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Multi Band Cell

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Why Multi Band Cell

Improved radio environment and traffic capacity Reduced number of defined cell and neighbour relations

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There are several restrictions on the usage of features Dynamic BTS Power Control, Discontinuous Transmission and Frequency Hopping on the BCCH frequency. By omitting the BCCH from one of the frequency bands in a multi band cell, these restrictions no longer apply. All the frequencies in the non-BCCH frequency band can be more efficiently reused, which means either the frequency plan can become tighter or more traffic can be carried using the same frequency plan. Also, there is one more timeslot available for traffic in the non-BCCH frequency band, since the BCCH is omitted. The number of defined cells and neighbour relations in a BSC of a multi band cell network is reduced after the conversion of the same network based on the single band cell / multi band site concept. Defined neighbour relations can be significantly reduced in areas where the most of the cells are multi band. This reduction can easily reach 50% or more.

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Multi Band Cell

IntraCell Handover

Band 2

Overlaid subcell

Band 1

Underlaid subcell

One frequency band per subcell Channel selection based on existing channel allocation and MS capability Handling of propagation differences between high and low bands
03813-LZU 108 3704 Uae Rev F Slide 3 (11)

A multi band network consists of cells from different frequency bands, for example 800MHz and 1900MHz cells. By combining these frequency bands in the same cell with only one, common BCCH, the network can be further integrated. The radio performance and the traffic capacity are improved. The number of cells and neighbour relations is significantly reduced.

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Improved radio environment and traffic capacity

Cell B 1800 BTSPC DTX FH BCCH OL Subcell Cell A 1800 BTSPC DTX FH BCCH

Cell A 900

BCCH

UL Subcell Cell A 900

BCCH

No BCCH tighther frequency reuse One more TS available for traffic

03813-LZU 108 3704 Uae Rev F Slide 4 (11)

There are several restrictions on the usage of features Dynamic BTS Power Control, Discontinuous Transmission and Frequency Hopping on the BCCH frequency. By omitting the BCCH from one of the frequency bands in a multi band cell, these restrictions no longer apply. Also, there is one more timeslot available for traffic in the non-BCCH frequency band, since the BCCH is omitted. Dynamic Overlaid/Underlaid Subcells feature is a prerequisite for the Multi Band Cell.

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Possible multi band cell configurations

Conf. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Subcell 1 GSM800 GSM800 GSM800 GSM900 GSM900 GSM800 AND GSM900 GSM800 AND GSM900 GSM800 AND GSM900 GSM800 AND GSM900 GSM800 AND GSM900
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Subcell 2 GSM900 GSM1800 GSM1900 GSM1800 GSM1900 GSM800 GSM900 GSM800 AND GSM900 GSM1800 GSM1900

03813-LZU 108 3704 Uae Rev F

A number of frequencies from the GSM800 downlink and the GSM900 uplink are overlapping so when a mix of GSM800 and GSM900 frequencies are used in the same cell (config. 1 and config. 6 to 10.) the actual ARFCNs to use need to be selected with great care. The GSM800 ARFCNs 232 to 251 are overlapping on the downlink with the uplink GSM900 P-GSM ARFCNs 1 to 19 and all the G1-GSM ARFCNs 975 to 1023. As an example it could be decided by the operator that the GSM800 frequencies shall be used without restrictions and that the lower part of the GSM900 spectrum shall be avoided. Or conversely it could be decided that the upper part of the GSM800 spectrum should be avoided and instead the GSM900 frequencies could be used without restrictions. A third alternative could be to avoid parts of both bands. Besides avoiding the exactly overlapping frequencies there is also a need to reserve a guard band of e.g. 3.6 MHz (i.e. 18 ARFCNs) to further avoid interference and problems with too much power entering the receiver directly from the co-located transmitters. The GSM800 downlink to GSM900 uplink interference at the CDUs is possible to limit by the use of additional external filters at the BTS side. For MSs such arrangements are not possible so the cell planning also needs to consider that MSs that are physically close to each other, may cause GSM900 uplink to GSM800 downlink interference at the MS. Note: It is not possible to mix GSM1800 and GSM1900 frequency bands in one BSC, due to overlapping of frequency numbers (ARFCN).

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Reduced number of defined cells and neighbour relations

Cell A Cell A

Cell D Cell F Cell C Cell E Cell B Cell C Cell F

Cell D Cell E Cell B

CellA<->CellB CellA<->CellC CellA<->CellD CellA<->CellE CellA<->CellF CellB<->CellC CellB<->CellD CellB<->CellE

CellB<->CellF CellC<->CellD CellC<->CellE CellC<->CellF CellD<->CellE CellD<->CellF CellE<->CellF

CellA<->CellB CellA<->CellC CellA<->CellD CellA<->CellE CellA<->CellF CellB<->CellC CellB<->CellD CellB<->CellE

CellB<->CellF CellC<->CellD CellC<->CellE CellC<->CellF CellD<->CellE CellD<->CellF CellE<->CellF

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The number of defined cells and neighbour relations in a BSC of a multi band cell network is reduced after the conversion of the same network based on the single band cell / multi band site concept. Defined neighbour relations can be significantly reduced in areas where the most of the cells are multi band. This reduction can easily reach 50% or more. Reducing the number of neighbour relation contributes to the accuracy of the measurement reports sent from the MS in CS active mode. The improvement is twofold. -First, less neighbour relations means less restrictions on the total number of available positions in measurement reports. This can be very useful when, for example, the MBCR parameter needs to be carefully optimised,. -Second, less neighbour relations lead to more accurate measurements performed and reported by the MS, since there is more time available for measurements of each neighbour

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Inter-cell handovers
RxLevA [dBm]
BCCH Cell border

RxLevB [dBm]

BCC H

900

FBOFFS

Non-B

CCH 1800

H BCC

d [m] non-BCCH cell border without compensation non-BCCH cell border with compensation

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When an MS in CS active mode periodically reports the signal strength of neighbouring cells' BCCH frequencies, the network evaluates its location and decides if a handover to another cell is required. In a multi band cell, it is possible that the MS is served by a channel using a frequency/set of frequencies from either the BCCH frequency band group or the non-BCCH frequency band group. If it is served by the non-BCCH frequency band group, the network has to apply the frequency band group offset (FBOFFS) in order to correctly locate the MS. Otherwise, the border between the serving cell and a neighbouring cell would not be the same for all MSs and would depend on what frequency band group is used for a call. This is shown on an example, see Fig. 3. The offset is added to the measured signal strength of the active channel at the non-BCCH 1800 frequency band (RxLevA), so the BSC can locate the MS as if it would be served by the BCCH 900 frequency band instead. RxLevB represents the measured signal strength of the neighbouring cell's BCCH frequency carrier. Note that it is irrelevant what is the BCCH frequency band in the neighbouring cell.

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Subcell changes
Pathloss
PL (non-BCCH)< LOL+FBOFFS

Pathloss
PL (non-BCCH)> LOL+FBOFFS

LOL + FBOFFS
) CCH on-B PL (n 00 OL 18 ) 900 CCH PL (B UL

LOL
FBOFFS

PL (BCCH)<LOL

PL (BCCH)>LOL

d [m] OL & UL coverage OL border UL coverage

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The network evaluations for a possible subcell change (CS traffic) are performed at the same time as for possible inter-cell handovers, see Locating and Overlaid/Underlaid Subcells. In a multi band cell, when the MS is served by the non-BCCH frequency band group, the frequency band group offset compensation is also needed to correctly locate the MS and to identify whether it is within or outside of the OL subcell coverage. Otherwise, the OL subcell coverage border, defined by the cell parameters LOL, DTCB, NDIST, etc. would be differently perceived when an MS is served by different subcells, i.e. by different frequency band groups. Figure shows an example of an MS crossing the OL subcell border in a multi band cell with BCCH 900 in the UL subcell and the non-BCCH 1800 in the OL subcell. When served by the non-BCCH 1800 inside the OL&UL coverage, the BSC adds the offset to the reported signal strength, i.e. subtract the offset from the pathloss. The effective pathloss threshold has different values (LOL+ FBOFFS for the nonBCCH and LOL for the BCCH frequency band) but points out to the same location, i.e. to the unique OL coverage border.

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Initial value of FBOFFS

The following can be used for the initial value of the pathloss compensation: FBOFFS = Propagation difference + EiRPBCCH - EiRPnon-BCCH
BCCH frequancy band 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. GSM800 GSM900 GSM800 GSM1800 GSM800 GSM1900 GSM900 GSM1800 GSM900 GSM1900 non-BCCH frequency band GSM900 GSM800 GSM1800 GSM800 GSM1900 GSM800 GSM1800 GSM900 GSM1900 GSM900 Propagation [dB] n/a n/a +7 -7 +7 -7 +7 -7 +7 -7

Table: Nominal propagation difference between different frequency bands

03813-LZU 108 3704 Uae Rev F Slide 9 (11)

Example Say that the BCCH frequency band is GSM1900 and the non-BCCH frequency band is GSM800. The antenna system configuration is very similar, for both frequency bands. However, there is a difference in the maximum antenna gain, or CDU configuration, giving EiRPBCCH=56 dBm and the EiRP non-BCCH=52 dBm. FBOFFS can then be set to -7+56-52= -3 dB. If, however the effective antenna diagram is different between frequency bands of the same cell, additional investigation is needed and the value of the FBOFFS adjusted. In the same example, the BCCH frequency band antenna can be downtilted with 10 with a 7 wide vertical beamwidth and the non-BCCH frequency band antenna with the same vertical beamwidth dowtilted with 3 pointing to the cell border, the FBOFFS should probably be decreased for few dBs to the value of -6 to -8 dB, etc. It is strongly recommended that the effective antenna diagrams for different frequency bands are very similar, if not the same. This includes the antenna pattern, horizontal/vertical antenna beamwidth, antenna height and the effective downtilt.

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Main controlling parameters

BAND defines the frequency band used for the specified channel group within a cell. GSM1800 and GSM1900 cannot be defined in the same cell. CSYSTYPE defines the frequency band used for the BCCH within a multi band cell. In single band cells, it defines the frequency band used in the cell. FBOFFS defines the difference in pathloss between the BCCH frequency band group and the non-BCCH frequency band group. Positive values are used when the BCCH frequency band group is assumed to offer "better" coverage than the non-BCCH frequency band group. It is set per cell. MBCRAC defines whether it can be assumed that all GPRS/EGPRS MSs are capable of both frequency bands or the network has to evaluate each MS and its frequency band capability separately. It is set per BSC.
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Value ranges and defult values

Parameter Default Recommended name value value BAND Value range GSM800, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900 GSM800, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900 -40 to 40 Slide 11 (11)

Unit -

CSYSTYPE

FBOFFS MBCRAC

0 0

dB -

0, 1

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