Agenda

• Carrier Aggregation Parameters

• Performance Management
• 3 Stages of Carrier Aggregation
• Configure
• Activation
• Schedule
• Chicago KPI Results
MO Parameter name
Level
CarrierAggregationFunction sCellActDeactDataThres
CarrierAggregationFunction sCellActDeactDataThresHyst
CarrierAggregationFunction sCellActDeactProhibitTimer
CarrierAggregationFunction sCellScheduleSinrThres
Description Range E///
Default
If the minimum time needed to transmit all bits in all priority queues of a UE 0..5000 100
is higher than this threshold, then activation of one or more secondary cells
is considered.
Minimum time needed to transmit all bits is calculated as the number of bits
in all priority queues, divided by the number of bits that can be transmitted
in one TTI by all active serving cells prior to activation decision assuming the
UE is given all resources in those cells.
Dependencies:
sCellActDeactDataThresHyst <= sCellActDeactDataThres
If the minimum time needed to transmit all bits in all priority queues of a UE 0..5000 90
is lower than sCellActDeactDataThres minus sCellActDeactDataThresHyst,
then deactivation of one component carrier is considered.
Minimum time needed to transmit all bits is calculated as number of bits in
all priority queues, divided by the number of bits that can be transmitted in
one TTI by all active serving cells after deactivation decision assuming the UE
is given all resources in those cells.
Dependencies:
sCellActDeactDataThresHyst <= sCellActDeactDataThres
Activation/deactivation prohibit timer. No new activation/deactivation of an 0..5000 200
SCell is allowed while this timer is running.
No data is scheduled on SCell if wideband SINR is lower than this threshold. If -200..300 0
the SINR persists in staying below the threshold, the SCell will eventually
become deactivated.
MO Parameter name Description Range E///
Level Default
CarrierAggregationFunctio caPreemptionThreshold Configures the resource consumption margin in percentage, beyond which 0..100 50
n Secondary Cells shall not be configured.

CarrierAggregationFunctio caUsageLimit Carrier Aggregation Usage limit. The value configures the number of SCell 0..65535 300
n connections which can be in use for carrier aggregation. A secondary cell
(SCell) costs in memory the same as a primary cell (PCell) for each UE.
MO Counter name
Level
EUtranCellFD pmCaCapableDlSum,
D pmCaCapableDlSamp
EUtranCellFD pmCaConfiguredDlSum,
D pmCaConfiguredDlSamp
EUtranCellFD
D pmCaActivatedDlSum
EUtranCellFD
D pmCaScheduledDlSum
EUtranCellFD
D pmRadioThpVolDlSCell
EUtranCellFD
D pmRadioThpVolDl
Description Existing/New/
Modified
Shows the number of UEs capable of Carrier Aggregation and their
number of corresponding SCells. New in L14A
Shows the number of configured Carrier Aggregation UEs and their
number of corresponding SCells. New in L14A
Shows the number of activated Carrier Aggregation UEs and their
number of corresponding SCells. New in L14A
Shows the number of scheduled Carrier Aggregation UEs and their
number of corresponding SCells. New in L14A
Accumulates data traffic at cell level for UEs that use this cell as
their SCell. New in L14A
This existing counter is modified to account for SCell traffic.
Accumulates data traffic at cell level for UEs that use this cell as
their PCell or SCell. New in L14A
MO Counter name Description Existing/New/
Level Modified
EUtranCe pmCaConfiguredNoMeasAtt Counts the number of attempted SCell configurations when selection of the New in L14A
llFDD cell to use as SCell is done without using any coverage measurements.

EUtranCe pmCaConfiguredMeasAtt Counts the number of attempted SCell configurations when selection of the New in L14A
llFDD cell to use as SCell is done based on coverage measurements.

EUtranCe pmCaConfiguredNoMeasSucc Counts the number of successful SCell configurations, excluding RRC signaling New in L14A
llFDD to UE, when selection of the cell to use as SCell is done without using any
coverage measurements.

EUtranCe pmCaConfiguredMeasSucc Counts the number of successful SCell configurations, excluding RRC signaling New in L14A
llFDD to UE, when selection of the cell to use as SCell is done based on coverage
measurements.

EUtranCe pmCaConfiguredSamp Counts the number of 5-second samples of SCell configuration accumulations New in L14A
llFDD included in ROP

EUtranCe pmCaDeconfigured Counts the number of SCell deconfigurations, except when the same cell is New in L14A
llFDD deconfigured and configured as SCell in the same RRC message. Has
subcounters for specific reasons for SCell deconfiguration.
EUtranCe pmCaDeconfiguredLostCoverage Subcounter to pmCaDeconfigured. Counts the number of SCell New in L14A
llFDD deconfigurations due to poor coverage in the SCell.

EUtranCe pmCaDeconfiguredSCellChange Subcounter to pmCaDeconfigured. Counts the number of SCell New in L14A
llFDD deconfigurations due to changing to another SCell.

EUtranCe pmCaDeconfiguredSamp Counts the number of 5-second samples of SCell deconfiguration New in L14A
llFDD accumulations included in ROP
Configuration Vs. Activation
KPIS and System performance
• Since carrier aggregation is performed at MAC Multiple data flows (to same user)

layer, PDCP and RLC are not aware whether a

certain packet will be transmitted in the PCell or PDCP PDCP PDCP

in the SCell(s)
• See illustration to the right RLC segmentation/concatenation

• All counters for RLC and above are registered on RLC RLC RLC
the user’s PCell.
• Services are observed using RLC and above MAC multiplexing
MAC
• All counters for MAC and below are registered HARQ HARQ
on the cell where the data is transmitted.
• Cell efficiency is observed using MAC and below PHY
Coding Coding

OFDM OFDM

← LTE → ← LTE →
 SCell Configure logistics:
 CA Users w/ SCell < caUsageLimit
 RRC Util (%) eNB < caPreemptionThreshold
 DUL20 = 1500 RRC Conn pooled. caPreemptionThreshold = 750
 DUS41 = 3000 RRC Conn pooled. caPreemptionThreshold = 1500
 SCell Activation SCell Deactivation
Data < Thr
Data > Thres

&& SCell Activate

Prohibit timer CQI Scell < Thr

not running
&& SCell Deactivate

Prohibit timer
 SCell Activation parameters: not running
 sCellActDeactDataThres
 sCellActDeactProhibitTimer Cell Lock

 SCell Deactivation parameters:

 sCellActDeactDataThres -
sCellActDeactDataThresHyst
 sCellScheduleSinrThres
 sCellActDeactProhibitTimer
 SCell Activation logistics:
 DlDataBuffer > (Thput/TTI)*sCellActDeactDataThres/8
 sCellActDeactProhibitTimer not running
 sCellActDeactDataThres:
 Assuming 10 MHz Carrier. Expected activation threshold based on maximum
Thrpt of 73.7 Mbps
 Thpt/TTI = 73.7 kbps
 Lab results shown below
 SCell Deactivation logistics:
 Delta = sCellActDeactDataThres - sCellActDeactDataThresHyst
 DlDataBuffer < (Thput/TTI)*Delta/8
 sCellActDeactProhibitTimer not running
 DL SINR < sCellScheduleSinrThres/10
 sCellActDeactDataThres:
 Assuming 10 MHz Carrier. Expected activation threshold based on maximum
Thrpt of 73.7 Mbps
 Thpt/TTI = 73.7 kbps
 Lab results shown below

• Deactivation determined by the deltas regardless of the sCellActDeactDataThres setting

• Higher Delta could lead to activation/deactivation toggling states.
• Best results seen when sCellActDeactDataThres - sCellActDeactDataThresHyst <=10
CA KPIs Monitored
• Retainability
• Accessibility
• IRAT Rate (%)
• IFHO Rate (%)
• DL Throughput (PM and Geo)
• DL Latency (PM and Geo)
• CA Capable UE (%)
• CA Configured Efficiency (%)
• CA Configuration Success Rate (%)
• CA Activated Efficiency (%)
• CA Scheduled Efficiency (%)
• KPI-Throughput DL Pcell Scell Ratio (%)
• RRC Util per cell (%)
• PDDCH Util (%)
• TA per Cell (PM and Geo)
• Average UE Reported CQI (PM and
Geo)
• UE Reported CQI - Poor CQI Ratio (%)
Conclusions

• Activation/ Deactivation Rate is directly impacted by

changes in sCellActDeactDataThres/Hystr parameter.
• Lower Values sCellActDeactDataThres/Hystr can result in
increased activation rates.
• Lower difference value between Thesh and Hyst can ensure lower
deactivation rates.
• Optimized values for these parameters, based on traffic analysis
of individual sites/clusters can bring higher activation rate.
• Deactivation Rate is directly impacted by changes in
SCellScheduleSinrThres.
• Lower values of SCellScheduleSinrThres can result in
• Decreased deactivation rates.
Conclusions II

• Scheduling Rate is directly impacted by changes in

SCellScheduleSinrThres.
• Lower values of SCellScheduleSinrThres can
• Increase scheduling rates
• DL CA Volume increases with
• Lower Values of sCellActDeactDataThres/Hystr
• Lower values of SCellScheduleSinrThres
• Lower difference between sCellActDeactDataThres/Hystr