SINR vs.

RSRP and
RSRQ
For field measurements

Only for internal use;

Confidential document

RSRP

RSRP is the power of a single resource element.

UE measures the power of multiple resource elements used to transfer the reference signal but
then takes an average of them rather than summing them.
Definition:
Reference signal received power (RSRP), is defined as the linear average over the power
contributions (in [W]) of the resource elements that carry cell-specific reference signals within the
considered measurement frequency bandwidth.
For RSRP determination the cell-specific reference signals R0 according TS 36.211 [3] shall be
used. If the UE can reliably detect that R1 is available it may use R1 in addition to R0 to
determine RSRP.
If receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported value shall not be lower than the
corresponding RSRP of any of the individual diversity branches.

For internal use only

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RSRP reporting range

From -44 dBm to -133 dBm

Micros oft Word
Document

Document explaining RSRP reporting

range details:

For internal use only

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RSRQ

RSRQ = RSRP / (RSSI/N)

N is the number of resource blocks over which the RSSI is measured
RSSI is wide band power, including intracell power
Definition:
Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) is defined as the ratio NRSRP/(E-UTRA carrier
RSSI), where N is the number of RBs of the E-UTRA carrier RSSI measurement bandwidth.
The measurements in the numerator and denominator shall be made over the same set of
resource blocks.
E-UTRA Carrier Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), comprises the linear average of the
total received power (in [W]) observed only in OFDM symbols containing reference symbols
for antenna port 0, in the measurement bandwidth, over N number of resource blocks by the
UE from all sources, including co-channel serving and non-serving cells, adjacent channel
interference, thermal noise etc.
If receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported value shall not be lower than the
corresponding RSRQ of any of the individual diversity branches.

For internal use only

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RSRQ reporting range

Impact of intra cell power to RSRQ:

Example for noise limited case (no interference):
If all resource elements are active and are transmitted with equal power then
RSRQ = N / 12N = -10.8 dB
(because RSRP is measured over 1 resource element and RSSI per resource block is
measured over 12 resource elements)
When there is no traffic, and assuming only the reference symbols are transmitted (there
are 2 of them within the same symbol of a resource block) then the RSSI is generated
by only the 2 reference symbols so the result becomes;
RSRQ = N / 2N = -3 dB

Document explaining RSRQ reporting range details:

Micros oft Word

Document

For internal use only

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Field measurement parameters

Terminals are measuring from service cell:

RSRP
RSRQ
Scanners are measuring from all decoded cells:
RSRP
RSRQ
RSSI => Received Signal Strength Indicator(Wideband channel power)
P-SCH and S-SCH RSSI
Reference signal SINR

Mapping from RSRP/RSRQ to SINR needed

For internal use only

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SINR

RSRP to SNR mapping

Open question: does RSRP include noise power from measured
bandwidth?

Impact on RSRP -> SNR mapping with low RSRP values

RSRP is measured for a single subcarrier

noisepower_for_15KHz= -125.2dBm
Noise figure = 7 dB
Temperature = 290 K

Case 1: RSRP doesnt contain noise power

SNR

RSRP
Pn _ RE

Pn _ RE 15 KHz _ noise _ power

Case 2: RSRP contains noise power

SNR

RSRP Pn _ RE
Pn _ RE

Pn _ RE 15 KHz _ noise _ power

For internal use only

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SNR

Comparing two equations

Case 1
SNR

RSRP
Pn _ RE

Pn _ RE 15 KHz _ noise _ power

Case 2
SNR

RSRP Pn _ RE
Pn _ RE

Pn _ RE 15 KHz _ noise _ power

For internal use only

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RSRQ to SINR mapping

RSRQ depends on own cell traffic load, but SINR doesnt depend on own cell
load.
Used Resource Elements per Resource Block (RE/RB) in serving cell is an input
parameter for RSRQ -> SINR mapping

Two cases:

Case 1: RSRP doesnt contain noise power

Case2: RSRP contains noise power

Case 1:
SINR

RSRP *12 N
Pi Pn _12 N

Pn _ xN Pn _ RE xN
x RE / RB _ used
N # RBs
RSSI Pi RSRP * xN Pn _12 N
RSRQ

N * RSRP
RSSI

SINR

RSRP *12 N
12

N * RSRP
1
RSRP * xN
x
RSRQ
RSRQ

For internal use only

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Case 2:
RSRP *12 N Pn _ 12 N

SINR

Pi Pn _ 12 N

Pn _ xN Pn _ RE xN
x RE / RB _ used
N # RBs
RSSI Pi RSRP * xN Pn _(12 x ) N
RSRQ
SINR

N * RSRP
RSSI
RSRP *12 N Pn _12 N

N * RSRP
RSRP * xN Pn _(12 x ) N Pn _12 N
RSRQ

RSRP *12 N Pn _12 N

N * RSRP
RSRP * xN Pn _ xN
RSRQ

RSRQ to SINR mapping

Case 1 equation used, as

it is simpler
SINR

12
1
x
RSRQ

x=RE/RB

2RE/RB equals to empty cell.

Only Reference Signal power is
considered from serving cell.
12RE/RB equals to fully loaded
serving cell. All resource
elements are carrying data.

For internal use only

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RSRQ to SINR mapping

Lab measurements matches well

the calculated results
Measured with Agilent scanner

RSRP
RSRQ
Reference signal SINR

Cable connection between BTS

and scanner

Attenuator used to reduce

signal level
No traffic = only control chs
and reference signals
Full traffic load = data send in
each RB

For internal use only

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Coverage criteria for field

measurements

Coverage criteria for field measurement can be estimated with link budget tool

Depends on UL and DL parameters

Typical coverage requirement is that 95% of the measurement samples is fulfilling the criteria. (depends on
operators coverage requirements)

Example, outdoor coverage:

Throughput requirement 500/64kbps (DL/UL)
20W BTS Tx power
If DL only considered:
-SINR requirement -6dB
=> RSRQ>-16.9dB, empty serving cell
RSRQ>-17.7dB, fully loaded serving cell
RSRP>-130dBm
(1dB interference assumed)

If DL and UL considered
-DL SINR requirement -3dB
=> RSRQ>-14.1dB, empty serving cell
RSRQ>-15.5dB, fully loaded serving cell
RSRP>-127dBm
(1dB interference assumed)

For internal use only

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XCAL + Samsung reported parameters

Parameters are reported at one second interval.

For internal use only
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Samsung + XCAL, t
used drive test comb
the moment in trials a

Scanner measurement information

PCTel
Measuring both RS SINR and SCH SINR
Wide band RSSI measurements and spectrum scanning supported
R&S
Measuring only SCH SINR
No support for wide band RSSI measurements and spectrum scanning
Measuring only from Sync channel bandwidth (1.4MHz). Also RSRP and
RSRQ measured only from that bw.
JDSU E6474A
Measuring only RS SINR
Difficult post processing format (in Excel export)
Wide band RSSI measurements and spectrum scanning supported

For internal use only

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How can we calculate CQI from SINR?

Basically, we can calculate as CQI= SINR * 0.51 +5.3
- Sample of MIMO Switching

For internal use only

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