AN ONLINE LEARNING TOOL FOR 5G RADIO ACCESS NETWORK DIMENSIONING

The digital-skill gap in the telecommunication industry is widening with the rollout of fifth-generation (5G) cellular networks. The subject of cellular network planning is traditionally taught in advanced university or training courses, mostly in a passive manner because of the lack of suitable hands-on learning tools for effective teacher-learner interactions. Grasping the underlying principles of this subject is often difficult due to the complex interrelationships and high dimensions of the many factors and parameters involved in the network planning process. To fill this gap, this study introduces a standards-compliant 5G radio access network dimensioning (5G-RAND) tool to facilitate active learning of 5G network pre-planning. The 5G-RAND tool has been developed using interactive worksheets with interworking coverage and capacity site count calculators engineered to ensure efficient duplex communications. It allows network planners to track, analyse, and observe the dimensioning outcome by tinkering with network goals, equipment specifications, and channel conditions. Moreover, the tool has been made available online, enabling experiential e-learning of 5G network pre-planning while paving the way for learning more advanced detailed network planning. Classroom observation data collected revealed that learners exposed to the tool demonstrated increased attention and interest in the subject while significantly improving their test scores.