MTN Irancell
UMTS Naming
Convention
Naming Convention for BSS Network - UMTS
Version Provided by Date
V1.0 Farhan Khan 23-April-2014
V2.0 Mohammad Shahpouri 4-May-2016
V2.1 Mohammad Mirfasih 4-May-2016
V2.2 Atabak Khayat Zadeh 9-May-2016
INTRODUCTION
Objective
This document outlines the network naming and numbering conventions to be adopted for MTN Irancell
UMTS BSS network. This will allow common software tools and solutions to be ported across the whole
MTN Irancell network, and facilitate consensual procedures and reporting across all of its regional
multivendor operations. It will also outline naming convention splits as foreseen to be required across
all of its vendors/ regions until full network operation takeover. Emphasis will be on the naming
convention’s translation and integration into a planning tool/Network Management System (NMS)/
performance tool were possible.
Scope
Below are the naming conventions which will be addressed in this document
1. UMTS Site Name and Numbering
2. UMTS Sector Naming
3. UMTS Cell Name and Numbering
4. UMTS Cell-ID
5. UMTS LAC/RAC
1. UMTS Site Name and Numbering
Below table shows the current site numbering which is being followed in MTN Irancell network for
different regions
Regions Macro T-code Macro N/H/E-code IBS/Micro
0200-0299/
Regions 1/3 1000-3999 & 6500-6999 (N)4500-5499
0600-0799
0400-0599/
Regions 2&4 4000-6369 (H)1000-3999
0900-0999
0300-0400/
Regions 5&6 7000-9999 (E)1000-2999
0800-0899
(N)4000-4499 0100-0199/
Region 7 1000-3999 & 6500-6999
(E)5000-5999 0600-0799
Table 1 Current Site ranges per region
For UMTS sites the same numbering and ranges will be used. However for the UMTS site name a prefix
“U” will be added ahead of the current GSM site name.
UMTS Site Naming will be 6 character/digit length = UYXXXX
Where
Digit ‘1’ = U -> prefix for UMTS added before the GSM Site name
Digit ‘2’ = Y -> T-code or the vendor specific N/H/E – code (NSN/Huawei/Ericsson)
Digits ‘3-6’ XXXX -> 4 digit site number
So if a UMTS site is co-located with a GSM Site
T1000 then the UMTS site name will be UT1000
T3504 then the UMTS site name will be UT3504
E2000 then the UMTS site name will be UE2000
N4500 then the UMTS site name will be UN4500
T0200 then the UMTS site name will be UT0200
As we currently have a suffix to confirm site build/integration X, Y or Z – the same will be followed for
UMTS sites i.e.
UT1000 -> UT1000X
UN4500 -> UN4500X
UT0100 -> UT0100Z
The designated suffix are
Site Type Designation
Macro X
Micro Y
IBS Z
Table 2 Site Type Classification- GSM/ UMTS Radio Sites
2. UMTS Sector Naming
Sector Naming of UMTS site will follow the same conventions which are being used for our current GSM
network. So identification of sector according to azimuth direction will be the basis for it.
3. UMTS Cell Name and Numbering
The UMTS Cell Name will be derived from the respective Site Name and aim for it is to cover the naming
for cell and carrier as well inside the cell as each carrier in UMTS network considered as a separate cell.
UMTS Cell Name will be 9 character/digit length = UYXXXXSCF
Where
Digit ‘1’ = U -> prefix for UMTS added before the GSM Site name
Digit ‘2’ = Y -> T-code or the vendor specific N/H/E – code (NSN/Huawei/Ericsson)
Digits ‘3-6’ = XXXX -> 4 digit site number
Digit ‘7’ = S -> Site Type designation which is integrated “X/Y/Z”
Digit ‘8’ = C -> Cell / Sector Identity “A/B/C/D/..” according to which sector the cell belongs to. As each
site normally has more than one sector we need a way to differentiate it within a site. The sector
Identity naming within each site will be based on the same principles as 2G.
Digit ‘9’ = F -> Identifies the frequency / carrier inside the sector/ cell. Zero is used for U900 and 1,2,3,…
shall be used for U2100 as carrier number.
Some sample UMTS Cell Name:
UT1000XA0 – U900 carrier cell name for 1st Sector of Site UT1000X
UT1000XA1 – First U2100 carrier cell name for 1st Sector of Site UT1000X
UT1000XA2 – Second U2100 carrier cell name for 1st Sector of Site UT1000X
UN4500XB1 - First U2100 carrier cell name for 2nd Sector of Site UN4500X
UE2000XC3 – Third U2100 carrier cell name for 3rd Sector of Site UE2000X
Similar cell naming will be followed for all the regions of MTN Irancell network.
4. UMTS Cell ID Naming
1) Cell ID Naming for U2100
The UMTS cell ID which will be used will be based on the Carrier within each cell of site. The Cell ID
limitation is 0…65535. Keeping this limitation in mind the Cell Id conventions has been formulated. The
cell/carrier identification will come at the end of the Site ID.
UMTS Cell Id naming will be 5 digit
XXXXF
Where,
Digits ‘1-4’ = XXXX -> 4 digits site number (or with applied offset)
Digit ‘5’ = F -> Identifies the Cell ID of frequency / carrier inside the sector/ cell “1/2/3/5/6/7…..”. The
Cell ID will start from 1-2-3…. and so on. So for a Cell ‘A’ and first carrier ‘A1’ the Cell ID is ‘1’, second
carrier ‘A2’ Cell ID is ‘4’, for cell ‘B’ first carrier ‘B1’ the Cell ID is ‘2’, ‘5’ for second carrier in Cell ‘B’ and
so on. So below table depicts the Cell ID:
With this strategy we need to adjust the Cell IDs of sites which are greater than 6553. This will impact
the T-code part of the naming partly in R1/3/7 i.e. the range from 6500-6599 and all the T-code range of
Region 5/6 i.e. 7000-9999. To address this issue we will apply a fixed offset of
- (-4000) to convert the Site IDs which fall in R5/6 i.e. 7000-9999
- (-1000) to convert the Site IDs which fall in R1/3/7 i.e. 6500-6999
So that the Cell Id are less than 65535 i.e. if we have one site T7400X then cell name will be T7400XA1,
for first carrier on sector-1, and Cell ID will be 34001 and not 74001 which is greater than the max
allowed Cell ID range.
The range from 6500-6553 & 0-99 are reserved to be used for special cases.
Some sample UMTS Cell ID are as below
10001 -> for cell name UT1000XA1 – First carrier cell name for 1st Sector of Site UT1000X
10004 - > for cell name UT1000XA2 – Second carrier cell name for 1st Sector of Site UT1000X
45002 - > for cell name UN4500XB1 - First carrier cell name for 2nd Sector of Site UN4500X
20009 -> for cell name UE2000
XC3 – Third carrier cell name for 3rd Sector of Site UE2000X
40001 -> for cell name UT8000XA1 – First carrier cell name for 1st Sector of Site UT8000X (note 4001 can
also be the Cell ID for UT4000XA1 for site UT4000X – but as the parenting RNCs will be different the LAC
will be different and the CGI will be different so it will not cause any issues).
56052 -> for cell name UT6605XB1 - First carrier cell name for 2nd Sector of Site UT6605X
For a 3-sector or less –sector sites
Cell F' Cell
Cell Carrier Name ID
A 1 A1 1
B 1 B1 2
C 1 C1 3
A 2 A2 4
B 2 B2 5
C 2 C2 6
A 3 A3 7
B 3 B3 8
C 3 C3 9
Reserved 0
For a 4-sector site
For 2 first carriers
Cell F' Cell
Cell Carrier
Name ID
A 1 A1 1
B 1 B1 2
C 1 C1 3
D 1 D1 4
A 2 A2 5
B 2 B2 6
C 2 C2 7
D 2 D2 8
For 3rd carrier
As there is only ‘0’ and ‘9’ digits that is not enough for 4 carries, Cell ID just for 3rd carrier shall be given
offset according to the following rule for 3rd carrier:
- (+1000) to convert the Site IDs which in range 1000-4000
- (-1000) to convert the Site IDs which in range 4000-6500
After applying abovementioned offset, it should be ensure that Cell ID within LAC of that site is not
repeated. If this happen offset shall be incremented one i.e.
- (+1001) to convert the Site IDs which in range 1000-4000
- (-1001) to convert the Site IDs which in range 4000-6500
Again should ensure no repeated Cell ID by second offset and in case happening offset shall increment
one again.
Digit ‘F’ shall be started from one for 3rd carrier according to table below:
Cell F' Cell
Cell Carrier
Name ID
A 1 A1 1
B 1 B1 2
C 1 C1 3
D 1 D1 4
A 2 A2 5
B 2 B2 6
C 2 C2 7
D 2 D2 8
A 3 A3 1
B 3 B3 2
C 3 C3 3
D 3 D3 4
2) Cell ID Naming for U900
The following naming shall be used for U900 carrier:
UMTS Cell Id naming will be 5 digit.
FXXXX
Where,
Digit ’1’=F -> Identifies the Cell ID of frequency/carrier inside the sector/ as U900 would have only one
carrier so this digit will be 1,2,3 or 4.
Digits ‘2-4’ = XXXX -> 4 digits site number.
The difference with U2100 is that digit ‘F’ is added to the beginning of Cell Id and other rule are the
same as U2100.
In U900, with having one carrier, there is no need for applying offset even for 4 sector sites.
UMTS900 Cell ID should be changed within defined LAC and ensure there is no repeated Cell ID under
WCDMA technology at all.
By applying above rule, if repeated Cell ID appears, the following offset shall be applied and continue to
get unique Cell ID within each LAC for all WCDMA carriers. For this, necessary to consider 3 carries for
each UMTS2100 even there is no plan yet.
- (+1000) to convert the Site IDs which in range 1000-4000
- (-1000) to convert the Site IDs which in range 4000-6500
After applying abovementioned offset, it should be ensure that Cell ID within LAC of that site is not
repeated. If this happen offset shall be incremented one i.e.
- (+1001) to convert the Site IDs which in range 1000-4000
- (-1001) to convert the Site IDs which in range 4000-6500
Again should ensure no repeated Cell ID by second offset and in case happening offset shall increment
one again.
This rule shall be applied for rehoming cases as well.
5. UMTS LAC/RAC
This will be based on same policies which we have for GSM where we use the SPC of the RNC to identify
the codes.
