Radio Resource Management

in Cellular Networks

WCDMA radio network planning

Content
1. Importance of Radio Resource Management
2. Cellular network evolution
3. Process of radio network planning
4. Briefing of radio network planning of 2G/3G
4. Briefing of radio network
planning of 2G/2.5G/3G
• Preplanning
• Radio network dimensioning
• Radio wave propagation
• Coverage planning
• Capacity planning
• Frequency planning
• Parameter planning
• Radio network optimization
 4.2 WCDMA Radio Network Planning
Comparison of WCDMA and GSM Radio Network Planning
GSM radio network planning
• Plan the structure and frequency to
ensure that frequency interference meet
the call quality requirement.
• The number of supported subscribers is
calculated based on the number of carrier
frequencies and the number of timeslots.
• The coverage depends on the transmit
power of the transmitter and the
sensitivity of the receiver.
• The GSM mainly offers voice service
WCDMA radio network planning
• Able to realize 1×1 frequency multiplexing
without frequency planning.
• The capacity of each carrier in WCDMA is
"soft" relating to environment and
adjacent-cell interference.
• The coverage of the WCDMA system is
related to the system load: if the system
load increases, the coverage will shrink.
• The WCDMA supports services with
different rate and QoS
WCDMA ‘s important remarks
• Identical frequency for all cells
• Using spreading: require code planning
• Intra-cell and inter-cell interference
• Soft handover
• Uplink vs Downlink properties
• High Speed Downlink Shared Channel
• Various services with different requirements
4.2.1 Practical process of WCDMA radio network
planning (Huawei ‘s example)
• Radio Network Dimensioning (RND)
 the future network is preliminarily planned
 the configuration and the number of RAN equipment are output for
preliminary project negotiation and for cost estimation in contract signing.

• Pre-planning of radio network

 Based on the dimensioning output, the future network is planned in detail
 The accurate network scale and theoretical site location are determined.
 A pre-planning report will be output for mid-stage project and cost estimation
in contract signing.

• Cell planning of radio network

 Based on the pre-planning output, each selected site is surveyed, and the
related cell parameters are determined.
 If the result is quite different from the preplanning, the cell parameters and
planning effect should be checked through simulation.
 The output report would be the final radio network planning scheme that can
guide the project implementation.
WCDMA Radio Network Dimensioning

Objective:
• To obtain the network scale (Approximate BS quantity and
configuration)
• To obtain the construction period
• To obtain information such as electronical cost and human
resource cost.

Method:
• Select a proper propagation model, and subscriber
mobility, distribution, and traffic models
• Estimate the site quantity, cell quantity, coverage size and
capacity.
 WCDMA Radio Network Pre-planning
Based on radio network
dimensioning, the network
preplanning:
• Determines the initial layout and
theoretical location of the BSs
• Select engineering parameters:
• BS location, network hierarchy,
transmit power, antenna
layout/type/direction/tilt angle etc.
• Cell parameters (common channel,
transmit power of traffic channel,
orthogonal factor, cell scrambling
code, etc.
Coverage simulation
• Based on the result of RND,
theoretical location of site,
parameters of project,
parameters of cell
• carry out more detailed
adjustment (for example
amount of NodeB,
configuration of NodeB,
antenna altitude, antenna
azimuth) after analyzing the
results of coverage
simulation.
• Expected results: Good
coverage result
• Radio Network Pre-planning report should include:
• Introduce of project background
• Information of planning area :area, population, cluster
• Project of radio network pre-planning: site distribution
map, site list ( include site name, latitude ,longitude,
parameters)
• Performance of project :based on the simulation result
• Appendix: statistical diagram about performance
WCDMA Radio Network Cell Planning
• Site survey
Determining perfect site position is difficult
Using Search Ring (e.g. ¼*R) for backup site’s location
Other factors of backup site (height, surrounding, electrical
power etc.) have to be still considered
• System simulation
Used to analyze how the performance of the radio network
planning could be
Used to validate the planning results
System simulation for cell planning
Example: Simulation diagram – pilot coverage intensity
4.2.2 WCDMA link budget
 Eb/N0:

RF C/I (channel-to-interference) ratio

needed to meet the baseband Eb/N0

Processing (spreading) Gain = 10 Log (Chip rate/Bit Rate)

Note:
- Different services have different Eb/N0 requirement and different value of processing gain
- Coverage radius also depends on loading factor of cells, especially in uplink