GSM BSS

GBSS16.0

High-Precision TA Feature
Parameter Description

Issue 02
Date 2015-02-28

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

Copyright © Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. 2015. All rights reserved.
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All other trademarks and trade names mentioned in this document are the property of their respective holders.

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GSM BSS
High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description Contents

Contents

1 About This Document..................................................................................................................1

1.1 Scope..............................................................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Intended Audience..........................................................................................................................................................1
1.3 Change History...............................................................................................................................................................1

2 Overview.........................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................3
2.2 Benefits...........................................................................................................................................................................3
2.3 NEs Supporting the Feature............................................................................................................................................4

3 Technical Description...................................................................................................................5
4 Related Features.............................................................................................................................8
5 Network Impact.............................................................................................................................9
5.1 System Capacity.............................................................................................................................................................9
5.2 Network Performance.....................................................................................................................................................9

6 Engineering Guidelines.............................................................................................................10
6.1 When to Use High-Precision TA..................................................................................................................................10
6.2 Required Information...................................................................................................................................................10
6.3 Planning........................................................................................................................................................................10
6.3.1 RF Planning...............................................................................................................................................................10
6.3.2 Network Planning......................................................................................................................................................10
6.3.3 Hardware Planning....................................................................................................................................................10
6.4 Deploying High-Precision TA......................................................................................................................................10
6.4.1 Deloyment Requirements..........................................................................................................................................11
6.4.2 Data Preparation........................................................................................................................................................11
6.4.3 Activation..................................................................................................................................................................11
6.4.4 Activation Observation..............................................................................................................................................12
6.4.5 Deactivation...............................................................................................................................................................12
6.5 Performance Monitoring...............................................................................................................................................13
6.6 Parameter Optimization................................................................................................................................................13
6.7 Troubleshooting............................................................................................................................................................13

7 Parameters.....................................................................................................................................14

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description Contents

8 Counters........................................................................................................................................15
9 Glossary.........................................................................................................................................16
10 Reference Documents...............................................................................................................17

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GSM BSS
High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 1 About This Document

1 About This Document

1.1 Scope
This document describes GBFD-510902 High-Precision TA, including its technical principles,
related features, network impact, and engineering guidelines.

1.2 Intended Audience

This document is intended for personnel who:

l Need to understand the features described herein

l Work with Huawei products

1.3 Change History

This section provides information about the changes in different document versions. There are
two types of changes, which are defined as follows:

l Feature change
Changes in features of a specific product version
l Editorial change
Changes in wording or addition of information that was not described in the earlier version

02 (2015-02-28)
This issue includes the following changes.

Change Type Change Description Parameter Change

Feature change None None

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 1 About This Document

Change Type Change Description Parameter Change

Editorial change Revised the the following contents: None

2.2 Benefits
3 Technical Description

01 (2014-09-15)
Compared with Issue 01 (2013-05-06) of GBSS15.0, Issue 01 (2014-09-15) of GBSS16.0
includes the following changes.

Change Type Change Description Parameter Change

Feature change None None

Editorial change Revised the the following contents: None

3 Technical Description
5 Network Impact
6.5 Performance Monitoring

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GSM BSS
High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 2 Overview

2 Overview

2.1 Introduction
GSM uses Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) technology, which allows several users to
share the same frequency channel by dividing the signal into different timeslots. To enable the
BTS to effectively differentiate and demodulate user data using TDMA, each MS must access
a GSM network at precisely the right time. Signal transmission experiences delay. If the delay
is too long, the BTS cannot correctly demodulate the signals received from an MS in the current
timeslot. In addition, this timeslot and its adjacent timeslots in which the BTS receives signals
from other MSs may overlap, causing interference between timeslots. To compensate for the
transmission delay, MSs transmit signals in advance. A signal sent by the BTS to the MS which
the MS uses to advance its timings of transmissions to the BTS is called timing advance (TA).
The value of TA indicates the distance between an MS and the BTS. It also indicates the delay
in signal transmission over the Um interface.

The High-Precision TA feature increases the precision of reported TA values from 1 symbol to
0.125 symbols.

2.2 Benefits
Compared with common-precision TA, High-Precision TA more precisely indicates the changes
in the distance between an MS and the BTS and the changes in transmission delay.

This feature improves the precision of TA values for individual bursts and then filters TA values.
This decreases TA deviation caused by multipath propagation and improves the precision of
reported TA values.

This feature enables the BTS to detect high-precision TA values and report the values to the
BSC. The operator uses the average value of the reported TA values and can therefore obtain a
precise geographical distribution of MSs and traffic. This facilitates subsequent network
planning and optimization, such as access control.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 2 Overview

2.3 NEs Supporting the Feature

Table 2-1 NEs supporting the feature

Feature BSC6900 BSC6910 GBTS eGBTS

High-Precision TA √ √ √ √

NOTE

√ indicates that the NE supports this feature. × indicates that the NE does not support this feature.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 3 Technical Description

3 Technical Description

GSM specifications stipulate that TA values range from 0 to 63, with a step of 1. A step of 1
corresponds to the length of time specified by 1 symbol, that is, about 3.69 μs. Radio frequency
(RF) signals are transmitted over a distance of about 1108 m during 3.69 μs, and the distance
between the MS and BTS is half the distance, that is, about 554 m.

Figure 3-1 shows the differences between high-precision TA and common-precision TA.

Figure 3-1 Differences between high-precision TA and common-precision TA

Theoretically, when common-precision TA is used, the precision of TA values is 1 symbol,

indicating that all MSs within a distance of 554 m use the same TA value. When high-precision
TA is used, the precision of TA values is improved to 0.125 symbols, indicating that all MSs
within a distance of 69.2 m use the same TA value. On live networks, due to noise, interference,
and low MS synchronization precision, TA values may differ from the theoretical values; TA
values of stationary MSs may fluctuate. The High-Precision TA feature cannot be used for
precise positioning services. In 3GPP TS 45.010, it is stated that an error of less than 1/2 of a
symbol is acceptable to stationary MSs.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 3 Technical Description

The High-Precision TA feature is controlled by a license and the HighPrecisionTa

(BSC6900,BSC6910) parameter.

This feature is implemented as follows:

1. Improves the precision of TA values for individual bursts.

Without High-Precision TA, the BTS performs TA detection on individual bursts when
demodulating signals transmitted over the Um interface. With High-Precision TA, the BTS
uses the optimized TA detection algorithm to obtain a high-precision TA value including
its decimal part. The BTS then reports the high-precision TA value in the Channel Required
message to the BSC over the Abis interface.
2. Filters TA values for multiple bursts in a measurement report (MR).
The BTS filters the detected TA values for multiple bursts in a measurement period to
generate precise TA values in an MR. The BTS then reports the values to the BSC. When
High-Precision TA is enabled, the BTS uses an optimized filtering algorithm and reports
high-precision TA values including the decimal parts in an MR to the BSC.
3. Performs sliding window filtering between MRs.
The BSC performs sliding window filtering on TA values in multiple MRs received from
the BTS. The filtering implemented by the BTS and that by the BSC both help reduce the
fluctuation of TA values, thereby decreasing TA deviation.

This feature optimizes the TA detection algorithm described in 1 and the filtering algorithm
described in 2. This increases the precision of reported TA values from 1 symbol to 0.125
symbols.

The GSM specification applicable to this feature is directly used in this document. For example,
the TA values sent by the BTS to MSs are still within the range of 0 to 63, with a step of 1. The
only difference is that this feature adds the access-delay-offset information element (IE) to the
Channel Required message and MRs to represent the decimal part of a high-precision TA value.
The IE uses an extension byte. After this feature is enabled, TA-related counters still use those
used by common-precision TA.

On RF modules supporting high-precision TA, the TA value is calculated using the following
formula:

l Channel Required messages: High-precision TA value = access-delay + (access-delay-

offset – 8)/8
l MRs: High-precision TA value = (actual-timing-advance + timing-offset – 63) + (access-
delay-offset – 8)/8

where

l access-delay and (actual-timing-advance + timing-offset – 63) represent the integer part

of a high-precision TA value and access-delay-offset is used to calculate the decimal part
of a high-precision TA value.
l The values of access-delay and actual-timing-advance fall into the range [0,63] for
common cells and fall into the range [0,219] for double-timeslot cells.
l The value of timing-offset falls into the range [62,63,64].
l The value of access-delay-offset falls into the range [1,15]. When a BTS is configured with
RF modules supporting high-precision TA, the value of access-delay-offset varies

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 3 Technical Description

according to the distance between the MS and the BTS. When a BTS is configured with
other RF modules, the value of access-delay-offset is always 8.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 4 Related Features

4 Related Features

Pre-processing of Measurement Report

Common-precision TA values are still used in preprocessed MRs even when the High-Precision
TA feature is enabled.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 5 Network Impact

5 Network Impact

5.1 System Capacity

None

5.2 Network Performance

Due to the optimization of the TA filtering algorithm by High-Precision TA, traffic statistics on
common-precision TA (indicated by counters under MR.TaDistribOrig.TRX) will change.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 6 Engineering Guidelines

6 Engineering Guidelines

6.1 When to Use High-Precision TA

It is recommended that the High-Precision TA feature be used when you need to precisely
identify the distance between an MS and the BTS.

6.2 Required Information

None

6.3 Planning

6.3.1 RF Planning
N/A

6.3.2 Network Planning

N/A

6.3.3 Hardware Planning

To enable High-Precision TA in a cell, all the RF modules in the cell must support this feature.

6.4 Deploying High-Precision TA

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 6 Engineering Guidelines

6.4.1 Deloyment Requirements

Table 6-1 Deloyment requirements

Aspect Requirement

Related See 4 Related Features.

features

BSC None

BTS The RF modules that support High-Precision TA are: GRFU V2a, MRFU V2a,
RRU3928, RRU3929, RRU3926, RRU3942, RRU3936, RRU3938, RRU3939,
RRU3961, MRFUd, and MRFUe.

GSM None
networkin
g

MS None

MSC None

License The license controlling this feature has been activated. For details about how to
activate the license, see License Management Feature Parameter
Description. For details about license items, see License Control Item
Description.

Others None

6.4.2 Data Preparation

Table 6-2 Data preparation

Parameter Parameter ID NE Setting Notes Data

Name Source

High-Precision HighPrecisionTa BSC6900/ Set this parameter to ON Network

TA Switch (BSC6900, BSC6910 (On) to enable High- plan
BSC6910) Precision TA.

6.4.3 Activation

Using MML Commands

On the BSC LMT, run the SET GCELLTA command with High-Precision TA Switch set to
ON(On).

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 6 Engineering Guidelines

MML Command Examples

SET GCELLTA: IDTYPE=BYID, CELLID=0, HighPrecisionTa=ON;

Using the CME

NOTE

When configuring the High-Precision TA feature on the CME, you must perform a single configuration
first, then perform batch modifications if required.
You must perform a single configuration for a parameter before batch modifications of the parameter. You
are advised to perform batch modifications before logging out of the parameter setting interface.

Step 1 Configure a single object on the CME. (CME single configuration)

Set parameters on the CME configuration interface according to the operation sequence
described in Table 6-3. For the method of performing the CME single configuration, see CME
Single Configuration Operation Guide.
Step 2 (Optional) Modify objects in batches on the CME. (CME batch modification center)

To modify objects, such as BSCs, BTSs, cells, and TRXs, in batches, click the icon on the
CME configuration interface to start the batch modification wizard. For the method of
performing batch modifications through the CME batch modification center, press F1 on the
wizard interface to obtain online help.

----End

Table 6-3 Configuring the parameter on the CME

SN Managed NE Parameter Parameter ID Configurab

Object (MO) Name le in CME
Batch
Modificati
on Center

1 GCELLTA BSC6900/ High-Precision HighPrecisionTa Yes

BSC6910 TA Switch

6.4.4 Activation Observation

On the BSC LMT, start a Single User CS Trace task. Then, query the messages traced over the
Abis interface in the cell enabled with High-Precision TA.
Expected result: The access-delay-offset IE is displayed in the Channel Required message and
MRs.

6.4.5 Deactivation
Using MML Commands
On the BSC LMT, run the SET GCELLTA command with High-Precision TA Switch set to
OFF(Off).

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 6 Engineering Guidelines

MML Command Examples

SET GCELLTA: IDTYPE=BYID, CELLID=0, HighPrecisionTa=OFF;

Using the CME

NOTE

When configuring the High-Precision TA feature on the CME, you must perform a single configuration
first, then perform batch modifications if required.
You must perform a single configuration for a parameter before batch modifications of the parameter. You
are advised to perform batch modifications before logging out of the parameter setting interface.

Step 1 Configure a single object on the CME. (CME single configuration)

Set parameters on the CME configuration interface according to the operation sequence
described in Table 6-4. For the method of performing the CME single configuration, see CME
Single Configuration Operation Guide.

Step 2 (Optional) Modify objects in batches on the CME. (CME batch modification center)

To modify objects, such as BSCs, BTSs, cells, and TRXs, in batches, click the icon on the
CME configuration interface to start the batch modification wizard. For the method of
performing batch modifications through the CME batch modification center, press F1 on the
wizard interface to obtain online help.

----End

Table 6-4 Configuring the parameter on the CME

SN MO NE Parameter Parameter ID Configurable

Name in CME Batch
Modification
Center

1 GCELLTA BSC6900/ High-Precision HighPrecisionTa Yes

BSC6910 TA Switch

6.5 Performance Monitoring

After High-Precision TA is enabled, TA-related traffic statistics will change. You can subscribe
to counters under MR.TaDistribOrig.TRX to observe traffic distribution.

6.6 Parameter Optimization

N/A

6.7 Troubleshooting
N/A

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 7 Parameters

7 Parameters

Table 7-1 Parameter description

Parameter ID NE MML Feature ID Feature Name Description

Command

HighPrecision BSC6900 SET GBFD-510902 High-Precision Meaning:Wheth

Ta GCELLTA TA er a cell supports
1/8 TA
precision.
GUI Value
Range:OFF
(Off), ON(On)
Unit:None
Actual Value
Range:OFF, ON
Default
Value:OFF(Off)

HighPrecision BSC6910 SET GBFD-510902 High-Precision Meaning:Wheth

Ta GCELLTA TA er a cell supports
1/8 TA
precision.
GUI Value
Range:OFF
(Off), ON(On)
Unit:None
Actual Value
Range:OFF, ON
Default
Value:OFF(Off)

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 8 Counters

8 Counters

There are no specific counters associated with this feature.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 9 Glossary

9 Glossary

For the acronyms, abbreviations, terms, and definitions, see Glossary.

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High-Precision TA Feature Parameter Description 10 Reference Documents

10 Reference Documents

1. 3GPP TS 44.018
2. 3GPP TS 45.010

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