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GSM Basics and KPIs

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GSM NETWORK ELEMENTS

Um Interface is the central interface of every mobile network and typically the only one to which the customer is exposed
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Air interface characteristics

ETSI(European Telecommunications Standards Institute) defined all the characteristics of the air interface. Examples of the air interface characteristics defined by ETSI are: The output power of by the MS and the BTS The transmit and receive frequencies of the MS and the BTS The structure of the burst in which the data is sent When which type of messages may be sent.

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Mobile Equipment (ME or MS)

The ME is the only part of the GSM network which the subscriber will really see.

Mobile types have distinct features which must be known by the network, for
example their maximum transmission power and the services they support. The ME is therefore identified by means of a class mark.

The class mark is sent by the ME in its initial message.

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The following pieces of information are held in the class mark:

Revision Level
Identifies the phase of the GSM specifications that the mobile complies with. RF Power Capability The maximum power the MS is able to transmit, used for power control and

handover preparation. This information is held in the mobile power class number.
Ciphering Algorithm Indicates which ciphering algorithm is implemented in the MS. Frequency Capability

Indicates the frequency bands the MS can receive and transmit on. Currently all
GSM MSs use one frequency band, in the future this band will be extended but not all MSs will be capable of using it. Short Message Capability

Indicates whether the MS is able to receive short messages.

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Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

The SIM contains several pieces of information: International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)

This number identifies the MS subscriber. It is only transmitted over the air during
initialization. Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) This number identifies the subscriber, it is periodically changed by the system

management to protect the subscriber from being identified by someone

attempting to monitor the radio interface. Location Area Identity (LAI) Identifies the current location of the subscriber.

Subscriber Authentication Key (Ki)

This is used to authenticate the SIM card. Mobile Station International Services Digital Network (MSISDN) This is the telephone number of the mobile subscriber. It is comprised of a country

code, a network code and a subscriber number.

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Frequency Spectrum

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Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number The Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) is a unique number given to each radio channel in GSM. The ARFCN can be used to calculate the exact frequency of the radio channel
Band Name ARFCN Uplink (MHz) 890 + 0.2n 890 + 0.2n 890 + 0.2(n-1024) 890 + 0.2n 890 + 0.2(n-1024) fup(n) + 45 Downlink (MHz) fup(n) + 45 fup(n) + 45

Primary GSM
Extended GSM GSM Rail GSM900 GSM1800 GSM1900

1 n 124
0 n 124 975 n 1023 0 n 124 955 n 1023

GSM1800
(DCS1800) GSM1900 (PCS1900)

512 n 885
512 n 810

1710.2 + 0.2(n-512)
1850.2 + 0.2(n-512)

fup(n) + 95
fup(n) + 80

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Physical channels

FDMA and TDMA To achieve a high spectral efficiency in the cellular network a
combination of FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) is used. Each of the carrier frequencies is divided in time, using a TDMA scheme to increase the number of channels per carrier frequency. This results that each carrier frequency channel carries eight time-division multiplexed physical channels (eight timeslots) A physical channel is determined by the carrier frequency and the timeslot number.

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Logical Channels

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Broadcast Channel BCH(Down Link)

Broadcast control channel (BCCH) is a base to

mobile channel which provides general information about the network, the cell in which the mobile is currently located and the adjacent cells mobile channel which provides information for carrier synchronization

Frequency correction channel (FCCH) is a base to

Synchronization channel (SCH) is a base to mobile

channel which carries information for frame synchronization and identification of the base station transceiver
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Common Control Channel - CCH

Paging channel (PCH) is a base to mobile

channel used to alert a mobile to a call originating from the network

Random access channel (RACH) is a mobile

to base channel used to request for dedicated resources

Access grant channel (AGCH) is a base to

mobile which is used to assign dedicated resources (SDCCH or TCH)

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Dedicated Control Channel - DCCH

Stand-alone dedicated control channel (SDCCH) is a bi-directional

channel allocated to a specific mobile for exchange of location update information and call set up information

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Dedicated Control Channel - DCCH

Slow associated control channel (SACCH) is a bi-

directional channel used for exchanging control information between base and a mobile during the progress of a call set up procedure. The SACCH is associated with a particular traffic channel or stand alone dedicated control channel
Fast associated control channel (FACCH) is a bi-

directional channel which is used for exchange of time critical information between mobile and base station during the progress of a call. The FACCH transmits control information by stealing capacity from the associated TCH
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Logical channel combinations

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Frame Structure

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Graphical representation of the logical channel combinations 4 and 5.

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Graphical representation of the logical channel combinations 1,2,and 7

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Call establishment from a mobile

Mobile looks for BCCH after switching on RACH send channel request AGCH receive SDCCH

SDCCH send call establishment request

SDCCH do the authentication and TMSI allocation SDCCH send the setup message and desired number

SDCCH require traffic channel assignment

FACCH switch to traffic channel and send ack (steal bits) FACCH receive alert signal ringing sound FACCH receive connect message FACCH acknowledge connect message and use TCH
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TCH conversation continues

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Call Establishment
Get Servi ce Get SDC CH
SD Blocking

Est. TCH Establi Call Phone Ref. Phone Conn. sh SD Channe TCH l Blocking
SDCCH Seizer

CSSR or TCH Assignment

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Call completion Rate (TCH Drop call)

Main KPIs
KPIs Can be classified in to two based on

Accessibility KPIs SD Blocking SD Drop Immediate Assignment Success Rate TCH Assignment Success Rate TCH Blocking

Call Setup Success Rate

Retainability KPIs TCH Drop

Handover Success Rate

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SD Blocking

Main Reasons
Location Area not optimized SMS usage SDCCH availability
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Main reasons
following issues that could be possible reasons for SDCCH Drops:
Low signal strength Interference Path loss Imbalance between UL/DL High Timing Advance MS error or Subscriber behavior TCH Congestion Transmission Congestion (LAPD Concentration) Hardware or Transmission failures

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Call Setup Success Rate (%)

KPI Formula
Call Setup Success Rate (%) = ((Immediate Assignment Success Rate x TCH Assignment Success Rate) x (1 - SDCCH Drop Rate)) x 100%

Counters
CA303J: CELL_IMM_ASS_SUCC, CA300J: CELL_IMM_ASS_REQ CA313: CELL_ASS_SUCC CA310: CELL_ASS_REQ CM30:CELL_SD_CALL_DROPS K3003:CELL_KPI_SD_SUCC

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Immediate Assignment Success Rate

KPI Formula
Immediate Assignment Success Rate = Call Setup Indications (Circuit Service)

/ Channel Requests (Circuit Service) x 100%

CA300J

CA303J Immediate assignment procedure

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Immediate Assignment Success Rate

Related Factor
Coverage/Interference/Transmission/Device/System Traffic Volume

Statistics
TRX powerTAAntenna systemRxlevel&Power level Interference BandRxQualityRxlevelRACH Overload Alarm Cell/TRX/SDCCH/TCH AvailabilityTCH Assignment Successful Rate

TCH channel active NACK/Timeout

SDCCH/TCH Traffic VolumeSDCCH/TCH CongestionImmediate

Assignment MeasurementLocation Update

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TCH Assignment Success Rate

Formula
TCH Assignment Success Rate = Successful Assignments / Assignment

Requests x 100%

Description
The number of successful assignments is equal to the number of ASS REQ messages received by the BSC minus the number of ASS FAIL messages reported by the BSC to the MSC in various scenarios, such as air interface assignment, Mode Modify, and directed retry.
CA310

CA313

Assignment procedure on the radio interface HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. All rights reserved Page 30

TCH Assignment Success Rate

Related Factor
Coverage/Interference/Transmission/Device/System Traffic

Volume

Statistics
TRX powerTAAntenna systemRxlevel&Power Control

levelUL&DL Balance
Interference BandRxQualityRxlevel
Alarm Cell/TRX/TCH AvailabilityTCH channel active

NACK/Timeout
TCH Traffic VolumeTCH CongestionHandover (ping-pong)

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TCH Blocking

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TCH Drop Rate

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Radio Handover Success Rate (%)

Formula

Handover Success Rate (%) = (Successful Outgoing Internal Inter-Cell Handovers + Successful External Outgoing inter-Cell Handovers)/ (Outgoing Internal Inter-Cell Handover Commands + Outgoing External Inter-Cell Handover Commands) x 100%

Description

TCH handover (Intra BSC/Inter BSC) CH311 :Outgoing Internal Inter-Cell Handover Commands CH331 :Outgoing External Inter-Cell Handover Commands CH313 :Successful Outgoing Internal Inter-Cell Handovers CH333 :Successful Outgoing External Inter-Cell Handovers

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Radio Handover Success Rate (%)

Related Factor

Coverage/Interference/Transmission/Device/System Traffic Volume r Boost before handoverDirect Retry

Statistics

TRX powerTAAntenna systemRxlevelUL&DL Balance Interference BandRxQualityRxlevelRxquality HandoverPower Control AlarmBSC clockA interface circuit Cell/TRX/TCH AvailabilityTCH channel active NACK/TimeoutHandover measurement TCH Traffic VolumeTCH CongestionNeighbor Cell Traffic

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