Atoll 2.8.3 User Manual LTE

User Manual
LTE
v e r s i o n 2.8.3
AT283_UML_E1
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Atoll 2.8.3 User Manual Release AT283_UML_E1

Copyright 1997 - 2010 by Forsk
The software described in this document is provided under a license agreement and may only be used or copied under
the terms and conditions of the license agreement. No part of this document may be copied or reproduced in any form
without prior authorisation from Forsk.
The product or brand names mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective registering parties.
About the Atoll User Documentation

The Atoll user documentation is a guide and reference for users working with Atoll. Atoll is easy to use and offers a clear,
self-explanatory user interface. The user documentation helps the user make effective and efficient use of all the features
that Atoll offers. The user documentation aims to familiarise the user with the working environment of Atoll and enable
him to use all of Atolls features and functions.
The Atoll user documentation is technology-specific. For each Atoll radio technology, the Atoll user manual contains
instructions and information specific to that technology as well as chapters describing the Atoll working environment and
the tools available.
Forsk 2010
Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this document is prohibited
Atoll User Manual
Forsk 2010
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents..........................................................................................................................
1
The Working Environment .................................................................................................... 15
1.1
1.1.1
1.1.2
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.2.3
1.2.4
1.3
1.3.1
1.3.1.1
1.3.1.2
1.3.1.3
1.3.2
1.3.2.1
1.3.2.2
1.3.2.3
1.3.2.4
1.3.2.5
1.3.3
1.3.3.1
1.3.3.2
1.4
1.4.1
1.4.1.1
1.4.1.2
1.4.1.3
1.4.1.4
1.4.2
1.4.3
1.4.4
1.4.5
1.4.6
1.4.7
1.4.8
1.4.8.1
1.4.8.2
1.4.8.3
1.4.8.4
1.4.8.5
1.4.8.6
1.4.9
1.4.9.1
1.4.9.2
1.4.9.3
1.4.9.4
1.4.9.5
1.4.9.6
1.4.10
1.4.10.1
1.4.10.2
1.4.10.3
1.4.11
1.4.12
1.4.13
Forsk 2010
The Atoll Work Area .................................................................................................................... 15

Working with Document Windows .................................................................................................... 16
Docking or Floating an Atoll Window................................................................................................ 16
The Explorer Window ................................................................................................................. 17
Working with the Explorer Window Tabs.......................................................................................... 17
Navigating in the Explorer Window .................................................................................................. 18
Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer........................................................... 18
Working with Layers Using the Explorer .......................................................................................... 18
Working with Objects .................................................................................................................. 19
Using the Object Context Menu ....................................................................................................... 19
Renaming an Object ................................................................................................................... 19
Deleting an Object ...................................................................................................................... 19
Displaying the Properties of an Object ....................................................................................... 20
Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map ..................................................................... 20
Selecting One of Several Transmitters ....................................................................................... 21
Moving a Site Using the Mouse .................................................................................................. 21
Moving a Site to a Higher Location............................................................................................. 21
Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse ............................................................ 21
Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse ....................................... 22
Display Properties of Objects ........................................................................................................... 22
Defining the Display Properties of Objects ................................................................................. 23
Examples of Using the Display Properties of Objects ................................................................ 27
Working with Maps....................................................................................................................... 28
Changing the Map Scale .................................................................................................................. 28
Zooming In and Out .................................................................................................................... 28
Zooming In on a Specific Area.................................................................................................... 29
Choosing a Scale........................................................................................................................ 29
Changing Between Previous Zoom Levels................................................................................. 29
Moving the Map in the Document Window....................................................................................... 29
Using the Panoramic Window .......................................................................................................... 29
Centring the Map Window on an Object........................................................................................... 30
Measuring Distances on the Map ..................................................................................................... 30
Displaying Rulers Around the Map ................................................................................................... 30
Displaying the Map Legend .............................................................................................................. 31
Using Zones in the Map Window...................................................................................................... 31
Using a Filtering Zone................................................................................................................. 31
Using a Computation Zone ......................................................................................................... 32
Using a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones ..................................................................................... 33
Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools.............................................................................................. 34
Using a Printing Zone ................................................................................................................. 35
Using a Geographic Export Zone ............................................................................................... 36
Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points ................................................................................................. 36
Adding a Vector Layer ................................................................................................................ 37
Creating Polygons, Lines, and Points......................................................................................... 37
Editing the Shape of Polygons and Lines ................................................................................... 37
Combining or Cropping Polygons Using the Toolbar.................................................................. 38
Editing a Point............................................................................................................................. 39
Editing Contours, Lines, and Points Using the Context Menu .................................................... 39
Exporting Coverage Prediction Results............................................................................................ 39
Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Vector Format .................................................. 40
Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Raster Format .................................................. 40
Exporting Multiple Coverage Predictions.................................................................................... 41
Saving a Map as a Graphic Image ................................................................................................... 41
Copying a Map to Another Application ............................................................................................. 42
Map Window Pointers ...................................................................................................................... 42
Atoll User Manual
1.5
1.5.1
1.5.2
1.5.2.1
1.5.2.2
1.5.2.3
1.5.3
1.5.4
1.5.5
1.5.6
1.5.6.1
1.5.6.2
1.5.7
1.5.8
1.5.9
1.5.10
1.5.11
1.6
1.6.1
1.6.2
1.6.2.1
1.6.2.2
1.6.2.3
1.6.3
1.6.4
1.6.5
1.7
1.7.1
1.7.1.1
1.7.1.2
1.7.1.3
1.7.1.4
1.7.2
1.7.2.1
1.7.2.2
1.7.3
1.7.3.1
1.7.3.2
1.7.3.3
1.7.3.4
1.7.4
1.7.4.1
1.7.4.2
1.7.5
1.7.5.1
1.7.5.2
1.7.5.3
1.7.5.4
1.7.5.5
1.7.5.6
1.7.6
1.7.6.1
1.7.6.2
1.7.6.3
1.7.6.4
1.7.6.5
1.7.6.6
1.7.7
1.7.8
1.8
1.8.1
1.8.2
1.8.3
1.8.3.1
1.8.3.2
1.8.3.3
1.8.4
Working with Data Tables .........................................................................................................43

Opening a Data Table .......................................................................................................................44
Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields...............................................................................44
Accessing an Object Types Table Fields ...................................................................................44
Adding a Field to an Object Types Data Table ...........................................................................44
Deleting a Field from an Object Types Data Table.....................................................................45
Editing the Contents of a Table.........................................................................................................45
Opening an Objects Record Properties Dialogue from a Table .......................................................46
Defining the Table Format.................................................................................................................46
Copying and Pasting in Tables .........................................................................................................49
Copying and Pasting a Table Element ........................................................................................49
Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells ..................................................................................49
Viewing a Statistical Analysis of Table Contents ..............................................................................51
Exporting Tables to Text Files...........................................................................................................51
Importing Tables from Text Files.......................................................................................................52
Exporting Tables to XML Files ..........................................................................................................53
Importing Tables from XML Files ......................................................................................................54
Printing in Atoll ................................................................................................................................54
Printing Data Tables and Reports .....................................................................................................54
Printing a Map ...................................................................................................................................55
Printing Recommendations .........................................................................................................55
Defining the Printing Zone ...........................................................................................................55
Defining the Print Layout .............................................................................................................56
Previewing Your Printing...................................................................................................................58
Printing a Docking Window ...............................................................................................................58
Printing Antenna Patterns .................................................................................................................58
Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data..................................................................................59
Grouping Data Objects......................................................................................................................59
Grouping Data Objects by a Selected Property ..........................................................................59
Configuring the Group By Submenu ...........................................................................................59
Advanced Grouping.....................................................................................................................60
Examples of Grouping .................................................................................................................61
Sorting Data ......................................................................................................................................63
Sorting Data in Tables.................................................................................................................63
Advanced Sorting ........................................................................................................................63
Filtering Data.....................................................................................................................................64
Filtering in Data Tables by Selection...........................................................................................64
Advanced Data Filtering ..............................................................................................................65
Restoring All Records..................................................................................................................66
Advanced Filtering: Examples .....................................................................................................66
User Configurations ..........................................................................................................................68
Exporting a User Configuration ...................................................................................................69
Importing a User Configuration ...................................................................................................69
Site and Transmitter Lists .................................................................................................................69
Creating a Site or Transmitter List...............................................................................................70
Adding a Site or Transmitter to a List from the Explorer Window................................................70
Adding a Site or Transmitter to a List from the Map Window ......................................................70
Adding Sites or Transmitters to a List Using a Zone ...................................................................71
Editing a Site or Transmitter List .................................................................................................71
Filtering on a Site or Transmitter List ..........................................................................................71
Folder Configurations........................................................................................................................72
Creating a Folder Configuration ..................................................................................................72
Applying a Saved Folder Configuration .......................................................................................72
Reapplying the Current Folder Configuration ..............................................................................72
Exporting a Folder Configuration.................................................................................................73
Importing a Folder Configuration.................................................................................................73
Deleting a Folder Configuration...................................................................................................73
Creating and Comparing Subfolders.................................................................................................73
Filtering Data Using a Filtering Zone.................................................................................................74
Tips and Tricks ...............................................................................................................................74
Undoing and Redoing .......................................................................................................................74
Refreshing Maps and Folders ...........................................................................................................75
Searching for Objects on the Map.....................................................................................................75
Searching for a Map Object by Its Name ....................................................................................75
Searching for a Map Object using Any Text Property .................................................................75
Searching for a Point on the Map ................................................................................................76
Using the Status Bar to Get Information ...........................................................................................76
Forsk 2010
Table of Contents
1.8.5
1.8.6
1.8.7
Saving Information Displayed in the Event Viewer........................................................................... 76

Using Icons from the Toolbar ........................................................................................................... 76
Using Shortcuts in Atoll .................................................................................................................... 78
Starting an Atoll Project .......................................................................................................... 83
2.1
2.2
2.2.1
2.2.1.1
2.2.1.2
2.2.1.3
2.2.2
2.2.2.1
2.2.2.2
2.2.2.3
2.2.2.4
2.2.2.5
2.3
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.4
Before Starting a Radio-Planning Project ......................................................................... 83

Creating an Atoll Document .................................................................................................... 83
Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template ............................................................................ 83
Templates Available ................................................................................................................... 83
Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template ...................................................................... 84
Defining a New Atoll Document .................................................................................................. 85
Working in a Multi-User Environment ............................................................................................... 87
The Atoll Multi-User Environment ............................................................................................... 88
Creating a New Atoll Document from a Database ...................................................................... 89
Working With a Document on a Database.................................................................................. 89
Refreshing an Atoll Document from the Database ..................................................................... 91
Archiving the Modifications of an Atoll Document in the Database ............................................ 91
Making a Backup of Your Document .................................................................................. 94
Configuring Automatic Backup ......................................................................................................... 95
Recovering a Backup ....................................................................................................................... 95
Making and Sharing Portable Atoll Projects .................................................................... 96
Managing Geographic Data ................................................................................................ 99
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.3.1
3.3.2
3.3.3
3.3.3.1
3.3.3.2
3.3.4
3.3.5
3.3.6
3.3.7
3.4
3.5
3.5.1
3.5.2
3.5.3
3.5.4
3.5.5
3.6
3.7
3.7.1
3.7.2
3.7.3
3.8
3.8.1
3.8.2
3.9
3.9.1
3.9.2
3.10
3.10.1
3.10.2
3.10.3
3.10.4
3.10.5
3.11
3.11.1
3.11.2
3.11.2.1
Forsk 2010
Geographic Data Types ............................................................................................................ 99

Supported Geographic Data Formats .............................................................................. 100
Importing Geo Data Files ........................................................................................................ 101
Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File ....................................................................................... 101
Importing a Vector-format Geo Data File ....................................................................................... 102
Importing MSI Planet Geo Data................................................................................................... 103
Importing One MSI Planet Geo Data Type ............................................................................ 104
Importing a MSI Planet Geo Database .................................................................................. 104
Importing a WMS Raster-format Geo Data File ............................................................................. 105
Grouping Geo Data Files in Folders............................................................................................... 106
Embedding Geographic Data ......................................................................................................... 107
Repairing a Broken Link to a Geo Data File................................................................................... 107
Digital Terrain Models .............................................................................................................. 108
Clutter Classes............................................................................................................................. 108

Assigning Names to Clutter Classes .............................................................................................. 108
Defining Clutter Class Properties ................................................................................................... 109
Adding a Clutter Class.................................................................................................................... 110
Refreshing the List of Clutter Classes ............................................................................................ 111
Displaying Total Surface Area per Clutter Class ............................................................................ 111
Clutter Heights ............................................................................................................................. 111
Contours, Lines, and Points .................................................................................................. 111

Managing the Display of a Vector Layer ........................................................................................ 112
Managing the Properties of the Vector Layer................................................................................. 112
Moving a Vector Layer to the Data Tab.......................................................................................... 113
Scanned Images ......................................................................................................................... 113
Importing Several Scanned Images ............................................................................................... 113
Defining the Display Properties of Scanned Images ...................................................................... 113
Population Maps ......................................................................................................................... 114
Managing the Display of Population Data ...................................................................................... 114
Displaying Population Statistics ..................................................................................................... 114
Custom Geo Data Maps.......................................................................................................... 115
Creating a Custom Geo Data Map ................................................................................................. 115
Adding a File to a Custom Geo Data Map...................................................................................... 116
Managing the Properties of a Custom Geo Data Map ................................................................... 116
Displaying Statistics on Custom Geo Data..................................................................................... 117
Integrable Versus Non Integrable Data .......................................................................................... 117
Setting the Priority of Geo Data........................................................................................... 117
Setting the Display Priority of Geo Data ......................................................................................... 117
Setting the Priority of Geo Data in Calculations ............................................................................. 118
Example 1: Two DTM Maps Representing Different Areas ...................................................... 119
Atoll User Manual
3.11.2.2
3.11.2.3
3.12
3.13
3.13.1
3.13.2
3.14
3.14.1
3.14.1.1
3.14.1.2
3.14.1.3
3.14.1.4
3.14.2
3.15
3.15.1
3.15.1.1
3.15.1.2
3.15.2
3.15.3
3.15.4
3.15.5
Geographic Data Sets...............................................................................................................120

Exporting a Geo Data Set ...............................................................................................................121
Importing a Geo Data Set ...............................................................................................................121
Editing Geographic Data .........................................................................................................121
Editing Clutter Class Maps..............................................................................................................122
Creating a Clutter Polygon ........................................................................................................122
Editing Clutter Polygons ............................................................................................................122
Displaying the Coordinates of Clutter Polygons ........................................................................123
Deleting Clutter Polygons..........................................................................................................123
Editing Population or Custom Data Maps .......................................................................................123
Saving Geographic Data .........................................................................................................124
Saving Modifications to an External File .........................................................................................124
Exporting an Edited Clutter Class Map in a Raster-Format File................................................124
Exporting an Edited Vector Layer in Vector-Format File ...........................................................125
Updating the Source File.................................................................................................................126
Combining Several Files into One File............................................................................................126
Exporting an Embedded File...........................................................................................................126
Creating a New File from a Larger File ...........................................................................................127
Antennas and Equipment.....................................................................................................131
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.1.3
4.1.4
4.1.5
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
4.2.4
Working With Antennas............................................................................................................131

Creating an Antenna .......................................................................................................................131
Importing Planet-Format Antennas .................................................................................................132
Importing 3-D Antenna Patterns......................................................................................................133
Smoothing an Antenna Pattern .......................................................................................................134
Printing an Antenna Pattern ............................................................................................................135
Working With Equipment .........................................................................................................135
Defining TMA Equipment ................................................................................................................135
Defining Feeder Cables ..................................................................................................................135
Defining BTS Equipment.................................................................................................................136
Updating the Values for Total Losses and the BTS Noise Figure for Transmitters.........................136
Managing Calculations in Atoll ........................................................................................141
5.1
5.1.1
5.1.2
5.1.2.1
5.1.2.2
5.1.2.3
5.1.2.4
5.1.2.5
5.1.2.6
5.1.3
5.1.3.1
5.1.3.2
5.1.3.3
5.1.4
5.1.4.1
5.1.4.2
5.1.4.3
5.1.5
5.1.5.1
5.1.5.2
5.1.5.3
5.1.6
5.1.7
5.1.7.1
5.1.7.2
5.1.7.3
5.1.8
5.1.9
5.1.10
Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area ..............................119
Example 3: Two Clutter Class Maps Representing a Common Area........................................120
Displaying Information About Geo Data...........................................................................120
Working with Propagation Models ......................................................................................141

Propagation Model Characteristics: Overview ................................................................................141
The Standard Propagation Model ...................................................................................................142
Recommendations for Working with the Standard Propagation Model .....................................143
Calculating Diffraction With the SPM ........................................................................................143
Sample Values for SPM Formulas ............................................................................................144
Calculating f(clutter) with the Standard Propagation Model ......................................................144
Modelling Fixed Receivers ........................................................................................................145
Defining the Parameters of the Standard Propagation Model ...................................................145
The Okumura-Hata Propagation Model ..........................................................................................148
Defining General Settings (Okumura-Hata) ..............................................................................148
Selecting an Environment Formula (Okumura-Hata) ................................................................148
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Okumura-Hata) ................................................149
The Cost-Hata Propagation Model..................................................................................................149
Defining General Settings (Cost-Hata) ......................................................................................149
Selecting an Environment Formula (Cost-Hata)........................................................................150
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Cost-Hata) .......................................................150
The ITU 529-3 Propagation Model..................................................................................................150
Defining General Settings (ITU 529-3) ......................................................................................151
Selecting an Environment Formula (ITU 529-3) ........................................................................151
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (ITU 529-3)........................................................151
The Erceg-Greenstein Propagation Model......................................................................................152
Defining General Settings (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI)) ................................................................152
Selecting an Environment Formula (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI)) ..................................................153
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI)) ..................................153
The WLL Propagation Model ..........................................................................................................153
The Longley-Rice Propagation Model.............................................................................................154
Forsk 2010
Table of Contents
5.1.11
5.1.12
5.1.13
5.2
5.2.1
5.2.2
5.2.3
5.2.4
5.2.5
5.3
5.3.1
5.3.2
5.3.3
5.3.4
5.3.5
5.3.6
5.3.6.1
5.3.6.2
5.3.6.3
5.3.6.4
5.3.6.5
5.3.7
5.4
5.4.1
5.4.1.1
5.4.1.2
5.4.1.3
5.4.1.4
5.4.1.5
5.4.2
5.4.2.1
5.4.2.2
5.4.2.3
5.4.2.4
5.4.2.5
5.4.2.6
The ITU 1546 Propagation Model .................................................................................................. 154

The Sakagami Extended Propagation Model ................................................................................. 155
Managing Propagation Models....................................................................................................... 155
Defining Calculation Parameters ........................................................................................ 156
Defining Calculation Parameters for One Transmitter.................................................................... 156
Defining the Same Calculation Parameters for a Group of Transmitters ....................................... 157
Defining the Same Calculation Parameters for All Transmitters .................................................... 157
Defining a Default Propagation Model............................................................................................ 158
Defining a Default Resolution ......................................................................................................... 158
Managing Path Loss Matrices .............................................................................................. 158
Calculating Path Loss Matrices ...................................................................................................... 159
Stopping Path Loss Matrix Calculation........................................................................................... 159
Setting the Storage Location of Path Loss Matrices ...................................................................... 159
Using Centralised Path Loss Matrices ........................................................................................... 160
Checking the Validity of Path Loss Matrices .................................................................................. 160
Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Measurement Data ................................................................... 161
Defining the Area to be Tuned.................................................................................................. 161
Defining Maximum Corrections and Thresholds on Path Loss Tuning..................................... 162
Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using CW Measurements ............................................................. 163
Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Drive Test Data ................................................................... 164
Managing the Path Loss Tuning Points .................................................................................... 165
Exporting Path Loss Matrices......................................................................................................... 167
Predictions Available in Atoll ................................................................................................. 167
Making Point Predictions ................................................................................................................ 167
Starting a Point Analysis........................................................................................................... 168
The Tabs of the Point Analysis Tool Window ........................................................................... 168
Moving the Receiver on the Map .............................................................................................. 169
Taking Indoor Losses into Account........................................................................................... 169
Taking Shadowing into Account in Point Analyses................................................................... 169
Making Coverage Predictions ........................................................................................................ 170
Creating Coverage Predictions................................................................................................. 171
Defining the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results................................................ 172
Calculating Coverage Predictions............................................................................................. 172
Saving Defined Coverage Predictions ...................................................................................... 174
Calculating Indoor Coverage .................................................................................................... 175
Taking Shadowing into Account ............................................................................................... 175
LTE Networks................................................................................................................................ 179
6.1
6.2
6.2.1
6.2.1.1
6.2.1.2
6.2.1.3
6.2.1.4
6.2.1.5
6.2.2
6.2.3
6.2.4
6.2.5
6.2.6
6.2.6.1
6.2.6.2
6.2.6.3
6.2.6.4
6.2.6.5
6.2.7
6.2.7.1
6.2.7.2
6.2.7.3
6.2.7.4
6.2.8
6.2.9
6.2.9.1
6.2.9.2
Forsk 2010
Designing an LTE Network .................................................................................................... 179

Planning and Optimising LTE Base Stations ................................................................ 180
Creating an LTE Base Station........................................................................................................ 181
Definition of a Base Station ...................................................................................................... 181
Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element ......................................................................... 186
Placing a New Base Station Using a Station Template ............................................................ 188
Managing Station Templates .................................................................................................... 189
Duplicates of an Existing Base Station ..................................................................................... 192
Creating a Group of Base Stations................................................................................................. 193
Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map ................................................................... 194
Display Tips for Base Stations ....................................................................................................... 194
Creating a Multi-Band LTE Network ............................................................................................... 194
Creating a Repeater ....................................................................................................................... 195
Creating and Modifying Repeater Equipment........................................................................... 195
Placing a Repeater on the Map Using the Mouse .................................................................... 195
Creating Several Repeaters ..................................................................................................... 196
Defining the Properties of a Repeater ...................................................................................... 196
Tips for Updating Repeater Parameters ................................................................................... 197
Creating a Remote Antenna ........................................................................................................... 197
Placing a Remote Antenna on the Map Using the Mouse ........................................................ 198
Creating Several Remote Antennas ......................................................................................... 198
Defining the Properties of a Remote Antenna .......................................................................... 198
Tips for Updating Remote Antenna Parameters....................................................................... 199
Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document ............................................................................. 199
Studying a Single Base Station ...................................................................................................... 200
Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile ............................................................................ 200
Studying Signal Level Coverage............................................................................................... 201
Atoll User Manual
6.2.10
6.2.10.1
6.2.10.2
6.2.10.3
6.2.10.4
6.2.10.5
6.2.10.6
6.2.10.7
6.2.10.8
6.2.10.9
6.2.11
6.2.11.1
6.2.11.2
6.2.11.3
6.2.11.4
6.2.11.5
6.2.11.6
6.2.11.7
6.2.11.8
6.2.11.9
6.2.12
6.2.12.1
6.2.12.2
6.2.13
6.2.13.1
6.2.13.2
6.2.13.3
6.3
6.3.1
6.3.2
6.3.2.1
6.3.2.2
6.3.2.3
6.3.2.4
6.3.2.5
6.3.3
6.3.4
6.3.4.1
6.3.4.2
6.3.5
6.3.5.1
6.3.5.2
6.3.5.3
6.3.5.4
6.3.5.5
6.3.5.6
6.3.5.7
6.3.6
6.4
6.4.1
6.4.1.1
6.4.1.2
6.4.1.3
6.4.1.4
6.4.1.5
6.4.2
6.4.2.1
6.4.2.2
6.4.2.3
6.4.3
6.4.3.1
6.4.3.2
6.4.4
6.4.5
6.4.6
6.4.6.1
6.4.6.2
10
Studying Base Stations ...................................................................................................................203

Path Loss Matrices....................................................................................................................204
Assigning a Propagation Model.................................................................................................206
The Calculation Process ...........................................................................................................208
Creating a Computation Zone ...................................................................................................208
Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active .....................................................................................209
Signal Level Coverage Predictions ...........................................................................................209
Analysing a Coverage Prediction ..............................................................................................213
LTE Coverage Predictions ........................................................................................................222
Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results ................................................................238
Planning Neighbours.......................................................................................................................238
Importing Neighbours ................................................................................................................238
Defining Exceptional Pairs ........................................................................................................238
Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours .......................................................................239
Allocating Neighbours Automatically .........................................................................................239
Checking Automatic Allocation Results .....................................................................................241
Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell .............................................................................244
Calculating the Importance of Existing Neighbours...................................................................246
Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Plan .....................................................................247
Exporting Neighbours................................................................................................................248
Planning Frequencies .....................................................................................................................248
Allocating Frequencies ..............................................................................................................249
Displaying the Frequency Allocation .........................................................................................250
Planning Physical Cell IDs ..............................................................................................................252
Allocating Physical Cell IDs .......................................................................................................252
Checking the Consistency of the Physical Cell ID Plan ............................................................254
Displaying the Allocation of Physical Cell IDs ...........................................................................254
Studying Network Capacity ....................................................................................................256
Defining Multi-service Traffic Data ..................................................................................................256
Creating a Traffic Map.....................................................................................................................257
Creating a Sector Traffic Map ...................................................................................................257
Creating a User Profile Traffic Map ...........................................................................................258
Creating User Density Traffic Maps (No. Users/km2) ...............................................................263
Converting 2G Network Traffic ..................................................................................................265
Exporting Cumulated Traffic ......................................................................................................265
Exporting a Traffic Map ...................................................................................................................265
Working with a Subscriber Database ..............................................................................................266
Creating a Subscriber List .........................................................................................................266
Performing Calculations on Subscriber lists..............................................................................269
Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations ...............................................................................269
LTE Traffic Simulation Algorithm ...............................................................................................270
Creating Simulations .................................................................................................................271
Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map ...........................................................................272
Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation ...........................................................................276
Displaying the Average Results of a Group of Simulations .......................................................279
Updating Cell Load Values With Simulation Results .................................................................281
Estimating a Traffic Increase .....................................................................................................282
Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results ................................................................282
Optimising Network Parameters Using the ACP .........................................................283
The ACP Module and Atoll..............................................................................................................283
Using Zones with ACP ..............................................................................................................283
Using Traffic Maps with ACP.....................................................................................................284
Shadowing Margin and Indoor Coverage ..................................................................................284
ACP and Antenna Masking .......................................................................................................284
EMF Exposure...........................................................................................................................286
Configuring the ACP Module...........................................................................................................286
Configuring the Default Settings................................................................................................286
Defining the Antenna Masking Method .....................................................................................288
Saving Settings to a User Configuration File.............................................................................289
Optimising Cell Planning with the ACP ...........................................................................................289
Creating an Optimisation Setup ................................................................................................290
Defining Optimisation Parameters.............................................................................................290
Running an Optimisation Setup ......................................................................................................313
Working with Optimisations in the Explorer Window.......................................................................314
Viewing Optimisation Results..........................................................................................................315
Viewing Optimisation Results in the Properties Dialogue .........................................................316
Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window ....................................................................322
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Table of Contents
6.4.6.3
6.5
6.5.1
6.5.2
6.5.3
6.5.4
6.5.4.1
6.5.4.2
6.5.4.3
6.5.4.4
6.5.4.5
6.5.5
6.5.6
6.5.7
6.6
6.6.1
6.6.2
6.6.2.1
6.6.2.2
6.6.3
6.6.3.1
6.6.3.2
6.6.3.3
6.6.3.4
6.6.3.5
6.6.3.6
6.6.3.7
6.6.4
6.6.5
6.6.5.1
6.6.5.2
6.6.6
6.7
6.7.1
6.7.2
6.7.2.1
6.7.2.2
6.7.3
6.7.4
6.7.5
6.7.6
6.7.7
6.7.8
6.7.9
6.7.9.1
6.7.10
6.7.11
6.8
6.9
Viewing Optimisation Results Using the Histogram.................................................................. 329
Verifying Network Capacity ................................................................................................... 329

Importing a Drive Test Data Path ................................................................................................... 329
Displaying Drive Test Data ............................................................................................................. 332
Defining the Display of a Drive Test Data Path .............................................................................. 332
Network Verification ....................................................................................................................... 333
Filtering Incompatible Points Along Drive Test Data Paths ...................................................... 333
Creating Coverage Predictions from Drive Test Data Paths .................................................... 334
Displaying Statistics Over a Drive Test Data Path.................................................................... 335
Extracting a Field From a Drive Test Data Path for a Transmitter............................................ 335
Analysing Data Variations Along the Path ................................................................................ 335
Exporting a Drive Test Data Path................................................................................................... 337
Extracting CW Measurements from Drive Test Data ..................................................................... 337
Printing and Exporting the Drive Test Data Window ...................................................................... 338
Co-planning LTE Networks with Other Networks ....................................................... 338
Switching to Co-planning Mode...................................................................................................... 338
Working with Coverage Predictions in an Co-Planning Project...................................................... 340
Updating Coverage Predictions ................................................................................................ 340
Analysing Coverage Predictions............................................................................................... 341
Performing Inter-Technology Neighbour Allocation........................................................................ 343
Setting Inter-Technology Exceptional Pairs.............................................................................. 343
Configuring Importance Factors for Inter-Technology Neighbours........................................... 345
Allocating Inter-Technology Neighbours Automatically ............................................................ 345
Displaying Inter-Technology Neighbours on the Map............................................................... 347
Allocating and Deleting Inter-Technology Neighbours per Cell ................................................ 348
Calculating the Importance of Existing Inter-technology Neighbours ....................................... 351
Checking the Consistency of the Inter-technology Neighbour Plan.......................................... 352
Creating an LTE Sector From a Sector in the Other Network ........................................................ 353
Using ACP in a Co-planning Project .............................................................................................. 354
Creating a New Co-planning Optimisation Setup ..................................................................... 354
Importing the Other Network into the Setup ............................................................................. 354
Ending Co-planning Mode .............................................................................................................. 355
Advanced Configuration .......................................................................................................... 355
Defining Frequency Bands ............................................................................................................. 356
The Global Transmitter Parameters ............................................................................................... 356
The Options on the Global Parameters Tab ............................................................................. 356
Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters ................................................................................ 358
Defining LTE Radio Bearers........................................................................................................... 359
Defining LTE Quality Indicators ...................................................................................................... 359
Defining LTE Equipment ................................................................................................................ 360
Defining LTE Schedulers................................................................................................................ 362
Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems .......................................................................................... 364
Defining the Minimum Signal to Thermal Noise Threshold ............................................................ 365
Modelling Shadowing ..................................................................................................................... 365
Displaying the Shadowing Margins per Clutter Class............................................................... 366
Modelling Inter-Technology Interference ........................................................................................ 366
Listing LTE Frame Details .............................................................................................................. 367
Tips and Tricks............................................................................................................................. 368
Glossary of LTE Terms ............................................................................................................ 372
Index ....................................................................................................................................................
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Chapter 1
The Working Environment
Chapter 1: The Working Environment
The Working Environment

The Atoll working environment provides a comprehensive and integrated set of tools and features that allow you to create
and define your radio-planning project in a single application. You can save the entire project as a single file, or you can
link your project to external files.
Atoll uses standard Windows interface elements, with the ability to have several document windows open at the same
time, support for drag-and-drop, context menus, and support for standard Windows shortcuts, for example, for cutting and
pasting. Atoll also allows you to undo recent changes to your document. Atoll offers the standard Windows Print functionality, with added functionality allowing you to print either the entire map window, parts of it, or only certain objects. Atoll
also provides other tools, such as a search tool to locate either a site, a point on the map, or a vector.
The Explorer window plays a central role in Atoll. The Explorer window contains most of the objects in a document
arranged in folders.
Using the Explorer window, you can manage all objects in the Atoll document: sites, transmitters, calculations, etc., as
well as geographic data such as the Digital Terrain Model (DTM), traffic maps, and clutter classes. You can, for example,
define various studies or configure the parameters or display of data objects.
The content of the folders in the Explorer window can be displayed in tables, allowing you to manage large amounts of
data. You can sort and filter the data in a table, or change how the data is displayed. You can also use the table feature
to enter large amounts of information by cutting and pasting the information from any Windows spreadsheet into the table.
The map is the working area for your document and Atoll provides many features for working with the map. You can
change the view by moving or zooming in or out and you can choose which objects are displayed and how they are
displayed. You can also export the current display definition, or configuration, to use it in other documents.
This chapter explains the following topics:
1.1
"The Atoll Work Area" on page 15

"The Explorer Window" on page 17
"Working with Objects" on page 19
"Printing in Atoll" on page 54
"Working with Maps" on page 28
"Working with Data Tables" on page 43
"Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data" on page 59
"Tips and Tricks" on page 74.
The Atoll Work Area

The Atoll work area, shown in Figure 1.1 on page 16, consists of the main window where the map window and data tables
and reports are displayed and the Explorer window. The Explorer window contains the data and objects of a document,
arranged in folders. It is presented in detail in "The Explorer Window" on page 17.
Atoll offers a variety of tools to help you plan a network. The tools open in separate windows, some of which can be docked
into the work area or floated over the work area (see Figure 1.1 on page 16).
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Atoll User Manual
Toolbar
Document window (map)
Workspace
Explorer window
(docked)
Panoramic window
(floating)
Point Analysis window

(docked)
Figure 1.1: Atoll user interface
1.1.1
Working with Document Windows

When you have one Atoll document open, you can have several document windows open at the same time. You can
resize, maximise, and minimise document windows as you can in any Windows-based application.
As well, you can tile document windows, in order to display all of them at the same time, or cascade them, in order to
display the title bar of each document window.
To tile document windows:
Select Window > Tile.
To cascade document windows:
1.1.2
Select Window > Cascade.
Docking or Floating an Atoll Window

Only document windows are part of an individual Atoll document. Other windows and tools, such as the Explorer window,
display the content of the active document. They are not part of the individual Atoll document, but part of the working environment and, when you switch to a different document, they will display the content of the active document.
You can change how these windows and tools are displayed. You can also choose to remove them from their position and
float them over the Atoll working environment.
To display a window:
On the View menu, select the name of the window.
To close a window:
Click the Hide button ( ) in the corner of the window. Depending on the position of the docking window, this
button can be in the upper-left or upper-right corner.
You can change how much room a window takes if it shares a docking area with other windows by maximising or minimising the window.
To maximise a window in its docking area:
Click the Maximise button ( ) near the corner of the window. Depending on the position of the window, this
button can be in the upper-left or upper-right corner.
To minimise a window in its docking area:
Click the Minimise button ( ) near the corner of the window. Depending on the position of the window, this button
can be in the upper-left or upper-right corner.
You can leave a window in its docking area, or you can have it float over the working environment, allowing you to maximise the amount of area for document windows or other windows.
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To float a window:
Double-click the docking window title bar. The docking window leaves the docking area and floats over the working
environment.
Note:
You can move the docking window by clicking the title bar and dragging it. To prevent the
window from docking as you move it, press CTRL as you drag the docking window.
To dock a window:
To return the window to its previous docked location, double-click the docking window title bar.
Or
Click the title bar of the docking window and drag the window to a different docking area.
Note:
1.2
The window positions for docking windows are not associated with the current document;
they remain the same no matter which document you open.
The Explorer Window

The Explorer window plays a central role in Atoll. The Explorer window contains the data and objects of a document,
arranged in folders. Each object and folder has a context-specific menu that you can access by right-clicking. You can
modify items at the folder level, with changes affecting all items in the folder, or you can access and edit items individually.
As well, most folder contents can also be accessed in a table, allowing you to easily manage large amounts of information.
For information on working with tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43.
In this section, the following are described:
1.2.1
"Working with the Explorer Window Tabs" on page 17

"Navigating in the Explorer Window" on page 18
"Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 18
"Working with Layers Using the Explorer" on page 18.
Working with the Explorer Window Tabs

The Explorer window has three tabs:
The Data tab: The Data tab allows you to manage radio data and calculations. Depending on the modules
installed with Atoll, the Data tab has the following folders:
-
The Geo tab: The Geo tab allows you to manage geographic data. The number of folders depends on the
number and types of geographical data types (vector data, scanned images, etc.) you import or create:
-
Sites
Antennas
Transmitters
Predictions
UMTS Parameters, CDMA2000 Parameters, GSM/GPRS Parameters, WiMAX 802.16d Parameters, WiMAX
802.16e Parameters, or LTE Parameters
UMTS Simulations, CDMA2000 Simulations , WiMAX 802.16d Simulations, WiMAX 802.16e simulations, or
LTE Simulations
Traffic analysis (GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects only)
Hexagonal design
Microwave links
CW Measurements and Drive test data
Clutter classes
Clutter heights
Digital Terrain Model
Population data
Any other geo data map
Traffic (GSM/GPRS/EDGE/TDMA, UMTS HSPA, CDMA2000)
The Modules tab: The Modules tab allows you to manage the propagation models and additional modules. It
contains:
-
A Propagation Models folder with the following propagation models:

-
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Longley-Rice
Okumura-Hata
Cost-Hata
Standard Propagation Model
ITU 526-5
ITU 370-7 (Vienna 93)
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Atoll User Manual

-
1.2.2
ITU 1546
WLL
Microwave Propagation Model
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI)
The AFP models available in your Atoll installation.

Any additional module created using the API.
Navigating in the Explorer Window

The Explorer window has three tabs; each tab has objects and folders containing objects.
To move from one tab to another:
Click the tab at the top of the Explorer window.
A folder on a tab can be opened to allow you to view its contents. Each folder containing at least one object has an Expand
( ) or Contract button ( ) to the left of its name.
To expand a folder to display its contents:
1.2.3
Click the Expand button (
) to the left of its name.
Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer

You can use the Explorer to display or hide objects on the map. This allows you to hide one type of object so that another
type of object is more plainly visible. For example, you could hide all predictions but one, so that the results of one prediction are more clearly displayed.
Note:
Hiding an object affects only its visibility in the map window; it will still be taken into
consideration during calculations.
To hide an object on the map:

1. Select the tab of the Explorer window that contains that object.
2. Clear the check box ( ) immediately to the left of the object name. The check box appears cleared (
object is no longer visible on the map.
Note:
1.2.4
) and the
You can hide the contents of an entire folder by clearing the check box to the left of the
folder name. When the check box of a folder appears greyed ( ), it indicates that the
folder contains both visible and hidden objects.
Working with Layers Using the Explorer

In Atoll, the map is made of objects arranged in layers. The layers on the top (as arranged on the Data and Geo tabs) are
the most visible on the screen and in print. The visibility of the lower layers depends on which layers are above and visible
(see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 18) and on the transparency of these layers
(see "Defining the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 25).
To move a layer up or down:
1. Select the tab of the Explorer window that contains that object.
2. Click and drag the object to its new position. As you drag the object, a horizontal black line indicates where the
object will remain when you release the mouse button (see Figure 1.2).
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Forsk 2010
Figure 1.2: Moving a layer

Note:
1.3
Before you print a map, you should pay attention to the arrangement of the layers. For
more information, see "Printing Recommendations" on page 55.
Working with Objects

In Atoll, the items found in the Explorer window and displayed on the map are referred to as objects. Most objects in Atoll
belong to an object type. For example, a transmitter is an object of the type transmitter.
Atoll enables you to carry out many operations on objects by clicking the object directly or by right-clicking the object and
selecting the operation from the context menu.
In this section, the following are explained:
1.3.1
"Using the Object Context Menu" on page 19

"Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map" on page 20
"Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
Using the Object Context Menu

In Atoll, an objects context menu gives you access to commands specific to that object as well as to commands that are
common to most objects. In this section, the following context menu commands common to all objects types are explained:
1.3.1.1
Rename: "Renaming an Object" on page 19.

Delete: "Deleting an Object" on page 19.
Properties: "Displaying the Properties of an Object" on page 20.
Renaming an Object
You can change the name of an object in Atoll.
To rename an object:
1. Right-click the object either in the Explorer window or on the map. The context menu appears.
2. Select Rename from the context menu.
3. Enter the new name and press ENTER to change the name.
Note:
1.3.1.2
In Atoll, objects such as sites or transmitters are named with default prefixes. Individual
objects are distinguished from each other by the number added automatically to the
default prefix. You can change the default prefix for sites, transmitters, and cells by editing
the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Deleting an Object
You can delete objects from either the Explorer window or from the map.
To delete an object:
2. Select Delete from the context menu. The selected object is deleted.
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Atoll User Manual
1.3.1.3
Displaying the Properties of an Object

You can modify the properties of an object in the Properties dialogue.
To open the Properties dialogue of a data object:
Tip:
When you are selecting data objects on the map, it can be difficult to ensure that the
correct object has been selected. When a site is selected, the site (and its name) is
surrounded by a black frame (
). When a transmitter is selected, both ends of its icon
have a green point (
). When there is more than one transmitter with with the same
azimuth, clicking the transmitters in the map window opens a context menu allowing you
to select the transmitter you want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on
page 21).
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
Switching Between Property Dialogues

You can switch between the Properties dialogues of items (transmitters, antennas, sites, services, user profiles, etc.) in
the same folder or subfolder in the Explorer window by using the browse buttons (
corner of each Properties dialogue:
: jump to the first item in the list
: jump to the previous item in the list
: jump to the next item in the list
: jump to the last item in the list
) in the lower-left
If you have made any changes to the properties of an item, Atoll prompts you to confirm these changes before switching
to the next Properties dialogue.
You can use this feature, for example, to access the properties of co-site transmitters without closing and reopening the
Properties dialogue. Switching is performed within the lowest subfolder in the hierarchy. For example:
If transmitters are grouped by site, you can switch only within one site (co-site transmitters).
If transmitters are grouped by a flag, you can switch only within this group.
If transmitters are grouped by activity and by a flag, you can switch only within transmitters having the same activity
and the same flag.
The browse buttons are not available:
When creating a new item.

When opening the an items Properties dialogue by double-clicking its record in a table.
For repeater properties.
For propagation model properties.
The Display tab of the Properties dialogue is explained in the following section.
1.3.2
Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map

In a complex radio-planning project, it can be difficult to find the data object in the Data tab, although it might be visible in
the map window. Atoll lets you access the Properties dialogue of sitesand transmitters directly from the map. You can
also change the position of a site by dragging it, or by letting Atoll find a higher location for it.
20
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 21

"Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 21
"Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 21
"Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse" on page 21
"Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse" on page 22.
Forsk 2010
1.3.2.1
Selecting One of Several Transmitters

If there is more than one transmitter with the same azimuth, Atoll enables you to select a specific transmitter.
To select one of several transmitter with the same azimuth:
1. In the map window, click the transmitters. A context menu appears with a list of the transmitterswith the same
azimuth (see Figure 1.3).
Figure 1.3: Selecting one transmitter

2. Select the transmitter from the context menu.
-
1.3.2.2
When you select a transmitter, it appears with a green point at both ends of the icon (
).
Moving a Site Using the Mouse

You can move a site by editing the coordinates on the General tab of the Site Properties dialogue, or by using the mouse.
To move a site using the mouse:
1. Click and drag the site to the desired position. As you drag the site, the exact coordinates of the pointers current
location are visible in the Status bar.
2. Release the site where you would like to place it. By default, Atoll locks the position of a site. When the position
of a site is locked, Atoll asks you to confirm that you want to move the site.
3. Click Yes to confirm.
Tip:
1.3.2.3
While this method allows you to place a site quickly, you can adjust the location more
precisely by editing the coordinates on the General tab of the Site Properties dialogue.
Moving a Site to a Higher Location

If you want to improve the location of a site, in terms of reception and transmission, Atoll can find a higher location within
a specified radius from the current location of the site.
To have Atoll move a site to a higher location:
1. Right-click the site in the map window. The context menu appears.
2. Select Move to a Higher Location.
3. In the Move to a Higher Location dialogue, enter the radius of the area in which Atoll should search and click
OK. Atoll moves the site to the highest point within the specified radius.
1.3.2.4
Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse

In Atoll, you can set the azimuth of a transmitters antenna by modifying it on the Transmitter tab of the Transmitter Properties dialogue, or you can modify it on the map, using the mouse. The azimuth is defined in degrees, with 0 indicating
north.
The precision of the change to the azimuth depends on the distance of the pointer from the transmitter symbol. Moving
the pointer changes the azimuth by:
1 degree when the pointer is within a distance of 10 times the size of the transmitter symbol.
0.1 degree when the pointer is moved outside this area.
To modify the azimuth of the antenna using the mouse:

1. On the map, click the antenna whose azimuth you want to modify.
2. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green circle ( ). An arc
with an arrow appears under the pointer.
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Atoll User Manual

3. Click the green circle and drag it to change the antennas azimuth.
The current azimuth of the antenna is displayed in the far left of the status
bar.
4. Release the mouse when you have set the azimuth to the desired angle.
The antennas azimuth is modified on the Transmitter tab of the Transmitter
Properties dialogue.
You can also modify the azimuth on the map for all the antennas on a base station using the mouse.
To modify the azimuth of all the antennas on a base station using the mouse:
1. On the map, click one of the antennas whose azimuth you want to modify.
2. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green circle ( ). An arc
with an arrow appears under the pointer.
3. Hold CTRL and, on the map, click the green circle and drag it to change the
antennas azimuth.
The current azimuth of the antenna is displayed in the far left of the status
bar.
4. Release the mouse when you have set the azimuth of the selected antenna
to the desired angle.
The azimuth of the selected antenna is modified on the Transmitter tab of the
Transmitter Properties dialogue. The azimuth of the other antennas on the
base station is offset by the same amount as the azimuth of the selected
antenna.
Note:
If you make a mistake when changing the azimuth, you can undo your changes by using
Undo (by selecting Edit > Undo, by pressing CTRL+Z, or by clicking
in the toolbar)
to undo the changes made.
1.3.2.5
Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse
By default, antennas are placed on the site. However, antennas are occasionally not located directly on the site, but a short
distance away. In Atoll, you can change the position of the antenna relative to the site either by adjusting the Dx and Dy
parameters or by entering the coordinates of the antenna position on the General Tab of the Transmitter Property
dialogue. Dx and Dy are the distance in metres of the antenna from the site position. You can also modify the position of
the antenna on the map, using the mouse.
To move a transmitter using the mouse:
1. On the map, click the transmitter you want to move.
2. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green rectangle ( ). A
cross appears under the pointer.
3. Click the green rectangle and drag it to change the antennas position relative
to the site.
The current coordinates (x and y) of the antenna are displayed in the far right
of the status bar.
4. Release the mouse when you have moved the selected transmitter to the
desired position.
The position of the selected transmitter is modified on the General tab of the
Transmitter Properties dialogue.
Note:
If you make a mistake when changing the position of the transmitter, you can undo your
changes by using Undo (by selecting Edit > Undo, by pressing CTRL+Z, or by clicking
in the toolbar) to undo the changes made.
1.3.3
Display Properties of Objects

In Atoll, most objects, such as sites or transmitters, belong to an object type. How an individual object appears on the map
depends on the settings on the Display tab of the object types Properties dialogue. The Display tab is similar for all object
types whose appearance can be configured. Options that are inapplicable for a particular object type are unavailable on
the Display tab of its Properties dialogue (see Figure 1.4).
In this section, the display options are explained, followed by a few examples of how you can use them while working on
your Atoll document (see "Examples of Using the Display Properties of Objects" on page 27).
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Forsk 2010
1.3.3.1
Defining the Display Properties of Objects
Figure 1.4: The Display tab for Sites

When you access the Properties dialogue of an individual object, the Display tab will only show the options applicable to
an individual object (see Figure 1.5).
Figure 1.5: The Display tab for an individual site

To define the display properties of an object type:
1. Right-click the object type folder in the Explorer window. The context menu appears.
3. Select the Display tab. Depending on the object type, the following options are available:
-
"Defining the Display Type" on page 23

"Defining the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 25
"Defining the Visibility Scale" on page 25
"Defining the Object Type Label" on page 25
"Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 26
"Adding an Object Type to the Legend" on page 26
4. Set the display parameters.

5. Click OK.
Defining the Display Type

Depending on the object selected, you can choose from the following display types: unique, discrete values, value intervals, or automatic.
To change the display type:
1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialogue as explained in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
2. Select the display type from the Display Type list:
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-
Unique: defines the same symbol for all objects of this type. By defining a unique symbol for an object type,
objects of different types, for example, sites or transmitters, are immediately identifiable.
i.
To modify the appearance of the symbol, click the symbol in the table below. The Symbol Style dialogue
appears.
ii. Modify the symbol as desired.

iii. Click OK to close the Symbol Style dialogue.
-
Discrete values: defines the display of each object according to the value of a selected field. This display type
can be used to distinguish objects of the same type by one characteristic. For example, you could use this
display type to distinguish transmitter by antenna type, or to distinguish inactive from active sites.
i.
Select the name of the Field by which you want to display the objects.
ii. You can click the Actions button to access the Actions menu. For information on the commands available, see "Using the Actions Button" on page 24.
iii. To modify the appearance of a symbol, click the symbol in the table below. The Symbol Style dialogue
appears.
iv. Modify the symbol as desired.
v. Click OK to close the Symbol Style dialogue.
-
Value intervals: defines the display of each object according to set ranges of the value of a selected field.
This display type can be used, for example, to distinguish population density, signal strength, or the altitude
of sites.
i.
Select the name of the Field by which you want to display the objects.
ii. Define the ranges directly in the table below. For an example, see Figure 1.7 on page 26.
iii. You can click the Actions button to access the Actions menu. For information on the commands available, see "Using the Actions Button" on page 24.
iv. To modify the appearance of a symbol, click the symbol in the table. The Symbol Style dialogue appears.
v. Modify the symbol as desired.
vi. Click OK to close the Symbol Style dialogue.
-
Automatic: only available for transmitters; Atoll automatically assigns a colour to each transmitter, ensuring
that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding it.
i.
Click the symbol in the table below. The Symbol Style dialogue appears.
ii. Modify the symbol as desired.

iii. Click OK to close the Symbol Style dialogue.
Notes:
When you create a new map object, for example, a new site or a new transmitter, you must
click the Refresh button (
) for Atoll to assign a colour to newly created object according to
the set display type.
You can define the default symbol used for sites and how it is displayed by editing an option in
the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Using the Actions Button

The Actions button on the Display tab of the Properties dialogue allows you to modify the display type as defined in
"Defining the Display Type" on page 23.
To access the Actions menu:
2. Click the Actions button. The Actions menu gives you access to the following commands:
-
Select all: Atoll selects all the values in the table.

Delete: Atoll removes selected value from the table.
Insert before: When the selected display type is value intervals, Atoll inserts a new threshold in the table
before the threshold selected in the table.
Insert after: When the selected display type is value intervals, Atoll inserts a new threshold in the table after
the threshold selected in the table.
Properties: Atoll opens the Display dialogue where you may change the colour and style.
Shading: Atoll opens the Shading dialogue. When "Value Intervals" is the selected display type, you select
Shading to define the number of value intervals and configure their colour. Enter the upper and lower limits
of the value in the First Break and Last Break boxes respectively, and enter a value in the Interval box.
Define the colour shading by choosing a Start Colour and an End Colour. The value intervals will be determined by the set values and coloured by a shade going from the set start colour to the set end colour.
When "Discrete Values" is the selected display type, you select Shading to choose a Start Colour and an
End Colour.
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-
Configuration: Select Import if you want to import an existing display configuration. Select Export if you want
to export the display settings of the current object to a configuration file, so that you can share them with other
users or use them in other documents.
Defining the Transparency of Objects and Object Types

You can change the transparency of some objects, such as predictions, and some object types, such as clutter classes,
to allow objects on lower layers to be visible on the map.
To change the transparency:
2. Move the Transparency slider to the right to make the object or object type more transparent or to the left to make
it less transparent.
Defining the Visibility Scale

You can define a visibility range for object types. An object is visible only if the scale, as displayed on the Map toolbar, is
within this range. This can be used to, for example, prevent the map from being cluttered with symbols when you are at a
certain scale.
Visibility ranges are taken into account for screen display, and for printing and previewing printing. They do not affect which
objects are considered during calculations.
To define an object visibility range:
2. Enter a Visibility Scale minimum in the between 1: text box.
3. Enter a Visibility Scale maximum in the and 1: text box.
Defining the Object Type Label

For most object types, such as sites and transmitters, you can display information about each object in the form of a label
that is displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object types data table, including from
fields that you add.
To define a label for an object type:
2. Click the Browse button (
) beside the Label box. The Field Selection dialogue appears (see Figure 1.6).
Figure 1.6: Defining a label

3. Select the fields which you want to display in the label:
a. To select a field to be displayed in the label for the object type, select the field in the Available Fields list and
click
to move it to the Selected Fields list.
b. To remove a field from the list of Group these fields in this order, select the field in the Selected Fields list
and click
to remove it.
c. To change the order of the fields, select a field and click

or
to move it up or down in the list. The objects
will be grouped in the order of the fields in the Selected Fields list, from top to bottom.
4. Click OK to close the Field Selection dialogue and click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
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Note:
For most object types, you can also display object information in the form of a tool tip that
is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. This option has the advantage
of not filling the map window with text. For more information on tool tips, see "Defining the
Object Type Tip Text" on page 26.
Defining the Object Type Tip Text

For most object types, such as sites and transmitters, you can display information about each object in the form of a tool
tip that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can display information from every field in that object
types data table, including from fields that you add.
In the Explorer window, the tool tip displays the total numbers of elements present in the Sites and Transmitters folders,
and their subfolders.
To define tip text for an object type:
) beside the Tip Text box. The Field Selection dialogue appears (see Figure 1.6).
3. Select the fields which you want to display in the tool tip:
a. To select a field to be displayed in the tool tip for the object type, select the field in the Available Fields list
and click
to move it to the Selected Fields list.
b. To remove a field from the list of Group these fields in this order, select the field in the Selected Fields list
and click
Note:
to remove it.
For most object types, you can also display object information in the form of a label that is
displayed with the object. This option has the advantage of keep object-related
information permanently visible. For more information on tool tips, see "Defining the
Object Type Label" on page 25.
Once you have defined the tool tips, you must activate the tool tip function before they appear.
To activate the tool tip function:
Click the Display Tips button (
) on the toolbar. Tool tips will now appear when the pointer is over the object.
If you have more than one coverage prediction displayed on the map, the tool tips display the tip text for all the coverage
predictions available on a pixel up to a maximum of 30 lines. You can change this default maximum using an option in the
atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Adding an Object Type to the Legend

You can display the information defined by the display type (see "Defining the Display Type" on page 23) in your Atoll
documents legend. Only visible objects appear in the Legend window. For information on displaying or hiding objects,
see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 18.
In Figure 1.7, on the Display tab of a signal level prediction, the intervals defined are:
Signal level >= -65

red
-65 > Signal level >= -105 shading from red to blue (9 intervals)
Signal level < -105
not shown in the coverage.
The entries in the Legend column will appear in the Legend window.
Figure 1.7: Defined thresholds as they will appear in the Legend

With value intervals, you can enter information in the Legend column to be displayed on the legend. If there is no information entered in this column, the maximum and minimum values are displayed instead.
2. Check the Add to legend box. The defined display will appear on the legend.
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To display the Legend window:
Select View > Legend. The Legend window appears.
You can also display the comments defined in the properties of a coverage prediction in the Legend window by setting an
option in the atoll.ini file. For more information about setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
1.3.3.2
Examples of Using the Display Properties of Objects

In this section are the following examples of how display properties of objects can be used:
"Automatic Display Type - Server Coverage Studies" on page 27

"Shading - Signal Level Study" on page 27.
Automatic Display Type - Server Coverage Studies

When doing a best server prediction, Atoll calculates, for each pixel on the map, which server is best received. If the
selected display type for transmitters is "Automatic," Atoll colours each pixel on the map according to the colour of the
transmitter that is best received on that pixel. This way, you can identify immediately which transmitter is best received on
each pixel. The following two figures show the results of the same best server area and handover margin study.
In Figure 1.8, the transmitter display type is "Discrete Values," with the site name as the chosen value. The difference in
colour is insufficient to make clear which transmitter is best received on each pixel. In Figure 1.9, the transmitter display
type is "Automatic." Because Atoll ensures that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding
it, the study results are also immediately visible.
Figure 1.8: Value interval display type
Figure 1.9: Automatic display type
To display the results of a server coverage study with the transmitters set to the Automatic display type:
1. Right-click the Transmitters folder in the Explorer window. The context menu appears.
3. Select the Display tab.
4. Select "Automatic" as the Display Type.
5. Click OK.
6. Click the Refresh button (
) to update the display of the study results.
Shading - Signal Level Study

Atoll displays the results of a signal level study as value intervals. On the map, these value intervals appear as differences
of shading. You can use the Shading command to define the appearance of these value intervals to make the results
easier to read or more relevant to your needs. For example, you can change the range of data displayed, the interval
between each break, or you can change the colours to make the intervals more visible.
In this example, Figure 1.10 shows the results of the best signal level plot from -60 dBm to -105 dBm. However, if you are
more interested in reception from -80 dBm to -105 dBm, you can change the shading to display only those values. The
result is visible in Figure 1.11.
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Figure 1.10: Shading from -60 dBm to -105 dBm
Figure 1.11: Shading from -80 dBm to -105 dBm
To change how the results of a signal level study are displayed:

1. Expand the Predictions folder in the Explorer window and right-click the signal level study. The context menu
appears.
4. Click Actions to display the menu and select Shading. The Shading dialogue appears.
5. Change the value of the First Break to "-80". Leave the value of the Last Break at "-105."
6. Click OK to close the Shading dialogue.
7. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue and apply your changes.
1.4
Working with Maps

Atoll has the following functions to help you work with maps:
1.4.1
"Changing the Map Scale" on page 28

"Moving the Map in the Document Window" on page 29
"Using the Panoramic Window" on page 29
"Centring the Map Window on an Object" on page 30
"Measuring Distances on the Map" on page 30
"Displaying Rulers Around the Map" on page 30
"Displaying the Map Legend" on page 31
"Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 31
"Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 36
"Saving a Map as a Graphic Image" on page 41
"Copying a Map to Another Application" on page 42.
"Map Window Pointers" on page 42.
Changing the Map Scale

You can change the scale of the map by zooming in or out, by zooming in on a specific area of the map, or by choosing a
scale.
Atoll also allows you to define a zoom range outside of which certain objects are not displayed (see "Defining the Visibility
Scale" on page 25).
1.4.1.1
Zooming In and Out

Atoll offers several tools for zooming in and out on the map. When you zoom in or out on the map, you do so based on
the position of the cursor on the map.
To zoom in on the map:
1. Click the Zoom icon (
) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL+Q).
2. Click the map where you want to zoom in.

Note:
28
You can also zoom in by pressing CTRL++, by selecting Zoom In from the View menu, or
by holding down the CTRL key and rotating the mouse wheel button forward.
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To zoom out on the map:
1. Click the Zoom icon (
) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL+Q).
2. Right-click the map where you want to zoom out.

Note:
1.4.1.2
You can also zoom out by pressing CTRL+, by selecting Zoom Out from the View
menu, or holding down the CTRL key and rotating the mouse wheel button backward.
Zooming In on a Specific Area

To zoom in on a specific area of the map:
1. Click the Zoom Area icon (
) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL+W).
2. Click in the map on one of the four corners of the area you want to select.
3. Drag to the opposite corner. When you release the mouse button, Atoll zooms in on the selected area.
1.4.1.3
Choosing a Scale
To choose a scale:
1. Click the arrow next to the scale box (
) on the Map toolbar.
2. Select the scale from the list.

If the scale value you want is not in the list:
1. Click in the scale box (
) on the Map toolbar.
2. Enter the desired scale.

3. Press ENTER. Atoll zooms the map to the entered scale.
1.4.1.4
Changing Between Previous Zoom Levels

Atoll saves the last five zoom levels, allowing you to move quickly between previous zoom levels and zoomed areas.
To move between zoom levels:
Click the Previous Zoom button (
Once you have returned to a previous zoom level, click the Next Zoom button (
level (or press ALT +
1.4.2
) to return to a zoom level you have already used (or press ALT +
).
).
) to return to the latest zoom
Moving the Map in the Document Window

You can move the map in the document window using the mouse.
To move the map in the document window:
1. Click the Move Map Window button (
) on the Map toolbar (or press CTRL + D).
2. Move the pointer over the map and drag the map in the desired direction.
1.4.3
Using the Panoramic Window

The Panoramic window displays the entire map with all of the imported geographic data. A dark rectangle indicates what
part of the geographic data is presently displayed in a document window, helping you situate the displayed area in relation
to the entire map.
You can use the Panoramic window to:
Zoom in on a specific area of the map

Resize the displayed map area
Move around the map.
To zoom in on a specific area of the map:

1. Click in the Panoramic window on one of the four corners of the area you want to zoom in on.
2. Drag to the opposite corner. When you release the mouse button, Atoll zooms in on the selected area.
To resize the displayed map area:
1. Click in the Panoramic window on a corner or border of the zoom area (i.e., the dark rectangle).
2. Drag the border to its new position.
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To move around the map:
1. Click in the Panoramic window in the zoom area (i.e., the dark rectangle).
2. Drag the rectangle to its new position.
1.4.4
Centring the Map Window on an Object

You can centre the map on any selected object, for example, a transmitter, a site, or on any zone in the Zones folder on
the Geo tab of the Explorer window. When centring the map window on an object the current scale is kept.
You can select the object in the map window or in the Explorer window.
To the map window on a selected object:
1. Right-click the object in the map window or in the Explorer window.
2. Select Centre in the Map Window from the context menu.
Tip:
1.4.5
If you want to quickly find an object, such as a site, on the map, you can select it in the
Explorer window and then select the Centre in the Map Window command.
Measuring Distances on the Map

You can measure distances on the map by using the Distance Measurement tool. The Distance Measurement tool also
gives you the azimuth of a straight line between two points. You can also use the Distance Measurement tool to measure
distance along a line with several points. Atoll will then give you the distance between each point (as you measure), the
azimuth of each segment between two points, and the total distance.
To measure a distance on the map between two points:
1. Click the Distance Measurement button (
) on the toolbar.
2. Click the first point on the map once.

As you move the pointer away from the first point, Atoll marks the initial position and connects it to the pointer with
a line.
3. Place the pointer over the second point on the map. The status bar displays the following (see Figure 1.12):
-
The distance between the two points

The azimuth between the two points.
To measure the total distance on the map on a line over a series of points:
1. Click the Distance Measurement button (
) on the toolbar.
2. Click the first point on the map once.

As you move the pointer away from the first point, Atoll marks the initial position and connects it to the pointer with
a line.
3. Click once on the map at each point on the line between the first point and the final point, where you will have to
change direction on the line.
4. When you reach the last point on the line, the status bar displays the following (see Figure 1.12):
-
The total distance between the first point and the last point
The distance between the second-last point and the last point
The azimuth between the last two points.
Total distance between

Azimuth between secondfirst and last point
last and last point
Distance between secondlast and last point
Figure 1.12: Measurement data in the status bar
1.4.6
Displaying Rulers Around the Map

You can display rulers around the map in the document window.
To display rulers:
1. Select Tools > Options.
2. In the Options dialogue, click the Coordinates tab.
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3. Under Display rulers, select where you want the rulers to be displayed in the map window.
4. Click OK.
1.4.7
Displaying the Map Legend

You can display a map legend. The legend will contain the information on the object types that you have added to it. For
information on adding object types to the legend, see "Adding an Object Type to the Legend" on page 26.
To display the legend:
1.4.8
Select View > Legend.
Using Zones in the Map Window

On the Geo tab of the Explorer window, Atoll provides you with a set of tools known as zones. The zones are a type of
polygons, which can be created and modified in the same way as contours, lines, or points. Zones can be used to define
areas of the map for the following purposes:
Filtering Zone: The filtering zone is a graphical filter that restricts the objects displayed on the map and on the
Data tab of the Explorer window to the objects inside the filtering zone. It also restricts which objects are used in
calculations such as coverage predictions, etc.
Computation Zone: The computation zone is used to define which base stations are to be taken into consideration in calculations and the area where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage studies, etc.
Focus Zone and Hot Spot Zones: With the focus zone and hot spot zones, you can select the areas of coverage
predictions or other calculations on which you want to generate reports and results.
Printing Zone: The printing zone allows you to define the area to be printed.
Geographic Export Zone: The geographic export zone is used to define part of the map to be exported as a
bitmap.
Important: Zones are taken into account whether or not they are visible. In other words, if you have
drawn a zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the
Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window is selected.
For example, if you have filtered the sites using a filtering zone, the sites outside the
filtering zone will not be taken into consideration in coverage predictions, even if you have
cleared the filtering zones visibility check box. You will have to delete the zone if you no
longer want to select sites using a filtering zone.
1.4.8.1
"Using a Filtering Zone" on page 31

"Using a Computation Zone" on page 32
"Using a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones" on page 33
"Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 34
"Using a Printing Zone" on page 35
"Using a Geographic Export Zone" on page 36.
Using a Filtering Zone

The filtering zone is a graphical filter that restricts the objects displayed on the map and on the Data tab of the Explorer
window to the objects inside the filtering zone. It also restricts which objects are used in calculations such as coverage
predictions, etc. By limiting the number of sites, you can reduce the time and cost of calculations and make visualisation
of data objects on the map clearer.
The filtering zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible. In other words, if you have drawn a zone, it will be taken
into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window is selected.
You will have to delete the zone if you no longer want to select sites using a filtering zone.
1.4.8.1.1
Creating a Filtering Zone

To create a filtering zone:
1. Click the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Click the Expand button (
) to the left of Zones folder to expand the folder.
3. Right-click the Filtering Zone folder.

4. Select Draw from the context menu.
5. Draw the filtering zone:
a. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone.
b. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction.
c. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone.
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The filtering zone is delimited by a blue line. The data objects outside of the selected zone are filtered out. On the
Data tab of the Explorer window, any folder whose content is affected by the filtering zone appears with a special
icon (
), to indicate that the folder contents have been filtered.
You can also create a filtering zone as follows:
Vector Edition toolbar: You can use the New Polygon (

) and New Rectangle ( ) buttons available in the
Vector Edition toolbar to draw the filtering zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a filtering zone by right-clicking it and
selecting Use as > Filtering Zone from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative area, you can import it and use it as a filtering zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Filtering Zone
folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit to Map Window: You can create a filtering zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map Window
from the context menu.
Once you have created a filtering zone, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information on the
polygon editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 34.
Note:
1.4.8.2
You can export the filtering zone as a polygon, so that you can use it in a different Atoll
document, by right-clicking the Filtering Zone folder on the Data tab of the Explorer
window and selecting Export from the context menu.
Using a Computation Zone

The computation zone is used to define the area where Atoll carries out calculations. When you create a computation
zone, Atoll carries out the calculation for all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the current filter
parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing the computation zone. Therefore, it takes into
consideration base stations inside and base stations outside the computation zone if they have an influence on the computation zone. In addition, the computation zone defines the area within which the coverage prediction results will be
displayed.
When working with a large network, the computation zone allows you to restrict your studies to the part of the network you
are currently working on. By allowing you to reduce the number of base stations studied, Atoll reduces both the time and
computer resources necessary for calculations. As well, by taking into consideration base stations within the computation
zone and base stations outside the computation zone but which have an influence on the computation zone, Atoll gives
you realistic results for base stations that are close to the border of the computation zone.
If there is no computation zone defined, Atoll makes its calculations on all base stations that are active and filtered and
for the entire extent of the geographical data available.
The computation zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible. In other words, if you have drawn a computation
zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer
window is selected. You will have to delete the computation zone if you no longer want to define an area for calculations.
1.4.8.2.1
Creating a Computation Zone

To create a computation zone:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
) to expand the Zones folder.
3. Right-click the Computation Zone folder. The context menu appears.

5. Draw the computation zone:
The computation zone is delimited by a red line.
You can also create a computation zone as follows:

Vector Edition toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and
selecting Use as > Computation Zone from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computation Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map
Window from the context menu.
Once you have created a computation zone, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information on
the polygon editing tools, see"Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 34.
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Note:
You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document,
in the following ways:
-
1.4.8.3
Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on exporting the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 69.
Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by rightclicking the Computation Zone folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window and
selecting Export from the context menu.
Using a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones

Using the focus zone and hot spot zones, you can define an area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports
are made. While you can only have one focus zone, you can define several hot spot zones in addition to the focus zone.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus and hot spot zones. The computation zone defines the
area where Atoll computes path loss matrices, coverage studies, etc., while the focus and hot spot zones are the areas
taken into consideration when generating reports and results.
Atoll bases the statistics on the area covered by the focus zone; if no focus zone is defined, Atoll will use the computation
zone. However, by using a focus zone for the report, you can display the statistics for a specific number of sites, instead
of displaying statistics for every site that has been calculated.
Atoll takes the focus zone and hot spot zones taken into account whether or not they are visible. In other words, if you
have drawn a focus zone or hot spot zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones
folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window is selected. You will have to delete the zone if you no longer want to define
an area for reports.
Note:
1.4.8.3.1
A focus zone can consist of more than one polygon. The polygons of a focus zone must not
intersect or overlap each other.
Drawing a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones

To define a focus zone or hot spot zone:
3. Right-click the Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder, depending on whether you want to create a focus zone or
a hot spot. The context menu appears.
5. Draw the focus or hot spot zone:
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot zone is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zones
visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but
will still be taken into account.
You can also create a focus or hot spot zone in one of the following ways:

Vector Edition toolbar to draw the focus or hot spot zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus or hot spot zone by right-clicking it
and selecting Use as > Focus Zone or Use as > New Hot Spot from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative area, you can import it and use it as a focus or hot spot zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus
Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot
spot zones, you can import the name (in text format) given to each zone as well. Additionally, because you can
have several hot spot zones, you can import more than one polygon into the Hot Spot folder, with each as a separate hot spot zone.
Fit to Map Window: You can create a focus or hot spot zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map
Note:
You can save the focus zone or hot spot zones, so that you can use it in a different Atoll
document, in the following ways:
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Saving the focus zone in the user configuration: For information on exporting the
focus zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 69.
Exporting the focus zone or hot spot zones: You can export the focus zone or hot
spot zones by right-clicking the Focus Zone or the Hot Spot Zones folder on the Data
tab of the Explorer window and selecting Export from the context menu.
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1.4.8.4
Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools

Atoll provides you with several different ways of editing the computation zone, focus zone, hot spot zones, and filtering
zones. You can edit these zones by editing the points that define them, by combining several polygons, or by deleting parts
of the polygons that make up these zones. When you no longer need the zone, you can delete it from the map.
The computation, focus and hot spot zone polygons can contain holes. The holes within polygonal areas are differentiated
from overlaying polygons by the order of the coordinates of their vertices. The coordinates of the vertices of polygonal
areas are in clockwise order, whereas the coordinates of the vertices of holes within polygonal areas are in counter-clockwise order.
1.4.8.4.1
"Editing Polygon Zones" on page 34

"Removing a Polygon Zone" on page 35.
Editing Polygon Zones

You can edit polygon zones in several ways. Before you can edit a polygon zone, you must first put it in editing mode.
To put the polygon zone in editing mode:
3. Right-click the folder containing the polygon zone you want to edit.
4. Select Edit from the context menu. The vector tools on the Vector Edition toolbar are activated.
Tip:
You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the polygon zone to edit from the
Vector Edition toolbar list.
You can now edit the polygon zone as explained in the following sections:
"Editing the Points of a Polygon Zone" on page 34

"Editing Polygon Zones Using the Toolbar" on page 34
"Editing Polygon Zones Using the Context Menu" on page 35.
Editing the Points of a Polygon Zone

To edit a point of a polygon zone:
1. Put the polygon zone in editing mode as explained in "Editing Polygon Zones" on page 34.
2. Select the polygon zone. You can now edit it by:
-
Moving a point:
i.
Position the pointer over the point you want to move. The pointer changes (
).
ii. Drag the point to its new position.

-
Adding a point to the polygon zone:

i.
Position the pointer over the polygon zone border where you want to add a point. The pointer changes
(
).
ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the polygon zone border at
the position of the pointer.
-
Deleting a point from a polygon zone:

i.
Position the pointer over the point you want to delete. The pointer changes (
).
ii. Right-click and select Delete Point from the context menu. The point is deleted.
Editing Polygon Zones Using the Toolbar

In Atoll, you can create complex polygon zones by using the tools on the Vector Edition toolbar. The filtering, computation, and focus zone polygons can contain holes. The holes within polygonal areas are differentiated from overlaying polygons by the order of the coordinates of their vertices. The coordinates of the vertices of polygonal areas are in clockwise
order, whereas the coordinates of the vertices of holes within polygonal areas are in counter-clockwise order.
To edit a polygon zone using the icons on the Vector Edition toolbar:
1. Put the polygon zone in editing mode as explained in "Editing Polygon Zones" on page 34.
2. Click the contour to edit. The Vector Edition toolbar has the following buttons:
-
: To combine several polygon zones:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Combine button (
).
ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the new polygon zone.
iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon zone.
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Forsk 2010

iv. Double-click to close the polygon zone.
v. Draw more polygon zones if desired. Atoll creates a group of polygons of the selected and new contours.
If polygon zones overlap, Atoll merges them.
-
: To delete part of the selected polygon zone:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Delete button (
).
ii. Draw the area you want to delete from the selected polygon zone by clicking once on the map where you
want to begin drawing the area to delete.
iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the area.
iv. Double-click to close the area. Atoll deletes the area from the selected contour.
-
: To create a polygon out of the overlapping area of two polygons:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Intersection button (
).
ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the polygon that will overlap the selected one.
iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon.
iv. Double-click to close the polygon. Atoll creates a new polygon of the overlapping area of the two polygons
and deletes the parts of the polygons that do not overlap.
-
: To split the selected polygon into several polygons:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Split button (
).
ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the polygon that will split the selected one.
iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon.
iv. Double-click to close the polygon. Atoll separates the area covered by the polygon from the selected polygon and creates a new polygon.
Editing Polygon Zones Using the Context Menu

When you are editing polygon zones, you can access certain commands using the context menu.
To edit a polygon zone using the context menu:
1. Click the polygon zone you want to edit.
2. Right-click the polygon zone to display the context menu and select one of the following:
-
Properties: Select Properties to open the Properties dialogue of the selected polygon zone. The Properties
dialogue gives the coordinates of each point that defines the position and shape of the polygon zone.
Insert Point: Select Insert Point to add a point to the border of the contour at the position of the pointer.
Move:
i.
Select Move from the context menu to move the contour, line, or point on the map.
ii. Move the contour, line, or point.

iii. Click to place the contour, line, or point.
1.4.8.4.2
Quit edition: Select Quit Edition to exit editing mode.
Delete: Select Delete to remove the selected contour, line, or point from the map.
Removing a Polygon Zone

When you no longer need a polygon zone, you can remove the zone and redisplay all data objects.
To remove a polygon zone:
3. Right-click the folder containing the zone you want to remove.

4. From the context menu, select Delete Zone. The polygon zone is removed and all document data are now displayed.
Tip:
1.4.8.5
You can also delete it by right-clicking its border on the map and selecting Delete from
the context menu.
Using a Printing Zone

The printing zone allows you to define the area to be printed. For information on using the printing zone, see "Defining the
Printing Zone" on page 55.
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1.4.8.6
Using a Geographic Export Zone

If you want to export part of the map as a bitmap, you can define a geographic export zone. After you have defined a
geographic export zone, Atoll offers you the option of exporting only the area covered by the zone if you export the map
as a raster image.
To define a geographic export zone:
3. Right-click the Geographic Export Zone folder. The context menu appears.
5. Draw the geographic export zone:
a. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the geographic export zone.
b. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the geographic export zone. When you release the
mouse, the geographic export zone will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
The geographic export zone is delimited by a light purple line . If you clear the geographic export zones visibility
check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but will still be
taken into account.
You can also create a geographic export zone as follows:

Vector Edition toolbar to draw the geogaphic export zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a geographic export zone by right-clicking it
and selecting Use as > Geographic Export Zone from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, you can import it and use it as a geographic
export zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Geographic Export Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting
Import from the context menu.
Fit to Map Window: You can create a geographic export zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map
Once you have created a geographic export zone, you can use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information
on the polygon editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 34.
Note:
You can export the geographic export zone as a polygon, so that you can use it in a
different Atoll document, by right-clicking the Geographic Export Zone folder on the
Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting Export from the context menu.
Important: The geographic export zone can only export in raster format. You can not export in raster
format if the coverage prediction was made per transmitter (for example, coverage
predictions with the display type set by transmitter, by a transmitter attribute, by signal
level, by path loss, or by total losses). Only the coverage area of a single transmitter can
be exported in raster format.
1.4.9
Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points

Atoll uses different types of polygons, lines, and points in the map window. For example, the zones such as the computation, focus and hot spot zone, described in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 31, are specific types of polygons.
Another type of polygon, called contours, can along with lines and points, be used to add additional information to
geographic data.
Atoll provides you with several different ways of editing the polygons, lines, and points. You can move or delete the points
that define polygons, lines, and points. You can edit polygons by editing the points that define them, by combining several
polygons, or by deleting parts of the polygons.
Polygons, including the computation, focus and hot spot zone polygons can contain holes. The holes within polygonal
areas are differentiated from overlaying polygons by the order of the coordinates of their vertices. The coordinates of the
vertices of polygonal areas are in clockwise order, whereas the coordinates of the vertices of holes within polygonal areas
are in counter-clockwise order.
When you no longer need the polygon, line, or point, you can delete it from the map.
In this section, the different ways of editing polygons, lines, and points are explained:
36
"Adding a Vector Layer" on page 37

"Creating Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 37
"Editing the Shape of Polygons and Lines" on page 37
"Combining or Cropping Polygons Using the Toolbar" on page 38
"Editing a Point" on page 39
"Editing Contours, Lines, and Points Using the Context Menu" on page 39.
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1.4.9.1
Adding a Vector Layer

You can add vector objects such as polygons, lines or points to geographical map information in a project by first creating
a vector layer. You can also modify certain geographic data maps, for example, population maps, and custom data, by
adding a vector layer to them and afterwards adding polygons, lines and points. For information on modifying certain
geographic data maps by adding a vector layer, see "Editing Population or Custom Data Maps" on page 123.
To add a vector layer to the Geo tab:
Click the New Vector Layer button (
) ) on the Vector Edition toolbar.
Atoll creates a folder called "Vectors" on the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
For information on adding vector objects such as contours, lines, and points to the vector layer, see "Creating Polygons,
Lines, and Points" on page 37.
1.4.9.2
Creating Polygons, Lines, and Points

Once you have created a vector layer, as explained in "Adding a Vector Layer" on page 37, you can add polygons, lines,
and points to it.
To add a polygon, line, or point to a vector layer:
1. Right-click the vector layer on the Geo tab. The context menu appears.
2. Select Edit from the context menu. The tools on the Vector Edition toolbar are available.
Tip:
You can also make the vector tools available by selecting the vector layer to edit from the
Vector Edition toolbar list. Because Atoll names all new vector layers "Vectors" by
default, it might be difficult to know which Vectors folder you are selecting. By renaming
each vectors folder, you can ensure that you select the correct folder. For information on
renaming objects, see "Renaming an Object" on page 19.
If the Vector Edition toolbar is not visible, select View > Vector Edition Toolbar.
3. Click one of the following buttons on the Vector Edition toolbar:
New Polygon:
a. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the contour.
b. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the contour.
c. Double-click to close the contour.
New Rectangle:
a. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle.
b. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle.
c. Release the mouse to create the rectangle defined by the two corners.
Note:
If the polygon or rectangle is on the vector layer of a population map, or custom data, you
must define the value the polygon or rectangle represents and map the vector layer. For
more information, see "Editing Population or Custom Data Maps" on page 123.
New Line:
a. Click once on the map where you want to begin the line.
b. Click each time you change angles on the line.
c. Double-click to end the line.
New Point: Click once on the map where you want to place the point.
4. Press ESC to deselect the currently selected button on the Vector Edition toolbar.
1.4.9.3
Editing the Shape of Polygons and Lines

You can edit the shape of polygons and lines on the vector layer.
To edit the shape of polygons and lines:
1. On the Explorer window tab containing the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder. The context menu
appears.
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Atoll User Manual
Tip:
You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the Vector
Edition toolbar list.
3. Select the contour or line. You can now edit by:

-
Moving a point:
i.
).

-
Adding a point to a contour or a line:

i.
Position the pointer over the contour border or line where you want to add a point. The pointer changes
(
).
ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the contour border or line
at the position of the pointer.
-
Deleting a point from a contour or a line:

i.
).
1.4.9.4
Combining or Cropping Polygons Using the Toolbar

In Atoll, you can create complex contours by using the tools on the Vector Edition toolbar.
To edit a vector object using the icons on the Vector Edition toolbar:
appears.
Tip:
3. Click the contour to edit. The Vector Edition toolbar has the following buttons:
-
: To combine several contours:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Combine button (
).
ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the new contour.
iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the contour.
iv. Double-click to close the contour.
v. Draw more contours if desired. Atoll creates a group of polygons of the selected and new contours. If contours overlap, Atoll merges them.
-
: To delete part of the selected contour:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Delete button (
).
ii. Draw the area you want to delete from the selected contour by clicking once on the map where you want
to begin drawing the area to delete.
iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the area.
iv. Double-click to close the area. Atoll deletes the area from the selected contour.
-
: To create a contour out of the overlapping area of two contours:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Intersection button (
).
ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the contour that will overlap the selected one.
iv. Double-click to close the contour. Atoll creates a new contour of the overlapping area of the two contours
and deletes the parts of the contours that do not overlap.
-
: To split the selected contour into several contours:

i.
In the Vector Edition toolbar, click the Split button (
).
ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the contour that will split the selected one.
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Forsk 2010

iv. Double-click to close the contour. Atoll separates the area covered by the contour from the selected contour and creates a new contour.
1.4.9.5
Editing a Point
To edit a point:
appears.
Tip:
3. Select the point. You can now edit by:

-
Moving:
i.
Click the point you want to move. The pointer changes (
).

-
Deleting a point:
i.
Click the point you want to delete. The pointer changes (
).
ii. Right-click and select Delete from the context menu. The point is deleted.
1.4.9.6
Editing Contours, Lines, and Points Using the Context Menu

When you are editing contours, lines, and points, you can access certain commands using the context menu.
To edit a vector object using the context menu:
1. Click the vector object you want to edit.
2. Right-click the vector object to display the context menu and select one of the following:
-
Delete: Select Delete to remove the selected contour, line, or point from the map.
Convert to Line: Select Convert to Line to convert the selected contour to a line.
Convert to Polygon: Select Convert to Polygon to convert the selected line to a contour.
Open Line: Select Open Line to remove the segment between the last and the first point.
Close Line: Select Close Line to add a segment between the last and the first point of the line.
Insert Point: Select Insert Point to add a point to the border of the contour at the position of the pointer.
Move:
i.
Select Move from the context menu to move the contour, line, or point on the map.
ii. Move the contour, line, or point.

iii. Click to place the contour, line, or point.
-
Quit edition: Select Quit Edition to exit editing mode.

Properties: Select Properties to open the Properties dialogue of the selected contour, line, or point. The
Properties dialogue has two tabs:
-
Note:
1.4.10
General: The General tab gives the name of the vector Layer, the Surface of the object, and any
Properties of the contour, line, or point.
Geometry: This tab gives the coordinates of each point that defines the position and shape of the contour,
line, or point.
Only the commands relevant to the selected contour, line, or point are displayed in the
context menu.
Exporting Coverage Prediction Results

In Atoll, you can export the coverage areas of a coverage prediction in raster or vector formats. In raster formats, you can
export in BMP, TIF, JPEG 2000, ArcView grid, or Vertical Mapper (GRD and GRC) formats. When exporting in GRD or
GRC formats, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 GB. In vector formats, you can export in ArcView, MapInfo,
or AGD formats. The file exported can then be imported as a vector or raster object in Atoll or in another application.
When you export a coverage prediction in vector format, the exported zone is delimited by the rectangle encompassing
the coverage. When you export a coverage prediction in vector format, you can export the entire coverage prediction, or
you can export a defined area of the coverage prediction.
All coverage types can be exported, however, you can not export a coverage prediction in raster format if the coverage
prediction was made per transmitter (for example, coverage predictions with the display type set by transmitter, by a transmitter attribute, by signal level, by path loss, or by total losses). In this case, only the coverage area of a single transmitter
can be exported in raster format.
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You can export coverage predictions separately or you can export several coverage predictions at the same time. When
you export more than one coverage prediction, Atoll suggests the formats that can be used for all the coverage predictions
to be exported.
1.4.10.1
"Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Vector Format" on page 40

"Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Raster Format" on page 40
"Exporting Multiple Coverage Predictions" on page 41.
Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Vector Format

To export a coverage prediction in vector format:
1. Select the Data tab in the Explorer window.
Note:
) to expand the Predictions folder.
The coverage prediction must be displayed in the map window before it can be exported.
For information on displaying objects in the map window, see "Displaying or Hiding
Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 18.
3. Select Export the Coverage from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. In the Save As dialogue, enter the File name and select the vector format from the Save as type list.
If you have chosen to export the prediction coverage in a vector format other than in AGD format:
a. If desired, under Coordinate Systems, change the reference coordinate system for the file being exported.
b. If desired, change the Resolution of the exported coverage. The default resolution is the resolution of the coverage prediction results (as set in the coverage prediction Properties dialogue).
c. If desired, move the Smoothing slider, or enter the percentage in the text box, to define how much Atoll
smooths the exported coverage.
5. Click Save to export the coverage prediction results.
1.4.10.2
Exporting an Individual Coverage Prediction in Raster Format

To export a coverage prediction in raster format
Note:
The coverage prediction must be displayed in the map window before it can be exported.
For information on displaying objects in the map window, see "Displaying or Hiding
3. You can export the entire coverage prediction, the geographic export zone, or part of the coverage prediction.
To export the entire coverage prediction:
-
Right-click the coverage prediction you want to export.
To export the geographic export zone, define the geographic export zone:
a. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window.
b. Click the Expand button (
c. Right-click the Geographic Export Zone folder. The context menu appears.
d. Select Draw from the context menu.
e. Draw the geographic export zone by clicking the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that
will define the geographic export zone and dragging to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the
geographic export zone. When you release the mouse, the geographic export zone will be created from the
rectangle defined by the two corners.
The geographic export zone is delimited by a light purple line. If you clear the geographic export zones visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but
f.
Right-click the coverage prediction you want to export.
To export part of the coverage prediction:

a. Click the Expand button (
) to expand the coverage prediction.
b. Right-click the part of the coverage prediction you want to export.

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Forsk 2010

5. In the Save As dialogue, enter the File name and select the raster format from the Save as type list.
6. Enter the file name and select the type and the path of the file to be exported.
7. Click Save to export the coverage prediction results. The Raster Export dialogue appears.
a. Under Region, select the area to export:
-
The Coverage Area of the Prediction Study to export a rectangle containing only the area covered by
the study,
The Computation Zone to export a rectangle containing the entire computation zone, or
The Geographic Export Zone to export the rectangle defined by the geographic export zone.
b. If desired, move the Smoothing slider, or enter the percentage in the text box, to define how much Atoll
smooths the exported coverage.
c. Click OK to finish exporting the coverage prediction results.
Notes
When selecting a coordinate system different than the one initially defined in Atoll, the file is
converted using the selected coordinate system.
You can not export in raster format if the coverage prediction was made per transmitter (for
example, coverage predictions with the display type set by transmitter, by a transmitter
attribute, by signal level, by path loss, or by total losses). Only the coverage area of a single
transmitter can be exported in raster format.
1.4.10.3
Exporting Multiple Coverage Predictions

If you have several coverage predictions that you want to export, you can export them at the same time.
To export several coverage predictions at the same time:
2. Right-click the the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Export Coverages from the context menu. The Coverage Export dialogue appears.
4. In the Coverage Export dialogue, select the check boxes corresponding to the coverage predictions you want to
export. By default, Atoll selects the check boxes of all coverage predictions whose visibility check box is selected
on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
5. Under Options, you can define the following parameters:
-
Folder: Enter the folder you want to store the exported coverage predictions in or click the Browse button
(
) to navigate to it.
Format: Select the vector file format you want Atoll to export the coverage predictions in.
Time stamp: If you select the Time stamp check box, Atoll will add the date and time to the file name of each
exported coverage prediction.
Resolution in metres: You can define a resolution for the exported coverage predictions.
6. Click Export to export the selected coverage predictions. The selected coverage predictions are saved in the
selected folder.
Note:
1.4.11
When you export several coverage predictions at the same time, Atoll does not take the
geographic export zone into consideration. The geographic export zone is only taken into
consideration for raster file formats.
Saving a Map as a Graphic Image

You can save a map as a graphic image.
To save a map as a graphic image:
1. Click the Select an area button (
) in the Map toolbar.
2. Define the area to save:

a. Click in the map on one of the four corners of the area you want to select.
b. Drag to the opposite corner.
3. Select File > Save Image As. The Map Export dialogue appears.
4. In the Map Export dialogue, select the zone that you wish to save as an image. You can select:
-
Selection: The area on the map selected in step 1.

Geographic Export Zone
Printing Zone
5. Click Export. The Save As dialogue appears.
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6. In the Save as dialogue, select a destination folder, enter a File name, and select a file type from the Save as
type list.
The following file formats are supported: TIF, BIL, BMP, and ArcView Grid (TXT). If you wish to use the saved file
as a digital terrain model, you should select the TIF, BIL, or TXT format. When saving in BIL format, Atoll allows
you to save files larger than 2 Gb.
7. Click Save. The Exported Image Size dialogue appears.
8. You can define the size of the exported image in one of two ways:
-
Scale: If you wish to define the size by scale, select Scale, enter a scale in the text box and a Resolution. If
you wish to export the image with rulers, select Include Rulers.
Pixel Size: If you wish to define the size by pixel size, select Pixel Size, and enter a pixel size in the text box.
Important: If you wish to use the exported file as a digital terrain model, you must define the size of
the exported image by pixel size. Atoll then creates a geo-reference file for the exported
image.
9. Click OK.
1.4.12
Copying a Map to Another Application

You can copy a selected area of the map into a document created using another application.
To copy a selected area of the map into a document created using another application:
1. Click the Select an area button (
) in the Map toolbar.
2. Define the area to copy:

a. Click in the map on one of the four corners of the area you want to select.
b. Drag to the opposite corner.
3. Select Edit > Copy Image. The Copy Image dialogue appears.
4. Define the resolution of the image in one of the following ways:
-
Select Use Screen Resolution

Select Use Custom Resolution and enter a resolution in metres.
5. Click OK.
6. Open the application into which you want to paste the image.
7. In the new application, select Edit > Paste Special.
8. In the Paste Special dialogue, select Picture (Enhanced Metafile).
Note:
You can also select Bitmap to paste the selection without rulers, or Text to paste the
upper left and lower right coordinates of the selection.
9. Click OK. The area of the map, including the rulers, is pasted as an image into the new document.
1.4.13
Map Window Pointers

In Atoll, the pointer appears in different forms according to its function. Each pointer is described below:
Appearance
Description
Meaning
Selection arrow
The zone selection pointer indicates that, on the map, you can define a zone to
print or copy and, in the Panoramic window, you can define the zone to be
displayed on the map. To define a zone, click and drag diagonally.
The polygon drawing pointer indicates you can draw a zone to filter either sites
or transmitters, draw computation/focus/hot spot/filtering/printing/ eographic
Polygon drawing
export zones, or draw vector or raster polygons on the map. To draw a polygon,
pointer
click once to start, and each time you change angles on the border defining the
outside of the polygon. Close the polygon by clicking twice.
42
Rectangle
drawing pointer
The rectangle drawing pointer indicates you can draw computation/focus/hot

spot/filtering/printing/geographic export zones, or draw vector or raster
rectangles on the map. To define a zone, click and drag diagonally.
Hand
The hand pointer indicates you can move the visible part of the displayed map.
Forsk 2010
Appearance
Description
Meaning
Zoom tool
The zoom pointer indicates you can click to zoom in and right-click to zoom out
at the location of the mouse pointer
Zoom area
The zoom area pointer indicates you can zoom in on an area of the by clicking
and dragging to define the area.
New transmitter
The transmitter pointer indicates you can place a transmitter on the map where
you click. You can place more than one station by pressing CTRL as you click
on the map.
Point analysis
The point analysis pointer indicates that you have selected the Point Analysis
tool and have not yet chosen the first point.
Point placed
(Receiver)
The point placed pointer indicates the position of the receiver on the map that is
used for the point-to-point analysis. The results are displayed in the CW
Measurements or Point Analysis window.
Pencil
The pencil pointer indicates you can create a polygonal clutter zone, by clicking
once to start the polygon, once to create each corner, and by double-clicking to
close the polygon.
Deletion
The deletion pointer indicates that you can delete a newly created polygonal
clutter zone by clicking its border.
Position
indicator
The position indicator pointer indicates you can select the border of a polygon.
Right-clicking the polygon border opens a context menu allowing you to add a
point, delete the polygon, or centre the map on the polygon.
Select/create
points
The select/create points pointer indicates you can modify the polygon in the
map window. You can add a new point and modify the polygon contour by
clicking on one of the edges and dragging. You can move an existing point by
clicking and dragging an existing point. You can right-click to open a context
menu to delete a point, delete the polygon, or centre the map on the polygon.
Placing a CW
measurement
point
The first CW measurement point pointer indicates you can click a point on the
map to create the first point of a CW measurement path.
Placing points in
The next CW measurement point pointer indicates the first CW measurement
a CW
point has been set and you can now click other points on the map. Double-click
measurement
to end the CW measurement path.
path
1.5
Measurements
on the map
The measurement pointer indicates you can click on the map to set the start
point of your measurement. As you move the pointer, the distance between the
first point and the pointer is displayed in the status bar.
Terrain section
The terrain section pointer indicates that you can create a terrain section by
clicking once on the map to create the first point and once more to create the
second point. The terrain profile between the two points is displayed in the
Point Analysis window and stored under Terrain Sections in the Geo tab.
Working with Data Tables

Atoll stores object data (sites, transmitters, repeaters, antennas, UMTS or CDMA2000 cells, UMTS or CDMA2000 parameters, etc.) in the form of tables, containing all their parameters and characteristics. The data contained in prediction
reports are also stored in the form of tables.
You can add columns to the data table and you can delete certain columns. When you create a new column, you can
create a default value for a field you create. You can also create a list of options (for text fields) from which the user can
choose when filling in the field.
You can filter, sort, and group the data contained in these tables, and view a statistical analysis of the data. You can also
export the data or import data into the Atoll data tables.
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"Opening a Data Table" on page 44

"Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 44
"Editing the Contents of a Table" on page 45
"Opening an Objects Record Properties Dialogue from a Table" on page 46
"Defining the Table Format" on page 46
"Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 49
"Viewing a Statistical Analysis of Table Contents" on page 51
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1.5.1
"Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 51

"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 52
"Exporting Tables to XML Files" on page 53
"Importing Tables from XML Files" on page 54.
Opening a Data Table

To open a data table:
1. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the data folder of which you want to display the data table.
3. Select Open Table from the context menu.
1.5.2
Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields

The data for each object type is stored in the form of a data table. Every data table in Atoll is created with a default set of
columns, each corresponding to a field. In this section, the following functions are explained:
1.5.2.1
"Accessing an Object Types Table Fields" on page 44

"Adding a Field to an Object Types Data Table" on page 44
"Deleting a Field from an Object Types Data Table" on page 45
Accessing an Object Types Table Fields

The fields contained in an object types table are defined in a dialogue.
To access an object types table fields:
1. In the Explorer window, open the data table as described in "Opening a Data Table" on page 44.
2. Right-click the table in the map window. The context menu appears.
3. Select Table Fields from the context menu. A dialogue appears where you can view the existing fields and add
or delete new ones.
The dialogue displays the following information for each type of data (see Figure 1.13):
-
The Name of the field in the database (Name).

The Name of the field in the ATL file (Legend).
The Type of the field.
The maximum Size of the field.
The Default value of the field.
The Group to which the field belongs. When opening an Atoll document from a database, you can select a
group of custom fields to be loaded from the database, instead of loading all custom fields.
Figure 1.13: The Table tab
1.5.2.2
Adding a Field to an Object Types Data Table

You can add a custom field to any object types data table.
To add a custom field to an object types data table:
1. Access the object types table fields as explained in "Accessing an Object Types Table Fields" on page 44.
2. Click Add. The Field Definition dialogue appears (see Figure 1.14).
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3. The Field Definition dialogue has the following text boxes:
-
Name: Enter the Name for the field that will appear in the database
Group: If desired, you can define a Group that this custom field will belong to. When you open an Atoll document from a database, you can then select a specific group of custom fields to be loaded from the database,
instead of loading all custom fields.
Legend: Enter the name for the field that will appear in the Atoll document.
Type: Select a type for the field (text, short integer, long integer, single, double, true/false, date/time, or currency)
Size: The Size field is only available if you have selected "text" as the Type. Enter a size in characters.
Default Value: If you want, enter a default value that will appear each time you create a new record of this
object type.
Choice List: The Choice List field is only available if you have selected "text" as the Type. You can create
a choice list by entering the list items in the Choice List text box, separating each list item with a hard return.
4. Click OK to return to the object type table.

Note:
User or custom fields are for information only and are not taken into account in any
calculation. You can find these fields in the Other Properties tab of an object types
Properties dialogue.
Figure 1.14: The Field Definition dialogue
1.5.2.3
Deleting a Field from an Object Types Data Table

You can delete custom fields from an object types data table. Custom fields are the fields that the user adds to an object
types data table, as explained in "Adding a Field to an Object Types Data Table" on page 44.
To delete a custom field from an object types data table:
Caution:
All data stored in the field will be lost when you delete the field itself. Make sure that you
are not deleting important information.
1. Access the object types table fields as explained in "Accessing an Object Types Table Fields" on page 44.
2. Select the custom field that you want to delete.
Tip:
Some fields can not be deleted. If you select a field and the Delete button remains
unavailable, the selected field is not a custom field and can not be deleted.
3. Click Delete. The field is deleted from the object types data table.
1.5.3
Editing the Contents of a Table

To edit the contents of a table:
2. Right-click the data folder of which you want to display the data table.
4. Edit the content of the table by entering the value directly in the field (see Figure 1.15).
5. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished to update the table. Your changes are automatically saved.
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Tip:
If a list of options has been defined for a field, you can select a value from the list (see
Figure 1.16) or enter a new value.
Figure 1.15: Editing data in the transmitters data tables
Figure 1.16: Choosing data in the transmitters data tables
1.5.4
Opening an Objects Record Properties Dialogue from a

Table
You can open the Record Properties dialogue of an object, for example, a site, antenna, transmitter, or cell, from its data
table.
To open the Record Properties dialogue of an object:
1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 44.
2. Right-click the record whose properties you want to see.
3. Select Record Properties from the context menu.
Note:
1.5.5
You can also open the Record Properties dialogue by double-clicking the record. To
avoid editing the record when you double-click, double-click the left margin of the record
instead of the record itself.
Defining the Table Format

Atoll lets you format the data tables so that the data presented is more legible or better presented. You can change the
format of the data table by:
46
"Formatting the Column Headers" on page 47

"Formatting Table Columns" on page 47
"Changing Column Width or Row Height" on page 47
Forsk 2010
"Displaying or Hiding a Column" on page 48

"Freezing or Unfreezing a Column" on page 48
"Moving Columns" on page 48
Formatting the Column Headers

2. Select Format > Header Format. The Format dialogue appears.
3. The Format dialogue has the following tabs:
-
Font: You can select the Font, Outline (the font style), font Size, Effects, and Text Colour.
Colour: You can select the background colour (Interior) of the column headers, by selecting a Foreground
colour, a Background colour, and a pattern from the list box. You can also select a 3D Effect for the header.
Borders: You can select the Border, the Type, and the Colour for each column header.
Alignment: You can select both the Horizontal and Vertical alignment of the column header text.
4. Click OK.
Formatting Table Columns

2. Select Format > Column Format. The Format dialogue appears.
3. The Format dialogue has the following tabs:
-
Font: You can select the Font, Outline (the font style), font Size, Effects, and Text Colour.
Colour: You can select the background colour (Interior) of the column headers, by selecting a Foreground
colour, a Background colour, and a pattern from the list box. You can also select a 3D Effect for the header.
Borders: You can select the Border, the Type, and the Colour for each column header.
Alignment: You can select both the Horizontal and Vertical alignment of the column header text.
4. Click OK.
Changing Column Width or Row Height

You can change the column width and row height in a data table. When you change the column width, you change the
width only for the selected column. When you change the row height, however, you change the row height for every row
in the table.
To change the column width:
2. Click the border separating two column headers and drag to change the column width (see Figure 1.17).
To change the row height:
2. Click the border separating two rows and drag to change the row height (see Figure 1.18).
Figure 1.17: Changing column width
Figure 1.18: Changing row height
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Displaying or Hiding a Column

You can choose which columns in data tables to display or hide.
To display or hide a column:
2. Select Format > Display Columns. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears (see Figure 1.19).
3. To display a column, select its check box.
4. To hide a column, clear its check box.
Tip:
You can also hide a column by right-clicking on its header and selecting Hide Columns
from the context menu. You can hide more than one column by pressing CTRL while
selecting the columns and then selecting Hide Columns from the context menu.
5. Click Close.
Figure 1.19: The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue

Note:
You can also right-click the data table and select the Display Columns or Hide Columns
command from the context menu.
Freezing or Unfreezing a Column

In Atoll, you can freeze one or more columns of a data table so that they always remain visible as you scroll horizontally
through the table. For example, while scrolling through the Sites table, you might want to have the Name column always
visible. You can keep this column, or any other column visible, by freezing it.
To freeze a column:
2. Select the header of the column you want to freeze. Click and drag over several headers to select more than one
column to freeze.
Note:
You can only freeze adjacent columns.
3. Right-click the selected header or headers and select Freeze columns from the context men.
Note:
You can not freeze a column in a report table.
To unfreeze columns:
Select Format > Unfreeze columns.
Moving Columns
In Atoll, you can change the column order so that you can group similar columns or present data in a determined order.
To move a column:
2. Select the header of the column you want to move. Click and drag over several headers to select more than one
column to move.
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Note:
You can only move several columns at the same time when they are adjacent.
3. Click again on the selected column and drag to the desired area. As you drag the column, the position the column
will occupy is indicated by a red line (see Figure 1.20).
Figure 1.20: Moving columns
Note:
1.5.6
It may be necessary to click Refresh
in the Map toolbar for your changes to appear.
Copying and Pasting in Tables

In Atoll, you can copy and paste data in tables using the Copy (CTRL+C), Cut (CTRL+X), and Paste (CTRL+V)
commands on the Edit menu. You can copy and paste data to create new elements or you can copy and paste the same
data into several cells.
In this section, the following is explained:
1.5.6.1
"Copying and Pasting a Table Element" on page 49

"Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 49.
Copying and Pasting a Table Element

You can create a new element in tables by copying an existing element, pasting it into a new row and editing the details
that are different.
Note:
Each element in a table must have a unique Name.
To create a new element by copying and pasting:

2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the element to select the entire row.
3. Select Edit > Copy to copy the table row.
4. Click in the left margin of the table row marked with the New Row icon (
) to select the entire row.
5. Select Edit > Paste to paste the copied data into the new row. Atoll, creates a new element from the copied data.
The name of the new element is the same as that of the copied element, preceded by "Copy of." You can edit this
name.
1.5.6.2
Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells

You can paste the same data into several cells, using Fill Up or Fill Down.
To paste the same data into several cells:
2. Click on the cell with the data you wish to copy and drag to select the cells into which you wish to copy the data
(see Figure 1.21).
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Figure 1.21: Selecting the cells

3. Copy into the selected cells:
-
To copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells, select Edit > Fill > Down (see
Figure 1.22).
Figure 1.22: Copying the contents of the top cell

-
To copy the contents of the bottom cell of the selection into the other cells, select Edit > Fill > Up (see
Figure 1.23).
Figure 1.23: Copying the contents of the bottom cell
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1.5.7
Viewing a Statistical Analysis of Table Contents

You can view a statistical analysis of the contents of an entire column in a table or of the contents of a selection of cells.
To view a statistical analysis of table contents:
2. Select the column data you want to analyse:
To view a statistical analysis of an entire column:
-
Click the column title. The entire column is selected.
To view a statistical analysis of a selection of cells in one column:

-
Select the cells you want to analyse. You can select contiguous cells by clicking the first cell and dragging to
the last cell of the selection you want to analyse, or by clicking the first cell, pressing SHIFT and clicking the
last cell. You can select non-contiguous cells by pressing CTRL and clicking each cell in the column separately.
Tip:
In Atoll you can organise data in several different ways, allowing you to select only
certain data. For more information, see "Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data" on
page 59.
3. Right-click the selection of cells. The context menu appears.

4. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics dialogue appears (see Figure 1.24).
Figure 1.24: The Statistics dialogue

The statistics displayed depend on the type of numerical data selected. If you leave the Statistics dialogue open,
you can view the statistical analysis of other cells by selecting them in the table. The contents of the Statistics
dialogue are updated automatically.
1.5.8
Exporting Tables to Text Files

You can export entire Atoll data tables, or selected columns, to ASCII text files (in text, TXT, and Comma Separated
Value, CSV, formats) and to MS Excel files.
To export a table:
2. Right-click the table. The context menu appears.
3. Select Export from the context menu. The Export dialogue appears. You can see how the exported table will
appear in the Preview pane (see Figure 1.25).
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Figure 1.25: Exporting a data table

4. Select the Header check box if you want to export the names of the columns with the data.
5. Select a Decimal Symbol from the list.
6. Select a Field Separator from the list.
7. Select the fields (displayed as columns in the table) you want to export. You can display all the fields belonging to
a table by clicking the Expand button ( ) to the left of the table name. You can select contiguous fields by clicking
the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL
and clicking each fields separately.
a. To select a field to be exported, select the field in the Available Fields box and click
to the Exported Fields list. All fields in the Exported Fields list will be exported.
to move it
b. To remove a field from the list of Exported Fields, select the field in the Exported Fields list and click
to remove it.
c. To change the order of the fields, select a field and click
or
to move it up or down in the list. The fields
at the top of the Exported Fields appear at the left of the exported table.
Note:
You can save the choices you have made in the Export dialogue as a configuration file by
clicking the Save button at the top of the dialogue and entering a name for the file in the
Save As dialogue that appears. The next time you export a data table, you can click Load
in the Export dialogue to open your configuration file with the same settings you used this
time.
8. Click Export. The Save As dialogue appears.

9. In the Save As dialogue, enter the File name and select the format from the Save as type list.
10. Click Save to export the table.
You can export the Sites and Transmitters tables to text files by selecting the folder or a subfolder in the Explorer window
and pressing CTRL+E.
For information on importing data into a data table, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 52.
1.5.9
Importing Tables from Text Files

You can import data in the form of ASCII text files (in TXT and CSV formats) into Atoll data tables.
To import a table:
2. Right-click the table. The context menu appears.
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3. Select Import from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
4. Select the ASCII text file you want to open and click Open. The Import dialogue appears (see Figure 1.26).
Figure 1.26: Importing information into a data table

5. Enter the number of the first line of data in the 1st Data Line box.
6. Select a Decimal Symbol from the list.
7. Select a Field Separator from the list.
8. Select the Update Records check box if you want to replace the data of records already existing in the table.
Note:
Atoll compares the values in the left-most column of the data to be imported with the
values in the same column of the data table to see if records already exist. The values of
these records are replaced when the Update Records check box is selected. If the
Update Records check box is not selected, these records are not imported.
9. Under Field Mapping, there are two header rows:

-
Source: The column headers from the text file you are importing.
Destination: The column headers from the Atoll data table.
Align the content of the source file with the content of the destination file by clicking the column header in the Destination row and selecting the corresponding column from the Atoll data file (see Figure 1.26). Select <Ignore> for
source file columns that you do not want to import.
Tip:
You can change the width of the columns to make the contents easier to work with. See
"Changing Column Width or Row Height" on page 47.
Note:
You can save the choices you have made in the Import dialogue as a configuration file by
clicking the Save button at the top of the dialogue and entering a name for the file in the
Save As dialogue that appears. The next time you export a data table, you can click Load
in the Import dialogue to open your configuration file with the same settings you used this
time.
10. Click Import. The contents are imported in the current Atoll data table.
You can import data from text files into the Sites and Transmitters tables by selecting the folder or a subfolder in the
Explorer window and pressing CTRL+I.
For information on exporting the information in a data table into a text file, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 51.
1.5.10
Exporting Tables to XML Files

You can export the data tables in your Atoll document to XML files. You can use XML to exchange information between
Atoll and the OMC.
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Atoll creates one XML file for each exported data table, and an index.xml file that contains the mapping between the tables
that were exported and the XML files corresponding to each data table. The index.xml file also stores the information on
the system (GSM, UMTS, etc.), the technology (TDMA, CDMA, TD-SCDMA, etc.), and the version of Atoll with which the
XML files were created. For more information about the formats of the XML files, see the Technical Reference Guide.
To export all the data tables in your document to XML files:
1. Select File > Data Exchange > XML File Export. The Browse for Folder dialogue appears.
2. Select the folder where the XML files are to be stored. Click the Make New Folder button if you want to create a
new folder to store the XML files.
3. Click OK. All the data tables in the document are exported to XML files.
For information on importing the data tables from XML files into your document, see "Importing Tables from XML Files" on
page 54.
1.5.11
Importing Tables from XML Files

You can import data tables into your Atoll document from XML files. You can use XML to exchange information between
Atoll and the OMC.
In order for Atoll to be able to correctly import the data tables from XML files, the XML files and the current Atoll document
must use the same system (GSM, UMTS, etc.), the technology (TDMA, CDMA, TD-SCDMA, etc.), and the Atoll version
used to create the XML files must be the same as the version used to import the data. For more information about the
formats of the XML files, see the Technical Reference Guide.
To import data tables into your document from XML files:
1. Select File > Data Exchange > XML File Import. The Browse for Folder dialogue appears.
2. Select the folder where the index.xml file is located.
3. Click OK. The data tables from the XML files listed in the index.xml file are imported in the document .
Note:
Tables are imported in the same order they appear in the index.xml file. Do not modify the
order of tables in the index.xml file because the order in which the data is imported is very
important; some data must be imported before other data. For example, antennas used
by transmitters must be imported before the transmitters themselves.
During the import procedure, existing data in the tables are overwritten by the data from the XML files. Once the import is
complete, Atoll performs a database integrity check, and a duplicate records check to ensure that the import did not create
database problems.
For information on exporting the data tables in your document to XML files, see "Exporting Tables to XML Files" on
page 53.
1.6
Printing in Atoll
In Atoll, you can print any part of your document, including maps, data tables, document reports, and antenna patterns.
This section explains the following:
1.6.1
"Printing Data Tables and Reports" on page 54

"Printing a Map" on page 55
"Printing a Docking Window" on page 58
"Printing Antenna Patterns" on page 58.
Printing Data Tables and Reports

Data tables and reports are both presented in tabular format in Atoll and can, therefore, both be printed in the same way.
If you wish to see how the table will appear once printed, see "Previewing Your Printing" on page 58.
To print a table:
2. If you want to print an area of the table, select it by clicking in one corner of the area and dragging diagonally to
the opposite corner.
3. Select File > Print.
4. If you want to print only a selected area, choose Selected in the Print dialogue.
5. Click OK to print.
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1.6.2
Printing a Map
You can print a map in Atoll and create a paper copy of studies, predictions, etc. Atoll offers several options allowing you
to customise and optimise the printed map. Atoll supports printing to a variety of paper sizes, including A4 and A0.
Before you print a map, you have the following options:
You can print the entire map, or you can define an area of the map to be printed in one of the following ways:
-
Selecting the print area (see "Defining the Printing Zone" on page 55).
Creating a focus zone (see "Drawing a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones" on page 33).
You can accept the default layout or you can modify the print layout (see "Defining the Print Layout" on page 56).
You can see how the map will appear once printed (see "Previewing Your Printing" on page 58).
Important: Printing graphics is a memory-intensive operation and can make heavy demands on your
printer. Before printing for the first time, you should review the "Printing
Recommendations" on page 55 to avoid any memory-related problems.
To print a map:
1. Select the document window containing the map.
2. You now have the following options before printing the map:
-
You can select a print area ("Defining the Printing Zone" on page 55) or create a focus zone ("Drawing a Focus
Zone or Hot Spot Zones" on page 33).
You can modify the print layout ("Defining the Print Layout" on page 56).
You can see how the map will appear once printed (see "Previewing Your Printing" on page 58).
3. Select File > Print.

4. Click OK.
1.6.2.1
Printing Recommendations
The appearance of the map is determined by the arrangement and properties of the objects the map contains. Objects in
Atoll are arranged in layers. The layers on the top (as arranged on the Data and Geo tabs) are the most visible on the
screen and in print. The visibility of the lower layers depends on which layers are above it and on the transparency of these
layers (for information on transparency, see "Defining the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 25).
Before printing a map, it is recommended to organise the layers from top to bottom as follows, when a document contains
surface layers (raster maps or polygonal vector maps), lines (vectors such as roads, or airport), and points (measurements, etc.):
Points (vectors)
Roads and Lines (vectors)
Surface polygons (vectors)
Multi-format maps - population, geoclimatic, traffic maps (vector or raster), and others
Clutter class maps (transparent raster maps)
Images, DTM, or clutter height maps (non-transparent maps).
Sites and transmitters must be above all the other layers. For this reason, visible objects on the Data tab, for example,
sites, transmitters, and predictions, are displayed above objects on the Geo tab. For performance reasons, however, it is
strongly recommended to put vector layers, such as roads, over predictions. This will ensure that these vector layers are
visible when you print the map.
To put vector layers from the Geo tab over predictions:
1. In the Explorer window, click the Geo tab.
2. Right-click the vector layer you wish to move to the Data tab. The context menu appears.
3. Select Transfer to Data from the context menu.
4. Click the Data tab.
5. Drag the vector layer to a position above Predictions but below Sites, Antennas, and Transmitters.
1.6.2.2
Defining the Printing Zone

You can define an area to be printed.
To create a printing zone:
3. Right-click the Printing Zone folder. The context menu appears.

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5. Draw the printing zone:
a. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the printing zone.
b. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the printing zone. When you release the mouse,
the printing zone will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners.
The printing zone is delimited by a light green line (see Figure 1.27). If you clear the printing zones visibility check
box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken
into account.
Figure 1.27: Printing zone

You can also create a printing zone as follows:

Vector Edition toolbar to draw the printing zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a printing zone by right-clicking it and
selecting Use as > Printing Zone from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, you can import it and use it as a printing zone.
You can import it by right-clicking the Printing Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context
menu.
Fit to Map Window: You can create a printing zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map Window
from the context menu.
Once you have created a printing zone, you can change its size by dragging the edges of the zone displayed on the rulers
of the map window. You can also use Atolls polygon editing tools to edit the printing zone. For more information on the
polygon editing tools, see "Using Polygon Zone Editing Tools" on page 34.
Note:
1.6.2.3
You can export the printing zone as a polygon, so that you can use it in a different Atoll
document, by right-clicking the Printing Zone folder on the Data tab of the Explorer
window and selecting Export from the context menu.
Defining the Print Layout

You can use the Print Setup dialogue to define how your map will appear when you print it. On the Print Setup dialogue,
you can:
Set the scale of the map.

Choose to print the rulers with the map.
Choose to print the area outside the focus zone.
Choose to print the legend.
Add a title, comment, logo, header, or footer.
Select paper size and source, as well as the page orientation and the margins.
These settings can be saved as a configuration, allowing you to define a standard appearance which you can then import
the next time you print a similar document.
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To define the appearance of the map when it is printed:
1. Select File > Print Setup. The Print Setup dialogue appears. You define the print set up on the Page tab, the
Components tab, and the Header/Footer tab. You can see any changes you make in the schematic preview on
the right side of the Print Setup dialogue.
Note:
If you have previously defined a configuration file containing all the necessary settings,
you can click the Import button under Configuration to import those settings.
2. Click the Page tab. On the Page tab, you can define the page size, margins, and orientation and the scale of the
printed map:
a. Under Orientation, select whether the page should be printed in Portrait or Landscape.
b. Under Paper, select the Size of the paper and, optionally, the Source of the paper.
c. Under Scaling, define the scale of the printed image either by selecting Fit to page, or by selecting Scale and
defining the scale.
d. Under Margins, set the margins of the page in millimetres.
3. Click the Components tab.
a. Under Map, you can define the appearance of the printed map:
-
Select the Rulers check box if you want to print the map with a scale around it.
Select the Area inside focus zone only check box if you only want to print the part of the map inside the
focus zone.
b. Under Legend, you can define the placement of the legend.

-
Select the Legend check box if you want to print a legend with the map.
Click a button to set the Position of the legend. The buttons

inside the square will place the legend on top of the map.
The buttons outside of the square will place the legend
outside of the map.
Click a Font button to open the Font dialogue to define the font of the legend.
c. Select the Comments check box if you want to print a comment with the map and set its Position. Clicking
the Properties button opens a dialogue where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time
and date. If you want the comment to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the map check
box.
4. Click the Header/Footer tab. On the Header/Footer tab, you can set the position of graphic elements.
a. Select the Map Title check box if you want to define a title for the map and set its Position. Clicking the Properties button opens a dialogue where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time and date.
If you want the title to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the map check box.
b. Under Logo 1 and Logo 2, you can define graphics that appear for the map. The graphics can be a company
logo or other information, such as copyright information, in the form of a BMP graphic.
i.
For the selected check box, click the Properties button. The Logo dialogue appears.
By default, Atoll searches for the header and footer logos in the Atolls installation folder. If a file named
logo.bmp is present in this folder, it is considered as the default header logo. However, you can select a
different file.
ii. Click File. The Open dialogue appears.

iii. Select the your graphic in BMP format and click Open.
Note:
Only BMP graphics can be used as logos. If your logo is in a different format, you must
first convert it using a graphics programme to the BMP format.
iv. Select the correct Width and Height (in pixels).

v. Click OK.
c. Select the Header/Footer check box if you want to define a header or footer for the map and set its Position.
Clicking the Properties button opens a dialogue where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time and date. If you want the header or footer to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On
the map check box.
5. Once you have made your settings, click OK to close the Print Setup dialogue, or click Print to print the document.
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Note:
1.6.3
You can save the current settings as a configuration file by clicking the Export button
under Configuration. This enables you to re-use the same settings the next time by
importing them.
Previewing Your Printing

When you want to print maps, data tables, or reports, you can preview your printing.
To preview your printing:
1. Select the map or table you want to print.
2. Select File > Print Preview. The Print Preview window appears.
At the top of the Print Preview window, you can click one of the following buttons:
-
1.6.4
Click Print to open the Print dialogue.

Click Zoom In to zoom in on the print preview.
Click Zoom Out to zoom out on the print preview.
Click Next Page to display the following page
Click Prev Page to display the previous page.
Click Two Page to display two pages side by side
Click One Page to display a single page.
Printing a Docking Window

You can print the content of many docking windows using the context menu; selecting File > Print only prints the contents
of a document window, as explained in "Printing a Map" on page 55. The docking windows whose contents you can print
are:
Legend Window (for more information on this tool, see "Adding an Object Type to the Legend" on page 26)
Point Analysis Tool
CW Measurement Analysis Tool (for more information on this tool, see the Measurements and Model Calibration
Guide.
Drive Test Data Analysis Tool
Microwave Link Analysis (for more information on this tool, see "Studying Reflection" on page 1246)
To print the content of a docking window:

1. Open the docking window you want to print.
-
If you want to print a Point Analysis window, click the tab of the study you want to print.
2. Right-click the window you wish to print.

3. Select Print from the context menu. The Print dialogue appears.
4. Click OK to print.
1.6.5
Printing Antenna Patterns

You can print the horizontal or vertical pattern of an antenna.
To print an antenna pattern:
1. Click the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Open the Antennas table:
-
To open the RF Antennas table:

i.
Right-click the Antennas folder.
ii. Select Open Table from the context menu.

-
To open the microwave Antennas table:

i.
Click the Expand button (
) to the left of the Microwave Radio Links folder.
ii. Right-click the Links folder and select Antennas > Open Table from the context menu.
3. Right-click the antenna whose pattern you want to print.
4. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Horizontal Pattern tab or the Vertical Pattern tab.
6. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Linear or Logarithmic from the context menu.
7. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Print from the context menu.
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1.7
Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data

In Atoll you can organise data in several different ways, allowing you to select only certain data and then, for example,
modify only selected data or run calculations on the selected data. Atoll allows you to group, sort, or filter data quickly by
one criterion, or by several.
After you have defined how you will group, sort, or filter data, you can save this information as a folder configuration.
In this section the following will be explained:
1.7.1
"Grouping Data Objects" on page 59

"Sorting Data" on page 63
"Filtering Data" on page 64
"Folder Configurations" on page 72
"Creating and Comparing Subfolders" on page 73
Grouping Data Objects

You can group objects according to a selected property on the Data tab of the Explorer window. The objects to be grouped
can be in a data folder or in a subfolder (see "Creating and Comparing Subfolders" on page 73). You can also define the
properties by which you can group objects. Grouping objects in the Explorer window is similar to sorting data in the data
table because it puts all records with the selected property together.
Once you have grouped data objects, you can access their Properties dialogue from the context menu to edit properties
on all grouped objects. You can save the grouping parameters as a folder configuration. For information, see "Folder
Configurations" on page 72.
This section explains:
"Grouping Data Objects by a Selected Property" on page 59

"Configuring the Group By Submenu" on page 59
"Advanced Grouping" on page 60.
For examples of grouping data objects, see "Examples of Grouping" on page 61.
1.7.1.1
Grouping Data Objects by a Selected Property

You can group data objects by a selected property using the Group By command on the context menu.
To group data objects by a selected property:
2. Right-click the folder or subfolder whose objects you want to group. The context menu appears.
3. From the Group By submenu, select the property by which you want to group the objects. The objects in the folder
are grouped by that property.
Note:
If the range of properties available in the Group By submenu has been configured as
explained in "Configuring the Group By Submenu" on page 59, you can select additional
properties by selecting More Fields from the Group By submenu. For information on
using the dialogue that appears, see "Configuring the Group By Submenu" on page 59.
To undo the grouping:

2. Right-click the folder or subfolder whose objects you have grouped.
3. From the context menu, select from the Group By > None.
See "Examples of Grouping" on page 61.
1.7.1.2
Configuring the Group By Submenu

Some data objects, such as transmitters, have a large number of properties that will appear by default in the Group By
submenu. You can make it easier to group data objects by configuring the Group By submenu to display only the properties that are relevant for grouping.
To configure the Group By submenu:
2. Right-click the folder whose Group By submenu you want to configure. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu.
4. Select the General tab of the Properties dialogue.
5. Click the Configure button next to the Group By field that shows how the data objects are presently grouped. The
Configuration dialogue appears (see Figure 1.28).
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Figure 1.28: The Configuration dialogue

6. Select the fields you want to appear in the Group By submenu. You can display all the fields belonging to a table
by clicking the Expand button ( ) to the left of the table name. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the
first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and
clicking each fields separately.
-
To select a field to appear in the Group By submenu, select the field in the Available Fields list and click
to move it to the Grouping Fields list.

To remove a field from the list of Grouping Fields, select the field in the Grouping Fields list and click
to remove it.
To change the order of the fields, select a field and click

or
will be grouped in the order of the fields in the Grouping Fields list, from top to bottom.
7. Click OK to close the Configuration dialogue and click OK to close the Properties dialogue. The Group By submenu will now contain only the fields you selected.
1.7.1.3
Advanced Grouping
You can group data objects by one or more properties, using the Group By button on the Properties dialogue.
To group data objects by one or more properties:
4. Select the General tab of the Properties dialogue.
5. Click the Group By button. The Group dialogue appears (see Figure 1.29).
Figure 1.29: The Group dialogue

6. Select the fields by which you want to group the objects. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field,
pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking
each fields separately.
-
To select a field to be used to group the objects, select the field in the Available Fields list and click
to move it to the Group these fields in this order list.

To remove a field from the list of Group these fields in this order, select the field in the Group these fields
in this order list and click
60
to remove it.
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To change the order of the fields, select a field and click

or
will be grouped in the order of the fields in the Group these fields in this order list, from top to bottom.
7. Click OK to close the Group dialogue and click OK to close the Properties dialogue and group the objects.
To undo the grouping:
3. From the context menu, select from the Group By > None.
1.7.1.4
Examples of Grouping
In this example, there is an Atoll document with a large number of sites and, therefore, transmitters. While it is easy to
see on the map which transmitters are part of which site, in the Explorer window, you can only see a very long list of transmitters under the Transmitter folder.
By right-clicking the Transmitter folder and selecting Group By > Site (Figure 1.30), you can group the transmitters by the
site they are located on.
Figure 1.30: Grouping transmitters by site

The result of grouping can be seen in Figure 1.31.
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Figure 1.31: Transmitters grouped by site

You can also group objects by the computation or focus zone. You normally create a computation or focus zone when you
want to concentrate on a given subset of transmitters, for example, when you are working on a certain area of the network.
By grouping them by computation or focus zone, the transmitters you are working on are immediately visible under the
Transmitter folder.
By right-clicking the Transmitter folder and selecting Group By > Polygon > Focus Zone (Figure 1.30), you can group
the transmitters in the focus zone together.
Figure 1.32: Grouping transmitters by zone

The result of grouping can be seen in Figure 1.31. The transmitters are now in two groups: those inside the focus zone
and those outside the focus zone.
Figure 1.33: Transmitters grouped by site
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1.7.2
Sorting Data
In Atoll, you can sort the document data either in the data tables or using the Sort function of Properties dialogue. You
can sort the data in ascending (A to Z, 1 to 10) or descending (Z to A, 10 to 1) order.
You can sort the data by either one or by several columns. When you sort data by several columns, Atoll sorts the records
by the first column and then, within each group of identical values in the first column, Atoll then sorts the records by the
second column, and so on.
Once you have sorted data objects, you can save the settings as a folder configuration. For information, see "Folder
Configurations" on page 72.
1.7.2.1
"Sorting Data in Tables" on page 63

"Advanced Sorting" on page 63
Sorting Data in Tables

When sorting data in tables, you can sort by one column or by several columns.
Sorting by One Column

To sort data in a table by one column:
2. Select the header of the column that you want to sort on. The entire column is selected.
3. Right-click the column header. The context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select how you wish to sort:
-
Sort Ascending: sort the data table records from the lowest value in the reference column to the highest
value.
Sort Descending: sort the data table records from the highest value in the reference column to the lowest
value.
Sorting by Several Columns

You can only sort in a table by adjacent columns. If you want to sort by columns that are not adjacent, you can move the
columns first as explained in "Moving Columns" on page 48.
Tip:
If you want to sort data by several columns without moving the columns, you can use the
Sort function on the Properties dialogue. For information, see "Advanced Sorting" on
page 63.
To sort data in a table by several columns:

2. Click the header of the first column and drag over the adjacent columns that will be your sort references.
The entire column is selected.
3. Right-click the column headers. The context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select how you wish to sort:
1.7.2.2
Sort Ascending: sort the data table records from the lowest value in the first reference column to the highest
value.
Sort Descending: sort the data table records from the highest value in the first reference column to the lowest
value.
Advanced Sorting
You can sort data by several criteria using the Sort function of the Properties dialogue.
To sort data using the Sort function of the Properties dialogue:
2. Right-click the folder whose data you want to sort. The context menu appears
4. Select the General tab in the Properties dialogue.
5. Click the Sort button. The Sort dialogue appears (see Figure 1.34).
6. For the first column you want to sort on:
a. Select the column name from the Sort by list.
b. Choose whether you want to sort in ascending or descending order.
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7. For each other column you want to sort on:
a. Select the column name from the And by list.
b. Choose whether you want to sort in ascending or descending order.
8. Click OK.
Figure 1.34: The Sort dialogue
1.7.3
Filtering Data
In Atoll, you can filter data according to one or several criteria. You can filter data to be able to work with a subset of data,
or to facilitate working with large documents by reducing the amount of records displayed.
The filtered data objects are the data objects that remain after you have applied your filter criteria.
You can save the filtering parameters as a folder configuration. For information, see "Folder Configurations" on page 72.
1.7.3.1
"Filtering in Data Tables by Selection" on page 64

"Advanced Data Filtering" on page 65
"Restoring All Records" on page 66
"Advanced Filtering: Examples" on page 66.
Filtering in Data Tables by Selection

You can filter a data table by selecting one or more values. Once you have selected one or more values, you can choose
to view only records that have the same value or only records that do not have that value.
To filter a data table on one or more fields:
2. Select the value to filter on. To select more than one value, press CTRL as you click the other values.
3. Select one of the following from the Records menu:
-
Filter by Selection: All records with the selected value or values are displayed. You can now modify these
records or make calculations on them as you would normally do with the entire data table (see Figure 1.35 on
page 64).
Filter Excluding Selection: All records without the selected value or values are displayed. You can now
modify these records or make calculations on them as you would normally do with the entire data table (see
Figure 1.36 on page 65).
Figure 1.35: Filtering by selection (Antenna AO9209)
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Figure 1.36: Filtering excluding selection (Antenna AO9209)
1.7.3.2
Advanced Data Filtering

You can use advanced data filtering to combine several criteria in different fields to create complex filters.
To create an advanced filter:
2. Select Records > Advanced Filter. The Filter dialogue appears.
Tip:
You can also access the Filter dialogue by clicking the Filter button of the Properties
dialogue.
3. Click the Filter tab:

a. Select a Field from the list.
b. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes
next to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
Note:
Making selections on the Filter tab of the Filter dialogue is the equivalent of filtering by
selection as explained in "Filtering in Data Tables by Selection" on page 64.
4. Click the Advanced tab:

a. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as
you want (see Figure 1.37).
Figure 1.37: The Filter dialogue - Advanced tab

b. Underneath each column name, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in the following table:
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Formula
Data are kept in the table only if
=X
value equal to X (X may be a number or characters)
<> X
value not equal to X (X may be a number or characters)
<X
numerical value is less than X
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Atoll User Manual
Formula
>X
numerical value is greater than X
<=X
numerical value is less than or equal to X
>=X
numerical value is greater than or equal to X
*X*
text objects which contain X
X*
text objects which start with X
5. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically.
See "Advanced Filtering: Examples" on page 66.
1.7.3.3
Restoring All Records

After you have applied filter criteria to records, you may want to cancel the filter criteria and display all the records again.
To restore all records:
1.7.3.4
Select Records > Remove Filter.
Advanced Filtering: Examples

In this section, you will find a few examples of advanced filtering:
1.7.3.4.1
"Advanced Filtering: Example 1" on page 66

"Advanced Filtering: Example 2" on page 67
"Advanced Filtering: Example 3" on page 67.
Advanced Filtering: Example 1

In this example, there is an Atoll document with antennas from two manufacturers and with different characteristics.
Figure 1.38: Initial table

The objective of this example is to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a beamwidth between
50 and 100. To do this, the following filter syntax is entered in the Advanced tab of the Filter dialogue (for information on
the Advanced tab, see "Advanced Data Filtering" on page 65):
The first criterion, as shown in Figure 1.39, is all antennas made by a manufacturer with a name beginning with a
"K" ("=K*"). While you could write in the entire name ("=Kathrein"), it is not necessary because there is only one
manufacturer with a "K."
The second criterion is all antennas with a beamwidth under 100.
The third criterion is all antennas with a beamwidth over 50.
The combination of these criteria is all antennas from manufacturers with a name beginning with "K" and with a beamwidth
under 100 but over 50.
The result of this advanced filter can be seen in the second pane of Figure 1.39.
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Figure 1.39: Advanced filtering
1.7.3.4.2

In this example, the document is the same as in "Advanced Filtering: Example 1" on page 66. The objective of this example
is the same as well: to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a beamwidth between 50 and 100.
The filter syntax is entered in the Advanced tab of the Filter dialogue (for information on the Advanced tab, see "Advanced
Data Filtering" on page 65), in this case, however, the entered filter syntax contains errors:
As shown in Figure 1.40, the first criterion is all antennas made by a manufacturer with a name beginning with a
"K" ("=K*").
The second criterion is all antennas with a beamwidth under 100 and over 50.
Figure 1.40: Errors in filtering

As previously stated, the objective of this example was to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with
a beamwidth between 50 and 100. However, because the second criterion (beamwidth under 100 and over 50) is
malformed, with "> 50" placed under "< 100", it functioned as an OR condition and not as an AND condition. The resulting
filter searched for all antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a beamwidth under 100, or all antennas over 50; all antennas are displayed.
1.7.3.4.3

In this example, the document is the same as in "Advanced Filtering: Example 1" on page 66. The objective of this example
is the same as well: to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with a beamwidth between 50 and 100.
The filter syntax is entered in the Advanced tab of the Filter dialogue (for information on the Advanced tab, see "Advanced
Data Filtering" on page 65), in this case, however, the entered filter syntax contains errors:
As shown in Figure 1.41, the first criterion is all antennas made by a manufacturer with a name beginning with a
"K" ("=K*").
The second criterion is all antennas with a beamwidth under 100 and over 50.
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Figure 1.41: Errors in filtering

As previously stated, the objective of this example was to use filter criteria to find antennas manufactured by Kathrein with
a beamwidth between 50 and 100. However, because the second criterion is malformed, the filter only generates an error
message and no antennas are filtered out.
1.7.4
User Configurations
In Atoll, you can export many types of settings you have made in a user configuration and then import the settings in
another document. If you are working in a multiple-user environment with a central database, the information stored in a
user configuration, such as geographic data or automatic neighbour allocation parameters, is not stored in the database.
You can create a user configuration file, however, to ensure that all users in a large radio-planning project use the same
settings.
The file extension of the user configuration file is CFG. If only the geographic data set or computation and focus zones are
being exported in the user configuration file, Atoll gives the file the extension "GEO." Because the file is in XML (eXtensible
Markup Language), you can open and edit it with any XML-capable text editor.
When you create a user configuration file, you can export the following information:
Geographic data set: The complete path of imported geographic maps, map display settings (such as, the visibility scale, transparency, tips text, etc.), clutter description (code, name, height, standard deviations, indoor loss,
orthogonality factor, the percentage of pilot finger of each clutter class, default standard deviations, and indoor
loss) and raster or user profile traffic map description. Vector maps must have the same coordinate system as the
raster maps.
Important: If you export the geographic data set in a user configuration file, the coordinate system of
any vector geographic data must be the same as that of the raster geographic data.
Computation and Focus Zones: The computation and focus zone in the current document.
Folder configurations: Sorting, grouping and filtering settings (those saved by the user and the current settings,
even if not saved), the filtering zone, and the display settings of radio data folders (including measurement display
settings).
Automatic Neighbour Allocation Parameters: The input parameters of the automatic neighbour allocation.
Automatic Scrambling Code Allocation Parameters: The parameters of the automatic scrambling code allocation (this option applies to UMTS documents only).
Prediction List: The general information (name, comments, group, and sorting and filtering settings), prediction
coverage conditions, and display settings of coverage predictions that have been created.
AFP Configuration: Calculation options selected when starting an AFP session as well as calculation parameters
used for interference histograms (this option applies to GSM documents only).
Automatic PN Offset Allocation Parameters: The parameters of the automatic PN offset allocation. (this option
applies to CDMA2000 documents only).
Macros: The complete path of any macros. Because a macro is linked to an Atoll session, and not to a specific
Atoll document, you can export the macros in a user configuration even if you do not have an Atoll document
open.
For a detailed description of the user configuration file, see the Administrator Manual.
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"Exporting a User Configuration" on page 69

"Importing a User Configuration" on page 69.
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1.7.4.1
Exporting a User Configuration

You create a user configuration by exporting the selected settings to an external file.
To export a user configuration:
1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Export. The User Configuration dialogue appears (see Figure 1.42).
Figure 1.42: Exporting a user configuration

2. Select the check boxes of the information you want to export as part of the user configuration.
3. Click OK. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. Enter a File name for the user configuration file and click Save. The folder configuration has been saved.
1.7.4.2
Importing a User Configuration

You can import a user configuration that you or another user has created, as explained in "Exporting a User Configuration"
on page 69, it into your current Atoll document.
To import a user configuration:
1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Import. The Open dialogue appears.
2. Select the user configuration file with the data you want to import.
3. Click Open. The User Configuration dialogue appears (see Figure 1.43).
Figure 1.43: Importing a user configuration

4. Select the check boxes of the information you want to import.
5. Click OK. The user configuration is imported.
1.7.5
Site and Transmitter Lists

In Atoll, you can create lists of sites and transmitters. Once you have created a site or transmitter list, you can modify the
list and use it to filter data to be able to work with a subset of data, or to facilitate working with large documents by reducing
the amount of records displayed.
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In a multi-user environment, site lists can be stored in the database. When you open a document from a database, you
can select the sites to load according to any defined site lists. In a large radio-planning project, this allows you to more
effectively manage your resources by reducing the unnecessary data you retrieve from the database.
1.7.5.1
"Creating a Site or Transmitter List" on page 70

"Adding a Site or Transmitter to a List from the Explorer Window" on page 70
"Adding a Site or Transmitter to a List from the Map Window" on page 70
"Adding Sites or Transmitters to a List Using a Zone" on page 71
"Editing a Site or Transmitter List" on page 71
"Filtering on a Site or Transmitter List" on page 71.
Creating a Site or Transmitter List

You can create lists of sites or transmitters that you can then use to filter the data displayed.
To create a site or transmitter list:
2. Right-click the folder where you want to create the list:
Site list: if you want to create a site list:
a. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
b. Select Site Lists > Open Table from the context menu. The Site Lists table appears.
Transmitter list: if you want to create a transmitter list:
a. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
b. Select Transmitter Lists > Open Table from the context menu. The Transmitter Lists table appears.
3. Enter the name of the new list in the row marked with the New Row icon (
1.7.5.2
).
Adding a Site or Transmitter to a List from the Explorer Window

You can add a site or transmitter to a list by selecting it from the Explorer window.
To add a site or transmitter to a list:
) to the left of Sites or Transmitters folder to expand the folder.
3. Right-click the site or transmitter you want to add to the list. The context menu appears.
Site list: if you want to add a site to a list:
-
Select Add Site to a List from the context menu. A dialogue appears.
Transmitter list: if you want to add a transmitter to a list.

-
Select Add Transmitter to a List from the context menu. A dialogue appears.
4. Select the name of the list from the dialogue.
Tip:
You can create a new list by entering a name in the list instead of selecting the name
from the list. The selected site or transmitter will be added to the new list.
5. Click OK. The site or transmitter is added to the selected list.
Tip:
1.7.5.3
You can quickly create a complete list by first filtering the contents of the Sites or
Transmitters folder as explained in "Filtering Data" on page 64. Then, by right-clicking
the Sites or Transmitters folder and selecting Site Lists > Add Sites to a List or
Transmitter Lists > Add Transmitters to a List from the context menu, you can add the
filtered contents of folder to the list you select.
Adding a Site or Transmitter to a List from the Map Window

You can add a site or transmitter to a list by selecting it from the map window.
To add a site or transmitter to a list:
1. In the map window, right-click the site or transmitter you want to add to a list.
Site list: if you want to add a site to a list:
-
Select Add Site to a List from the context menu. A dialogue appears.
Transmitter list: if you want to add a transmitter to a list.

-
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Select Add Transmitter to a List from the context menu. A dialogue appears.
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Tip:
3. Click OK. The site or transmitter is added to the selected list.
1.7.5.4
Adding Sites or Transmitters to a List Using a Zone

You can add the sites or transmitters contained in a zone to a site or transmitter list.
To add the sites or transmitters contained in a zone to a list:
1. Create a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 31 that contains the sites or transmitters
you want to add to a list. You can use a filtering, computation, focus, hot spot, printing, or geographic export zone.
2. On the Geo tab of the Explorer window, right-click the zone and select one of the following from the context menu:
-
Add Sites to a List: Select Add Sites to a List to add the sites in the zone to a site list. A dialogue appears.
Add Transmitters to a List: Select Add Transmitters to a List to add the sites in the zone to a site list. A
dialogue appears.
Tip:
4. Click OK. The sites or transmitters contained in the zone are added to the selected list.
1.7.5.5
Editing a Site or Transmitter List

You can edit a site or transmitter list using the Site List or Transmitter List table.
To edit a site or transmitter list:
2. Right-click the folder where you want to create the list:
Site list: if you want to edit a site list:
a. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
b. Select Site Lists > Open Table from the context menu. The Site Lists table appears.
Transmitter list: if you want to edit a transmitter list:
a. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
b. Select Transmitter Lists > Open Table from the context menu. The Transmitter Lists table appears.
3. Select the name of the list you want to edit and click Properties. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. You can now edit the list:
To add a site or transmitter to the list:
-
Select the name of the site or transmitter in the row marked with the New Row icon (
).
To delete a site or transmitter from the list:

a. Click in the left margin of the row containing the site or transmitter to select it.
b. Press DEL to delete the site or transmitter from the list.
5. Click OK when you have finished editing the site or transmitter list.
1.7.5.6
Filtering on a Site or Transmitter List

You can use site or transmitter lists to filter the contents of Sites and Transmitters folders.
To filter folder contents using a site or transmitter list:
2. Right-click the folder whose contents you want to filter. The context menu appears.
4. On the General tab of the Properties dialogue, click the Filter button. The Filter dialogue appears.
5. If you have created a list, there will be an additional tab:
-
Sites: Click the Site Lists tab.

Transmitters: Click the Transmitter Lists tab.
6. Select the check box of the list or lists that you want to display.
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7. Click OK to close the Filter dialogue.
8. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue. Only sites or transmitters that belong to the selected list are now displayed in the Data tab of the Explorer window and in the map window.
1.7.6
Folder Configurations
In Atoll, the parameters defining how data contained in a folder are grouped, sorted, or filtered are referred to as a folder
configuration. You can define folder configurations and save them, allowing you to consistently apply the same grouping,
filtering, or sorting criteria.
"Creating a Folder Configuration" on page 72

"Applying a Saved Folder Configuration" on page 72
"Reapplying the Current Folder Configuration" on page 72
"Exporting a Folder Configuration" on page 73
"Importing a Folder Configuration" on page 73
"Deleting a Folder Configuration" on page 73.
Note:
1.7.6.1
For transmitters, there is a default folder configuration called Same as Sites Folder. You
can apply this configuration to arrange the transmitters in the Transmitters folder with the
same parameters as those defined for sites.
Creating a Folder Configuration

In Atoll, you can save the parameters defining how data contained in a folder are grouped, filtered, or sorted as a folder
configuration.
To create a configuration:
2. Right-click the folder whose settings you want to save.
5. If you have not yet done so, set the following parameters as desired:
-
Group By (see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 59)

Sort (see "Sorting Data" on page 63)
Filter (see "Filtering Data" on page 64).
6. Under Configuration, click Save.

7. Enter the name of the configuration in the Save Configuration dialogue.
8. Click OK to save the configuration and click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
The saved folder configuration is only available for the current folder and can be reapplied to the folder by selecting it from
the Configurations submenu on the folders context menu.
1.7.6.2
Applying a Saved Folder Configuration

You can apply a configuration that has been created and saved for the present folder.
To apply a saved folder configuration:
2. Right-click the folder to which you want to apply a configuration. The context menu appears.
3. On the Configurations submenu, select the name of the configuration you want to apply. The folder configuration
is applied to the current folder.
1.7.6.3
Reapplying the Current Folder Configuration

If you have grouped, filtered, or sorted a data folder, you have created and applied a folder configuration. If you then add
or modify data, the properties of these may not match the folder configuration you previously made on the data folder. In
this case, you can reapply the same filter or sort settings to the new or modified data.
To reapply the folder configuration:
2. Right-click the folder whose folder configuration you want to reapply.
3. Select Apply Current Configuration from the context menu. The previously configured folder configuration is
reapplied to the data.
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1.7.6.4
Exporting a Folder Configuration

When you create a folder configuration, you save it to the current ATL document. However, you can export it as part of a
user configuration to an external file, so that it can be used in other documents.
To export a folder configuration:
1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Export. The User Configuration dialogue appears (see Figure 1.42 on
page 69).
2. Select the Folder Configuration check box.
If you want to export other configurations at the same time, select those check boxes as well.
4. Enter a File name for the CFG file and click Save. The folder configuration has been saved.
1.7.6.5
Importing a Folder Configuration

Once you have exported a folder configuration as explained in "Exporting a Folder Configuration" on page 73, you can
import it into your current document.
To import a folder configuration:
2. Select the CFG file with the folder configuration you want to import.
3. Click Open. The User Configuration dialogue appears (see Figure 1.43 on page 69).
4. Select the Folder Configuration check box.
If you want to import other configurations at the same time, select those check boxes as well.
5. Click OK. The folder configuration is imported.
1.7.6.6
Deleting a Folder Configuration

You can delete a folder configuration from the Atoll document when you no longer need it.
To delete a folder configuration:
2. Right-click the folder with the folder configuration you want to delete.
5. Under Configuration, select the name of the configuration from the list.
6. Click Delete. The folder configuration is deleted.
Caution:
1.7.7
When you delete a folder configuration, Atoll will not ask for confirmation; it is deleted
immediately.
Creating and Comparing Subfolders

You can compare the effects of different grouping, sorting, or filtering settings by creating subfolders of object folders in
the Data tab and applying different settings to each subfolder. Each subfolder contains a copy of the data in the object
folder in which it was created.
To create a subfolder of a folder:
1. In the Data tab of the Explorer window, right-click the folder you want to create a subfolder of.
2. Select Create a Subfolder from the context menu. A subfolder is created containing a copy of the original folder
content.
You can now perform the following actions on the subfolder:
Grouping (see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 59)

Sorting (see "Sorting Data" on page 63)
Filtering (see "Filtering Data" on page 64).
Tip:
If you have created several subfolders, you can rename each one to give it a more
descriptive name. For information on renaming an object, see "Renaming an Object" on
page 19.
Once you have performed the actions on each subfolder, you can compare the differences, by displaying in turn each
subfolder, with its grouping, sorting, or filtering settings, on the map. For more information on display properties, see
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To compare subfolders:
1. In the Data tab of the Explorer window, clear the check boxes to the left of each subfolder. The data objects are
not displayed on the map.
2. Select the check box of one of the subfolders, leaving the check boxes of the other subfolders cleared. The data
objects of the selected subfolder, with its associated grouping, sorting, or filtering settings, are displayed on the
map.
3. Clear this check box and select the check box of a different subfolder. How the objects are displayed on the map
will change, depending on the different grouping, sorting, or filtering settings of the selected subfolder.
You can remove subfolders by deleting them. When you delete a subfolder, the data contained are not deleted. When you
delete the last subfolder, the data reappear under the initial folder.
To delete a subfolder:
Right-click the subfolder to be deleted and select Delete from the context menu.
Tip:
1.7.8
If, after deleting the last subfolder, the data do not reappear under the initial folder, you
can refresh the display by right-clicking the folder and selecting Group By > None from
the context menu.
Filtering Data Using a Filtering Zone

In Atoll, you can simplify your calculations by using a polygon on the map to limit the amount of data considered in calculations. By limiting the number of sites, you can reduce the time and cost of calculations and make visualisation of data
objects on the map clearer. You can select a pre-existing computation or focus zone as a filter zone or you can draw a
new filtering zone.
The data objects filtered by the polygon are reflected on the map and in the data tables. On the Data tab of the Explorer
window, any folder whose content is affected by the filtering zone appears with a special icon (
folder contents have been filtered.
), to indicate that the
When you have applied a polygon filter, you can perform the following actions on the filtered data:
Grouping (see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 59)

Sorting (see "Sorting Data" on page 63)
Filtering (see "Filtering Data" on page 64).
For more information on creating and editing a filtering zone, see "Using a Filtering Zone" on page 31.
1.8
Tips and Tricks

In this section, you will learn a few shortcuts and tricks to help you work more efficiently with Atoll:
1.8.1
"Undoing and Redoing" on page 74

"Refreshing Maps and Folders" on page 75
"Searching for Objects on the Map" on page 75
"Using the Status Bar to Get Information" on page 76
"Saving Information Displayed in the Event Viewer" on page 76
"Using Icons from the Toolbar" on page 76
"Using Shortcuts in Atoll" on page 78.
Undoing and Redoing

You can undo or redo most actions in Atoll, up to a maximum of 10 actions. If you perform an action that can not be
undone, for example, a simulation, the Undo and Redo histories are erased.
For example, you can undo or redo:
Most modifications in the workspace: such as creating, deleting, and moving a site, a station or a group of stations, modifying the antenna azimuth, moving a transmitter, or deleting a transmitter,
Tasks performed in the Explorer: such as creating and deleting objects (sites, transmitters, antennas, repeaters
or remote antennas, links, groups of hexagons, measurement paths, coverage predictions, maps, propagation
models, etc.).
Tasks performed in tables: such as adding or deleting records, pasting in tables.
To undo an action:
Select Edit > Undo.
To redo an action that you have undone:
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1.8.2
Refreshing Maps and Folders

Under certain circumstances, for example, when you add data that is inconsistent with an applied filter, the data displayed
on the map or in the Explorer window, may not be actual. You can refresh the display to get Atoll to reload the data and
reapply the current configurations to folders.
To refresh the display of the Explorer window and the map:
1.8.3
Click the Refresh button (
) on the toolbar or press F5.
Searching for Objects on the Map

Atoll provides several tools for finding data objects on the map. You can search for some objects (sites, transmitters,
repeaters, or links) by their name, using the Find toolbar. By using the Location Finder, you can search for a site, a transmitter, a repeater, or a vector by any text field. You can also use the Location Finder to search for a point on the map by
its x and y coordinates.
This section explains:
1.8.3.1
"Searching for a Map Object by Its Name" on page 75

"Searching for a Map Object using Any Text Property" on page 75
"Searching for a Point on the Map" on page 76.
Searching for a Map Object by Its Name

You can use the Find toolbar to search for the following map objects by name:
sites
transmitters
repeaters
To search for a map object by name using the Find toolbar:

1. Select View > Find Toolbar to display the Find toolbar.
Note:
You can change the Find toolbar to a floating window by double-clicking it.
2. From the Find list, choose the map object you are searching for:
-
Site
Transmitter
Repeater
3. Enter the name of the object in the Named box. You can use an asterisk ("*")as a wild card in the following ways:
-
*X*
X*
*X
names which contain X

names which start with X
names which end with X
4. Press ENTER. Atoll selects the object and centres it in the map window.
Note:
1.8.3.2
You can also search for a map object by its name by using the Location Finder. For
information, see "Searching for a Map Object using Any Text Property" on page 75.
Searching for a Map Object using Any Text Property

You can use the Location Finder to search for the following map object using any text (i.e., non-numeric) property:
sites
transmitters
repeaters
vectors.
To search for a map object by a text property using the Location Finder:
1. Click the Location Finder button (
) on the toolbar. The Location Finder dialogue appears.
2. From the Find list, choose the map object you are searching for:
-
Site
Transmitter
Repeater
Vector
3. If you wish to search all the sites in the search, including sites that are presently filtered out, select the Include all
the sites in the search (filtered or not) check box.
4. Under Criteria, select a Field to be searched and enter the value of the field. You can use an asterisk as a wild
card in the following ways:
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-
*X*
X*

5. Click OK. Atoll selects the site and centres it in the map window.
1.8.3.3
Searching for a Point on the Map

You can search for a point by entering its x and y coordinates in the Location Finder.
To search on the map for a point using the Location Finder:
1. Click the Location Finder button (
) on the toolbar. The Location Finder dialogue appears.
2. From the Find list, choose Point.

3. Enter the x and y coordinates of the point, using the same units as defined under Display on the Coordinates tab
of the Options dialogue (see "Projection and Display Coordinate Systems" on page 86).
4. Click OK. Atoll marks the point (
Note:
1.8.4
) and centres it in the map window.
To remove the point icon (
), select it and then select Delete from the context menu.
Using the Status Bar to Get Information

Atoll displays the following information, if available, about the current position of the mouse pointer in right side of the
status bar (see Figure 1.44):
the current X-Y coordinates (according to the defined display coordinate system)
the altitude (as defined in the DTM)
the clutter class (as defined in the clutter classes properties)
the clutter height (as defined in the clutter height file, or in the clutter classes).
X-Y coordinates
Altitude
(from DTM)
Clutter class
Figure 1.44: Information displayed in the status bar
1.8.5
Saving Information Displayed in the Event Viewer

Atoll displays information about the current document in the Event Viewer. The Event Viewer displays information ( ),
warning ( ), and error ( ) messages, as well as the progress of calculations. You can save the information displayed
in the Event Viewer in a log file.
To save events in the Event Viewer in a log file:
1. If the Event Viewer is not displayed, select View > Event Viewer to display it.
2. Click the event in the Event Viewer to select it. Click and drag to select several events.
3. Right-click the select event(s). The context menu appears.
4. Select Save As. The Save As dialogue appears.
5. In the Save As dialogue, select a destination folder, enter a File name, and select a file type from the Save as
type list.
6. Click OK. The selected events are saved in the text file.
You can also automatically generate log files for each Atoll session and select the level of information displayed in the
Event viewer. For more information about these settings, see the Administrator Manual.
1.8.6
Using Icons from the Toolbar

You can access many commands in Atoll by clicking its icon on the toolbar. Some of them are also linked to shortcut keys
(see "Using Shortcuts in Atoll" on page 78).
The different icons located in the toolbar are listed below:
In the Standard toolbar

Open the Project Templates dialogue (CTRL+N)
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Open the Open dialogue (CTRL+O)
Save the current document (CTRL+S)
Cut the selected data (CTRL+X)
Copy the selected data (CTRL+C)
Paste the content of the clipboard (CTRL+V)
Undo the last modification (CTRL + Z)
Redo the previous undone modification (CTRL + Y)
Print the current window (table or map) (CTRL+P)
Preview the current window before printing (table or map) (CTRL+P)
Open the About Atoll dialogue
In the Radio toolbar

Create a new station based on the currently selected model
Create a new group of hexagons based on the currently selected station template (
gon radius is defined)
Note:
indicates that no hexa-
A new hexagon group is created in the Hexagonal Design folder if the check box to the
left of this folder is selected when you create a new station or a group of stations. If the
check box is not selected, you can create a new station without creating a corresponding
hexagon group.
Station model currently selected

Create a new repeater or remote antenna for the currently selected transmitter
Graphically manage neighbours for the selected transmitter
Open the Point Analysis window
Calculate only invalid matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (F7)
Force the calculation of all matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (CTRL+F7)
Stop the calculation of all matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (ESC)
In the Map toolbar

Select area
Refresh display of map and folders (F5)
Disable zooming and panning tools.
Move the map window (CTRL+D)
Map scale currently used
Previous/Next view (zoom and location)
Zoom in on the map and centre on the cursor location (CTRL+A) and zoom out on the map and centre on the
cursor location (CTRL+R)
Define a zoom area on the map (CTRL+W)
Turn on tool tips
Measure distances on the map
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Location finder
Display a point-to-point profile
In the Search toolbar

Centre site in the map window.
In the Vector Edition toolbar

Create a new vector layer (in either the Geo or the Data tab)
Select the vector layer to edit
Draw a new polygon
Draw a new rectangle
Draw a new line
Draw points
Merge several vector polygons
Cut out areas in polygons
Create new polygon from overlapping areas
Split one polygon along the drawn lines.
Note:
1.8.7
When you place the cursor over an icon, a tool tip appears, giving a short description.
Using Shortcuts in Atoll

Atoll provides many shortcuts that enable you to access commonly used tools and commands more quickly.
The shortcuts available are listed below (some of the same commands can be accessed using a toolbar icon; see "Using
Icons from the Toolbar" on page 76):
Using the CTRL key:

-
78
CTRL++: Zoom in on the map (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+: Zoom out on the map (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+A: Select all records in a table
CTRL+C: Copy the selected data (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+D:
and click the map)

and right-click the map)
In tables: Copy the first cell of a selection down into all selected cells
In the map window: Move the map window (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+E: Export the table of the selected Sites or Transmitters folder or subfolder to a text file. For more
information, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 51.
CTRL+F: Open the Find dialogue in a table
CTRL+I: Import the table of the selected Sites or Transmitters folder or subfolder from a text file. For more
information, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 52.
CTRL+N: Open the Project Templates dialogue (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+SHIFT+N: Create a new document from an existing database
CTRL+O: Open the Open dialogue (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+P: Print the current window (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+Q: Select Zoom In/Out tool (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+S: Save the current active document (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+U: Copy the last cell of a selection up into all selected cells
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CTRL+V: Paste the content of the clipboard (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+W: Define a zoom area on the map (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+X: Cut the selected data (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+Y: Redo the previous undone modification (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+Z: Undo the last modification (in the toolbar, click
)
)
Using the ALT key:

-
ALT+
: Previous zoom and location on the map (in the toolbar, click
ALT+
: Next zoom and location on the map (in the toolbar, click
ALT+F8: Open the Add-ins and Macros dialogue
)
)
Using the Function Keys

-
F3: Select the Find Site tool.
F5: Refresh display of map and folders (toolbar: select
F7: Calculate only invalid matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (in the toolbar, click
CTRL+F7: Force the calculation of all matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations (in the toolbar,
click
Tip:
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)
)
Menus and commands can be also accessed by pressing the ALT key and typing the
underlined letter in the menu or command name.
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Chapter 2
Starting an Atoll Project
Atoll User Manual
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Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project
Starting an Atoll Project

When you want to start a new project, you base it on a template that has the data and folder structure necessary for the
technology you are using. Once you have started your new Atoll project, you can modify the network parameters to meet
your particular needs. Several templates are supplied with Atoll: GPS GPRS EGPRS, CDMA200 1xRTT 1xEV-DO, microwave radio links, UMTS HSPA, WiMAX, and LTE. The actual templates supplied depend on the modules included with
your Atoll installation. You can also create your own templates by opening an existing template, making the changes
necessary to meet your own needs and then saving it as a new template.
When you open an existing project, you can select it from the File menu if it is one of the last projects you have worked
on, or you can open it from the Open dialogue. Because Atoll can work with linked geographic data files, it may happen
that one of the linked files was moved or renamed since the last time you worked on that project. Atoll enables you to find
the file and repair the link.
In this chapter, the following are explained:
2.1
"Before Starting a Radio-Planning Project" on page 83

"Creating an Atoll Document" on page 83.
Before Starting a Radio-Planning Project

For every radio-planning project you must assemble the information necessary:
Radioequipment: sites, transmitters, antennas, repeaters, and other equipment. For more information on radio
equipment, see the technology-specific chapters.
Radiodata: frequency bands, technology-specific parameters, coordinate systems, etc. For more information on
radio data, see the technology-specific chapters.
Geographic data: clutter classes, clutter heights, DTM, population maps, etc. For more information on geographic
data, see "Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project".
Once the necessary data have been assembled, you can create the Atoll document.
2.2
Creating an Atoll Document

Whatever the radio technology you will be modelling, you create an Atoll document in one of two ways:
From a document template: You can create a new Atoll document from a template. Atoll is delivered with a
template for each technology you will be planning for. For information on creating a document from a template,
see "Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template" on page 83.
You can also create your own template by basing it on an existing document that you have already customised
with, for example, certain geo data or antennas.
2.2.1
From an existing database: When you create a new Atoll document from a database, the database you connect
to has been created with the technology and data you need. Working with a database allows several users to share
the same data while at the same time managing data consistency. The exact procedure for creating a new Atoll
document from a database differs, depending on the database containing the data. Atoll can work with several
common databases. For information on starting a document from a database, see "Creating a New Atoll Document
from a Database" on page 89.
Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template

You can create a new Atoll document from a template. Atoll has a template for each technology you will be planning for.
Each template provides data and a data structure suitable for the technology. For example, the tabs in the transmitter
Properties dialogue as well as the radio parameters available differ according to the project. As well, the objects that are
available are appropriate for the technology. For example, UMTS cells are only available in UMTS documents and TRX
are only available in GSM-TDMA documents.
Once you have selected the appropriate template for your radio-planning project, you configure the basic parameters of
the Atoll document (see "Defining a New Atoll Document" on page 85).
2.2.1.1
"Templates Available" on page 83

"Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template" on page 84
"Defining a New Atoll Document" on page 85
Templates Available
Depending on your configuration of Atoll, the following templates are available:
GSM/GPRS/EGPRS: This template can be used to model second generation (2G) mobile telecommunications
using TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) technology. This template can be used to model the following technologies:
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GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication): GSM is a 2G technology based on TDMA.
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Atoll User Manual
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service): GPRS is a packet-switched technology that enables data applications on GSM networks. It is considered a 2.5G technology.
EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution): EDGE is an advancement for GSM/GPRS networks that triples data rates. Because it is based on existing GSM technology, it allows for a smooth upgrade for GSM operators, giving them capabilities approaching those of a 3G network, while remaining with the existing 2G
system.
EGPRS (GPRS operating over EDGE): EGPRS is GPRS, but operating over EDGE for enhanced data rates.
CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO: This template can be used to model third generation (3G) mobile telecommunications based on CDMA2000 technology. CDMA2000 is an evolution of CDMA, or code division multiple access.
This template can be used to model the following technologies:
-
2.2.1.2
1xRTT (1 Radio Transmission Technology): 1xRTT is sometimes considered not as 3G but as 2.5G in
terms of mobile telecommunications. It offers increased voice capacity as compared to 2G technologies, but
not as much as pure 3G solutions.
1xEV-DO (1x Evolution - Data Only): 1xEV-DO is an evolution of CDMA2000 that provides data transfer
rates of over 10 times those of 1xRTT. It is considered a 3G solution and addresses, as its name suggests,
data only.
IS-95 cdmaOne: Second generation (2G) mobile telecommunications based on code division multiple access
technology. IS-95 is an industry standard while cdmaOne is a proprietary implementation of this standard.
UMTS HSPA: UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet
Access) and HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access), collectively referred to as HSPA, are third generation
(3G) mobile telecommunication systems based on WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) technology. Although WCDMA is similar in implementation to CDMA, the two technologies are incompatible. UMTS
and HSPA are usually implemented in place and over GSM networks.
TD-SCDMA: TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous CDMA) is a 3G mobile telecommunication system based
on Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode. TD-SCDMA transmits uplink and downlink traffic in the same frame in different time slots.
WiMAX: Atoll WiMAX is a state-of-the-art WiMAX and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network planning tool
developed in cooperation with world-leading WiMAX equipment suppliers. Atoll WiMAX supports the IEEE
802.16d as well as IEEE 802.16e.
LTE: This template can be used to model the new fourth generation (4G) networks based on the UTRAN LTE
(UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Networks Long Term Evolution) specifications proposed by the 3GPP. Atoll LTE
is strictly follows the latest 3GPP LTE specifications, and has been developed in collaboration with the marketleading equipment manufacturers. Atoll LTE is the first and most comprehensive LTE network planning tool available on the market.
Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template

To create a new document from a template:
1. Select File > New > From a Document Template. The Project Templates dialogue appears.
2. Select the template on which you want to base your document and click OK. Atoll creates a new document based
on the template selected.
Figure 2.45 shows a new Atoll document based on the UMTS HSPA HSPA template. The Data tab of the Explorer
window now has a folder structure suitable for a UMTS HSPA HSPA radio-planning project, with, among other
UMTSUMTS-specific elements, folders for UMTS HSPA HSPA parameters and UMTS HSPA HSPA simulations. The
Antennas folder is expanded to show the UMTSUMTS-compatible antennas suggested by Atoll. These can be modified
or replaced. Figure 2.46 and Figure 2.47 show the contents of the Geo and Modules tabs of the new document, respectively.
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Figure 2.45: New Atoll document based on a template
Figure 2.46: New Atoll document Geo tab
Figure 2.47: New Atoll document Modules tab
When you create an Atoll document from a template, the document is not connected to a database.
To verify whether the document is connected to a database:
Select File > Database > Connection Properties. The dialogue in Figure 2.48 appears.
Figure 2.48: An Atoll document based on a template is not connected to a database
2.2.1.3
Defining a New Atoll Document

Once you have created a new Atoll document as explained in "Creating a New Atoll Document from a Template" on
page 84, you configure the basic parameters of the Atoll document. You can accept the default values for some parameters, such as basic measurement units, but you must set projection and display coordinate systems.
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"Projection and Display Coordinate Systems" on page 86

"Setting a Coordinate System" on page 86
"Setting Measurement Units" on page 87
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2.2.1.3.1
Projection and Display Coordinate Systems

In Atoll, you define the two coordinate systems for each Atoll document: the projection coordinate system and the display
coordinate system. By default, the same coordinate system is used for both.
A projection is a method for producing all or part of a round body on a flat sheet. This projection cannot be done without
distortion, thus the cartographer must choose the characteristic (distance, direction, scale, area or shape) which is to be
shown appropriately at the expense of the other characteristics, or he must compromise on several characteristics1. The
projected zones are referenced using cartographic coordinates (meter, yard, etc.).
Two projection systems are widely used:
The Lambert Conformal-Conic projection: a portion of the earth is mathematically projected on a cone conceptually secant at one or two standard parallels. This projection type is useful for representing countries or regions
that lay primarily east to west.
The Universal Transverse Mercator projection (UTM): a portion of the earth is mathematically projected on a
cylinder tangent to a meridian (which is transverse or crosswise to the equator). This projection type is useful for
mapping large areas that are oriented north-south.
A geographic system is not a projection, but a representation of a location on the earth's surface from geographic coordinates (degree-minute-second or grade) giving the latitude and longitude in relation to the origin meridian (Paris for NTF
system and Greenwich for ED50 system). The locations in the geographic system can be converted into other projections.
Atoll has databases including more than 980 international coordinate system references, a database based on the European Petroleum Survey Group and another one regrouping only France's coordinate systems. Atoll distinguishes the
cartographic coordinate systems for projection and either cartographic or geographic coordinate systems for display.
The maps displayed in the workspace are referenced with the same projection system as the imported geographic data
files; thus, the projection system depends on the imported geographic file. By choosing a specific display system, you can
see (using the rulers or status bars) the location of sites on the map in a coordinate system different from the projection
coordinate system. You can also position on the map sites referenced in the display system: the coordinates are automatically converted from the projection system to the display system and the site is displayed on the map.
In Figure 2.49, the French Riviera geographic data file has been imported. The map shows the French Riviera projected
using the cartographic NTF (Paris)/France II tendue system (coordinates in metres). On the other hand, site coordinates
are stated in the geographic WGS 72 system (coordinates in degrees-minutes-seconds).
Figure 2.49: NTF (Paris)/France II tendue system used with WGS 72 system
Notes:
2.2.1.3.2
All imported raster geographic files must be use the same cartographic system. If not, you
must convert them to a single cartographic system.
Setting a Coordinate System

Because you are working with maps, you must set a coordinate system for your Atoll document. By default, projection and
display coordinate systems are the same, but you can choose a different display coordinate system if you wish.
To define the coordinate system:
1. Select Tools > Options. The Options dialogue appears.
2. On the Coordinates tab, click the Browse button (
tems dialogue appears.
) to the right of the Projection field. The Coordinate Sys-
3. In the Coordinate Systems dialogue, select a catalogue from the Find in list. For the projection system, only cartographic systems (identified by the
symbol) are available.
1.
Snyder, John. P., Map Projections Used by the US Geological Survey, 2nd Edition, United States Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 313 pages, 1982.
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4. Select a coordinate system from the list.
Tip:
If you frequently use a particular coordinate system you can add it to a catalogue of
favourites by clicking Add to Favourites.
5. Click OK. The selected coordinate system appears in the Projection field and, by default, in the Display field as
well.
6. If you wish to set a different coordinate system for the display, click the Browse button (
) to the right of the
Display field and repeat step 3. to step 5. For the display system, both cartographic systems (identified by the
symbol) and geographic systems (identified by the
symbol) are available.
2.2.1.3.3
Selecting the Degree Display Format

Atoll can display longitude and latitude in four different formats. For example:
265629.9N
26d56m29.9sN
26.93914N
+26.93914
To change the degree display format:

2. On the Coordinates tab, select the format from the Degree Format list.
3. Click OK.
Note:
2.2.1.3.4
The degree format options apply only to the geographic coordinate systems.
Setting Measurement Units

When you create a new Atoll document, Atoll sets certain measurement units for reception, transmission, distance,
height, and offset to internal defaults. You can accept these default measurement units, or you can change them using the
Options dialogue.
To set the measurement units:
2. On the Units tab, select the desired unit for the following measurements:
-
Reception
Transmission
Distance
Height and offset
3. Click OK.
2.2.2
Working in a Multi-User Environment

A multi-user environment is one where a number of users, or groups of users, work simultaneously on given parts of a
single, large (may be nation-wide) network. Different user groups may be working on regional or smaller sections of the
network. This section describes the different components of multi-user environments and outlines their purpose.
When you create a new Atoll document from a database, Atoll loads the data to which you have rights from database into
your new document and then disconnects it from the database. The connection to the reference database is reactivated
only when necessary, thus ensuring access to the database by other users.
When you work on a document created from a database, you are working on data that you are sharing with other users.
Consequently, there are issues related to sharing data that do not arise when you are working on a stand-alone document.
For example, when you archive your changes to the database, the changes you have made may occasionally interfere
with changes other users have made and you will need to resolve this conflict.
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"The Atoll Multi-User Environment" on page 88

"Creating a New Atoll Document from a Database" on page 89
"Working With a Document on a Database" on page 89
"Refreshing an Atoll Document from the Database" on page 91
"Archiving the Modifications of an Atoll Document in the Database" on page 91.
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2.2.2.1
The Atoll Multi-User Environment

An Atoll multi-user environment consists of the following elements, connected over a network:
A central Atoll project: The central Atoll project can only be accessed, modified, and updated by the Atoll
administrator. Through this central Atoll project, the Atoll administrator can manage all the data shared by all the
individual Atoll users or groups of users.
Shared data: Shared data are initially set up by the administrator using the central Atoll project and are then
accessed, modified, worked on, and updated by the Atoll users and the administrator. The shared data are mainly
of the following three types:
-
The central database: The central database stores all the radio data of all the Atoll user documents. It is
initiated through the central Atoll project by the administrator, and is then subdivided into sections on which
users or groups of users can work simultaneously. Once the database is in place, users can modify their
projects, refresh their projects from the data stored in the database, and archive their modifications in the database. The use of a database means that potential data conflicts due to modifications from other users, modified or deleted records, for example, can be detected and resolved.
Shared geographic data: Shared geographic data files are usually stored on a common file server with a fast
access connection. Since geographic data files are usually large, they are usually linked to an Atoll file, i.e.,
they are stored externally, so as to minimise the size of the Atoll file. Users who modify geographic data
locally, for example, editing edit clutter or traffic in their respective projects, usually store these modifications
locally, since these modifications rarely have an impact on other users.
Path loss matrices: The path loss matrices are computed through the central Atoll project by the administrator and can be updated only by the administrator. Each user can read these path loss data but cannot
modify them. If users modify their Atoll documents in such a way that the path loss data becomes invalid for
their document, any path loss matrices computed by these users are stored locally, either embedded in the
ATL file or link to an external file. The shared path loss data are not modified.
Shared path loss matrices are updated when the calculation administrator performs an update, taking into account the modifications made by other users which have been stored and updated in the central database.
Shared path loss matrices enable a number of users to work with a centralised path loss matrices folder, containing path loss matrices corresponding to the central Atoll project.
User Documents: Individual user documents are initialised by the administrator but are later worked upon and
managed by each user. User documents are Atoll files which are connected to the central database, load only the
required part of the geographic data (as defined by the CFG file, for example), and have access to the shared path
loss matrices folder.
Figure 2.50: Components of Multi-user Environments

Note:
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For information on creating and maintaining the database, see the Administrator Manual.
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2.2.2.2
Creating a New Atoll Document from a Database

When you create a new document from a database, you must connect to the database. Once connected, Atoll loads the
database into a new Atoll document. Then the connected is interrupted. A new connection with the database will be
created only when necessary, in order to allow other users access to the database.
The exact procedure of connecting with the database differs from one database to another. Atoll can work with the following databases:
Microsoft Access
Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle
Sybase
Microsoft Data Link files
The following sections give examples of connecting to two different databases and loading data:
"Connecting to a Database" on page 89.

"Selecting the Data to Load From the Database" on page 89.
An example of a new Atoll document created from a database is shown in:
2.2.2.2.1
"Working With a Document on a Database" on page 89
Connecting to a Database
To create a new document from a database:
1. Select File > New > From an Existing Database. The Open from a Database dialogue appears.
2. In the Files of type list, select the option corresponding to the type of your database. Depending on the type of
the database, a dialogue may appear where you can enter your User Name, Password, and Server.
Note:
Additional dialogues may open asking you to choose which project in the database to load
or which site list to load.
3. Click OK. The Data to Load dialogue appears, allowing you to select the data to load into Atoll as a new document
(see "Selecting the Data to Load From the Database" on page 89).
2.2.2.2.2
Selecting the Data to Load From the Database

When you create a new document from a database, you can select the data to be loaded from the database to create the
document in the Data to load dialogue. You can select which Project, Site List, Custom Fields Groups, and Neighbour
to load. If you load the intra-technology or the inter-technology neighbour list, Atoll will also load the associated exceptional pairs table.
Figure 2.51: Selecting the data to load
2.2.2.3
Working With a Document on a Database

Figure 2.52 shows a new Atoll document based created from a database. The Data tab of the Explorer window now has
a folder structure suitable for a UMTS radio-planning project. The Sites folder is expanded to show that a document
created from a database can have additional data, such as sites, unlike a document created from a template. These can
be modified or replaced. Figure 2.53 and Figure 2.54 show the contents of the Geo and Modules tabs of the new document, respectively.
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Figure 2.52: New Atoll document opened from a database

Note:
The new document may open with no site displayed in the map window. This is because
the north-west point of the project is by default the axis origin. You can re-centre the
document on the data displayed in the Data tab by expanding the Sites folder, rightclicking on any site, and selecting Centre in the map window from the context menu.
Figure 2.53: New Atoll document Geo tab
Figure 2.54: New Atoll document Modules tab
When you create an Atoll document from a database, you can view the characteristics of the database connection.
To view the characteristics of the database connection:
1. Select File > Database > Connection Properties. The Database Connection dialogue appears (see
Figure 2.55).
2. You can now:
-
Disconnect your document from the database.

Caution:
90
If you disconnect your document from the database, it will be become a stand-alone
document and you will not be able to reconnect it to the database.
Modify your connection to the database.
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Figure 2.55: The Database Connection dialogue
2.2.2.4
Refreshing an Atoll Document from the Database

As you are working on your document, other users who have access to the database may have modified some of the data.
You can ensure that you have the most recent data in your document by refreshing the information from the database.
How frequently you refresh the document depends on how frequently the database is updated. If the database is updated
frequently, you should refresh your document frequently as well, in order to continue working with the most up-to-date data.
To refresh an Atoll document from the database:
1. Select File > Database > Refresh From the Database. The Refresh dialogue appears.
2. In the dialogue, you can do one of the following if you have modified your document but have not yet saved those
changes in the database:
-
Archive your changes in the database: This option allows you to archive your changes to the server instead
of refreshing your document from the server.
Refresh unmodified data only: This option allows you to refresh from the database only those items that you
have not modified in your document.
Cancel your changes and reload database: This option allows you to cancel any changes you have made
and start over from the point of the last archive to the database.
Notes:
If you chose Refresh unmodified data only or Cancel your changes and reload database,
Atoll proceeds without asking for confirmation.
If you chose Archive your changes in the database, the Archive dialogue appears. For information on using the Archive dialogue, see "Archiving the Modifications of an Atoll Document
in the Database" on page 91.
3. Under Take into account, you can select the neighbour lists, Intra-technology Neighbours and Inter-technology Neighbours, to refresh.
4. Under Modifications Since the Last Refresh, you can generate a report for the refresh process.
5. Click OK. The document is refreshed according to the selected options.
If you selected to generate a report, Atoll creates a text file in CSV (Comma Separated Values) format in the temporary
files system folder, and opens it. You can then rename the file and save it where you wish. The report lists all the modifications (deletions, additions, and updates) that were stored in the database since the last time you refreshed or opened
your document.
2.2.2.5
Archiving the Modifications of an Atoll Document in the Database

When you are working on an Atoll document that is attached to a database, you should from time to time archive the modifications you have made to the data on the database. How frequently you should archive your document depends on
several factors: the amount and size of changes you make, the number of other users using the database who may benefit
from your modifications, etc. What you can archive depends on the user rights the database administrator has given to
you. For example, you can have read access to the antennas table, allowing you to create a new Atoll document with the
given antennas. However, because only the administrator can modify the properties of the antennas, you will not be able
to archive any changes you make to the antennas without write access to the table.
The Atoll archiving process is flexible. You can archive all your modifications or only the site-related modifications. As well,
when you are archiving, Atoll shows you all modifications that will be archived and, if you wish, you can archive only some
of them or even undo modifications you have made locally. Occasionally, other users might have modified some of the
same data and, when you archive your changes, Atoll will inform you of the possible conflicts and help you resolve them.
Forsk 2010
"Archiving All Modifications in the Database" on page 92

"Archiving Only Site-Related Data in the Database" on page 92
"Resolving Data Conflicts" on page 92.
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2.2.2.5.1
Archiving All Modifications in the Database

To archive all your modifications in the database:
1. Select File > Database > Archive to the Database. The Archive dialogue appears (see Figure 2.56).
2. In the Archive dialogue, you can do the following:
-
Click Run All to archive all your changes to the database.

Select one item under Pending Changes and click Run to archive the selected modification to the database
Select one item under Pending Changes and click Differences to view the differences between the local item
and the item on the database.
Select one item under Pending Changes and click Undo to refresh the modification with the original data from
the database.
Figure 2.56: The Archive dialogue

3. If some of the data has been modified on the database since you last refreshed, Atoll stops the archiving process
and asks you to resolve the conflict. For information on managing conflicts, see "Resolving Data Conflicts" on
page 92.
4. When you are finished archiving, click Close.
2.2.2.5.2
Archiving Only Site-Related Data in the Database

Atoll allows you to archive only site-related data if you wish. Which data is archived depends on the radio technology you
are working with. For example, in a UMTS HSPA radio planning project, the site-related data are: sites, transmitters, cells,
and neighbours.
To archive only the site-related data in the database:
1. Select File > Database > Archive to the Database. The Archive dialogue appears.
2. In the Archive dialogue, you can do the following:
-
Click Run All to archive all your changes to the database.

Select one item under Pending Changes and click Run to archive the selected modification to the database
Select one item under Pending Changes and click Differences to view the differences between the local item
and the item on the database.
Select one item under Pending Changes and click Undo to refresh the modification with the original data from
the database.
3. If some of the data has been modified on the database since you last refreshed, Atoll stops the archiving process
and asks you to resolve the conflict. For information on managing conflicts, see "Resolving Data Conflicts" on
page 92.
4. When you are finished archiving, click Close.
2.2.2.5.3
Resolving Data Conflicts

Atoll enables several users to use the same database by allowing user to load the data and then freeing the database for
other users. However, this also creates the possibility of two users modifying the same data. When the second user
attempts to archive his changes, Atoll warns him that the data have been changed since he last refreshed the data and
that there is a conflict.
Atoll allows you to resolve data conflicts. When Atoll finds a conflict, it displays the warning shown in Figure 2.57.
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Figure 2.57: Conflict warning

You have three options:
Ignore: If you click Ignore, Atoll ignores items causing conflicts in the table being archived, archives all other
modifications in the table, and continues with the next table. You can resolve the conflicts after the archiving
process has ended. However, if conflicts are found in other tables, Atoll will warn you with the Database Transfer
Error dialogue again.
Ignore All: If you click Ignore All, Atoll ignores all items causing conflicts in all tables being archived, and
archives all other modifications. You can resolve the conflicts after the archiving process has ended.
Abort: If you click Abort, the archiving process stops. You can attempt to resolve conflicts before restarting the
archiving process.
Whether you abort the archive process to resolve the conflict immediately, or wait until the end of the archive process, the
procedure to resolve the conflict is the same.
To resolve data conflicts one by one:
1. In the Pending Changes pane of the Archive dialogue, select the conflict you want to resolve and click Resolve.
There are two different types of data conflicts:
-
On a modified record: You are in the process of archiving your modifications on the database and another
user has modified the same data since you last archived or refreshed your data. A conflict is caused only by
differences in the same field of the same record between the database and the current Atoll document.
The Conflict in Changes dialogue appears, with the fields in conflict highlighted (see Figure 2.58). In the
Conflict in Changes dialogue, you can see the value of the field in the database in the Database values column, as well as the value of the same field in your document in the Current values column.
Figure 2.58: The Conflict in Changes dialogue
If you want to overwrite the database value with the value of the same field in your document, select the
check box next to the highlighted change and click Archive. Your modification will be written to the database, overwriting the value there.
If you want to accept the value of the field in the database, clear the check box next to the highlighted
change and click Archive. Your modification will be lost and the value in the database will remain unchanged.
On a deleted record: You are in the process of archiving your modifications on the database and another
user has deleted a record since you last archived or refreshed your data. For information, see "Resolving Data
Conflicts" on page 92.
Atoll displays a message explaining that the record you are trying to update has been deleted from the database (see Figure 2.59). Select one of the following:
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Figure 2.59: Conflict on a deleted record

-
Yes: Select Yes to store your modifications in the database, thereby recreating the deleted record.
No: Select No to abandon your modifications to this record and delete this record from your document.
Cancel: Select Cancel to cancel.
2. Click Close to close the Archive dialogue.

To resolve all the data conflicts:
1. In the Pending Changes pane of the Archive dialogue, select any conflict and click Resolve All. Atoll displays
a message explaining how Resolve All works (see Figure 2.60). Select one of the following:
Figure 2.60: Resolving all the data conflicts simultaneously

-
Yes: Select Yes to accept all the modifications made by other users in the database and update your document with values from the database.
No: Select No to overwrite the modifications made by other users in the database with the values from your
document.
Cancel: Select Cancel to cancel.
2. Click Close to close the Archive dialogue.

Important: You should only resolve all the data conflicts when you are certain about the
modifications.
2.3
Making a Backup of Your Document

Atoll can create and automatically update backups of documents you are working on. Once you have saved the document,
Atoll creates a backup of the original document and updates it at a defined interval. For example, for a document named
"filename.atl," Atoll will create a backup file called "filename.atl.bak" in the same folder as the original document. You can
define the update interval each time you start Atoll.
You can also configure Atoll to create automatic backups of external path loss matrices (LOS files) by setting an option
in the atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
When you have activated automatic backup, Atoll automatically creates a backup for every document open. Consequently, if you have a lot of documents open, this operation can take a long time. However, you can optimise the process
by opening large documents in separate Atoll sessions, instead of in the same Atoll session. This also improves memory
management because each instance of Atoll has its own 2 GB (under 32-bit operating systems; 4 GB under 64-bit operating systems) memory allocation. If you open two large documents in the same Atoll session, these documents will use
the same 2 GB memory pool. If you open them in two different Atoll sessions, each document will have its own 2 GB allocated memory.
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"Configuring Automatic Backup" on page 95

"Recovering a Backup" on page 95.
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2.3.1
Configuring Automatic Backup

You can set up automatic backup for each Atoll session.
To configure automatic backup:
1. Select File > Configure Automatic Backup. The Automatic Backup Configuration dialogue appears (see
Figure 2.61).
Figure 2.61: Automatic backup configuration dialogue

2. Select the Activate automatic backup check box.
3. Select the Prompt before starting automatic backup check box if you want Atoll to ask you before saving the
back up of your file every time (see Figure 2.62).
4. Enter a time interval, in minutes, between consecutive backups in the Automatically save backups every text
box.
Note:
It can take a long time to back up large documents. Therefore, you should set a
correspondingly larger interval between backups when working with large documents in
order to optimise the process.
5. Click OK.
If you selected the Prompt before starting automatic backup check box, Atoll prompts you each time before backing
up the document. If you click OK, Atoll proceeds to back up all open documents. If you click Cancel, Atoll skips the
backup once.
Figure 2.62: Automatic backup prompt

The automatic backup timer is stopped while the prompt is displayed. Atoll displays a message in the Event Viewer every
time a backup file is updated. If you are performing calculations, i.e., coverage predictions or simulations, the automatic
backup is delayed until the calculations have ended. The timer starts again once the calculations are over. If you save the
original document manually, the timer is reset to 0.
2.3.2
Recovering a Backup
You can easily recover your backup document and open it in Atoll just like any other Atoll document.
To recover your backup document:
1. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder containing your original Atoll document and its backup.
2. If the original document was named "filename.atl," the backup document will be in the same folder and will be
called "filename.atl.bak". Rename the document and remove the BAK extension. For example, you could change
the name to "filename-backup.atl."
Important: If you just remove the BAK extension, your backup file will have the same file name as
the original file and Windows will not allow you to rename the file. Therefore, it is safer to
give a new name to the backup file and keep the original file until you are sure which
version is most recent.
3. Open the renamed backup document in Atoll. You will be able to recover all the work up to the last time the backup
was saved.
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2.4
Making and Sharing Portable Atoll Projects

You can create portable Atoll documents in two ways:
by embedding all the geographic data in the ATL file, or

by creating a compressed archive (ZIP file) containing the ATL file and all geographic data linked to the Atoll document.
In most working environments, geographic data files are stored on a common file server and are linked to the ATL documents of different users over a network. Often these geographic data files are quite large, and it is not feasible to embed
these files in an ATL file due to file size, memory consumption, and performance reasons. It is, therefore, more useful to
make a project portable by creating an archive that contains the ATL and all geographic data files.
Atoll lets you make an archive containing the ATL file and all geographic data directly from the File menu.
To make an archive containing the ATL file and all linked geographic data files:
1. Select File > Save to Zip. The Save As dialogue appears.
2. Select the folder where the created archive is to be stored, enter a File name for the archive to be created, and
select "Zip Files (*.zip)" from the Save as type list.
Atoll creates a ZIP file containing:
-
A copy of the ATL file with the same name as the name of the archive (ZIP file).
The ATL file added to the archive contains all the data that might be embedded in it (path loss matrices, geographic data, coverage predictions, simulation results, measurement data, etc.).
A ".losses" folder containing a pathloss.dbf file and a LowRes subfolder which contains the pathloss.dbf file
corresponding to the extended path loss matrices.
Externally stored path loss matrices are not added to the archive because they are not necessary for making
a portable document because they can be recalculated based on the network and geographic data in the ATL
file. The pathloss.dbf files are stored in the archive because they are needed when reopening the archive in
Atoll.
A "Geo" folder with all the linked geographic data available on the Geo tab of the Explorer window for the
Atoll document.
This folder contains subfolders with the same names as the folders on the Geo tab. Geographic data that are
found outside folders on the Geo tab are stored in files under the Geo folder, and data present within folders
on the Geo tab are stored inside their respective folders. If the geographic data files linked to the document
are located on a remote computer, such as a file server over a network, they are first copied to the local computer in the Windows temporary files folder and then added to the archive.
Once the portable archive is created, you can open it directly from Atoll without first having to extract it using another tool.
To open an archive containing an ATL file and all linked geographic data files:
1. Select File > Open from Zip. The Open dialogue appears.
2. Select the ZIP file that contains the ATL file and linked geographic data files.
3. Click Open. The Browse For Folder dialogue appears.
4. Select the folder where you want to extract the contents of the ZIP file.
5. Click OK. Atoll extracts all the files from the archive to the selected folder. If necessary, it creates the subfolders
required for extracting the contents of the Geo folder. Once Atoll has finished extracting files from the archive, it
opens the extracted ATL file. Geographic data extracted from the archive are linked to the ATL file.
Notes:
96
You do not need to have a compression utility, such as WinZip or WinRAR, installed on the
computer for this feature.
The highest compression level is used when creating the archive.
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Chapter 3
Managing Geographic Data
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Chapter 3: Managing Geographic Data
Managing Geographic Data

Several different geographic data types are used in an Atoll document. For example: the Digital Terrain Model (DTM),
clutter classes, clutter heights, scanned images, population maps, and traffic data maps are types of the geographic data
that you can import or create. Some data types, such as clutter classes, can be used to give more realistic calculations.
Other types such as scanned images, are used to create a more realistic display of the region under study.
You can import a wide variety of both vector and raster-format geo data files. When you import a geo data file into Atoll,
you can decide in which folder it goes. The Geo tab of the Atoll Explorer window has folders for the commonly used data
types. Therefore, choosing a folder is choosing what the file will be used for. You can also create your own data type by
importing a file and defining what data is to be used.
Once you have imported a file into the Atoll document, you can edit the data, define how the geo data will be displayed.
Atoll also allows you to manage multiple files for a single data type, deciding the priority of data files with different information or different resolutions. You can also display geo data over items on the Data tab, either by transferring them to
the Data tab, or by importing them directly to the Data tab.
You can also create and edit geographic data. You can add a vector layer to certain data types to which you can add
contours, lines, or points, create new geographic data, or modify existing data. You can also create raster-based
geographic data such as traffic maps or clutter classes.
You can export most geo data objects (for example, DTM, clutter classes, clutter heights, raster polygons, or vector layers)
for use in other Atoll documents or in other applications. Atoll also allows you to save changes you make to geo data
objects back to the original files. This enables you to update the original files and, through the process of saving them,
recompact the file.
This chapter explains the following topics:
3.1
"Geographic Data Types" on page 99

"Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 100
"Importing Geo Data Files" on page 101
"Clutter Classes" on page 108
"Clutter Heights" on page 111
"Digital Terrain Models" on page 108
"Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 111
"Scanned Images" on page 113
"Population Maps" on page 114
"Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 115
"Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on page 117
"Editing Geographic Data" on page 121
"Saving Geographic Data" on page 124.
Geographic Data Types

An Atoll document can contain several different geographic data types. Atoll supports a wide range of file formats for
geographic data files. The different geographic data types play different roles in the Atoll document:
Geographic data used in propagation calculation:

-
Digital terrain model

Clutter classes
Clutter heights
Geographic data used in dimensioning:
Geographic data used in statistics:
Traffic maps
Population maps
Custom maps
Geographic data used for display purposes:

-
Scanned maps
Images from web map services (WMS)
Contours, lines, and points representing, for example, roads, railways, or regions.
In this section, the following data types are described:
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"Digital Terrain Model" on page 100

"Clutter Classes" on page 100
"Clutter Heights" on page 100
"Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 100
"Scanned Images" on page 100
"Population Maps" on page 100
"Traffic Data Maps" on page 100
"Custom Data Maps" on page 100.
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Digital Terrain Model

The DTM describes the elevation of the ground over sea level. You can display the DTM in different ways: by single value,
discrete values, or by value intervals (see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22).
The DTM is automatically taken into account by the propagation model during computations.
Clutter Classes
The clutter class geo data file describes land cover or land use. Clutter classes are taken into account by the propagation
model during computations.
Each pixel in a clutter class file contains a code (from a maximum of 256 possible classes) which corresponds to a clutter
class, or in other words to a certain type of ground use or cover. The height per class can be defined as part of the clutter
class, however, the height will be defined as an average height for each clutter class. For information on defining the height
per clutter class, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109. Clutter heights can also be defined by a separate
clutter heights file (see "Clutter Heights" on page 100). A clutter height map can represent height much more accurately
because it allows a different height to be assigned for each pixel of the map.
Clutter Heights
Clutter height maps describe the altitude of clutter over the DTM with one altitude defined per pixel. Clutter height maps
can offer more precise information than defining an altitude per clutter class because, in a clutter height file, it is possible
to have different heights within a single clutter class.
When clutter altitude is defined both in clutter classes and in a clutter height map, clutter altitude is taken from the clutter
height map.
You can display the clutter height map in different ways: by single value, discrete values, or by value intervals (see "Display
Properties of Objects" on page 22).
Note:
The only propagation models that can take clutter heights into account in calculations are
the Standard Propagation Model and WLL model.
Contours, Lines, and Points

Atoll supports contours, lines, and points to represent polygons such as regions, or lines such as roads or coastlines, or
points. They are used for display only and have no effect on computations. Contours can also be used to create filtering
polygons or computation or focus zones.
Scanned Images
Scanned images are geographic data files which represent the actual physical surroundings, for example, road maps or
satellite images. They are used to provide a precise background for other objects or for less precise maps and are used
only for display; they have no effect on calculations.
Population Maps
Population maps contain information on population density or on the total number of inhabitants. Population maps can be
used in prediction reports in order to display, for example, the absolute and relative numbers of the population covered.
Population maps have no effect on prediction and simulation results.
Traffic Data Maps

Traffic data maps contain information on capacity and service use per geographic area. Traffic data maps are used for
network capacity analyses.
Custom Data Maps

You can import many different types of files for, for example, revenue, rainfall, or socio-demographic data. You could use
the imported data in prediction reports. For example, you could display the predicted revenue for defined coverage.
These imported data have no effect on prediction and simulation results.
3.2
Supported Geographic Data Formats

Atoll supports the following geographic data formats:
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DTM files in the following formats: TIF (8 or 16-bit), JPEG 2000 (8 to 16-bit), BIL (8 or 16-bit), IST (8 or 16-bit),
Planet, BMP (8-bit), GRD/GRC Vertical Mapper (8 or 16-bit), and Erdas Imagine (8 or 16-bit)
Clutter height files in the following formats: TIF (8 or 16-bit), JPEG 2000 (8 to 16-bit), BIL (8 or 16-bit), IST (8 or
16-bit), Planet, BMP (8-bit),, GRC Vertical Mapper (8 or 16-bit), and Erdas Imagine (8 or 16-bit)
Clutter class and traffic files in the following formats: TIF (8-bit), JPEG 2000 (8-bit), BIL (8-bit), IST (8-bit), BMP
(8-bit), Planet, GRC Vertical Mapper (8-bit), and Erdas Imagine (8-bit)
Vector data files in the following formats: AGD, DFX, Planet, SHP, MIF, and TAB.
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Vector traffic files in the following formats: AGD, DFX, Planet, SHP, MIF, and TAB.
Scanned image files in the following formats: TIF (1 to 24-bit), JPEG 2000 (1 to 24-bit), BIL (1 to 24-bit), IST (1 to
24-bit), BMP (1 to 24-bit), Planet, Erdas Imagine (1 to 24-bit), GRC Vertical Mapper (1 to 24-bit), and ECW (8 or
24-bit)
Population files in the following formats: TIF (16-bit), JPEG 2000 (16-bit), BIL (16-bit), IST (16-bit), Planet, BMP
(16-bit), Erdas Imagine (16-bit), GRD/GRC Vertical Mapper (16-bit), AGD, DXF, SHP, MIF, and TAB.
Other data in the following formats: TIF (16-bit), JPEG 2000 (16-bit), BIL (16-bit), IST (16-bit), Planet, BMP (16-bit),
Erdas Imagine (16-bit), GRD/GRC Vertical Mapper (16-bit), AGD, DXF, SHP, MIF, and TAB.
Caution:
3.3
All raster maps imported must have the same projection coordinate system.
Importing Geo Data Files

You can import the geographic data you need into the current Atoll document. As explained in "Supported Geographic
Data Formats" on page 100, Atoll supports a variety of both raster and vector file formats. When you import a new geo
data file, Atoll recognises the file format and suggests the appropriate folder on the Geo tab of the Explorer window. You
can embed geo data files in the Atoll document while you are importing them or afterwards (see "Embedding Geographic
Data" on page 107).
You can share the paths of imported maps and display settings with other users by using Atolls user configuration files.
For information on exporting the paths of your documents files or to import the path from another document using user
configuration files, see "Geographic Data Sets" on page 120.
Note:
The instructions in this section do not apply to custom geo data maps. For information on
importing or creating an custom geo data map, see "Custom Geo Data Maps" on
page 115.
"Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 101

"Importing a Vector-format Geo Data File" on page 102
"Importing MSI Planet Geo Data" on page 103
"Importing a WMS Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 105
"Grouping Geo Data Files in Folders" on page 106
"Embedding Geographic Data" on page 107.
Tip:
3.3.1
You can use the drag-and-drop feature to import geo data files into a document. The
format is automatically recognized and Atoll presents you with the appropriate dialogue.
Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File

All raster geo data files must be represented in the same projection coordinate system as the Atoll document itself.
To import a geographic data file in a raster format:
1. Select File > Import. The Open dialogue appears.
2. Select the geo data file you want to import.
You can import more than one geo data file at the same time, providing that the geo data files are of the same
type. You can select contiguous files by clicking the first file, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to
import. You can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file.
3. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.63).
Note:
If the Vector Import dialogue appears, go to "Importing a Vector-format Geo Data File"
on page 102.
Depending on the type of geo data file you are importing, choose one of the following options:
-
DTM: Select Altitudes (DTM) from the Data Type list.

Clutter Classes: Select Clutter Classes from the Data Type list.
Clutter Heights: Select Clutter Heights from the Data Type list.
Scanned Images: Select Image or Scan from the Data Type list.
Population:
i.
Select Population from the Data Type list. The Use as list becomes available.
ii. Select from the Use as list whether the imported data are to be interpreted as a Density (number of inhabitants per square kilometre) or as a Value (number of inhabitants).
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Custom Geo Data: See "Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 115.
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-
Traffic Data Maps: Select Traffic Density from the Data Type list.
4. By default, the imported file is linked to the Atoll document. To embed the data file in the Atoll document, select
the Embed in Document check box. For information on embedding files, see "Embedding Geographic Data" on
page 107.
5. Click Import. The geo data file is imported and listed in the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
When you import a traffic data map, the traffic maps Properties dialogue appears:
a. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages
must equal 100.
b. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentages must
equal 100.
c. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentages must
equal 100.
d. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to
define a clutter weighting for traffic density maps because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per
pixel.
e. For UMTS and CDMA, select whether the users are active in the Uplink/Downlink, only in the Downlink, or
only in the Uplink.
f.
Click OK.
Figure 3.63: Importing a clutter class file
3.3.2
Importing a Vector-format Geo Data File

When you import geo data files in vector format, their geographic system can be converted to the system used by the Atoll
document.
To import a vector-format geographic data file:
2. Select the geo data file you want to import.
You can import more than one geo data file at the same time, providing that the geo data files are of the same
type. You can select contiguous files by clicking the first file, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to
import. You can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file.
3. Click Open. The Vector Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.66).
Note:
If the File Import dialogue appears, go to "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on
page 101.
Depending on the type of geo data file you are importing, choose one of the following options:
-
Vector Data:
Population:
i.
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Select Geo from the Import to list.

Select Population from the Import to list.
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ii. Under Fields to be imported, the first list contains the attributes of the population vector data file that you
are importing, and the second list lets you select whether the attribute corresponds to population density
or to a number of inhabitants.
iii. Select from the first list which field is to be imported and from the second list whether the imported field is
a Density (number of inhabitants per square kilometre for polygons, or number of inhabitants per kilometre for lines) or a Value (number of inhabitants) (see Figure 3.64 and Figure 3.65).
Figure 3.64: Population density (number of inhabitants/km)
Figure 3.65: Population values (number of inhabitants per item polygon/road/point)

-
Custom Geo Data:

-
See "Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 115.
Traffic Data Maps: Select Traffic from the Import to list.
4. By default, the imported file is linked to the Atoll document. To embed the data file in the Atoll document, select
the Embed in Document check box. For information on embedding files, see "Embedding Geographic Data" on
page 107.
5. Click Import. The geo data file is imported and listed in the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
Figure 3.66: Vector Import dialogue

Notes:
3.3.3
You can import ellipses and arcs from MapInfo files (MIF and TAB). Rectangles are interpreted
as polygons.
You can define mappings between the coordinate system used for the MapInfo/ESRI vector
files, defined in the corresponding MIF/PRJ files, and Atoll. This way, when you import a vector
file, Atoll can detect the correct coordinate system automatically. For more information about
defining the mapping between coordinate systems, please refer to the Administrator Manual.
Importing MSI Planet Geo Data

MSI Planet geo data are contained in a series of files described in index files. The index file is in ASCII text format and
contains the information necessary to identify and properly interpret each geo data file. When you import MSI Planet geo
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data, you can import each type of geo data separately, by importing the corresponding index file, or you can import several
MSI Planet geo data files at the same time, by importing several index files.
3.3.3.1
"Importing One MSI Planet Geo Data Type" on page 104

"Importing a MSI Planet Geo Database" on page 104.
Importing One MSI Planet Geo Data Type

When you want to import a certain type of MSI Planet geo data, such as a DTM or clutter heights, you import the index
file containing the information necessary to import the set of files containing the geo data.
To import one type of MSI Planet geo data:
2. Select the index file you want to import and click Open. The Data Type dialogue appears (see Figure 3.67).
Figure 3.67: Importing an MSI Planet index file

3. Select the type of geo data you are importing and select the Embed check box if you want to embed the data in
the current Atoll document.
4. Click OK to import the geo data into the current Atoll document.
3.3.3.2
Importing a MSI Planet Geo Database

You can import all available MSI Planet geo data at the same time by importing all index files.
To import the MSI Planet geo database:
2. Select "Planet database" from the Files of Type list. The Planet Data to Be Imported dialogue appears (see
Figure 3.68).
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Figure 3.68: Importing an MSI Planet database

3. For each type of data that you want to import:
a. Select the corresponding check box
b. If you want to embed the data, select the Embed check box.
c. To locate the MSI Planet index file, click
. The Open dialogue appears.
d. Select the MSI Planet index file and click Open. The path and name of the file appears in the corresponding
field of the Planet Data to Be Imported dialogue.
4. When you have selected all the types of data you want to import, click OK. The data is imported into the current
Atoll document.
3.3.4
Importing a WMS Raster-format Geo Data File

You can import raster images from a Web Map Service (WMS) server into your Atoll document. The image must be in TIF
format. All images imported at the same time are imported as a single image. Before you import them, you can arrange
them by placing on top the image that is the most important, such as roads. Or, you can place the least transparent image
towards the bottom so that the other images imported at the same time remain visible.
The image will be referenced in the document; it can not be embedded. Only WMS data mapped with a projection system
(for example, the Lambert Conformal-Conic or the Universal Transverse Mercator projection) can be imported. Before
importing an image from a WMS server, you must ensure that the coordinate system used in your document is the same
projection system supported by the server. All raster geo data files must be represented in the same projection coordinate
system as that used by the Atoll document itself.
To import a geographic data file from a web map service:
2. From the Files of Type list, select Connection to a Web Map Services server. The Web Map Services Data
Import dialogue appears.
3. Select the URL of the WMS server from the Server URL list or enter it directly.
Note:
The list of WMS servers that appears in the Server URL list are defined by entries in the
atoll.ini file. For information on defining these entries, see the Administrator Manual.
4. Click the Connect button. Atoll connects to the URL of the WMS server and displays the information available
along with a description of the service (Figure 3.69 on page 106).
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Figure 3.69: The Web Map Services Data Import dialogue

5. In the left pane of the Web Map Services Data Import dialogue, navigate to the item you want to import by clicking
the Expand button ( ) to open each level.
6. Select either the image you want to import, or the image group, i.e., a group preceded by an Expand button (
).
7. Click
for each image you want to import. The files you want to import appear in the right pane of the Web Map
Services Data Import dialogue.
Note:
You can remove an image or group of images from the images to be imported by
selecting it in the right pane and clicking
8. Arrange the order in which you want the images to appear by selecting each image in the right pane and clicking
to move it towards the top or
to move it toward the bottom. The images will be imported as a single object
and their appearance will depend on the order you define here.
9. The Web Map Import dialogue appears. The following information is given about the imported WMS data:
-
Data Types: "Image or Scan" is selected.

Geographic Coordinates: The geographic coordinates are the WMS data are given.
10. The Name suggested is the name of the lowest layer to be imported. If desired, you can modify this name.
11. Click Import. The image is imported by reference into the Atoll document. You can not embed a WMS image in
your document.
If you had selected more than one image or an image group, Atoll imports the group as a single object. You can
not modify this object. If you want to remove one of the images or add another one you will go through the import
process again.
3.3.5
Grouping Geo Data Files in Folders

By default, when you import scanned images and contours, lines, and points, they appear directly on the Geo tab. Other
data files, such as clutter classes, are listed together in a single Clutter Classes folder. You can, however, group scanned
images and contours, lines, and points into folders as well.
Once grouped, these geo data files can be displayed or hidden and moved more easily. They retain, however, their own
individual display settings; the display settings cannot be managed at the folder level.
You create the folder when you import the first geo data file that will be imported into it. When you import the next geo data
file, either raster or vector, you can import it directly into the new folder.
To create a new geo data folder when importing:
2. Select the geo data file and click Open. If the file to be imported is a raster file, the File Import dialogue appears
(see Figure 3.63). If the file to be imported is a vector file, the Vector Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.66).
3. From the Data Type list (on the File Import dialogue) or the Import To list (on the Vector Import dialogue), select
New folder in Geo. The New Folder dialogue appears.
Note:
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If you want to import your file to the Data tab, you can select New folder in Data.
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4. Enter a name for the folder in Folder Name box and click OK.
5. Click Import. Your file is imported into the newly created folder.
You can now import other geo data files into this folder by selecting it from the Data Type list (on the File Import dialogue)
or the Import To list (on the Vector Import dialogue) when you import.
Note:
3.3.6
You can transfer geo data that has been imported from the Geo tab to the Data tab, or
vice versa. Right-click the data in the Explorer window and select Transfer to Data or
Transfer to Geo.
Embedding Geographic Data

By default, when you import a geo data file, Atoll creates a link to the file. You can, however, choose to embed the geo
data file in your Atoll document, either when you import it or later. When Atoll is linked to a geo data file, the geo data file
remains separate and modifying or saving the Atoll document has no effect on the geo data file. When the geo data file
is embedded in the Atoll document, it is saved as part of the document.
Both linking and embedding present advantages and disadvantages. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Important: If you are using distributed calculations, you must link your geo data files. Distributed
calculations can not work with embedded geo data files. For information, see the
Administrator Manual.
To embed a geo data file in the current Atoll document while you are importing:
Select the Embed in Document check box on the File Import or Vector Import dialogue box.
To embed a geo data file that is already linked to the current Atoll document:
2. Right-click the file you want to embed in the current document.
4. Click the General tab of the Properties dialogue.
5. Click Embed.
6. Click OK. The geo data file is now embedded in the current Atoll document.
3.3.7
Repairing a Broken Link to a Geo Data File

By default, when you import a geo data file, Atoll creates a link to the file; the geo data file remains separate and modifying
or saving the Atoll document has no effect on the geo data file. If, however, the geo data file is moved, the link will be
broken. The next time you open an Atoll document with the linked geo data file, Atoll cannot find the file and displays the
error message shown in Figure 3.70.
Figure 3.70: Missing shortcut

To find the file yourself:
When the Missing Shortcut dialogue (see Figure 3.70) appears, click the Browse button to locate the geo data
file.
Atoll automatically searches for the missing file as well. It searches for the nearest match, based on size, date, and type.
When it finds a possible match, it informs you with a message (see Figure 3.71).
If the file corresponds to the source file:
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Click Yes. The link will be corrected to point to the indicated file.
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Figure 3.71: Problem with shortcut

You can also repair the link to the geo data file from within the Atoll document.
To repair a broken link from within the Atoll document:
-
If the geo data file is in a folder, such as the Clutter Classes, Traffic, or DTM folder, click
folder.
to expand the
2. Right-click on the geo data file whose link you want to repair. The context menu appears.
4. On the General tab of the Properties dialogue, click the Find button.
5. Browse to the geo data file, select it and click OK.
3.4
Digital Terrain Models

The Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is a geographic data file representing the elevation of the ground over sea level.
To manage the properties of the DTM:
2. Right-click the Digital Terrain Model folder.
4. Click the Display tab to define the display properties for the DTM.
-
For information on Display tab settings, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
5. Move the Relief slider towards Flat, if you want to display very few little relief or towards x6 if you want to emphasise the differences in altitude.
6. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
3.5
Clutter Classes
The clutter class geo data file describes land cover or land use.
Each pixel of a clutter class file contains a code (from a maximum of 256 possible classes) which corresponds to a clutter
class, or in other words to a certain type of ground use or cover. The height per class can be defined as part of the clutter
class, however this height is only an average per class. A clutter height map can represent height much more accurately
because it allows a different height to be assigned for each bin of the map. For information on clutter height maps, see
"Clutter Heights" on page 111.
3.5.1
"Assigning Names to Clutter Classes" on page 108

"Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109
"Adding a Clutter Class" on page 110
"Refreshing the List of Clutter Classes" on page 111
"Displaying Total Surface Area per Clutter Class" on page 111.
Assigning Names to Clutter Classes

The clutter class file identifies each clutter class with a code. To make it easier to work with clutter classes, you can assign
a descriptive name to each clutter class name. When a clutter class has a descriptive name, it is the name that appears
in tool tips and reports.
When you import a clutter class file in BIL, TIF, JPEG 2000, or IMP format, Atoll can automatically assign names to clutter
classes if the clutter class file has a corresponding MNU file. The MNU file contains a list with the clutter class codes and
their corresponding names. For more information on the MNU file format and on creating an MNU file, see the Technical
Reference Guide.
To assign names to clutter classes:
2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder.
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4. Click the Description tab of the Properties dialogue.
5. In the Name column, enter descriptive text for each class identified in the Code column.
3.5.2
Defining Clutter Class Properties

The parameters are applied in relation to the location of the receiver being studied and the clutter class of the receiver
location. These parameters can be set on the Properties dialogue:
To define clutter class properties:
4. Click the Description tab of the Properties dialogue.
5. Enter a Name and average Height (m) for each code.
Important: If the Height field is left blank, propagation models which use the height information of
clutter classes will assume a clutter height of "0" if there is no clutter height map.
6. If desired, you can enter a value for each of the following fields applicable to the current document:
-
For all Atoll documents:

-
Note:
Ec/Io Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Ec/Io values, as related to a userdefined cell edge coverage probability.
Eb/Nt Standard Deviation DL (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt values, as related to a
user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
Eb/Nt Standard Deviation UL (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt values, as related to a
user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
% Pilot Finger: to be used in the Ec/Io calculations. This factor represents the percentage of energy
received by the mobile pilot finger. Mobile user equipment has one searcher finger for pilot. The searcher
finger selects one path and only energy from this path is considered as signal; energy from other multipaths is considered as interference. For example, if 70% of the total energy is in one path and 30% of the
energy is in other multipaths, then the signal energy is reduced to 70% of total energy).
Orthogonality Factor: to be used to evaluate DL Eb/Nt. This parameter indicates the remaining orthogonality at the receiver; it can be modelled by a value from 0, indicating no remaining orthogonality because
of multi-path, to 1, indicating perfect orthogonality.
Spatial Multiplexing Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max Spatial
Multiplexing Gain graphs in the MIMO tab of reception equipment.
Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink HS-PDSCH Ec/Nt, if the user and its
reference cell support transmit diversity.
For TD-SCDMA documents:

-
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C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the C/I values, as related to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the 3 dB gain in case diversity is set at the subcell level.
For UMTS HSPA, IS-95 cdmaOne, and CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO documents:
-
Indoor penetration losses depend on the clutter types as well as the operating frequency.
You can define an additional indoor loss per frequency band used in the Frequency
bands table in GSM GPRS EGPRS, UMTS HSPA, CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO, and
TD-SCDMA documents. This is an optional feature that must first be activated. For more
information, contact support.
For GSM/GPRS/EGPRS documents:

-
Model Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the path loss, as related to a userdefined cell edge coverage probability.
Indoor Loss (dB): to be applied to the path loss and used in coverage predictions, point analysis, and
Monte Carlo simulations.
P-CCPCH Eb/Nt or C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the P-CCPCH Eb/Nt
or C/I values, as related to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
DL Eb/Nt or C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt or C/I values, as
related to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
UL Eb/Nt or C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the Eb/Nt or C/I values, as
related to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability.
DL Orthogonality Factor: to be used to evaluate DL Eb/Nt or C/I. This parameter indicates the remaining
orthogonality at the receiver; it can be modelled by a value from 0, indicating no remaining orthogonality
because of multi-path, to 1, indicating perfect orthogonality.
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-
For WiMAX 802.16d and WiMAX 802.16e documents:

-
UL Orthogonality Factor: to be used to evaluate UL Eb/Nt or C/I. This parameter indicates the remaining
orthogonality at the receiver; it can be modelled by a value from 0, indicating no remaining orthogonality
because of multi-path, to 1, indicating perfect orthogonality.
Spreading Angle (): to be used in determining the cumulative distribution of C/I gains for statistical smart
antenna modelling.
C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the C/(I+N) values, as related to a userdefined cell edge coverage probability.
SU-MIMO Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs
in the MIMO tab of reception equipment.
Additional STTD/MRC Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference
cell support STTD/MRC.
Additional STTD/MRC Gain (UL) (dB): to add to the users uplink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference
cell support STTD/MRC.
For LTE documents:

-
C/I Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the C/(I+N) values, as related to a userdefined cell edge coverage probability.
SU-MIMO Gain Factor: to apply to the spatial multiplexing gain read from the Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs
in the MIMO tab of reception equipment.
Additional Diversity Gain (DL) (dB): to add to the users downlink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference
cell support transmit diversity.
Additional Diversity Gain (UL) (dB): to add to the users uplink C/(I+N), if the user and its reference cell
support receive diversity.
7. Click the Default Values tab. Enter default values for each field. For information about each field, see the descriptions in the previous step.
The values entered on the Default Values tab are used if no clutter map is available. Even if there is a clutter
classes map, you can select the Use default values only check box on the Default Values tab to make Atoll use
the values specified in this tab instead of the values defined per clutter class.
8. Click the Display tab to define the display properties for clutter classes. In addition to the Display tab options
described in "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22, each clutter class display type has a visibility check box.
By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you can display or hide clutter class display types individually.
Note:
Selecting white as the colour for a clutter class value or value interval will cause that
clutter class value or value interval to be displayed as transparent.
9. Click OK.
Tip:
3.5.3
You can copy the description table into a new Atoll document after importing the clutter
classes file. To copy the description table, select the entire table by clicking the cell in the
upper-left corner of the table and press CTRL+C. On the Description tab of the clutter
classes Properties dialogue in the new Atoll document, press CTRL+V to paste the
values in the table.
Adding a Clutter Class

You can add a new clutter class to your document.
To add a new clutter class to the your document:
4. Select the Description tab from the Properties dialogue.
5. In the blank row marked with
column.
at the bottom of the table, enter an unused number from 1 to 255 in the Code
6. Fill in the remainder of the fields as described in step 5. and step 6. of "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on
page 109.
7. Click OK.
You can now use the new clutter class when modifying the clutter class map. For information on modifying the clutter class
map, see "Creating a Clutter Polygon" on page 122.
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3.5.4
Refreshing the List of Clutter Classes

Under certain circumstances, it can happen that the list of clutter classes on the Description tab of the clutter classes Properties dialogue contains unused clutter classes. For example, if you have imported two clutter class files and then deleted
one of them, the list of clutter classes will still contain the clutter classes of the deleted file, even if they are not used in the
remaining file. Whenever you want to ensure that the list of clutter classes is accurate and current, you can refresh the list.
To refresh the list of the clutter classes:
4. Select the Description tab from the Properties dialogue.
5. Click Refresh. Atoll removes the unused clutter classes from the list.
6. Click OK.
3.5.5
Displaying Total Surface Area per Clutter Class

You can display the total surface area covered by each clutter class in the document. Atoll displays the surface area
covered by each clutter class in the focus zone if there is one, in the computation zone if there is no focus zone and, if
there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll displays the total surface area covered by each clutter class in the entire document. This information is also available in prediction reports.
To display the surface area covered by each clutter class:
3. Select Statistics from the context menu.
The Statistics dialogue appears, displaying the surface area (Si in km) of each clutter class (i) and its percentage
(% of i) in the computation zone or focus zone, if one exists.
Si
% of I = -------------- 100
Sk
3.6
Clutter Heights
Clutter height maps describe the altitude of clutter over the DTM. Clutter height files allow for a higher degree of accuracy
because they allow more than one height per clutter class. In a clutter height file, a height is given for each point on the
map. If you define clutter height as a property of clutter classes, the height is given as an average per clutter class.
When a clutter height file is available, Atoll uses its clutter height information for calculations using certain propagation
models (the Standard Propagation Model and WLL model), for display (in tool tips and in the status line), and for CW measurements and test mobile data paths. If no clutter height file exists, Atoll uses the average clutter height per clutter class
as defined in the clutter classes properties (see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109).
To manage the properties of clutter heights:
2. Right-click the Clutter Heights folder.
4. Click the Display tab to define the display properties for clutter heights.
-
For information on Display tab settings, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
5. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue.

The clutter height of the current pointer position as given in the clutter height file or in the clutter classes is displayed in the
status bar.
3.7
Contours, Lines, and Points

In Atoll, you can import or create vector objects such as contours, lines, and points. The imported or created vectors are
used primarily for display purposes, but polygons can be used as filters, or computation or focus zones. Vector files can
also be used for traffic maps or for population maps. They can also be used as part of an custom geo data map (see
"Custom Geo Data Maps" on page 115).
In an Atoll document, vector objects such as contours, lines, and points are arranged in vector layers. When you import
a vector file, with, for example, roads, Atoll adds the file as a new vector layer containing all the vector objects in the file.
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The vector object data can be managed in the vector layer table. For information on working with data tables, see "Working
with Data Tables" on page 43.
3.7.1
"Managing the Display of a Vector Layer" on page 112

"Managing the Properties of the Vector Layer" on page 112
"Moving a Vector Layer to the Data Tab" on page 113.
Managing the Display of a Vector Layer

Imported geographic vector files can have different attributes depending on their file formats. Atoll can use additional information related to vectors as display parameters. In addition, Atoll can read three-dimensional vector data.
To manage the display of a vector layer:
1. Click the Data or Geo tab in the Explorer window on which the vector layer is located.
2. Right-click the vector layer. The context menu appears.
4. Select the Display tab of the Properties dialogue. For information on using the display tab, see "Display Properties
of Objects" on page 22.
Note:
3.7.2
You can manage the display of an individual vector object by right-clicking the vector
object in the vector layer folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
Managing the Properties of the Vector Layer

The properties of the objects on the vector layer can be managed in two ways: either from a table containing all vectors
and their attributes or from the Properties dialogue.
Vector Layer Table

All the vector objects of a vector layer and their attributes are listed in the vector table.
To open the vector layer table:
appears.
2. Select Open Table from the context menu. The vector table appears.
You can edit the contents of this table using the commands from the context menu or from the Edit, Format, and Records
menus. For more information on editing tables in Atoll, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43.
Vector Layer Properties Dialogue

The vector layer Properties dialogue has three tabs: a General tab, a Table tab, and a Display tab.
To open the Properties dialogue of a vector layer:
appears.
3. Click the General tab. The following options are available:
-
Name: The name of the vector layer. You can rename the vector layer using this field.
Source File: The complete path of the vector layer file if the file is linked to the Atoll document; otherwise the
file is described as embedded.
-
Find: Click the Find button to redefine the path when the files location has changed.
Embed: Click the Embed button to embed a linked vector layer file in the Atoll document.
Coordinate System: When a vector layer is linked, the coordinate system used is the files, as specified when
the file was imported. When the a vector layer is embedded, the coordinate system used is documents, as
specified when the file was embedded.
Sort: Click the Sort button to sort the data contained in the vector layer. For information on sorting, see
"Advanced Sorting" on page 63.
Filter: Click the Filter button to filter the data contained in the vector layer. For information on filtering, see
"Advanced Data Filtering" on page 65.
Change: Click the Change button to change the coordinate system of the vector layer.
4. Click the Table tab. You can use the Table tab to manage the vector layer table content. For information on the
Table tab, see "Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 44.
5. Click the Display tab. You can use the Display tab to manage the vector layer display. For information on the Table
tab, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
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3.7.3
Moving a Vector Layer to the Data Tab

In Atoll, all objects on the Data tab, such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions, are displayed over all objects on the
Geo tab. You may wish, however, to ensure that certain geo data, for example, major geographical features, roads, etc.,
remain visible in the map window. You can do this by transferring the geo data from the Geo tab to the Data tab and placing
it above data such as predictions.
To transfer a vector layer to the Data tab of the Explorer window:
2. Right-click the vector layer you want to transfer. The context menu appears.
3. Select Transfer to Data tab from the context menu. The vector layer is transferred to the Data tab.
You can transfer the vector layer back to the Geo tab by right-clicking it in the Data tab and selecting Transfer to the Geo
tab from the context menu. For more information about display priority in Atoll, see "Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on
page 117.
3.8
Scanned Images
Scanned images are geographic data files which represent the actual physical surroundings, for example, road maps or
satellite images. They are used to provide a precise background for other objects or for less precise maps.They have no
effect on calculations.
3.8.1
"Importing Several Scanned Images" on page 113

"Defining the Display Properties of Scanned Images" on page 113.
Importing Several Scanned Images

You can import scanned images into the current Atoll document one at a time, as explained in "Importing Geo Data Files"
on page 101, or you can import a group of images by importing an index file listing the individual image files. The index
file is a text file with the information for each image file on a separate line.
Each line contains the following information, with the information separated by a space:
File name: The name of the file, with its path relative to the current location of the index file.
XMIN: The beginning X coordinate of the file.
XMAX: The end X coordinate, calculated as XMIN + (number of horizontal bins x bin width).
YMIN: The beginning Y coordinate of the file.
YMAX: The end Y coordinate, calculated as YMIN + (number of horizontal bins x bin width).
0: The zero character ends the sequence.
nice1.tif 984660 995380 1860900 1872280 0

nice2.tif 996240 1004900 1860980 1870700 0
File name
XMIN
XMAX
YMIN
YMAX
To import an index
1. Select File > Import.
2. Select the index file and click Open. The File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.63).
3. Select Image or Scan from the Data Type list.
4. Click Import. The image files imported and listed in the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
3.8.2
Defining the Display Properties of Scanned Images

Because imported images cannot be modified, they have fewer display parameters than other object types.
To define the display properties of a scanned image:
1. Click the Geo tab in the Explorer window
2. Right-click the scanned image. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 3.72).
4. Select the Display tab and set the following options:
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Colour: Select either Automatic, Shades of gray, or Watermark from the list.
Transparent Colour: Select White from the list if you wish parts of the scanned image that are coloured white
to be transparent, allowing objects in lower layers to be visible.
Lightness: Move the slider to lighten or darken the scanned image.
Contrast: Move the slider to adjust the contrast.
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-
Visibility Scale: Enter a visibility scale minimum in the between 1: text box and maximum in the and 1: text
box. When the displayed or printed scale is outside this range, the scanned image is not displayed.
5. Click OK.
Figure 3.72: Scanned image Properties dialogue
3.9
Population Maps
Population maps contain information on population density or on the total number of inhabitants.
Population maps can be used in prediction reports in order to display, for example, the absolute and relative numbers of
the population covered.
3.9.1
"Managing the Display of Population Data" on page 114

"Displaying Population Statistics" on page 114.
Managing the Display of Population Data

You can manage the display of population data.
To manage the display of population data:
2. Right-click the Population folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select the Display tab of the Properties dialogue. For information on using the display tab, see "Display Properties
Note:
3.9.2
Vector points added to a vector population map are not displayed if the map is displayed
by population density.
Displaying Population Statistics

You can display the relative and absolute distribution of population, according to the defined value intervals in the display
properties (for information on defining value intervals, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 23), as well as the total
population. Atoll displays the statistics for the focus zone if there is one, for the computation zone if there is no focus zone
and, if there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll displays the statistics for the entire document.
To display the population distribution statistics:
2. Right-click the Population folder.
3. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears with the distributions of each value
interval defined in the display properties.
Note:
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Statistics are displayed only for visible data. See "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the
Map Using the Explorer" on page 18.
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3.10
Custom Geo Data Maps

You can import maps other than the default maps that Atoll uses. For example, you can import files for the revenue, rainfall, or socio-demographic data. Depending on the type of information displayed, you could use it in prediction reports. For
example, you could display the predicted revenue for defined coverage.
These maps can be raster files of 8, 16, or 32 bits per pixel or vector-format files that you have either imported or created
using the vector edition tool "Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 36.
You create an custom data map by:
1. Importing an custom geo data file and creating the custom data map folder.
2. Importing other custom geo data files into the newly created custom data map folder, if more than one file will be
used for this custom geo data map.
3.10.1
"Creating a Custom Geo Data Map" on page 115

"Adding a File to a Custom Geo Data Map" on page 116
"Managing the Properties of a Custom Geo Data Map" on page 116
"Displaying Statistics on Custom Geo Data" on page 117
"Integrable Versus Non Integrable Data" on page 117.
Creating a Custom Geo Data Map

The first step in creating a custom geo data map is importing the first file and creating the custom data map folder.
To create an custom geo data map:
2. Select the first geo data file that will be a part of the custom data map and click Open.
-
If the selected file is a raster file, the File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.63).
If the selected file is a vector file, the Vector Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.66).
3. Click the Advanced button. The New Type dialogue appears (see Figure 3.66).
4. Enter a Name for the custom geo data map. Atoll creates a folder with this name on the Geo tab and all other files
of the new custom geo data map will go in here.
5. Under Supported Input Formats, select the check boxes corresponding to the formats of both the present file
and all other files that will constitute the new custom geo data map:
-
8-bit Raster
16-bit Raster
32-bit Raster
Vector.
Important: If you do not select all the formats you need now, you will not be able to add a format later.
6. Under Supported Input Formats, select the check box corresponding to the type of value of the present file and
all other files that will constitute the new custom geo data map:
-
Classes (8 bits): to create a map of value classes (such as clutter classes) with classes from 0 to 255.
Short Integer (16 bits): to create a map with whole values.
Long Integer (32 bits): to create a map with whole values.
Float (32 bits): to create a map with decimal values.
Double (64 bits): to create a map with decimal values.
7. Select the Integrable check box if you want to be able to use imported data as a surface density value and show
cumulative custom geo data in prediction reports.
Important:
To use imported data as a surface density value, you must select the Integrable check box.
You can not change the integrable setting once you have created your custom geo data map.
8. Click OK.
9. If the imported file is a raster file, the File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.63 on page 102); if the imported
file is a vector file, the Vector Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.66 on page 103):
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File Import dialogue: From the Use as list, select whether the new data is to be used a Density or as a Value.
Vector Import dialogue: Under Fields to be imported, select from the first list which field is to be imported
and from the second list whether the imported field is a Density or a Value (see Figure 3.64 on page 103 and
Figure 3.65 on page 103).
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Important: If the file you first import when you create your custom geo data map is an 8-bit raster
map, the Use as and Fields to be imported boxes will not be available for any file that is
imported into your new custom geo data map. The values in 8-bit maps are codes and not
values such as densities.
10. .Click Import. A new folder is created on the Geo tab of the Explorer window containing the geo data file you
imported.
Figure 3.73: The New Type dialogue
3.10.2
Adding a File to a Custom Geo Data Map

Once you have created the custom geo data map by importing the first file, you can add more files that will be part of the
custom map.
To add a file to an custom geo data map:
2. Select the geo data file that you want to add to the custom data map and click Open.
-
If the selected file is a raster file, the File Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.63).
i.
From the File Type list, select the name of the custom geo data map.
ii. From the Use as list, select whether the new data is to be used a Density or as a Value.
-
If the selected file is a vector file, the Vector Import dialogue appears (see Figure 3.66).
i.
From the Import To list, select the name of the custom geo data map.
ii. Under Fields to be imported, select from the first list which field is to be imported and from the second
list whether the imported field is a Density or a Value (see Figure 3.64 on page 103 and Figure 3.65 on
page 103).
Important:
If the file you first imported when you created your custom geo data map was an 8-bit raster
map, the Use as and Fields to be imported boxes will not be available for any file that is
imported into your new custom geo data map.
To use imported data as a surface density value, you must select the Integrable check box.
3. Click Import. The file is added to the custom geo data file on the Geo tab of the Explorer window containing the
geo data file you imported.
3.10.3
Managing the Properties of a Custom Geo Data Map

To manage the properties of an custom geo data map:
1. Right-click the custom geo data map on the Geo tab of the Explorer window.
2. Select Properties from the context menu:
3. Depending on the imported file types, the following tabs are available:
-
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Description: The Description table lists the classes of all 8-bit raster files contained in the custom geo data
map. You must enter a different value for each class.
Table: The Table tab enables you to manage the contents of the class table presented on the Description tab.
For information on working with the Table tab, see "Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on
page 44.
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-
Data Mapping: The Data Mapping tab enables you to select which value from each imported vector file is part
of the custom geo data map. The imported vector files are listed in the Name column, with the relevant data
selected in the Field column. You can change this value by selecting another value from the Field list. If the
custom geo data map is marked as integrable (see "Integrable Versus Non Integrable Data" on page 117),
there is also a Density check box. If the value in the Field column is to be considered as a density, select the
Density check box.
Display: The Display tab enables you to define how the custom geo data map appears in the map window.
Discrete value and value interval are the available display types.
In the Field list, display by value is not permitted if the custom geo data map has:
-
different raster maps with different resolutions

both line and polygon vectors
both raster and vector maps.
In the Field list, display by density is not permitted if the custom geo data map consists of vector points or lines.
For information on using the display tab, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
3.10.4
Displaying Statistics on Custom Geo Data

You can display the relative and absolute distribution of each value interval (for information on defining value intervals, see
"Defining the Display Type" on page 23) of an custom geo data map. Atoll displays the statistics for the focus zone if there
is one, for the computation zone if there is no focus zone and, if there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll displays the
statistics for the entire document.
To display the statistics of an custom geo data map:
2. Right-click the custom geo data map.
3. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears with the distributions of each value
interval.
Note:
3.10.5
Statistics are displayed only for visible data. See "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the
Map Using the Explorer" on page 18.
Integrable Versus Non Integrable Data

Integrable data can be summed over the coverage area defined by the item in a prediction report (for example, by transmitter or threshold). The data can be value data (revenue, number of customers, etc.) or density data (revenue/km,
number of customer/km, etc.). For example, if the integrable data comes from a revenue map, a prediction report would
indicate:
The percentage of coverage for each revenue class for the entire focus zone, and for each single coverage area
(transmitter, threshold, etc.),
The revenue of the focus zone and of each single coverage area,
The percentage of the revenue map covered for the entire focus zone and for each single coverage area.
Data is considered as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example, socio-demographic classes, etc.
In the example of a socio-demographic classes map, a prediction report would indicate:
3.11
The coverage of each socio-demographic class for the entire focus zone and for each single coverage area (transmitter, threshold, etc.)
Setting the Priority of Geo Data

Atoll lists the imported DTM, clutter class or traffic objects in their respective folders and creates a separate folder for each
imported vector data file and scanned image. Each object is placed on a separate layer. Thus, there are as many layers
as imported objects. The layers are arranged from top to bottom in the map window as they appear on the Geo tab of the
Explorer window.
It is important to remember that all objects on the Data tab, such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions, are displayed
over all objects on the Geo tab.
3.11.1
Setting the Display Priority of Geo Data

There are several factors that influence the visibility of geo data:
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The display check box: The check box immediately to the left of the object name in the Geo tab controls whether
or not the object is displayed on the map. If the check box is selected ( ), the object is displayed; if the check
box is cleared ( ), the object is not displayed. If the check box, is selected but shaded ( ), not all objects in the
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folder are displayed. For more information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on
page 18.
The order of the layers: The layer at the top of the Geo tab is on top of all other layers in the map window. Data
on layers below is only visible where there is no data on the top layer or if you adjust the transparency of the objects
on the top layer. You can use drag and drop to change the order of layers by dragging a layer on the Geo tab of
the Explorer window towards the top or the bottom of the tab.
Note:
All objects on the Data tab, such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions, are displayed
over all objects on the Geo tab. Vector geo data, however, can be transferred to the Data
tab, where they can be placed over data such as predictions. In this way, you can ensure
that certain vector geo data, for example, major geographical features, roads, etc., remain
visible in the map window For more information, see "Moving a Vector Layer to the Data
Tab" on page 113.
The transparency of objects: You can change the transparency of some objects, such as predictions, and some
object types, such as clutter classes, to allow objects on lower layers to be visible on the map. For more information, see "Defining the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 25.
The visibility range of objects: You can define a visibility range for object types. An object is visible only in the
map window if the scale, as displayed on the zoom toolbar, is within this range. For more information, see "Defining
the Visibility Scale" on page 25.
In Figure 3.74, vector data (including the linear vectors HIGHWAYS, COASTLINE, RIVERLAKE, MAJORROADS,
MAJORSTREETS, RAILWAYS and AIRPORT), clutter classes, DTM and scanned image have been imported and a
UMTS environment traffic map has been edited inside the computation zone. In the map window, the linear objects
(ROADS, RIVERLAKE, etc.) are visible both inside and outside the computation zone. The clutter class layer is visible in
the area where there is no traffic data (outside the computation zone). On the other hand, the DTM layer which is beneath
the clutter class layer and the scanned map which is beneath the DTM layer, are not visible.
Figure 3.74: Displaying Geo data layers
3.11.2
Setting the Priority of Geo Data in Calculations

The priority of geo data in calculations is determined in much the same way as it is for display.
When you make calculations in Atoll, the data taken into account in each folder (Clutter Classes, DTM, etc.) is the data
from the top down. In other words, Atoll takes the object on top and objects below only where there is no data in higher
levels; what is used is what is seen.
Note:
The visibility in the context of calculations must not be confused with the display check
box ( ). Even if the display check box of an object is cleared ( ), so that the object is
not displayed on the map, it will still be taken into consideration for calculations. The only
cases where clearing the display check box means that the data will not be used are for
population data in reports, and for custom geo data maps.
Object folders, for example, the DTM, clutter classes, clutter heights, and traffic density folders, can contain more than one
data object. These objects can represent different areas of the map or the same parts of the map with the same or different
resolutions. Therefore for each folder, you should place the objects with the best data at the top. These are normally the
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objects which cover the least area but have the highest resolution. For example, when calculating coverage in an urban
area, you might have two clutter class files: one with a higher resolution for the downtown core, where the density of users
is higher, and one with a lower resolution but covering the entire area. In this case, by placing the clutter class file for the
downtown core over the file with the lower resolution, Atoll can base its calculations for the downtown core on the clutter
class file with the higher resolution, using the second file for all other calculations.
Population maps and custom geo data maps, both of which can be used in prediction reports follow the same rules of
calculation priority.
The following sections give several examples to better illustrate how data are used in Atoll:
3.11.2.1
"Example 1: Two DTM Maps Representing Different Areas" on page 119

"Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area" on page 119
"Example 3: Two Clutter Class Maps Representing a Common Area" on page 120.
Example 1: Two DTM Maps Representing Different Areas

In this example, there are two imported DTM files:
"DTM 1 represents a given area and has a resolution of 50 m.

DTM 2 represents a different area and has a resolution of 20 m.
In this example, the file order of the DTM files in the Explorer window does not matter because they do not overlap; in
both Case 1 and Case 2, Atoll will take all the data from both "DTM 1 and "DTM 2 into account.
Explorer window
Work space
Case 1
DTM
DTM 2 (20m)
DTM 1 (50m)
Case 2
DTM
DTM 1 (50m)
DTM 2 (20m)
Figure 3.75: Multi-layer management in calculations two DTM maps representing different areas
3.11.2.2
Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area
In this example, there are two imported maps:
A clutter class map called Clutter.

A DTM map called DTM.
Independently of the order of the two maps in the Explorer window, Atoll uses both the clutter and DTM data in calculations. In Case 1, the clutter class map is on top of the DTM map. In Case 2, the DTM map is on top of the clutter class
map. In both Case 1 and Case 2, Atoll will use both the clutter and DTM data in calculations.
Explorer window
Work space
Case 1
Clutter classes
Clutter
DTM
DTM
Case 2
DTM
DTM
Clutter classes
Clutter
Figure 3.76: Multi-layer management in calculations Clutter and DTM maps representing the same area
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3.11.2.3
Example 3: Two Clutter Class Maps Representing a Common Area

In this example, there are two imported clutter classes maps:
"Clutter 1" represents a large area with a resolution of 50 m.

"Clutter 2" represents a smaller area with a resolution of 20 m. This area is also covered by "Clutter 1"
In the case of two clutter class maps, Atoll uses the order of the maps in the Clutter Classes folder on the Geo tab of the
Explorer window to decide which data to use. In Case 1, "Clutter 2" is on top of "Clutter 1". Atoll will therefore use the
data in "Clutter 2" where it is available, and the data from "Clutter 1" everywhere that is covered by "Clutter 1" but not by
"Clutter 2." In Case 2, "Clutter 1" is on top and completely covers "Clutter 2." Therefore, Atoll will only use the data from
"Clutter 1."
Explorer window
Work space
Case 1
Clutter classes
Clutter 2 (20m)
Clutter 1 (50m)
Case 2
Clutter classes
Clutter 2 (50m)
Clutter 1 (20m)
Figure 3.77: Multi-layer management in calculations two clutter maps representing the same area
3.12
Displaying Information About Geo Data

You can display information about a geo data map by using tooltips. For information on how to display information in tooltips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 26.
To display information about the geo data in a tool tip:
Hold the pointer over the geo data until the tool tip appears. The surface area is only given for closed polygons.
Note:
3.13
Tool tips only appear when the Display Tips button (

selected.
) on the toolbar has been
Geographic Data Sets

In Atoll, once you have imported geographic data and defined their parameters, you can save much of this information in
a user configuration file. Then, another user, working on a similar Atoll document, can import the configuration file containing the paths to the imported geographic data and many of the defined parameters.
When you export the geographic data set, you export:
the paths of imported geographic maps

map display settings (visibility scale, transparency, tips text, etc.)
clutter description (code, name, height, standard deviations, indoor loss, orthogonality factor, percentage pilot
finger of each clutter class, default standard deviations, and indoor loss)
raster or user profile traffic map description.
"Exporting a Geo Data Set" on page 121

"Importing a Geo Data Set" on page 121.
Note:
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You can export and import other types of information with user configuration files as well.
For information, see the Administrator Manual.
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3.13.1
Exporting a Geo Data Set

When you export a geo data set in a user configuration file, the information listed in "Geographic Data Sets" on page 120
is saved into an external file.
Important: Vectors must be in the same coordinate system as the raster maps.
To export a geo data set in a user configuration file:
1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Export. The User Configuration dialogue appears (see Figure 3.78).
2. In the User Configuration dialogue, select the Geographic Data Set check box.
Figure 3.78: The User Configuration dialogue

3. Click OK, The Save As dialogue appears.
4. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the file and enter a File name.
5. Click OK.
3.13.2
Importing a Geo Data Set

When you import a user configuration file containing a geo data set, the information listed in "Geographic Data Sets" on
page 120 is imported into your current Atoll document.
To import a user configuration file containing a geo data set:
2. Browse to the user configuration file, select it and click Open.
3. The User Configuration dialogue appears.
When you import a user configuration file including a geographic data set, Atoll checks if there are already
geographic data in the current Atoll document. If so, the option Delete existing geo data appears with other
options in the User Configuration dialogue.
4. In the User Configuration dialogue, select the check boxes of the items you want to import.
5. If you already have geographic data in your current Atoll document and would like to replace it with any imported
data, select the Delete existing geo data check box.
If you do not want to replace existing geo data with imported data, clear the Delete existing geo data check box.
6. Click OK.
Note:
3.14
You can automatically start Atoll with a user configuration file by naming the file "atoll.cfg"
and placing it in the same folder as the Atoll executable. You can also edit the Windows
shortcut to Atoll and add "-cfg <.cfg_file>" where is the complete path to the user
configuration file.
Editing Geographic Data

In Atoll, you can edit geo data that you have imported or you can create geo data by, for example, adding a vector layer
to the Population folder and then adding polygons.
The following types of geographic data can be edited:
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3.14.1
Contours, lines, and points (for more information, "Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 36)
Population maps (if they are in vector format, i.e., Erdas Imagine (16-bit), AGD, DXF, SHP, MIF, or TAB format)
(for more information, "Editing Population or Custom Data Maps" on page 123)
Geoclimatic maps (for more information, "Editing Population or Custom Data Maps" on page 123)
Traffic data maps
Custom data maps (for more information, "Editing Population or Custom Data Maps" on page 123).
Editing Clutter Class Maps

Clutter class maps and certain traffic maps are raster maps. You can edit these maps by creating or modifying polygons.
3.14.1.1
"Creating a Clutter Polygon" on page 122

"Editing Clutter Polygons" on page 122
"Displaying the Coordinates of Clutter Polygons" on page 123.
"Deleting Clutter Polygons" on page 123
Creating a Clutter Polygon

In Atoll, you can modify imported clutter class maps or create your own maps by adding data in the form of polygons. You
can later edit and export the polygons you have created. All modifications you make to clutter class maps are taken into
account by propagation model calculations.
To create a polygon:
2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Edit from the context menu. The Editor toolbar appears with a clutter or traffic list, a polygon drawing tool
, a polygon deletion tool
, and a Close button (see Figure 3.79).
Figure 3.79: Editor toolbar

4. From the list, select the clutter class for the polygon you want to create.
Note:
Clutter classes are defined on the Descriptions tab of the clutter classes Properties
dialogue.
5. Click the polygon drawing button (
). The pointer changes to a pencil (
).
6. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the polygon.
7. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon.
8. Double-click to close the polygon.
Note:
3.14.1.2
You can copy the exact coordinates of a closed polygon by right-clicking it on the map and
selecting Properties from the context menu.
Editing Clutter Polygons

You can edit clutter polygons by moving existing points of the polygon or by adding or deleting points.
To edit clutter polygons:
3. Select Edit from the context menu. The Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 3.79).
4. Select the polygon. You can now edit the clutter polygon by:
-
Moving a point:
i.
).

-
Adding a point:
i.
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Position the pointer over the polygon border where you want to add a point. The pointer changes (
).
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ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the border at the position
of the pointer.
-
Deleting a point:
i.
).
3.14.1.3
Displaying the Coordinates of Clutter Polygons

To display the coordinates of the points defining the polygon area:
4. Right-click the polygon and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears with the
coordinates of the points defining the polygon and the total area.
Note:
3.14.1.4
You can select and copy the coordinates displayed in the Properties dialogue of the
polygon.
Deleting Clutter Polygons

You can delete clutter polygons.
To delete a clutter polygon:
4. Click the polygon deletion tool (
). The pointer changes (
).
5. Click the polygon you want to delete. The polygon is deleted.
3.14.2
Editing Population or Custom Data Maps

Some geographic data maps, for example, population maps, and custom data, are made up of individual vector objects.
You can modify and create these geo data maps by adding a vector layer and then adding vector objects (contours, lines,
and points) to this layer.
To create a vector layer and vector objects on a geo data map:
2. Right-click the geo data object, the Population, or the Custom Data folder, to which you want to add a vector
layer.
3. Select Add Vector Layer from the context menu. A new data object called "Vectors" is created in the selected
geo data object folder.
4. Right-click the new vector layer. The context menu appears.
Tip:
Edition toolbar list. Because Atoll names all new vector layers "Vectors" by default, it
might be difficult to know which Vectors folder you are selecting. By renaming each
vectors folder, you can ensure that you select the correct folder. For information on
renaming objects, see "Renaming an Object" on page 19.
6. To draw a polygon, click the New Polygon button (
) on the Vector Edition toolbar:
a. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the contour.
b. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the contour.
c. Double-click to close the contour.
7. To draw a rectangle, click the New Rectangle button (
) on the Vector Edition toolbar:
a. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle.
b. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle.
c. Release the mouse to create the rectangle defined by the two corners.
8. Right-click the new polygon or rectangle and select Properties from the context menu.
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9. Enter a value:
-
Population: Enter a value in the Population field to indicate the number of inhabitants or the population density.
Custom Data Map: The value you enter will depend on the type of custom data map you created.
10. Press ESC to deselect the New Polygon (
) or the New Rectangle (
) button on the Vector Edition toolbar.
11. For Atoll to consider the new vector layer as part of the data map, you must map the vector layer. Right-click the
the Population, or the Custom Data folder. The context menu appears.
13. Click the Data Mapping tab. For the following geo data:
-
Population Map:
i.
In the Field column, "Population" is selected by default.
ii. If the vector layer contains a population density, select the check box in the Density column. If the vector
layer indicates the number of inhabitants, and not the population density, clear the check box in the
Density column.
-
Custom Data Map: The data you map will depend on the type of custom data map you created.
You can edit the vector objects as explained in "Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 36.
3.15
Saving Geographic Data

Atoll allows you to save your geographic data files separately from saving the Atoll document. Atoll supports a variety of
both raster and vector file formats (for more information, see "Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 100). Saving
a geographic file separately from saving the Atoll document enables you to:
Save modifications you have made to an external file: If you have made modifications to geo data, you can
export them to a new external file.
Update the source file with modifications you have made: If you have made modifications to a geo data type
in Atoll, you can save these changes to the source file.
Combine several files into one file: If you have several smaller files in one folder of the Geo tab, you can save
them as one file.
Export an embedded file to be used in another Atoll document or in another application: You can save a
file to an external file, in the same format or in another one.
Create a new file from part of a larger one: You can select part of certain geo data types and then save the
selected part as a new file.
3.15.1
"Saving Modifications to an External File" on page 124

"Updating the Source File" on page 126
"Combining Several Files into One File" on page 126
"Exporting an Embedded File" on page 126
"Creating a New File from a Larger File" on page 127
Saving Modifications to an External File

In Atoll, you can save your modifications to an external file.
3.15.1.1
"Exporting an Edited Clutter Class Map in a Raster-Format File" on page 124

"Exporting an Edited Vector Layer in Vector-Format File" on page 125.
Exporting an Edited Clutter Class Map in a Raster-Format File

You can export clutter class modifications in a raster-format file, either in the same format as used in the current Atoll
document, or in a different raster format. You can also choose to export the entire clutter class geo data, the part containing
the computation zone, or just your modifications to the geo data.
When you have made modifications to a raster-format geo data file, exporting either the entire geo data or just your modifications allows you to save those modifications to an external file.
To export clutter class modifications in a raster-format file:
3. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the file, enter a name for the file, and select
the file format from the Save as type list. You can select from one of the following file formats:
-
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BMP: When you select bitmap format, Atoll automatically creates the corresponding BPW file containing the
georeference information.
TXT: The ArcView text format is intended only for export; no corresponding geo-reference file is created.
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-
TIF: When you select tagged image file format, Atoll automatically creates the corresponding TFW file containing the georeference information.
BIL: When you select the BIL format, Atoll automatically creates the corresponding HDR file containing the
georeference information. When exporting in BIL format, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 Gb.
JPEG 2000: When you select the JPEG 2000 format, no corresponding geo-reference file is created.
GRC or GRD: Files with the extension GRC or GRD are Vertical Mapper files. When exporting in GRD or GRC
formats, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 Gb.
5. Click Save. The Export dialogue appears (see Figure 3.80).
Figure 3.80: Export dialogue

6. Under Region, select one of the following:
-
The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the entire clutter class geo data file, including any
modifications you have made to the geo data. The exported geo data file will replace the geo data file in the
current Atoll document.
Only Pending Changes: This option allows you to export a rectangle containing any modifications you have
made to the clutter classes. The exported geo data file will be added as a new object to the Clutter Classes
geo data folder.
The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the clutter class geo data contained by a rectangle
encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported geo data
file will be added as a new object to the selected geo data folder.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1. The
suggested resolution value is defined by the following criteria:
-
If one object has been modified, the suggested resolution is the resolution of the modified object.
If several objects have been modified, the suggested resolution is the highest resolution of the modified
objects.
If there is no initial clutter class object, the resolution will equal the highest resolution of the DTM maps.
If the Atoll document in which you created the clutter class file has no DTM, no other clutter class geo data
file, or traffic objects, the suggested resolution is 100 m.
8. Click OK. The selected data is saved in an external file.
3.15.1.2
Exporting an Edited Vector Layer in Vector-Format File

You can export an edited vector layer as a vector format file. A vector layer can contain contours, lines, and points. Along
with vector layers you have added to the Geo tab, the following maps can be exported as vector format files:
Vector-format population maps

Vector-format geoclimatic maps
Vector-format custom maps.
Once you save a vector layer, the exported file replaces the vector layer as a linked file. You can embed the file afterwards
(see "Embedding Geographic Data" on page 107).
To export a vector layer:
appears.
3. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the file, enter a name for the file, and select
the file format from the Save as type list. You can select from one of the following file formats:
-
AGD: The Atoll Geographic Data format is an Atoll-specific format. As a format created for Atoll, Atoll can
read AGD files faster than the other supported vector formats.
SHP: The ArcView vector format should be used for vector layers containing only polygons; it cannot save
vectors made of lines or points. If you have a vector layer with vector lines or points, use either the AGD, the
MIF or the TAB format.
MIF and TAB: MapInfo formats.
4. Click Save in the Save As dialogue. The Vector Export dialogue appears, displaying the current coordinate
system and allowing you to change the coordinate system by clicking Change.
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5. Click Export. The vector layer is saved in the format and with the name you specified and the exported file
replaces the vector layer in the current document as a linked file.
3.15.2
Updating the Source File

While working on an Atoll document, you may make changes to geo data. If the geo data file is embedded in the Atoll
document, Atoll saves the changes automatically when you save the document. If the geo data file is linked, Atoll prompts
you to save the changes when you close the document.
To update the source file of a linked geo data file:
2. Right-click the folder containing geo data file whose source file you want to update. The context menu appears.
3. Select Save from the context menu. The linked file is updated.
Caution:
3.15.3
You will not be warned that you are replacing the current file. Therefore, ensure that you
want to replace the current file before proceeding to the following step. If you do not want
to replace the current file, you can save your changes to an external file ("Exporting an
Edited Vector Layer in Vector-Format File" on page 125).
Combining Several Files into One File

In certain circumstances, for example, after importing an MSI Planet index file, you may have several geo data files of
the same type. You can combine these separate files to create one single file. The files will be combined according to their
order from the top down in the folder on the Geo tab of the Explorer window. If the files overlap on the map, the combined
file will show the file on the top.
You can create a one file from a section of the following geo data types:

Clutter classes
Clutter heights
Scanned maps
To combine individual files into a new file:

2. Right-click the folder of the geo data files you want to combine into one file. The context menu appears.
4. Enter a File name and select a file type from the Save as type list.
5. Click OK. The Export dialogue appears (see Figure 3.81).
6. Under Region, select The Entire Project Area. This option allows you to save the entire area covered by the geo
data files, including any modifications you have made to the geo data.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1. The
suggested resolution value is the highest resolution of all objects.
8. Click OK. The selected data is saved as a new file.
3.15.4
Exporting an Embedded File

You can export an embedded geo data file to be used in a different Atoll document, or in a different application. When you
export an embedded file, Atoll replaces the embedded file in the current Atoll document with the newly exported file.
To export an embedded geo data file:
2. Right-click the folder of the embedded geo data file you want to export. The context menu appears.
5. Click OK.
If the geo data file is a vector file, the Vector Export dialogue appears (see Figure 3.81).
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Figure 3.81: The Vector Export dialogue

a. The Vector Export dialogue displays the coordinate system of the file. To change the coordinate system used
for the exported file, click Change. The Coordinate Systems dialogue appears. For information on the Coordinate Systems dialogue, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on page 86.
b. Click Export. The geo data file is exported with the selected coordinate system.
If the geo data file is a raster file, the Export dialogue appears (see Figure 3.82).
Figure 3.82: Export dialogue

a. Under Region, select one of the following:
-
The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the entire raster-format geo data file, including
any modifications you have made to the geo data. The exported file will replace the embedded file in the
Geo data tab.
Only Pending Changes: This option allows you to export a rectangle containing any modifications you
have made to the geo data. The exported file will be added as an object in the geo data folder.
The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the geo data contained by a rectangle encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported file will be
added as an object in the geo data folder.
b. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1.
c. Click OK. The selected data is saved in an external file.
3.15.5
Creating a New File from a Larger File

You can create a new file from a section of a larger file. You can use this new file in the same Atoll document, or in a new
Atoll document. To create a new file, you must first define the area by creating a computation zone.
You can create a new file from a section of the following geo data types:

Clutter classes
Clutter heights
Scanned maps
Population
Geoclimatic maps
To create a new file from a section of a larger file:

2. Right-click the folder of the embedded geo data file you want to export. The context menu appears.
5. Click OK. The Export dialogue appears (see Figure 3.81).
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6. Under Region, select The Computation Zone. This option allows you to export the geo data contained by a rectangle encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported geo
data file will be added as a new object to the selected geo data folder.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1.
8. Click OK. The selected data is saved as a new file.
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Chapter 4
Antennas and Equipment
Chapter 4: Antennas and Equipment
Antennas and Equipment

In Atoll, the equipment used to create a network is modelled, along with the characteristics which have a bearing on
network performance.
This chapter explains working with antennas as well as equipment such as tower-mounted amplifiers, feeder cables, base
transceiver station equipment:
4.1
"Working With Antennas" on page 131

"Working With Equipment" on page 135
Working With Antennas

Atoll enables you to work with antennas in many ways. To create a new antenna, you can import the data necessary from
external sources, such as from a spreadsheet or from a Planet-format file. Once you have created an antenna, you can
improve signal level prediction by smoothing the high-attenuation points of the vertical pattern.
4.1.1
"Creating an Antenna" on page 131

"Importing Planet-Format Antennas" on page 132
"Importing 3-D Antenna Patterns" on page 133
"Smoothing an Antenna Pattern" on page 134.
Creating an Antenna
Each Atoll project template has antennas specific to the technology supported by the template. As well, Atoll allows you
to create antennas and set the parameters such as manufacturer, gain, horizontal pattern, and vertical pattern.
Tip:
When you create a new antenna, you can copy the horizontal and vertical antenna
patterns from a spreadsheet or word processor.
To create an antenna:
2. Right-click on the Antennas folder. The context menu opens.
3. Select New from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the General tab. You can enter information in the following fields:
-
Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new antenna. You can modify the name Atoll enters
if you wish.
Manufacturer: The name of the antenna manufacturer.
Gain: The antennas isotropic gain.
Pattern Electrical Tilt: The antennas electrical tilt. This field is for information only; for an antennas electrical
tilt to be taken into consideration in calculations, it must be integrated into the horizontal and vertical patterns.
Atoll automatically calculates the pattern electrical tilt if the Pattern Electrical Tilt field is left blank or has a
value of "0."
Note:
If you use the same antenna several times but with a different electrical tilt, you must
create a new antenna with corresponding patterns for each electrical tilt.
Comments: Any additional information on the antenna.
5. Click the Horizontal Pattern tab. The Horizontal Pattern tab has a table describing the horizontal antenna pattern
in terms of the attenuation in dB (Att.) per Angle and a graphical representation of the pattern. Atoll allows you
to enter antenna pattern attenuations for as many as 720 angles. Therefore, attenuation values can also be
defined for angles other than integer values from 0 to 359. If you have the horizontal pattern in a spreadsheet or
text document, you can copy the data directly into the table:
a. Switch to the document containing the horizontal pattern.
b. Select the columns containing the angles and attenuation values of the horizontal pattern.
c. Copy the selected data.
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Figure 4.83: Copying horizontal pattern values

d. Switch to Atoll.
e. Click the upper-left cell of the horizontal pattern.
f.
Press CTRL+V to paste the data in the table.

-
If there are some blank rows in your data sheet, Atoll will interpolate the values in order to obtain a complete and realistic pattern.
When performing a calculation along an angle for which no data is available, Atoll calculates a linear interpolation from the existing pattern values.
g. Click Apply to display the pattern.

6. Click the Vertical Pattern tab. The Vertical Pattern tab has a table describing the vertical antenna pattern in terms
of the attenuation in dB (Att.) per Angle and a graphical representation of the pattern. Atoll allows you to enter
antenna pattern attenuations for as many as 720 angles. Therefore, attenuation values can also be defined for
angles other than integer values from 0 to 359. If you have the vertical pattern in a spreadsheet or text document,
you can copy the data directly into the table as described in step 5.
7. Click the Other Properties tab. You can define the following fields (not used in any calculation):
-
Beamwidth: In a plane containing the direction of the maximum lobe of the antenna pattern, the angle
between the two directions in which the radiated power is one-half the maximum value of the lobe. Translated
in terms of dB, half power corresponds to -3 dB. In this window, you may enter this angle in degrees.
FMin: The minimum frequency that the antenna is capable of emitting.
FMax: The maximum frequency that the antenna is capable of emitting.
8. Click OK.
Atoll checks whether the vertical and horizontal patterns are correctly aligned at the extremities. The antenna patterns are
correctly aligned when:
4.1.2
the horizontal pattern attenuation at 0 is the same as the vertical pattern attenuation at the pattern electrical tilt
angle, and
the horizontal pattern attenuation at 180 is the same as the vertical pattern attenuation at the 180 less the pattern
electrical tilt angle.
Importing Planet-Format Antennas

In Atoll, you can import Planet-format antennas by importing an index file listing the individual antenna files to be imported.
Standard Atoll fields are directly imported. Other fields are imported for information only and are accessible on the Other
Properties tab of the Antenna Properties dialogue.
If you are working with a database, you will have to create the fields in the table below in the database before you import
the Planet-format antennas:
Field
Definition
FREQUENCY
The design frequency of the antenna
H_WIDTH
The azimuth beamwidth
V_WIDTH
The elevation beamwidth
FRONT_TO_BACK
The ratio of forward antenna gain at 0 and 180 degree elevation
TILT
Indicates whether the antenna is to be electrically or mechanically tilted
Other fields available in the Planet-format antenna files that you wish to import in Atoll can be created in the database
before importing. Atoll imports all the custom fields as long as the field data in the antenna file matches the field type in
the database.
For more information on working with databases, see The Administrator Manual.
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To import Planet-format antennas:
2. Right-click the Antennas folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select "Planet 2D Antenna Files (index)" from the Files of type list.
5. Select the index file you want to import and click Open. The antennas are imported.
Atoll checks whether the vertical and horizontal patterns are correctly aligned at the extremities. The antenna patterns are
correctly aligned when:
4.1.3
the horizontal pattern attenuation at 0 is the same as the vertical pattern attenuation at the pattern electrical tilt
angle, and
the horizontal pattern attenuation at 180 is the same as the vertical pattern attenuation at the 180 less the pattern
electrical tilt angle.
Importing 3-D Antenna Patterns

You can import three-dimensional antenna patterns in the form of text files. The three-dimensional antenna patterns you
import are saved in the Antennas table.
During calculations, Atoll interpolates the data of antennas for which only horizontal and vertical cross-sections are available to create a three-dimensional pattern. When you import a three-dimensional antenna pattern, even though only horizontal and vertical sections of the antenna pattern are displayed, Atoll conserves all the information and can use it directly;
Atoll does not therefore need to interpolate to recreate the three-dimensional antenna pattern.
The text file must have the following format:
Header: The text file may contain a header with additional information. When you import the antenna pattern you
can indicate where the header ends and where the antenna pattern itself begins.
Antenna description: Three separate values are necessary to describe the three-dimensional antenna pattern.
The columns containing the values can be in any order:
-
Azimuth: The range of values allowable is from 0 to 360, with the smallest allowable increment being 1.
Tilt angle: The range of values allowable is from -90 to 90, or from 0 to 180, with the smallest allowable
increment being 1.
Attenuation: The attenuation (in dB).
To import three-dimensional antenna pattern files:

2. Right-click the Antennas folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select the file to import.
5. Click Open. The Setup dialogue appears (see Figure 4.84).
Figure 4.84: Importing a 3-D antenna pattern
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6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file, you can select it from
the Configuration list. If you do not have an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Configuration, select an import configuration from the Configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.
7. Under Name, you can define a name for the imported antenna pattern. This name will appear in the Antennas
folder on the Data tab. If no name is defined, Atoll will use the file name as the name of the antenna:
-
If the name of the antenna is in the file, check the Value read in the file check box and enter a Keyword
identifying the name value in the file.
If you want to enter a name for the antenna, clear the Value read in the file check box and enter a name.
8. Under Gain, you can define the antenna gain. If no gain is defined, Atoll will assume that the gain is "0."
-
If the gain of the antenna is in the file, check the Value read in the file check box and enter a Keyword identifying the gain value in the file.
If you want to enter a gain for the antenna, clear the Value read in the file check box and enter a gain value.
9. Under Diagram, you define the structure of the antenna pattern file. As you modify the parameters, the results are
displayed in the table.
-
1st Pattern: Select the first row of the file containing data on the antenna pattern.
File Tilt Range: Select the tilt range in the file. The tilt range can be measured from top to bottom or from
bottom to top and from 0 to 180 or from -90 to 90.
Field Separator: Select the character that is used in the file to separate fields (" ", "<tab>", ";")
Decimal Symbol: Select the decimal symbol.
10. In the table under Diagram, click the title in each column in the table and select the data type: Azimuth, Tilt,
Attenuation, or <Ignore>. As you modify the parameters, the results are displayed in the table.
Note:
You can save the choices you have made in the Setup dialogue as a configuration file by
clicking the Save button at the top of the dialogue and entering a name for the
configuration. The next time you import a three-dimensional antenna pattern file, you can
select the same settings from the Configuration File list.
11. Click Import. The antenna patterns are imported into the current Atoll document.
4.1.4
Smoothing an Antenna Pattern

Empirical propagation models, such as the Standard Propagation Model (SPM), require antenna pattern smoothing in the
vertical plane to better simulate the effects of reflection and diffraction, which, therefore, improves signal level prediction.
In Atoll, you can smooth antennas vertical as well as horizontal patterns.
Important: You should make a copy of the antenna before smoothing its vertical pattern. You can
make a copy of the antenna by opening the Antennas table and copying and pasting the
antenna data into a new row. For information on data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 43.
To smooth the vertical or horizontal pattern of an antenna:
) to expand the Antennas folder.
3. Right-click the antenna whose pattern you want to smooth. The context menu appears.
5. Select the Vertical Pattern or the Horizontal Pattern tab.
6. Right-click the graphical representation of the pattern. The context menu appears.
7. Select Smooth from the context menu. The Smoothing Parameters dialogue appears.
8. Enter the following parameters and click OK to smooth the vertical pattern:
-
Max Angle: Enter the maximum angle. Smoothing will be applied to the section of the vertical pattern between
0 and the maximum angle (clock-wise).
Peak-to-Peak Deviation: Enter the attenuation values to which smoothing will be applied. Atoll will smooth
all attenuation values greater than or equal to the peak-to-peak deviation with the defined correction factor.
Correction: Enter the correction factor by which the attenuation values will be smoothed.
9. Click OK.
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4.1.5
Printing an Antenna Pattern

You can print the horizontal or vertical pattern of an antenna.
To print an antenna pattern:
2. Open the Antennas table:
a. Right-click the Antennas folder.
b. Select Open Table from the context menu.
3. Right-click the antenna whose pattern you want to print.
4. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Horizontal Pattern tab or the Vertical Pattern tab.
6. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Linear or Logarithmic from the context menu.
7. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Print from the context menu.
4.2
Working With Equipment

Atoll can model the components of base station. You can define these components and modify their properties in their
respective tables. Atoll uses these properties to calculate the downlink and uplink losses and BTS noise figure of the transmitter in UMTS, CDMA2000, WiMAX, or LTE. In GSM, Atoll calculates the downlink losses only. These parameters can
be automatically calculated by Atoll from the properties of the components or they can defined by the user.
Base station subsystems consist of the following components:
4.2.1
Tower-mounted amplifier: Tower-mounted amplifiers (TMAs, also referred to as masthead amplifiers) are used
to reduce the composite noise figure of the base station. TMAs are connected between the antenna and the feeder
cable. To define a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equipment" on page 135.
Feeder cables: Feeder cables connect the TMA to the antenna. To define feeder cables, see "Defining Feeder
Cables" on page 135.
Base transceiver station (BTS): To define a BTS, see "Defining BTS Equipment" on page 136.
Defining TMA Equipment

The tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) is used to reduce the composite noise figure of the base station. Once you have
defined a TMA, you can assign it to individual transmitters.
To create a tower-mounted amplifier:
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Equipment > TMA Equipment from the context menu. The TMA Equipment table appears.
4. In the table, create one TMA per row. For information on using data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on
page 43. For each TMA, enter:
-
4.2.2
Name: Enter a name for the TMA. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a TMA.
Noise Figure (dB): Enter a noise figure for the TMA.
Reception Gain (dB): Enter a reception (uplink) gain for the TMA. This must be a positive value.
Transmission Losses (dB): Enter transmission (downlink) losses for the TMA. This must be a positive value.
Defining Feeder Cables

Feeder cables connect the TMA to the antenna. Once you have defined feeder cables, you can assign them to individual
transmitters.
To create feeder cables:
3. Select Equipment > Feeder Equipment from the context menu. The Feeder Equipment table appears.
4. In the table, create one feeder equipment per row. For information on data tables, see "Working with Data Tables"
on page 43. For each feeder equipment, enter:
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Name: Enter a name for the feeder cable. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a feeder
cable.
Loss per Length: Enter the loss per meter of cable. This must be a positive value.
Connector Reception Loss: Enter the connector reception loss. This must be a positive value.
Connector Transmission Loss: Enter the connector transmission loss. This must be a positive value.
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4.2.3
Defining BTS Equipment

The BTS is modelled for UMTS, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, WiMAX, and LTE. In GSM, only the downlink losses are
modelled.
Once you have defined a BTS, it can be assigned to individual transmitters.
To create a base transceiver station:
3. Select Equipment > BTS Equipment from the context menu. The BTS Equipment table appears.
4. In the table, create one BTS per row. For information on data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43.
For each BTS, enter:
-
Name: Enter a name for the BTS. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a BTS.
Noise Figure (dB): Enter the noise figure for the BTS. This value is not used in GSM GPRS EGPRS documents.
Downlink Losses Due to the Configuration (dB): Enter the losses on downlink due to the BTS configuration.
Uplink Losses Due to the Configuration (dB): Enter the losses on uplink due to the BTS configuration. This
value is not used in GSM GPRS EGPRS documents.
Rho Factor (%): Enter the Rho factor, as a percentage. The Rho factor enables Atoll to take into account
self-interference produced by the BTS. Because equipment is not perfect, an input signal will experience some
distortion, consequently the output signal will be not be identical. This factor defines how much distortion the
system generates. Entering 100% means the system is perfect (there is no distortion) and the output signal
will be 100% identical to the input signal. On the other hand, if you specify a value different from 100%, Atoll
will consider that the transmitted signal is not 100% signal and that it contains a small percentage of interference generated by the equipment ("self-interference"). Atoll uses this parameter to evaluate the signal-tonoise ratio in the downlink.
This value is only used in CDMA based technologies (CDMA2000, UMTS, and TD-SCDMA). It is not used in
GSM, WiMAX, and LTE documents.
4.2.4
Updating the Values for Total Losses and the BTS Noise Figure for Transmitters
Once equipment is defined and assigned to a transmitter, Atoll can evaluate downlink and uplink total losses and the total
noise figure.
Atoll uses the entry of the BTS as the reference point when evaluating total losses and the total noise figure. The BTS
noise figure used by Atoll is the one specified in the BTS properties. Transmitter reception losses include feeder reception
losses, connector reception losses, miscellaneous reception losses, antenna diversity gain, TMA benefit gain (as calculated using the Friis equation), and an additional loss modelling the noise rise generated from repeaters (if any). Transmitter transmission losses include feeder transmission losses, connector transmission losses, miscellaneous transmission
losses, and TMA transmission losses. For more information on the total noise figure and on transmitter reception and
transmission losses, see the Technical Reference Guide.
You can assign equipment to a transmitter:
Using the Equipment Specifications dialogue, available by clicking the Equipment button on the Transmitter tab
of the transmitters Properties dialogue, or
Using the Transmitters table, available by right-clicking the Transmitters folder on the Data tab of the Explorer
window and selecting Open Table from the context menu.
When you assign equipment to a transmitter using the Equipment Specifications dialogue, Atoll updates the real values
when you click OK and close the dialogue. When you assign equipment to a transmitter using the Transmitters table,
Atoll does not update the real values automatically.
To update the real values (total losses and the BTS noise figure) with the computed values of all transmitters:
3. Select Equipment > Recalculate Losses and Noise Figure from the context menu.
To update the real values (total losses and the BTS noise figure) with the computed values of a group of transmitters:
3. Select from the Group by submenu of the context menu the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
The objects in the folder are grouped by that property.
) to expand the Transmitters folder.
5. Right-click the group of transmitters whose real values you want to update. The context menu appears.
6. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Transmitters table appears with the transmitters from the
selected group.
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7. In the Transmitters table, select the values you want to update in the following columns and press DEL:
-
Transmission Loss (dB)

Reception Loss (dB)
BTS Noise Figure (dB)
Atoll automatically recalculates and updates these values.
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Chapter 5
Managing Calculations in Atoll
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Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll
Managing Calculations in Atoll

Once you have created a network, you can make predictions. There are two types of predictions:
Point predictions using the Point Analysis tool: The Point Analysis tool allows you to predict, at any point on
the map, the profile between a reference transmitter and a receiver, the value of the signal levels of the surrounding transmitters, an active set analysis for UMTS, CDMA2000, and TD-SCDMA projects and an interference
analysis for GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects.
Coverage predictions: You can calculate standard coverage predictions, coverage by transmitter, coverage by
signal level and overlapping zones, and specific coverage studies such as interference studies for GSM/GPRS/
EDGE projects or handover, service availability, etc. for UMTS, CDMA2000 and TD-SCDMA projects. Many customisation features on coverage studies are available in order to make their analysis easier.
Atoll facilitates the calculation of coverage predictions with support for multithreading and distributed calculating. The
progress of the calculations can be displayed either in the Event Viewer window or in a log file.
Atoll also allows you to use polygonal zones to limit the amount of resources and time used for calculations. The polygonal
zones, such as the filtering zone and the computation zone, help you to restrict calculations to a defined set of transmitters,
and to limit calculations and coverage predictions.
Depending on the type of project you are working on, you can choose between the propagation models available in Atoll.
5.1
Working with Propagation Models

In the section, the following are explained:
5.1.1
"Propagation Model Characteristics: Overview" on page 141

"The Standard Propagation Model" on page 142
"The Okumura-Hata Propagation Model" on page 148
"The Cost-Hata Propagation Model" on page 149
"The ITU 529-3 Propagation Model" on page 150
"The Erceg-Greenstein Propagation Model" on page 152
"The WLL Propagation Model" on page 153
"The Longley-Rice Propagation Model" on page 154
"The ITU 1546 Propagation Model" on page 154
"The Sakagami Extended Propagation Model" on page 155
"Managing Propagation Models" on page 155.
Propagation Model Characteristics: Overview

Each propagation model available in Atoll is suited for certain conditions, frequencies and radio technologies. The following table summarises the frequency band, necessary geo data, recommended use of each propagation model.
Model
Frequency
Range
Geo Data Taken into Account
Recommended Use
ITU 370-7 Vienna 93
100 400 MHz
Terrain profile
d > 10 km
Low frequencies
Broadcast
ITU 1546
30 3000 MHz
Terrain profile
1 < d < 1000 km

Land and maritime mobile,
broadcast
ITU 526-5 (theoretical)
30 10000 MHz
Terrain profile
Fixed receivers
WLL
WLL
30 10000 MHz
Terrain profile
Deterministic clutter
Fixed receivers
WLL, Microwave links, WiMAX
150 1000 MHz
Terrain profile
Statistical clutter (at the receiver)
1 < d < 20 km
GSM 900, CDMA2000, LTE
1500 2000 MHz
Terrain profile
1 < d < 20 km
GSM 1800, UMTS, CDMA2000,
LTE
300 1500 MHz
Terrain profile
1 < d < 100 km

GSM 900, CDMA2000, LTE
Okumura-Hata
(Automatic calibration
available)
Cost-Hata
available)
ITU 529-3
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Model
Frequency
Range
Geo Data Taken into Account
Recommended Use
150 3500 MHz
Terrain profile
Statistical clutter
1 < d < 20 km
GSM, UMTS, CDMA2000,
WiMAX, LTE
1900 6000 MHz
Terrain profile
Urban and suburban areas

100 m < d < 8 km
Fixed WiMAX
3000 8000 MHz
Terrain profile
Statistical clutter
1 < d < 20 km
WiMAX
Standard Propagation
Model
available)
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI)
Sakagami Extended
available)
5.1.2
The Standard Propagation Model

The Standard Propagation Model is a propagation model based on the Hata formulas and is suited for predictions in the
150 to 3500 MHz band over long distances (from one to 20 km). It is best suited to GSM 900/1800, UMTS, and CDMA2000
radio technologies.
The Standard Propagation Model is based on the following formula:
K 1 + K 2 Log d + K 3 Log H Txeff + K 4 DiffractionLoss + K 5 Log d Log H Txeff +
P R = P Tx
K 6 H Rxeff + K 7 Log H Rxeff + K clutter f clutter + K hill LOS
where:
PR
received power (dBm)
PTx
transmitted power (EIRP) (dBm)
K1
constant offset (dB)
K2
multiplying factor for Log(d)
distance between the receiver and the transmitter (m)
K3
multiplying factor for Log(HTxeff)
H Tx
K4
eff
effective height of the transmitter antenna (m)
multiplying factor for diffraction calculation. K4 must be a positive number

DiffractionLoss losses due to diffraction over an obstructed path (dB)
K5
multiplying factor for Log(HTxeff) x Log(d)
K6
multiplying factor for HRxeff
K7
multiplying factor for Log(HRxeff)
H Rx
Kclutter
multiplying factor for f(clutter)
f(clutter)
average of weighted losses due to clutter
Khill, LOS
corrective factor for hilly regions (=0 in case of NLOS)
eff
mobile antenna height (m)
These parameters can be defined on the tabs (Parameters, and Clutter) of the Standard Propagation Model Properties
dialogue. You can also calibrate the Standard Propagation Model using a wizard. For information on the Automatic Calibration Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide.
5.1.2.1
"Recommendations for Working with the Standard Propagation Model" on page 143
"Calculating Diffraction With the SPM" on page 143
"Sample Values for SPM Formulas" on page 144
"Calculating f(clutter) with the Standard Propagation Model" on page 144
"Modelling Fixed Receivers" on page 145
"Defining the Parameters of the Standard Propagation Model" on page 145.
Recommendations for Working with the Standard Propagation Model

It is important to remember that clutter information can be taken into consideration in both diffraction loss and f(clutter). To
avoid taking clutter information into account twice, you should choose one of the following approaches:
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Approach #1: If you specify losses per clutter class, do not consider clutter altitudes in diffraction loss over the
transmitter-receiver profile. This approach is recommended if the clutter height information is statistical (i.e., where
the clutter is roughly defined and without a defined altitude).
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Note:
Because the Standard Propagation Model is a statistical propagation model, using this
approach is recommended.
Approach #2: If you consider clutter altitudes, do not define any loss per clutter class. In this case, f(clutter) will
be "0;" losses due to clutter will only be taken into account in the calculated diffraction. This approach is recommended if the clutter altitude information is semi-deterministic (i.e., where the clutter is roughly defined with an
average altitude per clutter class) or deterministic (i.e., where the clutter is sharply defined with an average altitude
per clutter class or where there is a clutter height file).
If the clutter height information is an average height defined for each clutter class, you must specify a receiver
clearance per clutter class. Both ground and clutter altitude are considered along the whole transmitter-receiver
profile except over a specific distance around the receiver (clearance), in which Atoll bases its calculations only
on the DTM. The clearance information is used to model streets because it is assumed that the receiver is in the
street.
It is not necessary to define receiver clearance if the height information is from a clutter height file. In this case,
the clutter height information is accurate enough to be used without additional information such as clearance; Atoll
calculates the path loss if the receiver is in the street (if the receiver height is higher than the clutter height). If the
receiver height is lower than the clutter height, the receiver is assumed to be inside a building. In this case, Atoll
does not consider any diffraction for the building (or any clearance) but takes into account the clutter class indoor
loss as an additional penetration loss. Nevertheless, Atoll does consider diffraction caused by surrounding buildings. In Figure 5.85 on page 143 this diffraction is displayed with a green line.
Important: In order to consider indoor losses inside a building when only using a deterministic clutter
map (i.e., a clutter height map), you must clear the Indoor Coverage check box when
creating a prediction or indoor losses will be added twice (once for the entire reception
clutter class and once as indoor losses).
Figure 5.85: Diffraction caused by surrounding buildings when the receiver is indoors
5.1.2.2
Calculating Diffraction With the SPM

You can set the parameters used to calculate diffraction losses on the Parameters and Clutter tabs of the Standard Propagation Model Properties dialogue.
On the Parameters tab, you can define the calculation method used for diffraction and the K4 factor. The methods available
are:
Deygout
Epstein-Peterson
Deygout with correction
Millington
For detailed information on each method, see the Technical Reference Guide. The methods for calculating diffraction are
based on the general method for one or more obstacles described in the ITU 526-5 recommendations. The calculations
take the curvature of the earth into account. Along the transmitter-receiver profile, you can choose to take either the ground
altitude only or both the ground altitude and the clutter height into account. If you choose to take clutter height into account,
Atoll uses the clutter height information in the clutter heights file. Otherwise, it uses average clutter height specified for
each clutter class in the clutter classes. When the clutter height information is statistical, Atoll also uses clearance values
per clutter class to model streets.
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To take heights into account when calculating diffraction:
1. Click the Modules tab of the Explorer window.
) to expand the Propagation Models folder.
3. Right-click Standard Propagation Model. The context menu appears.

5. Click the Clutter tab.
6. Under Heights, select one of the following for Clutter taken into account in diffraction:
-
1 - Yes: Select "1 - Yes" if you want heights from the clutter heights to be taken into account on top of the DTM
when calculating diffraction.
0 - No: Select "0 - No" if you want diffraction to be calculated using only the DTM.
7. Click OK.
5.1.2.3
Sample Values for SPM Formulas

The following table gives some possible values for the constants used in the Standard Propagation Model formulas.
Minimum
Typical
Maximum
K1
Variable
Variable
Variable
K2
20
44.9
70
K3
-20
5.83
20
K4
0.5
0.8
K5
-10
-6.55
K6
-1
K7
-10
K1 is a constant; its value depends on the radio frequency and on the radio technology. The following table gives some
possible values for K1.
Project Type
Frequency (MHz)
K1
GSM 900
935
12.5
GSM 1800
1805
22
GSM 1900
1930
23
UMTS
2110
23.8
1xRTT
1900
23
2300
24.7
2500
25.4
2700
26.1
3300
27.8
3500
28.3
WiMAX
Its value is heavily influenced by the values given to losses per clutter class.
5.1.2.4
Calculating f(clutter) with the Standard Propagation Model

The average of weighted losses due to clutter, f(clutter), is defined as follows:
n
f clutter =
Li wi
i=1
where
L: loss due to clutter.
w: weight.
n: number of points taken into account over the profile.
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The losses due to clutter are calculated for the maximum distance from the receiver, defined as Maximum Distance on
the Clutter tab of the Standard Propagation Model Properties dialogue. When the Maximum Distance is defined as
"0", Atoll only considers the losses on the pixel where the receiver is located. On the Clutter tab, each clutter class is
assigned losses and a weighting function, enabling Atoll to give a weight to each point. For more information, see the
Technical Reference Guide.
Note:
The losses per clutter class can be calculated using the Automatic Calibration Wizard.
For information on the Automatic Calibration Wizard, see the Measurements and Model
Calibration Guide.
The following table gives typical values for losses (in dB) per clutter class:
Clutter Class
Losses (dB)
Dense urban
from 4 to 5
Woodland
from 2 to 3
Urban
Suburban
from -5 to -3
Industrial
from -5 to -3
Open in urban
from -6 to -4
Open
from -12 to -10
Water
from -14 to -12
Note:
5.1.2.5
The Standard Propagation Model is based on Hata formulas, which are valid for an urban
environment. The values above are consistent with an urban environment because losses
of 0 dB are indicated for an urban clutter class, with positive values for more dense clutter
classes and negative values for less dense clutter classes.
Modelling Fixed Receivers

The following are suggestions for defining the height of fixed receivers:
5.1.2.6
You can model the receiver as always being above the clutter, by selecting "1 - Yes" for the Receiver on Top of
Clutter option on the Clutter tab of the Standard Propagation Model Properties dialogue. The receiver height
will then be sum of the clutter height and the receiver height. This option can be used to model receivers on top
of buildings, for example.
You can define a specific receiver height for each clutter class in the Rx Height column on the Clutter tab of the
Standard Propagation Model Properties dialogue. Or, you can select "(default)" for the receiver height. When
creating a coverage prediction, Atoll will then read the receiver height on the Receiver tab of the Properties dialogue for the Predictions folder.
Defining the Parameters of the Standard Propagation Model

You can define the parameters of the Standard Propagation Model using the Standard Propagation Model Properties
dialogue.
Note:
Default values have been assigned to the multiplying factors. The default values
correspond to the rural (quasi-open) Okumura-Hata formula valid for a frequency of
935 MHz. The values for K values can be calculated using an automatic or assisted
calibration method. For more information, see the Measurements and Model Calibration
Guide.
To define the calculations parameters of the Standard Propagation Model:

3. Right-click Standard Propagation Model. The context menu appears.

5. Click the Parameters tab (see Figure 5.86).
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Figure 5.86: Standard Propagation Model - Parameters tab

Under Near Transmitter, you can set the following parameters:
-
Maximum Distance: Set the maximum distance for a receiver to be considered near the transmitter. If the
distance between the receiver and the transmitter is greater than the set distance, the receiver is considered
far from the transmitter.
K1 - los and K2 - los: Enter the K1 and K2 values that will be used for calculations when the receiver is in the
transmitter line of sight.
K1 - nlos and K2 - nlos: Enter the K1 and K2 values that will be used for calculations when the receiver is not
in the transmitter line of sight.
Under Far from Transmitter, the values you set will be used for all receivers whose distance from the transmitter
is greater than the distance specified in Maximum Distance under Near Transmitter. You can set the following
parameters:
-
K1 - los and K2 - los: Enter the K1 and K2 values that will be used for calculations when the receiver is in the
transmitter line of sight.
K1 - nlos and K2 - nlos: Enter the K1 and K2 values that will be used for calculations when the receiver is not
in the transmitter line of sight.
Note:
The LOS is defined by no obstruction along the direct ray between the transmitter and the
receiver.
Under Effective Antenna Height, you can set the following parameters:
-
Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate HTxeff, the effective antenna height.
Note:
You can use the Automatic Calibration Wizard to select the best method for calculating
the effective Tx antenna height. For information on the Automatic Calibration Wizard,
see the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide.
Distance min. and Distance max.: The Distance min. and Distance max. are set to 3,000 m and 15,000 m
(according to ITU recommendations) for frequencies under 500 MHz and to 0 m and 15,000 m (according to
ITU recommendations) for high frequency mobile communications. These values are only used for the "Abs
Spot Ht" and the "Enhanced Slope at Receiver" methods. For more information on how these values are used,
see the Technical Reference Guide.
K3: Enter the K3 value.
Under Diffraction, you can set the following parameters:

-
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Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate diffraction.

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Under Other Parameters, you can set the following parameters:
-

Kclutter: Enter the Kclutter value.
Hilly Terrain Correction Factor: Select "1 - Yes" to take the Hilly Terrain Correction Factor into account.
Otherwise, select "0 - No". The Hilly Terrain Correction Factor corrects path loss for hilly regions when
transmitter and receiver are in LOS. For more information on the Hilly Terrain Correction Factor, see the
Technical Reference Guide.
Limitation to Free Space Loss: When using a Hata-based propagation model, it is possible to calculate a
theoretical path loss that ends up being lower than the free space loss. In Atoll, you can define any Hatabased propagation model to never calculate a path loss that is lower than the calculated free space loss per
pixel. Select "1 - Yes" if you want the propagation model to limit the path loss calculated per pixel to the calculated free space loss.
Profiles: Select the method to be used to extract the profile. If you select "1 - Radial," Atoll establishes a profile between each transmitter and each point located on its calculation perimeter (as defined by the calculation
radius) and then uses the nearest profile to make a prediction on a point inside the calculation perimeter. This
process is called radial optimisation. If you select "2 - Systematic," Atoll systematically determines a profile
between each transmitter and each point in its calculation area. This method requires a significantly longer
calculation time, therefore, you should choose "1 - Radial" if you want a shorter calculation time.
Grid Calculation: Select "0 - Centred" if you want Atoll to perform the calculations at the centre of each pixel
or select "1 - Bottom left" if you want Atoll to perform the calculations at the lower left of each pixel.
6. Click the Clutter tab (see Figure 5.87).
Figure 5.87: Standard Propagation Model - Clutter tab

Under Clutter Taken into Account, you can set the following parameters under Heights:
-
Clutter taken into account in diffraction: Select "1 - Yes" if you want the clutter heights to be taken into
account when calculating diffraction.
Receiver on top of clutter: Select "1 - Yes" if you want the receiver to be considered to be located on top of
clutter. This option can be used where fixed receivers are located on top of buildings.
Under Clutter Taken into Account, you can set the following parameters under Range:
-
Max. distance: Set the maximum distance from a receiver to be considered when calculating f(clutter).
Weighting function: Select a weighting function to be used when calculating f(clutter). It enables you to
weight losses for each pixel between a receiver and a maximum distance. For more information on weighting
functions, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Under Parameters per clutter class, you can set the following parameters for each clutter class:
-
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Losses: Enter, if desired, losses for each clutter class to be considered when calculating f(clutter).
Clearance: Enter, if desired, a clearance around each receiver for each clutter class. The clearance information is used to model streets because it is assumed that the receiver is in the street. The clearance is used
when calculating diffraction when statistical clutter is taken into account.
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-
Rx Height: Enter, if desired, a specific receiver height for each clutter class. Or, you can select "(default)" for
the receiver height. When creating a coverage prediction, Atoll will then read the receiver height on the
Receiver tab of the Properties dialogue for the Predictions folder.
7. Click OK.
5.1.3
The Okumura-Hata Propagation Model

The Okumura-Hata model is suited for predictions in the 150 to 1000 MHz band over long distances (from one to 20 km).
It is best suited to GSM 900 and CDMA 1xRTT radio technologies.
Hata models in general are well adapted to the urban environment. You can define several corrective formulas and associate a formula with each clutter class to adapt the Hata model to a wide variety of environments. You can also define a
default formula to be used when no land use data is available. Additionally, you can consider diffraction losses based on
the DTM.
5.1.3.1
"Defining General Settings (Okumura-Hata)" on page 148

"Selecting an Environment Formula (Okumura-Hata)" on page 148
"Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Okumura-Hata)" on page 149.
Defining General Settings (Okumura-Hata)

To set general parameters on the Okumura-Hata propagation model:
3. Right-click Okumura-Hata. The context menu appears.

5. Click the Parameters tab. You can modify the following settings:
-
Add diffraction loss: The Okumura-Hata propagation model can take into account losses due to diffraction,
using a 1-knife-edge Deygout method, and using the ground altitude given in the DTM. For detailed information on the Deygout method, see the Technical Reference Guide. The calculations take the curvature of the
earth into account. Select "1 - Yes" if you want the propagation model to add losses due to diffraction. You can
weight this diffraction for each Hata environment formula (See "Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas
(Okumura-Hata)" on page 149)
Limitation to free space loss: When using a Hata-based propagation model, it is possible to calculate a theoretical path loss that ends up being lower than the free space loss. In Atoll, you can define any Hata-based
propagation model to never calculate a path loss that is lower than the calculated free space loss per pixel.
Select "1 - Yes" if you want the propagation model to limit the path loss calculated per pixel to the calculated
free space loss.
6. Click OK.
5.1.3.2
Selecting an Environment Formula (Okumura-Hata)

The Okumura-Hata propagation model can use an environment formula appropriate to each clutter class when calculating.
You can assign a default formula that Atoll can use for all clutter classes for which you have not assigned an environment
formula or if you do not have clutter classes in your Atoll document.
To select environment formulas:

5. Click the Configuration tab.
6. Under Formulas assigned to clutter classes, select the Default formula row. Under this grid, choose the appropriate formula in the formula scrolling list.
Atoll uses the default environment formula for calculations on any clutter class to which you have not assigned
an environment formula or if you do not have clutter classes in your Atoll document.
7. For each clutter class under Formulas assigned to clutter classes, select a formula from the list.
8. For each clutter class under Additional Losses per Clutter Class, enter an optional correction (in dB). This correction acts as an additional loss on the loss calculated by the chosen formula.
For information on modifying the selected formula, see "Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (OkumuraHata)" on page 149.
9. Click OK.
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Note:
5.1.3.3
Correction terms can be evaluated using the Automatic Calibration Wizard. For
information on the Automatic Calibration Wizard, see the Measurements and Model
Calibration Guide.
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Okumura-Hata)

Several environment formulas are available with the Okumura-Hata propagation model to model different environments.
You can modify existing environment formulas used by the Okumura-Hata propagation model or create new environmental
formulas.
To create or modify an environment formula:

6. Click the Formulas button. The Formulas dialogue appears. You can do the following:
-
Add: To create a new formula, click the Add button and modify the parameters of the formula.
Delete: To delete a formula, select the formula and click the Delete button.
Modify: To modify an existing formula, select the formula and modify the parameters.
7. Click OK to save your changes and close the Formulas dialogue.

8. Click OK.
Notes:
5.1.4
You can weight the diffraction loss by setting the diffraction multiplying factor within the range
]0;1].
Constant values and diffraction multiplying factor can be evaluated using the Automatic Calibration Wizard for each environment formula. For information on the Automatic Calibration
Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide.
The Cost-Hata Propagation Model

The Cost-Hata model is suited for coverage predictions in the 1500 to 2000 MHz band over long distances (from one to
20 km). It is best suited to DCS 1800 and UMTS radio technologies.
default formula to be used when no land use data is available.
5.1.4.1
"Defining General Settings (Cost-Hata)" on page 149

"Selecting an Environment Formula (Cost-Hata)" on page 150
"Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Cost-Hata)" on page 150.
Defining General Settings (Cost-Hata)

To set general parameters on the Cost-Hata propagation model:
3. Right-click Cost-Hata. The context menu appears.

-
Add diffraction loss: The Cost-Hata propagation model can take into account losses due to diffraction, using
a 1-knife-edge Deygout method, and using the ground altitude given in the DTM. For detailed information on
the Deygout method, see the Technical Reference Guide. The calculations take the curvature of the earth into
account. Select "1 - Yes" if you want the propagation model to add losses due to diffraction. You can weight
this diffraction for each Hata environment formula (See "Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (CostHata)" on page 150)
free space loss.
6. Click OK.
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5.1.4.2
Selecting an Environment Formula (Cost-Hata)

The Cost-Hata propagation model can use an environment formula appropriate to each clutter class when calculating. You
can assign a default formula that Atoll can use for all clutter classes for which you have not assigned an environment

6. Under Formulas assigned to clutter classes, select the Default formula row. Under this grid, choose the appropriate formula in the formula scrolling list.
8. For each clutter class under Additional Losses per Clutter Class, enter an optional correction (in dB). This correction acts as an additional loss on the loss calculated by the chosen formula.
9. Click OK.
5.1.4.3
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Cost-Hata)

Several environment formulas are available with the Cost-Hata propagation model to model different environments. You
can modify existing environment formulas used by the Cost-Hata propagation model or create new environmental formulas.

-

8. Click OK.
Notes:
5.1.5
You can weight the diffraction loss by setting the diffraction multiplying factor within the range
]0;1].
Constant values and diffraction multiplying factor can be evaluated using the Automatic Calibration Wizard for each environment formula. For information on the Automatic Calibration
Wizard, see the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide.
The ITU 529-3 Propagation Model

The ITU 529-3 model is suited for predictions in the 300 to 1500 MHz band over long distances (from one to 100 km). It is
best suited to the GSM 900 radio technology.
default formula to be used when no land use data is available. In addition, for long distances 20km<d<100 km), the model
uses automatically a corrective formula as defined in the recommendation.
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"Defining General Settings (ITU 529-3)" on page 151

"Selecting an Environment Formula (ITU 529-3)" on page 151
"Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (ITU 529-3)" on page 151.
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5.1.5.1
Defining General Settings (ITU 529-3)

To set general parameters on the ITU 529-3 propagation model:
3. Right-click ITU529. The context menu appears.

-
Add diffraction loss: The ITU 529-3 propagation model can take into account losses due to diffraction, using
a 1-knife-edge Deygout method, and using the ground altitude given in the DTM. For detailed information on
the Deygout method, see the Technical Reference Guide. The calculations take the curvature of the earth into
account. Select "1 - Yes" if you want the propagation model to add losses due to diffraction.
free space loss.
6. Click OK.
5.1.5.2
Selecting an Environment Formula (ITU 529-3)

The ITU 529-3 propagation model can use an environment formula appropriate to each clutter class when calculating. You
can assign a default formula that Atoll can use for all clutter classes for which you have not assigned an environment

6. Under Formulas assigned to clutter classes, select a Default formula.
For information on modifying the selected formula, see "Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (ITU 529-3)"
on page 151.
8. Click OK.
5.1.5.3
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (ITU 529-3)

Several environment formulas are available with the ITU 529-3 propagation model to model different environments. You
can modify existing environment formulas used by the ITU 529-3 propagation model or create new environmental formulas.

-

8. Click OK.
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5.1.6

The ITU 370-7 model is based on the recommendations of the Vienna 1993 international conference on telecommunications network coordination. This model is suited for predictions in the 100 to 400 MHz band over long distances (over
10 km), such as in broadcast studies. It uses the terrain profile to calculate propagation.
The only parameter you can define with the ITU 370-7 (Vienna 93) model is the percentage of time during which the real
field is higher than the signal level calculated by the model (1%, 10%, or 50% of the time). The value 50% is usually used
for coverage predictions, whereas 1% is usually used for interference studies.
To set the percentage of time during which the real field is higher than the signal level:

5. Click the Parameters tab.
6. Under Calculate exceeded signal during, select one of the following:
-
50% of the time

10% of the time
1% of the time
7. Click OK.
Note:
5.1.7
When using the ITU 370-7 model, do not define the cell edge coverage probability in the
coverage prediction properties with a value other than 50%, or cell edge coverage
probability will be considered twice.
The Erceg-Greenstein Propagation Model

The Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model is suited for predictions in the 1900 and 6000 MHz range over distances
between 100 m and 8 km. The Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model is suited for WiMAX (IEEE 802.16d and
802.16e).
The Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model is well adapted for suburban environment. You can define several corrective formulas and associate a formula with each clutter class to adapt the model to a wide range of environments. You can
also define a default formula to be used when no land use data is available. You can also set a default formula which is
used when no clutter data is available.
5.1.7.1
"Defining General Settings (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI))" on page 152

"Selecting an Environment Formula (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI))" on page 153
"Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI))" on page 153.
Defining General Settings (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI))

To set general parameters on the Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model:
3. Right-click Erceg-Greenstein (SUI). The context menu appears.

-
Add diffraction loss: The Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model can take into account losses due to
diffraction, using a 1-knife-edge Deygout method, and using the ground altitude given in the DTM. For detailed
information on the Deygout method, see the Technical Reference Guide. The calculations take the curvature
of the earth into account. Select "1 - Yes" if you want the propagation model to add losses due to diffraction.
Limitation to free space loss: When using the Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model, it is possible to
calculate a theoretical path loss that ends up being lower than the free space loss. In Atoll, you can define the
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model to never calculate a path loss that is lower than the calculated free
space loss per pixel. Select "1 - Yes" if you want the propagation model to limit the path loss calculated per
pixel to the calculated free space loss.
7. Click OK.
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5.1.7.2
Selecting an Environment Formula (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI))

The Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model can use an environment formula appropriate to each clutter class when
calculating. You can assign a default formula that Atoll can use for all clutter classes for which you have not assigned an
environment formula or if you do not have clutter classes in your Atoll document.

6. Under Formulas assigned to clutter classes, select a Default formula.
For information on modifying the selected formula, see "Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (ErcegGreenstein (SUI))" on page 153.
8. Click OK.
5.1.7.3
Creating or Modifying Environment Formulas (Erceg-Greenstein (SUI))

Several environment formulas are available with the Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model to model different environments. You can modify existing environment formulas used by the Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model or create
new environmental formulas.

-

8. Click OK.
5.1.8

The ITU 526-5 model is suitable for predictions in the 30 to 10,000 MHz band with fixed receivers.
According to the ITU 526-5 recommendations:
If there are no obstacles, propagation takes place in free space

If there is an obstacle, attenuation due to diffraction will be taken into account. The model uses the terrain profile
and a diffraction mechanism (3-knife-edge Deygout method), optionally with correction, to calculate path loss.
To set the parameters on the ITU 526-5 propagation model:


6. If desired, select the Apply to empirical correction check box and enter a formula that will be used as a correction with the Deygout method. Otherwise, the Deygout method will be used without correction.
7. Click OK.
5.1.9
The WLL Propagation Model

The WLL propagation model is designed for radio local loop applications in the 30-10,000 MHz band. The model is derived
from the ITU 526-5 model.
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Along the Tx-Rx profile, both ground altitude and clutter height are considered to calculate diffraction losses. Atoll takes
clutter height information in clutter heights file if available in the ATL document. Otherwise, it considers average clutter
height specified for each clutter class in the clutter classes file description. If the ATL document does not contain any clutter
height file and no average height per clutter class is specified, Atoll will consider ground altitude only.
To set the parameters on the WLL propagation model:
3. Right-click WLL. The context menu appears.

5. Click the Parameters tab. You can set the following parameters:
-
Free space loss: You can modify the parameters of the formula used to calculate path loss in free space.
Line of sight only: If the Line of sight only option is selected, Atoll checks for each pixel if the receiver is
in the transmitter line of sight. The receiver is considered to be in the transmitter line of sight if 100% of the
Fresnel half-ellipsoid is clear, in other words, if no obstacle is on the transmitter-receiver profile. If the receiver
is not in the transmitter line of sight, no results at all will be displayed. If the Line of sight only option is not
selected, Atoll calculates the path loss for each pixel, using the formula defined in the dialogue.
Important: If you select the Line of sight only option and the receiver is not in the transmitter line of
sight, no results at all will be displayed because Atoll will only show results for the line of
sight.
Transmitter clearance: You can set the clearance around the transmitter. This clearance can be used, for
example, to model streets in areas where the clutter class file does not show enough detail. It will be taken
into consideration when calculating diffraction. The default value is 20 m.
Receiver default clearance: You can set the default clearance around the receiver. This default clearance
will be used for each clutter class where the receiver clearance is not specified. This clearance will be taken
into consideration when calculating diffraction. The default value is 20 m.
Diffraction multiplying factor: You can set the multiplying factor for the diffraction losses. The final diffraction
losses are determined by multiplying the diffraction losses calculated using the 3-obstacle Deygout method by
the Diffraction multiplying factor.
Receiver height per clutter class: You can set a height for the receiver for each clutter class. Because the
WLL propagation model is designed for networks with immobile receivers, the receivers are often on top of
buildings. This option allows you to specify a height which will be added to the clutter class.
Receiver clearance per clutter class: You can set a clearance around the receiver for each clutter class.
This clearance will be taken into consideration when calculating diffraction.
6. Click OK.
5.1.10
The Longley-Rice Propagation Model

Longley-Rice is a theoretical model suited for predictions in the 40-MHz band in flat areas. The Longley-Rice propagation
model uses the terrain profile to calculate propagation. However, the parameters of the Longley-Rice propagation model
can be set using distance and an additional loss value.
To set the parameters on the Longley-Rice propagation model:
3. Right-click Longley-Rice. The context menu appears.

6. Under Add to propagation loss, enter the formula that will be used to calculate additional losses (in flat terrain,
a value of "0" means a signal decreasing in a linear fashion as a function of distance). "dkm" in the formula is the
distance in kilometres from the transmitter.
7. Click OK.
5.1.11
The ITU 1546 Propagation Model

The ITU 1546 propagation model is based on the ITU-R P-1546-2 recommendations. This model is suited for predictions
in the 30 to 3000 MHz band over distances from 1 to 1000 km. It is appropriate for point-to-area predictions such as broadcast and land and maritime mobile services, and fixed services employing point-to-multipoint systems. It uses the terrain
profile to calculate propagation.
Because this propagation model is based on graphs giving the field strength as a function of distance provided in the ITU
recommendations for different operating frequencies, the only parameters you have to define for this model are:
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the percentage of time during which the real field strength is higher than the signal level calculated by the model
(1%, 10%, or 50% of the time), and
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the type of path over which the signal level is to be predicted (land in urban or suburban zones, land other zones,
or sea).
To set the propagation model parameters:


6. Under Calculate Signal Level Exceeded During, select one of the following:
-
50% of the time

10% of the time
1% of the time
7. Under Type of Path, select one of the following:

-
Land (Urban or Suburban Zones)

Land (Other Zones)
Sea
8. Select Use clutter altitude if you want to take the height of the clutter into account in diffraction. The height of the
clutter will be taken from the Clutter Height folder, if clutter heights are available. Otherwise the average height
of each clutter class will be used when evaluating diffraction. If this box is unselected, the diffraction is evaluated
using only the DTM.
9. Click OK.
For more information, see the Technical Reference Guide and the ITU-R P.1546 recommendation.
5.1.12
The Sakagami Extended Propagation Model

The Sakagami extended propagation model is based on a simplified version of the extended Sakagami-Kuboi propagation
model. The Sakagami extended propagation model is valid for frequencies above 3 GHz. Therefore, it is only available in
WiMAX 802.16d and WiMAX 802.16e documents by default.
The Sakagami-Kuboi propagation model requires detailed information about the environment, such as the widths of the
streets where the receiver is located, the angles formed by the street axes and the directions of the incident waves, the
heights of the buildings close to the receiver, etc. The Sakagami-Kuboi propagation model is valid for frequencies below
2.2 GHz. Studies have shown that the Sakagami-Kuboi propagation model can be extended to frequencies higher than
3 GHz, which also allows the input required by the model to be simplified. The same studies show that the path loss
predicted by the extended model is almost independent of the input parameters such as street widths and angles.
The path loss calculation formula of the Sakagami extended propagation model is similar to the formula of the Standard
Propagation Model. In Atoll, this model is in fact a copy of the Standard Propagation Model with the following values
assigned to the K coefficients:
K
Coefficient
Value Assigned
K1
65.4 (calculated for 3.5 GHz)
K2
40
K3
-30
K4
K5
K6
K7
-5
For more information on working with the Standard Propagation Model, see "The Standard Propagation Model" on
page 142.
5.1.13
Managing Propagation Models

The propagation models available for the current Atoll document can be found in the Propagation Models folder on the
Modules tab of the Explorer window. You can manage the propagation models with the commands available on the
context menu.
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To manage the propagation models of the current Atoll document:
3. Right-click the propagation model you want to manage. The context menu appears.
4. Select one of the following commands from the context menu:
-
Properties: The Properties dialogue appears. You can view the general information about the propagation
model on the General tab:
-
Duplicate: The selected propagation model is duplicated. It appears in the Propagation Models folder with
the same name, preceded by "Copy of."
Copy: The selected propagation model is copied. You can paste it, with its current settings into a new Atoll
document by opening the document, clicking the Modules tab of the Explorer window and pressing CTRL+V.
Note:
5.2
Name: The name of the propagation model, as displayed in the Propagation Models folder
Signature: The signature is assigned to the propagation model by Atoll. Each time you modify the parameters of the selected propagation model, Atoll changes the signature. The signature of the propagation
model used to calculate a set of path loss matrices is stored with the matrices. This enables Atoll to verify
the validity of the path loss matrices.
When path loss matrices are not embedded in the Atoll document but are stored externally, the signature
is found in the MODEL_SIG field of the Pathloss.dbf file. The name of the propagation model used is found
in the MODEL_NAME field of the Pathloss.dbf file.
Description: You can enter a description or comments in this field.
If there is already a propagation model in the Atoll document with the same name as the
one you are trying to paste, Atoll will display a warning and will not allow you to overwrite
the existing propagation model.
Delete: The selected propagation model is deleted.

Rename: You can enter a new name for the selected propagation model.
Defining Calculation Parameters

Atoll uses the propagation model defined for each transmitter to calculate losses along the transmitter-receiver path.
Depending on the type of prediction you make, Atoll either calculates the path loss at any point of the map in real time, or
it calculates a path loss matrix for each transmitter that will be considered in predictions. The path loss matrix contains a
set of path loss values calculated on each pixel over a specific area. It is calculated based on a set of three parameters
defined for the transmitter:
The propagation model

The calculation radius
The resolution.
By using a calculation radius, Atoll limits the scope of calculations to a defined area.
Atoll enables you to calculate two path loss matrices: a main and an extended one. By using two sets of calculation parameters, Atoll allows you to calculate high resolution path loss matrices closer to the transmitter with one propagation model,
while reducing calculation time and storage size by using an extended matrix with a lower resolution and another propagation model. Atoll will calculate the extended matrix only if you define all three parameters: propagation model, calculation radius, and resolution.
If you do not define a calculation radius for the main propagation model and if you do not assign an extended propagation
model, Atoll uses the prediction minimum threshold to define the calculation radius for each transmitter. However, this can
lead to lengthy calculation times.
Note:
When creating coverage predictions, you can define a coverage resolution that is different
from the resolution defined for the path loss matrices.
5.2.1
"Defining Calculation Parameters for One Transmitter" on page 156

"Defining the Same Calculation Parameters for a Group of Transmitters" on page 157
"Defining the Same Calculation Parameters for All Transmitters" on page 157
"Defining a Default Propagation Model" on page 158
"Defining a Default Resolution" on page 158.
Defining Calculation Parameters for One Transmitter

In Atoll, you can define calculation parameters, in other words, the propagation model, resolution, and calculation radius,
for each transmitter.
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To define main and extended calculation parameters for one transmitter:
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign main and extended calculation parameters. The context
menu appears.
5. Click the Propagation tab.
6. Under Main Matrix:
-
Select a Propagation Model

Enter a Radius and Resolution.
7. If desired, under Extended Matrix:

-

8. Click OK. The selected calculation parameters will be used for the selected transmitter.
5.2.2
Defining the Same Calculation Parameters for a Group of

Transmitters
Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings.
In Atoll, you can defining the same calculation parameters for several transmitters by first grouping them by their common
parameters and then defining the calculation parameters.
To define main and extended calculation parameters for a defined group of transmitters:
3. Select from the Group by submenu of the context menu the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
Note:
You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 60.
5. Right-click the group of transmitters for which you want to define main and extended calculation parameters. The
context menu appears.
selected group.
For each transmitter, you can set the calculation parameters in the following columns:
-
Main Propagation Model

Main Calculation Radius
Main Resolution
Extended Propagation Model
Extended Calculation Radius
Extended Resolution
7. To enter the same values in one column for all transmitters in the table:
a. Enter the value in the first row in the column.
b. Select the entire column.
c. Select Edit > Fill > Down to copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells.
Note:
5.2.3
If you want to copy the contents of the last cell in the selection into all other cells, you can
select Edit > Fill > Up. For more information on working with tables in Atoll, see "Working
Defining the Same Calculation Parameters for All

Transmitters
In Atoll, you can choose one set of calculation parameters and assign them to all transmitters.
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To define the same calculation parameters for all transmitters:
-


-

7. Click OK. The selected calculation parameters will be used for all transmitters.
Note:
5.2.4
Setting a different main or extended matrix on an individual transmitter as explained in

"Defining Calculation Parameters for One Transmitter" on page 156 will override this
entry.
Defining a Default Propagation Model

When you assign a propagation model to a transmitter, you can choose "(Default Model)" from the list of the propagation
models available. Atoll will then calculate path loss using the default propagation model set for the project.
To define the default propagation model for the Atoll document:
2. Right-click the Predictions folder. The context menu appears.
4. Click the Predictions tab.
5. Select a Default Propagation Model from the list.
6. Click OK. The selected propagation model will be used for predictions for all transmitters whose main propagation
model is "(Default model)."
5.2.5
Defining a Default Resolution

When the resolution of the path loss matrix is not defined in the transmitter properties, Atoll uses the default resolution set
for the Atoll document. Additionally, this resolution is used as the default coverage resolution when you create a new
coverage prediction.
To define the default resolution of the Atoll document:
5. Enter a Default Resolution.
Tip:
By setting an option in the atoll.ini file, you can set Atoll to use the currently defined
default resolution if you clear the value entered in the Resolution text box when you
create a coverage prediction. That way, if you have many coverage predictions, you can
change their resolution by changing the default resolution and recalculating the coverage
predictions. Atoll will then calculate them using the updated resolution. For information
on changing entries in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
6. Click OK.
5.3
Managing Path Loss Matrices

158
"Calculating Path Loss Matrices" on page 159

"Stopping Path Loss Matrix Calculation" on page 159
"Setting the Storage Location of Path Loss Matrices" on page 159
"Using Centralised Path Loss Matrices" on page 160
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5.3.1
"Checking the Validity of Path Loss Matrices" on page 160

"Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Measurement Data" on page 161
"Exporting Path Loss Matrices" on page 167.
Calculating Path Loss Matrices

When you calculate a coverage prediction, Atoll automatically calculates non-existent and invalid path loss matrices
before calculating the prediction. This can take a lot of time if there are many path loss matrices that must be calculated.
Consequently, you can calculate path loss matrices separately, when you have more time and computer resources available. In multi-user environments, the administrator is responsible for shared path loss matrices and can calculate them
separately. Users can then base calculations on the updated shared path loss matrices.
When you calculate a coverage prediction, Atoll calculates only the non-existent and invalid path loss matrices that intersect the rectangle containing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. When you manually
calculate the path loss matrices as described in this section, Atoll does not take the computation zone into consideration;
it calculates all non-existent and invalid path loss matrices of active and filtered transmitters.
To calculate path loss matrices:
3. Select Calculations > Calculate Path Loss Matrices from the context menu. Atoll calculates all non-existent
and invalid path loss matrices of active and filtered transmitters.
You can calculate the non-existent and invalid path loss matrices for all transmitters, for a single transmitter, or for a
defined group of transmitters, by expanding the Transmitters folder right-clicking either the single transmitter or the
defined group of transmitters and selecting Calculations > Calculate Path Loss Matrices from the context menu.
Note:
5.3.2
You can prevent Atoll from calculating one or more path loss matrices by locking them.
You can lock path loss matrices using the Propagation tab of the Transmitters dialogue.
You can lock a single path loss matrix by selecting the check box in the Locked column,
or more than one by selecting several path loss matrices and then selecting Lock from
the context menu.
Stopping Path Loss Matrix Calculation

Depending on the size of the path loss matrices, it can take a long time and a lot of computer resources to calculate them.
If necessary, you can stop calculation at any point.
To stop calculations:
5.3.3
Click the Stop Calculations button (

) in the toolbar. Atoll immediately stops all ongoing calculations. The
results of calculations that have already been completed, however, will be saved.
Setting the Storage Location of Path Loss Matrices

Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matrices in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. In the case of large radio-planning
projects, embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case
of large radio-planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use
of computer resources.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix
A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:

4. On the Predictions tab, under Path Loss Matrix Storage, you can set the location for your private path loss
matrices:
-
Private Directory: The Private Directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are
loading path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.
Click the button beside the Private Directory (
) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in
the Atoll document, or Share to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.
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Caution:
When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed and not only when you save the Atoll document. In order to
keep consistency between the Atoll document and the stored calculations, you should
save the Atoll document before closing it, if you have updated the path loss matrices.
5. Click OK.
5.3.4
Using Centralised Path Loss Matrices

Using centralised path loss matrices is recommended in a multi-user environment when several users are working on the
same radio-planning document. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database. An administrator responsible for calculations calculates the path loss matrices of the entire project and saves them in an external folder accessible to all users.
This folder is shared by all users and read only. When the user changes his radio data and recalculates the path loss matrices, the changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matrices are not modified. In other
words, the user can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes he makes will be stored
locally, either in the ATL file or in a private external folder. Centralised path loss matrices will be recalculated by the administrator and will take into consideration the changes made by all users to the radio data.
For information on calculating path loss matrices, see "Calculating Path Loss Matrices" on page 159.
For information on setting the storage location for local path loss matrices, see "Setting the Storage Location of
Path Loss Matrices" on page 159.
For information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
To use pre-calculated path loss matrices:

4. On the Predictions tab, under Path Loss Matrix Storage, you can set the location for the shared path loss
matrices:
-
Shared Directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a
database and the common path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any
changes you make will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private
Directory. The path loss matrices in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based
on the updated information in the database. For more information on shared directories, see The Administrator
Manual.
Caution:
The shared path loss matrices must be unlocked in order for users to be able to work with
them. The administrator can check whether shared path loss matrices are unlocked or
not in the Propagation tab of the Transmitters folders Properties dialogue.
5. Click OK.
5.3.5
Checking the Validity of Path Loss Matrices

Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices when calculating any coverage prediction. If you want, you
can check whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating a coverage prediction.
To check whether the path loss matrices are valid:
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table.
5. Select one of the following display options:
-
Display all the matrices: All path loss matrices are displayed.
Display only invalid matrices: Only invalid path loss matrices are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed path loss matrix:
-
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Transmitter: The name of the transmitter.

Locked: If the Locked check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss
matrices are recalculated.
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
Reason for Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Size: The size of the path loss matrix for the transmitter.
File: If the path loss matrix is not embedded, the location of the file is listed.
Tuned: If the Tuned check box has been selected, the initial path loss matrix obtained by the propagation
model has been tuned by the use of real measurement points. See "Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Measurement Data" on page 161 for more information.
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6. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 5.88) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as well
as a summary of the reasons for invalidity.
Figure 5.88: Path loss matrix statistics
5.3.6
Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Measurement Data

In Atoll, the path loss matrices are calculated using the propagation model and parameters defined as explained in "Defining Calculation Parameters" on page 156. However, the results calculated by a propagation model can vary from actual
measurements. Atoll allows you to use available drive test data paths and CW measurements to increase the accuracy
of calculated path loss matrices. When Atoll applies measurement data to path loss matrices, it first strips the effect of the
antenna pattern from the data. Therefore, if the antenna parameters change, the same measurement data can be used to
tune the path loss matrices because the effect of the antenna pattern is not present in the data.
Atoll uses the selected measurement data to tune a user-defined elliptical area around each measurement point. The
main axis of the ellipse is oriented in the direction of the transmitter or repeater.
Atoll smoothes the differences between tuned path loss matrix points and uncorrected path loss matrix points using an
average error calculated between each measured value and the corresponding value in the path loss matrices.
Important: When you use measurement data to tune path loss matrices, the results are stored
locally. If you are using shared path loss matrices, these results will be automatically
deleted when you make a calculation if the FullResyncPrivShared option is set in the
atoll.ini file. If you are using shared path loss matrices, you should disable this option
before tuning path loss matrices using measurement data. For more information, see the
When using measurement data to tune path loss matrices, you need to have valid path loss matrices (for more information
on path loss matrix validity, see "Managing Path Loss Matrices" on page 158):
1. Define the elliptical area around the measurement point as explained in "Defining the Area to be Tuned" on
page 161.
2. Select the measurement data to be used to tune the path loss matrices:
-
CW Measurements: You select the CW measurements from the CW Measurements folder as explained in
"Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using CW Measurements" on page 163. The selected CW measurements will be
used to tune the path loss matrices calculated for the site on which the CW measurements were made.
Drive Test Data: You select the drive test data path from the Drive Test Data folder as explained in "Tuning
Path Loss Matrices Using Drive Test Data" on page 164. The selected measurements from drive test data
path will be used to tune the path loss matrices calculated for the selected transmitter.
Atoll replaces existing path loss matrices with the tuned matrices which remain valid as long as the radio configuration of
the network does not change. Atoll creates an external folder containing the catalogue of all the tuning paths as explained
in "Managing the Path Loss Tuning Points" on page 165. By activating or deactivating the tuning paths, you can select the
tuning path to be applied to the existing path loss matrices. Therefore, even if the path loss is recalculated, the path loss
is automatically retuned using the active tuning paths.
5.3.6.1
Defining the Area to be Tuned

Atoll tunes the path loss matrices over an elliptical area around each measurement point. The main axis of the ellipse is
oriented in the direction of the transmitter.
To define the elliptical area around each measurement point:
2. Right-click the measurement type that you will use to tune the path loss matrices:
-
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CW Measurements: If you are going to use CW measurements to tune the path loss matrices, right-click the
CW Measurements folder. The context menu appears.
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-
Drive Test Data: If you are going to use drive test data to tune the path loss matrices, right-click the Drive
Test Data folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select the Path Loss Tuning Parameters tab (see Figure 5.89).
Figure 5.89: Defining the ellipse for tuning path loss matrices
5. Under Path Loss Tuning Ellipse, set the following parameters:
-
Radius of the Axis Parallel to the Profile: Enter the radius of the ellipse axis oriented in the same direction
as the transmitter (or repeater).
Radius of the Axis Perpendicular to the Profile: Enter the radius of the ellipse axis perpendicular to the
transmitter (or repeater).
6. Click OK.
5.3.6.2
Defining Maximum Corrections and Thresholds on Path Loss Tuning

Path loss tuning is done in two steps, as described in the Technical Reference Guide:
1. Correction of the entire path loss matrix:
A mean error is calculated between each measured value and the corresponding pixel in the path loss matrix.
Mean error is calculated for each path loss matrix (main and extended) of each transmitter. This mean error is then
applied to all the pixels in the matrix. This tuning is done to smooth local corrections (step 2) of measured values
and not the tuned pixels themselves.
2. Local correction for each measured value.
In Atoll, you can set a tuning range in order to limit the tuning in the case the difference between the measurements and
the predicted measurements is too great. In addition, you can define a level under which the measured signal strength is
not used forpath loss tuning.
To define the tuning range and the measurement threshold for path loss tuning:
2. Right-click the measurement type that you will use to tune the path loss matrices:
-
CW Measurements: If you are going to use CW measurements to tune the path loss matrices, right-click the
CW Measurements folder. The context menu appears.
Drive Test Data: If you are going to use drive test data to tune the path loss matrices, right-click the Drive
Test Data folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select the Path Loss Tuning Parameters tab (see Figure 5.89).
5. Under Tuning Range, set the following parameters:
-
Maximum total correction (dB): Enter the maximum admissible mean error in step 1 of the path loss tuning
process.
Maximum local correction (dB): Enter the maximum admissible local error in step 2 of the path loss tuning
process.
Minimum measurement threshold (dBm): Enter the measured signal level under which measurements are
not taken into account for the path loss tuning.
6. Click OK.
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5.3.6.3
Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using CW Measurements

Atoll allows you to use available CW measurements to increase the accuracy of calculated path loss matrices.
To use CW measurements to tune path loss matrices:
2. Select how you want to tune the path loss matrices:
To tune the path loss matrix for a single transmitter:
) to expand the CW Measurement folder.
b. In the CW Measurement folder, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the site folder containing the CW
measurement path you want to use to tune the path loss matrices.
c. Right-click the CW measurement path in the site folder. The context menu appears.
d. Select Tune Path Loss Matrices from the context menu. Atoll immediately begins optimising the path loss
matrices for the transmitter on which the CW measurement was made. The progress is displayed in the Event
Viewer window.
To tune the path loss matrices for all transmitters:
a. Right-click the CW Measurement folder. The context menu appears.
b. Select Tune Path Loss Matrices from the context menu. The Measurement Path Selection dialogue appears (see Figure 5.90).
Figure 5.90: Selecting all CW measurement paths

c. Under Measurement Paths, select All.
d. Click OK. Atoll begins optimising the path loss matrices for all transmitters on which CW measurements are
available. The progress is displayed in the Event Viewer window.
To tune the path loss matrices for selected transmitters using selected CW measurement paths:
a. Right-click the CW Measurement folder. The context menu appears.
c. Under Measurement Paths, select the option beside the list of CW measurements.
d. Select the check box corresponding to each transmitter for which you want to tune the path loss matrices.
For some transmitters, more than one CW measurement may exist. In this case, selecting the check box for
the transmitter will select all the CW measurements. If you do not want to use all CW measurements, click the
Expand button ( ) to expand the transmitter list and then select the single CW measurements you want to
use.
e. Click OK. Atoll begins optimising the path loss matrices for all transmitters on which CW measurements are
available. The progress is displayed in the Event Viewer window.
Note:
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In the case of repeaters, Atoll also tunes the path loss matrix of both the donor transmitter
and the repeater. The contribution of the repeater and donor to the measured value is
calculated based on the ratio of calculated values between the repeater signal and the
donor signal. Each evaluated contribution is then used as input to tune the path loss
matrix of each element. For more information, please refer to the Technical Reference
Guide.
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5.3.6.4
Tuning Path Loss Matrices Using Drive Test Data

Atoll allows you to use available drive test data paths to increase the accuracy of calculated path loss matrices.
To use drive test data to tune path loss matrices:
2. Select how you want to tune the path loss matrices:
To tune the path loss matrix using a single drive test data path:
) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
b. Right-click the drive test data path you want to use to tune the path loss matrices. The context menu appears.
c. Select Tune Path Loss Matrices from the context menu. The Path Loss Tuning dialogue appears (see
Figure 5.91).
Figure 5.91: Path Loss Tuning dialogue

d. Click the For the following transmitters list. The list opens.
e. Select the check box for each transmitter whose path loss matrix you want to tune.
f.
Click the Select the measured signal levels list. The list opens.
g. For each transmitter selected fromthe For the following transmitters list, select the check box for each
measured signal strength that will be used to tune the path loss matrices.
h. Click OK. Atoll begins optimising the path loss matrices for the transmitter on which the CW measurement
was made. The progress is displayed in the Event Viewer window.
To tune the path loss matrices using all drive test data paths:
a. Right-click the Drive Test Data folder. The context menu appears.
Figure 5.92: Selecting all CW measurement paths

c. Under Measurement Paths, select All.
d. Click the For the following transmitters list. The list opens.
e. Select the check box for each transmitter whose path loss matrix you want to tune.
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f.
Click the Select the measured signal levels list. The list opens.
g. For each transmitter selected fromthe For the following transmitters list, select the check box for each
h. Click OK. Atoll begins optimising the path loss matrices for the transmitter on which the CW measurement
To tune the path loss matrices for selected transmitters using selected drive test data paths:
a. Right-click the Drive Test Data folder. The context menu appears.
c. Under Measurement Paths, select the option beside the list of drive test data paths.
d. Select the check box corresponding to the drive test data you want to use to tune the path loss matrices.
e. Click the For the following transmitters list. The list opens.
f.
Select the check box for each transmitter whose path loss matrix you want to tune.
g. Click the Select the measured signal levels list. The list opens.
h. For each transmitter selected fromthe For the following transmitters list, select the check box for each
i.
Click OK. Atoll begins optimising the path loss matrices for the transmitter on which the CW measurement
Note:
5.3.6.5
In the case of repeaters, Atoll also tunes the path loss matrix of both the donor transmitter
and the repeater. The contribution of the repeater and donor to the measured value is
calculated based on the ratio of calculated values between the repeater signal and the
donor signal. Each evaluated contribution is then used as input to tune the path loss
matrix of each element. For more information, please refer to the Technical Reference
Guide.
Managing the Path Loss Tuning Points

After tuning the path loss matrices is complete, Atoll creates a tuning measurement file for each transmitter and stores it
in a folder with the extension ".tuning". The .pts tuning file contains a header and a list of points defining the measurement
data path excluding the antenna losses which means that the measurement data remains valid even if the antenna parameters change. A tuning file can contain several measurement paths, so that several calibrations can be applied successively on a path loss matrix and stored in a single tuning file. All the tuning files are stored as a catalogue in the current
project. Each single tuning path can be activated or deactivated in order to be automatically applied to path loss matrices,
even after recalculation.
Tuning files are stored in the same way as path loss matrices, as explained in "Setting the Storage Location of Path Loss
Matrices" on page 159. They can be saved on a network and shared between users.
To manage the catalogue of the tuning path loss data:
-
-
Transmitter: The name of the transmitter or repeater.

Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices
are recalculated.
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
Reason for Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Tuned: If the check box is selected, the initial path loss matrix obtained by the propagation model has been
tuned by the use of real measurement data.
6. Select the tuning path loss matrices you want to manage using the available catalogue by holding CTRL and click
the corresponding line in the Available Results table and then right-clicking. The context menu appears.
7. Select Path Loss Tuning Points from the context menu. The Path Loss Tuning Points dialogue appears.
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Figure 5.93: Path Loss Tuning Catalogue

-
All: All the tuning paths are displayed.

Active Only: Only the active tuning paths are displayed.
The Available Results table lists the following information for each displayed tuning path, assuming each transmitter (or repeater) can have several ones coming from either the same or different measurement paths:
-
Transmitter: The name of the transmitter or repeater.

File: The location of the tuning file.
Name: The name of the tuning entry. Each entry is automatically named by Atoll based on the source of the
tuning data. You can edit the name by right-clicking the line and selecting Properties from the context menu.
Active: You can set each tuning path as active by selecting the check box. Only active entries are used to
tune the path loss matrices. When several entries are active and therefore applied to the same transmitter (or
repeater), the applicable tunings on the path loss matrix are realised in turn from the top to the bottom of the
catalogue.
No. points: Displays the number of measurement points on the tuning path.
X Radius (m): Displays the radius of the ellipse axis oriented in the same direction as the transmitter (or
repeater) during the tuning session.
Y Radius (m): Displays the radius of the ellipse axis perpendicular to the transmitter (or repeater) during the
tuning session.
Gain (dB): Displays the gain of the measurement receiver.
Max. total correction (dB): Displays the user-defined maximum admissible total correction.
Max. local correction (dB): Displays the user-defined maximum admissible local correction.
Min. Threshold (dBm): Displays the user-defined level under which measurement values are not taken into
account for path loss tuning
Total correction (dB): Displays the mean error between each measured value and its corresponding pixel in
the path loss matrix. This is the correction which is applied globally to all the matrices during the first step of
path loss tuning (For more information, please refer to the Technical Reference Guide).
Valid: This is a boolean field indicating whether or not the measurement path data (excluding the antenna
information) are valid.
Reason for Invalidity: If the measurement path data is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
Comments: Additional comments referring to the measurement entry are given in this field. You can edit the
comment by right-clicking the line and selecting Properties from the context menu.
Note:
When path loss tuning entries are changed (e.g., activated or deleted) Atoll suggests
deleting the corresponding path loss matrices.
You can import tuning files to replace an existing tuning or to benefit from a path loss tuning done by another user. The
PTS files are imported using a DBF file containing all the information relative to matrices and their tuning.
To import a path loss tuning catalogue:
5. Select the tuning path loss matrices for which you want to import tuning files by holding CTRL and click the corresponding line in the Available Results table and then right-clicking. The context menu appears.
6. Select Import Path Loss Tuning Catalogue from the context menu. The Open dialogue appears.
7. Select the DBF path loss tuning catalogue file you want to import.
8. Click Open. The existing PTS files are replaced by the ones referenced in the catalogue file. Any additional files
in the DBF catalogue file are added. You can work with the imported PTS files with the same options as files from
a tuning carried out in the current project.
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5.3.7
Exporting Path Loss Matrices

You can export path loss matrices if you want to use the data in another application.
To export an Atoll documents path loss matrices:
5. Right-click the Available Results table and select Select All from the context menu.
6. Right-click the Available Results table and select Export from the context menu. The Calculation Results
Export dialogue appears (see Figure 5.94).
7. Set the following export parameters:
-
Directory: Enter the directory you want to store the exported path loss matrices in or click the Browse button
(
) to navigate to it. The directory must already exist.
Exported Values: Select the values that are to be exported: Path Loss (dB), Signal Level (dBm), Signal Level
(dBV), or Signal Level (dBV/m).
Format: Select the format of the exported data: BIL Files (*.bil), TXT Files (*.txt) (Separator: tab), or CSV Files
(*.csv) (Separator: ";").
Figure 5.94: Exporting path loss matrices

8. Click OK to export the path loss matrices.
5.4
Predictions Available in Atoll

There are two types of predictions available in Atoll:
Point predictions using the Point Analysis tool: It allows you to predict, at any point on the map, the profile
between a reference transmitter and a receiver, the value of the signal levels of the surrounding transmitters, an
active set analysis for UMTS, CDMA2000, and TD-SCDMA projects and an interference analysis for GSM/GPRS/
EDGE projects.
Coverage predictions: You can calculate standard coverage predictions, coverage by transmitter, coverage by
signal level and overlapping zones, and specific coverage studies such as interference studies for GSM/GPRS/
EDGE projects or handover, service availability, etc. for UMTS, CDMA2000 and TD-SCDMA projects. Many customisation features on coverage studies are available in order to make their analysis easier.
5.4.1
"Making Point Predictions" on page 167

"Making Coverage Predictions" on page 170.
Making Point Predictions

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"Starting a Point Analysis" on page 168

"The Tabs of the Point Analysis Tool Window" on page 168
"Moving the Receiver on the Map" on page 169
"Taking Indoor Losses into Account" on page 169
"Taking Shadowing into Account in Point Analyses" on page 169.
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5.4.1.1
Starting a Point Analysis

When you start a point analysis, Atoll automatically opens the Point Analysis Tool window.
To make a point analysis:
1. Click the Point Analysis Tool (
pointer changes (
) in the Radio toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears and the
) to represent the receiver.
If a transmitter was already selected on the map, a line appears connecting the selected transmitter and the
receiver.
Note:
You can open the Point Analysis Tool window without starting a point analysis by
selecting View > Point Analysis Tool.
2. Select the tab of the Point Analysis Tool window corresponding to the type of point prediction you want to make.
For information on the tabs available in the Point Analysis Tool window, see "The Tabs of the Point Analysis Tool
Window" on page 168.
5.4.1.2
The Tabs of the Point Analysis Tool Window

The Point Analysis Tool window has several tabs, enabling you to make several different point predictions. The tabs
available depend on the radio technology of the current document:
The Profile tab:

The Profile tab is available in the Point Analysis Tool window for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, UMTS,
TD-SCDMA, WiMAX, and LTE projects.
The Profile tab of the Point Analysis Tool window displays the profile between a reference transmitter and the
receiver. As well, Atoll displays the strength of the received signal from the selected transmitter. This is calculated
in real time.
The Reception tab:

The Reception tab is available in the Point Analysis Tool window for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, UMTS,
TD-SCDMA, WiMAX, and LTE projects.
The Reception tab of the Point Analysis Tool window displays the predicted signal level from different transmitters in the form of a bar chart, from the highest predicted signal level on the top to the lowest one on the bottom.
The calculations are based on the path loss matrices. Each bar is displayed in the colour of the transmitter it represents.
In the map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. The best server is indicated by a thick black line from the pointer to the server. The best server for the
pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level. If you let the pointer rest, the
signal level received from the corresponding transmitter at the pointer location is displayed in the tooltip.
The AS Analysis tab:

The AS Analysis tab is available in the Point Analysis Tool window for CDMA and UMTS projects.
The AS Analysis tab displays information on the pilot quality (EcI0), which is the main parameter used to define
the mobile active set, the connection status, and the active set of the probe mobile.
The Interference tab:

The Interference tab is available in the Point Analysis Tool window for GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects, WiMAX, and
LTE projects.
The Interference tab displays, in the form of a bar graph, the signal level of the selected transmitter, a black bar
indicating the total interference experienced by the receiver, and bars representing the interference received from
each interferer.
In the map window, arrows from the receiver towards each transmitter are also displayed in the colour of the transmitters they represent. If you let the pointer rest, the interference level received from the corresponding transmitter
at the receiver location will be displayed in the tooltip along with information on the channel being interfered and
the type of interference, i.e., co- or adjacent channel.
The PN Offset Interference tab:

The PN Offset Interference tab is available in the Point Analysis Tool window for CDMA projects.
The PN Offset Interference tab of the Point Analysis window gives you information on the reception for any point
on the map where there is PN Offset interference.
The SC Interference tab:

The SC Interference tab is available in the Point Analysis Tool window for UMTS projects.
The SC Interference tab of the Point Analysis window gives you information on reception for any point on the
map where there is scrambling code interference.
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The Results tab:

The Results tab is available in the Point Analysis Tool window for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, UMTS,
TD-SCDMA, WIMAX, and LTE projects.
The Results tab displays the current position and height of the receiver, the clutter class it is situated on. In addition, it also displays:
-
in GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects, you can select to display the results from specific TRX types (or all), on a specific HCS layer (or all). You can also evaluate either C/I or C/I+N values where the interferences are due to
any combination between adjacent channels, co-channels or external sources. Atoll displays for each transmitter its signal level, the total level of interferences (I) over its subcells, the elementary level of interference
of each interferer, and the resulting total C/I (or C/I+N).
in CDMA projects, you can select to display the results for a specific Terminal, Service, Mobility, Carrier, DL
Rate, and UL Rate. Atoll displays for each transmitter its signal level (or RSCP), its path loss, Ec/Io, C/I, DL
and UL Eb/Nt values, PN Offsets.
in UMTS/HSPA projects, you can select to display the results for a specific Terminal, Service, Mobility, Carrier.
Atoll displays for each transmitter its signal level, Ec/Io, DL and UL Eb/Nt values, Scrambling Codes.
in WiMAX, LTE and TD-SCDMA projects, Atoll displays for each transmitter its signal level.
In the map window, arrows from the receiver towards each transmitter are also displayed in the colour of the transmitters they represent. The C/I levels at the receiver from transmitters are displayed as titles for the arrows. The
best server is indicated by a thick black line from the pointer to the server. The best server for the pointer is the
transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest signal level.If you let the pointer rest on an arrow, the interference level received from the corresponding transmitter at the receiver location will be displayed in the tooltip
along with information on the channel being interfered and the type of interference, i.e., co- or adjacent channel.
5.4.1.3
Moving the Receiver on the Map

When you make a point analysis, the pointer (
tion of the receiver in several ways:
) represents the receiver in the map window. You can change the posi-
You can move the receiver manually

You can enter the coordinates of the new position
You can place the receiver on a selected site.
To change the position of the receiver manually:
Move the receiver to change the current position.

Click to place the receiver at the current position. You can move the receiver again by clicking it a second time.
To enter the coordinates of a position:

1. Right-click the receiver (
) in the map window. The context menu appears.
2. Select Coordinates from the context menu. The Receiver Position dialogue appears.
3. Enter or paste the X and Y coordinates of the position and click OK. The receiver moves to the specified position.
To place the receiver on a selected site:
1. Right-click the receiver (
) in the map window. The context menu appears.
2. Select Target Site from the context menu. The Target Site dialogue appears.
3. Select the site on which you want to place the receiver from the Name list and click OK. The receiver moves to
the specified position.
5.4.1.4
Taking Indoor Losses into Account

In Atoll you can calculate indoor predictions by taking indoor losses into consideration. You can define default indoor
losses for all clutter classes, or you can define different indoor losses for each clutter class so that the characteristics of
each clutter class are taken into consideration during calculations.
To take indoor losses into account when making a point analysis:
1. Right-click the tab you are using in the Point Analysis window and select Properties from the context menu. The
Properties dialogue appears.
2. Select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses to the total path loss.
5.4.1.5
Taking Shadowing into Account in Point Analyses

Shadowing, or slow fading, is signal loss along a path caused by obstructions not taken into consideration by the propagation model. Even when a receiver remains in the same location or in the same clutter class, there are variations in reception due to the surrounding environment.
Normally, the signal received at any given point is spread on a gaussian curve around an average value and a specific
standard deviation. If the propagation model is correctly calibrated, the average of the results it gives should be correct.
In other words, in 50% of the measured cases, the result will be greater and in 50% of the measured cases, the result will
be worse.
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Atoll uses a model standard deviation with the defined cell edge coverage probability to model the effect of shadowing
and thereby provide predictions that are reliable more than fifty percent of the time. The additional losses or gains caused
by shadowing are known as the shadowing margin. The shadowing margin is added to the path losses calculated by the
propagation model.
For example, a properly calibrated propagation model calculates a loss leading to a signal level of -70 dBm. You have set
a cell edge coverage probability of 85%. If the calculated shadowing margin is 7 dB for a specific point, the target signal
will be equal to or greater than -77 dBm 85% of the time.
For information on setting the model standard deviation and the CI standard deviations for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109.
You can take shadowing into account when you are making a point analysis.
To take shadowing into account when making a point analysis:
1. Right-click the tab you are using in the Point Analysis window and select Properties from the context menu. The
2. Select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability. Atoll calculates the shadowing using the standard deviation defined per clutter class.
3. From the Shadowing Margin list, you can select the standard deviation to see the value used by Atoll to calculate
the shadowing. The standard deviation used by Atoll depends on the Point Analysis tab chosen.
For GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WiMAX, and LTE projects:
-
From Model: Atoll uses the model standard deviation to calculate the results for the Profile, and Reception
tabs.
CI: Atoll uses the CI standard deviation to calculate the results for the Interference tab (GSM/GPRS/EDGE,
WiMAX, and LTE).
For UMTS, CDMA and TD-SCDMA projects:

-
From Model: Atoll uses the model standard deviation to calculate the results for the Profile or Reception tabs.
Atoll also uses the model standard deviation, along with the other defined standard deviations, to calculate
the results for the AS Analysis tab (UMTS and CDMA only). Atoll also uses the model standard deviation,
along with the EcI0 defined standard deviations, to calculate the results for the PN Offset Interference tab
(CDMA) and SC Interference tab (UMTS)
P-CCPCH Eb/Nt: Atoll uses the P-CCPCH EbNt standard deviation to calculate the results for the Profile or
Reception tabs (TD-SCDMA only).
EcI0: Atoll uses the EcI0 standard deviation, along with the model defined standard deviations, to calculate
the results for the PN Offset Interference tab (CDMA) and SC Interference tab (UMTS).
EbNt UL: Atoll uses the EbNt UL standard deviation, along with the other defined standard deviations, to
calculate the results for the AS Analysis tab (UMTS and CDMA only).
EbNt DL: Atoll uses the EbNt DL standard deviation, along with the other defined standard deviations, to
calculate the results for the AS Analysis tab (UMTS and CDMA only).
Note:
5.4.2
The standard deviation chosen from the Shadowing Margin list is for information only; it
is used only to display the value used by Atoll and does not change the standard
deviation used to calculate the displayed results.
Making Coverage Predictions

A coverage prediction displays the results of defined coverage conditions. It is calculated using the path loss matrices and
is based on coverage conditions and coverage resolutions. After calculation, Atoll displays the results as a graphical
representation of the pixels for which the defined coverage conditions are satisfied.
Atoll offers the following general coverage predictions, available for all technologies:
Coverage by transmitter
Coverage by signal level
Coverage by overlapping zones.
Atoll also offers technology-specific coverage predictions, described in the technology-specific chapters, for example:
Interference studies in GSM/GPRS/EDGE projects

Coding scheme and throughput studies for GPRS/EDGE
UMTS or CDMA2000 coverage predictions.
Atoll gives you a large flexibility over how the results of your coverage prediction are displayed. You can select which
attributes should be displayed on the map and how they are displayed. As well, you can define information to be displayed
in the legend, in the label, or in tooltips. Furthermore, Atoll also allows you to filter, sort, or group results before displaying
them.
Atoll offers several options and ways enabling you to create and work with coverage predictions. In this section, the following are explained:
170
"Creating Coverage Predictions" on page 171

"Defining the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 172
"Calculating Coverage Predictions" on page 172
"Saving Defined Coverage Predictions" on page 174.
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5.4.2.1
Creating Coverage Predictions

In Atoll, you can create a coverage prediction using several different methods. Each method has its own advantages. For
example, you can create a new coverage prediction and set all of the parameters. Or you can base a new coverage prediction on an existing one.
In this section, the following ways of creating a coverage prediction are explained:
5.4.2.1.1
"Creating a New Coverage Prediction" on page 171

"Duplicating a Coverage Prediction" on page 171
"Cloning a Coverage Prediction" on page 171.
Creating a New Coverage Prediction

When you create a new coverage prediction, you can select the type of coverage prediction and set all the parameters
that define it. The newly created coverage prediction is not automatically calculated.
To create a coverage prediction:
3. Select New from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
4. Select a coverage prediction from the Study Types dialogue and click OK. The coverage prediction Properties
dialogue appears.
The Properties dialogue for a coverage prediction common to all technologies has three tabs:
-
General tab: You can rename the study, define the coverage resolution, add comments, and define where
the coverage prediction results are stored. For information on defining the storage location of the coverage
prediction results, see "Defining the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 172.
You can also define group, sort, and filter criteria; these criteria will apply to the coverage display, not the results.
Condition tab: You can define the parameters of the coverage prediction.
Display tab: You can define how coverage prediction results will be displayed.
5. Once you have created the coverage prediction, you can run it immediately or you can save it and run it later:
-
Run: Click Run to save the defined coverage prediction and run it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined coverage prediction without running it. You can run it later clicking the
Calculate button (
) on the Radio toolbar.
For more information on calculating coverage predictions, see "Calculating Coverage Predictions" on page 172.
5.4.2.1.2
Duplicating a Coverage Prediction

You can create a new coverage prediction by duplicating an existing coverage prediction. When you duplicate an existing
coverage prediction, the coverage prediction you create will have the same coverage and display settings as the original
one. Duplicating a coverage prediction is a way to quickly create a new coverage prediction with the same settings as an
original one. The newly created coverage prediction is not automatically calculated.
To duplicate an existing coverage prediction:
3. Right-click the coverage prediction you want to duplicate. The context menu appears.
4. Select Duplicate from the context menu. A new coverage prediction appears in the Predictions folder with the
same name as the original coverage prediction, preceded by "Copy of." The duplicated coverage prediction has
the same coverage and display settings as the original one.
For information on calculating coverage predictions, see "Calculating Coverage Predictions" on page 172.
5.4.2.1.3
Cloning a Coverage Prediction

You can create a new coverage prediction by cloning an existing coverage prediction. When you clone an existing coverage prediction, Atoll creates a copy of the coverage prediction with the calculated coverage. You can then change the
display, providing that the selected parameter does not invalidate the calculated coverage prediction. Cloning is useful if
the existing coverage prediction has a display by discrete values (e.g., coverage by transmitter with a display by transmitter) and if you want a new coverage prediction with another display by discrete values (e.g., display by RNC or BSC). In
this case, Atoll maps the results to the selected field and you do not need to recalculate the coverage prediction. On the
other hand, cloning is not relevant if you change the display from a discrete field to value intervals, in which case, you must
recalculate the study.
To clone an existing coverage prediction:
3. Right-click the coverage prediction you want to clone. The context menu appears.
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4. Select Clone from the context menu. A new coverage prediction appears in the Predictions folder with the same
name as the original coverage prediction, preceded by "Clone of." The cloned coverage prediction not only has
the same coverage and display settings as the original one, but keeps the same results as well.
5. Right-click the cloned coverage prediction. The context menu appears.
8. On the Display tab, keep the Display Type "Discrete Values" selected.
9. Select another value from the Field list to change the value displayed.
10. Click OK to apply the new display parameter.
5.4.2.2
Defining the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results

When you define and calculate a coverage prediction, Atoll stores the results in the Atoll document by default. You can,
however, choose to save the coverage prediction results externally. When you are working on extremely large projects,
saving results externally can help reduce the size of the Atoll document and the use of computer resources. These results
can also have been calculated on a server. You can also include in your document the results of coverage predictions that
were calculated on a server. When the original coverage prediction is updated, the results displayed in the current document will also be updated.
You can define the storage location of the results either before you calculate the coverage prediction or afterwards.
Note:
You can not store externally the results of coverage predictions that are calculated by
transmitter instead of by level.
To define the storage location of coverage prediction results:

3. Right-click the coverage prediction for which you want to define the storage location of the results. The context
menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The coverage predictions Properties dialogue appears.
5. On the General tab, click the button beside Folder (
-
) and select the storage location of the results:
Saving in the Atoll document: To store the results in the document, select Embedded.
Saving externally: To store the results externally, select the external storage location. Atoll creates a folder
for the results in the same folder with the Atoll document and gives it the name of the document, with the
extension "studies."
Sharing the results of another coverage prediction: To display the results of a coverage prediction that
was calculated in a different document, select Connect to Results to navigate to the XML file describing the
coverage prediction results.
Externally stored coverage prediction results can be imported as customised studies. For more information on importing
customised studies, see "Saving Defined Coverage Predictions" on page 174. For a detailed description of the XML file,
see Studies.XML in the Administrator Manual.
5.4.2.3
Calculating Coverage Predictions

After you have defined a coverage prediction, you can calculate it. Atoll allows you to define and calculate coverage
predictions in two separate steps. This enables you to create one or several coverage predictions at one time, and then
calculate them later, when you do not need the computer resources.
Before calculating one or more coverage predictions, you can create a computation zone. The computation zone is used
to define the area where Atoll carries out calculations. When you create a computation zone, Atoll carries out the calculation for all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the current filter parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing the computation zone. Therefore, it takes into consideration base stations
inside and base stations outside the computation zone if they have an influence on the computation zone. In addition, the
computation zone defines the area within which the coverage prediction results will be displayed.
The computation zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible. In other words, if you have drawn a computation
zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer
window is selected. You will have to delete the computation zone if you no longer want to define an area for calculations.
When working with a large network, the computation zone allows you to restrict your studies to the part of the network you
are currently working on. By allowing you to reduce the number of base stations studied, Atoll reduces both the time and
computer resources necessary for calculations. As well, by taking into consideration base stations within the computation
zone and base stations outside the computation zone but which have an influence on the computation zone, Atoll gives
you realistic results for base stations that are close to the border of the computation zone.
If there is no computation zone defined, Atoll makes its calculations on all base stations that are active and filtered and
for the entire extent of the geographical data available.
For information on creating a computation zone, see "Creating a Computation Zone" on page 32.
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5.4.2.3.1
"Calculating Several Coverage Predictions" on page 173

"Calculating a Single Coverage Prediction" on page 173
"Forcing Calculations" on page 173
"Stopping Calculations" on page 173
"Locking Coverage Predictions" on page 173.
Calculating Several Coverage Predictions

When you have several defined coverage predictions, you can start calculation when you want and Atoll will calculate
them one after the other.
When you calculate coverage predictions, only unlocked coverage predictions are calculated. Unlocked coverage predictions are displayed in the Predictions folder with the unlocked icon (
age predictions, see "Locking Coverage Predictions" on page 173.
). For information on locking and unlocking cover-
To calculate created coverage predictions:
Click the Calculate button (

) in the toolbar. When you click the Calculate button, Atoll first calculates nonexistent and invalid path loss matrices and then, unlocked coverage predictions in the Predictions folder.
The progress of the calculations is displayed in the Event Viewer window.
After calculation, the results are displayed in the map window, if the coverage predictions visibility check box has
been selected.
5.4.2.3.2
Calculating a Single Coverage Prediction

To calculate a single coverage prediction:
3. Right-click the coverage prediction you want to calculate. The context menu appears.
4. Select Calculate from the context menu.
Atoll first calculates non-existent and invalid path loss matrices and then, the coverage prediction even if this one
has been previously locked.
been selected.
5.4.2.3.3
Forcing Calculations
When you have several defined coverage predictions, you can start calculation when you want and Atoll will calculate
them one after the other. Normally, Atoll only recalculates non-existent and invalid path loss matrices before calculating
coverage predictions. If you want, you can make Atoll recalculate all path loss matrices, including valid ones.
When you calculate coverage predictions, only unlocked coverage predictions are calculated. Unlocked coverage predictions are displayed in the Predictions folder with the unlocked icon (
age predictions, see "Locking Coverage Predictions" on page 173.
). For information on locking and unlocking cover-
To force Atoll to recalculate all path loss matrices before calculating coverage predictions:
Click the Force Calculate button (

) in the toolbar. When you click the Force Calculate button, Atoll first
removes existing path loss matrices, recalculates them and then calculates unlocked coverages predictions.
been selected.
5.4.2.3.4
Stopping Calculations
When Atoll has begun to calculate coverage predictions, you can stop the calculation at any given point. This can be
useful if, for example, you want to change one of the coverage predictions or if you dont want to calculate the coverage
predictions at that time.
To stop calculations:
5.4.2.3.5
Click the Stop Calculations button (

) in the toolbar. Atoll immediately stops all ongoing calculations. The
results of calculations that have already been completed, however, will be saved.
Locking Coverage Predictions

Coverage predictions are locked by default as soon as they have been calculated. Then, when you calculate new coverage
predictions, only unlocked coverage predictions are calculated. Locking a coverage prediction retains the information as
calculated under given conditions (e.g., before a new base station is created or before optimising the network). It also
saves time by limiting unnecessary recalculation.
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Note:
To prevent Atoll from automatically locking coverage predictions after calculating them,
you can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini
file, see the Administrator Manual.
To lock a coverage prediction:

3. Right-click the coverage prediction you want to lock. The context menu appears.
Unlocked coverage predictions are displayed in the Predictions folder with the unlocked icon (
).
4. Select Study Locked from the context menu.

The icon changes to the locked icon ( ) and the Study Locked item in the context menu now appears checked.
The coverage prediction is now locked and will not be calculated when the Calculate button in the toolbar is
clicked. However, if you select Calculate from the coverage predictions context menu, Atoll will first unlock the
coverage prediction and then calculate it.
You can lock all unlocked coverage predictions using the Predictions folders context menu.
5.4.2.3.6
Unlocking Coverage Predictions

Coverage predictions are locked by default as soon as they have been calculated. You can unlock a single coverage
prediction.
To unlock a coverage prediction:
3. Right-click the coverage prediction you want to unlock. The context menu appears.
Locked coverage predictions are displayed in the Predictions folder with the locked icon (
).
4. Select Study Locked from the context menu.

The icon changes to the unlocked icon (
) and the Study Locked item in the context menu is no longer selected.
You can unlock all locked coverage predictions using the Predictions folders context menu.
5.4.2.4
Saving Defined Coverage Predictions

Once you have defined a coverage prediction, you can use it again in other Atoll documents, either by using the coverage
prediction to create a customised study or by exporting its coverage and display parameters in a user configuration.
5.4.2.4.1
"Saving a Coverage Prediction as a Customised Study" on page 174

"Exporting a Defined List of Predictions in a User Configuration File" on page 175.
Saving a Coverage Prediction as a Customised Study

Once you have defined a coverage prediction, you can use it as a customised study. This study will be available to you in
the Study Types dialogue the next time you want to create a new coverage prediction. The initial parameters of the coverage prediction will be the same as the coverage prediction it is based on but, when you select it in the Study Types
dialogue, Atoll allows you to modify them.
To save a coverage prediction as a customised study:
3. Right-click the coverage prediction you want to save as a customised study. The context menu appears.
4. Select Save as Customised Study from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
In the Save As dialogue, Atoll proposes a name and location for the XML file that will contain the customised
study. You can accept the default values or you can change the name and save the XML file in any folder you
have write access to.
5. Click Save. Atoll saves the study in the selected XML file.
The next time you create a new coverage prediction, the customised study will be available at the bottom of the list, under
the full path and file name of the XML file (see Figure 5.95). If you have other XML template files, you can click the
Customised Studies button and select it in the Open dialogue.
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Figure 5.95: Study Types dialogue

Coverage predictions stored in the XML template files are also directly available in the Calculations menu of the context
menus of the Transmitters folder, of a group of transmitters, and of a single transmitter.
In a multi-user environment, the administrator can make customised studies available for all the users by saving the XML
file in the Atoll installation directory. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
5.4.2.4.2
Exporting a Defined List of Predictions in a User Configuration File

You can export the defined coverage predictions in the Predictions folder in a user configuration file. You can then import
this user configuration file into another Atoll document. All the coverage predictions in the user configuration will then be
available in the Predictions folder of the new Atoll document and can be calculated.
To export a user configuration with the coverage predictions in the Predictions folder:
1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Export. The User Configuration dialogue appears.
2. Select the Prediction List check box, as well as the check box of any other information you want to export as part
of the user configuration.
4. Enter a File name for the user configuration file and click Save. The folder configuration is saved.
For information on importing the user configuration into another Atoll document, see "Importing a User Configuration" on
page 69.
5.4.2.5
Calculating Indoor Coverage

In Atoll you can calculate indoor coverage by taking the indoor losses into consideration. Indoor losses are defined per
clutter class. You can define a default indoor losses value for all clutter classes. Or, you can define a different indoor losses
value for each clutter classes, to take the characteristics of each clutter class into consideration.
To calculate indoor coverage when making a coverage prediction:
5.4.2.6
When creating the coverage prediction, select the Indoor Coverage check box on the Condition tab of the coverage predictions Properties dialogue. The indoor losses defined for the clutter classes will be added to the total
path loss for each pixel.
Taking Shadowing into Account

Shadowing, or slow fading, is signal loss along a path that is caused by obstructions not taken into consideration by the
propagation model. Even when a receiver remains in the same location or in the same clutter class, there are variations
in reception due to the surrounding environment.
In other words, in 50% of the measured cases, the result will be greater and in 50% of the measured cases, the result will
be worse.
Atoll uses a model standard deviation with the defined cell edge coverage probability to model the effect of shadowing
and thereby create coverage predictions that are reliable more than fifty percent of the time. The additional losses or gains
caused by shadowing are known as the shadowing margin. The shadowing margin is added to the path losses calculated
by the propagation model.
a cell edge coverage probability of 85%. If the calculated shadowing margin is 7 dB for a specific point, the target signal
will be equal to or greater than -77 dBm 85% of the time.
For information on setting the model standard deviation and the CI standard deviations for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109.
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When creating the coverage prediction, select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box. Then, you can
define the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
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Chapter 6
LTE Networks
Chapter 6: LTE Networks
LTE Networks
LTE (Long Term Evolution) refers to the set of 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) Release 8 and Release 9 specifications which describe the next steps, or evolution, of the existing GERAN (GSM EDGE Radio Access Networks) and
UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Networks) specifications. The 3GPP LTE specifications describe the building
blocks of the eUTRA (evolved UTRA) networks. LTE uses SOFDMA (Scalable Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple
Access) and SC-FDMA (Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access) technologies in the downlink and the uplink,
respectively. The aim of LTE is to provide mobile broadband wireless access that supports handovers between LTE cells
as well as between LTE and UMTS/GSM cells at high user speeds.
Atoll enables you to design LTE broadband wireless access networks. Atoll can be used to predict radio coverage,
manage mobile and fixed subscriber data, and evaluate network capacity. Atoll LTE also supports MIMO.
Atoll enables you to model fixed and mobile users in LTE environments. The data input corresponding to mobile users
and fixed subscribers is modelled through comprehensive support of mobile user traffic maps and subscriber databases.
You can carry out calculations on fixed subscriber locations as well as base your calculations on mobile user scenarios
during Monte Carlo simulations. You can also perform interference predictions, resource allocation, and other calculations
on mobile users.
Atoll uses Monte Carlo simulations to generate realistic network scenarios (snapshots) using a Monte Carlo statistical
engine for scheduling and resource allocation. Realistic user distributions can be generated using different types of traffic
maps or subscriber data. Atoll uses these user distributions as input for the simulations.
You can create coverage predictions to study the following parameters:
The reference signal level received from cells

The effective reference signal level
The effective SS, PBCH, PDSCH, PDCCH, and PUSCH and PUCCH signal levels
The carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio for the reference signals, SS, PBCH, PDSCH, PDCCH, and PUSCH
The radio bearer coverage
The channel throughput and cell capacity per pixel, and the aggregate throughput per cell.
Coverage predictions that depend on the networks traffic loads can be created from either Monte Carlo simulation results
or from a user-defined network load configuration (uplink and downlink traffic loads, and uplink noise rise). GSM GPRS
EGPRS, CDMA2000 1xRTT, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, UMTS HSPA, and LTE networks can be planned in the same Atoll
session.
Tip:
6.1
Before working with the Atoll LTE module for the first time, it is highly recommended to
go through the "Glossary of LTE Terms" on page 372. This will help you get accustomed
to the terminology used by the 3GPP and in Atoll.
Designing an LTE Network

Figure 6.96 depicts the process of creating and planning an LTE network. The steps involved in planning an LTE network
are described below. The numbers refer to Figure 6.96.
1. Open an existing radio-planning document or create a new one ( 1 ).
-
You can open an existing Atoll document by selecting File > Open.
You can create a new Atoll document as explained in Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project.
2. Configure the network by adding network elements and changing parameters ( 2 ).

You can add and modify the following elements of base stations:
-
"Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 186.

"Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 187.
"Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 187.
You can also add base stations using a base station template (see "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 188).
3. Carry out basic coverage predictions ( 3 ).
-
"Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 200.

"Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 201 and "Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 209.
4. Allocate neighbours ( 4 ).
-
"Planning Neighbours" on page 238.
5. Allocate frequencies ( 5 ).
-
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"Planning Frequencies" on page 248.
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6. Allocate physical cell IDs ( 6 ).
-
"Planning Physical Cell IDs" on page 252.
7. Before making more advanced coverage predictions, you need to define cell load conditions ( 7 ).
You can define cell load conditions in the following ways:
-
You can generate realistic cell load conditions by creating a simulation based on traffic maps and subscriber
lists ( 7a , 7b , and 7c ) (see "Studying Network Capacity" on page 256).

You can define cell load conditions manually either on the Cells tab of each transmitters Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table (see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 187) ( 7d ).
8. Make LTE-specific signal quality coverage predictions using the defined cell load conditions ( 8 ).
-
"LTE Coverage Predictions" on page 222.
9. If necessary, modify network parameters to study the network with a different frequency plan ( 10 ). After modifying
the networks frequency plan, you must perform steps 7 and 8 again.
1
7a
7d
7c
7b
10
Figure 6.96: Planning an LTE network - workflow
6.2
Planning and Optimising LTE Base Stations

As described in Chapter 2: Starting an Atoll Project, you can start an Atoll document from a template, with no base
stations, or from a database with a set of base stations. As you work on your Atoll document, you will still need to create
base stations and modify existing ones.
In Atoll, a site is defined as a geographical point where one or more transmitters are located. Once you have created a
site, you can add transmitters. In Atoll, a transmitter is defined as the antenna and any other additional equipment, such
as the TMA, feeder cables, etc. In an LTE project, you must also add cells to each transmitter. A cell refers to the characteristics of an RF channel on a transmitter.
Atoll lets you create one site, transmitter, or cell at a time, or create several at once using station templates. In Atoll, a
base station refers to a site and a transmitter with its antennas, equipment, and cells.
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In Atoll, you can study a single base station or a group of base stations using coverage predictions. Atoll allows you to
make a variety of coverage predictions, such as signal level or signal quality coverage predictions. The results of calculated coverage predictions can be displayed on the map, compared, and studied.
Atoll enables you to model network traffic by allowing you to create services, users, user profiles, environments, and terminals. This data can be then used to make studies that depend on network load, such as C/(I+N), LTE radio bearer, and
throughput coverage predictions.
6.2.1
"Creating an LTE Base Station" on page 181.

"Creating a Group of Base Stations" on page 193.
"Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map" on page 194.
"Display Tips for Base Stations" on page 194.
"Creating a Multi-Band LTE Network" on page 194.
"Creating a Repeater" on page 195.
"Creating a Remote Antenna" on page 197.
"Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document" on page 199.
"Studying a Single Base Station" on page 200.
"Studying Base Stations" on page 203.
"Planning Neighbours" on page 238.
"Planning Frequencies" on page 248.
"Planning Physical Cell IDs" on page 252.
Creating an LTE Base Station

When you create an LTE site, you create only the geographical point; you must add the transmitters and cells afterwards.
The site with a transmitter and its antennas, equipment, and cells is called a base station.
In this section, each element of a base station is described. If you want to add a new base station, see "Placing a New
Base Station Using a Station Template" on page 188. If you want to create or modify one of the elements of a base station,
see "Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 186. If you need to create a large number of base stations,
Atoll allows you to import them from another Atoll document or from an external source. For information, see "Creating
a Group of Base Stations" on page 193.
This section explains the various parts of the base station creation process:
6.2.1.1
"Definition of a Base Station" on page 181.

"Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element" on page 186.
"Placing a New Base Station Using a Station Template" on page 188.
"Managing Station Templates" on page 189.
"Duplicates of an Existing Base Station" on page 192.
Definition of a Base Station

A base station consists of the site, one or more transmitters, various pieces of equipment, and radio settings such as, for
example, cells. You will usually create a new base station using a station template, as described in "Placing a New Base
Station Using a Station Template" on page 188. This section describes the following elements of a base station and their
parameters:
6.2.1.1.1
"Site Description" on page 181

"Transmitter Description" on page 182
"Cell Description" on page 184.
Site Description
The parameters of a site can be found in the sites Properties dialogue. The Properties dialogue has two tabs:
The General tab (see Figure 6.97):

-
Name: Atoll automatically enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name here. If
you want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual.
Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location
of the site here.
Tip:
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While this method allows you to place a site with precision, you can also place sites using
the mouse and then position them precisely with this dialogue afterwards. For information
on placing sites using the mouse, see "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 21.
Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can
specify the actual altitude under Real, if you wish. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for
calculations.
Comments: You can enter comments in this field if you want.
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Figure 6.97: New Site dialogue
6.2.1.1.2
Transmitter Description
The parameters of a transmitter can be found in the transmitters Properties dialogue. When you create a transmitter, the
Properties dialogue has two tabs: the General tab and the Transmitter tab. Once you have created a transmitter, its Properties dialogue has three additional tabs: the Cells tab (see "Cell Description" on page 184), the Propagation tab (see
Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll), and the Display tab (see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22).
The General tab:

-
Name: By default, Atoll names the transmitter after the site it is on, adding an underscore and a number. You
can enter a name for the transmitter, but for the sake of consistency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If
you want to change the way Atoll names transmitters, see the Administrator Manual.
Site: You can select the Site on which the transmitter will be located. Once you have selected the site, you
can click the Browse button (

) to access the properties of the site on which the transmitter will be located.
For information on the site Properties dialogue, see "Site Description" on page 181. You can click the New
button to create a new site on which the transmitter will be located.
Under Antenna Position, you can modify the position of the antennas (main and secondary):
-
Relative to Site: Select Relative to Site if you want to enter the antenna positions as offsets from the site
location, and enter the x-axis and y-axis offsets, Dx and Dy, respectively.
Coordinates: Select Coordinates if you want to enter the coordinates of the antenna positions, and enter
the x-axis and y-axis coordinates, X and Y, respectively.
The Transmitter tab (see Figure 6.98):
Figure 6.98: Transmitter dialogue - Transmitter tab
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-
Active: If this transmitter is to be active, you must select the Active check box. Active transmitters are displayed in red in the Transmitters folder of the Data tab.
Note:
Only active transmitters are taken into consideration during calculations.
Transmitter Type: If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter as a potential server as well as an interferer,
set the transmitter type to Intra-Network (Server and Interferer). If you want Atoll to consider the transmitter
only as an interferer, set the transmitter type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only). No coverage for an Interferer Only transmitter will be calculated for coverage predictions and it will not serve any mobile in Monte
Carlo simulations.
This feature enables you to model the co-existence of different networks in the same geographic area. For
more information on how to study interference between co-existing networks, see "Modelling the Co-existence
of Networks" on page 372.
Transmission/Reception: Under Transmission/Reception, you can see the total losses and the noise
figure of the transmitter. Atoll calculates losses and noise according to the characteristics of the equipment
assigned to the transmitter. Equipment can be assigned using the Equipment Specifications dialogue which
appears when you click the Equipment button.
In the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 6.99), the equipment you select and the gains and
losses you define are used to initialise total transmitter losses in the uplink and downlink:
-
TMA: You can select a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA) from the list. You can click the Browse button
(
) to access the properties of the TMA. For information on creating a TMA, see "Defining TMA Equipment" on page 135.
Feeder: You can select a feeder cable from the list. You can click the Browse button (
) to access the
properties of the feeder. For information on creating a feeder cable, see "Defining Feeder Cables" on
page 135.
BTS: You can select base transceiver station (BTS) equipment from the BTS list. You can click the
Browse button (
) to access the properties of the BTS. For information on creating a BTS, see "Defining BTS Equipment" on page 136.
Feeder Length: You can enter the feeder length at transmission and reception.
Miscellaneous Losses: You can enter miscellaneous losses at transmission and reception. The value
you enter must be positive.
Figure 6.99: The Equipment Specifications dialogue

Note:
Antennas:
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Any loss related to the noise due to a transmitters repeater is included in the calculated
losses. Atoll always considers the values in the Real boxes in prediction studies even if
they are different from the values in the Computed boxes. The information in the real
BTS Noise Figure reception box is calculated from the information you entered in the
Equipment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real Total Losses at
transmission and reception and the real BTS Noise Figure at reception if you wish. Any
value you enter must be positive.
Height/Ground: The Height/Ground box gives the height of the antenna above the ground. This is added
to the altitude of the site as given by the DTM. If the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered
must include the height of building.
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-
Main Antenna: Under Main Antenna, the type of antenna is visible in the Model list. You can click the
Browse button (
) to access the properties of the antenna. The other fields, Azimuth, Mechanical
Downtilt, and Additional Electrical Downtilt, display additional antenna parameters.
Number of Antenna Ports: Select the number of antenna ports used for MIMO in the Transmission and
Reception fields. For more information on how the number of antenna ports are used, see "Multiple Input
Multiple Output Systems" on page 364.
Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column
and enter their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power, which is
the percentage of power reserved for this particular antenna. For example, for a transmitter with one
secondary antenna, if you reserve 40% of the total power for the secondary antenna, 60% is available for
the main antenna.
For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43.
6.2.1.1.3
Cell Description
In Atoll, a cell is defined as an RF channel, with all its characteristics, on a transmitter; the cell is the mechanism by which
you can configure a multi-carrier LTE network.
When you create a transmitter, Atoll reminds you to create a cell for the transmitter. The parameters of an LTE cell are
explained below. While you create a cell, Atoll calculates appropriate values for some fields based on the information you
have entered. You can, if you want, modify these values.
The properties of an LTE cell are found on Cells tab of the Properties dialogue of the transmitter to which it is assigned.
The Cells tab has the following options:
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Name: By default, Atoll names the cell after its transmitter, adding a suffix in parentheses. If you change transmitter name, Atoll does not update the cell name. You can change the name for the cell, but for the sake of consistency, it is better to let Atoll assign a name. If you want to change the way Atoll names cells, see The
Active: If this cell is to be active, you must select the Active check box.
Layer: The number of the coverage layer to which the cell belongs. This value is automatically assigned when you
create a new cell, but you can modify it afterwards. The layer is used during calculations to select the serving cell.
For more information on the cell layer selection options, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 356.
Frequency Band: The cells frequency band from the Frequency Band list.
Channel Number: The number of the channel from the list of available channels.
Channel Allocation Status: The status of the current channel allocated to the cell:
- Not Allocated: The current channel has neither been allocated automatically nor manually. The AFP considers that a Not Allocated channel is modifiable.
- Allocated: The current channel has been allocated automatically or manually. The AFP considers that an
Allocated physical cell ID is modifiable but it is not modified unless absolutely necessary.
- Locked: The current channel has been allocated automatically or manually. The AFP considers that a Locked
channel is not modifiable.
Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell. It is an integer value from 0 to 503. The physical cell IDs are
defined in the 3GPP specifications. There are 504 unique physical-layer cell identities. The physical cell IDs are
grouped into 168 unique cell ID groups (called SSS IDs in Atoll), with each group containing 3 unique identities
(called PSS IDs in Atoll). An SSS ID is thus uniquely defined by a number from 0 to 167, and a PSS ID is defined
by a number from 0 to 2. Each cells reference signals transmit a pseudo-random sequence corresponding to the
physical cell ID of the cell.
PSS ID: The PSS ID corresponding to the current physical cell ID. This value is determined automatically from the
physical cell ID.
SSS ID: The SSS ID corresponding to the current physical cell ID.This value is determined automatically from the
physical cell ID.
Physical Cell ID Status: The status of the physical cell ID currently assigned to the cell:
- Not Allocated: The current physical cell ID has neither been allocated automatically nor manually. The automatic physical cell ID allocation algorithm considers that a Not Allocated physical cell ID is modifiable.
- Allocated: The current physical cell ID has been allocated automatically or manually. The automatic physical
cell ID allocation algorithm considers that an Allocated physical cell ID is modifiable but it is not modified by
the algorithm unless absolutely necessary.
- Locked: The current physical cell ID has been allocated automatically or manually. The automatic physical
cell ID allocation algorithm considers that a Locked physical cell ID is not modifiable.
Min Reuse Distance: The minimum reuse distance after which the channel assigned to this cell can be assigned
to another cell by the AFP. The reuse distance is also used by automatic physical cell ID allocation. The cells physical cell ID can be allocated to another cell outside this reuse distance without any cost.
Max Power (dBm): The cells maximum transmission power. If the Reference Signal EPRE is set to Calculated
from Max Power and EPRE Offsets in the Global Parameters, the transmission powers corresponding to different channels are calculated using this value plus the energy per resource element offsets defined for the SS,
PBCH, PDSCH, and PDCCH, and the number of resource elements corresponding to each channel, all of which
are also calculated by Atoll. If the Reference Signal EPRE is set to User-defined, this field is not used, and you
can directly enter the RS EPRE in the corresponding field.
RS EPRE (dBm): The reference signal EPRE. If the Reference Signal EPRE is set to Calculated from Max
Power and EPRE Offsets in the Global Parameters, this value is calculated by Atoll. If the Reference Signal
EPRE is set to User-defined, you can enter the RS EPRE.
SS EPRE Offset/RS (dB): The difference in the energy of a resource element belonging to the synchronisation
signals with respect to the energy of a reference signal resource element. This value is used to calculate the transmission power corresponding to the primary and secondary synchronisation signals.
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PBCH EPRE Offset/RS (dB): The difference in the energy of a resource element belonging to the PBCH with
respect to the energy of a reference signal resource element. This value is used to calculate the transmission
power corresponding to the physical broadcast channel.
PDCCH EPRE Offset/RS (dB): The difference in the energy of a resource element belonging to the PDCCH with
power corresponding to the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
PDSCH EPRE Offset/RS (dB): The difference in the energy of a resource element belonging to the PDSCH with
power corresponding to the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).
Atoll first calculates the energy per resource element corresponding to the reference signal resource elements,
the SS, PBCH, PDSCH, and PDCCH. Once the energies available for each of these resource element types are
known, they are converted into transmission powers for further calculations. In the offset fields above, you have
to enter the offsets, i.e., the difference in the energy levels, for one resource element of each type. For example,
if a resource element belonging to the SS has 3 dB less energy than a resource element of the downlink reference
signals, you should enter -3 dB in the SS EPRE Offset. Atoll will then calculate the actual transmission power of
the SS, i.e., all the resource elements of the SS, from this offset and the number of SS resource elements per
frame.
Instantaneous Reference Signal Power (dBm): The instantaneous reference signal transmission power calculated from the maximum power or RS EPRE and the EPRE offsets.
Instantaneous SS Power (dBm): The instantaneous SS transmission power calculated from the maximum power
or RS EPRE and the EPRE offsets.
Instantaneous PBCH Power (dBm): The instantaneous PBCH transmission power calculated from the maximum
power or RS EPRE and the EPRE offsets.
Average PDCCH Power (dBm): The average PDCCH transmission power calculated from the maximum power
Average PDSCH Power (dBm): The average PDSCH transmission power calculated from the maximum power
Min RSRP (dBm): The minimum RSRP required for a user to be connected to the cell. The RSRP is compared
with this threshold to determine whether or not a user is within the cells coverage or not.
LTE Equipment: You can select the cells LTE equipment from the LTE Equipment list. For more information,
see "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 360.
Scheduler: The scheduler used by the cell for bearer selection and resource allocation. You can select the scheduler from the list of schedulers available in the Schedulers table. For more information see "Defining LTE Schedulers" on page 362.
Max Number of Users: The maximum number of simultaneous connected users supported by the cell.
No. of Users (DL): The number of users connected to the cell in the downlink. This can be user-defined or an
output of Monte Carlo simulations.
No. of Users (UL): The number of users connected to the cell in the uplink. This can be user-defined or an output
of Monte Carlo simulations.
TDD Frame Configuration: The frame configuration used by the cell when the cells frequency band is TDD. If
the networks switching point periodicity is set to "Half Frame", you can select a frame configuration of type
DSUUU-DSUUU, DSUUD-DSUUD, DSUDD-DSUDD, or DSUUU-DSUUD. If the networks switching point periodicity is set to "Frame", you can select a frame configuration of type DSUUU-DDDDD, DSUUD-DDDDD, or
DSUDD-DDDDD. For more information on TDD switching point periodicity, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 356.
Diversity Support (DL): The type of antenna diversity technique (None, Transmit Diversity, SU-MIMO, or AMS)
supported by the cell in downlink.
Diversity Support (UL): The type of antenna diversity technique (None, Receive Diversity, SU-MIMO, AMS, or
MU-MIMO) supported by the cell in uplink.
Specific calculations will be performed (gains will be applied) for terminals supporting MIMO.
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AMS & MU-MIMO Threshold (dB): For AMS, it is the reference signal C/N or C/(I+N) threshold, according to the
option set in the Advanced Parameters ("The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 356), for switching from
SU-MIMO to Transmit or Receive Diversity. For MU-MIMO, it is the minimum required reference signal CNR for
using MU-MIMO. For more information on Adaptive MIMO switching, see "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems"
on page 364.
MU-MIMO Capacity Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO. This can be userdefined or an output of Monte Carlo simulations. In uplink throughput coverage predictions, the cell capacity will
be multiplied by this gain on pixels where MU-MIMO is used.
Fractional Power Control Factor: This factor is used for path loss compensation when performing fractional
power control on the uplink. For example, if this factor is set to 0.8, only 80% of the actual path loss will be considered when estimating the received power. Therefore, the received power from any mobile on the uplink will be
estimated to be higher than it would actually be (using 100% of the path loss), which will be interpreted by the
mobile as a need to reduce its transmission power. This factor is represented by in 3GPP specifications. This
factor represents the influence of the serving cell on the fractional power of any mobile.
Max PUSCH C/(I+N) (dB): This value is used for fractional power control on the uplink. The difference between
the Max PUSCH C/(I+N) and the uplink noise rise of the cell corresponds to the nomincal PUSCH power for the
cell. The nominal PUSCH power is a cell-specific parameter from which a limit on the uplink transmission powers
of mobiles in the cell can be extracted. This factor is represented by P O_PUSCH in 3GPP specifications.
Interference Coordination Support: The type of inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC) technique supported
by the cell. You can select Static DL or Static UL. With ICIC, a cell uses a third of the channel bandwidth in its
ICIC part of the frame. Which third of the channel bandwidth is used by the cell depends on its PSS ID. Therefore,
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fractional frequency planning can be performed by carrying out automatic physical cell ID planning. For more information, see "Planning Physical Cell IDs" on page 252.
ICIC Delta Path Loss Threshold (dB): The maximum difference between the path loss of the second best server
and the path loss of the best server to be considered at cell edge. Cell edge mobiles are served by the ICIC part
of the LTE frame, i.e., the part of the frame that uses a fraction of the channel bandwidth.
Traffic Load (DL) (%): The downlink traffic load percentage. This can be user-defined or an output of Monte Carlo
simulations.
Max Traffic Load (DL) (%): The downlink traffic load not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account
during Monte Carlo simulations. If the cell traffic load is limited by this value, the cell will not be allowed to have a
downlink traffic load greater than this maximum.
ICIC Ratio (DL) (%): You can set the percentage of the total downlink traffic load that corresponds to the ICIC part
of the frame. For example, if the downlink traffic load is 80%, and you set the ICIC ratio to 50%, it means that 40%
of the downlink traffic load is on the ICIC part of the frame while the other 40% is on the non-ICIC part. This can
be user-defined or an output of Monte Carlo simulations.
Traffic Load (UL) (%): The uplink traffic load percentage. This can be user-defined or an output of Monte Carlo
simulations.
Max Traffic Load (UL) (%): The uplink traffic load not to be exceeded. This limit can be taken into account during
Monte Carlo simulations. If the cell traffic load is limited by this value, the cell will not be allowed to have an uplink
traffic load greater than this maximum.
UL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink noise rise in dB. This can be user-defined or an output of Monte Carlo simulations.
This is the global value of uplink noise rise including the inter-technology uplink noise rise.
ICIC UL Noise Rise (dB): The uplink noise rise of the part of the LTE frame that uses a fraction of the channel
bandwidth. This noise rise is only used when the ICIC support for the cell includes static UL. This can be userdefined or an output of Monte Carlo simulations.
Max UL Noise Rise (dB) (not yet implemented): The upper limit on both uplink noise rise values, i.e., the UL
noise rise and the ICIC UL noise rise. This is an input for Monte Carlo simulations. This parameter represents the
maximum interference that a cell can tolerate on the uplink. If the difference between this maximum value and the
actual noise rise is large, the neighbouring cells might still serve mobiles on the uplink. As this difference becomes
small, the neighbouring cells are informed to ask the mobiles they serve on the uplink to reduce their transmission
powers. This might lead to a reduction in the number of mobiles served in the uplink in the neighbouring cells.
Inter-technology UL Noise Rise: This noise rise represents the interference created by mobiles and base stations of an external network on this cell on the uplink. This noise rise will be taken into account in all uplink interference-based calculations involving this cell in the simulation. It is not used in predictions where Atoll calculates
the uplink total interference from the uplink noise rise which includes inter-technology uplink interference. For more
information on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling Inter-Technology Interference" on page 366.
Inter-technology DL Noise Rise: This noise rise represents the interference created by mobiles of an external
network on the mobiles served by this cell on the downlink. This noise rise will be taken into account in all downlink
interference-based calculations involving this cell. For more information on inter-technology interference, see
"Modelling Inter-Technology Interference" on page 366.
Max Number of Intra-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of neighbours that the cell can have from
the same Atoll document.
Max Number of Inter-technology Neighbours: The maximum number of neighbours that the cell can have from
other technology documents.
Neighbours: You can access a dialogue in which you can set both intra-technology and inter-technology neighbours by clicking the Browse button (
on page 238.
Tip:
6.2.1.2
). For information on defining neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours"
The Browse button (

) might not be visible in the Neighbours box if this is a new cell.
You can make the Browse button appear by clicking Apply.
Creating or Modifying a Base Station Element

A base station consists of the site, one or more transmitters, various pieces of equipment, and radio settings such as, for
example, cells. This section describes how to create or modify the following elements of a base station:
6.2.1.2.1
"Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 186

"Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 187
"Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 187
Creating or Modifying a Site

You can modify an existing site or you can create a new site. You can access the properties of a site, described in "Site
Description" on page 181, through the sites Properties dialogue. How you access the Properties dialogue depends on
whether you are creating a new site or modifying an existing site.
To create or modify a site:
If you are creating a new site:

a. Click the Data tab in the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
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c. Select New from the context menu. The Sites New Element Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 6.97
on page 182).
If you are modifying the properties of an existing site:

) to expand the Sites folder.
c. Right-click the site you want to modify. The context menu appears.
d. Select Properties from the context menu. The sites Properties dialogue appears.
1. Modify the parameters described in "Site Description" on page 181.
2. Click OK.
6.2.1.2.2
Creating or Modifying a Transmitter

You can modify an existing transmitter or you can create a new transmitter. When you create a new transmitter, its initial
settings are based on the default station template displayed in the Radio toolbar. You can access the properties of a transmitter, described in "Transmitter Description" on page 182, through the transmitters Properties dialogue. How you access
the Properties dialogue depends on whether you are creating a new transmitter or modifying an existing transmitter.
To create or modify a transmitter:
If you are creating a new transmitter:

b. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select New from the context menu. The Transmitters New Element Properties dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.98).
If you are modifying the properties of an existing transmitter:

c. Right-click the transmitter you want to modify. The context menu appears.
d. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
1. Modify the parameters described in "Transmitter Description" on page 182.
2. Click OK. If you are creating a new transmitter, Atoll automatically creates a cell based on the default station template. For information on creating a cell, see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 187.
Tips:
If you are creating several transmitters at the same time, or modifying several existing transmitters, you can do it more quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Transmitters
table. You can open the Transmitters table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder on the
Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting Open Table from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 49.
If you want to add a transmitter to an existing site on the map, you can add the transmitter by
right-clicking the site and selecting New Transmitter from the context menu.
6.2.1.2.3
Creating or Modifying a Cell

You can modify an existing cell or you can create a new cell. You can access the properties of a cell, described in "Cell
Description" on page 184, through the Properties dialogue of the transmitter where the cell is located. How you access
the Properties dialogue depends on whether you are creating a new cell or modifying an existing cell.
To create or modify a cell:
3. Right-click the transmitter on which you want to create a cell or whose cell you want to modify. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The transmitters Properties dialogue appears.
5. Select the Cells tab.
6. Modify the parameters described in "Cell Description" on page 184.
7. Click OK.
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Tips:
6.2.1.3
If you are creating or modifying several cells at the same time, you can do it more quickly by
editing the data directly in the Cells table. You can open the Cells table by right-clicking the
Transmitters folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting Cells > Open
Table from the context menu. You can either edit the data in the table, paste data into the table
(see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 49), or import data into the table (see "Importing
Tables from Text Files" on page 52).
If you want to add a cell to an existing transmitter on the map, you can add the cell by rightclicking the transmitter and selecting New Cell from the context menu.
Placing a New Base Station Using a Station Template

In Atoll, a base station is defined as a site with one or more transmitters sharing the same properties. With Atoll, you can
create a network by placing base stations based on station templates. This allows you to build your network quickly with
consistent parameters, instead of building the network by first creating the site, then the transmitters, and finally by adding
the cells.
To place a new station using a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.
2. Click the New Transmitter or Station button (
) in the Radio toolbar.
3. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to
place the new station. The exact coordinates of the pointers current location
are visible in the Status bar.
4. Click to place the station.
Tips:
To place the base station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click the
New Transmitter or Station button. For information on using the zooming tools, see
"Changing the Map Scale" on page 28.
If you let the pointer rest over the base station you have placed, Atoll displays its tip text with
its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
You can also place a series of base stations using a station template. You do this by defining an area on the map where
you want to place the base stations. Atoll calculates the placement of each base station according to the defined hexagonal cell radius in the station template. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating or Modifying a Station
Template" on page 189.
To place a series of base stations within a defined area:
1. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list (see Figure 6.100).
2. Click the Hexagonal Design button (
) to the left of the station template list. A hexagonal design is a group of
base stations created from the same station template.
Note:
If the Hexagonal Design button is not available (

), the hexagonal cell radius for this
template is not defined. For information on defining the cell radius, see "Creating or
Modifying a Station Template" on page 189.
3. Draw a zone delimiting the area where you want to place the series of base stations:
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Atoll fills the delimited zone with new base stations and their hexagonal shapes. Base station objects such as
sites and transmitters are also created and placed into their respective folders.
You can work with the sites and transmitters in these base stations as you work with any base station object, adding, for
example, another antenna to a transmitter.
Placing a Station on an Existing Site

When you place a new station using a station template as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 188, the site is created at the same time as the station. However, you can also place a new station on
an existing site.
To place a base station on an existing site:
1. On the Data tab, clear the display check box beside the Hexagonal Design folder.
2. In the Radio toolbar, select a template from the list.
3. Click the New Transmitter or Station button (
4. Move the pointer to the site on the map. When the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected, click to
place the station.
6.2.1.4
Managing Station Templates

Atoll comes with LTE station templates, but you can also create and modify station templates. The tools for working with
station templates are on the Radio toolbar (see Figure 6.100).
Figure 6.100: The Radio toolbar

6.2.1.4.1
"Creating or Modifying a Station Template" on page 189

"Copying Data from One Station Template to Another" on page 192
"Modifying a Field in a Station Template" on page 192
"Deleting a Station Template" on page 192.
Creating or Modifying a Station Template

When you create a station template, Atoll bases it on the station template selected in the Station Template Properties
dialogue. The new station template has the same parameters as the one it is based on. Therefore, by selecting the existing
station template that most closely resembles the station template you want to create, you can create a new template by
only modifying the parameters that differ.
As well, you can modify the properties of any existing station template.
To create or modify a station template:
1. In the Radio toolbar, click the arrow to the right of the station template list.
2. Select Manage Templates from the list. The Station Template Properties dialogue appears.
3. You can now create a new station template or modify an existing one:
-
To create a new station template: Under Station Templates, select the station template that most closely
resembles the station template you want to create and click Add. The Properties dialogue appears.
To modify an existing station template: Under Station Templates, select the station template whose properties you want to modify and click Properties. The Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the General tab of the Properties dialogue. In this tab (see Figure 6.101), you can modify the following: the
Name of the station template, the number of Sectors, each with a transmitter, the Hexagon Radius, i.e., the theoretical radius of the hexagonal area covered by each sector, and the Transmitter Type, i.e., whether the transmitter belongs to your network or to an external network.
-
Under Antennas, you can modify the following: the Height/Ground of the antennas from the ground (i.e., the
height over the DTM; if the transmitter is situated on a building, the height entered must include the height of
building), the main antenna Model, 1st Sector Azimuth, from which the azimuth of the other sectors are offset
to offer complete coverage of the area, the Mechanical Downtilt, and the Additional Electrical Downtilt for
the antennas.
Under Number of Antenna Ports, you can enter the number of antennas used for Transmission and for Reception for MIMO.
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Under Propagation, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both
the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing
Calculations in Atoll.
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Figure 6.101: Station Template Properties dialogue General tab

5. Click the Transmitter tab. In this tab (see Figure 6.102), if the Active check box is selected, you can modify the
following:
-
Under Transmission/Reception, you can click the Equipment button to open the Equipment Specifications dialogue and modify the tower-mounted amplifier (TMA), feeder cables, or base transceiver station
(BTS). For information on the Equipment Specifications dialogue, see "Transmitter Description" on
page 182.
The information in the computed Total Losses in transmission and reception boxes is calculated from the information you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue (see Figure 6.99 on page 183). Any loss
related to the noise due to a transmitters repeater is included in the calculated losses. Atoll always considers
the values in the Real boxes in coverage predictions even if they are different from the values in the Computed boxes. You can modify the real Total Losses at transmission and reception if you wish. Any value you
enter must be positive.
The information in the computed BTS Noise Figure reception box is calculated from the information you entered in the Equipment Specifications dialogue. You can modify the real BTS Noise Figure at reception if
you wish. Any value you enter must be positive.
Figure 6.102: Station Template Properties dialogue Transmitter tab

6. Click the LTE tab. On this tab (see Figure 6.103), you can modify the following:
-
Under Power and EPRE Offsets Relative to the Reference Signals EPRE, you can modify the Max Power
or RS EPRE, and the EPRE offsets for the SS, PBCH, PDSCH, and PDCCH in SS Offset, PBCH Offset,
PDCCH Offset, and PDSCH Offset.
You can assign channel and physical cell ID per cell per sector, by clicking the Cell Definition per Sector
button. The Cell Definition per Sector dialogue appears.
i.
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Click the Cell Definition per Sector button. The Cell Definition per Sector dialogue appears.
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ii. Select the Sector for which you want to define cell parameters, i.e., channel number and physical cell ID.
iii. Enter the Number of Cell Layers that the selected sector will have. The number of rows in the grid below
depends on the number of cell layers that you enter.
iv. In the Cell Layer - Channel/Physical Cell ID grid, assign a channel number and a physical cell ID to each
cell.
v. Carry out the steps above to assign a channel and physical cell ID to each sector.
vi. Click OK.
-
Frequency Band, Channel Allocation Status, Physical Cell ID Status, Min Reuse Distance, LTE Equipment, Scheduler, Max Number of Users, TDD Frame Configuration, and Min RSRP.
Under Antenna Diversity, you can select the Diversity Support in downlink and in uplink, enter the AMS &
MU-MIMO Threshold, and define the default MU-MIMO Capacity Gain.
Under Default Loads, you can enter the default values for DL Traffic Load, UL Traffic Load, UL Noise Rise,
and the Max DL Traffic Load and Max UL Traffic Load.
Under Inter-technology Interference, you can set the DL Noise Rise and the UL Noise Rise. For more information on inter-technology interference, see "Modelling Inter-Technology Interference" on page 366.
Figure 6.103: Station Template Properties dialogue LTE tab

7. Click the Neighbours tab. In this tab (see Figure 6.104), you can modify the following:
-
Under Max Number of Neighbours, you can set the maximum numbers of Intra-technology and Inter-technology neighbours.
Figure 6.104: Station Template Properties dialogue Neighbours tab

8. Click the Other Properties tab. The Other Properties tab will only appear if you have defined additional fields in the
Sites table, or if you have defined an additional field in the Station Template Properties dialogue.
9. When you have finished setting the parameters for the station template, click OK to close the dialogue and save
your changes.
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6.2.1.4.2
Copying Data from One Station Template to Another

You can copy properties from one template to another template by using the Station Templates table.
To copy properties from one template to another template:
3. Select Network Settings > Station Templates from the context menu. The Station Templates table appears.
4. In the Stations Templates table, copy the settings in the row corresponding to the station template you want to
copy from and paste them into the row corresponding to the station template you want to modify.
6.2.1.4.3
Modifying a Field in a Station Template

To modify a field in a station template:
3. Select the template in the Available Templates list.
4. Click the Fields button.
5. In the dialogue that appears, you have the following options:
-
Add: If you want to add a user-defined field to the station templates, you must have already added it to the
Sites table (for information on adding a user-defined field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an Object Types
Data Table" on page 44) for it to appear as an option in the station template properties.
To add a new field:
i.
Click the Add button. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
ii. Enter a Name for the new field.

iii. For Type, you can select from Text, Short integer, Long integer, Single, Double, True/False, Date/
Time, and Currency. If you choose "Text," you can also set the field Size (in characters), and create a
Choice list, by entering the possible selections directly in the Choice list window and pressing ENTER
after each one.
iv. Enter, if desired, a Default value for the new field.
v. Click OK to close the Field Definition dialogue and save your changes.
-
Delete: To delete a user-defined field:

i.
Select the user-defined field you want to delete.
ii. Click the Delete button. The user-defined field appears in strikeout. It will be definitively deleted when you
close the dialogue.
-
Properties: To modify the properties of a user-defined field:

i.
Select the user-defined field you want to modify.
ii. Click the Properties button. The Field Definition dialogue appears.
iii. Modify any of the properties as desired.
iv. Click OK to close the Field Definition dialogue and save your changes.
6. Click OK.
6.2.1.4.4
Deleting a Station Template

To delete a station template:
3. Under Station Templates, select the station template you want to delete and click Delete. The template is
deleted.
4. Click OK.
6.2.1.5
Duplicates of an Existing Base Station

You can create new base stations by duplicating an existing base station. When you duplicate an existing base station,
the base station you create will have the same site, transmitter, and cell parameter values as the original one. Duplicating
a base station allows you to:
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Quickly create a new base station with the same settings as an original one in order to study the effect of a new
station on the coverage and capacity of the network, and
Quickly create a new homogeneous network with base stations that have the same characteristics.
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To duplicate an existing base station:
) to expand the Sites folder.
3. Right-click the site you want to duplicate. The context menu appears.
4. From the context menu, select one of the following:
-
Select Duplicate > With Neighbours from the context menu, if you want to duplicate the base station with
the lists of intra- and inter-technology neighbours of its transmitters.
Select Duplicate > Without Neighbours from the context menu, if you want to duplicate the base station
without the intra- and inter-technology neighbours of its transmitters.
You can now place the new base station on the map using the mouse.
5. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to place the new base station. The
exact coordinates of the pointers current location are visible in the Status bar.
Figure 6.105: Placing a new base station
Tips:
To place the station more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you select Duplicate
from the context menu. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map
Scale" on page 28.
If you let the pointer rest over the station you have placed, Atoll displays tip text with its exact
coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.
6. Click the selected point on the map to place the duplicate base station.
A new base station is placed on the map. The site, transmitters, and cells of the new base station have the same
names as the site, transmitters, and cells of the original base station with each name marked as "Copy of." The
site, transmitters, and cells of the duplicate base station have the same settings as those of the original base
station. All the remote antennas and repeaters of any transmitter on the original site are also duplicated.
You can also place a series of duplicate base stations by pressing and holding CTRL in step 6. and clicking to
place each duplicate station.
For more information on the site, transmitter, and cell properties, see "Definition of a Base Station" on page 181.
6.2.2
Creating a Group of Base Stations

You can create base stations individually as explained in "Creating an LTE Base Station" on page 181, or you can create
one or several base stations by using station templates as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a Station
Template" on page 188. However, if you have a large project and you already have existing data, you can import this data
into your current Atoll document and create a group of base stations.
Note:
When you import data into your current Atoll document, the coordinate system of the
imported data must be the same as the display coordinate system used in the document.
If you cannot change the coordinate system of your source data, you can temporarily
change the display coordinate system of the Atoll document to match the source data.
For information on changing the coordinate system, see "Setting a Coordinate System"
on page 86.
You can import base station data in the following ways:
Copying and pasting data: If you have data in table form, either in another Atoll document or in a spreadsheet,
you can copy this data and paste it into the tables in your current Atoll document. When you create a group of
base stations by copying and pasting data, you must copy and paste site data in the Sites table, transmitter data
in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.
Important: The table you copy from must have the same column layout as the table you are pasting
data into.
For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 49.
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Importing data: If you have base station data in text or comma-separated value (CSV) format, you can import it
into the tables in the current document. If the data is in another Atoll document, you can first export it in text or
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CSV format and then import it into the tables of your current Atoll document. When you are importing, Atoll allows
you to select what values you import into which columns of the table.
When you create a group of base stations by importing data, you must import site data in the Sites table, transmitter data in the Transmitters table, and cell data in the Cells table, in that order.
For information on exporting table data, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 51. For information on
importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 52.
Note:
6.2.3
You can quickly create a series of base stations for study purposes using the Hexagonal
Design tool on the Radio toolbar. For information, see "Placing a New Base Station
Using a Station Template" on page 188.
Modifying Sites and Transmitters Directly on the Map

In Atoll, you can access the Properties dialogue of a site or transmitter using the context menu on the Data tab of the
Explorer window. However, in a complex radio-planning project, it can be difficult to find the data object in the Data tab,
although it might be visible in the map window. Atoll lets you access the Properties dialogue of sites and transmitters
directly from the map. If there is more than one transmitter with the same azimuth, clicking the transmitters in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the transmitter. You can also change the position of the station by
dragging it, or by letting Atoll find a higher location for it.
Modifying sites and transmitters directly on the map is explained in detail in Chapter 1: The Working Environment:
6.2.4
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 21.

"Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 21.
"Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 21.
"Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse" on page 21.
"Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse" on page 22.
Display Tips for Base Stations

Atoll allows to you to display information about base stations in a number of ways. This enables you not only to display
selected information, but also to distinguish base stations at a glance.
The following tools can be used to display information about base stations:
Label: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a label that
is displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object types data table, including
from fields that you add. The label is always displayed, so you should choose information that you would want to
always be visible; too much information in the label will make it harder to distinguish the information you are looking
for. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the Object Type Label" on page 25.
Tooltips: You can display information about each object, such as each site or transmitter, in the form of a tooltip
that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can choose to display more information than
in the label, because the information is only displayed when you move the pointer over the object. You can display
information from every field in that object types data table, including from fields that you add. For information on
defining the tool tips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 26.
Transmitter colour: You can set the transmitter colour to display information about the transmitter. For example,
you can select "Discrete Values" to distinguish transmitters by antenna type, or to distinguish inactive from active
transmitters. You can also define the display type for transmitters as "Automatic." Atoll then automatically assigns
a colour to each transmitter, ensuring that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding
it. For information on defining the transmitter colour, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 23.
Transmitter symbol: You can select one of several symbols to represent transmitters. For example, you can
select a symbol that graphically represents the antenna half-power beamwidth (
). If you have two transmitters on the same site with the same azimuth, you can differentiate them by selecting different symbols for each
(
6.2.5
and
). For information on defining the transmitter symbol, see "Defining the Display Type" on page 23.
Creating a Multi-Band LTE Network

In Atoll, you can model a multi-band LTE network, for example, a network consisting of 900 MHz and 2.1 GHz, in one
document. Creating a multi-band LTE network consists of the following steps:
1. Defining the frequency bands in the document (see "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 356).
2. Selecting and calibrating a propagation model for each frequency band (see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in
Atoll).
3. Assigning a frequency band to each cell and a relevant propagation model to each transmitter (see "Creating or
Modifying a Cell" on page 187 and "Creating or Modifying a Transmitter" on page 187).
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6.2.6
Creating a Repeater
A repeater receives, amplifies, and re-transmits the radiated or conducted RF carrier both in downlink and uplink. It has a
donor side and a server side. The donor side receives the signal from a donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna.
This signal may be carried by different types of links such as radio link or microwave link. The server side re-transmits the
received signal.
Atoll models RF repeaters and microwave repeaters. The modelling focuses on:
The additional coverage these systems provide to transmitters in the downlink.

The UL total gain value and the noise rise generated at the donor transmitter by the repeater.
"Creating and Modifying Repeater Equipment" on page 195

"Placing a Repeater on the Map Using the Mouse" on page 195
"Creating Several Repeaters" on page 196
"Defining the Properties of a Repeater" on page 196
"Tips for Updating Repeater Parameters" on page 197.
Note:
6.2.6.1
Atoll assumes that all carriers from the LTE donor transmitter are amplified.
Creating and Modifying Repeater Equipment

You can define repeater equipment to be assigned to each repeater in the network.
To create or modify repeater equipment:
3. Select Repeaters > Equipment from the context menu. The Repeater Equipment table appears.
4. To create repeater equipment, enter the following in the row marked with the New Row icon (
):
a. Enter a Name and Manufacturer for the new equipment.

b. Enter a Noise Figure. The repeater causes noise rise at the donor transmitter, so the noise figure is used to
calculate the UL loss to be added to the donor transmitter UL losses. The noise figure must be a positive value.
c. Enter minimum and maximum repeater amplification gains in the Min. Gain and Max Gain columns. These
parameters enable Atoll to ensure that the user-defined amplifier gain is consistent with the limits of the equipment if there are any.
d. Enter a Gain Increment. Atoll uses the increment value when you increase or decrease the repeater amplifier
gain using the buttons to the right of the Amplification box (
dialogue.
) on the General tab of the repeater Properties
e. Enter the maximum power that the equipment can transmit on the downlink in the Maximum Downlink Power
column. This parameter enables Atoll to ensure that the downlink power after amplification does not exceed
the limit of the equipment.
f.
If desired, enter a Maximum Uplink Power, an Internal Delay and Comments. These fields are for information only and are not used in calculations.
5. To modify repeater equipment, change the parameters in the row containing the repeater equipment you wish to
modify.
6.2.6.2
Placing a Repeater on the Map Using the Mouse

In Atoll, you can create a repeater and place it using the mouse. When you create a repeater, you can add it to an existing
site, or have Atoll automatically create a new site. Atoll supports cascading repeaters, in other words, repeaters that
extend the coverage of another repeater or of a remote antenna.
To create a repeater and place it using the mouse:
1. Select the donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna. You can select it from the Transmitters folder of the
Explorer windows Data tab, or directly on the map.
2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button (
3. Select Repeater from the menu.

4. Click the map to place the repeater. The repeater is placed on the map, represented by a symbol (
) in the
same colour as the donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna. If the repeater is inactive, it is displayed by an
empty icon. By default, the repeater has the same azimuth as the donor. Its tooltip and label display the same
information as displayed for the donor. As well, its tooltip identifies the repeater and the donor. In the Explorer
window, the repeater is found in the Transmitters folder of the Data tab under its donor transmitter, repeater, or
remote antenna.
For information on defining the properties of the new repeater, see "Defining the Properties of a Repeater" on
page 196.
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Note:
6.2.6.3
You can see to which base station the repeater is connected by clicking it; Atoll displays
a link to the donor transmitter, repeater, or remote antenna.
Creating Several Repeaters

In Atoll, the characteristics of each repeater are stored in the Repeaters table. You can create several repeaters at the
same time by pasting the information into the Repeaters table:
If you have data in table form, either in another Atoll document or in a spreadsheet, you can copy this data and
paste it into the Repeaters table in your current Atoll document.
Important: The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
6.2.6.4
Defining the Properties of a Repeater

To define the properties of a repeater:
1. Right-click the repeater either directly on the map, or from the Transmitters folder of the Explorer windows Data
tab. The context menu appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can modify the following parameters:
-
You can change the Name of the repeater. By default, repeaters are named "RepeaterN" where "N" is a
number assigned as the repeater is created.
You can change the Donor by selecting it from the Donor list. The Donor can be a transmitter, another
repeater, or a remote antenna. Clicking the Browse button (
) opens the Properties dialogue of the donor.
You can change the Site on which the repeater is located. Clicking the Browse button (
) opens the Properties dialogue of the site.
You can enter a Position relative to site location, if the repeater is not located on the site itself.
You can select equipment from the Equipment list. Clicking the Browse button (
) opens the Properties
dialogue of the equipment.
You can change the Amplification gain. The amplification gain is used in the link budget to evaluate the
repeater total gain.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
-
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select a Link Type.

-
If you select Microwave Link, enter the Propagation Losses and continue with step 5.
If you select Air Link, select a Propagation Model and enter the Propagation Losses or click Calculate
to determine the actual propagation losses between the donor and the repeater. If you do not select a
propagation model, the propagation losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater are calculated
using the ITU 526-5 propagation model.
When you create an off-air repeater, it is assumed that the link between the donor transmitter and the repeater has the same frequency as the network.
Important: If you want to create a remote antenna, you must select Optical Fibre Link.
-
If you selected Air Link under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Antenna:
i.
Select a Model from the list. You can click the Browse button (
antenna.
) to access the properties of the
ii. Enter the height off the ground of the antenna in the Height/Ground box. This will be added to the altitude
of the transmitter as given by the DTM.
iii. Enter the Azimuth and the Mechanical Downtilt.
Note:
If you selected Air Link under Donor-Repeater Link, enter the following information under Feeders:
i.
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You can click the Calculate button to update azimuth and downtilt values after changing
the repeater donor side antenna height or the repeater location. If you choose another site
or change site coordinates in the General tab, click Apply before clicking the Calculate
button.
Select a Type of feeder from the list. You can click the Browse button (
the feeder.
) to access the properties of
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ii. Enter the Length of the feeder cable at Transmission and at Reception.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
-
Select the Active check box. Only active repeaters (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the Data
tab of the Explorer window) are calculated.
Under Total Gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual
gains. If you have modified any parameter in the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply
before clicking the Calculate button. Atoll uses the total gain values to calculate the signal level received from
and at the repeater.
The DL total gain is applied to RS, SS, PBCH, PDCCH, and PDSCH powers and EPREs. The UL total gain is
applied to the PUCCH and PUSCH powers. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the repeater, donor characteristics (donor antenna gain, reception feeder losses), amplification
gain, and coverage characteristics (coverage antenna gain and transmission feeder losses).
Under Antennas, you can modify the following parameters:

i.
Enter the height off the ground of the antenna in the Height/Ground box. This will be added to the altitude
of the site as given by the DTM.
ii. Under Main Antenna, select a Model from the list. You can click the Browse button (
) to access the
properties of the antenna. Then, enter the Azimuth, the Mechanical Downtilt, and, if applicable, the Additional Electrical Downtilt. By default, the characteristics (antenna, azimuth, height, etc.) of the repeater
coverage side correspond to the characteristics of the donor.
iii. Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column
and enter their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43.
-
Under Feeders, you can modify the following information:

i.
the feeder.
-
Under Losses, Atoll displays the Loss Related to Repeater Noise Rise.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since repeaters are taken into account during calculations, you must set the propagation parameters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation Model, Radius, and Resolution for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation characteristics of the
repeater (model, calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the donor transmitter. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.
6.2.6.5
Tips for Updating Repeater Parameters

Atoll provides you with a few shortcuts that you can use to change certain repeater parameters:
You can update the calculated azimuth and downtilt of the donor-side antennas of all repeaters by selecting
Repeaters > Calculate Donor Side Azimuths and Tilts from the Transmitters context menu.
You can update the UL and DL total gains of all repeaters by selecting Repeaters > Calculate Gains from the
Transmitters context menu.
Note:
6.2.7
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected repeaters by
creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Repeaters table and
setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select Repeaters >
Calculate Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will only update the UL and
DL total gains for repeaters with the custom field "FreezeTotalGain" set to "False."
You can update the propagation losses of all off-air repeaters by selecting Repeaters > Calculate Donor Side
Propagation Losses from the Transmitters context menu.
You can select a repeater on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using
the Mouse" on page 21) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site
Using the Mouse" on page 22).
Creating a Remote Antenna

Atoll allows you to create remote antennas to position antennas at locations that would normally require long runs of
feeder cable. A remote antenna is connected to the base station with an optic fibre. Remote antennas allow you to ensure
radio coverage in an area without a new base station.
In Atoll, the remote antenna should be connected to a base station that does not have any antennas. It is assumed that
a remote antenna, as opposed to a repeater, does not have any equipment and generates no amplification gain nor noise.
In certain cases, you may want to model a remote antenna with equipment or a remote antenna connected to a base
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station that has antennas. This can be done by modelling a repeater. For information on creating a repeater, see "Creating
a Repeater" on page 195.
6.2.7.1
"Placing a Remote Antenna on the Map Using the Mouse" on page 198
"Creating Several Remote Antennas" on page 198
"Defining the Properties of a Remote Antenna" on page 198
"Tips for Updating Remote Antenna Parameters" on page 199.
Placing a Remote Antenna on the Map Using the Mouse

In Atoll, you can create a remote antenna and place it using the mouse. When you create a remote antenna, you can add
it to an existing base station without antennas, or have Atoll automatically create a new site.
To create a remote antenna and place it using the mouse:
1. Select the donor transmitter. You can select it from the Transmitters folder of the Explorer windows Data tab, or
directly on the map.
Note:
Ensure that the remote antennas donor transmitter does not have any antennas.
2. Click the arrow next to New Repeater or Remote Antenna button (
3. Select Remote Antenna from the menu.

4. Click the map to place the remote antenna. The remote antenna is placed on the map, represented by a symbol
(
) in the same colour as the donor transmitter. If the remote antenna is inactive, it is displayed by an empty
icon. By default, the remote antenna has the same azimuth as the donor transmitter. Its tooltip and label display
the same information as displayed for the donor transmitter. As well, its tooltip identifies the remote antenna and
the donor transmitter.
For information on defining the properties of the new remote antenna, see "Defining the Properties of a Remote
Antenna" on page 198.
Note:
6.2.7.2
You can see to which base station the remote antenna is connected by clicking it; Atoll
displays a link to the donor transmitter.
Creating Several Remote Antennas

In Atoll, the characteristics of each remote antenna are stored in the Remote Antennas table. You can create several
remote antennas at the same time by pasting the information into the Remote Antennas table.
If you have data in table form, either in another Atoll document or in a spreadsheet, you can copy this data and
paste it into the Remote Antennas table in your current Atoll document.
Important: The table you copy data from must have the same column layout as the table you are
pasting data into.
6.2.7.3
Defining the Properties of a Remote Antenna

To define the properties of a remote antenna:
1. Right-click the remote antenna either directly on the map, or from the Transmitters folder of the Explorer
windows Data tab. The context menu appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can modify the following parameters:
-
You can change the Name of the remote antenna. By default, remote antennas are named "RemoteAntennaN" where "N" is a number assigned as the remote antenna is created.
You can change the Donor transmitter by selecting it from the Donor list. Clicking the Browse button (
opens the Properties dialogue of the donor transmitter.
You can change the Site on which the remote antenna is located. Clicking the Browse button (
) opens
the Properties dialogue of the site.
You can enter a Position relative to site location, if the remote antenna is not located on the site itself.
Note:
A remote antenna does not have equipment.
4. Click the Donor Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
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-
Under Donor-Repeater Link, select Optical Fibre Link and enter the Fibre Losses.
5. Click the Coverage Side tab. You can modify the following parameters:
-
Select the Active check box. Only active remote antennas (displayed in red in the Transmitters folder in the
Data tab of the Explorer window) are calculated.
Under Total Gains, enter the gains in the Downlink and Uplink or click Calculate to determine the actual
gains. If you have modified any parameter in the General, Donor Side, or Coverage Side tabs, click Apply
before clicking the Calculate button. Atoll uses the total gain values to calculate the signal level received from
and at the remote antenna.
The DL total gain is applied to RS, SS, PBCH, PDCCH, and PDSCH powers and EPREs. The UL total gain is
applied to the PUCCH and PUSCH powers. The total gains take into account losses between the donor transmitter and the remote antenna.
Under Antennas, you can modify the following parameters:

i.
Enter the height off the ground of the antenna in the Height/Ground box. This will be added to the altitude
of the transmitter as given by the DTM.
ii. Under Main Antenna, select a Model from the list. You can click the Browse button (
properties of the antenna. Then, enter the Azimuth and the Mechanical Downtilt.
) to access the
iii. Under Secondary Antennas, you can select one or more secondary antennas in the Antenna column
and enter their Azimuth, Mechanical Downtilt, Additional Electrical Downtilt, and % Power. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43.
-
Under Feeders, you can modify the following information:

i.
the feeder.
6. Click the Propagation tab. Since remote antennas are taken into account during calculations, you must set propagation parameters, as with transmitters. On the Propagation tab, you can modify the following: the Propagation
Model, Radius, and Resolution for both the Main Matrix and the Extended Matrix. By default, the propagation
characteristics of the remote antenna (model, calculation radius, and grid resolution) are the same as those of the
donor transmitter. For information on propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.
6.2.7.4
Tips for Updating Remote Antenna Parameters

Atoll provides you with a few shortcuts that you can use to change certain remote antenna parameters:
You can update the UL and DL total gains of all remote antennas by selecting Remote Antennas > Calculate
Gains from the Transmitters context menu.
Note:
6.2.8
You can prevent Atoll from updating the UL and DL total gains of selected remote
antennas by creating a custom Boolean field named "FreezeTotalGain" in the Remote
Antennas table and setting the value of the field to "True." Afterwards, when you select
Remote Antennas > Calculate Gains from the Transmitters context menu, Atoll will
only update the UL and DL total gains for remote antennas with the custom field
"FreezeTotalGain" set to "False."
You can select a remote antenna on the map and change its azimuth (see "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna
Using the Mouse" on page 21) or its position relative to the site (see "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to
the Site Using the Mouse" on page 22).
Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document

When you load project data from a database, you will probably only modify the data in the region for which you are responsible. For example, a complex radio-planning project might cover an entire region or even an entire country. You, however,
might be responsible for the radio planning for only one city. In such a situation, doing a coverage prediction that calculates
the entire network would not only take a lot of time, it would not be necessary. Consequently, you can restrict a coverage
prediction to the base stations that you are interested in and generate only the results you need.
In Atoll, there are two ways of restricting the number of base stations covered by a coverage prediction, each with its own
advantages:
Filtering the desired base stations

You can simplify the selection of base stations to be studied by using a filter. You can filter base stations according
to one or more fields, or you can create an advanced filter by combining several criteria in several fields. You can
create a graphic filter by either using an existing vector polygon or creating a new vector polygon. For information
on graphic filters, see "Filtering Data Using a Filtering Zone" on page 74. This enables you to keep only the base
stations with the characteristics you want for your calculations. The filtering zone is taken into account whether or
not it is visible.
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For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 64.
Setting a computation zone

Drawing a computation zone to encompass the base stations to be studied limits the number of base stations to
be calculated, which in turn reduces the time necessary for calculations. In a smaller project, the time savings may
not be significant. In a larger project, especially when you are making repeated calculations in order to see the
effects of small changes in the base station configuration, the savings in time may be considerable. Limiting the
number of base stations by drawing a computation zone also limits the resulting calculated coverage. The computation zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus zone or hot spot zones. The computation zone
defines the area where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo simulations, etc.,
while the focus zone or hot spot zones are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results.
For information on the computation zone, see "Creating a Computation Zone" on page 208.
You can combine a computation zone and a filter, in order to create a very precise selection of the base stations to be
studied.
6.2.9
Studying a Single Base Station

As you create a base station, you can study it to test the effectiveness of the set parameters. Coverage predictions on
groups of base stations can take a large amount of time and consume a lot of computer resources. Restricting your coverage prediction to the base station you are currently working on allows you get the results quickly. You can expand your
coverage prediction to a number of base stations once you have optimised the settings for each individual base station.
Before studying a base station, you must assign a propagation model. The propagation model takes the radio and
geographic data into account and calculates propagation losses along the transmitter-receiver path. This allows you to
predict the received signal level at any given point. Any coverage prediction you make on a base station uses the propagation model to calculate its results.
6.2.9.1
"Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 200.

"Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 201.
Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile

In Atoll, you can make a point analysis to study reception along a profile between a reference transmitter and a user.
Before studying a site, you must assign a propagation model. Atoll uses the propagation model and takes the radio and
geographic data into account to calculate losses along the transmitter-receiver path. The profile is calculated in real time,
using the propagation model, allowing you to study the profile and get a prediction on each selected point.
For information on assigning a propagation model, see "Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 206.
You can make a point analysis to:
study the reception in real time along a profile between a reference transmitter and a user,
study the interference along a profile between a reference transmitter and a user, and
evaluate the signal levels coming from the surrounding transmitters at a given point (using existing path loss
matrices).
To make a point analysis:

1. In the map window, select the transmitter from which you want to make a point analysis.
pointer changes (
3. A line appears on the map connecting the selected transmitter and the current position. You can now do the following:
-

Right-click the receiver to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
-
Coordinates: Select Coordinates to change the receiver position by entering new XY coordinates.
Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Click the Profile tab.

The profile analysis appears in the Profile tab of the Point Analysis Tool window. The altitude is reported on the
vertical axis and the receiver-transmitter distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone
between the transmitter and the receiver, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Atoll displays the
angle of the LOS read from the vertical antenna pattern. Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this
causes attenuation with diffraction displayed by a red vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction
mechanisms into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the Fresnel ellipsoid the most. With some
propagation models using a 3 knife-edge Deygout diffraction method, the results might display two additional
attenuations peaks. The total attenuation is displayed above the main peak.
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The results of the analysis are displayed at the top of the Profile tab:
-
The received signal strength from the selected transmitter for the cell with the highest reference signal power
The propagation model used
The shadowing margin and the cell edge coverage probability used for calculating it
The distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
You can change the following options at the top of the Profile tab:
-
Transmitter: Select the transmitter from the list.

Geographic Profile: Select the Geographic Profile check box if you want to view the geographic profile
between the transmitter and the receiver. Atoll displays the profile between the transmitter and the receiver
with clutter heights. An ellipsoid indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed. Atoll does not calculate or display signal levels and losses.
Snap to Subscribers: Select the Snap to Subscribers check box if you want to study the profile between a
subscriber and the transmitter. The receiver snaps to the nearest subscriber when you move it. Atoll displays
the profile between the transmitter and the receiver with clutter heights, giving terminal and antenna gains and
losses. An ellipsoid indicating the Fresnel zone is also displayed.
Note:
The displayed profile is between the selected transmitter and the subscriber; not between
the subscriber and its serving transmitter.
5. Right-click the Profile tab to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
-
Properties: Select Properties to display the Analysis Properties dialogue. This dialogue is available from
the context menu on all tabs of the Point Analysis Tool window. In You can:
-
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
If Snap to Subscribers is selected on the Profile tab, define the Receiver Orientation: "To Selected
Server" or "To Subscriber Server."
- Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
- Select Signal Level, Path loss, or Total losses from the Result Type list.
- You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Link Budget: Select Link Budget to display a dialogue with the link budget.
Model Details: Select Model Details to display a text document with details on the displayed profile analysis.
Model details are only available for the Standard Propagation Model.
Displays data, including received signal, shadowing margin,
cell edge coverage probability, propagation model used, and
transmitter-receiver distance.
You can select a different transmitter.
Fresnel ellipsoid
Line of sight
Attenuation with diffraction
Figure 6.106: Point Analysis Tool - Profile tab

6. To end the point analysis, click the Point Analysis Tool (
6.2.9.2
) in the Radio toolbar again.
Studying Signal Level Coverage

While you are building your radio-planning project, you might want to check the coverage of a new base station without
having to calculate the entire project. You can do this by selecting the site with its transmitters and then creating a new
coverage prediction.
This section explains how to calculate the signal level coverage of a single base station. A signal level coverage prediction
displays the signal of the best server for each pixel of the area studied. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the signal
level is calculated for the cell with the highest reference signal power.
Note:
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You can use the same procedure to study the signal level coverage of several base
stations by grouping the transmitters. For information on grouping transmitters, see
"Grouping Data Objects by a Selected Property" on page 59.
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To study the signal level coverage of a single base station:
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder and select Group By > Sites from the context menu. The transmitters are now
displayed in the Transmitters folder by the site on which they are situated.
Tip:
If you want to study only sites by their status, you could group them by status.
3. Select the propagation parameters to be used in the coverage prediction:

a. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
b. Right-click the group of transmitters you want to study. The context menu appears.
c. Select Open Table from the context menu. A table appears with the properties of the selected group of transmitters.
d. In the table, you can configure two propagation models: one for the main matrix, with a shorter radius and a
higher resolution, and another for the extended matrix, with a longer radius and a lower resolution. By calculating two matrices you can reduce the time of calculation by using a lower resolution for the extended matrix
and you can obtain more accurate results by using propagation models best suited for the main and extended
matrices.
e. In the Main Matrix column:
f.
Select a Propagation Model.

If desired, in the Extended Matrix column:

-

g. Close the table.

4. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the group of transmitters you want to study and select Calculations >
Create a New Study from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
The Study Types dialogue lists the coverage prediction types available. They are divided into Standard Studies,
supplied with Atoll, and Customised Studies. Unless you have already created some customised studies, the
Customised Studies list will be empty.
5. Select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK. The Coverage by Signal Level Properties dialogue appears.
6. You can configure the following parameters in the Properties dialogue:
-
General tab: You can change the assigned Name of the coverage prediction, the Resolution, and the storage
Folder for the coverage prediction, and add some Comments. The resolution you set is the display resolution,
not the calculation resolution.
To improve memory consumption and optimise the calculation times, you should set the display resolutions of
coverage predictions according to the precision required. The following table lists the levels of precision that
are usually sufficient:
Note:
Display Resolution
City Centre
5m
City
20 m
County
50 m
State
100 m
Country
According to the size of the country
If you create a new coverage prediction using the context menu of either the
Transmitters or Predictions folder, you can select the sites using the Group By, Sort,
and Filter buttons under Configuration. Because you already selected the target sites,
however, only the Filter button is available.
Condition tab: The coverage prediction parameters on the Condition tab allow you to define the signals that
will be considered for each pixel (see Figure 6.107).
-
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Size of the Coverage

Prediction
At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the signal level range to be considered.
Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the
same results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal
Level" necessitates, however, a longer time for calculation.
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When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that
Atoll will take into consideration.
-
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage
Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
Figure 6.107: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by signal level

-
Display tab: You can modify how the results of the coverage prediction will be displayed.
-
Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals."

Under Field, select "Best Signal Level."
You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
You can create a tooltip with information about the coverage prediction by clicking the Browse button
(
) beside the Tip Text box and selecting the fields you want to display in the tooltip.
You can select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed value intervals to the legend.
Note:
If you change the display properties of a coverage prediction after you have calculated it,
you might make the coverage prediction invalid. You will then have to recalculate the
coverage prediction to obtain valid results.
-
Calculate button (
The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window. The signal level
coverage prediction can be found in the Predictions folder on the Data tab. Atoll automatically locks the results of a coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon (
folder. When you click the Calculate button (
6.2.10
) beside the coverage prediction in the Predictions
), Atoll only calculates unlocked coverage predictions (
).
Studying Base Stations

When you make a coverage prediction, Atoll calculates all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by
the current filter parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects the rectangle containing the computation zone.
Figure 6.108 gives an example of a computation zone. In Figure 6.108, the computation zone is displayed in red, as it is
in the Atoll map window. The propagation zone of each active site is indicated by a blue square. Each propagation zone
that intersects the rectangle (indicated by the green dashed line) containing the computation zone will be taken into consideration when Atoll calculates the coverage prediction. Sites 78 and 95, for example, are not in the computation zone.
However, their propagation zones intersect the rectangle containing the computation zone and, therefore, they will be
taken into consideration in the coverage prediction. On the other hand, the coverage zones of three other sites do not intersect the green rectangle. Therefore, they will not be taken into account in the coverage prediction. Site 130 is within the
coverage zone but has no active transmitters. Therefore, it will not be taken into consideration either.
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Figure 6.108: An example of a computation zone

Before calculating a coverage prediction, Atoll must have valid path loss matrices. Atoll calculates the path loss matrices
using the assigned propagation model. Atoll can use two different propagation models for each transmitter: a main propagation model with a shorter radius (displayed with a blue square in Figure 6.108) and a higher resolution and an extended
propagation model with a longer radius and a lower resolution. Atoll will use the main propagation model to calculate
higher resolution path loss matrices close to the transmitter and the extended propagation model to calculate lower resolution path loss matrices outside the area covered by the main propagation model.
6.2.10.1
"Path Loss Matrices" on page 204.

"Assigning a Propagation Model" on page 206.
"The Calculation Process" on page 208.
"Creating a Computation Zone" on page 208.
"Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active" on page 209.
"Signal Level Coverage Predictions" on page 209.
"Analysing a Coverage Prediction" on page 213.
"LTE Coverage Predictions" on page 222.
"Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 238.
Path Loss Matrices

In addition to the distance between the transmitter and the receiver, path loss is caused by objects in the transmitterreceiver path. In Atoll, the path loss matrices must be calculated before predictions and simulations can be made.
Storing Path Loss Matrices

Path loss matrices can be stored internally, in the Atoll document, or they can be stored externally. Storing path loss matrices in the Atoll document results in a more portable but significantly larger document. In the case of large radio-planning
projects, embedding the matrices can lead to large documents which use a great deal of memory. Therefore, in the case
of large radio-planning projects, saving your path loss matrices externally will help reduce the size of the file and the use
of computer resources.
The path loss matrices are also stored externally in a multi-user environment, when several users are working on the same
radio-planning project. In this case, the radio data is stored in a database and the path loss matrices are read-only and are
stored in a location accessible to all users. When the user changes his radio data and recalculates the path loss matrices,
the calculated changes to the path loss matrices are stored locally; the common path loss matrices are not modified. These
will be recalculated by the administrator taking into consideration the changes to radio data made by all users. For more
information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual.
When you save the path loss matrices to an external directory, Atoll creates:
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One file per transmitter with the extension LOS for its main path loss matrix.
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A DBF file with validity information for all the main matrices.
A folder called "LowRes" with LOS files and a DBF file for the extended path loss matrices.
To set the storage location of the path loss matrices:

4. On the Predictions tab, under Path Loss Matrix Storage, you can set the location for your private path loss
matrices and the location for the shared path loss matrices:
-
Private Directory: The Private Directory is where you store path loss matrices you generate or, if you are
loading path loss matrices from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.
Click the button beside the Private Directory (
) and select Embedded to save the path loss matrices in
the Atoll document, or Browse to select a directory where Atoll can save the path loss matrices externally.
Note:
Path loss matrices you calculate locally are not stored in the same directory as shared
path loss matrices. Shared path loss matrices are stored in a read-only directory. In other
words, you can read the information from the shared path loss matrices but any changes
you make will be stored locally, either embedded in the ATL file or in a private external
folder, depending on what you have selected in Private Directory.
Caution:
When you save the path loss files externally, the external files are updated as soon as
calculations are performed. In order to keep consistency between the Atoll document and
the stored calculations, you should save the Atoll document before closing it if you have
updated the path loss matrices.
Shared Directory: When you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment, the project data is stored in a
database and the path loss matrices are stored in a directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you
make will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private Directory. The
path loss matrices in the shared directory are updated by a user with administrator rights based on the updated
information in the database. For more information on shared directories, see the Administrator Manual.
5. Click OK.
Checking the Validity of Path Loss Matrices

Atoll automatically checks the validity of the path loss matrices before calculating any coverage prediction. If you want,
you can check whether the path loss matrices are valid without creating a coverage prediction.
To check whether the path loss matrices are valid:
4. Click the Propagation tab. The path loss matrix information is listed in the Available Results table. You have the
following display options:
-
-

Locked: If the check box is selected, the path loss matrix will not be updated even if the path loss matrices
are recalculated.
Valid: This is a Boolean field indicating whether or not the path loss matrix is valid.
Origin of Invalidity: If the path loss matrix is indicated as being invalid, the reason is given here.
5. Click the Statistics button to display the number of path loss matrices to be recalculated. The Statistics dialogue
appears (see Figure 6.109) with the total number of invalid path loss matrices and the reasons for invalidity, as
well as a summary of the reasons for invalidity.
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Figure 6.109: Path loss matrices statistics
6.2.10.2
Assigning a Propagation Model

In Atoll, you can assign a propagation model globally to all transmitters, to a defined group of transmitters, or a single
transmitter. As well, you can assign a default propagation model for coverage predictions. This propagation model is used
for all transmitters where the main propagation model selected is "(Default model)."
Because you can assign a propagation model in several different ways, it is important to understand which propagation
model Atoll will use:
1. If you have assigned a propagation model to a single transmitter, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation Model
to One Transmitter" on page 207, or to a group of transmitters, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation Model to
a Group of Transmitters" on page 207, this is the propagation model that will be used.
The propagation model assigned to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters will always have precedence over any other assigned propagation model.
2. If you have assigned a propagation model globally to all transmitters, as explained in "Assigning a Propagation
Model to All Transmitters" on page 206, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters, except
for those to which you have assigned a propagation model either individually or as part of a group.
Important: When you assign a propagation model globally, you override any selection you might
have made to an individual transmitter or to a group of transmitters.
3. If you have assigned a default propagation model for coverage predictions, as described in "Defining a Default
Propagation Model" on page 158, this is the propagation model that will be used for all transmitters whose main
propagation model is "(Default model)." If a transmitter has any other propagation model chosen as the main propagation model, that is the propagation model that will be used.
"Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters" on page 206.

"Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters" on page 207.
"Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 207.
For more information about the available propagation models, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.
Assigning a Propagation Model to All Transmitters

In Atoll, you can assign a propagation model per transmitter or globally.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
-


-

7. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for all transmitters.
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Note:
Setting a different main or extended matrix on an individual transmitter as explained in

"Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter" on page 207 will override this entry.
Assigning a Propagation Model to a Group of Transmitters

Transmitters that share the same parameters and environment will usually use the same propagation model and settings.
In Atoll, you can assign the same propagation model to several transmitters by first grouping them by their common
parameters and then assigning the propagation model.
To define a main and extended propagation model for a defined group of transmitters:
3. From the Group By submenu of the context menu, select the property by which you want to group the transmitters.
Note:
You can group transmitters by several properties by using the Group By button on the
Properties dialogue. For more information, see "Advanced Grouping" on page 60.
4. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.

5. Right-click the group of transmitters to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The
selected group.
For each transmitter, you can set the propagation model parameters in the following columns:
-
Main Propagation Model

Main Calculation Radius (m)
Main Resolution (m)
Extended Propagation Model
Extended Calculation Radius (m)
Extended Resolution (m)
7. To enter the same values in one column for all transmitters in the table:
Note:
Assigning a Propagation Model to One Transmitter

If you have added a single transmitter, you can assign it a propagation model. You can also assign a propagation model
to a single transmitter after you have assigned a main and extended propagation model globally or to a group of transmitters.
When you assign a main and extended propagation model to a single transmitter, it overrides any changes you have previously made globally.
To define a main and extended propagation model for all transmitters:
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder.
3. Right-click the transmitter to which you want to assign a main and extended propagation model. The context menu
appears.
-


-

8. Click OK. The selected propagation models will be used for the selected transmitter.
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Note:
6.2.10.3
You can also define the propagation models for a transmitter by right-clicking it in the map
window and selecting Properties from the context menu.
The Calculation Process

When you create a coverage prediction and click the Calculate button (
), Atoll follows the following process:
1. Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss matrices exist and, if so, whether they are valid. There must be valid
path loss matrices for each active and filtered transmitter whose propagation radius intersects the rectangle
containing the computation zone.
2. If the path loss matrices do not exist or are not valid, Atoll calculates them. There has to be at least one unlocked
coverage prediction in the Predictions folder. If not Atoll will not calculate the path loss matrices when you click
the Calculate button (
).
3. Atoll calculates all unlocked coverage predictions in the Predictions folder. Atoll automatically locks the results
of a coverage prediction as soon as it is calculated, as indicated by the icon (
in the Predictions folder.
) beside the coverage prediction
Notes:
6.2.10.4
You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button (
the toolbar.
) in
When you click the Force Calculation button (

) instead of the Calculate button, Atoll calculates all path loss matrices, unlocked coverages, and pending simulations.
Creating a Computation Zone

To create a computation zone:
3. Right-click the Computation Zone folder. The context menu appears.

5. Draw the computation zone:
The computation zone is delimited by a red line. If you clear the computation zones visibility check box in the
Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into
account.
You can also create a computation zone with one of the following methods:

Vector Edition toolbar to draw the computation zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a computation zone by right-clicking it and
selecting Use as > Computation Zone from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative area, you can import it and use it as a computation zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Computation Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu.
Fit to Map Window: You can create a computation zone the size of the map window by right-clicking the Computation Zone folder on the Geo tab and selecting Fit to Map Window from the context menu.
Note:
You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document,
in the following ways:
-
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Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on exporting the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 69.
Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by rightclicking the Focus Zone folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window and selecting
Export from the context menu.
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6.2.10.5
Setting Transmitters or Cells as Active

When you make a coverage prediction, Atoll considers all base stations that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by
the current filter parameters), and whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing the computation zone. Therefore, before you define a coverage prediction, you must ensure that all the transmitters on the base stations you wish to
study have been activated. In the Explorer window, active transmitters are indicated with a red icon ( ) in the Transmitters folder and with the defined colour on the map and inactive transmitters are indicated with an empty icon ( )in the
Transmitters folder and on the map.
In Atoll, you can also set the cell on a transmitter as active or inactive.
You can set an individual transmitter as active from its context menu or you can set more than one transmitter as active
by activating them from the Transmitters context menu, by activating the transmitters cells from the Cells table, or by
selecting the transmitters with a zone and activating them from the zones context menu.
To set an individual transmitter as active:
3. Right-click the transmitter you want to activate. The context menu appears.
4. Select Active Transmitter from the context menu. The transmitter is now active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters context menu:
2. Select the transmitters you want to set as active:
-
To set all transmitters as active, right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
To set a group of transmitters as active, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Transmitters folder and
right-click the group of transmitters you want to set as active. The context menu appears.
3. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
To set more than one transmitter as active using the Transmitters table:
3. Select Open Table. The Transmitters table appears with each transmitters parameters in a row.
4. For each transmitter that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set more than one cell as active using the Cells table:
3. Select Cells > Open Table. The Cells table appears with each cells parameters in a row.
4. For each cell that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Active column.
To set transmitters as active using a zone:
3. Right-click the folder of the zone you will use to select the transmitters. The context menu appears.
Note:
If you do not yet have a zone containing the transmitters you want to set as active, you
can draw a zone as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 31.
4. Select Activate Transmitters from the context menu. The selected transmitters are set as active.
Once you have ensured that all transmitters are active, you can set the propagation model parameters. For information on
choosing and configuring a propagation model, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll.
Calculating path loss matrices can be time and resource intensive when you are working on larger projects. Consequently,
Atoll offers you the possibility of distributing path loss calculations on several computers. You can install the distributed
calculation server application on other workstations or on servers. Once the distributed calculation server application is
installed on a workstation or server, the computer is available for distributed path loss calculation to other computers on
the network. For information on setting up the distributed calculation server application, see The Administrator Manual.
6.2.10.6
Signal Level Coverage Predictions

Atoll offers a series of standard coverage predictions based on the measured signal level at each pixel; other factors, such
as interference, are not taken into consideration. Coverage predictions specific to LTE are covered in "LTE Coverage
Predictions" on page 222.
Once you have created and calculated a coverage prediction, you can use the coverage predictions context menu to make
the coverage prediction into a customised study (which will appear under the heading Customised Studies in the Study
Types dialogue). You can also select Duplicate from the coverage predictions context menu to create a copy. By dupli-
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cating an existing prediction that has the parameters you want to study, you can create a new coverage prediction more
quickly. If you clone a coverage prediction, by selecting Clone from the context menu, you can create a copy of the prediction with the calculated coverage. You can then change the display, providing that the selected parameter does not invalidate the calculated coverage prediction.
You can also save the list of all defined coverage predictions in a user configuration, allowing you or other users to import
it into a new Atoll document. When you save the list in a user configuration, the parameters of all existing coverage predictions are saved; not just the parameters of calculated or displayed ones. For information on exporting user configurations,
see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 69.
The following standard coverage predictions are explained in this section:
6.2.10.6.1
"Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal Level" on page 210

"Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 211
"Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones" on page 212.
Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal Level

A coverage prediction by signal level allows you to predict coverage zones by the transmitter signal strength at each pixel.
You can base the coverage on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a defined range. For a transmitter with more
than one cell, the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest reference signal power.
To make a coverage prediction by signal level:
4. Select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK. The Coverage by Signal Level Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the General tab.
On the General tab, you can change the default Name, Resolution, and the storage Folder for the coverage
prediction, and add some Comments. For more information on the storage of coverage predictions, see "Defining
the Storage Location of Coverage Prediction Results" on page 172. Under Configuration, you can create a Filter
to select which sites to display in the results. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 64.
6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 6.110). On the Condition tab, you can define the signals that will be considered
for each pixel.
-
At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be considered.
Under Server, select "All" to consider all servers. Selecting "All" or "Best Signal Level" will give you the same
results because Atoll displays the results of the best server in either case. Selecting "Best Signal Level"
necessitates, however, a longer time for calculation.
When you select "Best Signal Level" or "Second Best Signal Level," you can also define a Margin that Atoll
will take into consideration.
If you select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Figure 6.110: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by signal level

7. Click the Display tab.
If you choose to display the results by best signal level, the coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. If you choose to display the results by signal level, the coverage prediction results will be arranged according
to transmitter. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
-
Calculate button (
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see
Figure 6.111).
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Figure 6.111: Coverage prediction by signal level
6.2.10.6.2
Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter

A coverage prediction by transmitter allows the user to predict coverage zones by transmitter at each pixel. You can base
the coverage on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a defined range. For a transmitter with more than one cell,
the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest reference signal power.
To make a coverage prediction by transmitter:
4. Select Coverage by Transmitter and click OK. The Coverage by Transmitter Properties dialogue appears.
for each pixel.
-
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
Figure 6.112: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by transmitter

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For a coverage prediction by transmitter, the Display Type "Discrete Values" based on the Field "Transmitter" is
selected by default. Each coverage zone will then be displayed with the same colour as that defined for each transmitter. For information on defining transmitter colours, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
-
Calculate button (
Figure 6.113).
Figure 6.113: Coverage prediction by transmitter
6.2.10.6.3
Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones

Overlapping zones are composed of pixels that are, for a defined condition, covered by the signal of at least two transmitters. You can base a coverage prediction on overlapping zones on the signal level, path loss, or total losses within a
defined range. For a transmitter with more than one cell, the coverage is calculated for the cell with the highest reference
signal power.
To make a coverage prediction on overlapping zones:
4. Select Overlapping Zones and click OK. The Overlapping Zones Properties dialogue appears.
for each pixel.
-
necessitates, however, the longest time for calculation.
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Figure 6.114: Condition settings for a coverage prediction on overlapping zones

For a coverage prediction on overlapping zones, the Display Type "Value Intervals" based on the Field "Number
of Servers" is selected by default. Each overlapping zone will then be displayed in a colour corresponding to the
number of servers received per pixel. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of
Objects" on page 22.
-
Calculate button (
Figure 6.115).
Figure 6.115: Coverage prediction on overlapping zones
6.2.10.7
Analysing a Coverage Prediction

Once you have performed a coverage prediction study, you can analyse the results with the tools that Atoll provides.
The results are displayed graphically in the map window according to the settings you made on the Display tab when you
created the coverage prediction (step 5. of "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 201). If several coverage predictions are visible on the map, it may be difficult to clearly see the results of the coverage prediction you wish to analyse.
You can select which coverage predictions to display or to hide by selecting or clearing the display check box. For information on managing the display, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 18.
In this section, the following tools are explained:
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"Displaying the Legend Window" on page 214.

"Displaying Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips" on page 214.
"Using the Point Analysis Reception Tab" on page 214.
"Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 215.
"Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 216.
"Viewing Coverage Prediction Statistics" on page 217.
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6.2.10.7.1
"Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 218.
Displaying the Legend Window

When you create a coverage prediction, you can add the displayed values of the coverage prediction to a legend by selecting the Add to Legend check box on the Display tab.
6.2.10.7.2
Select View > Legend Window. The Legend window is displayed, with the values for each displayed coverage
prediction identified by the name of the coverage prediction.
Displaying Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips

You can get information by placing the pointer over an area of the coverage prediction to read the information displayed
in the tool tips. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab when you created the
coverage prediction (step 5. of "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 201).
To get coverage prediction results in the form of tool tips:
In the map window, place the pointer over the area of the coverage prediction that you want more information on.
After a brief pause, the tooltip appears with the information defined in the Display tab of the coverage prediction
properties (see Figure 6.116).
Figure 6.116: Displaying coverage prediction results using tool tips
6.2.10.7.3
Using the Point Analysis Reception Tab

Once you have calculated the coverage prediction, you can use the Point Analysis tool. The Point Analysis window
gives you information on reception for any point on the map. The Reception tab gives you information on the reference
signal, SS, PBCH, PDSCH, PDCCH, and PUSCH and PUCCH signal levels, C/(I+N), bearers, and throughputs, etc. The
analysis is provided for a user-definable probe receiver which has a terminal, a mobility and a service.
The analysis is based on:
The reference signal levels, used to determine the best server for the pixel. The best serving transmitter is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest reference signal power. If
more than one cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest layer is selected as the serving (reference) cell.
The reference signal C/N or C/(I+N), used to determine whether SU-MIMO or transmit or receive diversity is used
in case of AMS, and whether MU-MIMO can be used in uplink or not.
The PDSCH signal levels, downlink traffic loads, and ICIC ratios for determining the PDSCH C/(I+N), bearer, and
throughputs.
The PUSCH & PUCCH signal levels and uplink noise rise for determining the PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N), bearer,
and throughputs.
The downlink and uplink load conditions can be taken from the Cells table or from Monte Carlo simulations.
You can make a reception analysis to verify a coverage prediction. In this case, before you make the point analysis, ensure
the coverage prediction you want to verify is displayed on the map.
To make a reception analysis:
1. Click the Point Analysis button (
Figure 6.117).
) on the toolbar. The Point Analysis Tool window appears (see
2. Click the Reception tab.

3. At the top of the Reception tab, select "Cells Table" from Load Conditions.
4. If you are making a reception analysis to verify a coverage prediction, you can recreate the conditions of the coverage prediction:
a. Select the same Terminal, Mobility, and Service studied in the coverage prediction.
b. Right-click the Point Analysis window and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialogue appears.
-
Edit the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter class.
c. Click OK to close the Properties dialogue.
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5. Select the signal to be displayed from the Display list.
6. Move the pointer over the map to make a reception analysis for the current location of the pointer.
In the map window, arrows from the pointer to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. A thick black line from the pointer to its best server is also displayed in the map window. The best server
of the pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest reference signal level.
7. Click the map to leave the point analysis pointer at its current position.
To move the pointer again, click the point analysis pointer on the map and drag it to a new position.
8. Click the Point Analysis button (
) on the toolbar again to end the point analysis.
Select the load conditions to use

in this analysis from simulations
or from the Cells table.
Select the parameters of the

probe user to be studied.
The reference signal reception from the best

server (top-most bar) and all interfering cells.
Solid bars indicate the signal levels above
the minimum RSRP.
The connection status (reference signals,

downlink and uplink) for the current point.
: Service available
: Service unavailable
Figure 6.117: Point Analysis Tool: Reception tab

The bar graph displays the following information:
The RS, SS, or PDSCH signal levels, or the RSRP (depending on the selection made from the Display list) from
different transmitters (the colour of the bar corresponds to the colour of the transmitter on the map).
The minimum RSRP. The portion of the bar which is not filled indicates signal levels below the minimum RSRP.
The availability of reference signal coverage, and service in downlink and uplink.
If there is at least one successful connection (for reference signals, downlink, or uplink), double-clicking the icons in the
right-hand frame opens a dialogue with additional information with respect to the best server:
Reference Signals: Azimuth and tilt of the receiver, total losses, received reference signal power, reference
signal C/(I+N), RSRP, RSRQ, RSSI.
Downlink: Diversity mode, SS received power, PBCH received power, PDCCH received power, PDSCH received
power, SS & PBCH total noise, PDSCH & PDCCH total noise (I+N), SS C/(I+N), PBCH C/(I+N), PDCCH C/(I+N),
PDSCH C/(I+N), bearer, channel throughputs, cell capacities, and average user throughputs.
Uplink: Diversity mode, received PUSCH & PUCCH power, transmission power, allocated bandwidth, PUSCH &
PUCCH total noise (I+N), PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N), bearer, channel throughputs, cell capacities, allocated bandwidth throughputs, and average user throughputs.
To get all the above information in a single report:
a. Right-click the Point Analysis window and select Report from the context menu. The Analysis Report dialogue appears.
6.2.10.7.4
Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report

The focus and hot spot zones define the area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. While you
can only have one focus zone, you can define several hot spot zones in addition to the focus zone.
It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus and hot spot zones. The computation zone defines the
area where Atoll calculates path loss matrices, coverage predictions, Monte Carlo simulations, etc., while the focus and
hot spot zones are the areas taken into consideration when generating reports and results. When you create a coverage
prediction report, it gives the results for the focus zone and for each of the defined hot spot zones.
To define a focus zone or hot spot zone:
3. Right-click the Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder, depending on whether you want to create a focus zone or
a hot spot. The context menu appears.
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5. Draw the focus or hot spot zone:
A focus zone is delimited by a green line; a hot spot zone is delimited by a heavy black line. If you clear the zones
visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the Explorer window, it will no longer be displayed but
You can also create a focus or hot spot zone as follows:

Vector Edition toolbar to draw the focus or hot spot zone.
Existing polygon: You can use any existing polygon on the map as a focus or hot spot zone by right-clicking it
and selecting Use as > Focus Zone or Use as > New Hot Spot from the context menu.
Importing a polygon: If you have a file with an existing polygon, for example, a polygon describing an administrative area, you can import it and use it as a focus or hot spot zone. You can import it by right-clicking the Focus
Zone or Hot Spot Zones folder on the Geo tab and selecting Import from the context menu. When you import hot
spot zones, you can import the name given to each zone as well.
Fit to Map Window: You can create a focus or hot spot zone the size of the map window by selecting Fit to Map
Notes:
You can save the focus zone or hot spot zones, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document, in the following ways:
-
6.2.10.7.5
Saving the focus zone in the user configuration: For information on exporting the focus
zone in the user configuration, see "Exporting a User Configuration" on page 69.
- Exporting the focus zone or hot spot zones: You can export the focus zone or hot spot
zones by right-clicking the Focus Zone or the Hot Spot Zones folder on the Data tab of
the Explorer window and selecting Export from the context menu..
You can include population statistics in the focus or hot spot zone by importing a population
map. For information on importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on
page 101.
Displaying a Coverage Prediction Report

Atoll can generate a report for any coverage prediction whose display check box is selected ( ). The report displays the
covered surface and percentage for each threshold value defined in the Display tab of the coverage predictions Properties dialogue.
The coverage prediction report is displayed in a table. By default, the report table only displays the name and coverage
area columns. You can edit the table to select which columns to display or to hide. For information on displaying and hiding
columns, see "Displaying or Hiding a Column" on page 48.
Atoll bases the report on the area covered by the focus zone and hot spot zones; if no focus zone is defined, Atoll will
use the computation zone. Using a focus zone enables you to create a report without the border effect. In other words, the
results of a coverage prediction are delimited by the computation zone; results close to the border are influenced by fact
that no calculations have been made outside the computation zone. Basing a report on a focus zone that is smaller than
the computation zone eliminates the border effect. By using a focus zone for the report, you can create a report for a
specific number of base stations, instead of creating a report for every site that has been calculated.
The focus zone or hot spot zone must be defined before you display a report; it is not necessary to define it before computing coverage. The focus or hot spot zone does not, however, need to be visible; even if it is not displayed, Atoll will take
it into account when generating the report. For information on defining a focus zone or hot spot zone, see "Creating a
Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on page 215.
Atoll can generate a report for a single prediction, or for all displayed predictions.
To display a report on a single coverage prediction:
3. Right-click the coverage prediction for which you want to generate a report. The context menu appears.
4. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
5. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:
a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking
to move it up or
to move it down.
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You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Export button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can apply a configuration that you have saved previously:
a. Under Configuration, click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to import and click Open. The imported report configuration is applied.
6. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed
dialogue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report is based on the hot spot zones and on the
focus zone if available or on the hot spot zones and computation zone if there is no focus zone.
To display a report on all coverage predictions:
3. Select Generate Report from the context menu. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Define the format and content of the report:
You can select the columns that will be displayed in the report and define the order they are in:
a. Select the check box for each column you want to have displayed.
b. Define the order of the columns by selecting each column you want to move and clicking
to move it up or
to move it down.
You can save the current report format in a configuration:
a. Under Configuration, click the Export button. The Save As dialogue appears.
b. In the Save As dialogue, browse to the folder where you want to save the configuration and enter a File name.
You can apply a configuration that you have saved previously:
a. Under Configuration, click the Import button. a appears.
b. Select the configuration you want to import and click Open. The imported report configuration is applied
5. When you have finished defining the format and content of the report, click OK in the Columns to Be Displayed
dialogue. The coverage prediction report table appears. The report shows all displayed coverage predictions in
the same order as in the Predictions folder. The report is based on the focus zone if available or on the calculation
zone if there is no focus zone.
You can include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot zone by importing a population map. For information on
importing maps, see "Importing a Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 101. Normally, Atoll takes all geo data into
consideration, whether it is displayed or not. However, for the population statistics to be used in a report, the population
map has to be displayed.
To include population statistics in the focus zone or hot spot zone:
1. Ensure that the population geo data is visible. For information on displaying geo data, see "Displaying or Hiding
2. Display the report as explained above.
3. Select Format > Display Columns. The Columns to Be Displayed dialogue appears.
4. Select the following columns, where "Population" is the name of the folder on the Geo tab containing the population map:
-
"Population" (Population): The number of inhabitants covered.

"Population" (% Population): The percentage of inhabitants covered.
"Population" (Population [total]): The total number of inhabitants inside the zone.
Atoll saves the names of the columns you select and will automatically select them the next time you create a
coverage prediction report.
5. Click OK.
If you have created a custom data map with integrable data, the data can be used in prediction reports. The data will be
summed over the coverage area for each item in the report (for example, by transmitter or threshold). The data can be
value data (revenue, number of customers, etc.) or density data (revenue/km, number of customers/km, etc.). Data is
considered as non-integrable if the data given is per pixel or polygon and cannot be summed over areas, for example,
socio-demographic classes, rain zones, etc. For information on integrable data in custom data maps, see "Integrable
Versus Non Integrable Data" on page 117.
6.2.10.7.6
Viewing Coverage Prediction Statistics

Atoll can display statistics for any coverage prediction whose display check box is selected ( ). By default, Atoll displays
a histogram using the coverage study colours, interval steps, and shading as defined in the Display tab of the coverage
predictions Properties dialogue. You can also display a cumulative distribution function (CDF) or an inverse CDF (1
CDF). For a CDF or an inverse CDF, the resulting values are combined and shown along a curve. You can also display
the histogram or the CDFs as percentages of the covered area.
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Atoll bases the statistics on the area covered by the focus zone; if no focus zone is defined, Atoll will use the computation
zone. However, by using a focus zone, you can display the statistics for a specific number of base stations, instead of
displaying statistics for every base station that has been calculated. Hot spot zones are not taken into consideration when
displaying statistics.
The focus zone must be defined before you display statistics; it is not necessary to define it before computing coverage.
For information on defining a focus zone, see "Creating a Focus or Hot Spot Zone for a Coverage Prediction Report" on
page 215.
To display the statistics on a coverage prediction:
3. Right-click the coverage prediction whose statistics you want to display. The context menu appears.
4. Select Histogram from the context menu. The Statistics dialogue appears with a histogram of the area defined
by the focus zone (see Figure 6.118).
-
Under Histogram Based on Covered Areas, you can select to view a histogram, CDF, or inverse CDF based
on area or percentage.
The Detailed Results section displays the covered area values, or the percentage of the covered area, along
the y-axis against the coverage criterion along the x-axis.
You can copy the graph by clicking the Copy button.
You can print the graph by clicking the Print button.
Under Statistics Based on Study Conditions, you can view the mean and standard deviation of the coverage criterion calculated during the coverage calculations, if available.
Figure 6.118: Histogram of a coverage prediction by signal level
6.2.10.7.7
Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples

Atoll allows you to compare two similar predictions to see the differences between them. This enables you to quickly see
how changes you make affect the network.
In this section, there are two examples to explain how you can compare two similar predictions. You can display the results
of the comparison study coverage in one of the following ways:
Intersection: This display shows the area where both coverage predictions overlap (for example, pixels covered
by both coverage predictions are displayed in red).
Union: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour and pixels covered by
only one coverage prediction in a different colour (for example, pixels covered by both predictions are red and
pixels covered by only one prediction are blue).
Difference: This display shows all pixels covered by both coverage predictions in one colour, pixels covered by
only the first prediction with another colour and pixels covered only by the second prediction with a third colour (for
example, pixels covered by both predictions are red, pixels covered only by the first prediction only are green, and
pixels covered only by the second prediction are blue).
To compare two similar coverage predictions:

1. Create and calculate a coverage prediction of the existing network.
2. Examine the coverage prediction to see where coverage can be improved.
3. Make the changes to the network to improve coverage.
4. Duplicate the original coverage prediction (in order to leave the first coverage prediction unchanged).
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5. Calculate the duplicate coverage prediction.
6. Compare the original coverage prediction with the new coverage prediction. Atoll displays differences in coverage
between them.
In this section, the following examples are explained:
"Example 1: Studying the Effect of a New Base Station" on page 219

"Example 2: Studying the Effect of a Change in Transmitter Tilt" on page 221.
Example 1: Studying the Effect of a New Base Station

If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing
coverage. In this example, we will look at how you can verify if a newly added base station improves coverage.
A signal level coverage prediction of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal
Level" on page 210. The results are displayed in Figure 6.119. An area with poor coverage is visible on the right side of
the figure.
Figure 6.119: Signal level coverage prediction of existing network

A new base station is added, either by creating the base station and adding the transmitters, as explained in "Creating an
LTE Base Station" on page 181, or by placing a station template, as explained in "Placing a New Base Station Using a
Station Template" on page 188. Once the new site has been added, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated,
but then it would be impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original signal level coverage prediction can be copied
by selecting Duplicate from its context menu. The copy is then calculated to show the effect of the new base station (see
Figure 6.120).
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Figure 6.120: Signal level coverage prediction of network with new base station
Now you can compare the two coverage predictions.
To compare two coverage predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the coverage prediction you
want to compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their names and
resolutions.
4. Click the Display tab. On the display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be displayed. You can choose among:
-
Intersection
Union
Difference
In order to see what changes adding a new base station made, you should choose Difference.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 6.121, shows clearly the area covered only by the
new base station.
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Figure 6.121: Comparison of both signal level coverage predictions
Example 2: Studying the Effect of a Change in Transmitter Tilt

If you have an area in a network that is poorly covered by current transmitters, you have several options for increasing
coverage. In this example, we will look at how modifying transmitter tilt can improve coverage.
A coverage prediction by transmitter of the current network is made as described in "Making a Coverage Prediction by
Transmitter" on page 211. The results are displayed in Figure 6.122. The coverage prediction shows that one transmitter
is covering its area poorly. The area is indicated with a red oval in the figure.
Figure 6.122: Coverage prediction by transmitter of existing network

You can try modifying the tilt on the transmitter to improve the coverage. The properties of the transmitter can be accessed
by right-clicking the transmitter in the map window and selecting Properties from the context menu. The mechanical and
electrical tilt of the antenna are defined on the Transmitter tab of the Properties dialogue.
Once the tilt of the antenna has been modified, the original coverage prediction can be recalculated, but then it would be
impossible to compare the results. Instead, the original coverage prediction can be copied by selecting Duplicate from its
context menu. The copy is then calculated, to show how modifying the antenna tilt has affected coverage (see
Figure 6.123).
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Figure 6.123: Coverage prediction by transmitter of network after modifications

As you can see, modifying the antenna tilt increased the coverage of the transmitter. However, to see exactly the change
in coverage, you can compare the two predictions.
To compare two predictions:
1. Right-click one of the two predictions. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare with and, from the menu that opens, select the prediction you want to
compare with the first. The Comparison Properties dialogue appears.
3. Click the General tab. You can change the Name of the comparison and add Comments.
The General tab contains information about the coverage predictions being compared, including their names and
resolutions.
4. Click the Display tab. On the display tab, you can choose how you want the results of the comparison to be displayed. You can choose among:
-
Intersection
Union
Difference
In order to see what changes modifying the antenna tilt made, you can choose Union. This will display all pixels
covered by both predictions in one colour and all pixels covered by only one prediction in another colour. The
increase in coverage, seen in only the second coverage prediction, will be immediately clear.
5. Click OK to create the comparison. The comparison in Figure 6.124, shows clearly the increase in coverage due
at the change in antenna tilt.
Figure 6.124: Comparison of both transmitter coverage predictions
6.2.10.8
LTE Coverage Predictions

Two types of LTE coverage predictions are available in Atoll: coverage predictions used to analyse the effective signal
levels, and coverage predictions used to analyse the signal quality.
Effective signal analysis coverage predictions can be used to analyse different signals (reference signals, SS, PBCH,
PDSCH, and PDCCH) in the downlink as well as in the uplink once the user-end gains and losses have been considered.
These coverage predictions do not depend on the network load conditions.
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Using signal quality coverage predictions you can study the effective service coverage area and capacity of each cell in
the network. These coverage predictions depend on the interference in the network and the cell load conditions. For this
reason, the network load must be defined in order to calculate these coverage predictions.
For the purposes of these coverage predictions, each pixel is considered a non-interfering user with a defined service,
mobility type, and terminal. The following are explained in the following sections:
"Service and User Modelling" on page 223.
This section explains the coverage predictions available for analysing the effective signal level and signal quality. The
following are explained:
"Analysing the Effective Signal Levels" on page 225.

"Analysing the Signal Quality" on page 227.
You can also use the Point Analysis window to study the interference level at a point. Load conditions can be selected
for the analysis as well as the characteristics of the user-definable probe receiver, i.e., a terminal, a mobility, and a service:
6.2.10.8.1
"Analysing Interference Areas Using a Point Analysis" on page 236.
Service and User Modelling

Atoll can base its signal quality studies on the DL traffic load and the UL noise rise entered in the Cells table (for more
information, see "Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise" on page 227). Before you can model services, you must
define LTE radio bearers. For more information on LTE radio bearers, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 359.
"Modelling Services" on page 223.

"Modelling Mobility Types" on page 224.
"Modelling Terminals" on page 224.
Modelling Services
Services are the various services available to users. These services can be either voice or data type services. This section
explains how to create a service. The following parameters are used in predictions:
Throughput scaling factor

Throughput offset
Body loss
To create or modify a service:

) to expand the LTE Parameters folder.
3. Right-click the Services folder. The context menu appears.

4. Select New from the context menu. The Services New Element Properties dialogue appears.
Note:
You can modify the properties of an existing service by right-clicking the service in the
Services folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can edit the fields on the General tab to define the new service. Some fields depend on the type of service
you choose. You can change the following parameters.
-
Name: Atoll proposes a name for the new service, but you can set a more descriptive name.
Type: You can select either Voice or Data as the service type.
Priority: Enter a priority for this service. "0" is the lowest priority.
Activity Factor: The uplink and downlink activity factors are used to determine the probability of activity for
users accessing a voice type service during Monte Carlo simulations.
Highest Bearer: Select the highest bearer that the service can use in the uplink and downlink. This is considered as an upper limit during bearer determination.
Max Throughput Demand: Enter the highest throughput that the service can demand in the uplink and downlink.
Min. Throughput Demand: Enter the minimum required throughput that the service should have in order to
be available in the uplink and downlink.
Average Requested Throughput: Enter the average requested throughput for uplink and downlink. The
average requested throughput is used in a simulation during user distribution generation in order to calculate
the number of users attempting a connection.
Application Throughput: Under Application Throughput, you can set a Scaling Factor between the application throughput and the RLC (Radio Link Control) throughput and a throughput Offset. These parameters
model the header information and other supplementary data that does not appear at the application level.
The application throughput parameters are used in throughput coverage predictions and for application
throughput calculation.
Body Loss: Enter a body loss for the service. The body loss is the loss due to the body of the user. For
example, in a voice connection the body loss, due to the proximity of the users head, is estimated to be 3 dB.
6. Click OK.
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Modelling Mobility Types

In LTE, information about the receiver mobility is required for determining which bearer selection threshold and quality
graph to use from the LTE equipment referred to in the terminal or cell. Mobiles used at high speeds and at walking speeds
do not have the same quality characteristics. C/(I+N) requirements for different radio bearers are largely dependent on
mobile speed.
To create or modify a mobility type:
3. Right-click the Mobility Types folder. The context menu appears.

4. Select New from the context menu. The Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue appears.
Note:
You can modify the properties of an existing mobility type by right-clicking the mobility
type in the Mobility Types folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Mobility Types New Element Properties dialogue:
-
Name: Enter a descriptive name for the mobility type.

Average Speed: Enter an average speed for the mobility type. This field is for information only; the average
speed is not used by any calculation.
6. Click OK.
Modelling Terminals
In LTE, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a PDA, or a cars onboard navigation device.
The following parameters are used in predictions:
Antenna
LTE equipment
Maximum and minimum terminal power
Gain and losses
Noise figure
Supported antenna diversity technique
Number of transmission and reception antenna ports for MIMO
To create or modify a terminal:

3. Right-click the Terminals folder. The context menu appears.

4. Select New from the context menu. The Terminals New Element Properties dialogue appears.
Note:
You can modify the properties of an existing terminal by right-clicking the terminal in the
Terminals folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can enter or modify the following parameters in the Terminals New Element Properties dialogue:
-
Name: Enter a descriptive name for the terminal.

Under Transmission/Reception,
-
Min Power: Enter the minimum transmission power of the terminal.

Max Power: Enter the maximum transmission power of the terminal.
Noise Figure: Enter the noise figure of the terminal (used to calculate the downlink total noise).
Losses: Enter the losses of the terminal.
LTE Equipment: Select an LTE equipment from the list of available equipment. For more information on
LTE equipment, see "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 360.
Under Antenna,
-
Note:
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Model: Select an antenna model from the list of available antennas. If you do not select an antenna for
the terminal, Atoll uses an isotropic antenna in calculations.
In case you do not select an antenna, Atoll uses an isotropic antenna, not an omnidirectional antenna, in calculations. An isotropic antenna has spherical radiation patterns
in the horizontal as well as vertical planes.
Gain: Enter the terminal antenna gain if you have not selected an antenna model in the Model field. If you
have selected an antenna, the Gain field is disabled and shows the gain of the selected antenna.
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Diversity Support: Select whether the terminal type supports MIMO or not. Antenna diversity gains will
be applied to MIMO users.
Under Number of Antenna Ports, enter the number of antenna ports available in the terminal for Transmission and Reception.
6. Click OK.
6.2.10.8.2
Analysing the Effective Signal Levels

Atoll offers a couple of LTE coverage predictions which can be based on the predicted signal level from the best server
and the thermal background noise at each pixel, i.e., received carrier power (C) and the carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N). This
section explains the coverage predictions available for analysing the effective signal levels.
Downlink and uplink effective signal analysis coverage predictions predict the effective signal levels of different types of
LTE signals, such as reference signals, SS, PBCH, PDSCH including the PDCCH and the downlink traffic channel, and
PUSCH, in the part of the network being studied.
Atoll calculates the serving transmitter for each pixel depending on the downlink reference signal level. The serving transmitter is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest reference signal power.
In a prediction over all cell layers, if more than one cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest layer is selected as the
serving (reference) cell. Then, depending on the prediction definition, it calculates the effective signal (C or C/N for reference signals, SS, etc.). Pixels are coloured if the display threshold condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the C or C/N is
higher than the C or C/N threshold).
To make an effective signal analysis coverage prediction:
4. Select Effective Signal Analysis (DL) or Effective Signal Analysis (UL) and click OK. The coverage predictions Properties dialogue appears.
6. Click the Condition tab (see Figure 6.125).
On the Condition tab, you can select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. You can also select a cell Layer,
or carry out the prediction for all layers. The effective signal analysis coverage prediction is always a best server
coverage prediction. The Noise Figure defined in the terminal types properties dialogue is used in the coverage
prediction to determine the total noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine
the total noise in the uplink.
For more information on services, terminals, mobility types, and LTE equipment, see "Modelling Services" on
page 223, "Modelling Terminals" on page 224, "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 224, and "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 360, respectively.
If you want the coverage prediction to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account
check box and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for
the effective signal analysis calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.
You can also have the coverage prediction take Indoor Coverage into consideration.
Figure 6.125: Condition settings for an effective signal analysis coverage prediction
8. From the Display Type list, choose one of the following:
You can choose between displaying results by Best RSRP (RS EPRE) Level (DL) (dBm), Best Reference Signal
Level (DL), Best SS Signal Level (DL), Best PBCH Signal Level (DL), Best PDCCH Signal Level (DL), Best
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PDSCH Signal Level (DL), Reference Signal C/N Level (DL), SS C/N Level (DL), PBCH C/N Level (DL),
PDCCH C/N Level (DL), PDSCH C/N Level (DL), or Delta Path Loss for the Effective Signal Analysis (DL),
and by PUSCH & PUCCH Signal Level (UL) or PUSCH & PUCCH C/N Level (UL) for the Effective Signal Analysis (UL).
The coverage prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see
-
Calculate button (
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 6.126
and Figure 6.127).
Figure 6.126: PDSCH C/N coverage prediction
Figure 6.127: PUSCH & PUCCH C/N coverage prediction
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6.2.10.8.3
Analysing the Signal Quality

In LTE, the capacity and the effective service coverage areas of cells are influenced by network loads. As the network load
increases, the area where a cell provides service decreases. For this reason, network loads must be defined in order to
calculate these coverage predictions.
Atoll offers a series of coverage predictions which are based on the predicted signal level from the best server and the
predicted signal levels from other cells (interference) at each pixel, i.e., carrier-to-interference-and-noise ratio, or C/(I+N).
The downlink interference received from different cells of the network is weighted by their respective downlink traffic loads.
The measure of uplink interference for each cell is provided by the uplink noise rise.
If you have traffic maps, you can do a Monte Carlo simulation to determine the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise
rise values for a generated user distribution. If you do not have traffic maps, Atoll can calculate these coverage predictions
using the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise values defined for each cell.
In this section, these coverage predictions will be calculated using downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise values
defined at the cell level. Before making a prediction, you will have to set the downlink traffic loads and the uplink noise rise,
and the parameters that define the services and users. These are explained in the following sections:
"Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise" on page 227.
Several signal quality coverage predictions are explained in this section. The following studies are explained:
"Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 227.

"Making a Coverage by Best Bearer" on page 229.
"Making a Coverage by Throughput" on page 231.
"Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simulation Results" on page 234.
"Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator" on page 234.
"Analysing Interference Areas Using a Point Analysis" on page 236.
Setting the Traffic Loads and the UL Noise Rise

If you are setting the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise for a single transmitter, you can set these parameters on the
Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue. However, you can set the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise for all
the cells using the Cells table.
To set the traffic loads and the uplink noise rise using the Cells table:
3. Select Cells > Open Table from the context menu. The Cells table appears.
4. Enter a value in the following columns:
-
Traffic Load (DL) (%)

ICIC Ratio (DL) (%)
UL Noise Rise (dB)
ICIC UL Noise Rise (dB)
Although, you can also set a value for the Traffic Load (UL) (%) column as an indication of cells uplink loads, this
parameter is not used in the coverage prediction calculations. The measure of interference in the uplink is given
by the UL Noise Rise (dB). For a definition of the values, see "Cell Description" on page 184.
5. To enter the same values in one column for all cells in the table:
Note:
Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level

Downlink and uplink coverage predictions by C/(I+N) level predict the interference levels and signal-to-interference levels
in the part of the network being studied.
Atoll calculates the serving transmitter for each pixel depending on the downlink reference signal level. The serving transmitter is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest reference signal power.
In a prediction over all cell layers, if more than one cell cover the pixel, the one with the lowest layer is selected as the
serving (reference) cell. Then, depending on the prediction definition, it calculates the interference from other cells, and
finally calculates the C/(I+N). The pixel is coloured if the display threshold condition is fulfilled (in other words, if the C/(I+N)
is higher than C/(I+N) threshold).
Coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level calculates the co-channel interference as well as the adjacent channel interference,
which is reduced by the adjacent channel suppression factor defined in the Frequency Bands table. For more information
on frequency bands, see "Defining Frequency Bands" on page 356.
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The reference signal C/(I+N) is calculated using the reference signal power. Interference on the reference signals is in part
caused by the reference signals from interfering cells and in part by the PDSCH transmission. The SS C/(I+N) is calculated
using the SS power. Interference on the SS is caused by the SS transmission from interferering cells, respectively. The
PBCH C/(I+N) is calculated using the PBCH power. Interference on the PBCH is caused by the PBCH transmission from
interferering cells, respectively. The PDCCH C/(I+N) is calculated using the PDCCH power. Interference on the PDCCH
is caused by PDCCH transmission from interfereing cells. The PDSCH C/(I+N) is calculated using the PDSCH power.
Interference on the PDSCH is caused by PDSCH transmission from interfereing cells. PDSCH interference depends on
the downlink traffic loads and ICIC ratios of interfering cells. The PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) is calculated using the terminal
power calculated after power control and the uplink noise rise values stored either in the cell properties or in the selected
simulation results.
To make a coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level:
4. Select Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (DL) or Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (UL) and click OK. The coverage predictions Properties dialogue appears.
Select "(Cells Table)" from Load Conditions. In this case, the coverage prediction is not going to be based on
load conditions taken from a simulation. Atoll will calculate the coverage prediction using the cell loads stored in
the cell properties.
Note:
When you base a coverage prediction on simulations, you would select the simulations on
which you would be basing the coverage prediction from the Load Conditions list.
You must select a Terminal, a Mobility type, and a Service. You can also select a cell Layer, or carry out the
prediction for all layers. The C/(I+N) coverage prediction is a best server coverage prediction. The Noise Figure
defined in the terminal types properties dialogue is used in the coverage prediction to determine the total noise in
the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine the total noise in the uplink.
C(I+N) calculations is based on the C/I standard deviation.
Figure 6.128: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by C/(I+N) level

You can choose between displaying results by RSRQ Level (DL) (dB), RSSI Level (DL) (dBm), Reference
Signal C/(I+N) Level (DL), SS C/(I+N) Level (DL), PBCH C/(I+N) Level (DL), SS & PBCH Total Noise (I+N)
(DL), PDCCH C/(I+N) Level (DL), PDSCH C/(I+N) (DL), or PDSCH & PDCCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) for the
Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (DL) and by PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) Level (UL), PUSCH & PUCCH Total Noise
(I+N) (UL), Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Frequency Blocks), PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) Level for 1
Frequency Block (UL), or Transmission Power (UL) (dBm) for the Coverage by C/(I+N) Level (UL).
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You can also display the uplink C/(I+N) for all frequency blocks, i.e., without uplink bandwidth reduction, by setting
the Uplink Bandwidth Allocation Target to Full Bandwidth for the scheduler being used and then selecting the
display option PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) Level (UL). For more information on schedulers, see "Defining LTE
Schedulers" on page 362.
-
Calculate button (
and Figure 6.130).
Figure 6.129: Coverage prediction by PDSCH C/(I+N)
Figure 6.130: Coverage prediction by PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N)
Making a Coverage by Best Bearer

Downlink and uplink best radio bearer coverage predictions calculate and display the best LTE radio bearers based on
C(I+N) for each pixel.
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To make a coverage prediction by best bearer:
4. Select Coverage by Best Bearer (DL) or Coverage by Best Bearer (UL) and click OK. The coverage predictions
Note:
prediction for all layers. The best bearer coverage prediction is always based on the best server. The Noise Figure
defined in the terminal types properties dialogue is used in the coverage prediction to determine the total noise in
the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine the total noise in the uplink. As well,
the bearer selection for each pixel according to the PDSCH C(I+N) level is performed using the bearer selection
thresholds defined in the LTE equipment. This LTE equipment is the one defined in the selected terminal for the
downlink coverage predictions, and the one defined in the cell properties of the serving transmitter for the uplink
coverage predictions. Mobility is used to index the bearer selection threshold graph to use.
Note:
You can make Atoll use only the bearers for which selection thresholds are defined in
both the terminals and the cells LTE equipment by adding an option in the atoll.ini file.
For more information, see the Administrator Manual.
Figure 6.131: Condition settings for a coverage prediction on LTE bearers

You can display results by Best Bearer or Modulation. The coverage prediction results will be in the form of
thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
-
Calculate button (
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and Figure 6.133).
Figure 6.132: Coverage prediction by downlink best bearer
Figure 6.133: Coverage prediction by uplink best bearer
Making a Coverage by Throughput

Downlink and uplink throughput coverage predictions calculate and display the channel throughputs and cell capacities
based on C(I+N) and bearer calculations for each pixel. These coverage predictions can also display aggregate cell
throughputs if Monte Carlo simulation results are available. For more information on making aggregate cell throughput
coverage predictions using simulation results, see "Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simulation Results" on page 234.
To make a coverage prediction by throughput:
4. Select Coverage by Throughput (DL) or Coverage by Throughput (UL) and click OK. The coverage predictions Properties dialogue appears.
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Note:
prediction for all layers. The throughput coverage prediction is always based on the best server. The Noise Figure
defined in the terminal types Properties dialogue is used in the coverage prediction to determine the total noise
in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine the total noise in the uplink. As well,
the bearer selection for each pixel according to the PDSCH C(I+N) level is performed using the bearer selection
thresholds defined in the LTE equipment. This LTE equipment is the one defined in the selected terminal for the
downlink coverage predictions, and the one defined in the cell properties of the serving transmitter for the uplink
coverage predictions. The mobility is used to indicate the bearer selection threshold graph to use. The service is
used for the application throughput parameters defined in the service Properties dialogue.
Note:
Figure 6.134: Condition settings for a throughput coverage prediction

7. Click the Display tab. The settings you select on the Display tab determine the information that the coverage prediction will display. You can set parameters to display the following results:
-
Channel throughputs: To display channel throughputs, select "Peak RLC Channel Throughput," "Effective
RLC Channel Throughput," or "Application Channel Throughput" from the Field list.
Cell capacities: To display cell capacities, select "Peak RLC Cell Capacity," "Effective RLC Cell Capacity,"
or "Application Cell Capacity" from the Field list.
Average user throughputs: To display throughputs averaged per user, select "Peak RLC Throughput Averaged per User," "Effective RLC Throughput Averaged per User," or "Application Throughput Averaged per
User" from the Field list.
Allocated bandwidth throughputs in uplink: To display allocated bandwidth throughputs in uplink, select
"Peak RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput," "Effective RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput," or "Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughput" from the Field list.
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-
Calculate button (
Atoll determines the total number of symbols in the downlink and the uplink frames from the information in the global transmitter parameters and the frequency bands assigned to cells. Then, Atoll determines the bearer at each pixel and multiplies the bearer efficiency by the number of symbols in the frame to determine the peak RLC channel throughputs.
The effective RLC throughputs are the peak RLC throughputs reduced by retransmission due to errors, or the Block Error
Rate (BLER). Atoll uses the block error rate graphs of the LTE equipment defined in the selected terminal for downlink or
the LTE equipment of the cell of the serving transmitter for uplink .
The application throughput is the effective RLC throughput reduced by the overheads of the different layers between the
RLC and the Application layers.
The cell capacity display types let you calculate and display the throughputs available at each pixel of the coverage area
taking into account the maximum traffic load limits set for each cell. In other words, the cell capacity is equal to channel
throughput when the maximum traffic load is set to 100 %, and is equal to a throughput limited by the maximum allowed
traffic loads otherwise. Cell capacities are, therefore, channel throughputs scaled down to respect the maximum traffic load
limits.
The average user throughput in downlink is calculated by dividing the downlink cell capacity by the number of downlink
users of the serving cell. In uplink, the average user throughput is calculated by dividing the allocated bandwidth throughput by the number of uplink users of the serving cell.
The allocated bandwidth throughputs are the throughputs corresponding to the number of frequency blocks allocated to
the terminal at different locations. Users located far from the base stations use less numbers of frequency blocks than
users located near so that they can concentrate their transmission power over a bandwidth narrower than the channel
bandwidth in order to maintain the connection in uplink.
For more information on throughput calculation, see the Technical Reference Guide. For more information on the Global
Parameters, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 356.
Once Atoll has finished calculating the coverage prediction, the results are displayed in the map window.
Figure 6.135: Coverage prediction by downlink channel throughput
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Figure 6.136: Coverage prediction by uplink channel throughput
Making an Aggregate Throughput Coverage Prediction Using Simulation Results

Atoll calculates the aggregate peak RLC, effective RLC, and application cell throughputs during Monte Carlo simulations.
The aggregate cell throughputs are the sums of the cells user throughputs. You can create a coverage prediction that
calculates and displays the surface area covered by each cell, and colours the coverage area of each cell according to its
aggregate throughput.
To create an aggregate throughput coverage prediction:
1. Create and run a Monte Carlo simulation. For more information on creating Monte Carlo simulations, see "Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations" on page 269.
2. Create a coverage prediction by throughput as explained in "Making a Coverage by Throughput" on page 231,
with the following exceptions:
a. On the Condition tab, select a simulation or group of simulations from the Load Conditions list. The coverage
prediction will display the results based on the selected simulation or on the average results of the selected
group of simulations.
b. On the Display tab, you can display results by Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput, Effective RLC Aggregate
Throughput, or Aggregate Application Throughput. The coverage prediction results will be in the form of
thresholds. For information on defining the display, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
This coverage prediction displays the surface area covered by each cell and colours it according to its aggregate throughput. For more information on using simulation results in coverage predictions, see "Making Coverage Predictions Using
Simulation Results" on page 282.
Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator

Downlink and uplink quality indicator coverage predictions calculate and display the values of different quality indicators
(BLER, BER, etc.) based on the best LTE radio bearers and on C(I+N) for each pixel.
To make a coverage prediction by quality indicator:
4. Select Coverage by Quality Indicator (DL) or Coverage by Quality Indicator (UL) and click OK. The coverage
predictions Properties dialogue appears.
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Note:
prediction for all layers. The quality indicator coverage prediction is always based on the best server. The Noise
Figure defined in the terminal types properties dialogue is used in the coverage prediction to determine the total
noise in the downlink, and the Noise Figure of the transmitter is used to determine the total noise in the uplink.
As well, the bearer selection for each pixel according to the PDSCH C(I+N) level is performed using the bearer
selection thresholds defined in the LTE equipment, and the quality indicator graphs from the LTE equipment are
used to determine the values of the selected quality indicator on each pixel. This LTE equipment is the one defined
in the selected terminal for the downlink coverage predictions, and the one defined in the cell properties of the
serving transmitter for the uplink coverage predictions. Mobility is used to index the bearer selection threshold
graph to use.
Note:
Figure 6.137: Condition settings for a coverage prediction by quality indicators

You can choose between displaying results by BER, BLER, FER, or any other quality indicator that you might have
added to the document. For more information, see "Defining LTE Quality Indicators" on page 359. The coverage
prediction results will be in the form of thresholds. For information on adjusting the display, see "Display Properties
-
Calculate button (
and Figure 6.139).
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Figure 6.138: Coverage prediction by downlink BLER
Figure 6.139: Coverage prediction by uplink BLER
6.2.10.8.4
Analysing Interference Areas Using a Point Analysis

In Atoll, you can study the interferers of a transmitter using the Point Analysis tool.
To study interference areas using a point analysis:
1. In the map window, select the transmitter from which you want to make a point analysis.
pointer changes (
3. A line appears on the map connecting the selected transmitter and the current position. You can now do the following:
-

Right-click the receiver to choose one of the following commands from the context menu:
-
Coordinates: Select Coordinates to change the receiver position by entering new XY coordinates.
Target Site: Select a site from the list to place the receiver directly on a site.
4. Click the Interference tab.

The Interference tab displays, in the form of a bar graph, the signal level of the selected transmitter, a black bar
indicating the total noise (I+N) experienced by the receiver, and bars representing the interference received from
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each interferer. The information displayed in the bar graph depends on the selections made at the top of the Interference tab:
-
Load Conditions: Select the load conditions Atoll will use to calculate interference: the settings defined in
the Cells table, the load conditions from a traffic density map, or the load conditions from a simulation.
Display: Select whether Atoll should display the interference on the RS, the SS, the PDSCH, or on the RS
per RE.
Select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility.
Figure 6.140 gives an example of the Interference tab. The signal level of the transmitter, Site0_1 (0), is
-113.67 dB and is indicated by a red bar. The black bar indicates the total noise (I+N) experienced by the receiver
(-103.55 dB). The interferer is responsible for -117.30 dB (blue). The displayed bars are all filled. However, if the
bar corresponding to an interferer is only partially filled, the entire bar indicates the interference that could potentially be caused by the transmitter whereas the filled part of the bar indicates the actual interference caused.
If you let the pointer rest on a bar, details are displayed in the tooltip:
-
For the best server: Name, received signal level, and C/(I+N).
For the total noise (I+N): The values of each component, i.e., I, N, and the downlink inter-technology noise rise.
For each interferer: The effective interference and the various interference reduction factors.
In the map window, arrows from the receiver to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. The interference levels at the receiver from transmitters are displayed as captions for these arrows. If
you let the pointer rest on an arrow, the interference level received from the corresponding transmitter at the
receiver location will be displayed in the tooltip.
Figure 6.140: Point Analysis Tool - Interference tab

5. You can change the following options at the top of the Interference tab:
-
Sort by Interference: You can select the Sort by Interference check box if you want Atoll to display the interfers by the effective interference received.
Intra-technology: You can select the Intra-technology check box if you want Atoll to display the intra-technology interference.
6. Right-click the Interference tab and select Properties to display the Analysis Properties dialogue. This dialogue
is available from the context menu on all tabs of the Point Analysis Tool window. You can change the following:
-
Change the X and Y coordinates to change the present position of the receiver.
Select the Shadowing taken into account check box and enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
You can select the Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses. Indoor losses are defined per clutter
class.
To get the details about the best server and all the interferers in the form of a report:
a. Right-click the Point Analysis window and select Report from the context menu. The Analysis Report dialogue appears.
7. Click the Results tab.
The Results tab displays, for each cell received, the cells name, its distance from the receiver, its physical cell ID
status, as well as the received signal and received signal interference and the RSRP for all cells. Additionally, the
interference is displayed for all cells except the best server.
In the map window, arrows from the receiver to each transmitter are displayed in the colour of the transmitters they
represent. The interference levels at the receiver from transmitters are displayed in tool tips for these arrows. A
thick black line from the pointer to its best server is also displayed in the map window. The best server of the
pointer is the transmitter from which the pointer receives the highest received signal. If you let the pointer rest on
an arrow, the interference level received from the corresponding transmitter at the receiver location will be
displayed in the tooltip.
8. You can select a Terminal, Service, and Mobility at the top of the Results tab.
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6.2.10.9
Printing and Exporting Coverage Prediction Results

Once you have made a coverage prediction, you can print the results displayed on the map or save them in an external
format. You can also export a selected area of the coverage as a bitmap.
6.2.11
Printing coverage prediction results: Atoll offers several options allowing you to customise and optimise the
printed coverage prediction results. Atoll supports printing to a variety of paper sizes, including A4 and A0. For
more information on printing coverage prediction results, see "Printing a Map" on page 55.
Defining a geographic export zone: If you want to export part of the coverage prediction as a bitmap, you can
define a geographic export zone. After you have defined a geographic export zone, when you export a coverage
prediction as a raster image, Atoll offers you the option of exporting only the area covered by the zone. For more
information on defining a geographic export zone, see "Using a Geographic Export Zone" on page 36.
Exporting coverage prediction results: In Atoll, you can export the coverage areas of a coverage prediction in
raster or vector formats. In raster formats, you can export in BMP, TIF, JPEG 2000, ArcView grid, or Vertical
Mapper (GRD and GRC) formats. When exporting in GRD or GRC formats, Atoll allows you to export files larger
than 2 GB. In vector formats, you can export in ArcView, MapInfo, or AGD formats. For more information on
exporting coverage prediction results, see "Exporting Coverage Prediction Results" on page 39.
Planning Neighbours
You can set neighbours for each cell manually, or you can let Atoll automatically allocate neighbours, based on the parameters that you set. When allocating neighbours, the cell to which you are allocating neighbours is referred to as the reference cell. The cells that fulfil the requirements to be neighbours are referred to as possible neighbours. When allocating
neighbours to all active and filtered transmitters, Atoll allocates neighbours only to the cells within the focus zone and
considers as possible neighbours all the active and filtered cells whose propagation zone intersects a rectangle containing
the computation zone. If there is no focus zone, Atoll allocates neighbours only to the cells within the computation zone.
The focus and computation zones are taken into account whether or not they are visible. In other words, the focus and
computation zones will be taken into account whether or not their visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in
the Explorer window is selected.
Usually, you will allocate neighbours globally during the beginning of a radio planning project. Afterwards, you will allocate
neighbours to base stations or transmitters as you add them. You can use automatic allocation on all cells in the document,
or you can define a group of cells either by using a focus zone or by grouping transmitters in the Explorer window. For
information on creating a focus zone, see "Using a Focus Zone or Hot Spot Zones" on page 33. For information on grouping transmitters in the Explorer window, see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 59.
Atoll supports the following neighbour types in an LTE network:
Intra-technology neighbours: Intra-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that also use LTE.
Inter-technology neighbours: Inter-technology neighbours are cells defined as neighbours that use a technology
other than LTE.
6.2.11.1
"Importing Neighbours" on page 238

"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 238
"Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 239
"Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 239
"Checking Automatic Allocation Results" on page 241
"Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell" on page 244
"Calculating the Importance of Existing Neighbours" on page 246
"Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Plan" on page 247
"Exporting Neighbours" on page 248.
Importing Neighbours
You can import neighbour data in the form of ASCII text files (in TXT and CSV formats) into the current Atoll document
using the Neighbours table.
To import neighbours using the Neighbours table:
1. Open the Neighbours table:
a. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
b. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appears.
c. Select Cells > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neighbours table
appears.
2. Import the ASCII text file as explained in "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 52.
6.2.11.2
Defining Exceptional Pairs

In Atoll, you can define neighbour constraints that will be taken into consideration during the automatic allocation of neighbours. Exceptional pairs can be taken into consideration when you manually allocate neighbours.
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To define exceptional pairs of neighbours:
4. Right-click the cell for which you want to define neighbour constraints. The context menu appears.
5. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The cells Properties dialogue appears.
6. Click the Intra-technology Neighbours tab.
7. Under Exceptional Pairs, create a new exceptional pair in the row marked with the New Row icon (
):
a. Select the cell from the list in the Neighbours column.

b. In the Status column, select one of the following:
-
Forced: The selected cell will always be a neighbour of the reference cell.
Forbidden: The selected cell will never be a neighbour of the reference cell.
8. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new exceptional pair.
9. Click OK.
Notes:
6.2.11.3
You can also create exceptional pairs using the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology
Neighbours table. You can open this table by right-clicking the Transmitters folder and
selecting Cells > Neighbours > Intra-Technology Exceptional Pairs.
Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours

You can define the relative importance of the factors that Atoll uses to evaluate possible intra-technology neighbours (for
information on how Atoll calculates importance, see the Technical Reference Guide).
To configure the importance factors for neighbours:
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Configure Importance from the context menu. The Neighbour Importance
Weighting dialogue appears.
4. On the intra-technology Neighbours tab, you can set the following importance factors:
-
Coverage Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a neighbour being admitted for coverage
reasons.
Adjacency Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being
adjacent to the reference transmitter. The Adjacency Factor will be used if you select the Force adjacent
transmitters as neighbours check box when defining an automatic neighbour allocation. For information on
automatically allocating neighbours, see "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 239.
Co-site Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being located
on the same site as reference transmitter. The Co-site Factor will be used if you select the Force co-site
transmitters as neighbours check box when defining an automatic neighbour allocation. For information on
automatically allocating neighbours, see "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on page 239.
5. Click OK.
6.2.11.4
Allocating Neighbours Automatically

Atoll can automatically allocate neighbours in an LTE network. Atoll allocates neighbours based on the parameters you
set in the Automatic Neighbour Allocation dialogue.
To allocate LTE neighbours automatically:
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Automatic Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Neighbour Allocation dialogue appears.
4. Click the Automatic Neighbour Allocation tab.
5. You can set the following parameters:
-
Max. Inter-site Distance: Set the maximum distance between the reference cell and a possible neighbour.
Max. No. of Neighbours: Set the maximum number of neighbours that can be allocated to a cell. This value
can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
Coverage Conditions: The coverage conditions must be respected for a cell to be considered as a neighbour.
Click Define to change the coverage conditions. In the Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the
following parameters:
-
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Resolution: You can enter the resolution used to calculate the coverage areas of cells for the automatic
neighbour allocation.
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-
Min RSRP: Select the Min RSRP check box if you want to set a global value for the Min RSRP. If you set
a global Min RSRP value here, Atoll will either use this value or the per-cell Min RSRP value, whichever
is higher.
- RSRP Margin: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell
(cell A), at which the handover process ends (see Figure 6.141). The higher the value entered for the
RSRP Margin, the longer the list of candidate neighbours. The area between the best server coverage
and the RSRP Margin constitutes the area within which Atoll will search for neighbours.
- Shadowing taken into account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and
enter a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
- Indoor Coverage: Select the Indoor Coverage check box if you want to use indoor losses in the calculations.
% Min. Covered Area: Enter the minimum surface area, in percentage, that a possible neighbour cells coverage area must overlap the reference cells coverage area.
6. Select the desired calculation parameters:

-
Force co-site cells as neighbours: Select the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box if you want
cells located on the same site as the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours.
Force adjacent cells as neighbours: Select the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box if you want
cells that are adjacent to the reference cell to be automatically considered as neighbours. A cell is considered
adjacent if there is at least one pixel in the reference cells coverage area where the possible neighbour cell
is the best server, or where the possible neighbour cell is the second best server (respecting the handover
margin).
Force symmetry: Select the Force symmetry check box if you want neighbour relations to be reciprocal. In
other words, a reference cell will be a possible neighbour to all of the cells that are its neighbours. If the neighbour list of any cell is full, the reference cell will not be added as a neighbour and that cell will be removed from
the list of neighbours of the reference cell.
Force exceptional pairs: Select the Force exceptional pairs check box if you want to be able to force or
forbid neighbour relations defined in the Exceptional Pairs table. For information on exceptional pairs, see
"Defining Exceptional Pairs" on page 238.
Delete existing neighbours: Select the Delete existing neighbours check box if you want Atoll to delete
all current neighbours when allocating neighbours. If you do not select the Delete existing neighbours check
box, Atoll will not delete any existing neighbours when automatically allocating neighbours; it will only add new
neighbours to the list.
Figure 6.141: The handover area between the reference cell and the possible neighbour
7. Click the Importance Weighting button to set the relative importance of possible neighbours:
-
reasons.
Adjacency Factor: If you have selected the Force adjacent cells as neighbours check box in step 6., set
the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour cell being adjacent to the reference cell.
Co-site Factor: If you have selected the Force co-site cells as neighbours check box in step 6., set the
minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour cell being located on the same site as reference
cell.
8. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating neighbours. Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss
matrices are valid before allocating neighbours. If the path loss matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating neighbours, the new neighbours are visible under Results. Atoll only displays
new neighbours. If no new neighbours have been found and if the Deleting existing neighbours check box is
cleared, the Results table will be empty.
The Results table contains the following information.
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-
Cell: The name of the reference cell.

Number: The total number of neighbours allocated to the reference cell.
Maximum Number: The maximum number of neighbours that the reference cell can have.
Neighbour: The cell that will be allocated as a neighbour to the reference cell.
Importance (%): The importance as calculated with the options selected in step 7.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated the possible neighbour cell, as identified in the Neighbour column, to
the reference cell, as identified in the Cell column. The possible reasons are:
-
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Existing
Coverage: The amount of reference cells coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage and in
square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference cell, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour cell
is best server or second best server.
9. Select the Commit check box for each neighbour you want to assign to a cell. You can use many of Atolls table
shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 43.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list
(existing neighbours) in your document.
To compare the proposed and existing neighbour lists:
-
Click Compare. The list of automically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaReport.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
-
The document name and the neighbour allocation type,

The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
results compared to the existing neighbour relations) and the list of these relations,
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the
automatic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
10. Click Commit. All the neighbours whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the reference cells. Neighbours are listed in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cells Properties dialogue.
Notes:
A forbidden neighbour will not be listed as a neighbour unless the neighbour relation already
exists and the Delete existing neighbours check box is cleared when you start the new allocation. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the Event Viewer indicating that the constraint
on the forbidden neighbour will be ignored by the algorithm because the neighbour already
exists.
When the options Force exceptional pairs and Force symmetry are selected, Atoll considers the constraints between exceptional pairs in both directions in order to respect symmetry. On the other hand, if the neighbour relation is forced in one direction and forbidden in
the other one, symmetry cannot be respected. In this case, Atoll displays a warning in the
Event Viewer.
You can save automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration. For information on saving automatic neighbour allocation parameters in a user configuration, see
"Exporting a User Configuration" on page 69.
6.2.11.4.1
Allocating Neighbours to a New Base Station

When you create a new base station, you can let Atoll allocate neighbours to it automatically. Atoll considers the cells of
the new base station and other cells whose coverage area intersects the coverage area of the cells of the new base station.
To allocate neighbours to a new base station:
1. On the Data tab of the Explorer window, group the transmitters by site, as explained in "Grouping Data Objects"
on page 59.
2. In the Transmitters folder, right-click the new base station. The context menu appears.
4. Define the automatic neighbour allocation parameters as described in "Allocating Neighbours Automatically" on
page 239.
6.2.11.5
Checking Automatic Allocation Results

You can verify the results of automatic neighbour allocation in the following ways:
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"Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 242.
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6.2.11.5.1
"Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Cell" on page 243.
Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map

You can view neighbour relations directly on the map. Atoll can display them and indicate the direction of the neighbour
relation (in other words, Atoll indicates which is the reference cell and which is the neighbour) and whether the neighbour
relation is symmetric.
To display the neighbour relations of a cell on the map:
1. Click the arrow (
) next to the Visual Management button (
) in the Radio toolbar. The menu appears.
2. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Visual Management dialogue appears.
3. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
) beside the Display Links check box.
5. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.

-
Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour all neighbour links of a cell with a
unique colour.
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the cells neighbour links according to a value from the Intra-technology Neighbours
table, or according to the neighbour frequency band.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the cells neighbour links according the value interval of the
value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours according to the
importance, as determined by the weighting factors.
Tip:
You can display the number of handoff attempts for each cell-neighbour pair by first
creating a new field of Type "Integer" in the Intra-Technology Neighbour table for the
number of handoff attempts. Once you have imported or entered the values in the new
column, you can select this field from the Field list along with "Value Intervals" as the
Display Type. For information on adding a new field to a table, see "Adding a Field to an
Object Types Data Table" on page 44.
Each neighbour link display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you
can display or hide neighbour link display types individually.
For information on changing display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
7. Select the Add to Legend check box to add the displayed neighbour links to the legend.
) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each neighbour link.
9. Click OK to save your settings.
10. Under Advanced, select which neighbour links to display:
-
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Outwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is the reference cell and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Select the Inwards Non-Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations
where the selected cell is neighbour and where the neighbour relation is not symmetric.
Symmetric: Select the Symmetric check box to display neighbour relations that are symmetric between the
selected cell and the neighbour.

13. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
14. Click the Visual Management button (
15. Click a transmitter on the map to display the neighbour relations. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 21).
Atoll displays the following information (see Figure 6.142) for the selected cell:
-
The symmetric neighbour relations of the selected (reference) cell are indicated by a line.
The outward neighbour relations are indicated by a line with an arrow pointing to the neighbour (e.g. see
Site1_2(0)) in Figure 6.142.).
The inward neighbour relations are indicated by a line with an arrow pointing to the selected cell (e.g. see
Site9_3(0)) in Figure 6.142.).
In Figure 6.142, neighbour links are displayed according to the neighbour. Therefore, the symmetric and outward
neighbour links are coloured as the corresponding neighbour transmitters and the inward neighbour link is
coloured as the reference transmitter as it is neighbour of Site9_3(0) here.
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Figure 6.142: Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to the Neighbour

In Figure 6.143, neighbour links are displayed according to the frequency of the neighbour. Here, all neighbour
relations are symmetric.
Figure 6.143: Neighbours of Site 22_3(0) - Display According to The Neighbour Frequency
Note:
You can display either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the arrow
( ) next to the Visual Management button (
) in the Radio toolbar and selecting
either Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
6.2.11.5.2
Displaying the Coverage of Each Neighbour of a Cell

By combining the display characteristics of a coverage prediction with neighbour display options, Atoll can display the
coverage area of a cells neighbours and colour them according to any neighbour characteristic in the Neighbours table.
To display the coverage of each neighbour of a cell:
1. Create, calculate, and display a "Coverage by Transmitter" prediction, with the Display Type set to "Discrete
Values" and the Field set to "Transmitter" (for information on creating a coverage by transmitter prediction, see
"Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 211).
3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Neighbourhood Display dialogue appears.
4. Under Intra-technology Neighbours, select the Display Coverage Areas check box.
) beside the Display Coverage Areas check box.
6. The Intra-technology Neighbour Display dialogue appears.

-
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Unique: Select "Unique" as the Display Type if you want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours with a unique colour.
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-
Discrete Values: Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type, and then a value from the Field list, if you
want Atoll to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according to a value from the Intra-technology
Neighbours table.
Value Intervals: Select "Value Intervals" to colour the coverage area of a cells neighbours according the
value interval of the value selected from the Field list. For example, you can choose to display a cells neighbours according to the importance, as determined by the weighting factors.

) next to Tip Text and select the neighbour characteristics to be displayed in the
tooltip. This information will be displayed on each coverage area.
10. Select Neighbours from the menu. The neighbours of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
12. Click a transmitter on the map to display the coverage of each neighbour. When there is more than one cell on the
transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you
want (see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 21).
13. In order to restore colours and cancel the neighbour display, click the Visual Management button (
Radio toolbar.
6.2.11.6
) in the
Allocating and Deleting Neighbours per Cell

Although you can let Atoll allocate neighbours automatically, you can adjust the overall allocation of neighbours by allocating or deleting neighbours per cell. You can allocate or delete neighbours directly on the map or using the Cells tab of
a transmitters Properties dialogue.
"Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue" on page 244.
"Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table" on page 245.
"Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map" on page 245.
Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete LTE neighbours using the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The context menu appears.
3. Click the Cells tab.
4. On the Cells tab, click the Browse button (
) beside Neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears.

6. If desired, you can enter the maximum number of neighbours.
7. Allocate or delete a neighbour.
To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon
(
).
b. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished creating the new neighbour.
When the new neighbour is created, Atoll automatically calculates the distance between the reference cell
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the neighbour to select the entire row.
b. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu. The symmetric neighbour relation between the cell in the Neighbour column and the cell in the Cell column is deleted.
To delete a neighbour:
b. Press DEL to delete the neighbour.
8. Click OK.
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Allocating or Deleting Neighbours Using the Neighbours Table

To allocate or delete LTE neighbours using the Neighbours table:
1. Select the Data tab of the Explorer window.
2. Right-click the Transmitters folder. The context menu appear.
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Intra-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Neighbours table
appears.
Note:
4. Allocate or delete a neighbour.

To allocate a new neighbour:
a. In the row marked with the New Row icon (
), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.

c. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, sets the Type to "manual," and sets the Importance
to "1."
To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
a. Click in the left margins of the table rows containing the neighbours to select the entire rows. You can select
contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
To take into consideration all exceptionnal pairs:
a. Right-click the Neighbours table. The context menu appears.
b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.
Note:
You can add or delete either some forced neighbours or some forbidden neighbours using
the Exceptional Pairs of Intra-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table,
select the exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force
Exceptional Pairs in the context menu.
To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:

To delete several symmetric neighbour relations:
c. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu.
To delete a neighbour:
Allocating or Deleting Neighbours on the Map

You can allocate or delete intra-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse.
To add or remove intra-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of intra-technology neighbours on the map as explained in "Displaying Neighbour Relations on the Map" on page 242.
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To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
1. Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitters
to the intra-technology neighbours list.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both transmitters from the intra-technology neighbours.
To add an outward neighbour relation:
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference
transmitter to the intra-technology neighbour list of the transmitter.
To remove an outward neighbour relation:
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the transmitter.
To add an inward neighbour relation:
Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
-
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inward non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour relation by pressing SHIFT and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then
press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric
inter-technology neighbour relation.
To remove an inwards neighbour relation:

2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the transmitter from the intra-technology neighbours list of the reference transmitter.
Notes:
When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window
opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting One of Several
Transmitters" on page 21).
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours by clicking the arrow
( ) next to the Visual Management button (
) in the Radio toolbar and selecting either
Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
6.2.11.7
Calculating the Importance of Existing Neighbours

After you have imported neighbours into the current Atoll document or manually defined neighbours, Atoll can calculate
the importance of each neighbour, i.e., the weight of each neighbour. This value is used to define a rank for different neighbours in the AFP process.
Atoll calculates the importance for neighbours of active and filtered transmitters within the focus zone.
To calculate the importance of existing neighbours:
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Calculate Importance from the context menu. The Neighbour Importance Calculation dialogue appears.
4. Under Importance, select the factors to be taken into consideration when calculating the importance (for information on defining importance factors, see "Configuring Importance Factors for Neighbours" on page 239):
-
Take into account the adjacency factor: Select the Take into account the adjacency factor check box to
verify that neighbours are adjacent to their reference transmitters when calculating importance.
Take into account the co-site factor: Select the Take into account the co-site factor check box to verify
that neighbours are located on the same site as their reference cell when calculating importance.
5. Coverage Conditions: Under Coverage Conditions, you can set the coverage conditions between neighbours
and their reference cells. Clicking Define opens the Coverage Conditions dialogue. In the Coverage Conditions
dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
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-
Min RSRP: Select the Min RSRP check box if you want to set a global value for the Min RSRP. If you set a
global Min RSRP value here, Atoll will either use this value or the per-cell Min RSRP value, whichever is
higher.
RSRP Margin: Enter the margin, with respect to the best server coverage area of the reference cell (cell A),
at which the handover process ends.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing Taken into Account check box and enter
a Cell Edge Coverage Probability.
Indoor Coverage: If desired, select the Indoor Coverage check box. Atoll will then calculate additional
losses for indoor coverage.
6. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
Notes:
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
7. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table.
Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss
matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information.
-

Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
Cause: The reason Atoll has allocated value in the Importance column.
-
Co-site
Adjacency
Symmetry
Coverage
Coverage: The amount of reference transmitters coverage area that the neighbour overlaps, in percentage
and in square kilometres.
Adjacency: The area of the reference transmitter, in percentage and in square kilometres, where the neighbour transmitter is best server or second best server.
Distance: The distance in kilometres between the reference cell and the neighbour.
The importance values and the reasons for allocation are automatically committed in the Neighbours table when
you close the dialogue.
6.2.11.8
Checking the Consistency of the Neighbour Plan

You can perform an audit of the current neighbour allocation plan. When you perform an audit of the current neighbour
allocation plan, Atoll lists the results in a text file. You can define what information Atoll provides in the audit.
To perform an audit of the neighbour allocation plan:
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Audit from the context menu. The Neighbour Audit dialogue appears.
5. Define the parameters of the audit:
-
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Average No. of Neighbours: Select the Average No. of Neighbours check box if you want to verify the
average number of neighbours per cell.
Empty Lists: Select the Empty Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have no neighbours (in other
words, which cells have an empty neighbour list).
Full Lists: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have the maximum number of
neighbours allowed (in other words, which cells have a full neighbour list). The maximum number of neighbours can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
Lists > Max Number: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have more than the
maximum number of neighbours allowed. The maximum number of neighbours can be either set here for all
the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
Missing Co-sites: Select the Missing Co-sites check box if you want to verify which cells have no co-site
neighbours.
Missing Symmetrics: Select the Missing Symmetrics check box if you want to verify which cells have nonsymmetric neighbour relations.
Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to verify which cells have forced
neighbours or forbidden neighbours.
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Distance Between Neighbours: Select the Distance Between Neighbours > check box and enter the distance between neighbours that should not be exceeded.
6. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a new text file:
-
Average Number of Neighbours: X; where, X is the average number of neighbours (integer) per cell for the
plan audited.
Empty Lists: x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having no neighbours (or empty neighbours list)
Syntax:
Full Lists (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having Y number of neighbours
listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax:
Note:
Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
|CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |TYPE| |REASON|
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan that
are located at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax:
6.2.11.9
|CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax:
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax:
|CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax:
|CELL| |NUMBER| |MAX NUMBER|

If the field Max number of intra-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty, the
Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
Syntax:
-
Lists > Max Number (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having more than
Y number of neighbours listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax:
|CELL|
|CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
Exporting Neighbours
The neighbour data of an Atoll document is stored in a series of tables. You can export the neighbour data to use it in
another application or in another Atoll document.
To export neighbour data:
3. Select Cells > Neighbours and then select the neighbour table containing the data you want to export from the
context menu:
-
Intra-Technology Neighbours: This table contains the data for the intra-technology neighbours in the current
Atoll document.
Inter-Technology Neighbours: This table contains the data for the inter-technology neighbours in the current
Atoll document.
Intra-technology Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the intra-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
Inter-technology Exceptional Pairs: This table contains the data for the inter-technology exceptional pairs
(forced and forbidden) in the current Atoll document.
4. When the selected neighbours table opens, you can export the content as described in "Exporting Tables to Text
Files" on page 51.
6.2.12
Planning Frequencies
You can assign frequencies, i.e., frequency bands and channel numbers, manually to cells or use the Automatic
Frequency Planning (AFP) tool to automatically allocate channels to cells. The AFP allocates channels to cells automatically such that the overall interference in the network is minimised. Once allocation is completed, you can analyse the
frequency plan by creating and comparing C/(I+N) coverage predictions, and view the frequency allocation on the map.
The procedure for planning frequencies is:
Allocating frequencies
-
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"Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 249.
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Displaying and analysing the frequency allocation

-
6.2.12.1
"Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually" on page 250.

"Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation" on page 250.
"Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 251.
"Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies" on page 251.
"Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions" on page 252.
Allocating Frequencies
Atoll can automatically assign frequencies to cells according to set parameters. For example, the AFP takes into account
the interference matrices, minimum reuse distance, and any constraints imposed by neighbours. The AFP can also be
used to allocate physical cell IDs automatically to the cells of an network. The AFP can base the automatic frequency and
physical cell ID allocation on interference matrices, whereas the automatic physical cell ID allocation feature available by
default in the LTE module does not use interference matrices. Apart from this difference, the two physical cell ID allocation
features are alike. For further information on physical cell IDs, see "Planning Physical Cell IDs" on page 252. You can also
allocate frequencies and physical cell IDs manually to cells.
In this section, the following methods of allocating physical cell IDs are described:
6.2.12.1.1
"Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 249.

"Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually" on page 250.
Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells

The AFP enables you to automatically allocate frequencies to cells in the current network.
To automatically allocate frequencies:
3. Select Cells > Frequency Plan > Automatic Allocation. The Frequency Allocation dialogue appears.
4. Under Allocate, select Frequencies to perform automatic frequency planning.
5. Under Relations, you can set the relations to take into account in automatic allocation.
-
Under Interference Matrices, you can calculate and take interference matrices into account for the frequency
allocation. When the Frequency Allocation dialogue opens, the Take into account check box is disabled
because interference matrices are not yet available.
For more information on defining and calculating interference matrices for automatic allocation, see "Using Interference Matrices with the AFP" on page 250.
Take neighbours into account: Select this check box if you want the AFP to take neighbour relations into
account for the allocation. For frequency allocation, the AFP will try to allocate different frequencies to a cell
and its neighbours.
Atoll can only take neighbour relations into account if neighbours have already been allocated. For information on allocating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 238.
Take min reuse distance into account: Select this check box if you want the AFP to take relations based on
distance into account for the allocation. You can enter the Default radius within which two cells whose channels have a co-channel overlap cannot have the same channel assigned.
Note:
A minimum reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of
default the value entered here.
6. Under Results, Atoll displays the Total Cost of the current frequency allocation taking into account the parameters set in step 5. You can modify the parameters and click Recalculate Cost to see the change in the total cost.
7. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating frequencies.
Once Atoll has finished allocating frequencies, the proposed allocation is visible under Results.
The Results table contains the following information:
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Site: The name of the base station.

Name: The name of the cell.
Initial Channel Number: The channel number of the cell before automatic allocation.
Channel Number: The channel number of the cell after automatic allocation.
Channel Allocation Status: The value of the Channel Allocation Status of the cell.
Initial Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
Initial PSS ID: The PSS ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
PSS ID: The PSS ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
Initial SSS ID: The SSS ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
SSS ID: The SSS ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
Cost: The cost of the new frequency allocation of the cell.
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Physical Cell ID Status: The value of the Physical Cell ID Status of the cell.
8. Click Commit. The channel numbers are committed to the cells.
Using Interference Matrices with the AFP

In Atoll, the probability of interference between pairs of cells is stored in an interference matrix. An interference matrix can
be thought of as the probability that a user in a cell will receive interference higher than a defined threshold.
The LTE AFP calculates interference matrices in the form of co- and adjacent channel interference probabilities for each
interfered and interfering cell pair. The probabilities of interference are stated in terms of percentages of the interfered
area. In other words, it is the ratio of the interfered surface area to the best server coverage area of an interfered cell.
When Atoll calculates interference matrices, it calculates the ratio of the reference signal level to the total interference and
noise (I+N) for each pixel of the interfered service area between two cells (the interfered cell and the interfering cell). For
co-channel interference, a pixel is considered interfered if this ratio is lower than the per-channel reference signal C/N
corresponding to the minimum RSRP defined for the interfered cell. For adjacent channel interference, a pixel is considered interfered if this ratio is lower than the reference signal C/N corresponding to the minimum RSRP defined for the interfered cell less the adjacent channel suppression factor defined for the frequency band of the interfered cell.
You can amplify the degradation of the C/(I+N) by using a high quality margin when calculating the interference matrices.
For example, a 3 dB quality margin would imply that each interferer is considered to be twice as strong compared to a
calculation without any quality margin (i.e., 0 dB).
To calculate interference matrices:
1. Enter a value for the Quality Margin.
2. Click the Calculate button. Atoll calculates the interference matrices. The calculation progress is displayed in the
Event Viewer window. To stop the interference matrices calculation at any moment, click the Stop button. Interference matrices are calculated using the default calculation resolution set in the Properties dialogue of the Predictions folder.
3. Click the Close button once the interference matrices have been calculated. The Event Viewer window closes.
To display details of the calculated interference matrices:
1. Click the Details button. The Interference Matrices Display dialogue appears. This dialogue lists all the interfered and interfering cell pairs and their respective interference probabilities in co- and adjacent channel cases.
2. Click the Close button. The Interference Matrices Display dialogue closes.
To delete the calculated interference matrices:
Click the Delete button.
To take the calculated interference matrices into account:
6.2.12.1.2
Select the Take into account check box.
Allocating Frequencies to Cells Manually

When you allocate frequencies to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate them automatically, as described
in "Automatically Allocating Frequencies to Cells" on page 249. However, if you want to assign a frequency to one cell or
to modify it, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
To allocate the frequency to a cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate the frequency. The context menu
appears.
4. Select a Frequency Band and Channel Number for the cell.
5. You can set the Channel Allocation Status to Locked if you want to lock the frequency that you assigned.
6. Click OK.
6.2.12.2
Displaying the Frequency Allocation

Once you have allocated frequencies, you can verify several aspects of the allocation. You can display frequencies in
several ways:
"Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation" on page 250.

"Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 251.
"Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies" on page 251.
"Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions" on page 252.
Using the Search Tool to Display Frequency Allocation

In Atoll, you can search for frequency bands and channel numbers using the Search Tool.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Frequencies and any potential prob-
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lems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see "Making a Coverage Prediction
by Transmitter" on page 211.
To find a frequency band using the Search Tool:
1. Click View > Search Tool. The Search Tool window appears.
2. Select the Channel tab.
3. Select a Frequency Band from the list of available frequency bands.
4. Set Channel Number to All.
5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the selected frequency band are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells using other
frequency bands are displayed as grey lines.
To restore the initial transmitter colours, click the Reset Display button in the Search Tool window.
To find a channel number using the Search Tool:
2. Select the Channel tab.
3. Select a Frequency Band from the list of available frequency bands.
4. Select the Channel Number from the list of available channel numbers.
5. If you want only want the channel entered in the Channel Number box to be displayed, select the Co-channel
Only check box.
6. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the selected frequency band and channel number are displayed in red. Transmitters
with cells using two adjacent channel numbers in the same frequency band (i.e., a channel higher and a channel
lower) are displayed in yellow. Transmitters with cells using a lower adjacent channel number in the same
frequency band are displayed in green. Transmitters with cells using a higher adjacent channel number in the
same frequency band are displayed in blue. All other transmitters are displayed as grey lines.
If you selected the Co-channel Only check box, transmitters with cells using the same channel number are
displayed in red, and all others, including transmitters with adjacent channels, are displayed as grey lines.
Note:
By including the frequency band and channel number of each cell in the transmitter label,
the search results will be easier to understand. For information on defining the label, see
"Defining the Object Type Label" on page 25.
Displaying Frequency Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings

You can display the frequency allocation on transmitters by using the transmitters display characteristics.
To display the frequency allocation on the map:
5. Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Channel Number" as the Field.
6. Click OK. Transmitters will be displayed by channel number.
You can also display the frequency band and channel number in the transmitter label or tooltip by selecting "Cells:
Frequency Band" and "Cells: Channel Number" from the Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
Grouping Transmitters by Frequencies

You can group transmitters on the Data tab of the Explorer window by their frequency bands or channel numbers.
To group transmitters by frequency bands or channel numbers:
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
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Frequency Band
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Channel Number
Min Reuse Distance
Channel Allocation Status
7. Click
to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to
the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select the parameter in the Group these
fields in this order list and click
the transmitters will be grouped.
. The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which
9. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters
to be grouped:
a. Select a parameter and click
to move it up to the desired position.
b. Select a parameter and click
to move it down to the desired position.
10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.
Analysing the Frequency Allocation Using Coverage Predictions

You can create and compare reference signal C/(I+N) coverage predictions before and after the automatic frequency allocation in order to analyse and compare the improvements brought about by the AFP. For more information on creating
reference signal C/(I+N) coverage predictions, see "Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 227. For more information on comparing two coverage predictions, see "Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 218.
6.2.13
Planning Physical Cell IDs

In LTE, 504 physical cell IDs are available, numbered from 0 to 503. There are as many pseudo-random sequences
defined in the 3GPP specifications. Physical cell IDs are grouped into 168 unique cell ID groups (called SSS IDs in Atoll),
with each group containing 3 unique identities (called PSS IDs in Atoll). An SSS ID is thus uniquely defined by a number
in the range of 0 to 167, and a PSS ID is defined by a number in the range of 0 to 2. Each cells reference signals transmit
a pseudo-random sequence corresponding to the physical cell ID of the cell. The SSS and PSS are transmitted over the
center six frequency blocks independent of the channel bandwidths used by cells. Mobiles synchronise there transmission
and reception frequency and time by listening first to the PSS. Once they know the PSS ID of the cell, they listen to the
SSS of the cell in order to know the SSS ID. The combination of these two IDs gives the physical cell ID and the associated
pseudo-random sequence that is transmitted over the downlink reference signals. Once the physical cell ID and the associated pseudo-random sequence is known to the mobile, the cell is recognized by the mobile based on the received reference signals. Channel quality measurements are also made on the reference signals.
Because the cell search and selection depend on the physical cell IDs of the cells, these must be intelligently allocated to
cells in order to avoid unnecessary problems in cell recognition and selection.
You can assign physical cell IDs manually or automatically to any cell in the network. Once allocation is completed, you
can audit the physical cell IDs, view physical cell ID reuse on the map, and make an analysis of physical cell ID distribution.
The procedure for planning physical cell IDs for an LTE project is:
Allocating physical cell IDs

-
"Checking the Consistency of the Physical Cell ID Plan" on page 254.
Displaying the allocation of physical cell IDs

-
6.2.13.1
"Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells" on page 252.

"Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells Manually" on page 253.
"Using the Search Tool to Display Physical Cell ID Allocation" on page 254.
"Displaying Physical Cell ID Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 255.
"Grouping Transmitters by Physical Cell ID" on page 255.
"Displaying the Physical Cell ID Allocation Histogram" on page 256.
Allocating Physical Cell IDs

Atoll can automatically assign physical cell IDs to the cells of an LTE network according to set parameters. For example,
it takes into account the selected SSS allocation strategy (free or same per site), minimum reuse distance, and any
constraints imposed by neighbours.
You can also allocate physical cell IDs manually to the cells of an LTE network.
In this section, the following methods of allocating physical cell IDs are described:
"Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells" on page 252.

"Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells Manually" on page 253.
Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells

Atoll enables you to automatically allocate physical cell IDs to cells in the current network.
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To automatically allocate physical cell IDs:
3. Select Cells > Physical Cell IDs > Automatic Allocation. The Physical Cell ID Allocation dialogue appears.
4. If you have access to the LTE AFP module, under Allocate, select Physical Cell IDs to allocate physical cell IDs
to cells automatically.
5. Select the ID Allocation Range. You can choose to allocate physical cell IDs from the Entire (0-503) range or
you can choose Custom and enter the Excluded IDs to exclude some physical cell IDs from the allocation.
You can enter non-consecutive physical cell IDs separated with a comma, or you can enter a range of physical
cell IDs separating the first and last index with a hyphen (for example, entering "1-5" corresponds to "1, 2, 3, 4, 5").
6. Under SSS ID Allocation Strategy, you can select one of the following automatic allocation strategies (for more
information, see the Technical Reference Guide):
-
Free: The physical cell ID allocation will only be restricted by the PSS ID allocated to nearby cells. SSS IDs
will not necessarily be the same for all the cells of a site.
Same per Site: This strategy allocates physical cell IDs to cells such that the same SSS ID is assigned to all
the cells of a site.
7. Under Relations, you can set the relations to take into account in automatic allocation.
-
If you have access to the LTE AFP module, under Interference Matrices, you can calculate and take interference matrices into account for the physical cell ID allocation. When the Physical Cell ID Allocation dialogue opens, the Take into account check box is disabled because interference matrices are not yet
available.
For more information on defining and calculating interference matrices for automatic allocation, see "Using Interference Matrices with the AFP" on page 250.
Take neighbours into account: Select this check box if you want Atoll to take neighbour relations into
account for the allocation. During physical cell ID allocation, Atoll will try to allocate different physical cell IDs
to a cell and all of its neighbours. This means that in an ideal situation, none of a cells neighbours should have
the same physical cell ID as the cell, and no two neighbours of the cell should have the same physical cell ID
either.
Atoll can only take neighbour relations into account if neighbours have already been allocated. For information on allocating neighbours, see "Planning Neighbours" on page 238.
Take min reuse distance into account: Select this check box if you want Atoll to take relations based on
distance into account for the allocation. You can enter the Default radius within which two cells whose channels have a co-channel overlap cannot have the same physical cell ID.
Note:
A minimum reuse distance can be defined at the cell level (in the cell Properties dialogue
or in the Cells table). If defined, a cell-specific reuse distance will be used instead of
default the value entered here.
8. Under Results, Atoll displays the Total Cost of the current physical cell ID allocation taking into account the
parameters set in step 7. You can modify the parameters and click Recalculate Cost to see the change in the
total cost.
9. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of allocating physical cell IDs.
Once Atoll has finished allocating physical cell IDs, the IDs are visible under Results.
The Results table contains the following information.
-
Site: The name of the base station.

Name: The name of the cell.
Initial Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
Physical Cell ID: The physical cell ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
Initial PSS ID: The PSS ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
PSS ID: The PSS ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
Initial SSS ID: The SSS ID of the cell before automatic allocation.
SSS ID: The SSS ID of the cell after automatic allocation.
Cost: The cost of the new physicel cell ID allocation of the cell.
Physical Cell ID Status: The value of the Physical Cell ID Status of the cell.
10. Click Commit. The physical cell IDs are committed to the cells.
Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells Manually

When you allocate physical cell IDs to a large number of cells, it is easiest to let Atoll allocate physical cell IDs automatically, as described in "Automatically Allocating Physical Cell IDs to LTE Cells" on page 252. However, if you want to assign
a physical cell ID to one cell or to modify it, you can do it by accessing the properties of the cell.
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To allocate a physical cell ID to an LTE cell manually:
1. On the map, right-click the transmitter to whose cell you want to allocate a physical cell ID. The context menu
appears.
4. Enter a Physical Cell ID in the cells column.
5. You can set the Physical Cell ID Status to Locked if you want to lock the physical cell ID that you assigned.
6. Click OK.
6.2.13.2
Checking the Consistency of the Physical Cell ID Plan

Once you have completed allocating physical cell IDs, you can verify whether the allocated physical cell IDs respect the
specified constraints and relations by performing an audit of the plan. The physical cell ID audit also enables you to check
for inconsistencies if you have made some manual changes to the allocation plan.
To perform an audit of the allocation plan:
3. Select Cells > Physical Cell IDs > Audit. The Physical Cell ID Audit dialogue appears.
4. In the Physical Cell ID Audit dialogue, select the allocation criteria that you want to verify:
-
Distance: If you select the Distance check box and set a reuse distance, Atoll will check for and list cells that
do not respect this reuse distance.
Neighbours: If you select the Neighbours check box, Atoll will check that no cell has the same physical cell
ID as any of its neighbours, and that no two neighbours of a cell have the same physical cell ID. The report
will list any cell that does have the same physical cell ID as one of its neighbours.
Same SSS ID at a Site: If you select the Same SSS ID at a Site check box, Atoll will check for and list base
stations that do not match the criterion, i.e., base stations whose cells have physical cell IDs that correspond
to different SSS IDs.
5. Click OK. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a text file called IDCheck.txt, which it opens at the end of the
audit. For each selected criterion, Atoll gives the number of detected inconsistencies and details for each inconsistency.
6.2.13.3
Displaying the Allocation of Physical Cell IDs

Once you have completed allocating physical cell IDs, you can verify several aspects of physical cell ID allocation. You
can display physical cell IDs in several ways:
"Using the Search Tool to Display Physical Cell ID Allocation" on page 254.
"Displaying Physical Cell ID Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings" on page 255.
"Grouping Transmitters by Physical Cell ID" on page 255.
"Displaying the Physical Cell ID Allocation Histogram" on page 256.
Using the Search Tool to Display Physical Cell ID Allocation

In Atoll, you can search for physical cell IDs, PSS IDs, and SSS IDs using the Search Tool.
If you have already calculated and displayed a coverage prediction by transmitter based on the best server, with the results
displayed by transmitter, the search results will be displayed by transmitter coverage. Physical cell IDs and any potential
problems will then be clearly visible. For information on coverage predictions by transmitter, see "Making a Coverage
Prediction by Transmitter" on page 211.
To find a physical cell ID using the Search Tool:
2. Select the Physical Cell ID tab.
3. Select Physical Cell ID.
4. Enter a Physical Cell ID.
5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the entered physical cell ID are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells that use
other physical cell IDs are displayed as grey lines.
Note:
254
By including the physical cell ID of each cell in the transmitter label, the search results will
be easier to understand. For information on defining the label, see "Defining the Object
Type Label" on page 25.
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To find a PSS ID using the Search Tool:
3. Select PSS ID.
4. Select the PSS ID to search for, i.e., All, 0, 1, or 2.
5. Click Search.
When you select a specific PSS ID, transmitters whose cells use the selected ID are displayed in red. Transmitters
with cells that use other IDs are displayed as grey lines.
When you choose to search for all PSS IDs, transmitters whose first cells use ID 0 are displayed in red, transmitters whose first cells use ID 1 are displayed in yellow, and transmitters whose first cells use ID 2 are displayed in
green.
Note:
Transmitters with more than one cell may use different PSS IDs in different cells.
Therefore, the search for all PSS IDs is only valid for single-cell transmitters.
To find an SSS ID using the Search Tool:
3. Select SSS ID.
4. Enter an SSS ID.
5. Click Search.
Transmitters whose cells use the entered SSS ID are displayed in red. Transmitters with cells that use other SSS
IDs are displayed as grey lines.
Displaying Physical Cell ID Allocation Using Transmitter Display Settings

You can display physical cell ID allocation on transmitters by using the transmitters display characteristics.
To display physical cell ID allocation on the map:
5. Select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Cells: Physical Cell ID" as the Field.
6. Click OK. Transmitters will be displayed by physical cell ID.
You can also display the physical cell ID in the transmitter label or tooltip by selecting "Cells: Physical Cell ID" from the
Label or Tip Text Field Definition dialogue.
For information on display options, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
Grouping Transmitters by Physical Cell ID

You can group transmitters on the Data tab of the Explorer window by their physical cell ID or their reuse distance.
To group transmitters by physical cell ID:
4. On the General tab, click Group by. The Group dialogue appears.
5. Under Available Fields, scroll down to the Cell section.
6. Select the parameter you want to group transmitters by:
-
Physical Cell ID
Min Reuse Distance
Physical Cell ID Status
7. Click
to add the parameter to the Group these fields in this order list. The selected parameter is added to
the list of parameters on which the transmitters will be grouped.
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8. If you do not want the transmitters to be sorted by a certain parameter, select the parameter in the Group these
fields in this order list and click
the transmitters will be grouped.
. The selected parameter is removed from the list of parameters on which
9. Arrange the parameters in the Group these fields in this order list in the order in which you want the transmitters
to be grouped:
a. Select a parameter and click
to move it up to the desired position.
b. Select a parameter and click
to move it down to the desired position.
10. Click OK to save your changes and close the Group dialogue.
Displaying the Physical Cell ID Allocation Histogram

You can use a histogram to analyse the use of allocated physical cell IDs in a network. The histogram represents the physical cell IDs as a function of the frequency of their use.
To display the physical cell ID histogram:
3. Select Cells > Physical Cell IDs > ID Distribution. The Distribution Histograms dialogue appears.
Each bar represents a physical cell ID, its height depending on the frequency of its use.
4. Move the pointer over the histogram to display the frequency of use of each physical cell ID. The results are highlighted simultaneously in the Detailed Results list.
6.3
Studying Network Capacity

Interference is the major limiting factor in the performance of LTE networks. It has been recognized as the major bottleneck
in network capacity and is often responsible for poor performance. Frequency reuse means that in a given coverage area
there are several cells that use a given set of frequencies. The cells that use the same frequency are called co-channel
cells, and the interference from users with the same channel in the other co-channel cells is called co-channel interference.
Unlike thermal noise which can be overcome by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), co-channel interference cannot
be countered by simply increasing the carrier power of a transmitter. This is because an increase in carrier transmission
power will increase the interference to neighbouring co-channel cells. To reduce co-channel interference, co-channel cells
must be physically separated sufficiently by a distance, called the reuse distance. For a network with a limited number of
frequency channels, a large reuse distance can guarantee a high QoS for the system, but the capacity will be decreased.
Another type of interference in LTE networks is adjacent channel interference. Adjacent channel interference results from
imperfect receiver filters which allow nearby frequencies to interfere with the used frequency channel. Adjacent channel
interference can be minimized through careful filtering and channel assignment.
In Atoll, a simulation is based on a realistic distribution of users at a given point in time. The distribution of users at a given
moment is referred to as a snapshot. Based on this snapshot, Atoll calculates various network parameters such as the
downlink and uplink traffic loads, the uplink noise rise, the user throughputs, etc. Simulations are calculated in an iterative
fashion.
When several simulations are performed at the same time using the same traffic information, the distribution of users will
be different, according to a Poisson distribution. Consequently you can have variations in user distribution from one snapshot to another.
To create snapshots, services and users must be modelled. As well, certain traffic information in the form of traffic maps
or subscriber lists must be provided. Once services and users have been modelled and traffic maps and subscriber lists
have been created, you can make simulations of the network traffic.
6.3.1
"Defining Multi-service Traffic Data" on page 256.

"Creating a Traffic Map" on page 257.
"Exporting a Traffic Map" on page 265.
"Working with a Subscriber Database" on page 266.
"Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations" on page 269.
"Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 282.
Defining Multi-service Traffic Data

The first step in making a simulation is defining how the network is used. In Atoll, this is accomplished by creating all of
the parameters of network use, in terms of services, users, and equipment used.
The following services and users are modelled in Atoll in order to create simulations:
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LTE radio bearers: Radio bearers are used by the network for carrying information. The LTE Radio Bearer table
lists all the available radio bearers. You can create new radio bearers and modify existing ones by using the LTE
Radio Bearer table. For information on defining radio bearers, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 359.
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6.3.2
Services: Services are the various services, such as VoIP, FTP download, etc., available to users. These services
can be either of the type "voice" or "data". For information on modelling end-user services, see "Modelling Services" on page 223.
Mobility type: In LTE, information about receiver mobility is important to determine the users radio conditions and
throughputs. For information on modelling mobility types, see "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 224.
Terminals: In LTE, a terminal is the user equipment that is used in the network, for example, a mobile phone, a
PDA, or a cars on-board navigation device. For information on modelling terminals, see "Modelling Terminals" on
page 224.
Creating a Traffic Map

The following sections describe the different types of traffic maps available in Atoll and how to create, import, and use
them. Atollprovides three types of traffic maps for LTE projects.
Sector traffic map

User profile traffic map
User density traffic map (number of users per km2)
These maps can be used for different types of traffic data sources as follows:
Sector traffic maps can be used if you have live traffic data from the OMC (Operation and Maintenance Centre).
The OMC (Operations and Maintenance Centre) collects data from all cells in a network. This includes, for example, the number of users or the throughput in each cell and the traffic characteristics related to different services.
Traffic is spread over the best server coverage area of each transmitter and each coverage area is assigned either
the throughputs in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status . For more information,
see "Creating a Sector Traffic Map" on page 257.
User profile traffic maps can be used if you have marketing-based traffic data.
User profile traffic maps, where each vector (polygon, line, or point) describes subscriber densities (or numbers of
subscribers for points) with user profiles and mobility types, and user profile environment based traffic maps,
where each pixel has an assigned environment class. For more information, see "Importing a User Profile Traffic
Map" on page 260, "Importing a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on page 261 and "Creating a User
Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on page 262.
User density traffic maps (number of users per km2) can be used if you have population-based traffic data, or
2G network statistics.
Each pixel has a user density assigned. For more information, see "Creating User Density Traffic Maps (No.
Users/km2)" on page 263, "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 263, "Converting 2G Network Traffic"
on page 265 and "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 265
6.3.2.1
Creating a Sector Traffic Map

This section explains how to create a sector traffic map in Atoll to model traffic.
You can input either the throughput demands in the uplink and in the downlink or the number of users per activity status .
A coverage prediction by transmitter is required to create this traffic map. If you do not already have a coverage prediction
by transmitter in your document, you must create and calculate it. For more information, see "Making a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 211.
To create a sector traffic map:
2. Right-click the Traffic folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialogue appears.
4. Select Sector Traffic Map.
5. Select the type of traffic information you want to input. You can choose between Throughputs in Uplink and
Downlink or Number of Users per Activity Status.
6. Click the Create button. The Sector Traffic Map dialogue appears.
Note:
You can also import a traffic map from a file by clicking the Import button. You can import
AGD (Atoll Geographic Data) format files that you have exported from another Atoll
document.
7. Select a coverage prediction by transmitter from the list of available coverage predictions by transmitter.
8. Enter the data required in the Map per Sector dialogue:
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If you have selected Throughputs in Uplink and Downlink, enter the throughput demands in the uplink and
downlink for each sector and for each listed service.
If you have selected Number of Users per Activity Status, enter the number of users active in the uplink, in
the downlink and in the uplink and downlink, for each sector and for each service.
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Note:
You can also import a text file containing the data by clicking the Actions button and
selecting Import Table from the menu. For more information on importing table data, see
"Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 52.
9. Click OK. The Sector Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.

10. Select the Traffic tab. Enter the following:
a. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage
must equal 100.
b. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
c. Under Clutter Distribution, for each clutter class, enter:
-
A weight to spread the traffic over the vector.

The percentage of indoor users. An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during Monte-Carlo
simulations.
11. Click OK. Atoll creates the traffic map in the Traffic folder.
You can modify the sector traffic map after it has been created.
To modify the sector traffic map:
) to expand the Traffic folder.
3. Right-click the traffic map based on live data that you want to update. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Sector Traffic Map dialogue appears.
5. Select the Traffic tab.
6. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentages must
equal 100.
7. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentages must
equal 100.
8. Under Clutter Distribution, for each clutter class, enter a weight to spread the traffic over the clutter classes and
the percentage of indoor users.
9. Click OK. Atoll saves the traffic map with its modifed values.
You can update the information, throughput demands and the number of users, on the map afterwards. You can update
Sector traffic maps. You must first recalculate the coverage prediction by transmitter. For more information, see "Making
a Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 211. Once you have recalculated the coverage prediction, you can update
the traffic map.
To update the traffic map:
3. Right-click the sector traffic map that you want to update. The context menu appears.
4. Select Update from the context menu. The Sector Traffic Map dialogue appears.
Select the updated coverage prediction by transmitter and define traffic values for the new transmitter(s) listed at
the bottom of the table. Deleted or deactivated transmitters are automatically removed from the table.
5. Click OK. The Sector Traffic Map Properties dialogue appears.
6. Click OK. The traffic map is updated on the basis of the selected coverage prediction by transmitter.
If you want to extract and display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account
any clutter weighting defined for the sector traffic map, you can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps.
For more information, see "Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps" on page 264.
6.3.2.2
Creating a User Profile Traffic Map

The marketing department can provide information which can be used to create traffic maps. This information describes
the behaviour of different types of users. In other words, it describes which type of user accesses which services and for
how long. There may also be information about the type of terminal devices they use to access different services.
In Atoll, this type of data can be used to create traffic maps based on user profiles and environments.
A user profile models the behaviour of different user categories. Each user profile is defined by a list of services which are
in turn defined by the terminal used, the calls per hour, and duration (for calls of the type "voice") or uplink and downlink
volume (for calls of the type "data").
Environment classes are used to describe the distribution of users on a map. An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a given density (i.e., the number of users with
the same profile per km).
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The sections "Importing a User Profile Traffic Map" on page 260, "Importing a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map"
on page 261 and "Creating a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map" on page 262 describe how to use traffic data
from the marketing department in Atoll to model traffic.
"Modelling User Profiles" on page 259.

"Modelling Environments" on page 259.
Modelling User Profiles

You can model variations in user behaviour by creating different profiles for different times of the day or for different circumstances. For example, a user may be considered a business user during the day, with video conferencing and voice, but
no web browsing. In the evening the same user might not use video conferencing, but might use multi-media services and
web browsing.
To create or modify a user profile:
3. Right-click the User Profiles folder. The context menu appears.

4. Select New from the context menu. The User Profiles New Element Properties dialogue appears.
Note:
You can modify the properties of an existing user profile by right-clicking the user profile in
the User Profiles folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.
5. You can modify the following parameters:

-
Name: Enter a descriptive name for the user profile.

Service: Select a service from the list. For information on services, see "Modelling Services" on page 223.
Terminal: Select a terminal from the list. For information on terminals, see "Modelling Terminals" on page 224.
Calls/Hour: For services of the type "voice," enter the average number of calls per hour for the service. The
calls per hour is used to calculate the activity probability. For services of the type "voice," one call lasting 1000
seconds presents the same activity probability as two calls lasting 500 seconds each.
For services of the type "data," the Calls/Hour value is defined as the number of sessions per hour. A session
is like a call in that it is defined as the period of time between when a user starts using a service and when he
stops using a service. In services of the type "data," however, he may not use the service continually. For example, with a web-browsing service, a session starts when the user opens his browsing application and ends
when he quits the browsing application. Between these two events, the user may be downloading web pages
and other times he may not be using the application, or he may be browsing local files, but the session is still
considered as open. A session, therefore, is defined by the volume transferred in the uplink and downlink and
not by the time.
Note:
In order for all the services defined for a user profile to be taken into account during traffic
scenario elaboration, the sum of activity probabilities must be lower than 1.
Duration (sec.): For services of the type "voice," enter the average duration of a call in seconds. For services
of the type "data," this field is left blank.
UL Volume (KBytes): For services of the type "data," enter the average uplink volume per session in kilobytes.
DL Volume (KBytes): For services of the type "data," enter the average downlink volume per session in kilobytes.
6. Click OK.
Modelling Environments
An environment class describes its environment using a list of user profiles, each with an associated mobility type and a
given density (i.e., the number of users with the same profile per km). To get an appropriate user distribution, you can
assign a weight to each clutter class for each environment class. You can also specify the percentage of indoor subscribers
for each clutter class. In a Monte Carlo simulation, an additional loss (as defined in the clutter class properties) will be
added to the indoor users path loss.
To create or modify an LTE environment:
3. Right-click the Environments folder. The context menu appears.

4. Select New from the context menu. The Environments New Element Properties dialogue appears.
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Note:
You can modify the properties of an existing environment by right-clicking the

environment in the Environments folder and selecting Properties from the context
menu.

6. Enter a Name for the new LTE environment.
7. In the row marked with the New Row icon (
), set the following parameters for each user profile/mobility combination that this LTE environment will describe:
-
User: Select a user profile.

Mobility: Select a mobility type.
Density (Subscribers/km2): Enter a density in terms of subscribers per square kilometre for the combination
of user profile and mobility type.
8. Click the Clutter Weighting tab.

9. For each clutter class, enter a weight that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area -------------------------Wi Si
where:
Nk
N Area =
Number of users in the clutter k

Number of users in the zone Area
Wk
Weight of clutter k
Sk
Surface area of clutter k (in square km)
For example: An area of 10 km with a user density of 100/km. Therefore, in this area, there are 1000 users. The
area is covered by two clutter classes: Open and Building. The clutter weighting for Open is "1" and for Building is
"4." Given the respective weights of each clutter class, 200 subscribers are in the Open clutter class and 800 in
the Building clutter class.
10. If you wish you can specify a percentage of indoor users for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simulation,
an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
11. Click OK.
6.3.2.2.1
Importing a User Profile Traffic Map

User profile traffic maps are composed of vectors (either points with a number of subscribers, lines with a number of
subscriberskm, or polygons with a number of subscriberskm) with a user profile, mobility type, and traffic density
assigned to each vector.
To create a user profile traffic map:
4. Select User Profile Traffic Map.
5. Select User Profile Densities from the list.
6. Click the Import button. The Open dialogue appears.
Note:
You can also create a traffic map manually in Atoll by clicking the Create button in the
New Traffic Map dialogue. For information, see "Creating a User Profile Environment
Based Traffic Map" on page 262.
7. Select the file to import.

8. Click Open. The File Import dialogue appears.
9. Select Traffic from the Data Type list.
10. Click Import. Atoll imports the traffic map. The traffic maps properties dialogue appears.
11. Select the Traffic tab (see Figure 6.144).
12. Under Traffic Fields, you can specify the user profiles to be considered, their mobility type (kmh), and their density. If the file you are importing has this data, you can define the traffic characteristics by identifying the corresponding fields in the file. If the file you are importing does not have data describing the user profile, mobility, or
density, you can assign values. When you assign values, they apply to the entire map.
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Figure 6.144: Traffic map properties dialogue - Traffic tab

Define each of the following:
-
User Profile: If you want to import user profile information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and
select the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a user profile from the LTE Parameters
folder of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the user profile in the Choice column.
Mobility: If you want to import mobility information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select
the source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a mobility type from the LTE Parameters folder
of the Data tab, under Defined, select "By value" and select the mobility type in the Choice column.
Density: If you want to import density information from the file, under Defined, select "By field" and select the
source field from the Choice column. If you want to assign a density, under Defined, select "By value" and
enter a density in the Choice column for the combination of user profile and mobility type. In this context, the
term "density" depends on the type of vector traffic map. It refers to the number of subscribers per square kilometre for polygons, the number of subscribers per kilometre in case of lines, and the number of subscribers
when the map consists of points.
Important: When you import user profile or mobility information from the file, the values in the file
must be exactly the same as the corresponding names in the LTE Parameters folder of
the Data tab. If the imported user profile or mobility does not match, Atoll will display a
warning.
13. Under Clutter Distribution, enter a weight for each class that will be used to calculate a user distribution.
The user distribution is calculated using the following equation:
Wk Sk
N k = N Area -------------------------Wi Si
where:
Nk
N Area =
Number of users in the clutter k

Number of users in the zone Area
Wk
Weight of clutter k
Sk
Surface area of clutter k (in square km)
14. If you wish you can specify a percentage of indoor subscribers for each clutter class. During a Monte Carlo simulation, an additional loss will be added to the indoor users path loss.
15. Click OK to finish importing the traffic map.
6.3.2.2.2
Importing a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map

Environment classes describe the distribution of user profiles.
To create a user profile environment based traffic map:
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5. Select User Profile Environments from the list.
Note:
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported 8 bit raster formats: TIF, JPEG 2000,
BIL, IST, BMP, PlaNET, GRC Vertical Mapper, and Erdas Imagine.
11. Select the Description tab.
In the imported map, each type of region is defined by a number. Atoll reads these numbers and lists them in the
Code column.
12. For each Code, select the environment it corresponds to from the Name column.
The environments available are those available in the Environments folder, under LTE Parameters on the Data
tab of the Explorer window. For more information, see "Modelling Environments" on page 259.
13. Select the Display tab. For information on changing the display parameters, see "Display Properties of Objects"
on page 22.
14. Click OK.
6.3.2.2.3
Creating a User Profile Environment Based Traffic Map

Atoll enables you to create a user profile environment traffic map based on by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map:
5. Select User Profile Environments from the list.
6. Click Create. The Environment Map Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 6.145).
Draw Map
Delete Map
Figure 6.145: Environment Map Editor toolbar

7. Select the environment class from the list of available environment classes.
8. Click the Draw Polygon button (
9. Click the Delete Polygon button (
) to draw the polygon on the map for the selected environment class.
) and click the polygon to delete the environment class polygon on the map.
10. Click the Close button to close the Environment Map Editor toolbar and end editing.
6.3.2.2.4
Displaying Statistics on a User Profile Environment Traffic Map

You can display the statistics of a user profile environment traffic map. Atoll provides absolute (surface) and relative
(percentage of the surface) statistics on the focus zone for each environment class. If you do not have a focus zone
defined, statistics are determined for the computation zone.
To display traffic statistics of a user profile environment traffic map:
3. Right-click the user profile environment traffic map whose statistics you want to display. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears.
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The Statistics window lists the surface (Si in km) and the percentage of surface (% of i) for each environment
Si
class "i" within the focus zone. The percentage of surface is given by: % of i = -------------- 100
Sk
You can print the statistics by clicking the Print button.

5. Click Close.
If a clutter classes map is available in the document, traffic statistics provided for each environment class are listed per
clutter class.
6.3.2.3
Creating User Density Traffic Maps (No. Users/km2)

User density traffic maps can be based on population statistics (user densities can be calculated from the density of inhabitants) or on 2G traffic statistics. User density traffic maps provide the number of connected users per unit surface, i.e., the
density of users, as input.
In this section, the following ways of creating a user density traffic map are explained:
"Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 263

"Creating a User Density Traffic Map" on page 264.
User density traffic maps may be created from sector traffic maps in order to extract and display the exact number of users
per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account any clutter weighting defined for the sector traffic maps.
for more information, see "Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps" on page 264.
6.3.2.3.1
Importing a User Density Traffic Map

The user density traffic map defines the density of users per pixel. For a traffic density of X users per km, Atoll will distribute x users per pixel during the simulations, where x depends on the size of the pixels. These x users will have a terminal,
a mobility type, a service, and percentage of indoor users as defined in the Traffic tab of the traffic maps properties
dialogue.
You can create a number of user density traffic maps for different combinations of terminals, mobility types, and services.
You can add vector layers to the map and draw regions with different traffic densities.
To create a user density traffic map:
4. Select User Density Traffic Map (No. Users/km2).
5. Select the type of traffic information you input:
-
Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.

Note:
7. Select the file to import. The file must be in one of the following supported raster formats (16 or 32 bit): BIL, BMP,
PlaNET, TIF, JPEG 2000, ISTAR, and Erdas Imagine.
12. Select whether the users are active in the Uplink/Downlink, only in the Downlink, or only in the Uplink.
13. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
14. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
15. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
16. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
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An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for traffic maps per user density because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
6.3.2.3.2
Creating a User Density Traffic Map

Atollenables you to create a user density traffic map by drawing it in the map window.
To draw a traffic map per user density:
4. Select User Density Traffic Map (Number of users per km2).
5. Select the type of traffic information you input. You can choose between:
-
Active in Uplink: Select Active in Uplink if the map you are importing provides a density of users active in
the uplink only.
Active in Downlink: Select Active in Downlink if the map you are importing provides a density of users
active in the downlink only.
Active in Uplink and Downlink: Select Active in Uplink and Downlink if the map you are importing provides
a density of users with both uplink and downlink activity.
6. Click the Create button. The traffic maps property dialogue appears.
8. Under Terminals (%), enter the percentage of each type of terminal used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
9. Under Mobilities (%), enter the percentage of each mobility type used in the map. The total percentage must
equal 100.
10. Under Services (%), enter the percentage of each service type used in the map. The total percentage must equal
100.
11. Under Clutter Distribution, enter for each clutter class the percentage of indoor users.
An additional loss will be counted for indoor users during the Monte-Carlo simulations. You do not have to define
a clutter weighting for user density traffic maps because the traffic is provided in terms of user density per pixel.
13. Right-click the traffic map. The context menu appears.
14. Select Edit from the context menu.
15. Use the tools available in the Vector Edition toolbar in order to draw contours. For more information on how to
edit contours, see "Editing Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 36. Atoll creates an item called Density values
in the User Density Map folder.
16. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
18. In the table, enter a traffic density value (i.e. the number of users per km2) for each contour you have drawn.
19. Right-click the item. The context menu appears.
20. Select Edit from the context menu to end editing.
6.3.2.3.3
Creating User Density Traffic Maps from Sector Traffic Maps

You can create user density traffic maps from sector traffic maps. User density traffic maps created from sector traffic maps
extract and display the exact number of users per unit of surface, i.e., the density of users, taking into account any clutter
weighting defined for the sector traffic maps.
To create user density traffic maps from a sector traffic map:
3. Right-click the sector traffic map from which you want to create user density traffic maps. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Create density maps from the context menu.
Atoll creates as many user density traffic maps as the number of services present in the sector traffic map. The
user density map files use the resolution of the coverage prediction used for the sector traffic map and are embedded in the document.
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6.3.2.4
Converting 2G Network Traffic

Atollcan cumulate the traffic of the traffic maps that you select and export it to a file. The information exported is the
number of users per km for a particular service of a particular type, i.e., data or voice. This allows you to export your 2G
network packet and circuit service traffic, and then import these maps as traffic maps per user density into your LTE document. These maps can then be used in traffic simulations like any other type of map.
For more information on how to export cumulated traffic, see "Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 265, and for information on importing user density traffic maps, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 263.
To import a 2G traffic map into an LTE document:
1. Create a live data traffic map in your 2G document for each type of service, i.e., one map for packet-switched and
one for circuit-switched services. For more information on creating sector traffic maps, see "Creating a Sector Traffic Map" on page 242.
2. Export the cumulated traffic of the maps created in step 1. For information on exporting cumulated traffic, see
"Exporting Cumulated Traffic" on page 265.
3. Import the traffic exported in step 2 to your LTE document as a user density traffic map. For more information on
importing user density traffic maps, see "Importing a User Density Traffic Map" on page 263.
6.3.2.5
Exporting Cumulated Traffic

Atoll allows you to export the cumulated traffic of selected traffic maps in the form of user density traffic maps. During
export, Atoll converts a user density traffic map. The cumulated traffic is exported in 32-bit BIL, ArcView Grid, or Vertical
Mapper format. When exporting in BIL format, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 GB. The exported traffic map
can then be imported as a user density traffic map.
To export the cumulated traffic:
3. Select Export Cumulated Traffic from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. Enter a file name and select the file format.
5. Click Save. The Export dialogue appears.
6. Under Region, select the area to export:
-
The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic over the entire project.
The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the cumulated traffic contained by a rectangle
encompassing the computation zone.
7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1.
Important: You must enter a resolution before exporting. If you do not enter a resolution, it remains
at "0" and no data will be exported.
8. Under Traffic, define the data to be exported in the cumulated traffic. Atoll uses this information to filter the traffic
data to be exported.
-
Terminal: Select the type of terminal that will be exported or select "All" to export traffic using any terminal.
Service: Select the service that will be exported, or select "Voice services" to export voice traffic, or select
"Data services" to export data traffic.
Mobility: Select the mobility type that will be exported or select "All" to export all mobility types.
Activity: Select one of the following:
-
All Activity Statuses: Select All Activity Statuses to export all users without any filter by activity status.
Uplink: Select Uplink to export mobiles active in the uplink only.
Downlink: Select Downlink to export mobiles active in the downlink only.
Uplink/Downlink: Select Uplink/Downlink to export only mobiles with both uplink and downlink activity.
9. In the Select Traffic Maps to Be Used list, select the check box of each traffic map you want to include in the
cumulated traffic.
10. Click OK. The defined data is extracted from the selected traffic maps and cumulated in the exported file.
6.3.3
Exporting a Traffic Map

To export a traffic map:
3. Right-click the traffic map you want to export. The context menu appears.
5. Enter a file name and select a file format for the traffic map.
6. Click Save.
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If you are exporting a raster traffic map, you have to define:
-
The Export Region:

-
6.3.4
Entire Project Area: Saves the entire traffic map.

Only Pending Changes: Saves only the modifications made to the map.
Computation Zone: Saves only the part of the traffic map inside the computation zone.
An export Resolution.
Working with a Subscriber Database

The LTE module includes a subscriber database for modelling fixed user distributions in a network. The subscriber database consists of subscriber lists. You can create subscriber lists in Atoll by adding subscribers to the list using the mouse,
or by copying data from any other source such as a spreadsheet. You can also directly import subscriber lists in Atoll from
text (TXT) and comma separated value (CSV) files.
Atoll can allocate reference or serving base stations (cells) to subscribers. You can also have the subscriber antenna
oriented towards its serving cell to decrease interference. The automatic server allocation performs a number of calculations on the subscriber locations.
6.3.4.1
"Creating a Subscriber List" on page 266.

"Performing Calculations on Subscriber lists" on page 269.
Creating a Subscriber List

You create subscribers in Atoll in two steps. First, you create a subscriber list, and then you add subscribers to the list.
You can add subscribers to the list directly on the map using the mouse. For more information, see "Adding Subscribers
to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse" on page 268.
If you need to create a large number of subscribers, Atoll allows you to import them from another Atoll document or from
an external source. For more information, see "Importing a Subscriber List" on page 268.
To create a subscriber list:
2. Right-click the Subscribers folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New List from the context menu. The Subscriber List N Properties dialogue appears (see Figure 6.146),
where N is an incremental digit.
Figure 6.146: New subscriber list dialogue - General tab

4. Select the General tab. The following options are available:
-
Name: The name of the subscriber list. You can change the name of the list if desired.
Coordinate System: The current coordinate system used by the subscriber list. You can change the coordinate system of the list by clicking the Change button.
Sort: Click the Sort button to sort the data in the subscriber list. For information on sorting, see "Sorting Data"
on page 63.
Filter: Click the Filter button to filter the data in the subscriber list. For information on filtering, see "Filtering
Data" on page 64.
5. Click the Display tab. You can modify how subscribers added to the list are displayed. For information on defining
the display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
6. Click OK. Atoll creates a new subscriber list.
The following parameters are available by default in a new subscriber list:
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ID: The subscriber ID in the subscriber list. It is an automatically created identification number.
X and Y coordinates: The geographical coordinates of the subscriber. A subscribers location is always fixed.
Height: The altitude of the subscriber antenna with respect to the ground (DTM).
Clutter: The name of the clutter class where the subscriber is located. This is a non-editable field whose contents are automatically updated.
Name: You can assign a descriptive name to each subscriber.
User Profile: A user profile defines the traffic demand characteristics of subscribers. Atoll determines the terminal used, the service accessed, and the activity status of subscribers during Monte Carlo simulations
according to the information in the user profiles. For more information, see "Modelling User Profiles" on
page 259.
Terminal: The default terminal is the user equipment with an antenna, LTE equipment, and noise characteristics. The properties of this terminal are taken into consideration when performing calculations on the subscriber list.
Service: The service that the subscriber accesses by default. The properties of this service are taken into consideration when performing calculations on the subscriber list.
Mobility: The mobility type associated with the subscriber. It is used to identify the thresholds and graphs to
be used for the subscriber in calculations.
Indoor: This field indicates whether the subscriber is indoor or outdoor.
Azimuth: The orientation of the subscriber antenna in the horizontal plane. Azimuth is always considered with
respect to the north. You can either define this value manually or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. Atoll
points the subscriber antenna towards its serving base station.
Mechanical Downtilt: The orientation of the subscriber antenna in the vertical plane. Mechanical downtilt is
positive when it is downwards and negative when upwards. You can either define this value manually or let
Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. Atoll points the subscriber antenna towards its serving base station.
Lock Status: You can choose to lock the subscriber antenna orientation and serving transmitter. Use this
option if you do not want Atoll to change the assigned server or the antenna orientation.
Serving Base Station: The serving transmitter of the subscriber. You can either define this value manually
or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. The serving base station is determined according to the received
reference signal level from the cell with the highest reference signal power.
Reference Cell: The reference cell of the serving transmitter of the subscriber. You can either define this value
manually or let Atoll calculate it for the subscriber. If more than one cell of the serving base station cover the
subscriber, the one with the lowest layer is selected as the reference cell.
Path Loss (dB): The path loss calculated for the subscriber.
Distance: The distance of the subscriber from its serving base station. This is a non-editable field whose contents are automatically updated.
Received Reference Signal Power (DL) (dBm): The reference signal level received at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
Received SS Power (DL) (dBm): The SS signal level received at the subscriber location in the downlink. This
value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
Received PDSCH Power (DL) (dBm): The PDSCH signal level received at the subscriber location in the
downlink. This value is calculated by Atoll during calculations on subscriber lists.
SS & PBCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the subscriber location in the downlink on the SS and PBCH. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations
on subscriber lists.
PDSCH & PDCCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
subscriber location in the downlink on the PDSCH and PDCCH. This value is generated by Atoll during the
calculations on subscriber lists.
Reference Signal C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The reference signal C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink.
This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
SS C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The SS C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by
Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
PDSCH C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The PDSCH C/(I+N) at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
Bearer (DL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PDSCH C/(I+N) level at the subscriber location in the
downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
BLER (DL): The Block Error Rate read from the subscribers terminal types LTE equipment for the PDSCH
C(I+N) level at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations
Diversity Mode (DL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in downlink.
Peak RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
Effective RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the subscriber location in the downlink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
Received PUSCH & PUCCH Power (UL) (dBm): The PUSCH & PUCCH signal level received at the serving
transmitter from the subscriber terminal in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations
PUSCH & PUCCH Total Noise (I+N) (UL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink on the PUSCH. This value is generated by Atoll during the
PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) (UL) (dB): The PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
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Bearer (UL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber
lists.
BLER (UL): The Block Error Rate read from the reference cells LTE equipment for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/
(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the
Diversity Mode (UL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in uplink.
Transmission Power (UL) (dBm): The transmission power of the subscribers terminal after power control in
the uplink. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber lists.
Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Frequency Blocks): The number of frequency blocks allocated to the
subscriber in the uplink by the eNode-B. This value is generated by Atoll during the calculations on subscriber
lists.
Peak RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by
Effective RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput available using the
highest bearer available at the serving transmitter of the subscriber in the uplink. This value is generated by
For information on how to select the columns to display in the subscriber list table, see "Selecting the Columns to
Display in the Subscriber Lists" on page 269.
For more information on the calculations that you can carry out on subscriber lists, see "Performing Calculations
on Subscriber lists" on page 269.
You can now move the pointer over the map and click once to place a new subscriber at the location of the pointer. Press
ESC or click the normal pointer button ( ), to finish adding subscribers on the map. For information on adding subscribers
to a list, see "Adding Subscribers to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse" on page 268.
You can open the subscriber list table containing all the subscribers and their parameters.
To open the subscriber list table:
) to expand the Subscribers folder.
3. Right-click the subscriber list you want to open. The context menu appears.
6.3.4.1.1
Adding Subscribers to a Subscriber List Using the Mouse

You can use the mouse to add subscribers to an existing subscriber list. Atoll applies the default parameters defined in
the Table tab of the subscriber list Properties dialogue to all the subscribers you add to the list. For more information on
the Table tab, see "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 266.
To add subscribers to a subscriber list using the mouse:
3. Right-click the subscriber list to which you want to add subscribers. The context menu appears.
4. Select Add Subscribers from the context menu. The pointer changes to subscriber addition mode (
).
5. Move the mouse over the Map window, and click once to add each subscriber.
6. Press ESC or click the normal pointer button (
Tip:
6.3.4.1.2
) to finish adding subscribers.
To place subscribers more accurately, before clicking the map, you can zoom in on the
map. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map Scale" on
page 28.
Importing a Subscriber List

You can also import subscriber lists from text files (TXT) or comma separated value files (CSV), including Microsoft Excel
files exported in CSV format.
To import a subscriber list:
4. Select the ASCII text file you want to open and click Open. The Import dialogue appears.
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In the Import dialogue, you can change the reference coordinate system for the file being imported by selecting
the system from the Coordinates list. Atoll will convert the coordinates of the list to the coordinate system of the
document upon import.
For more information on importing table data, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 52.
Note:
6.3.4.1.3
You can also export subscriber lists. For information on exporting table data, see
"Exporting Tables to Text Files" on page 51.
Selecting the Columns to Display in the Subscriber Lists

From the columns listed in "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 266, you can select the ones to display in the Properties
dialogue of the Subscribers folder.
To select the columns to display in subscriber lists:
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Subscribers Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Column Selection tab.
5. Under Configuration, you can Open an existing configuration of the columns to display, Save the current settings
in an exsting configuration file, or Save as a new configuration file.
6. Select the columns you want to display:
a. To display a column, select the column in the Available Columns list and click
Columns to Display list.
b. To hide a column, select the column in the Columns to Display list and click
c. To change the order of the columns, select a column and click
or
to move it to the
to move it up or down in the list.
7. Click OK to close the Subscribers Properties dialogue.
6.3.4.2
Performing Calculations on Subscriber lists

You can perform calculations on subscriber lists without having to carry out simulations first. Atoll does not base calculations performed on subscriber lists on the path loss matrices calculated for transmitters. This is because the path loss
matrices are calculated for a given receiver height (1.5 m by default) defined in the Properties dialogue of the Predictions
folder, but each subscriber in a subscriber list can have a different height. Therefore, Atoll recalculates the path loss,
received power, and other output for each subscriber when you perform calculations based on subscribers.
Atoll includes an Automatic Server Allocation feature which performs the following for all the subscribers in a list.
To perform calculations on a subscriber list:
3. Right-click the subscriber list on which you want to perform calculations. The context menu appears.
4. Select Calculations > Automatic Server Allocation from the context menu. The Automatic Server Allocation
dialogue appears.
If you want the calculations to consider shadowing, you can select the Shadowing taken into account check box
and enter a percentage in the Cell Edge Coverage Probability text box. The shadowing margin for signal level
calculations is based on the model standard deviation, and the shadowing margin for C/(I+N) calculations is based
on the C/I standard deviation.
5. Click Calculate. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer.
6. Once the calculations are finished, click Close to close the Event Viewer.
7. Click Commit to store the results in the subscriber list. For the list of results that are available after the calculations,
see "Creating a Subscriber List" on page 266.
6.3.5
Calculating and Displaying Traffic Simulations

To plan and optimise LTE networks, you will need to study the network capacity and to study the network coverage taking
into account realistic user distribution and traffic demand scenarios.
In Atoll, a simulation corresponds to a given distribution of LTE users. It is a snapshot of an LTE network. The principal
outputs of a simulation are a geographic user distribution with a certain traffic demand, resources allocated to each user
of this distribution, and cell loads.
You can create groups for one or more simulations and carry out as many simulations as required. A new simulation for
each different traffic scenario can help visualise the networks response to different traffic demands. Each user distribution
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(each simulation generates a new user distribution) is a Poisson distribution of the number of active users. Therefore, each
simulation may have a varying number of users accessing the network.
LTE simulation results can be displayed on the map as well as listed in tabular form for analysis. Simulation outputs include
results related to sites, cells, and mobiles.
LTE simulation results can be stored in the cells table and used in C/(I+N) based coverage predictions.
6.3.5.1
"LTE Traffic Simulation Algorithm" on page 270.

"Creating Simulations" on page 271.
"Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map" on page 272.
"Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation" on page 276.
"Updating Cell Load Values With Simulation Results" on page 281.
"Estimating a Traffic Increase" on page 282.
LTE Traffic Simulation Algorithm

Figure 6.147 shows the LTE simulation algorithm. The simulation process in LTE consists of the following steps:
1. Mobile Generation and Distribution
Simulations require traffic data, such as traffic maps (raster, vector, or live traffic data) or subscriber lists. Atoll
generates a user distribution for each simulation using a Monte Carlo algorithm. This user distribution is based on
the traffic data input and is weighted by a Poisson distribution.
Each mobile generated during the simulations is assigned a service, a mobility type, and a terminal according to
the user profile assigned to it. A transmission status is determined according to the activity probabilities. The transmission status is an important output of the simulation as it has a direct impact on the next step of the simulation
process, i.e., the radio resource management (RRM), and has an impact on the interference level in the network.
The geographical location of each mobile is determined randomly for the mobiles generated based on the traffic
data from traffic maps. The mobiles generated based on the traffic data from subscriber lists are located on the
subscriber locations.
Figure 6.147: LTE simulation algorithm

2. Best Server Determination
Atoll determines the best server for each mobile based on the reference signal level in the downlink. The best
serving transmitter is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the highest
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reference signal power. If more than one cell cover the mobile, the one with the lowest layer is selected as the
serving (reference) cell.
3. Downlink Calculations
The downlink calculations include the calculation of downlink reference signal, SS, PBCH, PDSCH, and PDCCH
C/(I+N), determination of the best available bearer for the PDSCH C/(I+N), allocation of resources (RRM), and
calculation of user throughputs.
Static inter-cell interference coordination using fractional frequency reuse is performed on the downlink if the cell
supports static DL ICIC. Interference calculation is based on the probabilities of collision between the fractions of
the channel bandwidth used by the different cells.
4. Uplink Calculations
The uplink calculations include the calculation of PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N), determination of the best available
bearer for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N), uplink power control and uplink bandwidth allocation, resource allocation
(RRM), update of uplink noise rise values for cells, and calculation of user throughputs.
Static inter-cell interference coordination using fractional frequency reuse is performed on the uplink if the cell
supports static UL ICIC. Interference calculation is based on the probabilities of collision between the fractions of
the channel bandwidth used by the different cells.
5. Radio Resource Management and Cell Load Calculation
Atoll uses an intelligent scheduling algorithm to perform radio resource management. The scheduling algorithm
is explained in detail in the Technical Reference Guide. The scheduler:
a. Determines the total amount of resources in each cell
b. Selects the first N users from the users generated in the first step, where N is the Max Number of Users defined in the cell properties.
c. Sorts the users in decreasing order by service priority
d. Allocates the resources required to satisfy the minimum throughput demands of the users starting from the
first user (with the highest priority service) to the last user.
e. If resources still remain in the resource pool after this allocation, allocates resources to the users with maximum throughput demands according to the used scheduling algorithm.
At the end of the simulations, an active user can be connected in the direction corresponding to his activity status if:
he has a best server assigned (step 2.),

he has a bearer in the direction corresponding to his activity status (step 3. and step 4.),
he is among the users selected by the scheduler for resource allocation (step 5.), and
he is not rejected due to resource saturation (step 5.).
If a user is rejected during step 2., the cause of rejection is "No Coverage". If a user is rejected during step 3. or step 4.,
the cause of rejection is "No Service". If a user is rejected during step 5., the cause of rejection can either be "Scheduler
Saturation," i.e., the user is not among the users selected for resource allocation, or he can be rejected due to "Resource
Saturation," i.e., all of the cells resources were used up by other users or if, for a user active in uplink, the minimum uplink
throughput demand was higher than the uplink allocated bandwidth throughput.
6.3.5.2
Creating Simulations
In Atoll, simulations enable you to study the capacity of your LTE network and model the different network regulation
mechanisms, such as power control, uplink bandwidth allocation, and scheduling, in order to optimise network performance and maximise capacity.
You can create one simulation or a group of simulations that will be performed in sequence. You must have at least one
traffic map or subscriber list in your document to be able to perform simulations.
To create a simulation or a group of simulations:
2. Right-click the LTE Simulations folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select New from the context menu. The properties dialogue for a new simulation or group of simulations appears.
4. On the General tab of the dialogue, enter a Name for this simulation or group of simulations.
5. Under Execution on the General tab, you can set the Number of Simulations to be carried out. All simulations
created at the same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
6. Under Load Constraints on the General tab, you can set the constraints that Atoll must respect during the simulation:
-
Max DL Traffic Load: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum downlink traffic load, click the button
(
to use the maximum downlink traffic load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button ( ) beside
the box and select Defined per Cell.
Max UL Traffic Load: If you want to enter a global value for the maximum uplink traffic load, click the button
(
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) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum downlink traffic load. If you want
) beside the box and select Global Threshold. Then, enter a maximum uplink traffic load. If you want to
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use the maximum uplink traffic load as defined in the properties for each cell, click the button (
box and select Defined per Cell.
) beside the
7. You can enter some Comments if you wish.

8. On the Source Traffic tab, enter the following:
-
Global Scaling Factor: If desired, enter a scaling factor to increase user density.
The global scaling factor enables you to increase user density without changing traffic parameters or traffic
maps. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for sector traffic maps).
Select Traffic Maps to be Used: Select the traffic maps you want to use for the simulation.
Select Subscriber Lists to be Used: Select the subscriber lists you want to use for the simulation.
You can select traffic maps of any type. However, if you have several different types of traffic maps and want
to make a simulation on a specific type of traffic map, you must ensure that you select only traffic maps of the
same type. For information on the types of traffic maps, see "Creating a Traffic Map" on page 257.
Note:
When you perform simulations for subscriber lists, Atoll does not base the calculations on
subscriber lists on the path loss matrices calculated for transmitters. This is because the
path loss matrices are calculated for a given receiver height (1.5 m by default), but each
subscriber in a subscriber list can have a different height. Therefore, Atoll recalculates
the path loss, received power, and other output, for each subscriber when you perform
simulations on subscribers.
9. On the Advanced tab, enter the following:

10. Under Generator Initialisation, enter an integer as the generator initialisation value. If you enter "0," the default,
the user and shadowing error distribution will be random. If you enter any other integer, the same user and shadowing error distribution will be used for any simulation using the same generator initialisation value.
Tip:
Using the same generated user and shadowing error distribution for several simulations
can be useful when you want to compare the results of several simulations where only one
parameter changes.
11. Under Convergence, enter the following parameters:

-
Max Number of Iterations: Enter the maximum number of iterations that Atoll should run to make convergence.
DL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of downlink traffic load that
must be reached between two iterations.
UL Traffic Load Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink traffic load that
must be reached between two iterations.
UL Noise Rise Convergence Threshold: Enter the relative difference in terms of uplink noise rise that must
be reached between two iterations.
12. Once you have defined the simulation, you can run it immediately or you can save it to run it later:
-
Run: Click Run to save the defined simulation and run it immediately
OK: Click OK to save the defined simulation without running it. You can run it later clicking the Calculate
button (
All simulations created at the same time are grouped together in a folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window. You can
now use the results from completed simulations for LTE coverage predictions. For more information on using simulation
results in coverage predictions, see "Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results" on page 282.
6.3.5.3
Displaying the Traffic Distribution on the Map

Atoll enables you to display on the map the distribution of the traffic generated by all simulations according to different
parameters. You can, for example, display the traffic according to activity status, service, reference cell, or throughputs.
You can set the display of the traffic distribution according to discrete values and the select the value to be displayed. Or,
you can select the display of the traffic distribution according to value intervals, and then select the parameter and the
value intervals that are to be displayed. You can also define the colours of the icon and the icon itself. For information on
changing display characteristics, see "Defining the Display Properties of Objects" on page 23.
In this section are the following examples of traffic distribution:
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"Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status" on page 273.

"Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status" on page 273.
"Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service" on page 274.
"Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Throughput" on page 274.
"Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Uplink Transmission Power" on page 275.
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Tip:
6.3.5.3.1
You can make the traffic distribution easier to see by hiding geographic data and
coverage predictions. For information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map
Using the Explorer" on page 18.
Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Activity Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the activity status.
To display the traffic distribution by the activity status:
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The LTE Simulations Properties dialogue appears.
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Activity Status" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by activity status (see Figure 6.148).
Figure 6.148: Displaying the traffic distribution by activity status
6.3.5.3.2
Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Connection Status

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the connection status.
To display the traffic distribution by the connection status:
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Connection Status" as the
Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by activity status (see Figure 6.149).
Figure 6.149: Displaying the traffic distribution by connection status

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6.3.5.3.3
Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Service

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by service.
To display the traffic distribution by service:
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Discrete Values" as the Display Type and "Service" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by service (see Figure 6.150).
Figure 6.150: Displaying the traffic distribution by service
6.3.5.3.4
Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Throughput

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by throughput.
To display the traffic distribution by throughput:
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and one of the following
throughput types as the Field:
-
In the downlink:
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application channel throughput
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application cell capacity
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application user throughput
In the uplink:
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application channel throughput
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application cell capacity
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application allocated bandwidth throughput
- Peak RLC, effective RLC, or application user throughput
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by throughput (see Figure 6.151).
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Figure 6.151: Displaying the traffic distribution by throughput
6.3.5.3.5
Displaying the Traffic Distribution by Uplink Transmission Power

In this example, the traffic distribution is displayed by the uplink transmission power of the mobiles. You can analyse the
effect of the uplink power control.
To display the traffic distribution by uplink transmission power:
4. On the Display tab of the dialogue, select "Value Intervals" as the Display Type and "Transmission Power (UL)
(dBm)" as the Field.
5. Click OK. The traffic distribution is now displayed by uplink transmission power (see Figure 6.152).
Figure 6.152: Displaying the traffic distribution by uplink transmission power
6.3.5.3.6
Displaying Traffic Simulation Results Using Tooltips

You can display information by placing the pointer over a mobile generated during a simulation to read the information
displayed in the tool tips. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab. For information
on defining the tool tips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 26.
To display simulation results in the form of tool tips:
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In the map window, place the pointer over the user that you want more information on. After a brief pause, the
tooltip appears with the information defined in the Display tab of the LTE Simulations folder properties (see
Figure 6.153).
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Figure 6.153: Displaying the traffic simulation results using tool tips
6.3.5.4
Displaying the Results of a Single Simulation

After you have created a simulation, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 271, you can display the results.
To access the results of a single simulation:
) to expand the LTE Simulations folder.

you want to access.
) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose results
4. Right-click the simulation. The context menu appears.

5. Select Properties from the context menu. The simulation properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the simulation results. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain simulation results as identified by the tab title.
The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following sections:
-
Request: Under Request, is data on the connection requests:

-
Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; radio resource allocation has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic
input.
During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL throughput demands that all users could theoretically generate are
provided.
The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
throughput demands) is given.
Results: Under Results, is data on the connection results:

-
The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.

The total number and percentage of users unable to connect: rejected users, and the number of rejected
users per rejection cause.
The number and percentage of users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity status, and the
total UL and DL throughputs they generate. These data are also given per service.
The Sites tab: The Sites tab contains the following information per site:
-
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Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the
users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of effective RLC user throughputs of all the
users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of peak RLC
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Effective RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of effective
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps) For Each Service: For each service, the sum of application
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
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No Service: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was
"No Service."
No Service (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause
was "No Service."
Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
Scheduler Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the
rejection cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the
rejection cause was "Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink, uplink, or downlink and
uplink both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to any cell of the site with respect to the
number of users covered by the cells of the site.
Connection Success Rate (%) For Each Service: For each service, the percentage of users connected to
any cell of the site with respect to the number of users covered by the cells of the site.
The Cells tab: The Cells tab contains the following information, per site and transmitter:
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Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
ICIC Ratio (DL) (%): The percentage of the downlink traffic load that corresponds to the ICIC part of the frame.
Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
ICIC UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation for the ICIC
part of the frame.
MU-MIMO Capacity Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink.
users connected in the downlink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink.
users connected in the uplink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink.
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
No Service (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No
Service."
Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
Scheduler Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause
was "Scheduler Saturation."
Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause
was "Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to the cell in downlink, uplink, or downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to the cell in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to the cell with respect to the number of
users covered by the cell.
the cell with respect to the number of users covered by the cell.
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The Mobiles tab: The Mobiles tab contains the following information:
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X and Y: The coordinates of users who attempt to connect (the geographic position is determined by the
second random trial).
Height: The height of the user terminal (antenna).
User Profile: The assigned user profile. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the
terminal and the user profile.
Service: The service assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Terminal: The assigned terminal. Atoll uses the assigned service and activity status to determine the terminal
and the user profile.
Mobility: The mobility type assigned during the first random trial during the generation of the user distribution.
Activity Status: The assigned activity status. It can be DL, UL, or DL+UL.
Connection Status: The connection status indicates whether the user is connected or rejected at the end of
the simulation. If connected, the connection status corresponds to the activity status. If rejected, the rejection
cause is given.
Clutter Class: The code of the clutter class where the user is located.
Subscriber ID: The ID of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a traffic map.
Subscriber List: The subscriber list of the user if the user is generated from a subscriber list and not from a
traffic map.
Indoor: This field indicates whether indoor losses have been added or not.
Serving Base Station: The serving transmitter of the subscriber.
Reference Cell: The reference cell of the serving transmitter of the subscriber.
Azimuth: The orientation of the users terminal antenna in the horizontal plane. Azimuth is always considered
with respect to the North. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base station.
Downtilt: The orientation of the users terminal antenna in the vertical plane. Mechanical downtilt is positive
when it is downwards and negative when upwards. Atoll points the user antenna towards its serving base station.
Path Loss (dB): The path loss from the best server calculated for the user.
2nd Best Server Path Loss (dB): The path loss from the second best server calculated for the user.
Received Reference Signal Power (DL) (dBm): The reference signal level received at the user location in
the downlink.
RSRP (RS EPRE) (DL) (dBm): The RSRP, average Reference Signal Received Power per Subcarrier, at the
user location in the downlink.
RSSI (DL) (dBm): The RSSI, Received Signal Strength Indicator, at the user location in the downlink.
Received SS Power (DL) (dBm): The SS signal level received at the user location in the downlink.
Received PDSCH Power (DL) (dBm): The PDSCH signal level received at the user location in the downlink.
SS & PBCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the user
location in the downlink on the SS and PBCH.
PDSCH & PDCCH Total Noise (I+N) (DL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
user location in the downlink on the PDSCH and PDCCH.
Reference Signal C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The reference signal C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
RSRQ (DL) (dB): The RSRQ, Reference Signal Received Quality, at the user location in the downlink.
SS C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The SS C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
PDSCH C/(I+N) (DL) (dB): The PDSCH C/(I+N) at the user location in the downlink.
Bearer (DL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PDSCH C/(I+N) level at the user location in the downlink.
BLER (DL): The Block Error Rate read from the user terminals LTE equipment for the PDSCH C/(I+N) level
at the user location in the downlink.
Diversity Mode (DL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in downlink.
Peak RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the downlink.
Effective RLC Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and
the BLER.
Application Channel Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the
throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Peak RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The maximum RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the downlink.
Effective RLC User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The effective RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the downlink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the
BLER.
Application User Throughput (DL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Received PUSCH & PUCCH Power (UL) (dBm): The PUSCH & PUCCH signal level received at the serving
transmitter from the user terminal in the uplink.
PUSCH & PUCCH Total Noise (I+N) (UL) (dBm): The sum of the interference and noise experienced at the
serving transmitter of the user in the uplink on the PUSCH.
PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) (UL) (dB): The PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) at the serving transmitter of the user in
the uplink.
Bearer (UL): The highest LTE bearer available for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the user in the uplink.
BLER (UL): The Block Error Rate read from the reference cells LTE equipment for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/
(I+N) level at the serving transmitter of the user in the uplink.
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Diversity Mode (UL): The diversity mode supported by the cell or permutation zone in uplink.
Transmission Power (UL) (dBm): The transmission power of the user terminal after power control in the
uplink.
Allocated Bandwidth (UL) (No. of Frequency Blocks): The number of frequency blocks allocated to the
user in the uplink by the eNode-B.
Peak RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the uplink.
Effective RLC Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC channel throughput attainable using the
highest bearer available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and
the BLER.
Application Channel Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without
coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the
throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Peak RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC throughput attainable for the
number of frequency blocks allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in the
uplink.
Effective RLC Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC throughput attainable for
the number of frequency blocks allocated to the user using the highest bearer available at the user location in
the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
Application Allocated Bandwidth Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net
throughput without coding (redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC
throughput, the throughput scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Peak RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The maximum RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the uplink.
Effective RLC User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The effective RLC user throughput attainable using the highest
bearer available at the user location in the uplink. It is calculated from the peak RLC throughput and the BLER.
Application User Throughput (UL) (kbps): The application throughput is the net throughput without coding
(redundancy, overhead, addressing, etc.). It is calculated from the effective RLC throughput, the throughput
scaling factor of the service and the throughput offset.
Notes:
In Atoll, channel throughputs are peak RLC, effective RLC, or application throughputs
achieved at a given location using the highest LTE bearer with the entire channel resources.
If a user is rejected, his user throughput is zero.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
-
The global transmitter parameters:

-
The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:

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6.3.5.5
The PDCCH overhead (number of symbol durations per subframe)

The PUCCH overhead (average number of frequency blocks)
The switching point periodicity
The default cyclic prefix ratio
The UL power control margin
The maximum number of iterations
The global scaling factor
The generator initialisation value
The uplink and downlink traffic load convergence thresholds
The uplink noise rise convergence threshold
The names of the traffic maps and subscriber lists used.
The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.
Displaying the Average Results of a Group of Simulations

After you have created a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 271, you can display the
average results of the group. If you wish to display the results of a single simulation in a group, see "Displaying the Results
of a Single Simulation" on page 276.
To display the averaged results of a group of simulations:
3. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to display.

4. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
One tab gives statistics of the simulation results. Other tabs in the simulation properties dialogue contain the averaged results for all simulations of the group.
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The Statistics tab: The Statistics tab contains the following sections:
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Request: Under Request, is data on the connection requests:

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Atoll calculates the total number of users who try to connect. This number is the result of the first random
trial; radio resource allocation has not yet finished. The result depends on the traffic description and traffic
input.
During the first random trial, each user is assigned a service and an activity status. The number of users
per activity status and the UL and DL throughput demands that all users could theoretically generate are
provided.
The breakdown per service (total number of users, number of users per activity status, and UL and DL
throughput demands) is given.
Results: Under Results, is data on the connection results:

-
The number of iterations that were run in order to converge.

The total number and percentage of users unable to connect: rejected users, and the number of rejected
users per rejection cause.
The number and percentage of users connected to a cell, the number of users per activity status, and the
total UL and DL throughputs they generate. These data are also given per service.
The Sites (Average) tab: The Sites (Average) tab contains the following information per site:
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Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink in all the cells of the site.
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink in all the cells of the site.
No Service: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause was
"No Service."
No Service (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection cause
was "No Service."
Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
Scheduler Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the
rejection cause was "Scheduler Saturation."
Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the rejection
cause was "Resource Saturation."
Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to any cell of the site for which the
rejection cause was "Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink, uplink, or downlink and
uplink both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to any cell of the site in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to any cell of the site with respect to the
number of users covered by the cells of the site.
any cell of the site with respect to the number of users covered by the cells of the site.
The Cells (Average) tab: The Cells (Average) tab contains the following average information, per site and transmitter:
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Traffic Load (DL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the downlink during the simulation.
ICIC Ratio (DL) (%): The percentage of the downlink traffic load that corresponds to the ICIC part of the frame.
Traffic Load (UL) (%): The traffic loads of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation.
ICIC UL Noise Rise (dB): The noise rise of the cells calculated on the uplink during the simulation for the ICIC
part of the frame.
MU-MIMO Capacity Gain (UL): The uplink capacity gain due to multi-user (collaborative) MIMO.
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Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink.
users connected in the downlink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (DL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the downlink.
Peak RLC Aggregate Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of peak RLC user throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink.
users connected in the uplink.
Aggregate Application Throughput (UL) (kbps): The sum of application throughputs of all the users connected in the uplink.
user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
throughputs of the users connected in the downlink.
user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
RLC user throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
throughputs of the users connected in the uplink.
No Service: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No Service."
No Service (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was "No
Service."
Scheduler Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Scheduler Saturation."
Scheduler Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause
was "Scheduler Saturation."
Resource Saturation: The number of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause was
"Resource Saturation."
Resource Saturation (%): The percentage of users unable to connect to the cell for which the rejection cause
was "Resource Saturation."
Connected: The total number of users connected to the cell in downlink, uplink, or downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL+UL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink and uplink both.
Connected DL: The number of users connected to the cell in downlink.
Connected UL: The number of users connected to the cell in uplink.
Connection Success Rate (%): The percentage of users connected to the cell with respect to the number of
users covered by the cell.
the cell with respect to the number of users covered by the cell.
The Initial Conditions tab: The Initial Conditions tab contains the following information:
-
The global transmitter parameters:

-
The input parameters specified when creating the simulation:

-
6.3.5.6
The PDCCH overhead (number of symbol durations per subframe)

The PUCCH overhead (average number of frequency blocks)
The switching point periodicity
The default cyclic prefix ratio
The UL power control margin
The maximum number of iterations
The global scaling factor
The generator initialisation value
The uplink and downlink traffic load convergence thresholds
The uplink noise rise convergence threshold
The names of the traffic maps and subscriber lists used.
The parameters related to the clutter classes, including the default values.
Updating Cell Load Values With Simulation Results

After you have created a simulation or a group of simulations, as explained in "Creating Simulations" on page 271, you
can update cell load values for each cell with the results calculated during the simulation.
To update cell values with simulation results:
1. Display the simulation results:
To display the results for a group of simulations:
c. Right-click the group of simulations whose results you want to access.
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d. Select Average Simulation from the context menu. A properties dialogue appears.
To display the results for a single simulation:
c. Click the Expand button (

sults you want to access.
) to expand the folder of the simulation group containing the simulation whose re-
d. Right-click the simulation whose results you want to access.

e. Select Properties from the context menu. The simulation properties dialogue appears.
3. On the Cells tab, click Commit Results. The following values are updated for each cell:
-
6.3.5.7
Traffic Load (DL)

Traffic Load (UL)
UL Noise Rise
MU-MIMO Capacity Gain (UL)
No. of Users (DL)
No. of Users (UL)
ICIC UL Noise Rise
ICIC Ratio (DL)
Estimating a Traffic Increase

When you create simulation or a group of simulations, you are basing it on a set of traffic conditions that represent the
situation you are creating the network for. However, traffic can, and in fact most likely will, increase. You can test the
performance of the network against an increase of traffic load without changing traffic parameters or maps by using the
global scaling factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the initial number of
subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for sector traffic maps).
To change the global scaling factor:
1. Create a simulation or group of simulations as described in "Creating Simulations" on page 271.
2. Click the Source Traffic tab of the properties dialogue.
3. Enter a Global Scaling Factor. For example, setting the global scaling factor to 2 is the same as doubling the
initial number of subscribers (for environment and user profile traffic maps) or the rates/users (for sector traffic
maps).
6.3.6
Making Coverage Predictions Using Simulation Results

In Atoll, you can can analyse simulation results by making coverage predictions using simulation results. In a coverage
prediction each pixel is considered as a non-interfering probe user with a defined terminal, mobility, and service. The analyses can be based on a single simulation or on an averaged group of simulations.
When no simulations are available, Atoll uses the downlink traffic loads and uplink noise rise values stored for each cell
to make coverage predictions. For information on cell properties, see "Cell Description" on page 184; for information on
modifying cell properties, see "Creating or Modifying a Cell" on page 187.
Once you have made simulations, Atoll can use the information from the simulations instead of the defined parameters in
the cell properties to make coverage predictions. For each coverage prediction based on simulation results, you can base
the coverage prediction on a selected simulation or on a group of simulations, which uses the average of all simulations
in the group.
The coverage predictions that can use simulation results are:
Coverage by C/(I+N) Level: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by C/(I+N) level, see
"Making a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 227.
Coverage by Best Bearer: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by best bearer, see "Making
a Coverage by Best Bearer" on page 229.
Coverage by Throughput: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by throughput, see "Making
a Coverage by Throughput" on page 231.
Coverage by Quality Indicator: For information on making a downlink or uplink coverage by quality indicator, see
"Making a Coverage by Quality Indicator" on page 234.
When no simulations are available, you select "(Cells Table)" from the Load Conditions list, on the Condition tab.
However, when simulations are available you can base the coverage prediction on one simulation or a group of simulations.
To base a coverage prediction on a simulation or group of simulations, when setting the parameters:
1. Click the Condition tab.
2. From the Load Conditions list, select the simulation or group of simulations on which you want to base the coverage prediction.
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6.4
Optimising Network Parameters Using the ACP

Atoll Automatic Cell Planning (ACP) enables radio engineers designing LTE networks to automatically calculate the optimal network settings in terms of network coverage and capacity. Atoll ACP can also be used in co-planning projects where
LTE networks must both be taken into consideration when calculating the optimal network settings. Coverage maps are
used for the optimisation process, however, traffic maps can be used for weighting network load distribution.
Atoll ACP is primarily intended to improve existing network deployment by reconfiguring the main parameters that can be
remotely controlled by operators: antenna electrical tilt and cell pilot power. ACP can also be used during the initial planning stage of a LTE network by enabling the selection of the antenna, and its azimuth, height, and mechanical tilt. ACP
not only takes transmitters into account in optimisations but also any repeaters and remote antennas. ACP also enables
you to select which sites can be added or removed to improve existing or new networks.
Atoll ACP can also be used to measure and optimise the EMF exposure created by the network. This permits the optimisation of power and antenna settings to reduce excessive EMF exposure in existing networks and optimal site selection
for new transmitters.
6.4.1
"The ACP Module and Atoll" on page 283

"Configuring the ACP Module" on page 286
"Optimising Cell Planning with the ACP" on page 289
"Running an Optimisation Setup" on page 313
"Working with Optimisations in the Explorer Window" on page 314
"Viewing Optimisation Results" on page 315.
The ACP Module and Atoll

Atoll ACP can be used either with existing networks or with networks in the initial planning phases. With existing networks,
it is most efficient to focus on tuning the parameters that can be easily changed remotely, for example:
Antenna electrical tilt: ACP adjusts the electrical tilt by selecting the best antenna from the antenna group
assigned to this transmitter.
Total power for each cell: The total power is set within a defined minimum and maximum value for each cell.
When optimising a network that is still in the planning phase, Atoll ACP can calculate how the network can be improved by:
Selecting the antenna type for each transmitter: ACP selects the best antenna from the antenna group
assigned to this transmitter.
Changing the antenna azimuth: ACP sets the antenna azimuth using a defined range on either side of the currently defined azimuth.
Changing the mechanical tilt of the antenna: ACP sets the mechanical tilt using a defined range on either side
of the currently defined mechanical tilt.
Changing the height of the antenna: ACP sets the optimal antenna height using a defined range on either side
of the currently defined antenna height.
Selecting sites: ACP adds or removes sites that you have indicated as candidates for addition or removal in order
to improve existing or new networks.
6.4.1.1
"Using Zones with ACP" on page 283

"Using Traffic Maps with ACP" on page 284
"Shadowing Margin and Indoor Coverage" on page 284
"ACP and Antenna Masking" on page 284
"EMF Exposure" on page 286.
Using Zones with ACP

ACP uses different zones during the optimisation process for different purposes.
ACP uses the computation zone to define the area where the quality objectives are evaluated. It also uses the computation
and focus zones to quickly select the sites which are optimized, although you can also optimise transmitters and sites that
are outside the computation or focus zone. All sites and transmitters in the network, including those outside the computation and focus zones are taken into consideration when calculating signal, interference, and best server status.
ACP enables you to define different targets and different weights for each zone: for the computation zone, for the focus
zone, for the hot spots, and for each clutter classes.
6.4.1.1.1
"Using the Computation Zone and the Focus Zone" on page 283
"Using Hot Spots" on page 284
"Using the Filtering Zone" on page 284.
Using the Computation Zone and the Focus Zone

Atoll ACP measures the quality objectives within the computation zone. If there is no computation zone, the ACP measures the quality objectives using a rectangle that includes all cells in the network. You can also use the computation or
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focus zone to quickly select which cells are to be optimised, although you can also optimise either cells outside of the zones
ore a subset of cells within a zone.
Atoll ACP allows you to define different targets for the computation zone and the focus zone, as well as for the hot spot
zones. You can also define different weights for each zone.
Note:
6.4.1.1.2
It is recommended to define a computation zone. ACP uses the computation zone as the
area in which the quality figures are calculated and improved during optimisation.
Additionally, the zone defined by ACP might take into account areas outside of actual
traffic boundaries.
Using Hot Spots

Atoll ACP also allows you to use hot spots, enabling you to specify different quality targets for each hot spot zone and
display final results per zone. You can also define different weights for each zone. You can use the hot spots defined in
the Atoll document, import ArcView SHP files to create hot spots, or you can create hot spots based on clutter classes.
6.4.1.1.3
Using the Filtering Zone

If there is a filtering zone defined, Atoll ACP will optimise all currently defined and active cells selected by the filtering zone.
Cells that are locked will not be optimised. However, all cells will be used to model coverage and interference.
Note:
6.4.1.2
ACP automatically considers all the cells that have an effect on the computation or focus
zone, and ignores the rest (for example, cells that are too far away to have an impact on
the selected cells). It is nonetheless recommended to use a filtering zone to speed up
initial data extraction from the Atoll document.
Using Traffic Maps with ACP

Atoll ACP can use traffic maps to determine the traffic density on each pixel. The traffic density is used to weight each of
the quality figures according to traffic and to put more emphasis on high traffic areas. You can apply the imported traffic
density files to either or both of the quality indicators.
Figure 6.154: ACP traffic parameters

Note:
6.4.1.3
For the moment, traffic profiles are only used to evaluate the traffic weighting to apply to
each pixel (by adding the load-scaled traffic distribution on each traffic profile). This information will also be used in the future to better manage cell load.
Shadowing Margin and Indoor Coverage

Atoll ACP enables you to take indoor coverage and a shadowing margin into consideration. When indoor coverage is
taken into consideration, all pixels marked as indoors have an additional indoor loss added to total losses. The indoor loss
is defined per clutter class.
When the shadowing margin is taken into consideration, the defined shadowing margin is taken into consideration in the
calculation of the received useful signal power and interfering signal power.
For more information on how shadowing and macro-diversity gains are calculated, see the Technical Reference Guide.
Note:
6.4.1.4
You can set ACP to not take macro-diversity gains into consideration by setting the
appropriate option in the acp.ini file. You will need to update the corresponding
parameters in the atoll.ini file as well. For information on modifying the atoll.ini file, see the
Administrator Guide.
ACP and Antenna Masking

When ACP performs any type of antenna reconfiguration, it must determine how attenuation to the path loss changes
when the antenna is modified. ACP determines changes to path loss attenuation using antenna masking. Depending on
the propagation model used to calculate the path loss matrices, ACP supports the following antenna masking methods:
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Natively supported propagation models: ACP calculates the change in attenuation by unmasking the current
antenna pattern and then remasking it with the new antenna pattern. Because ACP is using the same propagation
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model as was used to calculate the original path loss matrices, the results are consistent and accurate. For this
reason, using natively supported propagation models is the preferred method.
For more information, see "Natively Supported Propagation Models" on page 285.
ACPs default antenna masking method: If the propagation model used to calculate the original path loss
matrices is not supported by ACP, ACP can use its own default antenna masking method. Because the ACP
default masking method is not the same as the one used to calculate the original path loss matrices, accuracy
cannot be guaranteed. ACPs default masking method gives results similar to Atolls Standard Propagation Model
and should deliver acceptable results for any macro-type propagation model.
For more information, see "ACPs Default Antenna Masking Model" on page 285.
Precalculated path loss matrices: ACP can precalculate either the full path loss matrices for a selected propagation model or the angles of incidence for any propagation model that supports it.
For more information, see "Precalculated Path Loss Matrices" on page 285.
Note:
6.4.1.4.1
Preamble power optimisation and site selection (without reconfiguration) are made independently of the method used to determine changes to path loss attenuation.
Natively Supported Propagation Models

During antenna optimisation, ACP must calculate how the attenuation to the path loss changes when the antenna is modified, i.e., when the antenna type, tile, or azimuth is modified.
When ACP uses natively supported propagation models, it calculates the change in attenuation by unmasking the current
antenna pattern and then remasking it with the new antenna pattern. The unmasking and remasking operations are
strongly dependent on the propagation model that was used to calculate the path losses, especially to:
Find the horizontal and vertical emission angles between a transmitter and the receiving pixel. The angles depend
strongly on the radial method used to account for the height profile between the transmitter and receiver.
Find the correct antenna gain for a given set of horizontal and vertical emission angles. The gain is usually based
on a 3-D interpolation of the 2-D patterns and can be model-dependent.
How ACP calculates attenuation depends on the propagation model used by Atoll to generate the path loss. The propagation model parameters which affect processing are automatically extracted by ACP. ACP supports the propagation
models commonly used in Atoll.
The raster data needed by ACP depends on the propagation model that Atoll used to generate the path loss.
6.4.1.4.2
Propagation Model
Raster Data Required
All Atoll Hata-based propagation models (Cost-Hata,

Okumura-Hata, ITU, etc.)
DEM file
Atoll Standard Propagation Model
DEM file
Clutter Height file (optional)
Clutter file (optional)
All other models.
DEM file
ACPs Default Antenna Masking Model

ACP has an internal default antenna masking model that can be used if the propagation model used to calculate the original path loss matrices is not supported by ACP. Because the ACP default antenna masking model can deliver different
results than those given by the original propagation model, accuracy can not be guaranteed, although it should deliver
acceptable results for any macro-type propagation model.
ACP offers a few parameters that enable you to improve the accuracy of the default antenna masking model:
Use Clutter Height: By selecting Use Clutter Height, ACP will take into consideration clutter height information
from the clutter heights file, if available, or from the clutter classes file.
Receiver on Top of Clutter: If the receiver is on top of the clutter, for example, if receivers are located on top of
buildings, you can select Receiver on Top of Clutter. The receiver height will then be sum of the clutter height
and the receiver height.
Use Radial Method: You can select the Use Radial Method check box if you want ACP to use the radial method
to extract the profile between the transmitter and the receiver.
Direct View: You can select the Direct View check box if you want ACP to trace a direct line between the transmitter and the receiver when calculating the vertical incidence angle, without taking any obstacle into account.
Antenna Masking Method: You can select either the native 3D interpolation method or the linear interpolation
method as the type of Antenna Masking Method ACP uses.
These parameters can be set individually for each propagation model for which ACP will use the default propagation
method.
6.4.1.4.3
Precalculated Path Loss Matrices

After the ACP setup has been created, ACP calculates the path loss matrices necessary (i.e., for sites that are being optimised and do not use natively supported propagation models or the ACP's internal model) while the optimisation is loading.
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ACP does not calculate all path loss matrices for all possible combinations, for example, five possible changes in electrical
tilt and five possible changes in azimuth, i.e., 25 path loss matrices to be calculated. ACP only calculates the path loss
matrices for the changes which need to be evaluated by the optimisation algorithm. By pre-calculating only the changes
to be evaluated, ACP reduces the number of path loss changes to be calculated and reduces the calculation time.
While the optimisation is running, ACP uses the pre-calculated path loss matrices. If a change is made to a transmitter that
was not taken into the consideration when the path loss matrices were calculated, ACP recalculates the path loss matrix
for that change only.
The end result are considerable savings in both time and computer resources.
For information on natively supported propagation models, see "Natively Supported Propagation Models" on page 285.
Although ACP minimises the number of calculations necessary when using precalculated path loss matrices, it is recommended to:
6.4.1.5
Use precalculated path loss matrices only when necessary. When a propagation model is natively supported, you
should use it. Even if a propagation model is not officially natively supported, using the default antenna masking
method is often sufficient.
Try to limit the number of parameters covered, when using precalculated path loss matrices. For example, only
use a 2- or 3-azimuth span. Carefully designing the antenna groups will also reduce the number of unnecessary
calculations.
Use a temporary path loss storage directory dedicated to your document region when using precalculated path
loss matrices. This ensures that future optimisations on this region will be able to use these path losses that have
already been calculated.
EMF Exposure
EMF exposure is defined as the total electromagnetic field measured at a given location. Although the exact limit on the
acceptable level of EMF exposure varies by jurisidiction, it is typically a few Vm. Using an internal propagation model
specific to EMF exposure, ACP calculates the EMF exposure in two dimensions (for open areas such as parks or roads)
or in three dimensions (for buildings). Additionally, with buildings, you can choose to measure the exposure only at the
front faade, where the EMF exposure will be the greatest.
The internal propagation model calculates EMF exposure using propagation classes which are retrieved from input files.
Each propagation class is either opaque, meaning that the signal experiences diffraction losses at the edge of the object
but does not go completely through, or transparent, meaning that the signal passes through it (with perhaps some losses)
and does not experience diffraction loss. The propagation classes have the following parameters:
Penetration loss (dB): The loss occuring when the signal enters the object.
Linear loss (dB/m): A linear loss applied for each meter within an object. The loss is applied only after a given
number of meters, specified by the "Linear loss start distance (m)" parameter.
Distribution of measurement points: Field strength measurements are made on a set of points within an object.
The measurement points can be distributed in either a 3D pattern or in a 2D pattern. For a two-dimensional distribution, the points can be placed either at the bottom (for example, in a park) or at the top (for example, for a bridge)
to better reflect where people will be.
The following default propagation classes are provided:
6.4.2
Open: The Open propagation class is for areas without obstacles, such as an open area or water. An open area
can also be an elevated area such as a bridge. Such areas are transparent, with no diffraction loss.
Vegetation: The Vegetation propagation class is used for areas covered with vegetation, such as parks. They
can be considered as transparent but with a certain degree of diffraction loss.
Building: The Building propagation class is used for opaque objects such as buildings. The signal experiences
some loss when going through and also suffer from diffraction loss.
Configuring the ACP Module

You can change the default settings of the Atoll ACP module so that selected options are the default settings each time
you run ACP. Additionally, you can base the default ACP settings on some or all of the settings of a given Atolloptimisation.
6.4.2.1
"Configuring the Default Settings" on page 286

"Saving Settings to a User Configuration File" on page 289.
Configuring the Default Settings

To configure the default settings of the ACP module:
2. Right-click the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder. The context menu appears.
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The ACP - Automatic Cell Planning Properties dialogue appears.
4. Click the Default Settings tab. On the Default Settings tab, you can define the configuration files that contain the
default settings. These settings are applied every time you run an optimisation project.
Under Loading Default Settings:
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Global Configuration: The Global Configuration is the configuration file set up by the administrator. This
configuration provides the same default settings to everyone on the network. For information on the ACP
global configuration file, see the Administrator Manual.
User Configuration: Click the Browse button (

) to select a user configuration file containing the settings
you want to be the default settings for the ACP module.
5. Click the User Preferences tab. On the User Preferences tab (see Figure 6.155), you can define settings that are
saved to the Windows Registry. These settings will be applied every time you run a new configuration.
Figure 6.155: Setting ACP user preferences

Under Setup Preferences: You can define the following settings:
-
Enable EMF exposure module: Select the Enable EMF exposure module check box if you want the ACP
to display the options related to EMF exposure. When you have selected the Enable EMF exposure module
check box, you will still have to select the option on the Optimisation tab of the Setup dialogue and define the
EMF exposure options if you want to optimise the EMF exposure.
Calculation setting: Adjust the slider to define whether you want ACP to provide its results more quickly, at
the expense of precision, or whether you want ACP to provide more accurate results, at the expense of speed.
By selecting a higher speed, you will cause ACP to reduce the number of cells monitored for each pixel, some
of which might only create a bit of interference at first, but which could possibly create significantly more interference after antenna parameters are changed during the optimisation process. Selecting a higher precision
avoids this problem at the expense of more time and computer resources.
Under Result Preferences: You can define the following setting for report maps:
-
Default map transparency: Define the default map transparency with the slider.
6. Click the Private Directory tab. On the Private Directory tab (see Figure 6.156), you can define the directory to be
used by the ACP to store precalculated path loss matrices as well as the path loss matrices for antenna height
optimisation.
Figure 6.156: Defining the directory for path loss matrices

7. Enter the name of the directory or click the the Browse button (
) to navigate to the directory.
8. Click OK to save your changes.
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When the propagation model used is not one natively supported by ACP, for example, complex ray-tracing propagation
models, ACP can use precalculated path loss matrices to calculate attenuation.
For more information, see "Defining the Antenna Masking Method" on page 288.
6.4.2.2
Defining the Antenna Masking Method

You can define how Atoll ACP calculates path loss matrices, using either Atolls propagation models, ACPs internal propagation model, or precalculated path loss matrices. These parameters will be applied to all new and duplicated setups.
To define how ACP calculates path loss matrices:
4. Click the Antenna Masking Model tab (see Figure 6.157).
Figure 6.157: The Antenna Masking Model tab

5. Under Propagation Models, select the check boxes in each column to define how ACP will model each propagation model.
Tip:
Antenna masking method: The antenna masking method column indicates whether ACP can use this propagation model natively ("Native"), or whether ACP uses its own default antenna masking method ("Default").
If you want, you can set ACP to use a precalculated mode for each propagation model from the list:
-
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By default, all available propagation models are displayed. By selecting the Show only
used propagation models check box, ACP will only display the propagation models that
are actually used in that document.
Incidence: Select Incidence if you want ACP to only calculate the angles of incidence for this propagation
model.
Full path loss: Select Full path loss if you want ACP to calculate full path loss matrices for this propagation model.
Use clutter height: Select the check box in the Use clutter height column if you want ACP to take clutter
height information from the clutter heights file, if available, or from the clutter classes file. This option is only
available if ACP is using its default antenna masking method
Receiver on top of clutter: Select the check box in the Receiver on top of clutter column if you want the
receiver height to be sum of the clutter height and the receiver height. This option can be used, for example,
to model receivers on top of buildings.
Use radial method: Select the check box in the Use radial method column if you want ACP to use the radial
method to extract the profile between the transmitter and the receiver. Using the radial method improves efficiency.
Additional Parameters: In the Additional Parameters column, a Browse button (
) appears for each
propagation model not supported natively for ACP. Click the Browse button to open the Default Propagation
Model Parameters dialogue. In the Default Propagation Model Parameters dialogue, define the following
parameters for each propagation model for which ACP uses its default method:
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Direct View: Select the Direct View check box if you want ACP to trace a direct line between the transmitter and the receiver when calculating the vertical incidence angle, without taking any obstacle into account.
Antenna Masking Method: Select either the native 3D interpolation method or the linear interpolation
method as the type of Antenna Masking Method ACP uses. When you select the linear interpolation
method, you can also define the degree of smoothing applied.
6. Click OK.
6.4.2.3
Saving Settings to a User Configuration File

To save the settings to a user configuration file:
4. Click the Default Settings tab. On the Default Settings tab, you can define the configuration files that contain the
default settings. These settings are applied every time you run an optimisation project.
Under Loading Default Settings:
-
Global Configuration: The Global Configuration indicates the configuration file set up by the administrator.
This configuration provides the same default settings to everyone on the network. For information on the ACP
global configuration file, see the Administrator Manual.
User Configuration: Click the Browse button (

) to select a user configuration file containing the settings
you want to be the default settings for the ACP module.
5. Click the Save Configuration File button under Saving Default Settings to save settings to a user configuration
file.
Note:
The settings you save to a user configuration file are from an ACP optimisation from the
current Atoll document. If you have not yet used ACP for an optimisation in the current
document, the Save Configuration File button is not available.
When you click the Save Configuration File button, the Save Configuration File dialogue opens (see
Figure 6.158).
Figure 6.158: The Save Configuration File dialogue

6. From the Save setting based on setup list, select the ACP setup on whose parameters you want to base the
user configuration file.
file.
) next to To configuration file to select where you will save the user configuration
8. Under Sections to save, select the check boxes of the types of parameters whose settings you want to save to
the user configuration file.
9. Click Save.
6.4.3
Optimising Cell Planning with the ACP

Optimising cell planning with the Atoll ACP consists of defining the parameters that will be used during the optimisation
process and then running the process. Each optimisation, with its parameters and results, is stored in a Setup folder in
the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window.
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6.4.3.1
"Creating an Optimisation Setup" on page 290

"Defining Optimisation Parameters" on page 290.
Creating an Optimisation Setup

In ACP, you can create an optimisation setup either by creating and running a new one, or by duplicating or opening an
existing optimisation, editing the parameters, and then running it.
"Creating a New Optimisation Setup" on page 290

"Running an Existing Optimisation Setup" on page 290
"Duplicating an Existing Optimisation Setup" on page 290.
Creating a New Optimisation Setup

To create a new optimisation setup:
3. Select New from the context menu. A dialogue appears in which you can set the parameters for the optimisation
setup.
For information on the parameters available, see "Defining Optimisation Parameters" on page 290.
4. After defining the optimisation setup:
-
Click the Run button to run the optimisation immediately. For information on the optimisation results, see
"Viewing Optimisation Results" on page 315.
Click the Create Setup button to save the defined optimisation. For information on running the optimisation,
see "Running an Existing Optimisation Setup" on page 290.
Running an Existing Optimisation Setup

To run an existing optimisation setup:
) to expand the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder.
3. Right-click the optimisation you want to run. The context menu appears.
-
Select Run from the context menu to run the optimisation immediately. For information on the optimisation
results, see "Viewing Optimisation Results" on page 315.
Select Properties from the context menu to view or modify the parameters of the optimisation setup. For information on the parameters available, see "Defining Optimisation Parameters" on page 290.
Duplicating an Existing Optimisation Setup

To duplicate an existing optimisation setup:
3. Right-click the setup you want to duplicate. The context menu appears.
4. Select Duplicate from the context menu. The ACP Duplicate Options dialogue appears.
5. Under Data Synchronisation Option, select one of the following:
-
Partial update: The duplicated ACP setup will have only the data that was changed by the ACP during optimisation. Duplicating the ACP-generated data permits you to create a new setup with up-to-date data even
though the data of the original setup is no longer valid.
Full update: The duplicated ACP setup will have all the data resynchronised from the database.
6. Run the existing optimisation setup as described in "Running an Existing Optimisation Setup" on page 290.
6.4.3.2
Defining Optimisation Parameters

In Atoll ACP, when you create a new optimisation setup, you must first define all the parameters. You can also modify the
parameters of an existing optimisation setup before running it. Creating a new optimisation setup is explained in "Creating
a New Optimisation Setup" on page 290. Running an existing optimisation is explained in "Running an Existing Optimisation Setup" on page 290.
The optimisation parameters are grouped onto specific tabs of the dialogue. The parameters are the same whether you
create a new optimisation setup or whether you modify the parameters of an existing one.
In this section, the following parameters are explained:
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"Setting Optimisation Parameters" on page 291

"Setting Objective Parameters" on page 296
"Setting Traffic Parameters for Non-uniform Traffic" on page 299
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6.4.3.2.1
"Setting Network Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 300

"Defining Site Selection Parameters" on page 305
"Defining Antenna Groups" on page 309
"Adding Comments to the Optimisation Setup" on page 313.
Setting Optimisation Parameters

The Optimisation tab allows you to define the various parameters related to the optimisation algorithm.
To set the optimisation parameters:
1. Open the dialogue used to define the optimisation as explained in "Creating an Optimisation Setup" on page 290.
2. Click the Optimisation tab (see Figure 6.159).
Figure 6.159: The Optimisation tab

3. Define the following:
-
Number of Iterations: Set the number of iterations for the optimisation algorithm. ACP calculates a suggested
number of iterations by multiplying the total number of parameters to optimise (i.e., cell pilot power, antennas,
azimuth, mechanical tilt, antenna height, sites subject to selection) by two. You can accept the number of iterations, or set your own value. Often one-half or one-quarter of the suggested number is sufficient for ACP to
find the optimal configuration.
Resolution (m): Specify the resolution for the optimisation. Each criterion will be evaluated on each of these
pixels. The total number of pixels and the average number per site is indicated. This parameter has a large
influence on the accuracy and speed of the optimisation process. You should either set a resolution that is
consistent with the path loss and raster data in the Atoll document, or you should set a resolution that will
result in between 300 and 3000 positions per site.
4. Under Setup, you can set the following optimisation-related objectives and parameters:
-
"Defining Layer-related Objectives and Parameters" on page 291

"Defining Zone-related Objectives and Parameters" on page 292
"Defining Cost Control-related Objectives and Parameters" on page 293
"Defining Site Classes for Cost Control" on page 294
"Defining EMF Exposure-related Objectives and Parameters" on page 295.
Defining Layer-related Objectives and Parameters

On the Optimisation tab of the ACP Setup dialogue, you can define objectives and parameters related to radio layers of
the current project.
To define layer-related objectives and parameters:
3. In the pane on the left-hand side, click Layers.
Under Layers (see Figure 6.159 on page 291), you can define the following for each layer to be optimised:
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Use: You can select which layers are to be considered in the optimisation process by selecting their check
box in the Use column. The signals and interference of the transmitters and sites in the selected layers will be
taken into consideration during the optimisation process. If the transmitters and sites in the selected layers are
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within the area to be optimised (the computation zone or the focus zone, as selected under Zones on the Optimisation tab), these transmitters and cells will be optimised.
Selecting layers to be taken into consideration is most useful when you want to take the signal and interference
of several layers into consideration, but only want to optimise one of the layers. Selecting the layers here ensures that ACP will take them into consideration. Transmitters and sites in layers which are not selected are
treated by ACP as if they do not exist: they will not be optimised and their signal and interference will not be
taking into consideration during the optimisation of the selected transmitters and sites.
Note:
If a transmitter on one selected layer that is optimised is linked with a transmitter on

another selected layer that is not optimised, the second transmitter will still appear on the
Reconfiguration tab and any changes to the first transmitter will be applied to the linked
transmitter as well.
Name: You can change the name of the layer by clicking it and entering a new name.
Weight: You can change the weight assigned to the layer during optimisation by clicking it and entering a new
weight. ACP will put more emphasis on increasing the quality of the layer with the greater weight. For example,
if one layer has a weight of "2" and another layer has a weight of "1," ACP will consider increasing the quality
of the first layer by 1% as equivalent to increasing the quality of the second layer by 2%.
Reconfiguration: If you want the layer to be taken into consideration for reconfiguration, you can select the
check box in the Reconfiguration column.
Site Selection: If you want the layer to be taken into consideration for site selection, you can select the check
box in the Site Selection column.
The following columns give information about the layer; they can not be edited:
-
Technology: The technology (GSM in this case) used by the layer.

Freq. Band/Carrier: The frequency band and carrier (if applicable) used by the layer.
Nb Tx/Cell: The number of transmitters in the layer.
You can merge layers if you want to define identical objectives for both layers (for more information on objectives, see
"Setting Objective Parameters" on page 296).
To merge layers:
1. Hold CTRL and click the layers you want to merge.
2. Click the Merge button.
Defining Zone-related Objectives and Parameters

On the Optimisation tab of the ACP Setup dialogue, you can define objectives and parameters related to the computation
and focus zones as well as the hot spot zones of the current project.
To define zone-related objectives and parameters:
3. In the pane on the left-hand side, click Zones.
Under Zones (see Figure 6.160), you can define how the zones will be used during optimisation. The zones are
used to define geographical objectives and weighting. The zones are taken into consideration in the following
order: the hot spot zones in their defined order, the focus zone, and finally the computation zone.
-
Filtering Zones: Select the Computation Zone check box to preselect the sectors in the computation zone
and the Focus Zone check box to preselect the sectors in the focus zone. If there is no focus zone in the
project to be optimised, the computation zone is automatically selected. You can always manually reconfigure
sectors outside the selected zone on the Reconfiguration tab.
Hot Spots: For each new hot spot, enter a Name in the row marked with the New Row icon (
the Browse button (
) and click
) to open the Zone Definition dialogue. You can import an ArcView SHP file by
selecting From file and clicking the the Browse button (

). Or, you can use an existing hot spot zone in
the Atoll document by selecting From hot spot and selecting the hot spot zone from the list. Or, you can
create a hot spot zone composed of all areas in the reconfiguration zones that are included in one or more
clutter class by selecing From clutter classes and selecting the check box corresponding to the clutter class
or classes you want to study.
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Figure 6.160: The Zone Definition dialogue

You can change the order in which the hot spots will be taken into consideration, by clicking the layers number
in the Order column and then clicking the Up button (
) or the Down button (
).
Figure 6.161: Configuring zones on the Optimisation tab
Defining Cost Control-related Objectives and Parameters

On the Optimisation tab of the ACP Setup dialogue, you can define objectives and parameters related to cost control.
To define zone-related objectives and parameters:
3. In the pane on the left-hand side, click Cost Control.
Under Cost Control (see Figure 6.162), you can define how the costs will be calculated for each optimisation
option. ACP will use the defined costs to calculate the optimisations that are the most cost-effective. You can
select three types of cost control:
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No cost control: If you select No cost control, ACP will not take cost into consideration when optimising the
network.
Maximum cost: If you select Maximum cost, you can enter a maximum cost not to be exceeded and define
the costs under Cost Setting.
Quality/Cost trade-off: If you select Quality/Cost trade-off, ACP will find a compromise between cost and
quality. You can use the slider to define whether ACP should put more emphasis on quality (Low) or cost
(High).
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Figure 6.162: Configuring costs on the Optimisation tab

-
In the Reconfiguration Cost section, under Cost Setting, define the individual costs for each reconfiguration
option. If reconfiguring an option can only be done at the physical location of the transmitter, select the check
box in the Site Visit column. The cost will be increased by the defined Site Visit value. The site visit cost is
incurred only once per site, independently of the number of reconfigurations that might be made to the same
site, including sites supporting more than one technology.
In the Site Selection Cost section, under Cost Setting, define the individual costs for each site selection
option.
Defining Site Classes for Cost Control

On the Optimisation tab of the ACP Setup dialogue, you can create and define site classes. By setting different costs for
each site class and assigning each site to a class, ACP can calculate costs that reflect more realistically the actual costs
of each site.
To create and define site classes:
3. In the pane on the left-hand side, click Cost Control.
Under Cost Control (see Figure 6.162), you can create site classes and define how the costs will be calculated
for each optimisation option and each class. ACP will use the defined costs to calculate the optimisations that are
the most cost-effective.
To define the costs for a site class:
a. Click the arrow beside the Site Classes list and select a site class.
b. Define the individual costs for each reconfiguration option as explained in "Defining Cost Control-related Objectives and Parameters" on page 293.
To create a site class:
a. Click the New Site Class button (
). The New Site Class dialogue appears.
b. Enter the name for the site class and click OK. The new site class now appears in the list of site classes.
c. Define the individual costs for each reconfiguration option of the new site class as explained in "Defining Cost
Control-related Objectives and Parameters" on page 293.
To delete a site class:
a. Click the arrow beside the Site Classes list and select the site class you want to delete.
b. Click the Delete Site Class button (
the "Default" site class.
Caution:
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). The selected site class is immediately deleted. You can not delete
ACP will not ask you to confirm your decision, so ensure that you have selected the
correct site class before clicking the Delete Site Class button.
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Defining EMF Exposure-related Objectives and Parameters

On the Optimisation tab of the ACP Setup dialogue, you can set the parameters necessary to measure and optimise the
EMF exposure caused to the network.
The EMF Exposure section of the Optimisation tab is only available if you have selected the Enable EMF exposure
module check box on the User Preferences tab of the ACP Properties dialogue. For more information on setting the properties of the ACP module, see "Configuring the Default Settings" on page 286.
To define EMF exposure parameters:
3. In the pane on the left-hand side, click EMF Exposure.
Under EMF Exposure, you can define the parameters used to optimise EMF exposure.
Figure 6.163: Setting EMF exposure parameters

4. Under EMF Exposure, select the Enable EMF exposure calculation check box if you want the ACP to optimise
EMF exposure.
5. Use the EMF Exposure importance slider to define the importance of EMF exposure in comparison with the other
optimisation objectives:
-
Low: EMF exposure is improved when doing so not have a strong adverse effect on coverage quality.
Medium: There is a trade-off between coverage quality and EMF exposure.
Critical: EMF exposure is improved at all costs, even if doing so has a strong adverse effect on coverage
quality.
6. Under Distribution of Measurement Points, define how the measurement points will be distributed:
-
Resolution XY (m): Define in meters the horizontal resolution of the measurement points.
Resolution Z (m): Define in meters the vertical resolution of the measurement points (only for three-dimensional EMF exposure analysis).
Building front only: Select the Building front only check box if you only want measurement points to be
distributed on the building faade.
Indoor distance analysis (m): If you want measurement points to be distributed within the building (i.e., if the
Building front only check box is not selected), define the maximum distance up to which measurement points
are distributed inside the building.
Measurement on zone: Select the zone (computation, focus, or individual hot spot zone) on which measurement points will be distributed and on which the EMF exposure will be optimised.
7. Under Raster and Vector Inputs, set the data that will be used to define the profile of the terrain:
-
File: Under File, click the Browse button (

) to select a file describing the terrain. The files must be ArcView
vector files (SHP). By default, the first entry in the File column is "Native clutter classes and clutter heights."
If you want to remove them completely from the table, select the Ignore clutter check box at the bottom of the
dialogue.
Definition: Under Definition, click the Browse button (

) corresponding to the file in the File column to
map the files data to ACP propagation classes.
Used in Measurements: Select the Used in Measurements check box for each entry in the File column that
you want to use for EMF exposure optimisation.
Note:
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Once you have defined the EMF exposure parameters, you can back up the configuration
by clicking the Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the same
parameters will be applied automatically.
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8. In the pane on the left-hand side, click Propagation under EMF Exposure.
Under Propagation, you can define the propagation classes used to optimise the EMF exposure , as well as additional EMF exposure parameters.
Figure 6.164: Defining propagation classes

9. Under Propagation Class Definition, set the following parameters for each propagation class. If you want to
create a new propagation class, enter the parameters in the row marked with the New Row icon (
-
).
Name: The name of the propagation class.

Distribution of Measurement Points: The pattern in which measurement points will be distributed in that
propagation class. The measurement points can be distributed in either a 3D pattern (for a building, in which
measurement points must be made vertically as well) or in a 2D pattern. For a two-dimensional distribution,
the points can be placed either at the bottom (for example, in a park) or at the top (for example, for a bridge)
to better reflect where people will be.
Penetration Loss (dB): Define the loss occuring when the signal enters the object.
Linear Loss (dBm): Define a linear loss applied for each meter within an object. The loss is applied only after
a given number of meters, specified by the Linear Loss Start Distance (m) parameter.
Linear Loss Start Distance (m): Define the distance after which the Linear Loss (dBm) is applied.
10. Under Parameters, define the following:

-
6.4.3.2.2
Use diffraction: This option is currently disabled. In other words, measurement points that are not in the line
of sight do not experience any diffraction loss.
Free space model (worst case): Select the Free space model (worst case) check box if you want the ACP
to calculate the worst possible EMF exposure levels under the current conditions. When you select the Free
space model (worst case) check box, the ACP treats all objects (i.e., buildings, etc.) as fully transparent and
no indoor loss is applied.
Calculation radius (m): Define the maximum distance from a transmitter for which its EMF exposure contribution is calculated.
Setting Objective Parameters

The Objectives tab allows you to define the various parameters related to the objectives of the optimisation. ACP allows
you to set different objectives for each layer selected in the Use column under Layers on the Optimisation tab. The objectives vary according to the technology used by the network being optimised. The options are given here.
To set the objective parameters:
2. Click the Objectives tab (see Figure 6.165).
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Figure 6.165: The Optimisation tab

3. Under Criteria, you can set the following objective-related objectives and parameters.
a. Under Objectives, click RS Coverage to define the RS (i.e., the reference signal level) parameters.
-
Note:
Computation Zone: Select the check box in the Use column if you want to define a C Minimum Threshold (dBm) for C coverage in the computation zone. Under Area Coverage, you can define the percentage
by which the current C coverage should be improved (Improve Current Coverage (+-)) or a target C coverage (Target Coverage (%)).
Focus Zone: Select the check box in the Use column if you want to define a C Minimum Threshold
(dBm) for C coverage in the focus zone.
Custom Zone: Each custom zone defined under Zones on the Optimisation tab will appear under Name.
For each custom zone, select the check box in the Use column if you want to define a C Minimum Threshold (dBm) for C coverage in the custom zone.
Each pixel can belong to more than one zone, however for each pixel the quality is only
measured according to the zone with the highest priority (i.e., first the hot spot zone, then
the focus zone, and finally the computation zone).
b. Under Objectives, click Parameters under RS Coverage to define how ACP will calculate the reference signal level coverage. From the Base prediction settings on list, you can select the coverage prediction ACP
will use to calculate reference signal level coverage, or you can select Manual Configuration and define the
settings yourself.
Important: If you want to use a coverage prediction, the coverage prediction must have already been
calculated.
If you base the coverage prediction settings on a calculated coverage prediction, ACP will use the ranges and
colours defined in the selected coverage prediction as the default for its own maps. However, if you have
saved the display options of an ACP map as default, or if you are using a configuration file for ACP, these
defined ranges and colours will be used as the default, overriding the settings in the selected coverage prediction. For information on setting ACP map display options as the default, see "Changing the Display Properties of ACP Maps" on page 327. For information on saving a configuration file, see "Configuring the Default
Settings" on page 286.
If you selected Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, define the following options:
-
Select the Enable Shadowing Margin check box if you want to enable a shadowing margin and define a
Cell edge coverage probability.
When selected, the shadowing margin will be taken into account using the defined Cell edge coverage
probability. The standard deviations defined in the Atoll clutter are used or, if no clutter information is
available, default values are used.
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Select the Enable Indoor Coverage check box if you want to enable indoor coverage. By default, all
pixels are considered as indoors when the Enable indoor coverage check box is selected. The indoor
loss per clutter class will be applied or, if no clutter classes are available, a default value will be applied.
Select the Use Service and Terminal check box if you want RS coverage to be calculated using a defined
service and terminal and select a Service and Terminal from the lists.
From the Calculate as list, select the objective to be calculated: "Coverage," "C," "CN," or "RSRP."
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c. Under Objective, click RS CINR to define the received signal level to interference-plus-noise ratio (RS CINR)
parameters.
Under Calculation Method, define how the RS CINR will be calculated:
-
Select Using frequency plan if you want the frequency plan to be taken into consideration when calculating the RS CINR.
Select Ignoring frequency plan if you want the RS CINR to be calculated without taking the frequency
plan into consideration.
d. Under Objective, define the RS CINR coverage parameters.

-
Computation zone: Select the check box in the Use column if you want to define a Minimum threshold
(dBm) for received signal CINR coverage in the computation zone. Under Area Coverage, you can define
the percentage by which the current received signal CINR coverage should be improved (Improve current coverage (+-)) or a target received signal CINR coverage (Target coverage (%)).
Focus zone: Select the check box in the Use column if you want to define a Minimum threshold (dBm)
for RS CINR coverage in the focus zone.
Custom zones: Each custom zone defined under Zones on the Optimisation tab will appear under
RS CINR. For each hot spot zone, select the check box in the Use column if you want to define a Minimum threshold (dBm) for received signal CINR in the hot spot zone.
e. Under Objective, click Parameters under RS CINR to define how ACP will calculate received signal CINR
coverage. From the Base prediction settings on list, you can select the coverage prediction ACP will use to
calculate received signal CINR coverage, or you can select Manual Configuration and define the settings
yourself.
Important: If you want to use a coverage prediction, the coverage prediction must have already been
calculated.
If you selected Manual Configuration from the Base prediction settings on list, define the following options:
-
Select the Enable Shadowing Margin check box if you want to enable a shadowing margin and define a
Cell edge coverage probability.
When selected, the shadowing margin will be taken into account using the defined Cell edge coverage
probability. The standard deviations defined in the Atoll clutter are used or, if no clutter information is
available, default values are used. Macro diversity is also taken into account during the calculation of received signal CINR.
f.
From the Calculate as list, select the objective to be calculated: "CINR" or "RSRQ."
Select a Service and a Terminal. The service and terminal specified are used during the calculation of
received signal CINR through gain and losses (i.e., the service body loss, the gain and loss of the terminal
antenna, and terminal noise factor).
Under Criteria, click Weighting to set the importance of the objectives (see Figure 6.166).
Figure 6.166: Setting weighting options for LTE

i.
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Under Weighting, move the slider to set the relative importance of RS and CINR coverage. You can set
meeting one objective as more important than meeting the other, or you can set meeting only the RS or
CINR coverage.
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ii. Under Zone Weighting, define the weight given to the computation zone, the focus zone, and any hot
spot zone. With zone weighting, ACP adds an extra weight to all the pixels of a zone. Because one pixel
can belong to several zones (for example, a pixel can be inside both the focus zone and the computation
zone and in a hot spot zone, if there is one), the weight applied to that pixel is the weight of the zone with
the highest priority: the hot spot zone, if it exists, then the focus zone, finally the computation zone.
Important: It is important to remember that, if every zone is assigned the same weight, the optimisation
is made as if no weight is assigned to any zone. Defining a weight of "0" for a zone means
that that zone will not be taken into consideration when trying to reach the set objectives.
Zone weighting is used to focus optimisation on the appropriate areas. The assigned weights are used to
weight the traffic parameters selected on the Traffic tab, unless the optimisation is based on uniform traffic.
For information on the selected traffic parameters, see "Setting Traffic Parameters for Non-uniform Traffic"
on page 299.
However, if no traffic maps are available or if the optimisation is based on uniform traffic, zone weighting
can be used to ensure that ACP prioritises the optimisation of areas of high traffic.
With multiple layers, you might have a layer that is restricted geographically (for example, the LTE 2.5 GHz
layer might only be available in rural areas). Because ACP always measures the quality target over the
entire computation zone, such a situation would lead to a measurement of poor quality in the urban areas,
where there are no LTE 2.5 GHz sectors. By defining a weight of "0" outside of the rural area for this layer,
you can restrict the measurement of coverage only to the part of the layer with LTE 2.5 GHz sectors. This
way, the global target (90% of coverage for instance) is measured in a meaningful way.
g. Under Criteria, click Miscellaneous to define the overlap threshold margin. Enter an Overlap threshold
margin. It will be used for traffic maps.
h. Under Criteria, click EMF Exposure to set the importance of the objectives.
Figure 6.167: Setting EMF exposure parameters

-
Select the check box in the Use column for each zone in the project that you want to be taken into consideration in the EMF exposure optimisation.
Enter a Maximum Threshold (Vm) for each selected zone.
Define a Weight for each zone. Measurement points will be weighted according to the weight assigned to
the zone they are in. For example, if a zone has a weight of "2," then improving the EMF exposure by one
measurement point within this zone is of the same importance as improving the EMF exposure by two
measurement points in a zone with a weighting of "1."
Important: It is important to remember that, if every zone is assigned the same weight, the optimisation
is made as if no weight is assigned to any zone. Defining a weight of "0" for a zone means
that that zone will not be taken into consideration when trying to reach the set objectives.
6.4.3.2.3
Setting Traffic Parameters for Non-uniform Traffic

By default, the traffic is assumed to be uniform within the computation zone. The Traffic tab enables you to select traffic
maps in the Atoll document to define non-uniform traffic. The traffic maps describe the distribution of users in the network,
along with their characteristics (i.e., services, terminals, and mobility types).
Traffic maps can used to weight the quality figures measured on each pixel by using the traffic density on that pixel. You
can use traffic maps to weight quality figures. For example, you can optimise RS CINR coverage based only on area
(defined on the Optimisation tab as explained in "Setting Optimisation Parameters" on page 291) while optimising signal
coverage using traffic distribution.
When using traffic maps, network quality is always optimised using traffic weighting.
ACP supports all traffic maps used by Atoll.
To set the traffic parameters:
2. Click the Traffic tab (see Figure 6.168).
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Figure 6.168: Defining non-uniform traffic using the Traffic tab

3. Under Traffic Generated From, select one of the following methods for defining non-uniform traffic:
-
Maps based on traffic densities: If you select Maps based on traffic densities, you can define the traffic
weighting and traffic profiles.
-
Under Traffic Parameters, select if you want traffic weighting to be applied to the optimisation of CINR or
Coverage or both. The weighting applied is the weighting defined on the Objectives tab.
Under Traffic Profiles, for each traffic profile, define a Traffic Name, a Service, Terminal, select a Traffic Density File by clicking the Browse button (
), and assign a Weight.
When optimising LTE networks, you can use traffic maps as a traffic density file by first exporting traffic
maps as traffic density maps. For information on exporting traffic maps, see "Exporting a Traffic Map" on
page 265.
-
The following traffic maps: If you select The following traffic maps, you can select the maps that will be
used to generate traffic and define the resolution of the extracted traffic and the traffic weighting.
-
Under The following traffic maps, select the maps that will be used to generate traffic.
Under Traffic Parameters, select if you want traffic weighting to be applied to the optimisation of CINR or
Coverage or both.
Under Traffic Profiles, the traffic profiles will be displayed after ACP has extracted them from the selected
traffic maps.
4. If you want to view the traffic profiles without running the optimisation setup, click Create Setup. ACP will then
create the traffic profiles based on the traffic maps selected and the traffic parameters defined.
6.4.3.2.4
Setting Network Reconfiguration Parameters

The Reconfiguration tab allows you to select the LTE cells for which the total power will be reconfigured and the transmitters for which the antenna, azimuth, height, or tilt will be reconfigured. The Reconfiguration tab also allows you to select
which sites or sectors can be added or removed to improve existing or new networks. You can also use the Reconfiguration tab to quickly select sites for reconfiguration. For information on site selection, see "Defining Site Selection Parameters" on page 305.
Atoll allows you to export the reconfiguration parameters, modify them in an external application and then reimport them
into the Reconfiguration tab.
"Setting LTE Cell Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 300

"Setting Transmitter Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 302
"Linking Transmitters in Multi-layer Networks" on page 303
"Importing Network Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 304.
Setting LTE Cell Reconfiguration Parameters

To set the LTE cell reconfiguration parameters:
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab and, on the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, click the LTE Cells tab (see
Figure 6.170).
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Figure 6.169: LTE cell reconfiguration options

Note:
You can limit the cells displayed on the Reconfiguration tab by selecting the zone they are
located in from the Display on list. The Display on list only affects the cells displayed and
not the cells optimised. The Display on list is available at the top of the Sites, Transmitters, and LTE Cells tabs. Any selection you make from the Display on list on one tab
affects what will be displayed on all other tabs.
3. Select the Total power check box for the total power of each selected cell to be set within a defined minimum and
maximum value and in the defined number of steps. If desired, you can select the Power max/min as offset check
box and define the values for minimum and maximum preamble power as offsets of the current power.
4. Select the Synchronise cell power on co-sector cells check box to ensure that all cells on the same sector are
assigned the same cell power. If you are optimising EMF exposure, the cell power of co-sector cells is automatically synchronised. In other words, if, in order to meet the EMF exposure objectives, the cell power of one cell must
be set to a given level, then the cell power of all co-sector cells will be set accordingly.
Important: If one of the cells of a sector is not being optimised (if the check box in the Use column is
cleared), when cell power is synchronised, its assigned cell power forced to that of the
optimised cells.
5. Define the total power settings for each cell.
-
Use: Select the Use check box corresponding to the cell to include it in the optimisation of the total power.
Current: The current total power for the cell is displayed.
Min. and Max.: Set a minimum and maximum preamble power to be respected during the optimisation
process.
Note:
If you selected the Power max/min as offset check box, you will set the Min. Offset and
Max. Offset for each cell.
Step (dB): Set a Step in dB that ACP should use with attempting to find the optimal total power.
Note:
For total power optimisation, the total range is defined with minimum, maximum and step
values. There is an absolute maximum possible total power which depends on the other
powers used in the cell (for control, traffic, and max cell power).
You can make the same changes to several cells by making the change for one item, selecting the others starting
from the changed item and using the Fill Up (CTRL+U) or Fill Down (CTRL+D) commands. For more information
on the Fill Up or Fill Down commands, see "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 49.
You can select the cells to which the reconfiguration options are going to be applied using the Advanced section
of the Reconfiguration tab. For more information, see "Selecting Sites for Reconfiguration" on page 308.
You can sort the contents of any column by right-clicking the column and selecting Sort Ascending or Sort
Descending from the context menu.
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The reference signal EPRE is displayed for each cell in the RS EPRE column.
Caution:
Cells that have been filtered out, either by zone or by clearing their check box in the table,
will not be optimised but are still present in the network and, therefore, continue to generate
interference.
Atoll enables you to export the current network reconfiguration options, edit them in a different application and then reimport them into the Reconfiguration tab. For information on importing network reconfiguration options, see "Importing
Network Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 304.
Setting Transmitter Reconfiguration Parameters

To set the transmitter reconfiguration parameters:
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab (see Figure 6.170).
Figure 6.170: Transmitter reconfiguration options

3. Select the parameters that will be optimised:
-
Antenna type: Select the Antenna type check box for ACP to adjust the antenna type by selecting the best
antenna from the antenna group assigned to each selected transmitter.
Electrical tilt: Select the Electrical tilt check box for ACP to select the best electrical tilt from the antenna
group assigned to each selected transmitter within the defined range.
Note:
Azimuth: Select the Azimuth check box for ACP to set the antenna azimuth using a defined range on either
side of the currently defined azimuth.
Note:
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When ACP selects the best antenna type, it will also choose the best electrical tilt from the
antenna group even if it is not optimising the electrical tilt. However, because no range is
defined, ACP will select the best electrical tilt from all available.
By default, ACP optimises the antenna azimuth of each sector of a site individually.
However, you might want to retain the same inter-sector angle separation. If this is the
case, you can select the Azimuth check box corresponding to that site under Lock Site
on the Sites tab of the Reconfiguration tab.
Mechanical tilt: Select the Mechanical tilt check box for ACP to set the mechanical tilt within the defined
range and in the defined number of steps.
Antenna Height: Select the Antenna Height check box for ACP to set the antenna height within the defined
range and in the defined number of steps. If you are optimising EMF exposure, you can not optimise the
antenna height.
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Note:
By default, if the Antenna Height check box corresponding to a site under Lock Site on
the Sites tab of the Reconfiguration tab is cleared, ACP checks whether a sites antennas
are co-located (i.e., have the same coordinates). If so, the height of the antennas is
locked. If the antennas are not co-located, the height of the antennas is not automatically
locked, permitting ACP to optimise the height of each antenna individually.
The table displays, for each parameter selected, both the current settings for each cell in the selected zone and
the currently defined optimisation parameters.
Note:
If you want ACP to display more information on each transmitter, you can select the Show
Advanced Grid check box. ACP will then display, for each transmitter, the antenna
masking method, the propagation model used, the name, and status of the site the
transmitter is located on. The propagation model displayed is extracted from the Atoll
document but can be changed if the propagation model is not recognised by ACP (for
more information, see "ACP and Antenna Masking" on page 284).
4. Define the settings to be optimised for each cell.

If are optimising the antenna azimuth, you can enter a single value in the Variation column, to define a range on
either side of the current azimuth, or you can enter a minimum and maximum value separated by a semi-colon in
the format "-min;max", (for example, "-20;40") in the Variation column for an asymmetric antenna.
You can make the same changes to several cells by making the change for one item, selecting the others starting
from the changed item and using the Fill Up (CTRL+U) or Fill Down (CTRL+D) commands.
For more information on the Fill Up or Fill Down commands, see "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on
page 49.
Linking Transmitters in Multi-layer Networks

When you are optimising transmitters in multi-layer environments, ACP automatically links transmitters in the same location but in different layers to ensure that it applies the same reconfiguration to them. ACP links them not only by location,
but also by azimuth, mechanical tilt, and antenna height. If ACP does not automatically link two transmitters which should
be linked, it is normally because there is too large a difference in one of the parameters of the two transmitters, for example,
a few degrees in azimuth, one degree in mechanical tilt, or one meter difference in antenna height.
If two transmitters should be linked but were not, you can manually link them.
Note:
If the site of one of the linked transmitters has either its antenna heights or azimuths
locked, i.e., if changes made to one sector of the site are made to all sectors on that site,
then corresponding changes will be made to the other linked transmitter. For more
information on locking antenna heights or azimuths, see "Setting Transmitter
Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 302.
To link transmitters:
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab and, on the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, click the Transmitters tab.
3. Click Advanced at the bottom of the Reconfiguration tab. The Advanced options appear.
4. Under Advanced, click the Multi-layer Management tab. On the Multi-layer Management tab, you can link transmitters (see Figure 6.171).
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Figure 6.171: Multi-layer management

To link transmitters in the same location but on different layers:
a. Hold CTRL and click the first transmitter in the table above and then the second transmitter. The Link button
on the Multi-layer Management tab is now available.
b. Click the Link button. The two transmitters are now linked and ACP will apply the same reconfiguration to them
both.
To unlink linked transmitters:
a. Select the transmitters in the table The Unlink button on the Multi-layer Management tab is now available.
b. Click the Unlink button. The transmitters are no longer linked.
To unlink all linked transmitters:
-
Click the Unlink All button. ACP resets all linked transmitters.
To automatically all transmitters in the same location but on different layers:

-
Click the Auto Link button. ACP links all transmitters that have the same position, azimuth and mechanical tilt.
Importing Network Reconfiguration Parameters

Atoll enables you to export the current network reconfiguration options, edit them in a different application and then reimport them into the Reconfiguration tab.
To import reconfiguration parameters:
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab. On the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, select the desired tab.
3. Right-click the table and select Export as Text from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
4. Enter a name in the File name box and click Save. The file will be saved as a tab-delimited text file.
5. Open the text file in another application, for example, in a spreadsheet application, and make the modifications
desired.
6. Save the file as a text file and return to Atoll.
7. Click Advanced at the bottom of the Reconfiguration tab. The Advanced options appear.
8. Under Advanced, click the Import Facility tab.
9. Click the Import from File button. The Open dialogue appears.
10. Browse to the file and click Open. The Import Data dialogue appears (see Figure 6.172).
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Figure 6.172: Importing site data into the Reconfiguration tab

11. Under Format Parameters, enter the number of the first row with data in the First Imported Row box, select the
data Separator, and select the Decimal Symbol used in the file.
12. If you want only the cells in the imported list to be used on the Reconfiguration tab, select the Use Only Cells in
List check box. The Use check box will be cleared for all cells that are not in the imported file and they will not be
affected by reconfiguration options.
13. In the table, ensure that the column names from the imported file (the Source file) match the column names on
the Reconfiguration tab (Destination). You can change the Destination column by clicking the column name and
selecting the name from the list.
Note:
Any values in the imported file for current values can not be imported.
14. Click the Import button to import the file and replace the settings in the Reconfiguration tab.
6.4.3.2.5
Defining Site Selection Parameters

The Reconfiguration tab allows you to select which sites can be added or removed to improve existing or new networks.
You can also use the Reconfiguration tab to quickly select sites for reconfiguration.
"Selecting Sites for Addition or Removal" on page 305

"Creating Candidate Sites" on page 307
"Selecting Sites for Reconfiguration" on page 308.
Selecting Sites for Addition or Removal

You can use the Reconfiguration tab to select the sites that will be added or removed to improve existing or new networks.
To set site selection parameters:
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab. On the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, select the Sites tab (see
Figure 6.173).
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Figure 6.173: Site selection

3. Select the Current Site Selection check box to enable site selection. You can then define how sites will be added
or removed.
4. In the table, define how each site will be treated during site selection:
a. Select the Locked check box for each site that is not to be affected by site selection.
Tip:
If you have many sites that you do not want to be affected by site selection, you can
select and lock them with the Advanced section. For more information on the options in
the Advanced section, see "Selecting Sites for Reconfiguration" on page 308.
b. Select the Status for each site that is not locked:

Important: Only active sites are loaded by ACP. If you want inactive sites to be taken into account
during site selection, you must set them as active first in Atoll. When you commit the
results of the ACP run, all sites and sectors disabled by the ACP will be set to inactive in
Atoll.
-
Existing: An "Existing" site is considered as being active in the initial network. ACP will remove an existing
site if the Site Removable check box has been checked and if removing the site will improve network quality. If the Sectors Removable check box has been checked, one or more sectors might be removed if
removing them will improve network quality.
Candidate: A "Candidate" site is considered as being inactive in the initial network. ACP will add the site
during the optimisation process if adding the site will improve network quality. If the Sectors Removable
check box has been checked, only one or more sectors might be added if adding them will improve
network quality.
You can define candidate sites by clicking the New Candidate Setup button. For more information on defining candidate sites, see "Creating Candidate Sites" on page 307.
c. Select the Sectors Removable check box for each site that can have sectors removed to improve network
quality.
d. Select the Site Removable check box for each site that can be removed to improve network quality.
e. If desired, assign sites marked as "Candidate" in the Status column to a Group by selecting it from the list. If
a candidate site does not belong to a group, no further constraints are imposed on ACP during optimisation.
If a candidate site belongs to a group, ACP must respect the constraints of the group.
Note:
i.
If a site group has no sites belonging to it, it is automatically deleted.

Under Group, click the field and select New from the list. The New Site Group dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.174).
ii. Enter a Group Name and define the minimum and maximum number of sites from this group (from 0 to
1000) that must be respected by ACP during optimisation (Minimum Site Occurrence and Maximum
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Site Occurrence, respectively). If there is no minimum or maximum that ACP must respect, leave the field
blank.
iii. Click OK to create the group and return to the Site Selection tab.
Figure 6.174: Creating a new site group
Creating Candidate Sites

The ACP enables you to create a list of candidate sites that can be added to the network to improve quality. For each
candidate, you can specify both the location and the station template the candidate site would be based on if the ACP adds
it to the network. As well, the ACP can optimise candidate sites when they are added to the network.
During optimisation, the ACP will choose either from the sites defined as candidates on the Sites tab or from the list of
candidate sites.
To create or edit candidate sites:
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab. On the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, select the Sites tab.
3. On the Sites tab, click the New Candidate Setup button. The New Candidate Setup dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.175).
Figure 6.175: New Candidate Setup dialogue

4. Under Zone Configuration, define, if desired, how candidate sites will be treated for each zone:
-
Zone: Select the zone (computation, focus, or hot spot zone defined on the Optimisation tab) from the list. The
ACP will add the candidate site according to the quality objectives defined on the Optimisation tab.
Default Station Template: Select the station template that any candidate site the ACP adds in the selected
zone will be based on.
Note:
The ACP can optimise each candidate site based on a template. You can set the
optimisation parameters for each template by clicking the Template Reconfiguration
button. For information on the options, see "Setting Transmitter Reconfiguration
Parameters" on page 302.
Default Group: Select the group that the candidate site will belong to by default.
Radio Layer: If there is more than one radio layer, select the radio layer the candidate site will be added to.
5. Under New Candidate List, define the individual candidate sites. For each candidate site set the following:
-
Name: Enter a name for the candidate site.
Location: Click the Browse button (

) to define the location of the candidate site. You can define the location either as a set of co-ordinates or you can select an existing site from a list.
Station Template: Select the station template the candidate site will be based on. This selection overrides
the selection made under Zone Configuration.
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-
Group: Select the group the candidate site will belong to. This selection overrides the selection made under
Zone Configuration.
Antenna Height: The antenna height of the candidate site is updated automatically from the defined default
site template or read from the data when you import a CSV file with a list of defined candidate sites.
You force the antenna height of all candidate sites to a defined value for each clutter class by clicking the Action button and selecting Update candidate height from clutter height from the menu.
Site Class: Select the site class this candidate site will belong to. The site class will be used to determine the
cost of implementing this site.
Note:
The Site Class column does not appear if you have not defined a site class under Cost
Control on the Optimisation tab. All candidate sites will belong to the "Default" class site.
Radio Layer: Select the radio layer the candidate site will be added to. This selection overrides the selection
made under Zone Configuration.
6. If desired, select the Try to use multi-band antenna when possible check box. The ACP will attempt to use
linked transmitters on candidate sites if possible.
7. Click the Action button to update the list of new candidates by selecting one of the following options:
-
Clear List: Select Clear List to delete all current entries in the New Candidate List.
Import from File: Select Import from File to import a list of candidate sites, defined as XY coordinates.
Import from Current Sites Defined as Location Only: Select Import from Current Sites Defined as Location Only to import as candidate sites sites in the current document that have no transmitters. The sites
imported are those in the reconfiguration zone(s) selected on the Optimisation tab. The defined reconfiguration zone(s) is displayed at the top of the Reconfiguration tab as well.
Update Candidate Height from Clutter Height: Select Update Candidate Height from Clutter Height to
define the height of all candidate sites for each clutter class.
If you are using the ACP on a co-planning project, you have an additional option. This option enables you to, for
example, upgrade an existing network from one technology to another.
-
Import from Existing [Technology] Sites: Select Import from Existing [Technology] Sites to import all
the sites in the other document as candidate sites in the current document.
Selecting Sites for Reconfiguration

You can use the Advanced area of the Reconfiguration tab to select sites. For more information on the Reconfiguration
tab, see "Setting Network Reconfiguration Parameters" on page 300.
To select sites:
2. Click the Reconfiguration tab. On the left-hand side of the Reconfiguration tab, select the Sites tab.
3. Select the Current Site Selection check box.
4. Click Advanced to display the Advanced area (see Figure 6.176).
Figure 6.176: The Advanced section
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5. Select the Global Change tab.
6. Select the sites:
-
For entire table: Select For entire table if you want to select all sites in the table.
For selected rows: If you want to select a series of rows in the table, select the entries in the Site Name
column and then select For selected rows under Advanced. You can select contiguous rows by clicking the
first entry, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last entry. You can select non-contiguous rows by pressing CTRL
and clicking each entry separately.
With technology: If you have a co-planning project with more than one technology, select the With technology check box and then select the technology from the list if you want to select all sites using that technology.
With status: Select the With status check box and then select the status from the list if you want to select all
sites with that status.
With site class: If you have defined site classes, select the With site class check box and then select the
site class from the list if you want to select all sites from that site class.
Note:
6.4.3.2.6
If you want to lock the selected sites, you can select the Set "Locked" check box and
click Apply. The locked sites will not be affected by the site addition or removal options.
Defining Antenna Groups

You can use the Antenna tab to define antenna groups according to their physical characteristics, as well as grouping
patterns according to their antenna pattern and defining multi-band antennas.
The antenna groups are necessary to apply the antenna type or electrical tilt reconfiguration options defined on the Reconfiguration tab. For more information on the Reconfiguration tab, see "Setting Network Reconfiguration Parameters" on
page 300.
By grouping similar antennas in the same group, ACP can select the best antenna for a transmitter from the group to which
the transmitter was assigned on the Reconfiguration tab. As well, electrical tilt is modelled in Atoll using the same antenna,
each with a different electrical tilt. By grouping all instances of the same antenna with different electrical tilts, ACP can
reconfigure the electrical tilt of a transmitter by selecting the antenna with the optimal electrical tilt from the group to which
the transmitter was assigned.
"Creating and Grouping Antennas by Pattern" on page 309

"Grouping Antennas Automatically" on page 311
"Defining Multi-band Antennas" on page 311
"Creating Antenna Elements and Physical Antennas Automatically" on page 312
"Creating Antenna Groups" on page 312.
Creating and Grouping Antennas by Pattern

Atoll enables you to create physical antennas by grouping several instances of antennas by their pattern.
By setting an option in the ACP.ini file, you can also optimise the additional electrical downtilt (AEDT) of antennas. When
you have set this option, you can select which antennas for which you will optimise the AEDT and the range of values that
Atoll can chose from during the optimisation process.
For information on setting options in the ACP.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
To group antennas by their pattern:
2. Click the Antenna tab. On the left-hand side of the Antenna tab, select the Patterns tab (see Figure 6.177). The
Antenna tab displays all antennas in the Antenna Pattern Table and the groups under Antenna Element.
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Figure 6.177: Antenna tab

3. Click the New button to create a new group under Antenna Element. You can change the name of the new group
or of any group by right-clicking the group name twice under Antenna Element, selecting Rename from the context menu, and entering the new name.
You can delete one group by selecting it under Antenna Element and clicking the Delete button. You can delete
all groups by clicking the Delete All button.
4. Assign antennas to a group to create physical antenna elements or to associate antenna patterns to define a radiation diagramme of a group of antennas with several variations of electrical tilt:
a. Select the group under Antenna Element.
b. Select the antenna under Antenna Pattern Table and click the right arrow between the columns (
) to assign it to the selected group. Antennas under Antenna Pattern Table that have been assigned to a group are
indicated with an icon (
).
You can assign the same antenna to more than one group.
You can remove an antenna from a group by selecting it in the group under Antenna Element and clicking
the left arrow between the columns (
Note:
).
When you have grouped the antennas, you can back up the configuration by clicking the
Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the antennas will then be
grouped automatically according to this definition.
5. If you are also optimising additional electrical downtilt, select the check box in the Use AEDT column corresponding to each antenna for which you want to optimise the additional electrical downtilt and define the limits
Atoll must respect by entering values in the Min. AEDT and Max. AEDT for each antenna to be optimised.
Figure 6.178: The Antenna Pattern Table with AEDT enabled
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Grouping Antennas Automatically

You can group antennas automatically using a regular expression, or "regex." The regular expression is retained from one
Atoll session to the next. Therefore, once you have set the regular expression for the given antenna naming convention,
you will not have to set again for the next Atoll session. The default regex pattern is overwritten when you change it. You
can return to the default regular expression by clearing the text box and clicking OK. You can change the default regular
expression by editing the appropriate entry in the ACP.ini file. For more information on the options available in the ACP.ini
Important: It is recommended to identify both the antenna type and the electrical tilt in the antenna
name in Atoll and to separate the antenna type and electrical tilt with a special character,
for example, "_". This will make it easier to group antenna groups automatically using a
regular expression.
To group antennas automatically:
2. Click the Antenna tab. On the left-hand side of the Antenna tab, select the Patterns tab (see Figure 6.177 on
page 310).
3. Under Automatic Creation, enter a regular expression, or "regex," in the text box.
Tip:
Clicking the tooltip button (

expressions.
) displays a tooltip with an explanation of common regular
4. Click the Build from Expression button to create antenna groups according to the defined regular expression.
Note:
When you have created the antenna groups, you can back up the configuration by
clicking the Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the antenna groups
are then automatically created according to this definition.
Defining Multi-band Antennas

When you have grouped antennas according to their physical characteristics as explained in "Creating and Grouping
Antennas by Pattern" on page 309 and "Grouping Antennas Automatically" on page 311, they are displayed on the
Radome tab of the Antenna tab, grouped according to their frequency band.
You can merge these groups to create groups of antennas that are multi-band antennas.
To define multi-band antennas:
2. Click the Antenna tab. On the left-hand side of the Antenna tab, select the Physical Antenna tab (see Figure 6.177
on page 310).
Figure 6.179: Creating multi-band antennas
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3. Create multi-band antennas by merging two or more antenna groups:
a. Select two or more antenna groups by holding CTRL and clicking the antenna groups in the Physical Antenna
Table.
b. Click the Merge button. The antenna groups are now merged and will appear on the Antenna Groups tab.
You can break the merged antenna groups up by selecting them in the Physical Antenna Table and clicking the
Unmerge button, or by clicking Unmerge All. If you click Unmerge All, all merged antenna groups will be broken
up.
4. Under Automatic Creation, enter a regular expression, or "regex," in the text box.
Creating Antenna Elements and Physical Antennas Automatically

ACP can automatically create representations of antenna elements and physical antennas using a custom field in the Atoll
document database.
To enable the ACP to automatically create antenna elements and physical antennas:
1. Create a custom column in the Antennas table of the Atoll document database.
2. For each antenna identified in the Antennas table, enter the name of the physical antenna to which the antenna
pattern belongs in the custom column.
3. Define the name of the custom column in the ACP.ini file using the "antenna.model" option. For more information
on defining options in the ACP.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
When you restart Atoll, and run the ACP on this document, ACP will now automatically create antenna elements and physical antennas based on the entry in the custom field of the Antennas table of the Atoll document database.
Creating Antenna Groups

ACP creates antenna groups based on their frequency band, but you can create antenna groups based on other common
characteristics. The antenna groups are used especially to chose between a directive antenna (of 35 degrees) and a less
directive one (of 65 degrees). However, in most circumstances, one antenna group corresponds to one physical antenna.
To group antennas:
2. Click the Antenna tab. On the left-hand side of the Antenna tab, select the Antenna Groups tab (see Figure 6.180
on page 312).
On the Antenna Groups tab, there is already one group called "Default" in the Antenna Groups pane of the tab.
The "Default" group is created automatically by ACP and contains all the antenna patterns available for a given
frequency.
Figure 6.180: Creating antenna groups

3. Click the New button to create a new group under Antenna Groups. You can change the name of the new group
or of any group by right-clicking the group name twice under Antenna Groups, selecting Rename from the context
menu, and entering the new name.
You can delete one group by selecting it under Antenna Groups and clicking the Delete button. You can delete
all groups by clicking the Delete All button.
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4. Assign antennas to groups according to their physical characteristics:
a. Select the group under Antenna Groups.
b. Select the antenna under Physical Antenna Table and click the right arrow between the columns (
) to
assign it to the selected group. Antennas under Physical Antenna Table that have been assigned to a group
are indicated with an icon (
).
You can assign the same antenna to more than one group.
You can remove an antenna from a group by selecting it in the group under Antenna Groups and clicking the
left arrow between the columns (
Note:
6.4.3.2.7
).
When you have created the antenna groups, you can back up the configuration by
clicking the Back Up Configuration button. In future ACP sessions, the antenna groups
are then automatically created according to this definition.
Adding Comments to the Optimisation Setup

You can enter comments about the current optimisation setup on the Comments tab.
To add comments:
2. Click the Comments tab and add your comments.
6.4.4
Running an Optimisation Setup

When you have finished defining the optimisation parameters as described in "Defining Optimisation Parameters" on
page 290, you can run the optimisation setup, either immediately by clicking the Run button.
You can also save the defined optimisation setup by clicking the Create Setup button and then running the optimisation
at a later point.
To run a saved optimisation setup:
2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder.
3. Right-click the setup folder that you want to run in the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder. The context menu
appears.
4. Select Run from the context menu. The optimisation setup runs.
As the optimisation setup runs, ACP displays the current status of the process (see Figure 6.181) allowing you to observe
the progress. You can pause the optimisation if you desire or stop the optimisation early,
The Optimisation dialogue has four tabs:
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Graphs: The Graphs tab displays a graph with the iterations on the X axis and the optimisation objectives (RS,
CINR, and global cost, if you have selected to take cost into consideration) on the Y axis (see Figure 6.181). The
values displayed are indicated with a legend.
Changes: The Changes tab displays in a graph indicating the quantity of changes made for each reconfiguration
parameter selected during setup. The values displayed are indicated with a legend.
Quality Maps: The Quality Maps tab displays coverage quality maps for RS and RS CINR improvement. The
maps display the computation zone with the network improvement performed to that point. If you based this optimisation on a coverage prediction (see "Setting Objective Parameters" on page 296), the ranges and colours
defined in the selected coverage prediction will be used for the quality maps, unless you have already defined display defaults for ACP, either by saving an ACP maps settings as the default (see "Changing the Display Properties
of ACP Maps" on page 327) or by using a configuration file (see "Configuring the Default Settings" on page 286).
EMF Exposure Maps: The EMF Exposure Maps tab displays maps indicating EMF exposure improvement performed to that point.
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Figure 6.181: The network coverage improvement graphs and maps

When the optimisation has finished, the results are stored in the optimisation folder on the Data tab of the Explorer
window. By default, Atoll calls the optimisation folder a "Setup" folder. Each setup folder contains one or more optimisation
processes. Each optimisation process folder contains the results of that optimisation. For information on viewing optimisation results, see "Viewing Optimisation Results" on page 315.
Figure 6.182: An optimisation run in the Explorer window

Note:
6.4.5
You can perform an optimisation on a network that has already been optimised. After
running the first optimisation and committing the results, you can create and run a second
optimisation, with different parameters on the optimised network. The setup on which the
optimisation is based is locked after you commit the changes. If you want to use the same
setup, you will have to duplicate it and select Partial update from the Setup Duplication
Options dialogue.
Working with Optimisations in the Explorer Window

Atoll offers you several options for working with the optimisation that you can access using the context menu on the Data
tab of the Explorer window.
To work with the optimisation:
4. Right-click the setup folder of the optimisation you want to work with. The context menu appears (see
Figure 6.183).
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Figure 6.183: Options available in the context menu

5. Select one of the following from the context menu:
-
Properties: Selecting Properties from the context menu opens the optimisations Properties dialogue. You
can modify all of the optimisation parameters except for the selection of traffic maps (for information on the
optimisation parameters, see "Defining Optimisation Parameters" on page 290). If you want to base an optimisation on different traffic maps, you must create a new optimisation (for information on creating a new optimisation, see "Creating an Optimisation Setup" on page 290).
Run: Selecting Run runs the optimisation setup. The results will be contained in a new optimisation folder in
the setup folder.
Caution:
If you have changed some data in Atoll, for example, if you added transmitters or change
some of the transmitter settings, the data that optimisation results are based on may
differ from the current Atoll data. If you run a optimisation based on settings made before
the changes, it will not take the changed data into consideration.
ACP normally detects changes in the Atoll document data and can lock a group if it is
impossible to run an optimisation that is coherent with existing data. ACP can lock a
group if, for example, when you commit optimisation results after the path losses have
been recalculated and are no longer consistent with the data used to run the optimisation.
When this happens you will either have to:
-
Create a new optimisation as explained in "Creating a New Optimisation Setup" on

page 290.
Duplicate an existing optimisation which will create a new optimisation with the same
configuration but with updated parameters.
Roll back the previously committed parameters as explained in "The Commit Tab" on
page 322.
Delete: Selecting Delete deletes the defined optimisation setup and any results.
Storing optimisation results and the group configuration increase the size of the Atoll file. Deleting unused
setups in the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder will decrease the size of the Atoll file.
Load Configuration: Selecting Load Configuration displays the Open dialogue. You can then select a PRJ
file based on the settings of a different optimisation. When you load a configuration based on a different Atoll
document, only the settings that are not specific to that document are loaded.
Save Configuration: Selecting Save Configuration displays the Save As dialogue. You can then save the
optimisation settings in a PRJ file. You can then use this PRJ file to quickly configure an optimisation.
Tip:
6.4.6
Saving a configuration is a quick way to save the settings you have made in an external
file. you can then easily create new configurations using these same settings as a basis
without having to recreate them.
Duplicate: Selecting Duplicate displays the ACP Duplicate Options dialogue. You can then duplicate the
either the ACP-generated data of selected optimisation setup or all of the data of the setup. Duplicating the
ACP-generated data permits you to create a new setup with up-to-date data even though the data of the original setup is no longer valid.
Viewing Optimisation Results

Once you have run the calibrated optimisation as explained in "Running an Optimisation Setup" on page 313, the results
are stored in the optimisation folder on the Data tab of the Explorer window. You can view the results in the optimisations
Properties dialogue or in the map window.
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"Viewing Optimisation Results in the Properties Dialogue" on page 316

"Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window" on page 322
"Viewing Optimisation Results Using the Histogram" on page 329.
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6.4.6.1
Viewing Optimisation Results in the Properties Dialogue

You can view the results of the optimisation run in its Properties dialogue in the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder.
To view the results of the optimisation in its Properties dialogue:
) to expand the folder of the setup containing the optimisation results you want to view.
4. Right-click the optimisation. The context menu appears.

5. Select Properties from the context menu. The optimisations Properties dialogue appears.
The optimisation results are on individual tabs of the Properties dialogue (with an extra tab, the General tab, that
allows you to change the name of the optimisation results):
-
6.4.6.1.1
Statistics: The Statistics tab displays a synthesised view of the optimisation results of the quality figures (RS
coverage and RS CINR), and of the EMF exposure optimisation, if one was made. For more information on
the Statistics tab, see "The Statistics Tab" on page 316.
Sectors: The Sectors tab displays a table with the reconfigured cells in green, sites and sectors which have
been added or removed, and the RS quality, the CINR quality, and the total power per cell before and after
optimisation. For more information on the Statistics tab, see "The Sectors Tab" on page 317.
Graph: The Graph tab displays a graph with the iterations on the X axis and the optimisation objectives (RS
coverage, RS CINR, and global cost, if you have selected to take cost into consideration, and the EMF exposure optimisation, if one was made) on the Y axis. The values displayed are indicated with a legend. For more
information on the Graph tab, see "The Graph Tab" on page 319.
Quality: The Quality tab displays the computation zone with coverage quality maps for RS coverage before
and after optimisation, and for the EMF exposure optimisation, if one was made. For more information on the
Quality tab, see "The Quality Tab" on page 320.
Change Details: The Change Details tab enables you to analyse the improvement caused by each reconfiguration option. For more information on the Change Details tab, see "The Change Details Tab" on page 321.
Commit: The Commit tab enables you to commit the set of selected changes. For more information on the
Commit tab, see "The Commit Tab" on page 322.
The Statistics Tab

The Statistics tab displays a synthesized view of the optimisation results of the quality figures (RS coverage quality and
RS CINR quality) and of the EMF exposure optimisation, if one was made.
Figure 6.184: The Statistics tab

For the RS coverage quality and RS CINR quality, both the initial and final figures are given, as well as the absolute improvement. These figures are given both for the computation zone and the focus zone. If you defined weights for each
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zone on the Objectives tab of the dialogue used to define the optimisation (see "Setting Objective Parameters" on
page 296), ACP indicates that the results are weighted.
You can see more detailed information by clicking the links (see Figure 6.185):
Show Change Statistics: The change statistics showing the reconfiguration and site selection statistics.
Show Detailed Hot Spot/Clutter Results: The detailed quality figures on each hot spot and by each clutter class.
Show Input: The input settings of this optimisation.
Figure 6.185: The Statistics tab - detailed information

You can export the results by clicking the Export button. The Save As dialogue that appears allows you to select the
format in which you want to save the results: XLS, TXT, HTML, or XML.
6.4.6.1.2
The Sectors Tab

The Sectors tab displays a table with all the cells in the network with the following information:
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Cells which have been reconfigured are displayed in green (i.e., if they have had their antenna type, antenna
height, azimuth, mechanical tilt, or total power reconfigured).
Sites and sectors which have been added or removed.
The RS quality and RS CINR quality before and after optimisation. The quality figures are measured on the best
server area of each cell.
Antenna type, height, azimuth, mechanical tilt, and total power initial and final values for each cell.
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Figure 6.186: The Sectors tab

The cell results are displayed in a table. You can access options such as sorting, exporting data using the context menu
(see Figure 6.187) sort, column hiding, export, etc.
Figure 6.187: Options available for data in the Sectors tab

If you are optimising EMF exposure, on the left-hand side of the Sectors tab, a second tab, the EMF Exposure tab,
appears. The EMF Exposure tab displays the initial and final Vm contribution for each transmitter in the optimisation.
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6.4.6.1.3
The Graph Tab

The Graph tab displays a graph with the iterations on the X axis and the optimisation objectives (RS coverage, RS CINR,
and global cost, if you have selected to take cost into consideration, and the EMF exposure optimisation, if one was made)
on the Y axis (see Figure 6.188). The values displayed are indicated with a legend.
Figure 6.188: The Graph tab

The tool bar allows you to:
Zoom and span the graph

Export to a BMP image file or simple text file
Print the graph
Show the values along the curves.
Figure 6.189: The Graph tab with the values displayed on the selected point
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6.4.6.1.4
The Quality Tab

The Quality tab displays the coverage quality maps for RS and RS CINR before and after optimisation, and the EMF exposure optimisation, if one was made. You can define the area displayed in the coverage quality maps by selecting the zone
(computation, focus, or hot spot) from the list above the maps.
Figure 6.190: Coverage maps on the Quality tab

The maps are displayed with a range of values displayed on the right. If you based this optimisation on a coverage prediction (see "Setting Objective Parameters" on page 296), the ranges and colours defined in the selected coverage prediction
will be used for the quality maps, unless you have already defined display defaults for ACP, either by saving an ACP maps
settings as the default (see "Changing the Display Properties of ACP Maps" on page 327) or by using a configuration file
(see "Configuring the Default Settings" on page 286).
This range can be modified using the Map Properties dialogue accessed through the tool bar (see Figure 6.191).
Figure 6.191: Defining the display properties of the coverage maps

In addition to the map, a histogram is provided for quick evaluation of the improvement seen across the entire range of
values. This histogram displays the statistics within the focus zone if selected. It should be also noted that the statistics
are given using traffic weighting when traffic maps are used. They can therefore be different from similar statistics obtained
through the Generate Report tool in Atoll which only uses uniform weighting.
Note:
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The default colour range used for display can be changed using the acp.ini preference
configuration file. For information on the acp.ini file options, see the Administrator Manual.
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6.4.6.1.5
The Change Details Tab

In addition of the map, a histogram is provided for quick evaluation of improvement seen across the entire range of values.
This histogram displays the statistics within the focus zone if selected. It should be also noted that the statistics are given
using traffic weighting when traffic maps are used. They can therefore be different from similar statistics obtained through
the Generate Report tool in Atoll which only uses uniform weighting.
Note:
The default colour range used for display can be changed using the acp.ini preference
configuration file. For information on the acp.ini file options, see the Administrator Manual.
Figure 6.192: The Change Details tab

You can select a subset of all changes using a slider and view the corresponding performance improvement on the graph.
This can enable you to achieve two goals:
To select a subset of changes to be implemented. For example, you might find that implementing only one-third
of the recommended changes will provide 80% of the benefit. You could then chose to commit only those changes
to the Atoll document.
To find the optimal order in which to apply these changes in the field, while at the same time avoiding less than
optimal performance, or even degrading the performance, during the implementation phase.
Before selecting a subset of recommended changes, it is important to understand that ACP calculates the set of recommendations globally and that these changes are interdependent. During the finalisation step, ACP calculates the ordered
list of changes displayed on the Change Details tab by starting from the initial network configuration and iteratively selecting the change that will have the most effect on the network. If you arbitrarily select a subset of the recommended changes,
it is highly likely that the improvement of the network quality will not be as great as projected. It is therefore highly recommended to follow the ordered list of changes as proposed.
Important: The data displayed on the other tabs takes all the proposed changes into consideration. If
you select only a subset of the proposed changes on the Change Details tab, the
statistics displayed on other tabs do not change.
When you commit the optimisation changes, ACP will only commit the proposed changes selected on the Change Details
tab.
For information on committing the optimisation changes, see "The Commit Tab" on page 322.
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6.4.6.1.6
The Commit Tab

This dialogue enables you to commit the set of selected changes (total power, antenna, azimuth, tilt, or site selection) to
the Atoll document or to roll the network back to its initial state.
The Commit tab automatically takes into account the changes selected on the Change Details tab; the Use check box is
cleared for any change that was deselected on the Change Details tab.
Figure 6.193: The Commit tab

You can select one of the following:
Commit: Clicking the Commit button will update the Atoll document with the changes displayed on the Commit
tab. Once you have committed the changes, you can recalculate the path losses and use any of the functions available in Atoll, including coverage predictions and simulations. After you perform any such calculations, remember
to click the Roll Back to Initial State button to return to the original network settings.
Roll Back to Initial State: Clicking the Roll Back to Initial State button will revert the Atoll network to its state
before the optimisation was run.
When you click either the Commit button or the Roll Back to Initial State button, information about the commit or rollback
process is displayed in the Atoll Event Viewer.
The Effects of Committing or Rolling Back Changes on Existing Setups

When you commit the optimisation results, all existing configuration setups are locked because the network state on which
the configuration setup was based is not coherent with the current path losses. ACP automatically detects any incoherence
and prevents you from running an optimisation on incoherent data. ACP will unlock the optimisation setups when it
becomes possible, for example, when you roll back the data to restore the Atoll state to be coherent with the network state
on which the configuration setup was based.
It is important to remember that you can commit or roll back other optimisation results even when the setup is locked.
6.4.6.2
Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window

ACP can display optimisation results in the form of maps in the map window. This allows you to view the results and facilitates analysis. If you based this optimisation on a coverage prediction, the ranges and colours defined in the selected
coverage prediction will be used for the quality maps, unless you have already defined display defaults for ACP, either by
saving an ACP maps settings as the default or by using a configuration file.
To view the results of the optimisation in the map window:
4. Right-click the optimisation. The context menu appears.

5. Select New Map from the context menu. The ACP Map Types dialogue appears (see Figure 6.195).
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Figure 6.194: Displaying a new map based on ACP results

The maps available in the ACP Map Types dialogue are organised by category.
6. Select the category of maps or click the Expand button (
egory or map.
) to expand the category and then select the sub-cat-
7. Click OK to create the maps. The maps are created and inserted into the folder of the setup containing the optimisation results (see Figure 6.195).
Figure 6.195: The map types correspond to the available results

You can display a map by selecting its check box in the folder of the setup containing the optimisation results. The display
properties can be changed for a single map or for all maps.
For information on the display properties for ACP maps, see "Changing the Display Properties of ACP Maps" on page 327.
The following sections provide more information on the maps:
6.4.6.2.1
"The Quality Analysis Maps" on page 323

"The Coverage Analysis Maps" on page 324
"The Change Analysis Maps" on page 325
"The EMF Exposure Maps" on page 326
"Comparing Maps" on page 326
"Changing the Display Properties of ACP Maps" on page 327
"Exporting ACP Coverage Maps" on page 328.
The Quality Analysis Maps

The quality analysis maps enable you to display the signal quality maps in the Atoll map window. These maps are the
same as those displayed on the Quality tab of the optimisations Properties dialogue.
The quality analysis maps are the equivalent of maps created by different Atoll coverage predictions:
The RS coverage maps correspond to the Atoll coverage by signal level. For more information, see "Studying
Signal Level Coverage" on page 201.
The RS CINR coverage maps correspond to Atoll coverage by C(I+N) level. For more information, see "Making
a Coverage by C/(I+N) Level" on page 227.
The overlapping zones maps correspond to the Atoll overlapping zones coverage prediction. For more information, see "Making a Coverage Prediction on Overlapping Zones" on page 212.
Making these maps available within ACP enables you to quickly validate the optimisation results without having to commit
the results and then calculate a coverage prediction in Atoll. The ACP maps display results very similar to those that Atoll
would display if you committed the optimisation results and calculated Atoll coverage predictions, however, before basing
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any decision to commit the optimisation results on the maps produced by ACP, you should keep the following recommendations in mind:
You should verify the results with a different Atoll coverage prediction, such as the pilot pollution prediction.
ACP generated maps are generated using the entire set of proposed changes. They do not take into account the
change subset defined on the Change Details tab.
Multiple carriers are not supported by ACP; the maps are only provided for the requested carrier.
Even after committing the optimisation results, differences can remain between the ACP maps and the maps
resulting from Atoll coverage predictions.
You can view the exact RS coverage value on any pixel by letting the pointer rest over the pixel. The RS coverage value
is then displayed in a tooltip.
For the overlapping zones map, you can set the best server threshold on the User Preferences tab of the ACP Properties
dialogue (see "Configuring the Default Settings" on page 286) or by setting the CellOverlap parameter in the acp.ini file.
Figure 6.196: Examples of an RS coverage variation map (left) and a final overlapping zones map (right)
For each network quality study, ACP offers a map showing the initial network state, the final network state, and a map
showing the changes between the initial and final state.
6.4.6.2.2
The Coverage Analysis Maps

The coverage analysis maps display the coverage status according to the defined threshold used in the optimisation (for
both RSCP and EcIo). You can use the coverage analysis maps to quickly see the area where the coverage requirements
have been fulfilled. In addition, the thresholds used for clutter and hot spot zones are taken into account.
There are two types of coverage analysis maps:
Initial and Final Coverage: The initial and final transmitter coverage maps display the areas where there is transmitter RS and CINR coverage improvement.
Coverage Improvement: The transmitter and CINR coverage improvement maps show how the RS and CINR
coverage has been improved or degraded by the optimisation.
Figure 6.197: Example of final RS/CINR coverage improvement (left) and RS coverage improvement (right)
You can define how the coverage analysis maps will be displayed.
To define the coverage analysis map display:
1. After creating and inserting the coverage analysis maps into the folder of the setup containing the optimisation
results as explained in "Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window" on page 322, right-click the Coverage
Analysis folder. The context menu appears.
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Figure 6.198: Defining display and threshold properties

3. Select the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can select the colour used to display initial CINR coverage improvement, final CINR coverage improvement, and both. As well, you can use the slider to adjust the Transparency.
4. Select the Thresholds tab. On the Thresholds tab, you can set the thresholds to be used for the map for the RS
CINR coverage. You can use the same thresholds as you used when you calculated the optimisation, or you can
set a different threshold.
6.4.6.2.3
The Change Analysis Maps

The change analysis maps allow you to analyse the changes recommended by the ACP. The change attributes are
displayed on the map using a best server map, because the types of changes that ACP recommends are all related to
individual cells. The best server map used is usually the initial best server map but you can use the final best server map
for new sites (i.e., sites that have been added during optimisation).
The following maps are available:
Reconfiguration Types: In the Reconfiguration Types folder, there is a separate map for each reconfiguration
option displaying the changes to the network: azimuth, mechanical tilt, and antenna. The changes are displayed
for the best server zone. The maps can be displayed individually to display each reconfiguration option separately
or together to display all reconfiguration options.
Sector Selection Types: In the Sector Selection Types folder, there are maps to display which sites have been
added or removed. These maps are only available if the site selection was activated during optimisation.
Change Order: The Change Order map displays the order of changes (as displayed on the Change Details tab
of the optimisations Properties dialogue). You can define the colours used to display the order of changes by
right-clicking the Change Order map in the Change Analysis folder, selecting Properties from the context menu
and then changing the colours on the Display tab. By displaying the Change Order map, you can see where the
most important changes to be made to the network are located.
Change of Electrical Tilt, Mechanical Tilt, Azimuth, Height, Pilot Power, and Change Cost: These maps
show the variation of the given parameter. They can be used to see where in the network this reconfiguration
option was changed.
Note:
The electrical tilt values are calculated using the vertical antenna pattern. The Change of
Electrical Tilt map is made available even when the change was to the antenna type.
Figure 6.199: Example of electrical tilt change (left) and electrical tilt change (right)
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6.4.6.2.4
Best Server Analysis

The best server analysis maps contain maps enabling you to analyse cell-related parameters as related to the best server.
The following maps are available:
6.4.6.2.5
Initial and Final Electrical and Mechanical Tilt Values: These maps show the tilt values on the initial and final
network. They can be used, for example, to identify areas with strong tilt values.
Initial and Final Antenna Height: These maps show the initial and final antenna heights.
Initial and Final Transmitter RS and CINR Coverage: These maps show the percentage of the best server area
which is covered according to the defined threshold. The values displayed are the same as those on the Sectors
tab of the optimisations Properties dialogue. You can use these maps to quickly identify the cells which potentially
have poor quality.
Initial and Final Overlapping Ratio: These maps show the percentage of the best server area with overlapping
coverage greater than "1," i.e., with several received signals over the defined threshold.
The EMF Exposure Maps

The EMF exposure maps contain maps enabling you to analyse EMF exposure. The following maps are available:
6.4.6.2.6
Quality Analysis: These maps show the EMF exposure values on the initial and final network, as well as the EMF
exposure gain.
EMF Exposure Coverage Improvement: This map shows the improvement in EMF exposure.
Sector Analysis: These maps show the initial and final Vm contribution of the optimisation area.
Comparing Maps
You can compare the results displayed on one map with the results of another map from the same optimisation or from a
different optimisation.
To compare a map with a map from the same optimisation:
results as explained in "Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window" on page 322, right-click the map you
want to compare. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare With and then select one of the maps in the submenu. A new map is
created in the optimisation folder and the results of the comparison are displayed in the map window.
3. ACP creates a new map in the optimisation folder and displays it in the map window with the pixels that are displayed on both maps or only on a single map.
Figure 6.200: Comparing two optimisation maps

To compare a map with a map from a different map type or with a map from a different optimisation:
results as explained in "Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window" on page 322, right-click the map you
want to compare. The context menu appears.
2. From the context menu, select Compare With > Others. The ACP Compare Map dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.201). By default, the ACP Compare Map dialogue displays only maps from the same optimisation as the
map you want to compare.
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Figure 6.201: The ACP Compare Map dialogue

3. Define the maps you choose from:
-
Show studies from Predictions folder: Select the Show studies from Predictions folder check box if you
want to be able to compare with a map from a coverage prediction you have already created and calculated.
Show maps from all ACP setups: Select the Show maps from all ACP setups check box if you want to be
able to compare with a map from a different optimisation.
Show only maps of same type: Select the Show only maps of same type check box if you want to restrict
the maps displayed to maps displaying comparable information.
4. Select the map with which you want to compare the first one and click OK. ACP creates a new map in the optimisation folder and displays it in the map window with the pixels that are displayed on both maps or only on a single
map.
Tip:
6.4.6.2.7
By first defining a display interval of "1" in both maps and then comparing them, the
resulting comparison map will have more meaningful results. For information on defining
"Changing the Display Properties of ACP Maps" on page 327.
Changing the Display Properties of ACP Maps

You can define how ACP maps are displayed in the Atoll map window. You can define the colours used as well as the
ranges of values on the Display tab of each maps Properties dialogue. As well, ACP allows you to display the value on
each pixel in the form of a tooltip.
To define the display of an ACP map:
results as explained in "Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map Window" on page 322, right-click the map whose
display you want to define. The context menu appears.
Figure 6.202: Setting the display properties for a map
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4. On the Display tab, you can define the following settings:
-
Colours: For each range of values, you can click the colour button and select the colour that will be used to
represent that range.
Min. and Max.: You can define the minimum and maximum values that will define that range.
Transparency: You can define the transparency of the map using the slider.
Add to legend: You can display the range of values of the optimisation map by selecting the Add to legend.
check box.
Actions: You can modify the ranges of values by clicking the Actions button and selecting one of the following:
-
Select All: Select Select All to select all the ranges on the display tab. Anything you select after that from
the Actions menu (for example, Delete) will be applied to the selected ranges.
Delete: Select Delete to delete the selected range or ranges.
Insert Before: Select Insert Before to insert a new range before the selected range.
Insert After: Select Insert After to insert a new range after the selected range
Shading: Select Shading to open the Shading dialogue where you can define all the ranges by setting
the first value, the last value, and the step between values, as well as the colour used for the first value
and the colour used for the last value. ACP will shade the ranges in between the first and last value with
a range of colours going from the first colour to the last.
Save as Default: Select Save as Default to set the current settings on the display tab to the default
settings. These settings can then be used for all maps of the same kind.
Load from Default: Select Load from Default to change the current settings to those set as the default
using Save as Default.
Reset to Default: Select Reset to Default to change the current settings back to the ACP defaults. You
can also use Reset to Default to return to the ACP defaults when you have created user-defined defaults
using Save as Default.
You can display the value on a pixel by resting the pointer on the pixel in the map window. The value on that pixel will be
displayed in a tooltip (see Figure 6.203).
Figure 6.203: Tool tip displaying ACP results on selected point
6.4.6.2.8
Exporting ACP Coverage Maps

ACP enables you to export the optimisation coverage maps as BMP files. Before you can export an optimisation coverage
map, you must first select the map and define its appearance as explained in "Viewing Optimisation Results in the Map
Window" on page 322.
To export an optimisation coverage map:
) to expand the folder of the setup containing the optimisation map you want to export.
) to expand the optimisation.
5. Right-click the map. The context menu appears.

7. Enter a File name for the exported coverage map and select the format from the Save as type list.
8. Click Save. The exported coverage map is saved in the selected format. Depending on the file format selected
from the Save as type list, Atoll creates an additional file in the same location containing geo-referencing information:
-
BMP file: Atoll creates a BPW file.

ArcView grid (TXT) file: Atoll creates a BPW file.
BIL file: Atoll creates a HDR file.
GRD or GRC file: Atoll creates a TAB file.
PNG file: Atoll creates a PGW file.
TIF file: Atoll creates a TFW file.
9. Atoll also creates a BPW file in the same location containing geo-referencing information.
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6.4.6.3
Viewing Optimisation Results Using the Histogram

ACP can display optimisation results in the form of a histogram. The histogram is provided for quick evaluation of improvement seen across the entire range of values. This histogram displays the statistics within the focus zone if selected. If you
based this optimisation on a coverage prediction, the ranges and colours defined in the selected coverage prediction will
be used for the histogram, unless you have already defined display defaults for ACP, either by saving an ACP maps
settings as the default or by using a configuration file.
To view the results of the optimisation using a histogram:
) to expand the folder of the optimisation.
Note:
Depending on the type of optimisation results you want to view, you might need to expand
additional folders.
5. Right-click the optimisation results. The context menu appears.

6. Select Histogram from the context menu. The histogram appears in a separate window with a legend on the right
side.
6.5
Verifying Network Capacity

An important step in the process of creating an LTE network is verifying the capacity of the network. This is done using
measurements of the strength of the reference signal levels, SS, PBCH, PDSCH, and PDCCH signal levels, and various
C/(I+N) at different locations within the area covered by the network. This collection of measurements is called a drive test
data path.
The data contained in a drive test data path is used to verify the accuracy of current network parameters and to optimise
the network.
6.5.1
"Importing a Drive Test Data Path" on page 329

"Displaying Drive Test Data" on page 332
"Defining the Display of a Drive Test Data Path" on page 332
"Network Verification" on page 333
"Exporting a Drive Test Data Path" on page 337
"Extracting CW Measurements from Drive Test Data" on page 337
"Printing and Exporting the Drive Test Data Window" on page 338.
Importing a Drive Test Data Path

In Atoll, you can analyse drive tests by importing drive test data in the form of ASCII text files (with tabs, semi-colons, or
spaces as separator), TEMS FICS-Planet export files (with the extension PLN), or TEMS text export files (with the extension FMT).
For Atoll to be able to use the data in imported files, the imported files must contain the following information:
The position of drive test data points. When you import the data, you must indicate which columns give the
abscissa and ordinate (XY coordinates) of each point.
Information identifying scanned cells (for example, serving cells, neighbour cells, or any other cells). In LTE networks, a cell can be identified by its physical cell ID. Therefore, you must indicate during the import process which
column contains the physical cell IDs of cells.
You can import a single drive test data file or several drive test data files at the same time. If you regularly import drive test
data files with the same format, you can create an import configuration. The import configuration contains information that
defines the structure of the data in the drive test data file. By using the import configuration, you will not need to define the
data structure each time you import a new drive test data file.
To import one or several drive test data files:
2. Right-click the Drive Test Data folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select the file or files you want to open. You can import one or several files.
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Note:
If you are importing more than one file, you can select contiguous files by clicking the first
file you want to import, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last file you want to import. You
can select non-contiguous files by pressing CTRL and clicking each file you want to
import.
5. Click Open. The Import of Measurement Files dialogue appears.

Note:
Files with the extension PLN, as well as some FMT files (created with previous versions of
TEMS) are imported directly into Atoll; you will not be asked to define the data structure
using the Import of Measurement Files dialogue.
6. If you already have an import configuration defining the data structure of the imported file or files, you can select
it from the Configuration list on the Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue. If you do not have
an import configuration, continue with step 7.
a. Under Configuration, select an import configuration from the Configuration list.
b. Continue with step 10.
Notes:
When importing a drive test data path file, existing configurations are available in the Files of
type list of the Open dialogue, sorted according to their date of creation. After you have
selected a file and clicked Open, Atoll automatically proposes a configuration, if it recognises
the extension. In case several configurations are associated with an extension, Atoll chooses
the first configuration in the list.
The defined configurations are stored, by default, in the file "NumMeasINIFile.ini", located in
the directory where Atoll is installed. For more information on the NumMeasINIFile.ini file, see
the Administrator Manual.
7. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can set the following parameters:
-
Name: By default, Atoll names the new drive test data path after the imported file. You can change this name
if desired.
Under Receiver, set the Height of the receiver antenna and the Gain and Losses.
Under Measurement Conditions,
-
Units: Select the measurement units used.

Coordinates: By default, Atoll imports the coordinates using the display system of the Atoll document.
If the coordinates used in the file you are importing are different than the coordinates used in the Atoll
document, you must click the Browse button (
) and select the coordinate system used in the drive
test data file. Atoll will then convert the data imported to the coordinate system used in the Atoll document.
8. Click the Setup tab (see Figure 6.204).
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Figure 6.204: The Setup tab of the Import of Measurement Files dialogue
a. Under File, enter the number of the 1st Measurement Row, select the data Separator, and select the Decimal Symbol used in the file.
b. Click Setup to link file columns and internal Atoll fields. The Drive Test Data Setup dialogue appears.
c. In the Measurement Point Position part of the dialogue, select the columns in the imported file that give the
X-Coordinates and the Y-Coordinates of each point in the drive test data file.
Note:
You can also identify the columns containing the XY coordinates of each point in the drive
test data file by selecting them from the Field row of the table on the Setup tab.
d. In the Physical Cell ID Identifier box, enter a string that must be found in the column name identifying the
physical cell IDs of scanned cells. For example, if the string "ID" is found in the column names identifying the
physical cell IDs of scanned cells, enter it here. Atoll will then search for the column with this string in the column name.
e. Click OK.
Important:
If you have correctly entered the information under File on the Setup tab, and the necessary
values in the Drive Test Data Configuration dialogue, Atoll should recognize all columns in
the imported file. If not, you can click the name of the column in the table in the Field row and
select the column name. For each field, you must ensure that each column has the correct data
type in order for the data to be correctly interpreted. The default value under Type is "<Ignore>".
Columns marked with "<Ignore>" will not be imported.
The data in the file must be structured so that the column identifying the Physical Cell ID is
placed before the data columns for each cell. Otherwise Atoll will not be able to properly import
the file.
9. If you wish to save the definition of the data structure so that you can use it again, you can save it as an import
configuration:
a. On the Setup tab, under Configuration, click Save. The Configuration dialogue appears.
b. By default, Atoll saves the configuration in a file called "NumMeasINIfile.ini" found in Atolls installation folder.
In case you cannot write into that folder, you can click Browse to choose a different location.
c. Enter a Configuration Name and an Extension of the files that this import configuration will describe (for example, "*.txt").
d. Click OK.
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Atoll will now select this import configuration automatically every time you import a drive test data path file
with the selected extension. If you import a file with the same structure but a different extension, you can select
this import configuration from the Configuration list.
Notes:
You do not have to complete the import procedure to save the import configuration and have
it available for future use.
When importing a measurement file, you can expand the NumMeasINIfile.ini file by clicking the
button ( ) in front of the file in the Setup part to display all the available import configurations.
When selecting the appropriate configuration, the associations are automatically made in the
table at the bottom of the dialogue.
You can delete an existing import configuration by selecting the import configuration under
Setup and clicking the Delete button.
10. Click Import, if you are only importing a single file, or Import All, if you are importing more than one file. The drive
test data are imported into the current Atoll document.
6.5.2
Displaying Drive Test Data

When you have imported the drive test data into the current Atoll document, you can display it in the map window. Then,
you can select individual drive test data points to see the information at that location.
To display information about a single drive test data point:
3. Select the display check box of the drive test data you want to display in the map window. The drive test data is
displayed.
4. Click and hold the drive test data point on which you want more information. Atoll displays an arrow pointing
towards the serving cell (see Figure 6.206 on page 336) in the same colour as the transmitter.
6.5.3
Defining the Display of a Drive Test Data Path

You can manage the display of drive test data paths using the Display dialogue. The points on a drive test data path can
be displayed according to any available attribute. You can also use the Display dialogue to define labels, tool tips and the
legend.
To display the Display tab of a drive test data paths Properties dialogue:
3. Right-click the drive test data path whose display you want to manage. The context menu appears.
4. Select Properties from the context menu. The drive test data paths properties dialogue appears.
Each point can be displayed by a unique attribute or according to:
-
a text or integer attribute (discrete value)

a numerical value (value interval).
In addition, you can display points by more than one criterion at a time using the Advanced option in the Display
Type list. When you select Advanced from the Display Type list, the Shadings dialogue opens in which you can
define the following display for each single point of the measurement path:
-
a symbol according to any attribute

a symbol colour according to any attribute
a symbol size according to any attribute
You can, for example, display a signal level in a certain colour, choose a symbol type for Transmitter 1 (a circle,
triangle, cross, etc.) and a symbol size according to the altitude.
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Notes:
6.5.4
Fast Display forces Atoll to use the lightest symbol to display the points. This is useful when
you have a very large number of points.
You can not use Advanced Display if the Fast Display check box has been selected.
You can sort drive test data paths in alphabetical order on the Data tab of the Explorer window
by right-clicking the Drive Test Data Path folder and selecting Sort Alphabetically from the
context menu.
You can export the display settings of a drive test data path in a configuration file to make them
available for future use. You can export the display settings or import display settings by clicking
the Actions button on the Display tab of the drive test data paths Properties dialogue and
selecting Export or Import from the menu.
Network Verification
The imported drive test data is used to verify the LTE network. To improve the relevance of the data, Atoll allows you to
filter out incompatible or inaccurate points. You can then compare the drive test measurements with coverage predictions.
To compare drive test data with coverage predictions, you overlay coverage predictions calculated by Atoll with the drive
test data path displayed using the same parameter as that used to calculate the coverage prediction.
6.5.4.1
"Filtering Incompatible Points Along Drive Test Data Paths" on page 333.
"Creating Coverage Predictions from Drive Test Data Paths" on page 334.
"Displaying Statistics Over a Drive Test Data Path" on page 335
"Extracting a Field From a Drive Test Data Path for a Transmitter" on page 335.
"Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 335.
Filtering Incompatible Points Along Drive Test Data Paths

When using a drive test data path, some measured points may present values that are too far outside the median values
to be useful. As well, test paths may include test points in areas that are not representative of the drive test data path as
a whole. For example, a test path that includes two heavily populated areas might also include test points from a more
lightly populated region between the two.
In Atoll, you can filter out points that are incompatible with the points you are studying, either by filtering out the clutter
classes where the incompatible points are located, or by filtering out points according to their properties.
To filter out incompatible points by clutter class:
2. On the Data tab of the Explorer window, right-click the Drive Test Data on which you want to filter out incompatible points:
-
All Drive Test Data measurements: Right-click the Drive Test Data folder.
Only one Drive Test Data path: Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.
The context menu appears.

3. Select Filter from the context menu. The Drive Test Data Filter dialogue appears.
4. In the Per Clutter window, under Filter, clear the check boxes of the clutter classes you want to filter out. Only the
clutter classes whose check box is selected will be taken into account.
5. If you want to keep the measurement points inside the focus zone, select the Use focus zone to filter check box.
6. If you want to permanently remove the measurement points outside the filter, select the Delete Points Outside
Filter check box.
If you permenantly delete measurement points and later want to use them, you will have to re-import the original
measurement data.
To filter out incompatible points using a filter:
2. On the Data tab of the Explorer window, right-click the Drive Test Data on which you want to filter out incompatible points:
-
All Drive Test Data measurements: Right-click the Drive Test Data folder.
Only one Drive Test Data path: Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Drive Test Data folder.

3. Select Filter from the context menu. The Drive Test Data Filter dialogue appears.
4. Click More. The Filter dialogue appears.
5. Click the Filter tab:
a. Select a Field from the list.
b. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes
next to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes.
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6. Click the Advanced tab:
a. In the Column row, select the name of the column to be filtered on from the list. Select as many columns as
you want (see Figure 6.205).
Figure 6.205: The Filter dialogue - Advanced tab

b. Underneath the name of each column, enter the criteria on which the column will be filtered as explained in
the following table:
Formula
=X
value equal to X (X may be a number or characters)
<> X
value not equal to X (X may be a number or characters)
<X
numerical value is less than X
>X
numerical value is greater than X
<= X
numerical value is less than or equal to X
>= X
numerical value is greater than or equal to X
*X*
*X
text objects which end with X
X*
7. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.
Filters are combined first horizontally, then vertically. For more information on filters, see "Advanced Data Filtering"
on page 65.
8. Click OK to apply the filter and close the dialogue.
Note:
6.5.4.2
The Refresh Geo Data option available in the context menu of drive test data paths
enables you to update heights (Alt DTM, Clutter height, DTM+Clutter) and the clutter class
of drive test data points after adding new geographic maps or modifying existing ones.
Creating Coverage Predictions from Drive Test Data Paths

You can create the following coverage predictions for all transmitters on each point of a drive test data path:
Point Signal Level

Coverage by Signal Level
To create a coverage prediction along a drive test data path:

3. Right-click the drive test data to which you want to add a coverage prediction. The context menu appears.
4. Select Calculations > Create a New Study from the context menu. The Study Types dialogue appears.
5. Under Standard Studies, select Coverage by Signal Level and click OK. The Coverage by Signal Level properties dialogue appears.
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6. Click the Condition tab. At the top of the Condition tab, you can set the range of signal level to be calculated. Under
Server, you can select whether to calculate the signal level from all transmitters, or only the best or second-best
signal. If you choose to calculate the best or second-best signal, you can enter a Margin. If you select the Shadowing taken into account check box, you can change the Cell Edge Coverage Probability. You can select the
Indoor Coverage check box to add indoor losses.
7. When you have finished setting the parameters for the coverage prediction, click OK.
You can create a new coverage prediction by repeating the procedure from step 1. to step 7. for each new coverage prediction.
8. When you have finished creating new coverage predictions for these drive test data, right-click the drive test data.
9. Select Calculations > Calculate All the Studies from the context menu.
A new column for each coverage prediction is added in the table for the drive test data. The column contains the
predicted values of the selected parameters for the transmitter. The propagation model used is the one assigned
to the transmitter for the main matrix (for information on the propagation model, see Chapter 5: Managing Calculations in Atoll).
You can display the information in these new columns in the Drive Test Data window. For more information on
the Drive Test Data window, see "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on page 335.
6.5.4.3
Displaying Statistics Over a Drive Test Data Path

Assuming some predictions have been calculated along a Drive Test Data path, you can display the statistics between the
measured and the predicted values on a specific measurement path.
To display the statistics for a specific Drive Test Data path:
3. Right-click the drive test data from which you want to display comparative statistics. The context menu appears.
4. Select Display Statistics from the context menu. The Measurement and Prediction Fields Selection dialogue
appears.
5. Select one or more transmitters from the For the Transmitters list.
6. Select the fields that contain the previously predicted values that you want to use for predictions. Only one type
of value can be compared at a time (signal level or quality).
7. Select the fields that contain the measured values that you want to use for predictions. Only one type of value
can be compared at a time (signal level or quality). The measured and the selected values have to match up.
8. Enter the minimum and maximum measured values. Statistics are done with drive test data points where the
measured values are within this specified range.
9. Click OK.
Atoll opens a popup in which the global statistics between measurements and predictions are given over all the filtered
(or not) points of the current drive test data path through the mean error, its standard deviation, the root mean square and
the error correlation factor. The statistics are also given per clutter class.
6.5.4.4
Extracting a Field From a Drive Test Data Path for a Transmitter

You can extract the information from a specific field for a given transmitter on each point of an existing drive test data path.
The extracted information will be added to a new column in the drive test data table.
To extract a field from a drive test data path:
3. Right-click the drive test data from which you want to extract a field. The context menu appears.
4. Select Focus on a Transmitter from the context menu. The Field Selection for a Given Transmitter dialogue
appears.
5. Select a transmitter from the On the Transmitter list.
6. Click the For the Fields list. The list opens.
7. Select the check box beside the field you want extract for the selected transmitter.
8. Click OK. Atoll creates a new column in the drive test data path table for the selected transmitters and with the
selected values.
6.5.4.5
Analysing Data Variations Along the Path

In Atoll, you can analyse variations in data along any drive test data path using the Drive Test Data window. You can also
use the Drive Test Data window to see which cell is the serving cell for a given test point.
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To analyse data variations using the Drive Test Data window.
3. Right-click the drive test data you want to analyse. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Drive Test Data window appears (see Figure 6.206).
Figure 6.206: The Drive Test Data window

5. Click the Display button at the top of the Drive Test Data window. The Display Parameters dialogue appears
(see Figure 6.207).
Figure 6.207: The Drive Test Data window

6. In the Display Parameters dialogue:
-
Select the check box next to each field you want to display in the Drive Test Data window.
If you want, you can change the display colour by clicking the colour in the Colour column and selecting a new
colour from the palette that appears.
Click OK to close the Display Parameters dialogue.
Note:
You can change the display status or the colour of more than one field at the same time
by selecting several fields. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field,
pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by
pressing CTRL and clicking each field. You can then change the display status or the
colour by right-clicking on the selected fields and selecting the choice from the context
menu.
The selected fields are displayed in the Drive Test Data window.
7. You can display the data in the drive test data path in the following ways:
-
Click the values in the Drive Test Data window.

Click the points on the drive test data path in the map window.
The drive test data path appears in the map window as an arrow pointing towards the best server (see
Figure 6.206 on page 336) in the same colour as the transmitter.
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8. You can display a secondary Y-axis on the right side of the window in order to display the values of a variable with
different orders of magnitude than the ones selected in the Display Parameters dialogue. You select the value to
be displayed from the right-hand list at the top of the Drive Test Data window. The values are displayed in the
colour defined in the Display Parameters dialogue.
9. You can change the zoom level of the Drive Test Data window display in the Drive Test Data window in the following ways:
-
Zoom in or out:
i.
Right-click the Drive Test Data window.
ii. Select Zoom In or Zoom Out from the context menu.

-
Select the data to zoom in on:

i.
Right-click the Drive Test Data window on one end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
ii. Select First Zoom Point from the context menu.

iii. Right-click the Drive Test Data window on the other end of the range of data you want to zoom in on.
iv. Select Last Zoom Point from the context menu. The Drive Test Data window zooms in on the data between the first zoom point and the last zoom point.
10. Click the data in the Drive Test Data window to display the selected point in the map window. Atoll will recentre
the map window on the selected point if it is not presently visible.
Tip:
6.5.5
If you open the table for the drive test data you are displaying in the Drive Test Data
window, Atoll will automatically display in the table the data for the point that is displayed
in the map and in the Drive Test Data window (see Figure 6.206 on page 336).
Exporting a Drive Test Data Path

You can export drive test data paths to vector files.
To export a drive test data path to a vector file:
3. Right-click the drive test data path you want to export. The context menu appears.
4. Select Export from the context menu. The Save As dialogue appears.
5. Enter a File name for the drive test data path and select a format from the Save as type list.
6. Click Save. The drive test data path is exported and saved in the file.
6.5.6
Extracting CW Measurements from Drive Test Data

You can generate CW measurements from drive test data paths and extract the results to the CW Measurements folder.
To generate CW measurement from a drive test data path:
3. Right-click the drive test data path you want to export. The context menu appears.
4. Select Extract CW Measurements from the context menu. The CW Measurement Extraction dialogue appears.
5. Under Extract CW Measurements:
a. Select one or more transmitters from the For the Transmitters list.
b. Select the field that contains the information that you want to export to CW measurements from the For the
Fields list.
6. Under CW Measurement Creation Parameters:
a. Enter the Min. Number of Points to Extract per Measurement Path. CW measurements are not created for
transmitters that have fewer points than this number.
b. Enter the minimum and maximum Measured Signal Levels. CW measurements are created with drive test
data points where the signal levels are within this specified range.
7. Click OK. Atoll creates new CW measurements for transmitters satisfying the parameters set in the CW Measurement Extraction dialogue.
For more information about CW measurements, see the Model Calibration Guide.
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6.5.7
Printing and Exporting the Drive Test Data Window

You can print or export the contents of the Drive Test Data window using the context menu in the Drive Test Data window.
To print or export the contents of the Drive Test Data window:
3. Right-click the drive test data path you want to print or export. The context menu appears.
4. Select Open the Analysis Tool from the context menu. The Drive Test Data window appears (see Figure 6.206
on page 336).
5. Define the display parameters and zoom level as explained in "Analysing Data Variations Along the Path" on
page 335.
6. Right-click the Drive Test Data window. The context menu appears.
To export the Drive Test Data window:
a. Select Copy from the context menu.
b. Open the document into which you want to paste the contents of the Drive Test Data window.
c. Paste the contents of the Drive Test Data window into the new document.
To print the Drive Test Data window:
a. Select Print from the context menu. The Print dialogue appears.
b. Click OK to print the contents of the Drive Test Data window.
6.6
Co-planning LTE Networks with Other Networks

Atoll is a multi-technology radio network planning tool. You can work on several technologies at the same time, and
several network scenarios can be designed for any given area: a country, a region, a city, etc. For example, you can design
an LTE and a GSM network for the same area in Atoll, and then work with Atolls co-planning features to study the mutual
impacts of the two networks.
Important: Before starting a co-planning project in Atoll, the Atoll administrator must perform the
pre-requisite tasks that are relevant for your project as described in the Administrator
Manual.
Sectors of both networks can share the same sites database. You can display base stations (sites and sectors),
geographic data, and coverage predictions, etc., of one network in the other networks Atoll document. You can also study
inter-technology handovers by performing inter-technology neighbour allocations, manually or automatically. Inter-technology neighbours are allocated on criteria such as the distance between sectors or overlapping coverage. In addition,
you can optimise the settings of the two networks using Atolls Automatic Cell Planning (ACP) module.
6.6.1
"Switching to Co-planning Mode" on page 338.

"Working with Coverage Predictions in an Co-Planning Project" on page 340.
"Performing Inter-Technology Neighbour Allocation" on page 343.
"Creating an LTE Sector From a Sector in the Other Network" on page 353.
"Using ACP in a Co-planning Project" on page 354.
"Ending Co-planning Mode" on page 355.
Switching to Co-planning Mode

Before starting a co-planning project, you must have two networks designed for a given area, i.e., you must have an LTE
Atoll document and an Atoll document for the other network. Atoll switches to co-planning mode as soon as the two documents are linked together. In the following sections, the LTE document will be referred to as the main document, and the
other document as the linked document. Atoll does not establish any restriction on which is the main document and which
is the linked document.
Important: Before starting a co-planning project, make sure that your main and linked documents
have the same geographic coordinate systems.
To switch to co-planning mode:
1. Open the main document.
-
Select File > Open or File > New > From an Existing Database.
2. Link the other document with the open main document.
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a. Click the main documents map window. The main documents map window becomes active and the Explorer
window shows the contents of the main document.
b. Select File > Link With. The Link With dialogue appears.
c. Select the document to be linked.
d. Click Open.
The selected document is opened in the same Atoll session as the main document and the two documents are
linked. The Explorer window of the main document now contains a folder named Transmitters in [linked document], where [linked document] is the name of the linked document and another folder named Predictions in
[linked document].
Note:
By default, only the Transmitters and Predictions folders of the linked document appear
in the main document. If you want the Sites folder of the linked document to appear in the
main document as well, you can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting
options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
As soon as a link is created between the two documents, Atoll switches to co-planning mode and Atolls co-planning
features are now available.
When you are working on a co-planning document, Atoll facilitates working on two different but linked documents by
synchronising the display in the map window between both documents. Atoll syncronises the display for the following:
Geographic data: Atoll synchronises the display of geographic data such as clutter classes and the DTM. If you
select or deselect one type of geographic data, Atoll makes the corresponding change in the linked document.
Zones: Atoll synchronises the display of filtering, focus, computation, hot spot, printing, and geographic export
zones. If you select or deselect one type of zone, Atoll makes the corresponding change in the linked document.
Map display: Atoll co-ordinates the display of the map in the map window. When you move the map, or change
the zoom level in one document, Atoll makes the corresponding changes in the linked document.
Point analysis: When you use the Point Analysis tool, Atoll co-ordinates the display on both the working document and the linked document. You can select a point and view the profile in the main document and then switch
to the linked document to make an analysis on the same profile but in the linked document.
Displaying Both Networks in the Same Atoll Document

After you have switched to co-planning mode as explained in "Switching to Co-planning Mode" on page 338, transmitters
and predictions from the linked document are displayed in the main document. If you want, you can display other items or
folders from the Explorer window of the linked document to the Explorer window of the main document (e.g., you can
display GSM sites and measurement paths in an LTE document).
To display sites from the linked document in the main document:
1. Click the linked documents map window. The linked documents map window becomes active and the Explorer
window shows the contents of the linked document.
3. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears.
4. Select Make Accessible In > [main document] from the context menu, where [main document] is the name of
the main document.
The Sites folder of the linked document is now available in the main document. The Explorer window of the main document now contains a folder named Sites in [linked document], where [linked document] is the name of the linked document. If you want the Sites folder of the linked document to appear in the main document automatically, you can set an
option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.
The same process can be used to link other folders in one document, folders such as CW Measurements, Drive Test
Data, Clutter classes, Traffic, and DTM, etc., in the other document.
Once the folders are linked, you can access their properties and the properties of the items in the folders from either of the
two documents. Any changes you make in the linked document are taken into account in the both the linked and main
documents. However, because working document is the main document, any changes made in the main document are
not automatically taken into account in the linked document.
If you close the linked document, Atoll displays a warning icon ( ) in the main documents Explorer window, and the
linked items are no longer accessible from the main document. You can load the linked document in Atoll again by rightclicking the linked item in the Explorer window of the main document, and selecting Open Linked Document.
The administrator can create and set a configuration file for the display parameters of linked and main document transmitters in order to enable you to distinguish them on the map and to be able to select them on the map using the mouse. If
such a configuration file has not been set up, you can choose different symbols, sizes and colours for the linked and the
main document transmitters. For more information on folder configurations, see "Folder Configurations" on page 72. You
can also set the tool tips to enable you to distinguish the objects and data displayed on the map. For more information on
tool tips, see "Defining the Object Type Tip Text" on page 26.
In order to more easily view differences between the networks, you can also change the order of the folders or items in
the Explorer window. For more information on changing the order of items in the Explorer window, see "Working with
Layers Using the Explorer" on page 18.
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Figure 6.208 shows an example of LTE transmitters with labels and displayed in the Legend window, and GSM transmitter
data displayed in a tool tip.
Figure 6.208: GSM and LTE Transmitters displayed on the map
6.6.2
Working with Coverage Predictions in an Co-Planning Project

Atoll provides you with features that enable you to work with coverage predictions in your co-planning project. You can
modify the properties of coverage predictions in the linked document from within the main document, and calculate coverage predictions in both documents at the same time. You can also study and compare the coverage predictions of the two
networks.
6.6.2.1
"Updating Coverage Predictions" on page 340

"Analysing Coverage Predictions" on page 341.
Updating Coverage Predictions

You can access the properties of the coverage predictions in the linked Predictions folder in the main documents
Explorer window. After modifying the linked coverage prediction properties, you can update them from the main document.
To update a linked coverage prediction:
1. Click the main documents map window. The main documents map window becomes active and the Explorer
window shows the contents of the main document and the linked folders from the linked document.
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions in [linked document] folder, where [linked document]
is the name of the linked document.
4. Right-click the linked coverage prediction whose properties you want to modify. The context menu appears.
5. Select Properties from the context menu. The coverage prediction Properties dialogue appears.
6. Modify the calculation and display parameters of the coverage prediction.
8. Click the Calculate button (
) in the toolbar.
When you click the Calculate button, Atollfirst calculates uncalculated and invalid path loss matrices and then
unlocked coverage predictions in the main and linked Predictions folders.
When you have several unlocked coverage predictions defined in the main and linked Predictions folders, Atoll calculates them one after the other. For information on locking and unlocking coverage predictions, see "Locking Coverage
Predictions" on page 173.
If you want, you can make Atoll recalculate all path loss matrices, including valid ones, before calculating unlocked coverage predictions in the main and linked Predictions folders.
To force Atoll to recalculate all path loss matrices before calculating coverage predictions:
Click the Force Calculate button (
) in the toolbar.
When you click the Force Calculate button, Atoll first removes existing path loss matrices, recalculates them and
then calculates unlocked coverages predictions defined in the main and linked Predictions folders.
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Note:
6.6.2.2
To prevent Atoll from calculating coverage predictions in the linked Predictions folder,
you can set an option in the atoll.ini file. For information on setting options in the atoll.ini
Analysing Coverage Predictions

In Atoll, you can analyse coverage predictions of the two networks together. You can display information about coverage
predictions in the main and the linked documents in the Legend window, use tooltips to get information on displayed coverage predictions, compare coverage areas by overlaying the coverage predictions in the map window, and study the differences between the coverage areas by creating coverage comparisons.
If several coverage predictions are visible on the map, it might be difficult to clearly see the results of the coverage prediction you wish to analyse. You can select which studies to display or to hide by selecting or clearing the display check box.
For information on managing the display, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map Using the Explorer" on page 18.
6.6.2.2.1
"Co-Planning Coverage Analysis Process" on page 341

"Displaying the Legend Window" on page 341
"Comparing Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips" on page 342
"Comparing Coverage Areas by Overlaying Coverage Predictions" on page 342
"Studying Differences Between Coverage Areas" on page 342.
Co-Planning Coverage Analysis Process

The aim of coverage analysis in a co-planning project is to compare the coverage areas of the two networks and to analyse
the impact of changes made in one network on the other. Changes made to the sectors of one network might also have
an impact on sectors in the other network if the sectors in the two networks share some antenna parameters. You can
carry out a coverage analysis with Atoll to find the impact of these changes.
Note:
In a co-planning environment, many sites share the same antennas, using one mast for
both technologies. When transmitter, remote antenna, or repeater antennas have the
same co-ordinates and the same value set for the SHAREDMAST field in both coplanning documents, Atoll assumes that the antennas are shared. Atoll then
automatically synchronises changes made to shared antenna parameters in one coplanning document in the other document. The shared antenna parameters include the
site location (X and Y coordinates), the antenna's position relative to the site (Dx, Dy),
antenna height, azimuth and mechanical tilt. The SHAREDMAST field is not available by
default and must be added in order for the synchronization mechanism to operate. For
information on setting up shared antenna parameter synchronisation, see the
The recommended process for analysing coverage areas, and the effect of parameter modifications in one on the other,
is as follows:
1. Create and calculate a Coverage by Transmitter (best server with 0 dB margin) coverage prediction and a
Coverage by Signal Level coverage prediction in the main document. For more information, see "Making a
Coverage Prediction by Transmitter" on page 211 and "Making a Coverage Prediction by Signal Level" on
page 210.
2. Create and calculate a Coverage by Transmitter (best server with 0 dB margin) coverage prediction and a Coverage by Signal Level coverage prediction in the linked document.
3. Choose display settings for the coverage predictions and tool tip contents that will allow you to easily interpret the
predictions displayed in the map window. This can help you to quickly assess information graphically and using
the mouse. You can change the display settings of the coverage predictions on the Display tab of each coverage
predictions Properties dialogue.
4. Make the two new coverage predictions in the linked document accessible in the main document as described in
"Displaying Both Networks in the Same Atoll Document" on page 339.
5. Optimise the main network by changing parameters such as antenna azimuth and tilt or the cell power. You can
use a tool such as the Atoll ACP to optimise the network.
Changes made to the shared antenna parameters will be automatically propagated to the linked document.
6. Calculate the coverage predictions in the main document again to compare the effects of the changes you made
with the linked coverage predictions.
For information on comparing coverage predictions, see "Comparing Coverage Areas by Overlaying Coverage
Predictions" on page 342 and "Studying Differences Between Coverage Areas" on page 342.
7. Calculate the linked coverage predictions again to study the effects of the changes on the linked coverage predictions.
6.6.2.2.2
Displaying the Legend Window

When you create a coverage prediction, you can add the displayed values of the coverage prediction to the legend by
selecting the Add to Legend check box on the Display tab.
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6.6.2.2.3
Select View > Legend Window. The Legend window is displayed, with the values for each displayed coverage
prediction in the main and linked Predictions folders, identified by the name of the coverage prediction.
Comparing Coverage Prediction Results Using Tooltips

You can compare coverage predictions by by placing the pointer over an area of the coverage prediction to read the information displayed in the tooltip. Atoll displays information for all displayed coverage predictions in both the working and
the linked documents. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab when you created
the coverage prediction (step 3. of "Co-Planning Coverage Analysis Process" on page 341).
To get coverage prediction results in the form of tooltips:
In the map window, place the pointer over the area of the coverage prediction that you want more information on.
After a brief pause, the tooltip appears with the information defined on all displayed coverage predictions in both
the working and the linked documents (see Figure 6.116). The tooltip for the working document is on top and the
tooltip for the linked document, with the linked document identified by name is on the bottom.
Figure 6.209: Comparing coverage prediction results using tooltips
6.6.2.2.4
Comparing Coverage Areas by Overlaying Coverage Predictions

You can compare the coverage areas of the main and linked documents by overlaying the coverage predictions in the map
window.
To compare coverage areas by overlaying coverage predictions in the map window:
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions folder.
4. Select the visibility check box to the left of the coverage prediction of the main document you want to display in
the map window. The coverage prediction is dislayed on the map.
5. Right-click the coverage prediction. The context menu appears.
8. Modify the display parameters of the coverage prediction. For information on defining display properties, see "Display Properties of Objects" on page 22.
9. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions in [linked document] folder, where [linked document]
is the name of the linked document.
10. Select the visibility check box to the left of the linked coverage prediction you want to display in the map window.
The coverage prediction is dislayed on the map.
11. Right-click the coverage prediction. The context menu appears.
13. Modify the display parameters of the coverage prediction.
14. Calculate the two coverage predictions again, if needed.
To more easily view differences between the coverage areas, you can also change the order of the Predictions folders
in the Explorer window. For more information on changing the order of items in the Explorer window, see "Working with
Layers Using the Explorer" on page 18.
6.6.2.2.5
Studying Differences Between Coverage Areas

You can compare coverage predictions to find differences in coverage areas.
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To compare coverage predictions:
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Predictions folder.
4. Right-click the coverage prediction of the main document you want to compare. The context menu appears.
5. Select Compare With > [linked coverage prediction] from the context menu, where [linked coverage prediction] is the linked coverage prediction you want to compare with the coverage prediction of the main document.
The Comparison Properties dialogue opens.
6. Select the display parameters of the comparison and add a comment if you want.
7. Click OK.
The two coverage predictions are compared and a comparison coverage prediction is added to the main documents
Predictions folder.
For more information on coverage prediction comparison, see "Comparing Coverage Predictions: Examples" on page 218.
6.6.3
Performing Inter-Technology Neighbour Allocation

The following sections describe the features available in Atoll that help the RF planner to carry out inter-technology neighbour planning. For example, handovers between an LTE and a GSM network can be studied in Atoll by allocating neighbour GSM sectors to LTE cells.
"Setting Inter-Technology Exceptional Pairs" on page 343

"Configuring Importance Factors for Inter-Technology Neighbours" on page 345
"Allocating Inter-Technology Neighbours Automatically" on page 345
"Displaying Inter-Technology Neighbours on the Map" on page 347
"Allocating and Deleting Inter-Technology Neighbours per Cell" on page 348
"Calculating the Importance of Existing Inter-technology Neighbours" on page 351
"Checking the Consistency of the Inter-technology Neighbour Plan" on page 352.
In the sections listed above, it is assumed that Atoll is already in co-planning mode, and the Atoll documents corresponding to the two networks have already been linked. For more information on switching to co-planning mode, see "Switching
to Co-planning Mode" on page 338.
6.6.3.1
Setting Inter-Technology Exceptional Pairs

You can set inter-technology neighbour constraints by defining exceptional pairs in Atoll. These constraints can be taken
into account when inter-technology neighbours are automatically or manually allocated.
To define inter-technology exceptional pairs between the main document and the linked document:
1. Click the main documents map window.
4. Select Cells > Neighbours > Inter-technology Exceptional Pairs from the context menu. The Exceptional
Pairs of Inter-technology Neighbours table appears.
5. Enter one exceptional pair per row of the table. A cell can have more than one exceptional pair.
6. For each exceptional pair, select:
a. Cell: The name of the cell in the main document as the first part of the exceptional pair. The names of all the
cells in the main document are available in the list.
b. Neighbour: The name of the neighbour in the linked document as the second part of the exceptional pair. The
names of all the transmitters/cells in the linked document are available in the list.
c. Status: The status indicates whether the neighbour should always (forced) or never (forbidden) be considered
as a neighbour of the cell.
d. Atoll fills the Number and Distance (m) fields automatically.
In GSM, neighbours and exceptional pairs are allocated by transmitter (i.e., by sector).
You can access a cells inter-technology neighbours and exceptional pairs by using its Properties dialogue.
To open a cells Properties dialogue:
4. Double-click the row corresponding to the cell whose properties you want to access. The cells Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Inter-Technology Neighbours tab.
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In GSM, the Inter-technology Neighbours tab is found on the transmitters Properties dialogue.
Displaying Inter-Technology Exceptional Pairs on the Map

You can display inter-technology exceptional pairs on the map in order to study the forced and forbidden neighbour relations defined in the Inter-technology Exceptional Pairs table.
To display exceptional pairs defined between the main and the linked documents:
) in the Radio toolbar. A menu appears.
3. Select Display Options from the menu. The Visual Management dialogue appears.
4. Under Inter-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
5. Under Advanced, select which exceptional pair links to display:
-
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each cell in the main
document that has an exceptional pair defined with a transmitter/cell in the linked document. These links are
represented with straight dashed lines of the same colour as the transmitter in the main document.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each transmitter/cell in
the linked document that has an exceptional pair defined with a cell in the main document. These links are
represented with straight dashed lines of the same colour as the transmitter in the linked document.
Symmetric: Selecting this option displays an exceptional pair link for each cell in the main document that has
an exceptional pair defined with a transmitter/cell in the linked document only if the transmitter/cell in the linked
document also has the cell of the main document in its exceptional pair list. These links are represented with
straight black lines.
7. Select Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours from the menu. The exceptional pair of a cell will be displayed when you select a transmitter.
) in the Radio toolbar. Exceptional pairs are now displayed on the
map. Exceptional pairs will remain displayed until you click the Visual Management button again.
9. Click a transmitter on the map to show its exceptional pair links. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want
(see "Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 21).
The exceptional pair links can be displayed even if you do not have neighbours allocated. If you select the Display Links
check box under Intra-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and intra-technology exceptional
pairs on the map.
Adding and Removing Inter-Technology Exceptional Pairs on the Map

You can set inter-technology exceptional pairs using the mouse. Atoll adds or removes forced or forbidden exceptional
pairs depending on the display option set, i.e., Forced Neighbours or Forbidden Neighbours.
Before you can add or remove exceptional pairs using the mouse, you must activate the display of exceptional pairs on
the map as explained in "Displaying Inter-Technology Exceptional Pairs on the Map" on page 344.
To add a symmetric forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set an exceptional pair. Atoll adds both transmitters
to the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
To remove a symmetric forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter that you want to remove from the list of exceptional pairs. Atoll removes
both transmitters from the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
To add an outwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set an exceptional pair. Atoll adds the reference
transmitter to the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
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To remove an outwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter that you want to remove from the list of exceptional pairs. Atoll removes the
reference transmitter from the list of inter-technology exceptional pairs of the other transmitter.
To add an inwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:
Click the reference transmitter on the map. Atoll displays its neighbour relations.
-
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric exceptional pair relation, press CTRL and click the other
transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric exceptional pair relation.
If there is no existing exceptional pair relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric exceptional pair relation between the two transmitters, and then press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll
converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric exceptional pair relation.
To remove an inwards forced or forbidden exceptional pair:

2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter that you want to remove from the list of exceptional pairs. Atoll removes the
transmitter from the inter-technology exceptional pairs list of the other transmitter.
Note:
6.6.3.2
When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting
One of Several Transmitters" on page 21).
Configuring Importance Factors for Inter-Technology Neighbours

You can define the relative importance of the factors that Atoll uses to evaluate possible inter-technology neighbours (for
information on how Atoll calculates importance, see the Technical Reference Guide).
To configure the importance factors for inter-technology neighbours:
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Configure Importance from the context menu. The Neighbour Importance
Weighting dialogue appears.
Note:
In a GSM project, you must select Neighbours > Configure Importance from the Transmitters folders context menu.
4. Select the Inter-technology Neighbours tab. On the Inter-technology Neighbours tab, you can set the following
importance factors:
-
reasons.
Co-site Factor: Set the minimum and maximum importance of a possible neighbour transmitter being located
on the same site as reference transmitter. The Co-site Factor will be used if you select the Force co-site
transmitters as neighbours check box when performing automatic neighbour allocation. For information on
automatically allocating neighbours, see "Allocating Inter-Technology Neighbours Automatically" on
page 345.
5. Click OK.
6.6.3.3
Allocating Inter-Technology Neighbours Automatically

Atoll can automatically determine handover relations between networks of different technologies, for example, LTE and
GSM. In this case, inter-technology handovers from LTE to GSM may occur when the LTE coverage is not continuous.
The networks overall coverage is extended by an LTE-to-GSM handover. Atoll can automatically determine neighbours
in the linked document for cells in the main document and vice versa. Inter-technology neighbours are stored in the database.
To automatically allocate neighbours in the linked document for cells in the main document:
5. Click the Inter-technology Neighbours tab.
6. Define the maximum distance between the reference cell and a possible neighbour in the Max Inter-site Distance
box.
7. Define the maximum number of inter-technology neighbours that can be allocated to a cell in the Max Number of
Neighbours box. This value can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
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8. Clear the Use Overlapping Coverage check box in order to base the neighbour allocation on distance criterion
and continue with step 9. Otherwise, select the Use Overlapping Coverage check box if you want to base the
neighbour allocation on coverage conditions.
a. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the cells in the main document. The LTE Coverage Conditions dialogue appears.
In the LTE Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal
level of the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
Shadowing Taken into Account: If desired, select the Shadowing taken into account check box and
b. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
c. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the transmitters/cells in the linked document.
If the linked document is a GSM document, the GSM Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the GSM
Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
Min. BCCH Signal Level: Enter the minimum BCCH signal level which must be provided by the GSM
transmitter.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the BCCH signal level of the best server. The BCCH signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
If the linked document is a UMTS document, the UMTS Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the UMTS
-
Min. Pilot Signal Level: Enter the minimum pilot signal level which must be provided by the reference cell.
Min. Ec/Io: Enter the minimum Ec/Io which must be provided by the reference cell.
Ec/Io Margin: Enter the Ec/Io margin relative to the Ec/Io of the best server. The reference cell is either
the best server in terms of pilot quality or a cell of the active set.
Max. Ec/Io: Select the Max. Ec/Io option and enter the maximum Ec/Io which must not be exceeded by
the reference cell.
DL Load Contributing to Io: You can select whether Atoll should use a Global Value (% Pmax) of the
downlink load for all the cells, or the downlink loads Defined per Cell.
If the linked document is a CDMA document, the CDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the
CDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
the reference cell.
If the linked document is a TD-SCDMA document, the TD-SCDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue appears.
In the TD-SCDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
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Margin: Enter the margin relative to the pilot signal level of the best server.
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-
d. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
e. In the % Min. Covered Area box, enter the minimum percentage of the cells coverage area that the neighbours coverage area should also cover to be considered as a neighbour.
9. Under Calculation Options, define the following:
-
CDMA Carriers: If the linked document is a UMTS, CDMA, or TD-SCDMA document, select the carriers on
which you want to run the allocation. You can choose one or more carriers; Atoll will allocate only the cells
using the selected carriers as neighbours.
Force co-site as neighbours: Selecting the Force co-site as neighbours check box will include the co-site
transmitters/cells in the neighbour list of the LTE cell. The check box is automatically selected when the neighbour allocation is based on distance.
Force exceptional pairs: Selecting the Force exceptional pairs check box will apply the inter-technology
exceptional pair criteria on the neighbours list of the LTE cell.
Delete existing neighbours: Selecting the Delete existing neighbours check box will delete all existing
neighbours in the neighbours list and perform a clean neighbour allocation. If the Delete existing neighbours
check box is not selected, Atoll keeps the existing neighbours in the list.
10. Click the Calculate button to start calculations.

11. Once the calculations finish, Atoll displays the list of neighbours in the Results section. The results include the
names of the neighbours, the number of neighbours of each cell, and the reason they are included in the neighbours list. The reasons include:
Reason
Description
When
Exceptional Pair
Neighbour relation is defined as an exceptional pair.
Force exceptional pairs is

selected
Co-site
The neighbour is located at the same site as the reference cell.
Force co-site as neighbours is

selected
Distance
The neighbour is within the maximum distance from the

reference cell.
Use Coverage Overlapping is

not selected
% of covered area
and overlapping area
Neighbour relation that fulfils coverage conditions.
Use Coverage Overlapping is

selected
Existing
The neighbour relation existed before running the automatic

allocation.
Reset is not selected
12. Select the check box in the Commit column of the Results section to choose the inter-technology neighbours you
want to assign to cells.
At this stage you can compare the automatic allocation results proposed by Atoll with the current neighbour list
(existing neighbours) in your document.
To compare the proposed and existing neighbour lists:
-
Click Compare. The list of automically allocated neighbours, whose Commit check box is selected, is compared with the existing list of neighbours. A report of the comparison is displayed in a text file called NeighboursDeltaReport.txt, which appears at the end of the comparison. This file lists:
-
The document name and the neighbour allocation type,

The number of created neighbour relations (new neighbour relations proposed in the automatic allocation
The number of deleted neighbour relations (neighbour relations not proposed in the automatic allocation
The number of existing neighbour relations (existing neighbour relations that are also proposed in the
automatic allocation results) and the list of these relations.
13. Click the Commit button. The allocated neighbours are saved in the Intra-technology Neighbours tab of each cell.
14. Click Close.
6.6.3.4
Displaying Inter-Technology Neighbours on the Map

You can display inter-technology neighbours on the map in order to study the inter-technology handover scenarios.
To display neighbours in the linked document for cells in the main document:
3. Select Display Options from the menu. The Visual Management dialogue appears.
4. Under Inter-technology Neighbours, select the Display Links check box.
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5. Under Advanced, select the neighbour links to display:
-
Outwards Non-Symmetric: Shows a neighbour link for each cell in the main document that has a neighbour
defined with a transmitter/cell in the linked document. These links are represented with straight dashed lines
of the same colour as the transmitter in the main document.
Inwards Non-Symmetric: Shows a neighbour link for each transmitter/cell in the linked document that has a
neighbour defined with a cell in the main document. These links are represented with straight dashed lines of
the same colour as the transmitter in the linked document.
Symmetric: Shows a neighbour link for each cell in the main document that has a neighbour defined with a
transmitter/cell in the linked document only if the transmitter/cell in the linked document also has the cell of the
main document in its neighbours list. These links are represented with straight black lines.
7. Select Neighbours as the type of neighbour links to display.

) in the Radio toolbar. Neighbours are now displayed on the map.
Neighbours and displayed until you click the Visual Management button again.
9. Click a transmitter on the map to show its neighbour links. When there is more than one cell on the transmitter,
clicking the transmitter in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see
"Selecting One of Several Transmitters" on page 21).
If you select the Display Links check box under Inter-technology Neighbours, Atoll displays both inter-technology and
intra-technology neighbours on the map. The figure below shows the intra- and inter-technology neighbours of the transmitter Site22_2.
6.6.3.5
Allocating and Deleting Inter-Technology Neighbours per Cell

Although you can let Atoll allocate inter-technology neighbours automatically, you can adjust the overall allocation of intertechnology neighbours by allocating or deleting inter-technology neighbours per cell. You can allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours directly on the map, or using the Cells tab of the Transmitter Properties dialogue, or using the Intertechnology Neighbours table.
"Allocating or Deleting Inter-technology Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter Properties Dialogue"
on page 348.
"Allocating or Deleting Inter-technology Neighbours Using the Inter-technology Neighbours Table" on page 349.
"Allocating and Removing Inter-Technology Neighbours on the Map" on page 350.
Allocating or Deleting Inter-technology Neighbours Using the Cells Tab of the Transmitter
Properties Dialogue
To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters/cells in the linked document and cells in the main
document using the Cells tab of the transmitters Properties dialogue:
1. On the main documents map window, right-click the transmitter whose neighbours you want to change. The
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4. On the Cells tab, there is a column for each cell. Click the Browse button (
) beside Neighbours in the cell for
which you want to allocate or delete neighbours. The cells Properties dialogue appears.
5. Click the Inter-Technology Neighbours tab.
6. If desired, you can enter the Maximum Number of Neighbours.
7. To allocate a new neighbour:
a. Under List, select the cell from the list in the Neighbour column in the row marked with the New Row icon
(
).
b. Click elsewhere in the table to complete creating the new neighbour.

and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column, and sets the Type to "manual."
8. To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
9. To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:
10. To delete a neighbour:
11. Click OK.
In GSM, the inter-technology neighbours tab is available in each transmitters Properties dialogue.
Allocating or Deleting Inter-technology Neighbours Using the Inter-technology Neighbours Table

To allocate or delete inter-technology neighbours between transmitters/cells in the linked document and cells in the main
document using the Inter-technology Neighbours table:
4. Select Cells > Neighbours > Inter-technology Neighbours from the context menu. The Inter-technology
Neighbours table appears.
5. Enter one inter-technology neighbour per row of the table. Each cell can have more than one inter-technology
neighbour.
6. To allocate an inter-technology neighbour:
a. In the row marked with the New Row icon (
), select a reference cell in the Cell column.
b. Select the neighbour in the Neighbour column.

c. Click elsewhere in the table to create the new neighbour and add a new blank row to the table.
and the neighbour and displays it in the Distance column and sets the Type to "manual."
7. To create a symmetric neighbour relation:
a. Right-click the neighbour in the Neighbour column. The context menu appears.
b. Select Symmetrise from the context menu. A symmetric neighbour relation is created between the cell in the
8. To make several neighbour relations symmetric:
c. Select Symmetrise from the context menu.
9. To take all exceptionnal pairs into consideration:
b. Select Force Exceptional Pairs from the context menu.
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Note:
You can add or delete either forced neighbours or forbidden neighbours using the
Exceptional Pairs of Inter-Technology Neighbours table. You can open this table,
select the exceptional pairs to be considered, right-click the table and select Force
Exceptional Pairs in the context menu.
10. To delete a symmetric neighbour relation:

11. To delete several symmetric neighbour relations:
a. Click in the left margin of the table rows containing the neighbours to select entire rows. You can select contiguous rows by clicking the first row, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last row. You can select non-contiguous
rows by pressing CTRL and clicking each rows separately.
b. Select Delete Link and Symmetric Relation from the context menu.
12. To delete a neighbour:
In GSM, neighbours are allocated by transmitter (i.e., by sector).
Allocating and Removing Inter-Technology Neighbours on the Map

You can allocate inter-technology neighbours directly on the map using the mouse. Atoll adds or removes neighbours to
transmitters if the display option is set to Neighbours.
Before you can add or remove inter-technology neighbours using the mouse, you must activate the display of inter-technology neighbours on the map as explained in "Displaying Inter-Technology Neighbours on the Map" on page 347.
To add a symmetric neighbour relation:
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds both transmitter
to the list of inter-technology neighbours of the other transmitter.
To remove a symmetric neighbour relation:
2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes both transmitter from the list of inter-technology neighbours of the other transmitter.
To add an outwards neighbour relation:
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter with which you want to set a neighbour relation. Atoll adds the reference
transmitter to the list of inter-technology neighbour of the other transmitter.
T remove an outwards neighbour relation:
2. Press CTRL and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the reference
transmitter from the list of inter-technology neighbours of the other transmitter.
To add an inwards neighbour relation:
2. There can be two cases:
-
If the two transmitters already have a symmetric neighbour relation, press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric inter-technology neighbour relation.
If there is no existing neighbour relation between the two transmitters, first create a symmetric neighbour relation by pressing SHIFT and clicking the transmitter with which you want to create a symmetric relation. Then
press CTRL and click the other transmitter. Atoll converts the symmetric relation to an inwards non-symmetric
inter-technology neighbour relation.
To remove an inwards neighbour relation:

2. Press SHIFT and click the transmitter you want to remove from the list of neighbours. Atoll removes the transmitter from the inter-technology neighbours list of the other transmitter.
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Note:
6.6.3.6
When there is more than one cell on the transmitter, clicking the transmitter in the map
window opens a context menu allowing you to select the cell you want (see "Selecting
One of Several Transmitters" on page 21).
Calculating the Importance of Existing Inter-technology Neighbours

After you have imported inter-technology neighbours into the current Atoll document or manually defined inter-technology
neighbours, Atoll can calculate the importance of each inter-technology neighbour, i.e., the weight of each neighbour.
Atoll calculates the importance for inter-technology neighbours of active and filtered transmitters within the focus zone.
To calculate the importance of existing inter-technology neighbours:
4. Select Cells > Neighbours > Calculate Importance from the context menu. The Neighbour Importance Calculation dialogue appears.
Note:
In a GSM project, you must select Neighbours > Calculate Importance from the Transmitters folders context menu.
5. Select the Inter-technology Neighbours tab.

6. Under Importance, select the Take into account the co-site factor check box to verify that neighbours are
located on the same site as their reference cell when calculating importance.
7. Clear the Use Overlapping Coverage check box in order to base the neighbour importance calculation only on
the distance criterion and continue with step 9. Otherwise, select the Use Overlapping Coverage check box if
you want to base the neighbour importance calculation on coverage conditions.
8. Under Coverage Conditions, you can set the coverage conditions between inter-technology neighbours and their
reference cells for both of the projects.
a. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for cells in the main document. The LTE Coverage
Conditions dialogue appears.
In the LTE Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the reference signal level of the best server. The reference signal
level of the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
b. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
c. Click the Define button to change the coverage conditions for the transmitters/cells in the linked document.
If the linked document is a GSM document, the GSM Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the GSM
-
Min. BCCH Signal Level: Enter the minimum BCCH signal level which must be provided by the GSM
transmitter.
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the BCCH signal level of the best server. The BCCH signal level of
the neighbour transmitter is either the highest one or within a margin of the highest one.
If the linked document is a UMTS document, the UMTS Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the UMTS
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the reference cell.
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-
If the linked document is a CDMA document, the CDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue appears. In the
CDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
the reference cell.
If the linked document is a TD-SCDMA document, the TD-SCDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue appears.
In the TD-SCDMA Coverage Conditions dialogue, you can change the following parameters:
-
Margin: Enter the margin relative to the pilot signal level of the best server.
d. Click OK to save your modifications and close the Coverage Conditions dialogue.
9. If you cleared the Use Overlapping Coverage check box, enter the maximum distance between the reference
cell and a possible neighbour in the Max Inter-site Distance box.
Atoll indicates the number of neighbours to be calculated and displays the neighbours with their initial attributes
(importance and reason) in a table.
Note:
You can use many of Atolls table shortcuts, such as filtering and sorting. For information
on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables" on page 43. In addition, by
clicking Filter, you can define advanced filtering conditions to restrict the neighbours to be
calculated.
10. Click Calculate. Atoll begins the process of calculating the importance of the neighbours displayed in the table.
Atoll first checks to see whether the path loss matrices are valid before calculating the importance. If the path loss
matrices are not valid, Atoll recalculates them.
Once Atoll has finished calculating importance, the results are displayed in the table.
The table contains the following information.
-

Neighbour: The neighbour of the reference transmitter.
Cause: The reason Atoll has calculated the value in the Importance column.
-
Co-site
Symmetry
Coverage
Distance: The distance in kilometres between the reference cell and the neighbour.
11. Click Close. The importance values and the reasons for allocation are automatically committed in the Neighbours
table when you close the dialogue.
6.6.3.7
Checking the Consistency of the Inter-technology Neighbour Plan

You can perform an audit of the current inter-technology neighbour allocation plan. When you perform an audit of the
current inter-technology neighbour allocation plan, Atoll lists the results in a text file. You can define what information Atoll
provides in the audit.
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To perform an audit of the inter-technology neighbour plan:
3. Select Cells > Neighbours > Audit from the context menu. The Neighbour Audit dialogue appears.
4. Click the Inter-technology Neighbours tab.
5. Define the parameters of the audit:
-
Average No. of Neighbours: Select the Average No. of Neighbours check box if you want to verify the
average number of neighbours per cell.
Empty Lists: Select the Empty Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have no neighbours (in other
words, which cells have an empty neighbour list).
Full Lists: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have the maximum number of
neighbours allowed (in other words, which cells have a full neighbour list). The maximum number of neighbours can be either set here for all the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
Lists > Max Number: Select the Full Lists check box if you want to verify which cells have more than the
maximum number of neighbours allowed. The maximum number of neighbours can be either set here for all
the cells, or specified for each cell in the Cells table.
Missing Co-sites: Select the Missing Co-sites check box if you want to verify which cells have no co-site
neighbours.
Missing Symmetrics: Select the Missing Symmetrics check box if you want to verify which cells have nonsymmetric neighbour relations.
Exceptional Pairs: Select the Exceptional Pairs check box if you want to verify which cells have forced
neighbours or forbidden neighbours.
Distance Between Neighbours: Select the Distance Between Neighbours check box and enter the distance between neighbours that should not be exceeded.
6. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in a new text file:
-
Average Number of Neighbours: X; where, X is the average number of neighbours (integer) per cell for the
plan audited.
Empty Lists: x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having no neighbours (or empty neighbours list)
Syntax:
Full Lists (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having Y number of neighbours
listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax:
Note:
Missing Co-Sites: X; total number of missing co-site neighbours in the audited neighbour plan.
Distance Between Neighbours > Y: X; total number of neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan that
are located at a distance greater than Y.
Syntax:
6.6.4
|CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Existing Forbidden: X; total number of forbidden neighbours existing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax:
Missing Forced: X; total number of forced neighbours missing in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax:
|CELL| |NEIGHBOUR|
Non Symmetric Links: X; total number of non-symmetric neighbour links in the audited neighbour plan.
Syntax:

If the field Max number of inter-technology neighbours in the Cells table is empty, the
Full Lists check and the Lists > Max Number check use the Default Max Number value
defined in the audit dialogue.
Syntax:
-
Lists > Max Number (default max number = Y): x/X; x number of cells out of a total of X having more than
Y number of neighbours listed in their respective neighbours lists.
Syntax:
|CELL|
|CELL| |NEIGHBOUR| |DISTANCE|
Creating an LTE Sector From a Sector in the Other Network

You can create a new sector in the main document based on an existing sector in the linked document. To create a new
sector in the main document based on an existing sector in the linked document:
2. In the map window, right-click the linked transmitter based on which you want to create a new LTE transmitter.
3. Select Copy in [main document] from the context menu.
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The following parameters of the new sector in the main document will be the same as the sector in the linked document it
was based on: antenna position relative to the site (Dx and Dy), antenna height, azimuth, and mechanical tilt. The new
sector will be initialised with the radio parameters from the default station template in the main document.
If the sector in the linked document is located at a site that does not exist in the main document, the site is created in the
main document as well.
If the sector in the linked document is located at a site that also exists in the main document, and the coordinates of the
site in the linked and main documents are the same, the sector is created in the main document at the existing site. The
site coordinates in the linked and main documents will always be the same if the Atoll administrator has set up site sharing
in the database. For more information about site sharing in databases, see the Administrator Manual.
If the sector in the linked document is located at a site that exists in the main document, but at a different location
(geographic coordinates), the sector is not created in the main document.
To update the display settings of the new sector:
3. Right-click the Transmitters folder of the main document. The context menu appears.
4. Select Apply Current Configuration from the context menu.
Figure 6.210: New sector Before and after applying the configuration
6.6.5
Using ACP in a Co-planning Project

Atoll ACP enables you to automatically calculate the optimal network settings in terms of network coverage and capacity
in co-planning projects where networks using different technologies, for example, LTE and GSM, must both be taken into
consideration.
When you run an optimisation setup in a co-planning environment, you can display the sites and transmitters of both
networks in the document in which you will run the optimisation process, as explained in "Switching to Co-planning Mode"
on page 338. While this step is not necessary in order to create a co-planning optimisation setup, it will enable you to visually analyse the changes to both networks in the same document.
Afterwards you can create the new optimisation setup, but when creating an optimisation setup in a co-planning environment, you can not run it immediately; you must first import the other network into the ACP setup.
This section explains how to use ACP to optimise network settings in a co-planning project:
6.6.5.1
"Creating a New Co-planning Optimisation Setup" on page 354

"Importing the Other Network into the Setup" on page 354.
Creating a New Co-planning Optimisation Setup

Once you have displayed both networks in the main document as explained in "Switching to Co-planning Mode" on
page 338, you can create the new co-planning optimisation setup.
To create a new co-planning optimisation setup:
4. Select New from the context menu. A dialogue appears in which you can set the parameters for the optimisation
process.
For information on the parameters available, see "Defining Optimisation Parameters" on page 290.
5. After defining the optimisation setup, click the Create Setup button to save the defined optimisation.
The optimisation setup has now been created. The next step is to add the GSM network to the ACP optimisation setup
you have just created.
6.6.5.2
Importing the Other Network into the Setup

Once you have created the co-planning optimisation setup, you must import the linked network.
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To import the linked network:
3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the ACP - Automatic Cell Planning folder.
4. Right-click the setup you created in "Creating a New Co-planning Optimisation Setup" on page 354. The context
menu appears.
5. Select Import Project from the context menu and select the name of the linked document you want to import into
the newly created setup.
ACP displays a dialogue enabling you to define which traffic will be used for the document you are importing.
6. Under Traffic generated from, select one of the following:
-
Uniform traffic: Select Uniform traffic if the traffic in the document you are importing is uniform.
Maps based on traffic densities: If the traffic is to be generated from traffic density maps, select Maps based
on traffic densities and define the following parameters:
-
When importing a GSM project: Under Traffic parameters, define whether traffic weighting should be
applied to Cell Dominance or the BCCH or both by selecting the appropriate check boxes.
When importing an LTE project: Under Traffic parameters, define whether traffic weighting should be
applied to the RS CINR or the RS Coverage or both by selecting the appropriate check boxes.
When importing either a GSM project or an LTE project: Under Traffic Profiles, for each traffic profile,
define a Traffic Name, a Terminal, and select a Traffic Density File by clicking the Browse button (
).
Following traffic maps: Select Following traffic maps if you have traffic maps available and then select the
check boxes corresponding to the traffic maps you want to use.
7. Click OK. The setup has been modified to include the linked network.
You can modify the parameters for the optimisation setup by right-clicking it on the Data tab of the Explorer window and
selecting Properties from the context menu. For information on the parameters available, see "Defining Optimisation
Parameters" on page 290.
After defining the co-planning optimisation setup:
6.6.6
Click the Run button to run the optimisation immediately. For information on running the optimisation, see "Running an Optimisation Setup" on page 313. For information on the optimisation results, see "Viewing Optimisation
Results" on page 315.
Click the Create Setup button to save the defined optimisation to be run later.
Ending Co-planning Mode

once you have linked two Atoll documents for the purposes of co-planning, Atoll will maintain the link between them.
However, you might want to unlink the two documents at some point, either because you want to use a different document
in co-planning or because you want to restore the documents to separate, technology-specific documents.
To unlink the documents and end co-planning mode:
1. Select File > Open to open the main document.
Atoll informs you that this document is part of a multi-technology environment and asks whether you want to open
the other document.
2. Click Yes to open the linked document as well.
3. Select File > Unlink to unlink the documents and end co-planning mode.
The documents are no longer linked and co-planning mode is ended.
6.7
Advanced Configuration
The following sections describe different advanced parameters and options available in the LTE module that are used in
coverage predictions as well as Monte Carlo simulations.
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In this section, the following advanced configuration options are explained:
6.7.1
"Defining Frequency Bands" on page 356.

"The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 356.
"Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 359.
"Defining LTE Quality Indicators" on page 359.
"Defining LTE Equipment" on page 360.
"Defining LTE Schedulers" on page 362.
"Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on page 364.
"Defining the Minimum Signal to Thermal Noise Threshold" on page 365.
"Modelling Shadowing" on page 365.
"Modelling Inter-Technology Interference" on page 366.
"Listing LTE Frame Details" on page 367.
Defining Frequency Bands

To define frequency bands:
3. Select Network Settings > Frequencies > Bands from the context menu.
4. In the table, enter one frequency band per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with
Data Tables" on page 43. For each frequency band, enter:
-
Name: Enter a name for the frequency band, for example, "1.9 GHz - 5 MHz." Each LTE frequency band has
a specific channel bandwidth. Mentioning the channel bandwidth in the frequency band name is a good
approach. This name will appear in other dialogues when you select a frequency band.
Channel Width (MHz): Enter the channel bandwidth for each channel in the frequency band.
First Channel: Enter the number of the first channel in this frequency band.
Last Channel: Enter the number of the last channel in this frequency band. If this frequency band has only
one carrier, enter the same number as entered in the First Channel field.
Note:
The relationship between the frequency band (spectrum), the channel width, and the
channel numbers can be defined as:
Frequency Band Width = Channel Bandwidth x (Last Channel + 1 - First Channel)
So, if you have a frequency band of 15 MHz, and you are deploying your network with
3 MHz allocated to each cell, you can find the First and Last Channel numbers by:
Last Channel - First Channel = (Frequency Band Width/Channel Bandwidth) - 1
If you plan to keep the First Channel number = 0, for our example:
Last Channel = (15 MHz/3 MHz) - 1 = 4
Excluded Channels: Enter the channel numbers which do not constitute the frequency band.
Start Frequencies (MHz): Enter the start frequency for TDD frequency bands, and the downlink and the
uplink start frequencies for FDD frequency bands.
Adjacent Channel Suppression Factor (dB): Enter the adjacent channel interference suppression factor in
dB. Interference received from adjacent channels is reduced by this factor during the calculations.
Sampling Frequency (MHz): Enter the sampling frequency used for the channel bandwidth.
Duplexing Method: Select the duplexing method used in the frequency band from the list.
Number of Frequency Blocks (RB): Enter the number of frequency blocks (i.e., the number of resource block
widths in the frequency domain) used for the channel bandwidth.
5. When you have finished adding frequency bands, click Close.

You can also access the properties dialogue of each individual frequency band by clicking the Properties button.
6.7.2
The Global Transmitter Parameters

Atoll allows you to set network level parameters which are common to all the transmitters and cells in the network. These
parameters are used in coverage predictions as well as during Monte Carlo simulations by the radio resource management
and scheduling algorithms.
This section explains the options available on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue, and
explains how to access the tab:
6.7.2.1
"The Options on the Global Parameters Tab" on page 356.

"Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 358.
The Options on the Global Parameters Tab

The global LTE parameters include:
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Default Cyclic Prefix: The total symbol duration in LTE comprises the useful part of the symbol, carrying the data
bits, and a cyclic prefix part, which is a portion of the useful data part repeated at the beginning of each symbol.
The cyclic prefix is the method used by LTE to counter inter-symbol interference (ISI). The cyclic prefix and the
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orthogonality of subcarriers ensure that there is negligible intra-cell interference in LTE. LTE supports two cyclix
prefix types: normal and extended.
PDCCH Overhead: The Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) can take up to 3 symbol durations in each
subframe in the downlink. In Atoll, the PDCCH is considered to include the PCFICH, PHICH, and PCH as well.
The PBCH, PSS, SSS, and the downlink reference signals consume a fixed amount of resources in the downlink.
Their corresponding overheads are hard-coded in Atoll in accordance with the 3GPP specifications.
PUCCH Overhead: The Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) can consume a number of frequency blocks
in the uplink.
The uplink demodulation and sounding reference signals consume a fixed amount of resources in the uplink. Their
corresponding overheads are hard-coded in Atoll in accordance with the 3GPP specifications.
Amounts of resources corresponding to different signals and channels in LTE can be calculated and displayed in
Atoll. For more information, see "Listing LTE Frame Details" on page 367.
Switching Point Periodicity (TDD only): For the TDD LTE frame, the switching point can either be after each
half-frame or each frame. You can select the frame configuration, i.e., the configuration of uplink and downlink
subframes in a frame, for each cell according to the selected switching point periodicity.
Reference Signal EPRE: The reference signal EPRE can be either calculated automatically using the maximum
power and the offsets for different downlink channels defined per cell, or entered per cell by the user.
Serving (reference) cell layer selection method: The reference cell layer selection method is used for determining the reference cell in case of transmitters supporting more than one cell. The best serving transmitter for a
pixel, subscriber, or mobile is determined according to the received reference signal level from the cell with the
highest reference signal power. If more than one cell of the same transmitter cover the pixel, subscriber, or mobile,
the reference cell is determined according to the selected method:
-
Random: In coverage prediction calculations and in calculations on subsriber lists, the cell with the lowest
layer is selected as the serving (reference) cell. In Monte Carlo simulations, a random cell is selected as the
serving (reference) cell.
Distributive: In coverage prediction calculations and in calculations on subsriber lists, the cell with the lowest
layer is selected as the serving (reference) cell. In Monte Carlo simulations, mobiles are distributed among cell
layers one by one, i.e., if more than one cell layer covers a set of mobiles, the first mobile is assigned to the
lowest cell layer, the 2nd mobile to the second lowest cell layer, and so on.
Min DL Traffic Load: (Not implemented yet) The cell with the lowest downlink traffic load is selected as the
serving (reference) cell. If more than one cell has the same lowest downlink traffic load, the first cell among all
such cells is selected. During Monte Carlo simulations, as the cell traffic loads may vary, the serving cell for
mobiles may also change.
Min UL Traffic Load: (Not implemented yet) The cell with the lowest uplink traffic load is selected as the
serving (reference) cell. If more than one cell has the same lowest uplink traffic load, the first cell among all
such cells is selected. During Monte Carlo simulations, as the cell traffic loads may vary, the serving cell for
mobiles may also change.
The Min DL Traffic Load and Min UL Traffic Load options model load balancing between cells. In coverage
predictions as the probe mobile selects the least loaded cell, i.e., tries to keep the traffic load balanced between
cells of the transmitter. Instead of loading already loaded cells even more, the eNode-B chooses to load the least
loaded among them.
When using either the Random or the Distributive cell layer selection method, the reference cell once assigned
to a mobile does not change during Monte Carlo simulations.
Uplink power control margin: The margin (in dB) that will be added to the bearer selection threshold, for safety
against fast fading, when performing power control in uplink.
Adaptive MIMO switching criterion: You can select whether the MIMO mode selection will be based on the reference signal C/N or C/(I+N). Depending on the selected criterion, Atoll compares either the reference signal C/
N or C/(I+N) with the AMS threshold defined for the cell.
Figure 6.211 and Figure 6.212 give examples of downlink and uplink FDD resource blocks for the single antenna case
using the normal cyclic prefix.
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Figure 6.211: LTE downlink resource blocks
Figure 6.212: LTE uplink resource blocks
6.7.2.2
Modifying Global Transmitter Parameters

You can change global transmitter parameters on the Global Parameters tab of the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
To set the network level parameters:
4. Select the Global Parameters tab. In this tab you can set the frame structure parameters.
-
Frame Structure: In this section, you can modify the Default Cyclic Prefix, the PDCCH Overhead, the
PUCCH Overhead, and, for TDD networks, the Switching Point Periodicity.
5. Click the Advanced button. The Advanced Parameters dialogue appears.

6. In the Advanced Parameters dialogue, you can set:
-
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Downlink Transmit Power Calculation: In this section (see Figure 6.213), you can select whether the downlink reference signal EPRE is calculated from the maximum power and the EPRE offsets defined per cell, or
is entered by the user directly per cell.
Serving Cell Layer Selection: In this section, you can choose the serving cell layer selection Method.
Uplink Power Control: In this section, you can enter the uplink power control Margin.
Adaptive MIMO Switching: In this section, you can choose the adaptive MIMO switching Criterion.
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Figure 6.213: LTE Global Parameters

7. Click OK. The global parameters are used during coverage predictions and simulations for the entire network.
6.7.3
Defining LTE Radio Bearers

LTE radio bearers carry the data in the uplink as well as in the downlink.
Note:
In the Atoll LTE module, a "bearer" refers to a combination of MCS, i.e., modulation and
coding schemes.
The LTE Bearers table lists the radio bearers available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove, and modify bearer properties, if you wish.
To define LTE bearers:
3. Select Network Settings > LTE Bearers from the context menu. The LTE Bearers table appears.
4. In the table, enter one bearer per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data Tables"
on page 43. For each LTE bearer, enter:
-
Radio Bearer Index: Enter a bearer index. This bearer index is used to identify the bearer in other tables,
such as the bearer selection thresholds and the quality graphs in LTE equipment.
Name: Enter a name for the bearer, for example, "16QAM 3/4." This name will appear in other dialogues and
results.
Modulation: Select a modulation from the list of available modulation types. This column is for information
and display purposes only.
Coding Rate: Enter the coding rate used by the bearer. This column is for information and display purposes
only.
Bearer Efficiency (bits/symbol): Enter the number of useful bits that the bearer can carry in a symbol. This
information is used in throughput calculations.
For information on the relation between bearer efficiency and spectral efficiency, see "Relation Between Bearer Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency" on page 370.
5. Click the Close button (
6.7.4
) to close the LTE Bearers table.
Defining LTE Quality Indicators

Quality indicators depict the coverage quality at different locations. The quality indicators table lists the quality indicators
available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove and modify quality indicators, if you wish.
To define quality indicators:
3. Select Network Settings > Quality Indicators from the context menu. The Quality Indicators table appears.
4. In the table, enter one quality indicator per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with
Data Tables" on page 43. For each quality indicator, enter:
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Name: Enter a name for the quality indicator, for example, "BLER" for Block Error Rate. This name will appear
in other dialogues and results.
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Used for Data Services: Select this check box to indicate that this quality indicator can be used for data services.
Used for Voice Services: Select this check box to indicate that this quality indicator can be used for voice
services.
6.7.5
) to close the Quality Indicators table.
Defining LTE Equipment

LTE equipment model the reception characteristics of cells and user terminals. Bearer selection thresholds and channel
quality indicator graphs are defined in LTE equipment.
To create a new piece of LTE equipment:
3. Select Equipment > LTE Equipment from the context menu. The LTE Equipment table appears.
4. In the LTE Equipment table, each row describes a piece of equipment. For the new piece of equipment you are
creating, enter its name.
5. Double-click the equipment entry in the LTE Equipment table once your new equipment has been added to the
table. The equipments Properties dialogue opens.
The Properties dialogue has the following tabs:
-
Bearer Selection Thresholds: In this tab (see Figure 6.214), you can modify the Bearer Selection Thresholds for different mobility types. A bearer is selected for data transfer at a given pixel if the received carrierto-interference-and-noise ratio is higher than its selection threshold. For more information on bearers and
mobility types, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 359 and "Modelling Mobility Types" on page 224,
respectively.
Figure 6.214: LTE Equipment - Bearer Selection Thresholds

i.
Click the Best Bearer Thresholds button. The C/(I+N) Thresholds (dB) dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.215).
ii. Enter the graph values.

iii. Click OK.
Figure 6.215: C/(I+N) Thresholds (dB) dialogue
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For more information on the default values of the bearer selection thresholds, see "Bearer Selection Thresholds" on page 369. For converting receiver equipment sensitivity values (dBm) into bearer selection thresholds, see "Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values" on page 370.
-
Quality Graphs: On this tab (see Figure 6.216), you can modify the Quality Indicator Graphs for different
bearers for different mobility types. These graphs depict the behaviour of various quality indicators under different radio conditions. For more information on bearers, quality indicators, and mobility types, see "Defining
LTE Radio Bearers" on page 359, "Defining LTE Quality Indicators" on page 359, and "Modelling Mobility
Types" on page 224, respectively.
Figure 6.216: LTE Equipment - Quality Indicator Graphs

i.
Click the Quality Graph button. The Quality Graph dialogue appears (see Figure 6.217).
ii. Enter the graph values.

iii. Click OK.
Figure 6.217: Quality Indicator Graph dialogue

-
MIMO: On this tab (see Figure 6.218), you can modify the SU-MIMO and diversity gains for different bearers,
mobility types, BLER values, and numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports. The capacity gain
due to spatial multiplexing is the increase in channel capacity compared to a SISO system. For more information on bearers and mobility types, see "Defining LTE Radio Bearers" on page 359 and "Modelling Mobility
Types" on page 224, respectively.
For more information on the different MIMO systems, see "Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems" on
page 364.
Note:
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TX
RX
No MIMO gain (diversity, SU-MIMO, and MU-MIMO) is applied if N Ant = N Ant = 1 .
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Figure 6.218: LTE Equipment - MIMO gains

i.
Enter the Diversity Gain for a combination of Mobility, Radio Bearer Index, Max BLER, Number of
Transmission Antenna Ports, and Number of Reception Antenna Ports.
ii. Click the Max MIMO Gain Graphs button to open the Max MIMO Gain dialogue for a combination of Mobility, Radio Bearer Index, Max BLER, Number of Transmission Antenna Ports, and Number of Reception Antenna Ports (see Figure 6.219).
iii. Enter the graph values.
iv. Click OK.
You can define the diversity and SU-MIMO gains for a specific combination of mobility type, bearer, and BLER, as
well as the default gains for "All" mobility types, "All" bearers, and a Max BLER of 1. During calculations, Atoll uses
the gains defined for a specific combination if available, otherwise it uses the default gains.
Figure 6.219: Max MIMO Gain dialogue

6. Click OK. The Properties dialogue closes. The settings are stored.
6.7.6
) to close the LTE Equipment table.
Defining LTE Schedulers

In Atoll, schedulers perform the selection of users for resource allocation, the radio resource allocation and management
according to the QoS classes of the services being accessed by the selected users.
The scheduling process is composed of the following three steps:
1. Selection of users for resource allocation: The Max Number of Users defined for each cell is the maximum
number of users that the cells scheduler can work with simultaneously. At the start of the scheduling process, the
scheduler keeps only as many users as the maximum number defined for resource allocation. If no limit has been
set, all the users generated during the Monte Carlo simulations for this cell are considered, and the scheduler
continues to allocate resources until there are no more resources to allocate.
2. Resource allocation for supporting the Min Throughput Demands: The minimum throughput demand is the
guaranteed bit rate of a service. If there are enough resources available, the scheduler may be able to allocate
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the exact amount of resources required to fully support the minimum throughput demands, otherwise the service
does not get any resources at all.
The scheduler allocates resources, for supporting the minimum throughput demands, in the order of service priority. In order to be connected, users who are active in downlink and uplink must be able to get their minimum
throughput in both directions. If a user who is active in downlink and uplink gets his minimum throughput in only
one direction, he will be rejected.
3. Resource allocation for supporting the Max Throughput Demands: Once the resources have been allocated
for supporting the minimum throughput demands in the previous step, the remaining resources can be allocated
in different ways to support the maximum throughput demands of the users.
For allocating resources to support the maximum throughput demands, the following types of scheduling methods
are available:
-
Proportional Fair: The proportional fair scheduling method allocates the same amount of resources to all the
users with a maximum throughput demand. Therefore, the resources allocated to each user are either the
resources it requires to achieve its maximum throughput demand or the total amount of resources divided by
the total number of users in the cell, which ever is smaller. The proportional fair scheduler can also model the
effect of resource scheduling over time, i.e., how a proportional fair scheduler benefits from fast fading, by
applying multi-user diversity gains (MUG) to user throughputs.
Proportional Demand: The proportional demand scheduling method allocates resources proportional to the
demands of users who have a maximum throughput demand. Therefore, users with higher maximum
throughput demands will have higher resulting throughputs than the users with lower maximum throughput
demands.
Round Robin: The round robin scheduling method allocates the same amount of resources to all the users
with a maximum throughput demand. Therefore, the resources allocated to each user are either the resources
it requires to achieve its maximum throughput demand or the total amount of resources divided by the total
number of users in the cell, which ever is smaller.
Max C/I: This scheduling method allocates the resources required by the users to achieve their maximum
throughput demands in the order of their PDSCH C/(I+N) in downlink and of their PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N)
in uplink. This means that users who are under good radio conditions will get all the resources they require.
The end result of this scheduling method is that the aggregate cell throughputs are maximised.
For all the scheduling methods, resources are allocated to support the maximum throughput demand until either
the maximum throughput demands of all the users are satisfied or the scheduler runs out of resources.
The Schedulers table lists the schedulers available in Atoll by default. You can add, remove, and modify scheduler properties, if you wish.
To define LTE schedulers:
3. Select Network Settings > Schedulers from the context menu. The Schedulers table appears.
4. In the table, enter one scheduler per row. For information on working with data tables, see "Working with Data
Tables" on page 43. For each scheduler, enter:
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Name: Enter a name for the scheduler. This name will appear in the cell properties.
Scheduling Method: Select the scheduling method used by the scheduler for allocating resources to support
the maximum throughput demands.
Target Throughput for Voice Services: Select the throughput that the scheduler will target to satisfy for all
voice-type services.
Target Throughput for Data Services: Select the throughput that the scheduler will target to satisfy for all
data-type services.
Bearer Selection Criterion: Select the criterion for the selection of the best bearer.
- Bearer Index: The best bearer selected for throughput calculations is the one with the highest bearer
index among the bearers available in the LTE equipment.
- Peak RLC Throughput: The best bearer selected for throughput calculations is the one with the highest
peak RLC throughput (including SU-MIMO gains) among the bearers available in the LTE equipment.
- Effective RLC Throughput: The best bearer selected for throughput calculations is the one with the highest effective RLC throughput (including SU-MIMO gains) among the bearers available in the LTE equipment.
Uplink Bandwidth Allocation Target: Select the aim of the uplink bandwidth allocation.
- Full Bandwidth: All the frequency blocks are used for the PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) calculations, i.e., no
bandwidth reduction is performed.
- Maintain Connection: The number of frequency blocks is reduced one by one in order to increase the
PUSCH & PUCCH C/(I+N) so that the mobile is able to get at least the lowest bearer. The definition of the
lowest bearer depends on the Bearer Selection Criterion, i.e., lowest index, lowest peak RLC throughput, or lowest effective RLC throughput.
- Best Bearer: The number of frequency blocks is reduced in order to increase the PUSCH & PUCCH C/
(I+N) so that the mobile is able to get the highest bearer available. The definition of the highest bearer
depends on the Bearer Selection Criterion, i.e., highest index, highest peak RLC throughput, or highest
effective RLC throughput.
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When Bearer Selection Criterion is set to Effective RLC Throughput, Atoll calculates the effective
RLC throughput for all possible combinations of [number of frequency blocks bearers], and keeps the
number of frequency blocks and the bearer which provide the highest effective RLC throughput.
You can open a schedulers properties dialogue by double-clicking the corresponding row in the Schedulers table.
In the properties dialogue, a MUG tab is available for Proportional Fair schedulers. In the MUG tab, you can enter
the throughput gains due to multi-user diversity for different mobility types and the maximum PDSCH and PUSCH
C/(I+N) above which the gains are not applied to throughput.
6.7.7
) to close the Schedulers table.
Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems use different transmission and reception diversity techniques. MIMO diversity systems can roughly be divided into the following types, all of which are modelled in Atoll:
Transmit and Receive Diversity

Transmit or receive diversity uses more than one transmission or reception antenna to send or receive more than one copy
of the same signal. The signals are constructively combined (using optimum selection or maximum ratio combining) at the
receiver to extract the useful signal. As the receiver gets more than one copy of the useful signal, the signal level at the
receiver after combination of all the copies is more resistant to interference than a single signal would be. Therefore, diversity improves the C/(I+N) at the receiver. It is often used for the regions of a cell that have bad C/(I+N) conditions.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell supports transmit or receive diversity by selecting the corresponding diversity support
modes in cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 184). Diversity gains on downlink and uplink can be defined in the
LTE equipment for different numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports, mobility types, bearers, and maximum
BLER. For more information on uplink and downlink diversity gains, see "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 360. Additional
gain values can be defined per clutter class. For information on setting the additional uplink and downlink diversity gain for
each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109.
During calculations in Atoll, a user (pixel, mobile, or subscriber) using a MIMO-capable terminal, and connected to a cell
that supports transmit or receive diversity, will benefit from the downlink or uplink diversity C/(I+N) gains.
Single-User MIMO or Spatial Multiplexing

SU-MIMO uses more than one transmission antenna to send different signals (data streams) on each antenna. The
receiver can also have more than one antenna for receiving different signals. Using spatial multiplexing with M transmission and N reception antenna ports, the throughput over the transmitter-receiver link can be theoretically increased M or
N times, depending on which is smaller, M or N. SU-MIMO improves the throughput (channel capacity) for a given C/(I+N),
and is used for the regions of a cell that have sufficient C/(I+N) conditions. SU-MIMO (single-user MIMO) is also referred
to as SM (spatial multiplxing) or simply MIMO.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell supports SU-MIMO by selecting the corresponding diversity support mode in cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 184). SU-MIMO capacity gains can be defined in the LTE equipment for different
numbers of transmission and reception antenna ports, mobility types, bearers, and maximum BLER. For more information
on SU-MIMO gains, see "Defining LTE Equipment" on page 360.
that supports SU-MIMO, will benefit from the SU-MIMO gain in its throughput depending on its PDSCH C/(I+N).
As SU-MIMO improves the channel capacity or throughputs, the PDSCH C/(I+N) of a user is first determined. Once the
PDSCH C/(I+N) is known, Atoll calculates the user throughput based on the bearer available at the user location. The
obtained user throughput is then increased according to the SU-MIMO capacity gain and the SU-MIMO Gain Factor of
the users clutter class. The capacity gains defined in Max SU-MIMO Gain graphs are the maximum theoretical capacity
gains using SU-MIMO. SU-MIMO requires rich multipath environment, without which the gain is reduced. In the worst case,
there is no gain. Therefore, it is possible to define an SU-MIMO Gain Factor per clutter class whose value can vary from
0 to 1 (0 = no gain, 1 = 100 % gain). For information on setting the SU-MIMO Gain Factor for each clutter class or for all
clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109.
The SU-MIMO capacity gain vs. C/(I+N) graphs available in Atoll by default have been generated based on the maximum
theoretical SU-MIMO capacity gains obtained using the following equations:
CC MIMO
G MIMO = --------------------CC SISO
TX
RX
C I + N
Where CC MIMO = Min N Ant N Ant Log 2 1 + ------------------------------------------ is the channel capacity at a given C/(I+N) for a MIMO
TX
RX
Min N Ant N Ant

TX
RX
system using N Ant transmission and N Ant reception antenna ports. CC SISO = Log 2 1 + C I + N is the channel
capacity for a single antenna system at a given C/(I+N). C/(I+N) is used as a ratio (not dB) in these formulas. You can
replace the default SU-MIMO capacity gain graphs with graphs extracted from simulated or measured values.
Adaptive MIMO Switch

This is a technique for switching from SU-MIMO to transmit or receive diversity as the reference signal conditions get
worse than a given threshold. AMS can be used in cells to provide SU-MIMO gains to users that have better reference
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signal C/N or C/(I+N) conditions than a given AMS threshold, and diversity gains to users that have worse reference signal
C/N or C/(I+N) conditions than the threshold. AMS provides the optimum solution using transmit and receive diversity and
SU-MIMO features to their best.
that supports AMS, will benefit from the gain to be applied, diversity or SU-MIMO, depending on the users reference signal
C/N or C/(I+N) and the AMS threshold defined in the cell properties. Diversity gain is applied to the users PDSCH C/(I+N)
if the users reference signal C/N is less than the AMS threshold, and SU-MIMO is used if the reference signal C/N or C/
(I+N) is higher than the AMS threshold.
Multi-User MIMO or Collaborative MIMO

MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO) or Collaborative MIMO is a technique for spatially multiplexing more than one user who have
good enough radio conditions at their locations. This technique is used in uplink so that a cell with more than one reception
antenna port can receive uplink transmissions from two different users over the same frequency-time allocation. This technique provides considerable capacity gains in uplink, and can be used with single-antenna user equipment, i.e., it does
not require more than one antenna port at the user equipment as opposed to SU-MIMO, which only provides considerable
gains with more than one antenna at the user equipment.
In Atoll, you can set whether a cell supports MU-MIMO in uplink by selecting the corresponding diversity support mode in
cell properties (see "Cell Description" on page 184). MU-MIMO capacity gains result from the scheduling and RRM process. Using MU-MIMO, schedulers are able to allocate resources over two spatially multiplexed parallel frames in the same
frequency-time resource allocation plane. MU-MIMO can only work under good radio conditions and if the cell has more
than one reception antenna port. Therefore, the reference signal C/N must be higher than the MU-MIMO threshold defined
by cell in order for the scheduler to be able to multiplex users in uplink.
During the calculations of Monte Carlo simulations in Atoll, each new user connected to the first antenna port creates
virtual resources available on the second antenna port. These virtual resources can then be allocated to a second user
connected to the second antenna port without increasing the overall load of the cell. In this way, each new mobile
consumes the virtual resources made available be the previous mobile, and may make new virtual resources available on
the other antenna port. The MU-MIMO capacity gain resulting from this uplink collaborative multiplexing is simply the ratio
of the traffic loads of all the mobiles connected to both parallel frames in uplink to the uplink traffic load of the cell.
MU-MIMO is only possible for mobiles that support MIMO and at which the reference signal C/N is greater than the
MU-MIMO threshold defined for their serving cell. The MU-MIMO capacity gain can be defined per cell by the user or it
can be an output of the Monte Carlo simulations. This gain is used during the calculation of uplink throughput coverage
predictions. The channel throughput is multiplied by this gain for pixels where MU-MIMO is used as the diversity mode.
6.7.8
Defining the Minimum Signal to Thermal Noise Threshold

In Atoll, you can define a limit on the received signal level with respect to the thermal noise level. This value is used by
Atoll to limit the input of interferers in calculations. The performance of C/(I+N)-based coverage predictions, interference
matrices calculations, and Monte Carlo simulatinos can be improved by setting a high value of the minimum signal to thermal noise threshold.
This value is used as a filter criterion on interferers. Atoll will discard all interferers with a signal to thermal noise level
lower than this value.
To define the minimum signal to thermal noise threshold:
3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Predictions Properties dialogue appears.
5. Under Calculation Limitation, enter a Min Interferer C/N Threshold in dB.
6. Click OK.
6.7.9
Modelling Shadowing
Shadowing, or slow fading, is signal loss along a path that is caused by obstructions not taken into consideration by the
propagation model. Even when a receiver remains in the same location or in the same clutter class, there are variations
in reception due to the surrounding environment.
In other words, in 50% of the measured cases, the result will be better and in 50% of the measured cases, the result will
be worse.
Atoll uses a model standard deviation for the clutter class with the defined cell edge coverage probability to model the
effect of shadowing and thereby create coverage predictions that are reliable more than fifty percent of the time. The additional losses or gains caused by shadowing are known as the shadowing margin. The shadowing margin is added to the
path losses calculated by the propagation model.
a cell edge coverage probability of 85 %. If the calculated shadowing margin is 7 dB for a specific point, the target signal
will be equal to or greater than -77 dBm 85 % of the time.
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In LTE projects, the model standard deviation is used to calculate shadowing margins on signal levels. You can also calculate shadowing margins on C/I values. For information on setting the model standard deviation and the C/I standard deviations for each clutter class or for all clutter classes, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 109.
Shadowing can be taken into consideration when Atoll calculates the signal level and C/(I+N) for:
A point analysis (see "Making a Point Analysis to Study the Profile" on page 200)
A coverage prediction (see "Studying Signal Level Coverage" on page 201).
Atoll always takes shadowing into consideration when calculating a Monte Carlo-based LTE simulation. Atoll uses the
values defined for the Model Standard Deviations per clutter class when calculating the signal level coverage predictions.
Atoll uses the values defined for the C/I Standard Deviations per clutter class when calculating the C/(I+N) based coverage predictions.
You can display the shadowing margins per clutter class. For information, see "Displaying the Shadowing Margins per
Clutter Class" on page 366.
6.7.9.1
Displaying the Shadowing Margins per Clutter Class

To display the shadowing margins per clutter class:
3. Select Shadowing Margins from the context menu. The Shadowing Margins dialogue appears (see
Figure 6.220).
4. You can set the following parameters:
-
Cell Edge Coverage Probability: Enter the probability of coverage at the edge of the cell. The value you enter
in this dialogue is for information only.
Standard Deviation: Select the type of standard deviation to be used to calculate the shadowing margin:
-
From Model: The model standard deviation. Atoll will display the shadowing margin of the signal level.
C/I: The C/I standard deviation. Atoll will display the C/I shadowing margin.
5. Click Calculate. The calculated shadowing margin is displayed.

6. Click Close to close the dialogue.
Figure 6.220: The Shadowing Margins dialogue
6.7.10
Modelling Inter-Technology Interference

Analyses of LTE networks co-existing with other technology networks can be carried out in Atoll. Inter-technology interference may create considerable capacity reduction in an LTE network. Atoll can take into account interference from coexisting networks in Monte Carlo simulations and coverage predictions.
The following inter-technology interference scenarios are modeled in Atoll:
Interference received by mobiles on the downlink: Interference can be received by mobiles in an LTE network
on the downlink from external base stations and mobiles in the vicinity.
Interference from external base stations (also called downlink-to-downlink interference) may be created by the use
of same or adjacent carriers, wideband noise (thermal noise, phase noise, modulation products, and spurious
emissions), and intermodulation. Atoll
Interference from external mobiles (also called uplink-to-downlink interference) may be created by insufficient
separation between the uplink frequency used by the external network and the downlink frequency used by your
LTE network. Such interference may also come from co-existing TDD networks. The effect of this interference is
modelled in Atoll using the Inter-technology DL Noise Rise definable for each cell in the LTE network. This noise
rise is taken into account in all downlink interference-based calculations. For more information on the Inter-technology DL Noise Rise, see "Cell Description" on page 184.
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Figure 6.221: Interference received by mobiles on the downlink
Interference received by cells on the uplink: Interference can be received by cells of an LTE network on the
uplink from external base stations and mobiles in the vicinity.
Interference from external base stations (also called downlink-to-uplink interference) may be created by insufficient separation between the downlink frequency used by the external network and the uplink frequency used by
your LTE network. Such interference may also come from co-existing TDD networks.
Interference from external mobiles (also called uplink-to-uplink interference) may be created by the use of same
or nearby frequencies for uplink in both networks. Unless the exact locations of external mobiles is known, it is not
possible to separate interference received from external base stations and mobiles on the uplink. The effect of this
interference is modelled in Atoll using the Inter-technology UL Noise Rise definable for each cell in the LTE
network. This noise rise is taken into account in uplink interference-based calculations in the simulation. It is not
considered in predictions. For more information on the Inter-technology UL Noise Rise, see "Cell Description"
on page 184.
Figure 6.222: Interference received by cells on the uplink
6.7.11
Listing LTE Frame Details

Atoll can calculate and display the numbers of resource elements corresponding to different LTE physical signals and
logical channels in downlink and uplink.
To calculate and list details on LTE frames:
3. Select Cells > Frame Details from the context menu. The Frame Details dialogue appears.
The Frame Details command is also available in the context menu of a transmitter and a group of transmitters.
The Frame Details dialogue lists only the cells belonging to the transmitter or folder from which it is run. Filters
are also taken into account.
4. Click the Downlink tab.
5. Under Display, you can select to display the Numbers of Resource Elements and the Percentages of
Resource Elements belonging to the downlink physical signals and logical channels.
6. Click Calculate. Atoll calculates the numbers of resource elements corresponding to different parts of the downlink LTE frame for each listed cell. The following information is available:
-
Total: The total number of resource elements in the downlink subframes.

RS Transmitted: The number and percentage of resource elements used to transmit the cell specific reference signals.
An average number of transmitted reference signals is considered in Atoll. More specifically, when four antenna ports are used, eight reference signals are transmitted on two antenna ports and four are transmitted
on the other two antenna ports. In this case, Atoll considers an average of six transmitted reference signals
per antenna port.
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-
RS Reserved: The number and percentage of resource elements reserved for the cell specific reference signals.
SSS: The number and percentage of resource elements belonging to the SSS.
PSS: The number and percentage of resource elements belonging to the PSS.
PBCH: The number and percentage of resource elements belonging to the PBCH.
PDCCH+PCFICH+PHICH: The number and percentage of resource elements belonging to the PDCCH
(which is considered to include the PCFICH and PHICH).
PDSCH: The number and percentage of resource elements remaining in the PDSCH after removing the reference signals, synchronisation signals, and control channel overheads.
7. Click the Uplink tab.

8. Under Display, you can select to display the Numbers of Resource Elements and the Percentages of
Resource Elements belonging to the uplink physical signals and logical channels.
9. Click Calculate. Atoll calculates the numbers of resource elements corresponding to different parts of the uplink
LTE frame for each listed cell. The following information is available:
-
Total: The total number of resource elements in the uplink subframes.

DRS: The number and percentage of resource elements belonging to the DRS.
SRS: The number and percentage of resource elements belonging to the SRS.
PUCCH: The number and percentage of resource elements belonging to the PUCCH.
PUSCH: The number and percentage of resource elements remaining in the PUSCH after removing the reference signals and control channel overheads
10. Click Close. The Frame Details dialogue window closes.

For more information on the LTE logical and transport channels, see "Glossary of LTE Terms" on page 372. For more information on the LTE frame structure, see "The Global Transmitter Parameters" on page 356.
6.8
Tips and Tricks

The following tips and tricks are described below:
"Obtaining User Throughputs for All the Subscribers of a Subscriber List" on page 368.
"Working With User Densities Instead of User Profiles" on page 369.
"Limiting the Coverage Range of Transmitters in Order to Avoid Uplink-to-Downlink Interference in TDD Networks"
on page 369.
"Bearer Selection Thresholds" on page 369.
"Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values" on page 370.
"Relation Between Bearer Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency" on page 370.
"Modelling VoIP Codecs" on page 371.
"Working with EARFCNs instead of Channel Numbers" on page 371.
"Modelling the Co-existence of Networks" on page 372.
Obtaining User Throughputs for All the Subscribers of a Subscriber List

Important: This procedure is only recommended if you have a correct subscriber list and have
complete knowledge of the services they use.
Atoll generates a realistic user distribution containing active users only during Monte Carlo simulations. The status of
these users is determined through the users service usage parameters defined in the user profile. In Atoll, all the subscribers have a user profile assigned to them. During Monte Carlo simulations based on subscriber lists, Atoll determines
active users from all the users in the subscriber list. If you perform calculations on subscriber lists, Atoll calculates the
channel throughputs and not the user throughputs as resource allocation is not performed in these calculations. However
in the simulations, RRM and resource allocation is carried out user throughputs can be determined.
If you want to determine user level throughputs for all the subscribers in a subscriber list, you can run a simulation on this
subscriber list after modifying the user profiles assigned to all the subscribers such that all the subscribers have an activity
probability of 100 %.
1. Create a subscriber list with subscribers having an activity probability of 100 %:
a. Create as many user profiles as there are services used by the subscribers in the list.
b. Assign only one service to each user profile.
c. Assign the following service usage parameters to the user profiles that you create:
i.
For Voice services, set:
Calls/Hour = 1.
Duration (sec.) = 3600.
ii. For Data services:

-
Calls/Hour = 1.
UL Volume (KBytes) = UL Average Throughput x 3600/8.
DL Volume (KBytes) = DL Average Throughput x 3600/8.
Where the UL Average Throughput and the DL Average Throughput are the uplink and downlink average
requested throughputs, respectively, of the service mentioned in the user profile.
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d. Assign these user profiles to subscribers in the subscriber list.
2. Create a simulation based on this subscriber list only.
The simulation results will contain all the subscribers in the subscriber list with their respective user throughputs
determined by Atoll after the scheduling process.
Working With User Densities Instead of User Profiles

If you do not currently have reliable LTE multi-service traffic, you can provide Atoll with user density information per service, for example, traffic data from adapted GSM Erlang maps. In this case, you do not have to create user profiles. As well,
Atoll does not have to determine the user activity probabilities to create traffic scenarios during simulations. The distribution of traffic during simulations will only depend on the user densities per service.
If you know the user densities for each service, you can set user activity probabilities to 100 % in your LTE document, as
shown below:
1. For Voice services, set:
-
Calls/Hour = 1.
Duration (sec.) = 3600.
2. For Data services:

-
Calls/Hour = 1.
UL Volume (KBytes) = UL Average Throughput x 3600/8.
DL Volume (KBytes) = DL Average Throughput x 3600/8.
Where the UL Average Throughput and the DL Average Throughput are the uplink and downlink average requested throughputs, respectively, of the service defined in the user profile.
The above settings will set the user activity probabilities to 100 %. If you create a traffic map based on user profile environments, the user density values that you define in your environment classes will be the actual user densities. This means
that, for X users/km defined in the environment class for a given user profile, the Monte Carlo simulator will generate
exactly X users/km for each service of the user profile.
This way, you can know the exact number of active users and their services generated during the simulations beforehand.
This procedure should only be used when appropriate traffic data is not available.
Limiting the Coverage Range of Transmitters in Order to Avoid Uplink-to-Downlink Interference in

TDD Networks
You can define a maximum coverage range for all the transmitters in your network by entering a valid range as the Max
Range parameter.
To define the Max Range parameter:
2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Predictions folders properties dialogue appears.
3. Select the System tab.
4. Select the Max Range check box. The Max Range field in enabled.
5. Enter the Max Range of the network.
6. Click OK.
For TDD networks, you can determine the maximum coverage range that the sectors of your LTE network should have
from the cyclic prefix duration and use this range as the Max Range parameter. You can calculate the maximum system
range from the cyclic prefix as follows:
Max Range (m) = Cyclic Prefix (in ms) x 300000/2
Bearer Selection Thresholds

The default values of the bearer selection thresholds, the BLER quality graphs, and the bearer efficiency values in Atoll
have been extracted from the 3GPP TR 36.942 V8.0.0 (see Figure 6.223). These values correspond to to an ideal (AWGN)
radio channel, and are too optimistic compared to real radio channels. It is recommended to use more realistic values when
available.
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Figure 6.223: Link Adaptation in LTE

The spectral efficiency is the number of useful data bits that can be transmitted using any modulation and coding scheme
per Hz, the transition points between any two modulation and coding schemes give the default bearer selection thresholds
in Atoll, and the normalised values from the slopes of the graphs, that represent the reduction in the spectral efficiency,
give the block error rate.
You can replace the bearer selection threshold values provided by default with other values, such as selection thresholds
for 10 % BLER:
Bearer
10
11
12
13
14
15
Selection
Threshold
-6.8
-4.4
-4
-2
1.6
5.6
10.4
11
11.4
12
13.2
15.6
16.2
Calculating Bearer Selection Thresholds From Receiver Sensitivity Values

You can convert the receiver sensitivity values, that are listed in the specifications of your equipment, into bearer selection
thresholds using the following conversion method:
SF NUsed
CNR = RS + 114 NF 10 Log ------------------------------
N Total
Where RS is the receiver sensitivity in dBm, NF is the noise figure of the receiver in dB, SF is the sampling frequency in
MHz, N Used is the number of subcarriers corresponding to the number of frequency blocks, N Total is the total number of
subcarriers, i.e., the FFT size.
In the above explanation, the term receiver refers to the base station in uplink and to the mobile/user equipment in the
downlink.
Relation Between Bearer Efficiency And Spectral Efficiency

Spectral efficiency of a modulation and coding scheme is defined as the number of useful bits that can be transmitted each
second over a channel of 1 Hz bandwidth. Spectral efficiency is hence given in terms of bps/Hz.
In Atoll, the efficiency of bearers (modulation and coding schemes) are defined in the Bearers table. The bearer efficiency
is given in terms of bits/symbol. Remember that in Atoll a symbol refers to one resource element, which is 1 symbol duration long and 1 subcarrier width wide, as shown in Figure 6.224.
Figure 6.224: Symbol

The concept of bearer efficiency is similar to spectral efficiency. The only difference is in the units used to define the two
entities. Here is a simple example that compares spectral efficiency and bearer efficiency, and shows that the two are the
same.
Spectral efficiency is given by:
SE = 1 BLER r Log 2 M
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Where BLER is the Block Error Rate, r is the coding rate for the bearer, and M is the number of modulation states. For
simplification, we set BLER = 0, and use QPSK1/2, i.e., four modulation states and r = 0.5. With these values, we get a
spectral efficiency of 1 bps/Hz for QPSK1/2. In other words, a communication channel using QPSK1/2 modulation and
coding scheme can send 1 bps of useful data per unit bandwidth.
In order to compare the bearer efficiency and spectral efficiency of QPSK1/2, lets say that QPSK1/2 has a bearer efficiency of 1 bits/symbol. Here as well, the number of bits refers to useful data bits. The width of a subcarrier in LTE is
1
F = 15 kHz , from which we can calculate the useful symbol duration as well: T U = ------- = 66.67 sec . In one second,
F
there can be 1 sec 66.67 sec = 15000 symbol durations. If 15000 symbols are transmitted using QPSK1/2, this gives
us a data rate of 15000 Symbols/sec 1 bits/Symbol = 15000 bps , which is the data rate achievable using one subcarrier of 15 kHz. We can find the spectral efficiency by normalizing the data rate to unit bandwidth. This gives:
15000 bps/subcarrier 15 kHz/subcarrier = 1 bps/Hz .
In order to compare equivalent quantities, we have ignored some system parameters, such as the cyclic prefix, and have
considered that the entire frame is transmitted in one direction, uplink or downlink.
Modelling VoIP Codecs

VoIP codecs are application-layer elements in the OSI system model. Atoll models application throughputs using a
throughput offset and a scaling factor with respect to the RLC layer throughputs. You can model different VoIP codecs by
creating a new service for each VoIP codec, and setting the target throughput to the Application Throughput for the
scheduler used. Here are two examples of the most common VoIP codecs, and how they can be modelled in Atoll:
G.711 VoIP Codec

The actual voice data rate needed by the G.711 codec is 64 kbps, but with the lower layer headers and other
added bits, the needed RLC data rate could be between 66.4 and 107.2 kbps. In this example, we show how to
model the codec with header bits that lead to 85.6 kbps RLC data rate.
a. Create a new service with the following parameters:
-
Name: VoIP (G.711)

Type: Voice
Min Throughput Demand (DL) and Min Throughput Demand (UL): 64 kbps
Max Throughput Demand (DL) and Max Throughput Demand (UL): 64 kbps
Average Requested Throughput (DL) and Average Requested Throughput (UL): 64 kbps
Scaling Factor: 74.77 %
Offset: 0 kbps
b. Set the Target Throughput for Voice Services to "2 - Application Throughput" for the scheduler being used.
In this way, Atoll will allocate resources to the users of this service such that they get 64 kbps application throughput, and around 85.6 kbps of effective RLC throughput.
G.729 VoIP Codec

The actual voice data rate needed by the G.729 codec is 8 kbps, but with the lower layer headers and other added
bits, the needed RLC data rate could be between 9.6 and 29.6 kbps. In this example, we show how to model the
codec with header bits that lead to 29.6 kbps required data rate.
a. Create a new service with the following parameters:
-
Name: VoIP (G.729)

Type: Voice
Min Throughput Demand (DL) and Min Throughput Demand (UL): 8 kbps
Max Throughput Demand (DL) and Max Throughput Demand (UL): 8 kbps
Average Requested Throughput (DL) and Average Requested Throughput (UL): 8 kbps
Scaling Factor: 27.03 %
Offset: 0 kbps
b. Set the Target Throughput for Voice Services to "2 - Application Throughput" for the scheduler being used.
In this way, Atoll will allocate resources to the users of this service such that they get 8 kbps application throughput, and around 29.6 kbps of effective RLC throughput.
Working with EARFCNs instead of Channel Numbers

In Atoll, carriers are assigned channel numbers in the frequency bands table. These channel numbers do not necessarily
have to be unique, i.e., a channel number can be reused in different bands. The 3GPP defines unique EARFCNs (Evolved
Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Numbers) for all the frequency bands. Each EARFCN has a fixed width of 100 kHz,
whereas channels (or carriers) in Atoll can have different widths.
If you want to work with EARFCNs instead of channel numbers, you can set EARFCNs as channel numbers in the
frequency bands table similar to as shown in the example below:
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Frequency Band: 2110 FDD - 5 MHz (E-UTRA Band 1)

Downlink EARFCN Range: 0 - 599
Uplink EARFCN Range: 18000 - 18599
First Channel (EARFCN): 0
Last Channel (EARFCN): 550
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Excluded Channels (EARFCNs): 1-49, 51-99, 101-149, 151-199, 201-249, 251-299, 301-349,351-399,401-449,
451-499, 501-549, 551-599
For FDD frequency bands, the downlink and uplink EARFCNs are always offset by 18000, so you can use either the downlink or the uplink EARFCNs as channel numbers in Atoll.
Modelling the Co-existence of Networks

In Atoll, you can study the effect of interference received by your network from other LTE networks. The interfering LTE
network can be a different part of your own network, or a network belonging to another operator.
To study interference from co-existing networks:
1. Import the interfering network data (sites, transmitters, and cells) in to your document as explained in "Creating a
Group of Base Stations" on page 193.
2. For the interfering networks transmitters, set the Transmitter Type to Extra-Network (Interferer Only) as
explained in "Transmitter Description" on page 182.
During calculations, Atoll will consider the transmitters of type Extra-Network (Interferer Only) when calculating
interference. These transmitters will not serve any pixel, subscriber, or mobile, and will only contribute to interference.
Modelling the interference from co-existing networks will be as accurate as the data you have for the interfering network.
If the interfering network is a part of your own network, this information would be readily available. However, if the interfering network belongs to another operator, the information available might not be accurate.
Moreover, for other operators networks, and if the interfering networks use OFDM but are not LTE networks, their modelling will not be accurate using LTE transmitters and cells. The number of subcarriers used in the interfering networks might
be very different.
6.9
Glossary of LTE Terms

Understanding the following terms and there use in Atoll is very helpful in understanding the LTE module:
User: A general term that can also designate a subscriber, mobile, and receiver.
Subscriber: Users with fixed geographical coordinates.
Mobile: Users generated and distributed during simulations. These users have, among other parameters, defined
services, terminal types, and mobility types assigned for the duration of the simulations.
Receiver: A probe mobile, with the minimum required parameters needed for the calculation of path loss, used
for propagation loss and raster coverage predictions.
Bearer: A Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) used to carry data over the channel.
Peak RLC Throughput: The maximum RLC layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given
location using the highest LTE bearer available. This throughput is the raw data rate without considering the effects
of retransmission due to errors and higher layer coding and encryption.
Effective RLC Throughput: The net RLC layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given location using the highest LTE bearer available computed taking into account the reduction of throughput due to
retransmission due to errors.
Application Throughput: The application layer throughput (user or channel) that can be achieved at a given location using the highest LTE bearer available computed taking into account the reduction of throughput due to PDU/
SDU header information, padding, encryption, coding, and other types of overhead.
Channel Throughputs: Peak RLC, effective RLC or application throughputs achieved at a given location using
the highest LTE bearer available with the entire cell resources (downlink or uplink).
User Throughputs: Peak RLC, effective RLC or application throughputs achieved at a given location using the
highest LTE bearer available with the amount of resources allocated to a user by the scheduler.
Traffic Loads: The uplink and downlink traffic loads are the percentages of the uplink and the downlink frames in
use (allocated) to the traffic (mobiles) in the uplink and in the downlink, respectively.
Uplink Noise Rise: Uplink noise rise is a measure of uplink interference with respect to the uplink noise:
I UL + N UL
NR UL = ------------------------ , or NR UL = 10 Log I UL + N UL 10 Log N UL in dB. This parameter is one of the two
N UL
methods in which uplink interference can be expressed with respect to the noise. The other parameter often used
I UL
instead of the uplink noise rise is the uplink load factor: L UL = ------------------------ . Usually, the uplink load factor is kept
I UL + N UL
as a linear value (in %) while the uplink noise rise is expressed in dB. The two parameters express exactly the
same information, and can be inter-converted as follows:
I
I+NN
I
I+N
N
I
N
N
I
I+N
1
------------ = ---------------------- => ------------ = ------------ ------------ => ------------ = 1 ------------ => ------------ = 1 ------------ => ------------ = --------------------I
I+N
I+N
I+N
I+N I+N
I+N
I+N
I+N
I+N
N
1 -----------I+N
1
=> NR = -----------1L
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The following table shows the relation between interference, load factor, and noise rise.
Interference (I)
Load Factor (%)
Noise Rise
Noise Rise (dB)

0
=N
50
3.01
=9xN
90
10
10
= 99 x N
99
100
20
The reason why uplink interference is expressed in terms of noise rise (in dB) in Atoll instead of load factor (in %)
is that the load factor varies somewhat exponentially with the increase in interference.
Resources: In Atoll, the term "resource" is used to refer to the average number of resource units, expressed in
% (as traffic loads, when the average is performed over a considerably long duration) of the total number of
resource units in a superframe of 1 sec.
Frame: An LTE frame is 10 ms long. The duration of a frame is a system-level constant. Each frame comprises
10 1 ms-long subframes, with each subframe containing 2 0.5 ms-long slots. Each slot can have 7 or 6 symbol
durations for normal or extended cyclic prefix, respectively, and for a 15 kHz subcarrier width. A slot can have 3
symbol durations for extended cyclic prefix used with a 7.5 kHz subcarrier width. LTE includes specific frame structures for FDD and TDD systems as shown in Figure 6.225. For TDD systems, two switching point periodicities can
be used; half-frame or full frame. Half-frame periodicity provides the same half-frame structure as a TD-SCDMA
subframe. The PBCH, PSS, and SSS are carried by subframes 0 and 5, which means that these 2 subframes are
always used in downlink. A subframe is synonymous with TTI (transmission time interval), i.e., the minimum unit
of resource allocation in the time domain.
Figure 6.225: LTE frame structures (DL: blue, UL: orange, DL or UL: green)
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Resource Element, Symbol, or Modulation Symbol: In Atoll a symbol refers to one resource element or one
modulation symbol, which is 1 symbol duration long and 1 subcarrier width wide, as shown in Figure 6.224.
Symbol Duration: In Atoll a symbol duration refers to one OFDM symbol, which is the duration of one modulation
symbol over all the subcarriers/frequency blocks being used.
Subcarrier: An OFDM channel comprises many narrowband carriers called subcarriers. OFDM subcarriers are
orthogonal frequency-domain waveforms generated using fast fourier transforms (see Figure 6.226).
Frequency Block: It is the minimum unit of resource allocation in the frequency domain, i.e., the width of a
resource block, 180 kHz. It is a system-level constant. A frequency block can either contain 12 subcarriers of
15 kHz each (see Figure 6.226) or 24 subcarriers of 7.5 kHz each.
Resource Block: It is the minimum unit of resource allocation, i.e., 1 frequency block by 1 slot (see Figure 6.226).
Schedulers are able perform resource allocation every subframe (TTI, transmission time interval), however, the
granularity of resource allocation 1 slot in time, i.e., the duration of a resource block, and 1 frequency block in frequency.
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Figure 6.226: LTE resource blocks
LTE Logical Channels: LTE logical channels include (see Figure 6.227):
- Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) (DL): Carries broadcast control information.
- Paging Contol Channel (PCCH) (DL): Carries paging control information.
- Common Control Channel (CCCH) (DL and UL): Carries common control information.
- Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) (DL and UL): Carries control information dedicated to users.
- Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) (DL and UL): Carries user traffic data.
- Multicast Control Channel (MCCH) (DL): Carries multicast control information.
- Multicast Traffic Channel (MTCH) (DL): Carries multicast traffic data.
LTE Transport Channels: LTE transport channels include (see Figure 6.227):
- Broadcast Channel (BCH) (DL): Carries broadcast information.
- Paging Channel (PCH) (DL): Carries paging information.
- Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) (DL): Carries common and dedicated control information and user
traffic data. It can also be used to carry broadcast and multicast control information and traffic in addition to
the BCH and MCH.
- Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH) (UL): Carries common and dedicated control information and user traffic
data.
- Multicast Channel (MCH) (DL): Carries multicast information.
- Random Access Channel (RACH) (UL): Carries random access requests from users.
LTE Physical Layer Channels: LTE physical layer channels include (see Figure 6.227):
- Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) (DL): Carries broadcast information.
- Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (DL): Carries paging information, common and dedicated
control information, and user traffic data. It can also be used to carry broadcast and multicast control information and traffic in addition to the PBCH and PMCH. Parts of this channel carry the primary and secondary synchronisation signals (PSS and SSS), the downlink reference signals, the physical downlink control channel
(PDCCH), the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH), and the physical control format indicator channel
(PCFICH).
- Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) (UL): Carries common and dedicated control information and
user traffic data.
- Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) (UL): Carries control information.
- Physical Multicast Channel (PMCH) (DL): Carries multicast information.
- Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) (UL): Carries random access requests from users.
Figure 6.227: LTE logical, transport, and physical layer channels (DL: blue, UL: orange, DL or UL: green)
374
Inter-Cell Interference Coordination: It is a means to improve the signal quality at cell edges by using different
frequencies or resource blocks for resource allocation in potentially mutually interfering cells. There are two categories of interference coordination techniques used in OFDMA systems:
- Static ICIC using Fractional Frequency Reuse (FFR): Static interference coordination is a fractional frequency allocation problem. Fractions of a channel bandwidth are allocated to different sectors to be used at
cell edges. The allocation does not change over time and the same fractions of the channel bandwidth are
used by the sectors.
- Dynamic ICIC using Interference-aware scheduling: Dynamic interference coordination is a scheduler
problem. There is no fixed fractional frequency allocation per sector. The resource blocks allocated to users
located at cell edges are determined by the schedulers of each eNode-B dynamically for each subframe. The
aim is to not use the same resource blocks at cell edges of potentially mutually interfering cells (i.e., coordinate
the allocation of resources) thus avoiding interference.
Forsk 2010
Index
Index
Numerics
2G network traffic, converting (LTE) 265
3-D antenna pattern
defining attenuation 133
defining azimuth 133
defining tilt angle 133
importing 133
A
ACP
antenna azimuth, reconfiguration 283, 302
antenna height, reconfiguration 283, 302
antenna masking 284
antenna type, reconfiguration 283, 302
antennas, AEDT 309
antennas, creating by pattern 309
antennas, grouping automatically 311, 312
best server analysis maps 326
candidates, creating 307
change analysis maps 325
comments, adding to optimisation 313
computation zone, using 283
configuration, loading 315
configuration, saving 315
configuring 286
configuring default settings 286
co-planning optimisation process, creating 354
co-planning optimisation process, importing second technology 354
coverage analysis maps 324
defining optimisation (LTE) 290
definition 283
electrical tilt, reconfiguration 283, 302
EMF exposure 286
EMF exposure maps 326
filtering zone, using 284
global configuration 289
hot spot zones, using 284
HotSpots, importing 292
indoor coverage 284
iterations, defining number of 291
iterations, defining resolution 291
maps, comparing 326
maps, display properties 327
mechanical tilt, reconfiguration 283, 302
multi-band antennas, defining 311
multi-layer networks, linking transmitters 303
optimisation process, cost control 293
optimisation process, creating 290
optimisation process, creating in co-planning 354
optimisation process, exposimetry 295
Forsk 2010
optimisation process, layers 291

optimisation process, running 290
optimisation process, site classes 294
optimisation process, zones 292
optimisation properties, changing 315
optimisation, deleting 315
optimisation, running 315
optimisation, running saved 313
pilot power, reconfiguration 301
propagation model, default 285
propagation models 284
propagation models, defining 288
propagation models, natively supported 285
propagation models, precalculated path loss matrices 288
propagation models, precalculated pathloss matrices 285
quality analysis maps 323
reconfiguration options 283
reconfiguration options (LTE) 300
reconfiguration, importing parameters 304
results, viewing in histogram 329
results, viewing in map window 322
results, viewing in Properties dialogue 316
shadowing margin 284
site selection 283
site selection, defining 305
total power, reconfiguration 283
traffic maps, using (LTE) 284
traffic, defining for optimisation 299
user configuration file 289
weighting (LTE) 298
zones, using 283
ACP coverage maps
exporting (LTE) 328
activity status
displaying traffic distribution by (LTE) 273
antenna
azimuth, reconfiguring with ACP 283, 302
beamwidth, defining 132
changing azimuth on the map 21
changing relative position on the map 22
creating 131
electrical tilt, reconfiguring with ACP 283, 302
gain 131
height, reconfiguring with ACP 283, 302
importing 3-D patterns 133
importing Planet-format 132
mechanical tilt, reconfiguring with ACP 283, 302
model, reconfiguring with ACP 283, 302
pasting antenna pattern 131
pattern electrical tilt 131
smoothing vertical pattern 134
375
Atoll User Manual
antenna patterns
printing 58, 135
archiving
all modifications to the database 92
only site data to the database 92
attenuation
3-D antenna pattern 133
audit of inter-technology neighbour plan (LTE) 352
audit of neighbour allocation plan (LTE) 247
audit of physical cell ID plan (LTE) 254
automatic backup 94
configuring 95
recovering a backup 95
Automatic Cell Planning, see "ACP"
azimuth
antenna, changing on the map 21
B
backup 94
configuring 95
recovering a backup 95
base station
components of subsystem 135
copying into document (LTE) 193
creating (LTE) 181
creating with template (LTE) 188
definition (LTE) 181
displaying information (LTE) 194
duplicating (LTE) 192
equipment, assigning (LTE) 183
importing (LTE) 193
beamwidth
defining antenna 132
best bearer coverage prediction (LTE) 229
BTS
defining 136
noise figure 137
noise figure, updating 136
Rho factor 136
BTS, assigning (LTE) 183
C
C/(I+N) level coverage prediction (LTE) 227
calculation process, explanation (LTE) 208
calculations 141
subscriber list (LTE) 269
CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO
template 84
cell
creating (LTE) 187
modifying (LTE) 187
updating load values with simulation (LTE) 281
column headers
formatting 47
columns
changing width 47
376
displaying 48
freezing 48
hiding 48
moving 48
unfreezing 48
computation zone
ACP 283
drawing 32
drawing (LTE) 208
editing 36
explanation (LTE) 203
Fit to Map Window 32
Fit to Map Window (LTE) 208
importing 32
importing (LTE) 208
polygon, creating from 32
polygon, creating from (LTE) 208
configuration
loading ACP 315
saving ACP 315
Connection Properties 89
connection status
context menu 19
renaming objects 19
coordinate system 86
setting 86
coordinates, searching by 76
co-planning
co-planning mode, ending (LTE) 355
co-planning mode, switching to (LTE) 338
inter-technology exceptional pairs, displaying (LTE) 344
inter-technology exceptional pairs, setting (LTE) 343
inter-technology exceptional pairs, setting on the map
(LTE) 344
inter-technology neighbour allocation (LTE) 343
inter-technology neighbours, allocating automatically
(LTE) 345
inter-technology neighbours, allocating per cell (LTE) 348
inter-technology neighbours, allocating using Neighbours
table (LTE) 349
inter-technology neighbours, displaying (LTE) 347
inter-technology neighbours, setting on the map (LTE) 350
legend window, displaying (LTE) 341
LTE 338
neighbours, configuring importance of (LTE) 345
networks, coverage areas, comparing (LTE) 342
networks, coverage areas, studying differences (LTE) 342
networks, coverage predictions, analysing (LTE) 341
networks, coverage predictions, updating (LTE) 340
networks, displaying both in same document (LTE) 339
unlinking documents (LTE) 355
Cost-Hata propagation model 149
creating environment formula 150
defining default environment formula 150
modifying environment formula 150
taking diffraction into account 149
coverage of neighbours, displaying (LTE) 243
Forsk 2010
Index
coverage prediction
analysing results (LTE) 213
assigning a default propagation model 158
based on test mobile data path (LTE) 334
best bearer (LTE) 229
by transmitter (LTE) 211
C/(I+N) level (LTE) 227
calculating 172, 173
calculating several 173
cloning 171
comparing (LTE) 218
creating 171
creating from existing 171
displaying results with tooltips (LTE) 214
duplicating 171
effective signal (LTE) 225
exporting in user configuration 175
exporting results 39
forcing calculation 173
geographic export zone, defining (LTE) 238
geogrphic export zone, defining 36
histogram, viewing (LTE) 217
legend, adding values to (LTE) 214
locking coverage predictions 173, 174
new 171
on overlapping zones (LTE) 212
printing results (LTE) 238
quality indicator (LTE) 234
report, displaying (LTE) 216
report, displaying using focus zone 33
report, displaying using focus zone (LTE) 215
report, displaying using hot spot zone 33
report, displaying using hot spot zone (LTE) 215
restricting base stations studied by computation zone
(LTE) 200
restricting base stations studied by filter (LTE) 199
results, exporting (LTE) 238
signal level - single station (LTE) 202
signal level (LTE) 210
statistics, viewing (LTE) 217
stopping calculation 173
template, saving as 174
throughput (LTE) 231
tooltips, comparing coverage predictions with (LTE) 342
using simulation results (LTE) 282
coverage predictions 170
cursors 42
CW Measurement Analysis Tool
printing data 58
CW measurements
test mobile data path, generating from (LTE) 337
cyclic prefix ratio (LTE) 356
D
Data tab 17
data tables
adding a field 44
changing column width 47
Forsk 2010
changing row height 47

copying data 49
deleting a field 45
displaying columns 48
editing 45
exporting data 51
filtering 63
filtering by selection 64
filtering by several criteria 65
filtering, examples 66
formatting column headers 47
formatting table columns 47
freezing columns 48
hiding columns 48
importing data 52
moving columns 48
opening 44
opening record properties from table 46
pasting data 49
printing 54
restoring after filtering 66
sorting 63
sorting by one column 63
sorting by several columns 63
unfreezing columns 48
viewing properties 44
XML files, exporting to 53
XML files, importing from 54
database
archiving all modifications 92
archiving only site data 92
connecting to 89
Connection Properties 89
creating a document from 89
refreshing document 91
resolving data conflicts 92
working with 87
defining 169, 175
defraction
smoothing vertical antenna pattern 134
display
changing properties 22
defining display type 23
display type, automatic 24
display type, discrete values 24
display type, unique 24
display type, value intervals 24
display coordinate system 86
Distance Measurement tool 30
document
creating from database 83, 89
creating from template 83, 84
geographic data 83
information needed to create 83
radio data 83
radio equipment 83
refreshing from the database 91
setting basic parameters 85
377
Atoll User Manual
document templates, see "templates"

DTM maps representing different areas 119
E
effective signal coverage prediction (LTE) 225
EMF exposure
ACP, studying with 286
environment
creating (LTE) 259
modifying (LTE) 259
equipment
creating (LTE) 360
modifying (LTE) 360
Equipment Specifications dialogue (LTE) 183
equipment, repeater, see "repeater equipment"
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) propagation model 152
assigning environment formulas 153
exceptional pairs
inter-technology, displaying (LTE) 344
inter-technology, setting (LTE) 343
inter-technology, setting on the map (LTE) 344
exceptional pairs, defining neighbour (LTE) 238
Explorer window 17
Data tab 17
Geo tab 17
layers 18
Modules tab 17
using tabs 17
F
feeder
defining cables 135
length, defining (LTE) 183
feeder, assigning (LTE) 183
field
adding to a table 44
deleting from a table 45
filter
site list, using for 71
transmitter list, using for 71
filtering
data tables by selection 64
data tables by several criteria 65
examples 66
restoring after filtering 66
using a polygon 31, 74
with subfolders 73
filtering zone
deleting 35
drawing 31
importing 32
Find toolbar 75
378
focus zone
creating 33
creating (LTE) 215
editing 36
explanation 33
importing 33
importing (LTE) 216
polygon, creating from (LTE) 216
population statistics (LTE) 217
using to display coverage prediction report 33
folder configuration 72
applying a saved configuration 72
creating 72
deleting 73
exporting 73
importing 73
reapplying current configuration 72
Frame details (LTE) 367
frame duration (LTE) 358
frequencies
allocating manually (LTE) 250
automatically allocating (LTE) 249
displaying allocation (LTE) 250
displaying on transmitter (LTE) 251
grouping transmitters by (LTE) 251
using Search Tool with (LTE) 250
frequency bands
defining (LTE) 356
G
gain
defining antenna 131
Geo tab 17
geographic export zone
creating 36
creating (LTE) 238
importing 36
global scaling factor (LTE) 282
global transmitter parameters
modifying (LTE) 358
global transmitter parameters (LTE) 356
grouping 59
by a property 59
by several properties 60
examples 61
with subfolders 73
GSM/GPRS/EGPRS template 83
H
hexagonal design
histogram
results, viewing ACP 329
Forsk 2010
Index
histogram, physical cell ID 256

histogram, viewing coverage prediction (LTE) 217
hot spot zone
creating 33
creating (LTE) 215
editing 36
explanation 33
importing 33
importing (LTE) 216
population statistics (LTE) 217
using to display coverage prediction report 33
HSDPA
template 84
HSUPA
template 84
I
indoor coverage
ACP 284
calculating 169, 175
coverage prediction, activating in (LTE) 203
defining when modelling environment (LTE) 260
defining when modelling user profile traffic map (LTE) 261
point analysis, activating in (LTE) 237
simulation results (LTE) 278
indoor losses 169, 175
interference reduction factor
using assistant (MW) 137
Inter-technology DL Noise Rise (LTE) 186
Inter-technology UL Noise Rise (LTE) 186
ITU 1546 propagation model 154
ITU 370-7 propagation model (Vienna 93) 150, 152
ITU 526-5 propagation model 153
ITU 529-3 propagation model
L
label 25
Lambert Conformal-Conic projection 86
layers 18
legend
adding object type 26
displaying 27
displaying Legend window 31
displaying window in co-planning (LTE) 341
printing Legend window 58
legend, displaying (LTE) 214
lines
editing 36
Location Finder
searching by coordinates 76
searching by text property 75
Forsk 2010
Longley-Rice propagation model 154

LTE 179
cyclic prefix ratio 356
frame duration 358
glossary 372
template 84
LTE radio bearer
defining 359
definition 256
LTE schedulers
defining 363
scheduling methods 362
LTE, definition 179
M
map
centring on a selected object 30
exporting as image 42
measuring distances 30
moving 29
printing 55
refreshing display 75
saving as image 41
Map toolbar 77
masthead amplifier, see "TMA"
matrix, see "path loss matrix"
measurement units, setting 87
measuring distances on the map 30
Microwave Link Analysis
printing 58
MIMO
adaptive MIMO switch (LTE) 364
collaborative MIMO (LTE) 365
MU-MIMO (LTE) 365
number of antenna ports, defining (LTE) 184
receive diversity (LTE) 364
spatial multiplexing (LTE) 364
spatial multiplexing gains (LTE) 361
SU-MIMO (LTE) 364
transmit diversity (LTE) 364
transmit diversity gains (LTE) 361
mobility type
creating (LTE) 224
modifying (LTE) 224
Modules tab 17
multi-band network, creating (LTE) 194
mult-user environment 87
N
neighbours
allocating automatically (LTE) 239
allocating on the map (LTE) 245
allocating per cell (LTE) 244
allocating using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (LTE)
244
allocating using Neighbours table (LTE) 245

audit of allocation (LTE) 247
379
Atoll User Manual
audit of inter-technology (LTE) 352

comparing existing and allocated (LTE) 241
configuring importance (LTE) 239
configuring importance in co-planning (LTE) 345
defining exceptional pairs of (LTE) 238
deleting on the map (LTE) 245
deleting per cell (LTE) 244
deleting using Cells tab of Transmitter Properties (LTE) 244
deleting using Neighbours table (LTE) 245
displaying (LTE) 242
displaying coverage (LTE) 243
exporting (LTE) 248
importing (LTE) 238
intertechnology, allocating (LTE) 343
inter-technology, allocating automatically (LTE) 345
inter-technology, allocating per cell (LTE) 348
inter-technology, allocating using Neighbours table (LTE)
349
inter-technology, comparing existing and allocated (LTE)

347
inter-technology, displaying (LTE) 347

inter-technology, setting on the map (LTE) 350
possible (LTE) 238
network, creating multi-band (LTE) 194
non-symmetric neighbours, displaying (LTE) 242
O
objects
changing transparency 25
deleting 19
displaying 18
displaying properties 20
grouping 59
grouping by a property 59
grouping by several properties 60
grouping, examples 61
hiding 18
label 25
tip text 26
visibility scale 25
Okumura-Hata model 148, 149
Okumura-Hata propagation model 148, 149
optimisation
creating and defining site classes 294
creating new ACP process 290
creating new co-planning ACP process 354
defining ACP optimisation (LTE) 290
defining cost control 293
defining exposimetry parameters 295
defining layers 291
defining zones 292
deleting 315
importing second technology 354
380
properties, changing 315

running 315
running ACP process 290
running saved ACP 313
overlapping zones coverage prediction (LTE) 212
P
Page Setup, see "printing"
Panoramic window 16, 29
Path loss calculation 146, 147
Radial 146, 147
Systematic 146, 147
path loss matrices
adjusting using CW measurements 162, 163
defining area to be adjusted with measurement data 161
tuning using measurement data 161
path loss matrix
calculation process (LTE) 208
checking validity (LTE) 205
exporting 167
resolution (LTE) 189
storing 159
storing (LTE) 204
validity, checking 160
pattern electrical tilt 131
physical cell IDs
allocating manually (LTE) 253
audit of plan (LTE) 254
automatically allocating (LTE) 252
displaying allocation (LTE) 254
displaying on transmitter (LTE) 255
grouping transmitters by (LTE) 255
histogram (LTE) 256
using Search Tool with (LTE) 254
physical cell IDs (LTE) 252
pilot power
reconfiguration with ACP 301
Planet
importing antennas 132
point analysis
opening Point Analysis Tool window 168
shadowing, calculating 170
starting 168
Point Analysis window
Interference tab (LTE) 236
printing 58
Profile tab (LTE) 200
Reception tab (LTE) 214
Results tab (LTE) 237
points
editing 36
polygon
deleting polygon filter 35
drawing a polygon filter 31
editing 36
focus zone, using as 33
focus zone, using as (LTE) 216
geographic export zone, using as 36
Forsk 2010
Index
printing zone, using as 56

using as computation zone 32
using as computation zone (LTE) 208
using as filter 31, 74
using as filtering zone 32
possible neighbours, definition (LTE) 238
predictions
overview 170
printing
antenna patterns 58, 135
coverage prediction results (LTE) 238
CW Measurement Analysis Tool 58
data tables and reports 54
defining print layout 56
docking windows 58
Legend window 58
map 55
Microwave Link Analysis 58
Point Analysis window 58
print preview 58
recommendations 55
Test Mobile Data Analysis Tool 58
printing zone
drawing 55
importing 56
Profile 146, 147
Radial extraction 146, 147
Systematic extraction 146, 147
projection coordinate system 86
Lambert Conformal-Conic projection 86
Universal Transverse Mercator projection 86
propagation model
all transmitters, assigning to (LTE) 206
assigning a default model for predictions 158
assigning to all transmitters 157
assigning to group of transmitters 157
Cost-Hata 149
Cost-Hata, diffraction 149
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI) 152
Erceg-Greenstein (SUI), diffraction 152
group of transmitters, assigning to (LTE) 207
ITU 1546 154
ITU 370-7 (Vienna 93) 150, 152
ITU 526-5 153
ITU 529-3, diffraction 151
Longley-Rice 154
Okumura-Hata 148, 149
Okumura-Hata, diffraction 148
Sakagami extended 155
signature 156
Standard Propagation Model 142
Standard Propagation Model, correction factor for hilly
regions 147
Standard Propagation Model, defining parameters 145
Standard Propagation Model, diffraction 143
Forsk 2010
Standard Propagation Model, recommendations 143

transmitter, assigning to (LTE) 207
WLL 153
propagation models
ACP, default 285
ACP, natively supported 285
ACP, using precalculated path loss matrices with 288
ACP, using precalculated pathloss matrices with 285
ACP, using with 284
properties
changing display 22
grouping objects by 59
switching between property dialogues 20
Q
quality indicator coverage prediction (LTE) 234
quality indicators
defining (LTE) 359
R
Radial 146, 147
Radio toolbar 77
reconfiguration
importing ACP parameters 304
redo 74
reflection
smoothing vertical antenna pattern 134
refresh 75
from the database 91
Refresh Geo Data (LTE) 334
remote antenna
defining properties (LTE) 198
importing (LTE) 198
placing on the map (LTE) 198
renaming 19
default object names 19
repeater
cascading (LTE) 195
defining properties (LTE) 196
importing (LTE) 196
placing on the map (LTE) 195
repeater equipment
creating (LTE) 195
modifying (LTE) 195
report, displaying a coverage prediction (LTE) 216
reports
printing 54
resolution
path loss matrix (LTE) 189
Rho factor, BTS 136
row height
changing 47
rulers
displaying 30
381
Atoll User Manual
S
Sakagami extended propagation model 155
scale level, choosing 29
SC-FDMA, definition (LTE) 179
Search Tool
using to display frequencies (LTE) 250
using to display physical cell IDs (LTE) 254
Search toolbar 78
searching for map objects 75
secondary antenna, assigning (LTE) 184
service
creating (LTE) 223
modifying (LTE) 223
parameters used in predictions (LTE) 223
shadowing 169, 175
point analysis, calculating in 170
shadowing (LTE) 365
shadowing margin
ACP 284
clutter class, displaying per (LTE) 366
signal level coverage prediction
single station (LTE) 202
signal level coverage prediction (LTE) 210
simulation
average results of group (LTE) 279
cell load values, updating (LTE) 281
creating (LTE) 271
displaying results with tooltips (LTE) 275
estimating a traffic increase (LTE) 282
global scaling factor (LTE) 282
results of single (LTE) 276
traffic simulation algorithm (LTE) 270
using results for coverage predictions (LTE) 282
site
creating (LTE) 186
modifying (LTE) 186
moving on the map 21
moving to a higher location 21
parameters (LTE) 181
properties, accessing from the Explorer window 20
properties, accessing from the map 20
site list 69
adding 70, 71
adding site 70
creating 70
editing 71
filter, using as 71
slow fading, see "shadowing"
snapshot, definition (LTE) 256
SOFDMA, definition (LTE) 179
sorting
sorting tables by one column 63
sorting tables by several columns 63
with subfolders 73
382
SPM Parameters tab window 146, 147

Standard Propagation Model 142, 146, 147
calculating diffraction 143
correction factor for hilly regions 147
defining parameters 145
recommendations 143
sample values for constants 144
typical values for losses per clutter class 145
Standard toolbar 76
station template
copying properties from another template (LTE) 192
creating (LTE) 189
creating base station (LTE) 188
deleting (LTE) 192
modifying (LTE) 189
modifying a field (LTE) 192
statistics, viewing coverage prediction (LTE) 217
subfolders
creating 73
subscriber database (LTE) 266
subscriber list
adding subscribers with the mouse (LTE) 268
calculations (LTE) 269
creating (LTE) 266
importing (LTE) 268
symmetric neighbours, displaying (LTE) 242
T
table columns
formatting 47
tables, see "data tables"
TDD frame configuration (LTE) 185
template
coverage prediction, using as 174
templates 83
CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO 84
GSM/GPRS/EGPRS 83
LTE 84
UMTS HSDPA HSUPA 84
WiMAX 84
terminal
creating (LTE) 224
modifying (LTE) 224
parameters used in predictions (LTE) 224
Test Mobile Data Analysis Tool
printing 58
Test Mobile Data path
exporting (LTE) 337
test mobile data path
analysing variations (LTE) 335
exporting to CW measurements (LTE) 337
extracting a field for a transmitter (LTE) 335
filtering out points (LTE) 333
importing (LTE) 329
Refresh Geo Data (LTE) 334
using in coverage prediction (LTE) 334
Forsk 2010
Index
Test Mobile Data window

exporting (LTE) 338
printing (LTE) 338
throughput
for all subscribers of a list (LTE) 368
throughput coverage prediction (LTE) 231
tilt angle
tip text 26
TMA
defining 135
TMA, assigning (LTE) 183
tool tips, see "tip text"
toolbar
icons 76
Map 77
Radio 77
Search 78
Standard 76
Vector Edition 78
tooltips
comparing coverage predictions, co-planning (LTE) 342
displaying coverage prediction results (LTE) 214
displaying simulation results with (LTE) 275
total losses, updating 136
total power
reconfiguration with ACP 283
traffic
defining for ACP optimisation 299
traffic distribution
displaying by activity status (LTE) 273
displaying by connection status (LTE) 273
displaying by service (LTE) 274
displaying by throughput (LTE) 274
displaying by uplink transmission power (LTE) 275
traffic increase, estimating (LTE) 282
traffic load, setting (LTE) 227
traffic map
converting 2G (LTE) 265
cumulated traffic, exporting (LTE) 265
data sources (LTE) 257
importing traffic map based on user profile densities (LTE)
260
live data, creating from (LTE) 257

marketing-based (LTE) 258
sector (LTE) 257
statistics on user profile environment based traffic map
(LTE) 262
user density (LTE) 263
user density traffic map, importing (LTE) 263
user density, creating (LTE) 264
user density, creating from sector traffic maps (LTE) 264
user profile environment based, creating (LTE) 262
user profile environment based, importing (LTE) 261
traffic maps
ACP, using with (LTE) 284
Forsk 2010
traffic simulation algorithm (LTE) 270

transmitter
coverage prediction by transmitter (LTE) 211
creating (LTE) 187
displaying frequencies (LTE) 251
displaying physical cell IDs (LTE) 255
extracting a field from a test mobile data path (LTE) 335
global parameters (LTE) 356
grouping by frequencies (LTE) 251
grouping by physical cell IDs (LTE) 255
modifying (LTE) 187
modifying global properties (LTE) 358
setting as active (LTE) 209
transmitter list 69
adding 70, 71
adding transmitter 70
creating 70
editing 71
editing filter 71
transmitters
automatic display type 24
transparency, changing 25
U
UMTS HSDPA HSUPA
template 84
undo 74
Universal Transverse Mercator projection 86
uplink noise rise, setting (LTE) 227
uplink power control
user configuration 68
ACP 289
coverage prediction, exporting 175
creating 69
exporting 69
importing 69
user densities
using instead of user profiles (LTE) 369
user density traffic map
creating from sector traffic maps (LTE) 264
user profile
creating (LTE) 259
modifying (LTE) 259
user profile densities
importing traffic map based on (LTE) 260
user profile environment based traffic map
creating (LTE) 262
importing (LTE) 261
statistics on (LTE) 262
user profiles
user densities, replacing with (LTE) 369
V
Vector Edition toolbar 78
Vienna 93 model 150, 152
visibility scale 25
383
Atoll User Manual
WiMAX
template 84
windows
cascading 16
docking 16
floating 16
wireless local loop propagation model 153
WLL (Wireless Local Loop) propagation model 153
XML
exporting data tables to 53
importing data tables from 54
384
Z
zooming
choosing a scale 29
in on a specific area 29
Forsk 2010
Atoll User Manual
Forsk 2010
385
User Manual
LTE
version 2.8.3
AT283_UML_E1
October 2010
Head Office
7, rue des Briquetiers
31700 Blagnac - France
Tel: +33 562 747 210
Fax: +33 562 747 211
US Office
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Chicago, IL 60606 - USA
Tel: +1 312 674 4846
Fax: +1 312 674 4847
China Office
Suite 302, 3/F, West Tower,
Jiadu Commercial Building,
No. 66 Jianzhong Road,
Tianhe Hi-Tech Industrial Zone,
Guangzhou, 510665, P. R. of China
Tel: +86 20 8553 8938
Fax: +86 20 8553 8285
www.forsk.com

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Forsk (USA Office) 200 South Wacker Drive

Forsk (China Office) Suite 302, 3/F, West Tower,

Atoll 2.8.3 User Manual Release AT283_UML_E1

About the Atoll User Documentation

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Atoll User Manual

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The Working Environment .................................................................................................... 15

The Atoll Work Area .................................................................................................................... 15

Atoll User Manual

Working with Data Tables .........................................................................................................43

Saving Information Displayed in the Event Viewer........................................................................... 76

Starting an Atoll Project .......................................................................................................... 83

Before Starting a Radio-Planning Project ......................................................................... 83

Managing Geographic Data ................................................................................................ 99

Geographic Data Types ............................................................................................................ 99

Clutter Classes............................................................................................................................. 108

Contours, Lines, and Points .................................................................................................. 111

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Atoll User Manual

Geographic Data Sets...............................................................................................................120

Antennas and Equipment.....................................................................................................131

Working With Antennas............................................................................................................131

Managing Calculations in Atoll ........................................................................................141

Working with Propagation Models ......................................................................................141

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The ITU 1546 Propagation Model .................................................................................................. 154

LTE Networks................................................................................................................................ 179

Designing an LTE Network .................................................................................................... 179

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Atoll User Manual

Studying Base Stations ...................................................................................................................203

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Viewing Optimisation Results Using the Histogram.................................................................. 329

Verifying Network Capacity ................................................................................................... 329

Glossary of LTE Terms ............................................................................................................ 372

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Atoll User Manual

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Chapter 1: The Working Environment

The Working Environment

"The Atoll Work Area" on page 15

The Atoll Work Area

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Atoll User Manual

Document window (map)

Point Analysis window

Working with Document Windows

Select Window > Tile.

To cascade document windows:

Select Window > Cascade.

Docking or Floating an Atoll Window

On the View menu, select the name of the window.

To minimise a window in its docking area:

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Chapter 1: The Working Environment

The Explorer Window

"Working with the Explorer Window Tabs" on page 17