UMTS RF Optimization

ZTE University

Content

UMTS Radio Transmission Theory

RF Optimization Policy
RF Adjustment and Network Simulation

Mobile Communication Environments

Low antenna of UE

Mobility of UE

Transmission paths are always influenced by terrains and man-made

environments; various terrains and complex buildings, forests and so on
make signals received as overlap of scattering signals and reflected
signals.
UE is always moves, or the peripheral environments change. This makes a
transmission path between a base station and an UE change all the time.
In addition, the difference of direction and speed of an UE relative to the
base station also causes changes of signal levels.

Signal levels change at random

Signal levels change with time and position; it can be described only with
probability distribution of random process.

Mobile Communication Environments

Waveguide effect exists in urban environment

Radiating
direction N
Powerful signals can
observed in streets in the
direction from the north to
the south

No influence of the channel

effect is imposed in this
area

Powerful signals can

observed in streets in the
direction from the east to
the west

Platitude direction

Transmitter

Effects of Street Waveguide

Mobile Communication Environments

Serious man-made noises

Man-made noises include noises in starting motor vehicles, power

line noises and industrial noises.

Serious Interference

Generally, there are co-frequency interference, adjacent-channel

interference, intermodulation interference, local to remote ratio
interference. co-frequency interference and adjacent-channel
interference are the main factors.

Types of Radio Wave Transmission

Types of radio wave transmission: Direct wave, reflected

wave, diffracted wave and scattering wave

Types of Radio Wave Transmission

NLOS

LOS
d

D
B

RFD

Multi-path transmission
Penetration through buildings/vehicles

Sight distance and non-sight distance transmission, multi-path

environments of complex forms
Loss through buildings/vehicles

Radio Signal Presentation Methods

A signal is a random value, so it must be characterized jointly by a

median and a transient value. An actually received signal is a median
overlapped with a transient value. The median is called slow fading
and the transient value is called quick fading.
r (d ) m(d ) r0 (d )
r (t ) m(t ) r0 (t )

m(x) is slow fading, or local average, or long-term fading.

r0(x) is quick fading, or Rayleigh fading, or short-term fading.
The two methods for presenting signal field strength are used in
different occasions: The signal presented in a time function is used for
studying signal fading; while a signal presented in a distance function
is used for studying transmission loss curve. Variation of the median
level of a received signal with time is far less than that with location.

Statistical Features of Slow Fading

Definition of slow fading

Cause of slow fading

It is the average of attenuated signals received, that is, average (or

field strength value or loss value) of signal levels attained in a
specified length L. The value of L is 40 wavelengths, with 36~50
signals for test.
Slow fading is caused by changes of terrains and man-made
environments on transmission paths.

Probability density function and accumulation probability

distribution function of slow fading
1
( y m) 2
P( y )
exp(
)
2
2
2

P( y L)

1
( y m) 2
exp(
)dy
2
2

Statistical Features of Quick Fading

Definition of quick fading

Cause of quick fading

It is the transient value of fading signals received.

When transmission is reflected due to obstruction by scattering
objects (mainly buildings) or natural obstacles (mainly forests) in
the vicinity (within 50~100 wavelengths) of an UE, there will be
multi-path wave interference on the ground, leading to a standing
wave field. When the MS passes the standing wave field, the
received signals presents quick fading, and the field strength
fluctuates.

Probability density function and accumulation probability

distribution function of quick fading
r2
P(r )
exp( 2 )
2
r
r
2r

P(r R)

r2
R2
exp( 2 )dr 1 exp( 2 )
2
r
r
r

2r

Other Features of Signal Transmission

Time delay extended width

Related bandwidth
Inter-code Interference

Transmission Theory

Definition of Transmission Theory

For a radio link, the loss (or fading) value of power level of a signal
from the output end of a transmitting antenna through certain
transmission paths to the input end of the antenna. Usually, it is
expressed in dB .

Common Relations between Transmission Theory and

Distance

In mobile communication, the greater the transmission distance is,

the greater the transmission loss will be. Within 1~20 km, roughly
40dB/dec. dec is 10 times the distance; in case of greater distance,
it will be increased to 50~60dB/dec.

Common Types of Transmission Theory

Free Space Transmission Theory

Diffraction Loss
Reflection Loss
Building Penetration Loss
Human Body Loss
In-vehicle Loss
Vegetation Loss

Fresnel Region and Transmission clearance

Fresnel Region
T

Gap (0.577 time of the 1st Fresnel

radius)

S
R
f(n)=ST+RT=SR+n*/2

An area between curves satisfying f(n) and f(n-1) is called the nth
Fresnel region. When N=1, it is called the 1st Fresnel region, an
ellipsoid; the 1st Fresnel region contains 1/2 of the transmitting energy.
In addition, tests and theories demonstrate that, if the gap is greater
than 0.577 time of the radius of the 1st Fresnel region, the loss will be
equal to the loss of the free space.
Transmission Gap
0.577 time of the 1st Fresnel radius.

Content

UMTS Radio Transmission Theory

RF Optimization Policy
RF Adjustment and Network Simulation

Common RF Optimization Process

Base station group

optimization

Whole network
optimization

Find out base station

group that do not
satisfy requirements

No

Satisfy the
indexes or not?

Single station
check

Single Station Check

Confirm site information

Confirm antenna feeder information

List of adjacent areas, overhead channel transmitting power, PN

configuration, switching parameters.

Check and test basic functions

Standing wave ratio, primary set and diversity RSSI check, primary set and
diversity lock balance.

Confirm system parameters

Antenna type, azimuth, down-tile angle and height.

Check antenna feeder link

Longitude and latitude, configuration, height above sea level, peripheral

environments and so on.

Basic call process, soft switching, softer switching.

Check station coverage

Base Station Group Optimization

Spectrum scanning
Load-free test
Load test

Whole Network Optimization

Test on various radio indexes of the system

Analysis on test results
Confirm whole network adjustment scheme

Performance Test Indexes

Voice quality--FER
Call connection rate (call completion rate and paging
response rate)
Resource utilizationCPU utilization Switching completion rate
Call drop rate
Network coverage rate

Forward coverage

Pilot coverage
Service coverage

Backward coverage

Common RF Problems

Call Drop
Discontinuity
Access Failure

Call Drop Analysis

Forward coverage is not satisfactory (Ec/Io and Ec)

List of adjacent areas is not complete

There is in-band interference source.

Pilot pollution is serious

Faults with base stations

Configuration of list of adjacent areas is not complete.

Interference

Improve the coverage of the points.

Incorrect connection of antenna feeders, GPS fault causes

asynchrony between the time and the system, interruption of
transmission.

Hard switching takes place

Access Failure

Interference
Coverage over weak areas, blind zones or pilot pollution
areas makes it impossible for signaling interaction between
the base station and the mobile phone to be completed
during the access.
Mobile phone performance

RF Optimization Policy

Adjust the antenna down-tilt angle

Adjust the antenna directional angle
Adjust the antenna height
Change the antenna type
Appropriately adjust the base station transmitting power
Adjust the base station location
Increase the base stations

RF Optimization Policy

Antenna directional angle

During optimization, attention

should be paid to antenna
directional angle, as shown in
the figure on the right.
If the antenna coverage area is
a vast space of residence, and
the buildings are of the similar
structure, the antenna direction
shall be alongside the direction
of the buildings (as the red
arrow on the left); if the antenna
direction is the same as the
arrow on the right, the quality of
signals in the coverage area
may not be good.

RF Optimization Policy

RF Optimization Policy for Pilot Pollution

Adjust the antenna down-tilt angle, so as to reduce the coverage

area, and further reduce the number of pilots in the pilot pollution
area.
Appropriately reduce the transmitting power of the cell, so as to
reduce the signal strength to narrow the coverage area, and also
further reduce the number of pilots in the pilot pollution area.
If the two measures are of no use, we can increase base stations in
the pollution areas, so that there will be a master pilot signal, to
solve the pollution. But be careful in taking this measure, as it may
impose great influence on the entire network.

Content

UMTS Radio Transmission Theory

RF Optimization Policy
RF Adjustment and Network Simulation

Before Adjustment

The diagram on the right

shows part of the base
stations of the Guangzhou
MTNet Pilot Network.
Where, the directional
angle of the antenna in the
DiTuChuBanShe is 30,
the mechanica down-tilt
angle is 6 and the
electronic down-tilt is 2 .

Before Adjustment

This is a pilot
intensity simulation
diagram: We can
see that the pilot
intensity is quite
satisfactory as a
whole.

Before Adjustment

This is a pilot Ec/Io

simulation diagram:
We can see that the
pilot Ec/Io in the
middle (the yellow
part) of the diagram
is not so satisfactory.

Before Adjustment

This is a pilot pollution

simulation diagram: We
can see pilot pollution in
the lower middle (the
brown part) of the
diagram. Taking the pilot
Ec/Io simulation effect in
the previous diagram
into consideration, we
should perform RF
optimization here.

After Adjustment

Analysis shows that adjustment

of RF parameters in the
DiTuChuBanShe may improve
the current situation.

Adjust the mechanical down-tilt

of the antenna in the
DiTuChuBanShe as 0, and
leave the electronic down-tilt
angle unchanged as 2 .
Through this adjustment, the
pilot intensity of the
DiTuChuBanShe, where there
is pilot pollution, is improved,
and becomes the maste pilot,
so that pilot pollution is
improved and the pilot Ec/Io
here is enhanced.

After Adjustment

This is the effect of

pilot intensity
simulation after
adjustment. We can
see that the pilot
intensity after
adjustment is much
improved than that
before adjustment.

After Adjustment

The effect of pilot

Ec/Io simulation
after adjustment.
We can also see
that the pilot Ec/Io
after adjustment is
much improved
than that before
adjustment.

After Adjustment

This is the effect of

pilot pollution
simulation after
adjustment. We can
see that big brown
part (with pilot
pollution) has been
greatly reduced.
This proves that the
RF adjustment has
fulfilled the
optimization aims.