Basic GSM TCH Call Drop Analysis
Training goals
To master definitions of call drop indicators and
relevant counters To master causes of the three types of call drop and the corresponding solutions To know analysis of call drop and location of call drop problem with traffic statistics
Contents
Indicator definition
Handling of call drop problem
Call drop due to radio link fault Call drop due to handover failure Call drop due to LAPD link failure
Indicator definition
TCH call drop rate (excl. HO)
TCH call drop rate (excl. HO) = total of TCH call
drops/total of TCH occupancy times (excl. HO) 100%
TCH call drop rate (incl. HO)
TCH call drop rate (incl. HO)=total of TCH call
drops/total of TCH occupancy times (incl. HO)100%
Traffic call drop rate
Indicator definition: traffic volume/number of TCH
call drops*60
Contents
Indicator definition
Handling of call drop problem
Call drop due to radio link fault Call drop due to handover failure Call drop due to LAPD link failure
Flow of handling call drops
A cell suffers from high TCH call drop rate
Analysis of call drop types
Call drop of RF loss
Call drop of handover failure
Call drop of LAPD
If radio parameters set reasonably?
No
Adjust radio parameters
No
If radio parameters set reasonably?
Eliminate hardware fault
Yes
Any hardware fault at BSC?
If interference exists?
Yes
Check& eliminate interference
Yes
If interference exists?
Eliminate transmission fault
Yes
Any fault with BTS transmission?
Any coverage problem?
Yes
Improve coverage
Eliminate hardware fault
Yes
Any hardware fault at BTS?
Any equipment hardware fault?
Yes
Eliminate equipment fault
Yes
An equipment hardware fault?
Any antenna system fault?
Yes
Eliminate antenna fault
Complete
Locate & analyze call drop with traffic statistics
Analytical framework
1 Locate cell with high call drop rate
performance
2 Confirm call drop type
Performance
3 Confirm call drops on carrier
BTS
Analyze casue
Problem solved
report of BSC level
performance
report of cell level CS basic measurement statistics
measurement
Analysis Analysis Warning
Cell
Warning
radio measurement
of common problem of specific problem analysis
Analysis
of
Traffic statistics
Signaling
report of cell level
analysis
Other
network optimization methods
From
macro to micro view
Convenient
for problem location and analysis
Count
call drops on carrier
form common to specific
Execution
& problem solution
Common causes for call drops
Unreasonable setting of handover parameters Equipment hardware fault
Locate & analyze call drop with traffic statistics
UL/DL unbalance
result in call drop
Unreasonable settings of Interference other parameters Coverage problem Common problem is analyzed
Contents
Indicator definition
Handling of call drop problem
Call drop due to radio link fault Call drop due to handover failure Call drop due to LAPD link failure Typical cases
Call drop due to radio link failure
UL failure
DL failure
Call drop due to radio link failure
MS
Measurement report(SACCH) Measurement report(SACCH)
BTS
BSC
MSC
Measurement report(SACCH) Radio link timeout
Connection Failure Indication Start T3109 Clear request Stop T3109
RF Channel Release RF Channel Release ACK
F1
Clear Command
Clear Complete
Call drop due to radio link failure Causes for call drop due to radio link failure & handling
procedures Main causes
Handling procedures
Weak coverage, poor radio signal; Interference; Unreasonable settings of radio parameter; Incomplete or wrong adjacent cell data ; Unreasonable settings of handover parameters; Congestion in adjacent cell; Equipment hardware fault; Antenna system fault; Subscribers fault.
Check radio parameters. Adjust unreasonable settings of radio parameters;
Check indicators like BER and level of
idle interference band, reduce or
eliminate radio interference ;
Check if coverage problem exists through DT; Check and eliminate equipment fault ; Check antenna system.
Contents
Indicator definitions
Handling of call drop problem
Call drop due to radio link fault Call drop due to handover failure Call drop due to LAPD link failure
Call drop due to handover failure
Classification of Handover control timer in BSC
T8 expires (inter-BSC handover) T3103 expires (inter-cell handover under one BSC) T3107 expires (intra-cell handover).
Call drop due to handover failure
Call drop due to intra-cell handover failure
MS BTS:TRX CHANNEL ACTIVATE CHANNEL ACTIVATE ACK BSC MSC
ASSIGNMENT COMMAND
SET T3107 T3107 Timeout
Clear Request G1
Call drop due to handover failure
Call drop due to intra-BSC handover failure
MS Old BTS: New BTS CHANNEL ACT CHANNEL ACT ACK HO_Command HO_Command BSC MSC
SET T3103 T3103 Timeout
Clear request H1
Call drop due to handover failure
Call drop due to inter-BSC handover failure
MS
Old BTS
Old BSC
MSC
New BSC
New BTS
HANDOVER REQUIRED CHL_ACT CHL_ACT_ACK HO_REQ_ACK HANDOVER COMMAND HANDOVER COMMAND HANDOVER COMMAND
SET T8 T8 Timeout
Clear request
I1
Call drop due to handover failure
Main causes for call drop due to handover failure & handling procedures
Main causes
Handling procedures
Interference; Hardware fault; Unreasonable settings of radio parameters ;
Check radio parameters, adjust the unreasonable settings, and add necessary neighbor relations;
Check indicators like BER and level
Inappropriate adjacent cell
relation or wrong adjacent cell data;
of idle interference band, reduce or
eliminate radio interference; Check equipment hardware, change panels with problems.
Unreasonable settings of
handover parameters ,which
results in Ping-Pong handover.
Contents
Indicator definitions
Handling of call drop problem
Call drop due to radio link fault Call drop due to handover failure Call drop due to LAPD link failure
Call drop due to LAPD link failure
Call drop due to LAPD link failure
Principle: When LAPD link breaks, calls on carriers will be interrupted. BSC counts
after it receives message showing that LAPD link is broken.
Main causes for call drop due to LAPD link failure & handling procedures
Main causes
BTS BTS
Handling procedures
hardware fault transmission
problem
BSC
hardware fault
Investigate & eliminate BTS hardware fault; Investigate & eliminate BTS transmission problem; Investigate & eliminate BSC hardware fault
