Dimensioning and Radio Network Planning of Mobile WiMAX The Case of Addis Ababa
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Date
2013-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is a broadband wireless
technology based on the IEEE 802.16e standard. It is designed to provide voice, data and video
services that require high data rates for fixed, nomadic and mobile users moving at vehicular speeds
greater than 120 km/hr.
Growth trends of voice and data traffic in various African countries reflect a huge increment
in recent years. Currently deployed second and third generation telecommunication technologies
will eventually struggle to swallow this perpetual traffic growth. This signals an eminent need to
ultimately resort to deploying fourth generation (4G) technologies such as WiMAX that offer better
throughput and coverage. This presents an opportunity/market potential for WiMAX or other 4G
technologies.
In order to deploy WiMAX in any given metropolitan area, it is imperative to perform
dimensioning and radio network planning steps. The IEEE 802.16e standard offers several
options/choices in its physical and medium access control layers. Within these choices, this thesis
work focuses on carving out a mobile WiMAX package that fits a pre-defined coverage and capacity
requirement of Addis Ababa city. The basic dimensioning steps for the access and core network are
outlined and conducted using the geographic and demographic data of the aforementioned city.
Radio network planning tools such as EDX-PRO and ATTOL cost in the order of thousands of
US dollars. Therefore, in this research, a Radio Network Planning (RNP) tool/MATLAB program that
operates on a selected propagation model and a digital terrain model database is developed and
used.
This thesis work, to the best of my knowledge, is the first research/case study to be
conducted taking capacity and coverage requirements of developing nations. It is also the first
research that is not constrained to capacity and coverage planning via theoretical analysis.
Theoretical coverage estimations make use of empirical propagation models without any special
consideration to the specific terrain type. The development of the RNP tool allows us to perform a
more accurate coverage analysis based on actual terrain parameters that are extracted from a
digital map. The RNP tool is used on five distinct metropolitan areas with different terrain type,
namely, Bole Medhanialem, Gerji, Meskel Square, Piassa and Sidist Kilo. The average coverage per
base station is computed from the results of these five areas. This process is useful in forecasting the
total number of base stations required to offer the service on every corners of Addis Ababa or a
selected portion of the city.
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Keywords
Network, Planning