RF Network Design

& Planning
 Introduction
The high level life cycle of the RF network planning process can be summarised as follows :-

• To help the operator

to identify their RF Comparative • Issuing of search ring
design requirement Analysis • Cand. assessment
• Optional Site • Site survey, design,
Realisation
approval
• Drive test (optional)
• Discuss and agree RF
design parameters, RF Design
assumptions and requirement
objectives with the
customer • Frequency plan
RF Design • Neighbour list
Implementation • RF OMC data
• Coverage requirement
• Optimisation
• Traffic requirement
• Various level of design RF Design
(ROM to detail RF
design)
Comparative Analysis
This is an optional step

This is intended to :-
• Help an existing operator in building/expanding their network
• Help a new operator in identifying their RF network requirement, e.g.
where their network should be built

For the comparative analysis, we would need to :-

• Identify all network that are competitors to the customer
• Design drive routes that take in the high density traffic areas of interest
• Include areas where the customer has no or poor service and the
competitors have service
Coverage Design Inputs by BSNL

• Coverage Thresholds
– Indoor Coverage : Signal Level measured at street better than –65
dBm. Indoor coverage to be provided in commercial complexes,
hotels,technology parks etc.
– In Car Coverage: Signal Level measured at street better than –75 dBm.
In Car coverage to be provided in residential areas, highways, tourist
spots etc.
– Outdoor Coverage : Signal level measured at street better than –85
dBm. All remaining areas to be covered with Outdoor coverage.
– These are general guidelines for planning , specific areas not provided.
Capacity Design Inputs by BSNL

• Frequency spectrum available 6.2 MHz (31 channels).

• Average traffic per sub for RF design : 50 mErlang.
• Synthesizer frequency hopping can be used.
• GOS: 2%
• Existing network Database
– Total No. of sites with configuration
– Site details eg location(Lat-Long), Antenna height ,azimuth,
50mE = 3600* 50 * 10 = 180
-3

seconds = 3 min = Average

Voice call holding time (urban)
Rural = 1.5min = 25mErlangs
1 Erlang of network traffic(TCHs)
= 20 no. of users with 50mE
individual traffic (call holding)
RF Network Design
There are 2 parts to the RF network design to meet the :-
• Capacity requirement
• Coverage requirement

For the RF Coverage Design

Digitised
CW Drive Databases Customer
Testing Requirements

RF
Propagation Coverage Link
Model Design Budget
CW Drive Testing
CW drive test can be used for the following purposes :-
• Propagation model tuning
• Assessment of the suitability of candidate sites, from both coverage and
interference aspect

CW drive test process can be broken down to :-

• Equipment required • Power setting

Test • Drive route planning
• BTS antenna selection
Preparation • Channel selection • Test site selection

Propagation • Transmitter setup • Drive test

Test • Receiver setup • Transmitter dismantle

Data • Measurement averaging

Processing • Report generation
CW Drive Testing - Propagation Test
Scanning Receiver Setup - HP 7475A Receiver Example

HP 7475A Receiver
Propagation Model
Standard Macrocell Model for Asset

Lp (dB) = K1 + K2 log(d) + K3 Hm + K4 log(Hm) + K5 log(Heff)

+ K6 log(Heff) log(d) + K7 Diffraction + Clutter factor

where Lp, Diffraction, Clutter factor are in dB

d, Hm, Heff are in m

• It is based on the Okumura-Hata empirical model, with a number of

additional features to enhance its flexibility
• Known to be valid for frequencies from 150MHz to 2GHz
• Applies in condition :-
– Base station height : 30 - 200 m
– Mobile height : 1 - 10 m
– Distance : 1 - 20 km
• An optional second intercept and slope (K1, K2) for the creation of a two-
piece model with the slope changing at the specified breakpoint distance.
Link Budget
Link Budget Element of a GSM Network

BTS Antenna Gain Max. Path Loss Fade Margin

LNA
(optional) Penetration Loss

Feeder Loss MS Antenna Gain,

Body and Cable Loss

ACE Diversity
Loss Gain
Mobile Mobile Receiver
Transmit Power Sensitivity
BTS Transmit BTS Receiver
Power Sensitivity
Link Budget
BTS Transmit Power
• Maximum transmit power
• GSM900 and 1800 networks use radios with 46dBm maximum transmit
power

ACE Loss
• Includes all diplexers, combiners and connectors.
• Depends on the ACE configuration
• The ACE configuration depends on the number of TRXs and combiners
used

No of Network ACE Configuration Downlink ACE

TRXs Loss (dB)
1 or 2 GSM900 2 antennas per cell, diplexer 1.0
1 or 2 GSM1800 2 antennas per cell, diplexer 1.2
3 or 4 GSM900 2 antennas per cell, diplexer + hybrid combiner 4.4
3 or 4 GSM1800 2 antennas per cell, diplexer + hybrid combiner 4.4
Link Budget
Penetration Loss
• Penetration loss depends on the building structure and material
• Penetration loss is included for in-building link budget
• Typical value used for Asia-Pacific environment (if country specific
information is not available) :-
– Dense Urban : 20 dB
– Urban : 18 dB
– Suburban : 15 dB
– Rural : 9 dB

Body Loss
• Typical value of 2dB body loss is used

MS Antenna Gain
• A typical mobile antenna gain of 2.2 dBi is used
Link Budget
Link Budget Example (GSM900)

UPLINK DOWNLINK
MS Transmit Power 33 dBm BTS Transmit Power 46 dBm
Cable Loss 0 dB ACE Loss Z
MS Antenna Gain 2.2 dBi Feeder Loss 2 dB
Body Loss 2 dB LNA Gain 0 dB
Penetration Loss W BTS Antenna Gain 18 dBi
Slow Fade Margin X Max. Path Loss Y
Max. Path Loss Y Slow Fade Margin X
BTS Antenna Gain 18 dBi Penetration Loss W
LNA Gain 0 dB Body Loss 2 dB
Feeder Loss 2 dB MS Antenna Gain 2.2 dBi
ACE Loss 0 dB Cable Loss 0 dB
Diversity Gain 4 dB Diversity Gain 0 dB
BTS Receiver Sensitivity -107 dBm MS Receiver Sensitivity -102 dBm
Site Realisation
Candidate Assessment Report-Site Survey Forms
• Site survey Forms for all suitable candidates for the search ring
• For each candidates :-
– Location (latitude/longitude)
– Location map showing the relative location of the candidates and also
the search ring
– Candidate information (height, owner etc)
– Photographs (360º set, rooftop, access, building)
– Possible antenna orientations
– Possible base station equipment location
– Information for any existing antennas
– Planning reports/comments (restrictions, possibilities of approval etc.)
Site Realisation-Site Survey Form

Date
TECHNICAL SITE SURVEY FORM
June 12, 2004
Final RF Configuration Form
BSNL Circle Bihar
CITY / SSA
Site ID BHPAT-09 BSNL/ NBSNL
• Base Station configuration
Site Name Patna 09

– Azimuth
Owner Name
Address & Contact No.

Construction

Tower Type
Container/Room

GBT / Rooftop Bldg. Hgt 10 m.

– Antenna height
Tower Hgt 6 m. Antenna Ht 20 m. – Antenna type
Coordinate LAT 26° 21' 25.9" N LONG 85° 48 ' 31.2" E
– Down tilt
– Antenna location
GSM ANTENNA :
TYPE AZ M-TILT
SECTOR 1 AP909014-2 85° +1.9 Spheroid:

SECTOR 2 AP909014-2 185° +0.7 – Feeder type and length

SECTOR 3 AP909014-2 307° +1.3
– BTS type
– Transmit power
Candidate No.
Assess: Accept/ Reject Priority
Morphology/Clutter

Site Blockage if Any

– Transceiver configuration
Remark

Nokia Representative BSNL Survey Team Representative

Name: Name:
Signature: Signature:
Traffic Engineering

Spectrum Reuse factor

Available

Traffic
Requirement
Maximum number of
TRX per cell

Channel No of TCH Subscriber

Traffic offered
loading available supported
Traffic Engineering
•Traffic Requirement

•The Erlang per subscriber

•Grade of Service (GoS)

• GoS is expressed as the percentage of call attempts that are blocked
during peak traffic
• Most cellular systems are designed to a blocking rate of 1% to 5% during
busy hour
Traffic Engineering
After determining the number of TCH available and the traffic
requirements, the traffic offered is calculated using the Erlang B table
• For example, for a 2% GoS and 3 TRX configuration, the traffic offered is
14 Erlang
• If the traffic per subscriber is 50mE/subscriber, then the total subscribers
supported per sector = 280

For a uniform traffic distribution network, the number of sites required

for the traffic requirement is :-

Total subscribers
Total sites 
Subscriber supported per site
Traffic Engineering
Erlang B Table
N 1% 1.20% 1.50% 2% 3% 5% 7% 10% 15% 20% 30% 40% 50%
1 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.1 0.11 0.18 0.25 0.43 0.67 1
2 0.15 0.17 0.19 0.22 0.28 0.38 0.5 0.6 0.8 1 1.45 2 2.73
3 0.46 0.49 0.54 0.6 0.72 0.9 1.1 1.27 1.6 1.93 2.63 3.48 4.59
4 0.87 0.92 0.99 1.09 1.26 1.52 1.8 2.05 2.5 2.95 3.89 5.02 6.5
5 1.36 1.43 1.52 1.66 1.88 2.22 2.5 2.88 3.45 4.01 5.19 6.6 8.44
6 1.91 2 2.11 2.28 2.54 2.96 3.3 3.76 4.44 5.11 6.51 8.19 10.4
7 2.5 2.6 2.74 2.94 3.25 3.74 4.1 4.67 5.46 6.23 7.86 9.8 12.4
8 3.13 3.25 3.4 3.63 3.99 4.54 5 5.6 6.5 7.37 9.21 11.4 14.3
9 3.78 3.92 4.09 4.34 4.75 5.37 5.9 6.55 7.55 8.52 10.6 13 16.3
10 4.46 4.61 4.81 5.08 5.53 6.22 6.8 7.51 8.62 9.68 12 14.7 18.3
11 5.16 5.32 5.54 5.84 6.33 7.08 7.7 8.49 9.69 10.9 13.3 16.3 20.3
12 5.88 6.05 6.29 6.61 7.14 7.95 8.6 9.47 10.8 12 14.7 18 22.2
13 6.61 6.8 7.05 7.4 7.97 8.83 9.5 10.5 11.9 13.2 16.1 19.6 24.2
14 7.35 7.56 7.82 8.2 8.8 9.73 10.5 11.5 13 14.4 17.5 21.2 26.2
15 8.11 8.33 8.61 9.01 9.65 10.6 11.4 12.5 14.1 15.6 18.9 22.9 28.2
16 8.88 9.11 9.41 9.83 10.5 11.5 12.4 13.5 15.2 16.8 20.3 24.5 30.2
17 9.65 9.89 10.2 10.7 11.4 12.5 13.4 14.5 16.3 18 21.7 26.2 32.2
18 10.4 10.7 11 11.5 12.2 13.4 14.3 15.5 17.4 19.2 23.1 27.8 34.2
19 11.2 11.5 11.8 12.3 13.1 14.3 15.3 16.6 18.5 20.4 24.5 29.5 36.2
20 12 12.3 12.7 13.2 14.0 15.2 16.3 17.6 19.6 21.6 25.9 31.2 38.2
21 12.8 13.1 13.5 14 14.9 16.2 17.3 18.7 20.8 22.8 27.3 32.8 40.2
22 13.7 14 14.3 14.9 15.8 17.1 18.2 19.7 21.9 24.1 28.7 34.5 42.1
23 14.5 14.8 15.2 15.8 16.7 18.1 19.2 20.7 23 25.3 30.1 36.1 44.1