SELF ORGANIZING NETWORKS (SON)

Mobile network were planned back in the 20th century for a certain type of usage: few users, making
mostly voice calls, outdoors (between home and office), and at very consistent patterns. The same
networks today need to handle a very different situation: infinitely more users, consuming mostly data,
increasingly indoors and wildly unpredictable. In the previous century networks could be optimized
manually from time to time; today they must be managed automatically all the time. Back then networks
were comprised exclusively of macro cells, today they are massively dense with small cells of many
kinds.
SON enables the transition from the old RAN architecture to the new RAN Neworks:
It facilitates rapid network densification through Plug & Play capabilities
It manages and harmonizes all RAN technologies
It protects network performance during the transition period
Using OSS data SON technology detects coverage, overload and other issues in real time and
automatically adjust the network to answer them. For example, when too many users are connected to a
single cell tower, our system automatically adjusts the coverage by looping in assistance from nearby
towers. The result is a breathing network that responds to actual changes in RF conditions.
SON consists of a central platform that coordinates the work of multiple applications for automatic and
dynamic network management. These include Automatic Neighbor Relations, Load Balancing,
Interference Management and more,
SON reduces the risk to the network by breaking down its management to numerous tiny adjustments.
Without when optimization runs in cycles of weeks, each adjustment is big and concerns many areas and
activities. Get it wrong and the network will not only suffer, but it will also take some time until you
realize it and can do anything about it. With it each step is small and feedback is immediate. If it has a
zero or negative impact it is reverted instantly; otherwise it is kept. On average, 70-90% of the systems
adjustments are kept and contribute to ongoing performance improvement at much reduced risk to the
network.
This feedback mechanism dramatically changes the way Radio Access Networks are managed. It allows a
This feedback mechanism dramatically changes the way Radio Access Networks are managed. It allows a
proactive management process that is continuous and focuses on real current needs.
The SON architecture may be centralized, distributed, or hybrid. In the centralized architecture, the SON
functionality is implemented in the OAM (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) system, and, the
OAM system communicates with other entities such as eNodeBs to collect measurements and provide
parameter settings. In a distributed architecture, the SON functionality is implemented at many network

elements (NEs) such as eNodeBs. The hybrid architecture, as the name suggests, is a compromise
between the centralized and distributed architectures, where part of the SON functionality is in the OAM
system, and, part of the functionality is in the NEs.
Self-optimization is executed in the operational state of the eNodeB/Node B. The UE measurements are
processed by the SON to optimize parameter settings (e.g., an updated neighbor list). The selfoptimization related use cases specified by the standard are as follows.
* Automatic Neighbor Relation (ANR) function. This function, when part of self-optimization, allows the
cells to be added to and removed from a neighbor list. Reports from UEs are processed to tune the
neighbor list.
* Support for mobility load balancing. This function aims to distribute the loading among neighboring
cells and to reduce traffic congestion through handover.
* Support for mobility robustness optimization. This function helps detect radio link connection failures
due to too early handover, too late handovers, or handover to a wrong cell.
* Support for RACH optimization. The SON processes the UE reports on the use of RACH (e.g., number
of preambles sent) to optimize RACH parameters such as power ramping step size.
In the era of fierce competition and frugality, the SON is attractive due to its potential for OpEx
reduction. However, caution must be exercised while embracing the SON for automatic and unsupervised determination of critical parameters. The SON functionality, while conceptually quite
attractive, heavily depends on the design of the SON algorithms. Until confidence on the SON algorithms
is built up, off-line evaluation of the SON-suggested parameter changes can yield a wealth of useful
information to configure and optimize the network. Such evaluation could still provide some OpEx
savings while providing a structured method for parameter configuration and optimization.

Regards,
Abrar Ahmed