Access network segment design process in future mobile communications systems

An important component of future mobile communications systems is their access network segment that enables interworking between the mobile unit and the fixed network. In the context of the access network segment design process a series of very important problems arises. First, the efficient utilisation of the available radio spectrum. Second, the grouping of cells into location and paging areas. Third, given the base transceiver stations (BTS) layout, the derivation of the minimum cost interconnections of BTSs to BTS site switches (CSSs), and subsequently, of CSSs to local exchanges (LEs), that satisfy a set of performance constraints. Our aim in this paper is firstly, to formally define these problems. Second, we propose optimal formulations and finally a general description of computationally efficient heuristic solutions that are being integrated in a pertinent software tool.