Glossary

Cover Page

Glossary

Copyright © 2009
Mentum S.A. All rights reserved.

Notice

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Last updated January 9, 2009

Mentum Products

This chapter contains the
following section:
■

List of products

The Mentum product portfolio provides a range of
products for planning and maintaining wireless
networks.
This section describes the products that are available
as part of the portfolio. For additional details about
any of these products, see the Mentum web site at
http://www.mentum.com.

1

Mentum Products
Glossary

List of products
The following table describes wireless network planning and optimization
products. The table does not provide details about Mentum Planet® features
and tools. For more information about technologies and tools, see the
introductory chapters in the User Guide for the specific product or visit the
Products page of the Mentum web site at http://www.mentum.com.
Product

Description

Mentum
Planet

A Windows-based wireless network planning and analysis tool. You
can add technologies and tools to support the planning functions that
you require. Depending on the options that you choose, Mentum
Planet provides support for the following technologies:
■ TDMA/FDMA—GSM (including GPRS and EGPRS), IS-136,
AMPS, NAMPS, and iDEN
■

CDMA—W-CDMA (UMTS, including HSPA), cdma2000 (including
IS-95, 1xRTT, EV-DO)

Specialized modules
Measurement
Data Package

Test mobile and scan receiver functionality that can be added to
Planet so that you can import and analyze measurement data and
increase the accuracy of predictions.

Universal
Model

Propagation model that automatically adapts to all engineering
technologies (micro, mini, small and macro cells), to all environments
(dense urban, urban, suburban, mountainous, maritime, open), and to
all systems (GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, WIFI, WIMAX) in a
frequency range that spans from 400MHz to 5GHz.

Wavesight™

Propagation model that uses deterministic ray-tracing methods to
model the network.

Optimization applications

2

Renaissance

Frequency planning tool that uses evolutionary algorithms to find the
very best frequency plan that will minimize interference across the
network.

Capesso™

Optimisation tool that enables engineers to improve upon manual
optimisation techniques by allowing them to consider and adjust
multiple input parameters simultaneously. The result is a quicker and
more cost-effective convergence towards a 'best network'
configuration.

Mentum
Ellipse®

An integrated software solution for the optimal planning and design of
point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radio transmission links.

Contacting
Mentum
This chapter contains the
following sections:
■

Getting technical support

■

Send us your comments

Mentum is committed to providing fast, responsive
technical support. This section provides an extensive
list of contacts to help you through any issues you
may have.
We also welcome any comments about our
documentation. Customer feedback is an essential
element of product development and supports our
efforts to provide the best products, services, and
support we can.

3

Contacting Mentum
Glossary

Getting technical support
You can get technical support by phone or email, or by going to
http://www.mentum.com/customercare/customercare.asp. Email is the best
way of getting technical support.
North America
Phone: +1 866 921-9219 (toll free), +1 819 483-7094
Fax: +1 819 483-7050
Email: [email protected]
Hours: 8am – 8pm EST/EDT (Monday-Friday, excluding local holidays)
Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Phone: +33 1 39264642
Fax: +33 1 39264601
Email: [email protected]
Hours: 9am – 6pm CET/CEST (Monday-Friday, excluding local holidays)
Asia Pacific
Phone: +852 2824 8874
Fax: +852 2824 8358
Email: [email protected]
Hours: 9am – 6pm HKT (Monday-Friday, excluding local holidays)

When you call for technical support, ensure that you have your product ID
number and know which version of the software you are running. You can
obtain this information using the About command from the Help menu.
When you request technical support outside of regular business hours, a
Product Support Specialist will respond the next working day by telephone or
email, depending upon the nature of the request.

Send us your comments
Feedback is important to us. Please take the time to send comments and
suggestions on the product you received and on the user documentation
shipped with it. Send your comments to:
[email protected]

4

Glossary

This glossary contains the
following sections:
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Symbols
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Z

This glossary defines the terms used throughout the
Mentum Planet documentation library.

5

Introduction
Glossary

Symbols
1xRTT (Single Carrier (1x) Radio Transmission Technology)
A 3G wireless CDMA standard (also referred to as cdma2000) that offers
more voice capacity and higher data speeds (up to 144 kbps) than IS-95.
2G (Second Generation Mobile Network)
Generic name for second generation networks, for example GSM.
2G+ or 2.5G (Second Generation Enhanced)
Name given to 2G networks enhanced with GPRS or EDGE.
3G (Third Generation Mobile Network)
Generic name for third generation networks, for example UMTS.
3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project)
A co-operation between regional standards bodies to ensure global
interworking.

A
ACC (Analog Control Channel)
The control channel for the analog traffic channels in IS-136. Originally, this
was the control channel for AMPS networks. The ACC is limited to a set of
FCC defined frequencies.
Active UE
User equipment that is connected to the network and that uses at least one
channel. For a voice user, the user equipment is in the middle of a voice call,
while for a data user, the equipment is in the middle of a session.
Active Users
The number of users that are actively engaged in a call or session, or that
attempt to access the network over a period of time.
Active Set
Set of radio links simultaneously involved in a specific communication
service between an UE and the network.
Activity Factor
The percentage of time that a signal is transmitted on a channel in either
direction.

6

Introduction
Glossary

ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation)
A technique that effectively reduces occupied bandwidth per active speaker
by reducing sampling rates during periods of overflow peak traffic.
Advanced Clutter Properties
Clutter properties that pertain only to the CRC-Predict prediction model. They
include rms Roughness, Distance to Clearing, Relative Permittivity, and
Conductivity. Typically, they are values that depend on the Ground Type.
Mentum Planet automatically assigns values for these properties to a clutter
class when you assign a Ground Type to the class.
AFP (Automatic Frequency Planning)
The process of using an algorithm to automatically assign carriers, mobile
allocation lists (MAL), and other parameters to sectors while attempting to
minimize the total interference in a network.
AIIM (Advanced Iterative Interference Modeling)
The algorithm used in the CDMA module, version 3.x and earlier, to model
interference. Unlike the Monte Carlo method, which analyzes a set of discrete
points, AIIM analyzes the density distribution of users across a continuously
varying surface. Every cell in the analysis area is included in the AIIM
analysis, and the forward and reverse links are analyzed as if there was a user
at every given location. That is, each cell stores the number of active UEs
(i.e., User Equipment that is currently in the middle of a call or session) per
square kilometer. AIIM analyzes the grid-based distribution of active UEs to
generate network analysis outputs.
Air interface
The common boundary between the mobile station and the radio equipment in
the network, defined by functional characteristics, common radio (physical)
interconnection characteristics, and other characteristics, as appropriate.
An interface standard specifies the bi-directional interconnection
between both sides of the interface at once. The specification includes
the type, quantity and function of the interconnecting means and the type,
form and sequencing order of the signals to be interchanged by those means.

Air interface protocol
The protocol used across the air interface (usually a collection of protocols
supporting various layers of the protocol reference model).

7

Introduction
Glossary

Airtime
Actual time spent talking on the cellular telephone.
Alphanumeric
A message or other type of readout containing both letters (alphas) and
numbers (numerics).
AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
A 1G standard which operates in the 800 to 900 MHz frequency band.
AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate)
A codec offering a wide range of data rates. The philosophy behind AMR is to
lower the codec rate as the interference increases and thus enable more error
correction to be applied.
Analog
The traditional method of modulating radio signals so that they can carry
information. AM (amplitude modulation) and FM (frequency modulation) are
the two most common methods of analog modulation.
Analog Channel
A channel which is transmitted in analog waveforms.
Analysis Layers
Outputs generated by a network analysis. These can be categorized as
coverage and interference layers.
Anis
If the values amax and amin represent the range in a major and minor
direction of a semivariogram model, then the ratio a = amin / amax defines the
anisotropy factor, or anis, of a model. Usually, the anis is less than one. There
is, however, no requirement that the anis be less than one for any model.
Anisotropy
A property of data that has different properties in different directions. We can
sometimes see how slowly or how quickly data changes in one direction or
another. There are two types of anisotropy: zonal and geometric anisotropy. In
reality, data is never purely anisotropic but is a mix of both zonal and
geometric anisotropy.
ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
A private organization that coordinates the setting and approval of some U.S.
standards. It also represents the United States to the International Standards
Organization.

8

Introduction
Glossary

Antenna
A device for transmitting or receiving Radio Frequency (RF) signals. An
antenna’s shape and size depends on the required RF beam pattern and the
frequency of operation.
Antenna Editor
An interface that allows you to modify the settings for the antenna pattern,
save antenna patterns in .dpa or .nsm formats, and view tabular data of the
antenna pattern settings or descriptive information contained in the header of
an antenna file.
Antenna Gain
The gain of the antenna at the point of maximum gain in the horizontal plane.
Antenna Gain Pattern
The power radiated (or received) by an antenna in a given direction relative to
the power radiated (or received) in the direction of maximum radiation.
Antenna Power
Power radiated by, or received by, an antenna.
Antenna Tower
A self-supporting structure able to carry antennas at different heights above
ground.
ARQ (Automatic Repeat Request)
A simple transmission error protection scheme whereby the receiver requests
a retransmission when it detects that errors have occurred in a frame.
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)
A code for representing English characters as numbers, with each letter
assigned a number from 0 to 127. The standard ASCII character set uses just 7
bits for each character. There are several larger character sets that use 8 bits,
which gives them 128 additional characters. The extra characters are used to
represent non-English characters, graphics symbols, and mathematical
symbols. The DOS operating system uses a superset of ASCII called extended
ASCII or high ASCII.
Attribute
A distinctive feature of an object. In mapping and GIS applications, the
objects are points, lines, or polygons that represent features such as sampling
locations, section corners (points); roads and streams (lines); lakes, forest and
soil types (polygons). These attributes can be further divided into classes such
as tree species (Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine) for forest types and paved

9

Introduction
Glossary

and gravel for road types. Multiple attributes are generally associated with
objects that are located on a single map layer.
AVC (Analog Voice Channel)
Analog channel used for voice communications, part of the IS-136 standard.
Azimuth
The horizontal direction of a radio wave, which is measured clockwise
starting from true North, in degrees of rotation.

B
B2B (Business To Business)
Term used to identify a business to business transaction.
B2C (Business To Consumer)
Term used to identify a business to consumer transaction.
Background Noise
The total system noise in the absence of information transmission,
independent of the presence or absence of a signal.
Bandwidth (RF Bandwidth)
The range of radio frequencies that is occupied by a modulated carrier wave,
which is assigned to a service, or over which a device can operate. Also, the
capacity of a channel (i.e., the amount of data that can be sent through a given
circuit.)
Base Station
A logical grouping of a number of sectors at a single physical location with
common management needs. It is possible for multiple logical base stations to
exist at the same physical location. The sectors can be macrocell, microcell, or
picocell.
Baud
Unit of signaling speed. The speed in baud is the number of discrete
conditions or signal events per second. If each signal event represents only
one bit, the baud rate is the same as bps; if each signal event represents more
than one bit (such as a digit), the baud rate is smaller than bps.
BCC (Base Station Color Code)
In the GSM system, this code is transmitted in the SB (Synchronization Burst)
and is used in the Mobile Station to discriminate between cells using the same
frequencies during the cell selection and camping on process. The BCC is also

10

Introduction
Glossary

used to identify the TSC (Training Sequence Code) to be used when reading
the BCCH (Broadcast Control Channel).
BCCH (Broadcast Control Channel)
A downlink or forward channel used for the transmission of control
information or broadcast messages from a base station to an MS (Mobile
Station). The channel contains specific parameters for a mobile to identify the
network and gain access to it. In GSM, the typical information includes the
LAC (Location Area Code) and RAC (Routing Area Code), the MNC
(Mobile Network Code) and BA (BCCH Allocation) list.
BCH (Broadcast Channels)
Downlink channels used by mobiles to synchronize and receive the required
information for access to a cell. These channels are used in GSM, cdma2000,
and W-CDMA networks.
Bearer
An information transmission path of defined capacity, delay and bit error rate,
etc.
Bearer Rate
The rate of the narrowband data before spreading.
Benchmark
A standardized task to test the capabilities of various devices or organizations
against each other for performance.
BER (Bit Error Rate)
A measure of transmission quality. It is generally shown as a negative
exponent, (e.g., 10-7 which means 1 out of 107 bits are in error or 1 out of
10 000 000 bits are in error).
BES (Bursty Errored Seconds)
A BES contains more than 1 and fewer than 320 path coding violation error
events, and no severely errored frame or AIS defects. Controlled slips are not
included in determining BESs.
Best Server
The most suitable sector to communicate with at any geographical point at a
particular time. This is determined by the network and is based on a number
of factors including signal strength.
Best Server Field Strength
See Best Server Signal Strength.

11

Introduction
Glossary

Best Server Signal Strength
Signal strength from the Best Server.
Best Server Signal Strength Classes
User defined array classes for best server signal strength output.
Best Serving Sector
The transmitter capable of providing the best service.
Bilinear Interpolation
A method for resampling of raster satellite images. The value of a pixel is
calculated based on the values of the four nearest pixels.
Bin
Area in a grid, the size of which is defined by the grid resolution, for which a
specific value is present.
Binary Files
Files containing codes other than ASCII characters.
BIP (Bit Interleaved Parity)
An error-detection technique in which character bit patterns are forced into
parity, so that the total number of one bits is always odd or always even. This
is accomplished by the addition of a one or zero bit to each byte, as the byte is
transmitted; at the other end of the transmission, the receiving device verifies
the parity (odd or even) and the accuracy of the transmission.
Bit
Abbreviation for binary digit. A single binary digit of information represented
as a 0 (zero) or 1 (one).
BLER (Block Erasure Rate)
The percentage of corrupted radio blocks that have to be retransmitted by the
system.
Blocking
The effect that causes a user to get a busy signal indicating there are
insufficient system resources available to service the call.
Block
A group of bits or digits that is transmitted as a unit and that may be encoded
for error-control purposes.
Blocks
See Grid.

12

Introduction
Glossary

Bluetooth
Short-range radio link standard. Uses the unlicensed spectrum at 2.45 GHz to
provide 1 Mbps data rates.
BR (Base Radio)
The term given to the Transceiver Unit in iDEN networks. See also Radio.
BS (Base Station)
Also known as a “hub”. See “Base Station” on page 10.
BSA (Base Station Almanac)
A data file containing base station information that is read by the SnapTrack
Position Determining Entity (PDE), which is a core component of
Qualcomm’s gps One location system.
BSC (Base Station Controller)
Part of the Base station subsystem (GSM) responsible for locating and
handover (intra-MSC) together with other control functions.
BSIC (Base Station Identity Code)
A code in GSM which is broadcast on the SCH (Synchronization Channel) in
order to identify the NCC (Network Color Code) and the BCC (Base Station
Color Code).
BSS (Base Station Subsystem)
A term given to a BSC (Base Station Controller) and the BTS (Base
Transceiver Station or Stations) associated with it. The number of BTSs
associated with a BSC is dependent on the manufacturer.
BTS (Base Station Transceiver System)
The GSM name for a sector (cell is also used).
Buffer
An area surrounding a physical object, such as a point, a line, or a polygon.
BW
Bandwidth
BWA
Broadband Wireless Access
Byte
A computer-readable group of bits (normally 8 bits in length).

13

Introduction
Glossary

C
C
Signal strength from the serving sector.
C/A
The adjacent channel carrier-to-interference ratio.
C/I
The co-channel carrier-to-interference ratio.
C/(N+I)
The C/I including the effect of thermal noise. Expressed in dB.
Call
An association between two or more users or between a user and a network
entity that is established by the use of network capabilities. This association
may have zero or more connections.
Capacity Plan
A design of the traffic carrying elements across the network.
Captured Traffic
The amount of Offered Traffic captured by the best server coverage area of a
sector. Traffic tools use this amount to determine the level of Offered Traffic
for a specific cell.
Carried Traffic
The amount of Traffic that is served (carried successfully) for a sector. It is
related to the amount of traffic that is Offered and Blocked by the formula:
Blocking = 1- (Carried Traffic / Offered Traffic).
Carrier
See Carrier Wave and Carrier Frequency.
Carrier Wave
A transmitted signal at a steady base frequency. The signal can be transmitted
as a pulse or a wave. Information can be attached to this signal by altering
signal strength, varying the base frequency, varying the wave phase, or other
means. The process of varying the wave to enable it to carry information is
called modulation. This term is often shortened to Carrier.
Carrier Frequency
The physical frequency upon which the radio signal is transmitted. Can be
specified as a Carrier Number or Carrier Frequency.

14

Introduction
Glossary

Carrier Number
A number that identifies the carrier frequency.
Carrier Type
A Logical set of frequencies (e.g., used to define TCH and BCCH layers,
hopping and non-hopping layers, macro and micro layers [HCL], group
planning, etc.).
Cartesian Area
The Cartesian (2-dimensional) area of a map object.
Cartesian Coordinate System
A system of mutually perpendicular axes, normally the x, y, and z axes, along
which any point can be located.
Cartesian Distance
Distance measured as a straight line between two points in a 2-dimensional
plane.
CC
Color code.
CDF (Cumulative Distribution Function)
The distribution function D(x), also called the cumulative density function
(CDF), describes the probability that a random variable X takes on a value
less than or equal to a number x. The distribution function is sometimes also
denoted F(x).
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)
A form of modulation whereby digital information is encoded in an expanded
bandwidth format. Several transmissions can occur simultaneously within the
same bandwidth with the mutual interference reduced by the degree of
orthogonality of the unique codes used in each transmission. It permits a high
degree of energy dispersion in the emitted bandwidth. Originally developed
for military use over 30 years ago, the CDMA standards were used for 2G
mobile telephony and are now used in 3G technologies including cdmaOne
(including IS-95), cdma2000, and UMTS.
Cell
The coverage area for a sector. See Sector.

15

Introduction
Glossary

Cell Loading
The amount of traffic carried by a particular cell, normally expressed as a
proportion of the maximum traffic capacity of the cell or nominal throughput
(in the case of packet data traffic).
Cellular Radio
A mobile radio system in which an area is broken up into cells. Every cell is
handled by one transceiver (receiver/ transmitter). As a cellular mobile radio
moves from one cell to another, it is handed off to the next cell by a master
computer, which determines from which cell the signal is strongest. The size
of each cell is determined by the terrain, transmission power, and forecasted
number of users. A cell system is an area of interlocking cells to provide
service coverage in a given area.
CGSA (Cellular Geographic Service Area)
The actual area in which a cellular company provides cellular service. This
area may be somewhat smaller than the Metropolitan Statistical Area
surrounding it.
Channel
A path or circuit along which information flows.
Channels-Carriers Mapping
The means by which a Planet DMS user defines the relationship between
traffic channels (or Timeslots) and carriers of a particular carrier type. This
also enables the user to define the traffic type that is permitted on each
timeslot (either packet, or circuit, or both).
Circuit transfer mode
A transfer mode in which transmission and switching functions are achieved
by permanent or quasi-permanent allocation of channels, bandwidth or codes
between identified points of a connection. See also Packet transfer mode.
Classified Grid
A raster grid containing character-based attributes depicting such things as
land use, best serving areas, or coverage levels. Classified grids have a .grc
extension.
Clutter
Land use information.
Clutter Absorption Loss
Transmitted signal attenuation due to absorption by buildings, vegetation and
other influences. In Planet DMS, this is known as Clutter Factor.

16

Introduction
Glossary

Clutter Class
Referred to as a clutter category. Some examples include: urban, residential,
forest, and open.
Clutter Factor
See Clutter Absorption Loss.
Clutter Grid
A classified grid containing a spatial representation of the land classification
or land use along with an index of names.
Clutter Parameter Assignment File (.cpa)
A binary file containing a lookup table of electrical and physical properties
for clutter categories. The values are edited with the Clutter Property Editor.
Clutter Properties
The physical properties of the clutter categories in the project area.
Clutter Property Assignment Values
Values for the physical properties that either you or the prediction model
assigns to the clutter categories in a clutter grid.
Clutter Property Editor
Interface that allows you to match each clutter category in the clutter file to a
set of physical properties that affects prediction model predictions, or is used
to edit an existing .cpa file.
Codec
A device used to transform analog signal samples into digital bit words and
back again.
Color Ramp
Horizontal bar located below the graph in the Grid Color Tool dialog box that
shows the colors that are assigned to the grid cells.
Mentum Planet outputs that are associated with the communication system
coverage. This includes per-service or global basis coverage as well as total
served and unserved users.
Combined Analysis Output Grids
Planet outputs that are associated with the communication system coverage.
This includes per-service or global basis coverage as well as total served and
unserved users.

17

Introduction
Glossary

Common Channel
A channel not dedicated to a specific subscriber or UE.
Commuter License
A temporary stand-alone license that you create when you check out a
floating license to a mobile computer.
Contours
Lines joining points that have the same value for an attribute, such as
elevation. Connecting these points forms an imaginary line.
Control Channels (CCH)
A general term to describe logical channels that carry signaling and control
information between the network and the mobile stations.
Convergence
A measurement of the difference between the current and previous results of
variant re-iterative calculations.
Convergence Loop
Where the Convergence of a re-iterative calculation is repeatedly measured
until the Convergence meets a Convergence Target.
Convergence Target
The desired level of measured Convergence.
Coordinate System
A system that indicates horizontal and vertical distances on a map. In a GIS,
the system’s units and characteristics are defined by a map projection.
Correlation
The measure of interdependency between two or more random variables. Two
variables are positively correlated if the larger values of one variable are
associated with the larger values of the other variable. This is also true for the
smaller values of each variable. Two variables are negatively correlated if the
larger values of one variable are associated with the smaller values of the
other.
Correlation Coefficient
Normalized version of the correlation, most commonly used to describe the
relationship between two random variables. The correlation coefficient is
always normalized. In other words, the correlation coefficient is greater than
or equal to negative one or smaller than or equal to positive one.

18

Introduction
Glossary

Covariance
An estimate of the relative variance between two data sets.
Coverage Area
An area where the mobile services are provided by that mobile system to the
required level (i.e., where the service probability is above a certain threshold).
Coverage Layer
See Analysis Layers.
Coverage Requirement
A specification of the locations required to be covered to a certain extent (a
quality level) by a particular time.
Coverage Target Areas
See Coverage Requirement.
CPE (Customer Premise Equipment)
Equipment located at a customer site, for example, fixed wireless equipment.
CRC
Cyclic Redundancy Check.
CRC-Predict Prediction Model
A general purpose prediction program intended for the VHF to UHF (30 MHz
to 3 GHz) frequency range. The physical principles used by CRC-Predict are
also applicable for the 3 to 10 GHz frequency range. However, accurate
predictions for that range depend on very detailed and accurate terrain data,
and currently there are few supporting test measurements. The principal
algorithm is a diffraction calculation, based on the Fresnel-Kirchoff theory
that takes terrain into account in a detailed way. An estimate of the additional
loss for obstructions such as trees, buildings, or other objects is included when
data on clutter classes are available. Tropospheric scatter is included for long
paths. Estimates of time and location variability can be made.
Cross Section
A graph showing elevation or other attributes along a line or polyline.
CS
Coding Scheme.
CSD
Circuit Switched Data.

19

Introduction
Glossary

D
D-AMPS (Digital-Advanced Mobile Phone Service)
The digital wireless standard widely used throughout the Americas, Asia
Pacific and other areas. D-AMPS operates on the 800 and 1900 MHz bands.
Data Manager
A component of Planet that allows you to store data in an Oracle or Microsoft
SQL database and share this data with other users.
Database
A collection of data (usually large) organized especially for rapid research and
retrieval. See also Table.
Databuild
Databuild is the process of loading soft design parameters into the network. It
is also used for the data transcript that is used to load the soft parameters into
the network.
dB (Decibel)
A unit of measure of signal strength, usually the relation between a
transmitted signal and a standard signal source.
dBm
The unit used to measure absolute power and signal strength, referenced to
one mW. Zero dBm equals one mW.
DCC
Digital Color Code.
DCCH
Digital Control Channel.
DCS (Digital Communications System (DCS1800))
Also known as GSM1800 or PCN, this digital network operates in Europe and
Asia Pacific. It is another name for GSM working on a radio frequency of
1800 MHz.
Dedicated Channel
A channel dedicated to a certain Subscriber or UE.
Delimited ASCII file
The most common format for electronic text files. In an ASCII file, each
character is represented by a 7-binary digit binary number.

20

Introduction
Glossary

DEM (Digital Elevation Model)
An ASCII or binary file that contains spatial elevation data collected at
regularly spaced intervals. A DEM provides a digital representation of
elevation information in raster form. The most common source of United
States DEM data is the United States Geographical Survey (USGS). DEMs
are available in a variety of scales, including 7.5 minute, 15 minute, 2-arc
second, and 1 degree.
Design (Radio)
The configuration of all the radio equipment. This includes the physical
parameters (e.g., base station locations, antenna downtilts, etc.) and the soft
parameters (e.g., locating, handover parameters).
Design Data
The data comprising a design.
Deterministic Model
A deterministic model is one that bases its predictions on wave-propagation
theory and on terrain data.
Dictionary Editor
Component of Planet that allows you to manipulate the color of classified
grids.
Digital Microwave
A microwave system in which the modulation of the radio frequency carrier is
digital. The carrier is still a standard microwave radio wave. The digital
modulation may be frequency or phase shift, but the control of that
modulation is the digital bit stream.
Digital Modulation
A method of encoding the RF carrier wave with digital signals, where the
signals are combined into one or more serial bit streams that include framing
and supervisory signals. A to D and D to A conversion may be required at the
transmitting and receiving end. Digital transmission offers a cleaner signal,
which is more resilient to the problems experienced by analog modulation
such as fading and static.
DTM (Digital Terrain Model)
See Digital Elevation Model (DEM).
Distance to Median Signal Strength
The distance from the transmitter at which the signal strength is exactly
halfway between its minimum and maximum value.

21

Introduction
Glossary

DLA (Dispatch Location Area)
Dispatch Location Area.
DLPC (Down Link Power Control)
A process used to control the output power of the base station such that the
base station only provides as much power as is required to serve the
individual subscriber whilst maintaining the required SIR (Signal to
interference ratio).
DLPC gain

Resultant gain from the use of Downlink Power Control.
DNS (Domain Name Server)
Internet name resolution server.
Downlink
Unidirectional radio link for the transmission of signals from the base station
(Node B) to the UE. In general the direction from network to UE.
DPDCH (Dedicated Physical Data Channel)
In UMTS, a physical channel that transmits data. It is dedicated to a mobile
station.
Drive Test
The activity associated with the collection of data from the live network by
use of test mobile equipment.
DRU (Dual-mode Radio Unit)
Dual-mode Radio Unit.
DSAT (Digital Supervisory Audio Tone)
Digital Supervisory Audio Tone.
DTX (Discontinuous Transmission)
A technique whereby transmission is suspended when pauses or silence
appear in the normal flow of a conversation within a call.
Dual Band
A cellular system or mobile phone that will operate on two frequencies
(typically 900 MHz and 1800 or 1900 MHz), thus allowing the use of
additional radio spectrum.

22

Introduction
Glossary

Dual Mode
Dual mode mobile phones will operate with more than one air interface
standard and hence can work on more than one type of network (e.g., GSM
and CDMA).
DVCC (Digital Verification Color Code)
A unique 8-bit code value assigned to each cell in IS-54. The DVCC acts like
a digital marker, keeping a mobile on frequency.

E
Eb/No
Ratio of the energy per bit over the noise density, expressed in dB.
Ec/Io
Energy per chip/Pilot interference density.
EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution or Enhanced Data
Rates for GSM Evolution)
This is an enhanced modulation technique designed to increase network
capacity and data rates in TDMA networks. EDGE will let operators without a
3G license compete with 3G networks offering similar data services. EDGE
should provide data rates up to 384 Kbps.
EGPRS
Enhanced GPRS. The packet portion of EDGE.
EiRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power)
The maximum radiated power in the direction of the maximum gain (typically
in the direction the antenna is pointing). This includes the gain of the antenna
relative to that of an isotropic antenna. Since the gain of a dipole antenna is
2.15 dB relative to that of an isotropic antenna, the EiRP value will be 2.15 dB
greater than that of the equivalent power ERP value.
Erlang
A dimensionless measure of radio traffic. One Erlang is equivalent to one
telephone line being permanently used.
ERP
The maximum radiated power of the maximum gain (typically in the direction
in which the antenna is pointing). This includes the gain of the antenna
relative to that of an omnidirectional dipole antenna.

23

Introduction
Glossary

ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) is an
independent, non-for-profit, standardization organization for the
telecommunications industry.
EV-DO (Evolution - Data Only)
A 3G standard (IS-856) high data rate extension to cdma2000 (1xRTT). It
carries data only, not voice, in a dedicated 1.25 MHz carrier at a maximum
rate of 2.4 mbps.
Experimental Semivariogram
A function of variance that describes the distance between two samples. By
building an experimental semivariogram, it is possible to understand how data
behaves. An experimental semivariogram takes into account the distance
between all pairs of sample points. It may envisage only these pairs, which lie
into some defined direction b with predefined tolerance. When there is
insufficient data causing the semivariogram to lack smoothness, the
experimental semivariogram can be replaced by a theoretical semivariogram
model which is able to retain, or even emphasize, the main characteristics of
the experimental semivariogram and simultaneously provides reasonable
values for any distance, regardless of the peculiarities or lack of data.

F
FACCH (Fast Associated Control Channel)
A channel that appears in place of the traffic channel when lengthy or urgent
signaling is required between a GSM mobile and the network while the
mobile is in call.
FACH (Forward Access Channel)
The forward-link channel used to carry control information to user equipment.
FCC
A board of commissioners appointed by the President under the
Communications Act of 1934, with the authority to regulate all interstate
telecommunications originating in the United States, including transmission
over phone lines.
FCC Contours
The FCC requires cellular and other radio services to submit coverage and
interference plots as well as associated contour calculations when erecting
new towers or amending existing ones. Service providers are licensed to serve
a specific geographic area, and a variety of rules and restrictions apply for

24

Introduction
Glossary

different systems and services. The rules are based upon a series of formulae
defined by the FCC that rely on determining certain signal strengths at a given
distance from the transmitter with regard to the power in ERP (Watts). An
FCC contour is often referred to as a Service Area Boundary (SAB).
FCS (Frame Check Sequence)
In bit-oriented protocols, a 16-bit field that contains transmission error
checking information, usually appended to the end of the frame.
FDD (Frequency Division Duplex)
Duplex operation that is made possible by the simultaneous use of a pair of
frequencies, one for each direction of communication (i.e., uplink and
downlink).
FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing)
A method of dividing an available frequency range into parts with each
having enough bandwidth to carry one channel.
FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access)
A technique whereby multiple users of a radio system are separated within the
frequency domain.
FEC (Forward Error Correction)
A system of error control for data transmission where the receiving device has
the capability to detect and correct any character or code block that contains
fewer than a predetermined number of symbols in error.
FER (Frame Erasure Rate)
A value indicating the number of data frames that contained errors and, hence,
could not be processed.
FH (Frequency Hopping)
The repeated switching of frequencies during radio transmission according to
a specified algorithm, normally used to provide frequency diversity gain.
Frequency hopping is employed in frequency division spread spectrum to
hide the data channels in the noise or to avoid interference from other users of
the common spectrum. It is also employed in fading channels to improve the
quality of the radio connection. The hopping pattern must be known both by
the receiver and the transmitter. This pattern is described using a hopping
sequence and identified by the hopping sequence number (HSN).
Field Strength
See Signal Strength.

25

Introduction
Glossary

Flag
See Sector Flag.
Forward Stepping Aggregation technique
A process that aggregates points by moving through the data set from left to
right and then top to bottom. Beginning with the data points in the upper left
(northwest) corner of the data set, a circular search radius is created. All data
points that fall inside this search radius are selected and flagged. This prevents
these data points from being aggregated to another location. The geocenter of
the selected points is then determined. This becomes the location of the new
aggregated point. The process ends by performing the aggregation
calculations on the selected points, and the results are attributed to the new
aggregated point.
Forward-link Analysis Output Grids
Planet outputs that focus on forward-link analysis and include a large number
of output grids such as the Ec/Io and signal strength for both the pilot and the
sync channel outputs.
Frame
A specific period of time used in digital communications systems to organize
transmitted data into regular patterns.
Frequency
The number of complete alternations per second in an electrical or lightwave
information signal. The number of complete oscillations per second of energy
(as electromagnetic radiation) in the form of waves.
Frequency Reuse
The ability to use the same frequencies repeatedly within a single system,
made possible by the basic design approach for cellular. Since each cell is
designed to use radio frequencies only within its boundaries, the same
frequencies can be reused in other cells not far away with little potential for
interference. The reuse of frequencies is what allows a cellular system to
handle a huge number of calls with a limited number of channels.
Fresnel Zone
One of a (theoretically infinite) number of a concentric ellipsoids of
revolution which define volumes in the radiation pattern of a (usually)
circular aperture. The cross-section of the first Fresnel zone is circular.
Subsequent Fresnel zones are annular in cross section, and concentric with the
first. Odd-numbered Fresnel zones have relatively intense field strengths,

26

Introduction
Glossary

whereas even-numbered Fresnel zones are nulls. Fresnel zones result from
diffraction by the circular aperture.
FWA (Fixed Wireless Access)
See Wireless Local Loop (WLL).

G
Gain Analysis Output Grids
Planet outputs that are associated with system gains that are not constant over
space (e.g., soft handover macro-diversity and softer-handover signal
combining gain).
Geocode
To assign x, y coordinates to a geographic location, such as a house on a
street.
Geographic Information System (GIS)
A collection of computer hardware, software, and geographic data designed to
capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display geographically
referenced information.
Geometric Anisotropy
A data property where directional semivariograms have the same sill, but
reach it with different range.
Geostatistics
A branch of applied statistics developed by George Matheron. The original
purpose of geostatistics centered on estimating changes in ore grade within a
mine. Now, however, the principles have been applied to a variety of scientific
disciplines.
GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node)
The Node that supports the edge routing function of the GPRS network. To
external packet data networks the GGSN performs the task of an IP router.
Firewall and filtering functionality, to protect the integrity of the GPRS core
network, are also associated with the GGSN along with a billing function.
GHz (Gigahertz)
A measurement of the frequency of a signal equivalent to one billion cycles
per second, or one thousand million cycles per second.
Global Edit Dialog Box
Component of Planet that allows you to modify site parameters for all sites, or
a group of sites, at one time.

27

Introduction
Glossary

GoS (Grade of Service)
Level of service displayed as a percentage (number of dropped or blocked
calls/total number of calls attempted by a subscriber).
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)
A system for TDMA networks that incorporates packet-switching protocols,
has shorter setup time for ISP connections, and offers the possibility to charge
by amount of data sent rather than connect time. It is designed to support
flexible data transmission rates typically up to 20 or 30 Kbps (with a
theoretical maximum of 171.2 Kbps), as well as continuous connection to the
network.
Grid
A term used to describe a lattice of square cells organized by rows and
columns arranged over a geographic area where each cell is attributed with a
value representing the area the cell covers. These cells are also known as
pixels or bins. Essentially two kinds of data types can be attributed: character
and numeric. Sometimes, a grid is referred to as a raster. In Planet DMS, this
is known as a Block.
Grid Manager
Component of Planet that provides access to many grid functions and tools.
Grid Queries
Mathematical expressions used to derive results from a number of grids.
Grid Resolution
The size of the bins in a grid. Planet uses square bins, so the width and height
are identical. The smaller the grid, the higher the resolution (i.e., the more
detailed the information depicted).
Grid Splicer
Component of Planet that combines data from a number of separate grids to
create a new grid.
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)
2G cellular communication standard. The de facto 2G wireless telephone
standard in Europe. It was designed to support voice, data, text messaging and
cross-border roaming. GSM is a TDMA system, implemented on 900, 1800,
and 1900 MHz frequency bands. The original name was Groupe Speciale
Mobile.

28

Introduction
Glossary

H
Handoff
See Handover.
Handoff / Handover Gain
The gain/loss factor (+ or -) brought by handoff to maintain specified
reliability at the cell boundary.
Handover
The process by which subscribers traveling throughout the system coverage
area are switched from cell to cell (or sector to sector) with better coverage for
that particular area when poor quality conversation is detected. For GSM and
UMTS, the term used is Handover, for CDMA it is known as Handoff.
Hard handover
A category of handover procedures where all the old radio links in the UE are
abandoned before the new radio links are established.
HCL (Hierarchical Cell Layer)
A cell layer that is created by the determination of traffic priorities, which
take preference over pure signal strength.
Heights
See DEM.
HF (High Frequency)
Term given to the radio frequencies in the band between 3 and 30 MHz.
HiperLAN (High-Performance Radio Local Area Network)
An ETSI standard that operates at up to 54 Mbps in the 5 GHz RF band.
HiperLAN2 is compatible with 3G WLAN systems for sending and receiving
data, images, and voice communications.
HIPERLAN/2 (High Performance Radio LAN Type 2)
Histogram (Frequency)Wireless LAN (specify by ETSI/BRAN) in the 5 GHz
IMS Band with a bandwidth up to 50 Mbps.
A graph that displays the number of occurrences of a value in the dataset.
Histograms of a grid can be viewed in the Grid Manager by clicking the Info
button and the Histogram tab, and also in the Grid Color Tool dialog box by
clicking the Color button.

29

Introduction
Glossary

HLR (Home Location Register)
A database within the network. It provides routing information for Mobile
Terminated calls and SMS (Short Message Service). It is also responsible for
the maintenance of user subscription information.
Hop Set
See MAL.
HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data)
The combining of timeslots on the GSM radio carrier that allows higher data
rates than can be achieved with a single timeslot. Data rates of 14.4 Kbps,
using one timeslot, 28.8 Kbps using two timeslots, or 57.6 Kbps using four
timeslots can be achieved.
HSDPA (High Speed Download Packet Access)
An enhancement to the W-CDMA 3G standard, as specified in 3GPP
release 5, that provides for downlink data rates up to a theoretical maximum
of 14.4 Mbps. This is achieved by applying adaptive modulation with
increased coding rates and improved scheduling.
HSN (Hopping Sequence Number)
A numeric value that identifies the pattern in which a mobile hops through the
mobile allocation list (hopset), from cyclic to pseudo-random.
HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access)
An enhancement to the W-CDMA 3G standard, as specified in 3GPP
release 6, that provides for uplink data rates up to a theoretical maximum of
5.8 Mbps. This is achieved with improved scheduling and Hybrid ARQ.
HT100 (Hilly Terrain 100km/h)
A multipath profile for a subscriber. Representing a Hilly Terrain environment
with the mobile traveling at an average of 100 km/h.
Hz (Hertz)
Unit of frequency. 1 Hz represents one full cycle in one second. (formerly
cycles per second).

30

Introduction
Glossary

I
I (Interference)
The effect of unwanted signals or noise on a wanted signal.
iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network)
A Motorola Inc. enhanced specialized mobile radio network technology that
combines two-way radio, telephone, text messaging, and data transmission
into one network.
IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers)
The U.K. body for professional electrical engineers.
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
The world’s largest technical professional society. Based in the U.S., the IEEE
sponsors technical conferences, symposia and local meetings worldwide,
publishes nearly 25% of the world ís technical papers in electrical, electronics
and computer engineering, provides educational programs for members, and
promotes standardization.
IFP (Interactive Frequency Planning)
The process of manually evaluating the interference costs and violations
associated with the frequency assignments for a group of sectors and
modifying the individual assignments to achieve the optimal plan.
ILA (Interconnect Location Area)
Interconnect Location Area (iDEN parameter).
ILMI Interim Local Management Interface (Interim Local Management
Interface)
The standard that specifies the use of the Simple Network Management
Protocol (SNMP) and an ATM Management Information Base (MIB) to
provide network status and configuration information.
i-mode
A proprietary, packet-based information service for mobile phones to deliver
content information to mobile phones. It also allows the exchange of email
from handsets on the PDC-P network.
IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity)
A unique identifier allocated to each mobile subscriber in a GSM and UMTS
network. It consists of a MCC (Mobile Country Code), a MNC (Mobile
Network Code) and a MSIN (Mobile Station Identification Number).

31

Introduction
Glossary

IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunications-2000)
Used by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for the
specification for projected third-generation wireless services, this was
formerly referred to as Future Public Land-Mobile Telephone Systems
(FPLMTS).
Interference Layer
See Analysis Layers.
Interference Matrix
A table detailing the sources of interference for each sector. An interference
matrix can be generated from a network analysis, a traffic map, network data,
or local RF engineering knowledge. It is stored in an interference matrix
(*.imx) file.
Interoperability
The ability of a network to operate with other networks, such as two systems
based on different protocols or technologies.
Interpolation
The process of estimating grid values using measured observations taken
from a point file. New values calculated from the original point observations
form a continuous, evenly spaced grid surface that fills in the gaps between
the non-continuous points. Many mathematical formulae can be applied to
estimating or interpolating grid values from an existing point file. There is no
perfect solution, and many techniques are in use. The validity of each method
depends entirely upon the type of data being interpolated, and each generates
a unique style of interpolation surface. For more information, see the Grid
Analysis User Guide.
IPSec (Internet Protocol Security)
A technology for encrypting IP packets. An additional feature for IPv4 but a
standard feature of IPv6.
IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)
The version of IP in common use today.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)
IPv6 provides a replacement for IPv4. IPv6 includes support for flow Identity
in the packet header, which can be used to identify flows and improve QoS
(Quality of Service). IPv6 was formerly known as IPng (next generation).

32

Introduction
Glossary

IR (Incremental Redundancy)
A technique used in cellular packet data systems for matching the code rate to
the prevailing channel conditions by the use of limited feedback from the
receiver to the transmitter.
IRF (Interference Rejection Factor)
Measurement of the ability of a receiver to discriminate between wanted
signal and interference.
IS-136
The North American TDMA cellular standard.
IS-95
The first CDMA standard (also referred to as CdmaOne) introduced by
Qualcomm. IS-95 can carry voice and data traffic. IS-95A can carry data at a
maximum rate of 14.4 kbps and IS-95B can carry data at a maximum rate of
115 kbps. IS-95 is being replaced by cdma2000 (1xRTT).
ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
A voluntary, non-treaty organization founded in 1946 that is responsible for
creating international standards in many areas, including computers and
communications.
Isochronous
Signals carrying embedded timing information or signals that are dependent
on uniform timing; usually associated with voice and/or video transmission.
Isoline
A line on a map that connects points of equal value.
Iteration
A single pass through a calculation loop.
ITU (International Telecommunication Union)
An international organization within the United Nations System where
governments and the private sector coordinate global telecommunications
networks and services.
ITU-R
The part of the ITU that develops worldwide standards for radio.
ITU-T
The part of the ITU that develops worldwide standards for
telecommunications.

33

Introduction
Glossary

Iu Interface
The interface that links the RNC (Radio Network Controller) with either a
3GMSC (3G Mobile Switching Center) or a 3G SGSN (3G Serving GPRS
Support Node).

K
k Factor
The ratio of the effective radius of the earth in the presence of atmospheric
refraction to its real value. A standard value k = 4/3 is commonly adopted.
Key
See Legend.
KHz (Kilohertz)
A measurement of the frequency of a signal equivalent to one thousand cycles
per second.
Kriging
A collection of generalized linear regression techniques for minimizing an
estimation variance defined in a prior model for a covariance. All versions of
kriging are elaborations on the basic linear regression algorithm and
corresponding estimator. Kriging initially was used to provide estimates for
unsampled values but it is being increasingly used to build probabilistic
models of uncertainty about unknown values. The kriging algorithm provides
a minimum error variance estimate of any unsampled value. When used as a
mapping algorithm, kriging is a low-pass filter that tends to smooth out details
and extreme values of the original data set.
Kriging with a Trend Model
See Universal Kriging.

L
LA (Location Area)
The area of cells defined by the operator through which the mobile will be
paged.
LAC (Location Area Code)
The code that uniquely identifies a LA (Location Area) within a PLMN
(Public Land Mobile Network). It may range from 0 to 65 535.

34

Introduction
Glossary

LAI (Location Area Identity)
The code that uniquely identifies a LA (Location Area) within any PLMN
(Public Land Mobile Network). It comprises the MCC (Mobile Country
Code), MNC (Mobile Network Code), and the LAC (Location Area Code).
Layer Control
The component of MapInfo that enables you to work with map layers.
Legend
Classes and colors that reference a grid. In Planet DMS this is known as a key.
License File
A text file that contains an encrypted code that holds information about the
hardware configuration of the system upon which it resides. If you install a
license file on another computer, you will not be able to run Planet.
Lines
See Contours.
Link Budget
A link budget contains the gains and losses associated with the antennas,
transmitters, links, and the propagation environment. It is used to determine
the maximum path loss between a transmitter and a mobile.
LLC (Logical Link Control)
In a GPRS system the LLC protocol provides a highly reliable ciphered
logical link between the MS (Mobile Station) and SGSN (Serving GPRS
Support Node). It is independent of the underlying radio interface protocols
enabling the introduction of alternative GPRS radio solutions with minimal
changes to the Network Switching System.
LMCS (Local Multipoint Communication System)
A fixed wireless technology, commonly referred to as LMDS, that operates at
high frequency (28 GHz+) and provides high-speed data services. The
capacity is extremely high due to the large bandwidth and the very aggressive
frequency reuse that can be achieved at this frequency.
LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution Service)
A broadband radio service, located in the 28 GHz and 31 GHz bands,
designed to provide two-way transmission of voice, high-speed data and
video (wireless cable TV).
LAPL (Local Absorption Power Loss)
See Clutter Absorption Loss.

35

Introduction
Glossary

LOF (Loss of Frame)
A type of transmission error that may occur in wide-area carrier lines.
Loss
The drop in signal level between two points on a network. It is important to
distinguish between loss and level. Level is measured at a finite point. Loss is
the difference between levels. Loss occurs constantly throughout telephony,
from long distance circuits to switches. Loss is usually measured in dB. Loss
is cumulative. Add two circuits, each with a loss of 10 dB and you will have
20 dB loss in the total circuit. The human ear can detect a 3 dB loss.
LSB (Least Significant Bit)
The lowest order bit in the binary representation of a numerical value.
LTE (Long Term Evolution)
4G proposal for 3GPP standardization path.
LULC (Land Use Land Class)
A classified grid (.grc) that identifies the land use (land class) at every bin on
the grid (i.e., Forest, Industrial, Salt Water, etc.). A particular data set used in
the U.S.A.

M
MA (Mobile Allocation)
See MAL.
Macrocells
Cells with a large cell radius, typically outdoor cells in which the base-station
antenna is above nearby roof tops.
Macro Diversity Handover
A state that occurs when a mobile is connected with two or more transmitters
simultaneously in order to improve the signal quality or ensure a seamless
handover to another transmitter.
MAIO (Mobile Allocation Index Offset)
The point in the Hopping sequence at which the hopping sequence starts in a
Frequency Hopping cell.
Major (Main) Direction
The major (main) direction in a theoretical semivariogram model in which the
model reaches its maximal range.

36

Introduction
Glossary

MAL (Mobile Allocation List)
The list of frequencies that are to be hopped over in a frequency hopping cell.
Also known as a Hop set.
MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
A network designed to carry data over an area larger than a campus, such as
an entire city and its outlying area.
Map Layers
A feature of MapInfo and Planet that enables you to display more than one
type of data in a window. You can manipulate layers using the Layer Control
dialog box. For more information, type Layer Control on the Index tab of
MapInfo online Help.
Map Projection
A method that converts locations on the earth ís surface from spherical to
planar coordinates.
Map Window
The window open in a project or workspace that displays the current view.
Map windows display grid and table information. You can have more than one
map window open at a time.
Mbps (Megabits per second)
A million binary pulses; commonly used in data communications to measure
the amount of data per second transmitted between two telecommunication
points.
MCC (Mobile Country Code)
A three digit number uniquely identifying a given country. It is utilized within
the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) and LAI (Location Area
Identity).
m-commerce (Mobile Commerce)
Similar to e-commerce but the term is usually applied to the emerging
transaction activity in mobile networks.
Mcps (Megachips per second)
The number of bits (chips) transferred per second.
MCS (Modulation and Coding Schemes)
A Fixed Wireless technology for two-way data transmission. Multipoint
Communication Systems operate at around 2.6 GHz and generally use
different modulation schemes for the uplink and downlink, making it possible

37

Introduction
Glossary

to reduce the power requirement for the uplink. They generally provide
asymmetric data capacity, where the downlink can have between 2 and 50
times more capacity than the uplink.
MDS (Multipoint Communication System)
Fixed Wireless technology used for one-way streaming multimedia
transmission. It is often referred to as cable over the air. MDS networks are
generally deployed at 2.5 GHz using medium to high power transmit sites and
provide coverage across a 30-km radius.
Mean
The mean is the average value of a property for which a number of
measurements exist. For example, if you took nine signal strength
measurements all at the same distance from a transmitter, then, to calculate
the mean, you would divide the sum of the values for the signal strength by
the number of samples taken, nine, to obtain the mean.
Mean Value
The arithmetic average of the data values in a discrete data set.
Median Signal Strength
See Distance to median signal strength.
Merging
Technique used in Planet to combine two or more grids. In areas where these
grids overlap a mathematical calculation is performed to determine the new
grid value. You can only merge numeric grids. For more information on
merging, see the Grid Analysis User Guide.
Meta Data
Data about data.
MHz
Abbreviation for megahertz, one million Hertz (one million cycles per
second).
Microcells
Cells with a small cell radius (less than one kilometer), typically in which the
base-station antenna is below nearby roof tops.
Microsoft SQL Database
Microsoft product that uses the SQL language for manipulating tables in a
database.

38

Introduction
Glossary

Microwave
A term loosely applied to those radio frequency wavelengths which are
sufficiently short to exhibit some of the properties of light. Commonly used
for frequencies from about 1 GHz to 30 GHz.
Microwave Frequency
Any of the frequencies suitable for microwave communication. Most
common are the 2 GHz, 4 GHz, and 6 GHz bands.
Minor Direction
The direction orthogonal to the major direction in semivariogram modeling.
MNC (Mobile Network Code)
A two- or three-digit number used to uniquely identify a given network from
within a specified country Mobile Country Code (MCC). The MNC is used as
part of the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), LAI (Location
Area Identity), etc.
Mobile
A term used to describe a mobile telephone or other mobile device within a
network.
Mobile Station
A term used to describe a mobile telephone or other mobile device within a
GSM network.
Mobile Type
See Service.
Model Tuning
Method for adjusting a prediction model based on altering parameters used by
the algorithm that affect the signal strength. The CRC-Predict model can be
tuned by adjusting a small number of parameters (Clutter Absorption Loss
being the main one).
Models
Methods or algorithms for calculating signal strength and path loss.
MS (Mobile Station)
The GSM term for mobile.
MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)
An MSA demotes one of the 306 largest urban population markets as
designated by the U.S. government. Two wireless operators are licensed in
each MSA.

39

Introduction
Glossary

MSC (Mobile Switching Center)
Responsible for routing calls to the PSTN.
MSIN (Mobile Station Identification Number)
Part of the ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union Telecommunications Standardization Sector) defined IMSI (International
Mobile Subscriber Identity) to uniquely identify a mobile or subscription
from within a given network. The MSIN comprises a maximum of 10 digits.
m-tailing (Mobile Tailing)
Expression used in the Billing and Charging environment for mobile retailing.
MTSO (Mobile Telephone Switching Office)
The central computer that connects a wireless phone call to the public
telephone network. The MTSO controls the entire system ís operations,
including monitoring calls, billing, and handoffs.
Multimedia
Term used to describe many different forms of media which can be used for
different applications, for example, graphics, animation, sound, and video.
Multimedia is commonly associated with the term broadband since it requires
higher bandwidth.

N
N
Noise power.
NAMPS
Narrowband AMPS.
Narrowband
An imprecise term meaning to some people subvoice-grade channels capable
of carrying only 100 to 200 bits per second, and to others meaning circuits
able to carry up to 2400 bits per second.
National Spectrum Managers Association
An association that provides guidelines for FCC regulations.
NCC (Network Color Code)
The Network Color Code is broadcast as part of the BSIC (Base Station
Identity Code). It consists of 3 bits, which are used to differentiate between
operators utilizing the same frequencies.

40

Introduction
Glossary

Neighborhood
In kriging, a neighborhood is a radial area around some sample points that is
usually estimated via the size of semivariogram range (i.e., the distance,
which defines the limits of data correlation).
Neighbor Cell
A cell that a mobile is permitted to handover to in dedicated mode.
Neighbor List
A list detailing the neighbor relationships between sites and sectors. The list is
generated from the best server coverage, an interference matrix, or network
data and is stored in a neighbor list (.nl) file.
Nested Structures
A linear combination of basic semivariogram models, where each of the
nested structures corresponds to a single term of the linear combination.
Network
Devices connected by communications circuits. The public switched network
is the network of lines used for publicly dialed telephone calls. A private
network is a network whose use is restricted to a specific customer or group of
customers.
Network Analysis
Performs composite coverage predictions for multiple sites in a network.
Outputs may vary depending on the Planet module used (e.g., CDMA,
UMTS, Fixed Wireless).
Network Element
An entity making up the network (e.g., HLR, MSC, BSC, BTS, sector,
transceiver, timeslot).
NLG (Neighbor List Generator)
A tool for generating Neighbor Lists.
NO (Network Operator)
The organization responsible for the operation of the infrastructure that forms
a wireless network. The organization could be a service provider.
Node
The beginning and ending locations of a line. All lines that meet at the node
are linked.
Node B
UMTS base station or transmitter.

41

Introduction
Glossary

Noise Level
The volume of noise energy, expressed in decibels, above a reference level.
Noise Figure
See Receiver Noise Figure.
Nominal Plan
A rough coverage design traditionally done using simple mapping data
(without building information) to estimate the number of base stations
required and their approximate locations and configurations in order to meet
marketing coverage and quality requirements.
NSMA (National Spectrum Managers Association)
An industry body formed to develop technical and procedural
recommendations for coordination of wireless telecommunications systems
and services. One such standard is a format for the electronic transfer of
antenna pattern data. The conversion creates a text file that can be modified in
a text editor.
A term inherited from mining geology. A practical example of this
phenomenon is the tendency of certain particles to occur through a substance
in clumps or nuggets rather than being finely distributed. This is how gold
often occurs in soil. In order to avoid the random effect of nuggets in an
analysis, a large soil sample must be analyzed to get a truly representative
value of the average amount of gold in the soil. In geostatistics, when a
variogram is extrapolated back to zero distance, it may not approach zero
variance. The amount by which the variance differs from zero is known as the
nugget effect.
Null
In an antenna system the Null is a point where the effected radiated power is
at a minimum relative to the maximum effective radiated power at the main
beam. In a database system Null is a special value assigned to a row or a
column indicating either unknown values or inapplicable usage.
Numeric Grids
A raster grid containing numeric values. Numeric grids have a .grd extension.

42

Introduction
Glossary

O
OCC (Other Common Carriers)
Carriers providing long distance communications service other than AT&T.
These companies (including AT&T) are called IXCs (IntereXchange
Carriers).
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
The maker of equipment that is marketed by another vendor, usually under the
name of the reseller. The OEM may only manufacture certain components, or
complete computers, which are then often configured with software and/or
other hardware by the reseller.
OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
OFDM is a modulation technique that divides the frequency fading wideband
channel into multiple flat fading subchannels.
OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access)
A multiple access technique that utilizes OFDM modulation and distributes
resources across the time and frequency domains.
Offered Traffic
The underlying amount of traffic that is attempting to make calls (requesting
service).
OMC (Operations and Maintenance Center)
An operations and maintenance center.
Oracle Database
A relational database from Oracle Corporation. It can be used on many
computer platforms.
Ordinary Kriging
When ordinary kriging is applied within moving data neighborhoods, it is a
non-stationary algorithm with respect of varying mean. Ordinary kriging has
the ability to adjust to the local peculiarities of data and, as such, is an
extremely robust algorithm.
Orthogonality
A measure of the interference among channels on the same sector. Signals that
are orthogonal do not interfere with one another.

43

Introduction
Glossary

P
Packet
A transfer mode that permits the dynamic sharing of network and switching
resources.
Packet Switching
A communications paradigm in which packets (messages) are individually
routed between hosts with no previously established communications path.
Packet Switching Network
A network designed to carry data in the form of packets.
Path Loss
Loss or attenuation of the electromagnetic wave between the transmitter and
the receiver. This may be due to many effects including free space path loss
and refraction or reflection of the transmitted signal.
Path Loss File
Viewable file (grid) representing path loss, which is the reduction in signal
strength from that transmitted to that received, which results from sending the
radio signal from the transmitter to the receiver.
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation)
A modulation scheme that samples the information signals and transmits a
series of coded pulses to represent the data.
PDTCH (Packet Data Traffic Channel)
A channel allocated for data transfer. It is temporarily dedicated to one MS
(Mobile Station) or to a group of mobiles in the Point to Multipoint Multicast case. In multislot operation, one MS may use multiple PDTCH in
parallel for individual packet transfer.
PDU (Protocol Data Unit)
A Protocol Data Unit comprises data and control information that is passed
between layers in a protocol stack.
Percent Locations
The percentage of locations in a neighborhood in which the signal exceeds the
given value, taking into account variations due to changes in shadowing, but
not fast (Rayleigh) fading.
Percent Time
The percentage of the time that hourly medians of the signal exceeds the
given value.

44

Introduction
Glossary

Physical Design Parameters
An attribute of a network design (such as antenna type) that cannot be
modified remotely from the site (i.e., to change an antenna would require a
visit to the site where the antenna is located). These are usually physical
attributes.
Picocells
Cells with very small cell radius (less than 50 meters), typically indoor cells.
Pilot Pollution
Co-channel interference caused when the pilot signal from another transmitter
is above a given threshold and therefore considered strong enough to create
interference.
Pilot Signal
A signal that is constantly being emitted by mobiles in search of the nearest
base station. The pilot signal is continuously monitored by all transmitters
within range of the signal.
Pixel
A picture element, which is a small square that becomes visible when a
graphics image is enlarged. The resolution of an image is directly proportional
to the number of pixels.
Pixelated
The visual effect created when pixels become visible at a high magnification,
producing a jagged look.
Planet Definition File
File containing file paths and parameter values for the Planet DMS
application.
PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network)
A generic name for all mobile wireless networks that use land based radio
transmitters or base stations.
Point-to-multipoint connection
A distinctive type of multipoint connection, composed of a central connection
endpoint (central CE) and other, peripheral, CEs, and in which data
originating from the central CE are received by all other CEs, and data
originating from peripheral CEs are received only by the central CE.
Point-to-Point Connection
A connection with only two endpoints.

45

Introduction
Glossary

Point-to-point Intervisibility
An uninterrupted line of sight between two points.
Polyline
A line that consists of a number of line segments.
Prediction
An estimation of the path loss or signal strength from a particular location. In
Planet, predictions are represented in numeric grid format.
Prediction Model Editor
A component of Planet that enables you to modify the parameters of a
prediction model.
Prediction Models
Mathematical models that predict how radio frequency waves behave in the
real world. Planet includes several prediction models that allow you to
simulate the behavior of the planned network.
PDF (Probability Distribution Function)
For a random variable X, this function returns the probability that the random
variable takes the value x. The Cumulative Distribution Function is the
integral of the PDF. See also CDF (Cumulative Distribution Function).
Project File
A Planet file containing system settings and project settings including the file
paths for the project data (such as the elevation and clutter files). The project
file has a .dBP extension.
Projection
See map projection.
Propagation
The motion of wave along a transmission medium. In deciBel Planner,
propagation referred collectively to path loss and field strength outputs.
Protocol
A specific set of rules, procedures or conventions relating to format and
timing of data transmission between two devices, typically including such
things as framing, error handling, transparency, and line control. There are
three basic types of protocols: character-oriented, byte-oriented and bitoriented.

46

Introduction
Glossary

PSK (Phase Shift Keying)
Modulation technique using phase difference in order to differentiate between
constellation points.
PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
The worldwide voice telephone system.

Q
QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation)
Modulation using rectangular distributed constellation on a 2D real/imaginary
component space. (n-QAM): is the QAM modulation with n points on the
constellation.
QoS
The network Quality of Service. This can be a measured or predicted estimate
of the quality of service experienced by the subscriber base. QoS layers are
predicted arrays of coverage, C/I, etc. (i.e., estimates of the quality in different
terms experienced by the subscriber). These arrays give different views of the
QoS and do not quantify the overall predicted QoS.

P
PSK (Phase Shift Keying)
Modulation technique using phase difference in order to differentiate between
constellation points.

R
RA250 (Rural Area 250km/h)
A multipath profile for a subscriber. Representing a Rural Area environment
with the mobile traveling at an average of 250 km/h.
RA (Routing Area)
A routing area is formed by one or more cells. It must be contained within a
single Location Area. It is the smallest area used for paging GPRS
subscribers.
RAC (Routing Area Code)
Combined with the MCC, MNC, and the LAC, this is the code that identifies
the Routing Area.
RACH (Random Access Channel)
The reverse link channel used to carry control information from mobiles.

47

Introduction
Glossary

Radial
An imaginary straight line extending radially from an antenna location. For
FCC contours, the following azimuths with respect to true North are required:
0, 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, and 315 degrees.
Radio
A generic term for the physical radio unit that transmits and receives the radio
signal. Also known as TRX (for GSM), TRU (for IS-136), or BR (for iDEN).
Radio Interference
A disturbance of the desired carrier waveform by another waveform.
RAI (Routing Area Identity)
The code that identifies the Routing Area. RAI = MCC + MNC + LAC +
RAC.
Rain Attenuation
The reduction in signal strength due to rain.
Rake Receiver
A receiver that uses several baseband correlators to individually process
multipath signal components. The outputs from the different correlators are
combined to achieve improved reliability and performance.
Random Variable
A variable that consists of values that are randomly generated or taken off
according to some probabilistic mechanism. Any variable which is impossible
to exactly predict is a random variable.
Range
The distance from the point of interest to the distance where the flat region
begins (i.e., sill has been reached). Within the range, locations are related to
each other, and all known samples contained in this region, also referred to as
the neighborhood, must be considered when estimating the unknown point of
interest. The range describes the self-correlation boundaries data.
Raster
A general term used to describe data that is structured as a lattice of square
cells organized in rows and columns. The term is most often used in reference
to an image such as a photograph displayed on screen. Although, by
definition, a grid is also a raster, it is unique in that each bin has attribute
information and it is always georeferenced.

48

Introduction
Glossary

Rayleigh Fading
Phase-interference fast fading caused by multipath, which can be
approximated with a Rayleigh distribution.
Real Time
A voice telephone conversation is conducted in real time (i.e., there is no
perceived delay in the transmission of the voice message or in the response to
it). In data processing or data communications, real time means the data is
processed the moment it enters a computer, as opposed to batch processing,
where the information enters the system and is stored to be processed at a later
time.
Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
The received power within the relevant channel bandwidth. Measured at the
equipment antenna connector.
Receiver Noise (N)
The amount of random signal generated by the receiver.
Receiver Noise Figure (dB)
The noise figure of the receiving system referenced to the receiver input.
Receiver Sensitivity (dBm)
The minimum signal level required at the input of the receiver to satisfy the
required Eb/(No+Io).
Receiver Threshold
The minimum signal strength detectable by a receiver.
Rectangular Interpolation
An interpolation technique used to create a grid by estimating the value of the
cells between existing discrete points. The rectangular interpolator locates the
four nearest data points lying within a circular search zone, one from each
quadrant and connects them with a double linear rectangular framework. An
appropriate value is calculated for each node using the slope of the connecting
sides of the rectangle. This technique creates an interpolated surface that
passes through all points without overshooting the maximum values or
undershooting the minimum values in the point data set. This technique is best
used with point data that is distributed in a closely spaced, regular pattern.
Redundancy
In a data transmission, the fragments of characters and bits that can be
eliminated with no loss of information.

49

Introduction
Glossary

Region Contour
Closed polygon that defines an interval area. Each region contour represents a
different user-defined interval.
Regional Conformal Projection
A type of map projection for which the shape of small areas is preserved.
Registration Number (FCC Part 68)
Approval number given to telephone equipment to certify that a particular
device passes the tests defined in Part 68 of the FCC Rules. These tests certify
that the phone will not cause any harm to the public network.
Registration Program
FCC program which governs the direct connection of terminal equipment,
whether customer-provided or telephone company-provided, to the
telecommunications network without the need for a Protective Connecting
Arrangement (PCA). An applicant for equipment registration is required to
show the equipment meets technical standards developed by the FCC.
Regression Analysis
Given two related properties defined by measurements, for example, distance
from transmitter and signal strength, a regression describes the least-squares
average of how one property changes as the other property changes.
Regulatory Groups
Local, state or federal entities that issue orders, findings, etc. which are
binding upon providers and users of telecommunications and services.
Relative Adjacency
The relationship of a specified transmitter to each adjacent transmitter. This
value is calculated by dividing the total length of where the adjacent
transmitter meets the specified transmitter by the total length of all the
adjacent transmitters that meet the specified transmitter. The value is
expressed as a percentage and displayed in the Neighbor List Generator.
Reliability
A measure of how dependably a system performs.
Remote Access
Communication with a data processing facility through a data link.
Repeater
Devices that receive a radio signal, amplify it and retransmit it in a new
direction. Used in wireless networks to extend the range of base station

50

Introduction
Glossary

signals, thereby expanding coverage within limits more economically
compared to building additional base stations. Repeaters are typically used for
buildings, tunnels or difficult terrain.
Reproject
Convert coordinates from one projection systems or datum to another.
Required Eb/(No+Io)
The ratio between the received energy per information bit to the total effective
noise and interference power density needed to satisfy the quality objectives.
Resizer
A Planet tool used to change the resolution (cell size) of a grid.
Resolution
See Grid Resolution.
Response Station
A fixed transmitting/receiving facility located at a fixed wireless subscriber
site.
Response Station Area
The area in which a two-way response station hub provides service.
Response Station Hub
Base station.
Reverse-link Analysis Output Grids
Planet outputs that are associated with the reverse link. Of particular interest
is the reverse-link power requirement for the UE.
RF (Radio Frequency)
Of, or pertaining to, any frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum
normally associated with radio wave propagation. This is any frequency
arbitrarily between 3 KHz and 3000 GHz.
RLC (Radio Link Control)
A sublayer of the radio interface that provides reliability. RLC varies
depending on the communication system employed.
RNC (Radio Network Controller)
The element of the RNS (Radio Network Subsystem) which is responsible for
control of the radio resources.

51

Introduction
Glossary

RNS (Radio Network Subsystem)
Either a full network or only the access part of a UTRAN offering the
allocation and the release of specific radio resources to establish means of
connection in between an UE and the UTRAN. A Radio Network Subsystem
is responsible for the resources and transmission/reception in a set of cells.
Rollout
The deployment of network equipment with the aim of providing a service to
the customer.
RR (Radio Resource)
A protocol that controls the resources over an air interface.
RRC (Radio Resource Control)
A sublayer of radio interface Layer 3 existing in the control plane only which
provides information transfer service to the non-access stratum. RRC is
responsible for controlling the configuration of radio interface Layers 1 and 2.
RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator)
The received power within the relevant channel bandwidth in a specified
timeslot. Measured at the equipment antenna connector.
RxQual
A measure of the received signal quality of a GSM call.

S
SACCH (Slow Associated Control Channel)
A GSM signaling channel that provides a relatively slow signaling
connection. The SACCH is associated with either a traffic or dedicated
channel. The SACCH can also be used to transfer SMS (Short Message
Service) messages if associated with a traffic channel.
SB (Synchronization Burst)
Information used by the receiver to synchronize to an incoming signal.
SCH (Synchronization Channel)
A downlink signal channel used for cell search and conveying of
synchronization information.
SDD (Subscriber Density Distribution)
The distribution of subscribers. The SDD provides information on the number
of subscribers who are registered with the network provider and indicates how

52

Introduction
Glossary

many of them are actually engaged in a call. See also User Density
Distribution (UDD) and Traffic Density Distribution (TDD).
Search Ring
The area around a desired base station location where a permanent location is
to be sought for that base station (and antenna system).
Second Best Server Signal Strength Classes grid
A classified grid generated by Planet that contains the signal strength classes
(i.e., classified values representing the user-specified Index Array
descriptions). In regions where there is no computed signal strength, the value
in the grid is null.
Second Best Server Signal Strength grid
A classified grid generated by Planet that displays the signal strength for the
second best server capable of providing service in the area of interest.
Second Best Server Sector
The sector capable of providing service in the area of interest that is second to
the best server sector.
Sector
Equipment on a site (with single or multiple antennas) that serves the
coverage area of a single cell. In decibel Planner, a sector was known as a
transmitter.
Sector Flag
A user-definable sector attribute. The flag assists with identification and
planning through the use of filters.
Sector Groups
A user-definable set of sectors, used to assist in the planning and analysis of a
network.
Semivariance
A measure of the degree of spatial dependence between samples.
Semivariance describes the calculation of the variance between two arbitrary
samples, X and Y, which is summarized two times: from X to Y and from Y to
X in order to check all pairs. The result is then multiplied by one half in order
to suppress this effect. The magnitude of the semivariance between points
depends on the distance between the points. A smaller distance yields a
smaller semivariance and a larger distance results in a larger semivariance.
The plot of the semivariances as a function of distance from a point is referred
to as a semivariogram.

53

Introduction
Glossary

Semivariogram
A plot of variance as a function of distance of separation. The semivariogram
will tell you expected variance at large scales (i.e., the sill), the amount of
variance at infinitesimally small spatial scales, and the spatial scale at which
samples can be considered independent (the range).
Semivariogram Model
An analytical model of experimental semivariogram data used to smooth out
the rugged surfaces of the experimental semivariogram when the quality of
data is unreliable. Analytical models such as spherical, gaussian, power and
exponential functions, quadratic, rational quadratic and hole-effect functions
are used.
Served Users
Subscribers who are within the coverage area of the network and who are
currently in a call.
Service
Communication type (or level) offered by the provider. For example, speech,
web browsing, or email, etc.
Slow Frequency Hopping is a technique in which the carrier frequency
changes using a predetermined hopping pattern. The hopping rate is slower
than the bit rate.
SFH (Slow Frequency Hopping)
Slow Frequency Hopping is a technique in which the carrier frequency
changes using a predetermined hopping pattern. The hopping rate is slower
than the bit rate.
SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node)
This node keeps track of the location of an individual MS (Mobile Station)
and performs security functions and access control. The SGSN also exists in a
UMTS network, where it connects to the RNC (Radio Network Controller).
Signal Attenuation
A change in intensity of a signal caused by absorption of energy and of
scattering.
Signal Strength
Viewable file (grid) representing signal strength. Applies everywhere field
strength is used, like the field strength classes. Includes path loss, antenna
gain and power. In deciBel Planner, this was formerly known as field strength.

54

Introduction
Glossary

Simple Kriging
A type of kriging that can be applied if sample data has a stationary structure
and a stable mean value throughout he area of our interests.
Site
Location of, and logical container for, one or more sectors.
Site Configuration File
A text file with a .dsc extension that contains site and transmitter settings.
Slider
A symbol identifying a color and value along a color range. Used in the Grid
Color Tool to identify a color inflection point.
Slope-based Models
A slope-based radio-wave prediction model is one that bases its predictions
on a statistical analysis of measured signal strength as a function of distance.
Smart Antenna
An antenna system whose technology enables it to focus its beam on the
desired signal to reduce interference.
SMS (Short Message Service)
The service that enables the sending and receiving of short text messages of
up to 160 characters.
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
A protocol designed for the seamless transmission of electronic mail across an
internet using email servers and clients.
Snap to Grid
Functionality enabling you to snap to the nearest site. Press the S key to
activate it. Typically, a site file consists of many sites, and this functionality
helps you snap to the site you are looking for.
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
The Internet standard protocol for managing nodes on an IP network.
Soft Design Parameters
An attribute of a network design which can be modified remotely (e.g.,
handover parameters, power settings etc.).
Soft Handoff
Procedure in which a call is transferred from one sector (or cell) to a second
sector (or cell) where both hold onto the call until the handoff is completed.

55

Introduction
Glossary

The serving sector does not cut off the conversation until it receives
information that the second is maintaining the call.
Soft Handover
See Soft Handoff.
Spatial Data
Information about geographic features.
Spherical Distance
Distance measured as a great circle distance. Imagine using a piece of string
to measure the distance between two points on a globe. The length of the
string is the spherical distance.
SQE (Signal Quality Estimator)
Quality metric used in iDEN networks. SQE is a estimate of Carrier to
Interferer and Noise (C/(I+N)) and can be carried out on both serving and
neighboring cells in both uplink and downlink directions.
SQL Selections
A method for defining and for manipulating data from a relational database.
Stamping
A technique used in Planet to combine two or more grids. In areas where these
grids overlap, the values of one of the input grids will overwrite the values of
the other. You can stamp both numeric and classified grids, but grids can be
stamped only with a grid of similar type. It is not possible to stamp a classified
grid with a numeric or vice versa. Stamping is usually performed when you
need to update areas of a grid (e.g., updating a land use grid with the area of a
new subdivision or an elevation grid with building heights). Null values
contained in any of the grids being processed are ignored.
Standard Deviation
The square root of variance.
STM (Synchronous Transfer Mode)
A transport and switching method that depends on information occurring in
regular and fixed patterns with respect to a reference such as a frame pattern.
Subscribers
Users who are registered in the network database and could potentially make
calls.
Subcarrier
Each small OFDM carrier in a separate wide band channel.

56

Introduction
Glossary

Subchannel
A group of channels formed by subcarriers.
Subchannelization
Utilization of only a few subchannels in the OFDM system such that the
power is concentrated on these subchannels. It is a way of extending the
coverage at the expense of throughput.
Subscribers
Potential or active users.
SUI (Stanford University Interim Model)
Propagation model developed by Erceg. Et.al. It is also known as the Erceg
model or IEEE 802.16 model. Usually used in WiMAX deployments.
Survey Analysis Prediction
A path loss prediction using Survey data, that more closely resembles path
loss behavior in the real world.
Survey Data
Measured data from a mobile unit used to determine local propagation
characteristics and absorption power loss of signal strength. This data can be
used in Planet for prediction model tuning and for the Survey Prediction tool.
In deciBel Planner, this data was known as drive test data.
Synchronous
Signals of the same frequency that are sourced from the same timing
reference.

T
T_ADD
A variable that specifies the point at which the pilot signal is recognized by
the transmitter (i.e., the pilot detection threshold).
T_DROP
A variable that specifies the point at which the pilot signal is dropped by the
Node B (i.e., the pilot drop threshold).
TA (Timing Advance)
For TDMA systems to work the signals from a mobile must arrive at the base
station at the correct time frame. In order to achieve this, the mobile is
provided with a Timing advance value that dictates the timing of the
transmissions from the mobile.

57

Introduction
Glossary

TBF (Temporary Block Flow)
A physical connection used by the two RR (Radio Resource) entities to
support the unidirectional transfer of LLC (Logical Link Control) PDU
(Protocol Data Unit) on packet data physical channels. A TBF is temporary
and is maintained only for the duration of the data transfer (i.e., until there are
no more RLC [Radio Link Control] / MAC [Medium Access Control] blocks
to be transmitted.
Table
A flat file used to store data records (e.g., site/sector information).
TCH (Traffic Channel)
Channel dedicated for use by traffic.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
A transport layer protocol that offers connection-oriented, reliable stream
services between two hosts. This is the primary transport protocol used by
TCP/IP applications.
TCP/IP Connection
Protocols that enable communication between computers and between
networks.
TDD (Time Division Duplex)
A channelization structure where uplink and downlink transmissions use the
same band at different time intervals.
TDM (Time Division Multiplexing)
A method of traditional digital multiplexing in which two or more signals are
derived from a transmission medium by dividing access to that medium into
sequential intervals.
Time Division Multiple Access (Time Division Multiple Access)
A method of digital wireless communications transmission allowing a large
number of users to access (in sequence) a single radio frequency channel
without interference by allocating unique timeslots to each user within each
channel.
Telnet
A TCP/IP protocol that defines a client/server mechanism for emulating
directly connected terminal connections.

58

Introduction
Glossary

TFI (Temporary Flow Identity)
The identity that is assigned to each TBF (Temporary Block Flow) by the
network. The mobile station shall assume that the TFI value is unique among
concurrent TBF in the same direction (uplink or downlink) on all PDCH
(Packet Data Channel) used for the TBF.
Thick client
A computer that runs software (such as Planet) that is installed locally, in
addition to the files it uses and creates.
Thin client
A computer that runs software (such as Planet) that is actually installed on a
different computer. The client computer is thin because it does not have a
copy of the software installed locally. The thin client only holds local copies
of the files that the software uses and creates.
Throughput
The number of bits, characters, or blocks that can pass through a data
communications system, or portion thereof, in a given time.
Throughput analysis output grids
Planet outputs that display throughput coverage maps on either a per-service
basis or a combined basis.
Timeslot
A single time period that is designated for use as a single logical traffic
channel.
TIN Interpolation
See Triangulation.
Traffic
The information moved over a communication channel.
Traffic Channel
A logical channel that carries user information.
TDD (Traffic Density Distribution)
See UDD.
Traffic Map
A geographical representation of subscriber activity at one moment in time.

59

Introduction
Glossary

Transceiver
A device that performs both transmitting and receiving functions within one
chassis. In the user documentation, the term Transceiver refers to the unit
within a Base Station that provides the transmit and receive functions for a
single carrier (see Radio).
Transmitter
The source of the Radio Signal from the base station. In deciBel Planner, this
was the term used for the sector.
Transmitter Power
The power radiated by a transmitter.
TRAU (Transcoding and Adaptation Unit)
Typically located between BTS and MSC, the TRAU converts 64 kbps PCM
speech into 16 kbps compressed speech (13 kbps speech + 3 kbps overhead).
Triangulation (TIN Interpolation)
A process of grid generation that is usually applied to data that requires no
regional averaging, such as elevation readings. The surface created by
triangulation passes through (honors) all of the original data points while
generating some degree of overshoot above local high values and undershoot
below local low values.
Tri-Band
A cellular system or mobile phone that will operate on three frequencies
(typically 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 1900 MHz), thus allowing the use of
additional radio spectrum or access to alternative networks.
TRU (Transmit Receive Unit)
See Radio or Transceiver.
TRX
See Transceiver.
TSC (Training Sequence Code)
Used mainly in TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) systems, the training
sequence is used to maintain timing and equalize the channel, which helps
reduce the impact of ISI (Inter Symbol Interference) and multipath effects.
TU3 (Typically Urban 3 km/h)
A multipath profile for a subscriber. Representing a Typical Urban
environment with the mobile traveling at an average of 3 km/h.

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TU50 (Typically Urban 50 km/h)
A multipath profile for a subscriber. Representing a Typical Urban
environment with the mobile traveling at an average of 50 km/h.

U
UDD (User Density Distribution)
The distribution of users in the coverage area. The UDD provides information
on the number of subscribers who are registered with the network provider
and indicates how many of them are actually engaged in a call. Typically, the
UDD is referenced with regards to the clutter type (i.e., the areas where
people are most likely to make a call). Also known as the Traffic Density
Distribution (TDD).
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)
UMTS is a modular system that incorporates several technologies that realize
the convergence of existing and future mobile and fixed networks, including
the Internet. The UMTS concept embraces also all applications and services
that can be offered to the end user. UMTS is a member of the IMT-2000
family of systems.
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)
A third generation (3G) mobile technology that will deliver information at
speeds of up to 2 Mbps.
Universal Kriging
Universal kriging has been traditionally used just as kriging with a prior trend
model is used. The trend component is usually modeled as a smoothly varying
deterministic function of the coordinate vector which has unknown
parameters that are fitted from the data.
Unserved Users
Users who are unable to make a call. This could be due to there being no pilot
coverage in that geographical area, or that the UE has been blocked. See
Blocking.
Uplink
A radio link from a mobile terminal to a base station.
User Density Grid
A numeric grid generated in Planet using the GRC to GRD Converter to
convert the project clutter file (or a clutter file that spans the same area and

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has the resolution as the project DEM) and for which you have defined the
user density for each clutter type.
UE (User Equipment)
Equipment used by a user when making a call (i.e., a mobile). The 3GPP term
for a device allowing a user access to network services.
UE Service Capabilities
Capabilities that can be used either alone or in combination to deliver services
to the user.
User
A person who is capable of using the system. See also Subscriber.
UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)
A grid system that extends North-South from 80 degrees N to 80 degrees S
latitude and, starting at the 180-degree Meridian, is divided eastwards into
sixty 6-degree zones.
UTRA-NTDD
Time Division Duplex UTRA access mode 1.28 Mcps option.
UTRA-TDD
Time Division Duplex UTRA Radio access mode (includes UTRA-NTDD
and UTRA-WTDD).
UTRA-WTDD
Time Division Duplex UTRA access mode 3.84 Mcps option.
UTRAN
UTRAN is a conceptual term identifying that part of a UMTS network which
consists of one or more RNC (Radio Network Controller) and one or more
Node B between Iu and Uu interfaces.
Uu Interface
The radio interface between UTRAN and the User Equipment in a UMTS
network.

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V
VAF (Voice Activity Factor)
Factor representing the amount of Voice Activity (VA) in a given period.
Variance
The average squared difference of the observed values from their mean. Since
it involves square differences, the variance is sensitive to erratic high values.
Variance Analysis
A statistical technique used to estimate and/or minimize variance of the
observed or modeled data set. Many different modeling methods consider the
minimization of variance as the main estimator of modeling quality.
Variogram
See semivariogram.
Vector
Vector GIS uses a single set or multiple sets of x,y coordinate pairs to
represent a point, line or polygon. When viewed on screen these objects
represent features such as tower locations, roads and county boundaries. Each
object also has attribute information that describes that object in some way.
For example, location, height and antenna type are all attributes associated
with a site.
Vector Color Profile
A set of RGB color definitions that defines the color used for each type of
vector information in a PCAE project.
Viewpoint Analysis
This analysis enables you to determine which areas are visible and invisible
from a specific geographical location.
Viewpoint Pick Tool
A Planet tool that allows you to choose a point in the Map window of the open
elevation grid file that represents the point of origin for the viewshed
calculation.
Viewshed
A map showing areas obscured from a particular vista point.
VoIP (Voice Over IP)
A system enabling voice data to be delivered using the IP (Internet Protocol).
It is sometimes referred to as IP telephony.

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VXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language)
A markup language designed to make resources on the web accessible by
phone.

W
WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)
Used to allow the transmission of simple web pages in 2G networks. Consists
of a protocol stack that covers layers 4 to 7 of the OSI model. Uses IP but
replaces TCP and HTTP with UDP. Web pages are written in WML.
W-CDMA (Wide-band CDMA)
A CDMA protocol used for third generation use to support very high-speed
multimedia services such as full motion video, Internet access and video
conferencing.
WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Micro-wave Access)
WiMAX is a wireless industry coalition. Members aim to advance IEEE
802.16 standards for broadband wireless access (BWA) networks.
WLL (Wireless Local Loop)
WLL is a system that connects subscribers to the public switched telephone
network (PSTN) using wireless technology coupled with line interfaces and
other circuitry to complete the last mile between the customer premise and the
exchange equipment.
Workspace
A text file that stores a set of predefined application settings including tables,
query definitions, window configurations, label styles, and thematic map
settings.
WTDD
Wide TDD, the 3.84 Mcps chip rate UTRA-TDD option.

X
XHTML (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language)
Defines a single namespace for HTML http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml.
Relies on HTML 4.01 for the semantics and data types of elements and
attributes. Defines XHML 1.0 DTDs corresponding to HTML4ís strict,
transitional and frameset DTDs. Provides guidelines for authoring XHTML
documents for delivery to existing web browsers. Existing HTML can be
trivially converted to XHTML using W3Cís Open Source HTML Tidy utility.

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XML (Extensible Mark-Up Language)
An open standard for describing data from the W3C. It is used for defining
data elements on a web page and business-to-business documents. By
providing a common method for identifying data, XML supports business-tobusiness transactions is expected to become the dominant format for
electronic data interchange.

Z
Zonal Anisotropy
Data which has different directions and different sills but approximately the
same range. When a very large anis is added to the semivariogram structure in
the principal direction but not in any other direction, the zonal anisotropy
effect is emphasized.
Z-value
A value assigned to a particular location on a surface (e.g., elevation). The Zvalue usually refers to 3D features, but in GIS it can also refer to 2.5D
features.

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