BSSMAP CAUSE CODES

Introduction

This is a description of the BSSMAP CAUSE codes, it explains what A interface messages use
the BSSMAP CAUSE IE and for each message it lists the codes used and their meaning. This is
an unofficial document and thus does not provide a complete description of all the reasons why a
certain cause code is sent, however it does describe the most common scenarios. This document
is based on the BSC R8 release. Note if there are any contradictions between this document and
official Ericsson documentation (IWD, FS, ..) then the official documentation is to be used as the
correct interpretation.
Cause Code
The following is a description of the Cause codes available:
Normal event

0 Radio interface message failure

1 Radio interface failure
2 Uplink quality
3 Uplink strength
4 Downlink quality
5 Downlink strength
6 Distance
7 Operation and maintenance intervention
8 Response to MSC invocation
9 Call control
10 Radio interface failure reversion to old channel
11 Handover successful
12 Better cell
13 Directed retry

Resource unavailable

32 Equipment failure
33 No radio resource available
34 Requested terrestrial resource unavailable
35 CCCH overload
36 Processor overload
37 BSC not equipped
38 MS not equipped
39 Invalid cell
40 Traffic load
41 Preemption
Service or option not available

48 Requested transcoding/rate adaption unavailable

51 Requested speech version unavailable
Service or option not implemented

64 Ciphering algorithm not supported.

Invalid message

80 Terrestrial circuit already allocated

81 Invalid message contents
82 Information element or field missing
83 Incorrect value
84 Unknown message type
85 Unknown information element
Protocol error

96 Protocol error between BSC and MSC

Messages

The following are the A-interface messaged that use the IE CAUSE.
Block
Reset
Reset Circuit
Assignment failure
Cipher Mode Reject
Clear Command
Clear Request
Handover Failure
Handover Performed
Handover Request
Handover Required

Handover Required Reject

SAPI ?n? Reject
Location Information Report
Block
This message is sent from BSC to MSC to indicate that a particular terrestrial resource (MALT) must be
blocked in the MSC and cannot be used for traffic.The cause codes used are:
7 O&M intervention
- Device manually blocked
- Device automatically blocked for test
32Equipment failure
- Device ordered blocked by SNT.

- Device ordered blocked by DIP.

Reset

This message is sent from BSC to the MSC to indicate that it has suffered a failure and has lost
memory of the calls in progress, calls set up, and associated references.The BSC uses just one
cause code:
32 Equipment Failure
- Large restart, Initial start,

Reset Circuit
This message is sent from BSC to the MSC to indicate that the state of the circuit indicated in the message is
unknown, due to a failure. The BSC used just one cause code:
32 Equipment Failure
- Call release due to SCCP fault has occurred
- Timeout whilst waiting for Clear Command during call release due to fault indication or traffic function
failure.

Assignment Failure
The message is sent from BSC to MSC to indicate that there has been a failure in the assignment process at
the BSC and that the assignment procedure has been aborted. The Cause codes used are:
10 Radio interface failure, revert to old channel
- Air interface message Assignment Failure received from MS, and MS reverts back to SDCCH channel.
32 Equipment failure
- Ater Timeout
- Channel mode modify procedure failed
33 No radio resource available
- Channel allocation failed
- SW file congestion in RTTPR
- No Transcoder available
-GS congestion indication received
- GS faulty indication received
34 Required terrestrial resource unavailable

- Ralt not availble

36 Processor overload
- TRC or BSC/TRC processor overload
40 Traffic load
- Number of calls exeeds BSCMAXTRAFFIC (AXE parameter)
48 Required transcoding/rate adaption unavailable
- HSCSD not supported in the specific cell
80 Terrestrial CIC already allocated
- RALT CIC already allocated

Cipher Mode Reject

This message is sent from BSC to the MSC to indicate that none of the permitted encryption algorithms
could be supported in the BSC. The BSC uses just one cause code:
64 Ciphering algorithm not supported
- Either BSC or BTS does not support the encryption algorithm

Clear Command
This message is sent from the MSC to the BSC to instruct the BSC to release the associated dedicated
resource(s). See Clear Request for a description of the BSC cause codes.

Clear Request
This message is sent from the BSC to the MSC to indicate that the BSC wishes to release the associated
dedicated resource(s). The cause codes used are:
0 Radio Interface message failure
- Abis message Error Indication received
- GS failed indication received
- MS lost during assignment or handover
- Too many measurement reports missing for a connection reported by RPD/RPG
- Too high Timing Advance for a connection reported by RPD/RPG
2 Uplink quality
- Bad signal quality on the uplink for a connection reported by RPD/RPG (see note1)

3 Uplink strength
- Low signal strength on the downlink for a connection reported by RPD/RPG (see note1)
4 Downlink quality
- Bad signal quality on the uplink for a connection reported by RPD/RPG (see note1)
5 Downlink strength
- Low signal strength on the downlink for a connection reported by RPD/RPG (see note1)
6 Distance
- Too high timing advance for a connection reported by RPD/RPG (see note1)
32 Equipment failure
- Abis message Connection Failure received.
- Failure due to blocking of LCH or Radio equipment
- Terrestrial resource (RALT) fault.
- Transcoder fault
- Ater timeout during assignment/handover.
- Ater SCCP fault
- Ater Reset Circuit received
- Ater terrestrial resource Fault
- Reverting back to old channel during assignment/handover failed
34 Requested terrestrial resource unavailable
- Ralt device unavailable during assignment or handover
41 Preemption
- TCH preempted by higher priority request
Note 1: BSSMAP Cause codes 2-6 are not implemented in the GA release, however CNI-581 provides more
information to the CP about the reasons for an abnormal disconnect, and with the help of market specific
corrections these are sent to the MSC as cause codes 2 - 6.

Handover Failure
This message is sent from the BSC to the MSC to indicate that, for example, there has been a failure in the
resource allocation process in the target BSC on handover or that the MS has returned to the old channel(s)
in the serving BSC and that the handover has been aborted. The following cause codes are used:

32 Equipment failure
- Timeout on the Ater interface
33 No radio resource available
- Channel allocation failed
- SW file congestion in RTTPR
- Transcoder not available
- GS congestion indication received
- GS faulty indication received
34 Requested terrestrial resource unavailable
- Ralt device unavailable
36 Processor load
- TRC or BSC/TRC processor overload
48 Requested transcoding/rate adaption unavailable
- HSCSD not supported in the specific cell
80 Terrestrial CIC already allocated
- RALT CIC already allocated
64 Ciphering algorithm not supported
- BSC does not support the encryption algorithm

Handover Performed
This message is sent from the BSC to the MSC to indicate that the BSC has performed an internal handover
or a BSC initiated resource up/downgrading for a multislot connnection. The following cause codes are used
2 Uplink quality
- Handover performed due to bad signal quality on the uplink for a connection
4 Downlink quality
- Handover performed due to bad signal quality on the downlink for a connection
6 Distance
- Handover performed due to too high timing advance for a connection

7 O&M intervention
- Handover performed due to blocking (radio equipment or LCHs)
11 Handover succesful
- Multislot connection resource upgrade or downgrade performed
12 Better cell
- Handover performed due to a neighbour cell with higher signal strength
40 Traffic load
- Handover performed due to Subcell load or Half rate packing
41 Preemption
- Handover performed due to preemption

Handover Request
This message is sent from the MSC to the BSC to indicate that the a MS is to be handed over to that BSC,
the cause code if included is the same as that in the Handover Required message.

Handover Required
This message is sent from the BSC to the MSC to indicate that for a given MS which already has a dedicated
radio resource (or resources) assigned, a handover is required for the reason given by the cause element.
The following cause codes are used:
2 Uplink quality
- Handover performed due to bad signal quality on the uplink for a connection
4 Downlink quality
- Handover performed due to bad signal quality on the downlink for a connection
6 Distance
- Handover performed due to too high timing advance for a connection
12 Better cell
- Handover performed due to a neighbour cell with higher or lower signal strength ( See note 2)
41 Preemption
- Handover performed due to preemption
Note 2: Even when the target cell has a lower signal strength the cause is set to Better cell to avoid the
locating algorithm punishing the cell at Inter BSC handover.

Handover Required Reject

This message is sent from the MSC to the BSC. It indicates to the BSC that the Handover Required message
has not resulted in handover. If the Handover Required Reject is initiated by the target BSC sending
Handover Failure then the Cause code is as described in the Handover Failure message.

SAPI ?n? Reject

This message is sent from the BSC to the MSC to indicate that a message with a SAPI value other than '0'
has been rejected ie the set up of an SMS data link with the MS has been rejected. The BSC uses just one
cause code:
0 Radio Interface message failure
- Abis message Error Indication received on the SAPI 3 data link
- Timeout for the Abis message Establish Request occurred.

Location Information Report

This message is sent from the BSC to the MSC in response to the LOCATION INFORMATION COMMAND
message. The cause is only included if the syntax of the LOCATION INFORMATION COMMAND mesage is
erroneous hence the BSC uses just one cause code:
81 Invalid message contents
- Syntax of Location Information Command mesage erroenous.