Mobile Network Coverage Prediction Based on Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms

Abstract

The need for wider coverage and high-performance quality of mobile networks is critical due to the maturity of Internet penetration in today&#x2019;s society. One of the primary drivers of this demand is the dramatic shift toward digitalization due to the Covid-19 pandemic impact. Meanwhile, the emergence of the 5G wireless standard and the increasingly complex actual operating environment of mobile networks make the traditional prediction model less reliable. With the recent advancements and promising capabilities of machine learning (ML), it is seen as an alternative to the traditional approaches for ground to ground (G2G) mobile communication coverage prediction. In this study, various ML models have been tested and evaluated to develop an ML-based received signal strength prediction model for mobile networks. However, the challenge is to identify a practical ML model that can fulfill the computing speed criteria while still meeting the prediction accuracy. A total of six categories of ML models, namely Linear Regression (LR), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Regression Trees (RT), Ensembles of Trees (ET), and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) that consists of more than 20 types of established algorithms/kernels have been tested and evaluated in this paper to identify the best contender among them, in terms of speed and accuracy. Findings from the evaluation showed that the GPR model is the most accurate model for Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) prediction in terms of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$RMSE$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R^{2}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, followed by ET, RT, SVM, ANN and LR. Nevertheless, prediction speed and model training times are also important factors in determining the most practical model for RSRP prediction for several real-world mobile network planning applications. Finally, the ET model with Random Forest (RF) algorithm has been selected and highly recommended as the most practically employed ML model for developing rigorous RSRP predictions model in multi-frequency bands and multi-environment. The developed prediction model is capable of being utilized for the network analysis and optimization.