Design Paper: Advanced Frequency Planning Techniques

Advanced Frequency
Planning Techniques in
GSM/GPRS/EDGE

1. INTRODUCTION

Frequency band is a scarce resource and thus its use needs to be optimized. It is particularly relevant e.g. for
operators having limited spectrum but a fast growing subscriber base or for operators contemplating to
introduce UMTS in a GSM frequency band. Concretely operators thriving for the best spectrum efficiency
would:

- either try and serve as many

subscribers as possible with
an acceptable quality of
service and the lowest
amount of spectrum,

- or increase the quality of

service for a given number of
subscribers and a given Co-channel
interferers (I)
spectrum. Wanted
signal (C)
Alcatel offers a rich portfolio of best- Background
noise (N)
in-class products and features to
improve spectrum efficiency. In addition, Alcatel has developed over the years a strong expertise in
advanced frequency planning methods, aiming at maximum spectrum efficiency. This paper is focused on
such advanced techniques, which mainly rely on Discrete Frequency Hopping (DFH) and Radio Measurement
Statistics (RMS). Alcatel has also developed specific tools building new frequency plans automatically using
such advanced techniques, thereby ensuring a very powerful means of improving spectrum efficiency in a few
days over large areas.

2. THE DISCRETE FREQUENCY HOPPING SOLUTION

A well-known method for improving radio quality is the “frequency hopping” (FH) feature. This feature aims
at taking full benefit of frequency and interference diversities. This is achieved by hopping on different
frequencies from one burst to the next, which results in:

- averaging out interference (“collisions”, i.e. two users in nearby cells using the same frequency, are
not continuous like may be the case in case of no hopping);

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 Design Paper: Advanced Frequency Planning Techniques

- averaging out fast fading, especially for slowly moving users.

Channel decoding is used to correct errors; because frequency hopping spreads out errors over several
bursts, entire information blocks may be recovered, which is less the case without hopping.

Two traditional Frequency Hopping techniques exist: Base Band Hopping (BBH) and Slow Frequency hopping
(SFH).

2.1 Baseband Hopping and Slow Frequency Hopping

To correctly work, the network needs very good radio conditions on BCCH frequencies. As a consequence,
the BCCH frequency band is always planned apart from the TCH frequency band. In particular, BCCH
frequencies are not hopping (at least the timeslot carrying the BCCH) and less reused than TCH frequencies
in order to ensure the highest quality.

Let us now focus on the TCH planning:

• In Baseband hopping, each timeslot is hopping on a number of frequencies that equals the numbers
of TRXs in the cell. In this case, the problem is the one of appropriate frequency assignment for each
cell, taking into account interfering neighbors.

• In Slow frequency hopping, each timeslot hops on more frequencies than the number of TRXs. More
precisely, a “cluster” size is defined (1 for 1 x 1 fractional reuse and 3 for 1 x 3 fractional reuse) and
the whole “TCH frequency spectrum” is allocated to each cluster of cells. This approach is simpler
than the previous one since it requires less complicated frequency allocation computations (the only
issues are the choice of the TCH and BCCH pool sizes and the allocation of BCCH frequencies), while
taking full advantage of diversity.

In the Alcatel Base Station, both Baseband hopping and Slow Frequency Hopping are managed by a single TRX
board, by synthesizing the needed frequencies and modulations on a per timeslot basis.

2.2 Discrete Frequency Hopping

Depending on the network’s configuration, one solution may be better than the other: SFH gives priority to
diversity whereas BBH is more focused on “intelligent” frequency planning. The idea of discrete frequency
hopping (DFH) is to add flexibility by tuning the number of hopping frequencies per cell according to each
cell’s number of TRXs and interfering environment.

More precisely, appropriate DFH frequency planning is a trade-off between two aspects:

• High frequency and interference diversity thanks to a high number of hopping frequencies per cell

• Low interference probability thanks to intelligent frequencies distribution across the network

o A too high number of hopping frequencies would bring for sure a high interference and
frequency diversity but the counterpart would be a higher amount of collisions with
neighbouring cells. Thus, there is an optimum value for each cell.

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 Design Paper: Advanced Frequency Planning Techniques

Basically, DFH can be considered as a particular case of Slow Frequency Hopping implementation. Each cell
will have a different hopping group, and all frequencies of this group are chosen based on a quality criteria
(prediction and/or field data).

The counterpart of this “customized” approach is that it requires both to choose the frequency pool size for
each cell and to allocate the frequencies appropriately. This computation can be performed with the help of
a precise and complete” Interference Matrix” that is computed over all cells of the network. Such a data
matrix cannot be obtained easily with traditional tools. Thus, it is convenient to perform the frequency plan
with the help of the RMS feature. It is important to note that although it is particularly useful for DFH
planning, the RMS feature provides also great benefits when performing a BBH or an SFH planning.

DFH is a flexible solution that adapts itself to field characteristics. It takes advantage of the
“intelligent” frequency planning from BBH and of the high frequency and interference diversity
of SFH. It results in an optimal frequency allocation as well as in an optimal number of hopping
frequencies depending on the number of TRX.

3. A POWERFUL FREQUENCY PLANNING TOOL: RMS

3.1 The Interference Matrix

The prerequisite for any frequency planning process is the knowledge of the collision probability between
users located in different cells but using the same frequency. Then, the frequencies are allocated in such a
way that the “cost” of these collisions is the lowest. This collision probability can be estimated through the
C/I distribution due to neighbouring users using the same frequency. Practically, these C/I values are
computed between each neighbouring cells and are then reported in a so-called “Interference Matrix” that
will be the input of an optimisation tool.

This matrix can be obtained from:

• Analytical models and Monte Carlo Simulations. This solution may be based on a precise field map.
Apart from the fact that it is time demanding, this method will not achieve an outstanding accuracy
(clutter, heights, physical sites maps and propagation models are only approximations of reality)

• Field measurement campaigns: costly and manpower demanding, they can neither be performed at
a whole network’s scale, nor during a statistically relevant duration.

As a consequence, one has to look for an efficient alternative and cost effective way to perform C/I
measurements over a network. The answer to this issue is the RMS (Radio Measurement Statistics) feature.

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 Design Paper: Advanced Frequency Planning Techniques

3.2 RMS: Mobile stations are measurement tools

Through the RMS feature, Mobile stations are used as

OMC
measurement tools. Indeed, the BTS and the Mobiles
permanently report information related to the serving cells
and the best neighbour cells (received signal strength,
BCCH
quality in the serving cell, timing advance, etc).
BCCH BCCH
Among other things, RMS reports C/I values experienced by
mobiles between their serving cell and the neighbouring
cells. Indeed, for handover measurement reasons, each BCCH
mobile computes the signal strength of its serving cell’s BCCH
BSC
BCCH frequency and the signal strength of the BCCH
neighbouring cell’s BCCH frequency. The ratio between
both values is an accurate approximation of the effective
C/I level.

3.3 The “dummy neighbours” method, leveraging MAFA-capable handsets

Any mobile station would report the signal strength of its 6 best neighbour cells. This is not necessarily
sufficient for advanced frequency planning. The MAFA feature (Mobile Assisted Frequency Allocation) was
introduced by 3GPP in R97 to request compatible handsets some extra measurements (on other frequencies).
This allows building more extensive Interference Matrices. MAFA support was introduced in B7 in the Alcatel
BSS and is now widely supported by most handsets on the field.

To use MAFA, virtual neighbouring frequencies (“dummy neighbours”) are created at the OMC-R in such a way
that the mobile stations perform measurements between their serving cell and these additional frequencies
that will correspond to “higher order neighbours” in the network.

? Serving cell
Neighbor cells
Other cells

Each BTS then builds Radio Measurement Statistics reports out of all the performed and received
measurements, including those coming from MAFA-capable handsets. These RMS reports are sent to the OMC-
R through the BSC.

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 Design Paper: Advanced Frequency Planning Techniques

The main benefits of the RMS feature are to enable automated frequency planning and the
building of a precise interference matrix based on field results. This allows optimising network
KPIs without the costly use of drive test equipments or Abis traces.

4. APPLICATION: SOME FIELD RESULTS

Number of TCH Number of hopping
This part presents some results that were observed after a
TRXs frequencies
switch from SFH (1 x3) to DFH using RMS feature. As an
1 4
example, the following table gives the number of hopping
2 4
frequencies depending on the number of TRX for this DFH
3 4
implementation. 4 5
One can notice that DFH behaves like SFH for cells with less 5 5
6 6
than 4 TRXs whereas it behaves like BBH for cells with more
than 4 TRXs.

Furthermore, we noticed an improvement of all Key Performance Indicators, among them:

- RTCH assignment failure: (depends mainly on the TCH signal quality): 0.38 % down to 0.32%,
meaning 16,5% improvement

- Call drop rate (depends mainly on the TCH signal quality): 0.61% down to 0.51 %, meaning 17%
improvement

- Quality handover rate (depends mainly on the TCH signal quality). There has been a spectacular
improvement (from 45 % to 30%: 33% improvement) that is reported in the chart below:

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 Design Paper: Advanced Frequency Planning Techniques

These results prove that the new frequency plan leads to a reduced interference level. It results in a significant
improvement of the quality of the network. Discrete Frequency Hopping could be applied as well to preserve the
quality while performing capacity extension through new transceivers or while shrinking the allocated spectrum.

5. CONCLUSION

Discrete Frequency Hopping is a field-proven method to optimise an operator’s spectrum. It

makes it possible to allocate the optimal number of hopping frequencies and to apply the optimal
frequency allocation, while achieving good network KPIs even with high RF loads. Frequency
Planning based on Discrete Frequency Hopping can even be automated in the Alcatel solution
thanks to the RMS feature and the Alcatel Radio Network Planning tool A9155. The RMS feature
provides field measurements collected by the Base Stations and the Mobiles in the field (extended
thanks to MAFA-capable handsets). Introducing RMS and DFH frequency planning is done by
software only and is a fast and cost-efficient means of dramatically improving network KPIs even in
highly loaded networks.

Discrete Frequency Hopping may be applied to improve the network quality while keeping the
same load and the same spectrum or to preserve the quality while extending the network by
adding more TRXs in each cell or reducing the spectrum (e.g. in case of GSM and UMTS sharing the
same spectrum).

Related Documents:
Design Paper – Densification of GSM Networks
Design Paper – Spectrum Planning in GSM/GPRS/EDGE
FUNCTIONAL FEATURE DESCRIPTION - Radio Measurement Statistics (RMS) - MAFA in Release B7

End of DOCUMENT

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