Inter RAT Handover from WCDMA to GSM and from GSM to WCDMA

By Mowafak Kawass, RF Engineer, SYRIATeL

From WCDMA to GSM:

HO is triggered when no sufficient WCDMA coverage available. Different parameters can be set as thresholds to trigger and control IRATHO. This type of handover can be enabled by setting the parameter hotype to GsmPreffered. Also, fddGsmHOSupp should be TRUE. Different events are used to trigger IRATHO. These are: 2d EVENT: Triggered when the current connection quality goes below: usedFreqThresh2dEcno(Rscp) - hysteresis2d During a time not less than timeToTrigger2dEcno(Rscp) 2f EVENT: Triggered when the current connection quality goes above: usedFreqRelThresh2fEcno(Rscp) + usedFreqThresh2dEcno(Rscp) hysteresis2f During a time not less than timeToTrigger2fEcno(Rscp)

 3a EVENT: When UE upon DL measurements reports 2d event to SRNC, the SRNC prepares setup for event 3a. the connection will be in the compressed mode & the UE is configured to report according to: usedFreqThresh2dEcno(Rscp)+utranRelThresh3aEcno(Rscp) and gsmThresh3a Also, In case of the connection quality has been triggered in UL for UE TX power, the UE is configured to report according to: usedFreqThresh2dRscp+utranRelThresh3aRscp+ utranRelThreshRscp and gsmThresh3a Setting above parameters should be done carefully to compromise between making HO early before drop & unnecessary switching of the connection to compressed mode. The UE can measure up to 32 GSM cells. Even though, keeping the list as short as possible will fasten finding a GSM candidate. The following parameter values can be used initially for compressed mode. Start of compressed mode (if any is fulfilled): usedFreqThresh2dRscp = -100 dBm usedFreqThresh2dEcno = -12 dB ueTxPowerThresh6a = +21 dBm Stop of compressed mode (if all are fulfilled): usedFreqRelThresh2fRscp + usedFreqThresh2dRscp = -97 dBm usedFreqRelThresh2fEcno + usedFreqThresh2dEcno = -10 dB ueTxPowerThresh6b = +18 dBm The following parameter values can be used initially for IRAT handover or Cell Change execution: utranRelThresh3aRscp + usedFreqThresh2dRscp = -103 dBm utranRelThresh3aEcno + usedFreqThresh2dEcno = -12 dB utranRelThreshRscp + usedFreqThresh2dRscp + utranRelThresh3aRscp = -98 dBm gsmThresh3a = -95 dBm

From GSM to WCDMA:

Also a WCDMA cell could be a target cell for HO from GSM when there is sufficient 3G coverage. COEXUMTS parameter shall be set to 1 in the BSC and SPRIO should be set to YES in the GSM cell. The following conditions must be fulfilled to trigger Handover (cell reselection) to WCDMA cell. 1. CPICH RSCP > Received level + FDDQOFF for both serving cell and the 6 strongest GSM/GPRS cells to trigger Handover (cell reselection) to WCDMA cell. 2. CPICH Ec/No > FDDQMIN for the target WCDMA Cell. 3. Idle TCHs in serving cell < ISHOLEV. 4. CPICH Ec/No > MRSL to include a cell as a target for Handover. This parameter is defined per WCDMA neighbor. Parameter QSC is used to control handover depending on GSM side. It ranges from 0 to 15 and it has four states: 0 to 6 (GSM SS below -98dBm to -74dBm in steps of 4dBm). used if site is not cosited b) 7 (always) c) 8 to 14 (GSM SS above -78dBm to -54dBm in steps of 4dBm) used if site is cosited. d) 15 (never) FDDMRR defines the number of WCDMA cells shall be included in the measurement report.