Chapter 2 Site acquisition and projects

2.1. Introduction
Projects department is dealing with acquiring proposed location, conducting civil
works, installing telecommunication equipment and Preliminary Acceptance Test
(PAT) in the process of establishing a site or in any other project. There are Civil,
Electronic and Telecommunication Engineers in the PROJECT team
The main role of PROJECTS division is commissioning of new sites. Other functions
of that section includes site validation, contract of site, and acquisition of licenses,
site construction, and installation of equipment, site testing and final acceptance.
They are working very closely with the contractors, this department ensures the
project completed within the given time limits.

2.2. Planning new sites
Before setting up a new site Radio Access Network (RAN) Engineers examine
the area using Planning Tools and Maps (Google Map and Google Earth). They
will obtain coverage predictions with the aid of AIRCOMs ASSET tool and
ALCATELs Radio Network Planning Tool. Why new sites?
Coverage for roads
Coverage for populated areas
To overcome Capacity issues (Reduce congestion of nearby sites)

As a company Mobitel want to generate revenue. Therefore to get an approval for a
new site Engineer needs to prove the revenue that can be generated by setting up that
new site. Mobitel will get a feedback from Regional Business Managers and
Marketing section about current status and future growth of that area. Drive test
results and customer complaints are also taken into consideration. Then a suitable
location is chosen. Contractor will try to acquire a land as closer as possible to the
given coordinates. Based on the location and requirement we decide which type of
Site is to set up.

2.3. Site Survey
2.3.1. Roof Top Site Survey
Few steps involved in this process and they are listed below.
Visibility/Availability


Due to nearby buildings some areas may not get covered. When signals gone
through a wall 10 dB loss will be there. And we also note down possible
locations to put our site and cabin of the site.
Near Field and Far Field obstruction
In order to connect the site to the transmission network, there should be Line
of Sight (LOS) between the existing sites and the proposed new site location.
During the site survey we should check for the obstructions in both near field
and far field.
Access path
This is important in future maintenance. If there is a proper access path, it will
make maintenance Engineers job easier.
Power
Whether commercial power is available or not.
150-200 m clearance from high tension line
Obstruction from the same building
Then reference photographs of the site location are taken, these photographs
will include:
* Visibility of the area from the site location (including panoramic
photographs)
* Measured land area for the proposed site location
* Accessibility/Access path to the site location
* Availability of the Commercial power
*Terrain conditions of the land
*Neighboring buildings

Detailed sketch of the location is drawn
This sketch should include: Geo-graphical north referring to the drawing, Access
to the site location, proposed site location of the selected land, landmarks
(nearby buildings, houses, power lines, trees).

2.3.2. Deviations in a sharing site
In addition to the normal site survey process, in this process the BTS cabins are
planned to install in other operator's site location premises. Therefore a suitable
location with required dimensions (i.e. 16 ft X 12 ft) is measured. In selecting a
cabin location we have to consider the distance from the existing site, cable
ladder of the existing site etc.

2.3.3. Green Field Site Survey
Majority of Green field sites are set up in rural areas. There are few deviation
s from the above mentioned Site Survey process exists when we consider a GF site.
And they are: need to conduct a soil test, and availability of commercial power. Also
we have to consider the terrain condition. Other things are same as the roof top site
survey.



2.3.4. Technical Site Survey (TSS) Form

After completing the surveying process, TSS form was prepared for each new
site. And this form is then handed over to the PROJECTS section to proceed
with the project. TSS form should include the following details.
General Data of the site (Site name, Site Identification Code (SIC), etc.)
Geo-coordinates of the site location
For Roof Top sites :
*Height of the building
*Microwave planning data: Azimuths and distance to three nearest microwave
points.
For Green Field site :
*Tower type : self-support / COW
*Tower height : 60 m/ 45 m/ 30 m
Location planning data : coverage objective, coverage area and
distances to adjacent sites
BTS antenna related data;
*Antenna model e.g. 90 Dual Band
*Installation height of the antenna
*Antenna azimuths
*Mechanical and electrical tilt
Clearance to the nearest high tension line
Terrain condition (for Green Field sites)
Power availability
Column/beam under pole location (for Roof Top sites)
Site location marked on a map


2.4. Site acquisition
Planning section will decide new site locations depends on the requirement. They
will forward a Site Acquisition Request (SAR) to the projects section . then the
projects section choose a suitable contractor to proceed with the project. For a
particular site contractor will send three possible locations with real coordinates
(X,Y). Then the 3 coordinates will be checked and if they are not fulfilling the
requirements the planning section ask the contractor to send some other locations.
After getting a suitable location projects engineer will visit the location with the
contractor for Technical Site Survey. By examining the actual location the best
position for the tower will be selected
from(I1,I2,I3).




Three locations for the planed site
Then the legal section do a legal search on the chosen location. If there is no issue occurs in
legal search the project can proceed with that location. Otherwise a new location should be
selected. Then the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) process begins. An
application indicating the location of the site is sent to the TRC. Then the TRC will get the
required approval from the following authorities. Depending on the location and the land type
new approvals will be needed from following authorities
Ministry of Defense (MOD)
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
Urban Development Authority (UDA)
Ceylon Environmental Authority (CEA/BOI)
Municipal/Urban Council
If any above mentioned authority rejected the proposal the site may not be able to setup in
that location. Approval of MOD is critical in high security zones, recently cleared areas and
military camps. Approval; of CAA is critical near air ports. Approval of UDA is critical in
UDA declared areas. CEA concerns remain same in all locations (i.e. Tower should be
located 400m away from a school). If all the approvals are given, Local Authority (LA) will
approve as well. But if there are any public objections LA will deny the request, in areas
which have some ancient values such as Anuradhapura sacred town, CEA and LA will ask
for archeological approval. If all the approvals came without any issue the site can be
proceeded. To get all the approvals it may take a minimum of three months
To get all the approvals, land type also important to get the clearance of the land. After
getting the approval of the land we can proceed with the above mentioned TRC approval
process. Time taken to get the approval for a land changes with land type. Following land
types are available in Sri Lanka,
I1(x1,y1
)
I2(x2,y2)
I3(x3,y3)
Private lands (30%)
Government lands (70%)
Mahaveli / Forest / Plantation / LRC (Land Reformed
Commission)
To get approval for the government it may take about 1.5 years. Therefore private lands are
preferred
2.5. Overall procedure of commissioning a site
Normally a project starts after getting Note to Proceed (NTP) document. Then an
Engineer from PROJECTS. Main contractor and sub-contractor visits the location for
the Technical Site Survey (TSS). After that TSS Report (TSSR) will be submitted by
the contractor. Projects Engineer will analyze TSSR and if it is accepted Mobitel will
issue Note To Construct. Then the constructions will begin. After construction
completed Project Engineer will visit the site to conduct Preliminary Acceptance Test
(PAT). PAT consists of two sub parts namely Civil Mechanical Electrical (CME) and
TI (Telecommunication Installation). If any part of work is not been done up to an
acceptable level those issues are included in the PUNCHLIST during the PAT.
PUNCHLIST is a critical section in the PAT document. Contractor will have to
complete those incomplete work mentioned in the PUNCHLIST. If more than 75%
of the work is completed in the project. Projects Engineer will issue the work
Completion
Report (WCR) after the PAT. At this moment Mobitel will pay 75% of the payment
to the contractor. Upon the completion of the project we will issue Provisional
Acceptance
Certificate (PAC). To issue PAC we release the total payment to the contractor.
Example of a project: 400 sites (This project is to complete 400 sites).


FIgure project flow 1


2.6. Site / Tower categories


There are few tower/site categories are implemented: Green Field, Roof Top, Mobile
Site (COW) and Monopole. Snapshots of those towers are as follows.
















2.7. Site Sharing
In Sri Lanka there are large number of towers located all over the country . To
maintain minimum number of Towers Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
Sri Lanka (TRCSL) prefer operators to share their towers with other operators, When
we submit an application for a new site TRCL will give us suggestions indicating
sites nearby. According to the tower type , required approvals are different. See
following chart to get a basic idea on that.