ATOLL LTE FEATURES

Training Programme

1. LTE Planning Overview

2. Modelling a LTE Network

3. LTE Predictions

4. Frequency and PCI Plan Analysis

5. Monte-Carlo Based Simulations

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 1. LTE Planning Overview

LTE Features Supported in Atoll

LTE Workflow in Atoll

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 LTE Features supported in Atoll

Supports Evolved UTRA (3GPP Release 8 LTE) Networks

Various Frequency Bands

Scalable Channel Bandwidths

Resource Blocks per Channel and Sampling Frequencies

Support of TDD and FDD Frame Structures

Half-frame/Full-frame Switching Point Periodicities for TDD

Normal and Extended Cyclic Prefixes

Downlink and Uplink Control Channels and Overheads

• Downlink and uplink reference signals, PSS, SSS, PBCH, PDCCH, PUCCH, etc.

RSRP, RSSI and RSRQ Support in predictions and Simulations

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 LTE Features supported in Atoll

Supports Evolved UTRA (3GPP Release 8 LTE) Networks

Physical Cell IDs Implementation

Inter-Cell Interference Coordination Support

• Fractional Frequency Reuse Modelling

Support of Fractional Power Control (UL)

Support of Directional CPE Antennas

Signal Level Based Coverage Planning

CINR Based Coverage Planning

Possibility of Fixed Subscriber Database for Fixed Applications

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 LTE Features supported in Atoll

Supports Evolved UTRA (3GPP Release 8 LTE) Networks

Network Capacity Analysis using Monte Carlo Simulations

Scheduling and Resource Allocation in Two-dimensional Frames

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Systems

• Transmit and Receive Diversity
• Single-User MIMO or spatial multiplexing
• Adaptive MIMO Switch (AMS)
• Modelling of Multi-User MIMO (collaborative MIMO – UL only)

Tools for Resource Allocation

• Automatic Allocation of Neighbours
• Automatic Allocation of Physical Cell IDs
Specific Module
• Automatic Allocation of Frequencies (AFP)

Network Verification Possible using Drive Test Data

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 LTE Workflow in Atoll
Open an existing project or
create a new one

Network Configuration
- Add network elements ACP
- Change parameters

Basic Predictions
(Best Server, Signal Level)

Automatic or Manual Neighbour Allocation

Automatic or Manual Frequency Planning

Automatic or Manual Physical Cell ID Planning

Traffic Maps
Monte-Carlo User-defined
And/or
Simulations Values
Cell Load
Subscriber Lists
Conditions

Signal Quality and

Throughput Predictions
Frequency Plan Prediction Study
Analysis Reports
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 Training Programme

1. LTE Planning Overview

2. Modelling a LTE Network

3. LTE Predictions

4. Frequency and PCI Plan Analysis

5. Monte-Carlo Based Simulations

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 2. Modelling a LTE Network

Global Settings

Frequency Band definition

Frame Structure Settings

Radio Parameters

Site

Transmitters

Cells

Equipment Parameters

User-definable reception characteristics

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 Global Settings (1/2)

Frequency Bands
Atoll can model multi-band networks within the same document

TDD (Time Division Duplexing) or FDD (Frequency Division Duplexing)

One frequency band assigned to each cell

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 Global Settings (2/2)

Normal (default) or extended

LTE Frame Structure definition cyclic prefix (No. of SD per slot)
 e.g.: at 15 kHz, 7 SD/slot Number of SD for
(normal) or 6 SD/slot (extended) PDCCH (0,1,2 or 3)
carrying DL and UL
Resource allocation
information

Average number of
resource blocks for
PUCCH

TDD option only :

Switch from DL to UL
every half frame
(default) or every
System-level constants (Hard-coded) frame
• Width of a resource block (180 kHz)
• Frame duration (10 ms)

Other control channel overheads defined by 3GPP (calculated based on 3GPP specs)
• Reference signals, PSS, SSS, PBCH, etc.
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 Radio Parameters Overview

Site
X (longitude) and Y (latitude)

Transmitters Presented in
General Features
Activity
Antenna configuration (model, height, azimuth, mechanical & electrical tilts...)
UL & DL Losses / UL Noise Figure
Propagation (Model, Radius and resolution)

Cells
Frequency Band & Channel
PCI
Power definition
Min RSRP
UL & DL Load
Diversity Support
Neighbours

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 Transmitter Parameters
Antenna Configuration and Losses Cells parameters
Propagation settings
parameters (see next slide)

DL and UL
total losses,
UL noise
figure

Antenna
Configuration

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 Cell Parameters

Cell’s frequency band

Cell activity

Channel number in the

Physical Cell ID + resulting frequency band (and
PSS/SSS (and allocation status) allocation status)

Power and energy

offsets from computed
reference signal
Min RSRP used as cell
coverage limit

DL traffic load
Load
Conditions UL noise rise due to
surrounding mobiles MIMO Configuration

ICIC and Fractional Power

Control Parameters
Inputs of the neighbour (Advanced)
allocation algorithm

Neighbour list

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 Equipment Parameters (1/2)

Bearers (Modulation and Coding Schemes) definition

User-definable bearer efficiencies
(useful bits per resource element)

Bearer selection thresholds for link adaptation

Quality indicator graphs
BLER used to model the effect of errors in data reception

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 Equipment Parameters (2/2)

Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems

Diversity and SU-MIMO gains
• Definable per bearer and antenna configuration
• Depend on the clutter class where users are located

MU-MIMO gain
• Definable per cell or
• Calculated during Monte Carlo simulations using intelligent multi-user scheduling on two antenna ports
(Layered Space-time Scheduling)

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 Training Programme

1. LTE Planning Overview

2. Modelling a LTE Network

3. LTE Predictions

4. Frequency and PCI Plan Analysis

5. Monte-Carlo Based Simulations

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 3. LTE Predictions

Introduction

Parameters used in Predictions

Prediction Settings

Fast Link Adaptation Modelling

Coverage Prediction Examples

Point Analysis Studies

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 Introduction

Coverage Predictions
General Studies based on Downlink Reference Signal Levels
• Best server plot based on downlink reference signal levels
• Multiple server coverage based on downlink reference signal levels
• Reference signal level plots
• Reference signal CNR plots
• RSRP (Average Reference Signal Level Received Power per Subcarrier) plots

LTE UL and DL Specific Studies

• SS, PDSCH, PBCH, PDCCH and PUSCH/PUCCH Signal Level Plots
• SS, PDSCH, PBCH, PDCCH and PUSCH/PUCCH CNR Plots
• Quality Studies (RSSI – Received Signal Strength Indicator, RSRQ – Reference Signal Received Quality,
Reference Signal, SS, PDSCH, PBCH, PDCCH and PUSCH/PUCCH CINR and interference plots, UL
Allocated Bandwidth, UL Transmission Power)
• Best Bearer and Modulation Plots based on PDSCH and PUSCH CINR Levels
• Throughput and Cell Capacity per pixel plots based on PDSCH and PUSCH CINR levels
• Peak RLC, Effective RLC, and Application Channel Throughputs
• Peak RLC, Effective RLC, and Application Throughputs averaged per User
• Peak RLC, Effective RLC, and Application Cell Capacities
• Peak RLC, Effective RLC, and Application Aggregate Cell Throughputs
• Peak RLC, Effective RLC, and Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughputs (UL)

Point Predictions
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 Introduction

Principles of the studies based on traffic

Study calculated for

• Given load conditions

• UL noise rise
• DL traffic load

• A non-interfering user with

• A service
• A mobility
• A terminal type (in case of a directive antenna , it is oriented towards the serving cell)

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 Load Conditions

Load conditions are defined in the cells table

Values taken into consideration in

predictions for each cell

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 Service Properties

Parameters used in predictions

Highest bearers in UL and DL
Body loss
Application throughput parameters

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 Mobility Properties

Parameters used in Predictions

Mapping between mobilities and thresholds in bearer and quality indicator determination (as
radio conditions depend on user speed).

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 Terminal Properties

Min & Max

Power +
Noise
Figure +
Losses

Support
of MIMO

Number of Antenna ports in UL

Parameters used in Predictions and DL in case of MIMO
Minimum & Maximum terminal power support
Gain and losses
Noise figure
Antenna settings (incl. MIMO support)

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 Prediction Settings

Coverage Prediction Plots

Standard predictions
• Best server plot

• Coverage by signal level

• Multiple server coverage

Reference signal, SS, PDSCH, PBCH, PDCCH and PUSCH/PUCCH signal level and quality
predictions
• Selection of a mobility, a service, a terminal (possibly directional antenna oriented towards the serving
cell)

• Reference signal, SS, PDSCH, PBCH, PDCCH and PUSCH CNR plots

• RSRP (Average Reference Signal Level Received Power per Subcarrier) plots

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 Prediction Settings

Coverage Prediction Plots

CINR, Throughput and Quality Indicator predictions

• Based on user-defined cell loads or on Monte-Carlo simulation results

• Selection of a mobility, a service, a terminal (possibly directional antenna oriented towards the serving
cell)

• RSSI – Received Signal Strength Indicator and RSRQ – Reference Signal Received Quality

• Reference Signal, SS, PDSCH, PBCH, PDCCH and PUSCH/PUCCH CINR and interference plots

• UL Allocated Bandwidth, UL Transmission Power)

• Best bearer plots based on PDSCH and PUSCH CINR levels

• Throughput and cell capacity per pixel plots based on PDSCH and PUSCH CINR levels
• Peak RLC, effective RLC, and application channel throughputs
• Peak RLC, effective RLC, and application throughputs averaged per user
• Peak RLC, effective RLC, and application cell capacities
• Peak RLC, effective RLC, and application aggregate cell throughputs

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 Fast Link Adaptation Modelling

Atoll determines, on each pixel, the highest bearer that each user can obtain
No soft handover
Connection to the best server in term of reference signal level (C)
Bearer chosen according to the radio conditions (PDSCH and PUSCH CINR levels)

Process : prediction done via look-up tables

Throughput
Reference Signal Level (C) &
evaluation Quality Indicator (BER and BLER)
predictions

Radio Conditions estimation

Best Server Area determination
(PDSCH and PUSCH CINR Bearer Selection
(min RSRP)
calculation)

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 Interference Estimation

Atoll calculates PDSCH and PUSCH CINR according to:

The victim traffic (PUSCH or PDSCH) power

The interfering signals impacted by:

• The interferers powers
• The path loss from the interferers to the victim
• Antenna gain
• Losses from interferers (incl. Shadowing effect and indoor losses)

The interference reduction factor applied to interfering base stations transmitting on adjacent
channels (adjacent channel suppression factor)

The interference reduction factor due to interfering base stations’ traffic load

The interference reduction due to Fractional Frequency Reuse (and consequently the mutual
overlap between the channel fractions of the victim and the interfering base stations)

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 Prediction Examples (General Studies)

Number of servers
(Based on reference signal power)

Coverage by signal level

(Based on reference signal power)

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 Prediction Examples (Dedicated Studies)

Coverage by PDSCH CINR

(Directional receiver antenna)

Coverage by PDSCH CINR

(Isotropic receiver antenna)

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 Prediction Examples (Dedicated Studies)

Coverage by PUSCH CINR

(Directional receiver antenna)

Coverage by PUSCH CINR

(Isotropic receiver antenna)

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 Point Analysis Tool: Reception

Radio Reception Diagnosis at a Given Point : Reception Analysis

Choice of UL&DL load conditions : Selection of the value to be
if (Cells Table) is selected  Analysis based displayed (RS, SS, PDSCH,
on DL load and UL noise rise from cells table RSRP)

Reference
Signals,
PDSCH and
PUSCH
availability
(or not)

Definition of a user-
definable “probe" Cell bar graphs (best
receiver, indoor or not server at the top)

Analysis detail on
reference signals,
PDSCH and PUSCH

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 Point Analysis Tool: Interference

Radio Interference Diagnosis at a Given Point : Interference Analysis

Choice of UL&DL load conditions :

if (Cells Table) is selected  Analysis based on Selection of the value to be displayed
DL load and UL noise rise from cells table (RS, SS, PDSCH, RSRP)

Serving Cell
(C)

Total Level of
Interference
(I + N)

Definition of a user-
definable “probe" List of Interfering Cells
receiver, indoor or not

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 Training Programme

1. LTE Planning Overview

2. Modelling a LTE Network

3. LTE Predictions

4. Frequency and PCI Plan Analysis

5. Monte-Carlo Based Simulations

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 4. Frequency Plan Analysis

Channel and Physical Cell ID Search Tools

Physical Cell ID Allocation Audit

Physical Cell ID Histograms

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 Search Tool Overview

Tool to visualise channel and PSS ID reuse on the map

Possibility to find cells which are assigned a given :
• Frequency band + channel
• Physical Cell ID
• PSS ID
• SSS ID

Way to use this tool

Create and calculate a coverage by transmitter with a colour display by transmitter

Open the “Find on Map” tool available in the Edit menu

(or directly in the toolbar )

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 Channel Search Tool

Channel Reuse on the Map

Resource
Selection

Frequency
band and
Channel
number

Colours given to transmitters

• Red: co-channel transmitters
• Yellow: multi-adjacent channel (-1 and +1) transmitters
• Green: adjacent channel (-1) transmitters
• Blue: adjacent channel (+1) transmitters
• Grey thin line: other transmitters
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 Physical Cell ID Search Tool

Physical Cell ID, PSS ID and SSS ID Reuse on the Map

Resource
Selection

Resource
Type and
Value

Colours given to transmitters

• Red or Grey thin line: if the transmitters carries or not
the specified resource value (Physical Cell ID, PSS ID
or SSS ID)

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 PCI Allocation Audit (1/2)

Verification of the allocation inconsistencies

Respect of a minimum reuse distance
Respect of neighbourhood constraints (two neighbour cells must have different PCI)
Respect of SSS ID allocation strategy

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 PCI Allocation Audit (2/2)

Audit results
Inconsistencies are displayed in the default text editor

The minimum distance constraint is fulfilled

Cells BRU010_L1 & BRU116_L2 are

Neighbour cells but have been allocated
the same PCI

These 13 sites do not fulfil the SSS ID

allocation strategy:
on each site, allocated PCI do not have the
same SSS ID

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 Physical Cell ID Histograms

View of the Physical Cell ID Distribution

Dynamic
pointer

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 Training Programme

1. LTE Planning Overview

2. Modelling a LTE Network

3. LTE Predictions

4. Frequency and PCI Plan Analysis

5. Monte-Carlo Based Simulations

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 5. Monte-Carlo Based Simulations

Traffic modelling

Monte Carlo Simulations

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 Traffic Modelling (1/2)

Traffic Data
Traffic maps and subscriber lists

Various types of traffic maps:

• Raster traffic maps
• Vector traffic maps
• Live traffic maps
• Traffic density maps
Subscribers

Live Traffic Data

Vector Traffic Data

Raster Traffic Data

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 Traffic Modelling (2/2)

Subscriber Lists
Lists of subscribers with fixed locations and specific parameters

Can be created using the mouse or imported from txt and csv files

Can be displayed on the map according to different parameters

Main parameters:
• Location: X and Y coordinates
• Antenna height
• Azimuth and tilt (user-defined or calculated)
• Serving cell (user-defined or calculated)
• User profile
• Terminal type

Prediction calculations can be carried out

on subscribers (points)
• Predicted results include reception levels,
CINR, throughputs, etc.

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 Monte Carlo Simulations (1/3)

Monte Carlo Simulations

For studying network capacity

Network behaviour under given traffic

Can be based on traffic data from traffic maps

and subscriber lists

Distribution of mobile users and services

Calculation of user parameters (CINR, power control,

noise rise, resource allocation, etc.)

Scheduling and radio resource allocation

based on service priorities and scheduling methods:
• Proportional Fair
• Proportional Demand
• Max Aggregate Throughput

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 Monte Carlo Simulations (2/3)

Simulation Results
For each cell
• UL and DL traffic loads
• UL noise rise
• UL and DL aggregate cell throughputs
• Traffic input and connection statistics
• …

For each mobile

• Serving transmitter and cell
• Azimuth and tilt (towards the serving cell)
• Reference signal, SCH/PBCH, PDSCH, and PUSCH signal levels
• Reference signal, SCH/PBCH, PDSCH, and PUSCH CINR and interference levels
• Best bearers based on PDSCH and PUSCH CINR levels
• Cell throughputs, cell capacities, and user throughputs PDSCH and PUSCH CINR levels
• Connection status and rejection cause
• …

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 Monte Carlo Simulations (3/3)

Simulation Results Display

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THANK YOU!