1-541-345-0019 INFO@EDX.COM

Nationwide Coverage & Performance Analysis with the Cirrus Platform

by | Mar 29, 2022

EDX Wireless provides instant access to a full suite of solutions used in the design, deployment and optimization of wireless networks. Engineers worldwide depend on EDX solutions to ensure networks meet performance and budgetary requirements for 5G, LTE (release 17), CBRS, IoT, Smart Grid and more. 

The EDX Cirrus Platform automates the process of large-scale network design and optimization by providing the industry’s only solution that allows engineers to produce nationwide coverage analysis in a single run. 

Network operators who must run nationwide analysis for FCC form 477 filings, new technology rollouts, budgeting, audits or marketing use the Cloud SaaS solution to eliminate the need to produce several maps and stitch them together manually. 

The solution also integrates with existing tools used by GIS and RAN teams to provide a new level of efficiency, reduce costs and gain new opportunities for network optimization. Built through partnerships with our customers, our solutions automate design and improve processes. 

Yesterday’s workflow 

Yesterday’s workflows required each market team to submit plans to GIS or National teams, with each market submission then merged together to create a single nationwide plan. Put simply, many maps are created and then stitched together to create one. 

Since this workflow is a multi-step process that requires a lot of manual labor across multiple team members, there is an opportunity to streamline the process and greatly cut back on the time spent creating these filings. And we all know, time is money.

Change your thinking, change the game

You have a lot invested in your current tools. That’s why EDX designed the Cirrus Platform to integrate with your current tools to augment and streamline your processes without having to go through the cost of replacing what you currently have. The Cirrus Platform nationwide engine ingests the plan submissions from each market using their current tools to create a nationwide plan automatically. The new workflow automates the multiple steps currently needed, passing submission plans from each market to be consolidated by the GIS or National teams, and eliminates the need to stitch each report together to create a single map. Internal teams then have access to a secured site to view the maps. The bottom line is cost and time savings as well as new opportunities for collaboration and network optimization. 

Network Optimization

Historically network optimizations present many challenges from the planning perspective. First, constant changes in demand and service area characteristics mean optimizations are a mostly ongoing process, and second, inefficiencies tie up engineering time that may not directly result in revenue to offset the cost. 

Consider an engineering team that spends hours, days or weeks looking at various network scenarios before finding a viable solution. This problem is compounded with large scale networks, and in the case of nationwide systems, a daunting task. 

The Cirrus Platform provides the opportunity for greater network optimization since all map runs are stored and mined later for performance analysis and “what if ” scenarios. These incremental changes for delta studies are calculated in minutes, not days, as changes to only one site requires only re-running that one site. Visualization tiles are rendered for each change without discarding previous runs. 

And because the new workflow dramatically reduces the GIS time spent on map creation, engineering time can be reallocated to deeper analysis of network performance. 

System KPIs and Analytics

Technology studies and performance metrics are accessed on the platform through API and provide detailed analysis of your network. Studies include RSRP, SS-RSRP, Interference, DL & UL throughput for 5G & LTE-PRO across all equipment types. 

Not only can you use these metrics for network optimizations and site placement, but study tiling allows you to visualize network performance according to these KPIs on your maps. 

Data

When using the Cirrus Platform, you have the choice to use your own data or utilize EDX’s custom data. We work with the industry leaders in data acquisition to offer high-resolution data for any location on Earth. The data offering includes clutter, terrain, clutter heights and buildings from a selection of map vendors. 

The data service is available on a per-project basis, saving money over having to purchase costly databases. You may also select specific service areas, so you get only the data you need. 

Storage and Marketing

Cirrus provides unlimited storage for maps of every configuration, providing a source of truth a cross teams. Archives show all prior configurations, a s well as their associated maps. 

Additionally, maps may be exported in multiple formats and run in various resolutions. These maps then can be used for marketing and presentations. 

Novus

The user dashboard found in Novus allows you to view projects and study results in a flexible interface. Users can share projects among their organizations within the cloud platform, providing visibility to users and admins. Each engineer on the team can use the interface to view projects, select particular areas of interest, and see point query results for a particular study. 

Training

Since the Cirrus Platform integrates with existing tools, there is minimal disruption to current workflows. EDX support and training ensures a successful handoff and works with you and your individual use case to enable success. 

The Cirrus Platform:

  • Import other planning tool data
  • Run nationwide coverage in a single run
  • Automate creation of maps across teams
  • Store maps and project data
  • View in user dashboard
  • Export multiple formats

You May Also Like…

LTE-PRO Module

LTE-PRO Module

Many advancements have been made to LTE from releases 9-13, bringing to the industry LTE-A and LTE-A Pro and creating a foundation for 5G networks....

read more

Announcing SIGNAL End-of-Life

SIGNAL has been EDX’s entry-level planning tool used for basic system coverage analysis for many years. But as the world moves toward systems that...

read more
Per-Sector Studies

Per-Sector Studies

If you are working on a network with many sites and sectors, the process of running and querying area studies and checking coverage for each can be...

read more
5G Webinar Now Available…

5G Webinar Now Available…

If you missed our recent webinar "5G With EDX: Tools to Win More Business" now is your chance to see it. In this webinar, we cover EDX's 5G Module -...

read more
Perpetual Hybrid Licensing

Perpetual Hybrid Licensing

When it comes to wireless network design, one challenge faced by design consultants, network operators and sales engineers is the design output has...

read more
Call Now Button