FREQUENCY HOPPING

Call is transmitted through several

Frequency frequencies in order to
• average the interference (interference diversity)
• minimise the impact of fading (frequency diversity)

F1

F2

F3

Time
 Fading
Slow fading Fast fading

Mobile station

Base station
distance

-70

dBm
dBm -90

-110
 The Benefits of Frequency Hopping
1. Frequency diversity; Compensates the frequency
selective fast fading
Signal
Level

F1
F2
F3

MS Location Distance

Bursts sent on frequency F2 are degraded or lost, but the initial signal may
still be reconstructed from the bursts on frequencies F1 and F3.
 The Benefits of Frequency Hopping
2. Interference diversity; the interference is averaged
over multiple users

Interference Interference With hopping

No hopping
F1
F1
F3 F1

F1

F2 average
F2 F3 F2 F3
F2 F
3

MS_1 MS_2 MS_3 MS_1 MS_2 MS_3

 Converting Quality to Capacity
Field strenght

Serving carrier
worst interference
interference margin
average
strongest
interference

average
weakest
interference

no FH FH with FH with tighter

improved frequency
quality reuse
 MS does not see
TRX-1 F1(+ BCCH) any difference
BB-FH
F2
Frequency
TRX-3 F3
Dig. RF F1
PSTN F2
BSC F3
MSC
TCSM
Time

TRX-1 F1, F2, F3

RF-FH
TRX-2 BCCH
Dig. RF
General Parameters
CA = Cell Allocation
btsIsHopping BB (BaseBand Hopping) MA = Mobile Allocation
RF (Radio Frequency Hopping) MAIO = Mobile Allocation Index Offset
N (No Hopping) HSN = Hopping Sequence Number

Baseband Hopping

hoppingSequenceNumber1 (TS 0) 0 ... 63

(0 = cyclic, 1 ... 63 = pseudorandom)

hoppingSequenceNumber2 (TS 1 ... 7) 0 ... 63

(0 = cyclic, 1 ... 63 = pseudorandom)
 BB hopping management

BCCH timeslot, does not hop.

RTSL-0 RTSL-1 RTSL-2 RTSL-3 RTSL-4 RTSL-5 RTSL-6 RTSL-7

TRX-1 BCCH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 f1

TRX-2 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 f2

TRX-3 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 f3

TRX-4 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 f4

Timeslot 0 of TRXs 2-4 hop over MA(f2,f3,f4). All timeslots 1-7 hop over MA(f1,f2,f3,f4).
This hopping group uses HSN-1 This hopping group uses HSN-2
TDMA frame: 0 1 2 3 4

TRX-1 / f1

TRX-2 / f2

TRX-3 / f3

MAI :
TCH-1 (MAIO 0) 0 2 0 1 2
TCH-2 (MAIO 1) 1 0 1 2 0
TCH-3 (MAIO 2) 2 1 2 0 1

MA list f1 f2 f3 MAI = (S + MAIO) modulo N

S = calculated on frame basis by MS and BTS
using GSM hopping algorithm and
MAI 0 1 2 MA/HSN/FN parameters
N = length of MA list
RF ( Synthesized Hopping) (from 3rd generation BTS onward)

mobileAllocationList 1 ... GSM: 1..124 and 975..1023, 0

GSM 1800: 512..885
GSM 1900: 512..810
Note! Max. 63 Frequencies
mobileAllocationId 1 … 128
usedMobileAllocation 1 … 128
hoppingSequenceNumber1 0 … 63
(0 = cyclic, 1 ... 63 = pseudorandom)
 RF hopping management

BCCH TRX, does not hop.

RTSL-0 RTSL-1 RTSL-2 RTSL-3 RTSL-4 RTSL-5 RTSL-6 RTSL-7

TRX-1 BCCH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MA = {f1}

TRX-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TRX-3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 MA = {f2, f3, f4,..}

TRX-4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

MAIOs have to
be different for
HSN-1 different TRXs
within the same
hopping group
-> no collisions.
TDMA frame: 0 1 2 3 4

TRX-1

TRX-2

MAI / freq. :
TCH-1 (MAIO 0) 0 / f1 2 / f3 0 / f1 1 / f2 2 / f3
TCH-2 (MAIO 1) 1 / f2 0 / f1 1 / f2 2 / f3 0 / f1

MA list f1 f2 f3 MAI = (S + MAIO) modulo N

S = calculated on frame basis by MS and BTS
using GSM hopping algorithm and
MAI 0 1 2 MA/HSN/FN parameters
N = length of MA list
 MAIO HSN MAIO
offset
TRX-1 BCCH - f1
(sector 1)
BTS-1

TRX-2 TCH 0
0 3
TRX-3 TCH 1
f4
TRX-4 TCH 2 f5
f6
TRX-5 BCCH - f2 f7
f8
TRX-6 TCH 3
(sector 2)

f9
3 3
BTS-2

f10
TRX-7 TCH 4 f11
f12
TRX-8 TCH 5

TRX-9 BCCH - f3
TRX-10 TCH 6
(sector 3)
BTS-3

6 3
TRX-11 TCH 7

TRX-12 TCH 8
 DOCUMENTTYPE 1 (1)

TypeUnitOrDepartmentHere
TypeYourNameHere TypeDateHere

Sector HN MAIO-offset MAIO-step TRX MAIO value for all RTSLs

S
1 N 0 2 TRX-1 BCCH, not allowed to hop
TRX-2 MAIO=0
TRX-3 MAIO=2
TRX-4 MAIO=4
2 N 6 2 TRX-5 BCCH, not allowed to hop
TRX-6 MAIO=6
TRX-7 MAIO=8
TRX-8 MAIO=10
3 N 12 2 TRX-9 BCCH, not allowed to hop
TRX-10 MAIO=12
TRX-11 MAIO=14
TRX-12 MAIO=16
Parameters Value
MaioStep 1..62
UnderlayMaioStep 1..62
 RADIO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Flexible MAIO Management

Allows More Flexible RF Hopping

• enables Frequency Sharing i.e. sharing an MA list between the sectors at same
site
• longer MA lists possible
• minimised interference

New MAIO Step Parameter in BSS7

• When used together with MAIO offset, no successive MAIOs will be allocated
for TCHs sharing the same MA list
 RADIO RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
Single MA/HSN per Site - with MAIO Step

MA = f1, f2, f3, f4,.... MA list can include

HSN same for all sectors adjacent frequencies

MAIO, same for all

Sector HSN MAIO Offset MAIO step TRX
RTSLs within the TRX
Band allocation:
1 TRX-1 BCCH, not hopping
1 N 0 2 TRX-2 0 BCCH Hopping Freq's
TRX-3 2
TRX-4 4
2 TRX-5 BCCH, not hopping
2 N 6 2 TRX-6 6
Nor co-channels
TRX-7 8
neither adj. channels
TRX-8 10
used simultaneouly if
3 TRX-9 BCCH, not hopping
number of frequencies
3 N 12 2 TRX-10 12 > 2*number of TRXs
TRX-11 14
TRX-12 16

Operator can set the lowest Operator can also set the
MAIOs for the cells MAIO step size
 RADIO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
RF-FH with reuse '1/1'using fractional loading

MAIO Offset Hopping frequencies MAIO Offset + Step

Band allocation: Band allocation:

BCCH BCCH Hopping Freq's

MA list MA list

MA list and BCCH need planning No need for MA list planning

MA list possibly shorter -> reduced gain BCCH frequencies planned as usual
•One MA list per site

• One MA list can contain a continuous band

• No risk of co-channel nor adjacent channel being used

simultaneously within a site

• Single MA/HSN possible -> only BCCH frequency planning

• More tighter reuse possible e.g. RF-FH (1/1) and thus

more capacity can be achieved
Parameter Value

MaioStep 1..62

UnderlayMaioStep 1..62

BackgroundMaioStep 1..62 / ND
BackgroundUnderlayMaioStep 1..62 / ND
 Example 3/9 Reuse with MAIO-
Management
Frequency band is divided into „3 groups‟.
3
MA-lists are allocated one per site following 3/3 (omni) 2
1
reuse pattern. 3 3
Each cell in a sectorised site uses all the frequencies, but the 2 2
1 1
same frequency is never used in two cells at the same time.
Example ( a site using MA-list with 3 frequencies):
MA-list: 3 6 9

6 9 3
3 3 3
1 3 1 6 1 9
2 2 2

9 3 6

TDMA frame n-1 TDMA frame n TDMA frame n+1

 MA1 = f1, f4, f7 F6 F5
MA2 = f2, f5, f8
MA3 = f3, f6, f9 F9 F8
F3 F2
Initially 3/9 Cluster, F1 F3
3/3 with Frequency sharing
F9 F8
F4 F6
F3 F2
F7 F9
F6 F5
F6 F2 F7 F3
F9 F5 F1 F6
F3 F8 F4 F9 Time
F1 F6
F4 F9
F7 F3

As the hopping is random and

sites not synchronised, adjacent
channels are used at times
in neighbouring sites
 Random vs Cyclic hopping sequences
Where to use?
Cyclic:
• In the areas where the interference is NOT a problem (low traffic areas)

Random:
• In the areas where the interference is a problem (high traffic areas)
 Hard/soft blocking

Hard blocking

The whole radio resource is in use - no more calls can be established

due to lack of free radio timeslots.

Dominates with large reuse factors

Soft blocking

The capacity of individual cells is limited by the level of the interference

rather than the number of TRXs available

Is dominating with tight reuse patterns.

 Frequency load, RF FH
•“HW load” is 75%
•Fractional load FL is
75 % 25 % 3 TRX / 5 F = 0.6 = 60%
•“Frequency load” is
HWL * FL = 45%

TRX-1 BCCH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 f1

TRX-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 f2, f3, f4, f5, f6

TRX-3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 f3, f4, f5, f6, f2

TRX-4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 f4, f5, f6, f2, f3

Active slots Empty slots

TRX-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Frequency Load
TRX-2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
frequency 1:
TRX-3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 •17 active slots / 5 frames
•40 slots totally / 5 frames
•frequency load is Active slots Empty slots
TRX-4 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 17/40 = 42.5 %

f1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

f2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

f3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

f4 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

f5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

frame 1 frame 2 frame 3 frame 4 frame 5

time
 How to allocate a fixed band?
1 1 1 1 4 2 1 7
1 1 1 3 3 3 3 1 3 2 3 1
1 1 2 2 2 4 5 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 4 6 5
1 1 3 3 4 2 7 4
1 1 1 2 2 2 3 1 3 3 1 7
1 1 1 1 2 4 2 3

FAR 1 3 4 7

Worsening C/I at the cell border

Increasing collision probability

Max. frequency
load 8% 30% ~40% ~70%