Testing a communications network by varying radio parameters

1 . A system, comprising:

a noise configuration server configured to:

for each sequentially varied parameter of a plurality of parameters of a network:

determine a signal quality change in a geographic area associated with a network for different varied parameters; and

sequentially vary a next parameter from the plurality of parameters of the network based on the signal quality change during a first period of time relative to one or more previously varied parameters when the network is actively used for trafficking data in the geographic area;

a measurement analysis server configured to:

for each sequentially varied parameter during the first period of time:

obtain, from a first communication device, a first signal quality measurement for a first signal quality metric;

obtain, from a second communication device that is separate from the first communication device, a second signal quality measurement for a second signal quality metric, wherein the second signal quality metric is different from the first signal quality metric; and

aggregate the first signal quality measurement and the second signal quality measurement into an aggregated signal quality metric that is different from the first signal quality metric and the second signal quality metric;

determine a signal quality for the network using the sequentially varied parameter based on the aggregated signal quality metric; and

provide the signal quality for the network using the sequentially varied parameter to the noise configuration server;

determine an optima signal quality for the network based on the signal quality for each sequentially varied parameter, wherein the optima signal quality includes a global optima for the geographic area and a plurality of local optima for different locations within the geographic area; and

identify a first set of parameters that result in the optima signal quality; and

a network configuration server configured to:

configure the network to use the first set of parameters in the geographic area during a second period of time subsequent to the first period of time.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the network includes a plurality of radiating antennas and a plurality of user equipment, and

the noise configuration server varies the next parameter of the network by being configured to:

vary a frequency band used by a radiating antenna of the plurality of radiating antennas;

vary a modulation scheme used by the radiating antenna of the plurality of radiating antennas;

vary a transmit power of the radiating antenna of the plurality of radiating antennas;

vary a beam direction of an antenna array; or

vary an antenna polarization of the radiating antenna of the plurality of radiating antennas.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the noise configuration server varies the next parameter of the network by being configured to:

vary the frequency band used by a user equipment of the plurality of user equipment;

vary the modulation scheme used by the user equipment of the plurality of user equipment; or

vary the transmit power of the user equipment of the plurality of user equipment.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the measurement analysis server is configured to:

receive the first signal quality measurements from a cell, the radiating antenna or a base station; and

receive the second signal quality measurements from the plurality of user equipment.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the measurement analysis server is configured to:

determine a plurality of signal qualities of a plurality of locations, respectively, in the geographic area.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the measurement analysis server is configured to:

determine the optima signal quality at a location of the plurality of locations.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the measurement analysis server is configured to:

aggregate the plurality of signal qualities; and

determine the optima signal quality for the aggregated plurality of signal qualities.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal quality is at least one of a signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio (SINR), power spectral density, channel impulse response, channel state information (CSI), modulation error vector magnitude (EVM), reference signal received power (RSRP), received signal strength indicator (RSSI), reference signal received quality (RSRQ) or a key performance indicator (KPI).

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the noise configuration server varies the next parameter of the network by being configured to:

determine whether one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters of the network caused the signal quality to increase or decrease;

in response to determining that the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters caused the signal quality to decrease, reverse the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters; and

in response to determining that the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters caused the signal quality to increase, vary the next parameter of the network to make a magnitude of change greater than the magnitude of change accomplished by the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters.

10 . A method for optimizing coverage of a network, comprising:

during a first period of time:

sequentially varying a plurality of parameters of the network when the network is actively used for trafficking data in a geographic area, including:

in response to each sequentially varied parameter of the plurality of parameters:

obtaining, from a first communication device, a first signal quality measurement for a first signal quality metric;

obtaining, from a second communication device that is separate from the first communication device, a second signal quality measurement for a second signal quality metric, wherein the second signal quality metric is different from the first signal quality metric; and

aggregating the first signal quality measurement and the second signal quality measurement into an aggregated signal quality metric that is different from the first signal quality metric and the second signal quality metric;

determining a signal quality for the network relative a currently varied parameter based on the aggregated signal quality metric; and

selecting a next subsequent parameter from the plurality of parameters based on changes in the signal quality determined for the network relative to one or more previously varied parameters;

varying the next subsequent parameter of the network;

determining an optima signal quality for the network based on the signal quality for each varied parameter, wherein the optima signal quality includes a global optima for the geographic area and a plurality of local optima for different locations within the geographic area;

identifying a first set of parameters that result in the optima signal quality; and

during a second period of time subsequent to the first period of time:

configuring the network to use the first set of parameters in the geographic area.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein varying the next subsequent parameter of the network includes:

varying a frequency band used by a radiating antenna of a plurality of radiating antennas included in the network;

varying a modulation scheme used by the radiating antenna of the plurality of radiating antennas;

varying a transmit power of the radiating antenna of the plurality of radiating antennas;

varying a beam direction of an antenna array; or

varying an antenna polarization of the radiating antenna of the plurality of radiating antennas.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein varying the next subsequent parameter of the network includes:

varying the frequency band used by a user equipment of a plurality of user equipment associated with the network;

varying the modulation scheme used by the user equipment of the plurality of user equipment; or

varying the transmit power of the user equipment of the plurality of user equipment.

13 . The method of claim 10 , comprising:

receiving the first signal quality measurements from a cell, a radiating antenna of the network, or a base station of the network; and

receiving the second signal quality measurements from a plurality of user equipment associated with the network.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the signal quality includes:

determining a plurality of signal qualities of a plurality of locations, respectively, in the geographic area.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the optima signal quality comprises:

determining the optima signal quality at a location of the plurality of locations.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the optima signal quality comprises:

aggregating the plurality of signal qualities; and

determining the optima signal quality for the aggregated plurality of signal qualities.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the signal quality is at least one of a signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio (SINR), power spectral density, channel impulse response, channel state information (CSI), modulation error vector magnitude (EVM), reference signal received power (RSRP), received signal strength indicator (RSSI), reference signal received quality (RSRQ) or a key performance indicator (KPI).

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein selecting the next subsequent parameter of the network includes:

determining whether one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters of the network caused the signal quality to increase or decrease;

in response to determining that the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters caused the signal quality to decrease, reversing the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters; and

in response to determining that the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters caused the signal quality to increase, varying the next subsequent parameter of the network to make a magnitude of change greater than the magnitude of change accomplished by the one or more preceding changes to the one or more previously varied parameters.