SingleSON Whitepaper

1 Overview
SingleSON improves operating expense (OPEX) efficiency for multi-radio access technology (RAT)
and multi-layer SingleRAN networks, enabling operators to satisfy increasing throughput
requirements and implement long-term development:

Increasing bandwidth
requirements = operators need to
provide larger throughput

Improvement of operators selfdevelopment capabilities

Developing Multi-RAT + multi-layer

SingleRAN trends = network
complexity greatly increased

SingleSON solution required to

reduce the OPEX to income ratio

In today's mobile broadband era, the rapid increase in the number of smart terminals and
smart terminal applications has brought explosive growth to mobile data services traffic that will
continue for the next decade. LTE has been used to build networks on a large scale to provide for
RAT evolution, leading to the possibility of where GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks can coexist.
Data service traffic distribution, however, is unbalanced. The current industry standard for
meeting hotspot capacity requirements is to deploy multi-layer SingleRAN by adding low-power
small cell base stations (-small cell) to macro cell networks.
The long-term coexistence of multi-RAT and multi-layer networks has caused network
complexity to increase exponentially..In Europe, major operators existing GSM and UMTS
networks support more than 3 million neighbor relationships with 36 handover relationships
After LTE network deployment, the number of neighbor relationships is estimated to reach 10
million, the number of handover relationships 64. Traditional methods of network optimization
are becoming obsolete since base station density is so great and deploying small base stations
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requires extremely high precision. Automatic multi-RAT and multi-layer network management is
becoming a necessary means for reducing operation and maintenance (O&M) costs and
improving operators O&M efficiency.
According to Infonetics Research analysis reports, total income for the top five mobile
operators in the world accounts for 40% of total income for all mobile operators worldwide;
OPEX proportion of the top five mobile operators to that of all mobile operators is also 40%; the
OPEX of each operator among the top five mobile operators accounts for almost 70% of the
income of the operator. If the OPEX increases with the increase of network complexity,
development of operators may be affected. Therefore, to avoid reduction of profit when
operators provide larger bandwidth, technologies that can improve OPEX efficiency while
preserving end user experiences and key performance indicators (KPIs) is urgently required.
Self-organizing network (SON) technology was developed to reduce the costs of network
planning, deployment, operations and maintenance, as well as fault rectification to help
operators efficiently operate and maintain high-traffic networks while implementing sustainable
development and meeting the customer requirements.
From 2006 (when Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) first proposed the SON
concept) to 2010, SON studies were mainly conducted on LTE networks throughout the industry.
Huawei began to research and develop LTE SON solutions in 2006. After releasing SingleRAN in
2009, Huawei realized that LTE SON alone could not effectively reduce operators' OPEX. A unified
multi-RAT and multi-layer SON solution was developed to prevent an increase in the ratio of
O&M costs to overall income. In 2011, Huawei developed the SingleSON solution, improving the
automation of network planning, deployment, operation and maintenance, as well as fault
rectification, relationship coordination among multi-RAT and multi-layer networks, and
improving the O&M efficiency along entire networks.

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2 SingleSONs Role in SingleRAN Networks

As shown in the following figure, SingleRAN includes multi-RAT cells as well as synergistically
organized multi-frequency and macro and small multi-layer cells:

The SingleSON solution helps operators:

1.

Ensure that end users obtain same-quality services no matter the type of network

2.

Coordinate relationships in multi-RAT and multi-layer networks

3.

Improve automation of network planning, deployment, operations and maintenance,

as well as fault rectification

4.

Reduce the number of overseeing engineers and managers

5.

Improve O&M efficiency and network performance

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3 Implementing and Applying SingleSON Technology

3.1 SingleSON Features
The following figure shows the features of SingleSON technology:
Self-Configuration
Self organizing
Self planning
transmission parameter

Self-Optimization
Mobility management for multi-RAT and multilayer SingleRAN
ANR

radio parameter

PCI SO

atenna system parameter

MRO

Self-Maintenance
COD
COC

CCO
Traffic steering for multi-RAT and multi-layer
SingleRAN
MDT
MLB
ICIC/eICIC
RFSO capacity optimization

1.

Self-Configuration

2.

Self-Optimization

3.

Self-Maintenance

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3.2 SingleSON Architecture

SingleSON supports short-term measurement and decision-making for single/multiple cells in a
localized area and long-term measurement and decision-making for the entire network. Since its
functions are supported by both SingleRAN base stations and O&M support systems, SON
function coordination between base stations and O&M support systems is a must.

4
4.1

SingleSON Value and Applications

Self Configuration

A self-configuration capable base station generally refers to those that are able to automatically
connect to O&M support systems, download and activate dedicated configuration data, and
provide multi-RAT radio services after hardware for multi-RAT SingleRAN base stations is
installed and the base stations are powered on. Procedures for planning dedicated configuration
data is not taken into account, and functioning base stations can provide services only after
being configured with their correct parameters. In this document, self-organizing parameters are
considered to be part of the PnP feature. Base station parameters that need to be self-organizing
include transmission, radio, and antenna system parameters. Every base station may need to be
configured with hundreds of different parameters, which cannot be planned and configured
manually. The self-organization and and self-configuration of network parameters greatly
reduces network planning and deployment costs.
For example, for SingleRAN networks, operators need to deploy LTE macro cells based on
existing GSM and WCDMA networks. First, operators must use SingleSON technology to
determine whether the new base stations can be deployed at any of the locations where the
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existing base stations are deployed, and whether the new base station can share antennas and
transmission routes with the existing base stations. Operators must also plan the radio and
antenna parameters of the cells covered by the new base station. After the planning is complete,
a configuration file is automatically generated and saved in the operators O&M support system,
and waits to be automatically downloaded and applied by the new base station after its
deployment.
4.2 Self-Optimization

4.2.1 Multi-RAT and Multi-Layer SingleRAN Mobility Management

After a base station is deployed and running, its operator must ensure that the network
completely covers its target area and that terminals in the target area can use radio services
anytime and anywhere. SingleSON reads network operating status at all times. After detecting
that some terminals in a target area cannot properly use radio services, SingleSON identifies the
fault and its cause, reports optimization suggestions, and optimizes the network under the
operators control. After the network is optimized, SingleSON continues to monitor network
performance and checks the optimizations effect on the network. If the effect is not ideal,
operators can roll back the network to the status it held before the optimization and choose
another optimization scheme. During network optimization procedures, manual operations
consist only of confirming the faults cause, reviewing optimization schemes, and authorizing
implementation of an optimization scheme, thus improving O&M efficiency.
Mobility management features the following:
1.

Automatic neighbor relation (ANR) maintenance: After the SingleSON solution is

applied to SingleRAN, LTE neighboring cells are automatically managed, and neighbor
relationships among intra-frequency, inter-frequency cells, inter-RAT, and different
layers of cells covered by the same base station or different base stations are
automatically optimized. A five-frequency, three-mode (5F3M) base station on
SingleRAN may sustain hundreds of neighbor relationships to implement the
automated optimization of neighboring cells, saving costs for manually maintaining
neighbor relationships.

2.

Automated conflict check and optimization of physical cell identifiers (PCIs): Whether
PCI are the same as direct or indirect intra-frequency neighboring cell is automatically
checked. PCI conflicts are automatically eliminated to avoid handover failures.

3.

Automated optimization of handover parameters based on actual deployment

scenarios: Intra-base station, inter-base station, intra-frequency, inter-frequency,
inter-RAT, and inter-base station type handover parameters are automatically
optimized according to the signal propagation features of neighboring cells in order to

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improve handover success rate. This feature allows 5F3M base stations to maintain
more than 100 handover relationships. The automated optimization of handover
parameters reduces O&M costs while ensuring handover performance.
4.

Coverage optimization of antenna system parameters: Antenna deployment scenarios

and user distribution are automatically identified according to reports from terminals.
Radio frequency (RF) parameters are automatically optimized according to antenna
deployment scenarios and user distribution. If multiple cells with different frequencies
or RATs share an antenna, the user distribution of each cell must be considered. If
multiple cells share the same power and antenna, the power of each cell must be
adjusted according to its coverage target. Typical optimization scenarios include hole
coverage, weak coverage, cross coverage, pilot pollution, and unbalanced uplink and
downlink coverage. Traditional methods of optimizing antenna capacity requires
network planning engineers with field experience conducting numerous drive tests
(DTs) at a high cost. SingleSONs automated algorithms do not require engineers with
significant field experience to operate. The minimization DT (MDT) technology also
reduces DT cost by more than 50%.

5.

Random access procedure optimizations: During random access procedures,

optimizations like preamble code optimization, optimization of random access channel
(RACH) transmission resources, and RACH power optimization are performed. On LTE
networks, optimizations can be performed according to RACH failure reports generated
by the terminals. On networks using other RATs, optimizations are mainly performed
according to network planning data, measurement reports (MRs) from the terminal,
terminal access signaling, and handover signaling.
4.2.2 Multi-RAT and Multi-Layer SingleRAN Traffic Steering

With synergic traffic steering, networks monitor traffic distribution according to terminal reports
and automatically adjust network configurations and migrate terminals based on operator
policies. This improves usage efficiency of SingleRAN resources while ensuring terminal QoS.
Monitoring network traffic in this case refers to monitoring the time distribution, space
distribution, and service type distribution (QoS) of network throughput based on cell throughput
KPIs, terminals MRs, and DT data.
Sudden inconsistencies between traffic distribution and the distribution of SingleRAN
network capabilities over short periods of time are solved by using mobility load balancing
schemes for intra-base station, inter-base station, intra-frequency, inter-frequency, inter-RAT,
and inter-base station type cells. The methods for migrating terminals include handover,
residence, cell admission control, and congestion control. Generally, operators' policies must
take factors such as the mapping between service types and cell capabilities, priorities of end
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users, and preferred services of end users into consideration. The operator mobility
load-balancing policies that are applied to big base stations and accompanying intra-frequency
small base stations must also take factors such as terminal speed and inter-cell interference level
into consideration.
Frequent inconsistencies between the traffic distribution and the distribution of SingleRAN
network capabilities over long periods of time are solved by optimizing antenna system capacity
parameter. The principles of parameter optimization dictate that throughput hotspots are
detected according to terminal MRs; if a traditional antenna is being used, it is then
recommended to chiefly optimize the signal quality in the hotspot areas. If throughput
requirements cannot be met by optimizing antenna system parameters, the antenna can be
re-deployed in modes such as miniaturization or distributed dense mode.
An inter-cell interference coordination mechanism can also be used to improve throughput.
Operator policies mainly focus on the ratios of throughput of edge terminals served by the cell to
the total throughput of the entire cell, the balance between system efficiencies, and the balance
between the channel quality of a single cell and the total throughput of the entire system.
4.3

Self-Maintenance

Self-maintenance is defined as the automated management of automatically detected cell

outages by automated cell outage compensation. (Cell outage refers to the complete or partial
loss of a cells capability to provide radio services.) Cell outages may occur in any of the following
scenarios:
1.

The cell cannot provide services in all or some geographical areas.

2.

The number of subscribers served by the cell is greatly reduced.

3.

The total throughput of the cell is greatly reduced.

SingleSONs automated cell outage compensation functions monitor cell KPI. If certain cell
KPIs are found to be abnormal, SingleSON checks whether terminals served by the cell can
initiate services before determining whether the cell is out of service. If SingleSON determines
that the cell is out of service, it signals an alarm, and tries to restore functions of the
out-of-service cell. If the cells functions fail to be restored, SingleSON uses neighboring cells to
provide services to subscribers of the cell, and adjusts antenna parameters of neighboring cells
when necessary to meet terminal quality of service (QoS) requirements.

5 Industry Leadership
By now, all mainstream device vendors have released SON roadmaps. In 2009, Huawei released
the industrys first LTE SON test report. Mainstream operators have also widely released their
requirements for SON in industry forums. SON technology levels are also set to be significantly
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improved over the next few years. Operators will be able to operate LTE macro cell networks and
WCDMA and LTE small cell networks without increasing the ratio of OPEX to revenues from
existing GSM and WCDMA macro cell networks while meeting increasing data bandwidth
requirements.
Some SON features, such as automated neighboring cell optimization, mobility optimization,
and MDT, require terminals to report additional information. Currently, more and more LTE
terminals support SON-compatible Uu interface signaling but do not support all signaling defined
by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). GSM and WCDMA terminal inventory is
significant and SON-compatible air interface signaling of GSM and WCDMA continues to be
developed (its estimated that GSM and WCDMA terminals cannot current support
SON-compatible Um interface signaling). SON-compatible air interface signaling, however, is
important for improving the efficiency of SON features. Standardization organizations, operators,
network vendors, and terminal vendors will collaborate to promote terminal support for
SON-compatible air interface signaling.
Huaweis SingleSON roadmap concerns SON features support GSM, UMTS, and LTE
networks and SingleRAN base stations. Coexisting macro cell networks and small cell networks is
also part of LTE SON feature planning. A unified self-configuring solution has already been
developed for the GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks, and by the second quarter of 2013, Multi-RAT
and Multi-layer synergy solutions for ANR and MDT features will be developed.

6 Building Thinking Networks

Multi-RAT and multi-layer SingleRAN solutions automatically monitor deployment environments,
network operating status, and quality of experience (QoE) to automatically provide and
implement according planning solutions, optimization solutions, and fault rectification solutions
after operator authorization. SingleSON technology constitutes giving networks thinking
capabilities. Thinking networks operate via self-planning, self-optimization, and self-rectification
of faults according to operator policies. A standard thinking network process proceeds as follows:
1.

Monitoring of network status

2.

Network fault identified

3.

Optimization suggestion provided

4.

Optimization effect confirmed

5.

Rollback suggestion provided (when necessary) after optimization is performed

Thinking network results are compiled into new network configuration parameters, which
are then applied to the network upon operator authorization. Networks equipped with thinking
capabilities that automatically apply the results upon operator authorization are referred to as
reconfigurable networks.
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