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GSM BSS Network KPI (Network Interference) Optimization Manual
GSM BSS Network KPI (Network Interference) Optimization Manual
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Product Name
Confidentiality Level
G3BSC
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Product Version
Total 44 pages
Prepared
by
GSM&UMTS Network
Performance Research Department
Su Shi
Date
Reviewed
by
Date
Reviewed
by
Date
Approved
by
Date
2008-3-19
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Revision Record
Date
Version
Description
Author
2004-12-26
0.6
Chen Baolin
2008-2-22
1.0
Su Shi
2010-03-12
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Contents
1 Overview...................................................................................... 6
1.1 Symptoms of Network Interference...................................................................................................................6
1.2 Classification of Interference Sources in the GSM System...............................................................................7
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Full Spelling
BSC
KPI
MS
Mobile Station
TCH
Traffic Channel
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Overview
In the GSM system, frequency reuse is required to improve the system capacity. Frequency
reuse refers to reusing the same frequency channel in different cells within a system. The
closest distance between the centers of two cells using the same frequency channel is called
the reuse distance. The ratio of the reuse distance to the cell radius is called co-channel
interference factor. For a system with a specified amount of frequency channels, the tighter
the frequency reuse is, the greater the system capacity is, and the shorter the reuse distance is,
the greater the interference is.
The preceding interference caused by frequency reuse is intra-network interference. The GSM
network may be affected by inter-network interference from other communication networks.
Interference is one of the key factors that affect the network quality. It greatly affects the voice
quality, and causes call drops, handovers, and congestion. How to reduce or eliminate
interference is one of important tasks in network planning and optimization.
2.
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The call is disconnected after the caller hears a beep (the prompt tone varies with
MSs).
Voice discontinuity, noise, or no audio occurs during the call. In serious cases, a call
drop may occur.
When interference exists in a network, the following symptoms may be found in the
traffic statistics:
The uplink interference is reflected in the traffic statistics for interference bands. You
can check whether interference exists based on the settings of interference band
thresholds and the actual application scenarios. If loose frequencies are planned in an
edge network, the frequency reuse density is low. In this case, if interference band 2
is displayed in the traffic statistics, interference may occur. For an urban area with
high frequency reuse density, if interference band 4 or 5 is displayed in the traffic
statistics, interference may occur.
The number of call drops is great or the call drop rate is high.
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3.
4.
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The proportion of measurement values with high level and poor quality is high in the
measurement of receive level and quality performance.
The bit error rate (BER) in the cell is higher than those in other cells.
Man-made noise is one of main interference sources in a mobile communication
system. Among these man-made interference or noise sources, some interference
sources cannot be controlled, for example, engine ignition interference, electrical
interference, and industrial electrical equipment interference. Some interference
sources, however, can be controlled through network planning and system
optimization, for example, intra-equipment interference and inter-equipment
interference. This document describes the interference that can be controlled.
2.
Hardware fault
TRX fault: If the performance of the TRX decreases because of the production
quality or long-term use, the amplifying circuit of the TRX may be self excited. In
this case, interference occurs.
CDU or divider fault: When the active amplifier in the divider of the CDU or the
divider module is faulty, self excitation may occur.
Spurious emission and intermodulation: If the outband spurious emission of the TRX
or power amplifier in a BTS exceeds the specified threshold, or the RX/TX isolation
of the duplexer in the CDU is too small, the RX channel is interfered. For passive
devices such as antennas and feeders, the intermodulation interference may also
occur.
Interference from surge protectors: When the surge protector is aged or the speech
quality becomes poor, intermodulation signals appear in the BTS. In this case, the
normal frequency plan is affected and the radio environment is deteriorated.
Intra-network interference
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improperly; (2) There is no sufficient isolation between the donor antenna and the
service antenna, and thus self excitation is formed.
For a repeater that uses the wideband non-linear amplifier, its intermodulation
specifications are much greater than those required by the protocol. If the power is
large, the intermodulation component is large. In this case, adjacent BTSs are
interfered. For cascaded repeaters, as the co-channel amplification is performed for
the repeaters and it takes a certain time for the repeaters to process signals, delay
exists between signals. When the delay exceeds the time window size specified for
the GSM system, the co-channel interference occurs.
Intermodulation interference
Generation of intermodulation signals and their impact on the GSM network must be
considered in network planning and optimization. In nature, when two RF signals are
input to a non linear component or pass through a discontinuous transmission
medium, a series of new frequency components are generated due to the non linearity.
The frequency components of new signals meet the following frequency relation.
Assume that the frequencies of the two input signals are f1 and f2 (absolute
frequencies). The formulas are as follows:
Fn = mf1 + nf2 and Fn = mf1 - nf2
As the amplitude of the third order and fifth order intermodulation products is high,
the common components are third order and fifth order intermodulation components.
Third order intermodulation is taken as an example here.
As the spectrum components of 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 are the closest to their own signals,
the system is interfered most possibly by these spectrum components. Figure 2.1
shows the spectrum distribution.
f1
IM3
2f1-f2
2f2-f1
f
The amplitude of a new signal depends on the non linearity of the component or the
discontinuity of microwave transmission. The third order intermodulation index (IM3) is
used for measurement. IM3 refers to the difference between the third order
intermodulation product generated due to the non linearity of the system and the input
signals when two equal-amplitude signals with a certain level are input. Generally, as
IM3 meets the requirements, the frequencies of third order intermodulation are not
considered in frequency planning. For a dual-band network (the antenna system is
shared) or a wideband network, however, the third order intermodulation generated on
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the downlink affects uplink reception. Therefore, you must consider this case when
solving interference problems.
The antenna serves as the passive component and transmission component of microwave
signals, and the possible causes of intermodulation generation are as follows:
The input connector of the antenna is unclean or mechanically damaged, the internal
silver layer is damaged due to multiple insertions and removals, or metal filings are
left in the connector.
The feeder part between the input connector of the antenna and the antenna element
is corroded.
Figure 2.2 Distribution of third order and fifth order intermodulation signals
The signal frequency of the third order intermodulation product is calculated as follows:
2F1 - F2 = 923 MHz
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The signal frequency of the fifth order intermodulation product is calculated as follows:
3F1 - 2F2 = 907.4 MHz
The fifth order intermodulation product falls off in the uplink band of M900, and the
uplink signal frequency is calculated as follows: F3 = (907.4 890)/0.2 = 87. Frequency
87 is just the frequency used by the cell. In this case, interference may occur.
For the second condition, this cell is also used for description.
The cell is configured with two CDUs, and the output power of the TRX is 40 W.
Assume that the power of the antenna input port is about 35 dBm when the loss of the
feeder cable is 6 dB. According to the requirement of IM3 = 150 dB, the
intermodulation product on the antenna port is roughly calculated as follows: 35 dBm
150 dB = 115 dBm. As 115 dBm is smaller than 113 dBm, the intermodulation
interference does not occur. If the intermodulation index is decreased by 20 dB, the
intermodulation product on the antenna port is 95 dBm. In this case, the input level of
the signal that passes through the CDU is about 90 dBm, and interference band 2
(default interference band threshold) is formed.
For the division of frequency bands of China Mobile (frequency 1 to frequency 94) and
China Unicom (frequency 96 to frequency 124), the third intermodulation may not exist
according to the calculation. The fifth order and seventh order intermodulation, however,
may exist. The calculation conclusion described in Appendix 1 is for reference.
See Appendix 1 Calculation of Fifth Order and Seventh Order Intermodulation
Interference for China Mobile
If the division of frequency bands of overseas operators is complex (for example, lower
frequency bands 1 to 20 and high frequency bands 87 to 124), the third order
intermodulation must be considered in frequency planning.
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Radar station: The frequency used by some decimeter wave radars designed in the
1970s or 1980s is the same as or similar to that of the GSM system. As their transmit
power is large (from tens of kW to hundreds of kW) and their outband spurious
emission is large, the adjacent BTSs are easily interfered.
Simulated base station: The frequency band used by the simulated base station and
that of the GSM system overlap. According to national requirements, simulated base
stations must exit the frequency band of the GSM system. Some simulated base
stations, however, do not exit. When the GSM system selects the same frequency as
that of a simulated base station, the interference from the simulated base station
occurs. (Currently, all the simulated networks in China and their frequencies are
unavailable. In some overseas regions, however, a simulated network still coexists
with a GSM network.)
CDMA base station: Because there are many mobile communication systems in
China, interference exists between systems or between networks of different
operators. When the CDMA network is built on the adjacent frequency band of the
TACS or GSM network, the transmission of the CDMA network interferes with the
reception of the GSM900 network and the outband leakage signals of the CDMA
network drop in the channel of the GSM receiver. In this case, the noise level of the
GSM receiver increases and the GSM uplink becomes poor.
Cordless phone on the M900 frequency band: There are a large number of cordless
phones on the M900 frequency band in some overseas regions. The cordless phones
are categorized into analog and digital phones, and their bandwidths are 30 kHz and 2
MHz. The frequencies hop between 902 MHz and 920 MHz. If the power of an
outdoor antenna is large, the adjacent BTSs are interfered.
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Radio equipment and interference units with the same frequency band as the GSM
network: When some special radio equipment occupies the GSM frequency band,
interference occurs.
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Approaches to Finding
Interference Problems
To solve interference problems and improve the speech quality, you need to find the
interference, take proper measures to locate the interference, and then eliminate or reduce the
interference.
You can find the interference in the GSM system by the approaches, such as analysis of OMC
traffic statistics, analysis of OMC alarms, DT, and analysis of subscriber complaints.
Generally, the dedicated test devices such as the signaling analyzer and spectrum analyzer are
not used in this phase because the devices are bulky and expensive.
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Level Range
Interference band 1
Interference band 2
98 dBm to 90 dBm
Interference band 3
90 dBm to 87 dBm
Interference band 4
87 dBm to 85 dBm
Interference band 5
85 dBm to 47 dBm
Compared with other counters, the interference band counter more directly reflects the
interference of a cell (the measurement value of interference signals in the range of 110 dBm
to 105 dBm is included in interference band 1). The interference band counter can only
reflect whether the uplink frequency is interfered.
If a large number of interference signal levels fall in interference band 4 and interference band
5 in a cell, co-channel interference occurs in the cell. If a large number of interference signal
levels fall in interference band 1 and interference band 2, interference may not occur. If a
large number of interference signal levels fall in interference band 3, interference may occur.
Considering different frequency reuse patterns, interference may occur in an edge network
with wide coverage even if the value exists in interference band 2.
The BTS scans uplink frequencies by idle timeslots to measure interference bands. If the
traffic volume of a cell is large and the channel usage is high, the measurement value in the
interference band is small. In this case, the interference cannot be reflected properly. To
determine whether interference occurs on a TRX, you need to view the measurement counters
related to channel allocation. The measurement object is a TRX.
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You can find the potential interference according to subscriber complaints. The information
related to subscriber complaints includes the mobile number, mobile model, called number,
fault symptoms on the calling side, fault symptoms on the called side, and specific location
when the fault occurs. If the detailed complaint information is collected, you can easily find
network problems.
Generally, the complaint information is incomplete. This is because a subscriber may not
understand the cellular network completely or specify the interference source. When
interference occurs on a network, the subscriber generally complains about the following
conditions: (1) The noise is high; (2) The peer voice is unclear; (3) The local voice is unclear;
(4) The call drops; (5) Calls cannot be made. Therefore, when many subscribers complain
about the same problem in an area, you need to check whether interference occurs in the area.
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Select any BT in the test cell, and then double-click Idle Timeslot Test on the right.
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3.
Select all basebands of the cell, set the test duration, and then click Start, as shown in
Figure 3.1.
After the command is executed, all TRXs in the cell work in idle timeslot TX mode.
4.
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example, Nastar) and import the engineering parameter table and configuration data of the
cell for check.
3.1.5 DT
The DT is an effective approach to locating interference problems. The location approach is
similar to that described in section 2.3. The difference is that the interfered cell is tested in the
location phase.
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Figure 1.1 Connection test of the local BTS through the spectrum analyzer
You can use MS/TX-Test and HL-OUT ports on the BTS CDU to locate external interference.
The two ports can be used to test RX signals of the antenna without affecting the running of
the BTS.
Ms/TX-Test port: This port is located at the front end of the CDU. You can connect the port
to the spectrum analyzer to view all signal spectrums received by the antenna. Considering the
bandwidth of the antenna, the signal spectrums distributed in the range of 800 MHz to 1000
MHz can be normally tested. As there is a coupling degree of 30 dB between the antenna and
the Ms/TX-Test port, and the background noise exists on the spectrum analyzer, small signal
spectrums cannot be tested. Generally, the test port is used when large signals and GSM RX
outband frequency scanning are tested.
The amplitude of test signals is calculated as follows: D = (A + 30) dBm.
In the formula, A indicates the signal amplitude tested on the Ms/TX-Test port and D indicates
the signal amplitude on the top RF port of the BTS cabinet.
CDU HL-OUT port: You can connect the CDU HL-OUT port to the spectrum analyzer with
a cable to locate external interference. The connection has the following advantages:
The services on the BTS are not disrupted and the signal spectrums received by the BTS
antenna can be monitored when the BTS works.
The received small signals can be amplified to reduce the background noise of the
spectrum analyzer.
As the gain of the tributary from the TX/RX ANT to HL-OUT port is 22 dB on the RX
frequency band, the value 22 dB is deducted from the signal amplitude tested on the CDU
HL-OUT port to obtain the signal amplitude tested on the top RF port of the BTS cabinet. The
amplitude of test signals is calculated as follows:
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C = (B 22) dBm
In the formula, B indicates the signal amplitude tested on the HL-OUT port and C indicates
the signal amplitude on the top RF port of the BTS cabinet.
If an inter-network interference signal causes noise, the interference signal and useful signals
are simultaneously received by the antenna. In this case, you can connect the spectrum
analyzer to the HL-OUT or MS/TX-TEST port of the BTS CDU to capture the interference
signal spectrum, analyze the characteristics of the interference signal, and locate the
interference source.
It is recommended that you determine the approximate direction of the interference source
according to the cell cross-connection test of the local BTS and then locate the interference
source by using the spectrum analyzer and small antenna.
1.
2.
Set the spectrum analyzer to work in a proper state. The parameter settings of the 900
MHz BTS are as follows: f0 = 902 MHz, SPAN = 30 MHz, ATT = 0, RBW = 30 kHz,
and VBW = 30 kHz. The parameter settings of the 1800 MHz BTS are as follows: f0
= 1715 MHz, SPAN = 10 MHz, ATT = 0, RBW = 30 kHz, and VBW = 30 kHz.
Select the output port of the divider in the interfered cell. To ensure that the BTS
works, you must select an idle output port connected to the load (either main or
diversity is available).
Loosen the selected connector, and then introduce the output signal of the divider to
the spectrum analyzer with a coaxial cable. You must prevent a large input power
from damaging the meter.
Check the spectrum distribution on the spectrum analyzer, and then find the abnormal
interference signal. The level of the interference signal is calculated as follows:
Interference level on the antenna port = Interference level tested by the spectrum
analyzer 22 dB + 3 dB of cable loss
For example: Interference level on the antenna port = 65 dBm 15 + 3 7 = 84
dBm. Note: The cable loss varies with different cable lengths. You can check whether
the interference level affects the system by the following standards:
(1) When Maximum interference level on the antenna port = 108 dBm (assumed
sensitivity) 9 dB of co-channel interference = 117 dBm, the system is not affected.
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(2) When Maximum interference level on the output port of the divider = 117 dBm
+ 15 3 + 7 = 98 dBm, the system is not affected.
3.
Select a test point that is not blocked by buildings in the interfered cell. Set the
spectrum analyzer and install the directional antenna properly.
2)
Place the antenna on a rotary platform if available with the beam of the antenna
pointing to the front direction and vertical polarization used.
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3)
4)
5)
Search for a new test point along the direction of the antenna beam, and then return
step 2 for testing until the interference source is found.
6)
If the directions of the interference source are tested in the two test points, the
intersection of the two directions is the approximate location of the interference
source. You can search for the interference source around the intersection.
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7)
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Take the Yagi-Uda antenna and YBT250, reach the determined interference source
area, and then search unblocked buildings for the interference source.
Generally, a strong interference signal can be tested by the YBT250 near the interference
source. You need to check whether there is a school, a governmental organ, or a
confidential unit that may use interference equipment.
If interference is found, you must request the customer to eliminate the interference.
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Check whether the TRX or CDU is faulty. If the internal interference is caused by the
fault, block and then replace the board.
2.
Check the connection between the output port on the cabinet top and the jumper and the
connection between the jumper and the feeder. If the port connections are improper, the
front-end circuit of the BTS may be in unstable state. In this case, the self-excitation
oscillation of the circuit causes wideband interference in the RX band.
3.
Check whether the passive intermodulation occurs in the antenna system. The check
procedure is as follows:
5.
Disable the frequency hopping and TRX aiding functions in the cell.
6.
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If the interference problem is solved after the operations are complete, you can go to step 8.
Otherwise, go to the next step.
Step 3 Replace the lower jumper and remake the feeder connector.
If a spectrum analyzer with the background noise lower than 90 dBm and the scanning speed
small than 0.1s is available, you can connect the spectrum analyzer to the uplink signal output
port of the DFCU and then slightly shake the lower jumper for about 0.5 minute (the location
is 20 cm to 40 cm away from the connector, the shaking amplitude is 3 cm to 5 cm, and the
frequency is 1 Hz). If the background noise of the uplink channel band fluctuates, you need to
replace the lower jumper. If you slightly shake the port between the feeder and the lower
jumper, and the background noise of the RX band fluctuates, you need to remake the feeder
connector.
If the preceding spectrum analyzer is unavailable, you need to measure the interference bands
on the BSC side to check the background noise. If the interference band changes obviously,
you need to replace the lower jumper and remake the feeder connector.
If the interference problem is solved after the operations are complete, you can go to step 8.
Otherwise, go to the next step.
Step 4 Remove the surge protector and repeater.
If a surge protector or repeater exists in the antenna system, you need to remove it.
If the interference problem is solved after the operations are complete, you can go to step 8.
Otherwise, go to the next step.
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2.
3.
If a low-intermodulation load is unavailable, you can also use the following method for
checking. Remove one jumper in a normal cell and faulty cell respectively. Connect the
jumper in the normal cell to the main equipment in the faulty cell and the jumper in the
faulty cell to the main equipment in the normal cell, and then disconnect other two
jumpers. Observe the cell for five minutes. If the interference persists in the faulty cell, it
indicates that the main equipment in the channel of the cell is faulty. In this case, you
need to replace the main equipment. If the interference occurs in the normal cell, it
indicates that the antenna intermodulation occurs in the faulty cell. In this case, you need
to replace the antenna. If no interference occurs in the two cells, it indicates that the
antenna and the main equipment in the channel work properly. In this case, you need to
check the main equipment in the other channel.
If the interference symptoms in channel A and channel B are consistent, the antenna
intermodulation may occur.
After replacing the faulty main equipment, observe the interference bands for two minutes. If
the interference still occurs in the cell, you need to proceed with the next step. If the
interference problem is solved, you can go to step 8.
A low-intermodulation load is required in the first method, and two many operations are performed in
the second method. The third method is simple, but the downlink interference occurs in the adjacent
BTSs. It is recommended that you use the third method to check whether the main equipment and
antenna are faulty.
Step 7 Replace the parts on the tower (for example, the antenna).
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After checking the intermodulation on the BTS side, you need to check the parts on the tower.
For a new site, you can replace the upper jumper and remake the feeder connector. For an
earlier site, you can replace the antenna and upper jumper and remake the feeder connector.
If the intermodulation problem persists after the preceding operations are complete, you need
to replace the feeder (this case seldom occurs).
If the interference problem is solved after the operations are complete, you can go to step 8.
Step 8 Determine whether the interference problem is solved.
Send idle bursts on all TRXs in the cell, and then observe the spectrum analyzer for five
minutes or interference bands for half an hour.
1.
2.
If the interference problem persists, you need to return to the preceding steps for further
checking.
Generally, the intermodulation occurs on the connectors in the antenna system. Therefore, you must
protect the connectors carefully in the preceding operations. After each operation is complete, you need
to check whether the connectors are connected reliably.
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The following sections describe how to locate and eliminate the interference in the form of
cases, and only the case code, name, and date are listed. For details on the cases, visit
http://support.huawei.com and then choose Documentation > Maintenance Experience >
Mobile Communication.
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Case Name
Approval Date
0010761
2001-10-29
0017185
2002-03-04
Case Name
Approval Date
0015118
2002-09-12
Case Name
Approval Date
0011108
2001-11-13
0005237
2001-09-04
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Case
Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
0011519
2001-11-26
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Case
Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
0005940
2001-03-29
0007646
2001-09-04
Case Name
Approval
Date
SC0000209597
2006-5-26
Case Name
Approval
Date
0017590
2002-03-18
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Case Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
0015274
2001-12-19
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3.3.8 Summary
If the TRX, CDU, feeder, antenna, jumper, TMA, or connector is faulty, the interference and
call drop may occur. For details, see the preceding cases. Therefore, when the interference
occurs, you must check BTS hardware. In addition, when the BTS clock is unblocked, the
interference and call drop may also occur.
Generally, the hardware fault can be located by board switching or traffic measurement data.
If a spectrum analyzer is available, you can fast locate the problem. When the interference
occurs in a cell where no data is modified, you must check whether the hardware is faulty.
The preceding interference related to the BTS is the uplink interference that can be reflected
in the interference band.
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Figure 1.1 shows four BTSs: BTS A, BTS B, BTS C, and BTS D. If frequency N is allocated
to cell A-3, frequency N cannot be allocated to A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, or
D3, and frequency N1 cannot be allocated to A1, A2, A3, B1, C2, D1, or D2 (frequency
hopping is disabled).
Case
Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
Remarks
0008119
2001-06-29
Co-channel
interference
0003451
2002-09-16
Adjacent-channel
interference
0004034
2002-09-16
Adjacent-channel
interference
Reference case:
Fault symptom: When the interference occurs in the BTS (O2) in a suburban area, the call
drop rate is high and the voice quality is poor. The symptoms are strong discontinuity and
noise (roar).
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Location procedure:
1.
2.
Use a test MS to make a call and retain the call, and then use another MS to perform a
frequency scanning test for frequency 64. When the MS is close to the urban area, the
signal strength of frequency 64 is smaller than 100 dBm and the call drops. When the
MS is in the urban area, the signal strength of frequency 64 suddenly rises to 65 dBm
and disappears after about 100 seconds. In this case, you can infer that the co-channel
interference may be from the TCH frequency of the neighboring cell.
3.
The next day, use a spectrum analyzer to test the location where the signal strength of the
frequency is the strongest. Meanwhile, use another MS to perform the idle mode test.
According to the system information, frequency 64 is in the cell CA table of BCCH 45
and allocated to the TCH TRX, and the call is established on frequency 64.
4.
After changing the frequency, retest the place where the co-channel interference occurs.
According to the test result, no call drop occurs and the speech quality is good (Rx_Qual
< 3), it indicates that the co-channel interference (downlink) problem is solved.
Case Name
Approval
Date
0005164
2002-09-16
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Case Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
0017397
2002-03-13
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Case Name
Approval
Date
0024765
2003-09-24
0018952
2002-05-24
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Case
Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
0024064
2003-07-25
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0025416
Frequent Call Drops and MS Access Failure Caused by CoSite Between GSM and CDMA Systems and Repeater
Interference
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2004-02-17
As the uplink frequencies of the GSM system are adjacent to the downlink frequencies of the
DAMPS system and some frequencies are overlapped, interference occurs between the GSM
and DAMPS systems. Generally, the downlink TX power is much larger than the uplink TX
power. Thus, the effect of GSM uplink signals on DAMPS downlink frequencies is much
smaller than the effect of DAMPS downlink signals on GSM uplink frequencies.
When handling the network interference, you can use a frequency scanner to test the signals
received by the BTS antenna through the HL-OUT port of the CDU. According to the test
result, strong DAMPS signals are received in many cells. The downlink frequency band used
by the DAMPS network is 869 MHz to 894 MHz and the uplink frequency band is 824 MHz
to 849 MHz. In the DAMPS network, the FDMA mode is used, and the bandwidth of each
bandwidth is 30 kHz, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 1.1 Distribution of Spectrums for DAMPS Downlink Signals and GSM Uplink Signals
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Congestion effect: The DAMPS signals cause the saturation of the low noise amplifier
(LNA) in the GSM system. In this case, interference occurs when the GSM system
receives signals.
Spurious emission effect: The multi-order mixing product of DAMPS TX signals and
GSM RX local oscillation signals falls in the RX band of the intermediate frequency
(this case occurs when the intermediate frequency is low).
The congestion problem can be solved easily. When the isolation between the two networks
reaches 50 dB, the DAMPS network does not affect the GSM network. The effect of spurious
emission is described as follows:
The intermediate frequency of the 900 MHz BTS receiver is 71 MHz. As the DAMPS
downlink signal is close to the GSM uplink signal, the suppression of the RX filter is limited
and more DAMPS TX signals reach the RX LNA. When the following formula is met:
2 x (FDAMPS Flo) = 71 MHz
The DAMPS signals and GSM RX local oscillation signals are mixed to form interference
signals in the RX band of the intermediate frequency, and interference occurs. In the formula,
FDAMPS is the frequency of DAMPS signals and Flo is the frequency of GSM RX local
oscillation signals. The Lo frequency range is as follows (the frequency unit is MHz):
Lomax = FDAMPS + 1 - 35.5
Lomin = FDAMPS - 1 - 35.5
If the bandwidth of the downlink frequency used by the DAMPS system is 2 MHz, and FDAMPS
is the central frequency of DAMPS TX signals, the frequency range for GSM interference is
as follows:
Lomin + 71 fgsm < Lomax + 71
As shown in Figure 7, FDAMPS is about 878 MHz and the range of interfered frequencies is
912.5 MHz to 914.5 MHz (that is, 11 frequencies cannot be used). Therefore, when DAMPS
BTSs exist near a GSM BTS, the frequencies of the GSM BTS cannot be the 11 frequencies.
When the intermediate frequency interference occurs, you can modify the interfered GSM
frequency to avoid interference. If the noise disappears after the frequency is modified, it
indicates that the intermediate frequency interference causes the noise. For network B in
country J, some frequencies are modified in the cells where the intermediate frequency
interference may occur. That is, the frequencies in the frequency band of 912.5 MHz to 914.5
MHz must be avoided to reduce the possibility of noise generation. If the frequencies cannot
be modified, it is recommended that you take the following measures:
Add a signal wave trap in the antenna system to attenuate strong signals transmitted by
the interfering network. In this way, the strong signals cannot enter the CDU through the
antenna.
Re-install the antenna to add the isolation. Generally, it is recommended that you install
the antenna of the GSM network and the antenna of the interfering network at different
layers to add the isolation.
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1.
The repeater is installed in an improper place or the installation location of the antenna is
unreasonable.
2.
The amplification multiples of uplink and downlink signals are set improperly.
3.
As all inband signals received by the wireless wideband repeater are amplified,
interference is generated easily.
4.
5.
The repeater is installed improperly, for example, there is no sufficient isolation between
the donor antenna and the service antenna. In this case, the self excitation is generated.
6.
For a repeater that uses the wideband non-linear amplifier, its intermodulation
specifications are much greater than those required by the protocol. If the power is large,
the intermodulation component is large. In this case, adjacent BTSs are interfered.
Case Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
0017086
2002-02-28
SC0000235220
2006-07-29
3.5.3 Interference from Microwave Stations, LargePower Stations, and Terrestrial Satellite Stations
The frequencies used by some microwave stations, large-power stations, and terrestrial
satellite stations are the same as or similar to those of the GSM system. As their transmit
power is very large (tens of kW to hundreds of kW) and their outband spurious emission is
also large, the adjacent BTSs are easily interfered.
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Case
Code
Case Name
Approval
Date
Remarks
0001084
2002-09-14
Interference from
microwave
stations
0000279
2000-04-29
Interference from
large-power
stations
0000363
Interference Case
2000-04-29
Interference from
terrestrial satellite
stations
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Introduction to Anti-
Interference Technologies
The measures related to GSM anti-interference include FH, dynamic power control, and DTX.
In addition, you can adjust the tilt, azimuth, and height of the antenna to reduce network
interference. In this way, the actual serving range of each cell approximates to the designed
serving range and thus cross coverage can be avoided. For details on antenna adjustment, see
the Guide to Planning and Adjusting Tilt Angles of the Antenna. The anti-interference
measures apply to intra-network interference.
The following table lists some anti-interference technologies for field engineers' reference
when they communicate with the market personnel and customer.
Table 1.1 Comparison between anti-interference technologies
Vendor
DTX
Power
Control
FH
Handover
(Intra-Cell
Handover
and
Interferenc
e
Handover)
Other Technologies
Huawei
Supported
Supported
Supported
Supported
Ericsson
Supported
Supported
Supported
Supported
Nortel
Supported
Supported
Supported
Supported
Nokia
Supported
Supported
Supported
Supported
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4.2 IRC
The interference rejection combining (IRC) technology of Ericsson and the interference
cancellation (IFC) technology of Nortel are used to cancel the co-channel interference when
the frequencies are tightly reused. With the technologies, you can improve the speech quality,
increase the capacity, and improve the frequency usage. Currently, Huawei equipment does
not support the technologies. The related research, however, is started.
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Introduction to Interference
Check Tools
Input frequency: frequency range that the spectrum analyzer can receive. The index
determines the frequency range of interference signals that can be tested.
2.
Sensitivity: The minimum RX level with the signal bandwidth 1 Hz is defined as the RX
sensitivity of the spectrum analyzer. The RX sensitivity of the HP85 series spectrum
analyzer can reach 142 dBm or lower. RX sensitivity with the signal bandwidth xHz =
1 Hz sensitivity + 10logx, for example, RX sensitivity of with GSM signal bandwidth
200 kHz = 142 dBm + 10log (200 x 1000) = 89 dBm.
3.
Resolution bandwidth (RBW): minimum signal bandwidth that the spectrum analyzer
can resolve. If the parameter is set to a small value, the RX sensitivity of the spectrum
analyzer is high (that is, the noise of the spectrum analyzer is low).
4.
Video bandwidth (VBW): bandwidth of the intermediate frequency filter after mixing. If
the bandwidth is narrow, the curve is smooth.
5.
Central frequency (F0): central frequency of the spectrum that the spectrum analyzer can
test.
6.
Bandwidth (SPAN): width of the spectrum that the spectrum analyzer can test.
7.
Attenuation (ATT): When a large signal is input, the signal must be attenuated properly.
Otherwise, the spectrum analyzer generates a large number of intermodulation
components and thus the test result may be inaccurate.
The following table lists the key indexes of common spectrum analyzers.
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Operating
Frequency
Band
Sensitivity (1
Hz)
Minimum
Resolution
Bandwidth
HP8591E
30 Hz1.8 GHz
145 dBm
30 Hz
HP8594E
30 Hz2.9 GHz
142 dBm
30 Hz
HP8595E
30 Hz6.5 GHz
142 dBm
30 Hz
HP8561E
30 Hz6.5 GHz
145 dBm
1 Hz
YBT250
30 MHz2500 MHz
132 dBm
1 kHz
The YBT250 Tektronix NetTek Analyzer is a portable spectrum analyzer that runs on the
Windows CE operating system. The analyzer is equipped with a touch screen. Compared with
common spectrum analyzers, the analyzer has the following functions:
The analyzer is portable, equipped with batteries, and applicable to field test.
The analyzer is easy to operate. In spectrum state, the RBW is automatically set on the
basis of the span. After you click AutoLevel, the reference level is automatically set on
the basis of the tested signal.
For continuous interference signals, you can capture the interfered spectrum in the
normal state. For transient and jumping interference signals, however, as their duration is
short, you may not capture the interfered spectrum in normal state. In this case, you need
to use the MAXHOLD function.
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