WiMAX Network Planning and Design Training

Who Should Attend?

The course is intended for all telecom specialists and professionals facing a problem of WiMAX network planning and design, including dimensioning, RF planning, and optimization. In this course we focus on planning and design of the radio access network.

Course Content

  1. Overview of the network planning and design.
    • Network planning process and requirements.
    • Input data available.
    • Use of planning and dimensioning tools.
  2. Propagation modeling and OFDMA principles.
    • Wideband channel characteristics.
    • Doppler, multipath, ISI.
    • Time, frequency and space channel selectivity.
    • Rayleigh/Rician fading.
    • Models used to describe fading channels.
    • Methods used to overcome fading.
    • OFDM, OFDMA.
    • Use of MIMO.
  3. WiMAX architecture and air interface.
    • Network overview, ASN, CSN nodes and functions.
    • Protocols stack.
    • OFDM, OFDMA radio frame structures (FDD, TDD, HFDD).
    • Pilots, frame duration, preambles, DL-MAP, UL-MAP structure, subchannelization concept, subcarrier types, sectors and segmentation, Frame Control Header (FCH), resource request.
    • Mapping for DL and UL bursts.
  4. RF planning.
    • WiMAX link budget (downlink and uplink).
    • Gains and losses.
    • Application of various antenna types.
    • Use od MIMO.
    • Outdoor and indoor cell planning.
    • Fixed vs. mobile WiMAX planning.
    • Use of RF planning tools.
    • Coverage predictions.
  5. Capacity planning.
    • Requirements for data rates, QoS and traffic loads.
    • Dimensioning of WiMAX network.
    • Backhaul capacity design.
    • Frequency planning.
    • Fractional frequency reuse concept.
  6. WiMAX parameter tuning.
    • Synchronization signal planning.
    • Handover parameters.
    • Power control parameters.
  7. Summary.
    • WiMAX network planning and design checklist. Comparison with the 2G/3G network planning and design. Similarities to 3GPP-LTE network planning.

Course Objectives

This course explains the process of planning and design of WiMAX networks. We pay special attention to the usage of a new radio interface based on OFDMA scheme. This is what makes this system different from 2G / 3G and prohibits us from direct implementaion of network planning and design methods applicable to 2G / 3G. Our objective is to train a student in such a way that she / he is able to design WiMAX radio access network and is able to work with the basic planning tools.

Pre-requisites

Prior experience with 2G / 3G is a plus but is not strictly required. Background in wireless communications will be of help.

Training structure

Three days training divided into logical sessions.

Methodology

Instructor led training. Elements of workshop with practical design exercises.