The most popular tools for wireless network design are Excel and Google Earth because they are practically free. However, these tools have serious limitations for RF planning: they do not consider signal propagation or interference, have no technology-specific capabilities, and offer no automation or process guidance. The total cost of ownership for these tools is actually high because it takes a long time to get to an answer that is typically much less accurate than those from a dedicated tool. Low accuracy can lead to under-performing networks with dissatisfied subscribers or over-engineered networks with low returns on investment.
There are many dedicated commercial tools for wireless network design such as :
- ASSET by Aircom
- Atoll by Forsk
- Planet by Mentum
- SignalPro by EDX
- Overture by Keima
