Network traffic is rapidly increasing due to the popularity of data hungry devices and flat-rate data

packages thus requiring mobile network operators to expand coverage and capacity to meet the

soaring consumer demand. The operators challenge is to strike a careful balance between capacity

and cost when upgrading their networks in order to avoid stagnant revenues and large capital

expenditures.

One of the keys to successful wireless networks is the quality of the network plan and design. A

network with good design is a network with great potential. Mentum has developed an advanced

Automatic Network Planning solution that can efficiently drive the design of optimally-planned

multi-technology networks; ensuring efficient deployment and fully utilized investments. Greenfield

deployments, network expansions, capacity boosting, migration to new technologies, and network

sharing are other examples of challenging tasks that can be solved by this new solution in Mentum

Planet.

Integrated SolutIon BooStS effIcIency

The Automatic Network Planning solution is integrated in Mentum Planet;

therefore improving usability, accuracy and simplifying version management.

Mentum Planet is the industrys most widely used network planning software.

MentuMS autoMatIc netWorK PlannIng

SolutIon ProVIdeS caPaBIlItIeS tHat go Well

Beyond tHat of tradItIonal acP toolS.

Automatic Site Placement

Single Site Optimization

Automatic Cell Planning Site Selection Site Optimization

mentum

A Automatic Network Planning

Create Sites Automatically

Whether rolling out a new greenfield network or a new technology overlay, the questions

of network dimensioning and site selection are keys to understanding the network ROI.

During initial planning of greenfield scenarios or network expansions, the Automatic Site

Placement Tool identifies possible site locations and suitable antenna heights. All sites are

created considering the environment and the various propagation conditions in different

areas. The subscriber traffic load in Mentum Planet is used to determine site density and

adjust antenna heights automatically. The placement of new sites takes into account existing

and candidate sites. This feature not only makes it possible for engineers to fast track the

nominal planning effort but it also enables the operator to better understand the capacity,

coverage, and cost equation.

DEFINING THE FUTURE OF NETWORK PLANNING

Network Optimization

The Mentum Automatic Cell Planning (ACP) tool offers both Automatic Site Selection and

Automatic Site Optimization. It is designed as a part of Mentum Planet and is truly multi-

technology with support for repeaters, dynamic traffic off loading, as well as shared and

split antennas. The ACP utilizes all the capabilities of Mentum Planet to deliver unmatched

accuracy and ease-of-use. Of equal importance, the Mentum ACP runs as a native 64-bit

process and can leverage multi-core processors, leading to unmatched scalability.

Optimize Site Configuration

The Single Site Optimization feature is tailored to cases when new sites are needed for

capacity or coverage reasons, or when you want to optimize an existing site. Based on

defined optimization goals and the surrounding network, the Single Site Optimization tool

finds the optimal output power, antenna type, azimuths (mechanical, electrical) and tilts

(mechanical, electrical). The optimal site configuration can be based on generic goals (e.g.,

coverage, interference), or on more complex goals (e.g., spectral efficiency) as defined in

the Mentum Planet optimization profiles.

Automatic Site Optimization

With the Mentum ACP, you can optimize the configuration of all sites in the network, ensuring that you utilize the investment

in network equipment to the fullest. Deployment of LTE network overlays and the addition of capacity in cdma2000 networks

are typical use cases. The Site Optimization tool finds the optimal configuration for the sites in the network based on radio

propagation characteristics, optimization goals, and constraints.

Today, multi-technology support is expected and the Mentum ACP is designed to deliver that - truly. The ACP handles split and

shared antennas between technologies. The traffic load is dynamically shared between technologies during the optimization as a

consequence of changes to the antenna configuration. The optimization goals can be combined across technologies to achieve,

for example, cdma2000 coverage and quality goals and LTE capacity goals. The optimization constraints are defined at the cell

level in Mentum Planet. They encompass the parameters to configure (i.e., output power, antenna model, mechanical as well as

electrical azimuths and tilts) and the ranges for these parameters.

To find the optimal network configuration is the ultimate goal; however, in a network optimization scenario, all suggested changes

are not of interest due to the cost for implementation. The Mentum ACP therefore produces Optimization Reports where the

suggested changes and their impact on the network coverage, capacity and quality can be studied in detail.

An important and complex step in planning wireless networks (e.g., an LTE

overlay on top of a CDMA or WCDMA network) is to select the sites to

use. Which sites are needed to reach network KPIs? The Site Selection, in

the Mentum ACP, picks the optimal sites to use from a pool of sites. When

planning network expansions, additional site locations are selected and

reported in order of priority for deployment.

In a network sharing scenario, the Site Selection tool can reduce the number

of sites to lower the total CAPEX and OPEX of the network. It is also easy

to evaluate future network scenarios with different traffic loads, predicting

the required number of sites depending on increasing traffic. The flexible

multi-technology optimization goals for coverage, capacity and quality in

combination with the optimization profiles, make it easy to compare the

different optimization scenarios in Mentum Planet.

Automatic Site Selection

Prioritize sites

Consolidate networks

Manage optimization profiles

Manage scenarios

EASE OF USE. Mentums Automatic Network Planning capabilities are

natively integrated into Mentum Planet, providing an unmatched end-

user experience.

UNMATCHED ACCURACY. True multi-technology support with

dynamic load sharing results in unmatched accuracy.

PERFORMANCE & SCALABILITY. Designed today for outstanding

performance and scalability, evaluate thousands of network

configurations.

OPENNESS. Mentum Planet Open APIs make it possible to further

streamline your ways of working (only available in Mentum Planet

Enterprise and Ultimate editions.)

INCREASED EFFICIENCY. Solutions for efficient network planning

release resources for other strategic tasks.

ONE SUPPLIER. Unlike 3rd party ACP solutions, Mentums ACP is part

of each new release of Mentum Planet.

PROVEN SUCCESS. Mentum is the trusted source for network planning

software for more than 400 customers globally.

MENTUM AUTOMATIC NETwORk PLANNINg BENEFITS

Email: sales@mentum.com www.mentum.com

2011 Mentum S.A.

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