Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

Feature Description

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Copyright

© Ericsson AB 2016-2018. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be

reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Disclaimer

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continued progress in methodology, design and manufacturing. Ericsson shall
have no liability for any error or damage of any kind resulting from the use of this
document.

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These are shown in the document Trademark Information.

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 Contents

Contents

1 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation Overview 1

2 Dependencies of Automated Cell Capacity Estimation 2

3 Feature Operation 4
3.1 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation Operation 4
3.2 Cell Capacity Assessment 4
3.3 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation Process 5
3.4 Configuration Guidelines 8

4 Parameters 11
4.1 Introduced Parameters 11
4.2 Affected Parameters 11
4.3 Parameters Affecting the Feature 12

5 Network Impact 13

6 Performance 14
6.1 KPIs 14
6.2 Counters 14
6.3 Events 14

7 Activate Automated Cell Capacity Estimation 15

8 Deactivate Automated Cell Capacity Estimation 16

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Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation Overview

1 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

Overview

Access Type: LTE

Feature Identity: FAJ 121 3031
Value Package Name: LTE Base Package
Value Package Identity: FAJ 801 0400
Node Type: Baseband Radio Node
DU Radio Node
Licensing: Licensed feature. One license per node.

Summary
The purpose of Automated Cell Capacity Estimation is to automatically and
periodically perform estimations of the downlink capacity in order to serve the
load management features with valid estimates for the selected cells.

The feature introduces a method for the estimation of the current capacity of the
downlink of each cell, which is used by load management features to assess the
traffic load. Periodic estimations are performed on the current cell capacity to
ensure it is reliable.

The feature has the following main benefits:

— Reduces the need for manual configuration of cell capacity.

Note: If a fixed cell capacity value was set manually, it is likely that after
cell capacity changes, the previous configuration does not reflect
actual cell capacity value.

— The cell capacity value is more accurate over time than the fixed predefined
value.

Additional Information
More information about this feature and related topics can be found in the
following documentation:

— Inter-Frequency Load Balancing

— Inter-Frequency Offload

— Inter-RAT Offload to WCDMA

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

2 Dependencies of Automated Cell Capacity

Estimation

This feature has no prerequisite or conflicting features, but it is associated with a

number of mobility related features.

Table 1 Feature Dependencies

Feature Relationship Description

LTE Broadcast (FAJ 121 3031) Related FDD only. When the feature LTE
Broadcast is operable, it is possible
that a huge amount of Physical Radio
Block functionality will be
unavailable for downlink traffic. This
feature must detect this event and
perform estimation of cell capacity
immediately to reflect the reduction
of the radio resource.
Inter-RAT Offload to WCDMA (FAJ Related The feature is realized as a network
121 3048) feature, where neighboring LTE and
WCDMA cells cooperate and perform
the traffic load adjustments, without
a central node controlling those
efforts. The feature uses the
introduced method from Inter-
frequency Load Balancing for the
assessment of traffic load based on
the presence of Evolved Radio Access
Bearers (E-RAB) in the cell and the
QoS class to which they belong.
Inter-Frequency Load Balancing (FAJ Related The feature Best Neighbor Relations
121 3009) for Intra-LTE Load Management is
used in combination with Inter-
frequency Load Balancing in order to
identify the suitable EUTRAN target
load relations to be used for load
balancing.
Inter-Frequency Offload (FAJ 121 Related The feature Best Neighbor Relations
3061) for Intra-LTE Load Management is
used in combination with Inter-
Frequency Offload in order to identify
the suitable EUTRAN target load
relations to be used for offload.

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 Dependencies of Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

Hardware
No specific hardware requirement is expected for this feature.

Limitations
No limitations for this feature.

Network Requirements
At feature activation, a license key must be activated to operate the Automated
Cell Capacity Estimation feature.

System Functions
This feature does not affect any system functions.

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

3 Feature Operation

This section describes the Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature in more
detail, including network configuration requirements and operation flows.

3.1 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation Operation

The Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature is a periodic process that
outputs cell capacity estimation. The estimation result is saved in attribute
dynCellSubscCap for further use. The feature can be activated at node level.
When it is active, it runs in the following modes:

— Active, and the estimated value is isolated and does not affect any other
features.

— Active, and the estimated value is used in load management features.

3.2 Cell Capacity Assessment

Automated Cell Capacity Estimation is used to dynamically estimate the varying
downlink capacity. The estimated capacity is primarily used as an input
parameter in load management features. The current cell load, estimated for
example in the Inter-Frequency Load Balancing feature, is divided by the cell
capacity and thereby a relative load figure for each cell is calculated and can be
used to determine if load balancing actions must be performed.

3.2.1 Estimation of Current Downlink Cell Capacity

The Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature uses a model for downlink
capacity assessment where cell traffic data is collected and calculated to
generate downlink capacity.

Cell capacity represents an estimated traffic rate when all available resources are
supposed to be fully used in the cell. The cell capacity is calculated from the
average bit rate divided by average degree of usage, where the degree of usage
indicates how many PRBs are used amongst the available PRBs. There are three
parameters, BitRate, UsedPRBs, and AvailablePRBs, and they are periodically

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 Feature Operation

and synchronically measured in the cell and accumulated as ΣBitRate,

ΣUsedPRBs, and ΣAvailablePRBs respectively during estimation interval.

3.3 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation Process

Initialization of Cell Capacity and Boundary Values

Cell Capacity Assessment

Automatic and Periodic Estimation

Update MOM by Transition Steps

Using Estimated Cell Capacity

L0001976A

Figure 1 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation Process

3.3.1 Cell Capacity and Boundary Value

When the Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature is activated, the value of
attribute EUtranCellFDD.dynCellSubscrCap or
EUtranCellTDD.dynCellSubscrCap is automatically initialized for unlocked
cells to the same value as attribute
EUtranCellFDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity . The initialization is also done at
each cell unlock. For more details about setting the value of attribute
EUtranCellFDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity see Configuration of Subscription
Parameters on page 8.

The initial boundary values of EUtranCellFDD.cellCapMaxCellSubCap and

EUtranCellFDD.cellCapMinCellSubCap are also automatically set by this

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

feature. The boundary value can be modified after the feature is activated. For
more information, see Boundary Configuration on page 9.

3.3.2 Cell Capacity Assessment

To assess current cell capacity, it is necessary to estimate the current downlink
cell traffic. The estimation result is output to MOM attribute dynCellSubscrCap
( EUtranCellFDD.dynCellSubscrCap or EUtranCellTDD.dynCellSubscrCap ).
This MOM attribute does not mirror to the OSS, the result of assessment is
observed by PM Event INTERNAL_EVENT_CELL_DL_CAPACITY.

3.3.3 Automatic and Periodic Estimation

Cell capacity estimation is repeatedly performed at variable intervals. This
update period is not fixed. The interval is adjusted by the Automated Cell
Capacity Estimation feature according to traffic intensity.

Start

Collect data

Maximum time Enough number of

no no
between calculations exceeded? RRC Connection Setups?
(120 min) (2000)

yes yes

no Minimum time between no

PRB usage high enough?
(3%) calculations exceeded?
(15 min)

yes yes

Estimate cell capacity

Reset counters

L0001977B

Figure 2 Simplified Flow of Cell Capacity Estimation

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 Feature Operation

3.3.4 Update MOM by Transition Steps

The dynCellSubscrCap attribute (EUtranCellFDD.dynCellSubscrCap or
EUtranCellTDD.dynCellSubscrCap) represents estimated cell capacity. To
minimize impact on other Load Management features, a transition step update is
introduced that updates this MOM attribute to make the change more smooth.
Instead, the attribute reaches the final value gradually.

The complete transition period is set to 15 minutes, and the time for each
transition step is set to 1 minute.

dynCellSubscrCapnew
Cell capacity [kbps]

Transition period

New estimated
cell capacity

Transition step change

dynCellSubscrCapold
Transition step

Time [min]
New cell capacity is estimated

L0001978A

Figure 3 Overview of dynCellSubscrCap Shift

3.3.5 Rapid Compensation

Normally, cell capacity is estimated periodically made at certain intervals.
However, the value of attribute dynCellSubscrCap
(EUtranCellFDD.dynCellSubscrCap or EUtranCellTDD.dynCellSubscrCap)
can suddenly become unreasonable because cell resource capacity is radically
changed by other features. The Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature can
detect this event and immediately make a cell capacity estimation.

For example, as soon as the feature Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service is

activated, a number of Physical Radio Blocks become unavailable for downlink
traffic. In this case, the Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature detects the
huge reduction of numbers of available Physical Radio Blocks, and a new cell
capacity estimation is instantly performed. Rapid compensation is triggered
when the number of available Physical Radio Blocks changes by more than 10%.

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

3.3.6 Using Estimated Cell Capacity in Load Management Features

The operator can choose whether to use Automated Cell Capacity Estimation
feature in other Load Management features by setting useEstimatedCellCap . If
the operator chooses to use this feature in Load Management features, these
features will use the attribute dynCellSubscrCap
( EUtranCellFDD.dynCellSubscrCap or EUtranCellTDD.dynCellSubscrCap )
instead of cellSubscriptionCapacity to assess the subscription ratio.

3.4 Configuration Guidelines

3.4.1 Configuration of Subscription Parameters

In Load Management features, it is recommended that the subscription
parameter values are selected in proportion to bit rates in kbps. However, since
the unit of the MOM attribute dynCellSubscrCap
( EUtranCellFDD.dynCellSubscrCap or EUtranCellTDD.dynCellSubscrCap )
is explicitly defined as kbps, the configuration principle of these subscription
parameters must be changed if the operator wants to use the Automated Cell
Capacity Estimation feature in other Load Management features. In comparison
to the Load Management User Description features, the following
recommendations are changed:

— Parameter qciSubscriptionQuanta

— Parameter qciSubscriptionQuanta for a non-GBR type of E-RAB is chosen

to be identical to a value considered as an acceptable downlink bitrate in
kbps for UE in connected mode in LTE RAN at high load. for a Guaranteed Bit
Rate (GBR) type of E-UTRAN Radio Access Bearer (E-RAB) is chosen to be
identical to the typical guaranteed downlink bitrate in kbps for the particular
Quality of Service Class Indicator (QCI).

— The general recommendation is to choose a value of parameter

cellSubscriptionCapacity
( EUtranCellFDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity or
EUtranCellTDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity ) identical to the achievable
downlink bitrate in kbps in the cell.

Table 2 below shows an example recommendation for

cellSubscriptionCapacity assuming that the downlink spectrum efficiency is
2.0 bps/Hz for an FDD cell, and the entire downlink bandwidth can be utilized. In
case of TDD, the effective bandwidth is scaled in proportion to how much of the
TDD frame is allocated for downlink.

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 Feature Operation

Table 2 Example Recommendation for cellSubscriptionCapacity

Duplex Bandwidth (MHz) Cell Subscription
Capacity
FDD 20 40000
15 30000
10 20000
5 10000
TDD 20 28000
10 14000
20 20000
10 10000

Note: If the value of parameter cellSubscriptionCapacity for a

Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) type of E-UTRAN Radio Access is not
configured in this recommended way, the impact is that the value of
parameters dynCellSubscrCap, cellCapMaxCellSubCap and
cellCapMinCellSubCap are initialized as improper values. After the first
estimation of Cell Capacity, parameter dynCellSubscrCap is updated to
a reasonable value. The improper boundary parameters
cellCapMaxCellSubCap and cellCapMinCellSubCap must however be
manually corrected by the operator.

It is highly recommended that the configurations of this feature are

consistent among neighboring cells. If the feature is not activated in the
complete network, cells are running both using the static cell capacity or
the dynamic cell capacity. If these cells run any load balancing activities,
a mismatch in their load normalization procedure occurs. As a result,
they have the same load situation, but appear to not be balanced.

3.4.2 Boundary Configuration

The Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature automatically sets the boundary
parameters cellCapMinCellSubCap and cellCapMaxCellSubCap to the
following initial values if attribute cellCapMinMaxWriProt is set to false:
— cellCapMinCellSubCap = 0.5 × cellSubscriptionCapacity

— cellCapMaxCellSubCap = 1.5 × cellSubscriptionCapacity

It is possible to modify these boundary parameters manually after the feature is

activated. The attribute cellCapMinMaxWriProt must be set to true to keep
these values after activities that require cell lock and unlock.

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

3.4.3 Use Estimated Cell Capacity in Load Management Features

If Load Management features want to use the estimated Cell Capacity output by
the Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature, attribute
useEstimatedCellCap must be set to true, otherwise, the estimated Cell
Capacity will only be shown in PM Event INTERNAL_EVENT_CELL_DL_CAPACITY ,
and will not affect any other Load Management features.

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 Parameters

4 Parameters

This section describes parameters introduced by the Automated Cell Capacity

Estimation feature and parameters affected by activating the feature.

4.1 Introduced Parameters

Table 3 describes the parameters introduced by the feature.

Table 3 Introduced Parameters

Parameter Description
dynCellSubscrCap Parameter containing the automatically estimated cell capacity
value.
Exists for MO classes:

— EUtranCellFDD.dynCellSubscrCap

— EUtranCellTDD.dynCellSubscrCap
cellCapMaxCellSubCap Maximum value for the estimated cell capacity.
Exists for MO classes:

— EUtranCellFDD.cellCapMaxCellSubCap

— EUtranCellTDD.cellCapMaxCellSubCap
cellCapMinCellSubCap Minimum value for the estimated cell capacity.
Exists for MO classes:

— EUtranCellFDD.cellCapMinCellSubCap

cellCapMinMaxWriProt
— EUtranCellTDD.cellCapMinCellSubCap
Write protection that prevents the feature Automated Cell Capacity
Estimation from changing the value on parameters
cellCapMinCellSubCap and cellCapMaxCellSubCap.
Exists for MO classes:

— EUtranCellFDD.cellCapMinMaxWriProt

— EUtranCellFDD.cellCapMinMaxWriProt
useEstimatedCellCap Switches on the use of estimated cell capacity in load management
features. Exists in MO class
AutoCellCapEstFunction.useEstimatedCellCap.

4.2 Affected Parameters

Table 4 describes the parameters affected by the feature.

Table 4 Affected Parameters

Parameter Description
cellSubscriptionCapacity The unit of the value must be identical to kbps instead of in
proportion to kbps
Exists for MO classes:

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

Parameter Description
— EUtranCellFDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity

qciSubscriptionQuanta (Operator
Defined)
qciSubscriptionQuanta (Predefined)
— EUtranCellTDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity
The unit of the value must be identical to kbps instead of in
proportion to kbps
The unit of the value must be identical to kbps instead of in
proportion to kbps

4.3 Parameters Affecting the Feature

Table 5 describes parameters that affect the feature.

Table 5 Parameters that Affect the Feature

Parameter Description
cellSubscriptionCapacity The value affects the initial value of dynCellSubscrCap,
cellCapMinCellSubCap and cellCapMaxCellSubCap
Exists for MO classes:

— EUtranCellFDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity

— EUtranCellTDD.cellSubscriptionCapacity

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 Network Impact

5 Network Impact

This feature does not have any network impact.

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

6 Performance

This section describes performance indicators, counters, and events associated

with the Automated Cell Capacity Estimation feature.

6.1 KPIs
This feature has no associated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

6.2 Counters
This feature has no directly associated counters.

6.3 Events
Table 6 lists the events associated with the Automated Cell Capacity Estimation
feature.

Table 6 Events
Event Event Parameter Description
INTERNAL_EVENT_CELL_DL_C EVENT_PARAM_ESTIM_CELL_CAPACITY New estimate of cell capacity value.
APACITY
EVENT_PARAM_CELL_CAPACITY_UPDAT The reason for updating cell capacity
E_CAUSE value, normal update or rapid
compensation.

For a full list with detailed information about PM events, see the list files in the
List Files library folder.

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 Activate Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

7 Activate Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

Prerequisites

— The license key is installed in the node.

— Continuous Cell Trace Recording (CCTR) is activated since at least one week.
This ensures there is troubleshooting data available if something goes
wrong.

Steps

1. Set the attribute featureState to ACTIVATED in the applicable MO

instance, depending on node type:

Node Type License Control MO

DU Radio Node OptionalFeatureLicense=AutoCellCapEstFun
ction
Baseband-based Node FeatureState=CXC4011373

After This Task

Let the CCTR be active for one week, for continued collection of troubleshooting
data.

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 Automated Cell Capacity Estimation

8 Deactivate Automated Cell Capacity

Estimation

Prerequisites
Continuous Cell Trace Recording (CCTR) is activated since at least one week. This
ensures there is troubleshooting data available if something goes wrong.

Steps

1. Set the attribute featureState to DEACTIVATED in the applicable MO

instance, depending on node type:

Node Type License Control MO

DU Radio Node OptionalFeatureLicense=AutoCellCapEstFun
ction
Baseband-based FeatureState=CXC4011373

After This Task

Let the CCTR be active for one week, for continued collection of troubleshooting
data.

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