Drive Test & Analysis

Rahul Rode
NPD GTL
Contents
1.INTRODUCTION

2.NETWORK PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

3.REQUIREMENT FOR DRIVE TESTING

4.DRIVE TEST PROCESS

5.DRIVE TEST OUTPUTS

6.MEASUREMENT METRICS

7.DRIVE TEST ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION
Every alive Network needs to be under continues
control to maintain/improveThe performance. Drive
test is basically the only way to keep track of the
n/wBy looking deep into collecting & analyzing drive
test data.
Drive testing is the most common and maybe
the best way to analyze NetworkPerformance by
means of coverage evaluation, system availability,
NetworksCapacity, networks retainability and call
quality. Although it gives idea only onDownlink side
of the process.
The drive testing is basically collecting
measurement data with a TEMS phone,But the main
concern is the analysis and evaluation part that is
done after Completion of the test.
Remember that you are always asked to
perform a drive test for not only showingThe
problem, but also explaining them and providing
useful recommendations toCorrect them.

Network Problem Identification

1.Drive Test
2.OMC Statistics

3.Customer feedback

Requirement for Drive testing

Test the network from the subscribers point of view

Test the complete system, end-to-end (mobile-to-and)

Benchmark performance against competitor networks

Test specific important routes and areas

Test in-building coverage for specific buildings (walk

test)

Problem Drive Testing

Problems reported by statistical analysis,
r o u t i n e d r i v e t e s t i n g , customer care centre , etc

List of problematic cells identified and drive

tested thoroughly toanalyze the problem
Data collection and analysis done simultaneously

Drive Test Process

Drive Test Equipment

Data collected to find and analyze problems in the

network

Equipment necessary for Drive testing

Vehicle Drive test mobile phone
External vehicle mounted GPS
Laptop with drive test software and GPS
connection capability

TEMS INVESTIGATION Hard ware Configuration


Minimum Hardware Configuration for laptop to cope
with connectedone mobile station and one GPS to
Standard interface connected tocom ports.

PC : Pentium III 500MHz , 256 MB Ram

Ports : Serial Port, USB Port, and PCMCIA Card will
be helpful.

Graphics with min. 16 bit High Color

Sound Card and Speaker for audio indications.

For more mobile connections min. 512 MB Ram and
better processor.

OS : Windows 2000, Windows XP

Software : Min. Internet Explorer 5.0 or more for
report generator and online help.

Drive Test Setup

General Considerations
Routes chosen to be representative of the part of the
network under study

If applicable, collect GSM speech and GPRS drive

test data together

Drive test to be carried out preferably during peak

traffic hours

Calls to be made preferably mobile to a fixed

number

Call duration to be equal to the average call duration

for the network

For a typical metro city, at least 1000 calls required

for good statistical confidence

Drive Test Types


Routine Voice call drive test, short call & long Call.

Data Drive.

MMS, SMS Drive test.

Comparative Drive.

Problem specific drive test

Cell coverage analysis drive test.

Walk test.

Routine Drive Test


Network is monitored on a regular basis

Drive test routes to include all the major roads,
important locations, etc

Routes regularly drive tested and problems
further analyzed and solved

May require removing interfering carrier, Power
Change to BTS, Frequency Plan change, Neighbor
addition , etc.
Problem Drive Testing

Problems reported by statistical analysis,
r o u t i n e d r i v e t e s t i n g , customer care centre , etc

List of problematic cells identified and drive
tested thoroughly to analyze the problem

Data collection and analysis done simultaneously

Cell Coverage Analysis Drive Test


Usually carried out for new planned sites in the
network

New cells to come on air are thoroughly drive
tested to determine etheir server and coverage areas

Optimisation to be carried out for any
m a j o r d e v i a t i o n f r o m t h e initially planned
design
Optional Features

Walk test support

On line map display of the route

Scan feature

Drive Test Outputs

Display«..
Status Information
‡
General Information: Includes Latitude &
longitude, server cell name, date, time , log file
name etc

Serving cell: Includes Cell Identity,

B S I C , A R F C N , M C C , MNC, LAC

Serving + Neighbor cell data: Includes CI,

BSIC, ARFCN,Rxlev

Dedicated channel:Includes Channel

n u m b e r , T i m e s l o t number, Channel type, hopping
information

Radio Environment: Includes serving cell, Rx_Lev,

Rx_Qual,TA, DTX and RLTimeout counter
information
GSM Drive Test Metrics

Route Plots
Rx Lev Full
Rx Lev Sub
Rx Qual Full
Rx Qual Sub
C/I
BCCH

Events
Call Drops
Setup Failures
HO Failures
HO Success
Drive Test Analysis
Analysis Types

Coverage Analysis: Level
a n a l y s i s Quality Analysis

Interference Analysis: Co-channel and adjacent
channel interference

Handover Analysis: Intra cell &
inter cell Handover

Neighbour Analysis: Missing neighbors

Call Analysis: Call Setup time,
Call hold time etc.
Current Channel

Definitions:
1.Time: It is system time of computer.

2.Cell name: It displays the name of thesector which is

serving according to thecellfile that is loaded in TEMS.

3.CGI: It stands for the Cell GlobalIdentity which is

unique for every sector of the site. It consists of
MCC,MNC,LAC,CI.
MCC: Mobile Country Code 0 ± 999(e.g. 404),
MNC: Mobile Network Code0 ± 99 (e.g. 98)
LAC : Location AreaCode 0 -65535 (e.g. 5101)
CI: CellIdentity 0 ± 65535 (e.g. 11001)
Current Channel

1.Cell GPRS Support

: Tells sector is havingGPRS or not. Values are Yes or No .

Band
: It tells in which Freq. Band mobile isoperating e.g. GSM
900/ 1800.

BCCH ARFCN
: It tells by which BCCH isthe mobile station getting
served.

TCH ARFCN
: On which Traffic Freq. call isgoing on.

BSIC
(Base Station Identity Code) : It iscombination of
Network Color Code (NCC)(0 ± 7) & Base Station Color
Code (BCC) (0± 7). e.g. 62. It is decoded by mobile on
everySync. Channel Message.

Mode
: It is shows in which state is mobileoperating, Idle,
Dedicated & Packet.

Time slot
: On which time slot of currentTCH call is going on. Viz.
time slot no. of TRX.