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UMTS Pilot Pollution Analyzing

Guide
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Revision History

Product Version Document Version Serial Number Reason for Revision


1.0 First published

Author

Date Document Version Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by


2009-11-12 1.0 Sheng zhengjie Jin zhengtuan Jin zhengtuan

Applicable to: UMTS optimization engineers

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About This Document

Summary
Chapter Description
1 Overview Overview of WCDMA Pilot Pollution
2 Pilot Pollution Definition Definition of WCDMA Pilot Pollution
3 Cause of Pilot Pollution Cause of WCDMA Pilot Pollution
4 Pilot Pollution’s Impact on the Network Impact of WCDMA Pilot Pollution
5 Optimizing Methods of Pilot Pollution Optimizing Methods of WCDMA Pilot Pollution
6 Analyzing Process of Pilot Pollution Analyzing Process of Pilot Pollution
7 Pilot Pollution Optimization Case Study Optimization Case Study of Pilot Pollution

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Overview 1

2 Pilot Pollution Definition...............................................................................................1

3 Cause of Pilot Pollution.................................................................................................2


3.1 Unreasonable Cell Distribution ....................................................................................2
3.2 Too High Site Location or Antenna Installation ............................................................2
3.3 Unsuitable Antenna Azimuth ......................................................................................2
3.4 Unreasonable Antenna Downtilt ..................................................................................3
3.5 Unreasonable Pilot Power ...........................................................................................3
3.6 Surrounding Environment Impact ................................................................................3

4 Pilot Pollution’s Impact on the Network.......................................................................3


4.1 Ec/Io Deterioration.......................................................................................................3
4.2 Call Drops Due to Handover .......................................................................................3
4.3 Capacity Decrease.......................................................................................................4

5 Optimizing Methods of Pilot Pollution.........................................................................4


5.1 Antenna Adjustment ....................................................................................................4
5.2 Pilot Power Adjustment................................................................................................6
5.3 New Sites..................................................................................................................... 6

6 Analyzing Process of Pilot Pollution ...........................................................................8

7 Pilot Pollution Optimization Case Study......................................................................9


7.1 Phenomenon Description.............................................................................................9
7.2 Geographic Location of Airport Roads ........................................................................9
7.3 Pilot Pollution Phenomenon Description....................................................................11
7.4 Optimizing Process ...................................................................................................13
7.4.1 Generate the Primary Pilot via Adding New Sites...............................................13
7.4.2 Overshooting Troubleshooting............................................................................14
7.5 Conclusion................................................................................................................. 16

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FIGURES

Figure 5-1 Unreasonable antenna azimuth leading to pilot pollution...........................5

Figure 5-2 Unreasonable antenna downtilt leading to pilot pollution...........................5

Figure 5-3 Unreasonable cell layout leading to pilot pollution......................................6

Figure 5-4 Environment factor leading to pilot pollution...............................................7

Figure 5-5 Pilot polluted cell survey................................................................................8

Figure 7-6 Picture of airport roads................................................................................10

Figure 7-7 GE diagram of airport roads........................................................................10

Figure 7-8 2008 planned sites in the trial network.......................................................11

Figure 7-9 Planned sites in 2009 commercial network phase 1..................................11

Figure 7-10 Combined RSCP.........................................................................................12

Figure 7-11 Combined Ec/Io...........................................................................................12

Figure 7-12 New site-airport Qigangshan park.............................................................13

Figure 7-13 Combined Ec/Io after optimization............................................................14

Figure 7-14 Combined RSCP after optimization...........................................................14

Figure 7-15 Before optimization: PSC351 coverage....................................................15

Figure 7-16 After optimization: single cell PSC351 coverage.....................................16

TABLES

Table 7-1 Antenna adjustment for Huangtian S4..........................................................15

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1 Overview
Network optimization is the key link in the network construction and development.
Theoretical planning, practical network construction, and network optimization are the
three important components of the network construction. Network optimization is an
important method to improve network KPIs, an import link of network maintenance, and
an important components in future network capacity expansion or reconstruction. In
WCDMA network optimization process, pilot pollution is a key issue needs to be
handled because it is important for network quality enhancement.

The document makes detailed a research into the troubleshooting of pilot pollution and
gives a case study based on ZTE corporation network planning and optimization
experiences.

2 Pilot Pollution Definition


WCDMA is a self-interfering system, excessive interference will bring many problems,
and pilot pollution is one of them. For WCDMA system, pilot pollution means that the
signal levels received at one testing spot are much the same, either too strong or too
weak, and there's no primary pilot. For the testing UE, the receiving power is adequate,
but Ec/Io of every cell are comparatively small. Currently the maximum number in one
active set supported by most WCDMA equipment is 3, i.e., if there are over three cells
with similar Ec/Io, interference will be generated to 3 radio links in the active set.

Different algorithm can be used when judging pilot pollution. Definitions given to pilot
pollution are different, and judgment threshold parameters differ too, analyzing result will
therefore diverge. Simulation software Asset3g® developed by Aircom company defines
the pilot pollution as follows: pilot pollution refers to the pilots that exceed the threshold
yet are not included in the active set. In network analyzing software ZXPOS® CNA, ZTE
Corporation defines pilot pollution based on various analysis algorithms, In one project
of China Unicom, the pilot pollution is defined as the spot satisfying: cell number with
“Ec/Io of the pilot > Ec/Io_for_BestServingCell -5” is more than 3; cell RSCP is more
than -100dBm.

Currently there are three algorithms used in ZXPOS CNA, applying the definition in
China Unicom project. Adopt pilot pollution algorithm when analyzing pilot pollution. This
algorithm is targeting at UE testing data, and parameters are:

(1) RSCP absolute threshold A

(2) Ec/Io relative threshold B

(3) Number of the active set N

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In the cell set with RSCP larger than A, if the number of cell Ec/Io of which is smaller
than the best Ec/Io by 8 exceeds N-1, pilot pollution exists and the cell number with
pollution shall be exported.

The above parameters can use the default value in China Unicom projects.

3 Cause of Pilot Pollution


Ideally signal of the cell shall be kept within the designed range, but due to the
complicated radio propagation environment including geographical conditions, building
layout, street winding and water distribution, signal is hard to be controlled to meet
desired requirements.

Pilot pollution is usually the interactive result caused by multiple sites and occurs mainly
in site-dense urban environment. The typical areas with frequent occurrences of pilot
pollution are high buildings, wide streets, overhead roads, crossroads and waterside
areas.

3.1 Unreasonable Cell Distribution


Owing to site location restriction and complicated geographic environment, cell
distribution may be found unreasonable, which will result in weak coverage in parts of
areas and multiple strong pilot signals in other areas.

3.2 Too High Site Location or Antenna Installation


If the location of one site is higher than most of the ambient buildings, then the signals is
propagated within a large range. Too high site location may lead to uncontrollable
overshooting, thus pilot pollution occurs.

3.3 Unsuitable Antenna Azimuth


In a network with multi-site, antenna azimuth shall be suitably configured according to
the global site layout, coverage requirements and traffic distribution. Generally, design
of antenna azimuth of different sectors shall make compensating coverage, otherwise
overshooting may occur, or no pilot signals or weak coverage in certain areas may be
caused. All these may lead to pilot pollution, therefore antenna azimuth shall be
carefully calibrated in view of practical propagation condition.

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3.4 Unreasonable Antenna Downtilt
Antenna downtilt shall be set based on the antenna height relative to surrounding
geographic objects, coverage range requirements and the antenna model. When
antenna downtilt is unreasonably set, some areas will unnecessarily receive strong
signals which will bring interference to other areas and result in call drops.

3.5 Unreasonable Pilot Power


When sites are densely distributed, the planned coverage range is small, while the
signal power is too strong, and the coverage range of the pilot is greater than the
planned cell range, pilot pollution will occur.

3.6 Surrounding Environment Impact


Owing to the complicated radio propagation environment including geographical
conditions, building layout, street winding and water distribution, signal is hard to be
controlled to meet desired requirements.

The following three types of conditions would cause pilot pollution.

 High buildings or mountains block the signals, then the target area may receive
weak signals from the planned site, and pilot pollution may occur due to signals
from other sites.

 When the coverage direction of the antenna parallels to the streets, the coverage
range will be great and pilot pollution may result.

 When there are high buildings around the site, the signals of the site may be
diffracted to other areas, thus pilot pollution occurs.

4 Pilot Pollution’s Impact on the Network

4.1 Ec/Io Deterioration


Owing to the interference from multiple strong pilots, Io, Ec/Io and BLER increase,
which indicates the deterioration of network quality.

4.2 Call Drops Due to Handover


If there are over three strong pilots or there is no primary pilot, frequent handovers may
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occur leading to call drops.

4.3 Capacity Decrease


Frequent handovers will result in the reduction of the system capacity especially in the
downlink. One UE communicates with multiple cells, which will add to the downlink load
of the site and reduce the system capacity.

5 Optimizing Methods of Pilot Pollution

5.1 Antenna Adjustment


Based on the testing result, adjust antenna azimuth and downtilt to change the pilot
signal level and the primary signal distribution in certain area. The adjustment principle
is to boost the primary pilot and reduce others.

To enhance the coverage of some areas made by the pilot, make the antenna face the
area by adjusting the antenna azimuth; To reduce the coverage of the pilot, make the
coverage direction of the antenna away from the area by adjusting the antenna azimuth.
The downtilt adjustment is similar: cell coverage range can be adjusted by the downtilt
adjustment.

There are limitations as to the adjustment of antenna downtilt: too small downtilt will
enhance the coverage but may result in overshooting; too big downtilt will weaken the
coverage but may result in the deformation of antenna pattern.

In figure 5-1, pilot polluted area circled by the black line is caused by the inappropriate
antenna azimuth setting of the sector with scrambling code 100. The area is designed to
be covered by the sector with scrambling code 100, but because the antenna azimuth is
set to be 90 degree, pilot signal is inadequate and pilot pollution occurs.

We adjust the antenna azimuth from 90 degree to 170 degree to enhance the signal
power of the primary pilot in this area and to eliminate the pilot pollution.

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Figure 5-1 Unreasonable antenna azimuth leading to pilot pollution

In figure 5-2, pilot polluted area circled by the dark link is cause by the inappropriate
antenna downtilt of the sector with scrambling code 360. The antenna downtilt of 360
cell 360 is 2 degree, the coverage range is relatively great and overshooting is hard to
be controlled.

Adjust the antenna downtilt with cell 360 from 2 degree to 7 degree to reduce
overshooting phenomena.

Some polluted area is hard to be perfected, and measures shall be adopted based on
the condition such as the change of the antenna model, the installation of reflection
devices or isolation devices, the change of antenna installation location or site location
etc.

Figure 5-2 Unreasonable antenna downtilt leading to pilot pollution

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5.2 Pilot Power Adjustment
Pilot pollution is caused by the coverage of multiple pilots. One of the solutions is to
improve the power of a cell and reduce the power of other cells.

When antenna downtilt is increased to a certain degree, antenna pattern will deform. To
reduce the coverage area of the pilot, pilot power shall be deduced; when antenna
downtilt is decreased to a certain degree, overshooting may result. To expand the
coverage range, pilot power shall be increased. Power adjustment and antenna
calibration shall be combined to achieve the target.

In figure 5-3, unreasonable cell layout leads to pilot pollution. Site spacing of site A, B
and C are 2.82km, 2.36km and 1.26km, and unbalanced site spacing will make pilot
pollution hard to be resolved. When performing optimization, to ensure continuous
coverage, keep the transmission power of cell 20 and cell 30 unchanged; to reduce the
pilot power of cell 10, cell 40 and cell 50 by 3dB. Reduce the power of weak pilot to
optimize pilot pollution.

In RF optimization phase, try avoiding pilot power adjustment unless feeder adjustment
is inconvenient.

Figure 5-3 Unreasonable cell layout leading to pilot pollution

5.3 New Sites


As to the pilot pollution that can never be solved by power adjustment and antenna
feeder calibration, new sites or cells shall be employed.

The principle is: path loss of the pilot of the newly constructed site is much less than that
of the pilot of the previous sites, therefore its power will be greater that that of other
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pilots, and new sites become the donor cell. Owing to the introduction of new sites, Io of
this area will increase obviously and Ec/Io will reduce accordingly, thus pilot pollution
problem is solved.

But this method will waste resources, add to the investment, and make scrambling
codes planning even more complicated, which may result in the capacity waste.

In figure 5-4, pilot polluted spot circled by the dark line is mainly caused by the
surrounding environment. This area is planned to be covered by cell 60 of site A, cell
110 of site B, and cell 130 of site C, but because there is mountains blocking the signal
from site A, buildings blocking the signal from site B, and buildings blocking the signal
from site C, the signals designated are weak. However, cell 24 and cell 25 of site D has
favorable coverage of this area, thus pilot pollution occurs.

Figure 5-4 Environment factor leading to pilot pollution

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Figure 5-5 Pilot polluted cell survey

Owing to the blockage of high buildings or mountains around the cells, there is no
strong pilot in this area. In this situation, adjustment of antenna downtilt has no obvious
effect. New sites shall be employed.

6 Analyzing Process of Pilot Pollution


 Log onto CAN, analyze “Best SC By RSCP” and “Best SC by EC/IO” using
Scanner. Select the area with high RSCP and low EcIo to be candidate pilot
polluted area.

 Regard the areas which are indicated by “pilot pollution Analysis 1” using Scanner
and are also the candidate areas at the same time as the key areas.

 Find out which cells bring the pilot pollution to key areas.

 Combine Best SC By RSCP to determine whether the pilot pollution in this area is
caused by multiple strong pilots or lack of a strong pilot. Weaken other strong pilots
or enhance a pilot based on the actual condition.

 Analyze the distribution of RSCP and Ec/Io in pilot polluted cells, and determine
which cell shall eliminate the coverage of the area, which cell shall enhance the
coverage of the area. Based on practical condition, find out the causes and give the
solution. When optimizing the pilot pollution in some area, pay attention to the
impact on other areas, because the elimination of pilot pollution in some parts may
result in pilot pollution or coverage holes in other parts.

 Make tests after the adjustment and then make analysis of RSCP, Ec/Io and pilot

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pollution using DT data. If KPI requirements are not met, make another round of
optimization and select new key areas until the requirement is met.

7 Pilot Pollution Optimization Case


Study

7.1 Phenomenon Description


Based on the previous trial network, we make the phase 1 construction of the Shenzhen
WCDMA commercial network from February of 2009 to April of 2009 and the
constructed sites are about 2008. Phase 1 construction of the commercial network is
performed along with the optimizing work.

In the trial phase of Shenzhen network in 2008, there is only one site constructed along
the airport roads connecting Guangzhou-to-Shenzhen expressway and the terminal
buildings: Anfu site. In the commercial network phase, 6 sites are constructed along the
airport, but owing to the ring-shaped site distribution, pilot pollution occurs which results
in weak signal and bad quality leading to call drops. In view of the problem, add new
sites among the airport roads to enhance the coverage of the primary pilot and at the
same time resolve the overshooting problem from surrounding sites to eliminate the pilot
pollution problem.

7.2 Geographic Location of Airport Roads


The length of airport roads is about 1.2 kilometers, and this section falls into VIP road
category according to the importance of optimization. The concrete geographic location
is as shown in the following photos and GE pics.

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Figure 7-6 Picture of airport roads

Figure 7-7 GE diagram of airport roads

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Figure 7-8 2008 planned sites in the trial network

Figure 7-9 Planned sites in 2009 commercial network phase 1

7.3 Pilot Pollution Phenomenon Description


Network structure of the airport roads is ring-shaped and is not reasonable. In figure 7-
5, there are 5 sites 700 meters away from the spot circled by a red line, they are
Hubeishan tunnel, Airport Fuwei New Village, Airpot Fuan, Huangtian, and Fuyong
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Huanyu Industrial zone (Fuyong airport commanding mansion site has not been
constructed.) According to the survey of the field environment, these sites are not
designed for the coverage of airport roads; therefore signal levels of the airport roads
are relatively small without a primary cell. As shown in figure 5, in this area, RSCP value
is -105~-90dBm and Ec/Io is below -10 dB, which indicates the low coverage strength
and poor quality of this area. In the routine test, frequent handover occurs among
different pilots leading to call drops.

Figure 7-10 Combined RSCP

Figure 7-11 Combined Ec/Io

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7.4 Optimizing Process

7.4.1 Generate the Primary Pilot via Adding New Sites


In the middle of the airport roads, Airport Qigangshan Park site is employed (figure 7-7),
with two sectors and the azimuths are N80 and N235. The site performs the coverage of
the eastern and western parts of the airport roads and primary pilot occurs which
contributes to the improvement of signal strength and quality. The indicators (Ec/Io and
RSCP) are shown in figure 7-8 and figure 7-9.

Figure 7-12 New site-airport Qigangshan park

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Figure 7-13 Combined Ec/Io after optimization

Figure 7-14 Combined RSCP after optimization

7.4.2 Overshooting Troubleshooting


After installing Airport Qigangshan Park site to provide the primary coverage, signals
from its surrounding sites become interfering signals. On-site survey shows that the
sites with overshooting problem are mounted high, their antenna feeder parameters are
inconsistent with the parameter planned, and antenna downtilts are too small. Based on
the planning data and drive test data, antenna feeders in the surrounding site such as
the sites of Huangtian, Airport Fuan, Airport Fuwei xinchun, Fuyong Huanyu Industrial
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zone, Airport Logistics and Fuyong Yifeng Hotel are adjusted and overshooting
problems are resolved.

Let's give one example: the overshooting problem of the fourth sector of Huangtian site
solved by antenna adjustment, as shown in the following table

Table 7-1 Antenna adjustment for Huangtian S4


Mechanical Electronic
Direction
Site Cell Cell ID tilt tilt
Before After Before After Before After

Huangtian
Huangtian 34614441 310 310 6 9 2 4
-outdoor4

Figure 7-15 Before optimization: PSC351 coverage

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Figure 7-16 After optimization: single cell PSC351 coverage

RF result analysis: the site is 32 meters high, and after adding 5 degree to its downtilt,
the overshooting problem over the airport roads is basically removed. Thus the
continuous coverage of the primary signal is guaranteed and handover times are
reduces, which contributes to the deduction of call drops.

7.5 Conclusion
As to the pilot pollution problem in Shenzhen WCDMA commercialized network airport
roads, it’s caused by lack of the primary pilot leading to frequency handover and call
drops. To solve the problem, first in the middle of the airport roads, install a new site for
primary coverage of the roads, then solve the overshooting problem caused by
surrounding sites through RF adjustment. After the above operations, pilot pollution
problem of the airport roads is finally resolved.

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