Cell Planning Aspects

What is the area of coverage needed ? How many sites are required for this area ? ( cell radius of 1 Km. Means an approximate coverage area of 3 sq. Kms. ) Do we need so many sites ? Can some site be bigger ? Decide number of sites based on capacity and coverage requirements. Divide city into clutter types such as . >Urban >Suburban >Quasi Open >Open >Water. Identify search areas covering all clutter types. Customer selects a few sample sites.

RADIO PLANNING METHODOLOGY

O verall p icture It is im p ortant to crea te an ove rall picture of the ne tw ork be fore going into the deta iled ne tw ork p la nning. This is the fa ct the m ain ob jective of this presentation. C overag e C ap acity and Q uality Provid ing coverag e is usually conside red as the m ost im p orta nt a ctivity of a ne w cellula r op era tor. For a w hile , every netw ork is indeed coverage driven. How ever the coverag e is not the only thing. It provides the m eans of service a nd should m eet certa in q uality m e asure s. The starting p oint is a set of covera ge q ua lity req uirem e nts. To guarantee a g ood quality in b oth uplink a nd dow nlink direction, the p ow er levels of BTS and M S should be ba la nce d at the ed ge of the ce ll. M a in outp ut re sults of the pow er link b udge t a re: - M axim um pa th loss that ca n b e tolerated b etw een M S and the BTS. - M axim um outp ut p ow er level of the BTS tra nsm itter.

Introduction to RF Planning
A simple Planning Process Description
Business plan. No of Subs. Traffic per Subs. Subs distribution Grade of service. Available spectrum. Frequency Reuse. Types of coverage RF Parameters Field strength studies Available sites Site survey Capacity Studies Plan verification Quality check Update documents Coverage &C/I study Search areas Implement Plan

Monitor Network

Optimize Network

Customer Acquires sites

Capacity Studies Coverage plan & Interference studies Frequency plans and interference Studies Antenna Systems BSS parameter planning Data base & documentation of approved sites Expansion Plans.

Introduction to RF Planning
Data Acquisition OMC Statistics A Interface Drive Test Implemented Planning Data Data Evaluation Implemented Recommendation

Recommendations : Change frequency plan Change antenna orientation/Down tilt Change BSS Parameters Dimension BSS Equipment Add new cells for coverage Interference reduction Blocking reduction Augment E1 links from MSC to PSTN

Cell Planning Aspects

At the end of it all, a good cell plan should have the following characteristics : Coverage as required as predicted. Co Channel and Adjacent Channel interference levels as predicted. Minimum antenna adjustments during the optimization process. Minimum changes to the BSS parameters/database during the optimization phase. Should be well phased, requiring optimization only for short periods in the initial commissioning phase and during Facilitate easy expansion of the network with minimal changes in the system.

The Basic Cell Planning Process

The basic approach to cell planning is to provide good coverage and capacity. Initially, both are not known !! Hence the planning is based on the projections given by the customer. The customer based on market surveys and the company plans, may specify : Number of sites he want in the city OR Number of subscribers expected in a city. Base on the inputs from the customer, the initial planning process begins. From these we can determine either the capacity that is possible for a given number of sites OR minimum number of sites needed to provide service to a given number of subscribers. The site density required for a specific capacity should also pass the coverage criteria. This aspect will be covered later in the course.

A typical Power Budget

RF Link Budget
Transmitting End Tx Rf power output Body Loss Combiner Loss Feeder Loss(@2 Db/100 M) Connector loss Tx antenna gain EIRP

UL
MS 33 dBm -3 dB 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB 30 dBm

DL
BTS 43 dBm 0 dB 0 Db - 1.5 dB - 2 Db 17.5 dB 57 dBm

RF Link Budget
Receiving End Rx sensitivity Rx antenna gain Diversity gain Connector Loss Feeder loss

A typical Power Budget

UL
MS -107 dBm 17.5 dBm 3 Db - 2 dB - 1.5 dB 3 dB 0 dB 0 dB -121 dBm 4 dB -117 dBm 147 Db

DL
BTS -102 dBm 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB 3 Db -3 dB 0 dB -96 dBm 4 Db -92 dBm 149 dB

Interference degradation margin Body loss Duplexer loss Rx Power Fade margin Reqd Isotropic Rx. Power Maximum Permis. Path los

Summary
A good RF Planning ensures that the mobiles receive certain minimum signal strength for specified percentage of time over a specified area of coverage. The MS receive signal strength depends on the path loss depends on the path loss between the MS and the BTS. The path loss in a mobile environment includes : > Free space path loss >Additional Loss due to Topography of the site ( clutter Factor ) >Confidence level required. (Probability of area coverage ) In general RF Planning means the understanding of : > Propagation Models > Coverage aspects > Link Budgets ( Power Budgets) > Antenna considerations > Frequency planning and reuse aspects.

Urban Propagation Environment

This is the most common and yet unpredictable propagation environment for a mobile system. Building Penetration: Building are responsible for the reflection and shadowing of signals. Trees and foliages also contribute to shadowing as well as scattering of radio signals. Attenuation of signals by building is measured by taking the difference between the median signal level in front of the building and inside the bu9ilding. Obviously, the building attenuation depends on the type of construction and the material used as well as how big or small it is. Typically the attenuation values may cause the signal levels to vary by 40 to +80 Db The negative value implies that the signal is attenuated and the positive values implies that the increase in the signal level. Windows and Doors in general give a good penetration of RF signals. Another important factor is the angle of arrival of RF signals in to the building. Generally, a building facing the BTS site has better penetration than the one that is side facing and without windows. The furniture used in the building also contributes to attenuation. Typically a furnished building gives a loss of 2-3 dB more than an empty one.

Propagation Environment
Some Typical values for Building Attenuation
Type of building Farms, Wooden houses, Sport halls Small offices,Parking lots,Independent houses,Small apartment blocks Row Houses, offices in containers, Offices, Apartment blocks Offices with large areas Medium factories, workshops without roof tops windows Halls of metal, without windows Shopping malls, ware houses, buildings with metals/glass Attenuation in dBs 0-3 4-7 8-11 12-15 16-19 20-23 24-27

Propagation Models
Classical Propagation models : Log Distance propagation model Longley Rice Model (Irregular terrain model ) Okumara Hata Cost 231 Hata (Similar to Hata, for 1500-2000 MHz band Walfisch Ikegami Cost 231 Walfisch-Xia JTC XLOS (Motorola proprietary Model ) Bullington Du path Loss Model Diffracting screens model

Propagation Models Important Propagation models : Okumara Hata model (urban / suburban areas )( GSM 900 band ) Cost 231 Hata model (GSM 1800 band ) Walfisch Ikegami Model (Dense Urban / Microcell areas ) XLOS (Motorola proprietary Model )

Okumara Hata Models

In the early 1960 , a Japanese scientist by name Okumara conducted extensive propagation tests for mobile systems at different frequencies. The test were conducted at 200, 453, 922, 1310, 1430 and 1920 Mhz. The test were also conducted for different BTS and mobile antenna heights, at each frequency, over varying distances between the BTS and the mobile. The Okumara tests were valid for : 150-2000 Mhz. 1-100 Kms. BTS heights of 30-200 m. MS antenna height, typically 1.5 m. (1-10 m.) The results of Okumara tests were graphically represented and were not easy for computer based analysis. Hata took Okumaras data and derived a set of empirical equations to calculate the path loss in various environments. He also suggested correction factors to be used in Quasi open and suburban areas.

Hata Urban Propagation Model

The general path loss equation is given as :Lp = Q1+Q2Log(f) 13.82 Log(Hbts) - a(Hm)+{44.9-6.55 Log(Hbts)}Log(d)+Q0 Lp = L0 +10r Log (d) path loss in dB
F = frequency in Mhz. D = distance between BTS and the mobile (1-20 Kms.) Hbts = Base station height in metres ( 30 to 100 m ) A(hm)={ 1.1log(f) - 0.7 } hm - {1.56log(f) - 0.8} for Urban areas and 2 = 3.2{log(11.75 hm) - 4.97 for dense urban areas. Hm= mobile antenna height (1-10 m)

Q1 = 69.55 for frequencies from 150 to 1000 MHz. = 46.3 for frequencies from 1500 to 2000 MHz. Q2 = 26.16 for frequencies from 150 to 1000 MHz. = 33.9 for frequencies from 1500 to 2000 MHz. Q0 = 0 dB for Urban = 3 dB for Dense Urban

Path Loss & Attenuation Slope

The path loss equation can be rewritten as : Lp = L0 + { 44.9 6.55 + 26.16 log (f) 13.83 log (hBTS)-a(Hm) Where L0 is = [69.55 + 26.16 log (f) 13.82 log ( HBTS ) A (Hm) Or more conveniently Lp = L0 + 10 log(d) is the SLOPE and is = {44.9 6.55 log(hBTS)}/10 Variation of base station height can be plotted as shown in the diagram. We can say that Lp 10 log(d) typically varies from 3.5 to 4 for urban environment. When the environment is different, then we have to choose models fitting the environment and calculate the path loss slope. This will be discussed subsequently.

Non line of Sight Propagation

Here we assume that the BTS antenna is above roof level for any building within the cell and that there is no line of sight between the BTS and the mobile We define the following parameters with reference to the diagram shown in the next slide: W the distance between street mobile and building Hm mobile antenna height hB BTS antenna height Hr height of roof hB difference between BTS height and roof top. Hm difference between mobile height and the roof top.

Non line of Sight Propagation

The total path loss is given by: Lp = LFS+LRFT+LMDB LFS= Free space loss = 32.44+20 log(f) + 20 log(d) Where, LFS = Free space loss. LRFT = Rooptop diffraction loss. LMDB = Multiple diffraction due to surrounding buildings. LRFT = -16.9 10 log(w) +10log(f) +20log(^Hm)+L(0) Where hm=hr-hm L( ) = Losses due to elevation angle. L( ) = -10 + 0.357 ( -00) for 0< <35 2.5 +0.075 ( -35) for 35< <55 4.0 +0.114 ( -55) for 55< <90

Non line of Sight Propagation

The losses due to multiple diffraction and scattering components due to building are given by : LMBD = k0 + ka +kd.log(d) +kf.log(f) 9.log(w) Where K0 = - 18 log (1+ hB) Ka = 54 0.8 ( hB) Kd = 18 15 ( hB/hr) Kf = - 4 +0.7 {f/925) 1 } for suburban areas Kf = - 4 +1.5 {f/925) 1 } for urban areas W= street width hB= hB hr For simplified calculation we can assume ka = 54 and kd = 18

Choice of Propagation Model

Environment Type
Dense Urban Street Canyon propagation Non LOS Conditions, Micro cells Macro cells,antenna above rooftop Urban Urban Areas Mix of Buildings of varying heights, vegetation, and open areas. Sub urban Business and residential,open areas. Rural Large open areas,fields,difficult terrain with obstacles.

Model

Walfish Ikegami,LOS COST231 Okumara-Hata Walch-ikegami Okumara-Hata

Okumara Hata Okumara-Hata

Calculation of Mobile Sensitivity.

The Noise level at the Receiver side as follows: NR = KTB Where, K is the Boltzmanns constant = 1.38x10-20 (mW/Hz/0Kelvin) T is the receiver noise temperature in 0Kelvin B is the receiver bandwidth in Hz.

Signal Variations
Fade margin becomes necessary to account for the unpredictable changes in RF signal levels at the receiver. The mobile receive signal contains 2 components : A fast fading signal (short term fading ) A slow fading signal (long term fading )

Probability Density Function

The study of radio signals involve actual measurement of signal levels at various points and applying statistical methods to the available data. A typical multipath signal is obtained by plotting the RSS for a number of samples. We divide the vertical scale in to 1 dB bin and count number of samples is plotted against RF level . This is how the probability density function for the receive signal is obtained. However, instead of such elaborate plotting we can use a statistical expression for the PDF of the RF signal given by : P(y) = [1/2 ] e [ - ( - y m )2 / 2 ( )2 Where y is the random variable (the measured RSS in this case ), m is the mean value of the samples considered and y is the STANDARD DEVIATION of the measured signal with reference to the mean . The PDF obtained from the above is called a NORMAL curve or a Gaussian Distribution. It is always symmetrical with reference to the mean level.

Probability Density Function

Plotting the PDF :
Plotting the PDF
0 -20 RSS -40 -60 -80 -100 SAMPLES RSS

A PLOT OF RSS FOR A NUMBER OF SAMPLES

Probability Density Function

Plotting the PDF :
Plotting the PDF
ni/N

P(x) = ni/N Ni = number of RSS within 1 dB bin for a given level.

P(x)

Bin Numbers

NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

Probability Density Function

A PDF of random variable is given by : P(y) = [ ] e [ - (y-m)2 / 2( )2 ] Where, y is the variable, m is the mean value and is the Standard Deviation of the variable with reference to its mean value. The normal distribution (also called the Gaussian Distribution ) is symmetrical about the mean value. A typical Gaussian PDF :

Probability Density Function

The normal Distribution depends on the value of Standard Deviation We get a different curve for each value of The total area under the curve is UNITY

Confidence Intervals
The normal of the Gaussian distribution helps us to estimate the accuracy with which we can say that a measured value of the random variable would be within certain specified limits. The total area under the Normal curve is treated as unity. Then for any value of the measured value of the variable, its probability can be expressed as a percentage. In general, if m is mean value of the random variable within normal distribution and is the Standard Deviation, then, The probability of occurrence of the sample within m and any value of x of the variable is given by : P= By setting (x-m)/ = z, we get, P=