Type of Cell Selection

There are two types of Cell Selections. "Initial Cell Selection" and "Stored
Information Cell Selection". Definition of these two methods are described as
follows in 25.304 5.2.3 Cell Selection Process.

a) Initial Cell Selection

This procedure requires no prior knowledge of which RF channels are UTRA carriers.
The UE shall scan all RF channels in the UTRA bands according to its capabilities to
find a suitable cell. On each carrier, the UE need only search for the strongest cell.
Once a suitable cell is found this cell shall be selected.

b) Stored Information Cell Selection

This procedure requires stored information of carrier frequencies and optionally also
information on cell parameters, e.g. scrambling codes, from previously received
measurement control information elements.
Once the UE has found a suitable cell the UE shall select it. If no suitable cell is
found the Initial cell selection procedure shall be started.

Cell Selection Criteria

For a cell to be selected, they should meet a certain criteria as follows.

When UE is in HPLMN
Squal = Qqualmeas Qqualmin > 0
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas Qrxlevmin + QrxlevminOffset Pcompensation > 0

When UE is in VPLMN
Squal = Qqualmeas (Qqualmin + QqualminOffset) > 0
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas (Qrxlevmin + QrxlevminOffset) Pcompensation > 0
< 25.304 - 5.2.3.1.2 Criteria >

(In FDD) For a cell to be selected, both Squal and Srxlev should be greater than 0
and these two values are calculated as follows.
< Example 1 >

Assumption : It is assumed that there is only one Cell is available and cell selection
is determined only by S_rxlev and S_qual. If there is any other competing cells
around, you have to consider a lot of other factors like absolute measured cell
power, priority and various cell search/reselection criteria as well.

CPICH_RSCP = -110 dBm, Qrxlevmin:-58, UE Power Class:3(P_MAX = 23)

UE_TXPWR_MAX_CCH (maxAllowedUL-Tx-Power in SIB3) : 24
CPICH_Ec/N0: -10, Qqualmin:-24

Srxlev = -110 -(-58 x 2) - max(24-23,0)

= -110 - (-116) - max(1,0)
= -110 + 116 -1
=5
Squal=(-10)-(-24)
= 14

Squal > 0, Srclev > 0. So The UE will select this cell.

< Example 2 >

Assumption : It is assumed that there is only one Cell is available and cell selection
is determined only by S_rxlev and S_qual. If there is any other competing cells
around, you have to consider a lot of other factors like absolute measured cell
power, priority and various cell search/reselection criteria as well.

CPICH_RSCP = -110 dBm, Qrxlevmin:-58, UE Power Class:3(P_MAX = 23)

UE_TXPWR_MAX_CCH (maxAllowedUL-Tx-Power in SIB3) : 0
CPICH_Ec/N0: -10, Qqualmin:-24

Srxlev = -110 -(-58 x 2) - max(0-23,0)

= -110 - (-116) - max(-23,0)
= -110 + 116 - 0
=6
Squal=(-10)-(-24)
= 14

Squal > 0, Srclev > 0. So The UE will select this cell.

< Example 3 >

Assumption : It is assumed that there is only one Cell is available and cell selection
is determined only by S_rxlev and S_qual. If there is any other competing cells
around, you have to consider a lot of other factors like absolute measured cell
power, priority and various cell search/reselection criteria as well.

CPICH_RSCP = -110 dBm, Qrxlevmin:-58, UE Power Class:3(P_MAX = 23)

UE_TXPWR_MAX_CCH (maxAllowedUL-Tx-Power in SIB3) : 33
CPICH_Ec/N0: -10, Qqualmin:-24

Srxlev = -110 -(-58 x 2) - max(33-23,0)

= -110 - (-116) - max(10,0)
= -110 + 116 - 10
= -4
Squal=(-10)-(-24)
= 14

Squal > 0, Srxlev < 0. So The UE will not select this cell.

Intra Search Criteria

When the following condition meets :

When UE is in HPLMN
(Squal = Qqualmeas Qqualmin) <= s-Intrasearch
or
s-Intrasearch is not configured
When UE is in VPLMN
(Squal = Qqualmeas (Qqualmin + QqualminOffset)) <= s-Intrasearch
or
s-Intrasearch is not configured

If you want to let UE to perform Intracell search all the time, the easiest way would
be to set as follows.
i) set s-Intrasearch to be MAX value
ii) set Qualmin to be MAX value

SIBs for Cell Selection / Reselection

Followings are System Information Block messages that are related to Cell
Selection/Reselection. I enabled IEs as much as possible just to show you all the
usable IEs. You may not see many of these IEs in real deployment. Which IE and
values are used are completely up to each network operators.

< SIB 3 >

SysInfoType3
.0.. .... sib4indicator: False
cellIdentity: 00000000
cellSelectReselectInfo
cellSelectQualityMeasure: cpich-RSCP (1)
cpich-RSCP: NULL
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
rat-List: 2 items
Item 0
RAT-FDD-Info
rat-Identifier: gsm (0)
s-SearchRAT: 10
s-HCS-RAT: -53
s-Limit-SearchRAT: 0
Item 1
RAT-FDD-Info
rat-Identifier: cdma2000 (1)
s-SearchRAT: -16
s-HCS-RAT: -53
s-Limit-SearchRAT: -16
q-QualMin: -24
q-RxlevMin: -45
q-Hyst-l-S: 0
t-Reselection-S: 0
maxAllowedUL-TX-Power: 24
cellAccessRestriction
cellBarred: notBarred (1)
notBarred: NULL
cellReservedForOperatorUse: notReserved (1)
 cellReservationExtension: notReserved (1)
v4b0NonCriticalExtensions
sysInfoType3-v4b0ext
v590NonCriticalExtension
sysInfoType3-v590ext
cellSelectReselectInfo-v590ext
v5c0NoncriticalExtension
sysInfoType3-v5c0ext
cellSelectReselectInfoTreselectionScaling-v5c0ext
non-HCS-t-CR-Max: notUsed (0)
notUsed: NULL
speedDependentScalingFactor: 0
interFrequencyTreselectionScalingFactor: 4
interRATTreselectionScalingFactor: 4

< SIB 11 >

SysInfoType11
..0. .... sib12indicator: False
measurementControlSysInfo
use-of-HCS: hcs-not-used (0)
hcs-not-used
cellSelectQualityMeasure: cpich-RSCP (0)
cpich-RSCP
intraFreqMeasurementSysInfo
intraFreqMeasurementID: 1
intraFreqCellInfoSI-List
removedIntraFreqCellList: removeNoIntraFreqCells (2)
removeNoIntraFreqCells: NULL
newIntraFreqCellList: 1 item
Item 0
NewIntraFreqCellSI-RSCP
intraFreqCellID: 0
cellInfo
cellIndividualOffset: -20
referenceTimeDifferenceToCell: accuracy40 (0)
accuracy40: 0
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
primaryCPICH-Info
primaryScramblingCode: 9
primaryCPICH-TX-Power: 28
.1.. .... readSFN-Indicator: True
..0. .... tx-DiversityIndicator: False
cellSelectionReselectionInfo
q-OffsetS-N: -50
maxAllowedUL-TX-Power: 24
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
 q-QualMin: -24
q-RxlevMin: -45
intraFreqMeasQuantity
filterCoefficient: fc2 (2)
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
intraFreqMeasQuantity-FDD: cpich-RSCP (1)
intraFreqReportingQuantityForRACH
sfn-SFN-OTD-Type: noReport (0)
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
intraFreqRepQuantityRACH-FDD: cpich-EcN0 (0)
maxReportedCellsOnRACH: currentCell (1)
reportingInfoForCellDCH
intraFreqReportingQuantity
activeSetReportingQuantities
dummy: noReport (0)
.... .0.. cellIdentity-reportingIndicator: False
.... ..0. cellSynchronisationInfoReportingIndicator: False
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
1... .... cpich-Ec-N0-reportingIndicator: True
.0.. .... cpich-RSCP-reportingIndicator: False
..0. .... pathloss-reportingIndicator: False
monitoredSetReportingQuantities
dummy: noReport (0)
.... .0.. cellIdentity-reportingIndicator: False
.... ..1. cellSynchronisationInfoReportingIndicator: True
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
1... .... cpich-Ec-N0-reportingIndicator: True
.0.. .... cpich-RSCP-reportingIndicator: False
..0. .... pathloss-reportingIndicator: False
measurementReportingMode
measurementReportTransferMode: acknowledgedModeRLC
(0)
periodicalOrEventTrigger: eventTrigger (1)
reportCriteria: intraFreqReportingCriteria (0)
intraFreqReportingCriteria
interFreqMeasurementSysInfo
interFreqCellInfoSI-List
newInterFreqCellList: 1 item
Item 0
NewInterFreqCellSI-RSCP
interFreqCellID: 0
frequencyInfo
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
uarfcn-DL: 9800
cellInfo
 modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
primaryCPICH-Info
primaryScramblingCode: 11
primaryCPICH-TX-Power: 28
...0 .... readSFN-Indicator: False
.... 0... tx-DiversityIndicator: False
cellSelectionReselectionInfo
q-OffsetS-N: 3
maxAllowedUL-TX-Power: 24
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
q-QualMin: -24
q-RxlevMin: -45
interRATMeasurementSysInfo
interRATCellInfoList
removedInterRATCellList: removeAllInterRATCells (0)
removeAllInterRATCells: NULL
newInterRATCellList: 1 item
Item 0
NewInterRATCell-B
interRATCellID: 0
technologySpecificInfo: gsm (0)
gsm
cellSelectionReselectionInfo
q-Offset1S-N: -50
q-Offset2S-N: -50
maxAllowedUL-TX-Power: -50
hcs-NeighbouringCellInformation-RSCP
hcs-CellReselectInformation
penaltyTime: notUsed (0)
notUsed: NULL
modeSpecificInfo: fdd (0)
fdd
interRATCellIndividualOffset: -50
bsic
ncc: 0
bcc: 0
frequency-band: dcs1800BandUsed (0)
bcch-ARFCN: 0

< SIB 19 >

SysInfoType19
utra-PriorityInfoList
utra-ServingCell
priority: 3
s-PrioritySearch1: 0
s-PrioritySearch2: 0
 threshServingLow: 0
gsm-PriorityInfoList: 1 item
Item 0
GSM-PriorityInfo
gsmCellGroup
startingARFCN: 0
bandIndicator: dcs1800 (0)
followingARFCNs: explicitListOfARFCNs (0)
explicitListOfARFCNs: 0 items
priority: 0
qRxLevMinGSM: -58
threshXhigh: 0
threshXlow: 0
eutra-FrequencyAndPriorityInfoList: 1 item
Item 0
EUTRA-FrequencyAndPriorityInfo
earfcn: 300
measurementBandwidth: mbw25 (2)
priority: 4
qRxLevMinEUTRA: -55
threshXhigh: 9
threshXlow: 9
eutra-blackListedCellList: 2 items
Item 0
EUTRA-BlacklistedCell
physicalCellIdentity: 100
Item 1
EUTRA-BlacklistedCell
physicalCellIdentity: 102
1... .... eutraDetection: True
v920NonCriticalExtensions
sysInfoType19-v920ext
utra-PriorityInfoList-v920ext
threshServingLow2: 0
eutra-FrequencyAndPriorityInfoList-v920ext: 1 item
Item 0
EUTRA-FrequencyAndPriorityInfo-v920ext
qqualMinEUTRA: -34
threshXhigh2: 0
threshXlow2: 0
va80NonCriticalExtensions
sysInfoType19-va80ext

Inter Search Criteria

When the following condition

When UE is in HPLMN
(Squal = Qqualmeas Qqualmin) <= s-Intersearch
 or
s-Intrasearch is not configured

When UE is in VPLMN
(Squal = Qqualmeas (Qqualmin + QqualminOffset)) <= s-Intersearch
or
s-Intrasearch is not configured

If you want to let UE to perform Intracell search all the time, the easiest way would
be to set as follows.
i) set s-Intersearch to be MAX value
ii) set Qualmin to be MAX value

Troubleshoot for Cell Selection

You may think Cell Selection (or Reselection) would be relatively easy to
troubleshoot, but in reality it is not simple at all. First, not so many people has clear
understanding of the cell selection criteria itself. Even though you have clear
understanding of all these 3GPP details, there are technical issues that make this
troubleshooting difficult. The first step for the troubleshooting is to guarantee /
verify the following two factors.
i) Signal Quality from the network (or UE Test Equipment) is good enough in
whole power range of the test
ii) Signal detection/decoding capability of UE is good enough in whole power
range of the test
Item ii) is relatively easy comparing to item i) if you have UE side logging tool and
skill to analyze the log very in detail.
The problem is item ii). Usually Cell Selection test is done in very low power. One of
the most accurate way to verify the signal quality of any transmitter is to use Vector
Signal Analyzer and measure EVM or CDP(Code Domain Power. See some example ).
But the problem is that none of the vector signal analyzer (as far as I know) can
decode/analyze the modulated signal at such a lower power level (e.g, under -100
dBm). Technically, if you have very good quality of amplifier with high dynamic
range, you can use it to amplify the signal from the network and then put it into
spectrum analyzer. But in reality it would be difficult to use such a complicated
setup for day-to-day troubleshooting.
Therefore, in real life of UE testing.. if you don't have detailed UE logging and the
skills to analyze them, the troubleshooting process would be almost completely like
'matter of luck'.

If you have UE side log, you may check following items one by one. (In this step, I
assume that the signal quality from NodeB is good enough)

i) Check P-CPICH RSCP and Ec/Io (If UE log fail to print this value, you may
check PSS, SSS detection.. but usually we take it as failure without further
checking. But technically, you have to check PSS, SSS detection before you
give up)
ii) Check if UE log successfully print out PSC (Primary Scrambling Code) and
see it matches the PSC of the NodeB that you want the UE to select.
 iii) Check if UE successfully decode MIB
iv) Check if UE sucessfully decode all the SIBs scheduled in MIB
v) Check P-CPICH power and quality meets the cell selection criteria (To do
this, UE needs to successfully decode SIB3 at least.) Usually, most of UE log
would print out Squal and Srxlev value if you set proper filter in the logging
tool so you don't have to calculate them manually.
vi) If both Squal and Srxlev is greater than 0, then check if UE successfully
decoded all the scheduled SIBs (or at least SIB 1, 3, 5)
vii) If UE successfully decoded the necessary SIBs, it should send PRACH. If UE
does not send PRACH even at this condition, it is UE side protocol issue or
sometimes I saw some UE manufacturer put some hard limiter in such a way
that UE does not send PRACH under a certain value regardless of cell
selection criteria.
vii) If UE send PRACH, check if the PRACH power is big enough for network
reception range. (The proper PRACH power is also determined by a
complicated process called 'Open Loop Power Control')
viii) If UE has sent PRACH with proper power and NodeB (or Test equipment)
fail to detect it, then network side debugging should be done.