Atoll General Features

Version 3.4.0

LTE Platform

www.forsk.com
The information presented herein is accurate to the best of our knowledge. No part of this document can be copied,
reproduced or distributed in any form without prior authorisation from Forsk. Atoll is a registered trademark of Forsk. All
other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Forsk 2019
Table of Contents

1 Creating an Atoll document ...................................................................................................... 3

2 Importing geographic data ....................................................................................................... 4
3 Creating a new station .............................................................................................................. 5
4 Grouping and filtering radio data ............................................................................................. 6
5 Creating a computation zone .................................................................................................... 7
6 Calculating coverage predictions .............................................................................................. 8

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1 Creating an Atoll document

Objectives
- Creating a new Atoll document from a database
- Using the Explorer
Refer to $1 & 2 in the platform presentation

Exercise:

1. Launch Atoll.

2. Create from an existing database a 3GPP Multi-RAT document that will support GSM, UMTS and LTE:
• Select File ► New ► From an Existing Database…
• In the Selection of a Database dialogue box, choose the Access database that is located at:
“C\Atoll_Training\Material_for_exercises\Chicago\MultiRAT\Network_Data\Chicago_MultiRAT.mdb”.
• In the Data to Load dialogue box, click OK.
• In the 3GPP Multi-RAT dialogue box, select the three access technologies GSM, UMTS and LTE and click OK.

3. Check the content of the Network explorer:

• Right-click on the Sites folder and select Adjust Map Window.

4. Right-click on the GSM Transmitters folder and select Properties.

• Select the Display tab.
• In the Display type field, select the Unique option.
• Click on the symbol displayed and choose to give it the Colour Yellow and the Size 30, and then click OK.
• Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.

5. Do the same for the UMTS Transmitters:

• Right-click on the UMTS Transmitters folder and select Properties.
• Select the Display tab.
• In the Display type field, select the Unique option.
• Click on the symbol displayed and choose to give it the Colour Blue and the Size 25, and then click OK.
• Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.

6. Do the same for the LTE Transmitters:

• Right-click on the LTE Transmitters folder and select Properties.
• Select the Display tab.
• In the Display type field, select the Unique option.
• Click on the symbol displayed and choose to give it the Colour Red and the Size 20, and then click OK.
• Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.

7. Save the document in a personal folder:

• Create a personal folder in the “Atoll_Training” folder provided.
• Save your document in this folder under the name “Atoll_MultiRAT.atl” by selecting File ► Save or Save As...

If you want to do the exercises again after the training and want to create some MultiRAT documents, make sure you
only select the technologies (GSM, UMTS and/or LTE) that you have the licence key for.

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2 Importing geographic data

Objectives
- Importing geographic data files
- Importing a user configuration file
Refer to $3 in the platform presentation

Exercise:

1. Check the content of the Geo Explorer.

You can import your geographic files either manually or automatically.

2. Import the following geographic data files by selecting File ► Import:

• The DTM (Digital Terrain Model) file located at: Geo_Data\Chicago\Height_(DTM)\15m\chicago_dtm_15m.img".
▪ In the Raster Import dialogue box choose “Geo\Digital Terrain Model” then click Import.
• The Clutter Classes file located at: "Geo_Data\Chicago\Clutter_Classes\15m\chicago_clutter_classes_15m.img".
▪ In the Raster Import dialogue box choose “Geo\Clutter Classes” then click Import.
• The Vector file located at: "Geo_Data\Chicago\Vectors\Districts\ChicagoCommunityAreas_inha.agd".
▪ Select the Geo folder in the Import to field to specify that you want the vector to be placed in the Geo
Explorer, then click Import.

3. Import a User Configuration file that will automatically import all the geographic files by selecting Tools ► User
Configuration ► Load...
• The User Configuration file is located at:
“Material_for_exercises\Chicago\MultiRAT\User_Configuration\Chicago_Geo_MultiRAT.geo”.
• Leave the Delete Existing Geo Data and Geographic Data Set ticked and click OK.

You can import your geographic files either manually or automatically.

After the import of the User Configuration file you can see that several maps are now available in your Geo Explorer:
• 4 Vector folders (Districts, Tweets, Transport, Polygons)
• 15 Vector files (Chicago_Transportation_Ways, Districts and Tweets, etc.) located in the Vector folders
• 1 Clutter Heights file (Chicago_Clutter_Heights)
• 2 Clutter Classes files (Chicago_Clutter_Classes): 2 and 15 meters resolution
• 2 Digital Terrain Model file (Chicago_Altitudes_(DTM)): 2 and 15 meters resolution
• 2 Images (Chicago_Orthoimage_1m, Ortho_Skyscrapers)

4. Change the order of the maps or uncheck the visibility boxes of some of them to display the information you are most
interested in. For Clutter classes and DTM files, verify if the file with the highest resolution is positioned above the file
with the lowest resolution. Which geo data has the highest priority (between Clutter Classes, Clutter Heights and DTM,
Vectors)? ___________________

To change the order of the maps you need to select a map and drag it above or below the other maps.

5. Save the document.

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3 Creating a new station

Objectives
- Using station templates
- Using the Find on Map tool
Refer to $4 in the platform presentation

Exercise:

The goal of this exercise is to create a new Multi-RAT station in the district of “NEAR WEST SIDE”.

1. In the Geo Explorer, uncheck all the visibility boxes.

2. In the Districts folder, tick the visibility box of the ChicagoCommunityAreas_inha geographic file.

3. In the Toolbar, set the scale to 1:25000.

4. Use the Find on Map tool to locate the district called “NEAR WEST SIDE ”:
• You can access the Find on Map tool by using the shortcut [CTRL+F] or by clicking on the icon
• In the Find field, select Vector.
• In the Field field, select name.
• Type NEAR WEST SIDE in the white box below.
• Zoom around the NEAR WEST SIDE district (by double-clicking in the district, you can display its properties to make
sure you are looking at the NEAR WEST SIDE district).

5. In the Radio Planning toolbar , expand the Station Templates drop-down list:
• Select the GSM: Urban 1900MHz station template from the list.
• Click on the New Transmitter or Station icon and drop the station in the Near West Side district.
• Double-click on this newly created site to open its Properties and update the following fields:
• In the General tab rename the site to West Side.
• Set the site’s Position as follows: X: 445 547m and Y: 4 635 100m.
• In the Other properties tab set the RNC field to RNC 2, the BSC field to BSC 4, the Manufacturer to TBD and the
SAE Gateway to SAE-GW4.
• Then click OK.

6. Go back to the Station Templates drop-down list to now select the UMTS: Urban 1900MHz HSPA+ station template.

7. Click again on the New Transmitter or Station icon and drop this new station exactly on the West Side Site (when you
are exactly above it, the site will get highlighted).

8. Go back to the Station Templates drop-down list to now select the LTE: Urban 2600MHz station template.
• Click again on the New Transmitter or Station icon and drop this new station exactly on the West Side site also.

9. Click on the Refresh icon (or F5) to refresh the map display and see the West Side stations display getting
updated.

10. Close the Find on Map tool.

11. Save the document.

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4 Grouping and filtering radio data

Objectives
- Using Atoll grouping functions
- Using the filtering functions
Refer to $4 in the platform presentation

Exercise:

1. In the Network Explorer, right-click on the Sites folder and select Group by ► SAE GATEWAY
• Expand the Sites folder to notice the new data organisation.
• Right-click on one of the subfolders and select Open Table to access the parameters of the sites that belong to this
group.
• Close the table.

Grouping used at the folder level can only be based on one parameter. Grouping used at the folder properties level
can be based on several parameters.

2. To group the Sites according to 2 fields, you need to do it through the Sites Properties dialogue box:
• Right-click on the Sites folder and select Properties.
• In the General tab, click on the Group By... button.
• In the Available fields’ box, select the Manufacturer parameter (just after the SAE-Gateway parameter), press
the button and then click OK.
• Click OK to apply your changes and close the Sites Properties dialogue box.
• Expand the Sites folder and notice the new data organisation (sites are grouped by SAE GATEWAY and by
Manufacturer now).
• How many sites correspond to the configuration SAE-GW3 and manufacturer Ericsson? ____________________
• How many sites correspond to the configuration SAE-GW4 and the manufacturer Alcatel-Lucent? ____________

3. Right-click on the Sites folder and select Properties:

• In the General tab, click on the Filter... button.
• In the Filter tab, under the Field drop-down list, select SAE GATEWAY.
• Remove the SAE-GW1 as a value to include and then click OK.
• Click OK to apply your changes and close the Sites Properties dialogue box.
• Notice the filter symbol on the Sites folder. Also notice that there are no more sites belonging to SAE-
GW1 in the Explorer or on the map.

4. To remove the filtering, go back to the General tab of the Sites Properties and click on the Filter... button:
• Click the Clear all button and then click OK.
• Click OK to apply your changes and close the Sites Properties dialogue box.
• Notice that the Sites belonging to SAE-GW1 have reappeared in the Explorer and on the map, and that the filter
symbol on the Sites folder has also disappeared.

5. Save the document.

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5 Creating a computation zone

Objectives
- Creating a computation zone by different means
Refer to $5 in the platform presentation

Exercise:

1. In the Geo Explorer, expand the Zones folder to see the Computation Zone.

2. Right-click on the Computation Zone and select Edit Zone.

• Once again, right-click on the computation zone and select Draw Polygon.
• Click several times on the map to create each point defining the computation zone and double-click to finish
creating it.

3. Right-click on the border of the Computation Zone on the map, and select Insert Point.
• Click on the inserted point to move it and place it wherever you want.

You can do that directly by clicking on the computation zone’s border and by dragging your pointer wherever you
want. Note that the zone must be in Edition mode. If this is not the case, right-click on the zone and select Edit Zone.

4. Right-click on the border of the Computation Zone on the map, and select Move.
• Move the zone to place it wherever you want.

5. In the Geo Explorer, right-click on the Computation Zone and select Fit Zone to Map Window.
• A rectangular computation zone that surrounds the current view of your map is created (you can zoom out to see
it better).

6. In the Geo Explorer, right-click on the Computation Zone and select Import.
• Import the file that is located at:
“Material_for_exercises\Chicago\MultiRAT\Computation_Zone\Chicago_Computation_Zone.mif”.
• In the Vector Import dialogue box, make sure that the Computation Zone is selected in the Import to field, and
then click Import.

7. Save the document.

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6 Calculating coverage predictions

Objectives
- Calculating coverage predictions
Refer to $5 in the platform presentation

Exercise:

1. In the Network Explorer, group the LTE Transmitters by Site.

2. Go to the LTE Transmitters Properties and select the Propagation tab.

• Under Main Matrix, verify if Standard Propagation Model 2600 MHz is defined as the main Propagation Model, if
the Radius is 6000 m and the Resolution 15 m.
• Click Apply.
• Click OK.

3. Save the document.

4. In the Toolbar, set the scale to 1:25000.

5. In the Geo Explorer, Districts folder, tick the visibility box of the ChicagoCommunityAreas_inha.
• Use the Find on Map tool to locate the district called “NEAR WEST SIDE” by putting Vector in the Find field, NAME
in the Field field and NEAR WEST SIDE in the white box below.
• Right-click the NEAR WEST SIDE district and select Use As ►Focus Zone.
• Close the Find on Map tool.
• Expand the Zones folder and tick the visibility box of the Focus Zone to see your newly created zone.

6. In the Network Explorer, right-click on the Predictions folder and select New Prediction.
• Under the Standard Predictions LTE, select “Coverage by Signal Level (DL)”.
• In the General tab, rename the prediction “LTE Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level”.
• In the Display tab, select Actions ► Shading... and set the following parameters:
▪ First break: -75.
▪ Last break: -105.
▪ Interval: -5.
▪ Then click OK.
• Click Calculate to calculate the prediction.

7. Right-click on the “LTE Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level” prediction and select Generate Report.
• Select the following Columns to be Displayed:
▪ Surface (km2).
▪ % of Covered Area.
▪ % Focus Zone.
▪ % Computation Zone.
• Then click OK.
• Do not close this report.

You can notice that the statistical report is only based on the Focus zone (no information is available in the "%
Computation zone" column).

8. In the Geo Explorer, right-click on the Focus Zone folder and select Delete Zone.

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9. In the Network Explorer, right-click on the “LTE Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level” and select Generate report.
• Select the following Columns to be Displayed:
▪ Surface (km2).
▪ % of Covered Area.
▪ % Focus Zone.
▪ % Computation Zone.
• Then click OK.
• Compare this report with the one you made previously.

You can now notice that the statistical report is based on the Computation zone (no information is available in the
"% Focus zone" column).

10. Close both reports.

11. Save the document.

12. Untick the visibility boxes of the GSM Transmitters and the UMTS Transmitters to only keep the LTE Transmitters
displayed on the map.

13. Right-click on the LTE Transmitters folder and select Properties.

• Select the Display tab.
• In the Display type field, select the Automatic option.
• Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.

14. Right-click on the Predictions folder and select New Prediction.

• Under the Standard Predictions LTE, select “Coverage by Transmitter (DL)”.
• In the General tab, rename the prediction “LTE Prediction 2: Coverage by Transmitter - Null Margin”.
• In the Conditions Tab, set the Overlap to 0 dB.
• Click OK.

15. Right-click on the Predictions folder and select New Prediction.

• Under the Standard Predictions LTE, select “Coverage by Transmitter (DL)”.
• In the General tab, rename the prediction “LTE Prediction 3: Coverage by Transmitter - Positive Margin”.
• In the Conditions Tab, set the Overlap to 4 dB.
• Click OK.

16. On the Radio planning toolbar click on the Calculate icon (or F7) to calculate both predictions.

17. Right-click on the prediction “LTE Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level”, select Split in Cells and choose the prediction
“LTE Prediction 2: Coverage by Transmitter - Null Margin”.
• Click OK.

Atoll has created a prediction named “Splitting in Cells (LTE Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level-LTE Prediction 2:
Coverage by Transmitter (Best Server-Null Margin))” enabling you to see the transmitter's coverage zone and the
distribution of the signal strength levels inside of the coverage zone at the same time.

18. Save the document.

19. From the Menu bar, select Tools ► Point Analysis.

• Select the LTE - Reception tab.
• Move the point analysis icon on the map to examine the contribution of the surrounding transmitters.
• Close the Point Analysis tool.

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20. In the Network Explorer, expand the LTE Transmitters folder.
• Right-click on the West Side site and select Calculations ► Create a New Prediction...
• Select a “Coverage by Signal Level (DL)” prediction.
• Rename the prediction “LTE Prediction 4: Coverage by Signal Level – West Side only – 30 m”.
• Click Calculate.

Another method consists of selecting Calculations ► Create a New Prediction with a Right-click on the site

21. Expand the LTE Transmitters folder.

• Right-click on the West Side site and select Open Table.
• Set the Height (m) of all the antennas to 40 m.
• Close the table.

The shortcut Ctrl+D can be used to fill down a column with the first value in the column

22. Right-click on the LTE Transmitters and select Properties.

• In the Propagation tab, notice that the path loss matrices of the West Side transmitters are no longer valid. Why?

23. Right-click on the prediction “LTE Prediction 4: Coverage by Signal Level – West Side only – 30 m” and select Duplicate.
• Rename the duplicated prediction to “LTE Prediction 5: Coverage by Signal Level – West Side only – 40 m”.
• Calculate this new prediction.

24. Right-click on the prediction “LTE Prediction 4: Coverage by Signal Level – West Side only – 30m” and select Compare
With ► “LTE Prediction 5: Coverage by Signal Level – West Side only – 40m”
a. Rename the Compare with prediction to “ Comparison West Side height from 30 m to 40 m “
b. Inside Display tab select Display type ► Value Intervals and Field ► Difference (dB)
c. Inside Display tab for the value 0 to 1, change the colour to a transparent colour corresponding to the White
colour.

Atoll has created a prediction named “Comparison West Side height from 30 m to 40 m” allowing you to visualise the
differences in dB between both predictions in each pixel.

25. Tick the visibility boxes of the LTE Prediction 4 and the LTE Prediction 5 only.

26. Right-click on the Predictions folder and select Generate Report.

• Select the following Columns to be Displayed:
▪ Surface (km2).
▪ % of Covered Area.
▪ % Focus Zone.
▪ % Computation Zone.
• Then click OK. Which prediction is showing better results? Why?
• Close reports.

Atoll will generate a report per prediction

27. This could be interesting to export the current display as an image.

• From the map, click on the computation zone.
• From the Menu bar, select File ► Save Image As... to export your selection.
• Save your image as a TIFF file under the name “West_Side_ExportImage.tif”
• Check that Selected area (Computation zone) is ticked then click on Export

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28. Expand the LTE Transmitters folder.
• Right-click on the West Side site and select Open Table.
• Set the Height (m) of all the antennas back to 30 m.
• Close the table.

29. Save the document.

It is important to pay attention about the difference between : Computation Zone and Focus 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 predictions, etc.
With you can select the areas of coverage predictions or other calculations on which you want to generate
reports and results.

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