Section 8

Radio Link Failure Analysis

 Section Objectives

 Describe Radio Link Failure (RLF) Procedures.

 Explain how to Analyze RLF Logs
 Describe RLF Case Studies
 Describe KPI Impact due to RLF

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 RLF Procedures Overview

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 Radio Link Failure (RLF) Overview
 During LTE active data session, RRC is in
RRC_CONNECTED State

 In RRC_CONNECTED State, UE can declare RLF

under various conditions

 To Restore the RRC Connection, UE Initiates RLF

Recovery procedure

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 What is RLF and Recovery?
 A UE in RRC Connected Mode has already established
- Signaling Radio Bearers (i.e SRB1, SRB2) ,
- Default Radio Bearers (i.e DRBs)
- Security Context is activated.

 When a UE in RRC Connected Mode declares RLF, RRC Shall:

- Stop all running timers except T320
- Reset Radio Resources for all RBs
- Release MAC,RLC,PDCP,PHY Configurations in order to Suspend all
SRBs and DRBs
- Security Context is still active

 UE initiates RLF Recovery to resume SRB1 and network configures

SRB2 & DRBs.

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 RLF Scenarios
1.DL Physical Layer Failure

2.RRC Connection (PDCCH BLER > 10%)

Re-configuration failure

3.Handover Failure (HO

Target Cell Acquisition
Failure)
Radio Link
4.Hndover Failure (T304 Failure
expiry- RACH Failure)

5.RLC Unrecoverable
Error

6.PDCP Integrity check

failure 7.MAC RACH Problem
detection

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 1.RLF: Downlink Physical Layer Failure
18
Out-of-Sync indicatio
16
PDCCH /PHICH BLER > 10% T310 started
14
RLF declared
12
BLER (%)

10
Qout N310: n5
Qin
PDCCH BLER (%) 8 X
N311: n1
6
T310: 2000 ms
4

2
DRX Cycle: 8
radio frames
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000
• UE estimates Downlink radio linkTime
in terms of PDCCH BLER % to (ms)
quality
detect Physical Layer Failure
• RLF is declared after:
– N310 Out-of-Sync indications (PDCCH BLER > Qout) and the
* – The
Additional subsequent
fields not shown expiry of T310 (in the absence of N311 In-Sync
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 Downlink Physical Layer Failure - Recovery
18
Out-of-Sync indication
16 In-Sync indication
PDCCH BLER > 10%
14 T310 started

12
T310 stopped (recovery)
BLER (%)

10
Qout N310: n5
Qin
PDCCH BLER (%) 8
N311: n1
6

4
T310: 2000 ms

2 DRX Cycle: 8
radio frames
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000
Time (ms)
• UE estimates Downlink radio link quality in terms of PDCCH BLER % to
detect Physical Layer Failure
– N310 Out-of-Sync indications (PDCCH BLER > Qout) starts T310
– T310 stopped due to reception of N311 In-Sync indicators (PDCCH
BLER < Qin )
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 2.RLF : RRC Connection Re-configuration
Failure

UE eNodeB

RRC Connection Reconfig

Validation of RRC
Connection
Reconfiguration Failure

RLF

UE Evaluates all parameters of the RRC Connection

Reconfiguration message

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 3.RLF : Handover Failure

Source Target
UE eNB eNB
Measurement Report
Handover Request

Handover Request Ack

RRC Connection Reconfig

SN Status Transfer
Perform Target eNodeB
Frequency Acquisition and
Physical Cell ID Specified
But Encounters Failure

RLF

RRC Connection Reconfiguration specifies Target eNodeB C-RNTI,

Radio Resource info, Dedicated RACH Info, SecurityConfigHO etc.
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 4.RLF : Handover Failure (T304 Expiry-
RACH Failure)

Source Target
UE eNB eNB
Measurement Report
Handover Request

Handover Request Ack

T304 RRC Connection Reconfig
Begins
Perform Target eNodeB SN Status Transfer
Frequency Acquisition and
Physical Cell ID Specified
MIB and SIB Overhead Messages

RACH Failure &

T304 Expiry
RLF

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 Handover Failure – T304 Expiry

Handover Requested
Acquisition
RACH preamble transmissions Successful,
RACH started
RLF declared

Preamble Trans
Max: 4

T304 X

UE declares RLF following failure to successfully

complete the handover within T304

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 5.RLF : RLC Retransmission Error
1st PDU
transmission
PDU re-
UE eNB
transmissions
RLF is
declared

X Max Re-Tx
Threshold: 6
X
X
X

X
X
RLF

Failure to send a specific RLC PDU after attempting Max

Retransmissions causes RLF.
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 6.RLF : PDCP Integrity Check Failure

RRC PDCP

Signaling Integrity
protection
Failure
Integrity Protection Failure

RLF

All Signaling Messages are both Ciphering and Integrity protected

*
Additional fields not shown
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 7.RLF : MAC RACH Problem Detection
(Connected Mode: UL Time Alignment Timer expired or RACH Failure)

UE in Connected
state
eNB stops
Random Access grants
Random Access is
started
New UL
Data
RLF is declared
Data (bytes)

Preamble
Trans Max: 6
RA-Response
Size: sf3 (3 ms)
(preamble sent
again after (3+3)ms
X if no response or
RLF
0 30 60 90 backoff)
Time (ms)

Failure to RACH [when UL/DL data arrives] in Connected state

causes RLF.
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 RLF Recovery Procedure (1 of 2)
 UE starts T311 Timer and initiates Cell Selection
Procedure
 After Successful Cell Selection Procedure (successful
MIB decoding), UE stops T311 Timer and reads SIBs
from PDSCH
 UE Initiates T301 Timer & RRC Re-establishment
procedures and RRC Configures lower layers to
activate SRB1
 SRB2 and DRBs are configured upon receiving RRC
Connection Re-configuration message from E-UTRAN
after RLF Recovery

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 RLF Recovery Procedure (2 of 2)
RLF Declared, Cell Reselection
Reselection and Connection Re- started
establishment procedures are used to Cell Reselection
successful
recover from RLF Re-establishment successful

Transition to RRC IDLE

state
T301
Connection Reestablishment

T311 SRB1 SRB2 & DRB

resumes resumes
Cell Reselection

• If AS Security has been activated prior to RLF, UE remains in the

RRC Connected state
– Suspends SRB1; releases SRB2 and DRBs
– Trigger recovery procedures
• If AS Security has not been activated, UE transitions to RRC Idle
state
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 RLF Recovery Call flow
UE eNB

Resume
RLF
SRB1
Resume
Suspend SRB1 & Release SRB2 & DRB
SRB2,DRBs & initiate
Cell Selection Process
RRC Connection Re-establishment Request msg

RRC Connection Re-establishment

RRC Connection Re-establishment Complete

RRC Connection Re-Configuration

RRC Connection Re-Configuration Complete

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 RLF Log Analysis

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 Various Events (1 of 2)
 EVENT_LTE_RRC_RADIO_LINK_FAILURE

This Counter indicates how many times UE declared RLF since power-up.
 EVENT_LTE_RRC_TIMER_STATUS

Timer Value indicates the remaining amount of time.

 EVENT_LTE_RRC_NEW_CELL_IND

Cause indicates Cell Selection, Re Selection or Handover

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 Various Events (2 of 2)
 EVENT_LTE_RACH_ACCESS_START

RACH Cause indicates what caused the UE to start RACH Procedure

 EVENT_LTE_RACH_ACCESS_RESULT

RACH Result indicates whether RACH is aborted, successful or has problem

 EVENT_LTE_MAC_TIMER

Timer Type indicates whether it is Timing Advance (TA), Random Access

(RA), Contention Timer or RACH Back off Timer

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 LTE ML1 Initial Acquisition Results (0xB176)
 This log packet provides information about each
initial acquisition attempt. It is sent whenever RRC
requests initial acquisition.

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 LTE ML1 Random Access Request (0xB167)
 Random Access Request (MSG1) transmission is
used by UE to transmit PRACH Preamble and UE
uses RA RNTI Identifier

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 LTE ML1 Random Access Response (0xB168)
 Random Access Response (MSG 2) Report
transmitted on DL-SCH carries UE Uplink Timing
Advance, RNTI Type and its value, PUSCH Resources
for MSG3 Transmission.

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 LTE ML1 UE Identification Message (0xB169)
 UE Identification Message (MSG 3) carries the UE
Identifier and is transmitted using PUSCH
Resources in MSG2 .

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 LTE ML1 Contention Resolution Msg (0xB16A)
 Contention Resolution Message (MSG 4) resolves
the contention due to multiple UEs trying to access
the system using the same Random Access
Resource.

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 RRC Connection Re-establishment Request
(0xB0C0)
 RRC Connection Re-establishment Request is sent by
the UE to initiate RRC Connection Re-establishment.

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 RRC Connection Re-establishment
Response (0xB0C0)
 RRC Connection Re-establishment Response is sent
by the eNodeB to establish SRB1.

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 RRC Connection Re-establishment Complete
(0xB0C0)
 UE sends RRC Connection Re-establishment Complete
message after successful SRB1 Configuration .

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 RRC Connection Re-configuration (0xB0C0)

 Network sends
RRC Connection
Re-configuration
including SRB2
Resources .

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 RRC Connection Re-configuration Complete
(0xB0C0)
 After Successful SRB2 Configuration, UE sends RRC
Connection Re-configuration Message .

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 LTE RLC UL AM ALL PDU (0xB092)
 This Packet is used for logging all control and data
AM PDUs for SRB as well as DRB sent on UL

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 RLF Case Studies

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 RLF Recovery (1 of 3)
1. UE Received RRC Connection Reconfiguration (0xB0C0) @ 00:00:30:789
• UE is configured with UL MAC and PHY Layers

2. UE Declared RLF (01608) @ 00:00:30:791 due to RRC Connection

Reconfiguration Validation Failure (Reason not captured in RLF Event)

3. UE Initiated RLF Recovery and successfully acquired Cell Id 397 (0xB176)

@ 00:00:30:886

4. UE Sent RRC Connection Reestablishment Request (0xB0C0) @

00:00:00:955

5. eNodeB Responded with RRC Connection Reestablishment message

including SRB1 Configuration (0xB0C0) @ 00:00:31:045

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 RLF Recovery (2 of 3)
6. After Successful SRB1 Configuration, UE sends RRC
ConnectionReestablishmentComplete (0xB0C0) @ 00:00:31:051

7. eNodeB Configures SRB2 and DRB through RRC Connection

Reconfiguration (0xB0C0) @ 00:00:31:133

8. After Successful Reconfiguration of SRB2 and DRB, UE sends RRC

Connection Reconfiguration Complete Message (0xB0C0) @ 00:00:31:137

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 RLF Recovery (3 of 3)

HTML_Format_RLF_Recovery_Procedure

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 RLF : RRC Connection Reconfiguration
Failure (1 of 4)

1. UE Received RRC Connection Reconfiguration (0xB0C0) @ 02:32:13:360

• UE is configured with UL MAC and PHY Layers

2. UE Declared RLF (01608) @ 02:32:13:363

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 RLF : RRC Connection Reconfiguration
Failure (2 of 4)
Parameters

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 RLF: RRC Connection Reconfiguration
Failure (3 of 4)

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 RLF: RRC Connection Reconfiguration
Failure (4 of 4)

HTML_Format_RLF_RRC_Connection_Reconfiguration_Failure

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 RLF: RACH Problem (1 of 3)
1. UE Received SIB2 Message with PRACH Configuration (0xB0C0) @
06:00:23:610
• PreambleTransMax = n6
2. UE UL Data arrival triggered contention based RACH Procedure .
Look for EVENT_LTE_RACH_ACCESS_START @ 06:00:38:730

3. UE sent 6 PRACH Max Preambles @ 06:00:38:707/716/722/730/738/762

4. UE MAC Layer Random Access Timer expired (EVENT_LTE_MAC_TIMER) @

06:00:38:730/745

5. EVENT_LTE_RACH_ACCESS_RESULT Indicated RACH has problem @

06:00:38:745

6. EVENT_LTE_RRC_RADIO_LINK_FAILURE declared @ 06:00:38:745

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 RLF: RACH Problem (2 of 3)

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 RLF: RACH Problem (1 of 3)

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 RLF: RACH Problem (3 of 3)

HTML_Format_RLF_RACH_Problem

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 RLF: Handoff Failure and SIB Read
Failure (1 of 5)
1. UE Received RRC Connection Reconfiguration Message from Source Cell
ID = 397 including MobilityControlInfo (0xB0C0) @ 06:59:38:212
• TargetPhysCellID = 116

2. From LTE LL1 SSS Results, it is observed that UE failed to Acquire Cell
ID=116 @ 06:59:38:228

3. UE Started T304 =500ms Timer EVENT_LTE_RRC_TIMER_STATUS

@06:59:38:232

4. UE Stopped T304 at 462ms , EVENT_LTE_RRC_TIMER_STATUS@

06:59:38:232

5. EVENT_LTE_HO_FAILURE is declared by UE and RLF @ 06:59:38:232

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 RLF: Handoff Failure & SIB Read Failure (2 of 5)
6. UE Declared 1ST RLF, EVENT_LTE_RRC_RADIO_LINK_FAILURE @
06:59:38:232

7.UE Attempted RLF Recovery and RRC Connection Reestablishment

Request @ 06:59:38:626
• RLF Recovery Tried on Target PhysCellID = 116

8. From LTE LL1 SSS Results, it is observed that UE failed to Acquire Cell
ID=116 @ 06:59:38:228

9. UE Failed to read the SIB Information on Cell ID = 116 ,

EVENET_LTE_RRC_SIB_READ_FAILURE @06:59:39:771

10. UE Declared 2nd RLF, EVENT_LTE_RRC_RADIO_LINK_FAILURE @

06:59:39:771

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 RLF: Handoff Failure (3 of 5)

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 RLF: Handoff Failure (4 of 5)

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 RLF: Handoff Failure (5 of 5)

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 RLF: SIB Read Failure during RLF
Recovery

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 RLF: Handoff Failure and SIB Read Failure

HTML_Format_RLF_Handoff_Failure_&_SIB_Read_Failure

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 RLF: Max RLC Retransmission Failure (1 of 5)
1. UE Received SRB2 and DRB1 Configuration through RRC Connection
Reconfiguration Message @ 08:00:11:280
• For DRB Uplink RLC, maxRetxThreshold = t8

2. During Uplink Data Transfer, RLC PDU Sequence Number (SN) 973 is
transmitted @ 08:01:11:826

3. The same SN is Retransmitted 8 times based on maxRetxThreshold

configuration . RLC Retransmission is done to recover the UL Data
Transmission Failures. (LTE RLC UL AM ALL PDU)

4. Retransmission Time Stamps: 08:01:11:847/873/895/921/945/972,

08:01:12:017/045

5. UE declared RLF LTE_RRC_RADIO_LINK_FAILURE @ 08:01:12:061

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 RLF: Max RLC Retransmission Error

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 RLF: Max RLC Retransmission Error

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 RLF: Max RLC Retransmission Error

HTML_Format_RLF_Max_RLC_Retransmission_Error

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 KPI Impact

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 PDSCH Throughput Impact due to RLF

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 Low RSRP when RLF Happened

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 Low SINR when RLF Happened

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 What did we learn?

 What is Radio Link Failure (RLF) and its Recovery

Procedure.
 Analysis of RLF Logs
 RLF Case Studies
 KPI Impact due to RLF

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 Test Plan aspects and performance metrics

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