HERE unveils Geodata Models to lower 5G wireless network planning costs

HERE, a location data and technology platform, unveiled HERE Geodata Models to help accelerate the telecommunications industry’s planning and deployment of 5G wireless networks while reducing network planning operational expenses.

HERE Geodata Models is a highly precise and scalable 3D digital representation of the buildings, trees and roadside objects (e.g. streetlights, utility poles, overpasses, billboards, etc.) making up the physical environment surrounding 5G antennas. The 3D digital representations provide 5G network planners and radio frequency (RF) engineers with the ability to remotely conduct field surveys and precisely plan where to locate 5G antennas in order to create optimal signal coverage.

The physical characteristics of mmWave 5G networks may require operators to install up to 10 times as many cell sites per km2 compared to 4G networks. Unlike midband spectrum 4G networks, 5G signal paths within mmWave spectrum bands are especially vulnerable to obstruction from ground level objects such as buildings, trees and billboards. In order to adapt to this mmWave spectrum band behavior, network operators require a much higher level of location precision and scalability that is often not supported in legacy 3 and 4G network planning and design solutions.

HERE is partnering with multiple industry leaders, including Nokia and Kinetica, to integrate this 3D data into their network planning and design solutions. By doing so, network operators can conduct centralized, digital field surveys to accelerate network deployments and reduce overall design and network planning related operating costs.

“It’s an exciting time for the telecom industry, with the focus on delivering outstanding network services today while investing in 5G and advanced network capabilities that are powering the future of consumer and business IoT,” said Giovanni Lanfranchi, Chief Technology Officer at HERE Technologies. “HERE Geodata Models provides the detail mobile network operators need to accelerate the design, deployment and benefit of 5G networks worldwide.”