Calibration of a radio network simulation tool for UMTS

As power is the resource shared on both UMTS uplink and downlink, a simulation-based approach must be adopted more closely to estimate the users' perceived quality of service. Previous work at the University of Bristol (Vernon (2001)) has proposed a Web-enabled distributed approach to UMTS radio network planning. Software written in the Java programming language is run on multiple Web browsers; users requiring network planning resources can run simulations using surplus processing power on other users' workstations, accessed remotely over the Internet. This paper demonstrates how the planning tool was set up to simulate a real-world scenario. Using vector channel sounding data obtained from a MeDaV transmit-receive assembly interfaced to an Allgon-provided eight element array antenna, scatterer angle-delay-intensity plots were obtained for a number of test locations in Bristol city centre. Using the data obtained from combining a number of plots, the propagation characteristics between source, scatterers and receiver for the area under test may be obtained. Calibration of the planning tool for areal density of scatterers and power coupling into and out of scattering centres can then be performed.