Coverage Estimation of Mobile Communication Network in Osogbo Using Remote Sensing and GIS, Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Mobile phone or cellular telecommunication technology is a breakthrough in the economy of Nigeria since its introduction in the early 1980s but not without shortcomings to the end-users. The low level of signal transmission in some regions still characterized the operations of this sector. Sequel to this challenge the study investigated the extent of the network service available to the customers in an ancient city of Osogbo. The coordinates of cell towers of seven different GSM/CDMA companies were ascertained and their location was analyzed on a digital elevation pattern map generated from the contour lines of a high-resolution satellite data SPOT-5 HRVIR with a spatial resolution of 10 meters. Buffer analysis was performed on the net cell towers of individual network companies to estimate the network coverage and identify the network shadow zones. It was observed that MTN mobile network with twenty-three towers covered the study area more than the rest mobile networks. Odua Networks has the least coverage with two mobile towers. Overall findings into coverage estimation show that all the mobile networks have left out network shadow zones in the north, west, and southeast of the study area due to the construction of mobile towers without much consideration of the elevation factor. The mobile network provider should plan to construct cell towers in the shadow zones to get a better network for a better facility.