A Simulation Tool for Dimensioning and Performance Evaluation of the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network

The efficient support of multiple traffic classes with different quality of service requirements (end-to-end delay, jitter, loss) poses an extraordinary complexity in the design of third-generation mobile networks. This task becomes especially critical for the access network, where radio and transmission resources are usually scarce. In this paper we present a simulation model of the ATM-based UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) terrestrial radio access network. The simulator aims to provide a test bed for conducting further research studies on several topics of potential interest. In particular, we intend to use the tool for dimensioning ATM links, for evaluating performance under different mixes of traffic classes, and for investigating quality of service mechanisms. This wide range of applications has led us to develop a very flexible simulation model that captures many low level details. Some preliminary results obtained with the simulator are presented in order to illustrate its capabilities.