Alcatel Optimization PDF

B8
Introduction to
Radio Fine Tuning
BSS release B8
1.1
Alcatel University - 8AS 90200 1485VH ZZA Ed.02
TYPICAL MODULE STRUCTURE

objective(s)
theoretical presentation
training exercises and/or cases study + feedback
Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.1

B8 PROGRAM
1 TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS

2 ALGORITHMS AND ASSOCIATED PARAMETERS
3 OTHER ALGORITHMS
4 ALGORITHMS DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR
5 CASE STUDIES
1.2

1.3

Session presentation
Objective: to be able to characterize typical radio problems in

order to trigger an intervention of the appropriate team
Program:
1.1Theoretical presentation
1.2 Coverage problem
1.3 Interference problem
1.4 Unbalanced power budget problem
1.5 TCH Congestion problem
1.6 Deducing the right team for intervention
1.7 Exercises
1.4
S1: TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS

S2: ALGORITHMS AND ASSOCIATED PARAMETERS
S3: OMC-R RADIO PARAMETERS
S4: ALGORITHMS DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR
S5: CASE STUDIES

1.1 Theoretical presentation
1.5
Theoretical presentation
Coverage problem
Interference problem
Unbalanced power budget problem
TCH Congestion problem
Deducing the right team for intervention
Exercises

Justification
Several sources of information can alert RFTM

team:
QoS indicators
Customers complaints
Drive tests
Other teams information (NSS statistics)
As many symptoms are common to several

causes, it can be necessary to:
Consolidate standard sources of information
Carryout specific examinations
Deduce the appropriate team for intervention
1.6

1.7
Coverage problem
Exercises

Definition and symptoms
Definition: Bad coverage

A network or cell facing coverage problems presents a bad RxLev and
RxQual in the same time on some areas.
Symptoms:
Customers complain about dropped calls or/and no network
OMC QoS indicators
TCH failure rate
Call drop rate
Low proportion of better cell HO
High rate of DL quality HO
A interface indicators
High rate of Clear Request messages, cause radio interface failure
1.8
No information is available on non-covered parts of the network, as there are non-mobiles making calls over there!
Nevertheless, cells in border of non-covered zones do have a particular behavior:
B
A
Cell A will mainly perform Better Cell handovers towards its neighbors, whereas cell B, bordering the non-coverage
area, will perform emergency handovers for MSs exiting the network.
For these MS, mainly DL Quality HO will be triggered:
DL because MS antenna is less efficient than BTS one,
Quality rather than Level since Qual has a greater priority in Alcatel HO causes.

Examination
Depending on the information sources you have:

Radio Measurement Statistics (RMS)
(RxLevel , RxQuality) matrix
Radio Link Counter S vector
Number of calls with DL/UL bad coverage (bad RxLev,
bad RxQual)
Abis interface (for example with COMPASS)
bad quality > 5%
bad level RxLev < - 95 dBm and RxQual > 4
OMC-R or A interface
unexpected high traffic, induced by call repetition
Billing information
High recall rate detected
1.9
RMS: new PM type in B7

Provides statistics from any area in the network which are available at any time.
Cost-effective.
Easier and cheaper to perform than Drive test or Abis Trace.
The operator can tune 54 parameters (based on RxLev, BFI, C/I, Radio Link Counter S, Path Balance, etc.) to
define up to 16 templates (depending on cell type rural, urban, etc. for example).
Trigger from the OMC-R.
NPA can save up to 15 days of RMS for the complete network.

Templates can be designed in RNO.
Result reports are available in RNO and NPA.

Typical causes
If the actual coverage is not the one predicted by RNP tools

check antenna system
increase or decrease antenna down-tilt
check BS_TXPWR_MAX
to be increased if value different to RNP power
budget
If the actual coverage is OK compared to the predicted ones

indoor traffic, to be handled by specific means
if black spot close to cell border, ease outgoing HO
1.10

Investigation with Abis trace (1/2)
Example of an Abis trace analysis
Frequency RxLev_UL RxLev_DL RxQual_UL RxQual_DL Path_loss_UL Path_loss_DL delta_Path_loss delta_quality AV_MS_PW R nb_of samples
119 -89.29 -84.67 0.42 0.43 123.82 123.67 0.15 -0.01 34.53 3074
92 -89.77 -89.09 0.41 0.38 124.87 128.09 -3.21 0.03 35.11 10253
111 -83.15 -79.15 0.17 0.33 116.05 121.22 -5.16 -0.16 32.9 5339
DISTRIBUTION OF UPLINK QUALITY

Frequency Qual0 Qual1 Qual2 Qual3 Qual4 Qual5 Qual6 Qual7 Bad_Quality
119 86.50% 3.19% 2.50% 2.57% 1.92% 2.08% 0.98% 0.26% 3.32%
92 88.11% 1.82% 1.91% 2.51% 2.14% 2.17% 1.15% 0.19% 3.51%
111 77.70% 4.30% 4.30% 4.36% 3.56% 3.56% 1.70% 0.17% 5.43%
DISTRIBUTION OF DOW NLINK QUALITY

Frequency Qual0 Qual1 Qual2 Qual3 Qual4 Qual5 Qual6 Qual7 Bad_Quality
119 88.29% 1.82% 2.05% 2.37% 1.30% 1.46% 1.76% 0.94% 4.16%
92 87.50% 2.98% 2.60% 2.43% 2.11% 1.14% 0.74% 0.50% 2.38%
111 71.30% 3.82% 4.02% 4.89% 4.16% 4.30% 4.23% 3.16% 11.73%
1.11
It could have been coverage problems if this trace was made for 3 mono-TRX cells. In this case, the 3 lines are
uncorrelated. Anyway, delta path loss of frequency 111 is greater than 5dB, showing a problem on this TRX.
If this is a 3-TRX cell, it cannot be a coverage problem as the three TRXs are not impacted. It will be either interference
or malfunction of one TRE.
If the trace is done on 3 mono-TRX cells, in that case, it could be a coverage problem. Be careful when interpreting this
result table: even if average levels in the UL and the DL are high and a lot of Quality problems are seen, nobody can
say that samples with bad quality have a good level ! The level seen is just an average
One should have a look to the next slide

Investigation with Abis trace (2/2)

5 6 - 8 8 .0 0 3
7 3 - 9 5 .3 3 3
11 3 - 7 1 .0 0 1
1 6 - 8 0 .0 0 1
12 3 - 8 0 .0 0 1
BC_D L: 115 3 .7 4 % < R x L e v _ S e r v i n g > = - 1 0 2 .1 7 d B m
N e ig h _ C e ll_ N b B S IC < L ev> S a m p le s
0 2 - 1 0 0 .5 3 57
10 2 - 9 8 .7 1 45
5 6 - 9 8 .0 3 34
7 3 - 9 8 .6 1 33 Thresholds
F r e q u e n c y :9 2
N u m b e r _ U L :1 0 2 5 3
N u m b e r _ D L :1 0 2 5 3 Bad Coverage
In t_ U L : 2 0 .0 2 %
RxLev -95
BC_UL: 358 3 .4 9 %
I n t_ D L : 0 %
BC_D L: 244 2 .3 8 % < R x L e v _ S e r v i n g > = - 1 0 6 .1 7 d B m
N e ig h _ C e ll_ N b B S IC < L ev> S a m p le s RxQual > 4
0 2 - 1 0 4 .6 4 67
1 5 - 1 0 7 .5 0 48 Interference
F r e q u e n c y :1 1 1
N u m b e r_ U L :5 3 3 9
N u m b e r_ D L :5 3 3 9
RxLev > -95
In t_ U L : 0 0 .0 0 %
BC_UL: 290 5 .4 3 %
RxQual > 4
I n t_ D L : 0 %
BC_D L: 626 1 1 .7 3 % < R x L e v _ S e r v i n g > = - 1 0 6 .5 6 d B m
N e ig h _ C e ll_ N b B S IC < L ev> S a m p le s
10 2 - 1 0 1 .5 4 63
1.12
All samples are Bad Coverage samples (BC). None is interference, showing that this cell is not facing any interference
problem.
By the way, if the cell is mono-TRX, this is a coverage problem.

If the cell is 3 TRXs, this is a malfunction of the TRE (shown also by the high value of delta_path_loss).

Investigation with RMS (1/2)
Suspecting a cell coverage problem

Distribution of samples per RxQual value and RxLev band
Not acceptable
coverage limit:
Too low level
Too bad quality
Distribution of samples per RxLev band
1.13
A coverage problem is observed when a significant amount of the traffic of a cell is suffering from both low level and bad
quality (RxQual).
To confirm, distribution of samples per RXLEV band should be also considered to know the proportion of calls which are
experiencing a low signal level.
If a lot of samples of low level and bad quality are observed for only a sub-part of the TRXs (can be one only) then a
BTS hardware problem or a problem on the antennae should be suspected.
If all the TRXs are experiencing a lot of samples of low level and bad quality then a coverage problem must be
suspected.
These RMS indicators are provided on RNO tool per TRX, per Cell:
Matrix of Number of Measurement Results per DL RxQual value and per DL RxLev band
RMQLDSAM = RMS_DL_RxQuality_RxLevel_sample
Vector of Percentage of Samples per DL RxLev band
RMQLDLVDV = RMS_DL_RxLevel_distrib
Vector of Percentage of Samples per DL RxQual band
RMQLDQUDV = RMS_DL_RxQuality_distrib

Investigation with RMS (2/2)
Suspecting a cell coverage problem

Average TA values per RxQual value and RxLev band
Not acceptable
coverage limit: Acceptable coverage limit:
Too low level Sufficient level and good quality
Too bad quality
% of TA value over TA threshold

has also to be considered
1.14
In order to know if the coverage problem is due to a big amount of traffic at the cell border or rather to indoor calls, the
average TA value per RXQUAL value and RXLEV band as well as the Percentage of TA values over TA threshold
should be observed.
Matrix of Average TA per UL RxQual value and per UL RxLev band
RMQLUTAM = RMS_UL_RxQuality_RxLevel_TimingAdvance
Rate of Measurements Results whose TA is greater than the TA threshold
RMTAGTR = RMS_TimingAdvance_greater_threshold_rate
Maximum TA value of all values reported in Measurement Results
RMTAMXN = RMS_TimingAdvance_max

1.15
Coverage problem
Exercises

Definition: Interference
A network facing interference problems presents good RxLev and
bad RxQual in the same time on some areas.
Symptoms
Customers complain about bad speech quality (noisy calls) and/or
call drops
OMC QoS indicators
SDCCH/TCH Drop
Low proportion of better cell HO
High rate of DL/UL quality HO and interference HO
Low HO success rate
High rate of Clear Request messages, cause radio interface
failure
1.16
DL/UL depends on the way on which the interference is present.
Mainly, interferences are in the DL, due to bad frequency planning introducing interferences in the network. And this
problem will not change till the frequency plan is not returned
Sometimes, interference can be in the UL in very dense area (for example, microcell area), since MSs are very close.
Finally, sometimes interferences are not coming from BS or MS but from another radio equipment, either in the UL or
the DL.

Examination with RMS (1/3)
Radio Measurement Statistics (RMS)

RxQual/RxLev matrix
CFE/RxLev matrix
C/I vectors for neighbors
C/I vectors for MAFA frequencies
MAFA is a new standardized GSM feature for mobiles
MAFA mobiles can provide C/I measurements from
non-neighbor cells
Number of calls with DL/UL interference (good RxLev,
bad RxQual)
Number of noisy calls (bad RxQual) with bad voice
quality (bad FER)
1.17
The feature Radio Measurement Statistics (RMS) is designed to make far easier the work for planning and optimization
of the network by providing the operator with useful statistics on reported radio measurements.
In fact these statistics give directly the real cell characteristics by taking into account the MS distribution.
Thanks to this feature, the operator is able to:
detect interfered frequencies.
assess the quality of the cell coverage.
detect and quantify cell unexpected propagation.
assess the traffic distribution in the cell from statistics on reported neighboring cells.
evaluate the voice quality in the cell.
etc.
In regards to the RTCH Measurements Observation (measurement type 11), the Radio Measurement Statistics
(RMS) bring the following advantages:
smaller report files.
the report files always have the same maximum length whatever the measurement duration is.
every measurement is taken into account (no sampling).
no more need for measurement post-processing tools for statistics. Directly available with RNO or NPA.

Suspecting a cell interference problem

Number of samples per RxQual value and RxLev band
Average DL RxQuality = 2.81
Quality problems are obvious at

any level of RMS data
Interference highlighted
Average RxQual value per RxLev Network fine tuning needed
band has also to be considered 1.18

Suspecting a Voice Quality problem

Number of samples per BFI band and RxLev band
Consecutive Frame Erasure
(BFI) is a measurement based on
loss of consecutive speech
frames over one SACCH mf
It is directly linked to
Voice Quality
RxQual to be compared with

CFE
since
Bad RxQual does not always
mean bad VQ
1.19
Matrix of Number of Measurements Results per CFE band (or BFI band) and per UL RxLev band
RMFEM = RMS_UL_ConsecutiveFrameErasure_RxLevel_sample
Vector of Average number of Consecutive Frame Erasure per UL RxLev band
RMFEBFAV = RMS_UL_ConsecutiveFrameErasure_avg_per_RxLevel
Vector of Average UL RxQual per RxLev band
RMQLUQUAV = RMS_UL_RxQuality_avg_per_RxLevel

Typical causes
GSM interference
co-channel
adjacent
Non GSM interference

other Mobile Networks
other RF sources
1.20

GSM interference: adjacent channel (1/2)
Adjacent channel interference

+6 dB are sufficient to interfere (9 dB according
GSM)
Level
F(BTS1) F(BTS2)
6 dB
F(BTS1)=F(BTS2)+1 Frequency
1.21

GSM interference: adjacent channel (2/2)
Adjacent channel interference: usually 20% of GSM interferences

Symptom
Usually downlink interference
High rate of quality HO, call drop (due to HO but mainly due to
radio) and TCH assignment failure
Examination
Neighbor cells in Abis trace (only for BCCH)
Non-neighbor cells in RMS (MAFA frequencies)
Frequency planning C/(I adjacent) < -6 dB
Correction
Downtilt increase of interferer, or even change of antenna
orientation
Reduction of BS power if necessary, Change of frequency (best
solution)
Concentric cell implementation (1 extra TRX needed if traffic
cannot be supported by Outer+Inner configuration)
1.22

GSM interference: co-channel (1/2)
GSM Interference
Co-Channel interference
-12 dB are sufficient (-9 dB according GSM)
Level
-12 dB
F(BTS1)=F(BTS2) Frequency
1.23

GSM interference: co-channel (2/2)
Co-channel interference (usually 80% of GSM interferences)
Symptom
Usually downlink interference
High rate of quality HO, call drop and call failure
Examination
Neighbor cells in Abis trace (only for BCCH)
Non-neighbor cells in RMS (MAFA frequencies)
Frequency planning C/I < 12 dB
Correction
Downtilt increase of interferer, or even change of antenna
orientation
Reduction of BS power, Change of frequency
Concentric cell implementation (1 extra TRX needed if traffic
cannot be supported by Outer+Inner configuration)
1.24

GSM interference: cellular
GSM interference: cellular

BTS1: ARFCN 5 BTS2
BTS2: ARFCN 6 MS2
MS1 indoor 2
RxLev_UL: - 90 dBm BTS1
MS2 outdoor, connected to BTS2 MS1

3
1: no level on BTS1 (BTS 1

under-roof)
2: - 80 dBm on BTS1: interferer
UL/DL
3: no level on BTS1
cell algo prevents BTS2->BTS1
HO
1.25
When interferences are created by frequency plannig, its not so hard to detect them. But frequency planning tools
mainly consider DL C/I and coverage.
Some problems are more difficult to predict. For example, lets consider a microcell layer:
B
A
A and B are 2 microcells with the coverage described before in dense urban environment.
Even if both cells A & B are using adjacent frequencies (5 and 6), the overlapping area is far from cell A
antenna. Thus, in this area C/I is lower than 6 dB.
A red MS is connected on cell A. When the MS starts its call, it transmits full power and a PC algorithm quickly
reduces MS power as the received level is very good (microcell coverage). When MS A enters the building, it
faces a loss of signal of 20 dB. Then, MS power increases to MS_TXPWR_MAX.
A second mobile B is connected to cell B and moves down in the coverage area of cell B. MS power of B
decreases quickly down to MS_TXPWR_MIN as the MS is close to the antenna. But when MS B arrives outside
the building where A is sitting, A and B are close and transmitting on adjacent frequencies Then B has to
increase its power to avoid dropping its call. By the way, global level of freq B is increased in all cell B
creating interference in the UL.

GSM interference: Forced Directed Retry
GSM Interference: Forced

Directed Retry
The MS should connect to
cell2, but no TCH available
The MS connects to cell 1
with forced directed retry
The MS is emitting at high
level (far from BTS1)
UL interference for cell 1 : 24
BTS 3
BTS 1 is emitting at high
level
cell 2 : 45
DL interference at
BTS 3 cell 3 : 23
1.26
Another more difficult case of interference: FDR

When examining the preceding situation of planning tool: no problem of C/I. No risk of interference.
The FDR algorithm allows an MS connected on an SDDCH on a cell without any free TCH to make an SDCCH-
TCH handover (cause 20) so that it takes a TCH on its neighbor. As seen from the user, this is not a handover
(call establishment phase, no impact on speech quality), and this algorithm is very efficient to avoid cell
congestion cases.
This algorithm is mainly based on neighbor level compared to parameter L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR (n). If the level
greater than this threshold, the TCH is to be seized on neighbor.
FDR is mandatory for dual layer or dual band networks (and very easy to configure in this case), since we have
capture handovers. Capture handovers send traffic to lower or preferred band cells. In case these cells are
congested, calls may not be established, even if upper or non-preferred band cells are free (due to MS idle
mode selection, advantaging microcell for example). With the FDR algorithm, the MS takes an SDCCH in the
preferred cell, and FDR is used to take a TCH on the non-preferred cell in case of congestion. This situation
highlights a good network behavior, since the MS is at the same time in the coverage area of both cells
(preferred and not preferred).
umbrella
capture FDR
microcell
The situation described on the slide corresponds to the usage of FDR in a single layer network. This is in that case a
heavy-to-tune algorithm presenting of lot of interference and bad quality call risks, since the mobile will be connected to
a cell when being not in its service area.

Non-GSM interference
Other mobile networks: TACS/AMPS/NMT900

Inter-modulation with GSM BS/MS receiver
spurious RACH for AMPS (AMPS Tx bands close to
GSM uplink band)
examination
TASC: coverage hole with 600 m from TASC BTS
AMPS => 50% reduction of range if AMPS/GSM BTS
collocated
Other RF interferers (Radar, shop anti-theft mechanisms,

medical device ...)
1.27
Other RF interferers:
medical devices: GSM equipments disturb them more than the opposite !
anti-theft mechanisms.
Example:
Microcell
antenna
shop
The Microcell is showing a very high call drop rate. On one frequency, very small call duration.
No problem seen in the frequency plannig. No potential interferer.
Abis trace:
Qual DL Qual
UL
Level Level
interference
The Spectrum analyzer connected on the antenna feeder highlights a peak on GSM freq 6 in the UL
Anti-theft mechanism turned off: no more problem

1.28
Coverage problem
Exercises

Definition: Unbalanced power budget
A cell facing unbalanced power budget problems presents a too high path-
loss difference between UL and DL (often DL>UL)
Rule: try to have delta as small as possible to avoid access network possible
only in 1 direction (usually BTS->MS: OK and MS->BTS: NOK)
Symptoms:
OMC QoS indicators
High rate of Uplink quality Handover causes
Low incoming HO success rate (no HO Access triggered on the uplink)
Degradation of TCH failures and OC call drop indicators
High rate of Clear Request messages, cause radio interface failure
O&M Alarms
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio BTS Alarm (VSWR)
TMA Alarm (in case of G2 BTS or Evolium BTS with high power TRE)
1.29
UL Quality HO is triggered:
UL since the problem is in the UL.
Quality as Quality has greater priority than level.

Examination
Examination:
RMS
Path Balance vector per TRX
Number of calls with abnormal bad FER (good
RxQual & bad FER)
Abis monitoring:
|delta path-loss| > 5dB)
check if problem is occurring for 1 TRX or all
1.30
Problem on 1 TRX: FU/CU or TRE problem or ANY problem or cables connected to this equipment.
All TRXs: problem on antenna, feeder, jumper or common equipment (ex: ANX, ANC).

Abis trace
delta_Path_loss
nb_of samples
AV_MS_PWR
Path_loss_UL
Path_loss_DL
delta_quality
RxQual_UL
RxQual_DL
Frequency
RxLev_UL
RxLev_DL
106 -9 4 . 5 2 -8 7 . 1 9 0.43 0.25 127.55 130.19 -2 . 6 4 0.18 33.03 2066
89 -8 4 . 2 9 -7 5 . 1 7 0.65 0.44 115.32 118.17 -2 . 8 5 0.21 31.03 2001
118 -9 0 . 7 5 -8 3 . 3 6 0.46 0.41 123.22 126.36 -3 . 1 4 0.04 32.46 3193
124 -8 8 . 8 9 -8 5 . 3 0 0.29 0.67 120.48 128.30 -7 . 8 2 -0 . 3 7 31.59 2931
D IS TR IB U TIO N O F U P L IN K Q U A L ITY
F re q u e n c y Q u a l0 Q u a l1 Q u a l2 Q u a l3 Q u a l4 Q u a l5 Q u a l6 Q u a l7 B a d _ Q u a lit y
106 84.75 % 4.07 % 3.68 % 3.19 % 1.36 % 1.50 % 0.92 % 0.53 % 2.95 %
89 81.41 % 1.70 % 2.95 % 3.65 % 6.35 % 2.55 % 1.30 % 0.10 % 3.95 %
118 83.62 % 4.23 % 4.23 % 3.35 % 1.57 % 1.79 % 0.97 % 0.25 % 3.01 %
124 90.79 % 1.06 % 2.18 % 2.35 % 1.77 % 1.30 % 0.48 % 0.07 % 1.84 %
D IS TR IB U TIO N O F D O W N L IN K Q U A L ITY
F re q u e n c y Q u a l0 Q u a l1 Q u a l2 Q u a l3 Q u a l4 Q u a l5 Q u a l6 Q u a l7 B a d _ Q u a lit y
106 90.27 % 3.44 % 2.08 % 1.55 % 0.92 % 1.36 % 0.34 % 0.05 % 1.74 %
89 80.16 % 6.45 % 7.00 % 3.85 % 1.50 % 0.50 % 0.45 % 0.10 % 1.05 %
118 86.78 % 2.72 % 3.95 % 1.82 % 1.41 % 1.13 % 1.19 % 1.00 % 3.32 %
124 77.14 % 4.37 % 5.87 % 5.94 % 3.48 % 1.36 % 0.82 % 1.02 % 3.21 %
1.31
Example of Computation of delta path loss based on Abis measurements
BTS transmitted power 45,4 MS transmitted power 33

combiner loss -4,4
measured received DL level -93 measured received UL level -98
DL Path loss 134 UL path loss 131
delta path loss computed on Abis -3 dBm

RMS data
Suspecting a TRX hardware problem

Average Path Balance
Average Cell Path Balance

= -0. 9 dB
Fair average Path Balance at Cell level can hide a bad value
for one TRX
1.32
Vector of the Number of Measurement Results per Path Balance band
RMPBV = RMS_PathBalance_sample
Average Path Balance value
RMPBAN = RMS_PathBalance_avg

Typical causes
Antennae or common RF components, TMA (pb common to all

TRXs of the BTS)
TRX RF cables/LNA ... if problem located on only 1 FU
1.33
Every BTS has its proper architecture and the diagnosis must be adapted.

1.34
Coverage problem
Exercises

Definition: TCH Congestion
TCH Congestion rate (TCH Assignment Phase) is too high (more
than 2%)
Rule: try to meet the offered traffic (asked by users) by providing the
right number of resources (TRX extension)
Symptoms:
Customers complain about Network busy
OMC QoS indicators
High TCH Congestion rate
Low incoming Intra/Inter BSC HO success rate (no TCH available)
High Directed Retry rate if activated
A interface indicator: BSS Congestion failure in OC
High rate of Assignment Failure messages, No radio resource
available
1.35

Examination and typical causes
Examination: TCH Congestion
On a per cell basis examination, check the evolution of the TCH
Congestion rate.
Typical causes:
Special events:
Foreseeable: football match, important meeting
Activate some TRXs already installed (and use Synthesized
FH)
Add special moving BTSs
Not foreseeable: car crash on the highway
1.36
Cells on wheel operational by several operators around the world for special events coverage & capacity
IRMA (SFR) connected to Caens BSC.
Orange coverage / Football WC 1998 for Paris Stade de France :
Specific cells covering Paris Stadium. During games, only small capacity (using joker frequencies).
During breaks, some TRX off cells around are turned off, and frequencies are reused for stadium cells.

Typical causes (1/2)
Daily periodic problems

At peak hour, the cell is not correctly dimensioned.
Hardware solution (refer to Annex 1)
Annex 1
Estimate the offered traffic:
At OMC-R level: Traffic in Erlang/(1- TCH Congestion
rate)
Use the B-Erlang law to estimate the number of TCHs

required for a 2% blocking rate, thus the target configuration
Add TRXs to reach the new target configuration and find joker
frequencies and / or implement concentric cells.
1.37
Warning: offered traffic is not the capacity delivered by the system but the traffic asked by the users.

Typical causes (2/2)
Daily periodic problems

At peak hour, the cell is not correctly dimensioned.
Software solution
Use specific densification features
Half Rate
Forced Directed Retry
Traffic handover
Fast Traffic handover
Candidate Cell Evaluation (FREEFACTOR /
LOADFACTOR)
1.38
Half rate may not only mean SW solution. Need of G2 BSC/TC, Evolium TRE or G2 DRFU.

1.39
Coverage problem
Exercises

Process
QOS team Drive test team

Problem characterization RFT team - Interferences
- Coverage (indoor)
- Power budget
QOS alarm on the network, Make assumption causes - Congestion (TCH, SDCCH)
on a BSC or some cells - BSS problem
END
DHCP No Investig problem ? No Recurrent problem ?
- Indicators (% call drop)
- Field measurements/planning Yes Yes
- Subscriber complains
Yes Planning/BSS causes
No
Correction
Check the tuning of default radio parameters
action
Planning team
Standard parameters ?
Maintenance team
Dimensionning team
Consult the config. db No Yes Choose an (other) classical algo
On purpose Yes Identify the tunable parameters

Cell corrected ?
No
Neighbor cell ?
Impact simulation of a
NOK Impact estimation parameter modification
Check ? With QOS ? System problem ? No N times No Simulation OK ?

Yes =N Yes
OK
Standard setting ? Call expert Parameters modification
Database updating
END
DHCP
- Microcell, multiband - Hopping

- Concentric - Marketing
1.40

Coverage problem
Coverage problem:
If the field reality does not match the RNP prediction
Maintenance team to change physical configuration (tilt,
azimuth, antenna height, etc.) and drive test team to
check it
If the field reality matches the RNP prediction

Deployment team to add sites (tri-sector, micro cellular,
indoor cells)
1.41

Others problems
Interference problem:
Planning team to identify the interference source and correct
it (joker frequency, new frequency planning, etc.)
Unbalanced power budget problem:

Maintenance team to check the impacted BTS (Antennae,
TMA, RF cables, LNA, diversity system, etc.)
TCH Congestion problem:

Traffic team (theoretically always in relation with the
marketing team) to manage the need of TRX extension,
densification policy, etc.
1.42

1. Typical radio problems
Training exercise
Unbalanced Bad Coverage Interferences TCH

Power Budget Congestion
High rate of UL QUAL HO
causes
Good RXLEV and
Bad RXQUAL
VSWR alarm
alarm (OMC-R)
(Voltage Standing Wave
Ratio)
Bad RXLEV and
Bad RXQUAL
High Path-loss difference
between UL and DL
Low incoming HO success
rate
OMC QOS indicators:
%TCH ASS failure high
%call drop high
Time allowed:
%QUAL HO
10 minutes %call drop
%call failure
1.43

2 ALGORITHMS AND ASSOCIATED
PARAMETERS
1.44

2 ALGORITHMS AND ASSOCIATED PARAMETERS
Objective: to be able to describe the Power control and Hand-

over algorithms and list the associated parameters
Program:
2.2 Radio measurements principles
2.3 Averaging windows and book-keeping
2.4 Radio Link Supervision and Power control
2.5 Handover Detection
2.6 Handover Candidate Cell Evaluation
2.7 Handover Management
2.8 Exercise
1.45

S5: CASE STUDIES

PARAMETERS
1.46
Radio measurements principles
Radio measurements data processing
Radio Link Supervision and Power control
Handover Detection
Handover Candidate Cell Evaluation
Handover Management
Exercise

Justification
JUSTIFICATION
When the detected problem does not concern another team (Network planning and
frequency planning, Dimensioning, Radio engineering, Maintenance) or
when the other teams cannot give any solution (too tight frequency planning, no
additional TRX available, no financial budget for new sites, etc.)
the Radio Fine Tuning team has to find a compromise between:
High traffic density (Erl/km/Hz)
High quality of service (Call drop, CSSR, Speech quality, indoor, etc.)
Its role: take charge of radio resources management process

This process can be fully described by Power Control and Handover algorithms.
In-depth knowledge of these algorithms is required for tuning
1.47

PARAMETERS
1.48
Handover Detection
Handover Management
Exercise

Radio measurement mechanisms (1/2)
MS connected (TCH or SDCCH)

The serving cell gives the MS the list of the neighbor cells to listen to
Every SACCH, the MS reports to the serving cell: measurement report
message
Received level of 6 best cells (which can change)
DL level and quality of serving cell
1.49
The BTS sends a SYS_INFO_5 message that contains the list of neighbor cells for connected mode. (The
SYS_INFO_2 message contains the list of neighbor cells for idle mode).
Sys info 2bis, 2ter, 5bis and 5ter are also used for multiband networks.
MS reporting depends on EN_INTERBAND_NEIGH and on MULTIBAND_REPORTING parameters.
The MS may report:
6 strongest cells of any band (MULTIBAND_REPORTING=0), or
5 strongest cells of the serving band + 1 strongest cell of another band
(MULTIBAND_REPORTING=1), or
4+2 (MULTIBAND_REPORTING=2), or
3+3 (MULTIBAND_REPORTING=3).
RXLEV
Range: [-110dBm, -47dBm]
Binary range: [0, 63]; 0=-110dBm, 63=-47dBm
The higher the physical or binary value, the higher the receiving level
RXQUAL
Range: [0.14%, 18.10%]
Binary range: [0, 7]; 0=0.14%, 7=18.10%
The lower the physical or binary value, the lower the bit error rate, the better the quality
0-2=excellent; 3=good; 4=ok; 5=bad; 6=very bad; 7=not acceptable

Radio measurement mechanisms (2/2)
For each MS connected to the BTS (TCH or

SDCCH)
UL received level and quality is
measured every SACCH
BSC
The Timing Advance (TA) is DL measurements UL+DL measurements

measurement report measurement result
computed
The UL information is gathered into
the measurement report
This is the message result sent by
the BTS to the BSC PC execution
Active channel HO & PC

Measurements
preprocessing decision
Candidate cell
HO execution
evaluation
The BSC is computing algorithms
usually using average value (sliding window) of these measurements
1.50
The BTS starts sending MEASUREMENT RESULT messages as soon as it receives the RL ESTABLISH INDICATION
message from the MS.
The BTS stops sending MEASUREMENT RESULT messages upon receipt of one of the two following messages:
DEACTIVATE SACCH
RF CHANNEL RELEASE
Every SACCH multiframe, the BTS:

receives the MEASUREMENT REPORT message from the MS. For power control and handover algorithms,
this message contains downlink measurements and, in the layer 1 header, the power used by the MS.
does uplink measurements.
reports the uplink and downlink measurements to the BSC in the MEASUREMENT RESULT message.
Input flows
Uplink radio signal: radio signal received on the Air interface.
BS_TXPWR_CONF: BS transmit power currently used by the BS.
DTX_DL: indicator of downlink DTX use.
Output flows
Abis MEASUREMENT RESULT message
Internal flows
Radio measurements:
Air MEASUREMENT REPORT message (DL) containing DL MS radio measurements.
Uplink radio measurements (quality and level) and a flag indicating whether DTX was used in the
downlink (DTX/DL).
Timing advance: last TA calculated by the BTS.
MS_TXPWR_CONF: last reported value of MS power (reported by the MS).
BS_TXPWR_CONF: value of the BS transmit power currently in use.
BFI_SACCH: bad frame indicator of the SACCH block produced every SACCH multiframe (# 480ms):
0 = SACCH frame successfully decoded
1 = SACCH frame not successfully decoded

Structure of a measurement result
L1 Info
L3 Info
Measurement
Report
From the MS
1.51
Basically, the MEASUREMENT RESULT message is composed of:

L1 info: SACCH Layer 1 header containing MS_TXPWR_CONF and TOA.
L3 info: MEASUREMENT REPORT from the MS. This message contains the downlink measurements and
neighbor cell measurements.
Uplink measurements performed by the BTS.
BTS power level used.
SUB frames correspond to the use of DTX

if the mobile is in DTX, the rxlevsub or rxqualsub is used to avoid measuring the TS where there is nothing to
transmit in order not to distort measurements.
else rxlevfull is used that is to say all TSs are measured.
MS TXPOWER CONF: which is the actual power emitted by the MS.
TOA is timing advance.
SACCH BFI: bad frame indicator; 2 values 0 or 1; 0 means that the BTS succeeded in decoding the measurement
report.
How the neighbor cells are coded:

BCCH1 index in BA list / BSIC1; BCCH2 index in BA list / BSIC2
why? because it does not receive LAC/CI (too long ) but BCCH and replies with BCCH/BSIC

Extended Measurement Reporting (EMR)
Extended Measurement Reporting mechanisms

MS BTS BSC MSC Extended Measurement
TCH ASSIGNMENT PHASE (OC or TC)
< -----------------------------------
ASSIGNMENT REQUEST
Order includes the MAFA
< --------------------------------------------------------
PHYSICAL CONTEXT REQUEST
frequencies the MS is
-------------------------------------------------------- >
PHYSICAL CONTEXT CONFIRM
asked to measure
< --------------------------------------------------------
CHANNEL ACTIVATION (TCH)
EMO sent once to the MS
(EMO included)
-------------------------------------------------------- >
on SACCH after TCH
CHANNEL ACTIVATION ACKNOWLEDGE
.
seizure
.
--------TCH--------->
TCH establishment.
.
Extended Measurement
ASSIGNT COMPLETE ------------------------------------------------------- >
ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE ----------------------------------- >
Results include the average
<------SACCH--------
--------SACCH------>
ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE
signal level measured on
<------SACCH--------
--------SACCH------>
each MAFA frequency over
<-------SACCH--------
EMO one SACCH mf duration
(MAFA freq. List)
.
.
EMR received once per call
.
--------SACCH------>
on SACCH
EMR
(MAFA freq. RxLev)
1.52
When the BTS receives a CHANNEL ACTIVATION with the Extended Measurement Order (EMO) included, it must
send this information on the SACCH to the corresponding mobile only once.
When the BTS has to send this information, it must replace the sending of system information 5, 5bis, 5ter or 6 by this
information. At the next SACCH multiframe, the BTS must resume the sending of this system information by the
replaced one.
The EMO must be sent after 2 complete sets of SYS_INFO5 and 6, i.e. after the 2nd SYSINFO 6 after the reception of
SABM. This guarantees the MS has received a complete set.
Then, the BTS normally receives from the MS an EXTENDED MEASUREMENT RESULT with the level of the
frequencies to monitor. The BTS must make the correlation between these levels and the frequencies contained in the
latest EMO information, after having decoded them, according to the order of the ARFCN. The
EXTENDED_MEASUREMENT_RESULT is NOT forwarded to the BSC, instead a MEASUREMENT_RESULT with
indication no_MS_results is sent to the BSC.
In particular, the BTS must identify the level of the BCCH frequency of the serving cell (which must always be part of
the frequencies to monitor) and apply it as the RXLEV_DL in the Radio Measurement Statistics. The other frequencies
will be considered in the same way as the BCCH frequency of neighbor cells: they will be linked to the neighbor level
and C/I statistics.

Training exercise (1/2)
(BSIC, BCCH index)/(LAC, CI) problem
As LAC and CI information take up too much

space, the MS only reports the decoded BSIC
and the BCCH index when it sends
measurement on the adjacent cell
The BSC makes the correspondence between
the couple (BSIC, BCCH index) and the real
neighbor cell concerned [completely defined by
(LAC,CI)]
WHAT IS THE RISK?
Time allowed:
5 minutes
1.53

Explain why cell 2 has a very high outgoing HO unsuccessful rate and a high
call drop
Cell 3 CI=6169
GSM900
(7, 62)
CI=6169
GSM900
Cell 2 CI=1964
GSM900
(3,46) Cell 1
(7, 62)
1.54

PARAMETERS
2.3 Radio measurements data processing
1.55
Handover Detection
Handover Management
Exercise

Functional entities
BTS BSC
Radio Active
Link Channel
Measurements Pre-processing
the
Assignment of radio measurements data processing functions in th e ALCATEL BSS
1.56
The active channel pre-processing function calculates average values of signal levels, qualities and timing advance
provided by the radio link measurements function.
The pre-processing is based on a sliding window averaging technique. The averaging is either weighted or unweighted
depending on the type of the input parameters.

Active channel pre-processing
Active channel pre-processing
ACTIVATED EACH TIME A MEASUREMENT IS RECEIVED
AVERAGING VALUES OF SIGNAL LEVELS, QUALITIES, TIMING

ADVANCE
USING SLIDING WINDOW TECHNIQUE
BUILDING A BOOK-KEEPING LIST OF NEIGHBOR CELLS

The MS is reporting the 6 best cells at one time
They can change from 1 measurement to another
Maximum for 1 call: last 32 best ones (among 64 maximum
declared as neighbor)
1.57

Active channel pre-processing - Principles
Active channel pre-processing Principles
HANDLED by the BSC
ACTIVATED when the BSC receives:
ESTABLISH INDICATION from the MS on SAPI 0, or
HANDOVER FAILURE from the MS, or
ASSIGNMENT FAILURE from the MS (in case of intracell
handover)
STOPPED when a HANDOVER COMMAND is emitted in the serving
BSC
AVERAGING VALUES OF SIGNAL LEVELS, QUALITIES, TIMING

ADVANCE
USING SLIDING WINDOW TECHNIQUE
1.58
The pre-processing function is stopped when a HANDOVER COMMAND is emitted by the serving BSC. At this time,
the MEASUREMENT RESULT messages are ignored by the pre-processing function and no update of the book-
keeping tables or averaging is done anymore.
The pre-processing function is enabled again (in case of failure of an intracell or intercell handover) after reception of
either messages listed above, and the old measurements are kept in the book-keeping list and taken into account in
the new averaging.
The pre-processing function is completely handled by the BSC. The input parameters of this function are provided by
the BTS every SACCH multiframe in the MEASUREMENT RESULT message.
The function calculates average values of levels, qualities and timing advance. The pre-processing method is based on
a sliding window averaging technique. The pre-processing is done for every measurement sample, i.e. every SACCH
multiframe. The averaging intervals are expressed in terms of SACCH multiframe periods and their range is between 1
and 31.
The averaging process for any variable can start as soon as A_YYYY_XX (YYYY stands for LEV, QUAL, PBGT or
RANGE and XX for HO, DR, PC or MCHO) samples, each with MEAS_VALID bit set to 0 (validity indicator
reported by the MS in the MEASUREMENT REPORT message), are actually available except in case of the averaging
of the received level from the neighbor cells and the averaging of AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO, AV_BS_TXPWR_HO and
AV_BS_TXPWR_DR.

Measurement averaging (1/2)
Avoid reacting too early to some atypical measurement(s)
sliding window effect
105,00
100,00
95,00
90,00
85,00
80,00 level
75,00 average (w indow 4)
1 2 3 4 average (w indow 8)
5 6 7 8 9
1.59
The calculation of levels, qualities and timing advance (i.e. distance information) uses a variety of averaging window
sizes as well as specific weighting factors for quality estimates.
One separate window exists for:
power control on the uplink and the downlink (A_LEV_PC , A_QUAL_PC),
emergency handover (A_LEV_HO , A_QUAL_HO , A_RANGE_HO),
fast emergency handover for microcells (A_LEV_MCHO),
better cell handover and better zone handover (A_PBGT_HO) for intra-layer, interlayer and interzone
handovers,
forced directed retry (A_PBGT_DR),
neighbor filtering and ranking for all HOs (A_PBGT_HO),
codec adaptation (A_QUAL_CA_HR_FR , A_QUAL_CA_FR_HR).

Measurement averaging (2/2)
Objective: average measurements to avoid reacting to transient

degradation
Principle: sliding window: level/quality/distance values are
averaged for N last samples
N = A_LEV_HO samples for uplink and downlink level
N = A_QUAL_HO samples for uplink and downlink quality
N = A_RANGE_HO samples for distance
N = A_PGBT_HO for level used in power budget equation
Example (A_LEV_HO=6, A_QUAL_HO=4, A_PBGT_HO=8)

Meas 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
DL Level -90 -92 -93 -98 -100 -99 -98 -90 -80 -75 -72 -71 -110 -70 -69 -68 -78 -88 -95 -98 -100 -110 -110 -110
AV-RXLEV -95 -97 -96 -94 -90 -86 -81 -83 -80 -78 -77 -78 -81 -78 -83 -88 -95 -100 -104
AV-LEV-PGBT -95 -94 -92 -89 -86 -87 -83 -80 -77 -77 -78 -81 -85 -83 -88 -93 -99
DL Qual 2 3 3 4 7 7 7 5 2 1 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 6 7 7 7
AV-RXQUAL 3 4 5 6 7 5 4 2 1 2 2 2 2 0 0 1 2 3 5 6 7
Experiences
some experiments have shown that the number of HOs is very
sensitive to modification of these values
1.60
At BSC level,
Input flows
MEASUREMENT RESULT
Control flows
active channel pre-processing configuration parameters for PC:
A_LEV_PC, W_LEV_PC, A_QUAL_PC and W_QUAL_PC,
active channel pre-processing configuration parameters for HO:
A_LEV_HO, W_LEV_HO, A_PBGT_HO, W_PBGT_HO, A_QUAL_HO, W_QUAL_HO,
A_RANGE_HO, A_LEV_MCHO, W_LEV_MCHO, A_PBGT_DR.
cells list for book-keeping:
BA_IND_SACCH: indicator of the change of the BA_allocation,
NBR_ADJ: number of declared adjacent cells of the serving cell denoted by n,
for n=1 to NBR_ADJ: BSIC(n) and FREQ(n).
Output flows
Averaged measurements for power control:
AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC ; AV_RXLEV_UL_PC: MS power control/threshold comparison,
AV_RXQUAL_DL_PC ; AV_RXLEV_DL_PC: BS power control/threshold comparison.
Averaged measurements for handover detection:
AV_RXQUAL_UL_HO, AV_RXQUAL_DL_HO, AV_RXLEV_UL_MCHO,
AV_RXLEV_UL_HO, AV_RXLEV_DL_HO, AV_RXLEV_DL_MCHO,
AV_LOAD , averaged traffic load
AV_BS_TXPWR_HO, AV_RANGE_HO,
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO, AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n), AV_RXLEV_NCELL_BIS(n).
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_DR,
AV_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n), n=1..BTSnum.
BFI_SACCH
AV_RXQUAL_xx_CA_HR_FR, AV_RXQUAL_xx_CA_FR_HR
MS_TXPOWER_CONF / BS_POWER: last power level reported by the MS and transmit power currently
used by the BS.

neighbor cell measurement book-keeping

The MS reports the measurements of the
NO_NCELL_M ( 6) best cells every multi-frame
The adjacent cells reported by the MS can change from
one measurement to another
The book-keeping function keeps a table of the last 32
reported adjacent cells
Clearing process of non-reported neighbors during 10s
(signal level=0)
1.61
An MS is required to measure the BCCH power level of a number of BCCH frequencies. These measurements are
used for the power budget computation in the BSC and the candidate cell evaluation in the BSC.
The MS reports to the BTS, in the MEASUREMENT REPORT message, the measurements of the NO_NCELL_M
(NO_NCELL_M <= 6) best cells it receives (RXLEV_NCELL, BCCH frequency index and BSIC number) for each
multiframe. In case of multiband capability, the mobile reports the best cells of each supported frequency band (if
available). This reporting is allowed at BSS level by the flag EN_INTERBAND_NEIGH and it is specified by the
parameter MULTIBAND_REPORTING.
The adjacent cells reported by an MS can change over the averaging interval. The book-keeping function keeps a table
composed of the last 32 reported adjacent cells, the maximum number of which is NBR_ADJ. The total number of
adjacent cells for which measurements reported by the MSs are available within the average interval is BTSnum.
The BSC G1 maintains a table of up to 150 cells, from which up to 64 can be declared as adjacent cells to a given cell.
The BSC G2 maintains a list of up to 1000 cells, from which up to 64 can be declared as adjacent cells to a given cell.
Because the maximum number of adjacent cells may be greater than 32, the number of adjacent BCCH frequencies is
limited to 32. Moreover, a mechanism for overwriting obsolete entries in the bookkeeping table, when new cells are
reported, is provided.
When the variable BTSnum reaches its maximum value of 32 and at least one new cell has to be entered in the list,
then the BSC sorts out all cells in the bookkeeping list, which have been reported with signal level = 0 for the last 20
measurements (10 seconds).
This is done by summing the raw measurement values over the last 20 samples. All the corresponding cell entries are
cleared from the bookkeeping list, BTSnum is decreased by the number of cleared entries and some of the vacant
entries are used to include the new cells.
The end of the comment is on the next page...

Training exercise
Measurements averaging
With averaging window excel
sheet...
Compute averaging on quality,
distance and level
Make charts with different sliding
averaging windows
Time allowed:
10 minutes
1.62
Fill up the table with average function. The chart will be automatically processed
The fact that there may not be enough cleared entries to store new measurements is excluded, see justification below:
Because the MS must resynchronize at most every 10s with the neighbor cells it monitors, it is useless to keep cells in
the bookkeeping list which have not been reported for more than 10s, it will be impossible to makkes an handover
towards these cells.
Therefore, the overwriting mechanism described above will function correctly if there are less than 32 cells reported in
every 10s, which makes an average rate of 3 new cells per second.
The potentiality of overflow of the book-keeping list is therefore excluded.
The book-keeping is performed according to the BSIC and BCCH frequency couple. This function updates the table
every multiframe except if the measurement report is missing or Measurement Valid Bit is set to not valid. When the
level of a cell is not reported, a zero must be entered as measurement value. For each multiframe and for each of the
NO_NCELL_M cell measurements it receives, the function has to check the BSIC number and the BCCH frequency
index (FREQ(n)).
When the couple (BSIC, BCCH frequency) is not in the reference list (received from the OMC), the corresponding
measurements should be discarded.
The BTSnum variable is updated every multiframe except if the measurement report from the MS is missing. It is
incremented by the number of new couples (BSIC number, BCCH frequency index) registered as described above.
Remark: Two cells can have the same BSIC number or the same BCCH frequency index. Therefore, the couple of
these parameters is needed to define a cell.

PARAMETERS
2.4 Radio Link Supervision and Power Control
1.63
Handover Detection
Handover Management
Exercise

2.4 Radio link supervision and power control
Functional entities
BTS BSC
Radio Radio
Link Link
Supervision Command
Radio Active
Link Channel
Measurements Pre-processing PC Threshold
PC Command
Comparison
Assignment of PC functions in the ALCATEL BSS
1.64
The two main functions specified in this document and implemented in the ALCATEL BSS are:
Radio link supervision and radio link command:
These functions handle the detection of the radio link failure so that calls which fail either from loss of
radio coverage or unacceptable interference are satisfactorily handled by the network. The radio link
supervision is responsible for detection of the loss of the radio link, based on incorrectly received
SACCH frames. The radio link command is responsible for commanding to set the power at a maximum
level for radio link recovery or to clear the call when the radio link has failed.
The radio link recovery can be activated or not, depending on a configuration flag (EN_RL_RECOV).
The radio link failure procedure is always running and clears the call when the radio link has failed.
Power control:
This function handles the adaptive control of the RF transmit power from the MS and the BS. The RF
power control aims at minimizing the co-channel interference and also at reducing the DC power
consumption of the MS. This function is in charge of detecting a need for a power command and then of
applying this power command. Therefore it can be divided into two processes: PC threshold comparison
and PC command. MS and BS power control are operating independently, they can be activated or not,
depending on configuration flags (EN_MS_PC and EN_BS_PC).
All these functions require directly or indirectly input parameters provided by the function in charge of the radio link
measurements.
Most of the input data required by the power control functions are provided by Active channel pre-processing function.
The figure depicts in a general way:

the interconnections between all these functions,
the implementation of these functions in the ALCATEL BSS.

Radio link supervision
Principles
Detection (by BTS) of a radio link failure with an MS
notification to BSC for radio resource release
Try to recover an MS when radio becomes poor
optional mechanism radio link recovery
by requiring BTS and MS to transmit at maximum power
Equivalent mechanism in MS for Radio Link Failure detection
1.65
The determination of the radio link failure is based on a counter. According to the GSM Technical Specification 05.08
for the BSS, the criterion for incrementing/decrementing this counter should be based:
either on the error rate on the uplink SACCH,
or on RXLEV/RXQUAL measurements of the MS.
In the ALCATEL BSS, it is based on the number of SACCH frames which cannot be decoded.
It must be stressed that this criterion is related to the first one recommended above but it is not exactly the same. The
ALCATEL criterion is in fact the one recommended by the GSM Technical Specification 05.08 for the MS.

Principles of radio uplink supervision
For each active radio channel, a counter S is

decremented by 1 each time an SACCH frame
cannot be decoded (BFI=1)
incremented by 2 each time a valid SACCH
frame is received
The value of S gives a measure of the quality
RLTO_BS
18
(T100)
RLTO
of uplink radio link 16
SACCH block lost: - 1
Initial value of S = BS_RADIO_LINK_TIMEOUT
N_BS_TXPWR_M
13
if S reaches N_BSTXPWR_M, a radio link
Radio link Recovery
recovery is triggered (optional)
if S reaches 0, a radio link failure is detected SACCH block received: + 2
RADIOLINK_TIMEOUT_BS S S
0 0
RADIOLINK_TIMEOUT is important because Radio link Failure
the mobile must release the radio channel first.

1.66
The radio link supervision function is performed in the BTS and it uses three parameters given to the BTS in the TRX
configuration data message:
EN_RL_RECOV: flag enabling/disabling the sending of CONNECTION FAILURE INDICATION by the BTS
when the need for radio link recovery is detected,
N_BSTXPWR_M: threshold for the radio link recovery,
RADIOLINK_TIMEOUT_BS: threshold (number of SACCH messages) for the radio link failure.
In addition, the function handles a counter named S. RADIOLINK_TIMEOUT_BS is the initial and maximum value of S.
For each SACCH not decoded, S is decremented by 1 while for each SACCH decoded, it is incremented by 2.
The incrementation or decrementation is performed if the following condition is met:
RADIOLINK_TIMEOUT_BS >= counter S >= 0.
As soon as the counter S is equal to the threshold N_BSTXPWR_M, the radio link recovery is triggered if
EN_RL_RECOV = ENABLE. Therefore, in the case where the shadowing is so strong that all SACCH frames
are lost, the radio link recovery will be triggered after (RADIOLINK_TIMEOUT_BS - N_BSTXPWR_M) SACCH
periods.
The parameter N_BSTXPWR_M must be set according this simple behavior.

If the radio link recovery is not successful, as soon as S reaches 0, the radio link failure procedure is applied.
As soon as a radio link failure is detected, the radio link supervision must be started again in the BTS.

S counter for radio link supervision
S = f [ BFI(t) ]
25
RAD IO_LIN K_TIM EOU T_B S
N_BSTXPW R_M
15
S value
BFI
S
10
0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
SA C C H n u m b er
1.67
Received events
Activate supervision: activation of the radio link supervision from the BTS telecom layer 3,
SACCH, BFI = 1: not decoded SACCH frame,
SACCH, BFI = 0: decoded SACCH frame,
Note: the BFI flag is internal to the BTS and does not deal with the BFI flag defined by the GSM.
Deactivate supervision: deactivation of the radio link supervision by the BTS telecom layer 3.
Transmitted events
Radio link recovery: indication sent to the radio link command function in order to set the BS and MS powers to
the maximum.
Radio link failure: indication sent to the radio link command function in order to release the call.
These events are sent to the BSC in the CONNECTION FAILURE INDICATION message:
In case of Radio link recovery, the BTS sends only once (to avoid overload of the Abis interface) the
CONNECTION FAILURE INDICATION message to the BSC with cause "set MS/BS-TXPWR-M (value: '001
1111', reserved for National use). This action (message formatting) is performed by the GSM layer 3.
In case of Radio link failure, the BTS sends the CONNECTION FAILURE INDICATION message with cause
'Radio link Failure' to the BSC.
Thus, the CONNECTION FAILURE INDICATION message on Abis is not showing any call drop. One should look at
the cause of CONFAIL.

Radio link recovery
The BTS is sending a Connection Failure Indication message

cause 001 1111 reserved for national usage
(ALCATEL: RLR)
On K1205: set MS/BS_TXPWR_MAX (Alcatel only)
The BSC is sending BS and MS POWER CONTROL messages
required for maximum possible values
The MS required level is embedded in the SACCH
header in the downlink
Optional mechanism
EN_RL_RECOV =ENABLE
useless without power control
master vs. power control
1.68
The action consists in increasing the power of the MS and of the BTS to their maximum, in a single step, if the link is
failing, i.e. the BTS is not able to decode the SACCH anymore for some period of time.
This functionality is performed upon reception of the CONNECTION FAILURE INDICATION message (cause set
MS/BS-TXPWR-M) from the BTS. This message can be sent by the BTS only if EN_RL_RECOV = ENABLE. Upon
reception of this message, the radio link command function:
1. sends to the BTS a power increase command up to BS_TXPWR_MAX (BS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER if the MS is
on the inner zone of a concentric or multiband cell) in the BS POWER CONTROL message.
2. sends to the MS a power increase command up to min(MS_TXPWR_MAX,P) (min
(MS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER,P) if the MS is in the inner zone of a concentric or multiband cell) in the message
MS POWER CONTROL.
When a radio link recovery occurs, the radio link command function gives an indication to the power control function
once the power increase has been commanded.
The maximum power increase of the MS is 2dB per 60 ms. Thus, if MS_TXPWR_MAX=33dBm and
MS_TXPWR_MIN=13dBm, the MS coming from MIN to Max will take 600 ms.
Note: the BS Power Control process does not interfere with the recovery procedure since the former comes to a halt when
no SACCH multiframe is received. Thus, the BS power control process does not take into account the radio link
recovery event.

Radio link failure
Radio link failure

The BTS is sending a Connection Failure Indication
message
Cause radio link failure
The BSC is notifying the loss to the MSC

Usually Clear Request radio interface failure
The BSC is releasing locally the radio resource (TCH or

SDCCH)
Radio frequency Channel Release message sent to
BTS
The call is dropped !
1.69
The task of the radio link command consists in informing the call control function to release the call.
Concentric cell or multiband cell
The power value BS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER is applied in case of radio link recovery for an MS in the inner zone. The
power value BS_TXPWR_MAX is applied in case of radio link recovery for an MS on an outer zone channel.
Note: the radio link supervision procedure will function also if SACCH frames are not lost continuously, but with a
longer reaction time.

Radio link supervision: training exercise
With the RLS excel sheet...
Taking into account the
measurements with BFI and
the parameter values
(N_BSTXPWR_M and
RADIOLINK_TIMEOUT_BS)
Indicate when
A radio link recovery
is triggered
A radio link failure is
triggered
Time allowed:
5 minutes 1.70

Power control
Aims of Power control

Reduce emitted power to the minimum
possible BS_TXPWR
d ow
nlin
Minimum power levels: RXLEV_UL
up
lin k
k
RXLEV_DL
GSM: 11dBm, 9dBm, 7dBm and

5dBm MS_TXPWR
DCS: 2dBm, 0dBm

Ensuring quality and received level of GSM-900 DCS-1800
peer entity Power Output Output
level Power(dBm) Power(dBm)
Adapted in real-time
14 15 2
For Uplink PC: decrease UL interference 15 13 0
and 16 11 -
save MS battery
17 9 -
For Downlink PC, decrease DL 18 7 -
interference 19 5 -
1.71
The main objective of the power control, in connection with handover algorithms, is to allow a maximum number of MSs
to operate in the network while maintaining a minimum interference level.
The algorithms must ensure that any mobile is connected with the cell in which the output powers from the MS and the
BS are as low as possible (to reduce MS power consumption and interference in the network) while keeping a
satisfactory link quality.
When on a sufficient duration, the propagation conditions keep worsening, then action must be taken.
The first action is to increase the output power levels at the MS or the BS. When the maximum allowed value has been
reached, a handover may become necessary.
To reflect this philosophy in macrocells (not in microcellular environment), the algorithm allows for handover on quality
and strength reasons only when the last step of power control has been reached. If propagation conditions worsen
rapidly when the MS is at low power, the power control algorithm allows to reach quickly the maximum power.
Nevertheless great care must be taken in choosing the relative values of the thresholds for power control and handover
as well as the averaging window sizes (smaller window size and higher threshold for power control than for handover).
It must be remembered that, although it is desired that the MS transmits with the lowest possible power, it is more
important not to lose a call. Thus early triggering for the power control is possible, by choosing, small values for the
averaging window sizes and higher comparison thresholds.

Power Control principles
Based on a threshold comparison mechanism
Decrease emitted power when received level AND quality

measured by peer entity are better than a given value
Increase emitted power when the received level OR quality is

lower than a given value
Does not decrease power if the resulting level is below the low
level threshold
FEATURE REAL FAST PC GIVES REACTIVITY TO THE ALGORITHMS
1.72
The threshold comparison process detects the need to change the MS power level. This detection is done by
comparison between the averaged values produced by the active channel pre-processing function and thresholds.

Power Control detection
MS Power control (for BS PC, replace MS by BS and UL by DL)
U_RXQUAL_UL_P
1
L_RXQUAL_UL_P
2
-95 -93 -85

L_RXLEV_UL_P U_RXLEV_UL_P
POW_RED_STEP_SIZE
1.73
A need for a PC command is detected when one of the conditions above is true. Then, the information for the execution
of the PC command is given to the PC command process.
The MS power control function can be disabled with a flag EN_MS_PC. This flag is changeable from the OMC-R.
Note: The GSM coding of quality is contra-intuitive, since the value 0 codes for the best quality and 7 for the worst. Thus,
the comparison between two quality values must be understood in the opposite way in terms of quality.
Note: POW_RED_STEP_SIZE is used in two ways: for PC_COMMAND (decrease of MS power) and for
PC_THRESHOD_COMPARISON (to avoid ping-pong effect).

MS PC Threshold comparison
Power increase: If
AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC > L_RXQUAL_UL_P + OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC L_RXQUAL_UL_P + OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
and AV_RXLEV_UL_PC < L_RXLEV_UL_P
Then PC_COMMAND(MS, INC, MS_P_INC dB, <min(MS_TXPWR_MAX, P))
Power decrease: If
AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC < U_RXQUAL_UL_P
and AV_RXLEV_UL_PC >= L_RXLEV_UL_P + POW_RED_STEP_SIZE
AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC L_RXQUAL_UL_P + OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH

and AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC U_RXQUAL_UL_P
and AV_RXLEV_UL_PC > U_RXLEV_UL_P
Then PC_COMMAND(MS, RED, MS_P_RED dB, >MS_TXPWR_MIN)
1.74
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH is an internal variable that is equal to 0 in case of Non-Hopping cell and

OFFSET_HOPPING_PC in case of BBH or RH.

MS Power Control Command
Power command philosophy:

Target received level TARGET_RXLEV_UL
middle threshold between U_RXLEV_UL_P and L_RXLEV_UL_P
Adaptive power step size

According to the average received level
Limited power step size to MAX_POW_INC and
MAX_POW_RED
If only Quality problem: fixed power step size
POW_INC_STEP_SIZE and POW_RED_STEP_SIZE
Two weighting factors to modify the algorithm reactivity
when level problem
POW_INC_FACTOR for power increase
POW_RED_FACTOR for power decrease
1.75
Whenever any of the threshold conditions occurs, a PC command must be sent to the MS over the air interface.
In order to compute the adaptive power step size, the middle threshold between the upper threshold U_RXLEV_UL_P
and the lower threshold L_RXLEV_UL_P is considered.
This threshold is regarded as the target received level around which the MS should always stay. The following
algorithm tries to maintain and bring the MS power closer to this target threshold. The size of the power step is limited
to MAX_POW_INC for an increase of the MS power and MAX_POW_RED for a decrease of the MS power.
When the received level is between the two thresholds U_RXLEV_UL_P and L_RXLEV_UL_P (i.e. no need to change
the level) and a power control on quality cause is triggered, fixed power step sizes are applied: POW_INC_STEP_SIZE
for power increase and POW_RED_STEP_SIZE for power decrease.
Two weighting factors POW_INC_FACTOR (for power increase) and POW_RED_FACTOR (for power decrease) allow
to modify the reactivity of the algorithm (the more POW_INC_FACTOR is nearby 1, the greater the reactivity of the
algorithm is and the larger the power step size is).
The target received level is TARGET_RXLEV_UL for the uplink path.
TARGET_RXLEV_UL corresponds to the next higher multiple of 1 dB from (U_RXLEV_UL_P + L_RXLEV_UL_P)/2.

Fast and Normal PC comparison
Example
4 SACCH=1 Measurement 3. MR
p/dBm Report (MR) Need for PC command
2. MR 4. MR
detected
-80
PC Command
-90 20dB
Fast Power Control
POW_INC_STEP_SIZE=6dB
-100 Normal Power Control
-110
t/ms
0 480 960 1440 1920
t/ms
60 180 300 420
0 120 240 360 480
1.76

MS Power Increase Command computation
PC_COMMAND (MS, INC, MS_P_INC dB, < power max)

If MS_TXPWR < power max
then increase MS_TXPWR by min(MS_P_INC, MAX_POW_INC, powermax-
MS_TXPWR)
where MS_P_INC is evaluated by the following algorithm:
if (AV_RXLEV_UL_PC < L_RXLEV_UL_P) (problem of level)

if (AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC L_RXQUAL_UL_P + OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH)
(sufficient quality)
then MS_P_INC = roundup[ POW_INC_FACTOR* (TARGET_RXLEV_UL -
AV_RXLEV_UL_PC)]
else MS_P_INC = roundup[ MAX ( POW_INC_FACTOR * (TARGET_RXLEV_UL
- AV_RXLEV_UL_PC ), POW_INC_STEP_SIZE )]
else (problem of quality)
MS_P_INC = POW_INC_STEP_SIZE
1.77
In the equations:
MS_TXPWR is the last MS_TXPWR_CONF value reported by the BTS.
roundup means round to its next higher multiple of 2 dB.
rounddown means round to its next lower multiple of 2 dB.
The rate of change of MS power is required to be one nominal 2 dB step every 60 msec. Thus a 30 dB step change
should be accomplished in 900 msec. The operator should be warned of this as it may impact on the choice of settings
for MS_P_CON_ACK and MS_P_CON_INT.
Then the ordered value of the MS transmit power, called MS_TXPWR, is sent to the MS as follows:
The BSC sends the MS POWER CONTROL message to the BTS (i.e. to the TRX handling the relevant
channel) which then forwards the PC command to the MS in the Layer 1 header.
The MS applies the PC command and confirms this action by transmitting the applied power value
(MS_TXPWR_CONF) on the uplink SACCH in the layer 1 header.
On SACCH channel, the MS may not send the MEASUREMENT REPORT message (e.g. in case of transmission of
Short Message).
In this case, the BSC receives a MEASUREMENT RESULT message which does not contain the
MEASUREMENT REPORT. The BSC takes into account the MS_TXPWR_CONF variable.

MS Power Decrease Command computation
PC_COMMAND (MS, RED, MS_P_RED dB, > power min)

If MS_TXPWR > power min
then decrease MS_TXPWR by min(MS_P_RED, MAX_POW_RED,
MS_TXPWR- power min)
where MS_P_RED is evaluated by the following algorithm:
if (AV_RXLEV_UL_PC > U_RXLEV_UL_P) (good level)

if (AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC U_RXQUAL_UL_P) (sufficient quality)
then MS_P_RED = roundup[ MAX(POW_RED_FACTOR*
(AV_RXLEV_UL_PC- TARGET_RXLEV_UL)), 2dB]
else MS_P_RED = roundup[ MAX ( POW_RED_FACTOR *
(AV_RXLEV_UL_PC- TARGET_RXLEV_UL), POW_RED_STEP_SIZE )]
else (good quality)
MS_P_RED = POW_RED_STEP_SIZE
1.78

Frequency Hopping cases
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
This variable allows to take into account the frequency

hopping in the RxQual evaluation (see Annex 2)
Defined on a per cell basis Annex 2
Algorithm:
If Frequency hopping applied
then OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH = Offset_hopping_PC
Else OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH = 0
1.79
In order to take into account the frequency hopping in the RXQUAL evaluation, the variable OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH is
introduced.
If on the corresponding channel, Frequency hopping is applied then OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH = Offset_Hopping_PC
otherwise OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH = 0
Offset_Hopping_PC is a parameter defined on a per cell basis.
PC Downlink in Frequency hopping case
In this case, the BSC inhibits the BS power control on all the channels which use the BCCH carrier. The entity
performing the BS power control in the BSC gets all the information concerning a new channel and decides
whether to activate the BS power control for this channel. The power control must be inhibited when the
frequency used by the new channel is the same as the frequency used for the BCCH in the BTS (cell) in which
the channel is activated.
For any channel which has the BCCH frequency in its hopping sequence (MA), the MS is measuring a very
good downlink level each time it hops on the BCCH. To avoid that this results in a too optimistic average, it is
possible to require from the MS not to include the BCCH measurement in the averages. This is achieved by
setting the PWRC flag to 1 in the SYSTEM INFORMATION type 6 message sent by the BSS on the SACCH.
If the channel is hopping only on the BCCH frequency (after a transmitter failure), it is considered as a non-
hopping channel and it is concerned by the non-frequency hopping case.

Power Control timers (1/2)
Timers
T_SDCCH_PC allows the inhibition of PC on SDCCH
When a new power is required, the confirmation is awaited:

MS_P_CON_ACK
BS_P_CON_ACK
As soon as the new power is acknowledged, a fixed

duration is awaited to trigger a new change of power, if
necessary:
MS_P_CON_INT
BS_P_CON_INT
1.80
The timer T_SDCCH_PC allows to inhibit the MS and BS power control on SDCCH.
This timer is changeable at the OMC-R level on a per cell basis. It is triggered upon receipt of the ESTABLISH
INDICATION message after SDCCH activation for immediate assignment procedure. As long as the timer runs,
the power control is inhibited on SDCCH.
If the timer expires, the power control will be enabled again on SDCCH.
If the timer is running at the sending of the RF CHANNEL RELEASE message, the timer is stopped.
T_SDCCH_PC is useful in case of long SDCCH phases.
During SDCCH for call establishment, PC disabled should be preferred with a view to secure call setup. Nevertheless,
if SMS usage is very high, SDCCH phases may be long. In this case, to avoid interference, PC will be enabled after
T_SDCCH_PC expiry (about 5s).
After any PC command is sent to the MS, some time must be expected before MS_TXPWR_CONF (power
confirmation sent by the MS on the uplink SACCH) can reach the desired value. The timer MS_P_CON_ACK is
triggered after any power modification command to monitor that the desired transmission power MS_TXPWR is
reached.
If MS_P_CON_ACK elapses before the expected value of MS_TXPWR_CONF is received, the power control
decision process is resumed immediately with the last MS_TXPWR_CONF received.
If the expected value of MS_TXPWR_CONF is received before the timer MS_P_CON_ACK is elapsed, the
timer MS_P_CON_ACK is stopped and the timer MS_P_CON_INT is triggered. Then the MS PC threshold
comparison process is resumed with MS_TXPWR_CONF for the same MS as soon as MS_P_CON_INT
expires.

Power Control timers (2/2)
IF xx_P_CON_ACK is expiring, it is a system problem:

Wrong setting of xx_P_CON_ACK (too short)
No reception of power command by the MS
a radio link recovery can be activated
Problem on Abis
repetition of BS power command
The expiry of P_CON_INT is a normal mechanism
1.81

Extra information
LEVEL and QUALITY USED in EQUATION are average ones

with window size A_QUAL_PC and A_LEV_PC
BS POWER CONTROL INHIBITED ON BCCH frequency
BCCH must be emitted at the maximum level
MS dynamic constraint
minimum 2dB every 60 ms
Emitted power can be changed by radio link supervision
algorithm
Radio link supervision has a greater priority
Activation of power control can slow down HO decision
some causes can be triggered only if the MS (BTS) is
emitting at the maximum power
1.82
Interaction with radio link command

The MS power control function is informed of a radio link recovery by the radio link command function. Once the
indication is received, the PC command process is resumed immediately:
timer MS_P_CON_ACK is started (or reset and started if running),
If MS_P_CON_ACK elapses before the expected value of MS_TXPWR_CONF is received, the power
control decision process is resumed immediately with MS_TXPWR_CONF = min(MS_TXPWR_MAX,P).
According to GSM Technical Specification 05.08 section 7.1, the BCCH carrier must be broadcast with a constant
power in the cell. In this release of the ALCATEL BSS, this constant value is set to the maximum power allowed in the
cell that is defined by the parameter BS_TXPWR_MAX.
This means that all dedicated channels (TCH, SDCCH) which are on the BCCH frequency must always be
transmitted with the maximum power, i.e. the BCCH power must not be changed by the BS power control
function.

Power Control: Training exercise (1/3)
Power control UL
(Remark: Use the default parameters document)
What happens if we do not use Frequency Hopping?
Why is it better to have A_LEV_PC=A_LEV_HO/2?
Thresholds:
Lower QUAL of RX uplink = 3
High QUAL of RX uplink = 2
Lower LEV of RX uplink = -90dBm
Upper LEV of RX uplink = -75dBm
POW_RED_STEP_SIZE= 4
POW_INC_STEP_SIZE= 6
Put the right threshold in the next slide chart
Time allowed:
25 minutes 1.83

Power control UL
Qual QUESTION
For each case
PC triggered?
Step size value?
With
POW_INC_FACTOR=0,6
And
POW_RED_FACTOR=0,6
and
MAX_POW_INC=MAX_PO
W_RED=8
Lev
Nb of case ---> 1 2 3 4 5 6
AV_RXQUAL_UL_PC 0 1 2 6 3 4
AV_RXLEV_UL_PC -98 -80 -73 -69 -86 -91
Power control
Delta value
1.84

Power control DL
Thresholds:
L_RXLEV_DL_P = -85dBm POW_INC_FACTOR = 0.6
U_RXLEV_DL_P = -75dBm POW_RED_FACTOR = 0.8
L_RXQUAL_DL_P = 2.9 MAX_POW_INC = 16dB
U_RXQUAL_DL_P = 1 MAX_POW_RED = 16dB
A_QUAL_PC = 4 BS_P_CON_ACK = 3s
A_LEV_PC = 4 BS_TXPWR_MIN = -16dB
Using the Trace Abis Excel file, find each parameter value:
POW_INC_STEP_SIZE = ? BS_P_CON_INT = ?
POW_RED_STEP_SIZE = ? OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH = 0 or 1 ?
Which phenomenon can you observe as regards the successive PC

commands?
1.85

PARAMETERS
1.86
Handover Detection
Handover Management
Exercise

Handover main objective
SEND CONNECTED MS TO TOWARD THE BEST CELL

ANOTHER CELL From a radio point of view
When needed: rescue/emergency power budget
handover
level
If useful: better cell handover
From a traffic point of view
less loaded target
From a dynamic point of view
MS speed
history of the call
From an operator point of view
1.87
Emergency intercell handovers:

These handovers are triggered when the call conditions deteriorate significantly in order to rescue the call. The
causes are: "too low quality" , "too low level", " too long MS-BS distance", too short MS-BS distance,
"consecutive bad SACCH frames", "level dropping under high threshold".
Better cell HO:

These handovers are triggered to improve the overall system traffic capacity. This spans: interference
reduction, signaling load reduction, traffic unbalance smoothing. The basic assumption for these handovers is
that they should respect the cell planning decided by the operator.
The causes are: "power budget" , "high level in neighbor lower layer cell for slow mobile", "high level in
neighbor cell in the preferred band" and traffic handover.

Principles
The BSC is analyzing averaged measurement results

active channel pre-processing (measurements
averaging and book-keeping)
To detect need/utility to handover

Handover detection process
To choose/rank target cells according to several criteria

Candidate cell evaluation process
To perform the handover

Handover management process
1.88

Functional entities
BTS BSC
HO Preparation
Radio Active
Link HO Candidate
Channel HO Detection
Measurements Cell Evaluation
Pre-processing
HO
management
HO
protocol
MSC
Assignment of HO functions in the ALCATEL BSS
1.89
The HO Preparation function can also be named "handover algorithms" as the algorithms described are the "heart" of
this function.
The ALCATEL handover preparation is derived from the basic algorithm found in Annex A of the GSM
Technical Specification 05.08.
The handover preparation is in charge of detecting a need for handover and proposing a list of target cells.
Therefore it can be divided into two processes: handover detection and handover candidate cell evaluation.
The handover detection process analyzes the radio measurements reported by the BTS and triggers the candidate cell
evaluation process each time a handover cause (emergency or better cell type) is fulfilled.
The handover candidate cell evaluation works out a list of possible candidate cells for the handover. This list is sorted
according to the evaluation of each cell as well as the layer they belong to (in a hierarchical network) and the frequency
band they use (in a multiband network).
Once the handover preparation is completed, the handover decision and execution (handover management entity) is
performed under the MSC or BSC control. The directed retry preparation is performed by the handover preparation
function.
Once the directed retry preparation is completed, the directed retry is performed either under the BSC control
(internal directed retry) or under the MSC control (external directed retry).
An example of implementation of these functions except for directed retry is given in the GSM Technical Specification
05.08.
The handover preparation requires indirectly input parameters provided by the function in charge of the radio link
measurements.
Most of the input data required by the handover functions are provided by a function called: Active channel pre-
processing.
The figure above depicts in a general way:
the interconnections between these functions,
the implementation of these functions in the ALCATEL BSS.

Handover causes detection
Based on the contents of the measurement results

The BSC is computing the need or utility to trigger a handover
HO causes 25, split into 2 main categories:

emergency handover
quality, level, distance, etc.
better cell handover
power budget, traffic, etc.
Some are specific to hierarchical and concentric architectures
1.90
The process is achieved in the BSC.

Each time a set of pre-processed (averaged) measurements is available, this process checks whether a handover is
needed. If the need for a handover is detected, the target cell evaluation process is triggered.
In case of a handover alarm, the handover detection process gives to the cell evaluation process:
the preferred target cell layer: lower, upper or none.
the raw candidate cell list, which can be either all neighbors, or the subset which verify the handover causes
(plus other specific cells in particular cases). With each cell is given one of the handover causes which have
been verified.
The cause of handover.
Four main handover categories are provided, depending on the cause of handover and the context of application. The
context of application for a handover is either "intercell" (the handover is performed between two different cells) or
"intracell" (the handover is performed in the same cell).
The detection of a need for handover is performed through handover causes which are going to be detailed.
The cause of handover is based either on a situation of emergency (this cause is therefore called "emergency cause")
or on the existence of better conditions. In this last case, the name of the cause depends on the context of application:
for intercell handovers, it is called "Better cell cause". For intracell handovers, it is called "Better zone cause", as it is
applied only in the case of interzone handovers in concentric or multiband cells.

B8 Handover causes
HO causes for standard networks
cause 2 : too low quality on the uplink Emergency HO
cause 3 : too low level on the uplink
cause 4 : too low quality on the downlink
cause 5 : too low level on the downlink
cause 6 : Too long distance between the MS and the BTS
cause 10 : too low level on the uplink in the inner zone
cause 11 : too low level on the downlink in the inner zone
cause 15 : high interference on the uplink (intracell HO)
cause 16 : high interference on the downlink (intracell HO)
cause 26 : AMR channel adaptation HO (HR to FR)
cause 24 : general capture Modified in B8
cause 12 : power budget evaluation
cause 23 : traffic Modified in B8
cause 13 : Outer zone level Uplink & Downlink
cause 27 : AMR channel adaptation HO (FR to HR)
cause 20 : forced directed retry
cause 28 : Fast traffic HO Better conditions HO
cause 29 : TFO HO 1.91
HO causes for Extended Cells:

Emergency causes
cause 22: too short MS-BTS distance
HO causes for hierarchical or multiband network:

Emergency causes
cause 7: consecutive bad SACCH frames received in a microcell
cause 17: too low level on the uplink in a microcell compared to a high threshold
cause 18: too low level on the downlink in a microcell compared to a high threshold
Better causes
cause 14: high level in neighbor lower layer cell for slow mobile
cause 21: high level in neighbor cell in the preferred band

Handover Cause 2: UL Quality
CAUSE 2: too low quality on the Uplink

QUAL
AV_RXQUAL_UL_HO > L_RXQUAL_UL_H + LEV
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
and AV_RXLEV_UL_HO <= RXLEV_UL_IH
and MS_TXPWR = min (P, MS_TXPWR_MAX)
and EN_RXQUAL_UL= ENABLE
Size of window for averaging quality: A_QUAL_HO

Size of window for averaging level: A_LEV_HO
1.92
Quality and Level causes (2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 16)

The aim of these causes is to keep the call going when the radio link is degrading otherwise the radio link failure might
be detected and the call released. These causes wait generally for the power control process to increase the BTS and
MS power to their maximum values, except for the causes specific to microcellular environment.
Handover on "too low level" is used to avoid situations where the interference level is low, while the attenuation is quite
high. These conditions may appear for example in big city streets which enable a line of sight propagation from the
BTS antenna. There is in this case a risk of abrupt quality degradation, if the MS moves away from the line of sight
street.
In case of simultaneous low-level and low-quality signals, an intercell handover is requested.

Handover Cause 3: UL Level
CAUSE 3: too low level on the uplink

QUAL
AV_RXQUAL_UL_HO <= L_RXQUAL_UL_H + LEV
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
and AV_RXLEV_UL_HO < L_RXLEV_UL_H
and MS_TXPWR = min (P, MS_TXPWR_MAX)
and EN_RXLEV_UL= ENABLE

1.93

Handover Cause 4: DL Quality
CAUSE 4: too low quality on the downlink

QUAL
AV_RXQUAL_DL_HO > L_RXQUAL_DL_H + LEV
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
and AV_RXLEV_DL_HO <= RXLEV_DL_IH
and BS_TXPWR = BS_TXPWR_MAX
and EN_RXQUAL_DL= ENABLE

1.94

Handover Cause 5: DL Level
CAUSE 5: too low level on the downlink

QUAL
AV_RXQUAL_DL_HO <= L_RXQUAL_DL_H + LEV
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
AV_RXLEV_DL_HO < L_RXLEV_DL_H
BS_TXPWR = BS_TXPWR_MAX
and EN_RXLEV_DL= ENABLE

1.95

Handover Cause 6: Distance
CAUSE 6: Too long distance between the MS and the BTS
AV_RANGE_HO > U_TIME_ADVANCE

and EN_DIST_HO= ENABLE
Size of window for distance averaging: A_RANGE_HO
1.96
This cause is used when a dominant cell provides a lot of scattered coverages inside other cells, due to propagation
conditions of the operational network. The consequence of these spurious coverages is the probable production of a
high level of co-channel interference.
This cause is different from the others as it is more preventive. It does not make use of the propagation conditions of a
call. It just does not allow an MS to talk to a BTS if it is too far away.
It may happen for example that some peculiar propagation conditions exist at one point in time that provide exceptional
quality and level although the serving BTS is far and another is closer and should be the one the mobile should be
connected to if the conditions were normal.
It may then happen that these exceptional conditions suddenly drop and the link is lost, which would not have
happened if the mobile had been connected to the closest cell. So for these reasons, this cause does not wait for the
power control to react.

Handover algorithms for concentric cells
Emergency handovers specific to concentric cells

Intracell handovers from inner to outer zone
cause 10: too low level on the uplink in inner zone
cause 11: too low level on the downlink in inner zone
May be triggered
From inner zone of a concentric cell
Towards outer zone, same cell
OUTER INNER
1.97

Handover algorithms for concentric cells: cause 10
CAUSE 10: too low level on the uplink in the inner zone
AV_RXLEV_UL_HO < RXLEV_UL_ZONE

and MS_TXPWR = min (P, MS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER)
Averaging window: A_LEV_HO
1.98

Handover algorithms for concentric cells: cause 11
CAUSE 11: too low level on the downlink in the inner zone
AV_RXLEV_DL_HO < RXLEV_DL_ZONE

and BS_TXPWR = BS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER
Averaging window: A_LEV_HO
1.99

Handover algorithms for concentric cells: cause 13 (1/6)
CAUSE 13: too high level on UL and DL in the outer zone

Better condition intracell handover
If the cell is a multi-band cell, cause 13 is checked only for multi-band
MSs
May be triggered
From outer zone of a concentric cell
Towards inner zone, same cell
OUTER INNER
1.100

CAUSE 13: too high level on UL and DL in the outer zone

AV_RXLEV_UL_HO > RXLEV_UL_ZONE +
+ ZONE_HO_HYST_UL +
+ (MS_TXPWR - MS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER) +
+ PING_PONG_MARGIN(0,call_ref)
and AV_RXLEV_DL_HO > RXLEV_DL_ZONE +
+ ZONE_HO_HYST_DL +
+ (BS_TXPWR - BS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER) +
+ PING_PONG_MARGIN(0,call_ref)
and AV_RXLEV_NCELL_BIS(n) <= neighbour_RXLEV(0,n)
and EN_CAUSE_13 = ENABLE (B7)
and EN_BETTER_ZONE_HO = ENABLE
Averaging windows: A_LEV_HO and A_PBGT_HO (for n)
1.101

ZONE_HO_HYST_UL
UL static hysteresis for interzone HO from outer to inner
In case of multi-band cell, should take into account the difference of
propagation between GSM and DCS
Added to cause 10 threshold RXLEV_UL_ZONE
ZONE_HO_HYST_DL
DL static hysteresis for interzone HO from outer to inner
In case of multi-band cell, should take into account the difference of
propagation between GSM and DCS and the difference of BTS
transmission power in the two bands
Added to cause 11 threshold RXLEV_DL_ZONE
1.102

PING_PONG_MARGIN(0,call_ref)
Penalty PING_PONG_HCP put on cause 13 if
The immediately preceding zone in which the call has been is the
inner zone of the serving cell
And The last handover was not external intracell
And T_HCP is still running
PING_PONG_MARGIN(0,call_ref) = 0
If the call was not previously in servings inner zone
Or T_HCP has expired
OUTER INNER
1.103

neighbour_RXLEV(0,n) INNER zone

interferer 2
INNER zone
interferer 1
OUTER INNER ?
Concentric cells are designed to create an INNER zone

protected from external interferers
and creating no interferences on other cells
to be able to face more aggressive frequency reuse in INNER
zone TRXs
neighbour_RXLEV(0,n) tuning enables to avoid handovers if
the MS position will lead to interferences
the condition is checked towards all neighbor cells belonging
to the same layer and band than the serving cell
1.104

EN_CAUSE_13
Load balance between inner and outer zones may be allowed
by setting EN_LOAD_BALANCE = ENABLE
If EN_LOAD_BALANCE = ENABLE
If INNER zone is less loaded than OUTER,
EN_CAUSE_13 = ENABLE
If INNER zone is more loaded than OUTER,
EN_CAUSE_13 = DISABLE
If EN_LOAD_BALANCE = DISABLE
EN_CAUSE_13 = ENABLE
1.105

Outgoing intercell handovers from concentric Cell
Outgoing intercell handovers from concentric cells

As explained here before, the MS located in a
concentric cell can make intercell, emergency or
better condition HO regardless their current zone
For example, an MS located in the INNER zone of a
concentric cell can make directly a HO cause 12 towards
another cell, WITHOUT having to trigger any cause 10 or
11 to the OUTER zone before
1.106
The only restrictions are linked to EN_MULTI-BAND_PBGT_HO and EN_BI-BAND_MS parameters.

Incoming intercell handovers towards a Concentric Cell (1/2)
Incoming intercell handovers towards a concentric cell

In case an MS is making an incoming handover towards a
concentric cell (due to outer PBGT measurements,etc.), a
TCH may be allocated
either in the INNER or in the OUTER zone, as for call setup
depending on radio conditions
In case of a multi-band cell, if the MS is not multi-band, it will always be
sent to the OUTER zone
OUTER INNER ?
?
1.107

Incoming intercell handovers towards a Concentric Cell (2/2)
Use part of Handover cause 13 algorithm on each potential target

IF Cell(n) is external
The MS is directed to the OUTER zone of (n)
ELSE (cell(n) is internal)
IF
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) > RXLEV_DL_ZONE + ZONE_HO_HYST_DL +
+ (BS_TXPWR - BS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER)
and EN_BETTER_ZONE_HO = ENABLE
The MS is directed towards the INNER zone
ELSE
The MS is directed towards the OUTER zone
1.108

Handover Cause 12: Power Budget (1/11)
CAUSE 12: Power budget

Decision based mainly on comparison of serving and
neighbor cells for:
downlink level of serving and neighbor cells
maximum emitting level of MS
Aiming at decreasing UL & DL emitted power
Should be the normal handover type

no matter of emergency
1.109
In this case, there is another cell with a better power budget i.e., the link quality can be improved or maintained with a
reduced transmit power of both the MS and the BTS. The radio link is not degraded but there is the opportunity to
decrease the overall interference level by changing the serving cell of the given MS.
In conjunction with power control, it presents the advantage to keep the interference as low as possible, since it
minimizes the path loss between the BTS and the MS.
This cause is especially designed to cope with the requirement that the mobile should be connected with the cell with
which the lowest possible output powers are used. To assess which of the cells is this "best cell", the algorithm
performs every measurement reporting period the comparison of the path loss in the current and in the neighbor cell.
This is a feature special to GSM which is made possible because the mobile measures the adjacent cell signal levels
and reports the six best ones.
This power budget gives the difference in path loss between the current cell and the adjacent cells reported by the
mobile.
When PBGT(n) is greater than 0, then the path loss from cell n is less than the path loss from the serving cell and thus
the radiated power in the downlink direction, and therefore in the uplink direction as well, will be lower in cell n than in
the current cell.
However it would not be advisable to hand over the MS to another cell as soon as PBGT is greater than 0, because the
MS would probably oscillate between the two adjacent cells as the propagation conditions vary. An hysteresis
mechanism is implemented to avoid this undesirable effect.
No PBGT between different layers.

Ok between different bands if EN_INTERBAND_PBGT_HO = 1

CAUSE 12: Power budget equation
PBGT(n) = AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) - AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO

- (BS_TXPWR_MAX AV_BS_TXPWR_HO)
- (MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) MS_TXPWR_MAX)
- PING_PONG_MARGIN(n, call_ref)
1.110
The MS may be handed over from the serving cell indexed 0 to a neighbor cell indexed n only if the power budget
exceeds the handover Margin(0,n). The handover Margin(0,n) can be modified according to the traffic situation in the
serving cell and the neighbor cell n. In this way, power budget handover can be delayed towards a loaded cell and
traffic load handover can be triggered from a loaded cell. Once the MS is handed over, the same algorithm is applied in
the new cell, and a new PBGT is computed (which will be close to the opposite value of PBGT in the old cell) and
compared to a new HOMargin. (Thus, the global hysteresis (from cell 0 to cell n and back to cell 0) is the sum of the
two HOMargins).
However, It is still possible that a ping-pong mechanism is created by different handover causes, for instance a
handover may be triggered towards a neighbor cell for bad quality, but in the neighbor cell, a handover back may be
triggered for power budget reasons. In order to avoid this, an additional anti-ping-pong mechanism is implemented in
the power budget calculation. It enables to penalize for a certain time the cell on which the call has been before.
In case of handover from SDCCH to SDCCH, this cause does not take the traffic situation into account.
In multiband cell environment, the mobile can operate in a different band than the frequency band of the BCCHs. This
can lead to circular ping-pong handovers from the inner zone if the new band is DCS 1800 or to the impossibility to
trigger PBGT handovers from the inner zone if the preferred band is GSM 900.
To avoid this problem, when the MS is in the inner zone of a multiband cell, it may be handed over from the serving cell
indexed 0 to a neighbor multiband cell indexed n only if the power budget exceeds the handover Margin(0,n) plus the
offset handover margin which allows to handicap or favor the PBGT (In the inner zone, the cause power budget is
only checked between multiband cells, in a way to maintain the MS in the preferred band).
The offset handover margin can possibly be used in concentric cells.

PBGT(n) = AV_RXLEV_N CELL(n) AV_RXLEV_P BGT_HO
CAUSE 12: Power budget (BS_TXPWR_ MAX AV_BS_TXPW R_HO )
(MS_TXPWR_ MAX(n) MS_TWXPWR_ MAX)
PING_PONG_ MARGIN(n, call_ref)
AV_RXLEV_NCELL
received level of BCCH of neighbor cell
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO
received level of serving cell (BCCH or not)
AV_RXLEV_NCELL - AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO
the highest is the best neighbor cell
but serving might not be at the maximum level (with DL
power control)
necessity to have a corrective factor
1.111
BCCH = AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) - (AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO + C)

with C = BS_TXPWR_MAX - AV_BS_TXPWR_HO.
This corresponds to the difference of received BCCH signal levels.
A correction factor C is taken into account for the serving cell, because the received signal level (i.e.
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO) may not be measured on BCCH.

BS_TXPWR_MAX AV_BS_TXPWR_HO
BS_TXPWR_MAX are attenuations, not absolute level

= (bts_max_power+BS_TXPWR_MAX) -
(bts_max_power+AV_BS_TXPWR_HO)
AV_BS_TXPWR_HO: average of BS_POWER over A_PBGT_HO
measurements
corrective factor used to compensate for the fact that the serving
cell may not emit at the maximum level
AV_RXLEV_NCELL-[AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO+(BS_TXPWR_MAX-
AV_BS_TXPWR_HO)]
compare received level of neighbor and serving cells as if the
serving one was emitting at the maximum level
1.112

MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)
maximum emitting power for the MS in neighbor cell n
MS_TXPWR_MAX
maximum emitting power for the MS in the serving cell
MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) - MS_TXPWR_MAX
Corrective factor to compensate for the difference of maximum power of
each cell
MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) - MS_TXPWR_MAX = bts_max_power(n) -
bts_max_power
which should be the case if delta_path_loss is equilibrated
if not exact, can be corrected with HO_MARGIN(0,n)
1.113
Then, another correction factor must be taken into account because the maximum BS powers of the serving and
neighbor cells may be different:
TXPWR= MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) - MS_TXPWR_MAX.
As the first step of calculation is based on the downlink parameters, this correction factor should be based on the
maximum BS powers used in the serving and neighbor cells.
Two reasons (which are not completely de-correlated) for not using the BS powers can be envisaged:
for a given cell, the GSM does not specify formally the maximum BS power of the neighbor cells. Only
BS_TXPWR_MAX is defined (it is sent on the air interface),
it is not easy for the evaluating BSC to know the maximum BS powers of the neighbor cells.
The use of the maximum MS powers requires that the difference of MS powers is equal to the difference of BS powers.
This condition is met in most cases. If it is not the case, the difference can be corrected by the operator with the
HO_MARGIN(0,n) parameter (HO hysteresis).
PBGT >0: the neighbor cell is more advantageous as the path loss is lower than in the current cell.
PBGT <0: the serving cell is more advantageous than the current cell.

Hysteresis to avoid ping-pong HO
Static hysteresis defined for each couple of cells:

HO_MARGIN (0,n)
can also be used to correct delta_path_loss
Dynamic penalty for call coming from cell n:

ping_pong_margin(n,call_ref)
penalty applied during a limited duration: T_HCP
not used if call arrived with a forced directed retry
penalty defined on a cell basis
1.114
The main drawback of this handover category is the risk of "ping-pong " effect, which is an oscillating back and forth
handover between two (or three) cells. As the "better cell" handovers are meant to find the "best cell", the variation of
the radio conditions will trigger a big amount of better cell handovers, if the algorithms have a too sensitive reaction.
Hence, some mechanisms are forecast, in order to prevent these oscillations from occurring repeatedly at given places.
PING_PONG_MARGIN(n,call_ref) is a penalty put on the cell n if:

it is the immediately precedent cell on which the call has been,
this cell belongs to the same BSC as the serving cell,
the call has not performed a forced directed retry towards the serving cell,
less than T_HCP seconds have elapsed since the last handover.
In this case PING_PONG_MARGIN(n,call_ref) = PING_PONG_HCP
If the call was not precedently on cell n, or if the preceding cell was external, or if the call has just performed a forced
directed retry, or if the timer T_HCP has expired,
then PING_PONG_MARGIN(n,call_ref) = 0

Case 3:
ping_pong_margin example Not a ping-pong case
OK with ping_pong_margin
Case 2: and T_HCP
ping-pong in normal case
OK with ping_pong_margin
Case 1: OK
1.115
This chart shows the efficiency of the anti-ping_pong mechanism.

But, never forget that anti-ping-pong mechanism distorts the serving areas of the cells.
This is why interference problems might occur when enabling this mechanism. Tuning PING_PONG_HCP parameter is
thus very important.
Warning: this mechanism is not applied for emergency handovers (new mechanism in B7 exists for capture HO, based
on T_INHIBIT_CPT timer).

If EN_TRAFFIC_HO(0,n)=ENABLE
Then PBGT(n) > HO_MARGIN(0,n) + OFFSET_HO_MARGIN_INNER
+ max(0, DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n))
(n=1BTSnum)
Else PBGT(n) > HO _MARGIN(0,n) + OFFSET_HO_MARGIN_INNER
AND AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO RXLEV_LIMIT_PBGT_HO
AND EN_PBGT_HO = ENABLE
Size of window for level averaging: A_PBGT_HO

1.116
Cause 12 HO is correlated with HO cause 23. This is why there are two equations according to the activation of HO
cause 23 (EN_TRAFFIC_HO).

Mechanism to avoid PBGT HO if the level from the serving cell is high enough
RXLEV_LIMIT_PBGT_HO: threshold above which it is not necessary to trigger a
handover on power budget
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO: average of the received levels over A_PBGT_HO measurements
Specific to particular algorithms (not mentioned in this course)

OFFSET_HO_MARGIN_INNER: offset which allows to take into account the radio
differences between outer and inner zones (especially in
case of multi-band cells)
1.117
RXLEV_LIMIT_PBGT_HO: Dense Network Handover Regulator features

The feature aims at optimizing the better cell handovers, especially in the microcellular environment.
In very dense networks, there is a lot of overlapping between adjacent cells: a better cell handover will be realized very
often. Since B6, the Alcatel BSS tunes the number of handovers performed to the accurate need by taking into account
the level received by the serving cell.
Therefore, the best trade-off between quality of speech and intempestive handovers is achieved.
Why?
Especially in microcellular environment (where cell radius is smaller), the better cell HO (based on Power
Budget) is likely to be performed at a high rate to the detriment of the quality.
But it is necessary to maintain the better cell HO.
How?
With a modification of the power budget triggering cause.
Principles:
HO cause 12 (Power Budget HO) is modified and takes into account the received downlink level of the serving
cell (new criterion): if the received level is high enough, there is no need to perform an HO.
Consequence:
Less HOs when the number of overlapping cells is high.
W/O B6 WITH B6

Specific to traffic considerations

DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n): evaluated according to the traffic situation of the
serving cell and the neighbor cell n (Traffic_load(n)) in the following way:
If Traffic_load(0) = high and Traffic_load(n) = low,
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) = - DELTA_DEC_HO_margin
If Traffic_load(0) = low and Traffic_load(n) = high,
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) = DELTA_INC_HO_margin
Else
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) = 0
Philosophy
This mechanism aims at penalizing cause 12 detection when the
traffic in the serving cell is low and is high in the cell n.
1.118
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) is evaluated according to the traffic situation of the serving cell and the neighbor cell n
(Traffic_load(n)) in the following way:
If Traffic_load(0)=high and Traffic_load(n)=low
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n)= -DELTA_DEC_HO_margin
If Traffic_load(0)=low and Traffic_load(n)=high
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n)= DELTA_INC_HO_margin
else DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n)=0
where DELTA_DEC_HO_margin allows the cause 23 (traffic handover) detection.
When the traffic in the serving cell is high and is low in the cell n:
DELTA_INC_HO_margin allows to penalize the cause 12 detection when the traffic in the serving cell is low
and is high in the cell n.
Note:
In the case of concentric or multiband cells, if the channel is in the inner zone (ZONE_TYPE = INNER),
BS_TXPWR_MAX and MS_TXPWR_MAX in equation must be replaced by BS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER and
MS_TXPWR_MAX_INNER respectively.
If the channel is in the outer zone (ZONE_TYPE = OUTER), the formulation of equation is not changed.
Note: The value of PBGT(n) is calculated every SACCH period for each neighbor cell n whose measures are kept in the
book-keeping list.

Traffic_load() is a function managed for every cell of a BSC

Traffic_load() can have three values:
high: cell is loaded
low: cell is unloaded
indefinite: cell is neither loaded nor unloaded
Traffic_load() value is modified according to the long term traffic
evaluation algorithm using the following parameters:
A_TRAFFIC_LOAD, N_TRAFFIC_LOAD,
HIGH_TRAFFIC_LOAD, IND_TRAFFIC_LOAD,
LOW_TRAFFIC_LOAD: can be modified per cell
TCH_INFO_PERIOD: cannot be modified Annex 3
1.119
TCH_INFO_PERIOD = 5s period used by the BSC to count the number of free TCHs.

B8 Handover Cause 23: Traffic (1/2)
CAUSE 23: Traffic Handover
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) < 0dB
AND PBGT(n) > HO_MARGIN(0,n) + OFFSET_HO_MARGIN_INNER

+ DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) (n=1BTSnum)
AND EN_TRAFFIC_HO(0,n) = ENABLE
Size of window for level averaging: A_PBGT_HO

New condition for multiband cells in B8 (see comments)
1.120
The principle of this handover is to reduce the size of the serving cell when it is high-loaded relatively to a low-loaded
cell.
When the mobile moves away from the BTS, the power budget will increase and a better cell handover will be triggered
earlier.
It is recommended to inhibit Traffic handover towards 1-TRX cells. These cells do not have enough resources to
receive incoming handovers due to congestion of neighbor cells. Moreover because of the great variation of traffic in
the 1-TRX cells, traffic load is never considered as low.
This cause is inhibited for handover from SDCCH to SDCCH.
Cause 23 is checked over all the neighboring cells belonging to the same layer. It means that it is checked between
cells whose CELL_LAYER_TYPE is single or upper, between cells whose CELL_LAYER_TYPE is lower, and between
cells whose CELL_LAYER_TYPE is indoor.
In addition to the condition on the cell layer type, the cell frequency band condition for checking Cause 23 is as follows
whether or not the MS is in the inner zone of a multi-band cell:
a) The MS is not in the inner zone of a multi-band cell
If the flag EN_MULTI-BAND_PBGT_HO is set to disabled, Cause 23 must not be checked between
cells which use different frequency bands (i.e cells having different CELL_BAND_TYPE).
If the flag EN_MULTI-BAND_PBGT_HO is set to enabled, Cause 23 will be checked over all the
neighboring cells without any cell frequency band restriction.
b) The MS is in the inner zone of a multi-band cell
If the flag EN_MULTI-BAND_PBGT_HO is set to disabled, Cause 23 is checked over all the
neighboring cell multi-band cells (FREQUENCY_RANGE= PGSM-DCS1800 or EGSM-DCS1800) which
belong to the same BSC as the serving cell.
If the flag EN_MULTI-BAND_PBGT_HO is set to enabled, Cause 23 will be checked over all the
neighboring cells without any cell frequency band restriction.

B8 Handover Cause 23: Traffic (2/2)
CAUSE 23: Traffic Handover

DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) computation is already described in Cause
12 HO
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) < 0dB means that
The serving cell is loaded
The target cell is unloaded
PBGT(n) > HO_MARGIN(0,n) + OFFSET_HO_MARGIN_INNER
+ DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n) (n=1BTSnum)
This constraint is less discriminative than Cause 12
In specific traffic distribution, this cause is triggered before cause
12
1.121

B8 Handover Cause 12 & 23 interworking
Cause 12 & 23: A dynamic way to handle traffic load
1.122
The figure represents the triggering areas of PBGT and traffic handovers according to the traffic load in the serving cell
and in the neighbor cell.

Directed Retry principles
Directed Retry is:

an SDCCH to TCH intercell handover
Triggered during call setup procedure
If the serving cell is completely congested, the MS is allocated an
SPCCH
If no TCH is available, the MS is queued
Under certain conditions, the MS obtains TCH in another cell
SDCCH-TCH handover on:
better condition or emergency causes = Directed Retry
cause 20 = Forced Directed Retry
Internal and External Directed Retries are possible (since B6.2)
1.123

Directed Retry
Directed Retry
Set on a per cell basis with parameter EN_DR
Same behavior as TCH HO
Intercell handover causes are checked (i.e. all HO causes

except 10, 11 and 13 (concentric cells) and causes 15 and
16 (intracell HO))
candidate cell evaluation process: same as for TCH HO
1.124

Forced Directed Retry: cause 20
CAUSE 20: Forced Directed Retry
AV_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) > L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n)

And EN_FORCED_DR = ENABLE
EN_FORCED_DR value is only relevant if EN_DR = true
AV_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) is calculated with A_PBGT_DR window
if less than A_PBGT_DR samples are available, the average value is

calculated with the available samples and the averaging window is filled
in with -110 dBm
1.125

FDR: Candidate cell evaluation
Pre-ranking
using PREF_LAYER, PRIORITY(0,n), frequency band
Filtering process
AV_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) > RXLEVmin(n)
+max(0,MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) - P)
Number of free TCHs t(n) > FREElevel_DR(n)
Remaining cells are sorted according their PBGT_DR(n)

(averaging window A_PBGT_DR)
PBGT_DR(n) = AV_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) - AV_RXLEV_PBGT_DR
- (BS_TXPWR_MAX - BS_TXPWR)
- (MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) - MS_TXPWR_MAX)
1.126

FDR: parameters
L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n): level required in the neighbor cell n

The parameter considered is the one set in the neighbor
cell
The default value depends on network architecture
See next slide
Freelevel_DR(n): number of free TCH channels required in the
neighbor cell n
The parameter considered is the one set in the neighbor
cell
Default value = 0 to 4 TCHs (linked to the nb of TRXs)
A_PBGT_DR: Averaging window
Default value = 4 SACCHs
1.127

B8 Cause 24: general capture
CAUSE 24: general capture

capture handover
Modified in B8:Inhibition of capture handovers for Single layer
serving cell
May be triggered
From all cells
Towards all cells except serving
Can be used to capture traffic by any cell, whatever its type, band,
etc.
1.128

B8 Cause 24: general capture
CAUSE 24: general capture
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) > L_RXLEV_CPT_HO(0,n) +

max (0, [MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) - P])
and Traffic_load(0) = CAPTURE_TRAFFIC_CONDITION
and Traffic_load(n) HIGH
and EN_GENERAL_CAPTURE_HO = ENABLE
Size of window for averaging level: A_PBGT_HO

CAPTURE_TRAFFIC_CONDITION can take 3 values:
ANY_LOAD (default), HIGH, NOT_LOW
Anti ping-pong: not checked if T_INHIBIT_CPT is running
new in B8 for single layer
1.129
Case the serving cell is in the upper or single layer (CELL_LAYER_TYPE(n0) = upper or single):
Condition 1: The immediately preceding cell n-1 is in the indoor or lower layer, i.e. CELL_LAYER_TYPE(n1) =
lower or indoor, or the frequency band of the immediately preceding cell n-1 is different from the frequency band of
the serving cell n0, i.e. CELL_BAND_TYPE(n1) <> CELL_BAND_TYPE(n0).
Condition 2: The call has previously performed i) an emergency internal handover on quality (Cause 2, 4, and 7)
towards the serving cell or ii) an external handover with the A interface GSM cause uplink quality or downlink
quality and there is a bi-directional adjacency link between the preceding external cell n-1and the serving cell n0.
If Conditions 1 and 2 are fulfilled the timer T_INHIBIT_CPT is started

Handover Cause 28: Fast Traffic HO (1/4)
CAUSE 28: Fast Traffic HO

Push out of a cell a mobile in dedicated mode to allow a queued
request to be served in the serving cell
Complement the current traffic HO (Cause 23), for sudden traffic
peaks (no averaging window used)
More efficient where the overlap of adjacent cells is reduced
New call attempt Most appropriate MS
to be pushed out
HO
Congested cell
Upper Layer Cell

New call attempt
O
H
Most appropriated MS
to be pushed out
1.130
AV_RXLEV_NCELL( n) > L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR( n) + max(0,[MS_TXPWR_MAX( n)-P])

The threshold L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) is the observed level from the neighbor cell n at the border of
the area where fast traffic handovers are enabled. This threshold fixes the size of the overlapping area
where fast traffic handovers can be performed. It should be greater than RXLEVmin(n).
And t(n) > FREElevel_DR(n)
FREElevel_DR(n) is the minimum threshold of free TCHs in the neighbor cell n for forced directed retry
and fast traffic handover.
t(n) is the absolute number of free (dual rate) TCHs in the neighbor cell n.
For external cells, t( n) is fixed to the arbitrary value t(n) = 255. Therefore, setting FREElevel_DR(n) to
255 for an external cell inhibits outgoing external fast traffic handover towards this cell. Setting
FREElevel_DR(n) to any other value will allow outgoing external fast traffic handover towards this cell.
EN_CAUSE_28 = enable
The flag EN_CAUSE_28 is not an OMC flag but a HOP flag.

CAUSE 28: Fast Traffic Handover
Cause 28 is only checked if the channel of the candidate MS can

support the channel rate (HR or FR) required by the queued request:
QUEUED R EQUEST C ANDID ATE MS
HR
HR or
FR on dual rate TR X
FR FR (whatever the TR X type)
HO is triggered when a request is queued at the top of the queue
1.131

CAUSE 28: Fast Traffic Handover equation
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) > L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) +

max(0,[MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)-P])
AND t(n) > FREElevel_DR(n)
AND EN_CAUSE_28 = ENABLE
AND EN_FAST_TRAFFIC_HO = ENABLE
Size of window for averaging level: A_PBGT_DR
Same thresholds and window as Cause 20 (Forced Directed

Retry)
EN_CAUSE_28 is an internal HOP process variable
1.132

CAUSE 28: Fast Traffic Handover process
Resource Handover Handover

Allocation Preparation Management
Management Fast Traffic HO Request
Assignment request queued
Queued request reference
EN_CAUSE_28=enable
Channel rate of queued request
HO alarm NO
Cause 28?
Fast Traffic HO Acknowledge YES

Queued request reference
Request still Reference of MS can perform HO
queued? EN_CAUSE_28=disable
Start HO
Cause number (28) Check first 2 OK
conditions of
NO YES Reference of the call to handover Cause 28
END NOK T_FILTER is started
(which corresponds to the first
candidate MS received)
END
1.133
HO cause 28 process:
If EN_FAST_TRAFFIC_HO = enable, when an assignment request (or external emergency HO request) is
queued, the RAM process sends to the HOP process a Fast Traffic HO request which contains the queued
request reference and its channel rate.
Then, HO cause 28 becomes checkable (EN_CAUSE_28=enable).
Once an HO alarm for cause 28 is triggered, the flag EN_CAUSE_28 is set to disable so as not to perform
more than one handover. In the same time, the HOP process gets back to the RAM process a Fast Traffic HO
Acknowledge which contains the queued request reference and the reference of the MS that can perform HO.
If several answers are sent to the RAM process, only the first one corresponding to the queued request is taken
into account.
The RAM process checks if the request is still queued. If that is so, the RAM process asks the HOP
process to start HO for this mobile; otherwise the process is stopped.
Once the HOP process receives this message, the first two conditions of Cause 28 (good enough level, enough
free resources in the target cell) are checked one more time. If the conditions are fulfilled, the HOP process
sends an alarm to the HOM entity and the timer T_FILTER is started ; otherwise the process is stopped.
Note: the first two conditions of cause 28 are tested twice in order to be sure that the candidate cells are still valid when the
cause 28 start HO message is received from the RAM process.

Handover Cause 15: UL Interference
CAUSE 15: High interference on the uplink

Intracell HO
AV_RXQUAL_UL_HO > THR_RXQUAL_CAUSE_15 +
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
AND AV_RXLEV_UL_HO > RXLEV_UL_IH
AND [ no previous intracell handover for this connection
failed
OR EN_INTRACELL_REPEATED = ENABLE ]
1.134
THR_RXQUAL_CAUSE_15 and EN_CAUSE_15 are not parameters but variables defined just after.
In B7:
New causes (26 & 27) introduced due to AMR support
Cause 26 is an emergency condition:
Intracell HO: speech codec from AMR-HR to AMR-FR
Cause 27 is a better condition
Intracell HO: speech codec from AMR-FR to AMR-HR
Causes 15 & 16 are modified due to AMR support
Specifics enablers and thresholds for AMR calls
AMR emergency HO (cause 26) is triggered if cause 15 or 16 has already been triggered
Cause 29 is created for intracell handover due to TFO
Codec sharing and optimization for MTM calls

Handover Cause 15: DL Interference
CAUSE 16: High interference on the downlink
Intracell HO
AV_RXQUAL_DL_HO > THR_RXQUAL_CAUSE_16 +
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
AND AV_RXLEV_DL_HO > RXLEV_DL_IH
AND [ no previous intracell handover for this connection
failed
OR EN_INTRACELL_REPEATED = ENABLE ]
1.135
THR_RXQUAL_CAUSE_16 and EN_CAUSE_16 are not parameters but variables defined after.

New parameters for causes 15 & 16
CAUSE 15 and CAUSE 16:

THR_RXQUAL_CAUSE_15 (or 16) and EN_CAUSE_15 (or
16) are specific to HOP
THR_RXQUAL_CAUSE_15 (or 16) =
L_RXQUAL_XX_H for a non AMR call (same threshold
as CAUSE 2 or CAUSE 4)
L_RXQUAL_XX_H_AMR for an AMR call
EN_ CAUSE _15 (or 16) =
EN_INTRA_XX for a non AMR call
EN_INTRA_XX_AMR for an AMR call
1.136
XX = UL or DL
For a non AMR call, the thresholds used are identical to the ones used for CAUSE 2 and CAUSE 4.
In this case and if EN_INTRACELL_REPEATED = DISABLE, when aN HO CAUSE 15 (or 16) fails, it can be modified
as UPLINK (or DOWLINK) QUALITY, HO CAUSE 2 (respectively HO CAUSE 4).

Adaptive Multi-rate codec (AMR)
Principles:
Two consecutive encodings: speech coding and channel
coding
With current codecs, the share of each coding is FIXED

(not optimized)
13 Kbit/s (FR) 22.8 Kbit/s (FR TS)

12.2 Kbit/s (EFR)
5.6 Kbit/s (HR) 11.4 Kbit/s (HR TS)
Audio Speech coding Channel coding Radio

Speech information Speech protection
useful part against degradation
1.137
Speech coding contains speech information (the useful part).

Channel coding protects speech information (against radio degradations).
The main speech codec currently used in GSM networks, speech Full Rate, is quite old. It has been specified more
than 10 years ago. Around 1992, to increase network capacity, GSM has specified a half rate speech codec. But this
codec showed strong limitations in terms of speech quality, especially for mobile to mobile calls (double transcoding
degrades very much the speech quality of the half rate codec) and under poor radio conditions.
Recently, studies on AMR have been launched to provide a solution to:

Increase speech quality in full rate and half rate,
Increase network capacity by offering a good half rate solution,
Use a long-term solution, to avoid adding more and more codecs handled independently from the others.

AMR: codec and channel adaptation
AMR uses a variable balance between speech coding and

channel coding (CODEC Mode Adaptation)
12.2
10.2
7.95
7.4 22.8 Kbit/s (FR TS)
6.7
11.4 Kbit/s (HR TS)
5.9 AMR HR 7.95 not supported
5.15
4.75
Audio Speech coding Channel coding Radio
Variable speech Variable channel
coding rate coding rate
Choice between FR and HR Codecs: Channel Mode

Adaptation
1.138
In order to adapt the intermediate rate, a set of speech codecs has been defined by ETSI to be used by AMR:
When radio conditions are good, increases speech information.
When radio conditions are bad, protects speech information.
Full Rate: Alcatel implementation is fully compliant with GSM recommendations. All these AMR FR codec modes are
supported. In particular, the Alcatel BSS has implemented the 7.95, 5.9 and 4.75 codec modes which use polynomials
of constraint length 7 to ensure a high protection.
Half Rate: Alcatel implementation supports 5 out of 6 AMR HR codec modes (AMR HR 7.95 is not supported) which
are fully compliant with GSM recommendations. In particular, the Alcatel BSS has implemented the 4.75 codec mode
which uses polynomials of constraint length 7 to ensure a high protection.
During a call, only a subset out of these 8 codecs is used. The subset can include from 1 to 4 codecs. It is up to the
operator to define its own codec subset. In particular, he can define a codec subset limited to the common codec
modes supported by all the BSSs of its network (some BSSs may not be able to support all of them due to
implementability problems).
The codec subset defined by the operator is the same in the uplink and in the downlink.
Codec Mode adaptation:

dynamic change from one codec to another, using the same channel (FR or HR).
metric used: C/I (Carrier over interference ratio).
Channel Mode adaptation:
change from one FR channel to an HR one and vice-versa independently from the codec mode.
metric used: RX_QUAL uplink and downlink.

AMR codec adaptation objective
Based on adaptive trade-off between the share of

throughput given to speech coding and the one given to
channel coding (speech protection)
Depends on radio conditions estimated in real-time
Medium radio Bad radio Good radio

conditions conditions conditions
Speech coding = speech information

Channel coding = speech protection
1.139
The AMR principle is to have a set of codecs and, for any radio conditions, to use the one with the best speech quality.
Under good radio conditions, a codec with a high bit rate is used. Speech is encoded with more information so
the quality is better. In the channel coding, only little place is left for redundancy.
Under poor radio conditions, a codec with a low bit rate is chosen. Speech is encoded with less information, but
this information can be well protected due to redundancy in the channel coding.
The BSS adapts dynamically the codec in uplink direction and in downlink direction, taking into account the C/I
measured by the BTS (for uplink adaptation) and by the MS (for downlink adaptation).
The codec used in the uplink and used in the downlink can be different: the adaptation is independent in each direction.
This permits to use an optimal codec for each C/I value of each direction, as indicated in the figure below.
Speech
Quality
[dBQ]
or
[MOS]
High bit rate (for example 12.2 kbit/s: EFR)

Medium bit rate (for example 7.95 kbit/s)
Low bit rate (for example 5.90 kbit/s)
AMR-FR with codec subset (12.2, 7.95, 5.90)
C/I [dB]

AMR: codec mode adaptation (1/3)
Codec mode adaptation

Only a subset out of these codecs can be used
This subset may include from 1 to 4 codecs
The same codec subset is used for both the Uplink and the
Downlink
Uplink codec mode adaptation:
For each SACCH frame, the BTS compares C/I value to
the threshold corresponding to the current codec
(belonging to the codec subset defined by the operator)
Downlink codec mode adaptation:
Same process as uplink adaptation
Nevertheless, the BTS remains the master
Unrelated processes uplink and downlink codecs may be
different at a given time
1.140

AMR codec mode adaptation (2/3)
The Codec mode can be modified on one frame out of two (CMI / CMC-CMR).
Decision based on thresholds (OMC-R settable), for the uplink and the
downlink C/Inorm
High
CODEC_MODE_4
(less robust)
AMR_FR_THR_3 + AMR_FR_HYST
AMR_FR_THR_3
CODEC_MODE_3
AMR_FR_THR_2
CODEC_MODE_2
AMR_FR_THR_1
CODEC_MODE_1
(most robust)
Low
1.141

AMR: codec mode adaptation (3/3)
Codec mode adaptation

MS BTS TC
Uplink adaptation
C/I evaluation & thresholds
comparison
Codec Mode Command

(new codec mode)
Codec Mode Indication

(new codec mode) Codec Mode Indication
(new codec mode)
Downlink adaptation
MS BTS TC
C/I evaluation &

thresholds comparison
Codec Mode Request

(new codec mode) Codec Mode Request
(new codec mode)
Codec Mode Indication
Codec Mode Indication (new codec mode)
(new codec mode)
1.142

AMR: codec and channel mode adaptation
Codec mode adaptation is dynamically performed through a set

of pre-defined codec modes:
In FR mode: 12.2
10.2
7.95
7.4 22.8 Kbit/s (FR TS)
6.7
5.9
5.15
4.75
From
acoustic Speech coding Channel coding To end of chain
parts Variable speech
coding rate
7.4
6.7
In HR mode: 5.9
5.15
11.4 Kbit/s (HR TS)
4.75
From
acoustic Speech coding Channel coding To end of chain
parts Variable speech
coding rate
Choice between HR and FR (Channel mode adaptation) is done

at call setup and during call through HO causes 26 & 27
1.143
Codec mode adaptation:

The codec mode adaptation is the dynamic change from one codec to another codec, using the same channel (FR or
HR). This adaptation is performed by the layer 1 of the BTS. It is transparent for the BSC and the layer 3 of the BTS.
The metric used for codec mode adaptation is the evaluation of the ratio: signal over noise.

AMR gain
AMR: always gives end user the best satisfaction

Comparison between different codecs in terms of capacity
and quality:
SPEECH QUALITY CAPACITY

REQUIREMENT REQUIREMENT
FR
EFR
HR
AMR-FR
AMR-HR
AMR-FR + AMR-HR
1.144
The main speech codec currently used in GSM networks, speech Full Rate, is quite old. It has been specified more
than 10 years ago.
Around 1992, to increase network capacity, GSM has specified a half rate speech codec. But this codec showed strong
limitations in terms of speech quality, especially for mobile to mobile calls (double transcoding degrades very much the
speech quality of the half rate codec) and under poor radio conditions.
A few years later, when GSM started to be introduced in North America, American operators asked for an improved
speech codec for full rate channels. Indeed speech quality was a major argument for customers used to have a good
speech quality with analog systems. For that issue, EFR was specified for GSM.
Recently, studies on AMR have been launched to provide a solution to:
Increase speech quality in full rate and half rate,
Increase network capacity by offering a good half rate solution,
Use a long-term solution, to avoid adding more and more codecs handled independently from the others,
Take into account Tandem Free Operation (TFO), especially between MSs on half rate on one side and on full
rate on the other side.

AMR: TCH allocation
FR / HR discrimination
cell load AV_LOAD() computed from
load samples = NB_BUSY_TS / NB_TS * 100
non sliding window (LOAD_EV_PERIOD) averaging process
AV_LOAD()
100%
THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV1
= 80%
THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV3
=60%
THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV1 time
=50%
THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV3
=40%
1.145
Load samples are computed by the BSC every TCH_INFO_PERIOD = 5 seconds.

LOAD_EV_PERIOD is the averaging window size for cell load computation. It is equal to 12 but can be changed at the
OMC-R level on a per cell basis.
Therefore cell load process has a periodicity of 1mn by default (TCH_INFO_PERIOD*LOAD_EV_PERIOD).
The allocation of Half rate resources is decided upon the load evaluation in the serving cell.
AMR HR (HR SV3) offers a better speech quality than HR SV1. The Alcatel BSS offers thus the possibility to define a
set of thresholds specific for AMR. If the load increases, AMR HR capable MSs can be the first to be allocated in HR
(HR SV3) for load reasons, and if the load still increases, then all the HR capable MSs can be allocated in HR (HR SV1
& HR SV3) for load reasons.
This is why two variables of load are defined: LOAD_SV3 and LOAD_SV1.
Each load variable is calculated through its own threshold set: the thresholds related to the variable LOAD_SV3
(THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV3 and THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV3) are less restrictive than the ones related to the variable
LOAD_SV1 (THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV1 and THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV1).
As a consequence, if the load of the cell increases, then the variable LOAD_SV3 will first equal TRUE, and if
the load still increases, the variable LOAD_SV1 will then equal TRUE.
The variable LOAD_SV1 corresponds to a level
Previous state of load=where
LOAD_SV1 FALSE it is important to put as
LOAD_SV1 many MSs on half rate TCH as
= TRUE
possible: HRAV_LOAD
SV3 or HR SV1.
AV_LOAD THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV1 LOAD_SV1 = FALSE LOAD_SV1 = FALSE
THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV1 < LOAD_SV1 = FALSE LOAD_SV1 = TRUE
AV_LOAD
THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV1
THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV1 < AV_LOAD LOAD_SV1 = TRUE LOAD_SV1 = TRUE
The same computation is done to compute LOAD_SV3 with the thresholds: THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV3 and
THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV3 with the following relations:
THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV3 THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV3
THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV3 THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV1
THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV3 THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV1

Cause 26: AMR HR to FR HO (1/4)
CAUSE 26: AMR channel adaptation HO (HR to FR)
Cause 26 is triggered if :
Current channel rate is HR
Current channel is dual rate and changes are allowed
AMR_FR speech codec is allowed:
EN_AMR_FR = ENABLE
1.146

CAUSE 26: AMR channel adaptation HO (HR to FR) equation

[ a previous intracell HO cause 15 or 16 has been triggered for this call in
the serving cell
OR
EN_INTRA_DL_AMR = DISABLE and EN_INTRA_UL_AMR = DISABLE
]
AND AV_RXQUAL_UL_CA_HR_FR > THR_RXQUAL_CA + OFFSET_CA +
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH and AV_RXLEV_UL_HO > RXLEV_UL_IH
OR
AV_RXQUAL_DL_CA_HR_FR > THR_RXQUAL_CA + OFFSET_CA +
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH and AV_RXLEV_DL_HO > RXLEV_DL_IH
AND EN_AMR_CA = ENABLE
Size of window for averaging quality: A_QUAL_CA_HR_FR
1.147

THR_RXQUAL_CA and OFFSET_CA are set as follows :

if LOAD_SV3(0) = false then
THR_RXQUAL_CA = THR_RXQUAL_CA_NORMAL
OFFSET_CA = OFFSET_CA_NORMAL
if LOAD_SV3(0) = true then
THR_RXQUAL_CA = THR_RXQUAL_CA_HIGH
OFFSET_CA = OFFSET_CA_HIGH
1.148

Calculation of LOAD_SV3(0):
If previous value of LOAD_SV3 = false then
if AV_LOAD > THR_FR_LOAD_U_SV3 then
LOAD_SV3 = true
else
LOAD_SV3 = false
Else (if previous value of LOAD_SV3 = true then)

if AV_LOAD <= THR_FR_LOAD_L_SV3 then
LOAD_SV3 = false
else
LOAD_SV3 = true Annex 3
1.149

Cause 27: AMR FR to HR HO (1/2)
CAUSE 27: AMR channel adaptation HO (FR to HR)
Cause 27 is triggered if :
Current channel rate is FR

Current channel is dual rate and changes are allowed
AMR_HR speech codec is allowed:
EN_AMR_HR = ENABLE
1.150

Cause 27: AMR FR to HR HO (2/2)
CAUSE 27: AMR channel adaptation HO (FR to HR) equation
AV_RXQUAL_UL_CA_FR_HR <= THR_RXQUAL_CA +

OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
AND
AV_RXQUAL_DL_CA_FR_HR <= THR_RXQUAL_CA +
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH
AND EN_AMR_CA = ENABLE
Size of window for averaging quality: A_QUAL_CA_FR_HR
1.151

Cause 26 & 27 interworking
Cause 26 & 27 interaction
Quality
good quality: 0 Half Rate Half Rate

HO cause 27
THR_RXQUAL_CA_NORMAL
THR_RXQUAL_CA_NORMAL +
OFFSET_CA_NORMAL
HO cause 26 HO cause 27
THR_RXQUAL_CA_HIGH
THR_RXQUAL_CA_HIGH +
OFFSET_CA_HIGH
Full Rate Full Rate
HO cause 26
bad quality: 7
Load = FALSE Load = TRUE
1.152

Introduction to TFO (1/2)
Tandem Free Operation (TFO) solution
TC TC
Codec GSM (a) A/ law Codec GSM (b)

(8 or 16 Kbit/s) (64 Kbit/s) (8 or 16 Kbit/s)
Double transcoding without TFO
TC TC
Codec GSM
(8 or 16 Kbit/s)
No transcoding with TFO
1.153
The Tandem Free Operation (TFO) feature is a way to avoid double transcoding in mobile to mobile speech calls.
Indeed without TFO, one GSM codec type is used between the first mobile and the first transcoder, then the speech is
transcoded into A/ law between transcoders and finally this speech is transcoded again into a second GSM codec
type (which may be the same as the first one) between the second transcoder and the second mobile.
With TFO, after call establishment, both BSSs at each side are able to negotiate a common GSM codec type which is
then used from one mobile to the other mobile. This negotiation is performed through in-band signaling between
transcoders.

Introduction to TFO (2/2)
Applicability: Only MS to MS speech calls

TFO is based on information exchanged between transcoders
BTS BSC MSC MSC BSC BTS

IPE IPE
MS TRAU TRAU MS
64 kbit/s Speech Samples carrying

- TFO Frames on the LSB containing
- Compressed speech samples
- Control bits
- TFO Messages
- Original PCM speech samples on the MSB
1.154

TFO principles
In the case of first allocation (normal assignment at call setup, inter-

BSS handover, intra-BSS handover where no TFO was previously on-
going):
Exchange of codec
capabilities
New call Codec mismatch
setup
No common codec
found
Common codec
found
Exchange of codec
capabilities Intracell HO Normal operation
Exchange of codec
Codec match capabilities
TFO mode ON
1.155

Cause 29: TFO HO
CAUSE 29: TFO HO
Intracell HO used in case of codec mismatch between two

MSs calling, in order to match their speech codec
No radio measurements needed No priority and may be
triggered at any time
Conditions:
HO_INTRACELL_ALLOWED = ENABLE
AND
EN_TFO_MATCH = ENABLE
1.156

Cause 29: TFO parameters (1/5)
EN_TFO
enables/disables the feature, per cell
EN_TFO_MATCH
enables/disables resolution of codec mismatch, per cell
EN_TFO_OPT
enables/disables codec optimization, per cell
FORCE_TFO_VS_AMR
enables/disables the basic functions of TFO for GSM EFR, FR and
HR codec types when the current codec is AMR FR or AMR HR
FORCE_TFO_HR_WHEN_LOADED
controls the establishment of TFO in HR when the cell is loaded
KEEP_CODEC_HO
indicates if the BSC tries to keep the same codec in case of internal
intercell HO
1.157
Codec mismatch:
At call setup for a mobile to mobile speech call, when both BSSs do not use the same codec type, a codec
mismatch occurs. If a common codec type can be found, either one or possibly both BSSs perform an intracell
handover to use the common codec type found. Afterwards TFO can be started using this common codec type.
Codec mismatch resolution is authorized in the BSC using an O&M flag: EN_TFO_MATCH. This flag is
forwarded to the TC, via the BTS.
Codec optimization:
At call setup for a mobile to mobile speech call, it can occur that a first common codec type can be found but a
better speech quality would be provided with another common codec type. Once both BSSs operate in Tandem
Free, they exchange their complete codec capabilities, to try to find a better codec type than the current one.
Codec optimization is authorized in the BSC using an O&M flag : EN_TFO_OPT. This flag is forwarded to the
TC, via the BTS.
Classification of codec types :
In all cases, TFO is considered better as any tandeming configuration. In TFO, EFR is considered as better
than FR, considered as better than HR.
Force TFO vs. AMR :
TFO + AMR is not supported in this implementation of TFO. In the normal operation, a call established with
AMR will not initiate a TFO negotiation. The goal of the function Force TFO vs. AMR is to allow a call,
established with AMR to initiate a TFO negotiation and, if possible, to change of codec type to FR, HR or EFR
to establish TFO.
In-Path Equipments (IPEs):
TFO can only be activated if TFO frames (at 8 or 16 Kbit/s) can be sent transparently through the public
switching network. In-path equipments are equipments such as echo cancelers or A/ law converters that
modify the 64 Kbit/s speech signal. Such equipments need to be deactivated for TFO calls.

EN_TFO_OPT: enables/disables codec optimization, per cell

Allows new TFO negotiation on an on-going MTM call to find
a better common codec
For example, HR is used at both sides, but FR is
possible too
HO cause 29 will be triggered on both sides towards
best codec
1.158

FORCE_TFO_VS_AMR:
TFO AMR not specified
Call setup in AMR is not followed by TFO negotiation
FORCE_TFO_VS_AMR enables HO cause 29 after
AMR call establishment towards best TFO codec
MS / cell cap: AMR/HR/EFR/FR MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR
The MS using AMR, could use HR/EFR/FR

DISABLED TFO not
(ETSI implementation) The MS can use HR/EFR/FR possible
ENABLED The MS can only use HR/EFR/FR
(Alcatel patent)
The MS can use HR/EFR/FR
EFR + TFO
FORCE_TFO_VS_AMR
1.159

FORCE_TFO_HR_WHEN_LOADED:
Gives control on load regulation precedence vs. TFO
3 values: TFO_HR_NOT_FORCED, TFO_HR_ONLY,
TFO_HR_PREFERRED enable different behaviours in
case of loaded cell
Loaded cell Unloaded cell
MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR

DISABLED
(ETSI implementation) The MS can use HR/EFR/FR EFR + TFO
ENABLED The MS can only use HR

(Alcatel patent)
HR + TFO
FORCE_TFO_HR_WHEN_LOADED
1.160

KEEP_CODEC_HO
keeps the same codec type in the new cell in case of internal intercell
HO in order to avoid resolving a new mismatch codec situation
Avoids double speech quality transition:
TFO --> non-TFO --> TFO
3 possible behaviors:
TFO_CALLS_ONLY: codec is preferably kept in case of internal
intercell HO for TFO calls only
ALL_CALLS: codec is preferably kept in case of internal intercell
HO for all calls (whatever the TFO state)
FREE: the choice of the codec type is free and depends on the
situation in the target cell
1.161

Handover causes priorities
HANDOVER
PRIORITIES
EMERGENCY BETTER CONDITION

HANDOVER HANDOVER
UPLINK QUALITY CAPTURE HANDOVER

CAUSE 2 CAUSE 24
DONWLINK QUALITY POWER BUDGET

CAUSE 4 CAUSE 12
UPLINK LEVEL TRAFFIC

CAUSE 3 CAUSE 23
DOWNLINK LEVEL OUTER UL/DL LEVEL

CAUSE 5 CAUSE 13
DISTANCE FR to HR CHANNEL ADAPTATION

CAUSE 6 CAUSE 27 Intracell
TOO LOW LEVEL UL INNER FORCED DIRECTED RETRY

CAUSE 10 CAUSE 20
TOO LOW LEVEL DL INNER FAST TRAFFIC HO

CAUSE 11 CAUSE 28
HR to FR CHANNEL ADAPTATION
CAUSE 26 Intracell
UPLINK INTERFERENCE
CAUSE 15 Intracell
DONWLINK INTERFERENCE
CAUSE 16 Intracell
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
1.162
The causes 24, 12 and 23 have the same priority. Nevertheless, if a cell is a candidate for both causes, triggered in the
same time, it is kept only for cause 12.
Dealing with all available causes, we get the following list:

Emergency: 7 > 17 > 18 > 2 > 4 > 3 > 5 > 6 > 22 > 10 > 11 > 26 > 15 > 16
Better conditions: 21=14=24=12=23 > 13 > 27 > 20 > 28
29 has no priority

Training exercises (1/16)
Emergency causes
1- What is the HO cause 2?
2- Which is the flag to activate the HO
cause 2?
Time allowed:
45 minutes
1.163

Emergency causes
Complete the diagram below and fill in the chart with:
L_RXQUAL_UL_H = 3
RXLEV_UL_IH = -70 dBm
Nb of case --->
--- > 1 2 3 4 5 6
QUAL
AV_RXQ UAL_UL_HO 4 1 3 4 4 4
AV_RXLEV_UL_HO - 81 - 79 - 75 - 70 - 69 - 72
Current MS Power 33 33 33 33 33 29
(0,8 w) LEV
HO cause 2 : YES/NO ?
1.164

Better condition causes (simple case)

There are only 2W cells and 2W MS
EN_TRAFFIC_HO(0,n)=Disable
No Ping-Pong margin
Ncell
HO_MARGIN(0,n)=5 dB
Serving cell
MS
Fill up the chart:
Nb of case ---> 1 2 3 4 5 6
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) - 70 - 70 - 80 - 70 - 70 - 75
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO - 80 - 70 - 75 - 75 - 79 - 96
PBGT(n)
HO cause 12: YES/NO ?
1.165

Better condition causes (ping-pong case)

EN_TRAFFIC_HO(0,n)=Disable
Ping-Pong margin PING_PONG_HCP=15db
T_HCP =15s Ncell
HO_MARGIN(0,n)=5 dB A_PBGT_HO = 8 SACCH
A n to 0 HO has just been triggered, what happens after 4s? Serving cell
MS
Nb of case --->
--- > 1 2 3 4 5 6
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) - 70 - 70 - 80 - 70 - 70 - 75
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO - 80 - 70 - 75 - 75 - 79 - 96
PBGT(n) a only 10 0 -5 5 9 21
HO cause 12: YES/NO ? YES NO NO NO YES YES
PBGT > HO margin
PING_PONG_HCP=15 - > PBGT(n)
HO cause 12: YES/NO ?
1.166

Training exercise: Handover Detection

Better condition causes (traffic case)
EN_TRAFFIC_HO(0,n)=Enable
No Ping-Pong margin
HO_MARGIN(0,n)=5 dB Ncell
DELTA_DEC_HO_margin=5dB Serving cell

MS
DELTA_INC_HO_margin=5dB
1.167

Better condition causes (traffic case)

Fill up the chart: Ncell
Serving cell
MS
Number of case 1 2 3 4
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) -71 dBm -71 dBm -76 dBm -71 dBm
AV_RXLEV_PBGT_HO -80 dBm -80 dBm -80 dBm -80 dBm
Traffic distribution 0: tr low 0: tr high 0: tr high 0: tr low

N: tr high N: tr low N: tr low N: tr low
PBGT(n)
DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,
n)
Cause 12 HO: YES/NO?
Cause 23 HO: YES/NO?
1.168

Channel adaptation (cause 26 and cause 27)

1- Why is it recommended to have
A_QUAL_CA_FR_HR A_QUAL_CA_HR_FR ?
2- An operator may be willing to:
- Under normal load, use only HR calls for quality 0
- Under high load, use HR calls for qualities 0 to 3, with an
hysteresis of 1
Find the thresholds and offsets for normal and high load:
THR_RXQUAL_CA_NORMAL = ? OFFSET_CA_NORMAL = ?
THR_RXQUAL_CA_HIGH = ? OFFSET_CA_HIGH = ?
1.169

Channel adaptation (cause 26 and cause 27)

EN_INTRA_XX_AMR = Disable
RXLEV_XX_IH = -110 dBm
OFFSET_RXQUAL_FH = 0
A_QUAL_CA_FR_HR =4 and A_QUAL_CA_HR_FR = 2
Use the previous thresholds and fill up the chart:
UL_QUAL 0 1 2 3 3 1 1 0 0 1
DL_QUAL 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 4 3
LOAD_SV3 false false false false true true true true true true
AV_RXQUAL_UL_CA_HR_FR
AV_RXQUAL_DL_CA_HR_FR
AV_RXQUAL_UL_CA_FR_HR
AV_RXQUAL_DL_CA_FR_HR
CHANNEL TYPE FR FR FR
1.170

capture HO (Cause 24 )
There are only 2W cells and 2W MS
L_RXLEV_CPT_HO(0,n) = -85dBm
EN_GENERAL_CAPTURE_HO = ENABLE
Ncell
Serving cell
Fill up the chart: MS
Nb of case --->
---> 1 2 3 4 5 6
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) - 70 - 70 - 80 - 70 - 70 -85
CAPTURE_TRAFFIC_CONDITION NOT_LOW HIGH ANY_LOAD HIGH HIGH HIGH
TRAFFIC_LOAD(0) HIGH LOW INDEFINITE HIGH LOW HIGH
TRAFFIC_LOAD(n) HIGH LOW INDEFINITE LOW LOW LOW
HO cause 24:
24: YES/NO
YES/NO ?
1.171

Fast Traffic HO (cause 28)

Find the appropriate candidate MS for this queued request:
Channel rate required: HR
L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) = -85 dBm (whatever n)
FREElevel_DR(n) = 1 (whatever n)
Channel rate: MS1FR on Full rate TRX, MS2HR, MS3FR on Dual rate TRX
t(n) for neighbor cells: t(1)=1, t(2)=2, t(3)=2
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) in dBm:
Neighbors 1 2 3
MS
1 -82 -85 -78
2 -79 -86 -92
3 -90 -82 -89
1.172

TFO HO (cause 29): after call setup

Find the 2 speech version types of the following MS to MS call
EN_TFO = enable, EN_TFO_MATCH = enable
FORCE_TFO_HR_WHEN_LOADED = TFO_HR_NOT_FORCED
MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR MS / cell cap: EFR/FR
After call setup TCH = ? TCH = ?
After TFO negotiation TCH = ? TCH = ?
1.173


FORCE_TFO_HR_WHEN_LOADED = TFO_HR_ONLY
1.174


FORCE_TFO_HR_WHEN_LOADED = TFO_HR_PREFERRED
1.175


MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR
1.176

TFO HO (cause 29): after handover

Find the speech version types of the following MS to MS call
Unloaded cell
MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR
1. KEEP_CODEC_HO = TFO_CALLS_ONLY
2. KEEP_CODEC_HO = FREE
Unloaded cell MS2
MS2 HO
Loaded cell call setup ?
MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR + TFO negotiation
?
TFO?
?
MS1 TFO?
1.177

TFO HO (cause 29): after handover

Find the speech version types of the following MS to MS call
KEEP_CODEC_HO = TFO_CALLS_ONLY Unloaded cell
Loaded cell MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR
1. EN_TFO_OPT = disable
2. EN_TFO_OPT = enable
MS2
MS2 HO
Unloaded cell call setup ?
MS / cell cap: HR/EFR/FR + TFO negotiation
?
TFO?
?
MS1 TFO?
1.178

PARAMETERS
1.179
Handover Detection
Handover Management
Exercise

Principles
Used to rank potential target cells:
Ranking based on radio characteristics
Ranking based on operator preferences
Ranking based on traffic intensity
1.180
Handover candidate cell evaluation

The process is performed in the BSC.
Once a need for handover is detected, this process looks for possible target cells (except if it is an intracell
handover or an interzone handover) and provides the BSC entity in charge of the HO decision and execution
entity with a list of candidate cells and their respective HO cause.
BTS BSC
HO Preparation
Radio Active
Link HO Candidate
Pre-processing
HO
management
HO
protocol
MSC

Evaluation process
Raw cell list
MEASUREMENT PREPROCESSING HO_DETECTION
Preprocess measurement
max Every SACCH

Measurement result cell 1: cause C2
according cause 2: uplink quality cell 2: cause C2
cause 3: uplink level cell 3: cause C2
A_LEV_HO cause 4: downlink quality cell 4: cause C2
A_QUAL_HO cause 5: downlink level cell 5: cause C2
A_PBGT_HO cause 6: distance cell 6: cause C2
A_RANGE_HO cause 12: power budget cell 7: cause C2
cell 8: cause C2
Performed every SACCH
Performed every SACCH
Max 32 cells
PBGT_FILTERING
CELLS EVALUATION PROCESS
HO_MARGIN_XX(0,n) Order or Grade
PRE-RANKING
Priority (0,n) = 0 Priority (0,n) = 0

cell 2: cause C2 cell 2: cause C2 Grade Order
cell 3: cause C2 cell 3: cause C2
cell 4: cause C2 cell 4: cause C2 Priority (0,n) = 0 Priority (0,n) = 0
Priority (0,n) = 1 cell 4 cause C2 cell 4 cause C2
cell 1: cause C2 Priority (0,n) = 1 cell 2 cause C2 cell 3 cause C2
Priority (0,n) = 2 Priority (0,n) = 2 Cell 3 cause C2 cell 2 cause C2
Priority (0,n) = 3
cell 5: cause C2 Priority (0,n) = 3 Priority (0,n) = 1 Priority (0,n) = 1
cell 6: cause C2 cell 6: cause C2
cell 7: cause C2 cell 8: cause C2 Priority (0,n) = 2 Priority (0,n) = 2
cell 8: cause C2 Priority (0,n) = 4
Priority (0,n) = 4 Priority (0,n) = 5 Priority (0,n) = 3 Priority (0,n) = 3
Priority (0,n) = 5 cell 6: cause C2 cell 6: cause C2
cell 8 cause C2 cell 8 cause C2
HO CANDIDATE CELLS EVALUATION
1.181
The HO candidate evaluation process is run after all intercell handover alarms.
In case of intracell handover alarm (HO causes 10, 11, 13, 15, 16), the candidate cell evaluation process is skipped:
the target cell is the serving cell.
The handover detection gives as indication the raw cell list (built from book-keeping list) and the preferred layer for the
handover. In case of emergency handover alarms or cause 20 alarm, the cell evaluation will order the cells given in the
raw list, putting in the first position the cells belonging to the preferred layer, having the highest priority (if
EN_PRIORITY_ORDERING=ENABLE) and/or having the same frequency band type as the serving cell. In case of an
intercell handover alarm, if the serving cell belongs to the raw cell list (emergency handover from the DCS 1800 inner
zone of a multiband cell), this cell is put at the end of the candidate cell list with the MS zone indication OUTER.
In case of better condition handover alarms (except cause 20), the cell evaluation will order the cells given in the raw
list, putting in the first position the cells belonging to the preferred layer and having the highest priority (if
EN_PRIORITY_ORDERING=ENABLE).

Pre-ranking
Pre-ranking in hierarchical or multi-band networks:

Cell_band_type = serving cell
Priority(0,n) = 0
Cell_layer_type = Pref_layer Cell_band_type serving cell

Priority(0,n) = 1
List of candidate cells n

Priority(0,n) = 5
Priority(0,n) = 0
Cell_layer_type Pref_layer
Priority(0,n) = 1
Priority(0,n) = 5
1.182

Pre-ranking
with priority(0,n) settings,

settings the operator can, for each couple of cells:
tag the target cell with a defined priority (from 0 = max to 5 = min)
this definition has an higher priority than usual order/grade ranking
especially useful for multi band/hierarchical architectures:

architectures
a simple way to force a target cell whatever its RxLev level and PBGT
nevertheless can be skipped over by filtering processes
low interest for standard networks
Candidate cell 1: RxLev: - 70 dBm, pbgt: + 10 dB

P1
Serving cell
P0
Candidate cell 2: Rxlev: - 90 dBm, PBGT: + 5dB
1.183
Cell ordering according to target layer and target band

In hierarchical or multiband environment, cells are characterized by the layer they belong to or/and the frequency band
they use. The candidate cell evaluation process takes into account these characteristics in the candidate cell ordering.
In hierarchical environment, the HO detection process can indicate a preferred layer where the handover must be
directed to. If this indication is used, the candidate cell evaluation puts in the first places of the list, the candidate cells
belonging to the preferred layer. They are followed by the cells of the other layer, providing they are also correct
candidates.
After this possible distinction, in each part of the list, the candidate cell evaluation sorts the candidate cells according to
the parameter PRIORITY(0,n) (parameter on line changeable from the OMC-R).
The cells having the highest priority are put in the first place of the list. They are followed by the cells having the lowest
priorities. The PRIORITY(0,n) is only used when the flag EN_PRIORTY_ORDERING is set to enable.
In case of emergency handover, for each category (preferred layer and other layer) and between cells having the same
priority, the candidate cell evaluation sorts the candidate cells according to the frequency band they use: the cells
which use the same frequency band as the serving cell are put first and they are followed by the cells which use the
other frequency band.
The cell evaluation function is then applied to the different candidate cell lists defined from the preferred layer
indication, the PRIORITY(0,n) parameter and the frequency band of the serving cell (only in case of emergency
handover).

PBGT Filtering
PBGT filtering:
optional, flag EN_PBGT_FILTERING
filter out cells from the target list

inhibited for better cell handovers
based on power budget
per couple of cells
was needed for multiband architecture
PBGT(n) > HO_MARGIN_XX (0,n) + OFFSET_HO_MARGIN_INNER
HO_MARGIN_XX (0,n) = HO_MARGIN_QUAL (0,n) for cause 2,4

HO_MARGIN_XX (0,n) = HO_MARGIN_LEV (0,n) for cause 3,5
HO_MARGIN_XX (0,n) = HO_MARGIN_DIST (0,n) for cause 6
OFFSET_HO_MARGIN_INNER is only applied when the MS is in the inner

zone of a concentric or multi band cell
The averaging window is A_PBGT_HO

1.184
The filtering process allows to filter out cells from the target list before sending them to the ORDER or GRADE
evaluation process.
It can be enabled/disabled on-line on a per cell basis from the OMC-R with the flag EN_PBGT_FILTERING.
The candidate cells are filtered on their power budget in relation to a handover margin threshold based on the
handover cause.
Note: the averaging window used for this process is A_PBGT_HO (even for emergency handovers, where a handover
alarm could have been raised through A_LEV_HO or A_QUAL_HO samples)

ORDER evaluation
ORDER cell evaluation process
Cell "n" is ranked among other accordingly:
If EN_LOAD_ORDER = ENABLE and cell n is internal to the BSC
ORDER (n) = PBGT(n) + LINK_FACTOR(0,n) + FREEfactor(n) - FREEfactor(0)-

HO_MARGIN_XX(0,n)
Link_factor (0,n) is an operator parameter to give a bonus/penalty to a cell

ex: avoid external HO, decrease incoming flow of HO to a cell from another
FREEfactor is TCH traffic based bonus/penalty to rank cells
If EN_LOAD_ORDER = DISABLE or cell n is external to the BSC
ORDER (n) = PBGT(n) + LINK_FACTOR(0,n) - HO_MARGIN_XX(0,n)
Cell "n" is kept if:
AV_RXLEV_NCELL (n) > RXLEVmin (n) + max [0;(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)-P)]

[dBm]
1.185
Two types of cell evaluation algorithms can be used: ORDER and GRADE.
ORDER and GRADE are two different methods of cell ranking. They both consist in giving a mark or figure of merit to
each candidate cell.
The basic differences between ORDER and GRADE are that:
with ORDER
The candidate cell evaluation process interacts with the handover detection by use of cause-dependent
handover margins.
The candidate cell evaluation process takes into account the number of free TCHs in the candidate
cells.
with GRADE
The candidate cell evaluation process does not interact with the handover detection.
The candidate cell evaluation process takes into account the relative load of traffic channels in the
candidate cells.
The type of cell evaluation is chosen by the operator on a (serving) cell basis and is provided to the BSC with the
parameter CELL_EV.
For any handover cause, the first cell in the list is taken as a target cell, i.e. the cell with the highest value of
ORDER(n). The cells do not need to fulfil any other condition.
If no cell fulfils the condition and the serving cell does not belong to the target cell list, the target cell list is empty and
no further action is carried out.
Note: the A_PBGT_HO averaging window is used for this process.

GRADE Evaluation
GRADE cell evaluation process
Cell "n" is ranked among other accordingly:
If EN_LOAD_ORDER = ENABLE and cell n is internal to the BSC
GRADE (n) = PBGT(n) + LINK_FACTOR(0,n) + LOADfactor(n)
Link_factor (0,n) is an operator parameter to give a bonus/penalty to a cell
LOADfactor(n) is a weighting factor that takes into account the relative load of
traffic channels in a cell
If EN_LOAD_ORDER = DISABLE or cell n is external to the BSC
GRADE (n) = PBGT(n) + LINK_FACTOR(0,n)
Cell "n" is kept if:

Annex 4
AV_RXLEV_NCELL (n) > RXLEVmin(n) + max [0;(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)-P)]
1.186
LINKfactor(0,n) is a parameter set by OMC command for each cell(n).

LINKfactor(n1,n2) allows the operator to handicap or to favor the cell n1 with respect to its neighbor cell n2. In
particular, it can be used to disadvantage an external cell when an internal cell is also a possible candidate.
For any handover cause, the first cell in the list is taken as a target cell, i.e. the cell with the highest value of
GRADE(n). If no cell fulfils the condition and the serving cell does not belong to the target cell list, the target cell list is
empty and no further action is carried out.
Note: the A_PBGT_HO averaging window is used for this process

Emergency HO detected
With the Candidate
evaluation.xls excel
sheet...
Filtering simulation for a
list of candidate cells
Ranking simulation for a
list of candidate cells
1- Book-keeping list
Time allowed:
15 minutes 1.187

Emergency HO detected
Averaging
2- measurement
?
3- PBGT Filtering
?
4- GRADE evaluation process
?
5- Target Cell
1.188

PARAMETERS
2.7 Exercise
1.189
Handover Detection
Handover Management
Exercise

2.8 Exercise
List all the parameters involved in the

detection of cause 23
List all the causes impacted by the
parameter DELTA_INC_HO_MARGIN
Time allowed: List all the causes impacted by the
10 minutes
parameter L_RXQUAL_UL_H
parameter BS_TXPWR_MAX
parameter BS_P_CON_ACK
1.190

B8
3 OTHER ALGORITHMS
1.191

3 OTHER ALGORITHMS
B8 Session presentation
Objective: to be able to describe LCS, SDCCH Dynamic

allocation, TCH resource allocation, MS reselection algorithms
and list the associated parameters
Program:
3.1 LCS
3.2 Dynamic SDCCH allocation
3.3 TCH resource allocation algorithm
3.4 MS Reselection algorithms
1.192

S3: OTHER ALGORITHMS
S5: CASE STUDIES

B8
3 OTHER ALGORITHMS
3.1 LCS
1.193
LCS
Dynamic SDDCH allocation
MS Reselection algorithms

3.1 LCS
B8 Definitions
New end-user services which provide the geographical location

of an MS:
On MS request to know its own location
On network request (especially during Emergency calls)
On external request (LCS Client)
Several positioning methods:
Cell-ID or Cell-ID + TA (Timing Advance)
Conventional (standalone) GPS
Assisted GPS (with A-GPS server help to compute location)
MS-based (MB): the MS is able to perform a pre-
computation
MS-assisted (MA): the MS sends info, Network computes
1.194
Assisted GPS Method:
Mobile-based: The MS performs OTD signal measurements and computes its own location estimate. In this
case, the network provides the MS with the additional information such as BTS coordinates and the RTD values.
These assistance data can be either broadcast on the CBCH (using SMSCB function) or provided by the BSS in
a point-to-point connection (either spontaneously or on request from the MS).
Mobile-assisted: The MS performs and reports OTD signal measurements to the network and the network
computes the MSs location estimate.
With
OTD: Observed Time Difference: the time interval that is observed by an MS between the receptions of
signals (bursts) from two different BTSs.
RTD: Real Time Difference: This means the relative synchronization difference in the network between
two BTSs.
Finally, 4 methods are possible for positioning:
Cell ID+ TA,
This is the simplest method for determining the location of a mobile. It relies on the hypothesis that the
geographical coverage of a cell corresponds to that predicted by radio coverage studies. When an active
mobile is connected to a base station, the mobile is assumed to be located geographically within the area
predicted to be best served by this base station
Conventional (MS equipped with GPS System),
MS-based Assisted GPS,
MS-Assisted GPS.

3.1 LCS
B8 LCS architecture
LCS function: Architecture

Emergency call Where is the accident?
2
Where am I?
A MSC Lg
Abis Le External
BTS
GMLC LCS client
1 BSC
Where is my son?
GPS reference OSP
Lb network
MS Abis Lh 3
SMLC
BTS SAGI
A-GPS
MFS server HLR
SMLC function integrated in MFS:

- receives the loc. Request from the GMLC through the MSC/BSC
- Schedules all the necessary actions to get MS location
- Computes MS location
- Provides the result back to the GMLC
1 MS Request LCS: Location Services
SMLC: Serving Mobile Location Center
2 Network Request GMLC: Gateway Mobile Location Center
A-GPS: Assisted GPS
3 External Request
1.195

3.1 LCS
B8 LCS Positionning procedure
4. Paging, authentication,
ciphering, notification
8. Location LCS Client
3. Provide subscriber
response
location
BSC MSC GMLC
1. Location request
OSP
GMLC
5. Provide subscriber
positioning
6. Individual
location 7. Location report 2. Routing information
HLR
SMLC
MFS
1.196
If the MS is in idle mode, the MSC first performs a CS paging, authentication and ciphering in order to establish an
SDCCH with the MS. The MS subscriber is not aware of it, i.e. no ringing tone, except towards GPRS MS in Packet
Transfer Mode which may suspend its GPRS traffic in order to answer to the CS Paging (i.e. not fully transparent for the
subscriber).

When the MS is in dedicated mode (after a specific SDCCH establishment for location, or during an on-going call), the
MSC sends the location request to BSC in the existing SCCP connection for the current call, which forwards it to the
SMLC

3.1 LCS
B8 LCS protocol (1/2)
Signaling Protocols between the SMLC and the MS (CS domain)
1.197

3.1 LCS
B8 LCS protocol (2/2)
Example: Mobile terminated location request success (External request)

MS BTS BSC SMLC MSC GMLC HLR LCS Client
LCS Service Request
Send_Routing_Info rqst
Send_Routing_Info resp
Provide_Subscriber_Location
Paging
Authentication + Ciphering
.
BSSMAP Perform_Location_Request
BSSAP-LE Perform_Location_Request
Starts T_location
Adequate positioning method chosen by SMLC

with optional additional scenario
BSSAP-LE Perform_Location_Response
BSSMAP Perform_Location_Response
Stop T_location
Provide_Subscriber_Location Result
BSSMAP Clear Command and Release
LCS Service Response
1.198
T_location_Longer used in case of optional additional scenario (see graph):

Upon receipt of the MS POSITION COMMAND message from the SMLC (optional additional scenario), the BSC stops
the T_Location timer, and starts instead the T_Location_Longer timer. This timer is stopped only at the end of the
location procedure in the BSC, i.e. when an 08.08 PERFORM LOCATION RESPONSE message is sent back to
the MSC.
Aborts:
Abort by MSC
Depending on the location procedure and its current state of execution, upon PERFORM LOCATION ABORT
message receipt, the BSC sends immediately to the MSC a PERFORM LOCATION RESPONSE message
(when no exchange on the Lb interface is on-going), or to the SMLC either a PERFORM LOCATION
ABORT or an ABORT message. The BSC starts the timer T_Loc_abort to supervise the SMLC response.
Abort by BSS
If an ongoing location request is interrupted at the BSC level for the following reasons:
by an inter-BSC handover, or
if the main signaling link to the target MS is lost or released, or
the SCCP connection on the A interface is released, or
if the timer T_Location expires,
the BSC must send either a PERFORM LOCATION ABORT message or a ABORT message to the SMLC and
starts the timer T_Loc_abort
The useful B8 content of the received PERFORM LOCATION REQUEST message is:
Location type,
Classmark information 3,
Requested QoS: provides service requirement concerning geographic positioning and response time
accuracy, the response time category (Low Delay or Delay Tolerant),
Current Cell Id + TA information are always provided to the SMLC.
The time of transfer of the assitance data on the SDCCH is estimated about 14s for a 1000 octets information,

3.1 LCS
B8 Positioning methods : CI+TA positioning
Principles of CI + TA Positioning Method
Di
Ma n giv
rec azimu
the
in
tio
Be n by
am
m
e
th
553
Site Geographical
Information
(Lat/Long)
TA
A
MS Estimated
Location
3dB points given Annex 5

by the azimuth
and the HPBW
1.199
With the TA positioning method, no signalling exchange is required between the SMLC and the MS (i.e. RRLP protocol
is not required). The TA positioning method is applicable to all the MSs (supporting LCS or not).
Based on:
Cell Identity (CI) of the serving cell and
Timing Advance (TA) value reported by MS
intersection point of a line from the BTS antenna in their main direction with a circle which radius is
corresponding with the propagation delay (timing advance) is the MS estimated position
Omni-directional cells: MS position = site position
Parameters:
EN_LCS flag to enable/disable the Location Services per BSS
0 = Enabled; 1= Disabled; Default = 0
IF EN_LCS=1, CI+TA method is enabled in all the BSS cells
LCS_LATITUDE
Latitude of the BTS supporting the cell
LCS_LONGITUDE
Longitude of the BTS supporting the cell
LCS_AZIMUTH
Antenna direction orientation for the sector supporting the cell
HALFPWR_BEAM_WIDTH
Antenna half power beamwidth for the sector supporting the cell
Optimization parameters:
ARC_SIZE_FACTOR
Factor used in the computation of the width in degree of the ellipsoid arc returned by the MFS when
computing location estimate based on TA positioning method.
MIN_RADIUS_FACTOR
Factor used in the computation of the minimum radius of the ellipsoid arc returned by the MFS when
computing location estimate based on TA positioning method
MAX_RADIUS_FACTOR
Factor used in the computation of the maximum radius of the ellipsoid arc returned by the MFS when

3.1 LCS
B8 Positioning methods : Conventional GPS
Conventional GPS location procedure

This optional location procedure is chosen by the SMLC
(if the MS support it) upon reception of a Perform
Location Request message from the BSC
MS BTS BSC SMLC
Perform
Location Request
(X,Y) Location Request
Location Request
Measurement Position Request
Location Response
Location Response
Measurement Position Response (X,Y)

(X,Y)
Perform
Location Response (X,Y)
(X,Y) : Computed position
1.200
The MS continiously computes its position

Terminal searches for satellites, acquires all the GPS data, computes its own position and finally provides the
location estimation to the SMLC

3.1 LCS
B8 Positioning method : Assisted GPS Positioning 1/3
Assisted GPS Positioning Method (A-GPS)
Assistance GPS Positioning Method is split into:
MS Based A-GPS method
MS Assisted A-GPS method
GPS reference
network
Assistance data on request

GPS acquisition assistance
Navigation model (almanac, ephemeris)
Ionospheric model GPS MS
Time integrity
A-GPS Server
1.201
Assistance data gathered from a GPS reference network receiver is broadcasted to the GPS MS
Flags/Parameters
EN_LCS = 1
EN_MS_BASED_AGPS enables/disables the positioning method MS Based A-GPS per CELL
0 = disabled; 1 = enabled; default = 0
EN_MS_ASSISTED_AGPS enables/disables the positioning method MS Assisted A-GPS per CELL
0 = disabled; 1 = enabled; default = 0

3.1 LCS
A-GPS location procedure / MS Based A-GPS
MS BTS A-GPS
BSC SMLC
Server
Perform
Location Request GPS info Location Request
Request
GPS info
Assistance Data
Assistance Data Response
Assistance Data Ack Position Request
Position Response
Location Response
Measurement Position Response (X,Y)
(X,Y)
Perform
(X,Y) Location Response
POSITIONING CALCULATION
latitude, longitude (and
altitude)
1.202
Using assistance data, MS computes by itself the position and sends it back to the SMLC

3.1 LCS
A-GPS location procedure / MS Assisted A-GPS
MS BTS A-GPS
BSC SMLC
Server
Perform
Location Request GPS info Location Request
Request
GPS info
Assistance Data
Assistance Data Response
Assistance Data Ack Position Request
Position Response
Location Response
Pseudo-range Measurement Position Response (M) GPS Location
MEASUREMENTS Request (M)
GPS Location
Perform Response (X,Y)
(X,Y) Location Response
(X,Y)

1.203
Using a reduced set of assistance data, the MS makes pseudorange measurements and sends the result
to the A-GPS server, which fixes the position in the end

3.1 LCS
B8 LCS impact on HO 1/3
HO preparation
Inhibition of better cell handovers
Other HO
LCS Service Request
Send_Routing_Info rqst
Send_Routing_Info resp
Provide_Subscriber_Location
Paging
Authentication + Ciphering
.
BSSAP-LE Perform_Location_Request
Starts T_location
BSSLAP - Reset
EMERGENCY HO
DETECTION
1.204
HO needed during LCS procedure

3.1 LCS
HO management
Internal HO
INTRA BSC HO
On going
.
BSSLAP-Reset
HO COMPLETE BSSMAP PERFORM LOCATION RESPONSE (Cause = Intra-BSC Handover Complete)
1.205
Mobile in communication

3.1 LCS
HO management
external HO
MS BTS SERVING BSC SMLC MSC GMLC HLR LCS Client
external BSC HO BSSMAP HO REQUIRED
BSSAP-LE Perform_Location_Abortt
1.206

3.1 LCS
B8 BSS Parameters
FLAGS Timers
EN_LCS
T_Location
EN_SAGI
T_Location_longer
T_Loc_Abort
OPTIMIZATION DATA T_LCS_delay_tolerant
T_LCS_LowDelay
ARC_SIZE_FACTOR T_RRLP_low_delay
MIN_RADIUS_FACTOR T_RRLP_delay_tolerant
MAX_RADIUS_FACTOR
1.207
BSS PARAMETERS
EN_LCS (BSC)
Flag which enables or disables the LCS feature in the BSS.
EN_SAGI
Flag indicating whether SAGI is configured or not for this BSS
T_Location:
BSC timer on a per call basis to guard the response from the SMLC in case of Location Request, when no
RRLP exchange is triggered with the MS.
T_Location_longer:
BSC timer on a per call basis to guard the response from the SMLC in case of Location Request, when an
RRLP exchange is triggered with the MS. Replace T_Location timer in case of Conventional GPS, MS-
Assisted A-GPS, MS-Based A-GPS.
T_Loc_Abort
BSC timer to guard the response from the SMLC in case of Location Abort.
T_LCS_LowDelay
SMLC timer to guard the calculation of the MS position (including the RRLP message exchange
with the target MS) in case of a Low Delay Location Request.
T_LCS_DelayTolerant
with the target MS) in case of a Delay Tolerant Location Request.
T_LCS_LowDelay
with the target MS) in case of a Low Delay Location Request.
T_RRLP_Low_delay
Timer to guard the RRLP exchange between the SMLC and the MS .
T_RRLP_delay_tolerant
Timer to guard the RRLP exchange between the SMLC and the MS.
Optimization data:
ARC_SIZE_FACTOR
MIN_RADIUS_FACTOR
MAX_RADIUS_FACTOR
3.1 LCS
B8 Cell Parameters
FLAGS SITE DATA
EN_CONV_GPS
EN_MS_ASSISTED_AGPS LCS_LATITUDE
EN_MS_BASED_AGPS LCS_LONGITUDE
LCS_SIGNIFICANT_GC
LCS_AZIMUTH
HALF_POWER_BANDWIDTH
1.208
CELL PARAMETERS
EN_CONV_GPS
Flag to enable/disable the Conventional GPS positioning method.
EN_MS_ASSISTED_AGPS
Flag to enable/disable the MS Assisted A-GPS positioning method.
EN_MS_BASED_AGPS
Flag to enable/disable the MS Based A-GPS positioning method.
LCS_LATITUDE
Latitude of the BTS supporting the cell (used by the MFS to compute location estimate based on TA
positioning method).
LCS_LONGITUDE
Longitude of the BTS supporting the cell (used by the MFS to compute location estimate based on TA
positioning method).
LCS_SIGNIFICANT_GC
Indicates whether latitude and longitude are significant or not
LCS_AZIMUTH
Antenna direction orientation for the sector supporting the cell (used by the MFS to compute location
estimate based on TA positioning method).
HALF_POWER_BANDWIDTH
Half power beam width of the antenna for the sector supporting the cell (used by the MFS to compute
location estimate based on TA positioning method).
Remark: To have LCS supported for a cell, the operator must activate LCS on the BSS handling this cell but he
must also activate GPRS for this cell (i.e. setting of MAX_PDCH to a value > 0, the cell being kept locked for
GPRS if the operator does not want to have GPRS running on this cell) and configure all the required
transmission resources (Ater and Gb resources) on the GPU(s) connected to this BSC

3.1 LCS
B8 Exercise
Where is implemented the SMLC

function?
What are the LCS impacts on cell
Time allowed: dimensioning?
10 minutes
1.209

B8
3 OTHER ALGORITHMS
1.210
LCS

B8 Purpose
SDCCH/8 time slots can be dynamically

allocated on demand on a cell-by-cell
basis.
Dynamic SDCCH/8 time slots. Allocated

Dynamic
Static SDCCH time slots SDCCH/8
time slots
Max
Static Min
SDCCH
time slots
TCH
Capacity
1.211
Definitions
A Static SDCCH timeslot is a physical timeslot fixed allocated on the air interface. It contains 3, 4, 7 or 8 SDCCH sub-
channels depending on whether the timeslot is an SDCCH/3, SDCCH/4, SDCCH/7, or SDCCH/8 timeslot.

B8 Principle (1/2)
Principles
Too few SDCCH time slots could result in high blocking rate
on SDCCH (Configuration 1)
Too many SDCCH time slots could lead to a lack of TCH
resources (Configuration 2)
Configuration 1 Configuration 2
SDCCH SDCCH
time slots time slots
TCH TCH
Capacity Capacity
1.212
Definition
An SDCCH is a logical SDCCH sub-channel mapped on a Static SDCCH timeslot or a Dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot.
Signaling load cases

Timeslot split between signaling and traffic channels depends on the network signaling load. The main cases are:
- Normal signaling load cells:
Rural area cells in center of Location Areas
(e.g. 1 SDCCH timeslot for a 3-TRX cell)
- High signaling load cells:
Urban or suburban area cells in the center of a Location Area
Rural area cells at the border of Location Areas
(e.g. 2 SDCCH time slots for a 3-TRX cell)
- Very high signaling load cells:
Urban or suburban area cells at the border of a Location Area
Cells with high SMS load (more than one SMS per call)
(e.g. 3 SDCCH time slots for a 3-TRX cell)

B8 Principle (2/2)
Allocation and de-allocation of Dynamic SDCCH/8 time slots

An additional dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot is allocated by the
BSC if there is no SDCCH sub-channel free in the cell.
A dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot is de-allocated by the BSC
after T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD (10s) delay if all of its SDCCH
sub-channels become free
+ BCC
TCH
SDD
SDC
SDC
TCH
TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH
TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH
TCH
SDD TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH
BCC: BCCH
SDC: Static SDCCH
- SDD: Dynamic SDCCH
1.213
The location of the Dynamic SDCCH/8 time slots are fixed by O&M configuration.

B8 TIMESLOT types
NEW TIMESLOT TYPES :
SDCCH
Pure SDCCH or static SDCCH
TCH
Pure TCH
TCH/SDCCH
dynamic SDCCH
TCH/SPDCH
MPDCH
1.214
The OMC-R provides the BSC with the following O&M type of radio timeslots:
Main BCCH timeslot (BCC): It is a timeslot carrying FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH.
Main combined BCCH timeslot (CBC): It is a timeslot carrying FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH +
SDCCH/4 + SACCH/4.
Static SDCCH timeslot (SDC): It is a timeslot carrying SDCCH/8 + SACCH/8.
Dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot (SDD): It is a timeslot carrying TCH + SACCH or SDCCH/8 + SACCH/8
TCH timeslot (TCH): It is a timeslot carrying TCH + SACCH or PDCH
In RAM point of view, a radio timeslot can be defined as:

Pure BCCH timeslot: The BCCH timeslot is the radio timeslot configured as BCC by O&M. Such a
timeslot only carries common CS signalling.
Pure SDCCH timeslot: A pure SDCCH timeslot is a timeslot configured as a CBC or SDC by O&M.
Such a timeslot can carry SDCCH traffic.
Pure TCH timeslot: A pure TCH timeslot is a timeslot configured as TCH by O&M. Such a timeslot only
carries TCH traffic.
TCH/SDCCH timeslot: A TCH/SDCCH timeslot is a timeslot configured as SDD by O&M. Such a
timeslot is dynamically allocated as TCH or as SDCCH depending on the usage of the timeslot. It can
carry TCH traffic or SDCCH traffic.
TCH/SPDCH timeslot: A TCH/SPDCH timeslot is a timeslot configured as TCH by O&M. Such a timeslot
is dynamically allocated as TCH or as SPDCH depending on the usage of the timeslot. It can carry TCH
traffic or PS traffic.
MPDCH timeslot: A MPDCH timeslot is a timeslot configured as TCH by O&M. Such a timeslot can only
carry common PS signalling.
A pure SDCCH timeslot can carry x SDCCH sub-channels where x equal to:
4 in case of combined CCCH and when CBCH is not configured on the timeslot,
7 in case of non-combined CCCH and when CBCH is configured on the timeslot,
3 in case of combined CCCH and when CBCH is configured on the timeslot,
8 for a normal SDCCH timeslot.
When allocated as SDCCH, a TCH/SDCCH timeslot can carry up to 8 SDCCH sub-channels.

B8 Allocation algorithm
SDCCH mapped on TCU

SDCCH REQUEST
very high load state removal
Are they any free SDCCH Are they any free SDCCH Are they any Dynamic
sub-channel among Static sub-channel among Dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslots available
SDCCH timeslots ? SDCCH/8 already allocated ? and free in the cell ?
No No Yes
? ? ? Allocate
Yes Yes No
one dynamic
Selection of one Select one SDCCH SDCCH request SDCCH/8
SDCCH sub-channel sub-channel rejected !!! timeslot
1.215
Principle 1 : Preference is given to pure SDCCH timeslots

Principle 2 : Balance TCU processor load between different TCUs
in fact before entering in this algorithm ( see slide) the first step is :
Removal of all the SDCCH subchannels mapped on TCU in Very High Overload state
Principle 3 : FR TRX preference

B8 SDCCH sub-channel selection
TS with
Pure SDCCH LOWEST TCU
LOAD
Timeslots
TS with
MAXIMUM FREE
TCH/SDCCH SDCCH Sub
TS allocated as channels
SDCCH
TS on FR
TRX
TCH/SDCCH
allocated as TCH
TS with lowest
index on TRX
with lowest
TRX_ID
1.216
Note that a SDCCH request can not access the timeslots reserved by NUM_TCH_EGNCY_HO. If all remaining
TCH/SDCCH timeslots are reserved by NUM_TCH_EGNCY_HO, then the SDCCH request shall be rejected.

B8 De allocation algorithm
all SDCCH At least one

TCH/SDCCH allocated
sub-channels
of a TCH/SDCCH
timeslot
No
in the cell are free ? Yes
T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD
? started
No
Yes
T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD
No
running ? Yes
? T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD ?
Yes Expires ?
No
T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD TCH/SDCCH
stopped deallocated
1.217
The de-allocation algorithm ensures that :

TCH/SDCCH timeslots are not allocated too fast to TCH after de-allocating them
TCH/SDCCH timeslots are not re-allocated too frequently to SDCCH
Note : while T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD is running:

the dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot marked as HOLD is still considered as allocated to SDCCH (and can not be
allocated to TCH);
If a subsequent dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot (used as SDCCH and in the same cell) becomes free:
a) If this just freed dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot has a higher priority, T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD is re-started and
precedent dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot in HOLD state is de-allocated immediately;
b) If this just freed dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot has lower priority, and T_DYN_SDCCH_HOLD is re-started and
the just freed dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot is de-allocated immediately.

B8 O&M configuration 1/2
selection of static or dynamic Massive modification by

SDCCH script
Timeslot configuration 10 templates
menu
Template
customization
Template
launched
through PRC
3 10
4 7 1 8 5
2 9 6 11
12
1.218
Dynamic sdcch rules

The CBCH must be configured on a static SDCCH/8 or SDCCH/4 timeslot.
Combined SDCCHs (SDCCH/4 + BCCH) are always static.
To avoid incoherent allocation strategy between SDCCH and PDCH, a dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot cannot have
the characteristic of being a PDCH (it cannot carry GPRS traffic).
The operator must configure at least one static SDCCH/8 or SDCCH/4 timeslot on BCCH TRX in a cell.
In cells with E-GSM, only the TRX, which do not belong to the G1 band, can support dynamic and static
SDCCHs.
In multiband and concentric cells, only the TRX, which belongs to the outer zone, can support dynamic and static
SDCCHs.
Up to 24 static/dynamic SDCCH sub-channels can be configured per TRX.

B8 O&M configuration 2/2
Default configuration for a cell which has only Full rate TRX
1.219
Note1: For one TRX, dynamic SDCCHs are over-dimensioned because of the granularity of 8. According
to the Alcatel traffic model, all dynamic SDCCHs will not be used.
Note2: An additional dynamic SDCCH/8 must be provided for each DR TRX (these are expected mainly
on small cells).
rules:
At least one static SDCCH/4 or SDCCH/8 on BCCH TRX
Up to 24 static/dynamic SDCCH sub-channels per TRX
Up to 32 static/dynamic SDCCH sub-channels per TCU
Up to 88 static/dynamic SDCCH sub-channels per CELL

3 OTHER ALGORITHMS
1.220
LCS

B8 Radio Allocation and Management
Radio resource allocation and management (RAM) aims at:

Managing pools of TCH radio resources by:
defining TCH radio timeslots as a function of the cell
radio configuration from the operator
sorting these TCH TS according to their radio capabilities
(FR or DR, frequency band (G1 or GSM/DCS))
Allocating dedicated TCH radio resources by:
selecting the TCH pool in which the TCH should be
chosen according to:
the requested channel rate (FR or HR)
the radio capability of the mobile
the TRE DR capability and the TRE band
selecting the best TCH resource among the available
TCH channels of this pool according to several criteria
1.221

B8 Radio Timeslot of a cell : Operator view
On the OMC-R the operator can configure the following Radio TS

per cell:
Main BCCH timeslot (BCC): TS carrying FCCH + SCH +
BCCH + CCCH
Main combined BCCH timeslot (CBC): TS carrying FCCH +
SCH + BCCH + CCCH + SDCCH/4 + SACCH/4
Static SDCCH timeslot (SDC): TS carrying SDCCH/8 +
SACCH/8
Dynamic SDCCH/8 timeslot (SDD): TS carrying TCH +
SACCH or SDCCH/8 + SACCH/8
TCH timeslot (TCH): TS carrying TCH + SACCH or used as
a PS timeslot (PDCH)
1.222
The operator has to choose between a Combined BCCH (CBC TS) or a Non-combined BCCH configuration (BCC TS).
A PDCH is a radio timeslot used for PS traffic or signalling.

It can carry either PS traffic or PS signalling but not both.
If it carries traffic it is called a Slave PDCH (SPDCH) TS and it carries the logical channels
PDTCH+PACCH+PTTCH.
If it carries signalling it is called a Master PDCH (MPDCH) TS and it carries:
either the logical channels PBCCH+PPCH+PAGCH+PRACH: it is then called a Primary MPDCH
or only PPCH+PAGCH+PRACH: it is then called a Secondary MPDCH
SDD TS can carry either TCH or SDCCH channels but not both at the same time.
TCH TS can carry either CS traffic channel TCH or PS logical channels but not both at the same time.

B8 Radio Timeslot of a cell : RAM view
In the BSS the RAM software module maps the OMC-R cell radio
configuration to its own types of TS :
Pure BCCH timeslot: BCC TS carrying only common CS
signalling (BCCH+CCCH)
Pure SDCCH timeslot: CBC or SDC TS carrying only
dedicated CS signalling (SDCCH)
Pure TCH timeslot: TCH TS carrying only TCH traffic
TCH/SDCCH timeslot: SDD TS carrying either CS traffic
(TCH) or dedicated CS signalling (SDCCH)
TCH/SPDCH timeslot: TCH TS carrying either CS traffic
(TCH) or PS traffic (SPDCH channels)
MPDCH timeslot: TCH TS carrying common PS signalling
(PBCCH+PCCCH or PCCCH only)
1.223
TCH/SDCCH timeslots are allocated as TCH or SDCCH according to an SDCCH dynamic allocation algorithm
presented in the Introduction to Radio Fine Tuning B8 training course.
TCH/SPDCH timeslots are allocated as TCH or SPDCH according to a SPDCH dynamic allocation algorithm presented
in the Introduction to GPRS & E-GPRS Quality of Service Monitoring B8 training course.

B8 Radio Timeslot : OMC-R / RAM mapping
OMC-R radio TS RAM radio TS
BCC Pure BCCH

CBC Pure SDCCH
SDC
SDD TCH/SDCCH
TCH TCH/SPDCH
MPDCH
Pure TCH
NB_TS_MPCH MPDCH TS are defined on the BCCH TRX :

on the timeslots configured as TCH TS on the OMC-R
having the lowest timeslot index
TCH/SPDCH TS are defined as being part of an SPDCH group
Pure TCH timeslots are OMC-R TCH TS neither defined as
MPDCH TS nor in an SPDCH group
1.224
MPDCH TS are defined on the BCCH TRX even if the corresponding TRX_PREF_MARK is different than 0.

B8 Definition of a TCH/SPDCH TS
For PS traffic resource allocation, an SPDCH group is defined on

a per TRX basis and is made of consecutive timeslots:
mapped on OMC-R TCH TS
located on a PS capable TRX (TRX_PREF_MARK = 0)
not defined as MPDCH TS
having the same radio configuration (MA, MAIO)
If several SPDCH groups can be defined on a given TRX, the
BSS chooses the SPDCH group of timeslots having the highest
number of consecutive timeslots.
A radio timeslot belonging to one of the different SPDCH groups
of the cell is identified in RAM as a TCH/SPDCH timeslot.
1.225
The timeslots shall be consecutive on a given TRX means that there shall be no hole in the SPDCH group.
If several SPDCH groups can be defined on the same TRX and having the same number of consecutive timeslots then
the group that is located on the left side of the TRX (i.e. the timeslots having the lowest index) shall be chosen.

B8 Exercise 1
A non hopping cell is configured on the OMC-R

TRX_PREF_MARK 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
0 TRX1 BCC TCH SDC TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH
0 TRX2 SDD
SDC TCH SDC TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH
0 TRX3 TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH
1 TRX4 TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH
Find the radio TS configuration in RAM if NB_TS_MPDCH= 2

PBC: Pure BCCH TRX1
PSD: Pure SDCCH

TRX2 SDC
TSD: TCH/SDCCH
TSP: TCH/SPDCH
TRX3
MPD: MPDCH
PTC: Pure TCH TRX4
1.226
The timeslots shall be consecutive on a given TRX means that there shall be no hole in the SPDCH group.
If several SPDCH groups can be defined on the same TRX and having the same number of consecutive timeslots then
the group that is located on the left side of the TRX (i.e. the timeslots having the lowest index) shall be chosen.

B8 TCH pools
3 pools of TCH resources are managed per cell:

G1 pure TCH pool: contains all the free TCH sub-channels
(FR or HR) free on the pure TCH TS of the G1 TRXs
GSM/DCS pure TCH - TCH/SPDCH pool: contains all the
free TCH sub-channels (FR or HR) free on the pure TCH TS
and on the TCH/SPDCH TS of the GSM/DCS TRXs
GSM/DCS TCH/SDCCH pool: contains all the free TCH sub-
channels (FR or HR) free on the TCH/SDCCH TS of the
GSM/DCS TRXs
any pure TCH, TCH/SPDCH, TCH/SDCCH TS can be:
Busy: if it is not free to serve a FR TCH request
Free: if it is free to serve a FR TCH request
1.227
A DR TS (timeslot on a DR TRX) is free if no FR TCH or HR TCH is allocated for a call on this timeslot.
A DR TS is busy if at least one TCH is allocated for a call on this timeslot:
1 FR TCH
or 1 HR TCH (HR 0 TCH or HR 1 TCH)
or 2 HR TCHs (HR 0 TCH and HR 1 TCH)

B8 TCH sub-pools
FR TCH channels can be allocated on both FR and DR TRXs

whereas HR TCH channels can only be allocated on DR TRXs
Each of the three TCH pools is divided in three sub-pools:
FR sub-pool: contains all the free FR TCH sub-channels
available on the FR TRX
DR: sub-pool: contains all the free FR TCH sub-channels
available on the DR TRX
HR sub-pool: contains all the free HR TCH sub-channels
whose mate HR TCH sub-channel is busy
(always located on the DR TRX)
1.228
Inputs for TCH allocation function:

B8 TCH allocation process 1/2
TCH request
radio capability of the mobile
cell channel type capability
channel type (FR,HR,DR)
cell codec type capability
cell load speech version (FR, HR, EFR, AMR FR, AMR HR)
request type (NA or HO)
TCH allocation
no yes
TCH free?
no yes Select a TCH sub-pool

Queuing?
Select a TCH in this sub-pool

TCH rejected TCH queued
TCH selected
1.229
Inputs for TCH allocation function:

radio capability of the MS:
the BSS knows the radio capability of the mobile from the MS CLASSMARK after the Radio Link Establishment
procedure
requirements from the MSC:

channel type (mandatory) is one of the following:
FR Full Rate only
HR Half Rate only
DR FR P NCA Dual Rate Full Rate Preferred No Changes Allowed after first channel allocation
as a result of the request
DR FR P CA Dual Rate Full Rate Preferred Changes Allowed after first channel allocation as a
result of the request
DR HR P NCA Dual Rate Half Rate Preferred No Changes Allowed after first channel allocation
as a result of the request
DR HR P CA Dual Rate Half Rate Preferred Changes Allowed after first channel allocation as a
DR SV P NCA Dual Rate No Changes of channel rate Allowed after first channel allocation as a
DR SV P CA Dual Rate Changes of channel rate Allowed after first channel allocation as a
list of preferred speech version (optional):

GSM full rate speech version 1 = FR
GSM full rate speech version 2 = EFR
GSM full rate speech version 3 = AMR FR
GSM half rate speech version 1 = HR
GSM half rate speech version 3 = AMR HR
capabilities of the cell:

FR TCHs only if only FR TRXs / FR+HR TCHs if some DR TRXs
codec supported among: FR, EFR, AMR FR, HR, AMR HR

B8 TCH allocation process 2/2
NUM_TCH_EGNCY_HO
T_QHO TCH allocation
ALLOC_ANYWAY
T11 no yes
TCH free?
T11_ FORCED
no yes Select a TCH sub-pool

Queuing?
Select a TCH in this sub-pool

TCH rejected TCH queued
TCH selected
1.230
- The timer T11 corresponds to normal assignment with queuing authorised.

- The timer T11_FORCED corresponds to normal assignment
i) when the queuing is not authorised by the MSC but forced by the BSC
(QUEUE_ANYWAY = TRUE),
or ii) when the queuing is not authorised but the request has its pre-emption indicator set and has
already forced the release of a lower priority pre-emptable on-going call.
The QUEUE_ANYWAY flag is checked by the Normal Assignment (NASS) entity.
- The timer T_qho corresponds to an external channel change with queuing authorised or to an
external channel change when the queuing is not authorised but the request has its pre-emption
indicator set and has already forced the release of a lower priority pre-emptable on-going call.

B8 TCH sub-pool selection
The BSS selects the TCH sub-pools in which a TCH channel can
be allocated according to:
the requested channel rate and the cell load situation
favour HR if cell is loaded
a priority given to generic resources
1. G1 pool (E-GSM mobile only)
2. GSM/DCS pure TCH - TCH/SPDCH pool
3. GSM/DCS TCH/SDCCH pool
an optimisation of FR/HR resources
favour FR pool over DR pool for a FR TCH request
favour HR pool over DR pool for an HR TCH request
the availability of a TCH channel in the sub-pool
1.231
TCH allocation without list of preferred speech versions

FR request: FR pool DR pool
HR request: HR pool DR pool
DR FR Preferred request:
cell load=False: FR pool DR pool HR pool
cell load=True: HR pool DR pool FR pool
DR HR Pref. request: HR pool DR pool FR pool
TCH allocation with a list of preferred speech versions

FR SV then HR SV: FR pool DR pool HR
HR SV then FR SV: HR pool DR pool FR
FR SV only: FR pool DR pool
HR SV only: HR pool DR pool
favour G1 pool for an E-GSM mobile (penetration of E-GSM mobile is low and GSM/DCS traffic is high)
disfavour TCH allocation on TCH/SDCCH TS (favour signalling over traffic)
Example : E-GSM mobile / DR FR P NCA / no sub-pool is empty

BSS selects a TCH in the G1 pure TCH pool / FR sub-pool

B8 TCH selection
sub-pool of the GSM/DCS pure TCH - TCH/SPDCH pool

optimise CS/PS traffic resources
1. Favour TCH allocation on pure TCH TS
2. Optimise PS traffic on TCH/SPDCH TS
TCH allocated on TRX of highest TRX rank
and on TS of highest TS index
SPDCH allocated on TRX of lowest TRX rank
and on TS of lowest TS index
2 modes of TCH selection

on pure TCH or TCH/SDCCH timeslots
on TCH/SPDCH timeslots
1.232
TCH selection on pure TCH or TCH/SDCCH timeslots if:

there is at least one candidate TCH free on pure TCH TS
OR
there is no candidate TCH free on TCH/SPDCH TS
only the candidate TCH sub-channels available on pure TCH TS and on TCH/SDCCH TS are kept as
candidate
TCH selection on TCH/SPDCH timeslots if:
there is at least one candidate TCH free on a TCH/SPDCH TS
AND
there is no candidate TCH free on pure TCH TS
only the candidate TCH sub-channels available on TCH/SPDCH TS are kept as candidate

B8 TCH selection on pure TCH or TCH/SDCCH TS
The TCH is chosen from the selected sub-pool according to the

following criteria:
EN_MA_SELECTION
= true
TCH candidates
Highest Biggest Best
of the selected
TRX_PREF_MARK Mobile Allocation Interference Band
TCH sub-pool
non hopping cell
HR 0 Highest Highest
Selected TCH
TCH sub-channel TS index TRX identity
FR allocation
or HR allocation on busy TS
1.233
The BSS attempts to offer the best quality of service for TCH calls in accordance with the privileged order between the
groups of TRXs (if any) defined by the operator. Among a group of TRXs the BSS attempts to allocate traffic channels
that have the best quality characteristics (channels using frequency with low reuse factor, large hopping frequency
sets, low measured interference).
The benefits from this type of allocation are that the operator has the possibility to define groups of TRXs and to favour
(or to disadvantage) them on the other if he wants to do so. Among a group of pure TCH or TCH/SDCCH timeslots, the
overall interference is kept as low as possible, thus the user will perceive a better quality of service.
The BSS chooses the best TCH among the sub-channels of the selected TCH sub-pool applying criteria below in the
specified order of priority:
1. TCH on TS with the highest TRX Preference Mark

According to the frequency plan, the coverage and interference probability of a cell (or according to
measurements), the operator may know which TRX should be a priori favored for TCH selection. For
that purpose, it is possible for operators to give a preference mark to each TRX of a cell. This mark is
given through the parameters TRX_PREF_MARK (TPM) changeable at OMC-R side per TRX. The
range of TRX_PREF_MARK will be from 0 (lowest priority) to 7 (highest priority).
The TCH selection function favours the channels with the highest TPM.
Note that a few Pure TCH TS should be available in a cell on a TRX of TRX_PREF_MARK value of 0
since TCH/SPDCH TS may also be defined on this TRX according to PS radio resource configuration.
2. TCH on TS with the biggest Mobile Allocation (for hopping cell only)
Considering that the number of frequencies is a key factor for the average quality of channels, the TCH
selection function favors the TS with the biggest MA (i.e. with the most frequencies in their frequency
hopping sequence). This selection criterion is enabled/disabled via the flag EN_MA_SELECTION
changeable at the OMC-R side on a per cell basis.
3. TCH on TS from the best Interference Band
Considering that the uplink received level measured by the BTS on an idle channel is a means to
assess the quality when in connected mode, the TCH selection function favours the TS belonging to the
best Interference Band (IB). Five IBs are defined through 5 parameters INTFBD1 to INTFBD5 where
INTFBD(i)< INTFBD(i+1) and INTFBD5 = -47 all changeable at the OMC-R side on a per BTS basis.
4. TCH on TRX with the highest TRX identity
5. TCH on TS with the highest TS index
6. HR 0 TCH if the two sub-channels remaining candidates are the 2 HR TCH of the same free TS

B8 TCH selection on TCH/SPDCH TS
The TCH is chosen from the selected sub-pool according to the

following criteria:
TCH candidates
Highest Highest HR 0
of the selected Selected TCH
TRX rank TS index TCH sub-channel
TCH sub-pool
FR allocation
or HR allocation on busy TS
TRX rank is determined by the TRX Ranking algorithm

described in the GPRS & EGPRS Radio Algorithms
Description training course
1.234
The BSS tends to allocate to the MFS the TCH/SPDCH timeslots so as to avoid conflicts between CS and PS
allocations on PS capable TRX.
In order to be able to allocate as much slave PDCHs as possible to a given TBF, it is important to avoid any mix of
allocation between TCHs and SPDCHs (e.g. avoid on a TRX a configuration such as TCH TCH SPDCH SPDCH
TCH SPDCH SPDCH SPDCH). For that purpose, a TRX rank is assigned to each PS capable TRX. The TRX
having the highest TRX rank is preferentially selected for TCH allocations, whereas TRX having the lowest TRX rank is
preferentially selected for SPDCH allocations
This rule only applies on PS capable TRX. On a given PS capable TRX, TCH are preferentially allocated on the right
side of the TRX (highest TS index), whereas SPDCH are preferentially allocated on the left side (lowest TS index).

B8 Exercise 2 - 1/3
A cell is configured on the OMC-R and TRE are mapped by BSS
TRX_PREF_MARK 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TRE
0 TRX1 BCC SDC TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH G4 MP FR
0 TRX2 SDD
SDC TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH G4 MP DR
1 TRX3 SDC TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH G3 DR
0 TRX4 TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH G4 MP FR
1 TRX5 TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH G3 DR
Time allowed:
10 minutes
1.235

B8 Exercise 2 - 2/3
Find the radio TS configuration in RAM if NB_TS_MPDCH= 2

Pure BCCH TS PBC PTC Pure TCH TS
Pure SDCCH TS PSD TSP TCH/SPDCH TS
TCH/SDDCH TS TSD MPD MPDCH
TRX_PREF_MARK 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TRE
0 TRX1 G4 MP FR
0 TRX2 SDC G4 MP DR
1 TRX3 G3 DR
0 TRX4 G4 MP FR
1 TRX5 G3 DR
1.236

B8 Exercise 2 - 3/3
Pure TCH TS
Find which TCH sub-channel is allocated:
TCH/SPDCH TS
1. For MS1: E-GSM, DR
TCH/SDDCH TS as TCH TS
2. For MS2: GSM/DCS, DR
P: SPDCH TS
3. For MS3: GSM, FR F: FR TCH call
4. For MS4, MS5, ., MSn: E-GSM, DR n=? H: HR TCH call
Cell load = true
TRX Rank 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TRE
2 TRX1 P P P GSM/FR
3 TRX2 SDC
TSD P P P P H F GSM/DR
- TRX3 F F F F F F GSM/DR
1 TRX4 P P P P P P P GSM/FR
- TRX5 H H H H F H F H H G1/DR
1.237

3 OTHER ALGORITHMS
1.238
LCS

Selection and reselection principles
At startup (IMSI Attach), the MS is selecting a cell with

best C1
once camped on one cell (in idle mode)
the MS can decide to reselect on another one if:

C1 criteria is too low
the MS cannot decode downlink messages
the current cell is becoming forbidden (e.g. barred)
the MS cannot access the cell
there is a better cell, regarding C2 criteria
1.239
Idle mode
Status null:
the mobile station (MS) is off
Status search BCCH:
the MS searches a broadcast channel with the best signal level (cell selection and reselection)
BCCH list: up to 36 BCCH frequencies plus BSIC can be saved on SIM per visited network.
Look if frequencies of the BCCH list can be used.
No entries in the BCCH list, or the location is completely different: scan frequency band.
Status BCCH:
the MS is synchronized on a BCCH. The MS camps on a cell.
The BTS sends the neighbor cells list (BCCH allocation BA) on BCCH in System Information (SI) 2, 2bis
and 2ter if BSS parameter EN_INTERBAND_NEIGH in dual band networks:
GSM900 serving cell
- GSM900 neighbor cells put into SI 2
- GSM1800 neighbor cells put into SI 2ter/2bis
GSM1800 serving cell
- GSM900 neighbor cells put into SI 2ter
- GSM1800 neighbor cells put into SI 2/2bis
The MS measures RXLEV from BCCH of the serving and neighbor cells.
Camping on a cell is performed using C1 criteria only (the chosen cell is the one with the best C1)
The MS needs to have access to the network.
The MS needs to be accessible by the network.
Reselection is done using the mechanisms referenced above
handover algorithms in idle mode

C1 criteria (1/2)
C1
ensure that, if a call was attempted, it would be done with a
sufficient downlink and uplink received level
based on 2 parameters, broadcast on BCCH
RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN [dBm]
minimum level to access the cell
MS_TXPWR_MAX_CCH [dBm]
maximum level for MS emitting
1.240

C1 criteria (2/2)
C1
evaluated every 5 sec (minimum)
C1 = A - MAX(0,B) > 0
A = RxLev - RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN
assess that the MS received level is sufficient
B = MS_TXPWR_MAX_CCH - P
P maximum power of MS
assess that the BTS received level will be sufficient
if MS_TXPWR_MAX_CCH < P
If A > 0 & B < 0 OK, if B > 0, it can be compensated by A
A >> 0 means that the MS is closer to the BTS
1.241

C2 criteria
C2
CELL_RESELECT_PARAM_IND= not present THEN C2=C1 else
C2 = C1 + CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET - TEMPORARY_OFFSET (T)
(if PENALTY_TIME 31)
if T > PENALTY_TIME, TEMPORARY_OFFSET(T) = 0
used to avoid locating on transient cell
CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET used to favor cell among other (e.g.
micro-cell vs. umbrella, once T > PENALTY_TIME)
Or C2 = C1 - CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET
(if PENALTY_TIME = 31)
CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET used to handicap some cells among
others
One reselection criterion is compared to C2s
C2neighbor > C2current if cells belong to same LA
C2neighbor > C2current+Cell_Reselect_Hysteresis if cells from a
different LA
1.242
Note:
CRO: from 0 to 126 dB, step 2dB
PENALTY_TIME: from 1=20s to 30=600s, step: 20s; 31=infinite
TEMPORARY_OFFSET: from 1=10dB to 6=60dB; 7 = infinite
The use of a second formula (Penalty_time = 31) is restricted to very special cases, as we do not like to penalize a cell.
If a cell is parametered with PT=31, it will be penalized compared to ALL its neighbors. To penalize a cell compared to
one neighbor, one should better boost the neighbor cell (using the first formula).
The first formula is very useful for favoring indoor cell or microcell.
Cell selection and cell reselection considering CELL_BAR_QUALIFY

in case of phase 2 MS and CELL_RESELECT_PARAM_IND=1, it is possible to set priorities to cells
CELL_BAR_QUALIFY
Two values:
0 = normal priority (default value)
1 = lower priority
Interacts with CELL_BAR_ACCESS (barring cell)
A phase 2 MS selects the suitable cell with the highest C2 (C1>0) belonging to the list of normal priority.
If no cell with normal priority is available then the MS would select the lower priority cell with the highest C2
(C1>0).

Training Exercise (1/2)
On this network example

List the parameters involved in
the selection / reselection CI=1823
GSM900 CI=6271
GSM900
Cell (8557, 1823)
process CI=6270
GSM900
CI=6169
GSM900
Cell (8564,6169) CI=1964

GSM900
Cell (8564, 1964)

Time allowed:
5 minutes
1.243

Training Exercise (2/2)
Find the selected cell by the MS

CI=1823
GSM900 CI=6271
Cell 3
(8557, 1823)
GSM900
CI=6270
Measurements RxLev (1) RxLev (2) RxLev (3) GSM900
1 -80 -96 -104

2 -84 -90 -100
3 -88 -90 -87
4 -88 -87 -82
CI=6169
GSM900
5 -89 -85 -78

Cell 2 CI=1964
GSM900
(8564,6169) Cell 1
(8564, 1964)
1.244

1.245

Objective: to be able to Estimate qualitatively the impact of

parameters change
Program:
4.2 Examples and exercises
1.246

S5: CASE STUDIES

1.247
Examples and Exercises

Session objectives
SESSION OBJECTIVES
Be able to estimate qualitatively the impact of a parameter change
JUSTIFICATION
Tuning is not an exact science

The optimizer has to control every parameter change and predict
qualitatively what the consequences will be
Note: Each change of parameter and its justification have to be
registered in a database for operation convenience
DETAILED PROGRAM
Three Example/Exercises
1.248

4.1 Examples and Exercises
1.249
Examples and Exercises

Overview
Example 1: Optimization of handover algorithms
Sliding averaging window
Example 2: Optimization of power control algorithms
Sliding averaging window
Example 3: Traffic load sharing
Parameters qualitative influence
1.250

Example 1: Optimization of Handover Algorithms (1/4)
Search for best tuning of HO parameters to decrease

call drop
Call drop
HO/Call
1.251

Main Objective: make the HO algorithm as efficient as

possible
Minimize call drop rate
trigger HO soon enough
toward the best neighbor
while keeping a good speech quality
avoid HO due to quality: too late
avoid having HO/call rate too high
1.252

Method
Collect Abis trace chart
Search for HO level to avoid quality
lower than 4 (or even 3)
sufficient number of bad quality
< R x Q u a l _ D L > = f(A V _ R x L e v_ D L ) < R x Q u a l_ U L > = f(A V _ R x L e v_ U L )
7 7
6 6
samples 5
3
5
2 2
low standard deviation 1
0
1
problem when HO already

N b_sam ples N b_ sa m ple s
600 1000
800
400 600
200 400
200
activated 0
2
S ta n d a rd D e vi a ti o n
3
0
S ta n d a rd D e vi a ti o n
1 .5
2
1
1
0 .5
0 0
Then tune according to QoS indicators (OMC-R) by repetitive process

A_PBGT_HO/A_LEV_HO/A_QUAL_HO
L_RXLEV_UL_H, L_RXLEV_DL_H, L_RXLEV_UL_P,
L_RXLEV_DL_P
OK as soon as HO success rate stabilized
1.253
Never forget that Abis information takes into account the traffic distribution in the cell. Any parameter tuning done after
an Abis study has to be checked periodically as the distribution in the cell can change from one week to another.
Use the pivot table function (Excel) to build this graph.
RxQUAL
RxQUAL
0
10
08
06
04
02
00
8
6
4
2
0
8
6
4
2
0
8
6
4
2
0
8
6
4
2
0
8
6
4
2
0
8
-9
-9
-9
-9
-9
-8
-8
-8
-8
-8
-7
-7
-7
-7
-7
-6
-6
-6
-6
-6
-5
-5
-5
-5
-5
-4
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1

neighboring relationship cleanup

Remove useless relationships (A interface statistics, PM
Type 180)
Remove the common BCCH/BSIC couple
Add new relationships when a new site is created
Finally, check the main QoS indicators

Call drop rate
HO failure rate
HO/call rate
1.254

Example 1: training exercise
According to the Abis results and some parameters already set,

tune qualitatively the sliding averaging windows:
A_QUAL_HO
A_LEV_HO
Level at RxQual=3 -80dBm -96dBm -90dBm

Time allowed:
L_RXLEV_DL_H -85dBm -90dBm -90dBm
5 minutes
A_QUAL_HO 6 6 ?
A_LEV_HO ? ? 4
1.255

Example 2: Optimization of Power Control Algorithms (1/2)
Optimization of Downlink Power Control

Decrease of downlink interference
Risks of delay of HO (without fast power control)
Optimization of Uplink Power Control

Decrease of Uplink interference
MS battery saving
Risks of delay of HO (without fast power control)
1.256

Example 2: Optimization of Power Control Algorithms (2/2)
The main tuning problem is the interaction with handover, which

can slow down HO decision, and debase call drop rate
Power control threshold must be within HO ones
Dynamic step size must be activated if possible
1.257
In the example below, a dynamic MS PC is activated. The MS power changes are really reactive and control the UL
level between -80 and -90dBm. In this example, the HO threshold is -98 dBm.
RxLev_UL
1 39 77 115 153 191 229 267 305 343 381 419 457 495 533 571 609 647 685 723 761 799 837 875 913 951 989 1027
-70
-75
-80
-85 RxLev_UL
-90
-95
-100
33
31
29
27
25
23 MS_PwrLevel
21
19
17
15
13
1 40 79 118 157 196 235 274 313 352 391 430 469 508 547 586 625 664 703 742 781 820 859 898 937 976 1015

Example 2: Training Exercise
Explain qualitatively the impacts of some parameter changes
What happens if:

we increase POW_INC_FACTOR?
we increase MAX_POW_INC?
We increase A_LEV_PC?
Time allowed:
5 minutes
1.258

Example 3: Traffic Load Sharing (1/12)
Used to unload cell with too high traffic, without HW extension

Trade-off between traffic sharing/radio quality
Different algorithm
Fast Traffic Handover: Cause 28
Traffic Handover: Cause 23 and 12 with DELTA_HO_MARGIN(0,n)
Static (couple of cells): HO_MARGIN, LINK_FACTOR
On a local traffic basis:
Load_Factor/Free_Factor
Forced Directed Retry
1.259

Fast Traffic HO
Useful in case of sudden traffic peaks as the process
response is instantaneous (no averaging window)
The principle is to force handover towards neighbor cells
which have lower traffic when a request is queued in the
serving cell.
Interaction with Forced DR due to the use of same
thresholds
Optimization method (repetitive process)
Tunes L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n), FREElevel_DR(n)
Applies new values, checks traffic peaks, QoS
indicators
1.260

The Pros and cons of Fast Traffic HO

Efficiency depends on
traffic location in the loaded cell
capacity of neighbor cells
increase of the number of HO/call
increase of incoming HOs fail rate (risk of ping-pong
effect)
in case of internal HO: use PING_PONG_HCP with T_HCP
or/and enable HO CAUSE 23
heavy to tune (has to be done for each couple of cells)
Adapted to instantaneous traffic modification
can be used to send traffic towards a cell external to
the serving BSC
adapted to hierarchical network, but also to standard
ones
1.261

DELTA_HO_MARGIN (0,n)
CHANGE DYNAMICALLY TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTION WITH HO:
Traffic HO Cause 23
Ease outgoing better condition HO on a traffic point of
view
Slow down outgoing better cell HO (to be tuned for a given
couple of cells)
When the better cell in radio condition is the worst cell
in traffic terms
Tune DELTA_DEC_HO_MARGIN and
DELTA_INC_HO_MARGIN
Apply new values, check traffic, QoS indicators and
possibly speech quality
1.262

The Pros and cons of DELTA_HO_MARGIN (0,n) method

Efficiency depends on
traffic location in the loaded cell
cells overlap
increase the number of HO/call
cannot be used to send traffic toward a cell external to
the serving BSC
the call has to be first established on a loaded cell,
before being exported
it can be rejected
Easy to tune (dynamic process)
Adaptability to instantaneous and long term traffic
modifications
1.263

HO_MARGIN / LINK_FACTOR
CHANGE STATICALLY TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTION WITH HO:
Ease outgoing better cell HO (to be tuned for a given couple
of cells)
Decrease HO_MARGIN (can make a cell candidate)
Increase LINK_FACTOR (used to rank candidate cells)
Look for neighbor cells able to carry extra traffic
Use Abis trace to check if these cells are candidate
if yes, use LINK_FACTOR to favor them
if not, use HO_MARGIN and LINK_FACTOR
Apply new values, check traffic, QoS indicators and
possibly speech quality
1.264

The Pros and cons of LINK_FACTOR/HO_MARGIN

can be efficient (up to 20% increase of capacity) in
some cases
cell overlap
increase the number of HO/call
the call has to be first established on a loaded cell,
before being exported
it can be rejected
heavy to tune (has to be done for each couple of cells)
no adaptability to instantaneous and long term traffic
modifications
can be used to send traffic toward a cell external to the
serving BSC
1.265

FREE_FACTOR/LOAD_FACTOR
Taking into account the current load of cells, send the MS toward the less
loaded cell with HO
Ease outgoing better cell HO, according to
Load_Factor (% of TCH occupancy) of serving and target cells
Free_Factor (number of free TCHs) of serving and target cells
(order only)
cannot make a candidate cell, only change ranking
Tuning method (repetitive)
to be activated locally for each cell with default parameter setting
look for QoS indicators (esp. traffic intensity and blocking rate)
tune tables accordingly
1.266

The Pros and cons of load/free factors method

Lower efficiency compared to
LINK_FACTOR/HO_MARGIN
No increase of HO/call rate
Calls have to be established on a loaded cell before
being exported
Tuning is performed on a cell-per-cell basis
Cannot be used to send traffic toward an external cell
Adapted to dynamic change of traffic and capacity (for
Load_Factor)
1.267

Forced directed retry method

Mechanisms
the MS is connected on an SDCCH of cell1
it must switch on TCH
no TCH is free on cell1
there is at least 1 neighbor cell which has
sufficient DL level seen by the MS
enough free TCHs
the MS is handed over to TCH towards this cell
if there are several cells, the one with the best PBGT is
selected
1.268

method: trade-off between traffic and radio quality

mainly L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) parameter to tune
the lower, the better the traffic sharing
the lower, the higher the interference risks
QoS indicators and field tests (speech quality) are
necessary for tuning
cell 1 : 24
cell 2 : 45 cell 3 : 23
1.269
Forced directed retry

The following condition is checked every measurement reporting period and if at least one input pre-processed
parameter AV_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) is available.
CAUSE = 20 (high level in neighbor cell for forced directed retry)
AV_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) > L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) (n = 1 ... BTSnum)
and EN_FORCED_DR = ENABLE
The threshold L_RXLEV_NCELL_DR(n) is the observed level from the neighbor cell n at the border of the area
where forced directed retry is enabled. This threshold fixes the size of the overlapping area where forced
directed retry can be performed. It should be greater than RXLEVmin(n).

The Pros and cons of Forced directed retry
highest efficiency (up to 30%)
no increase of HO/call rate
can be used to send traffic toward an external cell
adapted to dynamic change of traffic
adapted to hierarchical networks, but also to standard

ones
tuning is performed on a cell-per-cell basis
1.270

Example 3: training exercise (1/3)
Draw qualitatively the new serving areas on the pseudo

map when enabling traffic HO with:
DELTA_DEC_HO_MARGIN=6dB
DELTA_INC_HO_MARGIN=4dB
Loaded cell 0 Unloaded cell n
PBGT(0)=PBGT(n)=
Cause 12 Cause 12
0
EN_TRAFFIC_HO = 0
PBGT(0) = 5 PBGT(n) = 5
Time allowed: Solution
5 minutes
1.271

What happens when EN_FAST_TRAFFIC_HO = ENABLE

and EN_TRAFFIC_HO(0,n) = DISABLE
PBGT(0)=PBGT(n)=0
Queued Ass Req Av_Rxlev_Ncell(n) = -82dBm Av_Rxlev_Ncell(0) = -74dBm
Av_Rxlev_PBGT_HO = -82dBm
L_RLEV_NCELL_DR(n) = -85dBm
PBGT(0) = 5 PBGT(n) = 5
Time allowed:
5 minutes
1.272

What happens when EN_FAST_TRAFFIC_HO = ENABLE and

EN_TRAFFIC_HO(0,n) = ENABLE
Queued Ass Req

Av_Rxlev_Ncell(0) = -74dBm
Av_Rxlev_PBGT_HO = -82dBm
Av_Rxlev_Ncell(n) = -82dBm
PBGT(n) = -1
PBGT(0) = 9
PBGT(0) = 5
Time allowed:
5 minutes
1.273

5 CASE STUDIES
1.274

5 CASE STUDIES
Objective: to be able to propose a set of parameters to solve

typical radio problems
Program:
5.2 TUNNEL Case
5.3 RADAR Case
5.4 TOWER Case
5.5 RESURGENCE Case
5.6 FOREST Case
5.7 HIGHWAY Case
5.8 TCH/SDCCH CONGESTION Case
5.9 INDOOR CELL CONGESTION Case
1.275

S5: CASE STUDIES

5 CASE STUDIES
1.276
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case
TCH/SDCCH CONGESTION Case
INDOOR CELL CONGESTION Case

Session objectives
SESSION OBJECTIVES
Be able to propose an appropriate set of parameters to solve

typical field problems
JUSTIFICATION
Some typical problems due to particular field configuration always

occur in a GSM network
DETAILED PROGRAM
Eight typical case studies
1.277

5 CASE STUDIES
5.2 Tunnel Case
1.278
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.2 Tunnel Case
Radiating cable in a tunnel

Question:
Risks of such a configuration
tune the right parameters for the tunnel cell
catch quickly car traffic
avoid the pedestrian traffic
Indoor
BTS Radiating Tunnel
cable
Repeater
Outdoor
Pedestrian
BTS
mobile
1.279

5 CASE STUDIES
5.3 Radar Case
1.280
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.3 Radar Case
Radar situation
A radar cell situated on top of a hill provides a wide coverage area.
An industrial zone in the valley is covered by small cells but also by the
radar cell. The serving areas in the IZ are not clearly defined.
Objective
Give a parameter set to prevent the radar cell from catching any traffic
in the industrial zone by HO assignment
1.281

5 CASE STUDIES
5.4 Tower Case
1.282
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.4 Tower Case
Tower situation
The indoor mobile selects in idle mode the outdoor cell (same LA)
Objective Indoor
Antenna
Define a set of parameters to avoid that effect
BS1
1.283

5 CASE STUDIES
5.5 Resurgence Case
1.284
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.5 Resurgence Case
Resurgence situation
In rural network, especially in hilly landscape, many resurgences occur
from very far cells.
Objective
Define a set of parameters to avoid radio link establishment to those
cells and TCH traffic on those cells
Cell A
Cell B
Resurgence
from cell A
25 km
1.285

5 CASE STUDIES
5.6 Forest Case
1.286
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.6 Forest Case
Forest situation: A highway crosses a forest

High call drop rate (radio cause) on the cell and drive tests: strong level
attenuation at the entrance of the forest
Objective
Define a set of parameters to avoid radio link failure
Forest
ATT=10dB every 100m
-75dBm -90dBm
Highway
BTS
1.287

5 CASE STUDIES
5.7 Highway Case
1.288
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.7 Highway Case
Highway situation:
A highway is slightly covered (best coverage on 200m) by an
orthogonal cell (cell C on the map)
Objective
Define a set of parameters to avoid traffic in the orthogonal cell
Cell C
Cell B
Cell A
1.289

5 CASE STUDIES
5.8 TCH/SDCCH congestion case
1.290
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.8 TCH/SDCCH Congestion Case
SDCCH congestion situation

A railway station is located at the frontier of two LAs. Every train
stopping in this station comes from LA 1 and then return to LA 1
after the stop.
Objective
Define a set of parameters to avoid SDCCH congestion on cell B
(LA 2)
Cell B Cell A
LA2 LA1
LA frontier
1.291

5 CASE STUDIES
5.9 Indoor cell congestion case
1.292
TUNNEL Case
RADAR Case
TOWER Case
RESURGENCE Case
FOREST Case
HIGHWAY Case

5.9 Indoor cell congestion
An indoor microcell has been introduced within a multi-layer

network (macro + micro)
When the indoor microcell is congested, FDR may not be

working as some the MSs can be covered only by this cell
Define parameter settings to find a good solution in case of indoor cell
congestion
1.293

END SESSION
1.294

ANNEXES
1.295
TYPICAL MODULE STRUCTURE

objective(s)
theoretical presentation
training exercises and/or cases study + feedback

ANNEXES
Annex.1 Erlang B law
1.296
Erlang B law
Frequency hopping influence on PCHO process
Load & Traffic evaluation
Training exercises solutions

Erlang definition
ERLANG: unit used to quantify traffic
T = (resource usage duration)/(total observation duration) [ERLANG]
Example:
1 TCH is observed during 1 hour
one can observe 1 call of 80 sec and 1 call of 100 sec
the observed traffic is T = (80+100)/3600 = 0.05 ERLANG
1.297

Call mix definition
ERLANG <-> CALL MIX
CALL MIX EXAMPLE

350 call/hour
3 LU/call
TCH duration: 85 sec
SDCCH duration: 4.5 sec
ERLANG COMPUTATION
TCH = (350 * 85)/3600 = 8.26 ERLANG
SDCCH = [ (350 + 350*3) * 4.5 ] / 3600 = 1.75
ERLANG
1.298
350 calls * 85 sec / 1 hour(3600 sec):

TCH = (350 * 85)/3600 = 8.26 ERLANGS
350 calls means 350 SDCCH phases.

3 LU/call means 3 * 350 LUs so 1050 SDCCH phases more.
1 SDCCH phase is 4.5 sec:
SDCCH = [ (350 + 350*3) * 4.5 ] / 3600 = 1.75 ERLANG

Erlang B (1/5)
ERLANG B LAW
relationship
between
offered traffic ca ll/se cond
ca ll/se cond
10
number of
10
9
9
resources 8
8
blocking rate
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
In a telecom system, 3
2
3
call arrival frequency is

2
1
1
ruled by the POISSON 0

1
13
17
21
25
29
33
37
41
45
49
53
57
61
65
69
73
77
81
85
89
93
97
0
1
13
17
21
25
29
33
37
41
45
49
53
57
61
65
69
73
77
81
85
89
93
97
LAW
1.299
The offered traffic is the traffic asked by the customers.
The graph gives the number of connection requests per second during 35 seconds.
83/30s => 83 * 2 * 60 = about 10 000 / hour
Real example in Paris on 1 BSC (LA FOURCHE).

Erlang B (2/5)
call request arrival rate (and leaving) is not stable

number of resources = average number of requests * mean
duration
is sometime not sufficient => probability of blocking
=> Erlang B law

Pblock: blocking probability E
N
P b lo c k = N!
N: number of resources N
E
k
k =0 k!
E: offered traffic [Erlang]
good approximation when the blocking rate is low (< 5%)
1.300

Erlang B (3/5)
There is two different ways to use this law
Using Abacus
Using SW (here Excel)

Pblock = f (T, Nc)
Offered = f (Nc, Pblock)
Channels = f (T, Pblock)
1.301

Erlang B (4/5)
Example:
We have a BTS of 8 TRXs (about 60 channels (Nc))
We do not want more than 2% of blocking (Pblock)
=> The traffic is not to be greater than 50 Erlangs (T)
83% of resources used to reach 2% of blocking
1.302

Erlang B (5/5)
But be careful, the law is not linear:
In B4, we use for example a combined BCCH with a micro BTS.

4 SDCCHs, Pblock = 2% => T = 1.1 E
25% of resources used to reach 2% of blocking
In B5, if we decide to provide SMSCB (Cell Broadcast

information)
1 subchannel SDCCH is therefore used.
3 SDCCHs, Pblock = 2% => T = 0.6 E
25% of resources less => 50% of Traffic less !!
1.303

Cell dimensioning (1/5)
CELL DIMENSIONING
Given an Offered traffic, compute the number of TRXs (and

SDCCHs) needed to carry it
default blocking rate

RTCH: 2%
SDCCH: 0.5%
(TTCH: 0.1%)
1.304

CELL DIMENSIONING
to handle an offered traffic of 12 Erlangs (TCH), compute

the number of channels, then the number of TRXs
Channels (12;2%) = 19
example: 3 TRXs , 21 TCHs, 1 BCCH, 2 SDCCH8
1.305

CELL DIMENSIONING, based on field measurement
one is measuring a traffic of 15 Erlangs, with a blocking rate

of 10%
how to dimension the cell?
Offered traffic = 15 / (1-10%) = 16.7 Erlangs !!!!

Channels (16.7;2%) -> 25 TCHs -> 4 TRXs needed
1.306

FORECASTING TRAFFIC/CRITICAL TRAFFIC
traffic forecasting must be calculated according to offered

traffic
not directly on measured traffic
In order to plan necessary actions soon enough, one must

calculate regularly the date when the traffic of a cell will
become critical
critical traffic: when offered traffic will induce 2% of blocking
1.307

WARNING: IN CASE OF TOO HIGH BLOCKING RATE
FIRST CHECK THAT THERE IS NO OUTAGE ON THE

BTS
BEFORE STARTING A DIMENSIONING/TUNING ACTION
1.308

Training exercise
TRAINING EXERCISE
Complete this form in order to get less than 2% of blocking in all cases.
cell call mix info Erlang TCH traffic forecast proposed config
Offered traffic
12, 743 450 call/hour 10.08 Erlang TCH 30 % offered traffic 13.1 Erlang TCH - > 20 TCH
mean TCH call duration : 80 increase 3 TRX
sec
blocking rate TCH : 0.8%
12,675 330 call/hour 30 % offered traffic

mean TCH call duration 129 increase
sec
blocking rate 4%
12,865 600 call/hour 30 % offered traffic
mean TCH call duration 96 increase
sec
blocking rate 8 %
Back
1.309
cell call mix info Erlang TCH traffic forecast proposed config
12, 743 450 call/hour 10 Erlang TCH 30 % TCHincrease 13,1 Erlang TCH- >20
mean TCHcall duration : 80 TCH
sec (450*80)/3600 10,081*1.3=13.1
blocking rate TCH: 0.8% =10 3 TRX
10/.992=10.08
1
12,675 330 call/hour (330*129)/360 30 % TCHincrease 16 Erlang TCH->24 TCH
mean TCHcall duration 129 0
sec =11.825/0.96 12.3177*1.3 =16 4 TRX
blocking rate 4% =12.3177
12,865 600 call/hour (600*96)/3600 30 % TCHincrease 22.6 Erlang TCH->31 TCH
mean TCHcall duration 96 =16/.92 =17.4
sec 17.4*1.3 =22.6 5 TRX
blocking rate 8 %

ANNEXES
Annex.2 Frequency Hopping influence on

PCHO process
1.310
Erlang B law

Annex.2 Frequency Hopping influence on PCHO process
(1/4)
Signal decoding process

In a GSM system, the number of frames that are not erased
are sent as an input to the voice decoder
Frame Voice
DECODER Deinterleave Erasure
DEMOD Decoder
Error correct. Decision
- ENCODER
RXQUAL Frame Erasure Rate
Air Inside the mobile station
1.311

(2/4)
Quality impact of frequency hopping on the reception chain
In non-hopping networks, the RXQUAL and voice quality are
correlated
In hopping networks, the voice quality is sooner correlated
to the FER. This is due to interferer averaging and due to
the non-linear mapping of BER to RXQUAL values.
1.312

(3/4)
Quality impact of frequency hopping on the reception chain

FER is improved when frequency hopping is activated
(cyclic or random)
RxQual is not impacted whereas the speech quality is better
Average (RxQ & FER) RxQ Average

FER Average
1,4 2,50%
1,2
2,00%
1
0,8 1,50%
0,6 1,00%
0,4
0,50%
0,2
0 0,00%
Cycli
Random
Ref
1.313

Conclusion (4/4)
Conclusion
When frequency hopping is activated
We can accept in Power Control and Handover
processes, a threshold increase:
OFFSET_HOPPING_PC and
OFFSET_HOPPING_HO
Back
1.314

ANNEXES
Annex.3 Load & Traffic evaluation
1.315
Erlang B law

Cell TCH radio resource evaluation usage
Load evaluation Period Usage

short term TCH_INFO_PERIOD FREEfactors
LOADfactors
medium term LOAD_EV_PERIOD x TCH_INFO_PERIOD Speed discrimination for hierarchical network
Full Rate / Half Rate channel allocation
long term N_TRAFFIC_LOAD x A_TRAFFIC_LOAD x TCH_INFO_PERIOD Power budget Handover
Traffic Handover
Multiband capture Handover
General capture Handover
Back
Cause 12
Back
Cause 26
1.316

Load evaluation (1/5)
medium term measurement of the load of a cell

corresponds to function AV_LOAD(cell)
a new sample of the Nb free TCH in the cell is available
every TCH_INFO_PERIOD seconds
AV_LOAD() is a non-
sliding window load average from Nb free TCH samples
updated every LOAD_EV_PERIOD x TCH_INFO_PERIOD
sec
1.317

AV_LOAD(cell n) calculated from N Nb free TCH samples

available during LOAD_EV_PERIOD x TCH_INFO_PERIOD sec
Nsamples
1 Nb free TCH (n)
AV_LOAD(n) = (1 ) * 100
Nsamples i =1 Nb Tot TCH (n)
LOADfactors and FREEfactors also determined from Nb

free TCH samples every TCH_INFO_PERIOD seconds
(short term evaluation)
LOADlevels are boundaries of load intervals associating a
LOADfactor (db) to a Nb of free TCH samples
FREElevels are boundaries of Nb of free TCH intervals
associating a FREEfactor (db) to a Nb of free TCH samples
1.318

LOADfactor determination:
t = (1 - Nb free TCH/Total Nb TCH) x 100 LOADfactor

t <= LOADlevel_1 LOADfactor_1
LOADLevel_1< t <= LOADlevel_2 LOADfactor_2
LOADLevel_4< t LOADfactor_5
LOADlevel in %
LOADfactor in dB
1.319

FREEfactor determination:
Nb free TCH FREEfactor

t <= FREElevel_1 FREEfactor_1
FREELevel_1< t <= FREElevel_2 FREEfactor_2
FREELevel_4< t FREEfactor_5
FREElevel in absolute number of TCH

FREEfactor in dB
1.320

example: cells with 4 TRXs (28 TCHs)
Nb free TCH FREEfactor Load = (1-Nb free TCH/Total TCH)x 100 LOADfactor
t <= 3 - 16 dB t <= 10% +10 dB
3 < t <= 8 - 8 dB 10% < t <= 25% +5 dB
8 < t <= 15 0 dB 25% < t <= 50% 0 dB
15 < t <= 21 +7 dB 50% < t <= 80% -10 dB
21 < t +10 dB 80% < t -15 dB
Nb free TCHs = 4 Nb free TCHs = 20

Load = 85.7% HO? Load = 28.6%
Cell 0 Cell n

FREEfactor(0) = -8 dBm FREEfactor(n) = +7 dBm
LOADfactor(0) = -15 dBm LOADfactor(n) = 0 dBm
in cell evaluation of cell n for outgoing HO from cell 0:

in ORDER(n): + FREEfactor(n) - FREEfactor(0) = +7 - (-8) = +15 dB
in GRADE(n): + LOADfactor(n) = +0 = 0 dB
1.321

Traffic evaluation (1/4)
long term measurement of the load of a cell

corresponds to function Traffic_load(cell)
Traffic_load() value is determined from a number
N_TRAFFIC_LOAD of consecutive non-sliding window load
averages AV_TRAFFIC_LOAD calculated from Nb of free TCH
samples updated every A_TRAFFIC_LOAD x
TCH_INFO_PERIOD sec
1.322

3 possible values for Traffic_load(): high, low, indefinite

initialization: Traffic_load() = indefinite
Traffic_load() becomes:
high if the last N_TRAFFIC_LOAD consecutive
AV_TRAFFIC_LOAD load averages are all greater
than HIGH_TRAFFIC_LOAD threshold
low if the last N_TRAFFIC_LOAD consecutive
AV_TRAFFIC_LOAD load averages are all lower
than LOW_TRAFFIC_LOAD threshold
1.323

Traffic_load() becomes indefinite if:

Traffic_load() was high and the last
AV_TRAFFIC_LOAD load average is lower than
LOW_TRAFFIC_LOAD (or IND_TRAFFIC_LOAD if not
0%)
Traffic_load() was low and the last
AV_TRAFFIC_LOAD load average is greater than
HIGH_TRAFFIC_LOAD (or IND_TRAFFIC_LOAD if
not 0%)
Traffic_load(n) is always equal to indefinite if cell n is
external to BSC
HIGH_TRAFFIC_LOAD IND_TRAFFIC_LOAD
LOW_TRAFFIC_LOAD
1.324

Example with N_TRAFFIC_LOAD = 3
Back
Cause 12
Back
Cause 26
1.325

Cell TCH radio resource evaluation usage
1.326

ANNEXES
Annex.4 Handover Management
1.327
Erlang B law

Principles
Handover Management made up of:
Cell Filtering Process (according to call history)
Handover Decision (according to the best cell in the list)
Handover Management followed by:
Handover Protocol
1.328
BTS BSC
HO Preparation
Radio Active
Link HO Candidate
Pre-processing
HO
management
HO
protocol
MSC

Global Handover Process
Handover Preparation Handover Management Handover protocol
Handover Candidate Cell Handover

External or
Detection Cell Filtering Decision Internal
Channel
Evaluation Process change
Raw cell list Ordered target Filtered target Execution target

cell list Cell list Cell list
1.329

Cell Lists usage
Three cell lists:
Ordered target Cell list

target cells provided by Candidate Cell Evaluation
REJ_CELL_LIST
cells internally rejected by the MSC or BSC
MS_CELL_REJ_LIST
cells to which the MS failed to hand over
1.330
Since B6 release, some changes have been provided to the HO management process which is in charge of the HO
execution triggering, when the need of handover is detected by the HO preparation process.
These changes are :
use of the T_FILTER parameter in a different way than for B5,
the parameter NBR_HO_ATTEMPTS which was used for internal HO in B5 is removed,
use of the T7 parameter and of the REJ_CELL_LIST list also for internal HO in B7,
same behavior in case of internal and external HO in B7,
immediate attempt after rejection or failure without waiting for a new alarm in case of internal and external HO
in B7,
implicit rejection of cells in B7 with the help of the target cell identity in the HO command received from the
MSC.

Timers usage
T_FILTER: controls the global handover procedure

started: when a cell list is to be sent by Candidate Cell Evaluation
expiry empty target cell list sent to the Handover Management
T7: controls the clean-up of REJ_CELL_LIST
started: when a target cell list is to be sent to Handover Protocol
expiry empty REJ_CELL_LIST
T_MS_CELL_REJ: clean-up of MS_CELL_REJ_LIST
started: when an MS reports a failure to seize the target channel
expiry empty MS_CELL_REJ_LIST
T_HO_REQ_LOST: to supervise answer of MSC (no HANDOVER
REQUIRED REJECT message sent)
Started: HO REQUIRED sent
Stopped: HO COMMAND received
Expiry external channel change procedure is
terminated. 1.331
If the candidate cell list provided by the candidate cell evaluation process is different from the previous one (the number
of cells is different or same number of cells but new cells in the list), an alarm is sent to the HOM process. In B7, if
T_FILTER expires, it means that the HO is no more necessary.
For both internal and external HOs in case of HO failure from the MS, the cell is filtered until the expiry of the
T_MS_CELL_REJ timer. When the T_MS_CELL_REJ timer expires, the rejected cell may be a candidate.
In B7 release, T7 timer is used to manage the REJ_CELL_LIST list and a subsequent HO REQUIRED can be sent to
the MSC before T7 expiry if the target cell list has changed (new cell or removed cell).
The REJ_CELL_LIST list is used for both internal and external Hos.
T_HO_REQD_LOST Expiry
This timer is used to supervise response from the MSC. It is started when sending the first HANDOVER
REQUIRED to the MSC and it is stopped in the following cases:
when HANDOVER COMMAND is received from the MSC or
when HANDOVER REQUIRED REJECT is received from the MSC only if the same number of
HANDOVER REQUIRED REJECT messages have been received from the MSC than the number of HANDOVER
REQUIRED messages sent to the MSC for this channel change procedure) (i.e. no message crossing over A
interface).
In case where more HANDOVER REQUIRED messages have been sent to the MSC, the timer
T_HO_REQD_LOST is not stopped upon HANDOVER REQUIRED REJECT receipt, as there is no way for the
BSC to know if the received HANDOVER REQUIRED REJECT is a response to the last HANDOVER
REQUIRED message or a response to a previous one (message crossing over A interface).
On expiry, an O&M error report is raised only when no message has been received from the MSC since the last
HANDOVER REQUIRED message, and the external channel change procedure is terminated.

Handover Execution Process
Handover Management Handover protocol
Cell Filtering Handover Internal

Process decision Handover
Ordered target cell Filtered Target cell
list remove cells previously rejected list relevant handover protocol
from MSC or BSC is chosen according to the
cell 4 type of GSM procedure
cell 2 remove cells previously rejected for cell 2 ongoing and the first
MS failure reason target cell of the list
cell 8
External
remove cells not suitable due to
O&M reason
T7 is started Handover
List of cells previously List of cells previously

rejected from MSC or rejected for MS failure
BSC
cell 8
cell 4
MS_CELL_REJ_LIST list
REJ_CELL_LIST list cleared at cleared at T_MS_CELL_REJ
T7 expiry expiry
1.332

HO execution example
ordered
1. Cell1
2. Cell2
3. Cell3
HO mgt HO prot update
ordered filtered
1. Cell1 1. Cell1 HO fails Cell1 ->
2. Cell2 - 2. Cell2 on cell1 MS
3. Cell3 Rej. lists 3. Cell3 rej list
ROC
MS BSC/MSC
empty empty
HO mgt update HO prot update

ordered filtered Cell2 ->
T_MS_CELL HO fails MS
1. Cell1 Cell1
2. Cell2 - 1. Cell2
_REJ
Expires on cell2 rej list
Cell1 ->
3. Cell3 Rej. lists 2. Cell3
MS rej list ROC BSC
empty rej list
MS BSC/MSC
cell1 empty
HO mgt HO prot
ordered filtered
1. Cell1 Cell1 HO to
2. Cell2 - Cell2 cell3
3. Cell3 Rej. lists 1. Cell3
MS BSC/MSC
cell2 cell1
1.333

T_FILTER controls HO procedure (1/2)
End of Handover procedure = T_FILTER timer expiry
T_FILTER restarted each time a target cell list is to be sent

by Candidate Cell Evaluation to the Handover Management
(same list than the one previously sent or not)
The target cell list is sent to the Handover Management if

different from the last target cell list previously sent
T_FILTER expiry means no handover is needed anymore
1.334

T_FILTER controls HO procedure (2/2)
New candidatecell list fromthe

candidatecell evaluation function
No handover is on-going
A handover is on-going
Yes Is No
T_FILTER
running ?
A handover is NOW on-

going
Start T_FILTER
Yes No An HO alarm containingthe candidatecell
Isthe candidatecell
list issent to the HO management
entity
list different from
thepreviousone ?
Restart T_FILTER
Restart T_FILTER
An HOalarm containingthe candidatecell
list issent to the HO management
entity
T_FILTER is restarted
each time the alarm is Back
still on
1.335

ANNEXES
Annex.5 ellipsoid arc determination
1.336
Erlang B law

Annex.5 ellipsoid arc determination
B8 Positioning methods : CI+TA positioning 2/2
ellipsoid arc definition:

Point (O)= serving BTS site coordinate
North = serving cell antenna azimuth - /2
=A*width of serving cell sector in [],
calculated from bisector angles of co-sited
antenna azimuths
Point (o) r1= inner radius of TA ring-(B-0.5)*554 in
[m]
R2=(B+C)*554 in [m]
r1
A: ARC_SIZE_FACTOR
r2 B: MIN_RADIUS_FACTOR
C: MAX_RADIUS_FACTOR Back
1.337
An ellipsoid arc is a shape characterised by the co-ordinates of an ellipsoid point o (the origin), inner radius r1,
uncertainty radius r2, both radii being geodesic distances over the surface of the ellipsoid, the offset angle () between
the first defining radius of the ellipsoid arc and North, and the included angle () being the angle between the first and
second defining radii. The offset angle is within the range of 0 to 359,999 while the included angle is within the
range from 0,0001 to 360. This is to be able to describe a full circle, 0 to 360
For CI+TA method which is default one , the answer is given by description of "ellipsoid arc".
Optimization parameters:
ARC_SIZE_FACTOR
MIN_RADIUS_FACTOR
MAX_RADIUS_FACTOR

Alcatel Optimization PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Alcatel Optimization PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

B8

TYPICAL MODULE STRUCTURE

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.1

1 TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.2

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.3

Objective: to be able to characterize typical radio problems in

S1: TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.4

1.1 Theoretical presentation

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.5

Several sources of information can alert RFTM

As many symptoms are common to several

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.6

1.2 Coverage problem

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.7

Definition: Bad coverage

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.8

Depending on the information sources you have:

RMS: new PM type in B7

NPA can save up to 15 days of RMS for the complete network.

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.9

If the actual coverage is not the one predicted by RNP tools

If the actual coverage is OK compared to the predicted ones

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.10

Example of an Abis trace analysis

DISTRIBUTION OF UPLINK QUALITY

DISTRIBUTION OF DOW NLINK QUALITY

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.11

Example of an Abis trace analysis

By the way, if the cell is mono-TRX, this is a coverage problem.

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.12

Suspecting a cell coverage problem

Distribution of samples per RxLev band

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.13

Suspecting a cell coverage problem

% of TA value over TA threshold

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.14

1.3 Interference problem

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.15

DL/UL depends on the way on which the interference is present.

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.16

Radio Measurement Statistics (RMS)

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.17

Suspecting a cell interference problem

Average DL RxQuality = 2.81

Quality problems are obvious at

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.18

Suspecting a Voice Quality problem

RxQual to be compared with

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.19

Non GSM interference

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.20

Adjacent channel interference

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.21

Adjacent channel interference: usually 20% of GSM interferences

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.22

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.23

Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.24

GSM interference: cellular

BTS2: ARFCN 6 MS2

RxLev_UL: - 90 dBm BTS1

MS2 outdoor, connected to BTS2 MS1