The world wide rapid development of mobile networks has greatly increased not only the number of mobile users but also the type of services they access. It is predicted that the coverage and density of voice-services will need to significantly increase to keep up with rising demand. Hotspots such as skyscrapers and large buildings have a disproportionate impact on the quality of a wireless network. The complex structural environment in large buildings and the great demand of voice services sets a high expectation on the performance of a wireless network in such a scenario. The vast variety and varying densities of structural materials makes it impossible to ensure a signal penetrates a large building evenly using external transmitters. Simply increasing the number of outdoor macro cells is an inefficient and often insufficient means to providing high quality consistent network and voice services coverage throughout these hotspots. To ensure consistent and high quality coverage throughout the building it is necessary to analyze the building in more detail to improve the indoor coverage.
A new generation of mobile media services has now been introduced allowing a key profit increase for the mobile operators but at as resultant cost of increased data traffic across the mobile network. The increase of data services requires a higher standard and consistency of wireless network performance as many of the newer services need to operate on demand in order to meet user expectations. The second generation, which is mainly based on voice service, has failed to satisfy the increased data requirement to facilitate the ever expanding number of users. Upgrading to the new generation of mobile network technology is vital for mobile operators if they are to capture the new data based income streams. The new generation network works on much higher frequencies with corresponding greater signal attenuation therefore the coverage area, depth, and the quality of the proposed network must be redefined. According to a survey by DoCoMo Ltd. (Japan), more than 23% of voice and 90% of data services take place indoor. Investigation into the analysis and deployment of dedicated indoor data and voice services by DoCoMo for existing buildings shows an increase in the use of voice and data services of 43% after deployment. These statistics demonstrate that mobile and other wireless networks strategically deployed indoors for large commercial buildings, residential buildings and other public places where large numbers of people congregate to promote increased service use. Hence the benefit to the Wireless network owners is threefold. The users within the building benefit from the increased quality of indoor data and voice services, there is an improved user experience and an elimination of dead zones within the building. As a result the network provider sees an increase in the uptake of the new mobile data services and their associated revenue stream. Finally the external pre-existing network has a greatly reduced demand in higher density areas, which gives it the capacity to provide an increased level of service to the remaining users. Additionally the need to increase the number of outdoor macro cells to maintain services is reduced which will also minimise the overall interference level on the outdoor mobile network, therefore improving the overall network quality, shorten the amount of time needed to become profitable and increase profitability.
Indoor coverage network technology is now maturing, and is in use in the competitive European market where the traditional outdoor network market has been in a mature phase for many years. Outdoor network coverage quality no longer determines the success of the various mobile operators as the quality of the data service gradually becomes the most dominant factor. Due to the abundance of 3G data services, surveys predict that with 3G, about 80% to 90% of wireless mobile network services take place indoor which is also the hardest place to guarantee a signal using an outdoor macro cell. Indoor wireless network coverage will therefore become an essential method of providing high quality data services in the current competitive market. Obviously, as the 3G network is expanding, the current 2G system structure needs to be upgraded in order to meet the 3G system coverage requirement. The development strategy of various mobile operator requires the following actions: Upgrade and change the 3G indoor distribution system; Absorb voice data flow and provide continuous and stable data services to improve the quality of service and users' satisfactory ratio to the new generation network; Improve the overall performance of the wireless mobile network.
This indoor coverage solution not only provides sufficient coverage, but also upgrades the network quality in terms of the following:
• Improves the indoor signal quality and allows more services, therefore making more profit.
• Reduces the overload of outdoor macro cells; enlarges the capacity of macro cells.
• Fills in the indoor gaps due to outdoor macro cells deficiencies, improving the quality of service and users' overall satisfaction ratio attracting new users.
• The upgraded network allows the introduction of new services which in turn increases profit.
In iBuildNet®, the network elements are saved in the integrated device database. A number of general devices with relevant parameters are stored by default. Users can customize this database by adding, deleting, copying or editing any devices.