0-7803-5435-4/99/$10.

00 1999 IEEE 1845 VTC'99

Comparing Frequency Planning Against 1x3 and 1x1 Re-Use in Real
Frequency Hopping Networks
U. Rehfuess, K. Ivanov
Siemens AG, Munich, Germany, {Ulrich.Rehfuess, Kolio.Ivanov}@icn.siemens.de
Abstract
On the one hand, the potential of radio link control
options like frequency hopping, power control and
discontinuous transmission for capacity increase in
GSM mobile radio networks has been extensively
studied by several authors using computer simula-
tions in homogeneous hexagonal networks. Unfor-
tunately, some idealistic assumptions on these net-
work models have a substantial drawback on the
practical relevance of the simulation results. On the
other hand, many field trials and regular network
operation have proven very good results in terms of
both network quality and capacity when applying
radio link options in tight frequency re-use. But
there, systematic investigations are hardly feasible.
Therefore, we present results of close-to-reality
simulations of FH networks showing that FH, PC
and DTX can largely improve system capacity in
real non-homogeneous networks by as much as
200%. We systematically investigate both advanced
frequency assignments at varying re-use and fre-
quency assignments in cluster 1x3 and 1x1. Our
results reveal some aspects contrasting widely
spread views on implementing FH in real networks.
From our investigations we deduct recommenda-
tions concerning the optimum approach of using
frequency hopping, power control and discontinu-
ous transmission in GSM networks.
1 Introduction
The continually increasing number of subscribers in
all GSM mobile radio networks is the driving force
for mobile radio network engineers to design effec-
tive capacity enhancement methods. The most at-
tractive ones are those allowing for an increased
number of radio carriers per base station (BS) by
tightening the frequency re-use scheme. This is
why radio link control options (RLO) like power
control (PC) and discontinuous transmission (DTX)
for interference reduction and frequency hopping
(FH) for interference averaging have been foreseen
in the GSM standard [1].
Both computer simulations and field experience
have shown, that introducing FH allows for a lower
mean carrier to interference ratio (CIR) for calls
while these calls experience equal or better frame
erasure rate (FER) than in the non hopping case.
Based on speech quality, i.e. FER statistics, the
high potential of RLO for capacity enhancement
has been demonstrated by several authors using
computer simulations of homogeneous hexagonal
networks [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Typically, very tight re-use
schemes down to 1x3 and 1x1 are proposed, since
interference diversity introduced by a large number
of hopping frequencies in tight re-use and using
them only part-time, i.e. fractional load, reduces co-
and adjacent channel collision probabilities.
However, homogeneous hexagonal networks are an
idealistic approximation of real world networks,
since neither topography nor morphology effects
nor design options of the radio engineer related to
antenna type and cell site can be modelled appro-
priately in the homogenous approach. As a conse-
quence, for real networks the potential of radio link
control options up to now could be properly evalu-
ated only by field trials. But even there, relevant
quality measures like FER are hard to collect on a
statistically relevant basis. An effective way to
bridge the gap between idealistic simulation results
and costly field trials in evaluating a variety of ca-
pacity enhancement methods is to utilise the close-
to-real-world information from conventional radio
network planning tools in an integrated link and
system level simulator. In Section 2 we outline this
simulation method and the way to interface the
dynamic simulations with the output of a radio
network planning tool. Section 3 deducts recom-
mendations based on simulation results on typical
questions arising when tight re-use and FH are
planned. In Section 4 we discuss achievable ca-
pacities in automatically optimised frequency as-
signments at medium tight re-use factors compared
to cluster assignments in 1x3 and 1x1. Section 5
summarises our results and points out topics of
further investigation.
2 Real Network Simulator
In conventional simulations, radio networks are
typically modelled as regularly distributed cells in a
homogeneous propagation environment leading to
regular cell shapes like the well known clover leaf
structure of a 3-sectored cell layout (cf. Fig. 1).
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Fig. 1: Homogeneous clover leaf cell layout
However, the Real Network simulator receives a
real network configuration like BS co-ordinates,
number of TRXs per cell and BS transmit powers,
pathloss predictions and frequency allocation plans
from a radio network planning tool (cf. Fig. 2).
Based on this information, dynamic simulations can
be performed on irregularly positioned base sta-
tions, non-homogeneous base station configura-
tions, arbitrary frequency assignments and on close-
to-reality propagation conditions [8].

Radio Network Planning
Real Network System Level Simulator
network configuration
pathloss predictions
frequency assignment
Radio Network Model
Cell selection
MS positioning
implementation of FH,
PC, DTX, GSM frames
calculation of CIRburst
CIRburst
Statistical
Radio Link Model
mapping of CIR
burst
onto
BER, FER, 1bRBER
Quality metrics, e.g. FER
Planning guidelines
Parameter settings
Fig. 2: Real Network Simulator Overview
The Real Network simulator interface maps the
pathloss predictions from the radio network plan-
ning tool onto a rectangular simulation area. Each
grid point of the simulation area is uniquely as-
signed to a certain cell referred to as a serving cell.
The best server candidates are selected according to
their received level based on both the pathloss pre-
dictions and BSs' transmit power plus a normally
distributed fading value in dB to model additional
shadowing. The effect of handover is taken into
account by a specified handover margin of e.g. 5
dB [8]. In Fig. 3, a typical resulting cell layout is
shown. For the sake of simplicity of the figure,
slow fading and handover margin effects are not
depicted resulting in fairly well shaped cell borders.
If FH is applied, each BS uses all channels assigned
in the planned frequency allocation within its hop-
ping sequence. The BCCH frequency may be in-
cluded or excluded in the hopping sequence. For
sufficient statistics, a large number of links is
monitored in a snapshot way, so called simulation
cycles. Per simulation cycle, the Real Network
simulator randomly (Monte Carlo method) gener-
ates one mobile station (MS) in one of the reference
cells and MSs in all possibly interfering cells for all
possible interfering frequencies both on co- and
adjacent channels. According to cell specific load
parameters, the interfering links are activated. Fur-
thermore, a Poisson process is used to model the
DTX speech activity, which can be adjusted by
parameters. For both the reference BS-MS link and
the interfering BSs (DL) and MSs (UL), resp.,
pathlosses are calculated. Based on the predicted
pathloss from the network planning and the log-
normal distributed slow fading, a fast fading value
is added per burst taking into account in a statistical
way the effects not modelled in the pure pathloss
predictions. PC is simulated as level based PC [5].
Thus the Real Network simulator calculates CIR on
a per burst basis considering effects of FH, PC and
DTX.
Since the BCCH can be assumed to be planned
conservatively to guarantee reliable signalling and
measurement performance, only links on TCH fre-
quencies in the reference cells are simulated. Nev-
ertheless, for evaluation of frequency assignments
derived in common band planning strategy and
adjacent channel interference from BCCH to TCH
channels, the BCCH carriers are modelled as inter-
ferers at constant maximum power level in all time
slots, i.e. without applying PC or DTX.
The calculated CIR per burst is mapped onto a bit
error rate (BER) per burst by a statistical radio link
model (SRLM)[2]. The BERs of eight consecutive
half bursts are summed up to a BER per frame and
mapped onto class1b residual BER and FER [2].
The statistics of class1b residual BER and FER etc.
are collected over all simulation cycles for each
reference cell. Hence, the QoS in terms of FER or
decoded BER of different frequency plans can be
compared in one or more reference cells. The con-
tribution of each reference cell to the overall result
can be weighted either by the cell area or the car-
ried traffic load.
3 Simulation Results
The following subsections shall demonstrate how
detailed insight into individual networks can be

Fig. 3: Typical resulting cell layout (without slow
fading, HO margin = 0 dB)
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gained and how general rules for planning and im-
plementing networks can be derived. In all figures,
we use the well accepted method to find the appli-
cable average system load that provides FER 2%
for 90% of the calls.
3.1 Common Band vs. Dedicated Band
Common band (CB) planning has been very popu-
lar with many operators at sparse re-use, since it
offers very good BSIC performance which is vital
for i.e. reliable handover. In simulations, CB has
proven to yield better voice quality than dedicated
band (DB) at sparse re-use. But CB limits capacity
when re-use is tightened since co- and adjacent
channel interference from BCCH to TCH frequen-
cies limit the benefits from fractional load in tight
frequency re-use, from DTX and most obvious
from downlink PC, since the BCCH frequency has
to be constantly transmitted at maximum power at
all times. Thus, DB planning is strongly recom-
mended for maximising capacity since de-coupling
of the physically different BCCH and TCH fre-
quency properties allows for optimising both layers
independently and for fully exploiting interference
reduction measures on TCH channels. Well planned
single TCH pool solutions show superior perform-
ance over a further split of the TCH band into mul-
tiple re-use patterns as suggested in [7], since in the
latter case the solution space for advanced fre-
quency assignment algorithms becomes limited
unnecessarily (cf. Fig. 4).

Dedicated Band
Common Band
5 hopping frequencies
PC on, DTX on
MRP
54.3%
59.7%
71.8%
[%]
90%@FER2%
Fig. 4: Dedicated vs. common band vs. multiple re-
use patterns at a mean re-use of 7
3.2 Cyclic Hopping vs. Random Hopping
In contrast to many textbook recommendation, CH
can be proven to perform superior to RH when
using up to 10 hopping frequencies per cell. CH
produces inherently better frequency diversity than
RH, because with RH there is a rather high prob-
ability to use a "bad" frequency more often within
the interleaving depth than with CH, which makes
isolated frame erasures quite probable. Besides its
superior frequency diversity, CH may still yield
sufficient interference diversity. In the case where
the same physical interferer is faced on subsequent
bursts, both C and I change their channel charac-
teristics in an non-correlated way from burst to
burst resulting in some pseudo interference diver-
sity. Furthermore, real interference diversity can be
planned for in the network: Instead of using fre-
quency groups, sophisticated frequency planning
tools assign individual combinations of frequencies
to each cell thus generating different interference
relations from burst to burst. Further real interfer-
ence diversity in the CH case is generated by une-
qual number of frequencies in re-use cells. There-
fore, medium tight re-use assignments should be
implemented in CH mode (cf. Fig. 5).

55.4%
71.8%
Cyclic FH
Random FH
5 hopping frequencies
PC on, DTX on
[%]
90%@FER2%
Fig. 5: Cyclic vs. Random Frequency Hopping
In network configurations of 1x3 and 1x1, the latter
conditions for CH are not fulfilled. Typically, there
are many hopping frequencies available leading to a
satisfactory frequency diversity for RH. Thus, in
cluster 1x3 and 1x1, RH performs better than CH.
3.3 Co- and Adjacent Channel Interference in
cluster 1x3 and 1x1
In planned frequency assignments, the usage of
adjacent channels at sites typically is avoided by so
called co-site separation conditions in the assign-
ment process. In cluster 1x3, all available TCH
channels are assigned to each site thus creating the
possibility of adjacent channel interference (ACI)
between sectors. If all sectors at a site are synchro-
nous in terms of their respective TDMA frame
numbers, the proper assignment of mobile alloca-
tion index offset (MAIO), which typically is used to
avoid co-channel interference (CCI) within a cell,
can be used to additionally prevent ACI between
sectors of a site [6]. In cluster 1x1, each sector at
each site uses all available TCH channels resulting
in CCI and ACI between sectors. Again, synchroni-
sation and MAIO assignment can be used to avoid
both CCI and ACI between sectors of that site. In
order to investigate the gains of synchronisation
and MAIO assignment, we calculate the achievable
capacity denoted in Erlang per site in a real net-
work. This capacity per site is calculated by apply-
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ing the simulated maximum system load to the
assigned TCH frequencies and adding those BCCH
timeslots not dedicated to signalling.

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1x3 1x1
E
r
l
/
S
i
t
e
CCI only, asynch
CCI + ACI, asynch
CCI + ACI, sync&MAIO
Fig. 6: Gains of synchronisation and MAIO as-
signment in cluster 1x3 and 1x1 in a real network
Fig. 6 depicts the achievable capacities in a cluster
1x3 and 1x1 applied to a real network. In the 1x3
case, the network is limited by dominant CCI from
neighbour sites so that the addition of ACI has
hardly any impact on the capacity. Consequently,
the effort of synchronising the sectors and avoiding
the ACI between sectors by synchronisation and
MAIO assignment does not provide large gains. In
a cluster 1x1 the threefold number of frequencies is
available per sector compared to 1x3. This reduces
the collision probabilities between co-channel re-
use cells significantly and allows for higher capac-
ity when only CCI is regarded. When ACI is taken
into account, capacity is significantly reduced.
Here, synchronisation and MAIO assignment
shows deliberate improvement of the network per-
formance.
4 Maximising Capacity of FH networks
As outlined, capacity at good voice quality is the
major concern of network operators. Capacity can
be either limited by hard blocking, e.g. 2%, at low
numbers of TRXs or by soft blocking, i.e. violating
quality contraints such as the criterion of FER 2%
in 90% of the calls. In the following charts we
compare the maximum achievable capacity denoted
in Erlang per site in three sectored network con-
figurations. We apply DTX, PC and use dedicated
band planning in all depicted configurations. We
use an advanced automatic frequency assignment
tool explicitly minimising interference to generate
frequency plans with mean re-use factors down to 4
and implement these plans in CH including the
BCCH frequency. However, cluster 1x3 and 1x1
are implemented in RH using synchronisation and
MAIO assignment.
As an example for a real network, we selected the
network of a major European city with its sur-
roundings. In total, 273 cells were simulated. Per-
formance was studied for the high capacity sites in
the city centre. A total of 43 carriers was available,
resulting in 15 BCCH and 28 TCH frequencies. In
cluster 1x3 and 1x1, only 27 TCH channels were
assigned to separate BCCH and TCH layer by one
guard channel to avoid BCCH to TCH ACI at the
same site.

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
21 14 9.3 7 4 1x3 1x1
E
r
l
/
S
i
t
e
CCI only
CCI + ACI
mean TCH re-use cluster
Fig. 7: Maximum capacity vs. TCH re-use in a real
network (15 BCCH, 28 TCHs)
Fig. 7 depicts the achievable capacities in that net-
work. Configurations with sparse re-use are hard
blocked at 2% (dashed line). When CCI only is
considered, a clear maximum capacity is found at a
re-use of 7. When regarding the influence of ACI
we find that the highest capacity peak is the most
sensitive to ACI leading to a range of re-use from 9
to 4 yielding similar capacities. This can be ex-
plained by the fact, that at higher system loads the
ACI collision probability rises steeply making high
loads more sensitive to ACI. Cluster 1x1 performs
well in the CCI cases and even best of all when
ACI is taken into account. However, Cluster 1x3
shows rather poor performance due to the fact that
we paint a map as depicted in Fig. 3 using only
three colours thus violating the four colour theo-
rem. This leads to poor mean CIR in many loca-
tions. Due to rather high collision probabilities in
cluster 1x3 on co-channel, performance is inferior

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
21 14 9.3 7 4 1x3 1x1
E
r
l
/
S
i
t
e
CCI only
CCI + ACI
mean TCH re-use cluster
Fig. 8: Maximum capacity vs. TCH re-use in a ho-
mogenous clover leaf network ( 28 TCHs)
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to that of cluster 1x1 with the threefold number of
frequencies. However, in a homogeneous network
cluster 1x3 performs significantly better than clus-
ter 1x1 (cf. Fig. 8), because here three colours are
sufficient to colour the idealistic clover leaf struc-
ture (cf. Fig. 1). Still, a re-use of four performs
superior due to better overall CIR guaranteed by the
frequency assignment. Since the homogenous net-
work structure provides better overall CIR, all con-
figurations suffer less soft blocking leading to
higher capacities than in the real network case.
Comparisons over various simulated networks yield
similar results. When both CCI and ACI are con-
sidered, optimised frequency assignments over a
range of medium tight re-use yield good perform-
ance trading better CIR at sparser re-use against
higher gains from FH and fractional loading in
tighter re-use. Cluster 1x1 with synchronous sectors
and proper MAIO assignment shows similar per-
formance as the optimised assignments at reduced
planning effort. Cluster 1x1 is of particular interest
where few TCH spectrum is available. Cluster 1x3
is only advantageous where real networks perfectly
match the ideal clover leaf structure.
5 Conclusions
We presented several simulation results from a
close-to-reality approach taking into account the
variety of non-homogeneities in real environments.
It has been shown that also in real networks FH, PC
and DTX yield large capacity gains. Two distinct
ways have been shown to achieve these gains: Ei-
ther advanced frequency assignment shall be used
at medium tight re-use to optimise the overall CIR.
In this case, the rather low number of hopping fre-
quencies shall be used in cyclic FH mode including
the BCCH frequency to maximise frequency diver-
sity gains. For good performance, good network
modelling in terms of pathloss predictions and us-
age of advanced frequency assignment algorithms
pay in extra capacity. Or the frequency planning
effort can be reduced for TCH frequencies by using
a cluster 1x1 implemented in random FH to maxi-
mise interference diversity gains. Here, synchro-
nous sectors per site with proper MAIO assign-
ments have proven to be advantageous. In non-
homogeneous networks cluster 1x3 has been shown
to be a bad compromise between these two ways,
because the 4 colour theorem is violated leading to
poor CIR in many areas of the network without
providing sufficient interference diversity. For real
networks, the decision between the two suggested
ways depends on the grade of homogeneity of the
particular network configuration in terms of terrain
characteristics, on/off-grid site positioning etc. and
the available spectrum.
Further simulator development is heading towards
dynamic simulations, i.e. links are generated and
discarded randomly in Poisson processes and
monitored during their active phase while the MSs
move through the network. Besides more realistic
modelling of subscriber behaviour, this will allow
for analysing handover and directed retry.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the colleagues in
Siemens AG from the network planning and net-
work engineering departments for corporation and
fruitful discussions. Furthermore, the authors grate-
fully acknowledge the contributions of U. Schwark,
W. Rixner and H. Yu during their diploma theses at
Siemens Mobile Networks division. Also the
authors appreciated very much the great support of
the Mobile World architects H. Winkler and G.
Spring of Siemens in Vienna.
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