3G Coverage Planning over Sudan using High Altitude Platforms (HAPs)

The provision of 3G wireless services to Sudan is proposed using a network of High Altitude Platforms, which are low cost, solar-powered and unmanned airships carrying multipurpose communications relay payload. These platforms are able to stay stationary at stratospheric altitudes, with a potential endurance of many years, features that make them attractive for the provision of future communication services. Several exciting research works are continuing into various aspects of this emergent technology. This thesis provides some insight into this infrastructure in terms of the need for a new system, its benefits, challenges, services provided and applications supported. A cellular network is designed to provide 3G coverage over sparsely-populated areas using large cells with small ones located inside these umbrella cells to serve hot-spot areas. Cell geometry is dimensioned, downlink budget is calculated and optimal values of link margin are estimated for different QOS requirements in order to determine the suitable scenario for each service. HAP Planning Tool is a Matlab simulation developed for this principle. Simulator results have shown that it is possible for HAPS based systems to provide 3G coverage within a cell diameter of 200 km. Low data rate services are accessible from any position of the cell, while high data rate services could be guaranteed only inside small circles around cell cente