4 or the rainfall exceeded 0.01% of the
average year set in the geoclimatic file.

Atmospheric Pressure: Set the atmospheric pressure in grams per cubic metre. Clicking the button

( ) beside the Atmospheric Pressure text box opens a dialogue where you can select the atmospher-
ic pressure based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the atmospheric pressure set in the
geoclimatic file.

Relative Humidity: The Relative Humidity displayed is calculated using the defined water vapour den-
sity.
Rec. ITU-R P.530-12: Under ITU-R P.530-12, you can enter the Rain Height (0°C Isotherm) in metres.
The rain height is the height of the top of the rain column above mean sea level from the 0°C isotherm.

Clicking the button ( ) beside the Rain Height text box opens a dialogue where you can select the rain
height based on Rec. ITU-R P.839-3 (and select a season), or the rain height set in the geoclimatic file.

- Refractivity: Under Refractivity, you can define the Refractivity gradient near the earth’s surface in

N-units per km. Clicking the button ( ) beside the Refractivity gradient near the earth’s surface text box
opens a dialogue where you can select the refractivity gradient based on Rec. ITU-R P.453-9, using a user-
defined reference altitude, or the refractivity gradient for less than 65 m., as well as the percentage of the year
that N is not exceeded, or the refractivity gradient set in the geoclimatic file.
Under Refractivity, the k factor median value, calculated using the set parameters, is displayed.

- Geoclimatic Factor: The parameters under Geoclimatic Factor are used to calculate the quality of the
microwave link and are broken down by calculation method. Under Geoclimatic Factor, you can set the fol-
lowing parameters:
- ITU-R P.530-5, -8 and Vigants-Barnett: Under ITU-R P.530-5, -8 and Vigants-Barnett, you can select
the Terrain Type: "Plain Zone" for terrestrial microwave links where the height of the lowest antenna in
the link is lower than 700 m; "Mountain Zone" for terrestrial microwave links where the height of the lowest
antenna in the link is higher than 700 m; "Lake Zone" for microwave links over an expanse of water and
"Link over the water" for microwave links over an extended expanse of water.
This information is taken into account when using ITU-R P.530-5, ITU-R P.530-8 and Vigants-Barnett cal-
culation methods.
- ITU-R P.530-5, -8: Under ITU-R P.530-5, -8, you can define the PL factor. PL is the percent of time the
relative refractivity gradient is less than -100 N⁄Km. The PL factor can be found on the ITU-R maps.
This parameter is taken into account when using ITU-R P.530-5 and ITU-R P.530-8 calculation methods.

- K.Q. Method: Under K.Q. Method, you can define K.Q. for the K.Q method. K models geo-climatic and
terrain effects on climate while Q is the factor for variables other than those dependent on distance and
frequency.
- ITU-R P.530: Under ITU-R P.530, you can define the K factor. K models geo-climatic and terrain effects

on climate. Clicking the button ( ) beside the K text box opens a dialogue where you can select the K
factor based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-5 or Rec. ITU-R P. 530-8 (and select a terrain type and enter a value
for C0 and for the percentage of time the refractivity gradient (< 100 m.) is less than -100 N-units⁄km for
the worst average month) or based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-10 and above (and select the simplified method
where you also define the refractivity gradient (< 65 m.) not exceeded during 1% of the average year or
select the method with terrain roughness taken into account where you define the refractivity gradient and
the terrain roughness).
- Vigants-Barnett: Factor C: Under Vigants-Barnett: Factor C, you can define C, the propagation condi-
tion factor for Vigants-Barnett method. You can either select Real and enter a value, or select Terrain
Type and the C factor will be calculated from the terrain.
• The Reliability tab:

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 Chapter 15: Microwave Link Project Management

- Link Class: Under Link Class, you can select the link class. Each link class can have different performance
objectives. By assigning the link class with the appropriate performance objectives, you assign the perform-
ance objectives to the link. For information on creating a link class, see "Microwave Link Classes" on
page 207.

Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected link class.

Clicking the Objectives button opens a dialogue where you can view and modify the performance objectives
of the selected link class.

- Bit Error Rate: Under Bit Error Rate, you can set the values for BER 1 and BER 2. Atoll displays the
resulting sensitivity for each BER.
• The Propagation tab, you can define propagation-related parameters:
- Model used for the useful signal: Under Model used for the useful signal, you can select the propagation
model that will be used to calculate the path loss as well as the margin required for quality and availability for
the microwave link. If no propagation model is selected, the quality and availability of the link will be defined
by the respective target values defined in the link class.
- Model used for the interfering signal: Under Model used for the interfering signal, you can select the
propagation model that will be used to calculate interference.
• The Display tab, you can define the appearance of the microwave link and its extremities.

15.2.1.3.2 Creating or Modifying a Microwave Link

You can modify an existing microwave link or you can create a new microwave link. You can access the properties of a
microwave link, described in "Definition of a Microwave Link" on page 1126, through the microwave link’s Properties
dialogue. How you access the Properties dialogue depends on whether you are creating a new microwave link or modi-
fying an existing microwave link.
To create or modify a microwave link:
1. If you are creating a new microwave link:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
c. Right-click the Links folder. The context menu appears.
d. Select New from the context menu. The Links New Element Properties dialogue appears.
2. If you are modifying the properties of an existing site:
a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
c. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder.
d. Right-click the microwave link you want to modify. The context menu appears.
e. Select Properties from the context menu. The microwave link’s Properties dialogue appears.
3. Modify the parameters described in "Definition of a Microwave Link" on page 1126.
4. Click OK.

15.2.1.3.3 Creating a New Microwave Link Using a Link Template

With Atoll, you can create new microwave links based on link templates. This allows you to build your network quickly with
consistent parameters.
You can create a microwave link in the following ways:
• Directly on the map between new or existing sites using a link template,
• On two existing sites using a link template,
To place a microwave link directly on the map using a link template:
1. In the Microwave toolbar, select a link template from the list.

2. Click the arrow next to New Link button ( ) on the Microwave toolbar.

3. Select Using The Mouse On The Map from the menu. The pointer changes ( ).
The sites that define the extremities of a microwave link can be already existing sites or Atoll will create new sites
automatically at the location clicked by the user. Each site in Atoll can support several microwave links, transmit-
ters, and passive repeaters.

4. If you are placing a new microwave link on two new sites:

a. Click once on the map to indicate the location of the first end of the link. The pointer now changes ( ).
b. Click again on the map to indicate the location of the other end of the link.

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5. If you are placing a new microwave link on two existing sites:

a. In the map window, click the site that you would like to use as one extremity of the microwave link. The site is
now one extremity of the microwave link. The pointer now changes ( ).
b. Move the pointer to the site that you would like to use as the other extremity of the microwave link and click it.
The microwave link is now created between the two sites.
To create a microwave link on two existing sites using a link template:
1. In the Microwave toolbar, select a link template from the list.

2. Click the arrow next to New Link button ( ) on the Microwave toolbar.
3. Select Between Sites from the menu. The Link Creation dialogue appears.
4. In the Link Creation dialogue, define the following parameters:
- Model: the link template you want to use in order to create the microwave link.
- Site A: the name of the site defining one extremity of the link.
- Site B: the name of the site defining the other extremity of the link.
5. Click OK.
By default, Atoll names the newly created microwave links in the following manner: SiteX – SiteY, where SiteX is the name
of the start site (existing or newly created) and SiteY is the name of the end site (existing or newly created).

15.2.1.3.4 Managing Microwave Link Templates

Atoll comes with microwave link templates, but you can also create and modify microwave link templates. The tools for
working with microwave link templates can be found on the Microwave toolbar (see Figure 15.2).

Figure 15.2: The Microwave toolbar

In this section, the following are explained:

• "Creating or Modifying a Microwave Link Template" on page 1130
• "Adding a Field to a Microwave Link Template" on page 1131
• "Deleting a Microwave Link Template" on page 1131
• "Creating a Microwave Passive Repeater" on page 1132

Creating or Modifying a Microwave Link Template

You can create a link template based on an existing microwave link.

To create a link template based on an existing microwave link
1. Right-click the microwave link you want to use as template in the Map window. The context menu appears.
2. Select Save As A Template from the context menu.
The new link template has the same parameters as the microwave link it is based on. It is available in the list of
the Microwave toolbar.

You can also create a link template based on a link template selected in the Link Template Properties dialogue. The new
link template has the same parameters as the one it is based on. Therefore, by selecting the existing link template that
most closely resembles the link template you want to create, you can create a new template by only modifying the param-
eters that differ.
As well, you can modify the properties of any link template.
To create a link template based on an existing link template or modify a link template:
1. In the Microwave toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Link Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. You can now create a new link template or modify an existing one:
- To create a new link template: Under Available Templates, select the link template that most closely resem-
bles the link template you want to create and click Add. The Properties dialogue appears.
- To modify an existing link template: Under Available Templates, select the link template whose properties
you want to modify and click Properties. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. For information on the fields available in the open window, see "Modifying Microwave Sites and Links Directly on
the Map" on page 1132.
5. Click OK.
The new link template will be available in the template menu.

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Adding a Field to a Microwave Link Template

To add, modify or delete a field in the link templates:

1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Link Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Fields button.
4. In the dialogue that appears, click the Add button to add a field, the Properties button to modify properties, or the
Delete button to delete a user-defined field.
5. Click OK.

Notes: If you add a field to the link templates, you must add an equivalent field to the Sites table
or the field will not be taken into account.

Deleting a Microwave Link Template

To delete a link template:

1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Link Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. Under Available Templates, select the template you want to delete.
4. Click the Delete button. The link template is deleted.
5. Click OK.

15.2.1.3.5 Defining Port Parameters

In Atoll, ports are used to model the equipment connection on transmitting and receiving sites. You can configure port
parameters for an individual microwave link or for all microwave links.

Defining Port Parameters for a Single Microwave Link

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.

2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder.
4. Right-click the microwave link whose port parameters you want to define. The context menu appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
6. Select the Radio tab.
7. Under Frequencies, select a Sub-Band for the microwave link.
8. Click Apply. Additional parameters appear.
9. Click the Port Parameters Settings button. The Ports Definition dialogue appears.
10. Define the following parameters for each channel transmitted in one direction:
- Channel: The channel number. The corresponding frequency is indicated in brackets.
- Tx port: The port number for the transmitting equipment. The number must be from 1 to 10.
- Rx port: The port number for the receiving equipment. The number must be from 1 to 10.
- Transmission Attenuation: The transmission attenuation in dB.
- Reception Attenuation: The reception attenuation in dB.
- Polarisation: The signal polarisation.
- Status: Either select "Main" if the channel is active (channel "n"), "Standby" for a standby channel (channel
"m"), "Diversity" if it is used for frequency diversity. In case of frequency diversity, two channels with diversity
status are required.
The number of ports you can define depends on the system configuration of the selected equipment and cannot
exceed n+m.

After defining the configuration for one direction, you can define the opposite direction by clicking the Initialise
Symmetrically button.
11. Click OK. The Ports Definition dialogue closes.
12. Click OK.

Defining Port Parameters for All Microwave Links

1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.

2. Right-click the Links folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Ports > Open table. The table opens.
Define the following parameters:

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- Link: the name of the microwave link.

- Way: the link direction (AB or BA).
- Channel: the channel number. The corresponding frequency is indicated in brackets.
- Tx port: the port number for the transmitting equipment. The number must be from 1 to 10.
- Rx port: the port number for the receiving equipment. The number must be from 1 to 10.
- Transmission Attenuation: the transmission attenuation in dB.
- Reception Attenuation: the reception losses attenuation in dB.
- Polarisation: the signal polarisation.
- Status: Either select "Main" if the channel is active (channel "n"), "Standby" for a standby channel (channel
"m"), "Diversity" if it is used for frequency diversity. In case of frequency diversity, two channels with diversity
status are required.

15.2.1.4 Modifying Microwave Sites and Links Directly on the Map

In Atoll, you can access the Properties dialogue of a site or link using the context menu on the Data tab of the Explorer
window. However, in a complex radio-planning project, it can be difficult to find the data object on the Data tab, although
it might be visible in the map window. Atoll lets you access the Properties dialogue of sites and links directly from the
map. If there is more than one link between the same sites, clicking the link in the map window opens a context menu
allowing you to select the link. You can also change the position of the site by dragging it, or by letting Atoll find a higher
location for it.
Modifying sites and links directly on the map is explained in detail in "Chapter 1: The Working Environment":
• "Displaying the Properties of an Object" on page 30
• "Selecting One of Several Transmitters or Microwave Links" on page 30
• "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 31
• "Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 31

15.2.2 Creating a Microwave Passive Repeater

Passive repeaters are normally used to redirect the microwave signal around an obstruction. Passive repeaters divide the
radio path into two branches, each traversing different type terrain, normally having different lengths and different inclina-
tions. This implies different propagation conditions for these two branches concerning fading, distortions and rain etc. Due
to this property of passive repeaters they are also referred to as "beam benders".
Passive repeaters have the following advantages over active sites:
• No power required,
• No regular road access required,
• No equipment housing needed,
• Environment friendly,
• Little or no maintenance required.
All of the above advantages mean that these can be placed in relatively inaccessible areas.
There are two main types of passive repeaters. The first type is where two antennas are placed back to back connected
by a short feeder cable; these are called back-to-back antenna passive repeaters. The second type is a plane reflector
type passive repeater where a flat metal reflector is used to redirect the signal; these are often called passive reflectors
or plane reflectors.
Atoll is capable of modelling both types of passive repeaters and providing the user with access to all the relevant param-
eters for both. The following sections explain the Atoll modelling of passive repeaters.
In Atoll microwave module, the word repeater is used for passive repeaters.

15.2.2.1 Placing a Passive Microwave Repeater on the Map Using the Mouse
In Atoll, you can create a passive microwave repeater and place it using the mouse. When you create a passive micro-
wave repeater, you can add it to an existing site, or have Atoll automatically create a new site.
Atoll permits a maximum of 2 passive repeaters in a single microwave link. The following terms are used in Atoll for
passive repeaters and related parameters:
• Passive repeaters (maximum 2) along a microwave link are named repeater P and repeater Q respectively.
• A part of the link is called a "Section." A section can be:
- One of the directions of a bi-directional link.
- One of the trajectories towards a repeater (if any).
- For example:
- Unidirectional link without repeater: 1 section, Site A Site B
- Bi-directional link without repeater: 2 sections, Site A Site B and Site B Site A
- Bi-directional link with 2 repeaters: 6 sections, Site A Site P, Site P Site Q, Site Q Site B, Site B Site Q,
Site Q Site P, Site P Site A.
To create a passive microwave repeater and place it using the mouse:
1. Select the microwave link. You can select it from the Links folder of the Explorer window’s Data tab, or directly
on the map.

2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater button ( ) on the Microwave toolbar.

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3. Select Panel Reflector or Back-to-back Antennas from the menu according to the type of passive repeater you
want to create.

4. Click the map to place the repeater. The repeater is placed on the map, represented by the site symbol ( ).
Atoll automatically creates a new repeater in the Passive Repeaters table and a new site in the Sites table that
is assigned to the newly created repeater. The operating frequency band of the repeater is the frequency band
assigned to the microwave link and azimuth(s) for the repeater antenna(s) are calculated according to the direc-
tions of the two sections of the microwave link.

For information on defining the properties of the new microwave passive repeater, see "Defining the Properties of
a Passive Microwave Repeater" on page 1133.

Note: You can also insert a repeater in a microwave link by selecting Insert Repeater from the
microwave link’s context menu and then clicking on the microwave link where you want to
insert the repeater.

15.2.2.2 Creating Several Microwave Passive Repeaters

In Atoll, characteristics of each passive microwave repeater are stored in the Passive Repeaters table and the name of
passive repeaters inserted on a microwave link is saved in the Links table. You can create several repeaters at the same
time by pasting the information into the Passive Repeaters and the Links tables:
• If you have data in table form, either in another Atoll document or in a spreadsheet, you can copy this data and
paste it into the Passive Repeaters and the Links tables in your current Atoll document.

Important: The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.

For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 56.

15.2.2.3 Defining the Properties of a Passive Microwave Repeater

You can manage and edit the properties of the microwave passive repeaters through their respective properties dialogues.
To access their properties dialogue:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
3. Right-click the Links folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Passive Repeaters > Open Table from the context menu. The Passive Repeaters table appears.
5. Double-click the record of the repeater you want to edit in the Passive Repeaters table. The Properties dialogue
appears.
6. Click the General tab and define the following parameters:
- Name: The passive repeater name.
- Site: The site where the repeater is located (from the Sites table).
- Position relative to the site: You can modify the Position relative to the site, if you wish.
- Frequency Band: The operating frequency band of the passive repeater and its position relative to the site.

You can access the Properties of the selected site and frequency band by clicking the Browse button ( ) oppo-
site to the corresponding item.

7. Click the Type tab and define the following parameters:

- Type: Define whether the passive repeater is a reflector type or back-to-back antenna type repeater.
- For a reflector type repeater, define these parameters:
- Surface: The surface area for the repeater.
- Height: The reflector height.
- Azimuth: The azimuth towards the site of transmission.
- Tilt: The tilt angle towards the site of transmission.

You can click the Calculate button ( ) to automatically calculate azimuth and tilt angles.
- For a back-to-back antenna type repeater, define the following parameters:
- Under Antenna1, you can choose the antenna, define the antenna height, the azimuth and tilt angles to-
wards the site of transmission.
- Under Antenna2, you can choose the antenna, define the antenna height, the azimuth and tilt angles to-
wards the site of reception, and specify whether the antennas have a crossed polarisation.
- Under Waveguide, you can choose the waveguide and define the length. By default, Atoll lists
waveguides that operate in the frequency band defined for the repeater. If you want, you can apply an

additional filter by clicking the button ( ) beside the model field. When the filter is active, the appear-

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ance of the button changes ( ). In this case, Atoll proposes in the list waveguides compatible with the
selected antennas as defined in the Antenna/Guides Compatibility table.

You can click the Calculate button ( ) to automatically calculate azimuth and tilts angles.

8. Click OK.

15.2.3 Multi-hop Links

Multi-hop microwave links, or multi-hops, are sets of two or more microwave links that are interconnected to get to a desti-
nation. This method allows the link to extend distance as well as move the link path around buildings or mountains. A
microwave link can be common to more than one multi-hop as well.
In general practice, microwave multi-hop links are used for two purposes; to construct a microwave connection over areas
that do not provide line-of-sight and to transfer signals through microwave links over large distances.

Note: In Atoll it is not obligatory to have all the links composing a multi-hop link to be
interconnected. But this is the practical case in almost all microwave networks worldwide.

The following sections describe the creation and deletion of microwave multi-hop links and the setting of global properties.

15.2.3.1 Creating a Multi-hop Link

In Atoll, a multi-hop link can be managed as a group of single-hop microwave links (which may contain repeaters). There
are three ways to create a multi-hop link: by using the mouse, by using the multi-hops folder, or by editing the multi-hop
links table.
To create a new multi-hop link by using the mouse:

1. Click the multi-hop button ( ) on the toolbar. The pointer changes to .

2. Click on the map to create the first site of the multi-hop link.
3. Click on the map in each place you want to insert a new link.
4. Double-click at the location you want to define as the end of the multi-hop link.
The end site of the preceding link is considered to be the start site for the next link within a multi-hop link. The next micro-
wave link in the multi-hop links series is initialised based on the parameters of the preceding one (by inversing the site
parities).
The sites that define the extremities of a multi-hop link can be already existing sites or Atoll will create new sites automat-
ically at the location clicked by the user. Each site in Atoll can support several microwave links, transmitters, and passive
repeaters.
To create a new multi-hop link using the Multi-hops folder:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Right-click on the Multi-hops folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New… from the context menu. The Multi-Hops New Element Properties dialogue appears.
5. Enter or modify the following fields on the General tab:
- Name: The Name field is filled automatically by Atoll, but can be modified.
- Multi-Hops Class: Select the multi-hops class from the list. Atoll uses this information with the multi-hop
length in order to calculate the performance objectives required for the multi-hop. Once you have selected a
multi-hops class, you can view and modify the class properties by clicking the browse button ( ).
- Comments: Enter any comments for this new multi-hop.
6. Click OK. Atoll creates an empty multi-hop link item in the Multi-hops folder.
By default, Atoll names the newly created multi-hop links in the following manner: Multi-hopsX, where X increments with
each instance of creation for multi-hop links.
To define microwave links as parts of this multi-hop link:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Click the button of the Multi-hops Links folder. The Multi-hops folder opens.
4. Right-click the new multi-hop link and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Links tab.

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6. Assign links to the multi-hop:

a. Select a link from the Link column.
b. Enter a number in the Order column to set the position of this link in the multi-hop.
7. Click OK.

Note: An Other Properties tab window is also available if a user-defined field has been added to
the multi-hop links table.

15.2.3.2 Managing Multi-hop Link Properties

As for all objects organised in folders (e.g., Sites, Links) within Atoll, multi-hop links can be managed either individually or
globally. A global setting is applied to all the filtered multi-hop links.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Modifying Global Properties" on page 1135
• "Modifying Individual Properties" on page 1135.

15.2.3.2.1 Modifying Global Properties

In Atoll, you can globally manage the properties associated with multi-hop links of your network.
To manage the multi-hop link properties globally:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Right-click on the Multi-hops folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Multi-Hops Properties dialogue appears.
5. Use the What's this help to get a description of the fields in the dialogue. The three standard tabs are:
- General: The General tab lets you organise folders and assign or save a configuration. You can also organise
multi-hops by using Atoll’s group, sort, and filter tools.
- Table: The Table tab helps you to manage contents in the Multi-hops table. Here you can manage user-
defined fields to the Multi-hops table.
- Display: The Display tab allows you to manage the display of multi-hop links depending on their attributes, to
manage the legend, labels on the map, and the contents of tool tips using the tip tool .

15.2.3.2.2 Modifying Individual Properties

There are two ways to edit properties of each multi-hop link in the current network: by selecting the multi-hop on the Data
tab or by selecting it on the map.
To access individual multi-hop link properties on the Data tab:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Click the button of the Multi-Hops folder. The Multi-Hops folder opens
4. Right-click on the multi-hops link whose properties you wish to edit. The context menu appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
6. Use the What's this help to get a description of the fields in the dialogue.
To access individual multi-hop link properties on the map:
1. In the map, click the line of the multi-hop link whose properties you wish to edit.
2. Right-click on the multi-hops link whose properties you wish to edit. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Use the What's this help to get a description of the fields in the dialogue.
The Properties dialogue has two tabs:
• General: The General tab lets to manage the name and multi-hops objectives class assigned to the multi-hop link.
• Links: The Links tab gives to access to the list of microwave links that are part of the multi-hop link. This list con-
tains the names of these microwave links and the order in which they join to form the multi-hop link.
An Other Properties tab is available if user-defined fields have been added to the Multi-hops table.

15.2.3.3 Setting all Microwave Links of a Multi-Hop Link as Active

You can activate or deactivate all microwave links belonging to a multi-hop link. Quality and availability analyses only take
into account active microwave links (and not filtered microwave links). In the Explorer window, active microwave links are
displayed in red ( ) in the Multi-Hops folder; inactive links are displayed in grey ( ).

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To change the activity status of all microwave links of a multi-hop:

1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Multi-Hops folder.
4. Right-click the multi-hop link whose activity status you want to set. The context menu appears.
5. Do one of the following:
- Select Activate Links to make all microwave links of the multi-hop link active.
- Select Deactivate Links to make all microwave links of the multi-hop link inactive.

15.2.3.4 Managing Multi-hop Links and Microwave Links Mapping Globally

Atoll allows you to globally manage mapping microwave links to the multi-hop links.
To globally manage the mapping of links to multi-hop links:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Right-click the Multi-Hops folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Mapping between Multi-hops and Links from the context menu. The Multi-Hops Links table appears,
containing all the multi-hops links and the corresponding microwave links. In this table, you can modify, delete,
add, and change the order of the links that make up a multi-hop link.

15.2.3.5 Graphically Adding a Microwave Link to a Multi-hop Link

To graphically add a microwave link to a multi-hop link:
1. Open the context menu of the multi-hop link to which you want to add a microwave link:
Either

a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.

b. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
c. Click the button of the Multi-hops folder. The Multi-hops folder opens.
d. Right-click on the multi-hop link to which you want to add a microwave link. The context menu appears.
Or

a. In the map, click the line of the multi-hop link to which you want to add a microwave link.
b. Right-click on the multi-hop link. The context menu appears.

2. Select Add a Link from the context menu. The pointer shape changes to in the map window.
3. On the map, click the microwave link you want to add to the multi-hop link.
The microwave link is added to the list of links forming the multi-hop link and assigned an order automatically.

15.2.3.6 Deleting a Multi-hop Link

To delete an existing multi-hop link:
1. Open the context menu of the multi-hop link you want to delete:
Either
a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
b. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
c. Click the button of the Multi-hops folder. The Multi-hops folder opens.
d. Right-click on the multi-hop link you want to delete. The context menu appears.
Or,

a. In the map, click the line of the multi-hop link you want to delete.
b. Right-click on the multi-hop link. The context menu appears.
2. Select Delete from the context menu. The multi-hop link is deleted.
Another alternative is to delete the row associated with the multi-hop link you want to delete in the Multi-hops table.

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Notes

• Deleting a multi-hop link in this manner does not delete the corresponding sites even if there are
no other links or transmitters relating to that site.
• When selecting a multi-hop link, be careful to select the line representing the multi-hop link. Do

not select the site icon ( ). Since it is also possible to delete the sites on which multi-hop links
are built, be sure to select the line and not the site.

15.2.4 Point-to-Multipoint Links

A point-to-multipoint link is a set of microwave links connected to a hub. A point-to-multipoint link is used when microwave
links must be made between one site and a fixed number of other sites.
The following sections describe the creation and deletion of microwave point-to-multipoint links and the setting of global
properties.

15.2.4.1 Creating a Point-to-Multipoint Link

In Atoll, a point-to-multipoint link can be managed as a group of single-hop microwave links (which may contain repeaters)
connected to a hub. There are several ways to create a point-to-multipoint link:
• by using the mouse,
• by using the point-to-multipoint link folder, or
• by editing the point-to-multipoint links table.
The sites that define the hub or sites of a point-to-multipoint link can be already existing sites or new sites, created auto-
matically at the location clicked by the user. Each site in Atoll can support several microwave links, transmitters, and
passive repeaters.
To create a new point-to-multipoint link by using the mouse:

1. Click the new PMP button ( ) on the toolbar. The pointer changes to .
2. Click on the map to create the hub of the point-to-multipoint link.
3. Click on the map in each place you want to insert a new link. If you do not click an existing site, Atoll creates a
new site where you click.
4. Double-click when adding the last link to complete the point-to-multipoint link.
To create a new point-to-multipoint link using the Point-to-Multipoint folder:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Right-click on the Point-to-Multipoint folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New… from the context menu. The Point to Multipoint New Element Properties dialogue appears.
5. Enter or modify the following fields on the General tab:
- Name: The Name field is filled automatically by Atoll, but can be modified.
- Frequency Band: You must select a frequency band when you create a point-to-multipoint link. Once you
have selected a frequency band, you can view and modify its properties by clicking the browse button ( ).
- Nodal Site: You must select the site that will be the hub of the point-to-multipoint link. Once you have selected
the hub site, you can view and modify its properties by clicking the browse button ( ).
- Type: Select the type: TDMA or FDMA.
- Antenna: Select the antenna and its parameters.
- Comments: Enter any comments for this new point-to-multipoint link.
6. Click OK. Atoll creates an empty point-to-multipoint link item in the Point-to-Multipoint folder.
7. To add microwave links to the created point-to-multipoint link, see "Graphically Adding a Microwave Link to a
Point-to-Multipoint Link" on page 1139
To create a new point-to-multipoint link using the Point-to-Multipoint links table:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Right-click on the Point-to-Multipoint folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Point to Multipoint table appears.

5. In the row marked with the new row icon ( ), enter the details of the new point-to-multipoint link. The following
fields must be filled: Name, Frequency Band, and Site.
6. To add microwave links to the created point-to-multipoint link, see "Graphically Adding a Microwave Link to a
Point-to-Multipoint Link" on page 1139.

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By default, Atoll names the newly point-to-multipoint link "PMP HubX", where "X" increments with the creation of each
new point-to-multipoint link.

15.2.4.2 Point-to-Multipoint Link Properties

Point-to-multipoint links can be managed either individually or globally. A global setting is applied to all the filtered point-
to-multipoint links.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Modifying Global Properties" on page 1138
• "Modifying Individual Properties" on page 1138.

15.2.4.2.1 Modifying Global Properties

To manage the point-to-multipoint link properties globally:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Right-click on the Point-to-Multipoint folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Point-to-Multipoint Properties dialogue appears.
5. Enter or modify data in the fields of the Point-to-Multipoint Properties dialogue. The three standard tabs are:
- General: The General tab lets you organise folders and assign or save a configuration. You can also organise
point-to-multipoint links by using Atoll’s group, sort, and filter tools.
- Table: The Table tab helps you to manage contents, including user-defined fields, of the point-to-multipoint
table.
- Display: The Display tab allows you to manage the display of point-to-multipoint links depending on their
attributes, to manage the legend, labels on the map, and the contents of tool tips using the tip tool .
6. Click OK.

15.2.4.2.2 Modifying Individual Properties

To edit the properties of a point-to-multipoint link:
1. Open the context menu:
On the Data tab

a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.

b. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
c. Click the button of the Point-to-Multipoint folder. The Point-to-Multipoint folder opens.
d. Right-click on the point-to-multipoint link whose properties you want to edit. The context menu appears.
On the map

a. Select the antenna icon of the point-to-multipoint link hub whose properties you wish to change. The point-to-

multipoint icon changes ( ).

Note: Be sure to select the antenna icon of the point-to-multipoint link hub. Do not select the site icon ( ).

b. Right-click on the point-to-multipoint icon. The context menu appears.

2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
3. Use the What's this help to get a description of the fields in the dialogue. The three standard tabs are:
- General: The General tab lets you organise folders and assign or save a configuration. You can also organise
multi-hops by using Atoll’s group, sort, and filter tools.
- Links: The Links tab lets you add, edit, and delete microwave links.
- Display: The Display tab lets you to select and customize the icon symbolising the point-to-multipoint link on
the map.
- An Other Properties tab is available if user-defined fields have been added to the Point-to-Multipoint table.

15.2.4.3 Setting all Microwave Links of a Point-to-Multipoint Link as Active

You can activate or deactivate all microwave links belonging to a point-to-multipoint link. In the Explorer window, active
microwave links are displayed in red ( ) in the Multi-Hops folder; inactive links are displayed in grey ( ).
To change the activity status of all microwave links of a point-to-multipoint link:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Point to Multipoint folder.
4. Right-click the PMP Hub whose activity status you want to set. The context menu appears.

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5. Do one of the following:

- Select Activate Links to make all microwave links of the point-to-multipoint link active.
- Select Deactivate Links to make all microwave links of the point-to-multipoint link inactive.

15.2.4.4 Mapping of Microwave Links to Point-to-Multipoint Links Globally

To globally manage the mapping of microwave links to point-to-multipoint links:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Right-click the Point-to-Multipoint folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select PMP/Link Mapping from the context menu. The PMP/Link Mapping table appears, containing all the point-
to-multipoint links and the corresponding microwave links.
5. In this table, you can modify, delete, and add the links that make up a point-to-multipoint link.

15.2.4.5 Adding a Microwave Link to a Point-to-Multipoint Link

Note: Before you can define a microwave link as part of the point-to-multipoint link, the
microwave link must first exist between the site of the hub of the point-to-multipoint link
and another site. For information on creating links, see "Definition of a Microwave Link" on
page 1126.

To add a microwave link to a point-to-multipoint link:

1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Click the button of the Point-to-Multipoint Links folder. The Point-to-Multipoint folder opens.
4. Right-click the new Point-to-Multipoint link and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue
appears.
5. Select the Links tab.

6. In the row marked with the new row icon ( ), select a link.
7. Click OK. The microwave link is added to the point-to-multipoint link.

15.2.4.6 Graphically Adding a Microwave Link to a Point-to-Multipoint Link

Note: Before you can define a microwave link as part of the point-to-multipoint link, the
microwave link must first exist between the site of the hub of the point-to-multipoint link
and another site. For information on creating links, see "Definition of a Microwave Link" on
page 1126.

To add a microwave link to a point-to-multipoint link using the mouse:

1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Click the button of the Point-to-Multipoint folder. The Point-to-Multipoint folder opens.
4. Right-click the point-to-multipoint link to which you want to add a microwave link. The context menu appears.

5. Select Add a Link … from the context menu. The pointer shape changes to in the map window.
6. On the map, click the microwave link you want to add to the point-to-multipoint link. The microwave link is added
to the list of links forming the point-to-multipoint link.

15.2.4.7 Deleting a Microwave Link from a Point-to-Multipoint Link

To delete a microwave link from a point-to-multipoint link:
1. In the map, select the line of the microwave link you want to delete.
2. Right-click the microwave link you want to delete from the point-to-multipoint link. The context menu appears.
3. Select Delete from the context menu. The microwave link is deleted.

Note: Deleting a microwave link in this manner does not delete the corresponding sites even if
there are no other links or transmitters related to that site.

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15.2.4.8 Deleting a Point-to-Multipoint Link

To delete a point-to-multipoint link:
1. Open the context menu of the point-to-multipoint link you want to delete:
Either

a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.

b. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
c. Click the button of the point-to-multipoint folder. The Point-to-Multipoint folder opens.
d. Right-click on the Point-to-Multipoint link you want to delete. The context menu appears.
Or,

a. In the map, select the line of the point-to-multipoint link you want to delete.
b. Right-click on the Point-to-Multipoint link. The context menu appears.
2. Select Delete from the context menu. The point-to-multipoint link is deleted.

Notes
• You can also delete a point-to-multipoint link by deleting the row associated with it in the Point-
to-Multipoint table.
• Deleting a point-to-multipoint link in this manner does not delete the corresponding sites even
if there are no other links or transmitters relating to that site.
• When selecting a point-to-multipoint link, be careful to select the line representing the point-to-

multipoint link. Do not select the site icon ( ). Since it is also possible to delete the sites on
which point-to-multipoint links are built, be sure to select the line and not the site.

15.2.4.9 Adjusting the Antenna of the Point-to-Multipoint Hub

When a microwave link consists of only two sites, the antenna on each site is aligned with the other antenna. In a point-
to-multipoint link, it is impossible for the antenna on the hub to be directly aligned with the antenna on each link. Conse-
quently, the height, azimuth, and tilt of the antenna are calculated as a average of that needed for all link antennas.
Atoll calculates these settings for the point-to-multipoint hub antenna when the point-to-multipoint link is created.
However, after the point-to-multipoint has been created, other factors such as the addition of new microwave links may
mean that the settings of the hub antenna need to be readjusted. Atoll can recalculate the settings for the point-to-
multipoint hub antenna.
To make Atoll recalculate the settings for the point-to-multipoint hub antenna:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the button of the Microwave Radio Links folder. The Microwave Radio Links folder opens.
3. Click the button of the Point-to-Multipoint folder. The Point-to-Multipoint folder opens.
4. Right-click the point-to-multipoint link of which you want to recalculate the hub antenna settings. The context menu
appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
6. Select the General tab of the Properties dialogue.

7. In the "Antenna" subsection, click the Calculate button ( ) to the right of the Tilt field. A dialogue appears with
the recalculated height, azimuth, and tilt values for the point-to-multipoint hub antenna.
8. When the values for the point-to-multipoint hub antenna are recalculated, the point-to-multipoint link antennas may
need to be adjusted accordingly. If you want Atoll calculate the effect of the recalculated values for the hub
antenna on the link antennas, select the Transfer the misalignments to links check box.
9. Click OK to update the values for the point-to-multipoint antennas.

15.2.4.10 Adjusting the Antenna of the Point-to-Multipoint Hub Using the Mouse
To use the mouse to graphically adjust the azimuth of the point-to-multipoint hub antenna:

1. Select the antenna icon of the point-to-multipoint hub. The point-to-multipoint icon changes ( ) and you can
now rotate it manually.

2. Click the antenna icon (the point changes: ) and rotate it to its new azimuth.

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15.3 Microwave Link Analysis

In this section, the following are explained:
• "Restricting the Number of Sites and Microwave Links Studied" on page 1141
• "Setting a Microwave Link as Active" on page 1142
• "Microwave Link Profile Analysis" on page 1143
• "Microwave Link Reliability Analysis" on page 1149
• "Interference Analysis and Frequency Planning" on page 1154.

15.3.1 Restricting the Number of Sites and Microwave Links Studied

When you load project data from a database, you will probably only modify the data in the region for which you are respon-
sible. For example, a complex microwave link planning project may cover an entire region or even an entire country. You,
however, might be responsible for the planning for only one city. In such a situation, doing engineering and interference
studies that calculate the entire network would not only take a lot of time, it is not necessary. Consequently, you can restrict
engineering and interference studies to the sites and microwave links that you are interested in and generate only the
results you need.
In Atoll, there are two ways of restricting the number of sites and microwave links studied, each with its own advantages:
• Filtering the desired sites and microwave links
You can simplify the selection of sites and microwave links to be studied by using a filter. You can filter sites and
microwave links according to one or more fields, or you can create an advanced filter by combining several criteria
in several fields. You can create a graphic filter by either using an existing vector polygon or creating a new vector
polygon. For information on graphic filters, see "Filtering Data Using a Filtering Zone" on page 80. This enables
you to keep only the sites and microwave links with the characteristics you want to study.

For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 70.

• Setting a computation zone
Drawing a computation zone to encompass the sites and microwave links to be studied, limits the number of sites
and microwave links to be calculated, which in turn reduces the time necessary for calculations.

You can combine a computation zone and a filter, in order to create a very precise selection of the sites and microwave
links to be studied.
In addition, it is possible to set a focus zone in order to filter the results displayed in reports (link budgets, interference).

15.3.1.1 Setting a Computation Zone

When you make a link budget or you study interference, Atoll calculates all the microwave links that are active, filtered
(i.e., that are selected by the current filter parameters), and intersects the computation zone.
To create a computation zone:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Computation Zone folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Draw from the context menu.
5. Draw the computation zone:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
The computation zone is delimited by a red line.

You can also create a computation zone as follows:

• Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and
selecting Use as Computation Zone from the context menu.
• Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an adminis-
trative area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computa-
tion Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu.
• Fit to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map
Window from the context menu.

Note: You can save the computation zone in the user configuration. For information on the user
configuration, follow the instructions in "Exporting a Geo Data Set" on page 127.

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15.3.1.2 Setting a Focus Zone

The focus zone defines an area on which reports are made. It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the
focus zone. The computation zone defines the sites and microwave links calculated in link budget, interference studies,
etc. and the potential interferers while the focus zone filters the displayed results.
To define a focus zone:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Focus Zone folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Draw from the context menu.
5. Draw the focus zone:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
A focus zone is delimited by a green line.

You can also create a focus zone as follows:

• Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus zone by right-clicking it and selecting
Use as Focus Zone from the context menu.
• Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an adminis-
trative area, you can import it and use it as a focus zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus Zone folder
on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu.
• Fit to Map Window: You can create a focus zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map Window
from the context menu.

Note: You can save the focus zone in the user configuration. For information on the user
configuration, follow the instructions in "Exporting a Geo Data Set" on page 127.

15.3.2 Setting a Microwave Link as Active

Once microwave links are set up within a network, you can decide whether or not to activate them. Quality, availability and
interference analyses and associated reports and statistics only take into account active microwave links (and not filtered
microwave links). In the Explorer window, active microwave links are displayed in red ( ) in the Links folder; inactive
links are displayed in grey ( ).
You can set an individual microwave link as active from its context menu or you can set more than one microwave link as
active by activating them from the Links context menu.
To set an individual microwave link as active:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder.
4. Right-click the microwave link you want to activate. The context menu appears.
5. Select Active Link from the context menu. The transmitter is now active.
To set more than one microwave link as active using the Links context menu:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Select the microwave links you want to set as active:
- To set all microwave links as active, right-click the Links folder. The context menu appears.
- To set a group of microwave links as active, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder and right-
click the group of microwave links you want to set as active. The context menu appears.
3. Select Activate Links from the context menu. The selected microwave links are set as active.
To set more than one microwave link as active using the Links table:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Links folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Open Table. The Links table appears with each microwave link’s parameters in a second row.
4. For each microwave link that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Activate column.
Once you have ensured that all microwave links are active, you can set the propagation model and other calculation
parameters. For information on choosing and configuring a propagation model and calculation parameters, see "Chapter
5: Managing Calculations in Atoll".

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15.3.3 Microwave Link Profile Analysis

Microwave links can be analysed in terms of the terrain and clutter profile between the two extremities in Atoll. Profile
analysis is available on the Profile tab of the Microwave link analysis window, and can be accessed as described in the
next section.
You can visualise the profile of the microwave link according to the direction of the selected link (Site A Site B or Site B
Site A). Moreover, for a link comprising one or two passive repeaters, it is also possible to visualise either the global profile
of the link (a "broken" profile), or the profile of each section (AP, AQ, PQ, PB and QB).
Atoll considers the central frequency of the frequency band used by the microwave link for this analysis. You can modify
antenna heights, the earth curvature factor (k factor), display options, and display a second ellipsoid for a second value of
the k factor.
You can also modify the geographic profile of the microwave link being analysed through the values tab of the microwave
link analysis window. Parameters, such as altitude, clutter class, clutter height, clutter category can be modified for each
point in the profile. The modifications are automatically applied on the Profile tab and saved.
A feature enables you to calculate the "optimum" antenna heights according to the value of the factor k entered. The new
heights calculated can be automatically saved in the properties of the link. You also have the option to study the effects of
space and frequency diversities on any microwave link.
A study of reflections is also available. Atoll displays the points of reflection and the zones of reflection along the micro-
wave link profile. It is also possible to obtain a detailed analysis of the zones of reflection.

15.3.3.1 Viewing a Microwave Link Profile

In Atoll, you can make a profile analysis of a microwave link. Before studying a microwave link, you must configure its
antennas, equipment, its frequency band, and the propagation model you want to use. Microwave link profile analysis is
available on the Profile tab of the Microwave Link Analysis window.
To open the microwave link Profile analysis window:
1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Links folder of the Explorer window’s Data
tab. The context menu appears.
2. Select Engineering > Profile Analysis from the context menu.

You can also access the Profile analysis window through button in the toolbar.

1. Click the button in the toolbar to activate the Microwave link analysis window Profile tab.
2. Select the microwave link to analyse either on the map, or in the Links folder in the Explorer window or from
the list available on the Profile tab.
The microwave profile analysis window provides an interactive real-time display of the microwave link profile from site A
to site B or vice versa. It includes any passive repeaters composing the link. The altitude (in metres) is reported on the
vertical axis and the distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone between the transmitter
and the receiver sites, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the terrain height along the profile
as well as clutter classes and clutter heights when the visibility check box of the Clutter Classes folder on the Geo tab is
selected. If you do not want to display the clutter along the profile, you can clear the visibility check box of the Clutter
Classes folder on the Geo tab. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this causes attenuation with diffraction
displayed by a black vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction into account). The main peak is the one
that intersects the Fresnel ellipsoid the most. The diffraction attenuation is displayed above the peak.
When a repeater is inserted on the link, it is displayed in the microwave link profile analysis window by a vertical line in the
profile. At the top of the Microwave Link Analysis window, you can select which part of the profile you want to display:
• Site A ==> Site P
• Site P ==> Site B
• Site B ==> Site P
• Site P ==> Site A
• Site A ==> Site B (profile "broken" at Site P)
• Site B ==> Site A (profile "broken" at Site P)
When a second repeater (Q) is inserted on the link, the profile display options include Site Q as well.
You can left-click the Link button in the profile analysis window and choose from the context menu:
• Properties to open the microwave link property dialogue.
Apart from this, you can right-click on the profile as well and select from the context menu:
• Zoom In to zoom in on the microwave link profile.
• Actual Size to reset the zoom level and restore the initial profile display.
• Copy to copy the profile in the clipboard.
• Print to print the microwave link profile.
• Display Options to define display parameters
• Display Information on the Current Point to display information on any point along the profile.
• Display Fresnel Ellipsoids to view Fresnel zones.
• Display Reflections to view zones and points of reflection along the profile.
• Insert Repeater to add a new repeater on the selected link.

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15.3.3.2 Studying Microwave Link Clearance

The microwave link profile analysis window allows you to display the clearance along the entire link profile. In order to
display or hide the Fresnel zones between the two extremities of the microwave link:
1. Open the microwave link profile analysis window,
2. Right-click on the profile to open its context menu,
3. Select the microwave link to analyse
4. Choose Display Fresnel ellipsoids command from the context menu,
It is possible to visualise the microwave link profile with two different values of the earth curvature factor (k factor). These

values can be set through the advanced options available by pressing the button opposite the microwave links list.
Atoll displays the clearance (%) and the penetration of the Fresnel zone for each value of k. In addition, it indicates for
both antennas, the tilts/direct ray, the azimuths and the angles of incidence.
The first Fresnel ellipsoid corresponding to the first k value is shown in blue, while the second related to the second k value
is shown in red. It is also possible to display another Fresnel ellipsoid when a secondary antenna is installed at the receiver.
If there are obstructions in the path of the microwave link that introduce losses, a green coloured line is drawn from the
transmitter to the first obstacle’s highest point. A perpendicular from the horizontal axis is also drawn to mark the obstacle
that introduces the highest loss in the link, and the loss from this obstacle is displayed on the top of this perpendicular.
A common mode of operation would be to display the first Fresnel zone at 100% and the second at 60% so as to depict
the minimum clearance requirement directly on the profile. To manage the display of Fresnel ellipsoids, both first and
second, you have to access the Display options dialogue for the profile and modify these parameters.
Here, it is also possible to modify the antenna heights at both extremities manually and automatically, this feature is
described in detail in the Optimising microwave link antenna heights section.

15.3.3.3 Managing Microwave Link Profile Display Options

The microwave link profile analysis tab provides the user with the possibility to manage parameters that affect the display
of the profile. To access the microwave link profile display options window:
1. Open the microwave link profile analysis window,
2. Select the microwave link to analyse
3. Right-click on the profile to open its context menu,
4. Choose the Display options command,
5. Use the What's this help to get description about the fields available in the open window,
6. Set the parameters of the current display,
7. Click OK to validate.
Here you can manage the horizontal and vertical axes graduations, percentages of the first and second Fresnel ellipsoids
to be shown, the manner in which the curvature of the Earth is displayed, whether the reflections should be displayed or
not, and reflection paths you want to display, either the unobstructed reflection paths only or both obstructed and unob-
structed ones and if you want to display the antenna beamwidths for transmitter and receiver sites.

15.3.3.4 Zooming In on the Profile

Atoll provides the user with the possibility to zoom in on the profile.
To zoom in on the Profile:
1. Open the microwave link Profile Analysis Window.
2. Select the microwave link to analyse
3. Right-click on the profile to open its context menu.
4. Select Zoom In from the context menu.

5. Click the Zoom Area icon ( ) on the Zoom toolbar (or press CTRL+W).
6. Click in the profile on one of the four corners of the area you want to select.
7. Drag to the opposite corner. When you release the mouse button, Atoll zooms in on the selected area.
To restore the initial profile:
1. Open the microwave link Profile Analysis Window.
2. Select the microwave link to analyse
3. Right-click the window to open its context menu.
4. Select Actual Size (1:1) from the context menu.

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15.3.3.5 Printing a Microwave Link Profile

Atoll provides the user with the facility of printing a microwave link profile. To print the contents of a microwave link profile
analysis window:
1. Open the microwave link profile analysis window
2. Select the microwave link to analyse
3. Right-click on the profile to open its context menu,
4. Choose Print command,
5. Click OK to print.

15.3.3.6 Displaying Microwave Link Clearance Values Along the Profile

In this section, the following is described:
• "On the Profile Tab" on page 1145
• "On the Values Tab" on page 1145

15.3.3.6.1 On the Profile Tab

Atoll provides details on each point along the microwave link profile in a dialogue.
To open the dialogue:
1. Open the Profile tab of the Microwave Link Analysis window,
2. Select the microwave link to analyse
3. Right-click on the window where the profile is displayed to open its context menu,
4. Select Display the current point information from the context menu.
5. Move the pointer along the profile.
The dialogue contains the following information at each point along the profile:
- Distance: Distance from the transmitting site,
- Total Height: Altitude of the ground level more the clutter height,
- Clearance: the clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value. This value is relative to the optical
line of sight and corresponds to the difference of height between the optical line of sight and the current point,
- Fresnel Ellipsoid Radius: Radius of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value,
- Pointer Altitude (z): Altitude of the pointer

Figure 15.3: Microwave analysis window – Profile tab

As the mouse pointer is clicked-dragged along the profile of the microwave link in the microwave analysis window, a
special pointer pinpoints the location of the current point along the profile on the map window.

15.3.3.6.2 On the Values Tab

Microwave link analysis window has a tab called "Values" that provides the user with access to all the data values
concerned with the microwave link profile analysis extracted at different points along the profile.
To display the profile values through the Values tab:
1. Open the microwave link profile analysis window,
2. Select the microwave link to analyse
3. Click the Values tab,
Atoll displays the following values for each point along the profile:

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- Distance (m): the distance from the transmitting site,

- Height (m): the altitude of the ground level (from DTM files),
- Clutter: the clutter class,
- Clutter height (m): the clutter height from clutter height files if available or from clutter class file,
- Category: the clutter category assigned to each clutter class when configuring the propagation model,
- Fresnel Radius (m): the radius of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value
- Clearance (m): the clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value. This value is relative to the
optical line of sight and corresponds to the difference of height between the optical line of sight and the current
point,
- Ellipsoid Penetration (%): the penetration of the current point in the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid (per-
centage of the ellipsoid radius penetrated by the current point). This value is relative to the bottom of the
Fresnel ellipsoid and is given for the first k factor value.

Figure 15.4: Penetration and clearance values on the Values tab

15.3.3.7 Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values

On the Values tab, you can modify data values at any point along the profile under study and check the Profile tab to
display the impact of your modifications immediately.
To edit the profile values through the Values tab:
1. Open the microwave link profile analysis window,
2. Select the microwave link to analyse
3. Select the Values tab,
4. Edit or modify the following values:
- Height
- Clutter
- Clutter Height
- Category
5. Click on the Actions button to open its context menu.
You can select:

- Copy to copy values of the entire table in the clipboard.

- Paste to paste values in the entire table.
- Import... to import values from an ASCII text file (in TXT and CSV formats) into the table of values. Only edit-
able values can be imported.
- Export... to export the entire table, or selected columns, in an ASCII text file (TXT and CSV formats) or an MS
Excel file.
- Print to print the entire table.
- Commit Values to Link to store the modified values in the microwave link properties.
- Refresh Geo Data to regenerate the original microwave link profile values from the geo data files and replace
the user-modified values with these.
In addition, you can copy and paste data in the editable fields of the table using the shortcuts (CTRL+C) and (CTRL+V).
You can also copy the same data into several cells (Fill Down or Fill Up) using the shortcuts (CTRL+D, CTRL+U).

15.3.3.8 Optimising Microwave Link Antenna Heights

Microwave links antennas should be placed at such heights so as to avoid any obstruction of the line-of-sight signal. The
line-of-sight signal is considerably degraded if less than 60% of the first Fresnel ellipsoid is clear. Any penetration of an
obstacle inside the 60% area of the first Fresnel zone of any microwave link should thus be avoided.
Atoll provides with two possible means of modifying or optimising microwave links antenna heights through user-friendly
interfaces. The user can modify antenna heights manually using a mouse or by entering new values and directly visualising
the clearance and penetration parameters being affected in real-time.
Finally, a specific function is available in Atoll microwave module that lets you calculate and adjust the microwave links
antenna heights at the two extremities to their optimum values. Two optimisation methods are available; both of them take

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into account the values of the k factor, defining the curvature of the Earth, the geographic data defining any possible terrain
or clutter penetration in the microwave line-of-sight, the initial antenna heights and antenna tilt angles.
The following sections describe these functions in Atoll.

15.3.3.8.1 Manually Adjusting Microwave Antenna Heights

It is possible to modify antenna heights at both extremities of a microwave link through the profile tab of the microwave
link analysis window. To do this:
1. Open the microwave link analysis window,
2. Select the Profile tab,
• Either,
a. Move the mouse pointer to the antenna height icon ( ) on the profile tab,

b. Click the antenna height icon (which now looks like this: ) with the mouse and drag it up or down to modify
the antenna height,
c. Right-click on the pointer to open its context menu,
d. Choose Save H? command to save the current antenna height in the microwave link,
• Or,

a. Click the button opposite the microwave links list,

b. Modify the antenna height parameters of the current link,
c. Click the Height button for the site whose antenna height you want to optimise to open its context menu,
d. Choose Save H? command to save the current antenna height in the microwave link,

Notes
• H? can be Ha or Hb depending on the site of the microwave link under consideration.
• It is possible to specify a maximum pylon height for the receiving and transmitting sites not to
be exceeded. This parameter can be defined in each site properties dialogue (Other Properties
tab). If defined, these height limits are represented on the Profile tab.

15.3.3.8.2 Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights

Atoll enables the user to calculate antenna heights automatically so as to optimise the microwave link.
To perform an automatic optimisation for an antenna:
1. Open the Microwave Link Analysis window,
2. Select the Profile tab,

3. Click the button opposite the microwave links list,

4. Click the Height button for the site whose antenna height you want to optimise.The context menu appears.
5. Select Optimisation Method from the context menu. The Height Optimisation dialogue opens.
6. Choose one optimisation method.
Two optimisation methods are available and can be selected:

- One is based on the clearance of the Fresnel ellipse: You may enter one or two values of the k factor and
define for each of them a target clearance. Atoll will determine antenna heights so as to fulfil the highest con-
straint.
If you have out-of-date clutter class maps, you can estimate the growth of vegetation. Atoll takes this value
into account for clutter categories from 6 to 14 and adds it to the clutter height.

- The other one is based on diffraction losses: Atoll determines antenna heights so as to minimise diffraction
losses due to the main obstacle (i.e. it will find the antenna heights so as to get a clearance of 60% of the first
Fresnel zone).
7. Click OK or Cancel.
8. Click the Height button for the site whose antenna height you want to optimise.The context menu appears.
9. Choose Optimise to calculate the optimum antenna heights for both extremities according to the k factor defined.
It is also possible through the same context menu to freeze the antenna height at a certain value. In this way, you can
disallow any modification in this height during the optimisation process. Only the other antenna height will be calculated
so as to optimise the link. Furthermore, you can always restore the last antenna height value through the Restore
command in the same menu.

Note: This context menu can also be accessed through right-clicking the pointer depicting
the antenna height at the extremities.

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Once the optimum antenna heights have been calculated by Atoll, you can now save one or both the antenna heights in
the microwave link. This can be done through the same context menu as well.
This feature is only available for unbroken microwave link profiles, i.e., it is not accessible for microwave link profiles involv-
ing one or more repeaters. It enables you to calculate optimum antenna heights for two-site microwave link profiles (e.g.,
Site Site B or Repeater P Site B).

Notes
• It is possible to consider in the calculation a maximum pylon height for the receiving and trans-
mitting sites not to be exceeded. This parameter can be defined in each site properties dia-
logue (Other Properties tab). If defined, these height limits are represented on the Profile tab.
• Reflections are not taken into account in this calculation.

15.3.3.9 Studying Reflections Along Microwave Link Profile

Study of reflection is essential while designing any microwave links network. Multipath fading is caused mainly by ground
reflections interfering with an attenuated main signal. Deep fading may occur over short intervals due to instable reflection
conditions. Ground reflections become more serious if the whole wavefront is reflected in phase; called specular reflec-
tions. For this the reflection plane should have a sufficiently large area. For the wavefront to be reflected in phase, the
ground has to be smooth compared with the wavelength of the signal.
The divergence of the beam due to the Earth’s curvature must also be considered. Ground is considered to be smooth if
the variations are less than one-fourth of the wavelength.
In Atoll, you can study reflective areas along any microwave link profile as well as the actual reflections of the signal along
the profile. Clutter categories are taken into account in the reflection study and must be assigned to clutter classes in the
microwave propagation model properties before analysing reflections along the profile.
To perform a reflection analysis in Atoll:
1. Open the microwave link analysis window.
2. Select the Profile tab.
3. Right-click on the profile to display its context menu.
4. Choose Display reflections command from the context menu.
Atoll now displays all the possible reflection zones along the profile in the microwave link profile analysis window,
they are distinguished by a hashed pattern. By default, only unobstructed reflection paths formed between the
transmitter and the receiver sites are displayed. In order to view both unobstructed and obstructed reflection paths,
open the Display options dialogue and select the Displayed obstructed reflections options (obstructed reflection
path will be represented by a dotted line). The goal of the network planer is to optimise antenna heights at the
extremities so as to avoid any coincidences between the reflection paths and reflective surfaces. Reflections will
introduce losses to the link if they actually occur at the reflective surfaces. In this case, Atoll is capable of deter-
mining these losses and generating detailed report on the characteristics of the reflection paths and the reflective
surfaces.

Notes
• Reflection paths and reflective surfaces can only be visualised and analysed over unbroken
microwave link profiles, i.e., the profile should not include repeaters.
• A reflection zone may be composed of several clutter classes.

It should be kept in mind that reflection point is a function of the k factor. It is possible by carefully positioning the antenna
heights to minimize the effects of reflection.
It is also possible to obtain detailed analyses of reflective surfaces and their impacts on the microwave links. You can get
detailed reflection losses analysis over any reflection zone along the path and you can also obtain a graph of differences
between reflection paths depicting the τ (tau) factor as a function of k factor. τ is the delay of the secondary signal
received through reflection.
To obtain the reflection losses analysis or graph of differences between reflection paths:
1. Display the reflection zones along the profile as explained above.
2. Right-click on a reflection zone or reflection path to study in the profile to display its context menu.
3. Select one of the following from the context menu:
- Display the Reflection Study Dialogue: To display the reflection losses related to the selected reflection
zone or reflection path.
- Graph of differences between reflected paths: To display the graph of τ (tau) with respect to the k factor
related to the selected reflection zone or reflection path.
Atoll lists roughness, ground type, humidity type, permittivity, conductivity, surface reflection coefficient, divergence factor,
specular reflection factor and effective reflection coefficient as ground characteristics, and attenuations due to antenna
tilts, reflected waves and maximum possible fade depth, for any reflection zone through the Reflection losses command.

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Note: The calculation of the reflection point follows the recommendations 530.10 of the ITU-R.

15.3.3.10 Studying Space Diversity Effects on Microwave Links

In Atoll, it is possible to introduce space and frequency diversities at the microwave link level. You can define second
antennas and their distance with respect to the main antenna in each microwave link properties in order to introduce space
diversity to the link. Through the same properties dialogue, you can also define the microwave link extremities to operate
with a certain frequency diversity by defining a frequency diversity separation in terms of MHz.
Diversity techniques are used to improve the received signal strength (or to improve the reception threshold) by introducing
the ability to combine more than one signals at the receiver to obtain a stronger useful signal.
Space diversity is very spectrum efficient and provides excellent performance against multipath fading. Frequency diver-
sity is a very efficient method from the propagation point of view but it is not very spectrum efficient as it requires that two
frequency bands be available.
To study the effects of space diversity method used for each microwave link:
1. Open the microwave link Profile Analysis window,
1. Select the Profile tab.
2. Display the reflection zones along the profile as explained above.
3. Right-click on a reflection zone.
4. Click the Diversity tab.
You can display the variations of the direct ray attenuation due to reflected path:

- Either as a function of the earth curvature factor (k factor), for three different receiver antenna heights,
- Or as a function of the receiver antenna height, for three different values of the earth curvature factor (k factor).
The scales and other parameters corresponding to this calculation and display can be managed in the related display
options dialogue.

Figure 15.5: Microwave link analysis window – Diversity tab

You can define display options by clicking the Actions button and choosing Display options in the menu. Here you can
manage the scales of the vertical and the horizontal axes depicting the variations in attenuation level and the varying
values of the k factor/receiver antenna height respectively. The effects of introducing diversity antennas can be directly
visualised on this graph by modifying the parameters available. The height H2 corresponds to the actual antenna height
at the receiver (Site B or Site A depending on the profile selected). The other heights (H1 and H3) correspond to imaginary
diversity antenna heights placed at a distance of Suggested Antenna Separation below and above the main antenna.
The Suggested Antenna Separation value is automatically determined by Atoll and represents the least separation
distance that provides that the attenuations and gains of the three antennas never coincide at any value of refractive index
within provided range.

15.3.4 Microwave Link Reliability Analysis

Reliability is the general term used to refer to the quality and availability of a microwave link obtained through assessing
its performance according to the criteria defined in the relevant performance objectives. Ideally, a microwave link should
be completely reliable 100% of the time. Although in practice, this performance level is never achieved over any microwave
link due the forever present and continuously changing propagation conditions and possible problems in the equipment.
The objective of carrying out reliability analyses is to estimate the non-availability or outage of a microwave link on annual
basis and to determine the quality of connection over worst case or average monthly scenarios. Reliability analysis takes
into consideration the parameters of fade margin, diffraction loss, average annual temperature, terrain roughness calcu-
lations, radio parameters, antenna parameters, transmission and reception parameters and other miscellaneous losses.
Microwave link reliability analysis determines whether any designed system will operate successfully. In Atoll, the overall
process of analysing a microwave link is divided in the form of microwave link budget analysis, and microwave link
performance objectives analysis. These are described individually in the following sections.

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15.3.4.1 Analysing Microwave Link Performance Objectives

It is possible to assign a link class to each microwave link or each group of microwave links. This link class refers to the
definitions of performance objectives as described in the microwave links classes and performance objective section. The
quality and availability objectives tables include the standard classes defined by the ITU in the G-821 and G-826 recom-
mendations by default.
Once a microwave link has been designed and its link class defined, the user can launch a calculation to determine the
margins required by the microwave link to meet the performance objectives defined in the link class. The next section
describes how to perform an analysis or the required margins for achieving the defined performance objectives.

15.3.4.1.1 Calculating Microwave Link Required Margins

The microwave link required margins are listed on the EPO tab of the microwave link analysis window.
To calculate the microwave link required margins:
1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Links folder of the Explorer window’s Data
tab. The context menu appears.
2. Choose Engineering > Required Margin from the context menu.
This will open the microwave link analysis window with the EPO tab displayed by default. This tab contains the report
generated after the calculation of required margins. This is a comprehensive report and can be configured as described
in the Configuring the performance objectives report display section.
Microwave link required margin results on the EPO tab include the following information:
• Link Specifications: Including the information about the sites at the two extremities of the link (name, location,
altitude and coordinate system), the equipment installed at each site (name, compatible digital hierarchy, modu-
lation used, capacity, rate, minimal channel bandwidth and the configuration), the operating frequency band of the
microwave link, its length and calculation parameters (propagation model, models for availability and quality cal-
culations, whether discrimination reduction and enhancements are taken into account).
• Performance Objectives taken into account: The performance objectives considered in the margin calcula-
tions, i.e., quality objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER) and availability objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER).
• Rx Level: The reception level information at the receiver including the Bit Error Rate and the receiver sensitivity.
• Quality (Clear-Air): The data related to the margin calculations and results (acquired margin against dispersive
fading, margin against enhancements, margin against discrimination reduction, calculated and required thermal
fade margins and calculated and required composite fade margins) and the required total margin.
• Availability (Rain): The data related to the margin calculations and results (the error performance parameters,
their relevant required error performance objective probabilities and required margins) and the total required
margin.

Note: The required performance objectives are also listed in the report on the Report tab of the
Microwave Link Analysis window.

15.3.4.1.2 Configuring the Performance Objectives Report

You can configure the display parameters of the report generated under the EPO tab to display some or all of the param-
eters used in the calculations and results of the calculations with different styles.
To configure the display of the performance objectives report:
1. Open the Microwave Link Analysis window.
2. Click the EPO tab.
3. Click the Actions button in the window. The context menu appears.
4. Select Configure Report from the context menu. The configuration dialogue appears.
5. Use the What’s this help to get description of the fields available in the dialogue,
6. Click OK.
This configuration dialogue lets you manage the display of the report through the options available in two tabs. The Report
content tab lets you select the level of information and detail you want to include in your report. You can check the infor-
mation you want to display and clear the rest. You can manage the font and paragraph characteristics of the displayed
report through the Style tab.

15.3.4.1.3 Performing a Microwave Link Budget Analysis

A link budget commonly refers to the complete gain and loss equation from the transmitter, through the ambient medium
(air, cable, waveguide, fibre, etc.) and through to the receiver. In the case of microwave links, the medium of propagation
for RF energy is of course the CAI (common air interface). Link budget calculation results are also excellent means to
understand the various factors which must be traded off to realise a certain level of reliability for any microwave link within
a given cost. It can be rightly considered the first step to be taken by any engineer in order to determine the feasibility of
a given system or network design.
A comprehensive link budget tool is available in Atoll that generates detailed microwave link budget reports including
many initial parameters as well as exhaustive results. As both the initial conditions and the outputs are listed in a clear
report and summarized as well, the user has the possibility to compare with ease the different factors compromising the

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overall microwave link reliability. Thus, Atoll facilitates decision making by the user in terms of factors to be tuned or traded
off in order to realise the project.
Link budget calculations in Atoll can be performed on single microwave links as well as on a group of microwave links
simultaneously. The following sections present both of the link budget calculation methods.

Calculating Single Microwave Link Budget

Atoll provides the user with detailed microwave link budget tool. This tool generates a comprehensive report for each stud-
ied microwave link as detailed below.
Moreover, the results provided in this report are calculated in real-time. Therefore, it is possible to modify the properties
of the microwave link, or the calculation parameters, and immediately visualise the impacts of the modifications in the
microwave link analysis window (both Profile and Report tabs). Furthermore, any modifications made by the user in the
profile of the microwave link through the Profile tab of the microwave link analysis window or any modifications in the geog-
raphy of the microwave link profile made through the Values tab are also taken into account in the link budget on the Report
tab in real-time.
To generate a microwave link budget for a single microwave link:
1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Links folder of the Explorer window’s Data
tab. The context menu appears.
2. Choose Engineering and Report from the context menu.
You can also access the Report tab by opening the Microwave Link Analysis window and clicking the Report tab.
The Report tab of the microwave link analysis window contains the link budget for the link being studied. Microwave link
budget results on the Report tab include the following information:
• Microwave Link Profile: A snapshot from the Profile tab of the Microwave Link Analysis window in order to facil-
itate direct visualisation and printing of the link profile with the link budget report.
• Summary: A summary of the link being studied, its operating frequency band, length, thermal fade margin, worst
month quality, average annual availability and whether quality and availability objectives are reached for both
directions of the link and the specified BER values. Finally, a global link estimation taking into account both link
quality and availability is provided over an average year.
• Link specifications: Information relating to the microwave link design; site names, locations, and altitudes for
both extremities, repeaters (if any), antennas used at both sites with their respective models, heights, azimuths,
tilts, gains, diameters and near fields, diversity antennas and repeater back-to-back antenna details such as the
models, heights, azimuths, tilts, gains and diameters, microwave transceiver equipment installed at both sites with
details such as the models, digital hierarchy employed, modulation used, data rates, minimal channel bandwidths,
capacities and configurations.
• Transmission parameters: Transmission related parameters for both extremities of the microwave link including
the EIRP, ATPC effects, transmitter powers, passive repeater gains (if any), total losses comprising filter losses,
connection losses, shared losses, shielding losses, port connection losses, and waveguides and cable losses,
polarisation at both sites, and the port and the channel for which the calculations have been performed (maybe
the central frequency of the microwave link’s operating frequency band).
• Port Configuration: Port configuration related parameters for both directions, the channel, the corresponding fre-
quency, the polarisation, if it is a main channel or a standby channel or a channel for frequency diversity, the trans-
mission and reception port numbers, the port circulator and attenuator losses.
• Reception parameters: Reception related parameters for both ends of the microwave link including the bit error
ratios and sensitivities at the receivers, overflow thresholds, thermal noise, the required C/I and total losses at
reception comprising filter losses, connection losses, shared losses, shielding losses, port connection losses, and
waveguides and cable losses.
• Geoclimatic parameters: Information about the type of environment and the climatic zone in which the link is
operating, climatic factor, rain intensity (exceeding 0.01% of time), PL percentage, temperature, water vapour den-
sity, earth curvature factor (k), effective earth curvature factor (ke) and the geoclimatic factor K.
• Calculation parameters: Parameters according to which the calculations for the link budget have been performed
such as the calculation methods used (propagation model, quality model, availability model, interference, if
enhancements and discrimination reduction are ignored, space diversity and frequency diversity), quality objec-
tives (SESR, ESR, BBER), and availability objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER).
• Propagation: the nominal received signal level, propagation results for both directions of the microwave link
including total attenuation, free space loss, losses due to dry air, losses due to water vapour, diffraction losses,
vegetation attenuation (displayed for information only because it is taken into consideration in total attenuation),
antenna losses and tropospheric scattering, epsilon and the type of path (LOS or NLOS).
• Non-quality due to multi-path (Clear-Air): Results depicting the quality of the microwave link in both directions,
for specified BER values and when interference is not taken into account. These results include the outage prob-
ability, the non-outage probability and the outage period for the worst month, the outage probability, the non-
outage probability and the outage period for the average year, performance objectives (probabilities of SESR
(required), ESR (required), BBER (required)), details for the worst month (dispersive fading, selective fading,
fading due to discrimination reduction, enhancement forecast).
• Unavailability due to rain: Results depicting the unavailability of the microwave link due to rain in both direction,
for specified BER values and when interference is not taken into account. These results include the outage prob-
ability, the non-outage probability and the outage period for the worst month, the outage probability, the non-
outage probability and the outage period for the average year, performance objectives (probabilities of SESR
(required), ESR (required), BBER (required)), details for the average year (rain fading, rain attenuation, fading due
to discrimination reduction).

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• Unavailability due to faults: Results depicting the unavailability of the microwave link due to equipment failure.
These results include availability of hot standby, outage probability due to faults for the average year and the
outage period for the average year and the performance objective.
This is a comprehensive report and can be configured as described in the Configuring the link budget report display
section.

Modifying Microwave Link Calculation Parameters

It is possible to study the influence of some parameters on the microwave link engineering by setting some calculation
options.
To modify analysis parameters for a link:
1. Select a microwave link.
2. Open the Microwave Link Analysis window.
3. Click the Report tab.
4. Click the Actions button. The context menu appears.
5. Select Analysis Parameters for the Hop. The Hop Analysis Parameters dialogue appears.
6. You can set the following options:
- Take Space Diversity Into Account: If you want to take space diversity into account, select the Take Space
Diversity into Account check box and define the following:
- Distance between antennas: Define the distance between main and diversity antennas.
- Gain difference between antennas: Define the difference of gain between both antennas.
- Take Frequency Diversity Into Account: If you want to take frequency diversity into account, select the Take
Frequency Diversity into Account check box and define the number of separation channels.
- Inverse Polarisation: Select the Inverse Polarisation check box if you want to take inverse polarisation into
account.
7. When you have finished modifying analysis parameters, click one of the following:
- Save in the Link: Click Save in the Link to save these changes in the microwave link properties and click
OK to close the dialogue.
- OK: Click OK without clicking Save in the Link to check the impact of the selected options on the report
without modifying the microwave link properties.
To modify calculation parameters for analysis:
1. Select one microwave link.
2. Open the Microwave Link Analysis window.
3. Click the Report tab.
4. Click the Actions button. The context menu appears.
5. Select Calculation Parameters. The Microwave Radio Link Properties dialogue appears. You can define the
studied port, BER values, etc., or change calculation models. For further information, see "Global Parameters" on
page 209.
6. Click OK to check the impact of the selected options on the report.

Configuring the Link Budget Report Display

You can configure the display parameters of the report generated under the Report tab to display some or all of the param-
eters used in the calculations and results of the calculations with different styles.
To configure the link budget report display:
1. Open the microwave link analysis window,
2. Click on the Report tab,
3. Click the Actions button on the window to open its context menu,
4. Select Configure report… command to open the configuration dialogue
5. Use the What’s this help to get description of the fields available in the dialogue,
6. Click OK or Apply to validate.
This configuration dialogue lets you manage the display of the report through the options available in two tabs. The Report
content tab lets you select the level of information and detail you want to include in your report. You can check the infor-
mation you want to display and clear the rest. The Report content tab enables you to switch the display of the microwave
link profile snapshot on the report tab on or off as well. You can manage the font and paragraph characteristics of the
displayed report through the Style tab.

Note: You can save the choices you have made as a configuration file by clicking the Save As
button at the top of the dialogue and entering a name for the file in the Save As dialogue
that appears. The next time you configure a report, you can click Open in the dialogue
and select your configuration file with the same settings you used this time.

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 Chapter 15: Microwave Link Project Management

Calculating Multiple Microwave Link Budgets

Atoll provides the user with the feature enabling to calculate multiple microwave link budgets for a group of microwave
links simultaneously. Microwave links in Atoll can be grouped in subfolders according to different property parameters
(e.g. frequency band). The user has the possibility of launching simultaneous link budget calculations for the microwave
links grouped in a subfolder. Before calculating one or more link budgets, you can create a computation zone. The compu-
tation zone is used to define the area where Atoll carries out calculations. When you create a computation zone, Atoll
carries out the calculation for all microwave links in the subfolder that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the
current filter parameters), and intersects the computation zone.
The computation zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible. In other words, if you have drawn a computation
zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer
window is selected. You will have to delete the computation zone if you no longer want to define an area for calculations.
When working with a large network, the computation zone allows you to restrict your studies to the part of the network you
are currently working on. By allowing you to reduce the number of microwave links studied, Atoll reduces both the time
and computer resources necessary for calculations.
If there is no computation zone defined, Atoll makes its calculations on all microwave links in the subfolder that are active
and filtered and for the entire extent of the geographical data available.
For information on the computation zone, see "Setting a Computation Zone" on page 1141.
To perform link budget calculations on a group of microwave links:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Expand the Microwave Radio Links folder by clicking the button.
• Either,
- Right-click on the Links folder to open its context menu.
• Or.
a. Expand the Links folder by clicking the button,
b. Right-click the subfolder under the Links folder for which you want to calculate link budgets to open its context
menu.
3. Choose the Calculate command from the Link Budgets menu. The progress of the calculations is displayed in
the Event Viewer window.

Note: You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button ( )
in the toolbar.

This will open a table listing all the link budgets calculated for the microwave links included in the subfolder for
which calculations had been launched. This table contains the link budgets for both directions of each microwave
link:

4. To view each single microwave link budget, click on the table row corresponding to the microwave link being
studied.
5. Click on the Report tab.
Atoll indicates the characteristics of the link (sites, antennas and equipment installed), the signal level received, the fade
margin, and its quality and availability on the Report tab. It displays the transmission parameters (EIRP, various losses,
etc.), reception parameters (sensitivity, various losses, etc.), calculation options, and geo-climatic parameters. It also
details the propagation calculation (total attenuation) and the calculations related to link engineering (quality (Clear-Air),
unavailability due to rain, unavailability due to faults). All the results are provided in both the directions of the microwave
link being studied.

Managing Link Budget Calculation Validity

Link budget calculations performed for a group of microwave links (i.e., intermediate results such as propagation, outage
probabilities) are saved in the Atoll document. So, once calculations have been performed for all the links, you can quickly
perform a link budget for a group of links. Atoll only recalculates non-existent and invalid microwave links. Calculations
can become invalid for different reasons:
• If a calculation method or option has been changed,
• If microwave link properties have been modified,
• If geographic data maps have been updated.
For the first two reasons, Atoll automatically detects invalidity of the calculation when starting calculations and makes the
recalculation. In the last case (e.g., if you added a new clutter class map), you must force Atoll to recalculate.
To force Atoll to recalculate the link budget:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
To recalculate the link budget for the entire Links folder:

- Right-click the Links folder. The context menu appears.

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To recalculate the link budget for a subfolder of links under the Links folder:

a. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder.

b. Right-click the subfolder under the Links folder for which you want to calculate link budgets. The context menu
appears.
3. Select Link Budgets > Force Calculations from the context menu. Atoll removes existing calculations, including
valid ones, and recalculates the link budget. The progress of the calculations is displayed in the Event Viewer
window.

15.3.4.2 End-to-End Reliability Level

Atoll provides the user with the option of performing end-to-end reliability analyses over multi-hop links. This calculation
is based on the ITU-R 530-5/8/10 recommendations.
To perform an end-to-end reliability analysis over a multi-hop link:
• Either,
a. Click on the Data tab of the Explorer window,
b. Expand the Microwave Radio Links folder by clicking the button,
c. Expand the Multi-hops folder by clicking the button,
• Or, on the map,
- Right-click on the multi-hop link to be analysed,
• Choose the Analyse option from the context menu.
This will display the end-to-end multi-hop microwave links analysis results window containing the following information:
• Multi-hop link characteristics: microwave links forming the multi-hop link, total length of the multi-hop link,
• Summary: Atoll indicates if quality and availability objectives have been reached for both directions of the link,
• Transmission site characteristics: the frequency band, sub-band, channels, and polarisation of each transmit-
ting site,
• Reception characteristics: reception thresholds, margins, quality (percentage over a month), availability (per-
centage over average year) and failures (percentage over year),
• Multi-hop link budget (both directions): Clear-air quality and unavailability due to rain including total outage
ratio, monthly and annual outage periods, quality indicators (probabilities of SESR, ESR, BBER) compared to the
required performance objectives and unavailability due to faults comprising annual outages due to faults and
annual outage period.
Links within a network that are part of multi-hop links but are based on other technologies, such as optic fibre links, are
also supported in the calculation.

15.3.5 Interference Analysis and Frequency Planning

Interference is any unwanted signal that would present itself at the receiver end of a microwave link for demodulation.
There can be many causes of interference. This unwanted signal can be a delayed version of the link’s own signal, an
adjacent channel’s signal travelling over the same link, or a signal from another microwave link or RF source.
In analog systems the interference increases the idle and baseband noise, which has a direct impact on quality. It also
leads to increment in the intermodulation products, which reduces the quality further. In digital microwave systems, the
main interference problem occurs in a faded condition where the signal levels approach the receiver threshold values. The
interference effect is not in terms of its absolute signal amplitude but in terms of the C/I ratio.
Frequency planning is the process of planning the usage of any allocated frequency spectrum so as to utilise it in the most
efficient manner. Good frequency planning leads to less interference and high spectral efficiency of the system. Any
network planner working on the design of a system requires tools that facilitate analyses of interference and frequency
plans. Atoll microwave module incorporates comprehensive interference analysis and frequency planning tools described
in the following sections.

15.3.5.1 Interference Analysis

Atoll microwave module includes comprehensive interference analysis features based on the ITU 452-11 recommenda-
tions. Interference calculation between links and over the network can be performed for a single link as well as for any
user-defined group of links. In this case, Atoll will calculate all the microwave links in the group that are active, filtered (i.e.,
that are selected by the current filter parameters), and intersects the computation zone.
For information on the computation zone, see "Setting a Computation Zone" on page 1141.
The user can set a number of interference calculation parameters including the calculation radius, received interferer
signal threshold and geo-climatic correlation factor between links.
By default, the interferences in Atoll are calculated according to the ITU-R 452-11 recommendations. However, it is possi-
ble to the user to change the interference computation method and base it on any of the propagation models available on
the Module tab. This can be done through the network properties dialogue available through the Microwave Radio Links
folder of the Explorer window.
When calculating interference levels received for any microwave link, Atoll searches for potential interferers in the network
operating in the same frequency band. Potential interferers, among all the microwave links in the network, are the active

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 Chapter 15: Microwave Link Project Management

and filtered microwave links whose transmitter – receiver trajectory intersects or passes through the computation zone and
whose interfering transmitter – interfered receiver distance is less than a given value. Atoll also considers the adjacency
of frequency bands, i.e., microwave links with equipment operating frequency bands that overlap the operating frequency
band of the microwave link being studied.
Following parameters are taken into account when calculating interferences:
• Interferer ATPC: Can be user-defined as always on, always off or based on a calculated geometric correlation.
• IRFs defined on the IRF table if available
• "T/I curve, transmitter mask, receiver mask" graphs defined at the equipment level or theoretical graphs.
• Polarisation and equipment signatures.
• Co-channel and adjacent channel interference.
Atoll can perform quick interference analyses for single microwave links as well as for groups of microwave links. It can
generate qualitative analysis reports and detailed results in both and can display all the interference relations between
studied microwave links graphically on the map. The following sections describe how to carry out microwave link interfer-
ence analyses in Atoll.

15.3.5.1.1 Using IRF in Interference Calculations

The IRF graphs defined in the IRF table are used during the interference calculation. When studying interference between
a transmission equipment and a reception equipment, Atoll first checks if an IRF graph is defined for the transmission
equipment - reception equipment pair in the IRF table. If defined, it uses it. Else, it determines the IRF graph during the
interference calculation. It proceeds as follows:
1. It checks that the transmission equipment and the reception equipment have the same manufacturer, capacity and
modulation. In this case, Atoll uses T/I curves in order to determine the IRF graph. It uses either the graphs
defined for equipment if available, or the theoretical "T/I" graphs if not.
2. If the equipment manufacturer, capacity or modulation are not the same, Atoll merges the transmitter mask and
the receiver mask of equipment in order to determine the IRF graph. It uses either the graphs defined for equip-
ment if available, or the theoretical graphs if not.

15.3.5.1.2 Performing Interference Analysis on a Microwave Link

Atoll provides comprehensive yet easy to use features enabling the user to carry out interference studies on any micro-
wave link of the network. You can easily define the parameters for studying each microwave link, visualise the results in
the form of reports and tables, and view the interference connections between the microwave link extremities being studied
and their interferers and victims respectively.
To perform an interference analysis on a microwave link:
1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Links folder of the Explorer window’s Data
tab. The context menu appears.
2. Choose Planning and Interference Details from the context menu.
Results are displayed in the form of a detailed interference results window with the following five tabs:
• Qualitative summary: This tab contains a qualitative report generated after the study of interference over any
given microwave link. The report includes the following information:
- Summary: A summary of the link being studied, its operating frequency band, length, thermal fade margin,
worst month quality, average annual availability and whether quality and availability objectives are reached for
both directions of the link and the specified BER values. Finally, a global link estimation taking into account
both link quality and availability is provided over an average year.
- Link specifications: Information relating to the microwave link design; site names, locations, and altitudes for
both extremities, repeaters (if any), antennas used at both sites with their respective models, heights, azi-
muths, tilts, gains, diameters and near fields, diversity antennas and repeater back-to-back antennas details
such as the models, heights, azimuths, tilts, gains and diameters, microwave transceiver equipment installed
at both sites with details such as the models, digital hierarchy employed, modulation used, data rates, minimal
channel bandwidths, capacities and configurations.
- Transmission parameters: Transmission related parameters for both extremities of the microwave link
including the EIRP, ATPC effects, transmitter powers, passive repeater gains (if any), total losses comprising
filter losses, connection losses, shared losses, shielding losses, port connection losses, and waveguides and
cable losses, polarisation at both sites, and the port and the channel for which the calculations have been per-
formed (maybe the central frequency of the microwave link’s operating frequency band).
- Port Configuration: Port configuration related parameters for both directions, the channel, the corresponding
frequency, the polarisation, whether it is a main channel or a standby channel or a channel for frequency diver-
sity, the transmission and reception port numbers, the port circulator and attenuator losses.
- Reception parameters: Reception related parameters for both ends of the microwave link including the bit
error ratios and sensitivities at the receivers, overflow thresholds, thermal noise thresholds, the required C/I
and total losses at reception comprising of filter losses, connection losses, shared losses, shielding losses,
port connection losses and waveguides and cable losses.
- Geoclimatic parameters: Information about the type of environment and the climatic zone in which the link
is operating, climatic factor, rain intensity (exceeding 0.01% of time), PL percentage, temperature, water
vapour density, earth curvature factor (k), effective earth curvature factor (ke) and the geoclimatic factor K.
- Calculation parameters: Parameters according to which the calculations for the link budget have been per-
formed such as the calculation methods used (propagation model, quality model, availability model, interfer-
ence, whether enhancements and discrimination reduction are ignored, space diversity and frequency
diversity), quality objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER), and availability objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER).

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Atoll User Manual

- Interference: Calculation parameters taken into consideration for the interference study (power control, min-
imum threshold reduction, maximum distance, correlation area, interfered useful bandwidth) and results of
interference calculations over the microwave link (threshold reduction, nominal received carrier power level,
total interference in clear-air, threshold reduction for rain, total interference in rain and C/I).
- Propagation: The nominal received signal level, propagation results for both directions of the microwave link
including total attenuation, free space loss, losses due to dry air, losses due to water vapour, diffraction losses,
vegetation attenuation (displayed for information only because it is not considered in the total attenuation),
antenna losses and tropospheric scattering, epsilon and the type of path (LOS or NLOS).
- Non-quality due to multi-path (Clear-Air): Results depicting the quality of the microwave link in both direc-
tions, for the specified BER values and whether interference is taken into account. These results include the
outage probability, the non-outage probability and the outage period for the worst month, the outage proba-
bility, the non-outage probability and the outage period for the average year, performance objectives (proba-
bilities of SESR (required), ESR (required), BBER (required)), details for the worst month (dispersive fading,
selective fading, fadings due to discrimination reduction, enhancement forecast), if space and frequency diver-
sities are used.
- Unavailability due to rain: Results depicting the unavailability of the microwave link due to rain in both direc-
tions, for the specified BER values and whether interference is taken into account. These results include the
outage probability, the non-outage probability and the outage period for the worst month, the outage proba-
bility, the non-outage probability and the outage period for the average year, performance objectives (proba-
bilities of SESR (required), ESR (required), BBER (required)), details for the average year (rain fading, rain
attenuation, fading due to discrimination reduction).
- Unavailability due to failures: Results depicting the unavailability of the microwave link due to equipment
failure. These results include availability of hot standby, outage probability due to failures for the average year,
the outage period for the average year and the performance objective.
- Interference Details: List the microwave links that interfere the given extremity of the microwave link being
studied and the microwave links interfered by the given extremity of the microwave link being studied.
• Victim tabs: List the microwave links that interfere the given extremity of the microwave link being studied along
with relevant details of the interference study.
• Interferer tabs: List the microwave links that are interfered by the given extremity of the microwave link being
studied along with relevant details of the interference study.

15.3.5.1.3 Calculating Interference for Multiple Microwave Links

It is possible in Atoll to calculate interference levels for a group of microwave links. You can also perform interference
analysis over the entire network of microwave links.
To calculate interference for a group of microwave links:
• Either,
a. Click on the Data tab of the Explorer window,
b. Expand the Microwave Radio Links folder by clicking the button,
c. Right-click on the Links folder to open its context menu,
• Or,
a. Expand the Links folder by clicking the button,
b. Right-click on the subfolder under the Links folder for which you want to calculate interferences to open its
context menu,
1. Choose the Calculate command from the Interferences menu. The Microwave Radio Links Properties
dialogue appears.
2. Define calculation parameters. For further information, see "Global Parameters" on page 209.
3. Click OK to launch calculations.
The results of the interference calculation over multiple microwave links are displayed in the form of a table. This table lists
the results for all the microwave link studied in the directions (site A site B/site B site A) selected by the user.
To view details of each single microwave link, double-click on the record related to it in the table. This will open a detailed
interference results window including five tabs as described in "Performing Interference Analysis on a Microwave Link" on
page 1155.

Notes
• You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button ( ) in
the toolbar.
• You can access each microwave link’s properties by double clicking the corresponding record
in the Victim/Interferer tabs.

15.3.5.1.4 Managing Interference Calculation Validity

Interference calculations, performed on a group of microwave links, are saved in the Atoll document. So, once calculations
have been performed for all the links, you can quickly perform interference studies for a particular link or a group of links.
Atoll only recalculates non-existent and invalid microwave links. Calculations can become invalid for different reasons:
• If a calculation method or option has been changed,
• If microwave link properties have been modified,

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• If geographic data maps have been updated.

For the first two reasons, Atoll automatically detects the calculation invalidity when starting calculations and makes the
recalculation. In the last case (e.g., if you added a new clutter class map), you must force Atoll to recalculate.
To force Atoll to recalculate interference:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Radio Links folder.
To recalculate interference for the entire Links folder:

- Right-click the Links folder. The context menu appears.

To recalculate interference for a subfolder of links under the Links folder:

a. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder.

b. Right-click the subfolder under the Links folder for which you want to recalculate interference. The context
menu appears.
3. Select Interference > Force Calculations from the context menu. Atoll removes existing calculations, including
valid ones, and recalculates interference. The progress of the calculations is displayed in the Event Viewer
window.
You can also reset existing calculations and not recalculate interference afterwards by selecting the Interference > Rein-
itialise. Atoll removes existing calculations, including valid ones.

15.3.5.1.5 Displaying Interference on the Map

After calculating interference on a microwave link, the user can display the result on the map.
To display interference connections on the map
1. Click the microwave link on the map.

2. Click in the Toolbar.

The interferer and victim connections between the studied microwave link and its interferers and victims are displayed on
the map. Atoll displays these interferers and victims for both extremities of the studied microwave link by inwards and
outwards pointing arrows respectively. This feature helps you in easily locating the microwave transmitters that are neither
interfering with the link nor being interfered by it. You can hide them by clicking again.
When the interference connections are displayed on the map, you can use the tool tip to show further information about
each interference connection by placing the cursor on it.
You can define the ways in which interferer and interfered link extremities will be displayed on the map.
1. Click on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Expand the Microwave Radio Links folder by clicking the button.
3. Right-click on the Links folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Interference and Display Options from the context menu. The Interference dialogue opens.
You can choose different types of lines and colours to depict the interference connections on the map and select
if you want to make them visible.

15.3.5.2 Frequency Planning

Planning microwave link networks involves a number of areas of analysis. For each new link created in any environment,
there is a list of interference conflicts created due to this newly introduced link. It is common experience that such modifi-
cations in existing network designs introduce a number of interference problems that could have been avoided during the
initial design of the same network. Thus, frequency planning in microwave networks is of extreme importance not only for
interference reduction at the initial stage of the network but also to envisage for future modifications in the network.
The process of frequency selection in microwave systems is accomplished with interference minimisation being the most
important objective. There are various ways to accomplish this particular objective. A logical approach is to define a
number of specific frequency plans, each containing a fixed number of specific frequencies, then divide each plan into a
high segment and a low segment.
The idea is to basically allow frequency assignments to be made in pairs, with each pair having minimum separations.
When an assignment is made, the transmitter and receiver get assignments in opposite segments. If the transmitter
frequency is in the high block, the receiver frequency will be in the low block and vice versa.
Atoll includes a number of features that assist the microwave link network planner in the frequency planning process.
These features include:
• Spectral analyser
• Semi-automatic channel search tool
• Site parity checking tool
The following sections describe the functioning of these tools.

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15.3.5.2.1 Working with the Microwave Link Spectrum Analyser

Atoll microwave link module can display a channel usage histogram within any microwave link’s operating frequency band
enabling the user to allocate unused or less used channels where required. This tool calculates and draws a graph repre-
senting the channels used along with the interference levels received on each channel of a half band. Through this graph,
you can find the channels with least interference levels in order to allocate them to microwave links.
To access the spectrum analyser:
1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Links folder of the Explorer window’s Data
tab. The context menu appears.
2. Choose Planning and Frequency Spectrum from the context menu.
This opens the microwave link analysis window and directly displays the I levels on the band tab. A list in the tab
lists all possible combination of hops that can be studied, i.e., Site A Site B or vice versa.

Atoll calculates the interference levels on each channel of the frequency half-band (lower or upper) of the micro-
wave link and represents them as vertical lines on the graph. The red line shows the total noise level received on
the interfered channel and each blue line represents the signal level transmitted on each interfering channel.

You can easily locate the channels on which there is least or no level of interference and can allocate these "free"
channels where required.

Note: Each vertical line representing the interference level received at any channel depicts the
peak signal value. If there are more than one interfering signals, only the peak value is
displayed on the graph.

15.3.5.2.2 Performing Semi-automatic Channel Search

The semi-automatic channel search tool in Atoll ranks channels according to a user-definable cost function enabling the
user to find the best channel or channels to allocate to a microwave link. This channel search is performed according to
the interference received or transmitted per channel.
To perform a semi-automatic channel search for a microwave link:
1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Links folder of the Explorer window’s Data
tab. The context menu appears.
2. Choose Planning > Semi-automatic Search from the context menu. The Semi-Automatic Channel Search dia-
logue appears.
3. Click the Conditions tab and define:
- Link Directions to Calculate: Select the check box of the directions of the link to be calculated (Site A -
Site B, Site B - Site A, or both).
Under Channels to Study:
- Frequency Sub-Band: Select the frequency sub-band from the list of available frequency sub-bands from to
the frequency band of the microwave link being studied.
- Site A Half-Band: Select the frequency half-band to calculate (lower or upper) for the transmission site (the
opposite half-band is assigned to the reception site).
- The channels to be analysed:
- Select Use all the channels of the sub-band if all the channels can be allocated.
- If only some channels of the frequency sub-band can be allocated, select Restrict the list of potential
channels and define the channels available. You can enter or paste a list of channels; the values must
be separated with either a comma, or a semi-colon, or a space. You can also enter a range of channels
available, by entering the first and last channel of the range separated by a hyphen. For example, entering
20-22 corresponds to entering 20 21and 22.
- The link polarisation to be considered in the calculation. Atoll calculates a cost for each channel and each
defined polarisation (either horizontal, or vertical, or horizontal and vertical).
- Under Channel Weightings, use the slider to define the weight given to the interferer and victim channels.
4. Click the Parameters tab and define:
- The earth curvature factor (k factor).
- The maximum distance around the studied site to find potential interfering sites.
- The interfered useful bandwidth (%): The parameter enables Atoll to filter the interferers; this is the per-
centage of the bandwidth to be considered when searching for interferers. In order to take into account all the
potential interferers, set the parameter to 3000%.
- The minimum threshold reduction.
- Whether automatic transmission power control is to be considered on the useful signal.
- Whether automatic transmission power control on interfering signals is to be considered always on, always off
or taken into consideration according to geometric correlation.
5. Click Calculate to launch the calculations.
The results window displays the list of channels sorted in increasing order with respect to their corresponding costs. This
implies that the best available channels, in terms of the related costs, are the ones listed on top of the list. It is then possible

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through this results window to allocate the best channels to the link by selecting the channels to assign and clicking the
Commit button.

15.3.5.2.3 Checking Microwave Link Site Parities

The parity of sites can be verified either graphically on the map or in a report. Atoll considers the sites of microwave links
which are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the current filter parameters), and intersects the computation zone.
In this section, the following are explained:
• "Checking Site Parities on the Map" on page 1159
• "Creating a Report on Site Parities" on page 1159.

Checking Site Parities on the Map

The site parity checking tool enables the user to view the site parities on the map and hence detect any possible parity
conflicts.
To perform a site parity check and display:
1. Click on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Expand the Microwave Radio Links folder by clicking the button.
3. Right-click the Link folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Interferences, Channels Distribution per Site and Display on the Map from the context menu. The
Channel Distribution dialogue appears.
5. Select the operating frequency band for which you want to check the parities of microwave link extremities.
6. Choose an icon for the different cases.
- Lower: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower half-band.
- Upper: The site is assigned frequencies from the upper half-band.
- Multiple: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower and upper half-bands.
- Unspecified: No frequency is assigned to the site.
7. Enter the position of icons relative to the site (dpi).
8. Select the Add to Legend check box in order to add the displayed icons to a legend.
9. Click OK to start the calculations.

You can also access the same channel distribution configuration dialogue through the toolbar by clicking the button.
Once the site parities are displayed on the map, you can hide them by clicking the button again. You can also hide
the site parities through the context menu as follows:
1. Click on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Expand the Microwave Radio Links folder by clicking the button.
3. Right-click the Link folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Interferences and Hide Channel Distribution from the context menu.

Creating a Report on Site Parities

Atoll enables the user to check site parities and to display the results in a report.
To display the result of the site parity checking in a report:
1. Click on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Expand the Microwave Radio Links folder by clicking the button.
3. Right-click the Link folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Interferences, Channels Distribution per Site and Generate Report from the context menu. The
Channel Distribution dialogue appears.
5. Select the operating frequency bands for which you want to check the parities of the microwave link extremities.
6. Click OK to start the calculations.
Atoll checks the site parities of all the microwave links working at the selected frequency bands. Once Atoll has
finished checking site parities, results are displayed in the Channel Distribution table.

The Channel Distribution table contains the following information.

- Frequency Band: The operating frequency band.

- Site: The name of the site.
- Parity: The parity of the site.
- Upper: The site is assigned frequencies from the upper half-band.
- Lower: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower half-band.
- Multiple: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower and upper half-bands.
- Unspecified: No frequency is assigned to the site.

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Atoll User Manual

- Cause: Information provided for multiple parity only. Atoll gives the name of microwave links whose the site
has a multiple parity.
- Longitude: The longitude of the site.
- Latitude: The latitude of the site.
You can sort and filter data in the Channel Distribution table. For more information, see "Sorting Data in Tables" on
page 68 and "Filtering in Data Tables by Selection" on page 70.

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 Index

Index

Symbols maps, comparing 599

+MRC in Softer/Soft (CDMA) 717 maps, display properties 600
+MRC in Softer/Soft (UMTS) 549 mechanical tilt, reconfiguration 561, 576
multi-band antennas, defining 584
Numerics multi-layer networks, linking transmitters 578
2G network traffic, converting (CDMA) 688 optimisation process, creating 566
2G network traffic, converting (GSM) 312 optimisation process, creating in co-planning 566
2G network traffic, converting (LTE) 1076 optimisation process, preparing co-planning 566
2G network traffic, converting (TD-SCDMA) 828 optimisation process, running 566
2G network traffic, converting (UMTS) 518 optimisation properties, changing 588
2G network traffic, converting (WiMAX) 945 optimisation, deleting 588
360° view (microwave) 1125 optimisation, running 588
3-D antenna pattern optimisation, running saved 586
defining attenuation 145 pilot power, reconfiguration 561, 575
defining azimuth 145 propagation models 562
defining tilt angle 145 propagation models, natively supported 563
importing 145 propagation models, precalculated path loss matrices 578
propagation models, precalculated pathlooss matrices 563
A quality analysis maps 596
acceptable noise rise margin, defining for EV-DO cells (CDMA) reconfiguration options 561, 575
610
reconfiguration, importing parameters 576, 577, 579
ACP
results, viewing in map window 595
advanced optimisation parameters, setting 585
results, viewing in Properties dialogue 589
antenna azimuth, reconfiguration 561, 576
shadowing margin 562
antenna groups, defining automatically 584
site selection, defining 580
antenna groups, defining manually 583
traffic maps, using 562
antenna type, reconfiguration 561, 576
traffic, defining for optimisation 573
best server analysis maps 599
user configuration file 565
change analysis maps 598
weighting, GSM 573
comments, adding to optimisation 585
weighting, UMTS 572
computation zone, using 561
zones, using 561
configuration, loading 588
active set
configuration, saving 588
conditions for entering (CDMA) 721
configuring 564
conditions for entering (UMTS) 557
configuring default settings 564
defining size in terminals (CDMA) 653
co-planning optimisation process, creating 567
defining size in terminals (UMTS) 479
co-planning optimisation process, importing second tech-
displaying per simulation user (CDMA) 695
nology 567
displaying per simulation user (TD-SCDMA) 835
co-planning, preparing optimisation process 566
displaying per simulation user (UMTS) 526
coverage analysis maps 597
size, used in predictions (CDMA) 651
coverage, defining for Ec/Io 573
size, used in predictions (UMTS) 478
defining optimisation 568
threshold, defining in cells (UMTS) 437
definition 561
active set analysis (CDMA) 662
electrical tilt, reconfiguration 561, 576
active set analysis (UMTS) 488
filtering zone, using 561
activity status
global configuration 565
displaying traffic distribution by (LTE) 1084
HotSpot zones, using 561
displaying traffic distribution by (WiMAX) 953
HotSpots, importing 570
adaptive beam smart antenna modelling (TD-SCDMA) 857
indoor coverage 562
adaptive modulation and coding, see "fast link adaptation"
iterations, defining number of 569
adjacent channels
iterations, defining resolution 569
definition (GSM) 383

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Atoll User Manual

AFP cost function audit of neighbour allocation plan (CDMA) 672

overview 411 audit of neighbour allocation plan (LTE) 1060
AFP module audit of neighbour allocation plan (WiMAX) 928
allocation strategies 417 audit of physical cell ID plan (LTE) 1066
BSIC usage diversity, setting 419 audit of PN offset plan (CDMA) 677
channel spectrum usage, setting 417 audit of preamble index plan (WiMAX) 935
cost components, weighting 415 audit of scrambling code plan (TD-SCDMA) 812
frequency diversity gain, setting 416 audit of scrambling code plan (UMTS) 507
gain due to low time slot use ratio, setting 416 automatic backup 101
HSN strategy in frequency hopping, setting 418 configuring 101
interference cost, defining 412 recovering a backup 102
interferer diversity gain, setting 415 Automatic Cell Planning, see "ACP"
MAIO preferences in SFH, managing 419 availability objectives
MAL targets in SFH, defining 418 microwave links, defining 208
miscellaneous costs 413 azimuth
overview 411 3-D antenna pattern 145
properties, accessing 411 antenna, changing on the map 32
separation violation cost, defining 413
antenna B
antenna patterns, copying (microwave) 151 backup 101
antenna patterns, printing (microwave) 152 configuring 101
antennas, importing (microwave) 151 recovering a backup 102
azimuth, reconfiguring with ACP 561, 576 base station
beamwidth, defining 144 assigning equipment (CDMA) 608
changing azimuth on the map 32 assigning equipment (GSM) 248
changing relative position on the map 32 assigning equipment (TD-SCDMA) 730
compatibility with equipment (microwave) 164, 165 assigning equipment (UMTS) 435
compatibility with equipment, assistant (microwave) 165, components of subsystem 147
166 copying into document (CDMA) 618
creating 143 copying into document (GSM) 261
electrical tilt, reconfiguring with ACP 561, 576 copying into document (LTE) 1014
gain 143 copying into document (TD-SCDMA) 743
heights, adjusting (microwave) 1147 copying into document (UMTS) 447
heights, adjusting automatically (microwave) 1147 copying into document (WiMAX) 881
heights, optimising (microwave) 1146 creating (LTE) 1003
importing 3-D patterns 145 creating (WiMAX) 869
importing Planet-format 144 creating with template (CDMA) 612
mechanical tilt, reconfiguring with ACP 561, 576 creating with template (GSM) 256
microwave 149 creating with template (LTE) 1009
microwave antenna properties 151 creating with template (TD-SCDMA) 736
microwave, creating 149 creating with template (UMTS) 440
model, reconfiguring with ACP 561, 576 creating with template (WiMAX) 876
pasting antenna pattern 143 definition (CDMA) 605, 606
pattern electrical tilt 143 definition (GSM) 246, 247
point-to-multipoint link, adjusting 1140 definition (LTE) 1003
point-to-multipoint link, adjusting with the mouse 1140 definition (TD-SCDMA) 728, 729
single antenna patterns, editing (microwave) 151 definition (UMTS) 432, 433
smart, creating (WiMAX) 983 definition (WiMAX) 869
smoothing vertical pattern 146 displaying information (CDMA) 619
antenna patterns displaying information (GSM) 262
printing 64, 147 displaying information (LTE) 1014
archiving displaying information (TD-SCDMA) 744
all modifications to the database 98 displaying information (UMTS) 447
only site data to the database 98 displaying information (WiMAX) 882
attenuation duplicating (GSM) 261
3-D antenna pattern 145 duplicating (LTE) 1013
audit of frequency allocation (TD-SCDMA) 796 duplicating (TD-SCDMA) 742
audit of neighbour allocation plan 304, 501, 807 duplicating (UMTS) 446

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 Index

duplicating (WiMAX) 880 BWA, definition (WiMAX) 867

equipment, assigning (LTE) 1005
equipment, assigning (WiMAX) 871 C
importing (CDMA) 618 C/(I+N) level coverage prediction (LTE) 1041
importing (GSM) 261 C/(I+N) level coverage prediction (WiMAX) 910
importing (LTE) 1014 C/I levels coverage prediction (GSM) 348
importing (TD-SCDMA) 743 cables
importing (UMTS) 447 creating (microwave) 163
importing (WiMAX) 881 microwave 163
base station ID, see "BSID" calculation process, explanation (CDMA) 633
baton handover coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 792 calculation process, explanation (GSM) 276
BCCH calculation process, explanation (LTE) 1023
displaying on transmitter (GSM) 369 calculation process, explanation (TD-SCDMA) 758
BCMCS (CDMA) 610 calculation process, explanation (UMTS) 461
BCMCS throughput (CDMA) 611 calculation process, explanation (WiMAX) 891
beamwidth calculations 170
defining antenna 144 subscriber list (LTE) 1081
bearer selection, HSDPA, explanation 521, 831 subscriber list (WiMAX) 949
bearer, 1xEV-DO, see "1xEV-DO Rev. A radio bearer" carrier types (TD-SCDMA)
bearer, downgrading (UMTS) 522 allocating per cell 796
bearer, HSDPA, see "HSDPA radio bearer" audit of allocation 796
bearer, R99, see "R99 radio bearer" displaying coverage 796
BER coverage prediction (CDMA) 658 displaying master carrier on the map 796
BER coverage prediction (UMTS) 484 master carrier 795
BER graphs slave carrier 795
creating (microwave) 162 standalone carrier 795
best bearer coverage prediction (LTE) 1043 CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO
best bearer coverage prediction (WiMAX) 912 template 90
BLER coverage prediction (GSM) 360 cell
BLER coverage prediction (UMTS) 484 creating (LTE) 1008
BLER_DCH coverage prediction (CDMA) 658 creating (TD-SCDMA) 736
Broadcast/Multicast Services, see "BCMS" creating (UMTS) 440
BSIC creating (WiMAX) 876
displaying on transmitter (GSM) 369 creating 1xEV-DO (CDMA) 612
domains, defining (GSM) 384 creating 1xRTT (CDMA) 612
format, defining (GSM) 384 definition (LTE) 1006
groups, defining (GSM) 384 definition (WiMAX) 872
BSID (WiMAX) 873 EV-DO parameters (CDMA) 609
BTS modifying (LTE) 1008
defining 148 modifying (TD-SCDMA) 736
noise figure 149 modifying (UMTS) 440
noise figure, updating 148 modifying (WiMAX) 876
Rho factor 148 modifying 1xEV-DO (CDMA) 612
BTS equipment modifying 1xRTT (CDMA) 612
assigning (CDMA) 608 parameters (TD-SCDMA) 732
assigning (GSM) 249 parameters (UMTS) 436
assigning (TD-SCDMA) 730 RTT parameters (CDMA) 609
assigning (UMTS) 435 setting as active (CDMA) 634
BTS noise figure (TD-SCDMA) 731 setting as active (TD-SCDMA) 758
BTS noise figure (UMTS) 436 setting as active (UMTS) 462
BTS, assigning (LTE) 1005 updating load values with simulation (LTE) 1092
BTS, assigning (WiMAX) 871 updating load values with simulation (WiMAX) 962
budget updating values with simulation (CDMA) 702
configuring report (microwave) 1152 updating values with simulation (TD-SCDMA) 841
microwave link 1150 updating values with simulation (UMTS) 535
multiple microwave links, calculating for 1153 cell to cell interference coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 789
single microwave link, calculating for 1151 cell type
applying new (GSM) 255

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Atoll User Manual

cell types explanation (UMTS) 457

creating (GSM) 390 explanation (WiMAX) 886
examples (GSM) 392 Fit to Map Window 42
cell types (GSM) 390 Fit to Map Window (CDMA) 634
channel element Fit to Map Window (GSM) 277
calculation of consumption (UMTS) 521 Fit to Map Window (LTE) 1023
defining consumption per site equipment-HSUPA radio Fit to Map Window (TD-SCDMA) 758
bearer (UMTS) 553 Fit to Map Window (UMTS) 462
defining consumption per site equipment-R99 radio bearer Fit to Map Window (WiMAX) 891
(UMTS) 553 importing 42
defining consumption per site equipment-terminal (CDMA) importing (CDMA) 634
720
importing (GSM) 277
defining on downlink (UMTS) 434
importing (LTE) 1023
defining on forward link (CDMA) 607
importing (TD-SCDMA) 758
defining on reverse link (CDMA) 607
importing (UMTS) 462
defining on uplink (UMTS) 434
importing (WiMAX) 891
simulations (CDMA) 692
polygon, creating from 42
simulations (UMTS) 524
polygon, creating from (CDMA) 633
uplink and downlink consumption (CDMA) 719
polygon, creating from (GSM) 277
uplink and downlink consumption (UMTS) 553
polygon, creating from (LTE) 1023
channel search, semi-automatic (microwave) 1158
polygon, creating from (TD-SCDMA) 758
channels
polygon, creating from (UMTS) 461
Search Tool, using with (GSM) 368
polygon, creating from (WiMAX) 891
clearance, displaying for microwave links 1144
configuration
codec equipment
loading ACP 588
codec mode adaptation thresholds, setting (GSM) 395
saving ACP 588
codec mode quality thresholds, setting (GSM) 396
Connection Properties 96
creating (GSM) 395
connection status
modifying (GSM) 395
displaying traffic distribution by (CDMA) 694
terminals, assigning to (GSM) 397
displaying traffic distribution by (LTE) 1085
transmitters, assigning to (GSM) 396
displaying traffic distribution by (TD-SCDMA) 834
codec equipment (GSM) 394
displaying traffic distribution by (UMTS) 525
coding scheme throughput graphs
displaying traffic distribution by (WiMAX) 954
displaying (GSM) 399
constraint costs, defining PN offsets (CDMA) 674
column headers
constraint costs, defining scrambling code (TD-SCDMA) 810
formatting 54
constraint costs, defining scrambling code (UMTS) 504
columns
context menu 29
changing width 54
renaming objects 29
displaying 55
conventional beamformer modelling (TD-SCDMA) 856
freezing 55
conventional beamformer modelling (WiMAX) 983
hiding 55
coordinate system 92
moving 55
setting 92
unfreezing 55
coordinates, searching by 82
compressed mode (UMTS) 478, 479, 528, 549
Cost-Hata propagation model 178
computation zone
creating environment formula 179
ACP 561
defining default environment formula 179
creating (microwave) 1141
modifying environment formula 179
drawing 42
taking diffraction into account 178
drawing (CDMA) 633
coverage by C/I based on test mobile data path (GSM) 378
drawing (GSM) 276
coverage by signal level based on test mobile data path (GSM)
drawing (LTE) 1023 378
drawing (TD-SCDMA) 758 coverage export zone
drawing (UMTS) 461 creating 46
drawing (WiMAX) 891 creating (CDMA) 663
explanation (CDMA) 628 creating (GSM) 294
explanation (GSM) 271 creating (LTE) 1051
explanation (LTE) 1019 creating (TD-SCDMA) 795
explanation (TD-SCDMA) 753 creating (UMTS) 492

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 Index

creating (WiMAX) 920 coverage export zone, defining (WiMAX) 920

Fit to Map Window 46 creating 198, 199
importing 46 creating from existing 199
coverage of master carriers, displaying (TD-SCDMA) 796 default propagation model, assigning (GSM) 276
coverage of neighbours, displaying (CDMA) 669 displaying results with tooltips (CDMA) 639
coverage of neighbours, displaying (GSM) 300 displaying results with tooltips (LTE) 1029
coverage of neighbours, displaying (LTE) 1057 displaying results with tooltips (TD-SCDMA) 767
coverage of neighbours, displaying (TD-SCDMA) 803 displaying results with tooltips (UMTS) 467
coverage of neighbours, displaying (UMTS) 498 displaying results with tooltips (WiMAX) 897
coverage of neighbours, displaying (WiMAX) 925 downlink and uplink traffic channel (TD-SCDMA) 781
coverage prediction downlink total noise (CDMA) 659
adding values to legend (CDMA) 639 downlink total noise (TD-SCDMA) 787
adding values to legend (GSM) 286 downlink total noise (UMTS) 485
adding values to legend (TD-SCDMA) 767 duplicating 199
adding values to legend (UMTS) 467 DwPTS signal quality (TD-SCDMA) 780
analysing results (CDMA) 639 effective service area (CDMA) 657
analysing results (LTE) 1028 effective service area (TD-SCDMA) 785
analysing results (TD-SCDMA) 767 effective service area (UMTS) 482
analysing results (UMTS) 467 effective signal (LTE) 1039
analysing results (WiMAX) 896 effective signal (WiMAX) 907
assigning a default propagation model 187, 633 exporting in user configuration 203
based on test mobile data path (CDMA) 711 exporting results 46
based on test mobile data path (LTE) 1098 forcing calculation 201
based on test mobile data path (UMTS) 544 forward link EV-DO throughput (CDMA) 656
based on test mobile data path (WiMAX) 968 GPRS/EGPRS coding schemes (GSM) 355
baton handover (TD-SCDMA) 792 handoff status (CDMA) 661
best bearer (LTE) 1043 handover status (UMTS) 487
best bearer (WiMAX) 912 histogram, viewing (CDMA) 642
BLER (GSM) 360 histogram, viewing (GSM) 289
by packet throughput per timeslot (GSM) 357 histogram, viewing (LTE) 1032
by transmitter (CDMA) 636 histogram, viewing (TD-SCDMA) 770
by transmitter (GSM) 280, 281, 282, 283, 284 histogram, viewing (UMTS) 470
by transmitter (LTE) 1026 histogram, viewing (WiMAX) 900
by transmitter (TD-SCDMA) 761 HSDPA 489, 793
by transmitter (UMTS) 464 HSUPA 491
by transmitter (WiMAX) 894 legend, adding values to (LTE) 1029
C/(I+N) level (LTE) 1041 legend, adding values to (WiMAX) 897
C/(I+N) level (WiMAX) 910 locking coverage predictions 201, 202
C/I levels (GSM) 348 network capacity (TD-SCDMA) 817, 818
calculating 200, 201 network load (TD-SCDMA) 819
calculating several 200 new 199
cell to cell interference (TD-SCDMA) 789 on interfered zones (GSM) 350
cloning 199 on overlapping zones (CDMA) 638
comparing (CDMA) 643 on overlapping zones (GSM) 285
comparing (GSM) 290 on overlapping zones (LTE) 1027
comparing (LTE) 1032 on overlapping zones (UMTS) 466
comparing (TD-SCDMA) 771 on overlapping zones (WiMAX) 895
comparing (UMTS) 471 on P-CCPCH pollution (TD-SCDMA) 762
comparing (WiMAX) 900 pilot pollution (CDMA) 660
coverage by C/I based on test mobile data path (GSM) 378 pilot pollution (UMTS) 486
coverage by signal level based on test mobile data path pilot reception analysis (Ec/I0) based on test mobile data
(GSM) 378 path (CDMA) 712
coverage export zone, defining 46 pilot reception analysis (Ec/I0) based on test mobile data
coverage export zone, defining (CDMA) 663 path (UMTS) 545
coverage export zone, defining (GSM) 294 pilot signal quality (CDMA) 653
coverage export zone, defining (LTE) 1051 pilot signal quality (TD-SCDMA) 779
coverage export zone, defining (TD-SCDMA) 795 pilot signal quality (UMTS) 480
coverage export zone, defining (UMTS) 492 PN offset interference zone (CDMA) 679

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Atoll User Manual

printing results (CDMA) 663 RSCP UpPCH (TD-SCDMA) 765

printing results (GSM) 294 scrambling code interference zone (TD-SCDMA) 814
printing results (LTE) 1051 scrambling code interference zone (UMTS) 509
printing results (TD-SCDMA) 795 service area (C/I) (TD-SCDMA) 783
printing results (UMTS) 492 service area (Eb/Nt) (TD-SCDMA) 783
printing results (WiMAX) 920 service area (Eb/Nt) downlink based on test mobile data
quality indicator (CDMA) 658 path (CDMA) 712
quality indicator (LTE) 1048 service area (Eb/Nt) downlink based on test mobile data
quality indicator (UMTS) 484 path (UMTS) 545
quality indicator (WiMAX) 917 service area (Eb/Nt) downlink or uplink (CDMA) 655
report, displaying (CDMA) 641 service area (Eb/Nt) downlink or uplink (UMTS) 481
report, displaying (GSM) 288 service area (Eb/Nt) MBMS (TD-SCDMA) 787
report, displaying (LTE) 1030 service area (Eb/Nt) MBMS (UMTS) 483
report, displaying (TD-SCDMA) 769 service area (Eb/Nt) reverse link for EV-DO (CDMA) 656
report, displaying (UMTS) 469 service area (Eb/Nt) uplink based on test mobile data path
(CDMA) 712
report, displaying (WiMAX) 898
service area (Eb/Nt) uplink based on test mobile data path
report, displaying using focus zone 43
(UMTS) 545
report, displaying using focus zone (CDMA) 640
signal level - single station (CDMA) 626
report, displaying using focus zone (GSM) 287
signal level - single station (GSM) 269
report, displaying using focus zone (LTE) 1030
signal level - single station (LTE) 1017
report, displaying using focus zone (TD-SCDMA) 768
signal level - single station (TD-SCDMA) 751
report, displaying using focus zone (UMTS) 468
signal level - single station (UMTS) 455
report, displaying using focus zone (WiMAX) 898
signal level - single station (WiMAX) 884
report, displaying using hot spot zone 43
signal level (CDMA) 635
report, displaying using hot spot zone (CDMA) 640
signal level (GSM) 278
report, displaying using hot spot zone (GSM) 287
signal level (LTE) 1025
report, displaying using hot spot zone (LTE) 1030
signal level (TD-SCDMA) 760, 764
report, displaying using hot spot zone (TD-SCDMA) 768
signal level (UMTS) 463
report, displaying using hot spot zone (UMTS) 468
signal level (WiMAX) 893
report, displaying using hot spot zone (WiMAX) 898
simulation results, using (CDMA) 705
restricting base stations studied by computation zone
statistics, viewing (CDMA) 642
(CDMA) 624
statistics, viewing (GSM) 289
restricting base stations studied by computation zone
(GSM) 268 statistics, viewing (LTE) 1032
restricting base stations studied by computation zone statistics, viewing (TD-SCDMA) 770
(LTE) 1015 statistics, viewing (UMTS) 470
restricting base stations studied by computation zone (TD- statistics, viewing (WiMAX) 900
SCDMA) 749 stopping calculation 201
restricting base stations studied by computation zone template, saving as 202
(UMTS) 453 test mobile data path, based on (GSM) 377
restricting base stations studied by computation zone throughput (LTE) 1045
(WiMAX) 883 throughput (WiMAX) 914
restricting base stations studied by filter (CDMA) 624 UpPCH interference (TD-SCDMA) 790
restricting base stations studied by filter (GSM) 267 using simulation results (LTE) 1093
restricting base stations studied by filter (LTE) 1015 using simulation results (TD-SCDMA) 843
restricting base stations studied by filter (TD-SCDMA) 749 using simulation results (UMTS) 538
restricting base stations studied by filter (UMTS) 453 using simulation results (WiMAX) 963
restricting base stations studied by filter (WiMAX) 882 coverage predictions 198
restricting base stations studied by filtering (TD-SCDMA) restricting sites studied (microwave) 1141
749
cursors 49
results, analysing (GSM) 286
CW Measurement Analysis Tool
results, displaying with tooltips (GSM) 286
printing data 64
results, exporting (CDMA) 663
cyclic prefix ratio (LTE) 1102
results, exporting (GSM) 294
cyclic prefix ratio (WiMAX) 972
results, exporting (LTE) 1051
results, exporting (TD-SCDMA) 795 D
results, exporting (UMTS) 492 Data Rate Control, see "DRC"
results, exporting (WiMAX) 920 Data tab 27

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 Index

data tables display type, value intervals 34

adding a field 51 display coordinate system 92
changing column width 54 display resolution (CDMA) 627
changing row height 54 display resolution (GSM) 270
copying data 56 display resolution (TD-SCDMA) 752
deleting a field 52 display resolution (UMTS) 456
displaying columns 55 Distance Measurement tool 40
editing 52 diversity
exporting data 58 reception (TD-SCDMA) 860
filtering 68 reception (UMTS) 443, 551
filtering by selection 70 transmission (TD-SCDMA) 860
filtering by several criteria 71 transmission (UMTS) 443, 551
filtering, examples 72 document
formatting column headers 54 creating from database 89, 95
formatting table columns 54 creating from template 89, 90
freezing columns 55 geographic data 89
hiding columns 55 information needed to create 89
importing data 59 microwave data 89
moving columns 55 microwave equipment 89
opening 50 radio data 89
opening record properties from table 53 radio equipment 89
pasting data 56 refreshing from the database 97
printing 60 setting basic parameters 91
restoring after filtering 72 document templates, see "templates"
sorting 68 domains, creating scrambling code (TD-SCDMA) 809
sorting by one column 69 domains, creating scrambling code (UMTS) 504
sorting by several columns 69 downgrading bearer (UMTS) 522
unfreezing columns 55 downlink total noise coverage prediction (CDMA) 659
viewing properties 50 downlink total noise coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 787
XML files, exporting to 60 downlink total noise coverage prediction (UMTS) 485
XML files, importing from 60 downlink total power, setting (UMTS) 475
database downlink traffic channel coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 781
archiving all modifications 98 downlink traffic power, setting (TD-SCDMA) 775
archiving only site data 98 DRC error rate (CDMA) 610
connecting to MS Access 95 DTM maps representing different areas 126
connecting to Oracle 95 dual-band network, creating (CDMA) 619
Connection Properties 96 dual-band network, creating (TD-SCDMA) 744
creating a document from 95 dual-band network, creating (UMTS) 448
refreshing document 97 DwPTS signal quality coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 780
resolving data conflicts 99
working with 93 E
defining 197, 203 Ec/I0 threshold (UMTS) 477, 478
defraction Ec/I0 threshold, defining per cell (CDMA) 611
smoothing vertical antenna pattern 146 effective service area coverage prediction (CDMA) 657
densities of user profiles effective service area coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 785
importing traffic map based on (CDMA) 684 effective service area coverage prediction (UMTS) 482
importing traffic map based on (GSM) 308 effective signal coverage prediction (LTE) 1039
importing traffic map based on (LTE) 1072 effective signal coverage prediction (WiMAX) 907
importing traffic map based on (TD-SCDMA) 824 environment
importing traffic map based on (UMTS) 514 creating (CDMA) 683
importing traffic map based on (WiMAX) 941 creating (GSM) 308
Digital hierarchy 158 creating (LTE) 1072
display creating (TD-SCDMA) 823
changing properties 33 creating (UMTS) 513
defining display type 34 creating (WiMAX) 940
display type, automatic 34 modifying (CDMA) 683
display type, discrete values 34 modifying (GSM) 308
display type, unique 34 modifying (LTE) 1072

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Atoll User Manual

modifying (TD-SCDMA) 823 min. Ec/Nt (UL), defining for mobility (CDMA) 651
modifying (UMTS) 513 mobility type parameters 651
modifying (WiMAX) 940 MUG table, defining (CDMA) 610
equipment noise rise threshold, defining (CDMA) 610
compatibility with antennas (microwave) 164, 165 pilot pollution, calculating (CDMA) 660
compatibility with antennas, assistant (microwave) 165, 166 PN offset domain, defining per cell (CDMA) 611
creating (LTE) 1104 PN offset reuse distance, defining per cell (CDMA) 611
creating (WiMAX) 978 point analysis 625
importing (microwave) 157 power control simulation algorithm 691
modifying (LTE) 1104 preferred carrier, defining for EV-DO Rev. 0 (CDMA) 649
modifying (WiMAX) 978 preferred carrier, defining for EV-DO Rev. A (CDMA) 650
transceiver, properties of (microwave) 157 priority, defining for EV-DO Rev. 0 (CDMA) 649
Equipment Specifications dialogue (CDMA) 608 priority, defining for EV-DO Rev. A (CDMA) 650
Equipment Specifications dialogue (GSM) 248 rate control, using to study capacity (CDMA) 680
Equipment Specifications dialogue (LTE) 1005 rate probabilities UL, defining for EV-DO Rev. 0 (CDMA)
Equipment Specifications dialogue (TD-SCDMA) 730 649
Equipment Specifications dialogue (UMTS) 435 rate probabilities UL, defining for EV-DO Rev. A (CDMA)
650
Equipment Specifications dialogue (WiMAX) 871
equipment, repeater, see "repeater equipment" Rev.0 reverse link data rates 648
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model 181 reverse link power control 689
assigning environment formulas 182 reverse link radio bearer index 719
creating environment formula 182 reverse link radio bearer, defining 719
defining default environment formula 182 service area (Eb/Nt) reverse link, studying (CDMA) 656
modifying environment formula 182 service parameters, EV-DO Rev. 0-specific (CDMA) 649
taking diffraction into account 181 service parameters, EV-DO Rev. A-specific (CDMA) 650
EV-DO service parameters, EV-DO-specific (CDMA) 648
acceptable noise rise margin, defining (CDMA) 610 simulation results, cells (CDMA) 697
active set size on reverse link on terminal (CDMA) 653 simulation results, maximum number of channel elements
per carrier (CDMA) 696
application throughput, defining for EV-DO Rev. 0 (CDMA)
649 simulation results, mobiles (CDMA) 699
application throughput, defining for EV-DO Rev. A (CDMA) simulation results, number of channel elements (CDMA)
650 696

BCMCS throughput, defining (CDMA) 611 simulation results, number of channel elements due to
SHO overhead (CDMA) 696
body loss, defining for EV-DO Rev. 0 (CDMA) 650
simulation results, rejected users due to EV-DO resources
body loss, defining for EV-DO Rev. A (CDMA) 650
saturation (CDMA) 697, 701, 702
carrier type, defining globally (CDMA) 717
T_Drop, defining per cell (CDMA) 611
carrier type, defining in cell (CDMA) 609
terminal options, EV-DO Rev. 0-specific (CDMA) 653
carriers, options for (CDMA) 610
terminal options, EV-DO Rev. A-specific (CDMA) 653
data rates, available (CDMA) 717
terminal parameters, EV-DO Rev. 0-specific (CDMA) 652
DRC error rate, defining (CDMA) 610
terminal parameters, EV-DO Rev. A-specific (CDMA) 652
Ec/I0 threshold, defining per cell (CDMA) 611
timeslots dedicated to BCMCS (CDMA) 610
FCH active set size on terminal (CDMA) 653
timeslots dedicated to control channels (CDMA) 610
forward link radio bearer index 718
total transmitted power on DL, defining (CDMA) 611
forward link radio bearer, defining 718
transition flag in traffic simulations, assigned 689
forward link throughput, studying (CDMA) 656
UL load factor, defining (CDMA) 611
handoff status coverage prediction (CDMA) 661
UL throughput due to TCP acknowledgement, defining for
idle power gain, defining (CDMA) 610 EV-DO Rev. 0 (CDMA) 650
max channel elements per carrier, equipment (CDMA) 607 EV-DO Rev. A forward link radio bearer
max number of inter-carrier neighbours, defining (CDMA) defining (CDMA) 718
611
EV-DO Rev. A reverse link radio bearer
max number of inter-technology neighbours, defining
defining (CDMA) 718
(CDMA) 611
exceptional pairs
max number of intra-carrier neighbours, defining (CDMA)
611 neighbour, defining (CDMA) 664
max rate = f/C/1), defining for mobility (CDMA) 651 PN offsets, defining (CDMA) 674
maximum number of users per cell, defining (CDMA) 611 exceptional pairs, defining neighbour (GSM) 295
maximum power transmitted, defining (CDMA) 610 exceptional pairs, defining neighbour (LTE) 1052
maximum UL load factor, defining (CDMA) 611 exceptional pairs, defining neighbour (TD-SCDMA) 798
exceptional pairs, defining neighbour (UMTS) 493

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 Index

exceptional pairs, defining neighbour (WiMAX) 921 explanation 43

exceptional pairs, defining scrambling code (TD-SCDMA) 809 explanation (CDMA) 640
exceptional pairs, defining scrambling code (UMTS) 504 explanation (GSM) 287
experience matrix, see "separation rules" explanation (TD-SCDMA) 768
Explorer window 27 explanation (UMTS) 468
Data tab 27 Fit to Map Window 43
Geo tab 27 Fit to Map Window (CDMA) 640
layers 28 Fit to Map Window (GSM) 287
Modules tab 27 Fit to Map Window (LTE) 1030
using tabs 27 Fit to Map Window (TD-SCDMA) 769
extended cell Fit to Map Window (UMTS) 468
defining (GSM) 401 Fit to Map Window (WiMAX) 898
importing 43
F importing (CDMA) 640
fast link adaptation (TD-SCDMA) 831 importing (GSM) 287
fast link adaptation (UMTS) 521 importing (LTE) 1030
feeder importing (TD-SCDMA) 769
assigning (CDMA) 608 importing (UMTS) 468
assigning (GSM) 249 importing (WiMAX) 898
assigning (TD-SCDMA) 730 polygon, creating from 43
assigning (UMTS) 435 polygon, creating from (CDMA) 640
defining cables 147 polygon, creating from (GSM) 287
defining length (CDMA) 608 polygon, creating from (LTE) 1030
defining length (TD-SCDMA) 730 polygon, creating from (TD-SCDMA) 768
defining length (UMTS) 435 polygon, creating from (UMTS) 468
length, defining (GSM) 249 polygon, creating from (WiMAX) 898
length, defining (LTE) 1005 population statistics (CDMA) 642
length, defining (WiMAX) 871 population statistics (GSM) 289
feeder, assigning (LTE) 1005 population statistics (LTE) 1031
feeder, assigning (WiMAX) 871 population statistics (TD-SCDMA) 770
FER coverage prediction (CDMA) 658 population statistics (UMTS) 470
FER coverage prediction (UMTS) 484 population statistics (WiMAX) 899
field using to display coverage prediction report 43
adding to a table 51 using to display coverage prediction report (CDMA) 640
deleting from a table 52 using to display coverage prediction report (GSM) 287
filter using to display coverage prediction report (TD-SCDMA)
site list, using for 77 768
transmitter list, using for 77 using to display coverage prediction report (UMTS) 468
filtering folder configuration 78
data tables by selection 70 applying a saved configuration 78
data tables by several criteria 71 creating 78
examples 72 deleting 79
restoring after filtering 72 exporting 79
using a polygon 41, 80 importing 79
with subfolders 79 reapplying current configuration 78
filtering zone forward link radio bearer index, EV-DO 718
deleting 45 forward link radio bearer, EV-DO, defining 718
drawing 41 forward link total power, setting (CDMA) 647
Find toolbar 81 frame configuration
focus zone creating (WiMAX) 975
creating 43 frame configuration (LTE) 1007
creating (CDMA) 640 frame configuration (WiMAX) 874, 975
creating (GSM) 287 frame duration (LTE) 1103
creating (LTE) 1030 frame duration (WiMAX) 972
creating (microwave) 1142 frequencies
creating (TD-SCDMA) 768 allocating manually (LTE) 1063
creating (UMTS) 468 allocating manually (WiMAX) 931
creating (WiMAX) 898 automatically allocating (LTE) 1062

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automatically allocating (WiMAX) 930 grid of beams (GOB), creating (TD-SCDMA) 855
displaying allocation (LTE) 1063 grid of beams (GOB), import format (TD-SCDMA) 855
displaying allocation (WiMAX) 931 grid of beams (GOB), importing (TD-SCDMA) 855
displaying on transmitter (LTE) 1064 grouping 65
displaying on transmitter (WiMAX) 932 by a property 65
grouping transmitters by (GSM) 369 by several properties 66
grouping transmitters by (LTE) 1064 examples 67
grouping transmitters by (WiMAX) 932 with subfolders 79
using Search Tool with (LTE) 1063 groups, creating scrambling code (TD-SCDMA) 809
using Search Tool with (WiMAX) 931 groups, creating scrambling code (UMTS) 504
frequencies (TD-SCDMA) GSM/GPRS/EGPRS template 90
allocating automatically 795
displaying on the map 796 H
frequency allocation handoff status
displaying on transmitter (GSM) 369 coverage prediction (CDMA) 661
frequency bands displaying traffic distribution by (CDMA) 693
defining (CDMA) 716 handover status
defining (GSM) 382 displaying traffic distribution by (TD-SCDMA) 833
defining (LTE) 1101 displaying traffic distribution by (UMTS) 525
defining (TD-SCDMA) 730, 852 handover status coverage prediction (UMTS) 487
defining (UMTS) 434, 549 happy bit (UMTS) 522
defining (WiMAX) 971 HCS layers
frequency domains defining (GSM) 385
defining (GSM) 383 selecting (GSM) 248
frequency groups Hexagonal Design
defining (GSM) 383 hiding (CDMA) 613
frequency planning (microwave) 1154, 1157 hexagonal design
frequency, planning (TD-SCDMA) 795 definition (CDMA) 613
definition (GSM) 257
G definition (LTE) 1009
gain definition (TD-SCDMA) 737
defining antenna 143 definition (UMTS) 441
Geo tab 27 definition (WiMAX) 877
global scaling factor (CDMA) 704 histogram
global scaling factor (GSM) 315 PN offsets (CDMA) 678
global scaling factor (LTE) 1092 viewing coverage prediction (CDMA) 642
global scaling factor (TD-SCDMA) 843 histogram, physical cell ID 1068
global scaling factor (UMTS) 537 histogram, preamble index 936
global scaling factor (WiMAX) 962 histogram, scrambling code 509, 814
global transmitter parameters histogram, viewing coverage prediction (GSM) 289
modifying (CDMA) 717 histogram, viewing coverage prediction (LTE) 1032
modifying (LTE) 1103 histogram, viewing coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 770
modifying (TD-SCDMA) 854 histogram, viewing coverage prediction (UMTS) 470
modifying (UMTS) 550 histogram, viewing coverage prediction (WiMAX) 900
modifying (WiMAX) 974 hot spot zone
global transmitter parameters (CDMA) 717 creating 43
global transmitter parameters (LTE) 1102 creating (CDMA) 640
global transmitter parameters (TD-SCDMA) 852 creating (GSM) 287
global transmitter parameters (UMTS) 549 creating (LTE) 1030
global transmitter parameters (WiMAX) 972 creating (TD-SCDMA) 768
GPRS/EGPRS coding schemes coverage prediction (GSM) creating (UMTS) 468
355 creating (WiMAX) 898
GPRS/EGPRS equipment explanation 43
coding scheme thresholds, adapting (GSM) 399 explanation (CDMA) 640
coding scheme throughput graphs, displaying (GSM) 399 explanation (GSM) 287
terminals, assigning to (GSM) 399 explanation (TD-SCDMA) 768
transmitters, assigning to (GSM) 398 explanation (UMTS) 468
grid of beams (GOB) smart antenna model (TD-SCDMA) 854 Fit to Map Window 43

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 Index

Fit to Map Window (CDMA) 640 indoor coverage

Fit to Map Window (GSM) 287 ACP 562
Fit to Map Window (LTE) 1030 activating in AS analysis (CDMA) 662
Fit to Map Window (TD-SCDMA) 769 activating in AS analysis (UMTS) 488, 510, 680
Fit to Map Window (UMTS) 468 activating in coverage prediction (CDMA) 627
Fit to Map Window (WiMAX) 898 activating in coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 752, 760,
importing 43 761, 763, 764, 766, 815
importing (CDMA) 640 activating in coverage prediction (UMTS) 456
importing (GSM) 287 activating in point analysis (CDMA) 626, 640
importing (LTE) 1030 activating in point analysis (TD-SCDMA) 751, 768
importing (TD-SCDMA) 769 activating in point analysis (UMTS) 454, 468
importing (UMTS) 468 activating in simulation (CDMA) 658, 659
importing (WiMAX) 898 activating in simulation (UMTS) 483, 485
population statistics (CDMA) 642 calculating 197, 203
population statistics (GSM) 289 coverage prediction, activating in (GSM) 270
population statistics (LTE) 1031 coverage prediction, activating in (LTE) 1018
population statistics (TD-SCDMA) 770 coverage prediction, activating in (WiMAX) 885
population statistics (UMTS) 470 defining when modelling environment (CDMA) 684
population statistics (WiMAX) 899 defining when modelling environment (LTE) 1072
using to display coverage prediction report 43 defining when modelling environment (TD-SCDMA) 824
using to display coverage prediction report (CDMA) 640 defining when modelling environment (UMTS) 514
using to display coverage prediction report (GSM) 287 defining when modelling environment (WiMAX) 940
using to display coverage prediction report (TD-SCDMA) defining when modelling user profile based traffic map
768 (CDMA) 685
using to display coverage prediction report (UMTS) 468 defining when modelling user profile based traffic map
HSDPA (LTE) 1074
activating 438, 733 defining when modelling user profile based traffic map
(TD-SCDMA) 825
bearer selection, explanation 521, 831
defining when modelling user profile based traffic map
configuring 438, 733
(UMTS) 515
coverage prediction 489, 793
defining when modelling user profile based traffic map
editing user equipment category 555, 862 (WiMAX) 942
scheduler algorithm 438 in traffic map (CDMA) 682
scheduler algorithm (TD-SCDMA) 734 in traffic map (TD-SCDMA) 822
service, enabling 476, 775 in traffic map (UMTS) 512
template 90 point analysis, activating in (GSM) 269, 287, 353
terminal, enabling 478, 778 simulation results (CDMA) 698, 699
user equipment category 479, 778 simulation results (LTE) 1089
HSDPA radio bearer simulation results (TD-SCDMA) 837
defining (TD-SCDMA) 860 simulation results (UMTS) 530
defining (UMTS) 551 simulation results (WiMAX) 959
HSN indoor losses 197, 203
domains, defining (GSM) 385 Interactive Frequency Allocation (GSM) 345
groups, defining (GSM) 385 inter-carrier interference
HSPA+ defining (CDMA) 716
activating 438, 444 inter-carrier interference, defining (TD-SCDMA) 852
HSUPA inter-carrier interference, defining (UMTS) 548
activating 438, 444 interfered zones coverage prediction (GSM) 350
configuring 438 interference
coverage prediction 491 inter-carrier, defining (CDMA) 716
editing user equipment category 556 inter-carrier, defining (TD-SCDMA) 852
service, enabling 476, 775 inter-carrier, defining (UMTS) 548
template 90 intermodulation See "intermodulation interference"
terminal, enabling 478, 778 Sector-to-Sector Interference Tool, using with (GSM) 364
HSUPA radio bearer interference analysis
defining (UMTS) 552 several links (microwave) 1156
single link (microwave) 1155
I
interference analysis (microwave) 1154
idle power gain, defining for EV-DO cells (CDMA) 610

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Atoll User Manual

interference reduction factor cyclic prefix ratio 1102

table (microwave) 160 frame duration 1103
using assistant (microwave) 161, 165, 166 glossary 1114
interference reduction factor (microwave) 159 template 90
interference zone coverage prediction, PN offset (CDMA) 679 LTE radio bearer
interference zone coverage prediction, scrambling code (TD- defining 1103
SCDMA) 814 definition 1069
interference zone coverage prediction, scrambling code LTE schedulers
(UMTS) 509 defining 1107
interferer reception threshold scheduling methods 1107
defining (GSM) 406 LTE, definition 1001
intermodulation interference
in calculations 407 M
IRF, see "interference reduction factor" macro-diversity gain
ITU 1546 propagation model 183 clutter class, displaying per (CDMA) 722
ITU 370-7 propagation model (Vienna 93) 179, 181 clutter class, displaying per (UMTS) 558
ITU 526-5 propagation model 182 manufacturers (microwave) 149
ITU 529-3 propagation model map
assigning environment formulas 180 centring on a selected object 40
creating environment formula 180 exporting 48
defining default environment formula 180 exporting as image 48
modifying environment formula 180 measuring distances 40
taking diffraction into account 180 moving 39
Iub backhaul throughput printing 61
defining consumption per site equipment-HSUPA radio refreshing display 81
bearer (UMTS) 553 Map toolbar 83
defining consumption per site equipment-R99 radio bearer master carrier (TD-SCDMA) 795
(UMTS) 553
masthead amplifier, see "TMA"
J matrix, see "path loss matrix"
max number of inter-carrier neighbours (CDMA) 611
JD, see "joint detection"
max number of inter-technology neighbours (CDMA) 611
joint detection factor
max number of intra-carrier neighbours (CDMA) 611
defining in site equipment (TD-SCDMA) 861
maximum UL load factor (CDMA) 611
L measurement units, setting 93
label 35 measuring distances on the map 40
Lambert Conformal-Conic projection 92 microwave error performance events 207
layers 28 microwave error performance objectives 208
legend microwave error performance parameters 208
adding object type 36 Microwave Link Analysis
displaying 37 printing 64
displaying Legend window 41 Microwave Link toolbar 84
printing Legend window 64 microwave links 1119
legend, displaying (CDMA) 639 antenna heights, adjusting 1147
legend, displaying (GSM) 286 antenna heights, adjusting automatically 1147
legend, displaying (LTE) 1029 antenna heights, optimising 1146
legend, displaying (TD-SCDMA) 767 antenna patterns, copying 151
legend, displaying (UMTS) 467 antenna patterns, printing 152
legend, displaying (WiMAX) 897 antenna properties 151
line of sight area antenna/equipment compatibility 164, 165
intersection of areas (microwave) 1123 antenna/equipment compatibility assistant 165, 166
studying (microwave) 1121, 1122 antennas 149
line of sight area (microwave) 1123 antennas, creating 149
link, point-to-multipoint, see point-to-multipoint links antennas, importing 151
Location Finder availability objectives, defining 208
searching by coordinates 82 budget 1150
searching by text property 81 budget, calculating for multiple links 1153
Longley-Rice propagation model 183 budget, calculating for single link 1151
LTE 1001 budget, configuring report 1152

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 Index

cables 163 microwave radio links

cables, creating 163 template 90
calculation parameters 209 MIMO
calculation parameters, modifying 1152 adaptive MIMO switch (LTE) 1109
classes, creating 207 adaptive MIMO switch (WiMAX) 985
classes, modifying 207 collaborative MIMO (LTE) 1109
clearance, displaying 1144 collaborative MIMO (WiMAX) 985
equipment, importing 157 maximum ratio combining (WiMAX) 984
error performance events 207 MU-MIMO (LTE) 1109
error performance objectives 208 MU-MIMO (WiMAX) 985
error performance parameters 208 number of antenna ports, defining (LTE) 1005
finding by site 66 number of antennas, defining (WiMAX) 872
frequency planning 1154, 1157 receive diversity (LTE) 1108
global properties, defining 209 receive diversity (UMTS HSPA) 556
grouping by site 66 space-time transmit diversity (WiMAX) 984
interference analysis 1154 space-time transmit diversity gains (WiMAX) 979
interference on a single link, analysing 1155 spatial multiplexing (LTE) 1108
interference on several links, analysing 1156 Spatial multiplexing (UMTS HSPA) 556
interference reduction factor 159 spatial multiplexing (WiMAX) 985
LOS between sites, intersection 1123 spatial multiplexing gains (LTE) 1106
LOS between sites, studying 1121, 1122 spatial multiplexing gains (WiMAX) 979
microwave ITU-R P.452 model 205 SU-MIMO (LTE) 1108
microwave propagation model 203 SU-MIMO (WiMAX) 985
multi-hop links, mapping simple links to 1136 transmit diversity (LTE) 1108
multi-hop, creating 1134 transmit diversity (UMTS HSPA) 556
passive repeater 1132 transmit diversity gains (LTE) 1106
passive repeater, inserting (microwave) 1132 Min Ec/Nt (UL) (CDMA) 651
passive repeater, properties (microwave) 1133 mobility type
performance objectives 207, 1150 creating (CDMA) 651
point-to-multipoint link 1137 creating (GSM) 405
point-to-multipoint links, mapping links to 1139 creating (LTE) 1038
profile analysis 1143 creating (TD-SCDMA) 777
quality objectives, defining 208 creating (UMTS) 477
reliability analysis 1149 creating (WiMAX) 906
required margins, calculating 1150 definition (CDMA) 681
restricting sites studied 1141 definition (GSM) 305
semi-automatic channel search 1158 definition (LTE) 1069
simple link, creating 1129 definition (TD-SCDMA) 820
simple link, setting as active 1142 definition (UMTS) 511
simple links 1120 definition (WiMAX) 937
single antenna patterns, editing 151 EV-DO Rev. 0 parameters (CDMA) 651
site parity 1159 modelling (GSM) 404
site parity, creating a report on 1159 modifying (CDMA) 651
site parity, displaying on the map 1159 modifying (GSM) 405
sorting by site 66 modifying (LTE) 1038
spectrum analyser 1158 modifying (TD-SCDMA) 777
studying LOS between sites 1123 modifying (UMTS) 477
template field, adding 1131 modifying (WiMAX) 906
template field, deleting 1131 parameters used in predictions (CDMA) 651
template field, modifying 1131 parameters used in predictions (TD-SCDMA) 776
template, deleting 1131 parameters used in predictions (UMTS) 477
transceiver equipment, properties of 157 mobility types table
trunk types, creating 158 displaying (GSM) 405
waveguides 163 Modules tab 27
waveguides, creating 163 Monte-Carlo-based user distribution (CDMA) 689
workflow 1119 Monte-Carlo-based user distribution (TD-SCDMA) 829
Microwave Propagation Model Monte-Carlo-based user distribution (UMTS) 520
defining parameters 203, 205 MS Access, connecting to 95

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MUD, see "multi-user detection" allocating using Neighbours table (CDMA) 671
MUG table allocating using Neighbours table (GSM) 301
defining for EV-DO cells (CDMA) 610 allocating using Neighbours table (LTE) 1058
multi-band network, creating (LTE) 1015 allocating using Neighbours table (TD-SCDMA) 805
multi-band network, creating (WiMAX) 882 allocating using Neighbours table (UMTS) 500
multi-band transmitters allocating using Neighbours table (WiMAX) 926
modelling (GSM) 401 audit of allocation (CDMA) 672
multi-carrier network (CDMA) 609 audit of allocation (GSM) 304
multi-carrier network (TD-SCDMA) 732 audit of allocation (LTE) 1060
multi-carrier network (UMTS) 436 audit of allocation (TD-SCDMA) 807
multi-hop links 1134 audit of allocation (UMTS) 501
adding links to 1136 audit of allocation (WiMAX) 928
creating 1134 defining exceptional pairs of (LTE) 1052
deleting link 1136 defining exceptional pairs of (TD-SCDMA) 798
global properties 1135 defining exceptional pairs of (UMTS) 493
links, mapping to 1136 defining exceptional pairs of (WiMAX) 921
properties 1135 deleting on the map (CDMA) 672
reliability analysis 1154 deleting on the map (GSM) 302
multipoint link, see point-to-multipoint link deleting on the map (LTE) 1059
multi-service traffic data (GSM) 403 deleting on the map (TD-SCDMA) 806
multi-user detection factor deleting on the map (UMTS) 501
defining in site equipment (CDMA) 719 deleting on the map (WiMAX) 927
defining in site equipment (UMTS) 552 deleting per cell (CDMA) 670
defining in terminals (TD-SCDMA) 778 deleting per cell (LTE) 1058
defining in terminals (UMTS) 479 deleting per cell (TD-SCDMA) 804
mult-user environment 93 deleting per cell (UMTS) 499
deleting per cell (WiMAX) 926
N deleting per transmitter (GSM) 300
neighbours deleting using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (CDMA)
allocating automatically (CDMA) 664 670
allocating automatically (GSM) 295 deleting using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (LTE)
allocating automatically (LTE) 1053 1058
allocating automatically (TD-SCDMA) 798 deleting using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (TD-
allocating automatically (UMTS) 493 SCDMA) 804
allocating automatically (WiMAX) 921 deleting using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (UMTS)
499
allocating on the map (CDMA) 672
deleting using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (WiMAX)
allocating on the map (GSM) 302
926
allocating on the map (LTE) 1059
deleting using Intra-Technology Neighbours tab of Trans-
allocating on the map (TD-SCDMA) 806 mitter Properties (GSM) 300
allocating on the map (UMTS) 501 deleting using Neighbours table (CDMA) 671
allocating on the map (WiMAX) 927 deleting using Neighbours table (GSM) 301
allocating per cell (CDMA) 670 deleting using Neighbours table (LTE) 1058
allocating per cell (LTE) 1058 deleting using Neighbours table (TD-SCDMA) 805
allocating per cell (TD-SCDMA) 804 deleting using Neighbours table (UMTS) 500
allocating per cell (UMTS) 499 deleting using Neighbours table (WiMAX) 926
allocating per cell (WiMAX) 926 displaying (CDMA) 667
allocating per transmitter (GSM) 300 displaying (GSM) 298
allocating using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties displaying (LTE) 1055
(CDMA) 670
displaying (TD-SCDMA) 801
allocating using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (LTE)
displaying (UMTS) 497
1058
displaying (WiMAX) 923
allocating using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (TD-
SCDMA) 804 displaying coverage (CDMA) 669
allocating using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties displaying coverage (LTE) 1057
(UMTS) 499 displaying coverage (TD-SCDMA) 803
allocating using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties displaying coverage (UMTS) 498
(WiMAX) 926 displaying coverage (WiMAX) 925
allocating using Intra-Technology Neighbours tab of Trans- displaying coverage of (GSM) 300
mitter Properties (GSM) 300 exceptional pairs of, defining (CDMA) 664

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 Index

exceptional pairs of, defining (GSM) 295 assigning environment formulas 177
exporting (CDMA) 673 creating environment formula 178
exporting (GSM) 304 defining default environment formula 177
exporting (LTE) 1061 modifying environment formula 178
exporting (TD-SCDMA) 808 taking diffraction into account 177
exporting (UMTS) 502 optimisation
exporting (WiMAX) 929 creating new ACP process 566
importing (CDMA) 664 creating new co-planning ACP process 567
importing (GSM) 295 defining ACP optimisation 568
importing (LTE) 1052 deleting 588
importing (TD-SCDMA) 804 importing second technology 567
importing (UMTS) 493 properties, changing 588
importing (WiMAX) 920 running 588
possible (CDMA) 663 running ACP process 566
possible (GSM) 294 running saved ACP 586
possible (LTE) 1052 optimum beamformer modelling (TD-SCDMA) 856
possible (TD-SCDMA) 797 optimum beamformer modelling (WiMAX) 983
possible (UMTS) 492 Oracle, connecting to 95
possible (WiMAX) 920 overlapping zones coverage prediction (CDMA) 638
network capacity overlapping zones coverage prediction (GSM) 285
calculating (TD-SCDMA) 816 overlapping zones coverage prediction (LTE) 1027
dimensioning (TD-SCDMA) 818 overlapping zones coverage prediction (UMTS) 466
displaying network load on the map (TD-SCDMA) 819 overlapping zones coverage prediction (WiMAX) 895
displaying on the map (TD-SCDMA) 817, 818 OVSF codes
network, creating dual-band (CDMA) 619 calculation of consumption (TD-SCDMA) 830
network, creating dual-band (TD-SCDMA) 744 calculation of consumption (UMTS) 521
network, creating dual-band (UMTS) 448 default orthogonality factor (UMTS) 549
network, creating multi-band (LTE) 1015 maximum number of codes available for HS-PDSCH (TD-
network, creating multi-band (WiMAX) 882 SCDMA) 734
N-frequency mode (TD-SCDMA) maximum number of codes available for HS-PDSCH
carrier types 795 (UMTS) 438
definition 795 minimum number of codes available for HS-PDSCH (TD-
SCDMA) 734
setting up 795
minimum number of codes available for HS-PDSCH
noise rise threshold, defining for EV-DO cells (CDMA) 610
(UMTS) 438
non-symmetric neighbours, displaying (CDMA) 667
simulations (UMTS) 524
non-symmetric neighbours, displaying (GSM) 298
non-symmetric neighbours, displaying (LTE) 1055 P
non-symmetric neighbours, displaying (TD-SCDMA) 801 packet throughput per timeslot coverage prediction (GSM) 357
non-symmetric neighbours, displaying (UMTS) 497 Page Setup, see "printing"
non-symmetric neighbours, displaying (WiMAX) 923 Panoramic window 26, 39
passive microwave repeaters
O
creating 1132
objects
Path loss calculation 175, 176
changing transparency 35
Radial 175, 176
deleting 29
Systematic 175, 176
displaying 28
path loss matrices
displaying properties 30
adjusting using CW measurements 191
grouping 65
defining area to be adjusted with measurement data 190
grouping by a property 65
tuning using measurement data 190
grouping by several properties 66
path loss matrix
grouping, examples 67
calculation process (CDMA) 633
hiding 28
calculation process (GSM) 276
label 35
calculation process (LTE) 1023
tip text 36
calculation process (WiMAX) 891
visibility scale 35
checking validity (CDMA) 630
OFDM, definition (WiMAX) 867
checking validity (GSM) 273
Okumura-Hata model 177, 178
checking validity (LTE) 1020
Okumura-Hata propagation model 177, 178

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Atoll User Manual

checking validity (TD-SCDMA) 755 PN offsets

checking validity (UMTS) 459 audit of plan (CDMA) 677
checking validity (WiMAX) 888 automatically allocating (CDMA) 674
exporting 194 defining constraint costs (CDMA) 674
resolution (CDMA) 615 defining per cell (CDMA) 610, 611
resolution (GSM) 258, 403 displaying allocation (CDMA) 677
resolution (LTE) 1010 displaying on transmitter (CDMA) 678
resolution (TD-SCDMA) 738 domain, defining per cell (CDMA) 610, 611
resolution (UMTS) 442 exceptional pairs, defining (CDMA) 674
resolution (WiMAX) 878 grouping transmitters by (CDMA) 678
storing 188 histogram (CDMA) 678
storing (CDMA) 629 interference zone coverage prediction (CDMA) 679
storing (GSM) 272 manually allocating (CDMA) 676
storing (LTE) 1020 reuse distance, defining per cell (CDMA) 610, 611
storing (TD-SCDMA) 754 using Search Tool with (CDMA) 677
storing (UMTS) 458 PN offsets (CDMA) 673
storing (WiMAX) 887 point analysis
validity, checking 189 EV-DO (CDMA) 625
path lost matrix opening Point Analysis Tool window 195
calculation process (TD-SCDMA) 758 shadowing, calculating 197
calculation process (UMTS) 461 starting 195
pattern electrical tilt 143 Point Analysis window
P-CCPCH pollution coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 762 active set analysis of simulation (CDMA) 705
performance objectives active set analysis of simulation (UMTS) 538
microwave links 207 AS Analysis tab (CDMA) 662
performance objectives report AS Analysis tab (UMTS) 488
display (microwave) 1150 Interference tab (GSM) 352
permutation zone printing 64
creating (WiMAX) 975 Profile tab (CDMA) 625
permutation zone (WiMAX) 975 Profile tab (GSM) 268
physical cell IDs Profile tab (LTE) 1016
allocating manually (LTE) 1066 Profile tab (TD-SCDMA) 750
audit of plan (LTE) 1066 Profile tab (UMTS) 454
automatically allocating (LTE) 1065 Profile tab (WiMAX) 883
displaying allocation (LTE) 1067 Reception tab (CDMA) 639
displaying on transmitter (LTE) 1068 Reception tab (GSM) 286
grouping transmitters by (LTE) 1068 Reception tab (LTE) 1029
histogram (LTE) 1068 Reception tab (TD-SCDMA) 768
using Search Tool with (LTE) 1067 Reception tab (UMTS) 467
physical cell IDs (LTE) 1065 Reception tab (WiMAX) 897
pilot point-to-multipoint link
minimum RSCP threshold, defining (CDMA) 653 adding a link 1139
minimum RSCP threshold, defining (TD-SCDMA) 778 creating 1137
minimum RSCP threshold, defining (UMTS) 479 mapping links 1139
pilot channel, power control for EV-DO (CDMA) 689 properties 1138
pilot pollution coverage prediction (CDMA) 660 point-to-multipoint links 1137
pilot pollution coverage prediction (UMTS) 486 adding links 1139
pilot power antenna, adjusting 1140
reconfiguration with ACP 561, 575 antenna, adjusting with the mouse 1140
pilot reception analysis (Ec/I0) based on test mobile data path creating 1137
(CDMA) 712 deleting 1140
pilot reception analysis (Ec/I0) based on test mobile data path deleting a link from 1139
(UMTS) 545 global properties 1138
pilot signal quality coverage prediction (CDMA) 653 links, adding on the map 1139
pilot signal quality coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 779 links, mapping to 1139
pilot signal quality coverage prediction (UMTS) 480 properties 1138
Planet polygon
importing antennas 144 computation zone, using as (GSM) 277

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 Index

deleting polygon filter 45 displaying allocation (WiMAX) 935

drawing a polygon filter 41 displaying on transmitter (WiMAX) 936
focus zone, using as 43 grouping transmitters by (WiMAX) 936
focus zone, using as (CDMA) 640 histogram (WiMAX) 936
focus zone, using as (GSM) 287 using Search Tool with (WiMAX) 935
focus zone, using as (LTE) 1030 preamble indexes (WiMAX) 933
focus zone, using as (TD-SCDMA) 768 predictions
focus zone, using as (UMTS) 468 overview 198
focus zone, using as (WiMAX) 898 printing
using as computation zone 42 antenna patterns 64, 147
using as computation zone (CDMA) 633 antenna patterns (microwave) 152
using as computation zone (LTE) 1023 coverage prediction results (CDMA) 663
using as computation zone (TD-SCDMA) 758 coverage prediction results (GSM) 294
using as computation zone (UMTS) 461 coverage prediction results (LTE) 1051
using as computation zone (WiMAX) 891 coverage prediction results (TD-SCDMA) 795
using as filter 41, 80 coverage prediction results (UMTS) 492
population statistics coverage prediction results (WiMAX) 920
including in report (CDMA) 642 CW Measurement Analysis Tool 64
including in report (TD-SCDMA) 770 data tables and reports 60
including in report (UMTS) 470 defining print layout 62
integrable data (CDMA) 642 docking windows 64
integrable data (GSM) 289 Legend window 64
integrable data (TD-SCDMA) 770 map 61
integrable data (UMTS) 470 Microwave Link Analysis 64
report, including in (GSM) 289 Point Analysis window 64
possible neighbours, definition (CDMA) 663 print preview 64
possible neighbours, definition (GSM) 294 profile analysis (microwave) 1145
possible neighbours, definition (LTE) 1052 recommendations 61
possible neighbours, definition (TD-SCDMA) 797 Test Mobile Data Analysis Tool 64
possible neighbours, definition (UMTS) 492 printing zone
possible neighbours, definition (WiMAX) 920 drawing 61
power Fit to Map Window 62
maximum power in cells, defining (CDMA) 609 importing 62
maximum power transmitted by EV-DO cells, defining Use as Printing Zone 62
(CDMA) 610 Profile 175, 176
paging power in cells, defining (CDMA) 609 Radial extraction 175, 176
pilot power in cells, defining (CDMA) 609 Systematic extraction 175, 176
synchro power in cells, defining (CDMA) 609 profile analysis
power control simulation algorithm microwave 1143
EV-DO 691 options (microwave) 1144
power control simulation algorithm (CDMA) 690 printing (microwave) 1145
power control simulation algorithm (TD-SCDMA) 829 reflections, studying (microwave) 1148
power control simulation algorithm (UMTS) 520 space diversity, studying (microwave) 1149
power, defining Values tab (microwave) 1145
defining DwPTS power in cells (TD-SCDMA) 733 viewing (microwave) 1143
defining maximum power in cells (TD-SCDMA) 732 projection coordinate system 92
defining maximum power in cells (UMTS) 437 Lambert Conformal-Conic projection 92
defining other CCH power in cells (TD-SCDMA) 732 Universal Transverse Mercator projection 92
defining other CCH power in cells (UMTS) 437 propagation model
defining P-CCPCH power in cells (TD-SCDMA) 732 all transmitters, assigning to (GSM) 274
defining pilot power in cells (UMTS) 437 all transmitters, assigning to (LTE) 1021
defining SCH power in cells (UMTS) 437 all transmitters, assigning to (WiMAX) 889
defining UpPTS power (TD-SCDMA) 778 assigning a default model for predictions 187, 633
preamble index (WiMAX) 874 assigning to a transmitter 632
preamble indexes assigning to a transmitter (TD-SCDMA) 757
allocating manually (WiMAX) 934 assigning to a transmitter (UMTS) 461
audit of plan (WiMAX) 935 assigning to all transmitters 186, 631
automatically allocating (WiMAX) 934 assigning to all transmitters (TD-SCDMA) 756

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Atoll User Manual

assigning to all transmitters (UMTS) 460 R

assigning to group of transmitters 186, 632 R99 radio bearer
assigning to group of transmitters (TD-SCDMA) 757 defining (TD-SCDMA) 859
assigning to group of transmitters (UMTS) 460 defining (UMTS) 550
Cost-Hata 178 definition (TD-SCDMA) 820
Cost-Hata, diffraction 178 definition (UMTS) 511
default model for predictions, assigning (GSM) 276 Radial 175, 176
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) 181 radio configuration
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI), diffraction 181 definition (CDMA) 681
group of transmitters, assigning to (GSM) 275 radio resource management
group of transmitters, assigning to (LTE) 1022 calculation of channel element consumption (UMTS) 521
group of transmitters, assigning to (WiMAX) 890 calculation of OVSF code consumption (TD-SCDMA) 830
ITU 1546 183 calculation of OVSF code consumption (UMTS) 521
ITU 370-7 (Vienna 93) 179, 181 calculation of resource unit consumption (TD-SCDMA) 830
ITU 526-5 182 channel element consumption per site equipment-
ITU 529-3, diffraction 180 terminal, defining (CDMA) 720
Longley-Rice 183 channel elements on forward link, defining (CDMA) 607
microwave ITU-R P.452 model 205 channel elements on reverse link, defining (CDMA) 607
microwave propagation model 203 channel elements, simulations (CDMA) 692
Microwave Propagation Model, defining parameters 203, channel elements, simulations (UMTS) 524
205 default orthogonality factor (UMTS) 549
Okumura-Hata 177, 178 defining channel element consumption per site equipment-
Okumura-Hata, diffraction 177 R99 radio bearer (UMTS) 553
Sakagami extended 184 defining channel elements on downlink (UMTS) 434
signature 185 defining channel elements on uplink (UMTS) 434
Standard Propagation Model 171 maximum number of OVSF codes available for HS-
Standard Propagation Model, correction factor for hilly PDSCH (TD-SCDMA) 734
regions 176 maximum number of OVSF codes available for HS-
Standard Propagation Model, defining parameters 174 PDSCH (UMTS) 438
Standard Propagation Model, diffraction 172 minimum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH
Standard Propagation Model, recommendations 172 (TD-SCDMA) 734
transmitter, assigning to (GSM) 275 minimum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH
(UMTS) 438
transmitter, assigning to (LTE) 1022
orthogonality factor, default (CDMA) 717
transmitter, assigning to (WiMAX) 890
OVSF codes, simulations (UMTS) 524
WLL 182
uplink and downlink channel element consumption
propagation models
(CDMA) 719
ACP, natively supported 563
uplink and downlink channel element consumption
ACP, using precalculated path loss matrices with 578 (UMTS) 553
ACP, using precalculated pathlooss matrices with 563 Walsh codes, simulations (CDMA) 692
ACP, using with 562 radio reverse indicator channel gain (CDMA) 653
properties Radio toolbar 83
changing display 33 receiver
grouping objects by 65 defining height 554, 861
switching between property dialogues 30 defining height (CDMA) 720
pseudo noise offset, see "PN offset" 610, 611 receiver antenna diversity gain, defining (CDMA) 608
receiver antenna diversity gain, defining (LTE) 1005
Q
receiver antenna diversity gain, defining (TD-SCDMA) 730
QoS Class, defining (WiMAX) 905
receiver antenna diversity gain, defining (UMTS) 435
quality indicator coverage prediction (CDMA) 658
receiver antenna diversity gain, defining (WiMAX) 872
quality indicator coverage prediction (LTE) 1048
reception equipment
quality indicator coverage prediction (UMTS) 484
creating (CDMA) 720
quality indicator coverage prediction (WiMAX) 917
creating (TD-SCDMA) 861
quality indicators
creating (UMTS) 554
defining (LTE) 1104
modifying (CDMA) 720
defining (WiMAX) 977
modifying (TD-SCDMA) 861
quality objectives
modifying (UMTS) 554
microwave links, defining 208
reconfiguration
importing ACP parameters 576, 577, 579

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 Index

redo 80 repeater equipment

reflection creating (CDMA) 620
smoothing vertical antenna pattern 146 creating (GSM) 263
reflections creating (TD-SCDMA) 744
studying (microwave) 1148 creating (UMTS) 448
refresh 81 modifying (CDMA) 620
from the database 97 modifying (GSM) 263
Refresh Geo Data (GSM) 377 modifying (TD-SCDMA) 744
Refresh Geo Data (LTE) 1098 modifying (UMTS) 448
Refresh Geo Data (TD-SCDMA) 849 repeaters
Refresh Geo Data (UMTS) 544 passive repeater (microwave) 1132
Refresh Geo Data (WiMAX) 968 passive repeater, inserting (microwave) 1132
reliability analysis (microwave) 1149 passive repeater, properties of (microwave) 1133
remote antenna report, displaying a coverage prediction (CDMA) 641
copying into document (CDMA) 623 report, displaying a coverage prediction (GSM) 288
copying into document (GSM) 266 report, displaying a coverage prediction (LTE) 1030
copying into document (TD-SCDMA) 748 report, displaying a coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 769
copying into document (UMTS) 452 report, displaying a coverage prediction (UMTS) 469
defining properties (CDMA) 623 report, displaying a coverage prediction (WiMAX) 898
defining properties (TD-SCDMA) 748 reports
defining properties (UMTS) 452 printing 60
importing (CDMA) 623 required margins, calculating (microwave) 1150
importing (GSM) 266 resolution
importing (TD-SCDMA) 748 display (CDMA) 627
importing (UMTS) 452 display (GSM) 270
placing on the map (CDMA) 623 display (TD-SCDMA) 752
placing on the map (GSM) 266 display (UMTS) 456
placing on the map (TD-SCDMA) 747 path loss matrix (CDMA) 615
placing on the map (UMTS) 451 path loss matrix (GSM) 258, 403
properties, defining (GSM) 266 path loss matrix (LTE) 1010
renaming 29 path loss matrix (TD-SCDMA) 738
default object names 29 path loss matrix (UMTS) 442
repeater path loss matrix (WiMAX) 878
cascading (CDMA) 620 resource unit
cascading (GSM) 264 calculation of consumption (TD-SCDMA) 830
cascading (TD-SCDMA) 745 reverse link load factor, setting (CDMA) 647
cascading (UMTS) 449 reverse link radio bearer index, EV-DO 719
copying into document (CDMA) 620 reverse link radio bearer, EV-DO, defining 719
copying into document (GSM) 264 Rho factor, BTS 148
copying into document (TD-SCDMA) 745 row height
copying into document (UMTS) 449, 1133 changing 54
defining properties (CDMA) 621 RRI, see "radio reverse indicator channel gain"
defining properties (TD-SCDMA) 745 RSCP threshold (CDMA) 653
defining properties (UMTS) 449 RSCP threshold (TD-SCDMA) 778
definition (CDMA) 619 RSCP threshold (UMTS) 479
definition (GSM) 263 RSCP UpPCH coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 765
definition (TD-SCDMA) 744 RTT
definition (UMTS) 448 carrier type, defining globally (CDMA) 717
importing (CDMA) 620 data rates, available (CDMA) 717
importing (GSM) 264 handoff status coverage prediction (CDMA) 661
importing (TD-SCDMA) 745 power control based on, defining globally (CDMA) 717
importing (UMTS) 449, 1133 power control simulation algorithm (CDMA) 690
placing on the map (CDMA) 620 service parameters, RTT-specific (CDMA) 648, 649
placing on the map (GSM) 264 simulation results, cells (CDMA) 696
placing on the map (TD-SCDMA) 745 simulation results, mobiles (CDMA) 698
placing on the map (UMTS) 449 rulers
properties, defining (GSM) 264 displaying 40

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Atoll User Manual

S secondary antenna, assigning (WiMAX) 872

Sakagami extended propagation model 184 Sector-to-Sector Interference Tool
scale level, choosing 39 using to study interference (GSM) 364
SC-FDMA, definition (LTE) 1001 separation matrix, see "separation rules"
scheduler service
choosing the HSDPA scheduler algorithm 438 activating soft handover (UMTS) 477
choosing the HSDPA scheduler algorithm (TD-SCDMA) creating (CDMA) 648
734 creating (LTE) 1037
explanation of scheduling technique (TD-SCDMA) 831 creating (TD-SCDMA) 775
explanation of scheduling technique (UMTS) 521 creating (UMTS) 476
scrambling codes creating (WiMAX) 905
audit of plan (TD-SCDMA) 812 definition (CDMA) 680
audit of plan (UMTS) 507 definition (LTE) 1069
automatic allocation costs (TD-SCDMA) 811 definition (TD-SCDMA) 820
automatically allocating (TD-SCDMA) 810 definition (UMTS) 511
automatically allocating (UMTS) 505 definition (WiMAX) 937
creating domains and groups (TD-SCDMA) 809 displaying traffic distribution by (CDMA) 694
creating domains and groups (UMTS) 504 displaying traffic distribution by (LTE) 1085
defining available (TD-SCDMA) 809 displaying traffic distribution by (TD-SCDMA) 834
defining available (UMTS) 504 displaying traffic distribution by (UMTS) 526
defining constraint costs (TD-SCDMA) 810 displaying traffic distribution by (WiMAX) 954
defining constraint costs (UMTS) 504 HSDPA, enabling 476, 775
defining exceptional pairs (TD-SCDMA) 809 HSUPA, enabling 476, 775
defining exceptional pairs (UMTS) 504 modifying (CDMA) 648
defining format (TD-SCDMA) 808 modifying (LTE) 1037
defining format (UMTS) 503 modifying (TD-SCDMA) 775
displaying allocation (TD-SCDMA) 813 modifying (UMTS) 476
displaying allocation (UMTS) 507 modifying (WiMAX) 905
displaying on transmitter (TD-SCDMA) 813 parameters used in predictions (CDMA) 648
displaying on transmitter (UMTS) 508 parameters used in predictions (LTE) 1037
grouping transmitters by (TD-SCDMA) 813 parameters used in predictions (TD-SCDMA) 775
grouping transmitters by (UMTS) 508 parameters used in predictions (UMTS) 476
histogram (TD-SCDMA) 814 parameters used in predictions (WiMAX) 905
histogram (UMTS) 509 setting priority (TD-SCDMA) 776
interference zone coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 814 setting priority (UMTS) 477
interference zone coverage prediction (UMTS) 509 service area (C/I) coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 783
manually allocating (TD-SCDMA) 812 service area (Eb/Nt) coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 783
manually allocating (UMTS) 507 service area (Eb/Nt) downlink based on test mobile data path
using Search Tool with (TD-SCDMA) 813 (CDMA) 712
using Search Tool with (UMTS) 507 service area (Eb/Nt) downlink based on test mobile data path
scrambling codes (TD-SCDMA) 808 (UMTS) 545
scrambling codes (UMTS) 503 service area (Eb/Nt) downlink or uplink coverage prediction
(CDMA) 655
Search Tool
service area (Eb/Nt) downlink or uplink coverage prediction
using to display channel reuse (GSM) 368
(UMTS) 481
using to display frequencies (LTE) 1063
service area (Eb/Nt) MBMS coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA)
using to display frequencies (WiMAX) 931 787
using to display physical cell IDs (LTE) 1067 service area (Eb/Nt) MBMS coverage prediction (UMTS) 483
using to display PN offsets (CDMA) 677 service area (Eb/Nt) uplink based on test mobile data path
using to display preamble indexes (WiMAX) 935 (CDMA) 712
using to display scrambling codes (TD-SCDMA) 813 service area (Eb/Nt) uplink based on test mobile data path
using to display scrambling codes (UMTS) 507 (UMTS) 545
Search toolbar 84 services
searching for map objects 81 creating (GSM) 404
secondary antenna, assigning (CDMA) 609 definition (GSM) 305
secondary antenna, assigning (GSM) 249 modelling (GSM) 404
secondary antenna, assigning (LTE) 1006 modifying (GSM) 404
secondary antenna, assigning (TD-SCDMA) 732 services table
secondary antenna, assigning (UMTS) 436 displaying (GSM) 404

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 Index

shadowing 197, 203 estimating a traffic increase (WiMAX) 962

point analysis, calculating in 197 generator initialisation number (CDMA) 702, 704
shadowing (CDMA) 717, 721 generator initialisation number (TD-SCDMA) 841, 843
shadowing (GSM) 407 generator initialisation number (UMTS) 535, 537
shadowing (LTE) 1109 global scaling factor (CDMA) 704
shadowing (TD-SCDMA) 862 global scaling factor (LTE) 1092
shadowing (UMTS) 549, 557 global scaling factor (TD-SCDMA) 843
shadowing (WiMAX) 986 global scaling factor (UMTS) 537
shadowing margin global scaling factor (WiMAX) 962
ACP 562 maximum number of EV-DO channel elements per carrier
clutter class, displaying per (CDMA) 722 (CDMA) 696
clutter class, displaying per (GSM) 407 number of EV-DO channel elements (CDMA) 696
clutter class, displaying per (LTE) 1110 number of EV-DO channel elements due to SHO overhead
clutter class, displaying per (TD-SCDMA) 862 (CDMA) 696
clutter class, displaying per (UMTS) 558 power control algorithm (CDMA) 690
clutter class, displaying per (WiMAX) 986 power control algorithm (TD-SCDMA) 829
signal level coverage power control algorithm (UMTS) 520
single station (CDMA) 626 rejected users due to EV-DO resources saturation (CDMA)
697, 701, 702
single station (GSM) 269
replaying (CDMA) 703
single station (TD-SCDMA) 751
replaying (TD-SCDMA) 841, 842
single station (UMTS) 455
replaying (UMTS) 535, 536
signal level coverage prediction
results of single (CDMA) 695
single station (LTE) 1017
results of single (LTE) 1087
single station (WiMAX) 884
results of single (TD-SCDMA) 835
signal level coverage prediction (CDMA) 635
results of single (UMTS) 527
signal level coverage prediction (GSM) 278
results of single (WiMAX) 957
signal level coverage prediction (LTE) 1025
traffic increase, estimating (CDMA) 704
signal level coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 760, 764
traffic simulation algorithm (LTE) 1082
signal level coverage prediction (UMTS) 463
traffic simulation algorithm (WiMAX) 950
signal level coverage prediction (WiMAX) 893
updating cell values with results (CDMA) 702
simulation
updating cell values with results (TD-SCDMA) 841
active set per user, displaying (CDMA) 695
updating cell values with results (UMTS) 535
adding to a group (CDMA) 702, 703
using results for coverage predictions (LTE) 1093
adding to a group (TD-SCDMA) 841, 842
using results for coverage predictions (TD-SCDMA) 843
adding to a group (UMTS) 535, 536
using results for coverage predictions (UMTS) 538
average results of group (CDMA) 700
using results for coverage predictions (WiMAX) 963
average results of group (LTE) 1090
simulation results
average results of group (TD-SCDMA) 839
EV-DO cells (CDMA) 697
average results of group (UMTS) 532
EV-DO mobiles (CDMA) 699
average results of group (WiMAX) 960
EV-DO, cells average and standard deviation (CDMA) 701
cell load values, updating (LTE) 1092
RTT cells (CDMA) 696
cell load values, updating (WiMAX) 962
RTT mobiles (CDMA) 698
coverage predictions, using results for (CDMA) 705
RTT, average and standard deviation cells (CDMA) 701
creating (CDMA) 692
site
creating (LTE) 1083
creating (CDMA) 611
creating (TD-SCDMA) 831
creating (GSM) 254
creating (UMTS) 523
creating (LTE) 1008
creating (WiMAX) 952
creating (TD-SCDMA) 735
displaying active set per user (TD-SCDMA) 835
creating (UMTS) 439
displaying active set per user (UMTS) 526
creating (WiMAX) 875
displaying results with tooltips (LTE) 1087
definition (CDMA) 605
displaying results with tooltips (WiMAX) 957
definition (GSM) 246
duplicating (CDMA) 703, 704
definition (LTE) 1002
duplicating (TD-SCDMA) 841, 843
definition (TD-SCDMA) 728
duplicating (UMTS) 536, 537
definition (UMTS) 432
estimating a traffic increase (LTE) 1092
definition (WiMAX) 868
estimating a traffic increase (TD-SCDMA) 843
modifying (CDMA) 611
estimating a traffic increase (UMTS) 537

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Atoll User Manual

modifying (GSM) 254 SOFDMA, definition (LTE) 1001

modifying (LTE) 1008 SOFDMA, definition (WiMAX) 867
modifying (TD-SCDMA) 735 soft handoff
modifying (UMTS) 439 modelling on the uplink (CDMA) 717
modifying (WiMAX) 875 soft handover
moving on the map 31 activating per service (UMTS) 477
moving to a higher location 31 modelling on the downlink (UMTS) 533
parameters (CDMA) 606 modelling on the uplink (UMTS) 477, 533, 549
parameters (GSM) 247 sorting
parameters (LTE) 1003 sorting tables by one column 69
parameters (TD-SCDMA) 729 sorting tables by several columns 69
parameters (UMTS) 433 with subfolders 79
parameters (WiMAX) 869 space diversity
properties, accessing from the Explorer window 30 studying (microwave) 1149
properties, accessing from the map 30 spectrum analyser (microwave) 1158
site equipment SPM Parameters tab window 175, 176
creating (CDMA) 719 standalone carrier (TD-SCDMA) 795
creating (TD-SCDMA) 860 Standard Propagation Model 171, 175, 176
creating (UMTS) 552 calculating diffraction 172
defining channel element consumption per R99 radio correction factor for hilly regions 176
bearer(UMTS) 553 defining parameters 174
defining channel element consumption per terminal recommendations 172
(CDMA) 720 sample values for constants 173
defining Iub backhaul throughput 553 typical values for losses per clutter class 174
max EV-DO channel elements per carrier (CDMA) 607 Standard toolbar 83
site list 75 station
adding 76, 77 duplicating (CDMA) 617
adding site 76 station template
creating 76 creating (CDMA) 614
editing 77 creating (GSM) 258
filter, using as 77 creating (LTE) 1010
site parity, microwave link 1159 creating (MW) 1130
creating a report 1159 creating (TD-SCDMA) 738
displaying on the map 1159 creating (UMTS) 442
slave carrier (TD-SCDMA) 795 creating (WiMAX) 877
slow fading, see "shadowing" creating base station (CDMA) 612
smart antenna creating base station (LTE) 1009
assigning (WiMAX) 872 creating base station (TD-SCDMA) 736
creating (WiMAX) 983 creating base station (UMTS) 440
smart antennas creating base station (WiMAX) 876
adaptive beam modelling (TD-SCDMA) 857 creating base station from (GSM) 256
conventional beamformer modelling (TD-SCDMA) 856 deleting (CDMA) 617
conventional beamformer modelling (WiMAX) 983 deleting (GSM) 260
creating grid of beams (GOB) (TD-SCDMA) 855 deleting (LTE) 1013
equipment (TD-SCDMA) 857 deleting (TD-SCDMA) 742
grid of beams (GOB) import format (TD-SCDMA) 855 deleting (UMTS) 446
grid of beams (GOB) modelling (TD-SCDMA) 854 deleting (WiMAX) 880
importing grid of beams (GOB) (TD-SCDMA) 855 modifying (CDMA) 614
modelling (TD-SCDMA) 854 modifying (GSM) 258
optimum beamformer modelling (TD-SCDMA) 856 modifying (LTE) 1010
optimum beamformer modelling (WiMAX) 983 modifying (MW) 1130
statistical modelling (TD-SCDMA) 856 modifying (TD-SCDMA) 738
third-party modelling (TD-SCDMA) 857 modifying (UMTS) 442
snapshot, definition (CDMA) 680 modifying (WiMAX) 877
snapshot, definition (LTE) 1069 modifying a field (CDMA) 616
snapshot, definition (TD-SCDMA) 816 modifying a field (GSM) 260
snapshot, definition (UMTS) 511 modifying a field (LTE) 1012
snapshot, definition (WiMAX) 937 modifying a field (TD-SCDMA) 741

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 Index

modifying a field (UMTS) 445 creating (GSM) 405

modifying a field (WiMAX) 880 creating (LTE) 1038
multi-band, creating (GSM) 402 creating (TD-SCDMA) 778
statistical smart antenna model (TD-SCDMA) 856 creating (UMTS) 478
statistics, viewing coverage prediction (CDMA) 642 creating (WiMAX) 906
statistics, viewing coverage prediction (GSM) 289 defining EV-DO Rev. 0-specific options (CDMA) 653
statistics, viewing coverage prediction (LTE) 1032 defining EV-DO Rev. A-specific options (CDMA) 653
statistics, viewing coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 770 definition (CDMA) 681
statistics, viewing coverage prediction (UMTS) 470 definition (GSM) 305
statistics, viewing coverage prediction (WiMAX) 900 definition (LTE) 1069
study, see "coverage prediction" definition (TD-SCDMA) 820
subcell definition (UMTS) 511
definition (GSM) 250 definition (WiMAX) 937
modifying (GSM) 256 HSDPA, enabling 478, 778
parameters (GSM) 250 HSUPA, terminal 478, 778
subfolders modelling (GSM) 405
creating 79 modifying (CDMA) 652
subscriber database (LTE) 1078 modifying (GSM) 405
subscriber database (WiMAX) 946 modifying (LTE) 1038
subscriber list modifying (TD-SCDMA) 778
adding subscribers with the mouse (LTE) 1080 modifying (UMTS) 478
adding subscribers with the mouse (WiMAX) 949 modifying (WiMAX) 906
calculations (LTE) 1081 parameters used in predictions (CDMA) 651
calculations (WiMAX) 949 parameters used in predictions (LTE) 1038
creating (LTE) 1078 parameters used in predictions (TD-SCDMA) 777
creating (WiMAX) 946 parameters used in predictions (UMTS) 478
importing (LTE) 1081 parameters used in predictions (WiMAX) 906
importing (WiMAX) 949 terminals table
symmetric neighbours, displaying (CDMA) 667 displaying (GSM) 406
symmetric neighbours, displaying (GSM) 298 Test Mobile Data Analysis Tool
symmetric neighbours, displaying (LTE) 1055 printing 64
symmetric neighbours, displaying (TD-SCDMA) 801 test mobile data path
symmetric neighbours, displaying (UMTS) 497 analysing variations 546, 849
symmetric neighbours, displaying (WiMAX) 923 analysing variations (CDMA) 713
analysing variations (GSM) 380
T analysing variations (LTE) 1099
T_Drop, defining per cell (CDMA) 611 analysing variations (WiMAX) 969
table columns coverage by C/I, using for (GSM) 378
formatting 54 coverage by signal level, using for (GSM) 378
tables, see "data tables" coverage prediction, using in (GSM) 377
TD-SCDMA extracting a field for a transmitter (CDMA) 713
template 90 extracting a field for a transmitter (GSM) 379
template extracting a field for a transmitter (LTE) 1099
coverage prediction, using as 202 extracting a field for a transmitter (TD-SCDMA) 849
templates 90 extracting a field for a transmitter (UMTS) 545
CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO 90 extracting a field for a transmitter (WiMAX) 969
deleting (MW) 1131 filtering out points (CDMA) 710
field, adding (microwave) 1131 filtering out points (GSM) 376
field, deleting (microwave) 1131 filtering out points (LTE) 1097
field, modifying (microwave) 1131 filtering out points (TD-SCDMA) 847
GSM/GPRS/EGPRS 90 filtering out points (UMTS) 543
LTE 90 filtering out points (WiMAX) 967
microwave radio links 90 importing (CDMA) 706
TD-SCDMA 90 importing (GSM) 373
UMTS HSDPA HSUPA 90 importing (LTE) 1093
WiMAX 90 importing (TD-SCDMA) 844
terminal importing (UMTS) 539
creating (CDMA) 652 importing (WiMAX) 963

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Refresh Geo Data (GSM) 377 Standard 83

Refresh Geo Data (LTE) 1098 Vector Edition 84
Refresh Geo Data (TD-SCDMA) 849 tooltips
Refresh Geo Data (UMTS) 544 coverage prediction results, displaying (GSM) 286
Refresh Geo Data (WiMAX) 968 displaying coverage prediction results (CDMA) 639
using for pilot reception analysis (Ec/I0) (CDMA) 712 displaying coverage prediction results (LTE) 1029
using for pilot reception analysis (Ec/I0) (UMTS) 545 displaying coverage prediction results (TD-SCDMA) 767
using for service area (Eb/Nt) downlink (CDMA) 712 displaying coverage prediction results (UMTS) 467
using for service area (Eb/Nt) downlink (UMTS) 545 displaying coverage prediction results (WiMAX) 897
using for service area (Eb/Nt) uplink (CDMA) 712 displaying simulation results with (LTE) 1087
using for service area (Eb/Nt) uplink (UMTS) 545 displaying simulation results with (WiMAX) 957
using in coverage prediction (CDMA) 711 total losses, updating 148
using in coverage prediction (LTE) 1098 total noise on downlink, see "downlink total noise"
using in coverage prediction (UMTS) 544 total transmitted power on DL (CDMA) 611
using in coverage prediction (WiMAX) 968 traffic
Test Mobile Data window defining for ACP optimisation 573
exporting (CDMA) 715 traffic capture
exporting (GSM) 381 global scaling factor (GSM) 315
exporting (LTE) 1101 traffic increase, estimating a (GSM) 315
exporting (TD-SCDMA) 851 traffic channel coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 781
exporting (UMTS) 548 traffic distribution
exporting (WiMAX) 971 creating, see "simulation"
printing (CDMA) 715 displaying by activity status (LTE) 1084
printing (GSM) 381 displaying by activity status (WiMAX) 953
printing (LTE) 1101 displaying by connection status (CDMA) 694
printing (TD-SCDMA) 851 displaying by connection status (LTE) 1085
printing (UMTS) 548 displaying by connection status (TD-SCDMA) 834
printing (WiMAX) 971 displaying by connection status (UMTS) 525
third-party smart antenna modelling (TD-SCDMA) 857 displaying by connection status (WiMAX) 954
throughput displaying by handoff status (CDMA) 693
displaying traffic distribution by (LTE) 1086 displaying by handover status (TD-SCDMA) 833
displaying traffic distribution by (WiMAX) 955 displaying by handover status (UMTS) 525
for all subscribers of a list (LTE) 1110 displaying by number of used subchannels in uplink
for all subscribers of a list (WiMAX) 987 (WiMAX) 956
throughput coverage prediction (LTE) 1045 displaying by service (CDMA) 694
throughput coverage prediction (WiMAX) 914 displaying by service (LTE) 1085
tilt angle displaying by service (TD-SCDMA) 834
3-D antenna pattern 145 displaying by service (UMTS) 526
timeslot configurations displaying by service (WiMAX) 954
creating (GSM) 400 displaying by throughput (LTE) 1086
modifying (GSM) 400 displaying by throughput (WiMAX) 955
tip text 36 displaying by uplink transmission power (LTE) 1086
TMA displaying by uplink transmission power (WiMAX) 955
defining 147 traffic increase, estimating (CDMA) 704
TMA, assigning (LTE) 1005 traffic increase, estimating (GSM) 315
TMA, assigning (TD-SCDMA) 730 traffic increase, estimating (LTE) 1092
TMA, assigning (WiMAX) 871 traffic increase, estimating (TD-SCDMA) 843
TMS, assigning (CDMA) 608 traffic increase, estimating (UMTS) 537
TMS, assigning (GSM) 249 traffic increase, estimating (WiMAX) 962
TMS, assigning (UMTS) 435 traffic load, setting (LTE) 1041
tool tips, see "tip text" traffic load, setting (WiMAX) 909
toolbar traffic map
icons 82 based on environment of user profiles, creating (CDMA)
686
Map 83
Microwave Link 84 based on environment of user profiles, creating (GSM) 310
Radio 83 based on environment of user profiles, creating (LTE) 1074
Search 84 based on environment of user profiles, creating (TD-
SCDMA) 825

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 Index

based on environment of user profiles, creating (UMTS) per user density (GSM) 311
516 per user density (LTE) 1075
based on environment of user profiles, creating (WiMAX) per user density (TD-SCDMA) 826
942 per user density (UMTS) 517
based on environments of user profiles, importing (CDMA) per user density (WiMAX) 943
685
per user profile (GSM) 307
based on environments of user profiles, importing (GSM)
per user profile (UMTS) 513
310
statistics on traffic map based on environment of user
based on environments of user profiles, importing (UMTS)
profiles (CDMA) 686
516
statistics on traffic map based on environment of user
based on environments of user profiles, importing
profiles (GSM) 310
(WiMAX) 942
statistics on traffic map based on environment of user
cumulated traffic, exporting (GSM) 312
profiles (LTE) 1075
cumulated traffic, exporting (LTE) 1077
statistics on traffic map based on environment of user
cumulated traffic, exporting (WiMAX) 945 profiles (TD-SCDMA) 826
data sources (CDMA) 681 statistics on traffic map based on environment of user
data sources (GSM) 305 profiles (UMTS) 516
data sources (LTE) 1069 statistics on traffic map based on environment of user
data sources (TD-SCDMA) 821 profiles (WiMAX) 943
data sources (UMTS) 511 traffic map based on environment of user profiles
data sources (WiMAX) 937 creating (CDMA) 686
exporting cumulated traffic (CDMA) 688 creating (GSM) 310
exporting cumulated traffic (TD-SCDMA) 828 creating (LTE) 1074
exporting cumulated traffic (UMTS) 519 creating (TD-SCDMA) 825
importing traffic map based on densities of user profiles creating (UMTS) 516
(CDMA) 684 creating (WiMAX) 942
importing traffic map based on densities of user profiles statistics on (CDMA) 686
(GSM) 308 statistics on (GSM) 310
importing traffic map based on densities of user profiles statistics on (LTE) 1075
(LTE) 1072
statistics on (TD-SCDMA) 826
importing traffic map based on densities of user profiles
statistics on (UMTS) 516
(TD-SCDMA) 824
statistics on (WiMAX) 943
importing traffic map based on densities of user profiles
(UMTS) 514 traffic map based on environments of user profiles
importing traffic map based on densities of user profiles importing (CDMA) 685
(WiMAX) 941 importing (GSM) 310
importing traffic map per user density (CDMA) 686 importing (UMTS) 516
importing traffic map per user density (GSM) 311 importing (WiMAX) 942
importing traffic map per user density (LTE) 1075 traffic map per user density
importing traffic map per user density (TD-SCDMA) 826 creating (CDMA) 687
importing traffic map per user density (UMTS) 517 creating (GSM) 311
importing traffic map per user density (WIMAX) 943 creating (LTE) 1076
live data, creating from (CDMA) 681 creating (TD-SCDMA) 827
live data, creating from (GSM) 306 creating (UMTS) 518
live data, creating from (LTE) 1070 creating (WiMAX) 944
live data, creating from (TD-SCDMA) 821 traffic maps
live data, creating from (UMTS) 512 ACP, using with 562
live data, creating from (WiMAX) 938 converting 2G (CDMA) 688
marketing-based (CDMA) 682 converting 2G (GSM) 312
marketing-based (LTE) 1071 converting 2G (LTE) 1076
marketing-based (TD-SCDMA) 822 converting 2G (TD-SCDMA) 828
marketing-based (WiMAX) 939 converting 2G (UMTS) 518
per sector (CDMA) 681 converting 2G (WiMAX) 945
per sector (GSM) 306 traffic quality studies, see "quality studies"
per sector (LTE) 1070 traffic simulation algorithm (LTE) 1082
per sector (TD-SCDMA) 821 traffic simulation algorithm (WiMAX) 950
per sector (UMTS) 512 transceiver equipment
per sector (WiMAX) 938 properties of (microwave) 157
per user density (CDMA) 686 transmitter
calculating network capacity (TD-SCDMA) 816

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coverage prediction by transmitter (CDMA) 636 PN offsets, grouping by (CDMA) 678

coverage prediction by transmitter (GSM) 280, 281, 282, setting as active (CDMA) 634
283, 284 setting as active (GSM) 277
coverage prediction by transmitter (LTE) 1026 setting as active (LTE) 1024
coverage prediction by transmitter (TD-SCDMA) 761 setting as active (TD-SCDMA) 758
coverage prediction by transmitter (UMTS) 464 setting as active (UMTS) 462
coverage prediction by transmitter (WiMAX) 894 setting as active (WiMAX) 891
creating (CDMA) 611 transmitter list 75
creating (GSM) 255 adding 76, 77
creating (LTE) 1008 adding transmitter 76
creating (TD-SCDMA) 736 creating 76
creating (UMTS) 439 editing 77
creating (WiMAX) 875 editing filter 77
definition (CDMA) 605, 607 transmitters
definition (GSM) 246, 247 automatic display type 34
definition (LTE) 1002 transparency, changing 35
definition (TD-SCDMA) 728, 729 trunk types, microwave
definition (UMTS) 432, 434 creating 158
definition (WiMAX) 868 TRX
displaying frequencies (LTE) 1064 creating (GSM) 256
displaying frequencies (WiMAX) 932 modifying (GSM) 256
displaying physical cell IDs (LTE) 1068 TRX equipment
displaying preamble indexes (WiMAX) 936 creating (GSM) 394
displaying scrambling codes (TD-SCDMA) 813 importing (GSM) 394
displaying scrambling codes (UMTS) 508 TRX equipment (GSM) 393
extracting a field from a test mobile data path (CDMA) 713 TRX types (GSM) 390
extracting a field from a test mobile data path (GSM) 379
extracting a field from a test mobile data path (LTE) 1099 U
extracting a field from a test mobile data path (TD-SCDMA) UL load factor (CDMA) 611
849 UMTS HSDPA HSUPA
extracting a field from a test mobile data path (UMTS) 545 template 90
extracting a field from a test mobile data path (WiMAX) 969 undo 80
frequency allocation, displaying (GSM) 369 Universal Transverse Mercator projection 92
global parameters (CDMA) 717 uplink load factor, setting (TD-SCDMA) 775
global parameters (LTE) 1102 uplink load factor, setting (UMTS) 475
global parameters (TD-SCDMA) 852 uplink noise rise, setting (LTE) 1041
global parameters (UMTS) 549 uplink noise rise, setting (WiMAX) 909
global parameters (WiMAX) 972 uplink power control
global properties, modifying (CDMA) 717 displaying traffic distribution by (LTE) 1086
grouping by frequencies (GSM) 369 displaying traffic distribution by (WiMAX) 955
grouping by frequencies (LTE) 1064 uplink subchannelisation
grouping by frequencies (WiMAX) 932 displaying traffic distribution by (WiMAX) 956
grouping by physical cell IDs (LTE) 1068 uplink traffic channel coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 781
grouping by preamble indexes (WiMAX) 936 UpPCH interference coverage prediction (TD-SCDMA) 790
grouping by scrambling codes (TD-SCDMA) 813 user configuration 74
grouping by scrambling codes (UMTS) 508 ACP 565
modifying (CDMA) 611 coverage prediction, exporting 203
modifying (GSM) 255 creating 75
modifying (LTE) 1008 exporting 75
modifying (TD-SCDMA) 736 importing 75
modifying (UMTS) 439 user densities
modifying (WiMAX) 875 using instead of user profiles (LTE) 1111
modifying global parameters (TD-SCDMA) 854 using instead of user profiles (WiMAX) 988
modifying global properties (LTE) 1103 user distribution (CDMA) 689
modifying global properties (UMTS) 550 user distribution (TD-SCDMA) 829
modifying global properties (WiMAX) 974 user distribution (UMTS) 520
network capacity dimensioning (TD-SCDMA) 818 user equipment category, HSDPA 479, 778
PN offsets, displaying (CDMA) 678 user equipment category, HSDPA, editing 555, 862

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 Index

user equipment category, HSUPA, editing 556 creating 163

user profile waveguides, microwave 163
creating (CDMA) 683 WiMAX 867
creating (GSM) 307 cyclic prefix ratio 972
creating (LTE) 1071 frame duration 972
creating (TD-SCDMA) 822 glossary 995
creating (UMTS) 513 template 90
creating (WiMAX) 939 WiMAX radio bearer
modifying (CDMA) 683 defining 977
modifying (GSM) 307 definition 937
modifying (LTE) 1071 WiMAX schedulers
modifying (TD-SCDMA) 822 defining 982
modifying (UMTS) 513 scheduling methods 980
modifying (WiMAX) 939 WiMAX, definition 867
user profiles windows
user densities, replacing with (LTE) 1111 cascading 26
user densities, replacing with (WiMAX) 988 docking 26
floating 26
V wireless local loop propagation model 182
Vector Edition toolbar 84 WLL (Wireless Local Loop) propagation model 182
Vienna 93 model 179, 181
visibility scale 35 X
XML
W exporting data tables to 60
Walsh codes importing data tables from 60
orthogonality factor, default (CDMA) 717
simulations (CDMA) 692 Z
waveguides zooming
creating (microwave) 163 choosing a scale 39
waveguides and cables, microwave in on a specific area 39

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1188 Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this document is prohibited © Forsk 2009

 Atoll User Manual

© Forsk AT280_UM_E0 1189

 User Manual

~
version 2.8.0
~
~ AT280_UM_E0

February 2009

~
~

~
~ Head Office
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Tel: +33 562 747 210
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