COMPASS

Application Note 1 Handover Analysis

Handover problems Radio problems

Equipment problems Roaming problems

Configuration problems Cabling problems

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Handover analysis
MSC MSC BSC BSC BTS

BTS

Inter MSC handover.

The handover function

The handover function is a very important function in GSM systems. If handovers fail it leads to a high number of dropped calls when mobile phones are moving around in the network. This application note will focus on handovers between BSCs. When a mobile phone is activated the BSC informs it about which neighbour cells to measure the receiving level from. During the call the mobile phone sends measurement reports approx. twice every second with information on receiving level and quality of the serving cell and receiving level of neighbour cells. The BTS sends similar reports on receiving level and quality of the signal from the mobile phone. Based on these measurement reports, the BSC decides when to make a handover and to which neighbour cell to make the handover. If the target cell for the handover is within another BSC, the BSC of the source cell has to ask the MSC to perform the handover. The MSC asks the BSC of the target cell if it is possible to make the handover. If the handover is possible, the MSC commands the handover. If handover is not possible, the MSC and the BSC are informed why it is not possible to make the handover. The following illustrations show the messages used for handovers.

BSC

MSC

Handover required Handover required rej.

Rejected outgoing handover.

BSC

MSC BSC MSC

Handover required Handover command Clear Command

(Cause: handover successful)

Handover request Handover failure

Successful outgoing handover.

Rejected incoming handover.

BSC
Handover request

MSC

BSC

MSC

Handover required Handover command Handover failure

Handover request ack. Handover detect Handover complete

Failed handover. Successful incoming handover.

Handover analysis
When handovers are to be analysed the COMPASS software has several different displays that can sort the handovers based on different criteria. One of them is outgoing handovers at A interface. In this display the failure rate of handovers between any pair of cells is shown. By double clicking on the number of failed handovers the cause of the failures is shown. In order to confirm that the problem is severe for the network, the failure rate should be high and the total number of handovers should be significant before the problem is investigated any further.

Outgoing handovers at A interface.

Cause of handover failure

The reason for the failed handovers is indicated in the cause value of the handover failure or handover required reject messages. Some typical examples are: Radio interface failure cause. This is not necessarily a coverage problem, but could also be caused by interference, wrong cell parameters, BTS hardware problems, antenna

Cause for failed handovers. problems, etc. No radio resource available means that there is no free radio channel in the target cell. Invalid cell. This is related to the target cell that is unknown in the MSC database. Invalid message contents indicates signalling errors. Equipment failure tends to indicate an equipment failure, but this is not always the case. The reason is that software engineers must use ETSI specified causes. When certain failures have no precise cause specified, equipment failure is usually applied, as this is the most common cause in the BSSMAP layer.

Unanswered handover attempts.

Protocol analysis
When messages for calls with failed handovers are analysed it is easy to see that the handover problem is causing a high load on the network. Every time the handover is rejected the BSC will continue to require a handover until the call is either dropped or handed over to another cell. In some cases the equipment is Dropped call caused by handover failure. configured not to answer the handover-required to determine the reason for the message. In this case the COMPASS problem without changing the software will classify the handover configuration, so that the cause of as interrupted and it is impossible the handover rejects can be found.

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GN Nettest is a worldwide designer, manufacturer and marketer of advanced equipment and systems for the test and measurement of telecommunication, data communication and optical networks. We provide vendors, carriers, enterprises and communication research laboratories with the network testing solutions they need to troubleshoot and optimise performance in todays complex, hybrid networks and in those planned for tomorrow. GN Nettest undertakes a continuous and intensive product development programme to ensure that its instruments and systems perform to the highest technical standards. As a result, the specifications in this document are subject to change without notice. ISO 9001 certified. NCOMPASS-APP101-0009-A4.