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<div class="div">
<h1>Automated Planning</h1>

<p>This feature is targeted to increase the automation and
planning accuracy in the mobile networks. This reduces the operational costs
and increases the revenues of the operator.</p>


<a name="mar241337232" shape="rect"></a>
<div class="topic">
<h2>The
Target Areas for Automation in Planning</h2>

<p>By employing a high degree of automation it will be possible
to reduce the operating cost associated with running a network that grows
both in size and in complexity. In the future, the automation of the network
will be one, if not the main enabler that allows operators to reduce operating
costs and thus gain a competitive advantage. The aim is to automate those
tasks that have the largest impact on network performance and those that required
the highest manpower. In addition, it is not only aimed to automate existing
methods but also to improve these methods in order to provide network quality
improvements.</p>


<a name="apr1541845713" shape="rect"></a>
<div>
<img alt="urn:mars:dn0468796:1:en:global:tiff:data:data" border="0" src="NED?action=retrieve&amp;identifier=dn0468796&amp;edition=1&amp;language=en&amp;coverage=global&amp;encoding=gif&amp;component=data&amp;item=data" /><p class="figure-caption">Figure: Tasks to which Automation will be applied in GSM/EDGE Networks</p>
</div>


<p>The figure above displays the areas to which automation
will be applied. In GSM/EDGE systems these areas are:</p>


<ul>
<li><p>Frequency planning</p>
</li>
<li><p>Neighbour planning</p>
</li>
<li><p>Adaptive setting of parameters on a
cell-by-cell basis.</p>
</li>
</ul>


<p>It can also be seen in the figure abobe that in order to
obtain the maximum gain from the network, features such as IFH, all supporting
tasks have to be mastered at first.</p>


<p>By providing operators with the tools that enable the automation
of network planning or optimisation tasks, the following targets will be reached:</p>


<ul>
<li><p>Improve network performance</p>
</li>
<li><p>Reduce operational costs (OPEX)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Reduce need for highly trained personnel</p>
</li>
<li><p>Speed-up implementation time of new
features.</p>
</li>
</ul>


<p>A new BSC measurement is created. This measurement, Defined
Adjacent Cell Measurement, complements the existing Channel Finder Measurement
by providing the required information for frequency and neighbour planning
for the defined adjacencies of all BTS under a BSC.</p>
</div>


<a name="mar241341193" shape="rect"></a>
<div class="topic">
<h2>The
Need for Increased Automation in Mobile Networks</h2>

<p>Since the introduction of GSM, the number of installed
network elements (the TRX, BTS, BSC, etc) has increased several-fold. Today,
the trend for cellular networks is to consist of all the time growing number
of base stations and transceivers. Fuelled by the continuing growth of subscriber
number and the uptake of new services, the amount of installed hardware is
continuing to increase rapidly over the coming years. In order not to sacrifice
network quality, operators used to increase the number of personnel to cope
with the increased requirement of the growing network. However, it is impossible
to continue increasing the number of personnel in line with the increase in
hardware. In addition, packet switched data services on second-generation
mobile systems is being introduced via features such as GPRS and EDGE. The
introduction of these new features requires the dedication of key personnel
from the operator to address the design needs of these features. With the
imminent deployment of third generation of mobile systems (WCDMA), it becomes
clear that a different approach is needed to cope with the requirements of
the growing complexity of cellular networks.</p>
</div>


<a name="mar24134204" shape="rect"></a>
<div class="topic">
<h2>The
Need for Increased Accuracy in Planning Networks</h2>

<p>With the increasing introduction of cells that cover small
geographical areas such as microcell and picocells, it is important that the
accuracy of the frequency plan is increased to ensure an adequate call quality
in each of these cells. However, current methods to create the frequency plan
for these cell types have generally not improved and are virtually identical
to those used to plan macrocells. Thus the existing approach leads to in adequate
call quality unless a high number of frequencies are dedicated to these cell
types.</p>


<p>In order to improve the quality of the frequency plan for
all cell types, mobile measurements will replace inaccurate propagation predictions
to build the Interference Matrix on which the frequency plan is based.</p>


<a name="apr15418464214" shape="rect"></a>
<div>
<img alt="urn:mars:dn0468784:1:en:global:tiff:data:data" border="0" src="NED?action=retrieve&amp;identifier=dn0468784&amp;edition=1&amp;language=en&amp;coverage=global&amp;encoding=gif&amp;component=data&amp;item=data" /><p class="figure-caption">Figure: Existing Frequency Planning Approach</p>
</div>


<p>The above figure displays the conventional approach of
using propagation predictions to create an interference matrix and, subsequently,
a frequency plan.</p>


<a name="apr15418474015" shape="rect"></a>
<div>
<img alt="urn:mars:dn0468772:1:en:global:tiff:data:data" border="0" src="NED?action=retrieve&amp;identifier=dn0468772&amp;edition=1&amp;language=en&amp;coverage=global&amp;encoding=gif&amp;component=data&amp;item=data" /><p class="figure-caption">Figure: Improved Frequency Planning Approach</p>
</div>


<p>In the other figure the improved approach is displayed.
Here the Interference Matrix is based on mobile station measurements. Thus,
more accurate information, including subscriber density, is utilised to build
the Interference Matrix leading to the better network quality.</p>


<p>The new defined adjacent cell measurement (DAC) registers
statistics on defined cells. This measurement data is collected in cell level.
Measurement data is collected from all mobiles on defined cells. The measurement
consist of the following (set of 6 counters * 32 + 6 counters) information:</p>


<ul>
<li><p>Used blocks (Updated only one time
in record)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Lower dB value (Updated only one time
in record)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Higher dB value (Updated only one time
in record)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Average downlink signal strength in
a serving cell</p>
</li>
<li><p>Denominator of Average downlink signal
strength of a serving cell </p>
</li>
<li><p>Sum of squares of signals of serving
cell.</p>
</li>
</ul>


<p>These counters are repeated until the results of the 32<sup>nd</sup>
cell are reached:</p>


<ul>
<li><p>Average downlink signal strength in
a defined adjacent cell</p>
</li>
<li><p>NCC  (Network colour code identification)</p>
</li>
<li><p>BCC  (BTS colour code identification)</p>
</li>
<li><p>BCCH  (BCCH frequency = absolute radio
frequency number)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Sum of squares of signals</p>
</li>
<li><p>Number of samples in class 1 of adjacent
cell 1-32</p>
</li>
<li><p>Number of samples in class 2 of adjacent
cell 1-32</p>
</li>
<li><p>Number of samples in class 3 of adjacent
cell 1-32.</p>
</li>
</ul>


<p>Information is collected by the BSC from Measurement Report
messages, which are received by the BSC in 0.48 seconds period during the
call.</p>


<p>To get the reports also from undefined adjacent cells,
the Channel Finder Measurement should be activated simultaneously.</p>
</div>


<a name="mar24145125" shape="rect"></a>
<div class="topic">
<h2>Example
of Automation: Frequency Planning</h2>

<p>To provide insight on how the automation can be applied
to one of the above-mentioned area, an example on the automatic creation of
a frequency plan in a GSM network is presented.</p>


<a name="apr15418553718" shape="rect"></a>
<div>
<img alt="urn:mars:dn0468769:1:en:global:tiff:data:data" border="0" src="NED?action=retrieve&amp;identifier=dn0468769&amp;edition=1&amp;language=en&amp;coverage=global&amp;encoding=gif&amp;component=data&amp;item=data" /><p class="figure-caption">Figure: Network Elements involved in creation of Frequency Plan in GSM/EDGE
network</p>
</div>


<p>The figure above provides insight into the creation of
a frequency plan that is based on mobile measurements. The tasks associated
with this activity are also shown in the same figure. The most important feature
of this figure is that a closed-loop approach is applied to the area of frequency
planning: information from the network is used to plan the network. This feature
is typical for all other areas within the field of automation: modifications
in the network are based on the current condition in the network.</p>


<p>This principle can also be applied to other areas of automation
such as neighbour planning and the adaptive setting of parameters. The closed-loop
approach enables the setting of parameters on a cell-by-cell basis and thus
helps providing optimum performance. Attempting to manually parameterise on
a cell-by-cell basis is almost impossible due to the manpower required. This
approach can be applied to a large number of parameters thus further increasing
network performance when compared to the traditional approach of using global
parameter settings. Furthermore, what is required to apply this method is
to decide on the relationship between a KPI, Key Performance Indicators that
are being monitored and the parameter that is controlling the KPI. Once the
relationship is established, it can be applied to all cells. Moreover, by
providing several different relationships between two values, it will be possible
to have customised parameter settings for certain cell types or certain geographical
areas.</p>
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