2G Features TRIAL

Automatic Handover Optimization

MW Network

WEEK 28

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 Summary
1 Feature Description

2 ACTIVATION/DEACTIVATION PROCEDURE

3 Trial Results

4 Conclusions

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 Feature Description
— Automatic Handover Optimization provides automation of the locating functionality which ensures
that a call is handled by the best suitable cell in the network.
— An important aspect of the feature is to ensure that calls are handled by the strongest cell and
thereby minimize unnecessary interference caused by delayed handover.
— In order to reduce congestion the feature provides load balancing by promoting low loaded cells and
demoting high loaded cells.
— When Automatic Handover Optimization is activated it replaces the existing Ericsson1 and
Ericsson3 locating algorithms and the Cell Load Sharing feature. The impact to the Assignment to
Another Cell functionality is such that assignment to a TCH in better (stronger) cell is always active
and assignment to a TCH in worse (weaker) cell is disabled.
— The feature significantly simplifies the effort required to maintain optimized handover performance.
The feature makes approximately 60 parameters related to the legacy functionality it replaces,
obsolete. The feature has no parameters that must be configured in every cell except on/off. Two
parameters are introduced to handle special cell configurations and special network scenarios.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 Feature Description

— Bad Quality Urgency handling by AHO

— Parameters BQOFFSET and BQOFFSETAFR are obsolete in case Automatic
Handover Optimization is active in the cell and replaced with internal aho_bqoffset
calculation per connection.

— The region in serving cell A where it is possible to perform a bad quality handover to
neighboring cell B is henceforth called the “bad quality urgency region” for A with
respect to B.

— The procedure for reducing the candidate list at BQ urgency is only applied to
handover candidates with worse basic ranking:

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 Feature Description

— Basic Ranking at AHO

— After the basic stages, if AHO is active in the cell, the
ranking according to AHO algorithm is performed.
— It takes only signal strength into account and does not
consider path loss.
— In the ranking algorithm a handover margin (homrg)
value is used when ranking neighboring cells.
— The handover margin value derives from the mobile
behaviour in the network.
— This value is applied to reduce the risk of ping-pong
handovers, caused for instance by fading.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 Feature Description

— Basic Ranking of Possible Candidates

— AHO Load Balancing is implemented
— With AHO Load balancing In the ranking algorithm a cell
load margin (clmrg) value is used when ranking
neighboring cells.
— The cell load margin value derives from the load
difference between neighboring cells in the network.
— This value is applied for load balancing purposes.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 Feature Description

— AHO Operation
— The feature significantly simplifies the effort required to maintain optimized handover
performance.

— The feature has no operator configurable data of its own, apart from ON/OFF, while making
obsolete parameters related to the legacy functionality it replaces.

— Automatic Handover Optimization is intended to work together with FAJ 121 3996
Automatic Neighbor Relations. It ensures that any cell relation added by ANR always have
optimized handover performance, instead of the default parameter settings of the legacy
locating algorithms.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 impacts and dependencies

— Activating Automatic Handover Optimization have the following impact on legacy features:
— FAJ 121 0894 - “Radio Network Efficiency, Cell Load Sharing”
— Feature is automatically disabled since it is superseded by load balancing functionality in Automatic Handover
Optimization.

— FAJ 122 286 Assignment to Another Cell:

— The Assignment to Better Cell functionality is always enabled
— Assignment to Worse Cell functionality is always disabled.

— FAJ 121 362 Call Queuing, if used:

— Handover will always have priority over call set-up.
— Handovers triggered by Hierarchical Cell Structures are not queued.

— There is no Hardware impacts and dependencies for AHO.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 impacts and dependencies

The below parameters that are not used with AHO:

› Locating and SS filtering parameters are removed; when AHO is active entering such
parameter does not give any change in the locating algorithm.
› CLS, AW (Assignment Worse Cell) remain OFF with AHO = ON
Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21
 ACTIVATION/DEACTIVATION PROCEDURE

1. Feature Mobility “Automatic Handover Optimization” must be licensed and active

2. Activate the functionality Automatic Handover Optimization in the cell

Consists of execution of command RLAHI for each internal cell to have AHO activated.

3. To deactivate the functionality Automatic Handover Optimization in the cell

Consists of execution of command RLAHE for each internal cell that is to have the feature AHO deactivated.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 TriAL RESULTS : Handover

— Number of handovers is increased by approximately 51%.

— Handover success rate has been degraded
— Increase comes mainly from the fact that AHO locating is more focused on placing mobiles in cells with strongest
signal, which may mean more handovers.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 TriAL RESULTS : TCH Drop

— TCH drop has been increased after activation of AHO Feature

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21

 Conclusions

— TCH drop Degradation has been noticed after the activation of AHO feature

— Significant increase in number of handover attempts and Handover success rate degradation was observed

— BSC has maintained the remaining KPI pattern.

The feature is ,so far, not beneficial to be activated in Mobilis Networks.

Ericsson Internal | 2018-02-21