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Interference Coordination in LTE/LTE-A (1): ICIC

June 5, 2014 | By Dr. Michelle M. Do and Dr. Harrison J. Son (tech@netmanias.com)

As mobile communication technology has evolved dramatically, from LTE (10 MHz) to LTE-A (10+10 MHz), and
then to wideband LTE (20 MHz), South Korea's mobile market is hotter than ever with its big 3 operators
competing fiercely in speed and quality (see Netmanias Report, LTE in Korea UPDATE - May 1, 2014).
Operators can offer different maximum speeds depending on how wide frequency bandwidths they can
actually use. All three, with pretty much same amount of LTE frequency bandwidths obtained, practically
support the same maximum speeds.
However, these theoretical maximum speeds are not available to users in real life. What users experience, i.e.,
Quality of Experience (QoE) is affected by various factors, and so the actual QoE is far from the maximum
speeds. One of the biggest factors that causes such quality degradation is Inter-cell Interference.
In 2G/3G networks, it was base station controllers, i.e., upper nodes of base stations, that control inter-cell
interference. In 4G networks like LTE/LTE-A, however, inter-cell interference can be controlled through
coordination among base stations. This was made possible because now LTE networks have X2 interfaces
defined between base stations. By exchanging interference information over these X2 interfaces, base stations
now can schedule radio resources in a way that avoids inter-cell interference.1
There are several Interference Coordination technologies in LTE and LTE-A:
LTE: Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC)
LTE-A: Enhanced ICIC (eICIC) which is an adjusted version of ICIC for HetNet, and Coordinated Multi-Point
(CoMP) which uses Channel Status Information (CSI) reported by UE
In this and next few posts, we will learn more about these Interference Coordination technologies. First, let's
find out ICIC, the most basic interference coordination technology.

Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC)

What causes inter-cell interference?
The biggest cause of lower mobile network capacity is interference. Interference is caused when users in
different neighbor cells attempt to use the same resource at the same time. Suppose there are two cells that
use the same frequency channel (F, e.g., 10MHz at 1.8GHz band), and each cell has a UE that uses the same
frequency resource2 (fi, fiF).
As seen in the figure below, if the two UEs are located in cell centers like A2 and B2, no interference is caused
because they use low power to communicate. However, if they are at cell edges like A1 and B1, their signals
cause interference for each other because the two use high power to communicate.

Netmanias Tech-Blog: Interference Coordination in LTE/LTE-A (1): ICIC

Low power High power High power Low power

f3

f3

f1
A2

in ignal
te
rf e
re
n

ce

A1

e
en c
rf e r
e
t
in
al

n
sig

No interference in
central region

B1

Cell A

Interference
in Cell Edge

f1

B2

A2 and B2 use the same

frequency resource (f1), and
use low Tx power in
communicating with their
serving cells because they
are in cell centers. So, no
interference is caused.
A1 and B1 use the same
frequency resource (f3), and
use high Tx power in
communicating with their
serving cells because they
are at cell edges. So, they
both cause interference for
each other.

Cell B

F = {f1, f2, , fN},

fi : resource blocks (RBs) or sub-carriers

Interference is caused because cells only know what radio resources their own UEs are using, and not what
other UEs in the neighbor cells are using. For example, in the figure above, Cell A knows what resources A1 is
using, but not about what B1 is using, and vice versa. And the cells independently schedule radio resources for
their own UEs. So, to the UEs at cell edges (A1 in Cell A and B1 in Cell B), same frequency resource can be
allocated.

ICIC Concept
ICIC is defined in 3GPP release 8 as an interference coordination technology used in LTE systems. It reduces
inter-cell interference by having UEs, at the same cell edge but belonging to different cells, use different
frequency resources. Base stations that support this feature can generate interference information for each
frequency resource (RB), and exchange the information with neighbor base stations through X2 messages.
Then, from the messages, the neighbor stations can learn the interference status of their neighbors, and
allocate radio resources (frequency, Tx power, etc.) to their UEs in a way that would avoid inter-cell
interference.
For instance, let's say a UE belonging to Cell A is using high Tx power on frequency resouce (f3) at the cell edge.
With ICIC, Cell B then allocates a different frequency resource (f2) to its UE at the cell edge, and f3 to its other
UE at the cell center, having the one at the center use low Tx power in communicating.
High power High power Low power

Low power

Low power

F
sign

f1

f3
A1

l
na
sig

f1

f3
B3

B2

B1

No interference in
central region

Cell A

f2

al

A2

No Interference
in Cell Edge

F = {f1, f2, , fN},

fi : RBs or sub-carriers

Cell A and Cell B coordinate

to ensure:

Cell B

different frequency
resources (f3 and f2) are
allocated to A1 and B1 at the
cell edge, allowing for
enhanced communication
quality with no interference.
Cell B allocates f3 to a UE
that uses low Tx power if Cell
A is already using f3 for a UE
at the cell edge that uses
high Tx power.

Netmanias Tech-Blog: Interference Coordination in LTE/LTE-A (1): ICIC

Interference Information used in ICIC

eNBs exchange interference information of their cells with the neighbor eNBs by sending an X2 message (Load
Information message3) after each ICIC period. At this time, the message includes information like Relative
Narrowband Tx Power (RNTP), High-Interference Indicator (HII), and Overload Indicator (OI).
RNTP: Indicates frequency resources (RBs) that will be using high Tx power for DL during the next ICIC
period. Power strength of each RB is measured over the current ICIC period and shown in bits (0: low, 1:
high). For example, the strength can be averaged over the current ICIC period.
HII: Indicates frequency resources (RBs) that will be using high Tx power for UL during the next ICIC
period, just like RNTP, but for UL this time. RBs with high allocated power are used by UEs at cell edges,
and thus are very likely to cause interference for neighbor cells. The power strength of each RB is
measured and shown in bits (0: low, 1: high).
OI: Indicates frequency resources (RBs) that have experienced most interference during the last ICIC
period. Degree of interference caused to each RB is measured and marked as Low, Medium or High.
RNTP and HII are information about interference to be caused by a cell to its neighbor cell. However, OI is
information about interference that has already been caused by the neighbor cell to the cell during the last
ICIC period.
HII information is mandatory and serves as the most important information.
Power strength of each UE in Cell A - by
frequency (RB)

Interference caused by a neighbor cell to Cell A - by

frequency (RB)

1. DL: RNTP {f1, f2, f3, f4, f5} = {0,1,1,0,0}

2. UL: HII {f1, f2, f3, f4, f5} = {0,1,1,0,0}

3. UL: OI {f1, f2, f3, f4, f5} = {High, High, Low, Low, Low}
OI

high
Sign
al

Sign
al

low

Int
er
In feren
te
r f e c e f1
re
nc
B1
e

f3
A3

f1

l
na
Sig

A1

high

l
na
Sig
l
na
Sig

f2

B2

Cell A

f2

Cell A

Cell B

A2

f
5
4
3
2
1

high
high
low
1msec

Ave.
0
0
1
1
0 t

None
High power
Low power

TTI

ICIC period
TTI: Transmission Time Interval
ICIC: Inter-Cell Interference Coordination

Netmanias Tech-Blog: Interference Coordination in LTE/LTE-A (1): ICIC

Basic ICIC Behavior

eNBs send interference information to neighbor eNBs after each ICIC period. In general, an ICIC period
(ranging tens ~ hundreds of ms) is longer than a scheduling period, TTI (1 ms). Below is the illustration of an
example that shows how ICIC works. Here, the ICIC period of both Cell A and Cell B is 20 ms.
Resource Coordination
for ICIC period #13
Maximum Tx power allowed for allocation
Low Tx power used, so no Interference for neighbor cells

Cell A
f1

f2

f3

f4

f5

Maximum Tx power allowed for allocation

Cell B
f1

f2

f3

f4

f5

Input ICIC results into scheduler

1

Measure signal/
interference and generate
interference information

Send
interference
info. through
X2 message

ICIC
Calculation
(Coordination)

ICIC-based Scheduling
(ICIC power control)

A2

Signal/Interference Measurement

...

High power
Low power

5
4
3
2
1

Load Information
OI HII RNTP

Cell A

A3

ICIC Calc.

Tx (X2 Delay)

Local (Cell A) Scheduling

X2
#12

#13

X2

#11

Cell B

Signal/Interference Measurement

OI HII RNTP
Load Information

Tx (X2 Delay)

ICIC Calc.

Local (Cell B) Scheduling

f
5
4
3
2
1

B1
B2

...

High power
Low power

ICIC Period (e.g. 20 ms)

Netmanias Tech-Blog: Interference Coordination in LTE/LTE-A (1): ICIC

Basic operations of ICIC are:

Generate interference information (ICIC period #11)
Cell A and B measure signal/interference strength during an ICIC period, and generate interference
information (RNTP, HII, OI).
Share interference information (ICIC period #12)
Cell A and B share the interference information with neighbor cells through X2 message. X2 delay
between neighbor cells must be shorter than the ICIC period.
Resource Coordination: ICIC calculation (ICIC period #12)
Both cells run an ICIC algorithm based on the neighbor cell's interference information received, and
determine frequency resources (RBs or sub-carriers) that will be used at cell edges, and thus will be
using high Tx power.
Coordinated resource-based local scheduling (ICIC period #13)
The results of ICIC calculation are applied to local schedulers. Based on coordinated resources, cells
perform local scheduling (i.e. allocating radio resources to the UEs accessed to them) depending on
the channel status of each UE.
With ICIC, each cell can carry out local scheduling based on resources coordinated with neighbor cells,
consequently reducing inter-cell interference. Next time, we will discuss eICIC, an adjusted version of ICIC for
HetNet environment.

Footnotes
1. Over X2 interfaces, not only interference information, but also information on handover, resource status,
neighbor cells, etc., can be exchanged. However, only interference information is discussed here in this post.
2. Frequency resources are allocated in resource blocks (RBs). In this post, RBs (or sub-carriers) that are
allocated to UEi are referred to as fi.
3. 3GPP TS 36.423

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