Handover Process

HO parameters and optimization related to HO process in GSM network Nokia Networks

NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Process 1/2

Handover decisions, made by RR Management in BSC, are based on the measurement results reported by the MS / BTS, parameter sets for each cell and algorithms. Target cell evaluation is also one part of the handover process. Handovers are triggered off by threshold comparison or by periodic comparison. Target cell evaluation is made in RR Management in BSC and its purpose is to find the best cell for handover. The evaluation on the preferred list of the target cells is based on:

The radio link measurements Threshold comparison The priority levels of the neighbouring cells The load of the neighbouring cells which belong to the same BSC as the serving cell. Rx level comparison if it is needed

The BTS sends the list of best candidates to the BSC. First the BSC defines and selects those cells, which meet the requirements for the radio link properties. RR Management can handle up to 32 best candidates for target cell evaluation. DATE / MPu NOKIA HO Process&Optimization.PPT/

Handover Process 2/2

Adj1.. Adj2. Adj3. -------------------------------------------------Adj32 Adj1 Adj3 ---------------Adjn

Eq. 1 or Eq. 1'

Eq.2 or Eq.2'

Target Cell Evaluation

Load information from the RR management

Adj1 Adj3 ------Adji.

Cell ranked according to priority/load

BSC
3 NOKIA HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO&PC Diagram
PcUpperThresholdQualUL/DL 0
1 2

Lev Ho
Power increase Quality Ho

PcLowerThresholdQualUL/DL 3 HoThresholdQualUL/DL
4 5 6 7 -110 -105 -100 -95 -90

No action needed

Power decrease
Power increase

Interference Ho
-85 -80 -75 -70 -65 -60 -55 -50

PcLevUpperThresholdLevUL/DL HoThresholdInterferenceUL/DL PcLowerThresholdLevUL/DL HoThresholdLevDL

HoThresholdLevUL (if diversity gain) RxLevMinCell(n) RxLevAccMin

NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Priority
Handover priority 1. Uplink and downlink Interference 2. Uplink quality 3. Downlink quality 4. Uplink level 5. Downlink level 6. Distance 7. Rapid Field Drop 8. Slow moving MS 9. Better cell i.e. Periodic check (Power Budget HO or Umbrella HO) 10. PC: Lower quality/level thresholds (UL/DL) 11. PC: Upper quality/level thresholds (UL/DL)

NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Types 1/2

Intra Cell HO Handover in same TRX between different timeslots Controlled by BSC

Intra Site HO Handover between different sectors in same site Controlled by BSC
Inter Site HO Handover between sectors of different sites Controlled by BSC Inter BSC HO Handover between sectors of different sites and different BSCs Controlled by MSC Inter System HO Handover between two MSCs Controlled by MSC

NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Types 2/2

MSC 2 BSC 1
intra cell outgoing incoming inter BSC

MSC 1
target source MSC controlled

MSC controlled

inter cell

BSC 2

NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Syncronization
Site B

Site A

Synchronised HO between co-BCF cells Non-synchronised HO between different sites

NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO Algorithms
Equation 1: AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) > rxLevMinCell(n) + Max (0, A) A = msTxPwrMax(n) - P P = depending on MS Classmark Equation 2: PBGT > hoMarginPBGT(n) where PBGT = ((msTxPwrMax - msTxPwrMax(n))-(AV_RXLEV_DL_HO - AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n)) - (btsTxPwrMax - BTS_TXPWR)) Equation 2': (If enableHoMarginLevQual = Y) PBGT > hoMarginLev/Qual(n) where PBGT = (AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) - AV_RXLEV_DL_HO)-(btsTxPwrMax BTS_TXPWR) AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n): Averaged receiving levels of adjacent cells AV_RXLEV_DL_HO: Averaged receiving level of serving cell btsTxPwrMax: Transmitting power level of serving cell

NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Power Budget Handover 1/2

Trigger Periodic Check ( hoPeriodPBGT ) Candidate Selection Equation 1 2 used Priority and Load Considered Typically used between cells of the same "Layer" Parameters

Value
Y/N

HOPeriodPBGT periods enablePwrBudgetHandover rxLevMinCell(n) msTxPwrMax(n) hoMarginPBGT(n)

0 63 SACCH -110 -47 dBm 0 30 dBm 0 63 dBm

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Power Budget Handovers 2/2

Serving Cell: AV_RXLEV_DL_HO = -90 dBm msTxPwrMax = 30 dBm (= 1W) btsTxPwrMax = 42 dBm (= 16 W) BTS_TX_PWR = 42 dBm = (16 W) hoMarginPBGT(n) = 6 dB 1. Best Adjacent Cell: AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) = -80 dBm rxLevMinCell(n) = -99 dBm msTxPwrMax(n) = 30 dBm (= 1W) btsTxPwrMax = 42 dBm (= 16 W)

AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) > rxLevMinCell(n) + Max (0, msTxPwrMax(n) - msTxPwrMax) -80 dBm > -99 dBm + (30 dBm - 30 dBm) = -99 dBm

2.

PBGT = ((msTxPwrMax- msTxPwrMax(n)) - (AV_RXLEV_DL_HO-AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n)) - (btsTxPwrMax - BTS_TXPWR) PBGT = ((30dBm-30dBm)-(-90 - -80)-(42dBm-42dBm) = 10 dB 10 dB > 6 dB OK

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Level Handover 1/2

Trigger Threshold Comparison ( hoThresholdsLevUL/DL (px - nx) ) Candidate Selection Equation 1 used Equation 2 used if enableHoMarginLevQual = N Equation 2' with hoMarginLev used if enableHoMarginLevQual = Y Priority and Load Considered within the same BSC Parameters

HOThresholdLevUL/DL px nx rxLevMinCell(n) msTxPwrMax(n) hoMarginLev(n)

1 32 1 32

-110 -47 dBm

-110 -47 dBm 0 30 dBm -24 24 dB

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Level Handover 2/2

Equations 1 and 2 are used if parameter enableHoMarginLevQual is set Yes

hoMarginLev = 4 dB

Trigger for Handover due to Level A

Threshold -95 dBm (Lev)

2 dB B => Cell B is not selected as candidate for HO due to level since 2dB < 4 dB

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Quality Handover 1/2

Trigger Threshold Comparison ( hoThresholdsQualUL/DL (px - nx) ) Candidate Selection Equation 1 used Equation 2 used if enableHoMarginLevQual = N Equation 2' with hoMarginQual used if enableHoMarginLevQual = Y Priority and Load Considered Parameters

HOThresholdQualUL/DL px nx rxLevMinCell(n) msTxPwrMax(n) hoMarginQual(n)

07 1 32 1 32

Value

-100 -47 dBm 0 30 dBm -24 24 dB

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Quality Handover 2/2

Equations 1 and 2 are used if parameter enableHoMarginLevQual is set Yes

hoMarginQual = 0 dB

Trigger for Handover HO due to Quality A

2 dB B

=> Cell B is selected as potential candidate for HO due to Quality since 2 dB > 0 dB

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Signal Quality in GSM

RX Quality (RXQUAL parameter) RXQUAL classes 0 ... 7
bit error rate before all decoding/ corrections

good usable signal acceptable

unusable signal

RXQUAL class 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mean BER (%) 0,14 0,28 0,57 1,13 2,26 4,53 9,05 18,1

BER range from... to < 0,2% 0,2 ... 0,4 % 0,4 ... 0,8 % 0,8 ... 1,6 % 1,6 ... 3,2 % 3,2 ... 6,4 % 6,4 ... 12,8 % > 12,8 %

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Due To Interference

Trigger : Threshold Comparison Threshold Comparison for Quality ( hoThresholdsQualUL/DL (px - nx) ) Threshold Comparison for Level ( hoThresholdsInterferenceUL/DL (px - nx) ) Candidate Selection Priority for InterCell / Intracell HO selected at BSC independently for UL / DL Priority InterCell HO Priority IntraCell HO Parameters
Quality HO if any candidate If not IntraCell HO

hoThresholdInterferenceUL/DL px nx enableIntraHoInterfUL/DL hoPreferenceOrderInterfUL/DL

Value
1 32 1 32 Y/N

-110 - 47 dBm

INTER / INTRA

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Imperative Handovers
Imperative Handovers Handover due to Distance Order to empty cell, from NMS Directed Retry or IDR Rapid Field Drop

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Due To Distance

Distance Process ---> msDistanceBehaviour (0,1..60,255) in BSC 0 : Release immediately 1 - 60 : Release after certain time 1 - 60 s, try handover during that time 255 : No release, only imperative Handover attempt

Parameters
enableMsDistanceProcess msDistanceHoThresholdParam px nx msDistanceBehaviour

Value
Y/N 0 63 1 32 1 32 0, 1 60, 255

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Directed Retry
Directed Retry Directed retry is handover from serving cell SDCCH to an adjacent cell TCH during call setup Used when TCH congestion is disabling TCH assignment Enabled by parameter drInUse

Parameters

Value
Y/N
-110 -47 dBm

drInUse DrThreshold

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Due To Rapid Field Drop

Trigger Threshold Comparison ( HoThresholdRapidLevUl (px) ) Rx_Lev_UL (Not averaged / Only UL) Candidate Selection Only Chained adjacent cell Equation 1 only / no priority

Multi-Layered Network
Parameters

HOThresholdLevULforRapidFieldDrop -110 47 HOThresholdRapidLevU1N 0 32 chainedAdjacentCell Y/N

Value

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO Parameters 1/6
Intervals minIntBetweenHoReg Prevents repetitive handovers for the same MS with a timer that sets the minimum interval between handovers MinIntBetweenUnsuccHoAttempt Indicates the minimum time that MS must wait after handover attempt fails and before it can try a handover attempt again

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO Parameters 2/6
Radio Resource Parameters

btsLoadThreshold
Checks the load threshold ratio of candidate cells hoLevPriority Defines the priority level of an adjacent cell to account for location

hoLoadFactor
Defines how much the priority level will be decreased when the load threshold is exceeded msSpeedthresholdNx/Px

Compares speed threshold values

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO Parameters 3/6
Power Budget Parameters

Power budget handover procedure ensures that the MS is always handed over to the cell with the minimum path loss
even though the quality and the level thresholds may not have been exceeded EnablePowerBudgetHO

Indicates if power budget is used as a criterion for a handover

HoPeriodPBGT BSC evaluates adjacent cells target cell for the handover at every defined SACCH interval

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO Parameters 4/6
Quality Level Parameters HoThresholdsQualUL/DL compares the averaged values of AVRXQUAL or AVRXLEV RxQual is the threshold level for handover. The range is <0.2% - >12.8% bit error rate Nx is the total number of averages to be taken into account before decision is possible. The range varies from 1 to 32

Px is the number of averages out of total averages that have to be greater than or equal to the threshold before a handover is possible.
The range varies from 1 to 32

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO Parametrs 5/6
MS to BTS Distance

When distance is the reason for the handover request msDistanceBehaviour controls the behaviour of the MS
There are three alternatives in which the Mobile will act in the case of this Imperative Handover: It will release the call immediately Try a 1 to 60 seconds Imperative Handover Try an Imperative Handover

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

HO Parametrs 6/6
Sharing the Load The MSC may request the BSC to perform a specified number of handovers from one specified cell for load sharing It is possible to handover to worse cells The field strength in the adjacent cell has to be above two parameter rxLevMinCell trhoTargetLevel The target cells are only ranked according to radio link properties priority levels are not used The feature is disabled by setting the value to 'not used'

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Network Doctor Reports

Useful Handover Network Doctor reports for HO optimization and analysis 150, Cells having high HO failure ratio 153, Adjacencies having high HO failure ratio 154, Handover cause distribution 157, Cells having high HO att./call ratio 158, Intra BSS handover observation statistics Other ND reports for HO analysis&studies 060, Adjacency discrepancies 061, Non-symmetrical adjacencies 062, Adjacent cells with same or adjacent frequency 067, HO syncronization 074, Adjacencies of cells 111, Frequency plan 196, UL, DL quality, UL interference per TRX 216, Cell analyzer

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Flowcharts
Handover Failure MS
ACTIVE CALL HANDOVER CMD

NETWORK

Old Channel, Old Cell

Timer T3124 expiry or Radio Link Failure HANDOVER FAIL

New Channel, New Cell Old Channel, Old Cell

ACTIVE CALL

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Syncronized Handover
MS NETWORK

ACTIVE CALL
(FACCH)

Serving BTS

Neighbor BTS

HANDO CMD HANDO ACC HANDO ACC HANDO ACC HANDO ACC

Old Channel, Old Cell

(FACCH) (FACCH) (FACCH) (FACCH)

New Channel, New Cell

(FACCH)

HANDO COM ACTIVE CALL

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Non-Syncronized Handover
MS ACTIVE CALL Serving BTS NETWORK Serving BTS

HANDO CMD

Old Channel, Old Cell

New Channel, New Cell

HANDO ACC . HANDO ACC T3124 (in MS)

PHYS INFO
PHYS INFO HANDO COM Ny1

ACTIVE CALL

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Handover Analysis
Click here to go HO analysis flowchart
Compare Network Configuration against Network Design Adjacencies to Non-existing Cells Non-symmetrical Adjacencies Adjacent Cell with same or adjacent Frequency Synchronised HO Adjacency Discrepancies

BTS Default Parameter Audit

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Drive Test Analysis 1/2

If drive test data available Find all the HOF failures using analysis tools Study reason for HO failure using

Graphical data provided by analysis tool Layer 3 messages provided by analysis tool NMS data (ND reports)
Handover executed too late (source cell quality or interference allready too bad) HOPBGT margin, HOLevel, HO window averaging size Target cell quality bad, can't make HO stays at old channel Frequency planning, coverage/dominance area planning No good cell to make HO Coverage planning, lack of sites or azimuth/tilt/antenna optimization Hardware failure HO timer expires BTS/T1 syncronization problem Discrepancies in BTS/BSC parameters Check all BTS parameters (CI, BSIC, LAC, BSC, Freq., Adjacencies, HO parameters) with ND reports/NMS comparing to real drive data.

Common reasons for HO failures

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu

Drive Test Analysis 2/2

After drive test data and NMS report analysis plan needed parameter changes. Execute change requests implementing new parameter values using NMS. Make new drive test at same area after parameter changes or if not possible study NMS data with ND reports (needs real traffic). Start analysis and study if more changes are required.

Handover failure does not necessarily mean drop call it can still stay at old channel and make new HO attempt later either to same adjacent cell or some other adjacent cell.

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NOKIA

HO Process&Optimization.PPT/ DATE / MPu