PRESS RELEASE: Recently, China Telecom Chongqing and Huawei jointly piloted a network project in Jiefangbei CBD, Chongqing based on the innovative IntelligentRAN 5G 3D coverage evaluation and optimization solution. The solution helps realize precise 3D coverage identification of building-level 5G networks. Compared with traditional solutions, it improves the identification rate of weak coverage scenarios by 20%, with the identification accuracy reaching 89%.

Take coverage evaluation in Jiefangbei CBD, a landmark in Chongqing, as an example. Outdoor 5G sites are densely deployed there, but deep indoor coverage in buildings is insufficient. Building coverage evaluation is difficult, and network optimization efficiency is low. To tackle these problems, in 2022, China Telecom Chongqing worked with Huawei to pilot the 5G 3D coverage evaluation and optimization solution in Jiefangbei CBD, guiding network optimization, maintenance, and construction, and improving 5G network quality and network optimization efficiency.

Traditional building coverage evaluation methods mainly rely on manual drive tests (DTs) and measurement reports (MRs). Test personnel have to walk inside buildings for manual DTs, which is time- and effort-consuming, and sometimes fail to gain access to buildings or certain areas inside buildings. In addition, due to lack of vertical height data in buildings, MR-based 5G coverage evaluation is inaccurate, and cannot provide precise insight into floor-level coverage in buildings.

Intelligence capabilities are introduced to realize accurate 5G 3D coverage identification.

China Telecom Chongqing collaborated with Huawei’s Carrier Delivery & Service Department and WINS team to innovatively propose the IntelligentRAN 5G 3D coverage evaluation and optimization solution, truly reproducing indoor coverage in buildings. The solution, based on intelligent 3D positioning algorithms, overcomes the challenge of lack of vertical height data in buildings and precisely identifies building-level 5G 3D coverage. Compared with traditional solutions, it increases the identification rate of weak coverage scenarios by 20%, with accuracy reaching up to 89%.

The joint innovation project accurately identified 407 high-value weak-coverage buildings in Jiefangbei CBD, with weak-coverage floors accounting for 17% of the weak-coverage areas. This project effectively assisted China Telecom Chongqing in terms of network optimization, maintenance, and construction. Optimization: Automatic cell planning and 5G massive MIMO beam optimization helped improve the average reference signal received power (RSRP) of UEs by 3 dB and the video download rate by 5%. Maintenance: 36 weak-coverage buildings where indoor distributed systems had been deployed were precisely identified, and guidance was provided for reconstructing the distributed systems of the buildings and supplementing indoor coverage. Construction: Network construction plans were formulated for 122 high-value weak-coverage buildings.

Based on the successful and innovative achievements in Jiefangbei CBD, China Telecom Chongqing plans to apply the experience to the entire city and provide a complete set of coverage evaluation and optimization solutions to improve user experience in similar scenarios. By adopting Huawei’s wireless IntelligentRAN solution, China Telecom Chongqing will continue to accelerate intelligent network transformation, further improve 5G network quality, and efficiently promote 5G network development.