ution. In this chapter we aim to describe the application of the proposed solutions and go through the process of designing a network to provide UMTS services. Before describing the results of a field study with reference-parameters based on real scenarios, we provide the necessary principles for dimensioning and implementing a 3G network using UMTS technology. We then present results of dimensioning and intro- duce the functional capabilities of the selected elements. NETWORK DIMENSIONING PRINCIPLES Figure 7.1 identifies non-exhaustively the major areas to dimension a 3G network. It summarizes the essential tasks to obtain the necessary count of elements for implemen- tation and network deployment. Input of requirements Dimensioning tasks Results Coverage: Capacity and Number of RNC % of available terrain coverage calculations centres or region Network Number of base Transmission area: performance Urban, suburban, rural, measurements and station (BS) sites evaluation BS configurations Radio network options Radio propagation: Choice of radio Macro-, micro-, pico-, transmission or hierarchical-cell dimensioning resource management environment Core network (RRM) algorithms Capacity levels: transmission Capacity and coverage verifications Types of traffic and dimensioning services Radio and CN Quality of service selections Quality of service: transmission Blocking probability, integration Identification of key service availability Network RRM parameters Transmission network Network performance: optimization Efficiency tradeoffs capacity Figure 7.1 Essential network dimensioning tasks. To simplify the whole process we group the dimensioning tasks into four key iterative actions, i.e. The UMTS Network and Radio Access Technology radio coverage and traffic flow identification; system dimensioning; network configuration and verification (i.e. radio, core, transmission); implementation and deployment. In the first action, radio coverage depends on both propagation environment, (i.e. ser- vice population areas) and the tr