1.

4 Unbalanced power budget problem

Abis trace

Example of an Abis trace analysis

delta_Path_loss

nb_of samples
AV_MS_PWR
Path_loss_UL

Path_loss_DL

delta_quality
RxQual_UL

RxQual_DL
Frequency

RxLev_UL

RxLev_DL
106 -9 4 . 5 2 -8 7 . 1 9 0.43 0.25 127.55 130.19 -2 . 6 4 0.18 33.03 2066
89 -8 4 . 2 9 -7 5 . 1 7 0.65 0.44 115.32 118.17 -2 . 8 5 0.21 31.03 2001
118 -9 0 . 7 5 -8 3 . 3 6 0.46 0.41 123.22 126.36 -3 . 1 4 0.04 32.46 3193
124 -8 8 . 8 9 -8 5 . 3 0 0.29 0.67 120.48 128.30 -7 . 8 2 -0 . 3 7 31.59 2931

D IS TR IB U TIO N O F U P L IN K Q U A L ITY
F re q u e n c y Q u a l0 Q u a l1 Q u a l2 Q u a l3 Q u a l4 Q u a l5 Q u a l6 Q u a l7 B a d _ Q u a lit y
106 84.75 % 4.07 % 3.68 % 3.19 % 1.36 % 1.50 % 0.92 % 0.53 % 2.95 %
89 81.41 % 1.70 % 2.95 % 3.65 % 6.35 % 2.55 % 1.30 % 0.10 % 3.95 %
118 83.62 % 4.23 % 4.23 % 3.35 % 1.57 % 1.79 % 0.97 % 0.25 % 3.01 %
124 90.79 % 1.06 % 2.18 % 2.35 % 1.77 % 1.30 % 0.48 % 0.07 % 1.84 %

D IS TR IB U TIO N O F D O W N L IN K Q U A L ITY
F re q u e n c y Q u a l0 Q u a l1 Q u a l2 Q u a l3 Q u a l4 Q u a l5 Q u a l6 Q u a l7 B a d _ Q u a lit y
106 90.27 % 3.44 % 2.08 % 1.55 % 0.92 % 1.36 % 0.34 % 0.05 % 1.74 %
89 80.16 % 6.45 % 7.00 % 3.85 % 1.50 % 0.50 % 0.45 % 0.10 % 1.05 %
118 86.78 % 2.72 % 3.95 % 1.82 % 1.41 % 1.13 % 1.19 % 1.00 % 3.32 %
124 77.14 % 4.37 % 5.87 % 5.94 % 3.48 % 1.36 % 0.82 % 1.02 % 3.21 %

1.31

Example of Computation of delta path loss based on Abis measurements

BTS transmitted power , MS transmitted power

combiner loss - ,
measured received DL level - measured received UL level -
DL Path loss UL path loss

delta path loss computed on Abis - dBm

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.31

 1.4 Unbalanced power budget problem
RMS data

Suspecting a TRX hardware problem

Average Path Balance

Average Cell Path Balance

= -0. 9 dB

Fair average Path Balance at Cell level can hide a bad value
for one TRX
1.32

▼ These RMS indicators are provided on RNO tool per TRX, per Cell:
Vector of the Number of Measurement Results per Path Balance band
RMPBV = RMS_PathBalance_sample
Average Path Balance value
RMPBAN = RMS_PathBalance_avg

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.32

 1.4 Unbalanced power budget problem
Typical causes

Antennae or common RF components, TMA (pb common to all

TRXs of the BTS)

TRX RF cables/LNA ... if problem located on only 1 FU

1.33

▼ Every BTS has its proper architecture and the diagnosis must be adapted.

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.33

 1 TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS

1.5 TCH Congestion problem

1.34
© Alcatel University - 8AS 90200 1485VH ZZA Ed.02

Theoretical presentation
Coverage problem
Interference problem
Unbalanced power budget problem
TCH Congestion problem
Deducing the right team for intervention
Exercises

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.34

 1.5 TCH Congestion problem
Definition and symptoms
Definition: TCH Congestion
TCH Congestion rate (TCH Assignment Phase) is too high (more
than 2%)
Rule: try to meet the offered traffic (asked by users) by providing the
right number of resources (TRX extension)
Symptoms:
Customers complain about ‘Network busy’
OMC QoS indicators
High “TCH Congestion rate”
Low “incoming Intra/Inter BSC HO success rate” (no TCH available)
High “Directed Retry rate” if activated
A interface indicator: “BSS Congestion failure in OC”
High rate of Assignment Failure messages, No radio resource
available

1.35

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.35

 1.5 TCH Congestion problem
Examination and typical causes
Examination: TCH Congestion
On a per cell basis examination, check the evolution of the TCH
Congestion rate.
Typical causes:
Special events:
Foreseeable: football match, important meeting
Activate some TRXs already installed (and use Synthesized
FH)
Add special moving BTSs

Not foreseeable: car crash on the highway

1.36

▼ Cells on wheel operational by several operators around the world for special events coverage & capacity
IRMA (SFR) connected to Caen’s BSC.
Orange coverage / Football WC 1998 for Paris « Stade de France »:
Specific cells covering Paris Stadium. During games, only small capacity (using joker frequencies).
During breaks, some TRX off cells around are turned off, and frequencies are reused for stadium cells.

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.36

 1.5 TCH Congestion problem
Typical causes (1/2)

Daily periodic problems

At peak hour, the cell is not correctly dimensioned.
Annex 1
Estimate the offered traffic:
– At OMC-R level: Traffic in Erlang/(1- TCH Congestion
rate)

Use the B-Erlang law to estimate the number of TCHs

required for a 2% blocking rate, thus the target configuration

Add TRXs to reach the new target configuration and find ‘joker
frequencies’ and / or implement concentric cells.

1.37

▼ Warning: “offered traffic” is not the capacity delivered by the system but the traffic asked by the users.

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.37

 1.5 TCH Congestion problem
Typical causes (2/2)

Daily periodic problems

At peak hour, the cell is not correctly dimensioned.

Use specific densification features

– Half Rate
– Forced Directed Retry
– Traffic handover
– Fast Traffic handover
– Candidate Cell Evaluation (FREEFACTOR /
LOADFACTOR)

1.38

▼ Half rate may not only mean “SW” solution. Need of G2 BSC/TC, Evolium TRE or G2 DRFU.

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.38

 1 TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS

1.6 Deducing the right team for intervention

1.39
© Alcatel University - 8AS 90200 1485VH ZZA Ed.02

Theoretical presentation
Coverage problem
Interference problem
Unbalanced power budget problem
TCH Congestion problem
Deducing the right team for intervention
Exercises

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.39

 1.6 Deducing the right team for intervention
Process

QOS team Drive test team

Problem characterization RFT team - Interferences
- Coverage (indoor)
- Power budget
QOS alarm on the network, Make assumption causes - Congestion (TCH, SDCCH)
on a BSC or some cells - BSS problem
END
DHCP No Investig problem ? No Recurrent problem ?
- Indicators (% call drop)
- Field measurements/planning Yes Yes
- Subscriber complains
Yes Planning/BSS causes
No

Correction
Check the tuning of default radio parameters
action
Planning team
Standard parameters ?
Maintenance team

Dimensionning team
Consult the config. db No Yes Choose an (other) classical algo

On purpose Yes Identify the tunable parameters

Cell corrected ?
No
Neighbor cell ?
Impact simulation of a
NOK Impact estimation parameter modification

Check ? With QOS ? System problem ? No N times No Simulation OK ?

Yes =N Yes
OK
Standard setting ? Call expert Parameters modification
Database updating
END
DHCP

- Microcell, multiband - Hopping

- Concentric - Marketing

1.40

© Alcatel University - 8AS902001485 VH ZZA Ed.02 Page 1.40