WCDMA RAN Optimization

Chapter 1:
Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Chapter 1 Objectives

After this module, the participants will be able to:

1. Explain the difference between RAN Tuning and RAN Optimization

2. Explain how to monitor the RAN performance
3. Explain the definition of Network Quality
4. Explain the general optimization process

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. A Figure2 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA Radio Access Network
Evolution

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. A Figure3 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Tuning vs Optimization
RAN tuning: provides operators with a detailed understanding
of the underlying problems to address.

It is performed when

• all necessary nodes in the area are installed and operational

• the network is stable and not yet commercially used.

• new sites are installed in already commercially launched

areas.
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. A Figure4 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 RAN Services
RAN Tuning is required to:

• ensure good network quality and

• identifies and solves radio network problems after the network

system has been installed and integrated.

Tuning
 Establish network performance mainly using drive tests:
– To ensure it is possible to drive in the network without dropping calls
– To ensure it is possible to set up calls in the coverage area
 Analyze and describe underlying problems related to:
– Design
– UEs
– Systems

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. A Figure5 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Tuning vs Optimization
RAN Optimization

Is performed when the radio network has been tuned

RAN Optimization identifies and solves radio network problems

in live networks when there are sufficient subscribers in the
network.

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. A Figure6 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 RAN Services
RAN Optimization can result in parameter change setting for
different functionalities such as:

1. idle mode,
2. radio connection supervision,
3. power control,
4. capacity management,
5. handover
6. channel switching.

Optimization
 Identify and improve radio network problems using statistics, recordings
and events
 Establish subscriber behavior and perception
 Ensure that traffic growth can be handled

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. A Figure7 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Data Collection Tools
Ericsson offers different tools:

1. performance statistics,
2. User Equipment Traffic Recording (UETR),
3. Cell Traffic Recording (CTR)
4. General Performance Event Handling (GPEH).

Also drive tests as well as subscriber feedback is also used.

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. A Figure8 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 UTRAN observability model

The problem

vast amount of performance statistical data collected by the

WCDMA network => it can be confusing to correlate all
the data for the entire network and build a coherent picture.

Solution

Extract and Calculate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs),

which are directly connected to the quality.

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. A Figure9 1 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 UTRAN observability model

Management KPI – End-User

perception

Statistics KPI – Info in

The System Level

UETR/CTR/GPEH KPI

Next slide
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. A Figure101 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 UTRAN observability model
Key Performance Indicators:
Indicators

Highest Hierarchy indicators

Represents the End-user perception of a network on a macro

level

typical interest for top-level management as well as others

within an operator.

detect areas of problem.

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. A Figure111 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 UTRAN observability model
Performance Indicator:

represents information on a system level (Performance

Management (PM) counters and also Radio Environment
Statistics (RES) counters)

does not explicitly qualifies in the macro level the end-user

perspective model  can indicate whether the system
performs good or bad.

Not necessarily used for troubleshooting (not detailed info).

Used for planning and dimensioning.

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. A Figure121 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 UTRAN observability model
Procedure level:

represents deeper troubleshooting and measure system

characteristics measurements.

Provides measurements on signaling and procedure/function

levels to investigate problems detected on higher levels.

Enormous amount of data  generally user-initiated for a

specific purpose and area of the network, thereby limiting the
scope of the measurements.

Typical source for this data is GPEH events and the recording
functions UETR and CTR.
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. A Figure131 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Network performance monitoring
-Does the network fulfil the
-Key performance indicators performance requirements??
(KPIs) are needed, too -Has the performance changed
much available compared to earlier??
information to
handle

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. A Figure141 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Where can Information about the Network Quality
be collected?
MSC SGSN

RNC RNC RNC UE

UE
UE
RBS RBS RBS RBS RBS RBS

Network Information Mobile Information

Sources for Performance Monitoring Information are:
• Statistical information counters from the network elements (Network Info)
• Downlink Information from a single test mobiles (Mobile Info, TEMS investigation)
• Downlink Information from several special mobiles distributed to selected users
• Autonomous measurements with special mobile TEMS automatic
• Customer complaints (Customer Info, trouble tickets etc)
• Traffic recordings (e.g. UETR, CTR, GPEH)
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. A Figure151 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA Radio Access Network

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. A Figure161 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Network Quality of Service (QoS)
how is the user satisfied with the overall service??.

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. A Figure171 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Network Quality of Service (QoS)
Service Accessibility Performance
To be able to get in contact with the network (call setup success
rate, paging success rate, blocking probability etc).

Service Retainability Performance

To provide the continuity of the service under given conditions
for a requested duration (drop call rate).

Service Integrity Performance

The provision of service without excessive impairments
(observe BLER and the throughput).

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. A Figure181 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Network Quality of Service (QoS)
Service Support Performance
The ability of the operator to provide the service and assists in
its utilization.

Service Operability Performance

The ability of a service to be successfully and easily operated
by a user

Service Security Performance

The protection provided against unauthorized monitoring,
fraudulent use, malicious impairment, misuse, human mistake
and natural disaster.

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. A Figure191 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Network Quality of Service (QoS)
The Goal:
continuously measure the QoS  monitor the KPIs,

Result:
• Detect problems in the network, and determine if the quality
requirements are not fulfilled.
• Locate problems geographically by isolating which area, cell,
or transceiver shows a problem.
• Detect areas for expansion by monitoring traffic levels and
determining where hardware addition is needed.
• Identify cells that are “money makers” as a function of traffic
carried. This is important in determining the severity of a cell
being out of service.

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. A Figure201 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Analyzing

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. A Figure211 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Optimization Process

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. A Figure221 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA RAN Optimization Process
The steps:
Accessibility Retainability Integrity
Preparations
module module module
Consistency Idle mode HO Performance BLER
Check
•Parameters Random Access Neighbour Relations Throughput
•Neighbours
•Scrambling Codes RRC Connection SF Usage

Statistics NAS
•Counter types
•Profiles
RAB Assignments
•Counter Activation

Alarms
Cell availability

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. A Figure231 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA RAN Optimization Process
PREPARATIONS

Parameter Settings
Parameter check in order to find a problem and to monitor it is. (wrong
power settings, wrong handover parameter).
Neighbor Relations
To find and monitor a problem (correctly defined neighbors, too long
neighbor lists, single defined neighbors)
Scrambling codes
Find a problem due to wrong scrambling allocation. (Too often reused
scrambling codes will result in problems detecting the interfering SC and
will affect the accessibility and the handover performance).
Statistics
For fast problem focusing, counters in the NE must be activated (chapter 2,
Data Collection).
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. A Figure241 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA RAN Optimization Process
ACCESSIBILITY MODULE
WCDMA RAN Network accessibility is analyzed, (UE Idle mode behavior,
Random Access process). (chapter 3, Service Accessibility).

RETAINABILITY MODULE
WCDMA RAN Network retainability is analyzed, (UE mobility behavior,
handover performance). (chapter 4, Service Retainability).

INTEGRITY MODULE
WCDMA RAN Network integrity is analyzed, (BLER, throughput).
(chapter 5, Service Integrity).

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. A Figure251 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Cell Availability

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. A Figure261 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Cell Availability
THE GOAL: To select the worst performing cells,

Implementation: all cells must be available for the statistics (no alarms or
downtime periods during the measurement period).

Counter Examples:

 pmCellDowntimeMan - Shows how many seconds

during the measurement period cell was manually
blocked. During manual downtime cell will not be
available for service

 pmCellDowntimeAuto - Shows how many seconds

during the measurement period cell was
automatically blocked. During downtime cell will not
be available for service

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. A Figure271 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Alarms Handling
The Procedure:
Procedure

1. Before looking for the problems it is important to fully

understand the sites performance in regards of HW faulty.

2. Checking the cells alarms it would give a good indication

whether there is a hardware problem at some of the sites.

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. A Figure281 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 EXAMPLE
Parameter: maxDlPowerCapability
Meaning: The minimum downlink power capability for the Cell,
reported to the RNC;
RNC
Alarm: Carrier_MaxDlPowerCapabilityOutOfRange.
Reason:
• The parameter dlAttenuation for the affected antenna feeder cable is not in
accordance with the information specified in the Site Installation
Documentation (SID)

• A faulty Antenna Interface Unit (AIU) or Single Antenna Interface Unit(sAIU)

• A faulty Multicarrier Power Amplifier (MCPA) or Power Amplifier Unit (PAU)

• A faulty Filter Unit (FU) or a faulty Radio Unit (RU) or a faulty Remote Radio
Unit (RRU)

Effect: cell setup request from RNC rejected => the related
UtranCell_NbapMessageFailure alarm is issued by the RNC.
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. A Figure291 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Optimization workflow
The Modules

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. A Figure301 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA Optimization workflow
The Modules (accessibility –
retainability – integrity)

Other Modules
Recommendation
Performance Performance Verification of
&
Measurements Analysis changes
Implementation

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. A Figure311 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Measurement - Statistics

Other Modules
Recommendation
Performance Performance Verification of
&
Measurements Analysis changes
Implementation

• Radio network statistics data (RNC and cell level data)

should be collected during both busy hours and normal traffic
hours.

• Performance statistics (counters) -> a predefined system

profile is up and running in RNC.

• If this predefined system profile does not cover all counters,

a user-defined profile should be setup and used during
analysis.

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. A Figure321 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Measurement - Statistics
Performance areas inside the performance statistics profile
(predefined system profile or/and user-defined profile):

• RAB Handling,
• Admission,
• Admission Monitoring,
• Cell Availability,
• Channel Quality,
• Congestion,
• Handover,
• Inter Frequency Handover,
• IRAT Handover,
• Processor Supervision,
• RRC Handling,
• Iur Channel Handling,
• Cell update,
• Connection supervision
• Channel Switching
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. A Figure331 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Measurement – OSS-RC

• OSS-RC: used to create new performance statistics or/and

UETR/GPEH profiles.

• OSS will activate also pre-defined profiles

• ROP files will be fetched automatically and stored in OSS-

RC.

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. A Figure341 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA Optimization Module
Performance Measurement - summary

Performance Measurement
– Statistics
Create Profiles
Activate counters

– CTR/UETR/GPEH/TEMS Investigation
Identify problems through deeper measurements

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. A Figure351 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Analysis
Performance measurements => KPIs are evaluated in order
to find problem cells or problem geographical areas.

Other Modules
Recommendation
Performance Performance Verification of
&
Measurements Analysis changes
Implementation

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. A Figure361 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Analysis

This is achieved by:

• Worst cells analysis

• Site configuration checks

• Geographical worst cells location

• Drive tests

• OSS tools (UETR, GPEH, CTR)

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. A Figure371 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Analysis – worst cells
worst performing cell types:
types

1. Random access function.

Problem: Weak performance ability due to lack of
performance monitoring counter.
Solution: Adjust the random access parameters.
Observe the variations (Differential Analysis)

2. Accessibility load-sharing (inter-frequency and

directed retry to GSM, if these features are
used). Is the number of denied admission high
in the network?

3. RAB functionality. Identify RAB’s that are not

performing in line with targets, regarding
retainability and integrity.
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. A Figure381 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Performance Analysis – OSS
UETR: (User Equipment Traffic Recording) used in
combination with TEMS Investigation drive test data to
provide UL information (excluding reference drive test).
It depends on the operator about the User Equipments (UEs)
to be recorded

GPEH: (General Performance Event Handler) used to

provide detailed information for worst performing cells.

CTR: (Cell Traffic Recording) records selected performance

events, records radio related measurements, per RNC area
or covering specific cell.
Any UE in a selected recording area may be recorded.

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. A Figure391 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA Optimization Module
Performance Analysis - summary

Performance Analysis
Identify Worst cells
Site Configuration and the Geographical location
Is drive tests needed?
Is UETR or GPEH needed?

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. A Figure401 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 Recommendations and Implementation

Other Modules
Recommendation
Performance Performance Verification of
&
Measurements Analysis changes
Implementation

Two problems

1. Problems related to Cell/RBS/RNC parameter settings,

2. Problems related to hardware configuration (antenna tilt or

antenna height)

RESULT:

• A brief report should be produced representing to the

customer the problem, recommendations and arguments
to justify the need for Change Requests (CR) .
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. A Figure411 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
 WCDMA Optimization Module
Recommendations and Implementation - summary

Recommendations and Implementation

– Cell/RBS/RNC parameters
Wrong parameter setting
New functions activation

– Hardware configuration
Antenna tilt
Antenna height

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. A Figure421 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network
© Ericsson AB 2008 01_03813 LZU 108 6924 Uen Rev
. A Figure431 - Performance Monitoring of a WCDMA Radio Network