System and Method for Analyzing Strategic Network Investments in Wireless Networks

Abstract

A method and a system to assist wireless telecom service providers to make strategic investment decisions in their wireless networks is provided. Geographical profitability information in a wireless network is determined to decide where to invest capital funds in order to increase the revenue and profit for wireless service providers. The profitability of a geographical area or a sector is calculated based on network Operation Measurements and subscriber CDR (Call Detail Record) data. The system prioritizes the geographical areas and sectors for capital investments based on the profitability of the areas and sites. Similar information may be determined to assist wireless service providers in developing a decommissioning strategy. Embodiments of the present invention may also be used to reduce network churn by understanding where dissatisfied subscribers experience poor service and where network investments need to be made to improve the services and reduce churn.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of determining an investment strategy for a plurality of coverage holes in a wireless network, each of the coverage holes indicating a respective area in which wireless service is not available, the method comprising:
 identifying, using a computer system, the coverage holes in the wireless network;   determining, using the computer system, a respective revenue loss for each of the coverage holes, the respective revenue loss representing an amount of revenue that is being lost due to unavailability of the wireless service in a respective coverage hole;   determining, using the computer system, a plurality of BTS options for locating a BTS with respect to the coverage holes;   determining, using the computer system, a respective cost for each of the BTS options, the respective cost representing an expected cost of operating the BTS in accordance with a respective BTS option;   determining, using the computer system, a respective investment return value for each of the BTS options based at least in part on the respective cost for each of the BTS options and on the respective revenue loss for each of the coverage holes; and   determining one or more locations to deploy the BTS based at least in part on the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the plurality of coverage holes is based at least in part on dropped calls as indicated by call detail records (CDRs). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the revenue loss is performed in accordance with the equation:
     U   k =Σ i   [D   ik   *AMOU   i   *UPM   i ]
   wherein
 k represents a coverage hole; 
 i represents a subscriber; 
 D ik  is a number of monthly dropped calls by subscriber i at coverage hole k; 
 AMOU i  is an average MOU per call of subscriber i; 
 UPM i  is a revenue generated per minute by subscriber i; and 
 U k  is a revenue loss at coverage hole k. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the respective cost for each of the BTS options is performed at least in part by summing a monthly equipment cost, a site monthly leasing cost, and a monthly transport leasing cost. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options is performed at least in part by subtracting the respective cost from the respective revenue loss. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more locations to deploy the BTS is performed at least in part by prioritizing the BTS options in order of the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the plurality of coverage holes is based at least in part on dropped calls as indicated by call detail records (CDRs); and
 wherein determining the revenue loss is performed in accordance with the equation:
     U   k =Σ i   [D   ik   *AMOU   i   *UPM   i ]
 
   
       wherein
 k represents a coverage hole; 
 i represents a subscriber; 
 D ik  is a number of monthly dropped calls by subscriber i at coverage hole k; 
 AMOU i  is an average MOU per call of subscriber i; 
 UPM i  is a revenue generated per minute by subscriber i; and 
 U k  is a revenue loss at coverage hole k. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the plurality of coverage holes is based at least in part on dropped calls as indicated by call detail records (CDRs); and
 wherein determining the one or more locations to deploy the BTS is performed at least in part by prioritizing the BTS options in order of the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options.   
     
     
         9 . A computer program product for determining an investment strategy for a plurality of coverage holes in a wireless network, each of the coverage holes indicating a respective area in which wireless service is not available, the computer program product having a non-transitory storage medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program product comprising:
 computer program code for identifying the coverage holes in the wireless network;   computer program code for determining a respective revenue loss for each of the coverage holes, the respective revenue loss representing an amount of revenue that is being lost due to unavailability of wireless service in a respective coverage hole;   computer program code for determining a plurality of BTS options for locating a BTS with respect to the coverage holes;   computer program code for determining a respective cost for each of the BTS options, the respective cost representing an expected cost of operating the BTS in accordance with a respective BTS option;   computer program code for determining a respective investment return value for each of the BTS options based at least in part on the respective cost for each of the BTS options and on the respective revenue loss for each of the coverage holes; and   computer program code for determining one or more locations to deploy the BTS based at least in part on the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the computer program code for identifying the plurality of coverage holes is based at least in part on dropped calls as indicated by call detail records (CDRs). 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the computer program code for determining the revenue loss includes computer program code for performing the equation:
     U   k =Σ i   [D   ik   *AMOU   i   *UPM   i ]
   wherein
 k represents a coverage hole; 
 i represents a subscriber; 
 D ik  is a number of monthly dropped calls by subscriber i at coverage hole k; 
 AMOU i  is an average MOU per call of subscriber i; 
 UPM i  is a revenue generated per minute by subscriber i; and 
 U k  is a revenue loss at coverage hole k. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the computer program code for determining the respective cost for each of the BTS options includes computer program code for summing a monthly equipment cost, a site monthly leasing cost, and a monthly transport leasing cost. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the computer program code for determining the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options includes computer program code for subtracting the respective cost from the respective revenue loss. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the computer program code for determining the one or more locations to deploy the BTS includes computer program code for prioritizing the BTS options in order of the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code for identifying the plurality of coverage holes is based at least in part on dropped calls as indicated by call detail records (CDRs); and
 wherein the computer program code for determining the revenue loss includes computer program code for performing the equation:
     U   k =Σ i   [D   ik   *AMOU   i   *UPM   i ]
 
   
       wherein
 k represents a coverage hole; 
 i represents a subscriber; 
 D ik  is a number of monthly dropped calls by subscriber i at coverage hole k; 
 AMOU i  is an average MOU per call of subscriber i; 
 UPM i  is a revenue generated per minute by subscriber i; and 
 U k  is a revenue loss at coverage hole k. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code for identifying the plurality of coverage holes is based at least in part on dropped calls as indicated by call detail records (CDRs); and
 wherein the computer program code for determining the one or more locations to deploy the BTS includes computer program code for prioritizing the BTS options in order of the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options.   
     
     
         17 . A method of determining an investment strategy for a plurality of coverage holes in a wireless network, each of the coverage holes indicating a respective area in which wireless service is not available, the method comprising:
 identifying, using a computer system, the coverage holes in the wireless network;   determining, using the computer system, a respective revenue loss for each of the coverage holes, the respective revenue loss representing an amount of revenue that is being lost due to unavailability of the wireless service in a respective coverage hole, wherein determining the revenue loss is performed in accordance with the equation:
     U   k =Σ i   [D   ik   *AMOU   i   *UPM   i ]
 
   
       wherein
 k represents a coverage hole; 
 i represents a subscriber; 
 D ik  is a number of monthly dropped calls by subscriber i at coverage hole k; 
 AMOU i  is an average MOU per call of subscriber i; 
 UPM i  is a revenue generated per minute by subscriber i; and 
 U k  is a revenue loss at coverage hole k; 
 determining, using the computer system, a plurality of BTS options for locating a BTS with respect to the coverage holes; 
 determining, using the computer system, a respective cost for each of the BTS options, the respective cost representing an expected cost of operating the BTS in accordance with a respective BTS option; 
 determining, using the computer system, a respective investment return value for each of the BTS options based at least in part on the respective cost for each of the BTS options and on the respective revenue loss for each of the coverage holes; and 
 determining one or more locations to deploy the BTS based at least in part on the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options, wherein determining the one or more locations to deploy the BTS is performed at least in part by prioritizing the BTS options in order of the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein identifying the plurality of coverage holes is based at least in part on dropped calls as indicated by call detail records (CDRs). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining the respective cost for each of the BTS options is performed at least in part by summing a monthly equipment cost, a site monthly leasing cost, and a monthly transport leasing cost. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining the respective investment return value for each of the BTS options is performed at least in part by subtracting the respective cost from the respective revenue loss.