EDUCATIONAL CELLULAR RADIO NETWORK PLANNING SOFTWARE TOOL

In this paper an educational software tool (CELLPLAN) is presented. Th is tool is used to illustrate to telecommunications engineering studen ts the different steps typically followed in the planning of cellular radio networks. The software tool described in this paper simulates th e procedures and algorithms implemented in professional planning tools in a simplified way, The major difference being that no actual terrai n information (Digital Terrain Model) is used in the simulations but r ather a ''generic'' terrain configuration is assumed. The availability of this simulation tool in the classroom gives fifth-gear telecommuni cations engineering students the opportunity to tackle realistic cellu lar network design cases as if they were in a real engineering office.