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LTE - RF Drivetest and Coverage Analysis
LTE - RF Drivetest and Coverage Analysis
LTE - RF Drivetest and Coverage Analysis
Analysis
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ray-khastur/36/965/b7a
Different Between TD-LTE & FD-LTE
Item LTE-TDD LTE-FDD
MIMO Mode Modes 1–8 are supported. Mode 1–6 are supported.
LTE Dongle
Notebook
GPS
If operator have 20 MHz for the first carrier and 10 Mhz for second carrier each
carrier can use 10W for first carrier and 5W for second carrier to maintain the
coverage is same. And still have spare about 5W for optimization purposes.
LTE RS power overhead is about 9.4% which is similar to 10% CPICH power overhead
of UMTS
4G LTE – Drivetest and Coverage Analysis| Page 8
RxLev, RSRP and RSCP Comparison
Items GSM UMTS LTE
RSRP of LTE is much smaller than RSCP of UMTS under same radio environment
4G LTE – Drivetest and Coverage Analysis| Page 9
Factors Influencing LTE Coverage
Frequency
Band
ICIC Data Rate
LTE
Specific
TX Power LTE
RB Number
Factors Affecting LTE Specific
Link Budget
Some other factors such as site height, BPL, TMA, coverage probability,…
4G LTE – Drivetest and Coverage Analysis| Page 10
Weak Coverage and Coverage Holes
The signal quality in cells is poorer than the optimization baseline in an area.
Weak As a result, UEs cannot be registered with the network or accessed services
coverage cannot meet QoS requirements.
If there is no network coverage or coverage levels are excessively low in an area, the area is called a weak
coverage area. The receive level of a UE is less than its minimum access level (RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN) because
Coverage holes downlink receive levels in a weak coverage area are unstable. In this situation, the UE is disconnected from the
network. After entering a weak coverage area, UEs in connected mode cannot be handed over to a high-level
cell, and even service drops occur because of low levels and signal quality.
Analyze geographical environments and Deploy new eNodeBs if coverage hole Use RRUs, indoor distribution systems,
check the receive levels of adjacent problems cannot be resolved by leaky feeders, and directional antennas to
eNodeBs. adjusting antennas. resolve the problem with blind spots in
Analyze the EIRP of each sector based on Increase coverage by adjacent eNodeBs elevator shafts, tunnels, underground
parameter configurations and ensure to achieve large coverage overlapping garages or basements, and high
EIRPs can reach maximum values if between two eNodeBs and ensure a buildings.
possible. moderate handover area. Analyze the impact of scenarios and
Increase pilot power. Note: Increasing coverage may lead to terrains on coverage.
Adjust antenna azimuths and tilts, co-channel and adjacent-channel
increase antenna height, and use high-gain interference.
antennas.
In an area without a dominant cell, the receive level of the serving cell is similar to the receive levels of its
neighboring cells and the receive levels of downlink signals between different cells are close to cell
reselection thresholds. Receive levels in an area without a dominant cell are also unsatisfactory. The SINR of
Lack of a the serving cell becomes unstable because of frequency reuse, and even receive quality becomes
dominant unsatisfactory. In this situation, a dominant cell is frequently reselected and changed in idle mode. As a
result, frequent handovers or service drops occur on UEs in connected mode because of poor signal quality.
cell An area without a dominant cell can also be regarded as a weak coverage area.
Symptom
UEs frequently perform cell reselections or
handovers between identical cells.
Analysis
Analysis can be based on signaling procedures and
PCI distribution.
According to PCI distribution shown in the figure,
PCIs alternate in two or more colors if there is no
dominant cell.
Solution
According to the coverage plan, cell 337 is a
dominant cell covering the area and cell 49 also has
strong signals. To ensure handovers between cells 337
and 49 at crossroads, increase tilts in cell 49.
Lack of a
dominant
cell
Cross coverage means that the coverage scope of an eNodeB exceeds the planned one and generates
discontinuous dominant areas in the coverage scope of other eNodeBs. For example, if the height of a site is
much higher than the average height of surrounding buildings, its transmit signals propagate far along hills or
roads and form dominant coverage in the coverage scope of other eNodeBs. This is an “island” phenomenon.
Cross If a call is connected to an island that is far away from an eNodeB but is still served by the eNodeB, and cells
around the island are not configured as neighboring cells of the current cell when cell handover parameters
coverage are configured, call drops may occur immediately once UEs leave the island. If neighboring cells are
configured but the island is excessively small, call drops may also occur because UEs are not promptly
handed over. In addition, cross coverage occurs on two sides of a bay because a short distance between the
two sides. Therefore, eNodeBs on two sides of a bay must be specifically designed.
Adjust antenna azimuths properly Adjust antenna tilts or replace Decrease the antenna height for
so that the direction of the main antennas with large-tilt antennas a high site.
lobe slightly obliques from the while ensuring proper antenna Decrease transmit power of
direction of a street. This reduces azimuths. Tilt adjustment is the carriers when cell performance is
excessively far coverage by electric most effective approach to control not affected.
waves because of reflection from coverage. Tilts are classified into
buildings on two sides of the street. …
electrical tilts and mechanical tilts.
Electrical tilts are preferentially
adjusted if possible.
Imbalance the downlink coverage distance. Imbalance between uplink and downlink involves limited uplink or downlink
coverage. In limited uplink coverage, UE transmit power reaches its maximum but still cannot meet the
between requirement for uplink BLERs. In limited downlink coverage, the downlink DCH transmit code power reaches
uplink and its maximum but still cannot meet the requirement for the downlink BLER. Imbalance between uplink and
downlink leads to service drops. The most common cause is limited uplink coverage.
downlink
coverage area
If no performance data is available for RF If uplink interference leads to imbalance between
optimization, trace a single user in the OMC uplink and downlink, monitor eNodeB alarms to
equipment room to obtain uplink measurement check for interference.
reports on the Uu interface, and then analyze the Check whether equipment works properly and
measurement reports and drive test files. whether alarms are generated if imbalance between
If performance data is available, check each uplink and downlink is caused by other factors, for
carrier in each cell for imbalance between uplink example, uplink and downlink gains of repeaters and
and downlink based on uplink and downlink trunk amplifiers …
are set incorrectly, the antenna
balance measurements. system for receive diversity is faulty when reception
and transmission are separated, or power amplifiers
are faulty. If equipment works properly or alarms are
generated, take measures such as replacement,
isolation, and adjustment.
Advantage
Lower interference and larger coverage radius
Disadvantage
Lower spectrum efficiency
Suitable Scenario
Abundant frequency resource or inconsecutive spectrum scenarios large coverage
scenarios. 1*3*3
Advantage
Higher spectrum efficiency
Disadvantage
Lower cell edge throughput due to serious interference
Suitable Scenario
Lacking frequency resource
Capacity requirement scenarios, such as dense urban and urban areas during network
initial stage
1*3*1
4G LTE – Drivetest and Coverage Analysis| Page 24
Interference and Capacity Comparison 1*3*3 Vs 1*3*1
1*3*3 10MHz channel (30MHz) compare with 1*3*1 10MHz channel (10MHz)
The downlink service channel SINR of 1×3×1
and 1×3×3
1
0.8
0.6
CDF
0.4
0.2
0
-10 0 10 20 30 40
SINR
1×3×1 1×3×3
⑤ Antenna
azimuths
③ Site ⑥ Antenna tilts
selection
④ Antenna
② Cell layout
height
① Frequency
plan
Increase power of a cell and decrease power of other cells to form a dominant
Adding dominant
coverage cell.
Poor signal
quality before
optimization
SINR when cell 6 is enabled SINR when cell 6 is disabled SINR when PCI 6 is changed to PCI 8
64 QAM → Good
16 QAM → Normal
QPSK → Bad
MIMO Antenna