GSM Case Analsyis Handover Training

Internal
OMF000401
Case Analysis -- Handover
ISSUE 2.0
www.huawei.com
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
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References
31160978-BSC Traffic Statistic Manual Volume I

31033203-BSS Troubleshooting Manual
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Page 2
Upon completion of this course, you are

supposed to be able to:
Understand the principles of handover
Analyze and solve handover problems
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Page 3
Chapter 1 Measurement Points of Handover

Chapter 2 Handover Data Process
Chapter 3 Analysis of Handover Problem
Chapter 4 Handover Cases
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Page 4
Measurement Points of Intra BSC Handover
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Page 5
Measurement Points of Intra BSC Handover

Handover formula definition
Inter cell radio handover success rate
=(Successful incoming internal inter cell handovers + Successful

outgoing internal inter cell handovers) / (Incoming internal inter cell
handovers + Outgoing internal inter cell handovers )
Internal inter cell handover success rate
=(Successful incoming internal inter cell handovers + Successful

outgoing internal inter cell handovers) / (Attempted incoming internal
inter cell handovers + Attempted outgoing internal inter cell
handovers)
Inter cell radio handover success rate >= Internal inter cell handover
success rate
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Page 6
Measurement Points of Inter-BSC Handover
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Page 7

MS
BSC-A
MSC-A
HO-Required
MSC-B
Prepare_HO
VLR-B
BSC-B
MS
Allocate_HO_NUM
Send_HO_Report
Send_HO_Report_ACK
HO-Request
HO-Command
Prepare_HO_ACK
IAI
ACM
HO-Request-ACK
Process_Access_Signalling
Clear-Command
Clear-Complete
Send_End_Signal
HO-Access
Some intermediate steps are omitted
HO-Complete
Send_End_Signal_ACK
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Page 8

Inter BSC handover Success rate
=(Successful incoming inter BSC inter cell handovers + Successful

outgoing inter BSC inter cell handovers) / (Attempted incoming inter BSC
inter cell handovers + Attempted outgoing inter BSC inter cell
handovers )
Incoming BSC handover Success rate
=(Successful incoming inter BSC inter cell handovers) / (Attempted

incoming inter BSC inter cell handovers)
Outgoing BSC handover Success rate
=(Successful outgoing inter BSC inter cell handovers ) / (Attempted

outgoing inter BSC inter cell handovers)
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Page 9

Chapter 2 Handover Data Process
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Page 10
Handover Data Process

Search
target cell
7
Handover
judgement 4
BSC1
MSC2
MSC1
Inter-MSC
H.O 8
CGI 6
H.O request 7
BTS1
BA
table 1
MS
Preprocessed
MR 3
Channel
active 5
BTS2
MR 2
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Page 11
BSC2

BCCH frequencies of all adjacent cells in BA2 table are sent to
MS on system message 5.
MS reports measurement report to BSS. It includes the BCCH ,
BSIC and signal level of the adjacent cells and serving cells.
When the measurement report is preprocessed, BSC
determines the CGI of all adjacent cells through BCCH

frequency and BSIC .
BSC executes handover judgment flow such as basic cell
ranking . Once a proper target cell is found, the handover

request message which includes the target cell CGI will be sent
to MPU of BSC , and then MPU will confirm the module ID of
the cell based on the CGI.
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Page 12

MPU sends handover request message to the module and makes statistics
of "outgoing inter cell handover request". At the same time BSC send the
channel active to the BTS.
If the target cell triggered by BSC is an external cell, the CGI of the target
cell and service cell is sent to MSC on the handover required.

By matching the CGI of the target cell, MSC searches target cell . Once
the cell is found, MSC will confirm which BSC is belonged to, and send the
handover request message to this BSC.
If there is no CGI of the target cell , MSC will check Adjacent MSC Table"
and find the target MSC, then send the handover request message to that
MSC.
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Page 13

Chapter 2 Searching Process of Handover Data
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Page 14
Analysis of Handover Problem

Types of handover problems
Locating handover problem
Causes of handover problem
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Page 15
Types of Handover Problems

Types Possible Results
No handover Cause call drop

Handover failure Affect the conversation quality, and call drop.
Frequent handover Affect the conversation quality and increase
load of the system
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Page 16
Locating Handover Problem

Traffic statistics analysis
Measurement of BSC overall performance

Measurement of inter cell handover performance
Measurement of outgoing/incoming inter cell handover
performance
Measurement of performance of undefined adjacent cell
View alarm
Board fault, transmission, clock, etc.

Drive test
Signaling analysis
A interface, E interface, Abis interface

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Page 17
Causes of Handover Problem

Coverage
Interference
Antenna and feeder system
Base station hardware
Transmission
BSC hardware
Data Configuration
A interface
Target cell congestion
Cooperation with equipment of other manufacturers
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Page 18
Causes of Handover Problem

Types
causes
Coverage
No H.O
H.O failure
Frequent H.O
Interference
Antenna and feeder

system
BTS hardware
transmission
BSC hardware
Data configuration
A interface
H.O between equipment of

different manufactures
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Page 19
Coverage and interference at radio interface
Coverage:
Poor coverage: forest, complicated topography, building
direction and indoor coverage
Isolated site: no adjacent cell
Over shooting: island effect result in no adjacent cell
Interference: MS can not access network or receive any signal.
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Page 20
Island effect results in handover failure

There is no
adjacent cell, so
handover becomes
impossible.
Non-adjacent
cell
Adjacent
cell N1
Service cell
Non-adjacent
Adjacent
cell
Cell N2
Isolated island
resulting from
over shooting
Non-adjacent
Adjacent
cell
Cell N3
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Page 21
Antenna and Feeder System

High Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)
Antenna is not properly installed
Antenna is not parallel
The azimuth and downtilt are not correct
Poor antenna isolation value
RF cables, connection are loose or incorrect
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Page 22
BTS hardware
CDU, splitter/combiner failure

TRX failure
TMU failure
Clock failure
Internal communication cable
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Page 23

Transmission
Transmission is not stable

Serious BER in transmission
Fault of BSC Hardware
Clock board: the faulty clock board causes clock

inconsistency between base stations.
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Page 24
Data configuration
Unsuitable setting of handover hysteresis and handover priority.
Unsuitable setting of P, N value of statistic time
Unsuitable frequency and adjacency relation configured in
BA1/BA2 table
CGI, BCCH and BSIC in "External Cell Description Table" are
different from those in the opposite BSC.
The DPC of BSC in MSC "LAI and GCI Table" is incorrect.
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Page 25

A interface problem
Basically, the insufficient link resource results in the abnormal

handover, as well as abnormal communication.
Circuit pool numbers are different ,causing the handover failure.
The target cell is congested, which causes the handover failure.

Then the target cell should be expanded or reduce its traffic .
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Page 26

Handover between equipment of different manufacturers
The signaling at A interface, E interface of the opposite equipment

are not matched to our equipment and can not be recognized or
supported, which causes the handover failure, such as voice
version, handover number, TUP circuit, addressing mode (CGI or
LAI).
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Page 27

Chapter 2 Searching Process of Handover Data
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Page 28
Handover Case 1
Fault Description
A 1800 cell of a dual-band network (all the 1800 cells belong to

one BSC), the incoming handover success rate of incoming
BSC and intra BSC are low from the beginning of the service,
while the outgoing handover success rate of intra-BSC and
inter-BSC are normal.
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Page 29
Handover Case 1
Analysis:
Register the traffic statistics and analyze whether the low handover
success rate is due to the failure of handover from all cells to this cell or
from some few cells.
If handover fails from some few cells to this cell, check the handover data
and see whether there is co-channel and co-BSIC problem.

If handover fails from all other cells to this cell, check the data of this cell.
If data cause is ruled out, check the hardware carefully. Check the alarm or
perform drive test to locate uplink fault or downlink fault. Check step by
step and find out the cause.
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Page 30
Handover Case 1
Solution:
Register the incoming inter cell handover measurement function and find that the
successful rate of handover from all other cells to this cell is low, although it is not
always 0 percent. Based on careful data checking, the data of this cell is correct.
Perform drive test and find that the downlink signal is normal but almost all
handovers to this cell are failure. Near the BTS, the handover is successful
occasionally. Perhaps the problem is with the uplink signal.
Check the uplink channel, antenna, CDU, they are no problem. Change the
TRX , everything is normal.
Conclusion:
The symptom is that the uplink and downlink at UM interface are unbalanced so
uplink voice quality is bad.
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Page 31
Handover Case 2
Fault Description:
After LAPD software upgrade of a dual-band network on 19th
September, it was found that some cells in module 4 under 1800
network are seriously congested (40 50 ), and overall
handover indices of BSC come down from 95 to 90 . From
"Inter -cell Hanover Measurement Function, it was found that besides
module 4, some cells of other modules also suffer from the problem
that inter cell handover success rate is low. After 19th September, the
situation became worse.
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Page 32
Handover Case 2
Analysis:
Check whether it is attributed to LAPD software upgrade.
Analyze traffic statistics and the main causes of the

failure to locate the problem.
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Page 33
Handover Case 2
Solution:
Check whether it is attributed to LAPD software upgrade.
After the upgrade, not all cells under module 4 are

congested and the handover indices of some cells are not
low. Upgrade isnt the cause.
Analyze traffic statistics:
Congested cells are mostly at site A and site B. Their

traffics are lower than before the upgrade. It is a pseudo
congestion.
The cells where handover success rate is low are
mostly at site A, B, C, D and E , the main cause of the
failure is timer timeout.
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Page 34
Handover Cases 2
Solution:
Check alarm: At 19:31 of 18th September, the clock system
alarms of site A and site B occurred. It is found that 13M

clock isnt synchronous. The clock problem result in low
handover success rate of the two sites. Such impact spread
to the adjacent cells of these two cells and even affected
the whole network.
Analyze handover data and traffic statistics: All cells where
handover success rate is low are adjacent to A and B

except A and B themselves.
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Page 35
Handover Cases 2
Solution:
Reset site A and site B, the clock system is recovered, and the
handover success rate inter/intra BSC goes up to 93 . The
problem is solved.
Conclusion:
The problem in clock system will result in low handover success
rate. Pay attention to the alarm console and the excursion of the
clock system.
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Page 36
Handover Cases 3
Fault Description:
Huawei BSC and another manufacturers BSC (S vender) are
connected to the same MSC. After cutover, MS can not handover
from S BSC to Huawei BSC but opposite is normal.
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Page 37
Handover Cases 3
Analysis:
Since incoming BSC handover request times is 0 but the
outgoing handover is normal. Carefully check the outgoing
inter-cell handover signaling and handover data at S BSC.
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Page 38
Handover Cases 3
Solution:
Trace interface message. After receiving HO-REQUEST
message, Huawei BSC returns HO-FAILURE message
immediately. In normal conditions Huawei BSC should return
HO-REQ-ACK message. Carefully analyze HO-REQ message
and HO-FAILURE message.
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Page 39
Handover Cases 3
Handover failure
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Page 40
Handover Cases 3
HO-REQUEST
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Page 41
Handover Cases 3
Solution
HO-FALUER: The cause of the failure is invalid message
content
HO-REQUEST: The difference is basically the Address
Indicator in comparison with the normal handover request

message. HUAWEI BSC does not recognize case 41. The
system thinks that Address Indicator must be 0x43. Inform
the owner of network, modify the relation parameter, and
this problem is solved.
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Page 42
Handover Cases 3
Conclusion:
In cooperation with equipment of other manufacturers, faults
can be located by analyzing the signaling.
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Page 43
Handover Cases 4
Fault Description:
Huawei
MSC
cooperate
with
MSC
of
(vender).
The
communication is normal. The Huawei intra BSC handover and

incoming BSC handover are normal, but outgoing BSC handover
success rate is about 25%. The handover from the N BSC to
Huawei BSC is successful, but opposite is failure sometimes.
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Page 44
Handover Cases 4
Analysis:
Check handover data, including the external cell description
table, BA2 table, cell adjacency relation table inside Huawei
BSC and N BSC and CGI at N MSC. If the data are correct,
check outgoing BSC handover signaling.
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Page 45
Handover Cases 4
Solution:
Check data: There is no fault in BSC and MSC of the two
venders.
Check alarm: BTS maintenance console, No.7 link and A
interface circuit are all normal.

Trace Huawei A interface signaling. After "HO-REQUIRED"
message is sent, "HO-COMD" command is not received

from MSC.
Trace MAP message at E interface (inter-MSC) with a
signaling meter. It is found that after receiving HO-Number,

Huawei MSC never sends IAI (Initial Address Information).
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Page 46
Handover Cases 4
Solution:
Check HO-Number message from the opposite and find
that the handover code format is 130********(only a number

of mobile telephone, no any prefix). But this mobile
company requires that roaming/handover between
exchanges should be in the format: 00+country code +
roaming/handover number. In addition, Huawei equipment
does not recognize the handover number without
00+country code. Therefore the signaling is halted.
Discuss with N, asking them to add "00+country code"
before the handover number. Then outgoing BSC handover

is normal.
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Page 47
Handover Cases 4
Conclusion:
Problems can be located quickly and accurately if you are
familiar with the signaling flow of handovers.
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Page 48
Handover Cases 5
Fault Description:
In the independent MSC networking of a dual band network, Huawei
1800 network cooperate with 900 network of vender A . After cutover,
the successful rate of handover from M1800 to M900 is low (about
60 ), while the handover from M900 to M1800 are normal and the
handover data are correct.
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Page 49
Handover Cases 5
Analysis 1: Trace the signalings at A interface and E interface.
Normal signaling is as follow:
MS
BSC-HW
MSC-HW
HO-REQUIRED
MSC-B
MAP_Prepare_HO
VLR-B
BSC-B
MS
MAP_Allocate_HO_NUM
MAP_Send_HO_Report
MAP_Send_HO_Report_ACK
HO-REQUEST
MAP_Prepare_HO_ACK
IAI
HO-Command
HO-REQUEST-ACK
ACM
MAP_Process_Access_Signaling
MAP_Send_End_Signal
Clear-Command
Clear-Complete
MAP_Send_End_Signal_ACK
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HO-Access
HO-Complete
Intermediate steps
are omitted.
Page 50
Handover Cases 5
Analysis 2: Abnormally signaling is as follow:
MS
BSC-HW
MSC-B
MSC-HW
HO-REQUIRED
VLR-B
MAP_Prepare_HO
MAP_Abort
HO-REJECT
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Page 51
BSC-B
MS
Handover Cases 5
Solution:
Analyze the Prepare-HO message sent from Huawei MSC
to the opposite. The voice version is full-rate version 1, 2

and half-rate version 1. It is a PHASE 2+ version. However
there is only full-rate version 1 in the message sent from
M900 to Huawei M1800. It turns out that the opposite does
not support half-rate version, so the handover fails.
Modify A interface circuit pool table of Huawei MSC data,
only using full-rate version 1.

Then the outgoing BSC handover is normal.
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Page 52
Handover Cases 5
Conclusion:
There are often many problems in coordination between the
equipment of different manufacturers. However, problems
can be located accurately by tracing signaling.
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Page 53
Handover Cases 6
Fault Description:
A GSM network, where one MSC is attached with two BSC, is all
configured with Huawei equipment. When the two BSC are cutover,
the successful rate of handover from BSC1 to BSC2 is 0, but opposite
is normal. Intra BSC handover of BSC1 and BSC2 are normal.
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Page 54
Handover Cases 6
Analysis:
Register outgoing inter-cell handover measurement
function of BSC1 and incoming inter-cell handover

measurement function of BSC2.
Check the data related to handover of BSC1 and BSC2.
Analyze signaling of handover failure.
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Page 55
Handover Cases 6
Solution:
Check all data of inter-BSC handover: external cell description
data table, BA2 table, CGI of MSC. No problem is found.

Trace A interface message of BSC1 and BSC2. After BSC1
sends "HO-REQUIRED", BSC2 has not received "HOREQUEST" message, but opposite is normal.
The path of data search: MSC goes to "LAI and GCI Table"
according to the CGI of the target cell in "HO-REQUIRED"

message, and sends HO request to the correct BSC base on
the description of the DPC of the cell given in the table.
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Page 56
Handover Cases 6
Solution:
The HO-REQUEST message, which should have been sent
to BSC2, is sent to BSC1. It is DPC error. After correction,
the problem is solved.
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Page 57
Handover Cases 6
Conclusion:
For the data of inter-BSC handover, besides checking whether
CGI at MSC side is consistent with that of opposite and BSC,
check whether the DPC is correct. MSC look up target DPC
based on the CGI of the target cell. When the DPC is
incorrect, "HO-REQUEST" will be sent to wrong BSC.
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Page 58
Handover Cases 7
Fault Description:
A dual band network is a mixed networking of Huawei BSC (M1800)
and vender N BSC (M900), attached to MSC of vender S. After the
cutover, the successful rate of Huawei incoming BSC handover is
always 88 92 , while outgoing BSC and intra-BSC handovers
are normal (above 92 ). Furthermore, the cells with low successful
rate of incoming BSC handover are randomly distributed.
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Page 59
Handover Cases 7
Analysis:
Since the handover success rate is not very low and the low ratio
is not in some few cells, data problem is excluded. Perhaps it is
due to some interference at the radio interface coverage hole. So,
trace the signaling.
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Page 60
Handover Cases 7
Solution:
Perform forced handover with a test mobile between
several cells where handover success rate is low. The

forced handovers are all successful. Data problem is
excluded.
The interference band of cells is ideal, call drop and
congestion rate are normal. It is unlikely that the coverage

and interference at the radio interface causes the problem.
Trace A interface signaling and compare the failure
signaling with success signaling:
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Page 61
Handover Cases 7
A interface signaling analysis of inter-BSC handover in MSC:
Failure signaling:
Success signaling:
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Page 62
Handover Cases 7
Solution:
The comparison result is that Huawei BTS has not detected
any MS access information (No HO DETECT signaling

occurs). It shows that there is problem when the MS is
accessing M1800 cells.
Reconfirm that there is no problem with the handover data,
otherwise the handover success rate will be very low.

Re-trace large number of handover signaling to find that all
failures are attributed to the same cause. In addition, the

problem is the same: there are several handover requests
in a call duration but all requests fail.
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Page 63
Handover Cases 7
Solution:
Analyze other similarities of the failed message, to find that
the first 6 digits of IMEI numbers of these MS are all

449684. It shows that the handover problem is related to
the MS.
Find the MS owners with the IMSI numbers and find that all
MS with handover problem are F MS. Not long ago it was

proved that this MS has poor insulation performance
between M900 and M1800, so it can not access M1800
network. Now the cause is found.
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Page 64
Handover Cases 7
Conclusion: MS problem will also causes handover failure.
In this case the handover success rate is not very low, therefore
coordination problem is unlikely.

Trace the signaling to find the cause of the handover failure: BTS has not
received handover access message from MS.

Find the similarity of these MS through large amount of signaling tracing:
IMEI numbers are the same. Then it is found that the problem is on F MS.
The coverage of M900 is very good, F MS is always under M900 in idle
status. Therefore in a call, TCH assignment seldom fail, which will not
result in high congestion rate. But in handover, problem is very likely to
happen.
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Page 65
Thank You
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Internal

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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31160978-BSC Traffic Statistic Manual Volume I

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

All rights reserved

Upon completion of this course, you are

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

All rights reserved

Chapter 1 Measurement Points of Handover

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

All rights reserved

Measurement Points of Intra BSC Handover

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Measurement Points of Intra BSC Handover

Inter cell radio handover success rate

=(Successful incoming internal inter cell handovers + Successful

Internal inter cell handover success rate

=(Successful incoming internal inter cell handovers + Successful

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Measurement Points of Inter-BSC Handover

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Measurement Points of Inter-BSC Handover

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Measurement Points of Inter-BSC Handover

=(Successful incoming inter BSC inter cell handovers + Successful

=(Successful incoming inter BSC inter cell handovers) / (Attempted

=(Successful outgoing inter BSC inter cell handovers ) / (Attempted

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Chapter 1 Measurement Points of Handover

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Handover Data Process

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Handover Data Process

determines the CGI of all adjacent cells through BCCH

ranking . Once a proper target cell is found, the handover

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Handover Data Process

cell and service cell is sent to MSC on the handover required.

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Chapter 1 Measurement Points of Handover

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Analysis of Handover Problem

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Types of Handover Problems

No handover Cause call drop

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

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Locating Handover Problem

Measurement of BSC overall performance

Board fault, transmission, clock, etc.

A interface, E interface, Abis interface

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Causes of Handover Problem