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Introduction to Radio Network Optimization

Learn to improve the performance, coverage and capacity of radio access networks (RAN) with experienced Amdocs engineers.

2,118 enrolled on this course

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  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Get an introduction to radio access network (RAN) optimization

When planning network coverage and capacity, communication service providers consider certain constraints and subscriber behaviour. When the network goes live, the real-life behaviour is often different.

The process of adjusting the radio access network (RAN) settings to provide the desired performance, coverage and capacity is called radio frequency (RF) or radio network optimization.

This online course will show you practical, real-life methods and approaches to radio network optimization, based on years of experience gained by Amdocs engineers around the world.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 8 seconds Hello, my name is Baruch Pinto and I work in Amdocs Network Solutions as a solution architect. I have 20 years of experience in the telecommunications market, working for service providers and network equipment vendors. When I started out as a radio network engineer, I had only basic academic knowledge of cellular networks. Very quickly I discovered that there is a big gap between the theory and real-life networks. To close this gap, I spent time understanding the secrets and processes of network optimization, getting to know the tools and methodologies that were available. All these differ, based on the technology addressed, be it GSM, UMTS or LTE.

Skip to 0 minutes and 50 seconds Since technology constantly evolves, the area of radio network optimization has to evolve with it, keeping our lives as engineers, interesting.

Skip to 1 minute and 1 second In this course, we will discuss how radio network optimization enables the service provider to get the most out of their network, taking into account the requirements for capacity, coverage, and quality. During the course you will meet some of Amdocs’s experts that will walk you through different topics such as drive test analysis, pilot pollution optimization, dropped calls analysis and more. I am really looking forward to spend the time with you during this course, and believe that it will give you a view into the challenging world of radio network optimization. Hello everybody. In this course, we will show and demonstrate some software tools for various stages of network optimization. These tools were designed and implemented by our colleagues and ourselves.

Skip to 1 minute and 47 seconds Having a chance to create the tools you would like to have, is a great source of happiness for the engineers in us. We hope we can transmit at least some of the fun we have with these tools over to you, during the course of this MOOC. By the way, all of these tools are in use at various network operators around the world. So, by watching this course, you are actually looking over the shoulders of real-world network optimization engineers and get a glimpse into their daily work. This is what makes our course different from being in a university lecture hall. Let’s start and enjoy!

What topics will you cover?

  • Overview of cellular technologies
  • Introduction to network planning
  • Overview of drive testing
  • Pre-launch and post-launch network optimization
  • User experience optimization
  • Optimizing stadiums and other venues
  • Overview of Self Organizing Networks (SON)

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explain the evolution of cellular technology and its main milestones
  • Describe the main components of cellular networks
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and methodology of network planning
  • Explain the guiding principles of radio network optimization and the considerations that drive optimization processes
  • Reflect on advanced optimization scenarios and use cases
  • Explore future trends in radio network optimization

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone who wants to understand the principles of RF optimization in cellular networks.

It is recommended for engineers, technicians and managers who are new to RF and require applicable skills in RF for monitoring and optimizing performance of wireless systems.

A basic knowledge of cellular networks, RF principles and antenna theory will be useful.

Who will you learn with?

M.Sc.E.E. and over 20 years of experience in the Cellular market. Extensive expertise in 2G, 3G and 4G Radio Access Network optimization, working for equipment vendors and Service Providers.

My professional background includes RF channel and network simulation as well as RAN analytics and optimization. I have always been with solution providers, so I know our tools from the inside.

Who developed the course?

Amdocs

A leading software and services provider to the world’s most successful communications and media companies enabling their digital & network transformation.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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