Common BCCH for

GSM 900/1800 Dual

Band operation
Nicola Riato
22.05.2002

Overview

Common BCCH channel for

GSM-DCS dual band

24 TRXs per cell and

handling of GSM-DCS cell

SF10428

SF 10427

Parameters for mixed cells

Siemens, 2002

Common BCCH channel for GSM-DCS dual band

Environment:
Introduction
Introductionof
ofGSM-DCS
GSM-DCSMulti-band
Multi-bandcells
cells
(Mixed
(Mixedcells
cells
concentric
concentriccells),
cells),
instead
insteadof
ofsingle
singleband
bandcells
cellsin
inaadual
dual
band
bandnetwork
network

Main advantage:
Increased
Increasedspectral
spectralefficiency
efficiency
(less
(lessinterference,
interference,FH)
FH)
Common
Commoncell
cellidentity
identity
Siemens, 2002

Mixed cell example

Complete area: all
TRXs belong to the
same frequency band
(GSM)

Common BCCH at 900

MHz belongs to
complete area

GSM

Dual
Band
mobile
DCS

Intracell Handover
Algorithm impacted.
Inner area: all TRXs
belong to the same
frequency band (DCS)
Siemens, 2002

Common BCCH channel for GSM-DCS dual band

Frequency Hopping (not directly influenced)
In a mixed cell the common BCCH belongs to one frequency band
and in the two areas of the cell there are only TRXs of the same
frequency band

less interference in the inner area where there is no BCCH

all frequencies in this band can hop ideally
FH laws involve only frequency belonging to the same band
Attention:
There isnt the possibility to use synthesizer FH and base band FH in a
concentric/dual band cell at one time.
The definition of the wanted FH modality has to be made on a cell basis and
not based on frequency band or on the area of the concentric cell. This implies
that inside a mixed cell the FH modality can be realized only in a single way.

Siemens, 2002

Common BCCH channel for GSM-DCS dual band

BCCH planning activity: In an existing network, cells can be

converted in mixed cell without modifying the already existing
BCCHs. This prevents the need of a new BCCH planning activity. The
new concentric cells created have a common cell identity.
Already existing concentric cells: they have to be completely
reconfigured. The operator cannot just add TRX in the new frequency
band to an existing cell. Just one frequency band can be allocated
per each area of the concentric cell.

Siemens, 2002

Agenda

Common BCCH channel for

GSM-DCS dual band

24 TRXs per cell and

handling of GSM-DCS cell

FRS 348

FRS 375

Parameters for mixed cells

Siemens, 2002

24 TRXs per cell and handling of GSM-DCS cell

Two main feature aims:

11

thanks
thankstotothe
thepossibility
possibility
totodefine
defineup
uptoto64
64
frequencies
frequenciesper
percell
cell
(FRS0391)
(FRS0391)

increase
increasethe
themaximum
maximumnumber
numberof
of
transceivers
transceivers(TRXs)
(TRXs)supported
supportedby
byaa
single
singlecell
cell(1224
(1224TRXs)
TRXs)
A:
A:Mixed
Mixedcellconcentric
cellconcentriccell
cell
B:
B:Common
CommonBCCH
BCCHchannel
channel

22

implementation
implementationof
ofmixed
mixedcells
cells
(GSM-DCS)
(GSM-DCS)

Siemens, 2002

Consequences due to the

implementation of this feature
Main advantage: increase network traffic capacity
Increased number of TRXs available per cell: up to 24 TRXs allow
the implementation of networks with cluster size of 1x1 (greatest
capacity gain)
24 TRXs belonging to different bands can be configured in the
same cell: implementation of mixed cell (but only like concentric cell)

Implementation of Mixed cells implies the evaluations just made for

Common BCCH feature.
Frequency Hopping
BCCH planning activity (common BCCH)
Existing concentric cells
Intracell handover

Siemens, 2002

Procedures: Call Setup

Current implementation of Concentric Cell
at call set up an SDCCH is assigned, defined in the complete area.
a preferred Area Message is exchanged to decide in which area allocate the call
in case of MS GSM only or DCS only, the Preferred Area Message is not sent
Two possible situations:
Preferred Area is COMPLETE:
The channel is searched only in this area and in case of no channels
available, no resource is allocated.
Preferred Area is INNER:
At first the channel is searched in the INNER Area and, in case of no
channels available, BSC will try to assign a TCH in the Complete Area.

Siemens, 2002

Intracell handover COMPLETE to INNER Area

Different congestion levels in

Inner and Complete areas

Single band
Concentric Cells

Different congestion levels in

Inner and Complete areas

Dual band
Concentric Cells

HO Inner to Complete Area Based on:

HO Inner to Complete Area Based on:

DL condition

DL condition

Distance

Siemens, 2002

Intracell handover based on the downlink average

received level
Problem: Normally, in existing concentric cells, HO decision, from
Complete Area (CA) to Inner Area (IA), considers only the downlink
average received power. UL doesnt change passing from CA to IA.
Now, within mixed cell and passing from CA IA, the UL conditions
change, due to different power classes to which the mobile belongs
in the two bands.

Solution: HO decision is still depending only from DL conditions but

the decision has to consider mainly:
1. relationship between propagation conditions in the two bands
(PL1800=PL900+10dB)
2. the power class of the mobile in the band used in IA
3. the maximum power the mobile may use in the IA
Siemens, 2002

Intracell handover: Traffic load influence

Traffic load is checked to enable/disable the

Intracell HO
In case of congestion of one of the two areas (100% of congestion in
one of the two areas), the INTRAcell HO becomes disabled and it
will be re-enabled when the congestion of the area drops below the
second threshold of 90%.
The INTERcell HO, instead, is possible towards neighbouring cells in
proper conditions no matter in which area the call is allocated.
This avoid useless signalling load for HO requests which cannot be
satisfied.
In case of INTRAcell HO disabled, the INTERcell HO is still possible
toward neighboring cells

Siemens, 2002

Procedures: Intercell Handover

In case of adjacent collocated concentric cells (CCELL parameter), the
HO from inner to inner area of the collocated neighbour is allowed. The
collocated cells can be either single band or dual band.
Also for HO from Inner to Inner area between collocated dual band cells, the
differences between frequency bands have to be considered.
Maximum power that the mobile can use in the Inner area of the target cell
has to be considered (this value is represented by the
MsTxPwrMaxCellComp parameter on the Abis sector
Interface,
see the parameter
1
sector 3
(own cell)
(colocated cell 2)
description later).
inner area

inner-to-inner
handover

complete area
sector 2
(colocated cell 1)

Complete

Inner

Inner

Complete

Siemens, 2002

Agenda

Common BCCH channel for

GSM-DCS dual band

24 TRXs per cell and

handling of GSM-DCS cell

FRS 348

FRS 375

Parameters for mixed cells

Siemens, 2002

Parameters involved with concentric cells

The implementation Mixed Cell
strongly related to
implementation of Concentric Cells.
This imply that some basic requirements for Concentric
cells have to be satisfied.
DB Name
CONCELL

Object
BTS

TRXAREA

TRX

CCDIST

HAND

CCELL

HAND

Value
TRUE

Meaning
Flag indicating
that concentric cell
is used
INNER
TXR belonging to
COMPLETE
the same band
have to belong to
the same area
BCCH belongs to the Complete
Area
False
Disable the impact
of distance on
Intracell HO
decision
BTS0BTS119
BSC recognises
the cell as
Collocated

Management of Mixed Cells implies also the management

of specific parameter
Siemens, 2002

Parameters involved with mixed cells

BTS Object
SYSID and cellAllocationNumber Attributes
They describe, at T/O and Abis interface, the frequency
band used by the cell.
SYSID
values

attribute

BB900

Corresponding
frequency band

Validity range of the frequencies assigned to a

cell (CALLFn attributes)

(GSM Standard
Band)

1 <= frequency <= 124

00

512 <= frequency <= 885

01

0 <= frequency <= 124

02

DCS1800
F2ONLY900

(GSM Extended
Band)

EXT900

(GSM Mixed Band)

PCS1900
R-GSM

(GSM)

975 <= frequency <= 1023

0 <= frequency <= 124

03

975 <= frequency <= 1023

512 <= frequency <= 810

04

955 <= frequency <= 974

05

0 <= frequency <= 124

GSMDCS

(Dual band)

975 <= frequency <= 1023

GSM extended band

512 <= frequency <= 885

DCS1800 band

Siemens, 2002

06

Parameters involved with mixed cells

Handover Object
HORXLVDLO
They describe, at T/O and Abis interface, the threshold to
overcome for passing from Complete Area to Inner Area.
This Threshold considers also the DL condition for the HO
Range: 00(=-110dBm)

63(=-47dBm)
Default: 32(=78dBm)

Siemens, 2002

Parameters involved with mixed cells

Complete Inner HO
MSTXPMAXGSM, MSTXPMAXDCS, MSTXPMAXPCS
msTxPwrMax and msTxPwrMaxCompl
Attributes (at T/O and Abis interface)
Maximum power level an MS can use in the serving cell.
Values are related to the frequency band of the area in the cell
If the cell is not GSMDCS the only meaningful parameter is MSTXPMAX
PCS1900: Range (00 to 15) and (30 - 31)

GSM and GSM-R: Range: (02 to 15)

02

39 dBm

03

27 dBm
:

14

15 dBm

15

13 dBm

DCS1800: Range (00 to 15)

00

30 dBm

01

28 dBm

00

30 dBm

01

28 dBm

14

02 dBm

02

26 dBm

15

00 dBm

30

33 dBm

31

32 dBm

:
14

02 dBm

15

00dBm

Siemens, 2002

Parameters involved with mixed cells

Intercell HO
Intercell HO between INNER AREAS of colocated Cells
is POSSIBLE
either for Adjacent Single Band CCells or Dual Band CCells.
The standard (single band case) INNER to
INNER HO needs to consider the
msTxPwrMaxCell (on Abis)

Concerning an Adjacent Dual Band CCell,

the maximum power an MS can use in the
INNER Area (msTxPwrMaxCellCompl on Abis)
has to be considered
The ININHO parameter can
be set to TRUE, enabling the
INNER to INNER area in
sectored Concentric Cells.
Siemens, 2002

Parameters involved with mixed cells

T/O Interface Attributes

SYSID

BB900
F2ONLY900
EXT900
R-GSM

MSTXPMAX MSTXPMAX
GSM
DCS

Abis Interface attributes

MSTXPMAX
PCS

msTxPwrMax
msTxPwrMaxCompl
msTxPwrMaxCell
msTxPwrMaxCell
Compl

<NULL>

<NULL>

<Not Transmitted>

DCS1800

<NULL>

<NULL>

<Not Transmitted>

PCS1900

<NULL>

<NULL>

<Not Transmitted>

GSMDCS
(BCCH in
the GSM
band)
GSMDCS
(BCCH in
the DCS
band)

<NULL>

<NULL>

Siemens, 2002

X and O
indicate
possible
values for
the
parameters

Hardware aspects
Inside the BTSE, two independent branching modules (from the antenna to the
carrier unit) are required, one for the GSM and one for the DCS.
Frequency
Frequency
Code (HW/SW band
comp. No. )

ARFCN

01

E-GSM900

975-1023 / 0-124

TRXA2, TRXD2, TRXA1, FICOM,

DIAMCO
PA

02

DCS1800

512-885

TRXA2, TRXD2, TRXA1, CU, CA,

03

PCS1900

Available hardware modules:

BTS1

512-810

PA

FICOM,
DIAMCO,
DUAMCO

TRXA2, TRXD2,

CU, CA,
FICOM,
DIAMCO,
DUAMCO

PA
04

E955-1023 / 0-124
GSM+GSMR 900

BTSplus

TRXA2, TRXD2,
PA

CU, CA
FICOM

05

P-GSM 900

1-124

DUAMCO, CU

06

GSM-RE
900

955-1023 / 0-104

DIAMCO (shifted EGSM)

1003-1023 / 0-104

DUAMCO (shifted PGSM)

Siemens, 2002