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Thesimplestwaytodefinetheword'handover'wouldbe"chagingthepartner".
Whoischaningthepartner?
Imeant"UE(MobilePhone)".
Whoistheparterinthiscase?
Imeant"Cell".
Therefore"Handover"istheprocessinwhichUEchangesthecell.

Overalllogicissimpleandthisprocessarethesame(oratleastverysimilar)ineverytechnology.

i)AUEisinconnectionwithacell(let'scallthis'CellA').
ii)Nowasituationthatrequireshandoverhappened.
iii)Networksend"signalqualitymeasurement"commandtoUEforthegargetcell('CellB')towhichitwill
handoverto.
iv)UEperformancethemeasurementandreportthe"measurementresult"tothenetworkviathecurrentcell(Cell
A).
v)NetworkevaluatethemeasurementresultreportedbyUE.
vi)Iftheevaluationresultturnsouttobegoodforhandover,Networksend'ChangeCell'commandtoUE.
vii)UEperformthecellchangeprocess.
viii)Ifcellchangeprocessiscompletedproperly,UEsend'cellchangecompletion'messagetothenetworkviathe
targetcell(CellB).

Iusedverygenericterme.g,"signalqualitymeasurementcommand","measurementresult","ChangeCell
Command","CellChangeCompletionMessage"etc.Thesegenericcommandscanbetranslatedtoaspecificjargon
foreachtechnology.Forexample,ifItranslatetheseforUMTS,theywouldbeasfollows:

"Signalqualitymeasurementcommand"==>MeasurementControl
"MeasurementResult"==>MeasurementReport
"ChangeCellCommand"==>PhysicalChannelReconfigurationorActiveSetUpdate
"CellChangeCompeletionMessage==>PhysicalChannelReconfigurationCompleteorActiveSetUpdateComplete

IfyoutranslatethemintoLTEjargon,theywillbeasfollows.

"Signalqualitymeasurementcommand"==>RRCConnectionReconfiguration
"MeasurementResult"==>MeasurementReport
"ChangeCellCommand"==>RRCConnectionReconfiguration
"CellChangeCompeletionMessage==>RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete

YoumaynoticedthatLTEisusingthesamemessagecalled"RRCConnectionReconfiguration"bothfor"Signal
qualitymeasurementcommand"and"ChangeCellCommand".HowUEcantellwhetheritmeans"Signalquality
measurementcommand"or"ChangeCellCommand"?

Goodquestion!Youwillseetheanswerlater.

Thenyoumayhavewholelotsofquestions.Itisverygood.Themorequestionsyouhave,themoreinformation
youwillgetthroughthispage..(notnow,inthefuture:)Followingisasetofmypersonalquestions.

i)youtalkedabout"SignalQualityMeasurement".WhatkindofsignalqualityUEhastomeasure?Woulditbea
certainabsolutevalue?orasomerelativevaluewithreferencetosomeothervalue?orisitaspecialevent
changes?
ii)HowmuchtimeIcanleavethecurrentcelltoperformthemeasurementfortargetcell?(Iftheleavetoolong
fromthecurrentcelltomeasuretargetcell,thecallwoulddrop.Butifthistimeistooshort,UEwouldnotget
correctmeasurementvalues).
iii)WhatifUEfailedtoperformethemeasurementorfailtofindthetargetcell?
iv)youtalkedabout"ChangeCell",howUEcanchangecell?Justcuttheconnectionwiththecurrentcelland
reconnecttothetargetcell?oristhereanyspecificprocedure?
v)Cuttingtheconnectionfromthecurrentcellwillbeeasy,buthowcanUEreconnecttotargetcell?
vi)WhatifUEfailedtoreconnecttotargetcellafterhecutofftheconnectionwiththecurrentcell?

Thislistwouldgetlongerandlonger.

Nowlet'sjumpintodetailedtechnicalaspectsofLTEhandover.FollowingistheoverallandsimplestformofLTE
LTEhandoverprocedure.(Thissequenceisbasedon36.523TC8.2.4.2andImodifiedthesequencealittlebitfor
clear/easyunderstanding,hopefully:).ItmeansthisismainlyforUEsideaspectofHandoverprocess.

Step

Direction

Message

TargetCell

Memo

UE<>SS

<PowerOnandRegistration>

Cell1

UE<>SS

<NowUEisinIDLEmode>

Cell1

UE<SS

Paging

Cell1

UE>SS

RRCConnectionRequest

Cell1

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UE<SS

RRCConnectionSetup

Cell1

UE>SS

RRCConnectionSetupComplete

Cell1

UE<SS

SecurityModeCommand

Cell1

UE>SS

SecurityModeComplete

Cell1

UE<SS

RRCConnectionReconfiguration

Cell1

reactivatingdefaultEPS
Bearer

10

UE>SS

RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete

Cell1

11

UE<SS

RRCConnectionReconfiguration

Cell1

MeasurementControlfor
TargetCell

12

UE>SS

RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete

Cell1

13

UE>SS

MeasurementReport

Cell1

14

UE<SS

RRCConnectionReconfiguration

Cell1

HandoverCommand

15

UE>SS

PRACH

Cell2

16

UE<SS

RACHResponse

Cell2

17

UE>SS

RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete

Cell2

PASS/FAIL

18

UE<SS

ueCapabilityEnquiry

Cell2

19

UE>SS

ueCapabilityInformation

Cell2

20

UE>SS

ulInformationTransfer+DetachRequest

Cell2

21

UE<SS

RRCConnectionRelease

Cell2

Nowlet'sdigintosomeofthecriticalstepsofthishandoverprocess.Iwillstartwithradiomessageforthese
criticalstepsandputadditionalcommentsastimegoesalong.

RRCConnectionReconfigurationforTargetCellMeasurement(Step11)

Iwilladdmorecommentslater,butfornowlet'sjustlookintothecontentsofthismessage.Asyouseeinthe
partsmarkedinred,mostpartofthismessageaboutmeasurement.

Actualmessageforthemeasurementwouldnotbeascomplicatedasthisone(maybelongerduetothelonglistof
cellstobemeasured),butIenabledalmosteveryinformationelementsforthereference.Especiallyunderstanding
theQuantityConfigurationparameterswouldtakeverylongforyoutounderstandindetailsandwouldbethemain
sourceofproblemsyouwillhaveinfieldtestandfieldtroubleshoot.

DL-DCCH-Message ::= SEQUENCE

+-message ::= CHOICE [c1]
+-c1 ::= CHOICE [rrcConnectionReconfiguration]
+-rrcConnectionReconfiguration ::= SEQUENCE
+-rrc-TransactionIdentifier ::= INTEGER (0..3) [0]
+-criticalExtensions ::= CHOICE [c1]
+-c1 ::= CHOICE [rrcConnectionReconfiguration-r8]
+-rrcConnectionReconfiguration-r8 ::= SEQUENCE [100000]
+-measConfig ::= SEQUENCE [01010111111] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-measObjectToRemoveList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-measObjectToAddModList ::= SEQUENCE OF SIZE(1..maxObjectId[32]) [1]
| | +-MeasObjectToAddMod ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-measObjectId ::= INTEGER (1..maxObjectId[32]) [1]
| | +-measObject ::= CHOICE [measObjectEUTRA]
| | +-measObjectEUTRA ::= SEQUENCE [100000]
| | +-carrierFreq ::= INTEGER (0..maxEARFCN[65535]) [6300]
| | +-allowedMeasBandwidth ::= ENUMERATED [mbw25]
| | +-presenceAntennaPort1 ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| | +-neighCellConfig ::= BIT STRING SIZE(2) [01]
| | +-offsetFreq ::= ENUMERATED [dB0] OPTIONAL:Exist
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| | +-cellsToRemoveList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit

| | +-cellsToAddModList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-blackCellsToRemoveList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-blackCellsToAddModList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-cellForWhichToReportCGI ::= INTEGER OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-reportConfigToRemoveList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-reportConfigToAddModList ::= SEQUENCE OF SIZE(1..maxReportConfigId[32]) [1]
| | +-ReportConfigToAddMod ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-reportConfigId ::= INTEGER (1..maxReportConfigId[32]) [1]
| | +-reportConfig ::= CHOICE [reportConfigEUTRA]
| | +-reportConfigEUTRA ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-triggerType ::= CHOICE [event]
| | | +-event ::= SEQUENCE
| | | +-eventId ::= CHOICE [eventA3]
| | | | +-eventA3 ::= SEQUENCE
| | | | +-a3-Offset ::= INTEGER (-30..30) [0]
| | | | +-reportOnLeave ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| | | +-hysteresis ::= INTEGER (0..30) [0]
| | | +-timeToTrigger ::= ENUMERATED [ms640]
| | +-triggerQuantity ::= ENUMERATED [rsrp]
| | +-reportQuantity ::= ENUMERATED [both]
| | +-maxReportCells ::= INTEGER (1..maxCellReport[8]) [1]
| | +-reportInterval ::= ENUMERATED [ms1024]
| | +-reportAmount ::= ENUMERATED [r1]
| +-measIdToRemoveList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-measIdToAddModList ::= SEQUENCE OF SIZE(1..maxMeasId[32]) [1] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-MeasIdToAddMod ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-measId ::= INTEGER (1..maxMeasId[32]) [1]
| | +-measObjectId ::= INTEGER (1..maxObjectId[32]) [1]
| | +-reportConfigId ::= INTEGER (1..maxReportConfigId[32]) [1]
| +-quantityConfig ::= SEQUENCE [1111] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-quantityConfigEUTRA ::= SEQUENCE [11] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | | +-filterCoefficientRSRP ::= ENUMERATED [fc0] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | | +-filterCoefficientRSRQ ::= ENUMERATED [fc0] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-quantityConfigUTRA ::= SEQUENCE [1] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | | +-measQuantityUTRA-FDD ::= ENUMERATED [cpich-RSCP]
| | | +-measQuantityUTRA-TDD ::= ENUMERATED [pccpch-RSCP]
| | | +-filterCoefficient ::= ENUMERATED [fc0] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-quantityConfigGERAN ::= SEQUENCE [1] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | | +-measQuantityGERAN ::= ENUMERATED [rssi]
| | | +-filterCoefficient ::= ENUMERATED [fc0] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-quantityConfigCDMA2000 ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-measQuantityCDMA2000 ::= ENUMERATED [pilotStrength]
| +-measGapConfig ::= CHOICE [release] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-release ::= NULL
| +-s-Measure ::= INTEGER (0..97) [0] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-preRegistrationInfoHRPD ::= SEQUENCE [11] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-preRegistrationAllowed ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| | +-preRegistrationZoneId ::= INTEGER (0..255) [0] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-secondaryPreRegistrationZoneIdList ::= SEQUENCE OF SIZE(1..2) [1]
| | +-PreRegistrationZoneIdHRPD ::= INTEGER (0..255) [0]
| +-speedStatePars ::= CHOICE [setup] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-setup ::= SEQUENCE
| +-mobilityStateParameters ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-t-Evaluation ::= ENUMERATED [s30]
| | +-t-HystNormal ::= ENUMERATED [s30]
| | +-n-CellChangeMedium ::= INTEGER (1..16) [1]
| | +-n-CellChangeHigh ::= INTEGER (1..16) [1]
| +-timeToTrigger-SF ::= SEQUENCE
| +-sf-Medium ::= ENUMERATED [oDot25]
| +-sf-High ::= ENUMERATED [oDot25]
+-mobilityControlInfo ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
+-dedicatedInfoNASList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
+-radioResourceConfigDedicated ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
+-securityConfigHO ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
+-nonCriticalExtension ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit

RRCConnectionReconfigurationforCellChange(Step14)

Iwilladdmorecommentslater,butfornowlet'sjustlookintothecontentsofthismessage.Asyouseeinthe
partsmarkedinred,mostpartofthismessageaboutmeasurement.Asyouseeinthepartmarkedred,majorpart
ofthismessageis'mobilityControlInfo'IEand'securityConfigHO'.
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'mobilityControlInfo'tellsUEaboutthefrequencyoftargetcellandvariousphysicalchannelconfigurationandRACH
procedureinformationaboutthetargetcell.Inshort,thisIE(informationelement)carriesthemostofSIB2
informationoftargetcell.

+-c1 ::= CHOICE [rrcConnectionReconfiguration-r8]

+-rrcConnectionReconfiguration-r8 ::= SEQUENCE [010110]
+-measConfig ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
+-mobilityControlInfo ::= SEQUENCE [1000] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-targetPhysCellId ::= INTEGER (0..503) [2]
| +-carrierFreq ::= SEQUENCE [1] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-dl-CarrierFreq ::= INTEGER (0..maxEARFCN[65535]) [6300]
| | +-ul-CarrierFreq ::= INTEGER (0..maxEARFCN[65535]) [24300] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-carrierBandwidth ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-additionalSpectrumEmission ::= INTEGER OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-t304 ::= ENUMERATED [ms1000]
| +-newUE-Identity ::= BIT STRING SIZE(16) [0001000000110100]
| +-radioResourceConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE [100010000]
| | +-rach-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Exist
| | | +-preambleInfo ::= SEQUENCE [0]
| | | | +-numberOfRA-Preambles ::= ENUMERATED [n52]
| | | | +-preamblesGroupAConfig ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| | | +-powerRampingParameters ::= SEQUENCE
| | | | +-powerRampingStep ::= ENUMERATED [dB2]
| | | | +-preambleInitialReceivedTargetPower ::= ENUMERATED [dBm-104]
| | | +-ra-SupervisionInfo ::= SEQUENCE
| | | | +-preambleTransMax ::= ENUMERATED [n6]
| | | | +-ra-ResponseWindowSize ::= ENUMERATED [sf10]
| | | | +-mac-ContentionResolutionTimer ::= ENUMERATED [sf48]
| | | +-maxHARQ-Msg3Tx ::= INTEGER (1..8) [4]
| | +-prach-Config ::= SEQUENCE [1]
| | | +-rootSequenceIndex ::= INTEGER (0..837) [86]
| | | +-prach-ConfigInfo ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Exist
| | | +-prach-ConfigIndex ::= INTEGER (0..63) [3]
| | | +-highSpeedFlag ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| | | +-zeroCorrelationZoneConfig ::= INTEGER (0..15) [5]
| | | +-prach-FreqOffset ::= INTEGER (0..94) [2]
| | +-pdsch-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-pusch-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE
| | | +-pusch-ConfigBasic ::= SEQUENCE
| | | | +-n-SB ::= INTEGER (1..4) [1]
| | | | +-hoppingMode ::= ENUMERATED [interSubFrame]
| | | | +-pusch-HoppingOffset ::= INTEGER (0..98) [4]
| | | | +-enable64QAM ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| | | +-ul-ReferenceSignalsPUSCH ::= SEQUENCE
| | | +-groupHoppingEnabled ::= BOOLEAN [TRUE]
| | | +-groupAssignmentPUSCH ::= INTEGER (0..29) [0]
| | | +-sequenceHoppingEnabled ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| | | +-cyclicShift ::= INTEGER (0..7) [0]
| | +-phich-Config ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-pucch-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-soundingRS-UL-ConfigCommon ::= CHOICE [setup] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | | +-setup ::= SEQUENCE [0]
| | | +-srs-BandwidthConfig ::= ENUMERATED [bw3]
| | | +-srs-SubframeConfig ::= ENUMERATED [sc0]
| | | +-ackNackSRS-SimultaneousTransmission ::= BOOLEAN [TRUE]
| | | +-srs-MaxUpPts ::= ENUMERATED OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-uplinkPowerControlCommon ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-antennaInfoCommon ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-p-Max ::= INTEGER OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-tdd-Config ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| | +-ul-CyclicPrefixLength ::= ENUMERATED [len1]
| +-rach-ConfigDedicated ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
+-dedicatedInfoNASList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
+-radioResourceConfigDedicated ::= SEQUENCE [000001] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-srb-ToAddModList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-drb-ToAddModList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-drb-ToReleaseList ::= SEQUENCE OF OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-mac-MainConfig ::= CHOICE OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-sps-Config ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-physicalConfigDedicated ::= SEQUENCE [0000111111] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-pdsch-ConfigDedicated ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
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| +-pucch-ConfigDedicated ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit

| +-pusch-ConfigDedicated ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-uplinkPowerControlDedicated ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-tpc-PDCCH-ConfigPUCCH ::= CHOICE [setup] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-setup ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-tpc-RNTI ::= BIT STRING SIZE(16) [0000001111111111]
| | +-tpc-Index ::= CHOICE [indexOfFormat3]
| | +-indexOfFormat3 ::= INTEGER (1..15) [1]
| +-tpc-PDCCH-ConfigPUSCH ::= CHOICE [setup] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-setup ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-tpc-RNTI ::= BIT STRING SIZE(16) [0000000111111010]
| | +-tpc-Index ::= CHOICE [indexOfFormat3]
| | +-indexOfFormat3 ::= INTEGER (1..15) [1]
| +-cqi-ReportConfig ::= SEQUENCE [11] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-cqi-ReportModeAperiodic ::= ENUMERATED [rm30] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-nomPDSCH-RS-EPRE-Offset ::= INTEGER (-1..6) [0]
| | +-cqi-ReportPeriodic ::= CHOICE [setup] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-setup ::= SEQUENCE [1]
| | +-cqi-PUCCH-ResourceIndex ::= INTEGER (0..1185) [0]
| | +-cqi-pmi-ConfigIndex ::= INTEGER (0..1023) [25]
| | +-cqi-FormatIndicatorPeriodic ::= CHOICE [widebandCQI]
| | | +-widebandCQI ::= NULL
| | +-ri-ConfigIndex ::= INTEGER (0..1023) [483] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-simultaneousAckNackAndCQI ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| +-soundingRS-UL-ConfigDedicated ::= CHOICE [setup] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-setup ::= SEQUENCE
| | +-srs-Bandwidth ::= ENUMERATED [bw0]
| | +-srs-HoppingBandwidth ::= ENUMERATED [hbw0]
| | +-freqDomainPosition ::= INTEGER (0..23) [0]
| | +-duration ::= BOOLEAN [TRUE]
| | +-srs-ConfigIndex ::= INTEGER (0..1023) [20]
| | +-transmissionComb ::= INTEGER (0..1) [0]
| | +-cyclicShift ::= ENUMERATED [cs0]
| +-antennaInfo ::= CHOICE [defaultValue] OPTIONAL:Exist
| | +-defaultValue ::= NULL
| +-schedulingRequestConfig ::= CHOICE [setup] OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-setup ::= SEQUENCE
| +-sr-PUCCH-ResourceIndex ::= INTEGER (0..2047) [20]
| +-sr-ConfigIndex ::= INTEGER (0..155) [30]
| +-dsr-TransMax ::= ENUMERATED [n4]
+-securityConfigHO ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Exist
| +-handoverType ::= CHOICE [intraLTE]
| +-intraLTE ::= SEQUENCE [0]
| +-securityAlgorithmConfig ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit
| +-keyChangeIndicator ::= BOOLEAN [FALSE]
| +-nextHopChainingCount ::= INTEGER (0..7) [0]
+-nonCriticalExtension ::= SEQUENCE OPTIONAL:Omit

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