Overview

The radio frequency (RF) design criteria is a set of rules or parameters that are used by the RF Engineering department to not only design the network and the new components that are added, such as cell sites, but also for improving the performance of the network. The values that are included for each of the design criteria topics is driven by the desire to offer the best service within the monetary and technological constraints.

Therefore, the design criteria for the radio access part of a 3G system is extremely important to establish at the onset of the design whether it is for a new system, migrating to an new platform, or expanding an existing system. Many aspects are associated with an RF design and surprisingly they are common, in concept, with any radio access platform that is being utilized by a wireless operator.

This chapter will try and consolidate many of the most important issues concerning the generation and execution of a design criteria associated with the radio access portion of a system. The topics that will be discussed in this chapter are as follows:

• RF system design procedures

• Methodology

• Propagation models

• Link budget

• Tower top amplifiers

• Cell site design

• RF design report

The chapter concludes with a recommended format for presenting the design criteria in a formalized report that will list the design criteria, assumptions, and other key issues.

In summary, the RF design process for a wireless network is an ongoing process of refinements and...