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ISART 2018 • Path Lost: Navigating propagation challenges for ultra-dense wireless systems
Network densification in response to the explosion in demand for wireless data presents technical, economic, and regulatory challenges. In the scramble to meet the demand for wireless data, coexistence, spectrum sharing, and infrastructureless communications are being introduced as alternatives and adjuncts to fixed frequency assignment and infrastructure-based networks. Network operators are looking to ultra-dense networks and ever-shrinking cell sizes to build capacity, but existing propagation models have an inadequate level of fidelity to represent these environments. Detailed knowledge of radiofrequency propagation in these ultra-dense network environments is key to not only building capacity but also regulating in ways that ensure minimal interference and offer appropriate economic incentives. Accurate, reliable, validated, and trusted propagation models that can predict signal strength across a wide variety of environments and conditions are key to navigating the challenges of deploying ultra-dense wireless systems in shared radio spectrum. ISART 2018 will bring together leading experts from government, academia, and industry to explore the current state of the art and map the path forward to the next generation of foundational propagation models.
Click on a title or speaker to access the presentation. Jump to links to posters.
Tuesday, July 24
- Keynote — It's Getting Crowded in Here! Understanding the Spectrum Implications of IoT and 5G
David J. Redl, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator
- Plenary Address — Ultra-dense Networks
Scott Townley, Technology Fellow, Verizon Network Technology Strategy
- Panel—Mapping a Path Forward: Economics, Applications and Policy Implications
Ongoing research into propagation modeling supported by academic, industry, and federal spectrum research funds and industry-government collaborations have set the stage for marked improvements in modeling. A forward looking approach requires preliminary analyses of future rulemakings to determine use case scenarios and propagation morphologies and a research effort that leads—not lags—upcoming rulemakings. This session will explore policy implications of improved propagation modeling, discuss economic valuations of improved models, and explore means of coordinating research at the national level.
- Giulia McHenry, NTIA Chief Economist, Moderator
- Julius P. Knapp, FCC, Office of Engineering and Technology
- Marc Levesque, Communications Research Centre Canada
- Peter Tenhula, NTIA Office of Spectrum Management
- Bryan N. Tramont, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP
- Scott Wallsten, Technology Policy Institute
Wednesday, July 25
- Keynote — Spectrum and Connectivity in Supporting Transportation Safety
Heidi King, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Technical Talk – Considerations for Mobile Urban Applications
Keith Gremban, Director, Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, NTIA
- Technical Talk — Data and More Data: Inputs to Modern Propagation Prediction Tools
Roger Skidmore, CEO, EDX Technologies, Inc.
- Panel—Preparing the Road: Recent Advances in Modeling infrastructure
Vast improvements in terrain databases, computational power, and measurement data repositories have fostered a renaissance in propagation model development. Increased collaboration has led to improved measurement methods using narrowband and broadband channel sounders, more extensive measurement data sets, applications of common, high resolution terrain databases, precision geolocation, etc. However, more data does not necessarily mean better data or better results, thus the panel will also look at how to make sense of what tools are available and utilize what is available. The overall purpose of this panel is to promote a shared awareness of these new resources and their potential applications and value to different stakeholders.
- Roadside Chat — Visions of the Road Ahead
Massive reductions in uncertainty and dramatic increases in modeling precision have transformational possibilities. Our distinguished guests will share and debate their visions of what could lie beyond next-generation wireless if technology, policy, and economics can be aligned.
- Panel—Driving Forward: Advances in Propagation Modeling
The availability of higher fidelity datasets and the desire for increased precision in modeling results has led to a re-visiting of how to handle modeling the radio environment. Features such as vegetation, building clutter, and 3D geometries had traditionally been either ignored by existing models or incorporated after-the-fact as a form of endpoint correction. This panel will look at ongoing research that strives to implicitly incorporate such features directly into the propagation model.
Thursday, July 26
- Technical Talk — Current DoD Propagation Challenges
Howard McDonald, Defense Spectrum Organization, Defense Information Systems Agency
- Technical Talk — Modeling Interference Risk: Propagation and Other Uncertainties
Pierre de Vries, Silicon Flatirons Center
- Technical Talk – Overview of 5G Channel Models in 3GPP
Jean-Aicard Fabien, NTIA/ITS
- Panel—Tuning for Precision: Best Practices for Measurements and Models
Once models have been developed they need to be verified and validated. Verification is the process of establishing the truth, accuracy, or soundness of something. Validation, on the other hand, demonstrates that a product or product component fulfills its intended use when placed in its intended environment. This panel will discuss techniques for accomplishing this and address typical timelines, roadblocks, risks, and challenges.
- Workshop—Benchmarking Measurements and Modeling
Highly accurate propagation measurements are key to both model development and model validation. This two-part workshop will focus on precision propagation measurements and best practices. The first part will include a series of talks on precision propagation measurement systems, best practices for doing accurate propagation measurements, and ways to assess measurement uncertainty of a measurement system. The second part of this session will consist of live demos with actual propagation measurement systems. Experts will demonstrate best measurement practices with these systems, what is needed to get the best out of a propagation measurement system, and problems that can occur if best practices are not followed.
- Introduction & Overview
Robert Johnk, NTIA/ITS
- Three Propagation Measurement Systems
PN Sliding Correlator, Erik Hill, NTIA/ITS
CWSounder, Robert Johnk, NTIA/ITS
Jeanne Quimby, NIST/CTL
- Best Measurement Practices
Chriss Hammerschmidt, NTIA/ITS
Anna Paulson, NTIA/ITS
- Channel Sounder Intercomparisons
Jeanne Quimby, NIST/CTL
- Screening Experiments in Mobile Channel Measurements
Mark McFarland, NTIA/ITS
- Propagation Measurement Pathologies
Robert Johnk, NTIA/ITS
Posters
- Advanced Wireless Services-3 (AWS-3) Spectrum Sharing Test & Demonstration (SSTD) Program: Improve Propagation
Poster • Handout
Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Spectrum Organization
- Balancing the Spectrum with Network Densification: Achieving Economic and Public Mission Objectives
Carolyn A. Kahn, The MITRE Corporation
- Characterizing Power Emissions Behavior Across LTE’s Physical Uplink Channels
J. Kartheek Devineni, Virginia Tech
- Forecasting Short-Term Cellular Traffic Evolution During a Spectrum Transition
Thaddeus Czauski, Virginia Tech
- Measurement-Based Outdoor-to-Indoor Coverage Study at 14 GHz
Aki Karttunen, Aalto University, Finland
- Propagation Measurements in Support of Clutter Model Simulation
Nadia Yoza-Mitsuishi, University of Colorado Boulder
- Reconfigurable Switched Array Channel Sounder using Software Defined Radios
Robert D. Jones, Colorado School of Mines