According to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), by Q3 of 2013, the number of LTE users has reached 158 million and it is predicted that by 2018 the number will rise to over 1.3 billion. Currently, there are 1,240 types of terminals for LTE networks, 37% of which are smart phones (455 types). With the rapid increase in terminals, Internet applications, and data services, the development of LTE accelerates worldwide and LTE ecosystem and business models are maturing gradually. However, telcos still encounter common challenges while planning and deploying LTE networks which include: How to identify hotspots and valued areas for precise site planning in order to ensure efficient investment?

How to improve simulation precision to accurately illustrate network coverage when the simulation is based on the traditional radio propagation model and solution underperforms, and thereby brings potential risks to future optimization and sustainable network services development?

How to efficiently utilize legacy sites and antennas to implement coordination planning among GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks and ensure optimal overall network performance?

Based on its accumulated experience from successfully constructing over 100 LTE commercial networks worldwide, Huawei advocates precise LTE network planning. Specifically, evaluate geographical hotspots by multiple dimensions base on 2G/3G MR data; adjust antennas in different phases of network evolution to ensure network performance; implement adaptive multi-band path loss to achieve precise LTE network coverage simulation. These plans efficiently help telcos implement accurate LTE network planning.

Specify site planning solutions and use Huawei's 6D business model to properly select sites and ensure efficient investment.

Network services are distributed unevenly, so finding ways to properly allocate resources to meet service requirements in various areas, make full use of network resources, and ensure investment returns are the common challenges that telcos have to face during development of LTE networks.

Huawei's ASP solution supports APGS MR (50m traffic located precision) and geographical analysis in terms of traffic, user, terminal, revenue, end user complaints, and coverage. Network-layer data is important for telcos and geographical analysis is the core competence for network planning. Based on actual geographical information and network data, customers can precisely identify hotspots and analyze user behaviors and benefits. Huawei's 6D business model provides a network planning solution which can meet different telcos' requirements, select proper sites and maximize investment returns. For example, the 6D model was successfully applied in the U project and the simulation precision was improved by 70%.

Adopt the leading co-antenna planning solution that is compatible for multi-technology networks to efficiently balance network performance.

During LTE network development, finding ways to implement cooperation among GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks to ensure balanced network development and making efficient use of network resources available are major challenges for telcos.Huawei has developed and proposed co-antenna coordination service solution which based on multi-technology automatic cell planning(ACP). The solution can apply to multi-scenarios of radio network planning & evolution. global rich experience from over 100 co-antenna projects and 50 senior experts, which ensure optimal network coordination planning and stable network performance.

Huawei's leading co-antenna planning solution supports policy customization and can efficiently meet customers' requirements in various areas based on actual network planning targets (including coverage, capacity, and quality). It can also meet customers' dynamic requirements in different phases. For example, UMTS and LTE network performance is key in the initial and post phase of LTE network deployment respectively. Huawei's GUL co-antenna solution was successfully applied in the C project. It improved LTE network coverage by 7 dB with stable network performance.

Use the simulation planning solution base on actual path loss to improve simulation precision.

Traditional network planning mainly depends on drive test. Base on the planning experience of over 100 LTE commercial networks, Huawei believes that calculating the radio propagation path loss base on 2G and 3G AGPS MR data with the MPLA algorithm can implement accurate and quick LTE network planning. During projects, it has seen that the new simulation solution detected some new potential risks and had better accuracy compared with traditional one since it is based on the accurate radio propagation path loss, greatly improves the simulation precision.

During the network planning development, more than ten radio propagation models had been adopted to calculate and correct path loss along with continuous wave (CW) tests. However, this method requires data collection, sampling, filtering, and calculation of path loss curve fitting before network planning, which is very time-consuming. Huawei implements multi-band path loss adaptive calculation base on legacy network MR data and the MPLA algorithm, greatly improves network planning efficiency and accuracy.

Network data analysis and application is the core of network evolution planning. By using the geographical and big data analysis platform to precisely select value areas and properly plan sites, improved investment returns can be ensured. More than 500+ MBB experts worldwide strive to analysis customer requirements and make customized planning solutions. Based on the self-developed Smart MBB tool platform, Huawei has successfully delivered 110 LTE networks and helped telcos implement efficient network planning, facilitating the evolution of LTE and quickly achieving investment returns and business success.