Chapter 3

Idle Mode Operation

1
Module Objectives

• List the functions of the MS during the idle mode

• Explain the parameters used for PLMN selection, cell selection and cell
reselection
• State the purpose of location updates and the associated parameters

2
Idle
I Mode Operation

When?

• When the MS is switched ON

• When there is no dedicated connection MS switched ON

Why?
• To camp on the best suitable cell
Search RF channels
to find BCCH carrier
Why to camp on a specific cell?
• For MS to receive system info from the NW on DL
• For MS to be able to initiate a call whenever needed
• For the NW to be able to locate the MS when there is a Check that the PLMN
MT call/SMS & cell is allowed

Idle Mode Tasks MS camps on

the best
suitable cell
• PLMN selection
• Cell selection & re-selection
• Location updates See slide 10 for detail

3
Camping on a cell: Motivation

NAS control CM requests

indication radio
to user measurements
manual mode

PLMN
selected
PLMN selection cell selection registration location
and reselection and reselection area changes registration
PLMN
available location
registration
automatic mode response

4
ID’s and ID Codes

Parameter Value

LAI (locationAreaId)
• MCC (Mobile Country Code) 0 … 999
• MNC (Mobile Network Code) 0 … 99,
0… 999 (optional 3-digit MNC)
• LAC (Location Area Code) 1 … 65533

BSIC (bsIdentityCode)
• NCC (Network Colour Code) 0…7
• BCC (BTS Colour Code) 0…7

CI (cell-ID 0 … 65535

TSC (trainingSequenceCode) 0…7

CGI (Cell Global Identity) MCC + MNC + LAC + CI

5
PLMN Selection

Switch on in automatic PLMN selection operation mode

Last registered
PLMN or equivalent
PLMN

Home PLMN

User controlled
PLMN list

Operator controlled
PLMN list
Timer T
often called “HPLMN Search Timer“
6 .. 480 minutes Other PLMN‘s with
Default: 60 minutes RAT‘s the MS is
capable of

6
Normal Cell Selection
Search all the RF channels, take samples during
3-5 s and calculate averages. And put them in
ascending order with respect to signal level.
Then tune to the strongest RF channel.

Search for the frequency correction burst in that Tune to the next highest
carrier in order to verify if it is a BCCH carrier RF channel which is not
tried before

No
Is it a BCCH
carrier?

Yes

Try to synchronize to the carrier and read

the BCCH data

No
Is it a correct
PLMN ?

Yes

Yes
Is the cell barred?

No
No
Is C1>0

Yes
Camp on the cell

7
Pathloss Criterion C1 for Cell Selection
and Reselection
0..63 0..31
C1 = A – max(B,0)
= RLA_C – RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN – max(MS_TXPWR_MAX_CCH – P , 0)

RLA_C = avg received RxLev on BCCH

P = MS max output power

I am
outside

I am inside, but
B,0)
have not enough x(
power ma

8
Cell Selection with C1
In case the neighbouring cells belong to different Location Area, a hysteresis is
applied with C1 criteria
• minimizing ping-pong cell reselections
• cellReselectHysteresis (HYS)(BTS) (0…14 dB)

Cell1 Cell2
LAC1 LAC2

C1 ( Cell1) C1 (Cell2) A= 4 dB
B= 6 dB
C= 8 dB
A B C

9
Pathloss Criterion C2
0 .. 126 dB 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 20 .. 640 s
step size: 2 dB 50, 60,  dB step size: 20 s

C1 + CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET – TEMPORARY OFFSET * H(PENALTY_TIME - T)

C2 = for PENALTY_TIME  640 s
C1 - CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET for PENALTY_TIME = 640 s

C2
no TEMPORARY OFFSET

serving cell: C1
• C2:
new candidate
CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET
List of 6 = former serving
strongest cell
T
carriers:
• C2: C2
• C2:
• C2: C1
• C2:
• C2:
• C2: CELL_RESELECT_OFFSET
new candidate
= formerly non-
serving cell TEMPORARY OFFSET
T
PENALTY_TIME
10
Cell Reselection Based on Pathloss
Criterion C2

C2
cell 1 cell reselection &
cell 3
location update

cell
reselection cell 2

CELL_RESELECT_
HYSTERESIS (HYS)

5 seconds 5 seconds time

LAC = A LAC = B

11
Cell Reselection Based on Pathloss
Criterion C2
=30 Cell "A" (Serving Cell)
=25 Cell "B"
Road
Macro 900 "C" C1 =5 Cell "C"
=50 Cell "D"

C2 = C1 + cellReselectOffset -
Micro 900 "D" temporaryOffset*H(penaltyTime-T)
Macro 1800 "B"
=30 + 0 (H(x)=0, serving cell) Cell "A"
=25 + 20 - 30*H(20 - T) Cell "B"
C2 =5 + 0 - 0*H(20 - T) Cell "C"
=50 + 0 - 30*H(40 - T) Cell "D"

Cell "A" Cell "B" Cell "C" Cell "D"

cellReselectOffset 0 dB 20 dB 0 dB 0 dB

temporaryOffset 0 dB 30 dB 0 dB 30 dB
Macro 900 "A" Parameters
penaltyTime 20 s 20 s 20 s 40 s

Time T: (0 - 19 s) Time T: (20 - 39 s) Time T: (> 40 s)

C2 =30 Cell "A" C2 =30 Cell "A" C2 =30 Cell "A"
C2 =15 Cell "B" C2 =45 Cell "B" C2 =45 Cell "B"
C2 =5 Cell "C" C2 =5 Cell "C" C2 =5 Cell "C"
C2 =20 Cell "D" C2 =20 Cell "D" C2 =50 Cell "D"
12
Cell Reselection Events
Authentication Failure
Pathloss Criterion C1 notification by upper layers
C1  0 for a period of 5 s

Cell has been barred

Pathloss Criterion C2 CELL_BAR_ACCESS & CELL_BAR_QUALIFY
• neighbour‘s C2 value >
current cell‘s C2 value (same LA)
• neighbour‘s C2 value > RACH Failure
current cell‘s C2 value + HYS MAX RETRANS + 1 times
(new LA)
for a period of 5 s.
Downlink Signalling Failure
DSC  0

When shall I
select a new cell?

13
 DL Signalling Failure
.)
M FR MS,..
BS_ P A_
( .. .,
90 BCCH
DSCinit := round
BS_PA_MFRMS MS

DSC := DSCinit BTS

2..9 multi-
frame periods
paging
yes message successfully no
decoded?

DSC := min (DSC+1, DSCinit) DSC := DSC - 4

DSC  0
no

yes
Cell
Update
Downlink radio link
DSC = Downlink Signalling failure Counter failure detected!

14
Location Update Procedure

MS BSS MSC VLR HLR

LOCATION UPDATE REQUEST

REQUEST SUBSCRIBER ID

SEND SUBSCRIBER ID

REQUEST SUBSCRIBER INFO

SEND SUBSCRIBER INFO

AUTHENTICATION

AUTHENTICATION RESPONSE

ALL OK - HLR UPDATE

15
Trade-off between Location Update and
Paging Traffic
signalling
traffic

function of user density,

function of cell size, call arrival rate ...
user mobility

Paging
LocUp

optimum number # of cells in Loc. area

of cells in Loc. area

16
Location Updates

• MS location & status flag => MSC / VLR

• Mobile Station switched ON mode
– IMSI Attach / Detach
– Same Location Area => No Location Update
– Different Location Area => Location Update
• Change of the Location Area
– Location Area under the same MSC / VLR
– Location Area under another MSC / VLR => HLR will be updated
• Service is rejected (MS unknown in VLR)
• Time-Periodic LU (MS -> MSC/VLR)

MO Abbreviated Range And Description Default BSC -

Class Name Step value MML
Name
BTS allowIMSIAtt Yes/No Defines whether IMSI attach/detach is used in the cell. Yes ATT
achDetach
BTS timerPeriodic 0...25.5 h, Defines the interval between periodic MS location 0.5 h PER
UpdateMs step 0.1 h updates.
The value 0 means that the periodic location update is
not used.

17
LU and VLR Cleaning

MS Makes the last MS does not MS does not MS Has not made a MS Data cleaned up from
contact with network make a periodic make a periodic periodic LU till now. VLR after Loitering time
(MOC, MTC, SMS). If LU. MS still LU. MS still DETACH flag set. ends. In case the VLR
MS makes a IMSI kept Attached kept Attached No more paging for cleaning time occurs
DETACH, the loitering in VLR. in VLR. the MS; Loitering before this time, the MS
time starts time starts data is cleaned earlier

Time

0 6 12 12.5 25.5

BSS (BTS) parameter (ZEQO)

TIMER PERIODIC UPDATE MS 6 HRS

VLR Parameters (ZMXO)

•IMPLICIT IMSI DETACH USED
•IMPLICIT DEREGISTRATION 012 HRS. 30 MIN
•LOITERING 00 DAYS 13 HRS
•VLR CLEANING START TIME 04:12

18