Performance Evaluation of Six-Sectored Configuration in Hexagonal WCDMA (UMTS) Cellular Network Layout

The objective of this master's thesis is to evaluate the optimum performance of sixsectored hexagonal layout of WCDMA (UMTS) network and analyze the performance at the optimum point. The maximum coverage and the maximum capacity are the main concern of service providers and it is always a challenging task for them to achieve economically. Because the optimum configuration of a network corresponds to a configuration which minimizes the number of sites required to provide a target service probability in the planning area which in turn reduces the deployment cost. The optimum performance means the maximum cell area and themaximum cell capacity the network can provide at the maximum antenna height satisfying the target service probability. Hexagon layout has been proven as the best layout for the cell deployment. In this thesis work, two different configurations using six-sectored sites have been considered for the performance comparison. In first configuration, each antenna is directed towards each corner of hexagon, whereas in second configurationeach antenna is directed towards each side of hexagon. The net difference in the configurations is the 30 degree rotation of antenna direction. The only indoor users in a flat and smooth semi-urban environment area have been considered for the simulation purpose where the traffic distribution is 100 Erl/km2 with 12.2 kbps speech service having maximum mobile speed of 3 km/hr. The simulation results indicate that a similar performance can be achieved in both the configurations, that is, a maximum of 947 m cellrange at antenna height of 49.5 m can be achieved when the antennas are directed towards the corner of hexagon, whereas 943.3 m cell range atantenna height of 54 m can be achieved when the antennas are directed towards the side of hexagon. However, from the interference point of view the first configuration provides better results. The simulation results also show that the network is coverage limited in both the uplink and downlink direction at the optimum point.

Value added logistics in supply and demand chain. Smile. Part 2. eBusiness in a service business. Case: A maintenance and operations network in forest industry

VVALOSADE is a research project of professor Anita Lukka's VALORE research team in the Lappeenranta University of Technology. The VALOSADE includes the ELO technology program of Tekes. SMILE is one of four subprojects of the VALOSADE. The SMILE study focuses on the case of the company network that is composed of small and micro-sized mechanical maintenance service providers and forest industry as large-scale customers. The basic principle of the SMILE study is the communication and ebusiness in supply and demand networks. The aim of the study is to develop ebusiness strategy, ebusiness model and e-processes among the SME local service providers, and onthe other hand, between the local service provider network and the forest industry customers in a maintenance and operations service business. A literature review, interviews and benchmarking are used as research methods in this qualitative case study. The first SMILE report, 'Ebusiness between Global Company and Its Local SME Supplier Network', concentrated on creating background for the SMILE study by studying general trends of ebusiness in supply chains and networks of different industries. This second phase of the study concentrates on case network background, such as business relationships, information systems and business objectives; core processes in maintenance and operations service network; development needs in communication among the network participants; and ICT solutions to respond needs in changing environment. In the theory part of the report, different ebusiness models and frameworks are introduced. Those models and frameworks are compared to empirical case data. From that analysis of the empirical data, therecommendations for the development of the network information system are derived. In process industry such as the forest industry, it is crucial to achieve a high level of operational efficiency and reliability, which sets up great requirements for maintenance and operations. Therefore, partnerships or strategic alliances are needed between the network participants. In partnerships and alliances, deep communication is important, and therefore the information systems in the network also are critical. Communication, coordination and collaboration will increase in the case network in the future, because network resources must be optimised to improve competitive capability of the forest industry customers and theefficiency of their service providers. At present, ebusiness systems are not usual in this maintenance network. A network information system among the forest industry customers and their local service providers actually is the only genuinenetwork information system in this total network. However, the utilisation of that system has been quite insignificant. The current system does not add value enough either to the customers or to the local service providers. At present, thenetwork information system is the infomediary that share static information forthe network partners. The network information system should be the transaction intermediary, which integrates internal processes of the network companies; the network information system, which provides common standardised processes for thelocal service providers; and the infomediary, which share static and dynamic information on right time, on right partner, on right costs, on right format and on right quality. This study provides recommendations how to develop this system in the future to add value to the network companies. Ebusiness scenarios, vision, objectives, strategies, application architecture, ebusiness model, core processes and development strategy must be considered when the network information system will be developed in the next development step. The core processes in the case network are demand/capacity management, customer/supplier relationship management, service delivery management, knowledge management and cash flow management. Most benefits from ebusiness solutions come from the electrifying of operational level processes, such as service delivery management and cash flow management.

Transparent Network Interfaces to Mobile Peer-to-Peer Environment

The fact that most of new Personal Data Assistant (PDA) devices and smartphones have the ability to communicate via different wireless technologies has made several new applications possible. While traditional network model is based on the idea of static hosts, mobile devices can create decentralized, self-organizing ad-hoc networks and act as peers in the network. This kind of adapting network is suitable for mobile devices which can freely join and leave the networks. Because several different wireless communication technologies are involved, flexible changing of the networking technology must be handled in order to enable seamless communication between these networks. This thesis presents a transparent network interface to mobile Peer-to-Peer environment which is named as Virtual PeerHood. Different wireless technologies and aspects of providing a seamless connectivity between these technologies are explored. The result is a middleware platform for mobile Peer-to-Peer environment, capable of handling several networking technologies.

Radio Resource Management across UMTS Radio Network Subsystems

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), esimerkkinä kolmannen sukupolven matkapuhelinjärjestelmästä pyrkii toistamaan GSM:n (Global System for Mobile Communications) menestyksen. UMTS:n kaupallinen toiminta on parhaillaan alkamassa ja ensimmäinen kaupallinen verkko on jo aloittanut toimintansa Japanissa. Tämä diplomityö antaa yleiskuvan UMTS:stä keskittyen radioverkkojärjestelmän (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network,UTRAN) radioresurssien hallintaan (Radio Resource Management, RRM). Työssä kuvataan radiorajapintojen toimintaa, mutta diplomityön pääaiheena on kuitenkin radioresurssien hallinta UMTS radioaliverkkojärjestelmien ylitse. Radioresurssien hallinta pitää sisällään joukon proseduureja, jotka vaikuttavat koko UTRAN:in rakenteen lävitse. On hyvin tärkeää saavuttaa oikea toiminnallisuus hajautettujen radioresurssien hallintaan jotta voitaisiin saavuttaa paras yhteyden laatu loppukäyttäjälle. Työssä käydään yksityiskohtaisesti lävitse radioresurssien hallinnan perusperiaatteet ja joukko proseduureja. RNSAP (Radio Network Subsystem Application Part) protokollaa tarkastellaan työssä esimerkkinä protokollasta joka osallistuu radioresurssien hallintaprosessiin.

Transport Resource Management within UMTS Radio Network Subsystem

Tällä hetkellä haastavin telekommunikaatioteollisuuden tutkimus – ja kehitystoiminta on keskittynyt kolmannen sukupolven matkapuhelinjärjestelmien ympärille. Järjestelmien standardointityössä on saatu aikaiseksi ensimmäiset vakaat spesifikaatioversiot ja kaupallista toimintaa ollaan parhaillaan aloittelemassa Japanissa ja Euroopassa. Eräs kolmannen sukupolven järjestelmistä on UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). Tämä diplomityö antaa yleiskuvan UMTS järjestelmästä ja sen eri verkkoelementtien toiminnallisuuksista. Päähuomio on kiinnitetty radioverkkojärjestelmään (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) ja erityisesti sen radioaliverkkojärjestelmään (Radio Network Subsystem), joka koostuu radioverkonohjaimesta (Radio Network Controller) ja joukosta siihen kuuluvia tukiasemia (Node B). Radioverkonohjain ja tukiasemat on yhdistetty avoimen rajapinnan kautta jota kutsutaan Iub -rajapinnaksi. Rajapinta tarjoaa radioverkonohjaimelle mahdollisuuden kontrolloida tukiasemia signalointiviestien avulla ja mahdollistaa tehokkaan ja luotettavan käyttäjätiedon siirron radioaliverkkojärjestelmän sisällä. Tämän diplomityön pääasiallinen sisältö on siirtoresurssien hallinta Iub -rajapinnan ylitse. Työssä esitellään ja selitetään siirtoverkon arkkitehtuuri. Myös kaikki Iub:ssä sijaitsevat protokollat ja toiminnalliset yksiköt jotka vaikuttavat siirtoresurssien hallintaan esitellään ja kuvataan yksityiskohtaisesti. Päähuomio on kiinnitetty sovellusprotokolliin sekä rajapinnan siirtoverkko- että radioverkkokerroksella sekä näiden protokollien väliseen vuorovaikutukseen. Kyseiset protokollat ovat Node B Application Part (NBAP) ja Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP). Työn toteutusosassa käydään lävitse NBAP –protokollan prototyypin ja Node B Manager –toiminnallisen yksikön prototyypin implementaatio.

Global deployment of a short message gateway

Lyhytsanomiin perustuvat lisäarvopalvelut ovat viime vuosikymmenen lopulla kehittyneet nopeasti parhaimmin tuottaviksi mobiilin televerkon käyttötavoista. Nämä palvelut on monesti kehitetty nopeasti ottamatta huomioon mahdollisia siirrettävyysongelmia, joita palveluiden vieminen muihin kuin alkuperäiseen ympäristöön aiheuttaa. Tämän työn tarkoituksena on tutkia odotettavissa olevia teknisiä ongelmia vietäessä lyhytsanomapohjaisia palveluita kansainvälisille markkinoille. Ongelman ratkaisuna esitellään Intellitel Messaging Gateway (MGw) - yhdyskäytävä, joka tarjoaa mahdollisuuden avointen internet-protokollien kautta tarjottavaan lisäarvopalveluiden luontiin. Työn käytännön osuus koostuu valikoimasta pieniä suunnittelu- ja toteutustehtäviä, joiden tarkoituksena on korjata kansainvälistä verkkoonvientiä estäviä ominaisuuksia ja puutteita Intellitel MGw:ssä. Näistä ominaisuuksista tärkeimmät ovat merkistö-, osoitteistus- ja protokollayhteensopivuuden asettamat rajoitukset.

Managing regulatory risks when outsourcing network-related services in the electricity distribution sector

Deregulation of the electricity sector liberated the electricity sale and production for competitive forces while in the network business, electricity transmission and distribution, natural monopoly positions were recognised. Deregulation was accompanied by efficiencyoriented thinking on the whole electricity supply industry. For electricity distribution this meant a transition from a public service towards profit-driven business guided by economic regulation. Regulation is the primary means to enforce societal and other goals in the regulated monopoly sector. The design of economic regulation is concerned with two main attributes; end-customer price and quality of electricity distribution services. Regulation limits the costs of the regulated company but also defines the desired quality of monopoly services. The characteristics of the regulatory framework and the incentives it provides are therefore decisive for the electricity distribution sector. Regulation is not a static factor; changes in the regulatory practices cause discontinuity points, which in turn generate risks. A variety of social and environmental concerns together with technological advancements have emphasised the relevance of quality regulation, which is expected to lead to the large-scale replacement of overhead lines with underground cables. The electricity network construction activity is therefore currently witnessing revolutionary changes in its competitive landscape. In a business characterised by high statutory involvement and a high level of sunk costs, recognising and understanding the regulatory risks becomes a key success factor. As a response, electricity distribution companies have turned into outsourcing to attain efficiency and quality goals. This doctoral thesis addresses the impacts of regulatory risks on electricity network construction, which is a commonly outsourced activity in the electricity distribution network sector. The chosen research approach is characterised as an action analytical research on account of the fact that regulatory risks are greatly dependent on the individual nature of the regulatory regime applied in the electricity distribution sector. The main contribution of this doctoral thesis is to develop a concept for recognising and managing the business risks stemming from economic regulation. The degree of outsourcing in the sector is expected to increase in years to come. The results of the research provide new knowledge to manage the regulatory risks when outsourcing services.

Predicting the need for ditch network maintenance in drained peatland sites in Finland

Kunnostusojitustarpeen ennustaminen ojitusalueilla