LTE IRAT check and improvement

1.
Troubleshooting Inter-RAT Handovers

This section provides information required to troubleshoot inter-RAT handover faults. The information includes
fault descriptions, background information, possible causes, and fault handling method and procedure.

1.1 Fault Description

The following are symptoms of inter-RAT handover faults:

 Users file service drop complaints.

 The success rate of outgoing inter-RAT handovers is low.
 Signaling message tracing results indicate that handover procedures are incomplete or fail.
1.2 Related Information
 UE capability for inter-frequency handover: Monitor the network access signaling procedure on the
eNodeB to check whether the UE supports inter-frequency handovers. The information about whether
the UE supports interfrequency handovers can be obtained from the IE Feature group indicators in the
UECapabilityInformation message. According to 3GPP TS 36.331 B.1 Feature group indicators, the
eighth and ninth indicators indicate whether a UE supports packet switched (PS) handovers to GERAN
and URTAN, respectively. If the value of the eighth and ninth indicators is 0, the UE does not support
PS handovers. If the value of the eighth and ninth indicators is 1, the UE supports PS handovers.

Indicator Event Description

EUTRA RRC_CONNECTED to can only be set to "true" if the UE has
8 UTRA CELL_DCH PS handover set bit number 22 to "true"
EUTRA RRC_CONNECTED to related to SR-VCC - can only be set to
GERAN GSM_Dedicated "true" if the UE has set bit number 23
9 handover to "true"
 Neighboring cell configuration check: Inter-RAT neighboring cells must be configured before
handovers can be performed from evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) to
UTRAN/GERAN. Use the related commands provided by Huawei to configure inter-RAT neighboring
cells.
– Check for missing and redundant neighboring cell configurations: Check whether the routing
area code (RAC) is configured when an external UTRAN cell is added by running the ADD
UTRANEXTERNALCELL and whether NoHoFlag is set to Permit Ho when a neighboring
relationship is added by running the ADD UTRANNCELL or ADD GERANNCELL command.
– Check handover parameter settings: Check whether handover threshold parameters are
properly set by comparing the settings with the default values or settings for a cell where
handovers are normal. The threshold settings can be queried by using the LST
INTERRATHOUTRANGROUP and LST INTERRATHOGERANGROUP commands.
1.3 Possible Causes
 The UE does not support inter-RAT handover.
 Inter-RAT handover parameters or evolved packet core (EPC) parameters are incorrectly set, or there
are missing neighbor relationships.
 The signal quality is poor. For example, the coverage is poor or there is interference.
1.4 Fault Handling

Inter-RAT handover faults are complex and you need to determine whether an inter-RAT handover fault occurs
in the entire network or in a cell based on the fault scope and background. If the fault occurs in the entire

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network, locate the fault by checking the signaling exchange and parameter settings on the mobility
management entity (MME) and serving GPRS support node (SGSN). If the fault occurs in a cell, check the data
configuration, frequency, and hardware of the cell.

1.4.1 Fault Handling Procedure

1. Check whether the UE does not support inter-frequency handover.
a. Yes: Use a UE that supports packet switched (PS) handover. Go to 2.
b. No: Go to 3.
2. 2. Check whether the fault is rectified.
a. Yes: End.
b. No: Go to 3.
3. Check whether inter-RAT handover is disabled.
a. Yes: Run the MOD ENODEBALGOSWITCH:HoModeSwitch=UtranPsHoSwitch-1; and MOD
ENODEBALGOSWITCH: HoModeSwitch=GeranPsHoSwitch-1; commands to enable PS
handover to UTRAN and GERAN, respectively. Go to 4.
b. No: Go to 5.
4. Check whether the fault is rectified.
a. Yes: End.
b. No: Go to 5.
5. Check whether neighboring cells are incorrectly configured.
a. Yes: Correct the neighboring cell configuration. Go to 6.
b. No: Go to 7.
6. Check whether the fault is rectified.
a. Yes: End.
b. No: Go to 7.
7. Check whether EPC parameters are incorrectly configured.
a. Yes: Ask related personnel to correct the EPC parameter configurations. Go to 8.
b. No: Go to 9.
c. If the fault persists, go to 6.
8. Check whether the fault is rectified.
a. Yes: End.
b. No: Go to 9.
9. Check whether interference exists and whether the coverage is poor. If the radio quality is poor, the
UE cannot receive the handover command or cannot use the channel assigned by the target cell,
causing handover failure. Network planning and optimization engineers can use drive tests to locate
coverage problems and use a device or the interference tracing function on the eNodeB to locate
interference problems.
a. Yes: Remove the interference source and adjust the coverage scope. Go to 10.
b. No: Go to 11.
10. Check whether the fault is rectified.
a. Yes: End.
b. No: Go to 9.
11. Contact provider technical support.
1.4.2 Typical Cases
1.4.2.1 Case 1:

In a PS handover from E-UTRAN to UTRAN, the eNodeB did not deliver a PS handover command but delivered a
redirection command to the UE.

1.4.2.1.1 Fault Description

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In a test of PS handover from E-UTRAN to UTRAN in a laboratory at a site, after the UE reported B1
measurement results to the eNodeB, the eNodeB did not deliver a PS handover command but delivered a
redirection command.

1.4.2.1.2 Fault Diagnosis

The result of tracing the network access procedure found that the UE did not support inter-RAT handover. If a
UE does not support inter-RAT handover, the eNodeB will redirect the UE to UTRAN.

1.4.2.1.3 Fault Handling

The problem was solved after a UE that supports inter-RAT handover was used.

1.4.2.2 Case 2:

In a test of PS handover from E-UTRAN to UTRAN, the eNodeB did not deliver a PS handover command.

1.4.2.2.1 Fault Description

In a test of PS handover from E-UTRAN to UTRAN in a laboratory at a site, after the UE reported B1
measurement results to the eNodeB, the eNodeB did not deliver a PS handover command.

1.4.2.2.2 Fault Diagnosis

The result of tracing the network access procedure found that the UE supported inter-RAT handover. The PS
handover switch was checked on the eNodeB. The check result indicated that the switch was turned on. Then,
the neighboring cell relationships were checked. The check result shows that a RAC was not configured for the
neighboring UTRAN cell.

1.4.2.2.3 Fault Handling

The problem was resolved after an RAC was added to the neighboring UTRAN cell.

1.4.2.3 Case 3:

In a test of PS handover from E-UTRAN to UTRAN, the eNodeB sent the MME a PSHO Required message. After
two seconds, the eNodeB sent the MME a PSHO Cancel message.

1.4.2.3.1 Fault Description

In a test of PS handover from E-UTRAN to UTRAN in a laboratory at a site, the 4G EPC and eNodeB were
provided by vendor Y and the 3G core network and radio network controller (RNC) were provided by vendor Z.
After handover conditions were met, the eNodeB sent the MME a PSHO Required message. After two seconds,
the eNodeB sent the MME a PSHO Cancel message.

1.4.2.3.2 Fault Diagnosis

Uu and S1 signaling was traced. The tracing result shows that the eNodeB sent the MME a HO Cancel command
after the UE reported B1 measurement results to the MME and the eNodeB sent the MME a HO Required
command. The reason why the eNodeB sent the HO Cancel command was that the MME did not respond to
the HO Required command. The length of WaitInterRATSysHoRspTimer configured on the eNodeB was 2
seconds. The eNodeB did not receive a response from the MME when the timer expired. As a result, the
eNodeB sent the Handover Cancel command to cancel the handover. The MME log was checked. The check
result shows that the MME received the HO Required command but did not forward the command to the
SGSN. The reason why the MME did not forward the command is that the Gn interface was not configured

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between the MME and the SGSN, and as a result, the MME could not find the SGSN. When the timer expired,
the eNodeB sent the UE a PSHO Cancel command.

1.4.2.3.3 Fault Handling

The problem was solved after the Gn interface was reconfigured between the MME and SGSN.

2. Diagram

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 Start

IRAT HO SR False
i slow ?

True

UE False Replca UE
supports
IRAT HO?

True

IRAT HO False Enable interRAT

enabled?

True

Correct
neighboring
configuration False Reconfigure/add/delete
and parameters? neighbors and parameters

True

EPC False Reconfigure EPC parameters

parameters
correct?

True

Interference False Solve coverage or interference

or coverage problem.
problems?

True

Solve destination RAT

False
Destination RAT congestion (refer to relevant
congestioned? document)

True

Solve destination RAT

True Destination RAT False Problem
coverage / RF problem (refer to True
interference or solved?
coverage
relevant document)
problem?
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End