5G RF Planning & Design

5-day training event
6100-3082

This intensive 5G RF Planning & Design training course provides engineers and RF professionals with a practical, end-to-end understanding of next-generation mobile network design, covering spectrum characteristics, propagation and channel modelling, link budget and interference analysis, antenna systems (including MIMO and massive MIMO), beamforming, small cell and heterogeneous network strategies, and capacity and coverage optimization techniques. Participants will learn hands-on use of industry-standard planning tools and simulation workflows to perform site surveys, cell splitting, handover planning, and traffic forecasting, while applying best practices for frequency reuse, coexistence with legacy technologies, and network energy efficiency. The curriculum addresses physical-layer constraints, deployment considerations for mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands, backhaul/fronthaul design choices, and performance validation metrics, with case studies and lab exercises that reinforce troubleshooting, parameter tuning, and real-world deployment decision-making. By course completion, attendees will be able to develop robust RF designs, produce detailed design reports, and recommend scalable deployment strategies that meet coverage, capacity, and quality-of-service targets for commercial 5G networks.

Course Outlines

Introduction to 5G Planning

• 5G Frequency Bands

• Most Popular 5G Bands to Deploy

• Subcarrier Spacing vs Cell Size

• 5G FDD TDD Modes

• Advantages of TDD Deployment

• Steps in 5G Cellular Planning

5G RAN Dimensioning

• What is Coverage Dimensioning?

• What are Path Loss and Propagation Path loss Models?

• 3GPP Propagation Models

• Rural Macro

• Urban Macro

• Urban Micro

• Propagation Models before 5G

• Okumara-Hata Model

• Walfisch Ikegami

• Sakagami Kubi Models

• Selection Criteria for Selection of PL Model

• Maximum Allowable Path Loss (MAPL)

• Cell Area, Intersite Distance and Required Number of cells Calculation

• Link Budget Equation

•  Factors affecting LInk Budget

• Building Penetration Loss

• Foliage (Vegetation) Loss

• Rain Fade Margin

• Body Block Loss

•  Interference Margin

• Shadow Fading Margin (SFM) and Location Probability

• Shadow Fading Margin Vs Cell Size

• Shadow Fading Standard Deviation Values for Propagation Models & SFM calculation

• Effect of Active Antenna Unit (AAU) on Link Budget

• Capacity Dimensioning

• Traffic Model and KPIs for capacity dimensioning

• Capacity Dimensioning Calculation

Propagation Model Tuning

• Propagation Model Tuning Steps

•  Drive Test Preparation And Procedure

•  Drive Test Measurements

•  The Standard Propagation Model Used in Model Tuning

•  Setting K1 and K2 coefficients

•  Diffraction Loss Multiplier Coefficient K4

•  Clutter Loss Coefficient K_clutter

•  Measuring goodness of Model Tuning

• Model Tuning Example from Atoll RF Planning Tool

Nominal (Detailed Simulation) Planning

•  Inputs & Outputs of 5G Coverage Planning Simulation

• 3D Ray Tracing Model

• electronic Maps For RF Planning And Their Basic Formats

•  3D Electronic Map Types: DTM, DLU, DHM and 3D Vector

• Coverage Planning & Plots: Composite Plot, Dominance Maps, Overlapping Zone Plot

•  3D Coverage Prediction

•   Monte Carlo (Dynamic) Simulations

•   Defining New Services in Planning Tool

•  Defining User Profiles, Geographical User Density and Traffic Distribution

•  Simulation Methodology for Monte-Carlo Simulations

•  Detailed Coverage and Capacity Prediction Maps

5G NR Beam Planning

• 5G NR Beam Classification

• Static Beams

•  Dynamic Beams

•  Broadcast Beam Coverage Scenarios

•  Scenario Selection Of Broadcast Beams

5G Downtilt Planning

• Antenna Tilt Types

  • • Mechanical Tilt

    • Electrical Tilt

    • Preset Electrical Tilt

    • Mechanical Tilt

•  Total 5G Beam Downtilt

•  Same Coverage of SSB and CSI-RSRP Beams

•  5G RF Downtilt Planning Principles

Detailed Parameter Planning: Physical Cell ID (PCI) Planning

• PCI Collision-Free Principle

• PCI Confusion Free Principle

•  Minimizing PCI Planning Impact On Network Performance

• PCI Mod 3 Staggering for PSS

• PCI Mod 4 Staggering For DMRS on PBCH

• PCI Mod 30 Staggering For DMRS on PUSCH, PUCCH and SRS

Detailed Parameter Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) Planning

• Preamble Sequence Formats

• Steps in PRACH Planning

• Select PRACH Format

• Calculate Number of Cyclic Shifts Ncs Cell Radius

• Calculate Number of Preambles Per RSI

• Calculate the Number of RSIs per cell and RSI groups