Diffraction studies for microcellular applications

The introduction of GSM systems, with the use of microcells, has shifted the emphasis in mobile radio propagation modelling towards deterministic models. An accurate 2-dimensional model can be very useful for assessment of multiple diffraction effects in a vertical plane. Interest in accurate diffraction models has led to further developments of parabolic equation techniques. The author presents 2-dimensional results obtained with a wide-angle parabolic equation code, and some examples of current 3D capabilities. The methods are immediately applicable to the planning of microcellular networks