04 GSM BSS Network KPI - TCH Call Drop Rate - Optimization Manual

GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate) Optimization Manual
Product Name
Confidentiality Level
G3BSC
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INTERNAL
Product Version
Total 42 pages
GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate)

Optimization Manual
(For internal use only)
Prepared by
WCDMA
&
GSM
Performance Research Dept.
Network
Date
Su Shi
Reviewed by
Date
Reviewed by
Date
Granted by
Date
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved
PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com
2008-6-28
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Contents
1 Overview of the TCH Call Drop Rate .................................................................... 6
1.1 Meaning ................................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 Recommended Formulas ........................................................................................................... 6
1.3 Signaling Procedure and Measurement Points ........................................................................... 8
2 Factors That Affect the TCH Call Drop Rate...................................................... 11

2.1 Hardware Failure.................................................................................................................. 11
2.2 Transmission Problem ......................................................................................................... 11
2.3 Version Upgrade .................................................................................................................. 12
2.4 Parameter Setting ................................................................................................................ 12
2.5 Intra-Network and Inter-Network Interference ................................................................... 13
2.6 Coverage Problem ............................................................................................................... 13
2.7 Antenna System Problem .................................................................................................... 13
2.8 Imbalance Between Uplink and Downlink .......................................................................... 14
2.9 Repeater Problem ................................................................................................................ 14
3 Analysis of and Solutions to High TCH Call Drop Rate .................................. 15

3.2 Solutions to High TCH Call Drop Rate ............................................................................... 18
3.2.1 Checking the Hardware .............................................................................................. 18
3.2.2 Checking the Transmission ........................................................................................ 19
3.2.3 Checking the BSC and BTS Version Upgrade .......................................................... 20
3.2.4 Checking the Parameter Settings .............................................................................. 20
3.2.5 Checking the Interference .......................................................................................... 25
3.2.6 Checking the Coverage .............................................................................................. 26
3.2.7 Checking the Antenna System ................................................................................... 27
3.2.8 Checking the Balance Between Uplink and Downlink .............................................. 27
3.2.9 Checking the Repeaters ............................................................................................. 28
4 Test Methods ........................................................................................................... 29

5 Remarks About the Signaling Analysis of the TCH Call Drop Rate.............. 30
6 Cases for TCH Call Drop Rate Optimization ..................................................... 32
6.1 Case 1: Call Drop Due to Interference ............................................................................... 32
6.2 Case 2: Call Drop Due to Imbalance Between Uplink and Downlink ............................... 32
6.3 Case 3: Call Drop Due to Repeater Problem ..................................................................... 33
6.4 Case 4: Call Drop Due to Coverage ................................................................................... 34
6.5 Case 5: Reduction of Call Drops by Optimizing Handover Parameters .......................... 35
6.6 Case 6: Call Drop Due to Inappropriate Parameter Setting.............................................. 36
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6.7 Case 7: Call Drop Due to TRX Board Fault ....................................................................... 36

6.8 Case 8: Call Drop Due to Antenna System Problem ......................................................... 37
6.9 Case 9: Call Drop Due to Transmission Problem .............................................................. 38
6.10 Case 10: Call Drop Rate Doubled in a CoBCCH Network After Upgrade from V9R1 to
V9R3 ........................................................................................................................................... 38
6.11 Case 11: Increase in Call Drop Rate Due to Inactivity of T305 and T308 ...................... 39
6.12 Case 12: Increase in Call Drop Rate Due to Change of TR1N on the MSC Side ......... 39
7 Feedback Form for the TCH Call Drop Rate ...................................................... 41
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Figures
Figure 1-1 Immediate assignment procedure .................................................................................. 8
Figure 1-2 Assignment procedure ................................................................................................... 8
Figure 1-3 Intra-BSC handover procedure ...................................................................................... 9
Figure 1-4 Incoming BSC handover procedure ............................................................................... 9
Figure 3-1 Procedures for analyzing high TCH call drop rate ........................................................ 16
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Revision Record
Date
Revision Version
Change Description
Author
2008-6-28
0.8
Draft completed.
Su Shi
2008-7-26
1.0
The document is modified according

to review comments.
Su Shi
References
SN
Document Name
Author
Date
G-Guide to Eliminating Interference - 20050311-A-1.0
Chen
Baolin
2005-3-11
GSM BSS Network KPI (Network Coverage) Optimization

Manual
Xie Haibin
2008-6-18
GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate) Baseline
Wu Zhen
2007-6-22
GSM BSS Network KPI (Uplink and Downlink Balance)

Optimization Manual
Yang
Jixiang
2008-3-26
Guide to Solving Call Drop Problems
Yang Bin
2002-3-7
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GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate)

Optimization Manual
Keywords: TCH call drop rate, KPI
Abstract: This document provides the definition and describes the test method and
optimization method of TCH call drop rate.
Acronyms:
The following table lists the acronyms and their expansion:
Acronym
Expansion
TCH
Traffic Channel
MS
Mobile Station
BSC
Base Station Controller
KPI
Key Performance Indicator
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Overview of the TCH Call Drop Rate
1.1 Meaning
The TCH call drop rate refers to the ratio of call drops to successful TCH seizures
after the BSC successfully assigns TCHs to MSs. The TCH call drop rate can be
measured from the following aspects:
l
TCH call drop rate (including handover)
TCH call drop rate (excluding handover)
The TCH call drop rate, one of the most significant KPIs for telecom operators, is
related to retainability. It indicates the probability of call drops due to various
reasons after MSs access TCHs. A too high TCH call drop rate adversely affects the
user's experience.
1.2 Recommended Formulas

BSC32:
TCH call drop rate (including handover) = (Number of TCH call drops + Number of
TCH call drops during very early assignment)/Number of successful TCH seizures x
100%
TCH call drop rate (excluding handover) = Number of call drops on TCH/(Number
of successful TCH seizures + Number of successful incoming internal inter-cell
handovers + Number of successful incoming external inter-cell handovers Number
of successful outgoing internal inter-cell handover] Number of successful
outgoing external inter-cell handovers) x 100%
BSC6000:
TCH call drop rate (including handover) = Number of call drops on TCH/(Number
of successful TCH seizures (signaling channel) + Number of successful TCH
seizures (TCH) + Number of successful TCH Seizures in TCH handovers (TCH)) x
100%
TCH call drop rate (excluding handover) = Number of call drops on TCH/Number
of successful TCH seizures (TCH) x 100%
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Through the analysis of each pair of formulas, you can find out that the TCH call
drop rate (including handover) is lower than the TCH call drop rate (excluding
handover) irrespective of the BSC model (BSC32 or BSC6000). The following
takes the formulas for the BSC32 as an example. The number of call drops on TCH
is small during the very early assignment procedure. Therefore, the difference
between the numerator of the formula for the TCH call drop rate (including
handover) and that of the formula for the TCH call drop rate (excluding handover)
can be omitted. Including the TCH seizures in the case of handovers, the
denominator of the formula for the TCH call drop rate (including handover) is
greater than the denominator of the formula for the TCH call drop rate (excluding
handover). Therefore, the result of the formula for the TCH call drop rate (including
handover) is smaller than that of the formula for the TCH call drop rate (excluding
handover).
For details, refer to the GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate) Baseline.
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1.3 Signaling Procedure and Measurement Points
Figure 1-1 Immediate assignment procedure
Figure 1-2 Assignment procedure
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Figure 1-3 Intra-BSC handover procedure
Figure 1-4 Incoming BSC handover procedure
The meanings of the measurement points in the these figures are as follows:
TCH-SUCC-A: indicates the number of successful TCH seizures.
TCH-SUCC-B: indicates the number of successful incoming internal inter-cell handovers
plus the number of successful internal intra-cell handovers.
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TCH-SUCC-C: indicates the number of successful incoming external inter-cell

handovers.
TCH-SUCC: indicates the number of successful TCH seizures during the very early
assignment procedure.
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Factors That Affect the TCH Call

Drop Rate
According to user complaints and network optimization experience, the
major factors that affect the TCH call drop rate are as follows:
l
Hardware failure
Transmission problem
Version upgrade
Parameter setting
Intra-network and inter-network interference
Coverage problem
Antenna system problem
Imbalance between uplink and downlink
Repeater problem
2.1 Hardware Failure

When a TRX or a combiner is faulty, seizing the TCH becomes difficult, and
thus the TCH call drop rate increases.
2.2 Transmission Problem

The TCH call drop rate increases in the following conditions:
l
The transmission quality on the A or Abis interface is poor for various reasons.
Transmission links are unstable.
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2.3 Version Upgrade

After the BTS version or BSC version is upgraded, the BTS version may be
incompatible with the BSC version, and the parameters and algorithms in the
new version may be changed. In this case, the TCH call drop rate increases.
2.4 Parameter Setting

The settings of some parameters on the BSC and MSC sides may affect the
TCH call drop rate. If the following situations occur, the TCH call drop rate
may increase:
1.
The parameters SACCH Multi-Frames and Radio Link Timeout are set to
too small values.
2.
The parameter RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN is set to a too small value.
3.
The parameter RACH Min.Access Level is set to a too small value.
4.
The parameters Min DL Power on HO Candidate Cell and Min Access

Level Offset are inappropriately set.
5.
The length of timer T3103 (this timer is set to wait for a Handover
Complete message) is set to a too small value.
6.
The length of timer T3109 (this timer is set to wait for a Release
Indication message) is set to a too small value.
7.
The length of timer T3111 (this timer specifies the connection release
delay) is set to a too small value.
8.
The length of timer T305/T308 is set to an invalid or too great value.
9.
The parameter TCH Traffic Busy Threshold is set to a too small value.
10. The parameter Call Reestablishment Forbidden is set to Yes.

11. The parameters related to edge handover are inappropriately set.
12. The parameters related to BQ handover are inappropriately set.
13. The parameters related to interference handover are inappropriately
set.
14. The parameters related to concentric cell handover are inappropriately
set.
15. The parameters related to power control are inappropriately set.
16. T200 and N200 are set to too small values.
17. Some neighboring cell relations are not configured.
18. The parameter MAIO is inappropriately set.
19. The parameter Disconnect Handover Protect Timer is set to a too small
value.
20. The parameter TR1N is set to a too small value.
21. The parameters Software Parameter 13 and MAX TA are set to too
small values.
22. If a repeater is used, the parameter Directly Magnifier Site Flag is set to
No.
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2.5 Intra-Network and Inter-Network Interference

If inter-network interference and repeater interference exist, or if severe
intra-network interference occurs because of tight frequency reuse, call
drops may occur on TCHs because of poor QoS. This adversely affects the
TCH call drop rate.
The following types of interference may occur:
1.
Inter-network interference from scramblers or privately installed

antennas
2.
Interference from the CDMA network of China Unicom
3.
Repeater interference
4.
Intermodulation interference from BTSs
5.
Intra-network co-channel and adjacent-channel interference
2.6 Coverage Problem

The following coverage problems may affect the TCH call drop rate.
1.
Discontinuous coverage (blind areas)
The voice quality at the edge of an isolated BTS is poor and calls cannot be
handed over to other cells. In this case, call drops may occur.
In complex terrains such as mountainous regions, the signals are blocked and thus
the transmission is discontinuous, leading to call drops.
2.
Poor indoor coverage
Densely distributed buildings and thick walls cause great attenuation and low indoor
signal level, which causes call drops.
3.
Cross coverage (isolated BTS)
The serving cell causes cross coverage due to various reasons (such as
excess power). An MS cannot be handed over to another cell due to no
suitable neighboring cells. In this case, the signal level becomes low and the
voice quality of the MS deteriorates. Thus, call drops occur.
4.
Insufficient coverage
If the signal from an antenna is blocked or the BCCH TRX is faulty, call drops may
occur because of discontinuous coverage.
2.7 Antenna System Problem

The following antenna system problems may affect the TCH call drop rate
1.
If the transmit antennas of two cells are improperly connected, the

uplink signal level in each cell is much lower than the downlink signal
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level in the cell. Therefore, call drops are likely to occur at places far
away from the BTS.
2.
If a directional cell has main and diversity antennas, the BCCH and
SDCCH of the cell may be transmitted from different antennas. If the
two antennas have different pitch angles or azimuths, the coverage
areas of the two antennas are different. In this case, the following result
may occur: An MS can receive the BCCH signals from one antenna;
when a call is made, the MS cannot seize the SDCCH transmitted by
the other antenna and thus a call drop occurs.
3.
If the feeder is damaged, water leaks in the feeder, or the feeder and the
connector are not securely connected, both the transmit power and
receiver sensitivity of the antenna are reduced. Thus, call drops may
occur.
2.8 Imbalance Between Uplink and Downlink

The difference between the uplink signal level and the downlink signal level
may be great in the following conditions:
The transmit power of the BTS is high.
The tower mounted amplifier (TMA) or BTS amplifier does not work
properly.
The antenna and the connector are not securely connected.
As a result, call drops may occur at the edge of the BTS coverage area.
2.9 Repeater Problem

If a cell is installed with a repeater, BTS coverage problems may occur in the
case that the repeater is faulty or that the uplink and downlink gain is
inappropriately set. Therefore, the TCH call drop rate increases.
If a wide-frequency repeater is used and the gain is set to a great value,
strong interference may be caused. As a result, the network quality is
adversely affected and the TCH call drop rate increases.
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Analysis of and Solutions to High

TCH Call Drop Rate
Figure 3-1 shows the procedures for analyzing high TCH call drop rate.
Figure 3-1 Procedures for analyzing high TCH call drop rate
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INTERNAL
Start
Find the cell with

high TCH call drop
rate
Faulty hardware
or transmission?
Yes
Rectify the
hardware and
transmission fault
Yes
Check whether
the version is
faulty
No
Upgraded version?
Replace the faulty

version with a normal
one or install a patch
No
Incorrect data
configuration?
Yes
Adjust parameters
related to handover
and power control
No
No
Yes
Interference?
Intra-network
interference?
Yes
No
Yes
Insufficient coverage?
Optimize coverage
according to the
network coverage
optimization guide
No
Yes
Faulty antenna system?
Adjust the
antenna system
No
Yes
Imbalance between uplink
and downlink?
Solve the imbalance

problem according to
the guide
No
Yes
Faulty repeater?
Solve inter-network
interference
problem
Solve the
repeater problem
No
Normal TCH call
drop rate?
Yes
End
Check the
frequency
configuration
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3.2 Solutions to High TCH Call Drop Rate

Before analyzing the causes of high TCH call drop rates, you should find out
the difference between the actual TCH call drop rate and the expected value.
You should also find out the impact of the problems and the related KPIs.
You can analyze the distribution of call drops based on the traffic
measurement. If a certain type of call drop accounts for a large proportion of
total call drops, you can locate the fault by performing the corresponding
procedure. If no obvious causes are found, you can perform the procedures
shown in Figure 3-1. The following table lists the mapping between the traffic
measurement counters and the troubleshooting procedures.
Traffic Measurement Counter
Troubleshooting Procedure
M3100A (T200 expiry)
3.2.4 Checking the Parameter Settings
M3101A (radio link failure)
M3101D (radio resource unavailable)
3.2.1 Checking the Hardware
CM333 (Abis terrestrial link failure)
3.2.2 Checking the Transmission
M314 (device failure)
The following sections describe the solutions to high TCH call drop rates.
The traffic measurement counters and KPIs in this document are the same
as those in the BSC6000V9R8C01B051 version.

If a TRX or a combiner is faulty or if an RF cable is incorrectly connected,
seizing the TCH becomes difficult, and thus the TCH call drop rate increases.
See Case 7: Call Drop Due to TRX Board Fault.
You can check whether hardware is faulty by viewing BTS alarms or viewing the
hardware state on the Site Device Panel of the LMT. Table 3-1 lists the major
BSC alarms related to hardware failures.
Table 3-1 Major BSC alarms related to hardware failure
Alarm ID
Alarm Name
1000
LAPD_OML Fault Alarm
2204
TRX Communication Alarm
4414
TRX VSWR Alarm
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DRU Hardware Alarm
3606
In addition, you can locate the fault by checking the traffic measurement
related to hardware failures.
Cause
BSC Level
Cell Level
Equipment
failure
Access Measurement per BSC

in BSC Measurement:
KPI Measurement per Cell:
Available TCHs per BSC
Available TCHs
Configured TCHs per BSC
Configured TCHs
Available TCHs per BSC
TRX Measurement per Cell:
TCH Availability
Number of configured TRXs in a

cell
Number of available TRXs in a
cell
Call Drop Measurement per Cell
in Call Measurement:
Call Drops due to Equipment
Failure (TCH)
3.2.2 Checking the Transmission

Poor transmission quality, unstable transmission links, or insufficient
resources on the Abis and A interface may lead to the increase of the TCH
call drop rate. You can check the transmission conditions by viewing the
alarms related to transmission. If a large number of transmission alarms are
generated, you can infer that transmission failure has occurred. Then, you
should check the transmission connections. See Case 9: Call Drop Due to
Transmission Problem.
Table 3-2 BSC alarms related to transmission
Alarm ID
Alarm Name
1000
LAPD_OML Fault Alarm
11270
LAPD Alarm
11278
E1 Local Alarm
11280
E1 Remote Alarm
20081
Loss of E1/T1 Signals (LOS)
20082
E1/T1 Frame Out-of-Synchronization (LOF)
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In addition, you can locate the fault by checking the traffic measurement
related to transmission failures.
Cause
BSC Level
Cell Level
Transmission failure
LAPD Measurement in
BSC Measurement
Channel Activation
Measurement per Cell in Call
Measurement:
CHAN ACTIV NACK
Messages Sent by BTS
Channel Activation Timeouts
Call Drop Measurement per
Cell in Call Measurement:
Measurement of Call Drops
Due to Abis Terrestrial Link
Failure
3.2.3 Checking the BSC and BTS Version Upgrade

If TCH call drop increases after the BSC version or BTS version is
upgraded, you should check whether the BTS version is compatible with
the BSC version and whether the parameters and algorithms in the new
version are changed. See Case 6: Call Drop Due to Inappropriate Parameter
Setting and Case 10: Call Drop Rate Doubled in a CoBCCH Network After
Upgrade from V9R1 to V9R3.
To locate the problem, you can check the version description document and
the related documents, or provide feedback for the R&D department to learn
whether the new version has known defects. If the new version has defects,
you should replace it with another version or install the requisite patch.
For details, refer to the BSC6000 Upgrade Guide.

The parameter settings on the BSC side and MSC side may affect the TCH
call drop rate. You should check the settings of the following parameters for a
cell with a high TCH call drop rate. See Case 5: Reduction of Call Drops by
Optimizing Handover Parameters and Case 12: Increase in Call Drop Rate
Due to Change of TR1N on the MSC Side.
1.
SACCH Multi-Frames
This parameter determines whether an uplink radio link is faulty. Each time the
BTS fails to decode the measurement report on the SACCH from the MS, the
counter decreases by 1. Each time the BTS successfully decodes the
measurement report on the SACCH, the counter increases by 2. When the value
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of this counter is 0, the BTS regards the radio link as faulty. In the traffic
measurement, if there are many call drops (M3101A) related to radio link
failure, you can infer that the radio propagation conditions are poor. In this
case, you can set this parameter to a greater value.
2.
Radio Link Timeout
This parameter determines whether a downlink radio link is faulty. Each time
the BTS fails to decode the measurement report sent over the SACCH by the
MS, the counter decreases by 1. Each time the BTS successfully decodes
the measurement report sent over the SACCH, the counter increases by 2.
When the value of this parameter is 0, the BTS regards the radio link as faulty.
In the traffic measurement, if there are many call drops (M3101A) related to
radio link failure, you can infer that the radio propagation conditions are poor.
In this case, you can set this parameter to a greater value.
3.
RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN
This parameter specifies the minimum receive level of an MS to access the BSS. If
this parameter is set to a too small value, some MSs with low receive levels
may access the network and call drops are likely to occur. You can set this
parameter to a great value to reduce the TCH call drop rate. The counters
such as call setup success rate and the counters related to traffic volume,
however, are accordingly affected.
4.
RACH Min.Access Level
This parameter determines whether an MS can access the network over the RACH. If
this parameter is set to a too small value, some MSs with low signal levels
may access the network and call drops are likely to occur. You can set this
parameter to a great value to reduce the TCH call drop rate. The counters
such as call setup success rate and paging success rate, however, are
affected.
5.
Min DL Power on HO Candidate Cell and Min Access Level Offset
The sum of the values of the two parameters specifies the minimum downlink
receive level of a candidate neighboring cell for a handover. If this parameter
is set to a too great value, some desired cells may be excluded from the
candidate cells; i f this parameter is set to a too small value, an unwanted cell may
become the candidate cell. Both conditions may lead to the increase of call drops.
6.
Timer T3103 series
Timer T3101 series consists of T3103A, T3103C, and T8. These timers are
started to wait for a handover complete message. If the lengths of the timers
are set to small values, probably no message is received when timer T3103
series expires. In this case, the BSC considers that the radio link in the
originating cell is faulty. Then, the BSC releases the channel in the originating
cell. Thus, call drops occur. In the traffic measurement, if many call drops are
related to handovers (CM331: Call Drops on Radio Interface in Handover
State), you can set this parameter to a greater value. If this parameter is set to
a too great value, channel resources are wasted and TCH congestion occurs.
7.
Timer T3109
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This parameter specifies the period for waiting for a Release Indication
message after the BSC sends a Channel Release message to the BTS. If this
parameter is set to a too small value, the link may be released before the
Release Indication message is received. As a result, a call drop occurs. You
can set this parameter to a greater value to reduce the TCH call drop rate. It
is recommended that timer T3109 be set to 12 seconds longer than timer
Radio Link Timeout.
8.
Timer T3111
This parameter specifies the interval between the time that the main signaling
link is disconnected and the time that a channel is deactivated. The purpose is
to reserve a period of time for repeated link disconnections. If this timer is set to a
too small value, a channel may be deactivated too early. Thus, call drops
increase.
9.
Timers T305 and T308
Timers T305 and T308 are used on the MSC side. Timer T305 specifies the
period during which the MSC monitors the on-hook procedure. Timer T308
specifies the period during which the MSC monitors the resource release
procedure. You should set the two parameters when adding BSC data. Note
that the modification of the data in the timer table does not take effect. If
timers T305 and T308 are set to invalid or great values, the MSC clears the
call a long time after the MS hangs up. After the T3103 and Radio Link
Timeout timers expire, the number of call drops is increased and thus the
TCH call drop rate is significantly affected.
10. TCH Traffic Busy Threshold
If the current channel seizure ratio exceeds the value of this parameter, the
BSC preferentially assigns a half-rate channel to a dualrate-enabled call.
Otherwise, the BSC assigns a full-rate channel to the dualrate-enabled call.
Compared with a full-rate channel, a half-rate channel has weak
anti-interference capabilities. Therefore, if a large number of half-rate
channels are assigned, the TCH call drop rate increases. It is recommended
that this parameter should not be set to a too small value if congestion is
unlikely to occur.
11.
Call Reestablishment Forbidden
This parameter specifies whether to allow call reestablishment. In case of

burst interference or radio link failure due to blind areas caused by high
buildings, call drops occur. In this case, MSs can initiate the call
reestablishment procedure to restore communication. To reduce the TCH call
drop rate, you can set this parameter to No to allow call reestablishment. In
certain conditions, allowing call reestablishment greatly reduces the TCH call
drop rate. Call reestablishment lasts for a long time, and therefore some subscribers
cannot wait and hang up. This affects user experience.
12.
Parameters related to edge handover
When the receive level drops greatly, an edge handover cannot be performed
in time in any of the following conditions: The parameter Edge HO UL
RX_LEV Threshold or Edge HO DL RX_LEV Threshold is set to a small value;
the parameter Inter-cell HO Hysteresis is set to a great value; the parameters
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Edge HO Watch Time and Edge HO AdjCell Watch Time are set to great
values; the parameters Edge HO Valid Time and Edge HO AdjCell Valid
Time are set to great values. As a result, a call drop occurs. To reduce the
TCH call drop rate, you can appropriately set these parameters so that edge
handovers can be performed in time to avoid call drops.
13. Parameters related to BQ handover
When the signal quality deteriorates, a BQ handover cannot be performed in
time in any of the following conditions: The parameters ULQuaLimitAMRFR,
ULQuaLimitAMRHR, UL Qual. Threshold, DLQuaLimitAMRFR,
DLQuaLimitAMRHR, and DL Qual. Threshold are set to great values; the
parameter BQ HO Margin is set to a small value; the parameter Inter-cell
HO Hysteresis is set to a great value. As a result, call drops occur. To reduce
the TCH call drop rate, you should appropriately set these parameters so that
BQ handovers can be performed in time to avoid call drops.
14. Parameters related to interference handover
If the parameters RXQUAL1 to RXQUAL12 are set to great values or if the
RXLEVOff parameter is set to a great value, strong interference may occur.
In this case, if interference handovers are not performed in time, call drops
occur. To reduce the TCH call drop rate, you can appropriately set these
parameters so that interference handovers can be performed in time to avoid
call drops. If the parameters RXQUAL1 to RXQUAL12 are set to small
values, the number of handovers due to other causes increases greatly, thus
affecting the handover success rate.
15. Parameters related to concentric cell handover
A call at the edge of the overlaid subcell cannot be handed over to the
underlaid subcell in any of the following conditions: In the case of a normal
concentric cell, the parameters RX_LEV Threshold and RX_LEV
Hysteresis are set to great values; in the case of an enhanced concentric
cell, the parameter OtoU HO Received Level Threshold is set to a great
value. As a result, a call drop is likely to occur. If the Call Drop Ratio on TCH
on the TRX in the OverLaid Subcell (RM330a) is high, you can appropriately
set these parameters so that calls at the edge of the overlaid subcell can be
handed over to the underlaid subcell in time.
When a call in the underlaid subcell has interference, the call cannot be
handed over to the overlaid subcell if the RX_QUAL for UO HO Allowed
parameter is set to Yes and the RX_QUAL Threshold parameter is set to a
great value. Thus, a call drop occurs. If the Call Drop Ratio on TCH on the
TRX in the Underlaid Subcell (RM330) is high, you can set these parameters
properly so that the call can be handed over to the overlaid subcell at the
earliest.
16.
Parameters related to power control
If the power control level and quality threshold are set to small values, call
drops are likely to occur because of low signal level or bad voice quality.
17. T200 and N200
If the parameters T200 FACCH/F, T200 FACCH/H, N200 of FACCH/Full rate,
and N200 of FACCH/Half rate are set to small values, data links are
INTERNAL
disconnected too early. Thus, all drops are likely to occur. If call drops occur
because of T200 expiry, you can increase the values of T200 and N200
properly.
18. Neighboring cell relations
If the neighboring cells configured in the BA2 table are incomplete, call drops
are likely to occur in the case of no suitable neighboring cell for handover and
progressive deterioration in the voice quality. Neighboring cell relations
should be configured completely on the basis of the drive test data and
electronic map (for example, Nastar) to minimize the call drops due to no
available neighboring cells.
19. MAIO
If frequency hopping (FH) is applied in a cell and the MAIO is set
inappropriately (for example, different TRXs serving the same cell have the
same MAIO), frequency collision may occur during FH. Thus, the TCH call
drop rate increases.
20. Disconnect Handover Protect Timer
This parameter is a software parameter of the BSC. After receiving a
DISCONNECT message from an MS, the BSC cannot hand over the MS
within the period specified by this parameter. Therefore, the following case
can be avoided: After being handed over to the target cell, the MS cannot be
put on hook because it does not receive a release acknowledgement
message. You are advised to set this parameter properly.
21. TR1N
This parameter should be set on the MSC side. It is used to avoid the
retransmission of short messages. When this parameter is set to a too great
value, the MSC does not send a CLEAR CMD message if the MS receives a
short message during link disconnection. As a result, the MS sends the BTS
a DISC message to disconnect layer 2 connection. After receiving the DISC
message, the BTS sends a REL_IND message to the BSC. Then, the BSC
sends a CLEAR REQ message to the MSC and the number of call drops is
incremented by one.
22. Software Parameter 13 and MAX TA
When the parameter Software Parameter 13 is enabled and the parameter MAX
TA is set to a too small value, the channel is released when the TA of a call exceeds
the MAX TA. In this case, call drops occur. It is recommended that the
parameter Software Parameter 13 should not be enabled.
23. Directly Magnifier Site Flag
If a BTS is installed with repeaters, the handover between repeaters can only
be asynchronous because the distance between repeaters is long. If
synchronous handovers are performed, the handovers may fail and thus many
call drops occur. Therefore, when a BTS is installed with repeaters, the
parameter Directly Magnifier Site Flag should be set to Yes to avoid synchronous
handovers between cells under the same BTS.
INTERNAL
You can check whether the data configuration is correct by viewing the traffic
measurement results.
The following table lists the traffic measurement counters related to
repeaters.
Cause
Cell Level
Parameters
Call Drop Measurement per Cell in

Call Measurement:
Call Drops on TCH in Stable State
(Error Indication)
(Connection Failure)
(Release Indication)
TRX Level
Measurement of Power Control

Messages in MR
Measurement
Radio Link Failure
Measurement in MR
Measurement
Call Drop Ratio on TCH on the

TRX in the Underlaid Subcell
Call Drop Ratio on TCH on the
TRX in the Overlaid Subcell
KPI Measurement per Cell:
Call Drops in TCH Handovers
(Traffic Channel)
(Traffic Channel)
3.2.5 Checking the Interference

If inter-network interference and repeater interference exist, or if severe
intra-network interference occurs because of tight frequency reuse, call
drops may occur on TCHs due to bad QoS. This affects the TCH call drop
rate. See Case 1: Call Drop Due to Interference.
The uplink interference information can be obtained on the basis of the
interference band distribution in the traffic measurement results. A large
proportion of interference levels belong to interference bands 35, you can
infer that the uplink has strong interference. You can obtain the downlink
interference information by performing drive tests or by analyzing the traffic
measurement results related to receive quality.
For details on how to check the intra-network and inter-network interference,
refer to the G-Guide to Eliminating Interference.
The following table lists the traffic measurement counters related to
interference. (If a cell has interference, the TCH call drop rate is high. In
addition, the handover success rate decreases and the handovers due to
bad quality account for a large proportion of all handovers.)
INTERNAL
Cause
Cell Level
TRX Level
Interference
Outgoing Internal Inter-Cell

Handover Measurement per
Cell in Call Measurement:
Interference Band Measurement per

TRX in MR Measurement
Number of Outgoing Internal

Inter-Cell Handover Requests
(Signal Quality)
Number of Outgoing Internal
Inter-Cell Handover Requests
(Other Causes)
Mean Number of TCHs in

Interference Band 1
Interference Band 2
Interference Band 3
Interference Band 4
Interference Band 5
Measurement of Receive Quality in
MR Measurement
3.2.6 Checking the Coverage

You can check the network coverage by conducting outdoor drive tests or
indoor dialing tests. During the tests, you can infer that the network coverage
is insufficient if the following conditions occur: The downlink receive level is
low (lower than 110 dBm) so that the test MS cannot access the network or
the voice quality is bad; a handover cannot be performed because of no
suitable neighboring cells and the signal quality gradually deteriorates. See
Case 4: Call Drop Due to Coverage.
If the network coverage in a cell is insufficient, the TCH call drop rate is high.
In addition, the handover success rate is low, and a large proportion of
handovers are performed because of weak signal strength. You can check
whether a cell has coverage problems by viewing the traffic measurement
results. The following table lists the traffic measurement counters related to
coverage.
Cause
Cell Level
Coverage
Outgoing Internal Inter-Cell Handover

Measurement:
Number of Outgoing Internal Inter-Cell
Handover Requests (Signal Strength)
Outgoing External Inter-Cell Handover
Measurement:
Requests (Uplink Strength)
Requests (Downlink Strength)
TRX Level
TCHF Receive Level

Measurement per TRX
in MR Measurement
TCHH Receive Level
Measurement per TRX
in MR Measurement
INTERNAL
If a coverage problem exists, you can solve the problem through the
following methods: adjusting the tilt of the antenna, increasing the transmit
power, adding repeaters, or changing the combining mode. For details, refer
to the GSM BSS Network Performance KPI (Coverage) Optimization
Manual.
3.2.7 Checking the Antenna System

In the case of dual-transmit antennas, ensure that the tilt and azimuth of one antenna
are the same as those of the other antenna.
In addition, you should check whether the jumpers are improperly connected
(for example, by analyzing drive test data). If a jumper is improperly
connected, the uplink signal level in the cell is significantly lower than the
downlink signal level, and call drops are likely to occur at a place far away
from the BTS. You should ensure that the jumpers are connected correctly.
See Case 8: Call Drop Due to Antenna System Problem.
If the feeder is damaged, water runs into the feeder, or the feeder and the
connector are not securely connected, both the transmit power and receiver
sensitivity of the antenna are reduced. Thus, call drops probably occur. You
can locate these problems by checking the VSWR alarms. If any feeder is
faulty, you should replace it in time.
If the antenna system has problems, the TCH call drop rate and handover
failure rate are high. In addition, the difference between the uplink quality
and the downlink quality is great, or both the uplink quality and the downlink
quality are bad. You can check whether the antenna system is faulty by
viewing the traffic measurement results. The following table lists the traffic
measurement counters related to the antenna system.
Cause
Cell Level
Antenna
system
KPI Measurement per Cell in Call

Measurement:
Success Rate of Radio Handover
Measurement:
Requests (Uplink Strength)
TRX Level
Measurement of Receive
Quality in MR
Measurement
Uplink-and-Downlink
Balance Measurement per
TRX in MR Measurement

Requests (Downlink Strength)
3.2.8 Checking the Balance Between Uplink and Downlink

The difference between the uplink signal level and the downlink signal level
may be great in the following conditions: The transmit power of the BTS is
high; the tower mounted amplifier (TMA) or BTS amplifier does not work
INTERNAL
properly; the antenna and the connector are not securely connected. As a
result, call drops may occur at the edge of the BTS coverage area. See Case
2: Call Drop Due to Imbalance Between Uplink and Downlink.
To analyze the balance between the uplink and the downlink, check whether
the transmit power of the BTS is too high. Then, you should check whether
such components as the TMA, BTS amplifier, and antenna port that affect
downlink receive level have problems. For details, refer to the GSM BSS
Network Performance KPI (Uplink and Downlink Balance) Optimization
Manual.
If the uplink and downlink are imbalanced, the following conditions may
occur: The difference between the mean uplink receive level and the mean
downlink receive level is great; the uplink and downlink balance level is high;
the immediate assignment success rate and the assignment success rate
are low. The following table lists the traffic measurement counters related to
the balance between the uplink and the downlink.
Cause
Cell Level
TRX Level
Balance between uplink and downlink
Assignment
Measurement
per Cell in Call
Measurement:
Uplink-and-Downlink
Balance Measurement
per TRX in MR
Measurement
TCH
Assignment
Success Ratio
TCHF Receive Level

Measurement per
TRX in MR
Measurement
Success Rate of
Call
Establishment
Immediate
Assignment
Measurement
per Cell in Call
Measurement:
TCHH Receive Level

Measurement per
TRX in MR
Measurement
Success Rate of
Immediate
Assignments
3.2.9 Checking the Repeaters

Check whether the parameter Directly Magnifier Site Flag is set to Yes in the
data configuration on the LMT. If this parameter is set to Yes, you can infer
that the cell is configured with repeaters. If this parameter is set to No, you
should check whether other operators' repeaters are installed near the cell.
If repeaters are installed, you should check whether they are wide-frequency
repeaters, and whether the uplink/downlink amplification coefficient is too
great. Ensure that the amplification coefficient is properly set. If a repeater
has an impact on the TCH call drop rate, you should switch off the repeater.
INTERNAL
In addition, you should check whether a repeater is faulty and whether the
uplink/downlink gain is set to a too great/small value. If such problems exist,
the coverage area of the BTS changes. Thus, the TCH call drop rate
increases. See Case 3: Call Drop Due to Repeater Problem.
If repeater problems exist in a cell, the TA distribution varies greatly in the
traffic measurement results. The following table lists the traffic measurement
counters related to repeaters.
Cause
Cell
Level
TRX Level
Repeater
None
Number of MRs based on TA per TRX in MR

Measurement
Test Methods
The TCH call drop rate is one of retainability KPIs, which can be obtained
through registration of or reporting of the related traffic measurement
counters. In addition, the TCH call drop rate is one of key drive test counters
and it can be obtained through drive tests.
At present, the formula for the TCH call drop rate varies with device
manufacturer and with telecom operator, thus affecting the value of the TCH
call drop rate. During actual tests, you should register the specific counters
and use an appropriate formula to calculate the value of the TCH call drop
rate.
INTERNAL
Remarks About the Signaling

Analysis of the TCH Call Drop Rate
Trace the RSL signaling on the Abis interface. Then, generate the signaling
tracing file on the LMT or through the Signal Analyze Tool. Obtain the
CONN_FAIL and ERROR_INC signaling from the file. Then, right-click a
piece of signaling and choose Call Trace from the shortcut menu, as shown
in the following figure.
Then, right-click the signaling of a call and choose Show Chart from the
shortcut menu, as shown in the following figure.
From the following figure, you can view such information as the uplink and
downlink receive level of the serving cell, uplink and downlink signal quality
of the serving cell, downlink receive level of neighboring cells, TA, MS power,
and BTS power. Based on the information, you can find out the causes of call
drops, such as insufficient downlink coverage and interference.
INTERNAL
INTERNAL
Cases for TCH Call Drop Rate

Optimization
6.1 Case 1: Call Drop Due to Interference

Symptom description:
A certain BTS adopted the 1x3 RF FH mode. After the capacity of the BTS
was expanded, the TCH assignment failure rate remained high (because of
radio link failure), and the TCH drop rate and handover failure rate were high.
The SDCCH call drop rate, however, was normal.
Cause analysis and handling:
In the case of high TCH assignment failure rate, TCH call drop rate, and
handover failure rate, you can infer that there are two probabilities: Failure
occurs during the TCH assignment, and the frequency or timeslot used by
the call has interference or is unstable. In the case of normal SDCCH call
drop rate, there is a low probability that the BCCH TRX and the BCCH
frequency have interference. Therefore, there is a high probability that the
non-BCCH TRX and the FH frequency have interference.
The check of the device hardware, antenna system, and transmission
stability finds no problems. Through drive tests, you can find a high ratio of
high signal level and low voice quality. Dialing tests show that the voice
quality is bad. When checking the parameter settings, you can find that the
MAIO of the new TRX is the same as the MAIO of another TRX.
The cause of the fault is frequency collision because the same MAIO is used.
6.2 Case 2: Call Drop Due to Imbalance Between

Uplink and Downlink
INTERNAL
The following symptoms occurred during drive tests: After the test MS
camped on a cell, it could not make calls; the MS can only receive calls; call
drops occurred frequently at a certain distance from the antenna; a call drop
occurred after frequent handovers.
The cause may be the uplink signal level is much lower than downlink signal
level. During drive tests, move the test MS towards the edge of the cell, and
use the MA10 signaling analysis tool to trace the signaling on the BTS side.
The tracing result (as shown in the previous figure) shows that the uplink
signal level is much lower than the downlink signal level. Therefore, call
drops occur.
6.3 Case 3: Call Drop Due to Repeater Problem

Under a BTS, the TCH call drop rate in cell 3 reached 10%; however, the call
drop rate and congestion rate in cell 1 and cell 2 remained normal.
1. Block the channels in the cell. The congestion rate in cell 3, however,
remains high.
INTERNAL
2. Check the traffic measurement results. The distribution of interference

bands is regular, that is, the interference is high during peak traffic hours and
is low during low traffic hours.
3. Change the frequency of cell 3 so that the spacing between the frequency
and the original one is at least 1 MHz. The interference, however, persists.
Therefore, the probability of co-channel interference and adjacent-channel
interference is eliminated.
4. Ensure that the devices are not faulty.
5. Find the external interference.
6. Use a spectrum analyzer to perform frequency scan tests. The signal
from a certain frequency (the central frequency is 904.14 MHz and the
spectrum bandwidth is 300 kHz) exists continuously and it is similar to the
signal from an analog spectrum. The strength of the signal at the divider port
of cell 3, cell 2, and cell 1 is 27 dBm, 40 dBm, and 60 dBm respectively,
and the signal strength is consistent with the interference level. The traffic
volume in daytime is greater than that at night, and thus the probability of
intermodulation is high. It can be concluded that the 904.14 MHz frequency is
the interference source. When a spectrum analyzer is used to perform drive
tests, the interference source cannot be located. When tests are performed
on a rooftop, it is found that the interference is generated by a small antenna
of a repeater. If the signal from the antenna is blocked, all the test results are
normal. Therefore, the interference signal is generated by the antenna.
6.4 Case 4: Call Drop Due to Coverage

Subscribers complained that call drops occurred frequently when calls were
made on the fifth or the higher floors of a building.
Cause analysis:
Step 1: Perform onsite tests. Call drops occur and interference exists. When
a call drop occurs, the MS is located in a cell that does not belong to local
BTS A. Step 2: Confirm that the cell belongs to BTS B, which is about three
or four kilometers away from the building. Therefore, the signal from a cell
under BTS B is reflected by an obstruction and then is received by the MS. A
cross coverage area is formed on the fifth or above floor of the building. Step
3: Check the data configuration. In the BSC data configuration, cell 2 of BTS
A is configured as a neighboring cell of BTS B, but cell 3 of BTS A is not.
When the MS in the area uses the signal from cell 2 of BTS B, the signal from
cell 3 of BTS A is stronger than that from cell 2 of BTS B. In this case,
handovers cannot be performed because cell 3 of BTS A is not a neighboring
cell of BTS B.
The signal from cell 2 of BTS B may be reflected multiple times before it is
received by the MS. If the signal becomes weak suddenly, an emergency
handover is required. In this case, if both cells 2 and 3 are not the best
candidate cells for the handover, the MS may be handed over to a cell under
INTERNAL
BTS C. The MS, however, cannot receive signals from BTS C. Thus, a call
drop occurs.
Handling:
Modify the BA1 (BCCH) table, BA2 (SACCH) table, and neighboring cell
relation table in the BSC data configuration. Ensure that cell 3 under BTS A
is a neighboring cell of cell 2 under BTS B. Network engineering parameters
are further optimized to eliminate the cross coverage problem. Subsequent
tests show that the call drop problem is solved.
Conclusion:
You can use the following methods to solve the cross coverage problem: 1.
Adjusting the antenna of the cross coverage cell to eliminate cross coverage
2. Defining new neighboring cells for the cross coverage cell
6.5 Case 5: Reduction of Call Drops by Optimizing

Handover Parameters
During drive tests, call drops occurred frequently at a cave entrance near the
BTS because handovers were not performed in time. Before the MS entered
the cave, the signal level of both the serving cell and the target cell was high,
and thus a handover was not triggered. After the MS entered the cave, the
signal level of the target cell was proper (about 80 dBm), but the signal level
of the original serving cell rapidly decreased to below 100 dBm. Therefore, a
call drop occurred before the measurement period ended.
Modify the settings of the related parameters.
Parameter Name
Before
Modification
After
Modification
PBGT Watch Time
PBGT Valid Time
PBGT HO Threshold
72
68
UL Qual. Threshold
70
60
Min DL Power on HO
Candidate Cell
10
15
You can adjust the handover parameters to reduce call drops in the following
ways:
INTERNAL
1. If there is no frequent audio discontinuity or ping-pong handover, set the

parameters properly so that PBGT handovers can be easily performed, thus
minimizing the interference and reducing the call drop rate.
2. Set the emergency handover threshold properly so that emergency
handovers are triggered before call drops occur.
6.6 Case 6: Call Drop Due to Inappropriate

Parameter Setting
After a cutover of five BTSs for capacity expansion, the TCH call drop rates
in the cells under these BTSs were high (reached 5%). The number of call
drops in each cell was about 100. Among the five BTSs, one BTS that had no
capacity change also had a high TCH call drop rate. The causes of all call
drops were related to radio frequency. There was no interference, and the
BTS hardware was not faulty.
Check the data configuration, frequency planning, BSIC planning, and traffic
measurement results. All the interference bands are normal and no
interference exists. The handover success rate is over 93% and thus
handovers are performed normally. Check the versions of each TRX and
FPU. It is found that the TRX version is inconsistent with the FPU version.
Upgrade the TRX and FPU to ensure that their versions are compatible, but
the problem persists. Check the data configuration again. It is found that the
BTS after capacity expansion adopts the 15:1 multiplexing mode, and that
the measurement report preprocessing function is enabled for the BTS2X.
The BTS2X in some versions, however, do not support the measurement
report preprocessing function. Therefore, the TCH call drop rate is too high.
After a large-scale adjustment is performed on the system, for example, BTS
cutover, BTS capacity expansion, frequency replanning, upgrade, patch
installation, the related system parameters should be checked completely
and adjusted if required. The following parameters should be checked:
neighboring cell relations, frequency interference conditions, FH parameters,
and cell parameters. Special attention should be paid to the BTS version.
6.7 Case 7: Call Drop Due to TRX Board Fault

During dialing tests, call drops occurred frequently in cell 2 of a BTS.
Cause analysis:
The traffic measurement results show that the TCH congestion rate in the
cell exceeds 10% and that the incoming handover failure rate is high. The
INTERNAL
remote maintenance terminal shows that one TRX board in the cell is not
normal. Thus, the TRX board may be faulty.
Handling:
Use the test MS to make calls repeatedly on only the frequency of the faulty
TRX board. It is found that call drops occur on timeslots 1, 3, 5, and 7 and
that calls are made normally on timeslots 2, 4, 6, and 8. Remove the TRX
board and then insert it into another slot. The problem persists. Insert a
functional TRX board into the slot of the faulty TRX board. Calls are made
normally. Then, insert the faulty TRX board into another cabinet. The
problem persists. As a conclusion, the TRX board is faulty. Insert a spare
board into the slot of the faulty TRX board, calls are made normally.
Summary:
When tests are performed on the BTS side, each TRX and each timeslot on
the TRX should be tested. You should ensure that bi-directional calls can be
made on each TCH and that the voice quality is good.
6.8 Case 8: Call Drop Due to Antenna System

Problem
A new BTS3012 was deployed at a site and the cell configuration was S2/2/2.
After the BTS3012 was put into operation, the number of TCH call drops in
both cell 1 and cell 2 in busy hours reached 20, the number of SDCCH call
drops in cell 3 in busy hours reached 1,000. These counters in cell 3 were
normal.
Analyze the traffic measurement results of TRX-level radio link performance
in busy hours. It is found that the number of abnormal radio links on both
TRX 3 (TRX 2 and TRX 3 are configured for cell 1) and TRX 7 (TRX 6 and
TRX 7 are configured for cell 2) is great. TRX 3 and TRX 7 are the second
TRX in cell 1 and cell 2 respectively; therefore, they are connected to the
TXB channel of the DDPU in the corresponding cell. The jumpers of the two
non-BCCH TRXs may be improperly connected.
Analyze the traffic measurement results related to the uplink and downlink
balance performance. It is found that uplink and downlink imbalance levels 1,
2, and 3 account for a large proportion of all imbalance levels for both TRX 3
and TRX 7. This indicates that the downlink loss is too great or the downlink
transmit power is too low. TRX 2 (main BCCH TRX) and TRX 6 (main BCCH
TRX) are connected to the TXA channel of the DDPU in cell 1 and cell 2
respectively. When calls are assigned with the channels on the non-BCCH
TRX, transmit power decreases sharply because the feeders of TRX 3 and
TRX 7 are improperly connected. Thus, call drops occur. Rectify the
misconnection and find that the TCH call drop rate and SDCCH call drop rate
in both cell 1 and cell 2 become normal.
INTERNAL
6.9 Case 9: Call Drop Due to Transmission

Problem
At a certain site, the MOTO BTS was replaced by the Huawei BTS and the
cell configuration was S2/2/2. On the night of the replacement, calls were
made normally and drive tests showed that all performance counters were
normal. The traffic measurement results within a period of 15 minutes
showed that MS-originated and MS-terminated calls were made normally
and handovers were performed normally. After a week of operation, the
traffic measurement results showed that the value of the counter SDCCH
Seizure Request was not normal: The maximum number of SDCCH seizure
requests reached 9000, the number of Successful SDCCH Seizure
Requests was over 7000, and the number of Failed SDCCH Seizures due to
Busy SDCCH was over 900. Compared with the similar SDCCH counters,
the TCH traffic volume is small and the TCH call drop rate is high.
Check the hardware on site. It is found that making a call is difficult on site. In
addition, some subscribers complained that it was difficult to make calls after
the replacement. After obtaining the consent from the customer, the onsite
engineers power off the BTS and load the data again. During the initialization
of the BTS, a message is displayed, indicating that the process is disrupted
and that the communication is timed out. Some parameters of the BTS
cannot be initialized. The BTS hardware is normal and the cable connections
are proper.
Before the replacement, the transmission is normal. After the replacement,
most of the transmission cables are the original ones. Huawei engineers
replace only the transmission cable between the transmission equipment
room and the Huawei BSC and use a new E1 connector to fix the DDF
transmission cable to the E1 port on top of the BTS cabinet. Therefore, the
E1 connector may be made improperly so that the transmission bit error rate
is high and that the BTS cannot be completely initialized. As a result, when a
subscriber makes a call, assigning a TCH is difficult. A detailed check shows
that the E1 connector on top of the BTS cabinet is made improperly. After a
proper E1 connector is used, the problem is solved.
6.10 Case 10: Call Drop Rate Doubled in a CoBCCH

Network After Upgrade from V9R1 to V9R3
In the Egypt 3rd license project, after the BSC was upgraded from V9R1 to V9R3,
the number of call drops in the CoBCCH network doubled.
INTERNAL
Compare V9R1 with V9R3. It is found that the function of configuring the
BCCH in the overlaid subcell is added to V9R3 and that a new TRX-level
parameter HW_Concentric Attribute (with the default value None) is add.
Check the code. It is found that if the parameter HW_Concentric Attribute
is set to None, the operating frequency band of the MS may be wrongly
determined. As a consequence, power control may be performed improperly.
For example, the 900 MHz frequency band may be mistakenly regarded as
the 1800 MHz frequency band. In this case, if power control is performed, the
power control amplitude becomes large and the signal level is adjusted to a
low level. Thus, call drops increase. Manually set the HW_Concentric
Attribute of the main BCCH to Underlay cell. The problem is solved and the
call drop rate becomes normal.
6.11 Case 11: Increase in Call Drop Rate Due to

Inactivity of T305 and T308
After a replacement was performed in Hainan Mobile project, the TCH call
drop rate increased. In urban areas, the TCH call drop rate increased from
0.4% to 0.7%; in suburban areas, it increased from 0.7% to 1.1%.
Analyze the A interface signaling and the version change. A version change
is found, that is, timers T305 and T308 must be set during the addition of the
BSC data, and the data modification in the timer table does not take effect.
Timer T305 and T308 are inactive; therefore, the MSC does not initiate the
call release procedure. As a result, the number of call drops increases
greatly. After the settings of the two parameters are modified, the call drop
rate becomes lower than that in the original network. The problem is solved.
6.12 Case 12: Increase in Call Drop Rate Due to

Change of TR1N on the MSC Side
The value of the TR1N parameter was changed from 20s to 60s to avoid
retransmission of short messages and to improve user experience. After the
change, the number of call drops with the cause value Release Indication
increased greatly.
Analyze the signaling on the A interface. After the value of TR1N is changed, the
following signaling flow takes place: After the MS sends a DISCONNECT message
to the network, the MSC does not send a CLEAR CMD message to release the
terrestrial resources and the TCH. In this case, the MS sends the BTS a DISC
message to disconnect layer 2 connection. After receiving the DISC message, the
INTERNAL
BTS sends a REL_IND message to the BSC. Then, the BSC sends a CLEAR REQ
message to the MSC and the number of call drops is incremented by one. After the
TR1N parameter is set to 20s again, the TCH call drop rate decreases
greatly and returns normal.
INTERNAL
Feedback Form for the TCH Call

Drop Rate
If the TCH call drop rate is high and technical support is required, fill in the
following form.
Check Item
Example
Description
Software version
BSC and BTS software

versions
Check whether the software

version is faulty.
Data
configuration
table
*.dat file
Check whether the network

optimization parameters and
power settings are proper.
Alarm
information
Hardware, clock, and

transmission
(self-check)
Check whether alarms related to

the hardware, clock, and
transmission are generated in a
cell with a high TCH call drop rate.
Traffic
measurement
Traffic measurement
results related to the
voice quality and the
balance between uplink
and downlink
Based on traffic measurement

results, check whether
interference and imbalance
between uplink and downlink
exist.
Signaling
RSL signaling tracing

data
Check the causes of call drops.
Drive test data
*.log (*.cell site) or *.ant

file
Based on the drive test data,

determine whether interference or
coverage problems exist.
Others
Engineering parameter
table and electronic
map
The NASTAR software can be

used to import the electronic map
to facilitate the geographical
information check.

04 GSM BSS Network KPI - TCH Call Drop Rate - Optimization Manual

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04 GSM BSS Network KPI - TCH Call Drop Rate - Optimization Manual

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GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate) Optimization Manual

GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate)

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

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2 Factors That Affect the TCH Call Drop Rate...................................................... 11

3 Analysis of and Solutions to High TCH Call Drop Rate .................................. 15

4 Test Methods ........................................................................................................... 29

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6.7 Case 7: Call Drop Due to TRX Board Fault ....................................................................... 36

7 Feedback Form for the TCH Call Drop Rate ...................................................... 41

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The document is modified according

G-Guide to Eliminating Interference - 20050311-A-1.0

GSM BSS Network KPI (Network Coverage) Optimization

GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate) Baseline

GSM BSS Network KPI (Uplink and Downlink Balance)

Guide to Solving Call Drop Problems

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GSM BSS Network KPI (TCH Call Drop Rate)

Base Station Controller

Key Performance Indicator

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Overview of the TCH Call Drop Rate

TCH call drop rate (including handover)

TCH call drop rate (excluding handover)

1.2 Recommended Formulas

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1.3 Signaling Procedure and Measurement Points

Figure 1-1 Immediate assignment procedure

Figure 1-2 Assignment procedure

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Figure 1-3 Intra-BSC handover procedure

Figure 1-4 Incoming BSC handover procedure

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TCH-SUCC-C: indicates the number of successful incoming external inter-cell

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Factors That Affect the TCH Call

Intra-network and inter-network interference

Antenna system problem

Imbalance between uplink and downlink

2.1 Hardware Failure

2.2 Transmission Problem

Transmission links are unstable.

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2.3 Version Upgrade

2.4 Parameter Setting

The parameter RXLEV_ACCESS_MIN is set to a too small value.

The parameter RACH Min.Access Level is set to a too small value.

The parameters Min DL Power on HO Candidate Cell and Min Access

The length of timer T305/T308 is set to an invalid or too great value.

10. The parameter Call Reestablishment Forbidden is set to Yes.

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2.5 Intra-Network and Inter-Network Interference

Inter-network interference from scramblers or privately installed

Interference from the CDMA network of China Unicom

Intermodulation interference from BTSs

Intra-network co-channel and adjacent-channel interference

2.6 Coverage Problem

Discontinuous coverage (blind areas)

Poor indoor coverage

Cross coverage (isolated BTS)