Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Radio
v e r s i o n 3.1.2
AT312_UM_E1
AT312_UM_E1
experts in radio network planning
& optimisation software
200 South Wacker Drive 7 rue des Briquetiers Suite 302, 3/F, West Tower,
Suite 3100 31700 Blagnac Jiadu Commercial Building,
Chicago, IL 60606 France No.66 Jianzhong Road,
USA Tianhe Hi-Tech Industrial Zone,
Guangzhou, 510665,
Peoples Republic of China
+1 312 674 4800 +33 (0) 562 747 210 +86 20 8553 8938
+1 312 674 4847 +33 (0) 562 747 211 +86 20 8553 8285
+1 888 GoAtoll (+1 888 462 8655) +33 (0) 562 747 225 +86 20 8557 0016
www.forsk.com
Atoll 3.1.2 User Manual
Forsk
The software described in this document is provided under a licence agreement. The software may only be used or copied under the terms and
conditions of the licence agreement. No part of this document may be copied, reproduced or distributed in any form without prior authorisation
from Forsk.
The product or brand names mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective registering parties.
The Atoll user documentation is a guide and reference for users working with Atoll. Atoll is easy to use and offers a clear, self-explanatory user
interface. The user documentation helps the user make effective and efficient use of all the features that Atoll offers. The user documentation
aims to familiarise the user with the working environment of Atoll and enable him to use all of Atolls features and functions.
The Atoll user documentation is technology-specific. For each Atoll radio technology, the Atoll user manual contains instructions and information
specific to that technology as well as chapters describing the Atoll working environment and the tools available.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
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1.8.5.3 Adding a Site or Transmitter to a List from the Map Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
1.8.5.4 Adding Sites or Transmitters to a List Using a Zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
1.8.5.5 Editing a Site or Transmitter List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
1.8.5.6 Importing a Site or Transmitter List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
1.8.5.7 Exporting a Site or Transmitter List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
1.8.5.8 Filtering on a Site or Transmitter List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
1.8.6 Folder Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
1.8.6.1 Creating a Folder Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
1.8.6.2 Applying a Saved Folder Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
1.8.6.3 Reapplying the Current Folder Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
1.8.6.4 Saving a Folder Configuration in an External File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
1.8.6.5 Loading a Folder Configuration from an External File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
1.8.6.6 Deleting a Folder Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
1.8.7 Creating and Comparing Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
1.8.8 Filtering Data Using a Filtering Zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
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Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1611
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Chapter 1
The Working
Environment
This chapter presents the Atoll working environment and In this chapter, the following are explained:
explains the tools and shortcuts available.
"The Atoll Work Area" on page 31
"The Explorer Window" on page 35
"Working with Objects" on page 39
"Working with Maps" on page 49
"Working with Coverage Predictions" on page 66
"Working with Data Tables" on page 69
"Printing in Atoll" on page 84
"Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data" on page 89
"Tips and Tricks" on page 108
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Toolbar
Document window
(map)
Workspace
Geo explorer
(docked)
Panoramic window
(floating)
Atoll offers a variety of tools to help you plan a network and enables you to keep all the tools you need open at the same time
to simplify your work. Additionally, you can have several Atoll documents open at the same time or several different views of
the same document open at the same time.
Atoll enables you to manage the placement and appearance of these tools and windows in order to make using Atoll as effi-
cient as possible.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Selecting a Window" on page 32
"Organising the Atoll Workspace" on page 34.
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If there are more windows open than can be displayed at the top of the map window, you can select the window you want,
you can select the window you want from the Windows menu (for more information, see "Selecting a Window from the
Windows Menu" on page 33) or using the Windows dialogue (for more information, see "Using the Windows Dialogue" on
page 33).
You can also rearrange the windows by clicking and dragging a tab horizontally to a new
position.
You can also select a window by clicking the Active Files button ( ) to the right of the
tabs in the map window and selecting the window from the list that appears.
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3. Place the window icon over the part of the positioning icon corresponding
to the new position of window.
An outline appears over the Atoll workspace to indicate the new position
of the window.
If you release the window icon without placing it over positioning icon, you can float the
tool or explorer window over the workspace.
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2. Drag the window icon towards the centre of the map window.
New Horizontal Tab Group: Atoll creates a new horizontal tab group and adds the selected document
window to it.
New Vertical Tab Group: Atoll creates a new vertical tab group and adds the selected document window to it.
You can also add a document window to a new tab group by clicking its title and then selecting New Horizontal Tab
Group or New Vertical Tab Group from the Windows menu.
If you drag the window icon to the lower edge or right edge of an existing tab group -
even if there is only one tab group - an outline appears to indicate the tab group the
window will automatically be added to when you release the mouse.
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can access and edit items individually. As well, most folder contents can also be accessed in a table, allowing you to manage
large amounts of information. For information on working with tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
In this section, the following are described:
"Working with the Explorer Window" on page 36
"Working with the Site Configuration Window" on page 37
"Automatically Hiding Explorer Windows" on page 37
"Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38
"Working with Layers Using the Explorer Windows" on page 39.
The Network Explorer: The Network explorer enables you to manage radio data and calculations. Depending on
the modules installed with Atoll, the Network explorer has the following folders:
Sites
Transmitters
Predictions
UMTS Simulations, CDMA2000 Simulations , WiMAX Simulations, Wi-Fi Simulations, or LTE Simulations
Traffic analysis (GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects only)
Interference matrices (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, LTE, and WiMAX projects only)
Subscriber lists (LTE, WiMAX, and Wi-Fi projects only)
Multi-point analyses
Automatic cell planning results (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS, LTE, and WiMAX only)
Hexagonal design
Microwave links
CW Measurements and drive test data
The Geo explorer: The Geo explorer enables you to manage geographic data. The number of folders depends on
the number and types of geographical data types (vector data, scanned images, etc.) you import or create:
Clutter classes
Clutter heights
Digital terrain model
Population data
Any other geo data map
Traffic maps (GSM/GPRS/EDGE/TDMA, UMTS HSPA, CDMA2000, LTE, WiMAX, and Wi-Fi)
The Parameters explorer: The Parameters explorer enables you to manage the propagation models and addi-
tional modules. It contains:
Propagation Models: The Parameters explorer has a Propagation Models folder with the following propagation
models:
Cost-Hata
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI)
ITU 1546
ITU 370-7 (Vienna 93)
ITU 526-5
ITU 529
Longley-Rice
Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model
Microwave Propagation Model
Okumura-Hata
Standard Propagation Model
WLL
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Radio Network Equipment: The Radio Network Equipment folder contains antenna models, transmitter models,
repeater and smart antenna equipment, and waveguides, cables, and feeders.
Traffic Parameters: The Traffic Parameters folder contains services, mobility types, terminals, user profiles, and
environments.
Network Settings: The Network Settings folder contains station templates, frequencies and frequency bands,
bearers, reception equipment, quality indicators, etc.
Microwave link network settings and equipment
The AFP models available in your Atoll installation.
Any additional module created using the API.
The Site Configuration window appears where it was last placed. If you reset the window layout, it appears as a tab along with
the Network, Geo, and Parameters explorers.
To display the transmitters on a site:
1. Select the site in the map window or in the Sites folder in the Network explorer.
2. Select the Site Configuration window. The site is displayed in the Site Configuration window. The transmitters located
on that site are displayed in folders identifying their radio planning technology.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of a folder to expand the folder and view the contents.
You can view the properties of a transmitter displayed in the Site Configuration window
by double-clicking it.
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Figure 1.4: Auto-hide activated for the explorer windows and for Find on Map
You can also auto-hide most tool windows, for example, the Find on Map window, the
Legend window, the Drive Test Data window, etc.
Hiding an object affects only its visibility in the map window; it will still be taken into
consideration during calculations.
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You can hide the contents of an entire folder by clearing the check box to the left of the
folder name. When the check box of a folder appears greyed ( ), it indicates that the
folder contains both visible and hidden objects.
Before you print a map, you should pay attention to the arrangement of the layers. For
more information, see "Printing Recommendations" on page 85.
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In Atoll, objects such as sites or transmitters are named with default prefixes. Individual
objects are distinguished from each other by the number added automatically to the
default prefix. You can change the default prefix for sites, transmitters, and cells by editing
the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
When you are selecting data objects on the map, it can be difficult to ensure that the
correct object has been selected. When a site is selected, the site (and its name) is
surrounded by a black frame ( ). When a transmitter is selected, both ends of its
icon have a green point ( ). When there is more than one transmitter with with the
same azimuth, clicking the transmitters in the map window opens a context menu
allowing you to select the transmitter you want (see "Selecting One of Several
Transmitters" on page 41).
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
You can switch between the Properties dialogues of items (transmitters, antennas, sites, services, user profiles, etc.) in the
same folder or defined view in the explorer (the Network explorer or the Geo explorer) by using the browse buttons
( ) in the lower-left corner of each Properties dialogue:
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While this method allows you to place a site quickly, you can adjust the location more
precisely by editing the coordinates on the General tab of the Site Properties dialogue.
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1. On the map, click the antenna whose azimuth you want to modify.
2. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green circle ( ). An arc with an arrow
appears under the pointer.
3. Click the green circle and drag it to change the antennas azimuth.
The current azimuth of the antenna is displayed in the far left of the status bar.
4. Release the mouse when you have set the azimuth to the desired angle.
The antennas azimuth is modified on the Transmitter tab of the Transmitter Properties
dialogue.
You can also modify the azimuth on the map for all the antennas on a base station using the mouse.
To modify the azimuth of all the antennas on a base station using the mouse:
1. On the map, click one of the antennas whose azimuth you want to modify.
2. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green circle ( ). An arc with an arrow
appears under the pointer.
3. Hold CTRL and, on the map, click the green circle and drag it to change the antennas azimuth.
The current azimuth of the antenna is displayed in the far left of the status bar.
4. Release the mouse when you have set the azimuth of the selected antenna to the desired
angle.
The azimuth of the selected antenna is modified on the Transmitter tab of the Transmitter
Properties dialogue. The azimuth of the other antennas on the base station is offset by the
same amount as the azimuth of the selected antenna.
If you make a mistake when changing the azimuth, you can undo your changes by using
Undo (by selecting Edit > Undo, by pressing CTRL+Z, or by clicking in the toolbar) to
undo the changes made.
1.3.2.5 Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse
By default, antennas are placed on the site. However, antennas are occasionally not located directly on the site, but a short
distance away. In Atoll, you can change the position of the antenna relative to the site either by adjusting the Dx and Dy
parameters or by entering the coordinates of the antenna position on the General tab of the Transmitter Property dialogue.
Dx and Dy are the distance in metres of the antenna from the site position. You can also modify the position of the antenna
on the map, using the mouse.
To move a transmitter using the mouse:
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If you make a mistake when changing the position of the transmitter, you can undo your
changes by using Undo (by selecting Edit > Undo, by pressing CTRL+Z, or by clicking
in the toolbar) to undo the changes made.
When you access the Properties dialogue of an individual object, the Display tab will only show the options applicable to an
individual object (see Figure 1.8).
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Depending on the object selected, you can choose from the following display types: unique, discrete values, value intervals,
or automatic.
To change the display type:
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
2. Select the display type from the Display Type list:
Unique: defines the same symbol for all objects of this type. By defining a unique symbol for an object type,
objects of different types, for example, sites or transmitters, are immediately identifiable.
i. To modify the appearance of the symbol, click the symbol in the table below. The Symbol Style dialogue ap-
pears.
ii. Modify the symbol as desired.
iii. Click OK to close the Symbol Style dialogue.
Discrete values: defines the display of each object according to the value of a selected field. This display type can
be used to distinguish objects of the same type by one characteristic. For example, you could use this display type
to distinguish transmitter by antenna type, or to distinguish inactive from active sites.
i. Select the name of the Field by which you want to display the objects.
ii. You can click the Actions button to access the Actions menu. For information on the commands available, see
"Using the Actions Button" on page 45.
iii. To modify the appearance of a symbol, click the symbol in the table below. The Display Parameters dialogue
appears.
iv. Modify the symbol as desired.
v. Click OK to close the Display Parameters dialogue.
Value intervals: defines the display of each object according to set ranges of the value of a selected field. This dis-
play type can be used, for example, to distinguish population density, signal strength, and the altitude of sites.
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i. Select the name of the Field by which you want to display the objects.
ii. Define the ranges directly in the table below. For an example, see Figure 1.10 on page 47.
iii. You can click the Actions button to access the Actions menu. For information on the commands available, see
"Using the Actions Button" on page 45.
iv. To modify the appearance of a symbol, click the symbol in the table. The Display Parameters dialogue appears.
v. Modify the symbol as desired.
vi. Click OK to close the Display Parameters dialogue.
Automatic: only available for transmitters; Atoll automatically assigns a colour to each transmitter, ensuring that
each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding it.
i. Click the symbol in the table below. The Display Parameters dialogue appears.
ii. Modify the symbol as desired.
iii. Click OK to close the Display Parameters dialogue.
When you create a new map object, for example, a new site or a new transmitter,
you must click the Refresh button ( ) for Atoll to assign a colour to newly cre-
ated object according to the set display type.
You can define the default symbol used for sites and how it is displayed by editing
an option in the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
The Actions button on the Display tab of the Properties dialogue allows you to modify the display type as defined in "Defining
the Display Type" on page 44.
To access the Actions menu:
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
2. Click the Actions button. The Actions menu gives you access to the following commands:
Properties: Atoll displays the Display Parameters dialogue, enabling you to define the appearance of the selected
symbol in the table.
Select all: Atoll selects all the values in the table.
Delete: Atoll removes the selected value from the table.
Insert before: When the selected display type is value intervals, Atoll inserts a new threshold in the table before
the threshold selected in the table.
Insert after: When the selected display type is value intervals, Atoll inserts a new threshold in the table after the
threshold selected in the table.
Shading: Atoll opens the Shading dialogue. When "Value Intervals" is the selected display type, you select Shading
to define the number of value intervals and configure their colour. Enter the upper and lower limits of the value
in the First Break and Last Break boxes respectively, and enter a value in the Interval box. Define the colour
shading by choosing a Start Colour and an End Colour. The value intervals will be determined by the set values
and coloured by a shade going from the set start colour to the set end colour.
When "Discrete Values" is the selected display type, you select Shading to choose a Start Colour and an End Col-
our.
Display Configuration: Select Load if you want to import an existing display configuration. Select Save if you want
to save the display settings of the current object in a display configuration file, so that you can share them with
other users or use them in other documents.
You can change the transparency of some objects, such as predictions, and some object types, such as clutter classes, to allow
objects on lower layers to be visible on the map.
To change the transparency:
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
2. Move the Transparency slider to the right to make the object or object type more transparent or to the left to make
it less transparent.
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You can define a visibility range for object types. An object is visible only if the scale, as displayed on the Map toolbar, is within
this range. This can be used to, for example, prevent the map from being cluttered with symbols when you are at a certain
scale.
Visibility ranges are taken into account for screen display, and for printing and previewing printing. They do not affect which
objects are considered during calculations.
To define an object visibility range:
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
2. Enter a Visibility Scale minimum in the between 1: text box.
3. Enter a Visibility Scale maximum in the and 1: text box.
For most object types, such as sites and transmitters, you can display information about each object in the form of a label that
is displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object types data table, including from fields
that you add.
To define a label for an object type:
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
2. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Label box. The Field Selection dialogue appears (see Figure 1.9).
b. To remove a field from the Selected Fields list, select the field in the Selected Fields list and click to remove
it.
c. To change the order of the fields, select a field and click or to move it up or down in the list. The objects will
be grouped in the order of the fields in the Selected Fields list, from top to bottom.
4. Click OK to close the Field Selection dialogue and click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
For most object types, you can also display object information in the form of tip text that
is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. This option has the advantage
of not filling the map window with text. For more information on tip text, see "Defining the
Object Type Tip Text" on page 46.
For most object types, such as sites and transmitters, you can display information about each object in the form of tip text
that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can display information from every field in that object
types data table, including from fields that you add.
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In the explorer (the Network explorer or the Geo explorer), the tip text displays the total numbers of elements present in the
Sites and Transmitters folders, and the view.
To define tip text for an object type:
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
2. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Tip Text box. The Field Selection dialogue appears (see Figure 1.9).
3. Select the fields which you want to display in the tip text:
a. To select a field to be displayed in the tip text for the object type, select the field in the Available Fields list and
click to move it to the Selected Fields list.
b. To remove a field from the Selected Fields list, select the field in the Selected Fields list and click to remove
it.
For most object types, you can also display object information in the form of a label that is
displayed with the object. This option has the advantage of keep object-related informa-
tion permanently visible. For more information on tip text, see "Defining the Object Type
Label" on page 46.
Once you have defined the tip text, you must activate the tip text function before it appears.
To display tip text:
Click the Display Tips button ( ) on the toolbar. Tip text will now appear when the pointer is over the object.
If you have more than one coverage prediction displayed on the map, the tip text displays the tip text for all the coverage
predictions available on a pixel up to a maximum of 30 lines. You can change this default maximum using an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
You can display the information defined by the display type (see "Defining the Display Type" on page 44) in your Atoll docu-
ments legend. Only visible objects appear in the Legend window. For information on displaying or hiding objects, see
"Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
In Figure 1.10, on the Display tab of a signal level prediction, the intervals defined are:
Signal level >= -65 red
-65 > Signal level >= -105 shading from red to blue (9 intervals)
Signal level < -105 not shown in the coverage.
The entries in the Legend column will appear in the Legend window.
With value intervals, you can enter information in the Legend column to be displayed on the legend. If there is no information
entered in this column, the maximum and minimum values are displayed instead.
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
2. Select the Add to legend check box. The defined display will appear on the legend.
To display the Legend window:
Select View > Legend Window. The Legend window appears.
You can also display the comments defined in the properties of a coverage prediction in the Legend window by setting an
option in the atoll.ini file. For more information about setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
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When making a best server prediction, Atoll calculates, for each pixel on the map, which server is received the best. If the
selected display type for transmitters is "Automatic," Atoll colours each pixel on the map according to the colour of the trans-
mitter that is best received on that pixel. This way, you can identify immediately which transmitter is best received on each
pixel. The following two figures show the results of the same best server area and handover margin coverage prediction.
In Figure 1.11, the transmitter display type is "Discrete Values," with the site name as the chosen value. The difference in
colour is insufficient to make clear which transmitter is best received on each pixel. In Figure 1.12, the transmitter display type
is "Automatic." Because Atoll ensures that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding it, the
prediction results are also immediately visible.
Figure 1.11: Value interval display type Figure 1.12: Automatic display type
To display the results of a server coverage prediction with the transmitters set to the automatic display type:
1. Right-click the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Display tab.
4. Select "Automatic" as the Display Type.
5. Click OK.
6. Click the Refresh button ( ) to update the display of the prediction results.
Atoll displays the results of a signal level prediction as value intervals. On the map, these value intervals appear as differences
of shading. You can use the Shading command to define the appearance of these value intervals to make the results easier to
read or more relevant to your needs. For example, you can change the range of data displayed, the interval between each
break, or you can change the colours to make the intervals more visible.
In this example, Figure 1.13 shows the results of the best signal level plot from -60 dBm to -105 dBm. However, if you are more
interested in reception from -80 dBm to -105 dBm, you can change the shading to display only those values. The result is visi-
ble in Figure 1.14.
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Figure 1.13: Shading from -60 dBm to -105 dBm Figure 1.14: Shading from -80 dBm to -105 dBm
To change how the results of a signal level coverage prediction are displayed:
1. Expand the Predictions folder in the Network explorer and right-click the signal level prediction. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Display tab.
4. Click Actions to display the menu and select Shading. The Shading dialogue appears.
5. Change the value of the First Break to "-80". Leave the value of the Last Break at "-105."
6. Click OK to close the Shading dialogue.
7. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue and apply your changes.
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1. Click the Zoom icon ( ) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL+Q).
2. Click the map where you want to zoom in.
You can also zoom in by pressing CTRL++, by selecting Zoom > Zoom In from the View
menu, or by holding down the CTRL key and rotating the mouse wheel button forward.
1. Click the Zoom icon ( ) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL+Q).
2. Right-click the map where you want to zoom out.
You can also zoom out by pressing CTRL+, by selecting Zoom > Zoom Out from the View
menu, or holding down the CTRL key and rotating the mouse wheel button backward.
1. Click the Zoom Area icon ( ) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL+W).
2. Click in the map on one of the four corners of the area you want to select.
3. Drag to the opposite corner. When you release the mouse button, Atoll zooms in on the selected area.
1. Click the arrow next to the scale box ( ) on the Map toolbar.
2. Select the scale from the list.
If the scale value you want is not in the list:
Click the Previous Zoom button ( ) to return to a zoom level you have already used (or press ALT + ).
Once you have returned to a previous zoom level, click the Next Zoom button ( ) to return to the latest zoom level
(or press ALT + ).
You can move the Close Full Screen button by clicking and dragging the Full Screen title
bar above it. If you inadvertantly move the Close Full Screen button off screen, you can
still return to the normal view by selecting View > Full Screen again or by pressing ESC.
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With the toolbars and scrollbars hidden, you can still navigate around the map window using the keyboard shortcuts:
CTRL++: Zoom in on the map
CTRL+: Zoom out on the map
CTRL+Q: Select Zoom In/Out tool (left click to zoom in and right click to zoom out)
CTRL+D: Move the map in the map window
ALT+: Previous zoom and location on the map
1. Click the Move Map Window button ( ) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL + D).
2. Move the pointer over the map and drag the map in the desired direction.
You can also move the map in the document window by placing the pointer over the map,
pressing the mouse wheel, and dragging the map in the desired direction.
If you want to quickly find an object, such as a site, on the map, you can select it in the
explorer and then select the Centre in Map Window command.
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You can also adjust the map window to a record (polygon or line) in a vector table. The map
window is then adjusted so that the polygon (or line) entirely occupies the displayed map.
When the Distance Measurement tool is active, the information in the status bar changes
from "Ready" to the following when you click the first point:
"Path= 0 m, Line= 0 m; Total = 0 m; Azimuth = 0"
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Filtering Zone: The filtering zone is a graphical filter that restricts the objects displayed on the map and in the
Network explorer to the objects inside the filtering zone. It also restricts which objects are used in calculations such
as coverage predictions, etc.
For more information on the filtering zone, see "Filtering Zones" on page 54.
Computation Zone: In radio--planning projects, the computation zone is used to define which base stations are
to be taken into consideration in calculations and the area where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predic-
tions, etc.
For more information on the computation zone, see "The Computation Zone" on page 55.
Focus Zone and Hot Spots: With the focus zone and hot spots, you can select the areas of coverage predictions
or other calculations on which you want to generate reports and results.
For more information on the focus zone and hot spots, see "The Focus Zone and Hot Spots" on page 56.
Printing Zone: The printing zone allows you to define the area to be printed.
For more information on printing using the printing zone, see "Using a Printing Zone" on page 59.
Geographic Export Zone: The geographic export zone is used to define part of the map to be exported as a bitmap.
For more information on the geographic export zone, see "Using a Geographic Export Zone" on page 59.
Zones are taken into account whether or not they are visible. In other words, if you have
drawn a zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the
Zones folder of the Geo explorer is selected. For example, if you have filtered the sites
using a filtering zone, the sites outside the filtering zone will not be taken into
consideration in coverage predictions, even if you have cleared the filtering zones
visibility check box. You will have to delete the zone if you no longer want to select sites
using a filtering zone.
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Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the filtering zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon as a filtering zone by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo
explorer and Use As > Filtering Zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing filtering zone with any
existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo explorer and selecting Add To > Filtering Zone from the
context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a filtering zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Filtering Zone folder in the
Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a filtering zone the size of the map window by right-clicking the Filtering
Zone folder in the Geo explorer and selecting Fit Zone to Map Window from the context menu.
Once you have created a filtering zone, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information on the poly-
gon editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 57.
You can save the filtering zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document, in the
following ways:
Saving the filtering zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the
fiiltering zone in a user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on
page 101.
Exporting the filtering zone: You can export the filtering zone by right-clicking the
Filtering Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the context menu.
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ii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
iii. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Draw Rectangle
i. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the computation zone.
ii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the computation zone. When you release the
mouse, the computation zone will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
The computation zone is delimited by a red line.
You can also create a computation zone as follows:
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon as a computation zone by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo
explorer and selecting Use As > Computation Zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing compu-
tation zone with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo explorer and selecting Add To >
Computation Zone from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computation Zone in
the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by right-clicking the Com-
putation Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Fit Zone to Map Window from the context menu.
Once you have created a computation zone, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information on the
polygon editing tools, see"Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 57.
You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document,
in the following ways:
Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on saving
the computation zone in a user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on
page 101.
Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by right-
clicking the Computation Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the
context menu.
A focus zone can consist of more than one polygon. The polygons of a focus zone must not
intersect or overlap each other.
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i. Click once on the map to start drawing the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the focus zone or hot spot changes
direction.
iii. Click twice to finish drawing and close the focus zone or hot spot.
Draw Rectangle
i. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot. When you release the
mouse, the focus zone or hot spot will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zones visibility
check box in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into account.
You can also create a focus zone or hot spot in one of the following ways:
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the focus zone or hot spot.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon as a focus zone or hot spot by right-clicking it on the map or in the
Geo explorer and selecting Use As > Focus Zone or Use As > Hot Spot from the context menu. You can also combine
an existing focus zone or hot spot with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo explorer and
selecting Add To > Focus Zone or Add To > Hot Spot from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a focus zone or hot spot. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus Zone or Hot
Spots folder in the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot spots, you can
import the name (in text format) given to each zone as well. Additionally, because you can have several hot spots, you
can import more than one polygon into the Hot Spot folder, with each as a separate hot spot.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a focus zone or hot spot the size of the map window by right-clicking the
Focus Zone or Hot Spots folder in the Geo explorer and selecting Fit Zone to Map Window from the context menu.
You can save the focus zone or hot spot, so that you can use it in a different Atoll docu-
ment, in the following ways:
Saving the focus zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the
focus zone in a user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
Exporting the focus zone or hot spots: You can export the focus zone or hot spots
by right-clicking the Focus Zone or the Hot Spots folder in the Geo explorer and
selecting Export from the context menu.
If the zone has been selected from the list in the Vector Editor toolbar, it is automatically
put in editing mode.
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Once you have the polygon zone in editing mode, you can edit it as explained in the following sections:
"Editing the Points of a Polygon Zone" on page 58
"Editing Polygon Zones Using the Toolbar" on page 58
"Editing Polygon Zones Using the Context Menu" on page 59.
i. Position the pointer over the point you want to move. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Drag the point to its new position.
Adding a point to the polygon zone:
i. Position the pointer over the polygon zone border where you want to add a point. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the polygon zone border at the
position of the pointer.
Deleting a point from a polygon zone:
i. Position the pointer over the point you want to delete. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Right-click and select Delete Point from the context menu. The point is deleted.
In Atoll, you can create complex polygon zones by using the tools on the Vector Editor toolbar. The filtering, computation,
and focus zone polygons can contain holes. The holes within polygonal areas are differentiated from overlaying polygons by
the order of the coordinates of their vertices. The coordinates of the vertices of polygonal areas are in clockwise order,
whereas the coordinates of the vertices of holes within polygonal areas are in counter-clockwise order.
To edit a polygon zone using the icons on the Vector Editor toolbar:
1. Put the polygon zone in editing mode as explained in "Editing Polygon Zones" on page 57.
2. Click the contour to edit. The Vector Editor toolbar has the following buttons:
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When you are editing polygon zones, you can access certain commands using the context menu.
To edit a polygon zone using the context menu:
1. Click the polygon zone you want to edit.
2. Right-click the polygon zone to display the context menu and select one of the following:
Properties: Select Properties to open the Properties dialogue of the selected polygon zone. The Properties dia-
logue gives the coordinates of each point that defines the position and shape of the polygon zone.
Insert Point: Select Insert Point to add a point to the border of the contour at the position of the pointer.
Move:
i. Select Move from the context menu to move the contour, line, or point on the map.
ii. Move the contour, line, or point.
iii. Click to place the contour, line, or point.
Quit edition: Select Quit Edition to exit editing mode.
Delete: Select Delete to remove the selected contour, line, or point from the map.
You can also delete it by right-clicking its border on the map and selecting Delete from
the context menu.
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ii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
iii. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Draw Rectangle
i. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the zone.
ii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the zone. When you release the mouse, the zone
will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
Fit Zone to Map Window
Atoll creates a geographic export zone that fits the map window.
The geographic export zone is delimited by a light purple line . If you clear the geographic export zones visibility check
box in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into account.
You can also create a geographic export zone as follows:
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the
Vector Editor toolbar to draw the geogaphic export zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon as a geographic export zone by right-clicking it on the map or
in the Geo explorer and selecting Use As > Geographic Export Zone from the context menu. You can also combine
an existing geographic export zone with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo explorer
and selecting Add To > Geographic Export Zone from the context menu. The "effective" geographic export zone
will be the rectangle encompassing the several polygons composing the geographic export zone.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, you can import it and use it as a geographic export
zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Geographic Export Zone folder in the Geo explorer and selecting
Import from the context menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a geographic export zone the size of the map window by right-clicking
it on the map or in the Geo explorer and selecting Fit Zone to Map Window from the context menu.
Once you have created a geographic export zone, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more infor-
mation on the polygon editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 57.
You can save the geographic export zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll docu-
ment, in the following ways:
Saving the geographic export zone in the user configuration: For information on
saving the geographic export zone in a user configuration, see "Saving a User Con-
figuration" on page 101.
Exporting the geographic export zone: You can export the geographic export zone
by right-clicking the Geographic Export Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting
Export from the context menu.
The geographic export zone can only export in raster format. You can not export in raster
format if the coverage prediction was made per transmitter (for example, coverage
predictions with the display type set by transmitter, by a transmitter attribute, by signal
level, by path loss, or by total losses). Only the coverage area of a single transmitter can
be exported in raster format.
5. Select File > Save Image As. The Map Export dialogue appears, with the option Geographic export zone selected.
6. Click Export. The Save As dialogue appears.
7. In the Save as dialogue, select a destination folder, enter a File name, and select a file type from the Save as type list.
The following file formats are supported: BMP, PNG, ArcView Grid (TXT), TIFF, BIL, JPEG 2000, and JPG. If you want to
use the saved file as a digital terrain model, you should select the TIF, BIL, or TXT format. When saving in BIL format,
Atoll allows you to save files larger than 2 Gb.
8. Click Save. The Exported Image Size dialogue appears.
9. You can define the size of the exported image in one of two ways:
Scale: If you want to define the size by scale, select Scale, enter a scale in the text box and a resolution. If you want
to export the image with rulers, select Include Rulers.
Pixel size: If you want to define the size by pixel size, select Pixel size, and enter a pixel size in the text box.
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If you want to use the exported file as a digital terrain model, you must define the size of
the exported image by pixel size. Atoll then creates a geo-reference file for the exported
image.
Click the New Vector Layer button ( ) on the Vector Editor toolbar.
Atoll creates a folder called "Vectors" in the Geo explorer.
For information on adding vector objects such as contours, lines, and points to the vector layer, see "Creating Polygons, Lines,
and Points" on page 61.
You can also make the vector tools available by selecting the vector layer to edit from
the Vector Editor toolbar list. Because Atoll names all new vector layers "Vectors" by
default, it might be difficult to know which Vectors folder you are selecting. By renaming
each vectors folder, you can ensure that you select the correct folder. For information on
renaming objects, see "Renaming an Object" on page 40.
If the Vector Editor toolbar is not visible, select View > Toolbars > Vector Editor.
3. Click one of the following buttons on the Vector Editor toolbar:
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New Polygon:
a. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the contour.
b. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the contour.
c. Double-click to close the contour.
New Rectangle:
a. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle.
b. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle.
c. Release the mouse to create the rectangle defined by the two corners.
If the polygon or rectangle is on the vector layer of a population map, or custom data, you
must define the value the polygon or rectangle represents and map the vector layer. For
more information, see "Editing Population or Custom Data Maps" on page 161.
New Line:
a. Click once on the map where you want to begin the line.
b. Click each time you change angles on the line.
c. Double-click to end the line.
New Point: Click once on the map where you want to place the point.
4. Press ESC to deselect the currently selected button on the Vector Editor toolbar.
You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the
Vector Editor toolbar list.
i. Position the pointer over the point you want to move. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Drag the point to its new position. If you are editing a rectangle, the adjacent points on the rectangle change
position as well, in order for the rectangle to retain its shape.
Adding a point to a contour or a line:
i. Position the pointer over the contour border or line where you want to add a point. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the contour border or line at the
position of the pointer.
Deleting a point from a contour or a line:
i. Position the pointer over the point you want to delete. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Right-click and select Delete Point from the context menu. The point is deleted.
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To edit a vector object using the icons on the Vector Editor toolbar:
1. In the explorer (the Network explorer or the Geo explorer) containing the vector layer, right-click the vector layer
folder. The context menu appears.
2. Select Draw from the context menu. The vector tools on the Vector Editor toolbar are activated.
You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the
Vector Editor toolbar list.
3. Click the contour to edit. The Vector Editor toolbar enables you to perform the following functions:
: To create a contour out of the overlapping area of an existing contour and a new one:
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iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the contour.
iv. Double-click to close the contour. Atoll deletes the area defined by the newly drawn contour from the selected
contour, thereby creating two new contours.
You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the
Vector Editor toolbar list.
1.4.13.6 Editing Contours, Lines, and Points Using the Context Menu
When you are editing contours, lines, and points, you can access certain commands using the context menu.
To edit a vector object using the context menu:
1. Click the vector object you want to edit.
2. Right-click the vector object to display the context menu and select one of the following:
Delete: Select Delete to remove the selected contour, line, or point from the map.
Convert to Line: Select Convert to Line to convert the selected contour to a line.
Convert to Polygon: Select Convert to Polygon to convert the selected line to a contour.
Open Line: Select Open Line to remove the segment between the last and the first point.
Close Line: Select Close Line to add a segment between the last and the first point of the line.
Insert Point: Select Insert Point to add a point to the border of the contour at the position of the pointer.
Move:
i. Select Move from the context menu to move the contour, line, or point on the map.
ii. Move the contour, line, or point.
iii. Click to place the contour, line, or point.
Quit edition: Select Quit Edition to exit editing mode.
Properties: Select Properties to open the Properties dialogue of the selected contour, line, or point. The Proper-
ties dialogue has two tabs:
General: The General tab gives the name of the vector Layer, the Surface of the object, and any Properties of
the contour, line, or point.
Geometry: This tab gives the coordinates of each point that defines the position and shape of the contour,
line, or point.
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Only the commands relevant to the selected contour, line, or point are displayed in the
context menu.
The polygon drawing pointer indicates you can draw a zone to filter either sites or
transmitters, draw computation/focus/hot spot/filtering/printing/ geographic
Polygon drawing
export zones, or draw vector or raster polygons on the map. To draw a polygon, click
pointer
once to start, and each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of
the polygon. Close the polygon by clicking twice.
The rectangle drawing pointer indicates you can draw computation/focus/hot spot/
Rectangle drawing
filtering/printing/geographic export zones, or draw vector or raster rectangles on
pointer
the map. To define a zone, click and drag diagonally.
Hand The hand pointer indicates you can move the visible part of the displayed map.
The zoom pointer indicates you can click to zoom in and right-click to zoom out at
Zoom tool
the location of the mouse pointer
The zoom area pointer indicates you can zoom in on an area of the by clicking and
Zoom area
dragging to define the area.
The transmitter pointer indicates you can place a transmitter on the map where you
New transmitter
click. You can place more than one station by pressing CTRL as you click on the map.
The point analysis pointer indicates that you have selected the Point Analysis tool
Point analysis
and have not yet chosen the first point.
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The pencil pointer indicates you can create a polygonal clutter zone, by clicking once
Pencil to start the polygon, once to create each corner, and by double-clicking to close the
polygon.
The deletion pointer indicates that you can delete a newly created polygonal clutter
Deletion
zone by clicking its border.
The position indicator pointer indicates you can select the border of a polygon.
Position indicator Right-clicking the polygon border opens a context menu allowing you to add a point,
delete the polygon, or centre the map on the polygon.
The select/create points pointer indicates you can modify the polygon in the map
window. You can add a new point and modify the polygon contour by clicking on one
Select/create
of the edges and dragging. You can move an existing point by clicking and dragging
points
an existing point. You can right-click to open a context menu to delete a point,
delete the polygon, or centre the map on the polygon.
Placing a CW
The first CW measurement point pointer indicates you can click a point on the map
measurement
to create the first point of a CW measurement path.
point
Placing points in a The next CW measurement point pointer indicates the first CW measurement point
CW measurement has been set and you can now click other points on the map. Double-click to end the
path CW measurement path.
The measurement pointer indicates you can click on the map to set the start point of
Measurements on
your measurement. As you move the pointer, the distance between the first point
the map
and the pointer is displayed in the status bar.
The terrain section pointer indicates that you can create a terrain section by clicking
once on the map to create the first point and once more to create the second point.
Terrain section
The terrain profile between the two points is displayed in the Point Analysis window
and stored under Terrain Sections in the Geo explorer.
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You can change the name of the sub-folder to give it a more descriptive name.
The same procedure can be used to move a coverage prediction from one sub-folder to
another or from a sub-folder to the Predictions folder.
You can also use drag-and-drop to move any coverage prediction to the Predictions folder or any of its sub-folders by dragging
the coverage prediction over the Predictions folder or over the name of the destination sub-folder and dropping it. You can
only drop a coverage prediction in a destination folder when this folder is highlighted, as shown in Figure 1.16.
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You can export coverage predictions separately or you can export several coverage predictions at the same time. When you
export more than one coverage prediction, Atoll suggests the formats that can be used for all the coverage predictions to be
exported.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Vector Format" on page 68
"Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Raster Format" on page 68
"Exporting Multiple Coverage Predictions" on page 69.
The coverage prediction must be displayed in the map window before it can be exported.
For information on displaying objects in the map window, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects
on the Map Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
3. Select Export the Coverage from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. In the Save As dialogue, select a destination folder, enter a File name, and select the vector format from the Save as
type list.
5. Click Save to export the coverage prediction results.
If you have chosen to export the prediction coverage in a vector format other than AGD, the Vector Export dialogue
is displayed in which you can modify the following export settings:
a. Coordinate Systems: You can change the reference coordinate system for the file being exported.
b. Resolution: You can change the Resolution of the exported coverage. The default resolution is the resolution of
the coverage prediction results (as set in the coverage prediction Properties dialogue).
c. Filtering: You can apply a filter to the coverage prediction export to fill empty pixels with a value averaged from
surrounding pixels. Define the level of filtering by moving the Filtering slider, or entering the percentage in the
text box.
d. Smoothing: You can smooth the vectors exported by a set percentage by moving the Smoothing slider, or entering
the percentage in the text box.
When exporting a prediction coverage in MIF format, the tip text will be exported with it
and will be visible as tip text when you re-import the MIF file in another Atoll project. For
information on defining tip text, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 46.
The coverage prediction must be displayed in the map window before it can be exported.
For information on displaying objects in the map window, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects
on the Map Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
3. Export the entire coverage prediction, the geographic export zone, or part of the coverage prediction:
To export the entire coverage prediction:
Right-click the coverage prediction you want to export.
To export the geographic export zone:
a. Define the geographic export zone as explained in "Using a Geographic Export Zone" on page 59.
b. Right-click the coverage prediction you want to export.
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You can not export in raster format if the coverage prediction was made per transmitter
(for example, coverage predictions with the display type set by transmitter, by a transmit-
ter attribute, by signal level, by path loss, or by total losses). Only the coverage area of a
single transmitter can be exported in raster format.
Folder: Enter the folder you want to store the exported coverage predictions in or click the Browse button ( )
to navigate to it.
Format: Select the vector file format you want Atoll to export the coverage predictions in.
Time stamp: If you select the Time stamp check box, Atoll will add the date and time to the file name of each
exported coverage prediction.
Resolution in metres: You can define a resolution for the exported coverage predictions.
6. Click Export to export the selected coverage predictions. The selected coverage predictions are saved in the selected
folder.
When you export several coverage predictions at the same time, Atoll does not take the
geographic export zone into consideration. The geographic export zone is only taken into
consideration for raster file formats.
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You can filter, sort, and group the data contained in these tables, and view a statistical analysis of the data. You can also export
the data or import data into the Atoll data tables. The options for working with data tables are available from the context
menu or from the Table toolbar displayed above the table.
Atoll allows you to navigate through the data in tables by either using the vertical or horizontal scroll bars, the mouse wheel,
or by moving through the table cell by cell using the cursor keys or the tab key.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Opening a Data Table" on page 70
"Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 70
"Editing the Contents of a Table" on page 76
"Opening an Objects Record Properties Dialogue from a Table" on page 72
"Defining the Table Format" on page 73
"Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77
"Viewing a Statistical Analysis of Table Contents" on page 80
"Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82
"Exporting Tables to XML Files" on page 83
"Importing Tables from XML Files" on page 83.
If the Remove Filter button ( ) in the Table toolbar is active, a filter has already been
applied on the table. You can click the Advanced Filter button ( ) in the toolbar to see
the details of the current filter (unless the filter was applied using a filtering zone, or
using a site or transmitter list).
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Some fields listed under Legend on the Table tab of Properties dialogues are followed by:
"(NOT USED)" to indicate that the field is not used in the current release of Atoll.
The corresponding column is hidden by default when Open Table is used.
"(OBSOLETE)" to indicate that the field is not available and will be removed in a
future release of Atoll. The corresponding column does not appear in the table.
User or custom fields are for information only and are not taken into account in any calcu-
lation. You can find these fields on the Other Properties tab of an object types Properties
dialogue.
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All data stored in the field will be lost when you delete the field itself. Make sure that you
are not deleting important information.
1. Access the object types table fields as explained in "Accessing an Object Types Table Fields" on page 70.
2. Select the custom field that you want to delete.
Some fields can not be deleted. If you select a field and the Delete button remains
unavailable, the selected field is not a custom field and can not be deleted.
3. Click Delete. The field is deleted from the object types data table.
You can also open the Record Properties dialogue by double-clicking the record. To avoid
editing the record when you double-click, double-click the left margin of the record instead
of the record itself. You can also select the record and click the Record Properties button
( ) in the Table toolbar.
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You can change the column width and row height in a data table. When you change the column width, you change the width
only for the selected column. When you change the row height, however, you change the row height for every row in the
table.
To change the column width:
1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 70.
2. Click the border separating two column headers and drag to change the column width (see Figure 1.19).
To change the row height:
1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 70.
2. Click the border separating two rows and drag to change the row height (see Figure 1.20).
The width or height of the columns or rows change once you release the mouse.
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3. Select Display Columns from the context menu or click the Display Columns button ( ) in the Table toolbar. The
Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears (see Figure 1.21).
4. To display a column, select its check box.
5. To hide a column, clear its check box.
You can also hide a column by right-clicking on its header and selecting Hide Columns
from the context menu or by clicking the Hide Columns button ( ) in the Table
toolbar. You can hide more than one column by pressing CTRL while selecting the
columns and then clicking the Hide Columns button ( ).
6. Click Close.
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In Atoll, you can freeze one or more columns of a data table so that they always remain visible as you scroll horizontally
through the table. For example, while scrolling through the Sites table, you might want to have the Name column always visi-
ble. You can keep this column, or any other column visible, by freezing it.
To freeze a column:
1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 70.
2. Select the header of the column you want to freeze. Click and drag over several headers to select more than one
column to freeze.
3. Right-click the selected header or headers and select Freeze Columns from the context menu or click the Freeze Col-
umns button ( ) in the Table toolbar. Frozen columns are grouped to the left of the table and separated from other
columns with a vertical red line.
To unfreeze columns:
Right-click the table and select Unfreeze All Columns from the context menu or click the Unfreeze All Columns button
( ) in the Table toolbar.
Moving Columns
In Atoll, you can change the column order so that you can group similar columns or present data in a determined order.
To move a column:
1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 70.
2. Select the header of the column you want to move. Click and drag over several headers to select more than one
column to move.
You can only move several columns at the same time when they are adjacent.
3. Click again on the selected column and drag to the desired area. As you drag the column, the position the column will
occupy is indicated by a red line (see Figure 1.22).
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It might be necessary to click Refresh in the Map toolbar for your changes to appear.
If a list of options has been defined for a field, you can select a value from the list (see
Figure 1.24) or enter a new value.
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4. Click in the left margin of the table row marked with the New Row icon ( ) to select the entire row.
5. Select Edit > Paste to paste the copied data into the new row. Atoll, creates a new element from the copied data. The
name of the new element is the same as that of the copied element, preceded by "Copy of." You can edit this name.
To copy the contents of the bottom cell of the selection into the other cells, right-click the selection and select
Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up button ( ) in the Table toolbar (see Figure 1.27).
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You can also click the Find button ( ) in the table toolbar.
2. In the Find button, define what you want to find:
a. Enter the text you want to find in the Find what box.
b. Select whether you want to search Up or Down from your current position in the table.
c. If desired, select the Match case check box.
3. Click Find Next.
You can also click the Replace button ( ) in the table toolbar.
2. In the Replace button, define the text you want to find and replace:
a. Enter the text you want to find in the Find what box.
b. Enter the text you want to replace the text in the Find what box in the Replace with box.
c. If desired, select the Match case check box.
3. Click Find Next. Atoll proceeds to the next entry of the text entered in the Find what box.
You can replace the text found:
Replace: Atoll replaces the selected text with the entry in the Replace with box.
Replace All: Atoll replaces all occurences of the text in the Find what box with the entry in the Replace with box.
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In Atoll you can organise data in several different ways, allowing you to select only
certain data. For more information, see "Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data" on
page 89.
The statistics displayed depend on the type of numerical data selected. If you leave the Statistics dialogue open, you
can view the statistical analysis of other cells by selecting them in the table. The contents of the Statistics dialogue are
updated automatically.
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4. Select the Header check box if you want to export the names of the columns with the data.
5. Select a Decimal Symbol from the list.
6. Select a Field Separator from the list.
7. Select the fields (displayed as columns in the table) you want to export. You can display all the fields belonging to a
table by clicking the Expand button ( ) to the left of the table name. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the
first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking
each field separately.
a. To select a field to be exported, select the field in the Available Fields box and click to move it to the Ex-
ported Fields list. All fields in the Exported Fields list will be exported.
b. To remove a field from the list of Exported Fields, select the field in the Exported Fields list and click to re-
move it.
c. To change the order of the fields, select a field and click or to move it up or down in the list. The fields at the
top of the Exported Fields appear at the left of the exported table.
You can save the choices you have made in the Export dialogue as a configuration file by
clicking the Save button at the top of the dialogue and entering a name for the file in the
Save As dialogue that appears. The next time you export a data table, you can click Load
in the Export dialogue to open your configuration file with the same settings you used this
time.
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5. If the file was created using a different Coordinate system, click the Browse button ( ) to select the coordinate
system the file was created with. Atoll will convert the coordinates in the imported file to match the coordinate
system used in the Atoll document.
6. Enter the number of the first line of data in the 1st Data Line box.
7. Select a Decimal Symbol from the list.
8. Select a Field Separator from the list.
9. Select the Update Records check box if you want to replace the data of records already existing in the table.
Atoll compares the values in the left-most column of the data to be imported with the
values in the same column of the data table to see if records already exist. The values of
these records are replaced when the Update Records check box is selected. If the Update
Records check box is not selected, these records are not imported.
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You can change the width of the columns to make the contents easier to work with. See
"Changing Column Width or Row Height" on page 73.
You can save the choices you have made in the Import dialogue as a configuration file by
clicking the Save button at the top of the dialogue and entering a name for the file in the
Save As dialogue that appears. The next time you export a data table, you can click Load
in the Import dialogue to open your configuration file with the same settings you used this
time.
11. Click Import. The contents are imported in the current Atoll data table.
You can import data from text files into the Sites and Transmitters tables by selecting the folder or view in the Network
explorer and pressing CTRL+I.
For information on exporting the information in a data table into a text file, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spread-
sheets" on page 80.
Tables are imported in the same order they appear in the index.xml file. Do not modify the
order of tables in the index.xml file because the order in which the data is imported is very
important; some data must be imported before other data. For example, antennas used by
transmitters must be imported before the transmitters themselves.
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Once the import is complete, Atoll performs a database integrity check and a duplicate records check to ensure that the
import did not create database problems.
For information on exporting the data tables in your document to XML files, see "Exporting Tables to XML Files" on page 83.
Printing graphics is a memory-intensive operation and can make heavy demands on your
printer. Before printing for the first time, you should review the "Printing
Recommendations" on page 85 to avoid any memory-related problems.
To print a map:
1. Select the document window containing the map.
2. You now have the following options before printing the map:
You can define an area of the map to print with a printing zone (see "Defining the Printing Zone" on page 85) or
with a focus zone (see "The Focus Zone and Hot Spots" on page 56).
You can modify the print layout ("Defining the Print Layout" on page 86).
You can see how the map will appear once printed (see "Previewing Your Printing" on page 88).
3. Select File > Print.
4. Click OK.
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Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the printing zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon as a printing zone by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo
explorer and selecting Use As > Printing Zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing printing zone
with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the Geo explorer and selecting Add To > Printing Zone
from the context menu. The "effective" resulting printing zone will be the rectangle encompassing the several poly-
gons composing the printing zone.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, you can import it and use it as a printing zone. You
can import it by right-clicking the Printing Zone folder in the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context
menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a printing zone the size of the map window by right-clicking the Printing
Zone folder and selecting Fit Zone to Map Window from the context menu.
Once you have created a printing zone, you can change its size by dragging the edges of the zone displayed on the rulers of
the map window. You can also use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit the printing zone. For more information on the polygon
editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 57.
You can save the printing zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document, in the
following ways:
Saving the printing zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the
printing zone in a user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on
page 101.
Exporting the printing zone: You can export the geographic export zone by right-
clicking the Printing Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the con-
text menu.
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If you have previously defined a configuration file containing all the necessary settings, you
can click the Load button under Configuration file to import those settings.
2. Click the Page tab. On the Page tab, you can define the page size, margins, and orientation and the scale of the printed
map:
a. Under Orientation, select whether the page should be printed in Portrait or Landscape.
b. Under Paper, select the Size of the paper and, optionally, the Source of the paper.
c. Under Scaling, define the scale of the printed image either by selecting Fit to page, or by selecting Scale and de-
fining the scale.
d. Under Margins, set the margins of the page in millimetres.
3. Click the Components tab.
a. Under Map, you can define the appearance of the printed map:
Select the Rulers check box if you want to print the map with a scale around it.
Select the Area inside focus zone only check box if you only want to print the part of the map inside the focus
zone.
b. Under Legend, you can define the placement of the legend.
Select the Legend check box if you want to print a legend with the map.
Click the Font button to open the Font dialogue to define the font of the legend.
c. Select the Comments check box if you want to print a comment with the map and set its Position. Clicking the
Properties button opens a dialogue where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time and date.
If you want the comment to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the map check box.
4. Click the Header/Footer tab. On the Header/Footer tab, you can set the position of graphic elements.
a. Select the Map title check box if you want to define a title for the map and set its Position. Clicking the Properties
button opens a dialogue where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time and date. If you want
the title to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the map check box.
b. Under Logo 1 and Logo 2, you can define graphics that appear for the map. The graphics can be a company logo
or other information, such as copyright information, in the form of a BMP graphic.
i. For the selected logo check box, click the Properties button. The Logo dialogue appears.
By default, Atoll searches for the logo files in the Atolls installation folder. If a file named logo.bmp is present
in this folder, it is considered as the default header logo. However, you can select a different file.
ii. In the Logo dialogue, click File. The Open dialogue appears.
iii. Select the your graphic in BMP format and click Open.
Only BMP graphics can be used as logos. If your logo is in a different format, you must first
convert it using a graphics programme to the BMP format.
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c. Select the Header/Footer Note check box if you want to define a header or footer for the map and set its Position.
Clicking the Properties button opens a dialogue where you can enter text and set variables such as the current
time and date. If you want the header or footer to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the
map check box.
5. Once you have made your settings, click OK to close the Print Setup dialogue, or click Print to print the document.
You can save the current settings as a configuration file by clicking the Save button under
Configuration file. This enables you to re-use the same settings the next time by loading
them.
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4. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Horizontal Pattern tab or the Vertical Pattern tab.
6. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Linear or Logarithmic from the context menu.
7. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Print from the context menu.
If the range of properties available in the Group By submenu has been configured as
explained in "Configuring the Group By Submenu" on page 90, you can select additional
properties by selecting More Fields from the Group By submenu. For information on using
the dialogue that appears, see "Configuring the Group By Submenu" on page 90.
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6. Select the fields you want to appear in the Group By submenu. You can display all the fields belonging to a table by
clicking the Expand button ( ) to the left of the table name. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field,
pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking each field
separately.
To select a field to appear in the Group By submenu, select the field in the Available fields list and click to
move it to the Grouping Fields list.
To remove a field from the list of Grouping Fields, select the field in the Grouping fields list and click to
remove it.
To change the order of the fields, select a field and click or to move it up or down in the list. The objects will
be grouped in the order of the fields in the Grouping fields list, from top to bottom.
7. Click OK to close the Menu Configuration dialogue and click OK to close the Properties dialogue. The Group By sub-
menu will now contain only the fields you selected.
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6. Select the fields by which you want to group the objects. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field,
pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking each field
separately.
To select a field to be used to group the objects, select the field in the Available Fields list and click to move
it to the Grouping Fields list.
To remove a field from the list of Grouping Fields, select the field in the Grouping Fields list and click to
remove it.
To change the order of the fields, select a field and click or to move it up or down in the list. The objects will
be grouped in the order of the fields in the Grouping Fields list, from top to bottom.
7. Click OK to close the Group dialogue and click OK to close the Properties dialogue and group the objects.
To undo the grouping:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the folder or view whose objects you have grouped.
3. From the context menu, select from the Group By > None.
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You can also group objects by the computation or focus zone. You normally create a computation or focus zone when you
want to concentrate on a given subset of transmitters, for example, when you are working on a certain area of the network.
By grouping them by computation or focus zone, the transmitters you are working on are immediately visible under the Trans-
mitter folder.
By right-clicking the Transmitter folder and selecting Group By > Polygon > Focus Zone (Figure 1.34), you can group the trans-
mitters in the focus zone together.
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The result of grouping can be seen in Figure 1.35. The transmitters are now in two groups: those inside the focus zone and
those outside the focus zone.
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You can also sort data in a table by selecting the column as described and then clicking
either the Sort Ascending ( ) or Sort Descending ( ) buttons in the Table toolbar.
You can only sort in a table by adjacent columns. If you want to sort by columns that are not adjacent, you can move the
columns first as explained in "Moving Columns" on page 75.
If you want to sort data by several columns without moving the columns, you can use the
Sort function on the Properties dialogue. For information, see "Advanced Sorting" on
page 94.
You can also sort data in a table by selecting the column as described and then clicking
either the Sort Ascending ( ) or Sort Descending ( ) buttons in the Table toolbar.
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8. Click OK.
When the data in a table are filtered, a filter funnel icon ( ) appears in the
corresponding column header, as shown on the right-hand side of Figure 1.39 and
Figure 1.40.
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You can also filter data in a table by selecting the values as described and then clicking
either the Filter by Selection ( ) or Filter Excluding Selection ( ) buttons in the Table
toolbar.
2. Click the Advanced Filter button ( ) in the Table toolbar. The Filter dialogue appears.
You can also access the Filter dialogue by clicking the Filter button of the tables
Properties dialogue.
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Making selections on the Filter tab of the Filter dialogue is the equivalent of filtering by
selection as explained in "Filtering in Data Tables by Selection" on page 95.
b. Underneath each column name, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in the follow-
ing table:
5. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically.
See "Advanced Filtering: Examples" on page 98.
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The objective of this example is to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a beamwidth between
50 and 100. To do this, the following filter syntax is entered on the Advanced tab of the Filter dialogue (for information on
the Advanced tab, see "Advanced Data Filtering" on page 96):
The first criterion, as shown in Figure 1.43, is all antennas made by a manufacturer with a name beginning with a "K"
("=K*"). While you could write in the entire name ("=Kathrein"), it is not necessary because there is only one manu-
facturer with a "K."
The second criterion is all antennas with a beamwidth under 100.
The third criterion is all antennas with a beamwidth over 50.
The combination of these criteria is all antennas from manufacturers with a name beginning with "K" and with a beamwidth
under 100 but over 50.
The result of this advanced filter can be seen in the second pane of Figure 1.43.
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As previously stated, the objective of this example was to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a
beamwidth between 50 and 100. However, because the second criterion (beamwidth under 100 and over 50) is malformed,
with "> 50" placed under "< 100", it functioned as an OR condition and not as an AND condition. The resulting filter searched
for all antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a beamwidth under 100, or all antennas over 50; all antennas are displayed.
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As previously stated, the objective of this example was to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a
beamwidth between 50 and 100. However, because the second criterion is malformed, the filter only generates an error
message and no antennas are filtered out.
When you save the geographic data set in a user configuration file, the coordinate
system of all vector geographic data must be the same as that of the raster geographic
data.
Map centre and zoom level: X and Y coordinates of the centre of the map window and the zoom level.
Zones: Filtering, focus, computation, printing, and geographic export zones in the current document.
Folder configurations: Sort, group, and filter settings (the current folder configuration, even if not saved, and other
defined configurations for the folders), the filtering zone, the display settings of network data folders (including meas-
urement display settings), and LTE and WiMAX AFP parameters (including constraint weights for frequency planning,
physical cell ID planning, and preamble index planning).
Automatic Neighbour Allocation Parameters: The input parameters of the automatic neighbour allocation.
Automatic Scrambling Code Allocation Parameters: The parameters of the automatic scrambling code allocation.
Automatic PN Offset Allocation Parameters: The parameters of the automatic PN offset allocation.
Prediction List: The list of predictions in the Predictions folder and their settings (general, coverage conditions, and
display).
GSM Automatic Frequency Planning Parameters: Calculation options selected when starting a GSM AFP session as
well as calculation parameters used for interference histograms.
Macros: Full paths of any macros. Macros are loaded for entire Atoll sessions and not for a specific Atoll document.
You can export the macros to a user configuration even if you do not have an Atoll document open.
For a detailed description of the user configuration file, see the Administrator Manual.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Saving a User Configuration" on page 101
"Loading a User Configuration" on page 101.
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2. Select the check boxes of the information you want to export as part of the user configuration.
3. Click OK. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. Enter a File name for the user configuration file and click Save. The folder configuration has been saved.
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You can create a series of blank site or transmitter lists by importing a text file with the
names of the new lists. You can import the text file by clicking the Actions button on the
Site Lists or Transmitter Lists dialogue and then selecting Import from the menu that
appears. You can also export the names of all existing site or transmitter lists by
selecting Export from the same menu.
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You can create a new list by entering a name in the list instead of selecting the name
from the list. The selected site or transmitter will be added to the new list.
You can quickly create a complete list by first filtering the contents of the Sites or
Transmitters folder as explained in "Filtering Data" on page 95. Then, by right-clicking
the Sites or Transmitters folder and selecting Site Lists > Add Sites to a List or
Transmitter Lists > Add Transmitters to a List from the context menu, you can add the
filtered contents of folder to the list you select.
You can create a new list by entering a name in the list instead of selecting the name
from the list. The selected site or transmitter will be added to the new list.
You can create a new list by entering a name in the list instead of selecting the name
from the list. The selected site or transmitter will be added to the new list.
4. Click OK. The sites or transmitters contained in the zone are added to the selected list.
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Select the name of the site or transmitter in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ).
To delete a site or transmitter from the list:
a. Click in the left margin of the row containing the site or transmitter to select it.
b. Press DEL to delete the site or transmitter from the list.
5. Click OK when you have finished editing the site or transmitter list.
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For transmitters, there is a default folder configuration called Same as Sites Folder. You
can apply this configuration to arrange the transmitters in the Transmitters folder with the
same parameters as those defined for sites.
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When you delete a folder configuration, Atoll will not ask for confirmation; it is deleted
immediately.
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If you have created several views, you can rename each one to give it a more descriptive
name. For information on renaming an object, see "Renaming an Object" on page 40.
Once you have performed the actions on each view, you can compare the differences, by displaying in turn each view, with
its grouping, sorting, or filtering settings, on the map. For more information on display properties, see "Display Properties of
Objects" on page 43.
To compare views:
1. In the Network explorer, clear the check boxes to the left of each view. The data objects are not displayed on the map.
2. Select the check box of one of the views, leaving the check boxes of the other views cleared. The data objects of the
selected view, with its associated grouping, sorting, or filtering settings, are displayed on the map.
3. Clear this check box and select the check box of a different view. How the objects are displayed on the map will
change, depending on the different grouping, sorting, or filtering settings of the selected view.
You can remove views by deleting them. When you delete a view, the data contained are not deleted. When you delete the
last view, the data reappear under the initial folder.
To delete a view:
Select the view to be deleted and press DEL.
If, after deleting the last view, the data do not reappear under the initial folder, you can
refresh the display by right-clicking the folder and selecting Group By > None from the
context menu.
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Vector
Site
Transmitter
Repeater/Rem. Antenna
The map object you select appears in the Field box.
3. Enter the name of the object in the text box marked with an equal sign ("="). You can use an asterisk ("*") as a wild
card by entering it as the first character. For example, entering "*X*" will find all names which contain "X".
Atoll automatically begins searching and displays the results in the Find on Map window.
4. Select the object from the list. Atoll centres it in the map window.
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Import a file
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Create a new group of hexagons based on the currently selected station template
A new hexagon group is created in the Hexagonal Design folder if the check box to the left
of this folder is selected when you create a new station or a group of stations. If the check
box is not selected, you can create a new station without creating a corresponding hexa-
gon group.
Create a new repeater or remote antenna for the currently selected transmitter
Calculate only invalid matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (F7)
Force the calculation of all matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (CTRL+F7)
Stop the calculation of all matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (ESC)
In the Map toolbar
Zoom in or out on the map and centre on the cursor location (CTRL+Q)
Create a new vector layer (in either the Geo or the Network explorer)
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Draw points
Display statistics
Copy the contents of the top selected row into the rows below
Copy the contents of the bottom selected row into the rows above
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When you place the cursor over an icon, tip text appears, giving a short description.
CTRL++: Zoom in on the map (in the toolbar, click and click the map)
CTRL+: Zoom out on the map (in the toolbar, click and right-click the map)
CTRL+A: Select all records in a table
CTRL+N: Open the Project Templates dialogue (in the toolbar, click )
CTRL+SHIFT+N: Create a new document from an existing database
CTRL+S: Save the current active document (in the toolbar, click )
CTRL+U: Copy the last cell of a selection up into all selected cells
CTRL+V: Paste the content of the clipboard (in the toolbar, click )
CTRL+W: Define a zoom area on the map (in the toolbar, click )
CTRL+Y: Redo the previous undone modification (in the toolbar, click )
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ALT+: Previous zoom and location on the map (in the toolbar, click )
ALT+: Next zoom and location on the map (in the toolbar, click )
ALT+F8: Open the Add-ins and Macros dialogue
Using the Function Keys
F7: Calculate only invalid matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (in the toolbar, click )
CTRL+F7: Force the calculation of all matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (in the toolbar, click
)
You can also access menus and commands by pressing the ALT key and typing the
underlined letter in the menu or command name.
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Chapter 2
Starting a Project
This chapter explains how to start a new Atoll project. In this chapter, the following are explained:
"Before Starting a Radio-Planning Project" on page 117
"Creating an Atoll Document" on page 117
"Making a Backup of Your Document" on page 129
"Making and Sharing Portable Atoll Projects" on
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The multi-RAT template can also be used to create a GSM, UMTS, or LTE single-RAT
document. By using the multi-RAT template to create a single-RAT document, you will
have the flexibility of being able to add additional technologies to the document in the
future.
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explorer, with other UMTS HSPA parameters. The Antennas folder is expanded to show the UMTS-compatible antennas
suggested by Atoll. These can be modified or replaced.
Figure 2.2: New Atoll document Geo explorer Figure 2.3: New Atoll document Parameters explorer
When you create an Atoll document from a template, the document is not connected to a database.
To verify whether the document is connected to a database:
Select Document > Database > Connection Properties. The dialogue in Figure 2.4 appears.
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1. Snyder, John. P., Map Projections Used by the US Geological Survey, 2nd Edition, United States Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 313 pages, 1982.
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All imported raster geographic files must be use the same cartographic system. If not, you
must convert them to a single cartographic system.
2. On the Coordinates tab, click the Browse button ( ) to the right of the Projection field. The Coordinate Systems
dialogue appears.
3. In the Coordinate Systems dialogue, select a catalogue from the Find in list. For the projection system, only carto-
graphic systems ( ) are available.
4. Select a coordinate system from the list.
If you frequently use a particular coordinate system you can add it to a catalogue of
favourites by clicking Add to Favourites.
5. Click OK. The selected coordinate system appears in the Projection field and, by default, in the Display field as well.
6. If you wish to set a different coordinate system for the display, click the Browse button ( ) to the right of the
Display field and repeat step 3. to step 5. For the display system, both cartographic systems (identified by the
symbol) and geographic systems ( ) are available.
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The degree format options apply only to the geographic coordinate systems.
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Shared geographic data: Shared geographic data files are usually stored on a common file server with a fast access
connection. Since geographic data files are usually large, they are usually linked to an Atoll file, i.e., they are stored
externally, so as to minimise the size of the Atoll file. Users who modify geographic data locally, for example,
editing edit clutter or traffic in their respective projects, usually store these modifications locally, since these mod-
ifications rarely have an impact on other users.
Path loss matrices: The path loss matrices are calculated through the central Atoll project by the administrator
and can be updated only by the administrator. Each user can read these path loss data but cannot modify them.
If users modify their Atoll documents in such a way that the path loss data becomes invalid for their document,
any path loss matrices calculated by these users are stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or linked to an
external file. The shared path loss data are not modified.
Shared path loss matrices are updated when the calculation administrator performs an update, taking into ac-
count the modifications made by other users which have been stored and updated in the central database. Shared
path loss matrices enable a number of users to work with a centralised path loss matrices folder, containing path
loss matrices corresponding to the central Atoll project.
User Documents: Individual user documents are initialised by the administrator but are later worked upon and man-
aged by each user. User documents are Atoll files which are connected to the central database, load only the required
part of the geographic data (as defined by the CFG file, for example), and have access to the shared path loss matrices
folder.
For information on creating and maintaining the database, see the Administrator Manual.
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Sybase
Microsoft Data Link files
The following sections give examples of connecting to two different databases and loading data:
"Connecting to a Database" on page 124.
"Selecting the Data to Load From the Database" on page 124.
An example of a new Atoll document created from a database is shown in:
"Working With a Document on a Database" on page 124
By setting an option in the atoll.ini file, you can instruct Atoll to always use a
defined database type (MS Access, SQL Server, or Oracle). The Open from a Data-
base dialogue will not appear. Instead the database-specific authentication dia-
logue will appear immediately. For more information, see the Administrator
Manual.
Additional dialogues might open asking you to choose which project in the data-
base to load or which site list to load.
3. Click OK. The Data to Load dialogue appears, allowing you to select the data to load into Atoll as a new document (see
"Selecting the Data to Load From the Database" on page 124).
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The new document might open with no site displayed in the map window. This is because
the north-west point of the project is by default the axis origin. You can re-centre the docu-
ment on the data displayed in the Network explorer by expanding the Sites folder, right-
clicking any site, and selecting Centre in Map Window from the context menu.
Figure 2.9: New Atoll document Geo explorer Figure 2.10: New Atoll document Parameters explorer
When you create an Atoll document from a database, you can view the characteristics of the database connection.
To view the characteristics of the database connection:
1. Select Document > Database > Connection Properties. The Database Connection dialogue appears (see Figure 2.11).
2. You can now:
Disconnect your document from the database.
If you disconnect your document from the database, it will be become a stand-alone
document and you will not be able to reconnect it to the database.
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If you chose Refresh unmodified data only or Cancel your changes and reload
database, Atoll proceeds without asking for confirmation.
If you chose Archive your changes in the database, the Archive dialogue appears.
For information on using the Archive dialogue, see "Archiving the Modifications of
an Atoll Document in the Database" on page 126.
3. Under Take into account, you can select the neighbour lists, Intra-technology Neighbours and Inter-technology
Neighbours, to refresh.
4. Under Modifications Since the Last Refresh, you can select the Generate Report check box to create a report for the
refresh process.
5. Click OK. The document is refreshed according to the selected options.
If you selected to generate a report, Atoll creates a text file in CSV (Comma Separated Values) format in the temporary files
system folder, and opens it. You can then rename the file and save it where you want. The report lists all the modifications
(deletions, additions, and updates) that were stored in the database since the last time you refreshed or opened your docu-
ment.
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3. If some of the data has been modified on the database since you last refreshed, Atoll stops the archiving process and
asks you to resolve the conflict. For information on managing conflicts, see "Resolving Data Conflicts" on page 127.
4. When you are finished archiving, click Close.
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If you want to overwrite the database value with the value of the same field in your document, select the check
box next to the highlighted change and click Okay. Your modification will be written to the database, overwrit-
ing the value there.
If you want to accept the value of the field in the database, clear the check box next to the highlighted change
and click Okay. Your modification will be lost and the value in the database will remain unchanged.
On a deleted record: You are in the process of archiving your modifications on the database and another user has
deleted a record since you last archived or refreshed your data. For information, see "Resolving Data Conflicts" on
page 127.
Atoll displays a message explaining that the record you are trying to update has been deleted from the database
(see Figure 2.15). Select one of the following:
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Yes: Select Yes to store your modifications in the database, thereby recreating the deleted record.
No: Select No to abandon your modifications to this record and delete this record from your document.
Cancel: Select Cancel to cancel.
2. Click Close to close the Archive dialogue.
To resolve all the data conflicts:
1. In the Pending Changes pane of the Archive dialogue, select any conflict and click Resolve All. Atoll displays a message
explaining how Resolve All works (see Figure 2.16). Select one of the following:
Yes: Select Yes to accept all the modifications made by other users in the database and update your document
with values from the database.
No: Select No to overwrite the modifications made by other users in the database with the values from your doc-
ument.
Cancel: Select Cancel to cancel.
2. Click Close to close the Archive dialogue.
You should only resolve all the data conflicts when you are certain about the
modifications.
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It can take a long time to back up large documents. Therefore, you should set a corre-
spondingly longer interval between backups when working with large documents in order
to optimise the process.
5. Click OK.
If you selected the Prompt before starting automatic backup check box, Atoll prompts you each time before backing up the
document. If you click OK, Atoll proceeds to back up all open documents. If you click Cancel, Atoll skips the backup once.
The automatic backup timer is stopped while the prompt is displayed. Atoll displays a message in the Event Viewer every time
a backup file is updated. If you are performing calculations, i.e., coverage predictions or simulations, the automatic backup is
delayed until the calculations have ended. The timer starts again once the calculations are over. If you save the original docu-
ment manually, the timer is reset to 0.
If you just remove the BAK extension, your backup file will have the same file name as
the original file and Windows will not allow you to rename the file. Therefore, it is safer
to give a new name to the backup file and keep the original file until you are sure which
version is most recent.
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3. Open the renamed backup document in Atoll. You will be able to recover all the work up to the last time the backup
was saved.
You do not need to have a compression utility, such as WinZip or WinRAR, installed
on the computer when working with archived ATL files.
The highest compression level is used when creating the archive.
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Chapter 3
Geographic Data
This chapter provides information on working with In this chapter, the following are explained:
geographic data in an Atoll project.
"Geographic Data Types" on page 135
"Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 137
"Importing Geo Data Files" on page 137
"Digital Terrain Models" on page 144
"Clutter Classes" on page 144
"Clutter Heights" on page 148
"Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 148
"Scanned Images" on page 150
"Population Maps" on page 151
"Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 152
"Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on page 155
"Displaying Information About Geo Data" on page 158
"Geographic Data Sets" on page 158
"Editing Geographic Data" on page 160
"Saving Geographic Data" on page 162
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3 Geographic Data
Several different geographic data types are used in an Atoll document. For example: the digital terrain model (DTM), clutter
classes, clutter heights, scanned images, population maps, and traffic data maps are types of the geographic data that you can
import or create. Some data types, such as clutter classes, can be used to give more realistic calculations. Other types such as
scanned images, are used to create a more realistic display of the region under study.
You can import a wide variety of both vector and raster-format geo data files. When you import a geo data file into Atoll, you
can decide in which folder it goes. The Geo explorer of the Atoll Explorer window has folders for the commonly used data
types. Therefore, choosing a folder is choosing what the file will be used for. You can also create your own data type by import-
ing a file and defining what data is to be used.
Once you have imported a file into the Atoll document, you can edit the data, define how the geo data will be displayed. Atoll
also allows you to manage multiple files for a single data type, deciding the priority of data files with different information or
different resolutions. You can also display geo data over items in the Network explorer, either by transferring them to the
Network explorer, or by importing them directly to the Network explorer.
You can also create and edit geographic data. You can add a vector layer to certain data types to which you can add contours,
lines, or points, create new geographic data, or modify existing data. You can also create raster-based geographic data such
as traffic maps or clutter classes.
You can export most geo data objects (for example, DTM, clutter classes, clutter heights, raster polygons, or vector layers) for
use in other Atoll documents or in other applications. Atoll also allows you to save changes you make to geo data objects back
to the original files. This enables you to update the original files and, through the process of saving them, recompact the file.
This chapter explains the following topics:
"Geographic Data Types" on page 135
"Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 137
"Importing Geo Data Files" on page 137
"Clutter Classes" on page 144
"Clutter Heights" on page 148
"Digital Terrain Models" on page 144
"Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 148
"Scanned Images" on page 150
"Population Maps" on page 151
"Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 152
"Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on page 155
"Editing Geographic Data" on page 160
"Saving Geographic Data" on page 162.
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The DTM describes the elevation of the ground over sea level. You can display the DTM in different ways: by single value,
discrete values, or by value intervals (see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43).
The DTM is automatically taken into account by the propagation model during computations.
Clutter Classes
The clutter class geo data file describes land cover or land use. Clutter classes are taken into account by the propagation model
during computations.
Each pixel in a clutter class file contains a code (from a maximum of 256 possible classes) which corresponds to a clutter class,
or in other words to a certain type of ground use or cover. The height per class can be defined as part of the clutter class,
however, the height will be defined as an average height for each clutter class. For information on defining the height per clut-
ter class, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 145. Clutter heights can also be defined by a separate clutter heights
file (see "Clutter Heights" on page 136). A clutter height map can represent height much more accurately because it allows a
different height to be assigned for each pixel of the map.
Clutter Heights
Clutter height maps describe the altitude of clutter over the DTM with one altitude defined per pixel. Clutter height maps can
offer more precise information than defining an altitude per clutter class because, in a clutter height file, it is possible to have
different heights within a single clutter class.
When clutter altitude is defined both in clutter classes and in a clutter height map, clutter altitude is taken from the clutter
height map.
You can display the clutter height map in different ways: by single value, discrete values, or by value intervals (see "Display
Properties of Objects" on page 43).
The only propagation models that can take clutter heights into account in calculations are
the Standard Propagation Model and WLL model.
Atoll supports contours, lines, and points to represent polygons such as regions, or lines such as roads or coastlines, or points.
They are used for display only and have no effect on computations. Contours can also be used to create filtering polygons or
computation or focus zones.
Scanned Images
Scanned images are geographic data files which represent the actual physical surroundings, for example, road maps or satel-
lite images. They are used to provide a precise background for other objects or for less precise maps and are used only for
display; they have no effect on calculations.
Population Maps
Population maps contain information on population density or on the total number of inhabitants. Population maps can be
used in prediction reports in order to display, for example, the absolute and relative numbers of the population covered.
Population maps have no effect on prediction and simulation results.
Traffic data maps contain information on capacity and service use per geographic area. Traffic data maps are used for network
capacity analyses.
You can import many different types of files for, for example, revenue, rainfall, or socio-demographic data. You could use the
imported data in prediction reports. For example, you could display the predicted revenue for defined coverage.
These imported data have no effect on prediction and simulation results.
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All raster maps imported must have the same projection coordinate system.
The instructions in this section do not apply to custom geo data maps. For information on
importing or creating a custom geo data map, see "Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 152.
You can use drag-and-drop to import geo data files into a document. The format is
automatically recognised and Atoll presents you with the appropriate dialogue.
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You can import more than one geo data file at the same time, providing that the geo data files are of the same type.
You can select contiguous files by clicking the first file, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to import. You
can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file.
3. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.1).
If the Vector Import dialogue appears, go to "Importing a Vector-format Geo Data File" on
page 139.
Depending on the type of geo data file you are importing, choose one of the following options:
DTM: Select Altitudes (DTM) from the Data Type list.
Clutter Classes: Select Clutter Classes from the Data Type list.
Clutter Heights: Select Clutter Heights from the Data Type list.
Scanned Images: Select Image or Scan from the Data Type list.
Population:
i. Select Population from the Data Type list. The Use as list becomes available.
ii. Select from the Use as list whether the imported data are to be interpreted as a Density (number of inhabit-
ants per square kilometre) or as a Value (number of inhabitants).
Custom Geo Data: See "Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 152.
Traffic Data Maps: Select Traffic Density from the Data Type list.
4. By default, the imported file is linked to the Atoll document. To embed the data file in the Atoll document, select the
Embed in Document check box. For information on embedding files, see "Embedding Geographic Data" on page 143.
5. Click Import. The geo data file is imported and listed in the Geo explorer.
When you import a traffic data map, the traffic maps Properties dialogue appears:
a. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages must
equal 100.
b. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentages must
equal 100.
c. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
d. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic density maps because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
e. For UMTS and CDMA, select whether the users are active in the Uplink/Downlink, only in the Downlink, or only
in the Uplink.
f. Click OK.
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If the File Import dialogue appears, go to "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on
page 137.
Depending on the type of geo data file you are importing, choose one of the following options:
Vector Data:
Select Geo from the Import to list.
When you import vector data, you can simultaneously import the corresponding display configuration file
(CFG) by setting an option in the atoll.ini file. The display configuration file will only be imported if it has the
same file name and if it is located in the same directory as the imported vector-format file. For more informa-
tion about setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
Population:
i. Select Population from the Import to list.
ii. Under Fields to be imported, the first list contains the attributes of the population vector data file that you
are importing, and the second list lets you select whether the attribute corresponds to population density or
to a number of inhabitants.
iii. Select from the first list which field is to be imported and from the second list whether the imported field is a
Density (number of inhabitants per square kilometre for polygons, number of inhabitants per kilometre for
lines, or number of inhabitants for points) or a Value (number of inhabitants) (see Figure 3.2 and Figure 3.3).
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You can import ellipses and arcs from MapInfo files (MIF and TAB). Rectangles are
interpreted as polygons.
You can define mappings between the coordinate system used for the MapInfo/
ESRI vector files, defined in the corresponding MIF/PRJ files, and Atoll. This way,
when you import a vector file, Atoll can detect the correct coordinate system auto-
matically. For more information about defining the mapping between coordinate
systems, please refer to the Administrator Manual.
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3. Select the type of data you are importing and select the Embed check box if you want to embed the data in the current
Atoll document.
4. Click OK to import the data into the current Atoll document.
c. To locate the MSI Planet index file, click . The Open dialogue appears.
d. Select the MSI Planet index file and click Open. The path and name of the file appears in the corresponding field
of the Planet Data to Be Imported dialogue.
4. If you are also importing network data, select the network Technology.
5. When you have selected all the types of data you want to import, click OK. The data is imported into the current Atoll
document.
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The list of WMS servers that appears in the Server URL list are defined by entries in the
atoll.ini file. For information on defining these entries, see the Administrator Manual.
4. Click the Connect button. Atoll connects to the URL of the WMS server and displays the information available along
with a description of the service (Figure 3.7 on page 142).
5. In the left pane of the Web Map Services Data Import dialogue, navigate to the item you want to import by clicking
the Expand button ( ) to open each level.
6. Select either the image you want to import, or the image group, i.e., a group preceded by an Expand button ( ).
7. Click for each image you want to import. The files you want to import appear in the right pane of the Web Map
Services Data Import dialogue.
You can remove an image or group of images from the images to be imported by selecting
it in the right pane and clicking .
8. Arrange the order in which you want the images to appear by selecting each image in the right pane and clicking
to move it towards the top or to move it toward the bottom. The images will be imported as a single object and
their appearance will depend on the order you define here.
9. The Web Map Import dialogue appears. The following information is given about the imported WMS data:
Data Types: "Image or Scan" is selected.
Geographic Coordinates: The geographic coordinates are the WMS data are given.
10. The Name suggested is the name of the lowest layer to be imported. If desired, you can modify this name.
11. Click Import. The image is imported by reference into the Atoll document. You can not embed a WMS image in your
document.
If you had selected more than one image or an image group, Atoll imports the group as a single object. You can not
modify this object. If you want to remove one of the images or add another one you will go through the import process
again.
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If you want to import your file to the Network explorer, you can select New folder in
Network.
4. Enter a name for the folder in Folder Name box and click OK.
5. Click Import. Your file is imported into the newly created folder.
You can now import other geo data files into this folder by selecting it from the Data Type list (on the File Import dialogue) or
the Import To list (on the Vector Import dialogue) when you import.
You can transfer geo data that has been imported from the Geo explorer to the Network
explorer, or vice versa. Right-click the data in the Explorer window and select Move to
Network or Move to Geo.
If you are using distributed calculations, you must link your geo data files. Distributed
calculations will not work with embedded geo data files. For information, see the
Administrator Manual.
To embed a geo data file in the current Atoll document while you are importing:
Select the Embed in Document check box on the File Import or Vector Import dialogue box.
To embed a geo data file that is already linked to the current Atoll document:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Right-click the file you want to embed in the current document.
3. Select Properties from the context menu.
4. Click the General tab of the Properties dialogue.
5. Click Embed.
6. Click OK. The geo data file is now embedded in the current Atoll document.
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If the Height field is left blank, propagation models which use the height information of
clutter classes will assume a clutter height of "0" if there is no clutter height map.
6. Enter default values in the first row of the table on the Description tab. or information about each field, see the
descriptions in the following step.
The default values are used if no clutter map is available. Even if there is a clutter classes map, you can select the Use
default values only check box on the at the bottom of the Description tab to make Atoll use the values specified in
this row instead of the values defined per clutter class.
7. If desired, you can enter a value for each of the following fields applicable to the current document:
For all Atoll documents:
Model Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the path loss, as related to a user-defined
cell edge coverage probability.
Indoor Loss (dB): to be applied to the path loss and used in coverage predictions, point analysis, and Monte
Carlo simulations.
Indoor penetration losses depend on the clutter types as well as the operating frequency.
You can define an additional indoor loss per frequency band used in the Frequency bands
table in GSM GPRS EDGE, UMTS HSPA, CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO, and TD-SCDMA docu-
ments. This is an option that must first be activated. For more information, contact
support.
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Spatial Multiplexing Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max Spatial Multi-
plexing Gain graphs in the MIMO tab of reception equipment.
Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt, if the user and its reference
cell supports transmit diversity.
For TD-SCDMA documents:
P-CCPCH Eb/Nt or C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the P-CCPCH Eb/Nt or C/I
values, as related to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
DL Eb/Nt or C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt or C/I values, as related
to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
UL Eb/Nt or C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt or C/I values, as related
to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
DL Orthogonality Factor: to be used to evaluate DL Eb/Nt or C/I. This parameter indicates the remaining
orthogonality at the receiver; it can be modelled by a value from 0, indicating no remaining orthogonality
because of multi-path, to 1, indicating perfect orthogonality.
UL Orthogonality Factor: to be used to evaluate UL Eb/Nt or C/I. This parameter indicates the remaining
orthogonality at the receiver; it can be modelled by a value from 0, indicating no remaining orthogonality
because of multi-path, to 1, indicating perfect orthogonality.
Spreading Angle (): to be used in determining the cumulative distribution of C/I gains for statistical smart
antenna modelling.
For WiMAX and Wi-Fi documents:
C/I Standard Deviation (DL) (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the C/(I+N) values, as related to a user-de-
fined cell edge coverage probability.
SU-MIMO Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs in
the MIMO tab of reception equipment.
Additional STTD/MRC Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference cell
supports STTD/MRC.
Additional STTD/MRC Gain (UL) (dB): to add to the users uplink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference cell
supports STTD/MRC.
For LTE documents:
C/I Standard Deviation (DL) (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the C/(I+N) values, as related to a user-de-
fined cell edge coverage probability.
SU-MIMO Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs in
the MIMO tab of reception equipment.
Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference cell
supports transmit diversity.
Additional Diversity Gain (UL) (dB): to add to the users uplink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference cell
supports receive diversity.
For multi-RAT documents:
GSM Model Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the path loss (from GSM transmitters
only), in relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
GSM Indoor Loss (dB): to be applied to the path loss (from GSM transmitters only) and used in coverage
predictions, point analysis, and Monte Carlo simulations.
GSM C/I Standard Deviation (DL) (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the C/I values (from GSM transmitters
only), in relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
GSM Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the 3 dB gain if diversity is set at the subcell level (GSM
transmitters only).
UMTS Model Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the path loss (from UMTS cells only),
in relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
UMTS Indoor Loss (dB): to be applied to the path loss (from UMTS cells only) and used in coverage predictions,
point analysis, and Monte Carlo simulations.
UMTS Ec/Io Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Ec/Io values (from UMTS cells
only), in relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
UMTS DL Eb/Nt Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt values (from UMTS cells
only), in relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
UMTS UL Eb/Nt Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt values (from UMTS cells
only), in relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
UMTS % Pilot Finger: to be used in the Ec/Io calculations (from UMTS cells only). This factor represents the
percentage of energy received by the mobile pilot finger. (Mobile user equipment has one searcher finger for
the pilot. The searcher finger selects one path and only energy from this path is considered as signal; energy
from other multipaths is considered as interference. For example, if 70% of the total energy is in one path and
30% of the energy is in other multipaths, then the signal energy is reduced to 70% of total energy).
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UMTS Orthogonality Factor: to be used to evaluate DL Eb/Nt (from UMTS cells only). This parameter indicates
the remaining orthogonality at the receiver; it can be modelled by a value from 0, indicating no remaining
orthogonality because of multi-path, to 1, indicating perfect orthogonality.
UMTS Spatial Multiplexing Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max Spatial
Multiplexing Gain graphs on the MIMO tab of UMTS reception equipment.
UMTS Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt, if the users mobile
and his reference UMTS cell support transmit diversity.
LTE Model Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the path loss (from LTE cells only), in
relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
LTE Indoor Loss (dB): to be applied to the path loss (from LTE cells only) and used in coverage predictions,
point analysis, and Monte Carlo simulations.
LTE C/I Standard Deviation (DL) (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the C/(I+N) values (from LTE cells only),
in relation to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
LTE SU-MIMO Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs
in the MIMO tab of LTE reception equipment.
LTE Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink C/(I+N), if the users mobile and his
reference LTE cell support transmit diversity.
LTE Additional Diversity Gain (UL) (dB): to add to the users uplink C/(I+N), if the users mobile and his refer-
ence LTE cell support receive diversity.
8. If you want to use default values for all clutter classes, select the Use only default values check box at the bottom of
the Description tab.
9. Click the Display tab to define the display properties for clutter classes. In addition to the Display tab options described
in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43, each clutter class display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or
clearing the visibility check box, you can display or hide clutter class display types individually.
Selecting white as the colour for a clutter class value or value interval will cause that clutter
class value or value interval to be displayed as transparent.
You can copy the description table into a new Atoll document after importing the clutter
classes file. To copy the description table, select the entire table by clicking the cell in the
upper-left corner of the table and press CTRL+C. On the Description tab of the clutter
classes Properties dialogue in the new Atoll document, press CTRL+V to paste the values
in the table.
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The clutter height of the current pointer position as given in the clutter height file or in the clutter classes is displayed in the
status bar.
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You can manage the display of an individual vector object by right-clicking the vector
object in the vector layer folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
All the vector objects of a vector layer and their attributes are listed in the vector table.
To open the vector layer table:
1. On the Explorer window tab containing the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder. The context menu appears.
2. Select Open Table from the context menu. The vector table appears.
You can edit the contents of this table using the commands from the context menu or from the Edit, Format, and Records
menus. For more information on editing tables in Atoll, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
The vector layer Properties dialogue has three tabs: a General tab, a Table tab, and a Display tab.
To open the Properties dialogue of a vector layer:
1. On the Explorer window tab containing the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu.
3. Click the General tab. The following options are available:
Name: The name of the vector layer. You can rename the vector layer using this field.
Source File: The complete path of the vector layer file if the file is linked to the Atoll document; otherwise the file
is described as embedded.
Find: Click the Find button to redefine the path when the files location has changed.
Embed: Click the Embed button to embed a linked vector layer file in the Atoll document.
Coordinate System: When a vector layer is linked, the coordinate system used is the files, as specified when the
file was imported. When the a vector layer is embedded, the coordinate system used is documents, as specified
when the file was embedded.
Change: Click the Change button to change the coordinate system of the vector layer.
Sort: Click the Sort button to sort the data contained in the vector layer. For information on sorting, see "Advanced
Sorting" on page 94.
Filter: Click the Filter button to filter the data contained in the vector layer. For information on filtering, see
"Advanced Data Filtering" on page 96.
4. Click the Table tab. You can use the Table tab to manage the vector layer table content. For information on the Table
tab, see "Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 70.
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5. Click the Display tab. You can use the Display tab to manage the vector layer display. For information on the Table tab,
see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can transfer the vector layer back to the Geo explorer by right-clicking it in the Network explorer and selecting Move to
Geo from the context menu. For more information about display priority in Atoll, see "Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on
page 155.
To import an index
1. Select File > Import.
2. Select the index file and click Open. The File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.1).
3. Select Image or Scan from the Data Type list.
4. Click Import. The image files imported and listed in the Geo explorer.
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3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 3.8).
4. Select the Display tab and set the following options:
Colour: Select either Automatic, Shades of gray, or Watermark from the list.
Transparent Colour: Select White from the list if you wish parts of the scanned image that are coloured white to
be transparent, allowing objects in lower layers to be visible.
Lightness: Move the slider to lighten or darken the scanned image.
Contrast: Move the slider to adjust the contrast.
Visibility Scale: Enter a visibility scale minimum in the between 1: text box and maximum in the and 1: text box.
When the displayed or printed scale is outside this range, the scanned image is not displayed.
5. Click OK.
Vector points added to a vector population map are not displayed if the map is displayed
by population density.
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lation. Atoll displays the statistics for the focus zone if there is one, for the computation zone if there is no focus zone and, if
there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll displays the statistics for the entire document.
To display the population distribution statistics:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Right-click the Population folder.
3. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears with the distributions of each value interval
defined in the display properties.
Statistics are displayed only for visible data. See "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map
Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
If you do not select all the formats you need now, you will not be able to add a format
later.
6. Under Supported Input Formats, select the check box corresponding to the type of value of the present file and all
other files that will constitute the new custom geo data map:
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Classes (8 bits): to create a map of value classes (such as clutter classes) with classes from 0 to 255.
Short Integer (16 bits): to create a map with whole values.
Long Integer (32 bits): to create a map with whole values.
Float (32 bits): to create a map with decimal values.
Double (64 bits): to create a map with decimal values.
7. Select the Integrable check box if you want to be able to use imported data as a surface density value and show cumu-
lative custom geo data in prediction reports.
To use imported data as a surface density value, you must select the Integrable
check box.
You can not change the integrable setting once you have created your custom geo
data map.
8. Click OK.
9. If the imported file is a raster file, the File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.1 on page 138); if the imported file
is a vector file, the Vector Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.4 on page 140):
File Import dialogue: From the Use as list, select whether the new data is to be used a Density or as a Value.
Vector Import dialogue: Under Fields to be imported, select from the first list which field is to be imported and
from the second list whether the imported field is a Density or a Value (see Figure 3.2 on page 139 and Figure 3.3
on page 139).
If the file you first import when you create your custom geo data map is an 8-bit raster
map, the Use as and Fields to be imported boxes will not be available for any file that is
imported into your new custom geo data map. The values in 8-bit maps are codes and
not values such as densities.
10. .Click Import. A new folder is created in the Geo explorer containing the geo data file you imported.
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i. From the Import To list, select the name of the custom geo data map.
ii. Under Fields to be imported, select from the first list which field is to be imported and from the second list
whether the imported field is a Density or a Value (see Figure 3.2 on page 139 and Figure 3.3 on page 139).
If the file you first imported when you created your custom geo data map was an
8-bit raster map, the Use as and Fields to be imported boxes will not be available
for any file that is imported into your new custom geo data map.
To use imported data as a surface density value, you must select the Integrable
check box.
3. Click Import. The file is added to the custom geo data file in the Geo explorer containing the geo data file you
imported.
Statistics are displayed only for visible data. See "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map
Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
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The percentage of coverage for each revenue class for the entire focus zone, and for each single coverage area (trans-
mitter, threshold, etc.),
The revenue of the focus zone and of each single coverage area,
The percentage of the revenue map covered for the entire focus zone and for each single coverage area.
Data is considered as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example,
socio-demographic classes, etc.
In the example of a socio-demographic classes map, a prediction report would indicate:
The coverage of each socio-demographic class for the entire focus zone and for each single coverage area (transmitter,
threshold, etc.)
All objects in the Network explorer, such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions, are
displayed over all objects in the Geo explorer. Vector geo data, however, can be trans-
ferred to the Network explorer, where they can be placed over data such as predictions.
In this way, you can ensure that certain vector geo data, for example, major geographical
features, roads, etc., remain visible in the map window For more information, see "Moving
a Vector Layer to the Network Explorer" on page 150.
The transparency of objects: You can change the transparency of some objects, such as predictions, and some object
types, such as clutter classes, to allow objects on lower layers to be visible on the map. For more information, see
"Defining the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 45.
The visibility range of objects: You can define a visibility range for object types. An object is visible only in the map
window if the scale, as displayed on the zoom toolbar, is within this range. For more information, see "Defining the
Visibility Scale" on page 46.
In Figure 3.10, vector data (including the linear vectors HIGHWAYS, COASTLINE, RIVERLAKE, MAJORROADS, MAJORSTREETS,
RAILWAYS and AIRPORT), clutter classes, DTM and scanned image have been imported and a UMTS environment traffic map
has been edited inside the computation zone. In the map window, the linear objects (ROADS, RIVERLAKE, etc.) are visible both
inside and outside the computation zone. The clutter class layer is visible in the area where there is no traffic data (outside
the computation zone). On the other hand, the DTM layer which is beneath the clutter class layer and the scanned map which
is beneath the DTM layer, are not visible.
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The visibility in the context of calculations must not be confused with the display check box
( ). Even if the display check box of an object is cleared ( ), so that the object is not
displayed on the map, it will still be taken into consideration for calculations. The only
cases where clearing the display check box means that the data will not be used are for
population data in reports, and for custom geo data maps.
Object folders, for example, the DTM, clutter classes, clutter heights, and traffic density folders, can contain more than one
data object. These objects can represent different areas of the map or the same parts of the map with the same or different
resolutions. Therefore for each folder, you should place the objects with the best data at the top. These are normally the
objects which cover the least area but have the highest resolution. For example, when calculating coverage in an urban area,
you might have two clutter class files: one with a higher resolution for the downtown core, where the density of users is
higher, and one with a lower resolution but covering the entire area. In this case, by placing the clutter class file for the down-
town core over the file with the lower resolution, Atoll can base its calculations for the downtown core on the clutter class
file with the higher resolution, using the second file for all other calculations.
Population maps and custom geo data maps, both of which can be used in prediction reports follow the same rules of calcu-
lation priority.
The following sections give several examples to better illustrate how data are used in Atoll:
"Example 1: Two DTM Maps Representing Different Areas" on page 156
"Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area" on page 157
"Example 3: Two Clutter Class Maps Representing a Common Area" on page 157.
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Case 1
DTM
DTM 2 (20m)
DTM 1 (50m)
Case 2
DTM
DTM 1 (50m)
DTM 2 (20m)
Figure 3.11: Multi-layer management in calculations two DTM maps representing different areas
3.11.2.2 Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area
In this example, there are two imported maps:
A clutter class map called Clutter.
A DTM map called DTM.
Independently of the order of the two maps in the Explorer window, Atoll uses both the clutter and DTM data in calculations.
In Case 1, the clutter class map is on top of the DTM map. In Case 2, the DTM map is on top of the clutter class map. In both
Case 1 and Case 2, Atoll will use both the clutter and DTM data in calculations.
Clutter classes
Clutter
DTM
DTM
Case 2
DTM
DTM
Clutter classes
Clutter
Figure 3.12: Multi-layer management in calculations Clutter and DTM maps representing the same area
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Case 1
Clutter classes
Clutter 2 (20m)
Clutter 1 (50m)
Case 2
Clutter classes
Clutter 2 (50m)
Clutter 1 (20m)
Figure 3.13: Multi-layer management in calculations two clutter maps representing the same area
Tip text only appears when the Tip Text button ( ) on the toolbar has been selected.
You can save and load other types of information with user configuration files as well. For
information, see the Administrator Manual.
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You can automatically start Atoll with a user configuration file by naming the file "atoll.cfg"
and placing it in the same folder as the Atoll executable. You can also edit the Windows
shortcut to Atoll and add "-cfg <.cfg_file>" where "<.cfg_file>" is the full path to the user
configuration file.
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3. Select Edit from the context menu. The Editor toolbar appears with a clutter or traffic list, a polygon drawing tool ,
a polygon deletion tool , and a Close button (see Figure 3.15).
4. From the list, select the clutter class for the polygon you want to create.
Clutter classes are defined on the Descriptions tab of the clutter classes Properties
dialogue.
You can copy the exact coordinates of a closed polygon by right-clicking it on the map and
selecting Properties from the context menu.
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i. Position the pointer over the point you want to move. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Drag the point to its new position.
Adding a point:
i. Position the pointer over the polygon border where you want to add a point. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the border at the position of the
pointer.
Deleting a point:
i. Position the pointer over the point you want to delete. The pointer changes ( ).
ii. Right-click and select Delete Point from the context menu. The point is deleted.
You can select and copy the coordinates displayed in the Properties dialogue of the
polygon.
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You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the
Vector Editor toolbar list. Because Atoll names all new vector layers "Vectors" by
default, it might be difficult to know which Vectors folder you are selecting. By renaming
each vectors folder, you can ensure that you select the correct folder. For information on
renaming objects, see "Renaming an Object" on page 40.
6. To draw a polygon, click the New Polygon button ( ) on the Vector Editor toolbar:
a. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the contour.
b. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the contour.
c. Double-click to close the contour.
7. To draw a rectangle, click the New Rectangle button ( ) on the Vector Editor toolbar:
a. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle.
b. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle.
c. Release the mouse to create the rectangle defined by the two corners.
8. Right-click the new polygon or rectangle and select Properties from the context menu.
9. Enter a value:
Population: Enter a value in the Population field to indicate the number of inhabitants or the population density.
Custom Data Map: The value you enter will depend on the type of custom data map you created.
10. Press ESC to deselect the New Polygon ( ) or the New Rectangle ( ) button on the Vector Editor toolbar.
11. For Atoll to consider the new vector layer as part of the data map, you must map the vector layer. Right-click the Pop-
ulation, or the Custom Data folder. The context menu appears.
12. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
13. Click the Data Mapping tab. For the following geo data:
Population Map:
i. In the Field column, "Population" is selected by default.
ii. If the vector layer contains a population density, select the check box in the Density column. If the vector layer
indicates the number of inhabitants, and not the population density, clear the check box in the Density col-
umn.
Custom Data Map: The data you map will depend on the type of custom data map you created.
You can edit the vector objects as explained in "Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 61.
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Only Pending Changes: This option allows you to export a rectangle containing any modifications you have made
to the clutter classes. The exported geo data file will be added as a new object to the Clutter Classes geo data
folder.
The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the clutter class geo data contained by a rectangle
encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported geo data file
will be added as a new object to the selected geo data folder.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1. The sug-
gested resolution value is defined by the following criteria:
If one object has been modified, the suggested resolution is the resolution of the modified object.
If several objects have been modified, the suggested resolution is the highest resolution of the modified objects.
If there is no initial clutter class object, the resolution will equal the highest resolution of the DTM maps.
If the Atoll document in which you created the clutter class file has no DTM, no other clutter class geo data file,
or traffic objects, the suggested resolution is 100 m.
8. Click OK. The selected data is saved in an external file.
You can simultaneously export the display configuration file (CFG) of the edited vector
layer by setting an option in the atoll.ini file. The exported display configuration file will
have the same file name and will be saved in the same directory as the exported vector-
format file. For more information about setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the
Administrator Manual.
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You will not be warned that you are replacing the current file. Therefore, ensure that you
want to replace the current file before proceeding to the following step. If you do not
want to replace the current file, you can save your changes to an external file ("Exporting
an Edited Vector Layer in Vector-Format File" on page 164).
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a. The Vector Export dialogue displays the coordinate system of the file. To change the coordinate system used for
the exported file, click Change. The Coordinate Systems dialogue appears. For information on the Coordinate Sys-
tems dialogue, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on page 121.
b. Click Export. The geo data file is exported with the selected coordinate system.
If the geo data file is a raster file, the Export dialogue appears (see Figure 3.18).
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4. Enter a File name and select a file type from the Save as type list.
5. Click OK. The Export dialogue appears (see Figure 3.17).
6. Under Region, select The Computation Zone. This option allows you to export the geo data contained by a rectangle
encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported geo data file will
be added as a new object to the selected geo data folder.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1.
8. Click OK. The selected data is saved as a new file.
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Chapter 4
Antennas and
Equipment
This chapter provides the information to work with In this chapter, the following are explained:
antennas and equipment in Atoll.
"Working With Antennas" on page 171
"Working With Equipment" on page 176
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When you create a new antenna, you can copy the horizontal and vertical antenna
patterns from a spreadsheet or word processor.
To create an antenna:
1. Click the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Radio Network Equipment folder.
3. Right-click on the Antennas folder. The context menu opens.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Antennas New Element Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab. You can enter information in the following fields:
Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new antenna. You can modify the name Atoll enters if
you want.
Manufacturer: The name of the antenna manufacturer.
Gain: The antennas isotropic gain.
Pattern Electrical Tilt: The antennas electrical tilt. This field is for information only; for an antennas electrical tilt
to be taken into consideration in calculations, it must be integrated into the horizontal and vertical patterns. Atoll
automatically calculates the pattern electrical tilt if the Pattern Electrical Tilt field is left blank or has a value of
"0." This field has to be correctly filled (i.e., consistent with the defined vertical pattern) if you want the antenna
to be available when selecting an antenna for a transmitter.
Physical antenna: The name of the physical antenna to which the antenna model belongs. A physical antenna may
have one or more antenna models (patterns), corresponding to different electrical downtilts. If you want to flag a
physical antenna as obsolete, add the word "obsolete" (not case sensitive) to the name of the physical antenna.
Physical antennas flagged as obsolete are not listed among available antennas in the Antenna Selector dialogue
It is strongly recommended to enter a name in the Physical antenna field. Atoll uses this
entry to group antenna models into physical antennas.
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6. Click the Horizontal Pattern tab. The Horizontal Pattern tab has a table describing the horizontal antenna pattern in
terms of the attenuation in dB (Att.) per Angle and a graphical representation of the pattern. Atoll allows you to enter
antenna pattern attenuations for as many as 720 angles. Therefore, attenuation values can also be defined for angles
other than integer values from 0 to 359. If you have the horizontal pattern in a spreadsheet or text document, you
can copy the data directly into the table:
a. Switch to the document containing the horizontal pattern.
b. Select the columns containing the angles and attenuation values of the horizontal pattern.
c. Copy the selected data.
d. Switch to Atoll.
e. Click the upper-left cell of the Co-polar Section table describing the horizontal pattern.
f. Press CTRL+V to paste the data in the table.
If there are some blank rows in your data sheet, Atoll will interpolate the values in order to obtain a complete
and realistic pattern.
When performing a calculation along an angle for which no data is available, Atoll calculates a linear interpo-
lation from the existing pattern values.
g. Click Apply to display the pattern of the values you have pasted in.
7. Click the Vertical Pattern tab. The Vertical Pattern tab has a table describing the vertical antenna pattern in terms of
the attenuation in dB (Att.) per Angle and a graphical representation of the pattern. Atoll allows you to enter antenna
pattern attenuations for as many as 720 angles. Therefore, attenuation values can also be defined for angles other
than integer values from 0 to 359. If you have the vertical pattern in a spreadsheet or text document, you can copy
the data directly into the table as described in step 6.
8. Click the Other Properties tab. You can define the following fields (not used in any calculation):
Beamwidth: In a plane containing the direction of the maximum lobe of the antenna pattern, the angle between
the two directions in which the radiated power is one-half the maximum value of the lobe. In terms of dB, half
power corresponds to -3 dB. In this window, you can enter this angle in degrees. This field must be filled in cor-
rectly if you want to display transmitters using a symbol that indicates the beamwidth.
FMin: The minimum frequency that the antenna is capable of emitting.
FMax: The maximum frequency that the antenna is capable of emitting.
9. Click OK.
Atoll checks whether the vertical and horizontal patterns are correctly aligned at the extremities. The antenna patterns are
correctly aligned when:
the horizontal pattern attenuation at 0 is the same as the vertical pattern attenuation at the pattern electrical tilt
angle, and
the horizontal pattern attenuation at 180 is the same as the vertical pattern attenuation at the 180 less the pattern
electrical tilt angle.
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7. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file, you can select it from the
Configuration list. If you do not have an import configuration, continue with step 8.
a. Under Configuration, select an import configuration from the Configuration list.
b. Continue with step 11.
8. Under Name, you can define a name for the imported antenna pattern. This name will appear in the Antennas folder
in the Network explorer. If no name is defined, Atoll will use the file name as the name of the antenna:
If the name of the antenna is in the file, check the Value read in the file check box and enter a Keyword identifying
the name value in the file.
If you want to enter a name for the antenna, clear the Value read in the file check box and enter a name.
9. Under Gain, you can define the antenna gain. If no gain is defined, Atoll will assume that the gain is "0."
If the gain of the antenna is in the file, check the Value read in the file check box and enter a Keyword identifying
the gain value in the file.
If you want to enter a gain for the antenna, clear the Value read in the file check box and enter a gain value.
10. Under Diagram, you define the structure of the antenna pattern file. As you modify the parameters, the results are
displayed in the table.
1st Pattern: Select the first row of the file containing data on the antenna pattern.
File Tilt Range: Select the tilt range in the file. The tilt range can be measured from top to bottom or from bottom
to top and from 0 to 180 or from -90 to 90.
Field Separator: Select the character that is used in the file to separate fields (" ", "<tab>", ";")
Decimal Symbol: Select the decimal symbol.
11. In the table under Diagram, click the title in each column in the table and select the data type: Azimuth, Tilt, Attenu-
ation, or <Ignore>. As you modify the parameters, the results are displayed in the table.
You can save the choices you have made in the Setup dialogue as a configuration file by
clicking the Save button at the top of the dialogue and entering a name for the configura-
tion. The next time you import a three-dimensional antenna pattern file, you can select the
same settings from the Configuration file list.
12. Click Import. The antenna patterns are imported into the current Atoll document.
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You should make a copy of the antenna before smoothing its vertical pattern. You can
make a copy of the antenna by opening the Antennas table and copying and pasting the
antenna data into a new row. For information on data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 69.
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8. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Linear or Logarithmic from the context menu.
9. Right-click the antenna pattern again and select Print from the context menu.
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4.2.4 Updating the Values for Total Losses and the Transmitter
Equipment Noise Figure
Once equipment is defined and assigned to a transmitter, Atoll can evaluate downlink and uplink total losses and the total
noise figure.
Atoll uses the entry of the transmitter equipment as the reference point when evaluating total losses and the total noise
figure. The transmitter equipment noise figure used by Atoll is the one specified in the transmitter equipment properties.
Transmitter reception losses include feeder reception losses, connector reception losses, miscellaneous reception losses,
antenna diversity gain, TMA benefit gain (as calculated using the Friis equation), and an additional loss modelling the noise
rise generated from repeaters (if any). Transmitter transmission losses include feeder transmission losses, connector trans-
mission losses, miscellaneous transmission losses, and TMA transmission losses. For more information on the total noise
figure and on transmitter reception and transmission losses, see the Technical Reference Guide.
You can assign equipment to a transmitter:
Using the Equipment Specifications dialogue, available by clicking the Equipment button on the Transmitter tab of
the transmitters Properties dialogue, or
Using the Transmitters table, available by right-clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Open Table from the context menu.
When you assign equipment to a transmitter using the Equipment Specifications dialogue, Atoll updates the real values when
you click OK and close the dialogue. When you assign equipment to a transmitter using the Transmitters table, Atoll does not
update the real values automatically.
To update the real values (total losses and transmitter equipment noise figure) with the calculated values of all transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Calculations > Update Losses and Noise Figures from the context menu.
To update the real values (total losses and transmitter equipment noise figure) with the calculated values of a group of trans-
mitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Click Group by in the context menu and select the property by which you want to group the transmitters from the
Group by submenu. The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.
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Chapter 5
Working with
Calculations in Atoll
This chapter provides the information to work with In this chapter, the following are explained:
calculations in Atoll.
"Working with Propagation Models" on page 181
"Defining Calculation Parameters" on page 199
"Managing Path Loss Matrices" on page 201
"Predictions Available in Atoll" on page 212
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Model Frequency Range Geo Data Taken into Account Recommended Use
d > 10 km
ITU 370-7 Vienna 93 100 400 MHz Terrain profile Low frequencies
Broadcast
Fixed receivers
ITU 526-5 (theoretical) 30 10000 MHz Terrain profile
WLL
Okumura-Hata
Terrain profile 1 < d < 20 km
150 1000 MHz
(Automatic calibration Statistical clutter (at the receiver) GSM 900, CDMA2000, LTE
available)
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Model Frequency Range Geo Data Taken into Account Recommended Use
Cost-Hata
1 < d < 20 km
Terrain profile
1500 2000 MHz GSM 1800, UMTS, CDMA2000,
(Automatic calibration Statistical clutter (at the receiver)
LTE
available)
Standard Propagation
Model 1 < d < 20 km
Terrain profile
150 3500 MHz GSM, UMTS, CDMA2000,
Statistical clutter
(Automatic calibration WiMAX, LTE
available)
Sakagami Extended
Terrain profile 1 < d < 20 km
3000 8000 MHz
(Automatic calibration Statistical clutter WiMAX
available)
Terrain profile
Statistical or deterministic clutter Any engineering (micro, mini,
3D building and line vectors small and macro cells)
CrossWave Model 200 5000 MHz
(optional) GSM, UMTS, CDMA2000,
Specific morphology, facets and WiMAX, LTE
graphs data files (optional)
where:
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These parameters can be defined on the tabs (Parameters, and Clutter) of the Standard Propagation Model Properties
dialogue. You can also calibrate the Standard Propagation Model using a wizard. For information on the Automatic Calibration
Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Recommendations for Working with the Standard Propagation Model" on page 183
"Calculating Diffraction With the SPM" on page 184
"Sample Values for SPM Formulas" on page 184
"Calculating f(clutter) with the Standard Propagation Model" on page 185
"Modelling Fixed Receivers" on page 186
"Defining the Parameters of the Standard Propagation Model" on page 186.
Because the Standard Propagation Model is a statistical propagation model, using this
approach is recommended.
Approach #2: If you consider clutter altitudes, do not define any loss per clutter class. In this case, f(clutter) will be
"0;" losses due to clutter will only be taken into account in the calculated diffraction. This approach is recommended
if the clutter altitude information is semi-deterministic (i.e., where the clutter is roughly defined with an average alti-
tude per clutter class) or deterministic (i.e., where the clutter is sharply defined with an average altitude per clutter
class or where there is a clutter height file).
If the clutter height information is an average height defined for each clutter class, you must specify a receiver clear-
ance per clutter class. Both ground and clutter altitude are considered along the whole transmitter-receiver profile
except over a specific distance around the receiver (clearance), in which Atoll bases its calculations only on the DTM.
The clearance information is used to model streets because it is assumed that the receiver is in the street.
It is not necessary to define receiver clearance if the height information is from a clutter height file. In this case, the
clutter height information is accurate enough to be used without additional information such as clearance; Atoll calcu-
lates the path loss if the receiver is in the street (if the receiver height is higher than the clutter height). If the receiver
height is lower than the clutter height, the receiver is assumed to be inside a building. In this case, Atoll does not
consider any diffraction for the building (or any clearance) but takes into account the clutter class indoor loss as an
additional penetration loss. Nevertheless, Atoll does consider diffraction caused by surrounding buildings. In
Figure 5.1 on page 184 this diffraction is displayed with a green line.
In order to consider indoor losses inside a building when only using a deterministic
clutter map (i.e., a clutter height map), you must clear the Indoor Coverage check box
when creating a prediction or indoor losses will be added twice (once for the entire
reception clutter class and once as indoor losses).
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Figure 5.1: Diffraction caused by surrounding buildings when the receiver is indoors
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K3 -20 5.83 20
K4 0 0.5 0.8
K5 -10 -6.55 0
K6 -1 0 0
K7 -10 0 0
It is recommended to set K6 to 0, and use K7 instead of K6. K6 is a multiplicative coefficient to a value in dB, which means that
slight variations in K6 have considerable impact on the path loss.
K1 is a constant; its value depends on the radio frequency. The following table gives some possible values for K1.
Frequency (MHz) K1
935 12.5
1805 22
1930 23
2110 23.8
1900 23
2300 24.7
2500 25.4
2700 26.1
3300 27.8
3500 28.3
Its value is heavily influenced by the values given to losses per clutter class.
f ( clutter ) = Li wi
i=1
where
L: loss due to clutter.
w: weight.
n: number of points taken into account over the profile.
The losses due to clutter are calculated for the maximum distance from the receiver, defined as Maximum Distance on the
Clutter tab of the Standard Propagation Model Properties dialogue. When the Maximum Distance is defined as "0", Atoll
only considers the losses on the pixel where the receiver is located. On the Clutter tab, each clutter class is assigned losses
and a weighting function, enabling Atoll to give a weight to each point. For more information, see the Technical Reference
Guide.
The losses per clutter class can be calculated using the Automatic Calibration Wizard. For
information on the Automatic Calibration Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Cali-
bration Guide.
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The following table gives typical values for losses (in dB) per clutter class:
Woodland from 2 to 3
Urban 0
Suburban from -5 to -3
Industrial from -5 to -3
The Standard Propagation Model is based on Hata formulas, which are valid for an urban
environment. The values above are consistent with an urban environment because losses
of 0 dB are indicated for an urban clutter class, with positive values for more dense clutter
classes and negative values for less dense clutter classes.
Default values have been assigned to the multiplying factors. The default values corre-
spond to the rural (quasi-open) Okumura-Hata formula valid for a frequency of 935 MHz.
The values for K values can be calculated using an automatic or assisted calibration
method. For more information, see the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide.
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The LOS is defined by no obstruction along the direct ray between the transmitter and the
receiver.
Under Effective Antenna Height, you can set the following parameters:
Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate HTxeff, the effective antenna height.
You can use the Automatic Calibration Wizard to select the best method for calculating
the effective Tx antenna height. For information on the Automatic Calibration Wizard, see
the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide.
Distance min. and Distance max.: The Distance min. and Distance max. are set to 3,000 m and 15,000 m
(according to ITU recommendations) for frequencies under 500 MHz and to 0 m and 15,000 m (according to ITU
recommendations) for high frequency mobile communications. These values are only used for the "Abs Spot Ht"
and the "Enhanced Slope at Receiver" methods. For more information on how these values are used, see the Tech-
nical Reference Guide.
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Under Clutter Taken into Account, you can set the following parameters under Heights:
Clutter taken into account in diffraction: Select "1 - Yes" if you want the clutter heights to be taken into account
when calculating diffraction.
Receiver on top of clutter: Select "1 - Yes" if you want the receiver to be considered to be located on top of clutter.
This option can be used where fixed receivers are located on top of buildings.
Indoor calculations only: Select "1 - Yes" to create coverage predictions based on indoor calculations only.
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Under Clutter Taken into Account, you can set the following parameters under Range:
Max. distance: Set the maximum distance from a receiver to be considered when calculating f(clutter).
Weighting function: Select a weighting function to be used when calculating f(clutter). It enables you to weight
losses for each pixel between a receiver and a maximum distance. For more information on weighting functions,
see the Technical Reference Guide.
Under Parameters per clutter class, you can set the following parameters for each clutter class:
Losses: Enter, if desired, losses for each clutter class to be considered when calculating f(clutter).
Clearance: Enter, if desired, a clearance around each receiver for each clutter class. The clearance information is
used to model streets because it is assumed that the receiver is in the street. The clearance is used when calcu-
lating diffraction when statistical clutter is taken into account.
Rx Height: Enter, if desired, a specific receiver height for each clutter class. Or, you can select "(default)" for the
receiver height. When creating a coverage prediction, Atoll will then read the receiver height on the Calculation
Parameters tab of the Network Settings Properties dialogue in the Parameters explorer.
7. Click OK.
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Correction terms can be evaluated using the Automatic Calibration Wizard. For informa-
tion on the Automatic Calibration Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Calibration
Guide.
You can weight the diffraction loss by setting the diffraction multiplying factor
within the range [0;1].
Constant values and diffraction multiplying factor can be evaluated using the Auto-
matic Calibration Wizard for each environment formula. For information on the
Automatic Calibration Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Calibration
Guide.
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8. Click OK.
You can weight the diffraction loss by setting the diffraction multiplying factor
within the range [0;1].
Constant values and diffraction multiplying factor can be evaluated using the Auto-
matic Calibration Wizard for each environment formula. For information on the
Automatic Calibration Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Calibration
Guide.
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For information on modifying the selected formula, see "Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (ITU 529-3)" on
page 193.
8. Click OK.
When using the ITU 370-7 model, do not define the cell edge coverage probability in the
coverage prediction properties with a value other than 50%, or cell edge coverage proba-
bility will be considered twice.
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6. Click the Formulas button. The Formulas dialogue appears. You can do the following:
Add: To create a new formula, click the Add button and modify the parameters of the formula.
Delete: To delete a formula, select the formula and click the Delete button.
Modify: To modify an existing formula, select the formula and modify the parameters.
7. Click OK to save your changes and close the Formulas dialogue.
8. Click OK.
If you select the Line of sight only option and the receiver is not in the transmitter line of
sight, no results at all will be displayed because Atoll will only show results for the line of
sight.
Transmitter clearance: You can set the clearance around the transmitter. This clearance can be used, for example,
to model streets in areas where the clutter class file does not show enough detail. It will be taken into considera-
tion when calculating diffraction. The default value is 20 m.
Receiver default clearance: You can set the default clearance around the receiver. This default clearance will be
used for each clutter class where the receiver clearance is not specified. This clearance will be taken into consid-
eration when calculating diffraction. The default value is 20 m.
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Diffraction multiplying factor: You can set the multiplying factor for the diffraction losses. The final diffraction
losses are determined by multiplying the diffraction losses calculated using the 3-obstacle Deygout method by the
Diffraction multiplying factor.
Receiver height per clutter class: You can set a height for the receiver for each clutter class. Because the WLL prop-
agation model is designed for networks with immobile receivers, the receivers are often on top of buildings. This
option allows you to specify a height which will be added to the clutter class.
Receiver clearance per clutter class: You can set a clearance around the receiver for each clutter class. This clear-
ance will be taken into consideration when calculating diffraction.
6. Click OK.
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9. Click OK.
For more information, see the Technical Reference Guide and the ITU-R P.1546 recommendation.
K2 40
K3 -30
K4 0
K5 0
K6 0
K7 -5
For more information on working with the Standard Propagation Model, see "The Standard Propagation Model" on page 182.
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CrossWave supports any technology (GSM, UMTS, WiMAX, LTE, etc.) and any frequency range (from 200 MHz to 5 GHz). It
also applies to any type of cell (micro, mini, and macro cells). It can be applied in a variety of domains because it can be used
in any type of environment (dense urban, urban, suburban, rural, etc.) without any restriction.
Crosswave supports the same type of geo data files as the other propagation models available in Atoll (DTM, clutter classes,
clutter heights), but any additional raster file can be used with it and optionally, it can be even more accurate when specific
geo data maps are used with it; geo data maps such as:
3D building vectors (TAB)
Line vectors (TAB) for railway track predictions
For more information on the CrossWave propagation model, see the CrossWave user manual.
If there is already a propagation model in the Atoll document with the same name as the
one you are trying to paste, Atoll will display a warning and will not allow you to overwrite
the existing propagation model.
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When creating coverage predictions, you can define a coverage resolution that is different
from the resolution defined for the path loss matrices.
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You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 90.
3. Right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button ( ) in the
Table toolbar to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up
button ( ) in the Table toolbar. For more information on working with tables in Atoll,
see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
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By setting an option in the atoll.ini file, you can set Atoll to use the currently defined
default resolution if you clear the value entered in the Resolution text box when you
create a coverage prediction. That way, if you have many coverage predictions, you can
change their resolution by changing the default resolution and recalculating the
coverage predictions. Atoll will then calculate them using the updated resolution. For
information on changing entries in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
6. Click OK.
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You can prevent Atoll from calculating one or more path loss matrices by locking them. You
can lock path loss matrices using the Propagation tab of the Transmitters dialogue. You
can lock a single path loss matrix by selecting the check box in the Locked column, or more
than one by selecting several path loss matrices and then selecting Lock from the context
menu.
Click the Stop Calculations button ( ) in the toolbar. Atoll immediately stops all ongoing calculations. The results of
calculations that have already been completed, however, will be saved.
Click the button beside Private Directory ( ) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in the Atoll
document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.
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When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed and not only when you save the Atoll document. In order to
keep consistency between the Atoll document and the stored calculations, you should
save the Atoll document before closing it, if you have updated the path loss matrices.
5. Click OK.
The shared path loss matrices must be unlocked in order for users to be able to work
with them. The administrator can check whether shared path loss matrices are unlocked
or not in the Propagation tab of the Transmitters folders Properties dialogue.
5. Click OK.
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Reason for Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
Tuned: If the Tuned check box has been selected, the initial path loss matrix obtained by the propagation model
has been tuned by the use of real measurement points. See "Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Measurement Data"
on page 205 for more information.
6. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 5.5) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as well as a
summary of the reasons for invalidity.
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9. Click Commit. The calculation radius (or radii) for all transmitters whose Commit check box is selected is updated.
Clearing the Main matrices or Extended matrices check box at the top of the dialogue will not prevent the main or
extended matrices from being updated if the given check box was selected before you clicked the Calculate button. If
the calculation radii of extended matrices are changed, the extended matrices are deleted and will need to be recal-
culated with the new radius values.
Invalid matrices cannot be optimised and have to be calculated prior to the opti-
misation process (see "Calculating Path Loss Matrices" on page 202 for more infor-
mation). Invalid (or non-existent) matrices are displayed in red in the available
results list.
Even if the radius can be evaluated (and committed to the transmitter properties),
path losses are not optimised for locked matrices or matrices in a shared directory
(see "Using Centralised Path Loss Matrices" on page 203 for more information).
These matrices are displayed in grey in the available results list.
You can also optimise path loss matrices using the context menu of a transmitter
or group of transmitters. Only the matrices of the selected transmitter or transmit-
ters will be optimised.
When you use measurement data to tune path loss matrices, the results are stored
locally. If you are using shared path loss matrices, these results will be automatically
deleted when you make a calculation if the FullResyncPrivShared option is set in the
atoll.ini file. If you are using shared path loss matrices, you should disable this option
before tuning path loss matrices using measurement data. For more information, see the
Administrator Manual.
When using measurement data to tune path loss matrices, you need to have valid path loss matrices (for more information
on path loss matrix validity, see "Managing Path Loss Matrices" on page 201):
1. Define the elliptical area around the measurement point as explained in "Defining the Area to be Tuned" on page 205.
2. Select the measurement data to be used to tune the path loss matrices:
CW Measurements: You select the CW measurements from the CW Measurements folder as explained in "Tuning
Path Loss Matrices Using CW Measurements" on page 207. The selected CW measurements will be used to tune
the path loss matrices calculated for the site on which the CW measurements were made.
Drive Test Data: You select the drive test data path from the Drive Test Data folder as explained in "Tuning Path
Loss Matrices Using Drive Test Data" on page 208. The selected measurements from drive test data path will be
used to tune the path loss matrices calculated for the selected transmitter.
Atoll replaces existing path loss matrices with the tuned matrices which remain valid as long as the radio configuration of the
network does not change. Atoll creates an external folder containing the catalogue of all the tuning paths as explained in
"Managing the Path Loss Tuning Points" on page 209. By activating or deactivating the tuning paths, you can select the tuning
path to be applied to the existing path loss matrices. Therefore, even if the path loss is recalculated, the path loss is automat-
ically retuned using the active tuning paths.
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Figure 5.6: Defining the ellipse for tuning path loss matrices
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Maximum total correction (dB): Enter the maximum admissible mean error in step 1 of the path loss tuning pro-
cess.
Maximum local correction (dB): Enter the maximum admissible local error in step 2 of the path loss tuning pro-
cess.
Minimum measurement threshold (dBm): Enter the measured signal level under which measurements are not
taken into account for the path loss tuning.
6. Click OK.
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e. Click OK. Atoll begins optimising the path loss matrices for all transmitters on which CW measurements are avail-
able. The progress is displayed in the Event Viewer window.
For repeaters, Atoll also tunes the path loss matrix of both the donor transmitter and the
repeater. The contribution of the repeater and donor to the measured value is calculated
based on the ratio of calculated values between the repeater signal and the donor signal.
Each evaluated contribution is then used as input to tune the path loss matrix of each
element. For more information, please refer to the Technical Reference Guide.
d. Click the For the following transmitters list. The list opens.
e. Select the check box for each transmitter whose path loss matrix you want to tune.
f. Click the Select the measured signal levels list. The list opens.
g. For each transmitter selected from the For the following transmitters list, select the check box for each measured
signal strength that will be used to tune the path loss matrices.
h. Click OK. Atoll begins optimising the path loss matrices for the transmitter on which the CW measurement was
made. The progress is displayed in the Event Viewer window.
To tune the path loss matrices using all drive test data paths:
a. Right-click the Drive Test Data folder. The context menu appears.
b. Select Tune Path Loss Matrices from the context menu. The Measurement Path Selection dialogue appears (see
Figure 5.9).
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For repeaters, Atoll also tunes the path loss matrix of both the donor transmitter and the
repeater. The contribution of the repeater and donor to the measured value is calculated
based on the ratio of calculated values between the repeater signal and the donor signal.
Each evaluated contribution is then used as input to tune the path loss matrix of each
element. For more information, please refer to the Technical Reference Guide.
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loss matrix and stored in a single tuning file. All the tuning files are stored as a catalogue in the current project. Each single
tuning path can be activated or deactivated in order to be automatically applied to path loss matrices, even after recalculation.
Tuning files are stored in the same way as path loss matrices, as explained in "Setting the Storage Location of Path Loss Matri-
ces" on page 202. They can be saved on a network and shared between users.
To manage the catalogue of the tuning path loss data:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table.
5. Select one of the following display options:
Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:
Transmitter: The name of the transmitter or repeater.
Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices are
recalculated.
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
Reason for Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
Tuned: If the check box is selected, the initial path loss matrix obtained by the propagation model has been tuned
by the use of real measurement data.
6. Select the tuning path loss matrices you want to manage using the available catalogue by holding CTRL and click the
corresponding line in the Available Results table and then right-clicking. The context menu appears.
7. Select Path Loss Tuning Points from the context menu. The Path Loss Tuning Points dialogue appears.
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Total correction (dB): Displays the mean error between each measured value and its corresponding pixel in the
path loss matrix. This is the correction which is applied globally to all the matrices during the first step of path loss
tuning (For more information, please refer to the Technical Reference Guide).
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the measurement path data (excluding the antenna infor-
mation) are valid.
Reason for Invalidity: If the measurement path data is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Comments: Additional comments referring to the measurement entry are given in this field. You can edit the com-
ment by right-clicking the line and selecting Properties from the context menu.
When path loss tuning entries are changed (e.g., activated or deleted) Atoll suggests delet-
ing the corresponding path loss matrices.
You can import tuning files to replace an existing tuning or to benefit from a path loss tuning done by another user. The PTS
files are imported using a DBF file containing all the information relative to matrices and their tuning.
To import a path loss tuning catalogue:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table.
5. Select the tuning path loss matrices for which you want to import tuning files by holding CTRL and click the corre-
sponding line in the Available Results table and then right-clicking. The context menu appears.
6. Select Import Path Loss Tuning Catalogue from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
7. Select the DBF path loss tuning catalogue file you want to import.
8. Click Open. The existing PTS files are replaced by the ones referenced in the catalogue file. Any additional files in the
DBF catalogue file are added. You can work with the imported PTS files with the same options as files from a tuning
carried out in the current project.
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1. Select Tools > Point Analysis. The Point Analysis window appears and the pointer changes ( ) to represent the
receiver. This receiver is placed at the centre of the active map.
If a transmitter was already selected on the map, a line appears connecting the selected transmitter and the receiver.
2. Select the view of the Point Analysis window corresponding to the type of point prediction you want to make. For
information on the views available in the Point Analysis window, see "The Views of the Point Analysis Tool" on
page 212.
The Profile view ( ) is available in the Point Analysis tool for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, UMTS, TD-SCDMA, WiMAX,
Wi-Fi, and LTE projects.
The Profile view of the Point Analysis tool displays the profile between a reference transmitter and the receiver. As
well, Atoll displays the signal level of the received signal from the selected transmitter. You can also display the path
loss or total losses of the selected transmitter. In this view, the results are calculated in real time.
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The Reception view ( ) is available in the Point Analysis tool for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, UMTS, TD-SCDMA,
WiMAX, Wi-Fi, and LTE projects. In multi-RAT projects, there are as many Reception views as there are technologies.
The Reception view of the Point Analysis tool displays the predicted signal level from different transmitters in the
form of a bar chart, from the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom. The calcula-
tions are based on the path loss matrices. Each bar is displayed in the colour of the transmitter it represents.
In the map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. The best server for the pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level.
If you let the pointer rest on an arrow, the signal level received from the corresponding transmitter at the pointer loca-
tion is displayed in the tip text.
The AS Analysis View:
The AS Analysis view ( ) is available in the Point Analysis tool for CDMA and UMTS projects.
The AS Analysis view displays information on the pilot quality (EcI0), which is the main parameter used to define the
mobile active set, the connection status, and the active set of the probe mobile.
The Interference View:
The Interference view ( ) is available in the Point Analysis window for GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects, WiMAX, and LTE
projects. In a multi-RAT projects where GSM and LTE are present, there is one reception window for each of these
technologies.
The Interference view displays, in the form of a bar graph, the signal level of the selected transmitter, a black bar indi-
cating the total interference experienced by the receiver, and bars representing the interference received from each
interferer.
In the map window, arrows from the receiver towards each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters
they represent. If you let the pointer rest on an arrow, the interference level received from the corresponding trans-
mitter at the receiver location will be displayed in tip text along with information on the channel being interfered and
the type of interference, i.e., co- or adjacent channel.
The PN Offset Collision View:
The PN Offset Collision view ( ) is available in the Point Analysis tool for CDMA projects.
The PN Offset Collision view of the Point Analysis tool gives you information on the reception for any point on the
map where there is PN Offset collision.
The SC Collision View:
The SC Collision view ( ) is available in the Point Analysis tool for UMTS projects.
The SC Collision view of the Point Analysis tool gives you information on reception for any point on the map where
there is scrambling code collision.
The Details View:
The Details view ( ) is available in the Point Analysis tool for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, UMTS, TD-SCDMA, WIMAX,
and LTE projects. In Multi-RAT projects, there are as many Results views as there are technologies.
The Details view displays the current position and height of the receiver, the clutter class it is located on. In addition,
it also displays:
in GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects, you can select to display the results on a specific HCS layer (or all). You can also eval-
uate either C/I or C/I+N values where the interferences are due to any combination between adjacent channels,
co-channels or external sources. Atoll displays for each transmitter its BCCH signal level, the BCCH C/I, the most
interfered mobile station allocation (TRX, MAL or MAL-MAIO depending on the hopping mode) and its corre-
sponding C/I.
in CDMA projects, you can select to display the results for a specific terminal, service, mobility, carrier, DL rate,
and UL rate. Atoll displays for each transmitter its signal level (or RSCP), its path loss, Ec/Io, C/I, DL and UL Eb/Nt
values, PN offsets.
in UMTS/HSPA projects, you can select to display the results for a specific terminal, service, mobility, carrier. Atoll
displays for each transmitter its signal level, Ec/Io, DL and UL Eb/Nt values, scrambling codes.
in TD-SCDMA projects, Atoll displays for each transmitter its signal level.
in WiMAX projects, you can select to display the results for a specific terminal, service, mobility. Atoll displays for
each transmitter its preamble index, its preamble signal C, C/N and I.
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in LTE projects, you can select to display the results for a specific terminal, service, mobility. Atoll displays for each
transmitter its physical cell ID, its reference signal Level, its RSRP and its RS I.
1. Right-click the receiver ( ) in the map window. The context menu appears.
2. Select Coordinates from the context menu. The Receiver Position dialogue appears.
3. Enter the X and Y coordinates of the position and click OK. The receiver moves to the specified position.
To place the receiver on a selected site:
1. Right-click the receiver ( ) in the map window. The context menu appears.
2. Select Target Site from the context menu. The Target Site dialogue appears.
3. Select the site on which you want to place the receiver from the Name list and click OK. The receiver moves to the
specified position.
1. Click the Options button ( ) at the top of the Point Analysis view. The Calculation Options dialogue appears.
2. Select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses to the total path loss.
1. Click the Options button ( ) at the top of the Point Analysis view. The Calculation Options dialogue appears.
2. Select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability. Atoll calculates the
shadowing using the appropriate standard deviation defined per clutter class.
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You can not store externally the results of coverage predictions that are calculated by
transmitter instead of by level.
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3. Right-click the coverage prediction for which you want to define the storage location of the results. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The coverage predictions Properties dialogue appears.
5. On the General tab, click the button beside Folder ( ) and select the storage location of the results:
Saving in the Atoll document: To store the results in the document, select Embedded.
Saving externally: To store the results externally, select the external storage location. Atoll creates a folder for the
results in the same folder with the Atoll document and gives it the name of the document, with the extension
"studies."
Sharing the results of another coverage prediction: To display the results of a coverage prediction that was cal-
culated in a different document, select Connect to Results to navigate to the XML file describing the coverage pre-
diction results.
Externally stored coverage prediction results can be imported as customised coverage predictions. For more information on
importing customised coverage predictions, see "Saving Defined Coverage Predictions" on page 219. For a detailed descrip-
tion of the XML file, see Studies.XML in the Administrator Manual.
Click the Calculate button ( ) in the toolbar. When you click the Calculate button, Atoll first calculates non-existent
and invalid path loss matrices and then, unlocked coverage predictions in the Predictions folder.
The progress of the calculations is displayed in the Event Viewer window.
After calculation, the results are displayed in the map window, if the coverage predictions visibility check box has
been selected.
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Click the Force Calculate button ( ) in the toolbar. When you click the Force Calculate button, Atoll first removes
existing path loss matrices, recalculates them and then calculates unlocked coverages predictions.
After calculation, the results are displayed in the map window, if the coverage predictions visibility check box has
been selected.
Click the Stop Calculations button ( ) in the toolbar. Atoll immediately stops all ongoing calculations. The results
of calculations that have already been completed, however, will be saved.
To prevent Atoll from automatically locking coverage predictions after calculating them,
you can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini
file, see the Administrator Manual.
Unlocked coverage predictions are displayed in the Predictions folder with the unlocked icon ( )
4. Select Prediction Locked from the context menu.
The icon changes to the locked icon ( ) and the Prediction Locked item in the context menu now appears checked.
The coverage prediction is now locked and will not be calculated when the Calculate button in the toolbar is clicked.
However, if you select Calculate from the coverage predictions context menu, Atoll will first unlock the coverage
prediction and then calculate it.
You can lock all unlocked coverage predictions using the Predictions folders context menu.
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Locked coverage predictions are displayed in the Predictions folder with the locked icon ( ).
4. Select Prediction Locked from the context menu.
The icon changes to the unlocked icon ( ) and the Prediction Locked item in the context menu is no longer selected.
You can unlock all locked coverage predictions using the Predictions folders context menu.
If the Field selected is not one calculated by the coverage prediction but instead one read
from the database, Atoll will not export the values.
If the Result Export tab is not available, the results of that coverage prediction can not be
exported.
6. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the File box. The Save As dialogue appears.
7. Enter a file name for the text file in which the results will be saved.
8. Click Save. The Save As dialogue closes.
9. In Decimal places on the Result Export tab, enter the number of digits after the decimal point for the exported
numeric values.
10. Select a Separator. You can choose from tab, comma, semicolon, and space.
11. Click Calculate. The coverage prediction is calculated and the results exported to the selected text file.
The exported results are actual calculated values of the studied parameters not the display levels defined in the
Display tab of the coverage prediction properties dialogue.
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Coverage predictions stored in the XML template files are also directly available in the Calculations menu of the context
menus of the Transmitters folder, of a group of transmitters, and of a single transmitter.
In a multi-user environment, the administrator can make customised predictions available for all the users by saving the XML
file in the Atoll installation directory. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
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222
Chapter 6
Automatic Cell
Planning
This chapter provides the information to use In this chapter, the following are explained:
the ACP to optimise radio networks.
"The ACP Module and Atoll" on page 225
"Configuring the ACP Module" on page 229
"Optimising Cell Planning with the ACP" on page 233
"Running an Optimisation Setup" on page 267
"Working with Optimisations in the Explorer Window"
on page 269
"Viewing Optimisation Results" on page 270
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It is recommended to define a computation zone. ACP uses the computation zone as the
area in which the quality indicators are calculated and improved during optimisation.
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ACP automatically considers all the cells or subcells that have an effect on the computation
and ignores the rest (for example, those that are too far away to have an impact on the
computation zone). It is nonetheless recommended to use a filtering zone to speed up
initial data extraction from the Atoll document.
When you use selected traffic maps, ACP allows you to define a resolution to extract the data from traffic maps. The resolution
should usually be the same as the resolution of the traffic maps.
To increase the accuracy of the data-extraction process, you can increase the resolution defined in the Resolution (m) text
box.
You can set ACP to not take macro-diversity gains in UMTS into consideration by setting
the appropriate option in the acp.ini file. You will need to update the corresponding
parameters in the atoll.ini file as well. For information on modifying the atoll.ini file, see
the Administrator Manual.
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Non-native models: If the propagation model is not native to Atoll, ACP offers three different methods of antenna
masking.
For more information, see "Non-Native Propagation Models" on page 228.
Power optimisation, site selection (without reconfiguration), and antenna height optimi-
sation are made independently of the method used to determine changes to path loss
attenuation.
You can define the internal method used by setting the appropriate option in the acp.ini
file. For information on modifying the acp.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
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The user-defined acp.ini: When you define options using the ACP module, you can choose to save them in a user-
defined acp.ini. Defining the ACP options using the acp.ini file enables you to use the same settings in different Atoll
documents. Additionally, you can manually define settings directly in the acp.ini file, especially settings which can not
be defined using the ACP module.
The global acp.ini: The global acp.ini file (normally the acp.ini file found in the Atoll installation directory) contains all
the options that can be set for the ACP. Unless the same options have been set in either the current project or the
user-defined acp.ini, the ACP will use the options set in the global acp.ini to initialise a new ACP setup. Setting options
in the global acp.ini ensures that all users of Atoll using that machine will be using the same base set of parameters.
Defining the ACP options by editing the global acp.ini file also offers advantages, namely, consistent settings across
Atoll documents and the ability to define settings which can not be set using the ACP module.
For information on the options available in the acp.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Defining the Storage Location of ACP Settings" on page 230
"Defining the Antenna Masking Method" on page 230
"Configuring Default Settings" on page 231.
5. Click the arrow to the right of the current location of the ACP settings ( ). The menu appears:
6. Select where you want the ACP to store the template options:
Embedded: Atoll will store the ACP settings in the current Atoll document. Embedding the options in the current
project ensures that the document is portable; if you open the Atoll document on a different computer, you will
have the same default ACP settings.
Default User Location: Atoll will store the ACP settings in the default location for the user-defined acp.ini file.
Defining the ACP options using the acp.ini file enables you to use the same settings in different Atoll documents.
Browse: Clicking Browse enables you to select a location to store the acp.ini file or to select an existing acp.ini file.
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6. Under Propagation Models, select the check boxes in each column to define how ACP will model each propagation
model.
By default, all available propagation models are displayed. By selecting the Show only
used propagation models check box, ACP will only display the propagation models that
are actually used in that document.
Antenna masking method: The antenna masking method column indicates which method is used, "Optimised" for
native propagation models and "Basic," "Improved," or "Full Pathloss" for non-native propagation models.
Additional Parameters: In the Additional Parameters column, a Browse button ( ) appears for each propaga-
tion model not supported natively by the ACP. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Default Propagation
Model Parameters dialogue. In the Default Propagation Model Parameters dialogue, you can define the fol-
lowing parameters for each propagation model for which ACP uses the "Basic" or "Improved" method as its
default method:
Antenna pattern interpolation: Antenna pattern interpolation is the method used to derive the antenna gain
from a set of angles of incidence. You can select either the "Native 3D Interpolation" method or the "Linear
Interpolation" method. When you select the linear interpolation method, you can also define the degree of
smoothing applied.
Direct view: Select the Direct View check box if you want ACP to trace a direct line between the transmitter
and the receiver when calculating the vertical incidence angle, without taking any obstacle into account.
Use clutter height: Select the Use clutter height check box if you want clutter heights to be applied along the
profile between transmitter and receiver.
Receiver on top of clutter: Select the Receiver on top of clutter check box if the receiver should be considered
to be on top of the clutter.
7. Click OK.
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4. Select the Setup Template tab. On the Setup Template tab, you can set options that are normally set in the acp.ini file
for the following categories:
Antenna Masking Method
Optimisation
Objective
Reconfiguration
Multi-storey
EMF Exposure.
For information on the various options and their possible values, see the Administrator Manual.
5. Click the Preferences tab (see Figure 6.3).
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7. Under Private Directory, enter the name of the directory or click the arrow to the right of the current directory ( )
to navigate to the new directory.
8. Under Shared Directory, enter the name of the directory shared by several users or click the Browse button ( the
right of the current directory to navigate to the new directory.
When the ACP reads a specific path loss or incidence matrix, it first attempts to read it from the Shared Directory. If
the entry does not exist in the Shared Directory, the ACP then tries to read the information from the Private Directory.
If the ACP can not find the information in the Private Directory, it then calculates the matrix and stores the results in
the Private Directory.
The ACP never writes directly to the Shared Directory. There should only be one user
with administrator rights who populates this Shared Directory with the results of his
Private Directory. No other user should set the Shared Directory as his Private Directory
in order to avoid concurrent access.
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Under Layers (see Figure 6.5 on page 235), you can define the following for each layer to be optimised:
Use: You can select which layers are to be considered in the optimisation process by selecting their check box in
the Use column. The signals and interference of the transmitters and sites in the selected layers will be taken into
consideration during the optimisation process. If the transmitters and sites in the selected layers are within the
area to be optimised (the computation zone or the focus zone, as selected under Zones on the Optimisation tab),
these transmitters and cells will be optimised.
Selecting the layers here ensures that ACP will take them into consideration. Transmitters and sites in layers which
are not selected are treated by ACP as if they do not exist: they will not be optimised and their signal and interfer-
ence will not be taking into consideration during the optimisation of the selected transmitters and sites.
If a transmitter on one selected layer that is optimised is linked (by the Shared Antenna
field in the Atoll Transmitter table) with a transmitter on another layer that is not used in
the optimisation, the second transmitter will not appear on the Reconfiguration tab but
any changes to the first transmitter will be applied to the linked transmitter as well.
Name: You can change the name of the layer by clicking it and entering a new name.
Reconfiguration: If you want the layer to be taken into consideration for reconfiguration, you can select the check
box in the Reconfiguration column.
If a transmitter on one selected layer that is optimised is linked (by the Shared Antenna
field in the Atoll Transmitter table) with a transmitter on another layer that is not recon-
figured, the second transmitter will appear on the Reconfiguration tab but none of its
sectors will be reconfigured (except for the electrical tilt, if you are optimising it). It is still
possible for you to manually select these transmitters for reconfiguration on the Reconfig-
uration tab.
Site Selection: If you want the layer to be taken into consideration for site selection, you can select the check box
in the Site Selection column. If this check box is cleared, all sites belonging to this layer will be considered as
existing sites and you will not be able to deselect them on the Reconfiguration tab.
The following columns give information about the layer; they can not be edited:
Technology: The technology used by the layer.
Freq. Band/Carrier: The frequency band and carrier (if applicable) used by the layer.
Nb Tx/Cell: The number of sectors in the layer.
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in the reconfiguration zones that are included in one or more clutter class by selecting From clutter classes and
selecting the check box corresponding to the clutter class or classes you want to study.
If you have set an option in the acp.ini file so that the ACP only uses clutter classes of one resolution (usually the lower
resolution), you can also set an option so that the other clutter classes are not displayed in the Zone Definition
dialogue. For more information on the acp.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
7. For each zone under Custom Zone Definition, define the Resolution. You can select the "Default" resolution, or you
can define a custom resolution by entering a numeric value. If you select "Ignore," the ACP will not create evaluation
points in that zone. If the custom zone is based on clutter classes, you can not not change the resolution; you can
either select "Use," and the ACP distribute evaluation points in that zone based on the default resolution or "Ignore,"
and the ACP will not create evaulation points in that zone.
You can change the order in which the custom zones will be taken into consideration, by clicking the layers number
in the Order column and then clicking the Up button ( ) or the Down button ( ). The order has an effect only
when assigning weighting to specific zones and thresholds to pixels which belong to two or more intersecting zones.
When a zone is fully included in another one, it always has precedence over the zone in which it is located.
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No cost control: If you select No cost control, ACP will not take cost into consideration when optimising the net-
work.
Maximum cost: If you select Maximum cost, you can enter a maximum cost not to be exceeded and define the
costs under Cost Setting.
Quality/Cost trade-off: If you select Quality/Cost trade-off, ACP will find a compromise between cost and quality.
You can use the slider to define whether ACP should put more emphasis on quality (Better Quality) or cost (Lower
Cost).
In the Reconfiguration Cost section, under Cost Setting, define the individual costs for each reconfiguration
option. If reconfiguring an option can only be done at the physical location of the transmitter, select the check box
in the Site Visit column. The cost will be increased by the defined Site Visit value. The site visit cost is incurred only
once per site, independently of the number of reconfigurations that might be made to the same site, including
sites supporting more than one technology.
By default, the cost is only a ratio: defining a cost as "0" means that there is no cost associated with a change; de-
fining a cost as "2" means that this change costs twice as much as another change with a defined cost of "1". You
can, however, define the cost as a monetary value. You can define the monetary value to be used, for example,
yen or dollars, by editing the "Cost: Unit" option under Optimisation on the Setup Template tab of the ACP - Au-
tomatic Cell Planning Properties dialogue. For more information about the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning Prop-
erties dialogue, see "Configuring Default Settings" on page 231.
In the Site Selection Cost section, under Cost Setting, define the individual costs for each site selection option.
1. Click the New Site Class button ( ). The New Site Class dialogue appears.
2. Enter the name for the site class and click OK. The new site class now appears in the list of site classes.
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3. Define the individual costs for each reconfiguration option of the new site class as explained in "Defining Cost Control-
related Parameters" on page 237.
To delete a site class:
1. Click the arrow beside the Site Classes list and select the site class you want to delete.
2. Click the Delete Site Class button ( ). The selected site class is immediately deleted. You can not delete the "Default"
site class.
ACP will not ask you to confirm your decision, so ensure that you have selected the
correct site class before clicking the Delete Site Class button.
4. Under Multi-storey, select the Enable Multi-storey check box if you want the ACP to optimise reception in multi-
storey buildings.
5. Under Vertical Points Distribution, define how the ACP will distribute the measurement points it will use to optimise
the reception in multi-storey buildings represented in the clutter height maps:
Distribution zone: Select the zone on which multi-story measurement points are to be distributed. The ACP only
distribute points in a three-dimensional pattern where there are clutter height maps, but, by selecting a distribu-
tion zone, you can limit calculations to areas where multi-storey reception optimisation is most important, for
example, downtown.
Storey height (m): Define the height of each storey in metres. The ACP will use this height to calculate the receiver
height for the defined number of storeys.
Calculation steps (storeys): Define, as a number of storeys, the size of vertical steps between storeys on which the
ACP distributes measurement points. The resulting receiver heights are calculated using the defined step and
storey height and displayed beside the Storey height.
Ignore buildings smaller than (storeys): Define the minimum height (in storeys as defined by the Storey height)
of buildings for the ACP to distribute measurement points in three dimensions.
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6. Under Vertical Points Distribution, select the Vertical weight sharing check box if you want the ACP to divide the
weight of each measurement point evenly between all 3-D pixels at a given (x, y) location. For example, if a pixel at
ground level has a weight of 1 and there are a total of 5 points (1 point at ground level and 1 point every 3 metres) at
that location, each 3-D pixel will have a weight of 0.2.
If the Vertical weight sharing check box is cleared, each measurement point will have the same weight. For example,
if a pixel at ground level has a weight of 1 and there are a total of 5 points (1 point at ground level and 1 point every
3 metres) at that location, the total weight of all measurement points will be five, as opposed to a weight of one
outdoors.
4. Under EMF Exposure, select the Enable EMF exposure calculation check box if you want the ACP to optimise EMF
exposure.
5. Use the EMF exposure importance slider to define the importance of EMF exposure in comparison with the other
optimisation objectives:
Low: EMF exposure is improved when doing so does not have a strong adverse effect on coverage quality.
Medium: There is a trade-off between coverage quality and EMF exposure.
Critical: EMF exposure is improved at all costs, even if doing so has a strong adverse effect on coverage quality.
6. Under Distribution of Evaluation Points, define how the evaluation points will be distributed:
Resolution XY (m): Define in metres the horizontal resolution of the evaluation points.
Resolution Z (m): Define in metres the vertical resolution of the evaluation points (only for three-dimensional EMF
exposure analysis).
Building front only: Select the Building front only check box if you only want evaluation points to be distributed
on the building faade.
Indoor distance analysis (m): If you want evaluation points to be distributed within the building (i.e., if the
Building front only check box is not selected), define the maximum distance up to which evaluation points are dis-
tributed inside the building.
Evaluation on zone: Select the zone (computation, focus, or individual hot spot zone) on which evaluation points
will be distributed and on which the EMF exposure will be optimised.
7. Under Raster and Vector Inputs, set the data that will be used to define the profile of the terrain:
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By default, the first entry under Raster and Vector Inputs is "Native clutter classes and clutter heights," the terrain
profile obtained from the geo data in Atoll (the clutter classes and DTM).
a. Map the clutter classes to the ACP propagation classes by clicking the Browse button ( ) in the Definition col-
umn. In the Clutter Definition dialogue that opens (see Figure 6.11), you can map each clutter class to a corre-
sponding propagation class and select the check box of each clutter class that is to be used for EMF evaluation.
If you have vector files that fully model the terrain, you can remove the Atoll geo data by selecting the Ignore clut-
ter check box at the bottom of the dialogue.
b. Add a file describing the terrain by clicking the Browse button ( ) in the File column. The file must be an ArcView
vector file (SHP). Once you have selected a file, the Vector File Definition dialogue appears. In the Vector File Def-
inition dialogue, you can define the parameters of the vector file, i.e., the field defining height, the correspond-
ence between vector class and propagation class, and select which vector class should be used for EMF evaluation.
i. Definition: Under Definition, click the Browse button ( ) corresponding to the file in the File column to map
the files data to ACP propagation classes.
ii. Used in Evaluation: Select the Used in Evaluation check box for each entry in the File column that you want
to use for EMF exposure optimisation. The check box in the Used in Evaluation column is selected for each
entry in the File column that is used to define the area where EMF evaluation takes place.
iii. Click OK to close the Vector File Definition dialogue.
Once you have defined the EMF exposure parameters, you can back up the configuration
by clicking the Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the same parameters
will be applied automatically
8. In the pane on the left-hand side, click Propagation under EMF Exposure.
Under Propagation, you can define the propagation classes used to optimise the EMF exposure, as well as additional
EMF exposure parameters.
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9. Under Propagation Class Definition, set the following parameters for each propagation class. If you want to create a
new propagation class, enter the parameters in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ).
Name: The name of the propagation class.
Distribution of Evaluation Points: The pattern in which evaluation points will be distributed in that propagation
class. The evaluation points can be distributed in either a 3D pattern (for a building, in which EMF calculation must
be made vertically as well) or in a 2D pattern. For a two-dimensional distribution, the points can be placed either
at the bottom (for example, in a park) or at the top (for example, for a bridge) to better reflect where people will
be.
Penetration Loss (dB): Define the loss occurring when the signal enters the object.
Linear Loss (dBm): Define a linear loss applied for each metre within an object. The loss is applied only after a
given number of metres, specified by the Linear Loss Start Distance (m) parameter.
Linear Loss Start Distance (m): Define the distance after which the Linear Loss (dBm) is applied.
10. Under Parameters, define the following:
Use diffraction: This option is currently disabled; evaluation points that are not in the line of sight experience infi-
nite diffraction loss. In other words, points that are not in the line of sight do not experience any EMF exposure.
Free space model (worst case): Select the Free space model (worst case) check box if you want the ACP to calcu-
late the worst possible EMF exposure levels under the current conditions. When you select the Free space model
(worst case) check box, the ACP treats all objects (i.e., buildings, etc.) as fully transparent and no indoor loss is
applied. In other words, even points which are not in line of sight are calculated as if they were in line of sight.
Calculation radius (m): Define the maximum distance from a transmitter for which its EMF exposure contribution
is calculated.
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3. In the left-hand pane, under Objectives, click the objective, for example, in Figure 6.14 in UMTS you would select
either UMTS RSCP or UMTS EcIo, to define the coverage parameters of that objective. In the right-hand pane, you can
now define the following coverage parameters:
Target Zone: Select the zone on which the objective is to be evaluated. For more information on using zones with
the ACP, see "Using Zones with ACP" on page 226.
Traffic Weighting: If you want define non-uniform traffic weighting, click the Browse button ( ) to open the
Traffic Definition dialogue. In the Traffic Definition dialogue, you can select either Traffic generated from maps
and select the traffic maps or you can select Traffic generated from file and then click the Browse button ( )
to select a traffic map.
Weight: You can set the importance of the objective in relation to other objectives by defining a weight. Giving
the objective a weight of "0" means that ACP will not consider coverage of this objective in determining the suc-
cess of the optimisation.
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4. In the left-hand pane, under Objectives, click Rules under the objective you defined in step 3. to define the rule or
rules that will be used to evaluate the objective. For example, in Figure 6.15, you would click Rules under either UMTS
RSCP or UMTS EcIo to define the evaluation rule.
In the right-hand pane, you can now define the rule or rules that will be used to evaluate the objective. Each row in
the table contains one rule. Each rule is an evaluation of a specific quality indicator for a single layer and for a defined
zone. Each quality indicator is technology-dependent. By combining rules, you can create an objective that evaluates
quality indicators on different layers within the same technology or, for projects that combine several radio access
technologies, that evaluates quality indicators from different technologies.
In the row with the rule you want to edit, or in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ) if you want to create
a new rule, set the following parameters:
In the first column, select the boolean operator (AND or OR) that will be used to combine the rules.
Layer: In the Layer column, select the layer that the rule will be evaluated on.
Quality: In the Quality column, select the quality indicator.
In the next column, select the operator (greater than ">" or less than "<") that will be used to evaluate the rule
in relation to the Threshold.
- Threshold: In the Threshold column, enter the threshold to be used to evaluate the rule. Clicking the Browse
button ( ) opens a dialogue where you can define a threshold for each zone.
Each pixel can belong to more than one zone, however for each pixel the quality is only
evaluated according to the threshold of the zone with the highest priority (i.e., first the hot
spot, then the focus zone, and finally the computation zone).
Once you have defined more than one rule, you can combine them or change the order in which ACP takes them into
consideration.
You can combine rules by selecting them and clicking the Group button. You can then select a boolean operator
(AND or OR) that will be used to combine the rules with other defined rules.
You can change the order in which ACP takes them into consideration by selecting the rule and then clicking the
Up button ( ) or the Down button ( ).
5. In the left-hand pane, under Objectives, click Target under the objective you defined in step 3. to define the required
percentage of pixels in the target zone (after applying any defined weight) which must fulfil the rule.
a. Enter a value for one of the following:
Improve Current Coverage (+- %): If you want to use an improvement of current coverage as the optimisation
target, enter the percentage by which the current coverage should be improved.
Target Coverage (%): If you want to use a target coverage (defined as a percentage of the target zone), enter
the percentage in Target Coverage (%).
6. If you want to filter the points on which the objective will be evaluated, click Filter at the bottom of the dialogue.
In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), set the following parameters:
In the first column, select the boolean operator (AND or OR) that will be used to combine the filter conditions.
Layer: In the Layer column, select the layer that the measurement points will be evaluated on.
Quality: In the Quality column, select the quality indicator.
In the next column, select the operator (greater than ">" or less than "<") that will be used to evaluate the
quality indicator in relation to the Threshold.
Threshold: In the Threshold column, enter the threshold to be used to evaluate the quality indicator. Clicking
the Browse button ( ) opens a dialogue where you can define which threshold to use for each zone.
Once you have defined more than one filter condition, you can combine them or change the order in which ACP
takes them into consideration.
You can combine filter conditions by selecting them and clicking the Group button. You can then select a
boolean operator (AND or OR) that will be used to combine the filter conditions with other defined conditions.
You can change the order in which ACP takes them into consideration by selecting the filter condition and
clicking filter conditions by selecting them and then clicking the Up button ( ) or the Down button ( ).
7. Repeat step 3. to step 6. for each objective in the left-hand pane.
8. If you are optimising EMF exposure, click EMF Exposure in the left-hand pane to set the importance of the objectives.
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Select the check box in the Use column for each zone in the project for which you want to redefine the default
threshold or the weight taken into consideration in the EMF exposure optimisation.
Enter a Maximum Threshold (Vm) for each zone selected in the Use column.
Define a Weight for each zone. Evaluation points will be weighted according to the weight assigned to the zone
they are in. For example, if a zone has a weight of "2," then improving the EMF exposure by one evaluation point
within this zone is of the same importance as improving the EMF exposure by two evaluation points in a zone with
a weighting of "1."
It is important to remember that, if every zone is assigned the same weight, the
optimisation is made as if no weight is assigned to any zone. Defining a weight of "0" for
a zone means that that zone will not be taken into consideration when trying to reach
the set objectives.
9. In the left-hand pane, click Zone Weighting under Parameters to set the weight accorded to each defined zone: the
computation zone, the focus zone, and any hot spot (see Figure 6.17).
With zone weighting, ACP adds an extra weight to all the pixels of a zone. Because one pixel can belong to several
zones (for example, a pixel can be inside both the focus zone and the computation zone and in a hot spot, if there is
one), the weight applied to that pixel is the weight of the zone with the highest priority: the hot spot zone, if it exists,
then the focus zone, finally the computation zone.
It is important to remember that, if every zone is assigned the same weight, the
optimisation is made as if no weight is assigned to any zone. Defining a weight of "0" for
a zone means that that zone will not be taken into consideration when trying to reach
the set objectives.
Zone weighting is used to focus optimisation on the appropriate areas. The assigned weights are used to weight the
traffic parameters, unless the optimisation is based on uniform traffic. However, if no traffic maps are available or if
the optimisation is based on uniform traffic, zone weighting can be used to ensure that ACP prioritises the optimisa-
tion of areas of high traffic.
10. In the left-hand pane under Parameters, click the technology (for example, UMTS).
In the right-hand pane, select the Enable indoor coverage check box if you want all pixels to be considered as
indoors. The indoor loss per clutter class will be applied or, if no clutter classes are available, a default value will
be applied.
11. In the left-hand pane under the technology (for example, UMTS) under Parameters, you can define the quality param-
eters for that technology. The quality parameters are technology dependent. For information on the quality parame-
ters for each technology, see the technology-specific chapters:
For GSM/GPRS/EDGE: see "GSM Quality Parameters" on page 582 in Chapter 8: GSM/GPRS/EDGE Networks
For UMTS HSPA: see "UMTS Quality Parameters" on page 762 in Chapter 9: UMTS HSPA Networks
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For LTE: see "LTE Quality Parameters" on page 1556 in Chapter 14: LTE Networks.
For WiMAX: see "WiMAX Quality Parameters" on page 1270 in Chapter 12: WiMAX BWA Networks.
For CDMA: see "CDMA Quality Parameters" on page 934 in Chapter 10: CDMA2000 Networks.
The ACP enables you to create and define new objectives and add them to your optimisation setup.
To create a new objective:
1. Open the dialogue used to define the optimisation as explained in "Creating an Optimisation Setup" on page 233.
2. Click the Objectives tab (see Figure 6.14 on page 243).
3. In the left-hand pane, click Objectives. A table appears in the right-hand pane, with the objectives that have already
been defined (see Figure 6.18).
4. Right-click the row with the New Row icon ( ). The context menu appears.
5. Select Add New Entry from the context menu. The New Objective dialogue appears.
6. In the New Objective dialogue, select the type of objective you want to hand and click Okay.
If you want, you can create a custom objective by selecting "Custom objective" in the New Objective dialogue.
7. In the row with the New Row icon ( ), you can define the following parameters:
Name: The ACP suggests a name for the new objective when you create it, but you can modify it. This is the name
that will appear in the left-hand pane under Objectives.
Weight: You can set the importance of the objective by defining a weight. Giving the objective a weight of "0"
means that ACP will not consider coverage of this objective in determining the success of the optimisation.
Target Zone: Select the zone on which the objective is to be evaluated.
Traffic Weighting: If you want define non-uniform traffic, click the Browse button ( ) to open the Traffic Defi-
nition dialogue. In the Traffic Definition dialogue, you can select either Traffic generated from maps and select
the traffic maps or you can select Traffic generated from file and then click the Browse button ( ) to select a
traffic map.
Type: The value in the Type column indicates the quality that will be used to evaluate the success or failure of this
objective. You can not modify it here, but you can change it when defining the rule or rules for this objective. If
you create a custom objective, the ACP sets the Type as "Undefined."
Layers: The Layers column indicates the layers on which the objective will be evaluated. You can change the layers
when defining the rules. If you create a custom objective, the ACP sets the Layers as "Undefined."
8. Once you have created the new objective, you can define the rules and target as explained in "Setting Objective
Parameters" on page 242.
You can also create a new objective by right-clicking Objectives in the left-hand pane
and selecting an objective from the context menu that appears. If the objective you want
to create is not in the list, you can select a "Custom" objective and modify it afterwards.
The objectives in the context menu are a default list that you can modify by changing
options in the acp.ini. For information on modifying the acp.ini, see the Administrator
Manual.
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You can also define custom fields in the Transmitters, Repeaters, and Sites tables and identify these custom fields in the
acp.ini file. When you create a new ACP optimisation setup, ACP will use the values entered in the custom fields as default
reconfiguration values. You can modify these values in the ACP setup, but ACP will not update the Atoll tables with the new
values. For more information on setting options in the acp.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Setting Cell Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 247
"Setting Transmitter Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 250
"Linking Transmitters in Multi-layer Networks for Shared Antennas" on page 251
"Importing Network Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 252
"Setting Reconfiguration Parameters for Secondary Antennas, Remote Antennas, and Repeaters" on page 253.
You can limit the cells displayed on the Reconfiguration tab by selecting the zone they are
located in from the Display on list. The Display on list only affects the cells displayed and
not the cells optimised. The Display on list is available at the top of the Sites, Transmitters,
and Cells tabs. Any selection you make from the Display on list on one tab affects what will
be displayed on all other tabs.
3. Select whether you want the power of each selected cell to be set within a defined minimum and maximum value and
in the defined number of steps:
If you select the Power max/min as offset check box, you will set the Min. Offset
and Max. Offset for each subcell or BCCH TRX (in GSM).
In LTE, the RS EPRE and maximum power are related: one is calculated from the
other. In the ACP, If, in the Atoll LTE project, you have selected the RS EPRE to be
"user-defined" (see "Modifying Global Network Settings" on page 1590), the ACP
will optimise the RS EPRE according to the Max Power settings you have defined.
You can make the same changes to several cells by making the change for one item, selecting the others starting from
the changed item and using the Fill Up (CTRL+U) or Fill Down (CTRL+D) commands. For more information on the Fill
Up or Fill Down commands, see "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 78.
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You can sort the contents of any column by right-clicking the column and selecting Sort Ascending or Sort Descending
from the context menu.
Cells that have been filtered out, either by zone or by clearing their check box in the
table, will not be optimised but are still present in the network and, therefore, continue
to generate interference.
For GSM:
a. Select the Power check box for the transmission power of each transmitter to be set within a defined minimum
and maximum value and in the defined number of steps. If desired, you can select the Power max/min as offset
check box and define the values for minimum and maximum power as offsets of the current power.
b. Define the power settings for each BCCH TRX.
Use: Select the Use check box corresponding to the BCCH TRX to include it in the optimisation of the transmis-
sion power.
Current: The current transmission power for the BCCH TRX.
Min. and Max.: Set a minimum and maximum power to be respected during the optimisation process.
For UMTS:
a. Select the Pilot power check box for the pilot power of each selected cell to be set within a defined minimum and
maximum value and in the defined number of steps.
b. If you are optimising EMF exposure, select the Max Power check box to ensure a maximum power level is respect-
ed.
The option of optimising maximum power is only available when you are optimising EMF
exposure.
c. Select the Synchronise cell power on co-sector cells check box to ensure that all cells on the same sector are as-
signed the same cell power. If you are optimising EMF exposure, the cell power of co-sector cells is automatically
synchronised. In other words, if, in order to meet the EMF exposure objectives, the cell power of one cell must be
set to a given level, then the cell power of all co-sector cells will be set accordingly.
If one of the cells of a sector is not being optimised (if the check box in the Use column is
cleared), when cell power is synchronised, its assigned cell power is forced to that of the
optimised cells.
For pilot power optimisation, the pilot range is defined with minimum, maximum, and step
values. Independently of the maximum defined on the UMTS Cells tab, there is an absolute
maximum possible pilot power which depends on the other powers used in the cell (for
control, traffic, and maximum cell power).
For CDMA:
In CDMA, you can optimise both 1xEV-DO and 1xRTT cells (although they must be on different frequency bands).
1xEV-DO and 1xRTT cells are optimised on 1xEV-DO Cells and 1xRTT Cells tabs, respectively.
a. If you are optimising 1xRTT cells, select the Pilot power check box for the pilot power of each selected cell to be
set within a defined minimum and maximum value and in the defined number of steps.
b. If you are optimising EMF exposure for 1xRTT cells or if you are optimising 1xEV-DO cells, select the Max Power
check box to ensure a maximum power level is respected.
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Whereas you always have the option of optimising the maximum power of 1xEV-DO cells,
the option of optimising the maximum power for 1xRTT cells is only available when you are
optimising EMF exposure.
c. Select the Synchronise cell power on co-sector cells check box to ensure that all cells on the same sector are as-
signed the same cell power. If you are optimising EMF exposure, the cell power of co-sector cells is automatically
synchronised. In other words, if, in order to meet the EMF exposure objectives, the cell power of one cell must be
set to a given level, then the cell power of all co-sector cells will be set accordingly.
If one of the cells of a sector is not being optimised (if the check box in the Use column is
cleared), when cell power is synchronised, its assigned cell power forced to that of the
optimised cells.
For pilot power optimisation, the pilot range is defined with minimum, maximum, and step
values. Independently of the maximum defined on the 1xRTT Cells tab, there is an absolute
maximum possible pilot power which depends on the other powers used in the cell (for
control, traffic, and maximum cell power).
For WiMAX:
a. Select the Preamble power check box for the preamble power of each selected cell to be set within a defined min-
imum and maximum value and in the defined number of steps. If desired, you can select the Power max/min as
offset check box and define the values for minimum and maximum preamble power as offsets of the current
power.
b. Select the Synchronise cell power on co-sector cells check box to ensure that all cells on the same sector are as-
signed the same cell power. If you are optimising EMF exposure, the cell power of co-sector cells is automatically
synchronised. In other words, if, in order to meet the EMF exposure objectives, the cell power of one cell must be
set to a given level, then the cell power of all co-sector cells will be set accordingly.
If one of the cells of a sector is not being optimised (if the check box in the Use column is
cleared), when cell power is synchronised, its assigned cell power forced to that of the
optimised cells.
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If one of the cells of a sector is not being optimised (if the check box in the Use column is
cleared), when cell power is synchronised, its assigned cell power forced to that of the
optimised cells.
When ACP selects the best antenna type, it will also choose the best electrical tilt from the
antenna group only if you are also optimising the electrical tilt. If the electrical tilt is not
being optimised, ACP will try to keep the current electrical tilt on the new antenna.
Azimuth: Select the Azimuth check box for ACP to set the antenna azimuth using a defined range on either side
of the currently defined azimuth.
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By default, ACP optimises the antenna azimuth of each sector of a site individually.
However, you might want to retain the same inter-sector angle separation. If this is the
case, you can select the Azimuth check box corresponding to that site under Lock Site on
the Sector tab of the Reconfiguration tab.
Mechanical tilt: Select the Mechanical tilt check box for ACP to set the mechanical tilt within the defined range
and in the defined number of steps.
Antenna Height: Select the Antenna Height check box for ACP to set the antenna height within the defined range
and in the defined number of steps. If you are optimising EMF exposure, you can not optimise the antenna height.
ACP optimises the antenna height of each sector of a site individually if the Antenna Height
check box corresponding to a site under Lock Sector on the Sites tab of the Reconfigura-
tion tab is cleared. If the Antenna Height check box is cleared, ACP optimises the antenna
height jointly for all antennas of the same site. By default, ACP automatically detects
whether a sites antennas are co-located (i.e., have the same coordinates). If so, the height
of the antennas is locked. If not, the height of the antennas is optimised individually.
However, if you optimising EMF exposure, you can not optimise antenna height and, there-
fore, the Antenna Height check box is unavailable.
The table displays, for each parameter selected, both the current settings for each cell in the selected zone and the
currently defined optimisation parameters.
If you want ACP to display more information on each transmitter, you can select the Show
Advanced Grid check box. ACP will then display, for each transmitter, the antenna masking
method, the propagation model used, the name, and status of the site the transmitter is
located on. The antenna masking method displayed is derived from the default method
used for the propagation model. It can be changed per transmitter here. (for more infor-
mation, see "ACP and Antenna Masking" on page 227).
If the site of one of the linked transmitters has either its antenna heights or azimuths
locked, i.e., if changes made to one sector of the site are made to all sectors on that site,
then corresponding changes will be made to the other linked transmitter. For more infor-
mation on locking antenna heights or azimuths, see "Setting Transmitter Reconfiguration
Parameters" on page 250.
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7. Click Advanced at the bottom of the Reconfiguration tab. The Advanced options appear.
8. Under Advanced, click the Import Facility tab.
9. Click the Import from File button. The Open dialogue appears.
10. Browse to the file and click Open. The Import Data dialogue appears (see Figure 6.22).
11. Under Format Parameters, enter the number of the first row with data in the First Imported Row box, select the data
Separator, and select the Decimal Symbol used in the file.
12. If you want only the transmitters in the imported list to be used on the Reconfiguration tab, select the Use Only Tx(s)
in List check box. The Use check box will be cleared for all transmitters that are not in the imported file and they will
not be affected by reconfiguration options.
13. In the table, ensure that the column names from the imported file (the Source file) match the column names on the
Reconfiguration tab (Destination). You can change the Destination column by clicking the column name and selecting
the name from the list.
14. Click the Import button to import the file and replace the settings in the Reconfiguration tab.
6.3.2.3.5 Setting Reconfiguration Parameters for Secondary Antennas, Remote Antennas, and
Repeaters
The ACP can reconfigure secondary antennas, remote antennas, and repeaters. The height of a secondary antenna is linked
to the height of the donor transmitter; it can not be optimised separately. Additionally, for a secondary antenna, there must
be a percentage of power reserved for it on the properties of the donor transmitter for the ACP to take it into consideration.
In other words, if the percentage of power reserved for a secondary antenna is 0%, it will not appear in the list.
To set the reconfiguration parameters for secondary antennas, remote antennas and repeaters:
1. Open the dialogue used to define the optimisation as explained in "Creating an Optimisation Setup" on page 233.
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab and, on the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, click the Remotes tab (see
Figure 6.20).
3. Click the Reconfiguration tab (see Figure 6.20).
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On the Remotes tab, the Name and Remote Type of each secondary antenna, remote antenna, or repeater is given,
as well as the name of the Donor transmitter and the Site on which the donor transmitter is located. If any entry on
the Remotes tab itself has a secondary antenna, remote antenna, or repeater, the number of is given in the No.
Remotes column.
You can use the No. Remotes column to identify all cascading repeaters, in order to only
optimise the final repeater. If you deselect Show advanced table, right-click on the No.
Remotes column header and select either Sort Ascending or Sort Descending from the
context menu, all entries on the Remotes tab will end up at the top or bottom of the
table (depending on the sort you chose). You can then clear the Use check box for any
optimisation you do not want to apply to an entry that has itself a repeater.
When ACP selects the best antenna type, it will also choose the best electrical tilt from the
antenna group only if you are also optimising the electrical tilt. If the electrical tilt is not
being optimised, ACP will try to keep the current electrical tilt on the new antenna.
- Azimuth: Select the Azimuth check box for ACP to set the antenna azimuth using a defined range on either side
of the currently defined azimuth. ACP accepts decimal values for the azimuth however the step must be an
integer.
By default, ACP optimises the antenna azimuth of each sector of a site individually.
However, you might want to retain the same inter-sector angle separation. If this is the
case, you can select the Azimuth check box corresponding to that site under Lock Site on
the Sites tab of the Reconfiguration tab.
- Mechanical tilt: Select the Mechanical tilt check box for ACP to set the mechanical tilt within the defined range
and in the defined number of steps. ACP accepts decimal values for the mechanical tilt however the step must be
an integer.
Antenna Height: Select the Antenna Height check box for ACP to set the antenna height within the defined range
and in the defined number of steps. If you are optimising EMF exposure, you can not optimise the antenna height.
The height of secondary antennas can not be optimised; it is linked to the height of the donor transmitter.
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- Repeater Amplifier Gain: Select the Repeater Amplifier Gain check box if you want the ACP to optimise the
repeater amplifier gain within the defined range and in the defined number of steps.
The table displays, for each parameter selected, both the current settings for each cell in the selected zone and the
currently defined optimisation parameters.
If you want ACP to display more information on each remote antenna or repeater, you can
select the Show Advanced Grid check box. ACP will then display, for each remote antenna
or repeater, the antenna masking method, the propagation model used, the type of
remote (remote antenna or repeater), the name, and status of the site the remote antenna
or repeater is located on. The antenna masking method displayed is derived from the
default method used for the propagation model. It can be changed per transmitter here.
(for more information, see "ACP and Antenna Masking" on page 227).
5. Define the settings to be optimised for each secondary antenna, remote antenna, or repeater.
If are optimising the antenna azimuth, you can enter a single value in the Variation column, to define a range on either
side of the current azimuth, or you can enter a minimum and maximum value separated by a semi-colon in the format
"-min;max", (for example, "-20;40") in the Variation column for an asymmetric antenna.
You can make the same changes to several cells by making the change for one item, selecting the others starting from
the changed item and using the Fill Up (CTRL+U) or Fill Down (CTRL+D) commands.
For more information on the Fill Up or Fill Down commands, see "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on
page 78.
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3. Select the Current Site Selection check box to enable site selection. You can then define how sites will be added or
removed.
4. In the table, define how each site will be treated during site selection:
a. Select the Locked check box for each site that is not to be affected by site selection.
If you have many sites that you do not want to be affected by site selection, you can
select and lock them with the Advanced section. For more information on the options in
the Advanced section, see "Selecting Sites for Reconfiguration" on page 261.
i. Under Group, click the field and select New from the list. The New Site Group dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.25).
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ii. Enter a Group Name and define the minimum and maximum number of sites from this group (from 0 to 1000)
that must be respected by ACP during optimisation (Minimum Site Occurrence and Maximum Site Occur-
rence, respectively). If there is no minimum or maximum that ACP must respect, leave the field blank.
iii. Click OK to create the group and return to the Site Selection tab.
f. Under Lock Sector, select the Azimuth or Height check box for any site for which you want to prevent the ACP
from making changes (to either the antenna azimuth or the height).
If you are optimising EMF exposure, you can not optimise antenna height, and, therefore,
the Height check box is not displayed.
4. Under Zone Configuration, define, if desired, how candidate sites will be treated for each zone:
Zone: Select the zone (computation, focus, or hot spot zone defined on the Optimisation tab) from the list.
Default Station Template: Select the station template that any candidate site the ACP adds in the selected zone
will be based on.
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The ACP can optimise each candidate site based on a template. You can set the optimisa-
tion parameters for each template by clicking the Template Reconfiguration button. For
information on the options, see "Setting Transmitter Reconfiguration Parameters" on
page 250.
Default Group: Select the group that the candidate site will belong to by default.
Radio Layer: The radio layer of the station template is indicated.
5. Under New Candidate List, define the individual candidate sites. For each candidate site set the following:
Name: Enter a name for the candidate site.
Location: Click the Browse button ( ) to define the location of the candidate site. You can define the location
either as a set of co-ordinates or you can select an existing site from a list.
Station Template: Select the station template the candidate site will be based on. This selection overrides the
selection made under Zone Configuration.
Group: Select the group the candidate site will belong to. This selection overrides the selection made under Zone
Configuration.
Antenna Height: The antenna height of the candidate site is updated automatically from the defined default site
template or read from the data when you import a CSV file with a list of defined candidate sites.
You force the antenna height of all candidate sites to a defined value for each clutter class by clicking the Action
button and selecting Update candidate height from clutter height from the menu.
Site Class: Select the site class this candidate site will belong to. The site class will be used to determine the cost
of implementing this site.
The Site Class column does not appear if you have not defined a site class under Cost
Control on the Optimisation tab. All candidate sites will belong to the "Default" class site.
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based is tri-sector, the candidate sites will be placed at the intersection of the hexagons (see Figure 6.27). The inter-candidate
distance is then 1.5 times the cell range.
If the station template on which the candidates are based has only one sector, the candidate sites will be placed in the centre
of the hexagons (see Figure 6.28). The inter-candidate distance is then 1.73 times the cell range.
If the zone used to define candidate sites is a vector-type zone (representing roads or railways, for example), then the candi-
date sites will be placed in a linear fashion along the roads represented by the vector (see Figure 6.29). If you use a two-sector
station template, the initial azimuth of the sectors are oriented in the same direction as the road.
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When you use automatic candidate positioning, you should consider the following recommendations:
If the zone in which the candidate sites are to be created is too small, the node of each hexagon used by the ACP to
place candidate sites might fall outside of the zone itself. Therefore, no candidate site will be created. Consequently,
automatic candidate positioning is not well suited to small polygons.
It can be useful to use a smaller inter-candidate distance than that used in the network and let the ACP only select
those sites which contribute the most to the coverage and quality. However, if the inter-candidate distance is too
small, too many candidate sites will be created, which will slow down the ACP due to the high number of path loss
matrices that need to be calculated. It can also cause inconsistency with Atoll coverage predictions because the ACP
is limited in the number of sectors monitored by each pixel. Therefore, when using a smaller inter-candidate distance
in order to create more candidate sites, it is recommended to:
- Set the Calculation setting to High precision to increase the number of monitored sectors, thereby reducing
potential inconsistency with Atoll coverage predictions (for more information, see "Configuring Default Settings"
on page 231).
- Consider performing a second ACP optimisation on the results of the first one, in order to fine-tune it and suppress
mismatches.
To define the parameters to automatically create candidates:
1. Open the dialogue used to define the optimisation as explained in "Creating an Optimisation Setup" on page 233.
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab. On the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, select the Sites tab.
3. On the Sites tab, click the New Candidate Sites button. The New Candidate Sites dialogue appears (see Figure 6.26
on page 257).
4. Click the Action button and select Automatic Candidate Position from the menu. The Automatic Candidate Posi-
tioning dialogue appears (see Figure 6.30), displaying the parameters that will be used to automatically create candi-
date sites. The Zone and Template parameters are those defined under Zone Configuration in the New Candidate
Setup dialogue and can not be changed here.
Only zones defined by polygons or vectors representing roads or railways (i.e., the compu-
tation or focus zone, hot spots, or imported SHP files) can be used to automatically create
candidate sites. Zones created from groups of clutter classes can not be used.
5. For each zone, select the Use check box if you want the ACP to automatically create candidate sites in that zone.
6. Define an Inter Candidate Distance in metres.
7. If you want to change the default settings the ACP will use to place candidate sites, click the button corresponding to
each zone under Design Rule. The Automatic Candidate Positioning: Design Rules dialogue appears (see Figure 6.31).
The ACP can automatically place candidate sites either according to forbidden or preferred clutter classes or according
to higher positions within a defined radius.
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Figure 6.31: Defining the design rules for automatic candidate positioning
Under Clutter classes, define the forbidden and preferred clutter classes. A clutter class can not be selected in
both the Forbidden and Preferred columns.
Forbidden: If you do not want the ACP to place a candidate site on a given clutter class, select the check box
corresponding to the clutter class under Forbidden. If the hexagonal pattern would place the candidate site
on a forbidden clutter class, the ACP will search within the defined Search radius to place the candidate site
on a clutter class that is not forbidden. If no such clutter class can be found within the defined Search radius,
no candidate site will be placed.
Preferred: If you want the ACP to try to place a candidate site preferentially on certain clutter classes, select
the check box corresponding to the clutter class under Preferred. Starting from the point defined by the
hexagonal pattern, the ACP will search within the defined Search radius to find a preferred clutter class on
which to place the candidate site. If no such clutter class can be found within the defined Search radius, the
candidate site will be placed on the point defined by the hexagonal pattern.
You can not define preferred clutter classes if you have selected the option Select high
points to place candidate sites on a point within the defined Search radius that is higher
than the defined amount.
Search high points: If you select Search high points, the ACP will place the sites a strict hexagonal pattern, unless
there is a point within the defined Search radius that will increase the altitude more than the set amount.
8. Under Design rules, define a Search radius as a percentage of the inter-candidate distance. The ACP normally places
candidate sites in a strict hexagonal pattern. However, the ACP can search for a more appropriate site within the
Search radius according to the defined rules. The maximum Search radius is 40% of the inter-candidate distance, in
order to prevent the ACP from attempting to place two candidate sites at the same location.
9. Click Apply to save the design rules and close the Automatic Candidate Positioning: Design Rules dialogue.
10. Click Apply to close the Automatic Candidate Positioning dialogue.
Atoll creates the candidate sites according to the defined rules and displays them under New Candidate List in the New Candi-
date Setup dialogue.
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6.3.2.5.1 Creating Antenna Elements, Physical Antennas, and Antenna Groups Automatically
ACP can automatically create representations of antenna elements and physical antennas when the Physical Antenna field is
correctly set up in the Antennas table of the Atoll document database. Instead of using the Physical Antenna field, you can
also use a custom column by first defining it with the "antenna.model" option in the acp.ini file. You can also enable the ACP
to automatically create antenna groups by creating a custom column in the Antennas table and defining it using the
"antenna.group.model" option in the acp.ini file. For information on defining options in the acp.ini file, see the Administrator
Manual.
To enable the ACP to automatically create antenna elements, physical antennas, and antenna groups:
1. For each antenna identified in the Antennas table, enter the name of the physical antenna to which the antenna
pattern belongs in the custom column.
Make sure to assign the same name to all patterns belonging to the same physical
antenna even when they are on different frequency bands.
To ensure that ACP correctly defines multi-band antennas, it is recommended to
correctly set the minimum and maximum frequency of the antenna pattern in the
Antennas table. If you do not do it in the Antennas table, you can still configure this
in the ACP Setup dialogue.
2. For each antenna identified in the Antennas table, enter the same name for all antenna patterns corresponding to
physical antenna that belong to the same group. The ACP will automatically group all physical antenna into a new
group with the name given entered in the column.
ACP will now automatically create antenna elements, physical antennas, and antenna groups based on the entries in
the custom fields of the Antennas table of the Atoll document database.
You can create another custom column in the Antennas table to automatically link antenna elements of a multi-band
physical antenna which have the same electrical tilt. You must identify this column using the "antenna.etiltShare"
option in the acp.ini file. In the ACP Setup dialogue, this is accomplished by selecting the check box in the Same Elec.
Tilt column on the Physical Antenna tab.
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3. Click the New button to create a new group under Antenna Element. You can change the name of the new group or
of any group by right-clicking the group name twice under Antenna Element, selecting Rename from the context
menu, and entering the new name.
You can delete one group by selecting it under Antenna Element and clicking the Delete button. You can delete all
groups by clicking the Delete All button.
4. Assign antennas to a group to create physical antenna elements or to associate antenna patterns to define a radiation
diagram of a group of antennas with several variations of electrical tilt:
a. Select the group under Antenna Element.
b. Select the antenna under Antenna Pattern Table and click the right arrow between the columns ( ) to assign
it to the selected group. Antennas under Antenna Pattern Table that have been assigned to a group are indicated
with an icon ( ).
You can assign the same antenna to more than one group.
You can remove an antenna from a group by selecting it in the group under Antenna Element and clicking the left
arrow between the columns ( ).
When you have grouped the antennas, you can back up the configuration by clicking the
Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the antennas will then be grouped
automatically according to this definition.
5. If you are also optimising additional electrical downtilt, select the check box in the Use AEDT column corresponding
to each antenna for which you want to optimise the additional electrical downtilt and define the limits Atoll must
respect by entering values in the Min. AEDT and Max. AEDT for each antenna to be optimised.
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By defining custom columns in the Antennas table and setting additional options in the
acp.ini file, you can define AEDT optimisation parameters that the ACP will use as default
values for the AEDT optimisation parameters in the Antenna Pattern Table. For more
information, see the Administrator Manual.
It is recommended to identify both the antenna type and the electrical tilt in the
antenna name in Atoll and to separate the antenna type and electrical tilt with a special
character, for example, "_". This will make it easier to group antenna groups
automatically using a regular expression.
Clicking the tip text button ( ) displays tip text with an explanation of common regular
expressions.
4. Click the Build from Expression button to create antenna groups according to the defined regular expression.
When you have created the antenna groups, you can back up the configuration by clicking
the Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the antenna groups are then
automatically created according to this definition.
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3. Click the New button to create a new group under Antenna Groups. You can change the name of the new group or of
any group by right-clicking the group name twice under Antenna Groups, selecting Rename from the context menu,
and entering the new name.
You can delete one group by selecting it under Antenna Groups and clicking the Delete button. You can delete all
groups by clicking the Delete All button.
4. Assign antennas to groups according to their physical characteristics:
a. Select the group under Antenna Groups.
b. Select the antenna under Physical Antenna Table and click the right arrow between the columns ( ) to assign
it to the selected group. Antennas under Physical Antenna Table that have been assigned to a group are indicated
with an icon ( ).
You can assign the same antenna to more than one group.
You can remove an antenna from a group by selecting it in the group under Antenna Groups and clicking the left
arrow between the columns ( ).
When you have created the antenna groups, you can back up the configuration by clicking
the Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the antenna groups are then
automatically created according to this definition.
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Figure 6.37: The network coverage improvement graphs and maps for UMTS
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Figure 6.37: The network coverage improvement graphs and maps for UMTS
When the optimisation has finished, the results are stored in the optimisation folder in the Network explorer. By default, Atoll
calls the optimisation folder a "Setup" folder. Each setup folder contains one or more optimisation processes. Each optimisa-
tion process folder contains the results of that optimisation. For information on viewing optimisation results, see "Viewing
Optimisation Results" on page 270.
You can perform an optimisation on a network that has already been optimised. After
running the first optimisation and committing the results, you can create and run a second
optimisation, with different parameters on the optimised network. The setup on which the
optimisation is based is locked after you commit the changes. If you want to use the same
setup, you will have to duplicate it and select Partial Update from the Setup Duplication
Options dialogue.
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If you have changed some data in Atoll, for example, if you added transmitters or
change some of the transmitter settings, the data that optimisation results are based on
may differ from the current Atoll data. If you run a optimisation based on settings made
before the changes, it will not take the changed data into consideration.
ACP normally detects changes in the Atoll document data and can lock a group if it is
impossible to run an optimisation that is coherent with existing data. ACP can lock a
group if, for example, when you commit optimisation results after the path losses have
been recalculated and are no longer consistent with the data used to run the
optimisation.
When this happens you will either have to:
Create a new optimisation as explained in "Creating a New Optimisation Setup"
on page 234.
Duplicate an existing optimisation which will create a new optimisation with the
same configuration but with updated parameters.
Roll back the previously committed parameters as explained in "The Commit Tab"
on page 278.
Delete: Selecting Delete deletes the defined optimisation setup and any results.
Storing optimisation results and the group configuration increase the size of the Atoll file. Deleting unused setups
in the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder will decrease the size of the Atoll file.
Load Configuration: Selecting Load Configuration displays the Open dialogue. You can then select a PRJ file based
on the settings of a different optimisation. When you load a configuration based on a different Atoll document,
only the settings that are not specific to that document are loaded.
- Save Configuration: Selecting Save Configuration displays the Save Configuration dialogue. You can then select
the check boxes corresponding to the optimisation information you want to save. Clicking OK displays the Save As
dialogue where you can name the PRJ file the optimisation settings will be saved in. You can then use this PRJ file
to quickly configure an optimisation.
Saving a configuration is a quick way to save the settings you have made in an external
file. You can then easily create new configurations using these same settings as a basis
without having to recreate them.
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The initial and final figures are given for the objectives, as well as the absolute improvement. These figures are given for the
target zone selected for the objective. If you defined weights for each zone on the Objectives tab of the dialogue used to de-
fine the optimisation (see "Setting Objective Parameters" on page 242), ACP indicates that the results are weighted.
You can see more detailed information by clicking the links (see Figure 6.41):
Show Change Statistics: The change statistics showing the reconfiguration and site selection statistics, including, for
multi-RAT optimisations, the number of sites where a radio access technology has been added or removed.
Show Detailed Zone Results: The detailed quality figures on each zone (hot spot and zone based on selected clutter
classes). Detailed statistics are given only for zones included in the objective target zone.
Show Detailed Multi-Storey Results: The change statistics showing the improvement in coverage for zones on which
multi-storey optimisation was performed, if you selected to perform multi-story optimisation.
Show Input: The input settings of this optimisation.
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You can export the results by clicking the Export button. The Save As dialogue that appears allows you to select the format in
which you want to save the results: XLS, TXT, HTML, or XML.
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The results are displayed in a table. You can access options such as sorting, exporting data using the context menu (see
Figure 6.43) sort, column hiding, export, etc.
If you are optimising EMF exposure, on the left-hand side of the Sectors tab, a second tab, the EMF Exposure tab, appears.
The EMF Exposure tab displays the initial and final V/m contribution for each transmitter in the optimisation. The EMF Expo-
sure tab displays the initial and final V/m exposure level for each transmitter in the optimisation, the exposure level being
defined as the total energy emitted by that transmitter when it is above the defined permitted maximum.
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on the Y axis (see Figure 6.44). The values displayed are indicated with a legend.
Figure 6.45: The Graph tab with the values displayed on the selected point
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The quality maps indicate the value of each quality indicator (for example signal level, overlap, etc.), while the objective maps
indicate the coverage status for each objective on each pixel.
The maps are displayed with a range of values displayed on the right. If you based this optimisation on a coverage prediction
(see "Setting Objective Parameters" on page 242), the ranges and colours defined in the selected coverage prediction will be
used for the quality maps, unless you have already defined display defaults for ACP, either by saving an ACP maps settings as
the default (see "Changing the Display Properties of ACP Predictions" on page 284) or by using a configuration file (see
"Configuring Default Settings" on page 231).
This range can be modified using the Map Properties dialogue accessed through the tool bar (see Figure 6.47).
In addition to the map, a histogram is provided for quick evaluation of the improvement seen across the entire range of values.
This histogram displays the statistics within the defined zone if selected. It should be also noted that the statistics are given
using traffic weighting when traffic maps are used. They can therefore be different from similar statistics obtained through
the Generate Report tool in Atoll which only uses uniform weighting.
The default colour range used for display can be changed by setting options in the acp.ini
file. For information on the acp.ini file options, see the Administrator Manual.
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The graph on the Change Details tab and the graph on the Graph tab appear similar,
however the graph on the Change Details tab shows the changes listed by benefit to the
network whereas the graph on the Graph tab displays network improvement as a function
of the iteration of the search algorithm.
You can select a subset of all changes using the slider and view the corresponding performance improvement on the graph.
This can enable you to achieve two goals:
To select a subset of changes to be implemented. For example, you might find that implementing only one-third of
the recommended changes will provide 80% of the benefit. You could then choose to commit only those changes to
the Atoll document.
To find the optimal order in which to apply these changes in the field, while at the same time avoiding less than
optimal performance, or even degrading the performance, during the implementation phase.
Before selecting a subset of recommended changes, it is important to understand that ACP calculates the set of recommen-
dations globally and that these changes are interdependent. During the finalisation step, ACP calculates the ordered list of
changes displayed on the Change Details tab by starting from the initial network configuration and iteratively selecting the
change that will have the most effect on the network. If you arbitrarily select a subset of the recommended changes, it is highly
likely that the improvement of the network quality will not be as great as projected. It is therefore highly recommended to
follow the ordered list of changes as proposed.
The data displayed on the other tabs takes all the proposed changes into consideration.
If you select only a subset of the proposed changes on the Change Details tab, the
statistics displayed on other tabs do not change.
When you commit the optimisation changes, ACP will only commit the proposed changes selected on the Change Details tab.
For information on committing the optimisation changes, see "The Commit Tab" on page 278.
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When you commit the optimisation results, all existing configuration setups are locked because the network state on which
the configuration setup was based is not coherent with the current path losses. ACP automatically detects any incoherence
and prevents you from running an optimisation on incoherent data. ACP will unlock the optimisation setups when it becomes
possible, for example, when you roll back the data to restore the Atoll state to be coherent with the network state on which
the configuration setup was based.
It is important to remember that you can commit or roll back other optimisation results even when the setup is locked.
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5. Select Compare With and then proceed with one of the following:
To compare the current optimisation with one of the optimisations in the same setup: Select one of the optimi-
sations in the context menu.
To compare the current optimisation with an optimisation from a different setup:
i. Select Others from the context menu. The ACP Compare Optimisation dialogue appears (see Figure 6.50).
ii. Select the optimisation with which you want to compare the first one and click OK.
6. A comparison of the two optimisations is created and can be found the Setup folder of the first optimisation.
7. Right-click the comparison of the two optimisations and select Properties from the context menu. The comparison
Properties dialogue appears.
The comparison Properties dialogue has two tabs: the General tab which allows you to change the name of the optimisation
results, and the Statistics tab which displays a synthesised view of the comparison of the two optimisation. The initial and final
figures are given for the objectives, as well as the absolute improvement. These figures are given for the target zone selected
for the objective. Additionally, the variation between the two optimisations is also given.
You can see more detailed information of each optimisation, along with the variation between the two by clicking the links at
the bottom of the Statistics tab:
Show Change Statistics: The change statistics showing the reconfiguration and site selection statistics.
Show Detailed Zone Results: The detailed quality figures on each zone (hot spot and zone based on selected clutter
classes). Detailed statistics are given only for zones included in the objective target zone.
Show Detailed Multi-Storey Results: The change statistics showing the improvement in coverage for zones on which
multi-storey optimisation was performed, if you selected to perform multi-storey optimisation.
Show Input: The input settings of this optimisation.
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You can export the results by clicking the Export button. The Save As dialogue that appears allows you to select the format in
which you want to save the results: XLS, TXT, HTML, or XML.
The maps available in the ACP Prediction Types dialogue are organised by category.
6. Select the category of maps or click the Expand button ( ) to expand the category and then select the sub-category
or map.
7. Click OK to create the maps. The predictions are created and inserted into the folder of the setup containing the opti-
misation results (see Figure 6.53).
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You can display a prediction by selecting its check box in the folder of the setup containing the optimisation results. The display
properties can be changed for a single prediction or for all predictions.
For information on the display properties for ACP predictions, see "Changing the Display Properties of ACP Predictions" on
page 284.
Additional predictions can be made available by setting options in the acp.ini file. For infor-
mation on the acp.ini file options, see the Administrator Manual.
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The electrical tilt values are calculated using the vertical antenna pattern. The Change of
Electrical Tilt prediction is made available even when the change was to the antenna type.
By setting options in the acp.ini file, you can also create predictions that display the initial
and final coverage by transmitter or by each antenna. For information on the acp.ini file
options, see the Administrator Manual.
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To compare a prediction with a prediction from a different prediction type or with a prediction from a different optimisation:
1. After creating and inserting the coverage analysis predictions into the folder of the setup containing the optimisation
results as explained in "Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window" on page 280, right-click the prediction you
want to compare. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare With > Others. The ACP Compare Prediction dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.55). By default, the ACP Compare Prediction dialogue displays only predictions from the same optimisation
as the prediction you want to compare.
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By first defining a display interval of "1" in both predictions and then comparing them,
the resulting comparison prediction will have more meaningful results. For information
on defining display properties, see "Changing the Display Properties of ACP Predictions"
on page 284.
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3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the setup containing the optimisation prediction you want to
export.
4. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the optimisation.
5. Right-click the prediction. The context menu appears.
6. Select Export the Coverage from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
7. Enter a File name for the exported coverage prediction and select the format from the Save as type list.
8. Click Save. The exported coverage prediction is saved in the selected format. Depending on the file format selected
from the Save as type list, Atoll creates an additional file in the same location containing geo-referencing information:
BMP file: Atoll creates a BPW file.
PNG file: Atoll creates a PGW file.
ArcView grid (TXT) file: no additional file is created.
TIFF file: Atoll creates a TFW file.
JPEG 2000 file: no additional file is created.
Vertical Mapper file (GRD or GRC): Atoll creates a TAB file.
JPEG file: no additional file is created.
ESRI Shapefile: Atoll creates an SHX and a DBF file.
MapInfo (TAB) file: Atoll creates a DAT, an ID, and a MAP file.
MapInfo (MIF) file: Atoll creates a MID file.
Depending on the type of optimisation results you want to view, you might need to expand
additional folders.
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Multi-RAT Networks
This chapter provides the information to use Atoll to In this chapter, the following are explained:
design, analyse, and optimise a multi-RAT network.
"Designing a Multi-RAT Network" on page 289
"Planning and Optimising Base Stations" on page 291
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 320
"Optimising Network Parameters Using the ACP" on
page 358
"Verifying Network Capacity" on page 359
"Advanced Configuration" on page 360.
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7 Multi-RAT Networks
If you are working on a radio planning project using more than one 3GPP radio access technology, Atoll enables you to create
a multi-RAT project incorporating GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA, and LTE. Once you have created the multi-RAT project, Atoll
offers many tools to let you verify the network. Based on the results of your tests, you can modify any of the parameters defin-
ing the network.
The process of planning and creating a multi-RAT network is outlined in "Designing a Multi-RAT Network" on page 289. Creat-
ing the network of base stations is explained in "Planning and Optimising Base Stations" on page 291. Allocating neighbours ,
frequencies (for GSM and LTE), scrambling codes (for UMTS) and physical cell Ids (for LTE) is also explained. In this section,
you will also find information on how you can display information on base stations on the map and how you can use the tools
in Atoll to study base stations.
In "Studying Network Capacity" on page 320, using traffic maps to study network capacity is explained. Creating simulations
using the traffic map information and analysing the results of simulations is also explained.
Using drive test data paths to verify the network is explained in "Verifying Network Capacity" on page 359. Filtering imported
drive test data paths, and using the data in coverage predictions is also explained. Filtering imported drive test data paths, and
using the data in coverage predictions is also explained.
-
1
2
5b 5c
5a
10
11
The steps involved in planning a multi-RAT network are described below. The numbers refer to Figure 7.1.
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Creating a new Atoll multi-RAT document is explained in "Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template" on
page 117.
3. Carry out basic coverage predictions ( 3 ) from the analysis of base stations: "Studying Base Stations" on page 294
5. For the GSM part of the network, estimate the required number of TRXs ( 5 ) in one of the following ways:
You can import or create traffic maps ( 5a ) and use them as a basis for dimensioning 5b ) (see "Studying Network
Capacity" on page 436 in Chapter 8: GSM/GPRS/EDGE Networks).
You can define them manually either on the TRXs tab of each transmitters Properties dialogue or in the Subcells
table (see "Modifying a Subcell" on page 376) ( 5c ).
6. Once you have the required number of TRXs in the GSM part of the network, manually or automatically create a fre-
quency plan ( 6 ).
"Allocating Resources in GSM" on page 320.
8. For the LTE part of the network, allocate frequencies and physical cell IDs ( 8 ).
"Allocating Resources in LTE" on page 320.
9. Before making more advanced coverage predictions, you need to define cell load conditions ( 9 ).
You can define cell load conditions in the following ways:
You can generate realistic cell load conditions by creating a simulation based on a traffic map ( 9a and 9b ) (see
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 320).
You can define them manually in GSM ("Importing OMC Traffic Data into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data" on
page 436), UMTS ("Setting the UL Load Factor and the DL Total Power" on page 682) and LTE ("Setting the Traffic
Loads and the UL Noise Rise" on page 1492) ( 9c ).
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A n te n n a
- A z im u t h
- M e c h a n i c a l t i lt
TMA
A n te n n a
- H e ig h t
F e e d e r C a b le
T r a n s m it t e r
- N o is e fig u r e
- P ow er
S it e
- X , Y c o o r d in a t e s
Atoll lets you create one site, transmitter, or cell or subcell at a time, or create several at once by using a station template.
Using a station template, you can create one or more base stations at the same time. In Atoll, a base station refers to a site
with its transmitters, antennas, equipment, and cells or subcells.
Atoll allows you to make a variety of coverage predictions, such as signal level or transmitter coverage predictions. The results
of calculated coverage predictions can be displayed on the map, compared, or studied.
Atoll enables you to model network traffic by allowing you to create services, users, user profiles, environments, and termi-
nals. This data can be then used to make quality predictions, such as effective service area, noise, or handover status predic-
tions, on the network.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Creating a Base Station" on page 292
"Creating a Group of Base Stations" on page 292
"Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map" on page 292
"Display Tips for Base Stations" on page 293
"Creating a Repeater" on page 293
"Creating a Remote Antenna" on page 293
"Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document" on page 294
"Studying a Single Base Station" on page 294
"Studying Base Stations" on page 294
"Multi-RAT Predictions" on page 295
"Planning Neighbours" on page 297
"Allocating Resources in a Multi-RAT Project" on page 319
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If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the
transmitter by right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the context
menu. Because a multi-RAT document models several technologies, the new transmitter
will be created using the technology (GSM, UMTS or LTE) of the station template
currently selected in the toolbar.
When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data. For
information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on
page 121.
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting a Table Element" on page 77.
Importing data: If you have data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it into the tables in
the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or CSV format and then
import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows you to select what
values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, transmitter
data in the Transmitters table, and cell or subcell data in the Cells or Subcells table, in that order.
For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80. For infor-
mation on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool on the Radio Planning toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New Station
Using a Station Template" on page 377.
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map. You can also select a site to display all of the transmitters located on it in the Site Configuration window. When selecting
a transmitter, if there is more than one transmitter with the same azimuth, clicking the transmitters in the map window opens
a context menu allowing you to select the transmitter. You can also change the position of the station by dragging it, or by
letting Atoll find a higher location for it.
Modifying sites and transmitters directly on the map is explained in detail in Chapter 1: The Working Environment:
"Working with the Site Configuration Window" on page 37
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41
"Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 41
"Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 42
"Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse" on page 42
"Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse" on page 42.
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that has antennas. This can be done by modelling a repeater. For information on creating a repeater, see "Creating a
Repeater" on page 293.
In a multi-RAT project, you can define repeaters for GSM, UMTS and LTE sites. Remote antennas are managed in a multi-RAT
project the same way they are in each technology. In the Network explorer, remote antennas are found in the transmitter
folder of the technology they belong to.
To create a GSM GPRS EDGE remote antenna, see "Creating a Remote Antenna" on page 390
To create a UMTS HSPA remote antenna, see "Creating a Remote Antenna" on page 653
To create a LTE remote antenna, see "Creating a Remote Antenna" on page 1458
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Atoll calculates the coverage prediction. Sites 78 and 95, for example, are not in the computation zone. However, their prop-
agation zones intersect the rectangle containing the computation zone and, therefore, they will be taken into consideration
in the coverage prediction. On the other hand, the coverage zones of three other sites do not intersect the green rectangle.
Therefore, they will not be taken into account in the coverage prediction.
Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices using
the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main propagation
model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 7.3) and a higher resolution and an extended propagation
model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate higher resolution
path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower resolution path loss matri-
ces outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
In a multi-RAT project, studying base stations is similar to studying base stations in a single-RAT project. The only difference
is that the folders and tools (such as the Point Analysis) are identified by the technology they belong to.
To study GSM GPRS EDGE base stations, see "Studying Base Stations" on page 397
To study UMTS HSPA base stations, see "Studying Base Stations" on page 660
To study LTE base stations, see "Studying Base Stations" on page 1465.
Certain technology-specific coverage predictions (based on quality or load) use terminals, mobilities and services. If these
multi-service parameters are specific to a single technology, they are managed the same as in the sections mentioned above.
If these parameters have to be set for several technologies, see "Service and User Modelling" on page 321.
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Figure 7.1: Multi-RAT Effective Service Area Setting for Single-RAT Technologies Only
Figure 7.2: Multi-RAT Effective Service Area Setting for Single-RAT Technologies and Combinations
Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or save it and calculate it later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later by clicking
the Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, are displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
Under the Predictions folder, when you deselect a specific high-priority technology in the
prediction item, the corresponding service area is hidden and replaced immediately (i.e.,
without recalculation) by the service area of another technology, if another technology can
serve that area.
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If you are allocating intra-technology exceptional pairs, be sure to select the same radio
access technology (GSM, UMTS, or LTE) or you will be creating inter-technology
exceptional pairs.
5. Enter one exceptional pair per row of the table. A transmitter (for GSM) or cell (for UMTS or LTE) can have more than
one exceptional pair.
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You can also create exceptional pairs using the Properties dialogue of the transmitter.
If you are configuring the importance factors for intra-technology neighbours, be sure to
select the same radio access technology (GSM, UMTS, or LTE) or you will be configuring
the importance factors for inter-technology neighbours.
For GSM and LTE, the Neighbour Importance Weighting dialogue has one tab called the intra-technology Neighbours
tab. Because UMTS also uses carriers, in UMTS the Neighbour Importance Weighting dialogue has two tabs, called
the Intra-carrier Neighbours tab and the Inter-carrier Neighbours tab.
5. Select the intra-technology Neighbours tab (for GSM and LTE) or the Intra-carrier Neighbours tab (for UMTS). You
can set the following importance factors:
Coverage Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a neighbour being admitted for coverage rea-
sons.
Adjacency Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being adjacent
to the reference transmitter. The Adjacency Factor will be used if you select the Force adjacent transmitters as
neighbours check box when defining an automatic neighbour allocation. For information on automatically allo-
cating neighbours, see "Allocating Intra-Technology Neighbours Automatically" on page 299.
Co-site Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being located on
the same site as reference transmitter. The Co-site Factor will be used if you select the Force co-site transmitters
as neighbours check box when defining an automatic neighbour allocation. For information on automatically allo-
cating neighbours, see "Allocating Intra-Technology Neighbours Automatically" on page 299.
6. If you are configuring the importance factors for UMTS, select the Inter-carrier Neighbours tab and set the same
importance factors as defined in step 5. for inter-carrier UMTS neighbours.
7. Click OK.
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5. Define the maximum distance between the reference cell or transmitter and a possible neighbour in the Max inter-
site distance box.
6. Define the maximum number of intra-technology neighbours that can be allocated to a cell or transmitter in the Max
no. of neighbours box. This value can be either set here for all the cells or transmitters, or specified for each cell (in
UMTS and LTE) in the Cells table or (in GSM) in the Transmitters table.
7. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for which you want to automatically allocate intra-tech-
nology neighbours. The Coverage Conditions dialogue appears.
In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells or transmitters for the auto-
matic neighbour allocation.
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
edge coverage probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses for
indoor coverage.
Additionally, if you are allocating intra-technology neighbours for a GSM network, you can change the following
parameters:
Min. BCCH signal level: Enter the minimum signal level which must be provided by the reference transmitter and
the neighbour.
Handover start: Enter the signal level which indicates the beginning of the handover margin. The handover start
must be outside of the best server area of the reference transmitter.
Handover end: Enter the signal level which indicates the end of the handover margin. The handover end must
exceed the value entered for the Handover start. The higher the value entered for the Handover end, the longer
the list of potential neighbours. The area between the Handover start and the Handover end constitutes the area
in which Atoll will search for neighbours.
Additionally, if you are allocating intra-technology neighbours for a UMTS network, you can change the following
parameters:
Min. pilot signal level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum Ec/Io which must be provided by the reference cell.
Ec/Io margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin relative to the Ec/Io of the best server. The reference cell is either the best
server in terms of pilot quality or a cell of the active set.
Max. Ec/Io: Select the Max. Ec/Io option and enter the maximum Ec/Io which must not be exceeded by the ref-
erence cell.
DL load contributing to Io: You can select whether Atoll should use a Global value (% Pmax) of the downlink load
for all the cells, or the downlink loads Defined per cell.
Additionally, if you are allocating intra-technology neighbours for an LTE network, you can change the following
parameter:
Min RSRP: Select the Min RSRP check box if you want to set a global value for the Min RSRP. If you set a global
Min RSRP value here, Atoll will either use this value or the per-cell Min RSRP value, whichever is higher.
RSRP Margin: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell (cell A), at
which the handover process ends.
8. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
9. In GSM, you can select whether Atoll defines the importance of neighbours by the size of the handover zone shared
with the reference transmitter or by the amount of circuit traffic. Select one of the following options:
Covered Area: If you select Covered Area, Atoll defines importance according to the size of the handover zone
shared with the reference transmitter
Covered Traffic: If you select Covered Traffic, Atoll defines importance according to the amount of circuit traffic
(in Erlangs).
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10. In the % Min. Covered Area box, enter the minimum percentage of the cells or transmitters coverage area that the
neighbours coverage area should also cover to be considered as a neighbour.
11. Under Calculation Options, define the following:
Force co-site cells (in UMTS or LTE) or transmitters (in GSM) as neighbours: Selecting the Force co-site cells (in
UMTS or LTE) or transmitters (in GSM) as neighbours check box will include the co-site cells or transmitters in the
neighbour list. The check box is automatically selected when the neighbour allocation is based on distance.
Force adjacent cells (in UMTS or LTE) or transmitters (in GSM) as neighbours: Select the Force adjacent cells (in
UMTS or LTE) or transmitters (in GSM) as neighbours check box if you want cells or transmitters that are adjacent
to the reference cell or transmitter to be automatically considered as neighbours. A cell or transmitter is consid-
ered adjacent if there is at least one pixel in the reference cell or transmitters coverage area where the possible
neighbour is the best server, or where the possible neighbour is the second best server in the reference cell or
transmitters active set (respecting the handover margin).
Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relations to be reciprocal. In other
words, a reference cell or transmitter will be a possible neighbour to all of the cells or transmitter that are its
neighbours. If the neighbour list of any cell or transmitter is full, the reference cell or transmitter will not be added
as a neighbour and that cell or transmitter will be removed from the list of neighbours of the reference cell or
transmitter.
Force exceptional pairs: Selecting the Force exceptional pairs check box will apply the exceptional pair criteria to
the neighbours list.
Delete existing neighbours: Selecting the Delete existing neighbours check box will delete all existing neighbours
in the neighbours list and perform a clean neighbour allocation. If the Delete existing neighbours check box is not
selected, Atoll keeps the existing neighbours in the list.
For UMTS:
CDMA Carriers: Select the carriers on which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers;
Atoll will allocate neighbours to cells using the selected carriers.
12. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating intra-technology neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether
the path loss matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates
them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays new
neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared, the
Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
Cell (for UMTS and LTE) or Transmitter (for GSM): The name of the reference cell or transmitter.
Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell or transmitter.
Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell or transmitter can have.
Neighbour: The cell or transmitter that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell or transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance. For information on defining neighbour importance, see "Configuring Impor-
tance Factors for Intra-technology Neighbours" on page 299.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell or transmitter, as identified in the Neighbour
column, to the reference cell or transmitter, as identified in the Cell or Transmitter column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference cell or transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage
and in square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference cell or transmitter, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neigh-
bour cell or transmitter is best server or second best server.
13. Select the check box in the Commit column of the Results section to choose the intra-technology neighbours you want
to assign to cells.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document by clicking the Compare button:
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The list of automatically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared with the existing list
of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaReport.txt which appears
at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation results
compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation results
compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the automatic
allocation results) and the list of these relations.
14. Click the Commit button. The allocated intra-technology neighbours are saved.
15. Click Close.
Allocating or Deleting Intra-technology Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours using the Cells tab of the Transmitter Properties dialogue in UMTS
and LTE. In GSM, the Intra-technology Neighbours tab each pair of technologies is available in each transmitters Properties
dialogue.
To allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours between transmitters or cells using the Cells tab of the transmitters Prop-
erties dialogue in UMTS and LTE:
1. On the main documents map window, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context
menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which
you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears. In the cells Properties dialogue,
there is a tab for each pair of technologies (for example, LTE-GSM neighbours or LTE-UMTS neighbours).
5. Click the Neighbours tab for technology pair for which you want to allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours.
6. If desired, you can enter the Maximum number of neighbours.
To allocate a new neighbour:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Under List, select the cell or transmitter from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row
icon ( ).
3. Click elsewhere in the table to complete creating the new neighbour.
4. When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and the
neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, and sets the Type to "manual."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
4. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell and the
cell or transmitter in the Neighbour column.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
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3. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
4. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation between the
cell and the cell or transmitter in the Neighbour column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
To allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours between transmitters or cells using the Intra-technology Neighbours table:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder of the radio access technology for which you want to allocate or delete intra-tech-
nology neighbours. The context menu appears.
3. Select Neighbours from the context menu.
4. In the Neighbours sub-menu, select the same technology that you selected in step 2. (i.e., GSM, UMTS, or LTE) then
select Open Table from the context menu. The inter-technology neighbour table appears.
5. Enter one intra-technology neighbour per row of the table. Each cell or transmitter can have more than one intra-tech-
nology neighbour.
To allocate an intra-technology neighbour:
1. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column in LTE or UMTS. In GSM,
select a reference transmitter from the Transmitter column.
2. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
3. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
4. When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell or trans-
mitter and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column and sets the Type to "manual."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
2. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell or
transmitter in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column (in UMTS and LTE) or the transmitter in the Trans-
mitter column (in GSM).
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
1. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select contigu-
ous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows by
pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
2. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
3. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu.
To take all exceptional pairs into consideration in allocating or deleting neighbours:
1. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
2. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu. All forced neighbours will be added to the Neighbours table
and all forbidden neighbours will be removed.
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours using the Excep-
tional Pairs table. You can open this table, select the exceptional pairs to be taken into
consideration in the neighbour list, right-click the table and select Force Exceptional Pairs
in the context menu.
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Min. BCCH signal level: Enter the minimum signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and possible
neighbour cell B.
Handover start: Enter the signal level which indicates the beginning of the handover margin. The handover start
must be outside of the best server area of the reference transmitter.
Handover end: Enter the signal level which indicates the end of the handover margin. The handover end must
exceed the value entered for the Handover start. The higher the value entered for the Handover end, the longer
the list of potential neighbours. The area between the Handover start and the Handover end constitutes the area
in which Atoll will search for neighbours.
Additionally, if you are calculating the importance of intra-technology neighbours in a UMTS network, you can change
the following parameters:
Min. pilot signal level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum Ec/Io which must be provided by the reference cell.
Ec/Io margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin relative to the Ec/Io of the best server. The reference cell is either the best
server in terms of pilot quality or a cell of the active set.
Max. Ec/Io: Select the Max. Ec/Io option and enter the maximum Ec/Io which must not be exceeded by the ref-
erence cell.
DL load contributing to Io: You can select whether Atoll should use a Global Value (% Pmax) of the downlink load
for all the cells, or the downlink loads Defined per Cell.
Additionally, if you are calculating the importance of intra-technology neighbours in a LTE network, you can change
the following parameter:
Global min RSRP: Select the Global min RSRP check box if you want to set a global value for the Min RSRP. If you
set a global Min RSRP value here, Atoll will either use this value or the per-cell Min RSRP value, whichever is
higher.
RSRP Margin: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell (cell A), at
which the handover process ends.
9. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking the Filter button, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neigh-
bours to be calculated.
10. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information.
Cell (or Transmitter for GSM networks): The name of the reference cell or transmitter.
Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 7.
Cause: The reason Atoll has calculated the value in the Importance column.
Co-site
Symmetry
Coverage
Distance: If you calculated neighbour importance using inter-site distance, Atoll gives the distance in kilometres
between the reference cell or transmitter and the neighbour.
Coverage: If you calculated neighbour importance using coverage overlapping, Atoll gives the amount of refer-
ence transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in square kilometres.
11. Click Commit to commit the importance values and the reasons for allocation to the Neighbours table.
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If you are auditing the current intra-technology neighbour allocation plan, be sure to
select the same radio access technology (GSM, UMTS, or LTE) or you will be auditing the
inter-technology neighbour allocation plan.
If the field Maximum number of intra-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty,
the Full lists check and the Lists > max number check use the Default max number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
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Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours in the audited neighbour plan that are located
at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
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When you define inter-technology neighbour importance factors for one radio access
technology, Atoll uses the same importance factors for inter-technology neighbours from
all other radio access technologies.
5. In the Neighbour Importance Weighting dialogue, set the following importance factors for inter-technology neigh-
bours.
Coverage Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a neighbour being admitted for coverage rea-
sons.
Adjacency Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being adjacent
to the reference transmitter. The Adjacency Factor will be used if you select the Force adjacent transmitters as
neighbours check box when defining an automatic neighbour allocation. For information on automatically allo-
cating neighbours, see "Allocating Inter-technology Neighbours Automatically" on page 308.
Co-site Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being located on
the same site as reference transmitter. The Co-site Factor will be used if you select the Force co-site transmitters
as neighbours check box when defining an automatic neighbour allocation. For information on automatically allo-
cating neighbours, see "Allocating Inter-technology Neighbours Automatically" on page 308.
6. Click OK.
By setting an option in the atoll.ini file, you can prevent Atoll from allocating inter-technol-
ogy neighbours to UMTS cells located on sites whose equipment does not support the
compressed mode. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
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Additionally, if you are allocating inter-technology neighbours for a UMTS network, you can change the following
parameters:
Min. pilot signal level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum Ec/Io which must be provided by the reference cell.
Ec/Io margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin relative to the Ec/Io of the best server. The reference cell is either the
best server in terms of pilot quality or a cell of the active set.
Max. Ec/Io: Select the Max. Ec/Io option and enter the maximum Ec/Io which must not be exceeded by the
reference cell.
DL load contributing to Io: You can select whether Atoll should use a Global Value (% Pmax) of the downlink
load for all the cells, or the downlink loads Defined per Cell.
Additionally, if you are allocating inter-technology neighbours for an LTE network, you can change the following
parameter:
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
b. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
c. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the transmitters or cells in the other technology.
In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells or transmitters for the
automatic neighbour allocation.
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
edge coverage probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
Additionally, if you are allocating inter-technology neighbours from a GSM network, you can change the following
parameters:
Min. BCCH signal level: Enter the minimum signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and possi-
ble neighbour cell B.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Additionally, if you are allocating inter-technology neighbours from a UMTS network, you can change the follow-
ing parameters:
Min. pilot signal level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum Ec/Io which must be provided by the reference cell.
Ec/Io margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin relative to the Ec/Io of the best server. The reference cell is either the
best server in terms of pilot quality or a cell of the active set.
Max. Ec/Io: Select the Max. Ec/Io option and enter the maximum Ec/Io which must not be exceeded by the
reference cell.
DL load contributing to Io: You can select whether Atoll should use a Global Value (% Pmax) of the downlink
load for all the cells, or the downlink loads Defined per Cell.
Additionally, if you are allocating inter-technology neighbours from an LTE network, you can change the following
parameter:
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
d. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
e. In the % Min. Covered Area box, enter the minimum percentage of the cells coverage area that the neighbours
coverage area should also cover to be considered as a neighbour.
8. Under Calculation Options, define the following:
CDMA Carriers: Select the carriers on which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers;
Atoll will allocate neighbours to cells using the selected carriers.
This option is not available when allocating inter-technology neighbours between GSM
and LTE.
Force co-site as neighbours: Selecting the Force co-site as neighbours check box will include the co-site transmit-
ters/cells in the neighbour list of the UMTS cell. The check box is automatically selected when the neighbour allo-
cation is based on distance.
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Force exceptional pairs: Selecting the Force exceptional pairs check box will apply the inter-technology excep-
tional pair criteria on the neighbours list of the UMTS cell.
Delete existing neighbours: Selecting the Delete existing neighbours check box will delete all existing neighbours
in the neighbours list and perform a clean neighbour allocation. If the Delete existing neighbours check box is not
selected, Atoll keeps the existing neighbours in the list.
9. Click the Calculate button to start calculations.
10. Once the calculations finish, Atoll displays the list of neighbours in the Results section. The results include the names
of the neighbours, the number of neighbours of each cell or transmitter, and the reason they are included in the neigh-
bours list. The reasons include:
The neighbour is located at the same site as the reference Force co-site as neighbours is
Co-site
cell or transmitter. selected
The neighbour is within the maximum distance from the Use coverage overlapping is
Distance
reference cell or transmitter. not selected
11. Select the check box in the Commit column of the Results section to choose the inter-technology neighbours you want
to assign to cells.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document:
Click Compare. The list of automatically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared
with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaRe-
port.txt which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
12. Click the Commit button. The allocated inter-technology neighbours are saved.
13. Click Close.
Allocating or Deleting Inter-technology Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
You can allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours using the Cells tab of the Transmitter Properties dialogue in UMTS
and LTE. In GSM, the Inter-technology Neighbours tab each pair of technologies is available in each transmitters Properties
dialogue.
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To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters or cells using the Cells tab of the transmitters Prop-
erties dialogue in UMTS and LTE:
1. On the main documents map window, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context
menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which
you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears. In the cells Properties dialogue,
there is a tab for each pair of technologies (for example, LTE-GSM neighbours or LTE-UMTS neighbours).
5. Click the Neighbours tab for technology pair for which you want to allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours.
6. If desired, you can enter the Maximum number of neighbours.
To allocate a new neighbour:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Under List, select the cell or transmitter from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row
icon ( ).
3. Click elsewhere in the table to complete creating the new neighbour.
4. When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and the
neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, and sets the Type to "manual."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
4. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell and the
cell or transmitter in the Neighbour column.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
4. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation between the
cell and the cell or transmitter in the Neighbour column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters or cells using the Inter-technology Neighbours table:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder of the radio access technology for which you want to allocate or delete inter-tech-
nology neighbours. The context menu appears.
3. Select Neighbours from the context menu.
4. In the Neighbours sub-menu, select the technology with which you want to allocate or delete inter-technology neigh-
bours (i.e., GSM, UMTS, or LTE) and then select Open Table from the context menu. The inter-technology neighbour
table appears.
5. Enter one inter-technology neighbour per row of the table. Each cell or transmitter can have more than one inter-tech-
nology neighbour.
To allocate an inter-technology neighbour:
1. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column in LTE or UMTS. In GSM,
select a reference transmitter from the Transmitter column.
2. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
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3. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
4. When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and the
neighbour and displays it in the Distance column and sets the Type to "manual."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
2. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell or
transmitter in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
1. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select contigu-
ous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows by
pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
2. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
3. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu.
To take all exceptional pairs into consideration in allocating or deleting neighbours:
1. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
2. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu. All forced neighbours will be added to the Neighbours table
and all forbidden neighbours will be removed.
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours using the Excep-
tional Pairs table. You can open this table, select the exceptional pairs to be taken into
consideration in the neighbour list, right-click the table and select Force Exceptional Pairs
in the context menu.
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You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking the Filter button, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neigh-
bours to be calculated.
10. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information.
Cell (or Transmitter for GSM networks): The name of the reference cell or transmitter.
Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
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Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 5.
Cause: The reason Atoll has calculated the value in the Importance column.
Co-site
Symmetry
Coverage
Distance: If you calculated neighbour importance using inter-site distance, Atoll gives the distance in kilometres
between the reference cell or transmitter and the neighbour.
Coverage: If you calculated neighbour importance using coverage overlapping, Atoll gives the amount of refer-
ence transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in square kilometres.
11. Click Commit to commit the importance values and the reasons for allocation to the Neighbours table.
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If the field Maximum number of inter-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty,
the Full lists check and the Lists > max number check use the Default max number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours in the audited neighbour plan that are located
at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
7. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
9. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. Neighbours are now displayed on the
map. Neighbours are displayed until you click the Edit Relations on the Map button again.
10. Select a transmitter to show its neighbour links:
In the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer: Select the transmitter in the Transmitters folder. The
selected transmitter is centred in the map and all its neighbours are indicated. Atoll displays the selected trans-
mitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
On the map: Select the transmitter on the map. The neighbours of the selected transmitter are displayed on the
map. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a
context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
Atoll displays the selected transmitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
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In the Neighbours table: Select the transmitter-neighbour relation you want to display by clicking in the left
margin of the table row to select the entire row. The selected transmitter is centred in the map with the selected
transmitter-neighbour relation (see Figure 7.4). The selected transmitter is also displayed in the Transmitters
folder of the Network explorer.
If you select the Display Links check box under Intra-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and intra-
technology neighbours on the map. The figure below shows the intra- and inter-technology neighbours of the transmitter
Site22_2.
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When there is more than one cell on a UMTS or LTE transmitter, clicking the transmitter in
the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
1. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
2. Select Display Options from the menu. The Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
3. You can display either intra-technology neighbours or inter-technology neighbours or both:
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Intra-technology Neighbours:
a. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display links check box.
b. Click the Sub-menu button ( ) beside the Display links check box and select the type of intra-technology neigh-
bours (i.e., GSM, UMTS, or LTE) that you want to display. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue ap-
pears.
c. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell or trans-
mitter with a unique colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want
Atoll to colour the cells or transmitters neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neigh-
bours table, or according to the neighbour carrier.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the cells or transmitters neighbour links according the
value interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display neighbours
according to their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by
the weighting factors.
You can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair by first
creating a new field of the Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for
the number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the
new column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as
the Display Type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to
an Object Types Data Table" on page 71.
Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you can
display or hide neighbour link display types individually.
For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
d. Select the Add to legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.
e. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip
text. This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
f. Click OK to save your settings.
Inter-technology Neighbours:
a. Under Inter-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
4. Under Advanced, select which exceptional pair links to display:
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each cell or transmitter that
has an exceptional pair defined. These links are represented with straight dashed lines of the same colour as the
transmitter.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each cell or transmitter that has
an exceptional pair defined. These links are represented with straight dashed lines of the same colour as the inter-
technology neighbour.
Symmetric Links: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each cell or transmitter that has an
exceptional pair defined with a cell or transmitter that also has the cell or transmitter in its exceptional pair list.
These links are represented with straight black lines.
5. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
6. Select Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours from the menu. The exceptional pair of a cell will be displayed
when you select a transmitter.
7. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. Exceptional pairs are now displayed
on the map. Exceptional pairs will remain displayed until you click the Edit Relations on the Map button again.
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8. Click a transmitter on the map to show its exceptional pair links. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter,
clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
The exceptional pair links can be displayed even if you do not have neighbours allocated. If you select the Display Links check
box under Intra-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and intra-technology exceptional pairs on the
map.
When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One
of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
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In a multi-RAT project, the automatic allocations of BSIC-BCCH (using the GSM AFP), scrambling codes (in UMTS), and physical
cell IDs (using the LTE AFP) take inter-technology neighbour constraints into account. For example, different physical cell IDs
are assigned to two LTE cells that are neighbours of the same GSM transmitter or UMTS cell.
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You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the Serv-
ices folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can edit the fields on the General tab to define the new service. You can change the following parameters.
Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can set a more descriptive name.
Activity factor: The uplink and downlink activity factors are used to determine the probability of activity for users
accessing the service during Monte Carlo simulations. For packet-switched services, this parameter is used when
working with sector traffic maps and user density traffic maps. For circuit-switched services, the parameter is
taken into consideration with any traffic map.
Average Requested Rate: You can enter the average requested rate for uplink and downlink. This rate is the
average rate obtained by a user of the service. How the average requested rate is used in Atoll depends on the
type of service:
Circuit (GSM): This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during
user distribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their
activity status.
Packet (GSM): This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during
user distribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their
activity status.
Circuit (R99): This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during
user distribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their
activity status.
Packet (R99): This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during
user distribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their
activity status.
Packet (HSPA): This rate is the requested average rate which guarantees a minimum average rate during an
HSUPA call. It is used twice in a simulation: once during user distribution generation in order to calculate the
number of HSUPA users attempting a connection and then during power control as a quality target to be
compared to the real obtained average throughput.
LTE: This rate is the requested average throughput for uplink and downlink. The average requested rate is used
in a simulation during user distribution generation in order to calculate the number of users attempting a
connection.
Technology priorities: Click the Browse button ( ) beside Technology priorities to open a dialogue enabling you
to define the technologies that can use this service and their priority.
To select a technology that can use this service, select the technology in the Available technologies list and
click to move it to the Selected technologies list.
To remove a technology from the list of Selected technologies, select the technology in the Selected technol-
ogies list and click to move it to the Available technologies list.
To change the priority of the technologies, select a technology and click or to move it up or down in the
list. The technology at the top of the list has the highest priority.
Click OK to close the dialogue and return to the Services New Element Properties dialogue.
6. Click the tab of the technology for which you want to define parameters for this service. The way the service is defined
for each technology is identical than the way a service is defined in a single-RAT project.
GSM: For information on defining a GSM service, see "Creating or Modifying a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Service" on page 616.
UMTS: For information on defining a UMTS service, see "Modelling UMTS HSPA Services" on page 682.
LTE: For information on defining a LTE service, see "Modelling Services" on page 1487.
7. Click OK.
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targets per radio bearer and per link (up and down) are largely dependent on mobile speed. In LTE, information about the
receiver mobility is required for determining which bearer selection threshold and quality graph to use from the LTE equip-
ment referred to in the terminal or cell.
To create or modify a mobility type:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Mobility Types folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue:
Name: Enter a descriptive name for the mobility type.
Average Speed: Enter an average speed for the mobility type. This field is for information only; the average speed
is not used by any calculation.
6. If you are modelling UMTS in your multi-RAT project, click the UMTS tab and set the following parameters.
EcI0 Threshold: Under Active set management, enter or modify the minimum EcI0 required from a transmitter
to enter the active set. This value must be verified for the best server.
HS-SCCH EcNt threshold: Under HSDPA, enter or modify the minimum quality required in order for the HSDPA
link to be available. This parameter is used by Atoll to determine the HS-SCCH power when the user has selected
dynamic allocation in the cell properties. For static allocation, Atoll calculates the HS-SCCH EcNt from the
HS-SCCH power set in the cell properties and compares it to this threshold. This field is only used with HSDPA.
7. Click OK.
You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminals folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can edit the fields on the General tab to define the new terminal. You can change the following parameters.
Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can set a more descriptive name.
Supported technologies: Click the arrow next to Supported technologies and select the check box of each tech-
nology supported by this terminal.
6. Click the tab of the technology for which you want to define parameters for this terminal. The way the terminal is
defined for each technology is identical than the way a terminal is defined in a single-RAT project.
GSM: For information on defining a GSM service, see "Creating or Modifying a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Terminal" on
page 618.
UMTS: For information on defining a UMTS service, see "Modelling UMTS HSPA Terminals" on page 685.
LTE: For information on defining a LTE service, see "Modelling Terminals" on page 1488.
7. Click OK.
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User density traffic maps (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data, or 2G net-
work statistics.
Each pixel has a user density assigned. The value either includes all activity statuses, or it corresponds to a particular
activity status. For more information, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 330, "Creating a User
Density Traffic Map" on page 331, "Converting 2G Network Traffic" on page 332 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on
page 333.
You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from another Atoll docu-
ment.
7. Select a coverage prediction by transmitter from the list of available coverage predictions by transmitter.
8. Enter the data required in the Sector Traffic Map dialogue:
If you have selected Downlink Throughputs/Erlangs for GSM traffic analysis, enter the amount of traffic (model-
ling GSM traffic) in:
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Erlangs for circuit services (e.g. voice) and constant bit rate packet services (such as VoIP). For this last case,
Erlangs are internally transformed into Kbps by multiplying the value by the service-guaranteed bit rate per
user.
In Kbps for packet services (maximum bit rate)
If you have selected Uplink and Downlink Throughputs, enter the throughput demands in the uplink and downlink
for each sector and for each listed service.
If you have selected Total Number of Users (All Activity Statuses), enter the number of connected users for each
sector and for each listed service.
If you have selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of inactive users, the number of users
active in the uplink, in the downlink and in the uplink and downlink, for each sector and for each service.
You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and select-
ing Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
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7. Click OK. The traffic map is updated on the basis of the selected coverage prediction by transmitter.
If you want to extract and display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account
any clutter weighting defined for the sector traffic map, you can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps. For
more information, see "Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps" on page 332.
You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user might be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but no
web browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and web
browsing.
To create or modify a user profile:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile
in the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.
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Duration: For circuit-switched services, enter the average duration of a call in seconds. For packet-switched ser-
vices, this field is left blank.
UL Volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average uplink volume per session in kilobytes.
DL Volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average downlink volume per session in kilobytes.
Modelling Environments
An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given
density (i.e., the number of subscribers with the same profile per km). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can assign
a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor subscribers for each
clutter class. In a Monte-Carlo simulation, an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
To create or modify an environment:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the environ-
ment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
For example: An area of 10 km with a subscriber density of 100/km. Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 subscrib-
ers. The area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Build-
ing is "4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.
10. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte-Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
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3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select User profile traffic map.
5. Select User profile densities from the list.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Density Traffic Map" on
page 331.
When you import user profile or mobility information from the file, the values in the file
must be exactly the same as the corresponding names in the Traffic Parameters folder in
the Parameters explorer. If the imported user profile or mobility does not match, Atoll
will display a warning.
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12. Under Clutter distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area --------------------------
Wi Si
i
where:
Nk = Number of users in the clutter k
N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)
13. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte-Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
14. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 329.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, JPEG 2000, BIL,
IST, BMP, PlaNET, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the Code
column.
12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under Traffic Parameters in the Parame-
ters explorer. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 327.
13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects" on
page 43.
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6. Click Create. The Environment Map Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 7.6).
7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.
8. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.
9. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Density Traffic Map" on
page 331.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET, TIF, JPEG 2000, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab.
12. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
13. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
14. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentages must equal 100.
15. Under Clutter distribution, enter the percentage of indoor users for each clutter class.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define a
clutter weighting for user density traffic maps because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
16. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic Maps folder.
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18. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e., the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.
19. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
20. Select Edit from the context menu to end editing.
7.3.4.3.3 Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps
You can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps. User density traffic maps created from sector traffic maps
display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account any clutter weighting
defined for the sector traffic maps.
To create user density traffic maps from a sector traffic map:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Maps folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map from which you want to create user density traffic maps. The context menu appears.
4. Select Create Density Maps from the context menu.
Atoll creates as many user density traffic maps as the number of services present in the sector traffic map. The user
density map files use the resolution of the coverage prediction used for the sector traffic map and are embedded in
the document.
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You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.
8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
Service: Select the service that will be exported, select "All circuit-switched or voice services" to export traffic
using any circuit or voice service, "All packet-switched or data services" to export traffic using any packet or data
service, or select the specific type of service.
Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
Activity: Select one of the following:
All Activity Statuses: Select All Activity Statuses to export all users without any filter by activity status.
Uplink: Select Uplink to export mobiles active in the uplink only.
Downlink: Select Downlink to export mobiles active in the downlink only.
Uplink/Downlink: Select Uplink/Downlink to export only mobiles with both uplink and downlink activity.
Inactive: Select Inactive to export only inactive mobiles.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the cumulated
traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.
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Examples:
2 54 * (54,*)
For BBH, if you assume TRXs belong to the same TRX type, you have:
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2 54 * ([53,54,55],1)
3 55 * ([53,54,55],2)
2 53 54 55 56 3 ([53,54,55,56],3)
Therefore, from the point of view of a mobile station, BBH and SFH work in the same way. An MSA will be attached to each
mobile considered during the simulation and the level of interference will be evaluated on this MSA.
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Some calculation and display options available for coverage predictions are not available
when the option "Only the Average Simulation and Statistics" is selected.
No Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. For each of them, a prop-
erties window containing simulation output, divided among four tabs Statistics, Sites, Cells, and Initial
Conditions is available.
Standard Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window for each simulation contains an additional tab with output related to mobiles.
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Detailed Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window for each simulation contains additional mobile-related output on the Mobiles and Mobiles (Shadow-
ing Values) tabs.
When you are working on very large radio-planning projects, you can reduce memory
consumption by selecting Only the Average Simulation and Statistics under Information
to retain.
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imum uplink traffic load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside the box and select
Defined per Cell.
11. Under Convergence on the LTE tab, enter the following parameters:
DL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of downlink traffic load that must
be reached between two iterations.
UL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink traffic load that must be
reached between two iterations.
UL Noise Rise Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink noise rise that must be
reached between two iterations.
12. On the Advanced tab, under Generator initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. If you enter
"0", the default, the user and shadowing error distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same
user and shadowing error distribution will be used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.
13. Under Convergence on the Advanced tab, enter the following parameter:
Max number of iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make convergence.
Using the same generated user and shadowing error distribution for several simulations
can be useful when you want to compare the results of several simulations where only
one parameter changes.
14. Once you have defined the simulation, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it to calculate it later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined simulation and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined simulation without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the Calculate
button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
All simulations created at the same time are grouped together in a folder in the Network explorer.
You can now use the completed simulations for specific GSM predictions (see "Interference Coverage Predictions" on
page 548), specific UMTS predictions (see "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 761) and specific
LTE predictions (see "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 1555).
You can make the traffic distribution easier to see by hiding geo data and predictions.
For more information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer
Windows" on page 38.
For more information on output that are specific to a given technology, see "Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map"
on page 746 in Chapter 9: UMTS HSPA Networks and "Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map" on page 1544 in Chapter
14: LTE Networks.
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3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the GSM tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Connection Status" as the Field.
5. On the UMTS tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Connection Status" as the Field.
6. On the LTE tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Connection Status" as the Field.
7. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by connection status (see Figure 7.8). By default, from one tech-
nology to another, colours are similar for similar statuses whereas mobile symbols are different.
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The Subcells tab: The Cells tab contains the following information, per site, transmitter, TRX Type:
Frequency Domain: The frequency domain assigned to the subcell.
DL Power Reduction (dB): The power reduction applied to the considered subcell compared to the BCCH power.
Traffic Load: The obtain traffic load which represents the average occupancy of the subcell timeslots.
Mean Power Control Gain (dB): The average gain due to the power control in order to reduce interference.
DL DTX Gain (dB): The gain due to DTX users inactivity.
Half-Rate Traffic Ratio (%): The percentage of half-rate voice traffic in the subcell.
DTX supported: The ability of subcell to support DTX mode. For BCCH subcells, this box should remain cleared. If
this box is selected, a DL DTX gain can be obtained.
The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:
The Mobiles tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating
Simulations" on page 337, you select either "Standard information about mobiles" or
"Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain.
X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the second
random trial).
Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal and
the user profile.
User Profile: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the ter-
minal and the user profile.
Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Activity Status: The activity status assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distri-
bution.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of the
simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection cause
is given.
Server: The transmitter serving the mobile on its MSA.
HCS Layer: The HCS Layer of the serving cell
Best Server Signal Level (dBm): The received signal strength of the serving cell.
Frequency Band: The frequency band used by the transmitter-mobile link.
TRX Type: The TRX type of the subcell to which the mobile is attached.
DL Total Requested Throughput: The DL max throughput demand defined in the service.
UL Total Requested Throughput: not implemented yet
DL Total Obtained Throughput: The DL obtained throughput depending on the resources allocated to the user.
This value must be between the minimum and the maximum throughput demands.
UL Total Obtained Throughput: not implemented yet
Timeslots: the number of timeslots assigned to the mobile station. It should be 0 if it is not connected. Then for
circuit-switched services, depending on the served codec mode, it can be 0,5 or 1. For packet-switched services,
this is the number of timeslots corresponding to the DL total obtained rate.
C/(I+N): The C/(I+N) of the served MSA at the user location in the downlink.
Channels: The channel or list of channels allocated to the mobile station during the simulation. It has to be 1
channel in case of "Non Hopping" and a list of channel in case of frequency hopping.
MAIO: The Mobile Allocation Index Offset assigned in case of frequency hopping (BBH or SFH) to avoid intra-site
collisions caused by two sites using the same or adjacent channels. This value has to be an integer ranging from 0
and N-1 (where "N" is the number of channels used in the hopping sequence)
Coding: According to the capability of both the transmitter and the mobile station, this value can be a codec mode
for a circuit-switched service or a coding scheme for a packet-switched service.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:
The maximum number of iterations
The global scaling factor
The generator initialisation value
The name of the traffic maps used.
The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.
6. Right-click the UMTS folder. The context menu appears. Select Properties from the context menu. The UMTS simula-
tion properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the results of the simulation. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain simu-
lation results as identified by the tab title. A final tab lists the initial conditions of the simulation. The amount of detail
available when you display the results depends on the level of detail you selected from the Information to retain list
on the General tab of the properties dialogue for the group of simulations. For more information on the different
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Other CCH power (dBm): The power of other common channels. It includes the other CCH power and the DL
HSUPA power as defined in the cell properties.
Available HSDPA Power (dBm): The available HSDPA power as defined in the cell properties. This is the power
available for the HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH. The value is either fixed by the user when the HSDPA power is allocated
statically, or by a simulation when the option HSDPA Power Dynamic Allocation is selected.
AS Threshold (dB): The active set threshold as defined in cell properties
Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties
Total Transmitted R99 Power (dBm): The total transmitted R99 power is the power transmitted by the cell on
common channels (Pilot, SCH, other CCH), HSUPA channels (E-AGCH, E-RGCH, and E-HICH) and R99 traffic-dedi-
cated channels.
Transmitted HSDPA Power (dBm): The HSDPA power transmitted by the cell on HSDPA channels. It corresponds
to the HSDPA power used to serve HSDPA bearer users.
Total Transmitted Power (dBm): The total transmitted power of the cell is the sum of the total transmitted R99
power and the transmitted HSDPA power. If HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the total transmitted power
cannot exceed the maximum power minus the power headroom.
When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is statically allocated, the total
transmitted power cannot exceed the maximum DL load (defined either in the cell proper-
ties, or in the simulation). On the other hand, if HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the
control is carried out on the R99 transmitted power, which cannot exceed the maximum
DL load.
UL Total Noise (dBm): The uplink total noise takes into account the total signal received at the transmitter on a
carrier from intra and extra-cell terminals using the same carrier and adjacent carriers (uplink total interference)
and the thermal noise.
Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor that the cell can support. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
Max DL Load (% Pmax): The maximum percentage of power that the cell can use. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
UL load factor (%): The uplink cell load factor corresponds to the ratio between the uplink total interference and
the uplink total noise. If the constraint "UL load factor" has been selected, UL cell load factor is not allowed to
exceed the user-defined maximum UL load factor (either in the cell properties, or in the simulation creation dia-
logue).
DL Load Factor (%): The DL load factor of the cell i corresponds to the ratio (DL average interference [due to trans-
mitter signals on the same and adjacent carriers] for terminals in the transmitter i area) (DL average total noise
[due to transmitter signals and to thermal noise of terminals] for terminals in the transmitter i area).
UL and DL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink and downlink noise rises are calculated from uplink and downlink load fac-
tors. These data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
DL R99 Load (% Pmax): The percentage of power used for R99 channels is determined by the total transmitted
R99 power-maximum power ratio (power stated in W). When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is
allocated dynamically, the DL R99 Load cannot exceed the user-defined Max DL Load (defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation).
Reuse Factor (UL): The uplink reuse factor is the ratio between the uplink total interference and the intra-cell
interference.
Reuse Efficiency Factor (UL): The uplink reuse efficiency factor is the reciprocal of the uplink reuse factor.
Number of UL and DL Radio Links: The number of radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter links
on the same carrier. This data is calculated on uplink and on downlink and indicates the number of users con-
nected to the cell on uplink and downlink. Because of handover, a single user can use several radio links.
Connection Success Rate (%): The connection success rate gives the ratio of connected users over the total
number of users in the cell.
HSDPA Application Throughput (kbps): This is the net HSDPA throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.). The HSDPA application throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA applica-
tion throughputs on both cells.
Min. HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The minimum HSDPA RLC peak rate corresponds to the lowest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the lower of the two
minimum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Max HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The maximum HSDPA RLC peak rate corresponds to the highest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the higher of the
two maximum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Avg. Instantaneous HSDPA Throughput (kbps): The average instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the average
number of kbits per second that the cell supports on downlink to provide one connected user with an HSDPA
bearer. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
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Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the number of kbits per second that
the cell supports on downlink to provide simultaneous connected users with an HSDPA bearer. The HSDPA rate of
dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA rates on both cells.
Instantaneous HSDPA MAC Throughput (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA MAC throughput (kbps) that the cell
carries. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
No. of Simultaneous HSDPA Users: The number of simultaneous HSDPA users corresponds to the number of
HSDPA bearer users that the cell supports at one time, i.e. within one time transmission interval. All these users
are connected to the cell at the end of the HSDPA part of the simulation; they have a connection with the R99
bearer and an HSDPA bearer. Dual-cell HSDPA users are be accounted for once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSDPA Users: The number of HSDPA users including the connected and delayed HSDPA bearer users. Dual-
cell HSDPA users are be accounted for once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSUPA Users: The number of HSUPA bearer users connected to the cell.
HSUPA Application Throughput (kbps): This is the net HSUPA throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.).
HSUPA UL Load Factor (%): The uplink cell load contribution due to HSUPA traffic.
No. of Codes (512 Bits): The number of 512-bit OVSF codes used per cell.
The types of handover as a percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handover types for each transmitter.
Atoll only lists the results for the following handover status, no handover (11), softer (12), soft (22), softer-soft
(23) and soft-soft (33) handovers; the other handover status (other HO) are grouped.
R99 UL and DL Throughput (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers of kbits per
second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer. All the radio
links in the cell, i.e., links due to handover, are taken into account in the throughput calculation.
R99 UL and DL Throughput Without HO (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers
of kbits per second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer.
Only the links with the best server are taken into account in the calculation of throughput.
Min TCH Pwr (dBm): The minimum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Max TCH Pwr (dBm): The maximum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Avg TCH Pwr (dBm): The average power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Non-connected users: The number of rejected and delayed users per cell. Rejected users are sorted by the fol-
lowing values: Pmob > PmobMax, Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min., UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation,
DL Load Saturation, Code Saturation, Admission Rejection, HSDPA Scheduler Saturation, HSDPA Resource Sat-
uration, HSUPA Admission Rejection, HSUPA Scheduler Saturation and Iub Throughput Saturation. Delayed
users are regrouped under HSDPA Delayed.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the ratio of con-
nected users over the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:
The Mobiles tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating
Simulations" on page 337, you select either "Standard information about mobiles" or
"Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain.
X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the second
random trial).
Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal and
the user profile.
User Profile: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the ter-
minal and the user profile.
Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Activity Status: The activity status assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distri-
bution.
Carrier: The carrier used for the mobile-transmitter connection. Dual-cell HSDPA users are connected to two car-
riers. Details can be displayed per carrier by selecting Actions > Detailed Display.
Frequency Band: the frequency band used for the mobile-transmitter connection.
DL and UL Total Requested Rate (kbps): For circuit and packet (R99) service users, the DL and UL total requested
rates correspond to the DL and UL nominal rates of the R99 bearer associated to the service.
For packet (HSDPA) service users, the uplink total requested rate corresponds to the nominal rate of ADPCH-UL64
R99 bearer and the downlink total requested rate is the sum of the ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and
the RLC peak rate that the selected HSDPA radio bearers can provide. Here, the HSDPA user is treated as if he is
the only user in the cell and then, Atoll determines the HSDPA bearer the user would obtain by considering the
entire HSDPA power available of the cell.
For HSUPA bearer users (i.e., packet (HSPA) and packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users), the uplink total
requested rate is equal to the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate of the
requested HSUPA radio bearer. The requested HSUPA radio bearer is selected from the HSUPA bearers compatible
with the user equipment. Here, the HSUPA user is treated as if he is the only user in the cell and then, Atoll deter-
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mines the HSUPA bearer the user would obtain by considering the entire remaining load of the cell. The downlink
total requested rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate that the
requested HSDPA radio bearer can provide. The requested HSDPA bearer is determined as explained in the previ-
ous paragraph.
DL and UL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): For circuit and packet (R99) service users, the DL or UL total obtained rate
is the same as the DL or UL total requested rate if he is connected without being downgraded. Otherwise, the total
obtained rate is lower (it corresponds to the nominal rate of the selected R99 bearer). If the user was rejected, the
total obtained rate is zero.
For a packet (HSDPA) service user connected to an HSDPA bearer, the uplink total obtained rate equals the re-
quested one and the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the instantaneous rate; this is the sum of the
ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearers after
scheduling and radio resource control. If the user is delayed (he is only connected to an R99 radio bearer), uplink
and downlink total obtained rates correspond to the uplink and downlink nominal rates of ADPCH-UL64 radio
bearer. Finally, if the user is rejected either in the R99 part or in the HSDPA part (i.e., because the HSDPA scheduler
is saturated), the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are zero.
For a connected packet (HSPA) service user, on uplink, if the user is connected to an HSUPA bearer, the uplink total
obtained rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the
selected HSUPA radio bearer after noise rise scheduling. On downlink, if the user is connected to an HSDPA bearer,
the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the instantaneous rate. The instantaneous rate is the sum of the
ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearers
after scheduling and radio resource control. If the user is delayed, the downlink total obtained rate corresponds
to the downlink nominal rate of ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer. If the user is rejected, the uplink and downlink total
obtained rates are "0".
For a connected packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service user, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are
the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal rate and the guaranteed bit rate defined for the service. If
the user is rejected, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are "0".
Mobile Total Power (dBm): The mobile total power corresponds to the total power transmitted by the terminal.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected, delayed or rejected at the end
of the simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection
cause is given. If delayed (for packet (HSDPA) and packet (HSPA) service users only), the status is "HSDPA delayed."
Best Server: The best server among the transmitters in the mobile active set.
HO Status (Sites/No. Transmitters Act. Set): The HO status is the number of sites compared to the number of
transmitters in the active set.
AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4: The name of the cell that is the best server, the second-best server, and so on is given in a
separate column for each cell in the active set.
Ec/I0 AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, (dB): EcI0 is given in a separate column for each cell in the active set. The Ec/I0 AS 1
column lists the Ec/I0 from the best server for the rejected mobiles as well.
Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
Active Compressed Mode: This field indicates whether active compressed mode is supported by the mobile or
not.
The following columns only appear if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating Simulations" on
page 337, you select "Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain:
DL and UL Requested RLC Peak Rates (kbps): For HSUPA bearer users (i.e., packet (HSPA) and packet (HSPA - Con-
stant Bit Rate) service users), the requested uplink RLC peak rate is the rate of the requested HSUPA radio bearer.
If the user is connected to an HSDPA bearer in the downlink, the downlink requested RLC peak rate is the rate that
the requested HSDPA radio bearer can provide.
Downlink and uplink requested RLC peak rates are not calculated for circuit and packet (R99) service users. For
packet (HSDPA) service users, the uplink RLC peak rate is not calculated and the downlink requested RLC peak rate
is the rate that the selected HSDPA radio bearer can provide.
DL and UL Obtained RLC Peak Rate (kbps): For a connected packet (HSPA) service user, on uplink, if the user is
connected to an HSUPA bearer, the obtained uplink RLC peak rate is the rate provided by the selected HSUPA radio
bearer after noise rise scheduling. On downlink, if the user is connected to an HSDPA bearer, the downlink
obtained RLC peak rate is the rate provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearer after scheduling and radio
resource control. For a connected packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service user, the uplink and downlink obtained
RLC peak rates are the uplink and downlink guaranteed bit rates defined for the service.
Downlink and uplink obtained RLC peak rates are not calculated for circuit and packet (R99) service users.
For a packet (HSDPA) service user connected to an HSDPA bearer, the downlink obtained RLC peak rate is the rate
provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearer after scheduling and radio resource control. The uplink obtained RLC
peak rate is not calculated.
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HSDPA Application Throughput (kbps): The HSDPA application throughput is the net HSDPA throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the instantaneous HSDPA rate (i.e., the DL
obtained rate), the BLER, the HSDPA service scaling factor and the throughput offset.
Served HSDPA Power (dBm): This is the HSDPA power required to provide the HSDPA bearer user with the down-
link obtained rate.
Required HSDPA Power (dBm): The required HSDPA power is the HSDPA power required to provide the HSDPA
bearer user with the downlink requested rate. If the HSDPA bearer allocated to the user is the best one, the
required HSDPA power corresponds to the available HSDPA power of the cell. On the other hand, if the HSDPA has
been downgraded in order to be compliant with cell and UE capabilities, the required HSDPA power will be lower
than the available HSDPA power of the cell.
No. of HSUPA Retransmissions (Required): The maximum number of retransmissions in order to have the
requested HSUPA radio bearer with a given BLER.
No. of HSUPA Retransmissions (Obtained): The maximum number of retransmissions in order to have the
obtained HSUPA radio bearer with a given BLER.
HSUPA Application Throughput (kbps): The HSUPA application throughput is the net HSUPA throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the UL obtained rate, the BLER, the HSUPA
service scaling factor and the throughput offset.
Cell TCH Power AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dBm): The cell power transmitted on the downlink is given for each link
between the mobile and a transmitter in the active set.
DL Ntot AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (dBm): The total noise on the downlink for each link between the mobile and a trans-
mitter in the \active set.
Load Factor AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (%): The load factor on the downlink for each link between the mobile and a
transmitter in the active set. It corresponds to the ratio between the total interference on the downlink and total
noise at the terminal.
Noise Rise AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dB): The noise rise on the downlink for each link between the mobile and a
transmitter in the active set.
Reuse Factor AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL): The DL reuse factor for each link between the mobile and a transmitter in
the active set. It is calculated from the interference received at the terminal from the intra cell area and the total
interference received at the terminal from all the transmitters (intra and extra-cell and inter-carrier).
Iintra AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dBm): The intra-cell interference for each cell (I) of the active set.
I int ra = P DL
DL
tot
(ic ) Fortho P DL
tot
(ic ) PSCH
i i LT
Iextra AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dBm): The extra-cell interference for each cell (I) of the active set.
I extra =
DL
P DL
tot
(ic ) Fortho P DL
tot
(ic ) PSCH
Tx ,iTx LT
Total Loss AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (dB): The total attenuation for each link between the mobile and a transmitter in
the active set.
Iub UL Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The Iub backhaul throughput consumed on the uplink by the mobile.
Iub DL Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The Iub backhaul throughput consumed on the downlink by the mobile.
No. of UL CEs: The number of channel elements consumed on the uplink by the mobile.
No. of DL CEs: The number of channel elements consumed on the downlink by the mobile.
Name: The name of the mobile, as assigned during the random user generation.
Clutter: The clutter class on which the mobile is located.
Orthogonality Factor: The orthogonality factor used in the simulation. The orthogonality factor is the remaining
orthogonality of the OVSF codes at reception. The value used is the orthogonality factor set in the clutter classes.
% Pilot Finger: The percentage pilot finger used in the simulation, defined per clutter class or globally for all clutter
classes.
UL SHO Gain (dB): The uplink soft handover gain is calculated if mobile receivers are connected either on DL or on
UL and DL.
DL SHO Gain (dB): The downlink soft handover gain is calculated if mobile receivers are connected either on DL or
on UL and DL.
No. of Codes (512 Bits): The number of OVSF codes used per mobile.
The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab: The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab contains information on the shadowing
margin for each link between the receiver and up to ten closest potential transmitters:
The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as
explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 337, you select "Detailed information about
mobiles" under Information to Retain.
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Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application through-
puts of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user through-
puts of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application through-
puts of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
No Service: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was "No
Service."
No Service (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was
"No Service."
Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause
was "Scheduler Saturation."
Scheduler Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause
was "Resource Saturation."
Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink, uplink, or downlink and uplink
both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to any cell of the site with respect to the number
of users covered by the cells of the site.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the percentage of users connected to any cell of
the site with respect to the number of users covered by the cells of the site.
The Cells tab: The Cells tab contains the following information, per site and transmitter:
Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
ICIC Ratio (DL) (%): The percentage of the downlink traffic load that corresponds to the ICIC part of the frame.
Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
ICIC UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation for the ICIC part
of the frame.
MU-MIMO Capacity Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users con-
nected in the downlink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users con-
nected in the uplink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user through-
puts of the users connected in the downlink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application through-
puts of the users connected in the downlink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user through-
puts of the users connected in the uplink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application through-
puts of the users connected in the uplink.
No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
No Service (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Ser-
vice."
Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "Sched-
uler Saturation."
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Scheduler Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to the cell in downlink, uplink, or downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to the cell in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to the cell with respect to the number of users
covered by the cell.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the percentage of users connected to the cell with
respect to the number of users covered by the cell.
The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:
X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the second
random trial).
Height: The height of the user terminal (antenna).
User Profile: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the ter-
minal and the user profile.
Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal and
the user profile.
Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Activity Status: The assigned activity status. It can be DL, UL, or DL+UL.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of the
simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection cause
is given.
Clutter Class: The code of the clutter class where the user is located.
Subscriber ID: The ID of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a traffic map.
Subscriber List: The subscriber list of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a traffic
map.
Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
Best Server: The serving transmitter of the subscriber.
Reference Cell: The reference cell of the serving transmitter of the subscriber.
Azimuth: The orientation of the users terminal antenna in the horizontal plane. Azimuth is always considered
with respect to the North. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base station.
Downtilt: The orientation of the users terminal antenna in the vertical plane. Mechanical downtilt is positive
when it is downwards and negative when upwards. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base station.
Path Loss (dB): The path loss from the best server calculated for the user.
2nd Best Server Path Loss (dB): The path loss from the second best server calculated for the user.
Received Reference Signal Power (DL) (dBm): The reference signal level received at the user location in the down-
link.
RSRP (RS EPRE) (DL) (dBm): The RSRP, average Reference Signal Received Power per Subcarrier, at the user loca-
tion in the downlink.
RSSI (DL) (dBm): The RSSI, Received Signal Strength Indicator, at the user location in the downlink.
Received SS Power (DL) (dBm): The SS signal level received at the user location in the downlink.
Received PDSCH Power (DL) (dBm): The PDSCH signal level received at the user location in the downlink.
SS & PBCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the user location
in the downlink on the SS and PBCH.
PDSCH & PDCCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the user loca-
tion in the downlink on the PDSCH and PDCCH.
Reference Signal C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The reference signal C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
RSRQ (DL) (dB): The RSRQ, Reference Signal Received Quality, at the user location in the downlink.
SS C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The SS C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
PDSCH C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The PDSCH C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
Bearer (DL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PDSCH C/(I+N) level at the user location in the downlink.
BLER (DL): The Block Error Rate read from the user terminals LTE equipment for the PDSCH C/(I+N) level at the
user location in the downlink.
Diversity Mode (DL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in downlink.
Peak RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the downlink.
Effective RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
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Application Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC user throughput attainable using the highest bearer
available at the user location in the downlink.
Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC user throughput attainable using the highest bearer
available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Received PUSCH & PUCCH Power (UL) (dBm): The PUSCH & PUCCH signal level received at the serving transmitter
from the user terminal in the uplink.
PUSCH & PUCCH Total Noise (I+N) (UL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the serving
transmitter of the user in the uplink on the PUSCH.
PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) (UL) (dB): The PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) at the serving transmitter of the user in the
uplink.
Bearer (UL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of
the user in the uplink.
BLER (UL): The Block Error Rate read from the reference cells LTE equipment for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) level
at the serving transmitter of the user in the uplink.
Diversity Mode (UL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in uplink.
Transmission Power (UL) (dBm): The transmission power of the user terminal after power control in the uplink.
Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Frequency Blocks): The number of frequency blocks allocated to the user in the
uplink by the eNode-B.
Peak RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the uplink.
Effective RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
Application Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Peak RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC throughput attainable for the number
of frequency blocks allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in the uplink.
Effective RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC throughput attainable for the
number of frequency blocks allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in the
uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput
without coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the
throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC user throughput attainable using the highest bearer
available at the user location in the uplink.
Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC user throughput attainable using the highest bearer
available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
In Atoll, channel throughputs are peak RLC, effective RLC, or application through-
puts achieved at a given location using the highest LTE bearer with the entire
channel resources.
If a user is rejected, his user throughput is zero.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
The global transmitter parameters:
The PDCCH overhead (number of symbol durations per subframe)
The PUCCH overhead (average number of frequency blocks)
The switching point periodicity
The default cyclic prefix ratio
The UL power control margin
The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:
The maximum number of iterations
The global scaling factor
The generator initialisation value
The uplink and downlink traffic load convergence thresholds
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Max Iub Downlink and Uplink Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The maximum Iub backhaul throughput in the down-
link and uplink.
Iub Downlink and Uplink Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The Iub backhaul throughput required on downlink and
uplink to handle the traffic of current simulation.
Overhead Iub Throughput/Cell (kbps): The Iub throughput required by the cell for common channels in the down-
link, defined on the site equipment.
HSDPA Iub Backhaul Overhead (%): This parameter is defined on the site equipment. It corresponds to the per-
centage of the HSDPA bearer RLC peak rate to be added to the RLC peak rate. The total value corresponds to the
Iub backhaul throughput required by the HSDPA bearer user for HS Channels in the downlink.
Nb of Recommended E1/T1/Ethernet Link: The number of E1/T1/Ethernet links required to provide the total Iub
backhaul throughput.
Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps).
Instantaneous HSDPA MAC Throughput (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA MAC throughput (kbps).
DL and UL Throughput for Each Service: The throughput in kbitss for each service.
The Cells (Average) and Cells (Standard Deviation) tabs: The Cells (Average) and Cells (Standard Deviation) tabs
contains the following average and standard deviation information, respectively, per site, transmitter, and carrier:
Max Power (dBm): The maximum power as defined in the cell properties.
Pilot Power (dBm): The pilot power as defined in the cell properties.
SCH power (dBm): The SCH power as defined in the cell properties.
Other CCH power (dBm): The power of other common channels. It includes the other CCH power and the DL
HSUPA power as defined in the cell properties.
Available HSDPA Power (dBm): The available HSDPA power as defined in the cell properties. This is the power
available for the HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH. The value is either fixed by the user when the HSDPA power is allocated
statically, or by a simulation when the option HSDPA Power Dynamic Allocation is selected.
AS Threshold (dB): The active set threshold as defined in cell properties
Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties
Total Transmitted R99 Power (dBm): The total transmitted R99 power is the power transmitted by the cell on
common channels (Pilot, SCH, other CCH), HSUPA channels (E-AGCH, E-RGCH, and E-HICH) and R99 traffic-dedi-
cated channels.
Transmitted HSDPA Power (dBm): The HSDPA power transmitted by the cell on HSDPA channels. It corresponds
to the HSDPA power used to serve HSDPA bearer users.
Total Transmitted Power (dBm): The total transmitted power of the cell is the sum of the total transmitted R99
power and the transmitted HSDPA power. If HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the total transmitted power
cannot exceed the maximum power minus the power headroom.
When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is statically allocated, the total
transmitted power cannot exceed the maximum DL load (defined either in the cell proper-
ties, or in the simulation). On the other hand, if HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the
control is carried out on the R99 transmitted power, which cannot exceed the maximum
DL load.
UL Total Noise (dBm): The uplink total noise takes into account the total signal received at the transmitter on a
carrier from intra and extra-cell terminals using the same carrier and adjacent carriers (uplink total interference)
and the thermal noise.
Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor that the cell can support. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
Max DL Load (% Pmax): The maximum percentage of power that the cell can use. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
UL Load Factor (%): The uplink cell load factor corresponds to the ratio between the uplink total interference and
the uplink total noise. If the constraint "UL load factor" has been selected, UL cell load factor is not allowed to
exceed the user-defined maximum UL load factor (either in the cell properties, or in the simulation creation dia-
logue).
UL Load Factor due to HSUPA (%): The uplink cell load caused by HSUPA traffic.
DL Load Factor (%): The DL load factor of the cell i corresponds to the ratio (DL average interference [due to trans-
mitter signals on the same carrier] for terminals in the transmitter i area) (DL average total noise [due to trans-
mitter signals and to thermal noise of terminals] for terminals in the transmitter i area).
UL and DL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink and downlink noise rises are calculated from uplink and downlink load fac-
tors. These data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
DL R99 Load (% Pmax): The percentage of power used for R99 channels is determined by the total transmitted
R99 power-maximum power ratio (power stated in W). When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is
allocated dynamically, the DL R99 Load cannot exceed the user-defined Max DL Load (defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation).
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Reuse Factor (UL): The uplink reuse factor is the ratio between the uplink total interference and the intra-cell
interference.
Reuse Efficiency Factor (UL): The uplink reuse efficiency factor is the reciprocal of the uplink reuse factor.
Number of UL and DL Radio Links: The number of radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter links
on the same carrier. This data is calculated on uplink and on downlink and indicates the number of users con-
nected to the cell on uplink and downlink. Because of handover, a single user can use several radio links.
Connection Success Rate (%): The connection success rate gives the ratio of connected users over the total
number of users in the cell.
HSDPA Application Throughput (kbps): The HSDPA application throughput is the net HSDPA throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the instantaneous HSDPA rate (i.e., the DL
obtained rate), the BLER, the HSDPA service scaling factor and the throughput offset. The HSDPA application
throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA application throughputs on both cells.
Min. HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The minimum HSDPA RLC peak rate corresponds to the lowest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the lower of the two
minimum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Max HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The maximum HSDPA RLC peak rate: It corresponds to the highest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the higher of the
two maximum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Avg. Instantaneous HSDPA Throughput (kbps): The average instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the average
number of kbits per second that the cell supports on downlink to provide one connected user with an HSDPA
bearer. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the number of kbits per second that
the cell supports on downlink to provide simultaneous connected users with an HSDPA bearer. The HSDPA rate of
dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA rates on both cells.
Instantaneous HSDPA MAC Throughput (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA MAC throughput (kbps) that the cell
carries. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
No. of Simultaneous HSDPA Users: The number of simultaneous HSDPA users corresponds to the number of
HSDPA bearer users that the cell supports at a time, i.e. within one time transmission interval. All these users are
connected to the cell at the end of the simulation HSDPA part; they have a connection with the R99 bearer and an
HSDPA bearer. Dual-cell HSDPA users are be accounted for once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSDPA Users: The number of HSDPA users include the connected and delayed HSDPA bearer users. Dual-
cell HSDPA users are be accounted for once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSUPA Users: The number of HSUPA bearer users connected to the cell.
HSUPA Application Throughput (kbps): This is the net HSUPA throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.).
HSUPA UL Load Factor (%): The uplink cell load caused by HSUPA traffic.
No. of Codes (512 Bits): The number of OVSF codes used per cell.
The types of handover as a percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handover types for each transmitter.
Atoll only lists the results for the following handover status, no handover (11), softer (12), soft (22), softer-soft
(23) and soft-soft (33) handovers; the other handover status (other HO) are grouped.
R99 UL and DL Throughput (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers of kbits per
second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer. All the radio
links in the cell, i.e., links due to handover, are taken into account in the throughput calculation.
R99 UL and DL Throughput Without HO (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers
of kbits per second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer.
Only the links with the best server are taken into account in the calculation of throughput.
Min TCH Pwr (dBm): The minimum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Max TCH Pwr (dBm): The maximum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Avg TCH Pwr: The average power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Non-connected users: The number of rejected and delayed users per cell. Rejected users are sorted by the fol-
lowing reasons: Pmob > PmobMax, Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min., UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation,
DL Load Saturation, Code Saturation, Admission Rejection, HSDPA Delayed, HSDPA Scheduler Saturation,
HSDPA Resource Saturation, HSUPA Admission Rejection, HSUPA Scheduler Saturation and Iub Throughput Sat-
uration. Delayed users are regrouped under HSDPA Delayed.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the ratio of con-
nected users over the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
The global transmitter parameters:
The spreading width
Whether the power values on the downlink are absolute or relative to the pilot
The default uplink soft handover gain
Whether the MRC in softer/soft is defined or not
The methods used to calculate I0 and Nt
Parameters for compressed mode
The methods used to calculate Nt and CQI for HSDPA.
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Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink, uplink, or downlink and uplink
both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to any cell of the site with respect to the number
of users covered by the cells of the site.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the percentage of users connected to any cell of
the site with respect to the number of users covered by the cells of the site.
The Cells (Average) tab: The Cells (Average) tab contains the following average information, per site and transmitter:
Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
ICIC Ratio (DL) (%): The percentage of the downlink traffic load that corresponds to the ICIC part of the frame.
Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
ICIC UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation for the ICIC part
of the frame.
MU-MIMO Capacity Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users con-
nected in the downlink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the downlink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the users con-
nected in the uplink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in
the uplink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user through-
puts of the users connected in the downlink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application through-
puts of the users connected in the downlink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC user through-
puts of the users connected in the uplink.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective RLC user
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application through-
puts of the users connected in the uplink.
No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
No Service (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Ser-
vice."
Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "Sched-
uler Saturation."
Scheduler Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to the cell in downlink, uplink, or downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to the cell in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to the cell with respect to the number of users
covered by the cell.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the percentage of users connected to the cell with
respect to the number of users covered by the cell.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
The global transmitter parameters:
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For information on setting objective parameters, see "Setting Objective Parameters" on page 242 of Chapter 6: Automatic Cell
Planning.
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If you want to study the mutual impact of two networks, you can use Atolls co-planning
instead. For information on co-planning, see the chapter specific to the technology
concerned.
The main and linked documents must have the same geographic coordinate systems.
If you want the Sites folder of the linked document to appear in the main document
automatically, you can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting
options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
The same process can be used to display in the main document any folder or folder item of the linked document that has a
Make Accessible In option available in its context menu.
Once folders are linked, you can access their properties and the properties of the items they contain from either documents.
Any changes you make in a linked folder are taken into account in both documents.
If you close the linked document, Atoll displays a warning icon ( )in the main documents explorer window, and the linked
items are no longer accessible from the main document. You can re-open the linked document in Atoll by right-clicking the
linked item in the explorer window of the main document, and selecting Open Linked Document.
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Chapter 8
GSM/GPRS/EDGE
Networks
This chapter provides the information to use Atoll to In this chapter, the following are explained:
design, analyse, and optimise a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network.
"Designing a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Network" on page 363
"Planning and Optimising GSM/GPRS/EDGE Base
Stations" on page 364
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 436
"Allocating Frequencies, BSICs, HSNs, MALs, and
MAIOs" on page 455
"The Atoll AFP Module" on page 507
"Analysing Network Quality" on page 546
"Optimising Network Parameters Using the ACP" on
page 581
"Verifying Network Capacity" on page 583
"Advanced Configuration" on page 595
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8 GSM/GPRS/EDGE Networks
Atoll enables you to create and modify all aspects of a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network. Once you have created the network, Atoll
offers many tools to let you verify the network. Based on the results of your tests, you can modify any of the parameters defin-
ing the network.
The process of planning and creating a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network is outlined in "Designing a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Network" on
page 363. Creating the network of base stations is explained in "Planning and Optimising GSM/GPRS/EDGE Base Stations" on
page 364. Allocating neighbours is also explained. In this section, you will also find information on how you can display infor-
mation on base stations on the map and how you can use the tools in Atoll to study base stations.
In "Studying Network Capacity" on page 436, using traffic maps to study network capacity is explained. Creating traffic
captures using the traffic map information and dimensioning the network using these results is also explained.
Using drive test data paths to verify the network is explained in "Verifying Network Capacity" on page 583. Filtering imported
drive test data paths, and using the data in coverage predictions is also explained.
1
Open an Existing Project
or Create a New One
2
Network Configuration
- Add Network Elements
- Change Parameters
3
Basic Predictions
(Best Server, Signal Level)
4
Neighbour Allocation
5a 5b 5c
Traffic Maps Dimensioning User-defined values
Required number 5
of TRXs
6a 6b
Automatic Frequency Allocation (AFP) Manual Frequency Allocation
List of 6
Frequencies
7 7a
GSM/GPRS/EDGE Predictions Prediction Study Reports
8
Frequency Plan Analysis
The steps involved in planning a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network are described below. The numbers refer to Figure 8.1.
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You can import or create traffic maps ( 5a ) and use them as a basis for dimensioning 5b ) (see "Studying Network
Capacity" on page 436).
You can define them manually either on the TRXs tab of each transmitters Properties dialogue or in the Subcells
table (see "Modifying a Subcell" on page 376) ( 5c ).
6. Once you have the required number of TRXs, manually or automatically create a frequency plan ( 6 ).
"Allocating Frequencies and BSICs Manually" on page 460
"Automatic Resource Allocation Using an AFP Module" on page 488.
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In this section, each element of a base station is described. If you want to add a new base station, see "Placing a New Station
Using a Station Template" on page 377. If you want to create or modify one of the elements of a base station, see "Creating
or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 374. If you need to create a large number of base stations, Atoll allows you to
import them from another Atoll document or from an external source. For information, see "Creating a Group of Base
Stations" on page 384.
This section explains the various parts of the base station process:
"Definition of a Base Station" on page 365
"Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 374
"Placing a New Station Using a Station Template" on page 377
"Managing Station Templates" on page 378
"Duplicating an Existing Base Station" on page 382.
Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name here. If you
want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location of
the site here.
While this method allows you to place a site with precision, you can also place sites using
the mouse and then position them precisely with this dialogue afterwards. For
information on placing sites using the mouse, see "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on
page 41.
Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can
specify the actual altitude under Real, if you want. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for cal-
culations.
Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you want.
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cies, BSICs, HSNs, MALs, and MAIOs" on page 455), and the Configurations tab. Once you have created a transmitter, its Prop-
erties dialogue has four additional tabs: the Intra-Technology Neighbours tab (see "Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using
the Intra-Technology Neighbours Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue" on page 431), the Inter-technology Neighbours
tab), the Propagation tab (see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll), and the Display tab (see "Display Properties of
Objects" on page 43).
The General tab:
Name: By default, Atoll names the transmitter after the site it is on, adding an underscore and a number. You can
enter a name for the transmitter, but for the sake of consistency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If you want
to change the way Atoll names transmitters, see the Administrators Manual.
ID: You can enter an ID for the transmitter. This is a user-definable network-level parameter for cell identification.
Site: You can select the Site on which the transmitter will be located. Once you have selected the site, you can
click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the site on which the transmitter will be located. For
information on the site Properties dialogue, see "Site Description" on page 365. You can click the New button to
create a new site on which the transmitter will be located.
Shared antenna: This field is used to identify the transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas located at the
same site or on sites with the same position and that share the same antenna. The entry in the field must be the
same for all transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas sharing the same antenna. When changes are made to
the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of one antenna, Atoll automatically syn-
chronises the same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas defined as having a shared
antenna. This field is also used for dual-band transmitters to synchronise antenna parameters for different fre-
quency bands. For more information, see "Advanced Modelling of Multi-Band Transmitters" on page 613.
Under HCS Layer:
You can select the HCS Layer (Hierarchical Cell Structure layer) for the transmitter.
Once you have selected the HCS layer, you can click the Browse button ( ) to open the properties of the
HCS layer.
You can enter a specific HCS layer threshold for this transmitter. The threshold defined in the HCS Layer prop-
erties is considered only if no value is entered in this field.
For information on the HCS layer Properties dialogue, see "Setting HCS Layers" on page 596.
Under Antenna Position, you can modify the position of the antennas (main and secondary):
Relative to Site: Select this option if you want to enter the antenna positions as offsets with respect to the site
location, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis offsets, Dx and Dy, respectively.
Coordinates: Select this option if you want to enter the coordinates of the antenna, and then enter the x-axis
and y-axis coordinates of the antenna, X and Y, respectively.
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Active: If this transmitter is to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active transmitters are displayed
in red in the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer.
Transmitter Type: If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter as a potential server as well as an interferer, set
the transmitter type to Intra-Network (Server and Interferer). If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter only
as an interferer, set the type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only). No coverage for an Interferer Only transmitter
will be calculated for coverage predictions.
This enables you to model the co-existence of different networks in the same geographic area. For more informa-
tion on how to study interference between co-existing networks, see "Modelling the Co-existence of Networks"
on page 622.
Transmission: Under Transmission, you can select to enter either Power and Total Losses or EIRP (Effective Sub-
tropical Radiated Power). If you select EIRP, you can enter the value yourself, without defining power and losses
for the transmitter.
If you select Power and Total Losses, Atoll calculates losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equip-
ment assigned to the transmitter. Equipment can be assigned using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which
appears when you click the Equipment button. Atoll will calculate the EIRP with the following formula:
EIRP = Power + Gain - Losses
On the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 8.4), the equipment you select and the gains and losses you
define are used to initialise total transmitter DL losses. UL losses are not modelled in GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects.
TMA: You can select a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to
access the properties of the TMA. For information on creating a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equipment" on
page 176.
Feeder: You can select a feeder cable from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the prop-
erties of the feeder. For information on creating a feeder cable, see "Defining Feeder Cables" on page 176.
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Transmitter: You can select transmitter equipment from the Transmitter list. In GSM, only the downlink losses
are modelled. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the transmitter equipment.
For information on creating transmitter equipment, see "Defining Transmitter Equipment" on page 176.
Feeder Length: You can enter the feeder length at transmission.
Miscellaneous Losses: You can enter miscellaneous losses at transmission.
Receiver Antenna Diversity Gain: This field is not used for GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects.
Loss Related to Repeater Noise Rise: This field is not used for GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects.
You can modify the Total Losses under Transmission if you want. Any value you enter must
be positive.
Antennas:
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens a dialogue displaying
all the possible antennas based on the same physical antenna as the currently selected one. Selecting the Elec-
trical tilt of the antenna model displays the appropriate antennas under Available Antennas. Selecting the
antenna under Available Antennas and clicking OK assigns the antenna to the transmitter. The other fields,
Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt, display additional antenna parameters.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power, which is the percentage of
power reserved for this particular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one secondary antenna, if you
reserve 40% of the total power for the secondary antenna, 60% is available for the main antenna.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
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Under GPRS/EDGE Properties, you must select the GPRS/EDGE Transmitter check box if the transmitter is going
to be a packet-switched capable transmitter. You can select a Coding Scheme Configuration from the list. You can
click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the configuration. For information on creating a coding
scheme configuration, see "Coding Scheme Configuration" on page 608.
When you model EDGE Evolution on the transmitter side Atoll has to consider:
The support of high order modulations and the use of turbo codes in specific
coding schemes which can be found in the selected GPRS/EDGE Configuration.
In addition, EDGE Evolution can be modelled on the terminal side through:
The support of dual antenna terminals (Mobile Station Receive Diversity) and
enhanced single antenna terminals (Single Antenna Interference Cancellation).
Atoll offers a statistical modelling of these through the use of an EDGE evolution
configuration, with the effect of SAIC or diversity already included both in the
coding scheme admission thresholds and on the throughput versus C (or CI)
graphs.
The support of multi-carriers which can be set up on the terminal side.
For more information, see "Creating or Modifying a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Terminal" on
page 618.
Under GSM Properties, you can select Codec Configuration from the list. You can click the Browse button ( )
to access the properties of the codec configuration assigned to the GSM transmitter. For information on creating
a coding scheme configuration, see "Codec Configuration" on page 605.
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Max. No. of TRXs: The maximum number of TRXs that the transmitter can have. The value entered here will be
taken instead of the global value defined during dimensioning.
Under Extended Cells, you can enter the minimum and maximum range of an extended subcell. Normally, coverage
of a GSM cell is limited to a 35 km radius. Extended GSM cells enable the operator to overcome this limit by taking this
delay into consideration when defining the timing advance for users in the extended cells. Extended cells may cover
distances from 70 to 140 km from the base station. For more information on extended cells, see "Defining Extended
Cells" on page 612.
Min. Range: You can enter the distance from the transmitter at which coverage begins.
Max. Range: You can enter the maximum range from the transmitter of its coverage.
Although coverage can be restricted within the set minimum range and maximum range,
interference from the transmitter is not limited within these ranges.
Under Identification:
BSIC Domain: You can select the BSIC (Base Station Identity Code) domain from the list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the selected BSIC domain. For information on BSIC domains, see "Defining
BSIC Domains and Groups" on page 458.
BSIC: The BSIC (Base Station Identity Code) colour code is associated with a defined BCCH so that a mobile can
identify the base station to which both a particular BCCH and BSIC are assigned. The BSIC is derived from the NCC
(Network Colour Code) and the BCC (BTS Colour Code).
To assign a BSIC number to the current transmitter, you can assign a number from the BSIC Domain by selecting
it from the list. You can also enter the BSIC number in the format NCC-BCC. When you click Apply, Atoll converts
the entered NCC-BCC number into the single-number BSIC format. For information on the BSIC, see "Defining the
BSIC Format" on page 458.
BCCH: The BCCH text box displays the frequency of the BCCH (TS0 of the BCCH TRX) of the current transmitter. If
the BCCH subcell, under Subcell (TRX Groups) Settings on the TRXs tab, is in synthesised frequency hopping (SFH)
mode, you can enter the MAL channel which will be TS0.
NCC-BCC: The NCC (Network Colour Code), identifying the operator, and the BCC (BTS Colour Code), identifying
the base station are displayed in the NCC-BCC text box. The NCC and BCC are integers from 0 to 7.
Under Subcells, the information displayed depends on the type of subcell information selected from the Display list,
Standard Data, Traffic Data, AFP Indicators:
Standard: The information displayed is the standard information defining the subcell. The initial settings are from
the selected cell type and can be modified with the exception of the TRX Type:
TRX Type: The TRX Type can be one of the default TRX types available in the GSM/GPRS/EDGE project tem-
plate:
BCCH: The broadcast control channel (BCCH) carrier
TCH: The default traffic (TCH) carrier
TCH_EGPRS: The EDGE traffic (TCH_EGPRS) carrier.
TCH_INNER: The inner traffic (TCH_INNER) carrier.
Frequency Domain: The frequency domain assigned to the TRX group. Only channels belonging to this fre-
quency domain will be allocated to TRXs of this group during manual or automatic frequency planning.
The frequency domains assigned to the BCCH subcell and to the TCH subcell must refer-
ence the same frequency band, unless you are modelling dual-band transmitters. For infor-
mation on dual-band transmitters, see "Advanced Modelling of Multi-Band Transmitters"
on page 613.
Excluded Channels: The defined frequency domain can have, as part of its definition, a list of excluded chan-
nels. Addition excluded channels for this subcell can be added in the Excluded Channels column.
Required TRXs: The number of TRXs required for the subcell. For subcells with the BCCH TRX Type, the number
of requested TRXs must be "1," the default value. For subcells with the TCH, TCH_EGPRS or TCH_INNER TRX
Type, the value in the Required TRXs column is a result of network dimensioning, which depends on the traffic
demand and the required quality.
DL Traffic Load: The the usage rate of TRXs; its value must be from 0 to 1. The value in the DL Traffic Load
column can be either user-defined or the result of network dimensioning, in which case it will be the same
value for all subcells covering the same area (e.g. BCCH and TCH). The traffic load is used to calculate interfer-
ence and in automatic frequency planning.
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DL Power Reduction (dB) : The reduction of power relative to the transmitter power. The DL Power Reduction
is used to model the power reduction of TCH TRXs, TCH_EGPRS and TCH_INNER TRXs. TCH_INNER TRXs are
concentric subcells, in other words, subcells that transmit a power lower than that used by the BCCH TRX and
by TCH TRXs.
DL power reduction can also be used to model in a simple way the coverage reduction of
a 1800 subcell compared to the BCCH 900 subcell, assuming that all subcells are transmit-
ting at the same power. Atoll also enables advanced multi-band transmitter modelling. For
more information, see "Advanced Modelling of Multi-Band Transmitters" on page 613 and
the Administrator Manual.
Reception Threshold (dBm): The reception threshold defines the minimum reception level for the subcell. I
can be used as the minimum subcell reception sensitivity if the link budget is correctly defined.
C/I Threshold (dB): The minimum signal quality for the TRX Type. The C/I Threshold can be used in interfer-
ence predictions and in the AFP.
Mean Power Control Gain (dB): The average reduction in interference due to power control in downlink. This
gain is used when calculating interference generated by the subcell. Interference generated by the subcell is
reduced by this value during C/I calculations.
Timeslot Configuration: The timeslot configuration defines the distribution of circuit, packet and shared
timeslots for the subcell. For information on timeslot configurations, see "Timeslot Configurations" on
page 611.
DTX Supported: The DTX Supported check box is selected if the subcell supports DTX (Discontinuous Trans-
mission) technology. Subcells supporting DTX can reduce the interference they produce by the defined voice
activity factor.
Hopping Mode: The frequency hopping mode supported by the selected TRX type. The hopping mode can be
either "Base Band Hopping" mode (BBH) or "Synthesised Hopping" mode (SFH). If frequency hopping is not
supported, select "Non Hopping."
Diversity Mode: The type of diversity supported by the subcell ("None," "Tx Diversity," or "Antenna Hopping").
If you select "Tx Diversity," the signal is transmitted as many times that there are antennas. If you select
"Antenna Hopping," the signal is transmitted successively on each antenna. In "Tx Diversity" mode, transmit-
ting on more than one antenna, the signal experiences a gain of 3 dB. For all diversity modes, an additional
transmission diversity gain can be defined per clutter class in order to correctly model gain due to the envi-
ronment (for more information, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 145). The resulting gain will
increase the C/I value at the terminal served by the considered subcell.
Allocation Strategy: The allocation strategy used during manual or automatic frequency planning. There are
two available allocation strategies:
Free: Any of the channels belonging to the frequency domain can be assigned to TRXs.
Group Constrained: Only channels belonging to a same frequency group in the frequency domain can be as-
signed. You can use the Preferred Frequency Group to define the preferred group of frequencies when using
the AFP.
Max MAL Length: The maximum length of the mobile allocation list (MAL), in other words, the maximum
number of channels allocated to the TRXs of the subcell during automatic frequency planning if the Hopping
Mode is either SFH (Synthesised Frequency Hopping) or BBH (Base Band Hopping) and if the Allocation Strat-
egy is Free.
Synchronisation: The value entered in the Synchronisation column is used during frequency hopping;
frequency hopping is synthesised among all TRXs of subcells with the same string of characters in the Synchro-
nisation column. By default, the name of the site is used as the value in the Synchronisation column, synchro-
nising frequency hopping for all TRXs on the same site. However, you can, for example, enter different values
for each subcell to define synchronisation at the subcell level, or different values for each group of sites to
define synchronisation by sites group.
HSN Domain: Only hopping sequence numbers (HSN) belonging to the selected HSN domain will be allocated
to subcells during manual or automatic frequency planning. The HSNs are allocated if the Hopping Mode is
either SFH (Synthesised Frequency Hopping) or BBH (Base Band Hopping).
HSN: The hopping sequence number (HSN) of the subcell. All TRXs of the subcell have the same HSN. The HSN
can be entered manually or allocated automatically. This parameter is used if the Hopping Mode is either SFH
(Synthesised Frequency Hopping) or BBH (Base Band Hopping).
Lock HSN: When the Lock HSN check box is selected, the subcells currently assigned HSN is kept when a new
AFP session is started.
Accepted Interference Percentage: The maximum level of interference allowable during automatic frequency
planning. The interference is defined as a percentage of area or traffic, as defined during the calculation of the
interference matrices.
AFP Weight: Enter an AFP weight. The AFP weight is used to increase or decrease the importance of a subcell
during automatic frequency planning. The value must be a real number. The higher the AFP weight is, the
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higher the constraint on the TRX type. The AFP weight artificially multiplies the cost which has to be minimised
by the AFP.
Preferred Frequency Group: When the Group Constrained allocation strategy is selected, in any hopping
mode (including non-hopping), the AFP tries to assign frequencies from the preferred group during automatic
allocation. The preferred frequency group is a soft constraint used by the AFP to assign frequencies to TRXs.
When the AFP is unable to assign a frequency from the preferred group, and allocates a frequency from
outside the group, a corresponding cost is taken into account. The preferred group can also be the result of
allocation if the AFP model is able to allocate patterns based on the azimuth.
Default TRX Configuration: The default TRX configuration selected in this column is applied to all TRXs belong-
ing to the subcell. By selecting the default TRX configuration, the maximum number of coding schemes in GPRS
and in EDGE is set at the TRX type level. You can also define the TRX configuration for each TRX.
EDGE Power Backoff (dB): The average power reduction for EDGE transmitters due to 8PSK, 16QAM and
32QAM modulations in EDGE. This has an impact on the EDGE service zone which can be seen in traffic analysis
and EDGE predictions.
Lock Required TRXs: This option can be used by an AFP model which has the capability to optimise (i.e.,
increase or decrease) the number of required TRXs where the only goal is maximising the amount of correctly
served traffic. In other words, you might have fewer TRXs than required if they are not subject to any interfer-
ence and the amount of correctly served traffic will be larger. When you select this option, the number of
required TRXs is blocked for that subcell.
If some subcell fields are empty (e.g., HSN domain, frequency domain, C/I Threshold), Atoll
uses the default values of the selected Cell type. For more information, see "Creating a Cell
Type" on page 601.
Traffic Data: The information displayed describes the traffic of the cell. Because subcells share the traffic of the
transmitter, in most cases, the traffic data for all TRXs is displayed together. All fields can be modified with the
exception of the TRX Type, Effective Rate of Traffic Overflow, and Traffic Load.
TRX Type: The TRX Type can be one of the default TRX types available in the GSM/GPRS/EDGE project tem-
plate:
BCCH: The broadcast control channel (BCCH) carrier
TCH: The default traffic (TCH) carrier
TCH_EGPRS: The EDGE traffic (TCH_EGPRS) carrier.
TCH_INNER: The inner traffic (TCH_INNER) carrier.
Circuit Demand (Erlangs): The circuit demand indicates the amount of Erlangs necessary to absorb the circuit-
switched demand. This value can be either user-defined or the result of a traffic capture, in which case it will
be the same value for all subcells covering the same area (e.g., BCCH and TCH).
Packet Average Demand (TS): The packet demand indicates the amount of timeslots necessary to absorb the
packet-switched demand. This value can be either user-defined or the result of a traffic capture, in which case
it will be the same value for all subcells covering the same area (e.g., BCCH and TCH).
Circuit and packet demands can be imported into this table from a real network. These value will then be taken
into account for dimensioning or KPI calculation if these calculations are not based on the default traffic cap-
ture.
Half-Rate Traffic Ratio (%): The percentage of half-rate voice traffic in the subcell. This value is used to calcu-
late the number of timeslots required to respond to the voice traffic demand.
Target Rate of Traffic Overflow (%): The target rate of traffic overflow is used during traffic analysis to distrib-
ute the traffic between subcells and layers. The traffic located in the inner zone or in the service zone of a high
priority cell (see the figures below) contributes to the traffic demand of the inner subcell or the high priority
cell respectively. If the target rate of traffic overflow is greater than 0, a part of this traffic is re-injected, so
that it also contributes to the demand of outer zone (or to the low priority cell respectively). The key perfor-
mance indicators calculation (and dimensioning process) transforms the traffic demand into a served demand
on one hand and an effective overflow on the other hand. If effective overflow rates are higher than target
overflow rates, it means there is a capacity reserve. If it is the other way around, it means that more TRXs are
needed. If rates are equal, the network is correctly optimised.
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The target rate of traffic overflow and the half-rate traffic ratio must be the same for
BCCH and TCH subcells. If the values are different for BCCH and TCH subcells, Atoll will
use the values for the target rate of traffic overflow and the half-rate traffic ratio from
the BCCH subcell.
Effective Rate of Traffic Overflow (%): The percentage of traffic overflowing from a subcell. The effective rate
of traffic overview is a result of the calculation of key performance indicators.
Traffic Load: The usage rate of TRXs; its value must be from 0 to 1. The value in the Traffic Load column can
be either user-defined or the result of network dimensioning, in which case it will be the same value for all
subcells covering the same area (e.g. BCCH and TCH). The traffic load is used to calculate interference and in
automatic frequency planning.
Final Blocking Probability (%): Key performance indicator (KPI) calculated using a traffic capture and the AFP
module. This KPI is also part of a simplified traffic model used by the AFP module.
AFP Indicators: The information displayed comes from the results of an AFP model; it is displayed for informa-
tional purposes only and cannot be edited.
TRX Type: The TRX Type is one of the default TRX types available in the GSM/GPRS/EDGE project template:
BCCH: The broadcast control channel
TCH: The default traffic channel
TCH_EGPRS: The EDGE traffic channel
TCH_INNER: The inner traffic channel.
Total Cost: The total cost is the combination of the AFP Separation Cost, the Additional Cost, and the AFP Con-
gestion cost.
AFP Separation Cost: The separation cost is the cost to the system when separation rules are not respected
between subcell pools. If separation constraints are violated, this has a direct effect on the interference level.
Additional Cost (Interference, Modification, Group): The additional cost is combination of other costs such as
interference, the cost of carrying modifications, and not respecting the preferred TRX group.
AFP Blocking Cost: The AFP blocking cost is the part of the cost where traffic is considered as blocked due to
a lack of resources.
AFP Congestion: The AFP congestion is the soft blocking cost, an estimation of the level of congestion for a
pool of subcells (e.g., BCCH and TCH are considered as a pool of subcells since they are managed together). In
other words, a highly congested pool of subcells will be a source of a high level of interference.
The subcells of the entire GSM/GPRS/EDGE document are found in the Subcells
Table: Standard Data. You can open the Subcells Table: Standard Data by right-
clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and then selecting
Subcells > Subcells Table: Standard Data from the context menu. In addition, you
can access specific views of the subcell table. The table containing the information
regarding traffic data, or the AFP indicators, can be accessed by right-clicking the
Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and then selecting Subcells > Subcells
Table: Traffic data (or AFP Indicators) from the context menu.
You can run a subcell audit to verify the consistency of data between the Subcell
and Transmitter tables. As well, this audit can correct unrealistic subcell values
(see "Checking Consistency in Subcells" on page 574 for more information).
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In Atoll, TRXs are modelled using defined TRX types. Three TRX types are available in the GSM/GPRS/EDGE project template:
BCCH: The broadcast control channel (BCCH) carrier
TCH: The default traffic (TCH) carrier
TCH_EGPRS: The EDGE traffic (TCH_EGPRS) carrier.
TCH_INNER: The inner traffic (TCH_INNER) carrier.
The TRXs and their properties are found on TRXs tab of the Properties dialogue of the transmitter to which they are assigned.
The TRXs of the entire GSM/GPRS/EDGE document are found in the TRXs Table. You can
access the TRXs Table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer
and then selecting Subcells > TRXs Table from the context menu.
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If you are creating several sites at the same time, or modifying several existing sites, you
can do it quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Sites table. You can open
the Sites table by right-clicking the Sites folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Open Table from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see
"Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
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If you are creating several transmitters at the same time, or modifying several
existing transmitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data
directly in the Transmitters table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-
clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting Open Table
from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying
and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the
transmitter by right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the con-
text menu.
If you are applying a new cell type to several transmitters at the same time, or modifying
several existing transmitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data
directly in the Transmitters table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-clicking
the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting Open Table from the
context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in
Tables" on page 77.
If you are creating several subcells at the same time, or modifying several existing
subcells, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Subcells
table. You can open the Subcells table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder in the
Network explorer and selecting Subcells > Subcells Table: Standard Data from the
context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in
Tables" on page 77.
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If you are creating several TRXs at the same time, or modifying several existing TRXs, you
can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the TRXs table. You can
open the TRXs table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer
and selecting Subcells > TRXs Table from the context menu. For information on copying
and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
2. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to
place the new station. The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are
visible in the Status bar.
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To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click
the New Station button. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing
the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays its tip text
with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
You can also place a series of stations using a Atoll template. You do this by defining an area on the map where you want to
place the stations. Atoll calculates the placement of each station according to the defined hexagonal subcell radius in the
station template. For information on defining the subcell radius, see "Modifying a Station Template" on page 379.
To place a series of stations within a defined area:
1. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
2. Click the Hexagonal Design button ( ), to the left of the template list. A hexagonal design is a group of stations cre-
ated from the same station template.
3. Draw a zone delimiting the area where you want to place the series of stations:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Atoll fills the delimited zone with new stations and their hexagonal shapes. Station objects such as sites and transmit-
ters are also created and placed into their respective folders.
You can work with the sites and transmitters in these stations as you work with any station object, adding, for example,
another antenna to a transmitter.
When you place a new station using a station template as explained in "Placing a New Station Using a Station Template" on
page 377, the site is created at the same time as the station. However, you can also place a new station on an existing site.
To place a station on an existing site:
1. In the Network explorer, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
2. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
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Under Main Antenna, you can modify the following: the Height/Ground of the antennas from the ground (i.e., the
height over the DTM; if the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include the height of
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building), the main antenna Model, 1st Sector Azimuth, from which the azimuth of the other sectors are offset to
offer complete coverage of the area, the Mechanical Downtilt, and the Additional Electrical Downtilt for the
antenna.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Under Propagation, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both the
Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Cal-
culations in Atoll.
Under Comments, you can add additional information. The information you enter will be the default information
in the Comments field of any transmitter created using this station template.
8. Click the Transmitter tab. On this tab (see Figure 8.10), you can modify the following:
Under Transmission, you can select to enter either Power and Total Losses or EIRP (Effective Isotropically Radi-
ated Power). If you select EIRP, you can enter the value yourself, without defining power and losses for the trans-
mitter.
If you select Power and Total Losses, Atoll calculates losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equip-
ment assigned to the transmitter. Equipment can be assigned using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which
appears when you click the Equipment button. Atoll will calculate the EIRP with the following formula:
EIRP = Power + Gain - Losses
For information on the Equipment Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on page 365.
If you want transmitters created with this station template to be active by default, select the Active check box.
Transmitter Type: If you want Atoll to consider transmitters created using this template as potential servers as
well as interferer(s), set the transmitter type to Intra-Network (Server and Interferer). If you want Atoll to con-
sider transmitters created using this template only as interferers, set the type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only).
No coverage for an Interferer Only transmitter will be calculated for coverage predictions.
This enables you to model the co-existence of different networks in the same geographic area. For more informa-
tion on studying interference between co-existing networks, see "Modelling the Co-existence of Networks" on
page 622.
9. Click the Configurations tab. On this tab (see Figure 8.11), you select the configuration used for GSM and GPRS/EDGE
stations.
Under GPRS/EDGE Properties, you must select the GPRS/EDGE Transmitter check box if the transmitters are
going to be packet-switched capable transmitters, select a Coding Scheme Configuration from the list. For infor-
mation on creating a coding scheme configuration, see "Coding Scheme Configuration" on page 608.
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When you model EDGE Evolution on the transmitter side Atoll has to consider:
The support of high order modulations and the use of turbo codes in specific
coding schemes which can be found in the selected GPRS/EDGE Configuration.
In addition, EDGE Evolution can be modelled on the terminal side through:
The support of dual antenna terminals (Mobile Station Receive Diversity) and
enhanced single antenna terminals (Single Antenna Interference Cancellation).
Atoll offers a statistical modelling of these through the use of an EDGE evolution
configuration, with the effect of SAIC or diversity already included both in the
coding scheme admission thresholds and on the throughput versus C (or CI)
graphs.
The support of multi-carriers which can be set up on the terminal side.
For more information, see "Creating or Modifying a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Terminal" on
page 618.
For all transmitters, you can select a codec configuration from the list. For information on creating a coding
scheme configuration, see "Codec Configuration" on page 605.
10. Click the Neighbours tab. On this tab (see Figure 8.12), you can modify the Max Number of Intra-Technology Neigh-
bours and the Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours. For information on defining neighbours, see "Planning
Neighbours" on page 422.
11. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Sites table, or if you have defined an additional field in the Station Template Properties dialogue.
12. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save your
changes.
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Placing the duplicate base station on an existing site: In the map window, move the pointer over the existing site
where you would like to place the duplicate. When the pointer is over the site, the site is automatically selected.
The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are visible in the Status bar (see Figure 8.14).
To place the base station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you
select Duplicate from the context menu. For information on using the zooming
tools, see "Changing the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays tip text
with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
Any duplicated remote antennas and repeaters will retain the same donor transmitter as
the original. If you want the duplicated remote antenna or repeater to use a transmitter
on the duplicated base station, you must change the donor transmitter manually.
You can also place a series of duplicate base stations by pressing and holding CTRL in step 6. and clicking to place each
duplicate base station.
For more information on the site, transmitter, subcell, and TRX properties, see "Definition of a Base Station" on page 365.
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When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data. For
information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on
page 121.
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
Importing data: If you have data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it into the tables in
the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or CSV format and then
import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows you to select what
values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, transmitter
data in the Transmitters table, and subcell data in the Subcells table, in that order.
For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80. For infor-
mation on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New
Station Using a Station Template" on page 377.
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The following tools can be used to display information about base stations:
Label: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a label that is
displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object types data table, including from
fields that you add. The label is always displayed, so you should choose information that you would want to always be
visible; too much information will lead to a cluttered display. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the
Object Type Label" on page 46.
Tip text: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of tip text that is
only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can choose to display more information than in the label,
because the information is only displayed when you move the pointer over the object. You can display information
from any field in that object types data table, including from fields that you add. For information on defining the tip
text, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 46.
Transmitter colour: You can set the transmitter colour to display information about the transmitter. For example, you
can select "Discrete Values" to distinguish transmitters by antenna type, or to distinguish inactive from active sites.
You can also define the display type for transmitters as "Automatic." Atoll then automatically assigns a colour to each
transmitter, ensuring that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding it. For informa-
tion on defining the transmitter colour, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 44.
Transmitter symbol: You can select one of several symbols to represent transmitters. For example, you can select a
symbol that graphically represents the antenna half-power beamwidth ( ). If you have two transmitters on the
same site with the same azimuth, you can differentiate them by selecting different symbols for each ( and ).
For information on defining the transmitter symbol, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 44.
Broad-band repeaters are not modelled. Atoll assumes that all carriers from the 3G donor
transmitter are amplified.
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Uplink losses and noise figures are not modelled in GSM/GPRS/EDGE so the value entered
into the Max. Uplink Power column will not be used. The column is included to ensure
consistency with other technologies.
f. If desired, enter an Internal Delay and Comments. These fields are for information only and are not used in calcu-
lations.
To modify repeater equipment:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Radio Network Equipment folder.
3. In the Radio Network Equipment folder, right-click Repeater Equipment. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Repeater Equipment table appears.
5. Change the parameters in the row containing the repeater equipment you want to modify.
2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Repeater from the menu.
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4. Click the map to place the repeater. The repeater is placed on the map, represented by a symbol ( ) in the same
colour as the donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna. If the repeater is inactive, it is displayed by an empty
icon. By default, the repeater has the same azimuth as the donor. Its tip text and label display the same information
as displayed for the donor. As well, its tip text identifies the repeater and the donor. In the explorer window, the
repeater is found in the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer under its donor transmitter, repeater, or remote
antenna.
For information on defining the properties of the new repeater, see "Defining the Properties of a Repeater" on
page 387.
When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, a remote antenna,
or another repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the repeater is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties
dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared Antenna (coverage side) field for the repeater. This field is used to identify the
transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas that are located on the same site or on sites with the same position
and that share an antenna. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas. When changes are made to the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of
one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
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This field is also used for dual-band transmitters to synchronise antenna parameters for
different frequency bands. For more information, see "Advanced Modelling of Multi-Band
Transmitters" on page 613.
Under Antenna Position, you can define the position of the repeater, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to Site: Select Relative to Site, if you want to define the position of the repeater relative to the site
itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the repeater by its XY coordinates.
You can select equipment from the Equipment list. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dia-
logue of the equipment.
You can change the Amplification Gain. The amplification gain is used in the link budget to evaluate the repeater
total gain.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select a Link Type.
If you select Microwave Link, enter the Link Losses and proceed to step 5.
If you select Air, select a Propagation Model and enter the Propagation Losses or click Calculate to determine
the actual propagation losses between the donor and the repeater. If you do not select a propagation model,
the propagation losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater are calculated using the ITU 526-5
propagation model.
When you create an off-air repeater, it is assumed that the link between the donor transmitter and the repeat-
er has the same frequency as the network.
If you want to create a remote antenna, you must select Optical Fibre Link.
If you selected Air under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Antenna:
Model: The type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the
properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection Assistant with a list of avail-
able antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
To find a suitable antenna, select a Physical Antenna (which can have one or more possible antenna patterns,
corresponding to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt of the
antenna model to be used at the repeater. Based on the selected physical antenna and on the electrical down-
tilt, suitable antenna models are listed. Select the antenna model to use from the Available Antennas and click
OK. The Antenna Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned to the repeater.
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the repeater is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Mechanical Azimuth and Mechanical Downtilt display additional antenna parameters.
You can click the Calculate button to update the mechanical azimuth and mechanical
downtilt values after changing the repeater donor side antenna height or the repeater
location. If you choose another site or change site coordinates in the General tab, click
Apply before clicking the Calculate button.
If you selected Air under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Feeders:
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active repeaters (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the Network
explorer) are calculated.
Under Transmission, enter the a value for EIRP (Effective Isotropically Radiated Power) or click Calculate to deter-
mine the actual gains. Atoll calculates the EIRP with the following formula:
EIRP = Power + Gain - Losses
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The Additional electrical downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
Under Losses, Atoll displays the Loss Related to Repeater Noise Rise.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since repeaters are taken into account during calculations, you must set the propagation
parameters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution
for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics of the repeater (model,
calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter. For information on propagation
models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the EIRP of selected repeaters by creating a custom
Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Repeaters table and setting the value of the
field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Repeaters > Calculate EIRP from the Trans-
mitters context menu, Atoll will only update the EIRP for repeaters with the custom field
"FreezeTotalGain" set to "False."
You can update the propagation losses of all off-air repeaters by selecting Repeaters > Calculate Donor Side Propa-
gation Losses from the Transmitters context menu.
You can select a repeater on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the
Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using
the Mouse" on page 42).
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Ensure that the remote antennas donor transmitter does not have any antennas.
2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Remote Antenna from the menu.
4. Click the map to place the remote antenna. The remote antenna is placed on the map, represented by a symbol ( )
in the same colour as the donor transmitter. If the remote antenna is inactive, it is displayed by an empty icon. By
default, the remote antenna has the same azimuth as the donor transmitter. Its tip text and label display the same
information as displayed for the donor transmitter. As well, its tip text identifies the remote antenna and the donor
transmitter.
For information on defining the properties of the new remote antenna, see "Defining the Properties of a Remote
Antenna" on page 391.
When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
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The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, another remote
antenna or a repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the remote antenna is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the
Properties dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared Antenna (coverage side) field for the remote antenna. This field is used to
identify the transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas located on the same site or on sites with the same posi-
tion. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas. Shared
antennas are located on the same site or on sites with the same position. When changes are made to the position
offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the
same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
Under Antenna Position, you can define the position of the remote antenna, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to Site: Select Relative to Site, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna relative to
the site itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna by its XY coordi-
nates.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select Optical Fibre Link and enter the Fibre Losses.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active remote antennas (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the Net-
work explorer) are calculated.
Under Transmission, enter the a value for EIRP (Effective Isotropically Radiated Power) or click Calculate to deter-
mine the actual gains. Atoll calculates the EIRP with the following formula:
EIRP = Power + Gain - Losses
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The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
selected feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since remote antennas are taken into account during calculations, you must set propaga-
tion parameters, as with transmitters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model,
Radius, and Resolution for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics
of the remote antenna (model, calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter.
For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the EIRP of selected remote antennas by creating a
custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Remote Antennas table and setting
the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Remote Antennas > Calculate
EIRP from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update the EIRP for remote
antennas with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set to "False."
You can select a remote antenna on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using
the Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site
Using the Mouse" on page 42).
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2. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
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Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Select Profile ( ) from the list at the top of the Point Analysis window.
5. The profile analysis appears in the Profile view of the Point Analysis Tool window. The altitude (in metres) is reported
on the vertical axis and the receiver-transmitter distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel
zone between the transmitter and the receiver, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the
angle of the LOS read from the vertical antenna pattern. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this causes
attenuation with diffraction displayed by a red vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction mecha-
nisms into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the most with the Fresnel ellipsoid. With some propaga-
tion models using a 3 knife-edge Deygout diffraction method, the results might display two additional attenuations
peaks. The total attenuation is displayed above the main peak.
The results of the analysis are displayed at the top of the Profile view:
The received signal strength of the selected transmitter
The propagation model used
The shadowing margin and the indoor loss (if selected)
The distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
You can change the following options at the top of the Profile view:
Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list.
Subcell: Select the subcell to be analysed.
6. At the top of the Profile view, you can click one of the following buttons:
: Click the Properties button ( ) to display the Properties dialogue of the selected transmitter.
: Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculations Options dialogue. You can change the following:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Select Signal Level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result Type list.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
: Click the Geographic button ( ) if you want to view the geographic profile between the transmitter and
the receiver. Atoll displays the profile between the transmitter and the receiver with clutter heights. An ellipsoid
indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed. Atoll does not calculate or display signal levels and losses.
: Click the Link Budget button ( ) to display a dialogue with the link budget.
: Click the Detailed Report button ( ) to display a text document with details on the displayed profile
analysis. Detailed reports are only available for the standard propagation model.
: Click the Copy button ( ) to copy the Profile view. You can then paste the contents of the Profile view as
a graphic into a graphic editing or word-processing programme.
: Click the Print button ( ) to print the Profile view.
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You can use the same procedure to study the signal level coverage of several sites by
grouping the transmitters. For information on grouping transmitters, see "Grouping Data
Objects by a Selected Property" on page 89.
If you wish to study only sites by their status, at this step you could group them by status.
City Centre 5m
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City 20 m
County 50 m
State 100 m
Conditions tab: The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to define the signals that will
be considered for each pixel (see Figure 8.16).
At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered. You can click the down
arrow button and select Subcell C Threshold to use the reception threshold specified for each subcell (includ-
ing the defined power reduction) as the lower end of the signal level range or Global C Threshold to enter a
threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the signal level range.
In Figure 8.16, a Global C Threshold less than or equal to -105 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers.
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probabil-
ity.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select which TRX type to consider by selecting it from the Reception from Subcells list.
Display tab: You can modify how the results of the coverage prediction will be displayed.
Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals."
Under Field, select "Best signal level." Selecting "All" or "Best signal level" on the Conditions tab will give you
the same results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best signal level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display properties,
see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can create tip text with information about the coverage prediction by clicking the Browse button ( )
next to the Tip Text box and selecting the fields you want to display in the tip text.
You can select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed value intervals to the legend.
If you change the display properties of a coverage prediction after you have calculated it,
you may make the coverage prediction invalid. You will then have to recalculate the cover-
age prediction to obtain valid results.
Result Export tab: You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see "Exporting
the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
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8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The signal level
coverage prediction can be found in the Predictions folder in the Network explorer. Atoll automatically locks the results of a
coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction in the Predictions
folder. When you click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll only calculates unlocked coverage predictions ( ).
Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices using
the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main propagation
model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 8.17) and a higher resolution and an extended propagation
model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate higher resolution
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path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower resolution path loss matri-
ces outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Path Loss Matrices" on page 398
"Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 399
"The Calculation Process" on page 402
"Creating a Computation Zone" on page 402
"Setting Transmitters as Active" on page 403
"Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 404
"Analysing a Coverage Prediction" on page 413
"Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 422.
Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matrices
in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. in the case of large radio-planning projects,
embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case of large radio-
planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use of computer
resources.
The path loss matrices are also stored externally in a multi-user environment, when several users are working on the same
radio-planning document and share the path loss matrices. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database and the path
loss matrices are read-only and are stored in a location accessible to all users. When the user changes his radio data and recal-
culates the path loss matrices, the calculated changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matri-
ces are not modified. These will be recalculated by the administrator taking into consideration the changes to radio data made
by all users. For more information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix
A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Predictions tab, under Path Loss Matrix Storage, you can set the location for your private path loss matrices
and the location for the shared path loss matrices:
Private Directory: The Private Directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are loading
path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.
Click the button beside Private Directory ( ) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in the Atoll
document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.
Path loss matrices you calculate locally are not stored in the same directory as shared path
loss matrices. Shared path loss matrices are stored in a read-only directory. In other words,
you can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes you
make will be stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or in a private external folder,
depending on what you have selected in Private Directory.
When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed and not only when you save the Atoll document. In order to
keep consistency between the Atoll document and the stored calculations, you should
save the Atoll document before closing it if you have updated the path loss matrices.
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Shared Directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a data-
base and the common path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you
make will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private Directory. The path
loss matrices in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based on the updated infor-
mation in the database. For more information on shared directories, see the Administrator Manual.
5. Click OK.
Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices before calculating any coverage prediction. If you want, you
can check whether the path loss matrices are valid without creating a coverage prediction.
To check if the path loss matrices are valid:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table.
5. Select one of the following display options:
Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:
Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices are
recalculated.
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
Reason for Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
Tuned: If the Tuned check box has been selected, the initial path loss matrix obtained by the propagation model
has been tuned by the use of real measurement points. See "Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Measurement Data"
on page 205 for more information.
6. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 8.18) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as well as
a summary of the reasons for invalidity.
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Group of Transmitters" on page 400, this is the propagation model that will be used.
The propagation model assigned to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters will always have precedence
over any other assigned propagation model.
2. If you have assigned a propagation model globally to all transmitters, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation Model
to All Transmitters" on page 400, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters, except for those
to which you will assign a propagation model either individually or as part of a group.
3. If you have assigned a default propagation model for coverage predictions, as described in "Assigning a Default Prop-
agation Model for Coverage Predictions" on page 402, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmit-
ters whose main propagation model is "(Default model)." If a transmitter has any other propagation model chosen as
the main propagation model, that is the propagation model that will be used.
In this section, the following methods of assigning a propagation model are explained:
"Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters" on page 400
"Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters" on page 400
"Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 401
"Assigning a Default Propagation Model for Coverage Predictions" on page 402.
If you are modelling multi-band transmitters, you can assign a different propagation model
to each frequency band. For more information, see "Advanced Modelling of Multi-Band
Transmitters" on page 613.
Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings. In
Atoll, you can assign the same propagation model to several transmitters by first grouping them by their common parameters
and then assigning the propagation model.
To define a main and extended propagation model for a defined group of transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select from the Group By submenu of the context menu the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.
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You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 90.
3. Right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button ( ) in the
Table toolbar to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up
button ( ) in the Table toolbar. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see
"Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
If you have added a single transmitter, you can assign it a propagation model. You can also assign a propagation model to a
single transmitter after you have assigned a main and extended propagation model globally or to a group of transmitters.
When you assign a main and extended propagation model to a single transmitter, it overrides any changes you have previously
made globally. The propagation model settings apply to all the subcells on the same transmitter. For example, if the BCCH is
a 900 MHz subcell, the same propagation model is also assigned to a TCH_INNER 1800 MHz subcell. By defining a multi-band
transmitter, you can assign propagation model-related settings that are optimised to the frequency band of each subcell when
more than one frequency band is used on a transmitter. For more information on multi-band transmitters, see "Advanced
Modelling of Multi-Band Transmitters" on page 613.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Propagation tab.
6. Under Main Matrix:
Select a Propagation Model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. If desired, under Extended Matrix:
Select a Propagation Model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
8. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for the selected transmitter.
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You can assign a default propagation model for coverage predictions. This propagation model is used as for all transmitters
whose main propagation model is "(Default model)."
To assign a default propagation model for coverage predictions:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Predictions tab.
5. Select a Default Propagation Model from the list.
6. Enter a Default Resolution. When you create a new coverage prediction, the default resolution is the value you enter
here.
By making the necessary entry in the atoll.ini file, if you clear the value entered in the
Resolution box when you create a coverage prediction, Atoll will calculate the coverage
prediction using the currently defined default resolution. That way, if you have many
coverage predictions, you can change their resolution by changing the default resolution
and recalculating the coverage predictions. Atoll will then calculate them using the
updated resolution. For information on changing entries in the atoll.ini file, see the
Administrator Manual.
7. Click OK. The selected propagation model will be used for coverage predictions for all transmitters whose main prop-
agation model is "(Default model)."
You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button
( ) in the toolbar.
When you click the Force Calculation button ( ) instead of the Calculate button,
Atoll calculates all path loss matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simula-
tions.
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Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and selecting
Use As > Computation Zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing computation zone with any
existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the explorer window and selecting Add To > Computation Zone
from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computation Zone in
the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit Zone to
Map Window from the context menu.
Once you have created a computation zone, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information on the
polygon editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 57.
You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document,
in the following ways:
Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on saving
the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration"
on page 101.
Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by right-
clicking the Computation Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the
context menu.
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To set all transmitters as active, right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
To set a group of transmitters as active, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder and right-
click the group of transmitters you want to set as active. The context menu appears.
For information on grouping data objects, see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 89.
3. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters table:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Open Table. The Transmitters table appears with each transmitters parameters in a second row.
4. For each transmitter that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set transmitters as active using a zone:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of Zones folder to expand the folder.
3. Right-click the folder of the zone you will use to select the transmitters. The context menu appears.
If you do not yet have a zone containing the transmitters you want to set as active, you can
draw a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 54.
4. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
Once you have ensured that all transmitters are active, you can set the propagation model parameters. For information on
choosing and configuring a propagation model, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
Calculating path loss matrices can be extremely time and resource intensive when you are working on larger projects. Conse-
quently, Atoll offers you the possibility of distributing path loss calculations on several computers. You can install the Atoll
computing server application on other workstations or on servers. Once the computing server application is installed on a
workstation or server, the computer is available for distributed path loss calculation to other computers on the network. For
information on distributed calculations, see the Administrator Manual.
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OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 8.20).
You can also display the best idle mode reselection criterion (C2) by selecting "Best C2" on
the Display tab. This allows you to compare the coverage in idle mode with the coverage
in dedicated mode. For more information on coverage predictions in idle mode, See
"Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter Based on the Best Idle Mode Reselection
Criterion (C2)" on page 410.
When you base a coverage prediction by transmitter on the best signal level, Atoll will consider the best signal level on each
pixel. A coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best signal level is more suitable for a network that does not have
HCS layers. If the network has HCS layers, a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best signal level can give mislead-
ing results as the best signal on any pixel will usually be on a macro layer, although not all users will necessarily connect to it.
To make a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best signal level:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Transmitter and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter to select which
sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the Network explorer by one or more char-
acteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted by clicking the Sort button. For infor-
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mation on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping, see "Advanced Grouping" on
page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 8.21). On the Conditions tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered. You can click the dow arrow
button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C Threshold: to use the reception threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power
reduction) as the lower end of the signal level range.
Global C Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the signal level range.
In Figure 8.21, a Global C Threshold less than or equal to -105 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "Best Signal Level" to take the best signal level from all servers on all layers into consideration
(for more information, see "Comparing Service Areas in Calculations" on page 596).
Enter a hand-over margin in the With a Margin text box. The default value is "4 dB."
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select which TRX type to consider by selecting it from the Reception from Subcells list.
When creating a coverage prediction by discrete values, you can not export the values per
pixel.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
You can also predict which server is the second best server on each pixel by selecting
"Second Best Signal Level" on the Conditions tab and selecting "Discrete Values" as the
Display Type and "Transmitter" as the Field on the Display tab.
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Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter Based on the Best Signal Level by HCS Layer
When you base a coverage prediction by transmitter on the best signal level by HCS layer, Atoll will consider the best signal
level by HCS layer on each pixel. Grouping the results by HCS layer will allow you to quickly select which HCS layer is displayed.
To make a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best signal level per HCS layer:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Transmitter and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter to select which
sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the Network explorer by one or more char-
acteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted by clicking the Sort button. For infor-
mation on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping, see "Advanced Grouping" on
page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
Under Display configuration on the General tab, click the Group By button. The Group dialogue appears.
Select "HCS Layers" in the Available Fields list and click to move it to the Group these fields in this order list.
Click OK to close the Group dialogue.
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 8.21). On the Conditions tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered. You can click the down
arrow button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C Threshold: to use the reception threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power
reduction) as the lower end of the signal level range.
Global C Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the signal level range.
In Figure 8.21, a Global C Threshold less than or equal to -105 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "Best Signal Level per HCS Layer" to take the best signal level from all servers on each HCS
layer into consideration (for more information, see "Comparing Service Areas in Calculations" on page 596).
Enter a hand-over margin in the With a Margin text box. The default value is "4 dB."
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select which TRX type to consider by selecting it from the Reception from Subcells list.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a coverage prediction by transmitter, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. Each coverage zone will then be displayed with the same colour as that defined for each transmit-
ter. For information on defining transmitter colours, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
When creating a coverage prediction by discrete values, you can not export the values per
pixel.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. You can select which
HCS layer to display by clicking the Expand button ( ) to expand the coverage prediction in the Predictions folder and the
selecting only the visibility check box of the HCS layer you want to display.
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You can also predict which server is the second best server per HCS layer on each pixel by
selecting "Second Best Signal Level per HCS Layer" on the Conditions tab and selecting
"Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Transmitter" as the Field on the Display tab.
When you base a coverage prediction by transmitter on HCS servers, Atoll will consider the best signal level by HCS layer on
each pixel, assuming the cell edge of each layer is defined by the HCS threshold.
To make a coverage prediction by transmitter on HCS servers:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Transmitter and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter to select which
sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the Network explorer by one or more char-
acteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted by clicking the Sort button. For infor-
mation on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping, see "Advanced Grouping" on
page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 8.21). On the Conditions tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered. You can click the down
arrow button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C Threshold: to use the reception threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power
reduction) as the lower end of the signal level range.
Global C Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the signal level range.
In Figure 8.21, a Global C Threshold less than or equal to -105 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "HCS servers" to take the best signal level by HCS layer on each pixel into consideration,
assuming this signal level on each layer exceeds the minimum HCS threshold defined either at the HCS layer level
or specifically for each transmitter (for more information, see "Comparing Service Areas in Calculations" on
page 596).
Enter a HO margin in the With a Margin text box. The default value is "4 dB."
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select which TRX type to consider by selecting it from the Reception from Subcells list.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a coverage prediction by transmitter, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. Each coverage zone will then be displayed with the same colour as that defined for each transmit-
ter. For information on defining transmitter colours, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
When creating a coverage prediction by discrete values, you can not export the values per
pixel.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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When you base a coverage prediction by transmitter for highest priority HCS servers, Atoll will consider the best signal level
of the highest priority on each pixel, assuming priority is a combination of the priority field and the minimum threshold per
HCS layer.
To make a coverage prediction by transmitter for highest priority HCS servers:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Transmitter and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter to select which
sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the Network explorer by one or more char-
acteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted by clicking the Sort button. For infor-
mation on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping, see "Advanced Grouping" on
page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 8.21). On the Conditions tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered. You can click the down
arrow button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C Threshold: to use the reception threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power
reduction) as the lower end of the signal level range.
Global C Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the signal level range.
In Figure 8.21, a Global C Threshold less than or equal to -105 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "Highest priority HCS server" to take the best signal level of all the severs on the highest pri-
ority HCS layer into consideration, assuming the priority of the layer is defined by its priority field and its signal
level exceeds the minimum HCS threshold defined either at the HCS layer level or specifically for each transmitter
(for more information, see "Comparing Service Areas in Calculations" on page 596).
Enter a hand-over margin in the With a Margin text box. The default value is "4 dB."
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select which TRX type to consider by selecting it from the Reception from Subcells list.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a coverage prediction by transmitter, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. Each coverage zone will then be displayed with the same colour as that defined for each transmit-
ter. For information on defining transmitter colours, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
When creating a coverage prediction by discrete values, you can not export the values per
pixel.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter Based on the Best Idle Mode Reselection Criterion (C2)
When you base a coverage prediction by transmitter on the best C2, Atoll will consider the best signal level in idle mode. Such
type of coverage can be used:
to compare idle and dedicated mode best servers for voice traffic
to display the GPRS/EDGE best server (based on the GSM idle mode)
The path loss criterion C1 used for cell selection and reselection is defined by:
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Figure 8.22: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by transmitter based on Best C2
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When creating a coverage prediction by discrete values, you can not export the values per
pixel.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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By changing the parameters selected on the Conditions tab and by selecting different
results to be displayed on the Display tab, you can calculate and display information other
than that which has been explained in the preceding sections.
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1. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
2. Select Reception ( ) from the list at the top of the Point Analysis window. (see Figure 8.25).
The predicted signal level from different transmitters is reported in the Reception view in the form of a bar chart, from
the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom. Each bar is displayed in the colour of
the transmitter it represents. In the map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the
colour of the transmitters they represent. The best server of the pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer
receives the highest signal level. If you let the pointer rest, the signal level received from the corresponding transmit-
ter at the pointer location is displayed in the tip text.
At the top of the Reception view, you can select the Subcell and the HCS Layer to be analysed. If you select nothing
from the HCS Layer list, the signals from all HCS layers will be studied.
3. At the top of the Reception view, you can click one of the following buttons:
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: Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculations Options dialogue. You can change the following:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
: Click the Copy button ( ) to copy the Reception view. You can then paste the contents of the Reception
view as a graphic into a graphic editing or word-processing programme.
: Click the Print button ( ) to print the Reception view.
You can also select the Results window ( ) to get more information. The Results window displays the current position and
height of the receiver, the clutter class it is situated on, and for each transmitter its BCCH signal level, the BCCH C/I, the most
interfered mobile station allocation (TRX, MAL or MAL-MAIO depending on the hopping mode) and its corresponding C/I.
8.2.10.7.4 Creating a Focus Zone or Hot Spot for a Coverage Prediction Report
The focus and hot spots define an area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. While you can only
have one focus zone, you can define several hot spots in addition to the focus zone. Focus and hot spots are taken into account
whether or not they are visible.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus and hot spots. The computation zone defines the area
where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, etc., while the focus and hot spots are the areas taken into
consideration when generating reports and results. When you create a coverage prediction report, it gives the results for the
focus zone and for each of the defined hot spots.
To define a focus zone or hot spot:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Focus Zone or Hot Spots folder, depending on whether you want to create a focus zone or a hot spot.
The context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select one of the following:
Draw Polygon
i. Click once on the map to start drawing the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the focus zone or hot spot changes
direction.
iii. Click twice to finish drawing and close the focus zone or hot spot.
Draw Rectangle
i. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot. When you release the
mouse, the focus zone or hot spot will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zones visibility
check box in the Zones folder of the Geo explorer, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into account.
You can also create a focus or hot spot as follows:
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus or hot spot by right-clicking it and selecting
Use As > Focus Zone or Use As > Hot Spot from the context menu. You can also combine an existing focus zone or hot
spot with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the explorer window and selecting Add To > Hot
Spot or Add To > Hot Spot from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a focus or hot spot. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus Zone or Hot Spots
folder in the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot spots, you can import
the name given to each zone as well.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a focus or hot spot the size of the map window by selecting Fit Zone to Map
Window from the context menu.
Once you have created a focus or hot spot, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information on the
polygon editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 57.
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You can save the focus zone or hot spots, so that you can use it in a different Atoll docu-
ment, in the following ways:
Saving the focus zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the
focus zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on
page 101.
Exporting the focus zone or hot spots: You can export the focus zone or hot spots
by right-clicking the Focus Zone or the Hot Spots folder in the Geo explorer and
selecting Export from the context menu.
You can include population statistics in the focus or hot spot by importing a population
map. For information on importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File"
on page 137.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Save button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
6. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed dia-
logue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report is based on the hot spots and on the focus zone if
available or on the hot spots and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
To display a report on all coverage predictions:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
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3. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:
a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Save button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
5. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed dia-
logue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report shows all displayed coverage predictions in the same
order as in the Predictions folder. The report is based on the focus zone if available or on the calculation zone if there
is no focus zone.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spots by importing a population map. For information on import-
ing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 137. Normally, Atoll takes all geo data into consideration,
whether it is displayed or not. However, for the population statistics to be used in a report, the population map has to be
displayed.
To include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spots:
1. Ensure that the population geo data is visible. For information on displaying geo data, see "Displaying or Hiding
Objects on the Map Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
2. Display the report as explained above.
3. Select Format > Display Columns. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Select the following columns, where "Population" is the name of the folder in the Geo explorer containing the popu-
lation map:
"Population" (Population): The number of inhabitants covered.
"Population" (% Population): The percentage of inhabitants covered.
"Population" (Population [total]: The total number of inhabitants inside the zone.
Atoll saves the names of the columns you select and will automatically select them the next time you create a cover-
age prediction report.
5. Click OK.
If you have created a custom data map with integrable data, the data can be used in prediction reports. The data will be
summed over the coverage area for each item in the report (for example, by transmitter or threshold). The data can be value
data (revenue, number of customers, etc.) or density data (revenue/km, number of customer/km, etc.). Data is considered
as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example, socio-demographic
classes, rain zones, etc. For information on integrable data in custom data maps, see "Integrable Versus Non Integrable Data"
on page 154.
1. Right-click the report and select Export from the context menu or click the Export button ( ) in the Table toolbar.
The Save As dialogue appears.
2. In the Save As dialogue, enter the File name and select the format from the Save as type list:
TXT: To save the report as a text file.
CSV: To save the report as a comma-separated values file.
XLS: To save the report as an Excel spreadsheet.
XML Spreadsheet 2003: To save the report as an XML spreadsheet.
3. Click Save to export the coverage prediction report.
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In this section, there are two examples to explain how you can compare two similar predictions. You can display the results
of the comparison in one of the following ways:
Intersection: This display shows the area where both prediction coverages overlap (for example, pixels covered by
both predictions are displayed in red).
Union: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour and pixels covered by only one
coverage prediction in a different colour (for example, pixels covered by both predictions are red and pixels covered
by only one prediction are blue).
Difference: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour, pixels covered by only
the first prediction with another colour and pixels covered only by the second prediction with a third colour (for
example, pixels covered by both predictions are red, pixels covered only by the first prediction are green, and pixels
covered only by the second prediction are blue).
To compare two similar coverage predictions:
1. Create and calculate a coverage prediction of the existing network.
2. Examine the coverage prediction to see where coverage can be improved.
3. Make the changes to the network to improve coverage.
4. Duplicate the original coverage prediction (in order to leave the first coverage prediction unchanged).
5. Calculate the duplicated coverage prediction.
6. Compare the original coverage prediction with the new coverage prediction. Atoll displays differences in coverage
between them.
In this section, the following examples are explained:
"Example 1: Studying the Effect of a New Base Station" on page 419
"Example 2: Studying the Effect of a Change in Transmitter Tilt" on page 421.
If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can verify if a newly added base station improves coverage.
A signal level coverage prediction of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal
Level" on page 404. The results are displayed in Figure 8.27. An area with poor coverage is visible on the right side of the
figure.
A new base station is added, either by creating the site and adding the transmitters, as explained in "Creating a GSM/GPRS/
EDGE Base Station" on page 364, or by placing a station template, as explained in "Placing a New Station Using a Station
Template" on page 377. Once the new site base station been added, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but
then it will be impossible to compare the two predictions. Instead, the original signal level coverage prediction can be copied
by selecting Duplicate from its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show the effect of the new site (see Figure 8.28).
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Figure 8.28: Signal level coverage prediction of network with new base station
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If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can see how modifying transmitter tilt can improve coverage.
A coverage prediction by transmitter of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Trans-
mitter" on page 406. The results are displayed in Figure 8.30. The coverage prediction shows that one transmitter is covering
its area poorly. The area is indicated by a red oval in Figure 8.30.
You can try modifying the tilt on the transmitter to improve the coverage. The properties of the transmitter can be accessed
by right-clicking the transmitter in the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu. The mechanical and elec-
trical tilt of the antenna are defined on the Transmitter tab of the Properties dialogue.
Once the tilt of the antenna has been modified, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it will be impos-
sible to compare the two predictions. Instead, the original coverage prediction by can be copied by selecting Duplicate from
its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show how modifying the antenna tilt has affected coverage (see Figure 8.31).
As you can see, modifying the antenna tilt increased the coverage of the transmitter. However, to see exactly the change in
propagation, you can compare the two predictions.
To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the coverage prediction you want
to compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
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The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their name and reso-
lution.
4. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be displayed.
You can choose among:
Intersection
Union
Difference
In order to see what changes modifying the antenna tilt made, you can choose Union. This will display all pixels
covered by both predictions in one colour and all pixels covered by only one predictions in another colour. The
increase in coverage, seen in only the second coverage prediction, will be immediately clear.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 8.32, shows clearly the increase in coverage due to the
change in antenna tilt.
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Usually, you will allocate neighbours globally during the beginning of a radio planning project. Afterwards, you will allocate
neighbours to base stations or transmitters as you add them. You can automatically allocate neighbours to all the transmitters
in the document, or you can define a group of transmitters either by using a focus zone or by grouping transmitters in the
explorer window and automatically allocate neighbours to the defined group. For information on creating a focus zone, see
"Creating a Focus Zone or Hot Spot for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 415. For information on grouping transmitters
in the explorer window, see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 89.
Atoll supports the following neighbour types in a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network:
Intra-technology neighbours: Intra-technology neighbours are transmitters defined as neighbours that also use GSM/
GPRS/EDGE.
Inter-technology neighbours: Inter-technology neighbours are transmitters defined as neighbours that use a tech-
nology other than GSM/GPRS/EDGE.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Importing Neighbours" on page 423
"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 423
"Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 424
"Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 424
"Checking Automatic Allocation Results" on page 427
"Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Transmitter" on page 431
"Calculating the Importance of Existing Neighbours" on page 433
"Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Plan" on page 434
"Exporting Neighbours" on page 435.
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You can also create exceptional pairs using the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology
Neighbours table. You can open this table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and
selecting Neighbours > Intra-Technology > Exceptional Pairs.
By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance calcula-
tion can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see the Adminis-
trator Manual.
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Min. BCCH Signal Level: Enter the minimum signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and possi-
ble neighbour cell B.
Handover Start: Enter the signal level which indicates the beginning of the handover margin. The handover
start must be outside of the best server area of the reference transmitter (see Figure 8.33).
Handover End: Enter the signal level which indicates the end of the handover margin. The handover end must
exceed the value entered for the Handover Start. The higher the value entered for the Handover End, the
longer the list of potential neighbours (see Figure 8.33). The area between the Handover Start and the Hand-
over End constitutes the area in which Atoll will search for neighbours.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: Select the Indoor Coverage check box if you want to use indoor losses in the calculations.
Handover end
Handover start
candidateB
Best server area
of candidateB
referenceA
Best server area of
referenceA
SA SB
Figure 8.33: The handover area between the reference transmitter and the potential candidate
Take into account: You can define whether Atoll selects potential candidates by whose handover zone shared
with the reference transmitter has the greatest surface area or greatest circuit traffic. The importance of this
parameter can be defined in step 6. Select one of the following options:
Covered Area: If you select Covered Area, Atoll will select the potential candidates whose handover zone
shared with the reference transmitter has the greatest surface area.
Covered Traffic: If you select Covered Traffic, Atoll will select the potential candidates whose handover zone
shared with the reference transmitter covers the most circuit traffic (Erlangs). Atoll considers the traffic maps
used for the default traffic analysis to calculate the covered traffic.
% Min. Covered Area: Enter, in percentage, the amount of covered area or traffic of the reference transmitters
coverage that another transmitter must cover to be considered as a potential candidate. The % Min. Covered Area
is the percentage of the area described by S A S B in Figure 8.33.
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Coverage Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a neighbour being admitted for coverage rea-
sons.
Adjacency Factor: If you have selected the Force adjacent transmitters as neighbours check box in step 5., set the
minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being adjacent to the reference trans-
mitter.
Co-site Factor: If you have selected the Force co-site transmitters as neighbours check box in step 5., set the min-
imum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being located on the same site as reference
transmitter.
7. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating intra-technology neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether
the path loss matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates
them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays new
neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared, the
Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
Transmitter: The name of the reference transmitter.
Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference transmitter.
Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference transmitter can have.
Neighbour: The transmitter that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 6. Neighbours are ranked from
the most to the least important.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour transmitter, as identified in the Neighbour column,
to the reference transmitter, as identified in the Transmitter column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and
in square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference transmitter, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour
transmitter is best server or second best server.
8. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a transmitter. You can use many of Atolls table
shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables"
on page 69.
At this point you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document.
To compare the proposed and existing neighbour lists:
Click Compare. The list of automatically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared
with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaRe-
port.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type,
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
9. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference transmitters.
Neighbours are listed in the Intra-Technology Neighbours tab of each transmitters Properties dialogue.
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A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour rela-
tion already exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when
you start the new allocation. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event
Viewer indicating that the constraint on the forbidden neighbour will be ignored
by the algorithm because the neighbour already exists.
When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll
considers the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to
respect symmetry. On the other hand, if the neighbour relation is forced in one
direction and forbidden in the other one, symmetry cannot be respected. In this
case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event Viewer.
By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance
calculation can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see
the Administrator Manual.
You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration.
For information on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user
configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
Atoll also enables you to automatically allocate neighbours to a single base station or transmitter:
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station" on page 427
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Transmitter" on page 427.
1. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
2. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Edit Relations on the Map dialogue appears.
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4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Links check box.
5. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
6. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a transmitter with a
unique colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the transmitters neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours table, or
according to the neighbour cell type, the neighbour HCS layer, or the neighbour frequency band.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the transmitters neighbour links according the value interval of
the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a transmitters neighbours according
to their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the weighting
factors.
You can display the number of handoff attempts for each transmitter-neighbour pair by
first creating a new field of Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for
the number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the
new column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as
the Display Type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to
an Object Types Data Table" on page 71.
Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you can
display or hide neighbour link display types individually.
For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
7. Select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.
8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
9. Click OK to save your settings.
10. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Outwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations where
the selected transmitter is the reference transmitter and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Inwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations where the
selected transmitter is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Symmetric Links: Select the Symmetric Links check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric between
the selected cell and the neighbour.
11. Click OK to save your settings.
12. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
13. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
14. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
15. Select a transmitter to show its neighbour links:
In the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer: Select the transmitter in the Transmitters folder. The
selected transmitter is centred in the map and all its neighbours are indicated. Atoll displays the selected trans-
mitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
On the map: Select the transmitter on the map. The neighbours of the selected transmitter are displayed on the
map. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a
context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
Atoll displays the selected transmitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
In the Neighbours table: Select the transmitter-neighbour relation you want to display by clicking in the left
margin of the table row to select the entire row. The selected transmitter is centred in the map with the selected
transmitter-neighbour relation (see Figure 8.34). The selected transmitter is also displayed in the Transmitters
folder of the Network explorer.
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Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 8.35) on the selected transmitter:
The symmetric neighbour relations of the selected (reference) transmitter are indicated by a line.
The outward neighbour relations are indicated by a line with an arrow pointing to the neighbour (e.g., see
Site1_2(0) in Figure 8.35.).
The inward neighbour relations are indicated by a line with an arrow pointing to the selected transmitter (e.g.,
see Site9_3(0) in Figure 8.35.).
In Figure 8.35, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetric and outward
neighbour links have the same colour of the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link has
the same colour as the reference transmitter because it is a neighbour of Site9_3(0).
In Figure 8.36, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour frequency band. You can view 900-900 and
900-1800 neighbour links. Here, all neighbour relations are symmetric.
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You can use the same procedure to display either forced neighbours or forbidden neigh-
bours by clicking the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the
Radio Planning toolbar and selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
2. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Edit Relations on the Map dialogue appears.
4. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Coverage Areas check box.
5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Coverage Areas check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
7. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage areas of a transmitters
neighbours with a unique colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the coverage areas of a transmitters neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology Neigh-
bours table.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the coverage areas of a transmitters neighbours according the
value interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a transmitters
neighbours according to their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as deter-
mined by the weighting factors.
8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each coverage area.
9. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
10. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a transmitter will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
11. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
12. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one transmitter
with the same azimuth on the site, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to
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select the transmitter you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
13. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the
Radio Planning toolbar.
Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Intra-Technology Neighbours Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete GSM/GPRS/EDGE neighbours using the Intra-Technology Neighbours tab of the transmitters Properties
dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Intra-Technology Neighbours tab.
4. If desired, you can enter the maximum number of neighbours in the Max Number of Neighbours text box.
5. To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list can now be edited.
b. Under List, select the transmitter from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon
( ).
c. Click elsewhere in the table to complete creating the new neighbour.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Source to "manual," and sets the Importance to "1."
6. To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list can now be edited.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
d. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the transmitter in
the Neighbour column and the transmitter in the Transmitter column.
7. To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list can now be edited.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
d. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation between
the transmitter in the Neighbour column and the transmitter in the Transmitter column is deleted.
8. To delete a neighbour:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list can now be edited.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
9. Click OK.
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3. Select Neighbours > Intra-technology > Open Table from the context menu. The Neighbours table appears.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
4. To allocate a neighbour:
a. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference transmitter in the Transmitter column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
c. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Source to "manual," and sets the Importance to "1."
5. To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the transmitter in
the Neighbour column and the transmitter in the Transmitter column.
6. To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
a. Click in the left margin of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select con-
tiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows
by pressing CTRL and clicking each row separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
7. To take all exceptional pairs into consideration:
a. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.
You can add or delete some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using the
Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table, select
the exceptional pairs, right-click the table and select Force Exceptional Pairs from the
context menu.
You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse.
To add or remove intra-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neighbours
on the map as explained in "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 427.
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When there is more than one transmitter with the same azimuth on a site, clicking
the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select
the transmitter you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking
the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio
Planning toolbar and selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neigh-
bours.
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Take into account the co-site factor: Select the Take into account the co-site factor check box to verify that neigh-
bours are located on the same site as their reference cell when calculating importance.
6. Coverage Conditions: Under Coverage Conditions, you can set the coverage conditions between neighbours and their
reference cells. Clicking Define opens the Coverage Conditions dialogue. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you
can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neighbour
allocation.
Min. BCCH Signal Level: Enter the minimum signal level which must be provided by the reference transmitter and
the neighbour.
Handover Start: Enter the signal level which indicates the beginning of the handover margin. The handover start
must be outside of the best server area of the reference transmitter (see Figure 8.33).
Handover End: Enter the signal level which indicates the end of the handover margin. The handover end must
exceed the value entered for the Handover Start (see Figure 8.33). The higher the value entered for the Handover
End, the longer the list of potential neighbours (see Figure 8.33). The area between the Handover Start and the
Handover End constitutes the area in which Atoll will search for neighbours.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
7. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
8. Under Coverage Conditions, you can select whether Atoll defines the importance of neighbours by the size of the
handover zone shared with the reference transmitter or by the amount of circuit traffic. Select one of the following
options:
Covered Area: If you select Covered Area, Atoll defines importance according to the size of the handover zone
shared with the reference transmitter
Covered Traffic: If you select Covered Traffic, Atoll defines importance according to the amount of circuit traf-
fic (in Erlangs).
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
9. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information.
Transmitter: The name of the reference transmitter.
Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 4.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated value in the Importance column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Coverage: The amount of reference transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and
in square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference transmitter, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour
transmitter is best server or second best server.
Distance: The distance in kilometres between the reference cell and the neighbour.
10. Click Commit. The importance values and the reasons for allocation are committed in the Neighbours table.
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Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |TRANSMITTER| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |TRANSMITTER| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |TRANSMITTER| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |TRANSMITTER| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan that are
located at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |TRANSMITTER| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
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8.3.1 Importing OMC Traffic Data into the Subcells Table: Traffic
Data
As explained in "Subcell Definition" on page 369, subcell data is displayed in three subcell tables: Standard Data, Traffic Data,
and AFP Data. The data in the Subcells Table: Traffic Data can be used for a variety of different purposes in Atoll:
For dimensioning purposes
To calculate quality indicators
For the AFP
To evaluate and allocate neighbours
In interference predictions.
You can use OMC traffic data as a source of accurate traffic data and import it into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data. The first
step in using OMC traffic data is ensuring that the data is available in a form usable by Atoll. Normally, OMC traffic data is
measured in kbits instead of timeslots.
The major drawback of this method is the fact that, in many cases, the packet-switched OMC traffic demand is available in
kbits instead of timeslot units. In order to correctly translate Kbits into timeslots, you must create traffic maps as described in
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the sections below. The traffic capture will analyse the radio conditions at each point, defining the coding schemes, modula-
tion, and bit rates, in order to calculate how many timeslots are required for a given demands of kbits.
It is very common to use traffic maps based on OMC data per transmitter for the purpose
of retrieving interference matrices based on traffic. The best method of working with an
AFP is to use the OMC data of the subcells table and to generate interference matrices
based on clutter weighting as explained in "Calculating an Interference Matrix Based on
Clutter Weighting" on page 470.
Once the data has been converted into timeslots, you can import it into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data.
To import OMC traffic data into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Subcells > Subcells Table: Traffic Data from the context menu. The Subcells Table: Traffic Data opens.
After modifying the available OMC data to change it from served traffic to traffic demand, you can import the following data
into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data:
Voice demand in Erlangs
Packet-switched demand in timeslots
Half-rate traffic ratio.
For more information on working with data tables in Atoll, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
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page 441, "Importing a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on page 443, and "Creating a User Profile Envi-
ronment Based Traffic Map" on page 443.
User density traffic maps (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data, or 2G net-
work statistics.
Each pixel has a user density assigned. The value either includes all activity statuses, or it corresponds to a particular
activity status. For more information, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 444, "Creating a User
Density Traffic Map" on page 445, "Converting 2G Network Traffic" on page 445 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on
page 446.
You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from an other Atoll docu-
ment.
6. Select a coverage prediction by transmitter from the list of available coverage predictions by transmitter.
7. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select the name of the transmitter from the TX_ID list.
8. For the transmitter in the TX_ID column, enter for each service in the appropriate column:
For circuit services (voice), enter a value in Erlangs.
For packet services (maximum bit rate), enter the minimum throughput in Kbps.
For packet services (constant bit rate, such as VoIP), enter a value in Erlangs. Erlangs are internally transformed
into Kbps by multiplying the value by the service-guaranteed bit rate per user.
You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and select-
ing Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
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You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user might be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but no
web browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and web
browsing.
To create a user profile:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.
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You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile
in the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.
Duration: For circuit-switched services and constant bit rate packet-switched services, enter the average duration
of a call in seconds. For packet-switched services, this field is left blank.
DL Volume: For max bit rate packet-switched services, enter the average downlink volume per session in kilo-
bytes.
Modelling Environments
An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given
density (i.e., the number of subscribers with the same profile per km). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can assign
a weight to each clutter class for each environment class.
To create or modify a GSM/GPRS/EDGE environment:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the environ-
ment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
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9. For each clutter class, enter a weight that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area --------------------------
Wi Si
i
where:
For example: An area of 10 km with a subscriber density of 100/km. Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 subscrib-
ers. The area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Build-
ing is "4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 443.
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When you import user profile or mobility information from the file, the values in the file
must be exactly the same as the corresponding names in the Traffic Parameters folder in
the Parameters explorer. If the imported user profile or mobility does not match, Atoll
will display a warning.
12. Under Clutter Distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area --------------------------
Wi Si
i
where:
Nk = Number of users in the clutter k
N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 443.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, JPEG 2000, BIL,
IST, BMP, PlaNET, GRC Vertical Mapper, or Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps Properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the Code
column.
12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under Traffic Parameters in the Parame-
ters explorer. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 440.
13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects" on
page 43.
7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.
8. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.
9. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 443.
6. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET, TIF, JPEG 2000, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
7. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
8. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
9. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps Properties dialogue appears.
10. Select the Traffic tab.
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11. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
12. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
13. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentages must equal 100.
14. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
16. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e., the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.
17. Right-click the traffic map in the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
18. Select Edit from the context menu to end editing.
8.3.3.3.3 Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps
You can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps. User density traffic maps created from sector traffic maps
extract and display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account any clutter
weighting defined for the sector traffic maps.
To create user density traffic maps from a sector traffic map:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map from which you want to create user density traffic maps. The context menu appears.
4. Select Create Density Maps from the context menu.
Atoll creates as many user density traffic maps as the number of services present in the sector traffic map. The user
density map files use the resolution of the coverage prediction used for the sector traffic map and are embedded in
the document.
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For more information on how to export cumulated traffic, see "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 446, and for information
on importing traffic maps per user density, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 444.
To import a 2G traffic map into a GSM/GPRS/EDGE document:
1. Create a sector traffic map in your 2G document for each type of service, i.e., one map for packet-switched and one
for circuit-switched services. For more information on creating live data traffic maps, see "Creating a Sector Traffic
Map" on page 438.
2. Export the cumulated traffic of the maps created in step 1. For information on exporting cumulated traffic, see
"Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 446.
3. Import the traffic exported in step 2 to your GSM/GPRS/EDGE document as a user density traffic map. For more infor-
mation on importing user density traffic maps, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 444.
You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.
8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
Service: Select the service that will be exported, select "Circuit services" to export traffic using any circuit service,
or select "Packet services" to export traffic using any packet service.
Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the cumulated
traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.
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The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic maps.
For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of subscribers (for
environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for sector traffic maps). For information on using
the global scaling factor, see "Estimating a Traffic Increase" on page 449.
Select Traffic Maps to Be Used: Each available traffic map in the project can be used for the current traffic capture
by assigning its traffic to all HCS layers (default mode) or by restricting its spread to a specific HCS layer. In order
to make the traffic capture, you must select at least one traffic map and assign its traffic to a single HCS layer or
to all.
Assigning traffic to all HCS layers means that for a given traffic map, its traffic will overflow from lowest to highest
priority layers as explained in "Subcell Definition" on page 369 and in Figure 8.7 on page 373. If the traffic of a map
is assigned to a specific layer, its traffic is only captured on that layer and the traffic only overflows within concen-
tric cells.
You can select traffic maps of any type. However, if you have several different types of traffic maps and want to
make a traffic capture on a specific type of traffic map, you must ensure that you select only traffic maps of the
same type. For information on the types of traffic maps, see "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 437.
6. Click the Conditions tab. The parameters on the Conditions tab define how the service zone for each transmitter and
the number of timeslots for circuit and packet services will be calculated.
7. Under Coverage Conditions, set the following parameters to define how the service area of each transmitter will be
calculated:
Under Server, select "HCS servers" to take the best signal level by HCS layer on each pixel into consideration,
assuming this signal level on each layer exceeds the minimum HCS threshold defined either at the HCS layer level
or specifically for each transmitter (for more information, see "Comparing Service Areas in Calculations" on
page 596).
Enter a hand-over margin in the With a Margin text box. The default value is "4 dB."
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Shadowing margins (depending on the entered cell edge coverage probability and the model standard deviation
per clutter class) are applied to the values for C.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
If shadowing is taken into account, the CI standard deviation per clutter class is used to
estimate the shadowing losses on the calculated CI values.
8. Under GPRS/EDGE, you can set the parameters to define how the number of timeslots for circuit and packet services
will be calculated. Select one of the following to define how the calculations in the traffic capture are going to be
made:
Select Calculations Based on C if you want to base the traffic capture on CN. Continue to step 14.
Select Calculations Based on CI and continue with the following step.
9. Select the DTX taken into account check box and enter the percentage of time during which a user is talking in the
Voice Activity Factor text box, if you want discontinuous transmission mode for TRXs which support it taken into
account.
10. From the Interference Sources list, select whether the interference should be calculated from adjacent channels, co-
channels, or from both. The adjacent channel effect on the victim channel, i.e., the interference, is decreased by the
adjacent channel protection level.
You can even select interference coming from an external project using another technology. For more information,
see "Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 806.
Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can also be optionally taken into account in the total inter-
ference. This option requires activation through changes in the database. For more information, contact support.
11. Select the Traffic Load that will be used to calculate interference:
100%: The maximum traffic load (subcells entirely loaded).
From subcell table: The subcell traffic load as user-defined or as calculated during dimensioning.
12. Select the Ideal Link Adaptation check box if you want the coding scheme that offers the highest throughput for a
given C or CI to be selected. Otherwise, Atoll will choose the coding scheme by considering only the coding scheme
admission threshold in terms of C and/or CI.
13. Select the Thermal Noise Taken into Account check box if you want Atoll to consider thermal noise.
14. Click Calculate.
After the traffic capture has been completed, two new tabs appear on the traffic capture Properties dialogue with the
results. For a detailed explanation of the results, see "GSM/GPRS/EDGE Traffic Capture Results" on page 449.
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The traffic capture results provide traffic per transmitter. You can retrieve the amount of
traffic (Erlangs for circuit services, Kbps for max bit rate packet services) defined in the
input traffic map in output as follows:
1. Create a sector traffic map per HCS layer (see "Creating a Sector Traffic Map" on
page 438) based on a best server coverage prediction (HCS server option with
0 dB HO margin). As a result, you will have as many sector traffic maps as the
number of HCS layers.
2. Create a traffic capture (HCS server option with 0 dB HO margin) where the traffic
of each map is assigned to its respective layer (see "Creating a Traffic Capture" on
page 447).
As a result, each transmitter will have the same amount of traffic (Erlangs for circuit
services, Kbps for max bit rate packet services) as the transmitter in the selected traffic
maps used for input. Constant bit rate services cannot be treated in the same way since
their input traffic is stated in Erlangs whereas the corresponding demand is evaluated in
Kbps as with any other packet-switched service.
For more information on how the results are calculated and on the formulas used, see the Technical Reference Guide.
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In GPRS and EDGE, the term "system load" refers to the ratio of the number of used packet
timeslots to the number of packet switching (shared and dedicated) timeslots available in
the system.
Max. Delay: Select the Max. Delay check box if you want to take delay into account when performing dimen-
sioning.
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The delay is the average delay the packet will undergo due to blocking as it waits its turn to be transmitted
when resources are available.
The delay can be restricted to an allowed maximum in the properties of the service.
If the dimensioning model takes into account all three KPIs, the following conditions are
satisfied when the number of TRXs to add for packet service is calculated:
The throughput must be greater than the minimum throughput (or the guaranteed
bit rate for constant bit rate packet-switched services) even if a reduction factor is
applied to the throughput.
The delay and the blocking rate must be lower than the maximum delay and max-
imum blocking rate, respectively.
4. Click the Quality Charts tab. The Quality Charts tab displays the throughput reduction factor, delay, and blocking
probability graphs used for dimensioning packet switched traffic. The graphs are calculated as a function of the system
load, which is defined as the ratio of the number of used packet timeslots to the number of packet switching (shared
and dedicated) timeslots available in the system.
You can modify or replace the quality graphs with graphs generating using a third-party simulator.
If the quality graphs are modified incorrectly, the dimensioning and quality analysis
results that are based on the quality graphs will also be incorrect.
For the moment, Atoll does not provide a default delay graph; if desired, you can
enter your own values.
The blocking rate graph is based on a user multiplexing factor of 8. The user multi-
plexing factor corresponds to the number of timeslots on a GSM/GPRS/EDGE
frame.
5. Click OK.
If you have modified the traffic map, traffic parameters, or transmitter properties (e.g.,
calculation area, coding scheme configuration, etc.), since creating the traffic capture, you
must recalculate the traffic capture before dimensioning.
A dimensioning model (for information on creating a or modifying a dimensioning model, see "Defining a GSM/GPRS/
EDGE Dimensioning Model" on page 450).
To dimension a GSM/GPRS/EDGE network:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Traffic > Dimensioning from the context menu. The Dimensioning/KPIs dialogue appears (see Figure 8.39).
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4. Under Dimensioning parameters, select the dimensioning model from the Model list.
5. Under Traffic (circuit and packet demand), select whether the dimensioning is to be based on the traffic demand com-
puted in the default traffic capture of from the current values (circuit and packet demands) in the subcells table.
If you selected "From subcell table," you will define the following additional parameters:
Specify the minimum throughput reduction factor that can be accepted in the network. When calculating a
traffic capture, this parameter is evaluated (but not displayed) during the calculation. The minimum through-
put reduction factor models the fact that at the user level, the user throughput can be reduced due to how
much it will be multiplexed with other users. In other words, this parameter will be affected by the traffic load
which is a consequence of the dimensioning.
Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages
must equal 100.
Under Circuit Services (%), enter the percentage of each type of circuit service used in the map. The total
percentages must equal 100.
Under Packet Services (%), enter the percentage of each type of packet service used in the map (assuming the
packet services consist of max bit rate and constant bit rate packet services). The total percentages must equal
100.
6. Click Calculate to dimension the network.
The output of the dimensioning appears in the Dimensioning dialogue, under Results. Some columns are hidden by
default. You can select which columns to display by clicking the Displayed Columns button and selecting or clearing
the check box of the columns. The following results are given for each transmitter in the Transmitter column:
TRX Type: For each transmitter, the results are given by TRX type (e.g., BCCH, TCH, TCH_EGPRS and TCH_INNER).
Together, the Transmitter and TRX Type columns identify the subcell.
Initial required number of TRXs: This is the required number of TRXs before dimensioning. For example, this value
might come from the actual number of TRXs or it might be the result of an estimate the number of required TRXs.
Required Number of TRXs: The number of TRXs required to satisfy both the subcell's circuit-switched and packet-
switched traffic, while taking into account the quality of service criterion assigned for each.
The required number of TRXs is the most important result of the dimensioning process. If the number of required
TRXs exceeds the maximum number of TRXs per transmitter, Atoll displays the results for the subcell in red.
Required TRXs to add: The required TRXs to add is the difference between the obtained required number of TRXs
(before the dimensioning process) and the initial required number of TRXs. If the value is positive, it means that
the current dimensioning process has evaluated than more TRXs than the initial estimated value are needed to
absorb the traffic.
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Load (%): The average demand in timeslots (packet and circuit), divided by the total number of timeslots available.
It represents the average occupancy of the TRXs. This parameter is one of the principal results of dimensioning
along with the number of TRXs. It is assigned to subcell pools when committing the results of dimensioning.
Multiplexing Factor: The user or Temporary Block Flow (TBF) multiplexing factor. The multiplexing factor is an
input of the dimensioning process. It corresponds to the number of packet switched service users that can be mul-
tiplexed onto the same timeslot in GPRS and EDGE.
Maximum Number of TRXs per Transmitter: The maximum number of TRXs that a transmitter can support is an
input of the dimensioning process. This parameter is provided by the equipment manufacturer. The value can be
set for each transmitter or taken from the dimensioning model for transmitters where this value is not set.
Target Rate of Traffic Overflow (%): This input parameter defines the percentage of traffic that is allowed to over-
flow from one subcell to another in case the traffic assigned to this subcell is greater than the maximum traffic
that it can accommodate. It can be considered an anticipation of the percentage of traffic that will be rejected
from higher priority subcells or layers to lower ones. The value is specified for each subcell.
Half-rate Traffic Ratio (%): This input parameter is defined per subcell and indicates the percentage of subcell
traffic that uses half-rate access.
If the values are different for BCCH and TCH subcells, Atoll will use the values for the target rate of traffic overflow
and the half-rate traffic ratio from the BCCH subcell.
Packet demand (Kbps): The Packet Traffic Demand is the total traffic demand in kilobits per second generated by
packet switched service users within the coverage area of the transmitter. This parameter comes from the traffic
capture or from the Subcells table, depending on the source you chose for the traffic demand. It is assigned to
subcell pools when committing the results of dimensioning.
Packet average demand (Timeslots): The number of timeslots needed to satisfy the packet traffic demand
depends on the maximum throughput that a packet timeslot can support.
Circuit Demand (Erlangs): The Circuit Traffic Demand is the total traffic demand in Erlangs generated by circuit-
switched-service users within the coverage area of the transmitter. This parameter comes from the traffic capture
or from the subcells table, depending on the user selection for the traffic demand source. It is assigned to subcell
pools when committing the results of dimensioning.
Circuit average demand (Timeslots): The Average Demand in Circuit Timeslots is calculated taking into account
the effect of half-rate circuit-switched traffic: two half-rate users are equivalent to one full-rate user.
Served Circuit Traffic (Erlangs): The Served Circuit Traffic is the circuit-switched traffic in Erlangs that the subcell
can potentially serve, if the dimensioning results are applied. The served circuit-switched traffic is circuit traffic
demand less the effective overflowed circuit traffic.
Served Packet Traffic (Kbps): The Served Packet Traffic is the packet-switched traffic in kilobits per second that
the subcell can potentially serve, if the dimensioning results are applied. The served packet-switched traffic is
packet traffic demand less the effective overflowed packet traffic.
Effective Rate of Traffic Overflow (%): The Effective Rate of Traffic Overflow is the actual rate of traffic that is
rejected by the subcell because of a lack of packet timeslots. In a GSM network, the value is the same as the
blocking probability. In a more complex network, this value includes the traffic overflow from all services.
For Erlang B, the effective rate of traffic overflow corresponds to the effective blocking rate. This value is calculat-
ed from the required number of circuit timeslots (both shared and circuit timeslots) and the circuit traffic demand
in Erlang B tables.
For Erlang C, the effective rate of traffic overflow is zero except if the maximum number of TRXs is exceeded. The
effective blocking rate is inferred from the required number of circuit timeslots (both shared and circuit timeslots)
and the circuit traffic demand in Erlang C tables.
Circuit Blocking Rate (/Delay) (%): The Circuit Blocking Rate is the grade of service (GoS) indicator for circuit-
switched traffic. It can be either the rate at which calls are blocked (Erlang B) or delayed (Erlang C), depending on
which queuing model the dimensioning model uses.
Minimum Throughput Reduction Factor (%): The Minimum Throughput Reduction Factor is the lowest
throughput reduction factor that can still guarantee service availability. The Minimum Throughput Reduction
Factor is one of the criteria for packet-switched traffic dimensioning. It is calculated using the parameters defined
for the services: the minimum service throughput (or the guaranteed bit rate for constant bit rate packet-switched
services); the maximum number of timeslots per connection; the required availability; and the per pixel timeslot
capacity of the subcell coverage area. This parameter is calculated when making the traffic capture or is user-
defined, depending on the source of traffic demand on which the dimensioning is based.
Throughput Reduction Factor (%): The Throughput Reduction Factor is calculated from the quality charts using
the packet load and available connections for each subcell. This reduction factor must be greater than the min-
imum throughput reduction factor for packet-switched services for these services to be satisfactorily available in
the subcell.
Maximum Delay (s): The Maximum Delay is the defined delay in seconds that must not be exceeded for the ser-
vice quality to be considered satisfactory.
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Delay (s): The Delay is a key performance indicator (KPI) calculated using the quality graphs, the load, and the
number of connections available. This dimensioning output must not exceed the maximum delay defined for the
service for service availability to be considered satisfactory.
Maximum Packet Blocking Rate (/Delay) (%): The Maximum Packet Blocking Rate is defined for each packet ser-
vice and is the highest probability that the service will be blocked that is acceptable in terms of service availability.
Packet Blocking Rate (Delay) (%): The Packet Blocking Rate is a dimensioning output and must not exceed the
Maximum Packet Blocking Rate defined for the service for service availability to be considered satisfactory.
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You can also modify the properties of a frequency band using its Properties dialogue. You
can open the frequency band Properties dialogue by double-clicking the left margin of the
row with the frequency band. The frequency band Properties dialogue has a General tab
which allows you to modify the properties described above, a Frequency Domains tab
which indicates the frequency domains that belong to the frequency band, and, if user-
defined fields have been added to the Frequency Bands table, an Other Properties tab.
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The absolute radio frequency channel numbers are determined in Atoll with the following equation:
ARFCN of X = First Channel Number + (Channel Frequency of X - First Channel Frequency)/200 kHz
7. Select the row containing the frequency domain and click the Properties button ( ) in the Table toolbar. The fre-
quency domains Properties dialogue appears.
In the frequency domains Properties dialogue, you can modify the properties of the frequency domain and create
frequency groups.
8. Under Groups, in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), enter the following parameters to define a frequency
group (for information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69):
Name: Enter a name for the frequency group, for example, "GSM 1900 domain Group1." This name will appear in
other dialogues when you select a frequency group.
Min.: Enter the number of the first channel in this frequency group.
Max.: Enter the number of the last channel in this frequency group.
Step: Enter the value interval between channels in this frequency group.
Excluded: Enter the channels that you do not want to use in this frequency group. You can enter or paste a list of
channels; the values must be separated with either a comma, or a semi-colon, or a space. You can also enter a
range of channels to be excluded from this group, by entering the first and last channel of the range separated by
a hyphen. For example, entering 520-525 corresponds to entering 520 521 522 523 524 525.
Extra: Enter the additional channels, outside the first and last channels of the group, that you want to use in this
frequency group. You can enter or paste a list of channels; the values must be separated with either a comma, or
a semi-colon, or a space. You can also enter a range of channels to be excluded from this group, by entering the
first and last channel of the range separated by a hyphen. For example, entering 520-525 corresponds to entering
520 521 522 523 524 525.
9. Click OK to close the frequency domains Properties dialogue.
10. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Frequency Domains table.
You can associate frequency groups to frequency domains using the Frequency Groups
table. You can open the Frequency Groups table by expanding the GSM Network Settings
folder in the Parameters explorer, expanding the Frequencies folder, right-clicking Groups
and selecting Open Table from the context menu.
Although each group name in a single frequency domain must be unique, you can use the
same group name in different frequency domains.
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When you import drive test data, you must ensure that the defined BSIC format is the
same as that of the drive test data before you import the data.
7. Select the row containing the BSIC domain and click the Properties button ( ) in the Table toolbar. The BSIC
domains Properties dialogue appears.
In the BSIC domains Properties dialogue, you can modify the properties of the BSIC domain and create BSIC groups.
8. Under Groups, in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), enter the following parameters to define a BSIC group
(for information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69):
When defining the BSIC group, ensure that the entered values are consistent with the
defined BSIC format (see "Defining the BSIC Format" on page 458).
Name: Enter a name for the BSIC group. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a BSIC group.
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You can associate BSIC groups to BSIC domains using the BSIC Groups table. You can open
the BSIC Groups table by expanding the GSM Network Settings folder in the Parameters
explorer, expanding the BSICs folder, right-clicking Groups and selecting Open Table from
the context menu.
Although each group name in a single BSIC domain must be unique, you can use the same
group name in different BSIC domains.
7. Select the row containing the HSN domain and click the Properties button ( ) in the Table toolbar. The HSN
domains Properties dialogue appears.
In the HSN domains Properties dialogue, you can modify the properties of the HSN domain and create HSN groups.
8. Under Groups, in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), enter the following parameters to define a HSN group
(for information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69):
Name: Enter a name for the HSN group. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a HSN group.
Min.: Enter the first HSN in this HSN group.
Max.: Enter the last HSN in this HSN group.
Step: Enter the value interval between HSNs in this HSN group.
Excluded: Enter the HSNs that you do not want to use in this HSN group. You can enter or paste a list of HSNs; the
values must be separated with either a comma, or a semi-colon, or a space. You can also enter a range of HSNs to
be excluded from this group, by entering the first and last HSN of the range separated by a hyphen. For example,
entering 0-5 corresponds to entering 0 1 2 3 4 5.
Extra: Enter the additional HSNs, outside the first and last HSNs of the group, that you want to use in this HSN
group. You can enter or paste a list of HSNs; the values must be separated with either a comma, or a semi-colon,
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or a space. You can also enter a range of HSNs to be excluded from this group, by entering the first and last HSN
of the range separated by a hyphen. For example, entering 0-5 corresponds to entering 0 1 2 3 4 5.
9. Click OK to close the HSN domains Properties dialogue.
10. Click the Close button ( ) to close the HSN Domains table.
You can associate HSN groups to HSN domains using the HSN Groups table. You can open
the HSN Groups table by expanding the GSM Network Settings folder in the Parameters
explorer, expanding the HSNs folder, right-clicking Groups and selecting Open Table from
the context menu.
Although each group name in a single HSN domain must be unique, you can use the same
group name in different HSN domains.
You can also access a transmitters Properties dialogue by right-clicking the transmitter in
the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu.
6. Under Identification, select the BSIC Domain from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the prop-
erties of the selected BSIC domain.
7. Click OK.
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You can also access a transmitters Properties dialogue by right-clicking the transmitter in
the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu.
You can enter a value in the BSIC field, however, it must be a BSIC that is part of the
selected BSIC Domain and in the correct BSIC format (for information on the BSIC format,
see "Defining the BSIC Format" on page 458). As well, you can enter a BSIC in the format
of a NCC-BCC. When you click OK or Apply, Atoll will convert it into the single-digit BSIC
format.
You can also access a transmitters Properties dialogue by right-clicking the transmitter in
the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu.
The frequency domains assigned to the BCCH subcell and to the TCH subcell must refer-
ence the same frequency band. If the transmitter has more than one subcell with the TRX
type TCH, only one must reference the same frequency band as the BCCH subcell.
8. If desired, add Excluded Channels. The defined frequency domain can have, as part of its definition, a list of excluded
channels. Addition excluded channels for this subcell can be added in the Excluded Channels column.
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9. Click OK.
If you are defining frequency domains for several transmitters, you can group them by
frequency band (for information on grouping transmitters, see "Grouping Data Objects" on
page 89) and then open the Transmitters table for the selected transmitters and assign the
frequency domain to all transmitters at the same time. For information on working with
data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
If you want to import the BSIC at the same time, you can also import the frequency list into
the Transmitters table, which you can open by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and
selecting Open Table from the context menu.
If you are modifying the frequency list of a single transmitter, it is easier to modify the
information directly on the TRXs tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue. For more
information, see "Subcell Definition" on page 369.
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You can also select the transmitter in the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer.
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2. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
3. Select Neighbours from the context menu.
If you display the coverage areas of the neighbours, you can see not only the neighbours
on the map but their coverage as well. This will enable you to see more clearly where
frequencies used by the neighbours could cause interference. You can display the coverage
areas of neighbours by clicking the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button
( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar and selecting Display Options from the menu. In the
Neighbour Display dialogue that appears, you can select the Display Coverage Areas
option.
4. Select Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears.
5. From the Find list, select "GSM Channel."
6. In the Channel list, enter a channel that you would like to allocate.
7. Select the check boxes to define where you want Atoll to search for the selected channel:
Used as BCCH
Used as TCH
8. Select the Adjacent channels check box if you want Atoll to display adjacent channels as well as the selected channel.
9. Click the Search button. The map window displays the coverage areas with the selected channel along with coverage
areas using adjacent channels, if you selected the Adjacent channels check box.
By repeating the search with other channels you can find a frequency with few adjacent channels close by that you
can allocate to the selected transmitter.
In the following example, channel 11 would not be a good choice because it is used by a neighbour. Channels 10 and 12 are
adjacent channels that are also used by neighbours of the selected transmitter.
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On the other hand, channel 14 would be a good choice and could be allocated. Neither channel 14 nor either of the adjacent
channels (13 and 15) are allocated to neighbours of the selected transmitter.
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In this section, the AFP input elements are explained. As well, both a quick and a longer, more accurate process of finding the
necessary information for each element is explained. The quality of the results given by the AFP depends on the quality of the
input, therefore it is very important that you understand and prepare the input before running the AFP. This will enable you
to choose the level of complexity that corresponds to the desired accuracy of the results.
The following AFP input elements are explained in this section:
"Interference Matrices" on page 466
"Channel Separations" on page 477
"Modelling Traffic" on page 482
"AFP-Related Parameters in the Subcells Table" on page 485
"Modelling Layers and Subcells" on page 487.
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Reliability Recommendations
Occasionally, the constraints you have set for the AFP are not strong enough. If the constraints are not strong enough:
The unlocked part of the AFP cost will be 0 and, because of this, the AFP will stops.
Frequencies will be reused in too close proximity to each other in the resulting frequency plan.
The distribution of frequency use will not be even and some frequencies will seldom be used.
To correct an unacceptable distribution of frequencies, you will have to create a more reliable interference matrix, thereby
putting more constraints on the AFP.
The best way to create a more reliable interference matrix is to increase the cell edge coverage probability and recalculate
the interference matrices. When the reliability requirement is raised, the part of the standard deviation is reduced from the
signal ("C") when calculating the C/I distribution for each IM entry. This gives a lower C/I for each given "reuse" and therefore
a lower probability of meeting the required C/I target and, consequently, more interference. Raising the interference in the
interference matrix increases the constraints placed on the AFP.
You should also verify that the standard deviation's default value is properly defined and that it is properly defined in all clutter
classes. This step is particularly important for Atoll documents converted from older versions or connected to a database.
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Mean power control gains are not taken into account when calculating interfer-
ence matrices. They are only applied when the interference matrices are used in
calculations (IFP, AFP, etc.). The same is the case with the power offset.
When you calculate an interference matrix, you would expect to have full interfer-
ence for all transmitters over which the AFP will perform a cost calculation. The
interference matrix scope is therefore defined by the AFP scope which is described
in "The Scope of the AFP and the Scope of the Interference Matrix" on page 489.
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If you have multiband transmitters, keep in mind that the multiband path loss option (see
"Advanced Modelling of Multi-Band Transmitters" on page 613) creates a lot of overhead
when the interference matrix is calculated. For more information, see the Administrator
Guide. For more information on reducing resource consumption, see "Performance and
Memory Issues in Big Projects" in the Administrator Guide.
If you have more than 20,000 transmitters in your network, you might need to calculate several smaller interference matrices.
Under most circumstances, including 1,000 to 2,000 transmitters in each interference matrix is the most efficient.
To calculate interference matrices for a large network:
1. Create a computation zone that covers part of the network. For information on creating a computation zone, see
"Creating a Computation Zone" on page 402. In Figure 8.44, the computation zone is indicated by the red outline.
2. Calculate an interference matrix for the area covered by the computation zone as explained in "Calculating a Simple
Interference Matrix" on page 466.
3. Create a new computation zone that partly overlaps the area covered by the first computation zone. In Figure 8.45,
the area covered by the first computation zone is indicated by the black outline.
4. Calculate an interference matrix for the area covered by the computation zone.
5. Repeat step 1. to step 4. until have created interference matrices for the entire network, as shown in the following
figures.
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The computation zones do not need to overlap because the AFP scope extends beyond the
computation zone. For more information, see "The Scope of the AFP and the Scope of the
Interference Matrix" on page 489.
ii. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) and draw the polygon encompassing the computation zone. This raster
map now appears in the Traffic folder.
iii. Name the map "Temporary IM map."
For information on creating a user profile traffic map, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on
page 443.
2. Create a traffic capture using the temporary traffic map.
Set this traffic capture to be the default traffic capture.
For information on creating a traffic capture, see "Calculating and Displaying a Traffic Capture" on page 447.
3. Calculate the interference matrix.
When calculating the interference matrix, select the option Traffic spreading based on the maps used in the
default traffic capture in the IM calculation dialogue.
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OMC IMs can be based on reselection mobile measurements or upon HO mobile measurements. In most cases, the HO mobile
measurements are used to create the interference matrix. The main weakness of this approach is that HO mobile measure-
ments are limited to the list of neighbours, and that this list is limited in size.
To overcome this considerable limitation, the OMC can temporarily apply neighbours. However, when this is done, the statis-
tical analysis must take into account the partial time over which each temporary neighbour is tested.
An other limitation which applies to all OMC statistic-based interference matrices is the fact that the BSIC-BCCH pair is the
means used to identify a transmitter. The BSIC-BCCH pairs are sufficient for identifying a server or a potential strong neighbour
for HO candidate, but they are not sufficient to identify an interferer.
The final limitation is the simple fact that the BCCH plan has an effect on the IM when the IM is calculated: if two transmitters
interfere but have the same BCCH, their interference will not be present in the OMC interference matrix.
This limitation can be avoided by adding the BCCH plan to the IM scope. This way Atoll's AFP is aware that certain interference
entries, (or more precisely none interference entries) have 0 likelihood, and will supplement the information with propagation
interference information.
Atoll supports IM0, IM1, IM2, and CLC interference matrix files. Atoll also supports a simplified format that gives the inter-
fered subcell, the interfering subcell, the co-channel interference probability, and the adjacent channel probability. For more
information on the simplified format, see the Technical Reference Guide.
When you import several interference matrices that describe the same interfered-interferer pairs, Atoll only takes the first
description of the pair. When descriptions of the same interfered-interferer pair are found in subsequent files, the description
is ignored.
Atoll does not perform a validity check on the imported interference file; you must therefore ensure that the imported infor-
mation is consistent with the current configuration. Furthermore, Atoll only imports interference matrices for active trans-
mitters.
To import interference matrices:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the GSM Interference Matrices folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Import from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
4. Select the file type from the Files of Type list.
5. Select the file to import.
If you are importing a CLC file, Atoll looks for the associated DCT file in the same directory. When this file is unavaila-
ble, Atoll assumes that the transmitter identifiers in the CLC file are the same as the transmitter names.
6. Click Open. A message appears asking whether Atoll should merge the imported interference matrix into the GSM/
GPRS/EDGE document:
Click Yes to save the imported interference matrix in the GSM/GPRS/EDGE document.
When you save an imported interference matrix in the GSM/GPRS/EDGE document, you can still choose to save
it to an external file linked to the GSM/GPRS/EDGE document. For information, see "Storing Interference Matrices
Externally" on page 472.
Click No to store the interference matrix externally, but linked to the GSM/GPRS/EDGE document.
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7. The interference matrices are imported into the current Atoll document and appear as new items in the GSM Inter-
ference Matrices folder.
You can also extract interference matrices from real network data. Using drive test data
paths in which the signal strengths of several transmitters have been measured at each
point, Atoll can generate interference matrix files containing probabilities of CI per trans-
mitter-subcell pair (see "Generating Interference Matrices from a Drive Test Data Path" on
page 595).
You can save interference matrices to external files that are linked to the GSM/GPRS/EDGE document. Linking interference
matrices to the GSM/GPRS/EDGE document can reduce file size when the Atoll document is extremely large.
Because the interference matrices are stored externally in ASCI format, reading and writing to file can be time consuming.
When Atoll reads an externally stored IM, it remains in memory. Therefore, to improve AFP performance, it is recommended
to embed interference matrices. You should only save interference matrices externally when the project file is getting large
(for example, when the project file exceeds 2 Gb). To store an interference matrix externally:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the GSM Interference Matrices folder.
3. Right-click the interference matrix you want to store externally. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. On the General tab, under Interference Matrices Storage, click the Externalise button. A confirmation message
appears.
6. Click Yes to confirm. The Save As dialogue appears.
7. Select the file type from the Save as Type list.
8. Enter the File name and click Save. The interference matrix is stored externally but remains linked to the GSM/GPRS/
EDGE document.
Atoll supports IM0, IM1, IM2, and CLC interference matrix files.
To export interference matrices:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the GSM Interference Matrices folder.
3. Right-click the interference matrix you want to export. The context menu appears.
4. Select Export from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
5. Select the file type from the Save as Type list.
6. Enter the File name and click Save. The interference matrix is exported.
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bour information. Another reason for low reliability is that interference information is collected from handover
regions only, instead of from the service area.
4. Interference matrices based on RXLEV statistics from the OMC (neighbours as well as temporary neighbours)
They can be a very good source of interference information if they are statistically stable because they are not sensi-
tive to data errors. On the other hand, they have many disadvantages, such as:
Transmitters with the same BSIC and BCCH can not be differentiated.
Transmitters having the same BCCH will never have an interference entry.
Information is lost when more than 6 interferers exist at any location.
If many interferers share the same BCCH, they increase each others interference levels.
HCS layers can cause problems because there are more servers at any point, macro layer servers are stronger, or
a correction margin might be introduced for some equipment, etc.
This type of interference matrix can be created using an extended neighbours list.
5. Interference matrices based on drive test data
Reliability can be low because usually the drive test data sampling zone and the traffic model are not related.
Secondly, the measurements are carried out for existing neighbours.
6. Interference matrices based on CW measurements
Their reliability can be low because the measurements usually do not reflect the traffic model. However, this source
of information can be very reliable for a subset of transmitters that were properly scanned. Carrying out CW meas-
urements is expensive which means that the collected information is often partial or out of date.
7. Interference matrices based on scan data drive tests
They are highly reliable and an excellent source of information, but are not useful in a radio planning tool because no
information is available to map transmitters to the received signals at any pixel.
8. Upper bound interference matrix
The source of this type of interference matrix is not defined. It can be based on user experience. The information
contained in this interference matrix is used as an upper limit, i.e., if this interference matrix indicates a certain level
of interference, it should not be exceeded because other interference matrices show higher interference. If an upper
bound interference matrix does not contain information about an entry, it is ignored.
9. Lower bound interference matrix
The source of this type of interference matrix is not defined. It can be based on user experience. The information
contained in this interference matrix is used as a lower limit. This type of interference matrix can be very useful
because you can edit entries in this interference matrix, and be certain that the interference will be at least as high as
the value you entered. This approach can be used when user experience shows a certain level of interference which
the radio network planning tool is unable to calculate.
To define the interference matrix type:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the GSM Interference Matrices folder.
3. Right-click the interference matrix for which you want to define the type. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Interference Matrix Properties dialogue appears.
5. On the Advanced tab, select the Interference Matrix Type from the list.
Depending on the matrix type, the quality indicators available in the Advanced tab include:
For matrices based on path loss (propagation data) matrices:
The standard deviation
The resolution
Whether the interference information (probabilities) correspond to traffic or surface area.
Matrices based on propagation can store additional information, such as server selection
or the HO margin value, if shadowing has been taken into account for their calculation and,
if so, the cell edge coverage probability. This information can then be used by the AFP for
some calculations. For more information, see "The Atoll AFP Cost Tab" on page 517 and
"The Atoll AFP Advanced Tab" on page 526.
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You can also select a transmitter by clicking its symbol in the map window.
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7. Click Calculate. The interference probability values are displayed in the right-most column of the Interference Matrix
Analysis tab.
The tool calculates and displays interference probabilities using the active interference matrices available in the GSM
Interference Matrices folder in the Network explorer. If the interference matrices in the GSM Interference Matrices
folder are inactive or if interference matrices are not available, the analysis tool only calculates and displays the inter-
ference from a transmitter and its TRXs on itself.
In the map window, arrows from the studied transmitter to each interfered or interfering transmitter are displayed.
The colour of the arrow is the same as the colour of the studied transmitter. The probabilities of interference are
displayed as captions for the arrows. The thickness of the arrows are indicate the interference probability.
8. Select the interference information to display in the rightmost column:
Under the Status column, you can display the interference matrix information with the studied transmitter as the
Victim or the Interferer.
Under the Frequency Reuse column, you can display Co-channel or Adjacent Channel interference information
for the studied transmitter.
Under the Filtering column, you can display the Strongly Interfered, All Interfered, or the Neighbour Violations
of the studied transmitter. You can choose more than one of these options by pressing and holding CTRL and
clicking each option.
The following figures illustrate the display of interference information.
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In order to generate a report on all the interference matrices in the GSM Interference Matrices folder:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the GSM Interference Matrices folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Interference Matrix Scope dialogue appears with the report
details:
A table with the number of times the listed transmitter has been interfered
The total number of entries in the selected interference matrices
The number of transmitters covered by the interference matrices
The average number of interferers per interfered subcell in the interference matrices.
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When you have several active interference matrices in a project, only those intersecting
the AFP scope will be loaded in order to avoid consuming more memory than necessary
during the AFP process. The "RAM Consumption" field in the interference matrix proper-
ties dialogue indicates how much memory the interference matrix will take. For embedded
matrices, the AFP loads them only during the AFP process, so the "RAM Consumption" field
will always be zero. For external matrices, the AFP reads them to check their scope and
then decides whether they are to be loaded into memory or not, so, the "RAM Consump-
tion" field will always be a non-zero value (after running the AFP). As a result, it is recom-
mended to embed interference matrices as long as the document file size is not excessively
large.
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You can also define exceptional pairs from the AFP results. Subcells which do not respect
separation constraints can be defined as exceptional pairs in order to force the AFP to
modify its allocation priority and to avoid this violation. See "The Results of the Automatic
Frequency Allocation" on page 496 for more information.
When you select "All" as either Transmitter 1 TRX Type or Transmitter 2 TRX Type, Atoll
does not display all TRX types. Rather it displays only exceptional frequency separations for
which the TRX type constraint is defined as "All."
5. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
6. Select Exceptional Pairs (AFP) from the context menu.
7. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
8. Click a transmitter on the map to display the exceptional frequency separations. If the selected transmitter has
defined exceptional frequency separations that fit the display options, Atoll displays the following information (see
Figure 8.47):
The exceptional frequency separations of the selected transmitter are indicated by a heavy line in the same
colour as the other transmitter in the defined pair.
The defined minimum channel separation is indicated beside the line linking the two transmitters.
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9. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) again.
You can define exceptional pairs directly on the map. For information, see "Adding or
Removing Exceptional Frequency Separations Using the Mouse" on page 479.
5. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
6. Select Exceptional Pairs (AFP) from the context menu.
9. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) again.
You can display the coverage areas of exceptional pairs in much the same way as you
would display the coverage of a transmitters neighbours, with the exception that you
select Exceptional Pairs (AFP) when you click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on
the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. For more information, see
"Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Transmitter" on page 430.
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Review the neighbour allocation before running the AFP. Often poorly defined neighbour
relations are the cause of a poorly defined frequency plan.
You can calculate neighbour importance by automatically allocating neighbours as explained in "Allocating Neighbours Auto-
matically" on page 424. Atolls default values when automatically allocating neighbours are:
Coverage Factor: 1% to 30%
Adjacency Factor: 30% to 60%
Co-site Factor: 60% to 100%
If you are running an automatic neighbour allocation so that Atoll can use the calculated neighbour calculation in the AFP, you
should change the values:
Coverage Factor: 1% to 81%
Adjacency Factor: 20% to 90%
Co-site Factor: 70% to 100%
Changing the default values changes the priority definitions of the neighbour allocation
algorithm. For more information, see the Technical Reference Guide.
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After you have run the automatic neighbour allocation, and the automatic neighbour allocation has calculated the neighbour
importance, you can commit the results and run the AFP.
There are several possible external sources of neighbour importance. For example:
OMC HO statistics
Test mobile data measurements (providing the measurements ignore interference between non-neighbours).
As with any source of information, it is up to the user to prepare and import this external data. Neighbour importance is meas-
ured in terms of probabilities.
After adding new sites, or in order to resolve handover problems, you might need to run a new automatic neighbour alloca-
tion. However, when you run an automatic neighbour allocation, Atoll recalculates all existing neighbour relations and over-
writes existing neighbour importance values. If the changes to the network were only minimal, you can assume that the
existing neighbour relations and weights were accurate. You can also assume that the newly calculated neighbour relations
and importance values are less important, because they are only minor modifications to a working system.
You can preserve the existing neighbour relations and importance values while at the same time creating neighbour relations
for the new sites by first exporting the existing neighbour relations, running an automatic neighbour allocation to create
neighbour relations along with their weights, and then re-importing the original neighbour relations and weights. Atoll will
then replace the newly calculated neighbour relations and weights with the original values where they exist.
To extend an neighbour allocation while preserving existing neighbour relations:
1. Export the current intra-technology neighbour relations once to a file called AllCurrentNei.txt using the Export
command on the Neighbours table's context menu. For information on exporting a table, see "Exporting Tables to
Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80.
2. Export the intra-technology neighbour relations a second time to a file called AllCurrentNei_Importance.txt, this time
selecting the neighbour relations with a reliable neighbour importance.
3. Import the AllCurrentNei.txt file into the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-technology Neighbours table. This will set all
existing neighbour relations to forced, which is a pre-requisite to extending an existing neighbour allocation. For infor-
mation on importing the contents of a text file into a table, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
4. Set the importance weighting in the Neighbour Importance Weighting dialogue in order to keep the values assigned
for importance below a certain value. For example, if you want all importance values to be under 50%, you can set the
Max Importance values as indicated in Figure 8.49. For information on setting the importance weighting, see "Config-
uring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 424.
5. Run an automatic neighbour allocation to allocate neighbours to new sites and assign importance to neighbour rela-
tions that do not already have an importance assigned. For information on defining and running an automatic neigh-
bour allocation, see "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 424.
As you can see in Figure 8.49, the importance assigned to all new neighbour relations will be weak.
6. Commit the allocation.
7. Import the AllCurrentNei.txt file into the Neighbours table. When Atoll prompts you to delete existing neighbours,
click No.
In Figure 8.50, you can see that neighbour relations now include old neighbour relations with a higher importance and new
neighbour relations with a lower importance automatically calculated by Atoll.
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You can import partial sources of neighbour importance. The data, in the form of a probability from 0 to 1, are imported into
the Importance column of the Neighbours.
If your network statistics do not provide you with the importance of neighbours, you can calculate neighbour importance
using other statistics. You can then import this calculated importance into Atoll where it can be used by the AFP.
For example, if you have statistics on the number of handovers between two sectors, you can calculate the importance of the
different neighbours of each cell using these statistics. For example, if you have two sectors, A and B, and you use X to repre-
sent the "Average Activity of a Relationship" in the network, i.e., the sum of all handovers for all sectors divided by the number
of neighbour relationships. If the number of handovers from sector B (neighbour of sector A) is Y, the importance of sector B
for sector A can be calculated using the following equation:
1ifY X
Impor tan ce = Y
---- IfY < X
X
This way, when a relationship has an above-average number of handovers, its importance will be the highest possible in Atoll,
i.e., 100%. Otherwise, its importance will be below average.
When all traffic loads are set to "1," the amount of traffic is determined exclusively by the number of required TRXs. As a
result, all TRXs are considered equally. This method has to be used whenever the only information you have is the number of
required TRXs.
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In this method of providing traffic information to the AFP, the AFP traffic is determined by the manually entered traffic load
values, and by the manually entered number of required TRXs. The disadvantage of this method is that this information must
usually be calculated and entered manually; it is not easy to obtain automatically. If you have access to this information, you
can use this method.
This method is recommended for use with Atoll's AFP, however, it is not supported by all external AFP suppliers. Using this
method, the AFP considers the number of required TRXs as a recommendation only. The actual traffic demand is taken from
the Subcells table, where the data has been updated using traffic demands supplied by the OMC (see "Importing OMC Traffic
Data into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data" on page 436).
To use the traffic information in the Subcells Table: Traffic Data:
1. On the Cost tab of the Atoll AFP Module Properties dialogue, select the option Based on the traffic demand (from
subcell table or default traffic capture) (see Figure 8.51). For more information on the Atoll AFP Module Properties
dialogue, see "The Atoll AFP Module" on page 507.
2. On the Global Parameters tab of the AFP wizard dialogue, select the option From subcell table under Traffic (Subcell
load, demand and target rate of traffic overload). (see Figure 8.52). For more information on the Atoll AFP Module
Properties dialogue, see "The Atoll AFP Module" on page 507.
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Figure 8.52: Setting the option on the Global Parameters tab of the AFP dialogue
3. On the AFP Model and Allocations tab of the first AFP dialogue, select the option Optimisation of the number of TRXs
under Strategies (see Figure 8.52). For more information on the Atoll AFP Module Properties dialogue, see "The Atoll
AFP Module" on page 507.
Figure 8.53: Setting the option for the optimisation of the numbers of TRXs
In this method, you use traffic maps, but you rely on external dimensioning to determine the number of required TRXs.
This method also requires you to create a traffic capture before launching the AFP. The traffic capture will provide an analysis
of traffic at the transmitter level, thereby transforming the traffic maps into the load estimates that are required for the AFP.
The traffic model is a map and gives probabilistic traffic estimates per pixel. The AFP needs either traffic demands or loads. In
both case, it needs this information at the subcell or cell level. The traffic capture is responsible for this conversion.
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Using a traffic model is an enhanced use of Atoll. You must be sure that your traffic modelling is correct and compatible with
the service zone modelling. You must also be aware of mobility compatibilities, service compatibilities, mobile compatibilities,
and layer definitions.
The inherent complexities of working with a traffic model discourage many users from working with a traffic model, even
though theoretically this is the best way of planning a GSM network.
It is even possible to restrict the use of a certain map (or set of maps) to a certain HCS layer. We highly recommend the usage
of this feature since it reduces this complexity (see "Creating a Traffic Capture" on page 447).
In order to use this option, you must do the following:
On the Global Parameters tab of the AFP dialogue, select Based on default traffic capture results under Traffic (see
Figure 8.54).
Figure 8.54: Selecting the default traffic capture results as the source of traffic
In this method you use a traffic model along with dimensioning (see "Dimensioning a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Network" on
page 452).
Usually the number of required TRXs is an input. The number of required TRXs can be strict or lightly modified. If you decide
to use Atoll's dimensioning model to determine the number of required TRXs:
Thoroughly test your traffic model and network.
Carry out the dimensioning, verify the results, and commit it.
By committing the required number of TRXs you have already committed the load and the demand information to the cells
or subcells. You are now ready to use the AFP.
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The other AFP-relevant parameters in the network concern the subcells and related TRXs. In Atoll, a subcell refers to the char-
acteristics of a group of TRXs on a transmitter sharing the same radio characteristics, the same quality (C/I) requirements, and
other settings.
The following subcell settings can be modified globally by modifying the cell type or for a specific transmitter by modifying the
parameters under Subcells on the TRXs tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue. The parameters are displayed in three
different tables under Subcells: Standard Data, for the standard information defining a subcell, Traffic Data, for information
describing the traffic in the cell, and AFP indicators, for information resulting from running an AFP model. For information on
modifying cell types, see "Cell Types" on page 600. For information on modifying transmitter properties, see "Creating or
Modifying a Transmitter" on page 375.
The following are the most important AFP-relevant parameters under Subcells on the TRXs tab of the transmitters Properties
dialogue:
Traffic Load: The Traffic Load indicates the usage rate of TRXs; its value must be from 0 to 1. The value in the Traffic
Load column can be either user-defined or the result of network dimensioning, in which case it will be the same value
for all subcells covering the same area (e.g., BCCH and TCH). The traffic load is used to calculate interference and in
automatic frequency planning.
Total Circuit Demand: The circuit demand indicates the amount of Erlangs necessary to absorb the circuit-switched
demand. This value can be either user-defined or the result of a traffic capture, in which case it will be the same value
for all subcells covering the same area (e.g., BCCH and TCH). This value can be used by an advanced AFP model to opti-
mise the number of TRXs and maximise the amount of correctly served traffic. The Total Circuit Demand is found in
the Traffic Data table.
Total Packet Demand: The packet demand indicates the amount of timeslots necessary to absorb the packet-switched
demand. This value can be either user-defined or the result of a traffic capture, in which case it will be the same value
for all subcells covering the same area (e.g. BCCH and TCH). This value can be used by an advanced AFP model to opti-
mise the number of TRXs and maximise the amount of correctly served traffic. The Total Packet Demand is found in
the Traffic Data table.
C/I Threshold (dB): The minimum signal quality for the TRX Type, under which the subcell interface is taken into con-
sideration. The C/I Threshold is found in the Standard table.
Reception Threshold (dBm): The minimum received signal for the TRX Type. The Reception Threshold is found in the
Standard table.
Frequency Domain: (including excluded channels), from which the AFP tool can choose frequencies. The Frequency
Domain is found in the Standard table. The Relevant Frequency Band used by the model when assigning cell types to
transmitters is also visible on the TRXs tab, but is a parameter of the cell type and can not be changed here.
The other AFP-relevant parameters under Subcells on the TRXs tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue are:
Allocation Strategy: The allocation strategy used during manual or automatic frequency planning. The Allocation
Strategy is found in the Standard table. There are two available allocation strategies:
Free: Any of the channels belonging to the frequency domain can be assigned to TRXs.
Group Constrained: Only channels belonging to the same frequency group in the frequency domain can be
assigned. You can use the Preferred Frequency Group to define the preferred group of frequencies when using
the AFP.
Preferred Frequency Group: When the Group Constrained allocation strategy is selected, in any hopping mode
(including non-hopping), the AFP tries to assign frequencies from the preferred group during automatic allocation. The
preferred frequency group is a soft constraint used by the AFP to assign frequencies to TRXs. When the AFP is unable
to assign a frequency from the preferred group and allocates a frequency from outside the group, a corresponding
cost is taken into account. The preferred group can also be the result of allocation if the AFP model is able to allocate
patterns based on azimuth. The Preferred Frequency Group is found in the Standard table.
Max. MAL Length: The maximum length of the mobile allocation list (MAL), in other words, the maximum number of
channels allocated to the TRXs of the subcell during automatic frequency planning if the Hopping Mode is either SFH
(Synthesised Frequency Hopping) or BBH (Base Band Hopping) and if the Allocation Strategy is Free. The Max. MAL
Length is found in the Standard table.
Hopping Mode: The frequency hopping mode supported by the selected TRX type. The hopping mode can be either
"Base Band Hopping mode (BBH)" or "Synthesised Hopping mode (SFH)." If frequency hopping is not supported, select
"Non Hopping." The Hopping Mode is found in the Standard table.
If SFH is the frequency hopping mode, the settings in the AFP module must match the
settings in the subcell. For information on configuring the optional Atoll AFP module, see
"The Atoll AFP Module" on page 507.
Synchronisation: The Synchronisation is used during frequency hopping; frequency hopping is synchronised among
all TRXs of subcells with the same string of characters in the Synchronisation column. By default, the name of the site
is used as the value in the Synchronisation column, synchronising frequency hopping for all TRXs on the same site.
The Synchronisation is found in the Standard table.
DTX Supported: The DTX Supported check box is selected if the subcell supports DTX (Discontinuous Transmission)
mode. Subcells supporting DTX can reduce interference they produce according to the defined voice activity factor.
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DTX does not apply to the BCCH since it is assumed that the BCCH is always on air. The DTX Supported check box is
found in the Standard table.
Lock required TRXs: This option can be used by an AFP model which has the capability to optimise (i.e., increase or
decrease) the number of required TRXs where the only goal is maximising the amount of correctly served traffic. In
other words, you might have fewer TRXs than required if they are not subject to any interference and the amount of
correctly served traffic will be larger. When you select this option, the number of required TRXs is blocked for that
subcell. The Lock required TRXs option is found in the Standard table.
Although you can manually set the values of the following required timeslot numbers, these values are calculated during the
dimensioning process. On the AFP tab of a transmitters Properties dialogue, you can set the weight to be used for the
selected transmitter during the AFP:
AFP Weight: Enter an AFP weight. The AFP weight is used to increase or decrease the importance of a subcell during
automatic frequency planning. The value must be a real number. The higher the AFP weight is, the higher the con-
straint on the TRX type. The AFP weight artificially multiplies the cost function which has to be minimised by the AFP.
The AFP Weight is found in the Standard table.
If certain resources have already been allocated, on the AFP tab of a transmitters Properties dialogue you can choose to lock
the resources that have already been allocated to the selected transmitter. During automatic frequency planning, these
resources, which can be allocated as part of the process, will not be changed.
Lock Channels and MAIO: When the Lock Channels and MAIO check box is selected, the transmitters currently
assigned channels and MAIO are kept when a new AFP session is started. On the TRXs tab, under TRXs, you can lock
the channels and MAIO for individual TRXs assigned to the transmitter.
Lock HSN: When the Lock HSN check box is selected, the transmitters currently assigned HSN is kept when a new AFP
session is started. On the TRXs tab, under Subcell (TRX Groups) Settings, you can lock the HSN for individual subcells
assigned to the transmitter.
Lock BSIC: When the Lock BSIC check box is selected, the transmitters currently assigned BSIC is kept when a new AFP
session is started.
Under Exceptional separation constraints with other transmitters, on the AFP tab of a transmitters Properties dialogue, you
can enter exceptional separation constraints with other transmitters. Exceptional separation constraints you enter here also
appear in the Exceptional Separation Constraints table. For information on creating exceptional separation constraints, see
"Defining Exceptional Frequency Separations" on page 478.
By adding two options in the atoll.ini file, you can force the AtollAFP model to restrict the
channel allocation to a limited spectrum for each transmitter as it is implemented on some
equipment. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
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The concept of the target computation time because this is the "convergence criterion" of the AFP. For more informa-
tion, see "The AFP's Target Computation Time" on page 491.
An understanding of the AFP dialogue. For more information, see "Running an Automatic Frequency Allocation" on
page 491
The AFP results. Understanding the displayed AFP results enables you to assess the proposed frequency plan before
committing the frequency plan. For more information, see "The Results of the Automatic Frequency Allocation" on
page 496.
8.4.4.1 The Scope of the AFP and the Scope of the Interference Matrix
In this section, the following are explained:
"The Scope of the AFP" on page 489
"The Scope of the Interference Matrix" on page 489.
In Atoll's AFP, locked TRXs are reported as locked during cost calculation, however the AFP
can still modify the cost of locked TRXs under the following circumstances: if the locked
TRX has a bad neighbour relation (in terms of cost) with another TRX which is not locked,
Atoll's AFP reports to the user which part of the cost can be modified and which part can
not.
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You can view the entire message by double-clicking it in the Event Viewer, Atoll then displays the message in a separate
dialogue (see Figure 8.56).
The following table contains a few examples of the range checks performed by the AFP:
Default value for AFP weight 1 Used if the AFP weight is out of domain
Default value for min C/I 12 Used if the parameter is out of range
Default value for reception threshold -102 Used if the parameter is out of range
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4. Under AFP Model and Allocations, select "Atoll AFP Module" from the AFP Module list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the selected AFP module.
If you are using an AFP module other than Atoll's AFP module, refer to that AFP module's
documentation for information.
When the AFP first starts, Atoll first ensures that the selected AFP module is correctly installed, following which Atoll
determines the capabilities of the AFP module. It is the capabilities of the AFP module which determine which
resources you can allocate using the AFP.
a. Under Resources to Allocate, select the check boxes of the resources you want to allocate. The selections you
make will depend on the hopping mode of your network:
MAL: The MAL is used by subcells that have either the BBH or the SFH hopping mode. You must also allocate
MAIO, HSN, and channels.
MAIO: The MAIO is used by subcells that have either the BBH or the SFH hopping mode. You must also allocate
MAL, HSN, and channels.
Channels: All subcells must be allocated channels, independently of their hopping mode.
HSN: The HSN is used by subcells that have either the BBH or the SFH hopping mode. You must also allocate
MAL, MAIO, and channels.
BSIC: The BSIC is used by all transmitters, independently of the hopping mode.
Atoll will not create TRXs without channels. Therefore, if you do not allocate MAL and
MAIO, all the SFH subcells are considered locked and no TRXs will be created for them. By
the same token, if you allocate only MAL and MAIO, all NH and BBH subcells will be consid-
ered locked and no TRXs will be created.
5. Under Strategies, select the check boxes corresponding to the allocation strategies you want the AFP to use.
Azimuth-oriented allocation (Pattern 1/X): The azimuth-oriented allocation strategy consists of allocating fre-
quency groups to group-constrained subcells according to the azimuth of the subcell. If the frequency groups are
correctly configured (i.e., if X comparably sized frequency groups for X azimuths), then the pattern of allocation
will be 1/X. If the geometry of the network is incompatible with an azimuth-oriented allocation, the AFP will not
attempt to allocate frequency groups.
Optimisation of the number of TRXs: When subcells have low traffic loads and are located in a zone of heavy spec-
tral congestion, reducing the number of TRXs to assign can present an advantage. Conversely, for subcells with
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high traffic loads, the AFP might increase the number of TRXs compared to what is required in order to reduce the
amount of blocked traffic.
6. Under Indicators to allocate, select the check boxes corresponding to the indicators you want the Atoll AFP to allo-
cate.
TRX Rank: The AFP can calculate the TRX rank of each TRX. The higher the TRX rank, the higher the cost, in
terms of the risk of interference..
Subcell Indicators: AFP cost, congestion, blocking and separation cost can be estimated by the AFP module
per pool of subcells (e.g., a BCCH pool or a TCH pool). These indicators are a way of precisely estimating the
allocation quality at the subcell level and provide some directions to improve the plan, if necessary.
7. Under AFP Model and Allocations, select the Load all interferers propagating in the focus zone check box if you want
the AFP scope to be extended to include all potential interferers. For more information on the AFP scope, see "The
Scope of the AFP and the Scope of the Interference Matrix" on page 489.
8. Click Next. The next page of the AFP dialogue appears (see Figure 8.59). In this dialogue, you can modify the network's
default separation requirements, as well the exceptional pairs. For more information on the separation requirements,
see "Defining Exceptional Frequency Separations" on page 478. For more information on the exceptional pairs, see
"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 423.
Figure 8.58: The second page of the AFP dialogue: separation constraints
9. Click Next. The dialogue appears (see Figure 8.58). In this dialogue, you can define the global parameters.
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10. Under Allocation of subcells of type, select the check boxes corresponding to the subcells for which resources will be
allocated to TRXs.
Missing TRXs will not be created for any subcell not selected under Allocation of subcells
of type.
11. Under Locking of existing TRXs of type, select the check boxes corresponding to the subcells for which you want the
number of TRXs to be locked during allocation. No TRXs will be added or removed from the selected subcells.
You can lock the resources allocated to individual TRXs in either the Transmitters table, the
Standard Data Subcells table, the TRXs table, or the Properties dialogue of each transmit-
ter.
12. Under Traffic (Subcell load, demand and target rate of traffic overflow), select the source of the traffic information:
From Subcells table: The traffic information in the Subcells table can come from one of three sources:
The information could have been entered manually
The information could have come from dimensioning
The information could have come from a KPI calculation.
If the traffic information in the Subcells table is the result of a KPI calculation you must be
aware that, during a KPI calculation, Atoll divides the captured traffic by the timeslot
capacity of the existing number of TRXs, whereas the AFP requires the traffic to be divided
by the timeslot capacity of the required number of TRXs.
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You can enter a reuse distance for each transmitter in the Reuse Distance column of the
Transmitters table.
You must first create the Reuse Distance field in the Transmitters table. The Name of the
field must be "REUSE_DISTANCE", the Type "Long integer", and the Default value field
should be left empty. The name you enter in the Legend field will be the name of the
column in the Transmitters table. For more information on adding a field, see "Adding a
Field to an Object Types Data Table" on page 71.
15. Click Okay. The AFP verifies the parameters you have defined. The AFP dialogue that appears (see Figure 8.60) gives
a summary of the verification process as well as the messages displayed in the Event Viewer.
16. Enter a target computation time in minutes (see "The AFP's Target Computation Time" on page 491 and "The Atoll AFP
Finalisation tab" on page 522).
17. If desired, enter a Generator Initialisation. If you set the generator initialisation to "0," the calculations will be
random. If you set the generator initialisation to any other value, the results will be deterministic, i.e., using the same
value again will result in the same results with the same document.
All AFP calculations are deterministic at the start, even if the generator initialisation is set
to "0." The effect of the random seed can only be observed after a certain time (5 to 15%
of the target computation time). If you want to the automatic allocation process to show
the effect of random allocation, you must let the AFP calculate until the target computa-
tion time has elapsed.
18. Click Calculate. The AFP Progress dialogue appears (see Figure 8.61).
Read the messages in the Event Viewer carefully before clicking Calculate. There might
be issues that you need to address before you can successfully run an AFP.
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For information on the AFP Progress dialogue and on the process of allocating frequencies and resources, see "The AFP
Progress Dialogue" on page 496.
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When you move the pointer over a resource in the table, tip text displays gives the reason for the status indicated by the
colour (see Figure 8.64).
Figure 8.64: Details on the modified resource are given in tip text
By adding some options in the atoll.ini file, you can differently display these AFP outputs.
Firstly, you can define a maximum importance value under which the violations between
neighbours can be considered as negligible and are not displayed. Secondly, you can acti-
vate an option not to display violations occurring between non-synchronised SFH (MALs-
MAIOs). For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Under Display, for each transmitter (in the Transmitter column), subcell (in the TRX Type column), TRX (in the Index column)
combination, Atoll displays the following columns, depending on the resources you selected to allocate (see "Running an
Automatic Frequency Allocation" on page 491):
BSIC
HSN
Channels
The TRX Rank column indicates the quality of the TRX in that subcell. The higher the TRX rank, the higher the cost, in terms of
the risk of interference. In other words, when you are trying to improve the solution proposed by the AFP, you must concen-
trate on the TRXs with the highest TRX rank first. You can hide the TRX Rank column by clicking the Display Options button
and deselecting Display the AFP Indicators.
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Any separation constraint violations are listed in the Separations: Violations column. You can display details about separation
constraint violations in the following ways:
By clicking a separation constraint violation, a message box appears displaying details about the separation constraint
violation (see Figure 8.65). You can define the pair currently in violation as an exceptional pair. Because separation
constraints between exceptional pairs have more weight than default separation constraints, you will be able to re-
run the AFP and force it to try to avoid this violation.
The bottom of the Results window displays the messages related to the last solution (which might not be the best solution)
as well as potential related allocation problems.
You can sort the contents of the table on the Allocation tab by using the context menu or by selecting an option displayed by
clicking the Display Options button.
By default, the contents of the table under Display are sorted by the content of the Transmitters column. If desired, you can
sort the content of the table by any other column, such as, for example, the BSIC column.
To sort the contents of the table:
1. Right-click the name of the column by which you want to sort the contents of the table. The context menu appears.
2. Select Sort Ascending or Sort Descending from the context menu.
Atoll enables you to filter the contents of the table to display only a selection of data.
To filter the contents of the table:
1. Right-click the cell in the table containing the data on which you want to filter the content of the table. The context
menu appears.
2. Select one of the following from the context menu:
Filter by Selection: When you select Filter by Selection, all records with the selected value or values are displayed.
Filter Excluding Selection: When you select Filter Excluding Selection, all records without the selected value or
values are displayed.
Advanced Filter: When you select Advanced Filter, the Filter dialogue appears. Using the Filter dialogue, you can
use advanced data filtering to combine several criteria in different fields to create complex filters. For more infor-
mation on advanced data filtering, see "Advanced Data Filtering" on page 96.
If you have filtered information, you can remove the filter and display all the data again by right-clicking a cell in the table
under Display and selecting Remove Filter from the context menu.
You can also define how the contents on the Allocation tab are displayed by clicking the Display Options button and selecting
one of the options that appears:
You can select one or more of the following columns to appear in the table:
Cells
Subcells
TRXs
You can display the AFP Indicators if you calculated them during the AFP session.
You can select one of the following plans to appear in the table:
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Display the Plan to Be Committed: The plan to be committed represents the results obtained from the AFP and
your possible modifications (deletion of allocated resources, rollback to initial values, etc.). Only this plan can be
committed to the network.
Display the Final AFP Plan: The AFP plan shows the gross results of the AFP session, in other words, the final
results of the best plan. When this plan is displayed, the Commit button is not available. To make it available,
select the option Display the Plan to Be Committed.
Display the Initial Plan: The initial plan shows the network frequency plan before the AFP session. This plan is the
one before you commit any AFP results, in other words, the current plan.
You can Display Allocated Transmitters Only.
You can define how violations are displayed:
Display Detailed Constraint Violations: When you select Display Detailed Constraint Violations, the following
additional columns are displayed:
With the TRX: The TRX with which this separation constraint violation occurs is indicated in the With the TRX
column in the form of a button. Clicking the button brings you to that TRX in the table.
Co-channel: The probability of collision with the same channel on the TRX indicated in the With the TRX
column.
Adjacent: The probability of collision with an adjacent channel on the TRX indicated in the With the TRX
column.
This option is not available for large networks, because of the large amount of computer
resources necessary to calculate detailed constraint violations for a large network.
Display Violations Only: When you select Co-Transmitter Violations, Atoll filters out resources which do not have
co-transmitter separation violations.
You can select one of the following plans to appear in the table:
Co-transmitter Violations: When you select Co-Transmitter Violations, Atoll filters out resources which do not
have co-transmitter separation violations.
Co-Site Violations: When you select Co-Site Violations, Atoll filters out resources which do not have co-site sep-
aration violations.
Neighbour Violations: When you select Neighbour Violations, Atoll filters out resources which do not have neigh-
bour separation violations.
Exceptional Pair Violations: When you select Exceptional Pair Violations, Atoll filters out resources which do not
have exceptional pair separation violations.
In the Details dialogue, you can resolve the displayed separation constraint violations using the Channel Assignment column
on the Allocation tab. The Channel Assignment column indicates whether the value assigned is a new value or the initial
value. The Channel Assignment column enables you resolve separation constraint violations by re-assigning the values from
the original frequency plan, returning to the AFP-assigned value, or deleting the TRX.
To resolve separation constraint violations:
On the Allocation tab, click the entry in the Channel Assignment column corresponding to the TRX where the separa-
tion constraint violation occurs and select one of the following:
New Value: The value assigned by the AFP process. By default, only new values are displayed in the results
window. This option is not available if the value was not changed during the AFP process.
Initial Value: The value before running the AFP or after changing the value assigned by the AFP process.
Delete the TRX: The TRX will be deleted when you click the Commit button.
When you select one of options in the Channel Assignment column, Atoll updates not only the TRX affected, but also the sepa-
ration constraint violations of all other TRXs affected by the change.
As you modify the current frequency allocation plan, you can display the AFP plan as it appeared before modifications or the
initial frequency plan, if there was one.
To change the displayed plan:
Click the Display Options button and select one of the following:
Display the Plan to be Committed: When you select this option, Atoll displays the frequency plan as it now stands,
in other words, Atoll displays the AFP plan with your modifications. You can only modify the entries in the Channel
Assignment column in the current plan.
Display the Final AFP Plan: When you select this option, Atoll displays the AFP plan as it stood before you began
making modifications.
Display the Initial Plan: When you select this option, Atoll displays the frequency plan before the AFP session.
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You can cancel all the modifications you have made to the current AFP plan.
To cancel all the modifications you have to the current AFP plan:
Click the Actions button and select Reset Channel Allocation.
You can automatically resolve separation constraint violations by clicking the Actions button and selecting Resolve Constraint
Violations. For more information, see "Resolving Separation Constraint Violations Automatically" on page 501.
You can also resolve the separation constraint violations automatically. When you resolve separation constraint violations
automatically, Atoll deletes the TRXs that respond to set criteria and that are involved in the violations.
To resolve separation constraint violations automatically:
1. Click the Actions button and select Resolve Constraint Violations. The Constraint Violations Resolution dialogue
appears (see Figure 8.66).
2. Under TRXs to take into account, select one of the following:
All the TRXs: Atoll will delete all TRXs that do not respect the separation constraints.
Only the TRXs modified by the AFP: Atoll will delete only TRXs that were modified by the AFP that do not respect
the separation constraints.
3. Under Violation types to consider, select the check boxes corresponding to the separation constraint violations that
you want Atoll to take into consideration:
Co-transmitter: TRXs on the same transmitter.
Co-site: TRXs on the same site.
Neighbours: TRXs on neighbouring transmitters.
Exceptional pairs: TRXs on transmitters that are part of an exceptional pair.
4. Under Collision Probabilities, select the collision probability you want Atoll to take into consideration:
All: If you want Atoll to take into consideration all co-channel and adjacent channel collision probabilities, select
All.
If the co-channel collision probability is >=: If you want Atoll to take into consideration co-channel collision prob-
abilities greater than or equal to a defined value, select If the co-channel collision probability is >= and enter a
value.
If the co- or adjacent channel collision probability is >=: If you want Atoll to take into consideration co-channel
and adjacent collision probabilities greater than or equal to a defined value, select If the co- or adjacent channel
collision probability is >= and enter a value.
5. Under TRX types, select the check boxes of the TRX types you want Atoll to take into consideration:
Apply to control channel TRXs: If you select Apply to control channel TRXs, control channel TRXs (i.e., BCCH TRXs)
will be deleted.
Apply to other TRXs: If you select Apply to other TRXs, TRXs on non-control channel TRX types (i.e., TCH,
TCH_EGPRS or TCH_INNER) will be deleted.
6. Click OK. Atoll deletes the TRXs that are involved in the separation constraint violations and that respond to the
defined criteria.
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in the Zoom on selected values list. You can zoom in on values by clicking and dragging in the Zoom on selected values list.
Atoll will zoom in on the selected values.
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Display the Initial Plan: When you select this option, Atoll displays the frequency plan as it was after the AFP
stopped, in other words, Atoll displays the AFP plan without your modifications.
3. Click the Actions button and select Export Results. The Export dialogue appears.
4. Export the frequency plan as explained in "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80.
If you are not satisfied with the current frequency plan, you can click the Resume button
to restart the AFP process from the last proposed solution in order to try to improve it.
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In the map window, arrows are displayed from the selected transmitter to each interfered or interfering transmitter.
The colour of the arrow is the same as the colour of the studied transmitter. The probabilities of interference are
displayed as captions for the arrows. The thickness of the lines indicates the interference probability.
Different information and options are available depending on the hopping mode of the selected transmitters TRXs:
Non-hopping mode:
The first column displays the number of existing and required TRXs and lists the existing TRXs of the selected type
for the transmitter being studied along with the frequency assigned to them and the cost of the allocation.
The second column displays the number of candidate channels available, and lists these channels along with the
costs for the channels if they were allocated to the selected transmitter.
The Filtering column lets you select the interference information to be displayed in the fourth column, the Cost
Components and Indicators column. You can display the Major Separation Violations, Separation Violations, In-
terference Violations, or the Neighbour Violations of the selected transmitter. You can choose more than one of
these options by pressing and holding CTRL and clicking each option.
The Last column displays the various details about the way the cost is evaluated (traffic load, cost components).
In addition, it displays the interference probabilities between the TRX of the selected transmitter and the interfer-
ing TRXs using the selected options in the Filtering column.
Base band hopping mode:
The first column displays the number of existing and required TRXs, and lists the existing TRXs of the selected type
for the transmitter being studied along with the frequency and MAL assigned to them, and the cost of the alloca-
tion.
The second column displays the number of candidate channels available, and lists these channels along with the
MALs and costs if they were allocated to the selected transmitter.
The Filter column lets you select the interference information to be displayed in the fourth column, the Probabil-
ity column. You can display the High Separation Violations, Separation Violations, Interference Violations, or the
Neighbour Violations of the selected transmitter. You can choose more than one of these options by pressing and
holding CTRL and clicking each option.
The Last column displays the various details about the way the cost is evaluated (traffic load, cost components).
In addition, it displays the interference probabilities between the TRX of the selected transmitter and the interfer-
ing TRXs using the selected options in the Filtering column.
Synthesised hopping mode:
The first column lists the existing TRXs of the selected transmitter, the frequencies used by these TRXs in SFH
mode, the MAIO assigned to each TRX, and the cost of the allocation.
The Filter column lets you select the interference information to be displayed in the fourth column, the Probabil-
ity column. You can display the High Separation Violations, Separation Violations, Interference Violations, or the
Neighbour Violations of the selected transmitter. You can choose more than one of these options by pressing and
holding CTRL and clicking each option.
The Last column displays the various details about the way the cost is evaluated (traffic load, cost components).
In addition, it displays the interference probabilities between the TRX of the selected transmitter and the interfer-
ing TRXs using the selected options in the Filtering column.
You can obtain more information on any selected item of any column by double-clicking on it. As an example, you can double-
click on a cost value in order to display details as shown below:
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Using the IFP, you can create a new TRX and assign a channel to it, delete an existing TRX, and replace the current channel
assigned to an existing TRX.
To create a new TRX and assign a channel to it:
1. Select New TRX from the list of TRXs in the first column.
2. Select a channel from the list of candidate channels in the second column.
3. Click Create. A new TRX is created in the selected transmitter with the channel you selected.
To delete an existing TRX:
1. Select the TRX that you want to delete from the list of TRXs in the first column.
2. Click Delete. The selected TRX is deleted from the transmitter.
To replace the current channel assigned to an existing TRX:
1. Select the TRX to which you want to assign a different channel from the list of TRXs in the first column.
2. Select a channel from the list of candidate channels in the second column.
3. Click Replace. The candidate channel will be assigned to the existing TRX.
The changes that you make are taken into account immediately and updated results are displayed.
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In Atoll's AFP the two criteria are combined and their relative weight is part of the AFP experience. The advantage of the Atoll
AFP is that it simplifies the decision for the user by combining the input elements and presenting the user with a simple result,
such as traffic load or total cost, on which to base his decisions.
Before continuing, ensure that you are familiar with the prerequisite information explained in "Allocating Frequencies, BSICs,
HSNs, MALs, and MAIOs" on page 455.
In the previous sections, the basic elements of the AFP usage were presented. In this section, the more advanced aspects, as
well as what is specific to Atoll's AFP module are presented.
The content is presented according to level of complexity.
Therefore this section is organised according to the level of complexity:
"Using the Atoll AFP at a Basic Level" on page 508
"Using the Atoll AFP" on page 509
"Advanced AFP usage" on page 530.
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Figure 8.72: The Cost tab of the AFP Module Properties dialogue
7. Select the Modified TRX check box to restrict the number of modifications to the existing plan.
8. Select the Intermodulation Tax check box in order to try avoiding these products.
9. Click OK to save your changes to the AFP module and close the AFP Module Properties dialogue.
All the other AFP settings should be left with their default values.
To run a simple AFP process:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Frequency Plan > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The AFP dialogue appears with the AFP Model
and Allocations tab displayed.
4. On the AFP Model and Allocations tab, click Next without modifying any of the options. The Separations tab appears.
5. On the Separations tab, click Next without modifying any of the separation rules and without defining any exceptional
pairs. The Global Parameters tab appears.
6. On the Global Parameters tab, select From subcells table under Traffic (load and demand). In the third page of the
AFP wizard, extract the traffic data from the subcells table.
7. Clear all the check boxes under Locking of existing TRXs of type and clear the DTX check box.
8. Click OK. The final AFP dialogue appears.
9. Set the Target CPU Time for a relatively short period:
If you have fewer than 20 transmitters, set the TCT for about 2 minutes.
If you have many transmitters, for example around 3,000, set the TCT for about 200 minutes.
For more information on running an automatic frequency allocation, see "Automatic Resource Allocation Using an AFP
Module" on page 488.
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8.5.2.1.1 The Cost Function as a Combination of Separation Violation and Interference Probabilities
The cost function of the Atoll AFP has two main components: the cost for violations of separation constraints and the cost of
creating interference.
The Atoll AFP gives each separation violation the cost equivalent to a certain amount of interference, making it possible to
add both costs and minimise their total. For example, you can decide that a separation violation of 1 costs the same as x% of
interfered traffic. This is weighted by the type of violation (for example, co-transmitter separation violations have a higher
impact than neighbour separation violations). By defining equivalence between these dissimilar measurements, you can add
separation violation and interference costs using their common unit, i.e., the percentage of interfered traffic.
Following this principle, all other cost elements are calculated in the same way:
The cost component due to allocation changes
The cost component of allocating TRXs that belong (or not) to a preferred frequency group (if such a group is defined)
The cost component of missing or extra TRXs compared to the number of required TRXs
The cost component of corrupted TRXs
The cost component of assigned frequencies that are not in the assigned domain
The cost component of blocked traffic (calculated only when you set the AFP to optimise the number of required TRXs)
The cost component of intermodulation.
Case 1 Case 2
F1 is used 4 times; F2 and F3 are used F1, F2, and F3 are used two times
one time each. each.
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This example shows the particularity of the node-oriented cost approach. Atoll AFP is node oriented by default. You can set
Atoll's AFP to be edge oriented. The three main advantages of the node-oriented approach are:
The cost function has units which are easy to understand: interfered traffic.
It has a greater capacity to optimise the number of TRXs.
It has the ability to respect a TRX-based quality target, i.e., to disregard interference at a TRX below a certain value.
The node-oriented approach provides a better correspondence between the AFP cost and the network quality.
The AFP cost is the cost of the entire loaded network, not only the cost of the selected or
non-locked TRXs. In many cases, the AFP is authorised to change only a part of the
network. Therefore, the part of the cost corresponding to the non-locked part of the
network and the part of the cost corresponding to the locked part of the network are indi-
cated.
, the separation constraint is not satisfied. A separation constraint violation can be strong or weak. For exam-
ple, the pair of frequencies 1 and 2 violates a separation requirement of 3. The pair of frequencies 1 and 3 violate this require-
ment as well but is still a better solution than 1 and 2 and, therefore, should have a lower cost.
Frequencies that are part of a MAL with a low fractional load and that violate a separation constraint should not be weighted
the same as for non-hopping separation violations. In fact, the separation component is weighted by the burst collision prob-
ability, which is the multiplication of the victim's fractional load and the interferer's fractional load.
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Figure 8.73: The Separation tab of the AFP Module Properties dialogue
In this example, there is a network with two TRXs on the same cell. The first, TRXi, has a MAL referred to as MALi. It is interfered
by TRXk with MALk. TRXi and TRXk have a separation requirement of 2. Their MAL lengths are 5 and 4, respectively. Unfortu-
nately, one of their frequencies is the same (i.e., the separation is 0), while all other frequencies are correct. For a co-channel
violation when the required separation is 2, the cost of the separation violation is 90%, as indicated in Figure 8.73 on page 512.
Because only one channel of each TRX causes interference, and the length of MALi is 5 and the length of MALi is 4, the collision
probability is 1/20. Therefore, the cost to consider is divided by 20: 90/20 or 4.5% for each TRX.
Because this example uses frequency hopping, there is an additional hopping gain which provides a slight cost reduction. The
exact gain is obtained from the Frequency diversity gain table on the Advanced tab of the Atoll AFP Module Properties
dialogue. The gain values are given in dB, and because the two TRXs have different MAL lengths, they have different diversity
gains: a gain of 1.4 for a MAL length of 5 and a gain of 1.2 for a MAL length of 4 (assuming the default values were not
changed).
1.4
--------
The diversity gain of 1.4 dB is applied to the separation cost using the following equation: 10 . For TRXi, this result-
10 1.38
ing gain is 4.5%1.38, or 3.25%.
For TRXk, the cost will be ------ ------------------------ = 3.41% . The cost will be a little larger because the gain is smaller.
1 90
20 10 ( 1.2 10 )
In order to calculate the exact contribution to the separation cost component, these values are multiplied by the traffic load
(Erlangs/timeslot) and by the number of traffic carrier timeslots for each TRX. Assuming the traffic load is 1 and that each TRX
has 8 traffic carrier timeslots, the result is (8 x 3.25 + 8 x 3.41), or about 0.5 Erlangs for the two TRXs combined.
In this example, the AFP weight was assumed to be 1, the traffic loads were assumed to be
1, no DTX was used, no other interference or separation violation was combined with the
given cost, the global separation cost was set to 1, and the co-transmitter separation
weight was set to 1 as well.
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This example explains how a single interference cost element is calculated. In this example, the network contains only two
TRXs belonging to [TX1, BCCH] and [TX2, BCCH]. The interference matrix entry between these two subcells is given in the form
of a CDF, a cumulative density function, displayed in Figure 8.74.
Figure 8.74: The interference matrix entry between [TX1, BCCH] and [TX2, BCCH]
You can see that the probability of C/I (BCCH of TX2 affecting the BCCH of TX1) being greater than 0 is 100%. The probability
of having a C/I at least equal to 31 dB is 31.1%. In the Subcells table, the Min C/I field of the TX1's BCCH subcell of is 12. There-
fore, for a C/I level of 12 dB, the probability of interference is 6.5% (because this requirement has a probability of 93.5% of
being fulfilled).
In order to be converted into cost, the probability of interference 6.5% must be multiplied by the number of time slots, their
loads, and the AFP weight.
P1, P2, .Pn are the costs of the probability of a violation of a TRX (one for each of "n" violations).
Pn+1, Pn+2, .Pm are the costs of the probability of interference of a TRX (one for each of "m-n" interferences).
Pm+1 is the changing TRX cost described below:
n
The cost of separation for this TRX is therefore: 1 ( 1 Pi )
i=1
m+1 n
The additional cost of this TRX is: 1 ( 1 P i ) 1
( 1 P i )
i=1 i=1
The interference cost uses the "min C/I" value, defined at the subcell level, for which it might have precise interference infor-
mation. It can apply various gains to this C/I quality target due to frequency hopping and/or DTX.
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Corrupted TRXs are TRXs where the assignment is unusable by the AFP. A few examples of corrupted TRXs would be:
TRXs with an empty channel list
A TRX with a MAL without HSN or without a MAIO for synthesised hopping.
A TRX assigned an invalid frequency.
A non-hopping or base-band hopping TRX with a MAL that has more than one frequency.
By default, 100% of the traffic that a corrupted TRX is supposed to carry is considered impaired.
In some cases, correcting the assignment of resources for a group of corrupted TRXs will not only result in these TRXs being
considered corrupted but many other TRXs that, otherwise, would have correctly assigned resources, will also be considered
corrupted.
When you enable the optimisation of the number of TRXs, the costs for missing TRXs and
corrupted TRXs change to a fixed value. For missing TRXs, this value multiplies the absolute
difference between the number of assigned TRXs and the number of required TRXs.
If you do not enable the optimisation of the number of TRXs, the weights for missing and
corrupted TRXs are multiplied by the traffic (time slots, load, and AFP weight).
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If there are three frequencies, f1, f2, f, the following table describes the separation constraint:
f=2f1-f2
Third order f, f1 and f2
f=f1-2f2
The preceding tables summarise five types of violations. Each type has a default weight:
Harmonics 0.01
VASP 0.0002
The costs detailed up to this point are added together and weighted with the inter-modulation weight W, the UL/DL compo-
nent weight, and the equipment sharing weight.
In each intermodulation violation there is an interfering frequency (or frequencies) and an interfered frequency. In all the
preceding equations except the VASP, the generator frequency is on the right side of the equations while the interfered
frequency is on the left site. The VASP case corresponds to two violations: in the first, the lower frequency is the generator,
and the higher frequency is the interfered.
It is assumed that the generator frequencies are either all on the uplink or all on the downlink, otherwise, no violation is
considered. The interfered frequency can be a downlink or uplink frequency as well. Therefore, there are 4 cases for which 4
weights will multiply the violation cost.
Generator Interfered
Weight Description
Frequencies Frequencies
The final weight concerns the equipment sharing. This aspect has a crucial effect on the importance of intermodulation. In
Atoll, it is assumed that sharing a site implies sharing a transmitter and that sharing a feeder and antenna implies co-cell
cohabitation.
For co-cell intermodulation (generating frequencies as well as IM belong to the same cell) the intermodulation cost is multi-
plied by 5.
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The tax on reuse distance is defined on the Protection tab of the Atoll AFP Properties dialogue. The tax applied on reuse
distance is associated with any additional protection against adjacent channel reuse. The greater the additional protection
against adjacent channel reuse defined on the Protection tab, the greater the distance tax.
The number of relations based on distance taken into consideration for each transmitter is limited for performance reasons.
You can define the maximum number of relations by setting the "GlobalDistanceMatrixDegreeUB" option in the atoll.ini file.
For information on setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
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Cost Effect
For a cost of changing a TRX = 0.3 AFP changed only 129 TRXS
For a cost of changing a TRX = 0.1 AFP changed only 139 TRXS
Selecting the Summed cost of all TRXs check box makes the AFP take the cost of all TRXs into account, whether or not they
exceed this quality target. If you clear this check box, the AFP will only take into account the costs of TRXs which do not fulfil
the quality thresholds defined in their corresponding subcells. In other words, the AFP dismisses any TRX whose quality is
better than the quality target, enabling it to concentrate the optimisation on the TRXs that really need improvement.
To display the Cost tab of the Atoll AFP module Properties dialogue:
1. Open the Atoll AFP Module Properties dialogue as explained in "Setting the Parameters of the Atoll AFP Module" on
page 516.
2. Click the Cost tab (see Figure 8.75).
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You can assign a weight between 0 and 1 for the following types of separation constraint violations:
Co-cell separation violations
Co-site separation violations
Neighbourhood separation violations
Exceptional pair separation violations
The Partial separation constraint violations section enables you to define the cost of the actual separation ("k") when a differ-
ent separation ("s") is required. You can define the percentage of traffic of each TRX to be considered infor a partial separation
constraint violation. You can also add and remove partial separation constraints using the Add Separation and Remove Sepa-
ration buttons at the bottom of the tab.
To display the Separations tab of the Atoll AFP module Properties dialogue:
1. Open the Atoll AFP Module Properties dialogue as explained in "Setting the Parameters of the Atoll AFP Module" on
page 516.
2. Click the Separations tab (see Figure 8.76).
Under Partial separation constraint violations, you can edit the conditions defining a partial separation constraint.
You can have up to 7 separations.
To edit the separation conditions:
a. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the separation.
b. Click the entry in the Value column and enter a percentage corresponding to the amount of traffic.
To remove a separation:
Click the Remove separation button. Atoll removes the last separation.
To add a separation:
Click the Add separation button. Atoll adds a separation entry to the end of the list under Properties and fills in
default values for each "k" value.
3. If desired, modify the weight for each of the following:
Co-transmitter violations
Co-site violations
Violations between neighbours
Violations between exceptional pairs
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The first component in combining interference matrices is whether a given interference matrix entry is within the
scope of the AFP.
3. Under The type of interference matrix, define the parameters for each section:
Overlapping area based on path loss matrices
Ratio of overlapping surface
Ratio of overlapping traffic
OMC statistics
Signal level measurements (RXLEV), neighbours only
Signal level measurements (RXLEV), neighbours and extended neighbours
Based on reselection
Measurement analysis
Based on drive test data
Based on CW measurements
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3. Under MAL allocation type, select how the MAL will be allocated for groups of synchronised subcells.
Same MAL for all the subcells of a synchronised set, or
Different MALs within a synchronised set.
4. Under MAL length, set the constraints that the Atoll AFP will follow to define the MAL length:
a. The first constraint concerns group-constrained subcells: the choice of MAL length for group-constrained subcells
is limited. Only the group lengths of each subcell frequency domain can be chosen.
b. Select either Max MAL length or Adjust MAL lengths. If you select Max MAL length, you do not need to set any
other constraints.
If you select Max MAL Length, it is not necessary to set any other constraints.
c. If you selected Adjust MAL lengths, set the following parameters to define how the Atoll AFP will set MAL lengths:
i. Define the value that MAL length/Domain size must not be equal to or greater than.
ii. If you selected Different MALs within a synchronised set as the MAL allocation type in step 3., you can select
a Long or Short MAL Strategy (with the option of keeping MAL long enough to allow a certain pattern).
iii. Define a Target fractional load and select the Automatic adjustment check box if you want to give the AFP
the possibility of modifying this value automatically. The fractional load is
It is recommended that you let the AFP automatically adjust the target fractional load.
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To display the Finalisation tab of the Atoll AFP Module Properties dialogue:
1. Open the Atoll AFP Module Properties dialogue as explained in "Setting the Parameters of the Atoll AFP Module" on
page 516.
2. Click the Finalisation tab (see Figure 8.80).
3. Under Target CPU time, select how the AFP uses the user-defined target computation time:
Fixed duration: If you select Fixed Duration, the AFP stops when this time has elapsed. If a stable solution has
been found prior to this limit, the allocation stops. Fixed duration corresponds to the minimum amount of time
you reserve for the AFP to find the best solution.
Directive duration: This is the Atoll AFP's default. If you select Directive duration, the TCT is used by the AFP to
estimate the methods which will be used to find the best solution. If the TCT is long enough, the AFP will attempt
to modify its internal calibration to better match the network on which frequencies and resources are being allo-
cated. If the TCT is shorter, the AFP will select a smaller number of methods and will not calibrate its internal
parameters. If the AFP finds a stable solution before the end of the TCT, the AFP will stop. On the other hand, if
convergence has not been reached by the end of the TCT, the AFP will continue.
4. Under Result Assignment, select how the AFP assigns the results once the automatic allocation has stopped:
Manual Assignment: You can analyse the best plan before committing it to the document.
Automatic Assignment: The AFP automatically assigns the best plan to the document. This approach is recom-
mended if Auto Backup is enabled.
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3. Under Pattern, define the pattern to be used to assign frequency groups to sectors. The assigned pattern is defined
by "1/n," where "n" is the number of larger frequency groups in the domain. If the frequency domain has fewer than
"n" groups, the pattern is ignored.
4. Under BSIC, define the diversity of BSIC use for frequency hopping:
Min.: The AFP chooses the most compact scheme permitted by the constraints.
Max.: The AFP attempts to distribute the BSICs homogeneously.
5. Under Channels, define the spacing between channels to be used between channels during allocation:
Automatic: The AFP optimises channel spacing to minimise the cost.
Max.: The AFP uses the entire spectrum. This option is recommended with the modelling is not accurate.
Min.: This option is recommended when a part of the spectrum is to be saved for future use.
6. Under MAIO, define the MAIO allocation strategy for frequency hopping:
Staggered: The MAIOs assigned to TRXs of a subcell are evenly spaced.
Free: The AFP module freely assigns MAIOs.
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3. Under Additional protection against adjacent channel reuse, select the level of additional protection you want the
AFP to use against adjacent channel reuse:
None: no additional protection is added.
Weak: 1.5 dB is applied to the initial protection.
Strong: 2.5 dB is applied to the initial protection.
For more information about protection against adjacent channel reuse, see "Adjacency Suppression" on page 525.
4. Under Interference definition with respect to the required quality threshold, set a C/I weighting margin around the
required quality threshold in order for the AFP to consider the traffic having close-to-threshold C/I conditions as nei-
ther 100% satisfactory nor 100% corrupted. For more information, "Interference Cost" on page 512.
Rigid: If you select Rigid, the AFP will evaluate interference only at the defined quality threshold.
Intermediate: If you select Intermediate, the AFP will evaluate interference at 3 reference points: the defined
quality threshold, and at +/- 2 dB of the quality threshold.
Flexible: If you select Flexible, the AFP will evaluate interference at 5 reference points: the defined quality
threshold, at +/- 2 dB of the quality threshold, and at +/- 4 dB of the quality threshold. Selecting Flexible has the
same effect as shadowing.
For interference matrices based on propagation, Atoll can determine whether they have
been calculated with shadowing. If shadowing has not been taken into account, the AFP
can adapt its settings to more realistically model the network. In other words, if you do not
take shadowing into consideration when calculating the interference matrix, Atoll can
automatically change its definition of interference from rigid to intermediate, or even to
flexible.
Adjacency Suppression
Adjacency suppression is defined as the difference between the required C/I and the required C/A (C/A being the "Carrier to
Adjacent Intensity ratio"). By default this is set to 18 dB following the GSM specification. You can change this value in the Prop-
erties dialogue of the Network Settings folder.
When the value of this parameter is used in the AFP (to extract the interference caused by an adjacent channel) you can apply
a small safety margin, temporarily reducing the 18 dB to 16.5, or even to 15.5. This safety margin is applied only in the AFP;
Atoll's predictions continue to apply the full adjacency suppression.
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For interference matrices based on propagation, Atoll can determine whether they have
been calculated with a handover margin. If the margin has not been used, the AFP can
adapt its settings to more realistically model the network. In other words, if you do not
take the handover margin into consideration when calculating the interference matrix,
Atoll can automatically change the adjacent channel additional protection from none to
weak or to strong.
The tables in this page enable you to define the Interference and Frequency diversity gains in the case of frequency hopping,
which are supplementary gains.
These gains model the non linear effects of the C/I diversity on the quality (FER, BLER). Due to fast fading, and channel burst
interleaving.
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When setting non 0 gains in these tables (as by default), both the Interference diversity gain and the frequency diversity gain
are combined in order to reduce the interference probability. On the other hand, when it comes to separation calculation,
only the Interference diversity gains are considered.
The other options in this page were grouped into it because they share only one characteristic: They are all administrator
parameters. If you wish to change something in this page, please read the manual until the end of this chapter.
Currently, the AFP always assigns the same MAL to all TRXs within a subcell.
The "group constrained" assignment mode is applicable for SFH only. In NH and
BBH, the group constrained mode will only concern the respect of the preferred
group. Which is a different issue.
There is no contradiction between proffered group respect and the pre defined
MAL assignment in SFH. When both are relevant, each of the predefined MALs can
be more or less included in the preferred group and therefore more or less "pre-
ferred".
When azimuth oriented pattern allocation is performed at the same time as pre-
defined MAL allocation, only the biggest groups in the domain will be used for the
pattern, while the small ones will be used for MAL assignment.
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The user can control the HSN allocation so that it performs one of the following:
Assigns the same HSN to all subcells of a site
Assigns the same HSN to all subcells of a transmitter
Assigns pair-wise different HSNs if a pair of subcells have mutual interference.
Optimise HSN assignment so that the frequency assignment is better (free HSN).
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averages the cost upon all frame numbers in the synchronised case and upon all collision probabilities in the non-synchronised
case.
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In the preceding definitions, all neighbour relations between transmitters are considered, independently of the direction, as
shown in Figure 8.84 on page 530.
The same applies for the interference relation; i.e., two transmitters are considered to interfere each other whether the first
interferes the second, the second interferes the first, or both interfere mutually.
During the allocation, the AFP counts the number of times it was unable to allocate a BSIC due to a constraint that was not
satisfied.
The AFP respects the BSIC domains defined for transmitters and takes into account the BSIC spacing strategy selected on the
Reuse tab of the AFP properties dialogue:
Min.: The AFP assigns the minimum possible number of BSICs that satisfies the constraints.
Max.: The AFP assigns as many BSICs as possible while keeping them evenly distributed.
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Given the difficulty inherent in combining dimensioning and frequency planning, it is often tempting to do each separately.
However, by combing dimensioning and frequency planning, as done by the Atoll AFP, you can exploit local variations of soft
versus hard blocking measure and thereby better enhance of network capacity. The advantage of adjusting the number of
TRXs while making an automatic frequency allocation is demonstrated in "Example of Combining Dimensioning and Frequency
Planning" on page 533.
The basic advantage of combining the two is that you can avoid the need to manually find a target blocking rate.
When evaluating the resulting frequency plan, it is important to keep in mind how this frequency plan was created: it was
created to maximise the correctly served traffic instead of trying to simply minimse the interfererd traffic. For example, if
plan A has more TRXs than plan B, it is possible that an interference prediction for plan A will display more interference, even
if plan A is the best plan. It consists on the positive attitude: trying to maximise the correctly served traffic instead of trying to
minimise the interfered traffic.
Combining both soft and hard blocking, the AFP optimises the amount of correctly served traffic for each individual transmit-
ter using frequencies available to it. In this example, there is a transmitter with two subcells: TCH and BCCH. The two subcells
absorb the traffic demand together. Let us assume that the traffic demand consists of 25 Erlangs of circuit-switched traffic,
and 5 timeslots of packet-switched traffic. Let us also assume that the required number of TCH TRXs is 2 with 1 BCCH TRX.
The AFP could just assign 3 TRXs in this cell, exactly as required, or it could study a few additional possibilities:
Assign only 2 TRXs, thereby reducing interference.
Assign 4 TRXs (one additional TRX), thereby reducing the blocking rate.
The AFP calculates the best option as follows:
1. It calculates the available number of circuits (depending on the HR half-rate ratio).
2. Then it calculates the blocking rate using the Erlang B equation and the circuit-switched demand.
3. Once the AFP has calculated how much traffic is served, it can calculate the traffic load (from 0 to 1, with "1" corre-
sponding to a full load).
4. With the traffic load calculated, the AFP can calculate the interference cost as well as the hard blocking cost.
The cost representing the interference depends on which frequencies were assigned. The more TRXs there are, the harder it
is to find frequencies that are free from interference.
In this example, the locally available frequencies are as follows:
Only 2 frequencies (f1 and f2) have low interference (i.e., probability of interference = 10%). One frequency (f3) has a medium
level of interference (20%). One frequency (f4) has a high level of interference (30%). All the other available frequencies are
even more heavily interfered.
1. Thomas Toftegaard Nielsen and Jeroen Wigard, Performance Enhancements in a Frequency Hopping GSM
Network(Springer, 2000), 68.
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The best plan depends on the locally available frequencies: if there was less interference, the AFP would have chosen
frequency plan 3. If f3 and f4 where heavily interfered, the AFP would have chosen frequency plan 1. Because the AFP tries to
minimise what is in bold in the table above (i.e., the blocked and interfered traffic), it chooses frequency plan 2 (in which the
figures in bold add up to 3.57 timeslots).
If you choose to use traffic maps, a traffic capture can supply the traffic demand. Then, by performing dimensioning or a KPI
calculation, this information is committed into the Subcells table. Afterwards, when running an automatic frequency alloca-
tion, you can then choose to have the AFP use the traffic information from the default traffic capture or from the Subcells
table.
The traffic demand can come from the OMC and be imported into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data table. For more information
on importing OMC traffic into the Subcells Table: Traffic Data table, see "Importing OMC Traffic Data into the Subcells Table:
Traffic Data" on page 436.
The Subcells Table: Traffic Data table sA specific table is defined in order to absorb OMC traffic readings. To open it:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Subcells > Subcells Table: Traffic Data from the context menu. The Traffic data part of the Subcells table
appears.
By importing Subcells Table: Traffic Data table into the fields for the BCCH and TCH subcells (which share the same field as
they are assumed to share the same traffic management unit) and into the TCH_INNER subcells field, where they exist, you
supply the AFP with your OMC traffic.
The AFP can use traffic loads to calculate the traffic demand (if maintaining compatibility with older documents is a concern).
Previously, the AFP used the field "traffic load" and the number of required TRXs as its traffic source. When the required
number of TRXs is adjusted, the cost function will continue to be the same. When the adjustment is requested, the AFP can
base its demand on the traffic load, in a way that permits the user to maintain compatibility with the old traffic model.
8.5.3.1.3 How to control the optimization so that it allocates more or less TRXs?
There are several mechanisms by which you can set the AFP to allocate more or fewer TRXs: you can modify the traffic demand
to have more or fewer TRXs allocated, you can modify the weights for the interference and separation violation costs, or you
can modify the tax for missing (or superfluous) TRXs.
Increasing the Traffic Demand to Increase TRX Allocation
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The more there is a demand, the higher will be the pressure on the AFP to allocate more TRXs. As said above, the demand can
come, or from the traffic model, or from the subcell table, or from the traffic load values. If demands come from the traffic
capture, you can increase demand by recalculating the capture with a higher traffic coefficients. If the demands comes from
the OMC, you can bust it up using a spreadsheet. And if it comes from the traffic loads you can do the following:
In the AFP property pages, where you indicate that the demand should be regenerated from the traffic loads, you are also
requested to bound the actual blocking rate (actual with respect to the number of required TRXs). This is because of the
following reason:
If your served traffic load is 100%, theoretically, only an infinite circuit demand can generate such a load
The 5% in this screen shot mean that the traffic demand can exceed the served traffic by no more than 5%
By Increasing this measure we increase the difference between served traffic and traffic demand.
(yet only in the heavily loaded TRXs, when traffic loads are low, served demand ~= demand )
Since we are in the case where the served traffic is our information source, and therefore constant, this means we are increas-
ing the demand.
And increasing demand means more need for TRXs.
You can modify the cost weights for interference and separation violation.
This is the other side of the balance:
High cost will put pressure on the AFP to allocate less TRXs.
You can modify the tax for missing (or extra) TRXs
As it name indicates, this is a simple cost component aimed to softly limit the freedom of the AFP in this new domain. The
higher it is, the better will be the respect of the original "number of required TRXs"
A dedicated Locking flag at subcell level
Permitting you to shut down the new capacity whenever you exactly know the number of TRXs you need.
Plan 1
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Less Interference
The example shows that interference can be greatly reduced. The following graphs show the effect of adjusting the number
of TRXs on the interfered and served traffic, compared to the initial dimensioning.
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The preceding 4 frequency plans were all generated using exactly 50 frequencies. All other network parameters remained the
same.
In the plan "Dim - 76 TRXs" many TRXs were removed by the AFP (76 out of 820). Removing the TRXs reduced interference by
a considerable margin but had no impact on the amount of served traffic because reducing TRXs was only considered if the
transmitter's load was low.
In a real network, it is often necessary to re-adjust the number of TRXs to match evolution of the traffic.
A typical situation is the following snap shot; taken before any adaptation is made.
It is normal that not all transmitters having the same number of TRXs have the same traffic demands, therefore the traffic
loads will often vary from one transmitter to another.
Once the AFP performs its optimisation, the traffic loads become more uniform, as can be observed in the following graph.
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A common practice is to split the frequency domains and reserve one frequency domain for BCCH, one for TCH, and one for
EGPRS (when used). As well, frequency bands and domains are reserved for the HCS layer. When the network is dimensioned
during an automatic frequency allocation, the number of TRXs is adapted without modifying the divisions.
Figure 8.89: Frequency reuse balancing with or without TRX number adjustment
In this example, most TRXs that were removed were removed in the 900 band (In the first half of the graph, the red line is
almost always below the blue line.)
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The following sections explain the maximum likelihood combination performed by the Atoll AFP Module. Before describing
the combination process, the scope and context of interference matrices is explained.
Depending on the matrix type, the quality indicators available on the Advanced tab include:
For matrices based on path loss (propagation data) matrices:
The standard deviation
The resolution
Whether the interference information (probabilities) correspond to traffic or surface area.
For matrices based on reselection statistics from the OMC:
The statistic duration
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The most important information of the scope is the percentage of victim coverage and the percentagle of interferer coverage.
In order to understand their significance as well as their use, you should bear in mind that interference matrices must provide
interference information between each pair of subcells in the network. A large amount of memory would be required for a
simple sequential representation of the interference matrix, which would make it impossible to work with such interference
matrices in large networks. Therefore, entries in an interference matrix only exist when there is interference between a given
pair of subcells.
If an entry (i, j) does not exist in the interference matrix, there are two possible explanations:
Either j does not interfere with i (no interference),
Or the interference information is missing in the interference matrix because at least one of the two was out of the
scope of the interference matrix (unknown interference).
In other words, the lack of information can be interpreted as either no interference or as unknown interference.
If there is only one interference matrix (i.e., only one source of interference information) then no interference is the same as
unknown interference.
If there is more than one interference matrix, the information missing in one matrix might be available in another. Therefore,
it becomes very important to distinguish between the two cases in order to intelligently combine different interference matri-
ces.
For example, if you have three interference matrices and, for a given pair of subcells, you have 60% interference in one,
unknown interference in the second, and unknown interference in the third, the resulting interference when the three matri-
ces are combined will be 60%. However, if for the same pair of subcells, you have 60% interference in one, no interference in
the second, and no interference in the third, the resulting interference when the three matrices are combined will be only
20%.
The ideal method for differentiating between no interference and unknown interference would be to keep a matrix of values
in memory, which would indicate the reliability of each matrix entry, and thereby indicate the entries for which the interfer-
ence is "Unknown" as unreliable entries. Unfortunately, this would be completely impractical because this matrix of values
would be too large to work with.
Therefore, Atoll implements a slightly restricted approach for storing the scope of interference matrices. Interference matri-
ces contain two reliability indicators at transmitter level, i.e., the reliability when a transmitter is the victim, and the reliability
when it is the interferer. This information is stored in the columns % of Victim Coverage and % of Interferer Coverage.
The reliability of an entry (i, j) is calculated as follows:
VictimCoverage(Transmitter(i)) * InterfererCoverage(Transmitter(j))
This implementation is simple and sufficient for the most interference matrices.
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The scope of an interference matrix is created by the tool that creates the interference matrix. If the interference matrix is
created by Atoll, the AFP scope will be set to the initial set of victims, corresponding to SEL + RING (see "The Scope of the AFP
and the Scope of the Interference Matrix" on page 489). This means that even when only one transmitter is present inside the
computation zone, many other transmitters might be taken into account. Atoll adds all potential interferers to this set, and
calculates the interference matrix entries between all pairs of this set. This set becomes the scope of the interference matrix,
with 100% at both victim and interferer coverage.
Other software can be used to edit the interference matrix scope using the general API features, or by saving the interference
matrix as a CLC file and editing it. The CLC file format can store all the interference matrix information (see the Technical Refer-
ence Guide for more information).
The scopes of the interference matrices are automatically created when old CLC,
IM0, IM1, or IM2 files are imported. The scope is created using the current BSIC
and BCCH allocation, and finding the set of all victims and the set of all interferers.
The interference matrix scope internally manages the transmitter IDs. When
exchanging information with a CLC file, these ID's are visible to the user. They are
arbitrary numbers used to index the interference matrix entries. Even if an addin
is used to create the interference matrix, the association of transmitter names to
IDs is carried out by Atoll. The addin will associate the interference information to
pairs of transmitter ID's.
The CLC and DCT files have the same mapping of transmitter names to transmitter
IDs. There are no restrictions on transmitter IDs as long as they are unique integers
under 231.
Two possibilities (examples) for editing the interference matrix information could be:
An addin that imports an interference matrix should know its scope. For example, if it is an OMC addin, and the OMC
covers 50 transmitters, the scope will contain 50 transmitters. Their indexes will be supplied by Atoll once added to
the scope. The percentage of victim and interferer coverage should be 100%.
When generating an interference matrix from CW measurements, there might be a few transmitters which were cor-
rectly scanned and others that were not. In this case, the correctly scanned transmitters would have good percentage
of victim and interferer coverage, while the others would not.
The BSIC and BCCH fields in the scope are used for the cases where the BSIC and BCCH allocation, during the period when the
interference matrix information was gathered, was different from the current BSIC and BCCH allocation.
Calculate your Interference Matrices as often as you calculate your path loss matrices.
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The Interference Matrices tab (see "The Atoll AFP Interference Matrices Tab" on page 520) available in the Atoll AFP Module
properties dialogue displays and lets to modify the weights that control the interference matrix combination.
The interference matrix combination is carried out as follows:
1. The Atoll AFP Module asks Atoll to load a subset of the active interference matrices of the document. This subset is
determined by comparing each interference matrix scope with the AFP scope. Only the interference matrices whose
scope intersects the AFP scope are loaded.
2. The Atoll AFP Module then reads the scope and context information of each loaded interference matrix.
The interference, p(i, v, x), of subcell i (interferer) on subcell v (victim) for a given C/I level x, can be read from more
than one interference matrix.
3. The Atoll AFP Module combines all the values of p(i, v, x) by performing a weighted average. Therefore, it calculates
as many weights as the number of p(i, v, x) entries for a pixel. These "reliability weights" are calculated by multiplying
the following three components:
a. Component quantifying the membership to the AFP scope:
VictimCoverage(Transmitter(v)) x InterfererCoverage(Transmitter(i))
For interference matrices based on OMC statistics, if the scope indicates that both i and v had the same BCCH, the
component will be 0.
b. Component depending on the interference matrix type.
c. Component depending on the interference matrix quality indicators: The "Reliability Calculation". The equations
are different for the different classes of types since the quality indicators are different as well:
i. Interference matrix based on propagation:
75 7.5
Component C = --------------- --------
r + 25
Where is the standard deviation of the propagation model, and r is the calculation resolution. A resolution
of 50 m and a standard deviation of 7.5 dB gives a weight of 1.
ii. Interference matrix based on measurements from the OMC performed during n days:
1+n
Component C = ----------------
-
3
i.The standard deviation , which is assumed to be lower than the one of a propagation model.
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8.5.3.3.2 Factors Influencing the AFP Which Can Be Set at Several Levels
There are certain factors which affect the AFP directives that can be set at different levels in the GSM project:
During an AFP optimisation, the channels and MAIO currently assigned to a TRX will not be changed if the TRX is locked
in the TRXs table or if the transmitter is locked in the Transmitters table.
The AFP weighing can be set at the transmitter level and at the subcell level. The final AFP weight will be the product
of both weights (i.e., the transmitter AFP weight multiplied by the subcell AFP weight).
The domain definition can be modified at the subcell level by defining excluded channels.
The AFP TRX Rank provides a ranking of the TRXs in a subcell. If a TRX rank is high, it implies that the frequency (channel) corre-
sponding to this TRX has bad usage conditions. TRX ranks indicate the best and worst quality TRXs in each subcell. The best
TRX might be a candidate for extensive GPRS or EDGE usage. The worst TRX will be the TRX that is potentially removable. The
OMC might use rank (or preference) information for better RRM (first charge the good TRXs, only after charge the bad ones ).
As it is during an AFP process that frequencies and MALs/MAIOs for different TRXs of a subcell are chosen, the AFP tool stores
and manipulates the information about TRXs in good and in bad conditions.
If you choose AFP Rank indicator to be allocated when starting an AFP session, each cost improving solution will go through a
TRX rank assignment. If no improving plan is found, TRX rank will be assigned for the initial plan (like BSIC). TRX ranking within
a subcell is performed on the basis of TRX costs.
A TRX will be considered locked for TRX Rank assignment if and only if it is not selected for AFP allocation or if it has been
locked.
TRX rank is Atoll's AFP implementation of "Scheduling", which can help increase performance in certain particular cases.
Example: imagine the case where a cell and its neighbour are not loaded with traffic at the same time (for example, a stadium
and its parking lot). In such cases, it is possible to decrease call blocking by adding one or two dirty TRXs to the concerned cells.
(assuming clean TRXs do not exist for spectral reasons). What you will need to do is the following:
1. You need an OMC that can be informed about the TRX ranking, and that knows not to use the bad TRXs when load is
normal or low. They get into use only when the load is high.
2. You need to relax the interference matrix entries and the separation relation constraints between the two oppositely
correlated cells.
3. You need to run the AFP with TRX rank.
The spectral efficiency of scheduling can not be fully acquired by real time RRM, since the latest is of a caustic nature. You can
be sure to obtain a bigger gain if the scheduling order is pre-defined.
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8.5.3.4.2 Learning the Network and Solving the hard Spots at the same time
1. Apply this technique to networks having 12000 to 120000 Erlangs (2500 to 25000 TRXs). Make sure that the AFP is
configured to maintain its learned experience (execution page in the AFP property pages).
2. Run the AFP for at least 10 solutions, on the entire network, specifying a short time period, commit the plan knowing
it is of basic quality. If this quality satisfies you, you do not need to continue.
3. Find the areas that generate problems. For example, some sites with separation violations, high congestion, or high
interferences.
4. Create a calculation zone around these areas.
5. Create a filtering zone including the computation zone + the first ring of neighbours.
6. Make sure that this representative part of the network is not too big nor too small. For example: 100 to 200 transmit-
ters in the computation zone, plus an additional 50 to 100 of locked neighbours.
7. Specify a long execution time (1500 to 4000 minutes) and let the AFP work on the core for this entire target time. The
target time should be long enough for the AFP to generate at least 800 solutions. The AFP should be run using a cost
for changing the TRX channel. (we want to minimise the number of changes).
8. Assuming that the long execution on a small area had improved the result, commit the plan.
9. If not, reduce the cost of changing a TRX, or reduce the number of locked transmitters, or both. Repeat the two pre-
vious steps until an improving long execution is achieved.
10. Now you can run the AFP on entire network. Keep the same cost for changing a TRX, so that the basic plan obtained
in the beginning is not too strongly modified.
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If step N 10 has provided a good plan then it might be worth while sharing your AFP experience with all the other users:
Duplicate your AFP model.
Give a meaningful name to the duplicated model.
In its execution property page, switch off the experience learning option. (So that this model does not get altered by
other AFP users)
Archive to database the new AFP model, yet not the old one. The new model can be used by the other AFP users. The
old model which you didn't archive is not affected by your modifications.
This figure depicts the case where one co-channel and two adjacent channel interferers are combined to create total interfer-
ence (the gain value (the empty part - 18 dB) shows that they are adjacent). For each of the two adjacent interferers, C/I > 12
dB, while for their combination, the total interference, C/I < 12 dB. This example demonstrates the fact that geographic inter-
ference combination is more accurate than the interference cost of the AFP. Assuming the required quality to be 12 dB, this
specific point would not contribute to the AFP cost, while it would be considered as interfered in the interference coverage
prediction.
In this case, two strong interferences are combined to create an extra strong total interference. C/I is very weak for both inter-
ferers. Therefore, the point under analysis contributes to both IM entries, which are considered in the AFP cost. This example
demonstrates the fact that geographic interference combination is more accurate than the interference cost of the AFP
because of counting this point only once as an interfered point (and not twice as in the AFP).
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8.5.3.4.4 Why aren't the traffic loads incorporated in the interference matrix?
Atoll maintains the traffic load separate from the interference information. Before justifying this choice we must depict the
two alternatives:
The mixed option: The interference information contains the traffic information as well. In this way, each IM entry will
contain the quantity of traffic interfered if a co-channel or adjacent channel reuse exists.
The separated option: The AFP has separate access to traffic load information and to interference probabilities (As in
Atoll).
The main reasons for choosing the second implementation are the following:
Option 2 is a superset that contains option 1. But option 1, being a subset, does not contain option 2 (i.e. once the
information are mixed they cannot be separated).
It does not create any overhead (the size of the additional information is negligible compared to the size of the IM).
It helps keeping the unit definitions simpler.
It facilitates merging IMs with different traffic units.
The traffic information can be used for weighting the separation violation component, as well as the interference com-
ponent.
The traffic load can be used in deciding whether a TRX can be left uncreated.
The gain introduced by the traffic load of the interferer depends on the hopping mode and the MAL size. Incorporating
this gain in the IM (as a result of the mixed option) means that the IMs become hopping-mode and MAL-size
dependent. This is a bad idea since the AFP should be able to change the MAL. And the user should be able to change
the hopping mode without recalculating the IM. In addition, an IM calculated externally to Atoll, with a non-hopping
BCCH can be used for the hopping TCH.
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For example, if you calculate the interference matrices on the HCS servers with a margin of 4 dB, shadowing, and a cell edge
coverage probability of 75% as shown in Figure 8.94, you should use the same settings when creating the interfered zones
coverage prediction (see Figure 8.95):
Under Coverage Conditions, use the default settings for Subcell C threshold and Server.
Under Interference Conditions, use the default settings for the Subcell CI threshold.
Under Interference Conditions, use the same DTX definition as you used when you ran the AFP.
Under Interference Conditions, select "From subcell table" for the Traffic Load, and select the Detailed Results check
box.
After defining and calculating the coverage prediction as explained in "Studying Interference Areas" on page 552, generate a
report as explained in ""Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 416. When the Columns to Be Displayed dialogue
appears, select the check boxes corresponding to the following columns (see Figure 8.95):
Served load (timeslots weighted by the AFP weight)
Served load (timeslots weighted by the half rate traffic ratio).
Figure 8.96: Defining the report on the interfered zones coverage prediction
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When you define a channel, Atoll uses it to identify only victim TRXs; all TRXs are taken into
account as interferers.
Click the down arrow button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C/I Threshold: to use the CI threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power reduc-
tion) as the lower end of the CI range.
Global C/I Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the CI range.
Select either "CI" or "C(I+N)".
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Click the down arrow button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C/I Threshold: to use the CI threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power reduc-
tion) as the upper end of the CI range.
Global C/I Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the upper end of the CI range.
The defined CI values define the range of CI values to be displayed. Values outside of this
range are not displayed.
You can not select Subcell C/I Threshold as both the lower and the upper end of the CI
range to be considered.
Select whether you want the defined CI or CI+N condition to be Satisfied By:
At least one TRX: When you select the option At least one TRX, the defined interference condition must be
satisfied by at least one TRX on a given pixel for the results to be displayed on that pixel.
The worst TRX: When you select the option The worst TRX, Atoll selects the worst results for each pixel. If the
worst results do not satisfy the defined interference condition, the results will not be displayed on that pixel.
If you have selected "C/(I+N)", you can define the value to be added to the interference. The defined noise figure
is added to the thermal noise value (defined by default at -121 dBm) to calculate the value of N. Select one of the
following:
Based on Terminal: Select Based on Terminal if you want to use the noise figure defined for a terminal and
select the terminal from the list.
Fixed Value: Select Fixed Value if you want to enter a value and then enter the noise figure in the text box.
9. If you want discontinuous transmission mode for TRXs which support it taken into account during the calculation of
interference, select the DTX taken into account check box and enter the percentage of time during which a user is
talking in the Voice Activity Factor text box.
10. Select the Traffic Load that will be used to calculate interference:
100%: The maximum traffic load (subcells entirely loaded).
From subcell table: The subcell traffic load as defined or as calculated during dimensioning.
11. From the Interference Sources list, select whether interference should be calculated from adjacent channels, co-chan-
nels, or from both. The adjacent channel effect on the victim channel, i.e., the interference, is decreased by the adja-
cent channel protection level.
Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can also be optionally taken into account in the total inter-
ference. This option requires activation through changes in the database. For more information, contact support.
12. Select the Detailed Results check box if you want to display detailed results per transmitter. The results displayed
depend on the subcell frequency hopping mode:
Non-Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for one channel of each TRX in non-hopping mode.
Base Band Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL of each subcell in base band hopping mode.
Synthesised Frequency Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL-MAIO of each subcell in synthesised
frequency hopping mode.
13. Click the Display tab.
For a coverage prediction by CI levels, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "CI level (dB)" is selected
by default.
If you selected "HCS Servers" or "All" from the Server list on the Conditions tab, there can be areas where several
transmitters experience interference. On these pixels, several CI values are calculated. Therefore, you can base the
results displayed on either the Field "Min. CI level (dB)" or "Max. CI level (dB)" as well as the "CI level (dB)" Field.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
14. Click the Result Export tab. You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see
"Exporting the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
15. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
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OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
By changing the parameters selected on the Conditions tab and by selecting different
results to be displayed on the Display tab, you can calculate and display information other
than that which has been explained in the preceding sections.
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When you define a channel, Atoll uses it to identify only victim TRXs; all TRXs are taken into
account as interferers.
Click the down arrow button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C/I Threshold: to use the CI threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power reduc-
tion) as the lower end of the CI range.
Global C/I Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the CI range.
Select either "CI" or "C(I+N)".
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Click the down arrow button and select one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C/I Threshold: to use the CI threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power reduc-
tion) as the upper end of the CI range.
Global C/I Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the upper end of the CI range.
If you have selected "C/(I+N)", you can define the value to be added to the interference. The defined noise figure
is added to the thermal noise value (defined at -121 dBm) to calculate the value of N. Select one of the following:
Based on Terminal: Select Based on Terminal if you want to use the noise figure defined for a terminal and
select the terminal from the list.
Fixed Value: Select Fixed Value if you want to enter a value and then enter the noise figure in the text box.
9. If you want discontinuous transmission mode for TRXs which support it taken into account during the calculation of
interference, select the DTX taken into account check box and enter the percentage of time during which a user is
talking in the Voice Activity Factor text box.
10. Select the Traffic Load that will be used to calculate interference:
100%: The maximum traffic load (subcells entirely loaded).
From subcell table: The subcell traffic load as defined or as calculated during dimensioning.
11. From the Interference Sources list, select whether the interference should be calculated from adjacent channels, co-
channels, or from both. The adjacent channel effect on the victim channel, i.e., the interference, is decreased by the
adjacent channel protection level.
You can also select interferences coming from an external project using another technology. For more information,
see "Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 806.
Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can also be optionally taken into account in the total inter-
ference. This option requires activation through changes in the database. For more information, contact support.
12. Select the Detailed Results check box if you want to display detailed results per transmitter. The results displayed
depend on the subcell frequency hopping mode:
Non-Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for one channel of each TRX in non-hopping mode.
Base Band Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL of each subcell in base band hopping mode.
Synthesised Frequency Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL-MAIO of each subcell in synthesised
frequency hopping mode.
13. Click the Display tab.
For a coverage prediction by interfered zones, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. In the Network explorer, the coverage prediction results are arranged by interfered transmitter.
You can also define the display to display the quality received on each interfered area:
The quality received on each interfered area: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "C/I Level (dB)" as
the Field. In the Network explorer, the coverage prediction results are first arranged by interfered transmitter and
then by C/I level.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
14. Click the Result Export tab. You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see
"Exporting the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
15. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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By changing the parameters selected on the Conditions tab and by selecting dif-
ferent results to be displayed on the Display tab, you can calculate and display
information other than that which has been explained in the preceding sections.
As explained in "Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 416, you can
display a prediction report on the interfered predictions indicating the amount of
correctly served traffic out of the total traffic covered by the coverage prediction
by selecting the options Served load (Timeslots weighted either by the AFP
weight or by the Half rate traffic ratio) after having calculated the prediction
report.
The total served load (Timeslots weighted by the AFP weight) is obtained by the
product between the number of timeslots, the AFP weight and the traffic load.
The total served load (Timeslots weighted by the HR Ratio) is obtained by the prod-
uct between the number of timeslots, 1 ( 1 HR 2 ) and the traffic load.
The actual loads given by the report come from the ratio between the covered area
and the total service area.
2. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
3. A line appears on the map connecting the selected transmitter and the current position. You can now do the following:
Move the receiver to change the current position.
Click to place the receiver at the current position. You can move the receiver again by clicking it a second time.
Right-click the receiver to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
Coordinates: Select Coordinates to change the receiver position by entering new XY coordinates.
Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Select the Interference view.
The Interference view displays, in the form of a bar graph, the signal level of the selected transmitter, a black bar indi-
cating the total interference experienced by the receiver, and bars representing the interference received from each
interferer. The information displayed in the bar graph depends on the hopping mode of the subcell identified in the
left margin of the graph:
In Non-Hopping Mode, you can study the interference level on either a specific channel or on the most interfered
one of either of a specific subcell (BCCH, TCH, TCH_EGPRS or TCH_INNER) or all of the selected transmitter.
In Base Band Hopping Mode, you can study the interference level on either a specific MAL or on the most inter-
fered one of either of a specific subcell (BCCH, TCH, TCH_EGPRS or TCH_INNER) or all of the selected transmitter.
In Synthesised Frequency Hopping Mode, you can study the interference level on either a specific MAL-MAIO pair
or on the most interfered one of either of a specific subcell (BCCH, TCH, TCH_EGPRS or TCH_INNER) or all of the
selected transmitter.
Figure 8.101 on page 557 gives an example of the Interference view. The signal level of the transmitter, Site10_3, is
-95.61 dB and is indicated by a red bar. The black bar indicates the total interference experienced by the receiver
(-98.65 dB). The seven interferers are responsible for -102.69 dB (olive green), -103.06 dB (yellow), -107.31 dB
(purple), -111.56 dB (olive green), -115.38 dB (green), -115.50 dB (pink), and -117.13 dB (olive green). The bars indi-
cating the interference caused by Site17_1 and Site15_1 are only partially filled. The entire bar indicates the interfer-
ence that could potentially be caused by the transmitter whereas the filled part of the bar indicates the actual
interference caused. A transmitters actual interference can be lower than its potential interference:
If it uses synthesised frequency hopping mode (reduction due to fractional load)
If it uses adjacent channels (reduction due to adjacent channel protection)
If the subcell it is modelling is a TRX_INNER subcell (reduction due to lower offset).
In the map window, arrows from the receiver to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. The interference levels at the receiver from transmitters are displayed as captions for these arrows. If you
let the pointer rest on an arrow, the interference level received from the corresponding transmitter at the receiver
location will be displayed in the tip text along with information on the channel being interfered and the type of inter-
ference, i.e., co-channel or adjacent channel interference.
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Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can also be optionally taken into account in the total inter-
ference. This option requires activation through changes in the database. For more information, contact support.
5. You can change the following options at the top of the Interference view:
Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list. The transmitters in the list are sorted in the order of decreasing
signal level received at the pointer location.
TRXs: Select the subcell type (or ALL) to be analysed.
Select whether you want the interference to be studied on a specific item (channel, MAL or MAL-MAIO according
to the hopping mode) or the most interfered item.
I: Select whether the interference should be calculated from adjacent channels, co-channels, or from both.
Interference Method: Select whether the interference is calculated by CI or by C(I+N).
6. Right-click the Interference view and select Properties to display the Analysis Properties dialogue. This dialogue is
available from the context menu on all tabs of the Point Analysis Tool window. You can change the following:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Select Signal Level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result Type list.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Details tab.
The Details tab displays the current position and height of the receiver, the clutter class it is situated on, and for each
transmitter, its signal level, the total level of interferences (I) over its subcells, the elementary level of interference of
each interferer, and the resulting total C/I (or C/I+N).
In the map window, arrows from the receiver to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. The interference levels at the receiver from transmitters are displayed as captions for these arrows. A thick
black line from the pointer to its best server is also displayed in the map window. The best server of the pointer is the
transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level. If you let the pointer rest on an arrow, the inter-
ference level received from the corresponding transmitter at the receiver location will be displayed in the tip text
along with information on the channel being interfered and the type of interference, i.e., co-channel or adjacent chan-
nel.
Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can also be optionally taken into account in the total inter-
ference. This option requires activation through changes in the database. For more information, contact support.
8. You can change the following options at the top of the Details tab:
TRXs: Select the subcell type to be analysed.
HCS Layer: Select the HCS layer to be analysed.
I: Select whether the interference should be calculated from adjacent channels, co-channels, or from both.
Interference Method: Select whether the interference is calculated by CI or by C(I+N). Thermal noise is taken
into account in the second method only.
For each transmitter, you can display the interference on each subcell or on the most interfered one. You can click the
Expand button ( ) of each transmitter order to expand the list of all its interferers and their individual I and C/I levels.
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this subcell. If a power reduction of 3 dB had been defined for this subcell, the interference would have been reduced
by an additional 3 dB. A fractional load might be another reason for reduced interference.
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Figure 8.102: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by GPRS/EDGE coding scheme
If, under GPRS/EDGE, you select C and not CI for the coverage prediction, the only option
you need to select under Interference Condition is the TRX type to consider from the TRXs
list.
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Base Band Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL of each subcell in base band hopping mode.
Synthesised Frequency Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL-MAIO of each subcell in synthe-
sised frequency hopping mode.
9. Under GPRS/EDGE, set the following parameters:
From the Coding Schemes list, select the technology on which the coding scheme calculation will be based:
All: If you select All, both GPRS coding schemes and EDGE coding schemes will be used.
GPRS: If you select GPRS, only GPRS coding schemes will be used.
EDGE: If you select EDGE, only EDGE coding schemes will be used. Depending on the selected GPRS/EDGE
configurations, EDGE coding schemes can be of the type EGPRS (Standard EDGE) or EGPRS2 (EDGE Evolution).
Select whether you want to base the coverage prediction on C or C and CI. If you select C, the only option you
need to select under Interference Condition is the TRX type to consider from the TRXs list.
If desired, select which Terminal you want to base the coding scheme coverage prediction on. When you restrict
the coverage prediction to a selected terminal, Atoll bases the coverage prediction on the C and CI graphs for the
selected terminal, as well as on its noise figure. As well, Atoll respects the terminals defined coding scheme limit.
If desired, select which Mobility you want to base the coding scheme coverage prediction on. When you select a
mobility, Atoll considers which transmitters have the coding scheme configuration that can support the selected
mobility and relative threshold.
Enter a Noise Figure. By default, a noise figure of 8 dB is used if no terminal is selected.
Select the Thermal Noise Taken into Account check box if you want Atoll to consider thermal noise.
Select the Ideal Link Adaptation check box if you want the coding scheme that offers the highest throughput to
be selected. Otherwise, Atoll will choose the coding scheme according to signal level and quality.
10. Click the Display tab.
For a coverage prediction by coding schemes, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Coding Schemes"
is selected by default. If desired, you can base the display in "Value Intervals" the Field "Best Coding Schemes," in
which case, Atoll displays the best coding scheme for each pixel.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
When creating a coverage prediction by discrete values, you can not export the values per
pixel.
11. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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If, under GPRS/EDGE, you select Based on C for the coverage prediction, the only option
you need to select under Interference Condition is the TRX type to consider from the TRXs
list.
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Select the Ideal Link Adaptation check box if you want the coding scheme that offers the highest throughput per
timeslot for a given C or C and CI to be selected. Otherwise, Atoll will choose the coding scheme by considering
only the coding scheme admission threshold in terms of C and/or CI.
10. Under User Throughput, select the dimensioning model from which the load reduction factor can be extracted in
order to display an end-user throughput prediction.
11. Click the Display tab.
For a coverage prediction by packet throughput, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "RLC/MAC
Throughput/Timeslot" is selected by default. If desired, you can change the values displayed by selecting one of the
following values from the Field list:
RLC/MAC Throughput/Timeslot: Each layer shows the RLC/MAC throughput/timeslot that a transmitter can carry
on one timeslot per pixel.
Best RLC/MAC Throughput/Timeslot: The resulting coverage gives the best RLC/MAC throughput/timeslot per
pixel from the previous display.
Average RLC/MAC Throughput/Timeslot: Gives the average RLC/MAC throughput/timeslot that the transmitter
can carry on one timeslot per pixel. If there are different coverage areas for different TRXs, this coverage predic-
tion will calculate the union of these coverages and display the average values over these coverage areas, whereas
the other coverage predictions for RLC/MAC throughput/timeslot perform an intersection of these coverage
zones, keeping the minimum value of throughput per pixel.
Application Throughput/Timeslot: Each layer shows the application throughput/timeslot that a transmitter can
carry on one timeslot for a particular service per pixel.
Best Application Throughput/Timeslot: The resulting coverage gives the best application throughput/timeslot
per pixel for a particular service provided by a specific terminal from the previous display.
Average Application Throughput/Timeslot: The average application throughput/timeslot that the transmitter
can carry on one timeslot per pixel for a particular service. If there are different coverage areas for different TRXs,
this coverage prediction will calculate the union of these coverages and display the average values over these cov-
erage areas, whereas the other coverage predictions for application throughput/timeslot perform an intersection
of these coverage zones, keeping the minimum value of throughput per pixel.
Max Throughput: Each layer shows the throughput that a transmitter can provide to a selected terminal per pixel.
Best Max Throughput: The resulting coverage gives the best throughput per pixel from the previous display.
Average Max Throughput: Gives the average throughput that the transmitter can provide to a selected terminal
per pixel. If there are different coverage areas for different TRXs, this coverage prediction will calculate the union
of these coverages and display the average values over these coverage areas, whereas the other coverage predic-
tions for throughput perform an intersection over these coverage zones keeping the minimum value of
throughput per pixel.
User Throughput: Each layer shows the throughput that a transmitter can provide to a user on a pixel, considering
load reduction factors.
Best User Throughput: The resulting coverage gives the user throughput per pixel from the previous display.
Average User Throughput: The average throughput that the transmitter can provide to a user per pixel. If there
are different coverage areas for different TRXs, this coverage prediction will calculate the union of these coverages
and display the average values over these coverage areas, whereas the other coverages for throughput perform
an intersection over these coverage zones, keeping the minimum value of throughput per pixel.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
12. Click the Result Export tab. You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see
"Exporting the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
13. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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You can make a BLER coverage prediction for either GPRS, for EDGE, or for both. As well, you can restrict the coverage predic-
tion to a selected terminal or mobility or to a combination of terminal and mobility. When you restrict the coverage prediction
to a selected terminal, Atoll bases the coverage prediction on the C and CI graphs for the selected terminal. As well, Atoll
respects the terminals defined coding scheme limit. When you select a mobility, Atoll considers which transmitters have the
coding scheme configuration that can support the selected mobility. Atoll can use the noise figure defined for the selected
terminal or a user-defined noise figure if no terminal is selected or if the calculations are based on an interpolation of the
values for CI and C(I+N). For information on defining a terminal, see "Modelling GSM/GPRS/EDGE Terminals" on page 618.
To make a BLER coverage prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Packet Quality Throughput Analysis and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter to select which
sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the Network explorer by one or more char-
acteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted by clicking the Sort button. For infor-
mation on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping, see "Advanced Grouping" on
page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 8.104). On the Conditions tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
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If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Shadowing margins (depending on the entered cell edge coverage probability and the model standard deviation
per clutter class) are applied to the values for C.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Select the Detailed Results check box if you want to display detailed results per transmitter. The results displayed
depend on the subcell frequency hopping mode:
Non-Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for one channel of each TRX in non-hopping mode.
Base Band Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL of each subcell in base band hopping mode.
Synthesised Frequency Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL-MAIO of each subcell in synthe-
sised frequency hopping mode.
8. Under Interference Condition, you can define how Atoll will calculate CI for the BLER coverage prediction.
If, under GPRS/EDGE, you select Based on C for the coverage prediction, the only option
you need to select under Interference Condition is the TRX type to consider from the TRXs
list.
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12. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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If, under Quality Indicators Calculation, you select Calculations Based on CN for the
coverage prediction, the only option you need to select under Interference Condition is
the TRX type to consider from the TRXs list.
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Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can also be optionally taken into account in the total
interference. This option requires activation through changes in the database. For more information, contact sup-
port.
9. Under Quality Indicators Calculation, set the following parameters:
Select Calculations Based on CN if you want to base the coverage prediction on CN. If you select Calculations
Based on CN for the coverage prediction, the only option you need to select under Interference Condition is the
TRX type to consider from the TRXs list. The codec mode is selected only according to signal level.
Select Calculations Based on C(I+N) if you want to base the coverage prediction on CN and C(I+N).
If desired, select which Terminal you want to base the coverage prediction on. When you restrict the coverage
prediction to a selected terminal and the terminal type and the transmitter have different codec configuration,
Atoll determines the intersection of the codec modes contained in the transmitter and terminal codec configura-
tion. The codec mode is then selected according to the calculated CN or CN and CI + N on each pixel. For a given
quality or a given codec mode, look-up tables defined in codec configuration provide the circuit quality indicator
(BER, FER, or MOS) displayed as a result.
If desired, select which Mobility you want to base the coding scheme coverage prediction on. When you select a
mobility, Atoll considers the codec mode applicable for the selected mobility on the codec configuration.
Enter a Noise Figure. By default, a noise figure of 8 dB is used if no terminal is selected.
10. Click the Display tab.
For a circuit quality indicator coverage prediction, the Display Type "Value Intervals" is selected by default. Select one
of the following values from the Field list:
BER: The coverage is coloured according to the bit error rate measured per transmitter.
FER: The coverage is coloured according to the frame erasure rate measured per transmitter.
MOS: The coverage is coloured according to the mean opinion score measured per transmitter.
Max BER: The coverage is coloured according to the maximum bit error rate per pixel of the covering transmitters.
Max FER: The coverage is coloured according to the maximum frame erasure rate per pixel of the covering trans-
mitters.
Max MOS: The coverage is coloured according to the maximum mean opinion score per pixel of the covering
transmitters.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
11. Click the Result Export tab. You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see
"Exporting the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
12. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The results of circuit
quality indicator coverage predictions based on BER, FER, or MOS are broken down by transmitter, as you can see by clicking
the Expand button ( ) to expand the results of the coverage prediction after you have calculated it. The results of circuit qual-
ity indicator coverage predictions based on Max BER, Max FER, or Max MOS are broken down by threshold.
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If you want discontinuous transmission mode for TRXs which support it taken into account, select the DTX taken
into account check box and enter the percentage of time during which a user is talking in the Voice activity factor
text box.
Select the Traffic load that will be used to calculate interference:
100%: The maximum traffic load (subcells entirely loaded).
From subcell table: The subcell traffic load as defined or as calculated during dimensioning.
From the Interference Sources list, select whether the interference should be calculated from adjacent channels,
co-channels, or from both. The adjacent channel effect on the victim channel, i.e., the interference, is decreased
by the adjacent channel protection level.
You can also select interferences coming from an external project using another technology. For more informa-
tion, see "Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 806.
Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can optionally be taken into account in the total inter-
ference. This must be activated by making certain changes in the database. For more information, contact sup-
port.
9. Under GPRS/EDGE, set the following parameters:
From the Coding Schemes list, select the technology for which the packet throughput per timeslot calculation will
be calculated:
All: If you select All, both GPRS coding schemes and EDGE coding schemes will be used.
GPRS: If you select GPRS, only GPRS coding schemes will be used.
EDGE: If you select EDGE, only EDGE coding schemes will be used. Depending on the selected GPRS/EDGE
configurations, EDGE coding schemes can be of the type EGPRS (Standard EDGE) or EGPRS2 (EDGE Evolution).
Select the Ideal Link Adaptation check box if you want the coding scheme that offers the highest throughput to
be selected. Otherwise, Atoll will chose the coding scheme according to signal level and quality.
10. Under Coding, set the following parameters:
Select Calculations Based on CN if you want to base the coverage prediction on CN. If you select Calculations
based on CN for the coverage prediction, the only option to select under Interference conditions is the TRX type
to consider from the TRXs list. The codec mode (or coding scheme) is selected according to signal level and
receiver noise N.
Select Calculations Based on C(I+N) if you want to base the coverage prediction on CN and C(I+N).
If desired, select which Terminal you want to base the coverage prediction on. When you restrict the coverage
prediction to a selected terminal and the terminal type and the transmitter have different codec (or coding
scheme) configurations, Atoll determines the intersection of the codec modes (or coding schemes) contained in
the transmitter and terminal codec (or coding scheme) configuration. The codec mode (or coding scheme) is then
selected according to the calculated CN or CN and CI + N on each pixel.
If desired, select which Mobility you want to base the coding scheme coverage prediction on. When you select a
mobility, Atoll considers the codec mode (or coding scheme) applicable for the selected mobility on the codec con-
figuration.
Enter a Noise Figure. By default, a noise figure of 8 dB is used if no terminal is selected.
Select which Service you want to base the coverage prediction on. If you select a circuit-switched service, the ser-
vice will be served if at least one codec mode can be selected. If you select a packet-switched service, the service
will be served if at least one coding scheme can be selected.
11. Click the Display tab.
Only the Display Type "Unique" can be selected. Pixels are covered with a unique colour if the selected service can be
provided on the considered pixel.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
12. Click the Result Export tab. You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see
"Exporting the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
13. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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You must have a computation zone defined to use the Tx-to-Tx Interference tool. For infor-
mation on creating a computation zone, see "Creating a Computation Zone" on page 402.
Select the transmitter whose signal is interfered from the Victim list or click the Victim button ( ) and select
the transmitter by clicking it on the map.
Select the transmitter whose signal is interfering from the Interferer list or click the Interferer button ( ) and
select the transmitter by clicking it on the map.
The victim and interferer transmitters are displayed on the map with specific icons ( and ).
3. Under Coverage conditions, select what you are going to base the interference calculation on:
Signal level: Enter a signal threshold.
Based on prediction: Select the coverage prediction on which you want to base the interference calculation.
4. Click Calculate. The interference will be displayed on the map if you have selected the Visible check box (see
Figure 8.107).
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7. Select the (BSIC, BCCH) pairs check box if you want the audit to verify the following:
That no transmitter has the same BSIC-BCCH pair as one of its neighbours.
That no transmitter has two neighbours with the same BSIC-BCCH pair.
8. Click the Separations tab. On the Separations tab, you can, if you wish define or modify separation constraints and
exceptional separation constraints:
a. Click the Exceptional Pairs button to open the Exceptional Separation Constraints dialogue and define exception-
al frequency separations to define channel separations that apply to specific pairs of TRXs. During automatic fre-
quency planning, the separation rules are first considered, but they can be overridden by specific entries in the
Exceptional Separation Constraints table. For information on defining exceptional separation constraints, see
"Defining Exceptional Frequency Separations" on page 478.
b. When you have finished entering exceptional separation constraints, click Close to close the Exceptional Separa-
tion Constraints dialogue.
c. In the table on the Separations tab, enter or modify the separation rules. The separation rules set the channel sep-
aration that should exist between pairs of TRXs on the same transmitter, same site, or on adjacent sites. For infor-
mation on defining separation rules, see "Defining Separation Rules" on page 477.
9. Click the Detailed Results tab. On the Detailed Results tab, you can select the check boxes of the type of information
you want in the report.
Error Messages: If you select this check box, the audit displays global warnings and error messages, as well as a
summary of separation constraint violations by transmitter/subcell/TRX pair and by TRX.
Warnings Related to Separations: If you select this check box, the audit displays a description of each separation
constraint violation.
Additional Warnings: If you select this check box, the audit displays additional detailed warnings.
Postpone the Global Summary: If you select this check box, the global summary will not be generated immedi-
ately. Instead, the audit results will be displayed immediately and you can generate the global summary at that
point.
10. Click OK to start the audit. The Checking Planning Consistency dialogue appears (see Figure 8.108). The results are
given in a grid under Display. Under Messages are the detailed results as defined in step 9.
If you had selected the Postpone the Global Summary check box in step 9., the Messages area will be empty. You can
generate global summary now by clicking the Actions button and selecting Generate the Global Summary.
The results are listed in a table by transmitter, TRX type, and TRX and are coded by colour. Channels in black present no sepa-
ration violations. Channels in red present separation violations.
Any separation constraint violations are listed in the Separation Violations column. You can display details about separation
constraint violations by right-clicking the separation constraint violation and selecting Separation Constraint Violations from
the context menu. A message box appears displaying details about the separation constraint violation (see Figure 8.109). You
can navigate to the TRX with which the current TRX has a separation violation by clicking the button in the With the TRX
column.
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If the mean power control gain is greater than 32 dB or less than 0 dB, it is replaced by 4
If the DL power reduction is greater than 25 dB or less than 0 dB, it is replaced by 0
If the AFP weight is greater than 100 or less than 0, it is replaced by 1
If the target rate of traffic overflow is greater than 100 or less than 0, it is replaced by 0
If the maximum percentage of interference is greater than 100 or less than 1, it is replaced by 1
If the maximum MAL size is greater than 62, it replaced by 62.
8. Click OK.
If you choose to fix the incompatible values, Atoll displays the report in the Event Viewer. Values that are inconsistent are
changed and Atoll displays warnings to inform you of unrealistic values.
By including the BCCH, BSIC, and channel list of each transmitter in the transmitter label,
the search results will be easier to understand. For information on defining the label, see
"Defining the Object Type Label" on page 46.
You can use Find on Map to search for a channel. You can search in all channels, in control channels, or in non-control chan-
nels.
To find a channel using Find on Map:
1. Click Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears.
2. From the Find list, select "GSM Channel."
3. In the Channel list, enter a channel that you would like to allocate.
4. Define where you want Atoll to search for the selected channel:
Used as BCCH: Atoll will search for the channel when used as a BCCH.
Used as TCH: Atoll will search for the channel when used as a TCH.
By default, Find on Map displays only co-channel subcells. If you want adjacent channels to be displayed as well, select
the Adjacent channels check box.
5. Click Search.
When you search for both BCCH and TCH TRX types, transmitters with the same channel for BCCH are displayed in red.
Transmitters with the same channel for any TCH are displayed in orange. Transmitters with two adjacent channels
(i.e., a channel higher and a channel lower) are displayed in yellow. Transmitters with a lower adjacent channel are
displayed in green; transmitters with a higher adjacent channel are displayed in green. Colours used for co-channel
cases take precedence over the colours used for adjacent channels. All other transmitters are displayed as grey lines.
When you search for the BCCH or TCH TRX types, transmitters with the same channel are displayed in red. Transmit-
ters with two adjacent channels (i.e., a channel higher and a channel lower) are displayed in yellow. Transmitters with
a lower adjacent channel are displayed in green; transmitters with a higher adjacent channel are displayed in green.
Colours used for co-channel take precedence over the colours used for adjacent channels. All other transmitters are
displayed as grey lines.
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If you cleared the Adjacent channels check box, transmitters using the same channel are displayed in red; all others,
including transmitters with adjacent channels, are displayed as grey lines.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.
You can use Find on Map to search for a combination of TRX and subcell parameters: a channel, BSIC or NCC-BCC, as well as
HSN and MAIO.
To find a BSIC-BCCH pair using Find on Map:
1. Click Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears.
2. From the Find list, select "BSIC-BCCH Pair."
3. Select the parameters on which you want to search:
BCCH channel: Enter a BCCH channel number. If you do not enter a BCCH channel number, Atoll will search all
specified channels according to the other parameters.
BSIC or NCC-BCC: Enter either a BSIC or a value for the NCC and for the BCC.
4. Click Search.
Transmitters that match the defined search parameters are displayed in red. All other transmitters are displayed as
grey lines.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.
To find a combination of TCH channel and HSN or MAIO using Find on Map:
1. Click Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears.
2. From the Find list, select "Channel-HSN/MAIO Pair."
3. Select the Channel/BSIC/HSN/MAIO tab.
4. From the Channel list, select the channel number.
5. Select the parameters on which you want to search:
HSN: If you want to search for a channel number and an HSN, select HSN and select an HSN number.
MAIO: If you want to search for a channel number and a MAIO, select MAIO and select a MAIO number.
6. Click Search.
Transmitters that match the defined search parameters are displayed in red. All other transmitters are displayed as
grey lines.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.
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Cell type: To display the cell type allocated to a transmitter, select "Cell type" from the Label or Tip Text Field Def-
inition dialogue.
Required TRXs per Transmitter or Subcell: To display the number of required TRXs per transmitter or per subcell,
select "Required TRXs" or "Subcell: Required TRXs," respectively, from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dia-
logue.
Number of TRXs Assigned: To display the number of TRXs assigned to a transmitter, select "Number of TRXs" from
the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
Frequency Band: To display the frequency band assigned to a transmitter, select "Frequency Band" from the Label
or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
GPRS/EDGE: To display which transmitters are GPRS/EDGE-capable, select "GPRS/EDGE" from the Label or Tip
Text Field Definition dialogue.
Coding Scheme Configuration: To display the coding scheme configuration assigned to a transmitter, select
"Coding Scheme Configuration" from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
Codec Configuration: To display the codec configuration assigned to a transmitter, select "Codec Configuration"
from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
Because labels are always displayed, you should avoid displaying too much information at
the same time.
5. Click OK.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
6. Click to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to the list
of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
7. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select it in the Group these fields in this order
list and click . The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be
grouped.
8. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters to
be grouped:
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The scope of this tool is the same as the scope of the AFP. For more information on the AFP scope, see "The Scope of the AFP
and the Scope of the Interference Matrix" on page 489.
The frequency load distribution can be displayed as a histogram by clicking the Histogram button. The histogram is similar to
the one on the Distributions tab in the AFP Progress dialogue. For more information, see "The Distributions Tab" on page 502.
You should be aware that uniform distribution is not always synonymous with quality. While it is clear that in some cases the
frequency usage distribution can be a quality indicator, it is not always the case. For this reason the Atoll AFP does not have
a cost dedicated to non-uniformity of spectral use. Therefore Atoll AFP can create non-uniform frequency distributions.
When the frequency assignment problem (FAP) is easy, the AFP reaches a 0-cost solution and stops immediately. If it
was instructed to use the minimum spectrum possible, the AFP will use the smaller ARFCNs more than the larger ones
(and will leave the largest ARFCNs untouched, for future use). Otherwise, the AFP will try to spread spectrum use. By
default this directive is free for AFP tuning.
In many cases, a large volume of allocation constraints exists for adjacent channel reuse. The two end-channels, (the
biggest and the smallest in the domain), have fewer constraints, because they have only one adjacent channel in use,
and are therefore heavily used. The adjacent channels (the second in the domain, and the one before the biggest in
the domain) are used less often than the others because they each have a heavily used adjacent channel. Because the
third domain frequency is adjacent to a seldom used channel, it will be used more often than usual. In the case of a
continuous domain, which is small, and whose size is impair, this effect will resonate strongly and will provide a sig-
nificant reduction in usage of the second, fourth, sixth, etc., frequencies of the domain.
After you have manually or automatically allocated frequencies, you can view channel allocation in the form of a table or a
histogram. For each channel used, Atoll displays both the channel load (i.e., the number of times the channel is used, weighted
by the fractional load) and the total number of times the channel is used. The information in the table can either be copied or
exported for use in another application.
To display the channel allocation table or histogram:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Frequency Plan > Channel Distribution. The Channel Use Statistics table appears.
4. You can do the following:
Export: Click the Export button to open the Export dialogue and export the Channel Use Statistics table contents
as a TXT, CSV, or XLS file. For information on using the Export dialogue, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and
Spreadsheets" on page 80.
Histogram: Click the Histogram button to display the Distribution Histogram dialogue. The histogram represents
the channels as a function of the frequency of their use. You can move the pointer over the histogram to display
the frequency of use of each channel. The results are highlighted simultaneously in the Zoom on selected values
list. You can zoom in on values by clicking and dragging in the Zoom on selected values list. Atoll will zoom in on
the selected values.
In the Distribution Histogram dialogue, you have the following options:
Copy: Click the Copy button to copy the histogram to the clipboard. You can paste the histogram as a graphic
into another application, for example, a word-processor.
Print: Click the Print button to print the histogram.
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4. Under Dimensioning Parameters, select the dimensioning model that will be used for the KPI calculation from the
Model list. You can access the parameters of the selected dimensioning model by clicking the Browse button ( ).
5. Under Traffic (Circuit and Packet Demand), select whether the KPI calculation will be based on the traffic demand cal-
culated in the default traffic capture or the current values (circuit and packet demands) in the Subcells table.
If you select From subcell table, define the following additional parameters:
Specify the Minimum throughput reduction factor that can be accepted in the network. When running a traf-
fic capture, this parameter is evaluated (but not displayed) during the calculation. The minimum throughput
reduction factor models the fact that, at the user level, the user throughput can be reduced because of how
much it will be multiplexed with other users. In other words, this parameter will be affected by the traffic load
which is a consequence of dimensioning.
Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages
must equal 100.
Under Circuit Services (%), enter the percentage of each type of circuit service used in the map. The total
percentages must equal 100.
Under Packet Services (%), enter the percentage of each type of packet service used in the map (assuming the
packet is made of maximum bit rate and constant bit rate packet services). The total percentages must equal
100.
6. Click Calculate to calculate the KPI calculation.
The output of the calculation appears in the KPI Calculation dialogue under Results. You can select which columns to
display by clicking the Displayed Columns button and selecting or clearing the check box of the columns. The following
results are given for each transmitter in the Transmitter column:
TRX Type: For each transmitter, the results are given by TRX type (e.g., BCCH, TCH, TCH_EGPRS and TCH_INNER).
Together, the Transmitter and TRX Type columns identify the subcell.
Number of TRXs: The number of TRXs assigned for both the subcell's circuit-switched and packet-switched traffic,
while taking into account the quality of service criterion assigned for each.
Load (%): The average demand in timeslots (packet and circuit), divided by the total number of timeslots available.
It represents the average occupancy of the TRXs. This parameter is one of the principal results of dimensioning
along with the number of TRXs. In addition, this parameter might have been updated by an AFP model which is
capable of optimising (i.e., reduce or increase) the number of required TRXs. This results in the subcell load being
modified.
Multiplexing Factor: The user or Temporary Block Flow (TBF) multiplexing factor. The multiplexing factor corre-
sponds to the number of timeslots per frame.
Maximum Number of TRXs per Transmitter: The maximum number of TRXs that a transmitter can support is an
input of the KPI calculation. This parameter is provided by the equipment manufacturer. The value can be set for
each transmitter or taken from the dimensioning model for transmitters where this value is not set.
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Target Rate of Traffic Overflow (%): This input parameter defines the percentage of traffic that is allowed to over-
flow from one subcell to another in case the traffic assigned to this subcell is greater than the maximum traffic
that it can accommodate. It can be considered an anticipation of the percentage of traffic that will be rejected
from higher priority subcells or layers to lower ones. The value is specified for each subcell.
Half-rate Traffic Ratio (%): This input parameter is defined per subcell and indicates the percentage of subcell
traffic that uses half-rate access.
If the values are different for BCCH and TCH subcells, Atoll will use the values for the target rate of traffic overflow
and the half-rate traffic ratio from the BCCH subcell.
Packet demand (Kbps): The Packet Traffic Demand is the total traffic demand in kilobits per second generated by
packet-switched service users within the coverage area of the transmitter.
Packet average demand (timeslots): The number of timeslots needed to satisfy the packet traffic demand
depends on the maximum throughput that a packet timeslot can support.
Average Number of Timeslots per Connection (Packet): This input parameter defines the average number of
timeslots used by packet-switched-traffic users while accessing services. Packet-switched services allow up to
eight timeslots per connection. The average number of timeslots per connection corresponds to the average
number of downlink timeslots (multiplied by the number of simultaneous carriers in EDGE Evolution, if any) over
which a single mobile terminal can communicate at one time.
Circuit Demand (Erlangs): The Circuit Traffic Demand is the total traffic demand in Erlangs generated by circuit-
switched-service users within the coverage area of the transmitter.
For concentric cell types, the traffic demand on TCH subcells is different from the one
calculated during the traffic capture. For concentric cell types, the traffic demand on TCH
subcells is calculated from the traffic demand of the capture and the effective rate of traffic
overflow.
Circuit average demand (timeslots): The Average Demand in Circuit Timeslots is calculated taking into account
the effect of half-rate circuit-switched traffic: two half-rate users are equivalent to one full-rate user.
Average Number of Timeslots per Connection (Circuit): The Average Number of Timeslots per Connection (Cir-
cuit) is an input parameter. The number of timeslots per connection is "1" for full-rate traffic, otherwise it depends
on the half-rate traffic ratio.
At present, Atoll only models circuit calls using 1 timeslot per connection; this parameter is for forward compati-
bility.
Served Circuit Traffic (Erlangs): The Served Circuit Traffic is the circuit-switched traffic in Erlangs that the subcell
can serve.
The served circuit-switched traffic is circuit traffic demand less the effective overflowed circuit traffic.
Served Packet Traffic (Kbps): The Served Packet Traffic is the packet-switched traffic in kilobits per second that
the subcell can serve.
The served packet-switched traffic is packet traffic demand less the effective overflowed packet traffic.
Effective Rate of Traffic Overflow (%): The Effective Rate of Traffic Overflow is the actual rate of traffic that is
rejected by the subcell and overflows because of a lack of packet timeslots. In a GSM network, the value is the
same as the blocking probability. In a more complex network, this value includes the traffic overflow from all ser-
vices.
In case of Erlang B, the effective rate of traffic overflow corresponds to the effective blocking rate. This value is
calculated from the required number of circuit timeslots (both shared and circuit timeslots) and the circuit traffic
demand in Erlang B tables.
In case of Erlang C, the effective rate of traffic overflow is zero except if the maximum number of TRXs is exceeded.
The effective blocking rate is inferred from the required number of circuit timeslots (both shared and circuit times-
lots) and the circuit traffic demand in Erlang C tables.
Probability of Circuit Blocking Rate (or Delay) (%): The Circuit Blocking Rate is the grade of service (GoS) indicator
for circuit-switched traffic. It can be either the rate at which calls are blocked (Erlang B) or delayed (Erlang C),
depending on which queuing model the dimensioning model uses.
Minimum Throughput Reduction Factor (%): The Minimum Throughput Reduction Factor is the lowest
throughput reduction factor that can still guarantee service availability. The Minimum Throughput Reduction
Factor is one of the criteria for packet-switched traffic dimensioning. It is calculated using the parameters defined
for the services: the minimum service throughput; the maximum number of timeslots per connection; the
required availability; and the per pixel timeslot capacity of the subcell coverage area. This parameter is calculated
when making the traffic capture or is user-defined depending on the source of traffic demand on which the KPI
calculation is based.
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Throughput Reduction Factor (%): The Throughput Reduction Factor is calculated from the quality charts using
the packet load and available connections for each subcell. This reduction factor must be greater than the min-
imum throughput reduction factor for packet-switched services for these services to be satisfactorily available in
the subcell.
Maximum Packet Delay (s): The Maximum Packet Delay is the defined delay in seconds that must not be
exceeded for the service quality to be considered satisfactory.
Packet Delay (s): The Delay is a key performance indicator (KPI) calculated using the quality graphs, the load, and
the number of connections available. This dimensioning output must not exceed the maximum delay defined for
the service for service availability to be considered satisfactory.
Maximum Probability of Packet Delay (%): The Maximum Probability of Packet Delay is defined for each packet
service and is the highest probability that the service will be blocked that is acceptable in terms of service availa-
bility.
Probability of Packet Delay (Delay) (%): The Probability of Packet Delay is a dimensioning output and must not
exceed the Maximum Probability of Packet Delay defined for the service for service availability to be considered
satisfactory.
7. Click Commit to assign the load and the effective rate of traffic overflow to the subcells.
KPI calculation is based on a traffic capture. Modifications to traffic maps, traffic parame-
ters, and transmitter properties (e.g., calculation area, coding scheme configuration, etc.)
have an influence on the traffic capture. Therefore, if you modify some of these data, you
must recalculate the traffic capture before calculating KPIs.
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If you want to use a coverage prediction, the coverage prediction must have already
been calculated.
4. Click Overlap. In the right-hand pane, you can define how the ACP will evaluate overlapping coverage.
5. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, define an
Overlap threshold margin and select either Subcell C threshold, the reception threshold defined per subcell, or
Global C threshold and define a reception threshold to be used for all subcells from the a Minimum signal level
list.
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate overlapping coverage using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
6. Under GSM in the left-hand pane under Parameters, select BCCH Signal Level.
7. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, you can select
the Enable shadowing margin check box and define a Cell edge coverage probability. The standard deviations
defined in the Atoll clutter are used or, if no clutter information is available, default values are used.
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate the BCCH signal level using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
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basing any decision to commit the optimisation results on the predictions produced by ACP, you should keep the following
recommendations in mind:
You should verify the results with a different Atoll coverage prediction, such as the interfered zones prediction.
ACP generated predictions are generated using the entire set of proposed changes. They do not take into account the
change subset defined on the Change Details tab.
Multiple carriers are not supported by ACP; the predictions are only provided for the requested carrier.
Even after committing the optimisation results, differences can remain between the ACP predictions and the predic-
tions resulting from Atoll coverage predictions.
You can view the exact BCCH value on any pixel by letting the pointer rest over the pixel. The BCCH value is then displayed in
tip text.
For the overlapping zones prediction, you can set the best server threshold on the User Preferences tab of the ACP Properties
dialogue (see "Configuring Default Settings" on page 231) or by setting the CellOverlap parameter in the acp.ini file.
For each network quality coverage prediction, ACP offers a prediction showing the initial network state, the final network
state, and a prediction showing the changes between the initial and final state.
If you are importing more than one file, you can select contiguous files by clicking the first
file you want to import, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to import. You
can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file you want to import.
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Files with the extension PLN, as well as some FMT files (created with previous versions of
TEMS) are imported directly into Atoll; you will not be asked to define the data structure
using the Import of Measurement Files dialogue.
6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file or files, you can select it
from the Import configuration list on the Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue. If you do not have
an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Import configuration, select an import configuration from the Import configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.
When importing a drive test data path file, existing configurations are available in
the Files of type list of the Open dialogue, sorted according to their date of crea-
tion. After you have selected a file and clicked Open, Atoll automatically proposes
a configuration, if it recognises the extension. If several configurations are associ-
ated with an extension, Atoll chooses the first configuration in the list.
The defined configurations are stored, by default, in the file "NumMeasINIFile.ini",
located in the directory where Atoll is installed. For more information on the Num-
MeasINIFile.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
7. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
Name: By default, Atoll names the new drive test data path after the imported file. You can change this name if
desired.
Under Receiver, set the Height of the receiver antenna and the Gain and Losses.
Under Measurement Conditions,
Units: Select the measurement units used.
Coordinates: By default, Atoll imports the coordinates using the display system of the Atoll document. If the
coordinates used in the file you are importing are different than the coordinates used in the Atoll document,
you must click the Browse button ( ) and select the coordinate system used in the drive test data file. Atoll
will then convert the data imported to the coordinate system used in the Atoll document.
8. Click the Setup tab (see Figure 8.111).
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Figure 8.111: The Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue
a. Under File, enter the number of the 1st Measurement Row, select the data Separator, and select the Decimal
Symbol used in the file.
b. Click the Setup button to link file columns and internal Atoll fields. The Drive Test Data Setup dialogue appears.
c. Under Measurement point position, select the columns in the imported file that give the X-Coordinates and the
Y-Coordinates of each point in the drive test data file.
You can also identify the columns containing the XY coordinates of each point in the drive
test data file by selecting them from the Field row of the table on the Setup tab.
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If you have correctly entered the information under File on the Setup tab, and the
necessary values in the Drive Test Data Setup dialogue, Atoll should recognise all
columns in the imported file. If not, you can click the name of the column in the
table in the Field row and select the column name. For each field, you must ensure
that each column has the correct data type in order for the data to be correctly
interpreted. The default value under Type is "<Ignore>". If a column is marked with
"<Ignore>", it will not be imported.
The data in the file must be structured so that the columns identifying the BCCH
and the BSIC are placed before the data columns for each subcell. Otherwise Atoll
will not be able to properly import the file.
9. If you want to save the definition of the data structure so that you can use it again, you can save it as an import con-
figuration:
a. On the Setup tab, under Import configuration, click Save. The Configuration dialogue appears.
b. By default, Atoll saves the configuration in a file called "NumMeasINIfile.ini" found in Atolls installation folder. If
you cannot write into that folder, you can click the Browse button to choose a different location.
c. Enter a Configuration name and an Extension of the files that this import configuration will describe (for example,
"*.csv").
d. Click OK.
Atoll will now select this import configuration automatically every time you import a drive test data path file with
the selected extension. If you import a file with the same structure but a different extension, you will be able to
select this import configuration from the Import configuration list.
You do not have to complete the import procedure to save the import configura-
tion and have it available for future use.
When importing a CW measurement file, you can expand the NumMeasINIfile.ini
file by clicking the Expand button ( ) in front of the file under Import configura-
tion to display all the available import configurations. When selecting the appro-
priate configuration, the associations are automatically made in the table at the
bottom of the dialogue.
You can delete an existing import configuration by selecting the import configura-
tion under Import configuration and clicking the Delete button.
10. Click Import, if you are only importing a single file, or Import All, if you are importing more than one file. The mobile
data are imported into the current Atoll document.
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3. Right-click the drive test data path whose display you want to define. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu.
5. Click the Display tab.
Each single point can be displayed by a unique attribute, or according to:
a text or integer attribute (discrete value)
a numerical value (value interval).
In addition, a last option is available which permits to display points according to more than one criterion at a time. By select-
ing Advanced Display from the Display Type, a dialogue opens in which you can define the following display for each single
point of the measurement path:
a symbol type according to any attribute
a symbol colour according to any attribute
a symbol size according to any attribute
With such settings, you can, for example, display a signal level by colour, choose a symbol type for Transmitter 1 (circle, trian-
gle, cross, etc.) and a size according to the altitude.
Fast Display forces Atoll to use the lightest symbol to display points. Fast Display
is useful when you have a very large amount of points which would require a great
amount of computer resources to display.
Using Advanced Display on symbols is possible only if the Fast Display check box
is cleared.
You can sort drive test data paths in alphabetical order in the Network explorer by
selecting Sort Alphabetically from the Drive Test Data context menu.
You can save the display settings (such as colours and symbols) of a drive test data
path in a user configuration file to make them available for use on another drive
test data path. To save or load the user configuration file, click the Actions button
on the Display tab of the path properties dialogue and select Save or Load from
the Display Configuration submenu.
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4. In the Per Clutter window, under Filter, clear the check boxes of the clutter classes you want to filter out. Only the
clutter classes whose check box is selected will be taken into account.
5. If you want to keep the measurement points that are inside the focus zone, select the Use focus zone to filter check
box.
6. If you want to permanently remove the measurement points outside the filter, select the Delete Points Outside Filter
check box.
If you permanently delete measurement points and later want to use them, you will have to re-import the original measure-
ment data.
To filter out incompatible points using a filter:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Drive Test Data on which you want to filter out incompatible points:
All Drive Test Data measurements: Right-click the Drive Test Data folder.
Only one Drive Test Data path: Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder. The context
menu appears.
3. Select Filter from the context menu. The CW Measurement Filter dialogue appears.
4. Click More. The Filter dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab:
6. Select a Field from the list.
7. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes next to
the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
8. Click the Advanced tab:
9. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as you want
(see Figure 8.112).
i. Underneath each column name, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in the fol-
lowing table:
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ii. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Combinations of filters are first made horizontally, then vertically. For more information on filters, see "Ad-
vanced Data Filtering" on page 96.
iii. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.
You can update heights (of the DTM, and clutter heights) and the clutter class of drive test
data points after adding new geographic maps or modifying existing ones by selecting
Refresh Geo Data from the context menu of the Drive Test Data Paths folder.
The errors between measured and predicted signal levels can be calculated and added to the drive test data table.
6. If you want to calculate errors between measured and predicted signal levels, under Select signal levels for error cal-
culations, select the names of the columns representing measured signal level values in the drive test data table for
which you want to calculate the errors (see Figure 8.114). If you do not want to add this information to the drive test
data table, continue with step 7.
Figure 8.114: Selecting measured signal levels for which errors will be calculated
7. Click OK. A new point prediction is created for the selected drive test data path.
8. Right-click the drive test data path. The context menu appears.
9. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Predictions from the context menu.
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If you chose to have Atoll calculate the errors between measured and predicted signal levels, new columns are added to the
drive test data table for the predicted point signal level from the serving cell and the errors between the measured and
predicted values.
Figure 8.115: Drive Test Data Table after Point Signal Level Prediction (with Error Calculations)
New columns are also added for the predicted point signal level from each neighbour cell and the errors between the
predicted and measured values. The values stored in these columns can be displayed in the Drive Test Data analysis tool. For
more information on the Drive Test Data analysis tool, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 592.
The propagation model used to calculate the predicted point signal levels is the one assigned to the transmitter for the main
matrix. For more information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
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You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Under Interference Conditions, you can select which TRX type to consider as potential victim by selecting it
from the Interfered Subcells list.
Select "CI" or "C(I+N)". On the same line, click the down arrow buttons on the left and on the right and select
one of the following thresholds:
Subcell C/I Threshold: to use the CI threshold specified for each subcell (including the defined power reduc-
tion) as the lower end of the CI range.
Global C/I Threshold: to enter a threshold to be used for all subcells as the lower end of the CI range.
You can not select Subcell C/I Threshold as both the lower and the upper end of the CI
range to be considered.
Select whether you want the defined interference condition to be Satisfied By:
At least one TRX: When you select this option, the defined interference condition must be satisfied by at least
one TRX on a given pixel for the results to be displayed on that pixel.
The worst TRX: When you select this option, Atoll selects the worst results for each pixel. If the worst results
do not satisfy the defined interference condition, the results will not be displayed on that pixel.
If you selected C/(I+N), you can define the value to be added to the interference. The defined noise figure is
added to the thermal noise value (defined at -121 dBm) to calculate the value of N. Select one of the following:
Based on Terminal: to use the noise figure defined for a terminal and select the terminal from the list.
Fixed Value: to enter a value and then enter the noise figure in the text box.
If you want discontinuous transmission mode for TRXs which support it taken into account during the calcula-
tion of interference, select the DTX taken into account check box and enter the percentage of time during
which a user is talking in the Voice Activity Factor text box.
Select the Traffic Load that will be used to calculate interference:
100%: The maximum traffic load (subcells entirely loaded).
From subcell table: The subcell traffic load as defined or as calculated during dimensioning.
From the Interference Sources list, select whether the interference should be calculated from adjacent chan-
nels, co-channels, or from both. The adjacent channel effect on the victim channel, i.e., the interference, is
decreased by the adjacent channel protection level.
Intra-technology third order intermodulation interference can also be optionally taken into account in the total
interference. This option requires activation through changes in the database. For more information, contact sup-
port.
Select the Detailed Results check box if you want to display detailed results per transmitter. The results
displayed depend on the subcell frequency hopping mode:
Non-Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for one channel of each TRX in non-hopping mode.
Base Band Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL of each subcell in base band hopping mode.
Synthesised Frequency Hopping Mode: The results are displayed for the MAL-MAIO of each subcell in synthe-
sised frequency hopping mode.
6. When you have finished setting the parameters for the coverage prediction, click OK.
You can create a new coverage prediction by repeating the procedure from step 1. to step 6. for each new coverage
prediction.
7. When you have finished creating new coverage predictions for these drive test data, right-click the drive test data. The
context menu appears.
8. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Predictions from the context menu.
A new column for each coverage prediction is added in the table for the drive test data. The column contains the
predicted values of the selected parameters for the transmitter. The propagation model used is the one assigned to
the transmitter for the main matrix (for information on the propagation model, see Chapter 5: Working with Calcula-
tions in Atoll).
You can display the information in these new columns in the Drive Test Data window. For more information on the
Drive Test Data window, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 592.
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3. Right-click the drive test data from which you want to display comparative statistics. The context menu appears.
4. Select Display Statistics from the context menu. The Measurement and Prediction Fields Selection dialogue appears.
5. Select one or more transmitters from the For the Transmitters list.
6. Select the fields that contain the previously predicted values that you want to use for predictions. Only one type of
value can be compared at a time (signal level or quality).
7. Select the fields that contain the measured values that you want to use for predictions. Only one type of value can be
compared at a time (signal level or quality). The measured and the selected values have to match up.
8. Enter the minimum and maximum measured values. Statistics are done with drive test data points where the meas-
ured values are within this specified range.
9. Click OK.
Atoll opens a popup in which the global statistics between measurements and predictions are given over all the filtered (or
not) points of the current drive test data path through the mean error, its standard deviation, the root mean square and the
error correlation factor. The statistics are also given per clutter class.
8.8.4.5 Extracting a Field From a Drive Test Data Path for a Transmitter
You can extract a specific field for a specific transmitter on each point of an existing drive test data path. The extracted infor-
mation will be added to a new column in the table for the drive test data.
To extract a field from a drive test data path:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
3. Right-click the drive test data from which you want to extract a field. The context menu appears.
4. Select Focus on a Transmitter from the context menu. The Field Selection for a Given Transmitter dialogue appears.
5. Select a transmitter from the On the Transmitter list.
6. Click the For the Fields list. The list opens.
7. Select the check box beside the field you want to extract for the selected transmitters.
Atoll can display the seven servers per point. If you want to display for example, the point
signal level, remember to select the check box for the point signal level for all servers in the
For the Fields list. The new column will then display the point signal level for the selected
transmitter for all servers if a value exists.
8. Click OK. Atoll creates a new column in the drive test data path data table for the selected transmitters and with the
selected values.
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4. Click Display at the top of the Drive Test Data window. The Display Parameters dialogue appears (see Figure 8.117).
You can change the display status or the colour of more than one field at a time. You can
select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field
you want to import. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking
each field. You can then change the display status or the colour by right-clicking on the
selected fields and selecting the choice from the context menu.
The selected fields are displayed in the Drive Test Data window.
6. You can display the data in the drive test data path in two ways:
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If you open the table for the drive test data you are displaying in the Drive Test Data
window, Atoll will automatically display in the table the data for the point that is
displayed in the map and in the Drive Test Data window (see Figure 8.116 on page 593).
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You can set Atoll to select the transmitter with the highest received signal level as the serv-
ing transmitter by changing an option in the atoll.ini file. For more information on changing
options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
The maximum speed is used to select HCS layer users according to the speed defined in the mobility.
To define HCS layers:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the GSM Network Settings folder.
3. Right-click the HCS Layers folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open Table. The HCS Layers table appears.
5. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), enter the following parameters to define a HCS layer (for information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69):
Name: Enter a name for the HCS layer. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a HCS layer.
Priority: Enter a priority for the HCS layer. "0" is the lowest priority.
Max. Speed (km/h): Enter a maximum mobility speed for the HCS layer.
Layer Reception Threshold (dBm): Enter a default layer reception threshold in dBm. This threshold can be used
as a border for the HCS layer in some predictions when the HCS server option is selected.
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Best Idle Mode Reselection Criterion (C2): The best C2 from all servers will be taken into consideration.
Grouped HCS Servers: The best signal level by HCS layer on each pixel will be taken into consideration, assuming the
signal level on each layer exceeds the minimum HCS threshold defined either at the HCS layer level or specifically for
each transmitter. In addition, layers are grouped by supported mobility types.
A server is considered on a pixel if its calculated signal level exceeds the lower boundary of the signal level defined either glob-
ally on the Conditions tab of the coverage prediction or specifically for each subcell in coverage prediction, traffic analysis,
and interference matrix calculations.
Selecting the server to be taken into consideration retains one or several servers on each pixel, according to a combination of
HCS layer properties (layer priority, maximum speed allowed on the layer, layer admission threshold) and the calculated signal
level on each pixel.
Name Priority (0:Lowest) Max Speed (km/h) Layer Reception Threshold (dBm)
Macro Layer 2 100 -90
The subcell reception threshold is -102 dBm for the micro cells and -105 dBm for the macro and the umbrella cells. Three
mobility types are defined in this project: Pedestrian (3km/h), 50 km/h and 90 km/h
The resulting services areas are displayed in the following graphics for each selection.
All: All servers are taken into consideration
Composite Coverage
Figure 8.118 shows the service areas of all the transmitters without any layers taken into consideration. Each cell is considered
individually and the limit of its coverage is defined by its subcell reception thresholds. Overlapping is possible between trans-
mitters and between HCS layers.
Best Signal Level: The best signal level from all servers on all layers is taken into consideration.
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Composite Coverage
Figure 8.119 shows the service areas of the transmitters having the best signal level on each pixel, without any layer taken
into consideration. Cells are in competition if their calculated signal level is higher than the subcell reception thresholds. Over-
lapping between transmitters and between HCS layers is not possible.
Best Signal Level per HCS Layer: The best signal level from all servers on each HCS layer is taken into consideration.
Composite Coverage
Figure 8.120 shows the service areas of the transmitters having the best signal level on each pixel, for each HCS layer. Cells
are in competition per layer if their computed signal level is higher than its subcell reception thresholds. Overlapping between
HCS layers is possible, but overlapping between transmitters on a given HCS layer is not possible.
HCS Servers: The best signal level by HCS layer on each pixel is taken into consideration, assuming the signal level on
each layer exceeds the minimum HCS threshold defined either at the HCS layer level or specifically for each trans-
mitter.
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Composite Coverage
Figure 8.121 shows the service areas of the transmitters having the best signal level on each pixel, for each HCS layer. Cells
are in competition per layer assuming their calculated signal level is higher than the subcell reception thresholds and the HCS
layer reception threshold. Overlapping between HCS layers is possible, but overlapping between transmitters on a given HCS
layer is not possible.
In the case above, the micro layer overlaps the macro layer and its borders are defined by the maximum between the subcell
reception thresholds (-102 dBm) and the micro layer threshold (-84 dBm), i.e. -84 dBm. In addition, the macro layer overlaps
the umbrella layer and its borders are defined by the maximum between the subcell reception thresholds (-105 dBm) and the
macro layer threshold (-90 dBm), i.e. -90 dBm. The umbrella layer is displayed when its signal level exceeds the maximum
between the subcell reception thresholds and the umbrella layer threshold, i.e. -105 dBm.
Highest Priority HCS Server: The best signal level of all the severs on the highest priority HCS layer are taken into con-
sideration, assuming the priority of the layer is defined by its priority field and its signal level exceeds the minimum
HCS threshold defined either at the HCS layer level or specifically for each transmitter.
Composite Coverage
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Figure 8.122 shows the service areas of the transmitters having the best signal level on each pixel, on the highest priority HCS
layer. The priority HCS layer is the layer for which the priority value is the highest and for which the calculated signal level is
higher than its subcell reception thresholds and the HCS layer reception threshold. Overlapping between HCS layers and
between transmitters of a given HCS layer is not possible.
If two layers have the same priority, the traffic is served by the transmitter for which the
difference between the received signal strength and the HCS threshold is the highest. The
way competition is managed between layers with the same priority can be modified. For
more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Grouped HCS Servers: The best signal level by HCS layer on each pixel is taken into consideration, assuming the signal
level on each layer exceeds the minimum HCS threshold defined either at the HCS layer level or specifically for each
transmitter. The server selection mode is similar to HCS Servers except that, if a mobility is supported by several layers,
the traffic is served on the layer with the highest priority.
This option is not available by default. To add the "Grouped HCS Servers" option to the server list in prediction, traffic capture,
and interference matrix calculations, you must add the following lines in the atoll.ini file:
[TMP]
ExtraServZone = 1
Composite Coverage
Figure 8.121 shows the service areas of the transmitters having the best signal level on each pixel, for each HCS layer. Cells
are in competition per layer when their calculated signal level is higher than the subcell reception thresholds and the HCS layer
reception threshold. Overlapping between HCS layers is possible, but overlapping between transmitters on a given HCS layer
is not possible.
In the case above, the micro layer overlaps the macro layer because it has the highest priority with the 3 kmh mobility and
the macro layer has a higher priority than the umbrella layer with the 50 kmh and 90 kmh mobilities (which are not
supported by the micro layer). The umbrella layer is displayed when neither the micro nor the macro layer provides enough
signal strength to fulfil the reception threshold conditions.
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6. Select the row containing the cell type and click the Properties button ( ) in the Table toolbar. The cell types Prop-
erties dialogue appears.
In the cell types Properties dialogue, you can add and define the TRX types that will constitute the cell type.
7. Under TRX Types, in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), enter the following parameters to define a TRX
type (for information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69):
TRX Type: Select a TRX type from the list.
Frequency Domain: Select a frequency domain from the list. Only channels belonging to this frequency domain
will be allocated to TRXs of this TRX type during automatic or manual frequency planning.
DL Power Reduction: Enter a value for the reduction of power relative to the transmitter power. The downlink
power reduction can be used to model inner subcells.
Reception Threshold (dBm): Enter a minimum received signal for this TRX type.
C/I Threshold (dB): Enter a minimum signal quality for this TRX type. The C/I Threshold can be used in interference
predictions and in the AFP.
DTX Supported: If the TRX type supports DTX (Discontinuous Transmission) technology, select the DTX Supported
check box. Subcells supporting DTX can reduce interference they produce according to the defined voice activity
factor. This option has no impact on BCCH TRX type.
Timeslot Configuration: Select a timeslot configuration from the list. The timeslot configuration defines the dis-
tribution of circuit, packet and shared timeslots for the subcell, respecting the number of TRXs.
Half-Rate Traffic Ratio (%): Enter the percentage of half-rate voice traffic in for this TRX type. This value is used to
calculate the number of timeslots required to respond to the voice traffic demand.
The target rate of traffic overflow and the half-rate traffic ratio must be the same for
BCCH and TCH TRX types. If the values are different for BCCH and TCH TRX types, Atoll
will use the values for the target rate of traffic overflow and the half-rate traffic ratio
from the BCCH TRX type.
Target Rate of Traffic Overflow (%): Enter the target rate of traffic overflow. The target rate of traffic overflow is
used during traffic analysis to distribute the traffic between subcells and layers. The value is the percentage of can-
didate traffic overflowing to a subcell with a lower priority. It has an impact on the traffic capture between inner
and outer subcells, and between micro and macro layers. In other words, The target rate of traffic overflow can
be considered to an estimation of the allowed percentage of traffic rejected from subcells or layers of higher pri-
ority to subcells or layers of lower subcells (see Figure 8.7).
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If the traffic overflow target is set to a value lower than the grade of service, it means that
the traffic rejected (according to the queuing model selected in the dimensioning model:
Erlang B or Erlang C) will be lost and will not overflow to other subcells.
Hopping Mode: Select the frequency hopping mode supported by this TRX type. The hopping mode can be either
"Base Band Hopping mode (BBH)" or "Synthesised Hopping mode (SFH)." If frequency hopping is not supported,
select "Non Hopping."
Allocation Strategy: Select the allocation strategy used during manual or automatic frequency planning. There are
two available allocation strategies:
Free: Any of the channels belonging to the frequency domain can be assigned to TRXs.
Group Constrained: Only channels belonging to a same frequency group in the frequency domain can be
assigned. You can use the Preferred Frequency Group to define the preferred group of frequencies when
using the AFP.
Max. MAL Length: Enter the maximum length of the mobile allocation list (MAL), in other words, the maximum
number of channels allocated to the TRXs of subcells based on this TRX type during automatic frequency planning
if the Hopping Mode is either SFH (Synthesised Frequency Hopping) or BBH (Base Band Hopping) and if the Allo-
cation Strategy is Free.
HSN Domain: Select the HSN domain for this TRX type. Only hopping sequence numbers (HSN) belonging to the
selected HSN domain will be allocated to subcells during automatic or manual frequency planning. The HSNs are
allocated if the Hopping Mode is either SFH (Synthesised Frequency Hopping) or BBH (Base Band Hopping).
Lock HSN: If the HSN assigned to this TRX type is to be kept when a new AFP session is started, select the Lock HSN
check box.
AFP Weight: Enter an AFP weight. The AFP weight is used to increase or decrease the importance of a subcell
during automatic frequency planning. The value must be a real number. The higher the AFP weight is, the higher
the constraint on the TRX type. The AFP weight artificially multiplies the cost function which has to be minimised
by the AFP.
% Max. Interference: Enter the maximum level of interference allowable during automatic frequency planning.
The interference is defined as a percentage of area or traffic, as defined during the calculation of the interference
matrices.
Mean Power Control Gain (dB): The average reduction in interference due to power control in downlink. This gain
is used when calculating interference generated by the subcell. Interference generated by the subcell is reduced
by this value during C/I calculations.
Default TRX Configuration: Select the default TRX configuration for this TRX type. It will apply to all TRXs belonging
to a subcell based on this TRX type. By selecting the default TRX configuration, the maximum number of GPRS and
EDGE coding schemes is set at the TRX type level. You can also define the TRX configuration for each TRX.
EDGE Power Backoff (dB): Enter the average power reduction for EDGE transmitters due to 8PSK, 16QAM and
32QAM modulations in EDGE. This has an impact on the EDGE service zone which can be seen in traffic analysis
and EDGE predictions.
Diversity Mode: The type of diversity supported by the subcell ("None," "Tx Diversity," or "Antenna Hopping"). If
you select "Tx Diversity," the signal is transmitted as many times as there are antennas. If you select "Antenna
Hopping," the signal is transmitted successively on each antenna. In "Tx Diversity mode," transmitting on more
than one antenna, the signal experiences a gain of 3 dB. For any diversity mode, an additional transmission diver-
sity gain can be defined per clutter class in order to correctly model gain due to the environment (see "Defining
Clutter Class Properties" on page 145 for more information). The resulting gain will increase the C/I value at the
terminal served by the considered subcell.
An Other Properties tab appears on the Properties dialogue if you have added user-
defined fields to the Cell Types table.
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Hopping mode
Parameter Where Used in Atoll
Non hopping BBH SFH
Automatic or manual frequency
Frequency domain x x x
planning
Interference predictions,
C/I threshold x x x
Automatic frequency planning
Traffic analysis,
Default TRX configuration x x x
Packet predictions
Traffic analysis,
EDGE Power Backoff x x x
Packet predictions
Hopping mode
Parameter Where Used in Atoll
Non hopping BBH SFH
Automatic or manual frequency
Frequency domain x x x
planning
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Hopping mode
Parameter Where Used in Atoll
Non hopping BBH SFH
Automatic or manual frequency
Allocation strategy x x x
planning
Interference predictions,
C/I threshold x x x
Automatic frequency planning
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You can add new fields to the Codec Configuration table by right-clicking the table and
selecting Table Fields from the context menu. The new fields will appear in the Codec
Configuration table and on the Other Properties tab of the selected codec configurations
Properties dialogue.
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Frequency Hopping: The type of frequency hopping to which the codec mode adaptation threshold corresponds.
You can select "All" if you want the adaptation threshold to apply to any type of frequency hopping.
Frequency Band: The frequency band to which the codec mode adaptation threshold corresponds. You can select
"All" if you want it to apply to any frequency band.
Adaptation Threshold (dB): Enter the adaptation threshold for the codec mode. Adaptation thresholds are used
for codec mode selection when the codec configuration does support ideal link adaptation.
MAL Length: The mobile allocation list length to which the codec mode adaptation threshold corresponds.
You can create a new adaptation threshold by entering the parameters in the row marked
with the New Row icon ( ).
9. Click OK.
You can create a new quality indicator threshold by entering the parameters in the row
marked with the New Row icon ( ).
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9. Click OK.
You can also access a transmitters Properties dialogue by right-clicking the transmitter on
the map and selecting Properties from the context menu.
You can adapt coding scheme configurations in order to create an advanced model of the
frequency hopping gain effect on the GPRS/EDGE predictions (see"Advanced Modelling of
Hopping Gain in Coverage Predictions" on page 620).
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You can add new fields to the Coding Scheme Configurations table by right-clicking the
table and selecting Table Fields from the context menu. The new fields will appear in the
Coding Scheme Configurations table and on the Other Properties tab of the selected
coding scheme configurations Properties dialogue.
8. In the Coding Scheme Configurations table, right-click the record describing the coding scheme configuration for
which you want to define adaptation thresholds. The context menu appears.
9. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The coding scheme configurations Properties dialogue appears. The
coding scheme configurations Properties dialogue has a General tab which allows you to modify the properties
described above.
10. Select the Thresholds tab. Each coding scheme threshold has the following parameters:
Coding Scheme: The coding scheme.
Reception Threshold (dBm): The signal level admission threshold for the corresponding coding scheme when the
ideal link adaptation option is cleared in GPRS/EDGE coverage predictions.
C/I Threshold (dB): The C/I admission threshold for the corresponding coding scheme when the ideal link adapta-
tion option is cleared in GPRS/EDGE coverage predictions.
Throughput = f(C) (Kbps): The values of the graph defining the throughput per timeslot as a function of C. You can
view the graph and edit its values by selecting the row containing the coding scheme and clicking the C Graph
button.
Throughput = f(C/I) (Kbps): The values of the graph defining the throughput per timeslot as a function of CI. You
can view the graph and edit its values by selecting the row containing the coding scheme and clicking the CI Graph
button.
If intra-technology third order intermodulation interference is taken into account, Atoll assumes that the CI
graphs include the effect of this interference whereas the C graphs do not. This option requires activation through
changes in the database. For more information, contact support.
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Max. Throughput (Kbps): The maximum throughput per timeslot using this coding scheme.
8PSK Modulation: The 8PSK Modulation check box is selected if this coding scheme supports it. This has an impact
on the EDGE service zone which can be seen in traffic analysis and EDGE predictions.
EDGE: The EDGE check box is selected if this coding scheme supports EDGE.
Frequency Hopping: The type of frequency hopping to which this coding scheme applies. You can select "All" if
you want it to apply to all types of frequency hopping.
Mobility: The mobility to which this coding scheme applies. You can select "All" if you want it to apply to all mobil-
ities.
Frequency Band: The frequency band to which this coding scheme applies. You can select "All" if you want it to
apply to all frequency bands.
MAL Length: The mobile allocation list length to which the coding scheme (and its related quality thresholds)
applies.
You can create a new coding scheme threshold by entering the parameters in the row
marked with the New Row icon ( ).
The throughput per timeslot graphs are defined for given frequency hopping mode, mobil-
ity type and frequency band. These graphs will be taken into account in a coverage predic-
tion if these parameters correspond to the ones defined in that coverage prediction.
Otherwise, Atoll will use the graphs for which none of these parameters has been defined.
If no such graph exists, Atoll will consider that the corresponding coding scheme is not
defined during the calculations.
You can also access a transmitters Properties dialogue by right-clicking the transmitter on
the map and selecting Properties from the context menu.
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olds required to ensure that the defined BLER is never exceeded. The admission threshold corresponds to 1 - BLER
X max. throughout calculated for the coding scheme.
To calculate the reception and C/I thresholds for a coding scheme configuration:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the GSM Network Settings folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Coding Schemes folder.
4. In the Coding Schemes folder, right-click Configurations. The context menu appears.
5. Select Open Table. The Coding Scheme Configurations table appears.
6. In the Coding Scheme Configurations table, right-click the record of the coding scheme configuration for which you
Atoll to automatically calculate reception and CI thresholds. The context menu appears.
7. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The coding scheme configurations Properties dialogue appears.
8. Select the Thresholds tab.
9. Under Calculate the Thresholds to Get the Following BLER Value, enter a value in the BLER text box and click the Cal-
culate button. Atoll calculates the thresholds required to satisfy the entered BLER.
10. Click OK to close the coding scheme configurations Properties dialogue and save the new threshold values.
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6. Select the row containing the timeslot configuration and click the Properties button ( ) in the Table toolbar. The
timeslot configurations Properties dialogue appears.
Under Mapping between TRX numbers and timeslot configurations, each row corresponds to a distribution of times-
lots and is identified by an index number. During dimensioning, Atoll determines the number of circuit and packet
timeslots required to meet the traffic demand. Atoll uses the timeslot configuration to determine how many TRXs are
needed to meet the need in timeslots. If, during dimensioning, there are not enough index numbers in the timeslot
configuration, Atoll reuses the last index number in the timeslot configuration.
7. In the timeslot configurations Properties dialogue, enter the following information for each index number:
Number of Shared Timeslots: The number of timeslots that can be used for both circuit-switched (GSM) and
packet-switched (GPRS and EDGE) services.
Number of Circuit Timeslots: The number of timeslots that can be used only for both circuit-switched (GSM) ser-
vices.
Number of Packet Timeslots: The number of timeslots that can be used only for packet-switched (GPRS and EDGE)
services.
In GSM/GPRS/EDGE the total number of timeslots per index number must not exceed 8 for
timeslot configurations intended for TCH TRXs and 7 for timeslot configurations intended
for BCCH TRXs.
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4. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
You can also access a transmitters Properties dialogue by right-clicking the transmitter on
the map and selecting Properties from the context menu.
You can also access a transmitters Properties dialogue by right-clicking the transmitter on
the map and selecting Properties from the context menu.
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Site: The Site on which the base transmitter is located. This field cannot be edited.
Shared Antenna: This field is used to identify the transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas located at the
same site or on sites with the same position and that share the same antenna. The entry in the field must be the
same for all transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas sharing the same antenna. When changes are made to
the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of one antenna, Atoll automatically syn-
chronises the same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas defined as having a shared
antenna.
Under Antenna Position, you can modify the position of the antenna:
Relative to Site: Select this option if you want to enter the antenna position as an offset with respect to the
site location, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis offsets, Dx and Dy, respectively.
Coordinates: Select this option if you want to enter the coordinates of the antenna, and then enter the x-axis
and y-axis coordinates of the antenna, X and Y, respectively.
10. Click the Transmitter tab. You can set the following parameters:
Total Losses: You can enter a value for Total Losses or let Atoll calculate losses according to the characteristics of
the equipment assigned to the transmitter. The Equipment Specifications dialogue can be accessed by clicking the
Equipment button.
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to the
altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include
the height of building.
Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. The other fields, Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, and Addi-
tional Electrical Downtilt, display additional antenna parameters.
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power, which is the percentage of
power reserved for this particular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one secondary antenna, if you
reserve 40% of the total power for the secondary antenna, 60% is available for the main antenna.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
11. Click the Propagation tab. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and
Resolution for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix.
12. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Transmitters table.
13. Click OK.
To create a multi-band template, you must have an appropriate multi-band cell type to
assign to the template. If you have not already created a multi-band cell type, you must do
so before creating the template. For information on creating a cell type, see "Creating a
Cell Type" on page 601.
It is assumed that you have already set the multi-band transmitter option in the atoll.ini file and restarted Atoll before begin-
ning this procedure.
To create a multi-band template:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the GSM Network Settings folder.
3. Right-click the Station Templates folder. The context menu appears.
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4. Select Management... from the context menu. The Station Templates Management dialogue appears.
5. Under Station Templates, select the station template that most closely resembles the station template you want to
create and click Add. The Properties dialogue appears.
6. Create the multi-band template:
a. Click the General tab of the Properties dialogue.
b. In the Name text box, give the template a descriptive name.
c. From the Cell Type list, select the multi-band cell type that corresponds to the type of station template you are
creating.
d. Make any other necessary changes to the station template parameters. For information on the parameters avail-
able, see "Modifying a Station Template" on page 379.
e. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save
your changes.
7. Set the propagation parameters for each frequency band in the multi-band template:
a. Select the multi-band template you have just created and click Add. Because the station template you selected is
a multi-band template, the New Station Template dialogue appears with the following options (see Figure 8.124):
Add a new station template: If you select this option and click OK, Atoll creates a new station template based
on the selected one.
Add a new multi-band station template for the frequency band: If you select this option and click OK, Atoll
allows you to set the propagation parameters for the selected frequency band.
b. Select Add a new multi-band station template for the frequency band, choose a frequency band from the list and
click OK. A properties dialogue appears.
On the General tab, you can set the antenna and propagation parameters for the selected frequency band (see
Figure 8.125):
Under Main Antenna, you can modify the following: the Height/Ground of the antennas from the ground (i.e.,
the height over the DTM; if the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include the
height of building), the main antenna Model, 1st Sector Azimuth, from which the azimuth of the other sectors
are offset to offer complete coverage of the area, the Mechanical Downtilt, and the Additional Electrical
Downtilt for the antennas.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Under Propagation, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both
the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working
with Calculations in Atoll.
On the Transmitter tab, under Transmission, you can set the Total losses. Atoll calculates the losses according to
the characteristics of the equipment assigned to the transmitter. Equipment can be assigned using the Equipment
Specifications dialogue which appears when you click the Equipment button. For information on the Equipment
Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on page 365.
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8. Click OK. The properties defined for the frequency band appear in the Station Template Properties dialogue with a
name composed of the multi-band template they belong to followed by the frequency band, separated by "@".
9. Repeat step 7. for every frequency band modelled by the multi-band template.
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You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the
Services folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. Edit the fields on the General tab to define the new service:
Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can change the name to something more descriptive.
Activity Factor: The uplink and downlink activity factors are used to determine the probability of activity for each
user during Monte-Carlo simulations.
Average Requested Rate: You can enter the average requested rate for uplink and downlink. This rate is the
average rate obtained by a user of the service. How the average requested rate is used in Atoll depends on the
type of service:
Circuit: This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during user dis-
tribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their activity
status.
Packet: This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during user
distribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their activ-
ity status.
6. Click the Parameters tab to define the new service.
7. Type: You can select either Circuit, Packet (Max Bit Rate) or Packet (Constant Bit Rate) as the service type. If you
select Circuit, the only other applicable parameter is Max. Probability of Blocking (or Delay) (Erlang B or C, respec-
tively).
8. Max. Probability of Blocking (or Delay): The maximum blocking rate defines the call blocking or call queuing rate for
the GSM voice services and the probability of delayed packets for GPRS/EDGE data services.
9. Max. Packet Delay: The maximum period of time that a packet can be delayed before transmission.
10. Min. Throughput or Guaranteed Bit Rate (per User): The minimum throughput (or the guaranteed bit rate for con-
stant bit rate packet-switched services) per user is used in the dimensioning process for GPRS/EDGE networks.
11. Required Availability for Minimum Throughput: The percentage of cell coverage where the minimum throughput (or
the guaranteed bit rate for constant bit rate packet-switched services) per user must be available. This value is also
used in dimensioning.
12. Max. Number of Timeslots per carrier: The maximum number of timeslots per carrier is used during dimensioning to
limit the number of timeslots that can be assigned to a user using this service on a carrier. This parameter applies to
packet-switched services. For constant bit rate packet-switched services such as VoIP, this parameter has to be set to
"1".
13. Under Application Throughput, you can define the Scaling Factor and the Offset. The throughput scaling factor and
offset are used to determine the user or application level throughput in RLC/MAC throughput or timeslot coverage
prediction. These parameters model header information and other supplementary data that do not appear at the
application level.
14. Click OK.
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You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. On the General tab, you can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Properties
dialogue:
Name: Enter or modify the descriptive name for the mobility type.
Speed: Enter or modify an average speed for the mobility type. In a hierarchical network, a maximum speed is
defined for each HCS (Hierarchical Cell Structure) layer. Any mobility that exceeds the defined maximum speed
will not be captured by that layer but passed on to the layer above
6. Click OK.
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You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminals folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. Click the General tab. You can modify the following parameter:
Name: You can change the name of the terminal.
6. Click the Parameters tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Main Band: The primary frequency band with which the terminal is compatible.
Secondary Band: The secondary frequency band with which the terminal is compatible. The compatible frequency
bands are used to allocate the user to a transmitter using that frequency band if the network is a multi-band net-
work.
Noise Figure: The noise caused by the terminal. This value is added to the thermal noise (set to -121 dBm by
default) in predictions when studying CN or CI + N instead of C or CI.
DTX Supported: The DTX Supported check box is selected if the terminal supports DTX (Discontinuous Transmis-
sion) technology.
Technology: The technology with which the terminal is compatible. You can choose among GSM, GPRS (i.e., GSM/
GPRS), or GPRS/EDGE (i.e., GSM/GPRS/EDGE).
Codec Configuration: Select the codec configuration for the terminal. This parameter is optional.
If you chose "GSM," "GPRS," OR "GPRS/EDGE" under Technology, set the following parameters under GPRS\EDGE:
Coding Scheme Configuration: If the terminal is GPRS or EDGE-compatible, select the coding scheme configura-
tion for the terminal. This parameter is optional.
Max. GPRS CS: If the terminal is GPRS-compatible, set the maximum number of coding schemes that the terminal
can use.
Max. EDGE CS: If the terminal is EDGE-compatible, set the maximum number of coding schemes that the terminal
can use.
The highest number of GPRS (or EDGE) coding schemes available to the terminal is limited
by the maximum number of GPRS (or EDGE) coding schemes defined for the TRX configu-
ration assigned to a transmitter.
Number of DL Timeslots per carrier: If the terminal is GPRS or EDGE-compatible, you can enter the maximum
number of downlink timeslots the terminal can use on a carrier. Terminals using only circuit-switched services will
use only one downlink timeslot. Using more than one DL timeslot has an effect in the dimensioning process (see
"Dimensioning a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Network" on page 452 for more information).
Number of Simultaneous Carriers: If the terminal is EDGE evolution compatible (EGPRS2), you can enter the max-
imum number of simultaneous carriers the terminal can use. Terminals using either circuit-switched services,
GPRS, or EGPRS packet-switched services will use only one carrier at a time. Using more than one carrier has an
effect in the dimensioning process (see "Dimensioning a GSM/GPRS/EDGE Network" on page 452 for more infor-
mation).
When you model EDGE Evolution on the terminal side Atoll has to consider:
The support of high-order modulations and the use of turbo codes in specific
coding schemes which can be found in the selected GPRS/EDGE configuration.
The support of multi-carriers which can be set up on the terminal side.
The support of dual antenna terminals (mobile station receive diversity) and
enhanced single antenna terminals (single antenna interference cancellation).
Atoll offers a statistical modelling of these through the use of an EDGE evolution
configuration, with the effect of SAIC or diversity already included both in the
coding scheme admission thresholds and on the throughput versus C (or CI)
graphs.
7. Click OK.
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Figure 8.126: Codec Configuration Properties: Quality Graphs tab (with MAL length definition)
In quality indicators coverage predictions (see "Making a Circuit Quality Indicator (BER, FER, or MOS) Coverage Prediction" on
page 566), Atoll will extract, for a specified quality indicator and a given codec mode, the quality indicator value correspond-
ing to the MAL of the receiver being studied. If graphs for the mobile MAL length are not defined, Atoll selects the graphs to
which the MAL length is the most similar, i.e.:
if the mobile MAL length exceeds all the MAL lengths defined in the quality indicator graphs, the closest MAL length
is selected;
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if the mobile MAL length is between two MAL lengths defined in the quality indicator graphs, Atoll carries out an inter-
polation on the graphs to extract the appropriate quality indicator value.
For coding scheme configurations, it means that you can define a specific coding scheme graph per MAL length where the
graph efficiency increases whereas the MAL length increases too (See Figure 8.127 on page 621).
Figure 8.127: Coding Scheme Configuration Properties (with MAL length definition)
In GPRS/EDGE coverage predictions (see "Packet-Specific Coverage Predictions" on page 558), Atoll will extract, for a given
coding scheme, the throughput corresponding to the MAL of the studied receiver. If graphs for the mobile MAL length are not
defined, Atoll selects the graphs for which the MAL length is the most similar, i.e.:
if the mobile MAL length exceeds all the MAL lengths defined in the coding scheme graphs, the closest MAL length is
selected;
if the mobile MAL length is between two MAL lengths defined in the coding scheme graphs, Atoll carries out an inter-
polation on the graphs to extract the appropriate throughput.
For a more precise description of these fields, see the Administrator Manual.
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A coverage prediction (see "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 395, "Interference Coverage Predictions" on
page 548, "Packet-Specific Coverage Predictions" on page 558, and "Making a Circuit Quality Indicator (BER, FER, or
MOS) Coverage Prediction" on page 566)
Neighbours (see "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 424)
Traffic capture (see "Calculating and Displaying a Traffic Capture" on page 447).
You can display the shadowing margins per clutter class. For information, see "Displaying the Shadowing Margins per Clutter
Class" on page 622.
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Victim Bandwidth (kHz): Enter the width in kHz of the channels (carriers) used by the interfered network. This
channel width must be consistent with that used in the main document.
Reduction Factors (dB): Click the cell corresponding to the Reduction Factors (dB) column and the current row in
the table. The Reduction Factors (dB) dialogue appears.
Enter the interference reduction factors in the Reduction (dB) column for different frequency separation,
Freq. Delta (MHz), values relative to the centre frequency of the channel (carrier) used in the main document.
6. When you have finished defining interference reduction factors, click OK.
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This chapter provides the information to use Atoll to In this chapter, the following are explained:
design, analyse, and optimise a UMTS HSPA network.
"Designing a UMTS Network" on page 627
"Planning and Optimising UMTS Base Stations" on
page 628
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 729
"Optimising Network Parameters Using the ACP" on
page 762
"Verifying Network Capacity" on page 764
"Co-planning UMTS Networks with Other Networks"
on page 776
"Advanced Configuration" on page 795
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1
Open an Existing Project
or Create a New One
2
Network Configuration
- Add Network Elements
- Change Parameters
3
Basic Predictions
(Best Server, Signal Level)
4
Neighbour Allocation
5a 5b 5c
Traffic Maps Monte-Carlo User-defined values
Simulations 5
Cell Load
Conditions
6 6a
UMTS/HSPA Predictions Prediction Study Reports
7
Scrambling Code Plan
The steps involved in planning a UMTS HSPA network are described below. The numbers refer to Figure 9.1.
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You can also add base stations using a base station template (see "Placing a New Station Using a Station Template" on
page 638).
5. Before making more advanced coverage predictions, you need to define cell load conditions ( 5 ).
You can define cell load conditions in the following ways:
You can generate realistic cell load conditions by creating a simulation based on a traffic map ( 5a and 5b ) (see
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 729).
You can define them manually either on the Cells tab of each transmitters Properties dialogue or in the Cells table
(see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 638) ( 5c ).
6. Make UMTS-specific coverage predictions using the defined cell load conditions ( 6 ).
"UMTS-Specific Predictions" on page 681
"HSDPA Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 697
"HSUPA Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 700.
Antenna
- Azimuth
- Mechanical tilt
TMA
Antenna
- Height
Feeder Cable
Transmitter
- Noise figure
- Power
Site
- X, Y coordinates
Atoll lets you create one site, transmitter, or cell at a time, or create several at once by creating a station template. Using a
station template, you can create one or more base stations at the same time. In Atoll, a base station refers to a site with its
transmitters, antennas, equipment, and cells.
Atoll allows you to make a variety of coverage predictions, such as signal level or transmitter coverage predictions. The results
of calculated coverage predictions can be displayed on the map, compared, or studied.
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Atoll enables you to model network traffic by allowing you to create services, users, user profiles, environments, and termi-
nals. This data can be then used to make quality predictions, such as effective service area, noise, or handover status predic-
tions, on the network.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Creating a UMTS Base Station" on page 629
"Creating a Group of Base Stations" on page 647
"Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map" on page 647
"Display Tips for Base Stations" on page 648
"Creating a Dual-Band UMTS Network" on page 648
"Creating a Repeater" on page 648
"Creating a Remote Antenna" on page 653
"Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document" on page 656
"Studying a Single Base Station" on page 656
"Studying Base Stations" on page 660
"Planning Neighbours" on page 705
"Planning Scrambling Codes" on page 720.
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Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name here. If you
want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location of
the site here.
While this method allows you to place a site with precision, you can also place sites using
the mouse and then position them precisely with this dialogue afterwards. For
information on placing sites using the mouse, see "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on
page 41.
Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can
specify the actual altitude under Real, if you want. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for cal-
culations.
Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you want.
The Equipment tab:
Max Number of Uplink Channel Elements: The maximum number of physical radio resources for the current site
in the uplink. By default Atoll enters the maximum possible (256).
Max Number of Downlink Channel Elements: The maximum number of physical radio resources for the current
site in the downlink. By default Atoll enters the maximum possible (256).
Max Iub Uplink Backhaul Throughput: The maximum Iub backhaul throughput for the current site in the uplink.
Max Iub Downlink Backhaul Throughput: The maximum Iub backhaul throughput for the current site in the down-
link.
Equipment: You can select equipment from the list. To create new site equipment, see "Creating Site Equipment"
on page 800.
If no equipment is assigned to the site, Atoll considers the following default values:
Rake efficiency factor = 1
MUD factor = 0
Carrier selection = UL minimum noise
Downlink and uplink overhead resources for common channels = 0
The option AS Restricted to Neighbours is not selected, and Atoll uses one channel element on the uplink or
downlink for any service during power control simulation.
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Active: If this transmitter is to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active transmitters are displayed
in red in the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer.
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Transmission/Reception: Under Transmission/Reception, you can see the total losses and the noise figure of the
transmitter. Atoll calculates losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equipment assigned to the
transmitter. Equipment can be assigned by using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which appears when you
click the Equipment button.
On the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 9.5), the equipment you select and the gains and losses you
define are used to initialise total transmitter UL and DL losses:
TMA: You can select a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to
access the properties of the TMA. For information on creating a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equipment" on
page 176.
Feeder: You can select a feeder cable from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the prop-
erties of the feeder. For information on creating a feeder cable, see "Defining Feeder Cables" on page 176.
Transmitter: You can select transmitter equipment from the Transmitter list. You can click the Browse button
( ) to access the properties of the transmitter equipment. For information on creating transmitter equip-
ment, see "Defining Transmitter Equipment" on page 176.
Feeder Length: You can enter the feeder length at transmission and reception.
Miscellaneous Losses: You can enter miscellaneous losses at transmission and reception. The value you enter
must be positive.
Receiver Antenna Diversity Gain: You can enter a receiver antenna diversity gain. The value you enter must
be positive.
Any loss related to the noise due to a transmitters repeater is included in the calculated
losses. Atoll always takes the values in the Real boxes into consideration in prediction even
if they are different from the values in the Computed boxes. The information in the real
Noise Figure reception box is calculated from the information you entered in the Equip-
ment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real Total Losses at transmission and
reception and the real Noise Figure at reception if you want. Any value you enter must be
positive.
Antennas:
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens a dialogue displaying
all the possible antennas based on the same physical antenna as the currently selected one. Selecting the Elec-
trical tilt of the antenna model displays the appropriate antennas under Available Antennas. Selecting the
antenna under Available Antennas and clicking OK assigns the antenna to the transmitter. The other fields,
Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt, display additional antenna parameters.
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The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
The mechanical and additional electrical downtilts defined for the main antenna
are also used for the calculations of smart antennas.
Under Diversity, you can select the number of transmission and reception antenna ports used for MIMO (No.
of ports). MIMO systems are supported by some HSDPA bearers (following improvements introduced by
release 7 of the 3GPP UTRA specifications, referred to as HSPA+). For more information on how the number
of antenna ports are used, see "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on page 804.
R99 bearers only support transmit and receive diversities. You can define the transmit diversity method from
the Transmission list when more than one transmission antenna port is available. The receive diversity meth-
od depends on the number of reception antenna ports selected (2RX for two reception antenna ports and 4RX
for four reception antenna ports).
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power, which is the percentage of
power reserved for this particular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one secondary antenna, if you
reserve 40% of the total power for the secondary antenna, 60% is available for the main antenna.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
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The SCH power is only transmitted 110 of the time. Consequently, the value entered for
the SCH power should only be 110 of its value when transmitted, in order to respect its
actual interference on other channels.
Other CCH power (dBm): The power of other common channels (P-CCPCH, S-CCPCH, AICH).
AS Threshold (dB): The active set threshold. It is the EcI0 margin in comparison with the EcI0 of the best server. It is
used to determine which cells, apart from the best server, will be part of the active set.
DL Peak Rate per User (kbps): The downlink peak rate per user in kbps. The DL peak rate per user is the maximum
connection rate in the downlink for a user. The DL and UL peak rates are taken into account during power control sim-
ulation.
UL Peak Rate per User (kbps): The uplink peak rate per user in kbps. The UL peak rate per user is the maximum con-
nection rate in the uplink for a user. The DL and UL peak rates are taken into account during power control simulation.
Max DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of the maximum downlink power (set in Max Power) not to be exceeded. This
limit will be taken into account during the simulation if the option DL Load is selected. If the DL load option is not
selected during a simulation, this value is not taken into consideration.
Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account
during the simulation.
Total Power (dBm or %): The total transmitted power on downlink is the total power necessary to serve R99 and
HSDPA users. This value can be a simulation result or can be entered by the user.
By default, the total power is set as an absolute value. You can set this value as a percent-
age of the maximum power of the cell by right-clicking the UMTS Network Settings folder
in the Parameters explorer and selecting Properties from the context menu. Then, on the
Global Parameters tab of the Properties dialogue, under DL Load, you can select % Pmax.
The total power value is automatically converted and set as a percentage of the maximum
power.
UL Load Factor (%): The uplink cell load factor. This factor corresponds to the ratio between the uplink total interfer-
ence and the uplink total noise. The uplink cell load factor is a global value and includes the inter-technology uplink
interference. This value can be a simulation result or can be entered by the user.
UL Reuse Factor: The uplink reuse factor is determined from uplink intra and extra-cell interference (signals received
by the transmitter respectively from intra and extra-cell terminals). This is the ratio between the total uplink interfer-
ence and the intra-cell interference. This value can be a simulation result or can be entered by the user.
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Scrambling Code Domain: The scrambling code domain to which the allocated scrambling code belongs. This and the
scrambling code reuse distance are used by the scrambling code planning algorithm.
SC Reuse Distance: The scrambling code reuse distance. This and the scrambling code domain are used by the scram-
bling code planning algorithm.
Primary Scrambling Code: The primary scrambling code.
SC Locked: The status of the primary scrambling code allocated to the cell. If the SC Locked check box is checked, the
automatic allocation tool considers that the current primary scrambling code is not modifiable.
Comments: If desired, you can enter any comments in this field.
Max Number of Intra-carrier Neighbours: The maximum number of intra-carrier neighbours for this cell. This value is
used by the intra-carrier neighbour allocation algorithm.
Max Number of Inter-carrier Neighbours: The maximum number of inter-carrier neighbours for this cell. This value is
used by the inter-carrier neighbour allocation algorithm.
Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of inter-technology neighbours for this cell.
This value is used by the inter-technology neighbour allocation algorithm.
Inter-technology UL Noise Rise: This noise rise represents the interference on this cell on the uplink created by the
mobiles and base stations of an external network. This noise rise will be taken into account in uplink interference-
based calculations involving this cell in the simulation. It is not used in predictions (AS Analysis and coverage predic-
tions). In predictions, Atoll calculates the uplink total interference from the UL load factor which includes inter-tech-
nology uplink interference. For more information on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling Inter-technology
Interference" on page 806.
Inter-technology DL Noise Rise: This noise rise represents the interference created by mobiles of an external network
on the mobiles served by this cell on the downlink. This noise rise will be taken into account in all downlink interfer-
ence-based calculations involving this cell. For more information on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling
Inter-technology Interference" on page 806.
Neighbours: You can access a dialogue in which you can set both intra-technology (intra-carrier and inter-carrier) and
inter-technology neighbours by clicking the Browse button ( ). For information on defining neighbours, see "Plan-
ning Neighbours" on page 705.
The Browse button ( ) might not be visible in the Neighbours box if this is a new cell.
You can make the Browse button appear by clicking Apply.
HSPA Support: The HSPA functionality supported by the cell. You can choose between None (i.e., R99 only), HSDPA,
HSPA (i.e., HSDPA and HSUPA) or HSPA+.
When HSDPA is supported, the following fields are available:
HSDPA Dynamic Power Allocation: If you are modelling dynamic power allocation, the HSDPA Dynamic Power
Allocation should be checked. During a simulation, Atoll first allocates power to R99 users and then dynamically
allocates the remaining power of the cell to the HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH of HSDPA users. At the end of the simu-
lation, you can commit the calculated available HSDPA power and total power values to each cell.
In the context of dynamic power allocation, the total power cannot exceed the maximum
power minus the power headroom.
Available HSDPA Power (dBm): When you are modelling static power allocation, the HSDPA Dynamic Power Allo-
cation check box is cleared and the available HSDPA power is entered in this box. This is the power available for
the HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH of HSDPA users.
Power Headroom (dB): The power headroom is a reserve of power that Atoll keeps for Dedicated Physical Chan-
nels (DPCH) in case of fast fading. During simulation, HSDPA users will not be connected if the cell power remaining
after serving R99 users is less than the power headroom value.
HS-SCCH Dynamic Power Allocation: If you are modelling dynamic power allocation the HS-SCCH Dynamic Power
Allocation check box should be checked and a value should be entered in HS-SCCH Power (dBm). During power
control, Atoll will control HS-SCCH power in order to meet the minimum quality threshold (as defined for each
mobility type). The value entered in HS-SCCH Power (dBm) is the maximum power available for each HS-SCCH
channel. The calculated power for each HSDPA user during the simulation cannot exceed this maximum value.
HS-SCCH Power (dBm): The value for each HS-SCCH channel will be used if you are modelling dynamic power allo-
cation. If you have selected the HS-SCCH Dynamic Power Allocation check box and modelling dynamic power allo-
cation, the value entered here represents a maximum for each HSDPA user. If you have not selected the HS-SCCH
Dynamic Power Allocation check box and are modelling static power allocation, the value entered here repre-
sents the actual HS-SCCH power per HS-SCCH channel.
Number of HS-SCCH Channels: The maximum number of HS-SCCH channels for this cell. Each Packet (HSDPA -
Best Effort), Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate), Packet (HSPA - Best Effort), and Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate)
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user consumes one HS-SCCH channel. Therefore, at any given time (over a time transmission interval), the number
of HSDPA bearer users cannot exceed the number of HS-SCCH channels per cell.
Min. Number of HS-PDSCH Codes: The minimum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH channels. This
value will be taken into account during simulations in order to find a suitable bearer.
Max Number of HS-PDSCH codes: The maximum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH channels. This
value will be taken into account during simulations and coverage predictions in order to find a suitable bearer.
Max Number of HSDPA Users: The maximum number of HSDPA bearer users [i.e., Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort)
users, Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate) users, Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) users, Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit
Rate) users, and Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) users] that this cell can support at any given time.
Number of HSDPA Users: The number of HSDPA bearer users is an average and can be used for certain coverage
predictions. You can enter this value yourself, or have the value calculated by Atoll using a simulation. Dual-cell
HSDPA users are counted once in each cell they are connected to.
HSDPA Scheduler Algorithm: The scheduling technique that will be used to rank the HSDPA users to be served:
Max C/I: "n" HSDPA users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined) are
scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descending
order by the channel quality indicator (CQI).
Round Robin: HSDPA users are scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order).
Proportional Fair: "n" HSDPA users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined)
are scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descend-
ing order according to a random parameter which corresponds to a combination of the user rank in the simu-
lation and the channel quality indicator (CQI).
The random parameter is calculated by giving both the user simulation rank and the CQI a
weight of 50%. You can change the default weights by setting the appropriate options in
the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
MUG Table = f(No. Users): You can access the MUG (Multi-User Gain) table by clicking the Browse button ( ).
The MUG table is a graph of throughput gain as a function of the number of users. The average cell throughput is
higher with multiple users than with a single user.
The MUG graph is only available if you have set the peak HSDPA throughput option in the atoll.ini file. For more
information, see the Administrator Manual.
MIMO Support: The MIMO method used by the cell when it supports HSPA+. You can choose between None,
Transmit Diversity, or Spatial Multiplexing.
In transmitters that support multi-cell HSDPA, the multi-cell HSDPA scheduler algorithm and MUG graph are used in
calculations instead of the HSDPA scheduler algorithms and MUG graphs set per cell.
When HSUPA is supported, the following fields are also available:
DL HSUPA Power: The power (in dBm) allocated to HSUPA DL channels (E-AGCH, E-RGCH, and E-HICH). This value
must be entered by the user.
Max Number of HSUPA Users: The maximum number of HSUPA bearer users (i.e., Packet (HSPA - Best Effort)
users, Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) users and Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) users) that this cell can sup-
port at any given time.
UL Load Factor Due to HSUPA (%): The uplink cell load contribution due to HSUPA. This value can be a simulation
result or can be entered by the user.
Number of HSUPA Users: The number of HSUPA bearer users is an average and can be used for certain coverage
predictions. This value can be a simulation result or can be entered by the user.
By default, the SCH power, the CCH power, the HS-SCCH power and the HSUPA power are
set as absolute values. You can set these values as relative to the pilot power by right-click-
ing the UMTS Network Settings folder in the Parameters explorer and selecting Properties
from the context menu. Then, on the Global Parameters tab of the Properties dialogue,
under DL Powers, you can select Relative to Pilot. The SCH power, the CCH power, the HS-
SCCH power, and the HSUPA power values are automatically converted and set as relative
to the pilot power.
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If you are creating several sites at the same time, or modifying several existing sites, you
can do it quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Sites table. You can open
the Sites table by right-clicking the Sites folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Open Table from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see
"Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
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6. Click OK.
If you are creating several transmitters at the same time, or modifying several
existing transmitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data
directly in the Transmitters table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-
clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting Open Table
from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying
and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the
transmitter by right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the con-
text menu.
If you are creating or modifying several cells at the same time, you can do it more
quickly by editing the data directly in the Cells table. You can open the Cells table
by right-clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Cells > Open Table from the context menu. You can either edit the data in the table,
paste data into the table (see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77), or
import data into the table (see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82).
If you want to add a cell to an existing transmitter on the map, you can add the cell
by right-clicking the transmitter and selecting New Cell from the context menu.
2. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
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3. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to
place the new station. The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are
visible in the Status bar.
To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click
the New Station button. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing
the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays its tip text
with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
You can also place a series of stations using a Atoll template. You do this by defining an area on the map where you want to
place the stations. Atoll calculates the placement of each station according to the defined hexagonal cell radius in the station
template. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating a Station Template" on page 640.
To place a series of stations within a defined area:
1. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
2. Click the Hexagonal Design button ( ), to the left of the template list. A hexagonal design is a group of stations cre-
ated from the same station template.
3. Draw a zone delimiting the area where you want to place the series of stations:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Atoll fills the delimited zone with new stations and their hexagonal shapes. Station objects such as sites and transmit-
ters are also created and placed into their respective folders.
You can work with the sites and transmitters in these stations as you work with any station object, adding, for example,
another antenna to a transmitter.
When you place a new station using a station template as explained in "Placing a New Station Using a Station Template" on
page 638, the site is created at the same time as the station. However, you can also place a new station on an existing site.
To place a station on an existing site:
1. In the Network explorer, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
2. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
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Under Main Antenna, you can modify the following: the Height/Ground of the antennas from the ground (i.e., the
height over the DTM; if the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include the height of
building), the main antenna Model, 1st Sector Azimuth, from which the azimuth of the other sectors are offset to
offer complete coverage of the area, the Mechanical Downtilt, and the Additional Electrical Downtilt for the
antenna.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Under Propagation, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both the
Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Cal-
culations in Atoll.
Under Comments, you can add additional information. The information you enter will be the default information
in the Comments field of any transmitter created using this station template.
8. Click the Transmitter tab. On this tab (see Figure 9.8), if the Active check box is selected, you can modify the following:
Under Transmission/Reception, you can click the Equipment button to open the Equipment Specifications dia-
logue and modify the tower-mounted amplifier (TMA), feeder cables, or transmitter equipment. For information
on the Equipment Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on page 630.
The information in the real Total Losses in transmission and reception boxes is calculated from the information
you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 9.5 on page 632). Any loss related to the noise
due to a transmitters repeater is included in the calculated losses. Atoll always considers the values in the Real
boxes in predictions even if they are different from the values in the Computed boxes. You can modify the real
Total Losses at transmission and reception if you want. Any value you enter must be positive.
The information in the real Noise Figure reception box is calculated from the information you entered in the
Equipment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real Noise Figure at reception if you want. Any value you
enter must be positive.
Under Diversity, you can select the number of transmission and reception antenna ports used for MIMO (No. of
ports). MIMO systems are supported by some HSDPA bearers (following improvements introduced by release 7
of the 3GPP UTRA specifications, referred to as HSPA+). For more information on how the number of antenna
ports are used, see "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on page 804.
R99 bearers only support transmit and receive diversities. You can define the transmit diversity method from the
Transmission list when more than one transmission antenna port is available. The receive diversity method de-
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pends on the number of reception antenna ports selected (2RX for two reception antenna ports and 4RX for four
reception antenna ports).
9. Click the W-CDMA/UMTS tab. On this tab (see Figure 9.9), you modify the Carriers (each corresponding to a cell) that
this station supports. For information on carriers and cells, see "Cell Definition" on page 633.
You can select the Carrier numbers for each sector of the station template. To select the carriers to be added to
the sectors of a base station created using this station template:
i. Click the Browse button ( ). The Carriers per Sector dialogue appears.
ii. In the Carriers per Sector dialogue, select the carriers to be created for each sector of the station.
iii. Click OK.
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Under Primary Scrambling Code, you can modify the Reuse Distance and the scrambling code Domain.
Under Power, you can select the Power Shared Between Cells check box. As well, you can modify the Pilot, the
SCH, the Other CCH powers, and the AS Threshold.
Under Simulation Constraints, you can modify the Max Power, the Max DL Load (defined as a percentage of the
maximum power), the DL Peak Rate/User, the Max UL Load Factor, and the UL Peak Rate/User.
Under Load Conditions, you can modify the Total Transmitted Power, the UL Load Factor, and the UL Reuse
Factor.
Under Inter-technology Interferences, you can modify the UL and DL noise rise which respectively model the
effect of terminals and stations of an external network on the network cells and the effect of terminals of an
external network interfering the mobiles served by the network cells. For more information on inter-technology
interferences, See "Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 806.
You can also modify the Number of Uplink and Downlink Channel Elements, the Max Iub Uplink and Downlink
Backhaul Throughputs and select the Equipment.
10. Click the HSPA/HSPA+ tab.
On this tab (see Figure 9.10), you can define the HSPA functionality supported by the cells. You can choose between
None (i.e., R99 only), HSDPA, HSPA (i.e, HSDPA and HSUPA), HSPA+ (transmit diversity) or HSPA+ (spatial multiplex-
ing). When HSDPA functionality is supported, you can modify the following under HSDPA (for more information on
the fields, see "Cell Definition" on page 633):
You can select the Allocation Strategy (Static or Dynamic). If you select Static as the Allocation Strategy, you can
enter the available HSDPA Power. If you select Dynamic as the Allocation Strategy, Atoll allocates the HSDPA
power to cells during the simulation. Atoll first allocates power to R99 users and then dynamically allocates the
remaining power of the cell to the HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH of HSDPA users. At the end of the simulation, you can
commit the calculated available HSDPA power and total power values to each cell.
Under Multi-cell, you can modify the multi-cell HSDPA Mode, select a multi-cell HSDPA scheduler Algorithm, and
enter a MUG=f(No. Users) graph.
Multi-cell HSDPA options are available if the dual-cell HSDPA option has been activated. The MUG graph is only
available if you have set the peak HSDPA throughput option in the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Ad-
ministrator Manual.
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Under HS-PDSCH, you can modify the Min. and Max Number of Codes and the Power Headroom.
Under HS-SCCH, you can select the Allocation Strategy (Static or Dynamic) and the Number of Channels. If you
select Static as the Allocation Strategy, you can enter the HS-SCCH Power.
Under Scheduler, you can modify the Algorithm, the Max Number of Users, the Number of Users, and you can
enter a MUG=f(No. Users) graph. The MUG graph is only available if you have set the peak HSDPA throughput
option in the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Under HSUPA, if HSUPA functionality is supported, you can modify the following (for more information on the fields,
see "Cell Definition" on page 633):
You can modify the DL Power, the UL Load, the Max Number of Users, and the Number of Users.
11. Click the Neighbours tab. In this tab (see Figure 9.11), you can modify the Max Number of Intra- and Inter-Carrier
Neighbours and the Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours. For information on defining neighbours, see "Plan-
ning Neighbours" on page 705.
12. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Sites table, or if you have defined an additional field in the Station Template Properties dialogue.
13. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save your
changes.
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Placing the duplicate base station on an existing site: In the map window, move the pointer over the existing site
where you would like to place the duplicate. When the pointer is over the site, the site is automatically selected.
The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are visible in the Status bar (see Figure 9.13).
To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you select
Duplicate from the context menu. For information on using the zooming tools, see
"Changing the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays tip text
with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
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Any duplicated remote antennas and repeaters will retain the same donor transmitter as
the original. If you want the duplicated remote antenna or repeater to use a transmitter
on the duplicated base station, you must change the donor transmitter manually.
You can also place a series of duplicate base stations by pressing and holding CTRL in step 6. and clicking to place each
duplicate base station.
For more information on the site, transmitter, and cell properties, see "Definition of a Base Station" on page 629.
When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data. For
information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on
page 121.
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
Importing data: If you have data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it into the tables in
the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or CSV format and then
import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows you to select what
values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, transmitter
data in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.
For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80. For infor-
mation on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool on the Radio Planning toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New Station
Using a Station Template" on page 638.
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Broad-band repeaters are not modelled. Atoll assumes that all carriers from the 3G donor
transmitter are amplified.
2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Repeater from the menu.
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4. Click the map to place the repeater. The repeater is placed on the map, represented by a symbol ( ) in the same
colour as the donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna. If the repeater is inactive, it is displayed by an empty
icon. By default, the repeater has the same azimuth as the donor. Its tip text and label display the same information
as displayed for the donor. As well, its tip text identifies the repeater and the donor. In the explorer window, the
repeater is found in the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer under its donor transmitter, repeater, or remote
antenna.
For information on defining the properties of the new repeater, see "Defining the Properties of a Repeater" on
page 650.
When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, a remote antenna,
or another repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the repeater is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties
dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared antenna (coverage side) field for the repeater. This field is used to identify the
transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas that are located at the same site or on sites with the same position
and that share an antenna. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas. When changes are made to the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of
one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
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Under Antenna Position, you can define the position of the repeater, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to Site: Select Relative to Site, if you want to define the position of the repeater relative to the site
itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the repeater by its XY coordinates.
You can select equipment from the Equipment list. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dia-
logue of the equipment.
You can change the Amplification Gain. The amplification gain is used in the link budget to evaluate the repeater
total gain.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select a Link Type.
If you select Microwave Link, enter the Link Losses and proceed to step 5.
If you select Air, select a Propagation Model and enter the Propagation Losses or click Calculate to determine
the actual propagation losses between the donor and the repeater. If you do not select a propagation model,
the propagation losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater are calculated using the ITU 526-5
propagation model.
When you create an off-air repeater, it is assumed that the link between the donor transmitter and the repeat-
er has the same frequency as the network.
If you want to create a remote antenna, you must select Optical Fibre Link.
If you selected Air under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Antenna:
Model: The type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the
properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection Assistant dialogue with a
list of available antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
Select a Physical Antenna (a physical antenna can have one or more possible antenna patterns, corresponding
to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt of the antenna model
to be used at the repeater. Based on the selected physical antenna and the electrical downtilt, suitable anten-
na models are listed. Select the antenna model to use from the Available Antennas and click OK. The Antenna
Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned to the repeater.
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the repeater is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of the building.
Mechanical Azimuth and Mechanical Downtilt display additional antenna parameters.
You can click the Calculate button to update the mechanical azimuth and mechanical
downtilt values after changing the repeater donor side antenna height or the repeater
location. If you choose another site or change site coordinates in the General tab, click
Apply before clicking the Calculate button.
If you selected Air under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Feeders:
i. Type: The type of feeder is visible in the Type list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the prop-
erties of the feeder.
ii. Length: Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active repeaters (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the Network
explorer) are calculated.
Under Total Gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual gains. If
you have modified any parameter in the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply before clicking
the Calculate button. Atoll uses the DL total gain values to calculate the signal level received from the repeater.
The UL total gain value is considered in UL Eb/Nt service area predictions.
The DL total gain is applied to each power (pilot power, SCH power, etc.). The UL total gain is applied to each ter-
minal power. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater, donor
characteristics (donor antenna gain, reception feeder losses), amplification gain, and coverage characteristics
(coverage antenna gain and transmission feeder losses).
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The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
Under Losses, Atoll displays the Loss Related to Repeater Noise Rise.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since repeaters are taken into account during calculations, you must set the propagation
parameters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution
for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics of the repeater (model,
calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter. For information on propagation
models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected repeaters by
creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Repeaters table and
setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Repeaters > Calculate
Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update the UL and DL total gains
for repeaters with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set to "False."
You can update the propagation losses of all off-air repeaters by selecting Repeaters > Calculate Donor Side Propa-
gation Losses from the Transmitters context menu.
You can select a repeater on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the
Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using
the Mouse" on page 42).
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Ensure that the remote antennas donor transmitter does not have any antennas.
2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Remote Antenna from the menu.
4. Click the map to place the remote antenna. The remote antenna is placed on the map, represented by a symbol ( )
in the same colour as the donor transmitter. If the remote antenna is inactive, it is displayed by an empty icon. By
default, the remote antenna has the same azimuth as the donor transmitter. Its tip text and label display the same
information as displayed for the donor transmitter. As well, its tip text identifies the remote antenna and the donor
transmitter.
For information on defining the properties of the new remote antenna, see "Defining the Properties of a Remote
Antenna" on page 654.
When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
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The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, another remote
antenna, or a repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the remote antenna is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the
Properties dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared Antenna (coverage side) field for the remote antenna. This field is used to
identify the transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas that are located at the same site or on sites with the
same position and that share an antenna. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters,
repeaters, and remote antennas. When changes are made to the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height,
or mechanical tilt of one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the same changes to all other transmitters,
repeaters, and remote antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
Under Antenna Position, you can define the position of the remote antenna, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to Site: Select Relative to Site, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna relative to
the site itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna by its XY coordi-
nates.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select Optical Fibre Link and enter the Fibre Losses.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active remote antennas (displayed in red in the UMTS Transmitters folder in the
Network explorer) are calculated.
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Under Total Gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual gains. If
you have modified any parameter in the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply before clicking
the Calculate button. Atoll uses the DL total gain values to calculate the signal level received from the remote
antenna. The UL total gain value is considered in UL EbNt service area predictions.
The DL total gain is applied to each power (pilot power, SCH power, etc.). The UL total gain is applied to each ter-
minal power. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the remote antenna.
Under Antennas, you can modify the following parameters:
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the remote antenna is situated on a building, the height entered
must include the height of the building.
Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection
Assistant dialogue with a list of available antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
To find a suitable antenna, select a Physical Antenna (which can have one or more possible antenna patterns,
corresponding to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt of the
antenna model to be used at the remote antenna. Based on the selected physical antenna and the electrical
downtilt, suitable antenna models are listed. Select the antenna model to use from the Available Antennas.
and click OK. The Antenna Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned to the re-
mote antenna.
Mechanical Azimuth, Mechanical downtilt, and Additional electrical downtilt display additional antenna
parameters.
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since remote antennas are taken into account during calculations, you must set propaga-
tion parameters, as with transmitters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model,
Radius, and Resolution for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics
of the remote antenna (model, calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter.
For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected remote antennas
by creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Remote Antennas
table and setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Remote
Antennas > Calculate Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update
the UL and DL total gains for remote antennas with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set
to "False."
You can select a remote antenna on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using
the Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site
Using the Mouse" on page 42).
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2. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
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3. A line appears on the map connecting the selected transmitter and the current position. You can now do the following:
Move the receiver to change the current position.
Click to place the receiver at the current position. You can move the receiver again by clicking it a second time.
Right-click the receiver to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
Coordinates: Select Coordinates to change the receiver position by entering new XY coordinates.
Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Select Profile from the list at the top of the Point Analysis window.
The profile analysis appears in the Profile view of the Point Analysis window. The altitude (in metres) is reported on
the vertical axis and the receiver-transmitter distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone
between the transmitter and the receiver, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the angle
of the LOS read from the vertical antenna pattern. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this causes atten-
uation with diffraction displayed by a red vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction mechanisms
into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the most with the Fresnel ellipsoid. With some propagation
models using a 3 knife-edge Deygout diffraction method, the results might display two additional attenuations peaks.
The total attenuation is displayed above the main peak.
The results of the analysis are displayed at the top of the Profile view:
The received signal strength of the selected transmitter
The propagation model used
The shadowing margin and the indoor loss (if selected)
The distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
You can change the following options at the top of the Profile view:
Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list.
Carriers: Select the carrier to be analysed.
5. At the top of the Profile view, you can click one of the following buttons:
: Click the Properties button ( ) to display the Properties dialogue of the selected transmitter.
: Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculation Options dialogue. You can change the following:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the current position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Select Signal Level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result Type list.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
: Click the Geographic Profile button ( ) if you want to view the geographic profile between the transmitter
and the receiver. Atoll displays the profile between the transmitter and the receiver with clutter heights. An ellip-
soid indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed. Atoll does not calculate or display signal levels and losses.
: Click the Link Budget button ( ) to display a dialogue with the link budget.
: Click the Report button ( ) to display a text document with details on the displayed profile analysis.
Detailed reports are only available for the standard propagation model.
: Click the Copy button ( ) to copy the Profile view. You can then paste the contents of the Profile view as
a graphic into a graphic editing or word-processing programme.
: Click the Print button ( ) to print the Profile view.
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You can use the same procedure to study the signal level coverage of several sites by
grouping the transmitters. For information on grouping transmitters, see "Grouping Data
Objects by a Selected Property" on page 89.
If you want to study only sites by their status, at this step you could group them by
status.
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City Centre 5m
City 20 m
County 50 m
State 100 m
Conditions tab: The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to define the signals that will
be considered for each pixel (see Figure 9.15).
At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the signal level range to be considered. In Figure 9.15, a signal
level less than or equal to -120 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "All" to consider signal levels from all servers.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select the Carrier to be studied, or select "Best (All Bands)" to have the carrier selected according to
the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment. The coverage prediction displays the strength of
the received pilot signal.
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Display tab: You can modify how the results of the coverage prediction will be displayed.
Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals."
Under Field, select "Best Signal Level." Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" on the Conditions tab will give you
the same results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal
Level" necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display properties,
see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can create tip text with information about the coverage prediction by clicking the Browse button ( )
next to the Tip Text box and selecting the fields you want to display in the tip text.
You can select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed value intervals to the legend.
If you change the display properties of a coverage prediction after you have calculated it,
you may make the coverage prediction invalid. You will then have to recalculate the cover-
age prediction to obtain valid results.
Result Export tab: You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see "Exporting
the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
7. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The signal level
coverage prediction can be found in the Predictions folder in the Network explorer. Atoll automatically locks the results of a
coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction in the Predictions
folder. When you click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll only calculates unlocked coverage predictions ( ).
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Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices using
the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main propagation
model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 9.16) and a higher resolution and an extended propagation
model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate higher resolution
path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower resolution path loss matri-
ces outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Path Loss Matrices" on page 661
"Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 663
"The Calculation Process" on page 665
"Creating a Computation Zone" on page 665
"Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active" on page 666
"Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 667
"Analysing a Coverage Prediction" on page 671
"UMTS-Specific Predictions" on page 681
"HSDPA Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 697
"HSUPA Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 700
"Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 701.
Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matrices
in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. in the case of large radio-planning projects,
embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case of large radio-
planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use of computer
resources.
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The path loss matrices are also stored externally in a multi-user environment, when several users are working on the same
radio-planning document and share the path loss matrices. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database and the path
loss matrices are read-only and are stored in a location accessible to all users. When the user changes his radio data and recal-
culates the path loss matrices, the calculated changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matri-
ces are not modified. These will be recalculated by the administrator taking into consideration the changes to radio data made
by all users. For more information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix
A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Predictions tab, under Path loss matrix storage, you can set the location for your private path loss matrices
and the location for the shared path loss matrices:
Private directory: The Private directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are loading
path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.
Click the button beside Private directory ( ) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in the Atoll
document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.
Path loss matrices you calculate locally are not stored in the same directory as shared path
loss matrices. Shared path loss matrices are stored in a read-only directory. In other words,
you can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes you
make will be stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or in a private external folder,
depending on what you have selected in Private directory.
When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed and not only when you save the Atoll document. In order to
keep consistency between the Atoll document and the stored calculations, you should
save the Atoll document before closing it, if you have updated the path loss matrices.
Shared directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a database
and the common path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you make
will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private directory. The path loss
matrices in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based on the updated information
in the database. For more information on shared directories, see The Administrator Manual.
5. Click OK.
Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices before calculating any coverage prediction. If you want, you
can check whether the path loss matrices are valid without creating a coverage prediction.
To check whether the path loss matrices are valid:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table.
5. Select one of the following display options:
Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:
Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices are
recalculated.
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
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Reason for Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
6. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 9.17) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as well as
a summary of the reasons for invalidity.
When you assign a propagation model globally, you override any selection you might
have already made to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters.
3. If you have assigned a default propagation model for coverage predictions, as described in "Defining a Default Propa-
gation Model" on page 201, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters whose main propaga-
tion model is "(Default model)." If a transmitter has any other propagation model chosen as the main propagation
model, that is the propagation model that will be used.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters" on page 663
"Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters" on page 664
"Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 664.
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Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings. In
Atoll, you can assign the same propagation model to several transmitters by first grouping them by their common parameters
and then assigning the propagation model.
To define a main and extended propagation model for a defined group of transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select from the Group by submenu of the context menu the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.
You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 90.
3. Right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button ( ) in the
Table toolbar to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up
button ( ) in the Table toolbar. For more information on working with tables in Atoll,
see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
If you have added a single transmitter, you can assign it a propagation model. You can also assign a propagation model to a
single transmitter after you have assigned a main and extended propagation model globally or to a group of transmitters.
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When you assign a main and extended propagation model to a single transmitter, it overrides any changes made globally.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Propagation tab.
6. Under Main Matrix:
Select a Propagation Model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. If desired, under Extended Matrix:
Select a Propagation Model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
8. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for the selected transmitter.
You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button
( ) in the toolbar.
When you click the Force Calculation button ( ) instead of the Calculate button,
Atoll calculates all path loss matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simula-
tions.
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Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and selecting
Use As > Computation Zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing computation zone with any
existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the explorer window and selecting Add To > Computation Zone
from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computation Zone in
the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit Zone to
Map Window from the context menu.
You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document,
in the following ways:
Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on saving
the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration"
on page 101.
Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by right-
clicking the Computation Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the
context menu.
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4. For each cell that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set transmitters as active using a zone:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of Zones folder to expand the folder.
3. Right-click the folder of the zone you will use to select the transmitters. The context menu appears.
If you do not yet have a zone containing the transmitters you want to set as active, you can
draw a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 54.
4. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
Once you have ensured that all transmitters are active, you can set the propagation model parameters. For information on
choosing and configuring a propagation model, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
Calculating path loss matrices can be extremely time and resource intensive when you are working on larger projects. Conse-
quently, Atoll offers you the possibility of distributing path loss calculations on several computers. You can install the Atoll
computing server application on other workstations or on servers. Once the computing server application is installed on a
workstation or server, the computer is available for distributed path loss calculation to other computers on the network. For
information on distributed calculations, see the Administrator Manual.
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At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered. In Figure 9.18, a signal level
less than or equal to -120 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select the Carrier to be studied, or select "Best (All Bands)" to have the carrier selected according to the
carrier selection method defined for the site equipment. The coverage prediction displays the strength of the
received pilot signal.
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You can run a specific prediction study displaying a coverage by pilot signal level for a given
terminal, service, mobility and carrier as explained in "Making a Pilot Signal Quality Predic-
tion" on page 687.
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You can also predict which server is the second best server on each pixel by selecting
"Second best signal level" on the Conditions tab setting "Discrete Values" as the Display
Type and "Transmitter" as the Field on the Display tab.
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Under Server, select "Best signal level" and define a Margin. Atoll will then consider the best signal level on each
pixel and any other signal level within the defined margin of the best one.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select the Carrier to be studied, or select "Best (All bands)" to have the carrier selected according to the
carrier selection method defined for the site equipment. The coverage prediction displays the strength of the
received pilot signal.
When creating a coverage prediction displaying the number of servers, you can not export
the values per pixel.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
By changing the parameters selected on the Conditions tab and by selecting different
results to be displayed on the Display tab, you can calculate and display information other
than that which has been explained in the preceding sections.
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Figure 9.22: Displaying coverage prediction results using the tip text
1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
2. At the top of the Point Analysis window, select the Reception view (see Figure 9.23).
The predicted signal level from different transmitters is reported in the Reception view in the form of a bar chart, from
the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom. Each bar is displayed in the colour of
the transmitter it represents. In the map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the
colour of the transmitters they represent. A thick black line from the pointer to its best server is also displayed in the
map window. The best server of the pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level.
If you let the pointer rest, the signal level received from the corresponding transmitter at the pointer location is
displayed in the tip text.
3. At the top of the Reception view, select the carrier to be analysed.
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4. At the top of the Reception view, you can click one of the following buttons:
: Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculation Options dialogue. You can change the following:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
: Click the Copy button ( ) to copy the Reception view. You can then paste the contents of the Reception
view as a graphic into a graphic editing or word-processing programme.
: Click the Print button ( ) to print the Reception view.
You can also select the Details view from the top of the Point Analysis window to get more information. The Details view
displays the profile of the receiver (the combination of terminal, service, mobility, and carrier) and, for each transmitter, its
distance from the receiver, its signal level (or RSCP), its path loss, Ec/Io, DL and UL Eb/Nt values, and scrambling code.
9.2.10.7.4 Creating a Focus Zone or Hot Spot for a Coverage Prediction Report
The focus zone and hot spots define an area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. While you can
only have one focus zone, you can define several hot spots in addition to the focus zone.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus zone and hot spots. The computation zone defines the area
where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo, power control simulations, etc., while the focus
zone and hot spots are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results. When you create a coverage
prediction report, it gives the results for the focus zone and for each of the defined hot spots.
To define a focus zone or hot spot:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Focus Zone or Hot Spots, depending on whether you want to create a focus zone or a hot spot. The
context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select one of the following:
Draw Polygon
i. Click once on the map to start drawing the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the focus zone or hot spot changes
direction.
iii. Click twice to finish drawing and close the focus zone or hot spot.
Draw Rectangle
i. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot. When you release the
mouse, the focus zone or hot spot will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zones visibility
check box in the Zones folder of the Geo explorer, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into account.
You can also create a focus zone or hot spot as follows:
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus zone or hot spot by right-clicking it and
selecting Use As > Focus Zone or Use As > Hot Spot from the context menu. You can also combine an existing focus
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zone or hot spot with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the explorer window and selecting Add
To > Hot Spot or Add To > Hot Spot from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a focus zone or hot spot. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus Zone folder
or Hot Spots in the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot spots, you can
import the name given to each zone as well.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a focus zone or hot spot the size of the map window by selecting Fit Zone
to Map Window from the context menu.
You can save the focus zone or hot spots in the following ways, so that you can use it in a
different Atoll document:
Saving the focus zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the
focus zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on
page 101.
Exporting the focus zone or hot spots: You can export the focus zone or hot spots
by right-clicking the Focus Zone or the Hot Spots folder in the Geo explorer and
selecting Export from the context menu.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot by importing a popula-
tion map. For information on importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data
File" on page 137.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
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b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Save button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
5. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed dia-
logue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report shows all displayed coverage predictions in the same
order as in the Predictions folder. The report is based on the focus zone if available or on the calculation zone if there
is no focus zone.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spots by importing a population map. For information on import-
ing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 137. Normally, Atoll takes all geo data into consideration,
whether it is displayed or not. However, for the population statistics to be used in a report, the population map has to be
displayed.
To include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spots:
1. Ensure that the population geo data is visible. For information on displaying geo data, see "Displaying or Hiding
Objects on the Map Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
2. Display the report as explained above.
3. Select Format > Display Columns. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Select the following columns, where "Population" is the name of the folder in the Geo explorer containing the popu-
lation map:
"Population" (Population): The number of inhabitants covered.
"Population" (% Population): The percentage of inhabitants covered.
"Population" (Population [total]: The total number of inhabitants inside the zone.
Atoll saves the names of the columns you select and will automatically select them the next time you create a cover-
age prediction report.
5. Click OK.
If you have created a custom data map with integrable data, the data can be used in prediction reports. The data will be
summed over the coverage area for each item in the report (for example, by transmitter or threshold). The data can be value
data (revenue, number of customers, etc.) or density data (revenue/km, number of customer/km, etc.). Data is considered
as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example, socio-demographic
classes, rain zones, etc. For information on integrable data in custom data maps, see "Integrable Versus Non Integrable Data"
on page 154.
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1. Right-click the report and select Export from the context menu or click the Export button ( ) in the Table toolbar.
The Save As dialogue appears.
2. In the Save As dialogue, enter the File name and select the format from the Save as type list:
TXT: To save the report as a text file.
CSV: To save the report as a comma-separated values file.
XLS: To save the report as an Excel spreadsheet.
XML Spreadsheet 2003: To save the report as an XML spreadsheet.
3. Click Save to export the coverage prediction report.
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If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can verify if a newly added base station improves coverage.
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A signal level coverage prediction of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal
Level" on page 667. The results are displayed in Figure 9.25. An area with poor coverage is visible on the right side of the
figure.
A new base station is added, either by creating the site and adding the transmitters, as explained in "Creating a UMTS Base
Station" on page 629, or by placing a station template, as explained in "Placing a New Station Using a Station Template" on
page 638. Once the new site base station been added, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would
be impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original signal level coverage prediction can be copied by selecting Dupli-
cate from its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show the effect of the new site (see Figure 9.26).
Figure 9.26: Signal level coverage prediction of network with new base station
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3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their name and reso-
lution.
4. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be displayed.
You can choose among:
Intersection
Union
Difference
In order to see what changes adding a new base station made, you should choose Difference.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 9.27, shows clearly the area covered only by the new
base station.
If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can see how modifying transmitter tilt can improve coverage.
A coverage prediction by transmitter of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Trans-
mitter" on page 669. The results are displayed in Figure 9.28. The coverage prediction shows that one transmitter is covering
its area poorly. The area is indicated by a red oval in Figure 9.28.
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You can try modifying the tilt on the transmitter to improve the coverage. The properties of the transmitter can be accessed
by right-clicking the transmitter in the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu. The mechanical and elec-
trical tilt of the antenna are defined on the Transmitter tab of the Properties dialogue.
Once the tilt of the antenna has been modified, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would be
impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original coverage prediction by can be copied by selecting Duplicate from its
context menu. The copy is then calculated, to show how modifying the antenna tilt has affected coverage (see Figure 9.29).
As you can see, modifying the antenna tilt increased the coverage of the transmitter. However, to see exactly the change in
coverage, you can compare the two predictions.
To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the coverage prediction you want
to compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their name and reso-
lution.
4. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be displayed.
You can choose among:
Intersection
Union
Difference
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In order to see what changes modifying the antenna tilt made, you can choose Union. This will display all pixels
covered by both predictions in one colour and all pixels covered by only one prediction in another colour. The increase
in coverage, seen in only the second coverage prediction, will be immediately clear.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 9.30, shows clearly the increase in coverage due to the
change in antenna tilt.
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3. Right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button ( ) in the
Table toolbar to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up
button ( ) in the Table toolbar. For more information on working with tables in Atoll,
see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
Services are the various services available to subscribers. These services can be either circuit-switched or packet-switched
services. This section explains how to create a service. However, only the following parameters are used in predictions:
R99 bearer parameters
Downgrading capabilities
Handover capabilities
HSPA capabilities
Body loss
HSPA application throughput parameters
Before you can model services, you must have defined R99 bearers. For information on defining R99 radio bearers, see "Defin-
ing R99 Radio Bearers" on page 798.
To create or modify a service:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Services New Element Properties dialogue appears.
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You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the
Services folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. Edit the fields on the General tab to define the new service:
Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can change the name to something more descriptive.
Activity Factor: The uplink and downlink activity factors are used to determine the probability of activity for each
user during Monte-Carlo simulations. For packet-switched services, this parameter is used when working with
sector traffic maps and user density traffic maps. For circuit-switched services, the parameter is taken into consid-
eration with all traffic maps.
Average Requested Throughput: You can enter the average requested throughput for uplink and downlink. This
throughput is the average throughput obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during user dis-
tribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their activity
status.
6. Click the UMTS tab to define the new service.
7. Select an R99 Radio Bearer from the list. If you want to edit the settings of the selected R99 radio bearer, click the
Browse button ( ) to open the bearers Properties dialogue.
8. Select a service Type:
Circuit (R99): For circuit services, select Circuit (R99).
Packet (R99): For packet services that can only use R99 channels, select Packet (R99).
Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort): For best effort applications that can use HSDPA channels, select Packet (HSDPA -
Best Effort).
The HSDPA service is linked to a R99 bearer in order to manage the connection to the R99-
dedicated channel A-DPCH.
Packet (HSPA - Best Effort): For best effort applications that can use HSDPA and HSUPA channels, select Packet
(HSPA -Best Effort).
Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate): For variable bit rate services using HSDPA channels, select Packet (HSDPA -
Variable Bit Rate).
Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate): For variable bit rate services using HSPA channels, select Packet (HSPA - Vari-
able Bit Rate).
9. For all types of services, define the following parameters:
Preferred/Allowed Carriers: You can select one of the available carriers or all carriers. The specified carrier is con-
sidered in simulation when admitting a transmitter to the mobile active set. If you select "Preferred Carriers" and
the transmitter uses the specified carrier, Atoll selects it. Otherwise, it will choose another one, using the carrier
selection mode defined in the site equipment properties. The carrier specified for the service is not used in pre-
dictions (i.e., AS analysis and coverage predictions). In predictions, Atoll considers the carrier selection mode
defined in the site equipment properties. If no preferred carrier is specified in the service properties, it will con-
sider the carrier selection mode defined in the site equipment properties.
If you select "Allowed Carriers" Atoll will only use the defined carriers. If they are not available, service will be re-
jected.
Bearer Downgrading: Select the Bearer downgrading check box if the service supports bearer downgrading on
uplink and downkink. Bearer downgrading is not allowed for Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate) and Packet (HSPA
- Variable Bit Rate) services.
Soft Handoff Allowed: Select the Soft Handoff Allowed check box if you want the network to be able to use soft
handoff with this service.
HSDPA channels do not use soft handover even if the Soft Handoff Allowed check box is
selected. If you want the HSUPA service to be operated using soft handover, select the Soft
Handoff Allowed check box. Soft handover will be applied to R99 and HSUPA channels
only.
Priority: Enter a priority for this service. "0" is the lowest priority.
Body Loss: Enter a body loss for the service. The body loss is the loss due to the body of the user. For example, in
a voice connection the body loss, due to the proximity of the users head, is estimated to be 3dB.
10. If you selected Circuit (R99) as the Type in step 8., continue to step 13. If you selected Packet (R99), Packet (HSDPA -
Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate), Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate), or
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Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) as the Type in step 8., click the Packet button to define the parameters used to
determine the probability of activity for each user during Monte-Carlo simulations. These parameters are used when
working with user profile traffic maps only. Click the Packet tab.
In the Packet dialogue, you can set the following parameters for packet-switched services:
Under BLER, you can define the following:
Efficiency Factor: The uplink and downlink efficiency factors are used to determine duration of usage by the
user during Monte-Carlo simulations.
Under Session, you can set:
Average Number of Packet Calls: Enter the average number of packet calls in the uplink and downlink during
one session.
Average Time Between Two Packet Calls: Enter the average time between two packet calls (in milliseconds)
in the uplink and downlink.
Under Packet Calls, you can set:
Min. Size (Kbytes): Enter the minimum size of a packet call in kilobytes in the uplink and downlink.
Max Size (Kbytes): Enter the maximum size of a packet call in kilobytes in the uplink and downlink.
Average Time Between Two Packets (ms): Enter the average time between two packets in milliseconds in the
uplink and downlink.
Under Packet, you can set:
Size (Bytes): Enter the packet size in bytes in the uplink and downlink.
11. Click Commit to save your changes and close the Packet dialogue when you have finished setting the parameters.
12. If you selected a packet service (i.e., Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Con-
stant Bit Rate), Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate), or Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) as the Type in step 8., set the
following parameters:
Under Application Throughput:
Set a Scaling Factor between the application throughput and the RLC (Radio Link Control) throughput and a
throughput Offset. These parameters model the header information and other supplementary data that does not
appear at the application level.
For Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort) services, set the following parameters under HSPA Parameters:
E-DPCCH/A-DPCH Activity Factor: The downlink E-DPCCH/A-DPCH activity factor is used to estimate the average
power on A-DPCH channels.
For Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) services, set the following parameters under HSPA Parameters:
E-DPCCH/A-DPCH Activity Factor: The uplink and downlink E-DPCCH/A-DPCH activity factors are used to estimate
the average power on E-DPCCH and A-DPCH channels.
For Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service, set the following parameters under HSPA Parameters:
E-DPCCH/A-DPCH Activity Factor: The E-DPCCH/A-DPCH activity factor is used to estimate the average power on
A-DPCH channels.
Min Throughput Demand: Enter the minimum required bit rate that the service should have in order to be avail-
able in the uplink and downlink.
For Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate) service, set the following parameters under HSPA Parameters:
E-DPCCH/A-DPCH Activity Factor: The downlink E-DPCCH/A-DPCH activity factor is used to estimate the average
power on A-DPCH channels.
Max Throughput Demand: Enter the maximum bit rate that the service can require in the downlink.
Min Throughput Demand: Enter the minimum required bit rate that the service should have in order to be avail-
able in the downlink.
For Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service, set the following parameters under HSPA Parameters:
E-DPCCH/A-DPCH Activity Factor: The uplink and downlink E-DPCCH/A-DPCH activity factors are used to estimate
the average power on E-DPCCH and A-DPCH channels.
Max Throughput Demand: Enter the maximum bit rate that the service can require in the uplink and downlink.
Min Throughput Demand: Enter the minimum required bit rate that the service should have in order to be avail-
able in the uplink and downlink.
The uplink and downlink E-DPCCH/A-DPCH activity factors have been set to 0.1 and cannot
be changed. These values are used to estimate the average power on E-DPCCH and A-DPCH
channels.
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In UMTS, information about receiver mobility is important to efficiently manage the active set: a mobile used by someone
travelling a certain speed and a mobile used by a pedestrian will not necessarily be connected to the same transmitters. EcI0
requirements and Eb/Nt targets per radio bearer and per link (up and down) are largely dependent on mobile speed.
The following parameters are used in predictions:
EcI0 threshold
HS-SCCH EcNt Threshold
To create or modify a mobility type:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Mobility Types folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. On the General tab, you can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Properties
dialogue:
Name: Enter or modify the descriptive name for the mobility type.
Speed: Enter or modify an average speed for the mobility type. This field is for information only; the average speed
is not used by any calculation.
6. On the Parameters tab, you can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Prop-
erties dialogue:
EcI0 Threshold: Under Active Set Management, enter or modify the minimum EcI0 required from a transmitter
to enter the active set. This value must be verified for the best server.
HS-SCCH EcNt Threshold: Under HSDPA, enter or modify the minimum quality required in order for the HSDPA
link to be available. This parameter is used by Atoll to determine the HS-SCCH power when the user has selected
dynamic allocation in the cell properties. For static allocation, Atoll calculates the HS-SCCH EcNt from the
HS-SCCH power set in the cell properties and compares it to this threshold. This field is only used with HSDPA.
7. Click OK.
In UMTS, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a PDA, or a cars on-board
navigation device.
The following parameters are used in predictions:
Receiver equipment
Main and secondary bands
Maximum terminal power
Gain and losses
Noise figures
Active set size
DL rake factor
CDMA Rho factor
Compressed mode capability
HSPA capability and HSPA-specific categories:
UE category
Number of reception antenna ports
MUD factor (for HSDPA only).
To create or modify a terminal:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Terminals folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Terminals New Element Properties dialogue appears.
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You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminal folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. Click the General tab. You can modify the following parameter:
Name: You can change the name of the terminal.
6. Click the Parameters tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Transmission/Reception:
UMTS Equipment: Select a type of reception equipment from the list.
You can create a new type of reception equipment by using the Reception Equipment
table. You can open open the Reception Equipment table by clicking the Expand button
( ) to expand the UMTS Network Settings folder, and then right-clicking the Reception
Equipment folder and selecting Open Table from the context menu.
Min. Power: Set the minimum transmission power. The minimum and maximum transmission power make up the
dynamic range for uplink power control.
Max Power: Set the maximum transmission power.
Gain: Set the antenna gain.
Losses: Set the reception losses.
Active Set Size: Set the active set size. The active set size is the maximum number of transmitters to which a ter-
minal can be connected at one time.
DL Rake Factor: Set the DL rake factor. This enables Atoll to model the rake receiver on DL.
The rake efficiency factor, used for calculating recombination in uplink has to be set in the
site equipment properties. For information on setting site equipment properties, see
"Creating Site Equipment" on page 800.
CDMA Rho factor (%): This parameter enables Atoll to take into account the self-interference produced by the
terminal. Because hardware equipment is not perfect, the input signal experiences some distortion which affects,
in turn, the output signal. This factor defines how much distortion the system generates. Entering 100% means
the system is perfect (there is no distortion) and the output signal will be 100% equal to the input signal. On the
other hand, if you specify a value different than 100%, Atoll considers that the transmitted energy is not 100%
signal and contains a small percentage of interference generated by the equipment, i.e., self-interference. Atoll
considers this parameter to calculate the signal to noise ratio in the uplink.
Compressed Mode Supported: Check the Compressed Mode Supported check box if the terminal uses com-
pressed mode. Compressed mode is generally used to prepare hard-handover of users with single receiver termi-
nals.
Under Frequency Bands:
Main Band: Select the frequency band with which the terminal is compatible and enter the terminal Noise Figure
for the main frequency.
Secondary Band: Select a second frequency band with which the terminal is compatible and enter the terminal
Noise Figure for the second frequency. Leave the Secondary Band field empty if the terminal works only on one
frequency band.
There are two different ways of defining dual-band terminals. Depending on the configu-
ration, Atoll processes dual-band terminal users differently in the Monte-Carlo simulation.
The first one consists of defining main and secondary frequency bands. This ena-
bles you to give a higher priority to one frequency band in the Monte-Carlo simu-
lation (the main frequency band will have the higher priority). A user with such a
dual-band terminal will be connected to transmitters using the main frequency
band if carriers on this frequency band are not overloaded. In case of overloading,
he will be connected to transmitters using the secondary frequency band.
The second consists of selecting "All" as main frequency band. This means that the
terminal works on any frequency band without any priority. In this case, the user
can be connected to transmitters using any frequency band.
In coverage predictions, both configurations give the same results. The priority of
frequency bands is not taken into account.
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Select the type of HSPA Support the terminal has: None (i.e., R99 support only), HSDPA or HSPA (i.e., HSDPA and
HSUPA).
If the terminal supports HSDPA, you can define the HSDPA parameters under HSDPA:
UE Category: Select the HSDPA user equipment category of the terminal.
MUD Factor: Enter a multi-user detection factor (MUD). MUD is based on an algorithm used to improve mobile
receiver capacity. It reduces intra-cell interference and allows for higher EcNt. MUD is modelled by a coefficient
from 0 to 1; this factor is considered in calculating DL interference. If MUD is not supported, enter "0."
Number of Reception Antenna Ports: Select the number of reception antenna ports available on the terminal for
MIMO.
If the terminal supports HSUPA, you can define the HSUPA parameters under HSUPA:
UE Category: Select the HSUPA user equipment category of the terminal.
7. Click OK.
A table listing quality indicators (BER, BLER, etc.) to be analysed is available. Quality predic-
tions proposed by Atoll depend on quality indicators specified in this table.
A pilot signal quality prediction enables you to identify areas where there is at least one transmitter whose pilot quality is
received sufficiently well to be added to the probe mobile active set.
Atoll calculates the best pilot quality received on each pixel. Then, depending on the coverage prediction definition, it
compares this value either to the EcI0 threshold defined for the selected mobility type, or to user-defined EcI0 thresholds.
The pixel is coloured if the condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the best EcI0 is higher than the EcI0 mobility threshold or
specified EcI0 thresholds).
To make a pilot signal quality prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Pilot Quality Analysis and click OK. The Pilot Quality Analysis Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a "global" coverage prediction (e.g., a signal level coverage prediction).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 9.31).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the UL load factor and the DL
total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the
"Best (Main band)" carrier selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
If you want the pilot signal quality prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
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You can also select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 9.31: Load condition settings for a coverage prediction on pilot quality
Atoll calculates the traffic channel quality (as defined by EbNt) when using the maximum power allowed, i.e., the maximum
traffic channel power allowed per cell for downlink and the maximum terminal power for uplink. In the coverage prediction,
the downlink or uplink service area is limited by the maximum power allowed and by the pilot quality. If the received pilot
quality is insufficient, Atoll will not display the traffic channel quality. The mobile handover status is taken in consideration to
evaluate the downlink and uplink traffic channel quality (EbNt). Atoll combines the signal from each transmitter in the probe
mobile active set.
To make a coverage prediction on service area (Eb/Nt) downlink or uplink:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
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When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the
"Best (Main band)" carrier selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
If you want the service area (EbNt) coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken
into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select the Bearer downgrading check box if you want the service area (EbNt) prediction to take into consid-
eration circumstances when the R99 bearer is downgraded. When downgrading is enabled and if the selected service
supports bearer downgrading, Atoll will consider only the lowest radio bearer.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a service area (Eb/Nt) coverage prediction, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Max EbNt (dB)"
is selected by default. The Field you choose determines which information the service area (EbNt) downlink or uplink
prediction makes available. Each pixel is displayed in a colour corresponding to the traffic channel quality. For infor-
mation on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can also set parameters to display the following results:
The traffic channel quality relative to the EbNt threshold: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and
"EbNt Margin (dB)" as the Field.
The power required to reach the EbNt threshold: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Required
Power (dB)" as the Field.
Where traffic channel quality exceeds the EbNt threshold for each mobility type: On the Conditions tab, select
"All" as the Mobility Type. The parameters on the Display tab are automatically set.
For a service area (EbNt) (UL) coverage prediction, you can also display the following result:
The gain due to soft handover: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Soft Handover Gain" as the Field.
8. Click the Result Export tab. If, on the Display tab, you have selected to display the results by value intervals, you can
export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see "Exporting the Values per Pixel of a Cov-
erage Prediction" on page 219.
9. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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The effective service area is the intersection zone between the pilot reception area, and the uplink and downlink service areas.
In other words, the effective service area prediction calculates where a service actually is available for the probe mobile.
To make an effective service area prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Effective Service Area Analysis (EbNt) (DL+UL) and click OK. The Effective Service Area Analysis (EbNt)
(DL+UL) Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab.
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the UL load factor and the DL
total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the
"Best" carrier selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
If you want the effective service area prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into
account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select the Bearer downgrading check box if you want the effective service area prediction to take into consid-
eration circumstances when the R99 bearer is downgraded. When downgrading is enabled and if the selected service
supports bearer downgrading, Atoll will consider only the lowest radio bearer.
7. Click the Display tab.
For an effective service area prediction, the Display Type "Unique" is selected by default. The coverage prediction will
display where a service actually is available for the probe mobile. For information on defining display properties, see
"Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
You can create a quality prediction based on a given quality indicators (BER, BLER, or FER). The coverage prediction will show
for each pixel the measurement of the selected quality indicator.
This type of coverage prediction is not available in the list of standard predictions; you can, however, use quality indicators in
a prediction by first ensuring that the parameters of the quality indicators have been correctly set and then creating a cover-
age prediction, selecting display parameters that use these quality indicators.
Before you define the quality prediction, you must ensure that the parameters of the quality indicators have been correctly
set.
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When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
Terminal: Select the appropriate terminal for mobile Internet access from the Terminal list.
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In the coverage by total noise level (DL) prediction, Atoll calculates and displays the areas where the downlink total noise or
the downlink noise rise exceeds a set threshold.
To make a downlink total noise or downlink noise rise prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Total Noise Level Analysis (DL) and click OK. The Total Noise Level Analysis (DL) dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab.
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the UL load factor and the DL
total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
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You must select a Terminal, and Service, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must also select
which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the "Best" carrier
selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment
You can also select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a downlink total noise or downlink noise rise prediction, the Display Type "Value Intervals" is selected by default.
The Field you choose determines which information the downlink total noise or downlink noise rise prediction makes
available.
Coverage by total noise on the downlink: When making a prediction on the total noise level on the downlink,
select one of the following in the Field list:
Min. Noise Level
Average Noise Level
Max Noise Level
Coverage by noise rise on the downlink: When making a prediction on the noise rise on the downlink, select one
of the following in the Field list:
Min. Noise Rise
Average Noise Rise
Max Noise Rise
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
A transmitter which fulfils all the criteria to enter a mobiles active set but which is not admitted because the active set limit
has already been reached is considered a polluter.
In the Pilot Pollution Analysis prediction, Atoll calculates and displays the areas where the probe mobile is interfered by the
pilot signal from polluter transmitters.
To make a pilot pollution prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Pilot Pollution Analysis and click OK. The Pilot Pollution Analysis Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab.
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the UL load factor and the DL
total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
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You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the
"Best" carrier selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
If you want the pilot pollution prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a Pilot Pollution Analysis prediction, the Display Type "Value Intervals" and the Field "Number of Polluters" are
selected by default. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
In the inter-technology downlink noise prediction, Atoll calculates and displays the areas where the downlink noise or noise
rise from external base stations and mobiles exceeds a set threshold. For more information on the modelling of inter-technol-
ogy interference, see "Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 806.
To make an inter-technology downlink noise or noise rise prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Inter-technology Interference Level Analysis (DL) and click OK. The coverage prediction Properties dialogue
appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab.
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal and a Service, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must also select
which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the "Best" carrier
selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
If you want the prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check box and
enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
The Display Type "Value Intervals" is selected by default. The Field you choose determines which information the
prediction makes available, Noise Level or Noise Rise. For information on defining display properties, see "Display
Properties of Objects" on page 43.
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8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the
"Best (Main band)" carrier selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
If you want the handoff status coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into
account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage predic-
tion will display.
To display the handoff status:
a. Select "Discrete Values" from the Display Type list.
b. Select "Status" from the Field list. Depending on the active set size of the terminal and the service capabilities in
terms of soft handover, the coverage prediction can display the following values:
No handoff: one cell in the mobile active set.
Softer: two cells in the mobile active set belonging to the same site.
Soft: two cells in the mobile active set, one from Site A and the other from Site B.
Softer-Softer: three cells in the mobile active set, belonging to the same site.
Softer-Soft: three cells in the mobile active set, two from Site A and the third one from Site B.
Soft-Soft: three cells in the mobile active set, one from Site A, one from Site B and one from Site C.
Not connected: no cell in the mobile active set.
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1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears (see Figure 9.33).
2. Select the AS Analysis view at the top of the Point Analysis window.
3. At the top of the AS Analysis view, select "Cells Table" from Load conditions.
4. If you are making an AS analysis to verify a coverage prediction, you can recreate the conditions of the coverage pre-
diction:
a. Select the same Terminal, Service, and Mobility studied in the coverage prediction.
b. Select the Carrier to be considered. You can make the AS analysis for a specific carrier or for the "Best" carrier se-
lected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
c. Select the Bearer downgrading check box if bearer downgrading was selected in the coverage prediction. When
downgrading is enabled and if the selected service supports bearer downgrading, Atoll will consider only the low-
est radio bearer.
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Information on the current position is given on the AS Analysis view of the Point Analysis window. See Figure 9.33 for
an explanation of the displayed information.
7. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.
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When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. For an HSDPA coverage predic-
tion, under Terminal, you must chose an HSDPA-capable terminal and, under Service, you must chose a service with
HSDPA.
You must also select which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or
for the "Best (Main band)" carrier selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
Under HSDPA radio bearer, select either "All" to consider all possible HSDPA radio bearers in the prediction or an
HSDPA radio bearer index to calculate a prediction for a certain bearer. Display options available in the Display tab
depend on what you have selected here.
To model a dual-cell HSDPA user, select an HSDPA-capable Terminal, a Service with HSDPA, and "Best (Main band)"
as the carrier.
If you want to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a percent-
age in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage predic-
tion will display.
If you have selected "All" as the HSDPA radio bearer in the Conditions tab, you can set the following parameters:
To analyse the uplink and downlink A-DPCH qualities on the map:
The maximum DL A-DPCH quality relative to the EbNt threshold: Select "Max DL A-DPCH EbNt (dB)" as the
Field. Atoll determines downlink A-DPCH quality at the receiver for the maximum traffic channel power al-
lowed for the best server.
The maximum UL A-DPCH quality relative to the EbNt threshold: Select "Max UL A-DPCH EbNt (dB)" as the
Field. Atoll determines uplink A-DPCH quality at the receiver for the maximum terminal power allowed.
To analyse the HS-SCCH quality or power:
The HS-SCCH power per HS-SCCH channel relative to the power threshold: Select "HS-SCCH Power (dBm)" as
the Field. This display option is relevant only if HS-SCCH power is allocated dynamically.
The HS-SCCH EcNt per HS-SCCH channel relative to the EcNt threshold: Select "HS-SCCH EcNt (dBm)" as the
Field. This display option is relevant only if HS-SCCH power is allocated statically.
To model fast link adaptation for a single HSDPA bearer user or for a defined number of HSDPA users:
For a single HSDPA bearer user, Atoll considers one HSDPA bearer user on each pixel and determines the best HS-
DPA bearer that the user can obtain by considering the entire available HSDPA power of the cell.
The HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt relative to the EcNt threshold: Select "HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt" as the Field. Atoll calculates
the best HS-PDSCH EcNt on each pixel.
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The channel quality indicator (CQI) relative to the EcNt threshold: Select "CQI" as the Field. Atoll displays
either the CPICH CQI or the HS-PDSCH CQI, depending on the option selected under HSDPA on the Global
Parameters tab of the UMTS Network Settings Properties dialogue (see "The Options of the Network Settings
Properties Dialogue" on page 796).
If you are modelling a dual-cell HSDPA user, Atoll determines the best carrier and the secondary carrier according
to the carrier selection criterion defined in the site equipment. The two carriers are taken into consideration to
calculate the rates and the throughputs.
The MAC rate relative to the threshold: Select "MAC Rate (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll calculates the MAC rate
from the transport block size of the selected HSDPA bearer.
The MAC throughput relative to the threshold: Select "MAC Throughput (kbps)" as the Field. The MAC
throughput is calculated from the MAC rate.
The RLC peak rate relative to the threshold: Select "RLC Peak Rate (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll displays the RLC
peak rate that the selected HSDPA bearer can be supplied with. The RLC peak rate is a characteristic of the
HSDPA bearer.
The RLC peak throughput relative to the threshold: Select "RLC Peak Throughput (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll
calculates the RLC peak throughput from the RLC peak rate.
The average RLC throughput relative to the threshold: Select "Average RLC Throughput (kbps)" as the Field.
The application throughput relative to the threshold: Select "Application Throughput (kbps)" as the Field.
Using the RLC peak rate, the BLER, the HSDPA service scaling factor, and the throughput offset, Atoll calculates
the application throughput. The application throughput represents the net throughput without coding (redun-
dancy, overhead, addressing, etc.).
In order to be covered, variable bit rate users have to obtain an HSDPA bearer with a RLC peak rate exceeding their
minimum throughput demands. When the RLC peak rate of the best HSDPA bearer exceeds the user maximum
throughput demand, the HSDPA bearer is downgraded until the RLC peak rate is lower than the maximum
throughput demand.
Dual-cell HSDPA users with variable bit rate services are not covered if they cannot obtain the minimum through-
put demand on their best carrier.
Atoll can consider several HSDPA bearer users per pixel. When the coverage prediction is not based on a simula-
tion, this value is taken from the cell properties. Atoll considers the defined number of HSDPA bearer users on
each pixel and determines the best HSDPA bearer that each user can obtain. The coverage prediction results dis-
played are the average results for one user. The available HSDPA power of the cell is shared between the HSDPA
bearer users. If you are modelling a dual-cell HSDPA user, the following rates and throughputs are calculated for
the two best carriers depending on the carrier selection criterion defined in the site equipment.
You can display the following results:
The average MAC throughput per mobile relative to the threshold: Select "MAC Throughput per Mobile
(kbps)" as the Field. Atoll calculates the average MAC throughput per mobile from the from the MAC through-
put of each user.
The average RLC throughput per mobile relative to the threshold: Select "RLC Throughput per Mobile (kbps)"
as the Field. Atoll calculates the average RLC throughput per mobile from the RLC throughput of each user.
The average application throughput per mobile relative to the threshold: Select "Application Throughput per
Mobile (kbps)" as the Field. Using the RLC peak rate, the BLER, the HSDPA service scaling factor, and the
throughput offset, Atoll calculates the average application throughput per mobile from the application
throughput of each user.
If you have selected an HSDPA radio bearer index as the HSDPA Radio Bearer on the Conditions tab, you can display
the following results:
Where a certain RLC peak rate is available with different cell edge coverage probabilities: On the Conditions tab,
do not take shadowing into consideration and select a specific HSDPA radio bearer index. On the Display tab, the
Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Cell Edge Coverage Probability (%)" is selected by default.
When no value is defined in the Cells table for the total transmitted power and the number of HSDPA bearer users,
Atoll uses the following default values:
Total transmitted power = 50% of the maximum power (i.e, 40 dBm if the maximum power is set to 43 dBm)
Number of HSDPA bearer users = 1
On the other hand, no default value is used for the available HSDPA power; this parameter must be defined by the
user.
For information on selecting the best bearer, see the Technical Reference Guide. For information on defining display
properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
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OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. For an HSUPA coverage predic-
tion, under Terminal, you must chose an HSUPA-capable terminal and, under Service, you must chose a service with
HSUPA.
You must also select which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or
for the "Best (Main band)" carrier selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
HSUPA Resources: Atoll can calculate the HSUPA coverage prediction in one of two ways:
For a single user: After allocating capacity to all R99 users, the entire remaining load will be allocated to a single
HSUPA bearer user.
Shared by HSUPA users defined or calculated per cell: After allocating capacity to all R99 users, the remaining
load of the cell will be shared equally between all the HSUPA bearer users. When the coverage prediction is not
based on a simulation, the number of HSUPA bearer users is taken from the cell properties. The displayed results
of the coverage prediction will be for one user.
When no value is defined in the Cells table, Atoll uses the following default values:
Uplink load factor = 50%
Uplink reuse factor = 1
Uplink load factor due to HSUPA = 0%
Maximum uplink load factor = 75%
Number of HSUPA users = 1
If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check
box and enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
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You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage predic-
tion will display. You can set parameters to display the following results:
The required E-DPDCH EcNt relative to the threshold: Select "Required E-DPDCH EcNt (dB)" as the Field. Atoll
selects the best HSUPA bearer whose required E-DPDCH EcNt does not exceed the maximum E-DPDCH EcNt
allowed. The required E-DPDCH EcNt is a property of the selected HSUPA bearer.
The power required for the selected terminal relative to the threshold: Select "Required Terminal Power (dBm)"
as the Field. Atoll calculates the required terminal power from the required E-DPDCH EcNt.
The MAC Rate relative to the threshold: Select "MAC Rate (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll calculates the MAC rate from
the transport block size of the selected HSUPA bearer.
The RLC peak rate relative to the threshold: Select "RLC Peak Rate (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll displays the RLC peak
rate that the selected HSUPA bearer can supply. The RLC peak rate is a property of the HSUPA bearer.
The guaranteed RLC throughput relative to the threshold: Select "Min RLC Throughput (kbps)" as the Field.
The average RLC throughput relative to the threshold: Select "Average RLC Throughput (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll
calculates the average RLC throughput on the uplink using the early termination probabilities, defined in the ter-
minals reception equipment, to model HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request).
The application throughput relative to the threshold: Select "Application Throughput (kbps)" as the Field. Using
the RLC peak rate, the BLER, the HSUPA service scaling factor, and the throughput offset, Atoll calculates the appli-
cation throughput. The application throughput represents the net throughput without coding (redundancy, over-
head, addressing, etc.).
The average application throughput relative to the threshold: Select "Average Application Throughput (kbps)" as
the Field. Atoll calculates the average application throughput on the uplink using the early termination probabil-
ities, defined in the terminals reception equipment, to model HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request).
In order to be covered, variable bit rate users have to obtain an HSUPA bearer with a RLC peak rate exceeding their
minimum throughput demands. When the RLC peak rate of the best HSUPA bearer exceeds the user maximum
throughput demand, the HSUPA bearer is downgraded until the RLC peak rate is lower than the maximum throughput
demand.
For information on selecting the best bearer, see the Technical Reference Guide. For information on defining display
properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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When you base an analysis on simulations, you would select the simulations from the Load
Conditions list.
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ii. Select Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from
Text Files" on page 82.
Copy and paste an existing list of points.
Create points in the list by editing the table.
In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), you can create one point per row by entering its X and Y coor-
dinates and assigning it a service, a terminal, and a mobility.
The coordinates must be in the format used by the display coordinate system of the docu-
ment. For information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate
System" on page 121.
7. You can either run the analyses selected in the General tab immediately or you can create the analysis group and run
the analyses later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to run the selected analyses immediately. Once the calculations for the selected anal-
yses are complete, an analysis (Analysis 0) will appear under the Analysis Group N in the Multi-point Analysis
folder. For information on how to access the analysis results, see "Accessing Multi-point Analysis Results" on
page 703.
OK: Click OK to create the analysis group without running any analysis. Analysis Group N will appear under the
Multi-point Analysis folder. For information on how to run analyses on an existing analysis group, see "Adding
New Analyses to Existing Multi-point Analysis Groups" on page 703.
When you base an analysis on simulations, you would select the simulations from the Load
Conditions list.
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3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the analysis group containing the analysis whose results you want to access.
4. Right-click the analysis. The context menu appears.
5. Select Active Set Analysis Results from the context menu. The Active Set Analysis Results dialogue appears. The
results include the following information:
Load Conditions: The load conditions that were used when creating the analysis.
Bearer Downgrading: Whether bearer downgrading was allowed for the calculations or not.
X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect.
Service: The services assigned to the users.
Terminal: The terminals assigned to the users.
Mobility: The mobility types assigned to the users.
Carrier: The carrier used for the mobile-transmitter connection. Dual-cell HSDPA users are connected to two car-
riers.
Frequency Band: The frequency band used for the mobile-transmitter connection.
DL and UL Total Requested Rate (kbps): For circuit and packet (R99) service users, the DL and UL total requested
rates correspond to the DL and UL nominal rates of the R99 bearer associated to the service.
For packet (HSDPA) service users, the uplink total requested rate corresponds to the nominal rate of ADPCH-UL64
R99 bearer and the downlink total requested rate is the sum of the ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and
the RLC peak rate that the selected HSDPA radio bearers can provide. Here, the HSDPA user is treated as if he is
the only user in the cell and then, Atoll determines the HSDPA bearer the user would obtain by considering the
entire HSDPA power available of the cell.
For HSUPA bearer users, the uplink total requested rate is equal to the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer
nominal rate and the RLC peak rate of the requested HSUPA radio bearer. The requested HSUPA radio bearer is
selected from the HSUPA bearers compatible with the user equipment. Here, the HSUPA user is treated as if he is
the only user in the cell and then, Atoll determines the HSUPA bearer the user would obtain by considering the
entire remaining load of the cell. The downlink total requested rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer
nominal rate and the RLC peak rate that the requested HSDPA radio bearers can provide.
DL and UL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): For circuit and packet (R99) service users, the DL or UL total obtained rate
is the same as the DL or UL total requested rate if he is connected without being downgraded. Otherwise, the total
obtained rate is lower (it corresponds to the nominal rate of the selected R99 bearer). If the user was rejected, the
total obtained rate is zero.
For a packet (HSDPA) service user connected to an HSDPA bearer, the uplink total obtained rate equals the re-
quested one and the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the instantaneous rate; this is the sum of the
ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearers after
scheduling and radio resource control. If the user is delayed (he is only connected to an R99 radio bearer), uplink
and downlink total obtained rates correspond to the uplink and downlink nominal rates of ADPCH-UL64 radio
bearer. Finally, if the user is rejected either in the R99 part or in the HSDPA part, the uplink and downlink total
obtained rates are zero.
For connected packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service users and packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users, on up-
link, if the user is connected to an HSUPA bearer, the uplink total obtained rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH
radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSUPA radio bearer after noise rise
scheduling. On downlink, if the user is connected to an HSDPA bearer, the downlink total obtained rate corre-
sponds to the instantaneous rate. The instantaneous rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal
rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearers after scheduling and radio resource con-
trol. If the user is delayed, the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the downlink nominal rate of ADPCH-
EDPCCH radio bearer. If the user is rejected, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are "0".
For a connected packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service user, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are
the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal rate and the minimum throughput demand defined for the
service. If the user is rejected, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are "0".
Mobile Total Power (dBm): The mobile total power corresponds to the total power transmitted by the terminal.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected. If connected, the
connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection cause is given.
Best Server: The best server among the transmitters in the mobile active set.
HO Status (Sites/No. Transmitters Act. Set): The HO status is the number of sites compared to the number of
transmitters in the active set.
AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4: The name of the cell that is the best server, the second-best server, and so on is given in a
separate column for each cell in the active set.
Ec/I0 AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, (dB): EcI0 is given in a separate column for each cell in the active set. The Ec/I0 AS 1
column lists the Ec/I0 from the best server for the rejected mobiles as well.
Active Compressed Mode: This field indicates whether active compressed mode is supported by the mobile or
not.
6. Click Close.
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Inter-carrier Neighbours: Cells defined as neighbours which perform handover using a different carrier.
Inter-technology Neighbours: Inter-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that use a technology
other than UMTS.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Importing Neighbours" on page 706
"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 706
"Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 706
"Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 707
"Checking Automatic Allocation Results" on page 711
"Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell" on page 714
"Calculating the Importance of Existing Neighbours" on page 717
"Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Plan" on page 718
"Exporting Neighbours" on page 719.
You can also create exceptional pairs using the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology
Neighbours table. You can open this table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and
selecting Neighbours > Intra-Technology > Exceptional Pairs.
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You can configure the same importance factors for inter-technology neighbours by
selecting Neighbours > Inter-technology > Configure Importance from the Trans-
mitters folder context menu.
By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance
calculation can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see
the Administrator Manual.
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Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and
possible neighbour cell B.
Min. EcI0: Enter the minimum EcI0 which must be provided by reference cell A in an overlapping area. Refer-
ence cell A must also be the best server in terms of pilot quality in the overlapping area.
EcI0 Margin: Enter the maximum difference of EcI0 between reference cell A and possible neighbour cell B
in the overlapping area.
DL Load Contributing to I0: You can let Atoll base the interference ratio on the total power used as defined in
the properties for each cell (Defined per Cell) or on a percentage of the maximum power (Global Value).
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: Select the Indoor Coverage check box if you want to use indoor losses in the calculations.
% Min. Covered Area: Enter the minimum, in percentage, that a possible neighbour cells coverage area must
overlap the reference cells coverage area.
5. Select the desired calculation parameters:
Carriers: Select the carriers on which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers (Atoll
will allocate neighbours to cells using the selected carriers).
Force co-site cells as neighbours: Select the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box if you want cells located
on the same site as the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours.
Force adjacent cells as neighbours: Select the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box if you want cells that
are adjacent to the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours. A cell is considered adjacent if
there is at least one pixel in the reference cells coverage area where the possible neighbour cell is the best server,
or where the possible neighbour cell is the second best server in the reference cells active set (respecting the
handover margin).
Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relations to be reciprocal. In other
words, a reference cell will be a possible neighbour to all of the cells that are its neighbours. If the neighbour list
of any cell is full, the reference cell will not be added as a neighbour and that cell will be removed from the list of
neighbours of the reference cell.
Force exceptional pairs: Select the Force exceptional pairs check box if you want to be able to force or forbid
neighbour relations defined in the Exceptional Pairs table. For information on exceptional pairs, see "Defining
Exceptional Pairs" on page 706.
Delete existing neighbours: Select the Delete existing neighbours check box if you want Atoll to delete all current
neighbours when allocating neighbours. If you do not select the Delete existing neighbours check box, Atoll will
not delete any existing neighbours when automatically allocating neighbours; it will only add new neighbours to
the list.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating intra-carrier neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether the
path loss matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates
them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays new
neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared, the
Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell.
Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell can have.
Neighbour: The cell that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell.
Importance (%): The importance. For information on defining neighbour importance, see "Configuring Impor-
tance Factors for Neighbours" on page 706.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell, as identified in the Neighbour column, to the
reference cell, as identified in the Cell column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference cells coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in square
kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference cell, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour cell is best
server or second best server.
7. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atolls table short-
cuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
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At this point you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document:
Click Compare. The list of automatically allocated neighbours (those whose Commit check box is selected) is com-
pared with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called Neighbours-
DeltaReport.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
8. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neighbours
are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cells Properties dialogue.
To automatically allocate inter-carrier UMTS neighbours:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Neighbours > Intra-technology > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour
Allocation dialogue appears.
4. Click the Inter-Carrier Neighbours tab. You can set the following parameters:
Max. Inter-site Distance: Set the maximum distance between the reference cell and a possible neighbour.
Max. Number of Neighbours: Set the maximum number of inter-carrier neighbours that can be allocated to a cell.
This value can be either set here for all transmitters, or specified for each transmitter in the Cells table.
Coverage Conditions: The coverage conditions must be respected for a cell to be considered as a neighbour. Click
Define to change the coverage conditions. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following
parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and
possible neighbour cell B.
Min. EcI0: Enter the minimum EcI0 which must be provided by reference cell A and possible neighbour B in
an overlapping area. Possible neighbour B must also be the best server in terms of pilot quality in the overlap-
ping area.
EcI0 Margin: Enter the EcI0 margin relative to the EcI0 of the reference cell A. See the Technical Reference
Guide for an explanation of how the EcI0 margin is used in different inter-carrier handover scenarios.
DL Load Contributing to I0: You can let Atoll base the interference ratio on the total power used as defined in
the properties for each cell (Defined per Cell) or on a percentage of the maximum power (Global Value).
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
% Min. Covered Area: Enter the minimum, in percentage, that a possible neighbour cells coverage area must
overlap the reference cells coverage area.
5. Select the desired calculation parameters:
Carriers: Select the carriers on which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers (Atoll
will allocate neighbours to cells using the selected carriers).
Force co-site cells as neighbours: Select the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box if you want cells located
on the same site as the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours.
Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relations to be reciprocal. In other
words, a reference cell will be a possible neighbour to all of the cells that are its neighbours. If the neighbour list
of any cell is full, the reference cell will not be added as a neighbour and that cell will be removed from the list of
neighbours of the reference cell.
Force exceptional pairs: Select the Force exceptional pairs check box if you want to be able to force or forbid
neighbour relations defined in the Exceptional Pairs table. For information on exceptional pairs, see "Defining
Exceptional Pairs" on page 706.
Delete existing neighbours: Select the Delete existing neighbours check box if you want Atoll to delete all current
neighbours when allocating neighbours. If you do not select the Delete existing neighbours check box, Atoll will
not delete any existing neighbours when automatically allocating neighbours; it will only add new neighbours to
the list.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating inter-carrier neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether the
path loss matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates
them.
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Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays new
neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared, the
Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell.
Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell can have.
Neighbour: The cell that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell.
Importance (%): The importance. For information on defining neighbour importance, see "Configuring Impor-
tance Factors for Neighbours" on page 706.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell, as identified in the Neighbour column, to the
reference cell, as identified in the Cell column.
Co-site
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference cells coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in square
kilometres.
7. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atolls table short-
cuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
At this point you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document:
Click Compare. The list of automically allocated neighbours (those whose Commit check box is selected) is com-
pared with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called Neighbours-
DeltaReport.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
8. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neighbours
are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cells Properties dialogue.
A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour rela-
tion already exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when
you start the new allocation. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event
Viewer indicating that the constraint on the forbidden neighbour will be ignored
by the algorithm because the neighbour already exists.
When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll
considers the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to
respect symmetry. On the other hand, if the neighbour relation is forced in one
direction and forbidden in the other one, symmetry cannot be respected. In this
case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event Viewer.
By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance
calculation can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see
the Administrator Manual.
You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration.
For information on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user
configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
Atoll also enables you to automatically allocate neighbours to a single base station or transmitter:
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station" on page 710
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Transmitter" on page 711.
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5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display links check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
7. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell with a unique
colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the cells neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours table, or according
to the neighbour carrier. In this case, you can view intra-carrier and inter-carrier neighbour relations on the map.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the cells neighbour links according the value interval of the
value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours according to their
rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the weighting factors.
You can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair by first
creating a new field of the Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for
the number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the
new column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as
the Display Type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to
an Object Types Data Table" on page 71.
Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you can
display or hide neighbour link display types individually.
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For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Select the Add to legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.
9. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
10. Click OK to save your settings.
11. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
Outwards non-symmetrical: Select the Outwards non-symmetrical check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is the reference cell and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Inwards non-symmetrical: Select the Inwards non-symmetrical check box to display neighbour relations where
the selected cell is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Symmetric links: Select the Symmetric links check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric between
the selected cell and the neighbour.
12. Click OK to save your settings.
13. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
14. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
15. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
16. Select a transmitter to show its neighbour links:
In the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer: Select the transmitter in the Transmitters folder. The
selected transmitter is centred in the map and all its neighbours are indicated. Atoll displays the selected trans-
mitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
On the map: Select the transmitter on the map. The neighbours of the selected transmitter are displayed on the
map. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a
context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
Atoll displays the selected transmitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
In the Neighbours table: Select the transmitter-neighbour relation you want to display by clicking in the left
margin of the table row to select the entire row. The selected transmitter is centred in the map with the selected
transmitter-neighbour relation (see Figure 9.34). The selected transmitter is also displayed in the Transmitters
folder of the Network explorer.
Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 9.35) for the selected cell:
The symmetrical neighbour relations of the selected (reference) cell are indicated by a line.
The outward neighbour relations are indicated with a line ending in an arrow pointing at the neighbour (e.g., see
Site1_2(0)) in Figure 9.35.).
The inward neighbour relations are indicated with a line ending in an arrow pointing at the selected cell (e.g., see
Site9_3(0)) in Figure 9.35.).
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In Figure 9.35, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetrical and outward
neighbour links are coloured the same as the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link is
coloured the same as the reference transmitter because it is neighbour of Site9_3(0) here.
Figure 9.35: Intra-carrier Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to the Neighbour
In Figure 9.36, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour carrier. You can view intra-carrier and inter-
carrier neighbour links. In Figure 9.36, all neighbour relations are symmetrical.
You can display either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the arrow
( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar
and selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
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4. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Coverage Areas check box.
5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Coverage Areas check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
7. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours
with a unique colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours
table.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according the value
interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours
according to their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the
weighting factors.
8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each coverage area.
9. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
10. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
11. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
12. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one cell on the
transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
13. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the
Radio Planning toolbar.
Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete UMTS neighbours using the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which
you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the maximum number of neighbours in the following boxes:
Max number inter-carrier
Max number intra-carrier
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For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
To allocate a neighbour:
1. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
2. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
3. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and the
neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Source to "manual," and sets the Importance to "1."
To create a symmetrical neighbour relation:
1. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
2. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
3. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu. A symmetrical neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To make several neighbour relations symmetrical:
1. Click in the left margin of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select contiguous
rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows by pressing
CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
2. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
3. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu.
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You can add or delete some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using the
Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table, select
the exceptional pairs, right-click the table and select Force Exceptional Pairs in the context
menu.
You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse.
To add or remove intra-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neighbours
on the map as explained in "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 711.
To add a symmetrical neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitters to
the intra-technology neighbours list.
To remove a symmetrical neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both transmitters
from the intra-technology neighbours.
To add an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference trans-
mitter to the intra-technology neighbour list of the reference transmitter.
To remove an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.
To add an inward neighbour relation:
Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other transmitter.
Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inward non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour relation
by pressing SHIFT and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then press
CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric inter-
technology neighbour relation.
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When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the
map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking
the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio
Planning toolbar and selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neigh-
bours.
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Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neighbour
allocation.
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell and the
neighbour.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum EcIo which must be provided by reference cell in an area with overlapping cov-
erage. The reference cell must also be the best server in terms of pilot quality in the area with overlapping cov-
erage.
Ec/Io Margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin to define the area of coverage overlapping between UMTS cells.
DL Load Contributing to Io: Under DL Load Contributing to Io, select whether you want Atoll to base the interfer-
ence ratio on the total power used as defined in the properties for each cell (Defined per Cell) or on a percentage
of the maximum power (Global Value).
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses for
indoor coverage.
11. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
12. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table on each tab.
The table contains the following information:
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 5.
Cause: The reason Atoll has calculated the value in the Importance column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Coverage: The amount of reference transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and
in square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference transmitter, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour
transmitter is best server or second best server. This information is not relevant for inter-carrier neighbours and
is therefore not present on the Inter-carrier Neighbours tab.
Distance: The distance in kilometres between the reference cell and the neighbour.
13. Click Commit to commit the importance values and the reasons for allocation to the Neighbours table.
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Empty Lists: Select the Empty Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have no neighbours (in other words,
which cells have an empty neighbour list).
Full Lists: Which cells having the maximum number of neighbours allowed (in other words, which cells have a full
neighbour list). The maximum number of neighbours can be either set here for all transmitters, or specified for
each transmitter in the Cells table.
Lists > Max Number: Which cells having more than the maximum number of neighbours allowed. The maximum
number of neighbours can be either set here for all transmitters, or specified for each transmitter in the Cells
table.
Missing Co-sites: Select the Missing Co-sites check box if you want to verify which cells have no co-site neigh-
bours.
Missing Symmetrics: Select the Missing Symmetrics check box if you want to verify which cells have non-sym-
metric neighbour relations.
Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to verify which cells have forced neighbours
or forbidden neighbours.
Distance Between Neighbours: Select the Distance Between Neighbours check box and enter the distance
between neighbours that must not be exceeded.
5. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a new text file:
Average Number of Neighbours: X; where, X is the average number of neighbours (integer) per cell for the plan
audited.
Empty Lists: x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having no neighbours (or empty neighbours list)
Syntax: |CELL|
Full Lists (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having Y number of neighbours listed
in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|
Lists > Max Number (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having more than Y
number of neighbours listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|
If the field Maximum number of intra-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty,
the Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan that are
located at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
You can perform an audit of the inter-technology neighbour allocation plan by selecting
Neighbours > Inter-technology > Audit from the Transmitters folder context menu.
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3. Select Neighbours > and then select the neighbour table containing the data you want to export from the context
menu:
Intra-technology > Open Table: This table contains the data for the intra-technology (intra-carrier and inter-car-
rier) neighbours in the current Atoll document.
Inter-technology > Open Table: This table contains the data for the inter-technology neighbours in the current
Atoll document.
Intra-technology > Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the intra-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
Inter-technology > Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the inter-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
4. When the selected neighbours table opens, you can export the content as described in "Exporting Tables to Text Files
and Spreadsheets" on page 80.
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You can convert a hexadecimal value to a decimal value with the following equation, where A, B, and C are decimal values
within the hexadecimal index ranges:
2
A 16 + B 16 + C
For example, the hexadecimal value "3Fh" would be calculated as shown below:
2
0 16 + 3 16 + 15 = 63
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3. Select Primary Scrambling Codes > Exceptional Pairs. The Exceptional Separation Constraints table appears. For
information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
4. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select one cell of the new exceptional pair in the Cell column and
the second cell of the new exceptional pair from the Cell_2 column.
5. Click in another cell of the table to create the new exceptional pair and add a new blank row to the table.
You can define the costs of the different types of constraints used in the automatic scrambling code allocation algorithm.
To define the different constraint violation costs:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Primary Scrambling Codes > Constraint Costs. The Constraint Violation Costs dialogue appears. In this dialogue
you can define the following costs of constraint violations for the automatic allocation process (the cost is a value from
0 to 1):
Under Intra-technology Neighbours, you can set the constraint violation cost for 1st Order, 2nd Order, and 3rd
Order neighbours.
Under Distributed per Site Strategy, you can set the constraint violation cost for intra-technology neighbours that
are 1st or 2nd Order Using the Same Cluster.
Reuse Distance: Enter the maximum cost for reuse distance constraint violations.
Exceptional Pair: Enter the cost for exceptional pair constraint violations.
Common Inter-technology Neighbour: Enter the cost for inter-technology neighbour constraint violations.
4. Click OK. The constraint violation costs are stored and will be used in the automatic allocation.
The allocation algorithm enables you to automatically allocate primary scrambling codes to cells in the current network. You
can choose among several automatic allocation strategies. The actual automatic allocation strategies available will depend on
your network and options selected in the atoll.ini file. For more information on the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on automatic allocation strategies, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Clustered: The purpose of this strategy is to choose for a group of mutually constrained cells, scrambling codes among
a minimum number of clusters. In this case, Atoll will preferentially allocate all the codes from the same cluster.
Distributed per Cell Allocation: This strategy consists in using as many clusters as possible. Atoll will preferentially
allocate codes from different clusters.
One Cluster per Site: This strategy allocates one cluster to each base station, then, one code of the cluster to each cell
of each base station. When all the clusters have been allocated and there are still base stations remaining to be allo-
cated, Atoll reuses the clusters at another base station.
Distributed per Site: This strategy allocates a group of adjacent clusters to each base station in the network, then, one
cluster to each transmitter of the base station according to its azimuth and finally one code of the cluster to each cell
of each transmitter. The number of adjacent clusters per group depends on the number of transmitters per base sta-
tion you have in your network; this information is required to start allocation based on this strategy. When all the
groups of adjacent clusters have been allocated and there are still base stations remaining to be allocated, Atoll reuses
the groups of adjacent clusters at another base station.
To automatically allocate primary scrambling codes:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Primary Scrambling Codes > Automatic Allocation. The Primary Scrambling Codes dialogue appears.
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Under Constraints, you can set the constraints on automatic scrambling code allocation.
Existing Neighbours: Select the Existing Neighbours check box if you want to consider intra-carrier neighbour
relations and then choose the neighbourhood level to take into account:
Neighbours of a cell are referred to as the first order neighbours, neighbours neighbours are referred to as
the second order neighbours and neighbours neighbours neighbours as the third order neighbours.
First Order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours.
Second Order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours or its second order neigh-
bours.
Third Order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours or its second order neigh-
bours or its third order neighbours.
Atoll can only consider neighbour relations if neighbours have already been allocated. For information on al-
locating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 705.
Atoll can take into account inter-technology neighbour relations as constraints when allo-
cating scrambling codes to the UMTS neighbours of a GSM transmitter. In order to
consider inter-technology neighbour relations in scrambling code allocation, you must
make the Transmitters folder of the GSM Atoll document accessible in the UMTS Atoll
document. For information on making links between GSM and UMTS Atoll documents, see
"Creating a UMTS Sector From a Sector in the Other Network" on page 793
Additional Overlapping Conditions: Select the Additional Overlapping Conditions check box, if you want to
set overlapping coverage criteria. If cells meet the overlapping conditions to enter the reference cells active
set, they will be not allocated the same scrambling code as the reference cell. Click Define to change the over-
lapping conditions. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and
possible neighbour cell B.
Min. EcI0: Enter the minimum EcI0 which must be provided by reference cell A in an area with overlapping
coverage. Reference cell A must also be the best server in terms of pilot quality in the area with overlapping
coverage.
EcI0 Margin: Enter the maximum difference of EcI0 between reference cell A and possible neighbour cell B
in the area with overlapping coverage.
DL Load Contributing to I0: You can let Atoll base the interference ratio on the total power used as defined in
the properties for each cell (Defined per Cell) or on a percentage of the maximum power (Global Value).
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: Select the Indoor Coverage check box if you want to use indoor losses in the calculations.
Reuse Distance: Select the Reuse Distance check box, if you want to the automatic allocation process to con-
sider the reuse distance constraint. Enter the Default reuse distance within which two cells on the same carrier
cannot have the same primary scrambling code.
A reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue or in the
Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of the value
entered here.
Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box, if you want to the automatic allocation process to
consider the exceptional pair constraints.
From the Strategy list, you can select an automatic allocation strategy:
Clustered
Distributed per Cell
One Cluster per Site
Distributed per Site
Carrier: Select the Carrier on which you want to run the allocation. You may choose one carrier (Atoll will assign
primary scrambling codes to transmitters using the selected carrier) or all of them.
No. of Codes per Cluster: According to 3GPP specifications, the number of codes per cluster is 8. If you want, you
can change the number of codes per cluster.
When the allocation is based on a distributed strategy (Distributed per Cell or Distributed per Site), this parame-
ter can also be used to define the interval between the primary scrambling codes assigned to cells on a same site.
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The defined interval is applied by setting an option in the atoll.ini file. For more information about setting options
in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
Use a Max of Codes: Select the Use a Max of Codes check box to make Atoll use the maximum number of codes.
For example, if there are two cells using the same domain with two scrambling codes, Atoll will assign the
remaining code to the second cell even if there are no constraints between these two cells (for example, neigh-
bour relations, reuse distance, etc.). If you do not select this option, Atoll only checks the constraints, and allocates
the first ranked code in the list.
Delete Existing Codes: Select the Delete Existing Codes check box if you want Atoll to delete currently allocated
scrambling codes and recalculate all scrambling codes. If you do not select this option, Atoll will keep currently
allocated scrambling codes and will only allocate scrambling codes to cells that do not yet have codes allocated.
Allocate Carriers Identically: Select the Allocate Carriers Identically check box if you want Atoll to allocate the
same primary scrambling code to each carrier of a transmitter. If you do not select this option, Atoll allocates
scrambling codes independently for each carrier.
4. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating scrambling codes.
Once Atoll has finished allocating scrambling codes, the codes are visible under Results. Atoll only displays newly allo-
cated scrambling codes.
The Results table contains the following information.
Site: The name of the base station.
Cell: The name of the cell.
Code: The primary scrambling code allocated to the cell.
Cluster: The cluster the scrambling code belongs to.
5. Click Commit. The primary scrambling codes are committed to the cells.
You can save automatic scrambling code allocation parameters in a user configuration. For
information on saving automatic scrambling code allocation parameters in a user configu-
ration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
If you need to allocate scrambling codes to the cells on a single transmitter, you can
allocate them automatically by selecting Allocate Scrambling Codes from the
transmitters context menu.
If you need to allocate scrambling codes to all the cells on group of transmitters,
you can allocate them automatically by selecting Primary Scrambling Codes >
Automatic Allocation from the transmitter groups context menu.
When you allocate scrambling codes to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate scrambling codes automatically,
as described in "Automatically Allocating Scrambling Codes to UMTS Cells" on page 722. However, if you want to add a
primary scrambling code to one cell or to modify the primary scrambling code of a cell, you can do it by accessing the proper-
ties of the cell.
To allocate a scrambling code to a UMTS cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate a scrambling code. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Enter a Primary Scrambling Code in the cells column.
5. Click OK.
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4. In the Code and Cluster Audit dialogue, select the allocation criteria that you want to check:
No. of Codes per Cluster: Enter the number of scrambling codes per cluster.
Neighbours: Select Neighbours to check scrambling code constraints between cells and their neighbours and then
choose the neighbourhood level to take into account:
First Order: Atoll will check that no cell has the same scrambling code as any of its neighbours.
Second Order Neighbours: Atoll will check that no cell has the same scrambling code as any of its neighbours
or any of the neighbours of its neighbours.
Third Order Neighbours: Atoll will check that no cell has the same scrambling code as any of its neighbours or
any of the neighbours of its neighbours or any of the neighbours of its second order neighbours.
The report will list the cells and the neighbours that do not meet any of these constraints. In addition, it will indi-
cate the allocated primary scrambling code and the neighbourhood level.
Neighbours in Different Clusters: If you select the Neighbours in different clusters check box, Atoll will check that
neighbour cells have scrambling codes from different clusters. The report will list any neighbour cells that do have
scrambling codes from the same cluster.
Domain Compliance: If you select the Domain Compliance check box, Atoll will check if allocated scrambling
codes belong to domains assigned to cells. The report will list any cells with scrambling codes that do not belong
to domains assigned to the cell.
Site Domains Not Empty: If you select the Site Domains Not Empty check box, Atoll will check for and list base
stations for which the allocation domain (i.e., the list of possible scrambling codes) is not consistent with the "One
cluster per site" strategy. If there is a base station with N cells, Atoll will check that the domains assigned to the
cells contain at least one cluster consisting of N codes. If you plan to automatically allocate scrambling codes using
the "One Cluster per Site" strategy, you can perform this test beforehand to check the consistency of domains
assigned to cells of each base station.
One Cluster per Site: If you select the One Cluster per Site check box, Atoll will check for and list base stations
whose cells have scrambling codes coming from more than one cluster.
Distance: If you select the Distance check box and set a reuse distance, Atoll will check for and list the cell pairs
that do not respect the reuse distance condition. For any cell pair, Atoll uses the lowest of the reuse distance
values defined in the properties of the two cells and the value that you set in the Code and Cluster Audit dialogue.
Cell pairs that do not respect the reuse distance condition are listed in increasing order of the distance between
them. The primary scrambling code and the reuse distance are also listed for each cell pair.
Exceptional Pairs: If you select the Exceptional Pairs check box, Atoll will check for and display pairs of cells that
are listed as exceptional pairs but still use the same scrambling code.
5. Click OK. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a text file called CodeCheck.txt, which it opens at the end of the audit.
For each selected criterion, Atoll gives the number of detected inconsistencies and details each of them.
In Atoll, you can search for scrambling codes and scrambling code groups using the Find on Map tool. Results are displayed
in the map window in red.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Scrambling codes and scrambling code
groups and any potential problems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see
"Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 669.
To find scrambling codes or scrambling code groups using the Find on Map tool:
1. Click Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears.
2. From the Find list, select "Scrambling Code."
3. Select what you what you want to search for:
Scrambling code: If you want to find a scrambling code, select Scrambling code and select it from the list.
SC Group: If you want to find a scrambling code group, select SC group and select it from the list.
4. Select the carrier you want to search on from the For carrier list, or select "(All)" to search in all carriers.
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5. Click Search. Transmitters with cells matching the search criteria are displayed in red. Transmitters that do not match
the search criteria are displayed as grey lines.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Find on Map window.
You can use the display characteristics of transmitters to display scrambling code-related information.
To display scrambling code-related information on the map:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Display tab.
You can display the following information per transmitter:
Primary scrambling code: To display the primary scrambling code of a transmitters cell, select "Discrete values"
as the Display Type and "Cells: Primary Scrambling Code" as the Field.
Ranges of primary scrambling codes: To display ranges of primary scrambling codes, select "Value intervals" as
the Display Type and "Cells: Primary Scrambling Code" as the Field.
Scrambling code domain: To display the scrambling code domain of a transmitters cell, select "Discrete values"
as the Display Type and "Cells: Scrambling Code Domain" as the Field.
You can display the following information in the transmitter label or tip text by clicking the Label or Tip Text Browse
button ( ):
Primary scrambling code: To display the primary scrambling code of a transmitters cell in the transmitter label or
tip text, "Cells: Primary Scrambling Code" from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
Scrambling code domain: To display the primary scrambling code domain of a transmitters cell in the transmitter
label or tip text, "Cells: Scrambling Code Domain" from the Label or Tip Text Field Selection dialogue.
Scrambling code reuse distance: To display the scrambling code reuse distance of a transmitters cell in the trans-
mitter label or tip text, "Cells: SC Reuse Distance" from the Label or Tip Text Field Selection dialogue.
5. Click OK.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can group transmitters in the Network explorer by their primary scrambling code, their scrambling code domain, or by
their scrambling code reuse distance.
To group transmitters by scrambling code:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
Scrambling Code Domain
Primary Scrambling Code
SC Reuse Distance
7. Click to add the parameter to the Grouping Fields list. The selected parameter is added to the list of parameters
on which the transmitters will be grouped.
8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select it in the Grouping Fields list and click
. The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
9. Arrange the parameters in the Grouping Fields list in the order in which you want the transmitters to be grouped:
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If a transmitter has more than one cell, Atoll cannot arrange the transmitter by cell. Trans-
mitters that cannot be grouped by cell are arranged in a separate folder under the Trans-
mitters folder.
You can use a histogram to analyse the use of allocated scrambling codes in a network. The histogram represents the scram-
bling codes or scrambling code clusters as a function of the frequency of their use.
To display the scrambling code histogram:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Primary Scrambling Codes > Code Distribution. The Distribution Histograms dialogue appears.
Each bar represents a scrambling code or a cluster, its height depending on the frequency of its use.
4. Select Scrambling Codes to display scrambling code use and Clusters to display scrambling code cluster use.
5. Move the pointer over the histogram to display the frequency of use of each scrambling code or cluster. The results
are highlighted simultaneously in the Zoom on selected values list.
You can zoom in on values by clicking and dragging in the Zoom on selected values list. Atoll will zoom in on the
selected values.
You can make a scrambling code collision zone prediction to view areas covered by cells using the same scrambling code. Atoll
checks on each pixel if one or more cell whose Ec/Io is higher than the threshold defined in the users mobility type has the
same scrambling code as the users best serving cell. If so, Atoll considers that there is scrambling code collision.
To make a scrambling code collision zone prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Scrambling Code Collision Zones and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. Under Configuration,
you can create a Filter to select which sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the
Network explorer by one or more characteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted
by clicking the Sort button. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping,
see "Advanced Grouping" on page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
6. Click the Conditions tab.
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the UL load factor and the DL
total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 682. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered.
If you want the scrambling code collision zone prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken
into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell edge coverage probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a scrambling code collision zone prediction, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter"
is selected by default. Each pixel where there is scrambling code collision is displayed with the same colour as that
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defined for the interfered transmitter. In the explorer window, the coverage prediction results are first arranged by
interfered transmitter and then by interferer. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties
of Objects" on page 43.
You can also set parameters to display the following results:
The number of interferers for each transmitter: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "No. of Inter-
ferers per Transmitter" as the Field. In the explorer window, the coverage prediction results are arranged by inter-
fered transmitter.
The total number of interferers on one pixel: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "No. of Interferers"
as the Field. In the explorer window, the coverage prediction results are arranged according to the number of
interferers.
8. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar to calculate the scrambling code collision zone predic-
tion. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
The SC Collisions tab of the Point Analysis window gives you information on reception for any point on the map where there
is scrambling code collision. Scrambling code collision occurs when one or more cell whose Ec/Io is higher than the threshold
defined in the users mobility type has the same scrambling code as the users best serving cell. When there is scrambling code
collision, Atoll displays the pilot quality (EcI0) received from interfered and interferer transmitters.
The analysis is based on the UL load percentage and the DL total power of each cell. The analysis is provided for a user-defin-
able probe receiver which has a terminal, a mobility, and a service.
You can make a scrambling code collision analysis to verify a scrambling code collision zone prediction. In this case, before you
make the scrambling code collision analysis, ensure the coverage prediction you want to use in the scrambling code collision
analysis is displayed on the map.
To make a scrambling code collision analysis:
1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears.
2. At the top of the Point Analysis window, select the SC Collisions view.
3. At the top of the SC Collisions view, select "Cells Table" from Load conditions.
4. If you are making a scrambling code collision analysis to verify a coverage prediction, you can recreate the conditions
of the coverage prediction:
a. Select the same Terminal, Service, and Mobility studied in the coverage prediction.
b. Select the Carrier studied in the coverage prediction.
c. Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculation Options dialogue. You can change the following:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability, and, select
"EcI0" from the Shadowing Margin list.
Select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
d. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
If you are making a scrambling code collision analysis to make a prediction on a defined
point, you can use the instructions in this step to define a user.
5. Move the pointer over the map to make a scrambling code collision analysis for the current location of the pointer.
6. Click the map to leave the point analysis pointer at its current position.
To move the pointer again, click the point analysis pointer on the map and drag it to a new position.
7. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.
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page 733, "Importing a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on page 735, and "Creating a User Profile Envi-
ronment Based Traffic Map" on page 735.
User density traffic maps (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data, or 2G net-
work statistics.
Each pixel has a user density assigned. The value either includes all activity statuses, or it corresponds to a particular
activity status. For more information, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 736, "Creating a User
Density Traffic Map" on page 737, "Converting 2G Network Traffic" on page 738 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on
page 738.
You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from an other Atoll docu-
ment.
7. Select a coverage prediction by transmitter from the list of available coverage predictions by transmitter.
8. Enter the data required in the Sector Traffic Map dialogue:
If you have selected Uplink and Downlink Throughputs, enter the throughput demands in the uplink and downlink
for each sector and for each listed service.
If you have selected Total Number of Users (All Activity Statuses), enter the number of connected users for each
sector and for each listed service.
If you have selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of inactive users, the number of users
active in the uplink, in the downlink and in the uplink and downlink, for each sector and for each service.
You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and select-
ing Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
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You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user can be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but no web
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browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and web brows-
ing.
To create or modify a user profile:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile
in the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.
Duration: For circuit-switched services, enter the average duration of a call in seconds. For packet-switched ser-
vices, this field is left blank.
UL Volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average uplink volume per session in kilobytes.
DL Volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average downlink volume per session in kilobytes.
Modelling Environments
An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given
density (i.e., the number of subscribers with the same profile per km). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can assign
a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor subscribers for each
clutter class. In a Monte-Carlo simulation, an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
To create or modify a UMTS environment:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the environ-
ment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
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Wk Sk
N k = N Area --------------------------
Wi Si
i
where:
For example: An area of 10 km with a subscriber density of 100/km. Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 subscrib-
ers. The area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Build-
ing is "4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.
10. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte-Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Density Traffic Map" on
page 737.
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When you import user profile or mobility information from the file, the values in the file
must be exactly the same as the corresponding names in the Traffic Parameters folder in
the Parameters explorer. If the imported user profile or mobility does not match, Atoll
will display a warning.
12. Under Clutter distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area --------------------------
Wi Si
i
where:
Nk = Number of users in the clutter k
N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)
13. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte-Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
14. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 735.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, JPEG 2000, BIL,
IST, BMP, PlaNET, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the Code
column.
12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under Traffic Parameters in the Parame-
ters explorer. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 732.
13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects" on
page 43.
7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.
8. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.
9. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Density Traffic Map" on
page 737.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET, TIF, JPEG 2000, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab.
12. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
13. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
14. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentages must equal 100.
15. Under Clutter distribution, enter the percentage of indoor users for each clutter class.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define a
clutter weighting for user density traffic maps because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
16. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic Maps folder.
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Atoll creates an item called Density values in the User Density Map folder.
16. Right-click the Density values item in the User Density Map folder. The context menu appears.
17. Select Open Table from the context menu.
18. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e., the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.
19. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
20. Select Edit from the context menu to end editing.
9.3.2.3.3 Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps
You can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps. User density traffic maps created from sector traffic maps
display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account any clutter weighting
defined for the sector traffic maps.
To create user density traffic maps from a sector traffic map:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Maps folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map from which you want to create user density traffic maps. The context menu appears.
4. Select Create density maps from the context menu.
Atoll creates as many user density traffic maps as the number of services present in the sector traffic map. The user
density map files use the resolution of the coverage prediction used for the sector traffic map and are embedded in
the document.
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You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.
8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
Service: Select the service that will be exported, select "All circuit services" to export traffic using any circuit ser-
vice, "All packet services" to export traffic using any packet service, or select the specific type of service: HSDPA,
HSUPA, mobile internet access, multimedia messaging service, video conferencing, or voice.
Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
Activity: Select one of the following:
All Activity Statuses: Select All Activity Statuses to export all users without any filter by activity status.
Uplink: Select Uplink to export mobiles active in the uplink only.
Downlink: Select Downlink to export mobiles active in the downlink only.
Uplink/Downlink: Select Uplink/Downlink to export only mobiles with both uplink and downlink activity.
Inactive: Select Inactive to export only inactive mobiles.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the cumulated
traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.
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for HSUPA users. The power control simulation algorithm is described in "The Power Control Simulation Algorithm"
on page 740.
Initialisation
R99 part
HSDPA part
Mobile Scheduling
HSUPA part
Admission Control
Convergence Study
As shown in Figure 9.39, the simulation algorithm is divided in three parts. All users are evaluated by the R99 part of the algo-
rithm. HSDPA and HSUPA bearer users, unless they have been rejected during the R99 part of the algorithm, are then evalu-
ated by the HSDPA part of the algorithm. Finally, HSUPA bearer users, unless they have been rejected during the R99 or HSDPA
parts of the algorithm, are then evaluated by the HSUPA part of the algorithm.
The R99 part of the algorithm simulates power control, congestion and radio resource control performed for R99 bearers for
all users. Atoll considers each user in the order established during the generation of the user distribution and determines his
best server and his active set. Atoll first calculates the required terminal power in order to reach the EbNt threshold
requested by the R99 bearer on UL, followed by the required traffic channel power in order to reach the EbNt threshold
requested by the R99 bearer on DL. After calculating power control, Atoll updates the cell load parameters. Atoll then carries
out congestion and radio resource control, verifying the cell UL load, the total power transmitted by the cell, the number of
channel elements, the Iub throughput and OVSF codes consumed by the cell.
In dual-cell HSDPA, A-DPCH is only transmitted on one of the two carriers (called the anchor carrier). Therefore, dual-cell
HSDPA users consume the same amount of R99 resources as single-cell HSDPA users. The R99 bearer is allocated to dual-cell
HSDPA users on their best serving cell.
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At this point, users can be either connected or rejected. They are rejected if:
The signal quality is not sufficient:
On the downlink, the pilot quality is not high enough (no cell in the user active set): the status is "EcI0 <
(EcI0)min"
On the downlink, the power required to reach the user is greater than the maximum allowed: the status is "Ptch >
PtchMax"
On the uplink, there is not enough power to transmit: the status is "Pmob > PmobMax"
Even if constraints above are respected, the network can be saturated:
The maximum uplink load factor is exceeded (at admission or congestion): the status is either "Admission Rejec-
tion" or "UL Load Saturation"
There are not enough channel elements on site: the status is "Ch. Elts Saturation"
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput on site is exceeded: the status is "Iub Throughput Saturation"
There is not enough power for cells: the status is "DL Load Saturation"
There are no more OVSF codes available: the status is "OVSF Code Saturation"
In the HSDPA part, Atoll processes all HSDPA bearer users, i.e., Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Best Effort),
Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate), Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) and Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users.
The HSDPA part of the algorithm simulates fast link adaptation, the scheduling of HSDPA bearer users, and radio resource
control on downlink.
For dual-cell HSDPA users, fast link adaptation is done once for each carrier. For a dual-cell HSDPA user, the first carrier is the
one selected in the R99 part according to the carrier selection method chosen in the site equipment, and the second carrier
is the one that provides the best CQI. Therefore, dual-cell HSDPA users have two HSDPA bearers (possibly different ones
depending on the available HSDPA power in each cell), and consume HSDPA resources in both cells. Their throughputs are the
sum of the throughputs provided by the two HSDPA bearers.
HSDPA bearer selection is based on look-up tables, available by double-clicking the corresponding entry in the Reception
Equipment table, found in the Terminals context menu. HSDPA bearer selection depends on reported CQI, UE and cell capa-
bilities as detailed in the following diagramme.
[
Figure 9.40: HSDPA bearer selection
The HSDPA and HS-SCCH powers of a cell are evaluated before calculating HS-PDSCH EcNt. The available HSDPA power (the
power dedicated to HS-SCCH and HS-PDSCH of HSDPA bearer users) of a cell can be either fixed (statically allocated) or dynam-
ically allocated. If it is dynamically allocated, the power allocated to HSDPA depends on how much power is required to serve
R99 traffic. In other words, the power available after all common channels (including the power for downlink HSUPA channels)
and all R99 traffic have been served is allocated to HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH of HSDPA bearer users. Similarly, the power per
HS-SCCH can be either fixed or dynamically allocated in order to attain the HS-SCCH EcNt threshold. Using the HS-SCCH and
HSDPA powers, Atoll evaluates the HS-PDSCH power (the difference between the available HSDPA power and the HS-SCCH
power), calculates the HS-PDSCH EcNt and, from that, the corresponding CQI (from the graph CQI=f(HS-PDSCH EcNt) defined
for the terminal reception equipment and the user mobility). Then, Atoll reads the best HSDPA bearer associated to this CQI
(i.e., it reads the Best Bearer=f(HS-PDSCH CQI) from the table defined for the terminal reception equipment and the user
mobility) and checks if it is compatible with the user equipment and cell capabilities. If compatible, Atoll selects the HSDPA
bearer. Otherwise, it downgrades the HSDPA bearer to a lower one until the selected HSDPA bearer is compatible with the
user equipment and cell capabilities. For Best Effort service users, the selected HSDPA bearer is the best HSDPA bearer that
the user can obtain.
For Variable Bit Rate service users, Atoll downgrades the HSDPA bearer to a lower one if the associated RLC peak rate exceeds
the maximum throughput demand defined for the service. Downgrading occurs until the RLC peak rate of the selected HSDPA
bearer is lower than the maximum throughput demand. Additionally, the selected HSDPA bearer must provide a RLC peak rate
higher than the minimum throughput demand defined for the service.
For Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users, HS-SCCH-less operation (i.e., HS-DSCH transmissions without any accom-
panying HS-SCCH) is performed. In this case, the UE is not informed about the transmission format and has to revert to blind
decoding of the transport format used on the HS-DSCH. Complexity of blind detections in the UE is decreased by limiting the
transmission formats that can be used (i.e., the HSDPA bearers available). Therefore, only HSDPA bearers using QPSK modu-
lation and a maximum of two HS-PDSCH channels can be selected and allocated to the user. Additionally, the selected HSDPA
bearer must provide a RLC peak rate higher than the minimum throughput demand defined for the service.
Two CQI values are calculated for dual-cell HSDPA users, one for each carrier, and two HSDPA bearers are determined.
Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users have the highest priority and are processed first, in the order established
during the generation of the user distribution. The scheduler manages the maximum number of users within each cell and
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shares the cells available HSDPA power between the users. Atoll determines the HSDPA bearer for each user. The selected
HSDPA bearer must provide a RLC peak rate higher than the minimum throughput demand defined for the service. To achieve
the highest cell capacity, the scheduler can hold several packets over a TTI (Transmission Time Interval). Atollmodels this
"intelligent scheduling" by allowing several Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users to share the same HSDPA bearer.
Then, Atoll calculates the HSDPA bearer consumption for each user and takes into account this parameter when it determines
the resources consumed by the user (i.e., the HSDPA power used, the number of OVSF codes, and the Iub backhaul through-
put). Atoll checks if enough codes and Iub backhaul throughput are available for the user (taking into account the maximum
number of OVSF codes defined for the cell and the maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the downlink).
If not, Atoll allocates a lower HSDPA bearer ("downgrading") which needs fewer OVSF codes and consumes lower Iub backhaul
throughput. If no OVSF codes are available, the user is rejected. At the same time, if the maximum Iub backhaul throughput
allowed on the site in the downlink is still exceeded, the user is rejected.
At this point, Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users can be connected or rejected. They are rejected if:
The maximum number of HSDPA users per cell is exceeded: the status is "HSDPA Scheduler Saturation"
The lowest HSDPA bearer they can obtain does not provide a RLC peak rate higher than the minimum throughput
demand: the status is "HSDPA Resource Saturation"
The HS-SCCH signal quality is not sufficient: the status is "HSDPA Resource Saturation"
There are no more OVSF codes available: the status is "HSDPA Resource Saturation"
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the downlink is exceeded: the status is "HSDPA Resource
Saturation"
After processing the Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users, Atoll processes the remaining HSDPA bearer users (i.e.,
Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate), Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate), Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort) and Packet (HSPA - Best
Effort) service users) without exceeding the maximum number of users within each cell.
Variable Bit Rate service users have the highest priority and are managed before Best Effort service users. For each type of
service, the scheduler ranks the users according to the selected scheduling technique:
Max C/I: "n" users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined for the cell minus the
number of Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users in the cell) are scheduled in the same order as in the sim-
ulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descending order by the channel quality indicator (CQI).
Round Robin: Users are scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order).
Proportional Fair: "n" users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined for the cell
minus the number of Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users in the cell) are scheduled in the same order as
in the simulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descending order according to a random parameter
which corresponds to a combination of the user rank in the simulation and the channel quality indicator (CQI).
Then, users are processed in the order defined by the scheduler and the remaining cells HSDPA power (i.e., the HSDPA power
available after all Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users have been served) is shared between them. Atoll checks if
enough codes and Iub backhaul throughput are available for the user (taking into account the maximum number of OVSF
codes defined for the cell and the maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the downlink). If not, Atoll allo-
cates a lower HSDPA bearer ("downgrading") which needs fewer OVSF codes and consumes lower Iub backhaul throughput.
For Variable Bit Rate services, if no OVSF codes are available, the user is rejected. At the same time, if the maximum Iub back-
haul throughput allowed on the site in the downlink is still exceeded, the user is rejected.
At this point, Variable Bit Rate service users can be connected or rejected. They are rejected if:
The maximum number of HSDPA users per cell is exceeded: the status is "HSDPA Scheduler Saturation"
The lowest HSDPA bearer they can obtain does not provide a RLC peak rate higher than the minimum throughput
demand: the status is "HSDPA Resource Saturation"
There are no more HS-SCCH channels available: the status is "HS-SCCH Channels Saturation"
The HS-SCCH signal quality is not sufficient: the status is "HSDPA Resource Saturation"
There are no more OVSF codes available: the status is "HSDPA Resource Saturation"
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the downlink is exceeded: the status is "HSDPA Resource
Saturation"
For Best Effort services, if no OVSF codes are available, the user is delayed. At the same time, if the maximum Iub backhaul
throughput allowed on the site in the downlink is still exceeded even by using the lowest HSDPA bearer, the user is delayed.
At this point, Best Effort service users can be connected, rejected, or delayed. They are rejected if the maximum number of
HSDPA users per cell is exceeded (status is "HSDPA Scheduler Saturation") and delayed if:
They cannot obtain the lower HSDPA bearer: the status is "No Compatible Bearer"
The HS-SCCH signal quality is not sufficient: the status is "HSDPA Power Saturation"
There are no more HS-SCCH channels available: the status is "HS-SCCH Channels Saturation"
There are no more OVSF codes available: the status is "OVSF Code Saturation"
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the downlink is exceeded: the status is "Iub Throughput
Saturation"
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In the HSUPA part, Atoll processes Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service users, Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users
and Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users who are connected to an HSDPA bearer or were delayed in the previous
step. It manages the maximum number of users within each cell. Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users have the
highest priority and are processed first, in the order established during the generation of the user distribution. Then, Atoll
considers Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users in the order established during the generation of the user distribu-
tion and lastly, it processes Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service users in the order established during the generation of the user
distribution. The HSUPA part of the algorithm simulates an admission control on the HSUPA bearer users followed by noise
rise scheduling and radio resource control.
Atoll first selects a list of HSUPA bearers that are compatible with the user equipment capabilities for each HSUPA bearer user.
For Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users, the list is restricted to HSUPA bearers that provide a RLC peak rate higher
than the minimum throughput demand. Then, during admission control, Atoll checks that the lowest compatible bearer in
terms of the required E-DPDCH EcNt does not require a terminal power higher than the maximum terminal power allowed.
Then, Atoll performs the noise rise scheduling on Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users, followed by a radio resource
control. The noise rise scheduling algorithm attempts to evenly share the remaining cell load between the users admitted in
admission control; in terms of HSUPA, each user is allocated a right to produce interference. The remaining cell load factor on
uplink depends on the maximum load factor allowed on uplink and how much uplink load is produced by the served R99 traf-
fic. From this value, Atoll calculates the maximum E-DPDCH EcNt allowed and can select an HSUPA bearer. The HSUPA bearer
is selected based on the values in a look-up table, and depends on the maximum E-DPDCH EcNt allowed and on UE capabili-
ties.
You can open the HSUPA Bearer Selection table by clicking the Expand button ( ) to
expand the UMTS Network Settings folder in the Parameters explorer, and then right-
clicking the Reception Equipment folder and selecting Open Table from the context menu.
Atoll selects the best HSUPA bearer from the HSUPA compatible bearers, in other words, the HSUPA bearer with the highest
potential throughput where the required E-DPDCH Ec/Nt is lower than the maximum E-DPDCH EcNt allowed and the required
terminal power is lower than the maximum terminal power. In this section, the potential throughput refers to the ratio
between the RLC peak rate and the number of retransmissions. When several HSUPA bearers are available, Atoll selects the
one with the lowest required E-DPDCH EcNt.
Several Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users can share the same HSUPA bearer. Atoll calculates the HSUPA bearer
consumption for each user and takes into account this parameter when it determines the resources consumed by each user
(i.e., the terminal power used, the number of channel elements and the Iub backhaul throughput).
Finally, Atoll carries out radio resource control on Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users. Atoll checks to see if
enough channel elements and Iub backhaul throughput are available for the HSUPA bearer assigned to the user (taking into
account the maximum number of channel elements defined for the site and the maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed
on the site in the uplink). If not, Atoll allocates a lower HSUPA bearer ("downgrading") which needs fewer channel elements
and consumes lower Iub backhaul throughput. If no channel elements are available, the user is rejected. On the same hand,
if the maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the uplink is still exceeded even by using the lowest HSUPA
bearer, the user is rejected.
At this point, Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users can be either connected, or rejected. They are rejected if:
The maximum number of HSUPA users per cell is exceeded: the status is "HSUPA Scheduler Saturation".
The terminal power required to obtain the lowest compatible HSUPA bearer exceeds the maximum terminal power
in the admission control: the status is "Pmob > PmobMax".
The lowest compatible HSUPA bearer they can obtain does not provide a RLC peak rate higher than the minimum
throughput demand: the status is "HSUPA Admission Rejection".
There are no more channel elements available: the status is "Ch. Elts Saturation"
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the uplink is exceeded: the status is "Iub Throughput
Saturation".
Then, Atoll processes Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users. For these users, the list of compatible bearers is
restricted to HSUPA bearers that provide a RLC peak rate between the maximum and the minimum throughput demands.
Atoll performs a new noise rise scheduling and distributes the remaining cell load factor available after all Packet (HSPA -
Constant Bit Rate) service users have been served. From this value, Atoll selects an HSUPA bearer for each Packet (HSPA -
Variable Bit Rate) service user.
Finally, Atoll carries out radio resource control on Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users. Atoll checks to see if enough
channel elements and Iub backhaul throughput are available for the HSUPA bearer assigned to the user (taking into account
the maximum number of channel elements defined for the site and the maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the
site in the uplink). If not, Atoll allocates a lower HSUPA bearer ("downgrading") which needs fewer channel elements and
consumes lower Iub backhaul throughput. If no channel elements are available, the user is rejected. On the same hand, if the
maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the uplink is still exceeded even by using the lowest HSUPA bearer,
the user is rejected.
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At this point, Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users can be either connected, or rejected. They are rejected if:
The maximum number of HSUPA users per cell is exceeded: the status is "HSUPA Scheduler Saturation".
The terminal power required to obtain the lowest compatible HSUPA bearer exceeds the maximum terminal power
in the admission control: the status is "Pmob > PmobMax".
The lowest compatible HSUPA bearer they can obtain does not provide a RLC peak rate higher than the minimum
throughput demand: the status is "HSUPA Admission Rejection".
There are no more channel elements available: the status is "Ch. Elts Saturation".
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the uplink is exceeded: the status is "Iub Throughput
Saturation".
Then, Atoll processes Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service users. It performs a new noise rise scheduling and distributes the
remaining cell load factor available after all Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) and Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service
users have been served. From this value, Atoll selects an HSUPA bearer for each Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service user. Then,
Atoll checks that each Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service user has obtained the average requested rate (defined in the prop-
erties of the service).
Finally, Atoll carries out radio resource control, verifying whether enough channel elements and Iub backhaul throughput are
available for the HSUPA bearer assigned to the user (taking into account the maximum number of channel elements defined
for the site and the maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the uplink). If not, Atoll allocates a lower HSUPA
bearer ("downgrading") which needs fewer channel elements and consumes lower Iub backhaul throughput. If no channel
elements are available, the user is rejected. On the same hand, if the maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site
in the uplink is still exceeded even by using the lowest HSDPA bearer, the user is rejected.
At this point, Packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service users can be either connected, or rejected. They are rejected if:
The maximum number of HSUPA users per cell is exceeded: the status is "HSUPA Scheduler Saturation".
The terminal power required to obtain the lowest compatible HSUPA bearer exceeds the maximum terminal power
in the admission control: the status is "Pmob > PmobMax".
There are no more channel elements available: the status is "Ch. Elts Saturation"
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput allowed on the site in the uplink is exceeded: the status is "Iub Throughput
Saturation".
Bearer Downgrading
If you select the option "Bearer Downgrading," when creating a simulation, R99, HSDPA and HSUPA service users can be down-
graded under certain circumstances. When the downgrading is allowed, Atoll does not reject R99, HSDPA and HSUPA users
directly; it downgrades them first.
The R99 to R99 bearer downgrading occurs when:
The cell resources are insufficient when the user is admitted
The maximum uplink load factor is exceeded
The cell resources are insufficient during congestion control
The maximum uplink load factor is exceeded
There is not enough power for cells
There are not enough channel elements on the site
The maximum Iub backhaul throughput on the site is exceeded
There are no more OVSF codes available
The user maximum connection power is exceeded during power control:
On the downlink, the maximum traffic channel power is exceeded
On the uplink, the maximum terminal power is exceeded
For all these reasons, the users R99 bearer will be downgraded to another R99 bearer of the same type (same traffic class).
Upon admission and during power control, downgrading is only performed on the user who causes the problem. During
congestion control, the problem is at the cell level and therefore, downgrading is performed on several users according to
their service priority. Users with the lowest priority services will be the first to be downgraded.
If R99 bearer downgrading does not fix the problem, the user will be rejected.
For an HSDPA bearer user, downgrading is triggered upon admission (into the R99 portion) when the best serving cell does
not support HSDPA traffic. When this happens, the HSDPA bearer user will not be able to get an HSDPA bearer and will be
downgraded to an R99 bearer of the same type as the A-DPCH bearer and the user will be processed as an R99 user.
For an HSUPA bearer user, downgrading is triggered upon admission (into the R99 portion) when the best serving cell does
not support HSUPA traffic. When this happens, the HSUPA bearer user will not be able to get an HSUPA bearer and will be
downgraded to an R99 bearer of the same type as the E-DPCCH/A-DPCH bearer and the user will be processed as an R99 user.
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Some calculation and display options available for coverage predictions are not available
when the option "Only the Average Simulation and Statistics" is selected.
No Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. For each of them, a prop-
erties window containing simulation output, divided among four tabs Statistics, Sites, Cells, and Initial
Conditions is available.
Standard Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window for each simulation contains an additional tab with output related to mobiles.
Detailed Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window for each simulation contains additional mobile-related output on the Mobiles and Mobiles (Shadow-
ing Values) tabs.
When you are working on very large radio-planning projects, you can reduce memory
consumption by selecting Only the Average Simulation and Statistics under Information
to retain.
6. Under Load constraints on the General tab, you can set the constraints that Atoll must respect during the simulation:
Number of CEs: Select the Number of CEs check box if you want Atoll to respect the number of channel elements
defined for each site.
Iub throughputs: Select the Iub throughputs check box if you want Atoll to respect the maximum Iub backhaul
throughputs defined for each site.
Number of codes: Select the Number of codes check box if you want Atoll to respect the number of OVSF codes
available each cell.
UL load factor: If you want the UL load factor to be considered in the simulation, select the UL load factor check
box.
Max UL load factor: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum uplink cell load factor, click the button
( ) beside the box and select Global value. Then, enter a maximum uplink cell load factor. If you want to use the
maximum uplink cell load factor as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside the box and
select Defined per cell.
DL load (% Pmax): If you want the DL load to be considered in the simulation, select the DL load (% Pmax) check
box and enter a maximum downlink cell load in the Max DL load box.
Max DL load (% Pmax): If you want to enter a global value for the maximum downlink cell load, as a percentage
of the maximum power, click the button ( ) beside the box and select Global value. Then, enter a maximum
downlink cell load, as a percentage of the maximum power. If you want to use the maximum downlink cell load
factor as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside the box and select Defined per cell.
7. Under Bearer negotiation on the General tab, check the Bearer downgrading check box if you want to permit bearer
downgrading during the simulation. When a constraint is not respected, user radio bearers with services supporting
bearer downgrading are downgraded. If the constraint is still not satisfied after downgrading, users are rejected. If
downgrading is not selected, users will be rejected immediately, starting with users with the lowest service priority, if
a constraint can not be respected.
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Using the same generated user and shadowing error distribution for several simulations
can be useful when you want to compare the results of several simulations where only
one parameter changes.
You can make the traffic distribution easier to see by hiding geo data and predictions.
For information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer
Windows" on page 38.
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3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose results you
want to access.
4. Right-click the simulation. The context menu appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. The simulation properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the results of the simulation. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain simu-
lation results as identified by the tab title. A final tab lists the initial conditions of the simulation. The amount of detail
available when you display the results depends on the level of detail you selected from the Information to retain list
on the General tab of the properties dialogue for the group of simulations. For more information on the different
options, see step 5. of "Creating Simulations" on page 745.
The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following two sections:
Demand: Under Demand, you will find data on the connection requests:
Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; power control has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic input.
During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users per
activity status and the UL and DL rates that all active users could theoretically generate are provided.
The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL rates)
is given.
Results: Under Results, you will find data on connection results:
The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.
The number and the percentage of rejected users is given along with the reason for rejection. These figures
include rejected users only. These figures are determined at the end of the simulation and depend on the
network design.
The number and the percentage of delayed users is given along with the reason for delay.
The number and percentage of R99 bearer users connected to a cell, the number of users per frequency band
for a dual-band network, the number of users per activity status, and the UL and DL total rates they generate.
These figures include R99 users as well as HSDPA and HSUPA bearer users (since all of them request an R99
bearer); they are determined in the R99 part of the algorithm. These data are also given per service.
The total number and the percentage of connected users with an HSDPA bearer, the number of users per
frequency band for a dual-band network, the number of users per activity status, and the DL total rate that
they generate. Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate),
Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate), and Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users are considered because
they all request an HSDPA bearer.
The total number of connected HSUPA bearer users and the percentage of users with an HSUPA bearer, the
number of users per frequency band for a dual-band network, the number of users per activity status, and the
UL total rate they generate. Only Packet (HSPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) and Packet
(HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users are considered.
The Sites tab: The Sites tab contains the following information per site:
Max No. of DL and UL CEs: The maximum number of channel elements available on uplink and downlink for R99
bearers requested by the users.
No. of DL and UL CEs Used: The number of channel elements required on uplink and downlink for R99 bearers to
handle the traffic of current simulation.
No. of DL and UL CEs Due to SHO Overhead: The number of extra channel elements due to soft handover, on
uplink and downlink.
Carrier Selection: The carrier selection method defined on the site equipment.
Downlink and Uplink Overhead CEs/Cell: The overhead channel elements per cell on the downlink and on the
uplink, defined on the site equipment.
AS Restricted to Neighbours: Whether the active set is restricted to neighbours of the reference cell. This option
is selected on the site equipment.
Rake Factor: The rake factor, defined on the site equipment, enables Atoll to model a rake receiver on downlink.
MUD Factor: The multi-user detection factor, defined on the site equipment, is used to decrease intra-cell inter-
ference on uplink.
Compressed Mode: Whether compressed mode is supported. This option is defined on the site equipment.
Max Iub Downlink and Uplink Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The maximum Iub backhaul throughput in the down-
link and uplink.
Iub Downlink and Uplink Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The Iub backhaul throughput required on downlink and
uplink to handle the traffic of current simulation.
Overhead Iub Throughput (kbps): the Iub throughput required by the site for common channels in the downlink.
It corresponds to the overhead Iub throughput per cell (defined on the site equipment) multiplied by the number
of cells on the site.
HSDPA Iub Backhaul Overhead (%): This parameter is defined on the site equipment. It corresponds to the per-
centage of the HSDPA bearer RLC peak rate to be added to the RLC peak rate. The total value corresponds to the
Iub backhaul throughput required by the HSDPA bearer users for HS Channels in the downlink.
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Nb of Recommended E1/T1/Ethernet Link: The number of E1/T1/Ethernet links required to provide the total Iub
backhaul throughput.
Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps).
Instantaneous HSDPA MAC Throughput (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA MAC throughput (kbps).
DL and UL Throughput for Each Service: The throughput in kbitss for each service. The result is detailed on the
downlink and uplink only when relevant.
The Cells tab: The Cells tab contains the following information, per site, transmitter, and carrier:
Max Power (dBm): The maximum power as defined in the cell properties.
Pilot Power (dBm): The pilot power as defined in the cell properties.
SCH power (dBm): The SCH power as defined in the cell properties.
Other CCH power (dBm): The power of other common channels. It includes the other CCH power and the DL
HSUPA power as defined in the cell properties.
Available HSDPA Power (dBm): The available HSDPA power as defined in the cell properties. This is the power
available for the HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH. The value is either fixed by the user when the HSDPA power is allocated
statically, or by a simulation when the option HSDPA Power Dynamic Allocation is selected.
AS Threshold (dB): The active set threshold as defined in cell properties
Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
Reception Losses (dB): The reception losses as defined in the transmitter properties.
Transmission Losses (dB): The transmission losses as defined in the transmitter properties.
Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties
Total Transmitted R99 Power (dBm): The total transmitted R99 power is the power transmitted by the cell on
common channels (Pilot, SCH, other CCH), HSUPA channels (E-AGCH, E-RGCH, and E-HICH) and R99 traffic-dedi-
cated channels.
Transmitted HSDPA Power (dBm): The HSDPA power transmitted by the cell on HSDPA channels. It corresponds
to the HSDPA power used to serve HSDPA bearer users.
Total Transmitted Power (dBm): The total transmitted power of the cell is the sum of the total transmitted R99
power and the transmitted HSDPA power. If HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the total transmitted power
cannot exceed the maximum power minus the power headroom.
When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is statically allocated, the total
transmitted power cannot exceed the maximum DL load (defined either in the cell proper-
ties, or in the simulation). On the other hand, if HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the
control is carried out on the R99 transmitted power, which cannot exceed the maximum
DL load.
UL Total Noise (dBm): The uplink total noise takes into account the total signal received at the transmitter on a
carrier from intra and extra-cell terminals using the same carrier and adjacent carriers (uplink total interference)
and the thermal noise.
Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor that the cell can support. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
Max DL Load (% Pmax): The maximum percentage of power that the cell can use. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
UL load factor (%): The uplink cell load factor corresponds to the ratio between the uplink total interference and
the uplink total noise. If the constraint "UL load factor" has been selected, UL cell load factor is not allowed to
exceed the user-defined maximum UL load factor (either in the cell properties, or in the simulation creation dia-
logue).
DL Load Factor (%): The DL load factor of the cell i corresponds to the ratio (DL average interference [due to trans-
mitter signals on the same and adjacent carriers] for terminals in the transmitter i area) (DL average total noise
[due to transmitter signals and to thermal noise of terminals] for terminals in the transmitter i area).
UL and DL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink and downlink noise rises are calculated from uplink and downlink load fac-
tors. These data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
DL R99 Load (% Pmax): The percentage of power used for R99 channels is determined by the total transmitted
R99 power-maximum power ratio (power stated in W). When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is
allocated dynamically, the DL R99 Load can not exceed the user-defined Max DL Load (defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation).
Reuse Factor (UL): The uplink reuse factor is the ratio between the uplink total interference and the intra-cell
interference.
Reuse Efficiency Factor (UL): The uplink reuse efficiency factor is the reciprocal of the uplink reuse factor.
Number of UL and DL Radio Links: The number of radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter links
on the same carrier. This data is calculated on uplink and on downlink and indicates the number of users con-
nected to the cell on uplink and downlink. Because of handover, a single user can use several radio links.
Connection Success Rate (%): The connection success rate gives the ratio of connected users over the total
number of users in the cell.
HSDPA Application Throughput (kbps): This is the net HSDPA throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.).
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Min. HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The minimum HSDPA RLC peak rate corresponds to the lowest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the lower of the two
minimum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Max HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The maximum HSDPA RLC peak rate corresponds to the highest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the higher of the
two maximum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Avg. Instantaneous HSDPA Throughput (kbps): The average instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the average
number of kbits per second that the cell supports on downlink to provide one connected user with an HSDPA
bearer. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the number of kbits per second that
the cell supports on downlink to provide simultaneous connected users with an HSDPA bearer. The HSDPA rate of
dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA rates on both cells.
Instantaneous HSDPA MAC Throughput (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA MAC throughput (kbps) that the cell
carries. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
No. of Simultaneous HSDPA Users: The number of simultaneous HSDPA users corresponds to the number of
HSDPA bearer users that the cell supports at one time, i.e. within one time transmission interval. All these users
are connected to the cell at the end of the HSDPA part of the simulation; they have a connection with the R99
bearer and an HSDPA bearer. Dual-cell HSDPA users are considered once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSDPA Users: The number of HSDPA users including the connected and delayed HSDPA bearer users. Dual-
cell HSDPA users are considered once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSUPA Users: The number of HSUPA bearer users connected to the cell.
HSUPA Application Throughput (kbps): This is the net HSUPA throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.).
HSUPA UL Load Factor (%): The uplink cell load contribution due to HSUPA traffic.
No. of Codes (512 Bits): The number of 512-bit OVSF codes used per cell.
The types of handover as a percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handover types for each transmitter.
Atoll only lists the results for the following handover status, no handover (11), softer (12), soft (22), softer-soft
(23) and soft-soft (33) handovers; the other handover status (other HO) are grouped.
R99 UL and DL Throughput (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers of kbits per
second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer. All the radio
links in the cell, i.e., links due to handover, are taken into account in the throughput calculation.
R99 UL and DL Throughput Without HO (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers
of kbits per second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer.
Only the links with the best server are taken into account in the calculation of throughput.
Min TCH Pwr (dBm): The minimum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Max TCH Pwr (dBm): The maximum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Avg TCH Pwr (dBm): The average power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Non-connected users: The number of rejected and delayed users per cell. Rejected users are sorted by the fol-
lowing values: Pmob > PmobMax, Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min., UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation,
DL Load Saturation, Code Saturation, Admission Rejection, HSDPA Scheduler Saturation, HSDPA Resource Sat-
uration, HSUPA Admission Rejection, HSUPA Scheduler Saturation and Iub Throughput Saturation. Delayed
users are regrouped under HSDPA Delayed.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the ratio of con-
nected users over the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:
The Mobiles tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating
Simulations" on page 745, you select either "Standard information about mobiles" or
"Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain.
X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the second
random trial).
Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal and
the user profile.
User Profile: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the ter-
minal and the user profile.
Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Activity Status: The activity status assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distri-
bution.
Carrier: The carrier used for the mobile-transmitter connection. Dual-cell HSDPA users are connected to two car-
riers. Details can be displayed per carrier by selecting Actions > Detailed Display.
Frequency Band: the frequency band used for the mobile-transmitter connection.
DL and UL Total Requested Rate (kbps): For circuit and packet (R99) service users, the DL and UL total requested
rates correspond to the DL and UL nominal rates of the R99 bearer associated to the service.
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For packet (HSDPA) service users, the uplink total requested rate corresponds to the nominal rate of ADPCH-UL64
R99 bearer and the downlink total requested rate is the sum of the ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and
the RLC peak rate that the selected HSDPA radio bearers can provide. Here, the HSDPA user is treated as if he is
the only user in the cell and then, Atoll determines the HSDPA bearer the user would obtain by considering the
entire HSDPA power available of the cell.
For HSUPA bearer users, the uplink total requested rate is equal to the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer
nominal rate and the RLC peak rate of the requested HSUPA radio bearer. The requested HSUPA radio bearer is
selected from the HSUPA bearers compatible with the user equipment. Here, the HSUPA user is treated as if he is
the only user in the cell and then, Atoll determines the HSUPA bearer the user would obtain by considering the
entire remaining load of the cell. The downlink total requested rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer
nominal rate and the RLC peak rate that the requested HSDPA radio bearer can provide. The requested HSDPA
bearer is determined as explained in the previous paragraph.
DL and UL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): For circuit and packet (R99) service users, the DL or UL total obtained rate
is the same as the DL or UL total requested rate if he is connected without being downgraded. Otherwise, the total
obtained rate is lower (it corresponds to the nominal rate of the selected R99 bearer). If the user was rejected, the
total obtained rate is zero.
For a packet (HSDPA) service user connected to an HSDPA bearer, the uplink total obtained rate equals the re-
quested one and the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the instantaneous rate; this is the sum of the
ADPCH-UL64 radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearers after
scheduling and radio resource control. If the user is delayed (he is only connected to an R99 radio bearer), uplink
and downlink total obtained rates correspond to the uplink and downlink nominal rates of ADPCH-UL64 radio
bearer. Finally, if the user is rejected either in the R99 part or in the HSDPA part, the uplink and downlink total
obtained rates are zero.
For connected packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service users and packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users, on up-
link, if the user is connected to an HSUPA bearer, the uplink total obtained rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH
radio bearer nominal rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSUPA radio bearer after noise rise
scheduling. On downlink, if the user is connected to an HSDPA bearer, the downlink total obtained rate corre-
sponds to the instantaneous rate. The instantaneous rate is the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal
rate and the RLC peak rate provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearers after scheduling and radio resource con-
trol. If the user is delayed, the downlink total obtained rate corresponds to the downlink nominal rate of ADPCH-
EDPCCH radio bearer. If the user is rejected, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are "0".
For a connected packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service user, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are
the sum of the ADPCH-EDPCCH radio bearer nominal rate and the minimum throughput demand defined for the
service. If the user is rejected, the uplink and downlink total obtained rates are "0".
Mobile Total Power (dBm): The mobile total power corresponds to the total power transmitted by the terminal.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected, delayed or rejected at the end
of the simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection
cause is given. If delayed (for HSDPA and HSPA bearer users only), the status is "HSDPA delayed."
Best Server: The best server among the transmitters in the mobile active set.
HO Status (Sites/No. Transmitters Act. Set): The HO status is the number of sites compared to the number of
transmitters in the active set.
AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4: The name of the cell that is the best server, the second-best server, and so on is given in a
separate column for each cell in the active set.
Ec/I0 AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, (dB): EcI0 is given in a separate column for each cell in the active set. The Ec/I0 AS 1
column lists the Ec/I0 from the best server for the rejected mobiles as well.
Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
Active Compressed Mode: This field indicates whether active compressed mode is supported by the mobile or
not.
The following columns only appear if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating Simulations" on
page 745, you select "Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain:
DL and UL Requested RLC Peak Rates (kbps): For HSUPA bearer users (i.e., packet (HSPA - Best Effort), packet
(HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) and packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users), the requested uplink RLC peak rate
is the rate of the requested HSUPA radio bearer. If the user is connected to an HSDPA bearer in the downlink, the
downlink requested RLC peak rate is the rate that the requested HSDPA radio bearer can provide.
Downlink and uplink requested RLC peak rates are not calculated for circuit and packet (R99) service users. For
packet (HSDPA - Best Effort) and packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users, the uplink RLC peak rate is not
calculated and the downlink requested RLC peak rate is the rate that the selected HSDPA radio bearer can provide.
DL and UL Obtained RLC Peak Rate (kbps): For connected packet (HSPA - Best Effort) service users and packet
(HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) service users, on uplink, if the user is connected to an HSUPA bearer, the obtained uplink
RLC peak rate is the rate provided by the selected HSUPA radio bearer after noise rise scheduling. On downlink, if
the user is connected to an HSDPA bearer, the downlink obtained RLC peak rate is the rate provided by the
selected HSDPA radio bearer after scheduling and radio resource control. For a connected packet (HSPA - Constant
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Bit Rate) service user, the uplink and downlink obtained RLC peak rates are the uplink and downlink minimum
throughput demands defined for the service.
Downlink and uplink obtained RLC peak rates are not calculated for circuit and packet (R99) service users.
For a packet (HSDPA) service user connected to an HSDPA bearer, the downlink obtained RLC peak rate is the rate
provided by the selected HSDPA radio bearer after scheduling and radio resource control. The uplink obtained RLC
peak rate is not calculated.
HSDPA Application Throughput (kbps): The HSDPA application throughput is the net HSDPA throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the instantaneous HSDPA rate (i.e., the DL
obtained rate), the BLER, the HSDPA service scaling factor and the throughput offset.
Served HSDPA Power (dBm): This is the HSDPA power required to provide the HSDPA bearer user with the down-
link obtained rate.
Required HSDPA Power (dBm): The required HSDPA power is the HSDPA power required to provide the HSDPA
bearer user with the downlink requested rate. If the HSDPA bearer allocated to the user is the best one, the
required HSDPA power corresponds to the available HSDPA power of the cell. On the other hand, if the HSDPA has
been downgraded in order to be compliant with cell and UE capabilities, the required HSDPA power will be lower
than the available HSDPA power of the cell.
No. of HSUPA Retransmissions (Required): The maximum number of retransmissions in order to have the
requested HSUPA radio bearer with a given BLER.
No. of HSUPA Retransmissions (Obtained): The maximum number of retransmissions in order to have the
obtained HSUPA radio bearer with a given BLER.
HSUPA Application Throughput (kbps): The HSUPA application throughput is the net HSUPA throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the UL obtained rate, the BLER, the HSUPA
service scaling factor and the throughput offset.
Cell TCH Power AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dBm): The cell power transmitted on the downlink is given for each link
between the mobile and a transmitter in the active set.
DL Ntot AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (dBm): The total noise on the downlink for each link between the mobile and a trans-
mitter in the \active set.
Load Factor AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (%): The load factor on the downlink for each link between the mobile and a
transmitter in the active set. It corresponds to the ratio between the total interference on the downlink and total
noise at the terminal.
Noise Rise AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dB): The noise rise on the downlink for each link between the mobile and a
transmitter in the active set.
Reuse Factor AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL): The DL reuse factor for each link between the mobile and a transmitter in
the active set. It is calculated from the interference received at the terminal from the intra cell area and the total
interference received at the terminal from all the transmitters (intra and extra-cell and inter-carrier).
Iintra AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dBm): The intra-cell interference for each cell (I) of the active set.
I int ra = P DL
DL
tot
(ic ) Fortho P DL
tot
(ic ) PSCH
i i LT
Iextra AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (DL) (dBm): The extra-cell interference for each cell (I) of the active set.
I extra =
DL
P DL
tot
(ic ) Fortho P DL
tot
(ic ) PSCH
Tx ,iTx LT
Total Loss AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4 (dB): The total attenuation for each link between the mobile and a transmitter in
the active set.
Iub UL Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The Iub backhaul throughput consumed on the uplink by the mobile.
Iub DL Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The Iub backhaul throughput consumed on the downlink by the mobile.
No. of UL CEs: The number of channel elements consumed on the uplink by the mobile.
No. of DL CEs: The number of channel elements consumed on the downlink by the mobile.
Name: The name of the mobile, as assigned during the random user generation.
Clutter: The clutter class on which the mobile is located.
Orthogonality Factor: The orthogonality factor used in the simulation. The orthogonality factor is the remaining
orthogonality of the OVSF codes at reception. The value used is the orthogonality factor set in the clutter classes.
% Pilot Finger: The percentage pilot finger used in the simulation, defined per clutter class or globally for all clutter
classes.
UL SHO Gain (dB): The uplink soft handover gain is calculated if mobile receivers are connected either on DL or on
UL and DL.
DL SHO Gain (dB): The downlink soft handover gain is calculated if mobile receivers are connected either on DL or
on UL and DL.
No. of Codes (512 Bits): The number of OVSF codes used per mobile.
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The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab: The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab contains information on the shadowing
margin for each link between the receiver and up to ten closest potential transmitters:
The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as
explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 745, you select "Detailed information about
mobiles" under Information to Retain.
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The number and the percentage of delayed users is given along with the reason for delay.
The number and percentage of R99 bearer users connected to a cell, the number of users per frequency band
for dual-band networks, the number of users per activity status, and the total UL and DL rates they generate.
These figures include R99 users as well as HSDPA and HSUPA bearer users (since all of them request an R99
bearer); they are determined in the R99 part of the algorithm. These data are also given per service.
The total number and the percentage of connected users with an HSDPA bearer, the number of users per
frequency band for dual-band networks, the number of users per activity status, and DL total rate that they
generate. Packet (HSDPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSDPA - Variable Bit Rate),
Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate), and Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users are considered since
they all request an HSDPA bearer.
The total number of connected HSUPA bearer users and the percentage of users with an HSUPA bearer, the
number of users per frequency band for dual-band networks, the number of users per activity status, and UL
and DL total rates they generate. Only Packet (HSPA - Best Effort), Packet (HSPA - Variable Bit Rate) and
Packet (HSPA - Constant Bit Rate) service users are considered.
The Sites (Average) and Sites (Standard Deviation) tabs: The Sites (Average) and Sites (Standard Deviation) tabs
contains the following average and standard deviation information, respectively, per site:
Max No. of DL and UL CEs: The maximum number of channel elements available on uplink and downlink for R99
bearers requested by the users.
No. of DL and UL CEs Used: The number of channel elements required on uplink and downlink for R99 bearers to
handle the traffic of current simulation.
No. of DL and UL CEs Due to SHO Overhead: The number of extra channel elements due to soft handover, on
uplink and downlink.
Carrier Selection: The carrier selection method defined on the site equipment.
Downlink and Uplink Overhead CEs/Cell: The overhead channel elements per cell on the downlink and on the
uplink, defined on the site equipment.
AS Restricted to Neighbours: Whether the active set is restricted to neighbours of the reference cell. This option
is selected on the site equipment.
Rake Factor: The rake factor, defined on the site equipment, enables Atoll to model a rake receiver on downlink.
MUD Factor: The multi-user detection factor, defined on the site equipment, is used to decrease intra-cell inter-
ference on uplink.
Compressed Mode: Whether compressed mode is supported. This option is defined on the site equipment.
Max Iub Downlink and Uplink Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The maximum Iub backhaul throughput in the down-
link and uplink.
Iub Downlink and Uplink Backhaul Throughput (kbps): The Iub backhaul throughput required on downlink and
uplink to handle the traffic of current simulation.
Overhead Iub Throughput/Cell (kbps): The Iub throughput required by the cell for common channels in the down-
link, defined on the site equipment.
HSDPA Iub Backhaul Overhead (%): This parameter is defined on the site equipment. It corresponds to the per-
centage of the HSDPA bearer RLC peak rate to be added to the RLC peak rate. The total value corresponds to the
Iub backhaul throughput required by the HSDPA bearer user for HS Channels in the downlink.
Nb of Recommended E1/T1/Ethernet Link: The number of E1/T1/Ethernet links required to provide the total Iub
backhaul throughput.
Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps).
Instantaneous HSDPA MAC Throughput (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA MAC throughput (kbps).
DL and UL Throughput for Each Service: The throughput in kbitss for each service.
The Cells (Average) and Cells (Standard Deviation) tabs: The Cells (Average) and Cells (Standard Deviation) tabs
contains the following average and standard deviation information, respectively, per site, transmitter, and carrier:
Max Power (dBm): The maximum power as defined in the cell properties.
Pilot Power (dBm): The pilot power as defined in the cell properties.
SCH power (dBm): The SCH power as defined in the cell properties.
Other CCH power (dBm): The power of other common channels. It includes the other CCH power and the DL
HSUPA power as defined in the cell properties.
Available HSDPA Power (dBm): The available HSDPA power as defined in the cell properties. This is the power
available for the HS-PDSCH and HS-SCCH. The value is either fixed by the user when the HSDPA power is allocated
statically, or by a simulation when the option HSDPA Power Dynamic Allocation is selected.
AS Threshold (dB): The active set threshold as defined in cell properties
Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
Reception Losses (dB): The reception losses as defined in the transmitter properties.
Transmission Losses (dB): The transmission losses as defined in the transmitter properties.
Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties
Total Transmitted R99 Power (dBm): The total transmitted R99 power is the power transmitted by the cell on
common channels (Pilot, SCH, other CCH), HSUPA channels (E-AGCH, E-RGCH, and E-HICH) and R99 traffic-dedi-
cated channels.
Transmitted HSDPA Power (dBm): The HSDPA power transmitted by the cell on HSDPA channels. It corresponds
to the HSDPA power used to serve HSDPA bearer users.
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Total Transmitted Power (dBm): The total transmitted power of the cell is the sum of the total transmitted R99
power and the transmitted HSDPA power. If HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the total transmitted power
cannot exceed the maximum power minus the power headroom.
When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is statically allocated, the total
transmitted power cannot exceed the maximum DL load (defined either in the cell proper-
ties, or in the simulation). On the other hand, if HSDPA power is allocated dynamically, the
control is carried out on the R99 transmitted power, which cannot exceed the maximum
DL load.
UL Total Noise (dBm): The uplink total noise takes into account the total signal received at the transmitter on a
carrier from intra and extra-cell terminals using the same carrier and adjacent carriers (uplink total interference)
and the thermal noise.
Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor that the cell can support. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
Max DL Load (% Pmax): The maximum percentage of power that the cell can use. It is defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue.
UL Load Factor (%): The uplink cell load factor corresponds to the ratio between the uplink total interference and
the uplink total noise. If the constraint "UL load factor" has been selected, UL cell load factor is not allowed to
exceed the user-defined maximum UL load factor (either in the cell properties, or in the simulation creation dia-
logue).
UL Load Factor due to HSUPA (%): The uplink cell load caused by HSUPA traffic.
DL Load Factor (%): The DL load factor of the cell i corresponds to the ratio (DL average interference [due to trans-
mitter signals on the same carrier] for terminals in the transmitter i area) (DL average total noise [due to trans-
mitter signals and to thermal noise of terminals] for terminals in the transmitter i area).
UL and DL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink and downlink noise rises are calculated from uplink and downlink load fac-
tors. These data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
DL R99 Load (% Pmax): The percentage of power used for R99 channels is determined by the total transmitted
R99 power-maximum power ratio (power stated in W). When the constraint "DL load" is set and HSDPA power is
allocated dynamically, the DL R99 Load can not exceed the user-defined Max DL Load (defined either in the cell
properties, or in the simulation).
Reuse Factor (UL): The uplink reuse factor is the ratio between the uplink total interference and the intra-cell
interference.
Reuse Efficiency Factor (UL): The uplink reuse efficiency factor is the reciprocal of the uplink reuse factor.
Number of UL and DL Radio Links: The number of radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter links
on the same carrier. This data is calculated on uplink and on downlink and indicates the number of users con-
nected to the cell on uplink and downlink. Because of handover, a single user can use several radio links.
Connection Success Rate (%): The connection success rate gives the ratio of connected users over the total
number of users in the cell.
HSDPA Application Throughput (kbps): The HSDPA application throughput is the net HSDPA throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the instantaneous HSDPA rate (i.e., the DL
obtained rate), the BLER, the HSDPA service scaling factor and the throughput offset.
Min. HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The minimum HSDPA RLC peak rate corresponds to the lowest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the lower of the two
minimum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Max HSDPA RLC Peak Rate (kbps): The maximum HSDPA RLC peak rate: It corresponds to the highest of RLC peak
rates obtained by HSDPA bearer users connected to the cell. For dual-cell HSDPA users, this is the higher of the
two maximum HSDPA RLC peak rates.
Avg. Instantaneous HSDPA Throughput (kbps): The average instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the average
number of kbits per second that the cell supports on downlink to provide one connected user with an HSDPA
bearer. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
Instantaneous HSDPA Rate (kbps): The instantaneous HSDPA rate (kbps) is the number of kbits per second that
the cell supports on downlink to provide simultaneous connected users with an HSDPA bearer. The HSDPA rate of
dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA rates on both cells.
Instantaneous HSDPA MAC Throughput (kbps): The Instantaneous HSDPA MAC throughput (kbps) that the cell
carries. The HSDPA throughput of dual-cell HSDPA users is the sum of their HSDPA throughputs on both cells.
No. of Simultaneous HSDPA Users: The number of simultaneous HSDPA users corresponds to the number of
HSDPA bearer users that the cell supports at a time, i.e. within one time transmission interval. All these users are
connected to the cell at the end of the simulation HSDPA part; they have a connection with the R99 bearer and an
HSDPA bearer. Dual-cell HSDPA users are considered once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSDPA Users: The number of HSDPA users include the connected and delayed HSDPA bearer users. Dual-
cell HSDPA users are considered once in each cell they are connected to.
No. of HSUPA Users: The number of HSUPA bearer users connected to the cell.
HSUPA Application Throughput (kbps): This is the net HSUPA throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.).
HSUPA UL Load Factor (%): The uplink cell load caused by HSUPA traffic.
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No. of Codes (512 Bits): The number of OVSF codes used per cell.
The types of handover as a percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handover types for each transmitter.
Atoll only lists the results for the following handover status, no handover (11), softer (12), soft (22), softer-soft
(23) and soft-soft (33) handovers; the other handover status (other HO) are grouped.
R99 UL and DL Throughput (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers of kbits per
second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer. All the radio
links in the cell, i.e., links due to handover, are taken into account in the throughput calculation.
R99 UL and DL Throughput Without HO (kbps): The uplink and downlink R99 throughputs represent the numbers
of kbits per second delivered by the cell respectively on uplink and on downlink to supply users with a R99 bearer.
Only the links with the best server are taken into account in the calculation of throughput.
Min TCH Pwr (dBm): The minimum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Max TCH Pwr (dBm): The maximum power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Avg TCH Pwr: The average power allocated to a traffic channel to supply services.
Non-connected users: The number of rejected and delayed users per cell. Rejected users are sorted by the fol-
lowing reasons: Pmob > PmobMax, Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min., UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation,
DL Load Saturation, Code Saturation, Admission Rejection, HSDPA Delayed, HSDPA Scheduler Saturation,
HSDPA Resource Saturation, HSUPA Admission Rejection, HSUPA Scheduler Saturation and Iub Throughput Sat-
uration. Delayed users are regrouped under HSDPA Delayed.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the ratio of con-
nected users over the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
The global transmitter parameters:
The spreading width
Whether the power values on the downlink are absolute or relative to the pilot
The default uplink soft handover gain
Whether the MRC in softer/soft is defined or not
The methods used to calculate I0 and Nt
Parameters for compressed mode
The methods used to calculate Nt and CQI for HSDPA.
The input parameters specified when creating the group of simulations:
The maximum number of iterations
The global scaling factor
The generator initialisation value
The uplink and downlink convergence thresholds
The simulation constraints such as maximum power, the maximum number of channel elements, the uplink
load factor and the maximum load
The name of the traffic maps used.
The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.
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5. On the General tab of the dialogue, if desired, change the Name and Comments for this group of simulations.
6. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the following parameter:
Number of Simulations: Enter the number of simulations to added to this group of simulations.
7. Once you have added the simulation, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it to calculate it later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined simulation and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined simulation without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the Calculate
button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
When replaying an existing group of simulations, some parameters originally used to calcu-
late the group of simulations are reused for the replayed group. Consequently, few param-
eters can be changed for the replayed group.
5. On the General tab of the dialogue, you can set the following parameters:
Select the level of detail as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 745 that will be available in the output
from the Information to retain list.
Under Cell Load Constraints, you can set the constraints as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 745 that
Atoll must respect during the simulation.
Under Bearer Negotiation, check the Bearer downgrading check box if you want to permit bearer downgrading
during the simulation.
6. On the Source Traffic tab of the dialogue, select the Refresh Traffic Parameters check box if you want to take into
account traffic parameter changes (such as maximum and minimum traffic channel powers allowed, Eb/Nt thresholds,
etc.) in the replayed simulation.
7. On the Advanced tab, you can set the following parameters:
Max Number of Iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make convergence.
UL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on the
uplink that must be reached between two iterations.
DL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on the
downlink that must be reached between two iterations.
8. Click Calculate. Atoll immediately begins the simulation.
Creating a New Simulation or Group of Simulations Using the Generator Initialisation Number
To create a new simulation or group of simulations using the generator initialisation number:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The properties dialogue for a new simulation or group of simulations appears.
4. Click the Advanced tab.
5. Under Generator Initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. The integer must be the same
generator initialisation number as used in the group of simulations with the user and shadowing error distributions
you want to use in this simulation or group of simulations. If you enter "0", the default, the user and shadowing error
distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same user and shadowing error distribution will be
used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.
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6. For information on setting other parameters, see "Creating Simulations" on page 745.
You can create a new group of simulations with the same parameters as the original
group of simulations by duplicating an existing one as explained in "Duplicating a
Simulation or Group of Simulations" on page 760.
The AS analysis does not take possible network saturation into account. Therefore, there
is no guarantee that a simulated mobile with the same receiver characteristics can verify
the point analysis, simply because the simulated network can be saturated.
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1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears. (see Figure 9.14).
2. Select the AS Analysis view at the top of the Point Analysis window.
3. At the top of the AS Analysis view, select the simulation or group of simulations you want to base the AS analysis on
from the Load Conditions list.
4. Select the Terminal, Service, and Mobility.
10. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.
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HSDPA Quality and Throughput Analysis: For information on making an HSDPA coverage prediction, see "HSDPA
Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 697.
An HSUPA predictions prediction to analyse the required E-DPDCH Ec/Nt, the required terminal power, and the
obtained HSUPA bearer.
HSUPA Quality and Throughput Analysis: For information on making an HSUPA coverage prediction, see "HSUPA
Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 700.
The procedures for the coverage predictions assume that simulation results are not available. When no simulations are avail-
able, you select "(Cells Table)" from the Load Conditions list, on the Conditions tab. However, when simulations are available
you can base the coverage prediction on one simulation or a group of simulations.
To base a coverage prediction on a simulation or group of simulations, when setting the parameters:
1. Click the Conditions tab.
2. From the Load Conditions list, select the simulation or group of simulations on which you want to base the coverage
prediction.
3. If you select a group of simulations from the Load Conditions list, select one of the following:
All: If you select All to make a statistical analysis of all simulations based on the defined Probability (the probability
must be from 0 to 1). This will make a global analysis of all simulations in a group and with an evaluation of the
network stability in terms of fluctuations in traffic.
Average: Select Average make the coverage prediction on the average of the simulations in the group.
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ration. If you base the coverage prediction settings on a calculated coverage prediction, ACP will use the ranges and colours
defined in the selected coverage prediction as the default for its own maps. However, if you have saved the display options
of an ACP map as default, or if you are using a configuration file for ACP, these defined ranges and colours will be used as the
default, overriding the settings in the selected coverage prediction.
In projects using UMTS, either alone, or in a co-planning or multi-RAT project, the following quality parameters are used:
Overlap
RSCP
Ec/Io
To define the quality parameters for UMTS:
1. Open the dialogue used to define the optimisation as explained in "Creating an Optimisation Setup" on page 233 in
Chapter 6: Automatic Cell Planning.
2. Click the Objectives tab.
3. Under Criteria, in the left-hand pane, under Parameters, expand UMTS.
You can base the evaluation of the objectives on a calculated coverage prediction or on manual configuration. If you
base the coverage prediction settings on a calculated coverage prediction, ACP will use the ranges and colours defined
in the selected coverage prediction as the default for its own maps. However, if you have saved the display options of
an ACP map as default, or if you are using a configuration file for ACP, these defined ranges and colours will be used
as the default, overriding the settings in the selected coverage prediction. For information on setting ACP map display
options as the default, see "Changing the Display Properties of ACP Predictions" on page 284. For information on
saving a configuration file, see "Configuring Default Settings" on page 231.
If you want to use a coverage prediction, the coverage prediction must have already
been calculated.
4. Click Overlap. In the right-hand pane, you can define how the ACP will evaluate overlapping coverage.
5. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, define an
Overlap threshold margin and a Minimum signal level.
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate overlapping coverage using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
6. Under UMTS in the left-hand pane under Parameters, select RSCP.
7. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, you can select
the Enable shadowing margin check box and define a Cell edge coverage probability. The standard deviations
defined in the Atoll clutter are used or, if no clutter information is available, default values are used.
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate RSCP using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
8. Under UMTS in the left-hand pane under Parameters, select EcIo.
9. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, you can select
the Enable shadowing margin check box. When selected, the shadowing margin will be taken into account using
the defined Cell edge coverage probability. The standard deviations defined in the Atoll clutter are used or, if no
clutter information is available, default values are used. Macro diversity is also taken into account during EcIo cal-
culation. Select a Service and a Terminal. The service and terminal specified are used during the calculation of
EcIo through gain and losses (i.e., the service body loss, the gain and loss of the terminal antenna, and terminal
noise factor).
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate EcIo using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
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The overlapping zones maps correspond to the Atoll overlapping zones coverage prediction. For more information,
see "Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones" on page 670.
Making these maps available within ACP enables you to quickly validate the optimisation results without having to commit
the results and then calculate a coverage prediction in Atoll. The ACP maps display results very similar to those that Atoll
would display if you committed the optimisation results and calculated Atoll coverage predictions, however, before basing
any decision to commit the optimisation results on the maps produced by ACP, you should keep the following recommenda-
tions in mind:
You should verify the results with a different Atoll coverage prediction, such as the pilot pollution analysis.
ACP generated maps are generated using the entire set of proposed changes. They do not take into account the
change subset defined on the Change Details tab.
Multiple carriers are not supported by ACP; the maps are only provided for the requested carrier.
Even after committing the optimisation results, differences can remain between the ACP maps and the maps resulting
from Atoll coverage predictions.
You can view the exact RSCP and EcIo values on any pixel by letting the pointer rest over the pixel. The RSCP or EcIo value is
then displayed in tip text.
For the overlapping zones map, you can set the best server threshold on the User Preferences tab of the ACP Properties
dialogue (see "Configuring Default Settings" on page 231) or by setting the CellOverlap parameter in the acp.ini file.
For each network quality coverage prediction, ACP offers a map showing the initial network state, the final network state, and
a map showing the changes between the initial and final state.
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If you are importing more than one file, you can select contiguous files by clicking the first
file you want to import, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to import. You
can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file you want to import.
Files with the extension PLN, as well as some FMT files (created with previous versions of
TEMS) are imported directly into Atoll; you will not be asked to define the data structure
using the Import of Measurement Files dialogue.
6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file or files, you can select it
from the Import configuration list on the Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue. If you do not have
an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Import configuration, select an import configuration from the Import configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.
When importing a drive test data path file, existing configurations are available in
the Files of type list of the Open dialogue, sorted according to their date of crea-
tion. After you have selected a file and clicked Open, Atoll automatically proposes
a configuration, if it recognises the extension. If several configurations are associ-
ated with an extension, Atoll chooses the first configuration in the list.
The defined configurations are stored, by default, in the file "NumMeasINIFile.ini",
located in the directory where Atoll is installed. For more information on the Num-
MeasINIFile.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
7. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
Name: By default, Atoll names the new drive test data path after the imported file. You can change this name if
desired.
Under Receiver, set the Height of the receiver antenna and the Gain and Losses.
Under Measurement Conditions,
Units: Select the measurement units used.
Coordinates: By default, Atoll imports the coordinates using the display system of the Atoll document. If the
coordinates used in the file you are importing are different than the coordinates used in the Atoll document,
you must click the Browse button ( ) and select the coordinate system used in the drive test data file. Atoll
will then convert the data imported to the coordinate system used in the Atoll document.
8. Click the Setup tab (see Figure 9.45).
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Figure 9.45: The Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue
a. Under File, enter the number of the 1st Measurement Row, select the data Separator, and select the Decimal
Symbol used in the file.
b. Click the Setup button to link file columns and internal Atoll fields. The Drive Test Data Setup dialogue appears.
c. Under Measurement point position, select the columns in the imported file that give the X-Coordinates and the
Y-Coordinates of each point in the drive test data file.
You can also identify the columns containing the XY coordinates of each point in the drive
test data file by selecting them from the Field row of the table on the Setup tab.
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If you have correctly entered the information under File on the Setup tab, and the
necessary values in the Drive Test Data Setup dialogue, Atoll should recognise all
columns in the imported file. If not, you can click the name of the column in the
table in the Field row and select the column name. For each field, you must ensure
that each column has the correct data type in order for the data to be correctly
interpreted. The default value under Type is "<Ignore>". If a column is marked with
"<Ignore>", it will not be imported.
The data in the file must be structured so that the columns identifying the scram-
bling code group and the scrambling code are placed before the data columns for
each cell. Otherwise Atoll will not be able to properly import the file.
9. If you want to save the definition of the data structure so that you can use it again, you can save it as an import con-
figuration:
a. On the Setup tab, under Import configuration, click Save. The Configuration dialogue appears.
b. By default, Atoll saves the configuration in a file called "NumMeasINIfile.ini" found in Atolls installation folder. If
you cannot write into that folder, you can click the Browse button to choose a different location.
c. Enter a Configuration Name and an Extension of the files that this import configuration will describe (for example,
"*.csv").
d. Click OK.
Atoll will now select this import configuration automatically every time you import a drive test data path file with
the selected extension. If you import a file with the same structure but a different extension, you will be able to
select this import configuration from the Configuration list.
You do not have to complete the import procedure to save the import configura-
tion and have it available for future use.
When importing a CW measurement file, you can expand the NumMeasINIfile.ini
file by clicking the Expand button ( ) in front of the file under Import configura-
tion to display all the available import configurations. When selecting the appro-
priate configuration, the associations are automatically made in the table at the
bottom of the dialogue.
You can delete an existing import configuration by selecting the import configura-
tion under Import configuration and clicking the Delete button.
10. Click Import, if you are only importing a single file, or Import All, if you are importing more than one file. The mobile
data are imported into the current Atoll document.
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To display the Display tab of a drive test data paths Properties dialogue:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
3. Right-click the drive test data path whose display you want to manage. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu,
5. Click the Display tab.
Each point can be displayed by a unique attribute or according to:
a text or integer attribute (discrete value)
a numerical value (value interval).
In addition, you can display points by more than one criterion at a time using the Advanced option in the Display Type list.
When you select Advanced from the Display Type list, a dialogue opens in which you can define the following display for each
single point of the measurement path:
a symbol according to any attribute
a symbol colour according to any attribute
a symbol size according to any attribute
You can, for example, display a signal level in a certain colour, choose a symbol type for Transmitter 1 (a circle, triangle, cross,
etc.) and a symbol size according to the altitude.
Fast Display forces Atoll to use the lightest symbol to display the points. This is par-
ticularly useful when you have a very large number of points.
You can not use Advanced Display if the Fast Display check box has been selected.
You can sort drive test data paths in alphabetical order in the Network explorer by
right-clicking the Drive Test Data Path folder and selecting Sort Alphabetically
from the context menu.
You can save the display settings (such as colours and symbols) of a drive test data
path in a user configuration file to make them available for use on another drive
test data path. To save or load the user configuration file, click the Actions button
on the Display tab of the path properties dialogue and select Save or Load from
the Display Configuration submenu.
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Only one drive test data path: Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder and right-click
the drive-test data path on which you want to filter out incompatible points.
The context menu appears.
3. Select Filter from the context menu. The Drive Test Data Filter dialogue appears.
4. In the Clutter classes window, under Filter, clear the check boxes of the clutter classes you want to filter out. Only the
clutter classes whose check box is selected will be taken into account.
5. If you want to keep the measurement points inside the focus zone, select the Use focus zone to filter check box.
6. If you want to permanently remove the measurement points outside the filter, select the Delete points outside filter
check box.
If you permanently delete measurement points and later want to use them, you will have to re-import the original
measurement data.
To filter out incompatible points using a filter:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. In the Network explorer, right-click the Drive Test Data on which you want to filter out incompatible points:
All drive test data measurements: Right-click the Drive Test Data folder.
Only one drive test data path: Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder and right-click
the drive-test data path on which you want to filter out incompatible points.
The context menu appears.
3. Select Filter from the context menu. The Drive Test Data Filter dialogue appears.
4. Click More. The Filter dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab:
a. Select a Field from the list.
b. Under Values to include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes next
to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
6. Click the Advanced tab:
a. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as you
want (see Figure 9.46).
b. Underneath each column name, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in the follow-
ing table:
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7. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically. For more information on filters, see "Advanced Data Filtering"
on page 96.
8. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.
You can update heights (of the DTM, and clutter heights) and the clutter class of drive test
data points after adding new geographic maps or modifying existing ones by selecting
Refresh Geo Data from the context menu of the Drive Test Data Paths folder.
The errors between measured and predicted signal levels can be calculated and added to the drive test data table.
6. If you want to calculate errors between measured and predicted signal levels, under Select signal levels for error cal-
culations, select the names of the columns representing measured signal level values in the drive test data table for
which you want to calculate the errors (see Figure 9.48). If you do not want to add this information to the drive test
data table, continue with step 7.
Figure 9.48: Selecting Measured Signal Levels for which Errors will be Calculated
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7. Click OK. A new point prediction is created for the selected drive test data path.
8. Right-click the drive test data path. The context menu appears.
9. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Predictions from the context menu.
If you chose to have Atoll calculate the errors between measured and predicted signal levels, new columns are added to the
drive test data table for the predicted point signal level from the serving cell and the errors between the measured and
predicted values.
Figure 9.49: Drive Test Data Table after Point Signal Level Prediction (with Error Calculations)
New columns are also added for the predicted point signal level from each neighbour cell and the errors between the
predicted and measured values. The values stored in these columns can be displayed in the Drive Test Data analysis tool. For
more information on the Drive Test Data analysis tool, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 773.
The propagation model used to calculate the predicted point signal levels is the one assigned to the transmitter for the main
matrix. For more information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
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9.5.4.5 Extracting a Field From a Drive Test Data Path for a Transmitter
You can extract a specific field for a specific transmitter on each point of an existing drive test data path. The extracted infor-
mation will be added to a new column in the table for the drive test data.
To extract a field from a drive test data path:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
3. Right-click the drive test data from which you want to extract a field. The context menu appears.
4. Select Focus on a Transmitter from the context menu. The Field Select for a Given Transmitter dialogue appears.
5. Select a transmitter from the On the Transmitter list.
6. Click the For the Fields list. The list opens.
7. Select the check box beside the field you want to extract for the selected transmitter.
Atoll can display the best server and up to six other servers in the active set. If you want to
display for example, the point signal level, remember to select the check box for the point
signal level for all servers in the For the Fields list. The new column will then display the
point signal level for the selected transmitter for all servers if a value exists.
8. Click OK. Atoll creates a new column in the drive test data path table for the selected transmitters and with the
selected values.
5. Click Display at the top of the Drive Test Data window. The Display Parameters dialogue appears (see Figure 9.51).
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You can change the display status or the colour of more than one field at a time. You can
select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field
you want to import. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking
each field. You can then change the display status or the colour by right-clicking on the
selected fields and selecting the choice from the context menu.
The selected fields are displayed in the Drive Test Data window.
7. You can display the data in the drive test data path in two ways:
Click the values in the Drive Test Data window.
Click the points on the drive test data path in the map window.
The drive test data path appears in the map window as an arrow pointing towards the serving cell, with a number iden-
tifying the best server (see Figure 9.50 on page 773). If the transmitter display type is "Automatic," both the number
and the arrow are displayed in the same colour as the transmitter. For information on changing the display type to
"Automatic," see "Defining the Display Type" on page 44.
8. You can display a second Y-axis on the right side of the window in order to display the values of a variable with dif-
ferent orders of magnitude than the ones selected in the Display Parameters dialogue. You can select the secondary
Y-axis from the right-hand list on the top of the Drive Test Data window. The selected values are displayed in the col-
ours defined for this variable in the Display Parameters dialogue.
9. You can change the zoom level of the Drive Test Data window display in the Drive Test Data window in the following
ways:
Zoom in or out:
i. Right-click the Drive Test Data window.
ii. Select Zoom In or Zoom Out from the context menu.
Select the data to zoom in on:
i. Right-click the Drive Test Data window on one end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
ii. Select First Zoom Point from the context menu.
iii. Right-click the Drive Test Data window on the other end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
iv. Select Last Zoom Point from the context menu. The Drive Test Data window zooms in on the data between
the first zoom point and the last zoom point.
10. Click the data in the Drive Test Data window to display the selected point in the map window. Atoll will recentre the
map window on the selected point if it is not presently visible.
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If you open the table for the drive test data you are displaying in the Drive Test Data
window, Atoll will automatically display in the table the data for the point that is
displayed in the map and in the Drive Test Data window (see Figure 9.50 on page 773).
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c. Paste the contents of the Drive Test Data window into the new document.
To print the Drive Test Data window:
a. Select Print from the context menu. The Print dialogue appears.
b. Click OK to print the contents of the Drive Test Data window.
Before starting a co-planning project in Atoll, the Atoll administrator must perform the
pre-requisite tasks that are relevant for your project as described in the Administrator
Manual.
Sectors of both networks can share the same sites database. You can display base stations (sites and sectors), geographic data,
and coverage predictions, etc., of one network in the other networks Atoll document. You can also study inter-technology
handovers by performing inter-technology neighbour allocations, manually or automatically. Inter-technology neighbours are
allocated on criteria such as the distance between sectors or overlapping coverage. In addition, you can optimise the settings
of the two networks using Atolls Automatic Cell Planning (ACP) module.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Switching to Co-planning Mode" on page 776
"Working with Coverage Predictions in a Co-Planning Project" on page 778
"Performing Inter-technology Neighbour Allocation" on page 782
"Creating a UMTS Sector From a Sector in the Other Network" on page 793
"Using ACP in a Co-planning Project" on page 794
"Ending Co-planning Mode" on page 795.
Before starting a co-planning project, make sure that your main and linked documents
have the same geographic coordinate systems.
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By default, only the Transmitters and Predictions folders of the linked document appear
in the main document. If you want the Sites folder of the linked document to appear in the
main document as well, you can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting
options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
As soon as a link is created between the two documents, Atoll switches to co-planning mode and Atolls co-planning features
are now available.
When you are working on a co-planning document, Atoll facilitates working on two different but linked documents by
synchronising the display in the map window between both documents. Atoll syncronises the display for the following:
Geographic data: Atoll synchronises the display of geographic data such as clutter classes and the DTM. If you select
or deselect one type of geographic data, Atoll makes the corresponding change in the linked document.
Zones: Atoll synchronises the display of filtering, focus, computation, hot spot, printing, and geographic export zones.
If you select or deselect one type of zone, Atoll makes the corresponding change in the linked document.
Map display: Atoll co-ordinates the display of the map in the map window. When you move the map, or change the
zoom level in one document, Atoll makes the corresponding changes in the linked document.
Point analysis: When you use the Point Analysis tool, Atoll co-ordinates the display on both the working document
and the linked document. You can select a point and view the profile in the main document and then switch to the
linked document to make an analysis on the same profile but in the linked document.
After you have switched to co-planning mode as explained in "Switching to Co-planning Mode" on page 776, transmitters and
predictions from the linked document are displayed in the main document. If you want, you can display other items or folders
from the explorer window of the linked document to the explorer window of the main document (e.g., you can display GSM
sites and measurement paths in a UMTS document).
To display sites from the linked document in the main document:
1. Click the linked documents map window. The linked documents map window becomes active and the explorer
window shows the contents of the linked document.
2. Select the Network explorer.
3. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Make Accessible In from the context menu, and select the name of the main document from the submenu that
opens.
The Sites folder of the linked document is now available in the main document. The explorer window of the main document
now contains a folder named Sites in [linked document], where [linked document] is the name of the linked document. If you
want the Sites folder of the linked document to appear in the main document automatically, you can set an option in the
atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
The same process can be used to link other folders in one document, folders such as CW Measurements, Drive Test Data,
Clutter classes, Traffic Maps, and DTM, etc., in the other document.
Once the folders are linked, you can access their properties and the properties of the items in the folders from either of the
two documents. Any changes you make in the linked document are taken into account in the both the linked and main docu-
ments. However, the only changes in the working document that are taken into account in the linked document are changes
made to the linked folders (e.g., the Transmitters and Predictions folders).
If you close the linked document, Atoll displays a warning icon ( ) in the main documents explorer window, and the linked
items are no longer accessible from the main document. You can load the linked document in Atoll again by right-clicking the
linked item in the explorer window of the main document, and selecting Open Linked Document.
The administrator can create and set a configuration file for the display parameters of linked and main document transmitters
in order to enable you to distinguish them on the map and to be able to select them on the map using the mouse. If such a
configuration file has not been set up, you can choose different symbols, sizes and colours for the linked and the main docu-
ment transmitters. For more information on folder configurations, see "Folder Configurations" on page 105. You can also set
the tip text to enable you to distinguish the objects and data displayed on the map. For more information on tip text, see
"Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 46.
In order to more easily view differences between the networks, you can also change the order of the folders or items in the
explorer window. For more information on changing the order of items in the explorer window, see "Working with Layers
Using the Explorer Windows" on page 39.
Figure 9.52 shows an example of UMTS transmitters with labels, and GSM transmitter data displayed in tip text.
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To prevent Atoll from calculating coverage predictions in the linked Predictions folder, you
can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini file,
see the Administrator Manual.
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documents. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab when you created the coverage
prediction (step 3. of "Analysing Coverage Predictions" on page 779).
To get coverage prediction results in the form of tip text:
In the map window, place the pointer over the area of the coverage prediction that you want more information on.
After a brief pause, the tip text appears with the information defined on all displayed coverage predictions in both the
working and the linked documents (see Figure 9.22). The tip text for the working document is on top and the tip text
for the linked document, with the linked document identified by name is on the bottom.
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Figure 9.55: GSM coverage by transmitter high transparency with full interior coloured by BCCH, with BCCH/BSIC
information available in tip text
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The two coverage predictions are compared and a comparison coverage prediction is added to the main documents Predic-
tions folder.
For more information on coverage prediction comparison, see "Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 677.
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7. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
8. Select Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours from the menu. The exceptional pair of a cell will be displayed
when you select a transmitter.
9. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. Exceptional pairs are now displayed
on the map. Exceptional pairs will remain displayed until you click the Visual Management button again.
10. Click a transmitter on the map to show its exceptional pair links. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter,
clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
The exceptional pair links can be displayed even if you do not have neighbours allocated. If you select the Display Links check
box under Intra-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and intra-technology exceptional pairs on the
map.
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When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One
of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
The Adjacency factor is not used when calculating the importance of inter-technology
neighbours.
Co-site Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being located on
the same site as reference transmitter. The Co-site Factor will be used if you select the Force co-site transmitters
as neighbours check box when performing automatic neighbour allocation. For information on automatically allo-
cating neighbours, see "Allocating Inter-technology Neighbours Automatically" on page 784.
5. Click OK.
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By setting an option in the atoll.ini file, you can prevent Atoll from allocating inter-technol-
ogy neighbours to cells located on sites whose equipment does not support the
compressed mode. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
To automatically allocate neighbours in the linked document for cells in the main document:
1. Click the main documents map window.
2. Select the Network explorer.
3. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Neighbours > Inter-technology > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour
Allocation dialogue appears.
5. Click the Inter-technology Neighbours tab.
6. Define the maximum distance between the reference cell and a possible neighbour in the Max Inter-site Distance box.
7. Define the maximum number of inter-technology neighbours that can be allocated to a cell in the Max Number of
Neighbours box. This value can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
8. Clear the Use Overlapping Coverage check box in order to base the neighbour allocation on a distance criterion and
continue with step 9. Otherwise, select the Use Overlapping Coverage check box if you want to base the neighbour
allocation on coverage conditions.
a. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the cells in the main document. The UMTS Coverage
Conditions dialogue appears.
In the UMTS Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Min. pilot signal level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum Ec/Io which must be provided by the reference cell.
Ec/Io margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin relative to the Ec/Io of the best server. The reference cell is either the
best server in terms of pilot quality or a cell of the active set.
Max. Ec/Io: Select the Max. Ec/Io option and enter the maximum Ec/Io which must not be exceeded by the
reference cell.
DL load contributing to Io: You can select whether Atoll should use a Global Value (% Pmax) of the downlink
load for all the cells, or the downlink loads Defined per Cell.
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
edge coverage probability.
Indoor coverage: If desired, select the Indoor coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
b. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
c. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the transmitters/cells in the linked document.
If the linked document is a GSM document, the GSM Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the GSM Coverage
Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Min. BCCH Signal Level: Enter the minimum BCCH signal level which must be provided by the GSM transmit-
ter.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the BCCH signal level of the best server. The BCCH signal level of the
neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
If the linked document is an LTE document, the LTE Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the LTE Coverage
Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
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d. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
e. In the % Min. Covered Area box, enter the minimum percentage of the cells coverage area that the neighbours
coverage area should also cover to be considered as a neighbour.
9. Under Calculation Options, define the following:
CDMA Carriers: Select the carriers on which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers;
Atoll will allocate neighbours to cells using the selected carriers.
Force co-site as neighbours: Selecting the Force co-site as neighbours check box will include the co-site transmit-
ters/cells in the neighbour list of the UMTS cell. The check box is automatically selected when the neighbour allo-
cation is based on distance.
Force exceptional pairs: Selecting the Force exceptional pairs check box will apply the inter-technology excep-
tional pair criteria on the neighbours list of the UMTS cell.
Delete existing neighbours: Selecting the Delete existing neighbours check box will delete all existing neighbours
in the neighbours list and perform a clean neighbour allocation. If the Delete existing neighbours check box is not
selected, Atoll keeps the existing neighbours in the list.
10. Click the Calculate button to start calculations.
11. Once the calculations finish, Atoll displays the list of neighbours in the Results section. The results include the names
of the neighbours, the number of neighbours of each cell, and the reason they are included in the neighbours list. The
reasons include:
The neighbour is located at the same site as the reference Force co-site as neighbours is
Co-site
cell. selected
The neighbour is within the maximum distance from the Use coverage overlapping is
Distance
reference cell. not selected
12. Select the check box in the Commit column of the Results section to choose the inter-technology neighbours you want
to assign to cells.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document.
To compare the proposed and existing neighbour lists:
Click Compare. The list of automatically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared
with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaRe-
port.txt which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type,
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
13. Click the Commit button. The allocated neighbours are saved in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cell.
14. Click Close.
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3. Select Neighbours > Inter-technology > Display Options from the context menu. The Neighbour Display dialogue
appears.
4. Under Inter-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
5. Under Advanced, select the neighbour links to display:
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Shows a neighbour link for each cell in the main document that has a neighbour
defined with a transmitter/cell in the linked document. These links are represented with straight dashed lines of
the same colour as the transmitter in the main document.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Shows a neighbour link for each transmitter/cell in the linked document that has a
neighbour defined with a cell in the main document. These links are represented with straight dashed lines of the
same colour as the transmitter in the linked document.
Symmetric Links: Shows a neighbour link for each cell in the main document that has a neighbour defined with a
transmitter/cell in the linked document only if the transmitter/cell in the linked document also has the cell of the
main document in its neighbours list. These links are represented with straight black lines.
6. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
8. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. Neighbours are now displayed on
the map. Neighbours are displayed until you click the Edit Relations on the Map button again.
9. Click a transmitter on the map to show its neighbour links. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter,
clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
If you select the Display Links check box under Intra-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and intra-
technology neighbours on the map. The figure below shows the intra- and inter-technology neighbours of the transmitter
Site22_2.
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Allocating or Deleting Inter-technology Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters/cells in the linked document and cells in the main
document using the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue:
1. On the main documents map window, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context
menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which
you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Inter-technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the Maximum Number of Neighbours.
To allocate a new neighbour:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ).
3. Click elsewhere in the table to complete creating the new neighbour.
4. When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and the
neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, and sets the Source to "manual."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
4. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the Neigh-
bour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
4. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation between the
cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:
1. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
3. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
In GSM, the Inter-technology Neighbours tab is available in each transmitters Properties dialogue.
To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters/cells in the linked document and cells in the main
document using the Inter-technology Neighbours table:
1. Click the main documents map window.
2. Select the Network explorer.
3. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Neighbours > Inter-technology > Open Table from the context menu. The Inter-technology Neighbours table
appears.
5. Enter one inter-technology neighbour per row of the table. Each cell can have more than one inter-technology neigh-
bour.
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You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours using the Excep-
tional Pairs of Inter-technology Neighbours table. You can open this table, select the
exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force Exceptional Pairs
in the context menu.
You can allocate inter-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse. Atoll adds or removes neighbours to trans-
mitters if the display option is set to Neighbours.
Before you can add or remove inter-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of inter-technology
neighbours on the map as explained in "Displaying Inter-technology Neighbours on the Map" on page 786.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitter to
the list of inter-technology neighbours of the other transmitter.
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When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One
of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
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9. Under Coverage Conditions, you can set the coverage conditions between inter-technology neighbours and their ref-
erence cells for both of the projects.
a. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for cells in the main document. The UMTS Coverage
Conditions dialogue appears.
In the UMTS Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum Ec/Io which must be provided by the reference cell.
Ec/Io Margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin relative to the Ec/Io of the best server. The reference cell is either the
best server in terms of pilot quality or a cell of the active set.
Max. Ec/Io: Select the Max. Ec/Io option and enter the maximum Ec/Io which must not be exceeded by the
reference cell.
DL Load Contributing to Io: You can select whether Atoll should use a Global Value (% Pmax) of the downlink
load for all the cells, or the downlink loads Defined per Cell.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
b. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
c. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the transmitters/cells in the linked document.
If the linked document is a GSM document, the GSM Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the GSM Coverage
Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Min. BCCH Signal Level: Enter the minimum BCCH signal level which must be provided by the GSM transmit-
ter.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the BCCH signal level of the best server. The BCCH signal level of the
neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
If the linked document is an LTE document, the LTE Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the LTE Coverage
Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
d. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
10. If you cleared the Use Overlapping Coverage check box, enter the maximum distance between the reference cell and
a possible neighbour in the Max Inter-site Distance box.
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
11. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information.
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If the field Maximum number of inter-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty,
the Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
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Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours in the audited neighbour plan that are located
at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
Figure 9.56: New sector Before and after applying the configuration
The azimuths and mechanical tilts of secondary antennas or remote antennas are not
included when you select Update Folder Configuration and have to be set up manually.
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You can modify the parameters for the optimisation setup by right-clicking it in the Network explorer and selecting Properties
from the context menu. For information on the parameters available, see "Defining Optimisation Parameters" on page 234.
After defining the co-planning optimisation setup:
Right-click the setup in the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder and select Run from the context menu to run the
optimisation. For information on running the optimisation, see "Running an Optimisation Setup" on page 267. For
information on the optimisation results, see "Viewing Optimisation Results" on page 270.
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For every pair of carriers that is not defined, Atoll assumes that there is no inter-carrier interference.
d. Press ENTER to create the carrier pair and to create a new row in the table.
When you have more than one frequency band, the carriers must be numbered
sequentially, contiguously (i.e., you cannot skip numbers in a range of carriers, and the
range of carriers in one band cannot overlap the range of carriers in another), and
uniquely (i.e., you can only use each number once).
For example: Band 2100: First carrier: 0; Last carrier 1 and Band 900: First carrier: 2 and
Last carrier: 2
7. When you have finished adding frequency bands, click the Close button ( ).
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I0: You can select "Total noise" and Atoll will calculate I0 using the noise generated by all transmitters plus thermal
noise or you can select "Without pilot" and Atoll will calculate I0 using the total noise less the pilot signal and
orthogonal part of traffic channels and other common channels.
Nt: You can select "Total noise" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the noise generated by all transmitters plus thermal
noise or you can select "Without useful signal" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the total noise less the signal of the
studied cell.
Handoff: Under Handoff, you can define the parameters used to model soft handoff on the uplink.
Default UL Macro-Diversity Gain: You can set a default value for the uplink gain due to macro-diversity on soft
and soft-soft handovers. If you clear the Shadowing taken into account check box on the Conditions tab when
defining a coverage prediction or during a point analysis, Atoll uses this value. If you select the Shadowing taken
into account check box on the Conditions tab, Atoll calculates the UL macro-diversity gain, based on the standard
deviation value of EbNt on the uplink defined per clutter class.
+MRC (maximal ratio combining) in Softer/Soft: If you select the +MRC in Softer/Soft check box, Atoll selects the
serving cell during a softer/soft handover by recombining the signal of co-site transmitters and multiplying the
resulting signal by the rake efficiency factor and then comparing this value to the signal received at transmitters
located on the other sites of the active set. Atoll chooses the greatest value and multiplies it by the macro-diver-
sity gain.
Compressed Mode: Under Compressed Mode, you can define the parameters related to compressed mode. Com-
pressed mode is used when a mobile supporting compressed mode is connected to a cell located on a site with a com-
pressed-mode-capable equipment and either the pilot RSCP, or the received EcI0, or both of them are lower than the
defined activation thresholds.
Pilot RSCP Activation Threshold: You can select the RSCP Active check box and enter a Pilot RSCP Activation
Threshold.
EcI0 Activation Threshold: You can select the EcI0 Active check box and enter a EcI0 Activation Threshold.
You must select either the RSCP Active check box or the EcI0 Active check box or both.
EbNt UL and DL Target Increase: When compressed mode is activated, EbNt requirements in UL and DL are
increased. In order to take this into account, Atoll adds UL and DL EbNt target increase values to the UL and DL
EbNt requirements set for each radio bearer.
HSDPA: Under HSDPA, you can define how total noise is calculated and how the CQI (Channel Quality Indicator) is
evaluated for HSDPA.
Nt: You can select "Total noise" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the noise generated by all transmitters plus thermal
noise or you can select "Without useful signal" and Atoll will calculate Nt as the total noise less the signal of the
studied cell.
CQI: You can select Based on CPICH quality and Atoll will measure the CQI based on the pilot EcNt or you can
select Based on HS-PDSCH quality and Atoll will measure the CQI based on the HS-PDSCH EcNt. Depending on
the option selected, you will have to define either a CQI=f(CPICH Ec/Nt) graph, or a CQI=f(HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt) graph
in the Properties dialogue of the terminal equipment. The calculated CQI will be used to determine the best
bearer.
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3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Network Settings Properties dialogue appears.
4. Modify the parameters described in "The Options of the Network Settings Properties Dialogue" on page 796.
5. Click OK.
The maximum and minimum traffic channel powers can be either absolute values or values
relative to the pilot power; this depends on the option defined on the Global Parameters
tab of the UMTS Network Settings Properties dialogue. These values have to be manually
modified when the option is changed.
DL Spreading Factor (Active Users): Enter or modify the downlink spreading factor for active users. This parameter
is used to estimate the number of OVSF codes required by an active user using the R99 radio bearer.
DL Spreading Factor (Inactive Users): Enter or modify the downlink spreading factor for inactive users. This
parameter is used to estimate the number of OVSF codes required by an inactive user with the R99 radio bearer.
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The HSDPA Radio Bearers table lists the available HSDPA radio bearers. They can be classified into two categories:
HSDPA bearers using QPSK and 16QAM modulations. They can be selected for users connected to HSPA and HSPA+
capable cells.
HSDPA bearers using 64QAM modulation (following improvements introduced by release 7 of the 3GPP UTRA speci-
fications, referred to as HSPA+). These HSDPA bearers can be allocated to users connected to cells with HSPA+ capa-
bilities only.
You can create new HSDPA radio bearers and modify existing ones by using the HSDPA Radio Bearers table.
To open the HSDPA Radio Bearers table:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the UMTS Network Settings folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Radio Bearers folder.
4. Right-click the HSDPA Radio Bearers folder. The context menu appears.
5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The HSDPA Radio Bearers table appears with the following information:
Radio Bearer Index: The bearer index number.
Transport Block Size (Bits): The transport block size in bits.
Number of Used HS-PDSCH Channels: The number of HS-PDSCH channels used.
RLC Peak Rate (bps): The RLC peak rate represents the peak rate without coding (redundancy, overhead,
addressing, etc.).
Modulation: The modulation used. You can choose between QPSK, 16QAM or 64QAM.
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The rake receiver efficiency factor used to model the recombination in downlink can be set
in terminal properties.
Carrier selection: Carrier selection refers to the carrier selection method used during the transmitter admission
control in the mobile active set. The selected strategy is used in simulations when no carrier is specified in the
properties of the service (all the carriers can be used for the service) or when the carrier specified for the service
is not used by the transmitter. On the other hand, the specified carrier selection mode is always taken into account
in predictions (AS analysis and coverage predictions). Choose one of the following:
Min. UL Load Factor: The carrier with the minimum UL noise (carrier with the lowest UL load factor) is select-
ed.
Min. DL Total Power: The carrier with the minimum DL total power is selected.
Random: The carrier is randomly chosen.
Sequential: Carriers are sequentially loaded. The first carrier is selected as long as it is not overloaded. Then,
when the maximum uplink load factor is reached, the second carrier is chosen and so on.
Downlink and Uplink Overhead Resources for Common Channels/Cell: The uplink and downlink overhead
resources for common channels/cell correspond to the numbers of channel elements that a cell uses for common
channels in the uplink and downlink. This setting is also used for OVSF code allocation; it indicates the number of
OVSF codes to be allocated to control channels per cell.
AS restricted to neighbours: Select this option if you want the other transmitters in the active set to belong to the
neighbour list of the best server.
Compressed Mode: If you select this option, cells located on sites with this equipment are able to manage com-
pressed mode when radio conditions require it. Compressed mode is generally used to prepare the hard handover
of users with single receiver terminals.
By setting an option in the atoll.ini file, you can prevent Atoll from allocating inter-carrier
and inter-technology neighbours to cells located on sites whose equipment does not
support the compressed mode. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Overhead Iub Throughput/Cell (kbps): The overhead Iub throughput per cell corresponds to the Iub throughput
required by the cell for common channels in the downlink.
HSDPA Iub Backhaul Overhead (%): The HSDPA Iub backhaul overhead corresponds to the percentage of the
HSDPA bearer RLC peak rate to be added to the RLC peak rate. The total value corresponds to the Iub backhaul
throughput required by the HSDPA user for HS Channels in the downlink.
Throughput Supported per E1/T1/Ethernet Link (kbps): The throughput supported per E1/T1/Ethernet link cor-
responds to the throughput carried by an E1/T1/Ethernet link. This parameter is used to calculate the required Iub
capacity, i.e. the number of E1/T1/Ethernet links required to provide the total throughput.
7. Click the Close button ( ) to close the table.
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9.7.5.2 Defining Resource Consumption per UMTS Site Equipment and R99 Radio
Bearer
The number of channel elements and the Iub backhaul throughput consumed by an R99 bearer user depend on the site equip-
ment, on the R99 radio bearer, and on the link direction (up or down). The number of channel elements and the Iub backhaul
throughput consumed can be defined for UMTS simulations.
To define channel element and Iub backhaul throughput consumption during UMTS simulations:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the UMTS Network Settings folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Radio Resource Management folder.
4. Right-click R99 Resource Consumption. The context menu appears.
5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The R99 Resource Consumption table appears.
6. For each equipment-R99 radio bearer pair, enter in the R99 Resource Consumption table the number of UL and DL
channel elements and the UL and DL Iub backhaul throughputs that Atoll will consume during the power control sim-
ulation.
9.7.5.3 Defining Resource Consumption per UMTS Site Equipment and HSUPA Ra-
dio Bearer
The number of channel elements and the Iub backhaul throughput consumed by a HSUPA bearer user in the uplink depend
on the site equipment and on the HSUPA radio bearer. The number of channel elements and the Iub backhaul throughput
consumed can be defined for UMTS simulations.
To define channel element and Iub backhaul throughput consumption during UMTS simulations:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the UMTS Network Settings folder.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Radio Resource Management folder.
4. Right-click HSUPA Resource Consumption. The context menu appears.
5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The HSUPA Resource Consumption table appears.
6. For each equipment-HSUPA radio bearer pair, enter in the HSUPA Resource Consumption table the number of UL
channel elements and the UL Iub backhaul throughput that Atoll will consume during the power control simulation.
You can create a new reception equipment type by right-clicking the Reception Equipment
folder and selecting New from the context menu.
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5. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can define the Name of the reception equipment.
6. Click the R99 Bearer Selection tab. On the R99 Bearer Selection tab, you can define downlink and uplink EbNt
requirements. These are the thresholds (in dB) that must be reached to provide users with the service. These param-
eters depend on the mobility type.
Using transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) diversity results in a quality gain on received downlink and uplink EbNt. You can
specify gains on received downlink and uplink EbNt for each diversity configuration. Atoll will consider them when Tx
or Rx diversity configurations are assigned to transmitters.
R99 Bearer: Select an R99 bearer from the list.
Mobility: Select a mobility type from the list.
UL Target (dB): Enter or modify the uplink (EbNt) threshold.
Uplink 2RX Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the two-receiver uplink diversity gain in dB.
Uplink 4RX Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the four-receiver uplink diversity gain in dB.
DL Target (dB): Enter or modify the downlink (EbNt) threshold.
Downlink Open Loop Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the downlink open loop diversity gain in dB.
Downlink Closed Loop Diversity Gain (dB): Enter or modify the downlink closed loop diversity gain in dB.
7. Click the Quality Graphs tab.
8. Ensure that a Quality Indicator has been chosen for each R99 Bearer. You can edit the values in the DL and UL Quality
Indicator Tables by clicking directly on the table entry, or by selecting the Quality Indicator and clicking the Downlink
Quality Graphs or the Uplink Quality Graphs buttons.
The DL and UL Quality Indicator tables describe the variation of the quality indicator as a function of the measured
parameter (as defined in the Quality Indicators table). The Uplink and Downlink Quality Graphs are used for quality
predictions.
9. Click the HSDPA Bearer Selection tab.
10. Ensure that the values for each Mobility in the CQI Table and the Best HSDPA Bearer Table have been entered. You
can edit the values in the CQI Table and the Best HSDPA Bearer Table by clicking directly on the table entry, or by
selecting the Mobility and clicking the CQI Graph or the Best Bearer Graph buttons.
The CQI table describes the variation of the CPICH CQI as a function of the CPICH Ec/Nt (or the variation of HS-PDSCH
CQI as a function of the HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt); the values displayed depend on the calculation parameter you have selected
in the Global Parameters tab of the UMTS Network Settings Properties dialogue (for more information, see "The
Options of the Network Settings Properties Dialogue" on page 796).
The HS-PDSCH CQI table describes the index of the best HSDPA bearer as a function of the HS-PDSCH CQI.
The CQI graphs and best bearer graphs are used in the simulation and in the HSDPA prediction to model fast link adap-
tation (selection of the HSDPA bearer).
The supplier RRM (radio resource management) strategy can be taken into account using the HS-PDSCH CQI table, for
example:
You can define several pieces of reception equipment with a separate table for each. You can reserve low bearer
indexes for poor-performance reception equipment and higher bearer indexes for high-performance equipment.
You can specify a graph for each mobility. Here, you can reserve low bearer indexes for high speeds and higher
bearer indexes for low speeds.
You can also give priority to either one user by assigning him a high bearer index or to all users by assigning them
low bearer indexes.
11. Click the HSDPA Quality Graphs tab.
12. Ensure that a Quality Indicator has been chosen for each Radio Bearer Index. You can edit the values in the DL Quality
Indicator Table by clicking directly on the table entry, or by selecting the Quality Indicator and clicking the Downlink
Quality Graph button.
The HSDPA BLER table describes the variation of the BLER as a function of the HS-PDSCH EcNt. It is used to calculate
the application throughput for the HSDPA coverage prediction.
13. Click the HSUPA Bearer Selection tab.
14. Ensure that, for each Radio Bearer Index and Mobility pair, you have entered a value for the Number of Retransmis-
sions and for the Requested EcNt Threshold. You can edit the values in the Early Termination Probabilities table by
clicking directly on the table entry, or by selecting the Radio Bearer Index and clicking the Early Termination Proba-
bility Graph button.
The Number of Retransmissions and the Requested EcNt Threshold values are used in the simulation and in the
HSUPA prediction to model noise rise scheduling and in the selection of the HSUPA radio bearer.
The Early Termination Probabilities table describes the variation of the early termination probability as a function of
the number of retransmissions. It is used in the HSUPA prediction to calculate the average RLC throughput and the
average application throughput when HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) is used.
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TTI 2 ms: Select the check box if a TTI of 2 ms is supported. If a 2 ms TTI is not selected, a 10 ms TTI is used.
Min Spreading Factor: Enter the minimum spreading factor supported.
Max Block Size for a 2 ms TTI (bits): The maximum transport block size allowed for a 2 ms TTI.
Max Block Size for a 10 ms TTI (bits): The maximum transport block size allowed for a 10 ms TTI.
Highest Modulation: Select the highest modulation supported by the category. You can choose between QPSK
or16QAM. If 16QAM modulation is selected, 16QAM and QPSK modulations can be used.
Transmit or receive diversity uses more than one transmission or reception antenna to send or receive more than one copy
of the same signal. The signals are constructively combined (using optimum selection or maximum ratio combining) at the
receiver to extract the useful signal. As the receiver gets more than one copy of the useful signal, the signal level at the receiver
after combination of all the copies is more resistant to interference than a single signal would be. Therefore, diversity
improves the quality at the receiver. It is often used for the regions of a cell that have bad quality conditions.
In Atoll, you can define whether a cell supports transmit diversity by selecting HSPA+ (Transmit Diversity) in cell properties
(see "Cell Definition" on page 633). Diversity gains on downlink can be defined in the reception equipment for different
numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports, mobility types and HSDPA bearers. For more information on downlink
diversity gains, see "Creating or Modifying Reception Equipment" on page 801. Additional gain values can be defined per clut-
ter class. For information on setting the additional downlink diversity gain for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see
"Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 145.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (mobile, pixel, or point receiver) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
that supports HSPA+ with transmit diversity, will benefit from the downlink diversity HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt gain.
Spatial Multiplexing
Spatial multiplexing uses more than one transmission antenna to send different signals (data streams) on each antenna. The
receiver can also have more than one antenna for receiving different signals. When spatial multiplexing is used with M trans-
mission and N reception antenna ports, the throughput over the transmitter-receiver link can be theoretically increased M or
N times, depending on which is smaller, M or N. Spatial multiplexing improves the throughput (i.e., the channel capacity) for
a given HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt, and is used for the regions of a cell that have sufficient HS-PDSCH EcNt conditions.
In Atoll, you can define whether a cell supports spatial multiplexing by selecting HSPA+ (Spatial Multiplexing) in the cell prop-
erties (see "Cell Definition" on page 633). Spatial multiplexing capacity gains can be defined in the reception equipment for
different numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports, mobility types, and HSDPA bearers. For more information on
spatial multiplexing gains, see "Creating or Modifying Reception Equipment" on page 801.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (mobile, pixel, or point receiver) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
that supports HSPA+ with spatial multiplexing, will benefit from the spatial multiplexing gain in its throughput depending on
its HS-PDSCH EcNt.
Because spatial multiplexing improves the channel capacity or throughputs, the HS-PDSCH EcNt of a user is determined first.
Once the HS-PDSCH EcNt is known, Atoll determines the corresponding CQI and calculates the user throughput based on the
bearer available at the user location. The obtained user throughput is then increased according to the spatial multiplexing
capacity gain and the Spatial Multiplexing Gain Factor of the users clutter class. The capacity gains defined in Max Spatial
Multiplexing Gain graphs are the maximum theoretical capacity gains using spatial multiplexing. Spatial multiplexing requires
a rich multipath environment, without which the gain is reduced. In the worst case, there is no gain. Therefore, you can define
a Spatial Multiplexing Gain Factor per clutter class whose value can vary from 0 to 1 (0 = no gain, 1 = 100% gain). For infor-
mation on setting the Spatial multiplexing Gain Factor for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter
Class Properties" on page 145.
The spatial multiplexing capacity gain vs. HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt graphs available in Atoll by default have been generated based on
the maximum theoretical spatial multiplexing capacity gains obtained using the following equations:
CC MIMO
G MIMO = ---------------------
-
CC SISO
Ec
-------
TX RX Nt HS PDSCH
Where CC MIMO = Min ( N Ant, N Ant ) Log 2 1 + ------------------------------------------ is the channel capacity at a given HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt for a
Min ( N Ant, N Ant )
TX RX
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nel capacity for a single antenna system at a given HS-PDSCH EcNt. HS-PDSCH EcNt is used as a ratio (and not dB) in these
formulas. You can replace the default spatial multiplexing capacity gain graphs with graphs extracted from simulated or meas-
ured values.
9.7.9.1 Displaying the Shadowing Margins and Macro-diversity Gain per Clutter
Class
To display the shadowing margins and macro-diversity gain per clutter class:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
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3. Select Shadowing Margins from the context menu. The Shadowing Margins and Gains dialogue appears (see
Figure 9.57).
4. You can set the following parameters:
Cell Edge Coverage Probability: Enter the probability of coverage at the edge of the cell. The value you enter in
this dialogue is for information only.
Standard Deviation: Select the type of standard deviation to be used to calculate the shadowing margin or macro-
diversity gains:
Model: The model standard deviation. Atoll will display the shadowing margin of the signal level.
EcI0: The EcI0 standard deviation. Atoll will display the EcI0 shadowing margin and the resulting DL pilot
macro-diversity gains. The macro-diversity gains will be calculated using the values you enter in 1st - 2nd Best
Signal Difference and 2nd - 3rd Best Signal Difference.
UL EbNt: The EbNt UL standard deviation. Atoll will display the EbNt UL shadowing margin and the resulting
UL macro-diversity gains. The macro-diversity gains will be calculated using the values you enter in 1st - 2nd
Best Signal Difference and 2nd - 3rd Best Signal Difference.
DL EbNt: The EbNt DL standard deviation. Atoll will display the EbNt DL shadowing margin.
5. If you select "EcI0" or "EbNt UL" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, you can enter the differences
that will be used to calculate the macro-diversity gain under Macro-Diversity Parameters:
1st - 2nd Best Signal Difference: If you selected "EcI0" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, enter
the allowed EcI0 difference between the best server and the second one. This value is used to calculate DL macro-
diversity gains. If you selected "EbNt UL" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, enter the allowed
Eb/Nt difference between the best server and the second one. This value is used to calculate UL macro-diversity
gains.
2nd - 3rd Best Signal Difference: If you selected "EcI0" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, enter
the allowed EcI0 difference between the second-best server and the third one. This value is used to calculate DL
macro-diversity gains. If you selected "EbNt UL" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, enter the
allowed Eb/Nt difference between the second-best server and the third one. This value is used to calculate UL
macro-diversity gains.
6. Click Calculate. The calculated shadowing margin is displayed. If you selected "EcI0" or "EbNt UL" as the standard
deviation under Standard Deviation, Atoll also displays the macro-diversity gains for two links and for three links.
7. Click Close to close the dialogue.
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and intermodulation. In Atoll, you can define interference reduction factor (IRF) graphs for different technologies
(CDMA, TDMA, OFDM). These graphs are then used for calculating the interference from the external base stations
on mobiles. This interference is taken into account in all downlink interference-based calculations. For more informa-
tion, see "Defining Inter-technology IRFs" on page 807.
Interference from external mobiles (also called uplink-to-downlink interference) can be created by insufficient sepa-
ration between the uplink frequency used by the external network and the downlink frequency used by your UMTS
network. Such interference may also come from co-existing TDD networks. The effect of this interference is modelled
in Atoll using the Inter-technology DL Noise Rise definable for each cell in the UMTS network. This noise rise is taken
into account in all downlink interference-based calculations. However, this noise rise does not impact the calculation
of the mobile reuse factor. For more information on the Inter-technology DL Noise Rise, see "Cell Definition" on
page 633.
You can study the downlink inter-technology interference by carrying out an Inter-technology Downlink Interference
coverage prediction as explained in "Studying Inter-technology Downlink Interference" on page 694.
Interference received by cells on the uplink: Interference can be received by cells of a UMTS network on the uplink
from external base stations and mobiles in the vicinity.
Interference from external base stations (also called downlink-to-uplink interference) can be created by insufficient
separation between the downlink frequency used by the external network and the uplink frequency used by your
UMTS network. Such interference may also come from co-existing TDD networks.
Interference from external mobiles (also called uplink-to-uplink interference) can be created by the use of same or
nearby frequencies for uplink in both networks. Unless the exact locations of external mobiles is known, it is not possi-
ble to separate interference received from external base stations and mobiles on the uplink. The effect of this inter-
ference is modelled in Atoll using the Inter-technology UL Noise Rise definable for each cell in the UMTS network.
This noise rise is taken into account in uplink interference-based calculations in the simulation. However, this noise
rise is not taken into consideration in predictions (AS Analysis and coverage predictions) and does not have an impact
on the calculation of the cell reuse factor. For more information on the Inter-technology UL Noise Rise, see "Cell Defi-
nition" on page 633.
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1
ACIR = -------------------------------------
1 1
------------- + -----------------
ACS ACLR
808
Chapter 10
CDMA2000 Networks
This chapter provides the information to use Atoll to In this chapter, the following are explained:
design, analyse, and optimise a CDMA2000 network.
"Planning and Optimising CDMA Base Stations" on
page 811
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 904
"Optimising Network Parameters Using the ACP" on
page 933
"Verifying Network Quality" on page 935
"Co-planning CDMA Networks with Other Networks"
on page 947
"Advanced Configuration" on page 965
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10 CDMA2000 Networks
Atoll enables you to create and modify all aspects of CDMA2000 1xRTT (1st eXpansion Radio Telephone Technology) and
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (1xEvolution Data Only) Rev.0 and Rev.A networks. Once you have created the network, Atoll offers
many tools to let you verify the network. Based on the results of your tests, you can modify any of the parameters defining
the network.
Planning the CDMA network and creating the network of base stations is explained in "Planning and Optimising CDMA Base
Stations" on page 811. Allocating neighbours is explained in "Planning Neighbours" on page 882 and allocating PN Offset
codes is explained in "Planning PN Offsets" on page 896. In this section, you will also find information on how you can display
information on base stations on the map and how you can use the tools in Atoll to study base stations.
In "Studying Network Capacity" on page 904, using traffic maps to study network capacity is explained. Creating simulations
using the traffic map information and analysing the results of simulations is also explained.
Using drive test data paths to verify the network is explained in "Verifying Network Quality" on page 935. Filtering imported
drive test data paths, and using the data in coverage predictions is also explained.
The terminology used in CDMA is slightly different from the standard terminology used in Atoll. Therefore, the terminology
used in explanations reflects the standard CDMA terminology with the equivalent Atoll terminology given when references
are made to the user interface.
CDMA Atoll
handoff handover
A n te n n a
- A z im u t h
- M e c h a n i c a l t i lt
TMA
A n te n n a
- H e ig h t
F e e d e r C a b le
T r a n s m it t e r
- N o is e fig u r e
- P ow er
S it e
- X , Y c o o r d in a t e s
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Atoll lets you create one site, transmitter, or cell at a time, or create several at once by creating a station template. Using a
station template, you can create one or more base stations at the same time. In Atoll, a base station refers to a site with its
transmitters, antennas, equipment, and cells.
Atoll allows you to make a variety of coverage predictions, such as signal level or transmitter coverage predictions. The results
of calculated coverage predictions can be displayed on the map, compared, or analysed.
Atoll enables you to model network traffic by allowing you to create services, users, user profiles, environments, and termi-
nals. This data can be then used to make quality coverage predictions, such as effective service area, noise, or handoff status
predictions, on the network.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Creating a CDMA Base Station" on page 812
"Creating a Group of Base Stations" on page 828
"Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map" on page 828
"Display Tips for Base Stations" on page 829
"Creating a Dual-Band CDMA Network" on page 829
"Creating a Repeater" on page 829
"Creating a Remote Antenna" on page 833
"Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document" on page 836
"Studying a Single Base Station" on page 837
"Studying Base Stations" on page 841
"Planning Neighbours" on page 882
"Planning PN Offsets" on page 896.
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Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name here. If you
want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location of
the site here.
While this method allows you to place a site with precision, you can also place sites using
the mouse and then position them precisely with this dialogue afterwards. For
information on placing sites using the mouse, see "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on
page 41.
Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can
specify the actual altitude under Real, if you want. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for cal-
culations.
Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you want.
The Equipment tab:
Max Number of Uplink Channel Elements per Carrier: The maximum number of physical radio resources on the
reverse link per carrier for the current site. By default Atoll enters the maximum possible (256).
Max Number of Downlink Channel Elements per Carrier: The maximum number of physical radio resources on
the forward link per carrier for the current site. By default Atoll enters the maximum possible (256).
Max Number of EV-DO Channel Elements per Carrier: The maximum number of EV-DO radio resources on the
reverse link per carrier for the current site. This parameter is used only with CDMA2000 1xEV-DO. By default Atoll
enters the maximum possible (96).
With 1xEV-DO, only one user on the forward link can be served at a given time. This user consumes only one chan-
nel element. On the reverse link, there can be more than one user with each user consuming one channel element,
therefore, the maximum number of EV-DO radio resources applies only to the reverse link.
Equipment: You can select equipment from the list. To create new site equipment, see "Creating Site Equipment"
on page 970.
If no equipment is assigned to the site, Atoll uses the following default values:
Rake efficiency factor = 1
MUD factor = 0
Carrier selection = reverse link minimum noise
Forward link and reverse link overhead resources for common channels = 0
The option AS Restricted to Neighbours is not selected, the option Pool of Shared CEs is not selected, the
option Power Pooling Between Transmitters is not selected and Atoll uses one channel element on the
forward link or reverse link for any service during power control simulation.
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Active: If this transmitter is to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active transmitters are displayed
in red in the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer.
Transmission/Reception: Under Transmission/Reception, you can define the total losses and the noise figure in
the Real text boxes. Atoll can calculate losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equipment assigned
to the transmitter; the calculated values are indicated in the Computed text boxes. Atoll always considers the
values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the values in the Computed boxes.
You can update the values in the Real boxes with the values in the Computed text boxes. For information, see
"Updating the Values for Total Losses and the Transmitter Equipment Noise Figure" on page 177.
You can assign equipment by using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which appears when you click the
Equipment button.
On the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 10.4), the equipment you select and the gains and losses
you define are used to set the transmitter noise figure and the total transmitter reverse link and forward link
losses:
TMA: You can select a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to
access the properties of the TMA. For information on creating a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equipment" on
page 176.
Feeder: You can select a feeder cable from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the prop-
erties of the feeder. For information on creating a feeder cable, see "Defining Feeder Cables" on page 176.
Transmitter: You can select transmitter equipment from the Transmitter list. You can click the Browse button
( ) to access the properties of the transmitter equipment. For information on creating transmitter equip-
ment, see "Defining Transmitter Equipment" on page 176.
Feeder Length: You can enter the feeder length at transmission and reception.
Miscellaneous Losses: You can enter miscellaneous losses at transmission and reception. The value you enter
must be positive.
Receiver Antenna Diversity Gain: You can enter a receiver antenna diversity gain. The value you enter must
be positive.
Any loss related to the noise due to a transmitters repeater is included in the calculated
reception losses.
Antennas:
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
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Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens a dialogue displaying
all the possible antennas based on the same physical antenna as the currently selected one. Selecting the Elec-
trical tilt of the antenna model displays the appropriate antennas under Available Antennas. Selecting the
antenna under Available Antennas and clicking OK assigns the antenna to the transmitter. The other fields,
Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt, display additional antenna parameters.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
The mechanical and additional electrical downtilts defined for the main antenna
are also used for the calculations of smart antennas.
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power, which is the percentage of
power reserved for this particular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one secondary antenna, if you
reserve 40% of the total power for the secondary antenna, 60% is available for the main antenna.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
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PN Offset: The PN Offset is a time offset used by a cell to shift a Pseudo Noise sequence.
Ec/I0 Threshold (dB): Enter the minimum EcI0 required from the cell to be the best server in the active set.
T_Drop: Enter the minimum EcI0 required from the cell not to be rejected from the active set.
Inter-technology UL Noise Rise: This noise rise represents the interference created by mobiles and base stations
of an external network on this cell on the uplink. This noise rise will be taken into account in all uplink interference-
based calculations involving this cell in simulations. It is not used in predictions (AS Analysis and coverage predic-
tions). In predictions, Atoll calculates the uplink total interference from the UL load factor which includes inter-
technology uplink interference. For more information on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling Inter-
technology Interference" on page 975.
Inter-technology DL Noise Rise: This noise rise represents the interference created by mobiles of an external net-
work on the mobiles served by this cell on the downlink. This noise rise will be taken into account in all downlink
interference-based calculations involving this cell. For more information on inter-technology interference, see
"Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 975.
Max Number of Intra-carrier Neighbours: The maximum number of intra-carrier neighbours for this cell. This
value is used by the intra-carrier neighbour allocation algorithm.
Max Number of Inter-carrier Neighbours: The maximum number of inter-carrier neighbours for this cell. This
value is used by the inter-carrier neighbour allocation algorithm.
Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of inter-technology neighbours for this cell.
This value is used by the inter-technology neighbour allocation algorithm.
Neighbours: You can access a dialogue in which you can set both intra-technology (intra-carrier and inter-carrier)
and inter-technology neighbours by clicking the Browse button ( ). For information on defining neighbours, see
"Planning Neighbours" on page 882.
The Browse button ( ) might not be visible in the Neighbours box if this is a new cell.
You can make the Browse button appear by clicking Apply.
By default, the synchronisation power and paging power are set as absolute values. You
can set these values as relative to the pilot power by right-clicking the Network Settings
folder in the Parameters explorer and selecting Properties from the context menu. Then,
on the Global Parameters tab of the Properties dialogue, under DL Powers, you can select
Relative to Pilot. The synchronisation power and paging power values are automatically
converted and set as relative to the pilot power.
Max DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of the maximum forward link power (set in Max Power) not to be
exceeded. This limit will be taken into account during the simulation if the options DL Load and Max DL Load
defined per cell are selected. If these options are not selected during a simulation, this value is not taken into con-
sideration.
Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum reverse link load factor not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into
account during the simulation. This limit will be taken into account during the simulation if the options UL Load
Factor and Max UL Load Factor defined per cell are selected. If these options are not selected during a simulation,
this value is not taken into consideration.
Total Power (dBm or %): The total transmitted power on forward link. This value can be a simulation result or can
be entered by the user.
By default, the total power is set as absolute value. You can set this value as a percentage
of the maximum power of the cell by right-clicking the Network Settings folder in the
Parameters explorer and selecting Properties from the context menu. Then, on the Global
Parameters tab of the Properties dialogue, under DL Load, you can select % Pmax. The
total power value is automatically converted and set as a percentage of the maximum
power.
UL Load Factor (%): The reverse link cell load factor. This factor corresponds to the ratio between the reverse link
total interference and the reverse link total noise. This is the global value of reverse link load factor including the
reverse link inter-technology interference. This value can be a simulation result or can be entered by the user.
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Power Reserved for Pooling (dB): The power reserved for pooling is the maximum amount of power that can be
allocated to this cell by other transmitters on the site using the same carrier. This value is only used if the site
equipment allows power pooling between transmitters.
The following parameters are available for 1xEV-DO carriers:
Max Power (dBm): The power transmitted by a 1xEV-DO cell when there is at least one user. For 1xEV-DO carriers,
the transmitter equipment always transmits at maximum power (the DL maximum power) unless it has no user to
support. When there is no user, the transmitter equipment transmits a very low level of power during idle traffic
slots (DL maximum power + Idle gain).
Idle Power Gain (dB): The gain applied to the DL power when there is no active user connected to the cell. It must
be a negative value.
MUG Table = f(No. Users): You can access the MUG (Multi-User Gain) table by clicking the Browse button ( ).
The MUG table is a graph of gain as a function of the number of users. The average cell throughput is higher with
multiple users than with a single user. This is modelled by the MUG graph.
In transmitters that support multi-carrier EV-DO, this MUG graph is used in calculations instead of the MUG graph
set per cell.
Noise Rise Threshold (dB): The noise rise threshold. The noise rise threshold and the acceptable noise rise margin
are considered in the simulation during reverse link congestion. Atoll ensures that the cell reverse link noise rise
is within a range defined by the noise rise threshold plus the margin and the noise rise threshold minus the margin.
Acceptable Noise Rise Margin (dB): The acceptable noise rise margin.
DRC Error Rate (%): The error rate as a percentage received by the cell on the Data Rate Control (DRC) channel.
The cell may receive the DRC channel from a mobile incorrectly. If this happens, the mobile will not be scheduled
for data transmission. This value is taken into account during rate control when Atoll calculates the average cell
throughput on the forward link.
EV-DO Timeslots Dedicated to BCMCS (%): The percentage of timeslots dedicated to Broadcast/Multicast Services
(BCMCS). This parameter is taken into account during rate control when Atoll calculates the cell average forward
link throughput.
EV-DO Timeslots Dedicated to Control Channels (%): The percentage of timeslots dedicated to control channels
(control, pilot, and ACK channels). This parameter is taken into account during rate control when Atoll calculates
the cell average forward link throughput.
BCMCS Throughput (kbps): The BCMCS throughput. Two throughput values are available: 204.8 kbps and
409.6 kbps. This parameter is taken into account during rate control when Atoll calculates the cell average for-
ward link throughput.
Max UL Load Factor (%): The maximum reverse link load factor not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into
account during the simulation.
Total Power (dBm): The total transmitted power on forward link. This value can be a simulation result or can be
entered by the user.
UL Load Factor (%): The reverse link cell load factor. This factor corresponds to the ratio between the reverse link
total interference and the reverse link total noise. This is the global value for the reverse link load factor including
the reverse link inter-technology interference. This value can be a simulation result or can be entered by the user.
Max No. of EV-DO Users: The maximum number of EV-DO carrier users that this cell can support at any given time.
Multi-carrier EV-DO users are counted once in each cell they are connected to.
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If you are creating several sites at the same time, or modifying several existing sites, you
can do it quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Sites table. You can open
the Sites table by right-clicking the Sites folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Open Table from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see
"Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If you are creating several transmitters at the same time, or modifying several
existing transmitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data
directly in the Transmitters table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-
clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting Open Table
from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying
and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the
transmitter by right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the con-
text menu.
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4. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Cells tab.
6. Modify the parameters described in "Cell Definition" on page 816.
7. Click OK.
If you are creating or modifying several cells at the same time, you can do it more
quickly by editing the data directly in the Cells table. You can open the Cells table
by right-clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Cells > Open Table from the context menu. You can either edit the data in the table,
paste data into the table (see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77), or
import data into the table (see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82).
If you want to add a cell to an existing transmitter on the map, you can add the cell
by right-clicking the transmitter and selecting New Cell from the context menu.
2. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to
place the new station. The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are
visible in the Status bar.
To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click
the New Station button. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing
the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays its tip text
with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
You can also place a series of stations using a station template. You do this by defining an area on the map where you want
to place the stations. Atoll calculates the placement of each station according to the defined hexagonal cell radius in the
station template. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating a Station Template" on page 821.
To place a series of stations within a defined area:
1. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
2. Click the Hexagonal Design button ( ), to the left of the template list. A hexagonal design is a group of stations cre-
ated from the same station template.
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3. Draw a zone delimiting the area where you want to place the series of stations:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Atoll fills the delimited zone with new stations and their hexagonal shapes. Station objects such as sites and transmit-
ters are also created and placed into their respective folders.
Once you have created one or more stations, the hexagons describing their cell radius remain visible. You can choose not to
display them.
To hide the hexagons after creating stations using the Hexagonal Design button ( ) or the New Station button ( ):
In the Network explorer, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
You can work with the sites and transmitters in these stations as you work with any station object, adding, for example,
another antenna to a transmitter.
When you place a new station using a station template as explained in "Placing a New Station Using a Station Template" on
page 820, the site is created at the same time as the station. However, you can also place a new station on an existing site.
To place a station on an existing site:
1. In the Network explorer, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
2. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
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8. Select Paste from the context menu. The station template you copied in step 5. is pasted in the new row, with the
Name of the new station template given as the same as the template copied but preceded by "Copy of".
9. Edit the parameters of the new station template in the table or as explained in "Modifying a Station Template" on
page 822.
Under Main Antenna, you can modify the following: the Height/Ground of the antennas from the ground (i.e., the
height over the DTM; if the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include the height of
building), the main antenna Model, 1st Sector Azimuth, from which the azimuth of the other sectors are offset to
offer complete coverage of the area, the Mechanical Downtilt, and the Additional Electrical Downtilt for the
antenna.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
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Under Propagation, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both the
Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. For information on propagation models, see "Assigning a Propagation
Model to One Transmitter" on page 845.
Under Comments, you can add additional information. The information you enter will be the default information
in the Comments field of any transmitter created using this station template.
8. Click the Transmitter tab. On this tab (see Figure 10.7). You can modify the following:
Active: If the transmitters in this station template are to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active
transmitters are displayed in red in the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer.
Transmission/Reception: Under Transmission/Reception, you can define the total losses and the noise figure in
the Real text boxes. Atoll can calculate losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equipment assigned
to the transmitter; the calculated values are indicated in the Computed text boxes. Atoll always considers the
values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the values in the Computed boxes.
You can update the values in the Real boxes with the values in the Computed text boxes. For information, see
"Updating the Values for Total Losses and the Transmitter Equipment Noise Figure" on page 177.
You can assign equipment by using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which appears when you click the
Equipment button. For information on the Equipment Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on
page 814.
9. Click the CDMA tab. On this tab (see Figure 10.8), you modify the specifications of the Carriers (each corresponding
to a cell) that each transmitter supports. For information on carriers and cells, see "Cell Definition" on page 816.
You can select the Carrier numbers for each sector of the station template. To select the carriers to be added to
the sectors of a base station created using this station template:
i. Click the Browse button ( ). The Carriers per Sector dialogue appears.
ii. In the Carriers per Sector dialogue, select the carriers to be created for each sector of the station.
iii. Click OK.
Under PN Offset, you can define the Reuse Distance and the Domain of the pseudo noise offset.
Under Power, you can define the Pilot, the Paging, and the Synchro powers, and the Idle Power Gain.
Under Simulation Constraints, you can modify the Max Power, the Max DL Load (defined as a percentage of the
maximum power), and the Max UL Load Factor.
Under Load Conditions, you can modify the Total Transmitted Power and the UL Load Factor.
Under Active Set, you can modify the Min Ec/Io and the T-Drop.
Under Inter-technology Interference, you can set the DL Noise Rise and the UL Noise Rise. For more information
on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 975.
You can also modify the Number of Uplink and Downlink Channel Elements and select the Equipment.
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10. Click the CDMA2000 tab. On this tab (see Figure 10.9), you modify additional specifications of the Carriers (each cor-
responding to a cell) that each transmitter supports. For information on carriers and cells, see "Cell Definition" on
page 816.
You can set the Power Reserved for Pooling.
Under 1xRTT, you can modify the Pilot Power, the Paging Power, and the Synchro Power.
Under 1xEV-DO, you can modify the Idle Power Gain, the Max. Number of EV-DO Channel Elements per Carrier,
and you can modify the MUG (multi-user gain) table.
Under Rev.0, you can set the Noise Rise Threshold, the Acceptable Noise Rise Margin, and the DRC Error Rate.
Under Rev.A, you can set the Timeslot BCMCS, the Timeslot Control Channels, and the BCMCS Throughput.
Under Rev.B, you can select whether Multi-carrier EV-DO is supported and you can enter a MUG=f(No. Users)
graph and define the min Ec/Nt (UL).
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11. Click the Neighbours tab. On this tab (see Figure 10.10), you can modify the Max Number of Intra- and Inter-Carrier
Neighbours and the Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours. For information on defining neighbours, see "Plan-
ning Neighbours" on page 882.
12. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Sites table, or if you have defined an additional field in the Station Template Properties dialogue.
13. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save your
changes.
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Placing the duplicate base station on an existing site: In the map window, move the pointer over the existing site
where you would like to place the duplicate. When the pointer is over the site, the site is automatically selected.
The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are visible in the Status bar (see Figure 10.12).
To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you select
Duplicate from the context menu. For information on using the zooming tools, see
"Changing the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays tip text
with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
Any duplicated remote antennas and repeaters will retain the same donor transmitter as
the original. If you want the duplicated remote antenna or repeater to use a transmitter
on the duplicated base station, you must change the donor transmitter manually.
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You can also place a series of duplicate base stations by pressing and holding CTRL in step 6. and clicking to place each
duplicate base station.
For more information on the site, transmitter, and cell properties, see "Definition of a Base Station" on page 812.
When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data. For
information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on
page 121.
The table you copy from must have the same column layout as the table you are pasting
data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
Importing data: If you have data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it into the tables in
the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or CSV format and then
import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows you to select what
values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, transmitter
data in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.
For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80. For infor-
mation on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool on the Radio Planning toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New Station
Using a Station Template" on page 820.
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Broad-band repeaters are not modelled. Atoll assumes that all carriers from the 3G donor
transmitter are amplified.
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2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Repeater from the menu.
4. Click the map to place the repeater. The repeater is placed on the map, represented by a symbol ( ) in the same
colour as the donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna. If the repeater is inactive, it is displayed by an empty
icon. By default, the repeater has the same azimuth as the donor. Its tip text and label display the same information
as displayed for the donor. As well, its tip text identifies the repeater and the donor. In the Explorer window, the
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repeater is found in the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer under its donor transmitter, repeater, or remote
antenna.
For information on defining the properties of the new repeater, see "Defining the Properties of a Repeater" on
page 831.
When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If the donor is a remote antenna or another repeater, then "RepZ" is preceded by "RemA_"
or "RepB_" where "A" and "B" identify the donor remote antenna and the donor repeater.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, a remote antenna,
or another repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the repeater is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties
dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared antenna (coverage side) field for the repeater. This field is used to identify the
transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas that are located at the same site or on sites with the same position
and that share an antenna. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas. When changes are made to the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of
one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
Under Antenna Position, you can define the position of the repeater, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to Site: Select Relative to Site, if you want to define the position of the repeater relative to the site
itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the repeater by its XY coordinates.
You can select equipment from the Equipment list. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dia-
logue of the equipment.
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You can change the Amplification Gain. The amplification gain is used in the link budget to evaluate the repeater
total gain.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select a Link Type.
If you select Microwave Link, enter the Propagation Losses and continue with step 5.
If you select Air, select a Propagation Model and enter the Propagation Losses or click Calculate to determine
the actual propagation losses between the donor and the repeater. If you do not select a propagation model,
the propagation losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater are calculated using the ITU 526-5
propagation model.
When you create an off-air repeater, it is assumed that the link between the donor transmitter and the repeat-
er has the same frequency as the network.
If you want to create a remote antenna, you must select Optical Fibre Link.
If you selected Air under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Antenna:
Model: The type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the
properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection Assistant dialogue with a
list of available antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
To find a suitable antenna, select a Physical Antenna (which can have one or more possible antenna patterns,
corresponding to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt of the
antenna model to be used at the repeater. Based on the selected physical antenna and the electrical downtilt,
suitable antenna models are listed. Select the antenna model to use from the Available Antennas. and click
OK. The Antenna Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned to the repeater.
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the repeater is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Mechanical Azimuth and Mechanical Downtilt display additional antenna parameters.
You can click the Calculate button to update the mechanical azimuth and mechanical
downtilt values after changing the repeater donor side antenna height or the repeater
location. If you choose another site or change site coordinates in the General tab, click
Apply before clicking the Calculate button.
If you selected Air under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Feeders:
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active repeaters (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the Network
explorer) are calculated.
Under Total Gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual gains. If
you have modified any parameter in the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply before clicking
the Calculate button. Atoll uses the forward link total gain values to calculate the signal level received from the
repeater. The reverse link total gain value is considered in reverse link EbNt service area coverage predictions.
The forward link total gain is applied to each power (pilot power, SCH power, etc.). The reverse link total gain is
applied to each terminal power. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the
repeater, donor characteristics (donor antenna gain, reception feeder losses), amplification gain, and coverage
characteristics (coverage antenna gain and transmission feeder losses).
Under Antennas, you can modify the following parameters:
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the repeater is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection
Assistant dialogue with a list of available antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
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To find a suitable antenna, select a Physical Antenna (which can have one or more possible antenna patterns,
corresponding to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt of the
antenna model to be used at the repeater. Based on the selected physical antenna and the electrical downtilt,
suitable antenna models are listed. Select the antenna model to use from the Available Antennas. and click
OK. The Antenna Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned to the repeater.
Mechanical Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt display additional antenna
parameters.
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
Under Losses, Atoll displays the Loss Related to Repeater Noise Rise.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since repeaters are taken into account during calculations, you must set the propagation
parameters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution
for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics of the repeater (model,
calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter. For information on propagation
models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected repeaters by
creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Repeaters table and
setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Repeaters > Calculate
Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update the UL and DL total gains
for repeaters with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set to "False".
You can update the propagation losses of all off-air repeaters by selecting Repeaters > Calculate Donor Side Propa-
gation Losses from the Transmitters context menu.
You can select a repeater on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the
Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using
the Mouse" on page 42).
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"Placing a Remote Antenna on the Map Using the Mouse" on page 834
"Creating Several Remote Antennas" on page 834
"Defining the Properties of a Remote Antenna" on page 835
"Tips for Updating Remote Antenna Parameters" on page 836.
Ensure that the remote antennas donor transmitter does not have any antennas.
2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Remote Antenna from the menu.
4. Click the map to place the remote antenna. The remote antenna is placed on the map, represented by a symbol ( )
in the same colour as the donor transmitter. If the remote antenna is inactive, it is displayed by an empty icon. By
default, the remote antenna has the same azimuth as the donor transmitter. Its tip text and label display the same
information as displayed for the donor transmitter. As well, its tip text identifies the remote antenna and the donor
transmitter.
For information on defining the properties of the new remote antenna, see "Defining the Properties of a Remote
Antenna" on page 835.
When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
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If the donor is a repeater or another remote antenna, then "RemZ" is preceded by "RepA_"
or "RemB_" where "A" and "B" identify the donor repeater and the donor remote antenna.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, another remote
antenna or a repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the remote antenna is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the
Properties dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared Antenna (coverage side) field for the remote antenna. This field is used to
identify the transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas that are located at the same site or on sites with the
same position and that share an antenna. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters,
repeaters, and remote antennas. When changes are made to the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height,
or mechanical tilt of one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the same changes to all other transmitters,
repeaters, and remote antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
Under Antenna Position, you can define the position of the remote antenna, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to Site: Select Relative to Site, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna relative to
the site itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna by its XY coordi-
nates.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select Optical Fibre Link and enter the Fibre Losses.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active remote antennas (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the Net-
work explorer) are calculated.
Under Total Gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual gains. If
you have modified any parameter in the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply before clicking
the Calculate button. Atoll uses the forward link total gain values to calculate the signal level received from the
remote antenna. The reverse link total gain value is considered in reverse link EbNt service area coverage predic-
tions.
The forward link total gain is applied to each power (pilot power, SCH power, etc.). The reverse link total gain is
applied to each terminal power. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the
remote antenna.
Under Antennas, you can modify the following parameters:
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the remote antenna is situated on a building, the height entered
must include the height of the building.
Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection
Assistant dialogue with a list of available antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
To find a suitable antenna, select a Physical Antenna (which can have one or more possible antenna patterns,
corresponding to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt of the
antenna model to be used at the remote antenna. Based on the selected physical antenna and the electrical
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downtilt, suitable antenna models are listed. Select the antenna model to use from the Available Antennas.
and click OK. The Antenna Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned to the re-
mote antenna.
Mechanical Azimuth, Mechanical downtilt, and Additional electrical downtilt display additional antenna
parameters.
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power.
The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since remote antennas are taken into account during calculations, you must set propaga-
tion parameters, as with transmitters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model,
Radius, and Resolution for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics
of the remote antenna (model, calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter.
For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected remote antennas
by creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Remote Antennas
table and setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Remote
Antennas > Calculate Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update
the UL and DL total gains for remote antennas with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set
to "False."
You can select a remote antenna on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using
the Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site
Using the Mouse" on page 42).
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2. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
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The profile analysis appears in the Profile view of the Point Analysis Tool window. The altitude (in metres) is reported
on the vertical axis and the receiver-transmitter distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel
zone between the transmitter and the receiver, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the
angle of the LOS read from the vertical antenna pattern. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this causes
attenuation with diffraction displayed by a red vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction mecha-
nisms into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the most with the Fresnel ellipsoid. With some propaga-
tion models using a 3 knife-edge Deygout diffraction method, the results may display two additional attenuations
peaks. The total attenuation is displayed above the main peak.
The results of the analysis are displayed at the top of the Profile view:
The received signal strength of the selected transmitter
The propagation model used
The shadowing margin and the indoor loss (if selected)
The distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
You can change the following options at the top of the Profile view:
Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list.
Carriers: Select the carrier to be analysed.
5. At the top of the Profile view, you can click one of the following buttons:
: Click the Properties button ( ) to display the Properties dialogue of the selected transmitter.
: Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculations Options dialogue. You can change the following:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Select Signal Level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result Type list.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
: Click the Geographic button ( ) if you want to view the geographic profile between the transmitter and
the receiver. Atoll displays the profile between the transmitter and the receiver with clutter heights. An ellipsoid
indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed. Atoll does not calculate or display signal levels and losses.
: Click the Link Budget button ( ) to display a dialogue with the link budget.
: Click the Detailed Report button ( ) to display a text document with details on the displayed profile
analysis. Detailed reports are only available for the standard propagation model.
: Click the Copy button ( ) to copy the Profile view. You can then paste the contents of the Profile view as
a graphic into a graphic editing or word-processing programme.
: Click the Print button ( ) to print the Profile view.
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You can use the same procedure to study the signal level coverage of several sites by
grouping the transmitters. For information on grouping transmitters, see "Grouping Data
Objects by a Selected Property" on page 89.
If you want to study only transmitters by their status, at this step you could group them
by status.
City Centre 5m
City 20 m
County 50 m
State 100 m
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Conditions tab: The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to define the signals that will
be considered for each pixel (see Figure 10.14).
At the top of the Conditions tab, you can set the signal level range to be considered. In Figure 10.14, a signal
level greater than or equal to -120 dBm will be considered.
Under Server, select "All" to consider signal levels from all servers.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
You can select the Carrier to be studied, or select "Best". In CDMA2000, 1xEV-DO always transmits at full
power, unlike 1xRTT. Therefore, if you select "Best", the values displayed will always be for the maximum
power transmitted by the cell, in other words, the power for the 1xEV-DO carrier. In order to make a coverage
prediction on the transmitted power of the 1xRTT carrier, you must select the carrier. When you select the
1xRTT carrier, the coverage prediction displays the strength of the received pilot signal.
Display tab: You can modify how the results of the coverage prediction will be displayed.
Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals."
Under Field, select "Best signal level." Selecting "All" or "Best signal level" on the Conditions tab will give you
the same results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best signal level"
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display properties,
see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can create tip text with information about the coverage prediction by clicking the Browse button ( )
next to the Tip Text box and selecting the fields you want to display in the tip text.
You can select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed value intervals to the legend.
If you change the display properties of a coverage prediction after you have calculated it,
you may make the coverage prediction invalid. You will then have to recalculate the cover-
age prediction to obtain valid results.
7. Click the Result Export tab. You can export the results per pixel of the coverage prediction. For information, see
"Exporting the Values per Pixel of a Coverage Prediction" on page 219.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The signal level
coverage prediction can be found in the Predictions folder in the Network explorer. Atoll automatically locks the results of a
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coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction in the Predictions
folder. When you click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll only calculates unlocked coverage predictions ( ).
Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices using
the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main propagation
model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 10.15) and a higher resolution and an extended propaga-
tion model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate higher resolu-
tion path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower resolution path loss
matrices outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Path Loss Matrices" on page 842
"Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 843
"The Calculation Process" on page 846
"Creating a Computation Zone" on page 846
"Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active" on page 847
"Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 848
"Analysing a Coverage Prediction" on page 852
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Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matrices
in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. In the case of large radio-planning projects,
embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case of large radio-
planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use of computer
resources.
The path loss matrices are also stored externally in a multi-user environment, when several users are working on the same
radio-planning document and share the path loss matrices. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database and the path
loss matrices are read-only and are stored in a location accessible to all users. When the user changes his radio data and recal-
culates the path loss matrices, the calculated changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matri-
ces are not modified. These will be recalculated by the administrator taking into consideration the changes to radio data made
by all users. For more information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix
A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Predictions tab, under Path Loss Matrix Storage, you can set the location for your private path loss matrices
and the location for the shared path loss matrices:
Private Directory: The Private Directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are loading
path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.
Click the button beside Private Directory ( ) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in the Atoll
document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.
Path loss matrices you calculate locally are not stored in the same directory as shared path
loss matrices. Shared path loss matrices are stored in a read-only directory. In other words,
you can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes you
make will be stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or in a private external folder,
depending on what you have selected in Private Directory.
When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed and not only when you save the Atoll document. In order to
keep consistency between the Atoll document and the stored calculations, you should
save the Atoll document before closing it, if you have updated the path loss matrices.
Shared Directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a data-
base and the common path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you
make will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private Directory. The path
loss matrices in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based on the updated infor-
mation in the database. For more information on shared directories, see the Administrator Manual.
If you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, ensure that the path to the Shared Directory is correct.
5. Click OK.
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Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices before calculating any coverage prediction. If you want, you
can check if the path loss matrices are invalid without creating a coverage prediction.
To check whether the path loss matrices are valid:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table. You have the fol-
lowing display options:
Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:
Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices are
recalculated.
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
Reason for Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
5. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 10.16) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as well as
a summary of the reasons for invalidity.
When you assign a propagation model globally, you override any selection you might
have made to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters.
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If, after assigning a propagation model to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters, you assign a propa-
gation model globally, you will override the propagation models that you had assigned to individual transmitters or to
a group of transmitters.
3. If you have assigned a default propagation model for coverage predictions, as described in "Assigning a Default Prop-
agation Model for Coverage Predictions" on page 845, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmit-
ters whose main propagation model is "(Default model)." If a transmitter has any other propagation model chosen as
the main propagation model, that is the propagation model that will be used.
In this section, the following methods of assigning a propagation model are explained:
"Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters" on page 844
"Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters" on page 844
"Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 845
"Assigning a Default Propagation Model for Coverage Predictions" on page 845.
Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings. In
Atoll, you can assign the same propagation model to several transmitters by first grouping them by their common parameters
and then assigning the propagation model.
To define a main and extended propagation model for a defined group of transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. From the Group by submenu of the context menu, select the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.
You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 90.
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3. Right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button ( ) in the
Table toolbar to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up
button ( ) in the Table toolbar. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see
"Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
If you have added a single transmitter, you can assign it a propagation model. You can also assign a propagation model to a
single transmitter after you have assigned a main and extended propagation model globally or to a group of transmitters.
When you assign a main and extended propagation model to a single transmitter, it overrides any changes made globally.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Propagation tab.
6. Under Main Matrix:
Select a Propagation Model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. If desired, under Extended Matrix:
Select a Propagation Model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
8. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for the selected transmitter.
You can assign a default propagation model for coverage predictions. This propagation model is used as for all transmitters
whose main propagation model is "(Default model)."
To assign a default propagation model for coverage predictions:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Predictions tab.
5. Select a Default Propagation Model from the list.
6. Enter a Default Resolution. When you create a new coverage prediction, the resolution by default is the value you
have entered here.
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By making the necessary entry in the atoll.ini file, if you clear the value entered in the
Resolution box when you create a coverage prediction, Atoll will calculate the coverage
prediction using the currently defined default resolution. That way, if you have many
coverage predictions, you can change their resolution by changing the default resolution
and recalculating the coverage predictions. Atoll will then calculate them using the
updated resolution. For information on changing entries in the atoll.ini file, see the
Administrator Manual.
7. Click OK. The selected propagation model will be used for coverage predictions for all transmitters whose main prop-
agation model is "(Default model)."
You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button
( ) in the toolbar.
When you click the Force Calculation button ( ) instead of the Calculate button,
Atoll calculates all path loss matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simula-
tions.
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and selecting
Use As > Computation Zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing computation zone with any
existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the Explorer window and selecting Add To > Computation Zone
from the context menu.
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Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computation Zone in
the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit Zone to
Map Window from the context menu.
You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document,
in the following ways:
Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on saving
the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration"
on page 101.
Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by right-
clicking the Computation Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the
context menu.
If you do not yet have a zone containing the transmitters you want to set as active, you can
draw a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 54.
4. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
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Once you have ensured that all transmitters are active, you can set the propagation model parameters. For information on
choosing and configuring a propagation model, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
Calculating path loss matrices can be extremely time and resource intensive when you are working on larger projects. Conse-
quently, Atoll offers you the possibility of distributing path loss calculations on several computers. You can install the Atoll
computing server application on other workstations or on servers. Once the computing server application is installed on a
workstation or server, the computer is available for distributed path loss calculation to other computers on the network. For
information on distributed calculations, see the Administrator Manual.
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You can run a specific prediction study displaying a coverage by pilot signal level for a given
terminal, service, mobility and carrier as explained in "Making a Pilot Signal Quality Predic-
tion" on page 870.
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When creating a coverage prediction by discrete values, you can not export the values per
pixel.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
You can also predict which server is the second best server on each pixel by selecting
"Second best signal level" on the Conditions tab setting "Discrete Values" as the Display
Type and "Transmitter" as the Field on the Display tab.
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By changing the parameters selected on the Conditions tab and by selecting different
results to be displayed on the Display tab, you can calculate and display information other
than that which has been explained in the preceding sections.
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1. Click the Point Analysis ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears and the pointer
2. Select Reception ( ) from the list at the top of the Point Analysis window (see Figure 10.22).
The predicted signal level from different transmitters is reported in the Reception view in the form of a bar chart, from
the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom. Each bar is displayed in the colour of
the transmitter it represents. In the map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the
colour of the transmitters they represent. A thick black line from the pointer to its best server is also displayed in the
map window. The best server of the pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level.
If you let the pointer rest, the signal level received from the corresponding transmitter at the pointer location is
displayed in the tool-tip.
At the top of the Reception view, select the Carrier to be analysed.
3. At the top of the Reception view, you can click one of the following buttons:
: Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculations Options dialogue. You can change the following:
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Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
: Click the Copy button ( ) to copy the Reception view. You can then paste the contents of the Reception
view as a graphic into a graphic editing or word-processing programme.
: Click the Print button ( ) to print the Reception view.
You can also select the Results view ( ) to get more information. The Results view displays the current position and height
of the receiver, the clutter class it is situated on, and for each transmitter, its signal level (or RSCP), its path loss, Ec/Io, C/I, DL
and UL Eb/Nt values, and PN Offset.
10.1.10.7.4 Creating a Focus Zone or Hot Spot for a Coverage Prediction Report
The focus and hot spots define an area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. While you can only
have one focus zone, you can define several hot spots in addition to the focus zone.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus and hot spots. The computation zone defines the area
where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo, power control simulations, etc., while the focus
and hot spots are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results. When you create a coverage predic-
tion report, it gives the results for the focus zone and for each of the defined hot spots.
To define a focus zone or hot spot:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Focus Zone or Hot Spots folder, depending on whether you want to create a focus zone or a hot spot.
The context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select one of the following:
Draw Polygon
i. Click once on the map to start drawing the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the focus zone or hot spot changes
direction.
iii. Click twice to finish drawing and close the focus zone or hot spot.
Draw Rectangle
i. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot.
ii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the focus zone or hot spot. When you release the
mouse, the focus zone or hot spot will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zones visibility
check box in the Zones folder of the Geo explorer, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into account.
You can also create a focus or hot spot as follows:
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus or hot spot by right-clicking it and selecting
Use As > Focus Zone or Use As > Hot Spot from the context menu. You can also combine an existing focus zone or hot
spot with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the Explorer window and selecting Add To > Hot
Spot or Add To > Hot Spot from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a focus or hot spot. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus Zone or Hot Spots
folder in the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot spots, you can import
the name given to each zone as well.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a focus or hot spot the size of the map window by selecting Fit Zone to Map
Window from the context menu.
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You can save the focus zone or hot spots, so that you can use it in a different Atoll docu-
ment, in the following ways:
Saving the focus zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the
focus zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on
page 101.
Exporting the focus zone or hot spots: You can export the focus zone or hot spots
by right-clicking the Focus Zone or the Hot Spots folder in the Geo explorer and
selecting Export from the context menu.
You can include population statistics in the focus or hot spot by importing a population
map. For information on importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File"
on page 137.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Save button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
6. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed dia-
logue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report is based on the hot spots and on the focus zone if
available or on the hot spots and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
To display a report on all coverage predictions:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
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3. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:
a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Save button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
5. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed dia-
logue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report shows all displayed coverage predictions in the same
order as in the Predictions folder. The report is based on the focus zone if available or on the calculation zone if there
is no focus zone.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spots by importing a population map. For information on import-
ing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 137. Normally, Atoll takes all geo data into consideration,
whether it is displayed or not. However, for the population statistics to be used in a report, the population map has to be
displayed.
To include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spots:
1. Ensure that the population geo data is visible. For information on displaying geo data, see "Displaying or Hiding
Objects on the Map Using the Explorer Windows" on page 38.
2. Select the Network explorer.
3. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
5. Select the following columns, where "Population" is the name of the folder in the Geo explorer containing the popu-
lation map:
"Population" (Population): The number of inhabitants covered.
"Population" (% Population): The percentage of inhabitants covered.
"Population" (Population [total]): The total number of inhabitants inside the zone.
6. Click OK.
Atoll saves the names of the columns you select and will automatically select them the next time you create a coverage predic-
tion report.
If you have created a custom data map with integrable data, the data can be used in prediction reports. The data will be
summed over the coverage area for each item in the report (for example, by transmitter or threshold). The data can be value
data (revenue, number of customers, etc.) or density data (revenue/km, number of customer/km, etc.). Data is considered
as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example, socio-demographic
classes, rain zones, etc. For information on integrable data in custom data maps, see "Integrable Versus Non Integrable Data"
on page 154.
1. Right-click the report and select Export from the context menu or click the Export button ( ) in the Table toolbar.
The Save As dialogue appears.
2. In the Save As dialogue, enter the File name and select the format from the Save as type list:
TXT: To save the report as a text file.
CSV: To save the report as a comma-separated values file.
XLS: To save the report as an Excel spreadsheet.
XML Spreadsheet 2003: To save the report as an XML spreadsheet.
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If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can verify if a newly added base station improves coverage.
A signal level coverage prediction of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal
Level" on page 848. The results are displayed in Figure 10.24. An area with poor coverage is visible on the right side of the
figure.
A new site is added, either by creating the site and adding the transmitters, as explained in "Creating a CDMA Base Station"
on page 812, or by placing a station template, as explained in "Placing a New Station Using a Station Template" on page 820.
Once the new base station has been added, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would be impos-
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sible to compare the results. Instead, the original signal level coverage prediction can be copied by selecting Duplicate from
its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show the effect of the new base station (see Figure 10.25).
Figure 10.25: Signal level coverage prediction of network with new base station
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If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can see how modifying transmitter tilt can improve coverage.
A coverage prediction by transmitter of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Trans-
mitter" on page 850. The results are displayed in Figure 10.27. The coverage prediction shows that one transmitter is covering
its area poorly. The area is indicated by a red oval in Figure 10.27.
You can try modifying the tilt on the transmitter to improve the coverage. The properties of the transmitter can be accessed
by right-clicking the transmitter in the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu. The mechanical and elec-
trical tilt of the antenna are defined on the Transmitter tab of the Properties dialogue.
Once the tilt of the antenna has been modified, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would be
impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original coverage prediction by can be copied by selecting Duplicate from its
context menu. The copy is then calculated, to show how modifying the antenna tilt has affected coverage (see Figure 10.28).
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As you can see, modifying the antenna tilt increased the coverage of the transmitter. However, to see exactly the change in
coverage, you can compare the two predictions.
To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the coverage prediction you want
to compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their name and reso-
lution.
4. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be displayed.
You can choose among:
Intersection
Union
Difference
In order to see what changes modifying the antenna tilt made, you can choose Union. This will display all pixels
covered by both predictions in one colour and all pixels covered by only one prediction in another colour. The increase
in coverage, seen in only the second coverage prediction, will be immediately clear.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 10.29, shows clearly the increase in coverage due at the
change in antenna tilt.
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10.1.10.8.1 Setting the Reverse Link Load Factor and the Forward Link Total Power
If you are setting the reverse link load factor and the forward link total power for a single transmitter, you can set these param-
eters on the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue. However, you can set the reverse link load factor and the
forward link total power for all cells using the Cells table.
To set the reverse link load factor and the forward link total power using the Cells table:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
4. Enter a value in the following columns:
Total Power (dBm)
UL Load Factor (%)
For a definition of the values, see "Cell Definition" on page 816.
To enter the same values in one column for all cells in the table:
1. Enter the value in the first row in the column.
2. Select the entire column.
3. Right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button ( ) in the
Table toolbar to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
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If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up
button ( ) in the Table toolbar. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see
"Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
Modelling Services
Services are the various services available to subscribers. CDMA2000 can provide voice using 1xRTT, and data using 1xRTT or
1xEV-DO.
This section explains how to create a service. The options available depend on the type of service you create.
Only the following parameters are used in coverage predictions:
Voice-specific parameters:
Handoff capabilities
Max TCH Power (dBm)
UL Target (dB)
DL Target (dB)
Reception Equipment
UL Pilot Threshold (dB)
UL FCH/Pilot Offset (dB)
Body loss
1xRTT-specific parameters:
Handoff capabilities
Max TCH Power (dBm)
UL Target (dB)
DL Target (dB)
Reception Equipment
UL Pilot Threshold (dB)
UL FCH/Pilot Offset (dB)
UL SCH/Pilot Offset (dB)
Body loss
1xEV-DO-specific parameters:
Body loss
To create or modify a service:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Services New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the Serv-
ices folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
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UL Throughput Due to TCP Acknowledgement: If the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is used on the
downlink (forward link), check the TCP Used check box. When TCP is used, reverse link traffic due to acknowl-
edgements is generated. The traffic generated is calculated using the graph which describes the reverse link
traffic due to TCP acknowledgements as a function of the forward link application throughput. The generated
traffic is taken into account in simulation during the reverse link power control.
Body Loss: Enter a body loss for the service. The body loss is the loss due to the body of the user. For example,
in a voice connection the body loss, due to the proximity of the users head, is estimated to be 3dB.
1xEV-DO Rev. A Data and 1xEV-DO Rev. B Data: The following options are available for services with the type
1xEV-DO Rev. A Data and 1xEV-DO Rev. B Data.
QoS Class: The class of the service. Select "Guaranteed Bit Rate" for the services requiring a minimum bit rate,
or "Best Effort" for best-effort applications.
Uplink Mode: The Uplink Mode describes the type of radio resource management required on uplink for that
service. Select either "Low Latency" for real-time applications, or "High Capacity" for non-real-time applica-
tions
Preferred Carrier: Select the preferred carrier for the service. This is the carrier that will be used during simu-
lations, if the transmitter supports it. If the preferred carrier is not available, Atoll will choose another carrier
using the carrier selection mode defined in the site equipment properties.
Priority: Enter a priority for the service. A priority of "0" gives the lowest priority. The priority is used during
simulations to decide which terminal will be rejected when the network is overloaded.
Downgrading Supported: Select the Downgrading Supported check box if the service supports downgrading
on the reverse link.
Application Throughput: Under Application Throughput, enter a Scaling Factor between the application
throughput and the RLC (Radio Link Control) throughput and a throughput Offset in kilobits per second. The
application throughput is calculated by multiplying the RLC throughput by the scaling factor and subtracting
the offset.
Guaranteed Bit Rate: If you have selected "Guaranteed Bit Rate" as QoS class, enter the minimum required
bit rate in order for the service to be available in the uplink and downlink. This parameter is not available for
best-effort applications.
UL Rate Probabilities: Under UL Rate Probabilities, you can enter the probability of the service having the
specified uplink rate. This parameter is available for best-effort applications only.
In the column marked with the New Column icon ( ), select a Radio Bearer Index and enter a Usage Prob-
ability. Atoll automatically creates a new blank column. The sum of the probabilities must be lower than or
equal to 1. The rate probabilities are used during simulations to determine the throughput requested by each
user. If the bearer is not defined under UL Rate Probabilities, it is assumed that there are no users using the
bearer.
For services requiring a minimum bit rate, the usage probability is automatically calculated according to the
number of selected radio bearers.
UL Throughput Due to TCP Acknowledgement: If the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is used on the
downlink (forward link), check the TCP Used check box. When TCP is used, reverse link traffic due to acknowl-
edgements is generated. The traffic generated is calculated using the graph which describes the reverse link
traffic due to TCP acknowledgements as a function of the forward link application throughput. The generated
traffic is taken into account in simulation during the reverse link power control.
Body Loss: Enter a body loss for the service. The body loss is the loss due to the body of the user. For example,
in a voice connection the body loss, due to the proximity of the users head, is estimated to be 3dB.
Best-effort services with the 1xEV-DO Rev. B Data type can be provided in multi-carrier
mode if the server and the user terminal support it.
8. If you selected "1xEV-DO Rev. 0 Data" or "1xEV-DO Rev. A Data" or "1xEV-DO Rev. B Data" as the Type in step 5., con-
tinue to step 9. If you selected "Speech" or "1xRTT Data" as the Type in step 5., an additional tab, the EbNt tab, is
available.
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Click the EbNt tab. On the EbNt tab, you must define each possible combination of radio configuration, SCH factor,
and mobility. The SCH factor is the multiplying factor of the terminal nominal rate used to calculate the data rate. The
following table lists the SCH factors available and the corresponding data rates.
For each combination, you must define the thresholds, targets, and gains:
Terminal: Select a radio configuration from the list.
SCH Factor: Enter an SCH factor.
Min. and Max. TCH Power (dBm): Enter the minimum and maximum TCH power. The TCH can be equal to the FCH
or the SCH, depending on the entered SCH factor. The values entered can be absolute or relative to the pilot
power, depending on the option chosen on the Global Parameters tab of the Network Settings Properties dia-
logue, and have to be manually modified when the option is changed. The minimum and maximum traffic channel
power make up the dynamic range for forward link power control.
UL Target (dB): Enter the EbNt required on the reverse link for TCH. The TCH can be equal to the FCH or the SCH,
depending on the entered SCH factor. The value defined for the UL Target is only used when the reverse link power
control is based on traffic quality as set on the Global Parameters tab of the Network Settings Properties dia-
logue.
DL Target (dB): Enter the EbNt required on the forward link for TCH. The TCH can be equal to the FCH or the SCH,
depending on the entered SCH factor.
UL Pilot Threshold (dB): Enter the pilot EcNt required on the reverse link. The value defined for the UL Pilot
Threshold is only used when the reverse link power control is based on pilot quality as set on the Global Param-
eters tab of the Network Settings Properties dialogue.
UL FCH/Pilot Offset (dB): Enter the FCH gain on the reverse link relative to the pilot. The value defined for the UL
FCH/Pilot Offset is only used when the reverse link power control is based on pilot quality as set on the Global
Parameters tab of the Network Settings Properties dialogue.
UL SCH/Pilot Offset (dB): Enter the SCH gain on the reverse link relative to the pilot. The value defined for the UL
SCH/Pilot Offset is only used when the reverse link power control is based on pilot quality as set on the Global
Parameters tab of the Network Settings Properties dialogue. This value is not used for services of Type "Speech."
Mobility: Select the mobility type for which the thresholds, targets, and gains are defined. If you select All, the
thresholds, targets, and gains will be considered valid for all mobility types.
9. Click OK.
In order to define the VoIP service, select 1xEV-DO Rev.A Data as type of service,
Guaranteed Bit Rate as QoS class and Low Latency as Uplink mode.
In CDMA, information about receiver mobility is important to efficiently manage the active set: a mobile used by someone
travelling a certain speed and a mobile used by a pedestrian will not necessarily be connected to the same transmitters. EcI0
requirements and the Ec/Nt threshold (used only by 1xEV-DO Rev 0) are largely dependent on mobile speed.
The following parameters are used in coverage predictions:
Delta Min. Ec/I0
Delta T_Drop
Min. EcNt (UL)
To create or modify a mobility type:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Mobility Types folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue appears.
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You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue:
Name: Enter or modify the descriptive name for the mobility type.
Under Active Set Management, enter or modify the following parameters in order to make the user active set
dependent on the mobility type:
Delta Min. EcI0: Enter a positive value in order to increase the minimum EcI0 required from a transmitter to
be the best server in the active set, or a negative value to decrease it.
Delta T_Drop: Enter a positive value in order to increase the minimum EcI0 required from a transmitter not
to be rejected from the active set, or a negative value to decrease it.
Under 1xEV-DO (Rev 0), enter or modify the following parameters:
Min. EcNt (UL): Enter or modify the minimum EcNt required on the reverse link. This parameter is only used
for CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev 0. This parameter is considered during reverse link power control in order to cal-
culate the required reverse link pilot power.
Max Rate = f(CI) (Rev 0): The graph of the data rate on the forward link as a function of (CI). This parameter
is only used for CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev 0.
6. Click OK.
Modelling Terminals
In CDMA, a radio configuration is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a PDA, or a
cars on-board navigation device. In Atoll, radio configurations are modelled using terminals.
The following parameters are used in coverage predictions:
Reception equipment
Main and secondary bands
Maximum terminal power
Gain and losses
Noise figures
CDMA Rho factor
Voice and 1xRTT-specific parameters:
Active set size on FCH and SCH
Number of fingers
DL rake factor
Pilot power percentage
Nominal rate
1xEV-DO Rev. 0-specific parameters:
Acknowledgement (ACK) channel gain
Data Rate Control (DRC) channel gains
Data channel gains
1xEV-DO Rev. A-specific parameters:
Acknowledgement (ACK) channel gain
Radio Reverse Indicator (RRI) channel gain
Data Rate Control (DRC) channel gains
Data channel and Auxiliary pilot gains
1xEV-DO Rev. B-specific parameters:
Handoff type
Highest supported modulation
Data Rate Control (DRC) channel gains
To create or modify a terminal:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Terminals folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Terminals New Element Properties dialogue appears.
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You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminal folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. Click the General tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Name: You can change the name of the terminal.
Type: You can change the type of equipment.
Reception: Select a type of reception equipment from the list.
You can create a new type of reception equipment by using the Reception Equipment
table. You can open open the Reception Equipment table by clicking the Expand button
( ) to expand the Network Settings folder, and then right-clicking the Reception Equip-
ment folder and selecting Open Table from the context menu.
Main Band: Select the frequency band with which the terminal is compatible and enter the terminal Noise Figure
for the main frequency.
Secondary Band: Select a second frequency band with which the terminal is compatible and enter the terminal
Noise Figure for the second frequency band. Leave the Secondary Band field empty if the terminal works only on
one frequency band.
There are two ways of defining dual-band terminals. Depending on the configuration, Atoll
processes dual-band terminal users differently in the Monte-Carlo simulation.
The first method consists of defining main and secondary frequency bands. This
enables you to give a higher priority to one frequency band in the Monte-Carlo sim-
ulation (the main frequency band will have the higher priority). A user with such a
dual-band terminal will be connected to transmitters using the main frequency
band if carriers on this frequency band are not overloaded. In case of overloading,
he will be connected to transmitters using the secondary frequency band.
The second consists of selecting "All" as main frequency band. This means that the
terminal works on any frequency band without any priority. In this case, the user
can be connected to transmitters using any frequency band.
In coverage predictions, both configurations give the same results. The priority of
frequency bands is not taken into account.
Min Power: Set the minimum transmission power. The minimum and maximum transmission power make up the
dynamic range for reverse link power control in simulations.
Max Power: Set the maximum transmission power.
Gain: Set the antenna gain.
Losses: Set the reception losses.
Rho factor (%): This parameter enables Atoll to take into account the self-interference produced by the terminal.
Because hardware equipment is not perfect, the input signal experiences some distortion which affects, in turn,
the output signal. This factor defines how much distortion the system generates. Entering 100% means the system
is perfect (there is no distortion) and the output signal will be 100% equal to the input signal. On the other hand,
if you specify a value different than 100%, Atoll considers that the transmitted energy is not 100% signal and con-
tains a small percentage of interference generated by the equipment, i.e., self-interference. Atoll considers this
parameter to calculate the signal to noise ratio in the reverse link.
6. Click the 1xRTT tab. You can modify the following parameters:
DL Rake Factor: Set the forward link rake factor. This enables Atoll to model the rake receiver on the forward link.
Active Set Size: Set the active set size for both the fundamental channel (FCH) and the supplementary channel
(SCH). The active set size is the maximum number of transmitters to which a terminal can be connected at one
time.
For EV-DO-capable terminals, the FCH active set size also determines the active set size on
the reverse link.
Number of Fingers: Enter the maximum number of signals that the terminal can recombine. The value of this field
must be lower than the value of the active set size. The value in this field is the same for both FCH and SCH.
Nominal Rate: Set the nominal rate on both the Downlink and the Uplink.
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Pilot Power Percentage: Enter the percentage of the total mobile power that is dedicated to the reverse link pilot
power. This parameter is used during the reverse link power control (if based on traffic quality) in order to calcu-
late the mobile power.
7. Click the 1xEV-DO Rev 0 tab. The values on this tab are relative to the reverse link pilot power. They are added to the
required reverse link pilot power in order to calculate power on the ACK, DRC, and traffic data channels. You can
modify the following parameters:
Acknowledgement Channel Gain: Enter the gain on the acknowledgement (ACK) channel.
Data Rate Control Channel Gains (DRC): Under Data Rate Control Channel Gains (DRC), enter the gain for the fol-
lowing handoff types: No Handoff, Softer, and Soft handoff.
Data Channel Gains (dB): Under Data Channel Gains, enter the gain for each supported reverse link rate on the
traffic data channel.
8. Click the 1xEV-DO Rev A tab. The values on this tab are relative to the reverse link pilot power. They are added to the
required reverse link pilot power in order to calculate power on the ACK, RRI, DRC, and traffic data channels. You can
modify the following parameters:
Acknowledgement Channel Gain: Enter the gain on the acknowledgement (ACK) channel.
Radio Reverse Indicator (RRI) Channel Gain: Enter the gain on the radio reverse indicator channel.
Data Rate Control Channel Gains (DRC): Under Data Rate Control Channel Gains (DRC), enter the gain for the fol-
lowing handoff types: No Handoff, Softer, and Soft handoff.
Data Channels/Auxiliary Pilot Gains: Under Data Channels/Auxiliary Pilot Gains, enter the gains on the traffic
data channel for both low latency and high capacity services and the gain on the auxiliary pilot channel according
to the radio bearer index. The auxiliary pilot is only used the highest rates.
Atoll does not manage the non-rectangular active set configuration when locked mode is
selected.
Highest Supported Modulation: Select the highest modulation supported by the terminal. You can choose either
16QAM or 64QAM (if you select 64QAM, 64QAM, and 16QAM modulations can be used).
Max Number of Carriers in Multi-carrier Mode: Select the maximum number of EV-DO carriers that can be used
when multi-carrier mode is active.
10. Click OK.
A table listing quality indicators (BER, BLER, etc.) to be analysed is available. Quality cover-
age predictions proposed by Atoll depend on the quality indicators specified in this table.
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A pilot signal quality prediction enables you to identify areas where there is at least one transmitter whose pilot quality is
received sufficiently well to be added to the probe mobile active set.
Atoll calculates the best pilot quality received on each pixel. Then, Atoll compares this value to the EcI0 threshold required
to be the best server (Min Ec/I0 defined for the given cell plus the Delta Min Ec/I0 value defined for the selected mobility type).
The pixel is coloured if the condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the best EcI0 is higher than the EcI0 threshold.
To make a pilot signal quality prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Pilot Quality Analysis and click OK. The Pilot Quality Analysis Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered.
If you want the pilot signal quality prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 10.30: Load condition settings for a coverage prediction on pilot quality
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Atoll calculates the traffic channel quality on FCH (as defined by EbNt) when using the maximum power allowed.
In the coverage prediction, the forward link service area is limited by the maximum traffic channel power allowable on FCH
per cell and by the pilot quality. The reverse link service area is limited by the maximum terminal power allowable on FCH and
by the pilot quality. On both the forward and reverse links, if the received pilot is below the set threshold on a given pixel,
Atoll will not display the traffic channel quality. Mobile macro-diversity is taken in consideration to evaluate the traffic chan-
nel quality (EbNt). Atoll combines the signal from each transmitter in the probe mobile active set.
To make a coverage prediction on service area (Eb/Nt) forward link or reverse link:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select one of the following coverage predictions and click OK:
Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (UL)
Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (DL)
The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a 1xRTT-capable Terminal, a 1xRTT Service, and a Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling"
on page 863. You must also select a 1xRTT Carrier.
If you want the service area (EbNt) coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken
into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
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For a service area (Eb/Nt) coverage prediction, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Max EbNt (dB)"
is selected by default. The Field you choose determines which information the service area (EbNt) forward link or
reverse link prediction makes available. Each pixel is displayed in a colour corresponding to the traffic channel quality.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can also set parameters to display the following results:
The traffic channel quality relative to the EbNt threshold: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and
"EbNt Margin (dB)" as the Field.
The power required to reach the EbNt threshold: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Required
Power (dB)" as the Field.
Where traffic channel quality exceeds the EbNt threshold for each mobility type: On the Conditions tab, select
"All" as the Mobility Type. The parameters on the Display tab are automatically set.
The throughput on the forward or reverse link: Select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Rate (Kbps)" as
the Field.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
Atoll calculates the pilot channel quality (as defined by EcNt) and, using the calculated EcNt, Atoll calculates the maximum
data rate that can be supplied.
To make a forward link EV-DO throughput coverage prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (DL) and click OK. The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select an EV-DO-capable Terminal, an EV-DO Service, and a Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Model-
ling" on page 863. You must also select an EV-DO Carrier.
In order to model a multi-carrier EV-DO user, select an EV-DO Rev. B-capable Terminal, an EV-DO Rev. B Service with
the "Best Effort" QoS and "Best (1xEV-DO)" as carrier.
If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check
box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
By default, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Max EbNt (dB)" is selected when you make a
service area (Eb/Nt) coverage prediction. For a forward link EV-DO throughput coverage prediction, you can, however,
change the display to one of the following:
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The EcNt ratio: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "CI (dB)" as the Field.
The throughput on the forward link: Select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Rate (Kbps)" as the Field.
For multi-carrier EV-DO users, Atoll will calculate the throughput on each carrier and will display the total
throughput (i.e., the sum of the throughputs obtained on each carrier) as prediction results.
The average throughput on the forward link: This information is available when you model EV-DO Rev. A users,
single-carrier and multi-carrier EV-DO Rev. B users. Select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Average Rate
(Kbps)" as the Field. Atoll calculates the average EV-DO throughput on the forward link using the early termination
probabilities, defined in the terminals reception equipment, to model HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request).
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
Atoll calculates the reverse link EV-DO traffic channel quality (EbNt) with an uplink data channel rate of 9.6 kbps for EVDO
Rev.0 users and 4.8 kbps for EVDO Rev.A and Rev.B users. The service area is limited by the maximum terminal power allowed
and by the pilot quality. Mobile macro-diversity is taken in consideration to evaluate the traffic channel quality (EbNt). Atoll
combines the signal from each transmitter in the probe mobile active set. For multi-carrier EV-DO users, Atoll considers the
best sub-active set.
To make a coverage prediction on service area (Eb/Nt) reverse link:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (UL) and click OK. The Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (UL) Properties dialogue
appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select an EV-DO-capable Terminal, an EV-DO Service, and a Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Model-
ling" on page 863. You must also select an EV-DO Carrier.
In order to model a multi-carrier EV-DO user, select an EV-DO Rev. B-capable Terminal, an EV-DO Rev. B Service with
the "Best Effort" QoS and "Best (1xEV-DO)" as carrier.
If you want the service area (EbNt) coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken
into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a service area (Eb/Nt) coverage prediction, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Max EbNt (dB)"
is selected by default. The Field you choose determines which information the service area (EbNt) reverse link predic-
tion makes available. Each pixel is displayed in a colour corresponding to the traffic channel quality with an uplink data
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channel rate of 9.6 kbps for EVDO Rev.0 users and 4.8 kbps for EVDO Rev.A and Rev.B users. For information on defin-
ing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can also set parameters to display the following results:
The traffic channel quality relative to the EbNt threshold: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and
"EbNt Margin (dB)" as the Field.
The power required to reach the EbNt threshold: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Required
Power (dB)" as the Field.
Where traffic channel quality exceeds the EbNt threshold for each mobility type: On the Conditions tab, select
"All" as the Mobility Type. The parameters on the Display tab are automatically set.
The throughput: Select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Rate (Kbps)" as the Field. For multi-carrier EV-
DO users, Atoll shares the available terminal power equally between each carrier in order to calculate the
throughput obtained on each carrier. It displays the results for the best configuration among all combinations of
carriers, i.e., the combination which provides the highest total throughput.
The average EV-DO throughput: This information is available when you model EV-DO Rev. A users, single-carrier
and multi-carrier EV-DO Rev. B users. Select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Average Rate (Kbps)" as
the Field. Atoll calculates the average EV-DO throughput on the reverse link using the early termination probabil-
ities, defined in the terminals reception equipment, to model HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request).
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
The effective service area is the intersection zone between the pilot reception area, and the reverse link and forward link serv-
ice areas. In other words, the effective service area prediction calculates where a service actually is available for the probe
mobile.
To make an effective service area prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Effective Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (DL+UL) and click OK. the coverage prediction Properties dialogue
appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).The Group By and Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g.,
signal level coverage prediction).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered.
If you want the effective service area prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into
account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
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For an effective service area prediction, the Display Type "Unique" is selected by default. The coverage prediction will
display where a service actually is available for the probe mobile. In the calculations, Atoll considers 1xRTT users with
the nominal FCH rate, EVDO Rev.A users with a data channel rate of 9.6 kbps in the reverse link and 38.4 kbps in the
forward link, and EVDO Rev.B users with a data channel rate of 4.8 kbps in the reverse and the forward links. For infor-
mation on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
You can create a quality coverage prediction based on a given quality indicators (BER, BLER, or FER). The coverage prediction
will show for each pixel the measurement of the selected quality indicator.
This type of coverage prediction is not available in the list of standard coverage predictions; you can, however, use quality
indicators in a coverage prediction by first ensuring that the parameters of the quality indicators have been correctly set and
then creating a coverage prediction, selecting display parameters that use these quality indicators.
Before you define the quality coverage prediction, you must ensure that the parameters of the quality indicators have been
correctly set.
To check the parameters of the quality indicators:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Network Settings folder.
3. Right-click Quality Indicators. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Quality Indicators table appears.
Used for Packet Services: Select the Used for Packet Services check box if the quality indicator is to be used for
data services (i.e., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO Rev. 0, or 1xEV-DO Rev. A).
Used for Circuit Services: Select the Used for Circuit Services check box if the quality indicator is to be used for
voice services.
Measured Parameter for QI: From the list, select the parameter that will be measured to indicate quality.
QI Interpolation: Select the QI Interpolation check box if you want Atoll to interpolate between two existing QI
values. Clear the QI Interpolation check box if you want Atoll to take the closest QI value.
5. Close the Quality Indicators table.
6. In the UMTS Network Settings folder, right-click the Reception Equipment folder. The context menu appears.
7. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Reception Equipment table appears.
"Standard" is the default reception equipment type for all terminals.
8. Double-click the reception equipment type for which you want to verify the correspondence between the measured
quality and the quality indicator. The reception equipment types Properties dialogue appears.
9. Click the Quality Graphs tab.
10. Ensure that a Quality Indicator has been chosen for each Service. You can edit the values in the DL and UL Quality
Indicator Tables by clicking directly on the table entry, or by selecting the Quality Indicator and clicking the Downlink
Quality Graphs or the Uplink Quality Graphs buttons. The graph gives the variation of the quality indicator as a func-
tion of the measured parameter.
11. Click OK to close the reception equipment types Properties dialogue.
Once you have ensured that the parameters of the quality indicators have been correctly set, you can use the measured qual-
ity to create a quality coverage prediction. How you define a coverage prediction according to the measured quality indicator,
depends several parameters:
The settings made in the Quality Indicators table
The service you want to study
The quality indicator you want to use (BER, BLER, or FER)
The coverage prediction you want to use (Pilot Quality Analysis, the Service Area Analysis Downlink, or Service Area
Analysis Uplink).
In the following example, you will create a quality coverage prediction showing BLER, for a user on foot, and with a 1xRTT data
service.
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To create a quality coverage prediction showing BLER for a user on foot, and with a 1xRTT data service:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Service Area Analysis (EbNt) (DL) and click OK. The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).The Group By and Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g.,
signal level coverage prediction).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
Terminal: Select the appropriate radio configuration for mobile Internet access from the Terminal list.
Service: Select "1xRTT Data" from the Service list.
Mobility: Select "Pedestrian" from the Mobility list.
Carrier: Select "1xRTT" from the Carrier list.
If you want the service area (EbNt) downlink prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken
into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "BLER" as the Field. The exact of the field value will depend on the
name given in the Quality Indicators table. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of
Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
Atoll calculates for each pixel the forward link traffic channel quality (EbNt) (provided when using the maximum traffic chan-
nel power allowed). Then, it calculates the corresponding BLER value from the quality graph (BLER=f(DL EbNt)). The pixel is
coloured if the condition is fulfilled (i.e., if BLER is evaluated as being higher than the specified threshold).
In the forward link total noise prediction, Atoll calculates and displays the areas where the forward link total noise or the
forward link noise rise exceeds a set threshold.
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To make a forward link total noise or forward link noise rise prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Coverage by Total Noise Level (DL) and click OK. The Coverage by Total Noise Level (DL) Properties dialogue
appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).The Group By and Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g.,
signal level coverage prediction).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863.
If you want the forward link total noise or forward link noise rise prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the
Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a forward link total noise or forward link noise rise prediction, the Display Type "Value Intervals" is selected by
default. The Field you choose determines which information the forward link total noise or forward link noise rise
prediction makes available.
Coverage by Total Noise Level (DL) prediction: When making a forward link total noise prediction, select one of
the following in the Field list:
Min. noise level
Average noise level
Max noise level
Downlink noise rise prediction: When making a forward link noise rise prediction, select one of the following in
the Field list:
Min. noise rise
Average noise rise
Max noise rise
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
A transmitter which fulfils all the criteria to enter a mobiles active set but which is not admitted because the active set limit
has already been reached is considered a polluter.
In the Pilot Pollution Analysis prediction, Atoll calculates and displays the areas where the probe mobile is interfered by the
pilot signal from polluter transmitters. For 1xRTT, pilot pollution is the same on the forward and on the reverse links because
1xRTT can be connected to more than one transmitter on both the forward and on the reverse links. EV-DO, on the other hand,
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can only be connected to one transmitter on the forward link, but several on the reverse link. Therefore, pilot pollution for
EV-DO will be different on the forward link and on the reverse link. The Pilot Pollution Analysis only calculates pilot pollution
on the forward link. For multi-carrier EV-DO users, Atoll considers the active set associated with the best carrier.
To make a pilot pollution prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Pilot Pollution Analysis and click OK. the coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).The Group By and Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g.,
signal level coverage prediction).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 10.30).
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered.
If you want the Pilot Pollution Analysis to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check
box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a Pilot Pollution Analysis, the Display Type "Value Intervals" and the Field "Number of Polluters" are selected by
default. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
In the inter-technology downlink noise prediction, Atoll calculates and displays the areas where the downlink noise or noise
rise from external base stations and mobiles exceeds a set threshold. For more information on modelling inter-technology
interference, see "Modelling Inter-technology Interference" on page 975.
To make an inter-technology downlink noise or noise rise prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Inter-technology Interference Level Analysis (DL) and click OK. The coverage prediction Properties dialogue
appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
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which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).The Group By and Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g.,
signal level coverage prediction).
6. Click the Conditions tab.
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation.
If you were going to base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simu-
lations on which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions
list.
You must select a Terminal and a Service, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863. You must also select
which Carrier is to be considered. You can make the coverage prediction for a specific carrier or for the "Best" carrier
selected according to the carrier selection method defined for the site equipment.
If you want the prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check box and
enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
The Display Type "Value Intervals" is selected by default. The Field you choose determines which information the
prediction makes available, Noise Level or Noise Rise. For information on defining display properties, see "Display
Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863.
If you want the forward link total noise or forward link noise rise prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the
Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage predic-
tion will display.
To display the handoff status:
i. Select "Discrete Values" from the Display Type list.
ii. Select "Status" from the Field list. The coverage prediction will display the number of cells the probe mobile
is connected to and the number of sites these cells are located on.
To display the number of potential active transmitters:
i. Select "Value Intervals" from the Display Type list.
ii. Select "Potential active transmitter nb" from the Field list. the coverage prediction will display the number of
potential active transmitters.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears (see Figure 10.32).
2. Select the AS Analysis view at the top of the Point Analysis window.
3. At the top of the AS Analysis view, select "Cells Table" from Load conditions.
4. If you are making an AS analysis to verify a coverage prediction, you can recreate the conditions of the coverage pre-
diction:
a. Select the same Terminal, Service, Mobility, Carrier, DL Rate, and UL Rate studied in the coverage prediction.
If the coverage prediction was for 1xRTT, you must select "FCH" for both the DL Rate and UL Rate. If the coverage
prediction was for EV-DO Rev.0, you must select "9.6 kbps" for the UL Rate. If the coverage prediction was for
EV-DO Rev.A or Rev.B, you must select "4.8 kbps" for the UL Rate.
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If you are making an AS analysis to make a prediction on a defined point, you can use the
instructions in this step to define a user.
5. Move the pointer over the map to make an active set analysis for the current location of the pointer.
As you move the pointer, Atoll indicates on the map which is the best server for the current position (see
Figure 10.31).
Information on the current position is given in the AS Analysis view of the Point Analysis window. See Figure 10.32
on page 881 for an explanation of the displayed information.
6. Click the map to leave the point analysis pointer at its current position.
To move the pointer again, click the point analysis pointer on the map and drag it to a new position.
7. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.
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2. Import the ASCII text file as explained in "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
You can also create exceptional pairs using the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology
Neighbours table. You can open this table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and
selecting Neighbours > Intra-technology > Exceptional Pairs.
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6. Click OK.
By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance calcula-
tion can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see the Adminis-
trator Manual.
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Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays new
neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared, the
Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell.
Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell can have.
Neighbour: The cell that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in "Calculating the Importance of Existing
Neighbours" on page 893
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell, as identified in the Neighbour column, to the
reference cell, as identified in the Cell column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference cells coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in square
kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference cell, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour cell is best
server or second best server.
7. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atolls table short-
cuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document.
To compare the proposed and existing neighbour lists:
Click Compare. The list of automically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared
with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaRe-
port.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type,
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
8. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neighbours
are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cells Properties dialogue.
To automatically allocate inter-carrier CDMA neighbours:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Neighbours > Intra-technology > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour
Allocation dialogue appears.
4. Click the Inter-carrier Neighbours tab. You can set the following parameters:
Max. Inter-site Distance: Set the maximum distance between the reference cell and a possible neighbour.
Max. Number of Neighbours: Set the maximum number of inter-carrier neighbours that can be allocated to a cell.
This value can be either set here for all transmitters, or specified for each transmitter in the Cells table.
Coverage Conditions: The coverage conditions must be respected for a cell to be considered as a neighbour. Click
Define to change the coverage conditions. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following
parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and
possible neighbour cell B.
Margin: Enter the signal margin relative to the pilot signal of the reference cell A. See the Technical Reference
Guide for an explanation of how the margin is used in different inter-carrier handoff scenarios.
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
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% Min. Covered Area: Enter the minimum, in percentage, that a possible neighbour cells coverage area must
overlap the reference cells coverage area.
5. Select the desired calculation parameters:
Carriers: Select the carriers on which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers; Atoll
will allocate neighbours to cells using the selected carriers.
Force co-site cells as neighbours: Select the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box if you want cells located
on the same site as the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours.
Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relations to be reciprocal. In other
words, a reference cell will be a possible neighbour to all of the cells that are its neighbours. If the neighbour list
of any cell is full, the reference cell will not be added as a neighbour and that cell will be removed from the list of
neighbours of the reference cell.
Force exceptional pairs: Select the Force exceptional pairs check box if you want to be able to force or forbid
neighbour relations defined in the Exceptional Pairs table. For information on exceptional pairs, see "Defining
Exceptional Pairs" on page 883.
Delete existing neighbours: Select the Delete existing neighbours check box if you want Atoll to delete all current
neighbours when allocating neighbours. If you do not select the Delete existing neighbours check box, Atoll will
not delete any existing neighbours when automatically allocating neighbours; it will only add new neighbours to
the list.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating inter-carrier neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether the
path loss matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates
them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays new
neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared, the
Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell.
Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell can have.
Neighbour: The cell that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in "Calculating the Importance of Existing
Neighbours" on page 893
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell, as identified in the Neighbour column, to the
reference cell, as identified in the Cell column.
Co-site
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference cells coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in square
kilometres.
7. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atolls table short-
cuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document.
To compare the proposed and existing neighbour lists:
Click Compare. The list of automically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared
with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaRe-
port.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type,
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
8. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neighbours
are listed on the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cells Properties dialogue.
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A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour rela-
tion already exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when
you start the new allocation. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event
Viewer indicating that the constraint on the forbidden neighbour will be ignored
by the algorithm because the neighbour already exists.
When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll
considers the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to
respect symmetry. On the other hand, if the neighbour relation is forced in one
direction and forbidden in the other one, symmetry cannot be respected. In this
case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event Viewer.
By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance
calculation can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see
the Administrator Manual.
You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration.
For information on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user
configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
Atoll also enables you to automatically allocate neighbours to a single base station or transmitter:
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station" on page 887
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Transmitter" on page 887.
1. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
2. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Edit Relations on the Map dialogue appears.
3. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
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4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Links check box.
5. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
6. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell with a unique
colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the cells neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours table, or according
to the neighbour carrier. In this case, you can view on the map intra-carrier and inter-carrier neighbour relations.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the cells neighbour links according the value interval of the
value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours according to their
rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the weighting factors.
You can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair by first
creating a new field of Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for the
number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the new
column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as the
Display Type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an
Object Types Data Table" on page 71.
Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you can
display or hide neighbour link display types individually.
For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
7. Select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.
8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
9. Click OK to save your settings.
10. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Outwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations where
the selected cell is the reference cell and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Inwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations where the
selected cell is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Symmetric Links: Select the Symmetric Links check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric
between the selected cell and the neighbour.
11. Click OK to save your settings.
12. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
13. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
14. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
15. Select a transmitter to show its neighbour links:
In the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer: Select the transmitter in the Transmitters folder. The
selected transmitter is centred in the map and all its neighbours are indicated. Atoll displays the selected trans-
mitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
On the map: Select the transmitter on the map. The neighbours of the selected transmitter are displayed on the
map. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a
context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
Atoll displays the selected transmitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
In the Neighbours table: Select the transmitter-neighbour relation you want to display by clicking in the left
margin of the table row to select the entire row. The selected transmitter is centred in the map with the selected
transmitter-neighbour relation (see Figure 10.33). The selected transmitter is also displayed in the Transmitters
folder of the Network explorer.
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Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 10.34) for the selected cell:
The symmetric neighbour relations of the selected (reference) cell are indicated by a line.
The outward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the neighbour (e.g., see
Site1_2(0)) in Figure 10.34.).
The inward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the selected cell (e.g., see
Site9_3(0)) in Figure 10.34.).
In Figure 10.34, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetric and outward
neighbour links have the same colour as the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link has
the same colour as the reference transmitter as it is neighbour of Site9_3(0) here.
In Figure 10.35, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour carrier. You can view intra-carrier and inter-
carrier neighbour links. In this example, all neighbour relations are symmetric.
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You can display either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the arrow
( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar
and selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
2. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Edit Relations on the Map dialogue appears.
4. Under Intra-technology neighbours, select the Display coverage areas check box.
5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Coverage Areas check box. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display
dialogue appears.
6. From the Display type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours
with a unique colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours
table.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according the value
interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours
according to their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the
weighting factors.
7. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each coverage area.
8. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
9. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
10. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
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11. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one cell on the
transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
12. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the
Radio Planning toolbar.
Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete CDMA neighbours using the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which
you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
6. Allocate or delete a neighbour.
To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ).
c. Click elsewhere in the table to complete creating the new neighbour.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Source to "manual," and sets the Importance to "1."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
d. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
d. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation between
the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
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For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
To allocate a neighbour:
a. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
c. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Source to "manual," and sets the Importance to "1."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select con-
tiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows
by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
To take into consideration all exceptional pairs:
a. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.
You can add or delete either some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using
the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table,
select the exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force Excep-
tional Pairs in the context menu.
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To delete a neighbour:
a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse.
To add or remove intra-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neighbours
on the map as explained in "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 887.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitters to
the intra-technology neighbours list.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both transmitters
from the intra-technology neighbours.
To add an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference trans-
mitter to the intra-technology neighbour list of the reference transmitter.
To remove an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.
To add an inward neighbour relation:
Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other transmitter.
Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inward non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour relation
between the two transmitters, and then press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric
relation to an inwards non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
To remove an inwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the transmitter
from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.
When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the
map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking
the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio
Planning toolbar and selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neigh-
bours.
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3. Select Neighbours > Intra-technology > Calculate Importance from the context menu. The Neighbour Importance
Calculation dialogue appears.
4. Select the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
5. Under Importance, enter the Max inter-site distance. Sites outside the defined maximum inter-site distance will not
be considered as possible neighbours.
6. Under Importance, select the factors to be taken into consideration when calculating the importance (for information
on defining importance factors, see "Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 883):
Take into account the adjacency factor: Select the Take into account the adjacency factor check box to verify that
neighbours are adjacent to their reference transmitters when calculating importance.
Take into account the co-site factor: Select the Take into account the co-site factor check box to verify that neigh-
bours are located on the same site as their reference cell when calculating importance.
7. Coverage Conditions: Under Coverage Conditions, you can set the coverage conditions between neighbours and their
reference cells. Clicking Define opens the Coverage Conditions dialogue. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you
can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neighbour
allocation.
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell and the
neighbour.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum EcIo which must be provided by reference cell in an area with overlapping cov-
erage. The reference cell must also be the best server in terms of pilot quality in the area with overlapping cov-
erage.
T_Drop: Enter the minimum EcIo required from a transmitter not to be rejected from the active set.
DL Load Contributing to Io: Under DL Load Contributing to Io, select whether you want Atoll to base the interfer-
ence ratio on the total power used as defined in the properties for each cell (Defined per Cell) or on a percentage
of the maximum power (Global Value).
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses for
indoor coverage.
8. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
9. Select the Inter-carrier Neighbours tab.
10. Under Importance, select the Take into account the co-site factor check box to verify that neighbours are located on
the same site as their reference cell when calculating importance (for information on defining importance factors, see
"Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 883):
11. Under Coverage Conditions, you can set the coverage conditions between neighbours and their reference cells.
Clicking Define opens the Coverage Conditions dialogue. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the
following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neighbour
allocation.
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell and the
neighbour.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum EcIo which must be provided by reference cell in an area with overlapping cov-
erage. The reference cell must also be the best server in terms of pilot quality in the area with overlapping cov-
erage.
T_Drop: Enter the minimum EcIo required from a transmitter not to be rejected from the active set.
DL Load Contributing to Io: Under DL Load Contributing to Io, select whether you want Atoll to base the interfer-
ence ratio on the total power used as defined in the properties for each cell (Defined per Cell) or on a percentage
of the maximum power (Global Value).
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses for
indoor coverage.
12. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
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13. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information:
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 5.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated value in the Importance column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Coverage: The amount of reference transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and
in square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference transmitter, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour
transmitter is best server or second best server. This information is not relevant for inter-carrier neighbours and
is therefore not present on the Inter-carrier Neighbours tab.
Distance: The distance in kilometres between the reference cell and the neighbour.
14. Click Commit to commit the importance values and the reasons for allocation to the Neighbours table.
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If the field Maximum number of intra-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty,
the Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan that are
located at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
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You can define the costs of the different types of constraints used in the automatic PN Offset allocation algorithm.
To define the different constraint costs:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select PN Offsets > Constraint Costs. The Allocation Constraint Costs dialogue appears. In this dialogue you can
define the following costs of constraint violations for the automatic allocation process (the cost is a value from 0 to 1):
Max 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Order Neighbours: Enter the maximum costs for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd order neighbour con-
straint violations.
Co-planning Share: Enter the cost for inter-technology neighbour constraint violations.
Max Reuse Distance: Enter the maximum cost for reuse distance constraint violations.
Exceptional Pair: Enter the cost for exceptional pair constraint violations.
4. Click OK. The allocation constraint costs are stored and will be used in the automatic allocation.
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The allocation algorithm enables you to automatically allocate PN Offsets to cells in the current network. You can choose
among several automatic allocation strategies. The actual automatic allocation strategies available will depend on your
network and options selected in the atoll.ini file. For more information on the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual. For
more information on automatic allocation strategies, see the Technical Reference Guide.
PN Offset per Cell: The purpose of this strategy is to reduce the spectrum of allocated PN Offsets the maximum pos-
sible. Atoll will allocate the first possible PN Offsets in the domain.
Adjacent PN-Clusters per Site: This strategy consists of allocating one cluster of adjacent PN Offsets to each base sta-
tion, then, one PN Offset of the cluster to each cell of each transmitter according to its azimuth. When all the clusters
have been allocated and there are still base stations remaining to be allocated, Atoll reuses the clusters at another
base station.
Distributed PN-Clusters per Site: This strategy consists of allocating one cluster of PN Offsets to each base station in
the network, then, one PN Offset of the cluster to each cell of each transmitter according to its azimuth. With this
strategy, the cluster is made of PN Offsets separated as much as possible. When all the clusters have been allocated
and there are still base stations remaining to be allocated, Atoll reuses the clusters at another base station.
Within the context of PN Offset allocation, the term "PN-cluster" refers to a sub-group of
PN Offsets that Atoll assigns to base stations during the allocation process. Atoll allows you
to change the number of PN Offsets in a PN-cluster.
The following example explains the difference between "Adjacent PN-clusters" and
"Distributed PN-clusters".
The PILOT_INC has been set to 4 and the PN-cluster size to 3. There are:
128 PN Offsets that can be allocated: they are from 4 to 508 with a separation
interval of 4.
Each PN-cluster consists of three PN Offsets. Therefore, there are 42 PN-clusters
available.
If you select "Adjacent PN-cluster per site" as allocation strategy, Atoll will consider PN-
clusters consisted of adjacent PN Offsets (e.g., {4,8,12}, {16,20,24}, ..., {496,500,504}).
If you select "Distributed PN-cluster per site" as allocation strategy, Atoll will consider PN-
clusters consisted of PN Offsets separated as much as possible (e.g., {4,172,340},
{8,176,344}, ..., {168,336,504}).
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Atoll can take into account inter-technology neighbour relations as constraints when allo-
cating PN Offsets to the CDMA2000 neighbours of a GSM transmitter. In order to consider
inter-technology neighbour relations in PN Offset allocation, you must make the Transmit-
ters folder of the GSM Atoll document accessible in the CDMA2000 Atoll document. For
information on making links between GSM and CDMA2000 Atoll documents, see "Creating
a CDMA Sector From a Sector in the Other Network" on page 963
Additional Overlapping Conditions: Select the Additional Overlapping Conditions check box, if you want to
set overlapping coverage criteria. If cells meet the overlapping conditions to enter the reference cells active
set, they will be not allocated the same PN Offset as the reference cell. Click Define to change the overlapping
conditions. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by reference cell A and
possible neighbour cell B.
Min. EcI0: Enter the minimum EcI0 which must be provided by reference cell A in an area with overlapping
coverage. Reference cell A must also be the best server in terms of pilot quality in the area with overlapping
coverage.
T_Drop: Enter or modify the minimum EcI0 required from a transmitter not to be rejected from the active set.
DL Load Contributing to I0: You can let Atoll base the interference ratio on the total power used as defined in
the properties for each cell (Defined per Cell) or on a percentage of the maximum power (Global Value).
Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell
Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: Select the Indoor Coverage check box if you want to use indoor losses in the calculations.
Reuse Distance: Select the Reuse Distance check box if you want to the automatic allocation process to con-
sider the reuse distance constraint. Enter the Default reuse distance within which two cells on the same carrier
cannot have the same PN Offset.
A reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue or in the
Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of the value
entered here.
Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want the automatic allocation process to con-
sider the exceptional pair constraints.
From the Strategy list, you can select an automatic allocation strategy:
PN Offset per Cell
Adjacent PN-Clusters per Site
Distributed PN-Clusters per Site
Carrier: Select the Carrier on which you want to run the allocation. You may choose one carrier (Atoll will assign
PN Offsets to transmitters using the selected carrier) or all of them.
PN-Cluster Size: The number of PN Offsets per cluster. This parameter is used only by the Adjacent PN-Clusters
per Site and Distributed PN-Clusters per Site allocation strategies. It should correspond to the average number of
transmitters located on a site.
Use a Max of Codes: Select the Use a Max of Codes check box to make Atoll use the maximum number of PN Off-
sets. For example, if there are two cells using the same domain with two PN Offsets, Atoll will assign the remaining
PN Offset to the second cell even if there are no constraints between these two cells (for example, neighbour rela-
tions, reuse distance, etc.). If you do not select this option, Atoll only checks the constraints, and allocates the first
ranked PN Offset in the list.
Delete Existing PN Offsets: Select the Delete Existing PN Offsets check box if you want Atoll to delete currently
allocated PN Offsets and recalculate all PN Offsets. If you do not select this option, Atoll will keep currently allo-
cated PN Offsets and will only allocate PN Offsets to cells that do not yet have PN Offsets allocated.
Allocate Carriers Identically: Select the Allocate Carriers Identically check box if you want Atoll to allocate the
same PN Offset to each carrier of a transmitter. If you do not select this option, Atoll allocates PN Offsets inde-
pendently for each carrier.
5. Click Run. Atoll begins the process of allocating PN Offsets.
Once Atoll has finished allocating PN Offsets, they are visible under Results. Atoll only displays newly allocated PN
Offsets.
The Results table contains the following information.
Site: The name of the base station.
Cell: The name of the cell.
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You can save automatic PN Offset allocation parameters in a user configuration. For infor-
mation on saving automatic PN Offset allocation parameters in a user configuration, see
"Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
If you need to allocate PN Offsets to the cells on one transmitter, you can allocate
them automatically by selecting Allocate PN Offsets from the transmitters context
menu.
If you need to allocate PN Offsets to all the cells on group of transmitters, you can
allocate them automatically by selecting Cells > PN Offsets > Automatic Allocation
from the transmitter groups context menu.
When you allocate PN Offsets to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate PN Offsets automatically, as described
in "Automatically Allocating PN Offsets to CDMA Cells" on page 898. However, if you want to add a PN Offset to one cell or to
modify the PN Offset of a cell, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
To allocate a PN Offset to a CDMA cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate a PN Offset. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Enter a PN Offset in the cells column.
5. Click OK.
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5. Click OK. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a text file called CodeCheck.txt, which opens at the end of the audit.
For each selected criterion, Atoll gives the number of detected inconsistencies and details each of them.
In Atoll, you can search for PN Offsets and PN Offset groups using the Find on Map tool. Results are displayed in the map
window in red.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. PN Offsets and PN Offset groups and
any potential problems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see "Making a
Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 850.
To find PN Offsets or PN Offset groups using the Find on Map tool:
1. Click Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears.
2. From the Find list, select "PN Offset."
3. Select what you what you want to search for:
PN Offset: If you want to find a PN Offset, select PN Offset and select it from the list.
PN Offset Group: If you want to find a PN Offset group, select PN Offset Group and select it from the list.
4. Select the carrier you want to search on from the For carrier list, or select "(All)" to search in all carriers.
5. Click Search. Transmitters with cells matching the search criteria are displayed in red. Transmitters that do not match
the search criteria are displayed as grey lines.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Find on Map tool.
You can use the display characteristics of transmitters to display PN Offset-related information.
To display PN Offset-related information on the map:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Display tab.
You can display the following information per transmitter:
PN Offset: To display the PN Offset of a transmitters cell, select "Discrete values" as the Display Type and "Cells:
PN Offset" as the Field.
Ranges of PN Offsets: To display ranges of PN Offsets, select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "Cells: PN
Offset" as the Field.
PN Offset domain: To display the PN Offset domain of a transmitters cell, select "Discrete values" as the Display
Type and "Cells: PN Offset Domain" as the Field.
You can display the following information in the transmitter label or tip text:
PN Offset: To display the PN Offset of a transmitters cell in the transmitter label or tip text, "Cells: PN Offset" from
the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
PN Offset domain: To display the PN Offset domain of a transmitters cell in the transmitter label or tip text, "Cells:
PN Offset Domain" from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
5. Click OK.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
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You can group transmitters in the Network explorer by their PN Offset or by their PN Offset domain.
To group transmitters by PN Offset:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
PN Offset
PN Offset Domain
7. Click to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to the list
of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped. For more information on grouping objects, see "Advanced
Grouping" on page 90.
8. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.
If a transmitter has more than one cell, Atoll cannot arrange the transmitter by cell. Trans-
mitters that cannot be grouped by cell are arranged in a separate folder under the Trans-
mitters folder.
You can use a histogram to analyse the use of allocated PN Offsets in a network. The histogram represents the PN Offsets as
a function of the frequency of their use.
To display the PN Offset histogram:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select PN Offset > PN Offset Distribution. The Distribution Histograms dialogue appears.
Each bar represents a PN Offset, its height depending on the frequency of its use.
4. Move the pointer over the histogram to display the frequency of use of each PN Offset. The results are highlighted
simultaneously in the Zoom on selected values list.
You can zoom in on values by clicking and dragging in the Zoom on selected values list. Atoll will zoom in on the
selected values.
You can make a PN Offset collision zone prediction to view areas covered by cells using the same PN Offset. Atoll checks on
each pixel if the best server and other servers satisfying the conditions to enter the user active set have the same PN Offset.
If so, Atoll considers that there is PN Offset collision.
To make a PN Offset collision zone prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select PN Offset Collision Zones and click OK.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter to select which
sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the Network explorer by one or more char-
acteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted by clicking the Sort button. For infor-
mation on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping, see "Advanced Grouping" on
page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
6. Click the Conditions tab.
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Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on load
conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the reverse link load factor and
the forward link total power defined in the cell properties.
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863. You must
also select which Carrier is to be considered.
If you want the PN Offset collision zone prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into
account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can also select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. Click the Display tab.
For a PN Offset collision zone prediction, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. Each pixel with PN Offset collision is displayed with the same colour as that defined for the inter-
fered transmitter. In the Explorer window, the coverage prediction results are ordered first by interfered transmitter
and then by interferer. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can also set parameters to display the following results:
The number of interferers for each transmitter: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Number of
Interferers per Transmitter" as the Field. In the Explorer window, the coverage prediction results are arranged by
interfered transmitter.
The total number of interferers on one pixel: Select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Number of Inter-
ferers" as the Field. In the Explorer window, the coverage prediction results are arranged according to the number
of interferers.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can run it immediately or you can save it and run it later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
The PN Offset Collision tab of the Point Analysis window gives you information on the reception for any point on the map
where there is PN Offset collision. PN Offset collision occurs when the best server and other servers satisfying the conditions
to enter the user active set have the same PN Offset. When there is PN Offset collision, Atoll displays the pilot quality (EcI0)
received from interfered and interferer transmitters.
Analysis is based on the UL load percentage and the DL total power of cells. The analysis is provided for a user-definable probe
receiver which has a terminal, a mobility and a service.
You can make a PN Offset collision analysis to review the PN Offset collision zone coverage prediction. In this case, before you
make the PN Offset collision analysis, you should ensure that the coverage prediction you want to use in the PN Offset collision
analysis is displayed on the map.
To make a PN Offset collision analysis:
1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears.
2. Click the PN Offset Collision tab.
3. At the top of the PN Offset Collision tab, select "Cells Table" from Load Conditions.
4. If you are making a PN Offset collision analysis to verify a coverage prediction, you can recreate the conditions of the
coverage prediction:
a. Select the Terminal, Service, and Mobility studied in the coverage prediction.
b. Right-click the Point Analysis window and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue ap-
pears.
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
c. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
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If you are making a PN Offset collision analysis to make a coverage prediction on a defined
point, you can use the instructions in this step to define a user.
5. Move the pointer over the map to make a PN Offset collision analysis for the current location of the pointer.
6. Click the map to leave the point analysis pointer at its current position.
To move the pointer again, click the point analysis pointer on the map and drag it to a new position.
7. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.
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The OMC (Operations and Maintenance Centre) collects data from all cells in a network. This includes, for example,
the number of users or the throughput in each cell and the traffic characteristics related to different services. Traffic
is spread over the best server coverage area of each transmitter and each coverage area is assigned either the
throughputs in the reverse and forward links or the number of users per activity status or the total number of users
(including all activity statuses). For more information, see "Creating a Sector Traffic Map" on page 905.
User profile traffic maps can be used if you have marketing-based traffic data.
User profile traffic maps, where each vector (polygon, line, or point) describes subscriber densities (or numbers of
subscribers for points) with user profiles and mobility types, and user profile environment based traffic maps, where
each pixel has an assigned environment class. For more information, see "Importing a User Profile Traffic Map" on
page 908, "Creating a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on page 910, and "Importing a User Profile Envi-
ronment Based Traffic Map" on page 910.
User density traffic maps (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data, or 2G net-
work statistics.
Each pixel has a user density assigned. The value either includes all activity statuses or it corresponds to a particular
activity status. For more information, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 911, "Creating a User
Density Traffic Map" on page 912, "Converting 2G Network Traffic" on page 913 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on
page 913.
Because each of the CDMA technologies has capabilities and services that are specific to it,
it is recommended to create a separate traffic map for:
voice
1xRTT data
EV-DO data
You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from an other Atoll docu-
ment.
7. Select a coverage prediction by transmitter from the list of available coverage predictions by transmitter.
8. Enter the data required in the Map per Sector dialogue:
If you selected Throughputs in Uplink and Downlink, enter the throughput demands in the reverse and forward
links for each sector and for voice and each 1xRTT data service. Because only one EV-DO data service user is served
at a time, all EV-DO users are considered as active in the forward link. Therefore, you can only enter the
throughput demand in the reverse link for each sector and for each EV-DO data service.
If you selected Total Number of Users (All Activity Statuses), enter the number of connected users for each sector
and for each listed service.
If you selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of users active in the reverse and forward
links for each sector and for voice and each 1xRTT data service. Because only one EV-DO data service user is served
at a time, all EV-DO users are considered as active in the forward link. Therefore, you can only enter the number
of inactive users (in the reverse link) and the number of active users in the reverse link for each sector and for each
EV-DO data service.
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You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and select-
ing Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
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A user profile models the behaviour of different subscriber categories. Each user profile is defined by a list of services which
are in turn defined by the terminal used, the calls per hour, and duration.
Environment classes are used to describe the distribution of subscribers on a map. An environment class describes its envi-
ronment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given density (i.e., the number of subscribers
with the same profile per km).
The sections "Importing a User Profile Traffic Map" on page 908, "Importing a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map"
on page 910 and "Creating a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on page 910 describe how to use traffic data from
the marketing department in Atoll to model traffic.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Modelling User Profiles" on page 907
"Modelling Environments" on page 907.
You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user can be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but no web
browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and web brows-
ing.
To create or modify a user profile:
To create a user profile:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile
in the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.
Modelling Environments
An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given
density (i.e., the number of subscribers with the same profile per km). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can assign
a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor subscribers for each
clutter class. In a Monte-Carlo simulation, an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
To create or modify a CDMA environment:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the environ-
ment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
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For example: An area of 10 km with a subscriber density of 100/km. Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 subscrib-
ers. The area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Build-
ing is "4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.
10. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte-Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported vector formats: DXF format (DXF), Atoll
Geographic Data File (AGD), ArcView format (SHP), MapInfo file (MIF or TAB), or Planet Data File (index).
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab (see Figure 10.36). Under Traffic Fields, you can specify the user profiles to be considered, their
mobility type (kmh), and their density. If the file you are importing has this data, you can define the traffic character-
istics by identifying the corresponding fields in the file. If the file you are importing does not have data describing the
user profile, mobility, or density, you can assign values. When you assign values, they apply to the entire map.
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When you import user profile or mobility information from the file, the values in the file
must be exactly the same as the corresponding names in the Traffic Parameters folder in
the Parameters explorer. If the imported user profile or mobility does not match, Atoll
will display a warning.
12. Under Clutter Distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to distribute users on the map.
The user distribution per clutter class is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area --------------------------
Wi Si
i
where:
Nk = Number of users in the clutter k
N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)
13. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte-Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
14. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 910.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, BIL, IST, BMP,
PlaNET, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the Code
column.
12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under Traffic Parameters in the Parame-
ters explorer. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 907.
13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects" on
page 43.
7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.
8. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.
9. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.
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Because each of the CDMA technologies has capabilities and services that are specific to it,
it is recommended to create a separate traffic map per user density for:
voice
1xRTT data
EV-DO data
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Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the downlink only.
Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides a den-
sity of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
Inactive: Select Inactive if the map you are importing provides a density of inactive users.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET, TIF, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab.
12. Select whether the users are active in the Uplink/Downlink, only in the Downlink, or only in the Uplink.
13. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of radio configuration used in this map. The total percentage
must equal 100 for this map.
14. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in this map. The total percentage must equal
100 for this map.
15. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in this map. The total percentage must equal 100.
16. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define a
clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
17. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic Maps folder.
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An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define a
clutter weighting for user density traffic maps because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
12. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic Maps folder.
13. Right-click the traffic map. The context menu appears.
14. Select Edit from the context menu.
15. Use the tools available in the Vector Editor toolbar to draw contours. For more information on editing contours, see
"Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 61. Atoll creates an item called Density values in the User Density Map
folder.
16. Right-click Density values in the User Density Map folder. The context menu appears.
17. Select Open Table from the context menu.
18. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e. the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.
19. When you have finished creating the user density traffic map, right-click the map. The context menu appears.
20. Select Edit from the context menu again to end editing.
10.2.2.3.3 Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps
You can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps. User density traffic maps created from sector traffic maps
extract and display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account any clutter
weighting defined for the sector traffic maps.
To create user density traffic maps from a sector traffic map:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Maps folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map from which you want to create user density traffic maps. The context menu appears.
4. Select Create Density Maps from the context menu.
Atoll creates as many user density traffic maps as there are services present in the sector traffic map. The user density
map files use the resolution of the coverage prediction used for the sector traffic map and are embedded in the docu-
ment.
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You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.
8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
Service: Select the service that will be exported, or select "Circuit services" to export voice traffic, or select "Packet
services" to export data traffic.
Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
Activity: Select one of the following:
All Activity Statuses: Select All Activity Statuses to export all users, independently of their activity status.
Uplink: Select Uplink to export mobiles active in the uplink only.
Downlink: Select Downlink to export mobiles active in the downlink only.
Uplink/Downlink: Select Uplink/Downlink to export only mobiles with both uplink and downlink activity.
Inactive: Select Inactive to export only inactive mobiles.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the cumulated
traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.
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Additionally, each 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 user is assigned a transition flag ("True" or "False") for each possible rate transition
(from 9.6 to 19.2 kbps, 19.2 to 38.4 kbps, 38.4 to 76.8 kbps, and 76.8 to 153.6 kbps for rate upgrading and from 153.6
to 76.8 kbps, 76.8 to 38.4 kbps, 38.4 to 19.2 kbps, and 19.2 to 9.6 kbps for rate downgrading). These transition flags
are based on the rate downgrading and upgrading probabilities. If a transition flag is "True," the user rate can be
downgraded or upgraded if necessary.
Then, Atoll randomly assigns a shadowing error to each user using the probability distribution that describes the shad-
owing effect.
Finally, another random trial determines user positions in their respective traffic zone (possibly according to the clut-
ter weighting and the indoor ratio per clutter class).
2. Modelling network power control: Atoll uses a power control algorithm for CDMA2000 1xRTT users, and performs
the forward link power control on the FCH and SCH and the reverse link power control on either the pilot channel or
on the FCH and SCH for 1xRTT users. For users of 1xEV-DO, Atoll performs the reverse link power control on the pilot
channel. On the forward link, Atoll performs rate control based on the CI ratio calculated for the mobile. The power
control simulation algorithm is described in "The Power Control Simulation Algorithm" on page 915.
The CDMA2000 1xRTT power control simulation algorithm (see Figure 10.38) simulates the power control, congestion, and
radio resource control performed for CDMA2000 1xRTT users. Atoll considers each user in the order established during the
generation of the user distribution, determines his best server and his active set. Atoll performs the forward link power
control on the FCH and SCH and the reverse link power control on either the pilot channel or on the FCH and SCH, depending
on the option selected under UL 1xRTT Power Control Based On on the Global Parameters tab of the Network Settings Prop-
erties dialogue (see "The Options of the Network Settings Properties Dialogue" on page 967).
After performing power control, Atoll updates the reverse link load factor and the total forward link transmitted power. Atoll
then carries out congestion and radio resource control, verifying the cell reverse link load, the forward link load, and the
number of channel elements and Walsh codes consumed by the cell.
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The SCH rate on the forward and the reverse links can be downgraded. Atoll will downgrade the forward link SCH rate until:
The required forward link quality level on SCH is reached,
The total forward link power of a cell is lower than the maximum power allowed,
The number of channel elements consumed on the forward link by a site is lower than the maximum number of
channel elements allowed,
The number of Walsh codes used by a cell is lower than the maximum number of Walsh codes available per cell.
Atoll will downgrade the reverse link SCH rate until:
The required reverse link quality level on SCH or on pilot is reached,
The number of channel elements consumed on the reverse link by a site is lower than the maximum number of
channel elements allowed.
Downgraded SCH rates cannot be lower than the FCH nominal rate. When downgrading the SCH rate does not solve the prob-
lem, the SCH is not allocated to the mobile. In this case, if the requirements of a mobile cannot be met by using the FCH alone,
the mobile is rejected.
At this point, users can be either connected or rejected. They are rejected if:
The signal quality is not sufficient:
On the forward link, the pilot quality is not high enough (no cell in the user active set): status is "EcI0 < (EcI0)min."
On the reverse link, there is not enough power to transmit: the status is "Pmob > PmobMax."
On the forward link, the quality of the received signal is not high enough on the traffic channel: the status is "Ptch >
PtchMax."
The network is saturated:
The maximum reverse link load factor is exceeded (at admission or during congestion control): the status is either
"Admission Rejection" or "UL Load Saturation."
There are not enough available channel elements on the site: the status is "Ch. Elts Saturation."
There is not enough power for cells: the status is "DL Load Saturation."
There are no more Walsh codes available: the status is "Walsh Code Saturation."
The CDMA2000 1xEV-DO simulation algorithm (see Figure 10.39) simulates the power and rate controls, congestion, and radio
resource control performed for CDMA2000 1xEV-DO users (i.e. 1xEV-DO Rev.0, 1xEV-DO Rev.A and 1xEV-DO Rev.B service
users). Atoll considers the guaranteed bit rate service users first, in the order established during the generation of the user
distribution, and then, it processes the variable bit rate service users, in the order established during the generation of the
user distribution. It determines the best server and the active set of each user, and performs the reverse link power control
on the pilot channel. On the forward link, there is no power control; the transmitter transmits at full power. Instead, Atoll
performs rate control based on the CI ratio calculated for the mobile.
After performing rate and power control, Atoll updates the reverse link load factor. Atoll then carries out congestion and radio
resource control, verifying the cell reverse link load and the number of channel elements and MAC indexes consumed by the
cell.
Guaranteed bit rate service users have the highest priority and are processed first, in the order established during the gener-
ation of the user distribution. Atoll determines the 1xEV-DO bearer for each user in the forward link and in the reverse link.
The selected 1xEV-DO bearer must provide a RLC peak rate higher than the guaranteed bit rate defined for the service. To
achieve the highest cell capacity, 1xEV-DO Rev. A has a multi-user packet that combines packets from several users into a
single physical-layer packet. Atoll models the multi-user packet by allowing several guaranteed bit rate service users to share
the same 1xEV-DO radio bearer. Then, Atoll calculates the 1xEV-DO bearer consumption for each user and takes into account
this parameter when it determines the resources consumed by the user (i.e., the terminal power used, the number of MAC
indexes, and the number of channel elements). Atoll checks if enough MAC indexes and channel elements are available for
the user (taking into account the maximum number of MAC indexes defined for the cell and the maximum number of channel
elements allowed on the site in the downlink). If not enough indexes or channel elements are available, the user is rejected.
A multi-carrier EV-DO user is managed as several single-carrier users. The user has several allocated 1xEV-DO radio bearers
and consumes resources in each cell he is connected to. In the reverse link, load balancing between carriers is modelled. The
user can simultaneously transmit on all carriers. Atoll shares the available terminal power equally between each carrier and
determines the uplink 1xEV-DO radio bearer obtained on each carrier, without exceeding the available resources (channel
elements, MAC index, and UL load factor). Atoll selects the best configuration among all combinations of carriers, i.e., the
combination which provides the highest total throughput. If, with the selected configuration, the total throughput exceeds
the original throughput demand, Atoll adjusts the 1xEV-DO radio bearers on each carrier until the user obtains the requested
throughput. In the forward link, Atoll performs rate control on each carrier. Atoll calculates the C/I ratio received by the
mobile on each carrier and determines the downlink 1xEV-DO radio bearer obtained on each carrier. The user downlink
throughput corresponds to the sum of the throughputs obtained on each carrier.
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During reverse link power control, if the service supports downgrading, Atoll might downgrade the rate of 1xEV-DO Rev. 0
service users on the reverse link traffic data channel until the required reverse link quality level is reached. If downgrading
does not allow the quality level to be met, the mobile is rejected.
During congestion control, if the service supports downgrading, Atoll might adjust the rate of 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 service users on
the reverse link traffic data channel until the reverse link cell noise rise is between the noise rise threshold plus the acceptable
noise rise margin and the noise rise threshold minus the acceptable noise rise margin. If the noise rise is too high, Atoll down-
grades all 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 users that can be downgraded. When the noise rise is too low, it upgrades all 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 users
that can be upgraded. A 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 user can be downgraded or upgraded if the transition flag of his rate was set to "True"
during the generation of the user distribution. 1xEV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B service users are not downgraded. They are rejected
when the cell noise rise threshold is exceeded.
At this point, users can be either connected or rejected. They are rejected if:
The signal quality is not sufficient:
On the forward link, the pilot quality is not high enough (no cell in the user active set): status is "EcI0 pilot < EcI0
min. pilot".
On the reverse link, there is not enough power to transmit: the status is "Pmob > Pmob max".
The obtained downlink bit rate is lower than the downlink guaranteed bit rate: the status is "Obtained DL bit rate <
Guaranteed DL bit rate". This rejection cause applies to guaranteed bit rate service users only.
The network is saturated:
The maximum reverse link load factor is exceeded (at admission or during congestion control): the status is either
"Admission rejection" or "UL load saturation".
There are not enough available channel elements on the site: the status is "channel element saturation".
There are not enough MAC indexes per cell or the maximum number of EV-DO users per cell is exceeded during
the radio resource control: the status is "1xEV-DO resources saturation".
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5. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
Number of Simulations: Enter the number of simulations to be carried out. All simulations created at the same
time are grouped together in a folder in the Network explorer.
Information to retain: You can select the level of detail that will be available in the output:
Only the Average Simulation and Statistics: None of the individual simulations are displayed or available in
the group. Only an average of all simulations and statistics is available.
Some calculation and display options available for coverage predictions are not available
when the option "Only the average simulation and statistics" is selected.
No Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. For each of them, a prop-
erties window containing simulation output, divided among four tabs Statistics, Sites, Cells, and Initial
conditions is available.
Standard Anformation About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window for each simulation contains an additional tab with output related to mobiles.
Detailed Information About Mobiles: All the simulations are listed and can be displayed. The properties
window for each simulation contains additional mobile-related output on the Mobiles and Mobiles (Shadow-
ing values) tabs.
When you are working on very large radio-planning projects, you can reduce memory
consumption by selecting Only the Average Simulation and Statistics under Information
to retain.
6. Under Cell Load Constraints on the General tab, you can set the constraints that Atoll must respect during the simu-
lation:
Number of Channel Elements: Select the Number of Channel Elements check box if you want Atoll to respect the
maximum number of channel elements defined for each site.
Number of Codes: Select the Number of Codes check box if you want Atoll to respect the number of Walsh codes
available for each cell.
UL Load Factor: If you want the reverse link load factor to be verified in the simulation and not to exceed the Max
UL Load Factor, select the UL Load Factor check box and define a value for the Max UL Load Factor.
Max UL Load Factor: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum reverse link cell load factor, click the
button ( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum reverse link cell load factor. If
you want to use the maximum reverse link cell load factor as defined in the properties for each cell, click the
button ( ) beside the box and select Defined per Cell.
DL Load (% Pmax): If you want the forward link load to be verified in the simulation and not to exceed the Max DL
Load, select the DL Load (% Pmax) check box and enter a maximum forward link cell load in the Max DL Load box.
Max DL Load (% Pmax): If you want to enter a global value for the maximum forward link cell load, as a percentage
of the maximum power, click the button ( ) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum
forward link cell load, as a percentage of the maximum power. If you want to use the maximum forward link cell
load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside the box and select Defined per Cell.
7. On the Source Traffic tab, enter the following:
Global Scaling Factor: If desired, enter a scaling factor to increase user density.
The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic maps.
For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of subscribers (for
environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for sector traffic maps).
Select Traffic Maps to Be Used: Select the traffic maps you want to use for the simulation.
You can select traffic maps of any type. However, if you have several different types of traffic maps and want to
make a simulation on a specific type of traffic map, you must ensure that you select only traffic maps of the same
type. For information on the types of traffic maps, see "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 904.
8. Click the Advanced tab.
9. Under Generator Initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. If you enter "0", the default, the
user and shadowing error distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same user and shadowing
error distribution will be used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.
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Using the same generated user and shadowing error distribution for several simulations
can be useful when you want to compare the results of several simulations where only
one parameter changes.
You can make the traffic distribution easier to see by hiding geo data and predictions.
For information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer
Windows" on page 38.
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The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following two sections:
Request: Under Request, you will find data on the connection requests:
Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; power control has not yet started. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic input.
During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users per
activity status and the reverse link and forward link rates that all users could theoretically generate are
provided.
The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and reverse link and
forward link rates) is given.
Results: Under Results, you will find data on the connection results:
The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.
The number and the percentage of rejected users is given along with the reason for rejection. These figures
are determined at the end of the simulation and depend on the network design.
The number and percentage of users connected to a cell, the number of users per frequency band for a dual-
band network, the number of users per activity status, and the reverse link and forward link total rates they
generate.
The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per frequency band for a dual-band
network, number of users per activity status, and reverse link and forward link rates) is given.
The Sites tab: The Sites tab contains the following information per site:
Max No. of DL and UL CEs per Carrier: The maximum number of channel elements available per 1xRTT carrier on
the forward and reverse links.
Max No. of EV-DO CEs per Carrier: The maximum number of channel elements available per 1xEV-DO carrier.
No. of DL and UL FCH CEs: The number of channel elements used by the FCH on the forward and reverse links by
the site.
No. of DL and UL SCH CEs: The number of channel elements used by the SCH on the forward and reverse links by
the site.
No. EV-DO CEs: The number of channel elements used by EV-DO users.
No. of DL and UL FCH CEs Due to SHO Overhead: The number of extra channel elements due to soft handoff, on
reverse link and forward link for CDMA2000 1xRTT users.
No. of DL and UL SCH CEs Due to SHO Overhead: The number of extra channel elements due to soft handoff, on
reverse link and forward link for CDMA2000 1xRTT users.
No. of EV-DO CEs Due to SHO Overhead: The number of extra channel elements due to soft handoff, on reverse
link and forward link for CDMA2000 1xEV-DO users.
Carrier Selection: The carrier selection method defined on the site equipment.
AS Restricted to Neighbours: Whether the active set is restricted to neighbours of the reference cell. This option
is selected on the site equipment.
Rake Factor: The rake factor, defined on the site equipment, enables Atoll to model a rake receiver on the reverse
link.
MUD Factor: The multi-user detection factor, defined on the site equipment, is used to decrease intra-cell inter-
ference on the reverse link.
FCH throughput per service (Uplink and Downlink) (kbps): The throughput in kbitss for speech service and each
1xRTT data service on the FCH. The result is detailed on the forward and reverse link only when relevant.
SCH throughput per service (Uplink and Downlink) (kbps): The throughput in kbitss for each 1xRTT data service
on the SCH. The result is detailed on the forward and reverse link only when relevant.
The Cells (1xRTT) tab: The Cells (1xRTT) tab contains the following information, per site, transmitter, and 1xRTT
carrier:
Max Power (dBm): The maximum power as defined in the cell properties.
Pilot Power (dBm): The pilot power as defined in the cell properties.
Synchro Power (dBm): The synchro power as defined in the cell properties.
Paging Power (dBm): The paging power as defined in the cell properties.
Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties
Total Transmitted DL Power (dBm): The total transmitted power on the forward link.
Total Transmitted DL FCH Power (dBm): The total power used on the forward link for the FCH.
Total Transmitted DL SCH Power (dBm): The total power used on the forward link for the SCH.
UL Total Noise (dBm): The total noise on the reverse link.
UL Load Factor (%): The cell load factor on the reverse link corresponds to the ratio between the total interference
on the reverse link and the total noise on the reverse link. If the constraint "UL Load Factor" has been selected,
the cell load factor on the reverse link is not allowed to exceed the user-defined maximum load factor on the
reverse link (defined either in the cell properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue).
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DL Load Factor (%): The load factor of the cell i on the forward link corresponds to the ratio (average interference
on the forward link [due to transmitter signals on the same carrier] for terminals in the transmitter i area)
(average total noise on the forward link [due to transmitter signals and to thermal noise of terminals] for terminals
in the transmitter i area).
DL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise on the forward link is calculated from the load factor on the forward link. These
data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of power used is determined by the total transmitted power-maximum power
ratio (power stated in W). When the constraint "DL load" is set, the DL Load can not exceed the user-defined Max
DL Load (defined either in the cell properties, or in the simulation).
Number of UL and DL Radio Links: The number of radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter links
on the same carrier. This data is calculated on the forward and reverse links and indicates the number of users
connected to the cell on the forward and reverse links. Because of handover, a single user can use several radio
links.
Connection Success Rate (%): The connection success rate gives the ratio of connected users over the total
number of users in the cell.
UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise on the reverse link is calculated from the load factor on the reverse link. These
data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
UL Reuse Factor: The reverse link reuse factor is the ratio between the reverse link total interference and the intra-
cell interference.
UL Reuse Efficiency Factor: The reuse efficiency factor on the reverse link is the reciprocal of the reuse factor on
the reverse link.
No. of Codes (128 bits): The total number of 128-bit Walsh codes used by cell.
No. of FCH Codes (128 bits): The total number of 128-bit Walsh codes used by the FCH of the cell.
No. of SCH Codes (128 bits): The total number of 128-bit Walsh codes used by the SCH of the cell.
The Types of Handoff as a Percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handoff types for each transmitter.
Atoll only lists the results for the following handoff status, no handoff (11), softer (12), soft (22), softer-soft (23)
and soft-soft (33) handoffs; the other handoff status (other HO) are grouped.
No. of DL and UL FCH CEs: The number of channel elements used by the FCH on the forward and reverse links.
No. of DL and UL SCH CEs: The number of channel elements used by the SCH on the forward and reverse links.
FCH Throughput (Uplink and Downlink) (kbps): The throughput of the FCH on the forward and reverse links.
SCH Throughput (Uplink and Downlink) (kbps): The throughput of the SCH on the forward and reverse links.
Min TCH Pwr (dBm): The minimum power allocated to a traffic channel for supplying services.
Max TCH Pwr (dBm): The maximum power allocated to a traffic channel for supplying services.
Avg TCH Pwr (dBm): The average power allocated to a traffic channel for supplying services.
Rejected Users: The number of rejected users per cell are sorted by the following reasons: Pmob > PmobMax,
Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min, UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation, DL Load Saturation, Walsh Code Sat-
uration, and Admission Rejection.
Connection Success Rate (%) for Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the ratio of con-
nected users over the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Cells (1xEV-DO) tab: The Cells (1xEV-DO) tab contains the following information, per site, transmitter, and
1xEV-DO carrier:
Max Power (dBm): The maximum power as defined in the cell properties.
Idle Power Gain (dB): The idle power gain as defined in the cell properties.
Gain (dBi): The gain as defined in the antenna properties for that transmitter.
Reception Loss (dB): The reception loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Transmission Loss (dB): The transmission loss as defined in the transmitter properties.
Noise Figure (dB): The noise figure as defined in the transmitter properties.
UL Total Noise (dBm): The total noise received by the cell on the reverse link.
UL Load Factor (%): The cell load factor on the reverse link corresponds to the ratio between the total interference
on the reverse link and the total noise on the reverse link. If the constraint "UL Load Factor" has been selected,
the cell load factor on the reverse link is not allowed to exceed the user-defined maximum load factor on the
reverse link (defined either in the cell properties or in the simulation creation dialogue).
UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise on the reverse link is calculated from the load factor on the reverse link. These
data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
UL Reuse Factor: The reverse link reuse factor is the ratio between the reverse link total interference and the intra-
cell interference.
UL Reuse Efficiency Factor: The reuse efficiency factor on the reverse link is the reciprocal of the reuse factor on
the reverse link.
Number of UL Radio Links: The number of radio links on the reverse link. Multi-carrier users are counted once in
each cell they are connected to.
No. of Active Users: The number of active users connected to the cell. Multi-carrier users are counted once in each
cell they are connected to.
No. of Inactive Users: The number of inactive users among the users connected to the cell. Multi-carrier users are
counted once in each cell they are connected to.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of connections that are successfully made.
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The Types of Handoff as a Percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handoff types for each transmitter on
the reverse link. Atoll only lists the results for the following handoff status, no handoff (11), softer (12), soft (22),
softer-soft (23) and soft-soft (33) handoffs; the other handoff status (other HO) are grouped.
UL and DL Throughput (kbps): The throughput on the forward and reverse links.
No. of MAC Index: The number of MAC indexes used by the cell.
Rejected Users: The number of rejected users per cell are sorted by the following reasons: Pmob > PmobMax,
Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min, UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation, DL Load Saturation, Walsh Code Sat-
uration, Admission Rejection, and 1xEV-DO Resources Saturation.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the percentage
of connected users from the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Mobiles (1xRTT) tab: The Mobiles (1xRTT) tab contains the following information for CDMA2000 1xRTT users:
The Mobiles (1xRTT) tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as explained in
"Creating Simulations" on page 917, you select either "Standard information about
mobiles" or "Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain.
X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the second
random trial).
Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Terminal: The assigned radio configuration.
User Profile: The assigned user profile.
Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Activity Status: The activity status assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distri-
bution.
DL and UL Total Requested Rate (kbps): The downlink and uplink total requested rates correspond to the forward
and reverse data rates requested by the user before power control.
DL and UL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): The total obtained rates are the same as the total requested rates if the
user is connected without being downgraded. If the user has been downgraded, the throughput is calculated using
the downgrading factor. If the user was rejected, the total obtained rate is zero.
Carrier: The carrier used for the mobile-transmitter connection.
Frequency Band: The frequency band used for the mobile-transmitter connection.
Mobile Total Power (dBm): This value corresponds to the total power transmitted by the terminal.
Uplink Pilot Power (dBm): The power transmitted by the terminal on the reverse pilot channel.
Mobile FCH Power (dBm): The power transmitted by the terminal on the FCH channel.
Mobile SCH Power (dBm): power transmitted by the terminal on the SCH channel.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of the
simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection cause
is given.
Best Server: The best server among the transmitters in the mobile active set.
HO Status (Sites/No. Transmitters Act. Set): The HO status is the number of sites compared to the number of
transmitters in the active set.
AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6: The name of the cell that is the best server, the second-best server, and so on is
given in a separate column for each cell in the active set.
Ec/I0 AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (dB): EcI0 is given in a separate column for each cell in the active set. The Ec/
I0 AS1 column lists the Ec/I0 from the best server for the rejected mobiles as well.
Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
The following columns only appear if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating Simulations" on
page 917, you select "Detailed Information About Mobiles" under Information to retain:
DL and UL Downgrading Factor (SCH): The downgrading factor for the SCH on both the forward and the reverse
links. The downgrading factor is used to calculated how much the SCH rate will be downgraded if the requested
rate cannot be provided.
DL Ntot AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (dBm): The total noise on the forward link for each link between the mobile
and a transmitter in the active set.
Cell FCH Power AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (DL) (dBm): The cell power transmitted on the FCH forward link is
given for each link between the mobile and a transmitter in the active set.
Cell SCH Power AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (DL) (dBm): The cell power transmitted on the SCH forward link is
given for each link between the mobile and a transmitter in the active set.
Load Factor AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (DL) (%): The load factor on the forward link for each link between the
mobile and a transmitter in the active set. It corresponds to the ratio between the total interference on the for-
ward link and total noise at the terminal.
Noise Rise AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (DL) (dB): The noise rise on the forward link for each link between the
mobile and a transmitter in the active set.
Reuse Factor AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (DL): The forward link reuse factor is the ratio between the forward
link total interference and the intra-cell interference. It is calculated for each link between the mobile and a trans-
mitter in the active set.
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Iintra AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (DL) (dBm): The intra-cell interference on the forward link for each cell (I) of
the active set.
DL DL
I Intra ( ic ) = ( 1 F Ortho ) P tot ( ic )
txi
Iextra AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (DL) (dBm): The extra-cell interference on the forward link for each cell (I) of
the active set.
DL DL
I extra ( ic ) = P tot ( ic )
txj, j i
Total Loss AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (dB): The total attenuation for each link between the mobile and a trans-
mitter in the active set.
Name: The name of the mobile, as assigned during the random user generation.
Clutter: The clutter class on which the mobile is located.
Orthogonality Factor: The orthogonality factor used in the simulation. The orthogonality factor is the remaining
orthogonality of the Walsh codes at reception. The value used is the orthogonality factor set in the clutter classes.
% Pilot Finger: The percentage pilot finger used in the simulation, defined per clutter class or globally for all clutter
classes.
DL and UL FCH SHO Gain (dB): The soft handoff gain for the FCH on the forward and the reverse link. The soft
handoff gain on the forward link is calculated if mobile receivers are connected either on the forward link or on
the forward link and the reverse link.
DL and UL SCH SHO Gain (dB): The soft handoff gain for the SCH on the forward and the reverse link. The soft
handoff gain on the forward link is calculated if mobile receivers are connected either on the forward link or on
the forward link and the reverse link.
The Mobiles (1xEV-DO) tab: The Mobiles (1xEV-DO) tab contains the following information for CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
users:
The Mobiles (1xEV-DO) tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as explained in
"Creating Simulations" on page 917, you select either "Standard information about
mobiles" or "Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain.
X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the second
random trial).
Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Terminal: The assigned radio configuration.
User: The assigned user profile.
Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Activity Status: The activity status assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distri-
bution.
UL Total Requested Rate (kbps): The UL Total Requested Rate corresponds to the data rate, including the control
channel rate, requested by the user before power control.
UL Total Obtained Rate (kbps): For a 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 service user, the total obtained rate is the same as the total
requested rate if the user is connected without being downgraded. If the user has been downgraded, the uplink
throughput is calculated using the downgrading factor. If the user was rejected, the total obtained rate is "0".
The uplink total rate obtained by the 1xEV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B service users depends on the service QoS class
(i.e., whether this is a guaranteed bit rate or a variable bit rate service). For a guaranteed bit rate service user,
when the user is connected, the uplink total obtained rate equals the guaranteed bit rate defined for the service.
For variable bit rate service users, the uplink total obtained rate is the same as the total requested rate. If the user
is rejected, the uplink total obtained rate is rate is "0".
DL Max Data Rate: The maximum data rate on the forward link depends on the value of CI at the terminal. Atoll
calculates this value from the Max rate=f(CI) graph specified in the mobility type properties.
Carrier: The carrier used for the mobile-transmitter connection. Multi-carrier users are connected to several car-
riers. Details can be displayed per carrier by clicking the Actions button and then selecting Detailed Display from
the menu.
Frequency Band: The frequency band used for the mobile-transmitter connection.
Mobile Total Power (dBm): The mobile total power corresponds to the total power transmitted by the terminal.
For constant bit rate service users, the percentage of bearer consumption is taken into account.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of the
simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection cause
is given.
Best Server: The best server among the transmitters in the mobile active set.
HO Status (Sites/No. Transmitters Act. Set): The HO status is the number of sites compared to the number of
transmitters in the active set.
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AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6: The name of the cell that is the best server, the second-best server, and so on is
given in a separate column for each cell in the active set.
Ec/I0 AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (dB): EcI0 is given in a separate column for each cell in the active set. The Ec/
I0 AS1 column lists the Ec/I0 from the best server for the rejected mobiles as well.
DL C/I: The CI for the pilot on the forward link.
Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
The following columns only appear if, when creating the simulation as explained in "Creating Simulations" on
page 917, you select "Detailed information about mobiles" under Information to Retain:
UL Throughput due to TCP (kbps): The uplink data rate due to TCP aknowledgements.
UL Requested Data Peak Rate (kbps): The uplink requested data peak rate corresponds to the data rate requested
by the user before power control.
UL Obtained Data Peak Rate (kbps): For a 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 service user, the uplink obtained data peak rate is the
same as the requested data peak rate if the user is connected without being downgraded. If the user has been
downgraded, it is calculated using the downgrading factor. If the user was rejected, the obtained data peak rate
is zero.
The uplink data peak rate obtained by the 1xEV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B service users depends on the service QoS
class (i.e., whether this is a guaranteed bit rate or a variable bit rate service). For a guaranteed bit rate service user,
when the user is connected, the uplink obtained data peak rate equals the guaranteed bit rate defined for the
service. For variable bit rate service users, the uplink obtained data peak rate is the same as the uplink requested
data peak rate. If the user is rejected, the uplink obtained data peak rate is "0".
UL Downgrading Factor: The downgrading factor on the reverse link. The downgrading factor is used to calculated
how much the data rate will be downgraded if the requested rate cannot be provided.
DL Ntot (Data) (dBm): The total noise on the forward link.
DL Load Factor (%): The load factor on the forward link. It corresponds to the ratio between the total interference
on the forward link and total noise at the terminal.
DL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise on the forward link.
Total Loss AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4, AS5, AS6 (dB): The total attenuation for each link between the mobile and a trans-
mitter in the active set.
Name: The name of the mobile, as assigned during the random user generation.
Clutter: The clutter class on which the mobile is located.
Orthogonality Factor: The orthogonality factor used in the simulation. The orthogonality factor is the remaining
orthogonality of the Walsh codes at reception. The value used is the orthogonality factor set in the clutter classes.
% Pilot Finger: The percentage pilot finger used in the simulation, defined per clutter class or globally for all clutter
classes.
UL SHO Gain (dB): The soft handoff gain on the reverse link.
Transition flags (Upgrading 9.6k->19.2k, Upgrading 19.2k->38.4k, Upgrading 38.4k->76.8k, Upgrading
76.8k->153.6k, Downgrading 19.2k->9.6k, Downgrading 38.4k->19.2k, Downgrading 76.8k->38.4k, Down-
grading 153.6k->76.8k): The boolean transition flags ("True" or "False") generated by Atoll for each rate transition
and for each 1xEV-DO user. If the flag for a rate transition is "True," the rate can be upgraded or downgraded if
necessary during the uplink load control.
The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab: The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab contains information on the shadowing
margin for each link between the receiver and up to ten potential transmitters. Atoll selects the transmitters which
have the receiver in their propagation zone and have the lowest path losses. The ten transmitters with the lowest path
losses are selected and sorted in ascending order by path loss.
The Mobiles (Shadowing Values) tab only appears if, when creating the simulation as
explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 917, you select "Detailed information about
mobiles" under Information to Retain.
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average total noise [due to transmitter signals and to thermal noise of terminals] for terminals in the transmitter
i area).
DL Noise Rise (dB): The forward link noise rise is calculated from the forward link load factor. These data indicate
signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
Total Transmitted DL Power (dBm): The total power transmitted on the forward link.
DL Load (% Pmax): The percentage of power used is determined by the total transmitted power-maximum power
ratio (power stated in W). When the constraint "DL load" is set, the DL Load can not exceed the user-defined Max
DL Load (defined either in the cell properties, or in the simulation).
Number of UL and DL Radio Links: The number of radio links corresponds to the number of user-transmitter links
on the same carrier. This data is calculated on the forward and reverse links and indicates the number of users
connected to the cell on the forward and reverse links. Because of handover, a single user can use several radio
links.
Connection Success Rate (%): The connection success rate gives the ratio of connected users over the total
number of users in the cell.
No. of Codes (128 bits): The average number of 128-bit Walsh codes used per cell.
The types of handoff as a percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handoff types for each transmitter. Atoll
only lists the results for the following handoff status, no handoff (11), softer (12), soft (22), softer-soft (23) and
soft-soft (33) handoffs; the other handoff status (other HO) are grouped.
FCH Throughput (Uplink and Downlink) (kbps): The throughput of the FCH on the forward and reverse links.
SCH Throughput (Uplink and Downlink) (kbps): The throughput of the SCH on the forward and reverse links.
Min TCH Pwr (dBm): The minimum power allocated to a traffic channel for supplying services.
Max TCH Pwr (dBm): The maximum power allocated to a traffic channel for supplying services.
Avg TCH Pwr (dBm): The average power allocated to a traffic channel for supplying services.
Rejected Users: The number of rejected users per cell are sorted by the following reasons: Pmob > PmobMax,
Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min, UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation, DL Load Saturation, Walsh Code Sat-
uration, and Admission Rejection.
Connection Success Rate (%) for Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the ratio of con-
nected users over the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Cells (Average - 1xEV-DO) and Cells (Standard Deviation - 1xEV-DO) tabs: The Cells (Average - 1xEV-DO) and Cells
(Standard Deviation - 1xEV-DO) tabs contain the following average and standard deviation information, respectively,
per site, transmitter, and 1xEV-DO carrier:
UL Total Noise (dBm): The total noise on the reverse link takes into account the total signal received at the trans-
mitter on a carrier from intra and extra-cell terminals using the same carrier and adjacent carriers (total interfer-
ence on the reverse link) and the thermal noise.
UL Load Factor (%): The cell load factor on the reverse link corresponds to the ratio between the total interference
on the reverse link and the total noise on the reverse link. If the constraint "UL Load Factor" has been selected,
the cell load factor on the reverse link is not allowed to exceed the user-defined maximum load factor on the
reverse link (defined either in the cell properties, or in the simulation creation dialogue).
UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise on the reverse link is calculated from the load factor on the reverse link. These
data indicate signal degradation due to cell load (interference margin in the link budget).
UL Reuse Factor: The reverse link reuse factor is the ratio between the reverse link total interference and the intra-
cell interference.
UL Reuse Efficiency Factor: The reverse link reuse efficiency factor is the reciprocal of the reverse link reuse factor.
Number of UL Radio Links: The number of radio links on the reverse link.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of connections that are successfully made.
The types of handoff as a percentage: Atoll estimates the percentages of handoff types for each transmitter. Atoll
only lists the results for the following handoff status, no handoff (11), softer (12), soft (22), softer-soft (23) and
soft-soft (33) handoffs; the other handoff status (other HO) are grouped.
UL and DL Throughput (kbps): The throughput on the forward and reverse links.
No. of MAC Index: The number of MAC indexes used by the cell.
Rejected Users: The number of rejected users per cell are sorted by the following reasons: Pmob > PmobMax,
Ptch > PtchMax, EcIo < (EcIo)min, UL Load Saturation, Ch. Elts Saturation, DL Load Saturation, Walsh Code Sat-
uration, Admission Rejection, and 1xEV-DO Resources Saturation.
Connection Success Rate (%) for Each Service: For each service, the connection success rate gives the ratio of con-
nected users over the total number of users of that service in the cell.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
The global transmitter parameters:
The spreading width
Whether the power values on the forward link are absolute or relative to the pilot
The default reverse link soft handoff gain
Whether the MRC in softer/soft is defined or not
The method used to calculate Nt
Whether the reverse link 1xRTT power control is based on the traffic quality or the pilot quality.
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By creating and calculating one group of simulations, making a change to the network and then creating and calculat-
ing a new group of simulations using the same generator initialisation number, you can see the difference your param-
eter changes make.
To create a new simulation to a group of simulations using the generator initialisation number, see "Adding a Simula-
tion to a Group of Simulations" on page 930.
Duplicating a Group: When you duplicate a group, Atoll creates a group of simulations with the same simulation
parameters as those used to generate the group of simulations. You can then modify the simulation parameters
before calculating the group.
To duplicate a group of simulations, see "Duplicating a Group of Simulations" on page 931.
5. On the General tab of the dialogue, if desired, change the Name and Comments for this group of simulations.
6. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
Number of Simulations: Enter the number of simulations to added to this group of simulations.
7. Once you have added the simulation, you can run it immediately or you can save it to run it later:
Run: Click Run to save the defined simulation and run it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined simulation without running it. You can run it later clicking the Calculate button
( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
When replaying an existing group of simulations, most parameters used to calculate the
group of simulations are reused for the replayed group. Consequently, few parameters can
be changed for the replayed group.
5. On the General tab of the dialogue, you can set the following parameters:
Select the level of detail that will be available in the output from the Information to retain list as explained in "Cre-
ating Simulations" on page 917.
Under Cell Load Constraints, you can set the constraints as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 917 that
Atoll must respect during the simulation.
6. On the Source Traffic tab of the dialogue, select the Refresh Traffic Parameters check box if you want to take into
account traffic parameter changes (such as, maximum and minimum traffic channel powers allowed, Eb/Nt thresh-
olds, etc.) in the replayed simulation.
7. On the Advanced tab, you can set the following parameters:
Max Number of Iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make convergence.
UL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on the
uplink that must be reached between two iterations.
DL Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of interference and connected users on the
downlink that must be reached between two iterations.
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You can create a new group of simulations with the same parameters as the original
group of simulations by duplicating an existing one as explained in "Duplicating a Group
of Simulations" on page 931.
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The AS analysis does not take possible network saturation into account. Therefore, there
is no guarantee that a simulated mobile with the same receiver characteristics can verify
the point analysis, simply because the simulated network can be saturated.
1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears (see Figure 10.13).
2. Select the AS Analysis view at the top of the Point Analysis window.
3. At the top of the AS Analysis view, select the simulation or group of simulations you want to base the AS analysis on
from the Load Conditions list.
4. Select the Terminal, Service, Mobility, Carrier, and DL and UL Rates.
10. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.
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Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (UL): For information on making a coverage prediction on the reverse link service
area, see "Studying Service Area (EbNt) Uplink and Downlink for 1xRTT" on page 871 or "Studying Service Area
(EbNt) Reverse Link for EV-DO" on page 873.
Effective Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (DL+UL): For information on making a pilot pollution coverage analysis,
see "Studying Effective Service Area" on page 874.
Coverage predictions on noise and interference:
Coverage by Total Noise Level (DL): For information on making a forward link total noise coverage prediction, see
"Studying Forward Link Total Noise" on page 876.
Pilot Pollution Analysis: For information on making a pilot pollution coverage analysis, see "Calculating Pilot Pol-
lution" on page 877.
A handoff status coverage prediction to analyse macro-diversity performance:
Handoff Zones: For information on making a handoff status coverage prediction, see "Making a Handoff Status
Coverage Prediction" on page 879.
The procedures for the coverage predictions assume that simulation results are not available. When no simulations are avail-
able, you select "(Cells Table)" from the Load Conditions list, on the Conditions tab. However, when simulations are available
you can base the coverage prediction on one simulation or a group of simulations.
To base a coverage prediction on a simulation or group of simulations, when setting the parameters:
1. Click the Conditions tab.
2. From the Load Conditions list, select the simulation or group of simulations on which you want to base the coverage
prediction.
3. If you select a group of simulations from the Load Conditions list, select one of the following:
All: Select All to make a statistical analysis of all simulations based on the defined Probability (the probability must
be from 0 to 1). This will make a global analysis of all simulations in a group and with an evaluation of the network
stability in terms of fluctuations in traffic.
Average: Select Average make the coverage prediction on the average of the simulations in the group.
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For information on setting objective parameters, see "Setting Objective Parameters" on page 242 of Chapter 6: Automatic Cell
Planning.
If you want to use a coverage prediction, the coverage prediction must have already
been calculated.
4. Click Overlap. In the right-hand pane, you can define how the ACP will evaluate overlapping coverage.
5. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, define an
Overlap threshold margin and a Minimum signal level.
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate overlapping coverage using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
6. Under CDMA in the left-hand pane under Parameters, select Signal Level.
7. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, you can select
the Enable shadowing margin check box and define a Cell edge coverage probability. The standard deviations
defined in the Atoll clutter are used or, if no clutter information is available, default values are used.
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate the signal level using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
8. Under CDMA in the left-hand pane under Parameters, select EcIo.
9. Select what the objective evaluation will be based on from the Base prediction settings on list:
Manual configuration: If you select Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, you can select
the Enable shadowing margin check box and define a Cell edge coverage probability. The standard deviations
defined in the Atoll clutter are used or, if no clutter information is available, default values are used. Additionally
you must define the Service and Terminal used to evaluate EcIo coverage. Select a Service and a Terminal. The
service and terminal specified are used during the calculation of EcIo through gain and losses (i.e., the service
body loss, the gain and loss of the terminal antenna, and terminal noise factor).
Coverage Prediction: If you select a coverage prediction from the Base prediction settings on list, the ACP will
evaluate EcIo using the same parameters that were used to calculate the coverage prediction.
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You can import a single drive test data file or several drive test data files at the same time. If you regularly import drive test
data files of the same format, you can create an import configuration. The import configuration contains information that
defines the structure of the data in the drive test data file. By using the import configuration, you will not need to define the
data structure each time you import a new drive test data file.
To import one or several drive test data files:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Drive Test Data folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Import from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
4. You can import one or several files. Select the file or files you want to open.
If you are importing more than one file, you can select contiguous files by clicking the first
file you want to import, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to import. You
can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file you want to import.
Files with the extension PLN, as well as some FMT files (created with previous versions of
TEMS) are imported directly into Atoll; you will not be asked to define the data structure
using the Import of Measurement Files dialogue.
6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file or files, you can select it
from the Import configuration list on the Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue. If you do not have
an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Import configuration, select an import configuration from the Import configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.
When importing a drive test data path file, existing configurations are available in
the Files of type list of the Open dialogue, sorted according to their date of crea-
tion. After you have selected a file and clicked Open, Atoll automatically proposes
a configuration, if it recognises the extension. if several configurations are associ-
ated with an extension, Atoll chooses the first configuration in the list.
The defined configurations are stored, by default, in the file "NumMeasINIFile.ini",
located in the directory where Atoll is installed. For more information on the Num-
MeasINIFile.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
7. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
Name: By default, Atoll names the new drive test data path after the imported file. You can change this name if
desired.
Under Receiver, set the Height of the receiver antenna and the Gain and Losses.
Under Measurement Conditions,
Units: Select the measurement units used.
Coordinates: By default, Atoll imports the coordinates using the display system of the Atoll document. If the
coordinates used in the file you are importing are different than the coordinates used in the Atoll document,
you must click the Browse button ( ) and select the coordinate system used in the drive test data file. Atoll
will then convert the data imported to the coordinate system used in the Atoll document.
8. Click the Setup tab (see Figure 10.44).
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Figure 10.44: The Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue
a. Under File, enter the number of the 1st Measurement Row, select the data Separator, and select the Decimal
Symbol used in the file.
b. Click the Setup button to link file columns and internal Atoll fields. The Drive Test Data Setup dialogue appears.
c. Under Measurement point position, select the columns in the imported file that give the X-Coordinates and the
Y-Coordinates of each point in the drive test data file.
You can also identify the columns containing the XY coordinates of each point in the drive
test data file by selecting them from the Field row of the table on the Setup tab.
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If you have correctly entered the information under File on the Setup tab, and the
necessary values in the Drive Test Data Setup dialogue, Atoll should recognise all
columns in the imported file. If not, you can click the name of the column in the table in
the Field row and select the column name. For each field, you must ensure that each
column has the correct data type in order for the data to be correctly interpreted. The
default value under Type is "<Ignore>". If a column is marked with "<Ignore>", it will not
be imported.
9. If you want to save the definition of the data structure so that you can use it again, you can save it as an import con-
figuration:
a. On the Setup tab, under Import configuration, click Save. The Configuration dialogue appears.
b. By default, Atoll saves the configuration in a file called "NumMeasINIfile.ini" found in Atolls installation folder. If
you cannot write into that folder, you can click the Browse button to choose a different location.
c. Enter a Configuration Name and an Extension of the files that this import configuration will describe (for example,
"*.csv").
d. Click OK.
Atoll will now select this import configuration automatically every time you import a drive test data path file with
the selected extension. If you import a file with the same structure but a different extension, you will be able to
select this import configuration from the Configuration list.
You do not have to complete the import procedure to save the import configura-
tion and have it available for future use.
When importing a measurement file, you can expand the NumMeasINIfile.ini file
by clicking the Expand button ( ) in front of the file under Import configuration
to display all the available import configurations. When selecting the appropriate
configuration, the associations are automatically made in the table at the bottom
of the dialogue.
You can delete an existing import configuration by selecting the import configura-
tion under Import configuration and clicking the Delete button.
10. Click Import, if you are only importing a single file, or Import All, if you are importing more than one file. The mobile
data are imported into the current Atoll document.
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3. Right-click the drive test data path whose display you want to manage. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu,
5. Click the Display tab.
Each point can be displayed by a unique attribute or according to:
a text or integer attribute (discrete value)
a numerical value (value interval).
In addition, you can display points by more than one criterion at a time using the Advanced option in the Display Type list.
When you select Advanced from the Display Type list, a dialogue opens in which you can define the following display for each
single point of the measurement path:
a symbol according to any attribute
a symbol colour according to any attribute
a symbol size according to any attribute.
You can, for example, display a signal level in a certain colour, choose a symbol type for Transmitter 1 (a circle, triangle, cross,
etc.) and a symbol size according to the altitude.
Fast Display forces Atoll to use the lightest symbol to display the points. This is par-
ticularly useful when you have a very large number of points.
You can not use Advanced Display if the Fast Display check box has been selected.
You can sort drive test data paths in alphabetical order in the Network explorer by
right-clicking the Drive Test Data Path folder and selecting Sort Alphabetically
from the context menu.
You can save the display settings (such as colours and symbols) of a drive test data
path in a user configuration file to make them available for use on another drive
test data path. To save or load the user configuration file, click the Actions button
on the Display tab of the path properties dialogue and select Save or Load from
the Display Configuration submenu.
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5. If you want to keep the measurement points inside the focus zone, select the Use focus zone to filter check box.
6. If you want to permanently remove the measurement points outside the filter, select the Delete Points Outside Filter
check box.
If you permenantly delete measurement points and later want to use them, you will have to re-import the original
measurement data.
To filter out incompatible points using a filter:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. In the Network explorer, right-click the Drive Test Data on which you want to filter out incompatible points:
All Drive Test Data measurements: Right-click the Drive Test Data folder.
Only one Drive Test Data path: Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
The context menu appears.
3. Select Filter from the context menu. The Drive Test Data Filter dialogue appears.
4. Click More. The Filter dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab:
a. Select a Field from the list.
b. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes next
to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
6. Click the Advanced tab:
a. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as you
want (see Figure 10.45).
b. Underneath each column name, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in the follow-
ing table:
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7. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically. For more information on how filters work, see "Advanced Data
Filtering" on page 96.
You can permanently delete the points that do not fulfil the filter conditions by selecting
the Delete points outside the filter check box.
The errors between measured and predicted signal levels can be calculated and added to the drive test data table.
6. If you want to calculate errors between measured and predicted signal levels, under Select signal levels for error cal-
culations, select the names of the columns representing measured signal level values in the drive test data table for
which you want to calculate the errors (see Figure 10.47). If you do not want to add this information to the drive test
data table, continue with step 7.
Figure 10.47: Selecting measured signal levels for which errors will be calculated
7. Click OK. A new point prediction is created for the selected drive test data path.
8. Right-click the drive test data path. The context menu appears.
9. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Predictions from the context menu.
If you chose to have Atoll calculate the errors between measured and predicted signal levels, new columns are added to the
drive test data table for the predicted point signal level from the serving cell and the errors between the measured and
predicted values.
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Figure 10.48: Drive Test Data table after Point Signal Level Prediction (with error calculations)
New columns are also added for the predicted point signal level from each neighbour cell and the errors between the
predicted and measured values. The values stored in these columns can be displayed in the Drive Test Data analysis tool. For
more information on the Drive Test Data analysis tool, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 944.
The propagation model used to calculate the predicted point signal levels is the one assigned to the transmitter for the main
matrix. For more information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
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If you want the service area (Eb/Nt) coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing
taken into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Service Area Analysis (EbNt) Uplink: Click the Conditions tab.
On the Conditions tab, you can select which simulation to study in the Load Conditions list. Or you can select
a group of simulations and either select All to perform an average analysis of all simulations in the group based
on a Probability (from 0 to 1) or select Average to perform statistical analysis of all simulations.
If you want to perform the coverage prediction without a simulation, you can select "(Cells Table)" from Load
Conditions. In this case, Atoll calculates the coverage prediction using the UL load factor and the DL total
power defined in the cell properties.
You must select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility, as defined in "Service and User Modelling" on page 863.
You must also select which Carrier is to be considered.
If you want the service area (Eb/Nt) coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing
taken into account check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
6. When you have finished setting the parameters for the coverage prediction, click OK.
You can create a new coverage prediction by repeating the procedure from step 1. to step 6. for each new coverage
prediction.
7. When you have finished creating new coverage predictions for these drive test data, right-click the drive test data. The
context menu appears.
8. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Predictions from the context menu.
A new column for each coverage prediction is added in the table for the drive test data. The column contains the
predicted values of the selected parameters for the transmitter. The propagation model used is the one assigned to
the transmitter for the main matrix (for information on the propagation model, see Chapter 5: Working with Calcula-
tions in Atoll).
You can display the information in these new columns in the Drive Test Data window. For more information on the
Drive Test Data window, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 944.
10.4.4.5 Extracting a Field From a Drive Test Data Path for a Transmitter
Assuming some predictions have been calculated along a Drive Test Data path, you can display the statistics between the
measured and the predicted values on a specific measurement path.
To display the statistics for a specific Drive Test Data path:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
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3. Right-click the drive test data from which you want to display comparative statistics. The context menu appears.
4. Select Display Statistics from the context menu. The Measurement and Prediction Fields Selection dialogue appears.
5. Select one or more transmitters from the For the Transmitters list.
6. Select the fields that contain the previously predicted values that you want to use for predictions. Only one type of
value can be compared at a time (signal level or quality).
7. Select the fields that contain the measured values that you want to use for predictions. Only one type of value can be
compared at a time (signal level or quality). The measured and the selected values have to match up.
8. Enter the minimum and maximum measured values. Statistics are done with drive test data points where the meas-
ured values are within this specified range.
9. Click OK.
Atoll opens a popup in which the global statistics between measurements and predictions are given over all the filtered (or
not) points of the current drive test data path through the mean error, its standard deviation, the root mean square and the
error correlation factor. The statistics are also given per clutter class.
10.4.4.6 Extracting a Field From a Drive Test Data Path for a Transmitter
You can extract the information from a specific field for a given transmitter on each point of an existing drive test data path.
The extracted information will be added to a new column in the drive test data table.
To extract a field from a drive test data path:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
3. Right-click the drive test data from which you want to extract a field. The context menu appears.
4. Select Focus on a Transmitter from the context menu. The Field Selection for a Given Transmitter dialogue appears.
5. Select a transmitter from the On the Transmitter list.
6. Click the For the Fields list. The list opens.
7. Select the check box beside the field you want extract for the selected transmitter.
8. Click OK. Atoll creates a new column in the drive test data path table for the selected transmitters and with the
selected values.
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5. Click Display at the top of the Drive Test Data window. The Display Parameters dialogue appears (see Figure 10.50).
You can change the display status or the colour of more than one field at a time. You can
select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field
you want to import. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking
each field. You can then change the display status or the colour by right-clicking on the
selected fields and selecting the choice from the context menu.
The selected fields are displayed in the Drive Test Data window.
7. You can display the data in the drive test data path in two ways:
Click the values in the Drive Test Data window.
Click the points on the drive test path in the map window.
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The drive test data path appears in the map window as an arrow pointing towards the serving cell, with a number iden-
tifying the best server (see Figure 10.49 on page 945). If the transmitter display type is "Automatic," both the number
and the arrow are displayed in the same colour as the transmitter. For information on changing the display type to
"Automatic," see "Defining the Display Type" on page 44.
8. You can display a second Y-axis on the right side of the window in order to display the values of a variable with dif-
ferent orders of magnitude than the ones selected in the Display Parameters dialogue. You can select the secondary
Y-axis from the right-hand list on the top of the Drive Test Data window. The selected values are displayed in the col-
ours defined for this variable in the Display Parameters dialogue.
9. You can change the zoom level of the Drive Test Data window display in the Drive Test Data window in the following
ways:
Zoom in or out:
i. Right-click the Drive Test Data window.
ii. Select Zoom In or Zoom Out from the context menu.
Select the data to zoom in on:
i. Right-click the Drive Test Data window on one end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
ii. Select First Zoom Point from the context menu.
iii. Right-click the Drive Test Data window on the other end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
iv. Select Last Zoom Point from the context menu. The Drive Test Data window zooms in on the data between
the first zoom point and the last zoom point.
10. Click the data in the Drive Test Data window to display the selected point in the map window. Atoll will recentre the
map window on the selected point if it is not presently visible.
If you open the table for the drive test data you are displaying in the Drive Test Data
window, Atoll will automatically display in the table the data for the point that is
displayed in the map and in the Drive Test Data window (see Figure 10.49 on page 945).
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Before starting a co-planning project in Atoll, the Atoll administrator must perform the
pre-requisite tasks that are relevant for your project as described in the Administrator
Manual.
Sectors of both networks can share the same sites database. You can display base stations (sites and sectors), geographic data,
and coverage predictions, etc., of one network in the other networks Atoll document. You can also study inter-technology
handovers by performing inter-technology neighbour allocations, manually or automatically. Inter-technology neighbours are
allocated on criteria such as the distance between sectors or overlapping coverage.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Switching to Co-planning Mode" on page 948.
"Working with Coverage Predictions in a Co-Planning Project" on page 949.
"Performing Inter-technology Neighbour Allocation" on page 952.
"Creating a CDMA Sector From a Sector in the Other Network" on page 963.
"Ending Co-planning Mode" on page 965.
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Before starting a co-planning project, make sure that your main and linked documents
have the same geographic coordinate systems.
By default, only the Transmitters and Predictions folders of the linked document appear
in the main document. If you want the Sites folder of the linked document to appear in the
main document as well, you can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting
options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
As soon as a link is created between the two documents, Atoll switches to co-planning mode and Atolls co-planning features
are now available.
When you are working on a co-planning document, Atoll facilitates working on two different but linked documents by
synchronising the display in the map window between both documents. Atoll syncronises the display for the following:
Geographic data: Atoll synchronises the display of geographic data such as clutter classes and the DTM. If you select
or deselect one type of geographic data, Atoll makes the corresponding change in the linked document.
Zones: Atoll synchronises the display of filtering, focus, computation, hot spot, printing, and geographic export zones.
If you select or deselect one type of zone, Atoll makes the corresponding change in the linked document.
Map display: Atoll co-ordinates the display of the map in the map window. When you move the map, or change the
zoom level in one document, Atoll makes the corresponding changes in the linked document.
Point analysis: When you use the Point Analysis tool, Atoll co-ordinates the display on both the working document
and the linked document. You can select a point and view the profile in the main document and then switch to the
linked document to make an analysis on the same profile but in the linked document.
After you have switched to co-planning mode as explained in "Switching to Co-planning Mode" on page 948, transmitters and
predictions from the linked document are displayed in the main document. If you want, you can display other items or folders
from the Explorer window of the linked document to the Explorer window of the main document (e.g., you can display GSM
sites and measurement paths in a CDMA document).
To display sites from the linked document in the main document:
1. Click the linked documents map window. The linked documents map window becomes active and the Explorer
window shows the contents of the linked document.
2. Select the Network explorer.
3. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Make Accessible In from the context menu, and select the name of the main document from the submenu that
opens.
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The Sites folder of the linked document is now available in the main document. The Explorer window of the main document
now contains a folder named Sites in [linked document], where [linked document] is the name of the linked document. If you
want the Sites folder of the linked document to appear in the main document automatically, you can set an option in the
atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
The same process can be used to link other folders in one document, folders such as CW Measurements, Drive Test Data,
Clutter classes, Traffic, and DTM, etc., in the other document.
Once the folders are linked, you can access their properties and the properties of the items in the folders from either of the
two documents. Any changes you make in the linked document are taken into account in the both the linked and main docu-
ments. However, because working document is the main document, any changes made in the main document are not auto-
matically taken into account in the linked document.
If you close the linked document, Atoll displays a warning icon ( ) in the main documents Explorer window, and the linked
items are no longer accessible from the main document. You can load the linked document in Atoll again by right-clicking the
linked item in the Explorer window of the main document, and selecting Open Linked Document.
The administrator can create and set a configuration file for the display parameters of linked and main document transmitters
in order to enable you to distinguish them on the map and to be able to select them on the map using the mouse. If such a
configuration file has not been set up, you can choose different symbols, sizes and colours for the linked and the main docu-
ment transmitters. For more information on folder configurations, see "Folder Configurations" on page 105. You can also set
the tip text to enable you to distinguish the objects and data displayed on the map. For more information on tip text, see
"Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 46.
In order to more easily view differences between the networks, you can also change the order of the folders or items in the
Explorer window. For more information on changing the order of items in the Explorer window, see "Working with Layers
Using the Explorer Windows" on page 39.
Figure 10.51 shows an example of CDMA transmitters with labels and displayed in the Legend window, and GSM transmitter
data displayed in tip text.
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To prevent Atoll from calculating coverage predictions in the linked Predictions folder, you
can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini file,
see the Administrator Manual.
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by Transmitter" on page 850 and "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 838.
2. Create and calculate a Coverage by Transmitter (best server with 0 dB margin) coverage prediction and a Coverage
by Signal Level coverage prediction in the linked document.
3. Choose display settings for the coverage predictions and tip text contents that will allow you to easily interpret the
predictions displayed in the map window. This can help you to quickly assess information graphically and using the
mouse. You can change the display settings of the coverage predictions on the Display tab of each coverage predic-
tions Properties dialogue.
4. Make the two new coverage predictions in the linked document accessible in the main document as described in "Dis-
playing Both Networks in the Same Atoll Document" on page 948.
5. Optimise the main network by changing parameters such as antenna azimuth and tilt or the pilot power.
Changes made to the shared antenna parameters will be automatically propagated to the linked document.
6. Calculate the coverage predictions in the main document again to compare the effects of the changes you made with
the linked coverage predictions.
For information on comparing coverage predictions, see "Comparing Coverage Areas by Overlaying Coverage Predic-
tions" on page 951 and "Studying Differences Between Coverage Areas" on page 952.
7. Calculate the linked coverage predictions again to study the effects of the changes on the linked coverage predictions.
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You can display inter-technology exceptional pairs on the map in order to study the forced and forbidden neighbour relations
defined in the Inter-technology Exceptional Pairs table.
To display exceptional pairs defined between the main and the linked documents:
1. Click the main documents map window.
2. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
3. Select Display Options from the menu. The Edit Relations on the Map dialogue appears.
4. Under Inter-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
5. Under Advanced, select which exceptional pair links to display:
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each cell in the main docu-
ment that has an exceptional pair defined with a transmitter/cell in the linked document. These links are repre-
sented with straight dashed lines of the same colour as the transmitter in the main document.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each transmitter/cell in the
linked document that has an exceptional pair defined with a cell in the main document. These links are repre-
sented with straight dashed lines of the same colour as the transmitter in the linked document.
Symmetric Links: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each cell in the main document that has
an exceptional pair defined with a transmitter/cell in the linked document only if the transmitter/cell in the linked
document also has the cell of the main document in its exceptional pair list. These links are represented with
straight black lines.
6. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
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7. Select Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours from the menu. The exceptional pair of a cell will be displayed
when you select a transmitter.
8. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. Exceptional pairs are now displayed
on the map. Exceptional pairs will remain displayed until you click the Edit Relations on the Map button again.
9. Click a transmitter on the map to show its exceptional pair links. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter,
clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
The exceptional pair links can be displayed even if you do not have neighbours allocated. If you select the Display Links check
box under Intra-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and intra-technology exceptional pairs on the
map.
You can set inter-technology exceptional pairs using the mouse. Atoll adds or removes forced or forbidden exceptional pairs
depending on the display option set, i.e., Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
Before you can add or remove exceptional pairs using the mouse, you must activate the display of exceptional pairs on the
map as explained in "Displaying Inter-technology Exceptional Pairs on the Map" on page 953.
To add a symmetric forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set an exceptional pair. Atoll adds both transmitters to
the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
To remove a symmetric forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter that you want to remove from the list of exceptional pairs. Atoll removes both
transmitters from the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
To add an outwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set an exceptional pair. Atoll adds the reference trans-
mitter to the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
To remove an outwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter that you want to remove from the list of exceptional pairs. Atoll removes the ref-
erence transmitter from the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
To add an inwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric exceptional pair relation, press CTRL and click the other trans-
mitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric exceptional pair relation.
If there is no existing exceptional pair relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric exceptional
pair relation between the two transmitters, and then press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts
the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric exceptional pair relation.
To remove an inwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter that you want to remove from the list of exceptional pairs. Atoll removes the
transmitter from the inter-technology exceptional pairs list of the other transmitter.
When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One
of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
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c. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the transmitters/cells in the linked document.
If the linked document is a GSM document, the GSM Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the GSM Coverage
Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Min. BCCH Signal Level: Enter the minimum BCCH signal level which must be provided by the GSM transmit-
ter.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the BCCH signal level of the best server. The BCCH signal level of the
neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
If the linked document is an LTE document, the LTE Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the LTE Coverage
Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
d. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
e. In the % Min. Covered Area box, enter the minimum percentage of the cells coverage area that the neighbours
coverage area should also cover to be considered as a neighbour.
9. Under Calculation Options, define the following:
CDMA Carriers: Select the carriers on which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers;
Atoll will allocate neighbours to cells using the selected carriers.
Force co-site as neighbours: Selecting the Force co-site as neighbours check box will include the co-site transmit-
ters/cells in the neighbour list of the CDMA cell. The check box is automatically selected when the neighbour allo-
cation is based on distance.
Force exceptional pairs: Selecting the Force exceptional pairs check box will apply the inter-technology excep-
tional pair criteria on the neighbours list of the CDMA cell.
Delete existing neighbours: Selecting the Delete existing neighbours check box will delete all existing neighbours
in the neighbours list and perform a clean neighbour allocation. If the Delete existing neighbours check box is not
selected, Atoll keeps the existing neighbours in the list.
10. Click the Calculate button to start calculations.
11. Once the calculations finish, Atoll displays the list of neighbours in the Results section. The results include the names
of the neighbours, the number of neighbours of each cell, and the reason they are included in the neighbours list. The
reasons include:
The neighbour is located at the same site as the reference Force co-site as neighbours is
Co-site
cell. selected
The neighbour is within the maximum distance from the Use coverage overlapping is
Distance
reference cell. not selected
12. Select the check box in the Commit column of the Results section to choose the inter-technology neighbours you want
to assign to cells.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document.
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2. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
3. Select Display Options from the menu. The Edit Relations on the Map dialogue appears.
4. Under Inter-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
5. Under Advanced, select the neighbour links to display:
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Shows a neighbour link for each cell in the main document that has a neighbour
defined with a transmitter/cell in the linked document. These links are represented with straight dashed lines of
the same colour as the transmitter in the main document.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Shows a neighbour link for each transmitter/cell in the linked document that has a
neighbour defined with a cell in the main document. These links are represented with straight dashed lines of the
same colour as the transmitter in the linked document.
Symmetric Links: Shows a neighbour link for each cell in the main document that has a neighbour defined with a
transmitter/cell in the linked document only if the transmitter/cell in the linked document also has the cell of the
main document in its neighbours list. These links are represented with straight black lines.
6. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
8. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. Neighbours are now displayed on
the map. Neighbours are displayed until you click the Edit Relations on the Map button again.
9. Click a transmitter on the map to show its neighbour links. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter,
clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
If you select the Display Links check box under Intra-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and intra-
technology neighbours on the map. The figure below shows the intra- and inter-technology neighbours of the transmitter
Site22_2.
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Allocating or Deleting Inter-technology Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters/cells in the linked document and cells in the main
document using the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue:
1. On the main documents map window, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context
menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which
you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Inter-technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the Maximum Number of Neighbours.
7. Allocate or delete a neighbour.
To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ).
c. Click elsewhere in the table to complete creating the new neighbour.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, and sets the Type to "manual."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
d. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
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To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters/cells in the linked document and cells in the main
document using the Inter-technology Neighbours table:
1. Click the main documents map window.
2. Select the Network explorer.
3. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Neighbours > Inter-technology > Neighbours from the context menu. The Inter-technology Neighbours table
appears.
5. Enter one inter-technology neighbour per row of the table. Each cell can have more than one inter-technology neigh-
bour.
6. Allocate or delete a neighbour.
To allocate an inter-technology neighbour:
a. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
c. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column and sets the Source to "manual."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select con-
tiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows
by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
To take all exceptionnal pairs into consideration:
a. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours using the Excep-
tional Pairs of Inter-technology Neighbours table. You can open this table, select the
exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force Exceptional Pairs
in the context menu.
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You can allocate inter-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse. Atoll adds or removes neighbours to trans-
mitters if the display option is set to Neighbours.
Before you can add or remove inter-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of inter-technology
neighbours on the map as explained in "Displaying Inter-technology Neighbours on the Map" on page 957.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitter to
the list of inter-technology neighbours of the other transmitter.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both transmitter
from the list of inter-technology neighbours of the other transmitter.
To add an outwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference trans-
mitter to the list of inter-technology neighbour of the other transmitter.
T remove an outwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the list of inter-technology neighbours of the other transmitter.
To add an inwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. There can be two cases:
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other transmitter.
Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour relation
by pressing SHIFT and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then press
CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric inter-
technology neighbour relation.
To remove an inwards neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the transmitter
from the inter-technology neighbours list of the other transmitter.
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When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One
of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
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If the linked document is an LTE document, the LTE Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the LTE Coverage
Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic neigh-
bour allocation.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a
Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional losses
for indoor coverage.
d. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
10. If you cleared the Use Overlapping Coverage check box, enter the maximum distance between the reference cell and
a possible neighbour in the Max Inter-site Distance box.
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
11. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information.
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 5.
Cause: The reason Atoll has calculated the value in the Importance column.
Co-site
Symmetry
Coverage
Distance: The distance in kilometres between the reference cell and the neighbour.
12. Click Commit to commit the importance values and the reasons for allocation to the Neighbours table.
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Missing Co-sites: Select the Missing Co-sites check box if you want to verify which cells have no co-site neigh-
bours.
Missing Symmetrics: Select the Missing Symmetrics check box if you want to verify which cells have non-sym-
metric neighbour relations.
Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to verify which cells have forced neighbours
or forbidden neighbours.
Distance Between Neighbours: Select the Distance Between Neighbours check box and enter the distance
between neighbours that should not be exceeded.
6. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a new text file:
Average Number of Neighbours: X; where, X is the average number of neighbours (integer) per cell for the plan
audited.
Empty Lists: x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having no neighbours (or empty neighbours list)
Syntax: |CELL|
Full Lists (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having Y number of neighbours listed
in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|
Lists > Max Number (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having more than Y
number of neighbours listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax: |CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|
If the field Maximum number of inter-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty,
the Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan that are
located at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
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Figure 10.53: New sector Before and after applying the configuration
The azimuths and mechanical tilts of secondary antennas or remote antennas are not
included when you select Apply Configuration and have to be set up manually.
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3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder.
4. Right-click the setup you created in "Creating a New Co-planning Optimisation Setup" on page 964. The context menu
appears.
5. Select Import Project from the context menu and select the name of the linked document you want to import into the
newly created setup.
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For every pair of carriers that is not defined, Atoll assumes that there is no inter-carrier interference.
d. Press ENTER to create the carrier pair and to create a new row in the table.
When you have more than one frequency band, the carriers must be numbered
sequentially, contiguously (i.e., you cannot skip numbers in a range of carriers, and the
range of carriers in one band cannot overlap the range of carriers in another), and
uniquely (i.e., you can only use each number once).
For example: Band 1900: First carrier: 0; Last carrier 1 and Band 700: First carrier: 2 and
Last carrier: 2
7. In the Frequencies folder, right-click Carrier Types. The context menu appears.
8. Select Open Table. The Carrier Types table appears.
9. In the Carrier Types table, define the carriers and whether the carrier is 1xRTT or 1xEV-DO.
10. When you have finished defining carriers, click the Close button ( ).
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11. When you have finished adding frequency bands, click the Close button ( ).
You can also access the properties dialogue of each individual frequency band by double-clicking the left margin of the row
with the frequency band.
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3 X N FCH 3 X N FCH
5 X N FCH 5 X N FCH
For 1xRTT, N FCH can be 9.6 or
14.4 kbps on either the forward or 9 X N FCH 9 X N FCH
reverse link.
17 X N FCH 17 X N FCH
19.2 76.8
38.4 153.6
76.8 307.6
153.6 614.4
921.6
1228.8
1843.2
2457.6
9.6 9.6
19.2 19.2
38.4 38.4
76.8 76.8
115.2 115.2
153.6 153.6
230.4 230.4
307.2 307.2
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614.4 614.4
921.6 921.6
1228.8 1228.8
1848.2 1848.2
2457.6
3072.0
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RLC Peak Rate (kbps): Enter or modify the RLC peak rate in kbits per second.
You can define the rake efficiency factor used to model the recombination on the forward
link in terminal properties.
Carrier Selection: Carrier selection refers to the carrier selection method used during the transmitter admission
control in the mobile active set. The selected strategy is used in simulations when no carrier is specified in the
properties of the service (when all the carriers can be used for the service) or when the carrier specified for the
service is not used by the transmitter. On the other hand, the specified carrier selection mode is always taken into
account in coverage predictions (AS analysis and coverage predictions). Choose one of the following:
Min. UL Load Factor: The carrier with the minimum reverse link noise (carrier with the lowest reverse link load
factor) is selected.
Min. DL Total Power: The carrier with the minimum forward link total power is selected.
Random: The carrier is randomly chosen.
Sequential: Carriers are sequentially loaded. The first carrier is selected as long as it is not overloaded. Then,
when the maximum reverse link load factor is reached, the second carrier is chosen and so on.
Downlink and Uplink Overhead Resources for Common Channels/Cell: The reverse link and forward link over-
head resources for common channels/cell correspond to the number of channel elements that a cell uses for
common channels in the forward and the reverse link. This setting is also used for Walsh code allocation; it indi-
cates the number of Walsh codes to be allocated to control channels per cell.
AS Restricted to Neighbours: Select this option if you want the other transmitters in the active set to belong to
the neighbour list of the best server.
Pool of Shared CEs: Select this option if you want all cells on the site to share channel elements.
Power Pooling Between Transmitters: Select this option if you want all cells on the site to share power on the
traffic channels.
7. Click the Close button ( ) to close the table.
10.6.6.2 Defining Channel Element Consumption per CDMA Site Equipment and
Radio Configuration
The number of channel elements consumed by a user depends on the site equipment, on the radio configuration, and the link
direction (forward or reverse). The number of channel elements consumed can be defined for CDMA simulations.
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You can create a new reception equipment type by entering a name in the row marked
with the New Row icon ( ) and pressing ENTER.
5. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can define the Name of the reception equipment.
6. Click the Quality Graphs tab.
7. Ensure that a Quality Indicator has been chosen for each Service. You can edit the values in the DL and UL Quality
Indicator Tables by clicking directly on the table entry, or by selecting the Quality Indicator and clicking the Downlink
Quality Graphs or the Uplink Quality Graphs buttons.
The DL and UL Quality Indicator tables describe the variation of the quality indicator as a function of the measured
parameter (as defined in the Quality Indicators table). The Uplink and Downlink Quality Graphs are used for quality
coverage predictions.
8. Click the 1xEV-DO Radio Bearer Selection (Downlink) tab.
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9. Enter the Required CI (dB), the Modulation used (you can choose between QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM, or 64QAM) and the
Early Termination Probabilities for each Radio Bearer Index, with Mobility and No. of Slots. The radio bearer index
with the number of timeslots and the modulation indicates the downlink transmission format.
The Required C/I values are used in simulations and in the Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (DL) coverage prediction to
select the downlink 1xEV-DO radio bearer and then to calculate the data rate provided on downlink. A downlink
1xEV-DO radio bearer is selected only if the user terminal supports the modulation required by the radio bearer. 1xEV-
DO Rev. A-capable terminals support 16QAM modulation while 1xEV-DO Rev. B-capable terminals can support
16QAM and 64QAM modulations.
The Early Termination Probabilities are used in the Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (DL) coverage prediction to calculate
the average 1xEV-DO throughput when HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) is used.
10. Click the 1xEV-DO Radio Bearer Selection (Uplink) tab.
11. Enter the following for each Radio Bearer Index with Mobility and No. of Subframes:
Required EcNt (High Capacity) (dB): The Ec/Nt required for services with high capacity uplink mode.
Required EcNt (Low Latency) (dB): Ec/Nt required for services with low latency uplink mode.
Early Termination Probabilities
Modulation: The modulation used. You can choose between QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM or 64QAM.
The Required Ec/Nt values are used in simulations and in the Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (UL) coverage prediction
to select the uplink 1xEV-DO radio bearer and then to calculate the data rate provided on uplink. An uplink 1xEV-DO
radio bearer is selected only if the user terminal supports the modulation required by the radio bearer. 1xEV-DO
Rev. A-capable terminals support 16QAM modulation while 1xEV-DO Rev. B-capable terminals support the 16QAM
and 64QAM modulations. The Early Termination Probabilities are used in the Service Area Analysis (Eb/Nt) (UL) cover-
age prediction to calculate the average 1xEV-DO throughput when HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) is used.
12. Click OK to close the reception equipment types Properties dialogue.
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10.6.9.1 Displaying the Shadowing Margins and Macro-diversity Gain per Clutter
Class
To display the shadowing margins and macro-diversity gain per clutter class:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Shadowing Margins from the context menu. The Shadowing Margins and Gains dialogue appears (see
Figure 10.54).
4. You can set the following parameters:
Cell Edge Coverage Probability: Enter the probability of coverage at the edge of the cell. The value you enter in
this dialogue is for information only.
Standard Deviation: Select the type of standard deviation to be used to calculate the shadowing margin or macro-
diversity gains:
From Model: The model standard deviation. Atoll will display the shadowing margin of the signal level.
EcI0: The EcI0 standard deviation. Atoll will display the EcI0 shadowing margin and the resulting forward
link pilot macro-diversity gains. The macro-diversity gains will be calculated using the values you enter in 1st
- 2nd Best Signal Difference and 2nd - 3rd Best Signal Difference.
UL EbNt: The EbNt reverse link standard deviation. Atoll will display the EbNt reverse link shadowing margin
and the resulting reverse link macro-diversity gains. The macro-diversity gains will be calculated using the
values you enter in 1st - 2nd Best Signal Difference and 2nd - 3rd Best Signal Difference.
DL EbNt: The EbNt forward link standard deviation. Atoll will display the EbNt forward link shadowing
margin.
5. If you select "EcI0" or "EbNt UL" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, you can enter the differences
that will be used to calculate the macro-diversity gain under Macro-Diversity Parameters:
1st - 2nd Best Signal Difference: If you selected "EcI0" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, enter
the allowed EcI0 difference between the best server and the second one. This value is used to calculate forward
link macro-diversity gains. If you selected "EbNt UL" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, enter
the allowed Eb/Nt difference between the best server and the second one. This value is used to calculate reverse
link macro-diversity gains.
2nd - 3rd Best Signal Difference: If you selected "EcI0" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation, enter
the allowed EcI0 difference between the second-best server and the third one. This value is used to calculate for-
ward link macro-diversity gains. If you selected "EbNt UL" as the standard deviation under Standard Deviation,
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enter the allowed EbNt difference between the second-best server and the third one. This value is used to calcu-
late reverse link macro-diversity gains.
6. Click Calculate. The calculated shadowing margin is displayed. If you selected "EcI0" or "EbNt UL" as the standard
deviation under Standard Deviation, Atoll also displays the macro-diversity gains for two links and for three links.
7. Click Close to close the dialogue.
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Extra: Enter any additional PN Offsets (i.e., outside the range defined by the Min. and Max fields) you want to add
to this group. You can enter a list of PN Offsets separated by either a comma, semi-colon, or a space. You can also
enter a range of PN Offsets separated by a hyphen. For example, entering, "1, 2, 3-5" means that the extra PN Off-
sets are "1, 2, 3, 4, 5."
10. Click in another cell of the table to create the new group and add a new blank row to the table.
Interference received by cells on the uplink: Interference can be received by cells of a CDMA network on the uplink
from external base stations and mobiles in the vicinity.
Interference from external base stations (also called downlink-to-uplink interference) can be created by insufficient
separation between the downlink frequency used by the external network and the uplink frequency used by your
CDMA network. Such interference may also come from co-existing TDD networks.
Interference from external mobiles (also called uplink-to-uplink interference) can be created by the use of same or
nearby frequencies for uplink in both networks. Unless the exact locations of external mobiles is known, it is not possi-
ble to separate interference received from external base stations and mobiles on the uplink. The effect of this inter-
ference is modelled in Atoll using the Inter-technology UL Noise Rise definable for each cell in the CDMA network.
This noise rise is taken into account in uplink interference-based calculations in the simulation. However, this noise
rise is not taken into consideration in predictions (AS Analysis and coverage predictions) and does not have an impact
on the calculation of the cell reuse factor. For more information on the Inter-technology UL Noise Rise, see "Cell Defi-
nition" on page 816.
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6. When you have finished defining interference reduction factors, click OK.
You can, if you want, link more than one Atoll document with your main document following the procedure described in
"Switching to Co-planning Mode" on page 948. If the linked documents model networks using different technologies, you can
define the interference reduction factors in your main document for all these technologies, and Atollwill calculate interfer-
ence from all the external base stations in all the linked documents.
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TD-SCDMA Networks
This chapter provides the information to use Atoll to In this chapter, the following are explained:
design, analyse, and optimise a TD-SCDMA network.
"Designing a TD-SCDMA Network" on page 979
"Planning and Optimising TD-SCDMA Base Stations" on
page 980
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 1078
"Verifying Network Capacity" on page 1108
"Co-planning TD-SCDMA Networks with Other
Networks" on page 1117
"Advanced Configuration" on page 1134
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11 TD-SCDMA Networks
Atoll enables you to create and modify all aspects of a TD-SCDMA network. Once you have created the network, Atoll offers
many tools to let you verify it. Based on the results of your tests, you can modify any of the parameters defining the network.
The process of planning and creating a TD-SCDMA network is outlined in "Designing a TD-SCDMA Network" on page 979.
Creating the network of base stations is explained in "Planning and Optimising TD-SCDMA Base Stations" on page 980. Allo-
cating neighbours and scrambling codes is also explained. In this section, you will also find information on how you can display
information about base stations on the map and how you can use the tools in Atoll to study base stations.
In "Studying Network Capacity" on page 1078, using traffic maps to study network capacity is explained. Creating simulations
using traffic map information and analysing the results of simulations is also explained.
Using drive test data paths to verify the network is explained in "Verifying Network Capacity" on page 1108. Filtering imported
drive test data paths, and using the data in coverage predictions is also explained.
The steps involved in planning a TD-SCDMA network are described below. The numbers refer to Figure 11.1.
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"Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 1007 and "Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 1016
4. Allocate neighbours ( 4 ).
"Planning Neighbours" on page 1057.
5. Before making more advanced coverage predictions, you need to define cell load conditions ( 5 ).
You can define cell load conditions in the following ways:
You can generate realistic cell load conditions by creating a simulation based on a traffic map ( 5a and 5b ) (see
"Studying Network Capacity" on page 1078).
You can define them manually either on the Cells tab of each transmitters Properties dialogue or in the Cells table
(see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 989) ( 5c ).
6. Make TD-SCDMA-specific coverage predictions using the defined cell load conditions ( 6 ).
"Signal Quality Coverage Predictions" on page 1032
"HSDPA Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 1052.
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Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name here. If you
want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location of
the site here.
While this method allows you to place a site with precision, you can also place sites using
the mouse and then position them precisely with this dialogue afterwards. For
information on placing sites using the mouse, see "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on
page 41.
Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can
specify the actual altitude under Real, if you want. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for cal-
culations.
Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you want.
The Equipment tab:
Equipment: You can select equipment from the list. To create new site equipment, see "Creating Site Equipment"
on page 1143. If no equipment is assigned to the site, Atoll considers that the JD factor and MCJD factor have a
value of "0".
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ties dialogue has three additional tabs: the Cells tab (see "Cell Description" on page 985), the Propagation tab (see Chapter
5: Working with Calculations in Atoll), and the Display tab (see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43).
The General tab:
Name: By default, Atoll names the transmitter after the site it is on, adding an underscore and a number. You can
enter a name for the transmitter, but for the sake of consistency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If you want
to change the way Atoll names transmitters, see the Administrator Manual.
Site: You can select the Site on which the transmitter will be located. Once you have selected the site, you can
click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the site. For information on the site Properties dialogue,
see "Site Description" on page 981. You can click the New button to create a new site for the transmitter.
- Shared antenna: This field is used to identify the transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas located at the
same site or on sites with the same position and that share the same antenna. The entry in the field must be the
same for all transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas sharing the same antenna. When changes are made to
the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of one antenna, Atoll automatically syn-
chronises the same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas defined as having a shared
antenna. This field is also used for dual-band transmitters to synchronise antenna parameters for different fre-
quency bands.
Frequency band: You can select a Frequency band for the transmitter. Once you have selected the frequency
band, you can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the frequency band. For information on
the frequency band Properties dialogue, see "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 1134.
Under Antenna position, you can modify the position of the antennas (main and secondary):
Relative to site: Select this option if you want to enter the antenna positions as offsets with respect to the site
location, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis offsets, Dx and Dy, respectively.
Coordinates: Select this option if you want to enter the coordinates of the antenna, and then enter the x-axis
and y-axis coordinates of the antenna, X and Y, respectively.
The Transmitter tab (see Figure 11.3):
Active: If this transmitter is to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active transmitters are displayed
in red in the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer.
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TransmissionReception: Under TransmissionReception, you can see the total losses and the noise figure of the
transmitter. Atoll calculates losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equipment assigned to the
transmitter. Equipment can be assigned by using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which appears when you
click the Equipment button.
On the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 11.4), the equipment you select and the gains and losses
you define are used to provide initial values for total transmitter UL and DL losses:
TMA: You can select a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to
access the properties of the TMA. For information on creating a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equipment" on
page 176.
Feeder: You can select a feeder cable from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the prop-
erties of the feeder. For information on creating a feeder cable, see "Defining Feeder Cables" on page 176.
Transmitter equipment: You can select transmitter equipment from the Transmitter list. You can click the
Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the transmitter equipment. For information on creating
transmitter equipment, see "Defining Transmitter Equipment" on page 176.
Feeder length: You can enter the feeder length at transmission and reception.
Miscellaneous losses: You can enter miscellaneous losses at transmission and reception. The value you enter
must be positive.
Receiver antenna diversity gain: You can enter a receiver antenna diversity gain. The value you enter must be
positive.
Any loss related to the noise due to a transmitters repeater is included in the calculated
losses. Atoll always considers the values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if
they are different from the values in the Computed boxes. The information in the real
Noise figure reception box is calculated from the information you entered in the Equip-
ment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real Total losses at transmission and
reception and the real Noise figure at reception if you want. Any value you enter must be
positive.
Antennas:
Heightground: The Heightground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to the
altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Main antenna: Under Main antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens a dialogue displaying
all the possible antennas based on the same physical antenna as the currently selected one. Selecting the Elec-
trical tilt of the antenna model displays the appropriate antennas under Available antennas. Selecting the
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antenna under Available antennas and clicking OK assigns the antenna to the transmitter. The other fields,
Azimuth, Mechanical downtilt, and Additional electrical downtilt, display additional antenna parameters.
The Additional electrical downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
The mechanical and additional electrical downtilts defined for the main antenna
are also used for the calculations of smart antennas.
Diversity: Under Diversity, you can select the No. of ports on the Transmission and Reception sides, as well
as the Type of diversity, if there is more than one port on the Transmission side.
Smart antenna: Under Smart antenna, the available smart antenna equipment are visible in the Equipment
list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the smart antenna equipment. When
you click the Browse button ( ), the Smart Antenna Equipment Properties dialogue appears. If you are us-
ing a grid of beams or an adaptive beam, under Smart antenna model, clicking the Parameters button opens
the Grid of Beams (GOB) Modelling or Adaptive Beam Modelling dialogue. Under Patterns, clicking the Com-
bined button opens a dialogue displaying the combined antenna patterns of all the smart antenna beams and
the main antenna (see Figure 11.5).
For more information on smart antenna equipment, see "Smart Antenna Equipment" on page 1141. The smart
antenna has the same height and tilt as the main antenna.
If you have smart antenna equipment based on Grid of Beams (GOB) or Adaptive Beam modelling, it is rec-
ommended to verify that the smart antenna beams be consistent with the main antenna pattern.
You can use the combined antenna pattern display to understand any inconsistencies in smart antenna re-
sults. If the gird of beams and the main antenna do not have the same gains, the smart antenna could provide
worse results than the main antenna for traffic timeslots.
Under Secondary antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical downtilt, and % Power, which is the percentage of power reserved for this partic-
ular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one secondary antenna, if you reserve 40% of the total
power for the secondary antenna, 60% is available for the main antenna.
The Additional electrical downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
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The transmission power is distributed among the main and secondary antennas.
This is not compatible with smart antennas. You must not assign smart antennas to
transmitters with secondary antennas, and vice versa.
In calculations, repeaters and remote antennas are transparent to the donor trans-
mitters and the served users. For example, beamforming smart antennas on donor
transmitters create beams directly towards the served users, and not towards the
repeater or remote antenna that covers the users. This results in a combined signal
level received from the transmitter using the smart antenna and from the repeater
or remote antenna. If this approach does not match how your equipment works,
you must not assign smart antennas to transmitters with repeaters and remote
antennas, and vice versa.
The main antenna is used to transmit the pilot signals. Coverage predictions based on the P-CCPCH signal are
performed using the main antenna. It is also used for traffic signals if there is no smart antenna equipment selected
for the transmitter.
If there is smart antenna equipment assigned to the transmitter, traffic data is transmitted and received using the
smart antenna, while the pilot and other common channels are transmitted using the main antenna.
By default, the DwPCH power and the other CCH power are set as absolute values. You can
set these values as relative to the pilot power in the Global Parameters. For more informa-
tion, see "Network Settings" on page 1135.
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P-CCPCH RSCP T_Comp [TS0] (dB): The P-CCPCH RSCP comparative threshold for determining the transmitters to keep
in the list of potential servers. This parameter is used in the baton handover coverage prediction along with P-CCPCH
RSCP T_Add and P-CCPCH RSCP T_Drop parameters set for different mobility types.
Timeslot configuration: The configuration of the traffic timeslots in the frame. When the UpPCH channel is present in
the UpPTS timeslot, you can select from five possible timeslot configurations, i.e., (D)UDDDDD, (D)UUDDDD,
(D)UUUDDD, (D)UUUUDD, and (D)UUUUUD. When the UpPCH is shifted to TS1, you can select from two more timeslot
configurations, i.e., (D)UpUDDDD, (D)UpUUDDD. When UpPCH is shifted, TS1 is blocked, i.e., it is not used to carry
traffic. For more information on UpPCH shifting and studying the interference on the UpPCH, see "Studying UpPCH
Interference" on page 1049.
There are two switching points in the frame, one after the first mandatory downlink timeslot (D), and the other can
be after 1 to 5 uplink timeslots. The symmetric configuration is selected by default.
Required UL resource units: The number of resource units required in the uplink.
Required DL resource units: The number of resource units required in the downlink. Atoll can calculate the number
of required resource units in the uplink and downlink. For information on calculating network capacity, see "Calcu-
lating TD-SCDMA Network Capacity" on page 1078.
Comments: If desired, you can enter any comments in this field.
HSPA Support: The HSPA functionality supported by the cell. You can choose between None (i.e., R99 only), HSDPA,
or HSPA (i.e., HSDPA and HSUPA).
When HSDPA is supported, the following fields are available:
HS-PDSCH power dynamic allocation: If you are modelling dynamic power allocation, you should select this check
box. During simulations, Atoll first allocates power to R99 users and then dynamically allocates the remaining
power of the cell to the HS-PDSCH channels of HSDPA users. At the end of the simulation, you can commit the
calculated HS-PDSCH power and total power values to each cell and timeslot.
In the context of dynamic power allocation, the total power is the maximum power minus
the power headroom.
Available HS-PDSCH power per DL TS (dBm): When you are modelling static power allocation, the HS-PDSCH
power dynamic allocation check box is cleared and the HS-PDSCH power available for each downlink timeslot is
entered in this box. This is the default value of power available per timeslot for the HS-PDSCH channels of HSDPA
users. In case of dynamic HS-PDSCH power allocation, the value entered here represents the maximum power for
the HS-PDSCH of HSDPA users per timeslot.
Power headroom (dB): The power headroom is a reserve of power that Atoll keeps for Dedicated Physical Chan-
nels (DPCH) in case of fast fading. During simulation, HSDPA users will not be connected if the cell power remaining
after serving R99 users is less than the power headroom value.
HS-SCCH dynamic power allocation: If you are modelling dynamic power allocation, you should select this check
box and enter a value in HS-SCCH power per DL TS (dBm). The HS-SCCH power calculated for HS-SCCH channel
during a simulation cannot exceed the value defined in HS-SCCH power per DL TS (dBm). During power control,
Atoll controls HS-SCCH power in order to meet the minimum quality threshold (as defined for each mobility type).
HS-SCCH power per DL TS (dBm): When you are modelling static power allocation, the HS-SCCH dynamic power
allocation check box is cleared and the actual power per HS-SCCH channel is entered in this box. In case of dynamic
HS-SCCH power allocation, the value entered here represents the maximum power for the HS-SCCH channel per
HSDPA user.
Number of HS-SCCH channels: The maximum number of HS-SCCH channels for this cell. Each Packet (HSDPA) and
Packet (HSPA) user consumes one HS-SCCH channel. Therefore, at any given time (over a transmission time
interval), the number of HSDPA users cannot exceed the number of HS-SCCH channels per cell.
HS-SICH dynamic power allocation: If you are modelling dynamic power allocation, you should select this check
box. During power control, Atoll controls HS-SICH power of the HSDPA-capable terminal in order to meet the min-
imum quality threshold (as defined for each mobility type) in the uplink.
Number of HS-SICH channels: The maximum number of HS-SICH channels for this cell. Each Packet (HSDPA) and
Packet (HSPA) user consumes one HS-SICH channel. Therefore, at any given time (over a transmission time
interval), the number of HSPA users cannot exceed the number of HS-SICH channels per cell.
Min number of HS-PDSCH codes per DL TS: The minimum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH channels
for each downlink timeslot. This value will be taken into account during simulations in order to find a suitable
bearer.
Max number of HS-PDSCH codes per DL TS: The maximum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH chan-
nels for each downlink timeslot. This value will be taken into account during simulations and coverage predictions
in order to find a suitable bearer.
HSDPA scheduler algorithm: The scheduling technique that will be used to rank the HSDPA users to be served:
Max C/I: "n" HSDPA users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined) are
scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descending
order by the channel quality indicator (CQI).
Round robin: HSDPA users are scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order).
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Proportional fair: "n" HSDPA users (where "n" corresponds to the maximum number of HSDPA users defined)
are scheduled in the same order as in the simulation (i.e., in random order). Then, they are sorted in descend-
ing order according to a random parameter which corresponds to a combination of the user rank in the simu-
lation and the channel quality indicator (CQI).
The random parameter is calculated by giving both the user simulation rank and the CQI a
weight of 50%. You can change the default weights by setting the appropriate options in
the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Max number of HSDPA users: The maximum number of HSDPA bearer users (i.e., Packet (HSDPA) users and
Packet (HSPA) users users) that this cell can support at any given time.
Number of HSDPA users: The number of HSDPA bearer users is an average and can be used for certain coverage
predictions. You can enter this value yourself, or have the value calculated by Atoll using a simulation.
When HSUPA is supported, the following fields are also available:
DL HSUPA Power: The power (in dBm) allocated to HSUPA DL channels (E-AGCH, E-RGCH, and E-HICH). This value
must be entered by the user.
Max number of HSUPA users: The maximum number of HSUPA bearer users (i.e., Packet (HSPA) users) that this
cell can support at any given time.
Number of HSUPA users: The number of HSUPA bearer users is an average and can be used for certain coverage
predictions. This value can be a simulation result or can be entered by the user.
E-DCH dynamic power allocation: If you are modelling dynamic power allocation, you should select this check box
and enter a value in E-DCH power per DL TS (dBm). The E-DCH power calculated for E-DCH channel during a sim-
ulation cannot exceed the value defined in E-DCH power per DL TS (dBm). During power control, Atoll controls
E-DCH power in order to meet the minimum quality threshold (as defined for each mobility type).
E-DCH power per DL TS (dBm): When you are modelling static power allocation, the E-DCH dynamic power allo-
cation check box is cleared and the actual power per E-DCH channel is entered in this box. In case of dynamic E-
DCH power allocation, the value entered here represents the maximum power for the E-DCH channel per HSUPA
user.
UL load factor due to HSUPA (%): The uplink cell load contribution due to HSUPA. This value can be a simulation
result or can be entered by the user.
Max Number of Intra-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of intra-technology neighbours for this cell. This
value is used by the intra-technology neighbour allocation algorithm.
Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of inter-technology neighbours for this cell.
This value is used by the inter-technology neighbour allocation algorithm.
Neighbours: You can access a dialogue in which you can set both intra-technology and inter-technology neighbours
by clicking the Browse button ( ). For information on defining neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 1057.
Timeslots: You can access information about the cells traffic timeslots, i.e, for each of the six traffic timeslots, by
clicking the Browse button ( ).
The Browse buttons ( ) might not be visible in the Neighbours and Timeslot boxes if
this is a new cell. You can make the Browse buttons appear by clicking Apply.
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Max UL load factor (%): The maximum uplink load factor not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account
during simulations.
Available HS-PDSCH power (dBm): When you are modelling static power allocation, the HS-PDSCH dynamic
power allocation check box in the Cells tab is cleared and the HS-PDSCH power available for the downlink timeslot
is entered in this box. This power is available for the HS-PDSCH channels of HSDPA users. In case of dynamic HS-
PDSCH power allocation, the value entered here represents the maximum power for the HS-PDSCH of HSDPA
users.
Min number of HS-PDSCH codes: The minimum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH channels. This
value will be taken into account during simulations in order to find a suitable bearer. If no value is defined here,
the value defined for the cell is considered for the timeslot.
Max number of HS-PDSCH codes: The maximum number of OVSF codes available for HS-PDSCH channels. This
value will be taken into account during simulations and coverage predictions in order to find a suitable bearer. If
no value is defined here, the value defined for the cell is considered for the timeslot.
If you are creating several sites at the same time, or modifying several existing sites, you
can do it quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Sites table. You can open
the Sites table by right-clicking the Sites folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Open Table from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see
"Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
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If you are creating several transmitters at the same time, or modifying several
existing transmitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data
directly in the Transmitters table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-
clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting Open Table
from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying
and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the
transmitter by right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the con-
text menu.
If you are creating or modifying several cells at the same time, you can do it more
quickly by editing the data directly in the Cells table. You can open the Cells table
by right-clicking the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer and selecting
Cells > Open Table from the context menu. You can either edit the data in the table,
paste data into the table (see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77), or
import data into the table (see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82).
If you want to add a cell to an existing transmitter on the map, you can add the cell
by right-clicking the transmitter and selecting New Cell from the context menu.
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2. Click the New Transmitter or Station button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to
place the new station. The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are
visible in the Status bar.
To place the base station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you
click the New Station button. For information on using the zooming tools, see
"Changing the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the base station you have placed, Atoll displays its
tip text with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
You can also place a series of base stations using a station template. You do this by defining an area on the map where you
want to place the base stations. Atoll calculates the placement of each base station according to the defined hexagonal cell
radius in the station template. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating a Station Template" on page 991.
To place a series of base stations within a defined area:
1. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
2. Click the Hexagonal Design button ( ), to the left of the template list. A hexagonal design is a group of base stations
created from the same station template.
3. Draw a zone delimiting the area where you want to place the series of base stations:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Atoll fills the delimited zone with new base stations and their hexagonal shapes. Base station objects such as sites and
transmitters are also created and placed into their respective folders.
You can work with the sites and transmitters in these base stations as you work with any base station object, adding, for exam-
ple, another antenna to a transmitter.
When you place a new base station using a station template as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 989, the site is created at the same time as the base station. However, you can also place a new base
station on an existing site.
To place a base station on an existing site:
1. In the Network explorer, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
2. In the Radio Planning toolbar, select a template from the list.
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The Additional Electrical Downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Under Main antenna, you can select the main antenna Model, and under Smart antenna, you can select the smart
antenna Equipment used by the transmitter.
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Under Path loss matrices, you can modify the following: the Main propagation model, the Main radius, and the
Main resolution, and the Extended propagation model, the Extended radius, and the Extended resolution. For
information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
Under Comments, you can add additional information. The information you enter will be the default information
in the Comments field of any transmitter created using this station template.
8. Click the Transmitter tab. On this tab (see Figure 11.8), if the Active check box is selected, you can modify the fol-
lowing:
Under TransmissionReception, you can click the Equipment button to open the Equipment Specifications dia-
logue and modify the tower-mounted amplifier (TMA), feeder cables, or transmitter equipment. For information
on the Equipment Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on page 981.
The information in the real Total losses in transmission and reception boxes is calculated from the information
you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 11.4 on page 983). Any loss related to the noise
due to a transmitters repeater is included in the calculated losses. Atoll always considers the values in the Real
boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the values in the Computed boxes. You can modify
the real Total losses at transmission and reception if you want. Any value you enter must be positive.
The information in the real Noise figure reception box is calculated from the information you entered in the Equip-
ment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real Noise figure at reception if you want. Any value you enter
must be positive.
Diversity: Under Diversity, you can select the No. of ports on the Transmission and Reception sides, as well as the
Type of diversity, if there is more than one port on the Transmission side.
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9. Click the TD-SCDMA tab. On this tab (see Figure 11.9), you modify the Carriers (each corresponding to a cell) that this
base station supports. For information on carriers and cells, see "Cell Description" on page 985.
You can select whether the transmitters created with this template are compatible with N-frequency mode or not.
If you select the N-frequency mode check box, the transmitters created using this station template will have at
least one master carrier with P-CCPCH, DwPCH, and Other CCH powers. If there is more than one carrier on the
transmitters, the rest of the carriers will be slave carriers. Slave carriers will not have any P-CCPCH, DwPCH, or
Other CCH powers. If you do not select the N-frequency mode check box, the transmitters created using this tem-
plate will have stand-alone carriers.
You can select the Carrier numbers for each sector of the station template. To select the carriers to be added to
the sectors of a base station created using this station template:
i. Click the Browse button ( ). The Carriers per Sector dialogue appears.
ii. In the Carriers per Sector dialogue, select the carriers to be created for each sector of the station.
iii. Click OK.
Under Primary scrambling code, you can modify the Reuse distance, and the scrambling code Domain.
Under Power, you can modify the Max, P-CCPCH, DwPCH, and the Other CCH powers.
Under Timeslots, you can select a default Timeslot configuration for the cells and set the numbers of UL required
resource units and DL required resource units.
You can also select the default Equipment for the sites.
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10. Click the HSPA tab. On this tab (see Figure 11.10), you can define the parameters related to HSPA (for more informa-
tion on the fields, see "Cell Description" on page 985).
11. Select the type of HSPA support. You can choose between None (i.e., R99 only), HSDPA, or HSPA (i.e., HSDPA and
HSUPA).
If you select HSDPA as HSPA support, you can set the following HSDPA parameters:
Under HSDPA, you can define a Power headroom.
Under HS-SICH, you can select either Static or Dynamic allocation strategy for HS-SICH power and define the
Number of channels for HS-SICH.
Under HS-PDSCH, you can select either Static or Dynamic allocation strategy for HS-PDSCH power, enter the Fixed
power, if you selected Static power allocation, and enter the Min. and Max number of codes for HS-PDSCH.
Under HS-SCCH, you can select either Static or Dynamic allocation strategy for HS-SCCH power, enter the HS-
SCCH power for HS-SCCH, if you selected Static power allocation, and define the Number of channels for HS-SCCH.
Under Scheduler, you can select the scheduler Algorithm and enter the Max number of users.
When you create an HSDPA-capable base station using a station template, the timeslots of all the cells created auto-
matically are by default set to support R99 and HSDPA.
If you select HSDPA as HSPA support, you can set the following HSUPA parameters as well:
Under HSDPA, you can select Dynamic allocation strategy for E-DCH power and enter the Max number of users.
When you create an HSPA-capable base station using a station template, the timeslots of all the cells created auto-
matically are by default set to support R99 and HSPA.
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13. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Sites table, or if you have defined an additional field in the Station Template Properties dialogue.
14. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save your
changes.
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Placing the duplicate base station on an existing site: In the map window, move the pointer over the existing site
where you would like to place the duplicate. When the pointer is over the site, the site is automatically selected.
The exact coordinates of the pointers current location are visible in the Status bar (see Figure 11.13).
To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you select
Duplicate from the context menu. For information on using the zooming tools, see
"Changing the Map Scale" on page 49.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays tip text
with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
Any duplicated remote antennas and repeaters will retain the same donor transmitter as
the original. If you want the duplicated remote antenna or repeater to use a transmitter
on the duplicated base station, you must change the donor transmitter manually.
You can also place a series of duplicate base stations by pressing and holding CTRL in step 6. and clicking to place each
duplicate base station.
For more information on the site, transmitter, cell, and timeslot properties, see "Definition of a Base Station" on page 981.
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When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data. For
information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on
page 121.
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
Importing data: If you have data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it into the tables in
the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or CSV format and then
import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows you to select what
values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, transmitter
data in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.
For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 80. For infor-
mation on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool on the Radio Planning toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New Base
Station Using a Station Template" on page 989.
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The following tools can be used to display information about base stations:
Label: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a label that is
displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object types data table, including from
fields that you add. The label is always displayed, so you should choose information that you would want to always be
visible; too much information will lead to a cluttered display. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the
Object Type Label" on page 46.
Tip text: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of tip text that is
only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can choose to display more information than in the label,
because the information is only displayed when you move the pointer over the object. You can display information
from any field in that object types data table, including from fields that you add. For information on defining the tip
text, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 46.
Transmitter colour: You can set the transmitter colour to display information about the transmitter. For example, you
can select "Discrete Values" to distinguish transmitters by antenna type, or to distinguish inactive from active sites.
You can also define the display type for transmitters as "Automatic." Atoll then automatically assigns a colour to each
transmitter, ensuring that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding it. For informa-
tion on defining the transmitter colour, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 44.
Transmitter symbol: You can select one of several symbols to represent transmitters. For example, you can select a
symbol that graphically represents the antenna half-power beamwidth ( ). If you have two transmitters on the
same site with the same azimuth, you can differentiate them by selecting different symbols for each ( and ).
For information on defining the transmitter symbol, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 44.
Broadband repeaters are not modelled. Atoll assumes that all carriers of 3G donor
transmitters are amplified.
In calculations, repeaters are transparent to the donor transmitters and the served
users. For example, beamforming smart antennas at donor transmitters create beams
directly towards the served users, and not towards the repeater that covers the users.
This results in a combined signal level received from the transmitter using the smart
antenna and from the repeater. If this approach does not match how your equipment
works, you must not assign smart antennas to transmitters with repeaters and vice
versa.
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2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Repeater from the menu.
4. Click the map to place the repeater. The repeater is placed on the map, represented by a symbol ( ) in the same
colour as the donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna. If the repeater is inactive, it is displayed by an empty
icon. By default, the repeater has the same azimuth as the donor. Its tip text and label display the same information
as displayed for the donor. As well, its tip text identifies the repeater and the donor. In the explorer window, the
repeater is found in the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer under its donor transmitter, repeater, or remote
antenna.
For information on defining the properties of the new repeater, see "Defining the Properties of a Repeater" on
page 1000.
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When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If the donor is a remote antenna or another repeater, then "RepZ" is preceded by "RemA_"
or "RepB_" where "A" and "B" identify the donor remote antenna and the donor repeater.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, a remote antenna,
or another repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the repeater is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties
dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared antenna (coverage side) field for the repeater. This field is used to identify the
transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas that are located at the same site or on sites with the same position
and that share an antenna. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas. When changes are made to the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height, or mechanical tilt of
one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the same changes to all other transmitters, repeaters, and remote
antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
Under Antenna position, you can define the position of the repeater, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to site: Select Relative to site, if you want to define the position of the repeater relative to the site
itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the repeater by its XY coordinates.
You can select equipment from the Equipment list. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dia-
logue of the equipment.
You can change the Amplifier gain. The amplifier gain is used in the link budget to evaluate the repeater total gain.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-repeater link, select a Link type.
If you select Microwave link, enter the Propagation losses and continue with step 5.
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If you select Air, select a Propagation model and enter the Propagation losses or click Calculate to determine
the actual propagation losses between the donor and the repeater. If you do not select a propagation model,
the propagation losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater are calculated using the ITU 526-5
propagation model.
When you create an off-air repeater, it is assumed that the link between the donor transmitter and the repeat-
er has the same frequency as the network.
If you want to create a remote antenna, you must select Optical fibre link.
If you selected Air under Donor-repeater link, enter the following information under Antenna:
Model: The type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the
properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection Assistant dialogue with a
list of available antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
To find a suitable antenna, you select a Physical Antenna (which can have one or more possible antenna pat-
terns, corresponding to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt
of the antenna model to be used at the remote antenna. Based on the selected physical antenna and the elec-
trical downtilt, suitable antenna models are listed. You select the antenna model to use from the Available
Antennas. and click OK. The Antenna Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned
to the remote antenna.
Height/ground: The Height/ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the repeater is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Mechanical Azimuth and Mechanical Downtilt display additional antenna parameters.
You can click the Calculate button to update the mechanical azimuth and mechanical
downtilt values after changing the repeater donor side antenna height or the repeater
location. If you choose another site or change site coordinates in the General tab, click
Apply before clicking the Calculate button.
If you selected Air under Donor-repeater link, enter the following information under Feeders:
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
5. Click the Coverage side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active repeaters (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the Network
explorer) are calculated.
Under Total gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual gains. If
you have modified any parameter in the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply before clicking
the Calculate button. Atoll uses the DL total gain values to calculate the signal level received from the repeater.
The UL total gain value is considered in UL EbNt or CI service area coverage predictions.
The DL total gain is applied to each power (P-CCPCH power, DwPCH power, etc.). The UL total gain is applied to
each terminal power. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater,
donor characteristics (donor antenna gain, reception feeder losses), amplification gain, and coverage characteris-
tics (coverage antenna gain and transmission feeder losses).
Under Antennas, you can modify the following parameters:
Height/ground: The Height/ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added to
the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the repeater is situated on a building, the height entered must
include the height of building.
Main antenna: Under Main antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the Browse
button ( ) to access the properties of the antenna. Clicking the Select button opens the Antenna Selection
Assistant dialogue with a list of available antennas based on the currently selected physical antenna.
To find a suitable antenna, you select a Physical Antenna (which can have one or more possible antenna pat-
terns, corresponding to different electrical downtilts), the Beamwidth (3dB aperture), and the Electrical tilt
of the antenna model to be used at the remote antenna. Based on the selected physical antenna and the elec-
trical downtilt, suitable antenna models are listed. You select the antenna model to use from the Available
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Antennas. and click OK. The Antenna Selection Assistant closes and the selected antenna model is assigned
to the remote antenna.
Mechanical Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt display additional antenna
parameters.
Under Secondary antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column and enter
their Azimuth, Mechanical downtilt, Additional electrical downtilt, and % Power.
The Additional electrical downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
Under Losses, Atoll displays the Loss related to repeater noise rise.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since repeaters are taken into account during calculations, you must set the propagation
parameters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the Propagation model, Radius, and Resolution for both the
Main matrix and the Extended matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics of the repeater (model, calculation
radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter. For information on propagation models,
see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected repeaters by
creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Repeaters table and
setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Repeaters > Calculate
Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update the UL and DL total gains
for repeaters with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set to "False."
You can update the propagation losses of all off-air repeaters by selecting Repeaters > Calculate Donor Side Propa-
gation Losses from the Transmitters context menu.
You can select a repeater on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the
Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using
the Mouse" on page 42).
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In calculations, remote antennas are transparent to the donor transmitters and the
served users. For example, beamforming smart antennas at donor transmitters create
beams directly towards the served users, and not towards the remote antenna that
covers the users. This results in a combined signal level received from the transmitter
using the smart antenna and from the remote antenna. If this approach does not match
how your equipment works, you must not assign smart antennas to transmitters with
remote antennas and vice versa.
Ensure that the remote antennas donor transmitter does not have any antennas.
2. Click the arrow next to the New Repeater or Remote Antenna button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
3. Select Remote Antenna from the menu.
4. Click the map to place the remote antenna. The remote antenna is placed on the map, represented by the same
symbol and colour as the donor transmitter. If the remote antenna is inactive, it is displayed by an empty icon. By
default, the remote antenna has the same azimuth as the donor transmitter. Its tip text and label display the same
information as displayed for the donor transmitter. As well, its tip text identifies the remote antenna and the donor
transmitter.
For information on defining the properties of the new remote antenna, see "Defining the Properties of a Remote
Antenna" on page 1004.
When the donor is a transmitter, you can see to which base station the repeater is
connected by clicking it; Atoll displays a link to the donor transmitter. You can hide
the link by clicking it again.
When the donor is a repeater or a remote antenna, Atoll displays a spider-type link
showing the entire chain down to the donor transmitter. The same spider-type link
is displayed when you click any of the items belonging to the chain is clicked (i.e.,
donor transmitter, any repeater, or any remote antenna).
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The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 77.
If the donor is a repeater or another remote antenna, then "RemZ" is preceded by "RepA_"
or "RemB_" where "A" and "B" identify the donor repeater and the donor remote antenna.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, another remote
antenna or a repeater. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the Properties dialogue of the selected donor.
You can change the Site on which the remote antenna is located. Clicking the Browse button ( ) opens the
Properties dialogue of the selected site.
You can enter a value in the Shared Antenna (coverage side) field for the remote antenna. This field is used to
identify the transmitters, repeaters, and remote antennas that are located at the same site or on sites with the
same position and that share an antenna. The entry in the field must be the same for all such transmitters,
repeaters, and remote antennas. When changes are made to the position offset (Dx, Dy), azimuth, antenna height,
or mechanical tilt of one antenna, Atoll automatically synchronises the same changes to all other transmitters,
repeaters, and remote antennas defined as having a shared antenna.
Under Antenna position, you can define the position of the remote antenna, if it is not located on the site itself:
Relative to site: Select Relative to site, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna relative to
the site itself and then enter the XY offsets.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates, if you want to define the position of the remote antenna by its XY coordi-
nates.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Under Donor-repeater link, select Optical fibre link and enter the Fibre losses.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
Select the Active check box. Only active remote antennas (displayed with in red in the Transmitters folder in the
Network explorer) are calculated.
Under Total gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual gains. If
you have modified any parameter on the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply before clicking
the Calculate button. Atoll uses the DL total gain values to calculate the signal level received from the remote
antenna. The UL total gain value is considered in UL EbNt or CI service area coverage predictions.
The DL total gain is applied to each power (P-CCPCH power, DwPCH power, etc.). The UL total gain is applied to
each terminal power. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the remote an-
tenna.
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The Additional electrical downtilt can be made accessible through an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
For more information on the effect of additional electrical downtilt on antenna
patterns, see the Technical Reference Guide.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 69.
i. Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button ( ) to access the properties of the
feeder.
ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
6. Click the Propagation tab. As remote antennas are taken into account during calculations, you must set propagation
parameters as with transmitters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the Propagation model, Radius, and Reso-
lution for both the Main matrix and the Extended matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics of the remote
antenna (model, calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter. For informa-
tion on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected remote antennas
by creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Remote Antennas
table and setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Remote
Antennas > Calculate Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update
the UL and DL total gains for remote antennas with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set
to "False."
You can select a remote antenna on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using
the Mouse" on page 42) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site
Using the Mouse" on page 42).
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2. Click the Point Analysis Tool ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
pointer changes ( ) to represent the receiver.
3. A line appears on the map connecting the selected transmitter and the current position. You can now do the following:
Move the receiver to change the current position.
Click to place the receiver at the current position. You can move the receiver again by clicking it a second time.
Right-click the receiver to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
Coordinates: Select Coordinates to change the receiver position by entering new XY coordinates.
Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Select the Profile view.
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The profile analysis appears in the Profile view of the Point Analysis window. The altitude (in metres) is reported on
the vertical axis and the receiver-transmitter distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone
between the transmitter and the receiver, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the angle
of the LOS read from the vertical antenna pattern. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this causes atten-
uation with diffraction displayed by a red vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction mechanisms
into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the most with the Fresnel ellipsoid. With some propagation
models using a 3 knife-edge Deygout diffraction method, the results may display two additional attenuations peaks.
The total attenuation is displayed above the main peak.
Details of the analysis are displayed at the top of the Profile view:
The received signal strength of the selected transmitter
The propagation model used
The shadowing margin and the indoor loss (if selected)
The distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
You can change the following options using the Profile view toolbar:
Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list. You can click the Properties button ( ) to open the transmitter
properties dialogue.
Carriers: Select the carrier to be analysed. If you are studying a transmitter compatible with the N-frequency
mode, you can analyse its master carrier.
Options: Click the Options button ( ) to display the Calculation Options dialogue. In this dialogue, you can:
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the current position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell edge coverage probability.
Select Signal level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result type list.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Geographic Profile: Click the Geographic Profile button ( ) if you want to view the geographic profile between
the transmitter and the receiver. Atoll displays the profile between the transmitter and the receiver with clutter
heights. An ellipsoid indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed. Atoll does not calculate or display signal levels
and losses.
Link Budget: Click the Link Budget button ( ) to display a dialogue with the link budget.
Detailed Report: Click the Detailed Report button ( ) to display a text document with details on the displayed
profile analysis. The detailed report is only available for the Standard Propagation Model.
5. To end the point analysis, click the Point Analysis button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar again.
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This section explains how to calculate the signal level coverage of a single base station. A signal level coverage prediction
displays the signal of the best server for each pixel of the area studied.
You can use the same procedure to study the signal level coverage of several sites by
grouping the transmitters. For information on grouping transmitters, see "Grouping Data
Objects by a Selected Property" on page 89.
If you want to study only sites by their status, you can group them by status.
City Centre 5m
City 20 m
County 50 m
State 100 m
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Conditions tab: The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to define the signals that will
be considered for each pixel (see Figure 11.15). You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the termi-
nal properties are used.
Service: The service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the service proper-
ties is used.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The P-CCPCH RSCP T_Add (P-CCPCH
RSCP threshold) defined in the mobility properties is used as the minimum requirement for the coverage
prediction.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. Af-
terwards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in
a transmitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the
coverage prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the
service properties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power,
or the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The coverage prediction by P-CCPCH RSCP is performed for TS0.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Display tab: You can modify how the results of the coverage prediction will be displayed.
Under Display type, select "Value Intervals."
Under Field, select "Best Signal Level."
You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display properties,
see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
You can create tip text with information about the coverage prediction by clicking the Browse button ( )
next to the Tip text box and selecting the fields you want to display in the tip text.
You can select the Add to legend check box to add the displayed value intervals to the legend.
If you change the display properties of a coverage prediction after you have calculated it,
you may make the coverage prediction invalid. You will then have to recalculate the cover-
age prediction to obtain valid results.
7. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
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Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The P-CCPCH RSCP
coverage prediction can be found in the Predictions folder in the Network explorer. Atoll automatically locks the results of a
coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon ( ) beside the coverage prediction in the Predictions
folder. When you click the Calculate button ( ), Atoll only calculates unlocked coverage predictions ( ).
Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices using
the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main propagation
model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 11.16) and a higher resolution and an extended propaga-
tion model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate higher resolu-
tion path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower resolution path loss
matrices outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Path Loss Matrices" on page 1011
"Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 1012
"The Calculation Process" on page 1014
"Creating a Computation Zone" on page 1014
"Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active" on page 1015
"Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 1016
"Analysing a Coverage Prediction" on page 1024
"Signal Quality Coverage Predictions" on page 1032
"HSDPA Quality and Throughput Analysis" on page 1052
"Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 1054.
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Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matrices
in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. In the case of large radio-planning projects,
embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case of large radio-
planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use of computer
resources.
The path loss matrices are also stored externally in a multi-user environment, when several users are working on the same
radio-planning document and share the path loss matrices. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database and the path
loss matrices are read-only and are stored in a location accessible to all users. When the user changes his radio data and recal-
culates the path loss matrices, the calculated changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matri-
ces are not modified. These will be recalculated by the administrator taking into consideration the changes to radio data made
by all users. For more information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix.
A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Predictions Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Predictions tab, under Path loss matrix storage, you can set the location for your private path loss matrices
and the location for the shared path loss matrices:
Private directory: The Private directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are loading
path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.
Click the button beside Private directory ( ) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in the Atoll
document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.
Path loss matrices you calculate locally are not stored in the same directory as shared path
loss matrices. Shared path loss matrices are stored in a read-only directory. In other words,
you can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes you
make will be stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or in a private external folder,
depending on what you have selected in Private Directory.
When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed. In order to keep consistency between the Atoll document
and the stored calculations, you should save the Atoll document before closing it, if you
have updated the path loss matrices.
Shared directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a database
and the path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you make will not
be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private directory. The path loss matrices
in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based on the updated information in the
database. For more information on shared directories, see the Administrator Manual.
5. Click OK.
Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices before calculating any coverage prediction. If you want, you
can check whether the path loss matrices are valid without creating a coverage prediction.
To check whether the path loss matrices are valid:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
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3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available results table. You have the fol-
lowing display options:
Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:
Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.
Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices are
recalculated.
Valid: Whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
Reason for invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
5. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 11.17) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as well as
a summary of the reasons for invalidity.
When you assign a propagation model globally, you override any selection you might
have already made to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters.
3. If you have assigned a default propagation model for coverage predictions, as described in "Defining a Default Propa-
gation Model" on page 201, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters whose main propaga-
tion model is "(Default model)." If a transmitter has any other propagation model chosen as the main propagation
model, that is the propagation model that will be used.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters" on page 1013.
"Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters" on page 1013.
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In Atoll, you can choose a propagation model for a single transmitter or globally for all transmitters.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Propagation tab.
5. Under Main matrix:
Select a Propagation model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
6. If desired, under Extended matrix:
Select a Propagation model
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for all transmitters.
Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings. In
Atoll, you can assign the same propagation model to several transmitters by first grouping them by their common parameters
and then assigning the propagation model.
To define a main and extended propagation model for a defined group of transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. From the Group By submenu of the context menu, select the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.
You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button in the Prop-
erties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 90.
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3. Right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button ( ) in the
Table toolbar to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up
button ( ) in the Table toolbar. For more information on working with tables in Atoll,
see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
If you have added a single transmitter, you can assign it a propagation model. You can also assign a propagation model to a
single transmitter after you have assigned a main and extended propagation model globally or to a group of transmitters.
When you assign a main and extended propagation model to a single transmitter, it overrides any changes made globally.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Propagation tab.
6. Under Main matrix:
Select a Propagation model.
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. If desired, under Extended matrix:
Select a Propagation model.
Enter a Radius and Resolution.
8. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for the selected transmitter.
You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button
( ) in the toolbar.
When you click the Force Calculation button ( ) instead of the Calculate button,
Atoll calculates all path loss matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simula-
tions.
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Draw Polygon
i. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
ii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
iii. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
Draw Rectangle
i. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the zone.
ii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the zone. When you release the mouse, the zone
will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
The computation zone is delimited by a red line. If you clear the computation zones visibility check box in the Zones
folder of the Geo explorer, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into account.
You can also create a computation zone as follows:
Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and selecting
Use As > Computation Zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing computation zone with any
existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the explorer window and selecting Add To > Computation Zone
from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computation Zone in
the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by right-clicking the Com-
putation Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Fit Zone to Map Window from the context menu.
You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document,
in the following ways:
Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on saving
the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration"
on page 101.
Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by right-
clicking the Computation Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the
context menu.
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3. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters table:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Open Table. The Transmitters table appears with each transmitters parameters in a second row.
4. For each transmitter that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set more than one cell as active using the Cells table:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Cells > Open Table. The Cells table appears with each cells parameters in a second row.
4. For each cell that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set transmitters as active using a zone:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of Zones folder to expand the folder.
3. Right-click the folder of the zone you will use to select the transmitters. The context menu appears.
If you do not yet have a zone containing the transmitters you want to set as active, you can
draw a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 54.
4. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
Once you have ensured that all transmitters are active, you can set the propagation model parameters. For information on
choosing and configuring a propagation model, see Chapter 5: Working with Calculations in Atoll.
Calculating path loss matrices can be time and resource intensive when you are working on larger projects. Consequently,
Atoll offers you the possibility of distributing path loss calculations on several computers. You can install the distributed calcu-
lation server application on other workstations or on servers. Once the distributed calculation server application is installed
on a workstation or server, the computer is available for distributed path loss calculation to other computers on the network.
For information on setting up the distributed calculation server application, see The Administrator Manual.
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RSCP margin: Select "Value intervals" as the Display type and "RSCP margin" as the Field. RSCP Margin is the
margin between the calculated P-CCPCH RSCP and the P-CCPCH RSCP T_Add given for the selected mobility.
Cell edge coverage probability: Select "Value intervals" as the Display type and "Cell edge coverage probability"
as the Field.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 11.19).
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mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server is performed for TS0.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 11.20: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server
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OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 11.23).
By changing the parameters selected on the Conditions tab and by selecting different
results to be displayed on the Display tab, you can calculate and display information other
than that which has been explained in the preceding sections.
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Timeslot: The coverage prediction by DwPCH RSCP is performed for DwPTS timeslot.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
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8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 11.27).
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1. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The Point Analysis window appears and the
2. At the bottom of the Point Analysis window, select the Reception view (see Figure 11.29).
The predicted signal level from different transmitters is reported in the Reception view in the form of a bar chart, from
the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom. Each bar is displayed in the colour of
the transmitter it represents. In the map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the
colour of the transmitters they represent. A thick black line from the receiver to its best server is also displayed in the
map window. The best server of the receiver is the transmitter from which the receiver receives the highest signal
level. If you let the pointer rest, the signal level received from the corresponding transmitter at the pointer location is
displayed in the tip text.
3. At the top of the Reception view, select the carrier to be analysed.
4. Click the Options button ( ) in the Reception view toolbar. The Calculation Options dialogue appears.
a. Edit the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
b. Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell edge coverage probability.
c. Select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter class.
d. Click OK to close the Calculation Options dialogue.
5. Click the Point Analysis button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar again to end the point analysis.
11.2.10.7.4 Creating a Focus Zone or Hot Spot for a Coverage Prediction Report
The focus zone and hot spots define an area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. While you can
only have one focus zone, you can define several hot spots in addition to the focus zone.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus zone and hot spots. The computation zone defines the area
where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo, power control simulations, etc., while the focus
zone and hot spots are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results. When you create a coverage
prediction report, it gives the results for the focus zone and for each of the defined hot spots.
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Vector Editor toolbar: You can use the New Polygon ( ) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the Vector
Editor toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus zone or hot spot by right-clicking it and
selecting Use As > Focus Zone or Use As > Hot Spot from the context menu. You can also combine an existing focus
zone or hot spot with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the explorer window and selecting Add
To > Hot Spot or Add To > Hot Spot from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative
area, you can import it and use it as a focus or hot spot. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus Zone or Hot Spots
in the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot spots, you can import the
name given to each zone as well.
Fit Zone to Map Window: You can create a focus zone or hot spot the size of the map window by selecting Fit Zone
to Map Window from the context menu.
You can save the focus zone or hot spots, so that you can use it in a different Atoll docu-
ment, in the following ways:
Saving the focus zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the
focus zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on
page 101.
Exporting the focus zone or hot spots: You can export the focus zone or hot spots
by right-clicking the Focus Zone or the Hot Spots in the Geo explorer and selecting
Export from the context menu.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot by importing a popula-
tion map. For information on importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data
File" on page 137.
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when generating the report. For information on defining a focus zone or hot spot, see "Creating a Focus Zone or Hot Spot for
a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 1025.
Once you have generated a report, you can export it to a text file or to an Excel spreadsheet. For more information on export-
ing a coverage prediction report, see "Exporting a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 1028.
Atoll can generate a report for a single prediction, or for all displayed predictions.
To display a report on a single coverage prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions folder.
3. Right-click the coverage prediction for which you want to generate a report. The context menu appears.
4. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
5. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:
a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Save button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
6. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed dia-
logue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report is based on the hot spots and on the focus zone if
available or on the hot spots and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
To display a report on all coverage predictions:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:
a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking to move it up or
to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Save button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can load a configuration that you have saved previously and apply it to the current report:
a. Under Configuration, click the Load button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to load and click Open. The loaded report configuration is applied.
5. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed dia-
logue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report shows all displayed coverage predictions in the same
order as in the Predictions folder. The report is based on the focus zone if available or on the calculation zone if there
is no focus zone.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spots by importing a population map. For information on import-
ing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 137. Normally, Atoll takes all geo data into consideration,
whether it is displayed or not. However, for the population statistics to be used in a report, the population map has to be
displayed.
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1. Right-click the report and select Export from the context menu or click the Export button ( ) in the Table toolbar.
The Save As dialogue appears.
2. In the Save As dialogue, enter the File name and select the format from the Save as type list:
TXT: To save the report as a text file.
CSV: To save the report as a comma-separated values file.
XLS: To save the report as an Excel spreadsheet.
XML Spreadsheet 2003: To save the report as an XML spreadsheet.
3. Click Save to export the coverage prediction report.
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If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can verify if a newly added base station improves coverage.
A coverage prediction by P-CCPCH RSCP for the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by P-
CCPCH RSCP" on page 1017. The results are displayed in Figure 11.31. An area with poor coverage is visible on the right side
of the figure.
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A new base station is added, either by creating the site and adding the transmitters, as explained in "Creating a TD-SCDMA
Base Station" on page 980, or by using a station template, as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 989. Once the new base station has been added, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but
then it would be impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original coverage prediction by P-CCPCH RSCP can be copied
by selecting Duplicate from its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show the effect of the new base station (see
Figure 11.32).
Figure 11.32: Coverage prediction by P-CCPCH RSCP of the network with a new base station
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In order to see what changes adding a new base station made, you should choose Difference.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 11.33, shows clearly the area covered only by the new
base station.
If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing cover-
age. In this example, you can see how modifying transmitter tilt can improve coverage.
A coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server for the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction
by P-CCPCH Best Server" on page 1018. The results are displayed in Figure 11.34. The coverage prediction shows that one
transmitter is covering its area poorly. The area is indicated by a red oval in Figure 11.34.
Figure 11.34: Coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server for the existing network
You can try modifying the tilt on the transmitter to improve the coverage. The properties of the transmitter can be accessed
by right-clicking the transmitter in the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu. The mechanical and elec-
trical tilt of the antenna are defined on the Transmitter tab of the Properties dialogue.
Once the tilt of the antenna has been modified, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would be
impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original coverage prediction by can be copied by selecting Duplicate from its
context menu. The copy is then calculated, to show how modifying the antenna tilt has affected coverage (see Figure 11.35).
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Figure 11.35: Coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server of the network after modifications
As you can see, modifying the antenna tilt increased the coverage of the transmitter. However, to see exactly the change in
coverage, you can compare the two predictions.
To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the coverage prediction you want
to compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their name and reso-
lution.
4. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be displayed.
You can choose among:
Intersection
Union
Difference
In order to see what changes modifying the antenna tilt made, you can choose Union. This will display all pixels
covered by both predictions in one colour and all pixels covered by only one prediction in another colour. The increase
in coverage, seen in only the second coverage prediction, will be immediately clear.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 11.36, shows clearly the increase in coverage due at the
change in antenna tilt.
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In this section, the signal quality coverage predictions will be calculated using UL load factor and DL traffic power parameters
defined at the timeslot level for each cell. For the purposes of these coverage predictions, each pixel is considered a non-inter-
fering user with a defined timeslot, service, mobility type, and terminal.
Before making a coverage prediction, you will have to set the UL load factor and DL traffic power and the parameters that
define the services and users. These are explained in the following sections:
"Setting the UL Load Factor and the DL Traffic Power" on page 1033.
"Service and User Modelling" on page 1033.
Several different types of signal quality coverage predictions, based either on EbNt, CI, or traffic channel quality, are
explained in this section:
"Making a Pilot Signal Quality Prediction" on page 1038.
"Making a DwPCH Signal Quality Prediction" on page 1039.
"Studying Downlink and Uplink Traffic Channel Coverage" on page 1041.
"Studying Downlink and Uplink Service Areas" on page 1043.
"Studying the Effective Service Area" on page 1045.
Making the following noise coverage prediction is explained:
"Studying Downlink Total Noise" on page 1046.
The following coverage predictions are available for determining and studying interference:
To study the interference between cells in the case of asymmetric and different timeslot configurations used for dif-
ferent cells, see "Studying Cell-to-Cell Interference" on page 1048.
To study the interference on UpPCH when the UpPCH is shifted to a traffic timeslot, see "Studying UpPCH Interfer-
ence" on page 1049.
Making another type of coverage prediction, the baton handover coverage prediction, is also explained:
"Making a Baton Handover Coverage Prediction" on page 1051.
Modelling Services
Services are the various services available to subscribers. These services can be either circuit-switched or packet-switched
services. This section explains how to create a service. However, only the following parameters are used in predictions:
R99 radio bearer parameters
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HSPA capabilities
Body loss
HSDPA application throughput parameters
Before you model services, you must have defined R99 radio bearers. For more information on defining R99 radio bearers,
see "Defining R99 Radio Bearers" on page 1142.
To create or modify a service:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Services New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the Serv-
ices folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can edit the fields on the General tab to define the new service.
Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can change the name to something more descriptive.
Activity factor: The uplink and downlink activity factors are used to determine the probability of activity for each
user during Monte-Carlo simulations. For packet-switched services, this parameter is used when working with
sector traffic maps and user density traffic maps. For circuit-switched services, the parameter is taken into consid-
eration with all traffic maps.
Average requested rate: You can enter the average requested rate for uplink and downlink. This rate is the
average rate obtained by a user of the service. How the average requested rate is used in Atoll depends on the
type of service:
Circuit (R99): This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during
user distribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their
activity status.
Packet (R99): This rate is the average rate obtained by a user of the service. It is used in simulations during
user distribution generation to calculate the number of users attempting a connection and to determine their
activity status.
Packet (HSPA): This rate is the requested average rate which guarantees a minimum average rate during an
HSUPA call. It is used twice in a simulation: once during user distribution generation in order to calculate the
number of HSUPA users attempting a connection and then during power control as a quality target to be
compared to the real obtained average throughput.
6. Click the UMTS tab to define the new service.
7. Select an R99 radio bearer from the list. If you want to edit the settings of the selected R99 radio bearer, click the
Browse button ( ) to open the bearers Properties dialogue.
8. Select a service Type:
Circuit (R99): For circuit services, select Circuit (R99).
Packet (R99): For packet services that can only use R99 channels, select Packet (R99).
Packet (HSDPA): For packet services that can use HSDPA channels, select Packet (HSDPA).
Packet (HSPA): For packet services that can use HSDPA and HSUPA channels, select Packet (HSPA).
9. Enter Preferred or Allowed carriers: You can select one of the available carriers or all carriers. The specified carrier is
considered in simulations when connecting a mobile user to a transmitter. If the transmitter uses the preferred carrier
of the service, Atoll selects it. Otherwise, it chooses another one, based on the DCA (Dynamic Channel Allocation)
method selected when creating the simulation. If no preferred carrier is specified in the service properties, Atoll will
consider the carrier selection mode of the selected DCA method. Similarly, coverage predictions that are calculated
for the "Best" carrier are calculated for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined
in the service properties, Atoll preforms the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or
the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
10. Enter a Priority for this service. "0" is the lowest priority.
11. Enter the Body loss for the service. The body loss is the loss due to the body of the user. For example, in a voice con-
nection the body loss, due to the proximity of the users head, is estimated to be 3 dB.
12. For a Packet (HSDPA) service, enter:
A-DPCH activity factor: The downlink A-DPCH activity factor is used to estimate the average power on A-DPCH
channels.
Average requested rate: You can enter the average requested rate for uplink and downlink. This rate guaran-
tees a minimum average rate during a call. It is used twice in a simulation: once during user distribution gener-
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ation in order to calculate the number of HSPA users attempting a connection and then once during power
control as a quality target to be compared to the real obtained average throughput.
Application throughput: Under Application throughput, you can set a Scaling factor between the application
throughput and the RLC (Radio Link Control) throughput and a throughput Offset. These parameters model
the header information and other supplementary data that does not appear at the application level.
13. For a Packet (HSPA) service, enter:
E-UCCH/A-DPCH activity factor: The uplink E-UCCH and downlink A-DPCH activity factors are used to estimate
the average power on these channels.
Average requested rate: You can enter the average requested rate for uplink and downlink. This rate guaran-
tees a minimum average rate during a call. It is used twice in a simulation: once during user distribution gener-
ation in order to calculate the number of HSPA users attempting a connection and then once during power
control as a quality target to be compared to the real obtained average throughput.
Application throughput: Under Application throughput, you can set a Scaling factor between the application
throughput and the RLC (Radio Link Control) throughput and a throughput Offset. These parameters model
the header information and other supplementary data that does not appear at the application level.
14. For a Packet (R99), Packet (HSDPA), and Packet (HSPA) services, click the Packet button. The Packet dialogue appears.
The parameters in the Packet dialogue are used to determine the probability of activity for each user during Monte-
Carlo simulations. These parameters are used when working with user profile traffic maps only.
In the Packet dialogue, you can set the following parameters for packet-switched services:
Under BLER, you can define the following:
Efficiency factor: The uplink and downlink efficiency factors are used to determine duration of usage by the
user during Monte-Carlo simulations.
Under Session, you can set:
Average number of packet calls: Enter the average number of packet calls in the uplink and downlink during
one session.
Average time between two packet calls: Enter the average time between two packet calls (in milliseconds) in
the uplink and downlink.
Under Packet calls, you can set:
Min size (Kbytes): Enter the minimum size of a packet call in kilobytes in the uplink and downlink.
Max size (Kbytes): Enter the maximum size of a packet call in kilobytes in the uplink and downlink.
Average time between two packets (ms): Enter the average time between two packets in milliseconds in the
uplink and downlink.
Under Packet, you can set:
Size (Bytes): Enter the packet size in bytes in the uplink and downlink.
15. Click OK to save your changes and close the dialogue.
Radio propagation conditions as well as connection properties and criteria vary with the speed the user is travelling. A mobile
user travelling at a high speed and a pedestrian will not necessarily be connected to the same transmitters and both users will
not experience the same service characteristics. EcI0 requirements and EbNt or C/I targets per radio bearer and per link (up
and down) are largely dependent on mobile speed.
The following parameters are used in predictions:
P-CCPCH RSCP T_Add (RSCP P-CCPCH Threshold)
P-CCPCH RSCP T_Drop
DwPCH RSCP Threshold
UpPCH RSCP Threshold
P-CCPCH EbNt Threshold or P-CCPCH CI Threshold
DwPCH CI Threshold
HS-SCCH EcNt Threshold (DL)
HS-SICH EcNt Threshold (UL)
You can select whether the P-CCPCH thresholds you define are Eb/Nt or C/I thresholds by
selecting the corresponding option in the Global Parameters tab of the Network Settings
folders properties dialogue. For more information, see "Network Settings" on page 1135.
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You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can enter or modify the following parameters:
Name: Enter or modify the descriptive name for the mobility type.
Speed: Enter or modify an average speed for the mobility type. This field is for information only; the average speed
is not used in any calculation.
6. Click the TD-SCDMA tab. On the TD-SCDMA tab, you can enter or modify the following parameters:
Under Baton handover parameters, you can set the minimum pilot signal levels required from transmitters to
enter and exit the list of potential servers.
P-CCPCH RSCP T_Add (P-CCPCH RSCP threshold): The minimum pilot signal level from transmitters required
for entering the list of potential servers.
P-CCPCH RSCP T_Drop: The signal level from transmitters below which a transmitter cannot enter the list of
potential servers.
P-CCPCH EbNt threshold or P-CCPCH CI threshold: Enter or modify the minimum P-CCPCH EbNt or CI quality.
This value is used as the minimum requirement limit for the P-CCPCH Quality Analysis (EbNt) or P-CCPCH Quality
Analysis (CI) coverage predictions.
DwPCH RSCP threshold: Enter or modify the minimum signal level required for the DwPTS coverage. This value is
used as the minimum requirement limit for the Coverage by DwPCH RSCP coverage prediction.
DwPCH CI threshold: Enter or modify the minimum DwPCH CI quality. This value is used as the minimum require-
ment limit for the DwPCH Quality Analysis (CI) coverage prediction.
UpPCH RSCP threshold: Enter or modify the minimum signal level required for the UpPTS coverage. This value is
used as the minimum requirement limit for the Coverage by UpPCH RSCP coverage prediction.
Under HSDPA, you can set the minimum Ec/Nt levels required for HSDPA channels.
HS-SCCH EcNt threshold (DL): Enter or modify the minimum quality required for the HSDPA link to be avail-
able. Atoll calculates the HS-SCCH EcNt from the HS-SCCH power set in the cell properties and compares it to
this threshold. This field is used only with HSDPA.
HS-SICH EcNt threshold (UL): Enter or modify the minimum quality required for the HSDPA link to be availa-
ble. Atoll calculates the HS-SICH EcNt from the HS-SICH power set in the terminal properties and compares it
to this threshold. This field is used only with HSDPA.
Under HSUPA, you can set the minimum Ec/Nt levels required for E-DCH channel.
E-DCH EcNt threshold (DL): Enter or modify the minimum quality required for the HSUPA link to be available.
This field is used only with HSUPA.
7. Click OK.
Modelling Terminals
In TD-SCDMA, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a PDA, or a cars on-
board navigation device.
The following parameters are used in predictions:
Reception equipment
Number of carriers supported
Maximum terminal power
UpPCH power
Gain and losses
Noise figure
JD factor
CDMA Rho factor
HSPA capabilities
UE categories
HS-SICH power
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You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminal folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can modify the following parameters:
Name: You can change the name of the terminal.
6. Click the TD-SCDMA tab. On the TD-SCDMA tab, you can modify the following parameters:
Reception equipment: Select a type of reception equipment from the list. For more information on reception
equipment, see "Receiver Equipment" on page 1144.
No. of carriers supported: Select the number of carriers that the terminal can support.
Under Power, you can set the minimum and maximum transmission power limits and the UpPCH power for the
UpPTS timeslot.
Min: Set the minimum transmission power. The minimum and maximum transmission powers make up the
dynamic range for uplink power control.
Max: Set the maximum transmission power.
UpPCH: The transmission power for the UpPTS timeslot (or the TS1 uplink timeslot in case of UpPCH shifting).
Under Interference, you can set the parameters that influence interference:
Noise figure: Set the terminal noise figure.
JD factor: Enter a joint detection (JD) factor. Joint detection is used to model interference cancellation at the
user terminal. JD is modelled by a coefficient from 0 to 1; this factor is considered in calculating downlink inter-
ference. If JD is not supported, enter "0."
Rho factor (%): This parameter enables Atoll to take into account the self-interference produced by the termi-
nal. Because hardware equipment is not perfect, the input signal experiences some distortion which affects,
in turn, the output signal. This factor defines how much distortion the system generates. Entering 100% means
the system is perfect (there is no distortion) and the output signal will be 100% equal to the input signal. On
the other hand, if you specify a value different than 100%, Atoll considers that the transmitted energy is not
100% signal and contains a small percentage of interference generated by the equipment, i.e., self-interfer-
ence. Atoll considers this parameter to calculate the signal to noise ratio in the uplink.
Gain: Set the antenna gain.
Losses: Set the reception losses.
HSPA support: Select the type of HSPA support for this terminal if the terminal is able to use HSPA channels. You
can choose between None (i.e., R99 only), HSDPA, or HSPA (i.e., HSDPA and HSUPA).
For an HSDPA-capable terminal, you can set the following parameters under HSDPA:
UE category: The HSDPA user equipment category of the terminal. For more information on HSDPA UE cate-
gories, see "HSDPA UE Categories" on page 1145.
HS-SICH power: The transmission power for the HS-SICH channel. When you are modelling static power allo-
cation, the HS-SICH dynamic power allocation check box in the cell properties is cleared and the actual power
per HS-SICH channel is entered in this box. In case of dynamic HS-SCCH power allocation, the value entered
here represents the maximum power for the HS-SICH channel.
For an HSPA-capable terminal, you can also set the following parameters under HSUPA:
UE category: The HSUPA user equipment category of the terminal. For more information on HSUPA UE cate-
gories, see "HSDPA UE Categories" on page 1145.
7. Click OK.
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A pilot signal quality prediction enables you to identify areas where there is at least one transmitter whose pilot quality is
received sufficiently well.
Atoll calculates the best pilot quality received on each pixel. Then, depending on the prediction definition, it compares this
value either to the P-CCPCH EbNt or CI threshold defined for the selected mobility type. The pixel is coloured if the condition
is fulfilled (in other words, if the received pilot quality is better than the P-CCPCH EbNt or CI threshold). The total noise, Nt,
includes the pilot power (P-CCPCH power). The processing gain used for the EbNt coverage prediction is the one defined on
the Global Parameters tab of the Network Settings Properties dialogue. For more information on the global parameters, see
"Network Settings" on page 1135. The coverage prediction is limited by the P-CCPCH RSCP threshold of the selected mobility
type.
To make a pilot signal quality prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select P-CCPCH Quality Analysis (EbNt) or P-CCPCH Quality Analysis (CI) and click OK. The coverage prediction Prop-
erties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.37). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the terminal
properties are used.
Service: The service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the service properties
is used.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The P-CCPCH EbNt threshold or P-CCPCH
CI threshold defined in the mobility properties is used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The P-CCPCH reception analysis predictions are performed for TS0.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 11.37: Condition settings for a P-CCPCH reception analysis (EbNt) coverage prediction
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Atoll calculates the best DwPCH signal quality received on each pixel. Then, depending on the prediction definition, it
compares this value with the DwPCH CI threshold defined for the selected mobility type. The pixel is coloured if the condition
is fulfilled (in other words, if the received DwPCH signal quality is better than the DwPCH CI threshold). The coverage predic-
tion is limited by the DwPCH RSCP threshold of the selected mobility type.
To make a DwPCH signal quality prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select DwPCH Quality Analysis (CI) and click OK. The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.37). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the terminal
properties are used.
Service: The service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the service properties
is used.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The DwPCH CI threshold defined in the
mobility properties is used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
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For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best", Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The DwPCH reception analysis (CI) predictions are performed for DwPTS.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 11.39: Condition settings for a DwPCH reception analysis (CI) coverage prediction
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Atoll calculates the received traffic channel power on the uplink or on the downlink taking into consideration the effect of any
smart antenna equipment assigned to transmitters, and the smart antenna simulation results stored for the selected timeslot.
The coverage prediction is limited by the P-CCPCH RSCP threshold of the selected mobility type.
To make an effective service area prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select one of the following coverage predictions and click OK:
Coverage by TCH RSCP (DL)
Coverage by TCH RSCP (UL)
The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.41). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the terminal
properties are used. For the uplink traffic channel coverage prediction, Atoll calculates the RSCP using the max-
imum power defined for the selected terminal.
Service: The R99 service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The uplink TCH RSCP threshold or downlink
TCH RSCP threshold defined in the properties of the R99 radio bearer of the service is used as the minimum
requirement for the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the service properties is also used. For the
downlink traffic channel, Atoll calculates the RSCP using the maximum allowed downlink traffic channel power
defined for the R99 bearer of the selected service.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The uplink TCH RSCP threshold or the
downlink TCH RSCP threshold defined in the selected services R99 bearer and corresponding to the selected
mobility type is used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The coverage predictions by TCH RSCP can be performed for any downlink or uplink timeslot.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 11.41: Condition settings for a downlink TCH RSCP coverage prediction
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Atoll calculates the traffic channel quality, as defined by EbNt or CI, on the uplink or on the downlink considering the effect
of any smart antenna equipment assigned to transmitters, and the smart antenna simulation results stored for the selected
timeslot. The coverage prediction is limited by the P-CCPCH RSCP threshold of the selected mobility type.
To make a prediction on downlink or uplink service area (EbNt or CI):
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select one of the following coverage predictions and click OK:
Service Area Analysis (EbNt) (DL)
Service Area Analysis (CI) (DL)
Service Area Analysis (EbNt) (UL)
Service Area Analysis (CI) (UL)
The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.44). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the terminal
properties are used. For the uplink service area coverage prediction, Atoll calculates the EbNt or CI using the
maximum power defined for the selected terminal.
Service: The R99 service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The uplink TCH EbNt threshold and down-
link TCH EbNt threshold (or uplink TCH CI threshold and downlink TCH CI threshold) defined for the services
R99 radio bearer are used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the
service properties is also used. For the downlink traffic channel, Atoll calculates the EbNt or CI using the max-
imum allowed downlink traffic channel power defined for the R99 bearer of the selected service. The processing
gains are also used for the EbNt coverage predictions.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The uplink and downlink TCH EbNt
thresholds (or uplink or downlink TCH CI thresholds), defined in the service selected above, corresponding to the
selected mobility type are used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The service area coverage predictions can be performed for any downlink or uplink timeslot.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
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Figure 11.44: Condition settings for a downlink service area (EbNt) coverage prediction
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The goal of this coverage prediction is to identify the areas where there might be coverage problems for a service either on
the downlink or on the uplink.
Atoll calculates the traffic channel quality, as defined by EbNt or CI, on the uplink and on the downlink taken into consider-
ation the effect of any smart antenna equipment assigned to transmitters, and the smart antenna simulation results stored
for the selected timeslot. The effective service area is the intersection zone between the uplink and downlink service areas.
The coverage prediction is limited by the P-CCPCH RSCP threshold of the selected mobility type.
To make an effective service area prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Effective Service Area Analysis (EbNt) (DL+UL) or Effective Service Area Analysis (CI) (DL+UL) and click OK.
The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.47). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can define the following parameters:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the terminal
properties are used. For the uplink, Atoll calculates the EbNt or CI using the maximum power defined for the
selected terminal.
Service: The R99 service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The uplink TCH EbNt threshold and down-
link TCH EbNt threshold (or uplink TCH CI threshold and downlink TCH CI threshold) defined for the services
R99 radio bearer are used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the
service properties is also used. For the downlink traffic channel, Atoll calculates the EbNt or CI using the max-
imum allowed downlink traffic channel power defined for the R99 bearer of the selected service. The processing
gains are also used for the EbNt coverage predictions.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The uplink TCH EbNt threshold and
downlink TCH EbNt threshold (or uplink TCH CI threshold and downlink TCH CI threshold), defined in the
selected services R99 bearer, corresponding to the selected mobility type are used as the minimum requirement
for the coverage prediction.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
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ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The effective service area coverage predictions are performed for all downlink and uplink timeslots.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 11.47: Condition settings for an effective service area (EbNt) coverage prediction
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Figure 11.49: Condition settings for a downlink total noise coverage prediction
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The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 11.50).
If cells have different timeslot configurations assigned to them, the difference in the switching point between the uplink and
the downlink parts of the subframe might cause interference between the two links, up and down, i.e., on the same timeslot,
a cell receiving data in the uplink is interfered by nearby cells transmitting in the downlink.
The Cell to Cell Interference Zones coverage prediction displays the level of interference received by a cell. The coverage
prediction sums the interfering signals in the downlink received by the victim cell in the uplink over the selected timeslot.
Interference is calculated using the total transmitted power of the timeslot.
To make a cell-to-cell interference zones coverage prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Cell to Cell Interference Zones and click OK. The Cell to Cell Interference Zones Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter to select which
sites to display in the results. You can also display the results grouped in the Network explorer by one or more char-
acteristics by clicking the Group By button, or you can display the results sorted by clicking the Sort button. For infor-
mation on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95; for information on grouping, see "Advanced Grouping" on
page 90; for information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 94.
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.51). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the terminal
properties are used.
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Service: The R99 service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the service proper-
ties is used.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The cell-to-cell interference coverage prediction can be performed for any timeslot.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 11.51: Condition settings for a cell to cell interference zones coverage prediction
UpPCH is used for uplink synchronisation (SYNC_UL). This channel is usually carried by the UpPTS timeslot. However, if the
interference on UpPTS is high, there is a risk of uplink synchronisation failure, i.e., the SYNC_UL might not be detected. Unsyn-
chronised DwPTS or TS0 timeslots of other cells might cause interference on UpPTS. Lack of synchronisation between the
DwPTS or TS0 and UpPTS occurs in wide and flat areas where there are no obstacles to wave propagation. For cells located in
such areas, it is possible to shift the UpPCH channel from the UpPTS to any other uplink timeslot which might be less inter-
fered. This is called UpPCH shifting.
Without shifting, the UpPCH, or UpPTS, starts at the 96th chip after the DwPCH on DwPTS. The UpPCH can be shifted to TS1,
TS2, or TS3. However, in Atoll, the UpPCH can only be shifted to TS1 on the uplink. It can be shifted by selecting the corre-
sponding timeslot configuration at cell level.
If some cells in a network use UpPCH shifting, you can use this coverage prediction to study the interference generated by
traffic on other cells, in other words, the mobiles connected to the TS1 uplink timeslot of other cells, on the shifted UpPCH of
these cells. Atoll calculates and displays the areas where the interference on the TS1 uplink timeslot, which is used for the
UpPCH, exceeds a set threshold.
To make an UpPCH interference zones prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
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3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select UpPCH Interference Zones and click OK. The UpPCH Interference Zones Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.52). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction.
Service: The service to be considered in the coverage prediction.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction.
The terminal, service, and mobility type are not used for the calculation of interference. The gains and losses de-
fined for these parameters are used to calculate the P-CCPCH coverage of the cells that are using UpPCH shifting.
Carrier: You can select the carrier to be studied, or select "Best".
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter. If you select "Best," Atoll will display the coverage
prediction for the preferred carrier of the selected service. If no preferred carrier is defined in the service proper-
ties, Atoll will display the coverage prediction for the carrier with the highest P-CCPCH power, or the master car-
rier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Timeslot: The UpPCH interference coverage predictions are performed for TS1 uplink timeslot for UpPCH shifting.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 11.52: Condition settings for an UpPCH interference zones coverage prediction
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Figure 11.54: Condition settings for a baton handover zones coverage prediction
7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the prediction will
display.
For a baton handover analysis, the Display type "Value intervals" and the Field "Number of potential neighbours" are
selected by default. You can also display only the baton handover coverage surface area by selecting "Unique" as the
Display type. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 11.55).
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7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage predic-
tion will display.
If you have selected "All" timeslots in the Conditions tab, you can set the following parameters:
The HS-PDSCH RSCP relative to the RSCP threshold: Select one of the following in the Field list:
Min HS-PDSCH RSCP
Average HS-PDSCH RSCP
Max HS-PDSCH RSCP
The HS-PDSCH EcNt relative to the EcNt threshold: Select one of the following in the Field list:
Min. HS-PDSCH EcNt
Average HS-PDSCH EcNt
Max HS-PDSCH EcNt
The RLC peak rate relative to the threshold: Select "RLC peak rate (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll displays the RLC peak
rate that the selected HSDPA bearer can provide. The RLC peak rate is a characteristic of the HSDPA bearer.
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The MAC rate relative to the threshold: Select "MAC rate (kbps)" as the Field. Atoll calculates the MAC rate from
the transport block size of the selected HSDPA bearer.
If you have selected a particular timeslot in the Conditions tab, you can set the following parameters:
The uplink and downlink A-DPCH qualities: Select one of the following in the Field list:
Max DL A-DPCH EbNt (dB): Atoll determines downlink A-DPCH quality at the receiver for the maximum traffic
channel power allowed for the selected timeslot.
Max UL A-DPCH EbNt (dB): Atoll determines uplink A-DPCH quality at the receiver for the maximum terminal
power allowed.
The HS-SCCH power, reception level, or quality: Select one of the following in the Field list:
HS-SCCH power: Atoll determines the HS-SCCH power required per pixel to get an HS-SCCH Ec/Nt better than
the minimum required HS-SCCH Ec/Nt. The coverage is limited by the HS-SCCH Ec/Nt threshold defined for the
selected mobility type.
HS-SCCH RSCP: Atoll determines the HS-SCCH RSCP using the HS-SCCH power required per pixel to get an HS-
SCCH Ec/Nt better than the minimum required HS-SCCH Ec/Nt. The coverage is limited by the HS-SCCH Ec/Nt
threshold defined for the selected mobility type.
HS-SCCH Ec/Nt: Atoll determines the HS-SCCH Ec/Nt per pixel. The coverage is limited by the HS-SCCH Ec/Nt
threshold defined for the selected mobility type.
The HS-SICH power, reception level, or quality: Select one of the following in the Field list:
HS-SICH power: Atoll determines the HS-SICH power required per pixel to get an HS-SICH Ec/Nt better than
the minimum required HS-SICH Ec/Nt. The coverage is limited by the HS-SICH Ec/Nt threshold defined for the
selected mobility type.
HS-SICH RSCP: Atoll determines the HS-SICH RSCP using the HS-SICH power required per pixel to get an HS-
SICH Ec/Nt better than the minimum required HS-SICH Ec/Nt. The coverage is limited by the HS-SICH Ec/Nt
threshold defined for the selected mobility type.
HS-SICH Ec/Nt: Atoll determines the HS-SICH Ec/Nt per pixel. The coverage is limited by the HS-SICH Ec/Nt
threshold defined for the selected mobility type.
The HS-PDSCH reception level or quality: Select one of the following in the Field list:
HS-PDSCH RSCP: Atoll determines the HS-PDSCH RSCP using the HS-PDSCH power of the timeslot.
HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt: Atoll determines the HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt using the HS-PDSCH power of the timeslot.
For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
8. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it and calculate it
later:
Calculate: Click Calculate to save the defined coverage prediction and calculate it immediately.
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without calculating it. You can calculate it later clicking the
Calculate button ( ) on the Radio Planning toolbar.
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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carriers, with one master carrier and several slave carriers. The master carrier is used for P-CCPCH broadcast, scrambling code
broadcast, and handover management, whereas the slave carriers are only used for carrying traffic. The multi-carrier mode is
called N-Frequency Mode in Atoll.
You can set the type of carrier for each cell of a transmitter manually, or you can let Atoll automatically allocate carrier types
to cells on transmitters that support the N-frequency mode. Allocating frequencies to the cells of an N-frequency compatible
transmitter means assigning a carrier type to each cell of that transmitter.
You can use automatic allocation on all cells in the document, or you can define a group of cells either by using a focus zone
or by grouping transmitters in the explorer window. For information on creating a focus zone, see "Creating a Focus Zone or
Hot Spot for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 1025. For information on grouping transmitters in the explorer window,
see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 89.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Setting up N-Frequency Mode" on page 1055.
"Allocating Frequencies Automatically" on page 1055.
"Checking Automatic Frequency Allocation Results" on page 1056.
"Allocating Carrier Types per Transmitter" on page 1056.
"Checking the Consistency of the Frequency Allocation Plan" on page 1057.
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6. Click Commit to apply the allocation to the transmitters listed in the Transmitters column.
7. Click Close to close the Automatic Carrier Allocation dialogue.
To automatically allocate master carriers:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select N-Frequency Mode > Automatic Allocation of Master Carriers from the context menu. The Automatic Master
Carrier Allocation dialogue appears.
4. Select the Delete existing allocation check box if you want Atoll to delete the existing master carrier allocation before
allocating.
5. Click Calculate. Atoll allocates master carriers to N-frequency mode compatible transmitters.
Under Results, Atoll lists the transmitters to which it has allocated master carriers in the Transmitters column and the
carrier number of the transmitters master carrier in the Master carrier column.
6. Click Commit to apply the allocation to the transmitters listed in the Transmitters column.
7. Click Close to close the Automatic Master Carrier Allocation dialogue.
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5. Click OK.
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Inter-technology Neighbours: Inter-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that use a technology
other than TD-SCDMA.
In this section, the following are explained:
"Importing Neighbours" on page 1058
"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 1058
"Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 1058
"Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 1059
"Checking Automatic Allocation Results" on page 1061
"Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell" on page 1064
"Calculating the Importance of Existing Neighbours" on page 1067
"Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Plan" on page 1068
"Exporting Neighbours" on page 1069.
You can also create exceptional pairs using the Intra-technology Exceptional Pairs table.
You can open this table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and selecting
Neighbours > Intra-technology > Exceptional Pairs.
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By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance calcula-
tion can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see the Adminis-
trator Manual.
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% min covered area: Enter the minimum, in percentage, that a possible neighbour transmitters coverage area
must overlap the reference transmitters coverage area.
5. Select the desired calculation parameters:
Force co-site cells as neighbours: Select the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box if you want transmitters
located on the same site as the reference transmitter to be automatically considered as neighbours.
Force adjacent cells as neighbours: Select the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box if you want transmit-
ters that are adjacent to the reference transmitter to be automatically considered as neighbours. A transmitter is
considered adjacent if there is at least one pixel in the reference transmitters coverage area where the possible
neighbour transmitter is the best server.
Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relationships to be reciprocal. In
other words, a reference transmitter will be a possible neighbour to all of the transmitters that are its neighbours.
If the neighbour list of any transmitter is full, the reference transmitter will not be added as a neighbour and that
possible neighbour transmitter will be removed from the list of neighbours of the reference transmitter.
Force exceptional pairs: Select the Force exceptional pairs check box if you want to be able to force or forbid
neighbour relations defined in the Exceptional Pairs table. For information on exceptional pairs, see "Defining
Exceptional Pairs" on page 1058.
Delete existing neighbours: Select the Delete existing neighbours check box if you want Atoll to delete all current
neighbours when allocating neighbours. If you do not select the Delete existing neighbours check box, Atoll will
not delete any existing neighbours when automatically allocating neighbours; it will only add new neighbours to
the list.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss
matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays new
neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared, the
Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
Cell: The name of the reference transmitter.
Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference transmitter.
Maximum number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference transmitter can have.
Neighbour: The transmitter that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference transmitter.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in "Configuring Importance Factors for
Neighbours" on page 1058
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour transmitter, as identified in the Neighbour column,
to the reference transmitter, as identified in the Cell column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and
in square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference transmitter, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour
transmitter is best server or second best server.
7. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a transmitter. You can use many of Atolls table
shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables"
on page 69.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list (exist-
ing neighbours) in your document.
To compare the proposed and existing neighbour lists:
Click Compare. The list of automically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared
with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaRe-
port.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
The document name and the neighbour allocation type
The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the auto-
matic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
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8. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference transmitters.
Neighbours are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cells Properties dialogue.
A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour rela-
tion already exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when
you start the new allocation.
When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll
considers the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to
respect symmetry. However, if the neighbour relation is forced in one direction
and forbidden in the other one, symmetry cannot be respected.
By adding an option in the atoll.ini file, the neighbour allocation and importance
calculation can be based on the distance criterion only. For more information, see
the Administrator Manual.
You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration.
For information on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user
configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
Atoll also enables you to automatically allocate neighbours to a single base station or transmitter:
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station" on page 1061
"Allocating Neighbours to a New Transmitter" on page 1061.
1. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
2. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
3. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
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4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display Links check box.
5. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
6. From the Display type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell with a unique
colour.
Discrete values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the cells neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours table, or according
to the neighbour carrier.
Value intervals: Select "Value intervals" to colour the cells neighbour links according the value interval of the
value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours according to their
rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the weighting factors.
YYou can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair by first
creating a new field of type "Integer" in the Intra-technology Neighbour table for the
number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the new
column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as the
Display type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an
Object Types Data Table" on page 71.
Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you can
display or hide neighbour link display types individually.
For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 43.
7. Select the Add to legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.
8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
9. Click OK to save your settings.
10. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
Outwards non-symmetric: Select the Outwards non-symmetric check box to display neighbour relations where
the selected cell is the reference cell and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Inwards non-symmetric: Select the Inwards non-symmetric check box to display neighbour relations where the
selected cell is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Symmetric links: Select the Symmetric links check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric between
the selected cell and the neighbour.
11. Click OK to save your settings.
12. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
13. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
14. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
15. Select a transmitter to show its neighbour links:
In the Transmitters folder of the Network explorer: Select the transmitter in the Transmitters folder. The
selected transmitter is centred in the map and all its neighbours are indicated. Atoll displays the selected trans-
mitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
On the map: Select the transmitter on the map. The neighbours of the selected transmitter are displayed on the
map. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a
context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
Atoll displays the selected transmitter in the Neighbours table if it is open.
In the Neighbours table: Select the transmitter-neighbour relation you want to display by clicking in the left
margin of the table row to select the entire row. The selected transmitter is centred in the map with the selected
transmitter-neighbour relation (see Figure 11.57). The selected transmitter is also displayed in the Transmitters
folder of the Network explorer.
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Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 11.58) for the selected cell:
The symmetric neighbour relations of the selected (reference) cell are indicated by a line.
The outward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the neighbour (e.g., see
Site1_2(0)) in Figure 11.58.).
The inward neighbour relations are indicated with a line with an arrow pointing at the selected cell (e.g., see
Site9_3(0)) in Figure 11.58.).
In Figure 11.58, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetric and outward
neighbour links are coloured as the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link is coloured
as the reference transmitter as it is neighbour of Site9_3(0) here.
You can display either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the arrow ( )
next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar and
selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
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2. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
4. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display coverage areas check box.
5. Click the Browse button ( ) beside the Display coverage areas check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.
7. From the Display type list, choose one of the following:
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours
with a unique colour.
Discrete values: Select "Discrete values" as the Display type, and then a value from the Field list, if you want Atoll
to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours
table.
Value intervals: Select "Value intervals" to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according the value
interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours
according to their rank, in terms of automatic allocation, or according to the importance, as determined by the
weighting factors.
8. Click the Browse button ( ) next to Tip text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the tip text.
This information will be displayed on each coverage area.
9. Click the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar. The menu
appears.
10. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
11. Click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar.
12. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one cell on the
transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
13. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the
Radio Planning toolbar.
Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete TD-SCDMA neighbours using the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. Click the Browse button ( ) beside Neighbours in the cell for which you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The
cells Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the Max number of neighbours.
To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New row icon ( ).
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c. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new exceptional pair.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Source to "manual," and sets the Importance to "1."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
d. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in
the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To delete a symmetrical neighbour relation:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
d. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation between
the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:
a. Click the Edit button on the bottom-right of the dialogue. The neighbour list becomes editable.
b. Click the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
c. Press Del to delete the neighbour.
7. Click OK.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69.
To allocate a neighbour:
a. In the row marked with the New row icon ( ), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.
c. Click another cell of the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell and
the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Source to "manual," and sets the Importance to "1."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in
the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select con-
tiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows
by pressing Ctrl and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Make Symmetrical from the context menu.
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You can add or delete either some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using
the Intra-technology Exceptional Pairs table. You can open this table, select the excep-
tional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force Exceptional Pairs in the
context menu.
You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse. To add or remove intra-technol-
ogy neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neighbours on the map as explained in
"Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 1061.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press Shift and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitters to
the intra-technology neighbours list.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press Shift and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both transmitters
from the intra-technology neighbours.
To add an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press Ctrl and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference trans-
mitter to the intra-technology neighbour list of the reference transmitter.
To remove an outward neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press Ctrl and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference trans-
mitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.
To add an inward neighbour relation:
Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press Ctrl and click the other transmitter.
Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inward non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour relation
by pressing Shift and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then press Ctrl
and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric inter-tech-
nology neighbour relation.
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When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the
map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 41).
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking
the arrow ( ) next to the Edit Relations on the Map button ( ) in the Radio
Planning toolbar and selecting either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neigh-
bours.
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 69. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
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8. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table. Atoll
first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss matrices
are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table on each tab.
The table contains the following information:
Cell: The name of the reference cell.
Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference cell.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in "Configuring Importance Factors for
Neighbours" on page 1058
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated value in the Importance column.
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Coverage: The amount of reference cells coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in square
kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference cell, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour cell is best
server or second best server.
Distance: The distance in kilometres between the reference cell and the neighbour.
9. Click Commit to commit the importance values and the reasons for allocation to the Neighbours table.
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If the field Maximum number of intra-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty,
the above two checks take into account the Default Max Number value defined in the
audit dialogue.
Missing co-sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non-symmetric links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Missing forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance between neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan that are
located at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax: |CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
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For example, the hexadecimal value "3Fh" would be calculated as shown below:
2
0 16 + 3 16 + 15 = 63
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You can define the costs of the different types of constraints used in the automatic scrambling code allocation algorithm.
To define the different constraint violation costs:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Scrambling Codes > Constraint Costs. The Constraint Violation Costs dialogue appears. In this dialogue you can
define the following costs of constraint violations for the automatic allocation process (the cost is a value from 0 to 1):
Under Intra-technology neighbours, you can set the constraint violation costs for Close neighbours, 1st order,
2nd order, and 3rd order neighbours. The close neighbour constraint violation cost should be higher than the 1st
order neighbour constraint violation cost, which should be higher than the 2nd order and the 3rd order should be
the lowest among all of these costs.
Under Distributed per site strategy, you can set the constraint violation cost for intra-technology neighbours that
are 1st or 2nd order using the same cluster.
Reuse distance: Enter the maximum cost for reuse distance constraint violations.
Exceptional pair: Enter the cost for exceptional pair constraint violations.
Common inter-technology neighbour: Enter the cost for inter-technology neighbour constraint violations.
4. Click OK. The constraint violation costs are stored and will be used in the automatic allocation.
The allocation algorithm enables you to automatically allocate scrambling code to cells in the current network. You can choose
among several automatic allocation strategies. The actual automatic allocation strategies available will depend on your
network and options selected in the atoll.ini file. For more information on the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual. For
more information on automatic allocation strategies, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Clustered: The purpose of this strategy is to choose for a group of mutually constrained cells, scrambling codes among
a minimum number of clusters. In this case, Atoll will preferentially allocate all the codes from the same cluster.
Distributed per cell: This strategy consists in using as many clusters as possible. Atoll will preferentially allocate codes
from different clusters.
One SYNC_DL code per site: This strategy allocates one SYNC_DL code to each base station, then, one code of the
cluster associated with the SYNC_DL code to each cell of each base station. When all the SYNC_DL codes have been
allocated and there are still base stations remaining to be allocated, Atoll reuses the SYNC_DL codes at another base
station. Select this strategy if you want to allocate the same scrambling code to the master and the slave carriers. For
more information on master and slave carriers, see "Planning Frequencies" on page 1054.
Distributed per site: This strategy allocates a group of adjacent clusters to each base station in the network, then, one
cluster to each transmitter of the base station, according to its azimuth, and finally one code of the cluster to each cell
of each transmitter. The number of adjacent clusters per group depends on the number of transmitters per base sta-
tion you have in your network; this information is required to start allocation based on this strategy. When all the
groups of adjacent clusters have been allocated and there are still base stations remaining to be allocated, Atoll reuses
the groups of adjacent clusters at another base station.
To automatically allocate scrambling codes:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Scrambling Codes > Automatic Allocation. The Scrambling Codes and SYNC_DL Codes dialogue appears.
4. Set the following parameters in the Scrambling Codes and SYNC_DL Codes dialogue:
Under Constraints, you can set the constraints on automatic scrambling code allocation.
Existing neighbours: Select the Existing neighbours check box if you want to consider neighbour relations and
then choose the neighbourhood level to take into account:
Neighbours of a cell are referred to as first order neighbours, neighbours neighbours are referred to as second
order neighbours and neighbours neighbours neighbours as third order neighbours.
First order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours.
Second order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours or its second order neigh-
bours.
Third order: No cell will be allocated the same scrambling code as its neighbours or its second order neigh-
bours or its third order neighbours.
Atoll can only consider neighbour relations if neighbours have already been allocated. For information on al-
locating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 1057.
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Atoll can take into account inter-technology neighbour relations as constraints to allocate
different scrambling codes to the TD-SCDMA neighbours of a GSM transmitter. In order to
consider inter-technology neighbour relations in scrambling code allocation, you must
make the Transmitters folder of the GSM Atolldocument accessible in the TD-SCDMA Atoll
document. For information on making links between GSM and TD-SCDMA Atoll docu-
ments, see "Creating a TD-SCDMA Sector From a Sector in the Other Network" on
page 1133.
Reuse distance: Select the Reuse distance check box, if you want to the automatic allocation process to con-
sider the reuse distance constraint. Enter the Default reuse distance within which two cells on the same carrier
cannot have the same scrambling code.
A reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue or in the
Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of the value
entered here.
Exceptional pairs: Select the Exceptional pairs check box if you want the automatic allocation process to con-
sider the exceptional pair constraints.
Close neighbours: Select the Close neighbours check box if you want to take into account the scrambling code
relativity clusters in the automatic allocation. Enter the minimum Importance value and the maximum
Distance for determining the close neighbours.
Close neighbours are first order neighbours whose importance is higher than the minimum importance value
and are located within the maximum distance from the studied cell. Atoll will assign scrambling codes from
different relativity clusters to close neighbours. The Close neighbours constraint can be taken into account in
Clustered and Distributed per cell allocation strategies. For more information on scrambling code relativity
clusters, see "Defining Scrambling Code Relativity Clusters" on page 1071.
From the Strategy list, you can select an automatic allocation strategy:
Clustered
Distributed per cell
One SYNC_DL code per site
Distributed per site
Carrier: Select the carrier on which you want to run the allocation. You may choose one carrier (Atoll will assign
scrambling codes to transmitters using the selected carrier) or all of them.
No. of codes per SYNC_DL: According to 3GPP specifications, the number of scrambling codes per SYNC_DL is 4.
If you want, you can change the number of codes per SYNC_DL.
When the allocation is based on a distributed strategy (distributed per cell or distributed per site), this parameter
can also be used to define the interval between the scrambling codes assigned to cells on a same site. The defined
interval is applied by setting an option in the atoll.ini file. For more information about setting options in the at-
oll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
Use a max of codes: Select the Use a max of codes check box to make Atoll use the maximum number of codes.
For example, if there are two cells using the same domain with two scrambling codes, Atoll will assign the
remaining code to the second cell even if there are no constraints between these two cells (for example, neigh-
bour relations, reuse distance, etc.). If you do not select this option, Atoll only checks the constraints, and allocates
the first ranked code in the list.
Delete existing codes: Select the Delete existing codes check box if you want Atoll to delete currently allocated
scrambling codes and recalculate all scrambling codes. If you do not select this option, Atoll keeps the currently
allocated scrambling codes and only allocates scrambling codes to cells that do not yet have codes allocated.
5. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating scrambling codes.
If you have selected the "Distributed per Site" allocation strategy, a Distributed per Site Allocation Parameters
dialogue appears.
a. In the Distributed per Site Allocation Parameters dialogue, enter the Max number of transmitters per site.
b. Select the Neighbours in other SYNC_DL or Secondary neighbours in other SYNC_DL check boxes in the Addition-
al constraints section, if you want the automatic allocation to consider constraints related to first order and sec-
ond order neighbours.
c. Click OK.
Once Atoll has finished allocating scrambling codes, the codes are visible under Results. Atoll only displays newly allo-
cated scrambling codes.
The Results table contains the following information.
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6. Click Commit. The scrambling codes are stored in the cell properties.
You can save automatic scrambling code allocation parameters in a user configuration. For
information on saving automatic scrambling code allocation parameters in a user configu-
ration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 101.
If you need to allocate scrambling codes to the cells on a single transmitter, you can
allocate them automatically by selecting Allocate Scrambling Codes from the
transmitters context menu.
If you need to allocate scrambling codes to all the cells in a group of transmitters,
you can allocate them automatically by selecting Scrambling Codes > Automatic
Allocation from the transmitter groups context menu.
When you allocate scrambling codes to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate scrambling codes automatically,
as described in "Automatically Allocating Scrambling Codes to TD-SCDMA Cells" on page 1072. However, if you want to add a
scrambling code to one cell or to modify the scrambling code of a cell, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
After allocation, you can use the audit tool to check the reuse scrambling code distances between cells and the compatibility
of the domains of the cells for each base station.
To allocate a scrambling code to a TD-SCDMA cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate a scrambling code. The context menu
appears.
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the Cells tab.
4. Enter a Scrambling code in the cells column.
5. Click OK.
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The report will list the cells and the neighbours that do not meet one of these constraints. In addition, it will indi-
cate the allocated primary scrambling code and the neighbourhood level.
Neighbours in different SYNC_DLs: If you select the Neighbours in different SYNC_DLs check box, Atoll will check
that neighbour cells have scrambling codes from different SYNC_DLs. The report will list any neighbour cells that
has scrambling codes from the same SYNC_DL.
Domain compliance: If you select the Domain compliance check box, Atoll will check if allocated scrambling codes
belong to domains assigned to cells. The report will list any cells with scrambling codes that do not belong to
domains assigned to the cell.
Site domains not empty: If you select the Site domains not empty check box, Atoll will check for and list base
stations for which the allocation domain (i.e., the list of possible scrambling codes, with respect to the configured
allocation constraints) is empty.
One SYNC_DL per site: If you select the One SYNC_DL per site check box, Atoll will check for and list base stations
whose cells have scrambling codes coming from more than one SYNC_DL.
Distance: If you select the Distance check box and set a reuse distance, Atoll will check for and list the cell pairs
that do not respect the reuse distance condition. For any cell pair, Atoll uses the lowest of the reuse distance
values among the ones defined for the two cells in their properties and the value that you set in the Code and
SYNC_DL Audit dialogue. Cell pairs that do not respect the reuse distance condition are listed according to the dis-
tance between them, from the closest to the furthest away. The scrambling code and the reuse distance are also
listed for each cell pair.
Exceptional pairs: If you select the Exceptional pairs check box, Atoll will check for and display pairs of cells that
are listed as exceptional pairs but have the same scrambling code allocated.
5. Click OK. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a text file called CodeCheck.txt. For each selected criterion, Atoll gives
the number of detected inconsistencies and the details of each.
In Atoll, you can search for scrambling codes and scrambling code groups using the Find on Map tool. Results are displayed
in the map window in red.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server P-CCPCH, with the
results displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. For information, see "Making a
Coverage Prediction by P-CCPCH Best Server" on page 1018. Scrambling codes and scrambling code groups and any potential
problems will then be clearly visible.
To find scrambling codes or scrambling code groups using the Find on Map tool:
1. Click Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears.
2. From the Find list, select "Scrambling Code."
3. Select what you what you want to search for:
Scrambling code: If you want to find a scrambling code, select Scrambling code and select it from the list.
SC group: If you want to find a scrambling code group, select SC group and select it from the list.
4. Select the carrier you want to search on from the For carrier list, or select "(All)" to search in all carriers.
5. Click Search. Transmitters with cells matching the search criteria are displayed in red. Transmitters that do not match
the search criteria are displayed as grey lines.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset display button in the Find on Map window.
You can use the display characteristics of transmitters to display scrambling code-related information.
To display scrambling code-related information on the map:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
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You can group transmitters in the Network explorer by their scrambling code or scrambling code domain.
To group transmitters by scrambling code:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
Scrambling code domain
Scrambling code
7. Click to add the parameter to the Grouping fields list. The selected parameter is added to the list of parameters
on which the transmitters will be grouped.
8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select it in the Grouping fields list and click
. The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
9. Arrange the parameters in the Grouping fields list in the order in which you want the transmitters to be grouped:
10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.
If a transmitter has more than one cell, Atoll cannot arrange the transmitter by cell. Trans-
mitters that cannot be grouped by cell are arranged in a separate folder under the Trans-
mitters folder.
You can use a histogram to analyse the use of allocated scrambling codes in a network. The histogram represents the scram-
bling codes or SYNC_DLs as a function of the frequency of their use.
To display the scrambling code histogram:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Scrambling Codes > Code Distribution. The Distribution Histograms dialogue appears.
Each bar represents a scrambling code or a SYNC_DL code, its height depending on the frequency of its use.
4. Select Scrambling codes to display scrambling code use and Clusters to display SYNC_DL code use.
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5. Move the pointer over the histogram to display the frequency of use of each scrambling code or SYNC_DL. The results
are highlighted simultaneously in the Zoom on selected values list.
You can zoom in on values by clicking and dragging in the Zoom on selected values list. Atoll will zoom in on the
selected values.
You can make a scrambling code collision zones coverage prediction to view areas covered by cells using the same scrambling
code. The coverage prediction displays areas where transmitters other than the best server, whose received signal level is
within the pollution margin set in the coverage prediction properties, interfere the best server signal. The interfered pixels are
coloured according to the interfered scrambling code.
To make a scrambling code collision zone coverage prediction:
1. Select the Network explorer.
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Prediction from the context menu. The Prediction Types dialogue appears.
4. Select Scrambling Code Collision Zones and click OK. The prediction Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage prediction,
and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining the Storage
Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 216. Under Display configuration, you can create a Filter to select
which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 95. The Group By and
Sort buttons are not available when making a so-called "global" coverage prediction (e.g., signal level coverage predic-
tion).
6. Click the Conditions tab (see Figure 11.59). The coverage prediction parameters on the Conditions tab allow you to
define the signals that will be considered for each pixel. You can set:
Terminal: The terminal to be considered in the coverage prediction. The gain and losses defined in the terminal
properties are used.
Service: The service to be considered in the coverage prediction. The body loss defined in the service properties
is used.
Mobility: The mobility type to be considered in the coverage prediction. The P-CCPCH RSCP threshold defined in
the mobility properties is used as the minimum requirement for the coverage prediction.
Carrier: The carrier to be considered in the coverage prediction.
For each pixel, the serving base station is determined according to the P-CCPCH RSCP from the carrier with the
highest P-CCPCH power, or from the master carrier in case of N-frequency mode compatible transmitters. After-
wards, the coverage prediction is calculated for the selected carrier. If the selected carrier does not exist in a trans-
mitter, there will not be any pixels covered by this transmitter.
Timeslot: The scrambling code collision coverage prediction is performed for TS0.
If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell edge coverage probability.
You can select the Indoor coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Pollution margin: The margin for determining which signals to consider. Atoll considers signal levels which are
within the defined margin of the best signal level.
Figure 11.59: Condition settings for a Scrambling Code Collision Zones coverage prediction
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For a scrambling code collision analysis coverage prediction, the Display type "Value intervals" based on the Field
"Interfered scrambling code" is available. Each interference zone will then be displayed in a colour corresponding to
the interfered scrambling code per pixel. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of
Objects" on page 43.
8. Click OK to save your settings.
9. Click the Calculate button ( ) in the Radio Planning toolbar to calculate the scrambling code collision zone coverage
prediction. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 11.60).
Figure 11.60: Condition settings for a Scrambling Code Collision Zones coverage prediction
A specific colour is assigned to areas where more than one scrambling code has interference. You can analyse these areas in
more detail using the Find on Map tool. For more information on using the Find on Map tool for scrambling code collision
analysis, see "Using Find on Map to Display Scrambling Code Allocation" on page 1075.
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are referred to as timeslot configurations that can be defined per cell. The following table lists the capacity of a cell for differ-
ent possible timeslot configurations:
UUDDDD 32 64
UUUDDD 48 48
UUUUDD 64 32
UUUUUD 80 16
UpUDDDD 16 64
UpUUDDD 32 48
TS0 is not used for traffic. TS1 is not used for traffic either in case of UpPCH shifting.
Assuming ideal dynamic channel allocation (DCA), all the resource units within a subframe, i.e., 6 x 16 = 96, can be allocated
and used. The total resource units in a network, i.e., the network capacity, is given by:
Network Capacity = Number of Timeslots per Subframe Number of Codes per Timeslot Number of Carriers
Resource units from different carriers can be shared and allocated to the same mobile connected to an N-frequency mode
compatible transmitter.
This section explains the network capacity and network dimensioning analysis tools:
"Calculating Available Network Capacity" on page 1079.
"Calculating Required Network Capacity" on page 1079.
"Displaying the Network Capacity on the Map" on page 1080.
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The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic maps.
For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of users (for environ-
ment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates per users (for live traffic maps per sector).
Select traffic maps to be used: Select the traffic maps you want to use for dimensioning.
Under Coverage, select the P-CCPCH best server coverage prediction to be used to distribute the traffic among the
cells of the network.
4. Click Calculate. Atoll distributes the traffic among cells using the information from traffic maps and the coverage pre-
diction, calculates the capacity of each cell, and displays the results in the Results per Cell tab.
The Results per Cell tab has five columns which list the names of the cells in the network, and the numbers of uplink
and downlink resource units available and required per cell. The last row in this dialogue displays the total uplink and
downlink resource units, required and available. Cells for which the required resource units exceed the available units
are displayed in red. The uplink and downlink resource units overhead defined for each timeslot per cell is considered
when calculating the number of available resource units.
5. Click Commit to store the number of required resource units per cell in the Cells table.
6. Click Close to close the dialogue.
Changing transmitter parameters does not affect the dimensioning results if you have not updated the coverage by P-CCPCH
best server used for the dimensioning calculations. If you want to compare dimensioning results after modifying some trans-
mitter parameters, you will have to calculate the coverage by P-CCPCH best server again and run the dimensioning calcula-
tions based on the new coverage prediction.
When Atoll has finished calculating the prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
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The following services and users are modelled in Atoll in order to create simulations:
R99 radio bearers: Bearer services are used by the network for carrying information. The R99 Radio Bearer table lists
all the available radio bearers. You can create new R99 radio bearers and modify existing ones using the R99 Radio
Bearer table. For information on defining R99 radio bearers, see "Defining R99 Radio Bearers" on page 1142.
Services: Services are the various services, such as voice, mobile internet access, etc., available to subscribers. These
services can be either circuit-switched or packet-switched. For information on modelling end-user services, see "Mod-
elling Services" on page 1033.
Mobility types: In TD-SCDMA, information about receiver mobility is important to accurately model the channel char-
acteristics: a mobile used in a speeding car or by a pedestrian will not necessarily undergo the same radio wave behav-
iour. EbNt or CI targets for uplink and downlink are largely dependent on mobile speed. For information on creating
a mobility type, see "Creating a Mobility Type" on page 1035.
Terminals: In TD-SCDMA, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone,
a PDA, or a cars on-board navigation device. For information on creating a terminal, see "Modelling Terminals" on
page 1036.
User density traffic maps (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data, or 2G net-
work statistics.
Each pixel has a user density assigned. The value either includes all activity statuses or it corresponds to a particular
activity status. For more information, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 1088, "Creating a User
Density Traffic Map" on page 1088, see "Converting 2G Network Traffic" on page 1089 and "Exporting Cumulated Traf-
fic" on page 1090.
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You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from another Atoll docu-
ment.
7. Select a coverage prediction by P-CCPCH best server from the list of available coverage predictions.
8. Enter the data required in the Sector Traffic Map dialogue:
If you selected Uplink and Downlink Throughputs, enter the throughput demands in the uplink and downlink for
each sector and for each listed service.
If you selected Total Number of Users (All Activity Statuses), enter the number of connected users for each sector
and for each listed service.
If you selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of inactive users, the number of users
active in the uplink, in the downlink and in the uplink and downlink, for each sector and for each service.
You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and select-
ing Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 82.
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You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circum-
stances. For example, a user might be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but no
web browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and web
browsing.
To create or modify a user profile:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile
in the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
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In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.
Duration: For circuit-switched services, enter the average duration of a call in seconds. For packet-switched ser-
vices, this field is left blank.
UL volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average uplink volume per session in kilobytes.
DL volume: For packet-switched services, enter the average downlink volume per session in kilobytes.
Modelling Environments
An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given
density (i.e., the number of subscribers with the same profile per km). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can assign
a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor subscribers for each
clutter class. In a Monte Carlo simulation, an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
To create or modify a TD-SCDMA environment:
1. Select the Parameters explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.
You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the environ-
ment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
For example: An area of 10 km has a subscriber density of 100km. Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 subscrib-
ers. The area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Build-
ing is "4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.
10. If you want you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 1086.
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The name of the imported user profile or mobility type must match the corresponding
name in the Traffic Parameters folder in the Parameters explorer. If the names do not
match, Atoll will display a warning and will not import the file.
12. Under Clutter distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area --------------------------
Wi Si
i
where:
Nk = Number of users in the clutter k
N Area = Number of users in the zone Area
Wk = Weight of clutter k
Sk = Surface area of clutter k (in square km)
13. If you want, you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
14. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 1086.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (8 bit): TIF, JPEG 2000, BIL,
IST, BMP, PlaNET, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the Code
column.
12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under Traffic Parameters in the Parame-
ters explorer. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 1084.
13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects" on
page 43.
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7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.
8. Click the Draw Polygon button ( ) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.
9. Click the Delete Polygon button ( ) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.
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You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the New
Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment Based
Traffic Map" on page 1086.
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET, TIF, JPEG 2000, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab.
12. Select whether the users are active in the UplinkDownlink, only in the Downlink, or only in the Uplink.
13. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
14. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
15. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal 100.
16. Under Clutter distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte Carlo simulations. You do not have to define a
clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
17. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic Maps folder.
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All activity statuses: Select All activity statuses if the map you are importing provides a density of users with any
activity status.
Active in uplink: Select Active in uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in the uplink
only.
Active in downlink: Select Active in downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the downlink only.
Active in uplink and downlink: Select Active in uplink and downlink if the map you are importing provides a den-
sity of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
Inactive: Select Inactive if the map you are importing provides a density of inactive users.
6. Click the Create button. The traffic maps property dialogue appears.
7. Select the Traffic tab.
8. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
9. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentages must equal
100.
10. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentages must equal 100.
11. Under Clutter distribution, enter the percentage of indoor users for each clutter class.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define a
clutter weighting for user density traffic maps because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
12. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic Maps folder.
13. Right-click the traffic map. The context menu appears.
14. Select Edit from the context menu.
15. Use the tools available in the Vector Editor toolbar in order to draw contours. For more information on how to edit
contours, see "Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 61. Atoll creates an item called Density values in the User
Density Map folder.
16. Press ESC to end editing contours.
17. Right-click the Density values item. The context menu appears.
18. Select Open Table from the context menu.
19. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e., the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.
11.3.3.3.3 Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps
You can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps. User density traffic maps created from sector traffic maps
extract and display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account any clutter
weighting defined for the sector traffic maps.
To create user density traffic maps from a sector traffic map:
1. Select the Geo explorer.
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Traffic Maps folder.
3. Right-click the sector traffic map from which you want to create user density traffic maps. The context menu appears.
4. Select Create Density Maps from the context menu.
Atoll creates as many user density traffic maps as the number of services present in the sector traffic map. The user
density map files use the resolution of the coverage prediction used for the sector traffic map and are embedded in
the document.
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