Dynamic SDCCH

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Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contents
1. HW II Channel Assignment Algorithm
2. TCH/SDCCH Conversion

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Page2

Air Interface Dimensioning

MSC/VLR

Gb

SGSN

TCE

BSS

BSC

Ater/sub

Abis

Abis

Um

TRX:0
mainBCCH
SDCCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

TRX:1
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH

Page3

Air Interface Dimensioning

When setting up cells, it has to be decided, how many TCH and how many
SDCCH are needed. Therefor a detailed traffic model is neccessary taking
into account the number of users and their behaviour.
As a result it can be decided how many TRX are to be installed and how
many time slots should be set up as TCH Full or Half or both (Channel
Combinations I to III according to GSM specification). And of course how
many SDCCH Channel Combinations (Combination V combined with 4
SDCCH or one or several Combination VII with 8 SDCCH each) are needed.

Calculation of necessary TCH

A=

BHCA * tm
T

e.g. 400 subscribers

where 1/2 try to establish a
call during busy hour

A=

Mean Holding Time depending on e.g:

subscriber profile
price per minute

200 *180 s
= 10 Erl
3600 s

Resulting A => Erlang B table for accepted Blocking

e.g. B = 1% => n = 18 TCH => 3 frequencies needed

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Page4

Example of TCH dimensioning

On the air interface multiples of 8 timeslots have to be allocated where
combinations of one or several signaling channels and up to 8 traffic channels
(only non-BCH frequency) are possible. So the operator would first estimate
the traffic channels needed because they take up more of the resource.
Usually an initial traffic model shows the TCH traffic only in mErl per user in
the cell, so it is irrelevant how many users actually tried to establish a call. A
refined traffic model could show busy hour call attempts per user and mean
holding time. The result should show the same (e.g. initial: 400 subscribers,
25 mErl each => 10 Erl; refined: see figure).
For a start it seems reasonable to round up to numbers dividable by 7 (8
timeslots one for BCH and/or SDCCH, 7 for the TCH). If the resulting value is
considered too high for whatever reason, the calculation can be based on
TCH half rate instead of full rate. Then 14 channels will fit on one carrier.
Whether actually one control channel per frequency is needed will be
estimated in the next chapter.
Values according to Erlang B calculation:
A= Offered Traffic
Tm= Mean Holding Time
BHCA= Busy Hour Call Attempts
T=Observation Period

Calculation of necessary SDCCH

SDCCH traffic per user in the
busy hour from standard or
PM data refined traffic model

A = 400 users 0.004 Erl = 1.6 Erl

Resulting A => Erlang B table for accepted
Blocking
e.g. B = 1% => n = 6 SDCCH => Channel
Combination V. is not sufficient (compare
Register 2). =>at least IV. and VII. are needed =>
8 SDCCH => 3.13 Erl at 1 % Blocking
Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Page5

Example of SDCCH Dimensioning

The SDCCH capacity can be estimated similarly. One major difference is
though that SDCCH are used for different reasons. A traffic channel TCH is
used only for calls (packet or voice). The SDCCH is used for Call Control,
Session Management, Location Management, SMS. So their usage is not
directly related to TCH usage and also the usage attempts per busy hour is
not as easily to obtain.
But again a traffic model gives the amount of SDCCH traffic per user in the
cell for the busy hour (e.g. the GSM standard model specifies 4 mErl per user
in busy hour). If the value is at the border of having to set up a new timeslot
for SDCCH or if the SDCCH is expected to change a lot, it might be useful to
set up an alternating TCH/SDCCH channel. In this configuration the system
decides, whether SDCCH or TCH capacity is needed and switches the
timeslot between these modes accordingly.

Air Interface Dimensioning

MSC/VLR

Gb

SGSN

TCE

BSS

BSC

Ater/sub

Abis

Abis

Um

TRX:0
mainBCCH
SDCCH
SD-TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

TRX:1
TCH
TCH
SD-TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH

Page6

Dynamic Customer Behaviour

But what happens if the customer behaviour is not well known or changes
over time of day, week, month, year? Well then the Huawei II TCH/SDCCH
conversion feature can dynamically change the behaviour of a full time slot.
TCH or SDCCH be can changed dynamically, but of course not within
milliseconds, but at least within minutes to what the customers require in this
very moment:
SDCCH dynamic adjustment optimizes the usage of the traffic channels and
signaling channels, reduces the SDCCH channel blocking and mitigates the impact
on system performance caused by SDCCH initial configuration.
The adjustment process is triggered every time before channel assigning, but the
adjusted SDCCH can be only used in the next occupying request.
Only support the dynamic adjustment between TCH/F and SDCCH.

Of course, the SDCCH can also switch back to TCH, but should not do so too
often in order to avoid ping pong between TCH and SDCCH. This behaviour
can be set with the features parameter set as well see later.

TCH to SDCCH Conversion

Conversion Trigger:
Idle SDCCH < Idle SD Thrsh.

Yes

Cell SD Max
0fixed SDCCH+8255

Resource Check
Ongoing?

No

SDCCH + 8 <
Cell SD Maximum?

No
Yes

Yes

System Busy?
No
No

Yes

SDCCH conversion
allowed?
SD Dynamic
Allowed Yes/No
Yes

Yes

IS
Idle TCH/F + idle (TCH/H)/2 4
AND
Idle TCH/F + idle (TCH/H)/2 No of TRX?

Other SDCCH
conversion ongoing?
No

No

Stop

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Select suitable TCH/F

Page7

After the SDCCH dynamic adjustment process is triggered,

dynamic adjustment can be started under the following conditions:
There should not be a resource check ongoing (usually at night during low traffic
hour).
The BSC internal flow control level should be less than 0 (i.e. the BSC is not in
overload).
Dynamic adjustment of other SDCCH in the cell should not be in progress (one
conversion at a time).
SD Dynamic Allocation Allowed should be Yes (feature enabled).
The number of the SDCCHs +8 should be less than Cell SD Maximum.
IF the number of the cell idle TCH/F + (the number of the cell idle TCH/H)/2 4
AND the number of the TRXs in the cell THEN the dynamic SDCCH adjustment is
not allowed. ELSE allowed.
Then a suitable TCH/F should be selected for conversion.

Parameter: Cell SD Maximum

Range:0~255
Default: Configured SDCCHs + 8 (i.e single dynamic)
Description: The maximum number of SDCCHs in the cell.
Parameter: SD Dynamic Allocation Allowed

Range: Yes, No
Default: Yes
Description: Indicates whether SDCCH dynamic allocation is allowed.

TCH/F Selection
P-GSM 900

TRX:0
Fixed

No

Reason

mainBCCH Fixed
SDCCH
TCH/F
TCH/H
TCH/H
No
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F

Same as
BCCH

E-GSM 900

TRX:1
SDCCH
SDCCH
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/H
TCH/H
TCH/H

Same Band
but more than
8 SDCCH

TRX:2
Fixed

No

SDCCH
TCH/H
TCH/H
TCH/H
TCH/H
TCH/H
TCH/H
TCH/H

Fixed

Yes

No

All Half Rate

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

DCS1800

TRX:3

TRX:4

SDCCH
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/H
TCH/H

TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/F
TCH/H
TCH/H

No

Different Band but

P-GSM is sub set
of E-GSM so all
TCH/F may be
selected

Different
Band

Page8

TCH/F Selection
It is mandatory to select a TCH/F for conversion to SDCCH, since only full
time slots can be converted to Combination VII. So TCH/H has to be
converted into TCH/F (if dynamic TCH is supported) or to be discarded by the
algorithm.

Additionally, the full rate TCH (TCH/F) has to meet the following
conditions:
The band class of the frequency should be the sub set of or the same
as the band class of the BCCH frequency (see figure).
The number of SDCCHs on the TRX should be no more than eight (i.e.
TCH/SDCCH conversion can only take place if at the most one time
slot uses Combination VII at the moment).
The channel should be fault free (i.e. in the occupied state or idle
state).
In case of a multi TRXs cell, the full rate TCH channel must not be on
the BCCH carrier.

TCH/SDCCH Conversion
Non layered
Cell
P-GSM 900

Inner cell
E-GSM900

Outer
Cell
P-GSM900

Free TCH/F in outer cell Occupied TCH/F in outer cell

Free TCH/F Occupied TCH/F

Free TCH/F in inner cell Occupied TCH/F in inner cell

Inner cell
DCS1800

Outer
Cell
P-GSM900
Free TCH/F in outer cell Occupied TCH/F in outer cell
The inner cell channels can not be converted

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Page9

TCH/F Prioritisation
If there are several TCH/F available the algorithm my prioritize according to
the following:
Non concentric cell
Free TCH/F Occupied TCH/F
Non 900/1800 hybrid concentric cell
Free TCH/F in outer cell Occupied TCH/F in outer cell
Free TCH/F in inner cell Occupied TCH/F in inner cell
900/1800 hybrid concentric cell
Free TCH/F in outer cell Occupied TCH/F in outer cell
The inner cell channels can not be converted because they are
not on the same frequency band

TCH/SDCCH Conversion
Start

3 second timer
times out

N1 = Idle Thrsh:
0..2..63

Yes

C = TCH Min. Recovery Time:

60...3600 seconds

Idle SDCCH
number >N1+8?

No

C-3

C+12

Yes

Yes

C<=0?

Whether there is
SDCCH not swtiched
back?

Whether swtiching
back is possible?

No

No
Restart the 3
second timer

No

Stop the 3
second timer

Yes
Select an SDCCH
to Switch back

Restart the 3
second timer

End

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Page10

SDCCH to TCH Switch Back

The system decides whether there is a suitable SDCCH to switch back according to
the following conditions:

All the SDCCHs of the timeslot are occupied or idle (i.e. fault free)
If it is not a concentric cell, select randomly an SDCCH adjusted from a full rate TCH.
If it is a concentric cell, select first the SDCCH adjusted from a full rate TCH on the
outer subcell. If there is none, select the SDCCH adjusted from a full rate TCH on the
inner subcell.

Parameter: TCH Min. Recovery Time

Range:60~3600
Unit: Second
Default: 600
Description: The minimum duration for the SDCCH to be switched
back to TCH.
Parameter: Idle SD Thrsh

Range:0~63
Default:2
Description: When the number of the idle SDCCH is smaller than this
parameter, the TCH can be adjusted to SDCCH.

10

Summary
z

In this course, we have learned

TCH/SDCCH conversion.

Application should be flexibly depending on the real

environment

Copyright 2008 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Thank you
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