Co-channel Interference in GSM Networks

In a GSM network, the number of frequencies available to the operator is

limited. Therefore, the frequencies must be reused across
the network area. Inevitably, carriers with the same frequency will interfere
with each other. This is known as co-channel interference and is usually by
far the most common type of interference encountered in a GSMnetwork.
(Disturbances also arise from many other sources, but they will not concern
us
here.)
The operator must strive to minimize the co-channel interference, first of all
by judicious frequency planning ensuring that frequencies are reused as
sparsely
and
intelligently
as
possible.
As
the traffic in
the network increases, however, the operator is forced to make the reuse
pattern tighter and tighter, raising interference levels and increasing the risk
of performance degradation. Excessive interference gives rise to bad
speech quality, dropped calls, low data throughput, and so on. When such
problems arise they must be speedily rectified, for instance by changing the
set of frequencies used in a certain cell.

Frequency reuse. All shaded cells use the same TCH ARFCN as the
current serving cell A and are potential co-channel interferers. The cross
marks the phone's current position.
Traditional methods of tracing interference sources are typically
complicated and awkward. Often they involve practices such as temporarily
shutting down base stations one by one in order to see when the
interference ceases something which disturbs network traffic and causes
inconvenience to subscribers. Another very work-intensive method is to
repeatedly modify the frequency plan and check for improvements.
With interferer identification, TEMS Investigation offers a way to spot
interferers without resorting to such heavy-handed and costly methods, and
indeed without any performance loss whatever in the network.