PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW WHEN CUTTING SITES BETWEEN MSC/BSCs ON

ERICSSON EQUIPMENT
Version 1.1
Definitions:
1. Site Reparenting: Moving sites from one BSC to another BSC where the
new BSC is possibly on a different MSC. Involved moving the A-bis
links.
2. BSC Reparenting: Moving an entire BSC to a new MSC. Involves moving
the A Interface links.
3. Inner Definition: The MSC definition a cell has on it’s own MSC. Related
commands are MGCEP, MGCEC, MGCEI, and MGCEE.
4. Outer Definition: The MSC definition a cell has on MSC’s that it has
neighbours on. Related commands are MGOCI, MGOCE.
5. Internal Definition: The BSC definition a cell has on it’s own BSC. Related
commands are numerous, but some important ones are RLDEI,
RLDEC, RLDEP, RLDEE, RLVLE, RLSLP, RLSLE, RLNRI,
RLNRC, RLMFE, RLMFC, RLCFI, RLCFE, RLSTC, and RLSTP.
6. External Definition: The BSC definition a cell has on BSC’s where it has
neighbours. Commands that need to be entered for an external cell
to be accepted for a singular neighbour relation across a BSC
boundary are RLDEI, RLDEC, RLLHC, RLLOP, and RLCPC.
7. Affected Data: Affected data refers to information that NetCFG will generate
pertaining to the neighbours of a cell. For instance Cell 1 is in BSC
A and MSC X. It has neighbours 2,3 and 4 on BSC B and MSC Y.
The cells 2,3 and 4 must have external definitions in BSC A and
outer cell definitions on MSC X before handovers can occur from
Cell 1 to any of 2,3 or 4. Affected data points to this set of data.
This is a term that has no literal meaning in the Ericsson
equipment; it is merely used in NetCFG to refer to a certain group
of cells.
A. BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY CUTOVER:
A.1. Make sure that the discrepancies for the relevant region is at a minimum,
preferably none at all. Take special note of TCH, BCCH, BSIC,
Internal/External/Inner/Outer definitions and neighbour relation discrepancies.
A.2. Have a detailed list of which sites or BSC will be affected by this cutover
and BSS usually requires a breakdown of the number of TRX/TRU’s that
will be cut over as well as maximum expected traffic to move.
A.3. Communicate with the other departments the exact date and time of the
cutover (BSS & SMC). Prepare a site list with T-Numbers, Traffic per cell
and TRX/TRU’s per cell. Finally make sure you have either logged an SMC
Ref yourself or have the SMC log it for you at least a week or two in
advance, and forward this Ref to all related parties via e-mail (If inside or
adjacent to the same region cutovers/reparents should not be done within
a week or two from any frequency plan, CP upgrades etc).
A.4. When doing LAC changes on sites the procedure to follow is very similar to
a BSC Reparenting.
B. BSC CUTOVER:
(It is assumed that the sites are moving to a BSC on a new MSC, although the
procedure does not change if this is not the case)
B.1. Prepare a site/cell list for all the cells to be cutover by storing it in a
comma
separated text file (*.csv).
B.2. Once the preliminary steps (A.1. to A.3) have been done one can start
generating backup data for the cutover.
B.3. Enter the sites/cells (via the *.csv file) into Netcfg and create data with
the
default selection, and add the command MGCEE.
Under “Cell List:” make sure to choose “INT+EXT+Affected”.
Under “Cellr Overrides:” check the following:
a) “Override Defined RLNRI”,
b) “Override Defined RLNRC” and
c) “Override Ext Definitions”.
Under the tab “Data File Options” choose “Separate BSC/MSC”.
List and save the data files in a directory describing it’s purpose (from
hereon this data will be referred to as “backup data”).
B.4. Next step is to generate two separate sets of data for :
a) Deleting old externals and outers – Do this by using the site/cell list
and selecting the commands MGOCE and RLDEE and under “Cell
List:” select “EXT” only (referred to as “delete externals and outers”).
b) Deleting old inners – Do this by using the site/cell list and selecting
the commands MGCEE and under “Cell List:” select “INT” only
(referred to as “delete inners”).
B.5. Cut and paste the sites from the old BSC to the new BSC in asset
(Alternatively use the "Site BSC Reparent" module of the Asset Utilities
application, stored in “O:\planopt\apps\assettools\special utilities\”). The
database administrator on duty still needs to accept the changes. Apply
and commit the changes and have the database administrator on duty
accept the changes. (The following data can only be generated once at
least 1 day has passed since accepting the changes).
NB. Persons responsible must make sure that all LAC’s and BSC names
are used properly by NetCfg at this stage. This can be done by checking
the appropriate fields in the ‘Cell’ and ‘Sector’ tables in the “Radio
Optimisation Database”. Either manually or via a custom query.
B.6. Enter the sites/cells (via the *.csv file) into Netcfg and create data with
the
default selection, and remove the command MGCEI, MGCEE, MGOCE,
MGOCI and MGZxx. Under “Cell List:” select “INT” only (referred to as
“new internal data”).
B.7. Enter the sites/cells (via the *.csv file) into Netcfg and create data with
only
MGCEE, MGCEI, MGCEC, MGOCE and MGOCI. Under “Cell List:” select
“INT + EXT cells” (referred to as “new inners and outers”).
B.8. Enter the sites/cells (via the *.csv file) into Netcfg and create data with
only
RLDEE, RLDEI, RLDEC, RLLHC, RLLOC, RLLOC2, RLCPC, RLNRI,
RLNRC, RLMFE, RLMFC. Under “Cell List:” select “EXTernal cells” and
under “BCCH Allocation” make sure “Add mrnic” is selected. Under “Cellr
Overrides:” make sure “Override Defined-RLNRI”, “Override DefinedRLNRC” and
“Override Ext Definitions” are checked. Repeat this process
for a “Cell List:” selection with “Affected Cells” checked (referred to as “new
externals”).
B.9. Lastly, enter the sites/cells (via the *.csv file) into Netcfg and create data
with only RLNRE, RLNRI, RLNRC checked. Under “Cell List:” select “INT +
EXT cells”. Under “Cellr Overrides:” make sure “Override Defined-RLNRI”,
“Override Defined-RLNRC” and “Override Ext Definitions” are checked
(referred to as “repair neighbours”).
B.10. Data generation is now complete and it is imperative that ALL data files be
checked thoroughly for errors.
B.11. The “new internal data” can be run in on the new BSC a few hours before
the cutover.
B.12. At the time of the cutover the Radio P&O engineers will be informed by the
Switch/BSS Engineer that the cutover has commenced.
B.13. Once this process has commenced the Radio P&O engineers run in the
following files in this sequence : “delete externals and outers”, “new
externals” and then “delete inners”. The “delete inners” files will take quite
a while to execute (approx 3-5 mins per cell).
B.14. Two possibilities exist when deleting the data. One, is the switch
engineers will delete the cell data and channel groups from the old internal
BSC. The other is that the Radio P&O engineers do this. The Radio P&O
engineers and the switch engineer have to discuss this before hand.
If the Radio P&O engineer do this the following steps have to be taken
(either cell by cell or in groups of cells):
B.14.1. Halt the cell :
RLSTC:CELL=___,STATE=HALTED;
B.14.2. Set the cell to have only one SDCCH:
RLCCC:CELL=___,CHGR=0,SDCCH=1;
B.14.3. Delete all TCH’s:
RLCFE:CELL=___,DCHNO=___;
B.14.4. Disconnect the cell from it’s tranceiver group:
RXTCE:CELL=_____,CHGR=1/0,MO=RX_TG-___; and
RLDGE:CELL=___,CHGR=0/1;
B.14.5. Turn off supervision on the BSC using:
RLVLE:CHTYPE=TCH;
RLVLE:CHTYPE=SDCCH;
B.14.6. Turn of supervision on the cell:
RLVLE:CELL=___,CHTYPE=TCH;
RLVLE:CELL=___,CHTYPE=SDCCH;
B.14.7. Delete supervision from the cell:
RLSLE:CELL=___,PERM;
B.14.8. Activate supervision on the BSC:
RLVLI:CHTYPE=TCH;
RLVLI:CHTYPE=SDCCH;
B.14.9. Block all TX’s, RX’s and TRX’s connected to that TG, take them
out of service and remove them:
RXBLI:MO=RXOTS-_-_-_;
RXBLI:MO=RXOTX-_-_;
RXBLI:MO=RXORX-_-_;
RXBLI:MO=RXOTRX-_-_;
RXESE:MO=RXOTS-_-_-_;
RXESE:MO=RXOTX-_-_;
RXESE:MO=RXORX-_-_;
RXESE:MO=RXOTRX-_-_;
RXMOE:MO=RXOTS-_-_-_;
RXMOE:MO=RXOTX-_-_;
RXMOE:MO=RXORX-_-_;
RXMOE:MO=RXOTRX-_-_;
B.14.10. Delete the cell:
RLDEE:CELL=___;
B.14.11. Once this is complete the “new inners and outers” are run in while
the sites are being build in the switch and tested.
B.14.12. The “repair neighbours” can either be run in during step B.14.11, or
after it.
B.14.13. When all sites have been confirmed operational or when a radio
engineer has been assigned (and the SMC notified) about problem
sites/links, the area has to be test driven extensively to ensure that
all intra/inter BSC handovers are happening properly. Call setups
have to be performed on the new BSC on a number of cells to
ensure that the MSC data is correct. Inter MSC handovers also
have to be tested.
B.14.14. The next few days have to be spend monitoring discrepancies and
stats very carefully to ensure that all sites perform as normal and
that no degradation has occurred.
C. MSC REPARENTING:
(In this case an existing BSC is moved to a new MSC. When doing LAC
changes on a region the procedure is very similar.)
MSC 1

BSC a

MSC 2

BSC b

BSC i

BSC ii

C.1. The scenario is assumed to be the one shown in the above figure. Where
BSC b is reparented (the new BSC b, being called BSC ii) to a new MSC
(MSC 2). It is also assumed that BSC b has at least some neighbours in
BSC a and BSC i.
C.2. The reparenting procedure involves moving the A links from the BSC to the
new MSC (assuming the BSC and the new MSC are co-located, if they are
not the situation is more a case of a cutover than a reparent) and the
correction of MSC data as well as CGI changes due to LAC changes.
C.3. First the following information needs to be agreed upon and fixed a number
of days before the reparent:
C.3.1. The LAC of the new BSC,
C.3.2. The name of the new BSC (the name that the MSC will use to refer to
the new BSC, not the name used to address it in TMOS – there is a
difference),
C.3.3. The time and duration of the reparent for a large BSC can take up to
4 (four) days. During this time, inter MSC handovers will be affected,
and thus quality.
C.4. Generate “backup data” by selecting all the sites in the BSC in Netcfg and
generating the default data, together with the following commands:
MGCEE2, MGOCE2. Under “Cell list” select “INT + EXT + Affected” and
under “Cellr Overrides:” choose “Override Defined-RLNRI”, “Override
Defined-RLNRC” and “Override Ext Definitions”.
C.5. Generate “delete outer” data by selecting the sites in the BSC in Netcfg
and selecting the following commands: MGOCE. Under “Cell list” select
“EXTernal Cells”.
C.6. Generate “delete inner” data by selecting the sites in the BSC in Netcfg
and selecting the following commands: MGCEE. Under “Cell list” select
“INTernal Cells”.
C.7. Move the BSC in Asset to the new MSC and accept the site changes.
Make sure that the tables (BSC and other) that Netcfg use have the correct
LAC info as well as the correct MSC/BSC info.
C.8. Generate “internal/external change” data by selecting all the sites in the
BSC in Netcfg and selecting the following commands: RLSTC, RLSTC1,
RLSTCH, RLSTCA, RLDEC. Under “Cell list” select “INT + EXT Cells” and
under “Cellr Overrides:” choose “Override Defined-RLNRI”, “Override
Defined-RLNRC” and “Override Ext Definitions”. Be sure to check that the
correct LAC is used when changing the CGI.
C.9. Generate “new inner” data by selecting the cells in Netcfg and selecting the
following commands: MGCEI, MGCEC. Under “Cell list” select “INTernal
Cells”. Make sure the correct BSC name and correct LAC is used in the
definition.
C.10. Generate “new outer” data by selecting the cells in Netcfg and selecting
the following command: MGOCI. Under “Cell list” select “EXTernal Cells”.
Make sure the correct MSC name and correct LAC is used in the definition.
C.11.When the reparent starts the Radio P&O engineer will be informed that the
BSC has been halted and all the A-Links are down. At this point the Radio
P&O engineer start to run in the data files in the following sequence:
C.11.1. Internal/External change data
C.11.2. Delete outer data
C.11.3. New inner data
C.11.4. Delete inner data – This step will take quite a long time: approx =
(number of cells in BSC)*(3-5mins). Maybe up to 4 days in some cases.
C.11.5. New outer data – after step C.11.4 is complete.
C.12. When step C.11.3. has been completed, a drive test inside the new BSC
boundary has to be completed. Handover in the BSC has to be tested
as well as handovers neighbouring cells on BSC’s on the same MSC.
Call setups have to be performed on a number of cells on the new
BSC to verify that the MSC data is correct.
C.13. When step C.11.5. has been completed inter MSC handovers have to
be tested.
C.14. The next few days have to be spend monitoring discrepancies and
stats very carefully to ensure that all sites perform as normal and
that no degradation has occurred.