Troubleshooting for Access

 Fundamental Knowledge
 Description and Fault Causes

 Trouble Category

 Examples

MS Searching Network

1) Generally MS operates on its home PLMN (HPLMN). Under some special

circumstances, MS may select another PLMN. This selection can be performed in two
modes: automatic network searching and manual network searching.

2) Every time it is switched on with SIM in it, MS checks for the PLMN it last logged
into and tries to log into that PLMN.

3) When logging succeeds, MS will operate on that PLMN.

4) When logging fails because there is no suitable cell, MS will search at least 30
GSM900 channels or 40 GSM1800 channels for login. During this process, a PLMN will
be selected.

5) When logging fails because location updating fails, MS will not search the channels.
Instead, it will display the PLMNs available for the subscriber. Then the subscriber can
select a network either automatically or manually.

6) In the automatic mode, MS selects a network from the PLMN list by priority. In the
manual mode, MS displays the PLMNs available for the subscriber and logs into the
PLMN the subscriber selects.

7) MS roaming can affect network searching. There are two roaming modes: international
roaming and national roaming. The former is a process that MS logs into a PLMN in a
country different from the country of HPLMN. The latter refers to that MS logs into a
PLMN in a country the same as the country of HPLMN. MS searches the HPLMN
periodically during the process of national roaming.

8) During the process of national roaming, in order to prevent MS from logging into a
forbidden LA, MS stores the forbidden LAs into a list of "Forbidden Las for national
roaming". This list will be cleared when MS is switched off or SIM is removed.

9) In addition, MS stores some barred PLMNs in its SIM. Only when a barred PLMN is
manually selected and the corresponding location updating succeeds, can the PLMN be
removed from the list of Forbidden PLMNs.
10) MS searching network failure occurs when MS fails to select a PLMN or cell.

Location Updating Procedure

The location updating procedure is shown in Figure 1 .

Figure 1 Location updating procedure

Notes:

1) In the whole location updating procedure, authentication and ciphering procedures are
also included. They are performed after the procedure of SCCP connection establishment
between BSC and MSC. In Huawei MSC, authentication and ciphering procedures are
optional.

2) Sometimes the identification procedure may also be part of the location updating
procedure. When the MS ID contained in the MS-reported message Establish Indication
is TMSI and when VLR does not recognize the TMSI or the TMSI authentication fails,
the identification procedure will be started. That is, MSC delivers a transparent message
Identity Request to the MS and then the MS reports a message Identity Response in
which the IMSI is provided.
3) When the parameter "TMSI allocation in case of location updating" at MSC is set to
NO, MS will not report the message TMSI Reallocation Complete during the location
updating procedure.

4) Abnormal case: Location updating rejected. In other words, the message Location
Updating Rejected is received from MSC.

Possible causes of the abnormal case include:

 MSC does not allocate CGI to the cells involved in the BSC.
 Communication between MSC and VLR fails.
 MS is not registered in HLR, etc.

Call Procedures
Figure 1 Call procedures when MS is calling

Note:

1) In the whole call procedures, authentication and ciphering procedures are also
included. They can be performed after the SCCP connection establishment between BSC
and MSC shown in Figure 1 .

2) For the dual band MS, the classmark updating procedure is also part of the call
procedures. It is performed after the SCCP connection establishment and before the
message CM Service Accepted is received. Figure 2 shows the procedure.

Figure 2 Classmark updating procedure

3) As shown in Figure 1 , BSC sends the message Assignment Request before the
Alerting message. Therefore, this is called early-assignment procedure. When BSC sends
the message Assignment Request after the Alerting message, the procedure is called late-
assignment procedure. There is also a kind of very-early-assignment procedure. In such
procedure, the TCH is assigned during the immediate assignment procedure. When BSC
sends the message Assignment Request, no new channel is requested. The channel is
assigned via the channel mode modify procedure. Figure 3 shows the channel modify
procedures.

Figure 3 Channel modify procedure

4) Abnormal case 1. BSC sends the message Assignment Request. Upon receipt of the
message, BTS does not send the message Assignment Command to MS but sends the
message Assignment Fail message to BSC.

Possible causes of this abnormal case include:

 There is no TCH available at BSC

 The BSC-assigned CIC is not idle at BSC.

5) Abnormal case 2. BSC sends the message Assignment Command to MS. Upon receipt
of the message, MS reports the message Assignment Fail.

Possible causes:

Downlink or uplink BER is too high.

Trouble Category

MS Cannot Find a Network

I. Description

1) MS displays "No Networks" or nothing.

2) The network list MS displays does not contain HPLMN.

II. Analysis

1) Cell is not put into service yet.

At the maintenance console, select [Obtain Cell Attribute] from the corresponding cell.
When the message "Cell not initialized" is returned, it can be considered that the cell is
not put into service yet. When the corresponding attribute information is returned, it can
be considered that the cell is already in service.

2) Trace the message process on the Abis interface and see whether a channel request is
made. If no, analysis can be made as follows:

a) For the non-MS trouble,

 The BTS hardware may be faulty.

 At the maintenance console, check whether the board is in the normal state or
whether the indicator of each board is normal. Then check whether the RC and
BT attributes are consistent with the corresponding configurations made at the
data management console and whether the BTS clock is already locked and
 synchronized with the BSC clock. If everything is all right, it is required to test
whether the antenna & feeder system outputs the right power.
 The system information may be erroneous.
 Check whether the configurations of CI, LAI, BSIC and CCCH at BTS are
consistent with the corresponding items listed in the Radio Channel Configuration
Table.
 The CBQ and CBA settings may have errors.

b) For the MS trouble,

 The reason may be that the MS is in the position where the signal quality is very
poor or the signal level is very low. Move the MS to an open area and try again.
 The problem may also lie in that the MS battery has low power and its receiving
capability decreases.

3) If the "Channel Request" message is traced on the Abis interface while the message
"Location Updating Rejected" is also displayed, check should be made on the related data
at NSS.

III. Trobleshooting process

1) Initializing the cell and site

When finding the cell is not put into service yet, perform hierarchical reset over the site
of the cell. This may affect the conversation in all other cells under that site. During the
process of initializing, the progress of each initializing stage is indicated.

BTS initializing contains two stages: site initializing and cell initializing.

a) Procedures of site initializing are given below:

 Set site logical objects

 Set site hardware objects
 Set site extension attributes
 Establish connections between sites
 Start the site

b) Procedures of cell initializing are given below:

 Set TEI
 Set up the signalling channel
 Set up the traffic channel
 Set cell attributes
 Set cell extension attributes
 Set RC attributes
 Set RC extension attributes
  Set channel attributes
 Set cell alarm thresholds
 Start the cell
 Wait for the cell status change report

The results of each stage are displayed at the maintenance console at the real time. A
stuffed star means an operation success while an unstuffed a failure. In case of failure,
causes will also be given. Make checks based on the causes.

2) Removing the hardware trouble

 When finding a board faulty, reset or replace it.

 When finding the problem lies in the antenna & feeder system, check whether the
connection at each port is secure and whether the power supply and power
amplifier are normal.
 When finding the problems lies in the clock board, replace it and make sure that
the item "clock mode" the Site Description Table is set as "external clock".
 When finding the system information erroneous, correct the erroneous items,
reconfigure the table and validate the setting via dynamic data configuration.

3) Removing the trouble from NSS

 Check whether the message "Location Updating Rejected" is transmitted on the A

interface. If no, check the A-interface-related data configurations and connections
at MSC and BSC.
 If the message is traced on the A interface, check whether the CGI of the cell is
added to MSC and whether the MS is properly defined in HLR.
 Check for other possible problems at NSS if the trouble is not removed yet.

MS Cannot Access a Network

I. Description

1) MS displays "No Services" or "Only Emergence Call" or nothing.

2) In the manual mode, the MS displays that it has found one or several networks.

3) On the Abis interface, no message is found or the message "Location Updating

Rejected" is traced.

II. Possible causes

1) SIM is not inserted. Insert the SIM.

2) MS battery has low electric power. Charge the battery.

3) The cell is not put into service yet. See the following handling process.

4) RSL interrupts.

5) System information is erroneous.

6) The Um interface phase version is too low.

III. Handling process

When finding the cell is not put into service yet, reset the cell and then the fourth
hierarchy of the site and see whether the initializing procedure is normal.

1) Judge whether the cell is put into service. If yes, turn to 3). If no, turn to 2).

At the maintenance console, select [Obtain Cell Attributes] of the corresponding cell.
When the message "Cell not initialized" is returned, it can be considered that the cell is
not put into service yet. When the corresponding attribute information is returned, it can
be considered that the cell is already in service.

2) When finding the cell is not put into service yet, perform hierarchical reset over the
site of the cell. This may affect the conversation in all other cells under that site.

During the process of initializing, the progress of each initializing stage is indicated.

BTS initializing contains two stages: site initializing and cell initializing.

Procedures of site initializing are given below:

 Set site logical objects

 Set site hardware objects
 Set site extension attributes
 Establish connections between sites
 Start the site
 Procedures of cell initializing are given below:
 Set TEI
 Set up the signalling channel
 Set up the traffic channel
 Set cell attributes
 Set cell extension attributes
 Set RC attributes
 Set RC extension attributes
 Set channel attributes
 Set cell alarm thresholds
 Start the cell
 Wait for the cell status change report
The results of each stage are displayed at the maintenance console at the real time. A
stuffed star means an operation success while an unstuffed a failure. In case of failure,
causes will also be given. When the cause is data error, check whether the corresponding
data configuration is right. When the cause is that the operation cannot be executed, it can
be considered that the BTS TMU has wrongly configured the corresponding board.
Check whether the board is normal. Then turn to 1.

3) When finding the cell is already in service, check whether the clock parts and boards in
the cell are normal. If no, perform corresponding handling as suggested below:

At the local maintenance console, enter into the equipment status query window and view
the board status. If a board is displayed in red, it can be considered that the board is
faulty. In this case, check whether the corresponding board hardware is normal, whether
communication between boards is right and whether each board is properly powered.

a) When the cell is already in service and when MS can lock a band while no message is
transmitted on the Abis interface, the reason may be that the item "Cell access allowed"
in the BSC System Information Data Table is set to NO. Just modify it to YES and
reconfigure the Table.

b) When the cell is already in service and when MS can find a network while no message
is transmitted on the Abis interface, the reason may be that the Um interface phase
version is too low.

Handling suggestions: At the data configuration console, modify the Um interface phase
version in the Local Information Table to be GSM_Um_Phase 2 or above.

Location Updating is too Frequent

I. Description

When switched on, MS can find a network. It can also call or be called. However, MS
performs location updating frequently and the voice quality is poor.

II. Analysis

Generally MS location updating is used for the following three purposes:

1) Location updating when MS enters into a new location area

2) Periodic location updating

3) Location updating when MS is switched on

Improper data configuration may cause too frequent location updating.

III. Handling process

1) View the signaling on the interface. When the message is "Normal Location
Updating", the reason may be that MS is on the overlapped border of more than one
location areas. (This case seldom occurs.) Change the MS position.

2) When the message is "IMSI Attach" and MS is not switched on/off frequently, the
reason may be that MS often drops from the network because it has too low signal level
and cannot receive the BTS message. Check whether MS level is too low.

3) When it is periodic updating that is performed too frequently, the reason may be that
the location updating period is too short. Select [Cell/System information data table] at
the BSC data management console and see whether the location updating period setting is
too small. When finding it is normal, check whether the MS has properly received that
system information. (Via a test MS, the T3212 timeout value should be clearly detected.)

MS Drops from the Network Frequently

I. Description

1) In idle mode, MS sometimes displays the accessed network and sometimes does not.
This kind of situation occurs too frequently.

2) In call mode, the MS call often drops.

II. Analysis

During the processes of system information receiving, cell selection or cell reselection,
when MS finds its cell does not satisfy the protocol requirements while it cannot find
another suitable cell, the MS may drop from the network.

III. Handling process

1) Check whether the system information is properly sent and whether the cell reselection
parameters and random access parameters are changing frequently.

2) Check whether the MS C1 is too small. If yes, check whether the parameters that may
affect C1 are properly set, such as the MS min Rx power level and MS max Tx power
level.

3) Check whether the BTS output power has some too great jitters.

4) Check whether the antenna is fixed.

5) Check whether there is co-channel interference between the BCCH in the cell and that
in another.
MS Finds a Network but Cannot Call

I. Description

After switched on, MS finds a network. However, when dialing, one of the following
situations occurs.

1) MS receives no ring back tone even when the dialed number is not busy.

2) MS receives the ring back tone and then interrupts automatically.

3) MS receives the ring back tone and interrupts when the call is answered.

II. Analysis

When MS cannot call, the problem may lie in BTS, BSC, MSC and fixed telephone
network.

III. Handling process

1) Check whether the signaling on the Abis interface is normal.

2) Check whether the immediate assignment is performed. If no, check whether there is
SDCCH available. If yes, check the paging parameter settings. If no, reconfigure the cell
or increase the cell capacity.

3) Check whether assignment is performed.

4) When finding assignment is not performed, check whether there is TCH available.
Reconfigure the cell or increase the cell capacity. Then check the data mapping
relationship on the Abis interface.

5) When finding the radio link fails, check the measurement report. If it indicates that the
receiving quality is too poor, the reason may be that the antenna & feeder system is not
properly connected or that the BSC clock is faulty.

6) Check whether the network route is normal. When no route is detected, the problem
may lie in that the link to the BSC switching network has errors, that FTC is abnormal,
that A interface is blocked, that MSC cannot obtain the roaming MS number or that MSC
blocks some routes.

7) When the route is normal, the problem may lie in that the FTC application fails.

8) Other causes.

Examples
MS has Difficulty in Accessing a Network

I. Description

MS could not make a call though MS is near to the BTS B which could be seen by the
subscriber. The MS could not access a network.

II. Handling process

1) The maintenance personnel performed some drive tests over the BTS B in the
positions where the BTS could be seen. He found that the MS receive signal level was
high and ranged between -80~-90dBm when it was in the positions lower than the BTS
and low when it was in the positions about 500 m vertically higher than the BTS. It was
also found that the MS could not access a network when it was on the roadside nearer to
the mountain.

2) B was an omni-directional BTS and its main lobe was in the plane parallel to the earth;
therefore, its upward-radiated power was very low. Besides, since the MS antenna was
not very far from the earth, its receive signal might suffer from much attenuation from the
earth. That was the reason why MS in the high position (especially on the roadside nearer
to the mountain) could not access a network or call though the subscriber could see the
BTS.

3) This was caused by the characteristics of radio wave propagation. It had nothing to do
with the BTS performance.

MS Cannot Perform Cell Reselection

I. Description

In one M1800 network, an MS in idle mode could not normally perform cell reselection.
Instead, it often dropped from the network and then was registered again in the network.

II. Analysis

Possible causes of MS dropping from the network are given below:

 Signals of the adjacent cells were all too weak, so MS could not find a suitable
cell for cell reselection.
 MS could not find any adjacent cell for the serving cell had no adjacent
relationship with the neighboring cells.

III. Handling process

1) The maintenance personnel checked the relation data of the adjacent cells and found
no problem. Therefore, the trouble could not be due to the second cause.
2) Through tests, the maintenance personnel found the signal of the current serving cell
was very weak and that of the adjacent cell was also too weak; therefore, MS did not
perform cell reselection.

3) When it continued to move to a position where its signal was really too weak while it
had not found an adjacent cell yet, MS dropped from the network.

4) The reason why the signal of the adjacent cell was weak was that the height, position
and azimuth angle of the antenna at the adjacent site were wrongly set.

5) Heightening the antenna at the adjacent site could enhance the signal of the adjacent
cell. However, it could not be implemented currently due to the on-site limitations.

6) The maintenance personnel increased the adjacent cell redundancy so that the serving
cell had adjacent relationship with a non-neighboring site and MS could perform cell
reselection normally.

Location Updating Period Result in MS Drops from Network

I. Description

There were four BTS2.0s in one GSM network. The network operated normally. One day,
many MSs dropped from the network.

II. Handling process

1) The maintenance personnel first performed hardware check. At the remote

maintenance console, the maintenance personnel found that the HPA and TRX of all
BTSs were normal and that all TCHs and SDCCHs were occupied.

2) Then the maintenance personnel checked the BSC hardware and found that the
indicators of GMPU, GLAP, BIE and CK3 were all normal. From these checks, it could
be considered that the problem did not lie in the BTS hardware.

3) In that period, data of the network was not modified. The only change was that the MS
quantity increased greatly. In VLR, more than 4,000 local subscribers and more than
5,000 roaming subscribers were registered. Hence, the maintenance personnel inferred
that the problem lied in the sharp increase of MS quantity.

4) The increase of MS quantity can cause the following two affects:

 TCH congestion rate increases. When TCHs in the cell are all occupied, other
subscribers cannot call or be called.
 SDCCH congestion rate increases. When SDCCHs in the cell are all occupied,
MS cannot normally perform signaling exchange. Subscribers cannot call or be
 called. Besides, they cannot perform location updating successfully. The
consequence of location updating failure is that MS drops from the network.

5) The maintenance personnel queried the BSC System Information Data Table and found
that the location updating period was set to 2 (unit: 6 minutes). That is, the location
updating period was set as 12 minutes. It was also found that the corresponding
parameter at MSC was set as 30 minutes. Therefore, each activated MS initiated a
periodic location updating via the SDCCH every 12 minutes. When there were so many
MSs that all SDCCHs were occupied, the MS to initiate a periodic location updating
would fail in the location updating and drop from the network.

6) The maintenance personnel modified the location updating period at BSC to 10, i.e. 10
x 6 = 60 minutes. In the meantime, the corresponding parameter at MSC was set as 180
minutes. He also reset the two Tables. Since then, no subscriber complaint has been
received.

III. Conclusion

The location updating period set at MSC (VLR) should be 2~3 times of that set at BSC.
The shorter the location updating period is set at BSC, the better the overall network
performance will be. However, the signaling traffic in the network will become heavier
and the radio resource usage lower. Besides, the MS power consumption will increase,
which may shorten the average stand-by time of each MS in the system. Therefore, you
should consider the processing capabilities of MSC and BSC and the traffics of A
interface, Abis interface, Um interface, HLR and VLR when you set that parameter.
Generally it was set to a high value when the system was in urban areas and to a low one
when the system was in suburban areas or at countryside.

CGI Result in MS Drops from Network

I. Description

There was a BTS. MS under it could not normally access a network. The MS sometimes
could receive signals and sometimes could not even when it was near to the BTS. It
became normal when it was switched off and then on.

II. Handling process

1) The maintenance personnel found the temperature in the equipment room reached
40°C and the air conditioner could not work normally, he doubted it was the high
temperature that caused the BTS trouble. However, after correction, the trouble was not
removed yet.

2) The maintenance personnel replaced the BTS TRX and then performed a test.
However, the trouble still existed. The possibility of TRX failure was excluded.
3) Then the maintenance personnel collected and analyzed some onsite information such
as traffic statistics information, messages on the Abis interface and uplink & downlink
test powers. No problem was found.

4) The maintenance personnel viewed the MSC Location Area & Cell Table and found
that the GCI settings of the three cells at MSC were identical while inconsistent with the
corresponding CGI settings at BSC.

5) The maintenance personnel then modified the GCI at MSC. The trouble disappeared.

III. Conclusion

In case of such trouble, please check whether the GCI settings at MSC are consistent with
the corresponding CGI settings at BSC.

MSC Cell Data Result in MS Access Network Difficultly

I. Description

There was a BTS A. MS under it could well receive signals and make calls upon switch-
on; however, later the MS displayed "Network failure" or "No networks". The MS
became normal when it was switched off and then on. However, later it would meet with
the trouble again.

II. Analysis

1) For a trouble that sometimes occurs and sometimes does not, the most probable
problem lies in transmission failure. That BTS used microwave for transmission;
therefore, it should be checked whether the BER was too high.

2) The BTS clock accuracy should also be considered. That BTS was in the second
hierarchy; therefore, it should be checked whether the TMU was satisfactory.

3) The problem may also lie in periodic location updating failure that may be caused by
data configuration error.

III. Handling process

1) Via tests, the possibility of transmission failure was excluded at first.

2) Then the maintenance personnel checked the TMU clock status and found it was
normal.

3) It was noticed that there were also two sites B and C near the BTS A and they were in
the same location area as A was.
4) The maintenance personnel used a test MS to scan all frequencies and found that the
MS could receive signals from B and C, access a network and make calls. Later it
detected stronger signals (from A). Then it performed cell reselection and camped on the
cell under A. However, its periodic location updating was rejected by MSC. The
maintenance personnel inferred data configurations at BSC and MSC might be erroneous.

5) The maintenance personnel checked the Cell Table, Cell Module Information Table
and Cell Description Data Table of BSC and found that one cell ID corresponded to more
than one cells and that the adjacent relationship was not completely defined. He added a
cell ID and complemented the adjacent relationship. However, the trouble was not
removed yet.

6) Then the maintenance personnel checked the MSC data and found that the CGI of the
cell under A had not been defined. In this case, periodic location updating initiated in the
cell under A would be rejected by MSC because the CGI could not be found. It was no
wonder that MS dropped from the network.

7) The maintenance personnel added the CGI of the cell under A to the MSC data
configuration. The trouble disappeared.

MSC Cell Data Result in MS Drops from Network

I. Description

In one network (with BTS type of BTS20), an MS often dropped from the network and
could not make calls when it was inside a room. When it was near the BTS, the MS could
access a network and make calls.

II. Analysis

Possible causes of MS call dropping are given below:

 Antenna & feeder problem

 CDU problem
 RF power amplifier problem
 Interference over the BTS (uplink interference)
 New interference source in the subscriber's living area (downlink interference)
 Data configuration error

III. Handling process

1) The maintenance personnel replaced the main antenna with the diversity one of the
problem cell and viewed the antenna & feeder. At this step, the possibility of antenna &
feeder problem was excluded.
2) The maintenance personnel replaced the CDU of the problem cell with that of another
cell. At this step, the possibility of CDU problem was excluded.

3) Then the maintenance personnel replaced the HPA, TRX, PSU and FPU with those of
another cell. At this step, the possibility of RF device was also excluded.

4) The maintenance personnel viewed the traffic statistics console and found that the
highest level of the interference band in the problem cell was 2. Therefore, the problem
could not lie in uplink interference.

5) The maintenance personnel closed the TRX of the problem cell and the signal in the
subscriber's living area disappeared immediately. Therefore, the problem could not lie in
downlink interference, either.

6) The maintenance personnel inserted the SIM to another MS and found the MS could
not access a network, either. It indicated that the MS had no error.

7) The maintenance personnel used a test MS for the trouble location. The outdoor signal
strength in that area was tested to be about -80dBm; however, the MS could not access a
network yet. In addition, upon switch-on, the test MS that was locked in the cell showed
that it dropped from the network; however, it could still make calls. As for a common
MS, upon MS switch-on, the received signal was best. However, in one minute, it showed
it dropped from the network. When it called, its received signal recovered best and the
call could be set up.

8) The maintenance personnel suspected that MS could not perform location updating in
that cell or camp on/off that cell. He turned the test MS to another cell by executing SET
BCCH on the test MS. Now the MS could access a network though the signal was very
weak. He then returned the MS into the current cell via the command SET BCCH. In this
case, MS could both access a network and make calls.

9) The maintenance personnel performed signaling trace over the MS and saved the
messages. Through analysis on the messages, he found MS had initiated many location
updating requests in the cell while MSC always returned "Location Updating Rejected"
with cause value of "Network failure".

10) Then the maintenance personnel viewed the MSC data configuration and found that
the cell ID of that area was missed.

11) The maintenance personnel added the data of that cell to the MSC data configuration.
The trouble disappeared.

Some MSs Cannot Access a Network

I. Description
Some subscribers complained that they could not access a network or make calls under an
omni-directional BTS. However, everything was all right when they were under other
sites.

II. Handling process

1) Since the trouble occurred to some MSs, the maintenance personnel first checked the
MS data and found that MS data was right.

2) The maintenance personnel then checked the BTS board as well as the running status
and found the BTS run normally.

3) The maintenance personnel reset the BTS. However, the trouble was not removed yet.

4) The maintenance personnel used a problem SIM to make a test. He found that the
contents the problem SIM displayed were different from those of a normal SIM. Upon
switch-on, the problem SIM first searched the time slot 2 instead of the time slot 0 of the
TRX where the BCCH belonged.

5) As the channel the MS first searched was wrong, the maintenance personnel suspected
that the problem lied in data configuration error.

6) He checked the data configuration and found that the item CCCH in the System
Information Table was wrongly set as 2 non-combined CCCHs.

7) The maintenance personnel modified that item as 1 non-combined CCCH. Then the
MS could normally access a network.

CBQ and CBA Result in MS Access Network Difficultly

I. Description

In one hotel, when a subscriber stepped out of a lift, MS could not access a network or
the access was very slow. This situation lasted more than five minutes. The MS could
successfully access a network when it was switched off and then on.

II. Analysis

1) When MS steps into a lift, its previous C1 or downlink signal failure counter may fail
to be displayed. The MS will initiate the cell reselection procedure. At first it attempts to
search the stored list of cells of the current PLMN. If failing, it will search all cells of the
current PLMN. If failing again, it will search other PLMNs.

2) If MS is searching other PLMNs when it steps out of a lift, it may find the signal of
one PLMN is best for it. It will initiate the location updating procedure but fail. That
PLMN will be listed in its Forbidden PLMN List. After failing in searching other
PLMNs, it will search its HPLMN, i.e. the last registered PLMN. When finding the
HPLMN, MS will perform the same operations as those it performs under the following
condition 3).

3) If MS is searching the HPLMN for a cell when it steps out of a lift, it will read in turn
the information from the BCCHs, beginning from the BCCH information with the best
signal. It may find the priority of the GSM900 cell is low and go on searching. When
finding a GSM1800 cell and considering the priority satisfactory, MS performs location
updating and camps on that cell if it succeeds in the updating. If it is a GSM900 single
band MS, the MS will search all GSM900 cells. When finding the priorities of all
GSM900 cells are low, it will select the GSM900 cell with the best signal for location
updating. When succeeding in the location updating, it will camp on that cell. During this
process, MS should search all frequencies with signal. Therefore, it takes MS a relatively
long time to access a network.

4) If MS is being switched on/off whet it steps out of a lift, it will search the stored list of
cells. When finding a GSM1800 cell from the list, it will perform location updating and
access a network successfully. When finding there is no GSM1800 cell in the list, it will
search all GSM900 cells in the list. When finding the priorities of all GSM900 cells are
low, it will select the cell with the best signal for location updating and then successfully
access a network. During this process, MS should only search all frequencies with signal
listed in the stored list. Therefore, it takes MS a relatively short time to access a network.

5) Sometimes, when MS steps into a lift, it will enter into the slow-searching state in a
no-signal period in order to save power. When the MS steps out of the lift, it performs the
cell selection procedures normally. In this case, it will take MS a relatively long time to
access a network.

III. Handling process

1) The trouble was that the access to a network was very slow. When the subscriber found
the MS had not accessed a network yet in several minutes after he stepped out of the lift,
he switched the MS off and then on. In this case, the MS could successfully access a
network.

2) The maintenance personnel checked the consistency between Location Area & Cell
Table, Cell Module Information Table of MSC and Cell Table and Cell Description Data
Table of BSC and found nothing wrong.

3) The maintenance personnel then checked the CBQ and CBA settings in BSC
configuration and found the settings were likely to be unfavorable to fast access.

4) On the spot, except that the GSM1800 cell of the hotel and another GSM1800 cell had
the CBQ settings of NO, the CBQs of all other sites were set to YES. Therefore, the
priorities of the many cells that covered the hotel were low. (Note: The hotel was the
highest building in the local plain. Therefore, it was covered by many cells.) When MS
did not perform selection among the stored list of cells, it could not access a network
until it searched all cells. That was why the access to a network was very slow.

The maintenance personnel modified the CBQ settings of all cells to NO and then the
trouble disappeared.