Nokia Volte Optimization White Paper 071114 578ba28b5d974 PDF

Nokia Networks
Voice over LTE (VoLTE)

Optimization
Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. VoIP Client Options 5
3. Radio Network Optimization 6
4. Voice Quality Optimization 11
5. Handset Power Consumption Optimization 17
6. Summary 19
7. Further Reading 19
Page 2 networks.nokia.com
1. Introduction
Mobile operator networks carry tens of billions of minutes of voice
in 2G and 3G technologies. Most LTE operators serve voice calls via
architecture.
multimedia services. The main reasons for adopting VoLTE are

summarized in Figure 1.
Migrate from dual radio CDMA + LTE devices

Provide faster call setup time
to LTE only devices
Take beneﬁt of low band LTE for

Enhance voice quality with wideband codec
extended coverage
Enable simultaneous voice and LTE data Improve spectral efficiency
Provide evolution from voice to rich next

generation IMS services Prepare evolution to LTE only deployments
Fig. 1. Motivations for VoLTE.
a number of aspects of VoLTE optimization in radio networks and in
power consumption. The white paper also compares VoLTE with CS
operator voice can be run over Wi-Fi radio. If evolved packet core is
handset support.
white paper.
The radio network optimization solutions are considered in this paper
on the optimization of handset power consumption. The contents

are summarized in Figure 2.
Radio network optimization
End user quality optimization
Terminal power consumption optimization
Fig. 2. Contents of this paper.
2. VoIP Client Options
interworking with legacy CS networks. The VoLTE client can also
for voice packet prioritization. It is also possible to have a non-native

VoLTE client from third parties which runs on top of the application
1. Native VoLTE client integrated in the handset chip set. The

number of commercial handsets with native VoLTE clients is
growing rapidly.
2. Non-native VoLTE clients. Third party applications which can
and Viber.
3. Radio Network Optimization
The success rate and the retainability of a VoLTE call must match and
exceed the level provided by CS connections. The key performance
rate and call completion success rate. Network optimization also aims at
The network optimization includes parameter optimization and feature
and 54% no activity. The throughput shows the impact of the codec bit
kbps with the codec rate of 23.85 kbps and 8.8 kbps with the codec rate
of 12.65 kbps.
using voice activity detection. The lower average throughput in this
of the Mean Opinion Score MOS. This same application with Enhanced
on the codec they used and the particular implementation of features

such as codec rate adaptation or voice activity detection.
45 42.8
40
35.8
35
30
25
kbps
20 17.3 17.6
15
10.2
10 8.3 8.8
0 Fig. 3. Measured throughput

SIP EFR SIP AMR OTT AP1 OTT AP2 OTT AP3 VoLTE VoLTE
WB 23.85 kbps 12.65 kbps
The throughput measurements shown in Figure 3 include full IP
header can be larger than the voice packet if header compression is
maximizing VoLTE capacity.
45 Header compression
40
35
Header size (byte)
30 Original header size

25 Uplink header size
Downlink header size
20
15
10
5
0
VoLTE uplink performance in the weak signal can be enhanced with TTI
bundling which allows the handset to repeat the same transmission
in four consecutive 1 ms TTIs. TTI bundling makes the uplink more
up substantial radio resources. TTI bundling is switched on only when

the handset hits the edge of the coverage area. TTI bundling runs
between the base station and the handset.
PUSCH BLER comparison

80.0
72.7
70.0
60.0
With TTI bundling
Without TTI bundling
50.0
BLER (in %)
40.0
30.0
20.0
9.0
10.0
0.0
in highly loaded cells. Figure 6 shows an example VoLTE call setup success
rate in a live network including tens of millions of VoLTE calls during the
excellent VoLTE availability can be achieved even in the loaded network.

The network carried tens of billions of packet calls at the same time.
Another important factor for VoLTE is reliable mobility. The handover
success rate can be optimized with RF planning and new features included
Optimization. This enables radio level connection re-establishment in the

event of handover failure.
VoLTE call setup success rate

100
98
96
(%)
94
92
90
Three-month period
Fig. 6. VoLTE call setup success rate.
can be handed over to a CS connection in a 3G or 2G network. This
leg change. The SRVCC probability also depends on the parameter
shows the probability of SRVCC in an example network. The SRVCC

probability is reduced by 7% to below 3% by network optimization.
More than a million SRVCC attempts are included in this graph.
SRVCC functionality is available for QCI1 connections but not for OTT
10%
Percentage of VoLTE Calls Using SRVCC
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
Three-month period
Fig. 7. Probability of VoLTE call using SRVCC.
4. Voice Quality Optimization
acoustics may limit the maximum bandwidth provided by the speech
26.131. The bandwidth is illustrated in Figure 8. The CS connections
AMR - NB AMR - WB
80 - 3700 Hz 50 - 7000 Hz
0.05 0.1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 kHz
Fig. 8. Audio bandwidth of narrowband and wideband AMR.
the performance of the telephone transmission system by listening
codec scored only slightly lower with 2.7. The same SIP client with an
this and other third party SIP clients could be increased to 3.4 or 3.6
by tweaking some optional functionality such as deactivating voice
transmit a constant data stream regardless of whether the speaker

was talking or silent. The OTT VoIP applications scored between 4.1
to the native VoLTE client.
That codec will make it possible for VoLTE to match and beat the voice
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
MOS
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
3G CS SIP EFR SIP OTT AP1 OTT AP2 OTT AP3 VoLTE
AMR-NB AMR-WB
OTT VoIP as a function of network loading. VoLTE uses QoS Class
OTT VoIP decreases as a function of loading. The OTT VoIP call also
OTT VoIP-Good OTT VoIP-Bad VoLTE-Good VoLTE-Bad
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
MOS
2.5
2.0 OTT VoIP fails

1.5 to work
1.0
2 21 192 382 762 1902
Effective number of non-GBR data users
Mouth-to-ear delay as a function of loading is shown in Figure 11.
the base station. The delay of OTT VoIP increases as a function of

simultaneous data loading in the cell.
OTT-Good OTT-Bad VoLTE-Good VoLTE-Bad
661
700
541
600
525
Mouth to Ear Delay (ms)
491
451
500
427
352
352
400
300
300
200 OTT VoIP fails

100 to work
0
2 21 192 382 762 1902
Effective non-GBR Load (users)
the call establishment time compared to the legacy CS systems. The
total time for call establishment depends on many factors such as
whether the handsets were initially in RRC Idle or RRC Connected
state when the call was originated and the latency experienced by the
signaling network. The laboratory measurements show a VoLTE call
depending on the operator network and transport architecture. The

corresponding typical CS call setup time is four seconds and with CS
Call setup time

7.0
6.0
6.0
5.0
3.8
4.0
Seconds
3.0
2.4 2.2
2.0
0.9
1.0
0.0
idle - idle idle - idle connected - 3G idle - CSFB - CSFB
(ﬁeld) connected idle
VoLTE CS voice
Fig. 12. Call setup time measurements.
strategy for incoming VoLTE calls. VoLTE paging logic is executed in a
procedure by marking packets related to the incoming voice calls with
Figure 13 shows an example of paging response delay distribution. A

more aggressive timer value for paging a re-try timer could be applied
1000
Number of Samples
100
10
1
0
0.5
1.5
2.5
3.5
4.5
5.5
6.5
7.5
8.5
9.5
More
Delay between Paging and Service Request
Fig. 13. Paging response delay distribution in live network.
5. Handset Power Consumption
Optimization
users. It can be extended by using advanced features in the radio
network and by optimized handset design. The two main factors
The power optimization solutions are shown in Figure 14.
Handset architecture • VoLTE integrated to the chip set

optimization • Application processor can enter sleep mode
Radio features • Discontinuous reception (DRX)

including DRX • Modem activity from 100% to below 50%
Fig. 14. Mobile handset power saving solutions.
which however needs a lot of power. Power consumption can be
minimized by integrating a VoLTE client to the modem processor.
reception allows the use of power saving sleep mode even between
instantaneous handset power consumption during a VoLTE call when

the person is listening and not talking. The short power peaks happen
power consumption is considerably lower between the packets.
Current (mA)
600
500
400
Current (mA)
300
200
100
0
655.96
655.98
656
656.02
656.04
656.06
656.08
656.1
656.12
656.14
656.16
656.18
656.2
656.22
656.24
656.26
656.28
656.3
656.32
656.34
656.36
656.38
656.4
656.42
656.44
656.46
656.48
656.5
656.52
Time (s)
is shown in Figure 16. VoLTE power consumption can be reduced by
even slightly below the 125 mA measured on the same codec on 3G

CS using the same handset. The power consumption of the OTT VoIP
application is substantially higher at 248 mA.
300
250 235 248

-50%
200
Current (mA)
154
150 131
129 125 121
100
50
0
3G CS 3G CS noDRX DRX on with different settings OTT VoIP
AMR-NB AMR-WB
consumption for VoLTE than for OTT VoIP.
6. Summary
setup times. This paper illustrates that optimization of radio features

and parameters is needed to provide reliable VoLTE connections with
high success rates and low drop rates. The live network results show
that excellent key performance indicators can be obtained for VoLTE in
optimized networks.
Reliability is obtained by using QoS features in the radio network and
7. Further Reading
•
paper.pdf
•
Public
Nokia is a registered trademark of Nokia Corporation. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks or trade names of their
respective owners.
Nokia
Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
Finland
Finland
networks.nokia.com

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Nokia Networks

Voice over LTE (VoLTE)

in 2G and 3G technologies. Most LTE operators serve voice calls via

multimedia services. The main reasons for adopting VoLTE are

Migrate from dual radio CDMA + LTE devices

Take beneﬁt of low band LTE for

Enable simultaneous voice and LTE data Improve spectral efficiency

Provide evolution from voice to rich next

Fig. 1. Motivations for VoLTE.

power consumption. The white paper also compares VoLTE with CS

on the optimization of handset power consumption. The contents

Radio network optimization

End user quality optimization

Terminal power consumption optimization

Fig. 2. Contents of this paper.

interworking with legacy CS networks. The VoLTE client can also

for voice packet prioritization. It is also possible to have a non-native

1. Native VoLTE client integrated in the handset chip set. The

The network optimization includes parameter optimization and feature

using voice activity detection. The lower average throughput in this

on the codec they used and the particular implementation of features

0 Fig. 3. Measured throughput

header can be larger than the voice packet if header compression is

maximizing VoLTE capacity.

30 Original header size

up substantial radio resources. TTI bundling is switched on only when

PUSCH BLER comparison

excellent VoLTE availability can be achieved even in the loaded network.

Optimization. This enables radio level connection re-establishment in the

VoLTE call setup success rate

Fig. 6. VoLTE call setup success rate.

leg change. The SRVCC probability also depends on the parameter

shows the probability of SRVCC in an example network. The SRVCC

acoustics may limit the maximum bandwidth provided by the speech

26.131. The bandwidth is illustrated in Figure 8. The CS connections

0.05 0.1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 kHz

Fig. 8. Audio bandwidth of narrowband and wideband AMR.

the performance of the telephone transmission system by listening

transmit a constant data stream regardless of whether the speaker

to the native VoLTE client.

OTT VoIP-Good OTT VoIP-Bad VoLTE-Good VoLTE-Bad

2.0 OTT VoIP fails

the base station. The delay of OTT VoIP increases as a function of

OTT-Good OTT-Bad VoLTE-Good VoLTE-Bad

200 OTT VoIP fails

depending on the operator network and transport architecture. The

Call setup time

Fig. 12. Call setup time measurements.

procedure by marking packets related to the incoming voice calls with

Figure 13 shows an example of paging response delay distribution. A

Fig. 13. Paging response delay distribution in live network.

The power optimization solutions are shown in Figure 14.

Handset architecture • VoLTE integrated to the chip set

Radio features • Discontinuous reception (DRX)

Fig. 14. Mobile handset power saving solutions.

instantaneous handset power consumption during a VoLTE call when

power consumption is considerably lower between the packets.

is shown in Figure 16. VoLTE power consumption can be reduced by

even slightly below the 125 mA measured on the same codec on 3G

250 235 248

consumption for VoLTE than for OTT VoIP.

setup times. This paper illustrates that optimization of radio features

Reliability is obtained by using QoS features in the radio network and