VoLTE RAN Case Study

Contents
 VoLTE Services

 Various Tools used for optimization

 VoLTE RAN Case Studies

 Take Away
 VoLTE SERVICES
Services Analysis ( RAN & EPC )
• Drive logs
• VoLTE RAN Optimization • UETR ( X2, S1,RRC)
• VoLTE Border Optimization • MOS scores
• VoLTE Parameter and Configuration • S11
Audit • Rx & Gx
• VoLTE E2E Analysis • SGi
• SIP signaling
• EPC traces

Tools: Accomplishments:

• TEMS Discovery • Optimized 8000+ sites for AT&T and

• ITK 1700+ sites for SingTel
• Business Object • SRVCC Border optimization
• ERTT • MT RRC re-establishment Feature
• VoLTE E2E Analyzer & NEO workaround
• WIRESHARK • DL ICIC feature testing performed
• ECO • Wining DFW KPI improvement
challenge
• E2E Problem identification
 Tools used
TEMS Discovery Drive data ( 3rd Party tool) ECO/ERA

• Analyze layer 3 • Identify POOR • Used for

messages MOS calls/clips automatic tilt
• Analyze poor • Fetch HOIT info analysis /
MOS • Fetch recommendatio
• Analyze VoLTE NCM/Scanner ns using drive
setup failures & data data RF
drop calls • Fetch Network conditions as
type info input
• PCI confusion
• Parameter
ERTT
VoLTE End-2-End Audit
ITK / BO
Analyzer/ Wireshark
• Fetch OSS • Analyze UETRs & • Used to fetch
parameters Cell traces counter based
• Perform Audit • Analyze EPC traces statistics for analysis
• Analyze IMS traces and provide
supporting stats for
recommendations.
VoLTE RAN CASE STUDIES
List of case studies

1. VoLTE Drop without RRC drop

2. RRC drop without VoLTE drop
3. QCI 1 Profile not defined resulting in VoLTE setup failure
4. MT RRC Work around to reduce VoLTE/LTE Drop
5. Incorrect MCS assignment Causing VoLTE Drop
6. Improvement in Retainability with DL ICIC feature activation & MT RRC
Work around
7. Improvement in Retainability and SRVCC SR with change in parameter
“b2threshold2rscpUtraoffset”.
1.VoLTE DROP without RRC drop 1/3

2 3
1

1.UE
1.UE sets
sets up
up RRCRRC connection
connection (mt-access).
(mt-access).
2.VoLTE
2.VoLTE bearer
bearer is is established.
established.
3.Event
3.Event A4
A4 isis triggered
triggered indicating
indicating HO
HO forfor IFLB,
IFLB, followed
followed byby
handover.
handover.
4.UE
4.UE performs
performs HO HO (RF(RF HO
HO successful)
successful)
5
5.20
5.20 sec
sec after
after HOHO RRC
RRC connection
connection isis released
released due
due to to User
User
Inactivity.
Inactivity.
1.VoLTE DROP without RRC drop 2/3
UE

1 1 1

2 2 4

UE
UE was
was served
served byby cell
cell B
B (PCI
(PCI 458).
458). Event
Event A4
A4 is
is
3
triggered
triggered for
for IFLB
IFLB HO.
HO.
1.Source
1.Source cell
cell B
B sends
sends “HO
“HO Request
Request ““ to
to target
target cell
cell
ZZ
4 2.Target
2.Target cell cell Z
Z accepts
accepts two two default
default
bearers(
bearers( Internet
Internet & & IMS)
IMS) & & does
does not not admit
admit VoLTE
VoLTE
bearer.
bearer.
Cell Z did not have RLC - UM feature for VoLTE bearer ( QCI 1) activated
1.VoLTE DROP without RRC drop 3/3

Typical causes
Typical causes for
for VoLTE
VoLTE Drop
Drop without
without RRC
RRC drop:
drop:
•• RLC
RLC mode
mode mismatch
mismatch inin source
source && target
target cell
cell
•• PDCP
PDCP SN
SN length
length for
for QCI
QCI 1
1 mismatch
mismatch inin source
source &
& target
target cell
cell
•• RLC
RLC SN
SN length
length for
for QCI
QCI 11 mismatch
mismatch inin source
source && target
target cell
cell
•• RoHC
RoHC feature
feature must
must bebe activated
activated on
on both
both source
source & & target
target cell
cell

IMPORTANT:
›› In
In some
some cases
cases it
it was
was observed
observed that
that RLC
RLC mode
mode /PDCP
/PDCP // RLC
RLC SN
SN length
length
mismatch was
mismatch was observed
observed in
in configured
configured value
value && value
value found
found in
in layer
layer 33
messages
messages
SOLUTION:
SOLUTION:
–– Site
Site should
should be
be locked
locked &
& unlocked
unlocked after
after the
the parameter
parameter changes
changes to
to take
take in
in effect.
effect.
2.RRC drop without VoLTE DROP 1/3

There is time offset of 6Hrs b/t drive logs & UETR

1 1
1

2 2

3
3

1&2: Dedicated VoLTE bearer is setup with

EPS bearer Id:7 & QCI:1
3: UE performs successful HO
2.RRC drop without VoLTE DROP 2/3 Ne Old
w Cel
Cel l
l

4
6

4 4. Due
4. Due toto poor
poor RF
RF conditions,
conditions, RRC RRC ReConfig
ReConfig msg
msg sent
sent by
by
ENB is
ENB is missed
missed out.
out.
7 5. Before
5. Before the
the old
old ENB
ENB can
can detect
detect the
the RLF,
RLF, UEUE establishes
establishes
new RRC
new RRC connection
connection withwith 211226.
211226.
6. UE
6. UE requests
requests forfor all
all 33 bearers.
bearers. When
When MME MME receives
receives
initial context
initial context request
request ,, it
it realizes
realizes that
that UE
UE is
is no
no longer
longer
connected to
connected to 210918.
210918. It It transfers
transfers all
all the
the three
three bearers
bearers
to new
to new ENB.
ENB.
7. MME
7. MME commands
commands old old ENB
ENB to to release
release all
all the
the bearers
bearers (as
(as
UE is
UE is now
now connected
connected to to new
new cell)
cell)
VolTE call
VolTE call continues
continues as as the
the UE UE gets
gets back
back allall the
the three
three
bearers
bearers
2.RRC drop without VoLTE DROP 3/3

EFFECT of
EFFECT of R
Radio Link
adio L Failure
ink F on VOLTE
ailure on VOLTE call:
call:
••RLF
RLF can
can be
be UEUE detected
detected or or ENB
ENB detected
detected

••If
If the
the RLF
RLF is
is UE
UE detected
detected &
& if
if UE
UE performs
performs a
a successful
successful RRC
RRC
connection before
connection before MME
MME releases
releases the
the UE
UE context
context then
then VOLTE
VOLTE
call will
call will continue
continue

••If
If the
the RLF
RLF is
is ENB
ENB detected
detected then
then ENB
ENB will
will request
request MME
MME to
to
release the
release the bearers
bearers resulting
resulting in
in VoLTE
VoLTE drop.
drop.

It is important to note that RRC drop alone do

not conclude that the VoLTE call has dropped.
Further analysis on bearer level needs to be
performed to ascertain if VoLTE call dropped.
3.QCI-1 profile not defined

1
1
1

1
2
2
3

1. Default
1. Default bearers
bearers (Internet
(Internet and
and IMS)
IMS) are
are setup
setup
2. MME
2. MME Requests
Requests ENB
ENB to
to setup
setup QCI1
QCI1 bearer
bearer (( VoLTE
VoLTE bearer)
bearer)
3. ENB
3. ENB fails
fails to
to setup
setup QCI
QCI 11 &
& responds
responds with
with “not-supported-QCI-Value”
“not-supported-QCI-Value”

CAUSE: QCI-1 Profile was not activated in the site.

4.Multi target RRC connection Re-establishment

HOW MULTI
HOW MULTI TARGET
TARGET RRCRRC CONNECTION
CONNECTION RE-ESTABLISHMENT
RE-ESTABLISHMENT WORKS: WORKS:
1. UE
1. UE detects
detects radio
radio link
link failure
failure
2. UE
2. UE selects
selects aa new
new cell
cell (( on
on same
same oror different
different frequency)
frequency) and
and attempts
attempts RRC
RRC CONNECTION
CONNECTION RE- RE-
ESTABLISHMENT
ESTABLISHMENT
3. UE
3. UE sends
sends PCI,
PCI, C-RNTI,
C-RNTI, short
short MAC-I
MAC-I of
of the
the last
last serving
serving cell
cell in
in re-establishment
re-establishment message.
message.
Short MAC-I
Short MAC-I  is
 is used
used toto verify
verify the
the credibility
credibility of
of the
the Re-establishment
Re-establishment message.
message.
4. New
4. New cell
cell attempts
attempts to to fetch
fetch UEUE context
context from
from cells
cells having
having the
the same
same PCI
PCI through
through X2X2 interface
interface
5. If
5. If the
the context
context fetch
fetch isis successful,
successful, RRCRRC connection
connection re-establishment
re-establishment procedure
procedure is
is completed
completed

For multi
For multi target
target RRC
RRC connection
connection re-establishment
re-establishment to
to be
be successful
successful neighbor
neighbor relations
relations must
must be
be
defined from
defined from source
source to
to target
target cell
cell and
and vice
vice versa.
versa.
4.Context fetch timeout ( IFHO NBR not defined)

4
1

2 1
PENDING
5
3 4
4

1. UE
1. UE isis served
served byby cell
cell first
first carrier
carrier (band
(band 17)
17) cell
cell (PCI-
(PCI- When the
When the new
new cells
cells tries
tries to
to fetch
fetch context
context from
from
367) and attempts HO to PCI 71
367) and attempts HO to PCI 71 which fails. RRCwhich fails. RRC old cell,
cell, the
the old
old cell
cell is
is now
now aware
aware that
that UE
UE is
is no
no
old
connection Re-establishment
connection Re-establishment complete message
complete message
longer connected
longer connected to to it,
it, hence
hence itit releases
releases the
the
does not
does not reach
reach ENB.
ENB. (not
(not seen
seen inin UETR)
UETR)
UE context
UE context (#5)
(#5)
2. UE
2. UE latches
latches on on toto aa new
new cell
cell on
on second
second carrier
carrier (Band
(Band
4).
4). This will
This will always
always result
result in in VOLTE
VOLTE DROP
DROP
UE dropped
UE dropped on on first
first carrier
carrier & & latched
latched onon to
to second
second
carrier cell
carrier cell
3. UE
3. UE attempts
attempts RRC RRC CONNECTION
CONNECTION RE-ESTABLISHMENT
RE-ESTABLISHMENT
(multi target)
(multi target)
4. Context
4. Context fetchfetch result
result shows
shows cause
cause as as “2”
“2” .. 22
represents context
represents context fetch
fetch timeout.
timeout.
Operator has
Operator has 1C1C & & 2C2C onon Band
Band 17 17 && 44 respectively.
respectively.
Neighbor is not defined from 1C to
Neighbor is not defined from 1C to 2C due to 2C due to which
which Re- Re-
establishment fails.
4. MT RRC RE-ESTABLISHMENT Workaround

Purpose:
Purpose:
To improve
To improve the the performance
performance of of Multi
Multi Target
Target RRC
RRC Connection
Connection re-establishment
re-establishment feature
feature & &
improve LTE
improve LTE & & VoLTE
VoLTE retainability.
retainability.
›› MT
MT RRC
RRC feature
feature doesdoes notnot work
work ifif cell
cell relation
relation is
is missing
missing and
and result
result in
in VoLTE
VoLTE as
as well
well as
as LTE
LTE
Drop.
Drop.
›› In
In this
this case
case asas per
per Operator
Operator strategy
strategy Handover
Handover is is not
not allowed
allowed from
from 11stst carrier
carrier to
to second
second
carrier hence
carrier hence there
there was was nono frequency
frequency relation
relation defined
defined either.
either. So
So ,, following
following solutions
solutions were
were
implemented to
implemented to reduce
reduce the the limitation:
limitation:
›› Add
Add 2C
2C Frequency
Frequency in in 1C
1C cells
cells
›› Relax
Relax the
the IF
IF ANR
ANR parameters
parameters
›› Increase
Increase the
the neighbor
neighbor removal
removal timetime
›› Block
Block the
the neighbor
neighbor so so ANR
ANR can
can not
not delete
delete it
it
›› Do
Do not
not allow
allow IFHO
IFHO fromfrom 1C
1C toto 2C
2C
Parameters Adjusted:
Parameters Adjusted:
Parameter Value

connectedModeMobilityPrio -1
voicePrio -1
a5Threshold1Rsrp (cell level) -112
a5Threshold2Rsrp (cell level) -112
a5Threshold1RsrpAnrDelta (cell level) 10
a5Threshold2RsrpAnrDelta (cell level) 1
IsRemove Allowed FALSE
5.Incorrect MCS leading to VOLTE DROP1/2
1
1

3
2
4

1.
1. UE reports
UE reports MRMR for
for HO
HO
2.
2. Source ENB
Source ENB responds
responds RRCRRC connection
connection reconfiguration.
reconfiguration. RSRPRSRP == -108.2
-108.2 // SINR
SINR = = -0.3
-0.3 dB
dB
3.
3. UE misses
UE misses the
the RRC
RRC connection
connection reconfiguration
reconfiguration message.
message. UE UE assumes
assumes thatthat HO
HO isis not
not
initiated &
initiated & sends
sends multiple
multiple MR MR for
for HO.
HO.
4. Tx2Relocoverall
4. Tx2Relocoverall timer
timer expires
expires (( 55 sec)
sec) & & UE
UE context
context is is released.
released.
Since the
Since the UE
UE context
context is
is released,
released, this
this will
will always
always result
result in
in VoLTE
VoLTE drop.
drop.
SINR was
SINR was poor
poor but
but not
not the
the kind
kind of
of SINR
SINR that
that UE
UE would
would not
not be be able
able decode
decode thethe L3
L3 message.
message.
Further investigation
Further investigation was
was performed
performed on on such
such behavior
behavior
5.Incorrect MCS leading to VOLTE DROP2/2
›› Further
Further investigation
investigation revealed
revealed that
that
target ENB
target ENB sent
sent the
the RRC
RRC connection
connection
reconfiguration with
reconfiguration with aa different
different MCS
MCS
(modulation coding
(modulation coding scheme)
scheme)

›› The
The UE’s
UE’s used
used for
for drive
drive test
test was
was Rel-
Rel-
8, MCS
8, MCS coding
coding assigned
assigned toto UE
UE was
was in
in
accordance with
accordance with Rel-10
Rel-10

›› Rel-10
Rel-10 UE’s
UE’s can
can decode
decode messages
messages
with relative
with relative higher
higher MCS
MCS when
when
compared to
compared to Rel-8
Rel-8 device
device for
for aa
specific SINR
specific SINR

›› Hence,
Hence, higher
higher MCS
MCS waswas assigned
assigned
L13B
L13B EP
EP 14
14 Software
Software rollout
rollout
RRC reconfiguration
RRC reconfiguration message
message which
which Green
Green CL
CL
drive stopped.
drive stopped.
the Rel-8
the Rel-8 UE
Solution:
Solution: UE could
could not
not decode.
decode.
ENB
ENB software
software waswas upgraded
upgraded to
to L13B
L13B EP14
EP14
which
which fixed
fixed this
this issue
issue
6. DL ICIC feature activation 1/3

Purpose:
Purpose:
DL ICIC
DL ICIC is
is used
used to to randomize
randomize PRB PRB allocation
allocation toto reduce
reduce thethe inter-cell
inter-cell interference.
interference.
›› With
With the
the current
current baseline,
baseline, the
the scheduler
scheduler on on the
the DL
DL assigns
assigns thethe PRBs
PRBs from
from the
the lower
lower to to higher
higher
frequency that
frequency that isis from
from left
left toto right.
right. DueDue toto this,
this, sites
sites with
with coverage
coverage overlap
overlap will
will cause
cause
interference. In
interference. In typical
typical scenarios
scenarios without
without DLDL ICIC
ICIC feature,
feature, thethe resource
resource allocation
allocation for
for all
all the
the cells
cells
with start
with start from
from PRBPRB 0.
0.
›› When
When the the "Inter-Cell
"Inter-Cell Interference
Interference Coordination
Coordination (ICIC)
(ICIC) -- autonomous
autonomous resourceresource allocation"
allocation" feature
feature
is activated
is activated in in downlink,
downlink, aa random
random selection
selection isis made
made as as to
to where
where the the allocation
allocation starts.
starts. With
With aa
randomized allocation,
randomized allocation, the
the expectation
expectation is is that
that the
the overall
overall interference
interference will will be
be reduced.
reduced.
•• Sites
Sites with
with high
high PRB
PRB utilization
utilization will
will not
not benefit
benefit from
from DL DL ICIC
ICIC since
since most
most ofof the
the PRBs
PRBs are are
allocated.
allocated.
•• Sites
Sites with
with lower
lower PRB
PRB utilization,
utilization, can
can benefit
benefit since
since the
the allocation
allocation is is spread
spread across
across the
the available
available
PRBs.
PRBs.
•• Note
Note that
that the
the scheduler
scheduler will
will try
try to
to allocate
allocate all
all the
the PRBs
PRBs forfor aa data
data user
user within
within the
the same
same TTI TTI for
for
large data
large data users.
users. This
This can
can reduce
reduce the
the benefit
benefit ofof DL
DL ICIC
ICIC since
since the
the PRBs
PRBs areare being
being fully
fully utilized.
utilized.
Since VoLTE
Since VoLTE packets
packets areare small,
small, the
the PRBs
PRBs would
would notnot bebe fully
fully utilized
utilized so
so DLDL ICIC
ICIC can
can be be
beneficial
beneficial .

Parameters Adjusted:
Parameters Adjusted:
›› EUtranCellFDD
EUtranCellFDD dlInterferenceManagementActive=true
dlInterferenceManagementActive=true
›› dlInterferenceManagementDuration
dlInterferenceManagementDuration = = 100ms
100ms
6. KPI TREND after DL ICIC & MT RRC Work around 2/3

LTE Retainability MARKET LTE Re-

pm data TREND establishment
pm data

VoLTE LTE Throughput

Retainability pm pm data
data

Observation:
Observation:
Improvement
Improvement in in LTE
LTE retainability~0.02
retainability~0.02 ,, VoLTE~1.
VoLTE~1. No.
No. of
of radio
radio link
link failures
failures reduced
reduced significantly,
significantly, No
No
significant
significant degradation
degradation in in throughput.
throughput.
6. Drive KPI TREND after DL ICIC & MT RRC Work
around 3/3
MARKET TREND – DRIVE
DATA
7. Retainability & SRVCC SR improvement 1/2
B2Threshold2RscpUtraOffset change

›› B2Threshold2RscpUtra
B2Threshold2RscpUtra Parameter
Parameter
defines the
defines the threshold
threshold which
which UMTS
UMTS
cell must
cell must meet
meet by by hysteresis
hysteresis for
for aa
period of
period of timetotrigger
timetotrigger inin order
order toto
being reported
being reported by by the
the UE
UE provided
provided
LTE
LTE Cell
Cell is
is worse
worse than
than
B2Threshold1Rsrp+Hysteresis for
B2Threshold1Rsrp+Hysteresis for aa
period of
period of timetotrigger.
timetotrigger.

›› Default
Default value
value for
for
B2Threshold2RscpUtra is
B2Threshold2RscpUtra is set
set to
to -115
-115
dBm resulting
dBm resulting in
in cells
cells having
having poor
poor
UMTS coverage
UMTS coverage beingbeing selected
selected for
for
SRVCC and
SRVCC and eventually
eventually dropping
dropping the
the
call. Changing
call. Changing this
this parameter
parameter willwill
affect LTE
affect LTE as
as well
well ..

›› B2Threshold2RscpUtraoffset
B2Threshold2RscpUtraoffset is is QCI
QCI
specific offset
specific offset site
site level
level parameter
parameter ,,
so changes
so changes were
were made
made toto QCI=1.
QCI=1.

›› B2Threshold2RscpUtraoffset
B2Threshold2RscpUtraoffset was
was
changed from
changed from 00 to
to 10
10 effectively
effectively
reducing B2Threshold2RscpUtra
reducing B2Threshold2RscpUtra to to
-105dBm.
-105dBm.
7. Retainability & SRVCC SR improvement 2/2
B2Threshold2RscpUtraOffset change

Observation:
Observation: Counter
Counter Based
Based
B2Threshold2RscpUtraoffset
B2Threshold2RscpUtraoffset was
was changed
changed from
from 00 to
to 10
10 effectively
effectively reducing
reducing B2Threshold2RscpUtra
B2Threshold2RscpUtra to
to -105dBm.
-105dBm.
Retainability
Retainability shows
shows slight
slight improvement
improvement after
after the
the changes
changes .. SRVCC
SRVCC attempt
attempt reduced
reduced as
as expected
expected and
and
SRVCC
SRVCC success
success rate
rate improved
improved when
when compared
compared to to same
same amount
amount of of attempts
attempts before.
before.
 Take Away
1. Normal RRC connection release need not necessarily mean not end to VoLTE call.
Mismatch in the below parameters will lead to bearer drop.
 rlcMode
 rlcSnLength
 pdcpSnLength
 rohcEnabled

2. It is important to note that RRC drop alone do not conclude that the VoLTE call has
dropped. Further analysis on bearer level needs to be performed to ascertain if VoLTE
call dropped.
3. QCI 1 profile must be defined to enable VoLTE services.
4. Multi Target RRC Connection re-establishment will not be successful (L13B) if
neighbors are not defined in both the directions. The problem could be more severe
when layering strategy does not allow handover from one carrier to other(IFHO). A
work around is possible to reduce the impact of the limitation.
5. Incorrect MCS assigned by ENB to Rel 8 UE was causing the VoLTE drops in poor SINRs,
this was a eNB software bug and was rectified by EP14 rollout. A significant
improvement in retainability was observed.
6. DL ICIC feature shows good improvement in VoLTE Retainability.
7. QCI 1 specific “b2Threshold2RscpUtraOffset” helps to improve VoLTE retainability as
well as SRVCC performance. Offset value of 10dB showed good results.