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Issue 01
Date 2015-04-20
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Contents
2 Overview of Solution....................................................................................................................2
2.1 Background.....................................................................................................................................................................2
2.2 Application Scenarios.....................................................................................................................................................2
2.3 Overall Solution..............................................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Scope
This document describes voice quality improvement solutions for different application scenarios
in UMTS networks.
The purpose of this document is to help customers choose the appropriate feature or feature
combination based on different network deployment scenarios. The technical principles,
deployment, and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
RAN17.1 01 (2015-04-20)
Compared with Issue 01 (2014-05-15) of RAN16.0, Issue 01 (2015-04-20) of RAN17.1 includes
the following changes:
l Added features WRFD-170201 Seamless Crystal Voice and WRFD-171201 Crystal Voice
in Deep Coverage to the scenario of optimal voice experience.
l Added feature WRFD-171202 Ultrafast CS Call Setup to the scenario of fast voice service
establishment.
l Added solutions to the scenario of narrowband voice services.
2 Overview of Solution
2.1 Background
As the most basic and important services in mobile networks, voice services are undergoing
constant evolution and development. In the MBB era, the UMTS network is the basic bearer
network for voice services, and requirements on user experience become more demanding.
AMR-NB services are conventional narrowband UMTS voice services. As the penetration rate
of AMR-WB-capable terminals increases, AMR-WB services become the trend. Compared with
the AMR-NB technique, AMR-WB significantly improves voice quality.
In addition to AMR-WB services, the voice quality improvement solution improves the mean
opinion score (MOS) of voice services, reduces the access delay, and provides optimal voice
quality for users.
data rate twice that in 12.2 kbit/s AMR-NB scenarios. This scenario consumes more power
resources but provides optimal voice quality. When resources are insufficient, the adaptive
SRB rate function must be enabled to reduce the data rate to 12.65 kbit/s or lower so as to
counteract the impact on the coverage and capacity of voice services.
l Scenario 3: optimal voice experience
Multiple differentiation enhancement algorithms can be used to improve the voice
experience. In areas with normal coverage, optimized power control can be used to enhance
the power efficiency and reduce the block error rate (BLER), thereby increasing the MOS
of voice services. In areas with weak coverage, functions such as decoding performance
improvement and voice combination enhancement can be used to reduce the BLER and
increase the MOS of voice services.
l Scenario 4: fast voice service establishment
Access delay is a key factor affecting user experience of voice services. This solution
reduces the access delay by means such as procedure optimization and signaling bearer
optimization.
l Scenario 5: speech quality assessment, test, and maintenance
This solution assesses, tests, and maintains speech quality. It also determines whether
garbled voices occur and, if so, locates these voices.
The AMR-NB technique ensures basic UMTS voice services. If user experience needs to be
further improved, you are advised to enable AMR-WB services and then use the optimal voice
experience solution to improve voice quality for both AMR-WB and AMR-NB services, and
use the fast voice service establishment solution to accelerate the access for both AMR-NB and
AMR-WB services, thereby improving the ultimate experience of voice users. You can also use
the speech quality assessment, test, and maintenance solution to monitor the voice quality of the
entire network.
AMR-NB services can be further divided into single-rate AMR-NB (12.2 kbit/s) and multi-rate
AMR-NB (such as 4.75 kbit/s and 12.2 kbit/s) based on the AMR rates assigned by the CN for
RAN.
Set Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat
tin e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
g Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
12. - (1) - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 1
2
kbit
/s
10. - - - - - - 1 - - - - - 1 1 - -
2
kbit
/s
Set Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat
tin e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
g Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
7.9 - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 1
5
kbit
/s
7.4 - 1 - - 1 - - - - - 1 1 - - - -
0
kbit
/s
6.7 - - - 1 - - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 - -
0
kbit
/s
5.9 - 1 1 - - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0
kbit
/s
5.1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5
kbit
/s
4.7 1 1 - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5
kbit
/s
OM F F F F F F F F F F F A F A F A
NOTE
1 indicates that a rate set contains the rate. (1) indicates that the rate is optional in a rate set. - indicates that
a rate set does not contain the rate.
In the OM row, A indicates that the TFO/TrFO mechanism is allowed to automatically optimize and modify
the rate set during TFO/TrFO negotiation. F indicates that the optimization and modification are not
allowed. Usually, F is used.
3.1.1.4 Implementation
The single-rate AMR-NB solution provides common narrowband voice services without
requiring any feature enhancements. If the voice quality of single-rate AMR-NB services needs
to be further improved, you are advised to enable the TFO/TrFO feature on both the CN and
RAN sides. The following table describes requirements on solution implementation.
1. It is recommended that the CN configure rate set 7 (12.2 kbit/s) for all the RNCs on the
network.
2. If the voice quality needs to be further improved, you are advised to enable the TFO/TrFO
feature for both the CN and RAN.
NOTE
l If the CN configures different rate sets for different RNCs, call drops may occur during inter-
RNC relocations after the TFO/TrFO feature is enabled.
l You are advised to enable the TFO/TrFO feature first for the RNC and then for the CN. Otherwise,
calls may fail to be set up.
Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
Set Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat
tin e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
g Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
12. - (1) - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 1
2
kbit
/s
10. - - - - - - 1 - - - - - 1 1 - -
2
kbit
/s
7.9 - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 1
5
kbit
/s
7.4 - 1 - - 1 - - - - - 1 1 - - - -
0
kbit
/s
6.7 - - - 1 - - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 - -
0
kbit
/s
Set Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat Rat
tin e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
g Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
5.9 - 1 1 - - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0
kbit
/s
5.1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5
kbit
/s
4.7 1 1 - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5
kbit
/s
OM F F F F F F F F F F F A F A F A
NOTE
1 indicates that a rate set contains the rate. (1) indicates that the rate is optional in a rate set. - indicates that
a rate set does not contain the rate.
In the OM row, A indicates that the TFO/TrFO mechanism is allowed to automatically optimize and modify
the rate set during TFO/TrFO negotiation. F indicates that the optimization and modification are not
allowed. Usually, F is used.
3.1.2.4 Implementation
The multi-rate AMR-NB solution provides common narrowband voice services without
requiring any feature enhancements. You are only required to configure the recommended rate
set on the CN side. To improve the voice quality of multi-rate AMR-NB services, you are advised
to enable the TFO/TrFO feature on both the CN and RAN sides. To improve the coverage and
capacity of multi-rate AMR-NB services, you are advised to enable the AMR/AMR-WB Speech
Rates Control feature on the RAN side. The following table describes requirements on solution
implementation.
If the CN configures different rate sets for different RNCs, call drops may occur during inter-RNC
relocations after the TFO/TrFO feature is enabled.
2. If the voice quality needs to be further improved, you are advised to enable the TFO/TrFO
feature.
NOTE
l Enable the TFO/TrFO feature first for the RNC and then for the CN. Otherwise, calls may fail
to be set up.
l It is recommended that the CN configure different AMR multi-rates for the GSM and UMTS
networks. Otherwise, one-way audio may occur in GSM networks if a TFO/TrFO call is initiated
between the two networks. The reason is as follows: After a channel switch from full-rate to half-
rate is performed in the GSM network, services can no longer be carried over high-rate channels.
In this case, the GSM network initiates a rate adjustment request to the UMTS network. If the
UE in the UMTS network is undergoing a non-stable procedure such as a handover, the UE cannot
respond to the rate adjustment request and as a result, the RNC returns a rate adjustment failure
to the BSC, leading to possible one-way audio in the GSM network. In the GSM network, only
AMR-NB services are carried over half-rate channels and one-way audio occurs only to AMR-
NB services.
3. If you need to further improve the coverage and capacity for voice services, enable the
AMR/AMR-WB Speech Rates Control feature on the RAN side.
Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
band of 50-300 Hz makes voices sound more natural and comfortable to listen to while the added
high band of 3400-7000 Hz makes voices clearer. Compared with AMR-NB, AMR-WB
significantly increases the voice quality and makes it easier to recognize the caller.
HD voice services can be further divided into common AMR-WB (12.65 kbit/s) and optimized
AMR-WB (23.85 kbit/s) based on the AMR rates configured by the CN for RAN.
Setting Rate Set 0 Rate Set 1 Rate Set 2 Rate Set 3 Rate Set 4 Rate Set 5
23.85 kbit/ - - - - 1 1
s
15.85 kbit/ - - 1 1 - -
s
12.65 kbit/ 1 1 1 1 1 1
s
8.85 kbit/s 1 1 1 1 1 1
6.6 kbit/s 1 1 1 1 1 1
OM F A F A F A
NOTE
1 indicates that a rate set contains the rate. - indicates that a rate set does not contain the rate.
In the OM row, A indicates that the TFO/TrFO mechanism is allowed to automatically optimize and modify
the rate set during TFO/TrFO negotiation. F indicates that the optimization and modification are not
allowed. Usually, F is used.
3.2.1.4 Implementation
When 12.65 kbit/s AMR-WB services are activated, the TFO/TrFO feature must be enabled for
both the CN and RAN to achieve end-to-end HD voices. Before a call is set up, the TFO/TrFO
feature negotiates the encoding/decoding codes for the calling party and called party. AMR-WB
services can be set up only when both the two parties support AMR-WB services. Otherwise,
the two parties cannot enjoy HD voices. To implement rate adjustment among multiple AMR-
WB services, you are advised to enable the AMR/AMR-WB Speech Rates Control feature. The
following table describes requirements on solution implementation.
1. If the AMR-WB feature is enabled for both the CN and RAN, it is recommended that the
CN configure rate set 0 (including 12.65 kbit/s, 8.85 kbit/s, and 6.6 kbit/s) for all the RNCs
on the network.
NOTE
l You are advised to enable the AMR-WB feature first for the RNC and then for the CN. Otherwise,
calls may fail to be set up.
l If the CN configures different rate sets for different RNCs, call drops may occur during inter-
RNC relocations after the TFO/TrFO feature is enabled.
2. To enjoy true HD voices during AMR-WB calls, it is recommended that the TFO/TrFO
feature be enabled for both the CN and RAN.
NOTE
You are advised to enable the TFO/TrFO feature first for the RNC and then for the CN. Otherwise,
calls may fail to be set up.
3. If you need to further improve the coverage and capacity for voice services, enable the
AMR/AMR-WB Speech Rates Control feature on the RAN side.
Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
Setting Rate Set 0 Rate Set 1 Rate Set 2 Rate Set 3 Rate Set 4 Rate Set 5
23.85 kbit/ - - - - 1 1
s
15.85 kbit/ - - 1 1 - -
s
12.65 kbit/ 1 1 1 1 1 1
s
8.85 kbit/s 1 1 1 1 1 1
6.6 kbit/s 1 1 1 1 1 1
OM F A F A F A
NOTE
1 indicates that a rate set contains the rate. - indicates that a rate set does not contain the rate.
In the OM row, A indicates that the TFO/TrFO mechanism is allowed to automatically optimize and modify
the rate set during TFO/TrFO negotiation. F indicates that the optimization and modification are not
allowed. Usually, F is used.
3.2.2.4 Implementation
When 23.85 kbit/s AMR-WB services are enabled, the TFO/TrFO feature must be enabled for
both the CN and RAN to achieve end-to-end HD voices. Before a call is set up, the TFO/TrFO
feature negotiates the encoding/decoding codes for the calling party and called party. AMR-WB
services can be set up only when both the two parties support AMR-WB services. Otherwise,
the two parties cannot enjoy HD voices. Compared with 12.2 kbit/s AMR-NB, 23.85 kbit/s
AMR-WB consumes more power resources and code resources, which undermine the coverage
and capacity of voice services. Therefore, the AMR/AMR-WB Speech Rates Control feature
must be enabled on the RAN side. This feature prevents voice service capacity and coverage
from degrading when rate adjustment is performed in the case of insufficient resources. The
following table describes requirements on solution implementation.
l You are advised to enable the AMR-WB feature first for the RNC and then for the CN. Otherwise,
calls may fail to be set up.
l If the CN configures different rate sets for different RNCs, call drops may occur during inter-
RNC relocations after the TFO/TrFO feature is enabled.
2. To enjoy true HD voices during AMR-WB calls, it is recommended that the TFO/TrFO
feature be enabled for both the CN and RAN.
NOTE
You are advised to enable the TFO/TrFO feature first for the RNC and then for the CN. Otherwise,
calls may fail to be set up.
3. To prevent the impact of 23.85 kbit/s AMR-WB services on coverage and capacity, the
AMR/AMR-WB Speech Rates Control feature must be enabled on the RAN side.
Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
degrades the user experience. This solution aims to reduce the BLER over the Uu interface for
voice services by improving the performance of voice channels and eventually improve the
MOS.
WRFD-140201 AMR Voice Quality This feature helps improve the decoding
Improvement Based on performance of voice frames in the uplink
PLVA and reduces the BLER for voice frames in
the uplink. There are many bit errors in
voice frames in weak coverage areas and
this feature can correct these bit errors.
WRFD-160204 CS Voice Precise Power This feature adjusts and controls the uplink
Control transmit power of UEs according to changes
of the channel environment and quality of
received signals, thereby reducing the
BLER for voice frames in the uplink.
3.3.4 Implementation
The optimal voice experience solution does not require the support from the CN or UE. The
features and functions involved in this solution are independent of each other. These features
and functions have different dependencies on the NodeB or RNC hardware. For details, see the
corresponding feature parameter description document. If allowed by hardware, it is
recommended that these features and functions be enabled at the same time to improve the MOS
of voice services. The following table describes requirements on solution implementation.
Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
l Parallel procedure processing: This function implements parallel processing of the Iu and
Uu paging procedures, parallel processing of the Iu setup and Uu security mode procedures,
and parallel processing of the ringing and RAB setup procedures. This reduces the waiting
time of each process and achieves the ultrafast access of voice services.
It is recommended that the preceding functions or features be enabled to ensure better user
experience.
WRFD-1601 Fast Radio Bearer RAN16.0 Fast Radio Bearer Setup Feature
06 Setup Parameter Description
WRFD-171202 Ultrafast CS Call Setup This feature optimizes the AMR voice
service access procedure. That is, it changes
serial processing to parallel processing,
which reduces the waiting time of each
process and accelerates the access
especially for a call involving two UMTS
UEs.
3.4.4 Implementation
The features and functions involved in this solution are independent of each other. It is
recommended that all these features and functions be enabled at the same time to reduce the
access delay for voice services.
The WRFD-160106 Fast Radio Bearer Setup feature requires support from UEs. If some UEs
do not support this feature, add these UEs to the blacklist. For details about this feature, see Fast
Radio Bearer Setup Feature Parameter Description. Before enabling the WRFD-171202
Ultrafast CS Call Setup feature, you are advised to enable the TFO/TrFO function for intra-
UMTS calls on the CN side and enable the WRFD-011600 TFO/TrFO feature on the RNC side
to ensure the gains provided by parallel processing of paging procedures. The following table
describes requirements on solution implementation.
To accelerate the Enable The following features – For a call involving two
access for UMTS the must be enabled: UMTS users, the gains
users acting as the TFO/ l TFO/TrFO provided by the
calling or called TrFO Ultrafast CS Call Setup
party (the called feature. l Adaptive SRB rate feature include those
party is a UMTS l Ultrafast CS Call provided by the Fast
user) Setup Radio Bearer Setup
feature. In this case, it is
recommended that the
Fast Radio Bearer
Setup feature be
disabled.
If this function is not enabled, the gains provided by parallel processing of paging procedures cannot
be ensured and the optimal access performance cannot be fulfilled.
2. Enable the feature and function involved in the fast voice service setup solution one by one.
The features and functions involved in this solution are independent of each other and can
be enabled at the same time. Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described
in this document and will be included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
3. If some UEs do not support the Fast Radio Bearer Setup feature, add these UEs to the
blacklist.
Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
3.5.2 Implementation
The features and functions involved in this solution are independent of each other. It is
recommended that these features and functions be enabled at the same time. The following table
describes requirements on solution implementation.
Deployment and activation of each feature will not be described in this document and will be
included in the corresponding feature parameter description.
WRFD-140201 AMR Voice Quality RAN14.0 AMR Voice Quality Improvement Based on
Improvement Based on PLVA Feature Parameter Description
PLVA
WRFD-160204 CS Voice Precise Power RAN16.0 CS Voice Precise Power Control Feature
Control Parameter Description
WRFD-160106 Fast Radio Bearer Setup RAN16.0 Fast Radio Bearer Setup Feature Parameter
Description
WRFD-160102 Garbled Noise Detection RAN16.0 Garbled Noise Detection and Correction of
and Correction of AMR AMR Voice Feature Parameter Description
Voice
WRFD-170201 Seamless Crystal Voice RAN17.1 Seamless Crystal Voice Feature Parameter
Description
WRFD-171201 Crystal Voice in Deep RAN17.1 Crystal Voice in Deep Coverage Feature
Coverage Parameter Description
WRFD-171202 Ultrafast CS Call Setup RAN17.1 Ultrafast CS Call Setup Feature Parameter
Description
HD High Definition
CN Core Network
UE User Equipment
6 Reference Documents