Cell Selection/Reselection Network optimization SSMC Training Center 1

Cell Selection / Cell Reselection

Contents
1 Cell Selection 3
1.1 Measurements for Normal Cell Selection 4
1.2 Criteria for Cell Selection 5
2 Cell Reselection 13
2.1 Necessary Actions for a Cell Reselection 14
2.2 Phase 1 MS 15
2.3 Phase 2 MS 16
2.4 Triggers for Cell Reselection 18
3 Parameters for Cell Selection/Reselection 21
4 Exercise 35Cell selection/Reselection Network optimization SSMC Training Center 2Cell
Selection/Reselection

1 Cell Selection
Network optimization SSMC Training Center

3Cell selection/Reselection

Cell selection/reselection are processes, which are performed by a GSM mobile station
in idle mode.
The MS uses the cell selection algorithm to look for a cell (of the chosen PLMN) where it
can camp on ("camping on a cell").
If the MS looses coverage of that cell (caused for example by moving out of the cell) it
will look for the most suitable alternative cell (of the selected PLMN) and it will camp on
that cell. This is called cell reselection.
The cell selection /reselection processes are described in GSM 03.22, GSM 05.08 and
ETSI TS 123 122.

1.1 Measurements for Normal Cell Selection

In case of normal cell selection the MS has no prior knowledge on which GSM 900 or
DCS 1800 frequencies are BCCH carriers. Therefore the MS has to search in the
beginning all RF carriers of the corresponding system (124 carriers for P-GSM, 174
carriers for E-GSM and 374 carriers for DCS 1800), and has to measure the signal
strength on each RF carrier. The MS takes 5 measurement samples per RF carrier which
are averaged:
AV_RXLEV = 1/5 x (RXLEV1 + RXLEV2 + ... + RXLEV5)
A multi band MS searches all carriers within its band of operation. The number of carriers
searched corresponds to the sum of carriers on each band of operation.
Network optimization SSMC Training Center

4Cell Selection/Reselection

1.2 Criteria for Cell Selection

Based on these measurements the MS can estimate whether a cell will be an
appropriate serving cell from the radio propagation point of view, i.e. whether there will
be a sufficient link quality:

1.2.1 C1 Criterion for Cell Selection

C1 = AV_RXLEV - RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN - max (0, MS_TXPWR_MAX_CCH - P )