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Whats New in Atoll 3.2.0

What's New in Atoll 3.2.0

Several new features have been introduced in this release of Atoll 3.2.0 made available on 24 April 2013. These new features and other changes are described below. The new features introduced in the previous release of Atoll 3.2.0 are described later in this document. For more information on any of these features, see the online help, the User Manual, the Administrator Manual, and the Technical Reference Guide.

New Features Introduced in Atoll 3.2.0 (Build 5233)

General Features
Virtualisation and Virtual Machine Support
Atoll is now compatible with VMWare ESXi 4.x and 5.1 virtualisation platforms.

Working Environment
User Interface A new assistant allows you to share an antennas physical parameters between transmitters, repeaters, and/or remote antennas when these are located on sites with the same position. You can show/hide on the map the labels of the selected transmitters neighbours. You can display 3G/4G transmitter cells properties directly from the Site Configuration explorer. An optional database field is available to specify the order in which cells are displayed.

Geographic Data
In the atoll.ini file, it is now possible to pre-define a list of online map URLs to be available in the online map import dialogue by default. You can now select several items in the list of imported WMS files.

Add-ins
It is now possible to set the status for add-ins (loaded, not loaded, accessible in the user interface, etc.) in the atoll.ini file. You can now choose to show/hide neighbour labels when displaying neighbours on the map, via a new Label Display frame in the Neighbour Display dialogue.

Neighbour Planning

Automatic Cell Planning

The ACP module can now be used in Wi-Fi documents. You can now change the default colour codes in the Optimisation window by adding an option in the atoll.ini file

3GPP Multi-RAT Networks

Network Planning
GSM Frequency Plan audit: The following situations are now detected and logged in the Events explorer: UMTS inter-technology neighbours with identical scrambling codes. LTE inter-technology neighbours with identical physical cell IDs. The following situations are now detected and logged in the Events explorer: GSM inter-technology neighbour with identical BSIC-BCCH pairs LTE inter-technology neighbours with identical physical cell IDs.

UMTS Scrambling Code audit:

LTE Networks
Network Settings
The obsolete atoll.ini option UseDivGainOnRS has been replaced with the existing option MultiAntennaGainOnDesired. MultiAntennaGainOnDesired is now used to apply an automatic diversity gain on all downlink signals and channels from the serving cell.

Network Planning
Atoll now includes a Cell Identifier Collision Zones coverage prediction. This prediction calculates and displays areas where cells using the same identifier interfere each other. The prediction can be calculated for various cell identity-related parameters such as the physical cell ID, PSS ID, SSS ID, PCI Mod 6, and PCI Mod 30.

Drive Test Data

When you import data using ID (resp. Physical Cell ID) as cell identifiers, you can enter a string found in the column name identifying the ID of scanned cells (rather than selecting in a drop-down list the column containing the IDs (resp. Physical Cell IDs) of scanned cells, as was the case in the previous release).

Whats New in Atoll 3.2.0

CDMA2000 Networks
Drive Test Data
You can now import drive test data for cells using a specified carrier only.

WiMAX Networks
Network Planning
Atoll now includes a Cell Identifier Collision Zones coverage prediction. This prediction calculates and displays areas where cells using the same identifier interfere each other. The prediction can be calculated for various cell identity-related parameters such as the preamble index, segment, cell permbase, and uplink and downlink zone permbases.

Drive Test Data

When you import data using BSID (resp. Preamble Index) as cell identifiers, you can enter a string found in the column name identifying the BSID of scanned cells (rather than selecting in a drop-down list the column containing the BSIDs (resp. Preamble Indexes) of scanned cells, as was the case in the previous release).

Wi-Fi Networks
Automatic Cell Planning
The ACP module can now be used in Wi-Fi documents.

New Features Introduced in Atoll 3.2.0 (Build 5021)

General Features
Working Environment
User Interface A new folder, Online Maps, has been added in the Geo explorer allowing you to specify a third-party tile server and display the corresponding map in the map window. You can automatically centre the map window on an area by specifying a postal address in the Find on Map window. In the Antenna Selection Assistant, the Beamwidth (3dB aperture) field has been renamed to Half-power Beamwidth. In the Antenna Selection Assistant, a new field has been added: Electrical Azimuth. When you export/import vector data, the corresponding display configuration is exported/imported simultaneously. You can change this behaviour by defining an option in the atoll.ini file. You can hide the technology name displayed in the Atoll title bar by adding an option in the atoll.ini file.

Tables You can now set a user-defined table field to be read-only in the user interface.

Antennas
In the antennas Properties dialogues, the Other Properties tab has been removed and the information it contained ("Beamwidth", "FMin", and "FMax") is now available on the General tab ("Half-power beamwidth", "Frequencies" > "Min"/"Max"). Corresponding text entry fields have been replaced by spin controls.

Database Features
The Oracle driver provided by Microsoft is now obsolete. The Oracle driver provided by Oracle must be used instead. A new check box, Display all fields, has been added in the Conflicting Changes dialogue. You can clear this check box to display only the key fields and the conflicting/updated fields.

User Configuration
In addition to field identifiers, the selected display field titles are now also saved and loaded in the user configuration files.

Add-ins
It is now possible to list installed add-ins that you wish not be loaded by Atoll in the atoll.ini file.

Indoor Losses per Frequency per Clutter Class

It is now possible to define indoor losses per frequency per clutter class. Indoor losses can be entered in the form of a graph of indoor loss vs. frequency.

Path Loss Matrix Calculations

Atoll can now calculate path loss matrices of co-located co-site transmitters in a single step, i.e., per site, instead of calculating each transmitters matrix separately. The calculation of path losses comprises two mutually independent components: a. The path loss due to electromagnetic wave propagation around the transmitter. This component is calculated by propagation models. b. Attenuation due to antenna pattern (masking). This component is independent of the propagation calculation.

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Whats New in Atoll 3.2.0

The first component, which is the most time consuming, is the same for all co-located co-site transmitters. Therefore, by calculating path loss matrices per site, Atoll is able to provide even shorter calculation times than previous releases. Atoll generates separate path loss matrix results for each transmitter, combining both components of path loss calculations. By default, the per-site path loss calculation is enabled in Atoll 64-bit and disabled in Atoll 32-bit. You can enable and disable this option as needed using the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

Automatic Cell Planning

In the Network explorer, the icons preceding the items in the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder have been updated. The following ACP prediction types are now available in all radio technologies using the ACP module: Change Analysis folder: "Change of Total Tilt (elect. tilt + mec. tilt)" Best Server Analysis folder: "Total Tilt (elect. tilt + mec. tilt)" > "Final Total Tilt Values" "Total Tilt (elect. tilt + mec. tilt)" > "Initial Total Tilt Values" You can create a prediction that displays the combined electrical and mechanical tilts by setting a specific option in the atoll.ini file.

3GPP Multi-RAT Networks

Network Planning
Coverage Predictions A new multi-RAT prediction has been introduced in order to display, on each pixel: The effective RLC throughput, The application throughput of the highest priority technology, and The max effective RLC throughput, The max application throughput which can be obtained on each pixel for a given terminal, service and mobility. You can now define the display settings of intra- and inter-technology neighbour links (and coverage areas) for each technology used in a multi-RAT document. For that purpose, the following changes have been made in the user interface: In the Neighbour Display dialogue, the Inter-technology neighbours frame has been removed and a new check box, Inter-technology only, has been added in the Advanced frame so that you can hide intra-technology neighbour relations on the map. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue has been renamed to Neighbour Display Settings [Technology] and includes two new tabs for the display settings of each type of inter-technology neighbour relations.

Network Capacity
Radio Resource Management and Simulations Multi-RAT simulations have been enhanced with the addition of UL modelling in GSM technology

GSM GPRS EDGE Networks

User Interface
In individual transmitters Properties dialogues, the Extended Cells frame has been moved from the TRXs tab to the General tab.

Network Planning
Frequency and Parameter Planning You can optionally modify the behaviour of the subcell audit by differently fixing inappropriate values. This can be set by defining an option in the atoll.ini file. Two new UL prediction types have been added to GSM/GPRS/EDGE template: Coverage by UL signal level Coverage by UL C/I level. Three new display options have been added to throughput predictions. You can new display on each pixel, for a given terminal, service and mobility: The RLC/MAC Throughput, The Max RLC/MAC Throughput, The Average RLC/MAC Throughput.

Coverage Predictions

In order to harmonize prediction vocabulary, the term "Best" in throughput and coding scheme prediction display options has been replaced by "Max", since it always define the highest value (coding scheme index or throughput) between several values on a pixel.

Neighbour Planning

Whats New in Atoll 3.2.0

You can allocate neighbours and calculate the neighbour importance based on intra- and inter-HCS adjacency through the GUI. This replaces the option you could define in the atoll.ini file.

Network Capacity
Radio Resource Management and Simulations GSM simulations are now supported in GSM single-RAT projects. These simulations model how a GSM network subject to traffic maps would manage its resources in order to absorb a maximum of traffic without exceeding defined permitted loads. DL and UL modelling are supported in GSM simulations.

Atoll AFP
A reuse distance can now be defined per transmitter for allocating channels and BSIC in the GSM AFP.

UMTS HSPA Networks

Network Settings
In addition to dual-cell HSDPA (DC-HSDPA), Atoll supports multi-cell HSDPA (MC-HSDPA), dual-band dual-cell HSDPA (DB-DC-HSDPA) and dual-band multi-cell HSDPA (DB-MC-HSDPA) in coverage predictions and in point analysis. These improvements have been introduced in the 3GPP releases 9, 10 and 11. You can define in the transmitter properties whether the transmitter supports the multi-cell mode. In this case, HSDPA users can simultaneously connect to several cells of the transmitter. You can define whether the site equipment supports dual-band HSDPA or not. When dual-band HSDPA is active, HSDPA users can simultaneously connect to two co-site transmitters using different frequency bands. Two new HSPA support modes, DB-HSDPA and DB-HSPA, are available in the terminal definition and new multi-cell modes, 3C (3-cell), 4C (4-cell), 6C (6-cell) and 8C (8-cell), have been added to the HSDPA UE categories.

In the Monte-Carlo simulation, Atoll processes MC-HSDPA, DB-DC-HSDPA and DB-MC-HSDPA users as single-cell or dual-cell HSDPA users. In the Frequency Bands table, user-definable carrier number steps now allow you to set up frequency bands with non-contiguous carrier numbers. For example, you can now create UTRA frequency bands with carrier numbers corresponding to UARFCNs of the centre frequencies of the carriers. The terminal definition has been enhanced so that you can model tri-band UMTS networks in Atoll. A new table is available to manage the schedulers. In order to make better use of the inter-technology IRF functionality, the DL start frequency of each carrier is taken into account instead of the average frequency of the entire bandwidth (UL+DL). Now you can enter the "DL Start Frequency (MHz)" instead of the "Average Frequency (MHz)" in the Frequency Bands table. A minimum pilot RSCP threshold can be defined at the cell level. This is the minimum pilot RSCP required for a user to be connected to the cell. If defined, the cell-specific minimum pilot RSCP threshold is used instead of the global value entered in the Calculation Parameters tab of the Radio Network Settings Properties dialogue. In individual transmitters Properties dialogues, a Max range field has been added on the General tab. On the Coverage Side tab of repeaters and remote antennas Properties dialogues, the Total gains frame and its content (Downlink and Uplink spin controls with the corresponding Calculate buttons) have been replaced by a single Total gain spin control (with the corresponding Calculate button).

Network Planning
Coverage Predictions Two new display options have been added to R99 Eb/Nt DL predictions. You can new display on each pixel, for a given terminal, service and mobility: The Effective RLC Throughput, The Application Throughput.

Neighbour Planning Atoll now identifies intra-carrier and inter-carrier neighbours at the end of the automatic neighbour allocation and neighbour importance calculation.

Drive Test Data

You can now import drive test data for cells using a specified carrier only.

LTE Networks
Network Settings
Atoll now fully supports multi-layer heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployment. You can define network layers with corresponding priorities, supported mobile speeds, and selection margins (for cell range extension). The definition of network layers may be based on the operating frequencies. Each cell can be assigned to a network layer. You can also assign supported layers to different services and UE terminals in order to manage the compatibility between certain services, user equipment, and network layers.

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Whats New in Atoll 3.2.0

Best server selection in Atoll now takes into account the notion of HetNet layers. This means that the best server selection can now be based on network layer priorities and selection margins. Different best server selection methods, combined with layer priority and selection margin settings, can provide strict or flexible best server selection criterion. A new traffic balancing-oriented best server selection method is now also available.

It is now possible to determine best serving cells based on the RSRP in addition to the RS level. The difference in best server determination between RSRP and RS level is visible in heterogeneous network deployment scenarios with different channel widths. In the Frequency Bands table, user-definable channel number steps now allow you to set up frequency bands with non-contiguous channel numbers. For example, you can now create E-UTRA frequency bands with channel numbers corresponding to EARFCNs of the centre frequencies of the channels. It is now possible to define inter-channel spacing, spacing between any two consecutive channels, in the definition of a frequency band. Atoll now allows you to define maximum S1 interface throughputs in downlink and uplink for each site (eNode-B). These maximum backhaul throughputs can be taken into account in Monte Carlo simulations as backhaul constraints. On the Coverage Side tab of repeaters and remote antennas Properties dialogues, the Total gains frame and its content (Downlink and Uplink spin controls with the corresponding Calculate buttons) have been replaced by a single Total gain spin control (with the corresponding Calculate button). It is now possible to set the PDCCH overhead, the PUCCH overhead, and cyclic prefix ratio per frame configuration. If not set per frame configuration, the default values defined in the global parameters are used in calculations. Atoll now supports PDCCH overhead of 4 OFDM symbols for 1.4 MHz channels. It is now possible to set a PRACH preamble format per frame configuration. The PRACH preamble format defines a maximum round-trip time distance limiting the best server coverage of cells. It is now possible to define MIMO diversity gains for PBCH and PDCCH. These gains, and the additional diversity gains defined per clutter class, are applied to the C/N and C/(I+N) of these channels when the serving cell and the terminal both support any form of MIMO in downlink. The multi-antenna interference calculation method is now available in the advanced network parameters instead of the atoll.ini file as previously. It is now possible to use RS C/N, RS C/(I+N), or PDSCH or PUSCH C/(I+N) as the criterion for adaptive MIMO switching. In order to make this choice possible, the AMS thresholds are now defined in the LTE reception equipment instead of per cell as previously. It is now possible to use RS C/N, RS C/(I+N), or PUSCH C/(I+N) as the criterion for activating MU-MIMO in uplink. In order to make this choice possible, the MU-MIMO activation thresholds are now defined in the LTE reception equipment instead of per cell as previously. It is now possible to define diversity gains for SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO. These diversity gains are applied to the C/N and C/(I+N) of PDSCH and PUSCH when the diversity mode is SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO. The SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO throughput gains are also applied as usual. In addition to the existing time-switched fractional frequency reuse ICIC mode, Atoll now models various soft frequency reuse ICIC modes: Soft FFR: Some resource blocks are transmitted with a higher power to cover cell-edge users. The power allocated to other resource blocks, covering cell centre users, is therefore reduced. Soft FFR can, for example, be used to achieve 1/1 frequency reuse on cell centre and 1/3 reuse on cell edge using the same channel. Partial soft FFR: Similar to soft FFR, some resource blocks are transmitted with a higher power to cover cell-edge users, and some resource blocks are turned off. The power allocated to other resource blocks, covering cell centre users, is therefore reduced. Partial soft FFR can, for example, be used to achieve 1/1 frequency reuse on cell centre and 1/9 reuse on cell edge using the same channel. Hard FFR: Some resource blocks are transmitted with a higher power to cover cell centre as well as cell-edge users. Other resource blocks are turned off. Hard FFR can, for example, be used to achieve 1/3 frequency reuse over the entire cell using the same channel.

Network Planning
Interference calculation for RSSI and RSRQ can now optionally be made independent of the number of interfering antenna ports. In other words, the multi-antenna interference calculation option now also applies to the interference calculation for RSSI and RSRQ. It is now possible to define network-level identifiers, possibly global unique cell identifiers, for LTE cells. Service Modelling You can now define a QoS class identifier (QCI) for each service. Scheduling and resource allocation now takes into account the QoS class identifier priority, as defined by the 3GPP, in addition to the user-defined service priority. It is now possible to set the minimum number of frequency blocks required by any service in uplink. This number is used in the calculation of the uplink allocated bandwidth. Coverage Predictions In throughput coverage predictions, it is now possible to have pixels coloured even if there is no bearer available, i.e., pixels with zero throughput, using an option in the atoll.ini file. It is now possible to display the ICIC cell-edge area of each cell using the Effective Signal Analysis (DL) coverage prediction. The celledge areas are displayed as discrete values and coloured according to the current colour of the corresponding transmitter symbol on the map.

Network Configuration Using the AFP

It is now possible to lock PSS ID and SSS ID separately for physical cell ID allocation by the AFP. The AFP can now allocate physical cell IDs taking into account the collisions of the downlink cell-specific reference signals for a single antenna port. The AFP can now allocate physical cell IDs taking into account the collisions of the physical control format indicator channel resource element groups. For sites supporting more than three cells, the AFP now allocates consecutive SSS IDs and physical cell IDs when the same SSS ID per site strategy is selected.

Whats New in Atoll 3.2.0

Drive Test Data

In addition to physical cell Ids, cells can optionally be identified either by their channel number or their frequency.

Conversion of GSM Documents

A new macro is available to create an LTE document based on a currently active GSM document.

CDMA2000 Networks
Network Settings
In the Frequency Bands table, user-definable carrier number steps now allow you to set up frequency bands with non-contiguous carrier numbers. For example, you can now create frequency bands with actual CDMA channel numbers. The terminal definition has been enhanced so that you can model tri-band CDMA networks in Atoll. In order to make better use of the inter-technology IRF functionality, the DL start frequency of each carrier is taken into account instead of the average frequency of the entire bandwidth (UL+DL). Now you can enter the "DL Start Frequency (MHz)" instead of the "Average Frequency (MHz)" in the Frequency Bands table. A minimum pilot RSCP threshold can be defined at the cell level. This is the minimum pilot RSCP required for a user to be connected to the cell. If defined, the cell-specific minimum pilot RSCP threshold is used instead of the global value entered in the Calculation Parameters tab of the Radio Network Settings Properties dialogue. On the Coverage Side tab of repeaters and remote antennas Properties dialogues, the Total gains frame and its content (Downlink and Uplink spin controls with the corresponding Calculate buttons) have been replaced by a single Total gain spin control (with the corresponding Calculate button). In individual transmitters Properties dialogues, a Max range field has been added on the General tab.

Network Planning
Neighbour Planning Atoll now identifies intra-carrier and inter-carrier neighbours at the end of the automatic neighbour allocation and neighbour importance calculation.

TD-SCDMA Networks
Network Settings
In order to make better use of the inter-technology IRF functionality, the DL start frequency of each carrier is taken into account instead of the average frequency of the entire bandwidth (UL+DL). Now you can enter the "DL Start Frequency (MHz)" instead of the "Average Frequency (MHz)" in the Frequency Bands table. In individual transmitters Properties dialogues, a Max range field has been added on the General tab. A minimum P-CCPCH RSCP threshold can be defined at the cell level. This is the minimum P-CCPCH RSCP required for a user to be connected to the cell. If defined, the cell-specific minimum P-CCPCH RSCP threshold is used instead of the global value entered in the Calculation Parameters tab of the Radio Network Settings Properties dialogue.

WiMAX Networks
Network Settings
In the Frequency Bands table, user-definable channel number steps now allow you to set up frequency bands with non-contiguous channel numbers. It is now possible to define inter-channel spacing, spacing between any two consecutive channels, in the definition of a frequency band. You can now set the number of connected users in downlink and uplink for each cell. These numbers can also be calculated using Monte Carlo simulations. Atoll now allows you to define maximum backhaul throughputs in downlink and uplink for each site. These maximum backhaul throughputs can be taken into account in Monte Carlo simulations as backhaul constraints. On the Coverage Side tab of repeaters and remote antennas Properties dialogues, the Total gains frame and its content (Downlink and Uplink spin controls with the corresponding Calculate buttons) have been replaced by a single Total gain spin control (with the corresponding Calculate button). It is now possible to set a cyclic prefix ratio per frame configuration. If not set per frame configuration, the default cyclic prefix ratio defined in the global parameters is used in calculations. It is now possible to define MIMO diversity gains for the preamble. These gains, and the additional diversity gains defined per clutter class, are applied to the preamble C/N and C/(I+N) when the serving cell and the terminal both support any form of MIMO in downlink. The multi-antenna interference calculation method is now available in the advanced network parameters instead of the atoll.ini file as previously. It is now possible to define diversity gains for SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO. These diversity gains are applied to the traffic and pilot C/N and C/(I+N) when the diversity mode is SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO. The SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO throughput gains are also applied as usual.

Network Planning
Service Modelling It is now possible to set the minimum number of subchannels required by any service in uplink. This number is used in the calculation of the uplink allocated bandwidth. Coverage Predictions

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Whats New in Atoll 3.2.0

In throughput coverage predictions, it is now possible to have pixels coloured even if there is no bearer available, i.e., pixels with zero throughput, using an option in the atoll.ini file. New display types are now available in throughput coverage predictions: Peak MAC Throughput per User Effective MAC Throughput per User Application Throughput per User

Wi-Fi Networks
Network Settings
In the Frequency Bands table, user-definable channel number steps now allow you to set up frequency bands with non-contiguous channel numbers. It is now possible to define inter-channel spacing, spacing between any two consecutive channels, in the definition of a frequency band. You can now set the number of connected users in downlink and uplink for each cell. These numbers can also be calculated using Monte Carlo simulations. Atoll now allows you to define maximum backhaul throughputs in downlink and uplink for each site. These maximum backhaul throughputs can be taken into account in Monte Carlo simulations as backhaul constraints. It is now possible to define diversity gains for SU-MIMO. These diversity gains are applied to the traffic and pilot C/N and C/(I+N) when the diversity mode is SU-MIMO. The SU-MIMO throughput gains are also applied as usual.

Network Planning
Coverage Predictions In throughput coverage predictions, it is now possible to have pixels coloured even if there is no bearer available, i.e., pixels with zero throughput, using an option in the atoll.ini file. New display types are now available in throughput coverage predictions: Peak MAC Throughput per User Effective MAC Throughput per User Application Throughput per User