5G Radio Planning and Design

Course Overview

The 5G Radio Planning and Design course by Alpha Learning Centre is meticulously designed to equip radio planning engineers, RF professionals, and network designers with essential skills in applying 5G-specific propagation models, performing link budget analysis across sub-6 GHz and millimetre wave bands, and executing capacity dimensioning for eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC service requirements. This course focuses on 5G NR frequency planning, massive MIMO and beamforming design considerations, heterogeneous network architecture, interference management strategies, and professional planning documentation to ensure participants can effectively navigate the sophisticated landscape of modern 5G radio network design from initial site planning through to optimisation.

Why Select This Training Course?

Selecting this 5G Radio Planning and Design course offers numerous advantages for professionals involved in radio network planning, RF engineering, and 5G deployment management. Participants will gain advanced knowledge of 5G NR frequency bands, spectrum allocation, and massive MIMO beamforming design considerations within the radio planning workflow, alongside practical methodologies for link budget analysis, coverage prediction, and capacity dimensioning across diverse deployment scenarios. The course provides hands-on experience with industry-standard radio planning tools and simulation platforms, enabling attendees to produce professional-grade 5G network designs with confidence.

For organisations, investing in this training directly improves 5G deployment quality and reduces the cost of post-deployment remediation. Poor 5G radio planning particularly for mmWave deployments leads to coverage gaps, capacity shortfalls, and expensive site redesigns that structured training consistently prevents. Research from Verizon’s 5G technology documentation demonstrates how mmWave radio planning at 28 GHz and 39 GHz frequencies demands sophisticated propagation modelling, dense small cell grid design, and beamforming footprint analysis precisely the methodologies this course develops and that inadequately planned mmWave deployments consistently underperform against coverage and capacity targets.

Individuals who complete this course will benefit from enhanced career prospects as they become the radio planning specialists their organisations need for 5G deployment programmes. The skills acquired through this training can lead to professional growth and increased responsibilities within mobile operators, specialist radio planning consultancies, and network equipment vendors. Studies from the GSMA confirm that engineers with verified 5G radio planning competency particularly in mmWave and massive MIMO design are in high demand across operators, vendors, and infrastructure deployment companies worldwide as 5G rollout programmes continue to accelerate.

Transform your radio planning capabilities Register now for this critical advanced training programme.

Who Should Attend?

This course is suitable for:

• Radio planning and RF design engineers
• Network optimisation engineers working on 5G deployments
• RAN engineers transitioning into 5G planning roles
• Technical consultants working on 5G network design projects
• Site acquisition and deployment engineers
• Frequency and spectrum management specialists
• Technical project managers overseeing 5G radio rollouts
• Engineers from regulatory bodies involved in spectrum and coverage planning

What are the Training Goals?

This course aims to:

• Explain 5G NR frequency bands, spectrum allocation, and sub-6 GHz and mmWave design considerations
• Apply 5G radio propagation models appropriate to different deployment scenarios and frequency ranges
• Perform 5G link budget analysis for downlink and uplink under varied conditions
• Design 5G coverage and capacity plans for macro, micro, and small cell heterogeneous deployments
• Understand massive MIMO and beamforming design considerations in the radio planning process
• Apply network dimensioning techniques for eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC service requirements
• Use radio planning tools and simulation software to model 5G network performance
• Evaluate interference management strategies including ICIC and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing
• Develop 5G optimisation strategies based on KPI analysis, drive testing, and simulation outputs
• Produce professional radio planning documentation and technical design reports

How will this Training Course be Presented?

The 5G Radio Planning and Design course employs a comprehensive and innovative approach to ensure maximum knowledge retention and skill development. Expert-led instruction from experienced 5G radio planning engineers forms the core of the course, providing up-to-date insights into real-world planning methodologies and the practical challenges of designing networks across both sub-6 GHz and millimetre wave frequency bands.

The course utilises a blend of theoretical understanding and practical applications, allowing participants to apply their knowledge to realistic network design scenarios. Advanced educational methodologies create a personalised and engaging learning journey through:

• Instructor-led sessions by practising 5G radio planning engineers
• Worked examples of link budget calculations, propagation modelling, and capacity dimensioning
• Practical exercises using industry-standard radio planning tools and simulation platforms
• Case-based design scenarios covering urban macro, dense urban small cell, and mmWave deployments
• Drive test analysis and KPI-based optimisation exercises
• Review and critique of planning outputs to develop professional design judgement

Join us now and elevate your 5G radio planning and design expertise to new heights!

Course Syllabus

Module 1: 5G Radio Planning Foundations

• Objectives of radio network design: coverage, capacity, quality, and cost constraints.​
• 5G NR service categories (eMBB, URLLC, mMTC) and their radio design implications.​
• SA vs. NSA deployment options and impact on radio planning.​
• 5G spectrum landscape: low-, mid-, and high-band (mmWave) allocations and use cases.​

Module 2: 5G NR Air Interface for Planners

• Scalable numerology, subcarrier spacing options, and frame/slot structure.​
• TDD and FDD modes; DL/UL configuration, guard periods, and impact on capacity/latency.​
• NR channels and signals (SSB, PDCCH, PDSCH, PUCCH, PRACH, reference signals) relevant to planning.​
• Power control concepts and channel mapping from a planning perspective.​

Module 3: Propagation, Path Loss, and Coverage Modelling

• 5G propagation models for sub‑6 GHz and mmWave (urban macro, micro, indoor hotspot, rural).​
• Path loss, shadowing, fast fading, penetration losses, and clutter modelling.​
• Model tuning using drive test / field measurements and calibration best practices.​
• Coverage probability, cell edge SINR, and minimum RSRP/RSRQ design targets.​

Module 4: Link Budget and MAPL for 5G NR

• Downlink and uplink link budget structure for 5G NR, including beamforming gains.​
• Maximum Allowable Path Loss (MAPL) calculation and relation to cell radius.​
• Special considerations for TDD, massive MIMO, and hybrid beamforming in budgets.​
• Separate link budgets for FR1 vs. FR2, outdoor vs. indoor, macro vs. small cells.​

Module 5: Capacity Planning and Dimensioning

• Traffic modelling for 5G: busy-hour traffic, service mix, and spatial distribution.​
• Resource allocation, MCS mapping, SINR–throughput relationships, and spectral efficiency assumptions.​
• Site count and carrier dimensioning for eMBB, FWA, IoT, and enterprise slices.​
• Contention, scheduling, and overhead factors in effective capacity estimation.​

Module 6: Cell Planning, Site Strategy, and HetNets

• Macro, micro, pico, and femto layer roles in 5G heterogeneous networks.​
• Site selection criteria: morphology, height, tilt, clutter, and zoning constraints.​
• Small-cell and indoor system planning (DAS, small cells, repeaters) for capacity hotspots.​
• Inter-site distance planning, overlap, and dominance for robust mobility and neighbour design.​

Module 7: Massive MIMO and Beam Planning

• Massive MIMO array concepts, active antenna units, and sectorisation strategies.​
• Beamforming and beam management: SSB beams, CSI-RS beams, and coverage shaping.​
• Impact of beam patterns on coverage predictions and planning tool configuration.​
• Optimising beams for street canyons, high-rise, venues, and FWA scenarios.​

Module 8: Interference Management and Spectrum Coexistence

• Intra- and inter-layer interference in dense 5G deployments.​
• Coexistence with LTE and legacy systems, including DSS and guard-band design.​
• TDD synchronisation and frame alignment across operators and bands.​
• Interference analysis, mitigation strategies, and coordination mechanisms.​

Module 9: Radio Planning Workflow and Tools

• End-to-end 5G radio planning workflow from input data to final design.​
• RF design inputs: maps, clutter, traffic layers, existing sites, spectrum, device mix.​
• Use of professional planning tools: modelling, Monte Carlo simulations, and prediction outputs.​
• Iterative design refinement: tuning parameters to meet coverage and capacity KPIs.​

Module 10: Advanced Topics – Private 5G and Special Scenarios

• Radio planning for private and campus 5G networks (factories, ports, mining, hospitals).​
• Planning for ultra-dense venues (stadiums, malls, transport hubs) with high concurrency.​
• FR2/mmWave-specific design issues: blockage, beam tracking, and outdoor–indoor service.​
• RAN slicing implications for radio planning: isolation, KPIs, and resource pools.​

Module 11: KPI Targets, Acceptance, and Optimisation Handshake

• 5G RAN KPI framework: coverage, quality, capacity, mobility, and accessibility KPIs.​
• Design acceptance criteria and drive-test/scan benchmarks.​
• Handover to optimisation: creating an RF design package for post-launch tuning.​
• Feedback loop: using performance data to improve planning assumptions and models.​

Module 12: Practical Design Workshop

• Building a complete 5G RF design (inputs, link budgets, site plan, predictions) for a target city/enterprise.​
• Hands-on exercises in coverage and capacity simulations, what‑if scenarios, and design trade-offs.​
• Case studies from commercial 5G deployments highlighting pitfalls and best practices.​
• Participant presentations and expert critique of proposed radio plans​

Training Impact

The impact of 5G radio planning and design training is evident through various real-world deployment programmes and technical data, which demonstrate the effectiveness of structured planning education in improving coverage outcomes, reducing deployment costs, and accelerating the delivery of quality 5G services.

Research indicates that organisations investing in structured 5G radio planning training programmes demonstrate measurable improvements in deployment accuracy and coverage performance. A case study from Verizon’s 5G mmWave deployment across major US cities showed that detailed propagation modelling at 28 GHz and 39 GHz, dense small cell grid design, and beamforming coverage footprint analysis carried out by engineers with specialised mmWave planning expertise were essential to achieving commercial coverage and capacity targets in complex urban environments, validating the direct operational value of the planning methodologies this course develops.

These case studies highlight the tangible benefits of implementing advanced 5G radio planning expertise:

• Improved coverage outcomes through systematic application of 5G propagation models and frequency-specific link budget methodologies
• Enhanced capacity performance through comprehensive knowledge of massive MIMO design, beamforming configuration, and spectrum sharing techniques
• Increased deployment cost efficiency through accurate upfront dimensioning and simulation-based site design
• Strengthened optimisation capability through systematic application of drive testing, KPI analysis, and interference management frameworks

By investing in this advanced training, organisations can expect to see:

• Significant improvement in 5G radio network coverage and capacity delivery from first deployment
• Improved ability to handle complex mmWave and heterogeneous network design challenges with specialised planning frameworks
• Enhanced decision-making capabilities through comprehensive 5G radio engineering knowledge and network optimisation expertise
• Increased deployment efficiency through advanced planning capability that reduces costly post-deployment remediation

Transform your career and organisational performance Enrol now to master the 5G Radio Planning and Design course!