Smart Scheduler

White Paper
 Contents
1. Introduction 2
2. Smart Scheduler Features and Benefits 3
2.1 Frequency Selective Scheduling 5
3. Multi-Cell Smart Scheduler 7
3.1 Distributed RAN with X2+ and non-ideal backhaul 7
3.2 Distributed RAN with slow centralized scheduling and non-ideal backhaul 8
3.3 Centralized RAN with fast centralized scheduling and dark fiber connection 8
4. Further Evolution of LTE Scheduling 9
5. Summary 10
6. Abbreviations 11

1. Introduction
Long Term Evolution (LTE) has been benefits, implications to the network
successfully deployed by more than 190 architecture and further evolution are
operators and the subscribers can enjoy high discussed in this white paper.
LTE data rates. LTE radio is designed for a
so-called frequency reuse of one where all
the cells use the same frequency. Reuse one
provides the highest network efficiency and Frequency f1 Frequency f1

enables high data rates close to the base

station. The challenge with reuse one is the
high inter-cell interference when the terminal
(User Equipment UE) is located between two Cell A UE Cell B
cells. The data rate over the cell area is Data
illustrated in Figure 1. The boosting of the cell rate
High data rate Low data rate
edge performance is the main motivation for close to BTS at cell edge
the Smart Scheduler. The Smart Scheduler
can also enhance the average data rates and
system capacity by considering signal fading
and interference in the packet scheduling
decisions. The Smart Scheduler algorithms,
Figure 1. Frequency reuse one creates high inter-cell interference

2 Smart Scheduler White Paper

2. Smart Scheduler features and benefits
LTE radio is highly standardized by 3GPP
when it concerns interfaces, but the network
algorithms including link adaptation, power
control and packet scheduling are not
standardized. Network performance can
therefore differ according to which algorithms
are used. The most relevant scheduling
features and benefits are described in this
section. Packet scheduling can use various
input data for resource allocation and for
interference coordination:
• Channel Quality Information (CQI) from UE
to BTS for downlink scheduling
• Sounding Reference Signal (SRS)
measurements and interference
measurements in the frequency domain
for uplink scheduling
• Load and other information exchange over
X2+ interface between base stations. X2+ is
an enhanced version of X2 interface and
allows fast exchange of further information
between base stations, for example,
handover measurements, load information,
or CQI measurements. X2 interface
in Release 8 allows only very limited
exchange of information between the base
stations, but further extensions will be
discussed in 3GPP and can also be added
proprietarily.
• Quality of Service (QoS) parameters from
the packet core network
These input options are illustrated in Figure 2.
The Smart Scheduler can utilize the different
input values to optimize the packet scheduling
and the link adaptation. LTE radio allows
significant freedom in defining the allocations
in the time, frequency and power domains. A
number of different features are required for
the different use cases. The Smart Scheduler
utilizes the same features both in Frequency
Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division
Duplex (TDD) based LTE systems. These
include:
QoS QoS
Gateway
Coordination over X2+
Channel quality
information (CQI)
Cell A UE Cell B
Figure 2. Input information for coordinating the resource usage
• Frequency Selective Scheduling (FSS),
which improves performance in the case of
frequency selective fading and fractional
inter-cell interference. FSS consists of
Channel Aware Scheduling (CAS) and
Interference Aware Scheduling (IAS). The
field measurements demonstrate 30% gains
for the cell edge data rates.
• QoS differentiation, which improves cell
edge performance by allocating more
resources for the users in weak channel
conditions. QoS can be utilized to maintain
the data rate for example for video
streaming services. Further flexibility is
obtained by using operator specific QoS
Class Identifier (QCI) values. The minimum
guaranteed cell edge data rate can also be
obtained using a Nominal Bit Rate (NBR)
solution, which works even without any
guaranteed bit rate QoS classes. The cell
edge prioritization has only a minor impact
on the cell aggregate throughput capacity;
in a typical case,cell edge throughput can
be improved by 30% and the number of
satisfied subscribers increased, at a cost of
5% sacrifice in cell throughput capacity.
• Interference aware uplink power control,
which considers the adjacent cells when
allocating the uplink transmission power.
The feature minimizes inter-cell interference
and helps to boost the uplink data rates.
Smart Scheduler White Paper 3
 • Intra-frequency load balancing helps
when the load in the adjacent cells is not
balanced. The idea is to modify handover
parameters based on the information
exchange of X2 interface. If there are
double the users in the adjacent cell, the
intra-frequency load balancing can improve
the cell edge data rate by 30%.
• Multi-cell scheduling can reduce the
power levels (muting or related variants) in
adjacent cells to minimize the interference.
The multi-cell scheduling coordinates
resource allocation between multiple cells
in the time and frequency domains, using
a judicious selection of users and power
levels in multiple cells to maximally
combine the benefits of frequency-selective
scheduling and spectral efficiency gain due
to reduced interference. The coordination
occurs between the sectors of one base
station, or over X2+ interface between the
base stations. The multi-cell scheduling
requires base station time synchronization
and can improve cell edge performance
by 20%. TD-LTE base stations must be
synchronized, while the synchronization of
LTE FDD base stations is not mandatory
and not typically used by FDD operators. As
in a synchronized network, the reference
signals overlap in adjacent cells. Therefore,
UEs should preferably support cancellation
of common reference signals for better
performance.
• Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference
Coordination (eICIC) minimizes inter-cell
interference in heterogeneous networks
(HetNet) between macro and small cells in
the time domain when deployed in the same
frequency carrier. eICIC provides data rate
benefits especially when there are multiple
small cells under one macro cell. The eICIC
technique can improve the data rates
by over 50% in a high density small cell
deployment scenario. These techniques
benefit from Release 10 and 11 terminals
due to their special eICIC and interference
cancellation capabilities. Some gains
can be achieved with Release 8 legacy
terminals as well. eICIC can be further
enhanced with fast coordination control
running at the macro site, either via X2+ or
when the small cells are deployed as low-
power Remote Radio Heads (RRH).
Smart Scheduler use cases, features and
gains are presented in Figures 3 and 4.
Figure 4 illustrates macro cell gains
achieved by combining individual scheduling
functionalities, with the exception of eICIC.
Additional gains can be obtained with eICIC
in HetNet scenarios.

Use case Feature

Lower
Fractional inter-cell interference Multi-cell scheduling gain

Unbalanced loading between cells Intra- and inter-frequency load balancing

HetNet eICIC

Minimum cell edge rate required QoS differentation and nominal bit rate

Fractional inter-cell interference FSS including Interference Aware

Scheduling (IAS) and Channel Aware
Frequency selective fading Scheduling (CAS) Highest
gain

Baseline scheduler

Figure 3. Smart Scheduler use cases and solutions

4 Smart Scheduler White Paper

 120% Multi-cell scheduling
Intra-frequency load balancing
100%
Nominal bit rate and QoS

80% Frequency selective scheduling

60%

40%

20%

0%
Cell edge Average

Figure 4. Smart Scheduler downlink data rate gains with non-ideal backhaul. FSS and QoS gains
are obtained from field measurements and the other gains from demo/trial setups

2.1 Frequency Selective Scheduling Multiple Access (OFDMA) in downlink and

Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple
Multipath propagation in the mobile
Access (SC-FDMA) in uplink. FSS thus
environment results in frequency selective
allows using those parts of the carrier (called
fading. For this reason, Frequency Selective
Physical Resource Blocks), which are not
Scheduling (FSS) is the most important part
faded for the transmission. The concept is
of the Smart Scheduler. The typical coherence
illustrated in Figure 5. The information about
bandwidth of the macro cell channel is 1-2
channel fading can be obtained from UE
MHz, and therefore, faded and non-faded
CQI reports in downlink and from Sounding
frequencies exist within one LTE carrier. LTE
Reference Symbols (SRS) in uplink.
radio uses Orthogonal Frequency Division

Carrier bandwith

Resource block

Frequency
Transmit on those resource blocks that are not faded

Figure 5. Frequency Selective Scheduling to minimize fading impact

Smart Scheduler White Paper 5

 Fractional load
in adjacent cell
Frequency
Interfering cell
No transmission
Transmission in adjacent cell
Figure 6. Frequency Selective Scheduling (FSS) to minimize inter-cell interference
FSS can also be applied to avoid inter-cell
interference. Figure 6 provides an example
where the interfering cell is partially loaded.
The UE is connected to the target cell but
receives strong interference from the adjacent
interfering cell. The UE reports subband CQI
values in the frequency domain to the target
cell. Low CQI values are reported on those
subbands where the interfering cell has on-
going transmission, while high CQI values are
reported in other subbands. FSS in the target
cell prioritizes an allocation of those downlink
physical resource blocks to the UE where
the interference to this UE is lowest. Other
resource blocks in the target cell can then be
allocated to other UEs that do not receive
interference from the adjacent cell.
Benefits of FSS include:
• Effective inter-cell interference coordination
without the need for explicit inter-BTS
coordination
6 Smart Scheduler White Paper
UE reports Frequency selective
subband CQI scheduling
CQI 1 (low)
CQI 2 (high)
CQI 3 (high)
CQI 4 (low)
CQI 5 (low)
CQI 6 (high)
CQI 7 (high)
CQI 8 (high)
UE A Target cell
Transmission to UE A Transmission to other UEs
• Utilization of UE CQI reports for interference
mitigation and without the need for
coordination signalling between the base
stations
• Improved cell edge data rates as well as
total cell capacity
As part of the Smart Scheduler concept, the
underlying link adaptation function is very
critical for the success of features such as
FSS. The quality of the reporting from each
active terminal is constantly monitored and
evaluated in order to improve the quality of
the scheduler decisions, overruling the UE
recommendations where needed. With such
methods, Nokia Siemens Networks has in
numerous field and lab trials demonstrated the
practical value of FSS. Figure 7 documents
the benefit of FSS for cell edge performance
and total cell capacity based on field
measurement results from a system with
10 MHz bandwidth.
 Cell edge throughput
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
FSS off FSS on
Figure 7. Field measurements with Frequency Selective Scheduling (FSS) in downlink
3. Multi-cell Smart Scheduler
Further performance improvements can
be obtained by explicitly coordinating the
resource allocation in the adjacent base
stations. The network architecture options for
supporting multi-cell scheduling are shown in
Figure 8.
3.1 Distributed RAN with X2+ and
non-ideal backhaul
Today’s LTE architecture (99% of deployments)
is depicted in Figure 8a using non-ideal
backhaul with microwave radio, IP connected
fiber or copper based transport. The multi-cell
scheduling needs to coordinate the resource
usage in adjacent base stations over non-ideal
backhaul while still fully utilizing FSS gains in
fast scheduling. The coordination between
cells of different base stations will utilize
X2+ interface. Each scheduler requesting
Cell capacity
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
FSS off FSS on
coordination from its neighboring base stations
to aid a certain user at the cell edge can still
take into account FSS gains for that user.
FSS gains can thus be fully preserved,
while also adding those achieved from
multi-cell coordination. The evolution from
fully distributed architecture to multi-cell
coordination over X2+ is a straight-forward
software upgrade – no need for any new
network elements or new interface. It is
important to note that fast local coordination
can be implemented between the cells in one
base station without any inter-base station
coordination.
This approach is also the basis for HetNets,
where small cells are coordinated by the
nearest macro cell using Enhanced Inter-Cell
Interference Coordination (eICIC).
Smart Scheduler White Paper 7
 a) Distributed RAN with X2+ and
non-ideal backhaul
X2+
eNB#1 eNB#1
Coordinated Coordinated
scheduling scheduling
(inter-eNB) (inter-eNB)
Fast local Fast local
scheduling scheduling
Figure 8. Network architecture options for explicit multi-cell scheduling
3.2 Distributed RAN with slow
centralized scheduling and
non-ideal backhaul
Another architecture alternative is shown in
Figure 8b adding a new centralized network
element for coordinating the distributed
schedulers. A new interface between base
stations and the centralized scheduler is
denoted as X3. Involving an additional
interface and information exchange to an
additional entity has a negative impact on
the responsiveness of this architecture. The
distributed base stations still run fast local
scheduling, while the centralized element can
only set scheduling limitations to minimize
the interference. The performance gain of
the centralized element is similar to the
coordination over X2+ interface. 3GPP
standardization is required for X3 to become
multivendor capable.
3.3 Centralized RAN with fast
centralized scheduling and
dark fiber connection
The final multi-cell architecture shown in
Figure 8c is centralized scheduling using a
baseband pool and assuming that ideal
backhaul is available. The baseband pool
architecture requires low latency and direct
dark fiber connection between the RF heads
and the baseband pool. The baseband pool is
8 Smart Scheduler White Paper
b) Distributed RAN with slow c) Centralized RAN with fast
centralized scheduling and centralized scheduling
non-ideal backhaul and dark fiber connection
Coordinated scheduling Super-eNB (baseband pool)
Common packet scheduling
“X3”
eNB#1 eNB#N
Fast local ... Fast local
scheduling scheduling
...
also referred to as Centralized Radio Access
Network (C-RAN) and is comparable to a
super-sized base station. C-RAN enables
the most advanced multi-cell coordination
because all the functionalities are in the same
location: link adaptation, power control, fast
FSS and multi-cell coordination. C-RAN
architecture also enables Coordinated
Multipoint (CoMP) functionality as defined in
3GPP Release 11.
C-RAN provides clear benefits but the
practical implementation is challenging given
the limited availability of wide dark fiber
connection to RF sites. The centralized
architecture also implies that there is a single
point of failure and requirements for availability
are higher than in a distributed architecture.
The most typical architecture scenario
globally is multi-cell coordination over X2+
interface. Studies show that other scheduling
features, like FSS, are more important than
multi-cell scheduling and FSS should be
implemented first. Multi-cell scheduling also
increases deployment complexity given
the synchronization requirement and
implementation should take into account the
3GPP Release 12 work to be completed during
2H/2014. Preferably, multi-cell scheduling
should be implemented through a software
upgrade without any new network element.
4. Further Evolution of LTE Scheduling
3GPP is working with enhanced LTE
performance in Release 12, and 3GPP
initiated a new study item ”Enhanced CoMP
for LTE” in June 2013. The target is to
evaluate the benefits of multi-cell scheduling
with non-ideal backhaul, and to define the
required interfaces and signalling messages
to support multi-cell scheduling. The options
of Figure 8a and Figure 8b will likely be
considered as reference architectures. The
earlier CoMP work in 3GPP Releases 10 and
11 considered only ideal backhaul, which is
not feasible for most LTE deployments.
Further related work items in 3GPP are UE
interference cancellation and network assisted
UE interference cancellation. The target is
to cancel the inter-cell interference by UE
baseband algorithms. These advanced UE
receivers can improve cell edge performance
considerably. Both performance enhancements
in 3GPP should be considered jointly in
optimizing the cell edge performance: if UE
is able to cancel inter-cell interference, there
is less gain in explicit coordination and no
need to mute the strongest interferer in the
adjacent cells.

Enhanced CoMP UE interference cancellation

(Multi-cell scheduling)

Mute the strongest interferer Cancel the impact of the

strongest interferer

Figure 9. Work items in 3GPP Release 12 for improving cell edge data rates

Smart Scheduler White Paper 9

 5. Summary
While LTE radio has been highly standardized The most advanced multi-cell coordination
by 3GPP, the network algorithms including can be obtained with baseband pooling
packet scheduling are not standardized. in Centralized RAN. The baseband pool
Packet scheduling in LTE has the freedom deployment assumes direct fiber connection
to control the resource allocation in both the between baseband and RF sites. A 3GPP
time and frequency domains. The Smart study item started in June 2013 aims to
Scheduler can push the cell edge data rates evaluate multi-cell scheduling options with
by more than100% in the presence of inter-cell non-ideal backhaul.
interference compared to baseline wideband
scheduling, and improve the cell capacity by
over 20%. The essential component of the
Smart Scheduler is Frequency Selective
Scheduling that avoids fading and interference
in the frequency domain combined with
Quality of Service differentiation and intra-
frequency load balancing. Further cell edge
gains can be obtained through multi-cell
scheduling. Multi-cell scheduling is a simple
software upgrade to the distributed base
stations. Scheduling information is shared
between base stations over X2+ interface.
The detailed standardization of multi-cell
coordination is expected in 3GPP Release 12.

10 Smart Scheduler White Paper

6. Abbreviations
3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project
BTS Base Station
CoMP Coordinated Multipoint
CQI Channel Quality Information
C-RAN Centralized Radio Access Network
eICIC Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination
FDD Frequency Division Duplex
FSS Frequency Selective Scheduling
LTE Long Term Evolution
OFDMA Orthogonal Frequency Division M
QoS Quality of Service
RRH Remote Radio Head
SC-FDMA Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access
SRS Sounding Reference Symbols
UE User Equipment

Smart Scheduler White Paper 11

Nokia Siemens Networks
P.O. Box 1
FI-02022 NOKIA SIEMENS NETWORKS
Finland
Visiting address:
Karaportti 3, ESPOO, Finland

Switchboard +358 71 400 4000 (Finland)

Switchboard +49 89 5159 01 (Germany)

Order No. C401-00801-WP-201307-1-EN

Copyright © 2013 Nokia Siemens Networks.

All rights reserved.

Nokia is a registered trademark of Nokia Corporation,

Siemens is a registered trademark of Siemens AG.
The wave logo is a trademark of Nokia Siemens Networks Oy.
Other company and product names mentioned in this
document may be trademarks of their respective owners,
and they are mentioned for identification purposes only.

This publication is issued to provide information only and is

not to form part of any order or contract. The products and
services described herein are subject to availability and
change without notice.

www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com