eNodeB Capacity Calculator
Size an eNodeB: sector throughput, connected users, S1 transport requirement and RRC connection load.
Inputs
Site Air-Interface Throughput
450.0Mbps
S1 Transport Required
517.5Mbps
RRC-Connected Users
3,600
Simultaneously Active Users
288
Throughput per Active User
1.56Mbps
Step by step
Values used
Sectors = 3 sectors; Carriers per sector = 2 carriers; Throughput per carrier = 75 Mbps; RRC-connected users per cell = 600 users; Simultaneously active share of connected users = 8 %; S1 transport overhead (GTP-U, IPsec) = 15 %
eNodeB Capacity
site throughput = sectors × carriers × per-carrier throughput; S1 = site throughput × (1 + transport overhead).
Site Air-Interface Throughput
= 450.0 Mbps
S1 Transport Required
= 517.5 Mbps
RRC-Connected Users
= 3,600
Simultaneously Active Users
= 288
Throughput per Active User
= 1.56 Mbps
How it works
An eNodeB's capacity is the sum of its cells, where a cell is one carrier on one sector. The transport link must carry that traffic plus GTP-U and IPsec encapsulation, while the RRC-connected count is a separate hardware limit that fills up long before the throughput does in dense or IoT-heavy areas. Sites fail in two different ways — out of megabits or out of RRC contexts — and only checking the first one leaves you troubleshooting connection rejections on a cell that looks half empty.
Formula
eNodeB Capacity
site throughput = sectors × carriers × per-carrier throughput; S1 = site throughput × (1 + transport overhead).
- cells
- sectors × carriers per sector
- activity ratio
- Share of RRC-connected users transmitting at any instant
Frequently Asked Questions
How is eNodeB Capacity calculated?
site throughput = sectors × carriers × per-carrier throughput; S1 = site throughput × (1 + transport overhead). An eNodeB's capacity is the sum of its cells, where a cell is one carrier on one sector. The transport link must carry that traffic plus GTP-U and IPsec encapsulation, while the RRC-connected count is a separate hardware limit that fills up long before the throughput does in dense or IoT-heavy areas.
Why does eNodeB Capacity matter?
Sites fail in two different ways — out of megabits or out of RRC contexts — and only checking the first one leaves you troubleshooting connection rejections on a cell that looks half empty.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 6 inputs: Sectors, Carriers per sector, Throughput per carrier, RRC-connected users per cell, Simultaneously active share of connected users, S1 transport overhead (GTP-U, IPsec). The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.