Algorithmic Approach for Strategic Cell Tower Placement

The increasing number of cell phone users and the usage of cell phones in remote areas have demanded the network service providers to increase their coverage and extend it to all places. Cost of placing a cell tower depends on the height and location, and as it can be very expensive, they have to be placed strategically to minimize the cost. The research aims to find a simple implementable algorithm which effectively determines the strategic positions of the cell towers. Given a satellite image and population density, and obtaining topographical information from GIS (Geographic Information Systems), potential tower locations can be determined. Applying the proposed three stage algorithm, out of many potential tower locations only the indispensible and optimal locations can be chosen. In addition, this algorithm helps to find out the optimal height of the tower at a chosen potential tower location. Hence, the proposal will provide cost-effective way for tower placement specifying their optimal position and height to cover any area and population.