UMTS Optimization Question &

Answer
February 1, 2011
Radio Network
1. What are the optimization tools you use?
Drive test, analysis, others?
2. Are System Information Blocks (SIB) transmitted all the time?
No, system information block is multiplexed with synchronization channel. Synchronization channel
occupies the first time slot (TS) and SIB occupies the other 9 time slots.
3. How does UE camp (synchronize) to a NodeB?
1. UE uses the primary synchronization channel (P-SCH) for slot alignment (TS synchronization).
2. After aligning to NodeB time slot, UE then uses secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH) to
obtain frame synchronization and scrambling code group identification.
3. UE then uses scrambling code ID to obtain CPICH, thus camping to a NodeB.
4. What could be the cause of soft handover failure?
UE issue.
Resource unavailable at target NodeB.
Inadequate SHO threshold defined.
o Etc.
5. What are the three sets in handover?
The 3 sets in handover are:
Active set the list of cells which are in soft handover with UE.
Monitored set the list of cells not in active set but RNC has told UE to monitor.
o Detected set list of cells detected by the UE but not configured in the neighbor list.
6. What are the major differences between GSM and UMTS handover decision?
GSM:
Time-based mobile measures of RxLev and RxQual mobile sends measurement report every
SACH period (480ms).
o BSC instructs mobile to handover based on these reports.
UMTS:
Event-triggered reporting UE sends a measurement report only on certain event triggers.
o UE plays more part in the handover decision.
7. What are the events 1a, 1b, 1c, etc.?
e1a a Primary CPICH enters the reporting range, i.e. add a cell to active set.
e1b a primary CPICH leaves the reporting range, i.e. removed a cell from active set.
e1c a non-active primary CPICH becomes better than an active primary CPICH, i.e. replace a
cell.
e1d: change of best cell.
e1e: a Primary CPICH becomes better than an absolute threshold.
o e1f: a Primary CPICH becomes worse than an absolute threshold.
8. What are event 2a-2d and 3a-3d?
Events 2a-2d are for inter-frequency handover measurements and events 3a-3d are for IRAT
handover measurements.
e3a: the UMTS cell quality has moved below a threshold and a GSM cell quality had moved
above a threshold.
e3b: the GSM cell quality has moved below a threshold.
e3c: the GSM cell quality has moved above a threshold.
e3d: there was a change in the order of best GSM cell list.
9. What may happen when theres a missing neighbor or an incorrect neighbor?
Access failure and handover failure: may attempt to access to a wrong scrambling code.
Dropped call: UE not aware of a strong scrambling code, strong interference.
Poor data throughput.
Poor voice quality.
Etc.
10. What can we try to improve when access failure is high?
When access failure is high we can try the following to improve RACH performance:
Increase maximum UE transmit power allowed: Max_allowed_UL_TX_Power.
Increase power quickly: power_Offset_P0.
Increase number of preambles sent in a given preamble cycle: preamble_Retrans_Max.
Increase the number of preamble cycles: max_Preamble_Cycle.
Increase number of RRC Connection Request retries: N300.
11. What are the conditions you typically set to trigger IRAT handover?
RSCP and Ec/Io are used to trigger IRAT handover:
RSCP -100dBm.
Ec/Io -16dBm.
12. What are the typical KPIs you use to measure a network and what criteria?
Access failure rate ( 2%).
Call setup time (CS: over 95% of the time < 6-second for mobile-to-PSTN, 9-second for
mobile-mobile. PS: over 95% of the time < 5-second).
Dropped call rate ( 2%).
BLER: over 95% of the blocks 2%.
Average DL/UL throughput for PSD: 210kbps for loaded, 240kbps for unloaded.
13. What is the typical UE transmit power?
Varies most of the time below 0dBm.
14. Have your used Ericsson TEMS? If so:
Do you know how to create command sequence?
What are the call sequences you typically have? CS long call, CS short call, PSD call, etc.
What are the typical commands you have for CS and PS call?
Do you regularly stop and restart a new log file? Why and when to stop and start a new file?
How do you stop a log file? Stop command sequence first, wait and make sure all equipment
are in idle mode before stop logging.
15. Did you work on neighbor prioritization?
16. What is the typical event sequence of IRAT Handover from 3G to 2G
Event 2d entering into compressed mode measurement of 2G candidates Event 3a
Verification of 2G resources Handover from UTRAN Command from 3G RNC to UE
17. What are the possible causes for an IRAT Failure?
Missing 2G relations
Non availability of 2G Resources
Poor 2G Coverage
Missing 3G Relations
18. What is Paging Success Ratio? What is the typical PSR that you have seen in a UMTS
network?
PSR Paging Responses to the Paging Attempts
About 90%
19. What are the possible causes for a lower PSR?
Non-continuous RF Coverage UE going in and out of coverage area frequently
Very High Periodic Location Update Timer Keeping UEs in VLR long time after it moved out
of coverage
Lower Paging Channel Power
Access Channel Parameter Issues
Delayed Location Update when crossing the LA / CN Boundaries
20. What are the possible causes for a Drop Call on a UMTS network?
Poor Coverage (DL / UL)
Pilot Pollution / Pilot Spillover
Missing Neighbor
SC Collisions
Delayed Handovers
No resource availability (Congestion) for Hand in
Loss of Synchronization
Fast Fading
Delayed IRAT Triggers
Hardware Issues
External Interference
21. A UE is served by 2 or 3 SC in AS. It is identifying a SC from 3
rd
tier, Stronger and meets
the criteria for Event1a or Event1c. But SHO did not happen because of missing neighbor
relations? How do you optimize this issue?
Study the Pilot spillover from the 3
rd
Tier SC and control its coverage
Even after controlling the coverage, if the spillover is there, Add the neighbor.
22. A UE is served by 2 SC in AS, a SC is coming in to Monitored Set and Event1a is
triggered. But UE is not receiving Active Set Update from NodeB and the call drops. What
could be possible causes for this drop?
Delayed Handover
Loss of Synchronization
Fast Fading
Pilot Pollution / Spillover issues
23. What is Hard Handover in UMTS? When will it happen?
Hard Handover in UMTS is a break before make type Handover
It can happen in the inter RNC boundaries where there is no Iur link.
24. What is the typical Call Setup Time for a 3G UE to 3G UE Call? What are the possible RF
related causes for a delayed CST in this type of call?
6 to 9 seconds
Multiple RRC Attempts (UE is on poor coverage need more than Access Attempt)
Delayed Page Responses
High Load on Paging and/or Access Channel
Paging / Access Parameters
25. What is Soft Handover Overhead? What is the typical value in UMTS network?
Soft Handover Overhead is calculated in two ways. 1) Average Active Set Size Total Traffic /
Primary Traffic. 2) Secondary / Total Traffic
Typical Values are like 1.7 (Avg Active Set Size) or 35% (Secondary / Total )
26. What will happen to the Soft Handover Overhead when you apply OCNS on the network?
And Why?
With OCNS, the interference (load) increases. This leads to reduction in Ec/Io of a Pilot, which
reduces the pilot spillovers. Reduction in Pilot Spillover will reduce the Soft Handover
Overhead.
27. What are the possible causes for an Access Failure in UMTS?
Missing Neighbors
Poor Coverage
Pilot Pollution / Spillover
Poor Cell Reselection
Core Network Issues
Non availability of resources. Admission Control denies
Hardware Issues
Improper RACH Parameters
External Interference
28. (FOR ERICSSON EXPERIENCED) What is RTWP? What is the significance of it?
Received Total Wide-band Power
It gives the Total Uplink Power (Interference) level received at NodeB
29. (FOR ERICSSON EXPERIENCED) What is the System Reference Point at which all the
Power Levels are measured in Ericsson NodeB?
System Ref Point for E/// NodeB is at the output of TMA (Between TMA and Antenna)
30. What are the typical values for reportingrange1a and reportingrange1b?
3 dB and 5 dB respectively.
31. What will be the impact when you change reportingrange1a from 3 to 4 dB and
timetotrigger1a 100 to 320 ms, without changing any other parameters?
Reduction in number of Event1a
Delayed Event1a trigger
Reduction in Average Active Set Size
Delay in Event1a could increase DL interference, which could lead to a drop call or increase in
Average Power Per User (reduction in cell capacity)
32. What is Admission Control?
Admission Control is an algorithm which controls the Resource Allocation for a new call and
additional resource allocation for an existing call. Incase, if a cell is heavily a loaded and
enough resources in terms of power, codes or CEs are not available, admission control denies
permission for the additional resource requirement.
33. What is Congestion Control?
Congestion Control monitors the dynamic utilization of specific cell resources and insures that
overload conditions do not occur. If overload conditions do occur, Congestion Control will
immediately restrict Admission Control from granting additional resources. In addition,
Congestion Control will attempt to resolve the congestion by either down switching, or
terminating existing users. Once the congestion is corrected, the congestion resolution actions
will cease, and Admission Control will be enabled.





CPICH - Definition
CPICH is a physical channel and serves as a cell edge flag. It also controls power per radio link.
CPICH is Common Pilot Indication CHannel.
CPICH is a physical channel fixed at C256, 0.
CPICH sends the Primary/Secondary scrambling code of the cell, provides coherent
channel reference, and used to estimate mobility procedures (handover, reselection,
and selection).
CPICH power controls the cell size and its behavior under load.
The reason why CPICH is the only channel that can do this is because it is a stream of
zeros at 30 Ksps

CPICH is a physical channel and serves as a cell edge flag. It also controls power per radio link

CPICH Power vs Tilts
CPICH power reduction is often incorrectly suggested as an alternative to downtilt.
It is important to know that there is a major difference between both optimization
methods:
A downtilt will increase the energy flow per terrain square meter;
CPICH power reduction will decrease energy flow per terrain square meter.
Thus, if we have an overshooter, electrical downtilting is recommended -- not
CPICH power reduction.

CPICH Power reduction is not an equivalent to a downtilt

Interference vs Noise
Io = Io c + Io r + Nth
No= Io c+(1- ) X Io r + Nth Obviously No< Io
is a direct relationship between Interference and Noise.
Io: Interference (measured by a scanner);
No: Noise (measured by a UE);
Io c : interference from other cells;
Io r : interference due to maximum own cell power;
Nth: thermal noise;
: orthogonality factor (1 fully orthogonal).
There is a direct relationship between Interference and Noise.

A QUANTITATIVE Approach
Assuming a fully loaded single isolated cell, we can build the following model:
Interference from Other Cells = 0 dBm
Interference from Own Cell = (1 orthogonality) * maximum power room available
for traffic. (Ideally, the maximum interference generated by a cell is its maximum
transmit power multiplied by its unorthogonality factor).
Thermal noise is too low (Nth << Ior ) and hence negligible.
Energy density per chip = CPICH Power (normalized per unit time).

Therefore, with increased load, the Ior component will increase bringing the entire term down

Alex and 3gpp Insights
CPICH power is a tradeoff between coverage, capacity, and end-user experience.
3gpp TS25.133 Requirements for RRM (FDD) reveals different requirements and
definitions regarding CPICH.
CPICH power can be set from -9.9 dBm to +50 dBm.
There is no golden power to which CPICH is adjusted to.
CPICH power adjustment is a tradeoff between coverage, capacity, and end-user
experience.
Therefore, CPICH power is well connected to the maximum transmission power the cell
is capable of

CPICH power is a tradeoff between coverage, capacity, and end-user experience
CPICH is recommended to be lower than the maximum transmit power by 10 dB (or 10%)
ACTION POINTS
Refrain from reducing CPICH power as possible and try to enforce electrical
downtilting.
Ensure that our CPICH powers always lie within the -10 dB zone.
Make sure that when CPICH power is implemented that none of the cells surrounding it
has CPICH power lower than 3 dB (to maintain balanced UL/DL).