I obtained some Cell Tower data from a cell phone company. I have figured out all the date except for the information on the "First Serving Cell Face". I know this would refer to the array that the phone connected to but I do not know how to interpret the cell face numbers. They are from 1 to 4. Is there a standard numbering scheme used referring to the direction or the array.
Does any one know of a good reference to refer to?
Thanks in advance.
I don’t know which company you got the records from, but the information you received, in most cases, is provider specific. The center of your sector orientation may be 0, 120, 240 or you may have a 30 degree offset at 30, 150,270. Depending on your carrier you most likely will be dealing with a Nortel or Lucent Network Element.
In many cases on a three sector monopole configuration you will see that Alpha or North will be Nortel 1/Lucent 2 with a beam width of approximately 300-60 degrees. Beta or Southeast will be Nortel 2/Lucent 3 with a beam width of approximately 60-180 degrees and Gamma or Southwest will be Nortel 3/Lucent 4 with a beam width of approximately 180-300 degrees.
Never assume that something is true 100% of the time. Some of the tower orientations may be slightly different due to population, terrain and other factors. Ask your provider for a key code and an explanation of the sectors. If you already have that information and you still have questions give the provider a call and hopefully they will be willing to help.
I have noted that some of the providers are now "stacking" one array on top of an other array to increase volume. Since none of the providers do anything in any kind of a uniform method you really need to contact the provider for a Sector Layout.
Good luck,
Cowboy
Bill,
I'm sure the answer to my question is carrier specific, but can you give me an example of how the carriers are differentiating the setors when they "stack?" Is the top -1 and bottom -2 or might there be an a or b in the mix?
Thanks!
Multiple Basestations on one site can be due to site sharing, where competitive operators use the same Mast (so to speak) by agreement to deliver cellular services; cuts down on Mast planning and the number of Mast installations, good commercial sense, may even be a requirement of planning laws etc.
A common reason can be where an operator produces Over Lay / Under Lay coverage. If you can take a/or photo/s of the Mast and the surrounding area where Mast is sited and post the image/s I will give you some idea how you might interpret what you are seeing.
I'll try to get some photos. I noted this first on a visit to Houston, TX in the last week in May and then just again this week in Minneapolis, MN. It appeared as a regular array with one identical to it about a foot further up. I was told that they would appear as sector (for example) 2,3, & 4 on the bottom and then 4,6, & 8 on top.
Which brings me to another question, have you ever had to deal with a COW (cellular on wheels) ? How are their sectors reported? Similar to an omni?
Thanks,
Bill,
I was wondering if you know specifically which carriers might be "stacking" and have you had the opportunity to examine any of the records.
We recently had a Verizon COW here in town after a recent tornado> I've asked the technical manager at our local 911 to forward several questions to his Verizon contact. If I can get answers I'll post them here.
Cheers!
I'll try to get some photos.
OK that would be useful, if for no other reason than a good exercise in discovery.
Corroborating some sort of "agreed" singularly applied standard identification for sectors eg sector 1, 2 and 3 etc might not be difficult but it may depend upon how each operator wishes to implement identification of sectors.
I would have thought any interest in sectors you might consider would also require that you may wish to seek and find out about e.g the Cell ID, azimuth and so on in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding about arrangements for coverage from a particular basestation (BTS/nodeB etc)?
Which brings me to another question, have you ever had to deal with a COW (cellular on wheels) ? How are their sectors reported? Similar to an omni?
Simply looking at a Mast with an antenna array doesn't of itself confirm the operator arrangement of sector-directed or omni-directed coverage. For instance what if the Mast only has what appears to be one, maybe two antenna? Will it propage coverage as directed or omni?
Fantastic example photos trewmte. Nothing like a picture to bring things into focus. This is a subject I am going to research much further.
Ed, I am going back to Houston in a couple of weeks I will get some photos then.
Thanks for the great reponces, this is what makes this forum such an asset.