How Reliable is MDT-Based Autonomous Coverage Estimation in the Presence of User and BS Positioning Error?

Minimization of drive test (MDT) has recently been standardized by 3GPP as a key self organizing network (SON) feature. MDT allows coverage to be estimated at the base station (BS) using user equipment (UE) measurement reports with the objective to eliminate the need for drive tests. However, most MDT-based coverage estimation methods recently proposed in literature assume that UE position is known at the BS with 100% accuracy, an assumption that does not hold in reality. In this letter, we develop an analytical model that allows the quantification of error in MDT-based autonomous coverage estimation (ACE) as a function of error in UE as well as BS positioning. Our model also allows characterization of error in ACE as function of standard deviation of shadowing.