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Comparison of Atoll & Planet for LTE Planning

Version Date Edited by Comments1.0 16.9.2009 Tao Wan 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

Project Setup – Create a new project

Easy Easy

Project Setup – Import an existing project

Easy Easy

Dependence on 3rd party products

No Depending on MapInfo

Learn how to use the tool

Easy More effort needed

Algorithms for the tool Available Not available

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Summary

ATOLL PLANET

FDD mode and carrier/channel definition

Easy Easy

Antenna Import More options Accept only .paf format

Propagation Model Support more types of models

Asset model is not supported yet

Exchange data with Excel

Easier, but multiple tables have to be exported one by one

More difficult, but entire project can be exported once

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Network Settings

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LTE Bearer Definition

ATOLL PLANET

All bearers are supported 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 PLANET

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

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 for BLER, BER can also be defined.

SINR threshold for BLER, BER 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 PLANET

More options available: each column below has multiple options

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 PLANET

Power Settings

RS power offset can be set;

SCH & PBCH power offset can be set

RS power offset can be set

Transmitter Location

Each sector antenna can be located differently from the site location

All sector antennas must be located in the same location as the site

Tx/Rx loss Can be calculated by tool based on site configuration or entered manually

Calculated by tool based on site configuration

DL loading and UL noise rise

Can be defined for coverage prediction purpose

Can be defined for coverage prediction purpose

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Other Parameters

ATOLL PLANET

Terminal Type

Multiple UEs with different capabilities (ex. # of Tx or Rx antennas, supported bearers in UL and DL) can be defined

Multiple UEs with different capabilities (ex. # of Tx or Rx antennas, supported bearers in UL and DL) can be defined

Service Type

Service priority, traffic demand are defined for each service

Service priority, traffic demand, and QoS class are defined for each service

Subscriber Type

For each subscriber type, the used terminal, service usage are defined

For each subscriber type, the used terminal, service usage are defined

Mobility Mobility can be defined explicitly

Mobility cannot be defined explicitly, but it can be included implicitly in bearer definition

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MIMO Handling

ATOLL PLANET

Transmit Diversity

Easy to use Easy to use

Spatial Multiplexing

Easy to use Easy to use

AMS A bug exists, which will be fixed in later release

Working properly

AMS work around for NSN*

Easy to implement Method 1 is difficult to implement; Method 2 is easy to implement

Accuracy of AMS work around*

Accurate Introduces errors for DL average data rate layer

* See <LTE_RF_Planning_Planet Vx.x.ppt>

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Coverage Prediction and Statistics

ATOLL PLANET

Prediction Type

Can be defined individually. More options are available

Can be selected only from a list of pre-defined predictions

Define the Area for Prediction

The area is defined by a polygon, which can be drawn easily

The area can be the computer screen, or be defined by a grid file

Range and Interval Definition

Easily performed by specifying the START, END and STEP SIZE

Each step level from start to end must be specified. More difficult to use.

Display Prediction

Can display coverage for each specified level

Display the coverage for entire range only

Statistics Table or Histogram Table or Histogram

UL CINR UL power control is assumed so that the SINR is upper limited by the threshold for the highest MCS

No UL power control. SINR is based on max UE power

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Monte Carlo Simulation and Statistics

ATOLL PLANET

Define Area for Simulation

The area is defined by a polygon, which can be drawn easily

The area can be the computer screen, or be defined by a grid file

Statistics More information available. Info for each individual mobile is available

Less information available. Info for individual mobile is not available

UL Loading and Noise Rise

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

Traffic Map Easy to create More effort needed for new users

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Monte Carlo Simulation

ATOLL PLANET

Mobiles not served (all dots) are intended to be everywhere

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

• Planet 5.0.0.230– 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