Method for planning a cellular mobile telecommunications network

A method for planning cellular mobile telecommunications network including at least one network cell and intended to provide network services to user equipment located in the network cell, wherein the network services include at least one network service deliverable at a plurality of provisioning rates, including evaluating an uplink coverage of the network in a predetermined service area. The evaluation of the uplink coverage includes: a) forecasting a number of user equipment located in the service area; b) setting a current provisioning rate to the highest of provisioning rates; c) estimating a power required for each user equipment for accessing the at least one network service in the service area at the current provisioning rate; and d) comparing the estimated required power to a maximum power deliverable by each user equipment. If the estimated required power exceeds the maximum deliverable power: e) determining a reduced service area wherein the estimated power required to each user equipment of a reduced number of user equipment located therein for accessing the at least one network service at the current provisioning rate does not exceed the maximum deliverable power; f) updating the current provisioning rate to the immediately lower provisioning rate of the plurality; and g) repeating steps c) and d) and, if required, steps e) and f).