The course is suitable for new or existing operators who want to be equipped with a sound knowledge in the principles and practical considerations of cellular radio system design. System integrators seeking to have an in depth knowledge of GSM radio planning and optimization will also find the course beneficial.
 

Participants should have some Mathematics and Telecommunication background, and preferably with some working knowledge of cellular radio. Prior knowledge of wireless communication principles is essential.

Assessment : 0.5 day (3 hours)

• Introduction (0.5HR)

• Course Overview

• Propagation Models and Fading (4HR)

• Mobile Radio Environment, Classification of Wave Propagation, Propagation Characteristics and Mechanisms
• Propagation Models - Free-space Model, Ground Reflection Model, Knife Edge Diffraction, Log-distance Model, Okumura and Hata Model, COST-231 Model
• Gaussian Distribution and Cell Edge Confidence, Log-normal Shadowing.
• Doppler Effects, Doppler Spread and Coherence Time, Doppler Spread in GSM.
• Dispersion of Signals - Inter-symbol Interference, Delay Spread, Coherence Bandwidth
• Small-scale Fading and Multipath, Factors Influencing Small-Scale Fading, Flat and Frequency-Selective Fading, Fast and Slow Fading. Level Crossing & Fading Statistics. Rayleigh Distribution and Fading. Interference Margin,
• Body and Car Penetration Loss, Outdoor Link Budget Equation, Indoor Propagation Characteristics, Shielding

• Fading Counter-Measures (2HR)

• Counter-Measures - Fade Margins. Diversity Techniques – Frequency, Space, Polarization, and Time Diversity. Combining Techniques - Selective, Switched, Maximal-Ratio and Equal-Gain Combining
• Digital Counter-Measure - Voice Coding, Equalization, Error Correction.

• Base Station Antenna Technology (3HR)

• Isotropic and Dipole Antenna, Dipole Radiation Pattern, dBi and dBd, Pattern Shaping, Principles of Antenna Gain, Antenna Terminology, Radiation Pattern
• Antenna Parameters - Horizontal Beamwidth, Front-to-Back Ratio, Upper Sidelobe Suppression, Upper Sidelobe Enhancement, Null Fill, Electrical and Mechanical Downtilt, Intermodulation, VSWR, Port Isolation
• Cross Polarized Antennas - Horizontal and Vertical Planes, Cross-Polar Discrimination, Cross- and Co-Polar Performance, Selection Criteria
• Microstrip Antenna - Advantages and Potential Problems, Single and Multi-element Patch, Beam Steering.
• Cellular Antenna Technology

• Link Budget Analysis (2HR)

• Mobile and Base Station Radio Equipment - Mobile Power Classes and Sensitivities, Duplexer, Transmitter and Receiver Coupling System, Transmitter Combiner and Coupler Types, Power Splitters, Receiver Multicoupler
• Feeder and Jumper Losses, Sector Splitting and other Tx-Antenna Configurations, Summary of System Losses and Gains
• Design for Power Balance - System Balance, Power Balance Equation, Effective Radiated Power, Mismatch, VSWR and Return Loss, Radio System Design Exercise

• Trunking and Traffic Concepts (1.5HR)

• Definition of Terms, Definition of Traffic, Grade of Service. Erlang B, Erlang C, Poisson Equation, Choice of Formula
• Traffic Capacity of a Trunk, Trunking Efficiency

• Cellular Fundamentals (1.5HR)

• Elements of a Cellular Network, Typical Cell Operation
• Cellular Concept - Short Range Transmitters, Frequency Re-Use, Handover, Cell-Splitting
• Radio Interference – Noise- and Interference-limited Environment, Co-channel and Adjacent Channel Interference, Carrier-to-noise and Carrier-to-interference Ratios, Interference and Capacity Tradeoffs. Interference Reduction by Power Control and Frequency Hopping
• Capacity Planning - Dimensioning of a Network of Base Stations, Cell Splitting Process, Traffic Capacity after Cell Splitting, Frequency Re-use Considerations
• Handoffs - Handoff Criteria, Power Budget and Urgency Handover

• Frequency Hopping in GSM (0.5HR)

• Slow and Fast Hopping, Advantages of Frequency Hopping
• Hopping Sequences in GSM - Baseband and Synthesizer Hopping, Guidelines on Using Frequency Hopping

• Frequency Reuse Schemes (2HR)

• Review of Cellular Network Deployment Strategy, Need for Tighter Frequency Reuse
• Multiple Re-use Pattern (MRP) – Basic Concepts, MRP Application Example, MRP Planning
• Fractional Re-use – Basic Concepts, Fractional Reuse Application Example
• Intelligent Underlay-Overlay – Basic Concepts, IUO Implementation, IUO Application Example

• Signalling in the GSM system
• Planning for Capacity and Quality
• Radio Network Logic - Frequency Hopping, MS/BTS Power Control, Discontinuous Transmission (DTX), Cell Load Sharing, Directed Retry, Hierarchical Cell Structure, Overlaid/Underlaid Subcells, Dual-Band Service
• Case Study – Capacity Enhancement for Major Event

• Repeater System Design (3HR)

• Radio Repeaters, Typical Repeater Setup, Types of Repeater, Typical Repeater Operation, Donor and Service Antenna, Important Repeater Specifications
• Design Exercise, Case Study Analysis
• Indoor Boosters, Frequency Shifting Repeaters, Optical Repeaters

• Indoor Coverage using Leaky Cables, Normal vs Leaky Cables, Coupled and Radiating Mode Cable
• Longitudinal Loss, Effects of Cable Mounting Position on Longitudinal Loss
• Coupling Loss, Overall Cable Loss, Other Losses Considerations, Leaky Cables for Broadband Operation
• Leaky Feeder Design for Tunnel Coverage

• Tower-Mounted Amplifiers Design - Advantages and Disadvantages, TMA configuration
• Amplifier Gain and Noise Figure, Noise Figure in Cascaded Amplifier Stages. Design Exercise - BTS sensitivity improvement with TMA
• Case Studies – TMA Trial, TMA Network Implementation
• Tower Mounted Booster Design -Advantages and Disadvantages of TMB, TMB configuration, Link Budget Analysis
• Single-Carrier Power Amplifier (SSPA) and Multi-Carrier Power Amplifier (MCPA)

• Intermodulation and Spurious - Interference and Intermodulation, Occurrence of Intermodulation, 3rd Order IM Products, Spectrum of IM Products. Physical Causes of Intermod, Passive Intermodulation Products, Intermod Range in GSM850/900/1800/1900 Bands, Power of 3rd Order IM Products. Case Studyies – Spurious in Underground Metros, Spurious from Trunk Radios
• External Interference - Digital Spread Spectrum Cordless Phone, Analog Cordless Phone, Digital Tone, Wireless FM Headphone, Video Camera and Anti-theft Alarm System. Case Studies on External Interference

• High Rise Interference (1HR)

• The High Rise Phenomenon - Causes and Sources of Interference
•  Antenna Considerations for High Rise Optimization, High Rise Optimization Techniques
• Case Studies – High Rise Interference

• Radio Waves and Frequencies, Electromagnetic Spectrum, Electromagnetic Wave, Electric Field and Power Density
• RF Exposure, Maximum Permissible Exposure, Theoretical Safe Distance, Safe Distance for Hazard Analysis, IEEE Exposure Limit, SAR Limits, SAR Measurements, Typical Handset SAR Values, Interference with Electronic Equipment

• Cellular Network Rollout Process, Defining Performance Level
• Common KPI Definitions - Grade of Coverage, Dropped Call Rate, ErlangMin/Drop, Grade of Service, Congestion, Call Success Rate, Handover Success Rate
• TCH Dropped Call, TCH Congestion, Subs Perceived Dropped Call, ErlangMin/Drop, Weekly Traffic, TCH Time Congestion
• SDCCH Dropped Call, Traffic Congestion (GOS)
• Review of Typical KPI Performance of GSM Networks – RxLev and RxQual Plots, SDCCH Dropped Call Trend, Traffic Congestion, TCH Time Congestion Trend, TCH Dropped Call Trend, Subscriber Perceived Dropped Call Trend, Weekly Traffic Trend, ErlangMin/Drop Trend, QoS Performance, KPI Targets

• Course Review and Discussions (1HR)