UMTS Coverage Estimation

Content:
Link Budget
Coverage Scale Estimation
UTRAN Coverage Solutions
Link Budget

Dimension estimation
UMTS radio network dimension estimation is a process of calculating amount and configuration of
equipment based on the goal of coverage, capacity and quality.
Perfect solution: the balance among coverage, capacity and quality.

Radio Network Planning Flow

Estimation based on coverage and capacity

Determine the number of Node B according to coverage

Uplink coverage, downlink coverageCoverage radius of cells

Account required Node B number

Determine the number of Node B according to users capacity

Uplink capacity, downlink capacitythe number of users supported per cell

Account required Node B number

Take the bigger value between the two.

Link Budget and Models

Simply, link budget is to perform accounting on all losses and gains on a communication link.

Definition: Estimate the system coverage capability by reviewing and analyzing all kinds of
influence factors in the propagation path of forward and reverse signals, and obtain the maximum
propagation loss allowed on the link under certain call qualities.

Transmitting Power

The NodeB transmitting power is a system parameter, different for individual services. It shall be
determined in accordance with service type and service coverage.

The maximum transmitting power of NodeB is 43 dBm. The power of the dedicated channel
(DCH) accounts for 63% of the total power.

TS25.101 stipulates the UEs in four power levels

During link budget, it is generally taken to 21 dBm for voice service and 24 dBm for data service
(supported by a small number of UEs). At present it is taken to 21 dBm uniformly.

Receiver Sensitivity

Sensitivity = kTB + NF + Eb/No PG

kT is the level of hot noise (dBm/Hz)

B is the bandwidth of the UMTS carrier frequency (Hz)

NF is the noise figure (dB)

Eb/No is the required bit S/N ratio

PG is the processing gain (dB)

Thermal Noise

Environment hot noise power spectrum density

N=KTB/B=KT

K= 1.380650*10E-23 Boltzmanns constant

T: absolute temperature=Celsius temperature+273.15

174dBm/Hz

B: Receiver bandwidth, the bandwidth for UMTS system is 3.84MHz ,Usually is -

Noise Figure

The noise figure of the receiver is the noise introduced by receiver during processing. It equals to
the ratio of input signal/noise to the output signal/noise:

F=(Si/Ni)/(So/No)

NF10logF

Node B: 3~5dB

UE: 5~7dB

Quality Factors

Eb/No bit energy/noise spectrum density. The value of Eb/No relates to:

the service type

moving speed

encode/decode algorithm

antenna diversity type

power control

multi-path environment


Eb/No is related to the service type, moving speed, coding/decoding algorithm, antenna diversify,
power control, and multi-path environment

Eb/No Values Under Different Channel Environments in 3GPP

Processing Gain

Processing gain = Chip rate/Bit rate (PG = W/R)

Different services have different processing gains. As a result, their service coverage is different.

Antenna Gain

NodeB antenna gain

During link budget, suppose the directional antenna gain of the NodeB to 17 dBi and the
omni-directional receiving antenna gain to 11 dBi.

In practice, different antennas can be selected in accordance with different region types
and coverage requirements.

UE antenna gain
The UE antenna gain is 0 dBi.

Soft Handover Gain

Soft handover gain indicates the gain to overcome slow fading. When the mobile equipment is
located in the soft handover region, multiple wireless links of soft handover receive signals at the same
time, which decreases the requirement for the shadow fading margin.

Macro diversity gain

Body loss

When the handset is positioned at users waist or shoulder, the received signal will be 4~7dB or
1~2 dB lower than the value when it is positioned several wavelengths away from the body. Usually the
value is 3dB.

Penetration loss

The penetration loss of buildings refers to the attenuation of radio waves when they pass through
the outer structure of buildings. It equals the difference between field-strength medians in and out of a
building.

It is related to the material and thickness of buildings.

Feeder Loss

For a feeder of 30-40 meters long, suppose the total feeder loss to 4 dB (including the connector
loss) during link budget.

For a feeder of 40-50 meters long, suppose the total feeder loss to 5 dB (including the connector
loss) during link budget.

The feeder loss may decrease the NodeB receiving level and shorten the coverage radius. Tower
amplifiers can be used to compensate the feeder loss on the uplink.

Radio Propagation Characteristics

Shadow Fading Margin

The shadow fading complies with lognormal distribution. Its value is related to the sector edge
communication probability and shadow fading standard deviation, while the latter is related to the
electromagnetic wave propagation environment.

In the radio space propagation, the path loss of any a given distance changes rapidly and the
path loss value can be regarded as a random variable in conformity with lognormal distribution.

In the case of network design in accordance with the average path loss, the loss value of points
at the cell edge shall be larger than the path loss median for 50% of time period, and smaller than the
median for the left 50% of time period. That is, the edge coverage probability of the cell is 50% only.

To improve coverage probability of the cell, it is necessary to reserve the fading margin during
link budget.

Suppose the random variable of propagation loss to , the average value to m, and the standard
deviation to .

Set a loss threshold .

When < , the signals can meet the demodulation requirement of expected service qualities.

The edge coverage probability equal to or larger than 75% can be represented as:

For the outdoor environment, the standard deviation of the random

variable of propagation loss is always taken to 8 dB.

The corresponding shadow fading margin is:

Power control margin

fast attenuation margin

Use to overcome the power control variation range of fast fading (Rayleigh fading). The
fast power control margin in walking speed is 2.0~5.0dB, in high moving speed is about 0 dB.

Interference Margin

Interference reserve, Noise Rise Limit

UMTS is a self-interfered system whose coverage is closely related to the capacity. It is

represented as interference margin in the link budget.

Typical value: 1~3dB, according to load between 20~50% (uplink).

Uplink Budget Process

Uplink/Downlink Balance

R99 Uplink Link Budget Example

R99 Down Link Budget Example

HSDPA Link budget

Cell edge coverage bit rate decide the cell radius

Demodulation threshold is Es/No


Without soft handover and fast power control, so the Power control headroom and soft handover
gain is zero

Body loss is Zero.

HSDPA Downlink budget Example

HSUPA Uplink budget Example

Coverage Scale Estimation

Calculation of NodeB Coverage Radius

Link budget is a key component in coverage planning

Link budget can help understand the impacts made by parameters on network

Cell Coverage Radius Calculation

Although the model of macro cell can be in different forms, most of them are a slope-intercept
model

Common formula

clutterloss

Path loss = k1 + k2log(d)+ k3Hms + k4log(Hms) +k5log(Heff) + k6log(Heff)log(d) + k7 +

Calculation of NodeB Coverage Area

Mid-high traffic areas coverage solution

Mid-high Traffic Areas Coverage Solutions

High Performance Indoor Macro Node B Coverage

Flexible Deployments of RRUs

The difficulties of Dense Urban Coverage

BBU + RRU Structure in Street Solution

Outdoor Micro NodeB in Street Solution

Low traffic areas coverage solution

Low Traffic Areas Coverage Solutions

Radiated Coverage of Macro NodeB + RRU

Outdoor Micro NodeB Coverage Solution

Coverage Enhancement Technology

OTSR Technology for Low Traffic Areas Coverage

Indoor environment coverage solution

Traditional Indoor Coverage Solution for Office
Environment

Penetration Coverage by Outdoor Macro NodeB

Signal Source plus Distributed System Coverage Solution

The signal source is from macro or micro Node B, or RRU and repeaters.

The passive or active coaxial cable, fiber or leak cable can be chosen for distributed system.

RF Repeater Coverage Solution

Fiber Repeater Coverage Solution

Fiber repeater is adopted for some special requirements.

Several problems appears with the fiber repeater coverage including

The high cost of optical elements

Uplink noise increasing to affect the system performances.

Impossible to expand the capacity.

Summary of the Traditional Coverage Solutions

The penetration coverage of outdoor macro Node B cannot meet the requirements of most indoor
coverage occasions

Most of traditional coverage solutions adopt signal source plus indoor distributed system.

The traditional indoor coverage solutions meet the covering but not capacity requirements.

The GSM indoor distributed system has to be upgraded to support UMTS frequency band.

RF repeaters cannot be expanded in capacity , and fiber repeaters are very expensive.

The New Requirements for UMTS Indoor Coverage

BBU + RRU Solution to Meet Traffic Shifting

Requirements

Micro RRU Indoor Distributed Solution

Perfect Indoor Coverage Solutions

Perfect Indoor Coverage Solutions

Power Supply for Pico RRU and Indoor Antennas

Power supply

The power supply of Pico RRU is provided by the P Bridge equipment. They are connected by
twisted-pairs.

The power supply of micro RRU and BBU can be -48V DC or 110V/220V AC.