Atoll ACP Working Instructions

Version
1.0

Date
07.12.2009

For internal use

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Edited by
Tomas Novosad

Presentation / Author / Date

Comments
First version

Content

ACP in fast
ACP principles
ACP input parameters and settings
ACP example

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ACP in fast -> how to launch ACP

Click ACP Automatic Cell Planning->New to launch the ACP setup window, where all
constraints and conditions can be configured.

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ACP Optimization Results

After the ACP optimization, the results can be accessed.

Improvement up to the
number of changes

Summary of
improvement

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The suggested
changes are ranked
based on improvement
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ACP Optimization Results

Showing coverage on maps for before and after ACP optimization.

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Atoll ACP principle

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Atoll ACP
The ACP (automatic cell planning) module has been integrated into Atoll. There is no need to
perform import and export between RF planning tool and the ACP module. However, a
separated license for ACP is required.
ACP enables network reconfiguration through two mechanisms:
Parameter reconfiguration: ACP enables the reconfiguration of different network parameters to
improve network quality, such as the antenna model, the azimuth and tilt of the antenna,

the antenna height, the Tx power, RRM parameters, etc.

Site selection capabilities: ACP can perform site and sector selection. Two main methods

are supported:
Selecting which sites and/or sectors to suppress among existing sites in the
network.
Selecting which sites to use among many candidates sites. Groups of
candidate sites can also be defined, which provides the possibility of selecting a
minimum and maximum number of sites to add within each group
By minimizing the global cost function, the ACP tries to optimize the network.

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General LTE/ACP Network Design Workflow

ACP
Loop

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KPI

End

met?

Of ACP

March 2009

ACP Optimisation Algorithm Principles

ACP performs automated optimisation
How?
Finding network setting which performance meet required KPI
in best way.

How?
Minimalization of Network/Cluster Cost Function.
Cost Function is an abstract penalty being suboptimal. Might or might
not express exact money.
Count for how much part of pixels are not meeting desired KPIs
Might count for optimisation costs also (possible to enter price for
antenna manipulation, replacement, site visit etc).
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LTE KPI Used for Optimisation Algorithm

RSRP Coverage
Ratio of network/traffic which receives a minimum RSRP (Reference
Signal Received Power)
EXAMPLE: 90% of network area should be: RSRP Level > -80dBm

RS CINR
Ratio of network/traffic which receives a minimum Reference Signal
CINR
EXAMPLE: Maximisation of area where RS CINR > 10dB

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Changeable parameters cont.

Changeable parameters to be set and
Area of optimization to be defined by zone
Computation Zone or
Focus Zone or
If there is no focus or computation zone, the ACP optimises the

settings for the cells in a rectangle including all cells in the network
Definitely good to define the zones above.

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Changeable Network Configuration what is

possible to set as changeable?
Antenna electrical or mechanical tilt

ACP adjusts the electrical tilt by selecting the best antenna from the antenna group
assigned to this transmitter.

Total power for each cell

The total power is set within a defined minimum and maximum value for each cell.
Selecting the antenna type for each transmitter
ACP selects the best antenna from the antenna group assigned to this transmitter.
Changing the antenna azimuth:
ACP sets the antenna azimuth using a defined range on either side of the currently
defined azimuth.

Changing the mechanical tilt of the antenna

ACP sets the mechanical tilt using a defined range on either side of the currently defined
mechanical tilt.

Changing the height of the antenna

ACP sets the optimal antenna height using a defined range on either side of the
currently defined antenna height.

Selecting sites

ACP adds or removes sites that you have indicated as candidates for addition or
removal in order to improve existing or new networks.

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Atoll ACP input parameters and settings

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Presentation / Author / Date

Launch ACP
Click ACP Automatic Cell Planning->New to launch the ACP setup window, where all
constraints and conditions can be configured.

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Basic optimisation setting what/how to optimise

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Transmitter reconfiguration options

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Site selection options do we want to try to

remove sites?

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LTE cell reconfiguration options do we want to

use same power for cells on the same site?

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Cost Control Settings > yes/no or trade-off

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ACP Optimization
Setting Criteria
for RSRP and CINR

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Iterations with optimizable parameters here are

used azimuth, tilt, eNB power only.

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ACP Optimization Module - Impact of changes into

the selected target

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Example dense urban cluster optimisation

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The Cluster Layout

56 sites/165 sectors
26.5 km2, DU Area

1 km

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Example DL Mean RLC Throughput comparison for initial

configuration, and implemented changes proposed by ACP
tool as optimization

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List of Changes - proposed & implemented

Optimizable parameters selected:
Antenna azimuth
Antenna tilt (electrical and mechanical)
eNB power
Micros oft Excel
Works heet

Chages
Azimuth
Tilt
Power

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20% (54)
changes
10x
30x
14x

100% (270)
changes
87x
106x
77x

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How the optimization criteria have been met and

how fast?

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Conclusion Remarks
As LTE is strongly SINR driven technology, there is high effect of any effort to
limit such interference by antenna tilting, power settings and other
manipulations.

Examples are showing that ACP tools are quite fast and stable
The highest effect of ACP tool usage is in dense (=interference limited)
networks.

If network posses strong coverage limitations, ACP tool obviously cannot

change too much.

ACP tool role is increasing. However, despite different optimization tricks, fact
is that ACP tools have to copy with the exponential complexity phenomena.
Thus, there is good to do network clustering and apply ACP tool to optimize
cluster by cluster rather then try to run very big networks in one run.

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References
1.

Atoll_2.8.1_User_Manual_Radio_E2.pdf: the user guide for using Atoll for LTE

design. www.forsk.com

2.

Wan, Tao: RF Planning for LTE USING ATOLL

https://sharenet-ims.inside.nokiasiemensnetworks.com/Download/409512031

3.

Novosad, T: LTE planning study for Sydney Cluster https://

sharenet-ims.inside.nokiasiemensnetworks.com/Overview/409093376

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