Optimization

Networks need to be a fine-tuned to produce the best service at the lowest cost possible, in order to provide top business results for an operator. With many years of innovation in wireless networking has LCC has unique insights into network optimization. LCC helps operators evolve from a reactive to a proactive approach, anticipating problems before they happen, thereby reducing cost and improving quality. LCC's approach to network performance is a complete solution that relies on technical innovation, change management and process control. Our goal is to create value through engineering change and ensure sustainable changes. LCC helps its customers in the evolution from a reactive to a proactive approach, anticipating problems before they happen, therefore reducing cost and improving quality.

Optimization involves monitoring and improving the performance of the radio network. It starts with the last phase of radio network planning. A cellular network covers a large area and provides capacity to many people, so there are lots of parameters involved that are variable have to be continuously monitored and corrected. Apart from this, the network is always growing through increasing subscriber numbers and increases in traffic. This means optimization process should be on-going, to increase the efficiency of the network leading to revenue generation from the network.

LCC's Optimization services include:

1. Independent Benchmarking
   
   • Independent inter-operator benchmarking services.
2. Radio Network Audits
   To ensure the integrity of the input information prior to making the required analysis, Radio network audit can be performed as a baseline audit at the start of the optimization project and network audits on a regular basis throughout the project. The purposes of the audits are to check whether:
   • The network implementation is consistent with the network design
   • The parameters comply with recommended values
3. Radio Network Optimization
   LCC's 3G optimization methodology is composed of a two pronged approach:
   
   
   1. Field Measurements
      Classical network planning and design tools rely on a propagation model, which is tuned with drive test data. This tuned model can then be used to predict changes in coverage due to antenna tilt changes. However no model used at the planning and design stages can ever truly simulate the complex multi-dimensional nature of a radio signal, which experiences multiple reflections and refractions and variable attenuation. The behavior of the implemented network will therefore be different from the predictions. The only way of finding out the true RF network performance is to take measurements using drive tests and then by post-processing the measurement logs to produce statistics and plots. RF coverage optimization is essential in a WCDMA network, where efficient use of RF translates directly to capacity.
      Drive testing consists of following activities:
      • Route Planning
        The drive test routes were planned by LCC using the following criteria:
        • Important areas, such as major highways, train stations and public and leisure facilities should be included.
        • Handover should be measured in both directions, i.e. from cell A to cell B and vice versa on particular roads that pass through particularly important areas.
        • Areas where there is influence of the surrounding neighbor base stations to that of the target base station(s) should be included.
      • Measurement
        During measurement data was collected using data collection tool from a frequency scanner and UEs. UE performs voice short calls to obtain information on call set-up failures and call drops.
      • Post-processing
        Using post processing tools, a draft report, containing extensive statistics and plots can be produced after completing measurement, enabling an operator to have a very detailed view of the network performance from the user perspective.
      • Verification
        Given the importance of verifications and the valuable feedback that they provide to the appropriateness of the recommended changes RAN Tuning & Optimization Projects included four verification measurements to make comparison with the tuning recommendations for each region.
        The drive test verification procedure consists of repeating the measurement and post-processing activities of the first drive. The same drive test route should be followed. In this case the cluster is analyzed to determine the differences between the first and verification drives to confirm the change proposals from the first analysis. Further changes are recommended if these can give further improvement.
   2. RNC Measurements:
      • OMC Counters
      • RNC Traces
      • Post processing and reporting