OWJ102103 WCDMA RNO RF

Optimization
ISSUE 1.0

Wireless Curriculum Development Section

Review

This

lecture

introduces

the

various

stages

involved in optimizing a 3G radio network and

focuses mainly on the RF Optimization phase.
Step-by-step

approach for the analysis of drive

survey data collected by Agilent Scanner and test

UE is presented. The analysis is carried out using
the post processing tool Actix Analyzer.

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Review

RF

optimization will be an ongoing activity and will

need to be revisited as traffic increases in the

network and as new sites are deployed.
In

addition,

as

the

network

matures,

the

optimization process should be enhanced to take

into account statistical data and key performance
indicators collected throughout the network.

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Course Contents
Chapter 1 Optimization Phases
Chapter 2 RF Optimization
Chapter 3 RF Analysis Approaches
Chapter 4 Antenna Adjustment Example
Chapter 5 Drop Call Analysis Example

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Network Optimization Phases Flow Chart

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Network Optimization Phases Step 1

Single

Site Verification

To verify the functionality of every new site.

Objectives

To ensure there are no faults related to site installation or

parameter settings.

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Network Optimization Phases Step 2

RF

Optimization
Once all the sites in a given area are integrated and verified, RF
(or Cluster) optimization could begin.

Objectives

To optimize coverage while in the same time keeping

interference and pilot pollution under control over the target
area. This phase also includes the verification and optimization
of the 3G neighbor lists.

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Network Optimization Phases Step 3

Services

Testing & Parameter Optimization

To be conducted in areas of good RF conditions in order to

exclude any coverage issues. Such testing does not need to be
performed for each cell but the drive route must include different
clutter types and environments.

Objectives

To assess the performance and identify any need for specific

parameter optimization.

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Network Optimization Phases Step 4

Regular

Reference Route Testing & Stats Analysis

Constant monitoring and evaluation of the network performance

can be based on field testing as well as network stats analysis.

Results of the regular analysis may necessitate re-visits to the

RF optimization and/or parameters tuning.

Objectives

To identify any new issues that could arise, for example, as a

result of increase in traffic or changes in the environment.

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Course Contents
Chapter 1 Optimization Phases
Chapter 2 RF Optimization
Chapter 3 RF Analysis Approaches
Chapter 4 Antenna Adjustment Example
Chapter 5 Drop Call Analysis Example

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RF Optimization - Preparation
Clutters

RF optimization should be carried out for groups or clusters of

sites rather than on single site basis.

Drive

Routes

Cluster drive surveys should include the coverage areas of each

cell and all the major roads and streets as well as any other
important locations.

Tools

Agilent scanner

Qualcomm UE in continuous AMR call

Actix Analyzer
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RF Optimization - Targets
Item
CPICH RSCP
CPICH Ec/Io
Active Set size
(estimated)

Requirements
Target

- 85 dBm

Comments
Corresponds to outdoor
measurements.

Minimum

-95 dBm

Target

-8 dB

Minimum

- 14 dB

Applicable for unloaded

network.

Target

Based on scanner data.

Max %

< 10 %

% of time a cell is seen as a

pilot polluter.

8 dB

Relative to best server when

cell is not in Active Set.

Pilot pollution
Threshold
UE Tx power

Max

SHO Success rate

Target

<15 dBm
>95 %

Assuming 21 dBm max.

For e1a, e1b & e1c

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RF Optimization Flow Chart

Drive
Drive Test
Test
Identify
Identify any
any RF
RF Issues
Issues
Identify
Identify candidate
candidate
cells
cells for
for changes
changes

Identify
Identify nature
nature of
of
required
required changes
changes

Determine
Determine amount
amount
of
of changes
changes

Implement
Implement changes
changes
N

Repeat
Repeat Drive
Drive Test
Test
Problem
Problem Resolved?
Resolved?
Finish
Finish

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RF Optimization - Solutions
Antenna

tilt

Antenna

azimuth

Antenna

location

Antenna

height

Antenna

type

Site

location

New

site

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Course Contents
Chapter 1 Optimization Phases
Chapter 2 RF Optimization
Chapter 3 RF Analysis Approaches
Chapter 4 Antenna Adjustment Example
Chapter 5 Drop Call Analysis Example

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RF Analysis Approaches Cell Dominance

Cells

with no dominance at all

A site was not radiating during the drive survey

Very poor dominance can also be caused by blocking of the

antenna. So a site visit must be made to verify the antenna
clearance.

Cells

with either excessive or poor dominance

This could be due to a high site or non-optimum antenna tilts.

Cells with too large dominance will be causing interference to

adjacent cells resulting in poorer capacity.

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RF Analysis Approaches Cell Dominance

Areas

of non-dominance:

Areas where there is not a single clear dominant cell and where
the best server changes too frequently.

Result: Excessive number of soft hand off events reducing the

system efficiency and increasing the probability of call drops.

UE

vs. Scanner Best Serving Cells:

Comparison between the UE and scanner SC plots. Significant
differences between the plots may indicate a missing neighbor
or failed soft handoff problem.

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RF Analysis Approaches Cell Dominance

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RF Analysis Approaches CPICH Coverage

Check

areas of poor coverage, suggestion value as below:

Good: RSCP -85 dBm

Fair:

Poor: RSCP < - 95 dBm

Examine

-95 dBm RSCP < -85 dBm

the RSCP coverage on per cell bases in order to

highlight any cells that have too large a footprint.

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RF Analysis Approaches CPICH Coverage

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RF Analysis Approaches Interference

CPICH

Ec/Io Plot

Good: Ec/Io -8 dB

Fair: -14 dB Ec/Io < -8 dB

Poor: Ec/Io < - 14 dB

The -8 dB threshold takes into account the expected future interference

increase as a result of increased traffic.

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RF Analysis Approaches Interference

Whats the
problem?

Because
Becausethe
theRSCP
RSCPLevel
LevelisisPOOR,
POOR,
the
thefundamental
fundamentalcause
causeofof low
lowEc/Io
Ec/Ioisis
POOR
POORCOVERAGE
COVERAGE
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RF Analysis Approaches Interference

-14
-15

-63

-60
-65

-15.5

-16

-70

-17

-75

-18

-80

-19

-85

-20

Whats the
problem?

-90
Ec/Io

RSCP

RSCP
RSCPlevel
levelisisGOOD,
GOOD,this
thiswill
willimply
imply
strong
strongSYSTEM
SYSTEMINTERFERENCE
INTERFERENCE

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RF Analysis Approaches Interference

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RF Analysis Approaches UL Coverage

Uplink

Coverage (UE Tx Power)

High UE Tx power means possible poor uplink coverage.

Areas of high Tx power should be compared to the CPICH pilots

to verify if the problem only exists on the uplink.

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RF Analysis Approaches UL Coverage

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RF Analysis Approaches Pilot Pollution

Pilot

Pollution Point Define:

Not all points in the active set

Within a certain margin of the best server( the margin is set to

8dB)

Cells

which are frequently seen as polluters (e.g. >8% time)

should be marked and investigated.

Pilot

Pollution results should be used in conjunction with the

Estimated Active Set Size

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RF Analysis Approaches Pilot Pollution

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RF Analysis Approaches Pilot Pollution

SC
8
9
10
11
12
13
16
17
18
19
20
21
32
35
37
43
48
53
67
80
130

Count
206
165
157
156
148
135
95
94
76
74
73
56
54
39
33
19
8
7
3
2
2

% in Pollution Set
12.9%
10.3%
9.8%
9.7%
9.2%
8.4%
5.9%
5.9%
4.7%
4.6%
4.6%
3.5%
3.4%
2.4%
2.1%
1.2%
0.5%
0.4%
0.2%
0.1%
0.1%

Should be investigated

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RF Analysis Approaches Pilot Pollution

Estimated

Active Set Size

Another useful measure of pilot pollution is by looking at the

estimated active set based on the scanner data. This plot is
obtained by modeling the network soft handoff parameters within
Actix.

In order to see areas of excessive SHO candidates, the

estimated active set size is allowed to exceed maximum of 3.

This can be done in conjunction with the Pilot pollution analysis.

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RF Analysis Approaches Pilot Pollution

Estimated

Active Set Size Example

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RF Analysis Approaches Neighbor List

Neighbor

List Verification

The neighbor list could be verified and optimized using the

Neighbor List Verification tool within Actix.

Recommendations

for Each Cell:

Retain: This indicates that those neighbors have been confirmed

from the drive survey data.

Add: Missing neighbors

Remove: These neighbors that were not measured but are in the
neighbor list.

Careful consideration is needed prior to removing neighbours

since the Actix results are drive route dependent.

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RF Analysis Approaches Neighbor List

Neighbor

List Verification Example

SC

Cell

Site

Latitude

Longitude

009

70548

Ajman Central

25.41204

55.447

Sample
Sample
Action Nbr SC
Count
Count
576

Retain
Retain
Retain
Retain
Retain
Add
Retain
Retain
Retain
Retain
Retain
Remove
Remove
Remove
Remove
Remove
Remove

018
010
016
032
011
130
021
008
020
012
017
053
019
034
037
013
051

82
46
31
20
18
17
17
12
6
5
2
0
0
0
0
0
0

%
14.2%
8.0%
5.4%
3.5%
3.1%
3.0%
3.0%
2.1%
1.0%
0.9%
0.3%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%

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RF Analysis Approaches SHO

UE

SHO Performance
The success rates for event 1a, 1b & 1c and can be obtained
from Actix
Number of Active Set Updates
Event
Count
Event 1a - Cell Addition
328
Event 1b - Cell Removal
306
Event 1c - Cell Replacement
64

Number of Active Set Update Completes

Event
Count
Event 1a - Cell Addition
326
Event 1b - Cell Removal
305
Event 1c - Cell Replacement
62

Soft-Handover Success Rate

Event
Rate
Event 1a - Cell Addition
99.4
Event 1b - Cell Removal
99.7
Event 1c - Cell Replacement
96.9

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RF Analysis Approaches Drop Call

Drop

Call Analysis - RF related issues :

Poor coverage (RSCP & Ec/Io)

High interference and hence poor Ec/Io

Poor uplink coverage (insufficient UE Tx power)

Poor dominance (best cell changes too frequently resulting in

too many SHO events)

Pilot pollution (too many cells present)

Missing neighbors

Fast change of RF conditions (e.g. turning a corner)

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RF Analysis Approaches Drop Call

Drop

Call Analysis Example 1

RSCP & Ec/Io degrades

BOTH for scanner and UE

Check for Coverage problems

Call Drop
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RF Analysis Approaches Drop Call

Drop

Call Analysis Example 2

Ec/Io
Ec/Io(and
(andRSCP)
RSCP)degrades
degradesfor
forUE
UE
ONLY
ONLYwhile
whilescanner
scannershows
showsno
nodegradation
degradation

UE
UEcamp
campon
onnew
newcell
cellimmediately
immediately
after
afterdrop,
drop,and
andUE
UEdid
didnot
not
measure
measurethis
thiscell
cellbefore
beforeDrop
Drop

Call Drop
Check
Checkthe
theNeighbor
Neighbor
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RF Analysis Approaches Drop Call

Drop

Call Analysis Example 3

Too
Toomany
manyand
andtoo
tooquick
quickchanges
changes
ofofbest
bestserver
server
UE
UEtotoperform
performmeasurements
measurements
and
andSHO
SHOinintime
timedifficultly
difficultly

PingPong
PingPongHandover,
Handover,need
needtoto
improve
improvecell
celldominance
dominance

Call Drop

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Course Contents
Chapter 1 Optimization Phases
Chapter 2 RF Optimization
Chapter 3 RF Analysis Approaches
Chapter 4 Antenna Adjustment Example
Chapter 5 Drop Call Analysis Example

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Antenna Adjustment Example

RSCP

Coverage before Adjustment

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Antenna Adjustment Example

RSCP

Coverage after Adjustment

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Antenna Adjustment Example

RSCP

Distribution

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Antenna Adjustment Example

Down

Tilt from 4 to 6 Result

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Antenna Adjustment Example

Down

Tilt from 4 to 8 Result

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Course Contents
Chapter 1 Optimization Phases
Chapter 2 RF Optimization
Chapter 3 RF Analysis Approaches
Chapter 4 Antenna Adjustment Example
Chapter 5 Drop Call Analysis Example

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Drop Call Analysis Example

Drop

Call Distribution

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Drop Call Analysis Example

There
The

are total 5 drop calls in the plot.

example of drop call 1 is analyzed to show the process of

analysis in the following.

Drop

call 1 occurred at an area of frequent change of best

server as shown by the scanner scrambling code plot

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Drop Call Analysis Example

CPICH

RSCP and Ec/Io before the Call Drop

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Drop Call Analysis Example

Compare

Ec/Io from both scanner and UE at the time of the

drop as shown in Figure. This clearly shows the UE Ec/Io to

drop to < -21 dB while the scanner remained above -11 dB.

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Drop Call Analysis Example

Best

server before and after the Call Drop

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Drop Call Analysis Example

Comparing

the best servers from the UE and the scanner at

the time of drop:

Drop Call 1 (UE vs. scanner best server) shows that for the
scanner and UE SC008 is the best server prior to the drop.
However, about 30 seconds before the drop, the scanner
selected SC018 as the best server while the UE continued to
have only SC009 in its active set resulting in the drop call.
Immediately after the drop, the UE camps on SC018.

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Drop Call Analysis Example

UE

Active Set and Monitor Set Before and After the Call Drop

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Drop Call Analysis Example

Conclusion

Examining the UE Active and Monitored set, Figure does not

show SC018 to be measured by the UE prior to the drop.

This scenario resembles a missing neighbor problem

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Drop Call Analysis Example

Coverage

of Drop Call Point

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Drop Call Analysis Example

Solution:

Looking at drop call Figure clearly shows that at the location of

the drop, SC018 should not be the best server.

Cell SC018 clearly requires some down tilting to control its

interference into the area of Drop 1. To illustrate this, RSCP
coverage of SC018 shows clearly that the cells is extending into
a large area. E.g. around the location of drop call, SC018 RSCP
is > -75dBm.

Add the Missing Neighbors

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