WCDMA RF Optimization: Traffic monitoring and optimization

Chapter 6

Traffic monitoring and

optimization

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WCDMA RF Optimization: Traffic monitoring and optimization

Content

1. Principles ............................................................................................................. 3

2. Transmitted carrier power .................................................................................... 4

2.1. Node B reporting ........................................................................................... 4

2.2. Total DL power .............................................................................................. 5

2.2.1. R99 power .............................................................................................. 6

2.2.2. HSDPA power ......................................................................................... 7

2.2.3. Dynamic sharing between R99 and HSDPA power ................................ 8

3. Received total wideband power (RTWP) ........................................................... 15

3.1. Total UL power ............................................................................................ 16

3.1.1. Role of intermodulation ......................................................................... 16

3.1.2. Role on access ..................................................................................... 19

3.2. R99 power ................................................................................................... 21

4. Code tree allocation .......................................................................................... 23

4.1. R99 .............................................................................................................. 23

4.2. HSDPA ........................................................................................................ 24

4.3. Dynamic code sharing between R99 and HSDPA users ............................. 25

5. Iub over IP transmission .................................................................................... 29

5.1. QoS over IP ................................................................................................. 31

6. Number of users ................................................................................................ 33

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1. Principles

The traffic monitoring can be performed in two ways:

-Reactive monitoring which consider setup failure (already discussed in chapter

and needs Daily Busy Hour analysis.

-Proactive monitoring which is used in information technology and allows teams to

understand how services are performing, along with identifying potential areas of risk
7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Monitoring can apply to applications, networks, and
security, computers and data centers. It considers the amount of traffic.

Principles of traffic monitoring

Monitoring/inter Air interface Iub interface HW chznnel RNC capacity
face element
Proactive -BTS power -Iub traffic load -CE utilisation -RNC traffic
monitoring UL/DL -Resource load
-channelization resrvation -Unit load
codes utilizaton
-S-CCPCH
&PRACH load

Reactive -Setup failure -Setup failure -Setup failure -Setup failure

monitoring due to AC due to due to BTS due to BTS
-Service transmission
rejection ratio -Resoure
-Code blocking reservation
-RB success rate
downgrade/rele
se

Figure1: principles of traffic monitoring

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2. Transmitted carrier power

2.1. Node B reporting

Node B reporting
RNC has an idea about air interface load by the Node B following
messages
Common NBAP radio resource indication
• Transmitted carrier power
• Total power R99 + HSDPA
• R99 power
• Received total wideband power
• Total power R99 + HSUPA
• HSUPA power (calculated by Node B, not directly measured)
Dedicated NBAP measurement report
• Power of each dedicated radio link

C - NBAP
IuB D - NBAP

Node B RNC

Figure 2:Node B reporting

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2.2. Total DL power

The figure 3 illustrates the optimization flow of total power. In fact this power is
determined with the help of a vendor counter that indicate the Number of radio
resource falling into specific power interval. The intervals are hardcoded and vendor
specific

Total DL power-Optimization flow

High total DL
power

High pilot High SHO

Otherwise
pollution overhead

Neighbor Check SHO Add second

analysis parameter
carrier
settings
Check adjacent
cell interference

Figure 3: Total DL power-Optimization flow

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2.2.1. R99 power

Average R99 power determined in interaction with the cell load (as illustrated in
figure 4) by vendor counters and under the following conditions:

• 1) No call in cell

• 2) power far below load target

• 3) power little below load target

• 4) power little above load target

• 5) power above overload threshold

R99 power and cell load

The definition of the load target depends on the presence of HSDPA users
• No HSDPA user present → static load target PtxTarget
• At least one HSDPA user present → dynamic load target PtxTargetPS

Figure 4: R99 power and cell load

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2.2.2. HSDPA power

HSDPA power

A vendor counters used to define the minimum HSDPA power during

measurement period, the maximum HSDPA power during measurement
period, the average HSDPA power

HSDPA power includes

• HS-PDSCH
• All HS-SCCH
• All HSUPA DL signaling channels (E-AGCH, E-RGCH, E-HICH)

Figure 5: HSDPA power

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2.2.3. Dynamic sharing between R99 and HSDPA power

The DL power is shared dynamically between R99 and HSDPA. The sharing can be
realized by defining a dynamic load target for NRT R99 traffic PtxTargetPS.

For RT R99 traffic, the load target PtxTarget stills static

PtxTargetPS is adjusted between

• Minimum load target

• Maximum load target

RNC checks periodically, whether adjustment of PtxTargetPS is needed. The

pperiod is defined by a vendor parameter.

PtxTargetPS is adjusted under the following conditions

1) HSDPA congestion (figure 6)

• Occurs when there is too much total DL power present in cell

PtxTotal ≥ PtxHighHSDPAPwr

• Overload threshold for HSDPA cell is defined by a vendor parameter

2) DCH congestion (figure 7)

• Occurs when there is too much R99 power present in cell

PtxNonHSPA ≥ PtxTargetPS - Offset

• The offset is fixed by a vendor parameter (for e.g Nokia sets this parameter to
1 dB).

The optimum load target is calculated by RNC in dependence on

• Maximum cell power
• Non controllable power
• Weights of the NRT users
The weight of one user depends on
• Traffic class (by default interactive > background)
• Release (by default HSDPA > R99)

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HSDPA Congestion
HSDPA power congestion, if If actual load target PtxTargetPS > optimum load target
Decrease PtxTargetPS by PtxTargetPSStepDown
Ptxtotal ≥ PtxHighHSDPAPwr

PtxMax

PtxHighHSDPAPwr

PtxTotal
PtxTargetPSMax

PtxTargetPS PtxTargetPSMin

Optimum load
target PtxNonHSDPA PtxNRT

PtxNC

Figure 6: HSDPA congestion

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DCH Congestion
DCH power congestion, if If actual load target PtxTargetPS < optimum load target
PtxNonHSDPA ≥ PtxTargetPS - Offset Increase PtxTargetPS by PtxTargetPSStepUp

PtxMax

PtxHighHSDPAPwr

PtxTotal
PtxTargetPSMax

PtxTargetPS
PtxTargetPSMin

Optimum load
target PtxNRT
PtxNonHSDPA

PtxNC

Figure 7: DCH congestion

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HSDPA power - limitations

HSDPA power limited by PtxMaxHSDPA
If PtxMaxHSDPA too low
• artificial power cutoff
• unexpected low throughput
To be safe, PtxMaxHSDPA should be set to maximum cell power

Maximum cell power

HSDPA

Maximum HSDPA power

DCH Non-HSDPA power

Time
Common channels

Figure 8: HSDPA power- limitations

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2.2.3.1. Impact of HS-SCCH on HSDPA power

Part of the HSDPA power is indicated by counters not available for user data but
goes into HSPA signaling channels.

HS-SCCH inner loop power control operates as the following algorithm

• Node B estimates HS-SCCH Tx power according to

PHS-SCCH = PCPICH + Γ + CQI + P0

– PCPICH CPICH power

– Γ measurement power offset related to initial HSDPA power

signaled to UE

– CQI power offset taken from CQICOMPENSATED by look up table

(next slide)

– P0 correction estimated by HS-SCCH outer loop power control

algorithm (takes into account whether UE reacts to a data packet
or not)

• HS-SCCH Tx power

– Estimated for each HSDPA connection individually

– Updated with each CQI report

The Number of 2ms TTI for which HS-SCCH power falls into specific interval.

These intervals are, for instance :

– Power < 0.1 W

– 0.1 W ≤ power < 0.2 W

– 0.2 W ≤ power < 0.4 W

– 0.4 W ≤ power < 0.8 W

– 0.8 W ≤ power < 1.6 W

– 1.6 W ≤ power

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Impact of HS-SCCH on HSDPA power

Example:
PCPICH + Γ = 6 W (37.8 dBm)
P0 = 0
CQI TBS Throughput CQI PHS-SCCH
4 317 159 K -7.7 dB (37.8 - 7.7) dBm = 30.1 dBm (1.0 W)
13 2279 1140 K -16.6 dB (37.8 - 16.6) dBm = 21.2 dBm (0.13 W)

PHS-SCCH = PCPICH + Γ + CQI + P0

Figure 9: impact of HS-SCCH on HSDPA power

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2.2.3.2. Impact of HSUPA on HSDPA power

HSUPA DL signaling channels has no considerable effects on HSDPA power as its

power is static and set relative to CPICH.

Power of all of them is static and set relative to CPICH and the number of channels
depends on number of users in cell

Impact of HSUPA on HSDPA power

With HSUPA further HSDPA power consumption by DL signaling channels

•-Power of all of them( E-AGCH, E-RGCH and E-HICH) is static and set relative to
CPICH

-Number of channels depends on number of users in cell

Figure 10: Impact of HSUPA on HSDPA power

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3. Received total wideband power (RTWP)

The total received wideband power is a summation of different power sources (own
cell interference, other cell interference, real traffic in cell, thermal noise …). There
are a specific vendor counters that indicate the number of radio resource falling into
specific power interval in order to determine the real value of RTWP and report it to
the network & management system.

RTWP sources

High adjacent cell Low adjacent cell

interference i-factor interference

Noise rise due to

real traffic
PrxOffset
e.g. 1 dB above PrxTarget -100 dBm
PrxTarget -101 dBm
e.g. 4 dB above PrxNoise

Own cell load factor

(throughput)
RTWP of empty cell
-105 dBm
MUST be equal PrxNoise Intermodulation out of band (e.g. 1 dB)
-106 dBm
Receiver noise figure (e.g. 2 dB)
-108 dBm
Thermal noise -108 dBm

Figure 11: RTWP sources

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3.1. Total UL power

There are several facts that has a relevant role in adjusting the value of the total UL
power.

3.1.1. Role of intermodulation

The intermodulation leads to unexpected noise rise without real traffic. It may
happened because of

• GSM 900 for UMTS 900, GSM 1800 for UMTS 2 GHz

• Satellite dishes, wireless cameras, electronic screens

• Non linearity of Master Head Amplifier

Even small intermodulation leads to strong loss of capacity

To avoid loss of capacity by intermodulation, there are the following options

• Switch off UL admission control (often done by operators)

• Autotuning of PrxNoise parameter

• Take RTWP values as receiver noise values under the following

condition

• RT load factor < 2% AND

• NRT load factor < 1%

But by saving the capacity one loses UL coverage

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Intermodulation effect on total UL power

RTWP = -105 dBm in empty cell

due to intermodulation
5 dB noise rise available only (68 % load)
1
NR[dB]  10 log
1  load
RTWP = -106 dBm in empty cell
Maximum RTWP planned as -100 dBm
6 dB noise rise allowed (75 % load)

Figure 12: intermodulation effect on total UL power

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Solution to reduce intermodultaion effect

Auto-tuning of Noise power parameter

RTWP

Reduced coverage

PrxNoise effected e.g. -96 dBm

PrxNoise clean -106 dBm Distance

Expected coverage

Figure 13: reducing the intermodulation effect

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3.1.2. Role on access

Impact of total UL power on access

RTWP values have strong impact on access for
• PRACH: Initial power = CPICH Tx power – RSCP + RTWP + Required Received C/I
• DPCCH: Initial power = CPICH Tx power – RSCP + RTWP + SIRDPCCH – 10 log 256

Too low RTWP values (e.g. commissioning fault)

• UE starts with too low power
• Risk of access failure

High RTWP values (e.g. intermodulation or high real traffic e.g. in stadium)
• UE has to start with higher power than usual
• UE introduces additional noise rise leading to even higher RTWP

If RTWP very high due to PRACH traffic, the following optimization options exist
• Reduce power ramping cycle
•Increase timer between consecutive RRC setup attempts (T300)
• Reduce maximum number of consecutive RRC setup attempts (N300)

Figure 14: Impact of total UL power on access

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Total UL power- optimization flow

total UL power

Still below BTS

Close to -112 dBm Often >-100 dBm
receiver noise

Check HW Check
-high traffic density
HW
Check feeder loss/ MHA -intermodulation
gain commissioning setting

Figure 15: total UL power- Optimization flow

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3.2. R99 power

The average R99 power is calculated based on counters that follow under the
following conditions

1) Cell unloaded

2) Cell loaded, but power far below load target

3) Cell loaded and power little below load target

4) Cell loaded and power little above load target

5) Cell loaded and power above overload threshold

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R99 power

The definition of the load target depends on the presence of HSUPA users
• No HSUPA user present → static load target PrxTarget
• At least one HSUPA user present → dynamic load target PrxTargetPS
• On the UL the dynamic load target is adjusted by a similar way as on the DL

Figure 16: R99 average power

For the HSUPA power there are vendor counters that define the:

-minimum HSUPA power during measurement period

- Maximum HSUPA power during measurement period

- Average HSUPA power

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4. Code tree allocation

4.1. R99

R99 code allocation - principles

Code resource required depends on type of radio bearer
• Signaling SF 256 for 3.4 Kbit/s, SF 128 for 13.6 Kbit/s
• Voice HR SF 128 or SF 256
• Voice FR, 16K data SF 128
• 32K data SF 64
• 64K data SF 32
• 128K data SF 16
• 256K data, 384K data SF 8
Only 1 code per bearer allocated
SF=8

SF=16

SF=32

SF=64

SF=128

Figure 17:R99 code allocation principles

Vendor Counters indicate:

-Number of attempts to get code with SF 4…256

-Number of blocked attempts to get code with SF 4…256

-Blocking rate for SF4…256

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4.2. HSDPA

HSDPA code allocation - principles

For HSDPA fixed SF16
But several codes per bearer available
• Minimum guarantee of 5 codes
• Maximum number set usually to 15 codes
• Code resource has to be shared with R99
SF=1

SF=2

SF=4

SF=8

SF=16
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
………. ……….

R99 + HSPA signaling CH Guarantee for HSDPA

Dynamically shared between
R99 and HSDPA

Figure 18: HSDPA code allocation principles

A vendor Counters indicate:

-The amount of time during which 5…15 codes reserved for HSDPA

-The number of downgrades of HSDPA code resources due to R99 RT requestss

-The number of downgrades of HSDPA code resources due to R99 NRT requests

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4.3. Dynamic code sharing between R99 and HSDPA users

Number of codes reserved for HSDPA users can be adjusted dynamically in

dependence on R99 traffic. Possible levels configured with a vendor parameter (16
bit parameter to enable / disable each possible level individually). Therefore an
upgrade (or downgrade operation) can be performed once the RNC notices available
codes for HSDPA traffic (or R99 code blocking).

Upgrade
RNC checks periodically, if there’s more codes that can be
reserved for HSDPA
The HSDPA upgrade needs
• Free adjacent codes to go to next higher level defined by
vendor parameter
• After upgrade still enough codes with SF128 available for R99
(at least HSPDSCHMarginSF128, default = 8)
• Upgrade to 15 codes possible only with HSPDSCHMarginSF128

Figure 19: HSDPA traffic upgrade

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Downgrade due to R99 RT traffic

RNC checks periodically, whether actually less than

HSPDSCHMarginSF128 codes of SF128 available for R99
If a RT R99 request cannot be served due to code blocking, HSDPA is
downgraded immediately in any case

128
118 HSPDSCHMarginSF128
Number of reserved SF128 codes

108
98
88
78
68
58
48
38
0

Figure 20: downgrade due to R99 RT traffic

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Downgrade due to NRT R99 traffic

If a NRT R99 request cannot be served due to code blocking, HSDPA is downgraded only, if
the actual number of codes exceeds
Maximum code set – DPCHOverHSPDSCHThreshold
• Default = 0 → HSDPA always has higher priority than incoming NRT R99 request
• Threshold = 5 → HSDPA downgraded due to incoming NRT R99 request, if actually
more than 15 - 5 = 10 codes reserved for HSDPA

15 Maximum code set

Number of allocated SF16 codes

14
13 DPCHOverHSPDSCHThreshold
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5

Figure 21: downgrade due to R99 NRT traffic

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High Code congestion- optimization flow

High code
congestion

Enable code
tree
optimization

Still high
congestion

Many DCH of High SHO

low activity Many overhead
associated DCH

Enable throughput Check SHO parameter

Enable F-DPCH
based optimization settings
(associated DCH)
(R99 DCH) Check adjacent cell
interference

Figure 22: high code congestion-flow optimization

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5. Iub over IP transmission

Since the deployment of 3 G release 5, the IP –based Iub interface became the most
common interface used between Node B and RNC as IP is efficient and cheaper
than ATM.

Many options offered by different vendor counters e.g.

- (IP measurements on IP interface)

• Number of incoming / outgoing IP packets

• Number of incoming IP packets with different types of error (invalid

header, protocol errors)

• Amount of incoming / outgoing IP data

- (UDP measurements on IP interface)

• Number of incoming / outgoing UDP datagrams

• Number of incoming UDP datagrams with errors

- (RNC IP CAC measurements)

• Number of successful reservations

• Number of failed reservations per cause

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Iub over IP implementation principles

Instead of virtual paths / virtual channels Ethernet connections used in ATM
Ethernet connection shared by many IP connections
• BTS has several IP addresses for different types of information
• UE has single IP address

IP connections for signaling

Node B address / RNC address

OAM

C-NBAP

D-NBAP
Ethernet connection

User data

IP connections for user data

UE address / RNC address

Figure 23: Iub over IP implementation

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5.1. QoS over IP

QoS with IP

The quality of service is monitored by its mapping in the transport

network with specific per hop behavior PHB
• Quality requirement to be provided by IP transport to ensure
predefined end-to-end
service quality
• Mapped into differential service code point DSCP field in IP
header

Figure 24: QoS with IP

Per hop behavior is indicated by 6 bit field in IP header

Three main classes are defined:

- Expedited forwarding EF

• Service of highest priority

• Low delay, jitter and packet loss target

• Suitable for voice, video and other RT services

-Assured forwarding AF

• Service of intermediate priority

• Four subclasses AF1 to AF4 defined

• Still some guarantee for data delivery

• Suitable e.g. for internet browsing

- Best effort BE

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• Service of low priority

• No guarantee for data delivery

• Suitable e.g. for ftp download

A vendor counter that considers for each PHB class

• Outgoing traffic

• Number of successfully transmitted octets

• Number of successfully transmitted IP packets

• Number of octets to be dropped due to congestion

• Number of IP packets to be dropped due to congestion

• Incoming traffic

• Number of received octets

• Number of received IP packets

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6. Number of users

Number of users- licences

R99
• No license for specific number of users per cell required
• New user allocated, as long all types of RAN resources available

HSPA
• License for specific number of users per cell required
• The following levels are available
• 16 users
• 48 users
• 64 users
• 72 users
• If maximum number of users present, new user rejected, even if all
types of RAN resources still available

Figure 25: Number of users-license

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