Conclusion

Abstract

The complexity of umts technology has left operators struggling to plan and run their radio networks efficiently Because the radio interface adapts continuously to current traffic and conditions, there is no simple formula to determine the performance of a network configuration. Already a rough dimensioning requires detailed information on user location, traffic characteristics, channel models, and equipment. Only time-consuming simulation can give a full account of network performance. In the initial, coverage-driven deployment phase, operators made do with adapted recipes for second generation technologies and obtained reasonable network designs. In the current period of increasingly competitive markets and growing demand, however, operators need to push the envelope of network performance—but how to bridge the gap between reasonable and highly efficient network planning is not satisfactorily resolved yet.