LTE49 – Paging

And Tracking Area

dimensioning
Bartlomiej Bednarz, Krzysztof Golebiewski
MBB CS Network Engineering
Wroclaw, 19.11.2015

Please always check the latest version of this slides!

1 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
Disclaimer

• ATTENTION:

• Please note that NEI materials are FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY. If
they shall be used as source for customer consultation
presentation, it is mandatory to align the contents with
Product Management or/and local Sales teams first!

2 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
Tracking Area dimensioning
Table of contents
1 2 3

Paging Paging Paging

Feature Overview Paging counters Paging capacity

1

4 5 6
Tracking Tracking Tracking
Area Area Area

Tracking Area Tracking Area Tracking Area

planning dimensioning optimization

3 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
Tracking Area dimensioning
Table of contents
1 2 3

Paging Paging Paging

Feature Paging counters Paging capacity

Overview
1

4 5 6
Tracking Tracking Tracking
Area Area Area

Tracking Area Tracking Area Tracking Area

planning dimensioning optimization

4 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
Introduction (LTE grid)

TTI
• PDCCH carries information about the resource
assignments for both Uplink (UL) and Downlink PDCCH PDSCH
(DL) data channels and other important
f
signaling data
- The amount of PDCCH symbols can be adjusted by Physical Resource Block (PRB)
maxNrSymPdcch Cell-specific RS (port 0)
• When LTE616 - Usage based PDCCH adaptation is Cell-specific RS (port 1)
used, dynamical selection of needed PDCCH symbols Resource Element Group
is in place (up to maxNrSymPdcch) (REG) = 4 REs

- The actual number of OFDM symbols occupied in

any given subframe is indicated in the PCFICH
(Physical Control Format Indicator Channel), which t
is located in the first OFDM symbol of each
subframe f

…
• PDSCH carries DL user data, and its size
5 determines
11/03/2025 © Nokiahigh DL Customer
2014 - MBB throughput
Support Network Engineering TTI
For internal use
Paging overview

• Paging Procedure is triggered if:

- There is a downlink data for the UE which is not in connected state
(RRC_Idle)
- Cell Reconfiguration was present, UE is informed that the information in SIB
was modified and it has to read the SIB again eNB1
S-GW
MME
S11
TA1
Downlin
k data
Downlin
forkUE1
data
Downlin eNB2
forkUE1
data
Downlin
for UE1
k data
UE 4 UE 3 UE 2 UE 1
for UE4

6 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
Paging overview
Paging Procedure steps
eNB1
S-GW 3
MME
S11
4
TA1
Downlin
k data 1 2
Downlin
forkUE1
Downlin
data eNB2
forkUE1
data
Downlin
for UE1
k data UE 4 UE 3 UE 2 UE 1
for UE4

• When S-GW has a data packet for UE (1) and precise UE position is not known (it is in
ECM-IDLE state) S-GW informs MME (Downlink Data Notification) via S11 to start Paging
(2)
• Note that Paging can be sent in RRC Connected state as well (UE position is known). This is done to inform UE about e.g.
SI change

• MME sends S1AP Paging Messages to the relevant eNBs (3) according to the mobility
information kept in the UE’s context in the serving MME.
•7 Each eNB
11/03/2025 which
© Nokia 2014 - receives
MBB Customer S1AP Paging
Support Network message must forward Paging request to each cell
Engineering
For internal use
(4) which TA is contained in TA list in S1AP Paging message.
 UE monitors PDCCH channel to If the UE detects a P-RNTI in the
detect if a paging message is PDCCH then it decodes the
Paging overview included. UE checks if there is P- PDSCH to look for its ID
RNTI allocated in Common Search whether the paging request is
S1AP: Paging
Space dedicated for it.
Message
eNB1
S-GW MME
S11

Downli
… …
nkDownli
data UE 4 UE 3 UE 2UE 1
fornk
UE1data
Downli
Downli eNB2 TTI
fornk
UE1
data
for nk
UE1 RRC Paging
data TA1
for UE4 Message
• RRC Paging Message – encapsulated and multiplexed Paging Paging record
requests sent from eNB to UE or UEs. RRC Paging Message
consists of up to 16 Paging Records

• Paging Record – Paging request to one concrete UE, up to 16 in Note:

one RRC Paging Message. Number of Paging records in one RRC • P-RNTI on PDCCH is allocated regardless of number of
Paging Message depends on number of UEs which will be paged Paging records in RRC Paging Message.
in particular TTI • If there is no paging to be sent for any of UEs in given Paging
Occasion, P-RNTI is not allocated. Resources on PDCCH
• S1AP Paging Message – encapsulated Paging request sent and PDSCH are not reserved for paging what means they
from MME towards eNB can be used for different purposes, e.g. transmission of user
8 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use data.
• P-RNTI – (Paging Radio Network Temporary Identifier), sent on
 Paging overview
Paging Frame (PF) is a radio frame (of 10 ms) which may be used for paging
• All attached UEs (N) are distributed on all Paging Frames within one Paging DRX cycle (based on
IMSI)
• Single Paging Frame contains single Paging Occasion (PO). Paging Occasion – one TTI (#9
[FDD], #0 [TDD]) within PF where RRC Paging Message can be sent
• Paging Occasions are monitored in RRC Idle as well as in RRC Connected state (SI change for example can be
Paging received in RRC Connected state)
Paging Paging Paging
Frame Frame Frame Frame

… … … …
TTI TTI
DRX period
Paging Paging DRX cycle (of UE 1,8,…)
Occasion
UE 1 UE 2 UE… UE 1
UE 8 UE 10 UE… UE 8
UE … UE … UE N UE …

• DRX period defines time when UE or group of UEs do not listen for paging (PDCCH is not
9 monitored)
11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use
• Paging DRX CycleNote:
– defines
Do not time between
mix with two
DRX in RRC Paging Mode
Connected Occasions of the same UE
(LTE42/LTE473/LTE585)
Paging overview (PagingNB)
Paging Frame Paging Frame
Paging Frames are distributed on all
radio frames according to pagingNb
… …… … parameter value.

UE 1 UE 2

The higher amount of Paging Frames the

more PDCCH and PDSCH resources may
be used for paging (paging capacity is
increased)

LNCEL: pagingNb:
range: oneT(2), halfT(3), quaterT(4),
oneEighthT(5), oneSixteenthT(6),
oneThirtySecondT(7)
10 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
Paging nB defines the number of possible
For internal use paging occasions per radio frame, i.e. the
density of paging occasions.
Paging overview (Paging DRX cycle)
Paging Frame Paging Frame Paging Frame Paging Frame

… … Paging DRX cycle … …

TTI (defPagCyc) TTI

UE 1 UE 2 UE N UE 1

Paging DRX cycle defines period

between two PFs, where PO for
concrete group of UEs can appear
(parameter: defPagCyc)

The longer Paging DRX cycle

is, the longer is call setup
time and lower battery
consumption

LNCEL: defPagCyc:
11 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering range: 32rf (0), 64rf(1), 128rf(2), 256rf(3)
For internal use The default paging cycle defines the cell-
specific paging DRX cycle duration
 Anim
atio
Paging overview n
Paging messages:
• S1AP Paging Message – sent from MME to eNB
IP SCTP PAYLOAD

IE/Group Name Pres. Source Semantics Description/Comments

Message Type M S1AP PAGING

UE Identity Index value M MME IMSI mod 1024 Paging

List of TAIs
Paging
UE Paging Priority
DRX ––this –isitused
field
basically
Identity defines
contains
length Priority
oflist
DRX
to indicate for
of Tracking
Cycle
UE is set
that
UE Paging Identity M MME S-TMSI or IMSI* Paging.
Area
on cellIdentifiers.
paging level.
is directed to.
Paging DRX O MME Paging DRX cycle It
Inisnormal
In possible
case when to more
change
Operation onlyPaging
than 16 DRX
S-TMSI Cycle
is used.
Pagings arefor UE,
CN Domain M MME CN Domain – PS or CS when Paging
considered DRX Cycle
to be which
Here it is indicated
40
sent inis given
bits in this
one Paging
Tracking field.
Areas should be
List of TAIs M At least one TAI shall be present ; up to 16
Occasion, they are put in RRC Paging
paged. This is determined according to most up-to-
Message according
date UE location storedtoindescending
UE Context at Paging
MME
> TAI List Item = TA List Note: ENb
Priority MMEC M-TMSI
uses always lower value of Paging DRX
value.
>> TAI M MME
Cycle  min(S1AP:Paging DRX Cycle,
LNCEL:defPagCyc)
More details aboutS-TMSI
this functionality one can
>>> PLMN Identity M MME
find here.
>>> TAC M MME

Paging Priority O MME Used in C-Plane Overload cases

Note:
12is used
* IMSI 11/03/2025 ©Identity
as Paging Nokia 2014
when- MBB Customer
reattach Support
from UE Network
is required. Engineering
It indicates that error
For internal use
occurred.
 Anim
atio
Paging overview n
Paging messages:
• Max number of Paging records in RRC Paging Message
IE/Group Name Need Source Semantics Description/Comments
Only included if an UE specific paging has been
triggered by S1AP.
SEQUENCE (1..Maximum Number of Paging
pagingRecordList ON eNB Records) : 1 or more elements in the list
depending on the number of UEs to be paged at
the same paging occasion. (one paging record per
UE)

> UE Identity MME

Paging
ENb canrecords
inform areUEsput in list.
about UE`s identity
System
received via S1AP
Information PagingItMessage
Changes. is placed
is done via
>> choise S-TMSI MME
UE Identity as provided by S1AP: PAGING message
in RRC Paging Message of Paging occasion
Paging.
>>> S-TMSI MME
(UE Paging Identity) that UE is assigned to. Up to 16 UEs
>> choise IMSI MME
(depending on bandwidth and maxCrPgDl)
>>> IMSI MME When
can bethere
put toisone
suchRRC
need, indicated
Paging Message.
> CN-Domain MME Provided by the S1AP: PAGING message. Information Element (IE) is added what
Each surplus paging request above the
This IE is present if a system information change is informs UEs about SI changes. Changed SI is
systemInfoModification ON eNB Maximum Number of Paging Records is
notified indicated to all UEs – all PO are paged during
dropped (i.e. there is no paging buffer that
This IE is present, if an ETWS primary notification BCCH modification period.
ETWS-Indication ON eNB and/ or ETWS secondary notification.shall be can store paging request to the next Paging
indicated
Occasion). Thus it needs to be repaged by
Paging-v890-IEs MME.
When ETWS (Earthquake and Tsunami
>
lateNonCriticalExtensio OP
Note: Warning System) is to be sent, it is done via
• Maximum Number of Paging Records:
n
13 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering • Paging as well.
16: (5MHz – 20MHz)
> Paging-v-920-IEs
For internal use • For 1.4MHz and 3MHz, value depends on value of maxCrPgDl
>> cmas- This IE is present, if a CMAS notification shall be
ON eNB For more details refer to the slide #.
 Paging overview
RRC Paging Message dependencies
• Some common parts (like CRC or preambles) are added independently of
number of Paging Records in the RRC Paging Message
• More aggregated Paging Records in one RRC Paging Message that is sent in …
one Paging Occasion causes less PDSCH occupation comparing to higher
n x Paging Record in RRC Paging Message
+ Common Parts
number of RRC Paging Messages with less Paging Records inside. Common
parts are sent only once (on the other hand more Paging Records per one X bits
Paging Occasion causes higher Blocking Probability – it should be
balanced!)
• When average Paging load is low, one can reduce value of pagingNb  more 1 x Paging Record in RRC Paging Message
+ Common Parts
UEs under one Paging Occasion will be aggregated and in average more Paging
Y bits
Records per each RRC Paging Message is expected. What is more, less
Paging Occasions will decrease PDCCH load (in average less P-RNTIs will be
used to sent the same amount of Paging Records)
• Please note that additional benefits will be visible also in protection coding

X<n*Y
process when additional protection bits will be added
• When RRC Paging Message consists of only one Paging Record, then n
times common part is secured with protection bits and sent in n different
Paging Occasions n – 1 up to 16
• When n Paging Records are aggregated into one RRC Paging message in
14 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
one
For internal usePaging Occasion, Common Part will be secured by adding protection One Paging Record
bits related to it only once
Tracking Area dimensioning
Table of contents
1 2 3

Paging Paging Paging

Feature Overview Paging counters Paging capacity

1

4 5 6
Tracking Tracking Tracking
Area Area Area

Tracking Area Tracking Area Tracking Area

planning dimensioning optimization

15 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
 Paging counters – 1/2

PAGING COUNTERS (eNB side):

Counter name Description
RRC_PAGING_REQUESTS The number of RRC paging requests (records) sent on
(M8008C1) Radio interface. RRC paging request corresponds to
single S1AP Paging message triggered by MME.
#8008 LTE RRC MME
Trigger event: Counter incremented with each paging
record of a RRC paging message (excluding pure
SysInfo message) from S1 interface during the
measurement period.
S1AP Paging
DISC_RRC_PAGING The number of discarded RRC paging requests Messages
(M8008C2) (records). It defines number of pagings for which there
was no space in RRC Paging message.
#8008 LTE RRC
Trigger event: This counter is updated when the
maximum number of paging records is reached for the
nearest paging occasion that corresponds to the paging M8008C
request (RRC allows up to 16 paging records per paging 1
M8008C
occasion) during the measurement period. 2
M8008C
RRC_PAGING_MESSAGES Number of RRC Paging messages sent by eNB to UE 3
(M8008C3) during considered measurement period.
16 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use
#8008 LTE RRC Trigger event: Counter incremented with each RRC
 Paging counters – 2/2

PAGING COUNTERS (MME side):

Counter name Description
EPS_PAGING_ATTEMPTS The number of Paging Attempts. Initial and repeated are
(M50C011) counted
Trigger event: Updated when a single PS paging attempt is MME
#50 EPS Mobility Management made in MME. M50C01
1
M50C01
EPS_PAGING_SUCC The number of successfully performed EPS paging 2
(M50C012) procedures. M50C01
3
Trigger event: This counter is updated when a paging S1AP Paging
#50 EPS Mobility Management response is received by the MME from the UE as response Messages
to an EPS PS paging procedure.

EPS_PAGING_FAIL The number of failed EPS paging procedures.

(M50C013) Trigger event: Updated when all paging attempts are done
for a paging procedure and no answer has been received.
#50 EPS Mobility Management
Average EPS EMM- This KPI shows the average number of users in EMM-
REGISTERED users * REGISTERED state.
(flns_5035a)
* It is not directly paging related counter. However it is used in Tracking Area
Dimensioning methodology presented in second part of this presentation.

17 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
Tracking Area dimensioning
Table of contents
1 2 3

Paging Paging Paging

Feature Overview Paging counters Paging capacity

1

4 5 6
Tracking Tracking Tracking
Area Area Area

Tracking Area Tracking Area Tracking Area

planning dimensioning optimization

18 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
 Paging capacity

Paging capacity (PC):

•MME Paging Capacity (PCMME) – determines how many S1AP Pagings can be sent by MME towards eNBs
• Each unique S1AP Paging Message is duplicated by MME and distributed towards each eNB in Tracking Area
•eNB Paging Capacity (PCeNB) – determines how many S1AP Pagings can be handled by single eNB and sent on Radio side
• Each received S1AP Paging message is transformed into Paging record and put in RRC Paging Message
PCeNB
PC = min(PCMME,PCeNB)
Note:
• NSN`s MME in most of cases is not a bottleneck from the
Paging Capacity point of view S1
• This guidline is about how to dimension the Radio paging AP
Pa
capacity gin
g
and how to use Radio parameters to counteract increased MME
Paging capacity need
− In further considerations PCMME is not taken into account, i.e. PCMME
it is assumed that Radio part is a bottleneck PC = PCeNB
• When PCMME is known and is lower than PCeNB, then PCMME
should be taken as PC in Tracking Area dimensioning
19 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use
 Paging capacity

Paging capacity (PC) has impact on call setup time, TTI

reachability of UE and Tracking Area size
PDCCH PDSCH
• Max Paging Capacity is limited by assumed probability of blocking giving Paging
Capacity. Maximum possible number of pagings per 1s that can be handled by f
eNB (it depends on parameters setting) is limited according to allowed ratio of
paging requests being dropped (limitation of 16 pagings records in one PO).
• Excessive blocking value lead to delay or failure of the paging procedure. It will
negatively affect the connection setup time and it may lead to unreachability of
UEs.

• Max Paging Capacity is not affected by load that is caused by sending RRC Paging
Messages on PDCCH and PDSCH (as Paging has higher priority and it is allocated
before ordinary user data). t
Physical Resource Block (PRB)
• PDSCH load – the consumption of PDSCH resources due to paging. High paging Cell-specific RS (port 0)
traffic may reduce DL capacity and achievable bit rates. Note that resources that
Cell-specific RS (port 1)
would not be occupied by Paging can be used for different purposes – they are not
Resource Element Group (REG)
reserved for Paging = 4 REs
• PDCCH load – P-RNTI has higher priority in allocation than ordinary user data. It is
20 allocated
11/03/2025 © just
Nokiaafter
2014 - SI-RNTI in Common
MBB Customer Search
Support Network Space.
It ensures successful PDCCH
Engineering
For internal use
scheduling of the associated DCI. CCEs that would not be used for P-RNTI in given
Paging Occasion can be used to allocate different RNTI (e.g. C-RNTI of user data).
 Paging capacity

Relation between parameters and Paging

Capacity Battery
Consumpti
on

• pagingNb has impact on number of Paging Occasions per

considered time frame i.e. higher value of pagingNb Call
defPagCy
Setup
means: Time
c

• Increased Max Paging Capacity – more Paging

Blocking
Occasions per time period, e.g. one Paging DRX Cycle Probabili
ty
or 1s (it determines bigger maximum number of
pagings that are possible to be handled) AND
• Reduced Blocking Probability:
• When considered Paging Capacity after increase of pagingN Max Paging
b Capacity
pagingNb is going to be the same, then Blocking
Probability is reduced:
• reduced number of UEs assigned to one PO (all UEs
are distributed evenly onto all available Paging
Paging
Occasions within one Paging DRX Cycle) Capacit
21 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
y
• use
For internal OR Increased Paging Capacity – increased Max
Paging
Capacity with the same assumed value of Blocking Probability
 Paging capacity

Relation between parameters and Paging

Battery
Capacity Consumpti
on

• defPagCyc has impact on length of the Paging DRX Cycle i.e. Call
defPagCy
Setup
higher defPagCyc value means: Time
c

• Reduced Blocking Probability – longer Paging DRX Cycle 

more Paging Occasions within one cycle reducing number Blocking
Probabili
of UEs assigned to one PO ty

• Reduced Blocking Probability has impact on Paging Capacity

• Increased Call Setup Time – UEs are monitoring their
Paging Occasions less frequently
pagingN Max Paging
b Capacity
• Reduced Battery Consumption – longer DRX period
between two assigned Paging Occasions

Paging
Capacit
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y
For internal use
 Paging capacity

Relation between parameters and Paging Capacity

• pagingNb changes Max Paging Capacity because it increases number of resources that can be used for Paging (it
reduces Blocking Probability and increases maximum number of pagings that are possible to be handled)
• defPagCyc does not change Max Paging Capacity because the number of resources that can be used for Paging is
not changed. defPagCyc reduces Blocking Probability at the cost of Call Setup Time

Assumptions:
• 320
UEs/cell
• pagingNb
=½

Assumptions:
• 320
UEs/cell
• pagingNb
23 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering =¼
For internal use
Tracking Area dimensioning
Table of contents
1 2 3

Paging Paging Paging

Feature Overview Paging counters Paging capacity

1

4 5 6
Tracking Tracking Tracking
Area Area Area

Tracking Area Tracking Area Tracking Area

planning dimensioning optimization

24 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
 Tracking Area planning Small MME
On the boundary of each
Tracking Area concept:
TAs
TA, TAU is triggered. More
TAUs when the same area B
TA3
• Tracking Area (TA) is an equivalent of LA/RA size is considered
TA5
• TA consists of a set of contiguous cells TA2
• TA is defined by TAI (Tracking Area Identity) TA4

A
MCC MNC TAC TA1

TAI vs.
• TAs can be aggregated into Tracking Area List (TAL)
MME
• Easier replanning thanks to TAL concept (it is possible to aggregate two
or more TAs in one TAL instead of replanning of one TA) Big TAs
Only one TAU is
• For future: TAL will be able to change dynamically, e.g. last TA that UE
B
triggered
was previously registed can be added to new TAL that UE is now TA2
registered
• It should ensure that ping-pong effect will not appear
• From the Paging Capacity point of view amount of cells/eNBs
in TAL matters rather than association of TA to TA list.
TA1 A
• While UE is moving within one TA(L) no TAU (Tracking Area
Update) is triggered
25 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
• For With
internalbigger
use TA(L), MME and eNB TAU Loads diminish [UL]
• MME knows UE position with an accuracy to one TA(L)
 Tracking Area planning

Tracking Area concept:

• If TA(L) is used, paging to one UE must be sent to each cell within one TA(L) – according to
known (reported) UE location accuracy

Big TAs
Small TAs MME
MME Paging is sent to all cells in
Paging is sent to all cells whole TA(L), the more eNBs
in whole TA(L), less eNBs
in TA, less S1AP Pagings
triggered
vs in TA, the more S1AP
Pagings are triggered

.
• Paging loadReported
increases with
UE location bigger
accuracy size of TA(L) [DL]
(3cells)
Reported UE location accuracy (3cells)
• One cell can belong to only one TA – TA can`t overlaps

26 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
 Tracking Area planning

Tracking Area planning rules: TAU messages

• Tracking areas should be planned to be

relatively large, rather than relatively
small to minimize Tracking Area
Update
• Their size may be reduced subsequently
if
the experienced paging load becomes
high
• Existing 2G and 3G location area and
routing area boundaries may be used as Note: Boundaries of TA along main roads,
a basis for defining LTE tracking area railways and so on are highly not
boundaries recommended. Many undesired and
frequent TAUs will be experienced.
• Tracking areas should not run close to
and parallel to major roads nor railways. Ping pong effect could be visible too.
Likewise, boundaries should not traverse TA size (number of eNB within TA)
27
dense subscriber areas (if possible)
11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
should be relatively large rather
than relatively small to minimize
• There might be specific requirements to
For internal use
TAU
Tracking Area dimensioning
Table of contents
1 2 3

Paging Paging Paging

Feature Overview Paging counters Paging capacity

1

4 5 6
Tracking Tracking Tracking
Area Area Area

Tracking Area Tracking Area Tracking Area

planning dimensioning optimization

28 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
 Tracking Area dimensioning (concept)

1a Paging Capacity –
1 number of pagings/s • Blocking Probability
which can be served
by a single eNB in a
planned TA (PCeNB) 1c • max PCeNB

Paging traffic generated • Calculated based on the Traffic Model (PIeNB,TM) 1d

1b towards UEs that are or
camped under one eNB – 1e
Paging Intensity (PIeNB) • Calculated based on counters (PIeNB,Counters)

Maximum Tracking Area: 3 4

Other Aspects:
PC
2 TAsizemax  eNB • Safety margin TA(L) size
PI eNB • CS Fallback
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For internal use
 Tracking Area dimensioning (concept)

1a Paging Capacity and

1b Paging
Intensity
Example: 5 UEs camped under eNB1 are
paged.

eNB1 eNB1
eNB2
TA1 eNB2
TA1
TA2 5 pagings/s
5 pagings/s 5 pagings/s 5 pagings/s

5 pagings/s
5 pagings/s PIeNB – means how many 5 pagings/s 5 pagings/s
unique pagings (not 5 pagings/s
duplicated) are sent towards
TA consists of only one eNB (3 cells). UE 5
pa UEs that are camped under
position is known with accuracy of this one 5
one eNB. pa

5p
gin
eNB. One S1AP paging directed to TA1 can be Duplicated pagings. UE is not under gings/

ag
gs
s
eNB2 however it is not known.
/s

in
addressed to proper eNB (it does not have to

gs
be duplicated). ENb that received S1AP Paging Paging has to be directed towards eNB2 as well.

/s
Message is obliged to provide RRC Paging MME
Message to each own cell. MME
TA consists of two eNBs (6 cells). UE position is known
with accuracy of two eNBs. Each S1AP Paging
PCeNB – means how many S1AP pagings from MME Message triggered by MME has to be duplicated and
(both unique and duplicated) can be served by one sent to each eNB in tracking area. Then each eNB is
eNB. responsible for providing RRC Paging Message to each
own cell.
The higher number of eNBs in TA the higher number of
30 11/03/2025 © Nokia
duplicated 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
pagings.
For internal use
 Tracking Area dimensioning (concept)

Paging Capacity and Paging TA1 PIeNB = 25 pagings/s

Intensity PCeNB = 100pagings/s
25pagings/s

Paging requests in RRC Paging Messages

Example:

• PCeNB = 100 pagings/s

25pagings/s
(assumption)
• 100 S1AP Paging Messages can
be handled and sent from each
25pagings/s
eNB towards UEs

• PIeNB = 25 pagings/s
(assumption) 25pagings/s

• 25 unique S1AP Paging

Messages are assumed to be
sent from each eNB n * PIeNB ≤ PCeNB
31 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
•
For internal use each unique S1AP Paging is where: n – number of eNBs in
duplicated and sent towards each TA
 Tracking Area dimensioning (concept)

1c Blocking probability – 1/3

Battery
Consumpti
• Blocking probability has impact on PCeNB as it limits on
maximum number of Pagings that can be handled by one
eNB Call
defPagCy
Setup
c
• Time
defPagCyc has an impact on Blocking Probability and in turn an indirect
impact on PCeNB. Nevertheless in further calculations constant value of
blocking probability is assumed. Maximum PCeNB is dimensioned with Blocking
Probabili
assumed constant level of blocking probability. As a result defPagCyc ty
will not affect further calculations.

• Poisson page-arrival model is considered for paging

• Up to 16 paging records in one PO (RRC Paging Message)
pagingN Max Paging
are supported b Capacity

• Blocking probability determines average number of

records per one RRC Paging Message
• Blocking probability with pagingNb provides paging
capacity Paging
Capacit
32 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
y
For internal use
 Tracking Area dimensioning
1c Blocking probability – 2/3

m pl
Exa
INPUTS OUTPUTS
• Blocking probability =
2% e • Paging capacity (PCeNB)

• pagingNb = ¼ (default)

Max Paging Capacity

Paging records/PO
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Blocking
probability[%] ~0 ~0,1 ~0,3 ~0,6 ~1,2 ~2 ~3,4 ~5,3 ~7,5 ~10

pagingNb: Paging capacity [records/sec] (in the function of pagingNb)

1 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600

1/2 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800
1/4 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400

33 1/8
11/03/2025 87,5- MBB Customer
© Nokia 2014 100 112,5
Support 125
Network Engineering 137,5 150 162,5 175 187,5 200
For internal use
 Tracking Area dimensioning
1c Blocking probability – 3/3 Paging

X
request
…
Paging
Paging request
• Example of RRC Paging records distribution Paging request
request

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Paging records/PO RRC Paging message (up to 16 RRC Paging

Blocking (Paging Request is dropped)

records)

Pagings/PO=16  maximum PO capacity

… …
TTI
16
12

Pagings/PO=12 for particular blocking probability 2%

Note:
34 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
time Paging request allocated in RRC
For internal use Paging Message stands for Paging
record.
 Tracking Area dimensioning
m pl
1d Traffic Model Exa
eINPUTSTraffic Model (3 cells/eNB):
• TM provides network and UE
specific behavior for • Users (RRC Connected + RRC Idle) per eNB – 450
• MTC/MOC for VoIP – 50%/50%
planning (e.g. TA planning)
• MTC/MOC for PS/background – 30%/70%
• Note: variety of applications • VoIP holding time – 90 sec.
and smartphone types cause • PS data mean holding time – 312 sec.
that the real network • PS data sessions per user per Busy Hour (BH) – 1
behavior might be • VoIP sessions per user per BH – 1
significantly different • Background traffic per every user
comparing to given TM that • Paging repetition factor – 5%
• InactivityTimer: 10 sec.
is taken for example
calculation purposes
OUTPUT:
• PIeNB,TM = 4,3 pagings/s/eNB - Paging traffic
generated towards UEs from one eNB
35 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use
 Tracking Area dimensioning
m pl
1e Counters Exa
eINPUTSCounters/KPIs
• Counters define real network
behavior comparing to Traffic Model • EPS Paging attempts/MME (M50C011) – 5145000
and can be used for TA replanning,
• Average EPS EMM-REGISTERED users (flns_5035a) –
giving possibility to define average 300000
paging intensity (PIeNB,Counters) per
• #eNBusers – 450
eNB
• Counter M50C011 and KPI M 50C 011 eNBusers
flns_5035a can be taken from PI eNB ,Counters 
MME. They are considered with one flns _ 5035a 3600
hour (BH) accuracy in considered Average #pagings per UE during BH
example OUTPUT:
• #eNBusers is reflected in the average • PIeNB,Counters = 2,14 pagings/s/eNB – Paging traffic
number of users per eNB in generated towards UEs from one eNB
considered
M50C011 areaattempts – the number of Paging Attempts. Initial and repeated are counted.
– EPS Paging
flns_5035a – Avg EPS EMM-REGISTERED users – This KPI shows the average number of users in EMM-
36
REGISTERED state.
11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use
Tracking Area dimensioning
Tracking Area
size
PCeNB 300
TAsize   = 55 eNBs*
PI eNB 4,3 *20% of safety margin with respec
to maximum value assumed

PIeNB,TM = 4,3 pagings/sORPIeNB,Counters = 2,14 pagings/s

For this example calculated value according to TM is taken into further calculations
Note:
• Calculated TAsize is based on maximum Paging Capacity what may lead to situation that any increase of Paging Load would
cause Paging rejections
• Safety Margin ensures some buffer that prevents mentioned issue
• Blocking can still happen in scenarios where high deviations comparing to average Paging Intensity (PI) between different
eNBs are present
• For averaging purposes, it is assumed that each eNB has exactly the same parameter settings what gives the same
Paging Capacity. Analologously average Paging Intensity is assumed to be the same for each eNB as well

37 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
Tracking Area dimensioning
Table of contents
1 2 3

Paging Paging Paging

Feature Overview Paging counters Paging capacity

1

4 5 6
Tracking Tracking Tracking
Area Area Area

Tracking Area Tracking Area Tracking Area

planning dimensioning optimization

38 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
 Tracking Area optimization (counters)

To verify the paging impact on radio

resources use following counters: Up to 16 Pagings per
1. Discarded RRC pagings (M8008C2) shall be 0 (or be relatively low). PO. Each surplus
• Discarded pagings are dropped (no buffer in eNB for sending it in paging per the same

X
PO will be dropped.
next suitable Paging Occasion). Next one is sent by MME when Paging
timer T3413 expires. request
Paging
• There are maximum T3413CNT (MME parameter, def=4) + 1 request
Paging
paging attempts
(one initial paging request + T3413CNT repetitions). After MME
Paging
request … request

T3413CNT counter reached, UE is treated as not reachable.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
2. The average number of RRC Paging requests in RRC Paging
message (M8008C1/M8008C3) must be significantly lower RRC Paging message (up to 16 RRC Paging
comparing to maximum value. Up to 16 RRC Paging requests per RRC records)
Paging message are supported.
• It prevents for Discarded RRC pagings in the future.
To verify the paging impact on S1 interface or/and MME
use following counters:
… …
3. Ratio of Successful S1AP Paging messages which reach the eNB
TTI
comparing to all Paging attempts (M50C012/M50C011) must be
relatively high (close to 100%).
4. 39EPS Paging fail (M50C013) shall be close to 0.
11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use
 Tracking Area optimization (counters)
1. If Discarded RRC pagings exist or Increase of pagingNb:
RRC Paging requests in RRC Paging message is relatively high
(≥12):
• Increase the number of Paging Occasions (pagingNb) or/and
increase the default Paging DRX Cycle (defPagCyc). It causes
that all pagings are spread over greater number of Paging Frames
during one Paging cycle.
• Increase of pagingNb value is reflected in higher consumption
of PDCCH, partly of PDSCH but lower blocking probability.
• To avoid of high CCE aggregation level for paging, reduce
PDCCH aggregation level for it (pdcchAggPaging) from 8
to 4 (It is trade off between UEs reachability and PDCCH
resources consumption).
• Increase of defPagCyc will increase the call setup time but
reduce blocking probability and reduce battery power Increase of defPagCyc:
consumption.
• E.g.: to increase paging capacity 2 times, change pagingNb to
2 times higher value (pagingNb=1/4 1/2).
2. Otherwise Tracking Area size should be reduced.
• Reduced TA size is reflected in increased number of Tracking Area
Update procedures (PRACH affected by TAU – higher signaling load).
3. If EPS paging fail is reasonably high or Ratio of Successful S1AP
Paging messages comparing to all Paging attempts is not satisfy
40 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
(but there are no Discarded RRC pagings) check the S1 link
For internal use
and MME.
 Tracking Area optimization (CS fallback)

TA planning impacts on CS Fallback TA LA

functionality: 3
• Combined TA/LA update procedures are crucial for CS
fallback feature B
• MSC is informed by MME in which LA particular UE is located TA2 A
via SGs interface
TA1
• Operators who have existing 2G or 3G networks should
consider to plan their TA or TAL boundaries to coincide Combined
TA/LA
with their Location Area (LA) boundaries and reflect them Update
in TA/LA mapping in MME LA3 LA2
B
A TA
If LA on 2G/3G is really small please
TA 1
consider use of dedicated 2G/3G
4
features to extend paging capacity and
increase LA size
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For internal use
42 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering
For internal use
LTE1234 Whatever the feature name

Backup

43 11/03/2025 © Nokia 2014 - MBB Customer Support Network Engineering

For internal use
 Paging overview (Paging messages)

Paging messages:
• Max number of Paging records in RRC Paging Message:
• When bandwidth used is: 5MHz, 10MHz, 15MHz or 20MHz, up to 16 Paging records
• Parameter maxCrPgDl does not limit max number of paging
Code Rate Maximum number of
records in one RRC Paging Message (maxCrPgD paging records
l) (using S-TMSI)
• When 3MHz bandwidth is used, up to 16 Paging records 0.07 4

3 MHz
• Max number of Paging records depends on maxCrPgDl parameter, 0.12 7
(default value) (16 in case of 10MHz)
according to table:
0.18 12

• When 1.4MHz bandwidth is used, up to 14 Paging records with 0.22 16

Code Rate Maximum number of
maximum supported maxCrPgDl (maxCrPgDl paging records (using
) S-TMSI)
• Max number of Paging records depends on maxCrPgDl parameter,
0.07 1
according to table:

1.4 MHz
0.12 2
(default value) (16 in case of 10MHz)
Note:
0.18 4
Parameter maxCrPgDl defines only target code rate for paging (maximum number of protection bits added to useful data). The wider
the bandwidth
44 the more probable
11/03/2025 © Nokiais that
2014desired
- MBB target code rate
Customer will be achieved
Support Network (note that lower number of Paging records in RRC
Engineering
Paging Message has an impact on achieved code rate as well)
For internal use 0.5 14
RRC Paging Message is sent by eNB always when achieved code rate is lower than 0.68 (absolute code rate).