5G Features, Rel.

5G 21B,
Operating Documentation, Issue
01

5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous

Transmission (µDTX) for Energy
Efficiency

DN270166815
Issue 02
Approved on 2021-05-27

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

Table of Contents

Summary of changes .................................................................................................................... 6

1 5GC000430 overview and benefits ........................................................................................... 7

2 5GC000430 requirements .......................................................................................................... 8

3 5GC000430 system impact ...................................................................................................... 10

3.1 5GC000430 impact on other features ........................................................................ 10

4 5GC000430 description ............................................................................................................ 11

4.1 5GC000430 functioning and mode .............................................................................. 11

5 5GC000430 reference data ...................................................................................................... 12

6 Activating 5GC000430 ............................................................................................................... 13

7 Deactivating 5GC000430 .......................................................................................................... 15

8 Testing 5GC000430 ................................................................................................................... 16

8.1 Checking the 5GC000430 feature on a 15 MHz cell .................................................. 16
8.2 Checking the 5GC000430 feature on a 100 MHz cell ............................................... 18

9 5GC000430 glossary ................................................................................................................. 20

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

List of Figures
Figure 1 Graph showing power meter results ......................................................................... 18
Figure 2 Graph showing power meter results ......................................................................... 19

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

List of Tables
Table 1 Radio units supported by 5GC000430 in 20B ............................................................. 9
Table 2 Classical gNB faults related to 5GC000430 ............................................................... 12
Table 3 Cloud gNB-DU parameters related to 5GC000430 .................................................. 12
Table 4 Classical gNB parameters related to 5GC000430 .................................................... 12

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

Summary of changes
A list of changes between document issues. You can navigate through the respective
changed topics.

Changes between issues 01 (2020-11-30, 5G20B) and 02 (2021-05-27, 5G21A)

Testing 5GC000430

Testing chapter has been added.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

1. 5GC000430 overview and benefits

Main idea of the feature and advantages it brings

The 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature
leverages micro discontinuous transmission (µDTX) based on 5G sleep modes to switch off
some subparts of radio units during the presence of empty RF symbols. It provides the
following benefits:
the increase of gNB energy efficiency,
power saving by switching off radio unit subparts (mainly power amplifiers) during the idle
period.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

2. 5GC000430 requirements
Information where to find hardware, software, and license requirements

Equipment preconditions
For 5G supported hardware and software, see Reference Documentation/ Compatibility
matrix and Operating Documentation/ 5G Features/List of Features and Documents.

For SRAN supported hardware and software, see Operating Documentation/Single RAN
Features/List of Features and Documents.

For ASiR System 5G supported hardware and software, see Operating

Documentation/AirScale Indoor Radio System 5G/ASiR System 5G Features/List of Features
Supported in ASiR System 5G in AirScale Indoor Radio System 5G Operating Documentation.

For ASiR System supported hardware and software, see Operating Documentation/AirScale
Indoor Radio System/ASiR System Features/List of Features in ASiR System in AirScale Indoor
Radio System Operating Documentation.

Additional hardware requirements

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

Table 1: Radio units supported by 5GC000430 in 20B

AEHB AHBCB AHHB

AEHC AHBCC AHLOA

AEQB AHBOA AHNA

AEQC AHCA AHPB

AEQE AHDB AHPCA

AEQE_I AHEB AHPCDB

AEQI AHEGA AHPD

AEQJ AHEGB AHPMDA

AEQP AHEGC AHPMDB

AEQP_I AHFIA AREA

AEQQ AHFIB ARGA

AEQV AHFIC ARPA

AEQY AHFIG AZHA

AEQZ AHGD AZNA

AHBCA – –

For more information on supported radio units, see Nokia AirScale Radio Unit Description.

Sales information
For 5G licences info, see Operating Documentation/5G and Single RAN System/Licenses.

For SRAN licences info, see Operating Documentation/5G and Single RAN System/Licenses.

For ASiR System 5G licences information, see Operating Documentation/AirScale Indoor Radio
System 5G/ASiR System 5G Features/List of Features Supported in ASiR System 5G.

For ASiR System licences information, see Operating Documentation/AirScale Indoor Radio
System/ASiR System Features/List of Features in ASiR System.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

3. 5GC000430 system impact

The feature impacts system performance and capacity.

Impact on system performance and capacity

The 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature
impacts system performance and capacity as follows:
It reduces gNB power consumption.
Network service is not interrupted, as the parts' switch-off takes place only when there is
no data to transfer (idle period).

The 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature has
no impact on interfaces and network management tools.

3.1 5GC000430 impact on other features

There are no correlations between the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission
(µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature and any other feature.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

4. 5GC000430 description
This feature introduces micro discontinuous transmission (µDTX) based on 5G sleep
modes for energy efficiency.

Discontinuous transmission (DTX) saves power by switching off the transmission

component, for example cell power amplifiers (PAs) and a TX part of a transceiver during the
idle period. This feature introduces a variant of DTX which is called cell micro-DTX (µDTX),
also known as micro sleep.

The PA is switched off and on for the duration of symbols. The radio unit (RU) autonomously
manages the switch on/off, without any message exchange needed with a system module or
the fronthaul.

The µDTX does not interrupt the network performance as it only switches off the
components when there is no data.

4.1 5GC000430 functioning and mode

This feature reduces energy consumption in an idle period.

Discontinuous transmission (DTX) considered in this feature is a variant called cell micro-
DTX (µDTX), also known as micro sleep.

For any transmission components, for example a power amplifier (PA) or TX of a transceiver,
µDTX controls this component and sets it to a sleep mode in the following way:
No data supply: a sleep mode for this transmission component
Data supply: a non-idle mode, user data or synchronization signal blocks (SSBs)
transmitted, component in a standard mode

When no user data is applied, SSBs are still being transmitted periodically, which reduces
time periods for which the PAs can stay switched-off. For a dual carrier configuration, the
idle period is the combination of both carriers. In any standard combination mode, µDTX is
available in an autonomous detection mode.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

5. 5GC000430 reference data

List of management data related to the feature: alarms, faults, and parameters.

BTS faults and reported alarms

Table 2: Classical gNB faults related to 5GC000430

Fault ID Fault name Reported alarms

Alarm ID Alarm name

4308 Micro DTX configuration 7115 EFaultId_MdtxConfigurationFai

failure lureAl

Parameters

Table 3: Cloud gNB-DU parameters related to 5GC000430

Full name Abbreviated name Path

Activate micro actMicroDTX MRBTS/NRBTS

discontinued
transmission

Table 4: Classical gNB parameters related to 5GC000430

Full name Abbreviated name Path

Activate micro actMicroDTX MRBTS/NRBTS

discontinued
transmission

There are no measurements, counters, KPIs related to the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous
Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

6. Activating 5GC000430
Instructions how to activate the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX)
for Energy Efficiency feature using Web Element Manager (WebEM)

Before you start

See Configuring Features with Web Element Manager for general management tool
instructions.
The gNB is commissioned and operational.
All gNB elements are detected and configured.
A radio unit (RU) with an autonomous micro-DTX support is physically connected to the
gNB.
Either the NRCELL cellTechnology parameter is set to 1 (corresponding to TDD) and
the value for the NRCELL nrarfcn parameter is not greater than 2016666 or the
NRCELL cellTechnology parameter is set to 0 (corresponding to FDD).
The NRBTS actGeneralConnectivityBronze parameter is set to true.

Modifying the settings of the parameters used in this procedure doesn't interrupt service
availability.

Restart of the gNB or cell locking is not required after the activation of this feature.

Procedure
1 Start the WebEM application.

2 Go to Parameter Editor.

Select from the available options

Go to Configuration ► Configuration Management ► Parameter
Editor.
Use the PE keyboard shortcut.
Click the Parameter Editor icon in the top menu.

3 Go to the MRBTS ► NRBTS object.

4 Set the actMicroDTX parameter to true.

5 Validate and activate the configuration.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

In WebEM, click Validate Plan and then Activate Plan.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

7. Deactivating 5GC000430
Instructions how to deactivate the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX)
for Energy Efficiency feature using Web Element Manager (WebEM)

Before you start

See Configuring Features with Web Element Manager for general management tool
instructions.
The gNB is commissioned and operational.
All gNB elements are detected and configured.
Micro-DTX has been activated.

Modifying the settings of the parameters used in this procedure doesn't interrupt service
availability.

Restart of the gNB or cell locking is not required after the deactivation of this feature.

Procedure
1 Start the WebEM application.

2 Go to Parameter Editor.

Select from the available options

Go to Configuration ► Configuration Management ► Parameter
Editor.
Use the PE keyboard shortcut.
Click the Parameter Editor icon in the top menu.

3 Go to the MRBTS ► NRBTS object.

4 Set the actMicroDTX parameter to false.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

8. Testing 5GC000430
Examples of the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy
Efficiency feature verification. Do not use them for the feature as such in live network.
The configuration and parameter settings described are only examples and they can vary
in different networks.

The test bed setup for this verification includes two radio units (RUs): AHLOA (15-MHz cell,
n71 band) and AEQB (100-MHz cell, n78 band).

Monitoring energy efficiency provided by the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission

(µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature requires counters introduced by the 5GC000433:
Embedded Power Meter for Energy Efficiency feature.

You can check the µDTX feature gain by counting optical frequency-division multiplexing
(OFDM) symbols for physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) used by gNB when the
feature is on and off, and comparing the results.

Note:

Physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), cell specific reference signal (CRS) and
demodulation reference signal (DMRS) symbols are always carrying information. That
is why, for duration of these symbols, power amplifier (PA) cannot be switched off.

8.1 Checking the 5GC000430 feature on a 15 MHz cell

How to monitor the 15 MHz cell behavior with the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous
Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature on and off

Purpose
Monitoring the 15 MHz cell energy behavior by the external power meter when the
5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature is
activated (power amplifier (PA) is occasionally off) or deactivated (PA is always active) and
comparing the results.

Equipment preconditions

You need the following:

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

gNB1 (radio unit (RU), AHLOA) with 5G20B software version, in a 5G NSA, option 3x
configuration
External power meter device
EN-DC-capable 5G user equipment (UE) and n71 band
See Configuring Features with Web Element Manager for general management tool
instructions.

Before you start

Make sure that:

gNB1 (RU, AHLOA) are available and no fault or alarm is reported.
5G UEs are camped on a used 15 MHz cell.

Procedure
1 Start the WebEM application and set the actMicroDTX parameter to false.

For instructions to deactivate the µDTR mode, see Deactivating 5GC000430.

2 Check FDD 600 MHz cell power consumption with an external power meter.

2.1 Start traffic with one UE connected on the 15 MHz cell.

2.2 Start the external power meter to monitor this 5G cell frequency and its UE.

2.3 Stop UE traffic after several minutes.

Step result
The external power meter shows a continuous graph for the connected UE.

3 Set the actMicroDTX parameter to true.

For instructions to activate the µDTR mode, see Activating 5GC000430.

4 Check FDD 600 MHz cell power consumption with an external power meter.

4.1 Start traffic with one UE connected on the 15 MHz cell.

4.2 Start the external power meter to monitor this 5G cell frequency and its UE.

4.3 Stop UE traffic after several minutes.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

Step result
The external power meter shows a continuous graph with intermittent gaps (power
amplifier is occasionally off) for the connected UE.
Figure 1: Graph showing power meter results

8.2 Checking the 5GC000430 feature on a 100 MHz cell

How to monitor the 100 MHz cell behavior with the 5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous
Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature on and off

Purpose
Monitoring the 100 MHz cell energy behavior by the external power meter when the
5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency feature is
activated (power amplifier (PA) is occasionally off) or deactivated (PA is always active and
consumes energy) and comparing the results.

Equipment preconditions

You need the following:

gNB1 (radio unit (RU), AEQE) with 5G20B software version, in a 5G NSA, option 3x
configuration
External power meter device
EN-DC-capable 5G user equipment (UE) and n78 band
See Configuring Features with Web Element Manager for general management tool
instructions.

Before you start

Make sure that:

gNB1 (RU, AEQE) are available and no fault or alarm is reported.
5G UEs are camped on a used 100 MHz cell.

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

Procedure
1 Start the WebEM application and set the actMicroDTX parameter to false.

For instructions to deactivate the µDTR mode, see Deactivating 5GC000430.

2 Check FDD 3500 MHz cell power consumption with an external power meter.

2.1 Start traffic with one UE connected on the 100 MHz cell.

2.2 Start the external power meter to monitor this 5G cell frequency and its UE.

2.3 Stop UE traffic after several minutes.

Step result
The external power meter shows a continuous graph for the connected UE.

3 Set the actMicroDTX parameter to true.

For instructions to activate the µDTR mode, see Activating 5GC000430.

4 Check FDD 3500 MHz cell power consumption with an external power meter.

4.1 Start traffic with one UE connected on the 100 MHz cell.

4.2 Start the external power meter to monitor this 5G cell frequency and its UE.

4.3 Stop UE traffic after several minutes.

Step result
The external power meter shows a continuous graph with intermittent gaps (power
amplifier is occasionally off) for the connected UE.
Figure 2: Graph showing power meter results

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5GC000430: Micro Discontinuous Transmission (µDTX) for Energy Efficiency

9. 5GC000430 glossary
List of terms related to the 5GC000430 feature

idle period Period with no traffic and no data to be transferred. Period during
which there is no symbol to be transmitted (no SSB, no data).

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