Handovers in GSM

Submitted By:
Anum Almas

What If.....

If a phone entered in a new cell...

If the radio channel is not providing the good quality to the mobile
equipment...
When there is no capacity for the new calls and the new call or a on going
call is from overlapped area...
If the call faces the interferance...
If the call doesnt find a appropriate cell for connection...

Then will call faces congestion or drop?????

Solution of all these

is..

Handover

Handover is the process of switching a radio

connection from one BS to another in order to
maintain seamless radio connection during a
mobile station movement.

Different Forms of
Handover...
There are three different forms of Handovers

Hard Handover
Soft Hnadover
Inter-Technology Handover

Hard Handover

A Hard Handover is one in which the channel in the source cell is released
and only then the channel in the target cell is engaged. Thus the connection
to the source is broken before or 'as' the connection to the target is made
for this reason such handovers are also known as break-before-make.
Hard handovers are intended to be instantaneous in order to minimize the
disruption to the call.
Application:
A Hard handoff can be practically employed with more efficiency in FDMA
and TDMA (GSM) network access systems

Soft Handover
A Soft Handover is one in which the channel in the source cell is retained
and used for a while in parallel with the channel in the target cell. In this
case the connection to the target is established before the connection to the
source is broken, hence this handover is calledmake-before-break. The
interval, during which the two connections are used in parallel, may be brief
or substantial.
Application
Mostly CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) based technologies employ
Soft handoffs.

Inter-Technology Handover
If a mobile phone leaves a cell and no new cell can be found in the same
system, the Base Station can handover the appropriately equppied mobile
phone to another system. These intersystem hanndovers are highly
complexed because two technically disparate systems must be combined
with each other.
Application
These are empoyled to tranfer a from GSM to CDMA or vice-versa.

Handover Dtection
Strategies

Mobile-Controlled Handoff(MCHO)
Network-Controlled Handoff(NCHO)
Mobile-Assisted Hnadoff(MAHO)

MCHO:
In this strategy, the MS continuously monitors the radio signal strength and
quality of the surrounding BSs. When predefined criteria are met, then the
MS checks for the best candidate BS for an available traffic channel and
requests the handoff to occur. MCHO is used in DECT and PACS.

NCHO:
In this strategy, the surrounding BSs, the MSC or both monitor the radio
signal. When the signals strength and quality deteriorate below a
predefined threshold, the network arranges for a handoff to another
channel. NCHO is used in CT-2 Plus and AMPS.

MAHO
In this strategy, the network directs the MS to measure the signal from the
surrounding BSs and to report those measurements back to the network.
The network then uses these measurements to determine where a handoff
is required and to which channel. MAHO is used in GSM and IS-95 CDMA.

GSM Handovers
There are four different types of handovers in GSM, which involve
tranferring a connection channels.

Intra-Cell Handover.
Intra-BSC Handover.
Inter-BSC Handover.
Inter-Msc Handover.

Intra-Cell Handover
This form of Handover occurs if it is required to change the frequency or slot
being used by the mobile because of interferance, or other reasons. In this
type of handover, the mobile remains attached to the base station
tranciever, but changes the channel or slot.
Also known as Intra BTS Handover.

Signalling Sequence of Intra-Cell Handover

Intra-BSC Handover
The intra-BSC handover is performed when the MSC changes the BTS but
not the BSC. The intra- BSC handover is entirely carried out by the BSC,
but the MSC is notified when the handover has taken place.

Signalling Sequence of Intra-BSC

Handover

Inter-BSC Handover
In the inter BSC handover, when the BSC decides that handover is
required but the targeted cell is controlled by different BSC then it needs
assistance form the connected MSC. The MSC contacts the targeted BSC
for allocation of the required resources and inform the BSC when they are
ready. After the successful resources allocation the MSC instructed to
access the new channel and the call is transferred to the new BSC.

Signalling Sequence of Inter-BSC

Handover

Inter-MSC Handover
The inter-MSC handover is performed when the two cells belongs to
different MSC in the same system. The serving MSC/VLR must get help
from the new MSC/VLR to carry out the handover.

Signalling Sequence of Inter-MSC Handover

Flow of Handover Algorithm

Criteria for Handover

Handover decisions is given following order priority:

RX_QUAL
RX_LEV
DISTANCE
PBGT

Quality Handover

If downlink quality is worse then HO Thresholds Qual DL parameter, then an

immediate quality handover takes place. This parameter is generally set to
3.2%6.4%.
If uplink quality is worse then HO Thresholds Qual UL parameter, then an
immediate quality handover takes place. This parameter is generally set to
3.2%6.4%.

Level Handover

If downlink level is worse then HO Thresholds Lev DL parameter, then an

immediate level handover takes place. This parameter is set to 95dBm as
default.
If uplink level is worse then HO Thresholds Lev UL parameter, then an
immediate level handover takes place. This parameter is set to 105dBm as
default. .

MS Distance Handover
MS-BS distance Handover(timing advance) is triggered when the distance
between the MS and BTS has been increased above the threshold distance
,which is measured from timing advance.

Power Budget Handover

When signal strength difference between serving cell and neighbor cell
exceeds Power Budget Handover margin which is set in Handover
parameters, the call is handed over to the neighboring cell. This margin is
usually set to 3 to 6 dB. Power Budget HO feature should be enabled for
this type of Handover.
In case of pingpong handovers between the same two cells, power budget
handover margin between the two could be increased to reduce number of
handovers. Margin should be decreased if faster handover decision is
wanted.

Handover Process
The Handover Process in GSM consists of following four steps:

Measurement
Hnadover Request
Handover Decision
Handover execution

Handover Threshold Parameters

Following are the parameters for which threshold value is to be set for
handover:
Uplink receive level (HoULLevThs/HoULLevN/HoULLevP).
Downlink receive level(HoDLLevThs/HoDLLevN/HoDLLevP).
Uplink receive quality(HoULQualThs/HoULQualN/HoULQualP).
Downlink receive quality(HoDLQualThs/HoDLQualN/HoDLQualP).
Uplink receive level of Intra-HO(IntraHoULLevN/IntraHoULLevP).
Downlink receive level of Intra-HO(IntraHoDLLevN/IntraHoDLLevP).
Good C/I (GoodCIThs/GoodCIN/GoodCIP).
Bad C/I (BadCIThs/BadCIN/BadCIP).
Rapid handover (RapidHoThs/RapidHoN).
Distance handove (DistanceN/DistanceP).
PBGT handover (PBGTHoN/PBGTHoP).

Timers
GSM resource allocation and termination depends primarily on timers. The
functionality and protocols may vary, but the presence of timer based
signaling and resource allocation is ubiquitous. Timers effect call setup
procedures, handovers, call clearing, data usage (GPRS), VAS facilities; in
short, everything that a customer might do to access and utilize the GSM
network. Therefore, for a high quality network, it is imperative to have
impeccable timing. Precise synchronization and timing improves call signal
hand over performance between base stations; and, as an added benefit,
reduces customer complaints. GSM networks are dependent on strict
synchronization of the base stations to facilitate call handovers.
The Timer timing is in seconds for efficent working of the network.

BSS End Handover Timers

T3103

The timer starts when the initiate Handover command is sent to the BTS by the
BSC.

Timer is stopped when handover complete message is received by the BSS entity.

In case the timer expires, the handover procedure is aborted and the Handover
attempt is termed as unsuccessful.

It is recommanded to be set 5 sec.

T8

The timer starts when the Handover command is sent to the MS via the BSS entity.

The Timer is stopped when handover complete message is received by the BSS
entity.

In case the timer expires, the handover procedure is aborted and the Handover
attempt is termed as unsuccessful.

T7

The timer starts when a Handover Request message is sent to the MSC for
an external BSC handover.
The Timer is stopped when handover response message is received by the
BSS entity.
In case the timer expires, the handover procedure is aborted and the
Handover attempt is termed as unsuccessful.

TQHQ

This timer defines the maximum Queuing time for a Handover request.
The timer starts when the BSS places a Handover request in the resource
queue for allocation.
The timer is stopped when the Handover request is allocated the required
resource by the BSS entity.
In case of an expiry event of this timer, the handover request is removed
from the queue and the handover procedure is aborted.

T3121

This timer IS related with inter BSC and 2G/3G handovers.

The timer is started when a request is sent for an interBSC or 2G/3G
handover.
The timer is stopped when a Handover complete message is received by
the BSS entity.
In case of an expiry event of this timer, Clear request is sent and the
handover procedure is aborted.

Handover Success
Rate(HOSR)
Formula
HO Success/HO Attempt*100%
HO Success:
C900060098+C900060102+C900060120+C900060094+C900060096
HO Attempt
C900060097+C900060213+C900060214+C900060215+
C900060099+C900060100+C900060101+C900060216+C900060119
+C900060093+C900060095

Handover Failure
There are number of reasons for unsuccessful handovers. Some of them are:

Missing Neighbors.
Co-BCCH BSIC clashes.
Unavailable time slots because of high traffic.
Low signal strength of neighbors.
Hardware issues at target cell.

Thank You