Co-Location Strategy for Mobile Telecommunication Masts of Telecommunication Companies in the Cape Coast Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Locating a set of facilities (resources) in order to minimize the cost of satisfying some set of demands (of customers) with respect to some constraints has been under study for a long time. Several location problems have been solved using a number of mathematical models and methods. The proliferation of masts across our landscapes nowadays has been in direct response to increased desire for mobile (wireless) communication services by the public. In order to prevent chaotic building of masts or towers all over the metropolis and to placate the citizenry who are nervous about possible health and environmental impact of these masts, co-location has been widely recommended by industry experts. A number of Facility location strategies under operations research can be used to solve this problem. Factor Rating method was adopted in this paper. The goal of Factor Rating is for a mobile service provider to be able achieve its objectives by considering all relevant factors involved in deciding to site a mast. Such factors may be physical, political, environmental economical, and social. Following the strict implementation of factor rating method on mast locations in the Cape Coast metropolitan area by five mobile service providers, five optimal locations were discovered.

Keywords: Factor Rating, Location, Mast, Optimal, Telecommunication