LTE mobile system coverage, capacity and quality and its application to communications, SCADA and automation business

SAT
Pty
Ltd

4G
Coverage,
Capacity
and
Quality

An
impar<al
User
View

By
Dale
Stacey
/
Andy
Passell

Communica6ons
Systems

Design
Engineer

SAT
Pty
Ltd

www.satpty.com

dale@satpty.com
/
andy@satpty.com

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com/

www.satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

DISCLAIMER:

‘This
is
the
personal
view
of
SAT
Pty
Ltd.

SAT
are
an
independent
and
impar&al
Consultancy,
the
outcomes
of
network
evalua?on
shown
are
generalis?c,

in
most
cases
a
more
thorough
examina?on
of
the
detail
is
needed.

The
parameters
for
a
given
area
are
subject
to
change
and
this
is
done
privately
in
the
operators
back
room
for

various
reasons.
SAT
is
not
party
to
this
work.
Also
the
informa?on
herein
is
subject
to
change
and
SAT
are
not

guaranteeing
the
accuracy
of
the
informa?on
and
as
much
of
the
analysis
has
been
gained
by
interpola?on,

extrapola?on
and
stealth
and
is
subject
to
some
error.
SAT
take
no
responsibility
for
this.

This
is
a
methodology
of
comparison
evalua?on
to
help
end
users
deﬁne
what
is
important
and
how
to
go
about

deﬁning
and
obtaining
informa?on
they
seek.
The
informa?on
presented
herein
is
not
absolute
and
will
require

detailed
individual
evalua?on.

Care
is
required
in
interpreta?on,
with
some
of
the
constraints/assump?ons
etc.

(For
example
We
will
go
into
detail
on
1800
MHz,
Optus
have
already
declared
their
main
priority
for

development
is
the
low
2
GHz
band)

SAT
does
not
intend
to
represent
or
misrepresent
the
carriers
here
or
take
responsibility
in
any
shape
or
form
for

this.’

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

www.satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

Note
due
to
conﬁden<ality
agreements.
Some
of
the
site

names
and
coordinates
have
been
changed
or
removed
in
this

presenta<on.

Plus
some
of
the
data
sets
have
been
manipulated.

Whilst
Principles
and
Conclusions
are
generally
correct.
The

work
herein
should
not
be
taken
as
actuals.
It
is
for
example

and
illustra<on
purposes
only
!

SAT
Conﬁden<ality
Protec<on

SAT
Pty
Ltd

SAT
Company
Proﬁle
and

Presenter
Dale
Stacey

•  SAT
Pty
Ltd
is
a
consultancy/integrator
specializing
in
communica<on
system
solu<ons
from

the
regular
scenarios
to
unusual.
(e.g.
corporate
communica<on
systems
to
rapid
and

remote
site
deployment
solu<ons.
)

•  Projects
have
been
on
4
con<nents
of
the
world
in
some
of
the
most
inhospitable
and

inaccessible
places
for
U<li<es
(Water,
Electricity,
Railways
and
Councils),
Power

Companies,
Oil,
Gas
and
mining.
(e.g.
Russia,
Kazakhstan,
river
gorges,
4000m
peaks)

•  We
deal
with
the
whole
project
life
cycle
elements
from
strategy,
business
case,
planning,

design,
through
to
frequency
license
procurement,
installa<on,
commissioning,
handover,

training
and
maintenance
as
required.

•  Designed
numerous
SCADA
Communica<ons
Networks
for
U<li<es
and
Project
Managed

roll
out,
implementa<on.

•  Drive
tested
numerous
networks
for
Mobile,
3G,
SCADA,
Railway,
Mesh
IP,
PMR

•  Spot
tested
LOS
Microwave
systems,
SCADA,
Broadcas<ng
Systems

•  SAT
are
not
aligned
to
any
one
equipment
supplier
or
network
service.
Thus
as
such
we
can

oﬀer

totally
impar<al
advice
as
to
the
best
way
a
client
can
meet
their
end
coverage
and

service
needs

•  Dale
Stacey
is
a
Chartered
Engineer
(CEng
MIET),
specializing
in
communica<ons
systems,

Gradua<ng
from
the
University
of
Bath
in
the
UK
with
a
degree
in
Electronics/Electronic

Engineering,
he
has
over
20
years
experience
of
engineering
radio
solu<ons.
He
also

teaches
radio
system
design
and
avionics
all
over
the
world
and
has
wriaen
a
book

‘Aeronau<cal
Radio
Communica<on
Systems
and
Networks’
published
by
Wiley
–
2008.

dale@satpty.com

www.satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dalestacey@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

NETWORK
PARAMETERS

Coverage
Extent
to
where

network
serves

Priority
day
one

(Popula6on
%,

Area)

Capacity
Ability
for
network

to
support

Bandwidth,

Mul<ple
channels

• Priority
for
making

money,

• business
drivers,

• Mature
network.

• Reason
for

Upgrading

Cwality
(Quality)
QOS

Availability

Reliability

Queue
stack

• Regula<on

• Mandates

• Enable
applica<on

deﬁni<on

• Enable
applica<on

expecta<on
/
SLA

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

Public
Mobile
Networks
The
Legacy

1975

1980

1990

2005

2012

TIME

Network

Dominance

Can
be
in

terms
of

-‐%

coverage

-‐
Penetra<on

-‐number
of

subscribers

1G-‐FDMA

2G-‐
GSM

2.5G

3G-‐CDMA

4G-‐LTE

5G

TODAY

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

INOVATION
AND
IMPROVEMENTS

Genera6o
n

1
G
2G
2.5G
3G
4G
5G

Format
TBD
GSM

DAMPS

GPRS
IS95

CDMA2000

WCDMA

(TDD
and

FDD)

LTE

(FDD
and

TDD)

TBD
ITU

WRC

Modula<o
n/Access

FDMA
TDMA
TDMA
CDMA
OFDM
TBD
ITU

WRC

Type
Analogue
Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital

Services
Voice

Voice
Voice
plus

limited

data

Voice
and

Data

Data

Dominated

+
Voice

Data

Dominat
ed

+
Voice

Payload

Bandwidth

(Data

speed)

4.8
kbps
Sub
13

kbps

56
kbps
UMTS
384

kbps

HSDPA
DL

14.4
to
42

Mbps

(Telstra)

High
Mobility

100
Mbps

Low
Mobility

1
Gbps

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

GSM

GSM

2.5

3G
LTE

Compara<ve
Data

Speeds

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

Adop<on
of
LTE
technology
as
of
May
8,

2012.

Countries
with
commercial
LTE
service

Countries
with
commercial
LTE
network
deployment

on-‐going
or
planned

Countries
with
LTE
trial
systems
(pre-‐commitment)

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

‘The
Tes6ng
tool
kit’

DESIGN

• Coverage
Predic<on
tools
with
enhanced
SRTM
data
(plus
DTED,
cluaer,

other),
augmented
by
some
feedback
of
actual
results.

• Full
site
Database
(ﬁltered,
corrected
ACMA
database
corrected
as

necessary)

• Full
database
of
the
3G
sites
(Telstra,
Optus,
Vodafone
and
3)
and
SAT
are

in
the
process
of
revising
coverage
expecta<on
as
mergers
of
Vodafone
and

3
occur
plus
site
sharing
is
strengthened
between
Optus,
Vodafone.

• We
have
the
tools
and
ability
to
accurately
predict
3G/4G
operator

coverage
(diﬀerent
from
what
is
published
by
their
marke<ng
people.

“GLOSSIES’)

TEST

• Full
suite
of
test
gear
including
Anritsu
cell
master
analyzer
with
LTE
FD
and

TD
protocol
and
over
the
air
analysis
with
GPS
plopng

• Pump
up
masts,
access
to
temporary
towers.

• Resources
in
all
Australian
States
(although
this
study
concentrates
on

Sydney)

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

Telstra
Optus
Vodafone

700
MHz**
2
x
20
MHz

(1/1/2015)

2
x
10
MHz
NONE

1800
MHz
*
2
x
15
MHz

(17/6/2028)

2
x
15
MHz

(Sydney)

(17/6/2028)

2
x
20
MHz

(May
June
2015)

2.3
GHz
~40
MHz

TDD
?

91
MHz
LTE-‐TDD

(23/7/2015)

NONE

2.5
GHz
2
x
40
MHz

(1/10/2014)

2
x
20
MHz

(30/9/2029)

NONE

3.4
GHz
17.5
MHz

(13/12/15)

96.5
MHz
in
Syd

Possible
LTE

(13/12/2015)

NONE

SPECTRUM
HOLDINGS

(Expiry
date)

*Note
in
the
1800
MHz
band
there
have
been
some
wholesale
network
frequency
changes
as
spectrum

licences
expired
in
June/July
2013
and
new
ones
kicked
in

[**
new
outcome
s<ll
not
registered
on
ACMA
website
or
in
radcomm
database]

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

ACMA
Licence
Company
Area
Base
Rx
low
Base
Tx
High
validity

9263447
Telstra
Sydney
1.71-‐1.7225
1.805-‐1.8175
17/6/2028

9263448
Optus
Sydney
1.755-‐1.77
1.85-‐1.865
17/6/2028

9263451
Railcorp
Sydney
1.77-‐1.7725
1.865-‐1.8675
17/6/2028

9263452
Vodafone
Sydney
1.725-‐1.74
1.82-‐1.835
17/6/2028

9263498
Telstra
Sydney
1.7225-‐1.725
1.8175-‐1.82
17/6/2028

9263509
Vodafone
Sydney
1.74-‐1.75
1.835-‐1.845
3/5/2105

9263510
Vodafone
Sydney
1.75-‐1.755
1.845-‐1.85
3/5/2015

9263523
Railcorp
Sydney
1.7725-‐1.785
1.8675-‐1.88
3/5/2015

SYDNEY
SPECIFIC
1800
MHz
licence
holdings

Source
hap://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/spectrum_search.cat_lis<ng

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

TELSTRA
DECLARED
4G
AND
3G
COVERAGE
AT
14/8/13

SAT
Pty
Ltd


©
SAT
PTY
LTD

OPTUS
DECLARED
COVERAGE
AT
14/8/13

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

DECLARED
VODAFONE
COVERAGE
14/8/13

(Non
explicit
to
3G
or
4G)

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

4G
DRIVE
TEST
RESULTS
6
MONTHS
AGO
CENTRED
AROUND
CBD

SAT
Pty
Ltd


©
SAT
PTY
LTD

MEASURED

TELSTRA
4G
LTE

COVERAGE

SAT
Pty
Ltd


©
SAT
PTY
LTD

SHOWING

REGISTERED
TELSTRA

SITES

SAT
Pty
Ltd


©
SAT
PTY
LTD

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

COMPARISONS
TELSTRA/VODAFONE/OPTUS

TELSTRA
VODAFONE
OPTUS

3
G
coverage
Best

penetra<on

of
suburban

and
Rural

areas

Worst

penetra<on

of
Rural

Areas

Medium

rural
area

penetra<on

4
G
coverage
Best
Worst
Medium

4G
D/L

speeds

Up
to
40

Mbps

published

Up
to
40

Mbps

published

Average
15

Mbps

Poten<ally

best

posi<oning

for
Capacity

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

Registered

LTE
Base
Sta<ons
at
1/11/13

• (note
this
is
indica<ve
of
coverage
only,
risk
that
one
network

provider
is
more
diligent
in
upda<ng
device
registra<ons
than

another
distor<ng
this
analysis.)

• Note
only
considered
registra<ons
ayer
1/11/12
and

assumed
all
to
be
for
LTE
(gross
assump<on)

• Note
devices
are
mainly
in
the
1800
MHz
band

In
Greater
Sydney
1
Nov

2013

Telstra
LTE
devices
registered
3238
Registered
Tx’s
in
1800
MHz
band

Optus
LTE
devices
registered
1355
registered
Tx’s
in
1800
MHz
band

Vodafone
devices
registered
2038
registered
Tx’s
in
1800
MHz
band

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

COVERAGE
STATE
OF
PLAY
NOVEMBER
2011

VALIDATED
BY
SOME
DRIVE
TESTING

•  Arbitrary
drive
test
Mona
Vale
to
Liverpool
(to
target
known

fringe
coverage
area)

•  1800
MHz
band
only
(not
representa<ve
for
Optus)

•  Same
test
conﬁg/antennas/feeders
for
all
scenarios

•  (RF
bandwidths
normalised)

•  Green
indicates
beaer
than
-‐107
dBm
Base
to
Mobile
(Note

Base
to
Mobile
analysis)

•  Receive
level
measurements
are
for
the
Synchronisa<on
Signal

(SS)
channel;
not
traﬃc
channel.

SAT
Pty
Ltd

dale@satpty.com

©
SAT
PTY
LTD

CONCLUSIONS

1.  Today
3G
and
4G(LTE)
networks
provide
a
number
of
opportuni<es
for
carriage
of

Communica<ons
and
SCADA
Automa<on
type
applica<ons.

2.  At
the
moment
the
ubiquitous
coverage
for
3G
networks
dominate
over
4G
but
this

balance

will
change
with
<me.
(Note
4G
is
actually
targeted
for
smaller
cells
larger
capacity
to

supplement
and
augment
3G
currently
with
a
succession
plan
later
)

3.  Conversely
the
delivery
capacity
and
poten<al
for
4G
is
many
magnitudes
greater.
LTE

rollouts
are
happening
quickly
with
complementary
services
to
3G
(eg
enhanced
bandwidth,

more
convergence,

and
seamless
to
the
mass
user
etc)

4.  Note
LTE
is
targeted
for
98%
of
the
popula<on
which
is
s<ll
well
less
than
5%
of
the
Australian

Geographic
Area.
The
coverage/capacity
profile
of
any
or
one
of
the
networks
may
not

necessarily
lend
itself
to
the
applica<on
coverage
area,
in
which
case
a
Private
Network

jus<fica<on
will
always
prevail
(subject
of
course
to
budget)

5.  The
business
case
for
either
Private
or
Public
network
will
ul<mately
be
a
func<on
of
the

detailed
user
scenario
with
careful
analysis
of
Coverage,
Capacity
and
Quality
delivery
to
the

service
applica<on
area
of
concern.
Substan<ate
where
necessary
by
drive
tests.

6.  Strategically
care
should
be
given
to
deciding
whether
to
use
Private
or
Public
networks.

7.  Whilst
the
actual
coverage
profile
for
LTE
correlates
with
the
Carriers
glossy
marke<ng

publica<ons,
there
are
frequently
holes
that
only
show
up
with
more
detailed
analysis
and

drive
tes<ng.

8.  There
is
Convergence
in
the
industry
between
Comms,
SCADA,
Automa<on
and
applica<on

(apps).
In
some
cases
the
applica<on
can
make
a
decision
on
which
media
best
suits
or
is

available
seamlessly
to
the
end
user.

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