Graph-Based Approach for HetNets Network Coverage Planning and Optimisation

Network coverage planning is a critical challenge to ensure seamless communication while minimising deployment costs, particularly in heterogeneous networks with multiple cell types and technologies. We introduce the Be.Neutral HetNet Planner, a novel graph-based framework that converts a spatial street-level graph into a logical connectivity graph, enabling flexible and efficient network design. The methodology supports any metric, such as coverage, cost, density, or latency, and the logical connectivity graph creation can be accelerated using GPU parallelisation with PyCUDA for large-scale scenarios. As a use case scenario, we optimise Wi-Fi access point placement to complement a 5G network, using coverage as metric. Our proposal combines heuristic placements with mixed-integer programming to create network deployment solutions. The process is illustrated with step-by-step visualisations, and the results show that Be.Neutral HetNet Planner is an effective, and extensible solution for network planning and optimisation in urban environments.