Intelligent Optimization

Behavior Analysis of Smartphones

in 3G Networks
Understand Fast Dormancy & Signaling Load Impact

Aexio Software 2012

Agenda
1.
2.
3.

Smartphone Penetration
Understanding Fast Dormancy and how it impacts signaling load in
3G networks
Smartphone analysis based on Traffic Measurement Recordings

4.

Summary

5.

Q&A

Aexio Software 2012

About Presenter

Kean Chan

Co-founder and currently Technology

Director at Aexio

Creator of Ericssons MCOM and NeXplorer
tools

> 15 years experience of RF Optimization
Service & Tools development

Past:

Operational Product Manager at
Ericsson TEMS, USA

Senior RF Consultant, Ericsson AB,
Sweden

Aexio Software 2012

Global Smartphone penetration

Global smartphone
penetration at 27%
(1st half 2011)
472million units
sold in 2011

Source: www.visionmobile.com (Nov 2011)

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Global Smartphone penetration

Smartphone penetration in US has increased

from 36% to almost 50% in one year

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Impact of Smartphones on Networks

Smartphones behaves differently as compared to laptops/dongles
Smartphones do not generate huge amount of data traffic, but it
creates excessive signaling traffic

(0.77x)

Average smartphone generates

(0.43x)

8X

(15x)

signaling traffic than PC/laptop

dongle
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UNDERSTANDING FAST DORMANCY

How Fast Dormancy impacts signaling load in 3G
networks

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RRC State Transition Signalling vs Battery Consumption

Battery
Consumption

RRC State
Cell_DCH
(Dedicated)

5 sig.

100 x Idle

5 sig
FACH

>16 RRC
signaling
messages

3 sig

40 x Idle

2 sig
Cell/URA
PCH

Idle

1 (Relative Unit)

3GPP RRC State was designed to achieve balance between battery

life and latency of the connection
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Fast Dormancy

Fast Dormancy - SCRI

Cell_DCH
(Dedicated)

FACH

Cell/URA
PCH

Idle

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Keep Alive

Fast Dormancy was first introduced by RIM to

save battery life for Blackberry
Fast Dormancy forces network to release UE
to IDLE after data transmission by sending
RRC Signaling Connection Release Indication
(SCRI) message
Lengthens battery life, but generates more
signals that the network must manage.
Modern Mobile Application e.g. Whats App
with Keep Alive will generate new call setup
Fast Dormancy + Keep Alive = Operators
nightmare

Fast Dormancy Data Traffic vs Signaling Traffic

Fast Dormancy overrides

CELL_FACH & CELL_PCH

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3GPP Rel 8 Fast Dormancy

3GPP addresses the Fast Dormancy in Release 8
Network indicates it supports Fast Dormancy by broadcasting timer
T323 in SIB1
UE starts this timer as soon as data transfer finishes and once the timer
expires sends a SCRI message with cause "UE Requested PS Data
session end".
Instead of releasing the call, UE can be down-switch to PCH

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3GPP Rel 8 Fast Dormancy Message

UE does not have to wait to send

SCRI

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Solutions & Challenges

Implement PCH State together with Rel 8 Fast Dormancy will
reduce the signaling load
Visualize and analyze call messages for each smartphone
Optimize State Transition Timer to balance between battery
life and signaling load
Understand the impact of different smartphones in the
network before pushing specific models to end users

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SMARTPHONE ANALYSIS
Based On Traffic Measurement Recordings
(Ericsson GPEH)

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Xeus Pro Smartphone Analysis Feature for Ericsson GPEH

Visualization of
state transitions
in the network
Ericsson GPEH
Trace
Identify UE model
with high
signaling load
Network
Configuration e.g.
Bulk CM Export
Analyze detailed
messages for
each call

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Smartphone Analysis
Provide RRC State Transition Breakdown for the network

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Signaling vs. RRC State Transition Statistics

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Smartphone KPI Chart

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Smartphone KPI Analysis

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SUMMARY

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Summary

Pre-Rel 8 Fast Dormancy generates excessive

signaling in the network
Implementing Rel 8 Fast Dormancy together with
PCH will minimize the signaling load while preserving
the battery life of the UE
Understanding the behavior of each smartphone
model allows better optimization of the RRC State
timers

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References

Fast Dormancy Best Practises by GSMA - July 2011

Smartphones and a 3G network by Signals Research
May 2010
Behavior Analysis of Smartphone - Huawei

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Traffic Measurement Recording

Data Sources
Ericsson
GPEH (till
W11)
Huawei
PCHR (till
RAN13)

NSN
Megamon

QOS Analysis

User Quality Management

Cell Analysis
Blocked/Dropp
ed Analysis
Throughput
Analysis

VIP Analysis
Subscriber KPI
Analysis
Phone Profiling
Smartphone
Analysis

Live Geo-Analysis
Coverage Plot
Coverage
Analysis
User
Positioning

Excel Report
Designer
Call Search

Network Optimization
Neighbour
Optimization
Pilot Pollution
Analysis

Task
Manager

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What we are working on now

Support ZTE CTS analysis

Support Ericsson LTE CTR/UETR

Smartphone for NSN Megamon/Huawei PCHR

Backend Server aggregation for Traffic Recording

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A little bit about AEXIO

Aexio specializes in multi vendor Network Quality Management and helps
clients manage the Quality of Service of their complex cellular networks
Excellent track record in working and supporting mobile operators to
deliver specific solutions

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Q&A

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2012Software 2010
Commercial Confidential. All RightsReserved.
Aexio

Thank you!
Get your risk-free Trial Copy of Aexio Xeus Pro at

www.getxeus.com

Aexio Software 2012