RADIO PLANNING AND OPTIMISATION

Drive Test Log file Analysis- A Case Study (Presentation/Discussion 19/06/2009)

By

Grant Chivandire

Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Objectives
This presentation will cover the following:
Key drive-test log-file aspects Layer 3 Messages Call Drops Handover Issues Case Analysis 1 Case Analysis 2

Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Key Drive Test Log-file Aspects

BCCH of serving cell ad neighbours CGI MCC, MNC, LAC, CI RxLev of serving cell and neighbours BSIC of serving cell and neighbours Time Slot Channel type/mode Hopping Information HSN, frequencies Timing Advance Tx Power Radio Link Timer C/I, C/A RxQual, BER, FER, SQI
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Layer 3 Messages
Synchronization Channel Information Synchronization of MS to BSS Repeated many times during a call Contains BCCH, BSIC, Frame number etc System Information Type 5 Contains BCCH Allocation list List used to determine the neighbour list Measurement Report Contains the created neighbour list BCCH, BSIC, RxLev and RxQual System Information Type 6 Contains Location Area Identification information MCC, MNC, LAC, RLINKT, NCC PERM
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Call Drops - Summary

Fishbone Diagram: Call Drops

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Call Drops Summary (cont)

Fishbone Diagram : Call Drops

Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Handover Issues - Types

HANDOVER TYPES Power Budget Handover Difference in RxLev > PBGT margin Level Handover DL/UL RxLev < HO Threshold DL/UL

Quality Handover Quality level < Quality thresholds

Interference Handover High RxLev but poor quality

Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Handover Issues Layer 3 Messages

Layer 3 Messages Handover Command Cell description Handover reference number Power command Synchronization indicator Channel mode/description Frequency channel sequence Mobile Allocation Time stamp Handover Access Handover reference number Handover Complete/Failure When MS establishes signaling link successfully/unsuccessfully
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Handover Issues - Problems

Short Neighbour List Less than 6 neighbours in neighbour list Confirm you do not need to define more neighbours Late Handover Check handover margins between neighbours Hierarchical Cell Structure Power control

Ping pong Handovers No dominant server Adjust hysteresis, handover margins and power May require new site
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

Handover Issues Problems (cont)

Unnecessary Handover Increasing number of Handover increases quality problems

Missing Neighbours No handover to neighbour cell that seems like best server Sudden appearance of strong cell in neighbour list after handover Stepping stone effect
Fake Neighbours Good candidate but handover does not take place leading to a call drop Fake neighbour same BCCH with defined neighbour, itself not defined Missing BCCH in measurement list, NCC Perm, Co-BCCH
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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Handover Issues Problems (cont)

Overshooting Island effect No good candidate to handover to Timing Advance much greater than half of your inter-site distance

Handover to another BSC Data configuration should be consistent across the 2 BSCs CGI, BCCH, BSIC and Power parameters Target Cell congested HO signalling performed over FACCH by stealing bits from TCH Penalties applied to that particular MS High HO Failure rate and drop due to dragging
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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Handover Issues Problems (cont)

Interference Causes difficulties in decoding corrupt MRs on BCCH Signalling failures due to high interference on TCH (FACCH) Too many neighbours Increase BSC CP load and leads to signalling congestion Small window period to measure every neighbor may lead to incorrect decisions

Swapped sectors Defined neighbours will show poor levels May exhibit stepping stone effect May lead to drag and drops
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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Handover Issues - Summary

Fishbone Diagram : Handover Failure

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Case Analysis 1

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Case Analysis 1 (cont)

Log file Central_longCalls_20090514_CELLC_CENTRAL004.dlf Analysis High interference at call drop Handover failure 8seconds before call drop Serving Cell =>BCCH=1012, BSIC=57, CI=41776, RxLev=-78, RxQual=7 Confirm serving cell details with Signalling messages and other database BSCplan, Asset etc Channel => Hopping TCH Handover Failure => look at Handover Command and Handover Failure messages Check if neighbour is defined properly in database Measurement Reports => observe target cell is 4th candidate in neighbour list
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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Case Analysis 1 (cont)

Analysis Confirm neighbour cell information in database Notice the proximity of the MS to nearest neighbour cells Formulate ideal behaviour why did the MS try to handover to the fourth candidate leaving the better 3? Suspect fake neighbour problem In Actix map, show CI properties on cells In database, look for the BCCH of the 3 candidates and identify defined cell and CI Notice that the 2nd sector of serving site, a defined neighbour, has the same BCCH as the first candidate Missing neighbor has been detected

Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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Case Analysis 1 (cont)

Analysis Notice the distance of serving cell compared to nearby cells Check terrain profile using Asset, clutter using Google Earth and neighbour candidates levels to see if acceptable Site is overshooting, consider down tilting

Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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Case Analysis 2

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Case Analysis 2 (cont)

Log file Central_longCalls_20090514_CELLC_CENTRAL004.dlf Analysis High interference at call drop Handover failure 15seconds before call drop Repeated inter-cell handover failures following a series of intra-cell handover Neighbour defined correctly Handover failure due to timer expired Deduce that high interference corrupted signalling information Notice intra-cell handover did not help interference problem Review hopping parameters
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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Case Analysis 2
Analysis From the map, notice that 21626 is facing the location but not in neighbour list Check from database if it is defined as a neighbour Perform site audit and do coverage check Check for swapped sectors Perform scans with drive-test tool and determine best server Observe the cell reselection after call drop CI=21962 Check if defined in database Notice that the defined cell with same BCCH is CI=31622 This is a fake neighbour Explain that after failing to HO to 31626, an attempt to 21962 was expected Make corrections and propose new site to enhance coverage
Grant Chivandire - Radio Planning and Optimisation Specialist

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THANK YOU !