# A Novel Method to Determine the Optimal Location for a Cellular Tower by Using LiDAR Data
## 3 Methodology
The pathways are calculated using a plane cutting approach. Figure 4: Cell phone signal strength determination model. The methodology entails establishing an algorithm for extracting all-terrain features/terrain data points from the LiDAR dataset without changing the point data of DEM [37]. After determining the specific signal pathways, an equation is fitted for a model to calculate the signal strength and signal attenuations (signal strength losses). For an equation fitting by the least square method, we collected 1500 points throughout the RGIPT campus. For these 1500 points, 1000 points are chosen as the training set, and 500 points are set as the testing set. The non-linear equation will be fitted because the signal propagation follows the sound propagation model analogy and depends non-linearly on distance. After getting the determined relationship between signal strength and terrain parameters. The validation is performed with the 500 testing points after the establishment of a validated signal strength model is performed. Two areas that have been chosen are a rural area and an urban area for the determination of the optimal locations of the cell phone tower. The rural area (that is, the RGIPT campus) contains fewer buildings, more vegetation, and fewer cell phone towers. The urban area (the Shahganj area of Agra city) where there are more buildings, less vegetation, and more cell phone towers. Two different areas are taken to fit a model with an equation that can sustain terrain feature variation. Cell phone tower locations are proposed for the RGIPT campus by the method from step 1 to step 6, as shown in Figure 6. The Urban area (Shahganj area of Agra city) contained the five previously installed towers. For an adequate signal strength of a location, five proposed locations of towers are calculated by the method from step 7 to step 13, as shown in Figure 6.  
To calculate signal strengths (or relative transmission loss) at diverse ground locations, an algorithm is developed to work efficiently for each pair of cell phone towers and its neighboring user location. The study aims to look at signal strength (or relative signal strength loss) for different user locations (receiver) [38]. Once the boundaries of the building and other obstacles are identified for a certain topographical condition with locations of building blocks, ground, trees (vegetation), etc., the model will endeavour to estimate the best pathway for signal transmission, the relative loss of signals at different receiver/user locations, and the best placement (X, Y, and Z) coordinates for a cell phone tower. The optimal location for a cellular tower will guarantee that the signal strength is sufficient for all nearby cell phone users (receivers). Figure 5: Terrain parameter determination between tower and users’ locations. Cell phone tower location is also determined for the case where the population ratio is non-uniform. For that case, population density is considered, which area needs a higher value of signal strength. In some cases, where the population is non-uniform and the optimal location is found that is providing moderate signal strength to the high population part as well as low population part, then a shift in the cell phone tower location to improve the signal strength for the high population part will be desired. Figure 6: Model for the determination of optimal location(s) for setting up a cell phone tower(s).