o Mainly two types of handovers

- Soft handover - Hard Handover

o Soft : Old radio link maintained when new

connection is gained. o Hard : Old Radio link is released before new connection is gained

o Source and target cells have same

frequency. o Used primarily in case of circuit switched calls.

HARD HANDOVER
o Handover between two WCDMA

frequencies. oNot recommended unless desperately needed.

o Moving from one radio

access technology to another. oPossible by special functioning mode, slotted mode. oContent of Uu interference frame is compressed in order to open time window in which UE decodes the GSM BCCH information.

o The process of handover occurs in three phases:

- Measurement Phase : Signal Strength, Quality and Interference reports are created and collected.

- Decision Phase : The criterion for handover is checked using handover algorithm.
- Execution Phase : If above criterion is fulfilled, new BS is activated and the active set is updated.

o Regarding handling of multipath components. oTwo types-

- Micro diversity - Macro Diversity Micro Diversity : Situation where multipath propagating components are combined in the BS.

o Micro diversity functionality at BS level sums up diff.

signal path received from one cell and in case of sectored BS, outcomes from diff sectors. MACRO DIVERSITY o Exists because UE may use cells belonging to diff. BSs or diff. RNC. o BSs do signal summing first concerning radio paths of their own and final summing is done at RNC level.

o Extremely essential in WCDMA because :

- Mobiles transmit simultaneously at a time. - WCDMA uses only one frequency very often. - Inaccuracy in power control increases interference and decrease the capacity of network. o Optimum situation is that power of all UEs signals are equal independent of their distance from BS. o This makes the SIR optimum.

o OPEN LOOP POWER CONTROL

- UE receives information about the used and allowed power levels from the Cell Pilot Channel . - UE evaluates the path loss occurring compared to the figures received from the BCH. - based on this difference the UE is able estimate what might be a correct-enough power level to initialize the connection.

CLOSED LOOP POWER CONTROL o During radio connection, this method is used. o BS commands UE to either increase or decrease its power with a pace of 1.5 KHz. o Decision to increase or decrease depends on SIR estimated by BS. OUTER LOOP POWER CONTROL o Used when UE is simultaneously attached to n/w through more than one cell. o Used to maintain the quality of radio link by adjusting SIR of connection.