Abstract: To effectively plan small cell placement within a current macro cell network, it is necessary to identify the traffic hotspots. Small cells can be placed in hotspot locations in order to effectively offload traffic from the corresponding macro cell. Hotspots can be identified based on information about traffic from/to mobile users, particularly, the observed User Equipment (UE) locations and amount of data transmitted from/to the UEs. Provided are systems and methods for accounting for geo-location errors in identifying hotspots and determining small cell placement.

Abstract: To effectively plan small cell placement within a current macro cell network, it is necessary to identify the traffic hotspots. Small cells can be placed in hotspot locations in order to effectively offload traffic from the corresponding macro cell. Hotspots can be identified based on information about traffic from/to mobile users, particularly, the observed User Equipment (UE) locations and amount of data transmitted from/to the UEs. Provided are systems and methods for accounting for geo-location errors in identifying hotspots and determining small cell placement.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for determining network growth information for a radio access network (RAN) and a wired network supporting communications of the RAN (denoted as a core network). The method includes obtaining RAN configuration information including RAN component configuration information and RAN component connectivity information, obtaining actual traffic information and forecast traffic information for the RAN, and determining RAN growth information by correlating the actual traffic information and the forecast traffic information with the RAN configuration information, the RAN growth information indicating whether at least one additional RAN component is necessary to support the actual and forecast traffic. The method may further include determining network growth information associated with the core network using core network configuration information and at least a portion of the RAN growth information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing and designing various network configuration scenarios. A modular design allows market assessment and network planning functions to be performed more efficiently and accurately using a single integrated design tool. Wired and wireless access technologies can be modeled and evaluated. In an exemplary implementation for modeling and evaluating fixed wireless access networks, the network planning tool comprises a market scenario planner, a cluster analysis tool, a hub sector planner and a network architecture planner. Generally, the market scenario planner analyzes a listing of potential customers to generate a list of target customers. The cluster analysis tool allows the network planner to identify “clusters” of demand for potential hub placement. The hub sector planner analyzes the hub assignments generated by the cluster analysis tool and allocates each building in a given hub to a particular sector.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for determining an expected impact of a disaster on a network. In particular, one embodiment of the method includes modeling the network as a plurality of geographical regions associated with respective pluralities of network elements and network element interconnectivities, generating a disaster model associated with the disaster by adjusting a disaster framework using a disaster parameter, generating a disaster analysis model using the network model and the disaster model, wherein the disaster analysis model includes a disaster probability parameter and a disaster impact parameter, and determining the expected impact of the disaster on at least a portion of the network using the disaster analysis model.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for determining network growth information for a radio access network (RAN) and a wired network supporting communications of the RAN (denoted as a core network). The method includes obtaining RAN configuration information including RAN component configuration information and RAN component connectivity information, obtaining actual traffic information and forecast traffic information for the RAN, and determining RAN growth information by correlating the actual traffic information and the forecast traffic information with the RAN configuration information, the RAN growth information indicating whether at least one additional RAN component is necessary to support the actual and forecast traffic. The method may further include determining network growth information associated with the core network using core network configuration information and at least a portion of the RAN growth information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing and designing various network configuration scenarios. A modular design allows market assessment and network planning functions to be performed more efficiently and accurately using a single integrated design tool. Wired and wireless access technologies can be modeled and evaluated. In an exemplary implementation for modeling and evaluating fixed wireless access networks, the network planning tool comprises a market scenario planner, a cluster analysis tool, a hub sector planner and a network architecture planner. Generally, the market scenario planner analyzes a listing of potential customers to generate a list of target customers. The cluster analysis tool allows the network planner to identify “clusters” of demand for potential hub placement. The hub sector planner analyzes the hub assignments generated by the cluster analysis tool and allocates each building in a given hub to a particular sector.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing and designing various network configuration scenarios. A modular design allows market assessment and network planning functions to be performed more efficiently and accurately using a single integrated design tool. Wired and wireless access technologies can be modeled and evaluated. In an exemplary implementation for modeling and evaluating fixed wireless access networks, the network planning tool comprises a market scenario planner, a cluster analysis tool, a hub sector planner and a network architecture planner. Generally, the market scenario planner analyzes a listing of potential customers to generate a list of target customers. The cluster analysis tool allows the network planner to identify “clusters” of demand for potential hub placement. The hub sector planner analyzes the hub assignments generated by the cluster analysis tool and allocates each building in a given hub to a particular sector.