GSM-GPRS radio access dimensioning VTC Pall 01

C Lepschy, G. Minerva, D. Minervini, F.Pascali

TILAB, Torino

I. INTRODUCTION
This paper describes a method for the radio access dimensioning of GSM-GPRS network. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is a data service providing a high speed packet radio access for GSM mobile station (MS) and a packet switched routing functionality in GSM infrastructure. Packet switched technology optimises usage of network resources for bursty data transfer and occasional transmission of large volumes of data. GPRS gives variable peak data rate from 9.05 kbit/s upto 171.2 kbit/s. Some examples of services that GPRS is able to provide are: Internet and Data-Base access E-Mail PTM (point-to-multipoint) data transfer Simultaneous presence of voice an data (circuit and packet traffic) doesnt permit to evaluate the dimensioning and performance of a GSM cell using the traditional Erlang-B formulas. To solve this problem an ad-hoc model has been developed using the queuing theory.
1 1 . Characteristics of radio access GPRS that have

The characteristics of radio access GPRS that have an influence on the model are:
1. In Uplink access a MS initiates a packet transfer by making a Packet Channel Request on RACH (Random Access Channel), if the network has an available PDCH (Packet Data Channel), the MS can transmit its data using that PDCH. If no PDCH is available the MS makes a retry after a random backoff time. The maximum number of retries is seven. 2. In Downlink access the network initiates a packet transfer to a MS by sending one or more Packet Paging Request messages, the MS responds initiating a mobile originated packet transfer: The MS can transmit its data using a number of PDCHs specified by its multislot class. 3. The MS in Uplink and the network in Downlink may be allowed to use resources as long as there is queued data to be sent. 4. Each PDCH can carry traffic for more than one connection at a time. The maximum number of connections a PDCH can have in down-link and up-link is eight. The data transmission speed depends on the number of GPRS users multiplexed on the same PDCH. 5. Voicepreemption must be taken into account.
1 1 1 Description of the model

an influence on the model

The model used for GPRS radio access is a M/M/N model with impatient customers in the queue* The are the GPRS PDCHs; the state is given by the number of customers in the system (both served and in queue).

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Its assumed that: il is data rate, U , is death frequency, a is inverse of waiting time in the queue caused by impatient customers, N i s number of servers. v m is the channel speed and r=- 1 medium serving time for one
CH

message with length The transition state diagram is:

In Siemen technology the allocation of a PDCH is performed on the BCCH-TRX carrier only so there are a maximum of 7 timeslots allocated (both static and dynamic) per GPRS service. To support more than one MS by one physical channel: up to 6 in up-link and up to 16 in down-link there is a multiplexing technique. A new timeslot is allocated when the other ones are completely engaged.

V. Application of model (Siemens)

For example in Siemens technologyfor the uplink when a user requires one slot, the state diagram of M/M/N model with impatient users in the queue is:

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When some time slots are available, the death frequency from one state to an other depens from the strategy of allocation of channels.

IV. PDCH reservation

In Ericson technology PDCH are reserved in accordance with the MSs GPRS multislot class. Each PDCH can carry traffic for more than one connection at the same time, the maximum number is eight in downlink and six in uplink direction. TBFULLIMIT e TBFDLLIMIT are preference parameters for the number of TBF in uplink and downlink direction. MS are reserved onto PSET(set of four PDCH) with PDCH that have less reservation than TBF limit in the requested direction. When the number of TBF reaches one of the TBF limits on all PDCH in a PSET and the same TBF limit is reached on all other PSET, an attempt is made to allocate more PDCH. If it is not possible to allocate more on-demand due to no idle TCH in the cell, TBF are reserved above the TBF limits on the already allocated PDCH up to 6 uplink and 8 down-link connections In down-link the MS can transmit its data using a number of PDCHs specified by its multislot class, for example H slots. If the traffic grows up and all the traffic channels are full, the network runs a traffic channel reconfiguration: the maximum number of connections per PDCH in up/down-link directions is sixtheen. The transition state diagram in down-link is:

Startig from state diagram, the equilibrium probability of finding k customers in the system and performances for GPRS radio access are

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determined. Performances for GPRS radio access are measured with: blocking probabilityB and medium delay for one message E[T].

length per service (E-mail, WWW, FTP), code scheme (CS1 or CS2). Output data is: customer and channel throughput and loss probability. VII. Example of a performance of a GSM-GPRS cell

VI. GSM and GPRS radio access dimensioning

This model dimensions GSM and GPRS radio access. In GSM Cell with 3 carriers and 22 traffic Its assumed that: C is the number of traffic channel (PDCHltime slot) the performances of the channels in the cell, S is the number of static GPRS GSM and GPRS are evaluated both for Ericsson PDCHs and N is the maximum number of dynamic and Siemens technology. Input data is also 1% and GPRS PDCHs. Erlang-B formulas is used for the 30% of loss probability for voice traffic, WWW GSM radio access dimensioning (pre-emption) and Service (message length in upldown link to calculate the equilibrium probability of finding 1067l10333 bit, data rate 0.0078 messaggeslsec x-GSM channels available for GPRS connections and data GPRS callslvoice calls Ratio froml% to among the number of traffic channels in the cell C. loo%), Code scheme CS1 and TBFLIMIT = 1. The equilibrium probability of finding i-GSM customers in the system is given by the ErIang The performances are shown in the figures at the distribution: the maximum number of channels bottom. In Ericsson technology MS are reserved onto available for GPRS connections are those that are not used by GSM traffic.The equilibrium PSET with PDCH that have less reservation, while in Siemens technology MS are reserved onto not probability that x channels are available to GPRS full time slot : the user throughput in Ericsson connections is given by: technology is better then the user throughput in Siemens technology. In Ericsson technology MS are reserved onto P ( x ) = PY(C - x ) 1 I x < N PSET with PDCH (static and on-demand) that have less reservation while in Siemens technology MS can fill only BCCH time slots: the loss probability in Ericsson technology is better then the user throughput in Siemens technology. The M/M/N model with impatient customers in the queue shows the behaviour of GPRS messages RJ3FERENCES in the system. System performances are evaluated using: N [1 1 User Description, GPRS Channel BD = B ( x ) .P D( x ) block probability Administration, Documentazione ERICSSON. x=l [2]M.Buttb, G.Colombo, T.Tofoni, A.Tonietti, N Ingegneria del traflco nelle reti di E[T PD(x) medium delay RD = telecomunicazioni, Scuola Superiore Guglielmo x=l Reiss Romoli. This model is been implemented by a a program written in C language. Input data is: voice traffic, number of traffic channels, data rate and message

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Throughput DL with 30% voice loss

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