NQM Optimization Strategies

6/18/2018
 Agenda
• AFP Fundamentals
• Best Practices
• Optimization Techniques and Strategies
• Issues Troubleshooting and Analysis.

6/18/2018
 Objective
• Plan the optimized network parameters like
– BCCH
– BSIC
– MAL
– HSN
– MAIO

6/18/2018
 Main Inputs Required
• Verified Site Latitude/Longitude
• Antennae Height, Azimuth , Mechanical and Electrical tilts
• Antennae gain , beamwidth
• Number of TRXs per sector (900/1800 band separately)
• Power of the Transmitter
• Traffic/Sector from Daily Reports(Busy Hour)
• Geographic Map data like Terrain and clutter

6/18/2018
 Procedure
• Data Updation
• Calculation of Prediction and interference Matrices
• Finalizing the Automatic allocation Strategy
• Automatic Allocation

6/18/2018
 Field Data Updation Procedure
• The Site data available with Radio Planning sharing with
Division level NQM(Network Quality Monitoring ) Teams
• The NQM teams conduct physical audit of the data and send
back the verified Data
• Field Datas
Latitude/Longitude ,Antennae type, Heights ,Azhimuth ,mech.
and elect. tilts

6/18/2018
 TRX Data Updation
• Cell Type and TRXs created per sector and actual working is
compared by the NQMs and deletes the unwanted to

• Relevance
• Enables the Tool to Assign the Frequencies from Frequency
Domain Groups
• Correct number avoids unnecessary constraints on frequency
allocation and optimum usage
6/18/2018
 Frequency Group/Domains
• Creates the Frequency Group/Domains with the ARFCNs
allotted
• Main Group/Domains Required
– 900 BCCH Group and Domain
– 900 TCH Group and Domain
– 1800 BCCH Group and Domain
– 1800 TCH Group and Domain

6/18/2018
 Network settings
• -Create BSIC Domain to assign the values used

6/18/2018
 Site Data Updation
Update the Site Latitude/Longitude
Transmitter Data Updation
Heights ,Azhimuth ,mech. and
elect.Tilts, Cell Type,Antennae type
Sub Cell Data Updation
Number of TRXs in Each Frequency
Domain (900/1800 BCCH and TCHs)

6/18/2018
 AFP Module

6/18/2018
 AFP Module

6/18/2018
 MAL strategies can be Fixed/Max/Adjustable(Long/Short)
Kerala Uses Adjustable-Short MAL Strategy

6/18/2018
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 Prediction Calculation
• Activate the Working Cells
• Draw Cluster Polygon if the calculation to be done for a
particular area
• Make the Polygon as our targeted area
• Draw a larger Polygon which includes all the sites which may
interferes the targeted area
• Make this area as our filtering , computation and focus Zones
• Run the Coverage by Transmitter
6/18/2018
 Traffic Data Importing
• Objective
– assign priority to Site Traffic and consider the traffic on allocation of
Channels
Procedure
Create .csv file with CellID and Busy Hour Traffic in Erlang

6/18/2018
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 Calculation of Interference Matrices

6/18/2018
 Un-Freezing Parameters

Freeze un tick for calculating Cells

6/18/2018
 CHANNEL SEPERATION RULE

6/18/2018
 AFP Calculation

6/18/2018
 AFP Strategy Selection

6/18/2018
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 Parameters for Planning

6/18/2018
 AFP RUN

6/18/2018
 Calculation Status

6/18/2018
 AFP Data Export

6/18/2018
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6/18/2018
 OMC Implementation
• The Exported Data Can be Used for OMC Implementation
• Different Type of Vendor Specific Scripts can be generated with
these data for Fast OMC Implementation
• All Neighbour Propagation /Recreation after the AFP
implementation required

6/18/2018
 Post Change Activities
• Conduct Detailed Drive Test
• Verify the KPIs and Neighbour Reports
• Compare the RX qulaity and Mobile Tx power

6/18/2018
NQM Optimization Techniques.
 NQM Optimization Methods
• Network Optimization can be done in two
ways.
• Based on OMC Statistics
– Refers to the Optimization done via various
reports from Access/Core Network OMC’s
• Based on Drive testing/Walk Tour
– Refers to the Optimization done by Drive testing/
Walktour with Engineering Handsets connected
to DT Software's like TEMS/Agilent and analyzed in
Post Processing Software like Actix.
 Troubleshooting Coverage Issues
• Analyzing the Serving Distance Statistics
• Analyzing the Path Balance Statistics
• Analyzing the Histogram of the Call Statistics
• Checking the Antenna/Transmitter in the Field.
 Serving Distance
• Timing Advance Distribution for 2G
• Propagation Delay Distribution for 3G
 3G Distance Footprint Example

Percentage of
ManagedElement Name Cell Customers > 1 Percentage of Users
ManagedElement Name Cell
km within 234 m

RP-09078-Ntpcplant_3G(75) 61126 95%

RP-04676-Mlakuzhy_3G(166) 52467 95% RP-09224-InfoParkCherthala_3G(91) 61136 100%
RP-04676-Mlakuzhy_3G(166) 52466 89% RP-11262-BelieversMCPTA_3G(115) 49896 100%
RP-07175 -ChengannurIti_3G(161) 61336 88% IB-00106-ThejaswaniIBS_3G(96) 63436 100%
RP-04458-Ponganthanam_3G(207) 61778 87% RP-11262-BelieversMCPTA_3G(115) 49897 100%
RP-07755-Vattappara_3G(149) 55637 87%
RP-00231-Technopark(101) 62707 95%
RP-05669-SNpuramKtm_3G(124) 52526 87%
RP-04086-Maryapuram_3G(74) 46988 86% RP-08570-ChithranjaliStudio(236) 25187 91%
RP-06561-Ozhukkupara_3G(187) 45176 86% RP-09048-LakeshoreIBS_3G(155) 55676 89%
RP-07559-Kurumbanadam_3G(203) 61838 83% RP-05591-HarrisonMalayalam(154) 55666 87%
RP-07254-PampadyDayara_3G(96) 42258 83%
RP-00231-Technopark(101) 62706 86%
RP-04482-Vennimala_3G(122) 52386 82%
RP-04458-Ponganthanam_3G(207) 61777 82% RP-08570-ChithranjaliStudio(236) 25188 84%
RP-08538-Manjamala_3G(21) 46217 82% RP-02009-Chandiroor_3G(88) 51918 78%
RP-04926-Thripadapuram(223) 45748 81% RP-09232-CustomsWisland_3G(43) 55186 77%
 100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800

0
Step 1 [0,234)m
Step 2 [234,703)m
Step 3 [703,1172)m
Step 4 [1172,1641)m
Step 5 [1641,2109)m
Step 6 [2109,2578)m
Step 7 [2578,3281)m
Step 8 [3281,3984)m
Step 9 [3984,4688)m
Step 10 [4688,5391)m
Step 11 [5391,6328)m
Step 12 [6328,7266)m
Step 13 [7266,8203)m
Step 14 [8203,9141)m
Step 15 [9141,10078)m
Step 16 [10078,11953)m
Step 17 [11953,13828)m
Step 18 [13828,15703)m
Step 19 [15703,17578)m
Step 20 [17578,19453)m
Step 21 [19453,21328)m
Step 22 [21328,25078)m
Step 23 [25078,28828)m
Step 24 [28828,32578)m
Step 25 [32578,36328)m
RP-04537-WIslandNorth_3G(11)

Step 26 [36328,40078)m
Step 27 [40078,47578)m
Step 28 [47578,55078)m
Step 29 [55078,62578)m
Step 30 [62578,70078)m
Step 31 [70078,77578)m
Step 32 [77578,85078)m
Step 33 [85078,100078)m
Step 34 [100078,115078)m
Step 35 [115078,130078)m
Step 36 [130078,160078)m
Step 37 [160078,190078)m
Step 38 [190078,220078)m
Step 39 [220078,240000)m
 2G Coverage Footprint

Percentage of Call less

Percentage of Calls greater than 2
Cell than 512 m
Cell Name Km
IB-00454-BarAssociationBldg-7 100.0
RP-05759-Nadukani-7 97.1
RP-09006-MenakaEkm-5 100.0
RP-08077-Kuttianchal-8 95.3
RP-09132-PGTSBIMICRO-5 100.0
RP-07817-Kappakkadu-9 95.1
IB-05813-ParkCentre-IBS-5 100.0
RP-05992-PullikkanamTown-7 93.8
IB-03049-KeralaMedicalCollege-6 100.0
RP-05866-Cheppukulam-7 92.3 RP-06321-GmtOfficePKD-9 100.0
RP-05759-Nadukani-8 92.0 IB-00185-ParabrahamahHospital-5 100.0
RP-00350-Laha-7 90.6 IB-03226-NiyamasabhaIBS-6 100.0
RP-06653-Gurunathanmannu-8 89.6 IB-00229-PadmavathyHosp-6 100.0
RP-06631-Vayyattupuzha2-8 88.4 RP-10679-BharathiyaVBNMEICT-7 100.0
RP-07817-Kappakkadu-6 86.7 RP-09134-POABSMini1-8 100.0
RP-05988-PoomalaTdp-7 85.4 IB-00124-Hotelbeachorchid-5 100.0
RP-06943-Mudikunnu-8 83.8 IB-09044-EKMMedicalCentreIBS-5 100.0
RP-05865-CheenilkuzhyBoundary-8 83.4 IB-00106-ThejaswaniIBS-5 99.9
RP-04854-Ponkandam-6 83.1 RP-11262-BelieversMedClgNMEICT-7 99.9
RP-03833-Kumaranelloor-TCR-8 81.6 RP-09250-AryanetPGT-6 99.9
RP-04619-Kuruthikulam-8 80.9 IB-03056-AmrithaBoysHostel-5 99.9
 Troubleshooting Link Balance
• Use Path Balance in TRX Reports to isolate Uplink and
Downlink Issues
• To Find out Uplink Issues, using
– Average_Undec_RACH in 2G , RTWP in 3G
– IoI (Band4&5 Interference )
– Handover_Due_to_UQ,
Analyzing Path Balance

NORMAL DOWNLINK ISSUE UPLINK ISSUE

 SOME PATH BALANCE EXAMPLES
DOWNLINK LIMITED SECTORS UPLINK LIMITED SECTORS
Path Balance per
BSC cellname BSC Cellname Path Balance per TRX
TRX
BSC106_KOLLAM RP-00287-Vallikavu-7 1.036 BSC112_Pattambi RP-07600-Pallam-9 10.991
BSC111_Palakkad RP-09021-Pulayanpara-6 1.098
BSC110_Palakkad RP-06356-MunicipalBusStand-8 10.989
BSC101_EKM1 IB-00454-BarAssociationBldg-7 1.21
BSC110_Palakkad RP-06356-MunicipalBusStand-8 10.979
BSC119_TVM1 RP-00374-Tvm-Kochuveli-7 1.27
BSC120_TVM2 RP-07440-StylePlus-7 10.963
BSC109_PALA RP-01342-Chengalam-8 1.353
BSC106_KOLLAM RP-05767-SankarNagarKLM-8 10.945
BSC120_TVM2 RP-00228-TVMPMG-8 1.38
BSC115_Thiruvalla RP-08157-NilakkalTemple-7 10.92
BSC102_EKM2 RP-00039-Kolenchery-9 1.437
BSC106_KOLLAM RP-00092-Velleatambalam-8 10.899
BSC102_EKM2 RP-00407-EKMAIMS-8 1.507
BSC101_EKM1 RP-00327-Kavarathy-6 1.542 BSC101_EKM1 RP-05585-Minicoy4-7 10.877
BSC109_PALA RP-00586-Kollapally-8 1.561 BSC119_TVM1 RP-00218-Kattakkada-8 10.876
BSC115_Thiruvalla RP-00176-Kozhencherry-7 1.574 BSC106_KOLLAM RP-00092-Velleatambalam-7 10.858
BSC102_EKM2 RP-02813-EKMEroorSouth-8 1.633 BSC101_EKM1 RP-05585-Minicoy4-7 10.853
BSC118_ATTINGAL RP-04096-Veyiloor-8 1.685 BSC119_TVM1 RP-00226-TVM-Paruthipara-6 10.85
BSC112_Pattambi RP-01489-Pengattiri-8 1.735 BSC109_PALA RP-04685-PinnakkanaduJn-7 10.848
BSC112_Pattambi RP-01489-Pengattiri-7 1.737 BSC121_NEYYATTINKARA RP-02465-Pravachambalam-7 10.845
BSC101_EKM1 RP-00327-Kavarathy-8 1.768 BSC115_Thiruvalla RP-01500-Ayroor-9 10.817
BSC120_TVM2 RP-02469-TVMThekkumood-8 1.896 BSC111_Palakkad RP-00163-Kollengode-6 10.775
BSC121_NEYYATTINKARA RP-00377-VELLARADA-6 1.907 BSC106_KOLLAM RP-07778-EravipuramRWStn-6 10.732
BSC101_EKM1 RP-00431-Chambakkara-7 1.912 BSC104_Muvattupuzha RP-01090-Kuttampuzha-6 10.612
 Call Volume Histogram.

• Analyzing Call Volume/Call Traffic Statistics

is a good way to gauge how the coverage
of a cell has improved through a RF related
work/ deteriorated due a
aging/Antenna/Eqpt related issues.
 Analyzing Uplink Issues with RACH and RTWP.
• 2G
– The RACH (Random Access Channel ) is a shared channel used by MS to access the network.
– When a network cannot decode a RACH, it is pegged into a counter with the level of the RACH.
– If the Average Received Level of RACH is very strong, then it indicates a strong level of interference in
the vicinity of the cell.(Normally a value stronger than -92 will affect the cell performance.)

• 3G
– RTWP is the Received Total Wideband Power. It Represents
measure of UMTS technology: the total level of noise within the
UMTS frequency band of any cell.
Value stronger than -95 will affect the cell performance
 Analyzing the RF Equipment characteristics
• Antenna properties determine the coverage pattern of the
site. Verify the various antenna types ( Highway, Omni,
Standard (65), Wideband(90)
• VSWR,Cable Lengths, Antenna Height influence the coverage
of a site.
• The Type of Tilt used (Electrical and Mechanical) and the
degree of tilt used is also determines the coverage of the cell.
(Check Electrical Tilt is the coverage is very less and no other
issues found in site)
Comparison of Mechanical and Electrical Down-tilts
 Call Drop Reasons
• Poor Coverage
• Unconfigured Neighbor Cell
• Handover
• Interference
• PSC Confliction/BCCH Conflict
• Engineering Error
Poor Coverage service wise.

Service Type Requirement of RSCP (dBm) Requirement of Ec/Io (dB)

AMR12.2K -105 -13
CS64K -100 -11
PS384K -95 -10
HSDPA -90 -8
RSCP and Ec/Io threshold for different services
 Poor Coverage based on Link Budget.
• The decision whether it is problem of uplink or downlink poor coverage is
based on the power of dedicated channel before call drop.
• UL Poor Coverage:
– TX power reaches the maximum
– UL BLER is poor
– NodeB report “RL failure”
• DL Poor Coverage:
– TX power reaches the maximum
– DL BLER is poor
• Scanner:
– If the RSCP and Ec/Io of the cell with the best coverage are poor, you can infer
that the coverage is poor.
Troubleshooting Unconfigured Neighboring Cell
• Using Scanner Data
• Using Atoll Prediction and OMC Dump
• Using 3G Per Neighbours Stats and 3G Neighbours Dump.
• Interpolating 2G Sectors with 3G Sectors and using 3G
Neigbour Stats to find missing 2G Neighbors.
Unconfigured Neighboring Cell
 Using Atoll Prediction and OMC
Dump
• Load all sector details like Azimuth,Orientation,Antenna Height,Type,Latitude,
Longitude, Technology,Clutter,Digital terrain map into Atoll and Simulate Neighbours
after specifying the propagation model and margins.
• Export the Atoll Neighbours into a SpreadSheet.
• Get the latest Neighbour Dump and per neighbor stats from OMCR
• Verify whether Neighbours with High Criteria are missing in OMC Neighbour Dump.
• Also do a reverse check , whether neighbor relation with very high neighbor attempts
are not shown as important Neighbours in Atoll. This can be used to verify orientation.
• Add missing Neighbours in OMC. Import missing Neighbours to Atoll.
 Finding Missing Neighbours from 3G Stats.
• Enable detSetHoSwch in all 3G Cells.
• Get the latest 3G Neighbour Dump and 3G per neighbor stats
from OMCR
• Lookup the sectors with more than 500 attempts per day with
Neighbour Dump.
• Missing Neighbours to be added in OMCR
• During this exercise delete the neighbours with less than 5
attempts per day in OMCR.
 Missing 2G to 2G neighbours
• From Atoll Database , Make a 3G to 2G sector mapping with
the nearest azimuth .
• Export the 3G sectors with the high number of attempts.
• Interpolate 3G to 2G cells and find the missing neighbours
from 2G Neighbour Dump.
 Handover Strategy
• Plan your network for prioritizing UE Services
– Data
– Voice
• Plan your network for Prioritizing UE Session
– Idle
– Dedicated Voice Call
– Data Session
– MultiRAB
Prioritizing 3G for HS Traffic

csTrafPrefInd r99PsTrafPrefInd hsTrafPrefInd

CS Traffic Preferred R99 PS Traffic Preferred HS PS Traffic Preferred
Indicator Indicator Indicator
0 1 1

Highest Priority for HS Traffic

 3G to 2G Handover
• •0: RT RAB Including Voice
• •1: RT RAB Excluding Voice
• •2: Single NRT on DL DCH/UL DCH
• •3: Single NRT RAB on DL HS-DSCH/UL DCH
Thresh ( 3G trigger level)
• •4: Single NRT RAB on DL HS-DSCH/UL E-DCH
Voice -50 dbm
• •5: All Multi-NRT RAB on DL DCH/UL DCH
Data -110 dbm
• •6: Multi-NRT RAB, HSPA is Involved and only DCHs are Used in UL
MultiRAB -80 dbm
• •7: Multi-NRT RAB, HSPA is Involved and E-DCH is Used in UL
Threshold ( 2G Target Level)
• •8: Multi RAB Including CS and PS
Voice -95dbm
Data -90 dbm
MultiRab -90dbm
 2G to 3G Handover
• Voice Handover Disabled except for
exceptional scenario where there is 3G
only site and 2G signal is very poor
• Data Handover Enabled .
• 2quater message
2G-3G Reselection
– The precondition for system to send message is that data configuration must
meet one of the following criteria:
– The cell is configured with 3G adjacent cells;
– The cell supports NC2 function (network controls cell reselection);
• 2quater content

– Description of FDD(TDD) at UTRAN side

– Description of 3G measurement parameters
– Network control measurement parameters
– Information of cells adjacent to UTRAN FDD(TDD)

Enable Fast Return to 3G.

 2G-3G Reselection algorithms -
• NCCR
Explanation of （NC2/NCCR）
– It supports different cell reselection parameters in PS service to realize cell reselection of
“packet idle mode” and “packet transmission mode”.
– Advantage: it makes full use of available network information to make reasonable
judgment and realize optimized distribution of network services; it reduces the useless
cell reselection performed by MS, and improves TBF transmission efficiency.

Network_Control- Meaning of value MS operations

Order
NC0 Controlled by MS executes autonomous cell reselection
normal MS
NC1 Controlled by MS MS sends MRs to network; MS continues cell reselection.
which reports
MRs
NC2 Controlled by MS sends MRs to network, and realizes cell reselection only based on the
network reselection order from network. Only when cell reselection is triggered by failure of
sending downlink signalling or random access, will MS execute autonomous cell
reselection.
 3G-2G Reselection
2G-3G interworking strategies:
 Only when UE leaves 3G-covered area , will it
perform 3G-2G cell reselection; once it returns to
3G-covered area, it will start 2G-3G cell reselection.
 In order to ensure the continuity of speech, 3G-2G
handover should be supported.
 In order to guarantee PS subscribers’ satisfaction, bi-
directional handover of PS service is recommended.
 Identifying Drop Call Issues from OMC Statistics.
• Due to RF
– Handover
– Interference
– Poor Coverage
– VSWR
– Antenna/Other RF Issues
• Due to Backhaul
– Fluctuations.
– Stream Error
• Due to Equipment
• Due to Others
 PSC Confliction
• When analyzing such call drop, check Cell ID in the call drop
signaling besides PSCs because the neighbor relation is
identified by Cell ID.
• Avoid Cochannel BCCH at all cost and Adjacent Channel BCCH
to the maximum possible extent.
 PSC Confliction

• Cell B and Cell D are not configured as neighbor cell for each other.
• Cell A is the neighbor cell of Cell B.
• Cell E is the neighbor cell of Cell D.
• Cell A and Cell E have the same PSC.
 Engineering Error
• Call drops caused by engineering error:
– Reversely-connected antenna
– An excessive VSWR
– Multi-band antenna problem
– Leakage of signals from indoor distribution system
– Call drop caused by unsteady transmission
 General Check
• Throughput Issues.
• Out of Coverage/Wrong Announcement.
• Processor/Backhaul Overloading
 Throughput Issues
• Max Number of HS Users
• Backhaul Issues ( Dimensioning )
• Pilot Pollution
• Poor EcIo
• Missing Neighbor Relations
• Total 15 Codes.
• Approx. 125 Voice
ckts/sector or 21
Mbps/sector
• Single User with all
15 Codes:21 Mbps
• Practical Scenario:
• 5 Codes reserved for
Voice
• 25 Users sharing rest
of 10 Codes is
approx. 500 Kbps per
user.
BACKHAUL ISSUES
IMPACT OF LATENCY ON THROUGHPUT
IMPACT OF PACKET LOSS ON THROUGHPUT
 Voice call in Dual Mode Scenario
• Mobile in Dual mode will be latched to 3G NW usually, in good 3G
signal level & quality areas.(Based on FDD Qmin/Qsearch-I settings)
• When a voice call comes, after call establishment in 3G, call will be
handed over to 2G because we have enabled service Handover.(Based
on Event 3A thresholds)
• Now, once the call is disconnected (in 2G itself) mobile will search for
3G and reselect to 3G.
• But this procedure of going back to 3G after call disconnect (including
Location update procedures involving core network) was taking around
30 s in some 2G areas in our Network, during which there is a big
probability of getting "out of range" if an incoming call comes to that
mobile as location update procedure is not competed.
AfterVoice call Disconnect in Dual
Mode Scenario
AfterVoice call Disconnect in Dual Mode Scenario

It takes more than 30s as per drive test analysis after channel release(call disconnected
in 2G) to reselect back to 3G in some cases as it is required to complete LA/RA update
procedures. If an incoming call comes during this period before LA update is complete
the Mobile will be unable to respond to paging and results in”out of range” issues
 Fast Return to UMTS

.
Fast Return to UMTS

Channel release Message in 2G with UTRAN

FDD cell description
No Fast Return to UMTS
Fast Return to UMTS
 Fast Return to UMTS

ZTE area (TCR) drive- Immediately after Channel release in 2G ,UE is camping in 3G
Fast Return to UMTS
 Nokia Project related points
 Paging Performance Reports to be made available
 Fast Return to UMTS currently not available, to be
implemented at the earliest.
 E FACH to be implemented
 IuR & Iurg to be implemented wherever required
 Purchase of single sector 3G RRH to be considered if possible
 General Points

 Iur to be implemented between RNCs sharing the geographical boundaries

 Implementation of Iurg(RNC-BSC interface) to be attempted between BSCs and
RNCs sharing the same geographical areas
 Purchase of phones for Stand alone drive software purchased in Ph 8.4
 A dedicated Centralised Support &Analysis Team will be a good idea for supporting
SSA level NQM teams
THANKS