Check out this report to see which RNP and RNO software is preferred by Telecom Engineers across the world.

1. Finding The Best Radio Network Planning
and Radio Network Optimization Software
(A Survey)
Muhammad Waqas Akram
14/05/2012
Waqas.Akram@gmail.com

2. Telecom Mobile Operators Are Facing Declining Revenues And
Increasing Costs That Are Putting Pressure On Their Margins
Revenue Drivers
•ARPU from
•Voice Traffic
•SMS Traffic
•Data Traffic
• Bundled and Flat rates
Revenue
Costs
Cost Drivers
•Wages
•Electricity/Maintenance
•Site lease/rent
•Roll out of New
Technologies e.g. LTE
According to Oliver Wyman1, Network operations constitutes
approximately 25% of the total OPEX for a mature market
Telco. We can assume that for a growing market operator the
cost of Network Operations is higher due to capacity expansion
and personnel training
OPEX Cost Drivers1
(Mature Market Operator)
OPEX Cost Drivers2
(Growing Market Operator)
1. “Increasing Efficiency with Network Status Management” (Oliver Wyman), 2009
2. Assumption
The pressure on the margins is also stopping Telcos from new investments. As a result in Developing
markets the penetration of new technologies e.g. 3G and LTE is low. The mobile offerings are outdated
and the businesses are struggling to take advantage of the mobile phone service.

3. Radio
Network
Planning
Radio
Network
Optimization
Network
Management
New
Software
Deployment
Any RNP1 And RNO2 Software That Lacks The Latest Features Defined
By Standard Bodies Can Increase The OPEX And CAPEX For Telcos
Improper Cell planning and Site
planning leading to deployment of
more BTSs
Growing requirement of network
optimization activities e.g. Drive
Tests, Antenna tilt changes etc.
More human interaction required
for network monitoring, script
writing and execution for radio
network parameter changes etc.
Unnecessary costs can incur e.g.
trainings of RNP and RNO teams on
“wrong” software, swapping old
software with software supporting
latest features, new licenses etc.
Increased CAPEX
Increased OPEX
Increased OPEX
Increased Switching Costs
Increasing
Costs
1. Radio Network Planning
2. Radio Network Optimization
The cost of not using the best available RNP and RNO software can be significant. We analyzed the
opinion of users to see which RNP and RNO software are considered better than their competitors.

4. A Survey Was Conducted To Find The Opinion Of Users Of Radio
Network Planning And Radio Network Optimization Software
The survey was distributed to the global community of Radio Network Planning and Radio Network
Optimization Engineers through Facebook, LinkedIn groups and mailing lists. The survey can be found at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3BHX9C8
210Number of respondents who
answered all the questions in
the survey
9.52%
23.81%
28.57%
4.76%
33.33%
Less than 1 year
1 to 3 years
3 to 5 years
5 to 7 years
More than 7 years
Experience of respondents in the
fields of Radio Network Planning
and Radio Network Optimization
23Number of Mobile Operators
with which respondents have
worked
13Number of countries in which
respondents have worked
26.47% 23.53% 17.65%
Top 3 equipment suppliers with
whom respondents have
worked

5. “ATOLL” Is The Most Favourite Software. “Site Planning” Is The
Most Performed Daily Activity Among The Respondents
47.62%
71.43%
0.00%
19.05%
0.00%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Asset ATOLL TCPU NetAct Other
Software Usage
66.67%
76.19%
57.14%
52.38%
33.33%
0.00%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Site Planning Frequency
Planning
Neighbour
Planning
Physical
Optimization
Database
Management
Other
Daily Activities
Respondents were allowed to choose more than one software. Respondents selected all daily activities which they perform on
Radio Network Planning software.
28.6%
23.8%
19.0% 19.0%
9.5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Site Planning Frequency
Planning
Neighbour
Planning
Physical
Optimization
Database
Management
Activity That Is Performed The Most
Respondents were allowed to choose only one option. Site
planning is performed mostly on daily basis. However it does not
mean that other activities are not performed at all.
Respondents were allowed to choose only one option. Database
Management is the least performed daily activity.
9.5%
14.3%
19.0%
23.8%
33.3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Site Planning Frequency
Planning
Neighbour
Planning
Physical
Optimization
Database
Management
Activities That Are Performed The Least

6. Activity That Is Performed The Most And Activity That Is
Performed The Least Vary For Each Software
30%
22% 21%
23%
28%
21%
17%
20%
29%
20%
17%
14%
10%
13%
14%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
ASSET ATOLL TCPU NetAct
Split of Activities Performed Using Radio Network Planning Software
Site Planning Frequency Planning Neighbour Planning Physical Optimization Database Management
Respondents were allowed to choose multiple answers.

7. Radio Network Planning Software Have Been Mostly Used For 3G
Followed By 2G/2.5G Technology
Respondents were allowed to choose multiple answers.
46.2%
36.4%
0.0%
25.0%
38.5%
50.0%
0.0%
50.0%
15.4%
13.6%
0.0%
25.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
ASSET ATOLL TCPU NetAct
Technologies For Which Radio Network Planning Software Is Used
2G/2.5G 3G 4G/LTE

8. According To The Respondents, “Prediction” Is The Most Important
Feature Whereas “Client-server Model” Is The Least Important Feature
Respondents were asked to rank Radio Network Planning software features from 1 to 10
where 10 indicates the most important feature and 1 indicate the least important feature.
The average rank of each feature is used in this chart.
9
7.56
7.29
8.31
7.15
7.93
7.53
6.88
7.63
6.6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prediction
Database Management
OSS Script Generation
Ease of Use
Transfer of Knowledge
Database Export/Import
Technical Support
Availability of Training programs and training material
Availability of Upgrades for new technologies
Client-Server Model
Rank (Nr.)
Ranking of Features (Average)

9. “Actix” Is The Most Favourite Software. “Overshoot Analysis” Is
The Most Performed Daily Activity Among The Respondents
Respondents were allowed to choose more than one software. Respondents selected all daily activities which they perform on
Radio Network Optimization software.
Respondents were allowed to choose only one option. Overshoot
Analysis is performed mostly on daily basis. However it does not
mean that other activities are not performed at all.
Respondents were allowed to choose only one option. End to End
Trace Analysis is performed the least everyday.
52.4%
28.6%
19.0%
14.3%
0.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
Actix TEMS Discovery RANOPT Nemo Analyze Other
Software Usage
38.1%
66.7%
47.6%
23.8%
14.3%
0.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Neighbour
Optimization
Overshoot
Analysis
Frequency
Optimization
Traffic
Balancing
End to End
Trace
Analysis
Other
Daily Activities
9.5%
33.3%
9.5%
23.8% 23.8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Neighbour
Optimization
Overshoot
Analysis
Frequency
Optimization
Traffic Balancing End to End Trace
Analysis
Activities That Are Performed The Most
23.8%
9.5%
14.3%
23.8%
28.6%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Neighbour
Optimization
Overshoot
Analysis
Frequency
Optimization
Traffic Balancing End to End Trace
Analysis
Activities That Are Performed The Least

10. All Software Are Used To Perform “Overshoot Analysis” The Most.
Activity That Is Performed The Least Varies For Each Software
Respondents were allowed to choose multiple answers.
16.67%
23.08% 23.08%
16.67%
33.33%
30.77% 30.77%
50.00%
30.00%
23.08% 23.08%
16.67%
13.33%
23.08%
15.38%
0.00%
6.67%
0.00%
7.69%
16.67%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
Actix TEMS Discovery RANOPT Nemo Analyze
Split of Activities Performed Using Radio Network Optimization Software
Neighbour Optimization Overshoot Analysis Frequency Optimization Traffic Balancing End to End Trace Analysis

11. Radio Network Optimization Software Have Been Mostly Used
For 2G/2.5G Followed By 3G Technology
Respondents were allowed to choose multiple answers.
42.9%
33.3%
50.0%
66.7%
42.9%
44.4%
16.7%
33.3%
14.3%
22.2%
33.3%
0.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Actix TEMS Discovery RANOPT Nemo Analyze
Technologies For Which Radio Network Optimization Software Is Used
2G/2.5G 3G 4G/LTE

12. According To The Respondents, “Ease of Use” Is The Most Important Feature
Whereas “Upgradable to New Technologies” Is The Least Important Feature
Respondents were asked to rank Radio Network Optimization software features from 1 to
9 where 9 indicates the most important feature and 1 indicate the least important feature.
The average rank of each feature is used in this chart.
7.27
7.13
7.13
6.86
6.6
6.4
6.2
6.27
5.93
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Ease of Use
Vendor Independence
Enhanced and Better Reporting Options
Useful Recommendations for Optimization
Processing Time of Raw Data
Transfer of Knowledge
Technical Support
Availability of Training Programs and Training Material
Upgradable to New Technologies
Rank (Nr.)
Ranking of Features (Average)

13. Some Of The Mobile Operators Where Respondents Are Working
Or Have Worked In The Past