Performance evaluation for RF propagation models based on data measurement for LTE networks

Radio frequency (RF) propagation models play a significant role in long-term evaluation (LTE) cellular networks for planning and deploying cellular networks’ infrastructure. LTE data measurements for the urban area are used as an empirical model compared with the various predicted propagation models. The comparison analysis for various models like free space path loss (FSPL), two-ray, log-distance, Lee model, Okumura and Okumura–Hata model is applied to evaluate the best-predicted model for this urban environment. In the evaluation, the mean, standard deviation, root mean square errors (RMSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) are determined to show the nearest model to the measured path loss obtained from this area. In the results, FSPL, Two-Ray and Okumura models predict path loss lower than the measured data. Okumura–Hata model gives the least RMSE and MAPE, and the nearest mean and standard deviation to measured path loss. Consequently, the Okumura–Hata model is the best propagation model for this area and frequency band.