Mobile Radio Division CS & QA

QUALITY ALERT

QUALITY ALERT n 06R04 revision 5 BTS TRAGE and TRADE modules

---------------------------------------------CREATION DATE: LAST UPDATE: STATUS: SEVERITY : URGENCY : REQUESTER: APPLICATION DOMAIN: 09/ 05/ 2006 29/05/2006 corrections of revision 5 in blue versus index 4 QA (Quality Alert) G1 U1 M Chauchis Plants (EU, ASB, India, Brazil), MCG/RSC, MCG/CO, MRD.

Important notice: This information is for Alcatel internal use only. It must not be communicated as it is to any customer, any sub-contractor or any external company. CONCERNED SYSTEM: BTS A9100 and spares. Related fault report 3BKA91FBR179536. IMPACTED ALCATEL PRODUCT: Some BTS A9100 using TRAGE 3BK26525 AAAA or TRADE 3BK26526 AAAA can show under certain specific conditions (hot countries, Frequency Hopping activated) bad Quality of Service (call drops on odd timeslots).

ORIGINE & TYPE OF DEFECT

When Frequency Hopping is activated the DL_Quality (BER) of the odd time slots is much higher than the even ones, due to disturbances generated by the power amplifier on one synthesizer (LOB) on baseband board. The defect can happen immediately or after being in service for 2-4 weeks or more depending on the hot ambient temperature (it was noticed to appear more quickly in outdoor BTS). Mainly TRAGE and TRADE modules are concerned. Some TADHE were found faulty ; till now no failure of this type was observed for TAGHE.

CUSTOMER IMPACT
According to feed-back from Repair observations a few percentage of the modules TRAGE / TRADE can be impacted. On one sector the BTS-GSM can suffer from increased downlink Bit Error Rate (measured by RxQual up to 7) on odd timeslots, leading to degradation in QoS (Call Setup Success or Call Drop Rate) ; 4 out of 8 time slots become unusable. It can only be measured in our RNO with dropped call rate and hand-over cause statistics. The temporary work-around to be able to continue to use these odd time slots is to deactivate the Frequency Hopping, then Quality of Service is restored. The complete solution is to replace the faulty TRAGE or TRADE. There is no module alarm at OMC.

DEFECT ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

The cause of the problem is due to RF disturbance generated by the power amplifier on a frequency synthesizer. Both functions are normally well RF-isolated in separate chambers. Two conditions need to be met : - synthesizer IC from one of our suppliers (ALPS) which shows high sensitivity to RF disturbance is used in the module ; - and gasket material used for RF isolation between amplifier and synthesizer has varying efficiency dependent on production batch.
Important notice: This information is for Alcatel internal use only. It shall not be communicated as it is to any customer or any subcontractor or external company.

MRD/Q&CS/ M Chauchis /

135479314.doc

1/3

Mobile Radio Division CS & QA

QUALITY ALERT

RISK ANALYSIS
Due to unavailability of precise data (traceability link between module serial number and used batch of synthesizer component from specific batches of the supplier ALPS) up to now we found the most probable impacted weeks are 506 to 534. Possibly it could happen some production weeks from second half 2005 might be impacted.

CORRECTIONS
The use of ALPS synthesizer has been prohibited at the position G4600 on both TRAGE and TRADE. In order to be able to identify the new population the Realization Variant has been upgraded to AC.

ACTIONS
MANUFACTURING (EU, ASB and India, Brazil)
AP1 Only use MACOM synthesizer in position G4600 on TREDAGE and TREDADE boards. Status : applied from week 614 onwards.

MCG / RSC / PROGRAM : OPERATIONS

AP2 Action on modules in service : no systematic visit on site, replacement of faulty modules to be done when symptoms are detected. Use tool specified in Reference 3 in Annex 1 : Presentation + Excel Macro for Type5 measurements to support the identification of faulty modules without site visit. AP3 Actions on modules in spare in the hot concerned countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan) : check if modules are at the last realization variant AC for TRADE and TRAGE. All other programs for spares : if return rate due to this issue is higher than 5% please contact NPI. AP4 Information from RSCs to Customers : we need to be careful, the message to be given to each Customer is to be customized by RSC, not only showing the documents as they are (Reference 1). AP5 In order to have the maximum of efficiency with the noria process we need to know with the faulty modules to be sent back for repair the information they are defective due to Frequency Hopping (symptoms and detection) : to be monitored by RSCs. For other types of defects the right information is to be mentioned.

MCG / Supply Chain (CIT & ASB) / Purchasing

AP6 MCG / Central Operation / Logistics (CIT) : prepare noria (GRD) to be able to cover leadtime of Repair Centre (4 weeks). Set-up a batch to cover the 8 coming months (May to December 2006), see GRD. No AAAA version to be delivered to the 5 hot concerned countries, only AAAC version allowed. Marly hub : no action.

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT (TD)

AP7 Issue change proposal to prohibit ALPS synthesizer in position G4600 on TREDAGE and TREDADE and only use MACOM.

REPAIR CENTRE (ORMES + EU Factory)

AP8 Apply systematically the change proposal. This means all modules TRAGE, TRADE, TADHE and TAGHE arriving to Repair Centre whatever the defect must me checked and sent back in AAAC (TRAGE, TRADE and TAGHE) or AAAD (for TADHE) realization variants. AP9 Make sure capacities are sufficient for next months (May to September 2006).
Important notice: This information is for Alcatel internal use only. It shall not be communicated as it is to any customer or any subcontractor or external company.

MRD/Q&CS/ M Chauchis /

135479314.doc

2/3

Mobile Radio Division CS & QA

QUALITY ALERT

MCG / RSC / Quality

AP10 Ensure that the needed communication toward program is prepared.

ANNEX 1: AVAILABLE DOCUMENTATION (in the Zip file attached)

N 1 2 3 Document Reference Author File name CCI-TRAxE-Index-3.ppt Information-Summary-CCI-TRAx-FH-Index-306_04_2006.pdf PCSFaulty_EDGE+TRX_Problem_description_E6.p pt (unchanged) Elements to be used for M Chauchis / C Presentation for Customers. Brechtmann Presentation to RSCs, for M Chauchis / C internal use only. Brechtmann Presentation + Excel Macro PCS for Type5 measurements to support the identification of faulty modules without site visit. Change proposals. Klaus Saager

AMC-PAF002113.htm PAF002115.htm

and

AMC-

Important notice: This information is for Alcatel internal use only. It shall not be communicated as it is to any customer or any subcontractor or external company.

MRD/Q&CS/ M Chauchis /

135479314.doc

3/3