Modelling the potential reach of 'brownfields' wireless broadband
Purpose: A model for estimating the potential reach of wireless broadband which uses existing communication towers (often called ‘brownfields’ wireless broadband) has been developed by the Research, Statistics and Technology Branch.
Method: The model is ‘premise centric’ because coverage is determined as access to towers rather than as reach from the tower. The first step determines all towers that each premise* could potentially access. The rules for access are:
• The premise is within range of the tower (the range is set exogenously to the model) ;
• The premise has line of sight (LoS) to that tower; and
• The zone around the LoS is relatively free of terrain obstruction.
(* Premise: An enhanced Geocoded National Address File (GNAF) known as GNAFe has been developed to address the under count in non-metropolitan areas of GNAF. The enhanced file uses 2001 Census, Cadastral, ‘homesteads’ and business marketing databases to adjust the GNAF file for to address a likely under count.)
With these data, a mesh of overlapping catchments areas can be developed. Where proximate towers cannibalise each other’s catchment areas, optimisation rules are applied along with minimum subscriber thresholds to determine which of the towers are ‘reachable’ from the target premises.
In this way, the model determines those premises within reach of the target towers.
Results/Conclusions: The modelling allows various ‘brownfields’ wireless broadband scenarios to be developed.