Nemo Drive Test on 2G/3G Networks

Toha Ardi Nugraha

Trainer at Expert Coaching Clinic

Network Optimization Process

Reason of Drive Test?

1. 2. 3. 4. Network Performance Monitoring Maintenance Benchmarking Customer Complains

Module 1 : Overview 3G System (1 hour) Module 2 : Drive Test Concept (1,5 hour) Module 3 : Drive Test on Field (2,5 hour) Module 4 : Reporting (2 hour) Module 5 : Analysis (2 hour)

Module 1

OVERVIEW 3G SYSTEM

Data Transmission

GSM & UMTS Evolution

3G/UMTS Architectures (Migration)

Specification of GSM
Frequency band : Uplink 890 915 Mhz Downlink 935 960 Mhz Duplex spacing : 45 Mhz Carrier spacing : 200 khz Modulation : GMSK Access method : FDMA / TDMA

GSM network Architecture (contd)

3 Subsystem in GSM network
- BSS (Base Station Subsystem) - NSS (Network and Switching Subsystem) - OSS/OMC (Operating and Support system or Operating and Maintenance Centre)

GSM network Architecture (contd)

BSS (Base Station SubSystem) BTS (Base Transceiver Station)
- Radio equipment - To transmit and Receive signal to MS - Defined a Cell coverage depend on the power transmit

BSC (Base Station Controller)

- RRM for several BTS - Handover management

TRAU
- Rate adaption

GSM network Architecture (contd)

NSS (Network and Switching Sub System) MSC (Mobile Switching Centre) HLR (Home Location Register) VLR (Visitor Location Register) AuC (Authentication Center)

GSM network Architecture (contd)

Operation and Support System Control and Monitor the Network
- NMC (Network Management Centre)
- Some OMC are controlled by NMC

- OMC (Operation and Maintenance Centre)

GSM Frequency Bands

GSM type GSM 900 GSM 1800 (DCS 1800)

Frequency Band Uplink (UL) 890-915 Mhz 1710-1785 Mhz 1850-1910 Mhz Downlink (DL) 935-960 Mhz 1805-1880 Mhz 1930-1990 Mhz

GSM 1900 (PCS 1900)

GSM Channelization
Physical Channel
200 Khz (Frequency Carrier) consist of 8 TS

Logical Channel
Control Channel Traffic Channel

Control Channel

Traffic Channel

GSM channelization (Contd)

Logical channel

Chontrol Channel

Traffic Channel

Broadcast channel

Common Control Channel

Dedicated Control Channel

Full Rate

Half rate

3G/UMTS Concept
WCDMA Concept UMTS Architecture Channelization Handover

WCDMA - Wideband CDMA

Radio access technology for one of the UMTS access modes (UTRA FDD) using 5 MHz duplex channels.
Frame length is of 10 msec, Chip rate is 3.84 Mcps All users share the same frequency and time domain Users separated by the codes

UMTS Radio Frequency Ranges

FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) TDD (Time Division Duplex)

Channelization in UMTS
Logical Channel between RLC and MAC
Specific for information types What type of data to be transferred

Transport channel between MAC and PHY

Specific for how to transfer information? (quality guarantee) How and with which type of characteristic the data is transferred by the Physical Layer

Physical Channel
Exact Physical characteristics of the radio channel

WCDMA Channel (Cont.'s)

Spreading means increasing the signal bandwidth Spreading includes two operations
Channelization (increases signal bandwidth)
Orthogonal Spreading

Scrambling (does not affect the signal bandwidth)

Use pseudo-noise codes

Handover Concept
BSC
Handover Req Acknowledge Handover Req Acknowledge Handover command Handover Request Handover Request

Handover Req Acknowledge Handover Complete

Posisi 2

Site B

Posisi 3

Posisi 1

Site A

Handover: Types (2G)

Intracell handover MS moves from one sector to another sector within same cell IntraBSC handover MS moves from cell to another cell within same BSC IntraMSC handover MS moves from cell to another cell from different BSC within same MSC InterMSC handover MS moves from cell to another cell from different BSC and different MSC

Handover: Types (3G)

Intra-System handovers Intra-frequency handovers Soft, Softer Inter-frequency handovers Hard Inter-System handovers Handover between WCDMA <> GSM (Hard) Handover between WCDMA/FDD <> TDD (Hard)

Pilots Set
The handset considers pilots in sets Active : pilot of sector actually in use Candidate : pilots mobile requested, but not yet set up & transmitting by system Neighbors: pilots told t mobile by system, as nearby sectors to check Remaining: any pilots used by system but not already in the other sets

Soft Handover Algorithm

T
Measurement Quantity CPICH 1

As_Th + As_Th_Hyst

AS_Th AS_Th_Hyst

As_Rep_Hyst

CPICH 2

CPICH 3

Time Event 1A Add Cell 2 Event 1C Replace Cell 1 with Cell 3 Event 1B Remove Cell 3

Cell 1 Connected

Module 2

DRIVE TEST CONCEPT

Network Environment
UMTS Drive Test is testing and measuring performance of 3G/UMTS network. Tools : 1. Software Nemo Outdoor 2. PC laptop 3. GPS 4. Scanner

Reason of Drive Test?

Network Performance Monitoring Maintenance Benchmarking Customer Complains

Continuous Drive Test

Drive Test (outdoor)
GPS

Walk Test (indoor)

Pin point/way point

Analyze Data Collection

Analyze data that was collected before
(from Log files)

To know some problems in current area

Reporting
To Answer Analyze Data Collection (Objective Answer) Optimization Consideration Recommendation

Parameters DT GSM
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Rx Level Rx Qual SQI Cell Id, BSIC TA (Timing Advance) ARFCN, etc

Parameters DT UMTS
UARFCN (UMTS Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number) RSCP (Receive Signal Code Power) RSSI (Receive Signal Strength Indicator) SC (Scrambling Code) Ec/No UE TxPower (dBm) Throughput BER, etc

Open Device Manager

Step 1: Start >Settings> Control Panel > System Or My Computer > Manage > Device Manager

Step 2: Choose Hardware Tab in System Properties > Click Device Manager.

Open Device Manager

Step 3 : Look port to conect hardware (Modem) Scanner/GPS & Check COM Ports

Connect UE & Check COM Ports

Double click the 3G Modem to check Trace port number > Check under Modem Tab. For UE Modem: In device manager view:

Start Nemo Outdoor 5.07 and Load Workspace

Make sure the Nemo dongle is connected to the laptop. Launch Nemo Outdoor 5.07. Load the desired workspace. Workspace should contains adequate information for the user to monitor. Different workspace should be created for different setup configuration. Nemo workspace are stored proper folder for easy access, eg. C:\Nemo Tools\Nemo Outdoor\Workspaces

Running Program
Start >Program Files > Nemo Tools > Nemo Outdoor 5 Workspace Details Device Configuration Load a measurement

User Interface Nemo Outdoor 5

Device

graph

Worksheet

Load Workspace
Step 3: Browse to Nemo Workspace Folder -> Select workspace > Click Open.

Create Workspace
Parameter

Add Devices
Step 1: Go to Measurement workspace > Add New Device.

Step 2: Click the Configuration part > Trace port and Modem port

Nemo Interface
Map Interface
Open map (.tab)

Nemo logfiles and other files are stored proper folder for easy access, eg. C:\Nemo Tools\Results (.nmf)

Module 3

DRIVE TEST ON FIELD (OUTDOOR)

Module 4

REPORTING

Map Info
Exporting from Nemo Outdoor
Select Parameters

Reporting KPI with Map Info Layer Control

Symbol

Create Thematic Map Define Network Performance Open Table

Export to Map Info

Select Parameters

Report KPI With Mapinfo

KPI (Key Performance Indicator) : key to detemaint Network performance. like as , RSCP, Ec/No, etc Mapinfo is Software for loading and mapping geogharphic analysis

File > open file (chose file extention .tab) Ex : bandung.tap Used Layer control

Open Log files

Example file (.tab)

Layer Control
Command:
View Edit

Create Symbol

Create Thematic Map

Create Thematic Map (Cont.'s)

Create Thematic Map (Cont.'s)

Reporting with Map Info

Open Table

Module 4

ANALYSIS (TUNING THE NETWORK)

UMTS Optimization
3 Mayor Steps in Optimizing Network UMTS performance indicator Problem Signature Tuning network
Specific Neighbor list Managing excessive soft handoff

3 Mayor Steps in Optimizing Network

RF optimization is the process of measuring, analyzing, and tuning and existing network to meet network performance criteria It usually occurs after the network planning is completed It can be performed frequently to respond:
Changes or growth in the network Customer complaints such as coverage, dropped call etc. The need to improve capacity.

UMTS Performance Indicator

KPI Target :
RSCP (good > -85 dBm) Ec/No ( > -8 dB) BER (98%) Analyze Pilot Pollution Area Drop Call Rate (DCR) HSR (Handover Success Rate) Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR)

Problem Signature
Missing Neighbor or No Neighbors defined for Site. (Database) Poor Coverage Area. Pilot Pollution Area

Poor Coverage Area

Test mobile measurements Antenna configuration check Verification of RF network design Propagation model verification Link budget analysis

Improving coverage
Cell spliting, Sectorisation
Difficult , Expensive Primarily used for capacity enhancement

Overlaid cell structure

Micro- and picocells Cellular repeaters
RNC Node B Node B Node B Node B

Pilot Pollution
Active set UE > 3 and in range 5 dB or approximately 3 dB from the biggest active set. Reduce system performance,

Antenna Fine Tuning

Horizontal plane
Possible coverage weakness between sector Interference reduction Traffic load distribution

Vertical Plane
Interference reduction Possible coverage weakness in the short to medium distance range Traffic load distribution

Tuning the Network

Solution (Antenna Adjustments) Include : Down tilting Antenna Height Azimuth Type of antenna Reason of Down tilting: 1 Reduce interference 2 Optimizing cell

Antenna Configuration
General points to check antenna type, e.g. omni directional 60, 90 or 120 degrees electrical downtilt antenna azimuth angle (for directional antenna) coverage targets antenna tilt angle electrical + mechanical diversity & isolation e.g. space diversity, polarisation diversity

Type Antenna Down tilt

Mechanical down tilt
Physic, Sectoral

Electrical down tilt Easy

0 Electrical Mechanical

Typical antenna beam pattern

Omni vs. Sectorised

OMNI cells - more difficult to optimize
Electrical down tilt possible, however
same for entire cell

Parameters same for entire cell

Directional antenna
narrower beam easier to control interference tilting less efficient with wider beams Sectorised cell site with different downtilt angles

Reference
Short Course In Building DCS 1800 Coverage, Mobile Communication Laboratory, 2009 Short Course Drive Test UMTS, Mobile Communication Laboratory, 2008 Short Course Drive Test CDMA 2001x and Optimization, Mobile Communication Laboratory, 2008 Short Course CDMA Drive Test and Optimization, Antenna Laboratory, 2007 Nemo_Outdoor_manual

Thanks