GSM Coverage problem & Solution

Contents
1 Overview of Coverage Problem ................................................................................................................ 1 2 Main Causes of Coverage Problem & Solutions...................................................................................... 3 2.1 Causes of weak coverage & solution ................................................................................................ 3 2.2 Causes of over coverage & solution.................................................................................................. 3 2.3 Causes of coverage without main serving cell & solution ................................................................ 3 3 Procedures of Handling Coverage Problem............................................................................................. 5 4 Typical Cases .............................................................................................................................................. 7 4.1 Poor coverage at cold storage warehouse ......................................................................................... 7 4.2 Poor coverage of a BTS .................................................................................................................... 8 4.3 Handle shrunk coverage .................................................................................................................... 9 4.4 Coverage shrinking after BTS starts operation ............................................................................... 10 4.5 High handover failure rate due to skip-zone coverage .................................................................... 11

1 Overview of Coverage Problem

Coverage problem refers to inappropriate coverage due to poor network planning or geographic factors. The problem falls into three types: poor coverage, over coverage and coverage without main serving cell. Weak coverage: too small coverage range will cause high call drop rate and a large number of customer complaints. Over coverage: too large coverage will result in frequent handovers, and mutual interference as well, if its rather serious, and network indicators will also be affected. No-serving cell coverage: there are always some areas in the network, where cell reselection parameters and handover scenarios are similar, in which there are 2 or more cells with similar signal strength, no cell's signal is obviously stronger than others, and MS randomly selects its main serving cell; or Pingping handover is caused due to unreasonable setting of parameters. This kind of area is regarded as coverage without main serving cell. Under this kind of coverage, MS reselects cells frequently; call quality deteriorates due to Pingpong handover; transmission speed of data service is affected; signal fluctuation results in more subscriber complaints; C/I becomes worse due to interference.

2 Main Causes of Coverage Problem & Solutions

2.1 Causes of weak coverage & solution
Weak coverage is usually caused by too small BTS power, too low antenna height, too small down-tilt or obstruction of buildings, etc.. In accordance with problem checking result, corresponding measures can be carried out. When its not convenient to take common measures, we can improve the situation through making smaller the minimum receive level, increasing the value of RLT parameter.

2.2 Causes of over coverage & solution

Over coverage is usually caused by poor antenna performance, too high antenna height, inappropriate down-tilt, etc.. In accordance with problem checking result, corresponding measures can be carried out. When its not convenient to take common measures, we can improve the situation by adding some adjacent cells.

2.3 Causes of coverage without main serving cell & solution

Coverage without main serving cell is mainly caused by unreasonable planning of antenna parameters, or inappropriate type of antenna (which may result in too large or too small coverage area or coverage without main serving cell), or too large or too small carrier transmission power, or shrunk coverage caused by equipment problem, or influence of changes in radio environment, or unreasonable setting of handover parameters and cell reselection parameters. In accordance with problem checking result, corresponding measures can be carried out. Before adjusting cell coverage, we must make on-site test and investigation to make sure there will be no negative influence on subscribers or the adjacent cells, such as weak coverage or no-coverage. Adjustment on cell reselection and handover parameters can only relieve the problem to some degree, but solve the problem completely. As for areas with poor coverage, the primary option is to add sites or repeaters to improve the coverage, and confirm a main serving cell.

3 Procedures of Handling Coverage Problem

It's recommended to check hardware and data configuration to locate the problem. Procedures of handling coverage problem are as follows: 1. Check setting of problem BTS radio parameters. Pay close attention to parameters like TRX transmission power, check if the power decrease range is set appropriate; check if the cell's minimum receive level is set too large; make adjustment accordingly. 2. Check if strong interference source exists through performance data, DT device and interference device. Make analysis and the problem if it exists. 3. Check hardware to confirm whether the RF cable between equipment is reliable and correctly connected; use SiteMaster to test if the output power of BTS power amplifier and combiner meets requirement; change the problem equipment. 4. 5. Check antenna system. Use Site Master to test VSWR. Analyze the local geographical environment to see if site location and type of site are appropriate, and if blocking or obstruction exists. Here is the flow graph of handling coverage problem:

GSM Coverage problem & Solution

Start

Are radio parameters set reasonable? Yes If strong interference source exists? No Any hardware problem? No Any problem with antenna system ? No

No

Make adjustment

Yes

Eliminate interference

Yes

Solve hardware problem

Yes

Solve antenna problem

Is site type correct? Yes Any obstruction/ blocking around? No Complete

No

Adjust site type

Yes

Adjust antenna azimuth and height

Fig 3-1 Flow of handling coverage problem

4 Typical Cases
4.1 Poor coverage at cold storage warehouse
Problem description Subscribers complained about the poor coverage around a cold storage warehouse of animal foodstuff; it was difficult to detect signal even when they were not far from the warehouse. Problem analysis According to subscribers complaint, we confirmed there was problem with coverage around the warehouse. We found all radio parameters of the site were set correct at OMCR. Statistical report showed that idle data of interference band and UL/DL quality data distribution were normal. Hardware operated normally, as shown in OMCR warning report. Hardware engineers went to the site and checked the system of the BTS, tested amplifier's power and VSWR, they were all shown normal. Connection between equipment was correct. Antenna azimuth and down-tilt were all set reasonable. Through DT on site, network engineers found that the signal strength of the antenna main lobe was weak, while that of the side lobes was stronger, so they tentatively confirmed the problem was due to antenna fault. Problem handling After the antenna was replaced with a new one, the coverage improved greatly, so did the speech quality. Contrast of DL level before and after replacement of antenna:

GSM Coverage problem & Solution

Fig 4-1

Contrast of DL level before and after replacement of antenna

4.2 Poor coverage of a BTS

Problem description Subscribers complained about weak signal strength around a Food Bureau (near a BTS). Problem analysis According to subscribers complaint, we confirmed there was problem with the BTS' coverage. We found all radio parameters of the site were set correct at OMCR. Statistical report showed that idle data of interference band and UL/DL quality distribution were normal. Hardware operated normally, as shown in OMCR warning report. Hardware engineers went to the site and checked the system of the BTS, tested amplifier's power and VSWR, they were all shown normal. Connection between equipment was correct. Antenna azimuth and down-tilt were all set reasonable. Through DT on site, network optimization engineers found that the BTS coverage was in normal condition. While the Food Bureau, where subscribers complained about the signal, was 4km away from the BTS, and only indoor signal was weak (covered by Cell2).
8

Chapter Error! Use the Home tab to apply 1 to the text that you want to appear here.

Error! Use t

he Home tab to apply 1 to the text that you want to appear here.

Problem handling After we confirmed there was nothing wrong with parameters and equipment, we suggested adjustment on equipment of Cell2 (which had only 1 TRX) (to bypass CDU combiner and reduce pathloss). Contrast of power before and after adjustment:

Table 4-1 Tested cell Cell X

Contrast of power before and after adjustment After power adjustment 32Wpower after CDU

Before power adjustment 16Wpower after CDU

Contrast of test data before and after adjustment:

Table 4-2 Tested place Cell X

Contrast of test data before and after adjustment After adjustment Cell X Outdoor level76~86 Good speech quality Indoor level86~96 Normal speech with a little noise.

Before adjustment Outdoor level87 97

Food warehouse Poor speech quality; Impossible to establish call indoors.

4.3 Handle shrunk coverage

Problem description After the BTS has been operating for a period of time, some of the areas, which were covered before, became blind coverage or weak coverage area. This is regarded as shrunk coverage. This case normally has great impact on coverage at suburb with more omnidirectional BTS. Because distance between BTS at suburb is large, if the coverage shrinks, blink coverage is easy to be resulted. Therefore, number of complaints about signal at blind coverage will increase. Problem analysis We made DT around the BTS, whose coverage shrank. From analysis of DT data, we found the coverage of some BTS (especially those have operated for a long time) shrank to some extent. The BTS was an isotropic site with height of 50m and power of 40W. Normally, this
9

GSM Coverage problem & Solution

kind of BTS can cover a distance of 4km. The coverage of this BTS (ARFCN 124) became smaller. At place 1km away from the BTS, the MS receive level dropped to bellow -85dBm. The BTS has been operating for 2 years, but the rack dust shelter has never been cleaned ever since the beginning. After we took out the dust gauze, we saw plenty of dust, which greatly abated the rack fans ability to ventilate and chill equipment and hindered TRX, PA and combiner to radiate heat, thus their normal operation was affected. Problem handling We took down and cleaned the dust gauze, then reinstalled it. From analysis of a new round of DT of the same area, we found the coverage improved greatly than before. MS receive level at the former place increased by 510dB.

4.4 Coverage shrinking after BTS starts operation

Problem description After Cell3 of a BTS started to operate, its coverage range was found shrunk. On highway 3km away from the BTS, where the BTS tower was visible, MS could not detect Cell3s signal. MS could receive signal when its around the BTS, and the signal level was about -60dB. Problem analysis From phenomenon of the problem, we inferred that Cell3 output power, but very low. We could check if power attenuation was set at OMCR, if there was any PA output warning; or we could measure the cells output power with power meter. Problem handling We checked in radio resource management centre and found Cell3s static power class was set 2, which meant its static power was reduced by 4dB, so we reset it to be 0. The next day, MS on highway 3km away from the BTS could receive Cell3s signal, and its level was -6070; and the signal level around the BTS was strong, which was about -40dB. Therefore, we concluded that the cells coverage shrinking was caused by wrong setting of static power control at OMCR.

10

Chapter Error! Use the Home tab to apply 1 to the text that you want to appear here.

Error! Use t

he Home tab to apply 1 to the text that you want to appear here.

4.5 High handover failure rate due to skip-zone coverage

Problem description Configuration of a mountain site was S11, and the local network was single band GSM900. From indicator statistics of the past week, we found handover success rate of Cell2 under the BTS kept very low, which was around 80%, while TCH allocation failure rate was completely normal. Problem analysis First, we could exclude the possibility of hardware problem and interference, because there were no TCH assignment failures, which explained that MS could successfully occupy TCHs assigned to it by BSC; from DT analysis, we could see when signal level was above -90dbm, no call drops happened to MS, and speech quality was good, which could prove that no serious interference existed. Through further analysis, we found the target cell for handover was a bit far from Cell2; and probably adjacent cell relations were not set right during assignment planning, which resulted in isolated-island effect. Problem handling We first considered lowering the pitch angle of the cells antenna, but the BTS itself was at a high location, it was difficult to set pitch angle appropriate; besides, due to inconvenience in transportation, customers may be unwilling to make adjustment on antenna. In this case, we could make area A and area B become adjacent cells to Cell2; while Cell2 coverage at A and B was already very weak, so Cell2 should not be adjacent cell to A and B. After adjustment, handover success rate of Cell2 increased greatly, from 80% to 96%.

11

GSM Coverage problem & Solution

Fig 4-2

Site distribution

12