Learn how to assign robust PCI to a network, and know the effects if the wrong PCI is
assigned to eNodeB.
By Ekta Gujral
Senior RF Optimisation and Planning Engineer
Ericsson Global India Pvt. Ltd
The LTE radio interface is based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM), OFDM Access (OFDMA) in DL
and Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) in UL.
These techniques are well suited for flexible bandwidth operation. This enables operators to deploy LTE in different
regions with different frequency bands and bandwidths available. So for this network, Physical Cell ID (PCI)
planning is more important because if optimal PCI is not assigned to eNodeB the signals will overshoot and cause
interference.
First, let us discuss the concept of PCI. The PCI is combination of two synchronisation signals: primary
synchronisation signals, PCI- ID (PSS) and Secondary synchronisation signals, PCI- group (SSS).
PSS is present in subframe 0 and 5 (OFDM symbol 6) and is mapped on 72 subcarriers in the middle of the band.
The PSS is 3 sequence number (0, 1 and 2). SSS is present in subframe 0 and 5 (OFDM symbol 5), and is also mapped
on 72 subcarriers in the middle of the band as shown in figure 1.The SSS is 168 sequence number (0 to 167).
So for LTE network we have PCI 0 (PSS = 0, SSS = 0) to PCI 503 (PSS =2, SSS = 167).
PCI assigning problem formulation
Let us say that we are going to deploy an LTE network in a city that needs 6000 cells. Each of the 6000 cells will
have their own PCI, but since there are only 504 physical cell IDs, we will need to repeat them. The key is that the
two cells that share a PCI cannot be geographically close or otherwise they will interfere with each other. It is quite
expensive to use RF DTs at each cell location to determine cell overlap and interference. A better approach is
predicting in advance and such algorithm is implemented so that two cells having same PCIs should not be close to
each other. Once assigned, cells need not constantly reconfigure when the network is expanded thus the network
remains stable with regard to IDs. (No reassignment influenced by a neighbouring cell change).
There is more that operators can do to manage RF (QAM) and physical IDs from a centralized perspective within the
specifications, including client density and cell throughput via algorithms planned before a deployed network and
layered on RF spectrum limitations.
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There are two things that are needed to be kept in mind: eNodeB should be collision free and confusion free PCI.
Collision free PCI means that two cells adjacent to each other do not have same PCI, while confusion free PCI means
that the cell may not have a neighbour with same PCI. Also frequency shift plays an important role during the PCI
assignment. The PCI itself gives the frequency shift through the formula given below:
P0 = PCI mod 6 + k.6
P1 = (PCImod6) mod3 +k.6
Where k = 0 or 1, P0= 1st reference Signal position and P1 = 2nd reference signal position. So eNodeB with same
frequency shift cause interference.
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PCI Spacing = 4
SSS
0
PSS
0
0
1
4
2
8
Figure 4: PCI spacing 4.
..
164
165
166
167
3
7
11
6
10
14
9
13
17
..
..
492
496
500
495
499
503
498
502
2
501
1
5
PCI Spacing = 8
SSS
0
PSS
0
0
1
8
2
16
Figure 5: PCI spacing 8.
..
164
165
166
167
3
11
19
6
14
22
9
17
25
..
..
492
500
4
495
503
7
498
2
10
501
5
13
Before applying any algorithm, there is the need for one data set in which site to site distance is defined.
With the help of table 1, we can fix the distance issues during assignment.
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For example, for PCI spacing 8 and SSS = 1, PCI is calculated as:
Sector 1: 8*0 + 3*1 = 3, Sector 2: 8*1 + 3*1 = 11 and Sector 3: 8*2 + 3*1 = 19
Result and analysis
To check the robustness of our algorithm, we use SQL and VB.Net platform. Using this algorithm we see that there is
no any PCI that have tier below 3. Average distance per PCI for our network is 21.8 Km. We check the stats for
average distance per PCI (only sector 1), number of sites per tier and number of sites per PCI. The graphs and tables
of the results are shown below.
Average distance per PCI: Table 6 shows the result for average distance per PCI (only first12 PCI shown in the
table).
Based on the graph view, we can say that for the whole network average distance is almost linear. The average
distance in this network is 21.8 Km for PCI reuse.
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Table 8: Number of
sites per tier.
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