Performance Improvement of Operational GSM and GPRS Network Aug 2010

Contents
Introduction Network Architecture GSM Logical Channels Call Process

GSM Network KPIs

Optimization Process

Summary

INTRODUCTION
Mobile Telecommunication is one of the fastest growing & most demanding of all telecommunication technologies

Quality of a Mobile Telecommunication Network is measurement by its Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Increase in subscriber base Increase in number of Base stations Degradation of KPIs Degradation of NW Quality Customer dissatisfaction

Optimization of NW improves KPI Improves NW Quality Improves Customer Satisfaction

Different Optimization process for different KPIs

Network Architecture -GSM

MSC/VLR GSM /GPRS BSS MS Abis BTS BSC A C/D/Gs

GMSC

PSTN ISDN

HLR/AUC

PCU
MS Um BTS BSC Gb

SS7 Gr/Gs/Gd/Ge Gc
GPRS backbone

SMS system

SGSN Ga OMC CG BG

GGSN

Gi

Internet, Intranet

Gp

Other PLMN

LOGICAL CHANNELS
LOGICAL CHANNELS

COMMON CHANNELS

DEDICATED CHANNELS
COMMON CONTROL CHANNELS DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNELS TRAFFIC CHANNELS

BROADCAST CHANNELS

FCCH

SCH

BCCH

SDCCH

SACCH

FACCH

PCH

RACH

AGCH

TCH/F

TCH/H

TCH/EFR

CALL PROCESS
MOBILE ORIGINATING CALL Request for Service Authentication Ciphering Equipment Validation Call Setup Handovers Call Release MOBILE TERMINATING CALL PAGING Authentication Ciphering

Equipment Validation
Call Setup Handovers Call Release

GSM NETWORK KPIs

NETWORK KPIs SDCCH Assignment Success Rate SDCCH Completion Rate

TCH Congestion
TCH Assignment Success Handover Success Rate RX Quality DL TCH Completion Rate

PAGING SUCCESS Rate

Each KPI is assigned a specific TARGET Each BTS in the Network should achieve the TARGET for ALL the KPIs. Corrective Actions to be taken if target not met.

SDCCH ASSIGNMENT SUCCESS RATE

SDCCH Channel is used To exchange signaling messages between BTS and Mobile Station Location Updation ( Registration of the Mobile Station in the Network)

Send and Receive SMS

SDCCH Assignment Failures are mainly due to Congestion in SDCCH Channels (more subscribers competing for SDCCH Channels)

Alarm Conditions
Frequent Registration near the Network borders

SDCCH COMPLETION RATE

After SDCCH Channel is successfully assigned by the Network, if signalling could not be completed between the Network and Mobile Station, then SDCCH drop occurs. SDCCH Completion Failures are due to

Poor RF Conditions

TCH CONGETION
After signaling is completed on the SDCCH Channel, when there are no free Traffic Channels, TCH Congestion occurs TCH Congestion occurs Insufficient Traffic Channels Hardware alarm conditions

TCH ASSIGNMENT SUCCESS RATE

When the Traffic Channel is successfully assigned to the Mobile Station, TCH Assignment Success Rate is considered good. Failure in assigning Traffic channel are due to Congestion Poor RF Conditions Alarm conditions

HANDOVER
Handover ensures call to continue when a mobile moves from one cell to another Handover makes the mobile station really roam Handovers are caused by

RxLev (Signal strength , uplink or downlink)

RxQual (BER on data) O & M intervention Timing Advance Traffic or Load balancing Handover Failures are caused by Poor RxLev (Signal strength , uplink or downlink) of Serving cell Improper Neighbour definition Poor RxQual (BER on data) Excessive congestion in target cell

RX_QUALITY
Quality of the ongoing call is measured by both Mobile Station and BTS. Two Types Downlink RX Quality Measured by Mobile Station Uplink RX Quality Measured by BTS RX Quality is affected by Poor frequency plan Poor Link Imbalance between BTS and MS Alarm conditions

TCH COMPLETION RATE

TCH Completion Rate is good when all calls are successfully completed and released by the subscriber. Degradation of TCH Completion Rate are due to Sudden drop in RX Level of Serving cell Alarm conditions Fluctuation link between BSC and BTS

PAGING SUCCESS RATE

Network sends Paging Request to the Mobile Station when there is an Incoming Call Incoming SMS When Mobile responds to the paging, then the Paging Request is SUCCESS. If not then it is a FAILURE Paging Failures occurs due to

Mobile Station in no coverage area

Poor RF conditions leading to PAGING RESPONSE from MS not reaching the Network Location of Mobile Station not know to the Network.

Impact of Traffic
Increase in Traffic affects the Performance of Network Short Term Growth Sudden increase in traffic for short duration

Festivals, New Year, Sports etc.

Airports Long Term Growth Gradual Increase in Subscriber base

OPTIMIZATION OF THE NW
Optimization is the process of improving the operation of the network To better utilize available infrastructure to provide the best possible quality of service to Customers. Optimization process maximizes the efficiency and operability, of the existing installed infrastructure. Optimization process integrates all infrastructures so that it operates seamlessly, it configures the network, sets parameters so as to maximize the performance of the network. An ideal Optimization process utilizes the minimum cost, time & resources to increase the efficiency of the network.

OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES
Optimization of the Network can be performed by Field Measurements Drive test conducted by measuring the various KPIs across the NW

Corrective actions based on the drive test

Analyzing statistical performance reports collected and taking corrective actions Tuning different GSM parameters and improving the KPIs Corrective actions based on the daily Alarm report Enabling New Features to improve the Performance of the NW

SUMMARY
Increase in Subscriber base Increase in Traffic Increase in Congestion Degradation in KPI To Improve Customer Satisfaction, Quality of the NW should be improved Quality of NW depends on the KPIs To maintain the KPIs Target, continuous monitoring and Optimization of the NW is essential. Tuning of different Network parameters Enabling different features Physical changes in the Antenna direction Corrective actions based on drive test

Corrective actions based on Alarm report ,daily/weekly Network reports & statistics

Thank you