Comparison of Atoll & Planet for LTE Planning

Version 1.0

Date 16.9.2009

Edited by Tao Wan

Comments First version

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Introduction
This document is trying to compare the basic capabilities between Forsk Atoll 2.8.0 and Mentum Planet 5.0 for LTE planning. Only the single PC operation is considered. The comparison is on the following based on designing a small cluster using these tools Network settings MIMO handling Perform coverage prediction studies Perform Monte Carlo simulation

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Summary
ATOLL PLANET

Software Installation

Easy and fast

More difficult and take much more time

Easy Easy Depending on MapInfo

Project Setup Create Easy a new project Project Setup Import Easy an existing project Dependence on 3rd party products No

Learn how to use the tool

Algorithms for the tool
Soc Classification level 3 Nokia Siemens Networks

Easy
Available

More effort needed

Not available

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Summary
ATOLL FDD mode and carrier/channel definition Antenna Import Propagation Model Exchange data with Excel Easy PLANET Easy

More options Support more types of models Easier, but multiple tables have to be exported one by one

Accept only .paf format Asset model is not supported yet More difficult, but entire project can be exported once

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Network Settings

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LTE Bearer Definition

ATOLL All bearers are supported PLANET Bearers with bits/symber < 0.5 are not supported. The min value for bits/symbol is 0.5.

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Bearer Link Adaptation Table

ATOLL An SINR threshold is defined for each bearer, each mobility type, each mode (SISO, SIMO, MIMO TxDiv, MIMO SM) in DL and UL. PLANET An SINR threshold is defined for each bearer, each mobility type, each mode (SISO, SIMO, MIMO TxDiv, MIMO SM) in DL and UL.

For each bearer, the SINR threshold SINR threshold for BLER, BER for BLER, BER can also be defined. cannot also be defined.

MIMO SM gain and TxDiv gain can be defined for each bearer

MIMO SM gain and TxDiv gain can be defined for each bearer

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Scheduler for Monte Carlo Simulation

ATOLL More options available: each column below has multiple options PLANET Less Flexiable: 2 options only. Scheduler none only allocate minimum resource to each UE

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Cell and UE Equipment

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Site/Cell Settings
ATOLL Power Settings RS power offset can be set; SCH & PBCH power offset can be set Transmitter Each sector antenna can be Location located differently from the site location Tx/Rx loss Can be calculated by tool based on site configuration or entered manually DL loading Can be defined for coverage and UL prediction purpose noise rise PLANET RS power offset can be set

All sector antennas must be located in the same location as the site Calculated by tool based on site configuration
Can be defined for coverage prediction purpose

Soc Classification level 10 Nokia Siemens Networks

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Other Parameters
ATOLL Terminal Type Multiple UEs with different capabilities (ex. # of Tx or Rx antennas, supported bearers in UL and DL) can be defined Service Service priority, traffic Type demand are defined for each service Subscriber For each subscriber type, the Type used terminal, service usage are defined Mobility Mobility can be defined explicitly PLANET Multiple UEs with different capabilities (ex. # of Tx or Rx antennas, supported bearers in UL and DL) can be defined Service priority, traffic demand, and QoS class are defined for each service For each subscriber type, the used terminal, service usage are defined Mobility cannot be defined explicitly, but it can be included implicitly in bearer definition

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MIMO Handling
ATOLL Transmit Diversity Easy to use PLANET Easy to use Easy to use

Spatial Easy to use Multiplexing

AMS

A bug exists, which will be fixed in later release

Working properly
Method 1 is difficult to implement; Method 2 is easy to implement Introduces errors for DL average data rate layer

AMS work Easy to implement around for NSN* Accuracy of Accurate AMS work around*
* See <LTE_RF_Planning_Planet Vx.x.ppt>
Soc Classification level 12 Nokia Siemens Networks Presentation / Author / Date

Coverage Prediction and Statistics

Prediction Type Define the Area for Prediction ATOLL Can be defined individually. More options are available PLANET Can be selected only from a list of pre-defined predictions

The area is defined by a The area can be the computer polygon, which can be drawn screen, or be defined by a grid easily file Each step level from start to end must be specified. More difficult to use. Display the coverage for entire range only Table or Histogram

Range and Easily performed by Interval specifying the START, END Definition and STEP SIZE Display Prediction Statistics Can display coverage for each specified level Table or Histogram

UL CINR

UL power control is assumed No UL power control. SINR is so that the SINR is upper based on max UE power limited by the threshold for the highest MCS
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Monte Carlo Simulation and Statistics

ATOLL Define Area The area is defined by a for polygon, which can be Simulation drawn easily Statistics More information available. Info for each individual mobile is available PLANET The area can be the computer screen, or be defined by a grid file Less information available. Info for individual mobile is not available

UL Loading and Noise Rise

Traffic Map

More reasonable

Noise Rise is too low (<0.2 dB when average loading>60%)

More effort needed for new users

Easy to create

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Monte Carlo Simulation

ATOLL Mobiles not served (all dots) are intended to be everywhere PLANET
Mobiles not served (black dots only) are concentrated in weak coverage area

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Summary
While a conclusion is required for comparison in general, we are trying to avoid it due to the limited tests on the 2 tools. However, in general it is believed that Atoll 2.8.0

Easy to use for new users Easy to create statistics MC simulation results are more reasonable Users have better understanding the tools due to the availability of all algorithms and formulas More difficult to use for new users More difficult to create statistics MC simulation results (UL noise rise) seems not reasonable The tool is harder to understood due to the unavailability of all algorithms and formulas

Planet 5.0.0.230

Soc Classification level 16 Nokia Siemens Networks

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