User's Manual
SME VoIP System Guide, Version 2.6
Proprietary and Confidential
Chapter:
Appendix C: SME VoIP Network Planning/Optimization
120
Open Areas/ Large Halls:
Base stations and repeaters can be deployed in open areas for buildings that contain a central open space
area with windows to the other areas. This provides a good coverage for the rooms in the inner circle on all
floors (e.g. hotels).
In large halls, Base stations/repeater should be installed vertically in the middle of the space below the
drop ceiling.
Mounting Positions:
When Base stations and repeaters are mounted vertically on a wall, the radio coverage in front of these
devices is twice as large as the coverage at the rear.
Repeaters should be installed in the middle of corridors and small rooms.
Metallic Structures/Objects:
Base stations and repeaters should not be deployed near large metallic objects.
Reinforced Concrete Structures:
These structures have a high attenuation factor inside the building. They reduce the radio coverage range
of the Base stations and repeaters and therefore require a higher number of base stations or repeaters in
the building. Lighter types of construction materials require fewer base stations since attenuation figures
are considerably lower.
Others Recommendations:
• Maximum distance between two base stations varies depending on material and construction of
buildings, but there must always be synchronization chains and radio coverage overlap between the
two base stations or handover between radio units. The time it takes a person to cross the common
coverage area must be 10 seconds or more, as the handset needs time to scan for an alternative base
stations.
• Ensure that the installation area is located no closer than 6.1meters/20.0 feet from electric devices that
produce large electro-magnetic fields (EMF) or high levels of radio frequency energy. Possible EMF
sources are radio transmitters, electric arc welding machines, copying machines, electric motors,
refrigeration units, power transformers, electric load centres, and main circuit breaker panels.
• Ensure that the electrical service is sufficient and located in close proximity to the Base stations.
12.8 Network Assessment/Optimisation
This involves monitoring, verifying and improving the performance of the SME VoIP network. Depending on
the network setup and varying deployment conditions and network usage some requirements have to be
monitored and corrected.
The main focus of network optimisation should be telephony quality, handovers, network traffic and other
related measurements.
The quality of the network is ultimately determined by the satisfaction of users of the network. Therefore
before SME VoIP Networks are handed over to customers, Network providers must perform deployment
testing. Please see the How to Deploy SME VOIP System manual for more information.