CELL LOAD SHARING FEATURE AND TRAFFIC OPTIMIZATION CELL LOAD SHARING FEATURE AND TRAFFIC OPTIMIZATION

IN GSM NETWORK IN GSM NETWORK

Vedran Novak
F acul ty of Tr af f i c and Tr anspor t Engi neer i ng, Bel gr ade
Mentor: Prof. dr Vladanka A}imovi}-Raspopovi}


I INTRODUCTION I INTRODUCTION
One of the most important features of the cellular telephony
systems is constant and rapid growth of the number of
subscribers. This process may pose serious problems if growth of
mobile subscribers has not been followed by the network capacity
growth.
Cellular network can bedescribed as an Erlangs loss systemand
allowed congestion level (as a percentage) in Erlangs loss
systemis defined by the Grade of Service (GoS) [4, 5]. At the
same time, offered traffic in the cellular network is unevenly
distributed both in temporal and spatial domain and in spite of
this, all network cells must be dimensioned for the case of heavy
load, although the average load is significantly lower. With a
mechanism to cut the high load peaks, the network can be
dimensioned for a higher average load.
Ericsson, themanufacturer of equipment installed in both Serbian
cellular networks, 064 Mobilna Telefonija Srbije and 063 Mobtel,
offers one possible solution to the problemof traffic congestion
[1]. This solution is based on Cell Load Sharing (CLS) feature
of Base Station Controllers (BSC) software. This feature is
designed to redistributetraffic load between neighboring cells, but
implemented on a larger scale (i.e. all cells in the zone of
control) it is possiblethat its operation could havesomeeffect at
traffic congestion. CLS is an optional part of software(operators
buy this feature separately frombasic software) and it can be
turned on or off.
This paper presents an idea (a set of procedures) that could
evaluatetheeffect of CLS features operation at congestion level.

II SHORT TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE II SHORT TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE
FEATURE FEATURE
Cell load sharing is limited to traffic channels (TCH) in any
mode i.e. speech/data or signaling [2, 3]. Thelogic of thefeature
CLS is an integrated part of the locating algorithmand consists
of the following activities.
The traffic load in all cells where load sharing is
monitored; theload level determines thefurther activities,
If a cell has too high load, connections close to a cell
border aremadeto performhandover by recalculating their
ranking valuein locating,
The handovers are carried out only if the receiving cells
have a low enough load.
Theload in every cell is monitored in theBSC. Themeasureof
the load is the amount of idle traffic channels. Two levels
(parameters) arerelevant for Cell load sharing:
If theamount of idletraffic channels is equal or decreases
below CLSLEVEL (the parameter value is given as the
percentage of idle traffic channels in the cell) in a cell, that
cell tries to rid itself of some traffic by initiating load
sharing handover to neighboring cells,
If the amount of idle traffic channels is above load
CLSACC (also given as a percentage) in a cell that cell is
prepared to accept incoming load sharing handovers from
other cells.
When the amount of idle traffic channels decreases below
CLSLEVEL, new ranking calculations are performed in locating
for all connections in a cell. In the recalculations, reduced
hysteresis values (KHYST, TRHYST and LHYST) are used.
Hysteresis is used to decreasetheranking values for neighboring
cells which become somewhat underrated in comparison to the
serving cell and in that way ping-pong effect is prevented. If a
better neighbour cell is found for any of the connection as a
result of this new cell ranking, a load sharing handover is
requested for that connection. Successive locating recalculations
are done with linear ramping down of the hysteresis with a
percentage that is given by the parameter RHYST [3]. The
ramping down is performed during a time defined by the
parameter CLSRAMP, or until theamount of idletraffic channels
increases aboveCLSLEVEL. Theactual hysteresis given at each
timeis given by

( )
1
]
1

,
_

CLSRAMP
t t RHYST
H h
0
100
2 1 (dB) (1)
The purpose of ramping down the hysteresis is twofold:
The mobiles closest to the handover border are selected
first,
The mobiles selected for handover are few at a time; too
many lload sharing handovers at the same time might
otherwise cause instabilities.
The gain in terms of capacity that can be expected when using
the feature CLS depends on how many subscribers that will be
situated in the region where they can be subject for the
evaluations, i.e. the region defined by the locating hysteresis
parameters KHYST (and/or LHYST and TRHYST) and the
hysteresis reduction parameter RHYST. After the CLS had been
activated, RHYST decreases H value according to Eq.1 i.e.
handover margin of thecongested cell is pushed back towards
the actual Base Transciever Station (BTS) site. CLSLEVEL,
CLSACC and RHYST represent the features main controlling
parameters.

II III HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION I HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION
All thecells belong to thesameBSC. Cell shapeis approximated
for easier calculation of thearea of theload sharing region. The
author presumed that the central zone is congested (depicted by
lighter shade of gray on Figure 1.) whiletherest of thecells can
accept extra load generated by the load sharing handover.
Parameter settings areGoS=2%, RHYST=75% and CLSRAMP=0.
Different cells areidentified by theBTS sites (siteD serves cells
D1, D2 and D3). All the cells have 3 Transciever Units (TRU)
installed, except cells E2, G1 and D3 that have 2 TRUs.
Observed zoneencompasses different traffic density zones .


Figure1. Figure1. Hypothetical zone of control

Offered traffic per subscriber is set at 15 mE while the traffic
density is tabulated in Table 1. Sites A, B, C, D, E and G are
1.5 kmapart fromeach other except sites F, H and I that are 3
kmapart fromsites D, E and G.

Table1. Table1. Thetraffic density at different areas of thezoneof
control
Network cells Sites A, B
and C
Cells D3, E2
and G1
Remaining
cells
Estimated traffic
density
23 E/km
2
11 E/km
2
5 E/km
2
Number of TCH
channels per cell
22 14 22
Evaluation method consists of two procedures (ProcedureA and
Procedure B); each having number of steps. The procedures are
based on modified methods of the Transport Problemof the
Linear programming.

PROCEDURE A PROCEDURE A
STEP 1
During STEP 1, one should calculate the traffic offered to each
neighbouring cell in the zone of location T
LI
; themaximum
load that uncongested cell can accept before being congested
itself T
ACCLI
; and the load offered for load sharing handover
by congested cell T
HLI
.
STEP 2
During STEP 2 oneshould form, tabulateand input initial values
into The Load Sharing Table (LS Table Table 2.) in the
following manner:
Column 1 congested cell markings,
Column 2 load T
HLI
number of entries for each row
(congested cell) depends on number of uncongested
neighbouring cells,
Columns 3 through 8 uncongested cell markings and load
T
ACCLI
; and
Column 9 traffic load in congested cell after load sharing
had been performed.
Number of columns through 3 to 8 is defined by the congested
cell having the most uncongested neighbours while number of
rows is defined by number of congested cells.
STEP 3:
After the LS Table had been initially tabulated, traffic load
redistribution takes placethrough following steps: C3-G1, A2-D3,
B1-E2, C2-I3, A1-H1, B3-F1, B2-G3, C1-D2, A3-E1, A1-E1, B3-
G3 and C2-D2.
Some basic rules were laid to define ground for load sharing:
1. One should observe cells that can hand over its load to a
single cell and these receiving cells accept incoming load up
to a T
ACCLI
level (if T
ACCLI
< T
HLI
) or whole T
HLI
load (if
T
ACCLI
>T
HLI
) (steps C3-G1, A2-D3 and B1-E2).
2. Oneshould observecells that can accept load fromasingle
congested cell and theseuncongested cells accept load in the
same manner as defined in the Rule 1. Rule 2 takes control
after all the observed cells according to Rule 1 had
offloaded its traffic load (steps C2-I3, A1-H1 and B3-F3).
3. Remaining cells areoffloaded in thefollowing manner. Cell
that can share maximumload is observed and offloaded. If
there have been observed more cells that can hand over
equal load, the cell that had so far performed minimum
number off load sharing handovers is chosen.
Grey colored fields in the LS Table mark cells that had accepted
traffic load up to their congestion level, regardless of any
neighbouring congested cells that might had not been fully
offloaded. After all neighbouring cells had accepted traffic load
up to their congestion level, oneshould increasetraffic density in
congested zoneand start theProcedureA all over again. This
incremental traffic increase is aimed at finding highest traffic
load that theneighbouring cells cooperatively can offload.
Table2. Table2. TheLoad Sharing Tableof ProcedureA for GoS=2%
and RHYST=75%

STEP 4
After traffic density increase and a few runs through the
Procedure A, one should find out that one or more of the
congested cells still remain congested, although on a lower level
than before load sharing. In that case, one can try to hand over
some load to formerly congested cells. Once more, one should
run Procedure A but this time input values should take into
account different traffic load in the congested and their
neighbouring cells. Once that all of the neighbouring cells by
themselves can not off load congested cells and when STEP 4
of Procedure A fails, all the cells in the zone of location
should engage the problem.
PROCEDURE B PROCEDURE B
Procedure B is the other procedure that employs all of the
uncongested cells and is somewhat different than theProcedure
A. Onerun of theProcedureB in itself includes two runs of
the Procedure A. The Procedure B can be divided into two
phases:
Phase1 uncongested cells performload sharing in order
to offload the neighbouring cells of the congested zone to
themaximumlevel
Phase 2 the congested cells perform load sharing
handover (this phase acctualy represents single run of the
ProcedureA as described earlier)
Phase 1 can further be divided into several steps:
STEP 1
Identical with the STEP 1 of the Procedure A with following
exception instead of thecongested cells onetakes into account
uncongested cells.
STEP 2
This step is also somewhat different fromthe STEP 2 of the
Procedure A. The uncongested cells are divided into rings
depending on their distancefromcongested zone(Figure2.).

Figure2. Figure2. Thecells of theuncongested zonedivided into rings
Figure 2. features different colored cells (cells of the same color
have approximately equal distance fromcongested zone) while
arrows orientated theallowed direction of load sharing handover.
After cells had been divided into rings, limitations regarding load
sharing handover areset. Load sharing handover to cells D3, E2
and G1 (neighbouring cells closest to the congested zone) is
allowed only to the congested cells. Finally, the LS Table is
formed and one inputs into the Column 1 the uncongested cells
that act as congested ones.
STEP 3
After the LS Table had been initially formed, the traffic load
have been redistributed through following steps: I1-I2, H3-H1,
G3-F2, E1-H3, D2-I1, H2-H3, I3-I1, G1-G3, D3-D2, E2-E1, D3-
D1, E2-E3, G1-G2, G3-G2, D2-D1 and F1-F3.
Some basic rules, considering different load sharing subjects,
were laid once again:

1. Load sharing towards peripheral rings should havepriority.
2. One should observe cells that can hand over its load to a
single cell and these receiving cells accept incoming load up
1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6
A1 A1 1.4796
1.4796
1.5431
H2 H2
1.896
0.4164
E1 E1
2.976
0.0168
0
D3 D3
1.0503
A1 =
13.3996
E
A2 A2
1.5431
D3 D3
1.0503
0
A2 =
13.8457
E
A3 A3 2.9592
1.5431
E1 E1
2.976
0.0168
E2 E2
1.0503
A3 =
11.9368
E
B1 B1
1.5431
E2 E2
1.0503
0
B1 =
13.8457
E
B2 B2 2.9592
1.5431
G1 G1
1.0503

G3 G3
2.976
0.0168
B2 =
11.9368
E
B3 B3 1.4796
1.4796
1.5431
E2 E2
1.0503
G3 G3
2.976
0.0168
0
F1 F1
1.896
0.4164
B3 =
13.3996
E
C1 C1 2.9592
1.5431
D3 D3
1.0503
D2 D2
3.9413
0.0519
C1 =
11.9368
E
C2 C2 1.4796
1.4796
1.5431
D2 D2
2.976
0.0168
0
I3 I3
1.896
0.4164

G1 G1
1.0503
C2 =
13.3996
E
C3 C3
1.5431
G1 G1
1.0503
0
C3 =
13.8457
E
to a T
ACCLI
level (if T
ACCLI
< T
HLI
) or whole T
HLI
load (if
T
ACCLI
>T
HLI
) (steps I1-I2, H3-H1 and G3-F2).
3. Remaining cells areoffloaded in thefollowing manner. The
cell that can sharemaximumload is observed and offloaded.
If there have been observed more cells that can hand over
equal load, the cell that had so far performed minimum
number off load sharing handovers is chosen. When and if
all the cells belonging to one ring are full, offloading cells
in nearer ring should takeplace. Oneshould noticeherethat
some of the cells had not handed over all of its load as
direct consequence of acting upon the Rule 1 of this
procedure (steps E1-H3 through I3-I1). The cells fromthe
nearest ring hand over their maximumload upon their turn
(steps G1-G3 through G1-G2).
4. Once that the nearest ring cells havehanded over their load,
remaining cells can take part in load sharing. The cell that
can share maximum load is, once again, observed and
offloaded. If there have been observed more cells that can
hand over equal load, the cell that had so far performed
minimumnumber off load sharing handovers is chosen.
TheRule1 ensures that enough sparecapacity will beleft over
to accept traffic load fromthenearest ring cells. If whileacting
upon theRule1 and whileoffloading load into themost distant
ring, one can start offloading by handing over the equal load
fromseveral candidates, thefirst cell to performhandover should
bechosen randomly.
Once the load in the uncongested zone had been shared, the
Phase1 is over. ThePhase2 actually represents second run of
the Procedure A without any changes to previously set rules
for redistribution. The LS Table is tabulated again and input
values for the table regarding the uncongested cells should be
taken fromfinal setup of theLS TablefromthePhase1.

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
23 24 25 26 27 28
TRAFFIC DENSITY TRAFFIC DENSITY
G
O
S

(
%
)
G
O
S

(
%
)
CLS OFF
A1
A2
A3
B1
B2
B3
C1
C2
C3

Graph1. Graph1. Gradeof Serviceand thetraffic density


At a certain level of the traffic load, one should find out that
neither procedure could relieve traffic congestion. At this point,
Cell load sharings congestion relieving maximum had been
reached.
Graph 1. depicts GoS (%) for each of the congested cells
depending on traffic density whether the feature is turned on or
off (CLS OFF data series).

IV CONCLUSION IV CONCLUSION
Theprocedures presented in this paper havebeen based upon the
idea and the description of the Cell load sharing operation, for
the reason that its operation had not been possible to test in
reality since both Serbian cellular networks do not operate this
feature and some of operation details represent Ericssons trade
secret. Operating this featurecan providethat Quality of Service
remains unaffected during peak hours or until the network
capacity is expanded provided that the rate of subscriber growth
is rather slow. Nevertheless, theCLS featurecannot help in case
of the largely undercapacitated network since it had not been
designed for that task in the first place, but it could help to
providemaximumutilization of thenetwork. Theefficiency limits
are defined both by setting range of key parameters and the
actual network capacity, and are also affected by the size and
number of congested and uncongested cells.
Finally, it can be said that the Cell load sharing feature could
help to relieve congested network but does not represent the
solution that could permanently solve the capacity deficit in the
cellular network.

REFERENCES REFERENCES: :

[1] CME 20/CME 40 SystemSurvey, Ericsson Radio Systems
AB, Stockholm, 1997.
[2] GSM Cell Planning Principles, Ericsson Radio Systems AB,
Stockholm2000.
[3] Cell Load Sharing,User description, Ericsson Radio Systems
AB, Stockholm2000.
[4] Svetozar V. Vukadinovi}: Masovno opslu`ivanje, Nau~na
knjiga, Beograd 1988.
[5] Dejan Su~evi}: Primeri primenematemati~kih metodau PTT
saobra}aju, Saobra}ajni fakultet, Beograd 1996.

Abstract: Abstract: Thenetwork cells in mobiletelephony systems must be
dimensioned for the case of heavy load, although the average
load is significantly lower. Theunevenly distributed traffic, both
in temporal and spatial domain, causes thetraffic congestion. Cell
Load Sharing (CLS) feature of Base Station Controllers (BSC)
software is designed to redistribute traffic load between
neighbouring cells and is oneof thepossiblesolutions of traffic
congestion problem.
This paper presents an idea (a set of procedures) that could
evaluatetheeffect of CLS features operation at congestion level.