Cell selection/reselection

Graham Whyley Technical Master

Trainer

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Webinar 8-

Cell selection/reselection

Cell selection/reselection
Cell Reselection on the Same LTE Frequency
S-Criteria (3GPP Release 8)
S-Criteria (3GPP Release 9, onwards)
System Information Block 1
Ranking-INTRA-Frequency
Cell Reselection to a Different LTE Frequency
frequency priority
3G to LTE Cell Reselection
SIB19

Cell selection/reselection
In cellular networks, when a mobile (IDLE)
moves from cell to cell and performs cell
selection/reselection

In LTE network, a UE measures two

parameters on reference signal:

RSRP (Reference Signal Received

Power)
RSRQ (Reference Signal Received
I need to select
Quality)
a cell

You can make large cells or

small cells using these
parameters

Cell selection/reselection
LTE

3G
IDLE

LTE

SIBParameters
for cell
selection

GSM

UE makes the decision

This is the minimum Quality/Power to
join my cell

Parameters sent in SIBs

This is the minimum Quality/Power to

join my cell
Parameters sent in SIBs

Handover

Handover
RRC CONNECTION RECONFIGURATION

Serving cell

In handover, it has to measure the signal

strength/quality of the neighbour cells &
send a report to the network.

MME

Measurement
Report A5

neighbouring cell

HANDOVER
REQUEST
neighbour cell X2
Measurement Report

RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power)

Without MIMO

Antenna 1

UE measurements
In LTE network, a UE measures two parameters on reference signal:

RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power)

RSRQ (Reference Signal Received Quality)

Qrxlevmin used for cell

selection in 3GPP release 8
Minimum required RX level
in the cell (dBm)

Which Cell?

Cell selection/reselection
Qrxlevmin
Qrxlevmin
IDLE
SIB1/3

Qrxlevmin

Parameters for cell

selection

Qrxlevmin

Qrxlevmin and Qqualmin

used for cell selection from
3GPP release 9
Minimum required quality
level in the cell (dB)

Qrxlevmin
Intra Freq Cell Reselection
6

Reference Signal Receive Power

12 sub-carriers

Antenna 1
Without MIMO

RSRP (Reference Signal

Receive Power) is the
average power of
Resource Elements (RE)
that carry cell specific
Reference Signals (RS)
over the entire
bandwidth, so RSRP is
only measured in the
symbols carrying RS

1 ms

Reference Signals occupy

8 out of 168
symbols(14x12)
7

Reference Signal Receive Power

RSRP (Reference Signal Receive Power) is the average power of Resource
Elements (RE) that carry cell specific Reference Signals (RS) over the entire
bandwidth, so RSRP is only measured in the symbols carrying RS
Reference signals similar to CPICH in
WCDMA (Ec/Io)

Reference signals reduce the maximum

achievable user plane bit rate by
occupying a subset of the resource
block symbol locations

12 sub-carriers

Used for cell search, channel estimation

and neighbour cell monitoring

Without MIMO

Reference signals are distributed in

both the time and frequency domains

Antenna 1

1 ms
Reference Signals occupy
8 out of 168 symbols

RSRP measures signal power from a specific sector while excluding noise and
interference from other sectors

Sub
channel
RSRP (Reference Signal Receive Power)
is the average power of Resource
Elements (RE) that carry cell specific
Reference Signals (RS) over the entire
bandwidth, so RSRP is only measured in
the symbols carrying Reference Signals

In 20Mhz you have 100PRB

Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP)

10

Received Signal Strength Indicator

RSSI is effectively a measurement of all of the power contained in the
applicable spectrum (1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15 or 20MHz).
This could be signals, control channels, data channels, adjacent cell power,
background noise, everything.
RSSI varies with LTE downlink bandwidth
Bandwidth 1.4
(MHz)

10

15

20

# of RBs

15

25

50

75

100

Subcarriers

72

180

300

600

900

1200

11

Received Signal Strength Indicator

Point of interest
12

Reference Signal Receive Quality

RSRP provides information about signal strength and RSSI helps in
determining interference and noise information.
This is the reason, RSRQ (Reference Signal Receive Quality)
measurement and calculation is based on both RSRP and RSSI

RSRQ is defined
as the ratio
NRSRP / (EUTRA carrier
RSSI)

13

Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ)

LOADED
UNLOADED
RSRQ affected by cell loads.

14

Reference Signal Receive Quality

Bandwidth 1.4
(MHz)
# of RBs
6
Subcarrier
s

72

10

15

20

15

25

50

75

100

180 300 600 900 1200

Point of interest

RSRQ = n x RSRP/RSSI
RSRQ = 10 log 25 + (-102.77 (- 82 .71)
=13.97 + (-20.06)
=-6.09
15

Initial Access Procedure

16

Cell Search Procedures

Cell Search

Read SIBs

Cell Selection

Random
access

There are two different types of synchronization procedures. The first one is when
the UE is not connected to LTE cell and wants to access LTE network. This
happens when the UE is switched on or when the reception is restored after being
in an area with no connection.
The second type of synchronization procedure happens when
the UE is already connected to LTE cell and detects a new cell.
This means the UE will prepare for a handover to a new cell
and will report this to the old cell.

Both these procedures use two types of

synchronization signals, that is the primary
synchronization signal (PSS) and the
secondary synchronization signal (SSS)
which are broadcasted in each cell.

(P-SCH): for cell search and identification

S-SCH): for cell search and identification

17
Physical Cell layer ident

Physical Cell identification and Global Cell ID identification

Physical Layer Cell ID (PCI)

C-RNTI

The sequence to generate the Reference Signal

depends upon the PCI
Limited to 504 values so not unique
Careful assignment needed because a UE shall
never receive the same value from 2 different cells

18

Read SIBs
Cell Search

Read SIBs

Cell Selection

UE reads
the MIB

Channel Bandwidth

UE reads
the SIB 1

Scheduling Information
Value Tag

UE reads
the SIB

SIB2, SIB3, SIB4, SIB5,

SIB6, SIB7, SIB8, SIB9,
SIB10, SIB11, SIB12, SIB13

Random
access

After a UE has selected a

PLMNi (public land mobile
network), the UE performs the
cell selection procedure where
the UE searches for a suitable
cell.

19

Cell Selection
Cell Search

Read SIBs

Cell Selection

Random
access

The UE shall measure the RSRP level of

the serving cell and evaluate the cell
selection criterion S for the serving cell
All parameters except for Qrxlevmeas are
provided via system information. The
Qrxlevmeas is the measured value of the
cells reference signal received power
(RSRP) expressed in dBm.

Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas Qrxlevmin

measured value
Srxlev > 0

The Qrxlevmin is the minimum required receive power level (dBm) in the cell and is
signaled as Q-RxLevMin by higher layers as part of the System Information Block
Type 1 (SIB Type 1)
20

Example
SIB -70
Srxlev > 0

Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas Qrxlevmin

Srxlev = -80

Qrxlevmin

Srxlev = -80

(-70)

= -10

21

Qrxlevminoffset
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas (Qrxlevmin + Qrxlevminoffset)

Squal = Qqualmeas (Qqualmin + Qqualminoffset)

The signalled values Qrxlevminoffset and Qqualminoffset are only applied when a cell
is evaluated for cell selection as a result of a periodic search for a higher
priority PLMN while camped normally in a VPLMN. During this periodic search
for higher priority PLMN the UE may check the S criteria of a cell using
parameter values stored from a different cell of this higher priority PLMN
22

Cell Reselection on the Same LTE Frequency

Intra-frequency cells are LTE neighbour cells on the
same frequency as the serving cell, but with a different
PCI
PC=1
2I

PCI=20

PCI=50

23

Cell Reselection Measurements (3GPP Release 8)

Intra-Frequency

Parameters are provided by the serving cell

If,

Sintrasearch

PCI=50
servingcell

Sservingcell > Sintrasearch

the UE may choose not to perform intra-frequency measurements

If the condition above is not satisfied, or if Sintrasearch is not broadcast then the
UE completes intra-frequency measurements

Where Sservingcell is the Srxlev value of the serving cell

In this equation, SIntraSearch is a threshold that the serving
cell advertises as part of SIB 3.
SIB 3(Qrxlevmin, Sintrasearch)
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas Qrxlevmin
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas ( -80) (-50)Qrxlevmin
=-30

Srxlev > 0 AND Squal > 0

24

Example-SIB 3

Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas (Qrxlevmin)

In this equation, SIntraSearch is a

threshold that the serving cell advertises as
part of SIB 3.

Sservingcell > Sintrasearch

Sintrasearch
Sintrasearch

No need to
measure
neighbour
cells
actual value = signalled value 2 = 62 dB

-68 dBm

UE measures when Qrxlevmeas <

Qrxlevmin + 62, i.e. -130 + 62 = -68 dBm

Qrxlevmin + Sintrasearch
(-65 x2) + (31x2)
25

Carriers with the same priority

Now consider carriers with the same priority as the current one. The mobile
starts measuring these if the following condition is satisfied:
Srxlev SNonIntraSearch

Where Sservingcell is the Srxlev value of the serving cell

SNonIntraSearch is a threshold that the
base station advertises in SIB 3, while
Srxlev depends on the serving cells
RSRP as before.
SNonIntraSearch

actual value =
signalled value 2 = 2

Sintrasearch

intrasearch

No need to
measure
neighbour cells if
same priority

-68 dBm
-130 +2 = -128 dBm

26

System Information Block 3

Carriers with the same priority
Parameters used to trigger cell
reselection measurements are
broadcast in SIB3
SNonIntraSearch

Sintrasearch
No need to
measure
neighbour cells if
same priority

-128 dBm

-68 dBm

actual value = signalled value 2 = 62 dB

UE measures when Qrxlevmeas <
Qrxlevmin + 62, i.e. -130 + 62 = -68 dBm

actual value = signalled value 2 = 2 dB

UE measures when Qrxlevmeas <
Qrxlevmin + 2, i.e. -130 + 2 = -128 dBm
27

LTE neighbour list

Unlike in earlier systems, the mobile can find neighbouring LTE cells by itself:
The basestation does not have to advertise an LTE neighbour list as part of its
system information.
This brings three benefits.
1.The network operator can configure the radio access network more easily in
LTE than before.
2. There is no risk of a mobile missing nearby cells due to errors in the neighbour
list.
3. It is easier for an operator to introduce home base stations, which the user can
install in locations that are unknown to the surrounding macrocell network.
However, the base station can still identify individual neighbouring cells in SIB 4
using their physical cell identities if required
28

SIB4: Cell-reselection parameters for

Neighbouring INTRA-Frequency
Contains neighbouring cell related information relevant
only for intra-frequency cell re-selection
includes cells with specific re-selection parameters as well
as blacklisted cells
All the contents of SIB4 are optional because UE's
can automatically detect and complete neighbour
INTRA_frequency cells

PCI=50

SIB 4

intra-frequency neighbour list

PCI=40

29

Ranking-INTRA-Frequency
neighbour

serving cell

Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas Qrxlevmin

= -70 (-75)
= +5

Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas Qrxlevmin

= -80 (-90)
= +10
Here, Rs and

The UE must Rank

Rs = Qmeas, s + Qhyst

Srxlev > 0 AND Squal > 0

Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas Qrxlevmin

= -70 (-60)
-10 ranking scores
Rn are= the

of
the serving cell and one of its neighbours.
Qhyst is a hysteresis parameter that the
base station advertises in SIB 3, which
discourages the mobile from bouncing
back and forth between cells as the signal
levels fluctuate

Rn = Qmeas, n Qoffset, s, n

Qoffset, s, n is an optional cell-specific offset, which the serving cell can advertise in
SIB 4 to encourage or discourage the mobile to or from individual neighbours.
30

Cell ranking
Rs = Qmeas,s + Qhysts (for the serving
cell)

Rn > Rs =>cell reselection

RSRP (dBM)

Qmeas,n

Rn

Qmeas,s
Qhysts

Rs
Qoffsets,n
Treselection
the time interval value Treselection,
whose value ranges between 0 and
31 seconds
31

Cell Reselection to a Different LTE Frequency

UE always have to measure frequecies

and RAT with higher priority

32

Cell Reselection to a Different LTE Frequency

Priority 0 indicate the lowest priority

Set
priority
0-7

LTE

F2
Always need to
measure neighbour
cells if higher
priority

F3
LTE

F1
SIB 3

LTE
SIB 5

33

SIB 3
It also specifies a priority for the
serving frequency as part of SIB 3
priority from 0 to 7, where 7 is the
highest priority.
serving frequency
Priority 1

SIB 3
SIB 5

serving cell advertises the other

carriers as part of SIB 5.

SIB 5 contains information for

interfrequency cell reselection.
34

SIB 5
If the network is using more than one LTE carrier frequency, then the
serving cell advertises the other carriers as part of SIB 5.
SIB5 includes neighbour cell list, carrier frequency, cell reselection
priority, threshold used by the UE when reselecting a higher/lower priority
frequency than the current serving frequency etc. It also contains a list of
blacklisted inter-frequency neighbouring cells
The serving cell does, however, associate each carrier frequency with a
priority from 0 to 7, where 7 is the highest priority.
cellReselectionPriority

defines the Abolute priority of the frequency layer

The network can use these priorities to encourage or discourage the mobile to
or from individual carriers, a feature that is particularly useful in layered
networks, as microcells are usually on a different carrier frequency from
macrocells and usually require a higher priority.
35

Higher priority
priority for the serving
frequency as part of SIB 3

SIB5 includes neighbour

cell list, carrier
frequency, cell
reselection priority

Priority 7
Measure
New cells RSRP
SIB 3 Priority 1

frequency 2

SIB 5

serving frequency 1
Priority 1

SIB 5 contains information for

interfrequency cell reselection. 36

Higher priority
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas (Qrxlevmin)
What is the Srxlev?

Priority 7
Measure
New cells RSRP
Qrxlevmeas
SIB 3 Priority 1

frequency 2

SIB 5

serving frequency 1
Priority 1

SIB 5 contains information for

interfrequency cell reselection. 37

SIB 5
The SystemInformationBlockType5 (SIB5)
contains neighbor cell related information
for inter-frequency cell-reselection i.e. the
information about neighbor E-UTRA
frequencies

SIB5 includes neighbour cell list, carrier

frequency, cell reselection priority,
threshold used by the UE when reselecting
a higher/lower priority frequency than the
current serving frequency etc. It also
contains a list of blacklisted inter-frequency
neighbouring cells

38

Example of Srxlev
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas (Qrxlevmin)
= -50 (-130)
= +80

Srxlev > 0 AND Squal > 0

Minimum signal strength

(actual value = signalled value
2)

39

From UMTS to LTE

40

From UMTS to LTE

LTE
P7

Priority from 0 to 7, where 7 is the highest

priority

SIB 19

UMTS
P4

Must do the S &

R equation

s-SearchRAT 1

s-Intrasearch
No need to measure
neighbour cells if same
priority

-116 + 2 = -114

-116 + 20 = -96
41

WCDMA: priority based cell reselection

serving cell

Priority 7
Priority 1

LTE

UMTS.
SIB 19
serving cell
42

Questions

43

Questions
1. If the network is using more than one LTE carrier frequency, then the
serving cell advertises the other carriers as part of SIB 5.
TRUE
FALSE
The SystemInformationBlockType5 (SIB5)
contains neighbor cell related information
for inter-frequency cell-reselection i.e. the
information about neighbor E-UTRA
frequencies

44

Questions
2. What is contained in SIB19
a. Utran pirority
b. Eutran pirority
c. Earfcn
d. qrxLevMinEUTRA
e. All above
f. A & b

45

Questions
3. SIB 1 specifies a priority for the serving frequency.
TRUE
FALSE

SIB3

46

Questions
3. SIB 3 specifies a priority for the serving frequency.
TRUE
FALSE

Priority 7
Measure
New cells RSRP
Qrxlevmeas
SIB 3 Priority 1

frequency 2

SIB 5

serving frequency 1
Priority 1

SIB 5 contains information for

interfrequency cell reselection. 47

Questions
4. Priority from 0 to 10, where 0 is the highest priority.
.
TRUE
FALSE

Priority from 0 to 7, where 7 is the highest

priority.

48

Questions
5. The basestation does not have to advertise an LTE neighbour list as part
of its system information. However, the base station can still identify
individual neighbouring cells in SIB 4 using their physical cell identities if
required.
TRUE
FALSE

All the contents of SIB4 are optional because UE's can

automatically detect and complete neighbour INTRA_frequency
cells

49

In Closing
Thank you for attending

50