Passive Intermodulation

GSM 900 MHz, CDMA 850 & WCDMA 850

GSM Impact

CDMA FA1 centre frequency 881.52 MHz

WCDMA centre frequency 887.2 MHz
IM-3 location 892.88 MHz
The WCDMA and CDMA are wideband carriers,
therefore the IMD3 product will start below 890 MHz
and extend up to 898 MHz
Considering that Telstra GSM Rx band frequencies are
890 898.6 MHz there is potential for GSM service to
be impacted by IM-3 products

Commercial in confidence 2 2006-06-30

GSM Impact
CDMA FA1 WCDMA FA1

881.52 887.2

IM3

GSM RX Band

887.3 892.88 898.5

891.6

Commercial in confidence 3 2006-06-30

GSM Impact
CDMA FA2 WCDMA FA1

882.78 887.2

IM3

GSM RX Band

886 897.3

891.6

Commercial in confidence 4 2006-06-30

GSM Impact
CDMA FA3 WCDMA FA1

884.04 887.2

IM3

GSM RX Band

884.7 890.36 896

891.6

Commercial in confidence 5 2006-06-30

GSM Site Characteristics

For GSM to be affected by intermodulation, WCDMA

850 needs to be co-sited with CDMA and GSM. Since
WCDMA TX, CDMA TX and GSM RX never share the
same RF path, the only opportunity for service affecting
intermodulation to occur is for the WCDMA TX and
CDMA TX signals to be coupled into the GSM RX
antenna where non-linear components create passive
intermodulation.
This will have the greatest impact on sites that have
low antenna isolation (between GSM RX and WCDMA
& CDMA TX) and have poor quality RF components on
the GSM RX path

Commercial in confidence 6 2006-06-30

CDMA Impact

WCDMA centre frequency 887.2 MHz

GSM carrier 938 MHz (worst case scenario)
IM-3 location 836.4 MHz (Middle of CDMA FA1 UL)
The WCDMA carrier is wideband, therefore the IMD3
product will start below 835 MHz and extend up to 842.8
MHz. Considering that Telstra CDMA RX band
frequencies are 835 840 MHz there is potential for
CDMA services to be impacted by IM-3 products.
The WCDMA carrier RX frequencies are 840 845 MHz.
Since the IM-3 products only impact approximately half
the RX band performance degradation is expected to be
less than that suffered by CDMA

Commercial in confidence 7 2006-06-30

CDMA Impact
WCDMA FA1 GSM #9

887.2 936.7

IM3
FA1 FA2 FA3 WCDMA

832.6 837.7 842.8

Commercial in confidence 8 2006-06-30

CDMA Impact
WCDMA FA1 GSM #20

887.2 939.1

IM3
FA1 FA2 FA3 WCDMA

830.2 835.3 840.4

Commercial in confidence 9 2006-06-30

CDMA Impact
WCDMA FA1 GSM #44

887.2 943.7

IM3
FA1 FA2 FA3 WCDMA

830.7 835.8

Commercial in confidence 10 2006-06-30

CDMA Site Characteristics

For CDMA to be affected by intermodulation, WCDMA

850 needs to be co-sited with CDMA and GSM. The
lower GSM channels (up to approx ARFCN 23) have a
greater potential to impact CDMA.
In sites where CDMA and WCDMA share antennas,
service affecting intermodulation occurs when the GSM
TX signal is received by the WCDMA TX/RX antenna
branch, and to a lesser extent (due to extra antenna
isolation) when GSM TX and WCDMA TX signals are
received in the CDMA TX/WCDMA RX branch.

Commercial in confidence 11 2006-06-30

Site Integration Procedure

Method of Procedure
Currently check for GSM interference with ICM band
measurements
Is current ICM band configuration adequate?
Need to add CDMA interference check
Use RF Mon for 15 minutes initially
If successful check Dingbat stats for 3 hours,
(preferably during GSM busy hour?)
Testing to be performed with full power enabled to simulate
high traffic load (OCNS or BCCH loading)
If Integration test fails at full power, re-test with no traffic
(CPICH and O/H channels only)?
Hand over to dedicated PIM trouble shooting team

Commercial in confidence 12 2006-06-30

PIM site resolution

Dedicated PIM resolution team

Competent team that will become expert at PIM resolution
as more sites are corrected.
Issues
People Resourcing
Test equipment
Spares buffer (e.g. Deltec antennas)
Level of PIM resolution
Enough to prevent CDMA/GSM degradation?
-140 dBc on affected RF paths?
-140 dBc on all RF paths on site?

Commercial in confidence 13 2006-06-30

Commercial in confidence 14 2006-06-30