Energy-efficient mobile network design and planning

Qi, Y., Imran, M. A. and Tafazolli, R. (2015) Energy-efficient mobile network design and planning. In: Samdanis, K., Rost, P., Maeder, A., Meo, M. and Verikoukis, C. (eds.) Green Communications: Principles, Concepts and Practice. John Wiley and Sons Ltd: Chichester, West Sussex, pp. 97-118. ISBN 9781118759264 (doi: 10.1002/9781118759257.ch6)

Abstract

The exponential increase of user data often requires planning and design of a data communication system and the operation and management of such a system. The latter issues are discussed in the next several chapters and this chapter mainly deals with planning and design of a wireless network. Network design and planning consists of three steps: network topology design, network synthesis and network realization. In the first step, the locations and connecting patterns of the network nodes are determined. In the second step, the network parameters, such as size, are optimized subject to certain quality of service (QoS) requirements. In the last step, the network is realized with designed configuration parameters. These steps might be conducted in an iterative manner to gradually optimize the network. For a wireless network, network design and planning principles can be applied to both the core network and the radio access network (RAN). The main focus of this chapter is on the RAN. In the development of today's second and third generation cellular mobile radio networks, such as GSM and WCDMA, the main optimization objectives in network design and planning are focused on providing optimum throughput subject to coverage requirements and a required level of QoS. The “Green” aspect does not draw much attention and therefore is rarely addressed. However, the rapid evolution of telecoms industry is accompanied by a huge increase of energy consumption of mobile networks in recent years. Coupled with sharp rising cost of the energy resources in the past few years, the operators are forced to further exploit the potential of network design and planning to reduce both capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX), mainly arising from the energy consumption. In the efficient design and deployment of the fourth-generation and beyond fourth-generation cellular networks, for example 3GPP LTE/LTE-Advanced, it is proposed by industry consortium that the energy consumption will be taken into consideration as an additional optimization target for all the operators.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Imran, Professor Muhammad
• Authors: Qi, Y., Imran, M. A., and Tafazolli, R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
• ISBN: 9781118759264