Indoor Radio Planning: A Practical Guide for GSM, DCS, UMTS, HSPA and LTE, Second Edition

5.10 Multioperator Requirements

The complexity of designing a multioperator solution is often underestimated. To design, implement and operate a multioperator solution is much more than ‘just’ the RF design issues. It is highly recommended that all the mobile operators in each country or region work towards a mutual accepted document that defines all the parameters, interfaces and issues with regards to multioperator DAS solutions.

Often RF planners focus on the RF design only and go ahead with the project. However costly mistakes and performance degrading problems can be avoided if you plan more than just one step ahead and pay attention to the whole process. It is recommended to prepare, develop and agree on a multioperator agreement before the first multioperator project is decided. This agreement takes time to develop and obtain agreement on; therefore it is highly recommended that you complete the multioperator agreement before the first multioperator DAS solution design is actually needed. If you wait until the first project, it will probably be delayed.

There are many issues, technical, political and legal, that must be clarified in the process of developing the multioperator agreement. In most cases it is worthwhile hiring a neutral consultant to help the operators with this agreement. Compromises sometimes need to be made, and it can be much easier for an independent consultant to make ends meet and come to a mutual agreement and compromise.

5.10.1 Multioperator Agreement ...