GSM Handover Problems & Solutions

ZTE university
Objectives

 To master different types of handover and their

signaling flows;
 To master handover statistical signaling point and MR
tasks;
 To know common handover problems and the handling
procedures.
Contents

 Overview of handover
 Flow of handover signaling
 Handover statistics
 Handover problem analysis
Aims of handovers
 Why there are handovers?
 To keep calls going on during movement;
 To improve network service quality;
 To decrease call drop rate;
 To decrease congestion rate.
Handover classification

Intra-cell

Handover
Inter-MSC Intra-BSC
classification

Inter-BSC
Contents

 Overview of handover
 Flow of handover signaling
 Handover statistics
 Handover problem analysis
Intra-cell handover
Air A

BSC TC
BTS

Ch annel
Old

Ch annel
New
Signaling flow of intra-cell handover
MS BTS BSC MSC

1、Measurement Report(SACCH)
2、Measurement Report

3、Channel Activation

4、Channel Activation Ack

5、Assigment Command （FACCH)

6、SABM(FACCH)
7、Establish Indication
8、UA(FACCH)

9、Assigment Complete(FACCH)

10、Receiver Ready(FACCH)
11、HO Performed
12、RF Channel Release

13、RF Channel Release Ack

Inter-cell handover within one BSC

A ir A

BTS B SC TC

BTS

O ld C e ll / B T S N e w C e ll / B T S
Signaling flow of inter-cell handover within one BSC

MS Old BTS BSC New BTS MSC

1、Measurement Report(SACCH)
2、Measurement Report
3、Channel Activation

4、Channel Activation Ack

5、HO Command
6、HO Command(FACCH)
7、HO Access(FACCH)
8、HO Detect

9、Physical info(FACCH)

10、SABM(FACCH)

11、Establish Indication

12、UA(FACCH)

13、HO Complete(FACCH)

14、Receiver Ready(FACCH)
15、HO Complete
16、HO Performed
17、RF Channel Release

18、RF Channel Release Ack

Inter-BSC handover
N e w C e ll / B T S
A ir A

BSC TC
BTS

M SC VLR

B SC TC
B TS

O ld C e ll / B T S
Signaling flow of inter-BSC handover
MS Old BTS Old BSC MSC New BSC New BTS

1、HO_REQ
2、HO_REQ
3、Channel Activation

4、Channel Activation Ack

5、HO_REQ_ACK
6、HO Command
7、HO Command
8、HO Command
9、HO Access(FACCH)
10、HO Detect

11、Physical info(FACCH)
12、SABM(FACCH)

13、UA(FACCH)

14、HO ommand

15、HO Command
16、HO Command
17、HO Command
Inter-MSC handover

N e w C e ll / B T S
A ir A

BSC TC
BTS
M SC VLR

B SC TC
BTS
M SC VLR

O ld C e ll / B T S
Basic signaling flow of Inter-MSC handover
MS/BSS-A BSS-B/MS

MSC-A MSC-B VLR-B

A-HO-REQUIRED
MAP-Prep-Handover req. MAP-Allocate-Handover-Number req.
MAP-Send-Handover-Report req.

MAP-Send-Handover-Report resp.
A-HO-REQUEST
MAP-Prep-Handover resp. A-HO-REQUEST-ACK
IAM
A-HO-COMMAND ACM

MAP-Process-Access-Sig req. A-HO-DETECT

A-CLR-CMD/COM MAP-Send-End-Signal req. A-HO-COMPLETE

ANSWER

RELEASE
End of call
MAP-Send-End-Signal resp.
Signaling flow of inter-MSC back-handover

MS/BSS-B BSS-A/MS

MSC-A MSC-B VLR-B

A-HO-REQUIRED
MAP-Prep-Sub-Handover req.

A-HO-REQUEST

A-HO-REQUEST-ACK
MAP-Prep-Sub-Handover resp. A-HO-COMMAND
A-HO-DETECT

A-HO-COMPLETE
MAP-Send-End-Signal resp. A-CLR-CMD/COM
Release
Signaling flow of inter-MSC handover to a third MSC
MS/BSS
MSC-B’ VLR-B’

MSC-A MSC-B VLR-B

A-HO-REQUIRED
MAP-Prep-Sub-Handover req.

MAP-Prepare-Handover req. MAP-Allocate-Handover-Number req.

MAP-Prepare-Handover resp. MAP-Send-Handover-Report req.

IAM
MAP-Send-Handover-Rep. resp. (1)
ACM

MAP-Prep-Sub-Ho resp.
A-HO-COMMAND
A-HO-DETECT

MAP-Process-Access-Signalling req.

A-HO-COMPLETE

MAP-Send-End-Signal req.

Answer

Release

MAP-Send-End-Signal resp.
A-CLR-CMD/COM

(end of call)
Release

MAP-Send-End-Signal resp.
Basic flow of handover signaling
There is no “HO-Request” message for intra-BSC handover; all
Inter-cell handover
within BSC information is analyzed within BSC; Once a target cell in the
BSC fulfilling handover conditions is found, send “Channel
activation” message directly;

BSC reports CGI and handover cause of original cell and target
cell to MSC through “HO-Request”;
Inter-BSC handover
After MSC finds target cell LAC, it sends “HO-Request” to the
within MSC
BSC which the target cell belongs to;
Target BSC activates channel in target cell, and executes the
following flow.
Basic flow of handover signaling

MSC inquires “REMOTLAC sheet” (including LAC and

route address of adjacent MSC);
Inter-MSC handover MSC sends （ Prepare-HO ） message to the target
MSC-B according to the route address;
According to the （ Prepare-HO ） message, target
MSC-B requests for Handover number from VLR-B,
then sends “HO-Request” message to BSC-B;
After the target BSC-B receives “HO-Request ACK”, it
sends （ Prepare-HO ACK ） message to the original
MSC, and executes the following flow.”
Main differences between intra-BSC handover
and inter-BSC handover
MSC transmits “HO-REQ” message,
and CGI of original cell and target cell
MSCparticipates
participates Inter-
Inter-
MSC is carried in the message;
ornot
or not BSC
BSC
handover
handover
As for inter-BSC handover, MSC
participates in it since “HO-Request”;

As for intra-BSC handover, “HO-

CGIisiscarried
CGI carried
Performed” message is sent to MSC
orornot
not
only after the handover is completed; Intra-
Intra-
BSC
BSC
MSC doesn’t participate before that; handover
handover

For intra-BSC handover, CGI isn’t

carried in any message, it’s handled
within BSC.
 Flow of handover algorithm List of cells
under one LAC

MS BTS BSC MSC Target BSC Target MSC

HO request
BCCH

HO request
frequency Process of MR
point, BSIC
and level UL MR Intra-MSC
Confirmation of handover
values of adjacent cell CGI
the six

HO request
adjacent Execution of
cells (with handover decision
strongest
level) and
Selection of
serving cell;
target cell

Yes
BA2 sheet External cell?

No

Channel activation
Common timers at BSC
 T3107
 Suitable for: intra-cell handover
 Start-up: BSC sends “assignment command”
 Stop counting: when “assignment completed” or
“assignment failure” is received;
MS BTS:TRX BSC

CHANNEL ACTIVATE

CHANNEL ACTIVATE ACK

A1
ASSIGNMENT COMMAND
SET T3107

T3107
Timeout
A2
Common timers at BSC
 T3103
 Suitable for: inter-cell handover
 Start-up: BSC sends “handover command”
 Stop counting: when “handover completed” or “handover failure” is
received;
MS Old BTS: New BTS BSC

CHANNEL ACT

CHANNEL ACT ACK

A1
HANDOVER COMMAND HANDOVER COMMAND
SET T3103

T3103
Timeout

A2
Contents

 Overview of handover
 Flow of handover signaling
 Handover statistics
 Handover problem analysis
MR cycle
 MR is sent to BTS in SACCH UL direction;
 When MS is in SDCCH, MR cycle is 470ms/time;

 When MS is in TCH, MR cycle is 480ms/time.

26 multi-
480ms frames of 4
TCHs

12TCH 1SACCH 12TCH 1 idle

Indicator definition of handover success rate

KPI name Handover success rate

Indicator （ busy hour number of handover success times /busy hour

definition total number of handover request times ） *100%
V4 ((C140500794+C140500811+C140500882)/
(C140500787+C140500804+C140500806+C140500808
+C140500810+C140500881)
Signaling statistical point of handover success

BSC BTS MSC BSC BTS

HO_COM
HO_ COM
A
HO_COM
A

BSC-controlled inter-cell incoming handover success MSC-controlled incoming handover success

BSC MSC
BSC BTS
ASS_CMD CLEAR_CMD

ASS_COM A

Intra-cell handover success No. of MSC-controlled outgoing handover success times

Signaling statistical point of handover success


MS BTS(Src) BTS(Target) BSC MSC

MEAS_RES
MEAS_RES

CHL_ACT
CHL_ACT_ACK

HO_CMD
HO_CMD
HO_ACCESS
HO DETECT
Phy Info
SABM EST_IND
UA
HO_COM
HO_COM

A HO_PERFORM

BSC-controlled inter-cell outgoing handover success

Signaling statistical point of handover request

BTS( Target) BSC
BSC BTS
Forced
Resource
release ，
CHL_ACTIV_ACK Available
attempt A

A CHANNEL ACT

CHANNEL ACT ACK

BSC-controlled inter-cell incoming handover execution

Execution of forced release

BTS( Target) BSC

BTS( Target) BSC
Force
Resource
handover，
Available
Cell Resource attempt A
，
queuing Available
A
CHANNEL ACT
CHANNEL ACT
CHANNEL ACT ACK
CHANNEL ACT ACK

Execution of cell queuing Execution of force handover

Signaling statistical point of handover request

MSC BSC BTS

MSC BSC BTS
HO_REQ
HO_REQ Forced release attempt,
CHL_ACTIV
resource available
A CHL_ACTIV
CHL_ACTIV_ACK

A CHL_ACTIV_ACK
HO_REQ_ACK HO_REQ_ACK

Execution of forced release

MSC BSC-controlled incoming handover execution

MSC BSC BTS

BTS BSC
HO_REQ
CHL_ ACTIV_ ACK
Cell queuing, resource available

A ASSIGN_ CMD A
CHL_ACTIV

CHL_ACTIV_ACK
HO_REQ_ACK

Execution of queuing Execution of intra-cell handover

 Signaling statistical point of handover request

BTS( Target) BSC

BTS BSC MSC Force

Resource
handover，
available
attempt A
HO_CMD

CHANNEL ACT
A
HO_CMD
CHANNEL ACT ACK

Execution of force handover

No. of MSC-controlled outgoing handover execution times
MS BTS(Src) BTS(Target) BSC MSC
MEAS_RES
MEAS_RES

CHL_ACT
CHL_ACT_ACK

HO_CMD A
HO_CMD
HO_ACCESS
HO DETECT
Phy Info
SABM EST_IND
UA
HO_COM
HO_COM

HO_PERFORM

No. of BSC-controlled inter-cell outgoing handover execution times

Handover-related measurement tasks
Handover Measure the frequency of MS handovers caused by various kinds of
causes
reasons, so as to examine radio environment of a cell;
measurement

Common  Measure the process of MS handover to inspect handover success or

handover failure and abnormal situations causing failures, so as to improve the
measurement cell’s radio configuration and observe traffic dispersion, etc.;

Measure the number of times of incoming/outgoing handover

Measurement
attempt/success/failure from/to certain cells, and number of times of
of adjacent
handover caused by different reasons, so as to get the handover
cell handover
situations of the serving cell and its adjacent cells and to optimize their
radio configurations correspondingly;

Sub cell
statistical  Focus on traffic load of the second subcell.
measurement
Contents

 Overview of handover
 Flow of handover signaling
 Handover statistics
 Handover problem analysis
Analysis handover problems
 Analysis of handover problems
 Location method of handover problems
Common handover problems

Common handover
Possible influences
problems

Handover • Result in call drop;

nonoccurrence

Handover failure • Affect call quality and result in call

drop;

Frequent handover • Affect call quality, and increase

system load;

Handover hysteresis • Affect call quality and result in

call drop;
Discovery of handover problems
TOPN
TOPN analysis
analysis
Traffic statistics
analysis Abnormal
Abnormalnumber
numberof
ofhandover
handovertimes
times

Call
Calldrop
drop
Customer complaints

Bad
Badcoverage
coverage
Handover to best cell
inhibited
DT/CQT tests Poor
Poorspeech
speechquality
quality

Slow handover
Handover
Handoverproblem
problem

No handover
Meters at A interface

Handover failure

Frequent handover
Flow of handover problem checking
Too high TCH
handover failure rate
of a cell

Is radio No Adjust
parameter setting
parameters
reasonable?

Yes Check &

Interference
eliminate
exists?
interference

Coverage Yes Improve

problem exists? coverage

Yes Eliminate
Any equipment
equipment
faults?
faults

Yes Solve
Any antenna
antenna
problems?
problems

Complete
Location methods of handover problems
 Analyze traffic statistics
 Conduct handover statistics measurement, identify
problem range:

If just some cells fail to make handovers to the cell, check
handover data, check if co-channel and co-BSIC exist;

If the cell fails to take handovers from all other cells, check its
data.
 Check warnings: single board malfunction,
transmission and clock malfunctions, etc.;
 Check if radio parameters are set reasonably
 If co-channel or co-BSIC exist among adjacent cells;
 If handover parameters are set reasonably;
 If data configuration of external cells is correct.
Location methods of handover problems
 Interference checking
 DT analysis
 Signaling analysis: Um interface 、 Abis interface 、 A interface;
 Hardware checking: like DCU, transceiver, clock generator, RF
connection lines between boards;
 Antenna system checking
Analysis of handover problems
 Coverage & interference
 Antenna system
 BTS software & hardware
 transmission
 BSC software & hardware
 A interface malfunction
 Busy target cell
 Connection & adaptation to equipment from different suppliers
Coverage & interference
 Coverage:
 Poor coverage: due to influence from forest, complex
landforms, houses, indoor coverage, etc.;
 Isolated site: no adjacent cells around;
 Skip-zone coverage: no adjacent cells available due to
isolated-island effect;
 Interference:
 It makes MS unable to access in UL, or DL signal
receiving problem will be resulted.
Handover nonoccurance due to isolated-
island effect

Handover can’t
happen due to
lack of adjacent Non-adjacent
cells. cell
adjacent cell N1
Serving cell
Non-adjacent
cell
adjacent cell N2

Non-adjacent Adjacent cell N3

cell
Skip-zone
coverage leads to
isolated island.
Antenna system problems
 Too large VSWR
 Reversed installation of antenna
 Non-standard antenna installation
 Unreasonable azimuth, down-tilt
 Below-standard antenna insulation
 Twisted cables, loosened connectors and wrong
connections;
BTS software/hardware
 Problems about :
 Single board
 Clock generator malfunction
 Internal communication cable malfunction
 BTS software malfunction
Transmission and BSC problems
 Transmission fault
 Unstable transmission
 Too high transmission error rate
 BSC hardware/software malfunctions
 Clock generator malfunction: unconformity among clocks in
different BTSs due to clock generator malfunction;
 Problem about single board
 Wrong data configuration
 Unreasonable setting of handover threshold
 CGI, BCCH and BSIC values in “external cell data sheet” do not
match up to those in the corresponding BSC;
 Wrong BSC signaling point in “list of cell under a LAC” in MSC; co-
channel& co-BSIC adjacent cells exist.
A interface malfunction
 A interface malfunction
 Abnormal handover due to lack of link resource, abnormal calls;

 Busy target cell

 Abnormal handover due to lack of link resource, abnormal calls;

 handover between equipment from different suppliers

 Difference in signaling at interface A and interface E between ZTE
and other suppliers’ equipment, causing non-recognition or non-
support problem, including speech version, handover code and
addressing mode (CGI or LAI) etc., which will result in handover
failure.
Typical case 1- frequency interference
 Problem description:
 The data in performance report shows that Cell 1 under
a BTS suffers from low handover success rate.
 Problem analysis
 Examine the problem cell, discover that 2 cells under a
BTS co-channel and co-BSIC, and close to each other,
which results in low handover success rate in the cell.
 Problem handling
 After adjustment of frequency point, handover success
rate obviously increases, and number of handover times
reduces.
Typical case 1- frequency interference

Changes of HO indicators before & after Frequency point adjustment

Number of HO Req./number of HO success

180 120%

150 100%

HO success rate
120 80%

90 60%

60 40%

30 20%

0 0%
9-4 9-5 9-6 9-7 9-8 9-9 9-10 9-11
切换请求总次数
No. of HOReq. 切换成功总次数
No. of HOsuccess 切换成功率(%)
HO success
rate
Typical case 2- clock malfunction
 Problem description
 For a newly-commissioned BTS, handover nonoccurrence appears
during DT: the MS occupies a channel in cell A; during DT from cell
A to cell B, cell B can’t be observed in the adjacent cell list, and it
doesn’t start normal handovers.
 Problem analysis
 It’s a common network problem that handover nonoccurrence
appears in many cells;
 It’s a newly-commissioned BTS; handover parameters are as
default in the system;
 Check adjacent cells relation, no problem found;
 Observe from test MS, find out that adjacent cell frequency
appears in the adjacent cell, but BSIC can’t be decoded.

Since adjacent cell is searched through BA2 table during a call, and
BA2 relies on BCCH and BSIC to confirm an adjacent cell, when the
adjacent cell’s BSIC is unobtainable, BSC is unable to locate it, thus
handover won’t be started.
Typical case 2- clock malfunction
 Problem analysis
 Process of MS decodeing on DL channel

decode FCCH decode SCH （ SCH comprises MS frame
synchronous information and BSIC.
 MS can show adjacent cell frequency point, but not BSIC. It’s
suspected that adjacent cell’s SCH information can’t be decoded
by MS due to clock or transmission fault.
 Check clock and transmission

BTS adopts network clock

BSC traces superior clock

MSC traces superior GPS clock through long-distance satellite link
 The long-distance satellite link is found unstable, which leads to
high error rate on the meter, and warning of clock deterioration
appears on MSC.
Typical case 2- clock malfunction
 Problem handling
 Decide that it’s handover problem
caused by poor clock quality.
 Bring new GPS clock device and
adopt the local one, thoroughly
solve clock malfunction.
 Problem of handover
nonoccurrence is solved.
 Experience conclusion
 If no high accuracy clock
available, clock in BTS can be
used; calibration of each BTS
must be made by using
frequency meter and LMT to
ensure that frequency deviation
meets precision requirement.
Typical case 3-HO parameter setting problem
 Problem description
 During DT at a BTS, we find slow handover problem is
common (>10S), which affects speech quality and even
causes call drops.
 Problem: level of cell 2 is higher than that of cell 3 by
20dB, total handover time is 15s.
Typical case 3-HO parameter setting problem
 Problem analysis and handling
 Slow handover seriously affects network quality. Make adjustment of handover
parameters accordingly:

Change adjacent cell handover threshold to improve timeliness of handover
trigger;

Adjust the whole network’s handover window to be 2, so as to accelerate
handover speed;

Adjust the whole network’s handover preprocess to 2, so as to accelerate
handover speed.

Parameter Before After adjustment

adjustment
Level threshold 30 28
(HOMARGINRXLEV)
Quality threshold 30 26
(HOMARGINRXQUAL)

 Result
 Test after adjustment shows that handover time is reduced to 5s; the slow
handover problem is solved and speech quality is improve.
Questions for thinking
 Please simply illustrate effects on handover due to
changing T3103 、 T3107.

 Suggestions on parameter settings of handovers on

highway.