The complexity of the UMTS system, new WCDMA technology, and new technical features set new requirements for the radio network planning area. The WCDMA-based UMTS networks need also more advanced and careful radio planning, optimization, and QOS management tasks in order to guarantee seamless mobility and connectivity for the end-user when various voice and data services are used. Hence, new detailed and practical radio planning, optimization, and QOS Management guidelines must be defined through the UMTS planning process. UMTS Radio Network Planning, Optimization and QOS Management describes practical planning process and gives solutions for detailed planning actions by following the planning process. The role of radio planning tool environment is emphasized by specifying the requirements of the digital map production, design tool, field measurement tool, and QOS measurement tool and by giving several examples of the results of these topics. efficient UMTS planning and optimization tool environment and to carry out a practical UMTS planning and optimization project from configuration planning to field and QOS measurements.

This broadly applicable book introduces radio system planning, emphasizing theoretical and practical details for the planning of GSM, GPRS and UMTS mobile networks. It explains the key planning parameters for these systems and describes the common tasks in radio system planning.

Radio network system planning is a comprehensive optimisation task where different planning targets - coverage, capacity and quality- have a direct influence on each other and where optimised solution is a compromise of these planning areas. In order to find out the cost effective and high quality radio network plan the well-known theoretical details have to be bound with practical radio planning issues like planning phases and planning parameters. At the same time the long-term network evolution paths and the possible changes of the radio propagation environment have to be well understood. Radio Interface System Planning for GSM/GPRS/UMTS introduces the radio system planning where these theoretical and practical details have both been emphasized and then utilized for the planning of GSM, GPRS and UMTS mobile networks. The key planning parameters for these systems are explained and the typical values for power budget, various margins, gains and losses, and frequency reuse are given. Also, the book describes the common tasks in radio system planning. The planning methods and phases introduced in the book can also be applied to other mobile communication systems.