NTERNAL 1 (7)

C &
(E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide Version 1.0


(E)GPRS - Dimensioning Quick Guide v1.0 (BSS, Gb and
SGSN)


Owner: (E)GPRS Program - Ville Salomaa
Scope: (E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide
Originator: C &
Status: Version 1.0
Document D:
Location:


Change History

Issue Date HandIed by Comments
1.0 15.12.2006. Pal Szabadszallasi
Raimo Ahosola






Approved by
Ville Salomaa (E)GPRS Program







NTERNAL 2 (7)

C &
(E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide Version 1.0




1. PURPOSE
The purpose of the document is to provide a dimensioning quick guide for BSS, Gb and
SGSN.
The BSS part is based on S11.5 software release and PCU1/PCU2.
The quick dimensioning guidelines is applicable if the utilization is not higher than 70%.
2. AIR INTERFACE DIMENSIONING
We can calculate the available air interface capacity by the following way:
AvaiIabIe air interface capacity for (E)GPRS (TSLs) = Amount_of_TRXs*8 -
signaIing_RTSLs (KPI: ava_52* + ava_51) - Average CSW traffic (KPI: trf_202) -
free_RTSLs (Param.:CSD and CSU)
*CDED is not counted by ava_52, therefore ava_51 must be used if CDED is used
The air interface capacity (TSLs) is suitable, if it is >= ~4, because
4 TSLs are recommended for 4 TSL multislot usage (CDEF=4 TSLs)
f the AvaiIabIe air interface capacity for (E)GPRS is less than four TSL, then the
following changes can be made in the configuration:
Reduce the amount of signaling TSLs (signaling traffic volume or congestion must
be checked)
Free TSLs can be reduced with CSD and CSU parameters (but the less safety
border can reduce QoS on CSW)
mplement HR, AMR on CSW to reduce CSW TSL demand (HR TSLs cannot be
used for (E)GPRS)
Recommend TRX expansion

Dedicated TSL(s) is (are) needed to provide:
Continuous service for (E)GPRS even in very high CSW traffic (minimum GoS)
CDED = 1 TSL (KPI: ava_51)
Continuous (E)GPRS availability if NMO is used

Link for details:
http://qp2.connecting.nokia.com/QuickPlace/npcommunityqp/PageLibraryC2256FB8004C9
16E.nsf/h_9538C43F6B64CACBC2256FB80076F160/4023A8A36F904B7FC22570A50058
1619/?OpenDocument


NTERNAL 3 (7)

C &
(E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide Version 1.0


3. CONNECTIVITY DIMENSIONING
We can clearly separate four steps in connectivity dimensioning:
STEP1 - Define the CDEF and DAP size (BTS based on BSC IeveI)
First of all we have to define CDEF and DAP size, which have impact on the # of PCUs
1. Define CDEF for all the BTSs in the BSC
4 RTSLs are recommended to provide the availability of 4 TSLs capable MS
without territory upgrade (Par.: CDEF)
f there is low amount of PSW traffic on the cell, then the CDEF can be less
than 4 RTSLs (KPI: trf_74c/trf_213c, trf_167/trf_215a Par.: CDEF)

2. Define the # of DAPs and DAP size for all the BCFs in the BSC
The recommendation for DAP size (64 kbps TSL) is DAP size = CDEF if
one BTS/ EDAP configuration is used. f CDEF is less than 4, still 4 TSL
DAP size is recommended.
The recommendation for DAP size (64 kbps TSL) is DAP size = average of
CDEFs*1.3 if 2 BTS/ EDAP configuration is used. f average CDEF*1.3 is
less than 4, still 4 TSL DAP size is recommended.
The recommendation for DAP size (64 kbps TSL) is DAP size = average of
CDEF*1.5 if 3 BTS/ EDAP configuration is used. f average CDEF*1.5 is less
than 4, still 4 TSL DAP size is recommended.
f DAP size calculation gives less than 4 TSL DAP size the recommendation
is still 4 TSL DAP to support 4 RTSL capable MS with MCS9 on all the
RTSL
Make the same calculations for all the required BCFs
Make the same calculations for all the required BSCs

Link for details:
http://qp2.connecting.nokia.com/QuickPlace/npcommunityqp/PageLibraryC2256FB8004CB
488.nsf/h_4F00A487D730A0BEC2256FB90024D604/BC2E77F23000E6DDC22570B2004
82B2F/?OpenDocument

STEP2 - Define the number of PCUs (on BSC IeveI)
Based on the CDEF and DAP size inputs we can calculate the # of required PCUs
Count the # of Segments, BTS objects, TRXs in the BSC (100 % utilization
is allowed)
Define the EDAP strategy (one EDAP for the BCF, more than one EDAP for
a BCF)
Calculate the # of EDAPs / PCU (it is recommended to have 1,2,4, or 8
EDAPs/ PCU1; 1-8 EDAPs with PCU2)
Calculate the # of RTSLs and Abis sub-TSLs related to BSC (70 %
utilization is allowed)
Calculate the # of logical and physical PCUs based on BSC type
Make the same calculations for all the required BSCs




NTERNAL 4 (7)

C &
(E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide Version 1.0


Link for details related to PCU1:
http://qp2.connecting.nokia.com/QuickPlace/npcommunityqp/PageLibraryC2256FB8004CB
488.nsf/h_4F00A487D730A0BEC2256FB90024D604/D0FD3A1C78B55607C22570D2005
80C97/?OpenDocument
Links for details for PCU2:
http://qp2.connecting.nokia.com/QuickPlace/npcommunityqp/PageLibraryC2256FB8004CB
488.nsf/h_4F00A487D730A0BEC2256FB90024D604/653B733747D6C602C22571650054
9BEB/?OpenDocument
STEP3 - Define the Gb size (on PCU and BSC IeveI)
Calculate the Gb size based on # of EDAPs and size of EDAPs connected to
PCU
i. The recommendation for Gb size is Min_Gb_1 = 1.25*Max_EDAP
size
ii. The average traffic from several EDAP can be calculated with k-factor:
Min_Gb_2 = k * Average(EDAP_size_1 to EDAP_size_n)

The k-factor is selected based on the estimate of the short term traffic
distribution among different EDAPs. f no specific information about the
distribution is available it is recommended to use the default values for
k.

iii. The recommendation for Gb link size is Max(Min_Gb_1, Min_Gb_2)
iv. The final Gb link size might need to be adjusted to fit to available
E1/T1 links.

Define the Gb size connected to all the PCUs in one BSC
Define the Gb size for all the required BSCs
Link for details:
http://qp2.connecting.nokia.com/QuickPlace/npcommunityqp/PageLibraryC2256FB8004CB
488.nsf/4F00A487D730A0BEC2256FB90024D604/1BCF359C45342015C2256FF90020A7
51/?OpenDocument



NTERNAL 5 (7)

C &
(E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide Version 1.0


STEP4 - Define the number of PAPUs and SGSNs (on SGSN and network IeveI for
SG6)
Calculate the number of PAPUs based on the amount of Gb links (logical
Gb link)
i. For Gb over Frame Relay the maximum number of timeslots
available for frame relay bearer channels per PAPU is 192. A bearer
channel carries up to 24/31 timeslots with T1/E1 interfaces. This
limits the number of Gb links per PAPU. See table below:

Gb link
size in
PCM TSLs
total number of
Gb links per
PAPU
Total number of
NSEs (logial
PCUs) with
redundant links
5 36 18
6 30 15
7 24 12
8 18 9
9 18 9
10 18 9
11 12 6
12 12 6
13 12 6
14 12 6
15 12 6
16 6 3
17 to 31 6 3


ii. For Gb over P the number of Gb links (bearer channels) can be up
to 512 / PAPU.
iii. The total throughput mustn't be higher than 60 Mbps / PAPU. More
concrete examples of the capacity steps in the following table which
shows highlighted in blue the possible combinations of amount of
PAPUS and throughput for 2G:










NTERNAL 6 (7)

C &
(E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide Version 1.0


Unit
Configurations
Maximum Capacity
# of units
Cabinet
configuration
Combi SGSN HW
steps
SMMU PAPU
Attached
Subscribers
(ksubs)
Throughput
(Mbps)
2G onIy/ 3G
onIy
PDP
Contexts
(kPDP)
1/1 configuration 1+1 1+1 100
1
8/16 40 One cabinet
configuration
1/2 configuration 2+1 2+1 200 16/32 80
2/8 configuration 2+1 8+1 500 250/500 480
3/12 configuration 3+1 12+1 750 375/750 720
Two cabinet
configuration
4/16 configuration 4+1 16+1 1000 500/1000 960
iv.
v. The # of subscribers mustn't be higher than 100000 / PAPU
Calculate the number of SGSNs based on the amount of PAPUs (the
SGSN is generally sold in four different configurations of 4, 8, 12 and 16
PAPU units for SG6)
i. The # of SGSNs = Roundup (# of PAPUs / 4; 8; 12; 16)
ii. The # of simultaneous users in the SGSN mustn't higher than
1000000
SGSN References:
Due to the fact that many of the dimensioning aspects are directly related to the
combination of HW and SW release in question, which could have several possibilities, the
following links provide the product line portals to the relevant product documentation.
SG5
http://www10.connecting.nokia.com/net/sgsnintranet.nsf/document/ES5166EJ49?Open
Document
SG5.1
http://www10.connecting.nokia.com/net/sgsnintranet.nsf/document/ES516JKGVX?Ope
nDocument
SG6
http://www10.connecting.nokia.com/net/sgsnintranet.nsf/document/ES5166EJ6Z?Open
Document

1
One PAPU can handle 100 000 subscribers and one SMMU can handle 250 000 subscribers (in SG6 CD2 375 000). Any
combination of SMMU and PAPUs and their related capacity figure comes from the lower value of PAPUs or SMMU capacity
(this holds in particular for the one cabinet configuration). n any case the maximum number of 1 000 000 comes from SMMU
limitation: 4 SMMU * 250 000 = 1 000 000 subs.


NTERNAL 7 (7)

C &
(E)GPRS Dimensioning Quick Guide Version 1.0


Step Low Traffic Environment
The minimum recommendation for very low traffic requirement and low investment:
CDEF = 1 or 2 RTSL
DAP = 4 TSL
Gb = 5 TSL