Abis Abis Abis Abis Interface for RF Engineers Interface for RF Engineers Interface for RF Engineers Interface for

for RF Engineers
Abdullah Saleh
Introduction
Abis Interface: a BSS internal interface that links the BSC and a BTS;
it has not been standardized. The Abis interface allows control of
radio equipment and radio frequency allocation in the BTS.
If the BTS uses TDM mode, the requirement of timeslots changes
as the BTS traffic increases. In this case, the Abis timeslot
assignment mode should be modified.
The Abis timeslot assignment modes:
Fix: The Abis timeslots and Um timeslots are fixedly assigned.
They have a one-to-one relationship.
Flex: The Abis timeslots can be shared among different services
of the same BTS or among different BTSs.
Fix Abis
E1 TDM Abis frame is a Multiplexing of 32 channels. Each channel has 64
Kb/sec.
Channel zero is used for E1 signaling and synchronization, then we have
31 effective channels for each E1.
In other vendors, maybe channel zero is used for E1 signaling and channel
16 is used for E1 synchronization, so we have 30 effective channels for
each E1.
Traffic on E1:
Air interface full-rate = 13 kb/sec .
& Air interface half-rate = 6.5 kb/sec.
13 kb/sec + 3 bits for error detection and correction = 16 kb/sec.
One E1 channel can hold 4 TCH-FR or 8 TCH-HR.
One E1 channel =


= 4 configured TCH-FR on a TRX.
Signaling on E1:
Operation and Maintenance Link (OML): Network management;
used to monitor the operating status of the TRXs or BTS; OML
messages have priority over other layer 2 messages.
One BTS is configured with one OML that is need one E1-Time slot.
Radio Signaling Link (RSL): carries all user signaling messages for
connection setup and release. Also handles messages for SMS and
Supplementary Services (SS) on the Abis Interface (unlike handling
on the Um Interface).
Each TRX is configured with one RSL that is need one E1-Time slot.
Multiplexing Mode: the number of multiplexed signaling links per E1.
BTS multiplexing mode used to improve the utilization of the Abis
timeslot resources.
Parameter: Multiplexing Mode: indicates the Abis timeslot multiplexing
mode of the BTS.
It consists of the following seven types:
1:1 multiplexing mode
2:1 multiplexing mode
3:1 multiplexing mode
4:1 multiplexing mode
5:1 multiplexing mode
6:1 multiplexing mode
If Abis E1 is in 4:1 mode, MR Preprocessing should be set to
BTS_Preprocessing, otherwise the Abis capacity for speed is not enough.
Example:
TRX configuration: 4/4/5
SDCCH configuration: 2/2/2
Multiplexing Mode = 2:1
For the previous givens how much E1s does the BTS need??
Number of signaling links per BTS = 1 (OML) + 13 (RSLs) = 14
At 2:1 multiplexing mode, then....
Number of E1s channels for signaling =

= 7 channels
Number of TCHs on Air Interface = (13 8) 6 (SDCCHs) 3 (BCCHs)
= 95 TCHs
Number of E1s channels for traffic =

= 23.75 24 channels
Total number of channels = 7 + 24 = 31 channels
BTS will need one E1 for this configuration.
Question:
Now!!
How much E1s do you think a BTS with the following givens will
need?
TRX configuration: 4/4/5
SDCCH configuration: 2/1/1
Multiplexing Mode = 2:1
Solution:
Number of signaling links per BTS = 1 (OML) + 13 (RSLs) = 14
At 2:1 multiplexing mode, then....
Number of E1s channels for signaling =

= 7 channels
Number of TCHs on Air Interface = (13 8) 4 (SDCCHs) 3 (BCCHs)
= 97 TCHs
Number of E1s channels for traffic =

= 24.25 25 channels
Total number of channels = 7 + 25 = 32 channels
BTS will need Two E1 for this configuration.
Now if you need an expansion for a specific site you can know if
this will require a new E1 or not. Since some times such as in
Celebration Events you need the expansion as fast as possible so
you can calculate the needed Abis time slots to know if the
expansion will be a fast action or not.
You can know how many E1s per site by write the MML command
LST BTSCONNECT in the MML window.
This BTS has 3 E1s
Types of E1 time slots (channels) in Fix Abis:
TCH time slots
Signaling time slots
Idle time slots: used for data traffic as in the example if the rest time slots in
E1 are configured as idle then all of them used for GPRS & EDGE.
Null time sots: free time slots on E1 and not configured.
Forbidden time slots: free time slots but dont allowed to be used.
In parallel sharing of E1 between BTSs using Digital Cross Connect (DXX) the E1
time slots for the BTS is forbidden for the other BTS.
BSC
BTS
BTS
DXX
E1 31 TS
E1 16 TS
E1 15 TS
Abis Time Slots
Fix Abis vs. Flex Abis
Difference between Fix & Flex Abis:
1. Flex Abis has new signaling link to transfer the Abis timeslot
dynamic connection message. Called Extend Signaling Link (ESL).
The ESL can be multiplexed only with the OML of the same BTS
2. NO Null or Idle time slots in Flex Abis.
3. Abis handles the incoming traffic (voice/data) using first come
first served methodology.
Parameter: Flex Abis Mode
If this parameter set to FLEX_ABIS the Abis mode will be flexible.
Parameter: PCU Support PREEMPT_ABIS_LINK message
If this parameter set to YES and the BTS supports the FLEXABIS
function, the CS service can preempt the timeslots on the Abis
interface used by the PS service.
Abis Related RF-Parameters
Abis Resource Adjustment TCHH Function Switch
This parameter determines whether the BSC preferentially assigns a half-rate
TCH to an MS when the Abis resources are insufficient.
Fix Abis Prior Choose Abis Load Thred{%}
When the static Abis resource load is lower than Fix Abis Prior Choose Abis Load
Thred(%), the full-rate channel is preferentially assigned. Otherwise, the full-rate
or half-rate channel is preferred according to the dynamic Abis resource load.
Flex Abis Prior Choose Abis Load Thred{%}
When the static Abis resource load is higher than Fix Abis Prior Choose Abis Load
Thred(%) and the dynamic Abis resource load is higher than Flex Abis Prior
Choose Abis Load Thred(%), the half-rate channel is preferred. Otherwise, the
full-rate channel is preferred.
The counter that measured the half-rate channel assignment because of the Abis
resource congestion:
R3165A:Number of Preferable Selections of TCHH in a Cell (Abis Resource
Congestion)
Abis Counters
Abis Performance:
L1151A:Mean number of occupied timeslots on the Abis
interface
L1121A:Abis Timeslot Fault Times of the Site
Effect of Congested Abis:
H322M:Number of Unsuccessful Incoming Internal Inter-Cell
Handovers (No Abis Resources Available)
H302E:Number of Intra-BSC Intra-Cell Handover Failures Due to
No Abis Resources Available
A312F:Number of Assignment Failures (No Abis Resource
Available)
Counters to calculate Abis Congestion Rate:
R3162B:Number of Failures to Allocate Abis Resources (TCHF)
R3163B:Number of Failures to Allocate Abis Resources (TCHH)
R3164B:Number of Failures to Allocate Abis Resources (Dynamic
PDCH)
R3162A:Number of Requests for Allocating Abis Resources (TCHF)
R3163A:Number of Requests for Allocating Abis Resources (TCHH)
R3164A:Number of Requests for Allocating Abis Resources (Dynamic
PDCH)
The BSC regularly checks the number of Flex timeslots in the site and
measures the maximum number of available Flex timeslots in the
measurement period.
R2741:Number of Available Flex Timeslots