# A Novel Method to Determine the Optimal Location for a Cellular Tower by Using LiDAR Data
## 3 Methodology
The signal strength prediction model is used next to determine the optimum location in (X, Y) and in Z to set up the cellular tower. The optimum location (X, Y) for the setting up of a new tower primarily worked around the centroid location for the area for a grid size of 100 m \(\times\) 100 m. Initially, areas of different size and shapes were tested for centroid centric optimality and are fine-tuned to establish the optimal location at finer grids (5 m \(\times\) 5 m, 2 m \(\times\) 2 m) near the rough solution for the precise 3D urban setup. Targeting potential solutions for the refinement of the solution is planned to reduce computational time for optimality to a great extent. The optimum height for the optimal location of the tower is planned by testing various heights beginning at near ground heights to heights above the tallest building for the area. Two sites are considered for the testing and establishment of a comprehensive model for the prediction of signal strength at users' locations. These are at RGIPT campus, UP, India (45 Acres in the rural backdrop) and Agra-Shahganj, UP, India, 6 km\({}^{2}\) in an urban city. Following the establishment of the prediction model, it is planned to estimate the optimum location for setting up the tower(s) for the RGIPT and Agra sites. The number of cellular towers required to cover the bigger Agra site is modeled. The existing tower locations and their numbers are compared with modeled numbers and locations for the area to find out the extent of under or over designs for cellular towers. The detailed methodology adapted is schematically explained below. A system is designed and developed for finding the best position for installing a cell phone tower to achieve sufficient signal strength in each area. This gives an adequate signal strength at the user's location. The methodology is designed in a way that consists of two models. One is the cell phone signal strength determination model, and the other one is the model for the determination of optimal location(s) for setting up a cell phone tower(s). The methodology is explained by the image shown in Figure 3. Determination of the optimal location of cell phone tower(s) needs a cell phone determination model. The cell phone signal strength determination model is a model that is proposed to determine the signal strength of cell phone users. Cell phone signals transmit similarly to noise or sound signals, as shown in Figure 4.  
Figure 3: Proposed methodology. Starting with the collection of existing cellular tower locations for the RGIPT campus, India, we stored the cell phone signal strength at various user's locations through the mobile app (Network cell info lite). The terrain parameters between the cellular tower and the user's location are determined by an analogous property between cell phone signal propagation with sound propagation model. The terrain determination used the LiDAR dataset, which is a 3D point cloud (X, Y, Z) that includes direct information on topographical elements, such as buildings, vegetation, and ground. As a result, data processing necessitates the extraction of terrain points that block and/or govern signal transmission. The terrain parameters determination methodology is shown in Figure 5.  
If there is no obstacle between the cell phone tower and user location(receiver), the signal moves directly between them. However, if there is/are barrier(s) between them, the signal travels indirectly by diffraction, reflection, and other means [26]. As a result, measuring the signal strength at each user location (receiver) necessitates calculating the transmission path(s). LiDAR data has been collected for the RGIPT campus project area. The pathway of a signal must be identified using clear information about the building's corners or edges, as well as any other impediments that may exist between the cell phone tower and the receiver (i.e., user location). Edges and corners of buildings or obstacles that may occur in the pathway between the cell phone tower and the cell user's location are extracted [36].