I.

Lte Optimization
1.Lte Optimization principles
1.1 Why LTE Wireless Optimization

The optimization of LTE network mainly refers to the pre‐optimization and the continuous

optimization before and after the network launched. Network optimization results and the

level of network optimization work, directly related to the future performance of the network

stability and capacity. A good network optimization can fully reduce interference level of the

whole network, improve the network performance and call success rate, reduce service inter-

ruption, improve the data throughput, optimize the whole network handover success rate, and

improve the network capacity . Optimization is necessary so the network performance satisfies
certain thresholds or targets for key performance indicators (KPIs) agreed beforehand with the
operator.

After a network is built and before is launched on air, it is necessary to perform the pre‐launch
optimization where the common process is to divide the network in groups of sites (clusters) and
optimize these clusters so agreed KPIs are achieved. The amount of (pre‐launch) optimization needed

depends on the quality of the planning. Changes during pre‐launch optimization are mainly

physical (e.g., antenna tilts and azimuths) although they may include also some parameter

changes with the scope of optimizing the coverage and the quality of the network.As there is no or
very little traffic on the network, counters don’t provide statistically reliable information. Therefore,
drive testing is the main optimization method during the pre‐launch optimization to achieve certain
field KPIs.

After the launch, networks are “alive,” always changing (e.g., traffic conditions, addition of new sites,
new software upgrades) so optimization is still needed to keep the high level of performance defined
by the KPIs. Since there is traffic on the network,counter information is reliable and it is possible to
have a centralized view of how the whole network is performing.

In general terms, pre‐launch optimization focuses on a “coarse” tuning of the network and

counter based optimization focuses on a fine tuning of the network (i.e., parameter based).

Drive testing may still be needed to satisfy operator’s demands and to optimize mature

networks (post‐launch optimization) although the scope will be smaller than during pre‐launch .

1.2.Characters of LTE Optimization

There is an obvious difference between LTE and 2G, 3G wireless network optimization. 2G and

3G networks have had their own standard wireless network optimization process, and formed
a set of KPI to reflect the overall situation of the network, including the capacity, coverage, cces
success rate, quality, and handover. The main difference between LTE wireless network and 2/3G
optimization includes:

 LTE optimization is more complex, traffic and control channels need to be considered the

various resources such as frequency domain, time domain, code domain, interference

domain, and so on.

 LTE only supports PS domain operations, but supports a variety of different QoS services,

service based optimization is also a challenge, such as VoIP, and so on.

 When the carriers deploy LTE system with the reuse factor equals 1, eNB will endure strong

co‐channel interference. Although some of the system of same frequency interference

avoidance algorithm such as frequency domain scheduling, inter‐cell interference coordina-

tion, smart antenna beamforming are deployed, actually co‐channel interference cannot be

completely avoided, it will inevitably affect the network’s overall performance. This presents

a major challenge to the optimization of LTE.

1.3. Optimization Target

When doing optimization, the following performance must be considered :

Coverage: Good signal needs to be optimized across the whole cell and coverage holes within a

cell’s service area must be minimized. In the system’s coverage area, by adjusting the
antenna, power, and other means to make more areas’ signal to meet the needs of the
minimum level of service, as far as possible the use of limited power to achieve the optimal
coverage. Coverage optimization items include cell range, overlapping, overshooting, RSRP
and SINR distribution, DL/UL loading, and DL/UL cell‐edge bit rate.

nterference: A reasonable level of interference must be contained at cell’s service area in

order to provide a quality air interface. The power control parameter optimization is
especially important for the performance of the same frequency network. In different
scenarios, the power control parameters are adjusted to reduce the system interference,
including the traffic channel power control and the control channel power control.

Mobility: The quality of the air interface in a cell with respect to handover behavior is good,

with no unnecessary handovers. Through adjusting the parameter of handovers, enable the

handover areas to be more reasonable is the target of mobility optimization. Control hando-

ver area with the reference signal level, if it is too high, the interference to other cells will

increase; too low, session drop and access failure will easily happened.

Capacity: Capacity optimization items include PRB (includes control channels) utilization,

power and spectrum utilization, number of simultaneous EPS bearers, UL RSSI, PDCCH

format and S1 utilization, traffic distribution, and intra‐LTE/inter‐LTE load balance.

Quality: Quality optimization items include CQI, MCS, RSRQ, BLER, MIMO, Tx diversity, UE

Rx diversity, eNB power, UE power, packet loss, jitter, and so on.

2.LTE Optimization Procedure

2.1 Optimization Procedure Overview
LTE optimization can be divided into two steps, one is RAN pre‐launch optimization, the
other is post launch optimization. Optimization lifecycle is depicted in Figure 2.1.
RAN pre‐launch optimization for LTE assists in the evaluation and tuning of the radio access
network in order to ensure that the performance and coverage of the RAN is maximized
prior to commercial launch

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Ideally, RAN initial optimization should be performed on single site verification and a cluster

basis, as this allows the network to be optimized in a controlled and manageable way. Single site

verification involves function verification and aims to ensure that each site is properly installed

and the parameters are correctly configured. Cluster optimization starts after all sites in a

planned area are installed and verified. Clusters typically consist of between 15 and 25 sites

providing contiguous coverage. The “first tier” of sites surrounding the cluster is also defined

as these sites will interact with the cluster and should be considered when optimizing a cluster.

Drive tests on cluster aim at optimizing settings like antenna tilt or azimuth, transmit power,
handover parameters, and list of neighboring cells in order to minimize interferences and to get the
best from handover. Frequency planning per cluster should be reviewed and fine‐tuning in this step
to minimize interference and hence enhance radio network performance.

The initial tuning will aim to prepare both the air interface and troubleshoot system issues to

achieve the best end‐user experience with the following objectives in mind: resolve hardware

installation issues, parameter integrity issues, and improve design and end‐user experience,

which includes availability of service (coverage), mobility, throughput, latency, and bottlenecks

in the system, reliability (BLER), IRAT handover; its aim is to maximize SINR and highest

modulation in order to achieve the best throughput per resource b block.

upon completion of the pre‐launch optimization phase, the acceptance phase will be per-
formed. The post‐launch optimization is carried out on counter level, parameter level, cell
level, and terrain/area level. Ususlly it is needed to check any type of hardware alarm/VSWR
alarm, check UL RSSI issues, check bad CQI distribution, and so on. This phase is performed
to verify the system wide performance after completion of cluster optimization. Radio
network optimiza-tion is a continuation of cluster optimization, to fine‐tune inter‐cluster
performance and to address coverage and performance issues that could not be resolved
during cluster optimization. It allows operator to validate the compliance to the key
performance indicators (KPI) targets and end‐users KPIs, in order to improve radio behavior
of the network in terms of call drop, cover-age holes, and handover mechanisms

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2.2 Measurement Report Data Analysis
Mobile phones communicate periodically with the network, for example, sending back a meas-

urement report (MR) about the quality of the signal that they are receiving and the different

cells that are surrounding them. Based on the MR data report collected from the network, the

operator can monitor the network performance and track all the UE calls’ performance within

the network. It allows customers to debug some problems linked to any related mobile users.

MR includes physical layer measurement, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer measurement,
and so on. The measurement results are able to trigger events of radio resource control sub‐

layer, such as cell select, cell re‐select and handover, and so on; it is also able to be used for

system operation and maintenance and observing system run status. Some important meas-

urements are listed below:

RSRP (reference signal received power), the received power on the resource elements that

carry cell‐specific reference signals.

RSRQ (reference signal received quality), the relation of N times the RSRP divided by the total

received power in the channel bandwidth.

The MR data of AOA (angle of arrival) is the angle between the UE and the cell antenna that

UE is present. AoA is the angle (usually azimuth) from which a signal arrives relative to geo-

graphical north of an antenna array. It is able to be used for UE location. The operator can

confirm UE position by the distance between UE and eNB and the AOA.

TA (timing advance), is used by the UE to adjust transmit timing. eNB estimates the trans-

mission timing of the UE based on the RACH preamble.

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RIP (received interference power) measurement will be reported through cell trace

periodically. The RIP report type can be selected as either per subframe or PRB based or

per subframe based.

UE uplink_SINR, UE based UL_SINR measurement is reported by cell trace periodically.

PHR (Power headroom report) is the index reported by the UE to indicate the estimated power

headroom, which tells the eNB how much of the maximum UE transmit power that the UE

wanted to use for a certain transmission. The power headroom reporting range is from −23 to

+40 dB (negative value means the UE was power limited). The eNB can use the power headroom

reports to determine how much more uplink bandwidth per subframe a UE is capable of using

2.2 UE Positioning

Moving into 4G, it is time that we go beyond existing business models of generating revenues

from serving individual users’ location‐based service (LBS), that is, to venture into a new

business model of providing geographic user behavior to meet the needs of the users, as well,
mass data (MR or signaling data) –based network optimization will need the user’s auucrate

position. Geolocation enables important optimization possibilities, helps in the analysis of the

traffic and identifies where the data traffic hot spots are.

Smartphone technology combining fast processors, GPS and Wi‐Fi assistance has revolu-

tionized the use of mobile location. This can help both consumer and employee facing systems,

often making use of the exact same approaches.

From wireless technology or air interface point of view, the UE positioning feature provides

a method to identify UE’s geographical location by radio signal measurement. The locations of

these cells are known, and the speed at which radio waves travel is fixed and does not vary. By

calculating the time delay between radio signals arriving at different cells it is possible to trian-

gulate and find the UE’s location. The different positioning methods supported are: cell ID‐

based (the accuracy depends on radio network density), OTDOA (observed time difference of

arrival, medium accuracy) and A‐GPS.

indoor positioning, the situation is different. Clearly, GPS does not work, because there

is no satellite visibility, and signal strength is too weak for cell tower triangulation. When the

pathloss is used in the estimation of the distance, it is expected lower accuracy for the position

of indoor UE. The most common handset‐based technologies are based on the known WiFi

locations or Bluetooth beacons, which have been deployed in a few showcase locations, such as

airports, shopping malls, and exhibition centers. WiFi/Bluetooth CID (BSSID/UUID) decod-

ing and reporting via RRC, to enable identity reporting of beacons, which also have benefits for

radio resource management when handled via RRC.