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Frequency Hopping Theory
Frequency Hopping Theory
FREQUENCY
HOPPING
1. Frequency Diversity
2. Interference Averaging
Interference Averaging means spreading raw bit errors (BER caused by the interference)
in order to have random distribution of errors instead of having burst of errors, and
therefore, enhance the effectiveness of decoding and de-interleaving process to cope with
the BER and lead to better value of FER.
With hopping, the set of interfering calls will be continually changing and the effect is
that all the calls experience average quality rather than extreme situations of either good
or bad quality. All the calls suffer from controlled interference but only for short and
distant periods of time, not for all the duration of the call.
• For the same capacity, Frequency Hopping improves quality and for a given average
quality Frequency Hopping makes possible increase in capacity.
• When more than 3 % of the reports have rxqual of 6 or 7 then voice quality
disturbances start to appear.
• Gains (reduction in the C/I value needed to satisfy the quality requirements involved
in the criterion) from hopping relative to fixed frequency operation can be achieved.
1/3 interference: 1 dB gain
i.e. if 1 out of 3 frequencies are experiencing a continuous interference a gain of 1 dB
in C/I requirement is obtained.
Similarly,
1/4 interference: 4 dB gain
1/5 interference: 6 dB gain
2/4 interference: 0 dB gain
2/5 interference: 4 dB gain
The effective gain obtained with Frequency Hopping is due to the fact that the
interference effect is minimized and it is easier to keep it under control.
There are two ways of implementing Frequency Hopping in a Base Station System, one
referred as Base Band Frequency Hopping (BBH) and another as Synthesizer Frequency
Hopping (SFH). Their operation differs in the way they establish the Base to Mobile
Station link (downlink), however there is not difference at all between Mobile Station to
Base Station link in both types of hopping. Motorola does not allow BBH and SFH to be
used together on the same site
This is accomplished by routing the traffic channel data through fixed frequency DRCUs
via the TDM highway on a timeslot basis. In this case, the DRCU would have fixed
tuned transmitters combined either in low loss tuned combiners or hybrid combiners.
If a network running with fixed frequency plan is switched over to BBH (BCCH included
in MA list) without any frequency changes, significant quality improvement can be
observed in the network. As a result drop call rate reduces in the network. Alternatively,
for the existing network quality additional capacity can be provided. FHI can be used
effectively in BBH. Further details regarding FHI planning are discussed later in the
document.
Mobile Allocation (MA): Set of frequencies the mobile is allowed to hop over.
Maximum of 63 frequencies can be defined in the MA list.
Hopping Sequence Number (HSN): Determines the hopping order used in the cell. It is
possible to assign 64 different HSNs. Setting HSN = 0 provides cyclic hopping sequence
and HSN = 1 to 63 provide various pseudo-random hopping sequences.
Mobile Allocation Index Offset (MAIO): Determines inside the hopping sequence,
which frequency the mobile starts do transmit on. The valee of MAIO ranges between 0
to (N-1) where N is the number of frequencies defined in the MA list. Presently MAIO is
set on per carrier basis.
Motorola system allows to define the hopping system on a per timeslot basis. So
different hopping configurations are allowed for different timeslots. This is very useful
for interference averaging and to randomize the distribution of errors.
GSM algorithm
GSM has defined an algorithm for deciding hopping sequence. The algorithm is used to
generate Mobile Allocation Index (MAI) for a given set of parameters.
This algorithm generates a pseudo-random sequence of MAIs. MAI along with MAIO
and MA will decide the actual ARFCN to be used for the burst.
1. Frequency Plan:
Frequency Hopping plan differs from the conventional fixed frequency plan. The plan
depends upon the type of Frequency Hopping system used. In case of SFH including
BCCH frequency in hopping sequence is not a practical option, as it results in loss of
traffic channels on BCCH carrier. A separate frequency plan is prepared for the BCCH
carriers. This planning is very much similar to the conventional fixed frequency plan
with lesser number of frequencies. This plan needs to be done very carefully as the
system monitors cells based on the BCCH frequency only. Since BCCH carrier radiates
continuously without downlink power control, frequencies used for BCCH on one cell
should not be used as hopping frequencies on other cell. The reason is to avoid
continuous interference from BCCH carriers. The benefits of hopping increase if more
frequencies are available for hopping. Generally the frequency band is divided into two
parts, one used for BCCH frequency plan and other for hopping frequencies. The
division of frequency band for allocation of BCCH and hopping carriers should be done
to maintain reasonable C/I for BCCH carriers as well as to have enough frequencies for
hopping.
e.g.
consider a network with 31 frequencies, using 12 frequencies for BCCH and using 18 for
hopping with 1 frequency as guard, is the ideal option. But it may not be practically
possible to plan BCCHs with 12 frequencies (4/12 reuse). Using 15 for BCCH plan and
15 for hopping frequencies is more practical. There always exists a trade-off between
BCCH and hopping plans. Using very less frequencies for BCCH plan might result in
poor quality on BCCH carrier and the advantages of having quality improvement on
hopping carriers may be lost. The ratio between hopping and BCCH frequencies should
be decided based on the ratio of number of BCCH and NBCCH carriers in the network.
In case of BBH, generally BCCH carrier is included in the hopping sequence. The
benefits of BBH can be obtained only when most of the sites in the network are having
more than one NBCCH carriers. Benefits of BBH comparable to SFH can only be
obtained by equipping additional hardware in order to include more frequencies in
hopping sequence. However BBH without additional hardware will result in quality
improvements and provide scope of additional capacity as compared to fixed frequency
plan though the benefits may not be as significant as seen in SFH.
2. Planning of HSN:
HSN allocation to the cells is done in random fashion. Various scenarios are explained
below:
a. MA list is same for all the cells of the site – In this case HSN is kept same for all the
cells of the site. MAIO is used on per carrier basis to provide offset for starting
frequency in hopping sequence and avoid hits among carriers of the site. Practically
it is possible to achieve 0% hit rate within the site, as all the cells of the same site are
synchronized.
b. MA list is same for the cells of different sites – In this case HSN should be different
for all such cells. MAIO can be same or different in this case as HSN is different.
c. MA list is different for the cells – In this case HSN planning is not important, as there
can not be any hits between these cells.
d. HSN is set to 0 – This is the case of cyclic hopping. The sequence for hopping
remains same and is repeated continuously. This is not recommended in the urban
environment where frequency reuse is more. This is because the network is not
synchronized so if there is any one hit it will result in continuous sequence of hits.
Cyclic hopping is preferred in rural environment as it provides the maximum benefits
of frequency diversity.
3. Planning of MAIO:
The benefits of MAIO planning can be best achieved only in case when sectors having
same MA list are synchronized. For non-synchronized sectors MAIO can be the same.
In the previous version (GSR2), Motorola did not provide manual MAIO setting. It was
set automatically by the system. However from GSR3 onwards it is be possible to set
MAIO manually. It has to be changed on a case to case basis. In cases where there are
large numbers of hits, MAIO change can be effective as it adds the offset in the hopping
sequence and hit-rate can be reduced.
4. Planning of FHI:
This parameter is not specified in GSM. FHI is the Motorola defined hopping system. It
actually means an independent hopping system consisting of MA and HSN. Total of 4
such hopping systems can be set in a cell.
FHI can be defined on a timeslot basis.
e.g. consider a cell with 3 carriers i.e. 2 carriers are hopping. It is then possible to define
4 different FHIs for 16 timeslots. That means timeslot 0 to 3 of 1 carrier can have one
FHI and so on.
• Separate FHI can be defined even for each carrier with separate MA list.
• For a fully utilized cell, FHI can be used to control increase in hitrate during peak
hours. This can be done by defining different MA list associated with a FHI for one
of the carriers.
• Main benefits of FHI can be obtained in BBH. Consider a cell with 2 carriers using
BBH with BCCH included in the hopping sequence. Timeslot 0 of BCCH will not
hop. A separate FHI (with MA list without BCCH frequency) has to be defined for
timeslot 0 of NBCCH.
• Different FHIs in the same cell is not used extensively in Motorola networks with
SFH, where BCCH frequency is not included in hopping sequence.
• One drawback of using FHI on timeslot basis is that it adds more complexity to the
database.
Conventionally there are 3 main reuse patterns followed for hopping frequencies.
1 X 1: It means all the cells in the network use the same frequencies for hopping.
e.g. If 15 frequencies are to be used for hopping, then every cell will have all 15
frequencies in the MA list. This type of reuse is useful in urban areas, where capacity
requirement is large. However there is very less planning involved and so less control
over quality problems.
3 X 9: Three hopping groups are used in 3 sites, one per site. In this case all the sites
should be considered as omni sites for planning frequency reuse. The advantage of this
scheme is it provides better isolation between sites using same hopping frequencies. The
problem with this method is that, addition of new site may require frequency replan for
the area.
Loading Factor: This parameter is a deciding factor for number of carriers that can be
equipped on a sector or a site. Number of carriers equipped on a site or sector should not
be greater than 50% of the number of frequencies in the MA list of the sector or site.
This factor is a major distinguishing factor between 1 x 1 and 1 x 3.
6. Tools for simulation and drive test: Motorola uses a tool “Handsem” which can
simulate SFH plan (different reuse patterns and HSN plan). Latest versions of plaNET
and Golf are supposed to support Frequency Hopping simulation. Drive test tools that
display decoded layer 3 information are used for monitoring frequency hopping
networks. TEMS is one of the drive test tools that can be used for the purpose.
1. Handovers: When SFH is implemented, BCCH plan is done using lesser number of
frequencies as compared to fixed frequency plan. This may result in quality
degradation. However quality of hopping carriers improves than before. Also,
quality threshold for handovers on hopping carrier should be increased as compared
to fixed frequency plan. In the present version (GSR3), different quality threshold
settings are set BCCH and NBCCH. By setting lower quality thresholds for BCCH as
compared to NBCCH, number of dropped calls can be controlled. Handover Success
Rate may go down because of the BCCH replan (less frequencies). This reduction
may get compensated due to improvement in quality of hopping carriers
(improvement in TCH assignment success rate).
2. Call setup: In call setup, SDCCH hopping is also possible. There are no separate
settings required for SDCCH hopping. Since GSR3 allows control over SDCCH
configuration (location of SDCCH on timeslot basis), SDCCH hopping depends on
the location of SDCCH. In case of SFH (with BCCH not included in MA list), if
SDCCHs are on BCCH carrier they will not hop whereas SDCCHs on NBCCH
carriers may hop. Generally it is preferred to keep SDCCHs on BCCH carrier as
SDCCH timeslot is used continuously and it will increase interference on hopping
carriers. Call success rate will depend on the cleanliness of BCCH carriers. Call
Success Rate may reduce after BCCH replan. This reduction may fet compensated
due to improvement in quality of hopping carriers (improvement in TCH assignment
success rate).
3. Frame Erasure Rate (FER): FER indicates the number of TDMA frames that could
not be decoded by the mobile due to interference. This parameter gives the indication
of hit-rate. FER improves (gain of 6 to 8 dB) after implementation of frequency
hopping. FER is represented in percentage terms. FER less than 10% is considered
to be good. But this is a subjective issue and good value should be decided by doing
multiple drives. In future Motorola is planning to include FER as a statistics in the
OMCR.
1. Frequency Planning:
Channels available: 32 to 62
BCCH plan:
NBCCH plan:
These sets are used on a sectorwise basis. Set 1 is used preferably in sector V1 and so
on. The use of these sets is related to the orientation of the sectors, so that same set is
not used on sectors looking at each other.
Since there are 5 frequencies in each sector, as per definition of loading factor, there
can be only 2 NBCCH carriers equipped on each sector. 3-3-3 is the only
configuration allowed in this plan. If configuration like 3-4-3 is required then 4
NBCCH should be in fixed frequency mode. Use of 4th NBCCH is hopping carrier
results in more hits on surrounding sectors that are using same MA list set. However
this can be used on a case to case basis.
Other issues:
1. Previously in Area A in 129 cells (48 sites) BCCH frequency reuse was maximum of
9 times (average use 4.4 times). In the new BCCH plan (for SFH) frequency reuse is
maximum of 12 times (average use 8.6 times). The main reason for this is we used
entire band of 30 channels for BCCH earlier. However the new BCCH plan is made
just from the 15 frequencies.
2. This increase in reuse is definitely going to degrade BCCH carrier quality as
compared to present situation.
3. BCCH carrier is very important for logging on to the network or staying in the
network. Even in the present plan we have observed problems of logging on to the
network (Express towers top floor). This problem might elevate after new plan.
4. Present version of BSS software assigns SDCCHs on BCCH carrier only. Since
BCCH quality is going to degrade, option of SD location will have to be purchased.
5. Hopping carriers will have much better call quality than present frequency plan.
There is a possibility that the quality difference in quality on BCCH and NBBCH
may be significant. TCH priority (priority to allocate TCH) option may also be
needed.
6. It is presumed that addition of the site is very easy in SFH. It is very true for NBCCH
carriers. But the BCCH plan for new sites is more difficult.
RF Loss rate
TCH RF Loss Rate
SDCCH RF Loss Rate
Handover Failure Rate
Handover Success Rate
TCH Assignment Success Rate
Call Success Rate
Drop Call rate
Drop Call Rate per Erlang
Interference on Idle
Out_ho_cause_atmpt
2. Drive Test
• Drive test should be done using Tems and CellAD or Buzzard (subjective voice
quality measurement).
• Enough samples of drive tests should be taken before after each change made to the
network (or part of the network)
• FICS report should be generated to check the drive test results.
• GIMS/Mapinfo should be used to plot the drive test and to identify new problem
areas. Drive test plots should provide RXQual, RxLev, Handovers, Handover
Channel and Drop Calls. This is very useful to identify the change in any of the areas
and the cause. Separate FER plot should be taken to identify the change.
3. Frequency Planning
• BCCH Plan is very critical for success of SFH implementation. Motorola provides a
feature called ‘NBCCH full Power’. This ensures that NBCCH carrier radiates at full
power even if there is no call on it. This feature can be used to check the planned
BCCH reuse without affecting any of the BCCH carriers. Validation of BCCH plan
can be done using this feature.
• Before Final implementation of hopping is should be implemented in one BSC.
Separate BCCH plan is required to be made for that period.
• NBCCH Plan also should be kept ready. Initially Loading Factor constraint (<50%)
must be followed. In cases where Loading Factor constraint can not be followed,
those carriers should be kept in fixed frequency mode.
TEST RESULT
• Drive Tests:
Observations: From the drive results following are the areas that had shown Voice
Quality problems.
In the above areas Rx Voice Quality was in levels of 6 & 7. However the call did not
drop.
TEMS Drive was repeated to check consistency of the results. In some areas consistency
could not be established. The results are dependent on the traffic (loading) carried during
the drive and also on the quality of BCCH or the hopping carriers.
• GOS Statistics:
Observation: In general, it was observed that in all the BSCs the HSR, CSR, DCR have
degraded marginally except in Powai BSC and Thane BSC, where, there was
considerable degradation in HSR.
Of all the BSCs it was observed that Powai BSC has degraded considerably in HSR, CSR
and DCR. Six sectors have HSR less than 90% in this BSC.
In Thane BSC, it was observed that the HSR has gone low in 4 sectors and DCR has gone
high in 2 sectors.
• Coverage Reduction:
It was observed that after implementing hopping in the network, following sectors have
shown coverage reduction. This was observed during the drive tests and problem
statements have been issued to check the BTS power and VSWR.
Uplink and downlink power control is enabled in the network. No changes have been
made in parameters that were working in fixed frequency plan.
Observation:
If there is degradation in quality the downlink or uplink power increases. But sometimes
intracell handover takes place without mobile or BTS radiating at full power. Ideally
downlink or uplink must radiate at full power before any handover.
Observation: In the following sectors we have observed that the Idle Channel
Interference was very high during some parts of the peak hour. Due to this there was
degradation in call success rate and SD loss factor. In case of Flora Fountain V3 the
timeslots on BCCH showing high idle channel interference went out of service.
Need has come to increase the number of carriers in JP Road V1 from 3 to 5. Due to the
MA List of only 5 carriers and also due to the loading problem, further carriers cannot be
added in the 1x3 Plan. Hence we had to resort to allocating Dummy frequencies and to
put them in Fixed frequencies. Thus 1x3 hopping plan restricts carrier addition in sites
that has 3-3-3 carriers.
After implementation of SFH, following few repeater sites were visited to check for the
coverage.
1. Heera Panna
2. Churchgate BPL Gallery
3. PH Business Centre
4. Kamats, Cuffe Parade
Observation:
There was not any degradation in signals observed in the above places. The power level
and coverage were the same as it was during the Fixed plan.
• Data Call :
On drive data call was made to check the data call feature in Hopping mode. The data
was tried both in Mobile to Mobile calls and in Mobile to PSTN Call.
Observation:
The data call facility worked well in areas where the Rx Qual was upto 6. In areas where
there were multiple 6 & 7 the data call dropped.
Also it was observed that for files of size 200KB, the data transmission takes at a speed
of 8KB to 8.5KB and the data rate goes down to 5KB. Never the data is transferred at
9600KB.
• Co Channel BCCH and Co Channel BSIC –Care has been taken to avoid Co
channel BCCH and Co BSIC problems during implementation of SFH, it was
observed that the Co channel BCCH and Co BSIC of neighbours also to be avoided.
This problem is not visible on field but it results in degradation in HSR. Hence as a
precautionary measure, following BSIC changes were done in the network.
• Downlink DTx
1. Location update tests were done in location area boundary between Sion V1 and
Chunabhatti V2 (LAC 122 and 123). These checks were done to check location
update from Sion V1 to Chunabhatti V2 and back. Calls were initiated and received
on all the phones to check whether location update has taken place.
2. Following phones were used for testing:
Siemens S3+
Siemens S4, S4 power
Siemens S10
Sony CMDX1000
Motorola 8700
Nokia 2110
Nokia 5110
Nokia 8110
Ericsson GH688 (TEMS)
Following Features were tried with different combinations and drive tests were done:
BCCH Combined
BCCH Non Combined
SDCCH on BCCH
SDCCH on NBCCH
Extended Paging
DTx
References: