Importance of geology and soil survey for mobile communication site planning using RS/GIS technology

Abstract

Geology and Soil survey constitutes a valuable resource inventory linked with the survival of life on the earth. The technological advancements in the field of remote sensing and Geographical Information System have been a boon for such surveys. The present paper describes the role of Remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) technologies for geological mapping and characterizing the importance of soils at various scales for identification of suitable sites for mobile communication network. Cellular network design is becoming more and more important since the network quality is highly dependent on the distribution of base stations. To design a cellular network for a particular region efficiently and accurately, the site suitability is an important determination. The country's mobile services market is forecast to grow by a compound annual rate of 28.3% in next five years. India is a vibrant market from communications point of view. The subscriber base in the wireless market in India, the world's fastest growing telecom market reached another milestone when it surpassed 200 million subscribers in Aug 2008. At present there are around 54000 cell sites operated by different GSM/CDMA operators. This number would further go up to 80,000 in next couple of years. To serve an increasing number of users requires an increasing number of base stations. Thus, operators must carefully plan the deployment and configurations of radio base stations to support voice and data traffic at a level of quality expected by customers. The present study carried out in the Udupi district of Karnataka State based on IRS 1C/1D LISS-III and CARTOSAT-1 satellite data. Various thematic maps like geology, soil, geomorphology, slope and land use/land cover with DEM has helped in understanding the terrain in a better way. The multi spectral satellite data in conjunction with SuperGIS, SuperPad and Getac GPS hardware have helped to formulate suitable plans and strategies for an effective Telecom planning and development in Udupi district. © 2010 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY. All rights reserved.