AIRCOM LTE Webinar Series:

What affects LTE Cell throughput

© 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
About the Presenters
Graham Whyley – Lead Technical Trainer
 AIRCOM Technical Master Trainer since 2005
 Currently responsible for all LTE training
course creation and delivery
 Over 20 years of training experience at
companies including British Telecom and
Fujitsu

Adam Moore – Learning & Development

Manager
 With AIRCOM since 2006
 Member of CIPD

Contact us at training@aircominternational.com
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Agenda-What affects LTE Cell throughput

 Maximizing the data rate and spectral

efficiency are the main targets in LTE
cellular systems.
 Transport Block Size
 Codewords
 LTE UE categories
 What effects Cell throughput

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 What affects Cell throughput

DATA

Relay
Application

DATA
PDCP GTP-U
TCP/UDP

DATA IP
RLC UDP

PDCP

DATA
MAC IP
RLC
DATA
MAC
L1 L1/L2
DATA L1

UE eNode B

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 User Plane
Application Application Rate Application

Non Real Real Time Non Real Real Time

Time Time

overhead TCP UDP overhead TCP UDP

overhead IP overhead IP

PDCP PDCP

overhead RLC overhead RLC

RLC layer will concatenate or segment the data coming

from PDCP layer into correct block size
7 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
WHAT IS A TRANSPORT BLOCK

RLC
TCP
RLC IP HEADER
/UDP RLC

RLC
HEADER MAC HEADER MAC
MAC

TRANSPORT BLOCK

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 User Plane
Application Application Rate Application

Non Real Real Time Non Real Real Time

Time Time

overhead TCP UDP overhead TCP UDP

overhead IP overhead IP

QPSK 16QAM 64QAM

PDCP PDCP
2 bits 4 bits 6bits
overhead RLC overhead RLC

overhead MAC overhead MAC

overhead L1 Different coding Rates overhead L1

UE UE

MAC layer selects the modulation and coding scheme

configures the physical layer
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 Normal Cyclic Prefix

LTE UE categories Resource Element

2 bits
4 bits

12 subcarriers = 180 kHz

Frequency Domain
6 bits

7 symbols = 0.5 ms

Time Domain

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Now how many bits are
transferred in this 1ms
transport block size?
Modulation and coding scheme (MCS): The
MCS index (0…31) is used by the base station
to signal to the terminal the modulation and
coding scheme to use for receiving or
transmitting a certain transport block. Each
MCS index stands for a certain modulation
order and transport block size index

11 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd

 RRC Connection Reconfiguration
Message
|UE ID/RNTI Type |C-RNTI | Since the size of
|Subframe Number |2 |
|UE ID/RNTI Value |'8627'H || transport block is
|Transport Block Indicator |single TB info |
|Modulation Order DL 1 |QAM64 | not fixed
|New Data Indicator DL 1 |new data |
|Redundancy Version DL 1 |0 |
|Reserved |0 |
|Modulation Scheme Index DL |24 | MCS Index

RRC Connection Reconfiguration Message

Modulation Scheme Index DL 24

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 How much bits are transferred in this
1ms transport block size?
It depends on:
The MCS (modulation and coding scheme)

The number of resource blocks assigned to the

UE

Normal Cyclic Prefix Extended Cyclic Prefix

12 subcarriers = 180 kHz

12 subcarriers = 180 kHz

Frequency Domain

Resource Element
2 bits
7 symbols = 0.5 ms 6 symbols = 0.5 ms
4 bits
Time Domain Time Domain
6 bits
13 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
 Transport Block Size Tables
 Look-up table is referenced by the TBS Index and the number of
allocated Resource Blocks

RRC Connection Reconfiguration Message

Modulation Scheme Index DL 24

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 eNB assigns MCS index 12 and 2 resource blocks
POLL (RBs). What is the transport block size?
1. 56
2. 144
3. 616
4. 376
5. 440

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 eNB assigns MCS index 12 and 2 resource blocks
POLL (RBs). What is the transport block size?
1. 56
2. 144
3. 616
4. 376
5. 440

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Table

7.1.7.2.1-1
Look-up table is referenced by the TBS Index and the number of
allocated Resource Blocks

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What affects LTE Cell throughput

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 Coding Rate

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Coding rate

overhead MAC overhead MAC

overhead L1 overhead L1

MAC layer selects the modulation and coding scheme

configures the physical layer

Code rate: The code rate is defined as the ratio between the transport block size
and the total number of physical layer bits per subframe that are available for
transmission of that transport block. The code rate is an indication for the
redundancy that has been added due to the channel coding process

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Coding Rate
CQI Modulation Efficiency Actual Required
The coding rate indicates
1 QPSK 0.1523
coding rate
0.07618
SINR
-4.46
how many real data bits
2 QPSK 0.2344 0.11719 -3.75 are present out of 1024
3 QPSK 0.3770 0.18848 -2.55 while the efficiency
4 QPSK 0.6016 308/1024 -1.15
5 QPSK 0.8770 449/1024 1.75
provides the number of
6 QPSK 1.1758 602/1024 3.65 information bits per
7 16QAM 1.4766 378/1024 5.2 modulation symbol.
8 16QAM 1.9141 490/1024 6.1
9 16QAM 2.4063 616/1024 7.55
602/1024 = 0.5879
10 64QAM 2.7305 466/1024 10.85
11 64QAM 3.3223 567/1024 11.55
12 64QAM 3.9023 666/1024 12.75 QPSK = 2bits
13 64QAM 4.5234 772/1024 14.55
14 64QAM 5.1152 873/1024 18.15
15 64QAM 5.5547 948/1024 19.25
Efficiency=
2x0.5879=1.1758 data
21
bits per symbol© 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
Coding Rate 602/1024 = 0.5879
QPSK = 2bits
Efficiency=
2x0.5879=1.1758 data
bits per symbol

SINR +19,25
High cell throughput

DL BEARER – 64QAM, Efficiency 5.5

SINR -4.46
Low cell throughput

DL BEARER – QPSK Efficiency 0.1523

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Coding Rate

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Coding Rate
CQI Actual Required
Modulation Efficiency
coding rate SINR
1 QPSK 0.1523 0.07618 -4.46

2 QPSK 0.2344 0.11719 -3.75

3 QPSK 0.3770 0.18848 -2.55

4 QPSK 0.6016 308/1024 -1.15

5 QPSK 0.8770 449/1024 1.75

6 QPSK 1.1758 602/1024 3.65

7 16QAM 1.4766 378/1024 5.2 CQI = 15

8 16QAM 1.9141 490/1024 6.1 High

9 16QAM 2.4063 616/1024 7.55 throughput
10 64QAM 2.7305 466/1024 10.85

11 64QAM 3.3223 567/1024 11.55

12 64QAM 3.9023 666/1024 12.75

13 64QAM 4.5234 772/1024 14.55

14 64QAM 5.1152 873/1024 18.15

15 64QAM 5.5547 948/1024 19.25

Terminal
Density © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
24
 • 24 bit checksum (CRC) to the transport block
Code word This CRC is used to determine whether the
transmission was successful or not, and triggers
Hybrid ARQ to send an ACK or NACK

overhead MAC Transmitter Receiver

Transport Block
TRANSPORT BLOCK
Compute CRC Error detection

Transport Block CRC

Modulation Demodulation
overhead L1
Re-transmissions will reduce throughput
Transport Block CRC

codeword NACK

L1 converts the transport Transport Block CRC

block into a code-word

NACK
25 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
Adaptive re-transmission
If the base station receives the data with errors
Two ways for it to respond

1. The base station can trigger a

non adaptive re-transmission by sending the mobile a
negative acknowledgement on the PHICH.

The mobile then re-transmits the data with the same

parameters that it used first time around.

Scheduling grant maximum number of re-transmissions without receiving a positive response

Change parameters like uplink modulation scheme

QPSK for noisy channels
2. Alternatively, the base station can trigger an adaptive re-transmission by
explicitly sending the mobile another scheduling grant. It can do this to change the
parameters that the mobile uses for the re-transmission, such as the resource block
allocation or the modulation scheme.
26 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
 Code word If the transport block is too small, it is padded up to
40 bits

If the Transport Block is too big, it is divided into

MAC MAC smaller pieces, each of which gets an additional 24 bit
CRC
TRANSPORT BLOCK TRANSPORT BLOCK
A codeword, then, is essentially a transport block with
error protection.

L1 L1 Note that a UE may be configured to receive one or

two transport blocks (and hence one or two
codewords) in a single transmission interval

Maximum of 2 codewords used to limit signalling

codeword codeword requirement (CQI reporting, HARQ
acknowledgements, resource allocations)

27 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd

Codeword
• Maximum of 2 codewords used to limit signalling
requirement (CQI reporting, HARQ acknowledgements,
resource allocations)

• Transmit diversity provides the fallback when only a

codeword is transferred

Layer 1
Codeword 1
Layer 2

The number of layers is always less than or equal to the number of antenna ports
(transmit antennas).

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Transmit Diversity
 Transmit diversity requires multiple antenna elements at the transmitter,
and one or more antenna elements at the receiver
 3GPP has specified transmit diversity schemes based upon using either 2
or 4 antenna elements at the transmitter
 Transmit diversity transfers a single code word during each 1 ms
subframe

Layer mapping for 4 layers

Layer 1
Layer mapping for 2 layers
Modulated Layer 2
Layer 1 Codeword
Modulated Layer 3
Codeword
Layer 2 Layer 4

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4 Layers
Codewords Layers Mapping
2 4 The first codeword is split (odd/even) between the first
two layers , the second codeword is split between the
second two layers. Each codeword same length

4 layers – 2 codewords

Codeword 1 Layer 1
Note that the number of layers is always
less than or equal to the number of
antenna ports (transmit antennas).
Layer 2

Codeword 2 Layer 3
The number of layers used in any
particular transmission depends (at least
in part) on the Rank Indication (RI)
Layer 4
feedback from the UE

30 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd

MIMO
 MIMO can transfer either 1 or 2 code words during each 1 ms sub-frame
 CQI reporting, link adaptation and HARQ run independently for each
code word

DCI Format 2

Resource Allocation Type (0 or 1)

Resource Block Assignment
TPC Command for PUCCH
HARQ Process Number The scheduling commands for downlink
transmissions are more complicated, and are handled
in Release 8 by DCI formats 1 to 1D and 2 to 2A
Modulation and Coding Scheme
New Data Indicator Transport Block 1 information
Redundancy Version
Modulation and Coding Scheme
New Data Indicator Transport Block 2 information
Redundancy Version
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Precoding Information
 Cell throughput
CQI Actual Required

1
Modulation

QPSK
Efficiency

0.1523
coding rate
0.07618
SINR
-4.46
Maximizing the data rate
2 QPSK 0.2344 0.11719 -3.75 and spectral efficiency are
3 QPSK 0.3770 0.18848 -2.55

4 QPSK 0.6016 308/1024 -1.15 the main targets in LTE

5 QPSK 0.8770 449/1024 1.75
cellular systems. 10Mhz
6 QPSK 1.1758 602/1024 3.65

7 16QAM 1.4766 378/1024 5.2

8 16QAM 1.9141 490/1024 6.1

9 16QAM 2.4063 616/1024 7.55

10 64QAM 2.7305 466/1024 10.85

11 64QAM 3.3223 567/1024 11.55 CQI = 15

12 64QAM 3.9023 666/1024 12.75

13 64QAM 4.5234 772/1024 14.55

14 64QAM 5.1152 873/1024 18.15

15 64QAM 5.5547 948/1024 19.25

CQI = 1
32 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd
Spectral efficiency
Different Coding Rates
(Bit/s)/Hz per cell
Efficiency Efficiency
4.5234 5.5547
It is a measure of the quantity
64QAM 64QAM 64QAM
6bits/Hz
64QAM
6bits/Hz 6bits/Hz of users or services that can be
6bits/Hz
simultaneously supported by a
modulation and coding scheme Evolved limited radio frequency
Node B
bandwidth
Efficiency Efficiency (eNB)
3.9023 5.1152

A 64 QAM the spectral efficiency cannot exceed N = 6 (bit/s)/Hz

If a forward error correction (FEC) code with code rate 1/2 is added, meaning
that the encoder input bit rate is one half the encoder output rate, the spectral
efficiency is 50% of the modulation efficiency

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 Maximum data rate for CQI bearer 1
Assumptions: Bandwidth 1.4 3 5 10 15 20
10 Mz Bandwidth (MHz)
Normal Prefix
Coding rate 0.07618 # of RBs 6 15 25 50 75 100
MIMO 1x1
Normal Cyclic Prefix
Subcarriers 72 180 300 600 900 1200
12 subcarriers = 180 kHz
Frequency Domain

All 50 PRB
CQI bearer 1
MIMO 1x1
7 symbols = 0.5 ms

Time Domain

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Maximum data rate for CQI bearer 1

10 ms

0 1 2 3 19

One Sub-frame = 1 mS

Normal Cyclic Prefix

12 subcarriers = 180 kHz

Frequency Domain
4 x12 7x12
Number of Traffic symbols bits in a TTI = (4
x12) + (7x12)-6 =126

If QPSK bearer =126 x 2 =252 bits in 1ms 7 symbols = 0.5 ms

Time Domain

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Maximum data rate for CQI bearer 1
10 ms

0 1 2 3 19

One Sub-frame = 1 mS

Number of Traffic symbols bits in a TTI = (4 x12) +

(7x12)-6 =126
In 10 Mhz you have 50 PRB in 1mS

If QPSK bearer =126 x 2 =252 bits in 1ms

In one TTI (1mS)you have

50 x 252 bits = 12600 bits
per 1mS

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Maximum data rate for CQI bearer 1
10 ms
Number of Traffic symbols bits in a TTI = (4 x12) +
(7x12)-6 =126
If QPSK bearer =126 x 2 =252 bits in 1ms
0 1 2 3 19

One Sub-frame = 1 mS
In one TTI (1mS)you have
50 x 252 bits = 12600 bits per 1mS
In 10 Mhz you have 50 PRB in 1mS

Coding Rate
12600 bits x 0.07618=959.104 bits in 1ms

Bits per second

=959.104 x 1000= 959104 kb/s
=0.975 Mb/s in 10Mhz
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What have we not taken into account?

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Each Bearer has a maximum data rate
Bits per second
=959.104 x 1000= 959104 kb/s
=0.975 Mb/s in 10Mhz

Antenna 1
Without MIMO
12 sub-carriers

High throughput
1 ms

Without MIMO
CQI 15
Low throughput

CQI 1

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Bearers
Without MIMO

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Physical Overhead

Antenna 1 Antenna 2
Without MIMO

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 Coverage/Capacity
CQI 15

CQI 14

CQI 13

CQI 12

CQI 11

CQI 10

CQI 9

CQI 8

CQI 7

CQI 6

CQI 5

CQI 4 CQI 1

CQI 3 CQI 1

CQI 2

42 © 2013 AIRCOM International Ltd

Summary (MCS) (0…31)

Cell throughput is dependant on:

• Modulation and coding scheme (MCS) (0…31)
and Transport block size CQI
• Bandwidth
• Normal / Extended Prefix
Normal Cyclic Prefix
• Transmission modes TX diversity, Su-MIMO etc.
• LTE UE categories

12 subcarriers = 180 kHz

Frequency Domain
7 symbols = 0.5 ms

Time Domain

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Next Topic

Comparison between GSM, UMTS & LTE

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In Closing

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