GSM Call Setup

(MOC&MTC)
Signaling and KPIs
Presented by: Nauman Anwar

Date 31-12-2009

Contents of Presentation

Mobile Originated Call Flow Signaling

Mobile Terminated Call Flow Signaling
KPIs related to MOC & MTC
Conclusions

Mobile Originated Call Flow

Diagram

Explanation of MOC
Signaling

Step 1 MS sends a CHANNEL REQUEST message to BTS on the access channel (RACH) of
Um
interface. The message contains the cause value "MOC", but that value is not completely
accurate, because it is indicated both in the mobile originating call establishment procedure
and IMSI detach procedure.
Step 2 BTS sends a CHANNEL REQUIRED message to BSC.
Step 3 Upon receipt of the CHANNEL REQUIRED message, BSC allocates a signaling
channel and
sends a CHANNEL ACTIVATION message to BTS.
Step 4 If the channel type is correct, upon receipt of the CHANNEL ACTIVATION
message, BTS
opens the power amplifier on the specified channel, and sends a CHANNEL ACTIVATION
ACKNOWLEDGE message to BSC.
Step 5 BSC sends an IMMEDIATE ASSIGNMENT COMMAND message to MS via BTS. The
message is sent on AGCH on Um interface.
Step 6 MS sends an SABM frame on SDCCH to BTS to access the network.
Step 7 BTS returns a UA frame on SDCCH for acknowledgement.
Step 8 BTS sends an ESTABLISHMENT INDICATION message to BSC (This message
contains
the accurate causes for MS's access. For example, different cause values are indicated in the
mobile originating call establishment procedure and IMSI detach procedure). This message
contains the contents of the CM SERVICE REQUEST message.

Step 9 BSC establishes the SCCP link connection on A interface, and sends a CM SERVICE
REQUEST message to MSC.
Step 10 MSC returns a message to BSC to acknowledge the link connection.
Step 11 MSC sends a CM SERVICE ACCEPTED message to MS. The message is sent on
SDCCH
on Um interface.
Step 12 The calling MS sends a SETUP message on SDCCH.
Step 13 MSC sends a CALL PROCEEDING message to the calling MS. The message is sent
on
SDCCH on Um interface.
Step 14 MSC sends an ASSIGNMENT REQUEST message to BSC, which contains the CIC
allocated to A interface.
Step 15 BSC allocates a TCH, and sends a CHANNEL ACTIVATION message to BTS.
Step 16 If the channel type is correct, upon receipt of the CHANNEL ACTIVATION
message, BTS
opens the power amplifier on the specified channel, starts to receive the uplink information
and sends a CHANNEL ACTIVATION ACKNOWLEDGE message to BSC.
Step 17 BSC sends an ASSIGNMENT COMMAND message to MS via BTS on SDCCH.

Step 18 MS sends an SABM frame to BTS, to access the network on FACCH indicated
in the
ASSIGNMENT COMMAND message.
Step 19 BTS sends a UA frame for acknowledgement on FACCH.

Step 20 BTS sends an ESTABLISHMENT INDICATION message to BSC.

Step 21 After accessing the TCH, MS sends an ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE message to BSC on
FACCH.
Step 22 After the radio traffic channel and terrestrial circuit are both successfully
connected, BSC
sends an ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE message to MSC, and regards this call in session state.
Step 23 MSC sends an ALTERING message to the calling MS. The calling MS will hear the
ring back.
The message is sent on FACCH on Um interface.
Step 24 MSC sends a CONNECT message to MS. The message is sent on FACCH on Um
interface.
Step 25 The calling MS returns a CONNECT ACKNOWLEDGE message on FACCH to MSC.
Step 26 The calling MS and called MS enters the session state.
Step 27 After the conversation is over, the calling MS hangs up and sends a DISCONNECT
message
on FACCH.
Step 28 MSC sends a RELEASE message to MS. The message is sent on FACCH on Um
interface.
Step 29 MS returns a RELEASE COMPLETE message. The message is sent on FACCH on Um
interface.
Step 30 MSC sends a CLEAR COMMAND message to BSC. Upon receipt of the message, BSC
initiates the release procedure.

Step 31 BSC sends a CHANNEL RELEASE message to MS through BTS,

The message is sent on
FACCH on Um interface.
Step 32 MS sends DISC frame on FACCH.
Step 33 BTS returns UA frame on FACCH.

Mobile Terminated Call

Flow

Explanation of MTC
Signaling

When the paged MS is located in the service area of the MSC, the MSC sends a Paging
message to the BSC. The MSC can directly send a Paging message to the BSC on the A
interface. It can also be transmitted by the SGSN, then forwarded to the PCU through the
Gb interface, and then sent to the BSC through the Pb interface. This message contains a
list of paging cells (optional) and the information about TMSI and IMSI.
The BSC sends a Paging Command message to the BTS. The message contains the
number of the occupied timeslots and the number of the paging sub-channel where the
paging group belongs.
Upon receipt of the Paging Command message from the BSC, the BTS sends a Paging
Request message to the paged MS on the paging sub-channel where the paging group
belongs. The message contains the IMSI or TMSI of the paged MS.
After decoding the Paging message, if the MS finds itself the paged MS, it sends a Channel
Request message to the BTS so that the Initial Channel Assignment procedure can be
triggered.
For other messages, refer to "Mobile Originated Call Establishment
Procedure."

Very Early and Late

Assignment

Very Early Assignment

The difference between early assignment and very early assignment is that the
TCH allocated during the immediate assignment serves as a signaling channel.
Therefore, no TCH needs to be reallocated during the assignment procedure.
Instead, the TCH allocated in the immediate assignment procedure is adjusted to
a speech channel through the Mode Modify message.
Very early assignment generally takes place if there is no idle SDCCH for
allocation during immediate assignment. However, there are idle TCHs and
immediate assignment of TCHs is allowed in the BSC data configuration .

Late Assignment

The difference between early assignment and late assignment is that late
assignment takes place after the Alerting indication is sent.
The advantage of late assignment is that it can save the seizure time of speech
channels.
The disadvantage of late assignment is that if the subsequent assignment is
unsuccessful, the called MS can only hear the ring but cannot establish a
connection. Then, the MS complains about it. Therefore, in actual application,
late assignment is generally not used. Instead, early assignment is used.

KPIs

The Main KPI related to Call setup is CSSR.

The Formula being used in PTML for CSSR is given as follows:
(Immediate Assignment Success Rate)*(1-SDCCH Call Drop rate)*(Assignment Success
Rate)*100
In recent Past Location update procedure has been excluded from immediate assignments
contributed in CSSR formula.
Immediate Assignment Success Rate = (Call setup indications (Circuit Service)-Call setup
indications(SDCCH)(Location Update))/(Channel Requests (Circuit Service)-Channel
Request(Location Updating)). This formula is for BSC6000.
Immediate Assignment Success Rate= (Successful Immediate Assignments Successful
immediate assignments for Location Update)/(Immediate Assignment Requests- Attempted
Channel Seizures for Location update). This formula is for BSC32.
Immediate assignment request is pegged when there is channel required from MS both in
MOC and MTC.
Immediate assignment success is pegged when there is Establish Indication from BTS to
BSC in immediate Assignment Procedure.
SDCCH Drop rate= SDCCH Call Drops/Successful SDCCH seizures
Assignment Success Rate = Successful TCH seizures for Call/Attempted TCH Seizures for
Call.
Assignment Request is pegged when there is Assignment request from MSC to BSC.
Assignment Success is pegged when there is Assignment Complete MSG from MS to BSC.

Detail of Counters
(CSSR)

Detail and description of Counters related to CSSR is given in BSS help file.
For BSC 6000 ,path for counters is :

BSC Counter
Per Cell
BSC Counter
BSC Counter
BSC Counter
BSC Counter
Cell
BSC Counter
TRX

reference/Call Measurement/Immediate Assignment Measurement

reference/Call
reference/Call
reference/Call
reference/Call

Measurement/Assignment Measurement Per Cell

Measurement/KPI Measurement Per Cell
Measurement/SDCCH Call Drop Measurement Per Cell
Measurement/Channel Activation Measurement Per

reference/Call Measurement/Channel Seizures Measurement Per

For BSC 32, path for counters is:

BSC Traffic Statistics System help/Traffic Statistics Items/Cell Measurement

Function
BSC Traffic Statistics System help/Traffic Statistics Items/Channel Measurement
Function
BSC Traffic Statistics System help/Traffic Statistics Items/Cell Measurement
Function (3)/Other Handover Measurement Function

Conclusions

The Complete understanding of Call Setup Flow Signaling is necessary for

proper RF Optimization.
Thorough knowledge of Counters is very helpful in diagnosing the major causes
degrading CSSR.
In CSSR still IMSI attach/detach , LCS and SMS are included because in Huawei
we can not exclude them from Immediate assignment attempts for MOC.

Thank You !