Handover Problems

Late Handover: There are certain cases in which handover process takes place a little late. There could be couple of reasons to that. First thing to check is handover margins between the neighbors. If margins for level, quality or power budget handovers are not set correctly, handover will not take place at the right time. If margins are too much, handover will occur late, and vice versa. PingPong Handover: A hysteresis is used to prevent the pingpong effect i.e., several consecutive handovers between two cells. The pingpong effect can be caused by fading, the ! moving in a "ig"ag pattern between the cells, or by nonlinearities in the receiver. Incorrect handover margins will cause pingpong handovers. These margins need to be ad#usted in such a way that handover will happen at the right time, not earlier or late. $ack of dominant server in an area or too many overlapping coverage can also cause pingpong effect. Unnecessary Handover: %ust like pingpong handover effect, incorrect margins can cause unnecessary handovers that will directly affect network performance. The more number of handovers, higher the risk of facing quality problems or even drop calls. &nnecessary handovers or pingpong handovers will decrease the efficiency of data networks. Missing Neighbor Relation:

If a handoff is not performed to a neighbor cell that seems to be best server, there is a possibility of a missing neighbor relation. This will happen with sudden appearance of strong cell in the neighbor list #ust after a handover. Fake Neighbor: !ometimes, there is a good handover candidate in the neighbor list but handover will not take place and call will drop. Although that neighboring cell with a very good signal level appears to be a neighbor, in reality it is not. %ust because the serving cell has another neighbor with the same '((), this cell appears in the list. BCCH Missing from erving Cells MBCCH list: There are cases where handover is not taking place although two cells are defined as neighbors to each other. If neighbors '(() *+ is missing from serving cells '(() *+ list, ! will not monitor or report the neighbors '(() frequency. This will prevent )+ attempt to the neighbor. NCC Missing from erving Cells NCCP!RM "ist: If neighbors *(( ,*etwork (olor (ode first number in '!I(- is missing from serving cells *((./0 list, then ! is not be allowed to include the neighbor in the measurement report, because its *(( is not permitted. This will also prevent )+ attempt to the neighbor. #he ame BCCH $ B %C Combination: 1uring calls the ! reports the '((), '!I( and !ignal strength of the si2 strongest neighbors to the '!( which has to map the neighbors '(() *+ 3 '!I( combination to neighbors (4I ,(ell 4lobal Identity combination of (( *($A( and (I-. Therefore all neighbors of same cell must have a unique '(() *+ 3 '!I( combination& Une'(ected Coverage "ake: If cell ' has a lake of strong coverage inside cell A and cell ' is not a neighbor and cell ( is a neighbor and the '(() *+3'!I( combination is the same in cells ' and (, then '!( will start a )+ attempt to cell (, when the ! has monitored5reported the cell '. )ne*ay Neighbor Relation: A neighbor relation needs to be defined as mutual. 6hen defining cell A and (ell ' as neighbors to each other, neighbor relation from A to ' and from ' to A have to be defined. +therwise the )+ attempt is not possible in both directions. Neighbor Cell in another B C: 6hen the neighbor is in another '!(, the neighbor needs to be defined as an e2ternal cell in neighboring '!( with correct (4I, '(() *+, '!I( and power related parameters. If the neighboring cell belongs to a different !(, the

cell needs to be defined as an outer cell in neighboring and !( name.

!( with correct (4I

Handover Fail+re: 0easons for handover failure could be unavailable time slots because of high traffic, congestion, low signal strength or bad quality on target cell. )andover can be failed because of hardware problems in target cells more likely T07 or time slot problems. If handover attempt fails, ! tries to return to old channel. If it fails, call drops. )andover attempt is then repeated after a penalty time.