IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. 41, NO.

3, AUGUST 1998

203

Educational Cellular Radio

Network Planning Software Tool
Fernando P rez-Font n, Member, IEEE, and Jos Mara Hernando R banos
e
a
e

Abstract In this paper an educational software tool

(CELLPLAN) is presented. This tool is used to illustrate to
telecommunications engineering students the different steps
typically followed in the planning of cellular radio networks. The
software tool described in this paper simulates the procedures
and algorithms implemented in professional planning tools in
a simplied way. The major difference being that no actual
terrain information (Digital Terrain Model) is used in the
simulations but rather a generic terrain conguration is
assumed. The availability of this simulation tool in the classroom
gives fth-year telecommunications engineering students the
opportunity to tackle realistic cellular network design cases as
if they were in a real engineering ofce.
Index TermsCellular network planning, educational software
tool, mobile communications.

I. INTRODUCTION

ELLULAR networks [1] are nowadays one of the fastest

growing telecommunications systems around the world.
Networks following analog and digital standards are being
deployed in almost every country. A well-known example is
that of the GSM cellular system in Europe.
There is a need for telecommunications engineering students
to develop a solid background in this eld. Telecommunications engineering curricula take into account this fact and
provide students with a range of subjects covering most aspects
of this engineering eld. In this paper, an educational software
tool is presented that is being used in a graduate course on Mobile Communications at Vigo University Telecommunications
Engineering School (Spain).
Cellular planning is a rather complex issue in which a large
number of concepts must be mastered in order to be able
to optimize this type of networks in a highly competitive
environment. An inadequate coverage, a high probability of
blocked or dropped-out calls, low transmission quality, etc.,
will certainly make subscribers of a badly planned network
turn to another service provider.
Cellular planning involves a thorough knowledge of propagation effects in different types of scenarios: urban, suburban,
wooded areas, open areas, etc. Propagation effects are exManuscript received May 4, 1995; revised February 23, 1998.
F. P rez-Font n is with ETS de Ingenieros de Telecomunicacion, Dee
a
partment of Communications Technologies, University of Vigo, Campus
Universitario, E-36200 Vigo, Spain (e-mail: fpfontan@tsc.uvigo.es).
J. M. H. R banosis is with ETS de Ingenieros de Telecomunicacion,
a
Department SSR, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria,
E-28040 Madrid, Spain (e-mail: hernando@grc.ssr.upm.es).
Publisher Item Identier S 0018-9359(98)05722-7.

tremely variable with the position along the mobile terminal

route. This necessitates the use of statistical denitions for both
coverage and interference quality. Teletrafc computations
must also be performed in order to allocate to each base station
a sufcient number of trafc radio channels to handle the
demand in the area (cell) served by it. The trafc-handling
capability of a base station is also expressed in statistical
terms by dening an acceptable Grade of Service (GOS)
or probability of blocked calls. Another aspect that requires
attention is adequate selection of carrier frequencies used
in every base station in order to keep interference below
acceptable limits.
As has been described earlier, cellular network planning is a
complicated matter and, in some cases, students may lose track
of the whole planning procedure if this is explained to them
only using conventional classroom methodologies. That is the
reason why the use of computerized tools was considered as
complementary material in the teaching of cellular planning
issues.
Also, it is well known that cellular-phone operators use
software planning tools to help in this complicated task. It
was decided that an educational software tool was to be
built implementing most procedures and algorithms found in
such professional software tools. These tools are extremely
expensive and make use of expensive Digital Terrain Models
as input data. It was considered that such tools could not
be afforded by the University and that simplied software
packages would do just as well.
The software tool described in this paper simulates the
working procedures implemented in professional planning
tools ([2][4], etc.). The availability of this software in the
classroom gives the students the opportunity to study realistic
cellular network design cases as if they were in a real engineering ofce. The authors are not aware of a similar educational
software tool following an approach like the one described in
this paper.
The rst version of the program was fully developed under
MATLAB 4 for WINDOWS. It was found that this environment was very useful for carrying out a feasibility study
of such a software tool given the helpful menu generation,
graphic, and statistical features built into MATLAB. Soon it
was found that if large networks were to be simulated other
alternatives should be sought. The software was optimized by
writing some program routines in C language (.MEX les).
With this approach, networks of up to 50 base stations could
be handled within reasonable time spans: approximately, 15
to 25 min.

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It must be pointed out here that professional planning tools

take much longer computation times to carry out the same
tasks. In some cases, computation requires one full day, and
computers are often left to run overnight. This is due to the fact
that their propagation studies use detailed terrain information
in the form of Digital Terrain Models.
Presently, two versions of the original package are available
by contacting either author; one runs under MATLAB 4
including some C routines as indicated above and the other
version was written in TURBO PASCAL language under DOS.
Both versions can be used in a very straightforward way since
they provide pull-down menus where all commands to carry
out the different phases of the planning process can be easily
found (menus are available both in Spanish and English).
Learning how to use CELLPLAN is a fairly easy task. A
menu-driven program like the one being described here greatly
simplies the learning process which will take a couple of
hours in front of the computer after a general overview of the
program features and its structure have been provided by the
teaching personnel. Furthermore, already nalized examples
are available on the computer hard disk that can be loaded to
see what the nal outcome of the program should look like.
Several alternatives are being considered at the moment
for the upgrade of the tool. One basic requirement is that
the program should fully run under Windows. One possible
alternative is to write the whole package in C or PASCAL
language. A preferred alternative is to use the compilation
options of MATLAB 5. In this case, all the development
advantages offered by MATLAB 5 will still be available for
the easy introduction of new features to the program.
Additionally, new features available in second-generation
cellular systems like GSM, for example, discontinuous transmission, power control, slow frequency hopping, etc., are
being considered for implementation in new versions of this
software tool.
II. INPUT DATA USED IN PROFESSIONAL
CELLULAR PLANNING TOOLS
When planning cellular networks such as AMPS, TACS,
NMT, GSM, etc., propagation computations are of paramount
importance. For such calculations the basic input le required
is one describing terrain irregularity. This type of le is
known as Terrain Database (TDB) or Digital Terrain Model
(DTM). These les are grid-oriented, describing the terrain
as a regular mesh of height samples. The resolution of these
50 to
databases may vary, with values ranging from 50
1000 m .
1000
Other input data les are those which describe the landusage or environmental characteristics of the area being studied: urban, suburban, rural, etc. This information is necessary
to evaluate the extra losses caused by the surrounding environment. These additional losses are due to the fact that mobile
antennas are low (1.5 to 3 m) compared to the surrounding
environmental features, that cause blockage or shadowing
events when the mobile terminal travels behind a building, a
tree, or any other feature in the vicinity of the mobile terminal.
Environment information is contained in les known
as Land-Usage Databases (LUDB) or Morphostructure

TABLE I
TYPICAL LAND-USAGE CLASSIFICATION

Fig. 1. Road and trafc demand maps.

Databases (MDB). In Table I, a typical land-usage classication [2] used in professional planning tools is shown.
Finally, maps containing the forecast trafc demand are
necessary in order to supply more radio channels to those areas
with higher demand (urban areas) than to areas with smaller
demand (rural areas). Files containing such information are
known as Trafc Databases (TrDB).
The educational software tool described in this paper does
not consider a specic region where a cellular network is to
be deployed but, rather, a generic or imaginary region
is assumed. In the examples presented throughout this paper
120 km has been considered. This
a study area of 120
approach does not require the use of TDBs as input les. This
greatly reduces the data load to be handled by the simulation
program. Still, the same principles and planning algorithms
may be used without loss of generality.
In order to account for the terrain inuence on radio
propagation, random laws are introduced which try to model
the decay of the received signal with distance from each base
station.
The study area may be congured at users will by introducing a road map le showing the main cities, roads, borders,
administrative boundary lines, etc. Finally, by dening a
trafc demand map or Trafc Database (TrDB) with different
densities expressed in Erlangs per square kilometer, the study
region is completely specied.
Fig. 1 represents an example of such a region where a
network planning exercise will be carried out to illustrate the
software output plots (Section IV). In the gure, the main

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Fig. 2. Program ow diagram.

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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. 41, NO. 3, AUGUST 1998

TABLE II
CELLULAR NETWORK PLANNING STEPS

installed base stations, that is, the Grade of Service (GOS) is

below the quality standard established for the network
GOS

roads, towns, and boundary (administrative) lines are shown

together with a trafc map.
In order to reduce the need to handle large data les, instead
of using a separate Morphostructure Database (MDB), the
information contained in the Trafc Database is supplied to the
propagation simulation algorithms. In this way, for example,
high-demand areas are associated to dense urban areas and low
trafc demand areas are associated to open areas. Intermediate
density areas are assumed to be suburban areas.
III. CELLULAR NETWORK PLANNING STEPS
In this section the main algorithms implemented in the
educational software are described. The program structure is
also presented in some detail. Cellular network design may
be divided into several phases which are listed in Table II. In
Fig. 2 a sketch of the ow diagram of the simulator is shown.
Several preliminary studies may be carried out in order
to dene the adequate cell radius, transmitter power, etc., at
the start-up phase. A cellular spreadsheet is built into the
program so that several radii, number of channels per cell,
etc., are tested for a given average trafc demand.
At program start-up two menu options are available:
Start the design of a NEW NETWORK.
Introduce a new base stations in an EXISTING NETWORK.
If the rst option is selected, a road map and a trafc map
must be input as well as a set of basic network parameters
(Global Parameters, Table III). Then, the rst base station
can be dened. A set of base station specic parameters must
be dened at this point (Table III). The process may continue
with the denition of another base station, the recomputation
of all affected network parameters and the storage of the
new network conguration. Network planning can continue
with the deployment of new base stations some time later
in another planning session (LOAD EXISTING NETWORK
menu option). This simulates the temporal evolution of a
network in which, as new subscribers use the network, new
base stations must be added.
Also, Mobile Station parameters have to be input to the
program. Each network simulation can only be carried out for
a single type of mobile terminal (vehicle-mounted, hand-held
portable, etc.).
A. Denition of a New base station
In the denition of a new base station step a location is
chosen where no cellular coverage is available or a large trafc
demand is detected which cannot be handled by the currently

of blocked calls

Blocked call in this context means that all available trafc

radio-channels in a given base station are each handling a
communication and, thus, no channel can be used to accept
a new call.
Two methods may be used when selecting the sites for new
base stations. One follows as much as possible the geometric
approach of the classical cellular hexagonal geometry [1] with
some location tolerance. Following this approach, when great
trafc demand is found in a given area, the cell splitting
technique can be used. The program overlays the classical
hexagon geometrical pattern on the simulated planning region
where the cellular network is being deployed. This overlaid
information may be followed to position all new base stations.
Several cellular patterns are available with cell clusters [1]
with different numbers of cells, both omnidirectional and
directive (sector) (Fig. 3).
The other possible approach would be to place base stations
without following a regular pattern. This is in fact what
happens in most real-life situations. Planning engineers usually
take into account the local characteristics of the area where the
base station will be installed using a good knowledge of the
area and their own engineering experience.
B. Propagation Studies
Once a new base station has been placed in the study area
and its parameters set (power, gain, antenna pattern, effective
height, etc.) a propagation study must be simulated. In order
to account for the terrain irregularity and other factors without
using a Terrain Database (TDB) le, some randomness must
be introduced in the process so that cells with irregular shapes
are generated, thus simulating different terrain congurations.
The propagation law used is the classical power law approach [5]

where is the propagation loss in linear units and may range

from for free space conditions to nearly for urban area
conditions. The exponent is varied randomly inside the program (without user control) with azimuth in order to simulate
terrain effects on propagation. Moreover, a Gaussian variable
is superposed on the path loss values obtained by using the
propagation law in order to simulate locations variability
due to shadowing/blockage effects and, thus, provide more
realistic propagation computations.
In order to account for clutter losses the Trafc Map is
used as if it were a Morphostructure Database. Additional
mean losses associated to different trafc environments (ur)
[5] are included in the
ban, suburban, rural,
computations.
The received power model for a given location follows the
expression

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TABLE III
NETWORK PARAMETERS: GLOBAL, BASE,

AND

207

MOBILE STATION

where the surface element is located. In the program described

in this paper, for simplicity, a single locations variability value
of 6 dB is assumed for all surface elements.
The consideration of the locations variability parameter allows the computation of coverage and carrier-to-interference
values for different probability levels. For example, in
Fig. 5 a coverage plot is shown for 50% of locations and, in
Fig. 8, a coverage plot for 90% of locations is shown for the
same base station. It can clearly be observed how the coverage
area is dramatically reduced if a higher locations probability
is specied.
C. Cell Boundaries

Fig. 3. Overlaid cellular pattern for assistance in positioning new base

stations.

where is a constant related to the transmitter power and the

propagation conditions, is the propagation exponent,
represents the mean additional clutter losses, and
is
the Gaussian variate mentioned above. The propagation law is
schematically illustrated in Fig. 4.
For the computation of base station coverages and interference levels, elementary surface elements or prediction
pixels are dened. In this case, and in order to lower the
500 m were
computational load, surface elements of 500
dened for the example shown in Section IV. Normally,
greater resolutions [2][4] are used in practical planning tools
(250
250, 200
200, 100
100,
m ).
Received power levels are computed for each surface element as shown in Fig. 5. In the gure, the simulated terrain
irregularity effects may be clearly observed. Fig. 6 shows
another cell shape produced by the randomization mechanism
described above.
For each base station a received power le is created which
spans over all prediction pixels in the study region (in the
examples, 120 120 m ). Fig. 7 illustrates the structure of the
received power les for the different base stations introduced
in the simulation together with the input les. Pixel-wise
operations may be performed with this data arrangement not
only for propagation calculations but also for cell boundary
computations, interference assessment, etc.
The received power computed for any base station at any
surface pixel may be interpreted as the median value of a
Gaussian distribution with a locations variability (standard
which depends on the type of environment
deviation)

The following stage in the design of a cellular network is

the denition of cell boundaries. This is shown in Fig. 9(a)
and (b) where it can be observed how the introduction of a
new cell completely changes the shapes of other base stations
previously installed in the area.
Cell boundary denition is a rather complicated issue. It
may be dened in terms of the surface elements belonging to
a given cell. This is the deterministic approach that is followed
in the tool described here where each surface element belongs
to only one cell.
However, each surface element (pixel) may be dened in
terms of the probabilities of a mobile in that particular surface
element being assigned to the different base stations [2] in the
cellular network. In this way, a surface element could belong
to several neighboring cells with different probabilities.
Other parameters inuencing cell denition are, for example, the hand-off algorithm, the power control mechanism,
the type of terminal (vehicle-mounted, hand-held), etc. In the
examples presented in this paper a single mobile terminal type
(vehicle-mounted) is used for all computed examples (Section
IV).
In this simulator a very simple approach to the identication
of cell elements (pixels) was adopted: a surface element
belongs to the cell providing the highest received signal level
(best server). This computation is carried out on a pixel-bypixel basis (Fig. 7) by deciding, for every elementary surface
element (pixel), what base station provides the highest received
power.
D. Number of Radio Channels Required
At this point, the number of radio channels required must
be assessed in order to guarantee the Grade Of Service (GOS)
(blocking probability) established as the network quality standard. The procedure implemented to carry out this computation

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Fig. 4. Propagation model including random variations.

Fig. 5. Random cell shape produced by the program for 50% of locations
coverage probability.

Fig. 7. Input les, received power les, results les. Pixel-wise operations.

E. Frequency Assignments

Fig. 6. Another random cell shape produced by the program.

is the integration of the trafc densities in the TrDB for the

new cell. Once the total number of Erlangs for the new cell is
computed, the number of channels required by the new cell is
computed using the Erlang B formula [6] (Fig. 10).

The next step consists on the frequency assignment phase.

Two options are again offered to the planning engineer, in this
case, a student using the simulator. One option is to follow the
standard cellular approach [1] using clusters, sets of channels,
and channel groups for large and small cells when splitting is
used. An alternative is to use heuristic techniques based on
the evaluation of a compatibility matrix [2], [7]. The compatibility matrix contains the distance expressed in number of
channels required for any cell pair. This matrix may be used
then as an input to a heuristic frequency assignment algorithm
[7]. Table IV illustrates the structure of a compatibility matrix.

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STRUCTURE

209

TABLE IV
COMPATIBILITY MATRIX

OF A

Fig. 8. Random cell shape produced by the program for 90% of locations
coverage probability.

12). Simpler criteria may be used to evaluate the cell-to-cell

compatibility matrix elements in order to reduce computation
time. The program provides the following criteria:

(a)

closest interfering point;

worst surface element;
worst interference pixels;
average of the
pixel-by-pixel study (Figs. 11 and 12).

The heuristic frequency assignment algorithm [7] implemented in the software carries out a channel ordering
procedure in terms of the difculty of a channel being assigned
in previous iterations. Those channels having failed to be
assigned are always assigned rst when a new iteration starts.
F. Verication of Overall Network Quality

(b)
Fig. 9. (a) Cell boundaries with three base stations. (b) Cell boundaries with
four base stations.

represents the required separation in number of channels

represents the channel distance within the
for cells and .
same base station which will be dependent on the selectivity of
the transmitter combining equipment. In this way, a separation
of channels would mean that the same channels can be used
in both base stations, a separation of would mean that for
the two base stations considered a minimum separation of one
channel is required to keep interference below an acceptable
threshold, and so on.
Several criteria are available for the evaluation of the
compatibility matrix. If a protection ratio threshold
is dened, a thorough study would include a pixel-by-pixel
ratio both in the Base-to-Mobile (downevaluation of the
link) and Mobile-to-Base (up-link) directions (Figs. 11 and

At this point, all planning steps have been completed

except for a verication of the network quality, i.e., the
percentage of locations for which adequate coverage and
carrier-to-interference levels are guaranteed and if the total
GOS is within acceptable limits. In the next paragraphs,
the procedure for the evaluation of interference effects from
multiple sources is summarized in some detail.
Interference sources reaching an elementary surface element
are multiple (Fig. 13) and the evaluation of the statistics of the
power sum of all interference sources is not straightforward.
parameter must be evaluated for all surface elThe
ements. A Gaussian distribution may be assumed for the
received interference power from each interferer , where
is expressed in logarithmic units (dBm). The power sum,
(mW). If
however, must be evaluated in linear units,
follows a Gaussian distribution, then
will follow a lognormal distribution
(dBm)

(mW)

What is sought is the evaluation of the statistics of

It is assumed that the overall interference

expressed in
logarithmic units follows a Gaussian distribution
Normal
The detailed procedure for the evaluation of the statistics of
Normal
can be found in [8].

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Fig. 10.

Pixel-by-pixel evaluation of the total trafc demand in a cell.

Fig. 11.

Cell compatibility study. Up-link.

Finally, for the evaluation of the statistics of the carrierfor each surface element, knowing
to-interference ratio
that the statistics of the wanted signal are also Gaussian
Normal
the following procedure is used:
Normal

This multiple interference algorithm is only evaluated for the

down-link direction for simplicity. Coverage and interference
evaluation for all pixels in the study
maps are shown after
region. Also, overall network and cell-by-cell interference
statistics are provided by the program. Other statistical studies
are also provided by the program; for example, the number of
times the available channels are reused, etc.

where
IV. EXAMPLE OF CELLULAR NETWORK DESIGN
and

In this section several output plots produced by the program

are presented. The input scenario was already depicted in
Fig. 1, where both the road map (plus towns, administrative

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Fig. 12.

Cell compatibility study. Down-link.

Fig. 13.

211

Multiple interference statistics assessment on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

Fig. 14. Location of base stations.

lines, etc.) and the trafc demand map are shown. In order
to place the base stations, a seven-cell cluster pattern with
omnidirectional antennas was overlaid on the study area for
guidance. For those sections of the planning area with larger
trafc densities split cells were introduced (Fig. 3). Fig. 14
shows the actual location of the input base stations and Fig. 15
shows the best server plot for the different cell sites. Frequency
assignments were made using the heuristic technique described
in [7].
In Fig. 16, an interference plot map is presented overlaid on
the road map for reference. Computations have been made for
the whole network in the down-link direction. Fig. 17 presents
the interference statistics for one cell in the form of a histogram
with the number of pixels in the cell with a given
value. Fig. 18 shows a whole network coverage plot overlaid
on the road map for reference. In this example, coverage is
guaranteed for more than 90% of the area considered and more
than 90% of the total trafc demand.

The program may also produce channel usage histograms,

tables with the number of channels and which ones are used
in each cell, as well as several other network performance
statistics.
V. BRIEF PROGRAM USAGE DESCRIPTION
In this section a brief description is given of the different menu options available in the program and how they
are related. This will further illustrate how the software
package operates. Three captured computer screens showing
examples of the user-friendly menu system are illustrated
in Figs. 1921. The main menu options are: FILE, BASE
STATION, NETWORK, and QUALITY. The most important options available in the pull-down menu system are
summarized in Tables V-A and V-B.
All simulations must start and nish by selecting the main
menu option FILE. To introduce/remove/edit a base station

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TABLE V-A
MAIN PULL-DOWN MENU OPTIONS: FILE

area surface element (pixel) as well as tables summarizing the

overall and cell-by-cell quality of the network.
From this information, it may be concluded that parameter
changes in a given base station or the introduction of new
base stations may be required to achieve the desired network
quality. This is done by going back to the BASE STATION
option in the main menu, thus going back to the beginning of
the planning cycle:
BASE STATION

NETWORK

QUALITY
BASE STATION

Fig. 15.

Cells in the simulated network.

the BASE STATION option must be activated. This option

includes the realization of a propagation study from the
new base station. A modication in the cellular network, for
example, the introduction of a new base station, requires the
recalculation of all major network parameters. This is achieved
by selecting the option NETWORK which will preform the
computation of cell boundaries, RF channel requirements,
compatibility matrix, and frequency assignment.
Finally, to verify whether the coverage, interference and
GOS quality is acceptable the QUALITY option must be
activated. This option allows the visualization of network maps
showing coverage, interference and GOS levels for each study

A cellular network planning exercise will start with a blank

study area where no base stations are yet dened. The study
area may be congured by dening a number of roads, towns,
and geographic and administrative limits. Finally, a trafc
demand map shall be input. This trafc demand map will
include a background trafc level. Higher trafc demand areas
can be dened around towns and roads by means of polygons
drawn on the screen with the aid of the mouse.
Each network simulation will start by dening a number of
global parameters as indicated in the previous sections which
include the frequency band, the number of available channels,
coverage, interference and GOS objectives, etc.
A simulation may be carried out in different sessions. In an
initial session, the global network parameters, maps, etc., and,
possibly, some base stations may be introduced in the network
being planned. This planning exercise may be stored (CLOSE
NETWORK) on the computer hard disk to be continued at
a later time.
When a new base station (main menu BASE STATION
option) is introduced in the network (its position, parameters,

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TABLE V-B
MAIN PULL-DOWN MENU OPTIONS: BASE STATION, NETWORK,

Fig. 16.

AND

213

QUALITY

Network C=I > Rpth plot for two locations probability levels.

etc.) the NETWORK menu option has to be run again to

recalculate all network base stations interrelations and, also the
QUALITY menu option must be called up again to observe
what is the new network quality level in terms of coverage, interference, and GOS probability both at cell and network level.
The program implements a simple Modication Flag System that keeps track of changes carried out in the network,

thus keeping track of Network Conguration changes. For

example, a base station power (EDIT BASE STATION)
may be reduced to allow cell-splitting or a base station
may be converted from omnidirectional to directive (sector)
(EDIT BASE STATION) or even a base station may be
completely removed (REMOVE BASE STATION). Other
modications that will trigger the Modication Flag System

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Fig. 17.

Cell C=I statistics.

Fig. 18.

Coverage plot for two locations probability levels.

Fig. 19.

CELLPLAN welcome window and main menu.

Fig. 20. FILE, NEW NETWORK, LOAD EXISTING MAP menu option.

will be the introduction of a new trafc demand map (NEW

NETWORK).
These are all realistic events that may occur throughout
network roll-out. For example, a trafc estimation made prior

to network deployment will most certainly be different from

observed values during network operation. Even during the
lifetime of the network, trafc variations will surely happen.

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PEREZ-FONTAN AND RABANOS: EDUCATIONAL CELLULAR RADIO NETWORK PLANNING SOFTWARE TOOL

215

REFERENCES

Fig. 21. FILE, NEW NETWORK, LOAD EXISTING MAP menu option
(continued).

When the modication ag is activated an indication is

made to the program operator that several items have to
be recalculated: cell boundaries, RF channel requirements,
(NETWORK) and nally all network quality parameters
(QUALITY).
VI. CONCLUSIONS
An educational software tool for the simulation of the
engineering steps in the design of a radio cellular network has
been presented. Future telecommunications engineers have the
opportunity of simulating the complete process in the design
of a cellular network since the tool provides the most common
features found in professional planning tools used by network
operators and consultants. The tool implements relevant algorithms which radio engineers must be familiar with such as
multiple interference statistics evaluation, compatibility matrix
development, and heuristic frequency-assignment techniques,
classical cellular layouts, propagation statistics, tele-trafc
theory, etc. This tool is being successfully used in a graduate
course on mobile communications at the Telecommunications
Engineering School, University of Vigo, Spain.

[1] V. H. Mac Donald, The cellular concept, Bell Syst. Tech. J., vol. 58,
no. 1, pp. 1541, Jan. 1979.
[2] M. Kruger and R. Beck, GRANDA program system for radio
network planning, PKI Tech. J., vol. 1, pp. 712, 1991.
[3] A. Bajwa, Cellular radio planning tools, in Cellular Radio Systems, D.
M. Balston and R. C. D. Macario, Eds. Norwood, MA: Artech House,
1993, ch. 11.
[4] J. Kaarre and T. Kajamaa, MONICA. A program for cellular network
planning and data management, Telecom Finland (Mobile Telephone
Services), Aug. 13, 1990.
[5] H. Hata, Empirical formula for propagation loss in land mobile radio
services, IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol., vol. VT-29, pp. 317325, 1980.
[6] W. C. Y. Lee, Mobile Communications Design Fundamentals. New
York: Wiley, 1993, ch. 8.
[7] F. Box, A heuristic technique for assigning frequencies to mobile radio
nets, IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol., vol. VT-27, pp. 5764, May 1978.
[8] S. C. Schwartz and Y. S. Yeh, On the distribution and moments of
power sums with log-normal components, Bell Syst. Tech.nical J., vol.
61, no. 7, pp. 14411463, Sept. 1982.

Fernando P rez-Font n (M95) received the telecommunications engineere

a
ing degree from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, in 1982
and the Ph.D. degree from the same university in 1992.
He has been with the Department of Communications Technologies, University of Vigo, Spain, since 1988. His main interests are in the eld of radio
propagation modeling for terrestrial-mobile and land-mobile satellite systems.
Currently, he participates in different European Space Agency Projects and in
the Euro-COST 255 Action Propagation modeling for new SatCom services
at
-band and above.

Ku

Jos Mara Hernando R banos received the telecommunications engineering

e

a
degree from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, in 1967 and
the Ph.D. degree from the same university in 1970.
He was with the ITT Research Laboratories (Madrid) from 1967 to 1969.
From 1970 to 1977, he was with the Communications Department of Iberia
Airlines of Spain, where he was engaged in the planning and design of
land-mobile and air-to-ground radiocommunication networks. In 1977, he
returned to the Polytechnic University of Madrid as a Full Professor in the
Radiocommunications Department, where he has been working in the eld
of cellular network planning and the development of computerized planning
tools for digital cellular networks.

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