VF Artificial Intelligence

Requirements and Use

Cases in SON
Access Product Team, Network CoE
May’18
 Artificial Intelligence Application in Radio
• AI can be applied in many areas of the RAN:
– SON Evolution: ideal place for AI to start
Core Network
due to big data integration (UE data, Call Implementation
Trace, Geolocation, CEM data, CDR data…). and PoC Today
SON platform can be good to do the S1
learning and then execute at the eNB
PoC L3 L3
L2-U L2-U
PoC 2017 OSS SON
– At eNB, Interference Coordination, Carrier
Aggregation selection, Mobility based in AI Implementation by
2018

– Evolution to 5G : Cloudification /
Virtualisation where AI can be introduced L2-L
L1
PoC 2017-2018 LAA LWA
to manage the 4G and 5G resources. We 4G/5G
Macrocell
can use Inspection or pattern identification Implementation by (Base Coverage) Small Cell
2019

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 AI Initial Requirements/Use Cases for SON
AI Requirements Use Case ID Functionality

Predict traffic load (e.g. power load for 3G, PRB usage for LTE) from latest data, and balance the
Traffic Prediction Predictive Load Balancing
load among different cells/frequency/technologies

Smart Carrier
Smart Carrier Aggregation Intelligently chose the best carrier as SCC based on AI e.g. Neural Network
Aggregation
Apply AI algorithm e.g. feature extraction to identify overshooting cells and provide tilt
Intelligent Overshooting Cells Classification
optimisation
Coverage and
Capacity Intelligent Coverage and Capacity Apply AI algorithm e.g. clustering methodology to find the optimum parameters settings to
optimisation Optimisation maximise the capacity and coverage
Detection of cells with bad MOS quality and find the root cause thanks to AI correlation of
VoLTE Root Cause Identification
VoLTE hundreds of counters
Optimisation Automatic AI optimisation of network parameters at cell clustering level to improve the VoLTE
VoLTE optimum parameter optimisation
performance

Network Predict network KPI degradation trend/pattern and identify root cause. Also provide optimisation
Network KPI prediction and optimisation
Performance in SON to prevent further degradation
Prediction and
Optimisation Network Fault Prediction and Optimisation Predict network equipment fault/outage in next days/weeks, and also identify root cause

Interference Machine learning tool to detect interference, provide the interference cause analysis and optimise
Network Interference Identification
Identification in SON if applicable

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 Use Case 1 - Predictive Load Balancing
Problems
• Optimisation is delayed due to OSS data latency
• Network optimisation is more reactive rather than proactive

Solutions
• Predict next minutes/hour load using AI algorithm based
on latest data assuming typical latency around 45 mins.
• Load could be for example, power load for 3G, and PRB
usage for LTE
• Execute load balancing algorithm in SON proactively based
on predicted traffic load

VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot by Q4’17

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 Use Case 2 – Smart Carrier Aggregation
Problems
• Multiple frequency options for CA makes it very
challenging to find the best SCC
CQI Pcell
TA Pcell F1 (e.g. 800 MHz) 2x2 MIMO
• Unsuccessful inter-frequency measurement to find the
RSRP Pcell SCC will decrease the UE throughput
RSRQ Pcell F2 2x2
RSRP Ncell-i
F3 4x4 MIMO
RSRQ Ncell-I
i=1…M
ECNo Ncell-j
F2 (2x2) +F3 (4X4 ) CA Solutions
RSCP Ncell-j Massive MIMO F4
• A Neural Network (AI) can be an algorithm to allocate
GSM RSSI Ncell-k Inter-eNB F2+ F3
X2 latency the best carrier(s) as SCC at any moment depending on
Load Pcell F2 + LAA (40 MHz 5GHz band) the load, RF signals, X2 latency…
Load Ncell-i
• AI learning will reduce the inter-frequency
measurement and improve user experience

VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot by Q4’17
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 Use Case 3 - Overshooting Cells Classification
Problems
• Overshooting cell generate interference to neighbouring
cells

Solution
• Machine learning algorithm e.g. feature extraction can be
applied to intelligently identify overshooters
• SON shall support to optimise the power/tilt etc.
accordingly to reduce the interference

VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot in Q3’17

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 Use Case 4 – Intelligent Coverage and Capacity Optimisation
Problems
• Coverage holes: areas that suffer from insufficient coverage
• Overlapping coverage: areas that have extensive overlapping
coverage that leads to capacity penalties and waste of
resources

Solution
• Machine learning algorithm e.g. clustering can be applied to
tune the parameter e.g. power, tilting to find the optimum
configuration for different scenarios.
• SON shall support to execute the optimum parameters to
maximise the network capacity and coverage

VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot by Q4’17

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 Use Case 5 - VoLTE Optimisation
Problem
• VoLTE users might experience poor voice quality during the call
VoLTE Optimisation
How
• Use case 5a: VoLTE poor quality root cause identification
Network Element Algorithms
• Use case 5b: VoLTE parameter optimisation to improve the
network performance and also user experience e.g.
RRC States Management  Decrease RAB failures and handover /SRVCC failures
Mobility algorithms  RRC Inactivity timer
 DRX timers (to maximise the quality)
Freq Band Allocation / CA
 Handover parameters: intra-frequency, inter-frequency, SRVCC, or even
Interference Coordination CSFB force
 CA activation/deactivation (UL anchor config)
Congestion Control
/ Load Balancing  Load balancing algorithms optimisation
QoS Management
VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot in Q3’17
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 Use Case 6 – Network KPI Prediction and Optimisation
Problems
• Network KPI degradation can not be foreseen so far
• All network optimisation is more reactive rather than
proactive

Solution
• Predict the network KPI sequence and pattern based on
the latest data analysis (e.g. PM counters, CM counters,
Geo-loc data etc.)
• Provide SON optimisation to prevent KPI further
degradation

VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot by Q4’17
C3- Vodafone Confidential 9 16 May 2018
Vodafone Proprietary classified as C2 - Internal
 Use Case 7 – Network Fault Prediction and Optimisation
Problems
• Network equipment fault can’t be identified in time
• Hidden network fault/outage impacts customer
experience

Solution
• Predict equipment fault in next day or next week using AI
algorithm to analyse the latest alarms, system log,
trouble ticket, PM counters etc.
• Provide the root cause of equipment fault and also
optimise using self-healing functionality if applicable

VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot by Q4’17
C3- Vodafone Confidential 10 16 May 2018
Vodafone Proprietary classified as C2 - Internal
 Use Case 8 – Network Interference Detection
Problems
• Mobile operators lack visibility to the amount and effect of
external and unintended internal RF interference

Solution
• Automatically detects and localise the external and
unintended internal RF interference
• Provide root cause of the interference and potential
solution to mitigate the interference

VF Required Timeline
• Feature ready for pilot by Q4’17

C3- Vodafone Confidential 11 16 May 2018

Vodafone Proprietary classified as C2 - Internal