Course OWJ102103

WCDMA RNO RF Optimization

ISSUE 1.1






OWJ 102103 WCDMA RNO RF Optimization ISSUE 1.1 Table of Contents

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Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1
Chapter 1 RF Optimization Overview ............................................................................................. 2
1.1 Clusters ................................................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Drive Routes ......................................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Tools...................................................................................................................................... 2
1.4 Optimization Targets............................................................................................................. 2
1.5 Optimization Solutions .......................................................................................................... 3
1.6 Overall Process..................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 2 RF Anal ysi s Approach.................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Cell Dominance..................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 CPICH Coverage (RSCP)..................................................................................................... 6
2.3 Interference (CPICH Ec/Io) ................................................................................................... 7
2.4 Uplink Coverage.................................................................................................................... 8
2.5 Pilot Pollution ........................................................................................................................ 9
2.6 Estimated Active Set Size................................................................................................... 10
2.7 Neighbor List verification..................................................................................................... 11
2.8 UE SHO Performance......................................................................................................... 12
2.9 Drop Calls............................................................................................................................ 12
Summary.......................................................................................................................................... 15


OWJ 102103 WCDMA RNO RF Optimization ISSUE 1.1 List of Tables

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List of Tables
Table 1-1 Optimization Suggest Targets ....................................................................................2
Table 2-1 Pilot pollution results ................................................................................................10
Table 2-2 Example output of the Neighbor list verification.......................................................12
Table 2-3 Soft handover success rate......................................................................................12


OWJ 102103 WCDMA RNO RF Optimization ISSUE 1.1 Introduction

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Introduction
This document provides a detailed discussion of the RF (Cluster) optimization phase of
the 3G radio network.
It is expected that all integrated sites will undergo the Single Site Verification process.
The objectives of the single site verification are to ensure there is no installation or
parameters related faults with any of the sites.
Once all the sites in a given area are integrated and verified, RF (or Cluster)
optimization could begin. This refers to the main phase of optimization which aims at
optimizing coverage while in the same time keeping interference and pilot pollution
under control over the target area.
This document presents a step-by-step approach for the analysis of drive survey data
that collected using Agilent Scanner and test UE. The analysis is being done using
Actix Analyzer.
It should be emphasized that the RF optimization will be an ongoing activity and will
need to be revisited as traffic increases in the network and as new sites are deployed.
In addition, as the network matures, the optimization process should take into account
statistical data and key performance indicators collected throughout the network.
In this document, sample data from one part of the network is used to illustrate the
various analysis techniques. Although this data is from an incomplete cluster of sites, it
is sufficient for the purpose of this document.
The layout of this document is as follows: Section 2 provides an overview of the RF
optimization process while section 3 outlines the analysis steps need to identify various
RF issues. A summary of the analysis is provided in section 4. The appendixes at the
end of the document contain various Actix related configuration data that should be
used when performing data analysis to ensure consistency throughout the network.



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Chapter 1 RF Optimization Overview
1.1 Clusters
Due to the nature of UMTS (i.e. the inter-dependence of coverage and capacity and the
frequency reuse factor of one), it is crucial that the RF optimization is carried out for
groups or clusters of sites rather than on single site basis. This will ensure that the
impact of all the sites in a given area on coverage as well as interference is taken into
account.
Prior to any changes to a specific site, detailed analysis of the impact of such change
on the adjacent sites must be considered to ensure there could be no adverse effects
on the area.
1.2 Drive Routes
The cluster drive surveys should include the coverage areas of each cell and all the
major roads and streets as well as any other important locations.
It is essential to use identical drive routes prior and post any optimization changes in
order to accurately quantify the impact of such changes.
1.3 Tools
The drive surveys should be conducted using the Agilent scanner and Test UE in
continuous AMR call or Video Phone call.
The use of the UE data is important to the RF optimization as it provides additional
information that could help identify certain issues, such as: Uplink coverage problems,
missing neighbors, too many soft handover events, etc.
The scanner will be using an externally mounted antenna while the UE will be kept
inside the car in the same location for each drive test.
For post-processing the data, Actix Analyzer will be used as outlined in this document.
For consistency, Actix should be configured as outlined in Appendixes A-D of this
document.
1.4 Optimization Targets
The targets and thresholds in Table 1-1below are for use in the early phase of network
optimization and are applicable to the scanner measurements unless otherwise stated.
For description of terms such as pilot pollution, please refer to the next section.
Table 1-1 Optimization Suggest Targets
Item Requirements Comments
Target - 85 dBm
CPICH RSCP
Minimum -95 dBm
Corresponds to outdoor
measurements.
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Item Requirements Comments
Target -8 dB
CPICH Ec/Io
Minimum - 14 dB
Applicable for unloaded
network.
Active Set size (estimated) Target 3 Based on scanner data.
Max % <10 %
% of time a cell is seen as a
pilot polluter.
Pilot pollution
Threshold 8 dB
Relative to best server when
cell in not in Active Set.
UE Tx power Max <15 dBm Assuming 21 dBm max.
SHO Success rate Target >95 % For e1a, e1b & e1c

1.5 Optimization Solutions
Most of the coverage and interference issues could be resolved through adjusting sites
parameters, such as (in order of priority):
Antenna tilt
Antenna azimuth
Antenna location
Antenna height
Antenna type
Site location
New site
Detailed discussion of the different optimization problems and solutions is provided in
section 5.
1.6 Overall Process
The high-level Cluster process is depicted in Figure 1-1below. As can be seen, the
process can be quite iterative and therefore careful analysis is required to ensure the
optimum solution is achieved with the minimum number of iterations.
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Figure 1-1 High level RF optimization steps
OWJ 102103 WCDMA RNO RF Optimization ISSUE 1.1 Chapter 2 RF Analysis Approach

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Chapter 2 RF Analysis Approach
This section presents various plots that produced using Actix along with a description of
the analysis approach.
It should be noted that the effect of an RF problem will typically be seen in a number of
these plots and therefore a summary of the analysis is needed to conclude on the
fundamental causes of any failures. This summary will be provided in the next section.
During the analysis of the individual plots, any observed issues should be marked to
facilitate further investigations and comparisons with other plots.
2.1 Cell Dominance
One of the first plots that should be analyzed is the scrambling code plot as shown in
Figure 2-1.
The plot should visually be checked for:

Cells with no dominance at all:
This could indicate that a site was not radiating during the drive survey (this should be
confirmed from the network stats).
If a cell is suspected to not have been radiating during the test, the problem must be
confirmed before proceeding with the rest of the analysis. (The drive survey will need to
be repeated if not all the cells were radiating).
Very poor dominance can also be caused by blocking of the antenna. If such a problem
is suspected, a site visit must be made to verify the antenna clearance.

Cells with either excessive or poor dominance:
This could be due to a high site or non-optimum antenna tilts.
Cells with too large dominance will be causing interference to adjacent cells resulting in
poorer capacity.

Areas of non-dominance:
This refers to areas where there is not a single clear dominant cell and where the best
server changes too frequently. Such conditions will result in excessive number of soft
handover events reducing the system efficiency and increasing the probability of call
drops.

UE vs. Scanner scrambling codes:
It is also useful to perform visual comparison between the UE and scanner SC plots.
Significant differences between the plots may indicate a missing neighbor or failed soft
handover problem.
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Any observed issues should be marked on the plot for further investigation and
correlation with other plots.

Figure 2-1 Scanner Scrambling Code plot

2.2 CPICH Coverage (RSCP)
The RSCP plot should be analyzed based on the thresholds presented in Table
1-1which are summarized below:
Good: RSCP -85 dBm
Fair: -95 dBm RSCP <-85 dBm
Poor: RSCP <- 95 dBm

Note: The above levels are applicable for outdoor scanner measurements.

Areas of poor coverage as well as significant areas of fair coverage should be
highlighted for further investigation.
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Figure 2-2 Scanner CPICH RSCP plot
It is also useful to examine the RSCP coverage on per cell bases in order to highlight
any cells that have too large a footprint. An example can be seen in Figure2-2 in section
4.
When comparing RSCP coverage from scanner and UE, it should be noted that the UE
will have lower levels as a result of the in-car penetration loss and differences of
antenna gain.
2.3 Interference (CPICH Ec/Io)
In parallel with the analysis of RSCP coverage, the Ec/Io plot should also be analyzed
based on the thresholds presented in Table 1-1, as follows:
Good: Ec/Io -8 dB
Fair: -14 dB Ec/Io <-8 dB
Poor: Ec/Io <- 14 dB

Note: The -8 dB threshold takes into account the expected future interference increase
as a result of increased traffic.

Areas of poor Ec/Io should be checked against RSCP levels as follows:
If RSCP levels are also POOR, then the fundamental cause of low is Ec/Io is poor
coverage
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If RSCP levels are GOOD, this will imply strong system interference. Such
scenario could arise when two sectors are pointing at each other.

Areas of poor Ec/Io should be highlighted for further investigation. An example Ec/Io
plot is shown in Figure 2-3below.
Comparisons of the Ec/Io plots from the scanner and UE should be made. Areas
where UE Ec/Io is significantly lower than that of the scanner may imply a problem of
missing neighbor or del ayed soft handover which can be associated with call drops.

Figure 2-3 Scanner CPICH Ec/Io
2.4 Uplink Coverage
Figure 2-4shows an example of UE Tx power. Any areas where the UE Tx power is
high should be highlighted as areas of possible poor uplink coverage that require
further investigation.
Areas of high Tx power should be compared to the CPICH plots to verify if the problem
only exists on the uplink.
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Figure 2-4 UE Tx power
2.5 Pilot Pollution
Within Actix, the Pilot Pollution Set includes all pilots that are not in the active set BUT
are within a certain margin of the best server (the margin is set to 8dB as listed in Table
1-1 above).
An example of pilot pollution results is provided in Table 2-1. This shows the % of time
each cell was seen as a pilot polluter. Cells which are frequently seen as polluters (e.g.
>10) should be marked and investigated.
These results should be used in conjunction with the Estimated Active Set Size, Figure
2-5, which shows the locations that have too many pilots.
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Table 2-1 Pilot pollution results
SC Count % in Pollution Set
8 206 12.9%
9 165 10.3%
10 157 9.8%
11 156 9.7%
12 148 9.2%
13 135 8.4%
16 95 5.9%
17 94 5.9%
18 76 4.7%
19 74 4.6%
20 73 4.6%
21 56 3.5%
32 54 3.4%
35 39 2.4%
37 33 2.1%
43 19 1.2%
48 8 0.5%
53 7 0.4%
67 3 0.2%
80 2 0.1%
130 2 0.1%

2.6 Estimated Active Set Size
Another useful measure of pilot pollution is by looking at the estimated active set based
on the scanner data. This plot is obtained by modeling the network soft handover
parameters within Actix.
In order to see areas of excessive SHO candidates, the estimated active set size is
allowed to exceed maximum of 3.
Locations where there are more than 3 pilots in the active set should be marked and
sources of the interference should be identified. This can be done in conjunction with
the Pilot pollution analysis.
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Figure 2-5 Estimated Active Set from scanner data
2.7 Neighbor List verification
The neighbor list could be verified and optimized using the Neighbor List Verification
tool within Actix.
Prior to performing this analysis, the neighbor lists of each cell must be included in the
CellRef file used by Actix.
The tool compares the drive survey data against the neighbor list in the CellReff and
then provides the following recommendations for each cell:
Retain: This indicates that those neighbors have been confirmed from the drive
survey data.
Add: Missing neighbors (thats neighbors seen in the drive test but not included in the
neighbor list)
Remove: These neighbors that were not measured but are in the neighbor list.

Table 2-2below shows a typical example from running the Neighbor List Verification for
one cell (SC: 009).
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It should be noted that careful consideration is needed prior to removing neighbors
since the Actix results are drive route dependent.
Table 2-2 Example output of the Neighbor list verification
009 576 Retain 018 82 14.2%
Retain 010 46 8.0%
Retain 016 31 5.4%
Retain 032 20 3.5%
Retain 011 18 3.1%
Add 130 17 3.0%
Retain 021 17 3.0%
Retain 008 12 2.1%
Retain 020 6 1.0%
Retain 012 5 0.9%
Retain 017 2 0.3%
Remove 053 0 0.0%
Remove 019 0 0.0%
Remove 034 0 0.0%
Remove 037 0 0.0%
Remove 013 0 0.0%
Remove 051 0 0.0%
70548 Ajman Central 25.41204 55.447
Nbr SC
Sample
Count
% Latitude Longitude
Sample
Count
Action SC Cell Site

2.8 UE SHO Performance
The success rates for event 1a, 1b & 1c and can be obtained from Actix as shown in the
example below.
Table 2-3 Soft handover success rate
Number of Active Set Updates
Event Count
Event 1a - 328
Event 1b - 306
Event 1c - C 64
Number of Active Set Update Completes
Event Count
Event 1a - 326
Event 1b - 305
Event 1c - C 62
Soft-Handover Success Rate
Event Rate
Event 1a - 99.4
Event 1b - 99.7
Event 1c - C 96.9

2.9 Drop Calls
All drop calls which are due to RF issues must be analyzed and the appropriate steps
taken to avoid such drops from reoccurring.

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RF related issues that may result in drop calls may include:
Poor coverage (RSCP & Ec/Io)
High interference and hence poor Ec/Io
Poor uplink coverage (insufficient UE Tx power)
Poor dominance (best cell changes too frequently resulting in too many SHO
events)
Pilot pollution (too many cells present)
Missing neighbors
Fast change of RF conditions (e.g. turning a corner)
If none of the above are the causes of the call drop and the RF conditions are evidently
good at the location of the drop call, then the failure should be reported as a system
fault for further analysis. (Such analysis would also require collecting network traces).
Note that drop calls that repeatedly occur in same locations must be analyzed in detail
in order to determine the exact causes.

Drop Call Analysis
There are a number of approaches for drop call analysis and the steps below are
designed to assist in quickly identifying RF related failures:
If RSCP & Ec/Io degrades before drop for BOTH scanner and UE then check for
coverage problems
If prior to the drop, the Ec/Io (and RSCP) degrades for UE ONLY while scanner
shows no degradation, then the following checks should be made:
Is the best server for the UE is the same as that of the scanner? (If not, it is possible that
the UE failed to perform soft handover)
Does UE camp on new cell immediately after drop?
If the UE camps on a new cell after the drop, was that cell neighbored to the previous
cell? (if not, consider adding this neighbor)
Was the UE measuring this neighbor?
Were there too many and too quick changes of best server making it difficult for UE to
perform measurements and SHO in time. (if this is the case: improve cell dominance
through antenna optimization)
Does the UE Tx power increase to max prior to dropping call while Ec/Io level remains
good?
If the Tx power increase is gradual and UE is far from site the failure is due to uplink
coverage limitation
If the increase is sudden and UE may be not be too far from site - Check uplink load
from SIB7 following drop call is it unusually high?
If uplink load is reported to be high, confirm from network stats that the high load is
due to genuine traffic otherwise check for a possible site fault
If uplink load is not high, problem could be due to possible power control failure.
If the above steps do not reveal the causes of the drop calls then analysis of the
messages should be carried out to determine the sequence of events prior to the drop
call.
If the drop call does not appear to be RFrelated and the RF conditions at the location of
the drop appear to be goods then no further work is needed as part of the RF
Optimizations.
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However, exact location of the drop should be marked for later comparisons with future
drive surveys (if un-explained drops keep occurring at the same location, more detailed
investigation will be required to establish the exact causes).

OWJ 102103 WCDMA RNO RF Optimization ISSUE 1.1 Summary

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Summary
This document outlined analysis approach for RF drive survey data as well as analysis
of some drop calls. Throughout the report, example Actix plots were used for illustration
purposes only as the data was collected from an incomplete cluster of sites.