LTE Planning and Optimization Training Certification Course

Did you know that leading operators now use AI-driven LTE planning and optimization to take over 40% more corrective actions, cut RAN CAPEX by around 2–3%, and slash packet loss by up to 80–90%, while expert partners can still accept and optimize hundreds of multi-band LTE sites in a single year for nationwide VoLTE and carrier-aggregation rollouts?

Course Overview

The LTE Planning and Optimization Training Certification Course by Rcademy is designed to equip RF planning and optimization engineers, RAN design engineers, network planners, performance engineers, technical leads, drive test engineers, and consultants with expert-level capability in LTE RF planning, design, and optimization for high-capacity, high-quality 4G networks. Participants gain practical knowledge of end-to-end LTE planning workflows including link budget development, propagation modeling, coverage and capacity dimensioning, site selection, parameter configuration (PCI, TA, PRACH, handover), drive test analysis, and interference management techniques.

Without specialized LTE planning and optimization training, professionals may struggle to execute link budget calculations, apply propagation models accurately, identify root causes of coverage holes and interference, optimize handover parameters to reduce ping-pong effects, or implement AI-based SON solutions, limiting their ability to support rapid network rollout and deliver measurable KPI improvements. This comprehensive course provides a structured path to mastery across RF planning fundamentals, capacity forecasting, multi-RAT considerations, professional tool usage, and continuous optimization frameworks, preparing attendees to lead LTE deployment and enhancement initiatives.

The LTE Planning and Optimization Training Certification Course covers LTE RAN and RF planning fundamentals, propagation and link budget development, coverage and capacity dimensioning, site planning and radio network design, planning parameters (PCI, TA, PRACH, neighbors), RF tool configuration and detailed planning, optimization concepts and KPIs, drive testing and data collection, post-processing and RF analysis, coverage optimization techniques, capacity and throughput optimization, mobility and handover optimization, interference analysis and mitigation, multi-RAT and VoLTE considerations, continuous optimization and SON, and practical planning workshops with real-world case studies. Participants learn to configure and optimize key LTE radio parameters, analyze drive test and OSS performance data, apply frequency and neighbor planning strategies, integrate LTE planning with QoS requirements, and use professional RF planning tools and propagation models for realistic predictions.

Real-world cases show how Turkcell partnered with P.I. Works to deploy AI-based SON automating nearly 40 RAN management use cases, achieving 3.6% reduction in power consumption, 17% increase in streaming throughput, and 2.4% savings in total RAN CAPEX by taking 42% more corrective actions compared to non-AI approaches.

Studies also show that China Mobile deployed ZTE’s VMAX intelligent wireless network optimization system for TD-LTE, achieving 80-90% reduction in cell packet loss rates, over 30% decrease in delay, and greatly reduced weak coverage areas through centralized network analysis and self-learning algorithms.

Take charge of your LTE planning expertise. Enroll now in the Rcademy LTE Planning and Optimization Training Certification Course to master the RF planning and optimization skills that drive efficient network deployments.

Who Should Attend?

The LTE Planning and Optimization Training Certification Course by Rcademy is ideal for:

• RF planning and optimization engineers
• RAN design engineers and network planners
• Performance engineers responsible for 4G rollout
• Technical leads and solution architects
• Drive test engineers and field optimization teams
• Consultants and vendor staff delivering LTE services
• Network operations center (NOC) engineers
• Capacity planning engineers
• Quality assurance engineers for LTE testing
• System engineers performing network integration
• Professionals transitioning from 2G/3G planning
• Radio engineers supporting LTE deployment
• Site acquisition and deployment engineers
• HetNet and small-cell deployment specialists
• Anyone seeking comprehensive LTE planning certification

What are the Training Goals?

The main objectives of the LTE Planning and Optimization Training Certification Course are to enable professionals to:

• Develop expert-level capability in LTE RF planning, design, and optimization for high-capacity, high-quality 4G networks.
• Perform end-to-end LTE planning workflows: link budget development, propagation modeling, coverage and capacity dimensioning, and site selection.
• Configure and optimize key LTE radio parameters (PCI, TA, PRACH, handover, power, scheduler) to meet coverage, throughput, and mobility KPIs.
• Analyze LTE drive test and OSS performance data to identify issues and implement RF optimization strategies.
• Apply interference management techniques, frequency and neighbor planning, and HetNet/small-cell strategies for dense deployments.
• Integrate LTE planning with capacity forecasting, QoS requirements, and multi-RAT/VoLTE considerations.
• Use professional RF planning tools and models (e.g., COST-231, Hata, Erceg-Greenstein) for realistic predictions and iterative fine-tuning.
• Prepare participants for advanced RF planning/optimization roles and vendor/operator certification tracks.

How Will This Training Course Be Presented?

At Rcademy, the extensive focus is laid on the relevance of the training content to the audience. Thus, content is reviewed and customised as per the professional backgrounds of the audience.

The training framework includes:

• Expert-led lectures by senior LTE planning and optimization professionals using audio-visual sessions
• Hands-on exercises with RF planning tools and propagation model configuration
• Interactive workshops for link budget development and coverage prediction analysis
• Case studies covering Turkcell AI-based SON deployment, China Mobile TD-LTE optimization, and European network rollout
• Practical exercises analyzing drive test logs, identifying RF issues, and defining optimization action plans

The theoretical part of training is delivered by an experienced professional from the relevant domain, using audio-visual presentations. This planning-focused approach ensures LTE professionals translate theory into practical workflows through link budget calculations, parameter tuning, drive test analysis, and systematic optimization methodologies.

This comprehensive certification model ensures participants gain both planning fundamentals and hands-on proficiency to immediately apply LTE RF expertise in deployment, optimization, and continuous improvement roles.

Register now to experience a rigorous, hands-on learning journey designed to equip you for leading LTE planning, optimization, and network enhancement projects.

Course Syllabus

Module 1: LTE RAN and RF Planning Fundamentals

• LTE/E-UTRAN/EPC architecture recap and implications for RF planning.​
• RF planning objectives: coverage, capacity, quality, and cost.​
• LTE spectrum options, duplex modes (FDD/TDD), and bandwidth configurations.​
• High-level LTE RF planning process phases: initial design, detailed planning, optimization, and continuous improvement.​

Module 2: LTE Propagation, Link Budget, and Coverage Dimensioning

• RF propagation basics: path loss, shadowing, fading, and penetration loss.​
• LTE link budget components for uplink and downlink, including MIMO gains and margins.​
• RF propagation models: COST-231, Hata, Erceg-Greenstein, and environment selection (urban, suburban, rural).​
• Coverage dimensioning: determining cell radius, site density, and initial nominal plan.​

Module 3: LTE Capacity Planning and Dimensioning

• Traffic modelling: BH traffic, user density, service mix, and throughput targets.​
• LTE data rate estimation: bandwidth, MIMO configuration, overheads, and SINR vs. throughput.​
• Capacity dimensioning: number of sites, carriers, and sectorization strategies.​
• Capacity planning for hotspots, dense urban, and special-event scenarios.​

Module 4: LTE Site Planning and Radio Network Design

• Site selection criteria: coverage objectives, morphology, zoning, existing infrastructure.​
• Sectorization, antenna height, tilt, and azimuth planning.​
• Macro, micro, and small-cell layering (HetNet) concepts.​
• Indoor coverage solutions: repeaters, small cells, DAS integration with LTE macro layer.​

Module 5: LTE Planning Parameters – PCI, TA, PRACH and Neighbors

• PCI (Physical Cell ID) planning rules: collision and confusion avoidance, reuse patterns.​
• Tracking Area (TA) planning: TA size, signaling load, and mobility management.​
• PRACH planning: root sequence selection, frequency/time configuration for access success.​
• Neighbor relation planning: ANR, manual NCL design, X2 connectivity.​

Module 6: LTE RF Tool Configuration and Detailed Planning

• RF planning tool inputs: terrain, clutter, antenna patterns, network templates.​
• Service profiles, user profiles, and terminal capabilities configuration.​
• Propagation model tuning using drive test and field measurements.​
• Generating coverage and quality predictions: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, throughput maps.​

Module 7: LTE Optimization Concepts and KPIs

• LTE KPI framework: accessibility, retainability, integrity, mobility, and availability.​
• Key RF KPIs: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, BLER, throughput.​
• Call setup success rate (CSSR), drop call rate (DCR), handover success rate.​
• Setting optimization targets and defining acceptance criteria.​

Module 8: Drive Testing and Data Collection for LTE

• Drive test methodologies: cluster drive, benchmarking, and route design.​
• Test equipment: scanners, UE-based logging tools, and multi-technology setups.​
• Key LTE measurements during drive tests: serving/neighbor RSRP, RSRQ, PCI, CQI.​
• Indoor walk tests and special-event testing campaigns.​

Module 9: Post-Processing and RF Analysis

• Post-processing tools and workflows: log file import, map-based analysis.​
• Identifying coverage holes, dominance issues, and pilot pollution.​
• Parameter correlation with KPIs to identify root causes.​
• Creating optimization action lists and tracking improvements.​

Module 10: Coverage Optimization Techniques

• Antenna tilt, azimuth, and height optimization for improved coverage and interference control.​
• Power optimization: downlink and uplink power balancing, cell range alignment.​
• Use of repeaters, small cells, and DAS to address coverage gaps.​
• Environmental changes and re-tuning coverage over time.​

Module 11: Capacity and Throughput Optimization

• Scheduler and resource allocation parameters impacting throughput.​
• Load balancing and cell splitting strategies for high-traffic areas.​
• MIMO configuration optimization and higher-order modulation utilization.​
• Interference management for capacity: ICIC, eICIC, and enhanced scheduling.​

Module 12: Mobility and Handover Optimization

• Mobility strategy: idle mode parameters (cell reselection) vs connected mode (handover).​
• Handover parameters: event thresholds, time-to-trigger, hysteresis.​
• X2 vs S1 handover configuration and optimization.​
• Reducing call drops and ping-pong handovers through parameter tuning.​

Module 13: Interference Analysis and Mitigation

• Types of LTE interference: co-channel, adjacent channel, external sources.​
• Interference detection using drive test and OSS statistics.​
• Frequency planning and reuse strategies for LTE and co-located GSM/UMTS.​
• Advanced interference coordination techniques in HetNets.​

Module 14: LTE Multi-RAT and VoLTE Considerations in Planning

• LTE–GSM/UMTS co-existence: site sharing, carrier layering, and refarming impacts.​
• Inter-RAT handover planning and optimization.​
• VoLTE-specific RF requirements: coverage, QoS, and robustness.​
• Planning for VoLTE capacity and ensuring voice continuity (CSFB/SRVCC interaction).​

Module 15: Continuous Optimization and SON

• Concept of continuous RF optimization cycles and performance reviews.​
• Introduction to Self-Organizing Networks (SON) features relevant to LTE.​
• Parameter auto-tuning: ANR, PCI optimization, load balancing.​
• Human-in-the-loop vs fully automated optimization approaches.​

Module 16: Practical Planning and Optimization Workshop

• Case study: building an LTE link budget and deriving nominal cell radius.​
• Hands-on: configuring propagation models and running coverage predictions.​
• Hands-on: analyzing drive-test logs to identify and fix RF issues (coverage, interference, mobility).​
• Hands-on: defining an optimization plan for a problematic cluster and validating post-optimization KPIs.

Training Impact

The impact of LTE Planning and Optimization Training is visible in how operators achieve measurable CAPEX savings and KPI improvements through AI-powered automation, reduce packet loss dramatically using intelligent optimization systems, and accelerate nationwide deployments through systematic acceptance processes.

Turkcell – AI-Powered SON Delivering 42% More Optimization Actions and 2.4% CAPEX Savings

Implementation: Turkcell, Turkey’s leading mobile operator serving over 35 million subscribers with LTE-Advanced services launched in April 2016 across 81 cities using 3-carrier aggregation technology, partnered with P.I. Works starting in 2016 to tackle network complexity challenges and automate management of its LTE network. The operator deployed an integrated AI and Customer Experience Management (CEM) based network automation solution covering predictive mobile network load balancing, service-centric coverage optimization, and AI-enabled energy saving across nearly 40 RAN management and optimization use cases. The predictive load balancing solution analyzed historical network data to predict short-term capacity utilization and distribute traffic among existing sites before service degradation occurred, taking 42% more corrective actions compared to a non-AI solution and identifying network sites that could potentially face congestion proactively. The AI-based energy saving solution achieved a 3.6% reduction in power consumption of the radio network by intelligently managing radio equipment power states based on traffic patterns.

Results: Most impressively, the service-centric coverage optimization solution detected usage levels of different services (particularly HD video streaming) across groups of sites and took targeted optimization actions, increasing the number of customers receiving HD video services by 16% through a 17% increase in download speed in both low and high-frequency carriers – all achieved without capacity expansions. This resulted in 2.4% savings in total Radio Access Network CAPEX through more efficient use of existing resources and by eliminating the need for unnecessary network capacity investments, directly demonstrating the financial value of intelligent optimization. The solution now automates nearly 40 RAN management and optimization use cases within Turkcell, with the project awarded the “Leading Contribution to SON” award in recognition of the successful implementation of the automation solutions. This real-world case study validates how comprehensive LTE planning and optimization training – covering link budgets, propagation models, drive testing, parameter tuning, interference management, and SON concepts – directly translates into operational excellence, cost reduction, and superior customer experience at scale.

China Mobile – ZTE VMAX Intelligent Optimization Reducing Packet Loss by 80-90% in TD-LTE Deployment

Implementation: China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator, launched commercial TD-LTE services on December 18, 2013, deploying across 130 MHz of spectrum in the 1880-1900 MHz, 2320-2370 MHz, and 2575-2635 MHz bands with a $7 billion infrastructure investment involving Ericsson, Nokia Solutions and Networks, Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei, and ZTE. To manage the unprecedented scale and complexity of this TDD-based LTE deployment optimized for Chinese subscribers’ traffic habits favoring mobile video downloads, China Mobile worked with ZTE to deploy the VMAX intelligent wireless network optimization system, a service-driven platform providing functions including associated analysis of KQIs (Key Quality Indicators) and KPIs, root cause location, and automatic coverage optimization. The VMAX system effectively broke down and merged various indicators, performed drill-down analysis on KQIs, KPIs, coverage indicators, and interference indicators level by level, and provided auto-optimization to meet specified network requirements, guaranteeing an automatically closed network optimization loop involving discovering, analyzing, and resolving problems about multi-level network quality indicators, and verifying optimization results. Critically, the VMAX system saved solutions into a database for self-learning and self-training to continuously improve system performance and solution accuracy, optimizing networks through big data approaches and enabling centralized network analysis, optimization, and assessment that improved network optimization efficiency with fewer network optimization experts required.

Results: Field test results in campuses and business zones demonstrated that the VMAX system could locate root causes based on Call Detail Records (CDRs), analyzing user CDRs to obtain the proportion of each problem such as grid-level interference, weak coverage, insufficient capacity, and others in a cell – achieving quantitative analysis beyond the qualitative cell-based root cause location provided by traditional systems. Most impressively, tests showed that cell packet loss rates were reduced by 80-90% of the original rate, delay was reduced by over 30%, and weak coverage areas and low-rate users were greatly reduced through automatic network optimization, with future plans to provide an integrated solution to interference, capacity, and dispatching problems to improve overall network performance. This massive TD-LTE deployment and optimization initiative demonstrates how deep expertise in LTE RF planning fundamentals, propagation modeling, capacity dimensioning, interference management, drive testing, and automated optimization workflows, the exact skills developed through comprehensive LTE planning and optimization training, enables successful nationwide network rollouts serving hundreds of millions of subscribers.

Be inspired by how Turkcell, China Mobile, and large-scale rollout teams optimized LTE networks at scale. Join the Rcademy LTE Planning and Optimization Training Certification Course to gain the RF planning and optimization skills that deliver efficient, high-performance LTE deployments.