Huawei Technologies
HSDPA
radio network planning
A
s HSDPA technology continues to develop and
mature, the application prospect appears to be
quite bright, which is attracting more and more
people. How to formulate an appropriate plan
for HSDPA radio network is a problem that operators must face
when deploying the WCDMA network.
The HSDPA is a downlink high-speed data solution for
WCDMA. The following four issues should be considered when
formulating a network plan: The effect of HSDPA on the coverage
and capacity of R99/R4, HSDPA link budget and capacity
estimation, HSDPA application networking, and HSDPA
application scenario.
By Wang Shengyou
The effect of HSDPA on the
coverage and capacity of
R99/R4
HSDPA mainly furnishes a high-speed shared
channel so that it can provide a higher peak rate
and higher spectrum efficiency than DCH. So the
introduction of HSDPA should be regarded as a
measure to enhance the capacity and user
experience of services of the BE type.
After HSDPA is introduced, first, the coverage
of the original R99/R4 network should still be
able to meet the requirement. In order to test
whether or not the original coverage can meet the
requirement, it is necessary to check the link
budget to see if it can meet the cell edge access
probability of a single service.
In the early stages of HSDPAs introduction,
no new service type is usually generated, but as
the HSDPA bearer spectrum frequency is higher
than DCH, most of the PS data services in DCH
can be migrated to HSDPA, thus allowing it to
improve the capacity of the system without adding
any carrier frequency. With the advancement of
the operation, because of the improvement of the
spectrum, brought about by the introduction of
HSDPA, operators will then be able to provide
data service for terminal users at a much lower
price. As a result, the increase of data service
NOV 2005 ISSUE 19 44
 Solution
epam^==~

Table 1 Operator HSDPA deployment timetable the departure speed is much faster than the
HSDPA deployment targets arrival speed. However, whenever there is an
increase in the number of subscribers,
Operator Planned launch Operator Planned launch subscribers sharing public channels will
NTT DoCoMo 2H06 3 Sweden 4Q05 notice that their departure speed will become
Cingular Wireless 4Q04 3 UK 2006
slower. So, when formulating the estimation,
these factors must also be taken into account.
Telstra 2006 O2 UK 1H06

Orange UK 1H06 O2 Germany 1H06 Analysis of HSDPA

T-Mobile UK 4Q05/1Q06
T-Mobile Germany 4Q05/1Q06
T-Mobile Austria 4Q05/1Q06
T-Mobile USA 2007+
Mobilkom Austria 4Q05/1Q06
Vodafone 2006
requirement will add to the load of the
network. However, at the same time, an
expansion of carrier frequency capacity at
the appropriate time, along with the
distribution of micro cells for hot data
service, should be able to solve the
requirement problem in regards to capacity.
HSDPA link budget and
capacity estimation
The primary purpose of the HSDPA link
budget is to obtain the cell edge HSDPA
coverage rate by a configuration of certain
HSDPA power and code resources. Further
clarification of this principle is as follows:
On the basis of planning the R99/R4 cell
radius, the coverage rate of the cell edge
should be obtained in accordance with the
HSDPA power and code resources allocation
O2 Ireland 1H06
Manx Telecom 2H05
KIF 4Q05
Telenor 2006
SKT 4Q05/1Q06
TIM 2H05
(Source: Informa Telecoms & Media)
and emulation results.
The main purpose of the HSDPA
capacity estimation is to obtain the cell
average throughput rate under a specific
HSDPA power, code resource and
scheduling algorithm, as well as to obtain
the number of suppor ted HSDPA
subscribers under the requirement for a
certain HSDPA subscriber minimum rate.
In reference to the estimation of the
HSDPA subscriber number for the
minimum rate, because the HSDPA adopts
a public channel transmission mechanism,
the intensity of subscriber arrivals remains
fixed, while the intensity of subscriber
departures changes frequently. In other
words, if there is a reduction in the number
of subscribers, then it is only reasonable to
assume that more HSDPA resources will be
available for subscribers to use. Moreover,
application networking
In regards to HSDPA application
networking, careful consideration should be
given before making a choice between hybrid
carrier frequency networking and inde-
pendent carrier frequency networking.
HSDPA hybrid carrier frequency
networking means that HSDPA and R99/
R4 share the same carrier frequencies when
networking, which includes one or more
carrier frequencies.
Generally speaking, in the early stage of
HSDPA network construction, many
mobile phones are not able to support the
HSDPA function. This occurs largely
because the 3G CS service is dominant and
the packet service actions are uncertain. So,
in 3G network, the hybrid carrier frequency
networking mode of HSDPA and R99/R4,
which share only one carrier frequency is
always adopted. Further, HSDPA is
supported, based on the cells with
WCDMA, and the CS service is carried by
the DCH channel, while the PS service is
carried by the HS-DSCH channel.
In H S D PA i n d e p e n d e n t c a r r i e r
frequency networking, a dedicated carrier
is added to the R99/R4 network. The
HSDPA service is carried by all or most

45 NOV 2005 ISSUE 19

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of the power. However, the original R99/
R4 does not support HSDPA. The advan-
tages of having HDSPA independent
carrier frequency networking are as
follows: The HSDPA is in the overlay
network architecture, and the HSDPA
network and R99/R4 network do not
affect each other. The disadvantages are
as follows: The HSDPA and R99/R4
service cannot share the same carrier
frequency resource effectively. Whenever
the frequency band in HSDPA attempts
to use the CS service, or when the
frequency band in R99/R4 tries to launch
the HDSPA service, the system requires
a switch in the frequency band, which
consumes resources and increases the
delay time. In addition, the system is
required to consider the residence and
handover problems of users in different
frequency bands, which will also result in
decreased efficiency.
In addition, HSDPA application
networking must fully take into account the
handover relationship between HSDPA and
R99/R4. Further, any handover aimed at
HSDPA and R99/R4 channels needs to
adopt the strategies of a coverage-based,
service-based and load-based handover.
Analysis of HSDPA
application scenario
Generally speaking, in the suburbs or in
rural areas, the HSDPA requirement can be
regarded as very little or none, and spectrum
efficiency is not a very important issue. It is
also very difficult to ensure the HSDPA
coverage of the whole cell. So, under these
conditions, HSDPA need not to be
introduced and R99/R4 coverage should be
sufficient. Or, an alternative could be to
introduce HSDPA in only local hot-spot
areas.
However, in more densely populated
urban areas, there are some requirements
The introduction of HSDPA is necessary. Any 3G network lacking
HSDPA becomes less, not more competitive. Therefore, HSDPA is
now considered to be the hottest technology for 3G networks.
when using HSDPA. In big cities there is
als o more competition from other
technologies or operators, so spectrum
efficiency also becomes an issue. With the
introduction of HSDPA and the utilization
of the mixed carrier frequency networking
mode with HSDPA and R99/R4, which
share one carrier frequency, the capacity of
downlink data service can be improved. A
prerequisite is that it does not have any
deleterious affect on original real time
services such as voice and video telephony.
Data services of the background type and
interaction type can be carried in the
HSDPA, in order to improve the capacity
of the system and the utilization ratio of the
spectrum, as well as to avoid upgrading
equipment to the second carrier frequency
too early. At the same time, it helps to
improve subscriber experience in relation to
data service.
The HSDPA can be applied to either
indoor or hot-spot coverage, because the
Huawei Technologies
indoor distributed system, or the micro-cell
coverage for hot-spots, is better than macro-
cell coverage, or when compared to a radio
propagation environment. The high
efficiency of HSDPA bearer data services
allows them to be fully utilized. Since the
data traffic volume of indoor and hot-spots
is quite large, the use of HSDPA for data
service will undoubtedly improve the
efficiency of CAPEX.
The market prospect for
HSDPA
Technically, the HSDPA can improve
the efficiency and data transmission of
radio networks, while at the same time
decreasing the transmission delay and
transmission cost per bit. Furthermore,
network availability is improved. Thus,
from the perspective of the operation,
H S D PA t e c h n o l o g y a l l o w s m o r e
subscribers to enjoy high-speed data
services, which means that current bands
can be better utilized and the cost per bit
can be reduced. This in turn creates
sufficient space for the high- spee d
development of data service and flow. In
addition, the utilization ratio increases.
Also, from the angle of end-users, the
HSDPA can provide higher service
quality. For example, this allows faster
downl oading , Inte rne t acce ss , and
enterprise network access. Hence, the end
result will be more abundant customer
experiences.
In short, the introduction of HSDPA
is necessary. Any 3G network lacking
HS DPA beco m es less, n o t m o re
competitive. Therefore, HSDPA is now
considered to be the newest and hottest
technology for 3G networks. Table 1
outlines the planned HSDPA deployment
timetable by some of the more famous
operators in the world.
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