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Workflow Tutorial - GSM Planning

Welcome to the GSM Planning Workflow Tutorial, which briefly explains how to plan GSM networks using
ASSET.
This is intended to complement the full set of User Reference Guides, and is more task-based and closer to
the day-to-day tasks that any RF planner may perform.
It should provide you with a good understanding of ASSET, and how it can assist you in your work.
Pre-requisites:

ASSET has been installed

Your system administrator has:
 Configured an Oracle database
 Defined all relevant network and simulation parameters
A Typical GSM Planning Workflow
When using ASSET for GSM planning, these are basic steps that you might typically follow:
1. Open ASSET.
2. Create vectors.
3. Configure:
 Antennas
 Propagation models
 Site templates
- and/or -
Import these elements using XML
4. Create and position cell sites.
5. Create filters and assign status fields.
6. Perform pathloss predictions, create coverage (RSCP) arrays and reports.
7. Model traffic.
8. Model interference and plan frequency.
9. Model neighbours.
10. Generate site and frequency plan reports.
The subsequent sections of this tutorial go through each step in turn, as well as direct you to the appropriate
section of the Online Help if you want more information.
Click any of the links to learn more.

Every planning scenario is unique - you may perform other tasks, or do these tasks in a different order.
This workflow is merely indicative, and set up in this way to enable you to become better acquainted with
ASSET's core functionality.
Logging Into ASSET
To open ASSET and log into the database:
1. From the Start menu, point to Programs, AIRCOM International, ENTERPRISE 6.1, AIRCOM and click
ENTERPRISE Suite.
ENTERPRISE, including ASSET opens, and the modules appear across the top of your screen, for
example:

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The Database Login dialog box also appears.

2. Ensure the correct database is shown in the Data Source box.
3. Type in a user ID and password as set up by your administrator.
4. Click Login.
The Start Project dialog box appears.
5. Select the project you require, and then click Start.
Now that you have logged in, you can view the ASSET Geographical Information System, or GIS. Click here
to learn more about this.
Understanding the ASSET GIS
Before moving directly into the planning tasks, it is important to familiarise yourself with the ASSET
Geographical Information System (GIS), which is the graphical environment in which the planning is done.
This section of the tutorial will briefly introduce the key elements of the GIS that you will use most often.
The key elements are:

Main toolbar

Map View window (and toolbar)

Message Log window

Show Data Types dialog box

Right-click menu

Map View Gadget
Click one of the links for more information.

For a full explanation of all of the elements of the ASSET user interface, see:

The 'About the Core User Interface' section of the ENTERPRISE Help

The 'Overview of the ASSET User Interface' section of the ASSET Help
The Main Toolbar
The main toolbar in ASSET consists of the following main buttons:

This table describes the function of these buttons, which are the most commonly used:

Click this button To

Close a project (if one is open), log out of the database and close ASSET.

Log into or out of a database.

Open a project.

Close a project, but stay logged into the database.

Open a new Map View window.

Open the Site Database, which stores all network element and Property data.

Open the Coverage Predictor, and perform prediction calculations for your sites.

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Open the Simulator Wizard, and perform simulations for your sites.

Opens the Wastebasket, from where you can restore deleted items, or destroy them permanently.

The Map View Window

The Map View window is a fundamental part of ASSET in which you can view site data and mapping data.
The Map View window and Site Database window are fully synchronised so that changes you make in one
are reflected in the other. In addition, when you click a network element on the map, any open Site Database
window will update dynamically to display that item.
The Map View window also has its own toolbar:

The next section of this tutorial explains how to use these the key functions of this toolbar, in particular:

The Key/Legend

Selection Mode toolbox

Zooming

Panning

Searching

The Show Data Types dialog box

Favourite views
The Key/Legend
If you click the Key/Legend button , the Map Information & Control dialog box appears. Each tab of this
dialog box performs a different function.
The Layer Order tab:

Shows the currently selected data types in the order they are displayed on the map, with the first item
in the list being the last one to be displayed on the map.
To move a data type up or down the order:
 Select the required layer and click on the up or down arrow buttons as required.
 Click the Redraw button to automatically update the Map View window with the changes.
To delete data layers:
 Select the layer you want to delete, and then click the Remove Selected button.
 You can also click the Remove All button to remove all layers.
To view the display properties for a layer:

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 Double-click a layer item.

The Legend tab:

Shows information such as the display symbols, colours and values assigned to the data types
currently on display in the Map View window.

Is purely for information only; you cannot edit anything here.
The Data Types tab:

Shows the different categories of data configured for use in ASSET.

Has the same functionality as the Show Data Types dialog box, also available on the Map View
window toolbar:
 After you have selected a category to display, click the OK and Redraw button to draw the
selected item in the Map View window.
 Double-click the category name to open the display properties dialog box, in which you to
change the properties of the displayed data. Click OK to save the change, and click Redraw to
see the display change in the Map View window.
The Selection Mode Toolbox
The buttons in the Selection Mode toolbox enable you to easily select elements to be included in a Selection
filter.
The selected elements appear in the Selection Expert where they then can be saved or exported as a filter.
For more information on this, see Creating a Selection Filter.
Zooming in the Map View Window
To use the basic zoom:

1. On the Map View toolbar, click the Zoom button .

2. Use the left and right mouse buttons to increase and decrease the magnification level:
 To zoom in, click the left mouse button on the map view. The magnification increases by one level
each time you click, and the image centres where the Zoom button was clicked.
 To zoom out, click the right mouse button on the map view. The magnification decreases by one
level with each click.
 To adjust the zoom, pressing the left or right mouse button and move the mouse backward and
forward.
To use the advanced zoom box:

1. Click the Zoom Box button .

2. Using the mouse, create a box which defines the required zoom area.
Panning in the Map View Window
To reposition displayed data in the Map View window:

1. Click the Pan button .

2. Click and hold down the left mouse button and drag the displayed data to the required location.
The Pan button remains activated until another toolbar button (for example, the Select button) is clicked,
enabling you to continue to drag the displayed data to the required position.
Searching in the Map View Window
You can search the Map View window for different items such as Properties or text.

1. Click the Search button .

2. In the dialog box that appears, define the data that you want to search for.
3. Click the Find button.
If appropriate date is found, the Map View window will zoom and centre on the midpoint of the item and

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display an 'X' to mark the spot.

The Show Data Types Dialog Box
The Map View window is initially blank. You can select which of the available data types are displayed in the
Show Data Types dialog box.

On the Map View toolbar, click the Show Data Types button .
A list of the different data categories that have been configured for use in ASSET appears, which you can
then:

Select to display using the default display properties
- Or -

Select to edit the display properties
If, for example, you want to display a coastline:
1. Click the 'plus' sign on the System Vectors category to expand it, and then expand the System Vectors
and Polygons, and Geographic Features categories.
2. Select the checkbox next to the required coastline option, for example 'Jersey Coast'.
3. Click OK and Redraw to display the selected item in the 2D View.
To change the display properties of any data category:
1. Double-click the category name.
2. A display properties dialog box appears, in which you can change the properties of the displayed data.
The different properties shown will depend on the item selected. This picture shows an example.
3. Click on the OK button to save the change, and then click OK & Redraw to see the display change.
Once you have customised the colours and styles for each item these will be automatically saved for future
sessions.
Favourite Views
If you have defined a view in the Map View window that you would like to easily restore in the future, you can
save it as a favourite view.
A saved favourite view will include the following data, if it has been defined:

The screen position of the 2D View

The resolution of height data, building height data, clutter data

Display properties

Coverage arrays, interference arrays and traffic arrays

Saved favourite views do not include the customised display settings such as colours, line thickness,
network element symbols, and so on. These settings will always be the latest ones that the user has chosen.
However, favourite views do remember the exact combination of layers (network data filters, map data, and
so on) which are selected in the list of Data Types when it is saved.
You can also store and share your favourites among other users.
To save a particular map view as a favourite:
1. Right-click the display area of the Map View window.
2. From the menu that appears, point to Favourites and then click Save.
The Add new favourite dialog box appears.
3. Give the favourite a unique name, and add any comments you want.
4. Select which display items to store, and whether to preserve the layer ordering, along with the favourite
view.
If you do not select any of the optional attributes to store with the favourite view, then the favourite will
only store the view location, scale and size but not what was displayed. It is recommended that you
always select the Display list (map layers) option.

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After a favourite has been defined and saved, it cannot be modified extensively (you can change its
name or the description). If you want to change a favourite, you overwrite it with a new one.
5. Click OK.
The favourite is stored.
You can load a previously stored favourite in the Map View window by selecting it from the drop-down list
on the Map View toolbar, and quickly jump between different favourites - this can be done within the
same Map View window, but remember that you can also open multiple Map View windows, with each
one displaying a different favourite.
To delete a favourite view:
1. Right-click the Map View window, and from the menu that appears, click Organise.
2. Highlight the favourite you want to delete, and then click Delete.
The Message Log Window
The Message Log window opens automatically when a project is started and contains messages and
warnings, which can help you with troubleshooting problems:

The Map View Right-Click Menu

In the Map View window, you can access commonly-used functions via the right-click menu. This menu
includes the following:

Menu Option Description

Redraw When you have changed data, click this option to refresh the
map view and Key/Legend.
Mouse Zoom Zoom in on a particular location, specified by a resizable box that
you define.
Menu Zoom Zoom in using a pre-defined multiplier, window size, the last set
of dimensions or a home view (see 'Set Home' below).
Add to Favourites A favourite is a frequently-used Map View (including its visual
layers, exact region, zoom level and resolution) whose details
are stored and can be displayed again at any time.
Organise Favourites Rename or remove favourites that you have created.
Set Home Specifies the default view, and the zoom level with which any
new Map View window will initially open.

The Map Information Window

As you move the mouse cursor over the Map View window, the Map Information window displays information
related to the specific pixel under the cursor including location, height above sea level, the clutter category,
building height and nearest cell.
This picture shows an example:

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To specify what is displayed:

1. In the Map View window, from the View menu, select Show Map View Gadgets.

2. Click the button to choose which items to display, then click OK.
Creating Vectors
Vectors are a key feature of ASSET, enabling you to define precise geographical areas within your overall
network area that you want to plan and analyse more closely.
You can create and display your own vector file features, which are saved with the project.
There are a number of different types of vector file feature, which are described in the following table:

Item Description

Polygon A set of points connected by lines that form a closed shape.

Line Two or more points connected by lines that form an unclosed
shape.
Point A geometric element that has no dimensions, and whose position
is based on its coordinates.
Text A set of words or letters.

This section of the tutorial explains how to:

Add vectors

Edit vectors

Import vectors from elsewhere

For more information on vectors, see the 'Using Vector File Features' section of the ENTERPRISE Help.
Adding Vectors
To create your own vector file features in the Map View Window:

1. From the Map View window toolbar, click the Create new vector button .
The Vector Manager appears.
The vector file features are organised in separate folders (for example, System Vectors) and further sub-
folders (for example Buildings, Transportation Routes and so on). Shapes in the same folder share the
same attributes, but vector file features in the same folder can have different attributes.
2. To create the new vector file feature, for example the path of a new road or an area that you want to
define, select the new vector tab file and click the required button, depending on what you want to create.
The following table describes the available options:
Click this button To create

A line - Two or more points connected by lines that form an

unclosed shape.
A polygon - a set of points connected by lines that form a closed
shape.
A point - a geometric element that has no dimensions, and whose
position is based on its coordinates.
A text item - A set of words or letters.

3. In the Map View window, follow the appropriate instructions depending on which feature you are
creating:
If you are creating a Do this

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Line 1. Click the start point and all the subsequent points, as
required.
2. Double-click the final point to complete the line.
Polygon 1. Click the start point and all the subsequent points.
2. Double-click the final point to complete the polygon.
Point Click the point at which you want to add the point.
Text item 1. Click the location on the Map View window at which you want
to add the text.
2. In the dialog box that appears, type the required text.
3. Click OK.

4. You can now add attributes to the vector or polygon. Attributes can include such information as salary,
quality of area, population data and so on, that you can assign a value to.
5. Save your new vector file feature. To save a vector (and its associated files) to a local folder:
 Right-click the vector name, and from the menu that appears, click Save As.
 In the dialog box that appears, browse to the folder in which you want to save the vector file
feature.
 Click OK.
Editing Vectors
In the Vector Manager, you can edit lines and polygons in a number of ways:

To move a particular point in the line/polygon to another location, click the Move Point button ,
click the point that you want to move, and then click the new location

To move an entire line/polygon to another location, select the line/polygon that you want to move
(using the Select Shape button ), click the Move Shape button and then click the new
location

To delete a particular point in the line/polygon, click the Delete Point button and click the point
that you want to delete

To delete a line/polygon, select the polygon/line using the Select Shape button , and then click the

Delete Shape button .

To append an existing line with another line:

 Select the line using the Select Shape button .

 Click the Append Existing Vector button .

 Add the new line as required.

To add a point to an existing line/polygon:

 Select the line/polygon using the Select Shape button .

 Click the Insert a Point within a Shape button .

 Add the new point as required.
Importing Vectors
You can import selected vector file data from MapInfo format TAB files.To do this:
1. In the Vector Manager, right-click a folder or top level node and from the menu that appears, click Import
Vector File:

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A new vector file feature is created and the vector data file is imported. If the vector file feature consists
of a single TAB file, the import is complete.
2. If the vector file feature is made up of multiple TAB files, you should now right-click the new vector file
feature name and from the menu that appears, click Import Vector File.
The vector file feature is updated with the additional TAB file.
3. Continue to add TAB files, until all of the files have been imported.
Configuring Network Elements
Before we can start planning new sites and predict their coverage, you must decide:

Which antennas you want to use

The propagation models you are going to use to calculate coverage

The site template (configuration) you want to use
This next section of the tutorial guides you through these steps.
Alternatively, instead of configuring these elements yourself, or importing them using a format such as PlaNet,
you can import them (and a wide variety of other project elements) using the XML Import function. See
Importing Network Elements Using XML to learn how to do this.
Selecting Antennas
Antennas are stored in the Cellular Antennas database.
As antennas are important elements of a network, many parameters can be held against each antenna in the
database including horizontal and vertical radiation patterns (masks), polarisation type and tilt method.
Other data automatically calculated from the antenna patterns are horizontal and vertical beamwidths, and - if
electrical tilt is present - the electrical tilt angle.
Normally you would not create antennas but import them into ENTERPRISE using an antenna definition file
supplied by a manufacturer. However, if you do want to create or edit an antenna you can do so.
When selecting antennas, you may want to:

View path losses for beam patterns

Compare different beam patterns
After you have selected the appropriate antenna, go to the Site Database and set the correct antenna.

For more information on antennas, see the 'Storing Equipment and Antennas' section of the
ENTERPRISE Help.
Viewing Path Losses
On the Mask tab for a cellular antenna, you can view the precise path loss (measured to 1 decimal place and
up to a maximum of 40dB) at a particular angle on a beam pattern.
To do this:

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1. In either the Horizontal or Vertical pane, click on the angle for which you want to view the path loss.
The path loss at this particular point appears in the lower left corner of the beam pattern pane. This
picture shows an example, in which the path loss at 327 degrees for the primary beam pattern is 29.1dB:

2. To view the path loss at another angle, click the mouse button and drag the cursor to the required angle.
Comparing Different Beam Patterns
If you have more than one beam pattern available, you can compare different patterns with each other to
enable you to select the most appropriate one for your requirements.
To do this:
1. In the Antennas Database, on the Tree tab, select the required antenna device, and the first beam
pattern that you want to view:

2. Click the Mask tab. The first beam pattern will be displayed on both horizontal and vertical masks in red.
3. From the Secondary pattern drop-down list, select the second beam pattern that you want view.

4. Ensure that the Both patterns option is selected.

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The second beam pattern is displayed on the same diagrams in blue.

In the Mask Details pane, the electrical downtilt, horizontal beamwidth and vertical beamwidth are
displayed.
Selecting Propagation Models
To view the available propagation models:
From the Configuration menu, click Propagation Models.
ASSET supports two main types of propagation model:

Macrocell - For over the rooftop conditions, typically empirical

Microcell - For below-the-rooftop environments, typically deterministic (ray tracing)
For most propagation conditions, the AIRCOM Standard Macrocell Model 3 should be used. This is a generic
macrocell model based on the COST231 Okumura-Hata model, and incorporates:

Seven parameters that model all of the typical effects of the radio environment using a dual slope
approach

Different algorithms for effective base station heights, diffraction loss, and the effects of clutter
This tutorial assumes that the models have already been tuned to a satisfactory level, but you can tune them
yourself either manually or automatically, using ASSET.

For more information on propagation models, see the 'Using Propagation Models and Drive Test Data'
section of the ASSET Help.
A large number of details are stored for each model, but the key information can be viewed on the following
tabs:

On this tab Check these parameters

General Frequency
Rx Height
Effective Earth Radius
Standard Deviation of Interference
Path Loss Path loss calculation parameters k1 (intercept) and k2 (slope)
Clutter Clutter loss offsets

After you have selected the appropriate propagation model, go to the Site Database and set the correct
propagation model.
Deciding the Site Template Configuration
When planning a network, it is very likely that many sites will have the same characteristics. Instead of setting
each attribute on each of these sites to the same value, you can define templates. These templates will
contain default attributes that you set up and then these can be used as the basis for any new sites.
Although you can create as many templates as you want, only one template of each type can be active at any
one time.
If you are happy with the configuration of an existing site and want to make it available to re-use elsewhere in
your network, you can use it as the basis for a template.
To do this:

In the Site Database, right-click the required site and from the menu that appears, click Create
Template. In the dialog box that appears, enter a name for your template and click OK.
- or -

In the Map View window, right-click the required site and from the menu that appears, point to Make
Template From and then click the name of the site.In the dialog box that appears, enter a name for
your template and click OK.

For more information on templates, see the 'Working with Data' section of the ENTERPRISE Help.

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Importing Network Elements Using XML

If you or someone else have already created the required network elements elsewhere, in another project for
example, you can import them using the XML Import function.
To do this:
1. From the File menu, click Import XML.
The Import XML dialog box appears.
2. In the Import Files pane, click the Browse button to locate the *.xml file(s) that you want to import.
The easiest way to do this is to select the Index file, which references all of the individual files, and then
click Open.
This picture shows an example; the index file is Index001.xml.
3. Back in the Import XML dialog box, on each tab, select the items you want to import.
4. Select how you want conflicts to be handled during import:
 You can be prompted on an individual basis.
 Replace the data in the project with the imported data (for all conflicts). For example, if you
already have some sites, and want to import the same sites but with a different configuration.
 Merge the data (for all conflicts).
 Leave the existing data as it is (for all conflicts). For example, if you're importing things like carrier
Layers, cell layers, antennas and so on, your current project may already contain these, in which
case you only want import those items which you don't have.
5. Click Import to begin importing.
During import, if there are any comments or problems, a message dialog box will display them and offer
you different choices to enable you to continue the import.
6. After all of the items have been imported you must commit them, either individually or by using the
Global Commit All option from the Database menu.

For more information on importing, see the 'Importing and Exporting' section of the ENTERPRISE Help.
Creating and Positioning Cell Sites
You may already have an initial network of sites that has been imported or migrated from a previous planning
tool or from an Excel spreadsheet (via the XML Import interface).
However, you will have to create and position new cell sites. This part of the tutorial explains how.

For more information on creating and moving network elements, see the 'Viewing and Editing Networks on
the Map' section of the ENTERPRISE Help.
The simplest way to add sites is via the Site Design toolbar in the Map View window:

To build your GSM network, you need to add elements in the following order:

MSC

BSC

Site
To do this:
1. Click the down arrow on the Add Network Element toolbox of the Site Design toolbar, and then click the

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Add MSC button .

2. Click in the map at the required location.
By adding an MSC, a further set of buttons becomes enabled in the toolbox, including the Add BSC

button .
3. Click the Add BSC button, and then click in the map at the required location.

4. Click the Add Site button , and the click in the map at the required location.
To copy an existing site:
1. Click the down arrow on the Move Network Element toolbox, and then click the Clone Object button
.
2. In the Map View window, click the site you want to copy.(If multiple sites are in close proximity, a list
appears from which you can select the correct one).
3. Click at a new location to paste a copy of the site. If the new location is not a Property, a Property is
created for this location.
The site is copied and is shown in the Site Database.
Viewing and Editing Your Sites
If you can't see your sites, make sure that:

The All Filter is active.

Sites are selected for display in the All filter Display Properties dialog box, and have appropriate
display characteristics, such as colour.
It is recommended that you use different symbols for the different elements so that you can easily tell
which one is which.
You can choose to use the hexagon or cloverleaf symbols to display your Sites.This can assist you in
spacing the sites appropriately, as shown here.
To move a site:

1. Click the Move Network Element button .

2. Click the site that you want to move (if more than one element is in that location, select the site from the
list that appears.
3. Click the new location. If the new location is not a Property, the site and its current Property will be
moved.
To delete a site:

1. Click the Delete button , then click the site you want to delete.
2. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
The deleted site is sent to the Wastebasket from where it can be restored or deleted from the master
database.
Re-orienting the Site Antennas
The direction of any antenna is indicated by the sector appropriate to that cell. This is initially based on the
Site Template settings, but it is possible to alter its direction via the Map View window.
To do this:

1. From the Move Network Element toolbox, click the Reorientate Antenna button .
2. Select the appropriate cell, and hold down the mouse button to move the antenna to the required
position.
As you move the cursor, the azimuth of the antenna will be displayed in the top-left corner of the Map
View:

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3. When satisfied, release the mouse button.

Using Fields and Filters
After you have created the basic details of your network, you may want to enhance the level of detail in your
plan, by:

Using status fields to store project-specific information about your network elements

Using filters to logically group network elements, based on their characteristics or functions
This part of the tutorial discusses how to use this functionality.

For more information on filters and fields, see the 'Using Filters and Fields' section of the ENTERPRISE
Help.
About Status Fields
Status fields are particularly useful when managing projects, as a mechanism for overseeing the progression
of the network from initial design to rollout phase.
Within the network, status fields can be defined to show, for example, whether a site or link is proposed, in-
build or operational.
In this example, a Rollout Phase status field would be created, with the mutually-exclusive options 'Proposed',
'In-Build' and 'Operational'.
Other examples of useful fields are:

Status Field Associated Element Suggested Picklist Options

Rollout Phase Site or Link Not set (default), Planned, Acquired, In-Build, On-Air
Vendor Equipment Site or Link Not set (default), Nokia, Ericsson, Siemens
Region Site or Property Not set (default), North, South, East, West

Status fields are defined by your administrator in the ENTERPRISE Administrator, so this tutorial does not
describe how to create fields. However, it is important to know how to view fields, and set which option is
shown on a network element. This is described in the next section.
Viewing and Setting Status Fields
In ASSET, you can view the fields associated with a particular network element or Property on the Status tab
of the Site Database.
You can set the status field value in two possible ways:

If the field has been defined with a picklist, you can view the available value options in a drop-down list,
by double-clicking on the first Field value.
To assign a particular value to the field, select it in the list. In this way, each Property, network element
or link can be "flagged" with an individual identity.

For any of the other field types (for example, integer or string), set the value by clicking on the current
field value, and typing the new value.
About Filters
A filter is a logical grouping of network elements according to their characteristics or functions. Elements can
be grouped in filters based on many different criteria, including element type, hierarchy, fields and vectors, as
well as attributes such as antenna type, frequency band and so on.
They are a key feature of ASSET, because they enable you to subdivide the network into more manageable

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sections for analysis, diagnosis and display.

Filters can be defined as static, dynamic or as a selection expert filter:

Static filters (coloured red) are fixed groups of objects specified by a user. The contents of these filters
can only be changed by adding or deleting objects from the list.

Dynamic filters (coloured blue) are groups of objects that constantly update as the network evolves.
They are called dynamic because the inclusion list is updated automatically whenever a change is
made to any of the parameters forming the filter definition criteria. The criteria can include things like
object type (for example, BSC or site), status field value, assigned cell layers and geographical location
(for example, within a particular polygon).

A Selection filter (also coloured red) is an ad hoc 'memory' filter that can quickly and powerfully select
items from the Map View or Site Database. It can optionally be saved as a static filter for future use.
The next sections of the tutorial explain how to create each type of filter.

In This Section

Creating a Dynamic Filter

Creating a Static Filter
Creating a Selection Filter

Creating a Dynamic Filter

You can create filters using the Filter Wizard. To open the Filter Wizard:
1. From the Database menu, click Filters.
2. In the Filters Database, select the folder in which you want to add the filter, and then click Add.
The Filter Wizard opens.
You can now go through the steps of the wizard to create the dynamic filter:
1. Give the filter a meaningful name (you can modify this later), and then click Next.
2. The Filter Wizard now displays a list of Available Attributes.
To define which objects are to be considered in the filter, move each required element type to the
Selected Attributes pane by double-clicking, dragging, or using the right arrow button.
You can specify the logical operators by right-clicking them to toggle between the two types:
 If you choose OR, a value will be returned if any of the attributes are present
 If you choose AND, a value will be returned only if all the attributes are present
When you have all the element types and criteria that you want to filter on, click Next.
3. Step 3 of the Filter Wizard prompts you to set the definitive rules and criteria for the filter and allows you
to modify the logical operators using the associated radio buttons.
Define the exact rule for each element type/criterion by selecting it in the Selected Attributes pane, and
then:
 Selecting a rule definition (for example, 'Equals'). You can also reverse a rule definition (to make,
for example, 'Not Equal To') by selecting the 'Not' checkbox.
 Typing a value in the box or, if applicable, clicking the Values button to select the value(s) that you
are interested in (this is used when selecting, for example, Field values).
In the Filter Wizard, you can click Preview to see a list of all the elements that are included in the filter
according to your latest definitions. This will help you to refine the filter further if necessary.
When satisfied with your criteria, click Next.
4. Step 4 of the Filter Wizard displays the list of elements currently included in your filter. This picture shows
an example; the only selected attribute was a particular field, so all items associated with the filtered sites
are also included in the filter - their parent objects, Properties, cells, links and so on.
Ensure that Dynamic option is selected, and then click Next.

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5. On the next step of the wizard, you can define the customised display settings for the items which are
included in your filter.
If you selected the Use existing filter as template option in Step 1, this screen will default to those
settings. You can also easily modify these later in the Map View.
When you are satisfied with your settings, click Next.
6. The final step enables you to modify the name of the filter, and also to establish which other users, if any,
will be allowed to modify this filter in the future.
When you have defined this, click the Finish button.
The filter is created, and appears in the Filters Database, in the selected folder.
At this point, it is saved locally, and only available to you. It is recommended that you divide filters into
public and personal folders, and only commit filters which are essential to all users. To save a filter to the
database, click Commit.
Creating a Static Filter
To create a static filter.
1. Open the Filter Wizard as before:
 From the Database menu, click Filters.
 In the Filters Database, select the folder in which you want to add the filter, and then click Add.
2. Give the filter a meaningful name (you can modify this later), and then click Next.
3. The Filter Wizard now displays a list of Available Attributes. These are not relevant for static filters, so
click Next.
4. Step 3 of the Filter Wizard prompts you to set the definitive rules and criteria for the filter. These are also
not relevant for static filters, so click Next.
5. In Step 4, select the Static option, and then manually select which elements you require using one of the
following methods:
Method Description

Identifier Exact matches or regular expressions

File List Browse to a text file listing the Identifiers on separate lines
Filters Combination of chosen filter and element types
Map View Selected or All elements within a highlighted Map View window

6. Complete the rest of steps in the same way as for a dynamic filter.
Creating a Selection Filter
Using the Selection Expert, you can create a memory filter (called a selection filter), which behaves like a
static filter. In summary, a selection filter:

Is an ad hoc filter, which is 'controlled' by the Selection Expert.

Is a 'static' filter that can be updated. It exists only in memory and is not stored in the Site Database. It
cannot be Applied or Committed, so any selections will be discarded on closing the project.

Can optionally be saved by renaming it to become a normal static filter. It can then be Applied or
Committed, and thus stored in the database.
This filter type is particularly powerful, because you can easily select any subset of items by choosing items
individually, from:

The Site Database (Hierarchy)

The Map View window (either individually, or by creating a polygonal, circular or rectangular region that
surrounds the items of interest)
It also enables you to easily re-parent groups of sites within the Site Database.
The Selection Expert also includes an easy viewing window for all filters - you can quickly review all filters

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(dynamic, static and selection) and edit the static filters or selection filter.
You can create a selection filter using two main methods:

In the Map View window

In the Site Database
Creating a Selection Filter Using the Map View Window
To create a selection filter using the Map View window:
1. From the Database menu, click Selection Expert.
2. In the Map View window, ensure you are displaying the area and elements that you want to include in the
filter.
3. On the Selection Mode toolbox, click the down arrow button.
4. Choose the icon for the method that you want to use to select elements for the filter:

Single Selection
Use this to select individual network elements from the Map View.
Important : Hold down the Shift key each time you click a new network element. If you do not hold down
Shift, only the most recently selected network element will be included in the Selection filter, and
previous ones will be discarded. To un-select an item, just click it again.

Rectangular Area Selection

Use the mouse to specify the location and size of a rectangle (corner to corner) which will incorporate the
desired network elements on the Map View.

Circular Area Selection

Use the mouse to specify the location and size of a circle (radius outwards) which will incorporate the
desired network elements on the Map View.

Polygon Area Selection

Use the mouse to specify the location and shape of a polygon which will incorporate the desired network
elements on the Map View. Create the polygon with a series of clicked points. To close the polygon,
double click with the left mouse button anywhere in the polygon.
5. Select the required elements using whichever method you have chosen. The selected elements appear
in the left hand side of the Selection Expert. To remove an item from the Selection Expert list, right-click it
and then click Remove from filter.
6. To save the selection filter as a static filter, from the File menu, click Save As. To export the selection
filter as a text file that you can then import into another filter, from the File menu, click Export.
Creating a Selection Filter Using the Site Database
There are two ways to create a selection filter using the Site Database:
Using the Hierarchy tab
You can use the Hierarchy tab for a particular element to add to the selection filter. This would be particularly
useful if you wanted to create a filter to contain, for example, all of the items parented to the same Property.
To create a selection filter in this way:
1. In the Site Database, select the element that you want to add to the Selection Filter.
2. On the Hierarchy tab for that element, click Display or Refresh to show the items parented to it.
3. Select one or more of the network elements shown on the tab and click the Add button to add them to
the selection filter.
Using the Filters tab
To add to the selection filter using the Filters tab:
1. In the Site Database, select the element that you want to add to the Selection Filter.
2. On the Filters tab for that element, click Add to display the current list of available filters.

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3. Select the Selection filter, and click then OK.

The Selection filter is automatically updated.
After using either method, the selected elements appear in the Selection Expert, on the left hand side.
To remove an item from the selection filter, right-click it. To remove an item from the Selection Expert list,
right-click it and then click Remove from filter.
To save the selection filter as a static filter, from the File menu, click Save As. To export the selection filter as
a text file that you can then import into another filter, from the File menu, click Export.
Pathloss and Coverage Predictions
Before ASSET can calculate coverage, you need:

A fully configured cluster of sites with antennas, propagation models and transmit powers defined.

The path loss values for all of the sites that you want to include in the coverage array.
We have already created our cluster of sites, so this section of the tutorial shows you how to:

Calculate the path loss

Create and display the coverage and service areas

Create coverage reports

For more information on pathloss and coverage predictions, see the 'Creating Coverage (Pathloss)
Predictions ' section of the ASSET Help.
Creating Pathloss Predictions
To create pathloss predictions for the cells.

1. Click the Pathloss Predictor button .

2. Select which elements you want to predict for:
Prediction Options Descriptions Instructions

Sites and Cells Enables you to select Type the name of the element and press
individual sites. enter. Type a partial substring if you want
multiple elements to appear. As you type,
after a small time delay, a list of all the
elements matching the substring will
appear in the list.
Sites and Cells in Enables you to select Click anywhere in the Map View window
View the sites currently to load the sites/cells.
visible in an open Map
View.
Sites and Cells in Enables you to select Choose a filter from the drop-down box.
Filter sites from a specific
filter.

3. The sites you have chosen now appear listed in the dialog box.
4. At this point, it is probably worth checking that a valid model type has been identified on each site (the
predictor will list the models found for each site).
If the model is wrong, or unknown, there may have been a mistake has been made when assigning the
model on the Site Template, or for that specific cell in the Site Database.
Correct these before predicting by using the Global Editor in the Site Database.
5. For the list of sites and cells, you must set:
 Radius - The maximum range from the site that the calculation will be performed to. This is
normally set on the Predictions tab for each site in the Site Database.
 Resolution - The pixel resolution (in m) that you want the calculation performed at. The list of

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available resolutions corresponds to the available height and clutter map data resolutions in your
system.
 Reprediction rule - This enables you to decide whether to:
Recalculate all predictions in the list you have defined.
- Or -
Only recalculate those that need to be recalculated. If you choose this option, the predictor will
recall predictions from the Predictions folder for those sites/cells it believes to be up-to-date and
will only calculate those where they don't yet exist or where parameters have changed on the site
invalidating the old prediction.
6. Click Start.
The prediction progress is displayed.
When a prediction file has been created for a site, you can display the coverage on the Map View.
Creating Coverage Arrays
After you have predicted the path loss for the coverage area, you can display arrays that provide information
regarding the link loss and the signal strength at all points on the area.
To do this:

1. On the Map View window, click the Create Arrays button , and from the menu that appears, click
Non Sim.
2. Choose:
 The filter options for which the array will be generated
 The resolution for the array
 The type of array(s) you want to create
This picture shows an example.
Then click Next.
3. Choose whether to save any array(s) that you create by selecting the Save checkbox. Browse to or enter
the path to a folder, or accept the default path.
4. Click Finish.
Displaying Coverage
You can display coverage as either:

Individual coverage for sites or cells

A coverage array
To display individual coverage for sites or cells in the Map View window. To do this:
Click the single cell or single site coverage button as appropriate, and then click on the cell/site you wish to
display the prediction for in the 2D View.
If a prediction exists it will be displayed on the Map View, otherwise you will be given a warning in the
Message Log window.
A new item is added to the Show Data Types list, which enables you to remove these predictions from the
view when you are finished with them.The disadvantage of this method is that multiple predictions are not
combined to display the best coverage at each location but are simply overlaid on top of one another.
To display the Coverage Array:
In the Map Information and Control window, expand the Coverage category and select Best Server.
The Best Server Coverage is displayed in the Map View window.
If you don't see anything, and the Message Log displays a "0 of 0 subcells processed" message, check that
the cell and carrier layers are selected in the Array Settings window (if you have a fresh install of ASSET it
should select all layers by default).
It is possible to control the transparency, in order to see the layer below the Coverage, as seen here.

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To do this, double-click on the Best Server name and select your transparency level.
You can view the legend in the Map Information & Control dialog box.
To customise the ranges values, colours and labels:
1. From the Configuration menu, point to Layers and click Cell Layers.
2. In the Cell Layer dialog box, click the Coverage Thresholds tab.
Displaying Service Areas
To display service areas, in the Show Data Types dialog box, select the required Service Area option, either
Block or Contour.
The display, an example of which is given here, shows how the best server is indicated by a specific colour.
Reporting on Coverage
After you have calculated coverage, you can view the coverage statistics as a report.
To do this:
1. In the Show Data Types dialog box, right-click on the required array, and then click Statistics:

2. The statistics reports can be generated for a whole display area or for a specific polygon, as shown in
this example, where it has been restricted to the St Helier Urban Area [1] polygon.
3. In the Pixel Criteria Definition pane, select if you want to see:
 A single category, chosen from the drop down menu
 A single category, defined by lower and higher threshold categories
 A single category, based on direct lower and higher values
 Multiple categories, showing all display categories either in Non-Cumulative or Cumulative fashion
4. Choose whether to output the report as an Excel spreadsheet, a CSV file or a text file.
5. Click Generate.
This picture shows an example report.
Modelling Traffic (GSM)
ASSET has very flexible traffic modelling and analysis capabilities, which have been designed to work with
multi-layered and multi-band/multi-mode networks.
In this tutorial, we will model traffic in three stages:
1. Specify terminal types.
2. Create traffic rasters or load traffic.

If you are loading traffic, check the format first.

3. Analyse the traffic.

For more information on modelling traffic, see the 'Spreading and Analysing Traffic' section of the ASSET
Help.
Specifying Terminal Types
In ASSET, a terminal type defines three key characteristics:

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The total 'traffic' the terminal type will generate

The way in which the traffic will be spread geographically

The cell layers or carriers that can offer service to the 'traffic' for that terminal type
You can specify the different terminal types and properties needed for subscribers of your network. You can
also:

Assign the terminal types to different network layers (or multiple layers)

Describe their geographical distribution in relation to the mapping data
To add a terminal type:
1. From the Configuration menu, click Terminal Types.
2. In the Terminal Types dialog box, click Add.
3. Specify the key properties on each tab of the dialog box:
On this tab Do this

General Name the terminal type

Select the technology type
Clutter Choose the method of assigning traffic, either by weight
or by density.
Use Weight to divide the Total Traffic amongst the
various clutter classes by assigning a "weight" figure
representative of the proportion of users for each
category.
Use Density if you know the traffic density required for
each clutter type but do not want to enter the estimated
total traffic.
After you have chosen your method, click on the value
for each clutter type and assign a figure.
Also, on this tab you can set the expected percentage
of In-Building users for each clutter type. To do this,
enter the relevant percentage in the % In Building
column.
Vectors Choose to spread additional traffic along vectors by
linking pixels of the vector as a separate clutter type.
Cell Layers Select the layers on which this type of terminal can
operate.

Creating Traffic Rasters

After creating a terminal type, you can create a traffic density map or 'raster'.
To do this:
1. From the Arrays menu, point to Traffic and click Traffic Wizard.
2. Check the area of the map that will be used is correct, and then click Next.
3. Choose the terminal types that you want to use, and then click Next.
4. Specify a resolution for the array.
In the Memory Status pane, you can see how much memory your chosen array requires, and how much
is available. Ensure that the array size that will be created is not too large, otherwise it will be a slow
process.
5. Click Next.
6. If you want to limit the traffic spread to only those pixels where you have network coverage, select the
Restrict Traffic to Coverage option.

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If you want to load live traffic, you must choose this option.
7. Click Next.
8. For each terminal type using the clutter weights method, specify the amount of traffic units to be spread
in the traffic raster over the entire geographical area.
9. Click Next.
10. If you have defined attributes for vectors, you can spread the traffic within a selected vector, by clicking
the Load Attribute button, and choosing the required terminal type and the required vector.
11. Click Next.
12. Choose whether to save any array(s) that you create by selecting the Save checkbox. Browse to or enter
the path to a folder, or accept the default path shown which is the one you set in the Modify Project
dialog box.
13. Click Finish.
14. To display the traffic density map, from the Data Types window, expand the Traffic category, and select
the appropriate terminal type.
The traffic density map is colour-coded, and you can set its display properties, including Start Value,
Interval and colour, by double-clicking the terminal type. This picture shows the Display Properties dialog
box.
Loading Live Traffic
Instead of creating a traffic raster, you can load live traffic data for the geographical area of your network and
spread this traffic instead.
To do this:
1. Ensure your traffic data is in the right format.
Depending on the technology you are using and the information you need, you can use a number of
different traffic formats in ASSET. For full details on all of the formats, see the ASSET and ENTERPRISE
Technical Reference Guides.
For this tutorial, we'll use the *.tps file format, which is used to define the number of Erlangs to spread for
each cell.
The file format begins with the header - # AIRCOM V1.0 Live Traffic File
The rest of the data is in this format:
CELLID white-space Cell Layer Name white-space CSTraffic whitespace
HSCSDTraffic white-space GPRSTraffic white-space EGPRSTraffic
If you are using PMR/TETRA/iDEN or AMPS, the HSCSD Traffic, GPRS Traffic and EGPRS columns
may be left blank unless there is data in a later column, in which case they must contain a - (hyphen).
2. From the Arrays menu, point to Traffic and click Load Live Traffic.
The traffic is loaded into the Site Database, and can be viewed as the CS Traffic (in Erlangs) on the
General tab for a cell layer.
3. You can now spread this traffic.
Spreading Live Traffic
After you have created a coverage array and loaded the live traffic, you can then spread the live traffic across
the network. To do this:
1. From the Arrays menu, point to Traffic and click Traffic Wizard.
2. Check the area of the map that will be used is correct.
3. Choose the terminal types that you want to use, ensuring that they have been configured to distribute
traffic by using weights.
4. Specify a resolution for the array.
In the Memory Status pane, you can see how much memory your chosen array requires, and how much
is available.

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5. Click Next.
6. Select the Restrict Traffic to Coverage option.
7. Click Next.
8. In the Live column for each terminal type, click the Specify + Live option.
This enables you to create a traffic raster with traffic values per cell from an import file. Weights per
clutter type set on the terminal type can still be used to influence the traffic distribution within each
cell/sector.
9. Click Next.
10. If you have defined attributes for vectors, you can spread the traffic within a selected vector, by clicking
the Load Attribute button, and choosing the required terminal type and the required vector.
11. Click Next.
12. Choose whether to save any array(s) that you create by selecting the Save checkbox. Browse to or enter
the path to a folder, or accept the default path shown which is the one you set in the Modify Project
dialog box.
13. Click Finish.
Analysing Traffic
ASSET can analyse GSM traffic in order to provide you with the required number of TRXs to serve the spread
traffic. To perform a traffic analysis:
1. Ensure you have the following items in place:
 A traffic array
 A corresponding best server array
 A channel-to-carrier map for your system
 Assigned carriers and carrier layers
 A GoS objective and traffic model
The last three are beyond the scope of this tutorial, but for more information, see the ASSET Help.
2. From the Tools menu, click Static Traffic Analysis.
The Traffic Analysis dialog box appears.
3. Select the filter containing the sites/cells you want to analyse.
4. Click Capture Traffic.
Based on the cells' service areas, traffic is captured. A report is generated.
5. In the Apply on to subcells pane, click Traffic.
The amount of captured traffic is written on to the cell layer under the General tab.
6. In the Quality of Service pane, specify an amount of acceptable blocking (for example 2%) and specify
an amount of traffic per customer.
7. At the bottom of the Traffic Analysis dialog box, select a traffic characteristic table (either Erlang B and
Erlang C) and click Analyse.
A report is generated, showing:
 The amount of traffic captured by each cell
 The number of TRXs required
 The number of TRXs currently allocated
 The current blocking experienced
This picture shows an example.
Click the Apply Carriers required on SubCells button.
The carrier requirements are loaded onto the Carriers tab of each Cell Layer on the Site Database.
These requirements will aid in frequency planning, which is the next stage in our workflow.

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Interference and Frequency Planning

In this section of the tutorial, we shall look at interference and frequency planning.
The process that we will use for this is:
1. Create an interference table.
2. Analyse the interference table.
3. Perform manual frequency planning.
4. Create interference arrays.

For more information on interference and frequency planning, see the 'Frequency Planning' sections of
the ASSET Help.
Creating an Interference Table
ASSET calculates interference based on interference tables, which are generated based on the network
coverage information and (optionally) from the traffic density raster.
Interference tables detail the effect of interference for every pair of sub-cell/carrier layer combinations in the
network whose predictions overlap.The table lists each cell in the network together with all possible interfering
cells (in other words, all cells with predictions that overlap that of the cell in question). The larger your
predictions, the longer the list of possible interferers will be for each cell.
You can analyse the interference tables before starting the frequency planning process, in order to identify the
effects of interference in terms of both area and traffic affected.
To create an interference table:
1. Ensure you have a valid Best Server array and a traffic raster.
2. From the Tools menu, point to Interference Tables and click Interference Table Wizard.
3. Check the area of the map that will be used is correct, and then click Next.
4. Select the sites you want to include in the interference table by either selecting a single filter or selecting
all of the filters in the chosen area of the map.
5. Choose the required calculation method:
 The Best Server option - this is faster, but may be less accurate.
- or -
 The Probable Best Server option - this also uses data from the Nth best servers. It is slower but
can provide more accuracy.
6. Select to use traffic data, and then select which terminal type(s) to use. Each terminal type chosen must
have a traffic raster in memory.
7. Choose how to calculate interference probability:
 Use Interference Weights - The area/traffic affected by interference is calculated to be the area
which is defined within the interference weights table for a mean C/I. The interference table is
defined on a cell layer basis and only a single interference table can be assigned to a cell layer.
- or -
 Calculate Dynamically - This method takes a user definable C/I Threshold allocated on the Cell
Layer which dictates where the quality of a connection begins to be adversely affected. The C/I
then follows a Gaussian distribution about a calculated mean, which is taken from the standard
deviation of interference value set in the Propagation Model assigned to each cell. The adjacent
channel curve is produced from the C/A offset value set in the array.
8. Click Next and you can choose to save the generated interference table to a *.ait file.
9. Click Finish.
An interference table is created. The next step is to analyse the results.
Analysing the Interference Table
After you have created the interference table, you can view it and analyse the results.
To do this:

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From the Tools menu, point to Interference Tables and click View Interference Table.
This picture shows an example.
For each sub-cell, you can view:

The coverage area and traffic captured together.

A list of the possible interfering cells. If you click one of the interferers, the relevant co- and adjacent
channel interference is displayed in the right-hand columns, which would arise if frequency allocations
of this kind were made to the cells in question:
 The Co-channel fields relate to the amount of interference that would result from a co-channel
assignment on the serving cell and the selected interferer.
 The Adjacent Channel fields show the same information but for possible adjacent channel
allocations.
To view the interference figures for other cells, click the relevant cell in the Map View window, or in the
Interference Table dialog box, type the Cell ID into the Cell box.
Performing Manual Frequency Planning
In ASSET, you can manually allocate frequencies to cells in the network.
In the Site Database window. at the cell layer level, in the Carriers pane of the Carriers tab, you can allocate
carriers. This picture shows an example.
To do this:
1. In the Carrier Layers pane, select the required carrier layer.
2. In the Carriers pane, select the carrier that you want to allocate to the carrier layer.
3. In the Carriers pane, select the Alloc checkbox. The carrier is allocated.
To de-allocate a carrier, select the carrier and click the Alloc checkbox again, so that the box is not
checked.
4. Click Apply to save the changes locally, and click Commit to save it to the database.
Creating Interference Arrays
After you have a created an interference table and performed some manual frequency planning, you can view
the resulting interference graphically in the Map View window. To do this:
1. Configure the array settings.
2. Create the interference arrays.
Configuring the Array Settings
Before creating the interference arrays, you must first configure a number of relevant parameters, such as the
interference options and cell/carrier layer to examine. To do this:
1. From the Arrays menu, click Array Settings.
2. In the Array Settings dialog box, on the Interference tab, in the Channel Selection pane, choose if you
want to display co-channel, adjacent-channel or co- and adjacent channel combined.
3. On this tab, you can also select a number of other interference options, if want to consider the effects of,
for example, frequency hopping, frequency diversity, DTX, traffic and antenna hopping on the
interference calculations. For more information on these options, see the ASSET Help.
4. On the Serving and Interfering Cells tab, in the Interfering signal pane, ensure that the correct cell and
carrier layers have been selected/included to enable the interference analysis to be performed.
Creating Interference Arrays
To create interference arrays:

1. On the Map View window, click the Create Arrays button , and from the menu that appears, click
Non Sim.
2. Choose:
 The filter options for which the array will be generated

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 The resolution for the array

 The type of array(s) you want to create
This picture shows an example.
3. Select the required arrays, from the following interference-specific options:
Name Description

Worst/Average Connection These arrays are used when you have frequency hopping
cells in the network and you want to model the interference.
The Worst Connection array calculates the equivalent
interference of the worst hopping group.
The Average Connection array calculates the equivalent
interference averaged over all hopping groups.
Worst Interferer This array is for non-hopping networks and calculates the
interference between the serving carrier at that location
(pixel) and the strongest interfering carrier.
Total Interference This array is also for non-hopping networks and calculates
the interference between the serving carrier at that location
(pixel) and the summed interference from all cells using the
interfering carrier.

4. Click OK.
The chosen arrays are created, and can be displayed in the normal way; in the Map View window, open
the Show Data Types list, and in the Coverage category, double-click the appropriate array, for example
the Worst Interferer array.
In the Display Properties dialog box that appears, you can change the way in which the array is
displayed. This picture shows an example.
The choice to show good coverage or bad coverage refers to the categories shown in the Map View
window. Good coverage will include all categories, whereas Bad coverage ignores the first category (in
other words, 2%).
Click the Modify button to change the category colours, levels and labels.
Neighbour Planning and Analysis
The next stage of planning your GSM network is neighbour planning and analysis. This section of the tutorial
explains how to:
1. Generate neighbours automatically.
2. Add and delete neighbours manually in the Site Database.
3. Viewing and adding neighbours in the Map View window.

For more information on neighbour planning, see the 'Creating Neighbour Relationships' section of the
ASSET Help.
Generating Neighbours Automatically
ASSET has a wizard that automatically generates neighbour lists based on the predicted coverage/cell
service areas of your network. This will provide you with a 'first-pass' set of neighbours, which can then be
examined by an experienced RF engineer prior to implementation.
To run the Neighbour Wizard:
1. Ensure you have either a Best Server coverage array or an interference table for the area/sites required.
In this tutorial, we will produce our neighbours based on the coverage array, as we created this earlier.

It is wise to perform a Commit All on the Site Database before you use the Neighbour Wizard. This
would enable you to perform a Restore All to return to the previous configuration, if necessary.
2. Open the Map View window and display the area and cells that you wish to plan.
3. From the Tools menu, point to Neighbours and click Neighbour Wizard.
4. In the first step of the wizard, Check the area of the map that will be used is correct, and then click Next.

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If necessary, you can modify the area by entering precise co-ordinates.

5. Select the filter containing the sites and cells for which you want to generate neighbours, and then click
Next.
6. Select the GSM to GSM plan type.
7. Set the required parameters for establishing the search area of the source cell:
Search Area Parameters Description

Handover hysteresis margin This is a network parameter whose purpose is to prevent

repetitive re-selection of the serving cell. It defines the
maximum allowed difference between the signal strength of the
serving cell and the best signal, in order that the serving cell
can keep serving a terminal even when its signal is not the best
one.
In the Neighbour Wizard, this margin is used to determine the
amount of source cells to be compared against target cells in
each pixel. For example, if the margin is set to 3dB, then the
source cells can be defined as 'all cells whose signal strength
is within 3dB of the Best Serving signal at that pixel'.
For each pixel, the threshold parameter/s (below) must also be
satisfied.
Signal or Quality Threshold Only pixels containing values (signal strengths or quality, as
(s) appropriate) equal to or higher than the threshold will be
included in the resulting search area, providing the handover
hysteresis margin is also satisfied.
All pixels below the threshold will be excluded.
For plan types where two threshold values are available (for
example, RSCP and Ec/Io), both must be satisfied.

8. Set the required parameters for selecting the target neighbour cells:
Target Cells Parameters Description

Neighbour planning margin Within the search area, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, the wizard
(dB) finds potential target cells. The difference between the power*
of the source cell and target cell is calculated. This value is
then compared to the margin, and the difference is converted
into a handover probability factor (based on a normal
distribution formula). These factors are summed to find the net
handover probability for each target cell on the whole search
area. Based on the qualifying criteria below, the wizard creates
a list of valid neighbours for each cell.
Maximum number of The maximum number of target cells that are considered at
covering cells each pixel during the neighbour calculations. At a pixel-by-pixel
level, this parameter determines how many 'sets' of covering
cell data is to be evaluated for potential neighbours.
Maximum distance In order to qualify as a valid neighbour, a target cell must be
within this specified distance.
Maximum number of The maximum number of neighbouring cells that can qualify as
neighbouring cells valid neighbours for the source cell. (The overlapping
percentage ranking determines which neighbours qualify.)
Minimum overlapping (%) A target cell must attain at least n% of the overlapping area
(the net handover probability) to qualify as a valid neighbour.
If you also select the minimum number option (below), this
simply means that if the number of valid neighbours attaining
>n% is less than the specified minimum number, other target
cells (attaining <n%) will be added as valid neighbours, until the
minimum is satisfied.

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All the supporting criteria must also be satisfied.

Minimum number of This option can be used to ensure a minimum number of
neighbouring cells neighbours for each source cell, even if the percentage (above)
is not attained.
All the supporting criteria must also be satisfied.
Override propagation model Enables you to set a specific standard deviation for the signal
Std Deviation (dB) strength/quality (as appropriate).
Force co-located cells as If you select this option, cells that exist on sites belonging to
neighbours the same Property will automatically qualify as valid
neighbours.
Resolution for all plans The map resolution for the plan(s).

9. Click Next and choose to:

 Open the Neighbour Analysis dialog box immediately after planning
– or –
 Save the neighbours in a *.xml file

To start the Neighbour Analysis at any other time, from the Tools menu, point to Neighbours and
click Neighbour Analysis.
10. Click Next. On the final screen of the wizard, check that you have enough memory to produce the
neighbour plan, and if so, click Finish.
Neighbours are generated, but at this stage they are not stored in the database and are only held in
memory. This gives you the opportunity to review the neighbour list before updating the database.
11. Click OK to acknowledge the 'Neighbours Created' message.
You can now view and analyse the neighbours in the Neighbour Analysis dialog box. This picture shows
an example:
12. To view the newly-created neighbour relations for each specific cell on the Map View window, in the Add
Neighbour Cell toolbox, click the Display Neighbours button .
- or -
To analyse the neighbours, use the All Neighbours category in the Show Data Types dialog box (as
previously described).
Adding and Deleting Neighbours in the Site Database
Neighbours are stored in the Site Database against each cell. You can view and modify the neighbour lists for
each cell on the Neighbour tab of the Site Database. This picture shows an example.
To add a new neighbour in the Site Database window:
1. On the Neighbour tab for a cell, click the Add button.
2. Type the Cell ID of the neighbour to be added or you can set a search radius in km.
3. Click the Find button to see all potential neighbours.
This picture shows an example.
4. To set a neighbour relation, select the checkbox for the required cell,select if you want the neighbours to
be mutual or outward, and then click OK.
5. To save these neighbours locally, click on Apply button, and click the Commit button to save the
changes to the database.
Neighbours are also deleted in the Site Database. To delete a neighbour:
1. On the Neighbour tab, in the list of neighbours, select the neighbour(s) you wish to delete.
2. Click the Remove button.
Viewing and Adding Neighbours in the Map View Window

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It is often much easier to design neighbour lists graphically, because then you can visualise the network
coverage, terrain and proximity of cells to one another.
To view the currently defined neighbours for a specific cell:
1. In the Show Data Types dialog box, from the Neighbours/Exceptions category, expand the Hand Over
Neighbours option and then select All Neighbours.
2. In the Map View window, use your mouse pointer to hover over a cell and view its neighbour
relationships.
- or -

1. On the Map View window, in the Add Neighbour Cell toolbox, click the Display Neighbours button
.
2. Click the cell whose neighbours you wish to see.
This option produces a static display of neighbours for the cell selected.
The neighbour relationship is displayed as a line between the cells.
3. To display neighbour relationships for other cells, repeat the process.
4. If you display several neighbour relationships simultaneously, the display can quickly become very
cluttered and difficult to read. Therefore, you can assign different colours to each list to help differentiate
them:
 In the Show Data Types list, expand the Neighbours/Exceptions category. A list of the current
Neighbour relations is shown.
 Double-click the required neighbour to open the Display Properties window. Here you can choose
how to display the different types of relationships.
You can also add neighbours in the Map View window. To do this:

1. In the Add Neighbour cell toolbox, click the Add Neighbour cell button .
2. In the Map View window click the source cell, and then the destination cell.
Generating Reports
ASSET includes a number of report generation tools, in addition to the ones that we have already examined in
this tutorial. There are also printing/plotting facilities.
This section of the tutorial looks at:

The additional reporting functions - site reports and frequency plan reports

The printing/plotting facilities

For more information on generating reports, see the 'Generating Reports and Statistics' section of the
ASSET Help.
Generating Site Reports and Frequency Plan Reports
As well as the reports that we have looked at already, you can also generate site reports and frequency plan
reports.
Site Reports
The Site Reporter enables you to select a wide range of data fields from the Site Database and create a text
file report on these fields.
To create this report:
1. From the Reports menu, click Site/Node Report.
The Site Report Generator appears.
2. In the Site Report Generator:
 If you want to generate the report for a specific group of sites, select the appropriate filter from the
drop-down list.
 Choose the fields you want to include in the report by selecting the relevant checkboxes.

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3. Choose either the hierarchy or flat style:

 Hierarchy style, with new rows separating individual object types
 Flat style, for ease of data manipulation
4. Click the Generate button.
Frequency Plan Reports
The Frequency Plan Report will generate a report based on the current frequency plan.
To create this report:
1. From the Tools menu, point to Frequency Planning and click Frequency Plan Reporter.
The Frequency Plan Report Generator appears.
2. In the Frequency Plan Report Generator:
 If you want to generate the report for a specific group of sites, select the appropriate filter from the
drop-down list.
 Choose the fields you want to include in the report by selecting the relevant checkboxes.
3. Click the Generate button.
Printing and Plotting in ASSET
ASSET uses the standard Windows printer and plotter drivers, so that printing and plotting in ASSET is similar
to other Windows applications.
This part of the tutorial takes you through a basic procedure for printing:
1. Check the printer and page layout.
From the File menu, point to Print Setup and click Printer and Page Layout to view the Windows
printer selection and paper layout set-ups. Here you can specify the page orientation, size, source and
margins, or just use the default settings assigned by the Windows printer driver.
2. Define the legend and title.
From the File menu, point to Print Setup and click Legend and Title, and enter the various pieces of
text information that you want to appear within the Title and Comments fields of your printout.
In the Logo pane, you can specify a custom logo by clicking the Select button and then specifying a
Windows Bitmap (.bmp) file containing the logo image.
If you need to plot to a specified scale (for example, if you are plotting on transparency in order to overlay
coverage information onto paper maps) in the Scale pane select the Print to Scale checkbox and enter
the scale you require. It can often be useful to display the map grid in the Map View window and plot this
as well in order to simplify registration of a transparency overlay with the paper map.
3. Preview the print job to ensure it is correct.
From the File menu, click Print Preview to see what the final plot will look like.
4. Print.
If you are satisfied with the preview, from the File menu, click Print. Set the required printer, its
properties, and the number of copies that you want, and then click OK.
5. For a more advanced printout, print a defined area.
6. From the File menu, click Print Area, and select the area in the Map View window that you want to print,
by drawing a box around the required area. Check the print preview, and if you are satisfied, click the
Print button.
This picture shows an example of an ASSET plot.

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