OIT_RFP2017000243_AttachmentA_SampleNetworkDesign_FINAL_PartIII.pdf

SiGNALS Analytics, LLC

Conceptual Frameworks

Conceptual Frameworks (1/2)

• Several conceptual frameworks are used to discuss coverage and capacity:

– Morphologies. We divide the world into five different morphologies, each reflecting substantially different types of terrain and different human needs driving of coverage. The morphologies (dense urban (DU), urban (U), suburban (S), rural cluttered (RC), and rural open (RO)) roughly correspond to the categories used in academic radio propagation models. We attribute a morphology to a substantial area (e.g. a square kilometer or a square mile, not a 30-meter pixel). We have two categories of “rural”, one that is populated, moderately less dense than suburban, and the other that is virtually uninhabited.

In concept a morphology reflects land use and population density. In this section we describe each morphology in words then visualize Colorado by morphology.

We have also included a GIS file tagging each FirstNet 1 mile x 1 mile pixel by morphology.

– Venues. A venue defines the context in which communication occurs. It has implications for device hardware. We discuss five venues: in-building, in-vehicle, outdoors, vehicle-mounted, and vehicle mounted with high power amplifier (HPA, 31dBm). Each venue assumes a certain type of device hardware, or a range of types of hardware. Each has an associated link budget, consistent with the use case assumptions.

Conceptual Frameworks (2/2)

• Conceptual frameworks, continued:

– Types of Equipment. We identify three types of equipment: handheld radios, vehicle-mounted radios, and vehicle-mounted radios with a high power amplifier (HPA), leveraging the Band 14 specification for a 31dBm transmit power.

• A handheld radio has a low transmit power, often has a very low gain antenna, and is used in such a way that there is substantial body loss. We don’t explicitly discuss tablets or desktop with built-in LTE within the context of first responders. These latter two categories of devices would offer similar or better performance than a typical handheld smartphone.

• A vehicle-mounted radio is installed in the trunk of the vehicle or elsewhere and typically has a high quality external antenna. The user might connect to the radio via Wi-Fi within the cabin of the vehicle (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) or via a hard-wired Ethernet connection.

• A vehicle-mounted high powered radio is just like a vehicle-mounted radio except that the power amplifier delivers 31dBm of power. The uplink performance is excellent, especially in marginal areas. The downlink is just like the downlink of a vehicle-mounted radio.

Morphology Descriptions / Color Codes

Morphology Description Color Code

Dense Urban

• Skyscrapers

• Buildings are made of steel and concrete, often with reflective window glass

Urban

• High density

• Buildings built to a zero lot line (no separation)

• Typically no more than 4 stories

Suburban

• Building are typically one or two-stories

• Space exists between buildings. Trees and lawns are common.

Rural Cluttered

• Less dense that suburban, from several dozen to several hundred people per square kilometer

• Rural cluttered areas are generally covered by commercial mobile operators

Rural Open

• Sparsely populated or unpopulated

• Very few structures. Those that exist are simple

(typically single story)

• Either trees or open space

Morphologies – Geographic Areas with Different Physical Characteristics and Different Performance Requirements

Venues – Where is the first responder?

Venue Description

Roof Mounted Antenna with High Power User Equipment

• An LTE radio is permanently mounted in the vehicle

• The vehicle has an external roof-mounted antenna

• The LTE radio has a high powered (31 dBm) transmitter

• The LTE radio transmits a Wi-Fi signal within the vehicle enabling various devices to connect

Roof Mounted Antenna

• An LTE radio is permanently mounted in the vehicle

• The vehicle has an external roof-mounted antenna

• The LTE radio transmits a Wi-Fi signal within the vehicle enabling various devices to connect

Outdoor Pedestrian • A pedestrian standing outdoors is using a handheld LTE device (phone, smartphone, tablet, etc.)

In-Vehicle

• An individual is using an LTE device inside a vehicle

• The device is handheld

• The vehicle does NOT have a permanently installed LTE radio

In-Building

• An individual is using a handheld LTE device inside a building

• The building has no in-building wireless infrastructure (small cells, DAS, Wi-Fi, etc.) that first responders can access

• The size and material of the building will vary by morphology

Types of Equipment

Category Description Implications

Handheld Devices Smart phones, tablets, laptop computers and other devices that have built-in LTE wireless radios*

• These devices are being used on a stand-alone basis

• This usage might be inside a building or it might be on the street or in a vehicle

• No other equipment is required

Vehicular-Mounted Radio

This is a vehicle that is equipped with an LTE radio. The vehicle also has an externally mounted antenna.

• Devices may be used within the vehicle via a “Wi-Fi hotspot” within the vehicle

• Performance will be much better than that of a handheld device

• Devices that are “Wi-Fi only” (e.g. inexpensive tablets) can also be used*

• The department will need to spend money installing LTE radios in each vehicle

Vehicle-Mounted High Powered Radio

This is a vehicle that is equipped with a high powered LTE radio. It is similar to vehicle mounted radio, but has greater power.

• This solution is identical to a “vehicle-mounted radio” except that it offers superior performance in rural and wilderness areas.

• A high powered version has been standardized, but not yet productized by major manufacturers

• It is almost certainly more expensive than a basic vehicle mounted radio, but has significantly greater performance.

*Includes machine-to-machine devices and applications

Geographic Areas

• There are a number of geographic views that are potentially relevant to first responders.

• We ran statistical analyses of coverage and capacity for sixteen different geographic maps e.g. (5 venues x 2 metrics {coverage and capacity} x 8 studies x 16 different statewide maps = 1,280 sets of data).

• The maps (shown visually in the next few pages) include: Counties, Tribes, All Hazards Regions, Broadband Regions, CBI Regions, CCI Regions, Congressional Districts, CPW Regions, CSP Regions, Forestry Regions, Highway Maintenance Regions, OEDIT Regions, Parks Regions, RETAC Regions, Transportation Regions, and Wildlife Regions.

• We will include County, Tribe, and All Hazard Region boundaries in the GIS files provided to bidders.

Regions Statistically Analyzed (1/3)

Counties Tribes All Hazards

Broadband CBI CCI

Regions Statistically Analyzed (2/3)

Congressional Districts CPW CSP

Forestry Maintenance OEDIT

Regions Statistically Analyzed (3/3)

Parks RETAC

Transportation Wildlife

Network Modeling Effort and Results

Introduction, Network Modeling Process (1/2)

• Colorado has developed eight successive radio access network (RAN) designs, each showcasing a different conceptual approach (see upcoming table describing each study).

• The exercise considers a wide variety of sites or candidate sites:

– Leasable commercial tower / building / DAS sites

– State-owned land mobile radio / microwave sites

– Community Anchor Institutions (schools, libraries, government buildings, etc.) that could host an LTE site

– Other valuable structures within the State

– Greenfield sites (mountaintop and urban), where needed

• Model #7 represents an “ideal” design, leveraging leasable sites in populated areas and newly constructed / Greenfield sites in areas not currently covered by LTE, or with no obvious leasable structures.

Introduction, Network Modeling Process (2/2)

• Model #7 provides spectacular coverage and capacity by leveraging the following site assets:

– Leasable site in urban areas, optimized with down-tilt to manage interference

– Greenfield sites at identified structures (e.g. CAI) in uncovered rural areas

– Computer generated / placed sites in locations with no readily available structures.

• These include remote mountaintop sites

• These also include urban sites in areas where in-building penetration is likely to be poor due to an insufficient number of leasable sites

• Model #8 seeks to refine Model #7 by making it more realistic. Sites that would be difficult to acquire for a variety reasons or would be exceptionally expensive to deploy (far from roads and the electrical grid) are removed. Leasable commercial sites are vetted to choose RAD heights that are currently available on the structure.

• The results of Model #8 are less optimistic than those of Model #7, but more realistic.

List of Network Design Models

Study Objectives Sites Geographic Coverage

Notes

Cov Cap

I √ Non-Commercial Specified Areas • Coverage Only

II

Non-Commercial Specified Areas • Site count increases 50% to 100% over study #1 to show how the network scales for capacity

III

Non-Commercial 100% of Geography

• 100% of Area. Similar to study #1, except for increased coverage

IV

Unconstrained Site Locations

Specified Areas

• Unconstrained Locations, Driven by Coverage

V

Unconstrained Site Locations

100% of Geography

• Unconstrained and 100% Area, Driven by Coverage

VI

Commercial Specified Areas

• Use only commercial sites, to clearly show footprint. Optimize for coverage only, like study #1

VII √ √ Alternative Design • A synthesis, leveraging the learnings of designs I to VI

VIII

Alternative Design, modified to reflect practical design constraints

• Verified Design Inputs

Verification Process

• The verification process involved:

– Removing greenfield sites from national forests, on the premise that it would be virtually impossible to get them approved in a timely fashion

– Removing / relocating sites near historic landmarks

– Moving “off-road / off-grid” greenfield sites to nearby roads

– Moving computer-placed sites in residential neighborhoods to thoughtfully selected nearby locations that minimize the visual impact

– Moving computer-placed sites in urban centers to the tops of nearby tall buildings or other existing structures

– Selecting currently available antenna heights (vs. ideal heights) on leased commercial towers and buildings

• Model #7 was the basis of Model #8. The number of sites shrank from 1,459 sites in Model #7 to 1,377 sites in Model #8, as a result of the changes described above.

• The following pages provide a conceptual overview then show uplink and downlink coverage and performance by venue.

Model #7, Theoretical Design, and Elevation (1,459 Sites)

National Forests: Wilderness Areas to Avoid (Gray)

Model #8: No Sites in Remote Locations in National Forests

Model #8, Verified Design, and Elevation (1,377 Sites)