UMTS Capacity Planning

The number of installed transceivers limits the mobile network theoretical capacity. In cdma
systems interference, accepted and planned quality and grade of service will determine the
system capacity. Cdma systems also have soft capacity, which complicates the network area
capacity estimations. The link budget is used to calculate the maximum allowed path loss and the
maximum range for cell. The link budget includes the interference margin, which is the increased
noise level caused by greater load in a cell. So by increasing the cell load, cell coverage area
becomes smaller. That's how cell coverage and capacity dimensioning are interlinked.

System capacity planning is divided to two parts:

The first thing is to estimate a single transceiver and site capacity. Calculations how the noise
raises as the cell load increases is out of the scope of this page, but in-cell noise, Eb/No
requirements, planned data rates, coverage probability, air resources usage activity factor, target
interference margin and processing gains are needed to approximate the transceiver and site
capacity. Depending on the parameter values, planned transceiver capacity is typically from 400
kbits/s to 700 kbits/s per transceiver.

The second part of the process is to estimate how many mobile users each cell can serve. Once
the cell capacity and subscriber traffic profiles are known, network area base station
requirements can be calculated. Estimations can be done in Erlangs per subscriber or kilobits per
subscriber. Network vendor normally has simulation tools to test system parameters and verify
rough estimations. A lot of data is required for comprehensive network dimensioning; number of
subscribers and growth estimations, traffic / user / busy hour / geographic segment and required
throughput including service mixes in geographic segments for example.

Each type of traffic has to be estimated for capacity calculations.

Here is a rough downlink capacity calculation example:

During a busy hour an average user downloads 10 Mbits with 384 kbits/s, 2 Mbits with 144
kbits/s and makes one 60-second voice call. Data has to be retransmitted 1.1 times because of
network conditions.
 Used kbits/s per user per busy hour downlink only are:
Service Rate Average Rate
(10000 kbits / 3600 sec) x 1.1*) 3.06 kbits/s
(2000 kbits / 3600 sec) x 1.1*) 0.61 kbits/s
(60sec x 12.2 kbits/s) / 3600 sec 0.20 kbits/s
Total 3.87 kbits/s / user / busy hour

If a cell capacity is estimated to be 500 kbits/s, each cell can be dimensioned for about 129 users.

This example was simplified, but please remember when you see capacity estimations with
various traffic mixes, that those are just estimations. Notice how sensitive the capacity is to
variations of download amount, retransmit rate and estimated cell capacity values. Before
UMTS networks are on air and customers start to use high speed services, network capacity
calculations are anybody's guess!

Even when the capacity calculations are done in a very beginning, normally the mobile networks
are initially planned to meet the coverage objectives. Capacity sites and transceiver upgrades are
installed later, once the real traffic load is known. In the early 1990s most of capacity
requirements of new 2G networks were initially over-estimated, partly because operators needed
to present (over-) optimistic business plans to secure the funding and partly because nobody
knew how much people would use their phone on certain price levels. Generally busy hour
Erlangs per subscribers were not what was originally anticipated, and this tendency is likely to
continue in 3G.

Common Design Guidelines

After calculating the coverage and capacity requirements in each geographical area, the greater
one of those two values has to be chosen. Ideally requirements match in each geographical area,
but normally that does not happen. To optimise the used resources some readjustments should be
made.

If a geographical area is coverage limited, the load on each sector can be reduced until coverage
and capacity requirements match. Reducing the load will cut the link budget interference margin
and increase Node B count. If area is capacity limited, transmitter diversity can be added or
amount of transceivers can be increased.

Operators are normally forced to co-locate their 3G base stations with existing sites or select new
site locations only on buildings known to be owned by friendly site owners. This limits the cell
planning options and may sacrifice the network quality, but it helps to build networks faster.
Forced co-location should be taken in to account in initial capacity and coverage planning. All
variation to standard configuration may need pilot power, handover, antenna, cable and base
station power level modifications.

Some network areas need special attention. Very dense urban area (CBD), open spaces, in-
building areas, water surroundings, hot spots and other special coverage areas need well planned
approach. Out-of-Cell Interference versus soft-handover cell overlap has also to be considered.
Hierarchical systems work with multi-frequency networks, but not with single-frequency
systems (like cdma). If multi-layered is planned, separate frequencies are needed for different
layers.

There is no need for plan channelisation codes as those are managed by the RNC. Unlike the
channelisation codes, the scrambling codes need to be planned. The number of scrambling codes
is so great that the planning is a quite trivial task.

The uplink scrambling code for each user is allocated by the RNC. Every RNC has a pool of
codes that are unique to it. Allocation of uplink scrambling codes to RNCs is a simple task, due
to the huge number of available codes.

Downlink scrambling codes planning is an important issue in the border areas between countries.
There is a minimum separation that should be used between cells using the same scrambling
code, but in practice the maximum separation will be planned.

Codes Scrambling codes Channelisation codes

Uplink Different users Channels from the same user
Downlink Different Node B's Different users

RAN Planning

Planning the UMTS RAN and core network side is basically selecting the desired network
layout, future expansion approach, calculating the required hardware, deciding software features
and dimensioning all interfaces.

Radio Access Network has several interfaces, which need to be configured and dimensioned.
This dimensioning is out of the scope of this page, but these are the RAN interfaces that need to
be configured:

 Iu: Interface between the RNC and the Core Network (MSC or SGSN).
      - Iucs: Iu circuit switched (voice from/to MSC)
      - Iups: Iu packet switched (data from/to SGSN)
 Iub: Interface between the RNC and the Node B.
 Iur: Interface between two RNCs.
Node B amount is derived form air interface capacity and coverage calculations, but Node Bs
also have to be configured. Hardware configuration is vendor specific, but here is a general list
of things that need to be considered when configuring Node Bs:

 Call mix of expected traffic

 Type of Node Bs (outdoor vs. indoor)
 Amount of low capacity Node Bs
 Required redundancies (e.g. 2N, N+1)
 Required diversities
 Number of carriers per sector
 Number of sectors per Node B
 Number of users
 Voice and data traffic to be carried
 Node B software features
 Required Node B optional features
 Requirements for special antenna systems
 Requirements for power and transmission systems

The RNC planning is done after the air interface dimensioning and network interfaces planning.
After those are prepared, the bandwidth of each RNC link is known. RNC dimensioning is to
calculate the number RNCs and configuration of RNCs needed to support the radio access
network requirements. Any network side equipment will have the trade-offs in configuration
selection. Network can be designed for maximising the ease of future expansion or for
minimising the total cost. Usually RNC locations are fixed based on network operator's main site
locations and transmission costs will determine the most cost effective RNC configurations.
RNC Hardware configuration is also vendor specific, but here is a general list of things that need
to be considered when dimensioning RNCs:

 RNC capacity and configuration options

 Total CS traffic (Erlangs)
 Total PS traffic (Mbps)
 Total traffic and signalling load
 Total number of Node Bs
 Total number of cells
 Total number of carriers
 Used channel configurations
 RNC software features
 Required RNC optional features
 Type of transmission interfaces
 Expansion possibilities

Link Budget and Coverage

The WCDMA link budget calculations start from the uplink (reverse link) direction. Uplink
interference (noise from other mobiles) is usually the limiting factor in cdma systems.

The starting point of a link budget calculation is to define the required data rate(s) in each
network areas and Eb/No (Energy per Bit to Noise power density ratio) targets. Usually the
operator predefines these, but simulation tools can be used to tailor the Eb/No. Simulation can be
done by creating a uniform base station and a mobile distribution plan with defined service
profiles. Almost every UMTS vendor has a simulation tool for operators to test their network
plan models.

The next step is to gather vendor specific data like a BTS output power and a receiver noise
figure, defined and used cable systems (thicker the cable, more expensive it is to install), used
antenna types, usage of intelligent antenna systems in specific areas, possible additional line
amplifiers, used diversities (like antenna, polarisation, receiver) etc.

For each geographical areas network operator has to define Eb/No, data services, a system
loading factor, estimated mobile speeds, different penetration losses, coverage reliability and a
used fade margin. Soft handover area sizes will be addressed later.

Mobile power levels, the chip rate and the process gains are defined by the UMTS standards.
Soft handover gain and the thermal noise density are the same in every UMTS system. Both
parties also have to agree on propagation models after drive tests.

The link budget gives a cell range and from that cell coverage area can be calculated. Cell
coverage overlap parameter is usually missing from the calculation as it increases the cell count
dramatically. Most network planners agree that overlap should be 20-30 percent, but that
relates directly to build cost. After all that, the base station requirements for the each type of
areas can to be calculated.
Prerequisite for a 3G network design

At the best of times, designing a cellular network is like doing a puzzle without any instructions.
With 3G, you have the added complication of both the operator and customers holding back
some of the pieces and planners having to force pieces to fit together because the edges are a bit
rough!

Getting the required information for a network plan is the most crucial part in building a cost
effective quality network. Unfortunately, some of the necessary data is confidential and not only
that, it's anybody's guess as to what the 3G mobile service mix and usage will be. In an
environment where operators need comprehensive designs and redesigns in a very short time
frame, there's plenty to get jittery about. Other vendors are rumoured to give better coverage with
fewer sites, operators claim that other vendor's products are superior and vendor sales people
seem to be promising everything to get the deal. On top of that, timetables keep on changing, but
of course, the network launch date remains fixed. For the vendor, the worst thing is that once
you've won the contract, you actually have to build the network you promised!

A lot of different information from various sources is needed for initial network (roll-out) plan.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of required data:

Operators business plan

This should define what kind of service the operator is planning to provide, how these services
will be implemented and how much money is needed for the total roll-out. Sometimes this
information is public knowledge and sometimes it is a well guarded secret.

Technical section of business plan

This should contain the desired coverage, capacity, quality, features, service mix and customer
intake plans.

UMTS License agreement

This usually contains the coverage, capacity and service deployment plans as well as
requirements to hire a predetermined amount of employees and perhaps the required amount of
domestic goods and services that need to be purchased.

Operators funding plan

This should give guidelines of how the roll-out should progress. However, usually operators do
not want to share this information. Quite a few UMTS networks are vendor financed and such
information could help network planners estimate the roll-out pace.

Operators risk analysis documents

These documents show where bottlenecks will be and show the project's critical path. Often site
acquisition is in the critical path, which means that site RF planning will have to compromise
some of the desired sites. However, technically the air interface capacity is normally the network
limiting capacity factor and so network roll-out planning should really be started from there.

Consultant reports
Over the past few years, operators have asked a lot of consultants to do 3G roll-out analysis
reports. Even though this information gets old quickly, these reports might have some helpful
facts.

Operator's internal studies of mobile usage

Information on mobile usage is very helpful and can pinpoint where 3G customers and key
corporate clients are likely to be. Also, whether the 3G network will be used as a platform for
other wireless technologies. Mobile usage profiles and customer distribution information is
required to simulate the network load.

Government statistics
Government sources can provide statistics of population type and information such as income,
distribution of wealth, taxation, spending habits etc., which are useful to estimate future mobile
usage in different areas.

In a real life all of this information is compressed into the operators request for quote. This
typically calls for an estimation of how many base station locations each network vendor thinks
is required to provide a network. The operator normally asks vendors to guarantee the level of
coverage for a certain load level, using the minimum amount of base stations and cost. Vendors
have to commit to these figures even when most of the sites are yet to be acquired and some of
the performance parameters will be defined later. Vendors are expected to reply in a very short
period of time with limited information, so it is easy to see why network quality is not the
biggest consideration in initial planning. There is a tendency for operators to use this tactic to get
the lowest possible initial quote from vendors.

An experienced network planner can produce a "quick and dirty" network base station
requirement figure with only a few parameters. The most crucial parameters for the initial roll-
out are:

Capacity requirements - the planned customers and service usage in each area of the
network (with BTS site capacity calculation) should be known in order to get the required
amount of base stations for capacity.

Coverage requirements - the link budget of high data rate services should be calculated in
order to estimate the required base station amount in each network area to get the amount of base
stations for coverage.

In each network area, take the larger number of capacity OR coverage base stations for that area,
then add each area together to get a total. To get the final required number of base stations, the
following formula can be used:
- Add 10% more quality sites to provide special coverage or a dominant server in difficult or
important areas - tunnels, bridges, exhibition and sports venues, shopping centres, airports, big
hotels, high rise buildings, MD's home and CEO sailing and polo club!
- Add additional 10% more sites to fix holes because not all planned sites can be acquired.
- By this time the sales team will tell you that your plan is 30% too expensive, so you need to cut
30% of your base stations (and 40% of your acquisition budget)

The total will tell you how many sites you need to build an initial 3G network. Don't tell your
customer you found the formula on the Internet!